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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/8656-8.txt b/8656-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5dcdca7 --- /dev/null +++ b/8656-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12926 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Book Of The Thousand Nights And One +Night, Volume II, by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: The Book Of The Thousand Nights And One Night, Volume II + +Author: Anonymous + +Translator: John Payne + +Posting Date: February 26, 2015 [EBook #8656] +Release Date: August, 2005 +First Posted: July 30, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1001 NIGHTS, VOL II *** + + + + +Produced by JC Byers and Cameron Fruit + + + + + + + + + +Editorial Note: Project Gutenberg also has the translation of this work by + Richard F. Burton in 16 volumes. + + + + + THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT: + + Now First Completely Done Into English + Prose and Verse, From The Original Arabic, + + By John Payne +(Author of "The Masque of Shadows," "Intaglios: Sonnets," "Songs + of Life and Death," + "Lautrec," "The Poems of Master Francis Villon of Paris," "New + Poems," Etc, Etc.). + + In Nine Volumes: + + + + VOLUME THE SECOND. + + + + 1901 + + Delhi Edition + + + Contents of The Second Volume. + +9. The History of King Omar Ben Ennuman and His Sons Sherkan + and Zoulmekan + a. Story of Taj El Mulouk and the Princess Dunya + aa. Story of Aziz and Azizeh + b. Bakoun's Story of the Hashish-Eater + c. Hemmand the Bedouin's Story + + + + + + THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS + AND ONE NIGHT + + + + THE HISTORY OF KING OMAR BEN ENNUMAN AND + HIS SONS SHERKAN AND ZOULMEKAN. + + + +There reigned once in the City of Peace, (Baghdad), before the +Khalifate of Abdulmelik ben Merwan,[FN#1] a king called Omar ben +Ennuman, who was of the mighty giants and had subdued the kings +of Persia and the Emperors of the East, for none could warm +himself at his fire[FN#2] nor cope with him in battle, and when +he was angry, there came sparks out of his nostrils. He had +gotten him the dominion over all countries, and God had subjected +unto him all creatures; his commands were obeyed in all the great +cities and his armies penetrated the most distant lands: the East +and West came under his rule, with the regions between them, Hind +and Sind and China and Hejaz and Yemen and the islands of India +and China, Syria and Mesopotamia and the land of the blacks and +the islands of the ocean and all the famous rivers of the earth, +Jaxartes and Bactrus, Nile and Euphrates. He sent his ambassadors +to the farthest parts of the earth, to fetch him true report, and +they returned with tidings of justice and peace, bringing him +assurance of loyalty and obedience and invocations of blessings +on his head; for he was a right noble king and there came to him +gifts and tribute from all parts of the world. He had a son +called Sherkan, who was one of the prodigies of the age and the +likest of all men to his father, who loved him with an exceeding +love and had appointed him to be king after him. The prince grew +up till he reached man's estate and was twenty years old, and God +subjected all men to him, for he was gifted with great might and +prowess in battle, humbling the champions and destroying all who +made head against him. So, before long, this Sherkan became +famous in all quarters of the world and his father rejoiced in +him: and his might waxed, till he passed all bounds and magnified +himself, taking by storm the citadels and strong places. + +Now King Omar had four lawful wives, but God had vouchsafed him +no son by them, except Sherkan, whom he had gotten of one of +them, and the rest were barren. Moreover he had three hundred and +threescore concubines, after the number of the days of the Coptic +year, who were of all nations, and he had lodged them all within +his palace. For he had built twelve pavilions, after the number +of the months of the year, in each thirty chambers, and appointed +to each of his concubines a night, which he lay with her and came +not to her again for a full year. As providence would have it, +one of them conceived and her pregnancy was made known, whereupon +the King rejoiced with an exceeding joy, saying, "Mayhap it will +be a son, in which case all my offspring will be males." Then he +recorded the date of her conception and made much of her. But +when the news came to Sherkan, he was troubled and it was +grievous to him, for he said, "Verily, there cometh one who shall +dispute the kingdom with me." So he said to himself, "If this +damsel bear a male child, I will kill it." But he kept this his +intent secret in his heart. Now the damsel in question was a +Greek girl, by name Sufiyeh,[FN#3] whom the King of Roum,[FN#4] +lord of Caesarea, had sent to King Omar as a present, together +with great store of rarities. She was the fairest of face and +most graceful of all his women and the most careful of his honour +and was gifted with abounding wit and surpassing loveliness. She +had served the King on the night of his lying with her, saying to +him, "O King, I desire of the God of the heavens that He grant +thee of me a male child, so I may rear him well and do my utmost +endeavour to educate him and preserve him from harm." And her +words pleased the King. She passed the time of her pregnancy in +devout exercises, praying fervently to God to grant her a goodly +male child and make his birth easy to her, till her months were +accomplished and she sat down on the stool of delivery. Now the +King had given an eunuch charge to let him know if the child she +should bring forth were male or female; and in like manner his +son Sherkan had sent one to bring him news of this. In due time, +Sufiyeh was delivered of a child, which the midwives took and +found to be a girl with a face more radiant than the moon. So +they announced this to the bystanders, whereupon the eunuch +carried the news to the King and Sherkan's messenger did the like +with his master, who rejoiced with exceeding joy; but after these +two had departed, Sufiyeh said to the midwives, "Wait with me +awhile, for I feel there is yet somewhat in my entrails." Then +she moaned and the pains of labour took her again but God made it +easy to her and she gave birth to a second child. The midwives +looked at it and found it a boy like the full moon, with +flower-white forehead and rose-red cheeks; whereupon the damsel +and her eunuchs and attendants rejoiced and she was delivered of +the afterbirth, whilst all who were in the palace set up cries of +joy. The other damsels heard of this and envied her; and the news +came to Omar, who was glad and rejoiced. Then he rose and went to +her and kissed her head, after which he looked at the boy and +bending down to it, kissed it, whilst the damsels smote the +tabrets and played on instruments of music; and he commanded that +the boy should be named Zoulmekan and the girl Nuzbet ez Zeman, +which was done accordingly. Then he appointed nurses, wet and +dry, and eunuchs and attendants to serve them and assigned them +rations of sugar and liquors and oil and other necessaries, such +as the tongue fails to set out. Moreover the people of Baghdad +heard of the children that God had vouchsafed to the King; so +they decorated the city and made proclamation of the good news. +Then came the amirs and viziers and grandees and wished the King +joy of his son and daughter, wherefore he thanked them and +bestowed dresses of honour and favours and largesse on them and +on all who were present, gentle and simple. Then he bade carry +great store of jewellery and apparel and money to Sufiyeh and +charged her to rear the children carefully and educate them well. +After this wise, four years passed by, during which time the King +sent every few days to seek news of Sufiyeh and her children; but +all this while, his son Sherkan knew not that a male child had +been born to his father, having news only of the birth of his +daughter Nuzhet ez Zeman, and they hid the thing from him, until +years and days had passed by, whilst he was busied in contending +with the men of war and tilting against the cavaliers. + +One day, as the King was sitting on his throne, there came in to +him his chamberlains, who kissed the earth before him and said, +"O King, there be come ambassadors from the King of the Greeks, +lord of Constantinople the mighty, and they desire to be admitted +to pay their respects to thee: so if the King give them leave to +enter, we will admit them, and if not, there is no appeal from +his decree." He bade admit them, and when they entered, he turned +to them and asked them how they did and the reason of their +coming. They kissed the earth before him and replied, "O +illustrious King and lord of the long arm,[FN#5] know that King +Afridoun, lord of the lands of the Greeks and of the Nazarene +armies, holding the empire of Constantinople, hath sent us to +make known to thee that he is now waging grievous war with a +fierce rebel, the lord of Caesarea; and the cause of this war is +as follows. One of the kings of the Arabs, awhile since, chanced, +in one of his conquests, upon a treasure of the time of +Alexander, from which he carried away countless riches and +amongst other things, three round jewels, of the bigness of an +ostrich's egg, from a mine of pure white jewels, never was seen +the like. Upon each of these jewels were graven talismans in the +Greek character, and they had many properties and virtues, +amongst the rest that if one of them were hung round the neck of +a new-born child, no ailment would hurt him nor would he moan or +be fevered, so long as it was about his neck. When they came to +the hands of the Arabian King and he knew their virtues, he sent +the three jewels, together with other presents and rarities, as a +gift to King Afridoun, and to that end fitted out two ships, one +bearing the treasure and presents and the other men to guard them +against whoso should offer them hindrance on the sea, being +nevertheless assured that none would dare waylay them, for that +he was King of the Arabs, more by token that their way lay +through the sea in the dominions of the King of Constantinople +and they were bound to him, nor were there on the shores of that +sea any but subjects of the most mighty King Afridoun. The ships +set out and sailed till they drew near our city, when there +sallied out on them certain corsairs of the country and amongst +them troops of the King of Caesarea, who took all the treasures +and rarities in the ships, together with the three jewels, and +slew the men. When the news came to our King, he sent an army +against them, but they defeated it; then he sent another army, +stronger than the first, but they put this also to the rout; +whereupon the King was wroth and swore that he would go out +against them in person at the head of his whole army and not turn +back from them, till he had left Caesarea in ruins and laid waste +all the lands and cities over which its King held sway. So he +craves of the lord of the age and the time, the King of Baghdad +and Khorassan, that he succour us with an army, to the end that +glory may redound to him; and he has sent by us somewhat of +various kinds of presents and begs the King to favour him by +accepting them and accord us his aid." Then they kissed the earth +before King Omar and brought out the presents, which were fifty +slave-girls of the choicest of the land of the Greeks, and fifty +white male slaves in tunics of brocade, rich girdles of gold and +silver and in their ears pendants of gold and fine pearls, worth +a thousand dinars each. The damsels were adorned after the same +fashion and clad in stuffs worth much money. When the King saw +them, he rejoiced in them and accepted them. Then he commanded +that the ambassadors should be honourably entreated and summoning +his viziers, took counsel with them of what he should do. +Accordingly, one of them, an old man named Dendan, arose and +kissing the earth before King Omar, said, "O King, thou wouldst +do well to equip numerous army and set over it thy son Sherkan, +with us as his lieutenants; and to my mind it behoves thee to do +thus, for two reasons: first, that the King of the Greeks hath +appealed to thee for aid and hath sent thee presents, and thou +hast accepted them; and secondly, that no enemy dares attack our +country, and that if thy host succour the King of the Greeks and +his foe be put to the rout, the glory will fall to thee and the +news of it will be noised abroad in all cities and countries; and +especially, when the tidings reach the islands of the ocean and +the people of Western Africa, they will send thee presents and +tribute." When the King heard the Vizier's speech, it pleased him +and he approved his counsel: so he bestowed on him dress of +honour and said to him, "It is with such as thee that kings take +counsel and it befits that thou command the van of the army and +my son Sherkan the main battle." Then he sent for Sherkan and +expounded the matter to him, telling him what the ambassadors and +the Vizier had said, and enjoined him to take arms and prepare to +set out, charging him not to cross the Vizier Dendan in aught +that he should do. Then he bade him choose from among his troops +ten thousand horsemen armed cap-a-pie and inured to war and +hardship. Accordingly, Sherkan rose at once and chose out ten +thousand horsemen, in obedience to his father's commandment, +after which he entered his palace and mustered his troops and +distributed money to them, saying, "Ye have three days to make +ready." They kissed the earth before him and proceeded at once to +make their preparations for the campaign; whilst Sherkan repaired +to the armouries and provided himself with all the arms and +armour that he needed, and thence to the stables, whence he took +horses of choice breeds and others. When the three days were +ended, the troops marched out of Baghdad, and King Omar came +forth to take leave of his son, who kissed the earth before him, +and he gave him seven thousand purses.[FN#6] Then he turned to +the Vizier Dendan and commended to his care his son Sherkan's +army and charged the latter to consult the Vizier in all things, +to which they both promised obedience. After this, the King +returned to Baghdad and Sherkan commanded the officers to draw +out the troops in battle array. So they mustered them and the +number of the army was ten thousand horsemen, besides footmen and +followers. Then they loaded the beasts and beat the drums and +blew the clarions and unfurled the banners and the standards, +whilst Sherkan mounted, with the Vizier Dendan by his side and +the standards waving over them, and the army set out and fared +on, with the ambassadors in the van, till the day departed and +the night came, when they halted and encamped for the night. On +the morrow, as soon as God brought in the day, they took horse +and continued their march, nor did they cease to press onward, +guided by the ambassadors, for the space of twenty days. On the +twenty-first day, at nightfall, they came to a wide and fertile +valley, whose sides were thickly wooded and covered with grass, +and there Sherkan called a three days' halt. So they dismounted +and pitched their tents, dispersing right and left in the valley, +whilst the Vizier Dendan and the ambassadors alighted in the +midst. As for Sherkan, when he had seen the tents pitched and the +troops dispersed on either side and had commanded his officers +and attendants to camp beside the Vizier Dendan, he gave reins to +his horse, being minded to explore the valley and himself mount +guard over the army, having regard to his father's injunctions +and to the fact that they had reached the frontier of the land of +Roum and were now in the enemy's country. So he rode on alone +along the valley, till a fourth part of the night was passed, +when he grew weary and sleep overcame him, so that he could no +longer spur his horse. Now he was used to sleep on horseback; so +when drowsiness got the better of him, he fell asleep and the +horse paced on with him half the night and entered a forest; but +Sherkan awoke not, till the steed smote the earth with his hoof. +Then he started from sleep and found himself among trees; and the +moon arose and lighted up the two horizons. He was troubled at +finding himself alone in this place and spoke the words, which +whoso says shall never be confounded, that is to say, "There is +no power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme!" +But as he rode on, in fear of the wild beasts, behold, the trees +thinned and the moon shone out upon a meadow as it were one of +the meads of Paradise and he heard therein a noise of talk and +pleasant laughter such as ravishes the wit of men. So King +Sherkan dismounted and tying his horse to a tree, fared on a +little way, till he espied a stream of running water and heard a +woman talking and saying in Arabic, "By the virtue of the +Messiah, this is not handsome of you! But whoso speaks a word, I +will throw her down and bind her with her girdle." He followed in +the direction of the voice and saw gazelles frisking and wild +cattle pasturing and birds in their various voices expressing joy +and gladness: and the earth was embroidered with all manner of +flowers and green herbs, even as says of it the poet in the +following verses: + +Earth has no fairer sight to show than this its blossom-time, + With all the gently running streams that wander o'er its + face. +It is indeed the handiwork of God Omnipotent, The Lord of every + noble gift and Giver of all grace! + +Midmost the meadow stood a monastery, and within the enclosure +was a citadel that rose high into the air in the light of the +moon. The stream passed through the midst of the monastery and +therenigh sat ten damsels like moons, high-bosomed maids, clad in +dresses and ornaments that dazzled the eyes, as says of them the +poet: + +The meadow glitters with the troops Of lovely ones that wander + there. +Its grace and beauty doubled are By these that are so passing + fair. +Virgins that, with their swimming gait, The hearts of all that + see ensnare; +Along whose necks, like trails of grapes, Stream down the tresses + of their hair: +Proudly they walk, with eyes that dart The shafts and arrows of + despair, +And all the champions of the world Are slain by their seductive + air. + +Sherkan looked at the ten girls and saw in their midst a lady +like the moon at its full, with ringleted hair and shining +forehead, great black eyes and curling brow-locks, perfect in +person and attributes, as says the poet: + +Her beauty beamed on me with glances wonder-bright: The slender + Syrian spears are not so straight and slight: +She laid her veil aside, and lo, her cheeks rose-red! All manner + lovelyness was in their sweetest sight. +The locks, that o'er her brow fell down, were like the night, + From out of which there shines a morning of delight. + +Then Sherkan heard her say to the girls, "Come on, that I may +wrestle with you, ere the moon set and the dawn come." So they +came up to her, one after another, and she overthrew them, one by +one, and bound their hands behind them with their girdles. When +she had thrown them all, there turned to her an old woman, who +was before her, and said, as if she were wroth with her, "O +wanton, dost thou glory in overthrowing these girls? Behold, I am +an old woman, yet have I thrown them forty times! So what hast +thou to boast of? But if thou have strength to wrestle with me, +stand up that I may grip thee and put thy head between thy feet." +The young lady smiled at her words, although her heart was full +of anger against her, and said, "O my lady Dhat ed Dewahi, wilt +indeed wrestle with me, or dost thou jest with me?" "I mean to +wrestle with thee in very deed," replied she. "Stand up to me +then," said the damsel, "if thou have strength to do so." When +the old woman heard this, she was sore enraged and the hair of +her body stood on end, like that of a hedge-hog. Then she sprang +up, whilst the damsel confronted her, and said, "By the virtue of +the Messiah, I will not wrestle with thee, except I be naked." "O +baggage!" So she loosed her trousers and putting her hand under +her clothes, tore them off her body; then, taking a handkerchief +of silk, she bound it about her middle and became as she were a +bald Afriteh or a pied snake. Then she turned to the young lady +and said to her, "Do as I have done." All this time, Sherkan was +watching them and laughing at the loathly favour of the old +woman. So the damsel took a sash of Yemen stuff and doubled it +about her waist, then tucked up her trousers and showed legs of +alabaster and above them a hummock of crystal, soft and swelling, +and a belly that exhaled musk from its dimples, as it were a bed +of blood-red anemones, and breasts like double pomegranates. Then +the old woman bent to her and they took hold of one another, +whilst Sherkan raised his eyes to heaven and prayed to God that +the damsel might conquer the old hag. Presently, the former bored +in under the latter, and gripping her by the breech with the left +hand and by the gullet with the right, hoisted her off the +ground; whereupon the old woman strove to free herself and in the +struggle wriggled out of the girl's hands and fell on her back. +Up went her legs and showed her hairy tout in the moonlight, and +she let fly two great cracks of wind, one of which smote the +earth, whilst the other smoked up to the skies. At this Sherkan +laughed, till he fell to the ground, and said, "He lied not who +dubbed thee Lady of Calamities![FN#7] Verily, thou sawest her +prowess against the others." Then he arose and looked right and +left, but saw none save the old woman thrown down on her back. So +he drew near to hear what should pass between them; and behold, +the young lady came up to the old one and throwing over her a +veil of fine silk, helped her to dress herself, making excuses to +her and saying, "O my lady Dhat ed Dewahi, I did not mean to +throw thee so roughly, but thou wriggledst out of my hands; so +praised be God for safety!" She returned her no answer, but rose +in her confusion and walked away out of sight, leaving the young +lady standing alone, by the other girls thrown down and bound. +Then said Sherkan to himself, "To every fortune there is a cause. +Sleep fell not on me nor did the steed bear me hither but for my +good fortune; for of a surety this damsel and what is with her +shall be my prize." So he turned back and mounted and drew his +scimitar; then he gave his horse the spur and he started off with +him, like an arrow from a bow, whilst he brandished his naked +blade and cried out, "God is Most Great!" When the damsel saw +him, she sprang to her feet and running to the bank of the river, +which was there six cubits wide, made a spring and landed on the +other side, where she turned and standing, cried out in a loud +voice, "Who art thou, sirrah, that breakest in on our pastime, +and that with thy whinger bared, as thou wert charging an army? +Whence comest thou and whither art thou bound? Speak the truth, +and it shall profit thee, and do not lie, for lying is of the +loser's fashion. Doubtless thou hast strayed this night from thy +road, that thou hast happened on this place. So tell me what thou +seekest: if thou wouldst have us set thee in the right road, we +will do so, or if thou seek help, we will help thee." When +Sherkan heard her words, he replied, "I am a stranger of the +Muslims, who am come out by myself in quest of booty, and I have +found no fairer purchase this moonlit night than these ten +damsels; so I will take them and rejoin my comrades with them." +Quoth she, "I would have thee to know that thou hast not yet come +at the booty: and as for these ten damsels, by Allah, they are no +purchase for thee! Indeed, the fairest purchase thou canst look +for is to win free of this place; for thou art now in a mead, +where, if we gave one cry, there would be with us anon four +thousand knights. Did I not tell thee that lying is shameful?" +And he said, "The fortunate man is he to whom God sufficeth and +who hath no need of other than Him." "By the virtue of the +Messiah," replied she, "did I not fear to have thy death at my +hand, I would give a cry that would fill the meadow on thee with +horse and foot; but I have pity on the stranger: so if thou seek +booty, I require of thee that thou dismount from thy horse and +swear to me, by thy faith, that thou wilt not approach me with +aught of arms, and we will wrestle, I and thou. If thou throw me, +lay me on thy horse and take all of us to thy booty; and if I +throw thee, thou shalt be at my commandment. Swear this to me, +for I fear thy perfidy, since experience has it that, as long as +perfidy is in men's natures, to trust in every one is weakness. +But if thou wilt swear, I will come over to thee." Quoth Sherkan +(and indeed he lusted after her and said to himself, "She does +not know that I am a champion of the champions."), "Impose on me +whatever oath thou deemest binding, and I will swear not to draw +near thee till thou hast made thy preparations and sayest, 'Come +and wrestle with me.' If thou throw me, I have wealth wherewith +to ransom myself, and if I throw thee, I shall get fine +purchase." Then said she, "Swear to me by Him who hath lodged the +soul in the body and given laws to mankind, that thou wilt not +beset me with aught of violence, but by way of wrestling; else +mayst thou die out of the pale of Islam." "By Allah," exclaimed +Sherkan, "if a Cadi should swear me, though he were Cadi of the +Cadis, he would not impose on me the like of this oath!" Then he +took the oath she required and tied his horse to a tree, sunken +in the sea of reverie and saying in himself, "Glory to Him who +fashioned her of vile water!"[FN#8] Then he girt himself and made +ready for wrestling and said to her, "Cross the stream to me." +Quoth she, "It is not for me to come to thee: if thou wilt, do +thou cross over to me." "I cannot do that," replied he, and she +said, "O boy, I will come to thee." So she gathered her skirts +and making a spring, landed on the other side of the river by +him; whereupon he drew near to her, wondering at her beauty and +grace, and saw a form that the hand of Omnipotence had tanned +with the leaves of the Jinn and which had been fostered by Divine +solicitude, a form on which the zephyrs of fair fortune had blown +and over whose creation favourable planets had presided. Then she +called out to him, saying, "O Muslim, come and wrestle before the +day break!" and tucked up her sleeves, showing a fore-arm like +fresh curd; the whole place was lighted up by its whiteness and +Sherkan was dazzled by it. Then he bent forward and clapped his +hands and she did the like, and they took hold and gripped each +other. He laid his hands on her slender waist, so that the tips +of his fingers sank into the folds of her belly, and his limbs +relaxed and he stood in the stead of desire, for there was +displayed to him a body, in which was languishment of hearts, and +he fell a-trembling like the Persian reed in the hurricane. So +she lifted him up and throwing him to the ground, sat down on his +breast with buttocks like a hill of sand, for he was not master +of his reason. Then she said to him, "O Muslim, it is lawful +among you to kill Christians; what sayst thou to my killing +thee?" "O my lady," replied he, "as for killing me, it is +unlawful; for our Prophet (whom God bless and preserve!) hath +forbidden the slaying of women and children and old men and +monks." "Since this was revealed unto your prophet," rejoined +she, "it behoves us to be even with him therein; so rise: I give +thee thy life, for beneficence is not lost upon men." Then she +got off his breast and he rose and brushed the earth from his +head, and she said to him, "Be not abashed; but, indeed, one who +enters the land of the Greeks in quest of booty and to succour +kings against kings, how comes it that there is no strength in +him to defend himself against a woman?" "It was not lack of +strength in me," replied he; "nor was it thy strength that +overthrew me, but thy beauty: so if thou wilt grant me another +bout, it will be of thy favour." She laughed and said, "I grant +thee this: but these damsels have been long bound and their arms +and shoulders are weary, and it were fitting I should loose them, +since this next bout may peradventure be a long one." Then she +went up to the girls and unbinding them, said to them in the +Greek tongue, "Go and put yourselves in safety, till I have +brought to nought this Muslim's craving for you." So they went +away, whilst Sherkan looked at them and they gazed at him and the +young lady. Then she and he drew near again and set breast +against breast; but, when he felt her belly against his, his +strength failed him, and she feeling this, lifted him in her +hands, swiftlier than the blinding lightning, and threw him to +the ground. He fell on his back, and she said to him, "Rise, I +give thee thy life a second time. I spared thee before for the +sake of thy prophet, for that he forbade the killing of women, +and I do so this second time because of thy weakness and tender +age and strangerhood; but I charge thee, if there be, in the army +sent by King Omar ben Ennuman to the succour of the King of +Constantinople, a stronger than thou, send him hither and tell +him of me, for in wrestling there are divers kinds of strokes and +tricks, such as feinting and the fore-tripe and the back-tripe +and the leg-crick and the thigh-twist and the jostle and the +cross-buttock." "By Allah, O my lady," replied Sherkan, (and +indeed he was greatly incensed against her), "were I the chief Es +Sefedi or Mohammed Caimal or Ibn es Seddi,[FN#9] I had not +observed the fashion thou namest; for, by Allah, it was not by +thy strength that thou overthrewest me, but by filling me with +the desire of thy buttocks, because we people of Chaldaea love +great thighs, so that nor wit nor foresight was left in me. But +now if thou have a mind to try another fall with me, with my wits +about me, I have a right to this one bout more, by the rules of +the game, for my presence of mind has now returned to me." "Hast +thou not had enough of wrestling, O conquered one?" rejoined she. +"However, come, if thou wilt; but know that this bout must be the +last." Then they took hold of each other and he set to in earnest +and warded himself against being thrown down: so they strained +awhile, and the damsel found in him strength such as she had not +before observed and said to him, "O Muslim, thou art on thy +guard!" "Yes," replied he; "thou knowest that there remaineth but +this bout, and after each of us will go his own way." She laughed +and he laughed too: then she seized the opportunity to bore in +upon him unawares, and gripping him by the thigh, threw him to +the ground, so that he fell on his back. She laughed at him and +said, "Thou art surely an eater of bran; for thou art like a +Bedouin bonnet, that falls at a touch, or a child's toy, that a +puff of air overturns. Out on thee, thou poor creature! Go back +to the army of the Muslims and send us other than thyself, for +thou lackest thews, and cry us among the Arabs and Persians and +Turks and Medes, 'Whoso has might in him, let him come to us.'" +Then she made a spring and landed on the other side of the stream +and said to Sherkan, laughing, "It goes to my heart to part with +thee; get thee to thy friends, O my lord, before the morning, +lest the knights come upon thee and take thee on the points of +their lances. Thou hast not strength enough to defend thee +against women; so how couldst thou make head against men and +cavaliers?" And she turned to go back to the monastery. Sherkan +was confounded and called out to her, saying, "O my lady, wilt +thou go away and leave the wretched stranger, the broken-hearted +slave of love?" So she turned to him, laughing, and said, "What +wouldst thou? I grant thy prayer." "Have I set foot in thy +country and tasted the sweetness of thy favours," replied +Sherkan, "and shall I return without eating of thy victual +and tasting thy hospitality? Indeed I am become one of thy +servitors." Quoth she, "None but the base refuses hospitality; on +my head and eyes be it! Do me the favour to mount and ride along +the bank of the stream, abreast of me, for thou art my guest." At +this Sherkan rejoiced and hastening back to his horse, mounted +and rode along the river-bank, keeping abreast of her, till he +came to a drawbridge, that hung by pulleys and chains of steel, +made fast with hooks and padlocks. Here stood the ten damsels +awaiting the lady, who spoke to one of them in the Greek tongue +and said to her, "Go to him and take his horse's rein and bring +him over to the monastery." So she went up to Sherkan and led him +over the bridge to the other side and he followed her, amazed at +what he saw and saying in himself, "Would the Vizier Dendan were +with me, to look on these fair faces with his own eyes." Then he +turned to the young lady and said to her, "O wonder of beauty, +now art thou doubly bound to me, firstly, by the bond of +comradeship, and secondly for that thou carriest me to thy house +and I accept of thy hospitality and am at thy disposal and under +thy protection. So do me the favour to go with me to the land of +Islam, where thou shalt look upon many a lion-hearted prince and +know who I am." His speech angered her and she said to him, "By +the virtue of the Messiah, thou art keen of wit with me! But I +see now what depravity is in thy heart and how thou allowest +thyself to say a thing that proves thee a traitor. How should I +do what thou sayest, when I know that, if I came to thy King Omar +ben Ennuman, I should never win free of him? For he has not the +like of me among his women nor in his palace, all lord of Baghdad +and Khorassan as he is, with his twelve palaces, in number as the +months of the year, and his concubines therein, in number as the +days thereof; and if I come to him, he will not respect me, for +that ye hold it lawful to take possession of the like of me, as +it is said in your scripture, 'That which your right hand +possesses.'[FN#10] So how canst thou speak thus to me? As for thy +saying, 'Thou shalt look upon the champions of the Muslims,' by +the Messiah, thou sayst that which is not true; for I saw your +army, when it reached our country, these two days ago, and I did +not see that your ordinance was that of kings, but beheld you +only as a rabble of men collected together. And as for thy +saying, 'Thou shalt know who I am,' I did not show thee courtesy +of any intent to honour thee, but out of pride in myself; and the +like of thee should not say this to the like of me, even though +thou be Sherkan himself, King Omar ben Ennuman's son, who is +renowned in these days." "And dost thou know Sherkan?" asked he. +"Yes," replied she; "and I know of his coming with an army of ten +thousand horse, for that he was sent by his father with these +troops to the succour of the King of Constantinople." "O my +lady," rejoined Sherkan, "I conjure thee, as thou believest in +thy religion, tell me the cause of all this, that I may know +truth from falsehood and with whom the fault lies." "By the +virtue of thy faith," replied she, "were it not that I fear lest +the news of me be bruited abroad that I am of the daughters of +the Greeks, I would adventure myself and sally forth against the +ten thousand horse and kill their chief, the Vizier Dendan, and +take their champion Sherkan. Nor would there be any reproach to +me in this, for I have read books and know the Arabic language +and have studied good breeding and polite letters. But I have no +need to vaunt my own prowess to thee, for thou hast tasted of my +quality and proved my strength and skill and pre-eminence in +wrestling; nor if Sherkan himself had been in thy place to-night +and it had been said to him, 'Leap this river,' could he have +done so. And I could wish well that the Messiah would throw him +into my hands here in this monastery, that I might go forth to +him in the habit of a man and pull him from his saddle and take +him prisoner and lay him in fetters." When Sherkan heard this, +pride and heat and warlike jealousy overcame him and he was +minded to discover himself and lay violent hands on her but her +beauty held him back from her, and he repeated the following +verse: + +Their charms, whatever fault the fair commit, A thousand + intercessors bring for it. + +So she went up, and he after her; whilst he looked at her back +and saw her buttocks smiting against each other, like the billows +in the troubled sea; and he recited the following verses: + +In her face an advocate harbours, who blots out her every fault + From the hearts of mankind, for he is mighty to intercede. +Whenas I look at her face, I cry in my wonder aloud, "The moon of + the skies in the night of her full is risen indeed!" +If the Afrit of Belkis[FN#11] himself should wrestle a fall with + her, Her charms would throw him forthright, for all his + strength and speed. + +They went on till they reached a vaulted gate, arched over with +marble. This she opened and entered with Sherkan into a long +vestibule, vaulted with ten arches from each of which hung a lamp +of crystal, shining like the rays of the sun. The damsels met her +at the end of the vestibule, bearing perfumed flambeaux and +having on their heads kerchiefs embroidered with all manner +jewels and went on before her, till they came to the inward of +the monastery, where Sherkan saw couches set up all around, +facing one another and overhung with curtains spangled with gold. +The floor was paved with all kinds of variegated marbles, and in +the midst was a basin of water, with four-and-twenty spouts of +gold around it, from which issued water like liquid silver; +whilst at the upper end stood a throne covered with silks of +royal purple. Then said the damsel, "O my lord, mount this +throne." So he seated himself on it, and she withdrew: and when +she had been absent awhile, he asked the servants of her, and +they said, "She hath gone to her sleeping-chamber; but we will +serve thee as thou shalt order." So they set before him rare +meats and he ate till he was satisfied, when they brought him a +basin of gold and an ewer of silver, and he washed his hands. +Then his mind reverted to his troops, and he was troubled, +knowing not what had befallen them in his absence and thinking +how he had forgotten his father's injunctions, so that he abode +oppressed with anxiety and repenting of what he had done, till +the dawn broke and the day appeared, when he lamented and sighed +and became drowned in the sea of melancholy, repeating the +following verses: + +I lack not of prudence and yet in this case I've been fooled; so + what shift shall avail unto me? +If any could ease me of love and its stress, Of my might and my + virtue I'd set myself free. +But alas! my heart's lost in the maze of desire, And no helper + save God in my strait can I see. + +Hardly had he finished, when up came more than twenty damsels +like moons, encompassing the young lady, who appeared amongst +them as the full moon among stars. She was clad in royal brocade +and girt with a woven girdle set with various kinds of jewels, +that straitly clasped her waist and made her buttocks stand out +as they were a hill of crystal upholding a wand of silver; and +her breasts were like double pomegranates. On her head she wore a +network of pearls, gemmed with various kinds of jewels, and she +moved with a coquettish swimming gait, swaying wonder-gracefully, +whilst the damsels held up her skirts. When Sherkan saw her +beauty and grace, he was transported for joy and forgot his army +and the Vizier Dendan end springing to his feet, cried out, +"Beware, beware of that girdle rare!" and repeated the following +verses: + +Heavy of buttocks, languorous of gait, With limber shape and + breasts right delicate, +She hides what passion in her bosom burns; Yet cannot I my heat + dissimulate. +Her maidens, like strung pearls, behind her fare, Now all + dispersed now knit in ordered state. + +She fixed her eyes on him and considered him awhile, till she was +assured of him, when she came up to him and said, "Indeed the +place is honoured and illumined by thy presence, O Sherkan! How +didst thou pass the night, O hero, after we went away and left +thee? Verily lying is a defect and a reproach in kings, +especially in great kings; and thou art Sherkan, son of King Omar +ben Ennuman; so henceforth tell me nought but truth and strive +not to keep the secret of thy condition, for falsehood engenders +hatred and enmity. The arrow of destiny hath fallen on thee, and +it behoves thee to show resignation and submission." When Sherkan +heard what she said, he saw nothing for it but to tell her the +truth so he said, "I am indeed Sherkan, son of Omar ben Ennuman, +whom fortune hath afflicted and cast into this place: so now do +whatsoever thou wilt." She bowed her head a long while, then +turned to him and said, "Reassure thyself and be of good cheer; +for thou art my guest, and bread and salt have passed between us; +so art thou in my safeguard and under my protection. Have no +fear; by the virtue of the Messiah, if all the people of the +earth sought to harm thee, they should not come at thee till the +breath had left my body for thy sake; for thou art under my +protection and that of the Messiah." Then she sat down by his +side and began to sport with him, till his alarm subsided and he +knew that, had she been minded to kill him, she would have done +so on the past night. After awhile, she spoke in the Greek tongue +to one of her serving-women, who went away and returned in a +little with a goblet and a tray of food; but Sherkan abstained +from eating, saying in himself, "Maybe she hath put somewhat in +this meat." She knew what was in his thought; so she turned to +him and said, "By the virtue of the Messiah, the case is not as +thou deemest, nor is there aught in this food of what thou +suspectest! Were I minded to kill thee, I had done so before +now." Then she came to the table and ate a mouthful of every +dish, whereupon Sherkan came forward and fell to. She was pleased +at this, and they both ate till they were satisfied, after which +she let bring perfumes and sweet-smelling herbs and wines of all +colours and kinds, in vessels of gold and silver and crystal. She +filled a first cup and drank it off, before offering it to +Sherkan, even as she had done with the food. Then she filled a +second time and gave the cup to him. He drank and she said to +him, "See, O Muslim, how thou art in the utmost delight and +pleasure of life!" And she ceased not to drink and to ply him +with drink, till he took leave of his wits, for the wine and the +intoxication of love for her. Presently she said to the +serving-maid, "O Merjaneh, bring us some instruments of music." +"I hear and obey," replied Merjaneh, and going out, returned +immediately with a lute, a Persian harp, a Tartar flute and an +Egyptian dulcimer. The young lady took the lute and tuning it, +sang to it in a dulcet voice, softer than the zephyr and sweeter +than the waters of Tesnim,[FN#12] the following verses: + +May Allah assoilzie thine eyes! How much is the blood they have + shed! How great is the tale of the shafts thy pitiless + glances have sped! +I honour the mistress, indeed, that harshly her suitor entreats; + 'Tis sin in the loved to relent or pity a lover misled. +Fair fortune and grace to the eyes that watch the night, + sleepless, for thee, And hail to the heart of thy slave, by + day that is heavy as lead! +'Tis thine to condemn me to death, for thou art my king and my + lord. With my life I will ransom the judge, who heapeth + unright on my head. + +Then each of the damsels rose and taking an instrument played and +sang to it in the Greek language. The lady their mistress, sang +also, to Sherkan's delight. Then she said to him, "O Muslim, dost +thou understand what I say?" "No," replied he; "it was the beauty +of thy finger-tips that threw me into ecstasies." She laughed and +said, "If I sang to thee in Arabic, what wouldst thou do?" "I +should lose the mastery of my reason," replied he. So she took an +instrument and changing the measure, sang the following verses: + +Parting must ever bitter be; How shall one bear it patiently? +Three things are heavy on my heart, Absence, estrangement, + cruelty. +I love a fair to whom I'm thrall, And severance bitter is to me. + +Then she looked at Sherkan and found he had lost his senses for +delight: and he lay amongst them insensible awhile, after which +he revived and recalling the singing inclined to mirth. Then they +fell again to drinking and ceased not from sport and merriment +till the day departed with the evening and the night let fall her +wings. Thereupon she rose and retired to her chamber. Sherkan +enquired after her and being told that she was gone to her +bedchamber, said, "I commend her to the safe-keeping of God and +to His protection!" As soon as it was day, a waiting-woman came +to him and said, "My mistress bids thee to her." So he rose and +followed her, and as he drew near her lodging, the damsels +received him with smitten tabrets and songs of greeting and +escorted him to a great door of ivory set with pearls and jewels. +Here they entered and he found himself in a spacious saloon, at +the upper end of which was a great estrade, carpeted with various +kinds of silk, and round it open lattices giving upon trees and +streams. About the place were figures, so fashioned that the air +entered them and set in motion instruments of music within them, +and it seemed to the beholder as if they spoke. Here sat the +young lady, looking on the figures; but when she saw Sherkan, she +sprang to her feet and taking him by the hand, made him sit down +by her and asked him how he had passed the night. He blessed her +and they sat talking awhile, till she said to him, "Knowest thou +aught touching lovers and slaves of passion?" "Yes," replied he; +"I know some verses on the subject." "Let me hear them," said +she. So he repeated the following verses: + +Pleasure and health, O Azzeh, and good digestion to thee! How + with our goods and our names and our honours thou makest + free! +By Allah, whene'er I blow hot, she of a sudden blows cold, And no + sooner do I draw near, than off at a tangent flies she! +Indeed, as I dote upon Azzeh, as soon as I've cleared me of all + That stands between us and our loves, she turns and abandons + me; +As a traveller that trusts in the shade of a cloud for his + noontide rest, But as soon as he halts, the shade flits and + the cloud in the distance cloth flee. + +When she heard this, she said, "Verily Kutheiyir[FN#13] was a +poet of renown and a master of chaste eloquence and attained rare +perfection in praise of Azzeh, especially when he says: + +'If Azzeh should before a judge the sun of morning cite, Needs + must the umpire doom to her the meed of beauty bright; +And women all, who come to me, at her to rail and flite, God make + your cheeks the sandal-soles whereon her feet alight!' + +"And indeed it is reported," added she, "that Azzeh was endowed +with the extreme of beauty and grace." Then she said to Sherkan, +"O king's son, dost thou know aught of Jemil's[FN#14] verses to +Butheineh?" "Yes," replied he; "none knows Jemil's verses better +than I." And he repeated the following: + +"Up and away to the holy war, Jemil!" they say; and I, "What have + I to do with waging war except among the fair?" +For deed and saying with them alike are full of ease and cheer, + And he's a martyr[FN#15] who tilts with them and falleth + fighting there. +If I say to Butheineh, "What is this love, that eateth my life + away?" She answers, "Tis rooted fast in thy heart and will + increase fore'er." +Or if I beg her to give me back some scantling of my wit, + Wherewith to deal with the folk and live, she answereth, + "Hope it ne'er!" +Thou willst my death, ah, woe is me! thou willst nought else but + that; Yet I, I can see no goal but thee, towards which my + wishes fare. + +"Thou hast done well, O king's son," said she, "and Jemil also +did excellently well. But what would Butheineh have done with him +that he says, 'Thou wishest to kill me and nought else?'" "O my +lady," replied he, "she sought to do with him what thou seekest +to do with me, and even that will not content thee." She laughed +at his answer, and they ceased not to carouse till the day +departed and the night came with the darkness. Then she rose and +went to her sleeping-chamber, and Sherkan slept in his place till +the morning. As soon as he awoke, the damsels came to him with +tambourines and other instruments of music, according to their +wont, and kissing the earth before him, said to him, "In the name +of God, deign to follow us; for our mistress bids thee to her." +So he rose and accompanied the girls, who escorted him, smiting +on tabrets and other instruments of music, to another saloon, +bigger than the first and decorated with pictures and figures of +birds and beasts, passing description. Sherkan wondered at the +fashion of the place and repeated the following verses: + +My rival plucks, of the fruits of the necklets branching wide, + Pearls of the breasts in gold enchased and beautified +With running fountains of liquid silver in streams And cheeks of + rose and beryl, side by side. +It seemeth, indeed, as if the violet's colour vied With the + sombre blue of the eyes, with antimony dyed.[FN#16] + +When the lady saw Sherkan, she came to meet him, and taking him +by the hand, said to him, "O son of King Omar ben Ennuman, hast +thou any skill in the game of chess?" "Yes," replied he; "but do +not thou be as says the poet." And he repeated the following +verses: + +I speak, and passion, the while, folds and unfolds me aye; But a + draught of the honey of love my spirits thirst could stay. +I sit at the chess with her I love, and she plays with me, With + white and with black; but this contenteth me no way. +Meseemeth as if the king were set in the place of the rook And + sought with the rival queens a bout of the game to play. +And if I looked in her eyes, to spy the drift of her moves, The + amorous grace of her glance would doom me to death + straightaway. + +Then she brought the chess-board and played with him; but instead +of looking at her moves, he looked at her face and set the knight +in the place of the elephant[FN#17] and the elephant in the place +of the knight. She laughed and said to him, "If this be thy play, +thou knowest nothing of the game." "This is only the first bout," +replied he; "take no count of it." She beat him, and he replaced +the pieces and played again with her; but she beat him a second +time and a third and a fourth and a fifth. So she fumed to him +and said, "Thou art beaten in everything." "O my lady," answered +he, "how should one not be beaten, who plays with the like of +thee?" Then she called for food, and they ate and washed their +hands, after which the maids brought wine, and they drank. +Presently, the lady took the dulcimer, for she was skilled to +play thereon, and sang to it the following verses: + +Fortune is still on the shift, now gladness and now woe; I liken + it to the tide, in its ceaseless ebb and flow. +So drink, if thou have the power, whilst it is yet serene, Lest + it at unawares depart, and thou not know. + + +They gave not over carousing till nightfall, and this day was +pleasanter than the first. When the night came, the lady went to +her sleeping-chamber, leaving Sherkan with the damsels. So he +threw himself on the ground and slept till the morning, when +the damsels came to him with tambourines and other musical +instruments, according to their wont. When he saw them, he sat +up; and they took him and carried him to their mistress, who came +to meet him and taking him by the hand, made him sit down by her +side. Then she asked him how he had passed the night, to which he +replied by wishing her long life; and she took the lute and sang +the following verses: + +Incline not to parting, I pray, For bitter its taste is alway. +The sun at his setting grows pale, To think he must part from the + day. + +Hardly had she made an end of singing, when there arose of a +sudden a great clamour, and a crowd of men and knights rushed +into the place, with naked swords gleaming in their hands, crying +out in the Greek tongue, "Thou hast fallen into our hands, O +Sherkan! Be sure of death!" When he heard this, he said to +himself, "By Allah, she hath laid a trap for me and held me in +play, till her men should come! These are the knights with whom +she threatened me: but it is I who have thrown myself into this +peril." Then he turned to the lady to reproach her, but saw that +she had changed colour; and she sprang to her feet and said to +the new-comers, "Who are ye?" "O noble princess and unpeered +pearl," replied the knight their chief, "dost thou know who is +this man with thee?" "Not I," answered she. "Who is he?" Quoth +the knight, "He is the despoiler of cities and prince of +cavaliers, Sherkan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman. This is he who +captures the citadels and masters the most impregnable strengths. +The news of him reached King Herdoub, thy father, by the report +of the old princess Dhat ed Dewahi; and thou hast done good +service to the army of the Greeks by helping them to lay hands on +this pestilent lion." When she heard this, she looked at the +knight and said to him, "What is thy name?" And he answered, "My +name is Masoureh son of thy slave Mousoureh ben Kasherdeh, chief +of the nobles." Quoth she, "And how camest thou in to me without +my leave?" "O our lady," replied he, "when I came to the gate, +neither chamberlain nor porter offered me any hindrance; but all +the gate-keepers rose and forewent me as of wont; though, when +others come, they leave them standing at the gate, whilst they +ask leave for them to enter. But this is no time for long talk, +for the King awaits our return to him with this prince, who is +the mainstay of the army of Islam, that he may kill him and that +his troops may depart whence they came, without our having the +toil of fighting them." "Thou sayest an ill thing," rejoined the +princess. "Verily, the lady Dhat ed Dewahi lied; and she hath +avouched a vain thing, of which she knows not the truth; for by +the virtue of the Messiah, this man who is with me is not +Sherkan, nor is he a captive, but a stranger, who came to us, +seeking hospitality, and we received him as a guest. So, even +were we assured that this was Sherkan and did we know that it was +he beyond doubt, it would suit ill with my honour that I should +deliver into your hands one who hath come under my safeguard. +Betray me not, therefore, in the person of my guest, neither +bring me into ill repute among men; but return to the King my +father and kiss the earth before him and tell him that the case +is not according to the report of the lady Dhat ed Dewahi." "O +Abrizeh," replied the knight Masoureh, "I cannot go back to the +King without his enemy." Quoth she (and indeed she was angry), +"Out on thee! Return to him with the answer, and no blame shall +fall on thee." But he said, "I will not return without him." At +this her colour changed and she exclaimed, "A truce to talk and +idle words; for of a verity this man would not have come in to +us, except he were assured that he could of himself make head +against a hundred horse; and if I said to him, 'Art thou Sherkan, +son of King Omar ben Ennuman?' he would answer, 'Yes.' Nathless, +it is not in your power to hinder him; for if ye beset him, he +will not turn back from you, till he have slain all that are in +the place. Behold, he is with me and I will bring him before you, +with his sword and buckler in his hands." "If I be safe from thy +wrath," replied Masoureh, "I am not safe from that of thy father, +and when I see him, I shall sign to the knights to take him +prisoner, and we will carry him, bound and abject, to the King." +When she heard this, she said, "The thing shall not pass thus, +for it would be a disgrace. This man is but one and ye are a +hundred. So, an ye be minded to attack him, come out against him, +one after one, that it may appear to the King which is the +valiant amongst you." "By the Messiah," rejoined Masoureh, "thou +sayest sooth, and none but I shall go out against him first!" +Then she said, "Wait till I go to him and tell him and hear what +he says. If he consent, it is well but if he refuse, ye shall not +anywise come at him, for I and my damsels and all that are in the +house will be his ransom." So she went to Sherkan and told him +the case, whereat he smiled and knew that she had not betrayed +him, but that the matter had been bruited abroad, till it came to +the King, against her wish. So he laid all the blame on himself, +saying, "How came I to venture myself in the country of the +Greeks?" Then he said to her, "Indeed, to let them tilt against +me, one by one, were to lay on them a burden more than they can +bear. Will they not come out against me, ten by ten?" "That were +knavery and oppression," replied she. "One man is a match for +another." When he heard this, he sprang to his feet and made +towards them, with his sword and battle-gear; and Masoureh also +sprang up and rushed on him. Sherkan met him like a lion and +smote him with his sword upon the shoulder, that the blade came +out gleaming from his back and vitals. When the princess saw +this, Sherkan's prowess was magnified in her eyes and she knew +that she had not overthrown him by her strength, but by her +beauty and grace. So she turned to the knights and said to them, +"Avenge your chief!" Thereupon out came the slain man's brother, +a fierce warrior, and rushed upon Sherkan, who delayed not, but +smote him on the shoulders, and the sword came out, gleaming, +from his vitals. Then cried the princess, "O servants of the +Messiah, avenge your comrades!" So they ceased not to come out +against him, one by one, and he plied them with the sword, till +he had slain fifty knights, whilst the princess looked on. And +God cast terror into the hearts of those who were left, so that +they held back and dared not meet him in single combat, but +rushed on him all at once; and he drove at them with a heart +firmer than a rock and smote them as the thresher smiteth the +corn, till he had driven sense and life forth of them. Then the +princess cried out to her damsels, saying, "Who is left in the +monastery?" "None but the porters," replied they; whereupon she +went up to Sherkan and embraced him, and he returned with her to +the saloon, after he had made an end of the mellay. Now there +remained a few of the knights hidden in the cells of the convent, +and when Abrizeh saw this, she rose and going away, returned, +clad in a strait-ringed coat of mail and holding in her hand a +scimitar of Indian steel. And she said, "By the virtue of the +Messiah, I will not be grudging of myself for my guest nor will I +abandon him, though for this I abide a reproach in the land of +the Greeks!" Then she counted the dead and found that he had +slain fourscore of the knights and other twenty had taken flight. +When she saw how he had dealt with them, she said to him, "God +bless thee, O Sherkan! The cavaliers may well glory in the like +of thee!" Then he rose and wiping his sword of the blood of the +slain, repeated the following verses: + +How often in battle I've cleft the array And given the champions + to wild beasts a prey! +Ask all men what happened to me and to them, When I drove through + the ranks on the sword-smiting day. +I left ail their lions of war overthrown: On the sun-scorched + sands of those countries they lay. + +When he had finished, the princess came up to him and kissed his +hand; then she put off her coat of mail, and he said to her, "O +my lady, wherefore didst thou don that coat of mail and bare thy +sabre?" "It was of my care for thee against yonder wretches," +replied she. Then she called the porters and said to them, "How +came you to let the king's men enter my house, without my leave!" +"O princess," replied they, "we have not used to need to ask +leave for the king's messengers, and especially for the chief of +the knights." Quoth she, "I think you were minded to dishonour me +and slay my guest." And she bade Sherkan strike off their heads. +He did so and she said to the rest of her servants, "Indeed, they +deserved more than that." Then turning to Sherkan, she said to +him, "Now that there hath become manifest to thee what was +hidden, I will tell thee my story. Know, then, that I am the +daughter of Herdoub, King of Roum; my name is Abrizeh and the old +woman called Dhat ed Dewahi is my grandmother, my father's +mother. She it was who told my father of thee, and she will +certainly cast about to ruin me, especially as thou hast slain my +father's men and it is noised abroad that I have made common +cause with the Muslims. Wherefore it were wiser that I should +leave dwelling here, what while Dhat ed Dewahi is behind me; but +I claim of thee the like kindness and courtesy I have shown thee, +for my father and I are now become at odds on thine account. So +do not thou omit to do aught that I shall say to thee, for indeed +all this hath fallen out through thee." At this, Sherkan was +transported for joy and his breast dilated, and he said, "By +Allah, none shall come at thee, whilst my life lasts in my body! +But canst thou endure the parting from thy father and thy folk?" +"Yes," answered she. So Sherkan swore to her and they made a +covenant of this. Then said she, "Now my heart is at ease; but +there is one other condition I must exact of thee." "What is +that?" asked Sherkan. "It is," replied she, "that thou return +with thy troops to thine own country." "O my lady," said he, "my +father, King Omar ben Ennuman, sent me to make war upon thy +father, on account of the treasure he took from the King of +Constantinople, and amongst the rest three great jewels, rich in +happy properties." "Reassure thyself," answered she; "I will tell +thee the truth of the matter and the cause of the feud between us +and the King of Constantinople. Know that we have a festival +called the Festival of the Monastery, for which each year the +kings' daughters of various countries and the wives and daughters +of the notables and merchants resort to a certain monastery and +abide there seven days. I was wont to resort thither with the +rest; but when there befell hostility between us, my father +forbade me to be present at the festival for the space of seven +years. One year, it chanced that amongst the young ladies who +resorted to the Festival as of wont, there came the King's +daughter of Constantinople, a handsome girl called Sufiyeh. +They tarried at the monastery six days, and on the seventh, +the folk went away; but Sufiyeh said, 'I will not return to +Constantinople, but by sea.' So they fitted her out a ship, in +which she embarked, she and her suite, and put out to sea; but as +they sailed, a contrary wind caught them and drove the ship from +her course, till, as fate and providence would have it, she fell +in with a ship of the Christians from the Island of Camphor, with +a crew of five hundred armed Franks, who had been cruising about +for some time. When they sighted the sails of the ship in which +were Sufiyeh and her maidens, they gave chase in all haste and +coming up with her before long, threw grapnels on board and made +fast to her. Then they made all sail for their own island and +were but a little distant from it, when the wind veered and rent +their sails and cast them on to a reef on our coast. Thereupon we +sallied forth on them, and looking on them as booty driven to us +by fate, slew the men and made prize of the ships, in which we +found the treasures and rarities in question and forty damsels, +amongst whom was Sufiyeh. We carried the damsels to my father, +not knowing that the King's daughter of Constantinople was among +them, and he chose out ten of them, including Sufiyeh, for +himself, and divided the rest among his courtiers. Then he set +apart Sufiyeh and four other girls and sent them to thy father, +King Omar ben Ennuman, together with other presents, such as +cloth and stuffs of wool and Grecian silks. Thy father accepted +them and chose out from amongst the five girls the princess +Sufiyeh, daughter of King Afridoun; nor did we hear aught more of +the matter till the beginning of this year, when King Afridoun +wrote to my father in terms which it befits not to repeat, +reproaching and menacing him and saying to him, 'Two years ago, +there fell into thy hands a ship of ours, that had been seized by +a company of Frankish corsairs and in which was my daughter +Sufiyeh, attended by near threescore damsels. Yet thou sentest +none to tell me of this and I could not make the case public, +lest disgrace fall on my repute among the kings, by reason of my +daughter's dishonour. So I kept the affair secret till this year, +when I communicated with certain of the Frankish pirates and +sought news of my daughter from the kings of the islands. They +replied, "By Allah, we carried her not forth of thy realm, but we +have heard that King Herdoub took her from certain pirates." And +they told me all that had befallen her. So now, except thou wish +to be at feud with me and design to disgrace me and dishonour my +daughter, thou wilt forthright, as soon as this letter reaches +thee, send my daughter back to me. But if thou pay no heed to my +letter and disobey my commandment, I will assuredly requite thee +thy foul dealing and the baseness of thine acts.' When my father +read this letter, it was grievous to him and he regretted not +having known that Sufiyeh, King Afridoun's daughter, was amongst +the captured damsels, that he might have sent her back to her +father; and he was perplexed about the affair, for that, after +the lapse of so long a time, he could not send to King Omar ben +Ennuman and demand her back from him, the more that he had lately +heard that God had vouchsafed him children by this very Sufiyeh. +So when we considered the matter, we knew that this letter was +none other than a great calamity; and nothing would serve but +that my father must write an answer to it, making his excuses to +King Afridoun and swearing to him that he knew not that his +daughter was among the girls in the ship and setting forth how he +had sent her to King Omar ben Ennuman and God had vouchsafed him +children by her. When my father's reply reached King Afridoun, he +rose and sat down and roared and foamed at the mouth, exclaiming, +'What! shall he make prize of my daughter and she become a +slave-girl and be passed from hand to hand and sent for a gift to +kings, and they lie with her without a contract? By the virtue of +the Messiah and the true faith, I will not desist till I have +taken my revenge for this and wiped out my disgrace, and indeed I +will do a deed that the chroniclers shall chronicle after me.' So +he took patience till he had devised a plot and laid great +snares, when he sent an embassy to thy father King Omar, to tell +him that which thou hast heard so that thy father equipped thee +and an army with thee and sent thee to him, Afridoun's object +being to lay hold of thee and thine army with thee. As for the +three jewels of which he told thy father, he spoke not the truth +of them; for they were with Sufiyeh and my father took them from +her, when she fell into his hands, she and her maidens, and gave +them to me, and they are now with me. So go thou to thy troops +and turn them back, ere they fare farther into the land of the +Franks and the country of the Greeks; for as soon as you are come +far enough into the inward of the country, they will stop the +roads upon you, and there will be no escape for you from their +hands till the day of rewards and punishments. I know that thy +troops are still where thou leftest them, because thou didst +order them to halt there three days; and they have missed thee +all this time and know not what to do." When Sherkan heard her +words, he was absent awhile in thought then he kissed Abrizeh's +hand and said, "Praise be to God who hath bestowed thee on me and +appointed thee to be the cause of my salvation and that of those +who are with me! But it is grievous to me to part from thee and I +know not what will become of thee after my departure." Quoth she, +"Go now to thy troops and lead them back, whilst ye are yet near +your own country. If the ambassadors are still with them, lay +hands on them, that the case may be made manifest to thee, and +after three days I will rejoin thee and we will all enter Baghdad +together; but forget thou not the compact between us." Then she +rose to bid him farewell and assuage the fire of longing; so she +took leave of him and embraced him and wept sore; whereupon +passion and desire were sore upon him and he also wept and +repeated the following verses: + +I bade her farewell, whilst my right hand was wiping my eyes, And + still with my left, the while, I held her in close embrace. +Then, "Fearest thou not disgrace?" quoth she; and I answered, + "No. Sure, on the parting-day, for lovers there's no + disgrace!" + +Then Sherkan left her and went without the monastery, where they +brought him his horse and he mounted and rode down the bank of +the stream, till he came to the bridge, and crossing it, entered +the forest. As soon as he was clear of the trees and came to the +open country, he was aware of three horsemen pricking towards +him. So he drew his sword and rode on cautiously: but as they +drew near he recognized them and behold, it was the Vizier Dendan +and two of his officers. When they saw him and knew him, they +dismounted and saluting him, asked the reason of his absence, +whereupon he told them all that had passed between him and the +princess Abrizeh from first to last. The Vizier returned thanks +to God the Most High for his safety and said, "Let us at once +depart hence, for the ambassadors that were with us are gone to +inform their king of our arrival, and belike he will hasten to +fall on us and seize us." So they rode on in haste, till they +came to the camp, when Sherkan commanded to depart forthright, +and the army set out and journeyed by forced marches for five +days, at the end of which time they alighted in a thickly wooded +valley, where they rested awhile. Then they set out again and +fared on till they came to the frontiers of their own country. +Here they felt themselves in safety and halted to rest; and the +country people came out to them with guest-gifts and victual and +fodder for the cattle. They lay there and rested two days; after +which Sherkan bade the Vizier Dendan fare forward to Baghdad with +his troops, and he did so. But Sherkan himself abode behind with +a hundred horse, till the rest of the army had been gone a day, +when he mounted, he and his men, and fared on two parasangs' +space, till they came to a narrow pass between two mountains and +behold, there arose a great cloud of dust in their front. So they +halted their horses awhile, till the dust lifted and discovered a +hundred cavaliers, as they were fierce lions, cased in complete +steel As soon as they came within earshot of Sherkan and his men, +they cried out to them, saying, "By John and Mary, we have gotten +what we hoped! We have been following you by forced marches, +night and day, till we forewent you in this place. So alight and +lay down your arms and yield yourselves, that we may grant you +your lives." When Sherkan heard this, his eyes rolled and his +cheeks flushed and he said, "O dogs of Nazarenes, how dare ye +enter our country and set foot on our earth? And doth not this +suffice you, but ye must adventure yourselves and give us such +words as these? Do ye think to escape out of our hands and return +to your country?" Then he cried out to his hundred horse, saying, +"Up and at these dogs, for they are even as you in number!" So +saying, he drew his sword and drove at them, without further +parley, he and his hundred men. The Franks received them with +hearts stouter than stone, and they met, man to man. Then fell +champion upon champion and there befell a sore strife and great +was the terror and the roar of the battle; nor did they leave +jousting and foining and smiting with swords, till the day +departed and the night came with the darkness; when they drew +apart, and Sherkan mustered his men and found them all unhurt, +save four who were slightly wounded. Then said he to them, "By +Allah, all my life I have waded in the surging sea of war and +battle, but never saw I any so firm and stout in sword-play and +shock of men as these warriors!" "Know, O King," replied they, +"that there is among them a Frank cavalier, who is their leader, +and indeed he is a man of valour and his strokes are terrible: +but, by Allah, he spares us, great and small; for whoso falls +into his hands, he lets him go and forbears to slay him. By +Allah, an he would, he could kill us all!" When Sherkan heard +this, he was confounded and said, "To-morrow, we will draw out +and defy them to single combat, for we are a hundred to their +hundred; and we will seek help against them from the Lord of the +heavens." Meanwhile, the Franks came to their leader and said to +him, "Of a truth, we have not come by our desire of these this +day." "To-morrow," quoth he, "we will draw out and joust against +them, one by one." So they passed the night in this mind, and +both camps kept watch till the morning. As soon as God the Most +High brought on the day, King Sherkan mounted, with his hundred +horse, and they betook themselves to the field, where they found +the Franks ranged in battle array, and Sherkan said to his men, +"Verily, our enemies are of the same mind as we; so up and at +them briskly." Then came forth a herald of the Franks and cried +out, saying, "Let there be no fighting betwixt us to-day, except +by way of single combat, a champion of yours against one of +ours!" Thereupon one of Sherkan's men came out from the ranks and +spurring between the two parties, cried out, "Who is for +jousting? Who is for fighting? Let no laggard nor weakling come +out against me to-day!" Hardly had he made an end of speaking, +when there sallied forth to him a Frankish horseman, armed +cap-a-pie and clad in cloth of gold, riding on a gray horse, and +he had no hair on his cheeks. He drove his horse into the midst +of the field and the two champions fell to cutting and thrusting, +nor was it long before the Frank smote the Muslim with his lance +and unhorsing him, took him prisoner and bore him off in triumph. +At this, his comrades rejoiced and forbidding him to go out +again, sent forth another to the field, to whom sallied out a +second Muslim, the brother of the first. The two drove at each +other and fought for a little, till the Frank ran at the Muslim +and throwing him off his guard by a feint, smote him with the +butt-end of his spear and unhorsed him and took him prisoner. +After this fashion, the Muslims ceased not to come forth and the +Franks to unhorse them and take them prisoner, till the day +departed and the night came with the darkness. Now they had +captured twenty cavaliers of the Muslims, and when Sherkan saw +this, it was grievous to him, and he mustered his men and said to +them, "What is this thing that hath befallen us? To-morrow +morning, I myself will go out into the field and seek to joust +with their chief and learn his reason for entering our country +and warn him against fighting. If he persist, we will do battle +with him, and if he proffer peace, we will make peace with him." +They passed the night thus, and when God brought on the day, both +parties mounted and drew out in battle array. Then Sherkan was +about to sally forth, when behold, more than half of the Franks +dismounted and marched on foot, before one of them, who was +mounted, to the midst of the field. Sherkan looked at this +cavalier and behold, he was their chief. He was clad in a tunic +of blue satin and a close-ringed shirt of mail; his face was as +the full moon at its rising and he had no hair on his cheeks. In +his hand he held a sword of Indian steel, and he was mounted on a +black horse with a white star, like a dirhem, on his forehead. He +spurred into the midst of the field and signing to the Muslims, +cried out with fluent speech in the Arabic tongue, saying, "Ho, +Sherkan! Ho, son of Omar ben Ennuman, thou that stormest the +citadels and layest waste the lands, up and out to joust and +battle with him who halves the field with thee! Thou art prince +of thy people and I am prince of mine; and whoso hath the upper +hand, the other's men shall come under his sway." Hardly had he +made an end of speaking, when out came Sherkan, with a heart full +of wrath, and spurring his horse into the midst of the field, +drove like an angry lion at the Frank, who awaited him with calm +and steadfastness and met him as a champion should. Then they +fell to cutting and thrusting, nor did they cease to wheel and +turn and give and take, as they were two mountains clashing +together or two seas breaking one against the other, till the day +departed and the night brought on the darkness, when they drew +apart and returned, each to his people. As soon as Sherkan +reached his comrades, he said to them, "Never in my life saw I +the like of this cavalier; and he has one fashion I never yet +beheld in any. It is that, when he has a chance of dealing his +adversary a deadly blow, he reverses his lance and smites him +with the butt. Of a truth, I know not what will be the issue +between him and me; but I would we had in our army his like and +the like of his men." Then he passed the night in sleep, and when +it was morning, the Frank spurred out to the mid-field, where +Sherkan met him, and they fell to fighting and circling one about +the other, whilst all necks were stretched out to look at them; +nor did they cease from battle and swordplay and thrusting with +spears, till the day departed and the night came with the +darkness, when they drew asunder and returned each to his own +camp. Then each related to his comrades what had befallen him +with his adversary, and the Frank said to his men, "To-morrow +shall decide the matter." So they both passed the night in sleep, +and as soon as it was day, they mounted and drove at each other +and ceased not to fight till the middle of the day. Then the +Frank made a shift, first spurring his horse and then checking +him with the bridle, so that he stumbled and threw him; whereupon +Sherkan fell on him and was about to smite him with his sword and +make an end of the long strife, when the Frank cried out, "O +Sherkan, this is not the fashion of champions! It is only the +beaten[FN#18] who deal thus with women." When Sherkan heard this, +he raised his eyes to the Frank's face and looking straitly at +him, knew him for none other than the princess Abrizeh, whereupon +he threw the sword from his hand and kissing the earth before +her, said to her, "What moved thee to do this thing?" Quoth she, +"I was minded to prove thee in the field and try thy stoutness in +battle. These that are with me are all of them my women, and they +are all maids; yet have they overcome thy horsemen in fair fight; +and had not my horse stumbled with me, thou shouldst have seen my +strength and prowess." Sherkan smiled at her speech and said, +"Praised be God for safety and for my reunion with thee, O queen +of the age!" Then she cried out to her damsels to loose the +prisoners and dismount. They did as she bade and came and kissed +the earth before her and Sherkan, who said to them, "It is the +like of you that kings treasure up against the hour of need." +Then he signed to his comrades to salute the princess; so they +dismounted all and kissed the earth before her, for they knew the +story. After this, the whole two hundred mounted and rode day and +night for six days' space, till they drew near to Baghdad when +they halted and Sherkan made Abrizeh and her companions put off +their male attire and don the dress of the women of the Greeks. +Then he despatched a company of his men to Baghdad to acquaint +his father with his arrival in company with the princess Abrizeh, +daughter of King Herdoub, to the intent that he might send some +one to meet her. They passed the night in that place, and when +God the Most High brought on the day, Sherkan and his company +took horse and fared on towards the city. On the way, they met +the Vizier Dendan, who had come out with a thousand horse, by +commandment of King Omar, to do honour to the princess Abrizeh +and to Sherkan. When they drew near, the Vizier and his company +dismounted and kissed the earth before the prince and princess, +then mounted again and escorted them, till they reached the city +and came to the palace. Sherkan went in to his father, who rose +and embraced him and questioned him of what had happened. So he +told him all that had befallen him, including what the princess +Abrizeh had told him and what had passed between them and how she +had left her father and her kingdom and had chosen to depart and +take up her abode with them. And he said to his father, "Indeed, +the King of Constantinople had plotted to do us a mischief, +because of his daughter Sufiyeh, for that the King of Caesarea +had made known to him her history and the manner of her being +made a gift to thee, he not knowing her to be King Afridoun's +daughter; else would he have restored her to her father. And of a +verity, we were only saved from these perils by the lady Abrizeh, +and never saw I a more valiant than she!" And he went on to tell +his father of the wrestling and the jousting from beginning to +end. When King Omar heard his son's story, Abrizeh was exalted in +his eyes, and he longed to see her and sent Sherkan to fetch her. +So Sherkan went out to her and said, "The king calls for thee." +She replied, "I hear and obey;" and he took her and brought her +in to his father, who was seated on his throne, attended only by +the eunuchs, having dismissed his courtiers and officers. The +princess entered and kissing the ground before him, saluted him +in choice terms. He was amazed at her fluent speech and thanked +her for her dealing with his son Sherkan and bade her be seated. +So she sat down and uncovered her face, which when the king saw, +his reason fled and he made her draw near and showed her especial +favour, appointing her a palace for herself and her damsels and +assigning them due allowances. Then he asked her of the three +jewels aforesaid, and she replied, "O King of the age, they are +with me." So saying, she rose and going to her lodging, opened +her baggage and brought out a box, from which she took a casket +of gold. She opened the casket and taking out the three jewels, +kissed them and gave them to the King and went away, taking his +heart with her. Then the king sent for his son Sherkan and gave +him one of the three jewels. Sherkan enquired of the other two, +and the King replied, "O my son, I mean to give one to thy +brother Zoulmekan and the other to thy sister Nuzhet ez Zeman." +When Sherkan heard that he had a brother (for up to that time he +had only known of his sister) he turned to his father and said to +him, "O King, hast thou a son other than myself?" "Yes," answered +Omar, "and he is now six years old." And he told him that his +name was Zoulmekan and that he and Nuzhet ez Zeman were twins, +born at a birth. This news was grievous to Sherkan, but he hid +his chagrin and said, "The blessing of God the Most High be upon +them!" And he threw the jewel from his hand and shook the dust +off his clothes. Quoth his father, "What made thee change colour, +when I told thee of this, seeing that the kingdom is assured to +thee after me? For, verily, the troops have sworn to thee and the +Amirs and grandees have taken the oath of succession to thee; and +this one of the three jewels is thine." At this, Sherkan bowed +his head and was ashamed to bandy words with his father: so he +accepted the jewel and went away, knowing not what to do for +excess of anger, and stayed not till he reached the princess +Abrizeh's palace. When she saw him, she rose to meet him and +thanked him for what he had done and called down blessings on him +and his father. Then she sat down and made him sit by her side. +After awhile, she saw anger in his face and questioned him, +whereupon he told her that God had vouchsafed his father two +children, a boy and a girl, by Sufiyeh, and that he had named the +boy Zoulmekan and the girl Nuzhet ez Zeman. "He has given me one +of the jewels," continued he, "and kept the other two for them. I +knew not of Zoulmekan's birth till this day, and he is now six +years old. So when I learnt this, wrath possessed me and I threw +down the jewel: and I tell thee the reason of my anger and hide +nothing from thee. But I fear lest the King take thee to wife, +for he loves thee and I saw in him signs of desire for thee: so +what wilt thou say, if he wish this?" "Know, O Sherkan," replied +the princess, "that thy father has no dominion over me, nor can +he take me without my consent; and if he take me by force, I will +kill myself. As for the three jewels, it was not my intent that +he should give them to either of his children and I had no +thought but that he would lay them up with his things of price in +his treasury; but now I desire of thy favour that thou make me a +present of the jewel that he gave thee, if thou hast accepted +it." "I hear and obey," replied Sherkan and gave her the jewel. +Then said she, "Fear nothing," and talked with him awhile. +Presently she said, "I fear lest my father hear that I am with +you and sit not down with my loss, but do his endeavour to come +at me; and to that end he may ally himself with King Afridoun and +both come on thee with armies and so there befall a great +turmoil." "O my lady," replied Sherkan, "if it please thee to +sojourn with us, take no thought of them, though all that be in +the earth and in the ocean gather themselves together against +us!" "It is well," rejoined she; "if ye entreat me well, I will +tarry with you, and if ye deal evilly by me, I will depart from +you." Then she bade her maidens bring food; so they set the +tables, and Sherkan ate a little and went away to his own house, +anxious and troubled. + +Meanwhile, King Omar betook himself to the lodging of the lady +Sufiyeh, who rose to her feet, when she saw him, and stood till +he was seated. Presently, his two children, Zoulmekan and Nuzbet +ez Zeman, came to him, and he kissed them and hung a jewel round +each one's neck, at which they rejoiced and kissed his hands. +Then they went to their mother, who rejoiced in them and wished +the King long life; and he said to her, "Why hast thou not told +me, all this time, that thou art King Afridoun's daughter, that I +might have advanced thee and enlarged thee in dignity and used +thee with increase of honour and consideration?" "O King," +replied Sufiyeh, "what could I desire greater or more exalted +than this my standing with thee, overwhelmed as I am with thy +favours and thy goodness? And God to boot hath blessed me by thee +with two children, a son and a daughter." Her answer pleased the +King and he set apart for her and her children a splendid palace. +Moreover, he appointed for their service eunuchs and attendants +and doctors and sages and astrologers and physicians and surgeons +and in every way redoubled in favour and munificence towards +them. Nevertheless, he was greatly occupied with love of the +princess Abrizeh and burnt with desire of her night and day; and +every night, he would go in to her, and talk with her and pay his +court to her, but she gave him no answer, saying only, "O King of +the age, I have no desire for men at this present." When he saw +that she repelled him, his passion and longing increased till, at +last, when he was weary of this, he called his Vizier Dendan and +opening his heart to him, told him how love for the princess +Abrizeh was killing him and how she refused to yield to his +wishes and he could get nothing of her. Quoth the Vizier, "As +soon as it is dark night, do thou take a piece of henbane, the +bigness of a diner, and go in to her and drink wine with her. +When the hour of leave-taking draws near, fill a last cup and +dropping the henbane in it, give it to her to drink, and she will +not reach her sleeping chamber, ere the drug take effect on her. +Then do thou go in to her and take thy will of her." "Thy counsel +is good," said the King, and going to his treasury, took thence a +piece of concentrated henbane, which if an elephant smelt, he +would sleep from year to year. He put it in his bosom and waited +till some little of the night was past, when he betook himself to +the palace of the princess, who rose to receive him; but he bade +her sit down. So she sat down, and he by her, and he began to +talk with her of drinking, whereupon she brought the table of +wine and set it before him. Then she set on the drinking-vessels, +and lighted the candles and called for fruits and confections and +sweetmeats and all that pertains to drinking. So they fell to +drinking and ceased not to carouse, till drunkenness crept into +the princess's head. When the King saw this, he took out the +piece of henbane and holding it between his fingers, filled a cup +and drank it off; then filled another cup, into which he dropped +the henbane, unseen of Abrizeh, and saying, "Thy health!" +presented it to her. She took it and drank it off; then rose and +went to her sleeping-chamber. He waited awhile, till he was +assured that the drug had taken effect on her and gotten the +mastery of her senses, when he went in to her and found her lying +on her back, with a lighted candle at her head and another at her +feet. She had put off her trousers, and the air raised the skirt +of her shift and discovered what was between her thighs. When the +King saw this, he took leave of his senses for desire and Satan +tempted him and he could not master himself, but put off his +trousers and fell upon her and did away her maidenhead. Then he +went out and said to one of her women, by name Merjaneh, "Go in +to thy mistress, for she calls for thee." So she went in to the +princess and found her lying on her back, with the blood running +down her thighs; whereupon she took a handkerchief and wiped away +the blood and tended her mistress and lay by her that night. As +soon as it was day, she washed the princess's hands and feet and +bathed her face and mouth with rose-water, whereupon she sneezed +and yawned and cast up the henbane. Then she revived and washed +her hands and mouth and said to Merjaneh, "Tell me what has +befallen me." So she told her what had passed and how she had +found her, lying on her back, with the blood running down her +thighs, wherefore she knew that the King had played the traitor +with her and had undone her and taken his will of her. At this +she was afflicted and shut herself up, saying to her damsels, +"Let no one come in to me and say to all that I am ill, till I +see what God will do with me." The news of her illness came to +the King, and he sent her cordials and sherbet of sugar and +confections. Some months passed thus, during which time the +King's flame subsided and his desire for her cooled, so that he +abstained from her. Now she had conceived by him, and in due +time, her pregnancy appeared and her belly swelled, wherefore the +world was straitened upon her and she said to her maid Merjaneh, +"Know that it is not the folk who have wronged me, but I who +sinned against myself in that I left my father and mother and +country. Indeed, I abhor life, for my heart is broken and I have +neither courage nor strength left. I used, when I mounted my +horse, to have the mastery of him, but now I have no strength +to ride. If I be brought to bed in this place, I shall be +dishonoured among my women, and every one in the palace will know +that he has taken my maidenhead in the way of shame; and if I +return to my father, with what face shall I meet him or have +recourse to him? How well says the poet: + +Wherewith shall I be comforted, that am of all bereft, To whom + nor folk nor home nor friend nor dwelling-place is left?" + +Quoth Merjaneh, "It is for thee to command; I will obey." And +Abrizeh said, "I would fain leave this place privily, so that +none shall know of me but thou, and return to my father and +mother; for when flesh stinketh, there is nought for it but its +own folk, and God shall do with me as He will." "It is well, O +princess," replied Merjaneh. So she made ready in secret and +waited awhile, till the King went out to hunt and Sherkan betook +himself to certain of the fortresses to sojourn there awhile. +Then she said to Merjaneh, "I wish to set out to-night, but how +shall I do? For already I feel the pangs of labour, and if I +abide other four or five days, I shall be brought to bed here, +and how then can I go to my country? But this is what was written +on my forehead." Then she considered awhile and said, "Look us +out a man who will go with us and serve us by the way, for I have +no strength to bear arms." "By Allah, O my lady," replied +Merjaneh, "I know none but a black slave called Ghezban, who is +one of the slaves of King Omar ben Ennuman; he is a stout fellow +and keeps guard at the gate of our palace. The King appointed him +to attend us, and indeed we have overwhelmed him with favours. I +will go out and speak with him of the matter and promise him +money and tell him that, if he have a mind to tarry with us, we +will marry him to whom he will. He told me before to-day that he +had been a highwayman; so if he consent, we shall have our desire +and come to our own country." "Call him, that I may talk with +him," said the princess. So Merjaneh went out and said to the +slave, "O Ghezban, God prosper thee, do thou fall in with what my +lady says to thee." Then she took him by the hand and brought him +to Abrizeh. He kissed the princess's hands and when she saw him, +her heart took fright at him, but she said to herself, "Necessity +is imperious," and to him, "O Ghezban, wilt thou help us against +the perfidies of fortune and keep my secret, if I discover it to +thee?" When the slave saw her, his heart was taken by storm and +he fell in love with her forthright, and could not choose but +answer, "O my mistress, whatsoever thou biddest me do, I will not +depart from it." Quoth she, "I would have thee take me and this +my maid and saddle us two camels and two of the king's horses and +set on each horse a saddle-bag of stuff and somewhat of victual, +and go with us to our own country; where, if thou desire to abide +with us, I will marry thee to her thou shalt choose of my +damsels; or if thou prefer to return to thine own country, we +will send thee thither, with as much money as will content thee." +When Ghezban heard this, he rejoiced greatly and replied, "O my +lady, I will serve thee faithfully and will go at once and saddle +the horses." Then he went away, rejoicing and saying in himself, +"I shall get my will of them; and if they will not yield to me, I +will kill them and take their riches." But this his intent he +kept to himself and presently returned, mounted on one horse and +leading other two and two camels. He brought the horses to the +princess, who mounted one and made Merjaneh mount the other, +albeit she was suffering from the pains of labour and could +scarce possess herself for anguish. Then they set out and +journeyed night and day through the passes of the mountains, till +there remained but a day's journey between them and their own +country, when the pangs of travail came upon Abrizeh and she +could no longer sit her horse. So she said to Ghezban, "Set me +down, for the pains of labour are upon me," and cried to +Merjaneh, saying, "Do thou alight and sit down by me and deliver +me." They both drew rein and dismounting from their horses, +helped the princess to alight, and she aswoon for stress of pain. +When Ghezban saw her on the ground, Satan entered into him and he +drew his sabre and brandishing it in her face, said, "O my lady, +vouchsafe me thy favours." With this, she turned to him and said, +"It were a fine thing that I should yield to black slaves, after +having I refused kings and princes!" And she was wroth with him +and said, "What words are these? Out on thee! Do not talk thus in +my presence and know that I will never consent to what thou +sayst, though I drink the cup of death. Wait till I have cast my +burden and am delivered of the after-birth, and after, if thou be +able thereto, do with me as thou wilt; but, an thou leave not +lewd talk at this time, I will slay myself and leave the world +and be at peace from all this." And she recited the following +verses: + +O Ghezban, unhand me and let me go freer Sure, fortune is heavy + enough upon me. +My Lord hath forbidden me whoredom. "The fire Shall be the + transgressor's last dwelling," quoth He: +So look not on me with the eye of desire, For surely to lewdness + I may not agree; +And if thou respect not mine honour and God Nor put away filthy + behaviour from thee, +I will call with my might on the men of my tribe And draw them + ail hither from upland and lea. +Were I hewn, limb from limb, with the Yemani sword, Yet never a + lecher my visage should see +Of the freeborn and mighty; so how then should I Let a whoreson + black slave have possession of me? + +When Ghezban heard this, he was exceeding angry; his eyes grew +bloodshot and his face became of the colour of dust; his nostrils +swelled, his lips protruded and the terrors of his aspect +redoubled. And he repeated the following verses: + +Abrizeh, have mercy nor leave me to sigh, Who am slain by the + glance of thy Yemani eye![FN#19] +My body is wasted, my patience at end, And my heart for thy + cruelty racked like to die. +Thy glances with sorcery ravish all hearts; My reason is distant + and passion is nigh. +Though thou drewst to thy succour the world full of troops, I'd + not stir till my purpose accomplished had I. + +Thereupon Abrizeh wept sore and said to him, "Out on thee, O +Ghezban! How darest thou demand this of me, O son of shame and +nursling of lewdness? Dost thou think all folk are alike!" When +the pestilent slave heard this, he was enraged and his eyes +reddened: and he came up to her and smote her with the sword on +her neck and killed her. Then he made off into the mountains, +driving her horse before him with the treasure. In the agonies of +death, she gave birth to a son, like the moon, and Merjaneh took +him and laid him by her side, after doing him the necessary +offices; and behold, the child fastened to its mother's breast, +and she dead. When Merjaneh saw this, she cried out grievously +and rent her clothes and cast dust on her head and buffeted her +cheeks, till the blood came, saying, "Alas, my mistress! Alas, +the pity of it! Thou art dead by the hand of a worthless black +slave, after all thy prowess!" As she sat weeping, there arose a +great cloud of dust and darkened the plain; but, after awhile, it +lifted and discovered a numerous army. Now this was the army of +King Herdoub, the princess Abrizeh's father, who, hearing that +his daughter had fled to Baghdad, she and her maidens, and that +they were with King Omar ben Ennuman, had come out with his +troops to seek tidings of her from travellers who might have seen +her with King Omar at Baghdad. When he had gone a day's journey +from his capital, he espied three horsemen afar off and made +towards them, thinking to ask whence they came and seek news of +his daughter. Now these three were his daughter and Merjaneh and +Ghezban; and when the latter saw the troops drawing near, he +feared for himself; so he killed Abrizeh and fled. When they came +up and King Herdoub saw his daughter lying dead and Merjaneh +weeping over her, he threw himself from his horse and fell down +in a swoon. So all his company dismounted and pitching the tents, +set up a great pavilion for the King, without which stood the +grandees of the kingdom. At the sight of her lord the King, +Merjaneh's tears redoubled, and when he came to himself, he +questioned her and she told him all that had passed, how he that +had slain his daughter was a black slave, belonging to King Omar +ben Ennuman, and how the latter had dealt with the princess. When +King Herdoub heard this, the world grew black in his sight and he +wept sore. Then he called for a litter and laying his dead +daughter therein, returned to Caesarea and carried her into the +palace. Then he went in to his mother Dhat ed Dewahi and said to +her, "Shall the Muslims deal thus with my daughter? King Omar ben +Ennuman despoiled her by force of her honour and after this, one +of his black slaves slew her. By the Messiah, I will assuredly be +revenged for her and clear away the stain from my honour! Else I +shall kill myself with my own hand." And he wept passing sore. +Quoth his mother, "It was none other than Merjaneh killed her, +for she hated her in secret. But do not thou fret for taking +revenge for thy daughter, for, by the virtue of the Messiah, I +will not turn back from King Omar ben Ennuman, till I have slain +him and his sons; and I will assuredly do a deed, passing the +power of wise men and champions, of which the chroniclers shall +tell in all countries and places: but needs must thou obey me in +all I shall direct, for he who is firmly set on aught shall +surely compass his desire." "By the virtue of the Messiah," +replied he, "I will not cross thee in aught that thou shalt say!" +Then said she, "Bring me a number of damsels, high-bosomed maids, +and summon the wise men of the time and let them teach them +philosophy and the art of conversation and making verses and the +rules of behaviour before kings, and let them talk with them of +all manner of science and edifying knowledge. The sages must be +Muslims, that they may teach the damsels the language and +traditions of the Arabs, together with the history of the Khalifs +and the pedigree of the Kings of Islam; and if we persevere in +this for the space of four years, we shall attain our end. So +possess thy soul in patience and wait; for, as one of the Arabs +says, 'It is a little thing to wait forty years for one's +revenge.' When we have taught the girls these things, we shall be +able to do our will with our enemy, for he is a doting lover of +women and has three hundred and threescore concubines, to which +are now added a hundred of the flower of thy damsels, that were +with thy late daughter. So, as soon as we have made an end of +their education, I will take them and set out with them." When +the King heard his mother's words, he rejoiced and came up to her +and kissed her head. Then he rose at once and despatched +messengers and couriers to the ends of the earth, to fetch him +Muslim sages. So they betook them to distant lands and brought +him thence the sages and doctors whom he sought. When they were +before him, he made much of them and bestowed on them dresses of +honour, appointing them stipends and allowances and promising +them much money, whenas they should have taught the damsels. Then +he committed the latter to their charge, enjoining them to +instruct them in all manner of knowledge, sacred and profane, and +all polite accomplishments; and they set themselves to do his +bidding. + +As for King Omar ben Ennuman, when he returned from hunting, he +sought the princess Abrizeh, but found her not nor could any give +him news of her. This was grievous to him and he said, "How did +she leave the palace, unknown of any? Had my kingdom been at +stake in this, it were in a parlous case! Never again will I go +a-hunting till I have sent to the gates those who shall keep good +guard over them!" And he was sore vexed and heavy at heart for +the loss of the princess Abrizeh. Presently, his son Sherkan +returned from his journey; and he told him what had happened and +how the princess had fled, whilst he was absent a-hunting, +whereat he was greatly concerned. Then King Omar took to visiting +his children every day and making much of them and brought them +wise men and doctors, to teach them, appointing them stipends and +allowances. When Sherkan saw this, he was exceeding wroth and +jealous of his brother and sister, so that the signs of chagrin +appeared in his face and he ceased not to languish by reason of +this, till one day his father said to him, "What ails thee, that +I see thee grown weak in body and pale of face?" "O my father," +replied Sherkan, "every time I see thee fondle my brother and +sister and make much of them, jealousy seizes on me, and I fear +lest it grow on me, till I slay them and thou slay me in return. +This is the reason of my weakness of body and change of colour. +But now I crave of thy favour that thou give me one of thine +outlying fortresses, that I may abide there the rest of my life, +for as the byword says, 'It is better and fitter for me to be at +a distance from my friend; for when the eye seeth not, the heart +doth not grieve.'" And he bowed his head. When the King heard +Sherkan's words and knew the cause of his ailment, he soothed him +and said to him, "O my son, I grant thee this. I have not in my +realm a greater than the fortress of Damascus, and the government +of it is thine from this time." So saying, he called his +secretaries of state and bade them make out Sherkan's patent of +investiture to the viceroyalty of Damascus of Syria. Then he +equipped Sherkan and formally invested him with the office and +gave him his final instructions, enjoining him to policy and good +government; and the prince took leave of his father and the +grandees and officers of state and set out for his government, +taking with him the Vizier Dendan. When he arrived at Damascus, +the townspeople beat the drums and blew the trumpets and +decorated the city and came out to meet him in great state, +whilst all the notables and grandees walked in procession, each +according to his rank. + +Soon after Sherkan's departure, the governors of King Omar's +children presented themselves before him and said to him, "O our +lord, thy children's education is now complete and they are +versed in all polite accomplishments and in the rules of manners +and etiquette." At this the King rejoiced with an exceeding joy +and conferred bountiful largesse upon the wise men, seeing +Zoulmekan grown up and flourishing and skilled in horsemanship. +The prince had now reached the age of fourteen and occupied +himself with piety and devout exercises, loving the poor and wise +men and the students of the Koran, so that all the people of +Baghdad loved him, men and women. One day, the procession of the +Mehmil[FN#20] of Irak passed round Baghdad, previously to the +departure of the pilgrimage to the holy places[FN#21] and tomb of +the Prophet.[FN#22] When Zoulmekan saw the procession, he was +seized with longing to go on the pilgrimage; so he went in to his +father and said to him, "I come to ask thy leave to make the +pilgrimage." + +But his father forbade him, saying, "Wait till next year, and I +will go with thee." When Zoulmekan saw that the fulfilment of his +desire was postponed, he betook himself to his sister Nuzhet ez +Zeman, whom he found standing at prayer. As soon as she had made +an end of her devotions, he said to her, "I am dying of desire to +see the Holy House of God at Mecca and to visit the Prophet's +tomb. I asked my father's leave, but he forbade me: so I mean to +take somewhat of money and set out privily on the pilgrimage, +without his knowledge." "I conjure thee by Allah," exclaimed she, +"to take me with thee and that thou forbid me not to visit the +tomb of the Prophet, whom God bless and preserve!" And he +answered, "As soon as it is dark night, do thou leave this place, +without telling any, and come to me." Accordingly, she waited +till the middle of the night, when she donned a man's habit and +went to the gate of the palace, where she found Zoulmekan with +camels ready harnessed. So they mounted and riding after the +caravan, mingled with the Irak pilgrims, and God decreed them a +prosperous journey, so that they entered Mecca the Holy in +safety, standing upon Arafat and performing the various rites of +the pilgrimage. Then they paid a visit to the tomb of the Prophet +(whom God bless and preserve) and thought to return with the +pilgrims to their native land; but Zoulmekan said to his sister, +"O my sister, it is in my mind to visit Jerusalem and the tomb of +Abraham the friend of God (on whom be peace)." "I also desire to +do this," replied she. So they agreed upon this, and he went out +and took passage for himself and her and they made ready and +set out with a company of pilgrims bound for Jerusalem. That very +night she fell sick of an ague and was grievously ill, but +presently recovered, after which her brother also sickened. She +tended him during the journey, but the fever increased on him and +he grew weaker and weaker, till they arrived at Jerusalem, where +they alighted at a khan and hired a lodging there. Here they +abode some time, whilst Zoulmekan's weakness increased on him, +till he was wasted with sickness and became delirious. At this, +his sister was greatly afflicted and exclaimed, "There is no +power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme! It is +He who hath decreed this." They sojourned there awhile, his +sickness ever increasing and she tending him, till all their +money was spent and she had not so much as a dirhem left. Then +she sent a servant of the khan to the market, to sell some of her +clothes, and spent the price upon her brother; and so she sold +all she had, piece by piece, till she had nothing left but an old +rug; whereupon she wept and exclaimed, "God is the Orderer of the +past and the future!" Presently, her brother said to her, "O my +sister, I feel recovery drawing near and I long for a little +roast meat." "O my brother," replied she, "I am ashamed to beg; +but tomorrow I will enter some rich man's house and serve him and +earn somewhat for our living." Then she bethought herself awhile +and said, "It is hard to me to leave thee and thou in this state, +but I must perforce go." "God forbid!" rejoined he. "Thou wilt be +put to shame; but there is no power and no virtue but in God!" +And he wept and she wept too. Then she said, "O my brother, we +are strangers and this whole year have we dwelt here; yet none +hath knocked at our door. Shall we then die of hunger? I know no +resource but that I go out and earn somewhat to keep us alive, +till thou recover from thy sickness; when we will return to our +native land." She sat weeping with him awhile, after which she +rose and veiling her head with a camel-cloth, which the owner had +forgotten with them, embraced her brother and went forth, weeping +and knowing not whither she should go. Zoulmekan abode, awaiting +her return, till the evening; but she came not, and the night +passed and the morning came, but still she returned not; and so +two days went by. At this he was greatly troubled and his heart +fluttered for her, and hunger was sore upon him. At last he left +the chamber and calling the servant of the inn, bade him carry +him to the bazaar. So he carried him to the market and laid him +down there; and the people of Jerusalem came round him and were +moved to tears at his condition. He signed to them for somewhat +to eat; so they took money from some of the merchants and bought +food and fed him therewith; after which they carried him to a +shop, where they laid him on a mat of palm-leaves and set a +vessel of water at his head. At nightfall, they all went away, +sore concerned for him, and in the middle of the night, he called +to mind his sister, and his sickness redoubled on him, so that he +abstained from eating and drinking and became insensible. When +the people of the market saw him thus, they took thirty dirhems +for him from the merchants and hiring a camel, said to the +driver, "Carry this sick man to Damascus and leave him at the +hospital; peradventure he may be cured and recover his health." +"On my head be it!" replied he; but he said to himself, "How +shall I take this sick man to Damascus, and he nigh upon death?" +So he carried him away and hid with him till the night, when he +threw him down on the fuel-heap in the stoke-hole of a bath and +went his way. In the morning, the stoker of the bath came to his +work and finding Zoulmekan cast on his back on the fuel-heap, +exclaimed, "Could they find no other place in which to throw this +dead man?" So saying, he gave him a push with his foot, and he +moved, whereupon quoth the stoker, "This is some one who has +eaten hashish and thrown himself down at hazard." Then he looked +at him and saw that he had no hair on his face and was endowed +with grace and comeliness; so he took pity on him and knew that +he was sick and a stranger. "There is no power and no virtue but +in God!" said he "I have sinned against this youth; for indeed +the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve!) enjoins hospitality to +strangers." Then he lifted him up and carrying him to his own +house, committed him to his wife and bade her tend him. So she +spread him a bed and laid a cushion under his head, then heated +water and washed his hands and feet and face. Meanwhile, the +stoker went to the market and buying rose-water and sherbet of +sugar, sprinkled Zoulmekan's face with the one and gave him to +drink of the other. Then he fetched a clean shirt and put it on +him. With this, Zoulmekan scented the breeze of recovery and life +returned to him; and he sat up and leant against the pillow. At +this the stoker rejoiced and exclaimed, "O my God, I beseech +Thee, by Thy hidden mysteries, make the salvation of this youth +to be at my hands!" And he nursed him assiduously for three days, +giving him to drink of sherbet of sugar and willow-flower water +and rose-water and doing him all manner of service and kindness, +till health began to return to his body and he opened his eyes +and sat up. Presently the stoker came in and seeing him sitting +up and showing signs of amendment, said to him, "How dost thou +now, O my son?" "Thanks be to God," replied Zoulmekan, "I am well +and like to recover, if so He please." The stoker praised the +Lord of All for this and going to the market, bought ten +chickens, which he carried to his wife and said to her, "Kill two +of these for him every day, one in the morning and the other at +nightfall." So she rose and killed a fowl, then boiling it, +brought it to him and fed him with the flesh and gave him the +broth to drink. When he had done eating, she brought hot water +and he washed his hands and lay back upon the pillow; whereupon +she covered him up and he slept till the time of afternoon-prayer. +Then she killed another fowl and boiled it; after which she cut +it up and bringing it to Zoulmekan, said, "Eat, O my son!" +Presently, her husband entered and seeing her feeding him, sat +down at his head and said to him, "How is it with thee now, O my +son?" "Thanks be to God for recovery!" replied he. "May He +requite thee thy goodness to me!" At this the stoker rejoiced +and going out, bought sherbet of violets and rose-water and made +him drink it. Now his day's earnings at the bath were five +dirhems, of which he spent every day two dirhems for Zoulmekan, +one for sweet waters and sherbets and another for fowls; and he +ceased not to entreat him thus kindly for a whole month, till +the trace of illness ceased from him and he was quite recovered +whereupon the stoker and his wife rejoiced and the former +said to him, "O my son, wilt thou go with me to the bath?" +"Willingly," replied he. So the stoker went to the market and +fetched an ass, on which he mounted Zoulmekan and supported him +in the saddle, till they came to the bath Then he made him alight +and sit down, whilst he repaired to the market and bought +lote-leaves and lupin-meal,[FN#23] with which he returned to the +bath and said to Zoulmekan, "O my son, in the name of God, enter, +and I will wash thy body." So they both entered the inner room of +the bath, and the stoker fell to rubbing Zoulmekan's legs and was +going on to wash his body with the lote-leaves and powder, when +there came to them a bathman, whom the keeper of the bath had +sent to Zoulmekan, and seeing the stoker rubbing and washing the +latter, said to him, "This is trespassing on the keeper's +rights." "By Allah," replied the stoker, "the master overwhelms +us with his favours!" Then the bathman proceeded to shave +Zoulmekan's head, after which he and the stoker washed and +returned to the latter's house, where he clad Zoulmekan in a +shirt of fine stuff and a tunic of his own and gave him a +handsome turban and girdle and wound a silken kerchief about his +neck. Meanwhile the stoker's wife had killed two chickens and +cooked them for him; so, as soon as Zoulmekan entered and seated +himself on the couch, the stoker arose and dissolving sugar in +willow-flower water, made him drink it. Then he brought the tray +of food and cutting up the chickens, fed him with the meat and +broth, till he was satisfied, when he washed his hands and +praised God for recovery, saying to the stoker, "It is to thee, +under God the Most High, that I owe my life!" "Leave this talk," +replied the stoker, "and tell us the manner of thy coming to this +city and whence thou art; for I see signs of gentle breeding in +thy face." "Tell me first how thou camest to fall in with me," +said Zoulmekan; "and after I will tell thee my story." "As +for that," rejoined the stoker, "I found thee lying on the +rubbish-heap, by the door of the stoke-house, as I went to my +work, near the morning, and knew not who had thrown thee down +there. So I carried thee home with me; and this all I have to +tell." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Glory to Him who quickens the bones, +though they be rotten! Indeed, O my brother, thou hast not done +good to one who is unworthy, and thou shalt reap the reward of +this. But where am I now?" "In the city of Jerusalem," replied +the stoker; whereupon Zoulmekan called to mind his strangerhood +and his separation from his sister and wept. Then he discovered +his secret to the stoker and told him his story, repeating the +following verses: + +They heaped up passion on my soul, beyond my strength to bear, + And for their sake my heart is racked with weariness and + care. +Ah, be ye pitiful to me, O cruel that ye are, For e'en my foes do + pity me, since you away did fare! +Grudge not to grant unto mine eyes a passing glimpse of you, To + ease the longing of my soul and lighten my despair. +I begged my heart to arm itself with patience for your loss. + "Patience was never of my wont," it answered; "so forbear." + +Then he redoubled his weeping, and the stoker said to him, "Weep +not, but rather praise God for safety and recovery." Quoth +Zoulmekan, "How far is it hence to Damascus?" "Six days' +journey," answered the stoker "Wilt thou send me thither?" asked +Zoulmekan. "O my lord," replied the stoker, "how can I let thee +go alone, and thou a young lad and a stranger? If thou be minded +to make the journey to Damascus, I will go with thee; and if my +wife will listen to me and accompany me, I will take up my abode +there; for it goes to my heart to part with thee." Then said he +to his wife, "Wilt thou go with me to Damascus or wilt thou abide +here, whilst I bring this my lord thither and return to thee? For +he is bent upon, going to Damascus, and by Allah, it is hard to +me to part with him, and I fear for him from the highway +robbers." Quoth she, "I will go with you." And he said, "Praised +be God for accord!" Then he rose and selling all his own and his +wife's gear, bought a camel and hired an ass for Zoulmekan; and +they set out and reached Damascus at nightfall after six days' +journey. They alighted there, and the stoker went to the market +and bought meat and drink. They had dwelt but five days in +Damascus, when his wife sickened and after a few days' illness, +was translated to the mercy of God. The stoker mourned for her +with an exceeding grief, and her death was no light matter to +Zoulmekan, for she had tended him assiduously and he was grown +used to her. Presently, he turned to the stoker and finding him +mourning, said to him, "Do not grieve, for we must all go in at +this gate."[FN#24] "God requite thee with good, O my son!" +replied the stoker. "Surely He will compensate us with his +bounties and cause our mourning to cease. What sayst thou, O my +son? Shall we walk abroad to view Damascus and cheer our +spirits?" "Thy will is mine," replied Zoulmekan. So the stoker +took him by the hand, and they sallied forth and walked on, till +they came to the stables of the Viceroy of Damascus, where they +found camels laden with chests and carpets and brocaded stuffs +and saddle-horses and Bactrian camels and slaves, white and +black, and folk running to and fro and a great bustle. Quoth +Zoulmekan, "I wonder to whom all these camels and stuffs and +servants belong!" So he asked one of the slaves, and he replied, +"These are presents that the Viceroy of Damascus is sending to +King Omar ben Ennuman, with the tribute of Syria." When Zoulmekan +heard his father's name, his eyes filled with tears and he +repeated the following verses: + +Ye that are far removed from my desireful sight, Ye that within + my heart are sojourners for aye, +Your comeliness is gone and life no more for me Is sweet, nor + will the pains of longing pass away. +If God one day decree reunion of our loves, How long a tale of + woes my tongue will have to say! + +Then he wept and the stoker said to him, "O my son, thou art +hardly yet recovered; so take heart and do not weep, for I fear a +relapse for thee." And he applied himself to comfort him and +cheer him, whilst Zoulmekan sighed and bemoaned his strangerhood +and separation from his sister and his family and repeated the +following verses, with tears streaming from his eyes: + +Provide thee for the world to come, for needs must thou be gone; + Or soon or late, for every one the lot of death is drawn. +Thy fortune in this world is but delusion and regret; Thy life in + it but vanity and empty chaff and awn. +The world, indeed, is but as 'twere a traveller's halting-place, + Who makes his camels kneel at eve and fares on with the + dawn. + +And he continued to weep and lament, whilst the stoker wept too +for the loss of his wife, yet ceased not to comfort Zoulmekan +till the morning. When the sun rose, he said to him, "Meseems +thou yearnest for thy native land?" "Even so," replied Zoulmekan, +"and I may not tarry here; so I will commend thee to God's care +and set out with these people and journey with them, little by +little, till I come to my country." "And I with thee," said the +stoker; "for I cannot bear to part with thee. I have done thee +service, and I mean to complete it by tending thee on the way." +At this, Zoulmekan rejoiced and said, "May God abundantly requite +thee for me!" Then the stoker went out and selling the camel, +bought another ass, which he brought to Zoulmekan, saying, "This +is for thee to ride by the way; and when thou art weary of +riding, thou canst dismount and walk." "May God bless thee and +help me to requite thee!" said Zoulmekan. "Indeed, thou hast +dealt with me more lovingly than one with his brother." Then the +stoker provided himself with victual for the journey, and they +waited till it was dark night, when they laid their provisions +and baggage on the ass and set out on their journey. + +To return to Nuzhet ez Zeman, when she left her brother in the +khan and went out to seek service with some one, that she might +earn wherewith to buy him the roast meat he longed for, she fared +on, weeping and knowing not whither to go, whilst her mind was +occupied with concern for her brother and with thoughts of her +family and her native land. And she implored God the Most High to +do away these afflictions from them and repeated the following +verses: + +The shadows darken and passion stirs up my sickness amain, And + longing rouses within me the old desireful pain. +The anguish of parting hath taken its sojourn in my breast, And + love and longing and sorrow have maddened heart and brain. +Passion hath made me restless and longing consumes my soul And + tears discover the secret that else concealed had lain. +I know of no way to ease me of sickness and care and woe, Nor can + my weak endeavour reknit love's severed skein. +The fire of my heart with yearnings and longing grief is fed And + for its heat, the lover to live in hell is fain. +O thou that thinkest to blame me for what betides me, enough; God + knows I suffer with patience whate'er He doth ordain. +I swear I shall ne'er find solace nor be consoled for love, The + oath of the children of passion, whose oaths are ne'er in + vain! +Bear tidings of me, I prithee, O night, to the bards of love And + that in thee I sleep not be witness yet again! + +She walked on, weeping and turning right and left, as she went, +till there espied her an old man who had come into the town from +the desert with other five Bedouins. He took note of her and +seeing that she was charming, but had nothing on her head but a +piece of camel-cloth, marvelled at her beauty and said in +himself, "This girl is pretty enough to dazzle the wit, but it is +clear she is in poor case, and whether she be of the people of +the city or a stranger, I must have her." So he followed her, +little by little, till presently he came in front of her and +stopping the way before her in a narrow lane, called out to her, +saying, "Harkye, daughterling, art thou a freewoman or a slave?" +When she heard this, she said to him, "By thy life, do not add to +my troubles! "Quoth he, "God blessed me with six daughters, but +five of them died and only one is left me, the youngest of them +all; and I came to ask thee if thou wert of the people of this +city or a stranger, that I might take thee and carry thee to her, +to bear her company and divert her from mourning for her sisters, +If thou hast no parents, I will use thee as one of them, and thou +and she shall be as my two children." When she heard what he +said, she bowed her head for bashfulness and said to herself, +"Surely I may trust myself to this old man." Then she said to +him, "O uncle, I am a girl of the Arabs (of Irak) and a stranger, +and I have a sick brother; but I will go with thee to thy +daughter on one condition; that is, that I may spend the day only +with her and go to my brother at night. I am a stranger and was +high in honour among my people, yet am I become cast down and +abject. I came with my brother from the land of Hejaz and I fear +lest he know not where I am." When the Bedouin heard this, he +said to himself, "By Allah, I have gotten what I sought!" Then he +turned to her and said, "There shall none be dearer to me than +thou; I only wish thee to bear my daughter company by day, and +thou shalt go to thy brother at nightfall. Or, if thou wilt, +bring him to dwell with us." And he ceased not to give her fair +words and coax her, till she trusted in him and agreed to serve +him. Then he went on before her and she followed him, whilst he +winked to his men to go on in advance and harness the camels and +load them with food and water, ready for setting out as soon as +he should come up. Now this Bedouin was a base-born wretch, a +highway-robber and a brigand, a traitor to his friend and a past +master in craft and roguery. He had no daughter and no son, and +was but a wayfarer in Jerusalem, when, by the decree of God, he +fell in with this unhappy girl. He held her in converse till they +came without the city, where he joined his companions and found +they had made ready the camels. So he mounted a camel, taking +Nuzhet ez Zeman up behind him, and they rode on all night, making +for the mountains, for fear any should see them. By this, she +knew that the Bedouin's proposal was a snare and that he had +tricked her; and she gave not over weeping and crying out the +whole night long. A little before the dawn, they halted and the +Bedouin came up to Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "O wretch, +what is this weeping! By Allah, an thou hold not thy peace, I +will beat thee to death, city faggot that thou art!" When she +heard this, she abhorred life and longed for death; so she turned +to him and said, "O accursed old man, O greybeard of hell, did I +trust in thee and hast thou played me false, and now thou wouldst +torture me?" When he heard her words, he cried out, "O insolent +wretch, dost thou dare to bandy words with me?" And he came up to +her and beat her with a whip, saying, "An thou hold not thy +peace, I will kill thee." So she was silent awhile, but she +called to mind her brother and her former happy estate and wept +in secret. Next day, she turned to the Bedouin and said to him, +"How couldst thou deal thus perfidiously with me and lure me into +these desert mountains, and what wilt thou do with me?" When he +heard her words, he hardened his heart and said to her, "O +pestilent baggage, wilt thou bandy words with me?" So saying, he +took the whip and brought it down on her back, till she well-nigh +fainted. Then she bowed down and kissed his feet; and he left +beating her and began to revile her, saying, "By my bonnet, if I +see or hear thee weeping, I will cut out thy tongue and thrust it +up thy kaze, city strumpet that thou art!" So she was silent and +made him no reply, for the beating irked her; but sat down, with +her arms round her knees and bowing her head, fell a-musing on +her case. Then she bethought her of her former ease and affluence +and her present abasement, and called to mind her brother and his +sickness and forlorn condition and how they were both strangers +in a foreign land; whereat the tears coursed down her cheeks and +she wept silently and repeated the following verses: + +The tides of fate 'twixt good and ill shift ever to and fro, And + no estate of life for men endureth evermo'. +All things that to the world belong have each their destined end + And to all men a term is set, which none may overgo. +How long must I oppression bear and peril and distress! Ah, how I + loathe this life of mine, that nought but these can show! +May God not prosper them, these days, wherein I am oppressed of + Fate, these cruel days that add abjection to my woe! +My purposes are brought to nought, my loves are reft in twain By + exile's rigour, and my hopes are one and all laid low. +O ye, who pass the dwelling by, wherein my dear ones are, Bear + them the news of me and say, my tears for ever flow. + +When she had finished, the Bedouin came up to her and taking +compassion on her, bespoke her kindly and wiped away her tears. +Then he gave her a cake of barley-bread and said to her, "I do +not love to be answered, when I am angry: so henceforth give me +no more of these insolent words, and I will sell thee to an +honest fellow like myself, who will use thee well, even as I have +done." "It is well," answered she; and when the night was long +upon her and hunger gnawed her, she ate a little of the +barley-cake. In the middle of the night, the Bedouin gave the +signal for departure; so they loaded the camels and he mounted +one of them, taking Nuzhet ez Zeman up behind him. Then they set +out and journeyed, without stopping, for three days, till they +reached the city of Damascus, where they alighted at the Sultan's +khan, hard by the Viceroy's Gate. Now she had lost her colour and +her charms were changed by grief and the fatigue of the journey, +and she ceased not to weep. So the Bedouin came up to her and +said, "Hark ye, city wench! By my bonnet, an thou leave not this +weeping, I will sell thee to a Jew!" Then he took her by the hand +and carried her to a chamber, where he left her and went to the +bazaar. Here he went round to the merchants who dealt in +slave-girls and began to parley with them, saying, "I have with +me a slave-girl, whose brother fell ill, and I sent him to my +people at Jerusalem, that they might tend him till he was cured. +The separation from him was grievous to her, and since then, she +does nothing but weep. Now I purpose to sell her, and I would +fain have whoso is minded to buy her of me speak softly to her +and say to her, 'Thy brother is with me in Jerusalem, ill;' and I +will be easy with him about her price." Quoth one of the +merchants, "How old is she?" "She is a virgin, just come to the +age of puberty," replied the Bedouin, "and is endowed with sense +and breeding and wit and beauty and grace. But from the day I +sent her brother to Jerusalem, she has done nothing but grieve +for him, so that her beauty is fallen away and her value +lessened." When the merchant heard this, he said, "O chief of the +Arabs, I will go with thee and buy this girl of thee, if she be +as thou sayest for wit and beauty and accomplishments; but it +must be upon conditions, which if thou accept, I will pay thee +her price, and if not, I will return her to thee." "If thou +wilt," said the Bedouin, "take her up to Prince Sherkan, son of +King Omar ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and of the land of +Khorassan, and I will agree to whatever conditions thou mayst +impose on me; for when he sees her, she will surely please him, +and he will pay thee her price and a good profit to boot for +thyself." "It happens," rejoined the merchant, "that I have just +now occasion to go to him, that I may get him to sign me patent, +exempting me from customs-dues, and I desire of him also a letter +of recommendation to his father King Omar. So, if he take the +girl, I will pay thee down her price at once." "I agree to this," +answered the Bedouin. So they returned together to the khan, +where the Bedouin stood at the door of the girl's chamber and +called out, saying, "Ho, Najiyeh!" which was the name he had +given her. When she heard him, she wept and made no answer. Then +he turned to the merchant and said to him, "There she sits. Do +thou go up to her and look at her and speak kindly to her, as I +enjoined thee." So he went up to her courteously and saw that she +was wonder-lovely and graceful especially as she was acquainted +with the Arabic tongue; and he said to the Bedouin, "Verily she +is even as thou saidst, and I shall get of the Sultan what I will +for her." Then he said to her, "Peace be on thee, O daughterling! +How dost thou?" She turned to him and replied, "This was written +in the book of Destiny." Then she looked at him and seeing him to +be a man of reverend appearance, with a handsome face, said to +herself, "I believe this man comes to buy me. If I hold aloof +from him, I shall abide with this tyrant, and he will beat me to +death. In any case, this man is comely of face and makes me hope +for better treatment from him than from this brute of a Bedouin. +Mayhap he only comes to hear me talk; so I will give him a fair +answer." All this while, she had kept her eyes fixed on the +ground; then she raised them to him and said in a sweet voice, +"And upon thee be peace, O my lord, and the mercy of God and His +blessing! This is what is commanded of the Prophet, whom God +bless and preserve! As for thine enquiry how I do, if thou +wouldst know my condition, it is such as thou wouldst not wish +but to thine enemies." And she was silent. When the merchant +heard what she said, he was beside himself for delight in her and +turning to the Bedouin, said to him, "What is her price, for +indeed she is illustrious!" At this the Bedouin was angry and +said, "Thou wilt turn me the girl's head with this talk! Why dost +thou say that she is illustrious,[FN#25] for all she is of the +scum of slave-girls and of the refuse of the people? I will not +sell her to thee." When the merchant heard this, he knew he was +dull-witted and said to him, "Calm thyself, for I will buy her of +thee, notwithstanding the defects thou mentionest." "And how much +wilt thou give me for her?" asked the Bedouin "None should name +the child but its father," replied the merchant. "Name thy price +for her." "Not so," rejoined the Bedouin; "do thou say what thou +wilt give." Quoth the merchant in himself, "This Bedouin is an +addle-pated churl. By Allah, I cannot tell her price, for she has +mastered my heart with her sweet speech and her beauty: and if +she can read and write, it will be the finishing touch to her +good fortune and that of her purchaser. But this Bedouin does not +know her value." Then he turned to the latter and said to him, "O +elder of the Arabs, I will give thee two hundred dinars for her, +in cash, clear of the tax and the Sultan's dues." When the +Bedouin heard this, he flew into a violent passion and cried out +at the merchant, saying, "Begone about thy business! By Allah, +wert thou to offer me two hundred dinars for the piece of +camel-cloth on her head, I would not sell it to thee! I will not +sell her, but will keep her by me, to pasture the camels and +grind corn." And he cried out to her, saying, "Come, thou +stinkard, I will not sell thee." Then he turned to the merchant +and said to him, "I thought thee a man of judgment; but, by my +bonnet, if thou begone not from me, I will let thee hear what +will not please thee!" "Verily," said the merchant to himself, +"this Bedouin is mad and knows not the girl's value, and I will +say no more to him about her price for the present; for by Allah, +were he a man of sense, he would not say, 'By my bonnet!' By +Allah, she is worth the kingdom of the Chosroes and I will give +him what he will, though it be all I have." Then he said to him, +"O elder of the Arabs, calm thyself and take patience and tell me +what clothes she has with thee." "Clothes!" cried the Bedouin; +"what should the baggage want with clothes? The camel-cloth in +which she is wrapped is ample for her." "With thy leave," said +the merchant, "I will lift her veil and examine her as folk +examine girls whom they think of buying." "Up and do what thou +wilt," replied the other, "and God keep thy youth! Examine her, +inside and out, and if thou wilt, take off her clothes and look +at her naked." "God forbid!" said the merchant; "I will but look +at her face." Then he went up to her, confounded at her beauty +and grace, and seating himself by her side, said to her, "O my +mistress, what is thy name?" "Dost thou ask what is my name now," +said she, "or what it was formerly?" "Hast thou then two names?" +asked the merchant. "Yes," replied she, "my whilom name was +Nuzhet ez Zeman;[FN#26] but my name at this present is Ghusset ez +Zeman."[FN#27] When the merchant heard this, his eyes filled with +tears, and he said to her, "Hast thou not a sick brother?" +"Indeed, my lord, I have," answered she; "but fortune hath parted +us, and he lies sick in Jerusalem." The merchant's heart was +confounded at the sweetness of her speech, and he said to +himself, "Verily, the Bedouin spoke the truth of her." Then she +called to mind her brother and how he lay sick in a strange land, +whilst she was parted from him and knew not what was become of +him; and she thought of all that had befallen her with the +Bedouin and of her severance from her father and mother and +native land; and the tears ran down her cheeks and she repeated +the following verses: + +May God keep watch o'er thee, belov'd, where'er thou art, Thou + that, though far away, yet dwellest in my heart! +Where'er thy footsteps lead, may He be ever near, To guard thee + from time's shifts and evil fortune's dart! +Thou'rt absent, and my eyes long ever for thy sight, And at thy + thought the tears for aye unbidden start. +Would that I knew alas! what country holds thee now, In what + abode thou dwell'st, unfriended and apart! +If thou, in the green o the rose, still drink o' the water of + life, My drink is nought but tears, since that thou didst + depart. +If sleep e'er visit thee, live coals of my unrest, Strewn betwixt + couch and side, for aye my slumbers thwart +All but thy loss to me were but a little thing, But that and that + alone is sore to me, sweetheart. + +When the merchant heard her verses, he wept and put out his hand +to wipe away her tears; but she let down her veil, saying, "God +forbid, O my master!" The Bedouin, who was sitting at a little +distance, watching them, saw her cover her face and concluded +that she would have hindered him from handling her: so he rose +and running to her, dealt her such a blow on the shoulders with a +camel's halter he had in his hand, that she fell to the ground on +her face. Her eyebrow smote against a stone, which cut it open, +and the blood streamed down her face; whereupon she gave a loud +scream and fainted away. The merchant was moved to tears for her +and said in himself, "I must and will buy this damsel, though I +pay down her weight in gold, and deliver her from this tyrant." +And he began to reproach the Bedouin, whilst Nuzhet ez Zeman lay +insensible. When she came to herself, she wiped away her tears +and bound up her head: then, raising her eyes to heaven, she +sought her Lord with a sorrowful heart and repeated the following +verses: + +Have ruth on one who once was rich and great, Whom villainy hath + brought to low estate. +She weeps with never-ceasing tears and says, "There's no recourse + against the laws of Fate." + +Then she turned to the merchant and said to him, in a low voice, +"By Allah, do not leave me with this tyrant, who knows not God +the Most High! If I pass this night with him, I shall kill myself +with my own hand: save me from him, and God will save thee from +hell-fire." So the merchant said to the Bedouin, "O chief of the +Arabs, this girl is none of thine affair; so do thou sell her to +me for what thou wilt." "Take her," said the Bedouin, "and pay me +down her price, or I will carry her back to the camp and set her +to feed the camels and gather their droppings."[FN#28] Quoth the +merchant, "I will give thee fifty thousand dinars for her." "God +will open,"[FN#29] replied the Bedouin. "Seventy thousand," said +the merchant. "God will open," repeated the other; "she hath cost +me more than that, for she hath eaten barley-bread with me to the +value of ninety thousand dinars." Quoth the merchant, "Thou and +all thy people and thy whole tribe in all your lives have not +eaten a thousand dinars' worth of barley: but I will make thee +one offer, which if thou accept not, I will set the Viceroy of +Damascus on thee, and he will take her from thee by force." "Say +on," rejoined the Bedouin. "A hundred thousand," said the +merchant. "I will sell her to thee at that price," answered the +Bedouin; "I shall be able to buy salt with that." The merchant +laughed and going to his house, returned with the money and gave +it to the Bedouin, who took it and made off, saying, "I must go +to Jerusalem: it may be I shall happen on her brother, and I will +bring him here and sell him." So he mounted and journeyed to +Jerusalem, where he went to the khan and enquired for Zoulmekan, +but could not find him. + +Meanwhile, the merchant threw his gaberdine over Nuzhet ez Zeman +and carried her to his house, where he dressed her in the richest +clothes he could buy. Then he carried her to the bazaar, where he +bought her what jewellery she chose and put it in a bag of satin, +which he laid before her, saying, "This is all for thee, and I +ask nothing of thee in return but that, when thou comest to the +Viceroy of Damascus, thou tell him what I gave for thee and that +it was little compared with thy value: and if he buy thee, tell +him how I have dealt with thee and ask of him for me a royal +patent, with a recommendation to his father King Omar Ben +Ennuman, lord of Baghdad, to the intent that he may forbid the +taking toll on my stuffs or other goods in which I traffic." When +she heard his words, she wept and sobbed, and the merchant said +to her, "O my mistress, I note that, every time I mention +Baghdad, thine eyes fill with tears: is there any one there whom +thou lovest? If it be a merchant or the like, tell me; for I know +all the merchants and so forth there; and an thou wouldst send +him a message, I will carry it for thee." "By Allah," replied +she, "I have no acquaintance among merchants and the like! I know +none there but King Omar ben Ennuman." When the merchant heard +this, he laughed and was greatly rejoiced and said in himself, +"By Allah, I have gotten my desire!" Then he said to her, "Hast +thou then been shown to him?" "No," answered she; "but I was +brought up with his daughter and he holds me dear and I have much +credit with him; so if thou wouldst have him grant thee a patent +of exemption, give me ink-horn and paper, and I will write thee a +letter, which, when thou reachest Baghdad, do thou deliver into +the King's own hand and say to him, 'Thy handmaid Nuzhet ez Zeman +salutes thee and would have thee to know that the changing +chances of the nights and days have smitten her, so that she has +been sold from place to place and is now with the Viceroy of +Damascus.'" The merchant wondered at her eloquence and his +affection for her increased and he said to her, "I cannot think +but that men have abused thine understanding and sold thee for +money. Tell me, dost thou know the Koran?" "I do," answered she; +"and I am also acquainted with philosophy and medicine and the +Prolegomena and the commentaries of Galen the physician on the +Canons of Hippocrates, and I have commented him, as well as the +Simples of Ibn Beltar, and have studied the works of Avicenna, +according to the canon of Mecca, as well as other treatises. I +can solve enigmas and establish parallels[FN#30] and discourse +upon geometry and am skilled in anatomy. I have read the books of +the Shafiyi[FN#31] sect and the Traditions of the Prophet, I am +well read in grammar and can argue with the learned and discourse +of all manner of sciences. Moreover I am skilled in logic and +rhetoric and mathematics and the making of talismans and +calendars and the Cabala, and I understand all these branches of +knowledge thoroughly. But bring me ink-horn and paper, and I will +write thee a letter that will profit thee at Baghdad and enable +thee to dispense with passports." When the merchant heard this, +he cried out, "Excellent! Excellent! Happy he in whose palace +thou shalt be!" Then he brought her ink-horn and paper and a pen +of brass and kissed the earth before her, to do her honour. She +took the pen and wrote the following verses: + +"What ails me that sleep hath forsaken my eyes and gone astray? + Have you then taught them to waken, after our parting day! +How comes it your memory maketh the fire in my heart to rage? + Is't thus with each lover remembers a dear one far away? +How sweet was the cloud of the summer, that watered our days of + yore! 'Tis flitted, before of its pleasance my longing I + could stay. +I sue to the wind and beg it to favour the slave of love, The + wind that unto the lover doth news of you convey. +A lover to you complaineth, whose every helper fails. Indeed, in + parting are sorrows would rend the rock in sway. + +"These words are from her whom melancholy destroys and whom +watching hath wasted; in her darkness there are no lights found, +and she knows not night from day. She tosses from side to side on +the couch of separation and her eyes are blackened with the +pencils of sleeplessness; she watches the stars and strains her +sight into the darkness: verily, sadness and emaciation have +consumed her and the setting forth of her case would be long. No +helper hath she but tears and she reciteth the following verses: + +"No turtle warbles on the branch, before the break of morn, But + stirs in me a killing grief, a sadness all forlorn. +No lover, longing for his loves, complaineth of desire, But with + a doubled stress of woe my heart is overborne. +Of passion I complain to one who hath no ruth on me. How soul and + body by desire are, one from other, torn!" + +Then her eyes brimmed over with tears, and she wrote these verses +also: + +"Love-longing, the day of our parting, my body with mourning + smote, And severance from my eyelids hath made sleep far + remote. +I am so wasted for yearning and worn for sickness and woe, That, + were it not for my speaking, thou'dst scarce my presence + note." + +Then she wept and wrote at the foot of the scroll, "This is from +her who is far from her people and her native land, the +sorrowful-hearted Nuzhet ez Zeman." She folded the letter and +gave it to the merchant, who took it and reading what was written +in it, rejoiced and exclaimed, "Glory to Him who fashioned thee!" +Then he redoubled in kindness and attention to her all that day; +and at nightfall, he sallied out to the market and bought food, +wherewith he fed her; after which he carried her to the bath and +said to the tire-woman, "As soon as thou hast made an end of +washing her head, clothe her and send and let me know.' Meanwhile +he fetched food and fruit and wax candles and set them on the +dais in the outer room of the bath; and when the tire-woman had +done washing her, she sent to tell the merchant, and Nuzhet ez +Zeman went out to the outer room, where she found the tray spread +with food and fruit. So she ate, and the tire-woman with her, and +gave what was left to the people and keeper of the bath. Then she +slept till the morning, and the merchant lay the night in a place +apart. When he awoke, he came to her and waking her, presented +her with a shift of fine silk, a kerchief worth a thousand +dinars, a suit of Turkish brocade and boots embroidered with red +gold and set with pearls and jewels. Moreover, he hung in each of +her ears a circlet of gold, with a fine pearl therein, worth a +thousand dinars, and threw round her neck a collar of gold, with +bosses of garnet and a chain of amber beads, that hung down +between her breasts to her middle. Now this chain was garnished +with ten balls and nine crescents and each crescent had in its +midst a beazel of ruby and each ball a beazel of balass ruby. The +worth of the chain was three thousand dinars and each of the +balls was worth twenty thousand dirhems, so that her dress in all +was worth a great sum of money. When she had put these on, the +merchant bade her make her toilet, and she adorned herself to the +utmost advantage. Then he bade her follow him and walked on +before her through the streets, whilst the people wondered at her +beauty and exclaimed, "Blessed be God, the most excellent +Creator! O fortunate man to whom she shall belong!" till they +reached the Sultan's palace; when he sought an audience of +Sherkan and kissing the earth before him, said, "O august King, I +have brought thee a rare gift, unmatched in this time and richly +covered with beauty and good qualities." "Let me see it," said +Sherkan. So the merchant went out and returning with Nuzhet ez +Zeman, made her stand before Sherkan. When the latter beheld her, +blood drew to blood, though he had never seen her, having only +heard that he had a sister called Nuzhet ez Zeman and a brother +called Zoulmekan and not having made acquaintance with them, in +his jealousy of them, because of the succession. Then said the +merchant, "O King, not only is she without peer in her time for +perfection of beauty and grace, but she is versed to boot in all +learning, sacred and profane, besides the art of government and +the abstract sciences." Quoth Sherkan, "Take her price, according +to what thou gavest for her, and go thy ways." "I hear and obey," +replied the merchant; "but first I would have thee write me +a patent, exempting me for ever from paying tithe on my +merchandise." "I will do this," said Sherkan; "but first tell me +what you paid for her." Quoth the merchant, "I bought her for a +hundred thousand dinars, and her clothes cost me as much more." +When the Sultan heard this, he said, "I will give thee more than +this for her," and calling his treasurer, said to him, "Give this +merchant three hundred and twenty thousand dinars; so will he +have a hundred and twenty thousand dinars profit." Then he +summoned the four Cadis and paid him the money in their presence; +after which he said to them, "I call you to witness that I free +this my slave-girl and purpose to marry her." So the Cadis drew +up the act of enfranchisement, and the Sultan scattered much gold +on the heads of those present, which was picked up by the pages +and eunuchs. Then they drew up the contract of marriage between +Sherkan and Nuzhet ez Zeman, after which he bade write the +merchant a perpetual patent, exempting him from tax and tithe +upon his merchandise and forbidding all and several to do him let +or hindrance in all his government, and bestowed on him a +splendid dress of honour. Then all who were present retired, and +there remained but the Cadis and the merchant; whereupon quoth +Sherkan to the former, "I wish you to hear such discourse from +this damsel as may prove her knowledge and accomplishment in all +that this merchant avouches of her, that we may be certified of +the truth of his pretensions." "Good," answered they; and he +commanded the curtains to be drawn before Nuzhet ez Zeman and her +attendants, who began to wish her joy and kiss her hands and +feet, for that she was become the Viceroy's wife. Then they came +round her and easing her of the weight of her clothes and +ornaments, began to look upon her beauty and grace. Presently the +wives of the Amirs and Viziers heard that King Sherkan had bought +a damsel unmatched for beauty and accomplishments and versed in +all branches of knowledge, at the price of three hundred and +twenty thousand dinars, and that he had set her free and married +her and summoned the four Cadis to examine her. So they asked +leave of their husbands and repaired to the palace. When they +came in to her, she rose and received them with courtesy, +welcoming them and promising them all good. Moreover, she smiled +in their faces and made them sit down in their proper stations, +as if she had been brought up with them, so that their hearts +were taken with her and they all wondered at her good sense and +fine manners, as well as at her beauty and grace, and said to +each other, "This damsel is none other than a queen, the daughter +of a king." Then they sat down, magnifying her, and said to her, +"O our lady, our city is illumined by thy presence, and our +country and kingdom are honoured by thee. The kingdom indeed is +thine and the palace is thy palace, and we all are thy handmaids; +so do not thou shut us out from thy favours and the sight of thy +beauty." And she thanked them for this. All this while the +curtains were drawn between Nuzhet ez Zeman and the women with +her, on the one side, and King Sherkan and the Cadis and merchant +seated by him, on the other. Presently, Sherkan called to her and +said, "O queen, the glory of thine age, this merchant describes +thee as being learned and accomplished and asserts that thou art +skilled in all branches of knowledge, even to astrology: so let +us hear something of all this and give us a taste of thy +quality." + +"O King," replied she, "I hear and obey. The first subject of +which I will treat is the art of government and the duties of +kings and what behoves governors of lawful commandments and what +is incumbent on them in respect of pleasing manners. Know then, O +King, that all men's works tend either to religion or to worldly +life, for none attains to religion save through this world, +because it is indeed the road to the next world. Now the world is +ordered by the doings of its people, and the doings of men +are divided into four categories, government (or the exercise +of authority), commerce, husbandry (or agriculture) and +craftsmanship. To government are requisite perfect (knowledge of +the science of) administration and just judgment; for government +is the centre (or pivot) of the edifice of the world, which is +the road to the future life since that God the Most High hath +made the world to be to His servants even as victual to the +traveller for the attainment of the goal: and it is needful that +each man receive of it such measure as shall bring him to God, +and that he follow not in this his own mind and desire. If the +folk would take of the goods of the world with moderation and +equity, there would be an end of contentions; but they take +thereof with violence and iniquity and persist in following their +own inclinations; and their licentiousness and evil behaviour in +this give birth to strife and contention. So they have need of +the Sultan, that he may do justice between them and order their +affairs prudently, and if he restrain not the folk from one +another, the strong will get the mastery over the weak. Ardeshir +says that religion and the kingship are twin; religion is a +treasure and the king its keeper; and the divine ordinances and +men's own judgment indicate that it behoves the folk to adopt a +ruler to hold the oppressor back from the oppressed and do the +weak justice against the strong and to restrain the violence of +the proud and the unjust. For know, O King, that according to the +measure of the ruler's good morals, even so will be the time; as +says the apostle of God (on whom be peace and salvation), 'There +are two classes, who if they be virtuous, the people will be +virtuous, and if they be depraved, the people also will be +depraved: even princes and men of learning.' And it is said by a +certain sage, 'There are three kinds of kings, the king of the +Faith, the king who watches over and protects those things that +are entitled to respect and honour, and the king of his own +inclinations. The king of the Faith constrains his subjects to +follow the laws of their faith, and it behoves that he be the +most pious of them all, for it is by him that they take pattern +in the things of the Faith; and the folk shall do obedience to +him in what he commands in accordance with the Divine ordinances; +but he shall hold the discontented in the same esteem as the +contented, because of submission to the Divine decrees. As for +the king of the second order, he upholds the things of the Faith +and of the world and compels the folk to follow the Law of God +and to observe the precepts of humanity; and it behoves him to +conjoin the sword and the pen; for whoso goeth astray from what +the pen hath written, his feet slip, and the king shall rectify +his error with the edge of the sword and pour forth his justice +upon all men. As for the third kind of king, he hath no religion +but the following his own lusts and fears not the wrath of his +Lord, who set him on the throne; so his kingdom inclines to ruin, +and the end of his arrogance is in the House of Perdition.' And +another sage says, 'The king has need of many people, but the +folk have need of but one king; wherefore it behoves that he be +well acquainted with their natures, to the end that he may reduce +their difference to concord, that he may encompass them one and +all with his justice and overwhelm them with his bounties.' And +know, O King, that Ardeshir, styled Jemr Shedid, third of the +Kings of Persia, conquered the whole world and divided it into +four parts and let make for himself four seal-rings, one for each +division of his realm. The first seal was that of the sea and the +police and of prohibition, and on it was written, 'Alternatives.' +The second was the seal of revenue and of the receipt of monies, +and on it was written, 'Culture.' The third was the seal of the +commissariat, and on it was written, 'Plenty.' The fourth was the +seal of (the Court of Enquiry into) abuses, and on it was +written, 'Justice.' And these remained in use in Persia until the +revelation of Islam. King Chosroes also, wrote to his son, who +was with the army, 'Be not over-lavish to thy troops, or they +will come to have no need of thee; neither be niggardly with +them, or they will murmur against thee. Do thy giving soberly and +confer thy favours advisedly; be liberal to them in time of +affluence and stint them not in time of stress.' It is said that +an Arab of the desert came once to the Khalif Mensour[FN#32] and +said to him, 'Starve thy dog and he will follow thee.' When the +Khalif heard his words, he was enraged, but Aboulabbas et Tousi +said to him, 'I fear that, if some other than thou should show +him a cake of bread, the dog would follow him and leave thee.' +Thereupon the Khalif's wrath subsided and he knew that the +Bedouin had meant no offence and ordered him a present. And know, +O King, that Abdulmelik ben Merwan wrote to his brother +Abdulaziz, when he sent him to Egypt, as follows: 'Pay heed to +thy secretaries and thy chamberlains, for the first will acquaint +thee with necessary matters and the second with matters of +etiquette and ceremonial observance, whilst the tribute that goes +out from thee will make thy troops known to thee.' Omar ben el +Khettab[FN#33] (whom God accept) was in the habit, when he +engaged a servant, of laying four conditions on him, the first +that he should not ride the baggage-beasts, the second that he +should not wear fine clothes, the third that he should not eat of +the spoil and the fourth that he should not delay to pray after +the proper time. It is said that there is no wealth better than +understanding and no understanding like common sense and prudence +and no prudence like the fear of God; that there is no offering +like good morals and no measure like good breeding and no profit +like earning the Divine favour;[FN#34] that there is no piety +like the observance of the limits of the Law and no science like +that of meditation, no devotion like the performance of the +Divine precepts, no safeguard like modesty, no calculation like +humility and no nobility like knowledge. So guard the head and +what it contains and the body and what it comprises and remember +death and calamity. Says Ali[FN#35], (whose face God honour!), +'Beware of the wickedness of women and be on thy guard against +them. Consult them not in aught, but be not grudging of +complaisance to them, lest they be tempted to have recourse to +intrigue.' And also, 'He who leaves the path of moderation and +sobriety, his wits become perplexed.' And Omar (whom God accept) +says, 'There are three kinds of women, first, the true-believing, +God-fearing woman, loving and fruitful, helping her husband +against fate, not helping fate against her husband; secondly, she +who loves and tenders her children, but no more; and thirdly, the +woman who is as a shackle that God puts on the neck of whom He +will. Men also are three: the first, who is wise, when he +exercises his judgment; the second, wiser than he, who, when +there falls on him somewhat of which he knows not the issue, +seeks folk of good counsel and acts by their advice; and the +third, who is addle-headed, knowing not the right way nor heeding +those who would instruct him.' Justice is indispensable in all +things; even slave-girls have need of justice; and highway +robbers, who live by violence, bear witness of this, for did they +not deal equitably among themselves and observe fairness in their +divisions, their order would fall to pieces. For the rest, the +chief of noble qualities is generosity and benevolence. How well +says the poet: + +'By largesse and mildness the youth chief of his tribe became, And + it were easy for thee to follow and do the same.' + +And quoth another: + +'In mildness stability lies and clemency wins us respect, And + safety in soothfastness is for him who is soothfast and + frank; +And he who would get himself praise and renown for his wealth + from the folk, In the racecourse of glory must be, for + munificence, first in the rank.'" + +And Nuzhet ez Zeman discoursed upon the policy and behaviour of +kings, till the bystanders said, "Never heard we one reason of +the duties of kings like this damsel! Mayhap she will favour us +with discourse upon some subject other than this." When she heard +this, she said, "As for the chapter of good breeding,[FN#36] it is +wide of scope, for it is a compend of perfections. There came in +one day to the Khalif Muawiyeh[FN#37] one of his boon-companions, +who spoke of the people of Irak and the goodness of their wit; +and the Khalif's wife Meisoun, mother of Yezid, heard him. So, +when he was gone, she said to the Khalif, 'O Commander of the +Faithful, prithee let some of the people of Irak come in to thee +and talk with them, that I may hear their discourse.' So the +Khalif said to his attendants, 'Who is at the door?' And they +answered, 'The Benou Temim.' 'Let them come in,' said he. So they +came in and with them Ahnaf ben Cais.[FN#38] Now Muawiyeh had +drawn a curtain between himself and Meisoun, that she might hear +what they said without being seen herself; and he said to Ahnaf, +'O Abou Behr,[FN#39] pray, near and tell me what counsel thou hast +for me.' Quoth Ahnaf, 'Part thy hair and trim thy moustache and +clip thy nails and pluck out the hair of thine armpits and shave +thy pubes and be constant in the use of the toothstick, for +therein are two-and-seventy virtues, and make the Friday +(complete) ablution as an expiation for what is between the two +Fridays.' 'What is thy counsel to thyself?' asked Muawiyeh. 'To +plant my feet firmly on the ground,' replied Ahnaf, 'to move them +with deliberation and keep watch over them with my eyes.' 'How,' +asked the Khalif, 'dost thou carry thyself, when thou goest in to +the common folk of thy tribe?' 'I lower my eyes modestly,' replied +Ahnaf, 'and salute them first, abstaining from what does not +concern me and being sparing of words.' 'And how, when thou goest +in to thine equals?' asked Muawiyeh. 'I give ear to them, when they +speak,' answered the other, 'and do not assail them, when they err.' +'And how dost thou,' said the Khalif, 'when thou goest in to thy +chiefs?' 'I salute without making any sign,' answered Ahnaf, 'and +await the response: if they bid me draw near, I do so, and if they +bid me stand aloof, I withdraw.' 'How dost thou with thy wife?' +asked the Khalif. 'Excuse me from answering this, O Commander of +the Faithful!' replied he; but Muawiyeh said, 'I conjure thee to +answer.' Then said Ahnaf, 'I entreat her kindly and show her +pleasant familiarity and am large in expenditure, for women were +created of a crooked rib.' 'And how,' asked the Khalif, 'dost thou +when thou hast a mind to lie with her?' 'I speak to her to perfume +herself,' answered the other, 'and kiss her till she is moved to +desire; then, if it be as thou knowest, I throw her on her back. If +the seed abide in her womb, I say, "O my God, make it blessed and +let it not be a castaway, but fashion it into a goodly shape!" Then +I rise from her and betake myself to the ablution, first pouring +water over my hands and then over my body and returning thanks to +God for the delight He hath given me.' 'Thou hast answered +excellently well,' said Muawiyeh; 'and now tell me what thou wouldst +have.' Quoth Ahnaf, 'I would have thee rule thy subjects in the fear +of God and do equal justice amongst them.' So saying, he withdrew +from the Khalif's presence, and when he had gone, Meisoun said, +'Were there but this man in Irak, he would suffice to it.' This +(continued Nuzhet ez Zeman) is a small fraction of the chapter of +good breeding. Know O King, that Muyekib was intendant of the +treasury during the Khalifate of Omar ben Khettab. 'One day +(quoth he) the Khalif's son came to me and I gave him a dirhem +from the treasury. Then I returned to my own house, and +presently, as I was sitting, there came to me a messenger, +bidding me to the Khalif. So I was afraid and went to him, and +when I came into his presence, I saw in his hand the dirhem I had +given his son. "Harkye, Muyekib," said he, "I have found somewhat +concerning thy soul." "What is it, O Commander of the Faithful?" +asked I; and he answered, "It is that thou wilt have to render an +account of this dirhem to the people of Mohammed (on whom be +peace and salvation) on the Day of Resurrection."' This same Omar +wrote a letter to Abou Mousa el Ashari,[FN#40] to the following +purport, 'When these presents reach thee, give the people what is +theirs and send the rest to me.' And he did so. When Othman +succeeded to the Khalifate, he wrote a like letter to Abou Mousa, +who did his bidding and sent him the tribute accordingly, and +with it came Ziad[FN#41] When the latter laid the tribute before +Othman, the Khalif's son came in and took a dirhem, whereupon +Ziad fell a-weeping. 'Why dost thou weep?' asked Othman. Quoth +Ziad, 'I once brought Omar ben Khettab the like of this, and his +son took a dirhem, whereupon Omar bade snatch it from his hand. +Now thy son hath taken of the tribute, yet have I seen none +rebuke him nor take the money from him.' And Othman said, 'Where +wilt thou find the like of Omar?' Again, Zeid ben Aslam relates +of his father that he said, 'I went out one night with Omar, and +we walked on till we espied a blazing fire in the distance. Quoth +Omar, "This must be travellers, who are suffering from the cold: +let us join them." So we made for the fire, and when we came to +it, we found a woman who had lighted a fire under a cauldron, and +by her side were two children, crying. "Peace on you, O folk of +the light!" said Omar, for he misliked to say, "folk of the +fire;"[FN#42] "what ails you?" Quoth she, "The cold and the night +irk us." "What ails these children that they weep?" asked he. +"They are hungry," replied she. "And what is in this cauldron?" +asked Omar. "It is what I quiet them with," answered she, "and +God will question Omar ben Khettab of them, on the Day of +Resurrection." "And what," rejoined the Khalif, "should Omar know +of their case?" "Why then," said she, "should he undertake the +governance of the people's affairs and yet be unmindful of them?" +Then Omar turned to me and said, "Come with me." So we both set +off running till we reached the treasury, where he took out a +sack of flour and a pot of fat and said to me, "Put these on my +back." "O Commander of the Faithful," said I, "I will carry them +for thee." "Wilt thou bear my burden for me on the Day of +Resurrection?" replied he. So I put the things on his back, and +we set off, running, till we came to the woman, when he threw +down the sack. Then he took out some of the flour and put it in +the cauldron and saying to the woman, "Leave it to me," fell to +blowing the fire; Now he had a great beard and I saw the smoke +issuing from the interstices thereof, till the flour was cooked, +when he threw in some of the fat and said to the woman, "Do thou +feed the boys whilst I cool the food for them." So they ate their +fill and he left the rest with her. Then he turned to me and +said, "O Aslam, I see it was indeed hunger made them weep; and I +am glad I did not go away without finding out the reason of the +light I saw."' It is said that Omar passed, one day, by a flock +of sheep, kept by a slave, and asked the latter to sell him a +sheep. 'They are not mine,' replied the shepherd. 'Thou art the +man I sought,' said Omar and buying him of his master, set him +free, whereupon the slave exclaimed, 'O my God, thou hast +bestowed on me the lesser emancipation; vouchsafe me now the +greater!'[FN#43] They say also, that Omar ben Khettab was wont to +give his servants sweet milk and eat coarse fare himself and to +clothe them softly and wear himself coarse garments. He gave all +men their due and exceeded in his giving to them. He once gave a +man four thousand dirhems and added thereto yet a thousand, +wherefore it was said to him, 'Why dost thou not favour thy son +as thou favourest this man?' He answered, 'This man's father +stood firm in fight on the day of Uhud.'[FN#44] El Hassan +relates that Omar once came (back from an expedition) with much +money and that Hefseh[FN#45] came to him and said, 'O Commander +of the Faithful, be mindful of the due of kinship!' 'O Hefseh,' +replied he, 'God hath indeed enjoined us to satisfy the dues of +kinship, but of our own monies, not those of the true believers. +Indeed, thou pleasest thy family, but angerest thy father.' And +she went away, dragging her skirts. Says Omar's son, 'I implored +God one year (after Omar's death) to show me my father, till at +last I saw him wiping the sweat from his brow and said to him, +"How is it with thee, O my father?" "But for God's mercy," +answered he, "thy father had perished." Then said Nuzhet ez +Zeman, "Hear, O august King, the second division of the first +chapter of the instances of the followers of the Prophet and +other pious men. Says El Hassan of Bassora,[FN#46] 'Not a soul of +the sons of Adam goes forth of the world, without grieving for +three things, failure to enjoy what he has amassed, failure to +compass what he hoped and failure to provide himself with +sufficient provision for that to which he goes.[FN#47]' It was +said to Sufyan,[FN#48] 'Can a man be devout and yet possess +wealth?' 'Yes,' replied he, 'so he be patient under affliction +and return thanks, when God giveth to him.' When Abdallah ben +Sheddad was on his death-bed, he sent for his son Mohammed and +admonished him, saying, 'O my son, I see the messenger of death +calling me and so I charge thee to cherish the fear of God, both +in public and private. Praise God and be true in thy speech, for +the praise of God brings increase of prosperity, and piety in +itself is the best of provision,[FN#49] even as says one of the +poets: + +I see not that bliss lies in filling one's chest; The God-fearing + man can alone be called blest. +For piety aye winneth increase of God; So of all men's provision + 'tis surely the best. + +When Omar ben Abdulaziz[FN#50] succeeded to the Khalifate, he +went to his own house and laying hands on all that his family and +household possessed, put it into the public treasury. So the +Ommiades[FN#51] betook themselves for aid to his father's sister, +Fatimeh, daughter of Merwan, and she sent to Omar, saying, 'I +must needs speak with thee.' So she came to him by night, and +when he had made her alight from her beast and sit down, he said +to her, 'O aunt, it is for thee to speak first, since it is at +thine instance that we meet; tell me, therefore, what thou +wouldst with me.' 'O Commander of the Faithful,' replied she, 'it +is thine to speak first, for thy judgment perceives that which is +hidden from the senses.' Then said the Khalif, 'Of a verity God +sent Mohammed as a mercy to some and a punishment to others; and +He chose out for him what was with him and withdrew him to +Himself, leaving the people a river, whereof the thirsty of them +might drink. After him he made Abou Bekr the Truth-teller Khalif +and he left the river in its pristine state, doing what was +pleasing to God. Then arose Omar and worked a work and furnished +forth a strife, of which none might do the like When Othman came, +he diverted a stream from the river, and Muawiyeh in his turn +sundered several streams from it. In like manner, Yezid and the +sons of Merwan, Abdulmelik and Welid and Suleiman[FN#52], ceased +not to take from the river and dry up the main stream, till the +commandment devolved upon me, and now I am minded to restore +the river to its normal condition.' When Fatimeh heard this, +she said, 'I came, wishing only to speak and confer with thee, +but if this be thy word, I have nothing to say to thee.' Then +she returned to the Ommiades and said to them, 'See what you +have brought on you by allying yourselves with Omar ben +Khettab.' [FN#53] When Omar was on his deathbed, he gathered his +children round him, and Meslemeh[FN#54] ben Abdulmelik said to +him, 'O Commander of the Faithful, wilt thou leave thy children +beggars and thou their protector? None can hinder thee from +giving them in thy lifetime what will suffice them out of the +treasury; and this indeed were better than leaving it to revert +to him who shall come after thee.' Omar gave him a look of wrath +and wonder and replied, 'O Meslemeh, I have defended them all the +days of my life, and shall I make them miserable after my death? +My sons are like other men, either obedient to God the Most High +or disobedient: if the former, God will prosper them, and if the +latter, I will not help them in their disobedience. Know, O +Meslemeh, that I was present, even as thou, when such an one of +the sons of Merwan was buried, and I fell asleep by him and saw +him in a dream given over to one of the punishments of God, to +whom belong might and majesty. This terrified me and made me +tremble, and I vowed to God that, if ever I came to the throne, I +would not do as the dead man had done. This vow I have striven to +fulfil all the days of my life, and I hope to be received into +the mercy of my Lord.' Quoth Meslemeh, 'A certain man died and I +was present at his funeral. I fell asleep and meseemed I saw him, +as in a dream, clad in white clothes and walking in a garden full +of running waters. He came up to me and said, "O Meslemeh, it is +for the like of this that governors (or men who bear rule) should +work."' Many are the instances of this kind, and quoth one of the +men of authority, 'I used to milk the ewes in the Khalifate of +Omar ben Abdulaziz, and one day, I met a shepherd, among whose +sheep were wolves. I thought them to be dogs, for I had never +before seen wolves; so I said to the shepherd, "What dost thou +with these dogs?" "They are not dogs, but wolves," replied he. +Quoth I, "Can wolves be with sheep and not hurt them?" "When the +head is whole," replied he, "the body is whole also."' Omar ben +Abdulaziz preached once from a mud pulpit, and after praising and +glorifying God the Most High, said three words and spoke as +follows, 'O folk, make clean your hearts, that your outward lives +may be clean to your brethren, and abstain from the things of the +world. Know that from Adam to this present, there is no one man +alive among the dead. Dead are Abdulmelik and those who forewent +him, and Omar also will die, and those who come after him.' Quoth +Meslemeh (to this same Omar, when he was dying), 'O Commander of +the Faithful, shall we set a pillow behind thee, that thou mayest +lean on it a little?' But Omar answered, 'I fear lest it be a +fault about my neck on the Day of Resurrection.' Then he gasped +for breath and fell back in a swoon; whereupon Fatimeh cried out, +saying, 'Ho, Meryem! Ho, Muzahim! Ho, such an one! Look to this +man!' And she began to pour water on him, weeping, till he +revived, and seeing her in tears, said to her, 'O Fatimeh, why +dost thou weep?' 'O Commander of the Faithful,' replied she, 'I +saw thee lying prostrate before us and thought of thy prostration +before God the Most High in death and of thy departure from the +world and separation from us. This is what made me weep.' +'Enough, O Fatimeh,' answered he; 'indeed thou exceedest.' Then +he would have risen, but fell down, and Fatimeh strained him to +her, saying, 'Thou art to me as my father and my mother, O +Commander of the Faithful! We cannot speak to thee, all of +us.'[FN#55] Again (continued Nuzhet ez Zeman), Omar ben Abdulaziz +wrote to the people of the festival at Mecca, as follows, 'I call +God to witness, in the Holy Month, in the Holy City and on the +day of the Great Pilgrimage, that I am innocent of your +oppression and of the wickedness of him that doth you wrong, in +that I have neither commanded this nor purposed it, neither hath +any report of aught thereof reached me (till now) nor have I had +knowledge of it; and I trust therefore that God will pardon it to +me. None hath authority from me to do oppression, for I shall +assuredly be questioned (at the Last Day) concerning every one +who hath been wrongfully entreated. So if any one of my officers +swerve from the right and act without law or authority,[FN#56] ye +owe him no obedience, till he return to the right way.' He said +also (may God accept of him), 'I do not wish to be relieved from +death, for that it is the supreme thing for which the true +believer is rewarded.' Quoth one of authority, 'I went one day to +the Commander of the Faithful, Omar ben Abdulaziz, who was then +Khalif, and saw before him twelve dirhems, which he bade take to +the treasury. So I said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, +thou impoverishest thy children and reducest them to beggary, +leaving nothing for them. Thou wouldst do well to appoint +somewhat by will to them and to those who are poor of the people +of thy house." "Draw near to me," answered he. So I drew near to +him and he said, "As for thy saying, 'Thou beggarest thy +children; provide for them and for the poor of thy household,' it +is without reason, for God will replace me to my children and to +those who are poor of the people of my house, and He will be +their guardian. Verily, they are like other men; he who fears +God, God will provide him a happy issue, and he that is addicted +to sin, I will not uphold him in his disobedience." Then he +called his sons before him, and they were twelve in number. When +he beheld them, his eyes filled with tears and he said to them, +"Your father is between two things; either ye will be rich and he +will enter the fire, or ye will be poor and he enter Paradise; +and your father's entry into Paradise is liefer to him than that +ye should be rich. So go, God be your helper, for to Him I commit +your affair."' Quoth Khalid ben Sefwan,[FN#57] 'Yusuf ben +Omar[FN#58] accompanied me to Hisham ben Abdulmelik,[FN#59] and I +met him as he came forth with his kinsmen and attendants. He +alighted and a tent was pitched for him. When the people had +taken their seats, I came up to the side of the carpet (on which +the Khalif was reclining) and waiting till my eyes met his, +bespoke him thus, "May God fulfil His bounty to thee, O Commander +of the Faithful, and direct into the right way the affairs He +hath committed to thy charge, and may no harm mingle with thy +cheer! O Commander of the Faithful, I have an admonition for +thee, which I have gleaned from the history of the kings of time +past!" At this, he sat up and said to me, "O son of Sefwan, say +what is in thy mind." "O Commander of the Faithful," quoth I, +"one of the kings before thee went forth, in a time before thy +time, to this very country and said to his companions, 'Saw ye +ever any in the like of my state or to whom hath been given even +as it hath been given unto me?' Now there was with him one of +those who survive to bear testimony to the Faith and are +upholders of the Truth and walkers in its highway, and he said, +'O King, thou askest of a grave matter. Wilt thou give me leave +to answer?' 'Yes,' replied the King, and the other said, 'Dost +thou judge thy present state to be temporary or enduring?' 'It is +a temporary thing,' replied the King. 'Why then,' asked the man, +'do I see thee exult in that which thou wilt enjoy but a little +while and whereof thou wilt be questioned at length and for the +rendering an account whereof thou wilt be as a pledge?' 'Whither +shall I flee,' asked the King, 'and where is that I must seek?' +'Abide in thy kingship,' replied the other, 'and apply thyself to +obey the commandments of God the Most High; or else don thy +worn-out clothes and devote thyself to the service of thy Lord, +till thine appointed hour come to thee.' Then he left him, +saying, 'I will come to thee again at daybreak.' So he knocked at +his door at dawn and found that the King had put off his crown +and resolved to become an anchorite, for the stress of his +exhortation." When Hisham heard this, he wept till his beard was +drenched and putting off his rich apparel, shut himself up in his +palace. Then the grandees and courtiers came to me and said, +"What is this thou hast done with the Commander of the Faithful? +Thou hast marred his cheer and troubled his life!"' "But +(continued Nuzhet ez Zeman, addressing herself to Sherkan) how +many admonitory instances are there not that bear upon this +branch of the subject! Indeed, it is beyond my power to report +all that pertains to this head in one sitting; but, with length +of days, O King of the age, all will be well." + +Then said the Cadis, "O King, of a truth this damsel is the +wonder of the time and the unique pearl of the age! Never in all +our lives heard we the like." And they called down blessings on +Sherkan and went away. Then said he to his attendants, "Prepare +the wedding festivities and make ready food of all kinds." So +they addressed themselves to do his bidding, and he bade the +wives of the amirs and viziers and grandees depart not until the +time of the wedding banquet and of the unveiling of the bride. +Hardly was the time of afternoon-prayer come, when the tables +were spread with roast meats and geese and fowls and all that the +heart can desire or that can delight the eye; and all the people +ate till they were satisfied. Moreover, the King had sent for all +the singing-women of Damascus and they were present, together +with all the slave-girls of the King and the notables who knew +how to sing. When the evening came and it grew dark, they lighted +flambeaux, right and left, from the gate of the citadel to that +of the palace, and the amirs and viziers and grandees defiled +before King Sherkan, whilst the singers and the tire-women took +Nuzhet ez Zeman, to dress and adorn her, but found she needed no +adorning. Meantime King Sherkan went to the bath and coming out, +sat down on his bed of estate, whilst they unveiled the bride +before him in seven different dresses; after which they eased her +of the weight of her dresses and ornaments and gave such +injunctions as are usually given to girls on their wedding-night. +Then Sherkan went in to her and took her maidenhead; and she at +once conceived by him, whereat he rejoiced with an exceeding joy +and commanded the sages to record the date of her conception. On +the morrow, he went forth and seated himself on his throne, and +the grandees came in to him and gave him joy. Then he called his +private secretary and bade him write to his father, King Omar ben +Ennuman, a letter to the following effect: "Know that I have +bought me a damsel, who excels in learning and accomplishment and +is mistress of all kinds of knowledge. I have set her free and +married her and she has conceived by me. And needs must I send +her to Baghdad to visit my brother Zoulmekan and my sister Nuzhet +ez Zeman." And he went on to praise her wit and salute his +brother and sister, together with the Vizier Dendan and all the +amirs. Then he sealed the letter and despatched it to his father +by a courier, who was absent a whole month, after which time he +returned with the old King's answer. Sherkan took it and read as +follows, after the usual preamble, "In the name of God," etc., +"This is from the afflicted and distraught, him who hath lost his +children and is (as it were) an exile from his native land, King +Omar ben Ennuman, to his son Sherkan. Know that, since thy +departure from me, the place is become contracted upon me, so +that I can no longer have patience nor keep my secret: and the +reason of this is as follows. It chanced that Zoulmekan sought my +leave to go on the pilgrimage, but I, fearing for him the shifts +of fortune, forbade him therefrom until the next year or the year +after. Soon after this, I went out to hunt and was absent a whole +month. When I returned, I found that thy brother and sister had +taken somewhat of money and set out by stealth with the caravan +of pilgrims. When I knew this, the wide world became strait on +me, O my son; but I awaited the return of the caravan, hoping +that they would return with it. Accordingly, when the caravan +came back, I questioned the pilgrims of them, but they could give +me no news of them; so I put on mourning apparel for them, being +heavy at heart and sleepless and drowned in the tears of my +eyes." Then followed these verses: + +Their image is never absent a breathing-while from my breast, I + have made it within my bosom the place of the honoured + guest, +But that I look for their coming, I would not live for an hour, + And but that I see them in dreams, I ne'er should lie down + to rest. + +The letter went on (after the usual salutations to Sherkan and +those of his court), "Do not thou therefore neglect to seek news +of them, for indeed this is a dishonour to us." When Sherkan read +the letter, he mourned for his father, but rejoiced in the loss +of his brother and sister. Now Nuzhet ez Zeman knew not that he +was her brother nor he that she was his sister, although he paid +her frequent visits, both by day and by night, till the months of +her pregnancy were accomplished and she sat down on the stool of +delivery. God made the delivery easy to her and she gave birth to +a daughter, whereupon she sent for Sherkan and said to him, "This +is thy daughter: name her as thou wilt." Quoth he, "Folk use to +name their children on the seventh day." Then he bent down to +kiss the child and saw, hung about her neck, a jewel, which he +knew at once for one of those that the princess Abrizeh had +brought from the land of the Greeks. At this sight, his senses +fled, his eyes rolled and wrath seized on him, and he looked at +Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "O damsel, whence hadst thou +this jewel?" When she heard this, she replied, "I am thy lady and +the lady of all in thy palace. Art thou not ashamed to say to me, +'O damsel'?[FN#60] Indeed, I am a queen, the daughter of a king; +and now concealment shall cease and the truth be made known. I am +Nuzhet ez Zeman, daughter of King Omar ben Ennuman." When Sherkan +heard this, he was seized with trembling and bowed his head +towards the earth, whilst his heart throbbed and his colour +paled, for he knew that she was his sister by the same father. +Then he lost his senses; and when he revived, he abode in +amazement, but did not discover himself to her and said to her, +"O my lady, art thou indeed the daughter of King Omar ben +Ennuman?" "Yes," replied she; and he said, "Tell me how thou +camest to leave thy father and be sold for a slave." So she told +him all that had befallen her, from first to last, how she had +left her brother sick in Jerusalem and how the Bedouin had lured +her away and sold her to the merchant. When Sherkan heard this +all was certified that she was indeed his sister, he said to +himself, "How can I have my sister to wife? By Allah, I must +marry her to one of my chamberlains; and if the thing get wind, I +will avouch that I divorced her before consummation and married +her to my chief chamberlain." Then he raised his head and said, +"O Nuzhet ez Zeman, thou art my very sister; for I am Sherkan, +son of King Omar ben Ennuman, and may God forgive us the sin into +which we have fallen!" She looked at him and seeing that he spoke +the truth, became as one bereft of reason and wept and buffeted +her face, exclaiming, "There is no power and no virtue but in +God! Verily we have fallen into grievous sin! What shall I do and +what answer shall I make my father and my mother, when they say +to me, 'Whence hadst thou thy daughter'?" Quoth Sherkan, "I +purpose to marry thee to my chief chamberlain and let thee bring +up my daughter in his house, that none may know thee to be my +sister. This that hath befallen us was ordained of God for a +purpose of His own, and there is no way to cover ourselves but by +thy marriage with the chamberlain, ere any know." Then he fell to +comforting her and kissing her head, and she said to him, "What +wilt thou call the child?" "Call her Kuzia Fekan,"[FN#61] replied +he. Then he gave her in marriage to the chief chamberlain, and +they reared the child in his house, on the laps of the slave-girls, +till, one day, there came to King Sherkan a courier +from his father, with a letter to the following purport, "In the +name of God, etc. Know, O puissant King, that I am sore afflicted +for the loss of my children: sleep fails me and wakefulness is +ever present with me. I send thee this letter that thou mayst +make ready the tribute of Syria and send it to us, together with +the damsel whom thou hast bought and taken to wife; for I long to +see her and hear her discourse; because there has come to us from +the land of the Greeks a devout old woman, with five damsels, +high-bosomed maids, endowed with knowledge and accomplishments +and all fashions of learning that befit mortals; and indeed the +tongue fails to describe this old woman and her companions. As +soon as I saw the damsels, I loved them and wished to have them +in my palace and at my commandment, for none of the kings +possesses the like of them; so I asked the old woman their price, +and she replied, 'I will not sell them but for the tribute of +Damascus.' And by Allah, this is but little for them, for each +one of them is worth the whole price. So I agreed to this and +took them into my palace, and they remain in my possession. +Wherefore do thou expedite the tribute to us, that the old woman +may return to her own country; and send us the damsel, that she +may strive with them before the doctors; and if she overcome +them, I will send her back to thee with the year's revenue of +Baghdad." When Sherkan read this letter, he went in to his +brother-in-law and said to him, "Call the damsel to whom I +married thee." So she came, and he showed her the letter and said +to her, "O my sister, what answer wouldst thou have me make to +this letter?" "It is for thee to judge," replied she. Then she +recalled her people and her native land and yearned after them; +so she said to him, "Send me and my husband the Chamberlain to +Baghdad, that I may tell my father how the Bedouin seized me and +sold me to the merchant, and how thou boughtest me of him and +gavest me in marriage to the Chamberlain, after setting me free." +"Be it so," replied Sherkan. Then he made ready the tribute in +haste and gave it to the Chamberlain, bidding him make ready for +Baghdad, and furnished him with camels and mules and two +travelling litters, one for himself and the other for the +princess. Moreover, he wrote a letter to his father and committed +it to the Chamberlain. Then he took leave of his sister, after he +had taken the jewel from her and hung it round his daughter's +neck by a chain of fine gold; and she and her husband set out for +Baghdad the same night. Now their caravan was the very one to +which Zoulmekan and his friend the stoker had joined themselves, +as before related, having waited till the Chamberlain passed +them, riding on a dromedary, with his footmen around him. Then +Zoulmekan mounted the stoker's ass and said to the latter, "Do +thou mount with me." But he said, "Not so: I will be thy +servant." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Needs must thou ride awhile." "It is +well," replied the stoker; "I will ride when I grow tired." Then +said Zoulmekan, "O my brother, thou shalt see how I will do with +thee, when I come to my own people." So they journeyed on till +the sun rose, and when it was the hour of the noonday rest, the +Chamberlain called a halt, and they alighted and rested and +watered their camels. Then he gave the signal for departure and +they journeyed for five days, till they came to the city of +Hemah, where they made a three days' halt; then set out again and +fared on, till they reached the province of Diarbekir. Here there +blew on them the breezes of Baghdad, and Zoulmekan bethought him +of his father and mother and his native land and how he was +returning to his father without his sister: so he wept and sighed +and complained, and his regrets increased on him, and he repeated +the following verses: + +How long wilt thou delay from me, beloved one? I wait: And yet + there comes no messenger with tidings of thy fate. +Alack, the time of love-delight and peace was brief indeed! Ah, + that the days of parting thus would of their length abate! +Take thou my hand and put aside my mantle and thou'lt find My + body wasted sore; and yet I hide my sad estate. +And if thou bid me be consoled for thee, "By God," I say, "I'll + ne'er forget thee till the Day that calls up small and + great!" + +"Leave this weeping and lamenting," said the stoker, "for we are +near the Chamberlain's tent." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Needs must I +recite somewhat of verse, so haply it may allay the fire of my +heart." "God on thee," cried the stoker, "leave this lamentation, +till thou come to thine own country; then do what thou wilt, and +I will be with thee, wherever thou art." "By Allah," replied +Zoulmekan, "I cannot forbear from this!" Then he set his face +towards Baghdad and began to repeat verses. Now the moon was +shining brightly and shedding her light on the place, and Nuzhet +ez Zeman could not sleep that night, but was wakeful and called +to mind her brother and wept. Presently, she heard Zoulmekan +weeping and repeating the following verses: + +The southern lightning gleams in the air And rouses in me the old + despair, +The grief for a dear one, loved and lost, Who filled me the cup + of joy whilere. +It minds me of her who fled away And left me friendless and sick + and bare. +O soft-shining lightnings, tell me true, Are the days of + happiness past fore'er? +Chide not, O blamer of me, for God Hath cursed me with two things + hard to bear, +A friend who left me to pine alone, And a fortune whose smile was + but a snare. +The sweet of my life was gone for aye, When fortune against me + did declare; +She brimmed me a cup of grief unmixed, And I must drink it and + never spare. +Or ever our meeting 'tide, sweetheart, Methinks I shall die of + sheer despair, +I prithee, fortune, bring back the days When we were a happy + childish pair; +The days, when we from the shafts of fate, That since have + pierced us, in safety were! +Ah, who shall succour the exiled wretch, Who passes the night in + dread and care, +And the day in mourning for her whose name, Delight of the + Age[FN#62], bespoke her fair? +The hands of the baseborn sons of shame Have doomed us the wede + of woe to wear. + +Then he cried out and fell down in a swoon, and when Nuzhet ez +Zeman heard his voice in the night, her heart was solaced and she +rose and called the chief eunuch, who said to her, "What is thy +will?" Quoth she, "Go and fetch me him who recited verses but +now." "I did not hear him," replied he; "the people are all +asleep." And she said, "Whomsoever thou findest awake, he is the +man." So he went out and sought, but found none awake but the +stoker; for Zoulmekan was still insensible, and, Nuzhet ez Zeman, +going up to the former, said to him, "Art thou he who recited +verses but now, and my lady heard him?" The stoker concluded that +the lady was wroth and was afraid and replied, "By Allah, 'twas +not I!" "Who then was it?" rejoined the eunuch. "Point him out to +me. Thou must know who it was, seeing that thou art awake." The +stoker feared for Zoulmekan and said in himself, "Maybe the +eunuch will do him some hurt." So he answered, "I know not who it +was." "By Allah," said the eunuch, "thou liest, for there is none +awake here but thou! So needs must thou know him." "By Allah," +replied the stoker, "I tell thee the truth! It must have been +some passer-by who recited the verses and disturbed me and +aroused me, may God requite him!" Quoth the eunuch, "If thou +happen upon him, point him out to me and I will lay hands on him +and bring him to the door of my lady's litter; or do thou take +him with thine own hand." "Go back," said the stoker, "and I will +bring him to thee." So the eunuch went back to his mistress and +said to her, "None knows who it was; it must have been some +passer-by." And she was silent. Meanwhile, Zoulmekan came to +himself and saw that the moon had reached the zenith and felt the +breath of the breeze that goes before the dawn; whereupon his +heart was moved to longing and sadness, and he cleared his throat +and was about to recite verses, when the stoker said to him, +"What wilt thou do?" "I have a mind to repeat somewhat of verse," +answered Zoulmekan, "that I may allay therewith the fire of my +heart." Quoth the other, "Thou knowest not what befell me, whilst +thou wert aswoon, and how I only escaped death by beguiling the +eunuch." "Tell me what happened," said Zoulrnekan. "Whilst thou +wert aswoon," replied the stoker, "there came up to me but now an +eunuch, with a long staff of almond-tree wood in his hand, who +looked in all the people's faces, as they lay asleep, and finding +none awake but myself, asked me who it was recited the verses. I +told him it was some passer-by; so he went away and God delivered +me from him; else had he killed me. But first he said to me, 'If +thou hear him again, bring him to us.'" When Zoulmekan heard +this, he wept and said, "Who is it would forbid me to recite? I +will surely do so, come what may; for I am near my own country +and care for no one." "Dost thou wish to destroy thyself?" asked +the stoker; and Zoulmekan answered, "I cannot help reciting +verses." "Verily," said the stoker, "I see this will bring about +a parting between us here though I had promised myself not to +leave thee, till I had brought thee to thy native city and +re-united thee with thy mother and father. Thou hast now been +with me a year and a half, and I have never baulked thee or +harmed thee in aught. What ails thee then, that thou must needs +recite, seeing that we are exceeding weary with travel and +watching and all the folk are asleep, for they need sleep to rest +them of their fatigue." But Zoulmekan answered, "I will not be +turned from my purpose." Then grief moved him and he threw off +disguise and began to repeat the following verses: + +Halt by the camp and hail the ruined steads by the brake, And + call on her name aloud; mayhap she will answer make. +And if for her absence the night of sadness darken on thee, Light + in its gloom a fire with longings for her sake. +Though the snake of the sand-hills hiss, small matter is it to me + If it sting me, so I the fair with the lips of crimson take. +O Paradise, left perforce of the spirit, but that I hope For ease + in the mansions of bliss, my heart would surely break! + +And these also: + +Time was when fortune was to us even as a servant is, And in the + loveliest of lands our happy lives did kiss. +Ah, who shall give me back the abode of my belov'd, wherein The + Age's Joy[FN#63] and Place's Light[FN#64] erst dwelt in + peace and bliss? + +Then he cried out three times and fell down senseless, and the +stoker rose and covered him. When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard the first +verses, she called to mind her mother and father and brother; and +when she heard the second, mentioning the names of herself and +her brother and their sometime home, she wept and calling the +eunuch, said to him, "Out on thee! But now I heard him who +recited the first time do so again, and that hard by. So, by +Allah, an thou fetch him not to me, I will rouse the Chamberlain +on thee, and he shall beat thee and turn thee away. But take +these hundred dinars and give them to him and do him no hurt, but +bring him to me gently. If he refuse, give him this purse of a +thousand dinars and leave him and return to me and tell me, after +thou hast informed thyself of his place and condition and what +countryman he is. Return quickly and do not linger, and beware +lest thou come back and say, 'I could not find him.'" So the +eunuch went out and fell to examining the people and treading +amongst them, but found none awake, for the folk were all asleep +for weariness, till he came to the stoker and saw him sitting up, +with his head uncovered. So he drew near him and seizing him by +the hand, said to him, "It was thou didst recite the verses!" The +stoker was affrighted and replied, "No, by Allah, O chief of the +people, it was not I!" But the eunuch said, "I will not leave +thee till thou show me who it was; for I fear to return to my +lady without him." Thereupon the stoker feared for Zoulmekan and +wept sore and said to the eunuch, "By Allah, it was not I, nor do +I know who it was. I only heard some passer-by recite verses: so +do not thou commit sin on me, for I am a stranger and come from +Jerusalem, and Abraham the Friend of God be with thee!" "Come +thou with me," rejoined the eunuch, "and tell my lady this with +thine own mouth, for I see none awake but thee." Quoth the +stoker, "Hast thou not seen me sitting here and dost thou not +know my station? Thou knowest none can stir from his place, +except the guards seize him. So go thou to thy mistress and if +thou hear any one reciting again, whether it be near or far, it +will be I or some one whom I shall know, and thou shalt not know +of him but by me." Then he kissed the eunuch's head and spoke him +fair, till he went away; but he made a circuit and returning +secretly, came and hid himself behind the stoker, fearing to go +back to his mistress empty-handed. As soon as he was gone, the +stoker aroused Zoulmekan and said to him, "Awake and sit up, that +I may tell thee what has happened." So Zoulmekan sat up, and the +stoker told him what had passed, and he answered, "Let me alone; +I will take no heed of this and I care for none, for I am near my +own country." Quoth the stoker, "Why wilt thou obey thine own +inclinations and the promptings of the devil? If thou fearest no +one, I fear for thee and myself; so God on thee, recite no more +verses, till thou come to thine own country! Indeed, I had not +thought thee so self-willed. Dost thou not know that this lady is +the wife of the Chamberlain and is minded to chide thee for +disturbing her. Belike, she is ill or restless for fatigue, and +this is the second time she hath sent the eunuch to look for +thee." However, Zoulmekan paid no heed to him, but cried out a +third time and repeated the following verses: + +The carping tribe I needs must flee; Their railing chafes my + misery. +They blame and chide at me nor know They do but fan the flame in + me. +"She is consoled," they say. And I, "Can one consoled for country + be?" +Quoth they, "How beautiful she is!" And I, "How dear-belov'd is + she!" +"How high her rank!" say they; and I, "How base is my humility!" +Now God forfend I leave to love, Deep though I drink of agony! +Nor will I heed the railing race, Who carp at me for loving thee. + +Hardly had he made an end of these verses when the eunuch, who +had heard him from his hiding, came up to him; whereupon the +stoker fled and stood afar off, to see what passed between them. +Then said the eunuch to Zoulmekan, "Peace be on thee, O my lord!" +"And on thee be peace," replied Zoulmekan, "and the mercy of God +and His blessing!" "O my lord," continued the eunuch, "this is +the third time I have sought thee this night, for my mistress +bids thee to her." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Whence comes this bitch that +seeks for me? May God curse her and her husband too!" And he +began to revile the eunuch, who could make him no answer, because +his mistress had charged him to do Zoulmekan no violence nor +bring him, save of his free will, and if he would not come, to +give him the thousand dinars. So he began to speak him fair and +say to him, "O my lord, take this (purse) and go with me. We will +do thee no unright nor wrong thee in aught; but we would have +thee bend thy gracious steps with me to my mistress, to speak +with her and return in peace and safety; and thou shalt have a +handsome present." When Zoulmekan heard this, he arose and went +with the eunuch, stepping over the sleeping folk, whilst the +stoker followed them at a distance, saying to himself, "Alas, the +pity of his youth! To-morrow they will hang him. How base it will +be of him, if he say it was I who bade him recite the verses!" +And he drew near to them and stood, watching them, without their +knowledge, till they came to Nuzhet ez Zeman's tent, when the +eunuch went in to her and said, "O my lady, I have brought thee +him whom thou soughtest, and he is a youth, fair of face and +bearing the marks of gentle breeding." When she heard this, her +heart fluttered and she said, "Let him recite some verses, that I +may hear him near at hand, and after ask him his name and +extraction." So the eunuch went out to Zoulmekan and said to him, +"Recite what verses thou knowest, for my lady is here hard by, +listening to thee, and after I will ask thee of thy name and +extraction and condition." "Willingly," replied he; "but as for +my name, it is blotted out and my trace among men is passed away +and my body wasted. I have a story, the beginning of which is not +known nor can the end of it be described, and behold, I am even +as one who hath exceeded in drinking wine, till he hath lost the +mastery of himself and is afflicted with distempers and wanders +from his right mind, being perplexed about his case and drowned +in the sea of melancholy." When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard this, she +broke out into loud weeping and sobbing and said to the eunuch, +"Ask him if he have lost a beloved one, such as his father or +mother." The eunuch did as she bade him, and Zoulmekan replied, +"Yes, I have lost all whom I loved: but the dearest of all to me +was my sister, from whom Fate hath parted me." When Nuzhet ez +Zeman heard this, she exclaimed, "May God the Most High reunite +him with those he loves!" Then said she to the eunuch, "Tell him +to let me hear somewhat on the subject of his separation from his +people and his country." The eunuch did so, and Zoulmekan sighed +heavily and repeated the following verses: + +Ah, would that I knew they were ware Of the worth of the heart + they have won! +Would I knew through what passes they fare, From what quarter + they look on the sun! Are they living, I wonder, or dead? + Can it be that their life's race is run? +Ah, the lover is ever distraught And his life for misgivings + undone! + +And also these: + +I vow, if e'er the place shall bless my longing sight, Wherein my + sister dwells, the age's dear delight,[FN#65] +I'll take my fill of life and all the sweets of peace, Midst + trees and flowing streams: and maidens fair and bright +The lute's enchanting tones shall soothe me to repose, What while + I quaff full cups of wine like living light +And honeyed dews of love suck from the deep-red lips Of lovelings + sleepy-eyed, with tresses black as night. + +When he had finished, Nuzhet ez Zeman lifted up a corner of the +curtain of the litter and looked at him. As soon as her eyes fell +on him, she knew him for certain and cried out, "O my brother! O +Zoulmekan!" He looked at her and knew her and cried out, "O my +sister! O Nuzhet ez Zeman!" Then she threw herself upon him, and +he received her in his arms, and they both fell down in a swoon. +When the eunuch saw this, he wondered and throwing over them +somewhat to cover them, waited till they should recover. After +awhile, they came to themselves, and Nuzhet ez Zeman rejoiced +exceedingly. Grief and anxiety left her and joys flocked upon her +and she repeated the following verses: + +Fate swore 'twould never cease to plague my life and make me rue. + Thou hast not kept thine oath, O Fate; so look thou penance + do. +Gladness is come and my belov'd is here to succour me; So rise + unto the summoner of joys, and quickly too. +I had no faith in Paradise of olden time, until I won the nectar + of its streams from lips of damask hue. + +When Zoulmekan heard this, he pressed his sister to his breast, +whilst, for the excess of his joy, the tears streamed from his +eyes and he repeated the following verses: + +Long time have I bewailed the severance of our loves, With tears + that from my lids streamed down like burning rain, +And vowed that, if the days should reunite us two, My lips should + never speak of severance again. +Joy hath o'erwhelmed me so, that, for the very stress Of that + which gladdens me, to weeping I am fain. +Tears are become to you a habit, O my eyes, So that ye weep alike + for gladness and for pain. + +They sat awhile at the door of the litter, conversing, till she +said to him, "Come with me into the litter and tell me all that +has befallen thee, and I will do the like." So they entered and +Zoulmekan said, "Do thou begin." Accordingly, she told him all +that had happened to her since their separation and said, +"Praised be God who hath vouchsafed thee to me and ordained that, +even as we left our father together, so we shall return to him +together! Now tell me how it has fared with thee since I left +thee." So he told her all that had befallen him and how God had +sent the stoker to him, and how he had journeyed with him and +spent his money on him and tended him night and day. She praised +the stoker for this, and Zoulmekan added, "Indeed, O my sister, +the man hath dealt with me in such benevolent wise as would not a +lover with his mistress or a father with his son, for that he +fasted and gave me to eat, and went afoot, whilst he made me +ride; and I owe my life to him." "God willing," said she, "we +will requite him for all this, according to our power." Then she +called the eunuch, who came and kissed Zoulmekan's hand, and she +said, "Take thy reward for glad tidings, O face of good omen! It +was thy hand reunited me with my brother; so the purse I gave +thee and its contents are thine. But now go to thy master and +bring him quickly to me." The eunuch rejoiced and going to the +Chamberlain, summoned him to his mistress. Accordingly, he came +in to his wife and finding Zoulmekan with her, asked who he was. +So she told him all that had befallen them, first and last, and +added, "Know, O Chamberlain, that thou hast gotten no slave-girl +to wife: but the daughter of King Omar ben Ennuman: for I am +Nuzhet ez Zeman, and this is my brother Zoulmekan." When the +Chamberlain heard her story, he knew it for the manifest truth +and was certified that he was become King Omar ben Ennuman's +son-in-law and said to himself, "I shall surely be made governor +of some province." Then he went up to Zoulmekan and gave him joy +of his safety and re-union with his sister, and bade his servants +forthwith make him ready a tent and one of the best of his own +horses to ride. Then said Nuzhet ez Zeman, "We are now near my +country and I would fain be alone with my brother, that we may +enjoy one another's company and take our fill of each other, +before we reach Baghdad; for we have been long parted." "Be it as +thou wilt," replied the Chamberlain and going forth, sent them +wax candles and various kinds of sweetmeats, together with three +costly suits of clothes for Zoulmekan. Then he returned to the +litter, and Nuzhet ez Zeman said to him, "Bid the eunuch find the +stoker and give him a horse to ride and provide him a tray of +food morning and evening, and let him be forbidden to leave us." +The Chamberlain called the eunuch and charged him accordingly; so +he took his pages with him and went out in search of the stoker, +whom he found at the tail of the caravan, saddling his ass and +preparing for flight. The tears were running down his cheeks, out +of fear for himself and grief for his separation from Zoulmekan, +and he was saying to himself, "Indeed, I warned him for the love +of God, but he would not listen to me. O that I knew what is +become of him!" Before he had done speaking, the eunuch came up +and stood behind him, whilst the pages surrounded him. The stoker +turned and seeing the eunuch and the pages round him, changed +colour and trembled in every nerve for affright, exclaiming, +"Verily, he knows not the value of the good offices I have done +him! I believe he has denounced me to the eunuch and made me an +accomplice in his offence." Then the eunuch cried out at him, +saying, "Who was it recited the verses? Liar that thou art, why +didst thou tell me that thou knewest not who it was, when it was +thy companion? But now I will not leave thee till we come to +Baghdad, and what betides thy comrade shall betide thee." Quoth +the stoker, "Verily, what I feared has fallen on me." And he +repeated the following verse: + +'Tis e'en as I feared it would be: We are God's and to Him return + we. + +Then said the eunuch to the pages, "Take him off the ass." So +they took him off the ass and setting him on a horse, carried him +along with the caravan, surrounded by the pages, to whom said the +eunuch, "If a hair of him be missing, it shall be the worse for you." +But he bade them privily treat him with consideration and not +humiliate him. When the stoker saw himself in this case, he gave +himself up for lost and turning to the eunuch, said to him, "O chief, +I am neither this youth's brother nor anywise akin to him; but I +was a stoker in a bath and found him lying asleep on the fuel-heap." +Then the caravan fared on and the stoker wept and imagined a +thousand things in himself, whilst the eunuch walked by his side +and told him nothing, but said to him, "You disturbed our mistress +by reciting verses, thou and the lad: but have no fear for thyself." +This he said, laughing at him the while in himself. When the +caravan halted, they brought them food, and he and the eunuch ate +from one dish. Then the eunuch let bring a gugglet of sherbet of +sugar and after drinking himself, gave it to the stoker, who drank; +but all the while his tears ceased not flowing, out of fear for +himself and grief for his separation from Zoulmekan and for what +had befallen them in their strangerhood. So they travelled on with +the caravan, whilst the Chamberlain now rode by the door of his +wife's litter, in attendance on Zoulmekan and the princess, and now +gave an eye to the stoker, and Nuzhet ez Zeman and her brother +occupied themselves with converse and mutual condolence; and so they +did till they came within three days' journey of Baghdad. Here they +alighted at eventide and rested till the morning, when they woke +and were about to load the beasts, when behold, there appeared +afar off a great cloud of dust, that obscured the air, till it +became as dark as night. Thereupon the Chamberlain cried out to +them to stay their preparations for departure, and mounting with +his officers rode forward in the direction of the dust-cloud. +When they drew near it, they perceived under it a numerous army, +like the full flowing sea, with drums and flags and standards and +horsemen and footmen. The Chamberlain marvelled at this: and when +the troops saw him, there came forth from amongst them a troop of +five hundred horse, who fell upon him and his suite and +surrounded them, five for one; whereupon said he to them, "What +is the matter and what are these troops, that ye use us thus?" +"Who art thou?" asked they. "Whence comest thou and whither art +thou bound?" And he answered, "I am the Chamberlain of the +Viceroy of Damascus, King Sherkan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman, +lord of Baghdad and of the land of Khorassan, and I bring tribute +and presents from him to his father in Baghdad." When the +horsemen heard speak of King Omar, they let their kerchiefs fall +over their faces and wept, saying, "Alas! King Omar is dead, and +he died poisoned. But fare ye on, no harm shall befall you, and +join his Grand Vizier Dendan." When the Chamberlain heard this, +he wept sore and exclaimed, "Alas, our disappointment in this our +journey!" Then he and his suite rode on, weeping, till they +reached the main body of the army and sought access to the +Vizier Dendan, who called a halt and causing his pavilion to be +pitched, sat down on a couch therein and commanded to admit the +Chamberlain. Then he bade him be seated and questioned him; and +he replied that he was the Viceroy's Chamberlain of Damascus and +was bound to King Omar with presents and the tribute of Syria. +The Vizier wept at the mention of King Omar's name and said, +"King Omar is dead by poison, and the folk fell out amongst +themselves as to whom they should make king after him, so that +they were like to come to blows on this account; but the notables +and grandees interposed and restored peace, and the people agreed +to refer the matter to the decision of the four Cadis, who +adjudged that we should go to Damascus and fetch thence the late +king's son Sherkan and make him king over his father's realm. +Some of them would have chosen his second son Zoulmekan, were it +not that he and his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman set out five years ago +for Mecca, and none knows what is become of them." When the +Chamberlain heard this, he knew that his wife had told him the +truth and grieved sore for the death of King Omar, what while he +was greatly rejoiced, especially at the arrival of Zoulmekan, for +that he would now become King of Baghdad in his father's room. So +he turned to the Vizier and said to him, "Verily, your affair is +a wonder of wonders! Know, O chief Vizier, that here, where you +have encountered me, God giveth you rest from fatigue and +bringeth you that you desire after the easiest of fashions, in +that He restoreth to you Zoulmekan and his sister Nuzhet ez +Zeman, whereby the matter is settled and made easy." When the +Vizier heard this, he rejoiced greatly and said, "O Chamberlain, +tell me their story and the reason of their having been so long +absent." So he repeated to him the whole story and told him that +Nuzhet ez Zeman was his wife. As soon as he had made an end of +his tale, the Vizier sent for the amirs and viziers and grandees +and acquainted them with the matter; whereat they rejoiced +greatly and wondered at the happy chance. Then they went in to +the Chamberlain and did their service to him, kissing the earth +before him; and the Vizier Dendan also rose and stood before him, +in token of respect. After this the Chamberlain held a great +council, and he and the Vizier sat upon a throne, whilst all the +amirs and officers of state took their places before them, +according to their several ranks. Then they dissolved sugar in +rose-water and drank, after which the amirs sat down to hold +council and bade the rest mount and ride forward leisurely, till +they should make an end of their deliberations and overtake them. +So the officers kissed the earth before them and mounting, rode +onward, preceded by the standards of war. When the amirs had +finished their conference, they mounted and rejoined the troops; +and the Chamberlain said to the Vizier Dendan, "I think it well +to ride on before you, that I may notify Zoulmekan of your coming +and choice of him as Sultan over the head of his brother Sherkan, +and that I may make him ready a place befitting his dignity." "It +is well thought," answered the Vizier. Then the Chamberlain rose +and Dendan also rose, to do him honour, and brought him presents, +which he conjured him to accept. On like wise did all the amirs +and officers of state, calling down blessings on him and saying +to him, "Mayhap thou will make mention of our case to King +Zoulmekan and speak to him to continue us in our dignities." The +Chamberlain promised what they asked and the Vizier Dendan sent +with him tents and bade the tent-pitchers set them up at a days +journey from the city. Then the Chamberlain mounted and rode +forward, full of joy and saying in himself, "How blessed is this +journey!" And indeed his wife was exalted in his eyes, she and +her brother Zoulmekan. They made all haste, till they reached a +place distant a day's journey from Baghdad, where he called a +halt and bade his men alight and make ready a sitting place for +the Sultan Zoulmekan, whilst he rode forward with his pages and +alighting at a distance from Nuzhet ez Zeman's litter, commanded +the eunuchs to ask the princess's leave to admit him. They did so +and she gave leave; whereupon he went in to her and her brother +and told them of the death of their father, King Omar ben +Ennuman, and how the heads of the people had made Zoulmekan king +over them in his stead; and he gave them joy of the kingdom. When +they heard this, they both wept for their father and asked the +manner of his death. "The news rests with the Vizier Dendan," +replied the Chamberlain, "who will be here to-morrow with all the +troops; and it only remains for thee, O prince, to do what they +counsel, since they have chosen thee King; for if thou do not +this, they will crown another, and thou canst not be sure of +thyself with another king. Haply he will kill thee, or discord +may befall between you and the kingdom pass out of your hands." +Zoulmekan bowed his head awhile, then raised it and said, "I +accept;" for indeed he saw that the Chamberlain had counselled +him rightly and that there was no refusing; "but, O uncle, how +shall I do with my brother Sherkan?" "O my son," replied the +Chamberlain, "thy brother will be Sultan of Damascus, and thou +Sultan of Baghdad; so gird up thy resolution and prepare to do +what befits thy case." Then he presented him with a suit of royal +raiment and a dagger of state, that the Vizier Dendan had brought +with him, and leaving him, returned to the tent-pitchers and bade +them choose out a spot of rising ground and pitch thereon a +spacious and splendid pavilion, wherein the Sultan might sit to +receive the amirs and grandees. Then he ordered the cooks to make +ready rich food and serve it up and the water-carriers to set up +the water-troughs. They did as he bade them and presently there +arose a cloud of dust and spread till it obscured the horizon. +After awhile, the breeze dispersed it, and there appeared under +it the army of Baghdad and Khorassan, led by the Vizier Dendan, +all rejoicing in the accession of Zoulmekan. Now Zoulmekan had +donned the royal robes and girt himself with the sword of state: +so the Chamberlain brought him a steed and he mounted, surrounded +by the rest of the company on foot, and rode between the tents, +till he came to the royal pavilion, where he entered and sat +down, with the royal dagger across his thighs, whilst the +Chamberlain stood in attendance on him and his servants stationed +themselves in the vestibule of the pavilion, with drawn swords in +their hands. Presently, up came the troops and sought admission +to the King's presence; so the Chamberlain went in to Zoulmekan +and asked his leave, whereupon he bade admit them, ten by ten. +Accordingly, the Chamberlain went out to them and acquainted them +with the King's orders, to which they replied, "We hear and +obey." Then he took ten of them and carried them, through the +vestibule, into the presence of the Sultan, whom when they saw, +they were awed; but he received them with the utmost kindness and +promised them all good. So they gave him joy of his safe return +and invoked God's blessing upon him, after which they took the +oath of fealty to him, and kissing the earth before him, +withdrew. Then other ten entered and he received them in the same +manner; and they ceased not to enter, ten by ten, till none was +left but the Vizier Dendan. So he went in and kissed the earth +before Zoulmekan, who rose to meet him, saying, "Welcome, O noble +Vizier and father! Verily, thine acts are those of a precious +counsellor, and judgment and foresight are in the hands of the +Subtle, the All Wise." Then he commanded the Chamberlain to go +out and cause the tables to be spread at once and bid the troops +thereto. So they came and ate and drank. Moreover, he bade Dendan +call a ten days' halt of the army, that he might be private with +him and learn from him the manner of his father's death. +Accordingly, the Vizier went forth and transmitted the King's +wishes to the troops, who received his commands with submission +and wished him eternity of glory. Moreover, he gave them leave to +divert themselves and ordered that none of the lords in waiting +should go in to the King for his service for the space of three +days. Then Zoulmekan waited till nightfall, when he went in to +his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "Dost thou know the +fashion of my father's death or not?" "I have no knowledge of +it," replied she, and drew a silken curtain before herself, +whilst Zoulmekan seated himself without the curtain and sending +for the Vizier, bade him relate to him in detail the manner of +King Omar's death. "Know then, O King," replied Dendan, "that +King Omar ben Ennuman, when he returned to Baghdad from his +hunting excursion, enquired for thee and thy sister, but could +not find you and knew that you had gone on the pilgrimage, +whereat he was greatly concerned and angered, and his breast was +contracted. He abode thus a whole year, seeking news of you from +all who came and went, but none could give him any tidings of +you. At the end of this time, as we were one day in attendance +upon him, there came to us an old woman, as she were a devotee, +accompanied by five damsels, high-bosomed maids, like moons, +endowed with such beauty and grace as the tongue fails to +describe; and to crown their perfections, they knew the Koran by +heart and were versed in various kinds of learning and in the +histories of bygone peoples. The old woman sought an audience of +the King, and he bade admit her; whereupon she entered and kissed +the ground before him. Now I was then sitting by his side, and +he, seeing in her the signs of devoutness and asceticism, made +her draw near and sit down by him. So she sat down and said to +him, 'Know, O King, that with me are five damsels, whose like no +king possesses, for they are endowed with beauty and grace and +wit. They know the Koran and the traditions and are skilled in +all manner of learning and in the history of bygone peoples. They +are here before thee, at thy disposal; for it is by proof that +folk are prized or disdained.' Thy late father looked at the +damsels and their favour pleased him; so he said to them, 'Let +each of you tell me something of what she knows of the history of +bygone folk and peoples of times past.' Thereupon one of them +came forward and kissing the earth before him, spoke as follows, +'Know, O King, that it behoves the man of good breeding to eschew +impertinence and adorn himself with excellencies, observing the +Divine precepts and shunning mortal sins; and to this he should +apply himself with the assiduity of one who, if he stray +therefrom, is lost; for the foundation of good breeding is +virtuous behaviour. Know that the chief reason of existence is +the endeavour after life everlasting and the right way thereto is +the service of God: so it behoves thee to deal righteously with +the people; and swerve not from this rubrick, for the mightier +folk are in dignity, the more need they have of prudence and +foresight; and indeed kings need this more than common folk, for +the general cast themselves into affairs, without taking thought +to the issue of them. Be thou prodigal both of thyself and thy +treasure in the way of God and know that, if an enemy dispute +with thee, thou mayst litigate with him and refute him with proof +and ward thyself against him; but as for thy friend, there is +none can judge between thee and him but righteousness and +fair-dealing. Wherefore, choose thy friend for thyself, after +thou hast proved him. If he be a man of religion, let him be +zealous in observing the external letter of the Law and versed in +its inner meaning, as far as may be: and if he be a man of the +world, let him be free-born, sincere, neither ignorant nor +perverse, for the ignorant man is such that even his parents +might well flee from him, and a liar cannot be a true friend, for +the word "friend"[FN#66] is derived from "truth,"[FN#67] that +emanates from the bottom of the heart; and how can this be the +case, when falsehood is manifest upon the tongue? Know, +therefore, that the observance of the Law profits him who +practices it: so love thy brother, if he be after this fashion, +and do not cast him off, even if thou see in him that which thou +mislikest; for a friend is not like a wife whom one can divorce +and take again; but his heart is like glass; once broken, it +cannot be mended. And God bless him who says: + +Be careful not to hurt men's hearts nor work them aught of dole, + For hard it is to bring again a once estranged soul; +And hearts, indeed, whose loves in twain by discord have been + rent Are like a broken glass, whose breach may never be made + whole. + +The wise say (continued she), "The best of friends is he who is +the most assiduous in good counsel, the best of actions is that +which is fairest in its result, and the best of praise is (not) +that which is in the mouths of men." It is said also, "It behoves +not the believer to neglect to thank God, especially for two +favours, health and reason." Again, "He who honoureth himself, +his lust is a light matter to him, and he who makes much of small +troubles, God afflicts him with great ones: he who obeys his own +inclination neglects his duties and he who listens to the +slanderer loses the true friend. He who thinks well of thee, do +thou fulfil his thought of thee. He who exceeds in contention +sins, and he who does not beware of upright is not safe from the +sword." + +Now will I tell thee somewhat of the duties of judges. Know, O +King, that no judgment serves the cause of justice except it be +given after deliberation, and it behoves the judge to treat all +people alike, to the intent that the rich and noble may not be +encouraged to oppression nor the poor and weak despair of +justice. He should extract proof from him who complains and +impose an oath upon him who denies; and compromise is lawful +between Muslims, except it be a compromise sanctioning an +unlawful or forbidding a lawful thing. If he have done aught +during the day, of which he is doubtful, the judge should +reconsider it and apply his discernment to elucidating it, that +(if he have erred) he may revert to the right, for to do justice +is a religious obligation and to return to that which is right is +better than perseverance in error. Then he should study the +precedents and the law of the case and do equal justice between +the suitors, fixing his eye upon the truth and committing his +affair to God, to whom belong might and majesty. Let him require +proof of the complainant, and if he adduce it, let him put the +defendant to his oath; for this is the ordinance of God. He +should receive the testimony of competent Muslim witnesses, one +against another, for God the Most High hath commanded judges to +judge by externals, He Himself taking charge of the secret +things. It behoves the judge also to avoid giving judgment, +whilst suffering from stress of pain or hunger, and that in his +decisions between the folk he seek to please God, for he whose +intent is pure and who is at peace with his conscience, God shall +guarantee him against what is between him and the people. Quoth +Ez Zuhri,[FN#68] "There are three things, which if they be found +in a Cadi, he should be deposed; namely, if he honour the base, +love praise and fear dismissal." It is related that Omar ben +Abdulaziz once deposed a Cadi, who asked him why he had done so. +"It has come to my knowledge," replied Omar, "that thy speech is +greater than thy condition." It is said also that Iskender[FN#69] +said to his Cadi, "I have invested thee with this function and +committed to thee in it my soul and my honour and manhood; so do +thou guard it with thy soul and thine understanding." To his cook +he said, "Thou art the governor of my body; so look thou tender +it." To his secretary he said, "Thou art the controller of my +wit: so do thou watch over me in what thou writest for me."' + +With this the first damsel retired and a second one came forward +and kissing the earth seven times before the King thy father, +spoke as follows: 'The sage Lucman[FN#70] said to his son, "There +are three men whom thou shalt not know, but in three several +cases; thou shalt not know the merciful man but in time of anger, +nor the brave man but in time of war nor thy friend but when thou +hast need of him." It is said that the oppressor shall repent, +though the people praise him, and that the oppressed is safe, +though the people blame him. Quoth God the Most High, "[FN#71] +Think not that those who rejoice in their deeds and love to be +praised for that which they have not done, shall escape +punishment; indeed there is reserved for them a grievous +punishment." Quoth Mohammed (on whom be peace and salvation), +"Works are according to intentions, and to each man is attributed +that which he intends." He saith also, "There is a part of the +human body, which being whole, all the rest is whole, and which +being corrupt, the whole body is corrupt; it is the heart. And +indeed the heart is the most marvellous part of man, since it is +that which ordereth his whole affair; if covetise stir in it, +desire destroys him, and if affliction master it, anguish slays +him: if anger rage in it, danger is sore upon him, and if it be +blest with contentment, he is safe from discontent; if fear +overtake it, he is filled with mourning, and if calamity smite +it, affliction betideth him. If a man gain wealth, his heart is +peradventure diverted thereby from the remembrance of his Lord, +and if poverty afflict him, his heart is distracted by care, or +if disquietude waste his heart, weakness reduces him to +impotence. So, in any case, there is nothing will profit him but +that he be mindful of God and occupy himself with gaining his +living and securing his place in Paradise." It was asked of a +certain wise man, "Who is the most ill-conditioned of men?" "He," +replied the sage, "whose lusts master his manhood and whose mind +exceeds in the pursuit of objects of high emprise, so that his +knowledge increases and his excuse diminishes; and how excellent +is what the poet says: + +The freest of all men from need of the arrogant meddler am I, The + fool who's unguided of God and judges the folk all awry; +For wealth and good gifts are a loan and each man at last shall + be clad As it were in a mantle, with that which hid in his + bosom doth lie. +If thou enter on aught by a door that is other than right, thou + wilt err; But the right door will dead thee aright, for + sure, if thou enter there by." + +As for anecdotes of devotees (continued the maiden), quoth Hisham +ben Besher, "I said to Omar ben Ubeid, 'What is true devoutness?' +and he answered, 'The Prophet (whom God bless and preserve) hath +expounded it, when he says, "The devout is he who takes thought +to death and calamity and prefers that which is eternal to that +which passes away, who counts not the morrow as of his days, but +reckons himself among the dead."'" And it is related that Abou +Dherr[FN#72] used to say, "Poverty is dearer to me than riches +and sickness than health." Quoth one of the listeners, "May God +have mercy on Abou Dherr! For my part, I say, 'He who puts his +trust in the goodness of the election of God the Most High should +be content with that condition of which the Almighty hath made +choice for him.'" Quoth one of the Companions (of the Prophet), +"Ibn Ali Aqfa[FN#73] prayed with us the morning-prayer one day. +When he had done, he read the seventy-fourth chapter (of the +Koran), beginning, 'O thou that coverest thyself!' till he came +to where God says, 'When the trumpet is blown,' and fell down +dead." It is said that Thabit el Benani wept till he well nigh +lost his eyes. They brought him a man to tend him, who said to +him, "I will cure thee, provided thou do my bidding." "In what +respect?" asked Thabit. "In that thou leave weeping," replied the +physician. "What is the use of my eyes," rejoined Thabit, "if +they do not weep?" Said a man to Mohammed ibn Abdallah, "Exhort +me." "I exhort thee," replied he, "to be an abstinent possessor +in this world and a greedy slave in the next." "How so?" asked +the other; and Mohammed said, "The abstinent man in this world +possesses both this world and the world to come." Quoth Ghauth +ben Abdallah, "There were two brothers among the people of +Israel, one of whom said to the other, 'What is the worst thing +thou hast done?' 'One day,' answered the other, 'I came upon a +nest of young birds; so I took out one and threw it back into the +nest; but the others drew apart from it. This is the worst thing +I ever did; so now tell me what is the worst thing thou hast ever +done.' 'When I betake myself to prayer,' rejoined the first, 'I +am fearful to have done so only for the sake of the reward. This +is the worst thing I have done.' Now their father heard what they +said and exclaimed, 'O my God, if they speak the truth, take them +to Thyself!' Quoth one of the wise men, 'Verily these were of the +most virtuous of children.'" Quoth Said ben Jubeir,[FN#74] "I was +once in company with Fuzaleh ibn Ubeid and said to him, 'Give me +some good counsel.' 'Bear in mind these two things,' replied he. +'Attribute no partner to God, and do no hurt to any of His +creatures.' And he repeated the following verses: + +Be as thou wilt and banish dread and care, For God is bountiful + and debonair; +So of two things, the doing hurt to men And giving God a partner, + thou beware." + +And how well saith the poet: + +If thou neglect with pious works for death to furnish thee And + after meet with one equipped with store of piety, +Thou wilt, when all too late, repent that thou wert not like him + And didst not for the other world make ready as did he.' + +Then the second damsel withdrew and a third came forward and +spoke as follows. 'Indeed, the chapter of piety is a very wide +one; but I will mention what occurs to me thereof, concerning +pious men of old time. Quoth a certain holy man, "I rejoice in +death, though I am not assured of ease therein, save that I know +death interposes between a man and his works; so I hope for +multiplication of good works and cessation of evil ones." Itaa es +Selemi, when he had made an end of an exhortation, was wont to +tremble and weep sore. It was asked him why he did this and he +replied, "I purpose (or am about) to enter upon a grave matter, +and it is the standing up before God the Most High, to do in +accordance with my exhortation." In like manner Zein el +Aabidin[FN#75] was wont to tremble when he rose to pray. Being +asked the reason of this, he replied, "Do ye not know before whom +I stand and to whom I address myself?" It is said that there +lived near Sufyan eth Thauri[FN#76] a blind man who, when the +month of Ramazan came, went out with the folk to pray, but +remained silent and hung back (in repeating the prayers). Said +Sufyan, "On the Day of Resurrection, he shall come with the +people of the Koran[FN#77] and they will be distinguished from +their fellows by excess of honour." Quoth Sufyan, "Were the soul +stablished in the heart as it befits, it would fly away, for joy +and longing for Paradise and grief and fear of hell-fire." It is +related also of Sufyan that he said, "To look upon the face of a +tyrant is a sin."' + +Then the third damsel retired and a fourth came forward, who +said, 'I will treat of sundry traditions of pious men. It is +related that Bishr el Hafi[FN#78] said, "I once heard Khalid +say, 'Beware of secret hypocrisy.' Quoth I, 'What is secret +hypocrisy?' He answered, 'When one of you, in praying, prolongs +his inclinations and prostrations till a cause of impurity[FN#79] +come upon him.'" Quoth one of the sages, "The doing of good works +expiates evil deeds." Quoth Ibrahim ben Adhem[FN#80], "I sought +assiduously of Bishr el Hafi that he should acquaint me with some +of the theological mysteries; but he said, 'O my son, it behoves +us not to teach this knowledge to every one; of every hundred, +five, even as the poor-rate upon money.' I thought his answer +excellent, and when I went to pray, I saw Bishr praying: so I +stood behind him, inclining myself in prayer, till the Muezzin +made his call. Then rose a man of poor appearance and said, 'O +folk, beware of truth, when it is hurtful, for there is no harm +in beneficial falsehood, and in compulsion is no choice: speech +profits not in the absence of good qualities nor is there any +hurt in silence, when they exist.' Presently I saw Bishr drop a +danic[FN#81] so I picked it up and exchanged it for a dirhem, +which I gave him. 'I will not take it,' said he. Quoth I, 'It is +a fair exchange;' but he answered, 'I cannot barter the riches of +the world to come for those of this world.'" It is reported also +that Bishr's sister once went to Ahmed ben Hembel[FN#82] and said +to him, "O Imam of the Faith, we are a family that work for our +living by day and spin thread by night; and oftentimes, the +cressets of the watch of Baghdad pass by and we on the roof +spinning by their light. Is this forbidden to us?" "Who art +thou?" asked Ahmed. "I am the sister of Bishr el Hafi," replied +she. "O household of Bishr," rejoined the Imam, "I shall never +cease to quafl full draughts of piety and continence from your +hearts." Quoth one of the learned, "When God wills well to +any man, he opens upon him the gate of action." Malik ibn +Dinar,[FN#83] when he passed through the bazaar and saw aught +that he wished for, was wont to say, "O soul, take patience, for +I will not accord to thee what thou desirest." He said also (may +God accept of him), "The salvation of the soul lies in resistance +to its desires and its ruin in submission to them." Quoth Mensour +ben Ammar,[FN#84] "I set out one year on the pilgrimage and was +making for Mecca by way of Cufa, when, one overcast night, I +heard a voice crying out from the womb of the night and saying, +'O my God, by Thy power and Thy glory, I meant not by my +disobedience to transgress against Thee, for indeed I am not +ignorant of Thee; but my fault is one Thou didst foreordain to me +from all eternity; so do Thou pardon me my sin, for indeed I +disobeyed Thee of my ignorance!' When he had made an end of his +prayer, he recited aloud the verse, 'O ye who believe, keep +yourselves and your households from the fire whose fuel is men +and stones!"[FN#85] Then I heard a fall, but knew not what it was +and passed on. On the morrow, as we went our way, we fell in with +a funeral train, followed by an old woman, whose strength had +left her. I questioned her of the dead, and she replied, 'This is +the funeral of a man who passed by us yesterday, whilst my son +was standing at prayer. The latter recited a verse from the Book +of God the Most High, when behold the man's gall-bladder burst +and he fell dead.'" + +Therewith the fourth damsel retired and the fifth, coming +forward, spoke as follows: 'I also will repeat what occurs to me +in the way of devotional anecdotes. Meslemeh ben Dinar used to +say, "The making sound the secret thoughts covers sins, both +great and small, and when the believer is resolved to leave +sinning, help comes to him." Also, "Every piece of good fortune, +that does not draw one nearer to God, is a calamity, for a little +of this world distracts from a great deal of the world to come +and a great deal of the first makes thee forget the whole of the +latter." It was asked of Abou Hazim,[FN#86] "Who is the most +fortunate of men?" "He who spends his life in the service of +God," replied he. "And who is the most foolish of mankind?" asked +the other. "He who sells his part in the world to come for the +worldly goods of others," answered Abou Hazim. It is reported +that Moses (on whom be peace), when he came to the waters of +Midian, exclaimed, "O my Lord, indeed I am in need of that which +Thou sendest down to me of good!" And he asked of his Lord and +not of his folk. There came two damsels and he drew water for +them and gave not precedence to the shepherds. When they returned +to their father Jethro (on whom be peace!) they told him, and he +said to one of them, "Haply, he is hungry: go back to him and bid +him hither." So she covered her face and returning to Moses, said +to him, "My father bids thee to him, that he may reward thee for +having drawn water for us." Moses was averse to this and +unwilling to follow her. Now she was a woman large in the +buttocks, and the wind blowing upon her gown, discovered this; +which when Moses saw, he lowered his eyes and said to her, "Do +thou walk behind me." So she followed him, till he came to +Jethro's house, where the evening meal was ready. "O Moses," said +Jethro, "I desire to reward thee for having drawn water for +them." But he answered, "I am of a people who sell nothing of the +fashion of the next world for earthly gold and silver." "O +youth," rejoined Jethro, "nevertheless thou art my guest, and it +is my wont and that of my fathers to do honour to the guest by +setting food before him." So Moses sat down and ate. Then Jethro +hired Moses for eight pilgrimages, that is to say, eight years, +and appointed to him for hire the hand of his daughter, and +Moses' service to him was to stand for her dowry. As says the +Holy Writ of him (quoth Jethro), "I am minded to marry thee to +one of these my daughters, on condition that thou serve me eight +years, and if thou serve out the ten, it will be of thine own +will, for I do not wish to press hardly on thee."[FN#87] A +certain man once said to one of his friends, "Thou hast made me +desolate, for that I have not seen thee this long while." Quoth +the other, "I have been distracted from thee by Ibn Shihab; dost +thou know him?" "Yes," replied the first; "he hath been my +neighbour these thirty years, but I have never spoken to him." +"Indeed," rejoined his friend, "thou forgettest God in forgetting +thy neighbour! If thou lovedst God, thou wouldst love thy +neighbour. Knowst thou not that a neighbour has a claim upon his +neighbour, even as the right of kindred?" Quoth Hudheifeh, "We +entered Mecca with Ibrahim ben Adhem,[FN#88] and whilst making +the prescribed circuits about the Kaabeh, we met with Shekic the +Balkhi. Quoth Ibrahim to Shekic, 'What is your fashion in your +country?' 'When we are vouchsafed [food],' replied he, 'we eat, +and when we suffer hunger, we take patience.' 'This is the +fashion of the dogs of Balkh,' rejoined Ibrahim. 'But we, when we +are blest with plenty, we do honour to God, and when we suffer +famine, we praise Him.' And Shekic seated himself before Ibrahim +and said to him, 'Thou art my master.'" Quoth Mohammed ben Amran, +"A man once asked of Hatim el Asemm[FN#89], 'What maketh thee to +trust in God?' 'Two things,' replied he, 'I know that what God +has appointed for my daily bread shall be eaten by none but +myself; so my heart is at rest as to that; and I know that I was +not created without God's knowledge and am abashed before Him.'" + +Then the fifth damsel retired and the old woman came forward and +kissing the earth before thy father nine times, spoke as follows: +'Thou hast heard, O King, what these all have said on the subject +of piety; and I will follow their example in relating what I have +heard of the famous men of times past. It is said that the Imam +es Shafi[FN#90] divided the night into three portions, the first +for study, the second for sleep and the third for prayer. The +Imam Abou Henifeh[FN#91] was wont also to pass half the night in +prayer. One day a man pointed him out to another, as he passed, +and said, "Yonder man watches the whole night." Quoth Abou +Henifeh, "When I heard this, I was abashed before God, to hear +myself praised for what was not in me; so, after this, I used to +watch the whole night." Er Rebya relates that Es Shafi used to +recite the whole Koran seventy times over during the month of +Ramazan, and that in prayer. Quoth Es Shafi (may God accept of +him!), "For ten years I never ate my fill of barley-bread, for +satiety hardens the heart and deadens the wit and induces sleep +and enfeebles one from standing up (to pray)." It is reported of +Abdallah ben Mohammed es Sekra that he said, "I was once talking +with Omar, and he said to me, 'Never saw I a more God-fearing or +eloquent man than Mohammed ben Idris es Shafi. I went out one day +with El Harith ben Lebib es Suffar, who was a disciple of El +Muzeni[FN#92] and had a fine voice, and he read the saying or the +Most High, 'On that day, they shall not speak nor shall it be +permitted to them to excuse themselves.'[FN#93] I saw Es Shafi's +colour change; his skin shuddered, and he was violently moved and +fell down senseless. When he revived, he said, 'I seek refuge +with God from the stead of the liars and the fate of the +negligent! O my God, the hearts of the wise abase themselves +before Thee. O my God, of Thy goodness, accord to me the +remission of my sins, adorn me with Thy protection and pardon me +my shortcomings, by the magnanimity of Thine essence!' Then I +rose and went away." Quoth one of the pious, "When I entered +Baghdad, Es Shafi was there. I sat down on the river-bank, to +make the ablution before prayer; and as I was thus occupied, +there came up one who said to me, 'O youth, make thine ablution +well and God will make it well for thee in this world and the +world to come.' I turned and saw a man, with a company of people +after him. So I hastened to finish my ablutions and followed him. +Presently, he turned and said to me, 'Dost thou want aught?' +'Yes,' answered I; 'I desire that thou teach me somewhat of that +which God the Most High hath taught thee.' 'Know, then,' said he, +'that he who believes in God the Most High shall be saved and he +who is jealous of his faith shall be delivered from destruction, +and he who practices abstinence in this world, his eyes shall be +solaced on the morrow (of death). Shall I tell thee any more?' +'Assuredly,' replied I. 'Abstain from the things of this world,' +continued he, 'and be greedy of the good of the world to come. Be +sincere and faithful in all thy dealings, and thou shalt be saved +with the elect.' Then he went on and I asked about him and was +told that he was the Imam es Shafi. Es Shafi was wont to say, "I +would have the folk profit by this wisdom (of mine), on condition +that none of it be attributed to me." Also, "I never disputed +with any one, but I would that God the Most High should give him +the knowledge of the Truth and aid him to expound it; nor did I +ever dispute with any, but for the showing forth of the Truth, +and I recked not whether God should manifest it by my lips or +his." He said also (may God accept of him!), "If thou fear to +grow conceited of thy learning, bethink thee Whose grace thou +seekest and what good it is thou yearnest after and what +punishment thou dreadest." It was told to Abou Henifeh that the +Commander of the Faithful Abou Jaafer el Mensour had named him +Cadi and ordered him a present of ten thousand dirhems; but he +would not accept of this; and when the day came on which the +money was to be paid, he prayed the morning-prayer, then covered +his head with his cloak and spoke not. When the Khalif's +messenger came with the money, he went in to the Imam and +accosted him, but he would not speak to him. Quoth the messenger, +"This money is lawfully thine." "I know that it is lawfully +mine," replied the Imam; "but I abhor that the love of tyrants +should take hold upon my heart." "Canst thou not go in to them +and guard thyself from loving them?" asked the other. "Can I look +to enter the sea, without wetting my clothes?" answered Abou +Henifeh. Another of Es Shafi's sayings is as follows: + +O soul, if thou be fain to do as I shall say, Thou shalt be free + from need and great of grace for aye. +Put far away from thee ambitions and desires, For lo, how oft a + wish to death hath led the way! + +Among the sayings of Sufyan eth Thauri, with which he admonished +Ali ben el Hassan es Selemi was the following, "Look that thou +practice sincerity and beware of falsehood and treachery and +hypocrisy and presumption for God annuls good works with either +of these things. Borrow not but of Him who is merciful to His +debtors and let thy comrade be one who will cause thee to abstain +from the world. Let the thought of death be ever present with +thee and be constant in asking pardon of God and beseeching of +Him peace for what remains of thy life. Give loyal counsel to +every true-believer, when he asks thee concerning the things of +his faith, and beware of betraying a believer, for he who betrays +a believer betrays God and His apostle. Avoid dissension and +litigation and leave that which awakens doubt in thee, betaking;, +thyself rather to those things that will not disquiet thee; so +shalt thou be at peace. Enjoin that which is just and forbid that +which is evil, so shalt thou be beloved of God. Make fair thine +inner man, and God shall make fair thine outer man. Accept the +excuse of him who excuses himself to thee and hate none of the +true-believers. Draw near unto those that reject thee and forgive +those that oppress thee; so shalt thou be the companion of the +prophets. Commit thine affair to God, both in public and in +private, and fear Him with the fear of one who knows that he must +die and be raised again to stand before the Almighty, remembering +that thou art destined for one of two dwellings, either Paradise +the glorious or the flaming fire."' Having spoken thus, the old +woman sat down beside the damsels. + +When the late King thy father heard their discourse, he knew that +they were the most accomplished of the people of their time and +seeing their beauty and grace and the greatness of their +learning, he showed them all favour. Moreover, he turned to the +old woman and entreated her with honour, setting apart for her +and her damsels the palace that had been the lodging of the +princess Abrizeh, to which he let carry all that they needed of +the best. Here they abode ten days, and whenever the King visited +them, he found the old woman absorbed in prayer, watching by +night and fasting by day; wherefore love of her took hold upon +his heart and he said to me, 'O Vizier, verily this old woman is +a pious soul, and reverence for her is strong in my heart.' On +the eleventh day, the King visited her, that he might pay her the +price of the five damsels; but she said to him, 'O King, know +that the price of these passes the competence of men, for I seek +for them neither gold nor silver nor jewels, be it little or +much.' The King wondered at this and said, 'O my lady, what is +their price?' 'I will not sell them to thee,' replied she, 'save +on condition that thou fast a whole month, watching by night and +fasting by day for the love of God the Most High: but if thou +wilt do this, they are thine, to use as thou pleasest.' The King +wondered at the perfectness of her piety and devotion and +abnegation and she was magnified in his eyes, and he said, 'May +God make this pious old woman to profit us!' So he agreed to her +proposal, and she said to him, 'I will help thee with my +prayers.' Then she called for a gugglet of water and muttered +over it words in an unknown language and abode awhile, speaking +over it things that we understood not. Then she covered it with a +cloth and sealing it up, gave it to the King, saying, 'When thou +has fasted ten days, break thy fast on the eleventh night with +what is in this cup, for it will root out the love of the world +from thy heart and fill it with light and faith. As for me, I +purpose to go out to-morrow to visit my brethren of the invisible +world, for I yearn after them, and I will return to thee when the +ten days are past.' So the King took the gugglet and setting it +apart in a closet of his palace, locked the door and put the key +in his pocket. Next day, the old woman departed and the King +entered upon his fast. When he had accomplished the first ten +days thereof, he opened the gugglet and drank what was therein +and found it cordial to his stomach. Within the next ten days, +the old woman returned, bringing sweetmeats wrapped in a green +leaf, like no leaf of a tree. She went in to the King and saluted +him; and when he saw her he rose to meet her, saying, 'Welcome, O +pious lady!' 'O King,' said she, 'the spirits salute thee, for I +told them of thee, and they rejoiced in thee and have sent thee +this cake, which is of the sweetmeats of the other world. Do thou +break thy fast on it at the end of the day.' The King rejoiced +greatly at this and exclaimed, 'Praised be God who hath given me +brethren of the invisible world!' And he thanked the old woman +and kissed her hands and entreated her and the damsels with +exceeding honour. Then he fasted till twenty days were past, at +the end of which time the old woman came to him and said, 'Know, +O King, that I told the spirits of the love that is between thee +and me and how I had left the damsels with thee, and they were +glad that the damsels should belong to a King like thee; for they +were wont, when they saw them, to be strenuous in offering up +effectual prayer on their behalf. So I would fain carry them to +the spirits, that they may benefit by their favours, and they +shall surely not return to thee without some treasure of the +treasures of the earth, that thou, after the completion of thy +fast, mayst occupy thyself with their dress and help thyself to +the fulfilment of thy wishes with that which they shall bring +thee.' The King thanked her and said, 'But that I fear to cross +thee, I would not accept the treasure or aught else: but when +wilt thou set out with them?' 'On the seven-and-twentieth night,' +replied she; 'and I will bring them back to thee at the end of +the month, by which time thou wilt have accomplished thy fast and +they will have had their courses and be free from impurity. Then +they shall become thine and be at thy disposal. By Allah, each +one of them is worth many times thy kingdom!' 'I know it, O pious +lady,' replied the King. Then said the old woman, 'If there be +any one in thy palace who is dear to thee, thou wouldst do well +to send her with me, that she may find solace and seek a blessing +of the spirits.' Quoth the King, 'I have a Greek slave called +Sufiyeh, by whom God hath vouchsafed me two children, a son and a +daughter: but they were lost years ago. Take her with thee, that +she may get the spirits' blessing: it may be they will pray God +for her, that her children may be restored to her.' 'It is well,' +replied the old woman; for indeed this was what she most desired. +The King gave not over fasting till the seven-and-twentieth +night, when the old woman said to him, 'O my son, I am about to +go to the spirits; so bring me Sufiyeh.' Accordingly, he sent for +her and delivered her to the old woman, who placed her with the +other damsels. Then she went in to her chamber and bringing out a +sealed cup, presented it to the King, saying, 'On the thirtieth +day, do thou go to the bath and when thou comest out, enter one +of the closets in thy palace and drink the liquor that is in this +cup. Then sleep, and thou shalt attain what thou seekest, and +peace be on thee!' The King was glad and thanked her and kissed +her hands. Quoth she, 'I commend thee to God;' and he said, 'When +shall I see thee again, O pious lady? Indeed I love not to part +with thee.' Then she called down blessings on him and departed +with the five damsels and the Princess Sufiyeh; whilst the King +fasted other three days, till the end of the month, when he went +to the bath and coming out, shut himself up in a closet, +commanding that none should go in to him. Then he drank what was +in the cup and lay down to sleep. We sat awaiting him till the +end of the day, but he did not come out and we said, 'Belike he +is tired with the bath and with watching by night and fasting by +day, and sleepeth.' So we waited till next day; but still he did +not come out. Then we stood at the closet-door and cried aloud, +so haply he might awake and ask what was the matter. But nothing +came of this: so at last we lifted the door off its hinges and +going in, found the King dead, with his flesh torn into strips +and his bones broken in pieces. When we saw him in this case, it +was grievous to us, and we took up the cup and found in its cover +a piece of paper, on which was written the following, 'He who +does evil leaves no regrets behind him. This is the reward of him +who plays the traitor with kings' daughters and debauches them: +and we make known to all who happen upon this scroll that +Sherkan, when he came to our country, debauched our Princess +Abrizeh; nor did this suffice him, but he must take her from us +and bring her to you. Then he (Omar ben Ennuman) (debauched her +and) sent her away, in company of a black slave, who slew her and +we found her lying dead in the desert. This is none of kings' +fashion, and he who did this is requited with nought but his +deserts. So do ye suspect none of having killed him, for none +slew him but the cunning witch, whose name is Dhat ed Dewahi. And +behold, I have taken the King's wife Sufiyeh and have carried her +to her father King Afridoun of Constantinople. Moreover, we will +assuredly make war upon you and kill you and take your land from +you, and ye shall be cut off even to the last man, nor shall +there be left of you a living soul, no, nor a blower of the fire, +except he serve the Cross and the Girdle.' When we read this, we +knew that the old woman had cheated us and carried out her plot +against us: so we cried out and buffeted our faces and wept sore. +However, weeping availed us nothing and the troops fell out as to +whom they should make Sultan. Some would have thee and others thy +brother Sherkan; and we ceased not to wrangle about this for the +space of a month, at the end of which time certain of us drew +together and agreed to repair to thy brother Sherkan. So we set +out and journeyed on till we fell in with thee: and this is the +manner of the death of King Omar ben Ennuman.' + +When the Vizier had made an end of his story, Zoulmekan and his +sister wept, and the Chamberlain wept also. Then said the latter +to Zoulmekan, "O King, weeping will profit thee nothing; nor will +aught avail thee but that thou fortify thy heart and strengthen +thy resolution and stablish thy power; for verily he is not dead +who leaves the like of thee behind him." So Zoulmekan gave over +weeping and causing his throne to be set up without the pavilion, +commanded the army to pass in review before him. Then he sat down +on the throne, with the Chamberlain by his side and all the +arm-bearers behind him, whilst the Vizier Dendan and the rest of +the amirs and grandees stood before him, each in his several +room. Then said Zoulmekan to Dendan, "Acquaint me with the +particulars of my father's treasures." Dendan answered, "I hear +and obey," and gave him to know the amount and nature of the late +King's treasure and what was in the treasury of money and jewels +and other precious things. So Zoulmekan gave largesse to the army +and bestowed a sumptuous dress of honour on the Vizier Dendan, +saying, "I confirm thee in thine office." Whereupon Dendan kissed +the earth before him and wished him long life. Then he bestowed +dresses of honour on the amirs, after which he turned to the +Chamberlain and said, "Bring out before us the tribute of +Damascus, that is with thee." So he laid before him the chests of +money and jewels and rarities, and he took them and divided them +all amongst the troops, till there was nothing left. And the +amirs kissed the ground before him and wished him long life, +saying, "Never saw we a king, who gave the like of these gifts." +Then they all went away to their own tents, and when it was +morning, Zoulmekan gave orders for departure. So they set out and +journeyed for three days, till on the fourth day they drew near +to Baghdad. When they entered the city, they found it decorated, +and King Zoulmekan went up to his father's palace and sat down on +the throne, whilst the amirs of the army and the Vizier Dendan +and the Chamberlain of Damascus stood before him. Then he bade +his private secretary write a letter to his brother Sherkan, +acquainting him with all that had passed and adding, "As soon as +thou hast read this letter, make ready thine affair and join us +with thine army, that we may make war upon the infidels and take +vengeance on them for our father and wipe out the stain upon our +honour." Then he folded the letter and sealed it and said to +Dendan, "None shall carry this letter but thou; and I would have +thee speak my brother fair and say to him, 'If thou have a mind +to thy father's kingdom, it is thine, and thy brother shall be +Viceroy for thee in Damascus; for to this effect am I instructed +by him."' So the Vizier went out from before him and proceeded +to make ready for his journey. Then Zoulmekan set apart a +magnificent house for the stoker and furnished it with sumptuous +furniture and lodged him therein. One day, he went out a-hunting +and as he was returning to Baghdad, one of the amirs presented +him with horses of fine breeds and damsels whose beauty beggars +description. One of the damsels pleased him: so he went in to her +and lay with her, and she conceived by him forthright. After +awhile, the Vizier Dendan returned from Damascus, bringing him +news of his brother Sherkan and that he was then on his way to +him, and said to him, "Thou wouldst do well to go out to meet +him." Zoulmekan replied, "I hear and obey;" and riding forth with +his grandees a day's journey from Baghdad, pitched his tents and +halted to await the coming of his brother. Next morning, the army +of Syria appeared, with King Sherkan in its midst, a bold +cavalier, a fierce lion and a warrior against whom none might +make head. As the squadrons drew nigh and the dust-clouds neared +and the troops came up with banners flying, Zoulmekan and his +attendants rode forward to meet Sherkan; and when the King saw +his brother, he would have dismounted, but Sherkan conjured him +not to do so and himself set foot to the ground and walked +towards him. As soon as he reached Zoulmekan, the latter threw +himself upon him, and they embraced and wept and condoled with +one another. Then they mounted and rode onward, they and their +troops, till they reached Baghdad, where they alighted and went +up to the royal palace and passed the night there. Next morning, +Zoulmekan went forth and bade proclaim a holy war and summon the +troops from all parts. They abode a whole month, awaiting the +coming of the levies, whilst the folk poured in from all parts of +the kingdom, and every one who came they entreated with honour +and munificence and promised him all manner of good. Then Sherkan +said to Zoulmekan, "O my brother, tell me thy history." So he +told him all that had befallen him, first and last, including the +benevolent dealing of the stoker with him. "Hast thou requited +him his kindness to thee?" asked Sherkan. "Not yet," replied +Zoulmekan, "but, God willing, I will surely do so, as soon as I +return from this expedition and am at leisure to attend to him." +Therewith, Sherkan was certified that his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman +had told him the truth; but he concealed what had passed between +them and contented himself with sending his salutation to her by +her husband the Chamberlain. She returned his greeting in the +same fashion, calling down blessings on him and enquiring after +her daughter Kuzia Fekan, to which he replied that the child was +well and in all health and safety. Then he went to his brother to +take counsel with him for departure; and Zoulmekan said, "O my +brother, we will set out as soon as the army is complete and the +Arabs have come in from all parts." So he bade make ready the +wheat and other provisions and munitions of war and went in to +his wife, who was now five months gone with child; and he put +under her hand mathematicians and astrologers, to whom he +appointed stipends and allowances. Then, three months after the +arrival of the army of Syria, as soon as the troops were all +assembled and the Arabs had come in, he set out, at the head of +his troops, with his brother Sherkan on his right and his +brother-in-law the Chamberlain on his left hand. The name of the +general of the army of the Medes was Rustem and that of the +general of the army of the Turks Behram. So the squadrons broke +up and marched forward and the companies and battalions filed +past in battle array, till the whole army was in motion. They +ceased not to fare on for the space of a month; halting three +days a week to rest, by reason of the greatness of the host, till +they came to the country of the Greeks; and as they drew near, +the people of the villages and hamlets took fright at them and +fled to Constantinople. + +To return to Dhat ed Dewahi. As soon as she reached her own +country and felt herself in safety, she said to her son, King +Herdoub, "Be consoled; for I have avenged thy daughter Abrizeh +and killed King Omar ben Ennuman and brought back the Princess +Sufiyeh. So now let us go to the King of Constantinople and carry +him back his daughter and tell him what has happened, that he may +be on his guard and prepare his forces and that we may do the +like; for I know that the Muslims will not delay to attack us." +"Let us wait till they draw near our country," replied Herdoub, +"that we may make us ready meantime and assemble our power." +Accordingly they fell to levying their forces and preparing for +war, so that by the time the news of the Muslims' advance reached +them, they were ready for defence. Then King Herdoub and his +mother set out for Constantinople, and King Afridoun, hearing of +the arrival of the King of the Greeks, came forth to meet him and +asked how it was with him and the cause of his visit. So Herdoub +acquainted him with the doing; of his mother Dhat ed Dewahi, how +she had slain the Muslim king and recovered the Princess Sufiyeh +and that the Muslims had assembled their forces and were on their +way to attack them, wherefore it behoved that they two should +join powers and meet them. King Afridoun rejoiced in the recovery +of his daughter and the death of King Omar and sent to all +countries, to seek succour and acquaint the folk with the reason +of the slaying of King Omar. So the Christian troops flocked to +him from all quarters, and before three months were past, the +army of the Greeks was complete, besides which there joined +themselves to him the French and Germans and Ragusans and Genoese +and Venetians and all the hosts of the Pale Faces and warriors +from all the lands of the Franks, and the earth was straitened on +them by reason of their multitude. Then Afridoun the Great King +commanded to depart; so they set out from Constantinople and +ceased not to defile through the city for the space of ten days. +They fared on till they reached a spacious valley, hard by the +salt sea, where they halted three days; and on the fourth day, +they were about to set out again, when news came to them of the +approach of the army of Islam and the defenders of the faith of +the Best of Men.[FN#94] So they halted other three days, and on +the seventh day, they espied a great cloud of dust which spread +till it covered the whole country; nor was an hour of the day +past before the dust lifted and melted away into the air, and its +darkness was pierced and dispersed by the starry sheen of +lance-points and spear-heads and the flashing of sword-blades. +Presently, there appeared the banners of Islam and the Mohammedan +ensigns and the mailed horsemen surged forward, like the letting +loose of the billows of the sea, clad in cuirasses as they were +clouds girdled about moons. Thereupon the Christian horsemen rode +forward and the two hosts met, like two seas clashing together, +and eyes fell upon eyes. The first to spur into the fight was the +Vizier Dendan, with the army of Syria, thirty thousand cavaliers, +followed by Rustem, the general of the Medes, and Behram, the +general of the Turks, with other twenty thousand horse, behind +whom came the men of the sea-coast, sheathed in glittering mail +as they were full moons passing through a night of clouds. Then +the Christian host called upon Jesus and Mary and the defiled +Cross, and fell upon the Vizier Dendan and the army of Syria. Now +this was in pursuance of a stratagem devised by Dhat ed Dewahi; +for, before his departure, King Afridoun had gone in to her and +said, "It is thou hast brought this great stress on us; so do +thou advise me how I shall do and what plan I shall follow." "O +great King and mighty priest," replied she, "I will teach thee a +shift, which would baffle Iblis himself, though he should call to +his aid against it all his grisly hosts. It is that you send +fifty thousand men in ships to the Mountain of Smoke and there +let them land and stir not till the standards of Islam come upon +you, when do you up and at them. Then let the troops from the +seaward sally out upon the Muslims and take them in rear, whilst +you confront them from the landward. So not one of them shall +escape, and our stress shall cease and abiding peace enure to +us." Her counsel commended itself to King Afridoun and he +replied, "It is well; thy counsel shall be followed, O princess +of cunning old women and recourse of kings warring for their +blood-revenge!" So when the army of Islam came upon them in that +valley, of a sudden the flames began to run among the tents and +the swords to play upon men's bodies. Then came up the army of +Baghdad and Khorassan, six score thousand horse, with Zoulmekan +at their head. When the host of the infidels that lay by the sea +saw them, they came out and followed in their steps, and +Zoulmekan, seeing this, cried out to his men, saying, "Turn back +to the infidels, O people of the Chosen Prophet, and fall upon +those who deny and transgress the authority of the Compassionate, +the Merciful!" So they turned and fought with the Christians, and +Sherkan came up with another wing of the Muslim army, near six +score thousand men, whilst the infidels numbered nigh upon +sixteen hundred thousand. When the Muslims mingled in the mellay, +their hearts were strengthened and they cried out, saying, "God +hath promised to succour us and abandon the infidels!" And they +clashed together with swords and spears. As for Sherkan, he made +himself a passage through the ranks and raged among the masses of +the foe, fighting so fierce a battle that it would have made +children grow grey for fear; nor did he leave to tourney among +the infidels and work havoc upon them with the keen-edged +scimitar, shouting, "God is most great!" till he drove them back +to the brink of the sea. Then the strength of the foe failed and +God gave the victory to the faith of Submission,[FN#95] and they +fought, drunken without wine, till they slew of the infidels +forty and five thousand in that encounter, whilst of the Muslims +but three thousand and five hundred fell. Moreover, the Lion of +the Faith, King Sherkan, and his brother Zoulmekan slept not that +night, but occupied themselves with looking to the wounded and +heartening their men with assurance of victory and salvation and +promise of a recompense in the world to come. + +Meanwhile King Afridoun assembled the captains of his host and +said to them, "Verily, we had accomplished our intent and had +solaced our hearts, but for our over-confidence in our numbers: +it was that which undid us." But Dhat ed Dewahi said to them, +"Assuredly nought shall profit you, except ye seek the favour of +the Messiah and put your trust in the True Faith; for by the +virtue of the Messiah, the whole strength of the Muslims lies in +that devil, King Sherkan!" "To-morrow," said Afridoun, "I will +draw out in battle array and send out against them the famous +cavalier, Luca ben Shemlout; for if King Sherkan come out to +joust with him, he will slay him and the other champions of the +Muslims, till not one is left; and I purpose this night to sacre +you all by fumigation with the Holy Incense." When the amirs +heard this, they kissed the earth before him. Now the incense in +question was the excrement of the Chief Patriarch, which was +sought for with such instance and so highly valued, that the high +priests of the Greeks used to mix it with musk and ambergris and +send it to all the countries of the Christians in silken sachets; +and kings would pay a thousand dinars for every drachm of it, for +they sought it to perfume brides withal and the chief of them +were wont to use a little of it in ointment for the eyes and as a +remedy in sickness and colic. But the priests used to mix their +own excrement with it, for that the excrement of the Chief +Patriarch could not suffice for half a score countries. So, as +soon as the day broke and the morning appeared with its lights +and shone, the horsemen ran to arms, and King Afridoun summoned +the chief of his knights and nobles and invested them with +dresses of honour. Then he made the sign of the cross on their +foreheads and incensed them with the incense aforesaid; after +which he called for Luca ben Shemlout, surnamed the Sword of the +Messiah, and after incensing him and rubbing his palate with the +holy excrement, daubed and smeared his cheeks and anointed his +moustaches with the remainder. Now there was no stouter champion +in the land of the Greeks than this accursed Luca, nor any +doughtier at bowshot or smiting with swords or thrusting with +spears in the mellay; but he was foul of favour, for his face was +as the face of a jackass, his shape that of an ape and his look +as the look of a malignant serpent, and the being near unto him +was more grievous than parting from the beloved. Moreover, he was +black as night and his breath was fetid as that of the lion; he +was crooked as a bow and grim-visaged as the pard, and he was +branded with the mark of the infidels. He kissed Afridoun's feet +and the King said to him, "It is my wish that thou go out against +Sherkan, King of Damascus, and hasten to deliver us from this +affliction." Quoth Luca, "I hear and obey." And the King made the +sign of the cross on his forehead and felt assured of speedy help +from heaven, whilst Luca went out and mounted a sorrel horse. Now +he was clad in a red tunic and a hauberk of gold set with jewels +and bore a three-barbed spear, as he were Iblis the accursed on +the day of marshalling his hosts to battle. Then he rode forward, +he and his troop of infidels, as they were driving to the Fire, +preceded by a herald, crying aloud in the Arabic tongue and +saying, "Ho, followers of Mohammed, let none of you come out +to-day but your champion Sherkan, the Sword of Islam, lord of +Damascus of Syria!" Hardly had he made an end of speaking, when +there arose a mighty tumult in the plain, all the people heard +its voice, that called to mind the Day of Weeping. The cowards +trembled and all necks turned towards the sound, and behold, it +was King Sherkan. For, when Zoulmekan saw that accursed infidel +spur out into the plain, he turned to Sherkan and said to him, +"Of a surety they seek for thee." "Should it be so," replied +Sherkan, "it were pleasing to me." So when they heard the herald, +they knew Luca to be the champion of the Greeks. Now he was one +of the greatest of villains, one who made hearts to ache, and had +sworn to clear the land of the Muslims; and indeed the Medes and +Turks and Kurds feared his mischief. So Sherkan drove at him like +an angry lion, mounted on a courser like a wild gazelle, and +coming nigh to him, shook his javelin in his hand, as it were a +darting viper, and recited the following verses: + +I have a sorrel horse, right swift and eath to guide, Shall give + thee of its might what thou mayst ill abide. +Ay, and a limber spear I have, full keen of point, As 'twere the + dam of deaths upon its shaft did ride; +And eke a trenchant sword of Ind, which when I draw, Thou'dst + deem that levins flashed and darted far and wide, + +Luca understood not what he said nor did he apprehend the +vehemence of the verse; but he smote his forehead with his hand, +in honour of the cross drawn thereon, and kissed it, then ran at +Sherkan with lance pointed at him. When he came within spear-shot, +he threw the javelin into the air, till it was lost +to sight, and catching it with the other hand, as do the +jugglers, hurled it at Sherkan. It sped from his hand, like a +shooting star, and the people clamoured and feared for Sherkan: +but as it drew near him, he put out his hand and caught it in +full flight, to the amazement of the beholders. Then he shook it, +till it was well-nigh broken, and hurled it up into the air, till +it disappeared from sight. As it descended, he caught it again, +in less than the twinkling of an eye, and cried out from the +bottom of his heart, saying, "By the virtue of Him who created +the seven heavens, I will make this accursed fellow the byword of +the world!" Then he hurled the javelin at Luca ben Shemlout, who +thought to do as Sherkan had done and catch it in mid-flight; but +Sherkan made haste and sped another dart at him, which smote him +on the forehead amiddleward the sign of the cross, and God +hurried his soul to the Fire and the Ill Stead.[FN#96] When the +infidels saw Luca fall dead, they buffeted their faces, crying, +"Alas!" and "Woe worth the day!" and called for aid upon the +priests of the monasteries, saying, "Where are the crosses?" So +the monks offered up prayers and the Christians all drew together +against Sherkan and brandishing their swords and lances, rushed +forward to the attack. Army met army and men's breasts fell under +the hoofs of the horses, whilst the sword and the spear ruled and +arms and wrists grew weak and it was as if the horses had been +made without legs; nor did the herald of war cease to call to +battle, till all arms were weary and the day departed and the +night came with the darkness. So the two hosts drew apart whilst +every warrior staggered like a drunken man, for stress of war and +much thrusting and smiting, and the ground was hidden with the +slain; sore were the wounds and the hurt knew not by whom he +died. Then Sherkan joined his brother and the Chamberlain and the +Vizier Dendan and said to them, "Verily God hath opened a door +for the destruction of the infidels, praised be the Lord of the +Two Worlds!" "Let us never cease to praise God," replied +Zoulmekan, "for that He hath dispelled trouble from the Arabs and +the Persians. Indeed the folk, generation after generation, shall +tell of thy prowess against the accursed Luca, the falsifier of +the Evangel,[FN#97] of thy catching the javelin in mid-flight and +smiting the enemy of God among men; and thy report shall endure +until the end of time." Then said Sherkan, "Harkye, O grand +Chamberlain and doughty captain!" "At thy service," answered he. +Quoth Sherkan, "Take the Vizier Dendan and twenty thousand men +and lead them, by a forced march, seven parasangs towards the +sea, till ye come near the shore, at two parasangs' distance from +the foe. Then hide in the hollows of the ground, till ye hear the +tumult of the infidels disembarking from the ships; and when the +swords have begun to play between us and them and ye see our +troops falling back, as if defeated, and all the infidels +following them, as well those in front as those from the sea-ward +and the tents, do ye lie in wait for them: and as soon as ye see +the standard with the words, 'There is no god but God, and +Mohammed is His Apostle!' up with the green banner and fall on +their rear, shouting, 'God is most great!' and do your endeavour, +that they may not interpose between the retreating army and the +sea." The Chamberlain agreed to this, and he and the Vizier +Dendan took twenty thousand men and set out at once, even as +Sherkan had commanded. As soon as it was morning the troops +donned their armour and drawing their swords, set their spears in +rest and sprang to horse. Then the Christians drew out in battle +array upon the hills and plains and the priests cried out and all +heads were uncovered. Moreover, those who were in the ships +hoisted the cross at their mast-heads and making from all sides +towards the shore, landed their horses and addressed them to the +fray, whilst the swords glittered and the javelins glanced like +levies against the cuirasses. So they all joined battle and the +mill-wheels of death rushed round over footmen and horsemen: +heads flew from bodies and tongues grew mute and eyes dim; +gall-bladders burst and skulls were cloven in sunder and wrists +shorn in twain; whilst the horses plashed in pools of blood and +men gripped each other by the beards. The host of Islam called +out, "Peace and blessing on the Prince of Mankind and glory and +praise in the highest to the Compassionate One!" whilst the +infidels shouted, "Glory to the Cross and the Girdle and the +Vine-juice and the Presser and the Priests and the Monks and the +Festival of Palms and the Metropolitan!" Presently, Zoulmekan and +Sherkan held back and their troops gave way and feigned to +retreat before the infidels, who pursued them, deeming them +routed, and made ready to cut and thrust. Then the host of the +Muslims began to chant the first verses of the Chapter of the +Cow,[FN#98] whilst the slain were trampled under the hoofs of the +horses and the heralds of the Greeks cried out, "Ho, servants of +the Messiah! Ho, people of the True Faith! Ho, followers of the +Pope! Verily the divine grace shines upon you, for see, the hosts +of Islam incline to tree! So turn ye not your backs to them, but +let your swords bite on their necks and hold not your hands from +them, else are ye outcasts from the Messiah, son of Mary, who +spoke even in the cradle!" Thereupon Afridoun thought that the +infidels were victorious, knowing not that this was but a +stratagem of the Muslims, and sent to King Herdoub, to give him +the glad tidings of success, adding, "It was nought but the +excrement of the Arch-Patriarch that availed us, in that the +fragrance of it exhaled from the beards and moustaches of the +servants of the Cross near and far; and I swear, by the Miracles +of the Messiah and by the Waters of Baptism, that I will not +leave upon the earth a single defender of Islam!"[FN#99] So the +messenger betook himself to King Herdoub whilst the infidels +called to each other saying, "Let us take our wreak for Luca!" +and King Herdoub cried out, "Vengeance for Abrizeh!" With this, +King Zoulmekan cried out to his men, saying, "Ho, servants of the +Requiting King. up and smite the children of blasphemy and +disobedience with the white of the sword and the brown of the +spear!" So the Muslims turned upon the infidels and plied them +with the keen-edged scimitar, whilst their herald cried aloud, +"Up, ye lovers of the chosen prophet and at the enemies of the +Faith! Now is the time for those, who hope for salvation on the +Day of Fear, to win the favour of the Bountiful, the Forgiving +One, for verily Paradise is under the shadow of swords!" So +Sherkan and his men fell upon the infidels and cut off their +retreat and tourneyed among the ranks, when lo, a cavalier of +goodly presence opened a passage through the army of the Greeks +and circled hither and thither amongst them, cutting and +thrusting and covering the ground with heads and bodies, so that +the infidels feared him and their necks bent under his blows. He +was girt with two swords, that of his glances and a scimitar, and +armed with two lances, one of cane and the other the straightness +of his shape; over his shoulders flowed down his hair, whose +beauty might have stood him in stead of many warriors, even as +says the poet: + +Flowing hair, as I deem, is not fair to the sight, Except it be + spread, on the day of the fight, +O'er a youth with a spear that he giveth to drink Of the blood of + full many a beard-bearing knight. + +Or as says another: + +I turned to him, what while he girt his faulchion on, and said, + "Surely, the sabres of thy looks should stand thee in + sword's stead." +Quoth he, "The sabres of my looks I keep for those who love, My + sword for those who have no wit of passion's goodlihead." + +When Sherkan. saw him, he said to him, "Ho, champion of the +champions! I conjure thee, by the Koran and the attributes of the +Compassionate One, tell me who thou art: for verily by thy deeds +this day thou hast pleased the Requiting King, whom one thing +distracts not from another, in that thou hast discomfited the +children of impiety and disbelief." Quoth the horseman, "Thou art +he who sworest brotherhood to me but yesterday: how quickly thou +hast forgotten me!" Then he uncovered his face, so that what was +hidden of his beauty was disclosed, and lo, it was none other +than Zoulmekan! When Sherkan knew his brother, he rejoiced in +him, except that he feared for him from the throng of adversaries +and the onslaught of the champions; and this for two reasons, the +first, his tender age and exposure to the evil eye, and the +second, that his life was the mainstay of the empire. So he said +to him, "O King, thou adventurest thy life, and indeed I am in +fear for thee from the foe; so join thy horse to mine, and thou +wouldst do well not to hazard thyself forth of these squadrons, +that we may shoot at the enemy with thine unerring shaft." Quoth +Zoulmekan, "I wish to equal thee in battle and I will not spare +myself before thee in fight." Then the host of Islam rushed upon +the infidels and encompassing them on all sides, waged a right +holy war on them and broke the power of the children of impiety +and pride and corruption. King Herdoub sighed when he saw the +evil case that had fallen on the Greeks, and they turned their +backs and addressed themselves to flight, making for the ships, +when lo, there came out upon them from the sea shore a new army, +led by the Vizier Dendan, him who was wont to make the champions +bite the dust, and the Chamberlain of Syria, with twenty thousand +doughty cavaliers, and fell upon their rear with sword and spear, +whilst the army of Islam pressed them in front and flank. Then +some of the Muslims turned against those that were in the ships +and rained perditions on them, till they threw themselves into +the sea, and they slew of them much people, more than a hundred +thousand knights, nor did one of their champions escape, great or +small. Moreover, they took their ships, with all the baggage and +treasure therein, and the Muslims got that day booty, the like of +which was never gotten of time past; nor did ever ear hear of +such a battle. But twenty of the ships escaped, and amongst the +booty were fifty thousand horses, besides treasure and spoil past +count or reckoning, whereat the Muslims rejoiced with an +exceeding joy and thanked God for the aid and protection He had +vouchsafed them. + +Meanwhile, the news reached Constantinople that King Afridoun had +gotten the victory over the Muslims, and Dhat ed Dewahi said, "I +know that my son King Herdoub is no runagate and that he has +nought to fear from the hosts of Islam, but will bring the whole +world to the Nazarene faith." Then she commanded the city to be +decorated, and the people held high festival and drank wines, +knowing not what God had decreed to them. Whilst they were in the +midst of their rejoicings, behold, the raven of affliction +croaked against them and up came the twenty ships of fugitives, +amongst them the King of Caesarea. King Afridoun met them on the +sea-shore, and they told him all that had befallen them, weeping +sore and lamenting, whereupon rejoicing was turned into dismay, +and King Afridoun was filled with consternation and knew that +there was no repairing their mischance. The women gathered +together to make moan and lament: and the city was filled with +mourning; all hearts failed, whilst the hired mourners cried +aloud and weeping and wailing arose on all sides. When King +Herdoub met King Afridoun, he told him the truth of the case and +how the flight of the Muslims was but a stratagem and said to +him, "Look not to see any of the troops, save those that have +already reached thee." When Afridoun heard this, he fell down in +a swoon with his nose under his feet; and as soon as he revived +he exclaimed, "Surely the Messiah was wroth with the army, that +he delivered them thus into the hands of the Muslims!" Then came +the Arch-Patriarch sadly to King Afridoun who said to him, "O our +father, destruction hath overtaken our army and the Messiah hath +punished us." "Grieve not nor be concerned," replied the +Patriarch; "for it cannot be but that one of you has sinned +against the Messiah, and all have been punished for his sin; but +now we will read prayers for you in the churches, that the +Mohammedan hosts may be repelled from you." After this, Dhat ed +Dewahi came to Afridoun and said to him, "O King, verily the +Muslims are many, and we shall never prevail against them, save +by wile: wherefore I purpose to work upon them by stratagem and +repair to the army of Islam; haply I may be able to carry out my +intent against their leader and slay their champion, even as I +slew his father. If I succeed, not one of them shall return to +his native land, for all their strength lies in him; but I wish +to have some Christians of Syria, such as go out from time to +time to sell their goods, to help me in carrying out my plan." +"Be it so, whenas thou wilt," replied the King. So she bade fetch +a hundred men, natives of Nejran in Syria, and said to them, "Ye +have heard what has befallen the Christians with the Muslims?" +"Yes," replied they; and the King said, "This woman has devoted +herself to the Messiah and purposes to go forth with you, +disguised as Mohammedans, to work out a device, which shall +profit us and hinder the Muslim host from us: so if ye also are +willing to devote yourselves to Christ, I will give you a quintal +of gold. Those of you who escape shall have the money, and those +of you who are slain Christ will reward." "O King," replied they, +"we devote ourselves to the Messiah, and we will be thy +sacrifice." Then the old woman took drugs and simples and boiled +them in water, till the black essence of them was extracted. She +waited till it was cold, then dipped the end of a handkerchief +therein and coloured her face therewith.. Moreover she put on, +over her clothes, a long gaberdine with an embroidered border and +taking in her hand a rosary, went in to King Afridoun, who knew +her not nor did any of his companions know her, till she +discovered herself to them, when they all praised her for her +cunning and her son rejoiced and said, "May the Messiah never +fail thee!" Then she took with her the Syrian Christians, and +set out for the army of Baghdad. Now this accursed old woman was +a witch of the witches, past mistress in sorcery and deception, +knavish, crafty, debauched and perfidious, with foul breath, red +eyelids, sallow cheeks, pale face, bleared eyes, mangy body, +grizzled hair, humped back, withered complexion and running +nostrils. She had studied the scriptures of Islam and made the +pilgrimage to the Holy House of God,[FN#100] to come to the +knowledge of the Mohammedan ordinances and the doctrines of the +Koran; and she had professed Judaism in Jerusalem two years' +space, that she might perfect herself in the magical arts of men +and Jinn; so that she was a plague of plagues and a calamity of +calamities, utterly depraved and having no religion. Now the +chief reason of her sojourn with her son, King Herdoub, was on +account of the maidens at his court: for she was given to +tribadism and could not exist without it: so if any damsel +pleased her, she was wont to teach her the art and rub saffron on +her, till she fainted away for excess of pleasure. Whoso obeyed +her, she used to favour and spake interest for her with her son; +and whoso repelled her, she would contrive to destroy. This was +known to Merjaneh and Rihaneh and Utriyeh, the handmaids of +Abrizeh, and the princess loathed the old woman and abhorred to +lie with her because of the ill smell from her armpits and the +stench of her wind, more fetid than carrion, and the roughness of +her body, coarser than palm fibre. She was wont to bribe those +who served her desires with jewels and instruction; but Abrizeh +held aloof from her and sought refuge with the All-Wise, the +Omniscient; for well does the poet say: + +O thou that abasest thyself to those that are rich and great And + lordest it with disdain o'er those of low estate, +Thou that thinkest to gild thy baseness by gathering gold, The + scenting of aught that's foul skills not its stench to + abate! + +To continue. As soon as Dhat ed Dewahi had departed, her son went +in to Afridoun and said to him, "O King, we have no need of the +Chief Patriarch nor of his prayers, but will act according to my +mother's counsel and await what she will do of her craft without +end with the Muslim host, for they are on the march hither with +all their strength and will quickly be with us." When King +Afridoun heard this, terror took hold upon his heart and he wrote +letters forthright to all the countries of the Christians, +saying, "It behoves none of the followers of the Messiah or +soldiers of the Cross to hold back, especially the folk of the +citadels and strong places: but let them all come to us foot and +horse and women and children, for the Muslim hosts already tread +our soil. So hasten, hasten, ere what we fear come to pass." + +Now Dhat ed Dewahi had clad her companions in the habit of Muslim +merchants and had provided herself with a hundred mules laden +with stuffs of Antioch, such as gold woven satin and royal +brocade and so forth, and with a letter from King Afridoun to the +following effect: "These are merchants from the land of Syria, +who have been with us: so it behoves none to do them let or +hindrance nor take tithe of them, till they reach their own +country and the place of their security, for by merchants a +country flourishes and grows rich, and these are no men of war +nor evil-doers." So, as soon as she came without the city, she +said to them, "O folk, I wish to work out a plot for the +destruction of the Muslims." "O princess," replied they, "command +us what thou wilt; we are at thy disposal, and may the Messiah +prosper thy dealing!" Then she donned a gown of fine white wool +and rubbing her forehead, till she made a great mark (as of a +scar), anointed it with an ointment of her own fashion, so that +it shone greatly. Now she was lean-bodied and hollow-eyed, and +she bound her legs tightly round with cords just above her feet, +till she drew near the Muslim camp, when she unwound them, +leaving the marks of the cords deeply embedded in the flesh. Then +she anointed the weals with dragon's blood and bade her +companions beat her severely and lay her in a chest. "How can we +beat thee," replied they, "who art our sovereign lady and mother +of the supreme King?" Quoth she, "We blame not nor reproach him +who goeth to the jakes, and in time of necessity, forbidden +things become lawful. When ye have laid me in the chest, set it +on the back of one of the mules and pass on with it and the other +goods through the Muslim camp, crying aloud the profession of the +Faith of Unity.[FN#101] If any hinder you, give up the mules and +their lading and betake yourself to their king Zoulmekan and cast +yourselves on his protection, saying, 'We were in the country of +the infidels and they took nothing from us, but wrote us a +passport, that none should hinder us: so why do ye seize upon our +goods? See, here is the letter of the King of the Greeks, +commanding that none shall do us let or hindrance.' If he say to +you, 'What profit had ye of your commerce in the land of the +Greeks?' answer him, 'We profited in that it was given us to +accomplish the deliverance of a pious man, who had lain nigh +fifteen years in a dungeon under the earth, crying out for help, +yet none helped him. On the contrary, the infidels tortured him +night and day. We knew not of this: but after we had sojourned +awhile in Constantinople, having sold our goods and bought others +in their stead, we made ready to set out and return to our native +land. We spent the night before our departure, conversing about +our journey, and when the day broke, we saw a figure painted upon +the wall; and behold, as we drew nigh it, it moved and said, "O +Muslims, is there amongst you one who is minded to gain the +favour of the Lord of the two worlds?" "How so?" asked we. +"Know," replied the figure, "that God hath made me speak to you, +to the intent that your belief may be fortified and that your +faith may inspire you and that you may go forth of the country of +the infidels and repair to the camp of the Muslims. where ye shall +find the Sword of the Compassionate One, the Champion of the Age, +King Sherkan, him by whom He shall conquer Constantinople and +destroy the followers of the Christian heresy. On the third day +of your journey, you will come to [a town, in which stands] a +hermitage known as the hermitage of Metronhena. Make for it with +a pure intent and do your utmost endeavour to come into the +hermitage, for therein is a true believer from Jerusalem, by name +Abdallah, one of the holiest of men, whom God hath blessed with +supernatural powers, such as dispel doubts and obscurity. Him +certain of the monks seized by fraud and shut in an underground +dungeon, where he has lain many a year. So, if ye desire to gain +the favour of the Lord of the Faithful, ye cannot accomplish a more +acceptable work than the deliverance of this holy man." When we +heard what the figure said, we knew that this holy man was indeed +of the chiefest of the devotees and heart-whole servants of God; so +we set out and after three days' journey, came in sight of the town, +and making for it, passed the day in buying and selling, as is the +wont of merchants. As soon as the day had departed and the night was +come with the darkness, we repaired to the hermitage, wherein was +the dungeon, and presently heard the holy man chant some verses of +the Koran and repeat the following lines: + +I strive with my heart, for anguish that's well-nigh cleft in + twain, And there ebbs and flows in my bosom a flooding sea + of pain. +Indeed, there is no deliverance, and death is near at hand; Yet + death than long affliction were kinder and more fain. +O lightning, if thou visit my native land and folk, If for the + fair ones' lustre thine own red brilliance wane +Carry my salutation to those I love and say, I lie in a far Greek + dungeon and cry for help in vain. +How can I win to join them, since that the ways with wars Are + blocked and the gate of succour is barred with many a + chain?' + +When once ye have brought me into the Muslim camp," added the old +woman, "I know how I will make shift to beguile them and slay +them all, even to the last man." When the Christians heard what +she said, they kissed her hands and laid her in a chest, after +they had beaten her grievously, in obedience to her commands, +seeing it to be incumbent on them to do her bidding in this, then +made for the Muslim camp. + +Meanwhile, the Muslims sat down to converse with each other, +after they had made an end of the battle and the pillage, and +Zoulmekan said to his brother, "Verily, God hath given us the +victory, because of our just dealing and concord amongst +ourselves; wherefore, O Sherkan, do thou continue to obey my +commandment, in submission to God (to whom belong might and +majesty), for I mean to slay ten kings and fifty thousand of the +Greeks, in revenge for my father, and enter Constantinople." "My +life be thy ransom against death!" replied Sherkan. "Needs must I +follow forth the Holy War, though I tarry many a year in the +infidels' country. But, O my brother, I have in Damascus a +daughter called Kuzia Fekan, who is one of the marvels of the +time, and I love her heartily." "And I also," said Zoulmekan, +"have left my wife with child and near her time, nor do I know +what God will vouchsafe me by her. But, O my brother, promise me +that, if she bring me a son, thou wilt grant me thy daughter for +my son and pledge me thy faith thereon." "With all my heart," +replied Sherkan and put out his hand to his brother, saying, "If +thou be blessed with a son, I will give him my daughter Kuzia +Fekan to wife." At this Zoulmekan rejoiced, and they fell to +giving each other joy of the victory, whilst the Vizier Dendan +also congratulated them and said to them "Know, O Kings, that God +hath given us the victory, for that we have devoted ourselves to +Him (to whom belong might and majesty) and have left our homes +and families: and it is my counsel that we follow up the foe and +press upon them and harass them; it may be God shall bring us to +our desire and we shall destroy our enemies. If it please you, do +ye embark in the ships and sail upon the sea, whilst we fare +forward by land and bear the brunt of the battle." And he ceased +not to urge them to action, repeating the following verses: + +The goodliest of delights it is one's foes to slay And on the + backs of steeds the spoil to bear away. +Oft comes a messenger with promise of a friend, And the friend + comes himself without a trysting-day. + +And these also: + +As I live, I will make of war my mother and the spear My brother + and the sword my father, and for fere +I will take each shag-haired warrior that meets death with a + smile, As if to die in battle were e'en his wish most dear! + +"Glory be to God," continued he, "Who hath vouchsafed us His +almighty aid and hath given us spoil of silver and fine gold!" +Then Zoulmekan commanded to depart; and the army set out and +fared on, by forced marches, toward Constantinople, till they +came to a wide and blooming champaign, full of all things fair, +with wild cattle frisking and gazelles passing to and fro. Now +they had traversed great deserts and had been six days cut off +from water, when they drew near this meadow and saw therein +waters welling and trees laden with ripe fruits and the land as +it were Paradise; it had donned its adornments and decked +itself.[FN#102] The branches of its trees swayed gently to and +fro, drunken with the new wine of the dew, and therein were +conjoined the fresh sweetness of the fountains of Paradise and +the soft breathings of the zephyr. Mind and eye were confounded +with its beauty, even as says the poet: + +Look on the verdant smiling mead, with flowers and herbs beseen, + As 'twere the Spring thereon had spread a mantle all of + green. +If thou behold it with the eye of sense alone, thou'lt see Nought + but as 'twere a lake wherein the water waves, I ween: +But with thy mind's eye look; thou'lt see a glory in the trees + And lo' amidst the boughs above, the waving banners' sheen! + +Or as another says: + +The river's a cheek that the sun has rosy made; For ringlets it + borrows the cassia's creeping shade. +The water makes anklets of silver about the legs Of the boughs, + and the flowers for crowns o'er all are laid. + +When Zoulmekan saw this champaign, with its thick-leaved trees +and its blooming flowers and warbling birds, he turned to his +brother Sherkan and said to him, "O my brother, verily Damascus +hath not in it the like of this place. We will abide here three +days, that we may rest ourselves and that the troops may regain +strength and their souls be fortified to encounter the accursed +infidels." So they halted and pitched their camp there. +Presently, they heard a noise of voices afar, and Zoulmekan +enquiring the cause thereof, was told that a caravan of Syrian +merchants had halted there to rest and that the Muslim troops had +come on them and had haply seized some of their goods, that they +had brought from the country of the infidels. After awhile, up +came the merchants, crying out and appealing to the King for +redress. So Zoulmekan bade bring them before him, and they said +to him, "O King, we have been in the country of the infidels and +they spoiled us of nothing: why then do our brothers the Muslims +despoil us of our goods, and that in their own country? When we +saw your troops, we went up to them, thinking no evil, and they +robbed us of what we had with us." Then they brought out to him +the letter of the King of Constantinople, and Sherkan took it and +reading it, said to them, "We will restore you what has been +taken from you; but it behoved you not to carry merchandise to +the country of the infidels." "O our lord," replied they, "of a +truth, God moved us to go thither, that we might win what never +champion won the like of, no, not even thou in ail thy battles." +"What was it that ye won?" asked Sherkan. "O King," replied they, +"we will not tell thee, except in private; for if this thing be +noised among the folk, it may come to the ears of the King of +Constantinople, and this will be the cause of our ruin and of the +ruin of all Muslims that resort to the land of the Greeks." (Now +they had hidden the chest wherein was Dhat ed Dewahi.) So +Zoulmekan and his brother brought them to a private place, where +they repeated to him the story of the devotee, even as the old +woman had lessoned them, and wept till they made the two kings +weep. There withal Sherkan's heart yearned to the devotee and he +was moved to pity for him and zeal for the service of God the +Most High. So he said to the Syrians, "Did ye rescue the holy man +or is he still in the hermitage?" Quoth they, "We delivered him +and slew the hermit, fearing for ourselves; after which we made +haste to fly, for fear of death; but a trusty man told us that in +this hermitage are quintals of gold and silver and jewels." Then +they fetched the chest and brought out the accursed old woman, as +she were a cassia[FN#103] pod, for excess of blackness and +leanness, and laden with fetters and shackles. When Zoulmekan and +the bystanders saw her, they took her for a man of the dower of +God's servants and the most excellent of devotees, more by token +of the shining of her forehead for the ointment with which she +had anointed it. So Zoulmekan and Sherkan wept sore and kissed +her hands and feet, sobbing aloud: but she signed to them and +said, "Give over weeping and hear my words." So they left +weeping, in obedience to her, and she said, "Know that I was +content to accept what my Lord did unto me, knowing that the +affliction that befell me was a trial from Him (to whom belong +might and majesty); since that for him who is not patient under +trial and affliction there is no coming to the delights of +Paradise. I had indeed besought Him that I might return to my +native land, yet not for impatience of the sufferings decreed to +me, but that I might die under the hoofs of the horses of the +warriors of the Faith, who, being slain in battle, live again +without suffering death,"[FN#104]; and she repeated the following +couplets: + +The fortress[FN#105] is Sinai's self and the fire of war burns + free, And thou art Moses and this the time appointed to + thee. +Throw down thy rod, for lo, it shall swallow up all they make! + And fear not; I trow the ropes of the folk no serpents + be.[FN#106] +Read thou the lines of the foe for chapters,[FN#107] the day of + the fight, And let thy sword mark on their necks the verses, + what while they flee. + +Then her eyes ran over with tears and her forehead shone like +gleaming light, and Sherkan rose and kissed her hand and caused +food to be set before her: but she refused it, saying, "I have +not broken my fast (till sunset) for fifteen years; and how +should I do so now, whenas my Lord hath been bountiful to me in +delivering me from the captivity of the infidels and doing away +from me that which was more grievous than the fiery torment? I +will wait till sun down." So at nightfall Sherkan and Zoulmekan +came to her with food and said, "Eat, O pious man." But she said, +"This is no time for eating; it is the hour for doing my service +to the Requiting King." Then she took up her station in the +prayer-niche and stood praying till the night was spent; and she +ceased not to do thus for three days and nights, sitting not but +at the time of salutation.[FN#108] When Zoulmekan saw this her +behaviour, belief in her took firm hold upon his heart and he +said to Sherkan, "Cause a tent of perfumed leather to be pitched +for this holy man and appoint a servant to wait upon him." On the +fourth day, she called for food; so they brought her all kinds of +meats that could allure the sense or delight the eye; but of all +this she ate but one cake of bread with salt. Then she turned +again to her fast, and when the night came, she rose anew to +pray: and Sherkan said to Zoulmekan, "Verily, this man carries +renunciation of the world to the utmost extreme, and were it not +for this holy war, I would join myself to him and worship God in +his service, till I came before His presence. And now I would +fain enter his tent and talk with him awhile." "And I also," said +Zoulmekan. "To-morrow we sally forth against Constantinople, and +we shall find no time like the present." "And I also," said the +Vizier Dendan, "desire to see this holy man; haply he will pray +for me that I may find my death in this holy war and come to the +presence of my Lord, for I am weary of the world." So as soon as +night had darkened on them, they repaired to the tent of the +witch Dhat et Dewahi and finding her standing praying, fell +a-weeping, for pity of her: but she paid no heed to them till the +night was half spent, when she ended her devotions by pronouncing +the salutation (to the guardian angels). Then she turned to them +and greeted them, saying, "Wherefore come ye?" "O holy man," said +they, "didst thou not hear us weeping round thee?" "To him who +stands before God," replied she, "there remains nor sight nor +hearing for the things of this world." Quoth they, "We would have +thee tell us the manner of thy captivity and offer up prayer for +us this night, for that will profit us more than the possession +of Constantinople." "By Allah," answered she, "were ye not the +leaders of the Muslims, I would not tell you aught of this; for I +complain not but to God alone. However, to you I will relate the +circumstance of my captivity. Know, then, that I was in Jerusalem +with certain saints and ecstatics, and did not magnify myself +among them, for that God had endowed me with humility and +abnegation, till one night I chanced to go down to the lake and +walked upon the water. There withal there entered into me pride, +whence I know not, and I said to myself, 'Who can walk upon the +water, like unto me?' And from that time my heart became hardened +and God afflicted me with the love of travel. So I journeyed to +the land of the Greeks and visited it in every part during a +whole year, leaving no place but I worshipped God therein. When I +came to the place (where the Syrians found me) I ascended the +mountain and saw there a hermitage, inhabited by a monk called +Metrouhena. When he saw me, he came out to me and kissed my hands +and feet, saying, 'Verily, I have seen thee, since thou camest +into the land of the Greeks, and thou hast filled me with longing +for the land of Islam.' Then he took my hand and carrying me into +the hermitage, brought me to a dark place, where he took me +unawares and locking the door on me, left me there forty days, +without meat or drink; for it was his intent to kill me by +starvation. One day it chanced that a knight called Decianus came +to the hermitage, accompanied by ten squires and his daughter +Temathil, a girl of incomparable beauty. The monk told them of +me, and Decianus said, 'Bring him out, for surely there is not a +bird's meal of flesh left on him.' So they opened the door of the +dungeon and found me standing erect in the niche, praying and +reciting the Koran and glorifying God and humbling myself to Him. +When they saw this, the monk exclaimed, 'This man is indeed a +sorcerer of the sorcerers!' Then they all came in on me, and +Decianus and his company beat me grievously, till I desired death +and reproached myself, saying, 'This is the reward of him who +glorifies himself and takes credit for that which God hath +bestowed upon him, beyond his own competence! For, indeed, my +soul, pride and arrogance have crept into thee. Dost thou not +know that pride angers the Lord and hardens the heart and brings +men to the fire?' Then they laid me in fetters and returned me to +my place, which was a dungeon under the earth. Every three days, +they threw me down a cake of barley-bread and a draught of water; +and every month or two, came Decianus to the hermitage, with his +daughter Temathil, who is now grown up, for when I first saw her, +she was nine years old, and I abode fifteen years in the dungeon, +so that she must be now four-and twenty years of age. There is +not in our land nor in the land of the Greeks a fairer than she, +and her father feared lest the King (of Constantinople) should +take her from him; for she had vowed herself to the service of +the Messiah and rode with Decianus in the habit of a cavalier, so +that none who saw her knew her for a woman. In this hermitage her +father had laid up his treasures, for all who had aught of price +were wont to deposit it there, and I saw there all manner of gold +and silver and jewels and precious vessels and rarities, none may +keep count of them save God the Most High. Ye are more worthy of +these riches than the infidels; so do ye lay hands on that which +is in the hermitage and divide it among the Muslims, and +especially among those who wage the holy war. When these +merchants came to Constantinople and sold their merchandise, the +image on the wall spoke to them, by God's special grace to me; so +they made for the hermitage and tortured Metrouhena, after the +most grievous fashion, and dragged him by the beard, till he +showed them where I was, when they took me and fled for fear of +death. To-morrow, Temathil will visit the hermitage as of wont, +and her father and his squires will come after her, to protect +her: so, an ye would be witness of these things, take me with you +and I will deliver to you the treasure and the riches of the +knight Decianus, that are stored up in that mountain; for I saw +them bring out vessels of gold and silver to drink in and heard a +damsel of their company sing to them in Arabic. Alas, that so +sweet a voice should not be busied in reciting the Koran! So, an +ye will, I will bring you to the hermitage and ye shall hide +there, against the coming of Decianus and his daughter. Then take +her, for she is only fit for the king of the age, Sherkan, or for +King Zoulmekan." When they heard her words, they all rejoiced, +with the exception of the Vizier Dendan, who put no faith in her +story, for her words took no hold on his reason and he was +confounded at her discourse and signs of doubt and disbelief +appeared in his face; but he feared to speak with her, for awe of +the King. Then she said, "I fear lest Decianus come and seeing +the troops encamped here, be afraid to enter the hermitage." So +Zoulmekan resolved to despatch the army towards Constantinople +and said, "I mean to take a hundred horse and many mules and make +for the mountain, where we will load the mules with the +treasure." Then he sent for the Chamberlain and for the captains +of the Turks and Medes and said to them, 'As soon as it is day, +do ye strike camp and set out for Constantinople. Thou, O +Chamberlain, shall fill my place in council and command, and +thou, O Rustem, shalt be my brother's deputy in battle. Let none +know that we are not with you, and after three days we will +rejoin you." Then he chose out a hundred of the stoutest +cavaliers, and he and Sherkan and Dendan set out for the +hermitage, with mules and chests for the transport of the +treasure. As soon as it was morning, the Chamberlain gave the +signal for departure, and the troops set out, thinking that the +two Kings and the Vizier were with them. Now the Syrians that +were with Dhat ed Dewahi had taken their departure privily, after +they had gone in to her and kissed her hands and feet and gotten +her leave and taken her orders. Then she waited till it was dark +night and going in to Zoulmekan and his companions, said to them, +"Come, let us set out for the mountain, and take with you a few +men." They obeyed her and left five horsemen at the foot of the +mountain, whilst the rest rode on before Dhat ed Dewahi, to whom +new strength seemed given for excess of joy, so that Zoulmekan +said to his companions, "Glory be to God who sustains this holy +man, whose like we never saw!" Now she had written a letter to +the King of Constantinople and despatched it by a carrier-pigeon, +acquainting him with what had passed and adding, "Do thou send me +ten thousand horsemen of the stoutest of the Greeks and let them +come stealthily along the foot of the mountains, lest the Muslim +host get sight of them, to the hermitage and hide themselves +there, till I come to them with the Muslim King and his brother, +for I have inveigled them and will bring them thither, together +with the Vizier Dendan and a hundred horse, no more, that I may +deliver to them the crosses that are in the hermitage. I am +resolved to slay the monk Metrouhena, since my scheme cannot be +carried out but at the cost of his life. If my plot work well, +not one of the Muslims shall return to his own country, no, not a +living soul nor a blower of the fire; and Metrouhena shall be a +sacrifice for the followers of the Christian faith and the +servants of the Cross, and praise be to the Messiah, first and +last!" When this letter reached Constantinople, the keeper of the +pigeons carried it to King Afridoun, who read it and forthwith +equipped ten thousand cavaliers with horses and dromedaries and +mules and victual and bade them repair to the hermitage and hide +there; and they did as he commanded them. Meanwhile. when +Zoulmekan and his companions reached the hermitage, they entered +and met the monk Metrouhena, who came out to see who they were; +whereupon quoth Dhat ed Dewahi, "Slay this accursed fellow.' So +they fell on him with their swords and made him drink the cup of +death. Then the accursed old woman carried them to the place of +offerings[FN#109] and brought out to them treasures and precious +things, more than she had promised them, which they laid in +chests and loaded the mules therewith. As for Temathil and her +father, they came not, for fear of the Muslims, and Zoulmekan +tarried there, awaiting her, the whole of that day and two more, +till Sherkan said to him, "By Allah, I am troubled at heart for +the army of Islam, for I know not what is come of them." "And I +also am concerned for them," replied Zoulmekan. "We have come by +a great treasure and I do not believe that Temathil or any one +else will come to the hermitage, after that which has befallen +the host of the Christians. So we should do well to content +ourselves with what God has given us and depart; and haply He +will help us break open Constantinople." So they came down from +the mountain, for Dhat ed Dewahi dared not gainsay them, for fear +of betraying herself, and rode on till they reached the head of a +defile, in which the old woman had laid an ambush for them with +the ten thousand horse. As soon as the latter saw them, they made +at them from all sides, couching their lances and baring their +sabres, whilst they shouted the watchword of their infidel faith +and set the arrows of their mischief to the strings. + +When Zoulmekan saw them, he was ware that they were a mighty host +and said, "Who can have given these troops advice of us?" "O my +brother," replied Sherkan, "this is no time for talking, but for +smiting with swords and shooting with arrows; so gird up your +courage and strengthen your hearts, for this pass is like a +street with two gates: though, by the virtue of the Lord of the +Arabs and the Persians, were not the place so strait, I would +bring them to nought, though they were a hundred thousand men!" + +"Had we known this," said Zoulmekan, "we would have brought with +us five thousand horse." "If we had ten thousand," rejoined the +Vizier, "they would avail ail us nothing in this narrow place: +but God will succour us against them. I know this defile and its +straitness, and there are many places of refuge in it; for I have +been here on an expedition with King Omar ben Ennuman, what while +we laid siege to Constantinople. We camped in this place, and +there is here water colder than snow. So come, let us win? out of +this pass ere the infidels increase on us and get the start of us +to the mountain-top, that they may hurl down rocks upon us and we +be powerless to come at them." So they hurried on, to get out of +the defile: but Dhat ed Dewahi looked at them and said, "What is +it ye fear, ye who have vowed yourselves to God the Most High, to +work His will? By Allah, I was imprisoned underground for fifteen +years, yet never gainsaid I God in aught He did with me! Fight ye +in the way of God; whoso of ye is killed, Paradise shall be his +abode, and whoso kills, his endeavour shall be for his glory." +When they heard her words, their concern and anxiety ceased from +them and they stood firm, awaiting the onset of the infidels, who +fell on them from all sides, whilst the swords played upon their +necks and the cup of death went round amongst them. + +The Muslims fought right valiantly for the service of God and +wrought upon His enemies with stroke of sword and push of pike; +whilst Zoulmekan smote upon the men and made the champions bite +the dust and their heads fly from their bodies, five by five and +ten by ten, till he had done to death a number of them past +count. Presently, he looked at the old woman and saw her waving +her sword and heartening them, and all who feared fled to her for +shelter; but (in secret) she was beckoning to the infidels to +kill Sherkan. So troop after troop rushed on him to slay him: but +each troop he charged and drove back, with the sword in their +loins; and indeed he thought it was the holy man's blessing that +gave him the victory over them and said in himself, "Verily God +looks on this holy man with eyes of favour and strengthens my +prowess against the infidels with the purity of his intent: for I +see that they fear me and cannot stand against me, but every one +who attacks me turns tail and flees." So they battled the rest of +the day, and when the night fell, the Muslims took refuge in a +cave, being hard pressed and weary with stress of battle; and +five-and-forty of them were slain that day by rocks that the +infidels rolled down on them. When they were gathered together, +they sought the devotee, but could find no trace of him. This was +grievous to them and they said, "Belike, he hath died a martyr." +Quoth Sherkan "I saw him heartening the men with divine instances +and sacring them with verses of the Koran." Whilst they were +talking, behold, the accursed old woman stood before them, with +the head of the captain of the ten thousand horse, a noble +knight, a fierce champion and an obstinate devil, in her hand. +Now one of the Turks had slain him with an arrow, and God hurried +his soul to the fire: and when the infidels saw what the Muslim +had done with their leader, they all fell on him and hewed him in +pieces with their swords, and God hastened with his soul to +Paradise. Then the old woman cut off the knight's head and +carrying it to Sherkan and Zoulmekan and the Vizier, threw it at +their feet; whereupon Sherkan exclaimed, "Praised be God that we +see thee in safety, O holy man and devout champion of the Faith!" +"O my son," replied she, "I have sought a martyr's death this +day, throwing myself midmost the host of the infidels, but they +feared me. When ye separated, a holy jealousy seized me for you; +so I rushed on the knight their captain, though he was reckoned a +match for a thousand horse, and smote him and severed his head +from his body. Not one of the infidels could come near me, so I +took his head and have brought it to you, that you may be +heartened in the holy strife and work out the will of the Lord of +the Faithful with your swords. And now I will leave you to strive +against the infidels, whilst I go to your army, though they be at +the gates of Constantinople, and return with twenty thousand +horse to destroy these unbelievers." Quoth Sherkan, "How wilt +thou win to them, O holy man, seeing that the valley is blocked +up by the infidels on all sides?" "God will veil me from their +eyes," replied she, "and they shall not see me; nor if any saw +me, would he dare to attack me, for I shall be absorbed in God +and He will fend off His enemies from me." "Thou sayst sooth, O +holy man," rejoined Sherkan, "for indeed I have been witness of +this; so, if thou canst set out at the first of the night, it +will be the better for us." "I will set out forthright," replied +she; "and, an thou wilt, thou shalt go with me, and none shall +see thee. If thy brother also have a mind to go, we will take +him, but none else; for the shadow of a saint can cover but two." +"As for me," said Sherkan, "I will not leave my comrades; but, if +my brother please, he will do well to go with thee and win free +of this strait; for he is the stronghold of the Muslims and the +sword of the Lord of the two worlds; and if it be his pleasure, +let him take with him the Vizier Dendan, or whom else he may +choose, and send us ten thousand horse to succour us against +these villains." So they agreed to this and Dhat ed Dewahi said, +"Wait till I go on before you and look if the infidels be asleep +or awake." Quoth they, "We will go with thee and trust our affair +to God." "If I do your bidding," replied she, "do not blame me, +but blame yourselves; for it is my counsel that you wait till I +have spied you out the state of the case." Then said Sherkan, "Go +and return quickly, for we shall be awaiting thee." So she went +out and Sherkan turned to his brother and said, "Were not this +holy man a miracle-worker, he had never slain yonder doughty +knight. This is a sufficient measure of his power, and indeed the +strength of the infidels is broken by the slaying of their +leader, for he was a fierce warrior and a stubborn devil." Whilst +they were thus devising of the power of the devotee, behold, the +cursed old woman returned and promised them victory over the +unbelievers; whereupon they thanked her, and she said, "Where is +the king of the age Zoulmekan?" "Here am I," replied he. "Take +thy Vizier," said she, "and follow me, that we may win out to +Constantinople." Now she had acquainted the infidels with the +cheat she had put on the Muslims, and they rejoiced mightily and +said, "We shall not be content till we have slain their king in +return for the death of our general; for we had no stouter +cavalier than he; but when thou bringest him to us, we will carry +him to King Afridoun." Then she went out with Zoulmekan and +Dendan and walked on before them, saying, "Fare on with the +blessing of the Most High God!" They did as she bade them, for +the arrow of fate and destiny had fallen on them, and she led +them on, through the midst of the Christian camp, till they came +to the narrow pass aforesaid. Whilst the enemy watched them, but +did them no hindrance; for the old woman had enjoined this on +them. When Zoulmekan and Dendan saw that the infidels did them no +hindrance, the Vizier exclaimed, "By Allah, this is one of the +holy man's miracles! Without doubt he is of the elect." "By +Allah," said Zoulmekan, "I think the infidels must be blind, for +we see them, and they see us not." Whilst they were thus praising +the holy man and recounting his virtues, behold, the infidels +fell upon them from all sides and seized them, saying, "Is there +any one else with you, that we may seize upon him?" Quoth Dendan, +"See ye not yon other man that is before us?" "By the Messiah and +the Monks and the Primate and the Metropolitan," replied they, +"we see none but you!" And Zoulmekan said, "By Allah, this is a +chastisement decreed to us by God!" Then the Christians laid +shackles on their feet and set men to guard them during the +night, whilst Dhat ed Dewahi fared on and disappeared from their +sight. So they fell to lamenting and said, "Verily, the +gainsaying of pious men leads to greater stress than this, and we +are punished by the strait into which we have fallen." + +Meanwhile, Sherkan passed the night in the cavern with his +companions, and when the day broke, he arose and prayed the +morning-prayer. Then he and his men made ready to do battle with +the infidels, and he encouraged them and promised them all good. +Then they sallied out against the Christians, who cried out to +them from afar as soon as they saw them, saying, "O Muslims, we +have taken your Sultan and your Vizier that has the ordering of +your affairs; and except ye leave fighting us, we will slay you +to the last man, but if ye yield to us, we will take you to our +king, who will make peace with you, on condition that you leave +our country and return to your own land and do us no harm, and we +will do you no harm. If you accept, it will be well for you; but +if you refuse, you have nothing to hope for but death. So now we +have told you, and this is our last word to you." When Sherkan +heard this and was certified of the captivity of his brother and +the Vizier Dendan, he was greatly troubled and wept; his strength +failed him and he made sure of death, saying inwardly, "I wonder +what was the cause of their capture? Did they fail of respect to +the holy man or disobey him, or what?" Then they rushed upon the +unbelievers and slew great plenty of them. The valiant, that day, +was known from the faint-hearted, and the swords and spears were +dyed with blood; for the infidels flocked on them from all sides, +as flies flock to wine; but Sherkan and his men ceased not to +wage the fight of those who fear not death nor let it hinder them +from the pursuit of victory, till the valley ran with blood and +the earth was full of the slain. So fought they on till +nightfall, when the two parties separated, each to his own place, +and the Muslims returned to the grotto, where both victory and +loss were manifest to them, and there was no dependence for them +but on God and the sword. That day there had been slain of them +five-and-thirty men of the chief amirs, and they had put to the +sword thousands of the infidels, both horse and foot. When +Sherkan saw this, the case was grievous to him, and he said to +his comrades, "What shall we do?" "That which God wills," replied +they. On the morning of the second day, Sherkan said to the +remnant of his troop, "If ye go forth to fight, not one of you +will remain alive and we have but little food and water left; so +meseems ye would do better to draw your swords and stand at the +door of the cavern, to hinder any from entering. Peradventure the +holy man may have traversed the Christian host, without being +seen of the unbelievers, and may win to Constantinople and return +with ten thousand horse, to succour us against the infidels." +"This is the better course," replied they, "and there is no doubt +of its expediency." So they went out and held the opening of the +grotto, standing in its sides; and every one of the infidels who +sought to come in, they slew. Thus did they fend off the enemy +from the door of the cavern and make head against all their +assaults, till the day departed and the night came with the +shadows, by which time King Sherkan had but five-and-twenty men +left. Then said the Christians to each other, "When shall these +battles have an end? We are weary of fighting the Muslims." And +one of them said, "Up and let us fall on them, for there be but +five-and-twenty and of them left. If we cannot prevail on them to +fight, let us light a fire upon them; and if they submit and +yield themselves up, we will take them prisoners: else we will +leave them to serve as fuel to the fire, so that they shall +become a warning to men of understanding. May the Messiah not +have mercy on their fathers and may the sojourn of the Christians +be no abiding-place for them!" So they repaired to the cavern and +heaping up faggots in the door-way, set fire to them. Thereupon, +Sherkan and his companions made sure of death and yielded +themselves up. The unbelievers thought to kill them, but the +knight their captain said to those who counselled this, "It is +for none but King Afridoun to kill them, that he may quench +thereby his thirst for vengeance; wherefore it behoves us to keep +them prisoners till the morrow, when we will journey with them to +Constantinople and deliver them to King Afridoun, who shall deal +with them as he pleases." "This is the right course," replied +they; and he commanded to pinion the prisoners and set guards +over them. Then, as soon as it was dark, the infidels gave +themselves up to feasting and merry-making and called for wine +and drank, till they all fell backward. Presently, Sherkan turned +to his brother Zoulmekan and said to him "My brother, how shall +we get free?" "By Allah," replied Zoulmekan, "I know not; for we +are here like birds in a cage." At this Sherkan was angry and +sighed for excess of wrath and stretched himself, till his bonds +broke; whereupon he went up to the captain of the guard and +taking from his bosom the keys of the fetters, freed Zoulmekan +and Dendan and the rest of the prisoners. Then said he, "Let us +slay three of these infidels and don their clothes, we three; so +shall we be disguised as Greeks and pass through them without +their knowing us, and win out to our army." "This is no safe +counsel," replied Zoulmekan "for if we kill them, I fear some of +their comrades may hear their groans and the enemy he roused upon +us and kill us. It were better to make our way out of the pass." +So they agreed upon this and set out. When they had left the head +of the defile a little way behind, they saw horses picketed and +their riders sleeping by them: and Sherkan said to his brother, +"Let us each take one of these steeds." So they took +five-and-twenty horses, one for each man, and mounted and rode on +till they were out of reach, whilst God sent sleep upon the +infidels for a secret purpose of His own. Meanwhile, Sherkan +gathered as many swords and spears as he could from the sleepers +and faring on after his comrades, found them awaiting him, on +coals of fire on his account, and said to them, "Have no fear, +since God protects us. I have that to propose, which meseems will +advantage us." "What is it?" asked they, and he said, "It is that +we all climb to the mountain-top and cry out with one voice, 'God +is most great! The army of Islam is upon you! God is most great!' +If we do this, their company will surely be dissolved, for they +are too drunken to find out the trick, but will think that the +Muslim troops have encompassed them on all sides and have become +mingled with them; so they will fall on one another with their +swords, in the confusion of drunkenness and sleep, and we will +cleave them asunder with their own brands and the sword will go +round amongst them till the morning." "This plan is not good," +replied Zoulmekan. "We should do better to make our way to our +army and keep silence; for, if we cry out, 'God is most great!' +they will wake and fall on us, and not one of us will escape." +"By Allah," rejoined Sherkan, "though they be roused on us, I +desire urgently that ye fall in with my plan, for nothing but +good can come of it." So they agreed and ascending the mountain, +shouted out, "God is most great!" And the hills and trees and +stones cried out with them, "God is most great!" for the fear of +the Almighty. When the unbelievers heard this, they started up +from sleep and did on their armour, crying out to one another and +saying, "By the Messiah, the enemy is upon us." Then they fell +on each other and slew of their own men more than any knows save +God the Most High. As soon as it was day, they sought for the +captives, but found them not, and their captains said, "It +was the prisoners who did this; so up and hasten after them, +till ye overtake them, when we will make them quaff the cup of +punishment; and let not trouble nor panic possess you." So they +sprang to horse and rode after the fugitives, nor was it long +before they overtook them and surrounded them. Wheu Zoulmekan saw +this, he was seized with terror and said to his brother, "What I +feared is come upon us, and now it only remains for us to fight +for the faith." But Sherkan held his peace. Then Zoulmekan and +his companions rushed down from the hill-top, crying out, "God is +most great!" and addressed themselves to fight and sell their +lives in the service of the Lord of the Faithful, when, behold, +they heard many voices crying out, "There is no god but God! God +is most great! Peace and salvation upon the Bringer of Glad +Tidings, the Admonisher of Mankind!"[FN#110] So they turned +towards the sound and saw a company of Muslims pricking towards +them, whereupon their courage revived and Sherkan ran at the +Christians, crying out, "There is no god but God! God is most +great!" so that the earth shook as with an earthquake and the +unbelievers broke asunder and fled into the mountains, whither +the Muslims followed them with sword and spear and made their +heads fly from their bodies, till the day departed and the night +came with the darkness. Then the Muslims drew together and passed +the night rejoicing; and when the day broke and the morning arose +with its light and shone, they saw Behram, the captain of the +Medes, and Rustem, the captain of the Turks, advancing to join +them, with twenty thousand cavaliers, as they were fierce lions. +As soon as they saw Zoulmekan, the chiefs dismounted and saluting +him, kissed the earth before him; and he said to them, "Rejoice +ye in the glad news of the victory of the Muslims and the +discomfiture of the unbelievers!" Then they gave each other joy +of their deliverance and of the greatness of the reward that +awaited them in the world to come. + +Now the manner of the coming of the succours was as follows. +When Behram and Rustem and the Chamberlain came in sight +of Constantinople, with the Muslim army, they saw that the +Christians had manned the walls and towers and set all their +strengths in order of defence, for that they knew of the approach +of the host of Islam, through the craft and perfidy of the old +woman Dhat ed Dewahi. So, when they heard the clash of arms and +tramp of horse-hoofs and saw the Mohammedan standards and the +ensigns of the Faith of the Unity of God emerging from the +dust-clouds and heard the voices of the Muslims chanting the +Koran aloud and glorifying the Compassionate One, and the army of +Islam drew near, as it were the swollen sea, for the multitude of +footmen and horsemen and women and children, they poured forth +like a flight of locusts or the streaming of water from the +rain-clouds; and the captain of the Turks said to the captain of +the Medes, "O Amir, of a truth, we are in jeopardy from the +multitude of the foe on the walls. Look at yonder forts and at +the folk like the tempestuous sea with its clashing billows. +Indeed the infidels out-number us a hundred times and we cannot +be sure but that some spy may inform them that we are without a +leader. Verily, we are in peril from these enemies, whose number +may not be told and whose extent is limitless, especially in the +absence of King Zoulmekan and his brother Sherkan and the +illustrious Vizier Dendan. If they know of this, they will be +emboldened to attack us in their absence and will cut off us to +the last man; not one of us will escape alive. So it is my +counsel that we each take ten thousand horse and repair to the +hermitage of Metrouhena and the Meadow of Meloukhna in quest of +our brothers and our chiefs. If thou follow my counsel, it may be +we shall be the cause of their deliverance, in case they be hard +pressed by the infidels; and if not, no blame will rest on me. +But, if we go, it were well that we return quickly, for suspicion +is part of prudence." The other fell in with his counsel; so they +chose twenty thousand horse and set out for the hermitage by +cross roads. + +To return to Dhat ed Dewahi. As soon as she had delivered +Zoulmekan and his companions into the hands of the infidels, she +mounted a swift horse, saying to the Christians, "I mean to +rejoin the Muslim army before Constantinople and contrive for +their destruction; for I will tell them that their chiefs are +dead, and when they hear this, their alliance will be dissolved +and their confederation broken up and their host dispersed. Then +will I go to King Afridoun and my son King Herdoub, and they will +sally forth on them with their troops and destroy them, nor leave +one of them alive." So she mounted and fared on across country +all that night, and at daybreak, she sighted the army of Behram +and Rustem advancing towards her. So she turned aside into a +wayside copse and alighting there, hid her horse among the trees, +saying to herself, "Belike they are returning, routed, from the +assault of Constantinople." However, as she drew near, she saw +that their standards were not reversed and knew that they were +not retreating because of defeat, but that they feared for their +king and their chiefs. When she was assured of this, she hastened +up to them, running at the top of her speed, like a stubborn +Satan as she was, and cried out, "Hasten, O soldiers of the +Merciful One, hasten to the holy war against the hosts of Satan!" +When Behram saw her, he dismounted and kissing the earth before +her, said, "What is behind thee, O friend of God?"[FN#111] "Do +not ask of evil case and sore disasters," answered she. "Know +that, when our comrades had taken the treasure from the hermitage +and were on their way back to Constantinople, there came out on +them a great host and a fierce of unbelievers." And she repeated +to them the story, in such wise as to fill them with trouble and +terror, and added, "The most of them are dead, and there are but +five-and-twenty left." "O holy man," said Behram, "when didst +thou leave them?" "But last night," replied she. "Glory be to +God," exclaimed he, "Who hath rolled up the distance for thee +like a carpet, so that thou hast sped thus, walking upon thy feet +and leant upon a palm-tree staff! But thou art one of the friends +of God, that fly like birds, when possessed by the stress of His +commandment!" Then he mounted his horse, perplexed and confounded +for that which he had heard from the lying old beldam and saying, +"There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High! Verily +our labour is lost and our hearts are heavy within us, for our +king is a prisoner and those who are with him!" Then they fared +on in haste and stayed not the whole of that day and night, till +at daybreak they reached the head of the pass and heard Zoulmekan +and Sherkan shouting, "There is no god but God! God is most +great!" Whereupon they drove at the unbelievers and overwhelmed +them, as the torrent overwhelms the plains, shouting out their +war-cries, till the stoutest champions were affrighted and the +mountains were cloven by the noise. On the morrow, they +foregathered with Zoulmekan, and each recognised the other as has +been before set out. Then they kissed the earth before the King +and his brother Sherkan, and the latter told them all that had +befallen him and his men in the grotto, whereat they marvelled +and said, "Hasten back with us to Constantinople, for we left our +companions there, and our hearts are with them." So they made +haste to depart, commending themselves to the Subtle, the +All-wise; and Zoulmekan exhorted the Muslims to steadfastness, +reciting the following verses: + +To thee be the praise, O Thou that meritest thanks and praise! + And mayest Thou never cease to succour me all my days! +I grew up in exile, but Thou, my God, wast ever my friend. 'Twas + Thou didst decree me success and broughtest me forth of the + maze. +Thou hast given me lordship and wealth and fortune and girded my + midst With the falchion of valour and wreathed my forehead + with victory's bays. +Thou hast shadowed me under Thy wings and made me to prosper + amain And hast graced me with favours untold, of Thy + bounties abounding always: +Thou hast saved me from all that I feared, by the counsel of him + whom I trust, The Vizier and chief of the chiefs, the hero + and pride of our days. +By Thy favour we fell on the Greeks and smote them with sword and + with spear; But again to the fight they returned, in + garments blood-red for affrays. +So I feigned to be routed and flee and give back from the fight; + then I turned On the toe, as the fierce lion turns on the + hunters, that find him at gaze. +I left them laid low on the plain, as 'twere they were drunken + with wine, Not the wine that is pressed from the grape, but + that of death's cup of amaze; +Whilst their ships all fell under our hand and ours was the + empery grown: From the East to the West, sea and shore, we + were lords of the lands and the ways. +Then there came to our camp the recluse, the saint, whose + miraculous power Is blazoned in desert and town, wherever + the sun sheds its rays. +He joined us, his vengeance to wreak on all that believe not in + God. Indeed, it is known to the folk what came of our strife + and our frays. +They slew of us some, but they woke on the morrow in Paradise, + Each lodged in a palace on high, whereunder a river strays. + +When Zoulmekan had made an end of reciting these verses, his +brother Sherkan gave him joy of his safety and praise for that he +had done; after which they set out by forced marches to rejoin +their army. + +Meanwhile, Dhat ed Dewahi, after she had spoken with Rustem and +Behram, returned to the coppice, where she took her horse and +mounting, sped on, till she drew near the host of the Muslims +that lay leaguer before Constantinople, when she lighted down +from her steed and led it to the Chamberlain's pavilion. When he +saw her, he signed to her with his hand and said, "Welcome, O +pious recluse!" Then he questioned her of what had befallen, and +she repeated to him her disquieting and deluding report, saying, +"Indeed I fear for the Amirs Rustem and Behram, for that I met +them on the way and sent them and their following to the King and +his companions. They are but twenty thousand horse, and the +unbelievers are more in number than they; so I would now have +thee send of the rest of thy troops in haste to their succour, +lest they be slain to the last man." And she said to them +"Hasten! Hasten!" When the Chamberlain and the Muslims heard +these her words, their hearts sank within them and they wept; but +she said to them, "Ask aid of God and be patient under this +affliction, taking example by those that have been before you of +the people of Islam, for God hath prepared Paradise, with its +palaces, for those who die martyrs; and needs must all die, but +death is most praiseworthy, when it comes in fighting for the +Faith." When the Chamberlain heard this speech of the accursed +old woman, he called for the Amir Behram's brother, a cavalier +named Terkash, and choosing out for him ten thousand intrepid +veterans, bade him set out at once. So he departed forthright and +marched all that day and the next night, till he neared the +Muslims. When the day dawned, Sherkan saw the dust of them and +feared for his companions, saying, "If these troops that are +nearing us be Muslims, our victory is assured; but if they be +Christians, there is no gainsaying the decrees of Fate." Then he +turned to his brother Zoulmekan and said to him, "Fear not, for I +will ransom thee with my life from destruction. If these be +Muslim troops then were it an increase of God's favours; but if +they be our foes, there is nothing for it but to fight them. Yet +do I long to see the holy man once again before I die, so he may +pray for me that I may not die except a martyr." Whilst he was +thus speaking, behold, there appeared the banners with the words, +"There is no god but God and Mohammed is His Apostle" inscribed +on them, and he cried out to the new-comers, saying, "How is it +with the Muslims?" "They are in weal and safety," replied they; +"and we come not hither but out of concern for you." Then the +chief of the succours dismounted and kissing the earth before +Sherkan, said, "O my lord, the Sultan and the Vizier Dendan and +Rustem and my brother Behram, are they all in safety?" "They are +all well," answered the prince; "but who brought thee tidings of +us?" "It was the holy man," said Terkash. "He told us that he had +met my brother Behram and Rustem and had sent them to you and +also that the infidels had encompassed you and were more in +number than you; yet meseems the case is the contrary of this and +that you are victorious." "And how did the holy man reach you?" +asked Sherkan. "Walking on his feet," replied the Amir; "and he +had compassed, in the space of a single day and night, ten days' +journey for a diligent horseman." "Verily, he is a friend of +God," said Sherkan; "but where is he now?" Quoth Terkash, "We +left him with our troops, the people of Faith, encouraging them +to do battle with the infidels and rebels." Therewith Sherkan was +glad and thanked God for their own deliverance and that of the +holy man and commended the dead to the mercy of God saying, "This +was written in the Book of Fate." Then they set out for +Constantinople by forced marches, and whilst they were on the +road thither, behold, a cloud of dust arose before them and +spread till the prospect was hidden and the day darkened by it. +Sherkan looked at it and said, "Verily, I fear lest this be the +infidels who have routed the army of Islam, for that this dust +covers the country and blots out the two horizons." Presently +there appeared midmost the dust a pillar of darkness and came +towards them, blacker than the blackness of (evil) fortune and +more dreadful than the terrors of the Day of Judgment. + +Horse and foot hastened up to look at it and know its meaning, +when, behold, they saw it to be the recluse aforesaid; so they +crowded round him to kiss his hands, and he cried out, "O people +of the best of men[FN#112], the lamp of the darkness, the +infidels have overcome the Muslims by craft, for they fell upon +them in their tents, whilst they deemed themselves in safety, and +made a sore slaughter of them; so hasten to the aid of the +believers in the unity of God and deliver them from those that +deny Him!" When Sherkan heard this, his heart was sore troubled +and he alighted from his horse, in amazement, and kissed the +recluse's hands and feet. In like wise did his brother Zoulmekan +and the rest of the troops, except the Vizier Dendan, who +dismounted not, but said, "By Allah, my heart revolts from this +devotee, for I never knew aught but evil come of these that make +a show of devotion to religion. Leave him and hasten to rejoin +your comrades for this fellow is of those that are outcast from +the gate of mercy of the Lord of the Two Worlds! How often have I +come out to war with King Omar ben Ennuman and trodden the earth +of these lands!" "Put away from thee this foul thought," said +Sherkan. "Hast thou not seen this holy man excite the faithful to +battle, recking nought of spears and swords? Wherefore, slander +him not, for slander is blameworthy and the flesh of pious folk +is poisoned. Look how he encourages us to battle, and did not God +love him, He had not rolled up the distance for him (like a +carpet), after He had aforetime cast him into grievous torment?" +Then Sherkan let bring a Nubian mule for her riding and said to +her, "Mount, pious man, God-fearing and holy!" But she refused, +feigning self-denial, that she might attain her end: and they +knew not that the pretended devotee was such an one as he of whom +the poet says: + +He prayeth and fasteth amain for an end that he hath in view. + When once he has gained his end, fasting and prayer, adieu! + +So she walked among the horsemen and the footmen, like a crafty +fox meditating an assault, and began to uplift her voice, +chanting the Koran aloud and celebrating the praises of the +Compassionate One. Then they pressed forward till they reached +the Mohammedan camp, where Sherkan found the Muslims in a state +of confusion and the Chamberlain upon the brink of retreat, +whilst the sword wrought havoc among the faithful, good and bad. +Now the cause of this weakness among the Muslims was that the +accursed old woman Dhat ed Dewahi, when she saw that Behram +and Rustem had set forward with their troops to join Sherkan +and Zoulmekan, repaired to the camp or the Muslims before +Constantinople and wrought upon the Chamberlain to despatch the +Amir Terkash, as hath been before set out, to the further succour +of the princes, purposing in this to divide the Muslim forces and +weaken them. Then she left them and going to the walls of +Constantinople, called with a loud voice on the knights of the +Greeks, saying, "Throw me down a cord that I may tie thereto this +letter, which do ye carry to King Afridoun and my son King +Herdoub, that they may read it and do as is written therein." So +they let down a string and she tied thereto a letter, to the +following purport, "From the chiefest of calamities and the +greatest of afflictions, Dhat ed Dewahi, to King Afridoun. Know +that I have contrived a device for the destruction of the +Muslims, so rest you quiet. I made their Sultan and the Vizier +Dendan prisoners and returned to their camp and acquainted them +therewith, whereupon their power was broken and their strength +weakened. Moreover, I have wrought on them to send ten thousand +men under the Amir Terkash to the succour of the captives, and +there be now but few men left with the besiegers. Wherefore, it +is my counsel that ye sally forth, with all your power, whilst it +is yet day, and fall on them in their tents and slay them to the +last man for the Messiah looks down upon you and the Virgin +favours you; and I hope that the Messiah will not forget this +that I have done." When this letter came to King Afridoun, he +rejoiced greatly and sending at once for King Herdoub, read the +letter to him, whereat he was exceeding glad and said, "See the +craft of my mother; verily it dispenses with swords, and her +aspect stands in stead of the terrors of the Day of Fear." "May +the Messiah not bereave us of her," rejoined Afridoun, "nor +deprive her of her craft and knavery[FN#113]." Then he gave +orders for the sally, and the news was noised abroad in the city. +So the Christian troops and soldiers of the Cross drew their keen +sabres and sallied forth of the city, shouting out their impious +war-cries and blaspheming the Lord of all creatures. When the +Chamberlain saw them, he said, "Behold, the Christians are upon +us, whilst the most part of our troops are gone to the succour of +King Zoulmekan! They surely know of the absence of our Sultan and +most like they will attack us." Therewith he waxed angry and +cried out, "Ho, soldiers of Islam and defenders of the True +Faith, if you flee, you are lost, and if you stand fast, you will +conquer! Know that courage lies in endurance and that no case is +so desperate but that God is able to bring about its relief. May +He bless you and look upon you with eyes of compassion! "Then +the Muslims cried out, "God is most great!" and the believers in +the Divine Unity shouted the profession of the Faith and the two +hosts joined battle. The mill-wheels of war whirled round, with +cutting and thrusting; the swords and spears played and the +plains and valleys were filled with blood. The priests and monks +prayed aloud, girding on their girdles and uplifting the crosses, +whilst the Muslims shouted out the praises of the Requiting King +and chanted verses of the Koran. The hosts of the Compassionate +God fought against the legions of Satan and heads flew from +bodies, what while the good angels hovered above the people of +the Chosen Prophet, nor did the sword cease to play, till the day +departed and the night came with the shadows. Now the unbelievers +had encompassed the Muslims and made sure of overcoming the host +of the True Faith with the dawn, deeming not that they could +escape destruction. As soon as it was light, the Chamberlain +mounted, he and his men, trusting that God would help them, and +the two armies came together and joined battle. The fight raged +all along the line and heads flew from bodies, whilst the brave +stood fast and the faint-hearted turned their backs and fled; and +the Judge of death judged and gave sentence, so that the +champions fell from their saddles and the meadows were heaped +with the slain. Then the Muslims began to give back and the +Greeks took possession of some of their tents; whereupon the +Muslims were about to break and retreat, when behold, up came +Sherkan, with the rest of their troops and the standards of the +believers in the Unity of God, and fell upon the infidels, +followed by Zoulmekan and the Vizier Dendan and the Amirs Behram +and Rustem and Terkash. When the Christians saw this, they lost +their senses and their reason fled, and the dust clouds rose till +they covered the country, whilst the true believers joined their +pious comrades. Then Sherkan accosted the Chamberlain and praised +him for his steadfastness, and he in turn gave him joy of his +timely succour. Therewith the Muslims rejoiced and their hearts +were fortified; so they rushed upon the foe and devoted +themselves to God, in the battle for the Faith. When the infidels +saw the Mohammedan standards and read thereon the words +proclaiming the Unity of God, they shrieked aloud and said, +"Woe!" and "Ruin!" and besought succour of the priests and monks. +Moreover they fell to calling upon Jesus and Mary and the +abhorrent Cross and stayed their hands from the battle, whilst +King Afridoun went up to King Herdoub (to consult with him), for +the two kings stood one at the head of each wing. Now there was +with them also a famous cavalier named Lawiya, who was in command +of the centre, and the infidels drew out in battle-array; but +indeed they were full of alarm and disquiet. Meanwhile, the +Muslims arrayed their forces and Sherkan came to his brother +Zoulmekan and said to him, "O king of the age, doubtless they +mean to joust? and that is also what we desire; but it is my wish +to set in our van-ward battle the stoutest-hearted of our men: +for wise ordering is the half of life." "As thou wilt, O man of +good counsel," replied the Sultan. "It is my wish," added +Sherkan, "to be myself in the centre of the line, with the Vizier +Dendan on my left and thee on my right, whilst Behram and Rustem +command the right and left wing; and thou, O mighty King, shalt +be under the standards and the ensigns, for that thou art our +stay and upon thee, after God, is our dependence, and we will all +be thy ransom from aught that can harm thee." Zoulmekan thanked +him and the battle-cries arose and the sabres were drawn, when, +behold, there came forth a cavalier from the Grecian ranks; and +as he drew near, they saw that he was mounted on a slow-paced +mule, fleeing with her master from the shock of swords. Her +housings were of white silk, surmounted by a carpet of Cashmere +stuff, and on her back sat a gray-bearded old man of comely and +reverend aspect, clad in a gown of white wool. He spurred her on +till he came to the Muslims, to whom said he, "I am an ambassador +to you, and all an ambassador has to do is to deliver his +message; so give me a safe conduct and the right of speech, that +I may do my errand to you." "Thou art in safety," replied +Sherkan; "fear neither stroke of sword nor thrust of lance." +Thereupon the old man dismounted and taking the cross from his +neck, (laid it) before the Sultan and carried himself humbly to +him, after the fashion of one who hopes for fair treatment. Then +said the Muslims to him, "What is thy news?" He answered, "I am +an ambassador from King Afridoun, whom I counselled to avert the +destruction of all these manly bodies and images of the +Compassionate; and it seemed good to him to stop the shedding of +blood and limit the strife to the encounter of two horsemen in +battle; so he agreed to this and says to you, 'Verily, I will +ransom my troops with my life; so let the Muslim king do likewise +and ransom his army with his life. If he kill me, there will be +no stability left in the army of the Greeks, and if I kill him, +it will be the like with the Muslims.'" When Sherkan heard this, +he said, "O monk, we agree to this, for it is just; and behold I +will joust: with him, for I am champion of the Muslims, even as +he of the Christians; and if he slay me, he will have gained the +victory and there will remain for the Muslim army nothing but +flight. So return to him, O monk, and tell him that the combat +shall be for to-morrow, seeing that to-day we are weary with our +journey; but after rest there shall be neither reproach nor +blame." So the monk returned, rejoicing, to King Afridoun and +King Herdoub and told them what Sherkan had said, whereat +Afridoun was exceeding glad and lightened of anxiety and trouble +and said in himself, "No doubt but this Sherkan is the hardest +hitter of them with the sword and the dourest at push of pike; +and when I have slain him, their hearts will fail them and their +strength will be broken." Now Dhat ed Dewahi had written to King +Afridoun of this and told him that Sherkan was a cavalier of +cavaliers and a champion of champions and had warned him against +him; but Afridoun was a stalwart cavalier, who fought in many a +fashion; he could hurl stones and javelins and smite with the +iron mace and feared not the doughtiest of prowess in the dint of +war. So when he heard from the monk that Sherkan agreed to joust, +he well-nigh lost his reason for stress of joy, for that he had +confidence in himself and deemed that none could stand against +him. Then the infidels passed the night in joy and merry-making +and wine-drinking, and as soon as it was day, the two armies drew +out in battle array, with their brown spears and white swords. +Presently, they saw a cavalier prick out into the plain, mounted +on a stout and swift charger equipped for war: he was of great +stature and was clad in a cuirass of steel made for stress of +battle. On his breast he wore a jewelled mirror and in his hand +he bore a keen scimitar and a lance of khelenj wood[FN#114] of +curious Frankish workmanship. He uncovered his face and cried +out, saying, "Whoso knoweth me hath enough of me, and whoso +knoweth me not shall see who I am. I am Afridoun he who is +overborne by the blessing of Shewahi Dhat ed Dewahi." Before he +had made an end of speaking, Sherkan, the champion of the +Muslims, spurred out to meet him, mounted on a sorrel horse worth +a thousand [dinars] of red gold, with housings embroidered in +pearls and jewels, and girt with a sword of watered Indian steel, +that shore through necks and made hard ventures easy. He drove +his charger between the two armies, whilst the horsemen all gazed +on him, and cried out to Afridoun, saying, "Out on thee, O +accursed one, dost thou think me as one of the horsemen thou hast +met, that cannot stand against thee in the mellay?" Then they +rushed upon one another and came together like two mountains +crashing or two seas breaking each against each. So they advanced +and retreated and drew together and parted and ceased not to +joust and battle with stroke of sword and thrust of spear, whilst +the two armies looked on. Some said, "Afridoun will conquer," and +other some, "Sherkan;" and they stayed not their hands from the +battle, till the clamour of the bystanders subsided and the +dust-clouds rose and the day waned and the sun began to grow +pale. Then King Afridoun cried out to Sherkan, saying, "By the +virtue of the Messiah and the True Faith, thou art a doughty +horseman and a stalwart fighting man, but thou art guileful and +thy nature is not that of the freeborn and meseemeth thy fashion +is other than praiseworthy nor is thy fighting that of a prince; +for see, thy people even thee with slaves[FN#115] and bring thee +out a charger other than thine, that thou mayst (mount him and) +return to the battle. But by the virtue of the Messiah, thy +fighting fatigues me and I am weary of cutting and thrusting with +thee; and if thou wert purposed to do battle with me tonight thou +wouldst not change aught of thy harness nor thy horse till thou +hadst shown the cavaliers thy valour and skill in fight." When +Sherkan heard him say that his own folk evened him with slaves, +he was angry and turned towards his men, meaning to sign to them +and bid them not prepare him change of armour or horse, when, +behold, Afridoun shook his javelin in the air and hurled it at +Sherkan. Now, when the latter turned, he found none behind him +and knew that this was a trick of the accursed infidel; so he +wheeled round in haste and seeing the javelin coming at him, +swerved from it, till his head was level with the pommel of his +saddle. The javelin grazed his breast and pierced the skin, for +Sherkan was high-bosomed: so he gave one cry and swooned away. +Then the accursed Afridoun was glad, thinking that he had slain +him, and called to the Christians to rejoice, whereat the +infidels were encouraged and the true believers wept. When +Zoulmekan saw his brother reeling from side to side in his +saddle, so that he had well-nigh fallen, he sent cavaliers to his +succour; whereupon the infidels drove at the Muslims and the two +hosts joined battle, whilst the keen Yemen blades played among +them. The first to reach Sherkan were Dendan and Rustem and +Behram, who found him on the point of falling off his horse; so +they stayed him in his saddle and carried him to Zoulmekan; then +giving him in charge to his servants, returned to the battle. +Then the strife redoubled and the weapons clashed, and there was +nought to be heard but the roar of the battle nor to be seen but +blood flowing and necks bending beneath the blows; nor did the +swords cease to play on men's necks nor the strife to rage more +and more, till the most part of the night was past and the two +hosts were weary of battle. So they called a truce and each army +returned to its tents, whilst all the infidels repaired to King +Afridoun and kissed the earth before him, and the priests and +monks wished him joy of his victory over Sherkan. Then he went up +into Constantinople and sat down upon his throne; and King +Herdoub came to him and said, "May the Messiah strengthen thine +arm and cease never to be thy helper and hearken to the prayers +of my pious mother on thy behalf! Know that the Muslims can make +no stand, now they have lost Sherkan." "To-morrow," replied +Afridoun, "shall end the war, for I will seek out Zoulmekan and +slay him, and their army shall turn tail and take to flight." + +Meanwhile, Zoulmekan returned to his tent thinking of nothing but +his brother, and going in to the latter's pavilion, found him in +evil plight; whereat he was sore troubled and sent for the Vizier +Dendan and the Amirs Behram and Rustem, that he might take +counsel with them. When they entered, they were all of accord to +summon the physicians to treat Sherkan, and they wept and said, +"The age will not lightly afford his like!" They watched by him +all that night, and towards morning there came to them the +pretended recluse, weeping. When Zoulmekan saw her, he rose to +receive her; and she stroked Sherkan's wound with her hand, +chanting somewhat of the Koran and repeating some of the signs of +the Compassionate One. Then she kept watch over him till the day, +when he came to himself and opening his eyes, moved his tongue in +his mouth and spoke. At this Zoulmekan rejoiced, saying, "Verily +the blessing of the holy man hath taken effect on him!" And +Sherkan said, "Praised be God for recovery; indeed, I am well +now. Yonder accursed one played me false, and but that I swerved +aside quicklier than lightning, the javelin had pierced me +through and through. So praised be God for my safety! How is it +with the Muslims?" "They weep for thee," answered Zoulmekan. +Quoth Sherkan, "I am well and in good case; but where is the holy +man?" Now she was sitting by him and said, "At thy head." So he +turned to her and kissed her hand; and she said, "O my son, it +behoves thee to arm thyself with patience, and God shall make +great thy reward; for the guerdon is measured by that which has +been endured." Quoth Sherkan, "Pray for me," and she did so. As +soon as it was morning and the day arose and shone, the Muslims +sallied out into the field, and the Christians made ready to cut +and thrust. Then the host of the Muslims advanced and offered +battle; and Zoulmekan and Afridoun made ready to tilt at one +another. But when Zoulmekan sallied out into the field, there +came with him Dendan and Behram and the Chamberlain, saying, "We +will be thy sacrifice." "By the Holy House and the Well Zemzem +and the Stead of Abraham,"[FN#116] exclaimed he, "I will not be +hindered from going forth against these barbarians!" So he rode +out into the field and played with sword and spear, till both +armies wondered; then he rushed upon the right wing of the Greek +army and slew two knights and in like manner dealt he with the +left wing. Then he stayed his steed in the midst of the field and +cried out, "Where is Afridoun, that I may make him drink the cup +of humiliation?" But King Herdoub conjured Afridoun not to budge +from the field, saying, "O King, it was thy turn yesterday: +to-day it is mine. I reck not of his prowess." So he pricked out +towards Zoulmekan, with a sabre in his hand and under him a jet +black horse, swift as he were Abjer, he that was Antar's horse, +even as says the poet: + +He vies with the glance of the eye on a swift-footed steed, That + fares as it had a mind to outstrip Fate. +The hue of his hide is the blackest of all things black, Like + night, when the shadows shroud it in sable state. +The sound of his neighing troubles the hearts of men, As it were + thunder that echoes in heaven's gate. +If he run a race with the wind, he leads the way, Nor can the + lightning outstrip him, early or late. + +Then each rushed upon the other, guarding himself from his blows +and showing the rare qualities that were in him and the wonders +of his prowess; and they fell to advancing and retreating and +ceased not to flee and return to the attack and wheel hither and +thither, till the breasts of the bystanders were straitened (for +anxiety) and they were weary of waiting for the event. At last, +Zoulmekan cried out and rushing upon Herdoub, King of Caesarea, +dealt him such a blow that he shore his head from his body and +made an end of him. When the infidels saw this, they all rushed +at Zoulmekan, who met them in mid-field, and they fell to cutting +and thrusting, till the blood ran in streams. Then the Muslims +cried out, "God is most great;" and "There is no god but God;" +and invoked blessings on the Giver of Good Tidings, the +Admonisher of Mankind,[FN#117] and there befell a great battle. +But God sent help to the faithful and confusion to the infidels. +The Vizier Dendan shouted, "Avenge King Omar ben Ennuman and his +son Sherkan!" and baring his head, cried out to the Turks. Now +there were beside him more than twenty thousand horse, who all +charged with him as one man, and the unbelievers found nothing +for it but flight. So they turned their backs to flee, whilst the +keen sabres wrought havoc amongst them and the Muslims slew of +them that day more than fifty thousand cavaliers and took more +than that: and much people also were slain at the going in of the +gates by reason of the greatness of the crowd, whilst the +Christians mounted the walls, fearing an assault. Then the +Muslims returned to their tents, fortified and victorious, and +King Zoulmekan went in to his brother, whom he found in the most +joyous case. So he returned thanks to the Bountiful, the Exalted +One and gave Sherkan joy of his deliverance. "Verily," answered +he, "we are all under the benediction of this holy and God-fearing +man, nor would you have been victorious, but for his +effectual prayers; for all day he hath never ceased to invoke +victory on the Muslims. I found strength return to me, when I +heard you cry, 'God is most great!' for then I knew you had +gotten the better of your enemies. But now tell me, O my brother, +what befell thee." So he told him all that had passed, how he had +slain the accursed Herdoub and he had gone to the malediction of +God; and Sherkan praised his prowess. When Dhat ed Dewahi heard +tell of her son's death, the blood fled from her face and her +eyes ran over with streaming tears; however, she kept her counsel +and feigned to the Muslims that she was glad and wept for excess +of joy: but she said in herself, "By the virtue of the Messiah, +there remains no profit of my life, if I make not his heart bleed +for his brother Sherkan, even as he has made mine bleed for King +Herdoub, the mainstay of the Christian faith and the hosts of the +Cross!" + +The Vizier Dendan and Zoulmekan and the Chamberlain abode with +Sherkan, till they had dressed his wound and anointed it; after +which they gave him medicines and he began to recover his +strength; whereat they were exceeding glad and told the troops, +who rejoiced greatly, saying, "To-morrow he will ride with us and +take part in the siege." Then said Sherkan to them, "You have +fought all day and are weary, and it behoves that you return to +your tents and sleep and not watch." So they went away all to +their tents and there remained none with Sherkan but Dhat ed +Dewahi and a few servants. He talked with her awhile, then lay +down to rest, he and his servants, and soon sleep overcame them +all and they were as dead men. But the old woman abode awake and +looking at Sherkan, saw that he was drowned in sleep. So she +sprang to her feet, as she were a bald she-bear or a speckled +snake, and drew from her girdle a poisoned knife, that would have +melted a rock if laid thereon; then going up to Sherkan, she drew +the knife across his throat and cut off his head. After this, she +went up to the sleeping servants and cut off their heads also, +lest they should awake. Then she left the tent and made for the +Sultan's pavilion, but finding the guards awake, turned to that +of the Vizier. He was reading the Koran and seeing her, said, +"Welcome, O holy man!" When she heard this, her heart trembled +and she said, "The reason of my coming hither at this time is +that I heard the voice of a friend of God and am going to him." +Then she went away, but the Vizier said to himself, "By Allah, I +will follow the holy man to-night!" So he rose and went after +her: but the accursed old woman heard his footsteps and knew that +he was following her: wherefore she feared discovery and said in +herself, "Except I put him off with some trick, he will discover +me." So she turned and said to him from afar, "Harkye, Vizier, I +am going after this saint, that I may know who he is; and after I +will ask his leave for thee to join him. Then I will come back +and tell thee; for I fear to let thee accompany me, without his +leave, lest he take umbrage at seeing thee with me." When the +Vizier heard this, he was abashed and knew not what to answer; so +he left her and returning to his tent, would have slept; but +sleep was not favourable to him and the world was straitened upon +him. So he rose and went out, saying in himself, "I will go talk +with Sherkan till the morning." But when he came to Sherkan's +tent, he found the blood running like a rivulet and saw the +servants lying dead. At this he gave a cry that aroused all who +were asleep, and they hastened to him and seeing the blood +streaming, set up a clamour of weeping and lamentation. The noise +awoke the Sultan, who enquired what was the matter, and they said +to him, "Sherkan and his servants are murdered." So he rose in +haste and entering the tent, saw his brother's headless trunk and +the Vizier by it shrieking aloud. At this sight, he swooned away +and all the troops stood round him, weeping and crying aloud, +till he came to himself, when he looked at Sherkan and wept sore, +whilst all who were present did the like. Then said Zoulmekan, +"Know ye who did this, and how is it I see not the recluse, him +who hath put away the things of the world?" Quoth the Vizier, +"And who should have been the cause of this our affliction, save +that devotee of Satan? By Allah, my heart shrank from him from +the first, because I know that all who profess to be absorbed in +the things of the faith are corrupt and treacherous!" And he told +the King how he would have followed the devotee, but he forbade +him; whereupon the folk broke out into weeping and lamentation +and besought Him who is ever near at hand, Him who answereth +prayer, to cause the false recluse, who denied His evidences, to +fall into their hands. Then they laid Sherkan out and buried him +in the mountain aforesaid, mourning over his renowned virtues, +after which they looked for the opening of the city-gate; but it +opened not and none appeared to them on the walls; whereat they +wondered exceedingly, and King Zoulmekan said, "By Allah, I will +not turn back from them, though I tarry here years and years, +till I take my wreak of my brother Sherkan and lay Constantinople +in ruins and slay the King of the Nazarenes, even if death +overcome me and I be at rest from this sorry world!" Then he +brought out the treasure he had taken from the hermitage of +Metrouhena and mustering the troops, divided it amongst them, nor +was there one of them but he gave him what contented him. +Moreover, he called together three hundred horse of every +division and said to them, "Do ye send succours to your family, +for I am resolved to camp here, till I have taken my revenge for +my brother Sherkan, even if I die in this place." Then he +summoned couriers and gave them letters and charged them to do +the soldiers' errands to their families and let them know that +they were safe and in good heart, but that they were encamped +before Constantinople, resolved either to destroy it or perish, +and that, though they should abide there months and years, they +would not depart thence till they had taken the city. Moreover, +he bade Dendan write to his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman, acquainting +her with what had befallen them and with their situation and +commending his child to her care, since that, when he went out to +war, his wife was near her delivery and must needs by that time +have been brought to bed; and if she had given birth to a son, he +charged the messengers to hasten their return and bring him the +news. Then he gave them money and they set out at once, and all +the people came out to take leave of them and entrust them with +the money and the messages they wished to send to their families. +After they had departed, Zoulmekan turned to the Vizier and +commanded him to push forward with the army against the city +walls. So the troops advanced, but found none on the walls, +whereat they marvelled and Zoulmekan was troubled. + +To return to Dhat ed Dewahi. As soon as she had slain Sherkan, +she hastened to the walls of Constantinople and called out in the +Greek tongue to the guards, to throw her down a rope. Quoth they, +"Who art thou?" and she said, "I am the princess Dhat ed Dewahi." +They knew her and threw her down a rope, to which she tied +herself, and they drew her up into the city. Then she went in to +King Afridoun and said to him, "What is this I hear from the +Muslims? They say that my son King Herdoub is slain." He +answered, "It is true;" and when she heard this, she shrieked out +and wept so grievously, that she made Afridoun and all who were +present weep also. Then she told the King how she had slain +Sherkan and thirty of his servants, whereat he rejoiced and +thanked her and kissed her hands and exhorted her to resignation +for the loss of her son. "By the Messiah," said she, "I will not +rest content with killing one of the Muslim dogs in revenge for +my son, a king of the kings of the age! But I will assuredly make +shift to kill the Sultan Zoulmekan and the Vizier Dendan and the +Chamberlain and Rustem and Behram and ten thousand cavaliers of +the army of Islam to boot; for it shall never be that my son's +head be paid with the blood-wit of Sherkan's head only." Then +said she to Afridoun, "It is my wish that mourning be made for my +son Herdoub and that the girdle be cut and the crosses broken." +"Do what thou wilt," replied Afridoun; "I will not gainsay thee +in aught. And if thou prolong thy mourning, it were a little +thing; for though the Muslims beleaguer us years and years, they +will never compass their will of us nor get aught of us but +trouble and weariness." Then she took ink-horn and paper and +wrote the following letter: "Shewaha Dhat ed Dewahi to the host +of the Muslims. Know that I entered your country and duped your +nobles and slew your king Omar ben Ennuman in the midst of his +palace. Moreover, I slew, in the battle of the mountain pass and +of the grotto, many of your men, and the last I killed were +Sherkan and his servants. And if fortune favour me and Satan obey +me, I will assuredly kill your Sultan and the Vizier Dendan, for +I am she who came to you in the disguise of a recluse and ye were +the dupes of my tricks and devices. Wherefore, if you be minded +to be in safety, depart at once; and if you covet your own +destruction, abide where you are; for though ye abide here years +and years, ye shall not come by your desire of us; and so peace +be on you." Then she devoted three days to mourning for her son +King Herdoub, and on the fourth day, she called a knight and bade +him make the letter fast to an arrow and shoot it into the Muslim +camp; after which she entered the church and gave herself up to +weeping and lamentation for the loss of her son, saying to him +who took the kingship after him, "Nothing will serve me but I +must kill Zoulmekan and all the princes of Islam." + +Meanwhile, the Muslims passed three days in concern and anxiety, +and on the fourth day, they saw a knight on the wall, holding a +bow and about to shoot an arrow to which was fastened a letter. +So they waited till he had shot, and the King bade the Vizier +Dendan take the letter and read it. He did so, and when Zoulmekan +heard its purport, his eyes filled with tears and he shrieked for +anguish at the old woman's perfidy, and Dendan said, "By Allah, +my heart shrank from her!" "How could this traitress impose upon +us twice?" exclaimed Zoulmekan. "By Allah, I will not depart +hence till I fill her kaze with molten lead and set her in a +cage, as men do birds, then bind her with her hair and crucify +her at the gate of Constantinople." Then he addressed himself +again to the leaguer of the city, promising his men that, if it +should be taken, he would divide its treasures equally among +them. After this, he bethought him of his brother and wept sore; +and his tears ceased not to flow, till his body was wasted with +grief, as it were a bodkin. But the Vizier Dendan came in to him +and said, "Take comfort and be consoled; thy brother died not but +because his hour was come, and there is no profit in this +mourning. How well says the poet: + +That which is not to be shall by no means be brought To pass, and + that which is to be shall come, unsought, +Even at the time ordained: but he that knoweth not The truth is + still deceived and finds his hopes grown nought. + +Wherefore do thou leave this weeping and lamentation and +strengthen thy heart to bear arms." "O Vizier," replied +Zoulmekan, "my heart is heavy for the death of my brother and +father and our absence from our native land, and my mind is +concerned for my subjects." Thereupon the Vizier and the +bystanders wept; but they ceased not from the leaguer of +Constantinople, till, after awhile, news arrived from Baghdad, by +one of the Amirs, that the Sultan's wife had given birth to a son +and that the princess Nuzhet ez Zeman had named him Kanmakan. +Moreover, his sister wrote to him that the boy bid fair to be a +prodigy and that she had commanded the priests and preachers to +pray for them from the pulpits; also, that they were all well and +had been blessed with abundant rains and that his comrade the +stoker was in the enjoyment of all prosperity, with slaves and +servants to attend upon him; but that he was still ignorant of +what had befallen him. Zoulmekan rejoiced greatly at this news +and said to the Vizier Dendan, "Now is my hope fulfilled and my +back strengthened, in that I have been vouchsafed a son. +Wherefore I am minded to leave mourning and let make recitations +of the Koran over my brother's tomb and do almsdeeds on his +account." Quoth the Vizier, "It is well." Then he caused tents to +be pitched over his brother's tomb and they gathered together +such of the troops as could repeat the Koran. Some fell to +reciting the Koran, whilst others chanted the litanies of the +praise of God, and thus they did till the morning, when Zoulmekan +went up to the tomb of his brother Sherkan and shedding copious +tears, repeated the following verses: + +They bore him forth, whilst all who went behind him wept and + cried Such cries as Moses gave, when God broke down the + mountain side, +Till to a tomb they came, whose grave seemed dug in all men's + hearts By whom the unity of God is held and glorified. +I had not thought, or ere they bore thee forth upon the bier, To + see my joy upon the hands of men uplifted ride; +Nor, till they laid thee in the grave, could I have ever deemed + That stars could leave their place in heaven and in the dark + earth hide. +Is the indweller of the tomb the hostage of a pit, In which, for + that his face is there, splendour and light abide? +Lo, praise has ta'en upon itself to bring him back to life; Now + that his body's hid, his fame's shown forth and magnified. + +When he had made an end of reciting these verses, he wept and all +the troops wept with him; then he threw himself on the tomb, wild +with grief, and the Vizier repeated the words of the poet: + +That which fleets past thou hast left and won what endureth for + aye, And even as thou are the folk, that were and have + passed away; +And yet it was not of thy will that thou quittedst this house of + the world; For here hadst thou joy and delight of all that + befell in thy day. +How oft hast thou proven thyself a succour and shield from the + foe, When the arrows and javelins of war flew thick in the + midst of the fray! +I see that this world's but a cheat and a vanity after all, And + ever to seek out the Truth all creatures desire and essay! +The Lord of the Empyrean vouchsafe thee in heaven to dwell And + the Guide assign thee therein a goodly sojourn, I pray! +I bid thee adieu with a sigh and I see, for the loss of thee, The + East and the West o'ershadowed with mourning and dismay. + +When the Vizier had finished, he wept sore, and the tears fell +from his eyes, like a network of pearls. Then came forward one of +Sherkan's boon-companions, weeping till his eyes resembled +rivers, and recalled the dead man's noble qualities, reciting the +following cinquains: + +Where be thy giving, alas! and the hand of thy bounty fled? They + lie in the earth, and my body is wasted for drearihead. +O guide of the camel-litters,[FN#118] (may God still gladden thy + stead!) My tears on my cheeks have written, in characters of + red, + That which would both rejoice thee and fill thee with + pain and dread! +By Allah, 'twixt me and my heart, not a word of thee is said Nor + doth the thought of thy grace and thy glory pass through my + head, +But that mine eyes are wounded by dint of the tears I shed! Yea, + if to rest on another my glance be ever led, + May my lids be drawn in slumber by longing for the + dead! + +Then Zoulmekan and Dendan wept sore and the whole army lamented +aloud; after which they all withdrew to their tents, and +Zoulmekan turned to Dendan and took counsel with him concerning +the conduct of the war. On this wise they passed days and nights, +what while Zoulmekan was weighed down with grief and concern, +till at last he said to the Vizier, "I have a mind to hear +stories of adventures and chronicles of kings and tales of folk +oppressed of love, so haply God may make this to solace the heavy +anxiety that is on my heart and do away from me weeping and +lamentation." "O King," replied Dendan, "if nought but hearing +pleasant tales of bygone kings and peoples and stories of folk +oppressed of love and so forth can dispel thy trouble, the thing +is easy, for I had no other business, in the lifetime of thy late +father, than to tell him stories and repeat verses to him; so, +this very night, I will tell thee a story of a lover and his +beloved, which shall lighten thy heart." When Zoulmekan heard +this, his heart yearned after that which the Vizier promised him +and he did nothing but watch for the coming of the night, that he +might hear what he had to tell. So, no sooner had the night +closed in, than he bade light the lamps and the candles and bring +all that was needful of meat and drink and perfumes and what not +and sending for Dendan, Rustem, Behram, Terkash and the Grand +Chamberlain, turned to the Vizier and said, "O Vizier, behold, +the night is come and hath let down its veils over us, and we +desire that thou tell us that which thou didst promise us." "With +all my heart," replied the Vizier "Know, O august King, that I +have heard tell a story of a lover and a loved one and of the +discourse between them and of the rare and pleasant things that +befell them, a story such as does away care from the heart and +dispels sorrow like unto that of the patriarch Jacob: and it is +as follows: + + + + +Story of Taj El Mulouk and the Princess Dunya. + + + +There stood once, behind the mountains of Ispahan, a town called +the Green City, in which dwelt a king named Suleiman Shah, a man +of virtue and beneficence, just, generous and loyal, to whom +travellers resorted from all parts, for his renown was noised +abroad in all cities and countries; and he reigned over the +country for many years, in all honour and prosperity, save that +he had neither wife nor child. Now he had a vizier who was akin +to him in goodness and generosity, and one day, he sent for him +and said to him, 'O my Vizier, my heart is heavy and my patience +at end and my strength fails me, for that I have neither wife nor +child. This is not of the fashion of kings that rule over all, +princes and beggars; for they rejoice in leaving behind them +children, who shall succeed them and by whom both their number +and strength are multiplied. Quoth the Prophet (whom God bless +and preserve), "Marry and engender and multiply, that I may boast +myself of you over the peoples on the Day of Resurrection." So +what is thy counsel, O Vizier? Advise me what is fitting to +be done.' When the Vizier heard this, the tears streamed from +his eyes and he replied, 'God forbid, O king of the age, that +I should speak on that which is of the pertinence of the +Compassionate One! Wilt thou have me cast into the fire by the +wrath of the All-powerful King? Buy a concubine.' 'Know, O +Vizier,' rejoined the King, 'that when a prince buys a female +slave, he knows neither her condition nor her lineage and thus +cannot tell if she be of mean extraction, that he may abstain +from her, or of gentle blood, that he may be intimate with her. +So if he have commerce with her, belike she will conceive by him +and her son be a hypocrite, a tyrant and a shedder of blood. +Indeed such a woman may be likened to a salt soil, which, if one +till it, yields only worthless crops; for it may be the son in +question will be obnoxious to the wrath of his Lord, doing not +that which He commandeth him neither abstaining from that which +He forbiddeth him. Wherefore I will never risk being the cause of +this, through the purchase of a concubine; and it is my will, +therefore, that thou demand for me in marriage the daughter of +some one of the kings, whose lineage is known and whose beauty is +renowned. If thou canst direct me to some king's daughter of the +Muslims, who is a woman of good birth and piety, I will seek her +hand and marry her before witnesses, that the favour of the Lord +of all creatures may accrue to me thereby.' 'O King,' said the +Vizier, 'God hath fulfilled thy need and hath brought thee to thy +desire; for it hath come to my knowledge that King Zehr Shah, +Lord of the White Country, hath a daughter of surpassing beauty, +whom report fails to describe; she hath not her equal in this +age, being perfect in beauty and symmetry, with melting black +eyes and long hair, slender-waisted and heavy-hipped. When she +draws nigh, she seduces, and when she turns her back, she slays, +ravishing heart and sight, even as says of her the poet: + +A slender one, her shape confounds the branch of the cassia tree; + Nor sun nor moon can with her face for brightness evened be. +Meseems, the water of her mouth is honey blent with wine; Ay, and + her teeth are finer pearls than any in the sea. +The purest white and deepest black meet in her glittering glance + And shapelier than the black-eyed maids of Paradise is she. +How many a man her eyes have slain, who perished in despair; The + love of her's a way wherein are fear and misery. +If I would live, behold, she's death! I may not think of her, + Lest I should die; for, lacking her, life's nothing worth to + me. + +So it is my counsel, O King, that thou despatch to her father a +sagacious and experienced ambassador, versed in the conduct of +affairs, who shall with courteous and persuasive speech demand +her in marriage for thee; for she hath not her equal in the +world, far or near. So shalt thou enjoy her beauty in the way of +right and the Lord of Glory be content with thee; for it is +reported of the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve) that he +said, "There is no monkery in Islam." At this the King was +transported to the perfection of delight; his heart was lightened +and his breast dilated and care and anxiety ceased from him; and +he said to the Vizier, 'None shall go about this business but +thou, by reason of thy consummate wit and good breeding; +wherefore do thou make ready by the morrow and depart and demand +me this girl in marriage, with whom thou hast made my heart to be +engrossed; nor do thou return to me but with her.' 'I hear and +obey,' replied the Vizier, and withdrawing to his own house, made +ready a present such as befits kings, of jewels and other +precious things, light of carriage but heavy of worth, besides +Arabian horses and coats of mail, fine-wrought as those which +David made,[FN#119] and chests of treasure, such as speech &fails +to describe. These all he loaded upon camels and mules and set +out, with flags and banners flying before him and attended by a +hundred white slaves and the like number of black and a hundred +slave-girls. The King charged him to return to him speedily; so +he set out, leaving Suleiman Shah on coals of fire, engrossed +night and day with desire for the princess, and fared on, without +ceasing, night and day, across plains and deserts, till there +remained but a day's journey between him and the city to which he +was bound. Here he halted on the banks of a river, and calling +one of his chief officers, bade him hasten forward to King Zehr +Shah and announce his approach. Accordingly, the messenger rode +on in haste to the city and was about to enter it, when the King, +who chanced to be seated in one of his pleasaunces before the +gate, espied him and knowing him for a stranger, bade bring him +before him. So when the messenger came into his presence, he +informed him of the approach of the Vizier of the mighty King +Suleiman Shah, Lord of the Green Country and of the mountains of +Ispahan; whereat King Zehr Shah rejoiced and bade him welcome. +Then he carried him to his palace and said to him, 'Where didst +thou leave the Vizier?' 'I left him,' replied the messenger, 'at +the first of the day, on the banks of such a river, and he will +be with thee to-morrow, may God continue His favours to thee +and have mercy upon thy parents!' Whereupon the King commanded +one of his Viziers to take the better part of his nobles and +chamberlains and officers and grandees and go out to meet the +ambassador, in honour of King Suleiman Shah, for that his +dominion extended over the country. + +Meanwhile, King Suleiman's Vizier abode in his stead, till the +night was half spent, when he set out for the city; but hardly +had the day appeared and the sun risen upon the hills and plains, +when he saw King Zehr Shah's Vizier approaching with his retinue +and the two parties joined company at some parasangs' distance +from the city. At this the Vizier made sure of the success of his +errand and saluted the new-comers, who escorted him to the King's +palace and forewent him to the seventh vestibule, where none +might enter on horseback, for it was near the presence chamber of +the King. So the Vizier alighted and walked on till he came to a +lofty hall, at the upper end whereof stood a couch of alabaster, +set with pearls end jewels and having four elephants' tusks for +feet. It was covered with a mattress of green satin, embroidered +with red gold, and surmounted by a canopy adorned with pearls and +jewels, and on it sat King Zehr Shah, whilst his officers of +state stood in attendance on him. When the Vizier stood before +him, he composed himself and loosing his tongue, displayed such +skill of speech as befits viziers and saluted the King in +eloquent and complimentary language, reciting the following +verses in his honour: + +He cometh, bending gracefully in his robes and shedding dew Of + bounty over the thirsting land and the folk to him that sue. +Indeed, he charmeth; nor amulets nor spells nor magic may Avail + to ward off the faithful glance of those his eyes from you. +Say to the censurers, "Blame me not: whilst life abide in me, + I'll never swerve from the love of him nor turn to love + anew." +Lo, slumber surely is tired of me and fallen in love with him, + And even my heart hath played me false and but to him is + true! +O heart, thou art not the only one that loves and tenders him, So + get thee gone and bide with him and leave me here to rue! +Except the praise of the King Zehr Shah it be that folk acclaim, + There's nought rejoices mine ears, in sooth, to hearken + thereunto. +A King, the sight of whose glorious face would well thy pains + repay; Though thou shouldst lavish thy heart's best blood, + so great a grace to woo. +If thou be minded to offer up a pious prayer for him, Thou'lt + find but true believer, and sharers the whole world through. +O folk of this realm, if any forswear his governance And look for + another, I hold him none of the faithful few + +When the Vizier had made an end of his speech, the King bade him +draw near and showed him the utmost honour then seating him by +his own side, he smiled in his face and made him a gracious +reply. They conversed till the time of the morning-meal, when the +attendants brought in the tables of food and they all ate till +they were satisfied, after which the tables were removed and all +who were present withdrew, with the exception of the chief +officers; which when the Vizier saw, he rose to his feet, and +after complimenting the King a second time and kissing the earth +before him, spoke as follows: 'O mighty king and august prince, I +have travelled hither and am come to thee upon an errand, wherein +is profit and good and prosperity for thee; and it is that I come +as ambassador to thee, seeking the hand of thy noble and +illustrious daughter, from the most just, loyal and excellent +King Suleiman Shah, Lord of the Green Country and of the +mountains of Ispahan, who sends thee many and rare presents and +gifts of price, ardently desiring thine alliance. Art thou, then, +minded to him as he to thee?' And he was silent, awaiting a +reply. When the King heard his words he sprang to his feet +and kissed the earth respectfully before the Vizier, to the +amazement of the bystanders, whose minds were confounded at his +condescension to the ambassador. Then he praised Him who is the +Lord of glory and honour and replied, still standing, 'O mighty +Vizier and illustrious lord, hear what I say. Verily we are of +the subjects of King Suleiman Shah and are ennobled by his +alliance and aspire ardently thereto. My daughter is one of his +handmaids, and it is my dearest wish that he may become my stay +and my support in time of need.' Then he summoned the Cadis and +the witnesses, who took act that King Suleiman had deputed his +Vizier his proxy to conclude the marriage, and King Zehr Shah +joyfully consented on behalf of his daughter. So the Cadis drew +up the marriage contract and offered up prayers for the happiness +and prosperity of the contracting parties; after which the Vizier +arose and fetching the gifts and rarities and precious things +that he had brought with him, laid them all before the King, who +betook himself to the equipment of his daughter, honourably +entreating the Vizier and feasting great and small; and they held +high festival for two months, omitting nought that could gladden +heart and eye. When all was ready that was needful for the bride, +the King caused the tents to be pitched without the city and they +packed the bride's clothes and jewels in chests and loaded them +on mules and camels. Now he had provided his daughter with Greek +handmaids and Turkish slave-girls and great store of jewels and +precious things, and had let make for her a litter of red gold +inlaid with pearls and jewels, which within was as one of the +chambers of a palace and without as one of the pavilions of +Paradise, whilst its mistress seemed as she were of the lovely +hours. Moreover, he furnished her also with twenty mules for the +journey and brought her three parasangs forward on her road, +after which he bade her and the Vizier farewell and returned to +his own city in peace and gladness. Meanwhile, the Vizier and his +company fared on by forced marches, traversing plains and deserts +and staying not day or night, till they came within three days' +journey of King Suleiman's capital, when the Vizier despatched a +messenger to acquaint the King with their arrival. The messenger +hastened forward till he reached the King's presence and +announced to him the coming of the bride, whereat he rejoiced and +bestowed on him a dress of honour. Then he bade his troops don +their richest apparel and sally forth in grand procession, with +banners flying, to meet the princess and her company and do them +honour, and let cry throughout the city that neither cloistered +damsel nor honoured lady nor infirm old woman should fail to go +forth to meet the bride. So they all went out to meet her and the +chiefest of them vied in doing her service, meaning to bring her +to the King's palace by night. Moreover, the grandees agreed to +decorate the road and stand on either side, whilst the bride +should pass by, clad in the robes her father had given her and +preceded by her eunuchs and serving-women. So at the appointed +time, she made her appearance, surrounded by the troops, these on +her right hand and those on her left, and the litter ceased not +going with her, till they drew near the palace; nor was there any +one but came forth to gaze upon the show. The drums beat and the +lances were brandished, the trumpets blared and the banners +fluttered and the horses pranced, whilst fragrant odours breathed +around, till they reached the gate of the palace and the pages +entered with the litter through the private gate. The place shone +with its splendours and the walls glittered for the lustre of its +ornaments. When the night came, the eunuchs threw open the doors +of the bride-chamber and stood on either hand; whereupon the +bride entered, among her damsels, like the moon among stars or a +pearl of matchless beauty in a string of lesser pearls, and +seated herself upon a couch of alabaster inlaid with pearls and +jewels, that had been set for her there. Then came the King in to +her and God filled his heart with love of her; so he did away her +maidenhead, and his trouble and disquiet ceased from him. She +conceived by him the first night, and he abode with her well-nigh +a month, at the end of which time he went forth and seating +himself on his throne of state, dispensed justice to his +subjects, till the months of her pregnancy were accomplished. +Towards daybreak on the last night of the ninth month, the queen +was seized with the pangs of labour; so she sat down on the stool +of delivery and God made the travail easy to her, so that she +gave birth to a male child, on whom appeared the signs of happy +fortune. When the King heard of this, he rejoiced with an +exceeding joy and rewarded the bearer of the good tidings with +much treasure. Then, of his gladness, he went in to the child and +kissed him between the eyes, wondering at his brilliant beauty; +for in him was the saying of the poet made truth: + +God hath a lion given in him unto the forts of fame And in the + heaven of high estate hath set another star. +Lo, at his birth, the spears shake all and all the wild deer + start And all the chieftains of the folk and all the men of + war! +So mount him not upon the breasts, for he shall surely deem That + horses' backs for such as he the softer sitting are; +And wean ye him from sucking milk, for he eftsoon shall find The + blood of foemen in the field the sweeter drink by far. + +The midwives took the new-born child and cut the cord of his +navel, after which they anointed his eyes with kohl and named him +Taj el Mulouk Kharan. He was suckled at the breast of delight and +reared in the lap of favouring fortune, and the days ran on and +the years passed by, till he reached the age of seven. Then the +King his father summoned the doctors and learned men and bade +them teach his son writing and science and polite letters. This +they did for some years, till he had learnt all that was needful, +when the King took him out of the professors' hands and committed +him to a master, who taught him horsemanship and the use of arms, +till the boy attained the age of fourteen and became proficient +in martial exercises. Moreover, he outshone all the people of his +time for the excess of his beauty; so that, whenever he went +abroad on any occasion, all who saw him were ravished with him +and made verses in his honour, and even the virtuous were seduced +by his brilliant loveliness. Quoth the poet of him: + +A tender branch, that from the breeze hath ta'en its nourishment! + I clipped him and straightway became drunk with his sweetest + scent; +Not drunken with the drunkenness of one who drinketh wine, But + with the honey of his mouth fulfilled of languishment. +All loveliness comprised is within his perfect form, So that o'er + all the hearts of men he reigns omnipotent. +By God, forgetfulness of him shall never cross my mind. What + while I wear the chains of life, nor even when they're rent! +Lo, if I live, in love of him I'll live; and, if I die Of + love-longing for him, I'll say, "O rare! O excellent!" + +When he reached his eighteenth year, the tender down began to +invade the table of his rosy cheeks, which were adorned by a +black mole like a grain of ambergris, and he captivated the minds +and eyes of all who looked on him, even as says of him the poet +in the following verses: + +He is become the Khalif of beauty in Joseph's place; The hearts + of all lovers dread him, whenas they see his grace. +Pause thou with me and fasten thy gaze on him! thou'lt see The + sign of the Khalifate set in sable[FN#120] on his face. + +And as says another: + +Thine eyes have never looked upon a fairer sight, Of all the + things that are to see beneath the sky, +Than yonder mole of brown, that nestles on his face, Midmost the + rosy cheek, beneath the coal-black eye. + +And a third: + +I marvel at yon mole that serves the fire eternal, Upon his + cheek, yet is not burned, all Kafir[FN#121] though it be; +And eke I marvel that he's sent or God, with every glance To work + true miracles; and yet a sorcerer is he! +The many gall-bladders that burst for him it is that make The + shining fringes of his cheek so black and bright to see. + +And yet a fourth: + +I wonder to hear the folk ask of the water of life And question + in which of the lands its magical fountain flows +Whenas I see it well from the damask lips of a fawn, Under his + tender moustache and his cheek's perennial rose. +And eke 'tis a wonder of wonders that Moses,[FN#122] finding it + there Flowing, yet took no patience nor laid him down to + repose. + +When he came to man's estate, his beauty increased and he had +many comrades and friends; and every one who drew near to him +hoped that he would become Sultan after his father's death and +that he himself might be one of his officers. He had a passion +for hunting and would hardly leave the chase a single hour. His +father would have restrained him, fearing for him the perils of +the desert: and the wild beasts; but he paid no heed to him. One +day, he bade his attendants take ten days' provender and setting +out for the chase, rode on into the desert four days long, at the +end of which time he came to a verdant champaign, full of wild +beasts pasturing and trees laden with ripe fruit and springs +welling forth. Then he said to his followers, 'Set up the nets in +a wide circle and let our general rendezvous be at the mouth of +the ring, in such a spot.' So they staked out a wide circle with +the nets; and there gathered together a multitude of all kinds of +wild beasts and gazelles, which cried out for fear of them and +threw themselves in terror right in the face of the horses. Then +they loosed the dogs and sakers and hunting lynxes on them and +smote them with arrows in the vitals; so, by the time they came +to the closed end of the ring of nets, they took a great number +of the wild beasts, and the rest fled. Then the prince sat down +by the water-side and letting spread the game before himself, +apportioned it among his men, after he had set apart the choicest +thereof for his father King Suleiman and despatched it to him; +and other part he divided among the officers of his court. He +passed the night in that place, and when it was morning, there +came up a caravan of merchants, with their slaves and servants, +and halted by the water and the verdure. When Taj el Mulouk saw +this, he said to one of his companions, 'Go, bring me news of +yonder folk and ask them why they have halted here.' So the man +went up to them and said, 'Tell me who ye are, and answer +quickly.' 'We are merchants,' replied they, 'and have halted here +to rest, for that the next station is distant and we have +confidence in King Suleiman Shah and his son Taj el Mulouk, +knowing that all who alight in their dominions are in peace and +safety; and we have with us precious stuffs, that we have brought +for the prince.' The messenger returned with this news to the +prince, who said, I will not depart hence till I see what they +have brought for me. Then he mounted and rode to the caravan, +followed by his servants. The merchants rose to receive him and +invoked on him the aid and favour of God, with continuance of +glory and virtues; after which they pitched him a pavilion of red +satin, emblazoned with pearls and jewels, in which they spread +him a royal divan, upon a silken carpet embroidered at the upper +end with emeralds. The prince seated himself on the divan, whilst +his servants stood in attendance upon him, and bade the merchants +bring out all that they had with them. Accordingly, they produced +all their merchandise, and he viewed it and took of it what liked +him, paying them the price. Then he remounted and was about to +ride onward, when his eyes fell on a handsome young man, well +dressed and elegantly made, with flower-white forehead and face +brilliant as the moon, save that his beauty was wasted and that +pallor had invaded his cheeks by reason of separation from those +he loved: sighing and lamentation were grievous upon him and the +tears streamed from his eyelids, as he repeated the following +verses: + +Absence is long and care and fear are heavy on my soul, Whilst + from mine eyes the tears, O friend, without cessation roll. +Alas, I left my heart behind upon the parting day, And now sans + heart, sans hope, abide all lonely in my dole. +Pause with me, O my friend, what while I take my leave of one By + whose sweet speech diseases all and sorrows are made whole. + +Having said this, he wept awhile and fell down in a swoon, whilst +Taj el Mulouk looked at him wonderingly then coming to himself, +he stared fixedly before him, with distracted air, and repeated +these other verses: + +I rede thee beware of her glance, for, lo, 'tis a wizard, I ween! + None 'scapeth unscathed of the shafts of her eyes, that has + gazed on their sheen. +For, trust me, black eyes, that are armed with the grace of a + languorous look, Are swifter and sharper to wound than + scimitars, tempered and keen. +And let not thy mind be beguiled by the sweet and the soft of her + words; For the fever that springs from her speech + o'ermasters the senses, demesne. +Soft-sided, were silk but to press on her skin, it would cause it + to bleed, So delicate-bodied she is and so nesh, as forsooth + thou hast seen. +Right chary she is of the charms 'twixt her neck and her anklets + that lie, And what is the sweetest of scents to the + fragrance that breathes from my queen! + +Then he gave a sob and swooned away a second time. When Taj el +Mulouk saw him thus, he was perplexed about his case and went up +to him. So when he came to himself and saw the prince standing by +him, he sprang to his feet and kissed the earth before him; and +Taj el Mulouk said to him, 'Why didst thou not show us thy +merchandise?' 'O my lord,' answered the young merchant, 'there is +nought among my stock worthy of thine august highness.' 'It +matters not,' said the prince, 'thou must show me what thou hast +and acquaint me with thy case; for I see thee weeping-eyed and +mournful-hearted. If thou hast been wronged, we will do away +thine oppression, and if thou be in debt, we will discharge thy +debt; for my heart aches for thee, since I first set eyes on +thee.' Then he called for seats and they set him a chair of ebony +and ivory, netted with gold and silk, and spread him a silken +carpet. So he sat down on the chair and bidding the young +merchant seat himself on the carpet, again commanded him to show +him his merchandise. 'O my lord,' said he, 'do not name this to +me; for I have nought worthy of thee.' 'I will have it so,' +rejoined Taj el Mulouk and bade some of the servants fetch the +goods. So they brought them in spite of the merchant; and when he +saw this, the tears streamed from his eyes and he wept and sighed +and lamented; sobs rose from his bosom and he repeated the +following verses: + +By the witching amorous sweetness and the blackness of thine + eyes, By the tender flexile softness in thy slender waist + that lies, +By the graces and the languor of thy body and thy shape, By the + fount of wine and honey from thy coral lips that rise, +O my hope, to see thine image in my dreams were sweeter far Than + were safety to the fearful, languishing in woful wise! + +Then he opened his bales and displayed their contents to Taj el +Mulouk, piece by piece, till he came to a mantle of satin +brocaded with gold, worth two thousand dinars from which, when he +opened it, there fell a piece of linen. As soon as he saw this, +he caught up the piece of linen in haste and hid it under his +thigh; and indeed he seemed as though he had lost his reason, and +he repeated the following verses: + +When shall my sad tormented heart be healed, alas, of thee? The + Pleiades were nearer far than is thy grace to me. +Distance estrangement, longing pain and fire of love laid waste, + Procrastination and delay, in these my life doth flee. +For no attainment bids me live nor exile slays me quite, Travel + no nigher doth me bring, nor wilt thou nearer be. +There is no justice to be had of thee nor any ruth In thee; no + winning to thy grace and yet no breaking free. +Alack, for love of thee, the ways are straitened all on me; So + that I know not where I go nor any issue see! + +The prince wondered greatly at his behaviour, and said to him, +'What is that piece of linen?' 'O my lord,' replied the merchant, +'thou hast no concern with it.' 'Show it me,' said the prince; +and the merchant answered, 'O my lord, it was on account of this +piece of linen that I refused to show thee my goods; for I cannot +let thee look on it.' But Taj el Mulouk rejoined, 'I must and +will see it;' and insisted and became angry. So he drew it out +from under his thigh, weeping and lamenting and redoubling his +sighs and groans, and repeated the following verses: + +Blame ye the lover not, for blame but irketh him to hear; Indeed, + I spoke him truth, but he to me would lend no ear. +God have her in His care, my moon that rises far away, Down in + the valley, midst the camp, from out the collars' + sphere![FN#123] +I left her; would to God my love had left me peace of life! So + had I never parted been from her that held me dear. +O how she pleaded for my sake upon our parting day, What while + adown her cheeks and mine tear followed upon tear! +May God belie me not! The wede of my excuse from me Was all to + rent for loss of her; but I will mend my cheer. +No bed is easy to my side, nor is her resting-place Ayemore + reposeful unto her, now I'm no longer near. +For Fate with an ill-omened hand hath wrought upon our loves And + hindered me from my delight and her from hers, yfere. +Indeed, what time it filled the cup, whereof she drank what I + E'en made her drink, it poured us out grief, all unmixed and + sheer. + +Quoth Taj el Mulouk, 'Thy conduct perplexes me; tell me why thou +weepest at the sight of this piece of linen.' When the young +merchant heard speak of the piece of linen, he sighed and +answered, 'O my lord, my story is a strange and eventful one, +with regard to this piece of linen and her from whom I had it and +her who wrought the figures and emblems that be thereon.' So +saying, he unfolded the piece of linen, and behold, thereon were +the figures of two gazelles, facing one another, one wrought in +silk and gold and the other in silver with a ring of red gold and +three bugles of chrysolite about its neck. When Taj el Mulouk saw +the figures and the beauty of their fashion, he exclaimed, 'Glory +be to God who teacheth man that which he knoweth not!' And his +heart was filled with longing to hear the merchant's story; so he +said to him, 'Tell me thy story with her who gave thee these +gazelles.' 'Know, O my lord,' replied the young man, 'that + + + + +Story of Aziz and Azizeh. + + + +My father was one of the chief merchants (of my native town) and +God had vouchsafed him no other child than myself; but I had a +cousin, the daughter of my father's brother, who was brought up +with me in our house; for her father was dead and before his +death, he had agreed with my father that I should marry her. So +when I reached man's estate and she became a woman, they did not +separate us, and we ceased not to sleep on the same couch, +knowing no evil, albeit she was more thoughtful, more intelligent +and quicker-witted than I, till at last, my father spoke to my +mother and said, "This very year we will draw up the contract of +marriage between Aziz and Azizeh." So they agreed upon this, and +he betook himself to preparing victual for the marriage +festivities. When he had made an end of his preparations and +there remained nought but to draw up the contract and consummate +the marriage, he appointed the wedding for a certain Friday, +after the congregational prayers, and going round to his friends +among the merchants and others, acquainted them with this, whilst +my mother invited her female friends and kindred. When the day +came, they cleaned the guest-chamber and washed the marble floor, +then spread carpets about the house and set out thereon what +was needful, after they had hung the walls with cloth of gold. +Now the folk had agreed to come to our house after the +Friday-prayers; so my father went and let make cates and dishes +of sweetmeats, and there remained nothing to do but to draw up +the contract. Then my mother sent me to the bath and sent after +me a suit of new clothes of the richest kind which I put on, when +I came out. The clothes were perfumed, and as I went along, there +exhaled from them a delicious fragrance, that scented the way. I +was about to repair to the mosque, when I bethought me of one of +my friends and was minded to go in quest of him that he might be +present at the drawing up of the contract, saying in myself, +"This will occupy me till near the time of prayer." So I turned +back and came to a by-street, that I had never before entered. +Now I was in a profuse perspiration, from the effects of the bath +and the new clothes on my body, and the sweat streamed from me, +whilst the perfume of my clothes was wafted abroad: so I sat down +to rest on a stone bench at the upper end of the street, +spreading under me an embroidered handkerchief I had with me. The +heat redoubled on me, so that my forehead sweated and the drops +ran down on to my cheeks; but I could not wipe my face with my +handkerchief, because I lay upon it. So I was about to take the +skirt of my gaberdine and wipe my cheeks with it, when suddenly +there fell on me from above a white handkerchief, softer to the +feel than the zephyr and pleasanter to the sight than recovery to +the sick. I seized on it and looking up to see whence it came, my +eyes met those of the lady who gave me these gazelles. She was +looking out of a wicket in a lattice of brass and never saw my +eyes a fairer than she; my tongue fails to picture her beauty. +When she saw me looking at her, she put her forefinger to her +mouth, then joined her middle and index fingers and laid them on +her bosom, between her breasts; after which she drew in her head +and shut the wicket. With this, fire broke out and raged in my +heart; the glance I had of her cost me a thousand sighs and I +abode perplexed, having heard no word from her and understanding +not the meaning of her signs. I looked again at the window, but +found it shut and waited till sundown but heard no sound and saw +no one. When I despaired of seeing her again, I rose and taking +up the handkerchief, opened it, whereupon there exhaled from it a +scent of musk, which caused me such ease that meseemed I was in +Paradise. Then I spread it out before me and there dropped from +it a little scroll of paper. I opened the scroll, which was +scented with a delicious perfume, and found written therein the +following verses: + +I sent my love a scroll, complaining of desire Writ in a fine, + small hand; for writings vary still. +"Why is thy writing thus," my lover said to me, "Attenuate and + small, uneath to read and ill?" +Quoth I, "Because I too am wasted, ay, and thin. Thus should + their writing be, who weary at Love's will." + +Then, casting my eyes on the beauty of the handkerchief, I saw +embroidered on one of its borders the following verses: + +The down of his whiskers writes (good luck to it for A scribe!) + Two lines, in the basil[FN#124] hand, on the table of his + face. +O the wilderment of the moon at him, when he appears! And O the + shame of the branch at sight of his flexile grace! + +And on the opposite border were the following verses: + +The whiskers write upon his cheeks, with ambergris on pearl, Two + lines, as 'twere with jet upon an apple, line for line. +Death harbours in his languid eyes and slays with every glance; + And in his cheeks is drunkenness, and not in any wine. + + +When I read what was written on the handkerchief, the flames of +love raged in my heart, and longing and trouble redoubled on me. +So I took the handkerchief and the scroll and went home, knowing +no means to compass my desire, for that I was inexperienced in +love affairs and unskilled in the interpretation of the language +of signs used therein. The night was far spent before I reached +my house, and when I entered, I found my cousin sitting weeping. +As soon as she saw me, she wiped away her tears and coming up to +me, took off my (outer) clothes and asked me the reason of my +absence, saying, "All the folk, amirs and notables and merchants +and others, assembled here, and the Cadi and the witnesses came +also at the appointed time. They ate and sat awhile, awaiting thy +coming for the drawing up of the contract, till they despaired of +thee, when they dispersed and went their ways. And indeed," added +she, "thy father was exceeding wroth, by reason of this, and +swore that he would not celebrate our marriage till next year, +for that he hath spent much money on this occasion. What hath +befallen thee to make thee tarry till now?" "O my cousin," +replied I, "do not ask me what hath befallen me." Then I told her +all that had passed and showed her the handkerchief and the +scroll. She took them and read what was written therein; +whereupon the tears ran down her cheeks and she repeated the +following verses: + +Who says to thee, the first of love is free, Tell him, not so; + but, on the contrary, +'Tis all constraint, wherein no blame can be. History indeed + attests this verity; + It does not style the good coin falsified. +Say, if thou wilt, the taste of pain is sweet, Or to be spurned + by Fortune's flying feet; +Of need or vengeance, fortune or defeat, With joy or dole it + makes the heart to beat: + 'Twixt phrase and counterphrase I'm stupefied. +But as for him whose happy days are light, Fair maids, whose lips + with smiles are ever bright, +Borne on the fragrant gales of their delight, Who hath his will, + unhindered of despite, + 'Tis not with him A craven heart may bide. + +Then she asked me what she said and what signs she made to me. +"She spoke not," answered I; "but put her index finger to her +mouth, then joining it to her middle finger, laid them both on +her bosom and pointed in the ground, after which she drew in her +head and shut the wicket and I saw her no more. She took my heart +with her and I sat till sundown, expecting her to appear again at +the window; but she came not: so, when I despaired of her, I rose +and went home. This is my story, and I beg thee to help me in +this my affliction." With this, she raised her face to me and +said, "O my cousin, if thou soughtest my eye, I would tear it +from its socket for thee, and I cannot choose but help thee to +thy desire and her also to hers; for she is passionately +enamoured of thee, even as thou of her." "And what is the meaning +of her signs?" asked I. "As for the putting her finger to her +mouth," replied Azizeh, "it meant that thou art to her as her +soul to her body and that she would bite upon union with thee +with her wisdom-teeth. The handkerchief is the token of greeting +from lover to beloved and the scroll is a sign that her heart is +bound up in thee. As for the laying her two fingers between her +breasts, it is as if she said to thee, 'Return hither after two +days, that the sight of thy countenance may dispel my anguish.' +For know, O my cousin, that she loves thee and trusts in thee. +This is my reading of her signs, and could I come and go at will, +I would quickly bring you and her together and cover you both +with my skirt." I thanked her and said to myself, "I will wait +two days." So I abode two days in the house, without going out, +and ate not nor drank, but lay with my head in my cousin's lap, +whilst she comforted me and bade me take heart and be of good +cheer. When the two days were past, she said to me, "Take courage +and dress thyself and go to her, according to the tryst." Then +she rose and changed my clothes and perfumed me with incense. So +I took heart and went out and walked on till I came to the +by-street, where I sat down on the bench. After awhile, the +wicket opened and I looked up and seeing the lady, fell down in a +swoon. When I revived, I took courage to look again at her and +again became insensible. Then I came to myself and looking at +her, saw that she had a mirror and a red handkerchief in her +hand. When she saw me, she bared her forearms and smote her +breast with her palm and five fingers; after which she raised her +hands and holding the mirror forth of the wicket, took the red +handkerchief and retired with it, but immediately returned and +putting out her hand with the handkerchief, lowered it towards +the ground and raised it again three several times. Then she +wrung it out and folded it in her hands, bowing her head the +while; after which she drew in her head and shutting the window, +went away, without saying a word, leaving me confounded and +knowing not what she meant. I sat there till the evening and did +not return home till near midnight, when I found my cousin +sitting, weeping bitterly and repeating the following verses: + +Ah me, what ails the censurer, that he at thee should flite? How + shall I be consoled for thee, and thou a sapling slight? +O thou, the splendour of whose sight has ta'en my heart by storm, + Whose supple bending grace compels to passion's utmost + height,[FN#125] +Whose eyes, with Turkish languor caught, work havoc in the breast + And leave such wounds as ne'er were made by falchion in the + fight! +Thou layst on me a heavy load of passion and desire, On me that + am too weak to bear a shift upon me dight. +Ay, tears of blood I weep, for that my censors say to me, "A + sudden sword, from out his lids thou lovest, shall thee + smite." +Ah, would my heart were like to thine, even as my body is Like to + thy waist, all thin and frail and dwindled for despite! +Thou, that my prince in beauty art, a steward[FN#126] hast, whose + rule Aggrieves me and a chamberlain[FN#127] that doth me + foul upright. +He lies who says, "All loveliness in Joseph was comprised." How + many Josephs are there not within thy beauty bright! +I force myself to turn from thee, for fear of spying eyes, Though + sore it irks me to forswear the solace of thy sight. + +At this, trouble and grief redoubled on me and I fell down in a +corner; whereupon she sprang up and coming to me, lifted me up +and took off my outer clothes and wiped my face with her sleeve. +Then she asked me how I had fared, and I told her all that had +happened. "O my cousin," said she, "as for her sign to thee with +her palm and five fingers, it meant, 'Return after five days;' +and her gestures with the mirror and the putting forth of her +head and the lowering and raising of the red handkerchief meant, +'Sit in the dyer's shop, till my messenger come to thee.'" When I +heard this, fire flamed up in my heart and I exclaimed, "O my +cousin, by Allah, thou sayst sooth in this thine interpretation; +for I saw the shop of a Jewish dyer in the street." Then I wept, +and she said, "O my cousin, summon up resolution and be steadfast +of heart: others are occupied with love for years and are +constant to endure the ardour of passion, whilst thou hast but a +week[FN#128] to wait; so why art thou thus impatient?" Then she +went on to cheer me with comfortable talk and brought me food: so +I took a mouthful, but could not eat and abstained from meat and +drink and knew not the solace of sleep, till my colour paled and +I lost my good looks; for I had never before been in love nor +tasted the ardour of passion. So I fell sick and my cousin also +sickened on my account; but every night she would divert me with +stories of love and lovers, till I fell asleep; and whenever I +awoke, I used to find her wakeful for my sake, with the tears +running down her cheeks. Thus we did till the five days were +past, when she rose and heating water, bathed me with it. Then +she dressed me and said to me, "Go to her and may God fulfil your +wish and bring thee to thy desire of thy beloved!" So I went out +and walked on, till I came to the by-street. I found the dyer's +shop shut, for it was Saturday, and sat before it, till I heard +the call to afternoon-prayer. Then the sun turned pale, the +Muezzins chanted the call to the prayer of sunset and the night +came; but I saw no sign nor heard aught of her. With this, I +feared for myself, sitting there alone; so I rose and went home, +staggering like a drunken man. When I reached the house, I found +my cousin Azizeh standing, with one hand grasping a peg driven +into the wall and the other on her breast; and she was sighing +heavily and repeating the following verses: + +The longing of a Bedouin maid, whose folk are far away, Who + yearns after the willow of the Hejaz and the hay,[FN#129] +Whose tears, when she on travellers lights, might for their water + serve And eke her passion, with its heat, their bivouac-fire + purvey, +Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love, Who + deems that I commit a crime in loving him alway. + +When she had finished, she turned and seeing me, wiped away her +tears and mine with her sleeve. Then she smiled in my face and +said, "O my cousin, God grant thee joy of that which He hath +given thee! Why didst thou not pass the night with thy beloved +and why hast thou not fulfilled thy desire of her?" When I heard +what she said, I gave her a kick in the breast and she fell over +on to the edge of the estrade and struck her forehead against a +peg there. I looked at her and saw that her forehead was cut open +and the blood running; but she was silent and did not utter a +syllable. She made some tinder of rags and staunching the wound +with it, bound her forehead with a bandage; after which she wiped +up the blood that had fallen on the carpet, and it was as if +nothing had happened. Then she came up to me and smiling in my +face, said, with gentle speech, "By Allah, O my cousin, I had it +not in my thought to mock at thee or at her! I was troubled with +a pain in my head and thought to be let blood, but now thou hast +eased my head and brow; so tell me what has befallen thee +to-day." So I told her what had passed and she wept and said, "O +my cousin, rejoice in the near fulfilment of thy desire and the +attainment of thy hopes. Verily, this is a sign of acceptance; +she only stayed away, because she wished to try thee and know if +thou wert patient and sincere in thy love for her or not. +To-morrow, do thou go to her at the old place and note what signs +she makes to thee; for indeed thy gladness is near and the end of +thy grief is at hand." And she went on to comfort me; but my +trouble and affliction ceased not to increase on me. Presently, +she brought me food, but I kicked the dishes away, so that their +contents were scattered in all directions, and said, "Every lover +is a madman; he inclines not to food neither enjoys sleep." "By +Allah, O my cousin," answered she, "these are indeed the signs of +love!" And the tears streamed down her cheeks, whilst she +gathered the fragments of the dishes and wiped up the food; then +she sat down by me and talked to me, whilst I prayed God to +hasten the coming of the day. When, at last, the morning arose +with its light and shone, I went out and hastening to the +by-street in question, sat down on the bench, when behold, the +wicket opened and she put out her head, laughing. Then she went +in and returned with a mirror, a bag, a pot of flowering plants +and a lamp. First, she took the mirror and putting it into the +bag, tied it up and threw it back into the room; after which she +let down her hair over her face and set the lamp an instant on +the pot of flowers; then took up all the things and shutting the +window, went away, without saying a word. My heart was tortured +by her obscure signs and mysterious gestures, and passion and +distraction redoubled on me. So I retraced my steps, tearful-eyed +and mournful-hearted, and returning home, found Azizeh sitting, +with her face to the wall; for her heart was on fire for grief +and anxiety and jealousy; albeit the love she bore me forbade her +to acquaint me with what she suffered, by reason of what she saw +of the excess of my passion and distraction (for another). I +looked at her and saw that she had two bandages on her head, one +on account of the wound on her forehead, and the other over her +eye, which pained her for excess of weeping; and she was in very +sorry plight, weeping and repeating the following verses: + +I count the nights, night after night, the weary nights and slow; + Yet would I, once upon a time, unreckoned let them go. +I have no knowledge, O my friend, of that which God ordains Of + Leila or what He decrees to me, but this I know +He to another her adjudged and cursed me with her love: So hath + He not afflicted me with other than her woe. + +When she had finished, she looked round and seeing me through her +tears, wiped them away and came up to me, but could not speak for +excess of emotion. So she was silent awhile, then said to me, "O +my cousin, tell me what befell thee with her this time." So I +told her all that had passed, and she said, "Be patient, for the +time of thy delight is come, and thou hast won to the attainment +of thy hopes. As for her sign with the mirror and the bag, it was +as if she said to thee, 'When the sun is set;' and the letting +down of her hair over her face signified, When the night is come +and hath let fall the blackness of the dark and overmastered the +daylight, come hither.' As for her gesture with the flower-pot +and the lamp, it meant, 'When thou comest, enter the garden +behind the street, and where as thou seest the lamp burning, go +thither and seat thyself beneath it and wait for me; for the love +of thee is killing me.'" When I heard this, I cried out for +excess of passion and said, "How long wilt thou deceive me with +promises and I go to her, but get not my will nor find any truth +in thine interpreting?" At this, she laughed and replied, "Thou +needest but have patience for the rest of the day, till the light +depart and the night come with the darkness, and thou shalt enjoy +fruition and accomplish thy hopes. And indeed this is true +without leasing." And she repeated the following verses: + +Let the days pass, as they list, and fare, And enter thou not the + house of despair. +Full oft when the quest of a thing is hard, The next hour brings + us the end of our care. + +Then she came to me and began to comfort me with soothing words, +but dared not offer me food, fearing my wrath and seeking to make +me incline to her: so she only took off my upper garment and said +to me, "Sit, O my cousin, that I may entertain thee with talk, +till the end of the day; and God willing, thou shalt be with thy +beloved as soon as it is night." But I paid no heed to her and +gave not over looking for the coming of the night, saying, "O +Lord, hasten the coming of the night!" till the hour of the +evening-prayer, when she wept sore and giving me a grain of pure +musk, said to me, "O my cousin, put this in thy mouth, and when +thou foregatherest with thy beloved and hast taken thy will of +her and she hath granted thee thy desire, repeat to her this +verse: + +Tell me, O lovers, for God's sake, I do entreat of you, When love + is sore upon a maid, alack! what shall she do?" + +And she kissed me and made me swear not to repeat this to my +mistress, till I should be about to leave her. Then I went out +and walked on till I came to the garden. I found the door open; +so I entered, and seeing a light in the distance, made towards it +and came to a great pavilion, vaulted over with a dome of ivory +and ebony, from the midst of which hung the lamp. The floor was +spread with silken carpets, embroidered in gold and silver, and +under the lamp stood a great candle, burning in a stand of gold. +Midmost the pavilion was a fountain, adorned with all manner of +figures; and by it stood a table of food, covered with a silken +napkin, and a great porcelain vase full of wine, with a goblet of +crystal, sprayed with gold. Near these was a great covered dish +of silver, which I uncovered and found therein fruits of all +kinds, figs and pomegranates and grapes and oranges and citrons +and shaddocks, together with all manner sweet-scented flowers, +such as roses and jasmine and myrtle and eglantine and narcissus +and all kinds of sweet-smelling herbs; but I saw there not a +living soul, no, not even a slave, male or female, to guard these +things. I was transported with delight at what I saw, and my +grief and anxiety ceased from me. So I sat down to await the +coming of the beloved of my heart: but the first hour of the +night passed by, and the second and the third, and still she came +not. Then I grew sore an hungred, for that it was long since I +had tasted food by reason of the violence of my passion: but when +I found the garden even as my cousin had told me and saw the +truth of her interpretation of my mistress's signs, my mind was +set at rest and I made sure of attaining my desire, so that +nature resumed its sway and I felt the pangs of hunger. Moreover +the odour of the viands on the table excited in me a longing to +eat: so I went up to the table, and lifting the cover, found in +the middle a porcelain dish, containing four fricasseed fowls, +seasoned with spices, round which were four smaller dishes, one +containing sweetmeats, another conserve of pomegranate-seeds, a +third almond patties and a fourth honey fritters, and the +contents of these dishes were part sweet and part acid. So I ate +of the fritters and a piece of meat, then went on to the almond +patties and ate what I would of them; after which I attacked the +sweetmeats, of which I ate a spoonful or two or three or four, +ending with part of a fowl and a mouthful of bread. With this my +stomach became full and my limbs heavy and I grew drowsy; so I +laid my head on a cushion, after having washed my hands, and +sleep overcame me; and I knew not what happened to me after this +nor did I awake till the sun's heat burnt me, for that I had not +tasted sleep for days. When I awoke, I found myself lying on the +naked marble, with a piece of salt and another of charcoal on my +stomach; so I stood up and shook my clothes and turned right and +left, but could see no one. At this I was perplexed and +afflicted; the tears ran down my cheeks and I mourned grievously +for myself. Then I returned home, and when I entered, I found my +cousin beating her bosom and weeping like the rain-clouds, as she +repeated the following verses: + +From out my loved one's land a breeze blows cool and sweet: The + fragrance of its wafts stirs up the ancient heat. +Blow, zephyr of the East! Each lover hath his lot, His + heaven-appointed doom of fortune or defeat. +Lo, if we might, we would embrace thee for desire, Even as a + lover clips his mistress, when they meet. +Whenas my cousin's face is absent, God forbids All pleasance + [unto me] and all life has of sweet. +Ah, would I knew his heart was even as is mine, All wasted and + consumed by passion's flaming feet! + +When she saw me, she rose in haste and wiping away her tears, +accosted me with her soft speech, saying, "O my cousin, verily +God hath been gracious to thee in thy love, in that she whom thou +lovest loves thee, whilst I pass my time in weeping and lamenting +my separation from thee that blamest and chidest me; but may God +not reproach thee for my sake!" Then she smiled in my face, a sad +smile, and caressed me; then taking off my outer clothes, she +spread them out and said, "By Allah, this is not the scent of one +who hath enjoyed his mistress! Tell me what has befallen thee, O +my cousin." So I told her all that had passed, and she smiled +again, a sad smile, and said, "Verily, my heart is full of pain; +but may he not live who would hurt thy heart! Indeed, this woman +makes herself extravagantly difficult to thee, and by Allah, I +fear for thee from her. Know that the meaning of the salt is that +thou wert drowned in sleep and she likens thee to insipid food, +at which the soul sickens; and it is as if she said to thee, 'It +behoves that thou be salted, lest nature reject thee. Thou +professest to be of the true lovers, but sleep is forbidden to a +lover; therefore, thy love is false.' But it is her love for thee +that is false; for she saw thee asleep, yet awoke thee not, and +were her love for thee sincere, she had aroused thee. As for the +charcoal, it means, 'God blacken thy face, for that thou makest +a lying presence of love, whereas thou art but a child and +hast no concern but to eat and drink and sleep!' This is the +interpretation of her signs, and may God the Most High deliver +thee from her!" When I heard my cousin's words, I beat my breast +with my hand and cried out, "By Allah, this is the truth, for I +slept and lovers sleep not! Indeed, I have sinned against myself, +for nought could have done me more hurt than eating and sleeping. +What shall I do!" Then I wept sore and said to her, "Have +compassion on me and tell me what to do, so may God have +compassion on thee: else I shall die." Now my cousin loved me +very dearly; so she replied, "On my head and eyes. But, O my +cousin, as I have told thee often, could I go in and out at will, +I would very soon bring you together and cover you both with my +skirt: nor would I do this but hoping to win thy favour. God +willing, I will do my utmost endeavour to bring about your union; +but hearken thou to me and do as I bid thee. Go to the garden at +nightfall and sit down in the same place and look thou eat not, +for eating induces sleep; and beware of sleeping, for she will +not come to thee, till a fourth part of the night be passed. And +may God save thee from her mischief!" When I heard this, I +rejoiced and besought God to hasten the night. As soon as it was +dark, I rose to go, and my cousin said to me, "If thou foregather +with her, repeat to her the verse I taught thee, at the time of +leave-taking." "On my head and eyes," replied I, and going out, +repaired to the garden, where I found all as on the previous +night, with meat and drink spread ready, and dessert and flowers +and so forth. I went up into the pavilion and smelt the odour of +the viands and my soul lusted after them; but I forbore awhile, +till at last I could no longer restrain my appetite. So I went up +to the table, and raising the cover, found a dish of fowls, +surrounded by four smaller dishes, containing various meats. I +ate a mouthful of each dish and a piece of meat and as much as I +would of the sweetmeat: then I tasted a dish of rice dressed with +honey and saffron and liking it, supped of it by the spoonful, +till I was satisfied and my belly was full. With this, my eyelids +became heavy; so I took a cushion and put it under my head, +saying, "Surely I can recline upon it, without going to sleep." +Then I closed my eyes and slept, nor did I wake till the sun had +risen, when I found myself lying on the bare marble, with a die +of bone, a play-stick,[FN#130] a green date-stone[FN#131] and a +carob-bean on my stomach. There was no furniture nor aught else +in the place, and it was as if there had been nothing there +yesterday. So I rose and shaking all these things off me, went +out in a rage, and going home, found my cousin sighing and +repeating the following verses: + +Wasted body and heart a-bleeding for despair And tears that down + my cheeks stream on and on for e'er, +And a beloved one persistent in disdain; Yet all a fair one does + must needs be right and fair. +O cousin mine, thou'st filled my heart with longing pain And + wounded are mine eyes with tears that never spare. + +I chid her and reviled her, at which she wept; then wiping away +her tears, she came up to me and kissed me and pressed me to her +bosom, whilst I held back from her and blamed myself. Then she +said to me, "O my cousin, meseems thou didst sleep again last +night?" "Yes," replied I; "and when I awoke, I found on my +stomach a die of bone, a play-stick, a green date-stone and a +carob-bean, and I know not why she did this." Then I wept and +said to her, "Expound to me her meaning in this and tell me what +I shall do and help me in this my strait." "On my head and eyes," +answered she. "Know then that, by the figure of the die and the +play-stick, she says to thee, 'Thy body is present, but thy heart +absent. Love is not thus: so do not reckon thyself among lovers.' +As for the date-stone, it is as if she said to thee, 'If thou +wert in love, thy heart would be on fire with passion and thou +wouldst not taste the delight of sleep; for the sweet of love is +like a green date and kindles a fire in the entrails.' As for the +carob-bean, it signifies, 'The lover's heart is wearied; so be +thou patient under our separation, even as Job was patient.'" +When I heard this, fires raged in my entrails and grief redoubled +upon my heart and I cried out, saying, "God ordained sleep to me, +of my ill-fortune!" Then I said to her, "O my cousin, I conjure +thee by my life, contrive me some device whereby I may win to +her!" She wept and answered, "O Aziz, O my cousin, verily my +heart is full of melancholy thought and I cannot speak: but go +thou again to-night to the same place and look that thou sleep +not, and thou shalt surely attain thy desire. This is my counsel +and peace be on thee." "God willing," said I, "I will not sleep, +but will do as thou biddest me." Then she rose and set food +before me, saying, "Eat now what may suffice thee, that thy heart +may be free." So I ate my fill, and when the night came, my +cousin rose and bringing me a sumptuous suit of clothes, clad me +therein. Then she made me promise to repeat the verse aforesaid +to my mistress and bade me beware of sleeping. So I left her and +repairing to the garden, went up into the pavilion, where I +occupied myself with gazing on the garden, holding my eyes open +with my fingers and wagging my head from side to side, as the +night darkened on me. Presently I grew hungry with watching, and +the smell of the meats, being wafted towards me, increased my +hunger: so I went up to the table and taking off the cover, ate a +piece of meat and a mouthful of every dish; after which I turned +to the vessel of wine, saying in myself, "I will drink one cup." +So I drank one cup and a second and a third, till I had drunk +full half a score, when the air smote me and I fell to the earth +like a dead man. I lay thus till day, when I awoke and found +myself without the garden, with a large sharp knife and an iron +dirhem[FN#132] on my stomach. I arose trembling and taking the +knife and the dirhem, went home where I found my cousin saying, +"Verily, I am in this house wretched and sorrowful, having no +helper but weeping." When I entered, I fell down at full length +and fainted, throwing the knife and the dirhem from my hand. As +soon as I came to myself, I told her what had passed and said, +"Indeed, I shall never enjoy my desire." The sight of my tears +and my passion redoubled her distress on my account, and she +said, "Verily, I can no more. I warned thee against sleeping; but +thou wouldst not listen to my counsel, and my words profited thee +nothing." "By Allah," cried I, "I conjure thee to explain to me +the meaning of the knife and the dirhem." "By the dirhem," +replied she, "she alludes to her right eye, and it is as if she +said to thee, 'I swear, by the Lord of all creatures and by my +right eye, that, if thou come here again and sleep, I will slay +thee with this knife!' And indeed, O my cousin, I fear for thee +from her malice; my heart is full of anguish for thee and I +cannot speak. Nevertheless, if thou canst be sure of thyself not +to sleep, return to her and thou shalt attain thy desire; but if +thou sleep, according to thy wont, she will surely slay thee." "O +my cousin," said I, "what shall I do? I conjure thee, by Allah, +to help me in this my affliction!" "On my head and eyes," replied +she. "If thou wilt hearken to me and do as I say, thou shalt have +thy will." Quoth I, "I will indeed hearken to thee and do thy +bidding." And she said, "When it is time for thee to go, I will +tell thee." Then she pressed me to her bosom and laying me on the +bed, rubbed my feet, till drowsiness overcame me and I was +drowned in sleep; when she took a fan and seating herself at my +head, ceased not to fan my face till the end of the day. Then she +awoke me, and I found her sitting at my head weeping, with the +fan in her hand and her clothes wet with tears. When she saw that +I was awake, she wiped away her tears and fetching food, set it +before me. I refused it, but she said to me, "Didst thou not +promise to do my bidding? Eat." So I ate and did not cross her, +and she proceeded to put the food into my mouth and I to eat, +till I was full. Then she made me drink sherbet of jujube-fruit +and sugar and washed my hands and dried them with a napkin; after +which she sprinkled me with rose-water, and I sat with her +awhile, restored to health and spirits. When the night had closed +in, she dressed me and said to me, "O my cousin, watch all night +and sleep not; for she will not come to thee this time till the +last of the night, and God willing, thou shalt foregather with +her this night: but do not forget my charge." Then she wept, and +my heart was sore for her by reason of her much weeping, and I +said to her, "What is the charge thou gavest me?" "When thou art +about to take leave of her," replied she, "repeat to her the +verse I taught thee." So I left her, full of gladness, and +repairing to the garden, entered the pavilion, where I sat down +satiated with food, and watched till a fourth part of the night +was past. The night was tedious to me as it were a year: but I +remained awake, till it was three quarters spent and the cocks +cried out and I became sore an hungred for long watching. So I +went up to the table and ate my fill, whereupon my head grew +heavy and I was on the point of falling asleep, when I espied a +light making towards me from afar. So I sprang up and washed my +hands and mouth and roused myself; and before long, up came the +lady, accompanied by ten damsels, in whose midst she shone, like +the full moon among the stars. She was clad in a dress of green +satin, embroidered with red gold, and she was as says the poet: + +She lords it over her lovers in garments all of green, With open + vest and collars and flowing hair beseen. +"What is thy name?" I asked her, and she replied, "I'm she Who + burns the hearts of lovers on coals of love and teen." +I made my moan unto her of passion and desire; "Upon a rock," she + answered, "thy plaints are wasted clean." +"Even if thy heart," I told her, "be rock in very deed, Yet hath + God made fair water well from the rock, I ween." + +When she saw me, she laughed and said, "How is it that thou art +awake and that sleep hath not overcome thee. Now that thou hast +passed the night without sleep, I know that thou art in love, for +it is the mark of a lover to watch the night for stress of +longing." Then she signed to her women and they went away, +whereupon she came up to me and strained me to her bosom and +kissed me and sucked my upper lip, whilst I kissed her and sucked +her lower lip. I put my hand to her waist and pressed it and we +came to the ground at the same moment. Then she undid her +trousers and they fell down to her anklets and we fell to +clipping and toying and cricketing and speaking softly and biting +and intertwining of legs and going round about the House and the +corners thereof,[FN#133] till her senses failed her for delight +and she swooned away. And indeed that night was heart-gladdening +and eye-refreshing, even as says the poet: + +The sweetest of all the nights that ever the world can show! The + cup in it stinted never from hand to hand to go. +Therein I did dissever mine eyes from sleep and made The + ear-drop[FN#134] and the anklet[FN#135] foregather evermo'. + + +We lay together till the morning, when I would have gone away, +but she stopped me, saying, "Stay, till I tell thee somewhat and +give thee a charge." So I waited, whilst she undid a handkerchief +and taking out this piece of linen, spread it out before me. I +saw worked on it these two figures of gazelles and admired it +exceedingly; and she said to me, "Keep this carefully, for it is +my sister's work." "What is thy sister's name?" asked I, and she +answered, "Nour el Huda." Then I took the piece of linen and went +away, joyful, after we had agreed that I should visit her every +night in the garden; but in my joy I forgot to repeat to her the +verse my cousin had taught me. When I reached home, I found +Azizeh lying down; but, as soon as she saw me, she rose, with the +tears running from her eyes, and coming up to me, kissed me on +the breast and said, "Didst thou repeat the verse to her, as I +enjoined thee?" "I forgot it," answered I; "and here is what made +me forget it." And I threw the piece of linen down before her. +She rose and sat down again, but was unable to contain herself +and her eyes ran over with tears, whilst she repeated the +following verses: + +O thou that seekest severance, forbear; Let not the fair delude + thee with their sleight. +Softly, for fortune's nature is deceit And parting is the end of + love-delight. + +Then she said, "O my cousin, give me this piece of linen." So I +gave it to her, and she took it and unfolding it, saw what was +therein. When the time came for my going to my mistress, she said +to me, "Go and peace be with thee; and when thou art about to +leave her, repeat to her the verse I taught thee and which thou +forgottest." Quoth I, "Repeat it to me." So she repeated it. Then +I went to the garden and entered the pavilion, where I found the +lady awaiting me. When she saw me, she rose and kissed me and +made me sit in her lap; and we ate and drank and did our desire +as on the previous night. In the morning, I repeated to her my +cousin's verse: + +Tell me, O lovers, for God's sake I do entreat of you, When love + is sore upon a maid, alack! what shall she do? + +When she heard this, her eyes filled with tears and she answered +with the following verse: + +Against her passion she must strive and hide her case from view + And humble and submissive be, whatever may ensue. + +This I committed to memory and returned home, rejoiced at having +done my cousin's errand. When I entered the house, I found Azizeh +lying on the bed and my mother at her head, weeping over her +condition. When the latter saw me, she said to me, "Out on thee +for a cousin! How couldst thou leave the daughter of thine uncle +in ill case and not ask what ailed her?" Azizeh, seeing me, +raised her head and sat up and said, "O Aziz, didst thou repeat +the verse to her?" "Yes," replied I; "and she wept and recited, +in answer, another verse, which I remember." "Tell it me," said +Azizeh. I did so; and she wept and repeated the following verses: + +How shall she temper her desire, It doth her fire undo, And still + with each recurring day her heart is cleft in two. +Indeed, she strives for patience fair, but findeth nought in her + Except a heart too weak to bear the love that makes her rue. + +"When thou goest to thy mistress as of wont," added she, "repeat +to her these verses also." "I hear and obey," answered I and +betook myself, at the wonted time, to the garden, where there +passed between my mistress and myself what the tongue fails to +describe. As I was about to leave her, I repeated to her my +cousin's verses; whereupon the tears streamed from her eyes and +she replied: + +If she her secret cannot hide and lack of patience due, I see no + help for her but death, of all things old and new. + +Then I returned home, where I found Azizeh fallen of a swoon and +my mother sitting at her head. When she heard my voice, she +opened her eyes and said, "O Aziz, didst thou repeat the verses +to her?" "Yes," answered I; "and she replied with this verse." +And I repeated it; whereupon my cousin swooned again, and when +she came to herself, she recited the following verses: + +"I hearken, I obey, I die; yet bear to one who slew My hopes of + union and delight, my greeting and adieu. +Fair fall the happy of their joy, alack! and fair befall The + wretched lover of the cup that's set her lips unto." + +When it was night, I repaired, as of wont, to the garden, where I +found my mistress awaiting me. We sat down and ate and drank, +after which we did our need and slept till the morning; and as I +was going away, I repeated to her Azizeh's verses. When she heard +them, she gave a loud cry and was greatly moved and exclaimed, +"Alas! Alas! She who said these words is dead!" Then she wept and +said to me, "Out on thee! What kin is she, who spoke thus, to +thee?" "She is the daughter of my father's brother," replied I. +"Thou liest," rejoined she. "By Allah, were she thy cousin, thou +wouldst have loved her even as she loved thee! It is thou who +hast killed her, and may God in like manner kill thee! By Allah, +hadst thou told me thou hadst a cousin, I would not have admitted +thee to my favours!" Quoth I, "Indeed, she is my cousin, and it +was she who interpreted to me thy signs and taught me how to come +at thee and how I should deal with thee; and but for her, I had +never won to thee." "Did she then know of us?" asked she. "Yes," +answered I; and she exclaimed, "God give thee sorrow of thy +youth, even as thou hast wasted hers!" Then she said to me, "Go +and see after her." So I went away, troubled at heart, and when I +reached our street, I heard a sound of wailing, and asking about +it, was answered, "We found Azizeh dead behind the door." I +entered the house, and when my mother saw me, she said to me, +"Her death lies at thy door, and may God not acquit thee of her +blood! Out on thee for a cousin!" Then came my father, and we +laid her out and did her the last offices and buried her. +Moreover, we let make recitations of the Koran over her tomb and +abode there three days, after which we returned home, grieving +for her. When I entered the house, my mother came to me and said, +"I would fain know what thou didst to her, to break her heart, +for, O my son, I questioned her many times of the cause of her +malady, but she would tell me nothing. So, God on thee, tell me +what thou didst to her, that she died." Quoth I, "I did nothing." +"May God avenge her on thee!" rejoined my mother. "She told me +nothing, but kept her secret till she died, of her affection for +thee. But when she died, I was with her, and she opened her eyes +and said to me, 'O wife of my uncle, may God hold thy son +guiltless of my blood and punish him not for that he hath done +with me! And now He transporteth me from this transitory house of +the world to the other and eternal dwelling-place.' 'O my +daughter,' said I, 'God preserve thee and preserve thy youth!' +And I questioned her of the cause of her illness; but she made me +no answer. Then she smiled and said, 'O wife of my uncle, when my +cousin is about to repair to the place whither he goes every day, +bid him repeat these two words at his going away: "Faith is fair +and perfidy foul." For this is of my tenderness over him, that I +am solicitous for him in my lifetime and after my death.' Then +she gave me somewhat for thee and made me swear that I would not +give it to thee, till I should see thee weeping for her and +lamenting her death. The thing is with me, and when I see thee as +I have said, I will give it to thee." "Show it me," quoth I: but +she would not. Then I gave myself up to my pleasures and thought +no more of my cousin's death; for I was light-witted and would +fain have been with my beloved day and night. So hardly had the +night fallen, when I betook myself to the garden, where I found +the lady sitting on coals of fire, for much waiting. As soon as +she saw me, she ran to me and throwing her arms about my neck, +enquired of my cousin. "She is dead," replied I; "and we have +caused litanies and recitations of the Koran to be performed for +her; and it is now four nights since she died." When she heard +this, she shrieked aloud and wept, saying, "Did I not tell thee +that thou hadst slain her? Hadst thou let me know of her before +her death, I would have requited her the kindness she did me, in +that she served me and brought thee to me; for but for her, we +had never come together; and I fear lest some calamity befall +thee by reason of thy sin against her." Quoth I, "She acquitted +me before she died." And I repeated to her what my mother had +told me. "God on thee," rejoined she, "when thou returnest to thy +mother, learn what it is she hath for thee." Quoth I, "My mother +also said to me, 'Before thy cousin died, she laid a charge upon +me, saying, "When thy son is about to go whither of wont, teach +him these two words, 'Faith is fair and perfidy foul.'" When my +mistress heard this, she exclaimed, "The mercy of God the Most +High be upon her! Indeed, she hath delivered thee from me, for I +had it in mind to do thee a mischief, but now I will not hurt +thee nor trouble thee." I wondered at this and said to her, "What +then didst thou purpose to do with me, and we lovers?" Quoth she, +"Thou art infatuated with me; for thou art young and witless; thy +heart is free from guile and thou knowest not our perfidy and +malice. Were she yet alive, she would protect thee, for she is +the cause of thy preservation and hath delivered thee from +destruction. And now I charge thee that thou speak not with +neither accost any of our sex, young or old, for thou art young +and simple and knowest not the wiles of women and their malice, +and she who explained the signs to thee is dead. And indeed I +fear for thee, lest thou fall into some calamity and find none to +deliver thee from it, now that thy cousin is dead. Alas, the pity +of her! Would God I had known her before her death, that I might +have visited her and requited her the fair service she did me! +The mercy of the Most High be upon her, for she kept her secret +and revealed not what she suffered, and but for her, thou hadst +never won to me! But there is one thing I desire of thee." "What +is it?" said I. "It is," answered she, "that thou bring me to her +grave, that I may visit her in the tomb wherein she is and write +some verses thereon." "To-morrow," replied I, "if it be the will +of God." Then I lay with her that night, and she ceased not, from +time to time, to say, "Would thou hadst told me of thy cousin, +before her death!" And I said to her, "What is the meaning of the +two words she taught me?" But she made me no answer. As soon as +it was day, she rose and taking a purse of dinars, said to me, +"Come, show me her tomb, that I may visit it and grave some +verses thereon and build a dome over it and commend her to the +mercy of God and bestow these dinars in alms for her soul." "I +hear and obey," replied I and went on before her, whilst she +followed me, giving alms by the way and saying to all to whom she +gave, "This is an alms for the soul of Azizeh, who kept her +counsel, till she drank the cup of death, and discovered not the +secret of her passion." And she stinted not thus to give alms and +say, "For Azizeh's soul," till the purse was empty and we came to +the burial-place. When she saw the tomb, she wept and threw +herself upon it; then pulling out a graver of steel and a light +mallet, she graved the following verses, in fine characters, upon +the stone at the head of the tomb: + +I passed by a ruined tomb, in the midst of a garden-way, Upon + whose letterless stone seven blood-red anemones lay. +"Who sleeps in this unmarked grave?" I said; and the earth, "Bend + low; For a lover lies here and waits for the Resurrection + Day." +"God help thee, O victim of love," I cried, "and bring thee to + dwell In the highest of all the heavens of Paradise, I pray! +How wretched are lovers all, even in the sepulchre, When their + very graves are covered with ruin and decay! +Lo, if I might, I would plant thee a garden round about And with + my streaming tears the thirst of its flowers allay!" + +Then she returned to the garden, weeping, and I with her, and she +said to me, "By Allah, thou shalt never leave me!" "I hear and +obey," answered I. Then I devoted myself wholly to her and paid +her frequent visits, and she was good and generous to me. As +often as I passed the night with her, she would make much of me +and ask me of the two words my cousin told my mother, and I would +repeat them to her. + +I abode thus a whole year, till, what with eating and drinking +and dalliance and wearing change of rich raiment, I waxed stout +and fat, so that I lost all thought of sorrow and anxiety and +forgot my cousin Azizeh. At the end of this time, I went one +day to the bath, where I refreshed myself and put on a rich +suit of clothes, scented with various perfumes; then, coming +out I drank a cup of wine and smelt the fragrance of my new +clothes, whereupon my breast dilated, for I knew not the +perfidy of fortune nor the calamities of events. When the hour +of evening-prayer came, I thought to repair to my mistress; but +being heated with wine, I knew not where I went, so that, on the +way, my drunkenness turned me into a by-street called En Nekib, +where, as I was going along, I met an old woman with a lighted +flambeau in one hand and a folded letter in the other; and she +was weeping and repeating the following verses: + +O welcome, bearer of glad news, thrice welcome to my sight; How + sweet and solaceful to me thy tidings of delight! +Thou that the loved one's greeting bringst unto my longing soul, + God's peace, what while the zephyr blows, dwell with thee + day and night! + +When she saw me, she said to me, "O my son, canst thou read?" And +I, of my officiousness, answered, "Yes, O old aunt." "Then, take +this letter," rejoined she, "and read it to me." So I took the +letter, and unfolding it, read it to her. Now it contained the +greetings of an absent man to his friends; and when she heard its +purport, she rejoiced and was glad and called down blessings on +me, saying, "May God dispel thine anxiety, as thou hast dispelled +mine!" Then she took the letter and walked on. Meanwhile, I was +seized with a pressing need and squatted down on my heels to make +water. When I had finished, I stood up and cleansed myself with +pebbles, then shaking down my clothes, was about to go my way, +when the old woman came up to me again and bending down to kiss +my hand, said, "O my lord, God give thee joy of thy youth! I +entreat thee to go with me to yonder door, for I told them what +thou readest to me of the letter, and they believe me not: so +come with me two steps and read them the letter from behind the +door and accept my devout prayers." "What is the history of this +letter?" asked I; and she answered, "O my son, it is from my son, +who hath been absent from us these ten years. He set out with +merchandise and tarried long in foreign parts, till we lost hope +of him, supposing him to be dead. Now comes this letter from him, +and he has a sister, who weeps for him day and night; so I said +to her, 'He is in good health and case.' But she will not believe +and says, 'Thou must needs bring me one who will read the letter +in my presence, that my heart may be set at rest and my mind +eased.' Thou knowest, O my son, that those who love are prone to +imagine evil: so do me the favour to go with me and read the +letter, standing without the door, whilst I call his sister to +listen behind the curtain, so shalt thou dispel our anxiety and +fulfil our need. Quoth the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve), +'He who eases an afflicted one of one of the troubles of this +world, God will ease him of a hundred troubles;' and according to +another tradition, 'Whoso relieves his brother of one of the +troubles of this world, God will relieve him of two-and-seventy +troubles of the Day of Resurrection.' And I have betaken myself +to thee; so do not disappoint me." "I hear and obey," replied I. +"Do thou go before me." So she went on and I followed her a +little way, till she came to the gate of a large handsome house, +whose door was plated with copper. I stood without the door, +whilst the old woman cried out in Persian, and before I could +think, a damsel ran up, with a nimble and agile step. She had +tucked up her trousers to her knees, so that I saw a pair of legs +that confounded mind and eye, for they were like columns of +alabaster, adorned with anklets of gold, set with jewels. As says +the poet, describing her: + +O thou who barest thy leg for lovers to look upon, That by the + sight of the leg the rest they may infer, +Who passest the cup around midst thy gallants, brisk and free, + Nought seduces the folk but the cup[FN#136] and the + cup-bearer.[FN#137] + +She had seemingly been engaged in work of some kind, for she had +tucked the end of her shift within the ribbon of her trousers and +thrown the skirt of her robe over her arm. Her sleeves were +rolled up to the elbows, so that I could see her white wrists and +forearms, on which were two pairs of bracelets, with clasps of +great pearls and round her neck was a collar of precious stones. +Her ears were adorned with pendants of pearls and on her head she +wore a kerchief of brocade, embroidered with jewels of price. +When I saw her I was confounded at her beauty, for she was like +the shining sun. Then she said, with clear and dulcet speech, +never heard I sweeter, "O my mother, is this he who cometh to +read the letter?" "It is," replied the old woman; and she put out +her hand to me with the letter. Now she was standing about half a +rod within the door; so I stretched out my hand and put my head +and shoulders within the door, thinking to draw near her and read +the letter, when behold, before I knew what she would be at, the +old woman thrust her head into my back and pushed me forward, +with the letter in my hand, so that before I could think, I found +myself in the vestibule. Then she entered, swiftlier than the +blinding lightning, and had but to shut the door. When the damsel +saw me in the vestibule, she came up to me and straining me to +her bosom, threw me to the floor, then knelt upon my breast and +kneaded my belly with her hands, till I lost my senses. Then she +took me by the hand and led me unable to resist, for the violence +of her pressure, through seven vestibules, whilst the old woman +went before us with the lighted candle, till we came to a great +saloon, with four daises, in which a horseman might play at ball. +Here she released me, saying, "Open thine eyes." So I opened +them, still giddy for the excess of her pressing and pummelling, +and saw that the whole place was built of the finest alabaster +and hung and carpeted with stuffs of silk and brocade, with +cushions and divans of the same. Therein also were two benches of +brass and a couch of red gold set with pearls and jewels, +befitting none save kings like unto thee. Then said she, "O Aziz, +which wouldst thou rather, life or death?" "Life," answered I; +and she said, "If life be liefer to thee, thou must marry me." +Quoth I, "It were odious to me to marry the like of thee." "If +thou marry me," rejoined she, "thou wilt at least be safe from +the daughter of Delileh the crafty." "And who is she?" asked I. +She laughed and replied, "How comes it that thou knowest her not, +seeing that to-day thou hast companied with her a year and four +months, may God the Most High destroy her and afflict her with +one worse than herself! By Allah, there lives not a more +perfidious than she! How many hath she not slain before thee and +what deeds hath she not done! Nor can I understand how thou hast +been so long in her company, yet hath she not killed thee nor +done thee any hurt." When I heard this, I marvelled exceedingly +and said, "Who made thee to know of her, O my lady?" "I know of +her," said she, "as the age knows of its calamities: but now I +would fain have thee tell me all that has passed between you, +that I may know the cause of thy deliverance from her." So I told +her all that had happened, including the story of my cousin +Azizeh. When she heard of the latter's death, her eyes ran over +with tears and she smote hand upon hand and cried out, "God have +mercy on her, for she lost her youth in His service, and may He +replace her to thee! By Allah, O Aziz, it was she who was the +cause of thy preservation from the daughter of Delileh and but +for her, thou hadst been lost! Now she is dead and I fear for +thee from the other's perfidy and mischief; but my heart is full +and I cannot speak." "By Allah," quoth I, "all this happened, +even as thou sayest!" And she shook her head and said, "There +lives not this day the like of Azizeh." "And when she was dying," +continued I, "she bade me repeat to my mistress these two words, +'Faith is fair and perfidy foul.'" When she heard this, she +exclaimed, "By Allah, O Aziz, it was this that saved thee from +dying by her hand: and now my heart is at ease for thee from her +for she will never slay thee and thy cousin preserved thee, both +in her lifetime and after her death. By Allah, I have desired +thee this many a day, but could not get at thee till now and +except by a trick, which succeeded with thee for thou art +inexperienced and knowest not the malice of women nor the wiles +of old women." "No, by Allah!" rejoined I. Then said she to me, +"Be of good cheer and take comfort; the dead is in the mercy of +God and the living shall be fairly entreated. Thou art a handsome +youth, and I do not desire thee but according to the ordinance of +God and of His prophet, on whom be peace and salvation! Whatever +thou desirest of money and stuff, thou shalt have without stint, +and I will not impose any toil on thee, for there is with me +always bread baked and water in the pitcher. All I ask of thee is +that thou do with me even as the cock does." "And what is it the +cock does?" asked I. At this she laughed and clapped her hands +and fell over on her back for excess of laughter: then she sat up +and said, "O light of my eyes, dost thou not know what the cock's +business is?" "No, by Allah!" replied I; and she said, "The +cock's business is to eat and drink and tread." I was abashed at +her words and said, "Is that the cock's business?" "Yes," +answered she; "and all I ask of thee now is to gird thy loins and +strengthen thy resolution and swive thy best." Then she clapped +her hands and cried out, saying, "O my mother, bring hither those +who are with thee." Whereupon in came the old woman, carrying a +veil of silk and accompanied by four lawful witnesses, who +saluted me and sat down. Then she lighted four candles, whilst +the young lady covered herself with the veil and deputed one of +the witnesses to execute the contract on her behalf. So they drew +up the marriage contract and she acknowledged to have received +the whole of her dowry, both precedent and contingent, and to be +indebted to me in the sum of ten thousand dirhems. Then he gave +the witnesses their fee and they withdrew whence they came; +whereupon she put off her clothes and abode in a shift of fine +silk, laced with gold, after which she took me by the hand and +carried me up to the couch, saying, "There is no blame in what is +lawful." She lay down on her back and drawing me on to her +breast, heaved a sigh and followed it up with an amorous gesture. +Then she pulled up the shift above her breasts, and when I saw +her thus, I could not choose but thrust into her, after I had +sucked her lips, whilst she moaned and made a show of bashfulness +and wept without tears. And indeed the case reminded me of the +saying of the poet: + +When I drew up her shift and discovered the terrace-roof of her + kaze, I found it as strait as my humour or eke my worldly + ways. +So I drove it incontinent in, halfway; and she heaved a sigh. + "For what dost thou sigh?" quoth I. "For the rest of it, + sure," she says. + +Then said she, "O my beloved, to it and do thy best, for I am +thine handmaid. My life on thee, give it me, all of it, that I +may take it in my hand and thrust it into my entrails!" And she +ceased not to excite me with sobs and sighs and amorous gestures, +in the intervals of kissing and clipping, till we attained the +supreme felicity and the term of our desires. We lay together +till the morning, when I would have gone out; but she came up to +me, laughing, and said, "Thinkest thou that going out of the bath +is the same as going in?[FN#138] Verily, I believe thou deemest +me to be the like of the daughter of Delileh. Beware of such a +thought, for thou art my husband by contract and according to +law. If thou be drunken, return to thy right mind and know that +this house is opened but one day in every year. Go down and look +at the great door." So I went down and found the door locked and +nailed up and returned and told her so. "Know, O Aziz," said she, +"that we have in this house flour and grain and fruits and +pomegranates and sugar and meat and sheep and fowls and so forth, +enough to serve us for many years; and henceforth, the door will +not be opened till after the lapse of a whole year, nor shalt +thou find thyself without till then." Quoth I, "There is no power +and no virtue but in God!" "And what can this irk thee," rejoined +she, "seeing thou knowest the cock's craft, of which I told +thee?" Then she laughed and I laughed too, and I conformed to +what she said and abode with her, plying the cock's craft, eating +and drinking and cricketing, twelve whole months, during which +time she conceived by me and brought me a son. At the end of the +year, I heard the door opened and men came in with manchets and +flour and sugar. Thereupon, I would have gone out, but my wife +said, "Wait till nightfall and go out as thou camest in." So I +waited till the hour of evening-prayer, and was about to go forth +in fear and trembling, when she stopped me, saying, "By Allah, I +will not let thee go, except thou swear to return this night +before the closing of the door." I agreed to this, and she made +me take a solemn oath by sword and Koran and the oath of divorce +to boot that I would return to her. Then I left her and going +straight to the garden, found the door open as usual; whereat I +was angry and said to myself, "I have been absent a whole year +and come here at unawares and find the place open as of wont! I +wonder, is the damsel still in her old case? Algates I must enter +and see, before I go to my mother, more by token that it is now +nightfall." So I entered and making for the pavilion, found the +daughter of Delileh sitting there with her head on her knee and +her hand to her cheek. Her colour was changed and her eyes +sunken; but when she saw me, she exclaimed, "Praised be God for +thy safety!" and would have risen, but fell down for joy. I was +abashed before her and hung my head; but presently went up to +her, and kissing her, said, "How knewest thou that I should come +to thee to-night?" "I knew it not," replied she. "By Allah, this +whole year past I have not tasted sleep, but have watched every +night, expecting thee, from the day thou wentest out from me and +I gave thee the new suit of clothes, and thou didst promise me to +go to the bath and come back! So I abode awaiting thee that night +and a second and a third; but thou camest not till now, and I +ever expecting thy coming, for this is the way of lovers. And now +I would have thee tell me what has been the cause of thine +absence this year long." So I told her all that had happened: and +when she knew that I was married, her colour paled. "I have come +to thee to-night," added I; "but I must leave thee before day." +Quoth she, "Doth it not suffice her to have tricked thee into +marrying her and kept thee prisoner with her a whole year, but +she must make thee take the oath of divorce to return to her +before morning and not allow thee to divert thyself with thy +mother or me nor suffer thee to pass one night with either of us, +away from her? How, then, must it be with one from whom thou hast +been absent a whole year, and I knew thee before she did? But may +God have compassion on thy cousin Azizeh, for there befell her +what never befell any and she endured what never any endured else +and died, oppressed and rejected of thee; yet was it she +protected thee against me. Indeed, I thought thou didst love me, +so let thee take thine own way; else had I not let thee go safe +and sound, when I had it in my power to hold thee in duresse and +destroy thee." Then she wept and waxed wroth and shuddered in my +face and looked at me with angry eyes. When I saw this, I was +terrified at her and trembled in every nerve, for she was like a +dreadful ghoul and I like a bean over the fire. Then said she, +"Thou art of no use to me, now thou art married and hast a child, +nor art thou any longer fit for my company. I care only for +bachelors and not for married men; for they profit us nothing. +Thou hast sold me for yonder stinking nosegay; but by Allah, I +will make the baggage's heart ache for thee, for thou shalt not +live either for me or for her!" Then she gave a loud cry, and ere +I could think, up came ten damsels and threw me on the ground; +whereupon she rose and taking a knife, said, "I will slaughter +thee like a he-goat; and that will be less than thy desert, for +thy behaviour to me and to thy cousin before me." When I found +myself at the mercy of her women, with my cheeks stained with +dust, and saw her sharpen the knife, I made sure of death and +cried out to her for mercy. But she only redoubled in inhumanity +and ordered the maids to bind my hands behind me, which they did, +and throwing me on my back, sat down on my stomach and held my +head. Then two of them sat on my shins, whilst other two held my +hands, and she bade a third pair beat me. So they beat me till I +lost my senses and my voice failed. When I revived, I said to +myself, "It were easier and better for me to have my throat cut +than to be beaten thus!" And I remembered how my cousin used to +say to me, "God keep thee from her mischief!" and cried out and +wept, till my voice failed and I remained without breath or +motion. Then she sharpened the knife and said to the girls, +"Uncover him." With this God inspired me to repeat to her the +two words my cousin had bequeathed me, and I said, "O my lady, +dost thou not know that faith is fair and perfidy foul?" When +she heard this, she cried out and said, "God pity thee, Azizeh, +and give thee Paradise in exchange for thy wasted youth! Verily, +she served thee in her lifetime and after her death, and now +she has saved thee alive out of my hands with these two words. +Nevertheless, I cannot leave thee thus, but I must e'en set my +mark on thee, to spite yonder shameless baggage, who has kept +thee from me." Then she called out to the damsels and bade them +bind my feet with cords and sit on me. They did her bidding, +whilst I lay insensible, and she fetched a pan of copper and +setting it on a brazier, poured into it oil of sesame, in which +she fried cheese.[FN#139] Then she came up to me and unfastening +my trousers, tied a cord round my cullions and giving it to two +of her women, bade them pull at it. They did so, and I swooned +away and was for excess of pain in a world other than this. Then +she came with a steel scalpel and cut off my yard, so that I +remained like a woman: after which she seared the wound with the +boiling oil and rubbed it with a powder, and I the while +unconscious. When I came to myself, the blood had ceased to flow; +so she bade the damsels unbind me and gave me a cup of wine to +drink. Then said she to me, "Go now to her whom thou hast married +and who grudged me a single night, and the mercy of God be on thy +cousin Azizeh, who discovered not her secret! Indeed she was the +cause of thy preservation, for hadst thou not repeated those +words to me, I had surely slain thee. Rise and go to whom thou +wilt, for thou hadst nothing of mine, save what I have cut off, +and now I have no part in thee, nor have I any further care or +occasion for thee: so begone about thy business and bless thy +cousin's memory!" With that, she gave me a push with her foot, +and I rose, hardly able to walk, and went little by little, till +I came to the door of my wife's house I found it open, so I threw +myself within it and fell down in a swoon; whereupon my wife came +out and lifting me up, carried me into the saloon and found that +I was like unto a woman. Then I fell into a deep sleep; but when +I awoke, I found myself thrown down at the gate of the garden. I +rose, groaning for pain and misery, and made my way to my +mother's house, where I found her weeping for me and saying, "O +my son, would I knew where thou art!" So I drew near and threw +myself upon her, and when she saw me, she knew that I was ill, +for my face was at once pale and livid. Then I called to mind my +cousin and all the kind offices she had been wont to do me and +knew that she had indeed loved me; so I wept for her and my +mother wept also. Presently, she said to me, "O my son, thy +father is dead." At this my anguish redoubled, and I wept till I +lost my senses. When I came to myself, I looked at the place +where Azizeh had been used to sit and wept anew, till I all but +fainted for excess of grief; and I ceased not to weep and lament +thus till midnight, when my mother said to me, "Thy father has +been dead these ten days." "I shall never think of any one but my +cousin Azizeh," answered I; "and indeed I deserve all that hath +befallen me, in that I abandoned her who loved me so dear." "What +hath befallen thee?" asked my mother. So I told her all that had +happened, and she wept awhile, then rose and set meat and drink +before me. I ate a little and drank, after which I repeated my +story to her, and she exclaimed, "Praised be God that she did but +this to thee and forbore to slay thee!" Then she tended me and +medicined me till I regained my health: and when my recovery was +complete, she said to me, "O my son, I will now bring out to thee +that which thy cousin committed to me in trust for thee; for it +is thine. She made me swear not to give it thee, till I should +see thee recalling her to mind and weeping over her and thine +affections severed from other than her; and now I see these +conditions fulfilled in thee." So she arose and opening a chest, +took out the piece of linen, with the figures of gazelles worked +thereon, which I had given Azizeh; and I opened it and found +written therein the following verses: + +Who moved thee, fairest one, to use this rigour of disdain And + slay, with stress of love, the souls that sigh for thee in + vain? +If thou recall me not to mind beyond our parting-day, God knows + the thought of thee with me for ever shall remain! +Thou smitest me with cruel words, that yet are sweet to me: Wilt + thou one day, though but in dreams, to look upon me deign? +I had not thought the ways of Love were languishment and woe And + stress of soul until, alas! to love thee I was fain. +I knew not weariness till I the captive of thine eyes Became and + all my soul was bound in passion's fatal chain. +Even my foes have ruth on me and pity my distress: But thou, O + heart of steel, wilt ne'er have mercy on my pain. +By God, although I die, I'll ne'er forget thee, O my hope, Nor + comfort take, though life itself for love should waste and + wane! + +When I read these verses, I wept sore and buffeted my face; then +I unfolded the scroll, and there fell from it another. I opened +it and found these words written therein: "Know, O my cousin, +that I acquit thee of my blood and I beseech God to make accord +between thee and her whom thou lovest: but if aught befall thee +through the daughter of Delileh the crafty, return thou not to +her neither resort to any other woman and bear thine affliction +patiently, for were not the ordained term of thy life a long one, +thou hadst perished long ago: but praised be God, who hath +appointed my last day before thine! My peace be upon thee; +preserve the cloth with the gazelles figured thereon and let it +not leave thee, for it used to keep me company, whenas thou wert +absent from me; but I conjure thee, by Allah, if thou chance to +fall in with her who wrought these gazelles and it be in thy +power to foregather with her, hold aloof from her and do not let +her approach thee nor marry her; and if thou happen not on her +and find no way to her, look thou company not with any other of +her sex. Know that she who wrought these gazelles is the daughter +of the King of the Camphor Islands and every year she works a +like cloth and despatches it to far countries, that her report +and the beauty of her broidery, which none in the world can +match, may be bruited abroad, As for thy beloved, the daughter of +Delileh, this cloth came to her hand, and she used to ensnare +folk with it, showing it to them and saying, 'I have a sister who +wrought this.' But she lied in this saying, may God bring her to +shame! This, then, is my parting counsel to thee, and I have not +charged thee thus, but because I know that, after my death, the +world will be straitened on thee and belike, by reason of this, +thou wilt leave thy native land and wander in foreign countries, +and hearing of her who wrought these figures, be minded to +foregather with her. Then wilt thou remember me and it shall not +avail thee nor wilt thou know my value till after my death." + +When I had read the scroll and understood what was written +therein, I fell again to weeping, and my mother wept because I +did; and I ceased not to gaze upon it and weep till nightfall. I +abode thus a whole year, at the end of which time the merchants, +with whom I am in this caravan, prepared to set out from my +native town, and my mother counselled me to equip myself and +journey with them, so haply I might find forgetfulness and my +sorrow cease from me, saying, "Take comfort and put away from +thee this mourning and travel for a year or two or three, till +the caravan returns, when peradventure thy breast may be dilated +and thy heart lightened." She ceased not to persuade me thus, +till I provided myself with merchandise and set out with the +caravan. But all the time of my journey, my tears have never +ceased flowing; and at every station where we halt, I open this +piece of linen and look on these gazelles and call to mind my +cousin Azizeh and weep for her as thou hast seen, for indeed she +loved me very dearly and died, oppressed and rejected of me; I +did her nought but ill and she did me nought but good. When these +merchants return from their journey, I shall return with them, by +which time I shall have been a whole year absent; yet is my +sorrow greater than ever and my grief and affliction were but +increased by my visit to the Islands of Camphor and the Castle of +Crystal. The islands in question are seven in number and are +ruled by a king, Shehriman by name, who hath a daughter called +Dunya; and I was told that it was she who wrought these gazelles +and that this thou seest was of her broidery. When I knew this, +yearning redoubled on me and I became a prey to consuming languor +and drowned in the sea of melancholy thought; and I wept over +myself, for that I was become even as a woman, without manly gear +like other men, and that there was no recourse for me. From the +day of my departure from the Camphor Islands, I have been +tearful-eyed and sorrowful-hearted, and I know not whether it +will be given me to return to my native land and die by my mother +or not, for I am weary of the world.' + +When the young merchant had made an end of telling his story, he +wept and groaned and complained and gazed upon the figures +wrought on the piece of linen, whilst the tears streamed down his +cheeks and he repeated the following verses: + +'Needs must thy sorrow have an end,' quoth many an one 'and cease + And I, Needs must your chiding end and let me be at peace.' +'After awhile,' say they; and I, 'Who will ensure me life, O + fools, until the hands of grief their grip of me release?' + +And also these: + +God knows that, since my severance from thee, full sore I've + wept, So sore that needs my eyes must run for very tears in + debt! +'Have patience,' quoth my censurers, 'and thou shalt win them + yet.' And I, 'O thou that blamest me, whence should I + patience get?' + +Then said he, 'This, O prince, is my story: hast thou ever heard +a stranger one?' Taj el Mulouk marvelled greatly at the young +merchant's tale and said to him, 'By Allah, thou hast suffered +that which never befell any but thyself, but thou hast life +appointed to thee, which thou must needs fulfil; and now I would +fain have thee tell me how thou sawest the lady who wrought these +gazelles.' 'O my lord,' answered Aziz, 'I got me access to her by +a stratagem, and it was this. When I entered her city with the +caravan, I went forth and wandered about the gardens [till I came +to one walled in and] abounding in trees, whose keeper was a +venerable old man of advanced age. I asked him to whom the garden +belonged, and he replied, "To the lady Dunya, the king's +daughter. We are now beneath her palace," added he; "and when she +is minded to divert herself, she opens the private door and walks +in the garden and breathes the fragrance of the flowers." So I +said to him, "Favour me by allowing me to sit in the garden till +she comes; haply I may be fortunate enough to catch a sight of +her as she passes." "There can be no harm in that," answered he. +So I gave him money and said to him, "Buy us something to eat." +He took the money joyfully and opening the door, admitted me into +the garden and carried me to a pleasant spot, where he bade me +sit down and await his return. Then he brought me fruit and +leaving me, returned after awhile with a roasted lamb, of which +we ate till we had enough, my heart yearning the while for a +sight of the princess. Presently, as we sat, the postern opened +and the keeper said to me, "Rise and hide thyself." I did so; and +behold a black eunuch put out his head through the wicket and +said, "O elder, is there any one with thee?" "No," answered he; +and the eunuch said, "Shut the garden gate." So the keeper shut +the gate, and the lady Dunya came in by the private door. When I +saw her, methought the moon had risen above the horizon and was +shining; so I looked at her a long while and longed for her, as a +man athirst longs for water. After a time she withdrew and shut +the door; whereupon I left the garden and sought my lodging, +knowing that I could not win to her and that I was no mate for +her, more by token that I was become like unto a woman, having no +manly gear, and she was a king's daughter and I but a merchant; +so how could I have access to the like of her or to any other +woman? Accordingly, when my companions made ready for departure, +I too made ready and set out with them, and we journeyed till we +arrived at this place, where we met with thee. This then is my +story, and peace be on thee!' + +When Taj el Mulouk heard the young merchant's account of the +princess Dunya and her beauty, fires raged in his bosom and his +heart and thought were occupied with love for her; passion and +longing were sore upon him and he knew not what to do. Then he +mounted his horse and taking Aziz with him, returned to his +father's capital, where he assigned the merchant a house and +supplied him with all that he needed in the way of meat and drink +and clothing. Then he left him and returned to his palace, with +the tears running down his cheeks, for report [whiles] stands in +stead of sight and very knowledge. He abode thus till his father +came in to him and finding him pale-faced, lean of body and +tearful eyed, knew that some chagrin had betided him and said to +him, 'O my son, acquaint me with thy case and tell me what hath +befallen thee, that thy colour is changed and thy body wasted.' +So he told him all that had passed and how he had heard from +Aziz of the princess Dunya and had fallen in love with her on +hearsay, without having set eyes on her. 'O my son,' said the +King, 'she is the daughter of a king whose country is far +distant from ours: so put away this thought from thee and go +into thy mother's palace. There are five hundred damsels like +moons, and whichsoever of them pleaseth thee, take her; or else +we will seek thee in marriage some one of the kings' daughters, +fairer than the lady Dunya.' 'O my father,' answered Taj el +Mulouk, 'I desire none other, for she it is who wrought the +gazelles that I saw, and I must have her; else I will flee into +the deserts and waste places and slay myself for her sake.' Then +said his father, 'O my son, have patience with me, till I send +to her father and demand her hand in marriage, as I did with thy +mother. It may be that God will bring thee to thy desire; and if +her father will not consent, I will shake his kingdom under him +with an army, whose van shall be upon him, whilst the rear is yet +with me.' Then he sent for Aziz and said to him, 'O my son, dost +thou know the way to the Camphor Islands?' 'Yes,' answered he; +and the King said, 'It is my wish that thou accompany my Vizier +thither.' 'I hear and obey, O King of the age,' replied Aziz; +whereupon the King summoned his Vizier and said to him, 'Devise +me some plan, whereby my son's affair may be rightly managed, and +go to the King of the Camphor Islands and demand his daughter in +marriage for Tej el Mulouk.' 'I hear and obey,' answered the +Vizier. Then Taj el Mulouk returned to his dwelling place and his +longing redoubled and impatience and unease were sore upon him; +and when the night darkened upon him, he wept and sighed and +complained and repeated the following verses: + +The shadows darken and my tears flow aye without avail, Whilst in + my heart the fires of love rage on and never fail. +Question the nights of me, and they will testify to thee That I + in all their endless hours do nought but weep and wait. +Wakeful for love-longing and grief, I lie and watch the stars All + night, what while upon my cheeks the tears fall down like + hail. +Lowly and helpless I abide, for such as lovers be Have, as it + were, nor kith nor kin to help them in their bale. + +Then he swooned away and did not recover his senses till the +morning, when there came to him one of his father's servants and +standing at his head, summoned him to the King's presence. So he +went with him, and his father seeing that his pallor had +increased, exhorted him to patience and promised him union with +her he loved. Then he equipped Aziz and the Vizier for the +journey and gave them presents for the princess's father; and +they set out and fared on night and day, till they drew near the +Camphor Islands, when the Vizier called a halt on the banks of a +stream and despatched a messenger to acquaint the King of his +arrival. The messenger had not long been gone, when they saw, +advancing towards them, the King's chamberlains and amirs, who +met them at a parasang's distance from the city and escorted them +to the royal presence. They laid before the King the gifts with +which they were charged and enjoyed his hospitality three days. +On the fourth day the Vizier rose and going in to the King, stood +before him and acquainted him with the object of his visit; +whereat he was perplexed and knew not what answer to make him, +for that his daughter was averse from men and did not desire to +marry. So he bowed his head awhile, then raised it and calling +one of his eunuchs, said to him, 'Go to thy mistress, the +princess Dunya, and repeat to her what thou hast heard and tell +her this Vizier's errand.' So the eunuch went out and returning +after a while, said to the King, 'O King of the age, when I went +to the lady Dunya and told her what I had heard, she was +exceeding wroth and made at me with a staff, meaning to break my +head; whereupon I fled from her, and she said to me, 'If my +father force me to marry, him whom I wed I will kill.' Then said +the King to the Vizier and Aziz, 'Salute the King your master and +tell him what ye have heard and that my daughter is averse from +men and hath no mind to marry.' So they returned, without having +accomplished the object of their journey, and fared on till they +rejoined the King and told him what had passed; whereupon he +commanded the chief to summon the troops for war. But the Vizier +said to him, 'O King, do not this, for the King is not at fault, +seeing that, when his daughter learnt our business, she sent to +say that, if her father forced her to marry, she would kill her +husband and herself after him: so the refusal comes from her.' +When the King heard this, he feared for Taj el Mulouk and said, +'If I make war on the King of the Camphor Islands and carry off +his daughter, she will kill herself and it will profit me +nothing.' So he told his son how the case stood, and he said, 'O +my father, I cannot live without her; so I will go to her and +cast about to get me access to her, though I die in the attempt.' +'How wilt thou go to her?' asked his father; and he answered, 'In +the disguise of a merchant.' Then said the King, 'If thou must go +and there is no help for it, take with thee Aziz and the Vizier.' +He agreed to this, and the King took money from his treasuries +and made ready for him merchandise, to the value of a hundred +thousand dinars; and when the night came Taj el Mulouk went to +Aziz's lodging and passed the night there, heart-smitten and +taking no delight in food nor sleep; for melancholy was heavy +upon him and he was agitated with longing for his beloved. So he +besought the Creator to unite him with her and wept and groaned +and complained, repeating the following verses: + +Shall union after estrangement betide us, perchance, some day? + Shall I ever make moan of my passion to thee, I wonder, and + say, +'How oft have I called thee to mind, whilst the night in its + trances slept! Thou hast made me waken, whilst all but I in + oblivion lay. + +Then he wept sore and Aziz wept with him, for that he remembered +his cousin; and they both ceased not to do thus till the morning, +when Taj el Mulouk rose and went in to his mother in his +travelling dress. She asked him of his case, and he told her what +was to do; so she gave him fifty thousand dinars and bade him +farewell, offering up prayers for his safety and for his union +with his beloved. Then he left her and betaking himself to his +father, asked his leave to depart. The King granted him leave and +presenting him with other fifty thousand dinars, let pitch a tent +for him without the city, in which they abode two days, then set +out on their journey. And Taj el Mulouk delighted in Aziz's +company and said to him, 'O my brother, I can never bear to be +parted from thee.' 'Nor I from thee,' replied Aziz; 'and fain +would I die at thy feet: but, O my brother, my heart is concerned +for my mother.' 'When we have attained our wish,' said the +prince, 'all will be well.' As for the Vizier, he exhorted Taj el +Mulouk to patience, whilst Aziz entertained him with talk and +recited verses to him and diverted him with stories and +anecdotes; and so they fared on day and night for two whole +months, till the way became tedious to the prince and the fires +of passion redoubled on him. So he repeated the following verses: + +Long is the road and restlessness and grief redouble aye, Whilst + in my breast the fires of love rage ever night and day +O thou, the goal of all my hopes, sole object of my wish, I swear + by Him, the Most High God, who moulded man from clay, +For love of thee I bear a load of longing and desire, Such as the + mountains of Es Shumm might ne'er withal away! +Indeed, O lady of my world,[FN#140] love slayeth me outright; No + breath of life in me is left, my fainting spright to stay +But for the hope of union with thee, that lures me on, My weary + body had no strength to furnish forth the way. + +When he had finished, he wept and Aziz wept with him, from a +lacerated heart, till the Vizier was moved to pity by their +weeping and said to the prince, 'O my lord, take courage and be +of good cheer; all will yet be well.' 'O Vizier,' said Taj el +Mulouk, 'indeed I am weary of the length of the way. Tell me how +far we are distant yet from the city.' 'But a little way,' +replied Aziz. Then they continued their journey, traversing +valleys and plains and hills and stony wastes, till one night, as +Taj el Mulouk was asleep, he dreamt that his beloved was with him +and that he embraced her and pressed her to his bosom; and he +awoke, trembling and delirious with emotion, and repeated the +following verses: + +My heart is maddened for love and my tears for ever flow, And + longing is ever upon me and unrelenting woe. +My plaint is, for tears, as the mourning of women bereft of + young, And I moan, when the darkness gathers, as the + turtles, sad and low. +Yet, if the breezes flutter from the land where thou dost dwell, + Their wafts o'er the earth, sun-weaned, a grateful coolness + throw. +Peace be on thee, my beloved, as long as the cushat flies, As + long as the turtles warble, as long as the zephyrs blow! + +When he had finished, the Vizier came to him and said, 'Rejoice; +this is a good sign: so comfort thyself and be of good cheer, for +thou shalt surely compass thy desire.' And Aziz also came to him +and exhorted him to patience and applied himself to divert him, +talking with him and telling him stories. So they pressed on, +night and day, other two months, till, one day, at sunrise, there +appeared to them some white thing in the distance and Taj el +Mulouk said to Aziz, 'What is yonder whiteness?' 'O my lord,' +answered he, 'that is the Fortress of Crystal and the city that +thou seekest.' At this the prince rejoiced, and they fared +forward till they drew near the city, to the exceeding joy of Taj +el Mulouk, whose grief and anxiety ceased from him. They entered, +in the guise of merchants, the King's son being habited as a +merchant of importance, and repaired to a great khan, known as +the Merchants' Lodging. Quoth Taj el Mulouk to Aziz, 'Is this the +resort of the merchants?' 'Yes,' replied he; 'it is the khan in +which I lodged when I was here before.' So they alighted there +and making their beasts kneel down, unloaded them and laid up +their goods in the warehouses. They abode four days, resting; at +the end of which time, the Vizier proposed that they should hire +a large house. To this they assented and hired a spacious house, +fitted up for festivities, where they took up their abode, and +the Vizier and Aziz studied to devise some plan of conduct +for Taj el Mulouk, whilst the latter remained in a state of +perplexity, knowing not what to do. The Vizier could think +of nothing but that he should set up as a merchant in the +stuff-market; so he turned to the prince and Aziz and said to +them, 'If we tarry thus, we shall not compass our desire nor +attain our aim; but I have bethought me of somewhat, in which, if +it please God, we shall find our advantage.' 'Do what seemeth +good to thee,' replied Taj el Mulouk; 'indeed there is a blessing +on the aged, more by token that thou art versed in the conduct +of affairs: so tell me what is in thy mind.' 'It is my counsel,' +rejoined the Vizier, 'that we hire thee a shop in the stuff-bazaar, +where thou mayst sit to sell and buy. Every one, great +and small, hath need of silken and other stuffs; so if thou be +patient and abide in thy shop, thine affairs will prosper, if +it please God, especially as thou art comely of aspect. Moreover, +I would have thee make Aziz thy factor and set him within the +shop, to hand thee the pieces of stuffs and silks.' When Taj el +Mulouk heard this, he said, 'This is a good counsel.' So he took +out a handsome suit of merchant's clothes, and putting it on, set +out for the bazaar, followed by his servants, to one of whom he +had given a thousand dinars, wherewith to fit up the shop. When +they came to the stuff-market and the merchants saw Taj el +Mulouk's beauty and grace, they were confounded and some said, +'Sure Rizwan hath opened the gates of Paradise and left them +unguarded, so that this passing lovely youth hath come out.' And +others, 'Belike this is one of the angels.' They asked for the +shop of the overseer of the market, and the merchants directed +them to it. So they repaired thither and saluted him, and he and +those who were with him rose to them and seated them and made +much of them because of the Vizier, whom they saw to be a man of +age and reverend aspect; and seeing Aziz and Taj el Mulouk in his +company, they said to one another, 'Doubtless this old man is +the father of these two youths.' Then said the Vizier, 'Which of +you is the overseer of the market?' 'This is he,' answered they; +whereupon he came forward and the Vizier, observing him, saw him +to be an old man of grave and dignified carriage, with slaves and +servants, white and black. He greeted them in the friendliest +manner and was lavish in his attentions to them: then he made +them sit by his side and said to them, 'Have you any business +which we may have the pleasure of transacting?' 'Yes,' answered +the Vizier. 'I am an old man, stricken in years, and have with +me these two youths, with whom I have travelled through many +towns and countries, tarrying a whole year in every city (of +importance) on our way, that they might take their pleasure in +viewing it and come to know its people. Now I have chosen to make +a stay in this your town; so I would fain have thee allot me a +handsome shop in the best situation, wherein I may establish +them, that they may traffic and learn to buy and sell and give +and take, whilst they divert themselves with the sight of the +place and acquire the uses of its people.' 'Good,' said the +overseer, and looking at the two youths, rejoiced in them and +conceived a great affection for them. Now he was a great lover of +bewitching glances, preferring the commerce of boys to that of +girls and inclining to their love. So he said in himself, 'These +be fine purchase; glory to Him who created and fashioned them out +of vile water!'[FN#141] and rising, stood before them like a +servant, to do them honour. Then he went out and made ready for +them a shop in the midst of the market, than which there was no +larger nor better in the bazaar, for it was spacious and +handsomely decorated and fitted with shelves of ebony and ivory; +after which he delivered the keys to the Vizier, who was dressed +as an old merchant, saying, 'Take them, O my lord, and may God +make it a blessed abiding-place to thy sons!' The Vizier took the +keys, and they returned to the khan and caused their servants to +transport to the shop all their goods and stuffs and valuables, +of which they had great plenty, worth treasures of money. Next +morning, the Vizier carried the two young men to the bath, where +they washed and put on rich clothes and perfumed themselves to +the utmost therein. Now each of them was passing fair to look +upon, and the bath enhanced their charms to the utmost, even as +says the poet: + +Good luck to him who in the bath doth serve him as his squire, + Handling a body 'gotten sure 'twixt water and the fire! +With skilful hands he showeth forth the marvels of his craft, In + that he gathers very musk[FN#142] from what is like + camphire. + +When the overseer heard that they had gone to the bath, he sat +down to await them, and presently they came up to him, like two +gazelles, with red cheeks and black eyes and shining faces, as +they were two lustrous moons or two fruit-laden saplings. When he +saw them, he rose and said to them, 'May your bath profit you +ever!' Whereupon Taj el Mulouk replied, with the sweetest of +speech, 'May God be bountiful to thee, O my father! Why didst +thou not come with us and bathe in our company?' Then they both +bent over his hands and kissing them, walked before him to the +shop, to do him honour and show their respect for him, for that +he was chief of the merchants and the market, as well as their +sense of his kindness in giving them the shop. When he saw their +hips quivering, emotion and longing redoubled on him and he could +not contain himself, but puffed and snorted and devoured them +with his eyes, repeating the following verses: + +The heart in them studies the chapter of worship unshared sheer + No proofs of more gods to worship than one it readeth here. +No wonder it is they tremble by reason of their weight; How much + is there not of motion in that revolving sphere! + +And also these: + +Two fair ones walking on the earth mine eyes did late espy; Two + that I needs must love although they walked upon mine eye. + +When they heard this, they begged him to enter the bath with them +a second time. He could hardly believe his ears and hastening +thither, went in with them. The Vizier had not yet left the bath; +so when he heard of the overseer's coming, he came out and +meeting him in the outer room of the bath, invited him to enter. +He refused, but Taj el Mulouk took him by one hand and Aziz by +the other and carried him into a cabinet, the impure old man +submitting to them, whilst his emotion increased on him. Then Taj +el Mulouk swore that none but he should wash him and Aziz that +none but he should pour water on him. He would have refused, +albeit this was what he desired; but the Vizier said to him, +'They are thy sons; let them wash thee and bathe thee.' 'God +preserve them to thee!' exclaimed the overseer. 'By Allah, thy +coming and theirs hath brought blessing and fortune upon our +city!' and he repeated the following verses: + +Thou cam'st, and the mountains about us grew green And glittered, + with flowers for the bridegroom beseen; +Whilst earth and her creatures cried, 'Welcome to thee, Thrice + welcome, that comest in glory and sheen!' + +They thanked him for this, and Taj el Mulouk proceeded to wash +him, whilst Aziz poured water over him and he thought himself in +Paradise. When they had made an end of his service, he called +down blessings on them and sat talking with the Vizier, gazing +the while on the youths. Presently, the servants brought them +towels, and they dried themselves and donned their clothes. Then +they went out, and the Vizier said to the overseer, 'O my lord, +verily the bath is the Paradise of this world.' 'May God +vouchsafe it[FN#143] to thee,' replied the overseer, 'and health +to thy sons and guard them from the evil eye! Do you remember +aught that the poets have said in praise of the bath?' 'Yes,' +said Taj el Mulouk and repeated the following verses: + +The life of the bath is the pleasantest part of life, Except that + the time of our sojourn there is slight. +A heaven, wherein 'tis irksome to us to bide: A hell, into which + we enter with delight. + +'And I also,' said Aziz, 'remember some verses in praise of the +bath.' Quoth the overseer, 'Let us hear them.' So he repeated the +following: + +I know a house, wherein flowers from the sheer stone blow; Most + goodly, when the flames about it rage and glow. +Thou deem'st it hell, and yet, in truth, 'tis Paradise And most + that be therein are sun and moons, I trow. + +His verses pleased the overseer and he wondered at their grace +and eloquence and said, 'By Allah, ye possess both beauty and +eloquence! But now listen to me.' And he chanted the following +verses: + +O pleasaunce of hell-fire and paradise of pain! Bodies and souls + therein indeed are born again. +I marvel at a house, whose pleasantness for aye Doth flourish, + though the flames beneath it rage amain. +A sojourn of delight to those who visit it It is; the pools on + them their tears in torrents rain. + +Then he fed his eyes on the gardens of their beauty and repeated +the following verses: + +I went to the bath-keeper's house and entered his dwelling-place + And found no door-keeper there but met me with smiling face. +I sojourned awhile in his heaven[FN#144] and visited eke his + hell[FN#145] And thanked both Malik[FN#146] and + Rizwan[FN#147] for solace and kindly grace. + +They were charmed with these verses, and the overseer invited +them to his house; but they declined and resumed to their own +lodging, to rest from the great heat of the bath. They took their +ease there and ate and drank and passed the night in the greatest +comfort and delight, till morning, when they arose from sleep and +making their ablutions, prayed the morning-prayer and drank the +morning-draught. As soon as the sun had risen and the markets and +shops were open, they went out to the bazaar and opened their +shop, which their servants had already furnished, after the +handsomest fashion, with prayer-rugs and silken carpets and a +pair of divans, each worth a hundred dinars. On each divan they +had spread a rug, garded with gold and fit for a king, and in the +midst of the shop stood a third seat of still greater elegance, +even as the case required. Taj el Mulouk sat down on one couch +and Aziz on another, whilst the Vizier seated himself on that in +the centre, and the servants stood before them. The people of the +city heard of them and crowded to them, so that they sold some of +their goods and the report of Taj el Mulouk's beauty and grace +spread throughout the place. Some days passed thus, and every day +the people flocked to them more and more, till the Vizier, after +exhorting the prince to keep his secret, commended him to Aziz's +care and went home, that he might be alone and cast about for +some device that might profit them. + +Meanwhile, the two young men sat talking and the prince said to +Aziz, 'It may be some one will come from the Princess Dunya.' So +he abode in expectation of this days and nights, whilst his heart +was troubled and he knew neither sleep nor rest: for desire had +gotten the mastery of him and passion and longing were sore upon +him, so that he forewent the solace of sleep and abstained from +meat and drink; yet ceased he not to be like the full moon. One +day, as he sat in the shop, there came up an old woman, followed +by two slave-girls. She stopped before Taj el Mulouk and +observing his grace and elegance and symmetry, marvelled at his +beauty and sweated in her clothes, exclaiming, 'Glory to Him who +created thee out of vile water and made thee a ravishment to all +who look upon thee!' And she fixed her eyes on him and said, +'This is sure no mortal, but a noble angel.' Then she drew near +and saluted him, whereupon he returned her salute and (being +prompted thereto by Aziz) rose to his feet to receive her and +smiled in her face after which he made her sit down by his side +and fanned her, till she was rested and refreshed, when she +turned to him and said, 'O my son, O thou that art perfect in +graces and charms, art thou of this country?' 'By Allah, O my +lady,' answered he in the sweetest and pleasantest of voices, 'I +was never in this country in my life till now, nor do I sojourn +here save for my diversion.' 'May all honour and prosperity +attend thee!' rejoined she. 'What stuffs has thou brought with +thee? Show me something handsome; for the fair should bring +nothing but what is fair.' When he heard her words, his heart +fluttered and he knew not what she meant; but Aziz made a sign to +him, and he replied, 'I have everything thou canst desire, and +amongst the rest goods that befit none but kings and kings' +daughters; so tell me for whom thou seekest the stuff, that I may +show thee what will befit her.' This he said, that he might learn +the meaning of her words; and she rejoined, 'I want a stuff fit +for the Princess Dunya, daughter of King Shehriman.' When the +prince heard the name of his beloved, he rejoiced greatly and +said to Aziz, 'Give me such a bale.' So Aziz brought it and +opened it before Taj el Mulouk, who said to the old woman, +'Choose what will suit her; for these are goods only to be found +with me.' So she chose goods worth a thousand dinars and said, +'How much is this?' And ceased not the while to talk with him and +rub the inside of her thighs with the palm of her hand. 'Shall I +haggle with the like of thee about this paltry price?' answered +he. 'Praised be God who hath brought me acquainted with thee!' +'The name of God be upon thee!' exclaimed she. 'I commend thy +fair face to the protection of the Lord of the Daybreak! Fair +face and pleasant speech! Happy the woman who lies in thy bosom +and clasps thy waist in her arms and enjoys thy youth, especially +if she be fair and graceful like unto thee!' At this, Taj el +Mulouk laughed till he fell backward and said (in himself), 'O +Thou who fulfillest desires by means of dissolute old women! They +are indeed the accomplishers of desires!' Then said she, 'O my +son, what is thy name?' And he answered, 'My name is Taj el +Mulouk.'[FN#148] 'This is a name of kings and kings' sons,' +rejoined she; 'and thou art clad in a merchant's habit.' Quoth +Aziz, 'For the love his parents and family bore him and the value +they set on him, they named him thus.' 'Thou sayst sooth,' +replied the old woman. 'May God guard you both from the evil eye +and the malice of the enemy and the envious, though hearts be +broken by your charms!' Then she took the stuff and went away, +amazed at the prince's beauty and grace and symmetry, and going +in to the Princess Dunya, said to her, 'O my lady, I have brought +thee some handsome stuff.' 'Show it me,' said the princess. 'Here +it is,' answered the old woman; 'turn it over, O my treasure, and +examine it.' So the princess looked at the stuff and was amazed +at its beauty and said, 'O my nurse, this is indeed handsome +stuff! I have never seen its like in our city.' 'O my lady,' +replied the nurse, 'he who sold it me is handsomer still. It +would seem as if Rizwan had left the gates of Paradise open and +this youth had come out. I would he might sleep this night with +thee and lie between thy breasts! He hath come hither with these +stuffs for amusement's sake, and he is a ravishment to all who +set eyes on him.' The princess laughed at her words and said, +'Allah afflict thee, O pernicious old woman! Thou dotest and +there is no sense left in thee. Give me the stuff, that I may +look at it anew.' So she gave it her, and she examined it again +and seeing that though small, it was of great value, was moved to +admiration, for she had never in her life seen its like, and +exclaimed, 'By Allah, this is a handsome stuff.' 'O my lady,' +said the old woman, 'if thou sawest him who sold it to me, thou +wouldst know him for the handsomest of all that be upon the face +of the earth.' Quoth the princess, 'Didst thou ask him if he had +any need, that we might satisfy it?' The nurse shook her head and +answered, 'God keep thy sagacity! Assuredly he has a want, may +thy skill not fail thee. What man is free from wants?' 'Go back +to him,' rejoined the princess; 'salute him for me, and say to +him, "Our land and town are honoured by thy visit, and if thou +hast any need, we will fulfil it to thee, on our head and eyes."' +So the old woman returned to Taj el Mulouk, and when he saw her, +his heart leapt for joy and he rose to his feet and taking her +hand, seated her by his side. As soon as she was rested she told +him what the princess had said, whereat he rejoiced exceedingly; +his breast dilated and gladness entered his heart, and he said in +himself, 'Verily, I have gotten my desire.' Then said he to the +old woman, 'Belike thou wilt take her a message from me and bring +me her answer.' 'I hear and obey,' replied she. So he said to +Aziz, 'Bring me inkhorn and paper and a pen of brass.' Aziz +brought him what he sought, and he took the pen and wrote the +following verses: I send thee, O my hope, a letter, to complain +Of all my soul endures for parting and its pain. + +Six lines it hath; the first, 'A fire is in my heart;' The next + line setteth forth my passion all in vain; +The third, 'My patience fails and eke my life doth waste;' The + fourth, 'All love with me for ever shall remain.' +The fifth, 'When shall mine eyes behold thee? And the sixth, + 'When shall the day betide of meeting for us twain? + +And by way of subscription he wrote these words, 'This letter is +from the captive of desire, prisoned in the hold of longing, from +which there is no deliverance but in union and intercourse with +her whom he loveth, after absence and separation: for he +suffereth grievous torment by reason of his severance from his +beloved.' Then his tears rushed out and he wrote the following +verses: + +I write to thee, my love, and the tears run down as I write; For + the tears of my eyes, alack I cease never day or night. +Yet do I not despair; mayhap, of God His grace, The day shall + dawn for us of union and delight. + +Then he folded the letter and sealed it and gave it to the old +woman, saying, 'Carry it to the lady Dunya.' 'I hear and obey,' +answered she; whereupon he gave her a thousand dinars and said to +her, 'O my mother, accept this, as a token of my affection.' She +took the letter and the money, calling down blessings on him, and +returned to the princess. When the latter saw her, she said to +her, 'O my nurse, what is it he asks, that we may fulfil his wish +to him?' 'O my lady,' replied the old woman, 'he sends thee this +letter by me, and I know not what is in it.' The princess took +the letter and reading it, exclaimed, 'Who and what is this +merchant that he should dare to write to me thus?' And she +buffeted her face, saying, 'What have we done that we should come +in converse with shopkeepers? Alas! Alas! By Allah, but that I +fear God the Most High, I would put him to death and crucify him +before his shop!' 'What is in the letter,' asked the old woman, +'to trouble thy heart and move thine anger thus? Doth it contain +a complaint of oppression or demand for the price of the stuff?' +'Out on thee!' answered the princess. 'There is none of this in +it, nought but words of love and gallantry. This is all through +thee: else how should this devil know me?' 'O my lady,' rejoined +the old woman, 'thou sittest in thy high palace and none may win +to thee, no, not even the birds of the air. God keep thee and +keep thy youth from blame and reproach! Thou art a princess, the +daughter of a king, and needest not reck of the barking of dogs. +Blame me not that I brought thee this letter, knowing not what +was in it; but it is my counsel that thou send him an answer, +threatening him with death and forbidding him from this idle +talk. Surely he will abstain and return not to the like of this.' +'I fear,' said the princess, 'that, if I write to him, he will +conceive hopes of me.' Quoth the old woman, 'When he reads thy +threats and menace of punishment, he will desist.' So the +princess called for inkhorn and paper and pen of brass and wrote +the following verses: + +O thou who feignest thee the prey of love and wakefulness And + plainst of that thou dost endure for passion and distress +Thinkst thou, deluded one, to win thy wishes of the moon? Did + ever any of a moon get union and liesse? +I rede thee put away the thought of this thou seekst from thee, + For that therein but peril is for thee and weariness. +If thou to this thy speech return, a grievous punishment Shall + surely fall on thee from me and ruin past redress. +By Him, the Almighty God, I swear, who moulded man from clay, Him + who gave fire unto the sun and lit the moon no less +If thou offend anew, for sure, upon a cross of tree I'll have + thee crucified for all thy wealth and goodliness! + +Then she folded the letter and giving it to the old woman, said, +'Carry this to him and bid him desist from this talk.' 'I hear +and obey,' replied she, and taking the letter, returned, +rejoicing, to her own house, where she passed the night and in +the morning betook herself to the shop of Taj el Mulouk, whom she +found expecting her. At sight of her, he well-nigh lost his +reason for delight, and when she came up to him, he rose to his +feet and seated her by his side. Then she brought out the letter +and gave it to him, saying, 'Read this. When the princess read +thy letter, she was angry; but I coaxed her and jested with her +till I made her laugh, and she had pity on thee and has returned +thee an answer.' He thanked her and bade Aziz give her a thousand +dinars: then he read her letter and fell to weeping sore, so that +the old woman's heart was moved to pity for him and his tears and +complaints grieved her. So she said to him, 'O my son, what is +there in this scroll, that makes thee weep?' 'She threatens me +with death and crucifixion,' replied he, 'and forbids me to write +to her: but if I write not, my death were better than my life. So +take thou my answer to her letter and let her do what she will.' +'By the life of thy youth,' rejoined the old woman, 'needs must I +venture my life for thee, that I may bring thee to thy desire and +help thee to win that thou hast at heart!' And he said, 'Whatever +thou dost, I will requite thee therefor, and do thou determine of +it; for thou art versed in affairs and skilled in all fashions of +intrigue: difficult matters are easy to thee: and God can do all +things.' Then he took a scroll and wrote therein the following +verses: + +My love with slaughter threatens me, woe's me for my distress! + But death is foreordained; to me, indeed, 'twere happiness; +Better death end a lover's woes than that a weary life He live, + rejected and forlorn, forbidden from liesse. +Visit a lover, for God's sake, whose every helper fails, And with + thy sight thy captive slave and bondman deign to bless! +Have ruth upon me, lady mine, for loving thee; for all, Who love + the noble, stand excused for very passion's stress. + +Then he sighed heavily and wept, till the old woman wept also and +taking the letter, said to him, 'Take heart and be of good cheer, +for it shall go hard but I bring thee to thy desire.' Then she +rose and leaving him on coals of fire, returned to the princess, +whom she found still pale with rage at Taj el Mulouk's first +letter. The nurse gave her his second letter, whereupon her anger +redoubled and she said, 'Did I not say he would conceive hopes of +us?' 'What is this dog,' replied the old woman, 'that he should +conceive hopes of thee?' Quoth the princess, 'Go back to him and +tell him that, if he write to me again, I will have his head cut +off.' 'Write this in a letter,' answered the nurse, 'and I will +take it to him, that his fear may be the greater.' So she took a +scroll and wrote thereon the following verses: + +Harkye thou that letst the lessons of the past unheeded lie, Thou + that lookst aloft, yet lackest power to win thy goal on + high, +Thinkest thou to reach Es Suha,[FN#149] O deluded one, although + Even the moon's too far to come at, shining in the middle + sky? +How then dar'st thou hope my favours and aspire to twinned + delight And my spear-straight shape and slender in thine + arms to girdle sigh? +Leave this purpose, lest mine anger fall on thee some day of + wrath, Such as e'en the parting-places shall with white for + terror dye. + +Then she folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, who took +it and returned to Taj el Mulouk. When he saw her, he rose to his +feet and exclaimed, 'May God not bereave me of the blessing of +thy coming!' Quoth she, 'Take the answer to thy letter.' He took +it and reading it, wept sore and said, 'Would some one would slay +me now, for indeed death were easier to me than this my state!' +Then he took pen and inkhorn and paper and wrote the following +verses: + +O my hope, have done with rigour; lay disdain and anger by, Visit + one who, drowned in passion, doth for love and longing sigh. +Think not, under thine estrangement, that my life I will endure. + Lo, my soul, for very severance from thy sight, is like to + die. + +Then he folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, saying, +'Grudge it not to me, though I have wearied thee to no purpose.' +And he bade Aziz give her other thousand dinars, saying, 'O my +mother, needs must this letter result in perfect union or +complete separation.' 'O my son,' replied she, 'by Allah, I +desire nought but thy weal; and it is my wish that she be thine, +for indeed thou art the resplendent moon and she the rising sun. +If I do not bring you together, there is no profit in my life: +these ninety years have I lived in the practice of wile and +intrigue; so how should I fail to unite two lovers, though in +defiance of law?' Then she took leave of him, after comforting +his heart, and returned to the palace. Now she had hidden the +letter in her hair: so she sat down by the princess and rubbing +her head, said, 'O my lady, maybe thou wilt comb out my hair: for +it is long since I went to the bath.' The princess bared her arms +to the elbow and letting down the old woman's hair, began to comb +it, when out dropped the letter and Dunya seeing it, asked what +it was. Quoth the nurse, 'This paper must have stuck to me, as I +sat in the merchant's shop: give it me, that I may return it to +him; belike it contains some reckoning of which he hath need.' +But the princess opened it, and reading it, cried out, 'This is +one of thy tricks, and hadst thou not reared me, I would lay +violent hands on thee forthright! Verily God hath afflicted me +with this merchant: but all that hath befallen me with him is of +thy contrivance. I know not whence this fellow can have come: +none but he would venture to affront me thus, and I fear lest +this my case get wind, the more that it concerns one who is +neither of my rank nor of my peers.' 'None would dare speak of +this,' rejoined the old woman, 'for fear of thine anger and awe +of thy father; so there can be no harm in sending him an answer.' +'O my nurse,' said the princess, 'verily this fellow is a devil. +How can he dare to use such language to me and not dread the +Sultan's wrath? Indeed, I am perplexed about his case: if I order +him to be put to death, it were unjust; and if I leave him, his +presumption will increase.' 'Write him a letter,' rejoined the +old woman; 'it may be he will desist.' So she called for pen and +ink and paper and wrote the following verses: + +Again and again I chide thee, yet folly ever again Lures thee: + how long, with my writing, in verse shall I bid thee + refrain, +Whilst thou but growest in boldness for all forbidding? But I No + grace save to keep thy secret, unto thy prayers may deign. +Conceal thy passion nor ever reveal it; for, an thou speak, I + will surely show thee no mercy nor yet my wrath contain. +If to thy foolish daring thou turn thee anew, for sure, The raven + of evil omen shall croak for thee death and bane; +And slaughter shall come upon thee ere long, and under the earth + To seek for a place of abiding, God wot, thou shalt be fain. +Thy people, O self-deluder, thou'lt leave in mourning for thee; + Ay, all their lives they shall sorrow for thee, fordone and + slain. + +Then she folded the letter and committed it to the old woman, who +took it and returning to Taj el Mulouk, gave it to him. When he +read it, he knew that the princess was hard-hearted and that he +should not win to her; so he complained to the Vizier and +besought his advice. Quoth he, 'Nothing will profit thee save +that thou write to her and invoke the wrath of God upon her.' And +he said to Aziz, 'O my brother, do thou write to her in my name, +according to thy knowledge.' So Aziz took a scroll and wrote the +following verses: + +O Lord, by the Five Elders, deliver me, I pray, And her, for whom + I suffer, in like affliction lay! +Thou knowest that I weary in raging flames of love; Whilst she I + love is cruel and saith me ever nay. +How long shall I be tender to her, despite my pain? How long + shall she ride roughshod o'er my weakness night and day? +In agonies I wander of never-ceasing death And find nor friend + nor helper, O Lord, to be my stay. +Full fain would I forget her; but how can I forget, When for + desire my patience is wasted all away? +Thou that forbidst my passion the sweets of happy love, Art thou + then safe from fortune, that shifts and changes aye? +Art thou not glad and easeful and blest with happy life, Whilst + I, for thee, an exile from folk and country stray? + +Then he folded the letter and gave it to Taj el Mulouk, who read +the verses and was pleased with them. So he handed the letter to +the old woman, who took it and carried it to the princess. When +she read it, she was greatly enraged and said, 'All that has +befallen me comes from this pernicious old woman!' Then she cried +out to the damsels and eunuchs, saying, 'Seize this accursed old +trickstress and beat her with your slippers!' So they beat her +till she swooned away; and when she revived, the princess said to +her, 'By Allah, O wicked old woman, did I not fear God the Most +High, I would kill thee!' Then she bade them beat her again, and +they did so, till she fainted a second time, whereupon the +princess ordered them to drag her forth and throw her without the +palace. So they dragged her along on her face and threw her down +before the gate. When she came to herself, she rose and made the +best of her way home, walking and resting by turns. She passed +the night in her own house and in the morning, she went to Taj el +Mulouk and told him what had passed, at which he was distressed +and said, 'O my mother, this that has befallen thee is grievous +to us; but all things are according to fate and destiny.' 'Take +comfort and be of good cheer,' replied she; 'for I will not give +over striving, till I have brought thee and her together and made +thee to enjoy the vile baggage who hath tortured me with +beating.' Quoth the prince, 'Tell me the reason of her aversion +to men.' 'It arose from what she saw in a dream,' answered the +old woman. 'And what was this dream?' asked the prince. 'One +night,' replied she, 'as she lay asleep, she saw a fowler spread +his net upon the ground and scatter grain round it. Then he sat +down hard by, and all the birds in the neighbourhood flocked to +the net. Amongst the rest she saw a pair of pigeons, male and +female; and whilst she was watching the net, the male bird's foot +caught in it and he began to struggle, whereupon all the other +birds took fright and flew away. But presently his mate came back +and hovered over him, then alighted on the net, unobserved by the +fowler, and fell to picking and pulling at the mesh in which the +male bird's foot was entangled with her beak, till she released +him and they flew away together. Then the fowler came up and +mended his net and seated himself afar off. After awhile, the +birds came back and the female pigeon was caught in the net, +whereupon all the other birds took fright and flew away; and the +male pigeon flew away with the rest and did not return to his +mate. Then came the fowler and took the female pigeon and killed +her. So the princess awoke, troubled by her dream, and said, "All +males are worthless, like this pigeon: and men in general are +wanting in goodness to women."' When the old woman had made an +end of her story, the prince said to her, 'O my mother, I desire +to have one look at her, though it be my death; so do thou +contrive me some means of seeing her.' 'Know then,' answered she, +'that she hath under her palace windows a pleasure-garden, to +which she resorts once in every month by the private door. In ten +days, the time of her thus going forth will arrive; so when she +is about to visit the garden, I will come and tell thee, that +thou mayst go thither and meet her. And look thou quit not the +garden, for haply, if she sees thy beauty and grace, her heart +will be taken with love of thee, and love is the most potent +means of union.' 'I hear and obey,' replied Taj el Mulouk. Then +he and Aziz left the shop, and taking the old woman with them, +showed her where they lodged. Then said the prince to Aziz, 'I +have no further need of the shop, having fulfilled my purpose of +it; so I give it to thee with all that is in it; for that thou +hast come abroad with me and hast left thy country for my sake.' +Aziz accepted his gift and they sat conversing awhile, the prince +questioning the young merchant of the strange passages of his +life and the latter acquainting him with the particulars thereof. +Presently, they went to the Vizier and acquainting him with Taj +el Mulouk's purpose, asked him what they should do. 'Let us go to +the garden,' answered he. So they donned their richest clothes +and went forth, followed by three white slaves, to the garden, +which they found thick with trees and abounding in rills. At the +gate, they saw the keeper sitting; so they saluted him and he +returned their salute. Then the Vizier gave him a hundred dinars, +saying, 'Prithee, take this spending-money and fetch us something +to eat; for we are strangers and I have with me these two lads, +whom I wish to divert.' The gardener took the money and said to +them, 'Enter and take your pleasure in the garden, for it is all +yours; and sit down till I bring you what you require.' So he +went to the market, and the Vizier and his companions entered the +garden. In a little while, the gardener returned with a roasted +lamb and bread as white as cotton, which he placed before them, +and they ate and drank; after which he set on sweetmeats, and +they ate of them, then washed their hands and sat talking. +Presently the Vizier said to the gardener, 'Tell me about this +garden: is it thine or dost thou rent it?' 'It does not belong to +me,' replied he, 'but to the Princess Dunya, the King's +daughter.' 'What is thy wage?' asked the Vizier, and the gardener +answered, 'One dinar every month and no more.' Then the Vizier +looked round about the garden and seeing in its midst a pavilion, +lofty but old and dilapidated, said to the keeper, 'O elder, I am +minded to do here a good work, by which thou shalt remember me.' +'O my lord,' rejoined the other, 'what is that?' 'Take these +three hundred dinars,' answered the Vizier. When the keeper heard +speak of the dinars, he said, 'O my lord, do what thou wilt.' So +the Vizier gave him the money, saying, 'God willing, we will work +a good work in this place.' Then they left the garden and +returned to their lodging, where they passed the night. Next day, +the Vizier sent for a plasterer and a painter and a skilful +goldsmith, and furnishing them with all the tools and materials +that they required, carried them to the garden, where he bade +them plaster the walls of the pavilion and decorate it with +various kinds of paintings. Then he sent for gold and ultramarine +and said to the painter, 'Paint me on the wall, at the upper end +of the saloon, a fowler, with his nets spread and birds lighted +round them and a female pigeon fallen into the net and entangled +therein by the bill. Let this fill one compartment of the wall, +and on the other paint the fowler seizing the pigeon and setting +the knife to her throat, whilst the third compartment of the +picture must show a great hawk seizing the male pigeon, her mate, +and digging his talons into him.' The painter did as the Vizier +bade him, and when he and the other workmen had finished, they +took their hire and went away. Then the Vizier and his companions +took leave of the gardener and returned to their lodging, where +they sat down to converse. And Taj el Mulouk said to Aziz, 'O my +brother, recite me some verses: haply it may dilate my breast and +dispel my sad thoughts and assuage the fire of my heart.' So Aziz +chanted the following verses: + +All that they fable lovers feel of anguish and despite, I in + myself comprise, and so my strength is crushed outright; +And if thou seekst a watering-place, see, from my streaming eyes, + Rivers of tears for those who thirst run ever day and night. +Or, if thou fain wouldst look upon the ruin passion's hands Can + wreak on lovers, let thy gaze upon my body light. + +And his eyes ran over with tears and he repeated these verses +also: + +Who loves not the necks and the eyes of the fair and pretends, + forsooth, To know the delight of the world, God wot, he + speaks not the truth +For in love is a secret meaning that none may win to know Save he + who has loved indeed and known its wrath and ruth. +May God not lighten my heart of passion for her I love Nor ease + my eyelids, for love, of wakefulness in my youth! + +Then he sang the following: + +Avicenna pretends, in his writings renowned, That the lover's + best medicine is song and sweet sound +And dalliance with one of his sex like his love And drinking, + with waters and fruits all around. +I took me another, to heal me for thee, And fate was propitious + and grace did abound +Yet I knew love a mortal disease, against which Avicenna his + remedy idle I found. + +Taj el Mulouk was pleased with his verses and wondered at his +eloquence and the excellence of his recitation, saying, 'Indeed +thou hast done away from me somewhat of my concern.' Then said +the Vizier, 'Of a truth there occurred to those of times past +what astounds those who hear it.' 'If thou canst recall any fine +verse of this kind,' quoth the prince, 'I prithee let us hear it +and keep the talk in vogue.' So the Vizier chanted the following +verses: + +Methought thy favours might be bought and thou to give consent To + union won by gifts of gold and grace and blandishment: +And eke, for ignorance, I deemed thy love an easy thing, Thy love + in which the noblest souls for languor are forspent; +Until I saw thee choose one out and gratify that one With sweet + and subtle favours. Then, to me 'twas evident +Thy graces never might be won by any artifice; So underneath my + wing my head I hid incontinent +And in the nest of passion made my heart's abiding-place, Wherein + my morning and my night for evermore are pent. + +Meanwhile the old woman remained shut up in her house till it +befell that the princess was taken with a desire to divert +herself in the garden. Now this she had been wont to do only in +company with her nurse; so she sent for her and spoke her fair +and made her peace with her, saying, 'I wish to go forth to the +garden, that I may divert myself with the sight of its trees and +fruits and gladden my heart with its flowers.' 'I hear and obey,' +replied the old woman; 'but let me first go to my house and +change my dress, and I will be with thee anon.' 'Go,' said the +princess; 'but be not long absent from me.' So the old woman left +her and repairing to Taj el Mulouk, said to him, 'Don thy richest +clothes and go to the gardener and salute him and make shift to +hide thyself in the garden.' 'I hear and obey,' answered he; and +she agreed with him upon a signal to be made by her to him and +returned to the princess. As soon as she was gone, the Vizier and +Aziz rose and dressed Taj el Mulouk in a right costly suit of +kings' raiment, worth five thousand dinars, and girt his middle +with a girdle of gold set with jewels. Then he repaired to the +garden and found the keeper seated at the gate. As soon as the +latter saw him, he sprang to his feet and received him with all +respect and consideration and opening the gate, said, 'Enter and +take thy pleasure in the garden.' Now the gardener knew not that +the princess was to visit the garden that day: but Taj el Mulouk +had been there but a little while, when he heard a noise and ere +he could think, out came the eunuchs and damsels by the private +door. When the gardener saw this, he came up to the prince and +said to him, 'O my lord, what is to be done? The Princess Dunya, +the King's daughter, is here.' 'Fear not,' replied the prince; +'no harm shall befall thee: for I will conceal myself somewhere +about the garden.' So the gardener exhorted him to the utmost +prudence and went away. Presently, the princess entered the +garden, attended by her damsels and the old woman, who said to +herself, 'If these eunuchs abide with us, we shall not attain our +object.' So she said to the princess, 'O my lady, I have somewhat +to say to thee that will be for thy heart's ease.' 'Say on,' +replied the princess. 'O my lady,' said the old woman, 'thou hast +no present need of these eunuchs; send them away, for thou wilt +not be able to divert thyself at thine ease, whilst they are with +us.' 'Thou art right,' rejoined the princess. So she dismissed +the eunuchs and began to walk about, whilst Taj el Mulouk fed his +eyes on her beauty and grace, without her knowledge, and fainted +every time he looked at her, by reason of her surpassing +loveliness. The old woman held her in converse and drew her on +till they reached the pavilion, which the Vizier had caused to be +decorated afresh, when the princess entered and looking round, +perceived the picture of the fowler and the birds; whereupon she +exclaimed, 'Glory be to God! This is the very presentment of what +I saw in my dream.' She continued to gaze at the painting, full +of admiration, and presently she said, 'O my nurse, I have been +wont to blame and dislike men, by reason of my having seen in my +dream the female pigeon abandoned by her mate; but now see how +the male pigeon was minded to return and set her free; but the +hawk met him and tore him in pieces.' The old woman, however, +feigned ignorance and ceased not to hold her in converse, till +they drew near the place where the prince lay hidden, whereupon +she signed to him to come out and walk under the windows of the +pavilion. He did so: and presently the princess, chancing to look +out, saw him and noting his beauty and symmetry, said to the old +woman, 'O my nurse, whence comes yonder handsome youth?' 'I know +nothing of him,' replied the old woman, 'except that I think he +must be some great king's son, for he attains the utmost extreme +of beauty and grace.' The princess fell passionately in love with +him; the spells that bound her were dissolved and her reason was +overcome by his beauty and elegance. So she said to the old +woman, 'O my nurse this is indeed a handsome youth.' 'Thou art in +the right O my lady!' replied the nurse and signed to Taj el +Mulouk to go home. So he went away, not daring to cross her +though desire flamed in him and he was distraught for love and +longing, and taking leave of the gardener, returned to his +lodging, where he told the Vizier and Aziz all that had passed. +They exhorted him to patience, saying, 'Did not the old woman +know that there was an object to be gained by thy departure, she +had not signed to thee to return home.' + +Meanwhile, desire and passion redoubled upon the princess, and +she was overcome with love-longing and said to the old woman, 'I +know not how I shall foregather with this youth, but through +thee.' 'God be my refuge from Satan the Accursed!' exclaimed the +old woman. 'Thou that art averse from men! How comes it that thou +art thus afflicted with love of this young man? Though, by Allah, +none is worthy of thy youth but he!' 'O my nurse,' said the +princess, 'help me to foregather with him, and thou shalt have of +me a thousand dinars and a dress worth as much more: but if thou +aid me not to come at him, I shall assuredly die.' 'Go to thy +palace,' replied the nurse, 'and leave me to devise means for +bringing you together. I will risk my life to content you both.' +So the princess returned to her palace, and the old woman betook +herself to Taj el Mulouk, who rose to receive her and entreated +her with respect and honour, making her sit by his side. Then +said she, 'The device hath succeeded,' and told him all that had +passed between the princess and herself. 'When is our meeting to +be?' asked he. 'To-morrow,' replied the old woman. So he gave her +a thousand dinars and a dress of equal value, and she took them +and returned to the princess, who said to her, as soon as she saw +her, 'O my nurse, what news of my beloved?' 'I have discovered +where he lives,' replied she, 'and will bring him to thee +to-morrow.' At this the princess was glad and gave her a thousand +dinars and a dress worth as much more, with which she returned to +her own house, where she passed the night. Next morning, she went +to Taj el Mulouk and dressing him in women's clothes, said to +him, 'Follow me and sway from side to side, as thou goest, and do +not hasten in thy walk nor take heed of any that speaks to thee.' +Then she went out and walked on, followed by the prince, whom she +continued to lesson and hearten by the way, that he might not be +afraid, till they came to the palace gate. She entered and the +prince after her, and she led him through doors and vestibules, +till they had passed six doors. As they approached the seventh +door, she said to him, 'Take courage and when I call out to thee +and say, "Pass, O damsel!" do not hesitate, but hasten on. When +thou art in the vestibule, thou wilt see on thy left a gallery, +with doors along it: count five doors and enter the sixth, for +therein is thy desire.' 'And whither wilt thou go?' asked the +prince. 'Nowhere,' answered she; 'except that I may drop behind +thee and the chief eunuch may detain me, whilst I talk with him.' +Then they went up to the door, where the chief eunuch was +stationed, and he, seeing Taj el Mulouk with her, dressed as a +slave-girl, said to the old woman, 'What girl is this with +thee?' Quoth she, 'This is a slave-girl of whom the Princess +Dunya has heard that she is skilled in different arts, and she +hath a mind to buy her.' 'I know no slave-girl,' rejoined the +eunuch, 'nor any one else; and none shall enter here without +being searched by me, according to the King's orders.' At this +the old woman feigned to be angry and said, 'I thought thee a man +of sense and good breeding: but, if thou be changed, I will let +the princess know of it and how thou hinderest her slave-girl.' +Then she cried out to Taj el Mulouk, saying, 'Pass on, O damsel!' +So he passed on into the vestibule, whilst the eunuch was silent +and said nothing. Then the prince counted five doors and entered +the sixth, where he found the Princess Dunya standing awaiting +him. As soon as she saw him, she knew him and pressed him to her +bosom, and he returned her embrace. Then the old woman came in to +them, having made a pretext to dismiss the princess's attendants +for fear of discovery, and the princess said to her, 'Do thou +keep the door.' So she and Taj el Mulouk abode alone together and +passed the night in kissing and embracing and twining leg with +leg. When the day drew near, she left him and shutting the door +upon him, passed in to another apartment, where she sat down +according to her wont, whilst her women came in to her, and she +attended to their affairs and conversed with them awhile. Then +she said to them, 'Leave me now, for I wish to be alone.' So they +withdrew and she betook herself to Taj el Mulouk, and the old +woman brought them food, of which they ate and after fell again +to amorous dalliance, till the dawn. Then the princess left him, +and locked the door as before; and they ceased not to do thus for +a whole month. + +Meanwhile, the Vizier and Aziz, when they found that the prince +did not return from the princess's palace all this while, gave +him up for lost and Aziz said to the Vizier, 'O my father, what +shall we do?' 'O my son,' answered he, 'this is a difficult +matter, and except we return to his father and tell him, he will +blame us.' So they made ready at once and setting out, journeyed +night and day along the valleys, in the direction of the Green +Country, till they reached King Suleiman's capital and presenting +themselves before him, acquainted him with what had befallen his +son and how they had heard no news of him, since he entered the +princess's palace. At this the King was greatly troubled and +regret was sore upon him, and he let call a holy war throughout +his realm. Then he encamped without the town with his troops and +took up his abode in his pavilion, whilst the levies came from +all parts of the kingdom; for his subjects loved him by reason of +his much justice and beneficence. As soon as his forces were +assembled, he took horse, with an army covering the country as +far as the eye could reach, and departed in quest of his son Taj +el Mulouk. Meanwhile, the latter sojourned with the princess half +a year's time, whilst every day they redoubled in mutual +affection and distraction and passion and love-longing and desire +so pressed upon Taj el Mulouk, that at last he opened his mind to +the princess and said to her, 'Know, O beloved of my heart and +entrails, that the longer I abide with thee, the more longing and +passion and desire increase on me, for that I have not yet +fulfilled the whole of my desire.' 'What then wouldst thou have, +O light of my eyes and fruit of my entrails?' asked she. 'If thou +desire aught beside kissing and embracing and entwining of legs, +do what pleases thee; for, by Allah, none hath any part in us.' +'It is not that I desire,' rejoined he; 'but I would fain +acquaint thee with my true history. I am no merchant, but a King, +the son of a King, and my father is the supreme King Suleiman +Shah, who sent his Vizier ambassador to thy father, to demand thy +hand for me in marriage, but thou wouldst not consent.' Then he +told her his story from first to last, nor is there any profit in +repeating it, and added, 'And now I wish to return to my father, +that he may send an ambassador to thy father, to demand thy hand +for me, so we may be at ease.' When she heard this, she rejoiced +greatly, because it fell in with her own wishes, and they passed +the night on this understanding. But by the decree of Fate, it +befell that sleep overcame them that night above all nights and +they slept till the sun had risen. Now at this hour, King +Shehriman was sitting on his chair of estate, with his amirs and +grandees before him, when the chief of the goldsmiths presented +himself before him carrying a large box, which he opened and +brought out therefrom a small casket worth a hundred thousand +dinars, for that which was therein of rubies and emeralds and +other jewels, beyond the competence of any King. When the King +saw this, he marveled at its beauty and turning to the chief +eunuch (him with whom the old woman had had to do, as before +related), said to him, 'O Kafour, take this casket to the +Princess Dunya.' The eunuch took the casket and repairing to the +princess's apartment, found the door shut and the old woman lying +asleep on the threshold; whereupon said he, 'Asleep at this +hour?' His voice aroused the old woman, who was terrified and +said to him, 'Wait till I fetch the key.' Then she went out and +fled for her life; but the eunuch, having his suspicions of her, +lifted the door off its hinges and entering, found the princess +and Taj el Mulouk lying asleep in each other's arms. At this +sight he was confounded and was about to return to the King, when +the princess awoke, and seeing him, was terrified and changed +colour and said to him, 'O Kafour, veil thou what God hath +veiled.' But he replied, 'I cannot conceal aught from the King;' +and locking the door on them, returned to Shehriman, who said to +him, 'Hast thou given the casket to the princess?' 'Here is the +casket,' answered the eunuch. 'Take it, for I cannot conceal +aught from thee. Know that I found a handsome young man in the +princess's arms, and they asleep in one bed.' The King commanded +them to be fetched and said to them, 'What manner of thing is +this!' and being violently enraged, seized a dagger and was about +to strike Taj el Mulouk with it, when the princess threw herself +upon him and said to her father, 'Slay me before him.' The King +reviled her and commanded her to be taken back to her chamber: +then he turned to Taj el Mulouk and said to him, 'Woe to thee! +Whence art thou? Who is thy father and what hath emboldened thee +to debauch my daughter?' 'Know, O King,' replied the prince, +'that if thou put me to death, thou wilt repent it, for it will +be thy ruin and that of all in thy dominions.' 'How so?' asked +the King. 'Know,' answered Taj el Mulouk, 'that I am the son of +King Suleiman Shah, and before thou knowest it, he will be upon +thee with his horse and foot.' When King Shehriman heard this, he +would have forborne to kill Taj el Mulouk and put him in prison, +till he should know the truth of his words; but his Vizier said +to him, 'O King of the age, it is my counsel that thou make haste +to slay this gallows-bird, that dares debauch kings' daughters.' +So the King said to the headsman, 'Strike off his head; for he is +a traitor.' Accordingly, the headsman took him and binding him +fast, raised his hand to the amirs, as if to consult them, a +first and a second time, thinking to gain time; but the King said +to him, 'How long wilt thou consult the amirs? If thou do so +again, I will strike off thine own head.' So the headsman raised +his hand, till the hair of his armpit appeared, and was about to +smite off Taj el Mulouk's head, when suddenly loud cries arose +and the people closed their strops; whereupon the King said to +him, 'Wait awhile,' and despatched one to learn the news. +Presently, the messenger returned and said, 'I see an army like +the stormy sea with its clashing billows; the earth trembles with +the tramp of their horses, and I know not the reason of their +coming.' When the King heard this, he was confounded and feared +lest his realm should be torn from him; so he turned to his +Vizier and said, 'Have not any of our troops gone forth to meet +this army?' But before he had done speaking, his chamberlains +entered with messengers from the approaching host, and amongst +them the Vizier who had accompanied Taj el Mulouk. They saluted +the King, who rose to receive them and bidding them draw near, +enquired the reason of their coming; whereupon the Vizier came +forward and said, 'Know that he who hath invaded thy realm is no +king like unto the Kings and Sultans of time past.' 'Who is he?' +asked Shehriman, and the Vizier replied, 'He is the lord of +justice and loyalty, the report of whose magnanimity the caravans +have blazed abroad, the Sultan Suleiman Shah, lord of the Green +Country and the Two Columns and the mountains of Ispahan, he who +loves justice and equity and abhors iniquity and oppression. He +saith to thee that his son, the darling of his heart and the +fruit of his loins, is with thee and in this thy city; and if he +find him in safety, his aim is won and thou shalt have praise and +thanks; but if he have disappeared from thy dominions or if aught +have befallen him, look thou for ruin and the laying waste of thy +realm; for this thy city shall become a desert, in which the +raven shall croak. Thus have I done my errand to thee and peace +be on thee!' When King Shehriman heard these words, his heart was +troubled and he feared for his kingdom: so he cried out for his +grandees and viziers and chamberlains and officers; and when they +appeared, he said to them, 'Out on you! Go down and search for +the young man!' Now the prince was still under the headsman's +hands, but he was changed by the fright he had undergone. +Presently, the Vizier, chancing to look aside, saw the prince on +the carpet of blood and knew him; so he threw himself upon him, +as did the other envoys. Then they loosed his bonds and kissed +his hands and feet, whereupon he opened his eyes and recognizing +his father's Vizier and his friend Aziz, fell down in a swoon, +for excess of delight in them. When King Shehriman saw that the +coming of the army was indeed on this youth's account, he was +confounded and feared greatly; so he went up to Taj el Mulouk and +kissing his head, said to him, with streaming eyes, 'O my son, +bear me not malice neither blame the sinner for his evil-doing: +but have compassion on my gray hairs and do not lay waste my +kingdom.' But Taj el Mulouk drew near unto him and kissing his +hand, replied, 'Fear not: no harm shall come to thee, for indeed +thou art to me as my father; but look that nought befall my +beloved, the lady Dunya.' 'O my lord,' replied the King, 'fear +not for her; nought but joy shall betide her.' And he went on to +excuse himself to him and made his peace with King Suleiman's +Vizier, to whom he promised much money, if he would conceal from +the King what he had seen. Then he bade his officers carry the +prince to the bath and clothe him in one of the best of his own +suits and bring him back speedily. So they carried him to the +bath and brought him back to the presence-chamber, after having +clad him in the suit that the King had set apart for him. When he +entered, the King rose to receive him and made all his grandees +stand in attendance on him. Then he sat down to converse with +Aziz and the Vizier and acquainted them with what had befallen +him; after which they told him how they had returned to his +father and given him to know of his son's perilous plight and +added, 'And indeed our coming hath brought thee relief and us +gladness.' Quoth he, 'Good fortune hath attended your every +action, first and last.' + +Meanwhile, King Shehriman went in to his daughter, the Princess +Dunya, and found her weeping and lamenting for Taj el Mulouk. +Moreover, she had taken a sword and fixed the hilt in the earth, +with the point to her heart between her breasts; and she bent +over it, saying, 'Needs must I kill myself and not live after my +beloved.' When her father entered and saw her in this case, he +cried out, 'O princess of kings' daughters, hold thy hand and +have compassion on thy father and the people of thy realm!' Then +he came up to her and said, 'God forbid that an ill thing should +befall thy father for thy sake!' And he told her that her lover +was the son of King Suleiman Shah and sought her to wife and that +the marriage waited only for her consent; whereat she smiled and +said, 'Did I not tell thee that he was a king's son? By Allah, I +must let him crucify thee on a piece of wood worth two dirhems!' +'O my daughter,' answered the King, 'have mercy on me, so may God +have mercy on thee!' 'Harkye,' rejoined she, 'make haste and +bring him to me without delay.' The King replied, 'On my head and +eyes be it,' and returning in haste to Taj el Mulouk, repeated +her words in his ear. So he arose and accompanied the King to the +princess, who caught hold of him and embraced him in her father's +presence and kissed him, saying, 'Thou hast made me a weary +woman!' Then she turned to her father and said to him, 'Sawst +thou ever any do hurt to the like of this fair creature, more by +token that he is a king, the son of a king, and of the free-bon, +guarded against abominations?' Therewith Shehriman went out and +shutting the door on them with his own hand, returned to the +Vizier and the other envoys and bade them report to their King +that his son was in health and gladness and enjoying all delight +of life with his beloved. So they returned to King Suleiman and +acquainted him with this, whereat he rejoiced and exclaimed, +'Praised be God who hath brought my son to his desire!' + +Meanwhile, King Shehriman despatched largesse of money and +victual to King Suleiman's troops, and choosing out a hundred +coursers and a hundred dromedaries and a hundred white slaves and +a hundred concubines and a hundred black slaves and a hundred +female slaves, sent them all to the King as a present. Then he +took horse, with his grandees and chief officers, and rode out of +the city in the direction of King Suleiman's camp. As soon as the +latter knew of his approach, he rose and advancing some paces to +meet him, took him in his arms and made him sit down beside +himself on the royal couch, where they conversed awhile frankly +and cheerfully. Then food was set before them, followed by +sweetmeats and fruits, and they ate till they were satisfied. +Presently, they were joined by Taj el Mulouk, richly dressed and +adorned, and when his father saw him, he rose and embraced him +and kissed him. Then the two kings seated him between them, +whilst all who were present rose to do him honour; and they sat +conversing awhile, after which quoth King Suleiman to King +Shehriman, 'I wish to have the contract between my son and thy +daughter drawn up in the presence of witnesses, that the marriage +may be made public, as of wont.' 'I hear and obey,' answered King +Shehriman and summoned the Cadi and the witnesses, who came and +drew up the marriage contract between the prince and princess. +Then they gave largesse of money and sweetmeats and burnt +perfumes and sprinkled essences. And indeed it was a day of joy +and festivity, and the grandees and soldiers rejoiced therein. +Then King Shehriman proceeded to equip his daughter; and Taj el +Mulouk said to his father, 'Of a truth, this young man Aziz is a +man of great worth and generosity and hath done me right noble +service, having wearied for me and travelled with me till he +brought me to my desire. Indeed, he ceased never to have patience +with me and exhort me to patience, till I accomplished my intent; +and he has now companied with us two whole years, cut off from +his native land. So now I purpose to equip him with merchandise, +that he may depart with a light heart; for his country is near at +hand.' 'It is well seen,' replied his father: so they made ready +a hundred loads of the richest and most costly stuffs, which Taj +el Mulouk presented to Aziz, saying, 'O my brother and my true +friend, take these loads and accept them from me, as a gift and +token of affection, and go in peace to thine own country.' Aziz +accepted the presents and kissing the earth before the prince and +his father, bade them farewell. Moreover, Taj el Mulouk mounted +and brought him three miles on his homeward way, after which Aziz +conjured him to turn back, saying, 'By Allah, O my lord, were it +not for my mother, I would never part from thee! But leave me not +without news of thee.' 'So be it,' replied Taj el Mulouk. Then +the prince returned to the city, and Aziz journeyed on, till he +came to his native town and repairing to his mother's house, +found that she had built him a monument in the midst of the +courtyard and used to visit it continually. When he entered, he +found her, with her hair dishevelled and spread over the tomb, +weeping and repeating the following verses: + +Indeed, I'm very patient 'gainst all that can betide; Yet do I + lack of patience thine absence to abide. +Who is there can have patience after his friend and who Bows not + the head to parting, that comes with rapid stride? + +Then sobs burst up out of her breast, and she repeated these +verses also: + +What ails me? I pass by the graveyard, saluting the tomb of my + son, And yet no greeting he gives me and answer comes there + none. +"How shall I give thee an answer, who lie in the grip of the + grave, The hostage of earth and corruption," replies the + beloved one. +"The dust hath eaten my beauties and I have forgotten thee, Shut + in from kindred and lovers and stars and moon and sun." + +Then Aziz came in to her, and when she saw him, she fell down in +a swoon for joy. He sprinkled water on her, till she revived and +rising, took him in her arms and strained him to her bosom, +whilst he in like manner embraced her. Then they exchanged +greetings, and she asked the reason of his long absence, +whereupon he told her all that had befallen him from first to +last and how Taj el Mulouk had given him a hundred loads of +wealth and stuffs. At this she rejoiced, and Aziz abode with his +mother in his native town, weeping for what had befallen him with +the daughter of Delileh the Crafty, even her who had gelded him. + +Meanwhile, Taj el Mulouk went in to his beloved, the Princess +Dunya, and did away her maidenhead. Then King Shehriman proceeded +to equip his daughter for her journey with her husband and +father-in-law and let bring them victual and gifts and rarities. +So they loaded their beasts and set forth, whilst Shehriman +brought them three days' journey on their way, till King Suleiman +begged him to return. So he took leave of them and turned back, +and Taj el Mulouk and his wife and father journeyed on, night and +day, with their troops, till they drew near the capital of the +Green Country. As soon as the news of their coming became known, +the folk decorated the city; so in they entered, and the King +sitting down on his chair of estate, with his son by his side, +gave alms and largesse and loosed those who were in bonds. Then +he held a second bridal for his son, and the sound of the +singing-women and players upon instruments of music ceased not +for a whole month, during which time the tire-women stinted not +to adorn the bride and display her in various dresses; and she +tired not of the unveiling nor did they weary of gazing on her. +Then Taj el Mulouk, after having companied awhile with his father +and mother, took up his sojourn with his wife, and they abode in +all delight of life and fair fortune, till there came to them the +Destroyer of Delights." + +When the Vizier had made an end of the story of Taj el Mulouk and +the Princess Dunya, Zoulmekan said to him, "Of a truth, it is the +like of thee who lighten the mourning heart and are worthy to be +the companions of kings and to guide their policy in the right +way." + +Meanwhile, they ceased not from the leaguer of Constantinople; +and there they lay four whole years, till they yearned after +their native land and the troops murmured, being weary of siege +and vigil and stress of war by night and by day. Then King +Zoulmekan summoned Rustem and Behram and Terkash and bespoke them +thus, "Know that all these years we have lain here and have not +come by our intent and have gotten us but increase of trouble and +concern; for indeed we came, thinking to take our wreak for King +Omar ben Ennuman and behold, my brother Sherkan was slain; so is +our sorrow grown two sorrows and our affliction two afflictions. +All this came of the old woman Dhat ed Dewahi, for it was she who +slew the Sultan in his kingdom and carried off his wife, the +Princess Sufiyeh; nor did this suffice her, but she must put +another cheat on us and slay my brother Sherkan: and indeed I +have bound myself and sworn by the most solemn oaths to avenge +them of her. What say ye? Ponder my words and answer me." With +this, they bowed their heads and answered, "It is for the Vizier +Dendan to decide." So the Vizier came forward and said, "O King +of the age, it avails us nothing to tarry here, and it is my +counsel that we strike camp and return to our own country, there +to abide awhile and after return and fall upon the worshippers of +idols." "This is a good counsel," replied the King; "for indeed +the folk weary for a sight of their families, and I also am +troubled with yearning after my son Kanmakan and my brother's +daughter Kuzia Fekan, for she is in Damascus and I know not how +it is with her." So he bade the herald call the retreat after +three days, whereupon the troops rejoiced and blessed the Vizier +Dendan. Then they fell to preparing for the homeward march and on +the fourth day, they beat the drums and unfurled the banners and +the army set forth, the Vizier in the van and the King riding in +the mid-battle, with the Great Chamberlain by his side, and +journeyed night and day, till they reached Baghdad. The folk +rejoiced in their return, and care and hardship ceased from them, +whilst those who had stayed at home came forth to meet those who +had been so long absent and each amir betook him to his own +house. As for Zoulmekan, he went up to the palace and went into +his son Kanmakan, who had now reached the age of seven and used +to go down [into the tilting-ground] and ride. As soon as the +King was rested of his journey, he entered the bath with his son, +and returning, seated himself on his chair of estate, whilst the +Vizier Dendan took up his station before him and the amirs and +grandees of the realm entered and stood in attendance upon him. +Then he called for his comrade the stoker, who had befriended him +in his strangerhood; and when he came, the King rose to do him +honour and made him sit by his own side. Now he had acquainted +the Vizier with all the kindness and fair service that the stoker +had done him; so the Vizier and all the amirs made much of him. +The stoker had waxed fat and burly with rest and good living, so +that his neck was like an elephant's neck and his face like a +porpoise's belly. Moreover, he was grown dull of wit, for that he +had never stirred from his place; so at the first he knew not the +King by his aspect. But Zoulmekan came up to him smilingly and +saluted him after the friendliest fashion, saying, "How hast thou +made haste to forget me!" So the stoker roused himself and +looking steadfastly on Zoulmekan knew him: whereupon he sprang to +his feet and exclaimed. "O my friend, who hath made thee Sultan?" +Zoulmekan laughed at him and the Vizier, coming up to him, +expounded the whole story to him and said, "He was thy brother +and thy friend; and now he is King of the land and needs must +thou get great good of him. So I counsel thee, if he say to thee, +'Ask a boon of me,' ask not but for some great thing; for thou +art very dear to him." Quoth the stoker, "I fear lest, if I ask +of him aught, he may not choose to grant it or may not be able +thereto." "Have no care," answered the Vizier; "whatsoever thou +asketh, he will give thee." "By Allah," rejoined the stoker, "I +must ask of him a thing that is in my thought! Every night I +dream of it and implore God to vouchsafe it to me." "Take heart," +said the Vizier. "By Allah, if thou askedst of him the government +of Damascus, in the room of his brother he would surely give it +thee." With this, the stoker rose to his feet and Zoulmekan +signed to him to sit; but he refused, saying, "God forfend! The +days are gone by of my sitting in thy presence." "Not so," +answered the Sultan; "they endure even now. Thou wert the cause +that I am now alive, and by Allah, what thing soever thou askest +of me, I will give it to thee! But ask thou first of God, and +then of me." "O my lord," said the stoker, "I fear...," "Fear +not," quoth the Sultan. "I fear," continued he, "to ask aught and +that thou shouldst refuse it to me." At this the King laughed and +replied, "If thou askedst of me the half of my kingdom, I would +share it with thee: so ask what thou wilt and leave talking." "I +fear...," repeated the stoker. "Do not fear," said the King. "I +fear," went on the stoker, "lest I ask a thing and thou be not +able thereto." With this, the Sultan waxed wroth and said, "Ask +what thou wilt." Then said the stoker, "I ask, first of God and +then of thee, that thou write me a patent of mastership over all +the stokers in Jerusalem." The Sultan and all who were present +laughed and Zoulmekan said, "Ask somewhat other than this." "O my +lord," replied the stoker, "said I not I feared thou wouldst not +choose to grant me what I should ask or be not able thereto?" +Therewith the Vizier nudged him once and twice and thrice, and +every time he began, "I ask of thee..." Quoth the Sultan, "Ask +and be speedy." So he said, "I beseech thee to make me captain of +the scavengers in Jerusalem or Damascus." Then all those who were +present laughed, till they fell backward, and the Vizier beat +him. So he turned to the Vizier and said to him, "What art thou +that thou shouldst beat me? It is no fault of mine: didst thou +not bid me ask some considerable thing? Let me go to my own +country." With this, the Sultan knew that he was jesting and took +patience with him awhile; then turned to him and said, "O my +brother, ask of me some considerable thing, befitting our +dignity." So the stoker said, "O King of the age, I ask first of +God and then of thee, that thou make me Viceroy of Damascus in +the room of thy brother." "God granteth thee this," answered the +King. So the stoker kissed the ground before him, and he bade set +him a chair in his rank and put on him a viceroy's habit. Then he +wrote him a patent of investiture and sealing it with his own +seal, said to the Vizier, "None shall go with him but thou; and +when thou returnest, do thou bring with thee my brother's +daughter, Kuzia Fekan." "I hear and obey," answered the Vizier +and taking the stoker, went down with him and made ready for the +journey. Then the King appointed the stoker servants and officers +and gave him a new litter and princely equipage and said to the +amirs, "Whoso loves me, let him honour this man and give him +a handsome present." So they brought him every one his gift, +according to his competence; and the King named him Ziblcan, +[FN#150] and conferred on him the surname of honour of El +Mujahid.[FN#151] As soon as the new Viceroy's gear was ready, he +went up with the Vizier to the King, to take leave of him and ask +his permission to depart. The King rose to him and embracing him, +exhorted him to do justice among his subjects and deal fairly +with them and bade him make ready for war against the infidels +after two years Then they took leave of each other and King +Ziblcan, surnamed El Mujahid, set out on his journey, after the +amirs had brought him slaves and servants, even to five thousand +in number, who rode after him. The Grand Chamberlain also took +horse, as did Behram, captain of the Medes, and Rustem, captain +of the Persians, and Terkash, captain of the Arabs, and rode with +him three days' journey, to do him honour and take their leaves +of him. Then they returned to Baghdad and the Sultan Ziblcan and +the Vizier Dendan fared on, with their company, till they drew +near Damascus. Now news was come upon the wings of birds, to the +notables of Damascus that King Zoulmekan had made Sultan over +Damascus a Sultan called Ziblcan el Mujahid; so when he reached +the city, he found it decorated in his honour, and all the folk +came out to gaze on him. He entered Damascus in great state and +went up to the citadel, where he sat down upon his chair of +estate, whilst the Vizier Dendan stood in attendance on him, to +acquaint him with the ranks and stations of the amirs. Then the +grandees came in to him and kissed hands and called down +blessings on him. He received them graciously and bestowed on +them gifts and dresses of honour; after which he opened the +treasuries and gave largesse to the troops, great and small. Then +he governed and did justice and proceeded to equip the lady Kuzia +Fekan, daughter of King Sherkan, appointing her a litter of +silken stuff. Moreover, he furnished the Vizier Dendan also for +the return journey and would have made him a gift of money, but +he refused, saying, "Thou art near the time of the tryst with the +King, and haply thou wilt have need of money, or we may send to +seek of thee funds for the Holy War or what not." When the Vizier +was ready, the Viceroy brought Kuzia Fekan to him and made her +mount the litter, giving her ten damsels to do her service. +Moreover, he mounted, to bid the Vizier farewell, and they set +forward, whilst Ziblcan returned to Damascus and busied himself +in ordering the affairs of his government and making ready his +harness of war, against such time as King Zoulmekan should send +to him there for. Meanwhile the Vizier and his company fared +forward by easy stages, till they came, after a month's travel, +to Ruhbeh[FN#152] and thence pushed on, till they drew near +Baghdad. Then he despatched messengers, to inform King Zoulmekan +of his arrival; and he, when he heard this, took horse and rode +out to meet him. The Vizier would have dismounted to receive him, +but the King conjured him not to do so and spurred his steed, +till he came up to him. Then he questioned him of Ziblcan, +whereto the Vizier replied that he was well and that he had +brought with him his brother's daughter, Kuzia Fekan. At this the +King rejoiced and said to Dendan, "Go thou and rest thee of the +fatigue of the journey, and after three days come to me again." +"With all my heart," replied the Vizier and betook himself to his +own house, whilst the King went up to his palace and went in to +his brother's daughter, who was then a girl of eight years old. +When he saw her, he rejoiced in her and sorrowed sore for her +father. Then he let make for her clothes and gave her splendid +jewels and ornaments and bade lodge her with his son Kanmakan in +one place. So they both grew up, the brightest and bravest of the +people of their time; but Kuzia Fekan grew up possessed of good +sense and understanding and knowledge of the issues of events, +whilst Kanmakan grew up generous and freehanded, taking no +thought to the issue of aught. Now Kuzia Fekan used to ride +a-horseback and fare forth with her cousin into the open plain +and range at large with him in the desert; and they both learnt +to smite with swords and thrust with spears. So they grew up, +till each of them attained the age of twelve, when King +Zoulmekan, having completed his preparations and provisions for +the Holy War, summoned the Vizier Dendan and said to him, "Know +that I am minded to do a thing, which I will discover to thee, +and do thou with speed return me an answer thereon." "What is +that, O King of the age?" asked the Vizier. "I am resolved," said +the King, "to make my son Kanmakan king and rejoice in him in my +lifetime and do battle before him, till death overcome me. What +deemest thou of this?" The Vizier kissed the earth before the +King and replied, "O King and Sultan, lord of the age and the +time, this that is in thy mind is indeed good, save that it is +now no time to carry it out, for two reasons: the first, that thy +son Kanmakan is yet of tender age; and the second, that it is of +wont that he who makes his son king in his lifetime, lives but a +little thereafterward." "Know, O Vizier," rejoined the King, +"that we will make the Grand Chamberlain guardian over him, for +he is art and part of us and he married my sister, so that he is +to me as a brother." Quoth the Vizier, "Do what seemeth good to +thee: we will obey thine orders." Then the King sent for the +Grand Chamberlain and the grandees of the kingdom and said to +them, "Ye know that this my son Kanmakan is the first cavalier of +the age and that he hath no peer in jousting and martial +exercises; and now I appoint him to be Sultan over you in my +stead and I make his uncle, the Grand Chamberlain, guardian over +him." "O King of the age," replied the Chamberlain, "I am but an +offset of thy bounty." And the King said, "O Chamberlain, verily +this my son Kanmakan and my niece Kuzia Fekan are brothers' +children; so I marry them one to the other and I call those +present to witness thereof." Then he made over to his son such +treasures as beggar description and going in to his sister Nuzhet +ez Zeman told her what he had done, whereat she rejoiced greatly +and said, "Verily, they are both my children. May God preserve +thee to them many a year!" "O my sister," replied he, "I have +accomplished that which was in my heart of the world and I have +no fear for my son: yet it were well that thou shouldst have a +watchful eye to him and to his mother." And he went on to commend +to the Chamberlain and Nuzhet ez Zeman his son and niece and +wife. Thus did he nights and days till he [fell sick and] deeming +surely that he should drink the cup of death, took to his bed and +abode thus a whole year, whilst the Chamberlain took upon himself +the ordering of the people and the realm. At the end of this +time, the King summoned his son Kanmakan and the Vizier Dendan +and said to the former, "O my son, this Vizier shall be thy +father, when I am dead; for know that I am about to leave this +transitory house of life for that which is eternal. And indeed I +have fulfilled my lust of this world; yet there remaineth in my +heart one regret, which may God dispel at thy hands!" "What +regret is that, O my father?" asked his son. "O my son," answered +Zoulmekan, "it is that I die without having avenged thy +grandfather Omar ben Ennuman and thine uncle Sherkan on an old +woman whom they call Dhat ed Dewahi; but, so God grant thee aid, +do not thou fail to take thy wreak on her and to wipe out the +disgrace we have suffered at the hands of the infidels. Beware of +the old woman's craft and do as the Vizier shall counsel thee; +for that he from of old time hath been the pillar of our realm." +And his son assented to what he said. Then the King's eyes ran +over with tears and his sickness redoubled on him, nor did it +leave to press sore upon him four whole years, during which time +his brother-in-law the Chamberlain held sway over the country, +judging and commanding and forbidding, to the contentment of the +people and the nobles, and all the land prayed for him[FN#153] +what while Zoulmekan was occupied with his malady. As for +Kanmakan, he had no thought but of riding and tilting with spears +and shooting with arrows, and thus also did his cousin Kuzia +Fekan; for they were wont to go forth at the first of the day and +return at nightfall, when she would go in to her mother and he to +his, to find her sitting weeping by his father's bed. Then he +would tend his father till daybreak, when he would go forth again +with his cousin, according to their wont. Now Zoulmekan's +sufferings were long upon him and he wept and recited these +verses: + +My strength is past away, my tale of days is told And I, alas! am + left even as thou dost behold. +In honour's day, the first amongst my folk was I, And in the race + for fame the foremost and most bold. +Would that before my death I might but see my son The empery in + my stead over the people hold +And rush upon his foes and take on them his wreak, At push of + sword and pike, in fury uncontrolled. +Lo, I'm a man fordone, in this world and the next, Except my + spright of God be solaced and consoled! + +When he had made an end of repeating these verses he laid his +head on his pillow and his eyes closed and he slept. In his sleep +he saw one who said to him, "Rejoice for thy son shall fill the +lands with justice and have the mastery over them and men shall +obey him." Then he awoke gladdened by this happy omen that he had +seen, and after a few days, death smote him, whereat great grief +fell on the people of Baghdad, and gentle and simple mourned for +him. But time passed over him, as if he had never been, and +Kanmakan's estate was changed; for the people of Baghdad set him +aside and put him and his family in a place apart. When his +mother saw this, she fell into the sorriest of plights and said, +"Needs must I go to the Grand Chamberlain, and I hope for the +favour of the Subtle, the All-Wise One!" Then she betook herself +to the house of the Chamberlain, who was now become Sultan, and +found him sitting upon his couch. So she went in to his wife +Nuzhet ez Zeman and wept sore and said, "Verily, the dead have no +friends. May God never bring you to need and may you cease not to +rule justly over rich and poor many days and years! Thine ears +have heard and thine eyes have seen all that was ours aforetime +of kingship and honour and dignity and wealth and goodliness of +life and condition; and now fortune hath turned upon us, and fate +and the time have played us false and wrought hostilely with us; +wherefore I come to thee, craving thy bounties, I that have been +used to confer favours; for when a man dies, women and girls are +brought low after him." And she repeated the following verses: + +Let it suffice thee that Death is the worker of wonders and know + That the lives which are gone from our sight will never + return to us mo'. +The days of the life of mankind are nothing but journeys, I wot, + whose watering-places for aye are mixed with misfortune and + woe. +Yet nothing afflicteth my heart like the loss of the good and the + great, Whom the stresses of adverse events have compassed + about and laid low. + + +When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard this, she remembered her brother +Zoulmekan and his son Kanmakan and making her draw near to her, +said to her, "By Allah, I am now rich and thou poor, and by +Allah, we did not leave to seek thee out, but that we feared to +wound thy heart, lest thou shouldst deem our gifts to thee an +alms. Of a truth, all the good that we now enjoy is from thee and +thy husband: so our house is thy house and our place thy place, +and all that we have of wealth and goods is thine." Then she clad +her richly and appointed her a lodging in the palace, adjoining +her own; and she and her son abode therein in all delight of +life. Him also did Nuzhet ez Zeman clothe in kings' raiment and +gave them handmaids to do them service. After a little, she told +her husband of her brother's widow, whereat his eyes filled with +tears and he said, "Wouldst thou see the world after thee, look +upon the world after another than thyself. Entertain her +honourably and enrich her poverty." + +Meanwhile, Kanmakan and Kuzia Fekan grew up and flourished, like +unto two fruit-laden saplings or two shining moons, till they +reached the age of fifteen. As for the girl, she was indeed the +fairest of the cloistered maids, with lovely face and smooth +cheeks, slender waist, heavy hips and arrowy shape, lips sweeter +than old wine and spittle as it were the fountain Selsebil of +Paradise, even as saith the poet, describing her: + +From her mouth's honeyed dew, meseems, the first-pressed wine is + drawn And on her sweetest lips the grapes, from which it's + crushed, are grown; +And when thou makest her to bend, its vines sway in her shape. + Blessed be He who fashioned her and may not be made known! + +For indeed God had united in her every attribute of beauty: her +shape put to shame the willow-wand and the rose sought grace +before her cheeks; the water of her mouth made mock of clear +wine, and she gladdened heart and eyes, even as saith of her the +poet: + +Goodly and glorious she is, and perfect in every charm. Her + eyelashes put to shame kohl and the users of kohl. +Even as a sword in the hand of Ali, the Vicar of God, So is the + glance of her eye to a lover's heart and soul. + +As for Kanmakan, he was no less accomplished in grace and +excelling in perfection; there was none could match with him in +beauty and qualities, and valour shone from between his liquid +black eyes, testifying for him and not against him. The hardest +hearts inclined to him; and when the tender down of his lips and +cheeks began to sprout, many were the poems made in his honour: +as for example quoth one: + +Unshown was my excuse, till on his cheek the hair Grew and the + darkness crept, bewildered, here and there. +A fawn, when eyes of men are fixed upon his charms, His glances + straight on them a trenchant poniard bare. + +And another: + +His lovers' souls have woven upon his cheek, I ween, A net the + blood has painted with all its ruddy sheen. +Oh, how at them I marvel! They're martyrs; yet they dwell In + fire, and for their raiment, they're clad in sendal + green.[FN#154] + +It chanced, one festival day, that Kuzia Fekan went out, +surrounded by her handmaids, to visit certain kindred of the +court; and indeed beauty encompassed her; the rose of her cheek +vied with the mole thereon, her teeth flashed from her smiling +lips, like the petals of the camomile flower, and she was as the +resplendent moon. Her cousin Kanmakan began to turn about her and +devour her with his eyes. Then he took courage and giving loose +to his tongue, repeated the following verses: + +When shall the mourning heart be healed of anger and disdain? + When, rigour ceasing, shall the lips of union smile again? +Would God I knew if I shall lie, some night, within the arms Of a + beloved, in whose heart is somewhat of my pain! + +When she heard this, she was angry and putting on a haughty air, +said to him, "Hast thou a mind to shame me among the folk, that +thou speakest thus of me in thy verse? By Allah, except thou +leave this talk, I will assuredly complain of thee to the Grand +Chamberlain, Sultan of Baghdad and Khorassan and lord of justice +and equity, whereby disgrace and punishment will fall on thee?" +To this Kanmakan made no reply, but returned to Baghdad: and +Kuzia Fekan also returned home and complained of her cousin to +her mother, who said to her, "O my daughter, belike he meant thee +no ill, and is he not an orphan? Indeed, he said nought that +implied reproach to thee; so look thou tell none of this, lest it +come to the Sultan's ears and he cut short his life and blot out +his name and make it even as yesterday, whose remembrance hath +passed away." How ever, Kanmakan's case was not hidden from the +people, and his love for Kuzia Fekan became known in Baghdad, so +that the women talked of it. Moreover, his heart became +contracted and his patience waned and he knew not what to do. +Then longed he to give vent to the anguish he endured, by reason +of the pangs of separation; but he feared her anger and her +rebuke: so he recited the following verses: + +What though I be fearful, anon, of her wrath, Whose humour serene + is grown troubled and dour, +I bear it with patience, as he who is sick Endureth a caut'ry in + hopes of a cure. + +His verses came one day to the knowledge of King Sasan (for so +had they named the Grand Chamberlain, on his assumption of the +Sultanate), as he sat on his throne, and he was told of the love +the prince bore to Kuzia Fekan; whereat he was sore vexed, and +going in to his wife Nuzhet ez Zeman, said to her, "Verily, to +bring together fire and dry grass is of the greatest of risks; +and men may not be trusted with women, so long as eyes cast +furtive glances and eyelids quiver. Now thy nephew Kanmakan is +come to man's estate and it behoves us to forbid him access to +the harem; nor is it less needful that thy daughter be kept from +the company of men, for the like of her should be cloistered." +"Thou sayest sooth, O wise King," answered she. Next day came +Kanmakan, according to his wont, and going in to his aunt, +saluted her. She returned his greeting and said to him, "O my +son, I have somewhat to say to thee, that I would fain leave +unsaid; yet must I tell it thee, in my own despite." "Speak," +said he. "Know then," rejoined she, "that thine uncle the +Chamberlain, the father of Kuzia Fekan, has heard of thy love for +her and the verses thou madest of her and has ordered that she be +kept from thee; wherefore, if thou have occasion for aught from +us, I will send it to thee from behind the door, and thou shalt +not look upon Kuzia Fekan nor return hither from day forth." When +he heard this, he withdrew, without speaking a word, and betook +himself to his mother, to whom he related what his aunt had said +to him. Quoth she, "This all comes of thy much talk. Thou knowest +that the news of thy passion for Kuzia Fekan is noised abroad +everywhere and how thou eatest their victual and makest love to +their daughter." "And who should have her but I?" replied the +prince. "She is the daughter of my father's brother and I have +the best of rights to her." "These are idle words," rejoined his +mother. "Be silent, lest thy talk come to King Sasan's ears and +it prove the cause of thy losing her and of thy ruin and increase +of affliction. They have not sent us the evening meal to-night +and we shall die of want; and were we in any land other than +this, we were already dead of the pangs of hunger or the +humiliation of begging our bread." When Kanmakan heard his +mother's words, his anguish redoubled; his eyes ran over with +tears and he sobbed and complained and repeated the following +verses: + +Give o'er this unrelenting blame, that never lets me be! My heart + loves her to whom it's thrall and may not struggle free. +Look not to me for any jot of patience, for I swear By God His + house, my patience all is clean divorced from me! +Blamers to prudence me exhort; I heed them not, for I In my + avouchment am sincere of love and constancy. +They hinder me by very force from visiting my dear, Though, by + the Merciful, nor rogue am I nor debauchee! +Indeed, my bones, whenas they hear the mention of her name, Do + quake and tremble even as birds from sparrow-hawks that + flee. +O daughter of my uncle, say to him who chides at love, That I, by + Allah, am distraught with love-longing for thee. + +And he said to his mother, "I can dwell no longer in my aunt's +house nor among these people, but will go forth and abide in the +corners of the city." So he and his mother left the palace and +took up their abode in one of the quarters of the poorer sort: +and she used to go from time to time to King Sasan's palace and +take thence food for her own and her son's subsistence. One day, +Kuzia Fekan took her aside and said to her, "Alas, my aunt, how +is it with thy son?" "O my daughter," replied she, "sooth to say, +he is tearful-eyed and mournful-hearted, being fallen into the +snare of thy love." And she repeated to her the verses he had +made; whereupon Kuzia Fekan wept and said, "By Allah, I rebuked +not him for his words of ill-will or dislike to him, but because +I feared the malice of enemies for him. Indeed, my passion for +him is double that he feels for me; words fail to set out my +yearning for him; and were it not for the extravagances of his +tongue and the wanderings of his wit, my father had not cut off +his favours from him nor decreed unto him exclusion and +prohibition. However, man's fortune is nought but change, and +patience in every case is most becoming; peradventure He who +ordained our severance will vouchsafe us reunion!" And she +repeated the following: + +O son of mine uncle, the like of thine anguish I suffer, the like + of thy passion I feel; +Yet hide I from men what I suffer for longing, And shouldst thou + not also thy passion conceal? + +When his mother heard this, she thanked her and blessed her: then +she left her and returning to her son, told him what his mistress +had said; whereupon his desire for her increased. But he took +heart, being eased of his despair, and the turmoil of his spirits +was quelled. And he said, "By Allah, I desire none but her!" And +he repeated the following verses: + +Give over thy chiding; I'll hearken no whit to the flouts of my + foes: Indeed I've discovered my secret that nought should + have made me disclose; +And she, whose enjoyment I hoped for, alack! is far distant from + me; Mine eyes watch the hours of the dark, whilst she passes + the night in repose. + +So the days and nights went by, whilst Kanmakan lay tossing upon +coals of fire, till he reached the age of seventeen: and indeed +his beauty was now come to perfection and his wit had ripened. +One night, as he lay awake, he communed with himself and said, +"Why should I keep silence, till I consume away, and see not my +love? My only fault is poverty: so, by Allah, I will go out from +this land and wander afar in the plains and valleys; for my +condition in this city is one of misery and I have no friend nor +lover in it to comfort me; wherefore I will distract myself by +absence from my native land, till I die and am at peace from +abasement and tribulation." And he repeated the following verses: + +Though my soul weary for distress and flutter fast for woe, Yet + of its nature was it ne'er to buckle to a foe. +Excuse me; for indeed my heart is like a book, whereof The + superscription's nought but tears, that aye unceasing flow. +Behold my cousin, how she seems a maid of Paradise, A houri come, + by Rizwan's grace, to visit us below! +Who seeks the glances of her eyes and dares the scathing stroke + Of their bright swords, shall hardly 'scape their swift and + deadly blow. +Lo, I will wander o'er the world, to free my heart from bale And + compensation for its loss upon my soul bestow! +Yea, I will range the fields of war and tilt against the brave + And o'er the champions will I ride roughshod and lay them + low. +Then will I come back, glad at heart and rich in goods and store, + Driving the herds and flocks as spoil before me, as I go. + +So he went out in the darkness of the night, barefoot, wearing a +short-sleeved tunic and a skull-cap of felt seven years old and +carrying a cake of dry bread, three days stale, and betook +himself to the gate El Arij of Baghdad. Here he waited till the +gate opened, when he was the first to go forth; and he went out +at random and wandered in the deserts day and night. When the +night came, his mother sought him, but found him not, whereupon +the world, for all its wideness, was straitened upon her and she +took no delight in aught of its good. She looked for him a first +day and a second and a third, till ten days were past, but no +news of him reached her. Then her breast became contracted and +she shrieked and lamented, saying, "O my son, O my delight, thou +hast revived my sorrows! Did not what I endured suffice, but thou +must depart from the place of my abiding? After thee, I care not +for food nor delight in sleep, and but tears and mourning are +left me. O my son, from what land shall I call thee? What country +hath given thee refuge?" And her sobs burst up, and she repeated +the following verses: + +We know that, since you went away, by grief and pain we're tried. + The bows of severance on us full many a shaft have plied. +They girt their saddles on and gainst the agonies of death Left + me to strive alone, whilst they across the sand-wastes + tried. +Deep in the darkness of the night a ring-dove called to me, + Complaining of her case; but I, "Give o'er thy plaint," + replied. +For, by thy life, an if her heart were full of dole, like mine, + She had not put a collar on nor yet her feet had dyed. +My cherished friend is gone and I for lack of him endure All + manner sorrows which with me for ever will abide. + +Then she abstained from food and drink and gave herself up to +weeping and lamentation. Her grief became known and all the +people of the town and country wept with her and said, "Where is +thine eye, O Zoulmekan?" And they bewailed the rigour of fate, +saying, "What can have befallen him, that he left his native town +and fled from the place where his father used to fill the hungry +and do justice and mercy?" And his mother redoubled her tears and +lamentations, till the news of Kanmakan's departure came to King +Sasan through the chief amirs, who said to him, "Verily, he is +the son of our (late) King and the grandson of King Omar ben +Ennuman and we hear that he hath exiled himself from the +country." When King Sasan heard these words, he was wroth with +them and ordered one of them to be hanged, whereat the fear of +him fell upon the hearts of the rest and they dared not speak one +word. Then he called to mind all the kindness that Zoulmekan had +done him and how he had commended his son to his care; wherefore +he grieved for Kanmakan and said "Needs must I have search made +for him in all countries." So he summoned Terkash and bade him +choose a hundred horse and go in quest of the prince. Accordingly +he went out and was absent ten days, after which he returned and +said, "I can learn no tidings of him and have come on no trace of +him, nor can any tell me aught of him." With this, King Sasan +repented him of that which he had done with Kanmakan; whilst his +mother abode without peace or comfort, nor would patience come at +her call: and thus twenty heavy days passed over her. + +To return to Kanmakan. When he left Baghdad, he went forth, +perplexed about his case and knowing not whither he should go: so +he fared on alone into the desert for the space of three days and +saw neither footman nor horseman. Sleep deserted him and his +wakefulness redoubled, for he pined for his people and his +country. So he wandered on, eating of the herbs of the earth and +drinking of its waters and resting under its trees at the hour of +the noontide heats, till he came to another road, into which he +turned and following it other three days, came to a land of green +fields and smiling valleys, abounding in the fruits of the earth. +It had drunken of the beakers of the clouds, to the sound of the +voices of the turtle and the ring-dove, till its hill-sides were +enamelled with verdure and its fields were fragrant. At this +sight, Kanmakan recalled his father's city Baghdad, and for +excess of emotion repeated the following verses: + +I wander on, in hope I may return Some day, yet know not when + that day shall be. +What drove me forth was that I found no means To fend awe, the + ills that pressed on me. + +Then he wept, but presently wiped away his tears and ate of the +fruits of the earth. Then he made his ablutions and prayed the +ordained prayers that he had neglected all this time; after which +he sat in that place, resting, the whole day. When the night +came, he lay down and slept till midnight, when he awoke and +heard a man's voice repeating the following verses: + +Life unto me is worthless, except I see the shine + Of the flashing teeth of my mistress and eke her face divine. +The bishops in the convents pray for her day and night + And in the mosques the imams fall prone before her shrine. +Death's easier than the rigours of a beloved one, + Whose image never cheers me, whenas I lie and pine. +O joy of boon-companions, when they together be + And lover and beloved in one embrace entwine! +Still more so in the season of Spring, with all its flowers, + What time the world is fragrant with blossoms sweet and fine. +Up, drinker of the vine-juice, and forth, for seest thou not + Earth gilt with blooms and waters all welling forth like wine? + +When Kanmakan heard this, it revived his sorrows; his tears ran +down his cheeks like rivers and flames of fire raged in his +heart. He rose to see who it was that spoke, but saw none, for +the thickness of the dark; whereupon passion increased on him and +he was alarmed and restlessness possessed him. So he descended to +the bottom of the valley and followed the banks of the stream, +till he heard one sighing heavily, and the same voice recited the +followed verses: + +Though thou have used to dissemble the love in thy heart for + fear, Give on the day of parting, free course to sob and + tear. +'Twixt me and my beloved were vows of love and troth; So cease I + for her never to long and wish her near. +My heart is full of longing; the zephyr, when it blows, To many a + thought of passion stirs up my heavy cheer. +Doth she o' the anklets hold me in mind, whilst far away, Though + between me and Saada were solemn vows and dear? +Shall the nights e'er unite us, the nights of dear delight, And + shall we tell our suff'rings, each in the other's ear? +"Thou seduced by passion for us," quoth she, and I, "God keep Thy + lovers all! How many have fallen to thy spear?" +If mine eyes taste the pleasance of sleep, while she's afar, May + God deny their vision her beauties many a year! +O the wound in mine entrails! I see no cure for it Save + love-delight and kisses from crimson lips and clear. + +When Kanmakan heard this, yet saw no one, he knew that the +speaker was a lover like unto himself, debarred the company of +her whom he loved; and he said to himself; "It were fitting that +this man should lay his head to mine and become my comrade in +this my strangerhood." Then he hailed the speaker and cried out +to him, saying "O thou that goest in the sombre night, draw near +to me and tell me thy history. Haply thou shalt find in me one +who will succour thee in shine affliction." "O thou that +answerest my complaint and wouldst know my history," rejoined the +other, "who art thou amongst the cavaliers? Art thou a man or a +genie? Answer me speedily ere thy death draw near, for these +twenty days have I wandered in this desert and have seen no one +nor heard any voice but thine." When Kanmakan heard this, he said +to himself, "His case is like unto mine, for I also have wandered +twenty days in the desert and have seen none nor heard any voice: +but I will make him no answer till the day." So he was silent and +the other called out to him, saying, "O thou that callest, if +thou be of the Jinn, go in peace, and if thou be a man, stay +awhile, till the day break and the night flee with the dark." So +they abode each in his own place, reciting verses and weeping +with abundant tears, till the light of day appeared and the night +departed with the darkness. Then Kanmakan looked at the other and +found him a youth of the Bedouin Arabs, clad in worn clothes and +girt-with a rusty sword, and the signs of passion were apparent +on him. So he went up to him and accosting him, saluted him. The +Bedouin returned the salute and greeted him courteously, but made +little account of him, for what he saw of his tender years and +his condition, which was that of a poor man. So he said to him, +"O youth, of what tribe art thou and to whom art thou kin among +the Arabs? What is thy history and wherefore goest thou by night, +after the fashion of champions? Indeed, thou spokest to me in the +night words such as are spoken of none but magnanimous cavaliers +and lionhearted warriors; and now thy life is in my hand. But I +have compassion on thee by reason of thy tender age; so I will +make thee my companion, and thou shalt go with me, to do me +service." When Kanmakan heard him speak thus unseemly, after what +he had shown him of skill in verse, he knew that he despised him +and thought to presume with him; so he answered him with soft and +dulcet speech, saying, "O chief of the Arabs, leave my tenderness +of age and tell me thy story and why thou wanderest by night in +the desert, reciting verses. Thou talkest of my serving thee; who +then art thou and what moved thee to speak thus?" "Harkye, boy!" +answered the Bedouin, "I am Subbah, son of Remmah ben Hummam. My +people are of the Arabs of Syria, and I have a cousin called +Nejmeh, who brings delight to all that look on her. My father +died, and I was brought up in the house of my uncle, the father +of Nejmeh; but when I grew up and my cousin became a woman, they +excluded her from me and me from her, seeing that I was poor and +of little estate. However, the chiefs of the Arabs and the heads +of the tribes went in to her father and rebuked him, and he was +abashed before them and consented to give me his daughter, but +upon condition that I should bring him as her dower fifty head of +horses and fifty dromedaries and fifty camels laden with wheat +and a like number laden with barley, together with ten male and +ten female slaves. The dowry he imposed upon me was beyond my +competence; for he exacted more than the due marriage portion. So +now I am travelling from Syria to Irak, having passed twenty days +without seeing other than thyself, and I mean to go to Baghdad, +that I may note what rich and considerable merchants start +thence. Then I will go out in their track and seize their goods, +for I will kill their men and drive off their camels with their +loads. But what manner of man art thou?" "Thy case is like unto +mine," replied Kanmakan; "save that my complaint is more grievous +than thine; for my cousin is a king's daughter, and the dowry of +which thou hast spoken would not content her family, nor would +they be satisfied with the like of that from me." "Surely," said +Subbah, "thou art mad or light-headed for excess of passion! How +can thy cousin be a king's daughter? Thou hast no sign of +princely rank on thee, for thou art but a mendicant." "O chief of +the Arabs," rejoined Kanmakan, "marvel not at my case, for it is +due to the shifts of fortune; and if thou desire proof of me, +behold, I am Kanmakan, son of King Zoulmekan, son of King Omar +ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and Khorassan, and fortune hath +played the tyrant with me; for my father died and (my uncle) King +Sasan took the Sultanate. So I fled forth from Baghdad, secretly, +lest any should see me, and have wandered twenty days, without +seeing any but thyself. So now I have discovered to thee my case, +and my history is as thy history and my need as thy need." When +Subbah heard this, he cried out and said, "O joy! I have attained +my desire! I will have no booty this day but thyself; for, since +thou art of the lineage of kings and hast come out in the habit +of a beggar, it cannot be but thy people will seek thee, and if +they find thee in any one's hand, they will ransom thee with much +treasure. So put thy hands behind thee, O my lad, and walk before +me." "Softly, O brother of the Arabs," answered Kanmakan; "my +people will not ransom me with silver nor with gold, no, not with +a brass dirhem; and I am a poor man, having with me neither much +nor little: so leave this behaviour with me and take me to +comrade. Let us go forth of the land of Irak and wander over the +world, so haply we may win dower and marriage-portion and enjoy +our cousins' embraces." When Subbah heard this, he was angry; his +arrogance and heat redoubled and he said, "Out on thee, O vilest +of dogs! Dost thou bandy words with me? Turn thy back, or I will +chastise thee." At this Kanmakan smiled and answered, "Why should +I turn my back for thee? Is there no equity in thee? Dost thou +not fear to bring reproach upon the Arabs by driving a man like +myself captive, in dishonour and humiliation, before thou hast +proved him in the field, to know if he be a warrior or a coward?" +The Bedouin laughed and replied, "By Allah, I wonder at thee! +Thou art a boy in years, but old in talk. These words should come +from none but a doughty champion: what wantest thou of equity? +"If thou wilt have me be thy captive, to serve thee," said +Kanmakan, "throw down thine arms and put off thine upper clothes +and wrestle with me; and whichever of us throws the other shall +have his will of him and make him his servant." The other laughed +and said, "I think thy much talk denotes the nearness of thy +death." Then he threw down his sword and tucking up his skirt, +drew near unto Kanmakan, and they gripped each other. But the +Bedouin found that Kanmakan had the better of him and outweighed +him, as the quintal outweighs the dinar; and he looked at his +legs and saw that they were as firmly planted as two well-builded +minarets or two tent-poles driven into the ground or two +immovable mountains. So he knew that he himself was not able to +cope with him and repented of having come to wrestle with him, +saying in himself, "Would I had fallen on him with my weapons!" +Then Kanmakan took hold of him and mastering him shook him, till +he thought his guts would burst in his belly and roared out, +"Hold thy hand, O boy!" He heeded him not, but shook him again, +and lifting him from the ground, made with him towards the +stream, that he might throw him therein: whereupon the Bedouin +cried out, saying, "O valiant man, what wilt thou do with me?" +Quoth Kanmakan, "I mean to throw thee into this stream: it will +carry thee to the Tigris. The Tigris will bring thee to the river +Isa and the Isa to the Euphrates, and the Euphrates will bear +thee to thine own country; so thy people will see thee and know +thy manlihead and the sincerity of thy passion." When Subbah +heard this, he cried out and said, "O champion of the desert, do +not with me the deed of the wicked, but let me go, by the life of +thy cousin, the jewel of the fair!" With this, Kanmakan set him +down; and when he found himself at liberty, he ran to his sword +and buckler and taking them up, stood plotting in himself +treachery and a sudden attack on Kanmakan. The latter read his +intent in his eye and said to him, "I know what is in thy mind, +now thou hast hold of thy sword and buckler. Thou hast neither +strength nor skill for wrestling, but thou thinkest that, wert +thou on horseback and couldst wheel about and ply me with thy +sword, I had been slain long ago. But I will give thee thy will, +so there may be no despite left in thy heart. Give me the buckler +and fall on me with thy sword; either I shall kill thee or thou +me." "Here it is," answered Subbah and throwing him the shield, +drew his sword and rushed at him. Kanmakan took the buckler in +his right hand and began to fend himself with it, whilst Subbah +struck at him with the sword, saying at each stroke, "This is +the finishing one!" But Kanmakan received all his blows on his +buckler and they fell harmless, though he did not strike back +again, having no weapon of offence; and Subbah ceased not to +smite at him, till his arm was weary. When the prince saw this, +he rushed at him and seizing him in his arms, shook him and threw +him to the ground. Then he turned him over on his face and +binding his arms behind him with the hangers of his sword, began +to drag him by the feet towards the river: whereupon cried +Subbah, "What wilt thou do with me, O youth and cavalier of the +age and hero of the field?" "Did I not tell thee," answered +Kanmakan, "that it was my intent to send thee by the river to thy +people and thy tribe, lest their hearts be troubled for thee and +thou miss thy cousin's bride-feast?" At this, Subbah shrieked +aloud and wept and said, "Do not thus, O champion of the time! +Let me go and make me one of thy servants." And he wept and +wailed and recited the following verses: + +An outcast from my folk (how long my exile lasts!) am I. Would + God I knew if I in this my strangerhood shall die! +I perish, and my folk know not the place where I am slain; I fall + in exile, far away from her for whom I sigh. + +Kanmakan had compassion on him and said to him, "Make a covenant +with me and swear to be a true comrade to me and to bear me +company whithersoever I may go." "It is well," replied Subbah and +took the required oath. So Kanmakan loosed him, and he rose and +would have kissed the prince's hand; but he forbade him. Then the +Bedouin opened his wallet and taking out three barley-cakes, laid +them before Kanmakan, and they both sat down on the bank of the +stream to eat. When they had done eating, they made the ablution +and prayed, after which they sat talking of what had befallen +each of them from his people and the shifts of fortune. Then said +Kanmakan, "Whither dost thou now intend?" "I purpose," replied +Subbah, "to repair to Baghdad, thy native town, and abide there, +till God vouchsafe me the marriage-portion." "Up then," rejoined +the other, "and to the road! I abide here." So the Bedouin took +leave of him and set out for Baghdad, whilst Kanmakan remained +behind, saying to himself, "O my soul, how shall I return poor +and needy? By Allah, I will not go back empty-handed, and if God +please, I will assuredly work my deliverance!" Then he went to +the stream and made his ablutions and prayed to his Lord, laying +his brow in the dust and saying, "O my God, Thou that makest the +dew to fall and feedest the worm in the rock, vouchsafe me, I +beseech Thee, my livelihood, of Thy power and the graciousness of +Thy compassion!" Then he pronounced the salutation that closes +prayer and sat, turning right and left and knowing not which way +to take. Presently, he saw, making towards him, a horseman whose +back was bowed and who let the reins droop. He sat still and +after awhile the horseman came up to him, when, behold, he was at +the last gasp and made sure of death, for he was grievously +wounded. The tears streamed down his cheeks, like water from the +mouths of skins, and he said to Kanmakan, "O chief of the Arabs, +take me to friend, whilst I live, for thou wilt not find my like, +and give me a little water, harmful though the drinking of water +be to a wounded man, especially whilst the blood is flowing and +the life with it. If I live, I will give thee what shall heal thy +distress and thy poverty; and if I die, mayst thou be blessed for +thy good intent!" Now this horseman had under him a stallion of +the most generous breed, with legs like shafts of marble, the +tongue fails to describe it; and when Kanmakan looked at it, he +was seized with longing admiration and said in himself, "Verily, +the like of this stallion is not to be found in our time." Then +he helped the rider to alight and entreated him friendly and gave +him a little water to drink; after which he waited till he was +rested and said to him, "Who has dealt thus with thee?" "I will +tell thee the truth of the case," answered the wounded man. "I am +a horse-thief and all my life I have occupied myself with +stealing and snatching horses, night and day, and my name is +Ghessan, surnamed the plague of all stables and horses. I heard +tell of this stallion, that he was with King Afridoun in the land +of the Greeks, where they had named him El Catoul and surnamed +him El Mejnoun. So I journeyed to Constantinople on his account, +and whilst I was watching my opportunity to get at him, there +came out an old woman, much considered among the Greeks and whose +word is law with them, a past mistress in all manner of trickery, +by name Shewahi Dhat ed Dewahi. She had with her this stallion +and ten slaves, no more, to attend on her and it, and was bound +for Baghdad, there to sue for peace and pardon from King Sasan. +So I went out in their track, thinking to get the horse, and +ceased not to follow them, but was unable to get at the stallion, +by reason of the strict guard kept by the slaves, till they +reached this country and I feared lest they should enter the city +of Baghdad. As I was casting about to steal the horse, behold, a +great cloud of dust arose and covered the prospect. Presently it +opened and disclosed fifty horsemen, banded together to waylay +merchants and led by a captain by name Kehrdash, like a raging +lion, yea, in battle a lion that lays heroes flat even as a +carpet. They bore down on the old woman and her company, shouting +and surrounding them, nor was it long before they bound her and +the ten slaves and made off with their captives and the horse, +rejoicing. When I saw this, I said to myself, 'My toil is wasted +and I have not attained my desire.' However, I waited to see how +the affair would result, and when the old woman found herself a +captive, she wept and said to Kehrdash, 'O doughty champion and +invincible warrior, what wilt thou do with an old woman and +slaves, now thou hast thy will of the horse?' And she beguiled +him with soft words and promises that she would send him horses +and cattle, till he released her and her slaves. Then he went his +way, he and his comrades, and I followed them to this country, +watching my opportunity, till at last I succeeded in stealing the +horse, whereupon I mounted him and drawing a whip from my wallet, +struck him with it. When the robbers heard this, they came out on +me and surrounded me on all sides and shot arrows and cast spears +at me, whilst I stuck fast on the horse's back and he defended me +with his hoofs, till at last he shot out with me from amongst +them, like an arrow from the bow or a shooting star, after I had +gotten a grievous wound in the press of the battle. Since that +time, I have passed three days in the saddle, without tasting +food or sleep, so that my strength is wasted and the world is +become of no account to me. But thou hast dealt kindly with me +and hast had pity on me: and I see thee naked of body and +sorrowful of aspect; yet are the marks of gentle breeding +manifest on thee. So tell me, what and whence art thou and +whither art thou bound?" "My name is Kanmakan," answered the +prince, "son of King Zoulmekan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman. My +father died, and a base man seized the throne after his death and +became king over great and small." Then he told him all his story +from first to last; and the thief said to him, (and indeed he had +compassion on him), "By Allah, thou art a man of great account +and exceeding nobility and thou shalt surely win to high estate +and become the first cavalier of thy time! If thou canst lift me +into the saddle and mount behind me and bring me to my country, +thou shalt have honour in this world and a reward on the Day of +calling of men one to another;[FN#155] for I have no strength +left to hold myself in the saddle; and if I die by the way, the +steed is thine; for thou art worthier of it than any other." "By +Allah," said Kanmakan, "if I could carry thee on my shoulders or +share my life with thee, I would do so, without the horse! For I +am of those that love to do good and succour the afflicted. So +make ready to set out and put thy trust in the Subtle, the +All-Wise." And he would have lifted him on to the horse and set +forward, trusting in God the Succourable. But the robber said, +"Wait for me a little." Then he closed his eyes and opening his +hands, said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that +Mohammed is the Apostle of God! O Glorious One, pardon me my +mortal sin, for none can pardon mortal sins save Thou!" And he +made ready for death and recited the following verses: + +I've ranged through all countries, oppressing mankind, And in + drinking of wine I have wasted my days. +I've waded through torrents, the horses to steal And I've used + with my guile the high places to raze. +My case is right grievous and great is my guilt, And Catoul, + alas! is the end of my ways. +I hoped of this horse I should get my desire; But vain was my + journey and vain my essays. +All my life I have stolen the steeds, and my death Was decreed of + the Lord of all power and all praise. +So, in fine, for the good of the stranger, the poor, The orphan, + I've wearied in toils and affrays. + +When he had finished, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth; +then giving one sob, he departed this life. Kanmakan rose and dug +a grave and laid him in the earth. Then he went up to the +stallion and kissed it and wiped its face and rejoiced with an +exceeding joy, saying, "None has the like of this horse, no, not +even King Sasan." So much for Kanmakan. + +Meanwhile, news came to King Sasan that the Vizier Dendan and +half the army had thrown off their allegiance to him and sworn +that they would have no king but Kanmakan and the Vizier had +bound the troops by a solemn covenant and had gone with them to +the islands of India and Ethiopia, where he had gathered together +a host like the swollen sea, none could tell its van from its +rear. Moreover, he was resolved to make for Baghdad and possess +himself of the kingdom and slay all who should let him, having +sworn not to return the sword of war to its sheath, till he had +set Kanmakan on the throne. When this news came to Sasan, he was +drowned in the sea of melancholy, knowing that the whole state +had furled against him, great and small, and trouble and anxiety +were sore on him. So he opened his treasuries and distributed +that which was therein among his officers and prayed for +Kanmakan's return, that he might draw his heart to him with fair +usage and bounty and make him commander of those troops that +remained faithful to him, hoping thus to prop his [falling] +power. The news of this reached Kanmakan by the merchants; so he +returned in haste to Baghdad, riding on the aforesaid stallion, +and the news of his coming reached King Sasan, as he sat +perplexed upon his throne; whereupon he despatched all the troops +and head-men of Baghdad to meet him. So all who were in Baghdad +went out to meet the Prince and escorted him to the palace and +kissed the threshold, whilst the damsels and eunuchs went in to +his mother and gave her the good tidings of his return. She came +to him and kissed him between the eyes, but he said to her, "O my +mother, let me go to my uncle King Sasan, who hath overwhelmed us +with favours and benefits." Then he repaired to the palace, +whilst all the people marvelled at the beauty of the stallion and +said, "No king is like unto this man." So he went in to King +Sasan, who rose to receive him; and Kanmakan saluted him and +kissing his hands, offered him the horse as a present. The King +bade him welcome, saying, "Welcome and fair welcome to my son +Kanmakan! By Allah, the world hath been straitened on me by +reason of thine absence, but praised be God for thy safety!" And +Kanmakan called down blessings on him. Then the King looked at +the stallion and knowing it for the very horse, Catoul by name, +that he had seen in such and such a year, whilst at the leaguer +of Constantinople with King Zoulmekan, said to Kanmakan, "I! thy +father could have come by this horse, he would have bought him +with a thousand chargers of price: but now let the honour return +to thee who deservest it. We accept the steed and return it to +thee as a gift, for thou hast more right to it than any man +alive, being the prince of cavaliers." Then he bade bring forth +for him dresses of honour and led horses and appointed him the +chief lodging in the palace, giving him much money and showing +him the utmost honour, for that he feared the issue of the Vizier +Dendan's doings. At this Kanmakan rejoiced and despondency and +humiliation ceased from him. Then he went to his house and said +to his mother, "O my mother, how is it with my cousin?" "By +Allah, O my son," answered she, "my concern for thine absence +hath distracted me from any other, even to thy beloved; +especially as she was the cause of thine exile and separation +from me." Then he complained to her of his sufferings, saying, "O +my mother, go to her and speak with her; haply she will favour me +with a sight of her and dispel my anguish." "O my son," replied +his mother, "idle desires abase the necks of men; so put away +from thee this thought that will but lead to vexation; for I will +not go to her nor carry her such a message." Thereupon he told +her what he had heard from the horse-thief concerning Dhat ed +Dewahi, how she was then in their land, on her way to Baghdad, +and added, "It was she who slew my uncle and grandfather, and +needs must I avenge them and wipe out our reproach." Then he left +her and repaired to an old woman, by name Saadaneh, a cunning, +perfidious and pernicious beldam, past mistress in all kinds of +trickery and deceit To her he complained of what he suffered for +love of his cousin Kuzia Fekan and begged her to go to her and +implore her favour for him. "I hear and obey," answered the old +woman and betaking herself to Kuzia Fekan's palace, interceded +with her in his favour. Then she returned to him and said, "Thy +cousin salutes thee and will visit thee this night at the middle +hour." At this he rejoiced and sat down to await the fulfilment +of his cousin's promise. At the appointed hour she came to him, +wrapped in a veil of black silk, and aroused him from sleep, +saying, "How canst thou pretend to love me, when thou art +sleeping, heart-free, after the goodliest fashion?" So he awoke +and said, "O desire of my heart, by Allah, I slept not but hoping +that thine image might visit me in dreams!" Then she chid him +tenderly and repeated the following verses: + +Wert thou indeed a lover true and leal, Thou hadst not suffered + slumber on thee creep. +O thou who feign'st to walk the ways of love, The watch of + passion and desire to keep, +Son of my uncle, sure the eyes of those Who're love-distraught + know not the taste of sleep. + +When he heard his cousin's words, he was abashed before her and +rose and excused himself. Then they embraced and complained to +each other of the anguish of separation; and thus they did, till +the dawn broke and the day flowered forth over the lands; when +she rose to depart. At this, Kanmakan wept and sighed and +repeated the following verses: + +She came to me, after her pride had driven me to despair, She in + whose lips the teeth as the pearls of her necklace were. +I kissed her a thousand times and clipped her close in my arms + And lay all night with my cheek pressed close to the cheek + of the fair; +Till the day, that must sever our loves, as 'twere the blade of a + sword That flashes forth of its sheath, gleamed out on us + unaware. + +Then she took leave of him and returned to her palace. Now she +let certain of her damsels into her secret, and one of them told +the King, who went in to Kuzia Fekan and drawing his sabre upon +her, would have slain her: but her mother Nuzhet ez Zeman entered +and said to him, 'By Allah, do her no hurt, lest it be noised +among the folk and thou become a reproach among the kings of the +age! Thou knowest that Kanmakan is no base-born wretch, but a man +of honour and nobility, who would not do aught that could shame +him, and she was reared with him. So take patience and be not +hasty; for verily the report is spread abroad, among the people +of the palace and all the folk of the city, how the Vizier Dendan +hath levied troops from all countries and is on his way hither to +make Kanmakan king." "By Allah," said the King, "needs must I +cast him into a calamity, such that neither earth shall bear him +nor sky shadow him! I did but speak him fair and entreat him with +favour, because of my subjects and officers, lest they should +turn to him; but thou shalt see what will betide." Then he left +her and went out to order the affairs of the kingdom. + +Next day, Kanmakan came in to his mother and said to her, "O my +mother, I am resolved to go forth a-raiding in quest of booty. I +will waylay caravans and seize horses and flocks and slaves black +and white, and as soon as my store is waxed great and my case is +bettered, I will demand my cousin Kuzia Fekan in marriage of my +uncle." "O my son," replied she, "of a truth the goods of men are +not as a wastril camel, ready to thy hand; but between thee and +them are sword-strokes and lance-thrusts and men that eat wild +beasts and lay waste countries and snare lions and trap lynxes." +Quoth he, "God forbid that I should turn from my purpose, till I +have attained my desire!" Then he despatched the old woman to +Kuzia Fekan, to tell her that he was about to set out in quest of +a dowry befitting her, saying, "Thou must without fail bring me +an answer from her." "I hear and obey," repled the old woman and +going forth, presently returned with Kuzia Fekan's answer, which +was that she would come to him at midnight. So he abode awake +till one half of the night was past, when disquietude got hold on +him, and before he was aware, she came in to him, saying, "My +life be thy ransom from wakefulness!" And he sprang up to receive +her, exclaiming, "O desire of my heart, my life be thy ransom +from all things evil!" Then he acquainted her with his intent, +and she wept; but he said, "Weep not, O my cousin; for I beseech +Him who decreed our separation to vouchsafe us reunion and +felicity." Then Kanmakan went in to his mother and took leave of +her, after which he girt on his sword and donned turban and +chin-band and mounting his horse Catoul, rode through the streets +of Baghdad, till he reached the gate of the city. Here he found +his comrade Subbah ben Remmah going out, who, seeing him, ran to +his stirrup and saluted him. He returned his greeting, and Subbah +said to him, "O my brother, how camest thou by this steed and +sword and clothes, whilst I up to now have gotten nothing but my +sword and target?" Quoth Kanmakan, "The hunter returns not but +with game after the measure of his intent. A little after thy +departure, fortune came to me: so now wilt thou go with me and +work thine intent in my company and journey with me in this +desert?" "By the Lord of the Kaabeh," replied Subbah, "from this +time forth I will call thee nought but 'My lord!'" Then he ran on +before the horse with his sword hanging from his neck and his +budget between his shoulder-blades, and they pushed on into the +desert four days' space, eating of the gazelles they caught and +drinking of the water of the springs. On the fifth day, they came +in sight of a high hill, at whose foot was a Spring encampment +and a running stream. The knolls and hollows were filled with +camels and oxen and sheep and horses, and little children played +about the cattle-folds. When Kanmakan saw this, he was right glad +and his breast was filled with joy; so he addressed himself to +battle, that he might take the camels and the cattle, and said to +Subbah, "Come, let us fall upon this good, whose owners have left +it unguarded, and do battle for it with near and far, so haply it +may fall to our lot and we will share it between us." "O my +lord," replied Subbah, "verily they to whom these herds belong +are much people, and among them are doughty horsemen and footmen. +If we cast ourselves into this great danger, neither of us will +return to his people; but we shall both be cut off utterly and +leave our cousins desolate." When Kanmakan heard this, he laughed +and knew that he was a coward: so he left him and rode down the +hill, intent on rapine, shouting and chanting aloud the following +verses: + +O the house of En Numan is mickle of might! We're the champions + with swords on the squadrons that smite! +When the fury of battle flames high in our hearts, We're aye to + be found in the front of the fight. +The poor man amongst us may slumber secure Nor see the foul + favour of want or upright. +I hope for the succour of Him in whose hand Is the Kingdom, the + Maker of body and spright. + +Then he rushed upon the cattle, like a camel in heat, and drove +them all, oxen and sheep and horses and camels, before him. +Therewith the slaves ran at him with their bright swords and +their long lances; and at their head was a Turkish horseman, a +stout champion, doughty in battle and onset and skilled to wield +the tawny spear and the white sabre. He drove at Kanmakan, +saying, "Out on thee! Knewest thou to whom these cattle belong, +thou hadst not done this thing! Know that they are the good of +the Greek band, the champions of the sea and the Circassian +troop, and they are a hundred cavaliers, all stern warriors, who +have forsworn the commandment of all kings. There has been stolen +from them a steed of great price, and they have vowed not to +return hence, but with it." When Kanmakan heard these words, he +cried out, saying, "O losers, this that I bestride is the steed +itself, after which ye seek and for whose sake ye would do battle +with me! So come out against me, all of you at once, and do your +dourest!" So saying, he cried out between Catoul's ears and he +ran at them, as he were a ghoul. Then Kanmakan drove at the Turk +and smote him and overthrew him and let out his life; after which +he turned upon a second and a third and a fourth and bereft them +also of life. When the slaves saw this, they were afraid of him, +and he cried out and said to them, "Ho, sons of whores, drive out +the cattle and the horses, or I will dye my spear in your blood!" +So they untethered the cattle and began to drive them out, and +Subbah came down to Kanmakan, crying out with a loud voice and +rejoicing greatly; when, behold, there arose a cloud of dust and +grew till it covered the prospect, and there appeared under it a +hundred cavaliers, like fierce lions. With this Subbah fled up on +to the hill, that he might gaze upon the fight in safety, saying, +"I am no warrior but in sport and jest." Then the hundred +cavaliers made towards Kanmakan from all sides, and one of them +accosted him, saying, "Whither goest thou with this good?" "I +have made prize of them," replied he, "and am carrying them away; +and I forbid you from them, for know that he who is before you is +a terrible lion and an illustrious champion and a sword that cuts +wherever it turns!" When the horseman heard this, he looked at +Kanmakan and saw that he was a cavalier as he were a strong lion, +whilst his face was as the full moon rising on its fourteenth +night, and valour shone from between his eyes. Now this horseman +was the chief of the hundred horse, and his name was Kehrdash; +and what he saw in Kanmakan of the perfection of martial grace, +together with surpassing beauty and comeliness, reminded him of a +mistress of his, by name Fatin. Now this Fatin was one of the +fairest of women in face, for God had given her beauty and grace +and charms and noble qualities of all kinds, such as the tongue +fails to describe. Moreover, the cavaliers of the tribe feared +her prowess and the champions of the land stood in awe of her, +and she had sworn that she would not marry nor give any +possession of her, except he should conquer her, saying to her +father, "None shall approach me, except he master me in the field +and the stead of war." Kehrdash was one of her suitors, and when +the news reached him of the vow she had taken, he thought scorn +to fight with a girl, fearing reproach; and one of his friends +said to him, "Thou art accomplished in beauty and manly +qualities; so if thou contend with her, even though she be +stronger than thou, thou must needs overcome her, for when she +sees thy beauty and grace, she will be discomfited before thee, +seeing that women by nature incline unto men, as is not unknown +to thee." Nevertheless he refused and would not contend with her, +albeit indeed she loved him, for what she had heard of his beauty +and velour: and he ceased not to abstain from her thus, till he +met with Kanmakan, as hath been set down. Now he took the prince +for his beloved Fatin and was afraid; so he went up to him and +said, "Out on thee, O Fatin! Thou comest to show me thy prowess; +but now alight from thy steed, that I may talk with thee, for I +have driven off these cattle and waylaid horsemen and champions, +all for the sake of thy beauty and grace, which are without peer. +So now thou shalt marry me, that kings' daughters may wait on +thee, and thou shalt become queen of these countries." When +Kanmakan heard this, the fires of wrath flamed up in him and he +cried out, saying, "Out on thee, O dog of the barbarians! Leave +thy raving of Fatin and come to cutting and thrusting, for +eftsoon thou shalt lie in the dust." So saying, he began to wheel +about him and offer battle. Then Kehrdash observed him more +closely and saw that he was indeed a doughty knight and a +stalwart champion; and the error of his thought was manifest to +him, whenas he saw the tender down that adorned his cheeks, as it +were myrtles springing from the heart of a red rose. And he +feared his onslaught and said to those that were with him, "Out +on you! Let one of you attack him and show him the keen sword and +the quivering spear; for know that for a company to do battle +with one man is foul shame, even though he be a doughty man of +war and an invincible champion." With this, there ran at Kanmakan +a lion-like horseman, mounted on a black horse with white feet +and a star on his forehead, the bigness of a dirhem, astounding +sight and wit, as he were Abjer, that was Antar's steed: even as +saith of him the poet: + +See, where the stallion yonder comes, that with a fierce delight + Drives to the battle, mingling earth with heaven in his + might. +Meseems, the morning smote his brow and to avenge himself + Thereon, he plunges straight and deep into its heart of + light. + +He rushed upon Kanmakan, who met him in mid-career, and they +wheeled about awhile in the dint of battle, exchanging blows such +as confound the wit and dim the sight, till Kanmakan took the +other at vantage and smote him a swashing blow, that shore +through turban and iron skull-cap and reached his head, and he +fell from his saddle, as a camel falls, when he rolls over. Then +a second came out to him and a third and a fourth and a fifth, +and he did with them all as he had done with the first. Thereupon +the rest rushed upon him, all at once, for indeed they were wild +with rage and concern; but it was not long before he had +transfixed them all with the point of his lance. When Kehrdash +saw his feats of arms, he knew that he was stout of heart and +concluded that he was the phoenix of the champions and heroes of +the age: so he feared death and said to Kanmakan, "I give thee +thy life and pardon thee the blood of my comrades, for I have +compassion on thee by reason of thy fair youth. So take what thou +wilt of the cattle and go thy ways, for life is better for thee +[than death]." "Thou lackest not of the generosity of the +noble,"[FN#156] replied Kanmakan; "but leave this talk and flee +for thy life and reck not of blame nor think to get back the +booty; but take the straight path for thine own safety." When +Kehrdash heard this, he waxed exceeding wroth and his anger moved +him to that which was the cause of his death; so he said to +Kanmakan, "Out on thee! Knewest thou who I am, thou wouldst not +talk thus in the open field. I am the doughty lion known as +Kehrdash, he who despoils great kings and waylays all the +travellers and seizes the merchants' goods. Yonder steed under +thee is what I am seeking and I call upon thee to tell me how +thou camest by it." "Know," replied Kanmakan, "that this steed +was being carried to my uncle King Sasan in the company of a +certain old woman, attended by ten slaves, when thou fellest upon +her and tookest the horse from her; and I have a debt of blood +against this old woman for the sake of my grandfather King Omar +ben Ennuman and my uncle King Sherkan." "Out on thee!" said +Kehrdash. "Who is thy father, O thou that hast no (known) +mother?" "Know," answered the prince, "that I am Kanmakan, son of +Zoulmekan, son of Omar ben Ennuman." Quoth Kehrdash, "Thy +perfection cannot be denied, nor yet the union in thee of martial +virtue and comeliness: but go in peace, for thy father showed us +favour and bounty." "By Allah, O vile wretch," rejoined Kanmakan, +"I will not so far honour thee as to overcome thee in the open +field!" At this the Bedouin was wroth and they drove at one +another, shouting aloud, whilst their horses pricked up their +ears and raised their tails. They clashed together with such a +dint, that it seemed to each as if the heavens were split in +sunder, and strove like two butting rams, smiting one another +with thick-coming spear-strokes. Presently, Kehrdash aimed a blow +at Kanmakan; but he evaded it and turning upon the brigand, smote +him in the breast, that the head of the spear issued from his +back. Then he collected the horses and cattle and cried out to +the slaves, saying, "Up and drive them off briskly!" With this +down came Subbah and accosting Kanmakan, said to him, "Thou hast +quitted thee right well, O hero of the age! I prayed God for thee +and He heard my prayer." Then he cut off Kehrdash's head and +Kanmakan laughed and said, "Out on thee, Subbah! I thought thee a +man of valour." Quoth the Bedouin, "Forget not thy slave in the +division of the spoil, so haply I may win therewith to marry my +cousin Nejmeh." "Thou shalt surely have a share in it," answered +Kanmakan, "but now keep watch over the booty and the slaves." +Then they set out and journeyed night and day till they drew near +Baghdad, and all the troops heard of Kanmakan and saw the booty +and the brigand's head on the point of Subbah's spear. Moreover, +the merchants knew Kehrdash's head and rejoiced, for he was a +noted highwayman, saying, "Allah hath rid mankind of him!" And +they marvelled at his death and called down blessings on his +slayer. Then all the people of Baghdad came to Kanmakan, seeking +to know what had befallen him, and he told them what had passed, +whereupon they were taken with awe of him and all the champions +and men of war feared him. After this, he drove his spoil to the +palace and planting the spear, on which was Kehrdash's head, +before the gate, gave largesse to the people of camels and horses +so that they loved him and all hearts inclined to him. Then he +took Subbah and lodged him in a spacious dwelling, giving him +part of the booty; after which he went in to his mother and told +her all that had befallen him. Meanwhile the news of him reached +the King, who rose and shutting himself up with his chief +officers, said to them, "I wish to reveal to you my secret and +acquaint you with the truth of my case. Know that Kanmakan will +be the cause of our expulsion from the kingdom; for he has slain +Kehrdash, albeit he had with him the tribes of the Turks and the +Kurds, and our affair with him will assuredly result in our +destruction, seeing that the most part of our troops are his +kinsmen and ye know what the Vizier Dendan hath done; how he +refuses to recognize me, after all the favours I have done him, +and is become a traitor to his faith. Indeed, it has come to my +knowledge that he hath levied an army in the provinces and goeth +about to make Kanmakan king, for that the kingdom was his +father's and his grandfather's before him, and he will surely +slay me without mercy." When they heard this, they replied, "O +King, verily he[FN#157] is unequal to this, and did we not know +him to have been reared by thee, not one of us would take thought +to him. We are at thy commandment; if thou wilt have us slay him, +we will do so, and if thou wilt have him kept at a distance, we +will chase him away." When King Sasan heard this, he said, +"Verily, it were wise to slay him: but needs must ye take an oath +of it." So they all pledged themselves to kill him, to the intent +that, when the Vizier Dendan came and heard of his death, his +might should be weakened and fail of that which he designed to +do. When they had made this compact with him, the King bestowed +great gifts upon them and dismissing them, retired to his own +apartments. Now the troops refused their service, awaiting what +should befall, for they saw that the most part of the army was +with the Vizier Dendan. Presently, the news of these things came +to Kuzia Fekan and caused her much concern; so that she sent for +the old woman, who was wont to carry messages between her and her +cousin, and bade her go to him and warn him of the plot against +his life. Accordingly, she repaired to Kanmakan and gave him the +princess's message, to which he replied, "Bear my cousin my +salutation and say to her, 'The earth is God's (to whom belong +might and majesty), and He maketh whom He willeth of His servants +to inherit it. How excellent is the saying of the poet: + +The kingship is God's alone, and him who would fain fulfil His + wishes He driveth away and maketh him rue for his ill. +Had I or another than I a handsbreadth of earth to my own, The + Godship were sundered in twain and two were the Power and + the Will.'" + +The old woman returned to Kuzia Fekan with Kanmakan's reply and +told her that he abode in the city. Meanwhile, King Sasan awaited +his going forth from Baghdad, that he might send after him and +kill him; till, one day, it befell that Kanmakan went out to +hunt, accompanied by Subbah, who would not leave him day or +night. He caught ten gazelles and among them one that had soft +black eyes and turned right and left; so he let her go, and +Subbah said to him, "Why didst thou let her go?" Kanmakan laughed +and set the others free also, saying, "It behoves us, of +humanity, to release gazelles that have young, and this one only +turned from side to side, to look for her young ones: so I let +her go and released the others in her honour." Quoth Subbah, "Do +thou release me, that I may go to my people." At this Kanmakan +laughed and smote him on the breast with the butt of his spear, +and he fell to the ground, writhing like a serpent. Whilst they +were thus occupied, they saw cloud of dust and heard the tramp of +horse; and presently there appeared a troop of armed cavaliers. +Now King Sasan had heard of Kanmakan's going out and sending for +an Amir of the Medes, called Jami, and twenty men, had given them +money and bidden them slay Kanmakan. So, when they drew near the +prince, they rushed at him and he met them in mid-career and +killed them all, to the last man. Meanwhile the King took horse +and riding out to meet his men, found them all slain, whereat he +wondered and turned back; but the people of the city laid hands +on him and bound him straitly. As for Kanmakan, he left that +place behind him and rode onward with Subbah. As he went, he saw +a youth sitting at the door of a house in his road and saluted +him. The youth returned his greeting and going into the house, +brought out two platters, one full of milk and the other of +brewis swimming in (clarified) butter, which he set before +Kanmakan, saying, "Favour me by eating of my victual." But he +refused and the young man said to him, "What ails thee, O man, +that thou wilt not eat?" "I have a vow upon me," replied the +prince. "What is the cause of thy vow?" asked the youth, and +Kanmakan answered, "Know that King Sasan seized upon my kingdom +wrongfully and oppressively, albeit it was my father's and my +grandfather's before me; yet he laid hands upon the throne by +force, after my father's death, and took no count of me, for that +I was of tender years. So I have bound myself by a vow to eat no +man's victual, till I have eased my heart of my enemy." +"Rejoice," rejoined the youth, "for God hath fulfilled thy vow. +Know that he is in prison and methinks he will soon die." "In +what house is he imprisoned?" asked Kanmakan. "In yonder high +pavilion," answered the other. The prince looked and saw the folk +entering and buffeting Sasan, who was suffering the agonies of +death. So he went up to the pavilion and noted what was therein; +after which he returned to his place and sitting down to meat, +ate what sufficed him and put the rest in his budget. Then he +waited till it was dark night. And the youth, whose guest he was, +slept; when he rose and repaired to the pavilion in which Sasan +was confined. Now about it were dogs, guarding it, and one of +them ran at him; so he took out of his wallet a piece of meat and +threw it to him. He ceased not to do thus, till he came to the +pavilion and making his way to the place where Sasan was, laid +his hand upon his head; whereupon he said in a loud voice, "Who +art thou?" "I am Kanmakan," replied the prince, "whom thou +wentest about to kill; but God made thee fall into the evil +thyself hadst devised. Did it not suffice thee to take my kingdom +and that of my father, but thou must go about to kill me?" And +Sasan swore a vain oath that he had not plotted his death and +that the report was untrue. So Kanmakan forgave him and said to +him, "Follow me." Quoth he, "I cannot walk a single step for +weakness." "If the case be thus," replied Kanmakan, "we will get +us two horses and ride forth and seek the open country." So they +took horse and rode till daybreak, when they prayed the +morning-prayer and fared on till they came to a garden, where +they sat down and talked awhile. Then Kanmakan rose and said to +Sasan, "Is there aught of bitterness left in thy heart against +me?" "No, by Allah!" replied Sasan. So they agreed to return to +Baghdad and Subbah the Bedouin said, "I will go on before you, to +give the folk notice of your coming." Then he rode on in advance, +acquainting men and women with the news; so all the people came +out to meet Kanmakan with tabrets and flutes; and Kuzia Fekan +also came out, like the full moon shining in all her splendour in +the thick darkness of the night. Kanmakan met her, and their +hearts yearned each to each and their bodies longed one for the +other. There was no talk among the people of the time but of +Kanmakan; for the cavaliers bore witness of him that he was the +most valiant of the folk of the age and said, "It is not just +that other than he should be King over us; but the throne of his +grandfather shall revert to him as it was." Meanwhile King Sasan +went in to his wife Nuzhet ez Zeman, who said to him, "I hear +that the folk talk of nothing but Kanmakan and attribute to him +such qualities as beggar description." "Hearing is not like +seeing," replied the King; "I have seen him, but have noted in +him not one of the attributes of perfection. Not all that is +heard is said; but the folk ape one another in extolling and +cherishing him, and God makes his praise to run on the lips of +men, so that there incline to him the hearts of the people of +Baghdad and of the perfidious traitor the Vizier Dendan, who has +levied troops from all countries and arrogates to himself the +right of naming a king of the country and chooses that it shall +be under the hand of a worthless orphan." "What then dost thou +purpose to do?" asked Nuzhet ez Zeman. "I mean to kill him," +replied the King, "that the Vizier may be baulked of his intent +and return to his allegiance to me, seeing nothing for it but my +service." Quoth she, "Perfidy is a foul thing with strangers, and +how much more with kinsfolk? Thou wouldst do better to marry him +to thy daughter Kuzia Fekan and give heed to what was said of old +time: + +If Fate set over thee a man, though thou than he Be worthier and + this be grievous unto thee, +Yield him the honour due to his estate; thou'lt find He will + advantage thee, though near or far thou be. +Speak not thy thought of him; else wilt thou be of those Who of + their own accord the way of weal do flee. +Many in the harem oft are brighter than the bride; But time is on + her side, and opportunity." + +When Sasan heard this, he rose in anger and said to her, "Were it +not that to kill thee would bring disgrace and reproach on me, I +would take off thy head with my sword and make an end of thee." +Quoth she, "I did but jest with thee." And rose and kissed his +head and hands, saying, "Thou art right, and we will cast about +for some means to kill him." When he heard this, he was glad and +said, "Make haste and contrive some device to relieve me of my +affliction; for I am at my wit's end." Said she, "I will make +shift to do away his life for thee." "How so?" asked he; and she +answered, "By means of our female slave Bakoun." Now this Bakoun +was past mistress in all kinds of knavery and was one of the most +pernicious of old women, in whose religion it was not lawful to +abstain from wickedness; she had brought up Kanmakan and Kuzia +Fekan, and the former had her in so great affection, that he was +wont to sleep at her feet. So when King Sasan heard his wife name +her, he said, "This is a good counsel," and sending for the old +woman, told her what had passed and bade go about to kill +Kanmakan, promising her all good. "O my lord," replied she, "thy +commandment shall be done: but I would have thee give me a dagger +that has been tempered in water of dearth,[FN#158] that I may +despatch him the quicklier for thee." "So be it," said Sasan and +gave her a knife that would well-nigh forego destiny. Now this +woman had heard stories and verses and committed to memory great +store of witty traits and anecdotes: so she took the dagger and +went out, considering how she should compass Kanmakan's +destruction. Then she repaired to the prince, whom she found +sitting awaiting [the coming of a messenger with] his cousin's +tryst; so that night his thought was taken up with Kuzia Fekan +and the fires of love for her raged in his heart. Bakoun went in +to him, saying, "The time of union is at hand and the days of +separation are over and gone." When he heard this, he said, "How +is it with Kuzia Fekan?" And she answered, "Know that she is +distraught for love of thee." At this he rose and taking off his +[upper] clothes, put them on her and promised her all good. Then +said she, "Know that I mean to pass this night with thee, that I +may repeat to thee what talk I have heard and divert thee with +tales of many a slave of love, whom passion hath made sick." +Quoth he, "Tell me a story, that will gladden my heart and dispel +my cares." "With all my heart," answered she and sitting down +beside him, with the dagger under her clothes, began thus, "The +pleasantest thing I ever heard was as follows: + + + + + +Bakoun's Story of the Hashish-eater. + + + + +A certain man loved the fair and spent his substance on them, +till he became a beggar and used to go about the streets and +markets, seeking his bread. One day, as he went along, a splinter +of iron pierced his finger and made it bleed; so he sat down and +wiping away the blood, bound up his finger. Then he went on, +crying out, till he came to a bath, and entering found it clean +(and empty). So he took off his clothes and sitting down by the +basin, fell to pouring water on his head, till he was tired, when +he went out to the room in which was the tank of cold water. +Finding none there, he shut himself up [in a cabinet] and taking +out a piece of hashish, swallowed it. The fumes of the drug +spread through his brain and he rolled over on to the marble +floor. Then the hashish made it appear to him as if a great lord +were kneading him and as if two slaves stood at his head, one +bearing a bowl and the other washing gear and all the requisites +of the bath. When he saw this, he said to himself, 'Meseems these +are mistaken in me; or else they are of the company of us +hashish-eaters.' Then he stretched out his legs and it seemed to +him that the bathman said to him, 'O my lord, the time of thy +going forth draws near and it is to-day thy turn of service (at +the palace).' At this he laughed and said, 'As God wills, O +hashish!' Then he sat and said nothing, whilst the bathman took +him by the hand and raising him up, girt his middle with a +waist-cloth of black silk, after which the two slaves followed +him, with the bowls and implements, till they brought him into a +cabinet, wherein they set perfumes burning. He found the place +full of various kinds of fruits and sweet-scented flowers, and +they cut him a melon and seated him on a stool of ebony, whilst +the bathman stood to wash him and the slaves poured water on him; +after which they rubbed him down well and said, 'O our lord the +Vizier, may the bath profit thee and mayst thou come to delight +everlasting!' Then they went out and shut the door on him; and he +took up the waist-cloth and laughed till he well-nigh lost his +senses. He gave not over laughing for some time and saying to +himself, 'What ails them to bespeak me as if I were a Vizier and +style me "Master" and "our lord"? Surely they are dreaming now; +but presently they will know me and say, "This fellow is a +beggar," and take their fill of cuffing me on the nape of the +neck.' Presently, he felt hot and opened the door, whereupon it +seemed to him that a little white slave and an eunuch entered, +carrying a parcel. The slave opened the parcel and brought out +three kerchiefs of silk, one of which he threw over his head, a +second over his shoulders, and a third he tied round his waist. +Moreover, the eunuch gave him a pair of bath-clogs, and he put +them on; after which in came eunuchs and slaves and supported +him, laughing the while, to the outer hall, which he found hung +and spread with magnificent furniture, such as beseems none but +kings; and the pages hastened up to him and seated him on the +divan. Then they fell to kneading him, till sleep overcame him +and he dreamt that he had a girl in his arms. So he kissed her +and set her between his thighs; then, clipping her as a man clips +a woman, took his yard in his hand and was about to have at her, +when he heard one saying to him, 'Awake, thou good-for-nought! +The hour of noon is come and thou art still asleep.' He opened +his eyes and found himself lying on the merge of the cold-water +tank, with a crowd of people about him, laughing at him; for the +napkin was fallen from his middle and discovered his yard in +point. So he knew that all this was but an imbroglio of dreams +and an illusion of hashish and was vexed and said to him who had +aroused him, 'Would thou hadst waited till I had put it in!' Then +said the folk, 'Art thou not ashamed, O hashish-eater, and thou +lying asleep and naked, with thy yard on end?' And they cuffed +him, till the nape of his neck was red. Now he was starving, yet +had he tasted the savour of delight in sleep." + + +When Kanmakan heard this story, he laughed till he fell backward +and said to Bakoun, "O my nurse, this is indeed a rare story; I +never heard its like. Hast thou any more?" "Yes," answered she +and went on to tell him diverting stories and laughable +anecdotes, till sleep overcame him. Then she sat by him till the +most part of the night was past, when she said to herself, "It is +time to profit by the occasion." So she unsheathed the dagger and +drawing near to Kanmakan, was about to slaughter him, when, +behold, in came his mother. When Bakoun saw her, she rose to meet +her, and fear got hold on her and she fell a-trembling, as if she +had the ague. The princess mother marvelled to see her thus and +aroused her son, who awoke and found her sitting at his head. Now +the reason of her coming was that Kuzia Fekan heard of the plot +to kill Kanmakan and said to his mother, "O wife of my uncle, go +to thy son, ere that wicked baggage Bakoun kill him." And she +told her what had passed, from beginning to end. So she rose at +once and stayed not for aught, till she came to her son's +lodgings, just as Bakoun was about to slay him. When he awoke, he +said to his mother, "O my mother, indeed thou comest at a good +time, for my nurse Bakoun has been with me this night." Then he +turned to Bakoun and said to her, "My life on thee, knowest thou +any story better than those thou hast told me?" "What I have told +thee," answered she, "is nothing to what I will tell thee; but +that must be for another time." Then she rose to go, hardly +believing that she should escape with her life, for she perceived +of her cunning that his mother knew what was toward; and he said, +"Go in peace." So she went her way, and his mother said to him, +"O my son, blessed be this night, wherein God the Most High hath +delivered thee from this accursed woman!" "How so?" asked he, and +she told him the whole story. "O my mother," said he, "whoso is +fated to live finds no slayer; nor, though he be slain, will he +die; but now it were wise that we depart from amongst these +enemies and let God do what He will." So, as soon as it was day, +he left the city and joined the Vizier Dendan, and certain things +befell between King Sasan and Nuzhet ez Zeman, which caused her +also to leave the city and join herself to Kanmakan and Dendan, +as did likewise such of the King's officers as inclined to their +party. Then they took counsel together what they should do and +agreed to make an expedition into the land of the Greeks and take +their revenge for the death of King Omar ben Ennuman and his son +Sherkan. So they set out with this intent and after adventures +which it were tedious to set out, but the drift of which will +appear from what follows, they fell into the hands of Rumzan, +King of the Greeks. Next morning, King Rumzan caused Dendan and +Kanmakan and their company to be brought before him and seating +them at his side, bade spread the tables of food. So they ate and +drank and took heart of grace, after having made sure of death, +for that, when they were summoned to the King's presence, they +said to one another, "He has not sent for us but to put us to +death." Then said the King, "I have had a dream, which I related +to the monks and they said, 'None can expound it to thee but the +Vizier Dendan.'" "And what didst thou see in thy dream, O King of +the age?" asked Dendan. "I dreamt," answered the King, "that I +was in a pit, as it were a black well, where meseemed folk were +tormenting me; and I would have risen, but fell on my feet and +could not get out of the pit. Then I turned and saw on the ground +a girdle of gold and put out my hand to take it; but when I +raised it from the ground, I saw it was two girdles. So I girt my +middle with them, and behold, they became one girdle; and this, O +Vizier, is my dream and what I saw in sleep." "O our lord the +Sultan," said Dendan, "this thy dream denotes that thou hast a +brother or a brother's son or an uncle's son or other near +kinsman of thy flesh and blood [of whom thou knowest not]." When +the King heard this, he looked at Kanmakan and Dendan and Nuzhet +ez Zeman and Kuzia Fekan and the rest of the captives and said in +himself, "If I cut off these people's heads, their troops will +lose heart for the loss of their chiefs and I shall be able to +return speedily to my realm, lest the kingdom pass out of my +hands." So he called the headsman and bade him strike off +Kanmakan's head, when behold, up came Rumzan's nurse and said to +him, "O august King, what wilt thou do?" Quoth he, "I mean to put +these captives to death and throw their heads among their troops; +after which I will fall upon them, I and all my men, and kill all +we may and put the rest to the rout; so will this be the end of +the war and I shall return speedily to my kingdom, ere aught +befall among my subjects." + +When the nurse heard this, she came up to him and said in the +Frank tongue, "How canst thou slay thine own brother's son and +thy sister and thy sister's daughter?" When he heard this, he was +exceeding angry and said to her, "O accursed woman, didst thou +not tell me that my mother was murdered and that my father died +by poison? Didst thou not give me a jewel and say to me, 'This +jewel was thy father's'? Why didst thou not tell me the truth?" +"All that I told thee is true," replied she: "but thy case and my +own are wonderful and thine and my history extraordinary. My name +is Merjaneh and thy mother's name was Abrizeh. She was gifted +with such beauty and grace and valour that proverbs were made of +her, and her prowess was renowned among men of war. Thy father +was King Omar ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and Khorassan. He sent +his son Sherkan on an expedition, in company with this very +Vizier Dendan; and Sherkan thy brother separated himself from the +troops and fell in with thy mother Queen Abrizeh, in a privy +garden of her palace, whither we had resorted to wrestle, she and +I and her other damsels. He came on us by chance and wrestled +with thy mother, who overcame him by the splendour of her beauty +and her valour. Then she entertained him five days in her palace, +till the news of this came to her father, by the old woman +Shewahi, surnamed Dhat ed Dewahi, whereupon she embraced Islam at +Sherkan's hands and he carried her by stealth to Baghdad, and +with her myself and Rihaneh and other twenty damsels. When we +came to thy father's presence, he fell in love with thy mother +and going in to her one night, foregathered with her, and she +became with child by him of thee. Now thy mother had three +jewels, which she gave to thy father, and he gave one of them to +his daughter Nuzhet ez Zeman, another to thy brother Zoulmekan +and the third to thy brother Sherkan. This last thy mother took +from Sherkan, and I kept it for thee. When the time of the +princess's delivery drew near, she yearned after her own people +and discovered her secret to me; so I went privily to a black +slave called Ghezban and telling him our case, bribed him to go +with us. Accordingly, he took us and fled forth the city with us +by stealth towards the land of the Greeks, till we came to a +desert place on the borders of our own country. Here the pangs of +labour came upon thy mother, and the slave, being moved by lust, +sought of her a shameful thing; whereat she cried out loudly and +was sore affrighted at him. In the excess of her alarm, she gave +birth to thee at once, and at this moment there arose, in the +direction of our country, a cloud of dust which spread till it +covered the plain. At this sight, the slave feared for his life; +so, in his rage, he smote Queen Abrizeh with his sword and slew +her, then, mounting his horse, went his way. Presently, the dust +lifted and discovered thy grandfather, King Herdoub, who, seeing +thy mother his daughter dead on the ground, was sorely troubled +and questioned me of the manner of her death and why she had left +her father's kingdom. So I told him all that had happened, first +and last; and this is the cause of the feud between the people of +the land of the Greeks and the people of Baghdad. Then we took up +thy dead mother and buried her; and I took thee and reared thee, +and hung this jewel about thy neck. But, when thou camest to +man's estate, I dared not acquaint thee with the truth of the +matter, lest it should stir up a war of revenge between you. +Moreover, thy grandfather had enjoined me to secrecy, and I could +not gainsay the commandment of thy mother's father, Herdoub, King +of the Greeks. This, then, is why I forbore to tell thee that thy +father was King Omar ben Ennuman; but, when thou camest to the +throne, I told thee [what thou knowest]; and the rest I could not +reveal to thee till this moment. So now, O King of the age, I +have discovered to thee my secret and have acquainted thee with +all that I know of the matter; and thou knowest best what is in +thy mind." When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard what the King's nurse said, +she cried out, saying, "This King Rumzan is my brother by my +father King Omar ben Ennuman, and his mother was the Princess +Abrizeh, daughter of Herdoub, King of the Greeks; and I know this +damsel Merjaneh right well." With this, trouble and perplexity +got hold upon Rumzan and he caused Nuzhet ez Zeman to be brought +up to him forthright. When he looked upon her, blood drew to +blood and he questioned her of his history. So she told me all +she knew, and her story tallied with that of his nurse; whereupon +he was assured that he was indeed of the people of Irak and that +King Omar ben Ennuman was his father. So he caused his sister to +be unbound, and she came up to him and kissed his hands, whilst +her eyes ran over with tears. He wept also to see her weeping, +and brotherly love entered into him and his heart yearned to his +brother's son Kanmakan. So he sprang to his feet and taking the +sword from the headsman's hands, bade bring the captives up to +him. At this, they made sure of death; but he cut their bonds +with the sword and said to Merjaneh, "Explain the matter to them, +even as thou hast explained it to me." "O King," replied she, +"know that this old man is the Vizier Dendan and he is the best +of witnesses to my story, seeing that he knows the truth of the +case." Then she turned to the captives and repeated the whole +story to them and to the princes of the Greeks and the Franks who +were present with them, and they all confirmed her words. When +she had finished, chancing to look at Kanmakan, she saw on his +neck the fellow jewel to that which she had hung round King +Rumzan's neck, whereupon she gave such a cry, that the whole +palace rang again, and said to the King, "Know, O my son, that +now my certainty is still more assured, for the jewel that is +about the neck of yonder captive is the fellow to that I hung to +thy neck, and this is indeed thy brother's son Kanmakan." Then +she turned to Kanmakan and said to him, "O King of the age, let +me see that jewel." So he took it from his neck and gave it to +her. Then she asked Nuzhet ez Zeman of the third jewel and she +gave it to her, whereupon she delivered the two to King Rumzan, +and the truth of the matter was made manifest to him and he was +assured that he was indeed Prince Kanmakan's uncle and that his +father was King Omar ben Ennuman. So he rose at once and going up +to the Vizier Dendan, embraced him; then he embraced Prince +Kanmakan, and they cried aloud for very gladness. The joyful news +was blazed abroad and they beat the drums and cymbals, whilst +the flutes sounded and the people held high festival. The army of +Irak and Syria heard the clamour of rejoicing among the Greeks; +so they mounted, all of them, and King Ziblcan also took horse, +saying in himself, "What can be the cause of this clamour and +rejoicing in the army of the Franks?" Then the Muslim troops made +ready for fight and advancing into the field, drew out in battle +array. Presently, King Rumzan turned and seeing the army deployed +in battalia, enquired the reason and was told the state of the +case; so he bade Kuzia Fekan return at once to the Muslim troops +and acquaint them with the accord that had betided and how it was +come to light that he was Kanmakan's uncle. So she set out, +putting away from her sorrows and troubles, and stayed not till +she came to King Ziblcan, whom she found tearful-eyed, fearing +for the captive chiefs and princes. She saluted him and told him +all that had passed, whereat the Muslims' grief was turned to +gladness. Then he and all his officers took horse and followed +the princess to the pavilion of King Rumzan, whom they found +sitting with his nephew, Prince Kanmakan. Now they had taken +counsel with the Vizier Dendan concerning King Ziblcan and had +agreed to commit to his charge the city of Damascus of Syria and +leave him king over it as before, whilst themselves entered Irak. +Accordingly, they confirmed him in the viceroyalty of Damascus +and bade him set out at once for his government, so he departed +with his troops and they rode with him a part of the way, to bid +him farewell. Then they returned and gave orders for departure, +whereupon the two armies united and King Rumzan and his nephew +set out, surrounded by their nobles and grandees. And indeed +Kanmakan rejoiced in his uncle King Rumzan and called down +blessings on the nurse Merjaneh, who had made them known to each +other; but the two Kings said to one another, "Our hearts will +never be at rest nor our wrath appeased, till we have taken our +wreak of the old woman Shewahi, surnamed Dhat ed Dewahi, and +wiped out the blot upon our honour." So they fared on till they +drew near Baghdad, and Sasan, hearing of their approach, came out +to meet them and kissed the hand of the King of the Greeks, who +bestowed on him a dress of honour. Then King Rumzan sat down on +the throne and seated his nephew at his side, who said to him, "O +my uncle, this kingdom befits none but thee." "God forbid," +replied Rumzan, "that I should supplant thee in thy kingdom!" So +the Vizier Dendan counselled them to share the throne between +them, ruling each one day in turn, and they agreed to this. Then +they made feasts and offered sacrifices and held high festival, +whilst King Kanmakan spent his nights with his cousin Kuzia +Fekan; and they abode thus awhile. + +One day, as the two Kings sat, rejoicing in the happy ending of +their troubles, they saw a cloud of dust arise and up came a +merchant, who ran to them, shrieking and crying out for succour. +"O Kings of the age," said he, "how comes it that I was in safety +in the country of the infidels and am plundered in your realm, +what though it be a land of peace and justice?" King Rumzan +questioned him of his case, and he replied, "I am a merchant, who +have been nigh a score of years absent from my native land, +travelling in far countries; and I have a patent of exemption +from Damascus, which the late Viceroy King Sherkan wrote me, for +that I had made him gift of a slave-girl. Now I was returning to +Irak, having with me a hundred loads of rarities of Ind; but, as +I drew near Baghdad, the seat of your sovereignty and the +abiding-place of your peace and your justice, there came out upon +me Bedouins and Kurds banded together from all parts, who slew my +men and robbed me of all my goods. This is what hath befallen +me." Then he wept and bemoaned himself before the two Kings, who +took compassion on him and swore that they would sally out upon +the thieves. So they set out with a hundred horse, each reckoned +worth thousands of men, and the merchant went before them, to +guide them in the right way. They fared on all that day and the +following night till daybreak, when they came to a valley +abounding in streams and trees. Here they found the bandits +dispersed about the valley, having divided the treasure between +them; but there was yet some of it left. So they fell upon them +and surrounded them on all sides, nor was it long before they +made prize of them all, to the number of near three hundred +horsemen, banded together of the scourings of the Arabs. They +bound them all, and taking what they could find of the merchant's +goods, returned to Baghdad, where the two Kings sat down upon one +throne and passing the prisoners in review before them, +questioned them of their condition and their chiefs. So they +pointed out to them three men and said, "These are our only +chiefs, and it was they who gathered us together from all parts +and countries." The Kings bade lay on these three and set the +rest free, after taking from them all the goods in their +possession and giving them to the merchant, who examined them and +found that a fourth of his stock was missing. The two Kings +engaged to make good his loss, whereupon he pulled out two +letters, one in the handwriting of Sherkan and the other in that +of Nuzhet ez Zeman; for this was the very merchant who had bought +Nuzhet ez Zeman of the Bedouin, as hath been before set forth. +Kanmakan examined the letters and recognized the handwriting of +his uncle Sherkan and his aunt Nuzhet ez Zeman; then (for that he +knew the latter's history) he went in to her with that which she +had written and told her the merchant's story. She knew her own +handwriting and recognizing the merchant, despatched to him +guest-gifts (of victual and what not) and commended him to her +brother and nephew, who ordered him gifts of money and slaves and +servants to wait on him, besides which the princess sent him a +hundred thousand dirhems in money and fifty loads of merchandise, +together with other rich presents. Then she sent for him and made +herself known to him, whereat he rejoiced greatly and kissed her +hands, giving her joy of her safety and union with her brother +and thanking her for her bounty: and he said to her, "By Allah, a +good deed is not lost upon thee!" Then she withdrew to her own +apartment and the merchant sojourned with them three days, after +which he took leave of them and set out to return to Damascus. +After this, the two Kings sent for the three robber-chiefs and +questioned them of their condition, whereupon one of them came +forward and said, "Know that I am a Bedouin, who use to lie +in wait, by the way, to steal children and virgin girls and +sell them to merchants; and this I did for many a year until +these latter days, when Satan incited me to join these two +gallows-birds in gathering together all the riff-raff of the +Arabs and other peoples, that we might waylay merchants and +plunder caravans." Said the two Kings, "Tell us the rarest of the +adventures that have befallen thee in kidnapping children and +girls." "O Kings of the age," replied he, "the strangest thing +that ever happened to me was as follows. Two-and-twenty years +ago, being at Jerusalem, I saw a girl come out of the khan, who +was possessed of beauty and grace, albeit she was but a servant +and was clad in worn clothes, with a piece of camel-cloth on her +head; so I entrapped her by guile and setting her on a camel, +made off with her into the desert, thinking to carry her to my +own people and there set her to pasture the camels and collect +their dung (for fuel); but she wept so sore, that after beating +her soundly, I carried her to Damascus, where a merchant saw her +and being astounded at her beauty and accomplishments, bid me +more and more for her, till at last I sold her to him for a +hundred thousand dinars. I heard after that he clothed her +handsomely and presented her to the Viceroy of Damascus, who gave +him for her her price thrice told; and this, by my life, was but +little for such a damsel! This, O Kings of the age, is the +strangest thing that ever befell me." The two Kings wondered at +his story; but, when Nuzhet ez Zeman heard it, the light in her +face became darkness, and she cried out and said to her brother, +"Sure, this is the very Bedouin who kidnapped me in Jerusalem!" +And she told them all that she had endured from him in her +strangerhood of hardship and blows and hunger and humiliation, +adding, "And now it is lawful to me to slay him." So saying, she +seized a sword and made at him; but he cried out and said, "O +Kings of the age, let her not kill me, till I have told you the +rare adventures that have betided me." And Kanmakan said to her, +"O my aunt, let him tell his story, and after do with him as thou +wilt." So she held her hand and the Kings said to him, "Now let +us hear thy story." "O Kings of the age," said he, "if I tell you +a rare story, will you pardon me?" "Yes," answered they. Then +said the Bedouin, "know that + + + + +Hemmad the Bedouin's Story. + + + + +Awhile ago, I was sore wakeful one night and thought the dawn +would never break: so, as soon as it was day, I rose and girding +on my sword, mounted my steed and set my lance in rest. Then I +rode out to hunt, and as I went along, a company of men accosted +me and asked me whither I went. I told them, and they said, 'We +will bear thee company.' So we all fared on together, and +presently we saw an ostrich and gave chase; but it evaded us and +spreading its wings, fled before us and drew us on after it, till +it brought us to a desert, wherein there was neither grass nor +water, nor was aught to be heard there save the hissing of +serpents, the wailing of Jinn and the howling of ghouls. Here we +lost sight of the ostrich, nor could we tell whether it had flown +up into the sky or sunk into the ground. Then we turned our +horses' heads and thought to go back; but found that our return +would be toilsome and dangerous at that time of exceeding heat; +for the heat was grievous to us, so that we were sore athirst and +our horses stood still. So we made sure of death; but as we were +in this case, we espied a spacious meadow afar off, wherein were +gazelles frisking. There was a tent pitched and by the tent-side +a horse tethered and a spear stuck in the earth, whose head +glittered in the sun. When we saw this, our hearts revived, after +we had despaired, and we turned our horses' heads towards the +meadow and rode on, till we came to a spring, where we alighted +and drank and watered our beasts. Then I was seized with a frenzy +of curiosity and went up to the door of the tent, where I saw a +young man like the new moon, without hair on his cheeks, and on +his right hand a slender damsel, as she were a willow wand. No +sooner did I set eyes on the girl, than love of her got hold upon +my heart and I saluted the young man, who returned my greeting. +Then said I to him, 'O brother of the Arabs, tell me who thou art +and what is this damsel to thee?' With this, he bent down his +head awhile, then raised it and replied, 'Tell me first who thou +art and what are these horsemen with thee.' 'I am Hemmad, son of +El Fezari,' answered I, 'the renowned cavalier, who is reckoned +as five hundred horse among the Arabs. We went forth this morning +to hunt and were overcome by thirst; so I came to the door of +this tent, thinking to get of thee a draught of water.' When he +heard this, he turned to the fair maiden and said to her, 'Bring +this man water and what there is of food.' So she went in, +trailing her skirts, whilst her feet stumbled in her long hair +and the golden bangles tinkled on her ankles, and returned after +a little, bearing in her right hand a silver vessel of cold water +and in her left a bowl full of milk and dates and flesh of wild +cattle. But, of the excess of my passion for her, I could take of +her nor meat nor drink, and I recited to her the following +verses, applying them to her: + +The dye of the henna upon her hand doth show, As 'twere a raven + new lighted on fresh-fall'n snow; +And see the full moon and the sun beside her face, This dim and + the other fearful for shame and woe. + +Then, after I had eaten and drunk, I said to the youth, 'O chief +of the Arabs, I have told thee truly who and what I am, and now I +would fain have thee do the like by me and tell me the truth of +thy case.' 'As for this damsel,' replied he, 'she is my sister.' +Quoth I, 'It is my desire that thou give her to me to wife of +free will: else will I slay thee and take her by force.' With +this, he bowed his head awhile, then raised his eyes to me and +answered, 'Thou sayest sooth in avouching thyself a renowned +cavalier and a famous champion and the lion of the desert; but if +ye all attack me treacherously and slay me and take my sister by +force, it will be a stain upon your honour. If ye be, as thou +sayest, cavaliers that are counted among the champions and fear +not the shock of battle, give me time to don my armour and gird +on my sword and set my lance in rest and mount my horse. Then +will we go forth into the field and fight; and if I conquer you, +I will kill you, every man of you; and if you overcome me and +slay me, this damsel my sister is thine.' 'This is but just,' +answered I, 'and we oppose it not.' Then I turned my horse's +head, mad for love of the damsel, and rode back to my companions, +to whom I set forth her beauty and grace, as also the comeliness +of the young man and his valour and strength of soul and how he +avouched himself a match for a thousand horse. Moreover, I +described to them the tent and all the riches and rarities it +contained and said to them, 'Be sure that this youth would not +have taken up his abode alone in this desert place, were he not a +man of great prowess: so I propose that whoso slays him shall +take his sister.' And they agreed to this. Then we armed +ourselves and mounting, rode to the tent, where we found the +young man armed and mounted; but his sister ran up to him, with +her veil drenched with tears, and laying hold of his stirrup, +cried out, saying, 'Alas!' and 'Woe worth the day!' in her fear +for her brother, and recited the following verses: + +To God above I make my moan of sorrow and affright. Mayhap, the + empyrean's Lord will smite them with dismay. +They fain would kill thee, brother mine, with malice + aforethought, Though never cause of anger was nor fault + forewent the fray. +Yet for a champion art thou known among the men of war, The + doughtiest knight that East or West goes camping by the way. +Thou wilt thy sister's honour guard, whose might is small, for + thou Her brother art and she for thee unto the Lord doth + pray +Let not the foe possess my soul nor seize on me perforce And work + their cruel will on me, without my yea or nay. +By God His truth, I'll never live in any land where thou Art not + albeit all the goods of plenty it display! +But I will slay myself for love and yearning for thy sake And in + the darksome tomb I'll make my bed upon the clay. + +When he heard her words, he wept sore and turning his horse's +head towards her, made answer with the following verses: + +Stand by and see the wondrous deeds that I will do this day, + Whenas we meet and I on them rain blows in the mellay. +E'en though the lion of the war, the captain of the host, The + stoutest champion of them all, spur out into the fray, +I'll deal a Thaalebiyan[FN#159] blow at him and in his heart I'll + let my spear, even to the shaft, its thirst for blood allay. +If I defend thee not from all that seek thee, sister mine, May I + be slaughtered and my corse given to the birds of prey! +Ay, I will battle for thy sake, with all the might I may, And + books shall story after me the marvels of this day. + +Then said he, 'O my sister, give ear to what I shall enjoin on +thee.' And she answered, 'I hear and obey.' Quoth he, 'If I fall, +let none possess thee;' and she buffeted her face and said, 'God +forbid, O my brother, that I should see thee laid low and yield +myself to thine enemies!' With this he put out his hand to her +and drew aside her veil, whereupon her face shone forth, like the +sun from out clouds. Then he kissed her between the eyes and bade +her farewell; after which he turned to us and said, 'Ho, +cavaliers! Come ye as guests or are you minded to cut and thrust? +If ye come as guests, rejoice in hospitality; and if ye covet the +shining moon,[FN#160] come out against me, one by one, and +fight.' Then came out to him a sturdy horseman, and the young man +said to him, 'Tell me thy name and thy father's name, for I have +sworn to fight with none whose name and whose father's name tally +with mine and my father's, and if it be thus with thee, I will +give thee up the girl.' 'My name is Bilal,'[FN#161] answered the +other; and the young man repeated the following verses: + +Thou liest when thou talkest of "benefits"; for lo, Thou comest + with mischief and malice and woe! +So, an thou be doughty, heed well what I say: I'm he who the + braver in the battle lays low +With a keen-cutting sword, like the horn of the moon; So look + (and beware) for a hill-shaking blow! + +Then they ran at one another, and the youth smote his adversary +in the breast, that the lance-head issued from his back. With +this, another came out, and the youth repeated the following +verses: + +O dog, that art noisome of stench and of sight, What is there of + worth that to come by is light? +'Tis only the lion, of race and of might Right noble, recks + little of life in the fight. + +Nor was it long before he left him also drowned in his blood and +cried out, 'Who will come out to me?' So a third horseman pricked +out, reciting the following verses: + +I come to thee, with a fire in my breast that blazes free, And + call on my comrades all to the fight to follow me. +Though thou hast slain the chiefs of the Arabs, yet, perdie, Thou + shalt not 'scape this day from those that follow thee! + +When the youth heard this, he answered him, saying: + +Thou com'st, like theright evil fiend that thou art, With a lie + on thy lips and a fraud at thy heart; +This day shalt thou taste of a death-dealing dart And a spear + that shall rid thee of life with its smart. + +Then he smote him on the breast, that the spear-point issued +from his back, and cried out, saying, 'Will another come out?' So +a fourth came out and the youth asked him his name. He replied, +'My name is Hilal.'[FN#162] And the youth repeated these verses: + +Thou err'st, that wouldst plunge in my sea of affray And thinkest + to daunt me with lies and dismay. +Lo, I, to whose chant thou hast hearkened this day, Thy soul, ere + thou know'st it, will ravish away! + +Then they drove at one another and exchanged blows; but the +youth's stroke forewent that of his adversary and slew him: and +thus he went on to kill all who sallied out against him. When I +saw my comrades slain, I said in myself, 'If I fight with him, I +shall not be able to withstand him, and if I flee, I shall become +a byword among the Arabs.' However, the youth gave me no time to +think, but ran at me and laying hold of me, dragged me from my +saddle. I swooned away and he raised his sword to cut off my +head; but I clung to his skirts and he lifted me in his hand, as +I were a sparrow [in the clutches of a hawk]. When the maiden saw +this, she rejoiced in her brother's prowess and coming up to him, +kissed him between the eyes. Then he delivered me to her, saying, +'Take him and entreat him well, for he is come under our rule.' +So she took hold of the collars of my coat-of-arms and led me +away by them as one would lead a dog. Then she did off her +brother's armour and clad him in a robe, after which she brought +him a stool of ivory, on which he sat down, and said to him, 'May +God whiten thine honour and make thee to be as a provision +against the shifts of fortune!' And he answered her with the +following verses: + +My sister said, (who saw my lustrous forehead blaze Midmost the + war, as shine the sun's meridian rays) +"God bless thee for a brave, to whom, when he falls on, The + desert lions bow in terror and amaze!" +"Question the men of war," I answered her, "of me, Whenas the + champions flee before my flashing gaze. +I am the world-renowned for fortune and for might, Whose prowess + I uplift to what a height of praise! +O Hemmad, thou hast roused a lion, who shall show Thee death that + comes as swift as vipers in the ways." + +When I heard what he said, I was perplexed about my affair, and +considering my condition and how I was become a captive, I was +lessened in my own esteem. Then I looked at the damsel and said +to myself, 'It is she who is the cause of all this trouble;' and +I fell a-marvelling at her beauty and grace, till the tears +streamed from my eyes and I recited the following verses: + +Reproach me not, O friend, nor chide me for the past, For I will + pay no heed to chiding and dispraise. +Lo, I am clean distraught for one, whom when I saw, Fate in my + breast forthright the love of her did raise. +Her brother was my foe and rival in her love, A man of mickle + might and dreadful in affrays. + +Then the maiden set food before her brother, and he bade me eat +with him, whereat I rejoiced and felt assured of my life. When he +had made an end of eating, she brought him a flagon of wine and +he drank, till the fumes of the wine mounted to his head and his +face flushed. Then he turned to me and said, 'Harkye, Hemmad, +dost thou know me?' 'By thy life,' answered I, 'I am rich in +nought but ignorance!' Said he, 'I am Ibad ben Temim ben +Thaalebeh, and indeed God giveth thee thy liberty and spareth +thee confusion.' Then he drank to my health and gave me a cup of +wine and I drank it off. Then he filled me a second and a third +and a fourth, and I drank them all; and he made merry with me and +took an oath of me that I would never betray him. So I swore to +him a thousand oaths that I would never deal perfidiously with +him, but would be a friend and a helper to him. + +Then he bade his sister bring me ten dresses of silk; so she +brought them and laid them on me, and this gown I have on my body +is one of them. Moreover, he made her bring one of the best of +the riding camels, laden with stuffs and victual, and a sorrel +horse, and gave the whole to me. I abode with them three days, +eating and drinking, and what he gave me is with me to this day. +At the end of this time, he said to me, 'O Hemmad, O my brother, +I would fain sleep awhile and rest myself. I trust myself to +thee; but if thou see horsemen making hither, fear not, for they +are of the Beni Thaalebeh, seeking to wage war on me.' Then he +laid his sword under his head and slept; and when he was drowned +in slumber, the devil prompted me to kill him; so I rose, and +drawing the sword from under his head, dealt him a blow that +severed his head from his body. His sister heard what I had done, +and rushing out from within the tent, threw herself on his body, +tearing her clothes and repeating the following verses: + +Carry the tidings to the folk, the saddest news can be; But man + from God His ordinance no whither hath to flee. +Now art thou slaughtered, brother mine, laid prostrate on the + earth, Thou whose bright face was as the round of the full + moon to see. +Indeed, an evil day it was, the day thou mettest them, And after + many a fight, thy spear is shivered, woe is me! +No rider, now that thou art dead, in horses shall delight Nor + evermore shall woman bear a male to match with thee. +Hemmad this day hath played thee false and foully done to death; + Unto his oath and plighted faith a traitor base is he. +He deemeth thus to have his will and compass his desire; But + Satan lieth to his dupes in all he doth decree. + +When she had ended, she turned to me and said, 'O man of accursed +lineage, wherefore didst thou play my brother false and slay him, +whenas he purposed to send thee back to thy country with gifts +and victual and it was his intent also to marry thee to me at the +first of the month?' Then she drew a sword she had with her, and +planting it in the ground, with the point set to her breast, +threw herself thereon and pressed upon it, till the blade issued +from her back and she fell to the ground, dead. I mourned for her +and wept and repented when repentance availed me nothing. Then I +went in haste to the tent and taking whatever was light of +carriage and great of worth, went my way: but in my haste and +fear, I took no heed of my (dead) comrades, nor did I bury the +maiden and the youth. This, then, is my story, and it is still +more extraordinary than that of the serving-maid I kidnapped in +Jerusalem." + +When Nuzet ez Zeman heard these words of the Bedouin, the light +in her eyes was changed to darkness, and she rose and drawing the +sword, smote him amiddleward the shoulder-blades, that the point +issued from his throat. The bystanders said to her, "Why hast +thou made haste to slay him?" And she answered, "Praised be God +who hath granted me to avenge myself with my own hand!" And she +bade the slaves drag the body out by the feet and cast it to the +dogs. Then they turned to the second prisoner, who was a black +slave, and said to him, "What is thy name? Tell us the truth of +thy case." "My name is Ghezban," answered he and told them what +had passed between himself and the princess Abrizeh and how he +had slain her and fled. Hardly had he made an end of his story, +when King Rumzan struck off his head with his sabre, saying, +"Praised be God that gave me life! I have avenged my mother with +my own hand." Then he repeated to them what his nurse Merjaneh +had told him of this same Ghezban; after which they turned to the +third prisoner and said to him, "Tell us who thou art and speak +the truth." Now this was the very camel-driver, whom the people +of Jerusalem hired to carry Zoulmekan to the hospital at +Damascus; but he threw him down on the fuel-heap and went his +way. So he told them how he had dealt with Zoulmekan, whereupon +Kanmakan took his sword forthright and cut off his head, saying, +"Praised be God who hath given me life, that I might requite this +traitor what he did with my father, for I have heard this very +story from King Zoulmekan himself!" Then they said to each other +"It remains only for us to take our wreak of the old woman +Shewahi, yclept Dhat ed Dewahi, for that she is the prime cause +of all these troubles. Who will deliver her into our hands, that +we may avenge ourselves upon her and wipe out our dishonour?" And +King Rumzan said, "Needs must we bring her hither." So he wrote a +letter to his grandmother, the aforesaid old woman, giving her to +know that he had subdued the kingdoms of Damascus and Mosul and +Irak and had broken up the host of the Muslims and captured their +princes and adding, "I desire thee of all urgency to come to me +without delay, bringing with thee the princess Sufiyeh, daughter +of King Afridoun, and whom thou wilt of the Nazarene chiefs, but +no troops; for the country is quiet and under our hand." And he +despatched the letter to her, which when she read, she rejoiced +greatly and forthwith equipping herself and Sufiyeh, set out with +their attendants and journeyed, without stopping, till they drew +near Baghdad. Then she sent a messenger to acquaint the King of +her arrival, whereupon quoth Rumzan, "We should do well to don +the habit of the Franks and go out to meet the old woman, to the +intent that we may be assured against her craft and perfidy." So +they clad themselves in Frankish apparel, and when Kuzia Fekan +saw them, she exclaimed, "By the Lord of Worship, did I not know +you, I should take you to be indeed Franks!" Then they sallied +forth, with a thousand horse, to meet the old woman, and King +Rumzan rode on before them. As soon as his eyes met hers, he +dismounted and walked towards her, and she, recognizing him, +dismounted also and embraced him; but he pressed her ribs with +his hands, till he well-nigh broke them. Quoth she, "What is +this, O my son?" But before she had done speaking, up came +Kanmakan and Dendan, and the horsemen with them cried out at the +women and slaves and took them all prisoners. Then the two Kings +returned to Baghdad, with their captives, and Rumzan bade +decorate the city three days long, at the end of which time they +brought out the old woman, with a tall red bonnet of palm-leaves +on her head, diademed with asses' dung, and preceded by a herald, +proclaiming aloud, "This is the reward of those who presume to +lay hands on kings and kings' sons!" Then they crucified her on +one of the gates of Baghdad; and her companions, seeing what +befell her, all embraced the faith of Islam. As for Kanmakan and +his uncle Rumzan and his aunt Nuzhet ez Zeman, they marvelled at +the wonderful events that had betided them and bade the scribes +set them down orderly in books, that those who came after might +read. Then they all abode in the enjoyment of all the delights +and comforts of life, till there overtook them the Destroyer of +Delights and the Sunderer of Companies; and this is all that hath +come down to us of the dealings of fortune with King Omar ben +Ennuman and his sons Sherkan and Zoulmekan and his son's son +Kanmakan and his daughter Nuzhet ez Zeman and her daughter Kuzia +Fekan. + + + + + + +END of VOL. II. + + + + + + Notes to Volume 2. + + +[FN#1] A.H. 65-86. + +[FN#2] i.e. none could approach him in the heat of fight. + +[FN#3] Sophia. + +[FN#4] Apparently Palestine (in this case). + +[FN#5] i.e. man of might and munificence. + +[FN#6] About £35,000. + +[FN#7] Dhai ed Dewahi. + +[FN#8] i.e. sperma hominis. + +[FN#9] Apparently the names of noted wrestlers. + +[FN#10] A phrase of frequent occurrence in the Koran, meaning +"your female slaves" or "the women ye have captured in war." + +[FN#11] Quoth he (Solomon), "O chiefs, which of you will bring me +her throne?" (i.e. that of Belkis, queen of Sheba) ......."I," +said an Afrit of the Jinn, "will bring it thee, ere thou canst +rise from thy stead, for I am able thereto and faithful!"--Koran +xxvii. 38, 39. + +[FN#12] One of the fountains of Paradise. + +[FN#13] Kutheiyir ibn Ali Juma, a well-known poet of the seventh +and eighth centuries at Medina. He was celebrated for his love of +Azzeh, in whose honour most of his poems were written. The writer +(or copyist) of this tale has committed an anachronism in +introducing these verses, as Kutheiyir was a contemporary of the +Khalif Abdulmelik ben Merwan before whose time Sherkan and his +father (both imaginary characters) are stated( see supra, p. 1 +{Vol. 2, FN#1}) to have lived; but the whole narrative is full of +the grossest anachronisms, too numerous, indeed, to notice. + +[FN#14] Jemil ben Mamer, another celebrated Arabian poet and +lover, a friend and contemporary of Kutheiyir. + +[FN#15] A person who dies for love is esteemed a martyr by the +Arabs. + +[FN#16] I suspect these verses to have been introduced in error +by some copyist. They appear utterly meaningless in this context. + +[FN#17] The bishop. + +[FN#18] Apparently referring in jest to her speech to him see +supra, p. 27 {see text, Vol. 2, after FN#17}, "Thou art beaten +in everything." + +[FN#19] He likens the glance of her eye to the blade of a Yemen +sword,--a comparison of frequent occurrence in Arabic poetry. + +[FN#20] Mehmil. A decorated framework or litter borne by a camel, +sent as an emblem of royalty with the caravan of pilgrims to +Mecca, by way of honour to the occasion and to the sacred object +of the pilgrimage, much as great people send their empty +carriages to attend the funeral of a person for whose memory they +wish to show their respect. The introduction of the Mehmil here +is another of the many anachronisms of the story, as the custom +is said not to here come into use till a much later period. + +[FN#21] Mecca. + +[FN#22] Medina. + +[FN#23] Oriental substitutes for soap. + +[FN#24] i.e., death. + +[FN#25] Apparently the Bedouin was angry with the merchant for +praising the girl to her face and perhaps also alarmed at finding +that he had kidnapped a young lady of consequence, where he only +thought to have made prize of a pretty wench of humble condition +and friendless. + +[FN#26] Delight of the age. + +[FN#27] Affliction (or wrath) of the age. + +[FN#28] For fuel. + +[FN#29] "God will open on me another gate (or means) of making my +living." A common formula, meaning, "It is not enough." + +[FN#30] Or state problems. + +[FN#31] One of the four great Muslim sects or schools of +theology, taking its name from the Imam es Shafi (see post, p. +131, note). {see Vol. 2 FN#89} + +[FN#32] Second of the Abbasside Khalifs, A.H. 136-158. + +[FN#33] The second Khalif after Mohammed (A.H. 13-23) and the +most renowned for piety and just government of all the borders of +the office, except perhaps his descendant Omar ben Abdulaziz +(A.H. 99-102). + +[FN#34] As a reward (in the next world) for good deeds. + +[FN#35] The fourth Khalif. + +[FN#36] The word rendered "good breeding" may also be translated +"polite accomplishments" or "mental discipline" and has a great +number of other meanings. + +[FN#37] Sixth Khalif and founder of the Ommiade dynasty (A.H. 41 +60). + +[FN#38] One of the most notable men of the day, chief of the +great tribe of the Benou Temim. He was a contemporary of the +Prophet and was held in much esteem by Muawiyeh. + +[FN#39] Surname of Ahnaf. + +[FN#40] Governor of Bassora and other places under the first four +Khalifs. + +[FN#41] Ziad teen Abou Sufyan, illegitimate brother of the Khalif +Muawiyeh, afterwards governor of Bassora Cufa and the Hejaz. + +[FN#42] Because it might have been taken to mean, "inhabitants of +hell." + +[FN#43] i.e. death. + +[FN#44] A battle fought near Medina, A.D. 625, in which Mohammed +was defeated by the Meccans under Abou Sufyan. + +[FN#45] One of Mohammed's widows and Omar's own daughter. + +[FN#46] A well-known man of letters and theologian of the seventh +and eighth centuries. + +[FN#47] i.e. to prepare himself by good works, etc., for the +world to come. + +[FN#48] A celebrated Cufan theologian of the eighth century. + +[FN#49] i.e. for the next world. + +[FN#50] The eighth Khalif of the Ommiade dynasty, a rival in +piety and single-mindedness of Omar ben Khettab. + +[FN#51] The descendants of Umeyyeh and kinsmen of the reigning +house. + +[FN#52] The second, fifth, sixth and seventh Khalifs of the +Ommiade dynasty. + +[FN#53] The mother of Omar ben Abdulaziz was a granddaughter of +Omar ben Khettab. + +[FN#54] Brother of Omar's successor, Yezid II. + +[FN#55] This passage apparently belongs to the previous account +of Omar's death-bed; but I have left it as it stands in the text, +as it would be a hopeless task to endeavour to restore this chaos +of insipid anecdote and devotional commonplace to anything like +symmetry. + +[FN#56] Lit. with (or by) neither book (i.e. Koran) nor Sunneh +(i.e. the Traditions of the Prophet). + +[FN#57] Chief of the tribe of Temim and one of the most elegant +orators of the eighth century. + +[FN#58] Surnamed Eth Thekefi, Governor of Yemen and Irak: also a +well known orator, but a most cruel and fantastic tyrant. + +[FN#59] Tenth Khalif of the Ommiade dynasty (A.D. 723-742). + +[FN#60] i.e. slave-girl. + +[FN#61] i.e. It was decreed, so it was. + +[FN#62] Nuzhet ez Zeman. + +[FN#63] Nuzhet ez Zeman. + +[FN#64] Zoulmekan. + +[FN#65] Nuzhet ez Zeman. + +[FN#66] Sedic. + +[FN#67] Sidc. + +[FN#68] Mohammed Ibn Shihab ez Zuhri, a celebrated Traditionist +and jurisconsult of Medina in the seventh and eighth centuries. + +[FN#69] Alexander. + +[FN#70] The celebrated fabulist, said to have been a black slave +of the time of David, but supposed by some to be identical with +Aesop. + +[FN#71] Koran iii. 185. + +[FN#72] One of the Companions of the Prophet. + +[FN#73] One of the contemporaries of Mohammed and a noted +Traditionist (or repeater of the sayings of the Prophet) at Cufa +in the seventh century. + +[FN#74] A noted Traditionist and expounder Of the Koran in the +first century of the Muslim era. He was a black and a native of +Cufa. + +[FN#75] Son of the martyr Hussein and grandson of the Khalif Ali. + +[FN#76] A very eminent doctor of the law and Traditionist of the +eighth century. He was a native of Cufa and was regarded as one +of the great exemplars of the true believers. + +[FN#77] i.e. those who love and obey the precepts of the Koran. + +[FN#78] i.e. Barefoot. A native of Merv and a famous ascetic of +the eighth and ninth centuries. + +[FN#79] Necessitating a fresh ablution, before the prayer can be +ended. + +[FN#80] Another noted ascetic of the time. + +[FN#81] About a penny. + +[FN#82] A well-known legist and devotee of the eighth and ninth +centuries at Baghdad, Sounder of one of the four great orthodox +Muslim schools. + +[FN#83] A famous theologian and devotee of the eighth century at +Bassora. + +[FN#84] A noted preacher and Traditionist of Khorassan in the +ninth, century. + +[FN#85] Koran .xvi. 6. + +[FN#86] A Traditionist of Medina. who flourished in the eighth +century. + +[FN#87] This paragraph is part extract from and part paraphrase +of the Koran xxviii 22-27. + +[FN#88] A well-known pietist of the eighth century. + +[FN#89] Abou Hatim el Asemm (the Deaf), a famous Balkhi +theologian of the ninth century. + +[FN#90] One of two of the most famous theologians of the second +century of the Hegira and the founders of two of the four great +Mohammedan schools. + +[FN#91] One of two of the most famous theologians of the second +century of the Hegira and the founders of two of the four great +Mohammedan schools. + + +[FN#92] Ismail ibn Yehya el Muzeni, a famous Egyptian doctor of +the law pupil of Es Shafi and Imam of the Shafiyite school in the +ninth century. + +[FN#93] Koran lxxvii. 35, 36. + +[FN#94] Mohammed. + +[FN#95] Islam. + +[FN#96] "In Hell shall they (the unbelievers) burn, and ill shall +be (their) stead."--Koran, xiv. 34. + +[FN#97] Mohammed pretended that his coming had been foretold in +the Gospels and that the Christians had falsified the passage +(John xvi. 7) promising the advent of the Comforter (<Greek> + ) by substituting the latter word for +<Greek> , glorious, renowned, praised, i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#98] The second chapter of the Koran, beginning, "This is the +Book, etc." + +[FN#99] It appears by what follows that Afridoun, supposing the +victory to be gained, returned to Constantinople immediately +after sending this message and left the command of the army to +King Herdoub. + +[FN#100] At Mecca. + +[FN#101] i.e. There is no god but God. + +[FN#102] Koran, x. 25. + +[FN#103] Cassia fistularis, a kind of carob. + +[FN#104] "say not of those who are slain in the way (service) of +God that they are dead; nay, they are living." Koran, ii 149. + +[FN#105] Apparently Constantinople. + +[FN#106] This verse alludes to the garbled version of the miracle +of Aaron's rod given in the Koran, which attributes the act to +Moses and makes the Egyptian sorcerers throw down ropes, to which +by their art they give the appearance of serpents. + +[FN#107] i.e., of the Koran. + +[FN#108] A certain formula, invoking peace on the Prophet and all +men recurring at the end of the five daily prayers and pronounced +sitting. + +[FN#109] ex voto. + +[FN#110] i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#111] "What news bringest thou, O saint?" + +[FN#112] i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#113] These epithets are often applied by the Arabs, in a +complimentary sense, to anyone who works great havoc among his +enemies by his prowess and cunning. + +[FN#114] See Vol. I. p. 135, note. {Vol. 1, FN#45} + +[FN#115] i.e. Deal with thee as if thou wert slave-born and +therefore not used to knightly fashions nor able to endure stress +of battle. + +[FN#116] A chapel so called in the Temple at Mecca. + +[FN#117] Mohammed. + +[FN#118] Protector of the women that ride therein. + +[FN#119] The Mohammedans have a legend that God gave David +extraordinary skill in working iron and making chain mail, that +he might earn his living without drawing upon the public +treasury. "And we gave David a grace from us and softened for him +iron (saying), 'Make thou coats of mail and adjust the rings duly +and deal rightly, for I look upon what ye do."' --Koran, xxxiv. +10. + +[FN#120] This appears to be an allusion to the colours of the +house of Abbas, which were black. + +[FN#121] Kafir means "black" as well as "infidel." + +[FN#122] One of the Mohammedan legends represents Moses as +seeking the water of life. + +[FN#123] The allusion here is to the face of a beloved one, which +is likened to a moon rising out of her dress. + +[FN#124] An ornamental hand, said to be so called from the +resemblance of the pen with which it is written to the leaf of +the sweet basil. + +[FN#125] lit. "the love of the Beni Udhra," an Arabian tribe, +famous for the passion and devotion with which love was practiced +among them. + +[FN#126] Syn. eye (nazir). + +[FN#127] Syn. eyebrow (hajib). + +[FN#128] i.e. including the two days that had already elapsed. + +[FN#129] i.e. a graceful youth of the province in which Mecca is +situate. + +[FN#130] A small piece of wood used in a children's out-door game +called tab. + +[FN#131] The stone of the beleh or "green" date, not allowed to +ripen. + +[FN#132] Or drachm-weight. + +[FN#133] An audacious parody of the consecrated expression used +to describe the ceremonious circumambulation of the Kaabeh at +Mecca. + +[FN#134] Subaudiantur autem utriusque sexûs pudenda. + +[FN#135] Subaudiantur autem utriusque sexûs pudenda. + +[FN#136] Subaudiatur vas muliebre. + +[FN#137] The word sac (leg), when used in the oblique case, as it +would necessarily be here, makes saki, i.e. cup-bearer. A play +upon the double meaning is evidently intended. + +[FN#138] In the East, bathers pay on leaving the bath. + +[FN#139] As a styptic. + +[FN#140] Dunya. + +[FN#141] Semen hominis. + +[FN#142] i.e. the rolls of dirt that come off under the bathman's +hands. + +[FN#143] Paradise. + +[FN#144] The cold room of the bath. + +[FN#145] The hot room. + +[FN#146] The door-keeper of hell. + +[FN#147] The door-keeper of Paradise. + +[FN#148] i.e. Crown of Kings. + +[FN#149] An obscure star in the Great Bear. + +[FN#150] Zibl means "dung" or "sweepings." Can (Khan) means +"chief." + +[FN#151] i.e., Him who fights for the Faith. + +[FN#152] A town on the Euphrates, on the borders of Syria and +Mesopotamia. + +[FN#153] i.e. recognized him as king by naming him in the public +prayers. + +[FN#154] i.e. the silky whiskers, which it is common, in poetry, +to call green likening them to newly-sprouted herbage. + +[FN#155] i.e. the Day of Judgment. + +[FN#156] Ironical. + +[FN#157] i.e. Kanmakan. + +[FN#158] Meaning, apparently, poisoned. + +[FN#159] i.e. with a blow worthy of the members of the family of +Thaalebeb to which (see post, p. 368 {see ...Said he, 'I am Ibad +ben Temin ben Thaalebh, and indeed...}) he belonged. + +[FN#160] i.e. his sister. + +[FN#161] i.e. benefits. + +[FN#162] i.e. new moon. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Book Of The Thousand Nights And +One Night, Volume II, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1001 NIGHTS, VOL II *** + +***** This file should be named 8656-8.txt or 8656-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/6/5/8656/ + +Produced by JC Byers and Cameron Fruit +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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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: The Book Of The Thousand Nights And One Night, Volume II + +Author: Anonymous + +Translator: John Payne + +Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8656] +[This file was first posted on July 30, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT, VOLUME I *** + + + + +Text scanned by JC Byers <www.wollamshram.ca/1001>; proofreading +by Cameron Fruit + + +Editorial Note: Project Gutenberg also has the translation of this work by + Richard F. Burton in 16 volumes. + + + + + THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT: + + Now First Completely Done Into English + Prose and Verse, From The Original Arabic, + + By John Payne +(Author of "The Masque of Shadows," "Intaglios: Sonnets," "Songs + of Life and Death," + "Lautrec," "The Poems of Master Francis Villon of Paris," "New + Poems," Etc, Etc.). + + In Nine Volumes: + + + + VOLUME THE SECOND. + + + + 1901 + + Delhi Edition + + + Contents of The Second Volume. + +9. The History of King Omar Ben Ennuman and His Sons Sherkan + and Zoulmekan + a. Story of Taj El Mulouk and the Princess Dunya + aa. Story of Aziz and Azizeh + b. Bakoun's Story of the Hashish-Eater + c. Hemmand the Bedouin's Story + + + + + + THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS + AND ONE NIGHT + + + + THE HISTORY OF KING OMAR BEN ENNUMAN AND + HIS SONS SHERKAN AND ZOULMEKAN. + + + +There reigned once in the City of Peace, (Baghdad), before the +Khalifate of Abdulmelik ben Merwan,[FN#1] a king called Omar ben +Ennuman, who was of the mighty giants and had subdued the kings +of Persia and the Emperors of the East, for none could warm +himself at his fire[FN#2] nor cope with him in battle, and when +he was angry, there came sparks out of his nostrils. He had +gotten him the dominion over all countries, and God had subjected +unto him all creatures; his commands were obeyed in all the great +cities and his armies penetrated the most distant lands: the East +and West came under his rule, with the regions between them, Hind +and Sind and China and Hejaz and Yemen and the islands of India +and China, Syria and Mesopotamia and the land of the blacks and +the islands of the ocean and all the famous rivers of the earth, +Jaxartes and Bactrus, Nile and Euphrates. He sent his ambassadors +to the farthest parts of the earth, to fetch him true report, and +they returned with tidings of justice and peace, bringing him +assurance of loyalty and obedience and invocations of blessings +on his head; for he was a right noble king and there came to him +gifts and tribute from all parts of the world. He had a son +called Sherkan, who was one of the prodigies of the age and the +likest of all men to his father, who loved him with an exceeding +love and had appointed him to be king after him. The prince grew +up till he reached man's estate and was twenty years old, and God +subjected all men to him, for he was gifted with great might and +prowess in battle, humbling the champions and destroying all who +made head against him. So, before long, this Sherkan became +famous in all quarters of the world and his father rejoiced in +him: and his might waxed, till he passed all bounds and magnified +himself, taking by storm the citadels and strong places. + +Now King Omar had four lawful wives, but God had vouchsafed him +no son by them, except Sherkan, whom he had gotten of one of +them, and the rest were barren. Moreover he had three hundred and +threescore concubines, after the number of the days of the Coptic +year, who were of all nations, and he had lodged them all within +his palace. For he had built twelve pavilions, after the number +of the months of the year, in each thirty chambers, and appointed +to each of his concubines a night, which he lay with her and came +not to her again for a full year. As providence would have it, +one of them conceived and her pregnancy was made known, whereupon +the King rejoiced with an exceeding joy, saying, "Mayhap it will +be a son, in which case all my offspring will be males." Then he +recorded the date of her conception and made much of her. But +when the news came to Sherkan, he was troubled and it was +grievous to him, for he said, "Verily, there cometh one who shall +dispute the kingdom with me." So he said to himself, "If this +damsel bear a male child, I will kill it." But he kept this his +intent secret in his heart. Now the damsel in question was a +Greek girl, by name Sufiyeh,[FN#3] whom the King of Roum,[FN#4] +lord of Caesarea, had sent to King Omar as a present, together +with great store of rarities. She was the fairest of face and +most graceful of all his women and the most careful of his honour +and was gifted with abounding wit and surpassing loveliness. She +had served the King on the night of his lying with her, saying to +him, "O King, I desire of the God of the heavens that He grant +thee of me a male child, so I may rear him well and do my utmost +endeavour to educate him and preserve him from harm." And her +words pleased the King. She passed the time of her pregnancy in +devout exercises, praying fervently to God to grant her a goodly +male child and make his birth easy to her, till her months were +accomplished and she sat down on the stool of delivery. Now the +King had given an eunuch charge to let him know if the child she +should bring forth were male or female; and in like manner his +son Sherkan had sent one to bring him news of this. In due time, +Sufiyeh was delivered of a child, which the midwives took and +found to be a girl with a face more radiant than the moon. So +they announced this to the bystanders, whereupon the eunuch +carried the news to the King and Sherkan's messenger did the like +with his master, who rejoiced with exceeding joy; but after these +two had departed, Sufiyeh said to the midwives, "Wait with me +awhile, for I feel there is yet somewhat in my entrails." Then +she moaned and the pains of labour took her again but God made it +easy to her and she gave birth to a second child. The midwives +looked at it and found it a boy like the full moon, with +flower-white forehead and rose-red cheeks; whereupon the damsel +and her eunuchs and attendants rejoiced and she was delivered of +the afterbirth, whilst all who were in the palace set up cries of +joy. The other damsels heard of this and envied her; and the news +came to Omar, who was glad and rejoiced. Then he rose and went to +her and kissed her head, after which he looked at the boy and +bending down to it, kissed it, whilst the damsels smote the +tabrets and played on instruments of music; and he commanded that +the boy should be named Zoulmekan and the girl Nuzbet ez Zeman, +which was done accordingly. Then he appointed nurses, wet and +dry, and eunuchs and attendants to serve them and assigned them +rations of sugar and liquors and oil and other necessaries, such +as the tongue fails to set out. Moreover the people of Baghdad +heard of the children that God had vouchsafed to the King; so +they decorated the city and made proclamation of the good news. +Then came the amirs and viziers and grandees and wished the King +joy of his son and daughter, wherefore he thanked them and +bestowed dresses of honour and favours and largesse on them and +on all who were present, gentle and simple. Then he bade carry +great store of jewellery and apparel and money to Sufiyeh and +charged her to rear the children carefully and educate them well. +After this wise, four years passed by, during which time the King +sent every few days to seek news of Sufiyeh and her children; but +all this while, his son Sherkan knew not that a male child had +been born to his father, having news only of the birth of his +daughter Nuzhet ez Zeman, and they hid the thing from him, until +years and days had passed by, whilst he was busied in contending +with the men of war and tilting against the cavaliers. + +One day, as the King was sitting on his throne, there came in to +him his chamberlains, who kissed the earth before him and said, +"O King, there be come ambassadors from the King of the Greeks, +lord of Constantinople the mighty, and they desire to be admitted +to pay their respects to thee: so if the King give them leave to +enter, we will admit them, and if not, there is no appeal from +his decree." He bade admit them, and when they entered, he turned +to them and asked them how they did and the reason of their +coming. They kissed the earth before him and replied, "O +illustrious King and lord of the long arm,[FN#5] know that King +Afridoun, lord of the lands of the Greeks and of the Nazarene +armies, holding the empire of Constantinople, hath sent us to +make known to thee that he is now waging grievous war with a +fierce rebel, the lord of Caesarea; and the cause of this war is +as follows. One of the kings of the Arabs, awhile since, chanced, +in one of his conquests, upon a treasure of the time of +Alexander, from which he carried away countless riches and +amongst other things, three round jewels, of the bigness of an +ostrich's egg, from a mine of pure white jewels, never was seen +the like. Upon each of these jewels were graven talismans in the +Greek character, and they had many properties and virtues, +amongst the rest that if one of them were hung round the neck of +a new-born child, no ailment would hurt him nor would he moan or +be fevered, so long as it was about his neck. When they came to +the hands of the Arabian King and he knew their virtues, he sent +the three jewels, together with other presents and rarities, as a +gift to King Afridoun, and to that end fitted out two ships, one +bearing the treasure and presents and the other men to guard them +against whoso should offer them hindrance on the sea, being +nevertheless assured that none would dare waylay them, for that +he was King of the Arabs, more by token that their way lay +through the sea in the dominions of the King of Constantinople +and they were bound to him, nor were there on the shores of that +sea any but subjects of the most mighty King Afridoun. The ships +set out and sailed till they drew near our city, when there +sallied out on them certain corsairs of the country and amongst +them troops of the King of Caesarea, who took all the treasures +and rarities in the ships, together with the three jewels, and +slew the men. When the news came to our King, he sent an army +against them, but they defeated it; then he sent another army, +stronger than the first, but they put this also to the rout; +whereupon the King was wroth and swore that he would go out +against them in person at the head of his whole army and not turn +back from them, till he had left Caesarea in ruins and laid waste +all the lands and cities over which its King held sway. So he +craves of the lord of the age and the time, the King of Baghdad +and Khorassan, that he succour us with an army, to the end that +glory may redound to him; and he has sent by us somewhat of +various kinds of presents and begs the King to favour him by +accepting them and accord us his aid." Then they kissed the earth +before King Omar and brought out the presents, which were fifty +slave-girls of the choicest of the land of the Greeks, and fifty +white male slaves in tunics of brocade, rich girdles of gold and +silver and in their ears pendants of gold and fine pearls, worth +a thousand dinars each. The damsels were adorned after the same +fashion and clad in stuffs worth much money. When the King saw +them, he rejoiced in them and accepted them. Then he commanded +that the ambassadors should be honourably entreated and summoning +his viziers, took counsel with them of what he should do. +Accordingly, one of them, an old man named Dendan, arose and +kissing the earth before King Omar, said, "O King, thou wouldst +do well to equip numerous army and set over it thy son Sherkan, +with us as his lieutenants; and to my mind it behoves thee to do +thus, for two reasons: first, that the King of the Greeks hath +appealed to thee for aid and hath sent thee presents, and thou +hast accepted them; and secondly, that no enemy dares attack our +country, and that if thy host succour the King of the Greeks and +his foe be put to the rout, the glory will fall to thee and the +news of it will be noised abroad in all cities and countries; and +especially, when the tidings reach the islands of the ocean and +the people of Western Africa, they will send thee presents and +tribute." When the King heard the Vizier's speech, it pleased him +and he approved his counsel: so he bestowed on him dress of +honour and said to him, "It is with such as thee that kings take +counsel and it befits that thou command the van of the army and +my son Sherkan the main battle." Then he sent for Sherkan and +expounded the matter to him, telling him what the ambassadors and +the Vizier had said, and enjoined him to take arms and prepare to +set out, charging him not to cross the Vizier Dendan in aught +that he should do. Then he bade him choose from among his troops +ten thousand horsemen armed cap-a-pie and inured to war and +hardship. Accordingly, Sherkan rose at once and chose out ten +thousand horsemen, in obedience to his father's commandment, +after which he entered his palace and mustered his troops and +distributed money to them, saying, "Ye have three days to make +ready." They kissed the earth before him and proceeded at once to +make their preparations for the campaign; whilst Sherkan repaired +to the armouries and provided himself with all the arms and +armour that he needed, and thence to the stables, whence he took +horses of choice breeds and others. When the three days were +ended, the troops marched out of Baghdad, and King Omar came +forth to take leave of his son, who kissed the earth before him, +and he gave him seven thousand purses.[FN#6] Then he turned to +the Vizier Dendan and commended to his care his son Sherkan's +army and charged the latter to consult the Vizier in all things, +to which they both promised obedience. After this, the King +returned to Baghdad and Sherkan commanded the officers to draw +out the troops in battle array. So they mustered them and the +number of the army was ten thousand horsemen, besides footmen and +followers. Then they loaded the beasts and beat the drums and +blew the clarions and unfurled the banners and the standards, +whilst Sherkan mounted, with the Vizier Dendan by his side and +the standards waving over them, and the army set out and fared +on, with the ambassadors in the van, till the day departed and +the night came, when they halted and encamped for the night. On +the morrow, as soon as God brought in the day, they took horse +and continued their march, nor did they cease to press onward, +guided by the ambassadors, for the space of twenty days. On the +twenty-first day, at nightfall, they came to a wide and fertile +valley, whose sides were thickly wooded and covered with grass, +and there Sherkan called a three days' halt. So they dismounted +and pitched their tents, dispersing right and left in the valley, +whilst the Vizier Dendan and the ambassadors alighted in the +midst. As for Sherkan, when he had seen the tents pitched and the +troops dispersed on either side and had commanded his officers +and attendants to camp beside the Vizier Dendan, he gave reins to +his horse, being minded to explore the valley and himself mount +guard over the army, having regard to his father's injunctions +and to the fact that they had reached the frontier of the land of +Roum and were now in the enemy's country. So he rode on alone +along the valley, till a fourth part of the night was passed, +when he grew weary and sleep overcame him, so that he could no +longer spur his horse. Now he was used to sleep on horseback; so +when drowsiness got the better of him, he fell asleep and the +horse paced on with him half the night and entered a forest; but +Sherkan awoke not, till the steed smote the earth with his hoof. +Then he started from sleep and found himself among trees; and the +moon arose and lighted up the two horizons. He was troubled at +finding himself alone in this place and spoke the words, which +whoso says shall never be confounded, that is to say, "There is +no power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme!" +But as he rode on, in fear of the wild beasts, behold, the trees +thinned and the moon shone out upon a meadow as it were one of +the meads of Paradise and he heard therein a noise of talk and +pleasant laughter such as ravishes the wit of men. So King +Sherkan dismounted and tying his horse to a tree, fared on a +little way, till he espied a stream of running water and heard a +woman talking and saying in Arabic, "By the virtue of the +Messiah, this is not handsome of you! But whoso speaks a word, I +will throw her down and bind her with her girdle." He followed in +the direction of the voice and saw gazelles frisking and wild +cattle pasturing and birds in their various voices expressing joy +and gladness: and the earth was embroidered with all manner of +flowers and green herbs, even as says of it the poet in the +following verses: + +Earth has no fairer sight to show than this its blossom-time, + With all the gently running streams that wander o'er its + face. +It is indeed the handiwork of God Omnipotent, The Lord of every + noble gift and Giver of all grace! + +Midmost the meadow stood a monastery, and within the enclosure +was a citadel that rose high into the air in the light of the +moon. The stream passed through the midst of the monastery and +therenigh sat ten damsels like moons, high-bosomed maids, clad in +dresses and ornaments that dazzled the eyes, as says of them the +poet: + +The meadow glitters with the troops Of lovely ones that wander + there. +Its grace and beauty doubled are By these that are so passing + fair. +Virgins that, with their swimming gait, The hearts of all that + see ensnare; +Along whose necks, like trails of grapes, Stream down the tresses + of their hair: +Proudly they walk, with eyes that dart The shafts and arrows of + despair, +And all the champions of the world Are slain by their seductive + air. + +Sherkan looked at the ten girls and saw in their midst a lady +like the moon at its full, with ringleted hair and shining +forehead, great black eyes and curling brow-locks, perfect in +person and attributes, as says the poet: + +Her beauty beamed on me with glances wonder-bright: The slender + Syrian spears are not so straight and slight: +She laid her veil aside, and lo, her cheeks rose-red! All manner + lovelyness was in their sweetest sight. +The locks, that o'er her brow fell down, were like the night, + From out of which there shines a morning of delight. + +Then Sherkan heard her say to the girls, "Come on, that I may +wrestle with you, ere the moon set and the dawn come." So they +came up to her, one after another, and she overthrew them, one by +one, and bound their hands behind them with their girdles. When +she had thrown them all, there turned to her an old woman, who +was before her, and said, as if she were wroth with her, "O +wanton, dost thou glory in overthrowing these girls? Behold, I am +an old woman, yet have I thrown them forty times! So what hast +thou to boast of? But if thou have strength to wrestle with me, +stand up that I may grip thee and put thy head between thy feet." +The young lady smiled at her words, although her heart was full +of anger against her, and said, "O my lady Dhat ed Dewahi, wilt +indeed wrestle with me, or dost thou jest with me?" "I mean to +wrestle with thee in very deed," replied she. "Stand up to me +then," said the damsel, "if thou have strength to do so." When +the old woman heard this, she was sore enraged and the hair of +her body stood on end, like that of a hedge-hog. Then she sprang +up, whilst the damsel confronted her, and said, "By the virtue of +the Messiah, I will not wrestle with thee, except I be naked." "O +baggage!" So she loosed her trousers and putting her hand under +her clothes, tore them off her body; then, taking a handkerchief +of silk, she bound it about her middle and became as she were a +bald Afriteh or a pied snake. Then she turned to the young lady +and said to her, "Do as I have done." All this time, Sherkan was +watching them and laughing at the loathly favour of the old +woman. So the damsel took a sash of Yemen stuff and doubled it +about her waist, then tucked up her trousers and showed legs of +alabaster and above them a hummock of crystal, soft and swelling, +and a belly that exhaled musk from its dimples, as it were a bed +of blood-red anemones, and breasts like double pomegranates. Then +the old woman bent to her and they took hold of one another, +whilst Sherkan raised his eyes to heaven and prayed to God that +the damsel might conquer the old hag. Presently, the former bored +in under the latter, and gripping her by the breech with the left +hand and by the gullet with the right, hoisted her off the +ground; whereupon the old woman strove to free herself and in the +struggle wriggled out of the girl's hands and fell on her back. +Up went her legs and showed her hairy tout in the moonlight, and +she let fly two great cracks of wind, one of which smote the +earth, whilst the other smoked up to the skies. At this Sherkan +laughed, till he fell to the ground, and said, "He lied not who +dubbed thee Lady of Calamities![FN#7] Verily, thou sawest her +prowess against the others." Then he arose and looked right and +left, but saw none save the old woman thrown down on her back. So +he drew near to hear what should pass between them; and behold, +the young lady came up to the old one and throwing over her a +veil of fine silk, helped her to dress herself, making excuses to +her and saying, "O my lady Dhat ed Dewahi, I did not mean to +throw thee so roughly, but thou wriggledst out of my hands; so +praised be God for safety!" She returned her no answer, but rose +in her confusion and walked away out of sight, leaving the young +lady standing alone, by the other girls thrown down and bound. +Then said Sherkan to himself, "To every fortune there is a cause. +Sleep fell not on me nor did the steed bear me hither but for my +good fortune; for of a surety this damsel and what is with her +shall be my prize." So he turned back and mounted and drew his +scimitar; then he gave his horse the spur and he started off with +him, like an arrow from a bow, whilst he brandished his naked +blade and cried out, "God is Most Great!" When the damsel saw +him, she sprang to her feet and running to the bank of the river, +which was there six cubits wide, made a spring and landed on the +other side, where she turned and standing, cried out in a loud +voice, "Who art thou, sirrah, that breakest in on our pastime, +and that with thy whinger bared, as thou wert charging an army? +Whence comest thou and whither art thou bound? Speak the truth, +and it shall profit thee, and do not lie, for lying is of the +loser's fashion. Doubtless thou hast strayed this night from thy +road, that thou hast happened on this place. So tell me what thou +seekest: if thou wouldst have us set thee in the right road, we +will do so, or if thou seek help, we will help thee." When +Sherkan heard her words, he replied, "I am a stranger of the +Muslims, who am come out by myself in quest of booty, and I have +found no fairer purchase this moonlit night than these ten +damsels; so I will take them and rejoin my comrades with them." +Quoth she, "I would have thee to know that thou hast not yet come +at the booty: and as for these ten damsels, by Allah, they are no +purchase for thee! Indeed, the fairest purchase thou canst look +for is to win free of this place; for thou art now in a mead, +where, if we gave one cry, there would be with us anon four +thousand knights. Did I not tell thee that lying is shameful?" +And he said, "The fortunate man is he to whom God sufficeth and +who hath no need of other than Him." "By the virtue of the +Messiah," replied she, "did I not fear to have thy death at my +hand, I would give a cry that would fill the meadow on thee with +horse and foot; but I have pity on the stranger: so if thou seek +booty, I require of thee that thou dismount from thy horse and +swear to me, by thy faith, that thou wilt not approach me with +aught of arms, and we will wrestle, I and thou. If thou throw me, +lay me on thy horse and take all of us to thy booty; and if I +throw thee, thou shalt be at my commandment. Swear this to me, +for I fear thy perfidy, since experience has it that, as long as +perfidy is in men's natures, to trust in every one is weakness. +But if thou wilt swear, I will come over to thee." Quoth Sherkan +(and indeed he lusted after her and said to himself, "She does +not know that I am a champion of the champions."), "Impose on me +whatever oath thou deemest binding, and I will swear not to draw +near thee till thou hast made thy preparations and sayest, 'Come +and wrestle with me.' If thou throw me, I have wealth wherewith +to ransom myself, and if I throw thee, I shall get fine +purchase." Then said she, "Swear to me by Him who hath lodged the +soul in the body and given laws to mankind, that thou wilt not +beset me with aught of violence, but by way of wrestling; else +mayst thou die out of the pale of Islam." "By Allah," exclaimed +Sherkan, "if a Cadi should swear me, though he were Cadi of the +Cadis, he would not impose on me the like of this oath!" Then he +took the oath she required and tied his horse to a tree, sunken +in the sea of reverie and saying in himself, "Glory to Him who +fashioned her of vile water!"[FN#8] Then he girt himself and made +ready for wrestling and said to her, "Cross the stream to me." +Quoth she, "It is not for me to come to thee: if thou wilt, do +thou cross over to me." "I cannot do that," replied he, and she +said, "O boy, I will come to thee." So she gathered her skirts +and making a spring, landed on the other side of the river by +him; whereupon he drew near to her, wondering at her beauty and +grace, and saw a form that the hand of Omnipotence had tanned +with the leaves of the Jinn and which had been fostered by Divine +solicitude, a form on which the zephyrs of fair fortune had blown +and over whose creation favourable planets had presided. Then she +called out to him, saying, "O Muslim, come and wrestle before the +day break!" and tucked up her sleeves, showing a fore-arm like +fresh curd; the whole place was lighted up by its whiteness and +Sherkan was dazzled by it. Then he bent forward and clapped his +hands and she did the like, and they took hold and gripped each +other. He laid his hands on her slender waist, so that the tips +of his fingers sank into the folds of her belly, and his limbs +relaxed and he stood in the stead of desire, for there was +displayed to him a body, in which was languishment of hearts, and +he fell a-trembling like the Persian reed in the hurricane. So +she lifted him up and throwing him to the ground, sat down on his +breast with buttocks like a hill of sand, for he was not master +of his reason. Then she said to him, "O Muslim, it is lawful +among you to kill Christians; what sayst thou to my killing +thee?" "O my lady," replied he, "as for killing me, it is +unlawful; for our Prophet (whom God bless and preserve!) hath +forbidden the slaying of women and children and old men and +monks." "Since this was revealed unto your prophet," rejoined +she, "it behoves us to be even with him therein; so rise: I give +thee thy life, for beneficence is not lost upon men." Then she +got off his breast and he rose and brushed the earth from his +head, and she said to him, "Be not abashed; but, indeed, one who +enters the land of the Greeks in quest of booty and to succour +kings against kings, how comes it that there is no strength in +him to defend himself against a woman?" "It was not lack of +strength in me," replied he; "nor was it thy strength that +overthrew me, but thy beauty: so if thou wilt grant me another +bout, it will be of thy favour." She laughed and said, "I grant +thee this: but these damsels have been long bound and their arms +and shoulders are weary, and it were fitting I should loose them, +since this next bout may peradventure be a long one." Then she +went up to the girls and unbinding them, said to them in the +Greek tongue, "Go and put yourselves in safety, till I have +brought to nought this Muslim's craving for you." So they went +away, whilst Sherkan looked at them and they gazed at him and the +young lady. Then she and he drew near again and set breast +against breast; but, when he felt her belly against his, his +strength failed him, and she feeling this, lifted him in her +hands, swiftlier than the blinding lightning, and threw him to +the ground. He fell on his back, and she said to him, "Rise, I +give thee thy life a second time. I spared thee before for the +sake of thy prophet, for that he forbade the killing of women, +and I do so this second time because of thy weakness and tender +age and strangerhood; but I charge thee, if there be, in the army +sent by King Omar ben Ennuman to the succour of the King of +Constantinople, a stronger than thou, send him hither and tell +him of me, for in wrestling there are divers kinds of strokes and +tricks, such as feinting and the fore-tripe and the back-tripe +and the leg-crick and the thigh-twist and the jostle and the +cross-buttock." "By Allah, O my lady," replied Sherkan, (and +indeed he was greatly incensed against her), "were I the chief Es +Sefedi or Mohammed Caimal or Ibn es Seddi,[FN#9] I had not +observed the fashion thou namest; for, by Allah, it was not by +thy strength that thou overthrewest me, but by filling me with +the desire of thy buttocks, because we people of Chaldaea love +great thighs, so that nor wit nor foresight was left in me. But +now if thou have a mind to try another fall with me, with my wits +about me, I have a right to this one bout more, by the rules of +the game, for my presence of mind has now returned to me." "Hast +thou not had enough of wrestling, O conquered one?" rejoined she. +"However, come, if thou wilt; but know that this bout must be the +last." Then they took hold of each other and he set to in earnest +and warded himself against being thrown down: so they strained +awhile, and the damsel found in him strength such as she had not +before observed and said to him, "O Muslim, thou art on thy +guard!" "Yes," replied he; "thou knowest that there remaineth but +this bout, and after each of us will go his own way." She laughed +and he laughed too: then she seized the opportunity to bore in +upon him unawares, and gripping him by the thigh, threw him to +the ground, so that he fell on his back. She laughed at him and +said, "Thou art surely an eater of bran; for thou art like a +Bedouin bonnet, that falls at a touch, or a child's toy, that a +puff of air overturns. Out on thee, thou poor creature! Go back +to the army of the Muslims and send us other than thyself, for +thou lackest thews, and cry us among the Arabs and Persians and +Turks and Medes, 'Whoso has might in him, let him come to us.'" +Then she made a spring and landed on the other side of the stream +and said to Sherkan, laughing, "It goes to my heart to part with +thee; get thee to thy friends, O my lord, before the morning, +lest the knights come upon thee and take thee on the points of +their lances. Thou hast not strength enough to defend thee +against women; so how couldst thou make head against men and +cavaliers?" And she turned to go back to the monastery. Sherkan +was confounded and called out to her, saying, "O my lady, wilt +thou go away and leave the wretched stranger, the broken-hearted +slave of love?" So she turned to him, laughing, and said, "What +wouldst thou? I grant thy prayer." "Have I set foot in thy +country and tasted the sweetness of thy favours," replied +Sherkan, "and shall I return without eating of thy victual +and tasting thy hospitality? Indeed I am become one of thy +servitors." Quoth she, "None but the base refuses hospitality; on +my head and eyes be it! Do me the favour to mount and ride along +the bank of the stream, abreast of me, for thou art my guest." At +this Sherkan rejoiced and hastening back to his horse, mounted +and rode along the river-bank, keeping abreast of her, till he +came to a drawbridge, that hung by pulleys and chains of steel, +made fast with hooks and padlocks. Here stood the ten damsels +awaiting the lady, who spoke to one of them in the Greek tongue +and said to her, "Go to him and take his horse's rein and bring +him over to the monastery." So she went up to Sherkan and led him +over the bridge to the other side and he followed her, amazed at +what he saw and saying in himself, "Would the Vizier Dendan were +with me, to look on these fair faces with his own eyes." Then he +turned to the young lady and said to her, "O wonder of beauty, +now art thou doubly bound to me, firstly, by the bond of +comradeship, and secondly for that thou carriest me to thy house +and I accept of thy hospitality and am at thy disposal and under +thy protection. So do me the favour to go with me to the land of +Islam, where thou shalt look upon many a lion-hearted prince and +know who I am." His speech angered her and she said to him, "By +the virtue of the Messiah, thou art keen of wit with me! But I +see now what depravity is in thy heart and how thou allowest +thyself to say a thing that proves thee a traitor. How should I +do what thou sayest, when I know that, if I came to thy King Omar +ben Ennuman, I should never win free of him? For he has not the +like of me among his women nor in his palace, all lord of Baghdad +and Khorassan as he is, with his twelve palaces, in number as the +months of the year, and his concubines therein, in number as the +days thereof; and if I come to him, he will not respect me, for +that ye hold it lawful to take possession of the like of me, as +it is said in your scripture, 'That which your right hand +possesses.'[FN#10] So how canst thou speak thus to me? As for thy +saying, 'Thou shalt look upon the champions of the Muslims,' by +the Messiah, thou sayst that which is not true; for I saw your +army, when it reached our country, these two days ago, and I did +not see that your ordinance was that of kings, but beheld you +only as a rabble of men collected together. And as for thy +saying, 'Thou shalt know who I am,' I did not show thee courtesy +of any intent to honour thee, but out of pride in myself; and the +like of thee should not say this to the like of me, even though +thou be Sherkan himself, King Omar ben Ennuman's son, who is +renowned in these days." "And dost thou know Sherkan?" asked he. +"Yes," replied she; "and I know of his coming with an army of ten +thousand horse, for that he was sent by his father with these +troops to the succour of the King of Constantinople." "O my +lady," rejoined Sherkan, "I conjure thee, as thou believest in +thy religion, tell me the cause of all this, that I may know +truth from falsehood and with whom the fault lies." "By the +virtue of thy faith," replied she, "were it not that I fear lest +the news of me be bruited abroad that I am of the daughters of +the Greeks, I would adventure myself and sally forth against the +ten thousand horse and kill their chief, the Vizier Dendan, and +take their champion Sherkan. Nor would there be any reproach to +me in this, for I have read books and know the Arabic language +and have studied good breeding and polite letters. But I have no +need to vaunt my own prowess to thee, for thou hast tasted of my +quality and proved my strength and skill and pre-eminence in +wrestling; nor if Sherkan himself had been in thy place to-night +and it had been said to him, 'Leap this river,' could he have +done so. And I could wish well that the Messiah would throw him +into my hands here in this monastery, that I might go forth to +him in the habit of a man and pull him from his saddle and take +him prisoner and lay him in fetters." When Sherkan heard this, +pride and heat and warlike jealousy overcame him and he was +minded to discover himself and lay violent hands on her but her +beauty held him back from her, and he repeated the following +verse: + +Their charms, whatever fault the fair commit, A thousand + intercessors bring for it. + +So she went up, and he after her; whilst he looked at her back +and saw her buttocks smiting against each other, like the billows +in the troubled sea; and he recited the following verses: + +In her face an advocate harbours, who blots out her every fault + From the hearts of mankind, for he is mighty to intercede. +Whenas I look at her face, I cry in my wonder aloud, "The moon of + the skies in the night of her full is risen indeed!" +If the Afrit of Belkis[FN#11] himself should wrestle a fall with + her, Her charms would throw him forthright, for all his + strength and speed. + +They went on till they reached a vaulted gate, arched over with +marble. This she opened and entered with Sherkan into a long +vestibule, vaulted with ten arches from each of which hung a lamp +of crystal, shining like the rays of the sun. The damsels met her +at the end of the vestibule, bearing perfumed flambeaux and +having on their heads kerchiefs embroidered with all manner +jewels and went on before her, till they came to the inward of +the monastery, where Sherkan saw couches set up all around, +facing one another and overhung with curtains spangled with gold. +The floor was paved with all kinds of variegated marbles, and in +the midst was a basin of water, with four-and-twenty spouts of +gold around it, from which issued water like liquid silver; +whilst at the upper end stood a throne covered with silks of +royal purple. Then said the damsel, "O my lord, mount this +throne." So he seated himself on it, and she withdrew: and when +she had been absent awhile, he asked the servants of her, and +they said, "She hath gone to her sleeping-chamber; but we will +serve thee as thou shalt order." So they set before him rare +meats and he ate till he was satisfied, when they brought him a +basin of gold and an ewer of silver, and he washed his hands. +Then his mind reverted to his troops, and he was troubled, +knowing not what had befallen them in his absence and thinking +how he had forgotten his father's injunctions, so that he abode +oppressed with anxiety and repenting of what he had done, till +the dawn broke and the day appeared, when he lamented and sighed +and became drowned in the sea of melancholy, repeating the +following verses: + +I lack not of prudence and yet in this case I've been fooled; so + what shift shall avail unto me? +If any could ease me of love and its stress, Of my might and my + virtue I'd set myself free. +But alas! my heart's lost in the maze of desire, And no helper + save God in my strait can I see. + +Hardly had he finished, when up came more than twenty damsels +like moons, encompassing the young lady, who appeared amongst +them as the full moon among stars. She was clad in royal brocade +and girt with a woven girdle set with various kinds of jewels, +that straitly clasped her waist and made her buttocks stand out +as they were a hill of crystal upholding a wand of silver; and +her breasts were like double pomegranates. On her head she wore a +network of pearls, gemmed with various kinds of jewels, and she +moved with a coquettish swimming gait, swaying wonder-gracefully, +whilst the damsels held up her skirts. When Sherkan saw her +beauty and grace, he was transported for joy and forgot his army +and the Vizier Dendan end springing to his feet, cried out, +"Beware, beware of that girdle rare!" and repeated the following +verses: + +Heavy of buttocks, languorous of gait, With limber shape and + breasts right delicate, +She hides what passion in her bosom burns; Yet cannot I my heat + dissimulate. +Her maidens, like strung pearls, behind her fare, Now all + dispersed now knit in ordered state. + +She fixed her eyes on him and considered him awhile, till she was +assured of him, when she came up to him and said, "Indeed the +place is honoured and illumined by thy presence, O Sherkan! How +didst thou pass the night, O hero, after we went away and left +thee? Verily lying is a defect and a reproach in kings, +especially in great kings; and thou art Sherkan, son of King Omar +ben Ennuman; so henceforth tell me nought but truth and strive +not to keep the secret of thy condition, for falsehood engenders +hatred and enmity. The arrow of destiny hath fallen on thee, and +it behoves thee to show resignation and submission." When Sherkan +heard what she said, he saw nothing for it but to tell her the +truth so he said, "I am indeed Sherkan, son of Omar ben Ennuman, +whom fortune hath afflicted and cast into this place: so now do +whatsoever thou wilt." She bowed her head a long while, then +turned to him and said, "Reassure thyself and be of good cheer; +for thou art my guest, and bread and salt have passed between us; +so art thou in my safeguard and under my protection. Have no +fear; by the virtue of the Messiah, if all the people of the +earth sought to harm thee, they should not come at thee till the +breath had left my body for thy sake; for thou art under my +protection and that of the Messiah." Then she sat down by his +side and began to sport with him, till his alarm subsided and he +knew that, had she been minded to kill him, she would have done +so on the past night. After awhile, she spoke in the Greek tongue +to one of her serving-women, who went away and returned in a +little with a goblet and a tray of food; but Sherkan abstained +from eating, saying in himself, "Maybe she hath put somewhat in +this meat." She knew what was in his thought; so she turned to +him and said, "By the virtue of the Messiah, the case is not as +thou deemest, nor is there aught in this food of what thou +suspectest! Were I minded to kill thee, I had done so before +now." Then she came to the table and ate a mouthful of every +dish, whereupon Sherkan came forward and fell to. She was pleased +at this, and they both ate till they were satisfied, after which +she let bring perfumes and sweet-smelling herbs and wines of all +colours and kinds, in vessels of gold and silver and crystal. She +filled a first cup and drank it off, before offering it to +Sherkan, even as she had done with the food. Then she filled a +second time and gave the cup to him. He drank and she said to +him, "See, O Muslim, how thou art in the utmost delight and +pleasure of life!" And she ceased not to drink and to ply him +with drink, till he took leave of his wits, for the wine and the +intoxication of love for her. Presently she said to the +serving-maid, "O Merjaneh, bring us some instruments of music." +"I hear and obey," replied Merjaneh, and going out, returned +immediately with a lute, a Persian harp, a Tartar flute and an +Egyptian dulcimer. The young lady took the lute and tuning it, +sang to it in a dulcet voice, softer than the zephyr and sweeter +than the waters of Tesnim,[FN#12] the following verses: + +May Allah assoilzie thine eyes! How much is the blood they have + shed! How great is the tale of the shafts thy pitiless + glances have sped! +I honour the mistress, indeed, that harshly her suitor entreats; + 'Tis sin in the loved to relent or pity a lover misled. +Fair fortune and grace to the eyes that watch the night, + sleepless, for thee, And hail to the heart of thy slave, by + day that is heavy as lead! +'Tis thine to condemn me to death, for thou art my king and my + lord. With my life I will ransom the judge, who heapeth + unright on my head. + +Then each of the damsels rose and taking an instrument played and +sang to it in the Greek language. The lady their mistress, sang +also, to Sherkan's delight. Then she said to him, "O Muslim, dost +thou understand what I say?" "No," replied he; "it was the beauty +of thy finger-tips that threw me into ecstasies." She laughed and +said, "If I sang to thee in Arabic, what wouldst thou do?" "I +should lose the mastery of my reason," replied he. So she took an +instrument and changing the measure, sang the following verses: + +Parting must ever bitter be; How shall one bear it patiently? +Three things are heavy on my heart, Absence, estrangement, + cruelty. +I love a fair to whom I'm thrall, And severance bitter is to me. + +Then she looked at Sherkan and found he had lost his senses for +delight: and he lay amongst them insensible awhile, after which +he revived and recalling the singing inclined to mirth. Then they +fell again to drinking and ceased not from sport and merriment +till the day departed with the evening and the night let fall her +wings. Thereupon she rose and retired to her chamber. Sherkan +enquired after her and being told that she was gone to her +bedchamber, said, "I commend her to the safe-keeping of God and +to His protection!" As soon as it was day, a waiting-woman came +to him and said, "My mistress bids thee to her." So he rose and +followed her, and as he drew near her lodging, the damsels +received him with smitten tabrets and songs of greeting and +escorted him to a great door of ivory set with pearls and jewels. +Here they entered and he found himself in a spacious saloon, at +the upper end of which was a great estrade, carpeted with various +kinds of silk, and round it open lattices giving upon trees and +streams. About the place were figures, so fashioned that the air +entered them and set in motion instruments of music within them, +and it seemed to the beholder as if they spoke. Here sat the +young lady, looking on the figures; but when she saw Sherkan, she +sprang to her feet and taking him by the hand, made him sit down +by her and asked him how he had passed the night. He blessed her +and they sat talking awhile, till she said to him, "Knowest thou +aught touching lovers and slaves of passion?" "Yes," replied he; +"I know some verses on the subject." "Let me hear them," said +she. So he repeated the following verses: + +Pleasure and health, O Azzeh, and good digestion to thee! How + with our goods and our names and our honours thou makest + free! +By Allah, whene'er I blow hot, she of a sudden blows cold, And no + sooner do I draw near, than off at a tangent flies she! +Indeed, as I dote upon Azzeh, as soon as I've cleared me of all + That stands between us and our loves, she turns and abandons + me; +As a traveller that trusts in the shade of a cloud for his + noontide rest, But as soon as he halts, the shade flits and + the cloud in the distance cloth flee. + +When she heard this, she said, "Verily Kutheiyir[FN#13] was a +poet of renown and a master of chaste eloquence and attained rare +perfection in praise of Azzeh, especially when he says: + +'If Azzeh should before a judge the sun of morning cite, Needs + must the umpire doom to her the meed of beauty bright; +And women all, who come to me, at her to rail and flite, God make + your cheeks the sandal-soles whereon her feet alight!' + +"And indeed it is reported," added she, "that Azzeh was endowed +with the extreme of beauty and grace." Then she said to Sherkan, +"O king's son, dost thou know aught of Jemil's[FN#14] verses to +Butheineh?" "Yes," replied he; "none knows Jemil's verses better +than I." And he repeated the following: + +"Up and away to the holy war, Jemil!" they say; and I, "What have + I to do with waging war except among the fair?" +For deed and saying with them alike are full of ease and cheer, + And he's a martyr[FN#15] who tilts with them and falleth + fighting there. +If I say to Butheineh, "What is this love, that eateth my life + away?" She answers, "Tis rooted fast in thy heart and will + increase fore'er." +Or if I beg her to give me back some scantling of my wit, + Wherewith to deal with the folk and live, she answereth, + "Hope it ne'er!" +Thou willst my death, ah, woe is me! thou willst nought else but + that; Yet I, I can see no goal but thee, towards which my + wishes fare. + +"Thou hast done well, O king's son," said she, "and Jemil also +did excellently well. But what would Butheineh have done with him +that he says, 'Thou wishest to kill me and nought else?'" "O my +lady," replied he, "she sought to do with him what thou seekest +to do with me, and even that will not content thee." She laughed +at his answer, and they ceased not to carouse till the day +departed and the night came with the darkness. Then she rose and +went to her sleeping-chamber, and Sherkan slept in his place till +the morning. As soon as he awoke, the damsels came to him with +tambourines and other instruments of music, according to their +wont, and kissing the earth before him, said to him, "In the name +of God, deign to follow us; for our mistress bids thee to her." +So he rose and accompanied the girls, who escorted him, smiting +on tabrets and other instruments of music, to another saloon, +bigger than the first and decorated with pictures and figures of +birds and beasts, passing description. Sherkan wondered at the +fashion of the place and repeated the following verses: + +My rival plucks, of the fruits of the necklets branching wide, + Pearls of the breasts in gold enchased and beautified +With running fountains of liquid silver in streams And cheeks of + rose and beryl, side by side. +It seemeth, indeed, as if the violet's colour vied With the + sombre blue of the eyes, with antimony dyed.[FN#16] + +When the lady saw Sherkan, she came to meet him, and taking him +by the hand, said to him, "O son of King Omar ben Ennuman, hast +thou any skill in the game of chess?" "Yes," replied he; "but do +not thou be as says the poet." And he repeated the following +verses: + +I speak, and passion, the while, folds and unfolds me aye; But a + draught of the honey of love my spirits thirst could stay. +I sit at the chess with her I love, and she plays with me, With + white and with black; but this contenteth me no way. +Meseemeth as if the king were set in the place of the rook And + sought with the rival queens a bout of the game to play. +And if I looked in her eyes, to spy the drift of her moves, The + amorous grace of her glance would doom me to death + straightaway. + +Then she brought the chess-board and played with him; but instead +of looking at her moves, he looked at her face and set the knight +in the place of the elephant[FN#17] and the elephant in the place +of the knight. She laughed and said to him, "If this be thy play, +thou knowest nothing of the game." "This is only the first bout," +replied he; "take no count of it." She beat him, and he replaced +the pieces and played again with her; but she beat him a second +time and a third and a fourth and a fifth. So she fumed to him +and said, "Thou art beaten in everything." "O my lady," answered +he, "how should one not be beaten, who plays with the like of +thee?" Then she called for food, and they ate and washed their +hands, after which the maids brought wine, and they drank. +Presently, the lady took the dulcimer, for she was skilled to +play thereon, and sang to it the following verses: + +Fortune is still on the shift, now gladness and now woe; I liken + it to the tide, in its ceaseless ebb and flow. +So drink, if thou have the power, whilst it is yet serene, Lest + it at unawares depart, and thou not know. + + +They gave not over carousing till nightfall, and this day was +pleasanter than the first. When the night came, the lady went to +her sleeping-chamber, leaving Sherkan with the damsels. So he +threw himself on the ground and slept till the morning, when +the damsels came to him with tambourines and other musical +instruments, according to their wont. When he saw them, he sat +up; and they took him and carried him to their mistress, who came +to meet him and taking him by the hand, made him sit down by her +side. Then she asked him how he had passed the night, to which he +replied by wishing her long life; and she took the lute and sang +the following verses: + +Incline not to parting, I pray, For bitter its taste is alway. +The sun at his setting grows pale, To think he must part from the + day. + +Hardly had she made an end of singing, when there arose of a +sudden a great clamour, and a crowd of men and knights rushed +into the place, with naked swords gleaming in their hands, crying +out in the Greek tongue, "Thou hast fallen into our hands, O +Sherkan! Be sure of death!" When he heard this, he said to +himself, "By Allah, she hath laid a trap for me and held me in +play, till her men should come! These are the knights with whom +she threatened me: but it is I who have thrown myself into this +peril." Then he turned to the lady to reproach her, but saw that +she had changed colour; and she sprang to her feet and said to +the new-comers, "Who are ye?" "O noble princess and unpeered +pearl," replied the knight their chief, "dost thou know who is +this man with thee?" "Not I," answered she. "Who is he?" Quoth +the knight, "He is the despoiler of cities and prince of +cavaliers, Sherkan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman. This is he who +captures the citadels and masters the most impregnable strengths. +The news of him reached King Herdoub, thy father, by the report +of the old princess Dhat ed Dewahi; and thou hast done good +service to the army of the Greeks by helping them to lay hands on +this pestilent lion." When she heard this, she looked at the +knight and said to him, "What is thy name?" And he answered, "My +name is Masoureh son of thy slave Mousoureh ben Kasherdeh, chief +of the nobles." Quoth she, "And how camest thou in to me without +my leave?" "O our lady," replied he, "when I came to the gate, +neither chamberlain nor porter offered me any hindrance; but all +the gate-keepers rose and forewent me as of wont; though, when +others come, they leave them standing at the gate, whilst they +ask leave for them to enter. But this is no time for long talk, +for the King awaits our return to him with this prince, who is +the mainstay of the army of Islam, that he may kill him and that +his troops may depart whence they came, without our having the +toil of fighting them." "Thou sayest an ill thing," rejoined the +princess. "Verily, the lady Dhat ed Dewahi lied; and she hath +avouched a vain thing, of which she knows not the truth; for by +the virtue of the Messiah, this man who is with me is not +Sherkan, nor is he a captive, but a stranger, who came to us, +seeking hospitality, and we received him as a guest. So, even +were we assured that this was Sherkan and did we know that it was +he beyond doubt, it would suit ill with my honour that I should +deliver into your hands one who hath come under my safeguard. +Betray me not, therefore, in the person of my guest, neither +bring me into ill repute among men; but return to the King my +father and kiss the earth before him and tell him that the case +is not according to the report of the lady Dhat ed Dewahi." "O +Abrizeh," replied the knight Masoureh, "I cannot go back to the +King without his enemy." Quoth she (and indeed she was angry), +"Out on thee! Return to him with the answer, and no blame shall +fall on thee." But he said, "I will not return without him." At +this her colour changed and she exclaimed, "A truce to talk and +idle words; for of a verity this man would not have come in to +us, except he were assured that he could of himself make head +against a hundred horse; and if I said to him, 'Art thou Sherkan, +son of King Omar ben Ennuman?' he would answer, 'Yes.' Nathless, +it is not in your power to hinder him; for if ye beset him, he +will not turn back from you, till he have slain all that are in +the place. Behold, he is with me and I will bring him before you, +with his sword and buckler in his hands." "If I be safe from thy +wrath," replied Masoureh, "I am not safe from that of thy father, +and when I see him, I shall sign to the knights to take him +prisoner, and we will carry him, bound and abject, to the King." +When she heard this, she said, "The thing shall not pass thus, +for it would be a disgrace. This man is but one and ye are a +hundred. So, an ye be minded to attack him, come out against him, +one after one, that it may appear to the King which is the +valiant amongst you." "By the Messiah," rejoined Masoureh, "thou +sayest sooth, and none but I shall go out against him first!" +Then she said, "Wait till I go to him and tell him and hear what +he says. If he consent, it is well but if he refuse, ye shall not +anywise come at him, for I and my damsels and all that are in the +house will be his ransom." So she went to Sherkan and told him +the case, whereat he smiled and knew that she had not betrayed +him, but that the matter had been bruited abroad, till it came to +the King, against her wish. So he laid all the blame on himself, +saying, "How came I to venture myself in the country of the +Greeks?" Then he said to her, "Indeed, to let them tilt against +me, one by one, were to lay on them a burden more than they can +bear. Will they not come out against me, ten by ten?" "That were +knavery and oppression," replied she. "One man is a match for +another." When he heard this, he sprang to his feet and made +towards them, with his sword and battle-gear; and Masoureh also +sprang up and rushed on him. Sherkan met him like a lion and +smote him with his sword upon the shoulder, that the blade came +out gleaming from his back and vitals. When the princess saw +this, Sherkan's prowess was magnified in her eyes and she knew +that she had not overthrown him by her strength, but by her +beauty and grace. So she turned to the knights and said to them, +"Avenge your chief!" Thereupon out came the slain man's brother, +a fierce warrior, and rushed upon Sherkan, who delayed not, but +smote him on the shoulders, and the sword came out, gleaming, +from his vitals. Then cried the princess, "O servants of the +Messiah, avenge your comrades!" So they ceased not to come out +against him, one by one, and he plied them with the sword, till +he had slain fifty knights, whilst the princess looked on. And +God cast terror into the hearts of those who were left, so that +they held back and dared not meet him in single combat, but +rushed on him all at once; and he drove at them with a heart +firmer than a rock and smote them as the thresher smiteth the +corn, till he had driven sense and life forth of them. Then the +princess cried out to her damsels, saying, "Who is left in the +monastery?" "None but the porters," replied they; whereupon she +went up to Sherkan and embraced him, and he returned with her to +the saloon, after he had made an end of the mellay. Now there +remained a few of the knights hidden in the cells of the convent, +and when Abrizeh saw this, she rose and going away, returned, +clad in a strait-ringed coat of mail and holding in her hand a +scimitar of Indian steel. And she said, "By the virtue of the +Messiah, I will not be grudging of myself for my guest nor will I +abandon him, though for this I abide a reproach in the land of +the Greeks!" Then she counted the dead and found that he had +slain fourscore of the knights and other twenty had taken flight. +When she saw how he had dealt with them, she said to him, "God +bless thee, O Sherkan! The cavaliers may well glory in the like +of thee!" Then he rose and wiping his sword of the blood of the +slain, repeated the following verses: + +How often in battle I've cleft the array And given the champions + to wild beasts a prey! +Ask all men what happened to me and to them, When I drove through + the ranks on the sword-smiting day. +I left ail their lions of war overthrown: On the sun-scorched + sands of those countries they lay. + +When he had finished, the princess came up to him and kissed his +hand; then she put off her coat of mail, and he said to her, "O +my lady, wherefore didst thou don that coat of mail and bare thy +sabre?" "It was of my care for thee against yonder wretches," +replied she. Then she called the porters and said to them, "How +came you to let the king's men enter my house, without my leave!" +"O princess," replied they, "we have not used to need to ask +leave for the king's messengers, and especially for the chief of +the knights." Quoth she, "I think you were minded to dishonour me +and slay my guest." And she bade Sherkan strike off their heads. +He did so and she said to the rest of her servants, "Indeed, they +deserved more than that." Then turning to Sherkan, she said to +him, "Now that there hath become manifest to thee what was +hidden, I will tell thee my story. Know, then, that I am the +daughter of Herdoub, King of Roum; my name is Abrizeh and the old +woman called Dhat ed Dewahi is my grandmother, my father's +mother. She it was who told my father of thee, and she will +certainly cast about to ruin me, especially as thou hast slain my +father's men and it is noised abroad that I have made common +cause with the Muslims. Wherefore it were wiser that I should +leave dwelling here, what while Dhat ed Dewahi is behind me; but +I claim of thee the like kindness and courtesy I have shown thee, +for my father and I are now become at odds on thine account. So +do not thou omit to do aught that I shall say to thee, for indeed +all this hath fallen out through thee." At this, Sherkan was +transported for joy and his breast dilated, and he said, "By +Allah, none shall come at thee, whilst my life lasts in my body! +But canst thou endure the parting from thy father and thy folk?" +"Yes," answered she. So Sherkan swore to her and they made a +covenant of this. Then said she, "Now my heart is at ease; but +there is one other condition I must exact of thee." "What is +that?" asked Sherkan. "It is," replied she, "that thou return +with thy troops to thine own country." "O my lady," said he, "my +father, King Omar ben Ennuman, sent me to make war upon thy +father, on account of the treasure he took from the King of +Constantinople, and amongst the rest three great jewels, rich in +happy properties." "Reassure thyself," answered she; "I will tell +thee the truth of the matter and the cause of the feud between us +and the King of Constantinople. Know that we have a festival +called the Festival of the Monastery, for which each year the +kings' daughters of various countries and the wives and daughters +of the notables and merchants resort to a certain monastery and +abide there seven days. I was wont to resort thither with the +rest; but when there befell hostility between us, my father +forbade me to be present at the festival for the space of seven +years. One year, it chanced that amongst the young ladies who +resorted to the Festival as of wont, there came the King's +daughter of Constantinople, a handsome girl called Sufiyeh. +They tarried at the monastery six days, and on the seventh, +the folk went away; but Sufiyeh said, 'I will not return to +Constantinople, but by sea.' So they fitted her out a ship, in +which she embarked, she and her suite, and put out to sea; but as +they sailed, a contrary wind caught them and drove the ship from +her course, till, as fate and providence would have it, she fell +in with a ship of the Christians from the Island of Camphor, with +a crew of five hundred armed Franks, who had been cruising about +for some time. When they sighted the sails of the ship in which +were Sufiyeh and her maidens, they gave chase in all haste and +coming up with her before long, threw grapnels on board and made +fast to her. Then they made all sail for their own island and +were but a little distant from it, when the wind veered and rent +their sails and cast them on to a reef on our coast. Thereupon we +sallied forth on them, and looking on them as booty driven to us +by fate, slew the men and made prize of the ships, in which we +found the treasures and rarities in question and forty damsels, +amongst whom was Sufiyeh. We carried the damsels to my father, +not knowing that the King's daughter of Constantinople was among +them, and he chose out ten of them, including Sufiyeh, for +himself, and divided the rest among his courtiers. Then he set +apart Sufiyeh and four other girls and sent them to thy father, +King Omar ben Ennuman, together with other presents, such as +cloth and stuffs of wool and Grecian silks. Thy father accepted +them and chose out from amongst the five girls the princess +Sufiyeh, daughter of King Afridoun; nor did we hear aught more of +the matter till the beginning of this year, when King Afridoun +wrote to my father in terms which it befits not to repeat, +reproaching and menacing him and saying to him, 'Two years ago, +there fell into thy hands a ship of ours, that had been seized by +a company of Frankish corsairs and in which was my daughter +Sufiyeh, attended by near threescore damsels. Yet thou sentest +none to tell me of this and I could not make the case public, +lest disgrace fall on my repute among the kings, by reason of my +daughter's dishonour. So I kept the affair secret till this year, +when I communicated with certain of the Frankish pirates and +sought news of my daughter from the kings of the islands. They +replied, "By Allah, we carried her not forth of thy realm, but we +have heard that King Herdoub took her from certain pirates." And +they told me all that had befallen her. So now, except thou wish +to be at feud with me and design to disgrace me and dishonour my +daughter, thou wilt forthright, as soon as this letter reaches +thee, send my daughter back to me. But if thou pay no heed to my +letter and disobey my commandment, I will assuredly requite thee +thy foul dealing and the baseness of thine acts.' When my father +read this letter, it was grievous to him and he regretted not +having known that Sufiyeh, King Afridoun's daughter, was amongst +the captured damsels, that he might have sent her back to her +father; and he was perplexed about the affair, for that, after +the lapse of so long a time, he could not send to King Omar ben +Ennuman and demand her back from him, the more that he had lately +heard that God had vouchsafed him children by this very Sufiyeh. +So when we considered the matter, we knew that this letter was +none other than a great calamity; and nothing would serve but +that my father must write an answer to it, making his excuses to +King Afridoun and swearing to him that he knew not that his +daughter was among the girls in the ship and setting forth how he +had sent her to King Omar ben Ennuman and God had vouchsafed him +children by her. When my father's reply reached King Afridoun, he +rose and sat down and roared and foamed at the mouth, exclaiming, +'What! shall he make prize of my daughter and she become a +slave-girl and be passed from hand to hand and sent for a gift to +kings, and they lie with her without a contract? By the virtue of +the Messiah and the true faith, I will not desist till I have +taken my revenge for this and wiped out my disgrace, and indeed I +will do a deed that the chroniclers shall chronicle after me.' So +he took patience till he had devised a plot and laid great +snares, when he sent an embassy to thy father King Omar, to tell +him that which thou hast heard so that thy father equipped thee +and an army with thee and sent thee to him, Afridoun's object +being to lay hold of thee and thine army with thee. As for the +three jewels of which he told thy father, he spoke not the truth +of them; for they were with Sufiyeh and my father took them from +her, when she fell into his hands, she and her maidens, and gave +them to me, and they are now with me. So go thou to thy troops +and turn them back, ere they fare farther into the land of the +Franks and the country of the Greeks; for as soon as you are come +far enough into the inward of the country, they will stop the +roads upon you, and there will be no escape for you from their +hands till the day of rewards and punishments. I know that thy +troops are still where thou leftest them, because thou didst +order them to halt there three days; and they have missed thee +all this time and know not what to do." When Sherkan heard her +words, he was absent awhile in thought then he kissed Abrizeh's +hand and said, "Praise be to God who hath bestowed thee on me and +appointed thee to be the cause of my salvation and that of those +who are with me! But it is grievous to me to part from thee and I +know not what will become of thee after my departure." Quoth she, +"Go now to thy troops and lead them back, whilst ye are yet near +your own country. If the ambassadors are still with them, lay +hands on them, that the case may be made manifest to thee, and +after three days I will rejoin thee and we will all enter Baghdad +together; but forget thou not the compact between us." Then she +rose to bid him farewell and assuage the fire of longing; so she +took leave of him and embraced him and wept sore; whereupon +passion and desire were sore upon him and he also wept and +repeated the following verses: + +I bade her farewell, whilst my right hand was wiping my eyes, And + still with my left, the while, I held her in close embrace. +Then, "Fearest thou not disgrace?" quoth she; and I answered, + "No. Sure, on the parting-day, for lovers there's no + disgrace!" + +Then Sherkan left her and went without the monastery, where they +brought him his horse and he mounted and rode down the bank of +the stream, till he came to the bridge, and crossing it, entered +the forest. As soon as he was clear of the trees and came to the +open country, he was aware of three horsemen pricking towards +him. So he drew his sword and rode on cautiously: but as they +drew near he recognized them and behold, it was the Vizier Dendan +and two of his officers. When they saw him and knew him, they +dismounted and saluting him, asked the reason of his absence, +whereupon he told them all that had passed between him and the +princess Abrizeh from first to last. The Vizier returned thanks +to God the Most High for his safety and said, "Let us at once +depart hence, for the ambassadors that were with us are gone to +inform their king of our arrival, and belike he will hasten to +fall on us and seize us." So they rode on in haste, till they +came to the camp, when Sherkan commanded to depart forthright, +and the army set out and journeyed by forced marches for five +days, at the end of which time they alighted in a thickly wooded +valley, where they rested awhile. Then they set out again and +fared on till they came to the frontiers of their own country. +Here they felt themselves in safety and halted to rest; and the +country people came out to them with guest-gifts and victual and +fodder for the cattle. They lay there and rested two days; after +which Sherkan bade the Vizier Dendan fare forward to Baghdad with +his troops, and he did so. But Sherkan himself abode behind with +a hundred horse, till the rest of the army had been gone a day, +when he mounted, he and his men, and fared on two parasangs' +space, till they came to a narrow pass between two mountains and +behold, there arose a great cloud of dust in their front. So they +halted their horses awhile, till the dust lifted and discovered a +hundred cavaliers, as they were fierce lions, cased in complete +steel As soon as they came within earshot of Sherkan and his men, +they cried out to them, saying, "By John and Mary, we have gotten +what we hoped! We have been following you by forced marches, +night and day, till we forewent you in this place. So alight and +lay down your arms and yield yourselves, that we may grant you +your lives." When Sherkan heard this, his eyes rolled and his +cheeks flushed and he said, "O dogs of Nazarenes, how dare ye +enter our country and set foot on our earth? And doth not this +suffice you, but ye must adventure yourselves and give us such +words as these? Do ye think to escape out of our hands and return +to your country?" Then he cried out to his hundred horse, saying, +"Up and at these dogs, for they are even as you in number!" So +saying, he drew his sword and drove at them, without further +parley, he and his hundred men. The Franks received them with +hearts stouter than stone, and they met, man to man. Then fell +champion upon champion and there befell a sore strife and great +was the terror and the roar of the battle; nor did they leave +jousting and foining and smiting with swords, till the day +departed and the night came with the darkness; when they drew +apart, and Sherkan mustered his men and found them all unhurt, +save four who were slightly wounded. Then said he to them, "By +Allah, all my life I have waded in the surging sea of war and +battle, but never saw I any so firm and stout in sword-play and +shock of men as these warriors!" "Know, O King," replied they, +"that there is among them a Frank cavalier, who is their leader, +and indeed he is a man of valour and his strokes are terrible: +but, by Allah, he spares us, great and small; for whoso falls +into his hands, he lets him go and forbears to slay him. By +Allah, an he would, he could kill us all!" When Sherkan heard +this, he was confounded and said, "To-morrow, we will draw out +and defy them to single combat, for we are a hundred to their +hundred; and we will seek help against them from the Lord of the +heavens." Meanwhile, the Franks came to their leader and said to +him, "Of a truth, we have not come by our desire of these this +day." "To-morrow," quoth he, "we will draw out and joust against +them, one by one." So they passed the night in this mind, and +both camps kept watch till the morning. As soon as God the Most +High brought on the day, King Sherkan mounted, with his hundred +horse, and they betook themselves to the field, where they found +the Franks ranged in battle array, and Sherkan said to his men, +"Verily, our enemies are of the same mind as we; so up and at +them briskly." Then came forth a herald of the Franks and cried +out, saying, "Let there be no fighting betwixt us to-day, except +by way of single combat, a champion of yours against one of +ours!" Thereupon one of Sherkan's men came out from the ranks and +spurring between the two parties, cried out, "Who is for +jousting? Who is for fighting? Let no laggard nor weakling come +out against me to-day!" Hardly had he made an end of speaking, +when there sallied forth to him a Frankish horseman, armed +cap-a-pie and clad in cloth of gold, riding on a gray horse, and +he had no hair on his cheeks. He drove his horse into the midst +of the field and the two champions fell to cutting and thrusting, +nor was it long before the Frank smote the Muslim with his lance +and unhorsing him, took him prisoner and bore him off in triumph. +At this, his comrades rejoiced and forbidding him to go out +again, sent forth another to the field, to whom sallied out a +second Muslim, the brother of the first. The two drove at each +other and fought for a little, till the Frank ran at the Muslim +and throwing him off his guard by a feint, smote him with the +butt-end of his spear and unhorsed him and took him prisoner. +After this fashion, the Muslims ceased not to come forth and the +Franks to unhorse them and take them prisoner, till the day +departed and the night came with the darkness. Now they had +captured twenty cavaliers of the Muslims, and when Sherkan saw +this, it was grievous to him, and he mustered his men and said to +them, "What is this thing that hath befallen us? To-morrow +morning, I myself will go out into the field and seek to joust +with their chief and learn his reason for entering our country +and warn him against fighting. If he persist, we will do battle +with him, and if he proffer peace, we will make peace with him." +They passed the night thus, and when God brought on the day, both +parties mounted and drew out in battle array. Then Sherkan was +about to sally forth, when behold, more than half of the Franks +dismounted and marched on foot, before one of them, who was +mounted, to the midst of the field. Sherkan looked at this +cavalier and behold, he was their chief. He was clad in a tunic +of blue satin and a close-ringed shirt of mail; his face was as +the full moon at its rising and he had no hair on his cheeks. In +his hand he held a sword of Indian steel, and he was mounted on a +black horse with a white star, like a dirhem, on his forehead. He +spurred into the midst of the field and signing to the Muslims, +cried out with fluent speech in the Arabic tongue, saying, "Ho, +Sherkan! Ho, son of Omar ben Ennuman, thou that stormest the +citadels and layest waste the lands, up and out to joust and +battle with him who halves the field with thee! Thou art prince +of thy people and I am prince of mine; and whoso hath the upper +hand, the other's men shall come under his sway." Hardly had he +made an end of speaking, when out came Sherkan, with a heart full +of wrath, and spurring his horse into the midst of the field, +drove like an angry lion at the Frank, who awaited him with calm +and steadfastness and met him as a champion should. Then they +fell to cutting and thrusting, nor did they cease to wheel and +turn and give and take, as they were two mountains clashing +together or two seas breaking one against the other, till the day +departed and the night brought on the darkness, when they drew +apart and returned, each to his people. As soon as Sherkan +reached his comrades, he said to them, "Never in my life saw I +the like of this cavalier; and he has one fashion I never yet +beheld in any. It is that, when he has a chance of dealing his +adversary a deadly blow, he reverses his lance and smites him +with the butt. Of a truth, I know not what will be the issue +between him and me; but I would we had in our army his like and +the like of his men." Then he passed the night in sleep, and when +it was morning, the Frank spurred out to the mid-field, where +Sherkan met him, and they fell to fighting and circling one about +the other, whilst all necks were stretched out to look at them; +nor did they cease from battle and swordplay and thrusting with +spears, till the day departed and the night came with the +darkness, when they drew asunder and returned each to his own +camp. Then each related to his comrades what had befallen him +with his adversary, and the Frank said to his men, "To-morrow +shall decide the matter." So they both passed the night in sleep, +and as soon as it was day, they mounted and drove at each other +and ceased not to fight till the middle of the day. Then the +Frank made a shift, first spurring his horse and then checking +him with the bridle, so that he stumbled and threw him; whereupon +Sherkan fell on him and was about to smite him with his sword and +make an end of the long strife, when the Frank cried out, "O +Sherkan, this is not the fashion of champions! It is only the +beaten[FN#18] who deal thus with women." When Sherkan heard this, +he raised his eyes to the Frank's face and looking straitly at +him, knew him for none other than the princess Abrizeh, whereupon +he threw the sword from his hand and kissing the earth before +her, said to her, "What moved thee to do this thing?" Quoth she, +"I was minded to prove thee in the field and try thy stoutness in +battle. These that are with me are all of them my women, and they +are all maids; yet have they overcome thy horsemen in fair fight; +and had not my horse stumbled with me, thou shouldst have seen my +strength and prowess." Sherkan smiled at her speech and said, +"Praised be God for safety and for my reunion with thee, O queen +of the age!" Then she cried out to her damsels to loose the +prisoners and dismount. They did as she bade and came and kissed +the earth before her and Sherkan, who said to them, "It is the +like of you that kings treasure up against the hour of need." +Then he signed to his comrades to salute the princess; so they +dismounted all and kissed the earth before her, for they knew the +story. After this, the whole two hundred mounted and rode day and +night for six days' space, till they drew near to Baghdad when +they halted and Sherkan made Abrizeh and her companions put off +their male attire and don the dress of the women of the Greeks. +Then he despatched a company of his men to Baghdad to acquaint +his father with his arrival in company with the princess Abrizeh, +daughter of King Herdoub, to the intent that he might send some +one to meet her. They passed the night in that place, and when +God the Most High brought on the day, Sherkan and his company +took horse and fared on towards the city. On the way, they met +the Vizier Dendan, who had come out with a thousand horse, by +commandment of King Omar, to do honour to the princess Abrizeh +and to Sherkan. When they drew near, the Vizier and his company +dismounted and kissed the earth before the prince and princess, +then mounted again and escorted them, till they reached the city +and came to the palace. Sherkan went in to his father, who rose +and embraced him and questioned him of what had happened. So he +told him all that had befallen him, including what the princess +Abrizeh had told him and what had passed between them and how she +had left her father and her kingdom and had chosen to depart and +take up her abode with them. And he said to his father, "Indeed, +the King of Constantinople had plotted to do us a mischief, +because of his daughter Sufiyeh, for that the King of Caesarea +had made known to him her history and the manner of her being +made a gift to thee, he not knowing her to be King Afridoun's +daughter; else would he have restored her to her father. And of a +verity, we were only saved from these perils by the lady Abrizeh, +and never saw I a more valiant than she!" And he went on to tell +his father of the wrestling and the jousting from beginning to +end. When King Omar heard his son's story, Abrizeh was exalted in +his eyes, and he longed to see her and sent Sherkan to fetch her. +So Sherkan went out to her and said, "The king calls for thee." +She replied, "I hear and obey;" and he took her and brought her +in to his father, who was seated on his throne, attended only by +the eunuchs, having dismissed his courtiers and officers. The +princess entered and kissing the ground before him, saluted him +in choice terms. He was amazed at her fluent speech and thanked +her for her dealing with his son Sherkan and bade her be seated. +So she sat down and uncovered her face, which when the king saw, +his reason fled and he made her draw near and showed her especial +favour, appointing her a palace for herself and her damsels and +assigning them due allowances. Then he asked her of the three +jewels aforesaid, and she replied, "O King of the age, they are +with me." So saying, she rose and going to her lodging, opened +her baggage and brought out a box, from which she took a casket +of gold. She opened the casket and taking out the three jewels, +kissed them and gave them to the King and went away, taking his +heart with her. Then the king sent for his son Sherkan and gave +him one of the three jewels. Sherkan enquired of the other two, +and the King replied, "O my son, I mean to give one to thy +brother Zoulmekan and the other to thy sister Nuzhet ez Zeman." +When Sherkan heard that he had a brother (for up to that time he +had only known of his sister) he turned to his father and said to +him, "O King, hast thou a son other than myself?" "Yes," answered +Omar, "and he is now six years old." And he told him that his +name was Zoulmekan and that he and Nuzhet ez Zeman were twins, +born at a birth. This news was grievous to Sherkan, but he hid +his chagrin and said, "The blessing of God the Most High be upon +them!" And he threw the jewel from his hand and shook the dust +off his clothes. Quoth his father, "What made thee change colour, +when I told thee of this, seeing that the kingdom is assured to +thee after me? For, verily, the troops have sworn to thee and the +Amirs and grandees have taken the oath of succession to thee; and +this one of the three jewels is thine." At this, Sherkan bowed +his head and was ashamed to bandy words with his father: so he +accepted the jewel and went away, knowing not what to do for +excess of anger, and stayed not till he reached the princess +Abrizeh's palace. When she saw him, she rose to meet him and +thanked him for what he had done and called down blessings on him +and his father. Then she sat down and made him sit by her side. +After awhile, she saw anger in his face and questioned him, +whereupon he told her that God had vouchsafed his father two +children, a boy and a girl, by Sufiyeh, and that he had named the +boy Zoulmekan and the girl Nuzhet ez Zeman. "He has given me one +of the jewels," continued he, "and kept the other two for them. I +knew not of Zoulmekan's birth till this day, and he is now six +years old. So when I learnt this, wrath possessed me and I threw +down the jewel: and I tell thee the reason of my anger and hide +nothing from thee. But I fear lest the King take thee to wife, +for he loves thee and I saw in him signs of desire for thee: so +what wilt thou say, if he wish this?" "Know, O Sherkan," replied +the princess, "that thy father has no dominion over me, nor can +he take me without my consent; and if he take me by force, I will +kill myself. As for the three jewels, it was not my intent that +he should give them to either of his children and I had no +thought but that he would lay them up with his things of price in +his treasury; but now I desire of thy favour that thou make me a +present of the jewel that he gave thee, if thou hast accepted +it." "I hear and obey," replied Sherkan and gave her the jewel. +Then said she, "Fear nothing," and talked with him awhile. +Presently she said, "I fear lest my father hear that I am with +you and sit not down with my loss, but do his endeavour to come +at me; and to that end he may ally himself with King Afridoun and +both come on thee with armies and so there befall a great +turmoil." "O my lady," replied Sherkan, "if it please thee to +sojourn with us, take no thought of them, though all that be in +the earth and in the ocean gather themselves together against +us!" "It is well," rejoined she; "if ye entreat me well, I will +tarry with you, and if ye deal evilly by me, I will depart from +you." Then she bade her maidens bring food; so they set the +tables, and Sherkan ate a little and went away to his own house, +anxious and troubled. + +Meanwhile, King Omar betook himself to the lodging of the lady +Sufiyeh, who rose to her feet, when she saw him, and stood till +he was seated. Presently, his two children, Zoulmekan and Nuzbet +ez Zeman, came to him, and he kissed them and hung a jewel round +each one's neck, at which they rejoiced and kissed his hands. +Then they went to their mother, who rejoiced in them and wished +the King long life; and he said to her, "Why hast thou not told +me, all this time, that thou art King Afridoun's daughter, that I +might have advanced thee and enlarged thee in dignity and used +thee with increase of honour and consideration?" "O King," +replied Sufiyeh, "what could I desire greater or more exalted +than this my standing with thee, overwhelmed as I am with thy +favours and thy goodness? And God to boot hath blessed me by thee +with two children, a son and a daughter." Her answer pleased the +King and he set apart for her and her children a splendid palace. +Moreover, he appointed for their service eunuchs and attendants +and doctors and sages and astrologers and physicians and surgeons +and in every way redoubled in favour and munificence towards +them. Nevertheless, he was greatly occupied with love of the +princess Abrizeh and burnt with desire of her night and day; and +every night, he would go in to her, and talk with her and pay his +court to her, but she gave him no answer, saying only, "O King of +the age, I have no desire for men at this present." When he saw +that she repelled him, his passion and longing increased till, at +last, when he was weary of this, he called his Vizier Dendan and +opening his heart to him, told him how love for the princess +Abrizeh was killing him and how she refused to yield to his +wishes and he could get nothing of her. Quoth the Vizier, "As +soon as it is dark night, do thou take a piece of henbane, the +bigness of a diner, and go in to her and drink wine with her. +When the hour of leave-taking draws near, fill a last cup and +dropping the henbane in it, give it to her to drink, and she will +not reach her sleeping chamber, ere the drug take effect on her. +Then do thou go in to her and take thy will of her." "Thy counsel +is good," said the King, and going to his treasury, took thence a +piece of concentrated henbane, which if an elephant smelt, he +would sleep from year to year. He put it in his bosom and waited +till some little of the night was past, when he betook himself to +the palace of the princess, who rose to receive him; but he bade +her sit down. So she sat down, and he by her, and he began to +talk with her of drinking, whereupon she brought the table of +wine and set it before him. Then she set on the drinking-vessels, +and lighted the candles and called for fruits and confections and +sweetmeats and all that pertains to drinking. So they fell to +drinking and ceased not to carouse, till drunkenness crept into +the princess's head. When the King saw this, he took out the +piece of henbane and holding it between his fingers, filled a cup +and drank it off; then filled another cup, into which he dropped +the henbane, unseen of Abrizeh, and saying, "Thy health!" +presented it to her. She took it and drank it off; then rose and +went to her sleeping-chamber. He waited awhile, till he was +assured that the drug had taken effect on her and gotten the +mastery of her senses, when he went in to her and found her lying +on her back, with a lighted candle at her head and another at her +feet. She had put off her trousers, and the air raised the skirt +of her shift and discovered what was between her thighs. When the +King saw this, he took leave of his senses for desire and Satan +tempted him and he could not master himself, but put off his +trousers and fell upon her and did away her maidenhead. Then he +went out and said to one of her women, by name Merjaneh, "Go in +to thy mistress, for she calls for thee." So she went in to the +princess and found her lying on her back, with the blood running +down her thighs; whereupon she took a handkerchief and wiped away +the blood and tended her mistress and lay by her that night. As +soon as it was day, she washed the princess's hands and feet and +bathed her face and mouth with rose-water, whereupon she sneezed +and yawned and cast up the henbane. Then she revived and washed +her hands and mouth and said to Merjaneh, "Tell me what has +befallen me." So she told her what had passed and how she had +found her, lying on her back, with the blood running down her +thighs, wherefore she knew that the King had played the traitor +with her and had undone her and taken his will of her. At this +she was afflicted and shut herself up, saying to her damsels, +"Let no one come in to me and say to all that I am ill, till I +see what God will do with me." The news of her illness came to +the King, and he sent her cordials and sherbet of sugar and +confections. Some months passed thus, during which time the +King's flame subsided and his desire for her cooled, so that he +abstained from her. Now she had conceived by him, and in due +time, her pregnancy appeared and her belly swelled, wherefore the +world was straitened upon her and she said to her maid Merjaneh, +"Know that it is not the folk who have wronged me, but I who +sinned against myself in that I left my father and mother and +country. Indeed, I abhor life, for my heart is broken and I have +neither courage nor strength left. I used, when I mounted my +horse, to have the mastery of him, but now I have no strength +to ride. If I be brought to bed in this place, I shall be +dishonoured among my women, and every one in the palace will know +that he has taken my maidenhead in the way of shame; and if I +return to my father, with what face shall I meet him or have +recourse to him? How well says the poet: + +Wherewith shall I be comforted, that am of all bereft, To whom + nor folk nor home nor friend nor dwelling-place is left?" + +Quoth Merjaneh, "It is for thee to command; I will obey." And +Abrizeh said, "I would fain leave this place privily, so that +none shall know of me but thou, and return to my father and +mother; for when flesh stinketh, there is nought for it but its +own folk, and God shall do with me as He will." "It is well, O +princess," replied Merjaneh. So she made ready in secret and +waited awhile, till the King went out to hunt and Sherkan betook +himself to certain of the fortresses to sojourn there awhile. +Then she said to Merjaneh, "I wish to set out to-night, but how +shall I do? For already I feel the pangs of labour, and if I +abide other four or five days, I shall be brought to bed here, +and how then can I go to my country? But this is what was written +on my forehead." Then she considered awhile and said, "Look us +out a man who will go with us and serve us by the way, for I have +no strength to bear arms." "By Allah, O my lady," replied +Merjaneh, "I know none but a black slave called Ghezban, who is +one of the slaves of King Omar ben Ennuman; he is a stout fellow +and keeps guard at the gate of our palace. The King appointed him +to attend us, and indeed we have overwhelmed him with favours. I +will go out and speak with him of the matter and promise him +money and tell him that, if he have a mind to tarry with us, we +will marry him to whom he will. He told me before to-day that he +had been a highwayman; so if he consent, we shall have our desire +and come to our own country." "Call him, that I may talk with +him," said the princess. So Merjaneh went out and said to the +slave, "O Ghezban, God prosper thee, do thou fall in with what my +lady says to thee." Then she took him by the hand and brought him +to Abrizeh. He kissed the princess's hands and when she saw him, +her heart took fright at him, but she said to herself, "Necessity +is imperious," and to him, "O Ghezban, wilt thou help us against +the perfidies of fortune and keep my secret, if I discover it to +thee?" When the slave saw her, his heart was taken by storm and +he fell in love with her forthright, and could not choose but +answer, "O my mistress, whatsoever thou biddest me do, I will not +depart from it." Quoth she, "I would have thee take me and this +my maid and saddle us two camels and two of the king's horses and +set on each horse a saddle-bag of stuff and somewhat of victual, +and go with us to our own country; where, if thou desire to abide +with us, I will marry thee to her thou shalt choose of my +damsels; or if thou prefer to return to thine own country, we +will send thee thither, with as much money as will content thee." +When Ghezban heard this, he rejoiced greatly and replied, "O my +lady, I will serve thee faithfully and will go at once and saddle +the horses." Then he went away, rejoicing and saying in himself, +"I shall get my will of them; and if they will not yield to me, I +will kill them and take their riches." But this his intent he +kept to himself and presently returned, mounted on one horse and +leading other two and two camels. He brought the horses to the +princess, who mounted one and made Merjaneh mount the other, +albeit she was suffering from the pains of labour and could +scarce possess herself for anguish. Then they set out and +journeyed night and day through the passes of the mountains, till +there remained but a day's journey between them and their own +country, when the pangs of travail came upon Abrizeh and she +could no longer sit her horse. So she said to Ghezban, "Set me +down, for the pains of labour are upon me," and cried to +Merjaneh, saying, "Do thou alight and sit down by me and deliver +me." They both drew rein and dismounting from their horses, +helped the princess to alight, and she aswoon for stress of pain. +When Ghezban saw her on the ground, Satan entered into him and he +drew his sabre and brandishing it in her face, said, "O my lady, +vouchsafe me thy favours." With this, she turned to him and said, +"It were a fine thing that I should yield to black slaves, after +having I refused kings and princes!" And she was wroth with him +and said, "What words are these? Out on thee! Do not talk thus in +my presence and know that I will never consent to what thou +sayst, though I drink the cup of death. Wait till I have cast my +burden and am delivered of the after-birth, and after, if thou be +able thereto, do with me as thou wilt; but, an thou leave not +lewd talk at this time, I will slay myself and leave the world +and be at peace from all this." And she recited the following +verses: + +O Ghezban, unhand me and let me go freer Sure, fortune is heavy + enough upon me. +My Lord hath forbidden me whoredom. "The fire Shall be the + transgressor's last dwelling," quoth He: +So look not on me with the eye of desire, For surely to lewdness + I may not agree; +And if thou respect not mine honour and God Nor put away filthy + behaviour from thee, +I will call with my might on the men of my tribe And draw them + ail hither from upland and lea. +Were I hewn, limb from limb, with the Yemani sword, Yet never a + lecher my visage should see +Of the freeborn and mighty; so how then should I Let a whoreson + black slave have possession of me? + +When Ghezban heard this, he was exceeding angry; his eyes grew +bloodshot and his face became of the colour of dust; his nostrils +swelled, his lips protruded and the terrors of his aspect +redoubled. And he repeated the following verses: + +Abrizeh, have mercy nor leave me to sigh, Who am slain by the + glance of thy Yemani eye![FN#19] +My body is wasted, my patience at end, And my heart for thy + cruelty racked like to die. +Thy glances with sorcery ravish all hearts; My reason is distant + and passion is nigh. +Though thou drewst to thy succour the world full of troops, I'd + not stir till my purpose accomplished had I. + +Thereupon Abrizeh wept sore and said to him, "Out on thee, O +Ghezban! How darest thou demand this of me, O son of shame and +nursling of lewdness? Dost thou think all folk are alike!" When +the pestilent slave heard this, he was enraged and his eyes +reddened: and he came up to her and smote her with the sword on +her neck and killed her. Then he made off into the mountains, +driving her horse before him with the treasure. In the agonies of +death, she gave birth to a son, like the moon, and Merjaneh took +him and laid him by her side, after doing him the necessary +offices; and behold, the child fastened to its mother's breast, +and she dead. When Merjaneh saw this, she cried out grievously +and rent her clothes and cast dust on her head and buffeted her +cheeks, till the blood came, saying, "Alas, my mistress! Alas, +the pity of it! Thou art dead by the hand of a worthless black +slave, after all thy prowess!" As she sat weeping, there arose a +great cloud of dust and darkened the plain; but, after awhile, it +lifted and discovered a numerous army. Now this was the army of +King Herdoub, the princess Abrizeh's father, who, hearing that +his daughter had fled to Baghdad, she and her maidens, and that +they were with King Omar ben Ennuman, had come out with his +troops to seek tidings of her from travellers who might have seen +her with King Omar at Baghdad. When he had gone a day's journey +from his capital, he espied three horsemen afar off and made +towards them, thinking to ask whence they came and seek news of +his daughter. Now these three were his daughter and Merjaneh and +Ghezban; and when the latter saw the troops drawing near, he +feared for himself; so he killed Abrizeh and fled. When they came +up and King Herdoub saw his daughter lying dead and Merjaneh +weeping over her, he threw himself from his horse and fell down +in a swoon. So all his company dismounted and pitching the tents, +set up a great pavilion for the King, without which stood the +grandees of the kingdom. At the sight of her lord the King, +Merjaneh's tears redoubled, and when he came to himself, he +questioned her and she told him all that had passed, how he that +had slain his daughter was a black slave, belonging to King Omar +ben Ennuman, and how the latter had dealt with the princess. When +King Herdoub heard this, the world grew black in his sight and he +wept sore. Then he called for a litter and laying his dead +daughter therein, returned to Caesarea and carried her into the +palace. Then he went in to his mother Dhat ed Dewahi and said to +her, "Shall the Muslims deal thus with my daughter? King Omar ben +Ennuman despoiled her by force of her honour and after this, one +of his black slaves slew her. By the Messiah, I will assuredly be +revenged for her and clear away the stain from my honour! Else I +shall kill myself with my own hand." And he wept passing sore. +Quoth his mother, "It was none other than Merjaneh killed her, +for she hated her in secret. But do not thou fret for taking +revenge for thy daughter, for, by the virtue of the Messiah, I +will not turn back from King Omar ben Ennuman, till I have slain +him and his sons; and I will assuredly do a deed, passing the +power of wise men and champions, of which the chroniclers shall +tell in all countries and places: but needs must thou obey me in +all I shall direct, for he who is firmly set on aught shall +surely compass his desire." "By the virtue of the Messiah," +replied he, "I will not cross thee in aught that thou shalt say!" +Then said she, "Bring me a number of damsels, high-bosomed maids, +and summon the wise men of the time and let them teach them +philosophy and the art of conversation and making verses and the +rules of behaviour before kings, and let them talk with them of +all manner of science and edifying knowledge. The sages must be +Muslims, that they may teach the damsels the language and +traditions of the Arabs, together with the history of the Khalifs +and the pedigree of the Kings of Islam; and if we persevere in +this for the space of four years, we shall attain our end. So +possess thy soul in patience and wait; for, as one of the Arabs +says, 'It is a little thing to wait forty years for one's +revenge.' When we have taught the girls these things, we shall be +able to do our will with our enemy, for he is a doting lover of +women and has three hundred and threescore concubines, to which +are now added a hundred of the flower of thy damsels, that were +with thy late daughter. So, as soon as we have made an end of +their education, I will take them and set out with them." When +the King heard his mother's words, he rejoiced and came up to her +and kissed her head. Then he rose at once and despatched +messengers and couriers to the ends of the earth, to fetch him +Muslim sages. So they betook them to distant lands and brought +him thence the sages and doctors whom he sought. When they were +before him, he made much of them and bestowed on them dresses of +honour, appointing them stipends and allowances and promising +them much money, whenas they should have taught the damsels. Then +he committed the latter to their charge, enjoining them to +instruct them in all manner of knowledge, sacred and profane, and +all polite accomplishments; and they set themselves to do his +bidding. + +As for King Omar ben Ennuman, when he returned from hunting, he +sought the princess Abrizeh, but found her not nor could any give +him news of her. This was grievous to him and he said, "How did +she leave the palace, unknown of any? Had my kingdom been at +stake in this, it were in a parlous case! Never again will I go +a-hunting till I have sent to the gates those who shall keep good +guard over them!" And he was sore vexed and heavy at heart for +the loss of the princess Abrizeh. Presently, his son Sherkan +returned from his journey; and he told him what had happened and +how the princess had fled, whilst he was absent a-hunting, +whereat he was greatly concerned. Then King Omar took to visiting +his children every day and making much of them and brought them +wise men and doctors, to teach them, appointing them stipends and +allowances. When Sherkan saw this, he was exceeding wroth and +jealous of his brother and sister, so that the signs of chagrin +appeared in his face and he ceased not to languish by reason of +this, till one day his father said to him, "What ails thee, that +I see thee grown weak in body and pale of face?" "O my father," +replied Sherkan, "every time I see thee fondle my brother and +sister and make much of them, jealousy seizes on me, and I fear +lest it grow on me, till I slay them and thou slay me in return. +This is the reason of my weakness of body and change of colour. +But now I crave of thy favour that thou give me one of thine +outlying fortresses, that I may abide there the rest of my life, +for as the byword says, 'It is better and fitter for me to be at +a distance from my friend; for when the eye seeth not, the heart +doth not grieve.'" And he bowed his head. When the King heard +Sherkan's words and knew the cause of his ailment, he soothed him +and said to him, "O my son, I grant thee this. I have not in my +realm a greater than the fortress of Damascus, and the government +of it is thine from this time." So saying, he called his +secretaries of state and bade them make out Sherkan's patent of +investiture to the viceroyalty of Damascus of Syria. Then he +equipped Sherkan and formally invested him with the office and +gave him his final instructions, enjoining him to policy and good +government; and the prince took leave of his father and the +grandees and officers of state and set out for his government, +taking with him the Vizier Dendan. When he arrived at Damascus, +the townspeople beat the drums and blew the trumpets and +decorated the city and came out to meet him in great state, +whilst all the notables and grandees walked in procession, each +according to his rank. + +Soon after Sherkan's departure, the governors of King Omar's +children presented themselves before him and said to him, "O our +lord, thy children's education is now complete and they are +versed in all polite accomplishments and in the rules of manners +and etiquette." At this the King rejoiced with an exceeding joy +and conferred bountiful largesse upon the wise men, seeing +Zoulmekan grown up and flourishing and skilled in horsemanship. +The prince had now reached the age of fourteen and occupied +himself with piety and devout exercises, loving the poor and wise +men and the students of the Koran, so that all the people of +Baghdad loved him, men and women. One day, the procession of the +Mehmil[FN#20] of Irak passed round Baghdad, previously to the +departure of the pilgrimage to the holy places[FN#21] and tomb of +the Prophet.[FN#22] When Zoulmekan saw the procession, he was +seized with longing to go on the pilgrimage; so he went in to his +father and said to him, "I come to ask thy leave to make the +pilgrimage." + +But his father forbade him, saying, "Wait till next year, and I +will go with thee." When Zoulmekan saw that the fulfilment of his +desire was postponed, he betook himself to his sister Nuzhet ez +Zeman, whom he found standing at prayer. As soon as she had made +an end of her devotions, he said to her, "I am dying of desire to +see the Holy House of God at Mecca and to visit the Prophet's +tomb. I asked my father's leave, but he forbade me: so I mean to +take somewhat of money and set out privily on the pilgrimage, +without his knowledge." "I conjure thee by Allah," exclaimed she, +"to take me with thee and that thou forbid me not to visit the +tomb of the Prophet, whom God bless and preserve!" And he +answered, "As soon as it is dark night, do thou leave this place, +without telling any, and come to me." Accordingly, she waited +till the middle of the night, when she donned a man's habit and +went to the gate of the palace, where she found Zoulmekan with +camels ready harnessed. So they mounted and riding after the +caravan, mingled with the Irak pilgrims, and God decreed them a +prosperous journey, so that they entered Mecca the Holy in +safety, standing upon Arafat and performing the various rites of +the pilgrimage. Then they paid a visit to the tomb of the Prophet +(whom God bless and preserve) and thought to return with the +pilgrims to their native land; but Zoulmekan said to his sister, +"O my sister, it is in my mind to visit Jerusalem and the tomb of +Abraham the friend of God (on whom be peace)." "I also desire to +do this," replied she. So they agreed upon this, and he went out +and took passage for himself and her and they made ready and +set out with a company of pilgrims bound for Jerusalem. That very +night she fell sick of an ague and was grievously ill, but +presently recovered, after which her brother also sickened. She +tended him during the journey, but the fever increased on him and +he grew weaker and weaker, till they arrived at Jerusalem, where +they alighted at a khan and hired a lodging there. Here they +abode some time, whilst Zoulmekan's weakness increased on him, +till he was wasted with sickness and became delirious. At this, +his sister was greatly afflicted and exclaimed, "There is no +power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme! It is +He who hath decreed this." They sojourned there awhile, his +sickness ever increasing and she tending him, till all their +money was spent and she had not so much as a dirhem left. Then +she sent a servant of the khan to the market, to sell some of her +clothes, and spent the price upon her brother; and so she sold +all she had, piece by piece, till she had nothing left but an old +rug; whereupon she wept and exclaimed, "God is the Orderer of the +past and the future!" Presently, her brother said to her, "O my +sister, I feel recovery drawing near and I long for a little +roast meat." "O my brother," replied she, "I am ashamed to beg; +but tomorrow I will enter some rich man's house and serve him and +earn somewhat for our living." Then she bethought herself awhile +and said, "It is hard to me to leave thee and thou in this state, +but I must perforce go." "God forbid!" rejoined he. "Thou wilt be +put to shame; but there is no power and no virtue but in God!" +And he wept and she wept too. Then she said, "O my brother, we +are strangers and this whole year have we dwelt here; yet none +hath knocked at our door. Shall we then die of hunger? I know no +resource but that I go out and earn somewhat to keep us alive, +till thou recover from thy sickness; when we will return to our +native land." She sat weeping with him awhile, after which she +rose and veiling her head with a camel-cloth, which the owner had +forgotten with them, embraced her brother and went forth, weeping +and knowing not whither she should go. Zoulmekan abode, awaiting +her return, till the evening; but she came not, and the night +passed and the morning came, but still she returned not; and so +two days went by. At this he was greatly troubled and his heart +fluttered for her, and hunger was sore upon him. At last he left +the chamber and calling the servant of the inn, bade him carry +him to the bazaar. So he carried him to the market and laid him +down there; and the people of Jerusalem came round him and were +moved to tears at his condition. He signed to them for somewhat +to eat; so they took money from some of the merchants and bought +food and fed him therewith; after which they carried him to a +shop, where they laid him on a mat of palm-leaves and set a +vessel of water at his head. At nightfall, they all went away, +sore concerned for him, and in the middle of the night, he called +to mind his sister, and his sickness redoubled on him, so that he +abstained from eating and drinking and became insensible. When +the people of the market saw him thus, they took thirty dirhems +for him from the merchants and hiring a camel, said to the +driver, "Carry this sick man to Damascus and leave him at the +hospital; peradventure he may be cured and recover his health." +"On my head be it!" replied he; but he said to himself, "How +shall I take this sick man to Damascus, and he nigh upon death?" +So he carried him away and hid with him till the night, when he +threw him down on the fuel-heap in the stoke-hole of a bath and +went his way. In the morning, the stoker of the bath came to his +work and finding Zoulmekan cast on his back on the fuel-heap, +exclaimed, "Could they find no other place in which to throw this +dead man?" So saying, he gave him a push with his foot, and he +moved, whereupon quoth the stoker, "This is some one who has +eaten hashish and thrown himself down at hazard." Then he looked +at him and saw that he had no hair on his face and was endowed +with grace and comeliness; so he took pity on him and knew that +he was sick and a stranger. "There is no power and no virtue but +in God!" said he "I have sinned against this youth; for indeed +the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve!) enjoins hospitality to +strangers." Then he lifted him up and carrying him to his own +house, committed him to his wife and bade her tend him. So she +spread him a bed and laid a cushion under his head, then heated +water and washed his hands and feet and face. Meanwhile, the +stoker went to the market and buying rose-water and sherbet of +sugar, sprinkled Zoulmekan's face with the one and gave him to +drink of the other. Then he fetched a clean shirt and put it on +him. With this, Zoulmekan scented the breeze of recovery and life +returned to him; and he sat up and leant against the pillow. At +this the stoker rejoiced and exclaimed, "O my God, I beseech +Thee, by Thy hidden mysteries, make the salvation of this youth +to be at my hands!" And he nursed him assiduously for three days, +giving him to drink of sherbet of sugar and willow-flower water +and rose-water and doing him all manner of service and kindness, +till health began to return to his body and he opened his eyes +and sat up. Presently the stoker came in and seeing him sitting +up and showing signs of amendment, said to him, "How dost thou +now, O my son?" "Thanks be to God," replied Zoulmekan, "I am well +and like to recover, if so He please." The stoker praised the +Lord of All for this and going to the market, bought ten +chickens, which he carried to his wife and said to her, "Kill two +of these for him every day, one in the morning and the other at +nightfall." So she rose and killed a fowl, then boiling it, +brought it to him and fed him with the flesh and gave him the +broth to drink. When he had done eating, she brought hot water +and he washed his hands and lay back upon the pillow; whereupon +she covered him up and he slept till the time of afternoon-prayer. +Then she killed another fowl and boiled it; after which she cut +it up and bringing it to Zoulmekan, said, "Eat, O my son!" +Presently, her husband entered and seeing her feeding him, sat +down at his head and said to him, "How is it with thee now, O my +son?" "Thanks be to God for recovery!" replied he. "May He +requite thee thy goodness to me!" At this the stoker rejoiced +and going out, bought sherbet of violets and rose-water and made +him drink it. Now his day's earnings at the bath were five +dirhems, of which he spent every day two dirhems for Zoulmekan, +one for sweet waters and sherbets and another for fowls; and he +ceased not to entreat him thus kindly for a whole month, till +the trace of illness ceased from him and he was quite recovered +whereupon the stoker and his wife rejoiced and the former +said to him, "O my son, wilt thou go with me to the bath?" +"Willingly," replied he. So the stoker went to the market and +fetched an ass, on which he mounted Zoulmekan and supported him +in the saddle, till they came to the bath Then he made him alight +and sit down, whilst he repaired to the market and bought +lote-leaves and lupin-meal,[FN#23] with which he returned to the +bath and said to Zoulmekan, "O my son, in the name of God, enter, +and I will wash thy body." So they both entered the inner room of +the bath, and the stoker fell to rubbing Zoulmekan's legs and was +going on to wash his body with the lote-leaves and powder, when +there came to them a bathman, whom the keeper of the bath had +sent to Zoulmekan, and seeing the stoker rubbing and washing the +latter, said to him, "This is trespassing on the keeper's +rights." "By Allah," replied the stoker, "the master overwhelms +us with his favours!" Then the bathman proceeded to shave +Zoulmekan's head, after which he and the stoker washed and +returned to the latter's house, where he clad Zoulmekan in a +shirt of fine stuff and a tunic of his own and gave him a +handsome turban and girdle and wound a silken kerchief about his +neck. Meanwhile the stoker's wife had killed two chickens and +cooked them for him; so, as soon as Zoulmekan entered and seated +himself on the couch, the stoker arose and dissolving sugar in +willow-flower water, made him drink it. Then he brought the tray +of food and cutting up the chickens, fed him with the meat and +broth, till he was satisfied, when he washed his hands and +praised God for recovery, saying to the stoker, "It is to thee, +under God the Most High, that I owe my life!" "Leave this talk," +replied the stoker, "and tell us the manner of thy coming to this +city and whence thou art; for I see signs of gentle breeding in +thy face." "Tell me first how thou camest to fall in with me," +said Zoulmekan; "and after I will tell thee my story." "As +for that," rejoined the stoker, "I found thee lying on the +rubbish-heap, by the door of the stoke-house, as I went to my +work, near the morning, and knew not who had thrown thee down +there. So I carried thee home with me; and this all I have to +tell." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Glory to Him who quickens the bones, +though they be rotten! Indeed, O my brother, thou hast not done +good to one who is unworthy, and thou shalt reap the reward of +this. But where am I now?" "In the city of Jerusalem," replied +the stoker; whereupon Zoulmekan called to mind his strangerhood +and his separation from his sister and wept. Then he discovered +his secret to the stoker and told him his story, repeating the +following verses: + +They heaped up passion on my soul, beyond my strength to bear, + And for their sake my heart is racked with weariness and + care. +Ah, be ye pitiful to me, O cruel that ye are, For e'en my foes do + pity me, since you away did fare! +Grudge not to grant unto mine eyes a passing glimpse of you, To + ease the longing of my soul and lighten my despair. +I begged my heart to arm itself with patience for your loss. + "Patience was never of my wont," it answered; "so forbear." + +Then he redoubled his weeping, and the stoker said to him, "Weep +not, but rather praise God for safety and recovery." Quoth +Zoulmekan, "How far is it hence to Damascus?" "Six days' +journey," answered the stoker "Wilt thou send me thither?" asked +Zoulmekan. "O my lord," replied the stoker, "how can I let thee +go alone, and thou a young lad and a stranger? If thou be minded +to make the journey to Damascus, I will go with thee; and if my +wife will listen to me and accompany me, I will take up my abode +there; for it goes to my heart to part with thee." Then said he +to his wife, "Wilt thou go with me to Damascus or wilt thou abide +here, whilst I bring this my lord thither and return to thee? For +he is bent upon, going to Damascus, and by Allah, it is hard to +me to part with him, and I fear for him from the highway +robbers." Quoth she, "I will go with you." And he said, "Praised +be God for accord!" Then he rose and selling all his own and his +wife's gear, bought a camel and hired an ass for Zoulmekan; and +they set out and reached Damascus at nightfall after six days' +journey. They alighted there, and the stoker went to the market +and bought meat and drink. They had dwelt but five days in +Damascus, when his wife sickened and after a few days' illness, +was translated to the mercy of God. The stoker mourned for her +with an exceeding grief, and her death was no light matter to +Zoulmekan, for she had tended him assiduously and he was grown +used to her. Presently, he turned to the stoker and finding him +mourning, said to him, "Do not grieve, for we must all go in at +this gate."[FN#24] "God requite thee with good, O my son!" +replied the stoker. "Surely He will compensate us with his +bounties and cause our mourning to cease. What sayst thou, O my +son? Shall we walk abroad to view Damascus and cheer our +spirits?" "Thy will is mine," replied Zoulmekan. So the stoker +took him by the hand, and they sallied forth and walked on, till +they came to the stables of the Viceroy of Damascus, where they +found camels laden with chests and carpets and brocaded stuffs +and saddle-horses and Bactrian camels and slaves, white and +black, and folk running to and fro and a great bustle. Quoth +Zoulmekan, "I wonder to whom all these camels and stuffs and +servants belong!" So he asked one of the slaves, and he replied, +"These are presents that the Viceroy of Damascus is sending to +King Omar ben Ennuman, with the tribute of Syria." When Zoulmekan +heard his father's name, his eyes filled with tears and he +repeated the following verses: + +Ye that are far removed from my desireful sight, Ye that within + my heart are sojourners for aye, +Your comeliness is gone and life no more for me Is sweet, nor + will the pains of longing pass away. +If God one day decree reunion of our loves, How long a tale of + woes my tongue will have to say! + +Then he wept and the stoker said to him, "O my son, thou art +hardly yet recovered; so take heart and do not weep, for I fear a +relapse for thee." And he applied himself to comfort him and +cheer him, whilst Zoulmekan sighed and bemoaned his strangerhood +and separation from his sister and his family and repeated the +following verses, with tears streaming from his eyes: + +Provide thee for the world to come, for needs must thou be gone; + Or soon or late, for every one the lot of death is drawn. +Thy fortune in this world is but delusion and regret; Thy life in + it but vanity and empty chaff and awn. +The world, indeed, is but as 'twere a traveller's halting-place, + Who makes his camels kneel at eve and fares on with the + dawn. + +And he continued to weep and lament, whilst the stoker wept too +for the loss of his wife, yet ceased not to comfort Zoulmekan +till the morning. When the sun rose, he said to him, "Meseems +thou yearnest for thy native land?" "Even so," replied Zoulmekan, +"and I may not tarry here; so I will commend thee to God's care +and set out with these people and journey with them, little by +little, till I come to my country." "And I with thee," said the +stoker; "for I cannot bear to part with thee. I have done thee +service, and I mean to complete it by tending thee on the way." +At this, Zoulmekan rejoiced and said, "May God abundantly requite +thee for me!" Then the stoker went out and selling the camel, +bought another ass, which he brought to Zoulmekan, saying, "This +is for thee to ride by the way; and when thou art weary of +riding, thou canst dismount and walk." "May God bless thee and +help me to requite thee!" said Zoulmekan. "Indeed, thou hast +dealt with me more lovingly than one with his brother." Then the +stoker provided himself with victual for the journey, and they +waited till it was dark night, when they laid their provisions +and baggage on the ass and set out on their journey. + +To return to Nuzhet ez Zeman, when she left her brother in the +khan and went out to seek service with some one, that she might +earn wherewith to buy him the roast meat he longed for, she fared +on, weeping and knowing not whither to go, whilst her mind was +occupied with concern for her brother and with thoughts of her +family and her native land. And she implored God the Most High to +do away these afflictions from them and repeated the following +verses: + +The shadows darken and passion stirs up my sickness amain, And + longing rouses within me the old desireful pain. +The anguish of parting hath taken its sojourn in my breast, And + love and longing and sorrow have maddened heart and brain. +Passion hath made me restless and longing consumes my soul And + tears discover the secret that else concealed had lain. +I know of no way to ease me of sickness and care and woe, Nor can + my weak endeavour reknit love's severed skein. +The fire of my heart with yearnings and longing grief is fed And + for its heat, the lover to live in hell is fain. +O thou that thinkest to blame me for what betides me, enough; God + knows I suffer with patience whate'er He doth ordain. +I swear I shall ne'er find solace nor be consoled for love, The + oath of the children of passion, whose oaths are ne'er in + vain! +Bear tidings of me, I prithee, O night, to the bards of love And + that in thee I sleep not be witness yet again! + +She walked on, weeping and turning right and left, as she went, +till there espied her an old man who had come into the town from +the desert with other five Bedouins. He took note of her and +seeing that she was charming, but had nothing on her head but a +piece of camel-cloth, marvelled at her beauty and said in +himself, "This girl is pretty enough to dazzle the wit, but it is +clear she is in poor case, and whether she be of the people of +the city or a stranger, I must have her." So he followed her, +little by little, till presently he came in front of her and +stopping the way before her in a narrow lane, called out to her, +saying, "Harkye, daughterling, art thou a freewoman or a slave?" +When she heard this, she said to him, "By thy life, do not add to +my troubles! "Quoth he, "God blessed me with six daughters, but +five of them died and only one is left me, the youngest of them +all; and I came to ask thee if thou wert of the people of this +city or a stranger, that I might take thee and carry thee to her, +to bear her company and divert her from mourning for her sisters, +If thou hast no parents, I will use thee as one of them, and thou +and she shall be as my two children." When she heard what he +said, she bowed her head for bashfulness and said to herself, +"Surely I may trust myself to this old man." Then she said to +him, "O uncle, I am a girl of the Arabs (of Irak) and a stranger, +and I have a sick brother; but I will go with thee to thy +daughter on one condition; that is, that I may spend the day only +with her and go to my brother at night. I am a stranger and was +high in honour among my people, yet am I become cast down and +abject. I came with my brother from the land of Hejaz and I fear +lest he know not where I am." When the Bedouin heard this, he +said to himself, "By Allah, I have gotten what I sought!" Then he +turned to her and said, "There shall none be dearer to me than +thou; I only wish thee to bear my daughter company by day, and +thou shalt go to thy brother at nightfall. Or, if thou wilt, +bring him to dwell with us." And he ceased not to give her fair +words and coax her, till she trusted in him and agreed to serve +him. Then he went on before her and she followed him, whilst he +winked to his men to go on in advance and harness the camels and +load them with food and water, ready for setting out as soon as +he should come up. Now this Bedouin was a base-born wretch, a +highway-robber and a brigand, a traitor to his friend and a past +master in craft and roguery. He had no daughter and no son, and +was but a wayfarer in Jerusalem, when, by the decree of God, he +fell in with this unhappy girl. He held her in converse till they +came without the city, where he joined his companions and found +they had made ready the camels. So he mounted a camel, taking +Nuzhet ez Zeman up behind him, and they rode on all night, making +for the mountains, for fear any should see them. By this, she +knew that the Bedouin's proposal was a snare and that he had +tricked her; and she gave not over weeping and crying out the +whole night long. A little before the dawn, they halted and the +Bedouin came up to Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "O wretch, +what is this weeping! By Allah, an thou hold not thy peace, I +will beat thee to death, city faggot that thou art!" When she +heard this, she abhorred life and longed for death; so she turned +to him and said, "O accursed old man, O greybeard of hell, did I +trust in thee and hast thou played me false, and now thou wouldst +torture me?" When he heard her words, he cried out, "O insolent +wretch, dost thou dare to bandy words with me?" And he came up to +her and beat her with a whip, saying, "An thou hold not thy +peace, I will kill thee." So she was silent awhile, but she +called to mind her brother and her former happy estate and wept +in secret. Next day, she turned to the Bedouin and said to him, +"How couldst thou deal thus perfidiously with me and lure me into +these desert mountains, and what wilt thou do with me?" When he +heard her words, he hardened his heart and said to her, "O +pestilent baggage, wilt thou bandy words with me?" So saying, he +took the whip and brought it down on her back, till she well-nigh +fainted. Then she bowed down and kissed his feet; and he left +beating her and began to revile her, saying, "By my bonnet, if I +see or hear thee weeping, I will cut out thy tongue and thrust it +up thy kaze, city strumpet that thou art!" So she was silent and +made him no reply, for the beating irked her; but sat down, with +her arms round her knees and bowing her head, fell a-musing on +her case. Then she bethought her of her former ease and affluence +and her present abasement, and called to mind her brother and his +sickness and forlorn condition and how they were both strangers +in a foreign land; whereat the tears coursed down her cheeks and +she wept silently and repeated the following verses: + +The tides of fate 'twixt good and ill shift ever to and fro, And + no estate of life for men endureth evermo'. +All things that to the world belong have each their destined end + And to all men a term is set, which none may overgo. +How long must I oppression bear and peril and distress! Ah, how I + loathe this life of mine, that nought but these can show! +May God not prosper them, these days, wherein I am oppressed of + Fate, these cruel days that add abjection to my woe! +My purposes are brought to nought, my loves are reft in twain By + exile's rigour, and my hopes are one and all laid low. +O ye, who pass the dwelling by, wherein my dear ones are, Bear + them the news of me and say, my tears for ever flow. + +When she had finished, the Bedouin came up to her and taking +compassion on her, bespoke her kindly and wiped away her tears. +Then he gave her a cake of barley-bread and said to her, "I do +not love to be answered, when I am angry: so henceforth give me +no more of these insolent words, and I will sell thee to an +honest fellow like myself, who will use thee well, even as I have +done." "It is well," answered she; and when the night was long +upon her and hunger gnawed her, she ate a little of the +barley-cake. In the middle of the night, the Bedouin gave the +signal for departure; so they loaded the camels and he mounted +one of them, taking Nuzhet ez Zeman up behind him. Then they set +out and journeyed, without stopping, for three days, till they +reached the city of Damascus, where they alighted at the Sultan's +khan, hard by the Viceroy's Gate. Now she had lost her colour and +her charms were changed by grief and the fatigue of the journey, +and she ceased not to weep. So the Bedouin came up to her and +said, "Hark ye, city wench! By my bonnet, an thou leave not this +weeping, I will sell thee to a Jew!" Then he took her by the hand +and carried her to a chamber, where he left her and went to the +bazaar. Here he went round to the merchants who dealt in +slave-girls and began to parley with them, saying, "I have with +me a slave-girl, whose brother fell ill, and I sent him to my +people at Jerusalem, that they might tend him till he was cured. +The separation from him was grievous to her, and since then, she +does nothing but weep. Now I purpose to sell her, and I would +fain have whoso is minded to buy her of me speak softly to her +and say to her, 'Thy brother is with me in Jerusalem, ill;' and I +will be easy with him about her price." Quoth one of the +merchants, "How old is she?" "She is a virgin, just come to the +age of puberty," replied the Bedouin, "and is endowed with sense +and breeding and wit and beauty and grace. But from the day I +sent her brother to Jerusalem, she has done nothing but grieve +for him, so that her beauty is fallen away and her value +lessened." When the merchant heard this, he said, "O chief of the +Arabs, I will go with thee and buy this girl of thee, if she be +as thou sayest for wit and beauty and accomplishments; but it +must be upon conditions, which if thou accept, I will pay thee +her price, and if not, I will return her to thee." "If thou +wilt," said the Bedouin, "take her up to Prince Sherkan, son of +King Omar ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and of the land of +Khorassan, and I will agree to whatever conditions thou mayst +impose on me; for when he sees her, she will surely please him, +and he will pay thee her price and a good profit to boot for +thyself." "It happens," rejoined the merchant, "that I have just +now occasion to go to him, that I may get him to sign me patent, +exempting me from customs-dues, and I desire of him also a letter +of recommendation to his father King Omar. So, if he take the +girl, I will pay thee down her price at once." "I agree to this," +answered the Bedouin. So they returned together to the khan, +where the Bedouin stood at the door of the girl's chamber and +called out, saying, "Ho, Najiyeh!" which was the name he had +given her. When she heard him, she wept and made no answer. Then +he turned to the merchant and said to him, "There she sits. Do +thou go up to her and look at her and speak kindly to her, as I +enjoined thee." So he went up to her courteously and saw that she +was wonder-lovely and graceful especially as she was acquainted +with the Arabic tongue; and he said to the Bedouin, "Verily she +is even as thou saidst, and I shall get of the Sultan what I will +for her." Then he said to her, "Peace be on thee, O daughterling! +How dost thou?" She turned to him and replied, "This was written +in the book of Destiny." Then she looked at him and seeing him to +be a man of reverend appearance, with a handsome face, said to +herself, "I believe this man comes to buy me. If I hold aloof +from him, I shall abide with this tyrant, and he will beat me to +death. In any case, this man is comely of face and makes me hope +for better treatment from him than from this brute of a Bedouin. +Mayhap he only comes to hear me talk; so I will give him a fair +answer." All this while, she had kept her eyes fixed on the +ground; then she raised them to him and said in a sweet voice, +"And upon thee be peace, O my lord, and the mercy of God and His +blessing! This is what is commanded of the Prophet, whom God +bless and preserve! As for thine enquiry how I do, if thou +wouldst know my condition, it is such as thou wouldst not wish +but to thine enemies." And she was silent. When the merchant +heard what she said, he was beside himself for delight in her and +turning to the Bedouin, said to him, "What is her price, for +indeed she is illustrious!" At this the Bedouin was angry and +said, "Thou wilt turn me the girl's head with this talk! Why dost +thou say that she is illustrious,[FN#25] for all she is of the +scum of slave-girls and of the refuse of the people? I will not +sell her to thee." When the merchant heard this, he knew he was +dull-witted and said to him, "Calm thyself, for I will buy her of +thee, notwithstanding the defects thou mentionest." "And how much +wilt thou give me for her?" asked the Bedouin "None should name +the child but its father," replied the merchant. "Name thy price +for her." "Not so," rejoined the Bedouin; "do thou say what thou +wilt give." Quoth the merchant in himself, "This Bedouin is an +addle-pated churl. By Allah, I cannot tell her price, for she has +mastered my heart with her sweet speech and her beauty: and if +she can read and write, it will be the finishing touch to her +good fortune and that of her purchaser. But this Bedouin does not +know her value." Then he turned to the latter and said to him, "O +elder of the Arabs, I will give thee two hundred dinars for her, +in cash, clear of the tax and the Sultan's dues." When the +Bedouin heard this, he flew into a violent passion and cried out +at the merchant, saying, "Begone about thy business! By Allah, +wert thou to offer me two hundred dinars for the piece of +camel-cloth on her head, I would not sell it to thee! I will not +sell her, but will keep her by me, to pasture the camels and +grind corn." And he cried out to her, saying, "Come, thou +stinkard, I will not sell thee." Then he turned to the merchant +and said to him, "I thought thee a man of judgment; but, by my +bonnet, if thou begone not from me, I will let thee hear what +will not please thee!" "Verily," said the merchant to himself, +"this Bedouin is mad and knows not the girl's value, and I will +say no more to him about her price for the present; for by Allah, +were he a man of sense, he would not say, 'By my bonnet!' By +Allah, she is worth the kingdom of the Chosroes and I will give +him what he will, though it be all I have." Then he said to him, +"O elder of the Arabs, calm thyself and take patience and tell me +what clothes she has with thee." "Clothes!" cried the Bedouin; +"what should the baggage want with clothes? The camel-cloth in +which she is wrapped is ample for her." "With thy leave," said +the merchant, "I will lift her veil and examine her as folk +examine girls whom they think of buying." "Up and do what thou +wilt," replied the other, "and God keep thy youth! Examine her, +inside and out, and if thou wilt, take off her clothes and look +at her naked." "God forbid!" said the merchant; "I will but look +at her face." Then he went up to her, confounded at her beauty +and grace, and seating himself by her side, said to her, "O my +mistress, what is thy name?" "Dost thou ask what is my name now," +said she, "or what it was formerly?" "Hast thou then two names?" +asked the merchant. "Yes," replied she, "my whilom name was +Nuzhet ez Zeman;[FN#26] but my name at this present is Ghusset ez +Zeman."[FN#27] When the merchant heard this, his eyes filled with +tears, and he said to her, "Hast thou not a sick brother?" +"Indeed, my lord, I have," answered she; "but fortune hath parted +us, and he lies sick in Jerusalem." The merchant's heart was +confounded at the sweetness of her speech, and he said to +himself, "Verily, the Bedouin spoke the truth of her." Then she +called to mind her brother and how he lay sick in a strange land, +whilst she was parted from him and knew not what was become of +him; and she thought of all that had befallen her with the +Bedouin and of her severance from her father and mother and +native land; and the tears ran down her cheeks and she repeated +the following verses: + +May God keep watch o'er thee, belov'd, where'er thou art, Thou + that, though far away, yet dwellest in my heart! +Where'er thy footsteps lead, may He be ever near, To guard thee + from time's shifts and evil fortune's dart! +Thou'rt absent, and my eyes long ever for thy sight, And at thy + thought the tears for aye unbidden start. +Would that I knew alas! what country holds thee now, In what + abode thou dwell'st, unfriended and apart! +If thou, in the green o the rose, still drink o' the water of + life, My drink is nought but tears, since that thou didst + depart. +If sleep e'er visit thee, live coals of my unrest, Strewn betwixt + couch and side, for aye my slumbers thwart +All but thy loss to me were but a little thing, But that and that + alone is sore to me, sweetheart. + +When the merchant heard her verses, he wept and put out his hand +to wipe away her tears; but she let down her veil, saying, "God +forbid, O my master!" The Bedouin, who was sitting at a little +distance, watching them, saw her cover her face and concluded +that she would have hindered him from handling her: so he rose +and running to her, dealt her such a blow on the shoulders with a +camel's halter he had in his hand, that she fell to the ground on +her face. Her eyebrow smote against a stone, which cut it open, +and the blood streamed down her face; whereupon she gave a loud +scream and fainted away. The merchant was moved to tears for her +and said in himself, "I must and will buy this damsel, though I +pay down her weight in gold, and deliver her from this tyrant." +And he began to reproach the Bedouin, whilst Nuzhet ez Zeman lay +insensible. When she came to herself, she wiped away her tears +and bound up her head: then, raising her eyes to heaven, she +sought her Lord with a sorrowful heart and repeated the following +verses: + +Have ruth on one who once was rich and great, Whom villainy hath + brought to low estate. +She weeps with never-ceasing tears and says, "There's no recourse + against the laws of Fate." + +Then she turned to the merchant and said to him, in a low voice, +"By Allah, do not leave me with this tyrant, who knows not God +the Most High! If I pass this night with him, I shall kill myself +with my own hand: save me from him, and God will save thee from +hell-fire." So the merchant said to the Bedouin, "O chief of the +Arabs, this girl is none of thine affair; so do thou sell her to +me for what thou wilt." "Take her," said the Bedouin, "and pay me +down her price, or I will carry her back to the camp and set her +to feed the camels and gather their droppings."[FN#28] Quoth the +merchant, "I will give thee fifty thousand dinars for her." "God +will open,"[FN#29] replied the Bedouin. "Seventy thousand," said +the merchant. "God will open," repeated the other; "she hath cost +me more than that, for she hath eaten barley-bread with me to the +value of ninety thousand dinars." Quoth the merchant, "Thou and +all thy people and thy whole tribe in all your lives have not +eaten a thousand dinars' worth of barley: but I will make thee +one offer, which if thou accept not, I will set the Viceroy of +Damascus on thee, and he will take her from thee by force." "Say +on," rejoined the Bedouin. "A hundred thousand," said the +merchant. "I will sell her to thee at that price," answered the +Bedouin; "I shall be able to buy salt with that." The merchant +laughed and going to his house, returned with the money and gave +it to the Bedouin, who took it and made off, saying, "I must go +to Jerusalem: it may be I shall happen on her brother, and I will +bring him here and sell him." So he mounted and journeyed to +Jerusalem, where he went to the khan and enquired for Zoulmekan, +but could not find him. + +Meanwhile, the merchant threw his gaberdine over Nuzhet ez Zeman +and carried her to his house, where he dressed her in the richest +clothes he could buy. Then he carried her to the bazaar, where he +bought her what jewellery she chose and put it in a bag of satin, +which he laid before her, saying, "This is all for thee, and I +ask nothing of thee in return but that, when thou comest to the +Viceroy of Damascus, thou tell him what I gave for thee and that +it was little compared with thy value: and if he buy thee, tell +him how I have dealt with thee and ask of him for me a royal +patent, with a recommendation to his father King Omar Ben +Ennuman, lord of Baghdad, to the intent that he may forbid the +taking toll on my stuffs or other goods in which I traffic." When +she heard his words, she wept and sobbed, and the merchant said +to her, "O my mistress, I note that, every time I mention +Baghdad, thine eyes fill with tears: is there any one there whom +thou lovest? If it be a merchant or the like, tell me; for I know +all the merchants and so forth there; and an thou wouldst send +him a message, I will carry it for thee." "By Allah," replied +she, "I have no acquaintance among merchants and the like! I know +none there but King Omar ben Ennuman." When the merchant heard +this, he laughed and was greatly rejoiced and said in himself, +"By Allah, I have gotten my desire!" Then he said to her, "Hast +thou then been shown to him?" "No," answered she; "but I was +brought up with his daughter and he holds me dear and I have much +credit with him; so if thou wouldst have him grant thee a patent +of exemption, give me ink-horn and paper, and I will write thee a +letter, which, when thou reachest Baghdad, do thou deliver into +the King's own hand and say to him, 'Thy handmaid Nuzhet ez Zeman +salutes thee and would have thee to know that the changing +chances of the nights and days have smitten her, so that she has +been sold from place to place and is now with the Viceroy of +Damascus.'" The merchant wondered at her eloquence and his +affection for her increased and he said to her, "I cannot think +but that men have abused thine understanding and sold thee for +money. Tell me, dost thou know the Koran?" "I do," answered she; +"and I am also acquainted with philosophy and medicine and the +Prolegomena and the commentaries of Galen the physician on the +Canons of Hippocrates, and I have commented him, as well as the +Simples of Ibn Beltar, and have studied the works of Avicenna, +according to the canon of Mecca, as well as other treatises. I +can solve enigmas and establish parallels[FN#30] and discourse +upon geometry and am skilled in anatomy. I have read the books of +the Shafiyi[FN#31] sect and the Traditions of the Prophet, I am +well read in grammar and can argue with the learned and discourse +of all manner of sciences. Moreover I am skilled in logic and +rhetoric and mathematics and the making of talismans and +calendars and the Cabala, and I understand all these branches of +knowledge thoroughly. But bring me ink-horn and paper, and I will +write thee a letter that will profit thee at Baghdad and enable +thee to dispense with passports." When the merchant heard this, +he cried out, "Excellent! Excellent! Happy he in whose palace +thou shalt be!" Then he brought her ink-horn and paper and a pen +of brass and kissed the earth before her, to do her honour. She +took the pen and wrote the following verses: + +"What ails me that sleep hath forsaken my eyes and gone astray? + Have you then taught them to waken, after our parting day! +How comes it your memory maketh the fire in my heart to rage? + Is't thus with each lover remembers a dear one far away? +How sweet was the cloud of the summer, that watered our days of + yore! 'Tis flitted, before of its pleasance my longing I + could stay. +I sue to the wind and beg it to favour the slave of love, The + wind that unto the lover doth news of you convey. +A lover to you complaineth, whose every helper fails. Indeed, in + parting are sorrows would rend the rock in sway. + +"These words are from her whom melancholy destroys and whom +watching hath wasted; in her darkness there are no lights found, +and she knows not night from day. She tosses from side to side on +the couch of separation and her eyes are blackened with the +pencils of sleeplessness; she watches the stars and strains her +sight into the darkness: verily, sadness and emaciation have +consumed her and the setting forth of her case would be long. No +helper hath she but tears and she reciteth the following verses: + +"No turtle warbles on the branch, before the break of morn, But + stirs in me a killing grief, a sadness all forlorn. +No lover, longing for his loves, complaineth of desire, But with + a doubled stress of woe my heart is overborne. +Of passion I complain to one who hath no ruth on me. How soul and + body by desire are, one from other, torn!" + +Then her eyes brimmed over with tears, and she wrote these verses +also: + +"Love-longing, the day of our parting, my body with mourning + smote, And severance from my eyelids hath made sleep far + remote. +I am so wasted for yearning and worn for sickness and woe, That, + were it not for my speaking, thou'dst scarce my presence + note." + +Then she wept and wrote at the foot of the scroll, "This is from +her who is far from her people and her native land, the +sorrowful-hearted Nuzhet ez Zeman." She folded the letter and +gave it to the merchant, who took it and reading what was written +in it, rejoiced and exclaimed, "Glory to Him who fashioned thee!" +Then he redoubled in kindness and attention to her all that day; +and at nightfall, he sallied out to the market and bought food, +wherewith he fed her; after which he carried her to the bath and +said to the tire-woman, "As soon as thou hast made an end of +washing her head, clothe her and send and let me know.' Meanwhile +he fetched food and fruit and wax candles and set them on the +dais in the outer room of the bath; and when the tire-woman had +done washing her, she sent to tell the merchant, and Nuzhet ez +Zeman went out to the outer room, where she found the tray spread +with food and fruit. So she ate, and the tire-woman with her, and +gave what was left to the people and keeper of the bath. Then she +slept till the morning, and the merchant lay the night in a place +apart. When he awoke, he came to her and waking her, presented +her with a shift of fine silk, a kerchief worth a thousand +dinars, a suit of Turkish brocade and boots embroidered with red +gold and set with pearls and jewels. Moreover, he hung in each of +her ears a circlet of gold, with a fine pearl therein, worth a +thousand dinars, and threw round her neck a collar of gold, with +bosses of garnet and a chain of amber beads, that hung down +between her breasts to her middle. Now this chain was garnished +with ten balls and nine crescents and each crescent had in its +midst a beazel of ruby and each ball a beazel of balass ruby. The +worth of the chain was three thousand dinars and each of the +balls was worth twenty thousand dirhems, so that her dress in all +was worth a great sum of money. When she had put these on, the +merchant bade her make her toilet, and she adorned herself to the +utmost advantage. Then he bade her follow him and walked on +before her through the streets, whilst the people wondered at her +beauty and exclaimed, "Blessed be God, the most excellent +Creator! O fortunate man to whom she shall belong!" till they +reached the Sultan's palace; when he sought an audience of +Sherkan and kissing the earth before him, said, "O august King, I +have brought thee a rare gift, unmatched in this time and richly +covered with beauty and good qualities." "Let me see it," said +Sherkan. So the merchant went out and returning with Nuzhet ez +Zeman, made her stand before Sherkan. When the latter beheld her, +blood drew to blood, though he had never seen her, having only +heard that he had a sister called Nuzhet ez Zeman and a brother +called Zoulmekan and not having made acquaintance with them, in +his jealousy of them, because of the succession. Then said the +merchant, "O King, not only is she without peer in her time for +perfection of beauty and grace, but she is versed to boot in all +learning, sacred and profane, besides the art of government and +the abstract sciences." Quoth Sherkan, "Take her price, according +to what thou gavest for her, and go thy ways." "I hear and obey," +replied the merchant; "but first I would have thee write me +a patent, exempting me for ever from paying tithe on my +merchandise." "I will do this," said Sherkan; "but first tell me +what you paid for her." Quoth the merchant, "I bought her for a +hundred thousand dinars, and her clothes cost me as much more." +When the Sultan heard this, he said, "I will give thee more than +this for her," and calling his treasurer, said to him, "Give this +merchant three hundred and twenty thousand dinars; so will he +have a hundred and twenty thousand dinars profit." Then he +summoned the four Cadis and paid him the money in their presence; +after which he said to them, "I call you to witness that I free +this my slave-girl and purpose to marry her." So the Cadis drew +up the act of enfranchisement, and the Sultan scattered much gold +on the heads of those present, which was picked up by the pages +and eunuchs. Then they drew up the contract of marriage between +Sherkan and Nuzhet ez Zeman, after which he bade write the +merchant a perpetual patent, exempting him from tax and tithe +upon his merchandise and forbidding all and several to do him let +or hindrance in all his government, and bestowed on him a +splendid dress of honour. Then all who were present retired, and +there remained but the Cadis and the merchant; whereupon quoth +Sherkan to the former, "I wish you to hear such discourse from +this damsel as may prove her knowledge and accomplishment in all +that this merchant avouches of her, that we may be certified of +the truth of his pretensions." "Good," answered they; and he +commanded the curtains to be drawn before Nuzhet ez Zeman and her +attendants, who began to wish her joy and kiss her hands and +feet, for that she was become the Viceroy's wife. Then they came +round her and easing her of the weight of her clothes and +ornaments, began to look upon her beauty and grace. Presently the +wives of the Amirs and Viziers heard that King Sherkan had bought +a damsel unmatched for beauty and accomplishments and versed in +all branches of knowledge, at the price of three hundred and +twenty thousand dinars, and that he had set her free and married +her and summoned the four Cadis to examine her. So they asked +leave of their husbands and repaired to the palace. When they +came in to her, she rose and received them with courtesy, +welcoming them and promising them all good. Moreover, she smiled +in their faces and made them sit down in their proper stations, +as if she had been brought up with them, so that their hearts +were taken with her and they all wondered at her good sense and +fine manners, as well as at her beauty and grace, and said to +each other, "This damsel is none other than a queen, the daughter +of a king." Then they sat down, magnifying her, and said to her, +"O our lady, our city is illumined by thy presence, and our +country and kingdom are honoured by thee. The kingdom indeed is +thine and the palace is thy palace, and we all are thy handmaids; +so do not thou shut us out from thy favours and the sight of thy +beauty." And she thanked them for this. All this while the +curtains were drawn between Nuzhet ez Zeman and the women with +her, on the one side, and King Sherkan and the Cadis and merchant +seated by him, on the other. Presently, Sherkan called to her and +said, "O queen, the glory of thine age, this merchant describes +thee as being learned and accomplished and asserts that thou art +skilled in all branches of knowledge, even to astrology: so let +us hear something of all this and give us a taste of thy +quality." + +"O King," replied she, "I hear and obey. The first subject of +which I will treat is the art of government and the duties of +kings and what behoves governors of lawful commandments and what +is incumbent on them in respect of pleasing manners. Know then, O +King, that all men's works tend either to religion or to worldly +life, for none attains to religion save through this world, +because it is indeed the road to the next world. Now the world is +ordered by the doings of its people, and the doings of men +are divided into four categories, government (or the exercise +of authority), commerce, husbandry (or agriculture) and +craftsmanship. To government are requisite perfect (knowledge of +the science of) administration and just judgment; for government +is the centre (or pivot) of the edifice of the world, which is +the road to the future life since that God the Most High hath +made the world to be to His servants even as victual to the +traveller for the attainment of the goal: and it is needful that +each man receive of it such measure as shall bring him to God, +and that he follow not in this his own mind and desire. If the +folk would take of the goods of the world with moderation and +equity, there would be an end of contentions; but they take +thereof with violence and iniquity and persist in following their +own inclinations; and their licentiousness and evil behaviour in +this give birth to strife and contention. So they have need of +the Sultan, that he may do justice between them and order their +affairs prudently, and if he restrain not the folk from one +another, the strong will get the mastery over the weak. Ardeshir +says that religion and the kingship are twin; religion is a +treasure and the king its keeper; and the divine ordinances and +men's own judgment indicate that it behoves the folk to adopt a +ruler to hold the oppressor back from the oppressed and do the +weak justice against the strong and to restrain the violence of +the proud and the unjust. For know, O King, that according to the +measure of the ruler's good morals, even so will be the time; as +says the apostle of God (on whom be peace and salvation), 'There +are two classes, who if they be virtuous, the people will be +virtuous, and if they be depraved, the people also will be +depraved: even princes and men of learning.' And it is said by a +certain sage, 'There are three kinds of kings, the king of the +Faith, the king who watches over and protects those things that +are entitled to respect and honour, and the king of his own +inclinations. The king of the Faith constrains his subjects to +follow the laws of their faith, and it behoves that he be the +most pious of them all, for it is by him that they take pattern +in the things of the Faith; and the folk shall do obedience to +him in what he commands in accordance with the Divine ordinances; +but he shall hold the discontented in the same esteem as the +contented, because of submission to the Divine decrees. As for +the king of the second order, he upholds the things of the Faith +and of the world and compels the folk to follow the Law of God +and to observe the precepts of humanity; and it behoves him to +conjoin the sword and the pen; for whoso goeth astray from what +the pen hath written, his feet slip, and the king shall rectify +his error with the edge of the sword and pour forth his justice +upon all men. As for the third kind of king, he hath no religion +but the following his own lusts and fears not the wrath of his +Lord, who set him on the throne; so his kingdom inclines to ruin, +and the end of his arrogance is in the House of Perdition.' And +another sage says, 'The king has need of many people, but the +folk have need of but one king; wherefore it behoves that he be +well acquainted with their natures, to the end that he may reduce +their difference to concord, that he may encompass them one and +all with his justice and overwhelm them with his bounties.' And +know, O King, that Ardeshir, styled Jemr Shedid, third of the +Kings of Persia, conquered the whole world and divided it into +four parts and let make for himself four seal-rings, one for each +division of his realm. The first seal was that of the sea and the +police and of prohibition, and on it was written, 'Alternatives.' +The second was the seal of revenue and of the receipt of monies, +and on it was written, 'Culture.' The third was the seal of the +commissariat, and on it was written, 'Plenty.' The fourth was the +seal of (the Court of Enquiry into) abuses, and on it was +written, 'Justice.' And these remained in use in Persia until the +revelation of Islam. King Chosroes also, wrote to his son, who +was with the army, 'Be not over-lavish to thy troops, or they +will come to have no need of thee; neither be niggardly with +them, or they will murmur against thee. Do thy giving soberly and +confer thy favours advisedly; be liberal to them in time of +affluence and stint them not in time of stress.' It is said that +an Arab of the desert came once to the Khalif Mensour[FN#32] and +said to him, 'Starve thy dog and he will follow thee.' When the +Khalif heard his words, he was enraged, but Aboulabbas et Tousi +said to him, 'I fear that, if some other than thou should show +him a cake of bread, the dog would follow him and leave thee.' +Thereupon the Khalif's wrath subsided and he knew that the +Bedouin had meant no offence and ordered him a present. And know, +O King, that Abdulmelik ben Merwan wrote to his brother +Abdulaziz, when he sent him to Egypt, as follows: 'Pay heed to +thy secretaries and thy chamberlains, for the first will acquaint +thee with necessary matters and the second with matters of +etiquette and ceremonial observance, whilst the tribute that goes +out from thee will make thy troops known to thee.' Omar ben el +Khettab[FN#33] (whom God accept) was in the habit, when he +engaged a servant, of laying four conditions on him, the first +that he should not ride the baggage-beasts, the second that he +should not wear fine clothes, the third that he should not eat of +the spoil and the fourth that he should not delay to pray after +the proper time. It is said that there is no wealth better than +understanding and no understanding like common sense and prudence +and no prudence like the fear of God; that there is no offering +like good morals and no measure like good breeding and no profit +like earning the Divine favour;[FN#34] that there is no piety +like the observance of the limits of the Law and no science like +that of meditation, no devotion like the performance of the +Divine precepts, no safeguard like modesty, no calculation like +humility and no nobility like knowledge. So guard the head and +what it contains and the body and what it comprises and remember +death and calamity. Says Ali[FN#35], (whose face God honour!), +'Beware of the wickedness of women and be on thy guard against +them. Consult them not in aught, but be not grudging of +complaisance to them, lest they be tempted to have recourse to +intrigue.' And also, 'He who leaves the path of moderation and +sobriety, his wits become perplexed.' And Omar (whom God accept) +says, 'There are three kinds of women, first, the true-believing, +God-fearing woman, loving and fruitful, helping her husband +against fate, not helping fate against her husband; secondly, she +who loves and tenders her children, but no more; and thirdly, the +woman who is as a shackle that God puts on the neck of whom He +will. Men also are three: the first, who is wise, when he +exercises his judgment; the second, wiser than he, who, when +there falls on him somewhat of which he knows not the issue, +seeks folk of good counsel and acts by their advice; and the +third, who is addle-headed, knowing not the right way nor heeding +those who would instruct him.' Justice is indispensable in all +things; even slave-girls have need of justice; and highway +robbers, who live by violence, bear witness of this, for did they +not deal equitably among themselves and observe fairness in their +divisions, their order would fall to pieces. For the rest, the +chief of noble qualities is generosity and benevolence. How well +says the poet: + +'By largesse and mildness the youth chief of his tribe became, And + it were easy for thee to follow and do the same.' + +And quoth another: + +'In mildness stability lies and clemency wins us respect, And + safety in soothfastness is for him who is soothfast and + frank; +And he who would get himself praise and renown for his wealth + from the folk, In the racecourse of glory must be, for + munificence, first in the rank.'" + +And Nuzhet ez Zeman discoursed upon the policy and behaviour of +kings, till the bystanders said, "Never heard we one reason of +the duties of kings like this damsel! Mayhap she will favour us +with discourse upon some subject other than this." When she heard +this, she said, "As for the chapter of good breeding,[FN#36] it is +wide of scope, for it is a compend of perfections. There came in +one day to the Khalif Muawiyeh[FN#37] one of his boon-companions, +who spoke of the people of Irak and the goodness of their wit; +and the Khalif's wife Meisoun, mother of Yezid, heard him. So, +when he was gone, she said to the Khalif, 'O Commander of the +Faithful, prithee let some of the people of Irak come in to thee +and talk with them, that I may hear their discourse.' So the +Khalif said to his attendants, 'Who is at the door?' And they +answered, 'The Benou Temim.' 'Let them come in,' said he. So they +came in and with them Ahnaf ben Cais.[FN#38] Now Muawiyeh had +drawn a curtain between himself and Meisoun, that she might hear +what they said without being seen herself; and he said to Ahnaf, +'O Abou Behr,[FN#39] pray, near and tell me what counsel thou hast +for me.' Quoth Ahnaf, 'Part thy hair and trim thy moustache and +clip thy nails and pluck out the hair of thine armpits and shave +thy pubes and be constant in the use of the toothstick, for +therein are two-and-seventy virtues, and make the Friday +(complete) ablution as an expiation for what is between the two +Fridays.' 'What is thy counsel to thyself?' asked Muawiyeh. 'To +plant my feet firmly on the ground,' replied Ahnaf, 'to move them +with deliberation and keep watch over them with my eyes.' 'How,' +asked the Khalif, 'dost thou carry thyself, when thou goest in to +the common folk of thy tribe?' 'I lower my eyes modestly,' replied +Ahnaf, 'and salute them first, abstaining from what does not +concern me and being sparing of words.' 'And how, when thou goest +in to thine equals?' asked Muawiyeh. 'I give ear to them, when they +speak,' answered the other, 'and do not assail them, when they err.' +'And how dost thou,' said the Khalif, 'when thou goest in to thy +chiefs?' 'I salute without making any sign,' answered Ahnaf, 'and +await the response: if they bid me draw near, I do so, and if they +bid me stand aloof, I withdraw.' 'How dost thou with thy wife?' +asked the Khalif. 'Excuse me from answering this, O Commander of +the Faithful!' replied he; but Muawiyeh said, 'I conjure thee to +answer.' Then said Ahnaf, 'I entreat her kindly and show her +pleasant familiarity and am large in expenditure, for women were +created of a crooked rib.' 'And how,' asked the Khalif, 'dost thou +when thou hast a mind to lie with her?' 'I speak to her to perfume +herself,' answered the other, 'and kiss her till she is moved to +desire; then, if it be as thou knowest, I throw her on her back. If +the seed abide in her womb, I say, "O my God, make it blessed and +let it not be a castaway, but fashion it into a goodly shape!" Then +I rise from her and betake myself to the ablution, first pouring +water over my hands and then over my body and returning thanks to +God for the delight He hath given me.' 'Thou hast answered +excellently well,' said Muawiyeh; 'and now tell me what thou wouldst +have.' Quoth Ahnaf, 'I would have thee rule thy subjects in the fear +of God and do equal justice amongst them.' So saying, he withdrew +from the Khalif's presence, and when he had gone, Meisoun said, +'Were there but this man in Irak, he would suffice to it.' This +(continued Nuzhet ez Zeman) is a small fraction of the chapter of +good breeding. Know O King, that Muyekib was intendant of the +treasury during the Khalifate of Omar ben Khettab. 'One day +(quoth he) the Khalif's son came to me and I gave him a dirhem +from the treasury. Then I returned to my own house, and +presently, as I was sitting, there came to me a messenger, +bidding me to the Khalif. So I was afraid and went to him, and +when I came into his presence, I saw in his hand the dirhem I had +given his son. "Harkye, Muyekib," said he, "I have found somewhat +concerning thy soul." "What is it, O Commander of the Faithful?" +asked I; and he answered, "It is that thou wilt have to render an +account of this dirhem to the people of Mohammed (on whom be +peace and salvation) on the Day of Resurrection."' This same Omar +wrote a letter to Abou Mousa el Ashari,[FN#40] to the following +purport, 'When these presents reach thee, give the people what is +theirs and send the rest to me.' And he did so. When Othman +succeeded to the Khalifate, he wrote a like letter to Abou Mousa, +who did his bidding and sent him the tribute accordingly, and +with it came Ziad[FN#41] When the latter laid the tribute before +Othman, the Khalif's son came in and took a dirhem, whereupon +Ziad fell a-weeping. 'Why dost thou weep?' asked Othman. Quoth +Ziad, 'I once brought Omar ben Khettab the like of this, and his +son took a dirhem, whereupon Omar bade snatch it from his hand. +Now thy son hath taken of the tribute, yet have I seen none +rebuke him nor take the money from him.' And Othman said, 'Where +wilt thou find the like of Omar?' Again, Zeid ben Aslam relates +of his father that he said, 'I went out one night with Omar, and +we walked on till we espied a blazing fire in the distance. Quoth +Omar, "This must be travellers, who are suffering from the cold: +let us join them." So we made for the fire, and when we came to +it, we found a woman who had lighted a fire under a cauldron, and +by her side were two children, crying. "Peace on you, O folk of +the light!" said Omar, for he misliked to say, "folk of the +fire;"[FN#42] "what ails you?" Quoth she, "The cold and the night +irk us." "What ails these children that they weep?" asked he. +"They are hungry," replied she. "And what is in this cauldron?" +asked Omar. "It is what I quiet them with," answered she, "and +God will question Omar ben Khettab of them, on the Day of +Resurrection." "And what," rejoined the Khalif, "should Omar know +of their case?" "Why then," said she, "should he undertake the +governance of the people's affairs and yet be unmindful of them?" +Then Omar turned to me and said, "Come with me." So we both set +off running till we reached the treasury, where he took out a +sack of flour and a pot of fat and said to me, "Put these on my +back." "O Commander of the Faithful," said I, "I will carry them +for thee." "Wilt thou bear my burden for me on the Day of +Resurrection?" replied he. So I put the things on his back, and +we set off, running, till we came to the woman, when he threw +down the sack. Then he took out some of the flour and put it in +the cauldron and saying to the woman, "Leave it to me," fell to +blowing the fire; Now he had a great beard and I saw the smoke +issuing from the interstices thereof, till the flour was cooked, +when he threw in some of the fat and said to the woman, "Do thou +feed the boys whilst I cool the food for them." So they ate their +fill and he left the rest with her. Then he turned to me and +said, "O Aslam, I see it was indeed hunger made them weep; and I +am glad I did not go away without finding out the reason of the +light I saw."' It is said that Omar passed, one day, by a flock +of sheep, kept by a slave, and asked the latter to sell him a +sheep. 'They are not mine,' replied the shepherd. 'Thou art the +man I sought,' said Omar and buying him of his master, set him +free, whereupon the slave exclaimed, 'O my God, thou hast +bestowed on me the lesser emancipation; vouchsafe me now the +greater!'[FN#43] They say also, that Omar ben Khettab was wont to +give his servants sweet milk and eat coarse fare himself and to +clothe them softly and wear himself coarse garments. He gave all +men their due and exceeded in his giving to them. He once gave a +man four thousand dirhems and added thereto yet a thousand, +wherefore it was said to him, 'Why dost thou not favour thy son +as thou favourest this man?' He answered, 'This man's father +stood firm in fight on the day of Uhud.'[FN#44] El Hassan +relates that Omar once came (back from an expedition) with much +money and that Hefseh[FN#45] came to him and said, 'O Commander +of the Faithful, be mindful of the due of kinship!' 'O Hefseh,' +replied he, 'God hath indeed enjoined us to satisfy the dues of +kinship, but of our own monies, not those of the true believers. +Indeed, thou pleasest thy family, but angerest thy father.' And +she went away, dragging her skirts. Says Omar's son, 'I implored +God one year (after Omar's death) to show me my father, till at +last I saw him wiping the sweat from his brow and said to him, +"How is it with thee, O my father?" "But for God's mercy," +answered he, "thy father had perished." Then said Nuzhet ez +Zeman, "Hear, O august King, the second division of the first +chapter of the instances of the followers of the Prophet and +other pious men. Says El Hassan of Bassora,[FN#46] 'Not a soul of +the sons of Adam goes forth of the world, without grieving for +three things, failure to enjoy what he has amassed, failure to +compass what he hoped and failure to provide himself with +sufficient provision for that to which he goes.[FN#47]' It was +said to Sufyan,[FN#48] 'Can a man be devout and yet possess +wealth?' 'Yes,' replied he, 'so he be patient under affliction +and return thanks, when God giveth to him.' When Abdallah ben +Sheddad was on his death-bed, he sent for his son Mohammed and +admonished him, saying, 'O my son, I see the messenger of death +calling me and so I charge thee to cherish the fear of God, both +in public and private. Praise God and be true in thy speech, for +the praise of God brings increase of prosperity, and piety in +itself is the best of provision,[FN#49] even as says one of the +poets: + +I see not that bliss lies in filling one's chest; The God-fearing + man can alone be called blest. +For piety aye winneth increase of God; So of all men's provision + 'tis surely the best. + +When Omar ben Abdulaziz[FN#50] succeeded to the Khalifate, he +went to his own house and laying hands on all that his family and +household possessed, put it into the public treasury. So the +Ommiades[FN#51] betook themselves for aid to his father's sister, +Fatimeh, daughter of Merwan, and she sent to Omar, saying, 'I +must needs speak with thee.' So she came to him by night, and +when he had made her alight from her beast and sit down, he said +to her, 'O aunt, it is for thee to speak first, since it is at +thine instance that we meet; tell me, therefore, what thou +wouldst with me.' 'O Commander of the Faithful,' replied she, 'it +is thine to speak first, for thy judgment perceives that which is +hidden from the senses.' Then said the Khalif, 'Of a verity God +sent Mohammed as a mercy to some and a punishment to others; and +He chose out for him what was with him and withdrew him to +Himself, leaving the people a river, whereof the thirsty of them +might drink. After him he made Abou Bekr the Truth-teller Khalif +and he left the river in its pristine state, doing what was +pleasing to God. Then arose Omar and worked a work and furnished +forth a strife, of which none might do the like When Othman came, +he diverted a stream from the river, and Muawiyeh in his turn +sundered several streams from it. In like manner, Yezid and the +sons of Merwan, Abdulmelik and Welid and Suleiman[FN#52], ceased +not to take from the river and dry up the main stream, till the +commandment devolved upon me, and now I am minded to restore +the river to its normal condition.' When Fatimeh heard this, +she said, 'I came, wishing only to speak and confer with thee, +but if this be thy word, I have nothing to say to thee.' Then +she returned to the Ommiades and said to them, 'See what you +have brought on you by allying yourselves with Omar ben +Khettab.' [FN#53] When Omar was on his deathbed, he gathered his +children round him, and Meslemeh[FN#54] ben Abdulmelik said to +him, 'O Commander of the Faithful, wilt thou leave thy children +beggars and thou their protector? None can hinder thee from +giving them in thy lifetime what will suffice them out of the +treasury; and this indeed were better than leaving it to revert +to him who shall come after thee.' Omar gave him a look of wrath +and wonder and replied, 'O Meslemeh, I have defended them all the +days of my life, and shall I make them miserable after my death? +My sons are like other men, either obedient to God the Most High +or disobedient: if the former, God will prosper them, and if the +latter, I will not help them in their disobedience. Know, O +Meslemeh, that I was present, even as thou, when such an one of +the sons of Merwan was buried, and I fell asleep by him and saw +him in a dream given over to one of the punishments of God, to +whom belong might and majesty. This terrified me and made me +tremble, and I vowed to God that, if ever I came to the throne, I +would not do as the dead man had done. This vow I have striven to +fulfil all the days of my life, and I hope to be received into +the mercy of my Lord.' Quoth Meslemeh, 'A certain man died and I +was present at his funeral. I fell asleep and meseemed I saw him, +as in a dream, clad in white clothes and walking in a garden full +of running waters. He came up to me and said, "O Meslemeh, it is +for the like of this that governors (or men who bear rule) should +work."' Many are the instances of this kind, and quoth one of the +men of authority, 'I used to milk the ewes in the Khalifate of +Omar ben Abdulaziz, and one day, I met a shepherd, among whose +sheep were wolves. I thought them to be dogs, for I had never +before seen wolves; so I said to the shepherd, "What dost thou +with these dogs?" "They are not dogs, but wolves," replied he. +Quoth I, "Can wolves be with sheep and not hurt them?" "When the +head is whole," replied he, "the body is whole also."' Omar ben +Abdulaziz preached once from a mud pulpit, and after praising and +glorifying God the Most High, said three words and spoke as +follows, 'O folk, make clean your hearts, that your outward lives +may be clean to your brethren, and abstain from the things of the +world. Know that from Adam to this present, there is no one man +alive among the dead. Dead are Abdulmelik and those who forewent +him, and Omar also will die, and those who come after him.' Quoth +Meslemeh (to this same Omar, when he was dying), 'O Commander of +the Faithful, shall we set a pillow behind thee, that thou mayest +lean on it a little?' But Omar answered, 'I fear lest it be a +fault about my neck on the Day of Resurrection.' Then he gasped +for breath and fell back in a swoon; whereupon Fatimeh cried out, +saying, 'Ho, Meryem! Ho, Muzahim! Ho, such an one! Look to this +man!' And she began to pour water on him, weeping, till he +revived, and seeing her in tears, said to her, 'O Fatimeh, why +dost thou weep?' 'O Commander of the Faithful,' replied she, 'I +saw thee lying prostrate before us and thought of thy prostration +before God the Most High in death and of thy departure from the +world and separation from us. This is what made me weep.' +'Enough, O Fatimeh,' answered he; 'indeed thou exceedest.' Then +he would have risen, but fell down, and Fatimeh strained him to +her, saying, 'Thou art to me as my father and my mother, O +Commander of the Faithful! We cannot speak to thee, all of +us.'[FN#55] Again (continued Nuzhet ez Zeman), Omar ben Abdulaziz +wrote to the people of the festival at Mecca, as follows, 'I call +God to witness, in the Holy Month, in the Holy City and on the +day of the Great Pilgrimage, that I am innocent of your +oppression and of the wickedness of him that doth you wrong, in +that I have neither commanded this nor purposed it, neither hath +any report of aught thereof reached me (till now) nor have I had +knowledge of it; and I trust therefore that God will pardon it to +me. None hath authority from me to do oppression, for I shall +assuredly be questioned (at the Last Day) concerning every one +who hath been wrongfully entreated. So if any one of my officers +swerve from the right and act without law or authority,[FN#56] ye +owe him no obedience, till he return to the right way.' He said +also (may God accept of him), 'I do not wish to be relieved from +death, for that it is the supreme thing for which the true +believer is rewarded.' Quoth one of authority, 'I went one day to +the Commander of the Faithful, Omar ben Abdulaziz, who was then +Khalif, and saw before him twelve dirhems, which he bade take to +the treasury. So I said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, +thou impoverishest thy children and reducest them to beggary, +leaving nothing for them. Thou wouldst do well to appoint +somewhat by will to them and to those who are poor of the people +of thy house." "Draw near to me," answered he. So I drew near to +him and he said, "As for thy saying, 'Thou beggarest thy +children; provide for them and for the poor of thy household,' it +is without reason, for God will replace me to my children and to +those who are poor of the people of my house, and He will be +their guardian. Verily, they are like other men; he who fears +God, God will provide him a happy issue, and he that is addicted +to sin, I will not uphold him in his disobedience." Then he +called his sons before him, and they were twelve in number. When +he beheld them, his eyes filled with tears and he said to them, +"Your father is between two things; either ye will be rich and he +will enter the fire, or ye will be poor and he enter Paradise; +and your father's entry into Paradise is liefer to him than that +ye should be rich. So go, God be your helper, for to Him I commit +your affair."' Quoth Khalid ben Sefwan,[FN#57] 'Yusuf ben +Omar[FN#58] accompanied me to Hisham ben Abdulmelik,[FN#59] and I +met him as he came forth with his kinsmen and attendants. He +alighted and a tent was pitched for him. When the people had +taken their seats, I came up to the side of the carpet (on which +the Khalif was reclining) and waiting till my eyes met his, +bespoke him thus, "May God fulfil His bounty to thee, O Commander +of the Faithful, and direct into the right way the affairs He +hath committed to thy charge, and may no harm mingle with thy +cheer! O Commander of the Faithful, I have an admonition for +thee, which I have gleaned from the history of the kings of time +past!" At this, he sat up and said to me, "O son of Sefwan, say +what is in thy mind." "O Commander of the Faithful," quoth I, +"one of the kings before thee went forth, in a time before thy +time, to this very country and said to his companions, 'Saw ye +ever any in the like of my state or to whom hath been given even +as it hath been given unto me?' Now there was with him one of +those who survive to bear testimony to the Faith and are +upholders of the Truth and walkers in its highway, and he said, +'O King, thou askest of a grave matter. Wilt thou give me leave +to answer?' 'Yes,' replied the King, and the other said, 'Dost +thou judge thy present state to be temporary or enduring?' 'It is +a temporary thing,' replied the King. 'Why then,' asked the man, +'do I see thee exult in that which thou wilt enjoy but a little +while and whereof thou wilt be questioned at length and for the +rendering an account whereof thou wilt be as a pledge?' 'Whither +shall I flee,' asked the King, 'and where is that I must seek?' +'Abide in thy kingship,' replied the other, 'and apply thyself to +obey the commandments of God the Most High; or else don thy +worn-out clothes and devote thyself to the service of thy Lord, +till thine appointed hour come to thee.' Then he left him, +saying, 'I will come to thee again at daybreak.' So he knocked at +his door at dawn and found that the King had put off his crown +and resolved to become an anchorite, for the stress of his +exhortation." When Hisham heard this, he wept till his beard was +drenched and putting off his rich apparel, shut himself up in his +palace. Then the grandees and courtiers came to me and said, +"What is this thou hast done with the Commander of the Faithful? +Thou hast marred his cheer and troubled his life!"' "But +(continued Nuzhet ez Zeman, addressing herself to Sherkan) how +many admonitory instances are there not that bear upon this +branch of the subject! Indeed, it is beyond my power to report +all that pertains to this head in one sitting; but, with length +of days, O King of the age, all will be well." + +Then said the Cadis, "O King, of a truth this damsel is the +wonder of the time and the unique pearl of the age! Never in all +our lives heard we the like." And they called down blessings on +Sherkan and went away. Then said he to his attendants, "Prepare +the wedding festivities and make ready food of all kinds." So +they addressed themselves to do his bidding, and he bade the +wives of the amirs and viziers and grandees depart not until the +time of the wedding banquet and of the unveiling of the bride. +Hardly was the time of afternoon-prayer come, when the tables +were spread with roast meats and geese and fowls and all that the +heart can desire or that can delight the eye; and all the people +ate till they were satisfied. Moreover, the King had sent for all +the singing-women of Damascus and they were present, together +with all the slave-girls of the King and the notables who knew +how to sing. When the evening came and it grew dark, they lighted +flambeaux, right and left, from the gate of the citadel to that +of the palace, and the amirs and viziers and grandees defiled +before King Sherkan, whilst the singers and the tire-women took +Nuzhet ez Zeman, to dress and adorn her, but found she needed no +adorning. Meantime King Sherkan went to the bath and coming out, +sat down on his bed of estate, whilst they unveiled the bride +before him in seven different dresses; after which they eased her +of the weight of her dresses and ornaments and gave such +injunctions as are usually given to girls on their wedding-night. +Then Sherkan went in to her and took her maidenhead; and she at +once conceived by him, whereat he rejoiced with an exceeding joy +and commanded the sages to record the date of her conception. On +the morrow, he went forth and seated himself on his throne, and +the grandees came in to him and gave him joy. Then he called his +private secretary and bade him write to his father, King Omar ben +Ennuman, a letter to the following effect: "Know that I have +bought me a damsel, who excels in learning and accomplishment and +is mistress of all kinds of knowledge. I have set her free and +married her and she has conceived by me. And needs must I send +her to Baghdad to visit my brother Zoulmekan and my sister Nuzhet +ez Zeman." And he went on to praise her wit and salute his +brother and sister, together with the Vizier Dendan and all the +amirs. Then he sealed the letter and despatched it to his father +by a courier, who was absent a whole month, after which time he +returned with the old King's answer. Sherkan took it and read as +follows, after the usual preamble, "In the name of God," etc., +"This is from the afflicted and distraught, him who hath lost his +children and is (as it were) an exile from his native land, King +Omar ben Ennuman, to his son Sherkan. Know that, since thy +departure from me, the place is become contracted upon me, so +that I can no longer have patience nor keep my secret: and the +reason of this is as follows. It chanced that Zoulmekan sought my +leave to go on the pilgrimage, but I, fearing for him the shifts +of fortune, forbade him therefrom until the next year or the year +after. Soon after this, I went out to hunt and was absent a whole +month. When I returned, I found that thy brother and sister had +taken somewhat of money and set out by stealth with the caravan +of pilgrims. When I knew this, the wide world became strait on +me, O my son; but I awaited the return of the caravan, hoping +that they would return with it. Accordingly, when the caravan +came back, I questioned the pilgrims of them, but they could give +me no news of them; so I put on mourning apparel for them, being +heavy at heart and sleepless and drowned in the tears of my +eyes." Then followed these verses: + +Their image is never absent a breathing-while from my breast, I + have made it within my bosom the place of the honoured + guest, +But that I look for their coming, I would not live for an hour, + And but that I see them in dreams, I ne'er should lie down + to rest. + +The letter went on (after the usual salutations to Sherkan and +those of his court), "Do not thou therefore neglect to seek news +of them, for indeed this is a dishonour to us." When Sherkan read +the letter, he mourned for his father, but rejoiced in the loss +of his brother and sister. Now Nuzhet ez Zeman knew not that he +was her brother nor he that she was his sister, although he paid +her frequent visits, both by day and by night, till the months of +her pregnancy were accomplished and she sat down on the stool of +delivery. God made the delivery easy to her and she gave birth to +a daughter, whereupon she sent for Sherkan and said to him, "This +is thy daughter: name her as thou wilt." Quoth he, "Folk use to +name their children on the seventh day." Then he bent down to +kiss the child and saw, hung about her neck, a jewel, which he +knew at once for one of those that the princess Abrizeh had +brought from the land of the Greeks. At this sight, his senses +fled, his eyes rolled and wrath seized on him, and he looked at +Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "O damsel, whence hadst thou +this jewel?" When she heard this, she replied, "I am thy lady and +the lady of all in thy palace. Art thou not ashamed to say to me, +'O damsel'?[FN#60] Indeed, I am a queen, the daughter of a king; +and now concealment shall cease and the truth be made known. I am +Nuzhet ez Zeman, daughter of King Omar ben Ennuman." When Sherkan +heard this, he was seized with trembling and bowed his head +towards the earth, whilst his heart throbbed and his colour +paled, for he knew that she was his sister by the same father. +Then he lost his senses; and when he revived, he abode in +amazement, but did not discover himself to her and said to her, +"O my lady, art thou indeed the daughter of King Omar ben +Ennuman?" "Yes," replied she; and he said, "Tell me how thou +camest to leave thy father and be sold for a slave." So she told +him all that had befallen her, from first to last, how she had +left her brother sick in Jerusalem and how the Bedouin had lured +her away and sold her to the merchant. When Sherkan heard this +all was certified that she was indeed his sister, he said to +himself, "How can I have my sister to wife? By Allah, I must +marry her to one of my chamberlains; and if the thing get wind, I +will avouch that I divorced her before consummation and married +her to my chief chamberlain." Then he raised his head and said, +"O Nuzhet ez Zeman, thou art my very sister; for I am Sherkan, +son of King Omar ben Ennuman, and may God forgive us the sin into +which we have fallen!" She looked at him and seeing that he spoke +the truth, became as one bereft of reason and wept and buffeted +her face, exclaiming, "There is no power and no virtue but in +God! Verily we have fallen into grievous sin! What shall I do and +what answer shall I make my father and my mother, when they say +to me, 'Whence hadst thou thy daughter'?" Quoth Sherkan, "I +purpose to marry thee to my chief chamberlain and let thee bring +up my daughter in his house, that none may know thee to be my +sister. This that hath befallen us was ordained of God for a +purpose of His own, and there is no way to cover ourselves but by +thy marriage with the chamberlain, ere any know." Then he fell to +comforting her and kissing her head, and she said to him, "What +wilt thou call the child?" "Call her Kuzia Fekan,"[FN#61] replied +he. Then he gave her in marriage to the chief chamberlain, and +they reared the child in his house, on the laps of the slave- +girls, till, one day, there came to King Sherkan a courier +from his father, with a letter to the following purport, "In the +name of God, etc. Know, O puissant King, that I am sore afflicted +for the loss of my children: sleep fails me and wakefulness is +ever present with me. I send thee this letter that thou mayst +make ready the tribute of Syria and send it to us, together with +the damsel whom thou hast bought and taken to wife; for I long to +see her and hear her discourse; because there has come to us from +the land of the Greeks a devout old woman, with five damsels, +high-bosomed maids, endowed with knowledge and accomplishments +and all fashions of learning that befit mortals; and indeed the +tongue fails to describe this old woman and her companions. As +soon as I saw the damsels, I loved them and wished to have them +in my palace and at my commandment, for none of the kings +possesses the like of them; so I asked the old woman their price, +and she replied, 'I will not sell them but for the tribute of +Damascus.' And by Allah, this is but little for them, for each +one of them is worth the whole price. So I agreed to this and +took them into my palace, and they remain in my possession. +Wherefore do thou expedite the tribute to us, that the old woman +may return to her own country; and send us the damsel, that she +may strive with them before the doctors; and if she overcome +them, I will send her back to thee with the year's revenue of +Baghdad." When Sherkan read this letter, he went in to his +brother-in-law and said to him, "Call the damsel to whom I +married thee." So she came, and he showed her the letter and said +to her, "O my sister, what answer wouldst thou have me make to +this letter?" "It is for thee to judge," replied she. Then she +recalled her people and her native land and yearned after them; +so she said to him, "Send me and my husband the Chamberlain to +Baghdad, that I may tell my father how the Bedouin seized me and +sold me to the merchant, and how thou boughtest me of him and +gavest me in marriage to the Chamberlain, after setting me free." +"Be it so," replied Sherkan. Then he made ready the tribute in +haste and gave it to the Chamberlain, bidding him make ready for +Baghdad, and furnished him with camels and mules and two +travelling litters, one for himself and the other for the +princess. Moreover, he wrote a letter to his father and committed +it to the Chamberlain. Then he took leave of his sister, after he +had taken the jewel from her and hung it round his daughter's +neck by a chain of fine gold; and she and her husband set out for +Baghdad the same night. Now their caravan was the very one to +which Zoulmekan and his friend the stoker had joined themselves, +as before related, having waited till the Chamberlain passed +them, riding on a dromedary, with his footmen around him. Then +Zoulmekan mounted the stoker's ass and said to the latter, "Do +thou mount with me." But he said, "Not so: I will be thy +servant." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Needs must thou ride awhile." "It is +well," replied the stoker; "I will ride when I grow tired." Then +said Zoulmekan, "O my brother, thou shalt see how I will do with +thee, when I come to my own people." So they journeyed on till +the sun rose, and when it was the hour of the noonday rest, the +Chamberlain called a halt, and they alighted and rested and +watered their camels. Then he gave the signal for departure and +they journeyed for five days, till they came to the city of +Hemah, where they made a three days' halt; then set out again and +fared on, till they reached the province of Diarbekir. Here there +blew on them the breezes of Baghdad, and Zoulmekan bethought him +of his father and mother and his native land and how he was +returning to his father without his sister: so he wept and sighed +and complained, and his regrets increased on him, and he repeated +the following verses: + +How long wilt thou delay from me, beloved one? I wait: And yet + there comes no messenger with tidings of thy fate. +Alack, the time of love-delight and peace was brief indeed! Ah, + that the days of parting thus would of their length abate! +Take thou my hand and put aside my mantle and thou'lt find My + body wasted sore; and yet I hide my sad estate. +And if thou bid me be consoled for thee, "By God," I say, "I'll + ne'er forget thee till the Day that calls up small and + great!" + +"Leave this weeping and lamenting," said the stoker, "for we are +near the Chamberlain's tent." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Needs must I +recite somewhat of verse, so haply it may allay the fire of my +heart." "God on thee," cried the stoker, "leave this lamentation, +till thou come to thine own country; then do what thou wilt, and +I will be with thee, wherever thou art." "By Allah," replied +Zoulmekan, "I cannot forbear from this!" Then he set his face +towards Baghdad and began to repeat verses. Now the moon was +shining brightly and shedding her light on the place, and Nuzhet +ez Zeman could not sleep that night, but was wakeful and called +to mind her brother and wept. Presently, she heard Zoulmekan +weeping and repeating the following verses: + +The southern lightning gleams in the air And rouses in me the old + despair, +The grief for a dear one, loved and lost, Who filled me the cup + of joy whilere. +It minds me of her who fled away And left me friendless and sick + and bare. +O soft-shining lightnings, tell me true, Are the days of + happiness past fore'er? +Chide not, O blamer of me, for God Hath cursed me with two things + hard to bear, +A friend who left me to pine alone, And a fortune whose smile was + but a snare. +The sweet of my life was gone for aye, When fortune against me + did declare; +She brimmed me a cup of grief unmixed, And I must drink it and + never spare. +Or ever our meeting 'tide, sweetheart, Methinks I shall die of + sheer despair, +I prithee, fortune, bring back the days When we were a happy + childish pair; +The days, when we from the shafts of fate, That since have + pierced us, in safety were! +Ah, who shall succour the exiled wretch, Who passes the night in + dread and care, +And the day in mourning for her whose name, Delight of the + Age[FN#62], bespoke her fair? +The hands of the baseborn sons of shame Have doomed us the wede + of woe to wear. + +Then he cried out and fell down in a swoon, and when Nuzhet ez +Zeman heard his voice in the night, her heart was solaced and she +rose and called the chief eunuch, who said to her, "What is thy +will?" Quoth she, "Go and fetch me him who recited verses but +now." "I did not hear him," replied he; "the people are all +asleep." And she said, "Whomsoever thou findest awake, he is the +man." So he went out and sought, but found none awake but the +stoker; for Zoulmekan was still insensible, and, Nuzhet ez Zeman, +going up to the former, said to him, "Art thou he who recited +verses but now, and my lady heard him?" The stoker concluded that +the lady was wroth and was afraid and replied, "By Allah, 'twas +not I!" "Who then was it?" rejoined the eunuch. "Point him out to +me. Thou must know who it was, seeing that thou art awake." The +stoker feared for Zoulmekan and said in himself, "Maybe the +eunuch will do him some hurt." So he answered, "I know not who it +was." "By Allah," said the eunuch, "thou liest, for there is none +awake here but thou! So needs must thou know him." "By Allah," +replied the stoker, "I tell thee the truth! It must have been +some passer-by who recited the verses and disturbed me and +aroused me, may God requite him!" Quoth the eunuch, "If thou +happen upon him, point him out to me and I will lay hands on him +and bring him to the door of my lady's litter; or do thou take +him with thine own hand." "Go back," said the stoker, "and I will +bring him to thee." So the eunuch went back to his mistress and +said to her, "None knows who it was; it must have been some +passer-by." And she was silent. Meanwhile, Zoulmekan came to +himself and saw that the moon had reached the zenith and felt the +breath of the breeze that goes before the dawn; whereupon his +heart was moved to longing and sadness, and he cleared his throat +and was about to recite verses, when the stoker said to him, +"What wilt thou do?" "I have a mind to repeat somewhat of verse," +answered Zoulmekan, "that I may allay therewith the fire of my +heart." Quoth the other, "Thou knowest not what befell me, whilst +thou wert aswoon, and how I only escaped death by beguiling the +eunuch." "Tell me what happened," said Zoulrnekan. "Whilst thou +wert aswoon," replied the stoker, "there came up to me but now an +eunuch, with a long staff of almond-tree wood in his hand, who +looked in all the people's faces, as they lay asleep, and finding +none awake but myself, asked me who it was recited the verses. I +told him it was some passer-by; so he went away and God delivered +me from him; else had he killed me. But first he said to me, 'If +thou hear him again, bring him to us.'" When Zoulmekan heard +this, he wept and said, "Who is it would forbid me to recite? I +will surely do so, come what may; for I am near my own country +and care for no one." "Dost thou wish to destroy thyself?" asked +the stoker; and Zoulmekan answered, "I cannot help reciting +verses." "Verily," said the stoker, "I see this will bring about +a parting between us here though I had promised myself not to +leave thee, till I had brought thee to thy native city and +re-united thee with thy mother and father. Thou hast now been +with me a year and a half, and I have never baulked thee or +harmed thee in aught. What ails thee then, that thou must needs +recite, seeing that we are exceeding weary with travel and +watching and all the folk are asleep, for they need sleep to rest +them of their fatigue." But Zoulmekan answered, "I will not be +turned from my purpose." Then grief moved him and he threw off +disguise and began to repeat the following verses: + +Halt by the camp and hail the ruined steads by the brake, And + call on her name aloud; mayhap she will answer make. +And if for her absence the night of sadness darken on thee, Light + in its gloom a fire with longings for her sake. +Though the snake of the sand-hills hiss, small matter is it to me + If it sting me, so I the fair with the lips of crimson take. +O Paradise, left perforce of the spirit, but that I hope For ease + in the mansions of bliss, my heart would surely break! + +And these also: + +Time was when fortune was to us even as a servant is, And in the + loveliest of lands our happy lives did kiss. +Ah, who shall give me back the abode of my belov'd, wherein The + Age's Joy[FN#63] and Place's Light[FN#64] erst dwelt in + peace and bliss? + +Then he cried out three times and fell down senseless, and the +stoker rose and covered him. When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard the first +verses, she called to mind her mother and father and brother; and +when she heard the second, mentioning the names of herself and +her brother and their sometime home, she wept and calling the +eunuch, said to him, "Out on thee! But now I heard him who +recited the first time do so again, and that hard by. So, by +Allah, an thou fetch him not to me, I will rouse the Chamberlain +on thee, and he shall beat thee and turn thee away. But take +these hundred dinars and give them to him and do him no hurt, but +bring him to me gently. If he refuse, give him this purse of a +thousand dinars and leave him and return to me and tell me, after +thou hast informed thyself of his place and condition and what +countryman he is. Return quickly and do not linger, and beware +lest thou come back and say, 'I could not find him.'" So the +eunuch went out and fell to examining the people and treading +amongst them, but found none awake, for the folk were all asleep +for weariness, till he came to the stoker and saw him sitting up, +with his head uncovered. So he drew near him and seizing him by +the hand, said to him, "It was thou didst recite the verses!" The +stoker was affrighted and replied, "No, by Allah, O chief of the +people, it was not I!" But the eunuch said, "I will not leave +thee till thou show me who it was; for I fear to return to my +lady without him." Thereupon the stoker feared for Zoulmekan and +wept sore and said to the eunuch, "By Allah, it was not I, nor do +I know who it was. I only heard some passer-by recite verses: so +do not thou commit sin on me, for I am a stranger and come from +Jerusalem, and Abraham the Friend of God be with thee!" "Come +thou with me," rejoined the eunuch, "and tell my lady this with +thine own mouth, for I see none awake but thee." Quoth the +stoker, "Hast thou not seen me sitting here and dost thou not +know my station? Thou knowest none can stir from his place, +except the guards seize him. So go thou to thy mistress and if +thou hear any one reciting again, whether it be near or far, it +will be I or some one whom I shall know, and thou shalt not know +of him but by me." Then he kissed the eunuch's head and spoke him +fair, till he went away; but he made a circuit and returning +secretly, came and hid himself behind the stoker, fearing to go +back to his mistress empty-handed. As soon as he was gone, the +stoker aroused Zoulmekan and said to him, "Awake and sit up, that +I may tell thee what has happened." So Zoulmekan sat up, and the +stoker told him what had passed, and he answered, "Let me alone; +I will take no heed of this and I care for none, for I am near my +own country." Quoth the stoker, "Why wilt thou obey thine own +inclinations and the promptings of the devil? If thou fearest no +one, I fear for thee and myself; so God on thee, recite no more +verses, till thou come to thine own country! Indeed, I had not +thought thee so self-willed. Dost thou not know that this lady is +the wife of the Chamberlain and is minded to chide thee for +disturbing her. Belike, she is ill or restless for fatigue, and +this is the second time she hath sent the eunuch to look for +thee." However, Zoulmekan paid no heed to him, but cried out a +third time and repeated the following verses: + +The carping tribe I needs must flee; Their railing chafes my + misery. +They blame and chide at me nor know They do but fan the flame in + me. +"She is consoled," they say. And I, "Can one consoled for country + be?" +Quoth they, "How beautiful she is!" And I, "How dear-belov'd is + she!" +"How high her rank!" say they; and I, "How base is my humility!" +Now God forfend I leave to love, Deep though I drink of agony! +Nor will I heed the railing race, Who carp at me for loving thee. + +Hardly had he made an end of these verses when the eunuch, who +had heard him from his hiding, came up to him; whereupon the +stoker fled and stood afar off, to see what passed between them. +Then said the eunuch to Zoulmekan, "Peace be on thee, O my lord!" +"And on thee be peace," replied Zoulmekan, "and the mercy of God +and His blessing!" "O my lord," continued the eunuch, "this is +the third time I have sought thee this night, for my mistress +bids thee to her." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Whence comes this bitch that +seeks for me? May God curse her and her husband too!" And he +began to revile the eunuch, who could make him no answer, because +his mistress had charged him to do Zoulmekan no violence nor +bring him, save of his free will, and if he would not come, to +give him the thousand dinars. So he began to speak him fair and +say to him, "O my lord, take this (purse) and go with me. We will +do thee no unright nor wrong thee in aught; but we would have +thee bend thy gracious steps with me to my mistress, to speak +with her and return in peace and safety; and thou shalt have a +handsome present." When Zoulmekan heard this, he arose and went +with the eunuch, stepping over the sleeping folk, whilst the +stoker followed them at a distance, saying to himself, "Alas, the +pity of his youth! To-morrow they will hang him. How base it will +be of him, if he say it was I who bade him recite the verses!" +And he drew near to them and stood, watching them, without their +knowledge, till they came to Nuzhet ez Zeman's tent, when the +eunuch went in to her and said, "O my lady, I have brought thee +him whom thou soughtest, and he is a youth, fair of face and +bearing the marks of gentle breeding." When she heard this, her +heart fluttered and she said, "Let him recite some verses, that I +may hear him near at hand, and after ask him his name and +extraction." So the eunuch went out to Zoulmekan and said to him, +"Recite what verses thou knowest, for my lady is here hard by, +listening to thee, and after I will ask thee of thy name and +extraction and condition." "Willingly," replied he; "but as for +my name, it is blotted out and my trace among men is passed away +and my body wasted. I have a story, the beginning of which is not +known nor can the end of it be described, and behold, I am even +as one who hath exceeded in drinking wine, till he hath lost the +mastery of himself and is afflicted with distempers and wanders +from his right mind, being perplexed about his case and drowned +in the sea of melancholy." When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard this, she +broke out into loud weeping and sobbing and said to the eunuch, +"Ask him if he have lost a beloved one, such as his father or +mother." The eunuch did as she bade him, and Zoulmekan replied, +"Yes, I have lost all whom I loved: but the dearest of all to me +was my sister, from whom Fate hath parted me." When Nuzhet ez +Zeman heard this, she exclaimed, "May God the Most High reunite +him with those he loves!" Then said she to the eunuch, "Tell him +to let me hear somewhat on the subject of his separation from his +people and his country." The eunuch did so, and Zoulmekan sighed +heavily and repeated the following verses: + +Ah, would that I knew they were ware Of the worth of the heart + they have won! +Would I knew through what passes they fare, From what quarter + they look on the sun! Are they living, I wonder, or dead? + Can it be that their life's race is run? +Ah, the lover is ever distraught And his life for misgivings + undone! + +And also these: + +I vow, if e'er the place shall bless my longing sight, Wherein my + sister dwells, the age's dear delight,[FN#65] +I'll take my fill of life and all the sweets of peace, Midst + trees and flowing streams: and maidens fair and bright +The lute's enchanting tones shall soothe me to repose, What while + I quaff full cups of wine like living light +And honeyed dews of love suck from the deep-red lips Of lovelings + sleepy-eyed, with tresses black as night. + +When he had finished, Nuzhet ez Zeman lifted up a corner of the +curtain of the litter and looked at him. As soon as her eyes fell +on him, she knew him for certain and cried out, "O my brother! O +Zoulmekan!" He looked at her and knew her and cried out, "O my +sister! O Nuzhet ez Zeman!" Then she threw herself upon him, and +he received her in his arms, and they both fell down in a swoon. +When the eunuch saw this, he wondered and throwing over them +somewhat to cover them, waited till they should recover. After +awhile, they came to themselves, and Nuzhet ez Zeman rejoiced +exceedingly. Grief and anxiety left her and joys flocked upon her +and she repeated the following verses: + +Fate swore 'twould never cease to plague my life and make me rue. + Thou hast not kept thine oath, O Fate; so look thou penance + do. +Gladness is come and my belov'd is here to succour me; So rise + unto the summoner of joys, and quickly too. +I had no faith in Paradise of olden time, until I won the nectar + of its streams from lips of damask hue. + +When Zoulmekan heard this, he pressed his sister to his breast, +whilst, for the excess of his joy, the tears streamed from his +eyes and he repeated the following verses: + +Long time have I bewailed the severance of our loves, With tears + that from my lids streamed down like burning rain, +And vowed that, if the days should reunite us two, My lips should + never speak of severance again. +Joy hath o'erwhelmed me so, that, for the very stress Of that + which gladdens me, to weeping I am fain. +Tears are become to you a habit, O my eyes, So that ye weep alike + for gladness and for pain. + +They sat awhile at the door of the litter, conversing, till she +said to him, "Come with me into the litter and tell me all that +has befallen thee, and I will do the like." So they entered and +Zoulmekan said, "Do thou begin." Accordingly, she told him all +that had happened to her since their separation and said, +"Praised be God who hath vouchsafed thee to me and ordained that, +even as we left our father together, so we shall return to him +together! Now tell me how it has fared with thee since I left +thee." So he told her all that had befallen him and how God had +sent the stoker to him, and how he had journeyed with him and +spent his money on him and tended him night and day. She praised +the stoker for this, and Zoulmekan added, "Indeed, O my sister, +the man hath dealt with me in such benevolent wise as would not a +lover with his mistress or a father with his son, for that he +fasted and gave me to eat, and went afoot, whilst he made me +ride; and I owe my life to him." "God willing," said she, "we +will requite him for all this, according to our power." Then she +called the eunuch, who came and kissed Zoulmekan's hand, and she +said, "Take thy reward for glad tidings, O face of good omen! It +was thy hand reunited me with my brother; so the purse I gave +thee and its contents are thine. But now go to thy master and +bring him quickly to me." The eunuch rejoiced and going to the +Chamberlain, summoned him to his mistress. Accordingly, he came +in to his wife and finding Zoulmekan with her, asked who he was. +So she told him all that had befallen them, first and last, and +added, "Know, O Chamberlain, that thou hast gotten no slave-girl +to wife: but the daughter of King Omar ben Ennuman: for I am +Nuzhet ez Zeman, and this is my brother Zoulmekan." When the +Chamberlain heard her story, he knew it for the manifest truth +and was certified that he was become King Omar ben Ennuman's +son-in-law and said to himself, "I shall surely be made governor +of some province." Then he went up to Zoulmekan and gave him joy +of his safety and re-union with his sister, and bade his servants +forthwith make him ready a tent and one of the best of his own +horses to ride. Then said Nuzhet ez Zeman, "We are now near my +country and I would fain be alone with my brother, that we may +enjoy one another's company and take our fill of each other, +before we reach Baghdad; for we have been long parted." "Be it as +thou wilt," replied the Chamberlain and going forth, sent them +wax candles and various kinds of sweetmeats, together with three +costly suits of clothes for Zoulmekan. Then he returned to the +litter, and Nuzhet ez Zeman said to him, "Bid the eunuch find the +stoker and give him a horse to ride and provide him a tray of +food morning and evening, and let him be forbidden to leave us." +The Chamberlain called the eunuch and charged him accordingly; so +he took his pages with him and went out in search of the stoker, +whom he found at the tail of the caravan, saddling his ass and +preparing for flight. The tears were running down his cheeks, out +of fear for himself and grief for his separation from Zoulmekan, +and he was saying to himself, "Indeed, I warned him for the love +of God, but he would not listen to me. O that I knew what is +become of him!" Before he had done speaking, the eunuch came up +and stood behind him, whilst the pages surrounded him. The stoker +turned and seeing the eunuch and the pages round him, changed +colour and trembled in every nerve for affright, exclaiming, +"Verily, he knows not the value of the good offices I have done +him! I believe he has denounced me to the eunuch and made me an +accomplice in his offence." Then the eunuch cried out at him, +saying, "Who was it recited the verses? Liar that thou art, why +didst thou tell me that thou knewest not who it was, when it was +thy companion? But now I will not leave thee till we come to +Baghdad, and what betides thy comrade shall betide thee." Quoth +the stoker, "Verily, what I feared has fallen on me." And he +repeated the following verse: + +'Tis e'en as I feared it would be: We are God's and to Him return + we. + +Then said the eunuch to the pages, "Take him off the ass." So +they took him off the ass and setting him on a horse, carried him +along with the caravan, surrounded by the pages, to whom said the +eunuch, "If a hair of him be missing, it shall be the worse for you." +But he bade them privily treat him with consideration and not +humiliate him. When the stoker saw himself in this case, he gave +himself up for lost and turning to the eunuch, said to him, "O chief, +I am neither this youth's brother nor anywise akin to him; but I +was a stoker in a bath and found him lying asleep on the fuel-heap." +Then the caravan fared on and the stoker wept and imagined a +thousand things in himself, whilst the eunuch walked by his side +and told him nothing, but said to him, "You disturbed our mistress +by reciting verses, thou and the lad: but have no fear for thyself." +This he said, laughing at him the while in himself. When the +caravan halted, they brought them food, and he and the eunuch ate +from one dish. Then the eunuch let bring a gugglet of sherbet of +sugar and after drinking himself, gave it to the stoker, who drank; +but all the while his tears ceased not flowing, out of fear for +himself and grief for his separation from Zoulmekan and for what +had befallen them in their strangerhood. So they travelled on with +the caravan, whilst the Chamberlain now rode by the door of his +wife's litter, in attendance on Zoulmekan and the princess, and now +gave an eye to the stoker, and Nuzhet ez Zeman and her brother +occupied themselves with converse and mutual condolence; and so they +did till they came within three days' journey of Baghdad. Here they +alighted at eventide and rested till the morning, when they woke +and were about to load the beasts, when behold, there appeared +afar off a great cloud of dust, that obscured the air, till it +became as dark as night. Thereupon the Chamberlain cried out to +them to stay their preparations for departure, and mounting with +his officers rode forward in the direction of the dust-cloud. +When they drew near it, they perceived under it a numerous army, +like the full flowing sea, with drums and flags and standards and +horsemen and footmen. The Chamberlain marvelled at this: and when +the troops saw him, there came forth from amongst them a troop of +five hundred horse, who fell upon him and his suite and +surrounded them, five for one; whereupon said he to them, "What +is the matter and what are these troops, that ye use us thus?" +"Who art thou?" asked they. "Whence comest thou and whither art +thou bound?" And he answered, "I am the Chamberlain of the +Viceroy of Damascus, King Sherkan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman, +lord of Baghdad and of the land of Khorassan, and I bring tribute +and presents from him to his father in Baghdad." When the +horsemen heard speak of King Omar, they let their kerchiefs fall +over their faces and wept, saying, "Alas! King Omar is dead, and +he died poisoned. But fare ye on, no harm shall befall you, and +join his Grand Vizier Dendan." When the Chamberlain heard this, +he wept sore and exclaimed, "Alas, our disappointment in this our +journey!" Then he and his suite rode on, weeping, till they +reached the main body of the army and sought access to the +Vizier Dendan, who called a halt and causing his pavilion to be +pitched, sat down on a couch therein and commanded to admit the +Chamberlain. Then he bade him be seated and questioned him; and +he replied that he was the Viceroy's Chamberlain of Damascus and +was bound to King Omar with presents and the tribute of Syria. +The Vizier wept at the mention of King Omar's name and said, +"King Omar is dead by poison, and the folk fell out amongst +themselves as to whom they should make king after him, so that +they were like to come to blows on this account; but the notables +and grandees interposed and restored peace, and the people agreed +to refer the matter to the decision of the four Cadis, who +adjudged that we should go to Damascus and fetch thence the late +king's son Sherkan and make him king over his father's realm. +Some of them would have chosen his second son Zoulmekan, were it +not that he and his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman set out five years ago +for Mecca, and none knows what is become of them." When the +Chamberlain heard this, he knew that his wife had told him the +truth and grieved sore for the death of King Omar, what while he +was greatly rejoiced, especially at the arrival of Zoulmekan, for +that he would now become King of Baghdad in his father's room. So +he turned to the Vizier and said to him, "Verily, your affair is +a wonder of wonders! Know, O chief Vizier, that here, where you +have encountered me, God giveth you rest from fatigue and +bringeth you that you desire after the easiest of fashions, in +that He restoreth to you Zoulmekan and his sister Nuzhet ez +Zeman, whereby the matter is settled and made easy." When the +Vizier heard this, he rejoiced greatly and said, "O Chamberlain, +tell me their story and the reason of their having been so long +absent." So he repeated to him the whole story and told him that +Nuzhet ez Zeman was his wife. As soon as he had made an end of +his tale, the Vizier sent for the amirs and viziers and grandees +and acquainted them with the matter; whereat they rejoiced +greatly and wondered at the happy chance. Then they went in to +the Chamberlain and did their service to him, kissing the earth +before him; and the Vizier Dendan also rose and stood before him, +in token of respect. After this the Chamberlain held a great +council, and he and the Vizier sat upon a throne, whilst all the +amirs and officers of state took their places before them, +according to their several ranks. Then they dissolved sugar in +rose-water and drank, after which the amirs sat down to hold +council and bade the rest mount and ride forward leisurely, till +they should make an end of their deliberations and overtake them. +So the officers kissed the earth before them and mounting, rode +onward, preceded by the standards of war. When the amirs had +finished their conference, they mounted and rejoined the troops; +and the Chamberlain said to the Vizier Dendan, "I think it well +to ride on before you, that I may notify Zoulmekan of your coming +and choice of him as Sultan over the head of his brother Sherkan, +and that I may make him ready a place befitting his dignity." "It +is well thought," answered the Vizier. Then the Chamberlain rose +and Dendan also rose, to do him honour, and brought him presents, +which he conjured him to accept. On like wise did all the amirs +and officers of state, calling down blessings on him and saying +to him, "Mayhap thou will make mention of our case to King +Zoulmekan and speak to him to continue us in our dignities." The +Chamberlain promised what they asked and the Vizier Dendan sent +with him tents and bade the tent-pitchers set them up at a days +journey from the city. Then the Chamberlain mounted and rode +forward, full of joy and saying in himself, "How blessed is this +journey!" And indeed his wife was exalted in his eyes, she and +her brother Zoulmekan. They made all haste, till they reached a +place distant a day's journey from Baghdad, where he called a +halt and bade his men alight and make ready a sitting place for +the Sultan Zoulmekan, whilst he rode forward with his pages and +alighting at a distance from Nuzhet ez Zeman's litter, commanded +the eunuchs to ask the princess's leave to admit him. They did so +and she gave leave; whereupon he went in to her and her brother +and told them of the death of their father, King Omar ben +Ennuman, and how the heads of the people had made Zoulmekan king +over them in his stead; and he gave them joy of the kingdom. When +they heard this, they both wept for their father and asked the +manner of his death. "The news rests with the Vizier Dendan," +replied the Chamberlain, "who will be here to-morrow with all the +troops; and it only remains for thee, O prince, to do what they +counsel, since they have chosen thee King; for if thou do not +this, they will crown another, and thou canst not be sure of +thyself with another king. Haply he will kill thee, or discord +may befall between you and the kingdom pass out of your hands." +Zoulmekan bowed his head awhile, then raised it and said, "I +accept;" for indeed he saw that the Chamberlain had counselled +him rightly and that there was no refusing; "but, O uncle, how +shall I do with my brother Sherkan?" "O my son," replied the +Chamberlain, "thy brother will be Sultan of Damascus, and thou +Sultan of Baghdad; so gird up thy resolution and prepare to do +what befits thy case." Then he presented him with a suit of royal +raiment and a dagger of state, that the Vizier Dendan had brought +with him, and leaving him, returned to the tent-pitchers and bade +them choose out a spot of rising ground and pitch thereon a +spacious and splendid pavilion, wherein the Sultan might sit to +receive the amirs and grandees. Then he ordered the cooks to make +ready rich food and serve it up and the water-carriers to set up +the water-troughs. They did as he bade them and presently there +arose a cloud of dust and spread till it obscured the horizon. +After awhile, the breeze dispersed it, and there appeared under +it the army of Baghdad and Khorassan, led by the Vizier Dendan, +all rejoicing in the accession of Zoulmekan. Now Zoulmekan had +donned the royal robes and girt himself with the sword of state: +so the Chamberlain brought him a steed and he mounted, surrounded +by the rest of the company on foot, and rode between the tents, +till he came to the royal pavilion, where he entered and sat +down, with the royal dagger across his thighs, whilst the +Chamberlain stood in attendance on him and his servants stationed +themselves in the vestibule of the pavilion, with drawn swords in +their hands. Presently, up came the troops and sought admission +to the King's presence; so the Chamberlain went in to Zoulmekan +and asked his leave, whereupon he bade admit them, ten by ten. +Accordingly, the Chamberlain went out to them and acquainted them +with the King's orders, to which they replied, "We hear and +obey." Then he took ten of them and carried them, through the +vestibule, into the presence of the Sultan, whom when they saw, +they were awed; but he received them with the utmost kindness and +promised them all good. So they gave him joy of his safe return +and invoked God's blessing upon him, after which they took the +oath of fealty to him, and kissing the earth before him, +withdrew. Then other ten entered and he received them in the same +manner; and they ceased not to enter, ten by ten, till none was +left but the Vizier Dendan. So he went in and kissed the earth +before Zoulmekan, who rose to meet him, saying, "Welcome, O noble +Vizier and father! Verily, thine acts are those of a precious +counsellor, and judgment and foresight are in the hands of the +Subtle, the All Wise." Then he commanded the Chamberlain to go +out and cause the tables to be spread at once and bid the troops +thereto. So they came and ate and drank. Moreover, he bade Dendan +call a ten days' halt of the army, that he might be private with +him and learn from him the manner of his father's death. +Accordingly, the Vizier went forth and transmitted the King's +wishes to the troops, who received his commands with submission +and wished him eternity of glory. Moreover, he gave them leave to +divert themselves and ordered that none of the lords in waiting +should go in to the King for his service for the space of three +days. Then Zoulmekan waited till nightfall, when he went in to +his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "Dost thou know the +fashion of my father's death or not?" "I have no knowledge of +it," replied she, and drew a silken curtain before herself, +whilst Zoulmekan seated himself without the curtain and sending +for the Vizier, bade him relate to him in detail the manner of +King Omar's death. "Know then, O King," replied Dendan, "that +King Omar ben Ennuman, when he returned to Baghdad from his +hunting excursion, enquired for thee and thy sister, but could +not find you and knew that you had gone on the pilgrimage, +whereat he was greatly concerned and angered, and his breast was +contracted. He abode thus a whole year, seeking news of you from +all who came and went, but none could give him any tidings of +you. At the end of this time, as we were one day in attendance +upon him, there came to us an old woman, as she were a devotee, +accompanied by five damsels, high-bosomed maids, like moons, +endowed with such beauty and grace as the tongue fails to +describe; and to crown their perfections, they knew the Koran by +heart and were versed in various kinds of learning and in the +histories of bygone peoples. The old woman sought an audience of +the King, and he bade admit her; whereupon she entered and kissed +the ground before him. Now I was then sitting by his side, and +he, seeing in her the signs of devoutness and asceticism, made +her draw near and sit down by him. So she sat down and said to +him, 'Know, O King, that with me are five damsels, whose like no +king possesses, for they are endowed with beauty and grace and +wit. They know the Koran and the traditions and are skilled in +all manner of learning and in the history of bygone peoples. They +are here before thee, at thy disposal; for it is by proof that +folk are prized or disdained.' Thy late father looked at the +damsels and their favour pleased him; so he said to them, 'Let +each of you tell me something of what she knows of the history of +bygone folk and peoples of times past.' Thereupon one of them +came forward and kissing the earth before him, spoke as follows, +'Know, O King, that it behoves the man of good breeding to eschew +impertinence and adorn himself with excellencies, observing the +Divine precepts and shunning mortal sins; and to this he should +apply himself with the assiduity of one who, if he stray +therefrom, is lost; for the foundation of good breeding is +virtuous behaviour. Know that the chief reason of existence is +the endeavour after life everlasting and the right way thereto is +the service of God: so it behoves thee to deal righteously with +the people; and swerve not from this rubrick, for the mightier +folk are in dignity, the more need they have of prudence and +foresight; and indeed kings need this more than common folk, for +the general cast themselves into affairs, without taking thought +to the issue of them. Be thou prodigal both of thyself and thy +treasure in the way of God and know that, if an enemy dispute +with thee, thou mayst litigate with him and refute him with proof +and ward thyself against him; but as for thy friend, there is +none can judge between thee and him but righteousness and +fair-dealing. Wherefore, choose thy friend for thyself, after +thou hast proved him. If he be a man of religion, let him be +zealous in observing the external letter of the Law and versed in +its inner meaning, as far as may be: and if he be a man of the +world, let him be free-born, sincere, neither ignorant nor +perverse, for the ignorant man is such that even his parents +might well flee from him, and a liar cannot be a true friend, for +the word "friend"[FN#66] is derived from "truth,"[FN#67] that +emanates from the bottom of the heart; and how can this be the +case, when falsehood is manifest upon the tongue? Know, +therefore, that the observance of the Law profits him who +practices it: so love thy brother, if he be after this fashion, +and do not cast him off, even if thou see in him that which thou +mislikest; for a friend is not like a wife whom one can divorce +and take again; but his heart is like glass; once broken, it +cannot be mended. And God bless him who says: + +Be careful not to hurt men's hearts nor work them aught of dole, + For hard it is to bring again a once estranged soul; +And hearts, indeed, whose loves in twain by discord have been + rent Are like a broken glass, whose breach may never be made + whole. + +The wise say (continued she), "The best of friends is he who is +the most assiduous in good counsel, the best of actions is that +which is fairest in its result, and the best of praise is (not) +that which is in the mouths of men." It is said also, "It behoves +not the believer to neglect to thank God, especially for two +favours, health and reason." Again, "He who honoureth himself, +his lust is a light matter to him, and he who makes much of small +troubles, God afflicts him with great ones: he who obeys his own +inclination neglects his duties and he who listens to the +slanderer loses the true friend. He who thinks well of thee, do +thou fulfil his thought of thee. He who exceeds in contention +sins, and he who does not beware of upright is not safe from the +sword." + +Now will I tell thee somewhat of the duties of judges. Know, O +King, that no judgment serves the cause of justice except it be +given after deliberation, and it behoves the judge to treat all +people alike, to the intent that the rich and noble may not be +encouraged to oppression nor the poor and weak despair of +justice. He should extract proof from him who complains and +impose an oath upon him who denies; and compromise is lawful +between Muslims, except it be a compromise sanctioning an +unlawful or forbidding a lawful thing. If he have done aught +during the day, of which he is doubtful, the judge should +reconsider it and apply his discernment to elucidating it, that +(if he have erred) he may revert to the right, for to do justice +is a religious obligation and to return to that which is right is +better than perseverance in error. Then he should study the +precedents and the law of the case and do equal justice between +the suitors, fixing his eye upon the truth and committing his +affair to God, to whom belong might and majesty. Let him require +proof of the complainant, and if he adduce it, let him put the +defendant to his oath; for this is the ordinance of God. He +should receive the testimony of competent Muslim witnesses, one +against another, for God the Most High hath commanded judges to +judge by externals, He Himself taking charge of the secret +things. It behoves the judge also to avoid giving judgment, +whilst suffering from stress of pain or hunger, and that in his +decisions between the folk he seek to please God, for he whose +intent is pure and who is at peace with his conscience, God shall +guarantee him against what is between him and the people. Quoth +Ez Zuhri,[FN#68] "There are three things, which if they be found +in a Cadi, he should be deposed; namely, if he honour the base, +love praise and fear dismissal." It is related that Omar ben +Abdulaziz once deposed a Cadi, who asked him why he had done so. +"It has come to my knowledge," replied Omar, "that thy speech is +greater than thy condition." It is said also that Iskender[FN#69] +said to his Cadi, "I have invested thee with this function and +committed to thee in it my soul and my honour and manhood; so do +thou guard it with thy soul and thine understanding." To his cook +he said, "Thou art the governor of my body; so look thou tender +it." To his secretary he said, "Thou art the controller of my +wit: so do thou watch over me in what thou writest for me."' + +With this the first damsel retired and a second one came forward +and kissing the earth seven times before the King thy father, +spoke as follows: 'The sage Lucman[FN#70] said to his son, "There +are three men whom thou shalt not know, but in three several +cases; thou shalt not know the merciful man but in time of anger, +nor the brave man but in time of war nor thy friend but when thou +hast need of him." It is said that the oppressor shall repent, +though the people praise him, and that the oppressed is safe, +though the people blame him. Quoth God the Most High, "[FN#71] +Think not that those who rejoice in their deeds and love to be +praised for that which they have not done, shall escape +punishment; indeed there is reserved for them a grievous +punishment." Quoth Mohammed (on whom be peace and salvation), +"Works are according to intentions, and to each man is attributed +that which he intends." He saith also, "There is a part of the +human body, which being whole, all the rest is whole, and which +being corrupt, the whole body is corrupt; it is the heart. And +indeed the heart is the most marvellous part of man, since it is +that which ordereth his whole affair; if covetise stir in it, +desire destroys him, and if affliction master it, anguish slays +him: if anger rage in it, danger is sore upon him, and if it be +blest with contentment, he is safe from discontent; if fear +overtake it, he is filled with mourning, and if calamity smite +it, affliction betideth him. If a man gain wealth, his heart is +peradventure diverted thereby from the remembrance of his Lord, +and if poverty afflict him, his heart is distracted by care, or +if disquietude waste his heart, weakness reduces him to +impotence. So, in any case, there is nothing will profit him but +that he be mindful of God and occupy himself with gaining his +living and securing his place in Paradise." It was asked of a +certain wise man, "Who is the most ill-conditioned of men?" "He," +replied the sage, "whose lusts master his manhood and whose mind +exceeds in the pursuit of objects of high emprise, so that his +knowledge increases and his excuse diminishes; and how excellent +is what the poet says: + +The freest of all men from need of the arrogant meddler am I, The + fool who's unguided of God and judges the folk all awry; +For wealth and good gifts are a loan and each man at last shall + be clad As it were in a mantle, with that which hid in his + bosom doth lie. +If thou enter on aught by a door that is other than right, thou + wilt err; But the right door will dead thee aright, for + sure, if thou enter there by." + +As for anecdotes of devotees (continued the maiden), quoth Hisham +ben Besher, "I said to Omar ben Ubeid, 'What is true devoutness?' +and he answered, 'The Prophet (whom God bless and preserve) hath +expounded it, when he says, "The devout is he who takes thought +to death and calamity and prefers that which is eternal to that +which passes away, who counts not the morrow as of his days, but +reckons himself among the dead."'" And it is related that Abou +Dherr[FN#72] used to say, "Poverty is dearer to me than riches +and sickness than health." Quoth one of the listeners, "May God +have mercy on Abou Dherr! For my part, I say, 'He who puts his +trust in the goodness of the election of God the Most High should +be content with that condition of which the Almighty hath made +choice for him.'" Quoth one of the Companions (of the Prophet), +"Ibn Ali Aqfa[FN#73] prayed with us the morning-prayer one day. +When he had done, he read the seventy-fourth chapter (of the +Koran), beginning, 'O thou that coverest thyself!' till he came +to where God says, 'When the trumpet is blown,' and fell down +dead." It is said that Thabit el Benani wept till he well nigh +lost his eyes. They brought him a man to tend him, who said to +him, "I will cure thee, provided thou do my bidding." "In what +respect?" asked Thabit. "In that thou leave weeping," replied the +physician. "What is the use of my eyes," rejoined Thabit, "if +they do not weep?" Said a man to Mohammed ibn Abdallah, "Exhort +me." "I exhort thee," replied he, "to be an abstinent possessor +in this world and a greedy slave in the next." "How so?" asked +the other; and Mohammed said, "The abstinent man in this world +possesses both this world and the world to come." Quoth Ghauth +ben Abdallah, "There were two brothers among the people of +Israel, one of whom said to the other, 'What is the worst thing +thou hast done?' 'One day,' answered the other, 'I came upon a +nest of young birds; so I took out one and threw it back into the +nest; but the others drew apart from it. This is the worst thing +I ever did; so now tell me what is the worst thing thou hast ever +done.' 'When I betake myself to prayer,' rejoined the first, 'I +am fearful to have done so only for the sake of the reward. This +is the worst thing I have done.' Now their father heard what they +said and exclaimed, 'O my God, if they speak the truth, take them +to Thyself!' Quoth one of the wise men, 'Verily these were of the +most virtuous of children.'" Quoth Said ben Jubeir,[FN#74] "I was +once in company with Fuzaleh ibn Ubeid and said to him, 'Give me +some good counsel.' 'Bear in mind these two things,' replied he. +'Attribute no partner to God, and do no hurt to any of His +creatures.' And he repeated the following verses: + +Be as thou wilt and banish dread and care, For God is bountiful + and debonair; +So of two things, the doing hurt to men And giving God a partner, + thou beware." + +And how well saith the poet: + +If thou neglect with pious works for death to furnish thee And + after meet with one equipped with store of piety, +Thou wilt, when all too late, repent that thou wert not like him + And didst not for the other world make ready as did he.' + +Then the second damsel withdrew and a third came forward and +spoke as follows. 'Indeed, the chapter of piety is a very wide +one; but I will mention what occurs to me thereof, concerning +pious men of old time. Quoth a certain holy man, "I rejoice in +death, though I am not assured of ease therein, save that I know +death interposes between a man and his works; so I hope for +multiplication of good works and cessation of evil ones." Itaa es +Selemi, when he had made an end of an exhortation, was wont to +tremble and weep sore. It was asked him why he did this and he +replied, "I purpose (or am about) to enter upon a grave matter, +and it is the standing up before God the Most High, to do in +accordance with my exhortation." In like manner Zein el +Aabidin[FN#75] was wont to tremble when he rose to pray. Being +asked the reason of this, he replied, "Do ye not know before whom +I stand and to whom I address myself?" It is said that there +lived near Sufyan eth Thauri[FN#76] a blind man who, when the +month of Ramazan came, went out with the folk to pray, but +remained silent and hung back (in repeating the prayers). Said +Sufyan, "On the Day of Resurrection, he shall come with the +people of the Koran[FN#77] and they will be distinguished from +their fellows by excess of honour." Quoth Sufyan, "Were the soul +stablished in the heart as it befits, it would fly away, for joy +and longing for Paradise and grief and fear of hell-fire." It is +related also of Sufyan that he said, "To look upon the face of a +tyrant is a sin."' + +Then the third damsel retired and a fourth came forward, who +said, 'I will treat of sundry traditions of pious men. It is +related that Bishr el Hafi[FN#78] said, "I once heard Khalid +say, 'Beware of secret hypocrisy.' Quoth I, 'What is secret +hypocrisy?' He answered, 'When one of you, in praying, prolongs +his inclinations and prostrations till a cause of impurity[FN#79] +come upon him.'" Quoth one of the sages, "The doing of good works +expiates evil deeds." Quoth Ibrahim ben Adhem[FN#80], "I sought +assiduously of Bishr el Hafi that he should acquaint me with some +of the theological mysteries; but he said, 'O my son, it behoves +us not to teach this knowledge to every one; of every hundred, +five, even as the poor-rate upon money.' I thought his answer +excellent, and when I went to pray, I saw Bishr praying: so I +stood behind him, inclining myself in prayer, till the Muezzin +made his call. Then rose a man of poor appearance and said, 'O +folk, beware of truth, when it is hurtful, for there is no harm +in beneficial falsehood, and in compulsion is no choice: speech +profits not in the absence of good qualities nor is there any +hurt in silence, when they exist.' Presently I saw Bishr drop a +danic[FN#81] so I picked it up and exchanged it for a dirhem, +which I gave him. 'I will not take it,' said he. Quoth I, 'It is +a fair exchange;' but he answered, 'I cannot barter the riches of +the world to come for those of this world.'" It is reported also +that Bishr's sister once went to Ahmed ben Hembel[FN#82] and said +to him, "O Imam of the Faith, we are a family that work for our +living by day and spin thread by night; and oftentimes, the +cressets of the watch of Baghdad pass by and we on the roof +spinning by their light. Is this forbidden to us?" "Who art +thou?" asked Ahmed. "I am the sister of Bishr el Hafi," replied +she. "O household of Bishr," rejoined the Imam, "I shall never +cease to quafl full draughts of piety and continence from your +hearts." Quoth one of the learned, "When God wills well to +any man, he opens upon him the gate of action." Malik ibn +Dinar,[FN#83] when he passed through the bazaar and saw aught +that he wished for, was wont to say, "O soul, take patience, for +I will not accord to thee what thou desirest." He said also (may +God accept of him), "The salvation of the soul lies in resistance +to its desires and its ruin in submission to them." Quoth Mensour +ben Ammar,[FN#84] "I set out one year on the pilgrimage and was +making for Mecca by way of Cufa, when, one overcast night, I +heard a voice crying out from the womb of the night and saying, +'O my God, by Thy power and Thy glory, I meant not by my +disobedience to transgress against Thee, for indeed I am not +ignorant of Thee; but my fault is one Thou didst foreordain to me +from all eternity; so do Thou pardon me my sin, for indeed I +disobeyed Thee of my ignorance!' When he had made an end of his +prayer, he recited aloud the verse, 'O ye who believe, keep +yourselves and your households from the fire whose fuel is men +and stones!"[FN#85] Then I heard a fall, but knew not what it was +and passed on. On the morrow, as we went our way, we fell in with +a funeral train, followed by an old woman, whose strength had +left her. I questioned her of the dead, and she replied, 'This is +the funeral of a man who passed by us yesterday, whilst my son +was standing at prayer. The latter recited a verse from the Book +of God the Most High, when behold the man's gall-bladder burst +and he fell dead.'" + +Therewith the fourth damsel retired and the fifth, coming +forward, spoke as follows: 'I also will repeat what occurs to me +in the way of devotional anecdotes. Meslemeh ben Dinar used to +say, "The making sound the secret thoughts covers sins, both +great and small, and when the believer is resolved to leave +sinning, help comes to him." Also, "Every piece of good fortune, +that does not draw one nearer to God, is a calamity, for a little +of this world distracts from a great deal of the world to come +and a great deal of the first makes thee forget the whole of the +latter." It was asked of Abou Hazim,[FN#86] "Who is the most +fortunate of men?" "He who spends his life in the service of +God," replied he. "And who is the most foolish of mankind?" asked +the other. "He who sells his part in the world to come for the +worldly goods of others," answered Abou Hazim. It is reported +that Moses (on whom be peace), when he came to the waters of +Midian, exclaimed, "O my Lord, indeed I am in need of that which +Thou sendest down to me of good!" And he asked of his Lord and +not of his folk. There came two damsels and he drew water for +them and gave not precedence to the shepherds. When they returned +to their father Jethro (on whom be peace!) they told him, and he +said to one of them, "Haply, he is hungry: go back to him and bid +him hither." So she covered her face and returning to Moses, said +to him, "My father bids thee to him, that he may reward thee for +having drawn water for us." Moses was averse to this and +unwilling to follow her. Now she was a woman large in the +buttocks, and the wind blowing upon her gown, discovered this; +which when Moses saw, he lowered his eyes and said to her, "Do +thou walk behind me." So she followed him, till he came to +Jethro's house, where the evening meal was ready. "O Moses," said +Jethro, "I desire to reward thee for having drawn water for +them." But he answered, "I am of a people who sell nothing of the +fashion of the next world for earthly gold and silver." "O +youth," rejoined Jethro, "nevertheless thou art my guest, and it +is my wont and that of my fathers to do honour to the guest by +setting food before him." So Moses sat down and ate. Then Jethro +hired Moses for eight pilgrimages, that is to say, eight years, +and appointed to him for hire the hand of his daughter, and +Moses' service to him was to stand for her dowry. As says the +Holy Writ of him (quoth Jethro), "I am minded to marry thee to +one of these my daughters, on condition that thou serve me eight +years, and if thou serve out the ten, it will be of thine own +will, for I do not wish to press hardly on thee."[FN#87] A +certain man once said to one of his friends, "Thou hast made me +desolate, for that I have not seen thee this long while." Quoth +the other, "I have been distracted from thee by Ibn Shihab; dost +thou know him?" "Yes," replied the first; "he hath been my +neighbour these thirty years, but I have never spoken to him." +"Indeed," rejoined his friend, "thou forgettest God in forgetting +thy neighbour! If thou lovedst God, thou wouldst love thy +neighbour. Knowst thou not that a neighbour has a claim upon his +neighbour, even as the right of kindred?" Quoth Hudheifeh, "We +entered Mecca with Ibrahim ben Adhem,[FN#88] and whilst making +the prescribed circuits about the Kaabeh, we met with Shekic the +Balkhi. Quoth Ibrahim to Shekic, 'What is your fashion in your +country?' 'When we are vouchsafed [food],' replied he, 'we eat, +and when we suffer hunger, we take patience.' 'This is the +fashion of the dogs of Balkh,' rejoined Ibrahim. 'But we, when we +are blest with plenty, we do honour to God, and when we suffer +famine, we praise Him.' And Shekic seated himself before Ibrahim +and said to him, 'Thou art my master.'" Quoth Mohammed ben Amran, +"A man once asked of Hatim el Asemm[FN#89], 'What maketh thee to +trust in God?' 'Two things,' replied he, 'I know that what God +has appointed for my daily bread shall be eaten by none but +myself; so my heart is at rest as to that; and I know that I was +not created without God's knowledge and am abashed before Him.'" + +Then the fifth damsel retired and the old woman came forward and +kissing the earth before thy father nine times, spoke as follows: +'Thou hast heard, O King, what these all have said on the subject +of piety; and I will follow their example in relating what I have +heard of the famous men of times past. It is said that the Imam +es Shafi[FN#90] divided the night into three portions, the first +for study, the second for sleep and the third for prayer. The +Imam Abou Henifeh[FN#91] was wont also to pass half the night in +prayer. One day a man pointed him out to another, as he passed, +and said, "Yonder man watches the whole night." Quoth Abou +Henifeh, "When I heard this, I was abashed before God, to hear +myself praised for what was not in me; so, after this, I used to +watch the whole night." Er Rebya relates that Es Shafi used to +recite the whole Koran seventy times over during the month of +Ramazan, and that in prayer. Quoth Es Shafi (may God accept of +him!), "For ten years I never ate my fill of barley-bread, for +satiety hardens the heart and deadens the wit and induces sleep +and enfeebles one from standing up (to pray)." It is reported of +Abdallah ben Mohammed es Sekra that he said, "I was once talking +with Omar, and he said to me, 'Never saw I a more God-fearing or +eloquent man than Mohammed ben Idris es Shafi. I went out one day +with El Harith ben Lebib es Suffar, who was a disciple of El +Muzeni[FN#92] and had a fine voice, and he read the saying or the +Most High, 'On that day, they shall not speak nor shall it be +permitted to them to excuse themselves.'[FN#93] I saw Es Shafi's +colour change; his skin shuddered, and he was violently moved and +fell down senseless. When he revived, he said, 'I seek refuge +with God from the stead of the liars and the fate of the +negligent! O my God, the hearts of the wise abase themselves +before Thee. O my God, of Thy goodness, accord to me the +remission of my sins, adorn me with Thy protection and pardon me +my shortcomings, by the magnanimity of Thine essence!' Then I +rose and went away." Quoth one of the pious, "When I entered +Baghdad, Es Shafi was there. I sat down on the river-bank, to +make the ablution before prayer; and as I was thus occupied, +there came up one who said to me, 'O youth, make thine ablution +well and God will make it well for thee in this world and the +world to come.' I turned and saw a man, with a company of people +after him. So I hastened to finish my ablutions and followed him. +Presently, he turned and said to me, 'Dost thou want aught?' +'Yes,' answered I; 'I desire that thou teach me somewhat of that +which God the Most High hath taught thee.' 'Know, then,' said he, +'that he who believes in God the Most High shall be saved and he +who is jealous of his faith shall be delivered from destruction, +and he who practices abstinence in this world, his eyes shall be +solaced on the morrow (of death). Shall I tell thee any more?' +'Assuredly,' replied I. 'Abstain from the things of this world,' +continued he, 'and be greedy of the good of the world to come. Be +sincere and faithful in all thy dealings, and thou shalt be saved +with the elect.' Then he went on and I asked about him and was +told that he was the Imam es Shafi. Es Shafi was wont to say, "I +would have the folk profit by this wisdom (of mine), on condition +that none of it be attributed to me." Also, "I never disputed +with any one, but I would that God the Most High should give him +the knowledge of the Truth and aid him to expound it; nor did I +ever dispute with any, but for the showing forth of the Truth, +and I recked not whether God should manifest it by my lips or +his." He said also (may God accept of him!), "If thou fear to +grow conceited of thy learning, bethink thee Whose grace thou +seekest and what good it is thou yearnest after and what +punishment thou dreadest." It was told to Abou Henifeh that the +Commander of the Faithful Abou Jaafer el Mensour had named him +Cadi and ordered him a present of ten thousand dirhems; but he +would not accept of this; and when the day came on which the +money was to be paid, he prayed the morning-prayer, then covered +his head with his cloak and spoke not. When the Khalif's +messenger came with the money, he went in to the Imam and +accosted him, but he would not speak to him. Quoth the messenger, +"This money is lawfully thine." "I know that it is lawfully +mine," replied the Imam; "but I abhor that the love of tyrants +should take hold upon my heart." "Canst thou not go in to them +and guard thyself from loving them?" asked the other. "Can I look +to enter the sea, without wetting my clothes?" answered Abou +Henifeh. Another of Es Shafi's sayings is as follows: + +O soul, if thou be fain to do as I shall say, Thou shalt be free + from need and great of grace for aye. +Put far away from thee ambitions and desires, For lo, how oft a + wish to death hath led the way! + +Among the sayings of Sufyan eth Thauri, with which he admonished +Ali ben el Hassan es Selemi was the following, "Look that thou +practice sincerity and beware of falsehood and treachery and +hypocrisy and presumption for God annuls good works with either +of these things. Borrow not but of Him who is merciful to His +debtors and let thy comrade be one who will cause thee to abstain +from the world. Let the thought of death be ever present with +thee and be constant in asking pardon of God and beseeching of +Him peace for what remains of thy life. Give loyal counsel to +every true-believer, when he asks thee concerning the things of +his faith, and beware of betraying a believer, for he who betrays +a believer betrays God and His apostle. Avoid dissension and +litigation and leave that which awakens doubt in thee, betaking;, +thyself rather to those things that will not disquiet thee; so +shalt thou be at peace. Enjoin that which is just and forbid that +which is evil, so shalt thou be beloved of God. Make fair thine +inner man, and God shall make fair thine outer man. Accept the +excuse of him who excuses himself to thee and hate none of the +true-believers. Draw near unto those that reject thee and forgive +those that oppress thee; so shalt thou be the companion of the +prophets. Commit thine affair to God, both in public and in +private, and fear Him with the fear of one who knows that he must +die and be raised again to stand before the Almighty, remembering +that thou art destined for one of two dwellings, either Paradise +the glorious or the flaming fire."' Having spoken thus, the old +woman sat down beside the damsels. + +When the late King thy father heard their discourse, he knew that +they were the most accomplished of the people of their time and +seeing their beauty and grace and the greatness of their +learning, he showed them all favour. Moreover, he turned to the +old woman and entreated her with honour, setting apart for her +and her damsels the palace that had been the lodging of the +princess Abrizeh, to which he let carry all that they needed of +the best. Here they abode ten days, and whenever the King visited +them, he found the old woman absorbed in prayer, watching by +night and fasting by day; wherefore love of her took hold upon +his heart and he said to me, 'O Vizier, verily this old woman is +a pious soul, and reverence for her is strong in my heart.' On +the eleventh day, the King visited her, that he might pay her the +price of the five damsels; but she said to him, 'O King, know +that the price of these passes the competence of men, for I seek +for them neither gold nor silver nor jewels, be it little or +much.' The King wondered at this and said, 'O my lady, what is +their price?' 'I will not sell them to thee,' replied she, 'save +on condition that thou fast a whole month, watching by night and +fasting by day for the love of God the Most High: but if thou +wilt do this, they are thine, to use as thou pleasest.' The King +wondered at the perfectness of her piety and devotion and +abnegation and she was magnified in his eyes, and he said, 'May +God make this pious old woman to profit us!' So he agreed to her +proposal, and she said to him, 'I will help thee with my +prayers.' Then she called for a gugglet of water and muttered +over it words in an unknown language and abode awhile, speaking +over it things that we understood not. Then she covered it with a +cloth and sealing it up, gave it to the King, saying, 'When thou +has fasted ten days, break thy fast on the eleventh night with +what is in this cup, for it will root out the love of the world +from thy heart and fill it with light and faith. As for me, I +purpose to go out to-morrow to visit my brethren of the invisible +world, for I yearn after them, and I will return to thee when the +ten days are past.' So the King took the gugglet and setting it +apart in a closet of his palace, locked the door and put the key +in his pocket. Next day, the old woman departed and the King +entered upon his fast. When he had accomplished the first ten +days thereof, he opened the gugglet and drank what was therein +and found it cordial to his stomach. Within the next ten days, +the old woman returned, bringing sweetmeats wrapped in a green +leaf, like no leaf of a tree. She went in to the King and saluted +him; and when he saw her he rose to meet her, saying, 'Welcome, O +pious lady!' 'O King,' said she, 'the spirits salute thee, for I +told them of thee, and they rejoiced in thee and have sent thee +this cake, which is of the sweetmeats of the other world. Do thou +break thy fast on it at the end of the day.' The King rejoiced +greatly at this and exclaimed, 'Praised be God who hath given me +brethren of the invisible world!' And he thanked the old woman +and kissed her hands and entreated her and the damsels with +exceeding honour. Then he fasted till twenty days were past, at +the end of which time the old woman came to him and said, 'Know, +O King, that I told the spirits of the love that is between thee +and me and how I had left the damsels with thee, and they were +glad that the damsels should belong to a King like thee; for they +were wont, when they saw them, to be strenuous in offering up +effectual prayer on their behalf. So I would fain carry them to +the spirits, that they may benefit by their favours, and they +shall surely not return to thee without some treasure of the +treasures of the earth, that thou, after the completion of thy +fast, mayst occupy thyself with their dress and help thyself to +the fulfilment of thy wishes with that which they shall bring +thee.' The King thanked her and said, 'But that I fear to cross +thee, I would not accept the treasure or aught else: but when +wilt thou set out with them?' 'On the seven-and-twentieth night,' +replied she; 'and I will bring them back to thee at the end of +the month, by which time thou wilt have accomplished thy fast and +they will have had their courses and be free from impurity. Then +they shall become thine and be at thy disposal. By Allah, each +one of them is worth many times thy kingdom!' 'I know it, O pious +lady,' replied the King. Then said the old woman, 'If there be +any one in thy palace who is dear to thee, thou wouldst do well +to send her with me, that she may find solace and seek a blessing +of the spirits.' Quoth the King, 'I have a Greek slave called +Sufiyeh, by whom God hath vouchsafed me two children, a son and a +daughter: but they were lost years ago. Take her with thee, that +she may get the spirits' blessing: it may be they will pray God +for her, that her children may be restored to her.' 'It is well,' +replied the old woman; for indeed this was what she most desired. +The King gave not over fasting till the seven-and-twentieth +night, when the old woman said to him, 'O my son, I am about to +go to the spirits; so bring me Sufiyeh.' Accordingly, he sent for +her and delivered her to the old woman, who placed her with the +other damsels. Then she went in to her chamber and bringing out a +sealed cup, presented it to the King, saying, 'On the thirtieth +day, do thou go to the bath and when thou comest out, enter one +of the closets in thy palace and drink the liquor that is in this +cup. Then sleep, and thou shalt attain what thou seekest, and +peace be on thee!' The King was glad and thanked her and kissed +her hands. Quoth she, 'I commend thee to God;' and he said, 'When +shall I see thee again, O pious lady? Indeed I love not to part +with thee.' Then she called down blessings on him and departed +with the five damsels and the Princess Sufiyeh; whilst the King +fasted other three days, till the end of the month, when he went +to the bath and coming out, shut himself up in a closet, +commanding that none should go in to him. Then he drank what was +in the cup and lay down to sleep. We sat awaiting him till the +end of the day, but he did not come out and we said, 'Belike he +is tired with the bath and with watching by night and fasting by +day, and sleepeth.' So we waited till next day; but still he did +not come out. Then we stood at the closet-door and cried aloud, +so haply he might awake and ask what was the matter. But nothing +came of this: so at last we lifted the door off its hinges and +going in, found the King dead, with his flesh torn into strips +and his bones broken in pieces. When we saw him in this case, it +was grievous to us, and we took up the cup and found in its cover +a piece of paper, on which was written the following, 'He who +does evil leaves no regrets behind him. This is the reward of him +who plays the traitor with kings' daughters and debauches them: +and we make known to all who happen upon this scroll that +Sherkan, when he came to our country, debauched our Princess +Abrizeh; nor did this suffice him, but he must take her from us +and bring her to you. Then he (Omar ben Ennuman) (debauched her +and) sent her away, in company of a black slave, who slew her and +we found her lying dead in the desert. This is none of kings' +fashion, and he who did this is requited with nought but his +deserts. So do ye suspect none of having killed him, for none +slew him but the cunning witch, whose name is Dhat ed Dewahi. And +behold, I have taken the King's wife Sufiyeh and have carried her +to her father King Afridoun of Constantinople. Moreover, we will +assuredly make war upon you and kill you and take your land from +you, and ye shall be cut off even to the last man, nor shall +there be left of you a living soul, no, nor a blower of the fire, +except he serve the Cross and the Girdle.' When we read this, we +knew that the old woman had cheated us and carried out her plot +against us: so we cried out and buffeted our faces and wept sore. +However, weeping availed us nothing and the troops fell out as to +whom they should make Sultan. Some would have thee and others thy +brother Sherkan; and we ceased not to wrangle about this for the +space of a month, at the end of which time certain of us drew +together and agreed to repair to thy brother Sherkan. So we set +out and journeyed on till we fell in with thee: and this is the +manner of the death of King Omar ben Ennuman.' + +When the Vizier had made an end of his story, Zoulmekan and his +sister wept, and the Chamberlain wept also. Then said the latter +to Zoulmekan, "O King, weeping will profit thee nothing; nor will +aught avail thee but that thou fortify thy heart and strengthen +thy resolution and stablish thy power; for verily he is not dead +who leaves the like of thee behind him." So Zoulmekan gave over +weeping and causing his throne to be set up without the pavilion, +commanded the army to pass in review before him. Then he sat down +on the throne, with the Chamberlain by his side and all the +arm-bearers behind him, whilst the Vizier Dendan and the rest of +the amirs and grandees stood before him, each in his several +room. Then said Zoulmekan to Dendan, "Acquaint me with the +particulars of my father's treasures." Dendan answered, "I hear +and obey," and gave him to know the amount and nature of the late +King's treasure and what was in the treasury of money and jewels +and other precious things. So Zoulmekan gave largesse to the army +and bestowed a sumptuous dress of honour on the Vizier Dendan, +saying, "I confirm thee in thine office." Whereupon Dendan kissed +the earth before him and wished him long life. Then he bestowed +dresses of honour on the amirs, after which he turned to the +Chamberlain and said, "Bring out before us the tribute of +Damascus, that is with thee." So he laid before him the chests of +money and jewels and rarities, and he took them and divided them +all amongst the troops, till there was nothing left. And the +amirs kissed the ground before him and wished him long life, +saying, "Never saw we a king, who gave the like of these gifts." +Then they all went away to their own tents, and when it was +morning, Zoulmekan gave orders for departure. So they set out and +journeyed for three days, till on the fourth day they drew near +to Baghdad. When they entered the city, they found it decorated, +and King Zoulmekan went up to his father's palace and sat down on +the throne, whilst the amirs of the army and the Vizier Dendan +and the Chamberlain of Damascus stood before him. Then he bade +his private secretary write a letter to his brother Sherkan, +acquainting him with all that had passed and adding, "As soon as +thou hast read this letter, make ready thine affair and join us +with thine army, that we may make war upon the infidels and take +vengeance on them for our father and wipe out the stain upon our +honour." Then he folded the letter and sealed it and said to +Dendan, "None shall carry this letter but thou; and I would have +thee speak my brother fair and say to him, 'If thou have a mind +to thy father's kingdom, it is thine, and thy brother shall be +Viceroy for thee in Damascus; for to this effect am I instructed +by him."' So the Vizier went out from before him and proceeded +to make ready for his journey. Then Zoulmekan set apart a +magnificent house for the stoker and furnished it with sumptuous +furniture and lodged him therein. One day, he went out a-hunting +and as he was returning to Baghdad, one of the amirs presented +him with horses of fine breeds and damsels whose beauty beggars +description. One of the damsels pleased him: so he went in to her +and lay with her, and she conceived by him forthright. After +awhile, the Vizier Dendan returned from Damascus, bringing him +news of his brother Sherkan and that he was then on his way to +him, and said to him, "Thou wouldst do well to go out to meet +him." Zoulmekan replied, "I hear and obey;" and riding forth with +his grandees a day's journey from Baghdad, pitched his tents and +halted to await the coming of his brother. Next morning, the army +of Syria appeared, with King Sherkan in its midst, a bold +cavalier, a fierce lion and a warrior against whom none might +make head. As the squadrons drew nigh and the dust-clouds neared +and the troops came up with banners flying, Zoulmekan and his +attendants rode forward to meet Sherkan; and when the King saw +his brother, he would have dismounted, but Sherkan conjured him +not to do so and himself set foot to the ground and walked +towards him. As soon as he reached Zoulmekan, the latter threw +himself upon him, and they embraced and wept and condoled with +one another. Then they mounted and rode onward, they and their +troops, till they reached Baghdad, where they alighted and went +up to the royal palace and passed the night there. Next morning, +Zoulmekan went forth and bade proclaim a holy war and summon the +troops from all parts. They abode a whole month, awaiting the +coming of the levies, whilst the folk poured in from all parts of +the kingdom, and every one who came they entreated with honour +and munificence and promised him all manner of good. Then Sherkan +said to Zoulmekan, "O my brother, tell me thy history." So he +told him all that had befallen him, first and last, including the +benevolent dealing of the stoker with him. "Hast thou requited +him his kindness to thee?" asked Sherkan. "Not yet," replied +Zoulmekan, "but, God willing, I will surely do so, as soon as I +return from this expedition and am at leisure to attend to him." +Therewith, Sherkan was certified that his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman +had told him the truth; but he concealed what had passed between +them and contented himself with sending his salutation to her by +her husband the Chamberlain. She returned his greeting in the +same fashion, calling down blessings on him and enquiring after +her daughter Kuzia Fekan, to which he replied that the child was +well and in all health and safety. Then he went to his brother to +take counsel with him for departure; and Zoulmekan said, "O my +brother, we will set out as soon as the army is complete and the +Arabs have come in from all parts." So he bade make ready the +wheat and other provisions and munitions of war and went in to +his wife, who was now five months gone with child; and he put +under her hand mathematicians and astrologers, to whom he +appointed stipends and allowances. Then, three months after the +arrival of the army of Syria, as soon as the troops were all +assembled and the Arabs had come in, he set out, at the head of +his troops, with his brother Sherkan on his right and his +brother-in-law the Chamberlain on his left hand. The name of the +general of the army of the Medes was Rustem and that of the +general of the army of the Turks Behram. So the squadrons broke +up and marched forward and the companies and battalions filed +past in battle array, till the whole army was in motion. They +ceased not to fare on for the space of a month; halting three +days a week to rest, by reason of the greatness of the host, till +they came to the country of the Greeks; and as they drew near, +the people of the villages and hamlets took fright at them and +fled to Constantinople. + +To return to Dhat ed Dewahi. As soon as she reached her own +country and felt herself in safety, she said to her son, King +Herdoub, "Be consoled; for I have avenged thy daughter Abrizeh +and killed King Omar ben Ennuman and brought back the Princess +Sufiyeh. So now let us go to the King of Constantinople and carry +him back his daughter and tell him what has happened, that he may +be on his guard and prepare his forces and that we may do the +like; for I know that the Muslims will not delay to attack us." +"Let us wait till they draw near our country," replied Herdoub, +"that we may make us ready meantime and assemble our power." +Accordingly they fell to levying their forces and preparing for +war, so that by the time the news of the Muslims' advance reached +them, they were ready for defence. Then King Herdoub and his +mother set out for Constantinople, and King Afridoun, hearing of +the arrival of the King of the Greeks, came forth to meet him and +asked how it was with him and the cause of his visit. So Herdoub +acquainted him with the doing; of his mother Dhat ed Dewahi, how +she had slain the Muslim king and recovered the Princess Sufiyeh +and that the Muslims had assembled their forces and were on their +way to attack them, wherefore it behoved that they two should +join powers and meet them. King Afridoun rejoiced in the recovery +of his daughter and the death of King Omar and sent to all +countries, to seek succour and acquaint the folk with the reason +of the slaying of King Omar. So the Christian troops flocked to +him from all quarters, and before three months were past, the +army of the Greeks was complete, besides which there joined +themselves to him the French and Germans and Ragusans and Genoese +and Venetians and all the hosts of the Pale Faces and warriors +from all the lands of the Franks, and the earth was straitened on +them by reason of their multitude. Then Afridoun the Great King +commanded to depart; so they set out from Constantinople and +ceased not to defile through the city for the space of ten days. +They fared on till they reached a spacious valley, hard by the +salt sea, where they halted three days; and on the fourth day, +they were about to set out again, when news came to them of the +approach of the army of Islam and the defenders of the faith of +the Best of Men.[FN#94] So they halted other three days, and on +the seventh day, they espied a great cloud of dust which spread +till it covered the whole country; nor was an hour of the day +past before the dust lifted and melted away into the air, and its +darkness was pierced and dispersed by the starry sheen of +lance-points and spear-heads and the flashing of sword-blades. +Presently, there appeared the banners of Islam and the Mohammedan +ensigns and the mailed horsemen surged forward, like the letting +loose of the billows of the sea, clad in cuirasses as they were +clouds girdled about moons. Thereupon the Christian horsemen rode +forward and the two hosts met, like two seas clashing together, +and eyes fell upon eyes. The first to spur into the fight was the +Vizier Dendan, with the army of Syria, thirty thousand cavaliers, +followed by Rustem, the general of the Medes, and Behram, the +general of the Turks, with other twenty thousand horse, behind +whom came the men of the sea-coast, sheathed in glittering mail +as they were full moons passing through a night of clouds. Then +the Christian host called upon Jesus and Mary and the defiled +Cross, and fell upon the Vizier Dendan and the army of Syria. Now +this was in pursuance of a stratagem devised by Dhat ed Dewahi; +for, before his departure, King Afridoun had gone in to her and +said, "It is thou hast brought this great stress on us; so do +thou advise me how I shall do and what plan I shall follow." "O +great King and mighty priest," replied she, "I will teach thee a +shift, which would baffle Iblis himself, though he should call to +his aid against it all his grisly hosts. It is that you send +fifty thousand men in ships to the Mountain of Smoke and there +let them land and stir not till the standards of Islam come upon +you, when do you up and at them. Then let the troops from the +seaward sally out upon the Muslims and take them in rear, whilst +you confront them from the landward. So not one of them shall +escape, and our stress shall cease and abiding peace enure to +us." Her counsel commended itself to King Afridoun and he +replied, "It is well; thy counsel shall be followed, O princess +of cunning old women and recourse of kings warring for their +blood-revenge!" So when the army of Islam came upon them in that +valley, of a sudden the flames began to run among the tents and +the swords to play upon men's bodies. Then came up the army of +Baghdad and Khorassan, six score thousand horse, with Zoulmekan +at their head. When the host of the infidels that lay by the sea +saw them, they came out and followed in their steps, and +Zoulmekan, seeing this, cried out to his men, saying, "Turn back +to the infidels, O people of the Chosen Prophet, and fall upon +those who deny and transgress the authority of the Compassionate, +the Merciful!" So they turned and fought with the Christians, and +Sherkan came up with another wing of the Muslim army, near six +score thousand men, whilst the infidels numbered nigh upon +sixteen hundred thousand. When the Muslims mingled in the mellay, +their hearts were strengthened and they cried out, saying, "God +hath promised to succour us and abandon the infidels!" And they +clashed together with swords and spears. As for Sherkan, he made +himself a passage through the ranks and raged among the masses of +the foe, fighting so fierce a battle that it would have made +children grow grey for fear; nor did he leave to tourney among +the infidels and work havoc upon them with the keen-edged +scimitar, shouting, "God is most great!" till he drove them back +to the brink of the sea. Then the strength of the foe failed and +God gave the victory to the faith of Submission,[FN#95] and they +fought, drunken without wine, till they slew of the infidels +forty and five thousand in that encounter, whilst of the Muslims +but three thousand and five hundred fell. Moreover, the Lion of +the Faith, King Sherkan, and his brother Zoulmekan slept not that +night, but occupied themselves with looking to the wounded and +heartening their men with assurance of victory and salvation and +promise of a recompense in the world to come. + +Meanwhile King Afridoun assembled the captains of his host and +said to them, "Verily, we had accomplished our intent and had +solaced our hearts, but for our over-confidence in our numbers: +it was that which undid us." But Dhat ed Dewahi said to them, +"Assuredly nought shall profit you, except ye seek the favour of +the Messiah and put your trust in the True Faith; for by the +virtue of the Messiah, the whole strength of the Muslims lies in +that devil, King Sherkan!" "To-morrow," said Afridoun, "I will +draw out in battle array and send out against them the famous +cavalier, Luca ben Shemlout; for if King Sherkan come out to +joust with him, he will slay him and the other champions of the +Muslims, till not one is left; and I purpose this night to sacre +you all by fumigation with the Holy Incense." When the amirs +heard this, they kissed the earth before him. Now the incense in +question was the excrement of the Chief Patriarch, which was +sought for with such instance and so highly valued, that the high +priests of the Greeks used to mix it with musk and ambergris and +send it to all the countries of the Christians in silken sachets; +and kings would pay a thousand dinars for every drachm of it, for +they sought it to perfume brides withal and the chief of them +were wont to use a little of it in ointment for the eyes and as a +remedy in sickness and colic. But the priests used to mix their +own excrement with it, for that the excrement of the Chief +Patriarch could not suffice for half a score countries. So, as +soon as the day broke and the morning appeared with its lights +and shone, the horsemen ran to arms, and King Afridoun summoned +the chief of his knights and nobles and invested them with +dresses of honour. Then he made the sign of the cross on their +foreheads and incensed them with the incense aforesaid; after +which he called for Luca ben Shemlout, surnamed the Sword of the +Messiah, and after incensing him and rubbing his palate with the +holy excrement, daubed and smeared his cheeks and anointed his +moustaches with the remainder. Now there was no stouter champion +in the land of the Greeks than this accursed Luca, nor any +doughtier at bowshot or smiting with swords or thrusting with +spears in the mellay; but he was foul of favour, for his face was +as the face of a jackass, his shape that of an ape and his look +as the look of a malignant serpent, and the being near unto him +was more grievous than parting from the beloved. Moreover, he was +black as night and his breath was fetid as that of the lion; he +was crooked as a bow and grim-visaged as the pard, and he was +branded with the mark of the infidels. He kissed Afridoun's feet +and the King said to him, "It is my wish that thou go out against +Sherkan, King of Damascus, and hasten to deliver us from this +affliction." Quoth Luca, "I hear and obey." And the King made the +sign of the cross on his forehead and felt assured of speedy help +from heaven, whilst Luca went out and mounted a sorrel horse. Now +he was clad in a red tunic and a hauberk of gold set with jewels +and bore a three-barbed spear, as he were Iblis the accursed on +the day of marshalling his hosts to battle. Then he rode forward, +he and his troop of infidels, as they were driving to the Fire, +preceded by a herald, crying aloud in the Arabic tongue and +saying, "Ho, followers of Mohammed, let none of you come out +to-day but your champion Sherkan, the Sword of Islam, lord of +Damascus of Syria!" Hardly had he made an end of speaking, when +there arose a mighty tumult in the plain, all the people heard +its voice, that called to mind the Day of Weeping. The cowards +trembled and all necks turned towards the sound, and behold, it +was King Sherkan. For, when Zoulmekan saw that accursed infidel +spur out into the plain, he turned to Sherkan and said to him, +"Of a surety they seek for thee." "Should it be so," replied +Sherkan, "it were pleasing to me." So when they heard the herald, +they knew Luca to be the champion of the Greeks. Now he was one +of the greatest of villains, one who made hearts to ache, and had +sworn to clear the land of the Muslims; and indeed the Medes and +Turks and Kurds feared his mischief. So Sherkan drove at him like +an angry lion, mounted on a courser like a wild gazelle, and +coming nigh to him, shook his javelin in his hand, as it were a +darting viper, and recited the following verses: + +I have a sorrel horse, right swift and eath to guide, Shall give + thee of its might what thou mayst ill abide. +Ay, and a limber spear I have, full keen of point, As 'twere the + dam of deaths upon its shaft did ride; +And eke a trenchant sword of Ind, which when I draw, Thou'dst + deem that levins flashed and darted far and wide, + +Luca understood not what he said nor did he apprehend the +vehemence of the verse; but he smote his forehead with his hand, +in honour of the cross drawn thereon, and kissed it, then ran at +Sherkan with lance pointed at him. When he came within spear- +shot, he threw the javelin into the air, till it was lost +to sight, and catching it with the other hand, as do the +jugglers, hurled it at Sherkan. It sped from his hand, like a +shooting star, and the people clamoured and feared for Sherkan: +but as it drew near him, he put out his hand and caught it in +full flight, to the amazement of the beholders. Then he shook it, +till it was well-nigh broken, and hurled it up into the air, till +it disappeared from sight. As it descended, he caught it again, +in less than the twinkling of an eye, and cried out from the +bottom of his heart, saying, "By the virtue of Him who created +the seven heavens, I will make this accursed fellow the byword of +the world!" Then he hurled the javelin at Luca ben Shemlout, who +thought to do as Sherkan had done and catch it in mid-flight; but +Sherkan made haste and sped another dart at him, which smote him +on the forehead amiddleward the sign of the cross, and God +hurried his soul to the Fire and the Ill Stead.[FN#96] When the +infidels saw Luca fall dead, they buffeted their faces, crying, +"Alas!" and "Woe worth the day!" and called for aid upon the +priests of the monasteries, saying, "Where are the crosses?" So +the monks offered up prayers and the Christians all drew together +against Sherkan and brandishing their swords and lances, rushed +forward to the attack. Army met army and men's breasts fell under +the hoofs of the horses, whilst the sword and the spear ruled and +arms and wrists grew weak and it was as if the horses had been +made without legs; nor did the herald of war cease to call to +battle, till all arms were weary and the day departed and the +night came with the darkness. So the two hosts drew apart whilst +every warrior staggered like a drunken man, for stress of war and +much thrusting and smiting, and the ground was hidden with the +slain; sore were the wounds and the hurt knew not by whom he +died. Then Sherkan joined his brother and the Chamberlain and the +Vizier Dendan and said to them, "Verily God hath opened a door +for the destruction of the infidels, praised be the Lord of the +Two Worlds!" "Let us never cease to praise God," replied +Zoulmekan, "for that He hath dispelled trouble from the Arabs and +the Persians. Indeed the folk, generation after generation, shall +tell of thy prowess against the accursed Luca, the falsifier of +the Evangel,[FN#97] of thy catching the javelin in mid-flight and +smiting the enemy of God among men; and thy report shall endure +until the end of time." Then said Sherkan, "Harkye, O grand +Chamberlain and doughty captain!" "At thy service," answered he. +Quoth Sherkan, "Take the Vizier Dendan and twenty thousand men +and lead them, by a forced march, seven parasangs towards the +sea, till ye come near the shore, at two parasangs' distance from +the foe. Then hide in the hollows of the ground, till ye hear the +tumult of the infidels disembarking from the ships; and when the +swords have begun to play between us and them and ye see our +troops falling back, as if defeated, and all the infidels +following them, as well those in front as those from the sea-ward +and the tents, do ye lie in wait for them: and as soon as ye see +the standard with the words, 'There is no god but God, and +Mohammed is His Apostle!' up with the green banner and fall on +their rear, shouting, 'God is most great!' and do your endeavour, +that they may not interpose between the retreating army and the +sea." The Chamberlain agreed to this, and he and the Vizier +Dendan took twenty thousand men and set out at once, even as +Sherkan had commanded. As soon as it was morning the troops +donned their armour and drawing their swords, set their spears in +rest and sprang to horse. Then the Christians drew out in battle +array upon the hills and plains and the priests cried out and all +heads were uncovered. Moreover, those who were in the ships +hoisted the cross at their mast-heads and making from all sides +towards the shore, landed their horses and addressed them to the +fray, whilst the swords glittered and the javelins glanced like +levies against the cuirasses. So they all joined battle and the +mill-wheels of death rushed round over footmen and horsemen: +heads flew from bodies and tongues grew mute and eyes dim; +gall-bladders burst and skulls were cloven in sunder and wrists +shorn in twain; whilst the horses plashed in pools of blood and +men gripped each other by the beards. The host of Islam called +out, "Peace and blessing on the Prince of Mankind and glory and +praise in the highest to the Compassionate One!" whilst the +infidels shouted, "Glory to the Cross and the Girdle and the +Vine-juice and the Presser and the Priests and the Monks and the +Festival of Palms and the Metropolitan!" Presently, Zoulmekan and +Sherkan held back and their troops gave way and feigned to +retreat before the infidels, who pursued them, deeming them +routed, and made ready to cut and thrust. Then the host of the +Muslims began to chant the first verses of the Chapter of the +Cow,[FN#98] whilst the slain were trampled under the hoofs of the +horses and the heralds of the Greeks cried out, "Ho, servants of +the Messiah! Ho, people of the True Faith! Ho, followers of the +Pope! Verily the divine grace shines upon you, for see, the hosts +of Islam incline to tree! So turn ye not your backs to them, but +let your swords bite on their necks and hold not your hands from +them, else are ye outcasts from the Messiah, son of Mary, who +spoke even in the cradle!" Thereupon Afridoun thought that the +infidels were victorious, knowing not that this was but a +stratagem of the Muslims, and sent to King Herdoub, to give him +the glad tidings of success, adding, "It was nought but the +excrement of the Arch-Patriarch that availed us, in that the +fragrance of it exhaled from the beards and moustaches of the +servants of the Cross near and far; and I swear, by the Miracles +of the Messiah and by the Waters of Baptism, that I will not +leave upon the earth a single defender of Islam!"[FN#99] So the +messenger betook himself to King Herdoub whilst the infidels +called to each other saying, "Let us take our wreak for Luca!" +and King Herdoub cried out, "Vengeance for Abrizeh!" With this, +King Zoulmekan cried out to his men, saying, "Ho, servants of the +Requiting King. up and smite the children of blasphemy and +disobedience with the white of the sword and the brown of the +spear!" So the Muslims turned upon the infidels and plied them +with the keen-edged scimitar, whilst their herald cried aloud, +"Up, ye lovers of the chosen prophet and at the enemies of the +Faith! Now is the time for those, who hope for salvation on the +Day of Fear, to win the favour of the Bountiful, the Forgiving +One, for verily Paradise is under the shadow of swords!" So +Sherkan and his men fell upon the infidels and cut off their +retreat and tourneyed among the ranks, when lo, a cavalier of +goodly presence opened a passage through the army of the Greeks +and circled hither and thither amongst them, cutting and +thrusting and covering the ground with heads and bodies, so that +the infidels feared him and their necks bent under his blows. He +was girt with two swords, that of his glances and a scimitar, and +armed with two lances, one of cane and the other the straightness +of his shape; over his shoulders flowed down his hair, whose +beauty might have stood him in stead of many warriors, even as +says the poet: + +Flowing hair, as I deem, is not fair to the sight, Except it be + spread, on the day of the fight, +O'er a youth with a spear that he giveth to drink Of the blood of + full many a beard-bearing knight. + +Or as says another: + +I turned to him, what while he girt his faulchion on, and said, + "Surely, the sabres of thy looks should stand thee in + sword's stead." +Quoth he, "The sabres of my looks I keep for those who love, My + sword for those who have no wit of passion's goodlihead." + +When Sherkan. saw him, he said to him, "Ho, champion of the +champions! I conjure thee, by the Koran and the attributes of the +Compassionate One, tell me who thou art: for verily by thy deeds +this day thou hast pleased the Requiting King, whom one thing +distracts not from another, in that thou hast discomfited the +children of impiety and disbelief." Quoth the horseman, "Thou art +he who sworest brotherhood to me but yesterday: how quickly thou +hast forgotten me!" Then he uncovered his face, so that what was +hidden of his beauty was disclosed, and lo, it was none other +than Zoulmekan! When Sherkan knew his brother, he rejoiced in +him, except that he feared for him from the throng of adversaries +and the onslaught of the champions; and this for two reasons, the +first, his tender age and exposure to the evil eye, and the +second, that his life was the mainstay of the empire. So he said +to him, "O King, thou adventurest thy life, and indeed I am in +fear for thee from the foe; so join thy horse to mine, and thou +wouldst do well not to hazard thyself forth of these squadrons, +that we may shoot at the enemy with thine unerring shaft." Quoth +Zoulmekan, "I wish to equal thee in battle and I will not spare +myself before thee in fight." Then the host of Islam rushed upon +the infidels and encompassing them on all sides, waged a right +holy war on them and broke the power of the children of impiety +and pride and corruption. King Herdoub sighed when he saw the +evil case that had fallen on the Greeks, and they turned their +backs and addressed themselves to flight, making for the ships, +when lo, there came out upon them from the sea shore a new army, +led by the Vizier Dendan, him who was wont to make the champions +bite the dust, and the Chamberlain of Syria, with twenty thousand +doughty cavaliers, and fell upon their rear with sword and spear, +whilst the army of Islam pressed them in front and flank. Then +some of the Muslims turned against those that were in the ships +and rained perditions on them, till they threw themselves into +the sea, and they slew of them much people, more than a hundred +thousand knights, nor did one of their champions escape, great or +small. Moreover, they took their ships, with all the baggage and +treasure therein, and the Muslims got that day booty, the like of +which was never gotten of time past; nor did ever ear hear of +such a battle. But twenty of the ships escaped, and amongst the +booty were fifty thousand horses, besides treasure and spoil past +count or reckoning, whereat the Muslims rejoiced with an +exceeding joy and thanked God for the aid and protection He had +vouchsafed them. + +Meanwhile, the news reached Constantinople that King Afridoun had +gotten the victory over the Muslims, and Dhat ed Dewahi said, "I +know that my son King Herdoub is no runagate and that he has +nought to fear from the hosts of Islam, but will bring the whole +world to the Nazarene faith." Then she commanded the city to be +decorated, and the people held high festival and drank wines, +knowing not what God had decreed to them. Whilst they were in the +midst of their rejoicings, behold, the raven of affliction +croaked against them and up came the twenty ships of fugitives, +amongst them the King of Caesarea. King Afridoun met them on the +sea-shore, and they told him all that had befallen them, weeping +sore and lamenting, whereupon rejoicing was turned into dismay, +and King Afridoun was filled with consternation and knew that +there was no repairing their mischance. The women gathered +together to make moan and lament: and the city was filled with +mourning; all hearts failed, whilst the hired mourners cried +aloud and weeping and wailing arose on all sides. When King +Herdoub met King Afridoun, he told him the truth of the case and +how the flight of the Muslims was but a stratagem and said to +him, "Look not to see any of the troops, save those that have +already reached thee." When Afridoun heard this, he fell down in +a swoon with his nose under his feet; and as soon as he revived +he exclaimed, "Surely the Messiah was wroth with the army, that +he delivered them thus into the hands of the Muslims!" Then came +the Arch-Patriarch sadly to King Afridoun who said to him, "O our +father, destruction hath overtaken our army and the Messiah hath +punished us." "Grieve not nor be concerned," replied the +Patriarch; "for it cannot be but that one of you has sinned +against the Messiah, and all have been punished for his sin; but +now we will read prayers for you in the churches, that the +Mohammedan hosts may be repelled from you." After this, Dhat ed +Dewahi came to Afridoun and said to him, "O King, verily the +Muslims are many, and we shall never prevail against them, save +by wile: wherefore I purpose to work upon them by stratagem and +repair to the army of Islam; haply I may be able to carry out my +intent against their leader and slay their champion, even as I +slew his father. If I succeed, not one of them shall return to +his native land, for all their strength lies in him; but I wish +to have some Christians of Syria, such as go out from time to +time to sell their goods, to help me in carrying out my plan." +"Be it so, whenas thou wilt," replied the King. So she bade fetch +a hundred men, natives of Nejran in Syria, and said to them, "Ye +have heard what has befallen the Christians with the Muslims?" +"Yes," replied they; and the King said, "This woman has devoted +herself to the Messiah and purposes to go forth with you, +disguised as Mohammedans, to work out a device, which shall +profit us and hinder the Muslim host from us: so if ye also are +willing to devote yourselves to Christ, I will give you a quintal +of gold. Those of you who escape shall have the money, and those +of you who are slain Christ will reward." "O King," replied they, +"we devote ourselves to the Messiah, and we will be thy +sacrifice." Then the old woman took drugs and simples and boiled +them in water, till the black essence of them was extracted. She +waited till it was cold, then dipped the end of a handkerchief +therein and coloured her face therewith.. Moreover she put on, +over her clothes, a long gaberdine with an embroidered border and +taking in her hand a rosary, went in to King Afridoun, who knew +her not nor did any of his companions know her, till she +discovered herself to them, when they all praised her for her +cunning and her son rejoiced and said, "May the Messiah never +fail thee!" Then she took with her the Syrian Christians, and +set out for the army of Baghdad. Now this accursed old woman was +a witch of the witches, past mistress in sorcery and deception, +knavish, crafty, debauched and perfidious, with foul breath, red +eyelids, sallow cheeks, pale face, bleared eyes, mangy body, +grizzled hair, humped back, withered complexion and running +nostrils. She had studied the scriptures of Islam and made the +pilgrimage to the Holy House of God,[FN#100] to come to the +knowledge of the Mohammedan ordinances and the doctrines of the +Koran; and she had professed Judaism in Jerusalem two years' +space, that she might perfect herself in the magical arts of men +and Jinn; so that she was a plague of plagues and a calamity of +calamities, utterly depraved and having no religion. Now the +chief reason of her sojourn with her son, King Herdoub, was on +account of the maidens at his court: for she was given to +tribadism and could not exist without it: so if any damsel +pleased her, she was wont to teach her the art and rub saffron on +her, till she fainted away for excess of pleasure. Whoso obeyed +her, she used to favour and spake interest for her with her son; +and whoso repelled her, she would contrive to destroy. This was +known to Merjaneh and Rihaneh and Utriyeh, the handmaids of +Abrizeh, and the princess loathed the old woman and abhorred to +lie with her because of the ill smell from her armpits and the +stench of her wind, more fetid than carrion, and the roughness of +her body, coarser than palm fibre. She was wont to bribe those +who served her desires with jewels and instruction; but Abrizeh +held aloof from her and sought refuge with the All-Wise, the +Omniscient; for well does the poet say: + +O thou that abasest thyself to those that are rich and great And + lordest it with disdain o'er those of low estate, +Thou that thinkest to gild thy baseness by gathering gold, The + scenting of aught that's foul skills not its stench to + abate! + +To continue. As soon as Dhat ed Dewahi had departed, her son went +in to Afridoun and said to him, "O King, we have no need of the +Chief Patriarch nor of his prayers, but will act according to my +mother's counsel and await what she will do of her craft without +end with the Muslim host, for they are on the march hither with +all their strength and will quickly be with us." When King +Afridoun heard this, terror took hold upon his heart and he wrote +letters forthright to all the countries of the Christians, +saying, "It behoves none of the followers of the Messiah or +soldiers of the Cross to hold back, especially the folk of the +citadels and strong places: but let them all come to us foot and +horse and women and children, for the Muslim hosts already tread +our soil. So hasten, hasten, ere what we fear come to pass." + +Now Dhat ed Dewahi had clad her companions in the habit of Muslim +merchants and had provided herself with a hundred mules laden +with stuffs of Antioch, such as gold woven satin and royal +brocade and so forth, and with a letter from King Afridoun to the +following effect: "These are merchants from the land of Syria, +who have been with us: so it behoves none to do them let or +hindrance nor take tithe of them, till they reach their own +country and the place of their security, for by merchants a +country flourishes and grows rich, and these are no men of war +nor evil-doers." So, as soon as she came without the city, she +said to them, "O folk, I wish to work out a plot for the +destruction of the Muslims." "O princess," replied they, "command +us what thou wilt; we are at thy disposal, and may the Messiah +prosper thy dealing!" Then she donned a gown of fine white wool +and rubbing her forehead, till she made a great mark (as of a +scar), anointed it with an ointment of her own fashion, so that +it shone greatly. Now she was lean-bodied and hollow-eyed, and +she bound her legs tightly round with cords just above her feet, +till she drew near the Muslim camp, when she unwound them, +leaving the marks of the cords deeply embedded in the flesh. Then +she anointed the weals with dragon's blood and bade her +companions beat her severely and lay her in a chest. "How can we +beat thee," replied they, "who art our sovereign lady and mother +of the supreme King?" Quoth she, "We blame not nor reproach him +who goeth to the jakes, and in time of necessity, forbidden +things become lawful. When ye have laid me in the chest, set it +on the back of one of the mules and pass on with it and the other +goods through the Muslim camp, crying aloud the profession of the +Faith of Unity.[FN#101] If any hinder you, give up the mules and +their lading and betake yourself to their king Zoulmekan and cast +yourselves on his protection, saying, 'We were in the country of +the infidels and they took nothing from us, but wrote us a +passport, that none should hinder us: so why do ye seize upon our +goods? See, here is the letter of the King of the Greeks, +commanding that none shall do us let or hindrance.' If he say to +you, 'What profit had ye of your commerce in the land of the +Greeks?' answer him, 'We profited in that it was given us to +accomplish the deliverance of a pious man, who had lain nigh +fifteen years in a dungeon under the earth, crying out for help, +yet none helped him. On the contrary, the infidels tortured him +night and day. We knew not of this: but after we had sojourned +awhile in Constantinople, having sold our goods and bought others +in their stead, we made ready to set out and return to our native +land. We spent the night before our departure, conversing about +our journey, and when the day broke, we saw a figure painted upon +the wall; and behold, as we drew nigh it, it moved and said, "O +Muslims, is there amongst you one who is minded to gain the +favour of the Lord of the two worlds?" "How so?" asked we. +"Know," replied the figure, "that God hath made me speak to you, +to the intent that your belief may be fortified and that your +faith may inspire you and that you may go forth of the country of +the infidels and repair to the camp of the Muslims. where ye shall +find the Sword of the Compassionate One, the Champion of the Age, +King Sherkan, him by whom He shall conquer Constantinople and +destroy the followers of the Christian heresy. On the third day +of your journey, you will come to [a town, in which stands] a +hermitage known as the hermitage of Metronhena. Make for it with +a pure intent and do your utmost endeavour to come into the +hermitage, for therein is a true believer from Jerusalem, by name +Abdallah, one of the holiest of men, whom God hath blessed with +supernatural powers, such as dispel doubts and obscurity. Him +certain of the monks seized by fraud and shut in an underground +dungeon, where he has lain many a year. So, if ye desire to gain +the favour of the Lord of the Faithful, ye cannot accomplish a more +acceptable work than the deliverance of this holy man." When we +heard what the figure said, we knew that this holy man was indeed +of the chiefest of the devotees and heart-whole servants of God; so +we set out and after three days' journey, came in sight of the town, +and making for it, passed the day in buying and selling, as is the +wont of merchants. As soon as the day had departed and the night was +come with the darkness, we repaired to the hermitage, wherein was +the dungeon, and presently heard the holy man chant some verses of +the Koran and repeat the following lines: + +I strive with my heart, for anguish that's well-nigh cleft in + twain, And there ebbs and flows in my bosom a flooding sea + of pain. +Indeed, there is no deliverance, and death is near at hand; Yet + death than long affliction were kinder and more fain. +O lightning, if thou visit my native land and folk, If for the + fair ones' lustre thine own red brilliance wane +Carry my salutation to those I love and say, I lie in a far Greek + dungeon and cry for help in vain. +How can I win to join them, since that the ways with wars Are + blocked and the gate of succour is barred with many a + chain?' + +When once ye have brought me into the Muslim camp," added the old +woman, "I know how I will make shift to beguile them and slay +them all, even to the last man." When the Christians heard what +she said, they kissed her hands and laid her in a chest, after +they had beaten her grievously, in obedience to her commands, +seeing it to be incumbent on them to do her bidding in this, then +made for the Muslim camp. + +Meanwhile, the Muslims sat down to converse with each other, +after they had made an end of the battle and the pillage, and +Zoulmekan said to his brother, "Verily, God hath given us the +victory, because of our just dealing and concord amongst +ourselves; wherefore, O Sherkan, do thou continue to obey my +commandment, in submission to God (to whom belong might and +majesty), for I mean to slay ten kings and fifty thousand of the +Greeks, in revenge for my father, and enter Constantinople." "My +life be thy ransom against death!" replied Sherkan. "Needs must I +follow forth the Holy War, though I tarry many a year in the +infidels' country. But, O my brother, I have in Damascus a +daughter called Kuzia Fekan, who is one of the marvels of the +time, and I love her heartily." "And I also," said Zoulmekan, +"have left my wife with child and near her time, nor do I know +what God will vouchsafe me by her. But, O my brother, promise me +that, if she bring me a son, thou wilt grant me thy daughter for +my son and pledge me thy faith thereon." "With all my heart," +replied Sherkan and put out his hand to his brother, saying, "If +thou be blessed with a son, I will give him my daughter Kuzia +Fekan to wife." At this Zoulmekan rejoiced, and they fell to +giving each other joy of the victory, whilst the Vizier Dendan +also congratulated them and said to them "Know, O Kings, that God +hath given us the victory, for that we have devoted ourselves to +Him (to whom belong might and majesty) and have left our homes +and families: and it is my counsel that we follow up the foe and +press upon them and harass them; it may be God shall bring us to +our desire and we shall destroy our enemies. If it please you, do +ye embark in the ships and sail upon the sea, whilst we fare +forward by land and bear the brunt of the battle." And he ceased +not to urge them to action, repeating the following verses: + +The goodliest of delights it is one's foes to slay And on the + backs of steeds the spoil to bear away. +Oft comes a messenger with promise of a friend, And the friend + comes himself without a trysting-day. + +And these also: + +As I live, I will make of war my mother and the spear My brother + and the sword my father, and for fere +I will take each shag-haired warrior that meets death with a + smile, As if to die in battle were e'en his wish most dear! + +"Glory be to God," continued he, "Who hath vouchsafed us His +almighty aid and hath given us spoil of silver and fine gold!" +Then Zoulmekan commanded to depart; and the army set out and +fared on, by forced marches, toward Constantinople, till they +came to a wide and blooming champaign, full of all things fair, +with wild cattle frisking and gazelles passing to and fro. Now +they had traversed great deserts and had been six days cut off +from water, when they drew near this meadow and saw therein +waters welling and trees laden with ripe fruits and the land as +it were Paradise; it had donned its adornments and decked +itself.[FN#102] The branches of its trees swayed gently to and +fro, drunken with the new wine of the dew, and therein were +conjoined the fresh sweetness of the fountains of Paradise and +the soft breathings of the zephyr. Mind and eye were confounded +with its beauty, even as says the poet: + +Look on the verdant smiling mead, with flowers and herbs beseen, + As 'twere the Spring thereon had spread a mantle all of + green. +If thou behold it with the eye of sense alone, thou'lt see Nought + but as 'twere a lake wherein the water waves, I ween: +But with thy mind's eye look; thou'lt see a glory in the trees + And lo' amidst the boughs above, the waving banners' sheen! + +Or as another says: + +The river's a cheek that the sun has rosy made; For ringlets it + borrows the cassia's creeping shade. +The water makes anklets of silver about the legs Of the boughs, + and the flowers for crowns o'er all are laid. + +When Zoulmekan saw this champaign, with its thick-leaved trees +and its blooming flowers and warbling birds, he turned to his +brother Sherkan and said to him, "O my brother, verily Damascus +hath not in it the like of this place. We will abide here three +days, that we may rest ourselves and that the troops may regain +strength and their souls be fortified to encounter the accursed +infidels." So they halted and pitched their camp there. +Presently, they heard a noise of voices afar, and Zoulmekan +enquiring the cause thereof, was told that a caravan of Syrian +merchants had halted there to rest and that the Muslim troops had +come on them and had haply seized some of their goods, that they +had brought from the country of the infidels. After awhile, up +came the merchants, crying out and appealing to the King for +redress. So Zoulmekan bade bring them before him, and they said +to him, "O King, we have been in the country of the infidels and +they spoiled us of nothing: why then do our brothers the Muslims +despoil us of our goods, and that in their own country? When we +saw your troops, we went up to them, thinking no evil, and they +robbed us of what we had with us." Then they brought out to him +the letter of the King of Constantinople, and Sherkan took it and +reading it, said to them, "We will restore you what has been +taken from you; but it behoved you not to carry merchandise to +the country of the infidels." "O our lord," replied they, "of a +truth, God moved us to go thither, that we might win what never +champion won the like of, no, not even thou in ail thy battles." +"What was it that ye won?" asked Sherkan. "O King," replied they, +"we will not tell thee, except in private; for if this thing be +noised among the folk, it may come to the ears of the King of +Constantinople, and this will be the cause of our ruin and of the +ruin of all Muslims that resort to the land of the Greeks." (Now +they had hidden the chest wherein was Dhat ed Dewahi.) So +Zoulmekan and his brother brought them to a private place, where +they repeated to him the story of the devotee, even as the old +woman had lessoned them, and wept till they made the two kings +weep. There withal Sherkan's heart yearned to the devotee and he +was moved to pity for him and zeal for the service of God the +Most High. So he said to the Syrians, "Did ye rescue the holy man +or is he still in the hermitage?" Quoth they, "We delivered him +and slew the hermit, fearing for ourselves; after which we made +haste to fly, for fear of death; but a trusty man told us that in +this hermitage are quintals of gold and silver and jewels." Then +they fetched the chest and brought out the accursed old woman, as +she were a cassia[FN#103] pod, for excess of blackness and +leanness, and laden with fetters and shackles. When Zoulmekan and +the bystanders saw her, they took her for a man of the dower of +God's servants and the most excellent of devotees, more by token +of the shining of her forehead for the ointment with which she +had anointed it. So Zoulmekan and Sherkan wept sore and kissed +her hands and feet, sobbing aloud: but she signed to them and +said, "Give over weeping and hear my words." So they left +weeping, in obedience to her, and she said, "Know that I was +content to accept what my Lord did unto me, knowing that the +affliction that befell me was a trial from Him (to whom belong +might and majesty); since that for him who is not patient under +trial and affliction there is no coming to the delights of +Paradise. I had indeed besought Him that I might return to my +native land, yet not for impatience of the sufferings decreed to +me, but that I might die under the hoofs of the horses of the +warriors of the Faith, who, being slain in battle, live again +without suffering death,"[FN#104]; and she repeated the following +couplets: + +The fortress[FN#105] is Sinai's self and the fire of war burns + free, And thou art Moses and this the time appointed to + thee. +Throw down thy rod, for lo, it shall swallow up all they make! + And fear not; I trow the ropes of the folk no serpents + be.[FN#106] +Read thou the lines of the foe for chapters,[FN#107] the day of + the fight, And let thy sword mark on their necks the verses, + what while they flee. + +Then her eyes ran over with tears and her forehead shone like +gleaming light, and Sherkan rose and kissed her hand and caused +food to be set before her: but she refused it, saying, "I have +not broken my fast (till sunset) for fifteen years; and how +should I do so now, whenas my Lord hath been bountiful to me in +delivering me from the captivity of the infidels and doing away +from me that which was more grievous than the fiery torment? I +will wait till sun down." So at nightfall Sherkan and Zoulmekan +came to her with food and said, "Eat, O pious man." But she said, +"This is no time for eating; it is the hour for doing my service +to the Requiting King." Then she took up her station in the +prayer-niche and stood praying till the night was spent; and she +ceased not to do thus for three days and nights, sitting not but +at the time of salutation.[FN#108] When Zoulmekan saw this her +behaviour, belief in her took firm hold upon his heart and he +said to Sherkan, "Cause a tent of perfumed leather to be pitched +for this holy man and appoint a servant to wait upon him." On the +fourth day, she called for food; so they brought her all kinds of +meats that could allure the sense or delight the eye; but of all +this she ate but one cake of bread with salt. Then she turned +again to her fast, and when the night came, she rose anew to +pray: and Sherkan said to Zoulmekan, "Verily, this man carries +renunciation of the world to the utmost extreme, and were it not +for this holy war, I would join myself to him and worship God in +his service, till I came before His presence. And now I would +fain enter his tent and talk with him awhile." "And I also," said +Zoulmekan. "To-morrow we sally forth against Constantinople, and +we shall find no time like the present." "And I also," said the +Vizier Dendan, "desire to see this holy man; haply he will pray +for me that I may find my death in this holy war and come to the +presence of my Lord, for I am weary of the world." So as soon as +night had darkened on them, they repaired to the tent of the +witch Dhat et Dewahi and finding her standing praying, fell +a-weeping, for pity of her: but she paid no heed to them till the +night was half spent, when she ended her devotions by pronouncing +the salutation (to the guardian angels). Then she turned to them +and greeted them, saying, "Wherefore come ye?" "O holy man," said +they, "didst thou not hear us weeping round thee?" "To him who +stands before God," replied she, "there remains nor sight nor +hearing for the things of this world." Quoth they, "We would have +thee tell us the manner of thy captivity and offer up prayer for +us this night, for that will profit us more than the possession +of Constantinople." "By Allah," answered she, "were ye not the +leaders of the Muslims, I would not tell you aught of this; for I +complain not but to God alone. However, to you I will relate the +circumstance of my captivity. Know, then, that I was in Jerusalem +with certain saints and ecstatics, and did not magnify myself +among them, for that God had endowed me with humility and +abnegation, till one night I chanced to go down to the lake and +walked upon the water. There withal there entered into me pride, +whence I know not, and I said to myself, 'Who can walk upon the +water, like unto me?' And from that time my heart became hardened +and God afflicted me with the love of travel. So I journeyed to +the land of the Greeks and visited it in every part during a +whole year, leaving no place but I worshipped God therein. When I +came to the place (where the Syrians found me) I ascended the +mountain and saw there a hermitage, inhabited by a monk called +Metrouhena. When he saw me, he came out to me and kissed my hands +and feet, saying, 'Verily, I have seen thee, since thou camest +into the land of the Greeks, and thou hast filled me with longing +for the land of Islam.' Then he took my hand and carrying me into +the hermitage, brought me to a dark place, where he took me +unawares and locking the door on me, left me there forty days, +without meat or drink; for it was his intent to kill me by +starvation. One day it chanced that a knight called Decianus came +to the hermitage, accompanied by ten squires and his daughter +Temathil, a girl of incomparable beauty. The monk told them of +me, and Decianus said, 'Bring him out, for surely there is not a +bird's meal of flesh left on him.' So they opened the door of the +dungeon and found me standing erect in the niche, praying and +reciting the Koran and glorifying God and humbling myself to Him. +When they saw this, the monk exclaimed, 'This man is indeed a +sorcerer of the sorcerers!' Then they all came in on me, and +Decianus and his company beat me grievously, till I desired death +and reproached myself, saying, 'This is the reward of him who +glorifies himself and takes credit for that which God hath +bestowed upon him, beyond his own competence! For, indeed, my +soul, pride and arrogance have crept into thee. Dost thou not +know that pride angers the Lord and hardens the heart and brings +men to the fire?' Then they laid me in fetters and returned me to +my place, which was a dungeon under the earth. Every three days, +they threw me down a cake of barley-bread and a draught of water; +and every month or two, came Decianus to the hermitage, with his +daughter Temathil, who is now grown up, for when I first saw her, +she was nine years old, and I abode fifteen years in the dungeon, +so that she must be now four-and twenty years of age. There is +not in our land nor in the land of the Greeks a fairer than she, +and her father feared lest the King (of Constantinople) should +take her from him; for she had vowed herself to the service of +the Messiah and rode with Decianus in the habit of a cavalier, so +that none who saw her knew her for a woman. In this hermitage her +father had laid up his treasures, for all who had aught of price +were wont to deposit it there, and I saw there all manner of gold +and silver and jewels and precious vessels and rarities, none may +keep count of them save God the Most High. Ye are more worthy of +these riches than the infidels; so do ye lay hands on that which +is in the hermitage and divide it among the Muslims, and +especially among those who wage the holy war. When these +merchants came to Constantinople and sold their merchandise, the +image on the wall spoke to them, by God's special grace to me; so +they made for the hermitage and tortured Metrouhena, after the +most grievous fashion, and dragged him by the beard, till he +showed them where I was, when they took me and fled for fear of +death. To-morrow, Temathil will visit the hermitage as of wont, +and her father and his squires will come after her, to protect +her: so, an ye would be witness of these things, take me with you +and I will deliver to you the treasure and the riches of the +knight Decianus, that are stored up in that mountain; for I saw +them bring out vessels of gold and silver to drink in and heard a +damsel of their company sing to them in Arabic. Alas, that so +sweet a voice should not be busied in reciting the Koran! So, an +ye will, I will bring you to the hermitage and ye shall hide +there, against the coming of Decianus and his daughter. Then take +her, for she is only fit for the king of the age, Sherkan, or for +King Zoulmekan." When they heard her words, they all rejoiced, +with the exception of the Vizier Dendan, who put no faith in her +story, for her words took no hold on his reason and he was +confounded at her discourse and signs of doubt and disbelief +appeared in his face; but he feared to speak with her, for awe of +the King. Then she said, "I fear lest Decianus come and seeing +the troops encamped here, be afraid to enter the hermitage." So +Zoulmekan resolved to despatch the army towards Constantinople +and said, "I mean to take a hundred horse and many mules and make +for the mountain, where we will load the mules with the +treasure." Then he sent for the Chamberlain and for the captains +of the Turks and Medes and said to them, 'As soon as it is day, +do ye strike camp and set out for Constantinople. Thou, O +Chamberlain, shall fill my place in council and command, and +thou, O Rustem, shalt be my brother's deputy in battle. Let none +know that we are not with you, and after three days we will +rejoin you." Then he chose out a hundred of the stoutest +cavaliers, and he and Sherkan and Dendan set out for the +hermitage, with mules and chests for the transport of the +treasure. As soon as it was morning, the Chamberlain gave the +signal for departure, and the troops set out, thinking that the +two Kings and the Vizier were with them. Now the Syrians that +were with Dhat ed Dewahi had taken their departure privily, after +they had gone in to her and kissed her hands and feet and gotten +her leave and taken her orders. Then she waited till it was dark +night and going in to Zoulmekan and his companions, said to them, +"Come, let us set out for the mountain, and take with you a few +men." They obeyed her and left five horsemen at the foot of the +mountain, whilst the rest rode on before Dhat ed Dewahi, to whom +new strength seemed given for excess of joy, so that Zoulmekan +said to his companions, "Glory be to God who sustains this holy +man, whose like we never saw!" Now she had written a letter to +the King of Constantinople and despatched it by a carrier-pigeon, +acquainting him with what had passed and adding, "Do thou send me +ten thousand horsemen of the stoutest of the Greeks and let them +come stealthily along the foot of the mountains, lest the Muslim +host get sight of them, to the hermitage and hide themselves +there, till I come to them with the Muslim King and his brother, +for I have inveigled them and will bring them thither, together +with the Vizier Dendan and a hundred horse, no more, that I may +deliver to them the crosses that are in the hermitage. I am +resolved to slay the monk Metrouhena, since my scheme cannot be +carried out but at the cost of his life. If my plot work well, +not one of the Muslims shall return to his own country, no, not a +living soul nor a blower of the fire; and Metrouhena shall be a +sacrifice for the followers of the Christian faith and the +servants of the Cross, and praise be to the Messiah, first and +last!" When this letter reached Constantinople, the keeper of the +pigeons carried it to King Afridoun, who read it and forthwith +equipped ten thousand cavaliers with horses and dromedaries and +mules and victual and bade them repair to the hermitage and hide +there; and they did as he commanded them. Meanwhile. when +Zoulmekan and his companions reached the hermitage, they entered +and met the monk Metrouhena, who came out to see who they were; +whereupon quoth Dhat ed Dewahi, "Slay this accursed fellow.' So +they fell on him with their swords and made him drink the cup of +death. Then the accursed old woman carried them to the place of +offerings[FN#109] and brought out to them treasures and precious +things, more than she had promised them, which they laid in +chests and loaded the mules therewith. As for Temathil and her +father, they came not, for fear of the Muslims, and Zoulmekan +tarried there, awaiting her, the whole of that day and two more, +till Sherkan said to him, "By Allah, I am troubled at heart for +the army of Islam, for I know not what is come of them." "And I +also am concerned for them," replied Zoulmekan. "We have come by +a great treasure and I do not believe that Temathil or any one +else will come to the hermitage, after that which has befallen +the host of the Christians. So we should do well to content +ourselves with what God has given us and depart; and haply He +will help us break open Constantinople." So they came down from +the mountain, for Dhat ed Dewahi dared not gainsay them, for fear +of betraying herself, and rode on till they reached the head of a +defile, in which the old woman had laid an ambush for them with +the ten thousand horse. As soon as the latter saw them, they made +at them from all sides, couching their lances and baring their +sabres, whilst they shouted the watchword of their infidel faith +and set the arrows of their mischief to the strings. + +When Zoulmekan saw them, he was ware that they were a mighty host +and said, "Who can have given these troops advice of us?" "O my +brother," replied Sherkan, "this is no time for talking, but for +smiting with swords and shooting with arrows; so gird up your +courage and strengthen your hearts, for this pass is like a +street with two gates: though, by the virtue of the Lord of the +Arabs and the Persians, were not the place so strait, I would +bring them to nought, though they were a hundred thousand men!" + +"Had we known this," said Zoulmekan, "we would have brought with +us five thousand horse." "If we had ten thousand," rejoined the +Vizier, "they would avail ail us nothing in this narrow place: +but God will succour us against them. I know this defile and its +straitness, and there are many places of refuge in it; for I have +been here on an expedition with King Omar ben Ennuman, what while +we laid siege to Constantinople. We camped in this place, and +there is here water colder than snow. So come, let us win? out of +this pass ere the infidels increase on us and get the start of us +to the mountain-top, that they may hurl down rocks upon us and we +be powerless to come at them." So they hurried on, to get out of +the defile: but Dhat ed Dewahi looked at them and said, "What is +it ye fear, ye who have vowed yourselves to God the Most High, to +work His will? By Allah, I was imprisoned underground for fifteen +years, yet never gainsaid I God in aught He did with me! Fight ye +in the way of God; whoso of ye is killed, Paradise shall be his +abode, and whoso kills, his endeavour shall be for his glory." +When they heard her words, their concern and anxiety ceased from +them and they stood firm, awaiting the onset of the infidels, who +fell on them from all sides, whilst the swords played upon their +necks and the cup of death went round amongst them. + +The Muslims fought right valiantly for the service of God and +wrought upon His enemies with stroke of sword and push of pike; +whilst Zoulmekan smote upon the men and made the champions bite +the dust and their heads fly from their bodies, five by five and +ten by ten, till he had done to death a number of them past +count. Presently, he looked at the old woman and saw her waving +her sword and heartening them, and all who feared fled to her for +shelter; but (in secret) she was beckoning to the infidels to +kill Sherkan. So troop after troop rushed on him to slay him: but +each troop he charged and drove back, with the sword in their +loins; and indeed he thought it was the holy man's blessing that +gave him the victory over them and said in himself, "Verily God +looks on this holy man with eyes of favour and strengthens my +prowess against the infidels with the purity of his intent: for I +see that they fear me and cannot stand against me, but every one +who attacks me turns tail and flees." So they battled the rest of +the day, and when the night fell, the Muslims took refuge in a +cave, being hard pressed and weary with stress of battle; and +five-and-forty of them were slain that day by rocks that the +infidels rolled down on them. When they were gathered together, +they sought the devotee, but could find no trace of him. This was +grievous to them and they said, "Belike, he hath died a martyr." +Quoth Sherkan "I saw him heartening the men with divine instances +and sacring them with verses of the Koran." Whilst they were +talking, behold, the accursed old woman stood before them, with +the head of the captain of the ten thousand horse, a noble +knight, a fierce champion and an obstinate devil, in her hand. +Now one of the Turks had slain him with an arrow, and God hurried +his soul to the fire: and when the infidels saw what the Muslim +had done with their leader, they all fell on him and hewed him in +pieces with their swords, and God hastened with his soul to +Paradise. Then the old woman cut off the knight's head and +carrying it to Sherkan and Zoulmekan and the Vizier, threw it at +their feet; whereupon Sherkan exclaimed, "Praised be God that we +see thee in safety, O holy man and devout champion of the Faith!" +"O my son," replied she, "I have sought a martyr's death this +day, throwing myself midmost the host of the infidels, but they +feared me. When ye separated, a holy jealousy seized me for you; +so I rushed on the knight their captain, though he was reckoned a +match for a thousand horse, and smote him and severed his head +from his body. Not one of the infidels could come near me, so I +took his head and have brought it to you, that you may be +heartened in the holy strife and work out the will of the Lord of +the Faithful with your swords. And now I will leave you to strive +against the infidels, whilst I go to your army, though they be at +the gates of Constantinople, and return with twenty thousand +horse to destroy these unbelievers." Quoth Sherkan, "How wilt +thou win to them, O holy man, seeing that the valley is blocked +up by the infidels on all sides?" "God will veil me from their +eyes," replied she, "and they shall not see me; nor if any saw +me, would he dare to attack me, for I shall be absorbed in God +and He will fend off His enemies from me." "Thou sayst sooth, O +holy man," rejoined Sherkan, "for indeed I have been witness of +this; so, if thou canst set out at the first of the night, it +will be the better for us." "I will set out forthright," replied +she; "and, an thou wilt, thou shalt go with me, and none shall +see thee. If thy brother also have a mind to go, we will take +him, but none else; for the shadow of a saint can cover but two." +"As for me," said Sherkan, "I will not leave my comrades; but, if +my brother please, he will do well to go with thee and win free +of this strait; for he is the stronghold of the Muslims and the +sword of the Lord of the two worlds; and if it be his pleasure, +let him take with him the Vizier Dendan, or whom else he may +choose, and send us ten thousand horse to succour us against +these villains." So they agreed to this and Dhat ed Dewahi said, +"Wait till I go on before you and look if the infidels be asleep +or awake." Quoth they, "We will go with thee and trust our affair +to God." "If I do your bidding," replied she, "do not blame me, +but blame yourselves; for it is my counsel that you wait till I +have spied you out the state of the case." Then said Sherkan, "Go +and return quickly, for we shall be awaiting thee." So she went +out and Sherkan turned to his brother and said, "Were not this +holy man a miracle-worker, he had never slain yonder doughty +knight. This is a sufficient measure of his power, and indeed the +strength of the infidels is broken by the slaying of their +leader, for he was a fierce warrior and a stubborn devil." Whilst +they were thus devising of the power of the devotee, behold, the +cursed old woman returned and promised them victory over the +unbelievers; whereupon they thanked her, and she said, "Where is +the king of the age Zoulmekan?" "Here am I," replied he. "Take +thy Vizier," said she, "and follow me, that we may win out to +Constantinople." Now she had acquainted the infidels with the +cheat she had put on the Muslims, and they rejoiced mightily and +said, "We shall not be content till we have slain their king in +return for the death of our general; for we had no stouter +cavalier than he; but when thou bringest him to us, we will carry +him to King Afridoun." Then she went out with Zoulmekan and +Dendan and walked on before them, saying, "Fare on with the +blessing of the Most High God!" They did as she bade them, for +the arrow of fate and destiny had fallen on them, and she led +them on, through the midst of the Christian camp, till they came +to the narrow pass aforesaid. Whilst the enemy watched them, but +did them no hindrance; for the old woman had enjoined this on +them. When Zoulmekan and Dendan saw that the infidels did them no +hindrance, the Vizier exclaimed, "By Allah, this is one of the +holy man's miracles! Without doubt he is of the elect." "By +Allah," said Zoulmekan, "I think the infidels must be blind, for +we see them, and they see us not." Whilst they were thus praising +the holy man and recounting his virtues, behold, the infidels +fell upon them from all sides and seized them, saying, "Is there +any one else with you, that we may seize upon him?" Quoth Dendan, +"See ye not yon other man that is before us?" "By the Messiah and +the Monks and the Primate and the Metropolitan," replied they, +"we see none but you!" And Zoulmekan said, "By Allah, this is a +chastisement decreed to us by God!" Then the Christians laid +shackles on their feet and set men to guard them during the +night, whilst Dhat ed Dewahi fared on and disappeared from their +sight. So they fell to lamenting and said, "Verily, the +gainsaying of pious men leads to greater stress than this, and we +are punished by the strait into which we have fallen." + +Meanwhile, Sherkan passed the night in the cavern with his +companions, and when the day broke, he arose and prayed the +morning-prayer. Then he and his men made ready to do battle with +the infidels, and he encouraged them and promised them all good. +Then they sallied out against the Christians, who cried out to +them from afar as soon as they saw them, saying, "O Muslims, we +have taken your Sultan and your Vizier that has the ordering of +your affairs; and except ye leave fighting us, we will slay you +to the last man, but if ye yield to us, we will take you to our +king, who will make peace with you, on condition that you leave +our country and return to your own land and do us no harm, and we +will do you no harm. If you accept, it will be well for you; but +if you refuse, you have nothing to hope for but death. So now we +have told you, and this is our last word to you." When Sherkan +heard this and was certified of the captivity of his brother and +the Vizier Dendan, he was greatly troubled and wept; his strength +failed him and he made sure of death, saying inwardly, "I wonder +what was the cause of their capture? Did they fail of respect to +the holy man or disobey him, or what?" Then they rushed upon the +unbelievers and slew great plenty of them. The valiant, that day, +was known from the faint-hearted, and the swords and spears were +dyed with blood; for the infidels flocked on them from all sides, +as flies flock to wine; but Sherkan and his men ceased not to +wage the fight of those who fear not death nor let it hinder them +from the pursuit of victory, till the valley ran with blood and +the earth was full of the slain. So fought they on till +nightfall, when the two parties separated, each to his own place, +and the Muslims returned to the grotto, where both victory and +loss were manifest to them, and there was no dependence for them +but on God and the sword. That day there had been slain of them +five-and-thirty men of the chief amirs, and they had put to the +sword thousands of the infidels, both horse and foot. When +Sherkan saw this, the case was grievous to him, and he said to +his comrades, "What shall we do?" "That which God wills," replied +they. On the morning of the second day, Sherkan said to the +remnant of his troop, "If ye go forth to fight, not one of you +will remain alive and we have but little food and water left; so +meseems ye would do better to draw your swords and stand at the +door of the cavern, to hinder any from entering. Peradventure the +holy man may have traversed the Christian host, without being +seen of the unbelievers, and may win to Constantinople and return +with ten thousand horse, to succour us against the infidels." +"This is the better course," replied they, "and there is no doubt +of its expediency." So they went out and held the opening of the +grotto, standing in its sides; and every one of the infidels who +sought to come in, they slew. Thus did they fend off the enemy +from the door of the cavern and make head against all their +assaults, till the day departed and the night came with the +shadows, by which time King Sherkan had but five-and-twenty men +left. Then said the Christians to each other, "When shall these +battles have an end? We are weary of fighting the Muslims." And +one of them said, "Up and let us fall on them, for there be but +five-and-twenty and of them left. If we cannot prevail on them to +fight, let us light a fire upon them; and if they submit and +yield themselves up, we will take them prisoners: else we will +leave them to serve as fuel to the fire, so that they shall +become a warning to men of understanding. May the Messiah not +have mercy on their fathers and may the sojourn of the Christians +be no abiding-place for them!" So they repaired to the cavern and +heaping up faggots in the door-way, set fire to them. Thereupon, +Sherkan and his companions made sure of death and yielded +themselves up. The unbelievers thought to kill them, but the +knight their captain said to those who counselled this, "It is +for none but King Afridoun to kill them, that he may quench +thereby his thirst for vengeance; wherefore it behoves us to keep +them prisoners till the morrow, when we will journey with them to +Constantinople and deliver them to King Afridoun, who shall deal +with them as he pleases." "This is the right course," replied +they; and he commanded to pinion the prisoners and set guards +over them. Then, as soon as it was dark, the infidels gave +themselves up to feasting and merry-making and called for wine +and drank, till they all fell backward. Presently, Sherkan turned +to his brother Zoulmekan and said to him "My brother, how shall +we get free?" "By Allah," replied Zoulmekan, "I know not; for we +are here like birds in a cage." At this Sherkan was angry and +sighed for excess of wrath and stretched himself, till his bonds +broke; whereupon he went up to the captain of the guard and +taking from his bosom the keys of the fetters, freed Zoulmekan +and Dendan and the rest of the prisoners. Then said he, "Let us +slay three of these infidels and don their clothes, we three; so +shall we be disguised as Greeks and pass through them without +their knowing us, and win out to our army." "This is no safe +counsel," replied Zoulmekan "for if we kill them, I fear some of +their comrades may hear their groans and the enemy he roused upon +us and kill us. It were better to make our way out of the pass." +So they agreed upon this and set out. When they had left the head +of the defile a little way behind, they saw horses picketed and +their riders sleeping by them: and Sherkan said to his brother, +"Let us each take one of these steeds." So they took five- +and-twenty horses, one for each man, and mounted and rode on +till they were out of reach, whilst God sent sleep upon the +infidels for a secret purpose of His own. Meanwhile, Sherkan +gathered as many swords and spears as he could from the sleepers +and faring on after his comrades, found them awaiting him, on +coals of fire on his account, and said to them, "Have no fear, +since God protects us. I have that to propose, which meseems will +advantage us." "What is it?" asked they, and he said, "It is that +we all climb to the mountain-top and cry out with one voice, 'God +is most great! The army of Islam is upon you! God is most great!' +If we do this, their company will surely be dissolved, for they +are too drunken to find out the trick, but will think that the +Muslim troops have encompassed them on all sides and have become +mingled with them; so they will fall on one another with their +swords, in the confusion of drunkenness and sleep, and we will +cleave them asunder with their own brands and the sword will go +round amongst them till the morning." "This plan is not good," +replied Zoulmekan. "We should do better to make our way to our +army and keep silence; for, if we cry out, 'God is most great!' +they will wake and fall on us, and not one of us will escape." +"By Allah," rejoined Sherkan, "though they be roused on us, I +desire urgently that ye fall in with my plan, for nothing but +good can come of it." So they agreed and ascending the mountain, +shouted out, "God is most great!" And the hills and trees and +stones cried out with them, "God is most great!" for the fear of +the Almighty. When the unbelievers heard this, they started up +from sleep and did on their armour, crying out to one another and +saying, "By the Messiah, the enemy is upon us." Then they fell +on each other and slew of their own men more than any knows save +God the Most High. As soon as it was day, they sought for the +captives, but found them not, and their captains said, "It +was the prisoners who did this; so up and hasten after them, +till ye overtake them, when we will make them quaff the cup of +punishment; and let not trouble nor panic possess you." So they +sprang to horse and rode after the fugitives, nor was it long +before they overtook them and surrounded them. Wheu Zoulmekan saw +this, he was seized with terror and said to his brother, "What I +feared is come upon us, and now it only remains for us to fight +for the faith." But Sherkan held his peace. Then Zoulmekan and +his companions rushed down from the hill-top, crying out, "God is +most great!" and addressed themselves to fight and sell their +lives in the service of the Lord of the Faithful, when, behold, +they heard many voices crying out, "There is no god but God! God +is most great! Peace and salvation upon the Bringer of Glad +Tidings, the Admonisher of Mankind!"[FN#110] So they turned +towards the sound and saw a company of Muslims pricking towards +them, whereupon their courage revived and Sherkan ran at the +Christians, crying out, "There is no god but God! God is most +great!" so that the earth shook as with an earthquake and the +unbelievers broke asunder and fled into the mountains, whither +the Muslims followed them with sword and spear and made their +heads fly from their bodies, till the day departed and the night +came with the darkness. Then the Muslims drew together and passed +the night rejoicing; and when the day broke and the morning arose +with its light and shone, they saw Behram, the captain of the +Medes, and Rustem, the captain of the Turks, advancing to join +them, with twenty thousand cavaliers, as they were fierce lions. +As soon as they saw Zoulmekan, the chiefs dismounted and saluting +him, kissed the earth before him; and he said to them, "Rejoice +ye in the glad news of the victory of the Muslims and the +discomfiture of the unbelievers!" Then they gave each other joy +of their deliverance and of the greatness of the reward that +awaited them in the world to come. + +Now the manner of the coming of the succours was as follows. +When Behram and Rustem and the Chamberlain came in sight +of Constantinople, with the Muslim army, they saw that the +Christians had manned the walls and towers and set all their +strengths in order of defence, for that they knew of the approach +of the host of Islam, through the craft and perfidy of the old +woman Dhat ed Dewahi. So, when they heard the clash of arms and +tramp of horse-hoofs and saw the Mohammedan standards and the +ensigns of the Faith of the Unity of God emerging from the +dust-clouds and heard the voices of the Muslims chanting the +Koran aloud and glorifying the Compassionate One, and the army of +Islam drew near, as it were the swollen sea, for the multitude of +footmen and horsemen and women and children, they poured forth +like a flight of locusts or the streaming of water from the +rain-clouds; and the captain of the Turks said to the captain of +the Medes, "O Amir, of a truth, we are in jeopardy from the +multitude of the foe on the walls. Look at yonder forts and at +the folk like the tempestuous sea with its clashing billows. +Indeed the infidels out-number us a hundred times and we cannot +be sure but that some spy may inform them that we are without a +leader. Verily, we are in peril from these enemies, whose number +may not be told and whose extent is limitless, especially in the +absence of King Zoulmekan and his brother Sherkan and the +illustrious Vizier Dendan. If they know of this, they will be +emboldened to attack us in their absence and will cut off us to +the last man; not one of us will escape alive. So it is my +counsel that we each take ten thousand horse and repair to the +hermitage of Metrouhena and the Meadow of Meloukhna in quest of +our brothers and our chiefs. If thou follow my counsel, it may be +we shall be the cause of their deliverance, in case they be hard +pressed by the infidels; and if not, no blame will rest on me. +But, if we go, it were well that we return quickly, for suspicion +is part of prudence." The other fell in with his counsel; so they +chose twenty thousand horse and set out for the hermitage by +cross roads. + +To return to Dhat ed Dewahi. As soon as she had delivered +Zoulmekan and his companions into the hands of the infidels, she +mounted a swift horse, saying to the Christians, "I mean to +rejoin the Muslim army before Constantinople and contrive for +their destruction; for I will tell them that their chiefs are +dead, and when they hear this, their alliance will be dissolved +and their confederation broken up and their host dispersed. Then +will I go to King Afridoun and my son King Herdoub, and they will +sally forth on them with their troops and destroy them, nor leave +one of them alive." So she mounted and fared on across country +all that night, and at daybreak, she sighted the army of Behram +and Rustem advancing towards her. So she turned aside into a +wayside copse and alighting there, hid her horse among the trees, +saying to herself, "Belike they are returning, routed, from the +assault of Constantinople." However, as she drew near, she saw +that their standards were not reversed and knew that they were +not retreating because of defeat, but that they feared for their +king and their chiefs. When she was assured of this, she hastened +up to them, running at the top of her speed, like a stubborn +Satan as she was, and cried out, "Hasten, O soldiers of the +Merciful One, hasten to the holy war against the hosts of Satan!" +When Behram saw her, he dismounted and kissing the earth before +her, said, "What is behind thee, O friend of God?"[FN#111] "Do +not ask of evil case and sore disasters," answered she. "Know +that, when our comrades had taken the treasure from the hermitage +and were on their way back to Constantinople, there came out on +them a great host and a fierce of unbelievers." And she repeated +to them the story, in such wise as to fill them with trouble and +terror, and added, "The most of them are dead, and there are but +five-and-twenty left." "O holy man," said Behram, "when didst +thou leave them?" "But last night," replied she. "Glory be to +God," exclaimed he, "Who hath rolled up the distance for thee +like a carpet, so that thou hast sped thus, walking upon thy feet +and leant upon a palm-tree staff! But thou art one of the friends +of God, that fly like birds, when possessed by the stress of His +commandment!" Then he mounted his horse, perplexed and confounded +for that which he had heard from the lying old beldam and saying, +"There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High! Verily +our labour is lost and our hearts are heavy within us, for our +king is a prisoner and those who are with him!" Then they fared +on in haste and stayed not the whole of that day and night, till +at daybreak they reached the head of the pass and heard Zoulmekan +and Sherkan shouting, "There is no god but God! God is most +great!" Whereupon they drove at the unbelievers and overwhelmed +them, as the torrent overwhelms the plains, shouting out their +war-cries, till the stoutest champions were affrighted and the +mountains were cloven by the noise. On the morrow, they +foregathered with Zoulmekan, and each recognised the other as has +been before set out. Then they kissed the earth before the King +and his brother Sherkan, and the latter told them all that had +befallen him and his men in the grotto, whereat they marvelled +and said, "Hasten back with us to Constantinople, for we left our +companions there, and our hearts are with them." So they made +haste to depart, commending themselves to the Subtle, the +All-wise; and Zoulmekan exhorted the Muslims to steadfastness, +reciting the following verses: + +To thee be the praise, O Thou that meritest thanks and praise! + And mayest Thou never cease to succour me all my days! +I grew up in exile, but Thou, my God, wast ever my friend. 'Twas + Thou didst decree me success and broughtest me forth of the + maze. +Thou hast given me lordship and wealth and fortune and girded my + midst With the falchion of valour and wreathed my forehead + with victory's bays. +Thou hast shadowed me under Thy wings and made me to prosper + amain And hast graced me with favours untold, of Thy + bounties abounding always: +Thou hast saved me from all that I feared, by the counsel of him + whom I trust, The Vizier and chief of the chiefs, the hero + and pride of our days. +By Thy favour we fell on the Greeks and smote them with sword and + with spear; But again to the fight they returned, in + garments blood-red for affrays. +So I feigned to be routed and flee and give back from the fight; + then I turned On the toe, as the fierce lion turns on the + hunters, that find him at gaze. +I left them laid low on the plain, as 'twere they were drunken + with wine, Not the wine that is pressed from the grape, but + that of death's cup of amaze; +Whilst their ships all fell under our hand and ours was the + empery grown: From the East to the West, sea and shore, we + were lords of the lands and the ways. +Then there came to our camp the recluse, the saint, whose + miraculous power Is blazoned in desert and town, wherever + the sun sheds its rays. +He joined us, his vengeance to wreak on all that believe not in + God. Indeed, it is known to the folk what came of our strife + and our frays. +They slew of us some, but they woke on the morrow in Paradise, + Each lodged in a palace on high, whereunder a river strays. + +When Zoulmekan had made an end of reciting these verses, his +brother Sherkan gave him joy of his safety and praise for that he +had done; after which they set out by forced marches to rejoin +their army. + +Meanwhile, Dhat ed Dewahi, after she had spoken with Rustem and +Behram, returned to the coppice, where she took her horse and +mounting, sped on, till she drew near the host of the Muslims +that lay leaguer before Constantinople, when she lighted down +from her steed and led it to the Chamberlain's pavilion. When he +saw her, he signed to her with his hand and said, "Welcome, O +pious recluse!" Then he questioned her of what had befallen, and +she repeated to him her disquieting and deluding report, saying, +"Indeed I fear for the Amirs Rustem and Behram, for that I met +them on the way and sent them and their following to the King and +his companions. They are but twenty thousand horse, and the +unbelievers are more in number than they; so I would now have +thee send of the rest of thy troops in haste to their succour, +lest they be slain to the last man." And she said to them +"Hasten! Hasten!" When the Chamberlain and the Muslims heard +these her words, their hearts sank within them and they wept; but +she said to them, "Ask aid of God and be patient under this +affliction, taking example by those that have been before you of +the people of Islam, for God hath prepared Paradise, with its +palaces, for those who die martyrs; and needs must all die, but +death is most praiseworthy, when it comes in fighting for the +Faith." When the Chamberlain heard this speech of the accursed +old woman, he called for the Amir Behram's brother, a cavalier +named Terkash, and choosing out for him ten thousand intrepid +veterans, bade him set out at once. So he departed forthright and +marched all that day and the next night, till he neared the +Muslims. When the day dawned, Sherkan saw the dust of them and +feared for his companions, saying, "If these troops that are +nearing us be Muslims, our victory is assured; but if they be +Christians, there is no gainsaying the decrees of Fate." Then he +turned to his brother Zoulmekan and said to him, "Fear not, for I +will ransom thee with my life from destruction. If these be +Muslim troops then were it an increase of God's favours; but if +they be our foes, there is nothing for it but to fight them. Yet +do I long to see the holy man once again before I die, so he may +pray for me that I may not die except a martyr." Whilst he was +thus speaking, behold, there appeared the banners with the words, +"There is no god but God and Mohammed is His Apostle" inscribed +on them, and he cried out to the new-comers, saying, "How is it +with the Muslims?" "They are in weal and safety," replied they; +"and we come not hither but out of concern for you." Then the +chief of the succours dismounted and kissing the earth before +Sherkan, said, "O my lord, the Sultan and the Vizier Dendan and +Rustem and my brother Behram, are they all in safety?" "They are +all well," answered the prince; "but who brought thee tidings of +us?" "It was the holy man," said Terkash. "He told us that he had +met my brother Behram and Rustem and had sent them to you and +also that the infidels had encompassed you and were more in +number than you; yet meseems the case is the contrary of this and +that you are victorious." "And how did the holy man reach you?" +asked Sherkan. "Walking on his feet," replied the Amir; "and he +had compassed, in the space of a single day and night, ten days' +journey for a diligent horseman." "Verily, he is a friend of +God," said Sherkan; "but where is he now?" Quoth Terkash, "We +left him with our troops, the people of Faith, encouraging them +to do battle with the infidels and rebels." Therewith Sherkan was +glad and thanked God for their own deliverance and that of the +holy man and commended the dead to the mercy of God saying, "This +was written in the Book of Fate." Then they set out for +Constantinople by forced marches, and whilst they were on the +road thither, behold, a cloud of dust arose before them and +spread till the prospect was hidden and the day darkened by it. +Sherkan looked at it and said, "Verily, I fear lest this be the +infidels who have routed the army of Islam, for that this dust +covers the country and blots out the two horizons." Presently +there appeared midmost the dust a pillar of darkness and came +towards them, blacker than the blackness of (evil) fortune and +more dreadful than the terrors of the Day of Judgment. + +Horse and foot hastened up to look at it and know its meaning, +when, behold, they saw it to be the recluse aforesaid; so they +crowded round him to kiss his hands, and he cried out, "O people +of the best of men[FN#112], the lamp of the darkness, the +infidels have overcome the Muslims by craft, for they fell upon +them in their tents, whilst they deemed themselves in safety, and +made a sore slaughter of them; so hasten to the aid of the +believers in the unity of God and deliver them from those that +deny Him!" When Sherkan heard this, his heart was sore troubled +and he alighted from his horse, in amazement, and kissed the +recluse's hands and feet. In like wise did his brother Zoulmekan +and the rest of the troops, except the Vizier Dendan, who +dismounted not, but said, "By Allah, my heart revolts from this +devotee, for I never knew aught but evil come of these that make +a show of devotion to religion. Leave him and hasten to rejoin +your comrades for this fellow is of those that are outcast from +the gate of mercy of the Lord of the Two Worlds! How often have I +come out to war with King Omar ben Ennuman and trodden the earth +of these lands!" "Put away from thee this foul thought," said +Sherkan. "Hast thou not seen this holy man excite the faithful to +battle, recking nought of spears and swords? Wherefore, slander +him not, for slander is blameworthy and the flesh of pious folk +is poisoned. Look how he encourages us to battle, and did not God +love him, He had not rolled up the distance for him (like a +carpet), after He had aforetime cast him into grievous torment?" +Then Sherkan let bring a Nubian mule for her riding and said to +her, "Mount, pious man, God-fearing and holy!" But she refused, +feigning self-denial, that she might attain her end: and they +knew not that the pretended devotee was such an one as he of whom +the poet says: + +He prayeth and fasteth amain for an end that he hath in view. + When once he has gained his end, fasting and prayer, adieu! + +So she walked among the horsemen and the footmen, like a crafty +fox meditating an assault, and began to uplift her voice, +chanting the Koran aloud and celebrating the praises of the +Compassionate One. Then they pressed forward till they reached +the Mohammedan camp, where Sherkan found the Muslims in a state +of confusion and the Chamberlain upon the brink of retreat, +whilst the sword wrought havoc among the faithful, good and bad. +Now the cause of this weakness among the Muslims was that the +accursed old woman Dhat ed Dewahi, when she saw that Behram +and Rustem had set forward with their troops to join Sherkan +and Zoulmekan, repaired to the camp or the Muslims before +Constantinople and wrought upon the Chamberlain to despatch the +Amir Terkash, as hath been before set out, to the further succour +of the princes, purposing in this to divide the Muslim forces and +weaken them. Then she left them and going to the walls of +Constantinople, called with a loud voice on the knights of the +Greeks, saying, "Throw me down a cord that I may tie thereto this +letter, which do ye carry to King Afridoun and my son King +Herdoub, that they may read it and do as is written therein." So +they let down a string and she tied thereto a letter, to the +following purport, "From the chiefest of calamities and the +greatest of afflictions, Dhat ed Dewahi, to King Afridoun. Know +that I have contrived a device for the destruction of the +Muslims, so rest you quiet. I made their Sultan and the Vizier +Dendan prisoners and returned to their camp and acquainted them +therewith, whereupon their power was broken and their strength +weakened. Moreover, I have wrought on them to send ten thousand +men under the Amir Terkash to the succour of the captives, and +there be now but few men left with the besiegers. Wherefore, it +is my counsel that ye sally forth, with all your power, whilst it +is yet day, and fall on them in their tents and slay them to the +last man for the Messiah looks down upon you and the Virgin +favours you; and I hope that the Messiah will not forget this +that I have done." When this letter came to King Afridoun, he +rejoiced greatly and sending at once for King Herdoub, read the +letter to him, whereat he was exceeding glad and said, "See the +craft of my mother; verily it dispenses with swords, and her +aspect stands in stead of the terrors of the Day of Fear." "May +the Messiah not bereave us of her," rejoined Afridoun, "nor +deprive her of her craft and knavery[FN#113]." Then he gave +orders for the sally, and the news was noised abroad in the city. +So the Christian troops and soldiers of the Cross drew their keen +sabres and sallied forth of the city, shouting out their impious +war-cries and blaspheming the Lord of all creatures. When the +Chamberlain saw them, he said, "Behold, the Christians are upon +us, whilst the most part of our troops are gone to the succour of +King Zoulmekan! They surely know of the absence of our Sultan and +most like they will attack us." Therewith he waxed angry and +cried out, "Ho, soldiers of Islam and defenders of the True +Faith, if you flee, you are lost, and if you stand fast, you will +conquer! Know that courage lies in endurance and that no case is +so desperate but that God is able to bring about its relief. May +He bless you and look upon you with eyes of compassion! "Then +the Muslims cried out, "God is most great!" and the believers in +the Divine Unity shouted the profession of the Faith and the two +hosts joined battle. The mill-wheels of war whirled round, with +cutting and thrusting; the swords and spears played and the +plains and valleys were filled with blood. The priests and monks +prayed aloud, girding on their girdles and uplifting the crosses, +whilst the Muslims shouted out the praises of the Requiting King +and chanted verses of the Koran. The hosts of the Compassionate +God fought against the legions of Satan and heads flew from +bodies, what while the good angels hovered above the people of +the Chosen Prophet, nor did the sword cease to play, till the day +departed and the night came with the shadows. Now the unbelievers +had encompassed the Muslims and made sure of overcoming the host +of the True Faith with the dawn, deeming not that they could +escape destruction. As soon as it was light, the Chamberlain +mounted, he and his men, trusting that God would help them, and +the two armies came together and joined battle. The fight raged +all along the line and heads flew from bodies, whilst the brave +stood fast and the faint-hearted turned their backs and fled; and +the Judge of death judged and gave sentence, so that the +champions fell from their saddles and the meadows were heaped +with the slain. Then the Muslims began to give back and the +Greeks took possession of some of their tents; whereupon the +Muslims were about to break and retreat, when behold, up came +Sherkan, with the rest of their troops and the standards of the +believers in the Unity of God, and fell upon the infidels, +followed by Zoulmekan and the Vizier Dendan and the Amirs Behram +and Rustem and Terkash. When the Christians saw this, they lost +their senses and their reason fled, and the dust clouds rose till +they covered the country, whilst the true believers joined their +pious comrades. Then Sherkan accosted the Chamberlain and praised +him for his steadfastness, and he in turn gave him joy of his +timely succour. Therewith the Muslims rejoiced and their hearts +were fortified; so they rushed upon the foe and devoted +themselves to God, in the battle for the Faith. When the infidels +saw the Mohammedan standards and read thereon the words +proclaiming the Unity of God, they shrieked aloud and said, +"Woe!" and "Ruin!" and besought succour of the priests and monks. +Moreover they fell to calling upon Jesus and Mary and the +abhorrent Cross and stayed their hands from the battle, whilst +King Afridoun went up to King Herdoub (to consult with him), for +the two kings stood one at the head of each wing. Now there was +with them also a famous cavalier named Lawiya, who was in command +of the centre, and the infidels drew out in battle-array; but +indeed they were full of alarm and disquiet. Meanwhile, the +Muslims arrayed their forces and Sherkan came to his brother +Zoulmekan and said to him, "O king of the age, doubtless they +mean to joust? and that is also what we desire; but it is my wish +to set in our van-ward battle the stoutest-hearted of our men: +for wise ordering is the half of life." "As thou wilt, O man of +good counsel," replied the Sultan. "It is my wish," added +Sherkan, "to be myself in the centre of the line, with the Vizier +Dendan on my left and thee on my right, whilst Behram and Rustem +command the right and left wing; and thou, O mighty King, shalt +be under the standards and the ensigns, for that thou art our +stay and upon thee, after God, is our dependence, and we will all +be thy ransom from aught that can harm thee." Zoulmekan thanked +him and the battle-cries arose and the sabres were drawn, when, +behold, there came forth a cavalier from the Grecian ranks; and +as he drew near, they saw that he was mounted on a slow-paced +mule, fleeing with her master from the shock of swords. Her +housings were of white silk, surmounted by a carpet of Cashmere +stuff, and on her back sat a gray-bearded old man of comely and +reverend aspect, clad in a gown of white wool. He spurred her on +till he came to the Muslims, to whom said he, "I am an ambassador +to you, and all an ambassador has to do is to deliver his +message; so give me a safe conduct and the right of speech, that +I may do my errand to you." "Thou art in safety," replied +Sherkan; "fear neither stroke of sword nor thrust of lance." +Thereupon the old man dismounted and taking the cross from his +neck, (laid it) before the Sultan and carried himself humbly to +him, after the fashion of one who hopes for fair treatment. Then +said the Muslims to him, "What is thy news?" He answered, "I am +an ambassador from King Afridoun, whom I counselled to avert the +destruction of all these manly bodies and images of the +Compassionate; and it seemed good to him to stop the shedding of +blood and limit the strife to the encounter of two horsemen in +battle; so he agreed to this and says to you, 'Verily, I will +ransom my troops with my life; so let the Muslim king do likewise +and ransom his army with his life. If he kill me, there will be +no stability left in the army of the Greeks, and if I kill him, +it will be the like with the Muslims.'" When Sherkan heard this, +he said, "O monk, we agree to this, for it is just; and behold I +will joust: with him, for I am champion of the Muslims, even as +he of the Christians; and if he slay me, he will have gained the +victory and there will remain for the Muslim army nothing but +flight. So return to him, O monk, and tell him that the combat +shall be for to-morrow, seeing that to-day we are weary with our +journey; but after rest there shall be neither reproach nor +blame." So the monk returned, rejoicing, to King Afridoun and +King Herdoub and told them what Sherkan had said, whereat +Afridoun was exceeding glad and lightened of anxiety and trouble +and said in himself, "No doubt but this Sherkan is the hardest +hitter of them with the sword and the dourest at push of pike; +and when I have slain him, their hearts will fail them and their +strength will be broken." Now Dhat ed Dewahi had written to King +Afridoun of this and told him that Sherkan was a cavalier of +cavaliers and a champion of champions and had warned him against +him; but Afridoun was a stalwart cavalier, who fought in many a +fashion; he could hurl stones and javelins and smite with the +iron mace and feared not the doughtiest of prowess in the dint of +war. So when he heard from the monk that Sherkan agreed to joust, +he well-nigh lost his reason for stress of joy, for that he had +confidence in himself and deemed that none could stand against +him. Then the infidels passed the night in joy and merry-making +and wine-drinking, and as soon as it was day, the two armies drew +out in battle array, with their brown spears and white swords. +Presently, they saw a cavalier prick out into the plain, mounted +on a stout and swift charger equipped for war: he was of great +stature and was clad in a cuirass of steel made for stress of +battle. On his breast he wore a jewelled mirror and in his hand +he bore a keen scimitar and a lance of khelenj wood[FN#114] of +curious Frankish workmanship. He uncovered his face and cried +out, saying, "Whoso knoweth me hath enough of me, and whoso +knoweth me not shall see who I am. I am Afridoun he who is +overborne by the blessing of Shewahi Dhat ed Dewahi." Before he +had made an end of speaking, Sherkan, the champion of the +Muslims, spurred out to meet him, mounted on a sorrel horse worth +a thousand [dinars] of red gold, with housings embroidered in +pearls and jewels, and girt with a sword of watered Indian steel, +that shore through necks and made hard ventures easy. He drove +his charger between the two armies, whilst the horsemen all gazed +on him, and cried out to Afridoun, saying, "Out on thee, O +accursed one, dost thou think me as one of the horsemen thou hast +met, that cannot stand against thee in the mellay?" Then they +rushed upon one another and came together like two mountains +crashing or two seas breaking each against each. So they advanced +and retreated and drew together and parted and ceased not to +joust and battle with stroke of sword and thrust of spear, whilst +the two armies looked on. Some said, "Afridoun will conquer," and +other some, "Sherkan;" and they stayed not their hands from the +battle, till the clamour of the bystanders subsided and the +dust-clouds rose and the day waned and the sun began to grow +pale. Then King Afridoun cried out to Sherkan, saying, "By the +virtue of the Messiah and the True Faith, thou art a doughty +horseman and a stalwart fighting man, but thou art guileful and +thy nature is not that of the freeborn and meseemeth thy fashion +is other than praiseworthy nor is thy fighting that of a prince; +for see, thy people even thee with slaves[FN#115] and bring thee +out a charger other than thine, that thou mayst (mount him and) +return to the battle. But by the virtue of the Messiah, thy +fighting fatigues me and I am weary of cutting and thrusting with +thee; and if thou wert purposed to do battle with me tonight thou +wouldst not change aught of thy harness nor thy horse till thou +hadst shown the cavaliers thy valour and skill in fight." When +Sherkan heard him say that his own folk evened him with slaves, +he was angry and turned towards his men, meaning to sign to them +and bid them not prepare him change of armour or horse, when, +behold, Afridoun shook his javelin in the air and hurled it at +Sherkan. Now, when the latter turned, he found none behind him +and knew that this was a trick of the accursed infidel; so he +wheeled round in haste and seeing the javelin coming at him, +swerved from it, till his head was level with the pommel of his +saddle. The javelin grazed his breast and pierced the skin, for +Sherkan was high-bosomed: so he gave one cry and swooned away. +Then the accursed Afridoun was glad, thinking that he had slain +him, and called to the Christians to rejoice, whereat the +infidels were encouraged and the true believers wept. When +Zoulmekan saw his brother reeling from side to side in his +saddle, so that he had well-nigh fallen, he sent cavaliers to his +succour; whereupon the infidels drove at the Muslims and the two +hosts joined battle, whilst the keen Yemen blades played among +them. The first to reach Sherkan were Dendan and Rustem and +Behram, who found him on the point of falling off his horse; so +they stayed him in his saddle and carried him to Zoulmekan; then +giving him in charge to his servants, returned to the battle. +Then the strife redoubled and the weapons clashed, and there was +nought to be heard but the roar of the battle nor to be seen but +blood flowing and necks bending beneath the blows; nor did the +swords cease to play on men's necks nor the strife to rage more +and more, till the most part of the night was past and the two +hosts were weary of battle. So they called a truce and each army +returned to its tents, whilst all the infidels repaired to King +Afridoun and kissed the earth before him, and the priests and +monks wished him joy of his victory over Sherkan. Then he went up +into Constantinople and sat down upon his throne; and King +Herdoub came to him and said, "May the Messiah strengthen thine +arm and cease never to be thy helper and hearken to the prayers +of my pious mother on thy behalf! Know that the Muslims can make +no stand, now they have lost Sherkan." "To-morrow," replied +Afridoun, "shall end the war, for I will seek out Zoulmekan and +slay him, and their army shall turn tail and take to flight." + +Meanwhile, Zoulmekan returned to his tent thinking of nothing but +his brother, and going in to the latter's pavilion, found him in +evil plight; whereat he was sore troubled and sent for the Vizier +Dendan and the Amirs Behram and Rustem, that he might take +counsel with them. When they entered, they were all of accord to +summon the physicians to treat Sherkan, and they wept and said, +"The age will not lightly afford his like!" They watched by him +all that night, and towards morning there came to them the +pretended recluse, weeping. When Zoulmekan saw her, he rose to +receive her; and she stroked Sherkan's wound with her hand, +chanting somewhat of the Koran and repeating some of the signs of +the Compassionate One. Then she kept watch over him till the day, +when he came to himself and opening his eyes, moved his tongue in +his mouth and spoke. At this Zoulmekan rejoiced, saying, "Verily +the blessing of the holy man hath taken effect on him!" And +Sherkan said, "Praised be God for recovery; indeed, I am well +now. Yonder accursed one played me false, and but that I swerved +aside quicklier than lightning, the javelin had pierced me +through and through. So praised be God for my safety! How is it +with the Muslims?" "They weep for thee," answered Zoulmekan. +Quoth Sherkan, "I am well and in good case; but where is the holy +man?" Now she was sitting by him and said, "At thy head." So he +turned to her and kissed her hand; and she said, "O my son, it +behoves thee to arm thyself with patience, and God shall make +great thy reward; for the guerdon is measured by that which has +been endured." Quoth Sherkan, "Pray for me," and she did so. As +soon as it was morning and the day arose and shone, the Muslims +sallied out into the field, and the Christians made ready to cut +and thrust. Then the host of the Muslims advanced and offered +battle; and Zoulmekan and Afridoun made ready to tilt at one +another. But when Zoulmekan sallied out into the field, there +came with him Dendan and Behram and the Chamberlain, saying, "We +will be thy sacrifice." "By the Holy House and the Well Zemzem +and the Stead of Abraham,"[FN#116] exclaimed he, "I will not be +hindered from going forth against these barbarians!" So he rode +out into the field and played with sword and spear, till both +armies wondered; then he rushed upon the right wing of the Greek +army and slew two knights and in like manner dealt he with the +left wing. Then he stayed his steed in the midst of the field and +cried out, "Where is Afridoun, that I may make him drink the cup +of humiliation?" But King Herdoub conjured Afridoun not to budge +from the field, saying, "O King, it was thy turn yesterday: +to-day it is mine. I reck not of his prowess." So he pricked out +towards Zoulmekan, with a sabre in his hand and under him a jet +black horse, swift as he were Abjer, he that was Antar's horse, +even as says the poet: + +He vies with the glance of the eye on a swift-footed steed, That + fares as it had a mind to outstrip Fate. +The hue of his hide is the blackest of all things black, Like + night, when the shadows shroud it in sable state. +The sound of his neighing troubles the hearts of men, As it were + thunder that echoes in heaven's gate. +If he run a race with the wind, he leads the way, Nor can the + lightning outstrip him, early or late. + +Then each rushed upon the other, guarding himself from his blows +and showing the rare qualities that were in him and the wonders +of his prowess; and they fell to advancing and retreating and +ceased not to flee and return to the attack and wheel hither and +thither, till the breasts of the bystanders were straitened (for +anxiety) and they were weary of waiting for the event. At last, +Zoulmekan cried out and rushing upon Herdoub, King of Caesarea, +dealt him such a blow that he shore his head from his body and +made an end of him. When the infidels saw this, they all rushed +at Zoulmekan, who met them in mid-field, and they fell to cutting +and thrusting, till the blood ran in streams. Then the Muslims +cried out, "God is most great;" and "There is no god but God;" +and invoked blessings on the Giver of Good Tidings, the +Admonisher of Mankind,[FN#117] and there befell a great battle. +But God sent help to the faithful and confusion to the infidels. +The Vizier Dendan shouted, "Avenge King Omar ben Ennuman and his +son Sherkan!" and baring his head, cried out to the Turks. Now +there were beside him more than twenty thousand horse, who all +charged with him as one man, and the unbelievers found nothing +for it but flight. So they turned their backs to flee, whilst the +keen sabres wrought havoc amongst them and the Muslims slew of +them that day more than fifty thousand cavaliers and took more +than that: and much people also were slain at the going in of the +gates by reason of the greatness of the crowd, whilst the +Christians mounted the walls, fearing an assault. Then the +Muslims returned to their tents, fortified and victorious, and +King Zoulmekan went in to his brother, whom he found in the most +joyous case. So he returned thanks to the Bountiful, the Exalted +One and gave Sherkan joy of his deliverance. "Verily," answered +he, "we are all under the benediction of this holy and God- +fearing man, nor would you have been victorious, but for his +effectual prayers; for all day he hath never ceased to invoke +victory on the Muslims. I found strength return to me, when I +heard you cry, 'God is most great!' for then I knew you had +gotten the better of your enemies. But now tell me, O my brother, +what befell thee." So he told him all that had passed, how he had +slain the accursed Herdoub and he had gone to the malediction of +God; and Sherkan praised his prowess. When Dhat ed Dewahi heard +tell of her son's death, the blood fled from her face and her +eyes ran over with streaming tears; however, she kept her counsel +and feigned to the Muslims that she was glad and wept for excess +of joy: but she said in herself, "By the virtue of the Messiah, +there remains no profit of my life, if I make not his heart bleed +for his brother Sherkan, even as he has made mine bleed for King +Herdoub, the mainstay of the Christian faith and the hosts of the +Cross!" + +The Vizier Dendan and Zoulmekan and the Chamberlain abode with +Sherkan, till they had dressed his wound and anointed it; after +which they gave him medicines and he began to recover his +strength; whereat they were exceeding glad and told the troops, +who rejoiced greatly, saying, "To-morrow he will ride with us and +take part in the siege." Then said Sherkan to them, "You have +fought all day and are weary, and it behoves that you return to +your tents and sleep and not watch." So they went away all to +their tents and there remained none with Sherkan but Dhat ed +Dewahi and a few servants. He talked with her awhile, then lay +down to rest, he and his servants, and soon sleep overcame them +all and they were as dead men. But the old woman abode awake and +looking at Sherkan, saw that he was drowned in sleep. So she +sprang to her feet, as she were a bald she-bear or a speckled +snake, and drew from her girdle a poisoned knife, that would have +melted a rock if laid thereon; then going up to Sherkan, she drew +the knife across his throat and cut off his head. After this, she +went up to the sleeping servants and cut off their heads also, +lest they should awake. Then she left the tent and made for the +Sultan's pavilion, but finding the guards awake, turned to that +of the Vizier. He was reading the Koran and seeing her, said, +"Welcome, O holy man!" When she heard this, her heart trembled +and she said, "The reason of my coming hither at this time is +that I heard the voice of a friend of God and am going to him." +Then she went away, but the Vizier said to himself, "By Allah, I +will follow the holy man to-night!" So he rose and went after +her: but the accursed old woman heard his footsteps and knew that +he was following her: wherefore she feared discovery and said in +herself, "Except I put him off with some trick, he will discover +me." So she turned and said to him from afar, "Harkye, Vizier, I +am going after this saint, that I may know who he is; and after I +will ask his leave for thee to join him. Then I will come back +and tell thee; for I fear to let thee accompany me, without his +leave, lest he take umbrage at seeing thee with me." When the +Vizier heard this, he was abashed and knew not what to answer; so +he left her and returning to his tent, would have slept; but +sleep was not favourable to him and the world was straitened upon +him. So he rose and went out, saying in himself, "I will go talk +with Sherkan till the morning." But when he came to Sherkan's +tent, he found the blood running like a rivulet and saw the +servants lying dead. At this he gave a cry that aroused all who +were asleep, and they hastened to him and seeing the blood +streaming, set up a clamour of weeping and lamentation. The noise +awoke the Sultan, who enquired what was the matter, and they said +to him, "Sherkan and his servants are murdered." So he rose in +haste and entering the tent, saw his brother's headless trunk and +the Vizier by it shrieking aloud. At this sight, he swooned away +and all the troops stood round him, weeping and crying aloud, +till he came to himself, when he looked at Sherkan and wept sore, +whilst all who were present did the like. Then said Zoulmekan, +"Know ye who did this, and how is it I see not the recluse, him +who hath put away the things of the world?" Quoth the Vizier, +"And who should have been the cause of this our affliction, save +that devotee of Satan? By Allah, my heart shrank from him from +the first, because I know that all who profess to be absorbed in +the things of the faith are corrupt and treacherous!" And he told +the King how he would have followed the devotee, but he forbade +him; whereupon the folk broke out into weeping and lamentation +and besought Him who is ever near at hand, Him who answereth +prayer, to cause the false recluse, who denied His evidences, to +fall into their hands. Then they laid Sherkan out and buried him +in the mountain aforesaid, mourning over his renowned virtues, +after which they looked for the opening of the city-gate; but it +opened not and none appeared to them on the walls; whereat they +wondered exceedingly, and King Zoulmekan said, "By Allah, I will +not turn back from them, though I tarry here years and years, +till I take my wreak of my brother Sherkan and lay Constantinople +in ruins and slay the King of the Nazarenes, even if death +overcome me and I be at rest from this sorry world!" Then he +brought out the treasure he had taken from the hermitage of +Metrouhena and mustering the troops, divided it amongst them, nor +was there one of them but he gave him what contented him. +Moreover, he called together three hundred horse of every +division and said to them, "Do ye send succours to your family, +for I am resolved to camp here, till I have taken my revenge for +my brother Sherkan, even if I die in this place." Then he +summoned couriers and gave them letters and charged them to do +the soldiers' errands to their families and let them know that +they were safe and in good heart, but that they were encamped +before Constantinople, resolved either to destroy it or perish, +and that, though they should abide there months and years, they +would not depart thence till they had taken the city. Moreover, +he bade Dendan write to his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman, acquainting +her with what had befallen them and with their situation and +commending his child to her care, since that, when he went out to +war, his wife was near her delivery and must needs by that time +have been brought to bed; and if she had given birth to a son, he +charged the messengers to hasten their return and bring him the +news. Then he gave them money and they set out at once, and all +the people came out to take leave of them and entrust them with +the money and the messages they wished to send to their families. +After they had departed, Zoulmekan turned to the Vizier and +commanded him to push forward with the army against the city +walls. So the troops advanced, but found none on the walls, +whereat they marvelled and Zoulmekan was troubled. + +To return to Dhat ed Dewahi. As soon as she had slain Sherkan, +she hastened to the walls of Constantinople and called out in the +Greek tongue to the guards, to throw her down a rope. Quoth they, +"Who art thou?" and she said, "I am the princess Dhat ed Dewahi." +They knew her and threw her down a rope, to which she tied +herself, and they drew her up into the city. Then she went in to +King Afridoun and said to him, "What is this I hear from the +Muslims? They say that my son King Herdoub is slain." He +answered, "It is true;" and when she heard this, she shrieked out +and wept so grievously, that she made Afridoun and all who were +present weep also. Then she told the King how she had slain +Sherkan and thirty of his servants, whereat he rejoiced and +thanked her and kissed her hands and exhorted her to resignation +for the loss of her son. "By the Messiah," said she, "I will not +rest content with killing one of the Muslim dogs in revenge for +my son, a king of the kings of the age! But I will assuredly make +shift to kill the Sultan Zoulmekan and the Vizier Dendan and the +Chamberlain and Rustem and Behram and ten thousand cavaliers of +the army of Islam to boot; for it shall never be that my son's +head be paid with the blood-wit of Sherkan's head only." Then +said she to Afridoun, "It is my wish that mourning be made for my +son Herdoub and that the girdle be cut and the crosses broken." +"Do what thou wilt," replied Afridoun; "I will not gainsay thee +in aught. And if thou prolong thy mourning, it were a little +thing; for though the Muslims beleaguer us years and years, they +will never compass their will of us nor get aught of us but +trouble and weariness." Then she took ink-horn and paper and +wrote the following letter: "Shewaha Dhat ed Dewahi to the host +of the Muslims. Know that I entered your country and duped your +nobles and slew your king Omar ben Ennuman in the midst of his +palace. Moreover, I slew, in the battle of the mountain pass and +of the grotto, many of your men, and the last I killed were +Sherkan and his servants. And if fortune favour me and Satan obey +me, I will assuredly kill your Sultan and the Vizier Dendan, for +I am she who came to you in the disguise of a recluse and ye were +the dupes of my tricks and devices. Wherefore, if you be minded +to be in safety, depart at once; and if you covet your own +destruction, abide where you are; for though ye abide here years +and years, ye shall not come by your desire of us; and so peace +be on you." Then she devoted three days to mourning for her son +King Herdoub, and on the fourth day, she called a knight and bade +him make the letter fast to an arrow and shoot it into the Muslim +camp; after which she entered the church and gave herself up to +weeping and lamentation for the loss of her son, saying to him +who took the kingship after him, "Nothing will serve me but I +must kill Zoulmekan and all the princes of Islam." + +Meanwhile, the Muslims passed three days in concern and anxiety, +and on the fourth day, they saw a knight on the wall, holding a +bow and about to shoot an arrow to which was fastened a letter. +So they waited till he had shot, and the King bade the Vizier +Dendan take the letter and read it. He did so, and when Zoulmekan +heard its purport, his eyes filled with tears and he shrieked for +anguish at the old woman's perfidy, and Dendan said, "By Allah, +my heart shrank from her!" "How could this traitress impose upon +us twice?" exclaimed Zoulmekan. "By Allah, I will not depart +hence till I fill her kaze with molten lead and set her in a +cage, as men do birds, then bind her with her hair and crucify +her at the gate of Constantinople." Then he addressed himself +again to the leaguer of the city, promising his men that, if it +should be taken, he would divide its treasures equally among +them. After this, he bethought him of his brother and wept sore; +and his tears ceased not to flow, till his body was wasted with +grief, as it were a bodkin. But the Vizier Dendan came in to him +and said, "Take comfort and be consoled; thy brother died not but +because his hour was come, and there is no profit in this +mourning. How well says the poet: + +That which is not to be shall by no means be brought To pass, and + that which is to be shall come, unsought, +Even at the time ordained: but he that knoweth not The truth is + still deceived and finds his hopes grown nought. + +Wherefore do thou leave this weeping and lamentation and +strengthen thy heart to bear arms." "O Vizier," replied +Zoulmekan, "my heart is heavy for the death of my brother and +father and our absence from our native land, and my mind is +concerned for my subjects." Thereupon the Vizier and the +bystanders wept; but they ceased not from the leaguer of +Constantinople, till, after awhile, news arrived from Baghdad, by +one of the Amirs, that the Sultan's wife had given birth to a son +and that the princess Nuzhet ez Zeman had named him Kanmakan. +Moreover, his sister wrote to him that the boy bid fair to be a +prodigy and that she had commanded the priests and preachers to +pray for them from the pulpits; also, that they were all well and +had been blessed with abundant rains and that his comrade the +stoker was in the enjoyment of all prosperity, with slaves and +servants to attend upon him; but that he was still ignorant of +what had befallen him. Zoulmekan rejoiced greatly at this news +and said to the Vizier Dendan, "Now is my hope fulfilled and my +back strengthened, in that I have been vouchsafed a son. +Wherefore I am minded to leave mourning and let make recitations +of the Koran over my brother's tomb and do almsdeeds on his +account." Quoth the Vizier, "It is well." Then he caused tents to +be pitched over his brother's tomb and they gathered together +such of the troops as could repeat the Koran. Some fell to +reciting the Koran, whilst others chanted the litanies of the +praise of God, and thus they did till the morning, when Zoulmekan +went up to the tomb of his brother Sherkan and shedding copious +tears, repeated the following verses: + +They bore him forth, whilst all who went behind him wept and + cried Such cries as Moses gave, when God broke down the + mountain side, +Till to a tomb they came, whose grave seemed dug in all men's + hearts By whom the unity of God is held and glorified. +I had not thought, or ere they bore thee forth upon the bier, To + see my joy upon the hands of men uplifted ride; +Nor, till they laid thee in the grave, could I have ever deemed + That stars could leave their place in heaven and in the dark + earth hide. +Is the indweller of the tomb the hostage of a pit, In which, for + that his face is there, splendour and light abide? +Lo, praise has ta'en upon itself to bring him back to life; Now + that his body's hid, his fame's shown forth and magnified. + +When he had made an end of reciting these verses, he wept and all +the troops wept with him; then he threw himself on the tomb, wild +with grief, and the Vizier repeated the words of the poet: + +That which fleets past thou hast left and won what endureth for + aye, And even as thou are the folk, that were and have + passed away; +And yet it was not of thy will that thou quittedst this house of + the world; For here hadst thou joy and delight of all that + befell in thy day. +How oft hast thou proven thyself a succour and shield from the + foe, When the arrows and javelins of war flew thick in the + midst of the fray! +I see that this world's but a cheat and a vanity after all, And + ever to seek out the Truth all creatures desire and essay! +The Lord of the Empyrean vouchsafe thee in heaven to dwell And + the Guide assign thee therein a goodly sojourn, I pray! +I bid thee adieu with a sigh and I see, for the loss of thee, The + East and the West o'ershadowed with mourning and dismay. + +When the Vizier had finished, he wept sore, and the tears fell +from his eyes, like a network of pearls. Then came forward one of +Sherkan's boon-companions, weeping till his eyes resembled +rivers, and recalled the dead man's noble qualities, reciting the +following cinquains: + +Where be thy giving, alas! and the hand of thy bounty fled? They + lie in the earth, and my body is wasted for drearihead. +O guide of the camel-litters,[FN#118] (may God still gladden thy + stead!) My tears on my cheeks have written, in characters of + red, + That which would both rejoice thee and fill thee with + pain and dread! +By Allah, 'twixt me and my heart, not a word of thee is said Nor + doth the thought of thy grace and thy glory pass through my + head, +But that mine eyes are wounded by dint of the tears I shed! Yea, + if to rest on another my glance be ever led, + May my lids be drawn in slumber by longing for the + dead! + +Then Zoulmekan and Dendan wept sore and the whole army lamented +aloud; after which they all withdrew to their tents, and +Zoulmekan turned to Dendan and took counsel with him concerning +the conduct of the war. On this wise they passed days and nights, +what while Zoulmekan was weighed down with grief and concern, +till at last he said to the Vizier, "I have a mind to hear +stories of adventures and chronicles of kings and tales of folk +oppressed of love, so haply God may make this to solace the heavy +anxiety that is on my heart and do away from me weeping and +lamentation." "O King," replied Dendan, "if nought but hearing +pleasant tales of bygone kings and peoples and stories of folk +oppressed of love and so forth can dispel thy trouble, the thing +is easy, for I had no other business, in the lifetime of thy late +father, than to tell him stories and repeat verses to him; so, +this very night, I will tell thee a story of a lover and his +beloved, which shall lighten thy heart." When Zoulmekan heard +this, his heart yearned after that which the Vizier promised him +and he did nothing but watch for the coming of the night, that he +might hear what he had to tell. So, no sooner had the night +closed in, than he bade light the lamps and the candles and bring +all that was needful of meat and drink and perfumes and what not +and sending for Dendan, Rustem, Behram, Terkash and the Grand +Chamberlain, turned to the Vizier and said, "O Vizier, behold, +the night is come and hath let down its veils over us, and we +desire that thou tell us that which thou didst promise us." "With +all my heart," replied the Vizier "Know, O august King, that I +have heard tell a story of a lover and a loved one and of the +discourse between them and of the rare and pleasant things that +befell them, a story such as does away care from the heart and +dispels sorrow like unto that of the patriarch Jacob: and it is +as follows: + + + + +Story of Taj El Mulouk and the Princess Dunya. + + + +There stood once, behind the mountains of Ispahan, a town called +the Green City, in which dwelt a king named Suleiman Shah, a man +of virtue and beneficence, just, generous and loyal, to whom +travellers resorted from all parts, for his renown was noised +abroad in all cities and countries; and he reigned over the +country for many years, in all honour and prosperity, save that +he had neither wife nor child. Now he had a vizier who was akin +to him in goodness and generosity, and one day, he sent for him +and said to him, 'O my Vizier, my heart is heavy and my patience +at end and my strength fails me, for that I have neither wife nor +child. This is not of the fashion of kings that rule over all, +princes and beggars; for they rejoice in leaving behind them +children, who shall succeed them and by whom both their number +and strength are multiplied. Quoth the Prophet (whom God bless +and preserve), "Marry and engender and multiply, that I may boast +myself of you over the peoples on the Day of Resurrection." So +what is thy counsel, O Vizier? Advise me what is fitting to +be done.' When the Vizier heard this, the tears streamed from +his eyes and he replied, 'God forbid, O king of the age, that +I should speak on that which is of the pertinence of the +Compassionate One! Wilt thou have me cast into the fire by the +wrath of the All-powerful King? Buy a concubine.' 'Know, O +Vizier,' rejoined the King, 'that when a prince buys a female +slave, he knows neither her condition nor her lineage and thus +cannot tell if she be of mean extraction, that he may abstain +from her, or of gentle blood, that he may be intimate with her. +So if he have commerce with her, belike she will conceive by him +and her son be a hypocrite, a tyrant and a shedder of blood. +Indeed such a woman may be likened to a salt soil, which, if one +till it, yields only worthless crops; for it may be the son in +question will be obnoxious to the wrath of his Lord, doing not +that which He commandeth him neither abstaining from that which +He forbiddeth him. Wherefore I will never risk being the cause of +this, through the purchase of a concubine; and it is my will, +therefore, that thou demand for me in marriage the daughter of +some one of the kings, whose lineage is known and whose beauty is +renowned. If thou canst direct me to some king's daughter of the +Muslims, who is a woman of good birth and piety, I will seek her +hand and marry her before witnesses, that the favour of the Lord +of all creatures may accrue to me thereby.' 'O King,' said the +Vizier, 'God hath fulfilled thy need and hath brought thee to thy +desire; for it hath come to my knowledge that King Zehr Shah, +Lord of the White Country, hath a daughter of surpassing beauty, +whom report fails to describe; she hath not her equal in this +age, being perfect in beauty and symmetry, with melting black +eyes and long hair, slender-waisted and heavy-hipped. When she +draws nigh, she seduces, and when she turns her back, she slays, +ravishing heart and sight, even as says of her the poet: + +A slender one, her shape confounds the branch of the cassia tree; + Nor sun nor moon can with her face for brightness evened be. +Meseems, the water of her mouth is honey blent with wine; Ay, and + her teeth are finer pearls than any in the sea. +The purest white and deepest black meet in her glittering glance + And shapelier than the black-eyed maids of Paradise is she. +How many a man her eyes have slain, who perished in despair; The + love of her's a way wherein are fear and misery. +If I would live, behold, she's death! I may not think of her, + Lest I should die; for, lacking her, life's nothing worth to + me. + +So it is my counsel, O King, that thou despatch to her father a +sagacious and experienced ambassador, versed in the conduct of +affairs, who shall with courteous and persuasive speech demand +her in marriage for thee; for she hath not her equal in the +world, far or near. So shalt thou enjoy her beauty in the way of +right and the Lord of Glory be content with thee; for it is +reported of the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve) that he +said, "There is no monkery in Islam." At this the King was +transported to the perfection of delight; his heart was lightened +and his breast dilated and care and anxiety ceased from him; and +he said to the Vizier, 'None shall go about this business but +thou, by reason of thy consummate wit and good breeding; +wherefore do thou make ready by the morrow and depart and demand +me this girl in marriage, with whom thou hast made my heart to be +engrossed; nor do thou return to me but with her.' 'I hear and +obey,' replied the Vizier, and withdrawing to his own house, made +ready a present such as befits kings, of jewels and other +precious things, light of carriage but heavy of worth, besides +Arabian horses and coats of mail, fine-wrought as those which +David made,[FN#119] and chests of treasure, such as speech &fails +to describe. These all he loaded upon camels and mules and set +out, with flags and banners flying before him and attended by a +hundred white slaves and the like number of black and a hundred +slave-girls. The King charged him to return to him speedily; so +he set out, leaving Suleiman Shah on coals of fire, engrossed +night and day with desire for the princess, and fared on, without +ceasing, night and day, across plains and deserts, till there +remained but a day's journey between him and the city to which he +was bound. Here he halted on the banks of a river, and calling +one of his chief officers, bade him hasten forward to King Zehr +Shah and announce his approach. Accordingly, the messenger rode +on in haste to the city and was about to enter it, when the King, +who chanced to be seated in one of his pleasaunces before the +gate, espied him and knowing him for a stranger, bade bring him +before him. So when the messenger came into his presence, he +informed him of the approach of the Vizier of the mighty King +Suleiman Shah, Lord of the Green Country and of the mountains of +Ispahan; whereat King Zehr Shah rejoiced and bade him welcome. +Then he carried him to his palace and said to him, 'Where didst +thou leave the Vizier?' 'I left him,' replied the messenger, 'at +the first of the day, on the banks of such a river, and he will +be with thee to-morrow, may God continue His favours to thee +and have mercy upon thy parents!' Whereupon the King commanded +one of his Viziers to take the better part of his nobles and +chamberlains and officers and grandees and go out to meet the +ambassador, in honour of King Suleiman Shah, for that his +dominion extended over the country. + +Meanwhile, King Suleiman's Vizier abode in his stead, till the +night was half spent, when he set out for the city; but hardly +had the day appeared and the sun risen upon the hills and plains, +when he saw King Zehr Shah's Vizier approaching with his retinue +and the two parties joined company at some parasangs' distance +from the city. At this the Vizier made sure of the success of his +errand and saluted the new-comers, who escorted him to the King's +palace and forewent him to the seventh vestibule, where none +might enter on horseback, for it was near the presence chamber of +the King. So the Vizier alighted and walked on till he came to a +lofty hall, at the upper end whereof stood a couch of alabaster, +set with pearls end jewels and having four elephants' tusks for +feet. It was covered with a mattress of green satin, embroidered +with red gold, and surmounted by a canopy adorned with pearls and +jewels, and on it sat King Zehr Shah, whilst his officers of +state stood in attendance on him. When the Vizier stood before +him, he composed himself and loosing his tongue, displayed such +skill of speech as befits viziers and saluted the King in +eloquent and complimentary language, reciting the following +verses in his honour: + +He cometh, bending gracefully in his robes and shedding dew Of + bounty over the thirsting land and the folk to him that sue. +Indeed, he charmeth; nor amulets nor spells nor magic may Avail + to ward off the faithful glance of those his eyes from you. +Say to the censurers, "Blame me not: whilst life abide in me, + I'll never swerve from the love of him nor turn to love + anew." +Lo, slumber surely is tired of me and fallen in love with him, + And even my heart hath played me false and but to him is + true! +O heart, thou art not the only one that loves and tenders him, So + get thee gone and bide with him and leave me here to rue! +Except the praise of the King Zehr Shah it be that folk acclaim, + There's nought rejoices mine ears, in sooth, to hearken + thereunto. +A King, the sight of whose glorious face would well thy pains + repay; Though thou shouldst lavish thy heart's best blood, + so great a grace to woo. +If thou be minded to offer up a pious prayer for him, Thou'lt + find but true believer, and sharers the whole world through. +O folk of this realm, if any forswear his governance And look for + another, I hold him none of the faithful few + +When the Vizier had made an end of his speech, the King bade him +draw near and showed him the utmost honour then seating him by +his own side, he smiled in his face and made him a gracious +reply. They conversed till the time of the morning-meal, when the +attendants brought in the tables of food and they all ate till +they were satisfied, after which the tables were removed and all +who were present withdrew, with the exception of the chief +officers; which when the Vizier saw, he rose to his feet, and +after complimenting the King a second time and kissing the earth +before him, spoke as follows: 'O mighty king and august prince, I +have travelled hither and am come to thee upon an errand, wherein +is profit and good and prosperity for thee; and it is that I come +as ambassador to thee, seeking the hand of thy noble and +illustrious daughter, from the most just, loyal and excellent +King Suleiman Shah, Lord of the Green Country and of the +mountains of Ispahan, who sends thee many and rare presents and +gifts of price, ardently desiring thine alliance. Art thou, then, +minded to him as he to thee?' And he was silent, awaiting a +reply. When the King heard his words he sprang to his feet +and kissed the earth respectfully before the Vizier, to the +amazement of the bystanders, whose minds were confounded at his +condescension to the ambassador. Then he praised Him who is the +Lord of glory and honour and replied, still standing, 'O mighty +Vizier and illustrious lord, hear what I say. Verily we are of +the subjects of King Suleiman Shah and are ennobled by his +alliance and aspire ardently thereto. My daughter is one of his +handmaids, and it is my dearest wish that he may become my stay +and my support in time of need.' Then he summoned the Cadis and +the witnesses, who took act that King Suleiman had deputed his +Vizier his proxy to conclude the marriage, and King Zehr Shah +joyfully consented on behalf of his daughter. So the Cadis drew +up the marriage contract and offered up prayers for the happiness +and prosperity of the contracting parties; after which the Vizier +arose and fetching the gifts and rarities and precious things +that he had brought with him, laid them all before the King, who +betook himself to the equipment of his daughter, honourably +entreating the Vizier and feasting great and small; and they held +high festival for two months, omitting nought that could gladden +heart and eye. When all was ready that was needful for the bride, +the King caused the tents to be pitched without the city and they +packed the bride's clothes and jewels in chests and loaded them +on mules and camels. Now he had provided his daughter with Greek +handmaids and Turkish slave-girls and great store of jewels and +precious things, and had let make for her a litter of red gold +inlaid with pearls and jewels, which within was as one of the +chambers of a palace and without as one of the pavilions of +Paradise, whilst its mistress seemed as she were of the lovely +hours. Moreover, he furnished her also with twenty mules for the +journey and brought her three parasangs forward on her road, +after which he bade her and the Vizier farewell and returned to +his own city in peace and gladness. Meanwhile, the Vizier and his +company fared on by forced marches, traversing plains and deserts +and staying not day or night, till they came within three days' +journey of King Suleiman's capital, when the Vizier despatched a +messenger to acquaint the King with their arrival. The messenger +hastened forward till he reached the King's presence and +announced to him the coming of the bride, whereat he rejoiced and +bestowed on him a dress of honour. Then he bade his troops don +their richest apparel and sally forth in grand procession, with +banners flying, to meet the princess and her company and do them +honour, and let cry throughout the city that neither cloistered +damsel nor honoured lady nor infirm old woman should fail to go +forth to meet the bride. So they all went out to meet her and the +chiefest of them vied in doing her service, meaning to bring her +to the King's palace by night. Moreover, the grandees agreed to +decorate the road and stand on either side, whilst the bride +should pass by, clad in the robes her father had given her and +preceded by her eunuchs and serving-women. So at the appointed +time, she made her appearance, surrounded by the troops, these on +her right hand and those on her left, and the litter ceased not +going with her, till they drew near the palace; nor was there any +one but came forth to gaze upon the show. The drums beat and the +lances were brandished, the trumpets blared and the banners +fluttered and the horses pranced, whilst fragrant odours breathed +around, till they reached the gate of the palace and the pages +entered with the litter through the private gate. The place shone +with its splendours and the walls glittered for the lustre of its +ornaments. When the night came, the eunuchs threw open the doors +of the bride-chamber and stood on either hand; whereupon the +bride entered, among her damsels, like the moon among stars or a +pearl of matchless beauty in a string of lesser pearls, and +seated herself upon a couch of alabaster inlaid with pearls and +jewels, that had been set for her there. Then came the King in to +her and God filled his heart with love of her; so he did away her +maidenhead, and his trouble and disquiet ceased from him. She +conceived by him the first night, and he abode with her well-nigh +a month, at the end of which time he went forth and seating +himself on his throne of state, dispensed justice to his +subjects, till the months of her pregnancy were accomplished. +Towards daybreak on the last night of the ninth month, the queen +was seized with the pangs of labour; so she sat down on the stool +of delivery and God made the travail easy to her, so that she +gave birth to a male child, on whom appeared the signs of happy +fortune. When the King heard of this, he rejoiced with an +exceeding joy and rewarded the bearer of the good tidings with +much treasure. Then, of his gladness, he went in to the child and +kissed him between the eyes, wondering at his brilliant beauty; +for in him was the saying of the poet made truth: + +God hath a lion given in him unto the forts of fame And in the + heaven of high estate hath set another star. +Lo, at his birth, the spears shake all and all the wild deer + start And all the chieftains of the folk and all the men of + war! +So mount him not upon the breasts, for he shall surely deem That + horses' backs for such as he the softer sitting are; +And wean ye him from sucking milk, for he eftsoon shall find The + blood of foemen in the field the sweeter drink by far. + +The midwives took the new-born child and cut the cord of his +navel, after which they anointed his eyes with kohl and named him +Taj el Mulouk Kharan. He was suckled at the breast of delight and +reared in the lap of favouring fortune, and the days ran on and +the years passed by, till he reached the age of seven. Then the +King his father summoned the doctors and learned men and bade +them teach his son writing and science and polite letters. This +they did for some years, till he had learnt all that was needful, +when the King took him out of the professors' hands and committed +him to a master, who taught him horsemanship and the use of arms, +till the boy attained the age of fourteen and became proficient +in martial exercises. Moreover, he outshone all the people of his +time for the excess of his beauty; so that, whenever he went +abroad on any occasion, all who saw him were ravished with him +and made verses in his honour, and even the virtuous were seduced +by his brilliant loveliness. Quoth the poet of him: + +A tender branch, that from the breeze hath ta'en its nourishment! + I clipped him and straightway became drunk with his sweetest + scent; +Not drunken with the drunkenness of one who drinketh wine, But + with the honey of his mouth fulfilled of languishment. +All loveliness comprised is within his perfect form, So that o'er + all the hearts of men he reigns omnipotent. +By God, forgetfulness of him shall never cross my mind. What + while I wear the chains of life, nor even when they're rent! +Lo, if I live, in love of him I'll live; and, if I die Of + love-longing for him, I'll say, "O rare! O excellent!" + +When he reached his eighteenth year, the tender down began to +invade the table of his rosy cheeks, which were adorned by a +black mole like a grain of ambergris, and he captivated the minds +and eyes of all who looked on him, even as says of him the poet +in the following verses: + +He is become the Khalif of beauty in Joseph's place; The hearts + of all lovers dread him, whenas they see his grace. +Pause thou with me and fasten thy gaze on him! thou'lt see The + sign of the Khalifate set in sable[FN#120] on his face. + +And as says another: + +Thine eyes have never looked upon a fairer sight, Of all the + things that are to see beneath the sky, +Than yonder mole of brown, that nestles on his face, Midmost the + rosy cheek, beneath the coal-black eye. + +And a third: + +I marvel at yon mole that serves the fire eternal, Upon his + cheek, yet is not burned, all Kafir[FN#121] though it be; +And eke I marvel that he's sent or God, with every glance To work + true miracles; and yet a sorcerer is he! +The many gall-bladders that burst for him it is that make The + shining fringes of his cheek so black and bright to see. + +And yet a fourth: + +I wonder to hear the folk ask of the water of life And question + in which of the lands its magical fountain flows +Whenas I see it well from the damask lips of a fawn, Under his + tender moustache and his cheek's perennial rose. +And eke 'tis a wonder of wonders that Moses,[FN#122] finding it + there Flowing, yet took no patience nor laid him down to + repose. + +When he came to man's estate, his beauty increased and he had +many comrades and friends; and every one who drew near to him +hoped that he would become Sultan after his father's death and +that he himself might be one of his officers. He had a passion +for hunting and would hardly leave the chase a single hour. His +father would have restrained him, fearing for him the perils of +the desert: and the wild beasts; but he paid no heed to him. One +day, he bade his attendants take ten days' provender and setting +out for the chase, rode on into the desert four days long, at the +end of which time he came to a verdant champaign, full of wild +beasts pasturing and trees laden with ripe fruit and springs +welling forth. Then he said to his followers, 'Set up the nets in +a wide circle and let our general rendezvous be at the mouth of +the ring, in such a spot.' So they staked out a wide circle with +the nets; and there gathered together a multitude of all kinds of +wild beasts and gazelles, which cried out for fear of them and +threw themselves in terror right in the face of the horses. Then +they loosed the dogs and sakers and hunting lynxes on them and +smote them with arrows in the vitals; so, by the time they came +to the closed end of the ring of nets, they took a great number +of the wild beasts, and the rest fled. Then the prince sat down +by the water-side and letting spread the game before himself, +apportioned it among his men, after he had set apart the choicest +thereof for his father King Suleiman and despatched it to him; +and other part he divided among the officers of his court. He +passed the night in that place, and when it was morning, there +came up a caravan of merchants, with their slaves and servants, +and halted by the water and the verdure. When Taj el Mulouk saw +this, he said to one of his companions, 'Go, bring me news of +yonder folk and ask them why they have halted here.' So the man +went up to them and said, 'Tell me who ye are, and answer +quickly.' 'We are merchants,' replied they, 'and have halted here +to rest, for that the next station is distant and we have +confidence in King Suleiman Shah and his son Taj el Mulouk, +knowing that all who alight in their dominions are in peace and +safety; and we have with us precious stuffs, that we have brought +for the prince.' The messenger returned with this news to the +prince, who said, I will not depart hence till I see what they +have brought for me. Then he mounted and rode to the caravan, +followed by his servants. The merchants rose to receive him and +invoked on him the aid and favour of God, with continuance of +glory and virtues; after which they pitched him a pavilion of red +satin, emblazoned with pearls and jewels, in which they spread +him a royal divan, upon a silken carpet embroidered at the upper +end with emeralds. The prince seated himself on the divan, whilst +his servants stood in attendance upon him, and bade the merchants +bring out all that they had with them. Accordingly, they produced +all their merchandise, and he viewed it and took of it what liked +him, paying them the price. Then he remounted and was about to +ride onward, when his eyes fell on a handsome young man, well +dressed and elegantly made, with flower-white forehead and face +brilliant as the moon, save that his beauty was wasted and that +pallor had invaded his cheeks by reason of separation from those +he loved: sighing and lamentation were grievous upon him and the +tears streamed from his eyelids, as he repeated the following +verses: + +Absence is long and care and fear are heavy on my soul, Whilst + from mine eyes the tears, O friend, without cessation roll. +Alas, I left my heart behind upon the parting day, And now sans + heart, sans hope, abide all lonely in my dole. +Pause with me, O my friend, what while I take my leave of one By + whose sweet speech diseases all and sorrows are made whole. + +Having said this, he wept awhile and fell down in a swoon, whilst +Taj el Mulouk looked at him wonderingly then coming to himself, +he stared fixedly before him, with distracted air, and repeated +these other verses: + +I rede thee beware of her glance, for, lo, 'tis a wizard, I ween! + None 'scapeth unscathed of the shafts of her eyes, that has + gazed on their sheen. +For, trust me, black eyes, that are armed with the grace of a + languorous look, Are swifter and sharper to wound than + scimitars, tempered and keen. +And let not thy mind be beguiled by the sweet and the soft of her + words; For the fever that springs from her speech + o'ermasters the senses, demesne. +Soft-sided, were silk but to press on her skin, it would cause it + to bleed, So delicate-bodied she is and so nesh, as forsooth + thou hast seen. +Right chary she is of the charms 'twixt her neck and her anklets + that lie, And what is the sweetest of scents to the + fragrance that breathes from my queen! + +Then he gave a sob and swooned away a second time. When Taj el +Mulouk saw him thus, he was perplexed about his case and went up +to him. So when he came to himself and saw the prince standing by +him, he sprang to his feet and kissed the earth before him; and +Taj el Mulouk said to him, 'Why didst thou not show us thy +merchandise?' 'O my lord,' answered the young merchant, 'there is +nought among my stock worthy of thine august highness.' 'It +matters not,' said the prince, 'thou must show me what thou hast +and acquaint me with thy case; for I see thee weeping-eyed and +mournful-hearted. If thou hast been wronged, we will do away +thine oppression, and if thou be in debt, we will discharge thy +debt; for my heart aches for thee, since I first set eyes on +thee.' Then he called for seats and they set him a chair of ebony +and ivory, netted with gold and silk, and spread him a silken +carpet. So he sat down on the chair and bidding the young +merchant seat himself on the carpet, again commanded him to show +him his merchandise. 'O my lord,' said he, 'do not name this to +me; for I have nought worthy of thee.' 'I will have it so,' +rejoined Taj el Mulouk and bade some of the servants fetch the +goods. So they brought them in spite of the merchant; and when he +saw this, the tears streamed from his eyes and he wept and sighed +and lamented; sobs rose from his bosom and he repeated the +following verses: + +By the witching amorous sweetness and the blackness of thine + eyes, By the tender flexile softness in thy slender waist + that lies, +By the graces and the languor of thy body and thy shape, By the + fount of wine and honey from thy coral lips that rise, +O my hope, to see thine image in my dreams were sweeter far Than + were safety to the fearful, languishing in woful wise! + +Then he opened his bales and displayed their contents to Taj el +Mulouk, piece by piece, till he came to a mantle of satin +brocaded with gold, worth two thousand dinars from which, when he +opened it, there fell a piece of linen. As soon as he saw this, +he caught up the piece of linen in haste and hid it under his +thigh; and indeed he seemed as though he had lost his reason, and +he repeated the following verses: + +When shall my sad tormented heart be healed, alas, of thee? The + Pleiades were nearer far than is thy grace to me. +Distance estrangement, longing pain and fire of love laid waste, + Procrastination and delay, in these my life doth flee. +For no attainment bids me live nor exile slays me quite, Travel + no nigher doth me bring, nor wilt thou nearer be. +There is no justice to be had of thee nor any ruth In thee; no + winning to thy grace and yet no breaking free. +Alack, for love of thee, the ways are straitened all on me; So + that I know not where I go nor any issue see! + +The prince wondered greatly at his behaviour, and said to him, +'What is that piece of linen?' 'O my lord,' replied the merchant, +'thou hast no concern with it.' 'Show it me,' said the prince; +and the merchant answered, 'O my lord, it was on account of this +piece of linen that I refused to show thee my goods; for I cannot +let thee look on it.' But Taj el Mulouk rejoined, 'I must and +will see it;' and insisted and became angry. So he drew it out +from under his thigh, weeping and lamenting and redoubling his +sighs and groans, and repeated the following verses: + +Blame ye the lover not, for blame but irketh him to hear; Indeed, + I spoke him truth, but he to me would lend no ear. +God have her in His care, my moon that rises far away, Down in + the valley, midst the camp, from out the collars' + sphere![FN#123] +I left her; would to God my love had left me peace of life! So + had I never parted been from her that held me dear. +O how she pleaded for my sake upon our parting day, What while + adown her cheeks and mine tear followed upon tear! +May God belie me not! The wede of my excuse from me Was all to + rent for loss of her; but I will mend my cheer. +No bed is easy to my side, nor is her resting-place Ayemore + reposeful unto her, now I'm no longer near. +For Fate with an ill-omened hand hath wrought upon our loves And + hindered me from my delight and her from hers, yfere. +Indeed, what time it filled the cup, whereof she drank what I + E'en made her drink, it poured us out grief, all unmixed and + sheer. + +Quoth Taj el Mulouk, 'Thy conduct perplexes me; tell me why thou +weepest at the sight of this piece of linen.' When the young +merchant heard speak of the piece of linen, he sighed and +answered, 'O my lord, my story is a strange and eventful one, +with regard to this piece of linen and her from whom I had it and +her who wrought the figures and emblems that be thereon.' So +saying, he unfolded the piece of linen, and behold, thereon were +the figures of two gazelles, facing one another, one wrought in +silk and gold and the other in silver with a ring of red gold and +three bugles of chrysolite about its neck. When Taj el Mulouk saw +the figures and the beauty of their fashion, he exclaimed, 'Glory +be to God who teacheth man that which he knoweth not!' And his +heart was filled with longing to hear the merchant's story; so he +said to him, 'Tell me thy story with her who gave thee these +gazelles.' 'Know, O my lord,' replied the young man, 'that + + + + +Story of Aziz and Azizeh. + + + +My father was one of the chief merchants (of my native town) and +God had vouchsafed him no other child than myself; but I had a +cousin, the daughter of my father's brother, who was brought up +with me in our house; for her father was dead and before his +death, he had agreed with my father that I should marry her. So +when I reached man's estate and she became a woman, they did not +separate us, and we ceased not to sleep on the same couch, +knowing no evil, albeit she was more thoughtful, more intelligent +and quicker-witted than I, till at last, my father spoke to my +mother and said, "This very year we will draw up the contract of +marriage between Aziz and Azizeh." So they agreed upon this, and +he betook himself to preparing victual for the marriage +festivities. When he had made an end of his preparations and +there remained nought but to draw up the contract and consummate +the marriage, he appointed the wedding for a certain Friday, +after the congregational prayers, and going round to his friends +among the merchants and others, acquainted them with this, whilst +my mother invited her female friends and kindred. When the day +came, they cleaned the guest-chamber and washed the marble floor, +then spread carpets about the house and set out thereon what +was needful, after they had hung the walls with cloth of gold. +Now the folk had agreed to come to our house after the Friday- +prayers; so my father went and let make cates and dishes +of sweetmeats, and there remained nothing to do but to draw up +the contract. Then my mother sent me to the bath and sent after +me a suit of new clothes of the richest kind which I put on, when +I came out. The clothes were perfumed, and as I went along, there +exhaled from them a delicious fragrance, that scented the way. I +was about to repair to the mosque, when I bethought me of one of +my friends and was minded to go in quest of him that he might be +present at the drawing up of the contract, saying in myself, +"This will occupy me till near the time of prayer." So I turned +back and came to a by-street, that I had never before entered. +Now I was in a profuse perspiration, from the effects of the bath +and the new clothes on my body, and the sweat streamed from me, +whilst the perfume of my clothes was wafted abroad: so I sat down +to rest on a stone bench at the upper end of the street, +spreading under me an embroidered handkerchief I had with me. The +heat redoubled on me, so that my forehead sweated and the drops +ran down on to my cheeks; but I could not wipe my face with my +handkerchief, because I lay upon it. So I was about to take the +skirt of my gaberdine and wipe my cheeks with it, when suddenly +there fell on me from above a white handkerchief, softer to the +feel than the zephyr and pleasanter to the sight than recovery to +the sick. I seized on it and looking up to see whence it came, my +eyes met those of the lady who gave me these gazelles. She was +looking out of a wicket in a lattice of brass and never saw my +eyes a fairer than she; my tongue fails to picture her beauty. +When she saw me looking at her, she put her forefinger to her +mouth, then joined her middle and index fingers and laid them on +her bosom, between her breasts; after which she drew in her head +and shut the wicket. With this, fire broke out and raged in my +heart; the glance I had of her cost me a thousand sighs and I +abode perplexed, having heard no word from her and understanding +not the meaning of her signs. I looked again at the window, but +found it shut and waited till sundown but heard no sound and saw +no one. When I despaired of seeing her again, I rose and taking +up the handkerchief, opened it, whereupon there exhaled from it a +scent of musk, which caused me such ease that meseemed I was in +Paradise. Then I spread it out before me and there dropped from +it a little scroll of paper. I opened the scroll, which was +scented with a delicious perfume, and found written therein the +following verses: + +I sent my love a scroll, complaining of desire Writ in a fine, + small hand; for writings vary still. +"Why is thy writing thus," my lover said to me, "Attenuate and + small, uneath to read and ill?" +Quoth I, "Because I too am wasted, ay, and thin. Thus should + their writing be, who weary at Love's will." + +Then, casting my eyes on the beauty of the handkerchief, I saw +embroidered on one of its borders the following verses: + +The down of his whiskers writes (good luck to it for A scribe!) + Two lines, in the basil[FN#124] hand, on the table of his + face. +O the wilderment of the moon at him, when he appears! And O the + shame of the branch at sight of his flexile grace! + +And on the opposite border were the following verses: + +The whiskers write upon his cheeks, with ambergris on pearl, Two + lines, as 'twere with jet upon an apple, line for line. +Death harbours in his languid eyes and slays with every glance; + And in his cheeks is drunkenness, and not in any wine. + + +When I read what was written on the handkerchief, the flames of +love raged in my heart, and longing and trouble redoubled on me. +So I took the handkerchief and the scroll and went home, knowing +no means to compass my desire, for that I was inexperienced in +love affairs and unskilled in the interpretation of the language +of signs used therein. The night was far spent before I reached +my house, and when I entered, I found my cousin sitting weeping. +As soon as she saw me, she wiped away her tears and coming up to +me, took off my (outer) clothes and asked me the reason of my +absence, saying, "All the folk, amirs and notables and merchants +and others, assembled here, and the Cadi and the witnesses came +also at the appointed time. They ate and sat awhile, awaiting thy +coming for the drawing up of the contract, till they despaired of +thee, when they dispersed and went their ways. And indeed," added +she, "thy father was exceeding wroth, by reason of this, and +swore that he would not celebrate our marriage till next year, +for that he hath spent much money on this occasion. What hath +befallen thee to make thee tarry till now?" "O my cousin," +replied I, "do not ask me what hath befallen me." Then I told her +all that had passed and showed her the handkerchief and the +scroll. She took them and read what was written therein; +whereupon the tears ran down her cheeks and she repeated the +following verses: + +Who says to thee, the first of love is free, Tell him, not so; + but, on the contrary, +'Tis all constraint, wherein no blame can be. History indeed + attests this verity; + It does not style the good coin falsified. +Say, if thou wilt, the taste of pain is sweet, Or to be spurned + by Fortune's flying feet; +Of need or vengeance, fortune or defeat, With joy or dole it + makes the heart to beat: + 'Twixt phrase and counterphrase I'm stupefied. +But as for him whose happy days are light, Fair maids, whose lips + with smiles are ever bright, +Borne on the fragrant gales of their delight, Who hath his will, + unhindered of despite, + 'Tis not with him A craven heart may bide. + +Then she asked me what she said and what signs she made to me. +"She spoke not," answered I; "but put her index finger to her +mouth, then joining it to her middle finger, laid them both on +her bosom and pointed in the ground, after which she drew in her +head and shut the wicket and I saw her no more. She took my heart +with her and I sat till sundown, expecting her to appear again at +the window; but she came not: so, when I despaired of her, I rose +and went home. This is my story, and I beg thee to help me in +this my affliction." With this, she raised her face to me and +said, "O my cousin, if thou soughtest my eye, I would tear it +from its socket for thee, and I cannot choose but help thee to +thy desire and her also to hers; for she is passionately +enamoured of thee, even as thou of her." "And what is the meaning +of her signs?" asked I. "As for the putting her finger to her +mouth," replied Azizeh, "it meant that thou art to her as her +soul to her body and that she would bite upon union with thee +with her wisdom-teeth. The handkerchief is the token of greeting +from lover to beloved and the scroll is a sign that her heart is +bound up in thee. As for the laying her two fingers between her +breasts, it is as if she said to thee, 'Return hither after two +days, that the sight of thy countenance may dispel my anguish.' +For know, O my cousin, that she loves thee and trusts in thee. +This is my reading of her signs, and could I come and go at will, +I would quickly bring you and her together and cover you both +with my skirt." I thanked her and said to myself, "I will wait +two days." So I abode two days in the house, without going out, +and ate not nor drank, but lay with my head in my cousin's lap, +whilst she comforted me and bade me take heart and be of good +cheer. When the two days were past, she said to me, "Take courage +and dress thyself and go to her, according to the tryst." Then +she rose and changed my clothes and perfumed me with incense. So +I took heart and went out and walked on till I came to the +by-street, where I sat down on the bench. After awhile, the +wicket opened and I looked up and seeing the lady, fell down in a +swoon. When I revived, I took courage to look again at her and +again became insensible. Then I came to myself and looking at +her, saw that she had a mirror and a red handkerchief in her +hand. When she saw me, she bared her forearms and smote her +breast with her palm and five fingers; after which she raised her +hands and holding the mirror forth of the wicket, took the red +handkerchief and retired with it, but immediately returned and +putting out her hand with the handkerchief, lowered it towards +the ground and raised it again three several times. Then she +wrung it out and folded it in her hands, bowing her head the +while; after which she drew in her head and shutting the window, +went away, without saying a word, leaving me confounded and +knowing not what she meant. I sat there till the evening and did +not return home till near midnight, when I found my cousin +sitting, weeping bitterly and repeating the following verses: + +Ah me, what ails the censurer, that he at thee should flite? How + shall I be consoled for thee, and thou a sapling slight? +O thou, the splendour of whose sight has ta'en my heart by storm, + Whose supple bending grace compels to passion's utmost + height,[FN#125] +Whose eyes, with Turkish languor caught, work havoc in the breast + And leave such wounds as ne'er were made by falchion in the + fight! +Thou layst on me a heavy load of passion and desire, On me that + am too weak to bear a shift upon me dight. +Ay, tears of blood I weep, for that my censors say to me, "A + sudden sword, from out his lids thou lovest, shall thee + smite." +Ah, would my heart were like to thine, even as my body is Like to + thy waist, all thin and frail and dwindled for despite! +Thou, that my prince in beauty art, a steward[FN#126] hast, whose + rule Aggrieves me and a chamberlain[FN#127] that doth me + foul upright. +He lies who says, "All loveliness in Joseph was comprised." How + many Josephs are there not within thy beauty bright! +I force myself to turn from thee, for fear of spying eyes, Though + sore it irks me to forswear the solace of thy sight. + +At this, trouble and grief redoubled on me and I fell down in a +corner; whereupon she sprang up and coming to me, lifted me up +and took off my outer clothes and wiped my face with her sleeve. +Then she asked me how I had fared, and I told her all that had +happened. "O my cousin," said she, "as for her sign to thee with +her palm and five fingers, it meant, 'Return after five days;' +and her gestures with the mirror and the putting forth of her +head and the lowering and raising of the red handkerchief meant, +'Sit in the dyer's shop, till my messenger come to thee.'" When I +heard this, fire flamed up in my heart and I exclaimed, "O my +cousin, by Allah, thou sayst sooth in this thine interpretation; +for I saw the shop of a Jewish dyer in the street." Then I wept, +and she said, "O my cousin, summon up resolution and be steadfast +of heart: others are occupied with love for years and are +constant to endure the ardour of passion, whilst thou hast but a +week[FN#128] to wait; so why art thou thus impatient?" Then she +went on to cheer me with comfortable talk and brought me food: so +I took a mouthful, but could not eat and abstained from meat and +drink and knew not the solace of sleep, till my colour paled and +I lost my good looks; for I had never before been in love nor +tasted the ardour of passion. So I fell sick and my cousin also +sickened on my account; but every night she would divert me with +stories of love and lovers, till I fell asleep; and whenever I +awoke, I used to find her wakeful for my sake, with the tears +running down her cheeks. Thus we did till the five days were +past, when she rose and heating water, bathed me with it. Then +she dressed me and said to me, "Go to her and may God fulfil your +wish and bring thee to thy desire of thy beloved!" So I went out +and walked on, till I came to the by-street. I found the dyer's +shop shut, for it was Saturday, and sat before it, till I heard +the call to afternoon-prayer. Then the sun turned pale, the +Muezzins chanted the call to the prayer of sunset and the night +came; but I saw no sign nor heard aught of her. With this, I +feared for myself, sitting there alone; so I rose and went home, +staggering like a drunken man. When I reached the house, I found +my cousin Azizeh standing, with one hand grasping a peg driven +into the wall and the other on her breast; and she was sighing +heavily and repeating the following verses: + +The longing of a Bedouin maid, whose folk are far away, Who + yearns after the willow of the Hejaz and the hay,[FN#129] +Whose tears, when she on travellers lights, might for their water + serve And eke her passion, with its heat, their bivouac-fire + purvey, +Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love, Who + deems that I commit a crime in loving him alway. + +When she had finished, she turned and seeing me, wiped away her +tears and mine with her sleeve. Then she smiled in my face and +said, "O my cousin, God grant thee joy of that which He hath +given thee! Why didst thou not pass the night with thy beloved +and why hast thou not fulfilled thy desire of her?" When I heard +what she said, I gave her a kick in the breast and she fell over +on to the edge of the estrade and struck her forehead against a +peg there. I looked at her and saw that her forehead was cut open +and the blood running; but she was silent and did not utter a +syllable. She made some tinder of rags and staunching the wound +with it, bound her forehead with a bandage; after which she wiped +up the blood that had fallen on the carpet, and it was as if +nothing had happened. Then she came up to me and smiling in my +face, said, with gentle speech, "By Allah, O my cousin, I had it +not in my thought to mock at thee or at her! I was troubled with +a pain in my head and thought to be let blood, but now thou hast +eased my head and brow; so tell me what has befallen thee +to-day." So I told her what had passed and she wept and said, "O +my cousin, rejoice in the near fulfilment of thy desire and the +attainment of thy hopes. Verily, this is a sign of acceptance; +she only stayed away, because she wished to try thee and know if +thou wert patient and sincere in thy love for her or not. +To-morrow, do thou go to her at the old place and note what signs +she makes to thee; for indeed thy gladness is near and the end of +thy grief is at hand." And she went on to comfort me; but my +trouble and affliction ceased not to increase on me. Presently, +she brought me food, but I kicked the dishes away, so that their +contents were scattered in all directions, and said, "Every lover +is a madman; he inclines not to food neither enjoys sleep." "By +Allah, O my cousin," answered she, "these are indeed the signs of +love!" And the tears streamed down her cheeks, whilst she +gathered the fragments of the dishes and wiped up the food; then +she sat down by me and talked to me, whilst I prayed God to +hasten the coming of the day. When, at last, the morning arose +with its light and shone, I went out and hastening to the +by-street in question, sat down on the bench, when behold, the +wicket opened and she put out her head, laughing. Then she went +in and returned with a mirror, a bag, a pot of flowering plants +and a lamp. First, she took the mirror and putting it into the +bag, tied it up and threw it back into the room; after which she +let down her hair over her face and set the lamp an instant on +the pot of flowers; then took up all the things and shutting the +window, went away, without saying a word. My heart was tortured +by her obscure signs and mysterious gestures, and passion and +distraction redoubled on me. So I retraced my steps, tearful-eyed +and mournful-hearted, and returning home, found Azizeh sitting, +with her face to the wall; for her heart was on fire for grief +and anxiety and jealousy; albeit the love she bore me forbade her +to acquaint me with what she suffered, by reason of what she saw +of the excess of my passion and distraction (for another). I +looked at her and saw that she had two bandages on her head, one +on account of the wound on her forehead, and the other over her +eye, which pained her for excess of weeping; and she was in very +sorry plight, weeping and repeating the following verses: + +I count the nights, night after night, the weary nights and slow; + Yet would I, once upon a time, unreckoned let them go. +I have no knowledge, O my friend, of that which God ordains Of + Leila or what He decrees to me, but this I know +He to another her adjudged and cursed me with her love: So hath + He not afflicted me with other than her woe. + +When she had finished, she looked round and seeing me through her +tears, wiped them away and came up to me, but could not speak for +excess of emotion. So she was silent awhile, then said to me, "O +my cousin, tell me what befell thee with her this time." So I +told her all that had passed, and she said, "Be patient, for the +time of thy delight is come, and thou hast won to the attainment +of thy hopes. As for her sign with the mirror and the bag, it was +as if she said to thee, 'When the sun is set;' and the letting +down of her hair over her face signified, When the night is come +and hath let fall the blackness of the dark and overmastered the +daylight, come hither.' As for her gesture with the flower-pot +and the lamp, it meant, 'When thou comest, enter the garden +behind the street, and where as thou seest the lamp burning, go +thither and seat thyself beneath it and wait for me; for the love +of thee is killing me.'" When I heard this, I cried out for +excess of passion and said, "How long wilt thou deceive me with +promises and I go to her, but get not my will nor find any truth +in thine interpreting?" At this, she laughed and replied, "Thou +needest but have patience for the rest of the day, till the light +depart and the night come with the darkness, and thou shalt enjoy +fruition and accomplish thy hopes. And indeed this is true +without leasing." And she repeated the following verses: + +Let the days pass, as they list, and fare, And enter thou not the + house of despair. +Full oft when the quest of a thing is hard, The next hour brings + us the end of our care. + +Then she came to me and began to comfort me with soothing words, +but dared not offer me food, fearing my wrath and seeking to make +me incline to her: so she only took off my upper garment and said +to me, "Sit, O my cousin, that I may entertain thee with talk, +till the end of the day; and God willing, thou shalt be with thy +beloved as soon as it is night." But I paid no heed to her and +gave not over looking for the coming of the night, saying, "O +Lord, hasten the coming of the night!" till the hour of the +evening-prayer, when she wept sore and giving me a grain of pure +musk, said to me, "O my cousin, put this in thy mouth, and when +thou foregatherest with thy beloved and hast taken thy will of +her and she hath granted thee thy desire, repeat to her this +verse: + +Tell me, O lovers, for God's sake, I do entreat of you, When love + is sore upon a maid, alack! what shall she do?" + +And she kissed me and made me swear not to repeat this to my +mistress, till I should be about to leave her. Then I went out +and walked on till I came to the garden. I found the door open; +so I entered, and seeing a light in the distance, made towards it +and came to a great pavilion, vaulted over with a dome of ivory +and ebony, from the midst of which hung the lamp. The floor was +spread with silken carpets, embroidered in gold and silver, and +under the lamp stood a great candle, burning in a stand of gold. +Midmost the pavilion was a fountain, adorned with all manner of +figures; and by it stood a table of food, covered with a silken +napkin, and a great porcelain vase full of wine, with a goblet of +crystal, sprayed with gold. Near these was a great covered dish +of silver, which I uncovered and found therein fruits of all +kinds, figs and pomegranates and grapes and oranges and citrons +and shaddocks, together with all manner sweet-scented flowers, +such as roses and jasmine and myrtle and eglantine and narcissus +and all kinds of sweet-smelling herbs; but I saw there not a +living soul, no, not even a slave, male or female, to guard these +things. I was transported with delight at what I saw, and my +grief and anxiety ceased from me. So I sat down to await the +coming of the beloved of my heart: but the first hour of the +night passed by, and the second and the third, and still she came +not. Then I grew sore an hungred, for that it was long since I +had tasted food by reason of the violence of my passion: but when +I found the garden even as my cousin had told me and saw the +truth of her interpretation of my mistress's signs, my mind was +set at rest and I made sure of attaining my desire, so that +nature resumed its sway and I felt the pangs of hunger. Moreover +the odour of the viands on the table excited in me a longing to +eat: so I went up to the table, and lifting the cover, found in +the middle a porcelain dish, containing four fricasseed fowls, +seasoned with spices, round which were four smaller dishes, one +containing sweetmeats, another conserve of pomegranate-seeds, a +third almond patties and a fourth honey fritters, and the +contents of these dishes were part sweet and part acid. So I ate +of the fritters and a piece of meat, then went on to the almond +patties and ate what I would of them; after which I attacked the +sweetmeats, of which I ate a spoonful or two or three or four, +ending with part of a fowl and a mouthful of bread. With this my +stomach became full and my limbs heavy and I grew drowsy; so I +laid my head on a cushion, after having washed my hands, and +sleep overcame me; and I knew not what happened to me after this +nor did I awake till the sun's heat burnt me, for that I had not +tasted sleep for days. When I awoke, I found myself lying on the +naked marble, with a piece of salt and another of charcoal on my +stomach; so I stood up and shook my clothes and turned right and +left, but could see no one. At this I was perplexed and +afflicted; the tears ran down my cheeks and I mourned grievously +for myself. Then I returned home, and when I entered, I found my +cousin beating her bosom and weeping like the rain-clouds, as she +repeated the following verses: + +From out my loved one's land a breeze blows cool and sweet: The + fragrance of its wafts stirs up the ancient heat. +Blow, zephyr of the East! Each lover hath his lot, His + heaven-appointed doom of fortune or defeat. +Lo, if we might, we would embrace thee for desire, Even as a + lover clips his mistress, when they meet. +Whenas my cousin's face is absent, God forbids All pleasance + [unto me] and all life has of sweet. +Ah, would I knew his heart was even as is mine, All wasted and + consumed by passion's flaming feet! + +When she saw me, she rose in haste and wiping away her tears, +accosted me with her soft speech, saying, "O my cousin, verily +God hath been gracious to thee in thy love, in that she whom thou +lovest loves thee, whilst I pass my time in weeping and lamenting +my separation from thee that blamest and chidest me; but may God +not reproach thee for my sake!" Then she smiled in my face, a sad +smile, and caressed me; then taking off my outer clothes, she +spread them out and said, "By Allah, this is not the scent of one +who hath enjoyed his mistress! Tell me what has befallen thee, O +my cousin." So I told her all that had passed, and she smiled +again, a sad smile, and said, "Verily, my heart is full of pain; +but may he not live who would hurt thy heart! Indeed, this woman +makes herself extravagantly difficult to thee, and by Allah, I +fear for thee from her. Know that the meaning of the salt is that +thou wert drowned in sleep and she likens thee to insipid food, +at which the soul sickens; and it is as if she said to thee, 'It +behoves that thou be salted, lest nature reject thee. Thou +professest to be of the true lovers, but sleep is forbidden to a +lover; therefore, thy love is false.' But it is her love for thee +that is false; for she saw thee asleep, yet awoke thee not, and +were her love for thee sincere, she had aroused thee. As for the +charcoal, it means, 'God blacken thy face, for that thou makest +a lying presence of love, whereas thou art but a child and +hast no concern but to eat and drink and sleep!' This is the +interpretation of her signs, and may God the Most High deliver +thee from her!" When I heard my cousin's words, I beat my breast +with my hand and cried out, "By Allah, this is the truth, for I +slept and lovers sleep not! Indeed, I have sinned against myself, +for nought could have done me more hurt than eating and sleeping. +What shall I do!" Then I wept sore and said to her, "Have +compassion on me and tell me what to do, so may God have +compassion on thee: else I shall die." Now my cousin loved me +very dearly; so she replied, "On my head and eyes. But, O my +cousin, as I have told thee often, could I go in and out at will, +I would very soon bring you together and cover you both with my +skirt: nor would I do this but hoping to win thy favour. God +willing, I will do my utmost endeavour to bring about your union; +but hearken thou to me and do as I bid thee. Go to the garden at +nightfall and sit down in the same place and look thou eat not, +for eating induces sleep; and beware of sleeping, for she will +not come to thee, till a fourth part of the night be passed. And +may God save thee from her mischief!" When I heard this, I +rejoiced and besought God to hasten the night. As soon as it was +dark, I rose to go, and my cousin said to me, "If thou foregather +with her, repeat to her the verse I taught thee, at the time of +leave-taking." "On my head and eyes," replied I, and going out, +repaired to the garden, where I found all as on the previous +night, with meat and drink spread ready, and dessert and flowers +and so forth. I went up into the pavilion and smelt the odour of +the viands and my soul lusted after them; but I forbore awhile, +till at last I could no longer restrain my appetite. So I went up +to the table, and raising the cover, found a dish of fowls, +surrounded by four smaller dishes, containing various meats. I +ate a mouthful of each dish and a piece of meat and as much as I +would of the sweetmeat: then I tasted a dish of rice dressed with +honey and saffron and liking it, supped of it by the spoonful, +till I was satisfied and my belly was full. With this, my eyelids +became heavy; so I took a cushion and put it under my head, +saying, "Surely I can recline upon it, without going to sleep." +Then I closed my eyes and slept, nor did I wake till the sun had +risen, when I found myself lying on the bare marble, with a die +of bone, a play-stick,[FN#130] a green date-stone[FN#131] and a +carob-bean on my stomach. There was no furniture nor aught else +in the place, and it was as if there had been nothing there +yesterday. So I rose and shaking all these things off me, went +out in a rage, and going home, found my cousin sighing and +repeating the following verses: + +Wasted body and heart a-bleeding for despair And tears that down + my cheeks stream on and on for e'er, +And a beloved one persistent in disdain; Yet all a fair one does + must needs be right and fair. +O cousin mine, thou'st filled my heart with longing pain And + wounded are mine eyes with tears that never spare. + +I chid her and reviled her, at which she wept; then wiping away +her tears, she came up to me and kissed me and pressed me to her +bosom, whilst I held back from her and blamed myself. Then she +said to me, "O my cousin, meseems thou didst sleep again last +night?" "Yes," replied I; "and when I awoke, I found on my +stomach a die of bone, a play-stick, a green date-stone and a +carob-bean, and I know not why she did this." Then I wept and +said to her, "Expound to me her meaning in this and tell me what +I shall do and help me in this my strait." "On my head and eyes," +answered she. "Know then that, by the figure of the die and the +play-stick, she says to thee, 'Thy body is present, but thy heart +absent. Love is not thus: so do not reckon thyself among lovers.' +As for the date-stone, it is as if she said to thee, 'If thou +wert in love, thy heart would be on fire with passion and thou +wouldst not taste the delight of sleep; for the sweet of love is +like a green date and kindles a fire in the entrails.' As for the +carob-bean, it signifies, 'The lover's heart is wearied; so be +thou patient under our separation, even as Job was patient.'" +When I heard this, fires raged in my entrails and grief redoubled +upon my heart and I cried out, saying, "God ordained sleep to me, +of my ill-fortune!" Then I said to her, "O my cousin, I conjure +thee by my life, contrive me some device whereby I may win to +her!" She wept and answered, "O Aziz, O my cousin, verily my +heart is full of melancholy thought and I cannot speak: but go +thou again to-night to the same place and look that thou sleep +not, and thou shalt surely attain thy desire. This is my counsel +and peace be on thee." "God willing," said I, "I will not sleep, +but will do as thou biddest me." Then she rose and set food +before me, saying, "Eat now what may suffice thee, that thy heart +may be free." So I ate my fill, and when the night came, my +cousin rose and bringing me a sumptuous suit of clothes, clad me +therein. Then she made me promise to repeat the verse aforesaid +to my mistress and bade me beware of sleeping. So I left her and +repairing to the garden, went up into the pavilion, where I +occupied myself with gazing on the garden, holding my eyes open +with my fingers and wagging my head from side to side, as the +night darkened on me. Presently I grew hungry with watching, and +the smell of the meats, being wafted towards me, increased my +hunger: so I went up to the table and taking off the cover, ate a +piece of meat and a mouthful of every dish; after which I turned +to the vessel of wine, saying in myself, "I will drink one cup." +So I drank one cup and a second and a third, till I had drunk +full half a score, when the air smote me and I fell to the earth +like a dead man. I lay thus till day, when I awoke and found +myself without the garden, with a large sharp knife and an iron +dirhem[FN#132] on my stomach. I arose trembling and taking the +knife and the dirhem, went home where I found my cousin saying, +"Verily, I am in this house wretched and sorrowful, having no +helper but weeping." When I entered, I fell down at full length +and fainted, throwing the knife and the dirhem from my hand. As +soon as I came to myself, I told her what had passed and said, +"Indeed, I shall never enjoy my desire." The sight of my tears +and my passion redoubled her distress on my account, and she +said, "Verily, I can no more. I warned thee against sleeping; but +thou wouldst not listen to my counsel, and my words profited thee +nothing." "By Allah," cried I, "I conjure thee to explain to me +the meaning of the knife and the dirhem." "By the dirhem," +replied she, "she alludes to her right eye, and it is as if she +said to thee, 'I swear, by the Lord of all creatures and by my +right eye, that, if thou come here again and sleep, I will slay +thee with this knife!' And indeed, O my cousin, I fear for thee +from her malice; my heart is full of anguish for thee and I +cannot speak. Nevertheless, if thou canst be sure of thyself not +to sleep, return to her and thou shalt attain thy desire; but if +thou sleep, according to thy wont, she will surely slay thee." "O +my cousin," said I, "what shall I do? I conjure thee, by Allah, +to help me in this my affliction!" "On my head and eyes," replied +she. "If thou wilt hearken to me and do as I say, thou shalt have +thy will." Quoth I, "I will indeed hearken to thee and do thy +bidding." And she said, "When it is time for thee to go, I will +tell thee." Then she pressed me to her bosom and laying me on the +bed, rubbed my feet, till drowsiness overcame me and I was +drowned in sleep; when she took a fan and seating herself at my +head, ceased not to fan my face till the end of the day. Then she +awoke me, and I found her sitting at my head weeping, with the +fan in her hand and her clothes wet with tears. When she saw that +I was awake, she wiped away her tears and fetching food, set it +before me. I refused it, but she said to me, "Didst thou not +promise to do my bidding? Eat." So I ate and did not cross her, +and she proceeded to put the food into my mouth and I to eat, +till I was full. Then she made me drink sherbet of jujube-fruit +and sugar and washed my hands and dried them with a napkin; after +which she sprinkled me with rose-water, and I sat with her +awhile, restored to health and spirits. When the night had closed +in, she dressed me and said to me, "O my cousin, watch all night +and sleep not; for she will not come to thee this time till the +last of the night, and God willing, thou shalt foregather with +her this night: but do not forget my charge." Then she wept, and +my heart was sore for her by reason of her much weeping, and I +said to her, "What is the charge thou gavest me?" "When thou art +about to take leave of her," replied she, "repeat to her the +verse I taught thee." So I left her, full of gladness, and +repairing to the garden, entered the pavilion, where I sat down +satiated with food, and watched till a fourth part of the night +was past. The night was tedious to me as it were a year: but I +remained awake, till it was three quarters spent and the cocks +cried out and I became sore an hungred for long watching. So I +went up to the table and ate my fill, whereupon my head grew +heavy and I was on the point of falling asleep, when I espied a +light making towards me from afar. So I sprang up and washed my +hands and mouth and roused myself; and before long, up came the +lady, accompanied by ten damsels, in whose midst she shone, like +the full moon among the stars. She was clad in a dress of green +satin, embroidered with red gold, and she was as says the poet: + +She lords it over her lovers in garments all of green, With open + vest and collars and flowing hair beseen. +"What is thy name?" I asked her, and she replied, "I'm she Who + burns the hearts of lovers on coals of love and teen." +I made my moan unto her of passion and desire; "Upon a rock," she + answered, "thy plaints are wasted clean." +"Even if thy heart," I told her, "be rock in very deed, Yet hath + God made fair water well from the rock, I ween." + +When she saw me, she laughed and said, "How is it that thou art +awake and that sleep hath not overcome thee. Now that thou hast +passed the night without sleep, I know that thou art in love, for +it is the mark of a lover to watch the night for stress of +longing." Then she signed to her women and they went away, +whereupon she came up to me and strained me to her bosom and +kissed me and sucked my upper lip, whilst I kissed her and sucked +her lower lip. I put my hand to her waist and pressed it and we +came to the ground at the same moment. Then she undid her +trousers and they fell down to her anklets and we fell to +clipping and toying and cricketing and speaking softly and biting +and intertwining of legs and going round about the House and the +corners thereof,[FN#133] till her senses failed her for delight +and she swooned away. And indeed that night was heart-gladdening +and eye-refreshing, even as says the poet: + +The sweetest of all the nights that ever the world can show! The + cup in it stinted never from hand to hand to go. +Therein I did dissever mine eyes from sleep and made The + ear-drop[FN#134] and the anklet[FN#135] foregather evermo'. + + +We lay together till the morning, when I would have gone away, +but she stopped me, saying, "Stay, till I tell thee somewhat and +give thee a charge." So I waited, whilst she undid a handkerchief +and taking out this piece of linen, spread it out before me. I +saw worked on it these two figures of gazelles and admired it +exceedingly; and she said to me, "Keep this carefully, for it is +my sister's work." "What is thy sister's name?" asked I, and she +answered, "Nour el Huda." Then I took the piece of linen and went +away, joyful, after we had agreed that I should visit her every +night in the garden; but in my joy I forgot to repeat to her the +verse my cousin had taught me. When I reached home, I found +Azizeh lying down; but, as soon as she saw me, she rose, with the +tears running from her eyes, and coming up to me, kissed me on +the breast and said, "Didst thou repeat the verse to her, as I +enjoined thee?" "I forgot it," answered I; "and here is what made +me forget it." And I threw the piece of linen down before her. +She rose and sat down again, but was unable to contain herself +and her eyes ran over with tears, whilst she repeated the +following verses: + +O thou that seekest severance, forbear; Let not the fair delude + thee with their sleight. +Softly, for fortune's nature is deceit And parting is the end of + love-delight. + +Then she said, "O my cousin, give me this piece of linen." So I +gave it to her, and she took it and unfolding it, saw what was +therein. When the time came for my going to my mistress, she said +to me, "Go and peace be with thee; and when thou art about to +leave her, repeat to her the verse I taught thee and which thou +forgottest." Quoth I, "Repeat it to me." So she repeated it. Then +I went to the garden and entered the pavilion, where I found the +lady awaiting me. When she saw me, she rose and kissed me and +made me sit in her lap; and we ate and drank and did our desire +as on the previous night. In the morning, I repeated to her my +cousin's verse: + +Tell me, O lovers, for God's sake I do entreat of you, When love + is sore upon a maid, alack! what shall she do? + +When she heard this, her eyes filled with tears and she answered +with the following verse: + +Against her passion she must strive and hide her case from view + And humble and submissive be, whatever may ensue. + +This I committed to memory and returned home, rejoiced at having +done my cousin's errand. When I entered the house, I found Azizeh +lying on the bed and my mother at her head, weeping over her +condition. When the latter saw me, she said to me, "Out on thee +for a cousin! How couldst thou leave the daughter of thine uncle +in ill case and not ask what ailed her?" Azizeh, seeing me, +raised her head and sat up and said, "O Aziz, didst thou repeat +the verse to her?" "Yes," replied I; "and she wept and recited, +in answer, another verse, which I remember." "Tell it me," said +Azizeh. I did so; and she wept and repeated the following verses: + +How shall she temper her desire, It doth her fire undo, And still + with each recurring day her heart is cleft in two. +Indeed, she strives for patience fair, but findeth nought in her + Except a heart too weak to bear the love that makes her rue. + +"When thou goest to thy mistress as of wont," added she, "repeat +to her these verses also." "I hear and obey," answered I and +betook myself, at the wonted time, to the garden, where there +passed between my mistress and myself what the tongue fails to +describe. As I was about to leave her, I repeated to her my +cousin's verses; whereupon the tears streamed from her eyes and +she replied: + +If she her secret cannot hide and lack of patience due, I see no + help for her but death, of all things old and new. + +Then I returned home, where I found Azizeh fallen of a swoon and +my mother sitting at her head. When she heard my voice, she +opened her eyes and said, "O Aziz, didst thou repeat the verses +to her?" "Yes," answered I; "and she replied with this verse." +And I repeated it; whereupon my cousin swooned again, and when +she came to herself, she recited the following verses: + +"I hearken, I obey, I die; yet bear to one who slew My hopes of + union and delight, my greeting and adieu. +Fair fall the happy of their joy, alack! and fair befall The + wretched lover of the cup that's set her lips unto." + +When it was night, I repaired, as of wont, to the garden, where I +found my mistress awaiting me. We sat down and ate and drank, +after which we did our need and slept till the morning; and as I +was going away, I repeated to her Azizeh's verses. When she heard +them, she gave a loud cry and was greatly moved and exclaimed, +"Alas! Alas! She who said these words is dead!" Then she wept and +said to me, "Out on thee! What kin is she, who spoke thus, to +thee?" "She is the daughter of my father's brother," replied I. +"Thou liest," rejoined she. "By Allah, were she thy cousin, thou +wouldst have loved her even as she loved thee! It is thou who +hast killed her, and may God in like manner kill thee! By Allah, +hadst thou told me thou hadst a cousin, I would not have admitted +thee to my favours!" Quoth I, "Indeed, she is my cousin, and it +was she who interpreted to me thy signs and taught me how to come +at thee and how I should deal with thee; and but for her, I had +never won to thee." "Did she then know of us?" asked she. "Yes," +answered I; and she exclaimed, "God give thee sorrow of thy +youth, even as thou hast wasted hers!" Then she said to me, "Go +and see after her." So I went away, troubled at heart, and when I +reached our street, I heard a sound of wailing, and asking about +it, was answered, "We found Azizeh dead behind the door." I +entered the house, and when my mother saw me, she said to me, +"Her death lies at thy door, and may God not acquit thee of her +blood! Out on thee for a cousin!" Then came my father, and we +laid her out and did her the last offices and buried her. +Moreover, we let make recitations of the Koran over her tomb and +abode there three days, after which we returned home, grieving +for her. When I entered the house, my mother came to me and said, +"I would fain know what thou didst to her, to break her heart, +for, O my son, I questioned her many times of the cause of her +malady, but she would tell me nothing. So, God on thee, tell me +what thou didst to her, that she died." Quoth I, "I did nothing." +"May God avenge her on thee!" rejoined my mother. "She told me +nothing, but kept her secret till she died, of her affection for +thee. But when she died, I was with her, and she opened her eyes +and said to me, 'O wife of my uncle, may God hold thy son +guiltless of my blood and punish him not for that he hath done +with me! And now He transporteth me from this transitory house of +the world to the other and eternal dwelling-place.' 'O my +daughter,' said I, 'God preserve thee and preserve thy youth!' +And I questioned her of the cause of her illness; but she made me +no answer. Then she smiled and said, 'O wife of my uncle, when my +cousin is about to repair to the place whither he goes every day, +bid him repeat these two words at his going away: "Faith is fair +and perfidy foul." For this is of my tenderness over him, that I +am solicitous for him in my lifetime and after my death.' Then +she gave me somewhat for thee and made me swear that I would not +give it to thee, till I should see thee weeping for her and +lamenting her death. The thing is with me, and when I see thee as +I have said, I will give it to thee." "Show it me," quoth I: but +she would not. Then I gave myself up to my pleasures and thought +no more of my cousin's death; for I was light-witted and would +fain have been with my beloved day and night. So hardly had the +night fallen, when I betook myself to the garden, where I found +the lady sitting on coals of fire, for much waiting. As soon as +she saw me, she ran to me and throwing her arms about my neck, +enquired of my cousin. "She is dead," replied I; "and we have +caused litanies and recitations of the Koran to be performed for +her; and it is now four nights since she died." When she heard +this, she shrieked aloud and wept, saying, "Did I not tell thee +that thou hadst slain her? Hadst thou let me know of her before +her death, I would have requited her the kindness she did me, in +that she served me and brought thee to me; for but for her, we +had never come together; and I fear lest some calamity befall +thee by reason of thy sin against her." Quoth I, "She acquitted +me before she died." And I repeated to her what my mother had +told me. "God on thee," rejoined she, "when thou returnest to thy +mother, learn what it is she hath for thee." Quoth I, "My mother +also said to me, 'Before thy cousin died, she laid a charge upon +me, saying, "When thy son is about to go whither of wont, teach +him these two words, 'Faith is fair and perfidy foul.'" When my +mistress heard this, she exclaimed, "The mercy of God the Most +High be upon her! Indeed, she hath delivered thee from me, for I +had it in mind to do thee a mischief, but now I will not hurt +thee nor trouble thee." I wondered at this and said to her, "What +then didst thou purpose to do with me, and we lovers?" Quoth she, +"Thou art infatuated with me; for thou art young and witless; thy +heart is free from guile and thou knowest not our perfidy and +malice. Were she yet alive, she would protect thee, for she is +the cause of thy preservation and hath delivered thee from +destruction. And now I charge thee that thou speak not with +neither accost any of our sex, young or old, for thou art young +and simple and knowest not the wiles of women and their malice, +and she who explained the signs to thee is dead. And indeed I +fear for thee, lest thou fall into some calamity and find none to +deliver thee from it, now that thy cousin is dead. Alas, the pity +of her! Would God I had known her before her death, that I might +have visited her and requited her the fair service she did me! +The mercy of the Most High be upon her, for she kept her secret +and revealed not what she suffered, and but for her, thou hadst +never won to me! But there is one thing I desire of thee." "What +is it?" said I. "It is," answered she, "that thou bring me to her +grave, that I may visit her in the tomb wherein she is and write +some verses thereon." "To-morrow," replied I, "if it be the will +of God." Then I lay with her that night, and she ceased not, from +time to time, to say, "Would thou hadst told me of thy cousin, +before her death!" And I said to her, "What is the meaning of the +two words she taught me?" But she made me no answer. As soon as +it was day, she rose and taking a purse of dinars, said to me, +"Come, show me her tomb, that I may visit it and grave some +verses thereon and build a dome over it and commend her to the +mercy of God and bestow these dinars in alms for her soul." "I +hear and obey," replied I and went on before her, whilst she +followed me, giving alms by the way and saying to all to whom she +gave, "This is an alms for the soul of Azizeh, who kept her +counsel, till she drank the cup of death, and discovered not the +secret of her passion." And she stinted not thus to give alms and +say, "For Azizeh's soul," till the purse was empty and we came to +the burial-place. When she saw the tomb, she wept and threw +herself upon it; then pulling out a graver of steel and a light +mallet, she graved the following verses, in fine characters, upon +the stone at the head of the tomb: + +I passed by a ruined tomb, in the midst of a garden-way, Upon + whose letterless stone seven blood-red anemones lay. +"Who sleeps in this unmarked grave?" I said; and the earth, "Bend + low; For a lover lies here and waits for the Resurrection + Day." +"God help thee, O victim of love," I cried, "and bring thee to + dwell In the highest of all the heavens of Paradise, I pray! +How wretched are lovers all, even in the sepulchre, When their + very graves are covered with ruin and decay! +Lo, if I might, I would plant thee a garden round about And with + my streaming tears the thirst of its flowers allay!" + +Then she returned to the garden, weeping, and I with her, and she +said to me, "By Allah, thou shalt never leave me!" "I hear and +obey," answered I. Then I devoted myself wholly to her and paid +her frequent visits, and she was good and generous to me. As +often as I passed the night with her, she would make much of me +and ask me of the two words my cousin told my mother, and I would +repeat them to her. + +I abode thus a whole year, till, what with eating and drinking +and dalliance and wearing change of rich raiment, I waxed stout +and fat, so that I lost all thought of sorrow and anxiety and +forgot my cousin Azizeh. At the end of this time, I went one +day to the bath, where I refreshed myself and put on a rich +suit of clothes, scented with various perfumes; then, coming +out I drank a cup of wine and smelt the fragrance of my new +clothes, whereupon my breast dilated, for I knew not the +perfidy of fortune nor the calamities of events. When the hour +of evening-prayer came, I thought to repair to my mistress; but +being heated with wine, I knew not where I went, so that, on the +way, my drunkenness turned me into a by-street called En Nekib, +where, as I was going along, I met an old woman with a lighted +flambeau in one hand and a folded letter in the other; and she +was weeping and repeating the following verses: + +O welcome, bearer of glad news, thrice welcome to my sight; How + sweet and solaceful to me thy tidings of delight! +Thou that the loved one's greeting bringst unto my longing soul, + God's peace, what while the zephyr blows, dwell with thee + day and night! + +When she saw me, she said to me, "O my son, canst thou read?" And +I, of my officiousness, answered, "Yes, O old aunt." "Then, take +this letter," rejoined she, "and read it to me." So I took the +letter, and unfolding it, read it to her. Now it contained the +greetings of an absent man to his friends; and when she heard its +purport, she rejoiced and was glad and called down blessings on +me, saying, "May God dispel thine anxiety, as thou hast dispelled +mine!" Then she took the letter and walked on. Meanwhile, I was +seized with a pressing need and squatted down on my heels to make +water. When I had finished, I stood up and cleansed myself with +pebbles, then shaking down my clothes, was about to go my way, +when the old woman came up to me again and bending down to kiss +my hand, said, "O my lord, God give thee joy of thy youth! I +entreat thee to go with me to yonder door, for I told them what +thou readest to me of the letter, and they believe me not: so +come with me two steps and read them the letter from behind the +door and accept my devout prayers." "What is the history of this +letter?" asked I; and she answered, "O my son, it is from my son, +who hath been absent from us these ten years. He set out with +merchandise and tarried long in foreign parts, till we lost hope +of him, supposing him to be dead. Now comes this letter from him, +and he has a sister, who weeps for him day and night; so I said +to her, 'He is in good health and case.' But she will not believe +and says, 'Thou must needs bring me one who will read the letter +in my presence, that my heart may be set at rest and my mind +eased.' Thou knowest, O my son, that those who love are prone to +imagine evil: so do me the favour to go with me and read the +letter, standing without the door, whilst I call his sister to +listen behind the curtain, so shalt thou dispel our anxiety and +fulfil our need. Quoth the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve), +'He who eases an afflicted one of one of the troubles of this +world, God will ease him of a hundred troubles;' and according to +another tradition, 'Whoso relieves his brother of one of the +troubles of this world, God will relieve him of two-and-seventy +troubles of the Day of Resurrection.' And I have betaken myself +to thee; so do not disappoint me." "I hear and obey," replied I. +"Do thou go before me." So she went on and I followed her a +little way, till she came to the gate of a large handsome house, +whose door was plated with copper. I stood without the door, +whilst the old woman cried out in Persian, and before I could +think, a damsel ran up, with a nimble and agile step. She had +tucked up her trousers to her knees, so that I saw a pair of legs +that confounded mind and eye, for they were like columns of +alabaster, adorned with anklets of gold, set with jewels. As says +the poet, describing her: + +O thou who barest thy leg for lovers to look upon, That by the + sight of the leg the rest they may infer, +Who passest the cup around midst thy gallants, brisk and free, + Nought seduces the folk but the cup[FN#136] and the + cup-bearer.[FN#137] + +She had seemingly been engaged in work of some kind, for she had +tucked the end of her shift within the ribbon of her trousers and +thrown the skirt of her robe over her arm. Her sleeves were +rolled up to the elbows, so that I could see her white wrists and +forearms, on which were two pairs of bracelets, with clasps of +great pearls and round her neck was a collar of precious stones. +Her ears were adorned with pendants of pearls and on her head she +wore a kerchief of brocade, embroidered with jewels of price. +When I saw her I was confounded at her beauty, for she was like +the shining sun. Then she said, with clear and dulcet speech, +never heard I sweeter, "O my mother, is this he who cometh to +read the letter?" "It is," replied the old woman; and she put out +her hand to me with the letter. Now she was standing about half a +rod within the door; so I stretched out my hand and put my head +and shoulders within the door, thinking to draw near her and read +the letter, when behold, before I knew what she would be at, the +old woman thrust her head into my back and pushed me forward, +with the letter in my hand, so that before I could think, I found +myself in the vestibule. Then she entered, swiftlier than the +blinding lightning, and had but to shut the door. When the damsel +saw me in the vestibule, she came up to me and straining me to +her bosom, threw me to the floor, then knelt upon my breast and +kneaded my belly with her hands, till I lost my senses. Then she +took me by the hand and led me unable to resist, for the violence +of her pressure, through seven vestibules, whilst the old woman +went before us with the lighted candle, till we came to a great +saloon, with four daises, in which a horseman might play at ball. +Here she released me, saying, "Open thine eyes." So I opened +them, still giddy for the excess of her pressing and pummelling, +and saw that the whole place was built of the finest alabaster +and hung and carpeted with stuffs of silk and brocade, with +cushions and divans of the same. Therein also were two benches of +brass and a couch of red gold set with pearls and jewels, +befitting none save kings like unto thee. Then said she, "O Aziz, +which wouldst thou rather, life or death?" "Life," answered I; +and she said, "If life be liefer to thee, thou must marry me." +Quoth I, "It were odious to me to marry the like of thee." "If +thou marry me," rejoined she, "thou wilt at least be safe from +the daughter of Delileh the crafty." "And who is she?" asked I. +She laughed and replied, "How comes it that thou knowest her not, +seeing that to-day thou hast companied with her a year and four +months, may God the Most High destroy her and afflict her with +one worse than herself! By Allah, there lives not a more +perfidious than she! How many hath she not slain before thee and +what deeds hath she not done! Nor can I understand how thou hast +been so long in her company, yet hath she not killed thee nor +done thee any hurt." When I heard this, I marvelled exceedingly +and said, "Who made thee to know of her, O my lady?" "I know of +her," said she, "as the age knows of its calamities: but now I +would fain have thee tell me all that has passed between you, +that I may know the cause of thy deliverance from her." So I told +her all that had happened, including the story of my cousin +Azizeh. When she heard of the latter's death, her eyes ran over +with tears and she smote hand upon hand and cried out, "God have +mercy on her, for she lost her youth in His service, and may He +replace her to thee! By Allah, O Aziz, it was she who was the +cause of thy preservation from the daughter of Delileh and but +for her, thou hadst been lost! Now she is dead and I fear for +thee from the other's perfidy and mischief; but my heart is full +and I cannot speak." "By Allah," quoth I, "all this happened, +even as thou sayest!" And she shook her head and said, "There +lives not this day the like of Azizeh." "And when she was dying," +continued I, "she bade me repeat to my mistress these two words, +'Faith is fair and perfidy foul.'" When she heard this, she +exclaimed, "By Allah, O Aziz, it was this that saved thee from +dying by her hand: and now my heart is at ease for thee from her +for she will never slay thee and thy cousin preserved thee, both +in her lifetime and after her death. By Allah, I have desired +thee this many a day, but could not get at thee till now and +except by a trick, which succeeded with thee for thou art +inexperienced and knowest not the malice of women nor the wiles +of old women." "No, by Allah!" rejoined I. Then said she to me, +"Be of good cheer and take comfort; the dead is in the mercy of +God and the living shall be fairly entreated. Thou art a handsome +youth, and I do not desire thee but according to the ordinance of +God and of His prophet, on whom be peace and salvation! Whatever +thou desirest of money and stuff, thou shalt have without stint, +and I will not impose any toil on thee, for there is with me +always bread baked and water in the pitcher. All I ask of thee is +that thou do with me even as the cock does." "And what is it the +cock does?" asked I. At this she laughed and clapped her hands +and fell over on her back for excess of laughter: then she sat up +and said, "O light of my eyes, dost thou not know what the cock's +business is?" "No, by Allah!" replied I; and she said, "The +cock's business is to eat and drink and tread." I was abashed at +her words and said, "Is that the cock's business?" "Yes," +answered she; "and all I ask of thee now is to gird thy loins and +strengthen thy resolution and swive thy best." Then she clapped +her hands and cried out, saying, "O my mother, bring hither those +who are with thee." Whereupon in came the old woman, carrying a +veil of silk and accompanied by four lawful witnesses, who +saluted me and sat down. Then she lighted four candles, whilst +the young lady covered herself with the veil and deputed one of +the witnesses to execute the contract on her behalf. So they drew +up the marriage contract and she acknowledged to have received +the whole of her dowry, both precedent and contingent, and to be +indebted to me in the sum of ten thousand dirhems. Then he gave +the witnesses their fee and they withdrew whence they came; +whereupon she put off her clothes and abode in a shift of fine +silk, laced with gold, after which she took me by the hand and +carried me up to the couch, saying, "There is no blame in what is +lawful." She lay down on her back and drawing me on to her +breast, heaved a sigh and followed it up with an amorous gesture. +Then she pulled up the shift above her breasts, and when I saw +her thus, I could not choose but thrust into her, after I had +sucked her lips, whilst she moaned and made a show of bashfulness +and wept without tears. And indeed the case reminded me of the +saying of the poet: + +When I drew up her shift and discovered the terrace-roof of her + kaze, I found it as strait as my humour or eke my worldly + ways. +So I drove it incontinent in, halfway; and she heaved a sigh. + "For what dost thou sigh?" quoth I. "For the rest of it, + sure," she says. + +Then said she, "O my beloved, to it and do thy best, for I am +thine handmaid. My life on thee, give it me, all of it, that I +may take it in my hand and thrust it into my entrails!" And she +ceased not to excite me with sobs and sighs and amorous gestures, +in the intervals of kissing and clipping, till we attained the +supreme felicity and the term of our desires. We lay together +till the morning, when I would have gone out; but she came up to +me, laughing, and said, "Thinkest thou that going out of the bath +is the same as going in?[FN#138] Verily, I believe thou deemest +me to be the like of the daughter of Delileh. Beware of such a +thought, for thou art my husband by contract and according to +law. If thou be drunken, return to thy right mind and know that +this house is opened but one day in every year. Go down and look +at the great door." So I went down and found the door locked and +nailed up and returned and told her so. "Know, O Aziz," said she, +"that we have in this house flour and grain and fruits and +pomegranates and sugar and meat and sheep and fowls and so forth, +enough to serve us for many years; and henceforth, the door will +not be opened till after the lapse of a whole year, nor shalt +thou find thyself without till then." Quoth I, "There is no power +and no virtue but in God!" "And what can this irk thee," rejoined +she, "seeing thou knowest the cock's craft, of which I told +thee?" Then she laughed and I laughed too, and I conformed to +what she said and abode with her, plying the cock's craft, eating +and drinking and cricketing, twelve whole months, during which +time she conceived by me and brought me a son. At the end of the +year, I heard the door opened and men came in with manchets and +flour and sugar. Thereupon, I would have gone out, but my wife +said, "Wait till nightfall and go out as thou camest in." So I +waited till the hour of evening-prayer, and was about to go forth +in fear and trembling, when she stopped me, saying, "By Allah, I +will not let thee go, except thou swear to return this night +before the closing of the door." I agreed to this, and she made +me take a solemn oath by sword and Koran and the oath of divorce +to boot that I would return to her. Then I left her and going +straight to the garden, found the door open as usual; whereat I +was angry and said to myself, "I have been absent a whole year +and come here at unawares and find the place open as of wont! I +wonder, is the damsel still in her old case? Algates I must enter +and see, before I go to my mother, more by token that it is now +nightfall." So I entered and making for the pavilion, found the +daughter of Delileh sitting there with her head on her knee and +her hand to her cheek. Her colour was changed and her eyes +sunken; but when she saw me, she exclaimed, "Praised be God for +thy safety!" and would have risen, but fell down for joy. I was +abashed before her and hung my head; but presently went up to +her, and kissing her, said, "How knewest thou that I should come +to thee to-night?" "I knew it not," replied she. "By Allah, this +whole year past I have not tasted sleep, but have watched every +night, expecting thee, from the day thou wentest out from me and +I gave thee the new suit of clothes, and thou didst promise me to +go to the bath and come back! So I abode awaiting thee that night +and a second and a third; but thou camest not till now, and I +ever expecting thy coming, for this is the way of lovers. And now +I would have thee tell me what has been the cause of thine +absence this year long." So I told her all that had happened: and +when she knew that I was married, her colour paled. "I have come +to thee to-night," added I; "but I must leave thee before day." +Quoth she, "Doth it not suffice her to have tricked thee into +marrying her and kept thee prisoner with her a whole year, but +she must make thee take the oath of divorce to return to her +before morning and not allow thee to divert thyself with thy +mother or me nor suffer thee to pass one night with either of us, +away from her? How, then, must it be with one from whom thou hast +been absent a whole year, and I knew thee before she did? But may +God have compassion on thy cousin Azizeh, for there befell her +what never befell any and she endured what never any endured else +and died, oppressed and rejected of thee; yet was it she +protected thee against me. Indeed, I thought thou didst love me, +so let thee take thine own way; else had I not let thee go safe +and sound, when I had it in my power to hold thee in duresse and +destroy thee." Then she wept and waxed wroth and shuddered in my +face and looked at me with angry eyes. When I saw this, I was +terrified at her and trembled in every nerve, for she was like a +dreadful ghoul and I like a bean over the fire. Then said she, +"Thou art of no use to me, now thou art married and hast a child, +nor art thou any longer fit for my company. I care only for +bachelors and not for married men; for they profit us nothing. +Thou hast sold me for yonder stinking nosegay; but by Allah, I +will make the baggage's heart ache for thee, for thou shalt not +live either for me or for her!" Then she gave a loud cry, and ere +I could think, up came ten damsels and threw me on the ground; +whereupon she rose and taking a knife, said, "I will slaughter +thee like a he-goat; and that will be less than thy desert, for +thy behaviour to me and to thy cousin before me." When I found +myself at the mercy of her women, with my cheeks stained with +dust, and saw her sharpen the knife, I made sure of death and +cried out to her for mercy. But she only redoubled in inhumanity +and ordered the maids to bind my hands behind me, which they did, +and throwing me on my back, sat down on my stomach and held my +head. Then two of them sat on my shins, whilst other two held my +hands, and she bade a third pair beat me. So they beat me till I +lost my senses and my voice failed. When I revived, I said to +myself, "It were easier and better for me to have my throat cut +than to be beaten thus!" And I remembered how my cousin used to +say to me, "God keep thee from her mischief!" and cried out and +wept, till my voice failed and I remained without breath or +motion. Then she sharpened the knife and said to the girls, +"Uncover him." With this God inspired me to repeat to her the +two words my cousin had bequeathed me, and I said, "O my lady, +dost thou not know that faith is fair and perfidy foul?" When +she heard this, she cried out and said, "God pity thee, Azizeh, +and give thee Paradise in exchange for thy wasted youth! Verily, +she served thee in her lifetime and after her death, and now +she has saved thee alive out of my hands with these two words. +Nevertheless, I cannot leave thee thus, but I must e'en set my +mark on thee, to spite yonder shameless baggage, who has kept +thee from me." Then she called out to the damsels and bade them +bind my feet with cords and sit on me. They did her bidding, +whilst I lay insensible, and she fetched a pan of copper and +setting it on a brazier, poured into it oil of sesame, in which +she fried cheese.[FN#139] Then she came up to me and unfastening +my trousers, tied a cord round my cullions and giving it to two +of her women, bade them pull at it. They did so, and I swooned +away and was for excess of pain in a world other than this. Then +she came with a steel scalpel and cut off my yard, so that I +remained like a woman: after which she seared the wound with the +boiling oil and rubbed it with a powder, and I the while +unconscious. When I came to myself, the blood had ceased to flow; +so she bade the damsels unbind me and gave me a cup of wine to +drink. Then said she to me, "Go now to her whom thou hast married +and who grudged me a single night, and the mercy of God be on thy +cousin Azizeh, who discovered not her secret! Indeed she was the +cause of thy preservation, for hadst thou not repeated those +words to me, I had surely slain thee. Rise and go to whom thou +wilt, for thou hadst nothing of mine, save what I have cut off, +and now I have no part in thee, nor have I any further care or +occasion for thee: so begone about thy business and bless thy +cousin's memory!" With that, she gave me a push with her foot, +and I rose, hardly able to walk, and went little by little, till +I came to the door of my wife's house I found it open, so I threw +myself within it and fell down in a swoon; whereupon my wife came +out and lifting me up, carried me into the saloon and found that +I was like unto a woman. Then I fell into a deep sleep; but when +I awoke, I found myself thrown down at the gate of the garden. I +rose, groaning for pain and misery, and made my way to my +mother's house, where I found her weeping for me and saying, "O +my son, would I knew where thou art!" So I drew near and threw +myself upon her, and when she saw me, she knew that I was ill, +for my face was at once pale and livid. Then I called to mind my +cousin and all the kind offices she had been wont to do me and +knew that she had indeed loved me; so I wept for her and my +mother wept also. Presently, she said to me, "O my son, thy +father is dead." At this my anguish redoubled, and I wept till I +lost my senses. When I came to myself, I looked at the place +where Azizeh had been used to sit and wept anew, till I all but +fainted for excess of grief; and I ceased not to weep and lament +thus till midnight, when my mother said to me, "Thy father has +been dead these ten days." "I shall never think of any one but my +cousin Azizeh," answered I; "and indeed I deserve all that hath +befallen me, in that I abandoned her who loved me so dear." "What +hath befallen thee?" asked my mother. So I told her all that had +happened, and she wept awhile, then rose and set meat and drink +before me. I ate a little and drank, after which I repeated my +story to her, and she exclaimed, "Praised be God that she did but +this to thee and forbore to slay thee!" Then she tended me and +medicined me till I regained my health: and when my recovery was +complete, she said to me, "O my son, I will now bring out to thee +that which thy cousin committed to me in trust for thee; for it +is thine. She made me swear not to give it thee, till I should +see thee recalling her to mind and weeping over her and thine +affections severed from other than her; and now I see these +conditions fulfilled in thee." So she arose and opening a chest, +took out the piece of linen, with the figures of gazelles worked +thereon, which I had given Azizeh; and I opened it and found +written therein the following verses: + +Who moved thee, fairest one, to use this rigour of disdain And + slay, with stress of love, the souls that sigh for thee in + vain? +If thou recall me not to mind beyond our parting-day, God knows + the thought of thee with me for ever shall remain! +Thou smitest me with cruel words, that yet are sweet to me: Wilt + thou one day, though but in dreams, to look upon me deign? +I had not thought the ways of Love were languishment and woe And + stress of soul until, alas! to love thee I was fain. +I knew not weariness till I the captive of thine eyes Became and + all my soul was bound in passion's fatal chain. +Even my foes have ruth on me and pity my distress: But thou, O + heart of steel, wilt ne'er have mercy on my pain. +By God, although I die, I'll ne'er forget thee, O my hope, Nor + comfort take, though life itself for love should waste and + wane! + +When I read these verses, I wept sore and buffeted my face; then +I unfolded the scroll, and there fell from it another. I opened +it and found these words written therein: "Know, O my cousin, +that I acquit thee of my blood and I beseech God to make accord +between thee and her whom thou lovest: but if aught befall thee +through the daughter of Delileh the crafty, return thou not to +her neither resort to any other woman and bear thine affliction +patiently, for were not the ordained term of thy life a long one, +thou hadst perished long ago: but praised be God, who hath +appointed my last day before thine! My peace be upon thee; +preserve the cloth with the gazelles figured thereon and let it +not leave thee, for it used to keep me company, whenas thou wert +absent from me; but I conjure thee, by Allah, if thou chance to +fall in with her who wrought these gazelles and it be in thy +power to foregather with her, hold aloof from her and do not let +her approach thee nor marry her; and if thou happen not on her +and find no way to her, look thou company not with any other of +her sex. Know that she who wrought these gazelles is the daughter +of the King of the Camphor Islands and every year she works a +like cloth and despatches it to far countries, that her report +and the beauty of her broidery, which none in the world can +match, may be bruited abroad, As for thy beloved, the daughter of +Delileh, this cloth came to her hand, and she used to ensnare +folk with it, showing it to them and saying, 'I have a sister who +wrought this.' But she lied in this saying, may God bring her to +shame! This, then, is my parting counsel to thee, and I have not +charged thee thus, but because I know that, after my death, the +world will be straitened on thee and belike, by reason of this, +thou wilt leave thy native land and wander in foreign countries, +and hearing of her who wrought these figures, be minded to +foregather with her. Then wilt thou remember me and it shall not +avail thee nor wilt thou know my value till after my death." + +When I had read the scroll and understood what was written +therein, I fell again to weeping, and my mother wept because I +did; and I ceased not to gaze upon it and weep till nightfall. I +abode thus a whole year, at the end of which time the merchants, +with whom I am in this caravan, prepared to set out from my +native town, and my mother counselled me to equip myself and +journey with them, so haply I might find forgetfulness and my +sorrow cease from me, saying, "Take comfort and put away from +thee this mourning and travel for a year or two or three, till +the caravan returns, when peradventure thy breast may be dilated +and thy heart lightened." She ceased not to persuade me thus, +till I provided myself with merchandise and set out with the +caravan. But all the time of my journey, my tears have never +ceased flowing; and at every station where we halt, I open this +piece of linen and look on these gazelles and call to mind my +cousin Azizeh and weep for her as thou hast seen, for indeed she +loved me very dearly and died, oppressed and rejected of me; I +did her nought but ill and she did me nought but good. When these +merchants return from their journey, I shall return with them, by +which time I shall have been a whole year absent; yet is my +sorrow greater than ever and my grief and affliction were but +increased by my visit to the Islands of Camphor and the Castle of +Crystal. The islands in question are seven in number and are +ruled by a king, Shehriman by name, who hath a daughter called +Dunya; and I was told that it was she who wrought these gazelles +and that this thou seest was of her broidery. When I knew this, +yearning redoubled on me and I became a prey to consuming languor +and drowned in the sea of melancholy thought; and I wept over +myself, for that I was become even as a woman, without manly gear +like other men, and that there was no recourse for me. From the +day of my departure from the Camphor Islands, I have been +tearful-eyed and sorrowful-hearted, and I know not whether it +will be given me to return to my native land and die by my mother +or not, for I am weary of the world.' + +When the young merchant had made an end of telling his story, he +wept and groaned and complained and gazed upon the figures +wrought on the piece of linen, whilst the tears streamed down his +cheeks and he repeated the following verses: + +'Needs must thy sorrow have an end,' quoth many an one 'and cease + And I, Needs must your chiding end and let me be at peace.' +'After awhile,' say they; and I, 'Who will ensure me life, O + fools, until the hands of grief their grip of me release?' + +And also these: + +God knows that, since my severance from thee, full sore I've + wept, So sore that needs my eyes must run for very tears in + debt! +'Have patience,' quoth my censurers, 'and thou shalt win them + yet.' And I, 'O thou that blamest me, whence should I + patience get?' + +Then said he, 'This, O prince, is my story: hast thou ever heard +a stranger one?' Taj el Mulouk marvelled greatly at the young +merchant's tale and said to him, 'By Allah, thou hast suffered +that which never befell any but thyself, but thou hast life +appointed to thee, which thou must needs fulfil; and now I would +fain have thee tell me how thou sawest the lady who wrought these +gazelles.' 'O my lord,' answered Aziz, 'I got me access to her by +a stratagem, and it was this. When I entered her city with the +caravan, I went forth and wandered about the gardens [till I came +to one walled in and] abounding in trees, whose keeper was a +venerable old man of advanced age. I asked him to whom the garden +belonged, and he replied, "To the lady Dunya, the king's +daughter. We are now beneath her palace," added he; "and when she +is minded to divert herself, she opens the private door and walks +in the garden and breathes the fragrance of the flowers." So I +said to him, "Favour me by allowing me to sit in the garden till +she comes; haply I may be fortunate enough to catch a sight of +her as she passes." "There can be no harm in that," answered he. +So I gave him money and said to him, "Buy us something to eat." +He took the money joyfully and opening the door, admitted me into +the garden and carried me to a pleasant spot, where he bade me +sit down and await his return. Then he brought me fruit and +leaving me, returned after awhile with a roasted lamb, of which +we ate till we had enough, my heart yearning the while for a +sight of the princess. Presently, as we sat, the postern opened +and the keeper said to me, "Rise and hide thyself." I did so; and +behold a black eunuch put out his head through the wicket and +said, "O elder, is there any one with thee?" "No," answered he; +and the eunuch said, "Shut the garden gate." So the keeper shut +the gate, and the lady Dunya came in by the private door. When I +saw her, methought the moon had risen above the horizon and was +shining; so I looked at her a long while and longed for her, as a +man athirst longs for water. After a time she withdrew and shut +the door; whereupon I left the garden and sought my lodging, +knowing that I could not win to her and that I was no mate for +her, more by token that I was become like unto a woman, having no +manly gear, and she was a king's daughter and I but a merchant; +so how could I have access to the like of her or to any other +woman? Accordingly, when my companions made ready for departure, +I too made ready and set out with them, and we journeyed till we +arrived at this place, where we met with thee. This then is my +story, and peace be on thee!' + +When Taj el Mulouk heard the young merchant's account of the +princess Dunya and her beauty, fires raged in his bosom and his +heart and thought were occupied with love for her; passion and +longing were sore upon him and he knew not what to do. Then he +mounted his horse and taking Aziz with him, returned to his +father's capital, where he assigned the merchant a house and +supplied him with all that he needed in the way of meat and drink +and clothing. Then he left him and returned to his palace, with +the tears running down his cheeks, for report [whiles] stands in +stead of sight and very knowledge. He abode thus till his father +came in to him and finding him pale-faced, lean of body and +tearful eyed, knew that some chagrin had betided him and said to +him, 'O my son, acquaint me with thy case and tell me what hath +befallen thee, that thy colour is changed and thy body wasted.' +So he told him all that had passed and how he had heard from +Aziz of the princess Dunya and had fallen in love with her on +hearsay, without having set eyes on her. 'O my son,' said the +King, 'she is the daughter of a king whose country is far +distant from ours: so put away this thought from thee and go +into thy mother's palace. There are five hundred damsels like +moons, and whichsoever of them pleaseth thee, take her; or else +we will seek thee in marriage some one of the kings' daughters, +fairer than the lady Dunya.' 'O my father,' answered Taj el +Mulouk, 'I desire none other, for she it is who wrought the +gazelles that I saw, and I must have her; else I will flee into +the deserts and waste places and slay myself for her sake.' Then +said his father, 'O my son, have patience with me, till I send +to her father and demand her hand in marriage, as I did with thy +mother. It may be that God will bring thee to thy desire; and if +her father will not consent, I will shake his kingdom under him +with an army, whose van shall be upon him, whilst the rear is yet +with me.' Then he sent for Aziz and said to him, 'O my son, dost +thou know the way to the Camphor Islands?' 'Yes,' answered he; +and the King said, 'It is my wish that thou accompany my Vizier +thither.' 'I hear and obey, O King of the age,' replied Aziz; +whereupon the King summoned his Vizier and said to him, 'Devise +me some plan, whereby my son's affair may be rightly managed, and +go to the King of the Camphor Islands and demand his daughter in +marriage for Tej el Mulouk.' 'I hear and obey,' answered the +Vizier. Then Taj el Mulouk returned to his dwelling place and his +longing redoubled and impatience and unease were sore upon him; +and when the night darkened upon him, he wept and sighed and +complained and repeated the following verses: + +The shadows darken and my tears flow aye without avail, Whilst in + my heart the fires of love rage on and never fail. +Question the nights of me, and they will testify to thee That I + in all their endless hours do nought but weep and wait. +Wakeful for love-longing and grief, I lie and watch the stars All + night, what while upon my cheeks the tears fall down like + hail. +Lowly and helpless I abide, for such as lovers be Have, as it + were, nor kith nor kin to help them in their bale. + +Then he swooned away and did not recover his senses till the +morning, when there came to him one of his father's servants and +standing at his head, summoned him to the King's presence. So he +went with him, and his father seeing that his pallor had +increased, exhorted him to patience and promised him union with +her he loved. Then he equipped Aziz and the Vizier for the +journey and gave them presents for the princess's father; and +they set out and fared on night and day, till they drew near the +Camphor Islands, when the Vizier called a halt on the banks of a +stream and despatched a messenger to acquaint the King of his +arrival. The messenger had not long been gone, when they saw, +advancing towards them, the King's chamberlains and amirs, who +met them at a parasang's distance from the city and escorted them +to the royal presence. They laid before the King the gifts with +which they were charged and enjoyed his hospitality three days. +On the fourth day the Vizier rose and going in to the King, stood +before him and acquainted him with the object of his visit; +whereat he was perplexed and knew not what answer to make him, +for that his daughter was averse from men and did not desire to +marry. So he bowed his head awhile, then raised it and calling +one of his eunuchs, said to him, 'Go to thy mistress, the +princess Dunya, and repeat to her what thou hast heard and tell +her this Vizier's errand.' So the eunuch went out and returning +after a while, said to the King, 'O King of the age, when I went +to the lady Dunya and told her what I had heard, she was +exceeding wroth and made at me with a staff, meaning to break my +head; whereupon I fled from her, and she said to me, 'If my +father force me to marry, him whom I wed I will kill.' Then said +the King to the Vizier and Aziz, 'Salute the King your master and +tell him what ye have heard and that my daughter is averse from +men and hath no mind to marry.' So they returned, without having +accomplished the object of their journey, and fared on till they +rejoined the King and told him what had passed; whereupon he +commanded the chief to summon the troops for war. But the Vizier +said to him, 'O King, do not this, for the King is not at fault, +seeing that, when his daughter learnt our business, she sent to +say that, if her father forced her to marry, she would kill her +husband and herself after him: so the refusal comes from her.' +When the King heard this, he feared for Taj el Mulouk and said, +'If I make war on the King of the Camphor Islands and carry off +his daughter, she will kill herself and it will profit me +nothing.' So he told his son how the case stood, and he said, 'O +my father, I cannot live without her; so I will go to her and +cast about to get me access to her, though I die in the attempt.' +'How wilt thou go to her?' asked his father; and he answered, 'In +the disguise of a merchant.' Then said the King, 'If thou must go +and there is no help for it, take with thee Aziz and the Vizier.' +He agreed to this, and the King took money from his treasuries +and made ready for him merchandise, to the value of a hundred +thousand dinars; and when the night came Taj el Mulouk went to +Aziz's lodging and passed the night there, heart-smitten and +taking no delight in food nor sleep; for melancholy was heavy +upon him and he was agitated with longing for his beloved. So he +besought the Creator to unite him with her and wept and groaned +and complained, repeating the following verses: + +Shall union after estrangement betide us, perchance, some day? + Shall I ever make moan of my passion to thee, I wonder, and + say, +'How oft have I called thee to mind, whilst the night in its + trances slept! Thou hast made me waken, whilst all but I in + oblivion lay. + +Then he wept sore and Aziz wept with him, for that he remembered +his cousin; and they both ceased not to do thus till the morning, +when Taj el Mulouk rose and went in to his mother in his +travelling dress. She asked him of his case, and he told her what +was to do; so she gave him fifty thousand dinars and bade him +farewell, offering up prayers for his safety and for his union +with his beloved. Then he left her and betaking himself to his +father, asked his leave to depart. The King granted him leave and +presenting him with other fifty thousand dinars, let pitch a tent +for him without the city, in which they abode two days, then set +out on their journey. And Taj el Mulouk delighted in Aziz's +company and said to him, 'O my brother, I can never bear to be +parted from thee.' 'Nor I from thee,' replied Aziz; 'and fain +would I die at thy feet: but, O my brother, my heart is concerned +for my mother.' 'When we have attained our wish,' said the +prince, 'all will be well.' As for the Vizier, he exhorted Taj el +Mulouk to patience, whilst Aziz entertained him with talk and +recited verses to him and diverted him with stories and +anecdotes; and so they fared on day and night for two whole +months, till the way became tedious to the prince and the fires +of passion redoubled on him. So he repeated the following verses: + +Long is the road and restlessness and grief redouble aye, Whilst + in my breast the fires of love rage ever night and day +O thou, the goal of all my hopes, sole object of my wish, I swear + by Him, the Most High God, who moulded man from clay, +For love of thee I bear a load of longing and desire, Such as the + mountains of Es Shumm might ne'er withal away! +Indeed, O lady of my world,[FN#140] love slayeth me outright; No + breath of life in me is left, my fainting spright to stay +But for the hope of union with thee, that lures me on, My weary + body had no strength to furnish forth the way. + +When he had finished, he wept and Aziz wept with him, from a +lacerated heart, till the Vizier was moved to pity by their +weeping and said to the prince, 'O my lord, take courage and be +of good cheer; all will yet be well.' 'O Vizier,' said Taj el +Mulouk, 'indeed I am weary of the length of the way. Tell me how +far we are distant yet from the city.' 'But a little way,' +replied Aziz. Then they continued their journey, traversing +valleys and plains and hills and stony wastes, till one night, as +Taj el Mulouk was asleep, he dreamt that his beloved was with him +and that he embraced her and pressed her to his bosom; and he +awoke, trembling and delirious with emotion, and repeated the +following verses: + +My heart is maddened for love and my tears for ever flow, And + longing is ever upon me and unrelenting woe. +My plaint is, for tears, as the mourning of women bereft of + young, And I moan, when the darkness gathers, as the + turtles, sad and low. +Yet, if the breezes flutter from the land where thou dost dwell, + Their wafts o'er the earth, sun-weaned, a grateful coolness + throw. +Peace be on thee, my beloved, as long as the cushat flies, As + long as the turtles warble, as long as the zephyrs blow! + +When he had finished, the Vizier came to him and said, 'Rejoice; +this is a good sign: so comfort thyself and be of good cheer, for +thou shalt surely compass thy desire.' And Aziz also came to him +and exhorted him to patience and applied himself to divert him, +talking with him and telling him stories. So they pressed on, +night and day, other two months, till, one day, at sunrise, there +appeared to them some white thing in the distance and Taj el +Mulouk said to Aziz, 'What is yonder whiteness?' 'O my lord,' +answered he, 'that is the Fortress of Crystal and the city that +thou seekest.' At this the prince rejoiced, and they fared +forward till they drew near the city, to the exceeding joy of Taj +el Mulouk, whose grief and anxiety ceased from him. They entered, +in the guise of merchants, the King's son being habited as a +merchant of importance, and repaired to a great khan, known as +the Merchants' Lodging. Quoth Taj el Mulouk to Aziz, 'Is this the +resort of the merchants?' 'Yes,' replied he; 'it is the khan in +which I lodged when I was here before.' So they alighted there +and making their beasts kneel down, unloaded them and laid up +their goods in the warehouses. They abode four days, resting; at +the end of which time, the Vizier proposed that they should hire +a large house. To this they assented and hired a spacious house, +fitted up for festivities, where they took up their abode, and +the Vizier and Aziz studied to devise some plan of conduct +for Taj el Mulouk, whilst the latter remained in a state of +perplexity, knowing not what to do. The Vizier could think +of nothing but that he should set up as a merchant in the +stuff-market; so he turned to the prince and Aziz and said to +them, 'If we tarry thus, we shall not compass our desire nor +attain our aim; but I have bethought me of somewhat, in which, if +it please God, we shall find our advantage.' 'Do what seemeth +good to thee,' replied Taj el Mulouk; 'indeed there is a blessing +on the aged, more by token that thou art versed in the conduct +of affairs: so tell me what is in thy mind.' 'It is my counsel,' +rejoined the Vizier, 'that we hire thee a shop in the stuff- +bazaar, where thou mayst sit to sell and buy. Every one, great +and small, hath need of silken and other stuffs; so if thou be +patient and abide in thy shop, thine affairs will prosper, if +it please God, especially as thou art comely of aspect. Moreover, +I would have thee make Aziz thy factor and set him within the +shop, to hand thee the pieces of stuffs and silks.' When Taj el +Mulouk heard this, he said, 'This is a good counsel.' So he took +out a handsome suit of merchant's clothes, and putting it on, set +out for the bazaar, followed by his servants, to one of whom he +had given a thousand dinars, wherewith to fit up the shop. When +they came to the stuff-market and the merchants saw Taj el +Mulouk's beauty and grace, they were confounded and some said, +'Sure Rizwan hath opened the gates of Paradise and left them +unguarded, so that this passing lovely youth hath come out.' And +others, 'Belike this is one of the angels.' They asked for the +shop of the overseer of the market, and the merchants directed +them to it. So they repaired thither and saluted him, and he and +those who were with him rose to them and seated them and made +much of them because of the Vizier, whom they saw to be a man of +age and reverend aspect; and seeing Aziz and Taj el Mulouk in his +company, they said to one another, 'Doubtless this old man is +the father of these two youths.' Then said the Vizier, 'Which of +you is the overseer of the market?' 'This is he,' answered they; +whereupon he came forward and the Vizier, observing him, saw him +to be an old man of grave and dignified carriage, with slaves and +servants, white and black. He greeted them in the friendliest +manner and was lavish in his attentions to them: then he made +them sit by his side and said to them, 'Have you any business +which we may have the pleasure of transacting?' 'Yes,' answered +the Vizier. 'I am an old man, stricken in years, and have with +me these two youths, with whom I have travelled through many +towns and countries, tarrying a whole year in every city (of +importance) on our way, that they might take their pleasure in +viewing it and come to know its people. Now I have chosen to make +a stay in this your town; so I would fain have thee allot me a +handsome shop in the best situation, wherein I may establish +them, that they may traffic and learn to buy and sell and give +and take, whilst they divert themselves with the sight of the +place and acquire the uses of its people.' 'Good,' said the +overseer, and looking at the two youths, rejoiced in them and +conceived a great affection for them. Now he was a great lover of +bewitching glances, preferring the commerce of boys to that of +girls and inclining to their love. So he said in himself, 'These +be fine purchase; glory to Him who created and fashioned them out +of vile water!'[FN#141] and rising, stood before them like a +servant, to do them honour. Then he went out and made ready for +them a shop in the midst of the market, than which there was no +larger nor better in the bazaar, for it was spacious and +handsomely decorated and fitted with shelves of ebony and ivory; +after which he delivered the keys to the Vizier, who was dressed +as an old merchant, saying, 'Take them, O my lord, and may God +make it a blessed abiding-place to thy sons!' The Vizier took the +keys, and they returned to the khan and caused their servants to +transport to the shop all their goods and stuffs and valuables, +of which they had great plenty, worth treasures of money. Next +morning, the Vizier carried the two young men to the bath, where +they washed and put on rich clothes and perfumed themselves to +the utmost therein. Now each of them was passing fair to look +upon, and the bath enhanced their charms to the utmost, even as +says the poet: + +Good luck to him who in the bath doth serve him as his squire, + Handling a body 'gotten sure 'twixt water and the fire! +With skilful hands he showeth forth the marvels of his craft, In + that he gathers very musk[FN#142] from what is like + camphire. + +When the overseer heard that they had gone to the bath, he sat +down to await them, and presently they came up to him, like two +gazelles, with red cheeks and black eyes and shining faces, as +they were two lustrous moons or two fruit-laden saplings. When he +saw them, he rose and said to them, 'May your bath profit you +ever!' Whereupon Taj el Mulouk replied, with the sweetest of +speech, 'May God be bountiful to thee, O my father! Why didst +thou not come with us and bathe in our company?' Then they both +bent over his hands and kissing them, walked before him to the +shop, to do him honour and show their respect for him, for that +he was chief of the merchants and the market, as well as their +sense of his kindness in giving them the shop. When he saw their +hips quivering, emotion and longing redoubled on him and he could +not contain himself, but puffed and snorted and devoured them +with his eyes, repeating the following verses: + +The heart in them studies the chapter of worship unshared sheer + No proofs of more gods to worship than one it readeth here. +No wonder it is they tremble by reason of their weight; How much + is there not of motion in that revolving sphere! + +And also these: + +Two fair ones walking on the earth mine eyes did late espy; Two + that I needs must love although they walked upon mine eye. + +When they heard this, they begged him to enter the bath with them +a second time. He could hardly believe his ears and hastening +thither, went in with them. The Vizier had not yet left the bath; +so when he heard of the overseer's coming, he came out and +meeting him in the outer room of the bath, invited him to enter. +He refused, but Taj el Mulouk took him by one hand and Aziz by +the other and carried him into a cabinet, the impure old man +submitting to them, whilst his emotion increased on him. Then Taj +el Mulouk swore that none but he should wash him and Aziz that +none but he should pour water on him. He would have refused, +albeit this was what he desired; but the Vizier said to him, +'They are thy sons; let them wash thee and bathe thee.' 'God +preserve them to thee!' exclaimed the overseer. 'By Allah, thy +coming and theirs hath brought blessing and fortune upon our +city!' and he repeated the following verses: + +Thou cam'st, and the mountains about us grew green And glittered, + with flowers for the bridegroom beseen; +Whilst earth and her creatures cried, 'Welcome to thee, Thrice + welcome, that comest in glory and sheen!' + +They thanked him for this, and Taj el Mulouk proceeded to wash +him, whilst Aziz poured water over him and he thought himself in +Paradise. When they had made an end of his service, he called +down blessings on them and sat talking with the Vizier, gazing +the while on the youths. Presently, the servants brought them +towels, and they dried themselves and donned their clothes. Then +they went out, and the Vizier said to the overseer, 'O my lord, +verily the bath is the Paradise of this world.' 'May God +vouchsafe it[FN#143] to thee,' replied the overseer, 'and health +to thy sons and guard them from the evil eye! Do you remember +aught that the poets have said in praise of the bath?' 'Yes,' +said Taj el Mulouk and repeated the following verses: + +The life of the bath is the pleasantest part of life, Except that + the time of our sojourn there is slight. +A heaven, wherein 'tis irksome to us to bide: A hell, into which + we enter with delight. + +'And I also,' said Aziz, 'remember some verses in praise of the +bath.' Quoth the overseer, 'Let us hear them.' So he repeated the +following: + +I know a house, wherein flowers from the sheer stone blow; Most + goodly, when the flames about it rage and glow. +Thou deem'st it hell, and yet, in truth, 'tis Paradise And most + that be therein are sun and moons, I trow. + +His verses pleased the overseer and he wondered at their grace +and eloquence and said, 'By Allah, ye possess both beauty and +eloquence! But now listen to me.' And he chanted the following +verses: + +O pleasaunce of hell-fire and paradise of pain! Bodies and souls + therein indeed are born again. +I marvel at a house, whose pleasantness for aye Doth flourish, + though the flames beneath it rage amain. +A sojourn of delight to those who visit it It is; the pools on + them their tears in torrents rain. + +Then he fed his eyes on the gardens of their beauty and repeated +the following verses: + +I went to the bath-keeper's house and entered his dwelling-place + And found no door-keeper there but met me with smiling face. +I sojourned awhile in his heaven[FN#144] and visited eke his + hell[FN#145] And thanked both Malik[FN#146] and + Rizwan[FN#147] for solace and kindly grace. + +They were charmed with these verses, and the overseer invited +them to his house; but they declined and resumed to their own +lodging, to rest from the great heat of the bath. They took their +ease there and ate and drank and passed the night in the greatest +comfort and delight, till morning, when they arose from sleep and +making their ablutions, prayed the morning-prayer and drank the +morning-draught. As soon as the sun had risen and the markets and +shops were open, they went out to the bazaar and opened their +shop, which their servants had already furnished, after the +handsomest fashion, with prayer-rugs and silken carpets and a +pair of divans, each worth a hundred dinars. On each divan they +had spread a rug, garded with gold and fit for a king, and in the +midst of the shop stood a third seat of still greater elegance, +even as the case required. Taj el Mulouk sat down on one couch +and Aziz on another, whilst the Vizier seated himself on that in +the centre, and the servants stood before them. The people of the +city heard of them and crowded to them, so that they sold some of +their goods and the report of Taj el Mulouk's beauty and grace +spread throughout the place. Some days passed thus, and every day +the people flocked to them more and more, till the Vizier, after +exhorting the prince to keep his secret, commended him to Aziz's +care and went home, that he might be alone and cast about for +some device that might profit them. + +Meanwhile, the two young men sat talking and the prince said to +Aziz, 'It may be some one will come from the Princess Dunya.' So +he abode in expectation of this days and nights, whilst his heart +was troubled and he knew neither sleep nor rest: for desire had +gotten the mastery of him and passion and longing were sore upon +him, so that he forewent the solace of sleep and abstained from +meat and drink; yet ceased he not to be like the full moon. One +day, as he sat in the shop, there came up an old woman, followed +by two slave-girls. She stopped before Taj el Mulouk and +observing his grace and elegance and symmetry, marvelled at his +beauty and sweated in her clothes, exclaiming, 'Glory to Him who +created thee out of vile water and made thee a ravishment to all +who look upon thee!' And she fixed her eyes on him and said, +'This is sure no mortal, but a noble angel.' Then she drew near +and saluted him, whereupon he returned her salute and (being +prompted thereto by Aziz) rose to his feet to receive her and +smiled in her face after which he made her sit down by his side +and fanned her, till she was rested and refreshed, when she +turned to him and said, 'O my son, O thou that art perfect in +graces and charms, art thou of this country?' 'By Allah, O my +lady,' answered he in the sweetest and pleasantest of voices, 'I +was never in this country in my life till now, nor do I sojourn +here save for my diversion.' 'May all honour and prosperity +attend thee!' rejoined she. 'What stuffs has thou brought with +thee? Show me something handsome; for the fair should bring +nothing but what is fair.' When he heard her words, his heart +fluttered and he knew not what she meant; but Aziz made a sign to +him, and he replied, 'I have everything thou canst desire, and +amongst the rest goods that befit none but kings and kings' +daughters; so tell me for whom thou seekest the stuff, that I may +show thee what will befit her.' This he said, that he might learn +the meaning of her words; and she rejoined, 'I want a stuff fit +for the Princess Dunya, daughter of King Shehriman.' When the +prince heard the name of his beloved, he rejoiced greatly and +said to Aziz, 'Give me such a bale.' So Aziz brought it and +opened it before Taj el Mulouk, who said to the old woman, +'Choose what will suit her; for these are goods only to be found +with me.' So she chose goods worth a thousand dinars and said, +'How much is this?' And ceased not the while to talk with him and +rub the inside of her thighs with the palm of her hand. 'Shall I +haggle with the like of thee about this paltry price?' answered +he. 'Praised be God who hath brought me acquainted with thee!' +'The name of God be upon thee!' exclaimed she. 'I commend thy +fair face to the protection of the Lord of the Daybreak! Fair +face and pleasant speech! Happy the woman who lies in thy bosom +and clasps thy waist in her arms and enjoys thy youth, especially +if she be fair and graceful like unto thee!' At this, Taj el +Mulouk laughed till he fell backward and said (in himself), 'O +Thou who fulfillest desires by means of dissolute old women! They +are indeed the accomplishers of desires!' Then said she, 'O my +son, what is thy name?' And he answered, 'My name is Taj el +Mulouk.'[FN#148] 'This is a name of kings and kings' sons,' +rejoined she; 'and thou art clad in a merchant's habit.' Quoth +Aziz, 'For the love his parents and family bore him and the value +they set on him, they named him thus.' 'Thou sayst sooth,' +replied the old woman. 'May God guard you both from the evil eye +and the malice of the enemy and the envious, though hearts be +broken by your charms!' Then she took the stuff and went away, +amazed at the prince's beauty and grace and symmetry, and going +in to the Princess Dunya, said to her, 'O my lady, I have brought +thee some handsome stuff.' 'Show it me,' said the princess. 'Here +it is,' answered the old woman; 'turn it over, O my treasure, and +examine it.' So the princess looked at the stuff and was amazed +at its beauty and said, 'O my nurse, this is indeed handsome +stuff! I have never seen its like in our city.' 'O my lady,' +replied the nurse, 'he who sold it me is handsomer still. It +would seem as if Rizwan had left the gates of Paradise open and +this youth had come out. I would he might sleep this night with +thee and lie between thy breasts! He hath come hither with these +stuffs for amusement's sake, and he is a ravishment to all who +set eyes on him.' The princess laughed at her words and said, +'Allah afflict thee, O pernicious old woman! Thou dotest and +there is no sense left in thee. Give me the stuff, that I may +look at it anew.' So she gave it her, and she examined it again +and seeing that though small, it was of great value, was moved to +admiration, for she had never in her life seen its like, and +exclaimed, 'By Allah, this is a handsome stuff.' 'O my lady,' +said the old woman, 'if thou sawest him who sold it to me, thou +wouldst know him for the handsomest of all that be upon the face +of the earth.' Quoth the princess, 'Didst thou ask him if he had +any need, that we might satisfy it?' The nurse shook her head and +answered, 'God keep thy sagacity! Assuredly he has a want, may +thy skill not fail thee. What man is free from wants?' 'Go back +to him,' rejoined the princess; 'salute him for me, and say to +him, "Our land and town are honoured by thy visit, and if thou +hast any need, we will fulfil it to thee, on our head and eyes."' +So the old woman returned to Taj el Mulouk, and when he saw her, +his heart leapt for joy and he rose to his feet and taking her +hand, seated her by his side. As soon as she was rested she told +him what the princess had said, whereat he rejoiced exceedingly; +his breast dilated and gladness entered his heart, and he said in +himself, 'Verily, I have gotten my desire.' Then said he to the +old woman, 'Belike thou wilt take her a message from me and bring +me her answer.' 'I hear and obey,' replied she. So he said to +Aziz, 'Bring me inkhorn and paper and a pen of brass.' Aziz +brought him what he sought, and he took the pen and wrote the +following verses: I send thee, O my hope, a letter, to complain +Of all my soul endures for parting and its pain. + +Six lines it hath; the first, 'A fire is in my heart;' The next + line setteth forth my passion all in vain; +The third, 'My patience fails and eke my life doth waste;' The + fourth, 'All love with me for ever shall remain.' +The fifth, 'When shall mine eyes behold thee? And the sixth, + 'When shall the day betide of meeting for us twain? + +And by way of subscription he wrote these words, 'This letter is +from the captive of desire, prisoned in the hold of longing, from +which there is no deliverance but in union and intercourse with +her whom he loveth, after absence and separation: for he +suffereth grievous torment by reason of his severance from his +beloved.' Then his tears rushed out and he wrote the following +verses: + +I write to thee, my love, and the tears run down as I write; For + the tears of my eyes, alack I cease never day or night. +Yet do I not despair; mayhap, of God His grace, The day shall + dawn for us of union and delight. + +Then he folded the letter and sealed it and gave it to the old +woman, saying, 'Carry it to the lady Dunya.' 'I hear and obey,' +answered she; whereupon he gave her a thousand dinars and said to +her, 'O my mother, accept this, as a token of my affection.' She +took the letter and the money, calling down blessings on him, and +returned to the princess. When the latter saw her, she said to +her, 'O my nurse, what is it he asks, that we may fulfil his wish +to him?' 'O my lady,' replied the old woman, 'he sends thee this +letter by me, and I know not what is in it.' The princess took +the letter and reading it, exclaimed, 'Who and what is this +merchant that he should dare to write to me thus?' And she +buffeted her face, saying, 'What have we done that we should come +in converse with shopkeepers? Alas! Alas! By Allah, but that I +fear God the Most High, I would put him to death and crucify him +before his shop!' 'What is in the letter,' asked the old woman, +'to trouble thy heart and move thine anger thus? Doth it contain +a complaint of oppression or demand for the price of the stuff?' +'Out on thee!' answered the princess. 'There is none of this in +it, nought but words of love and gallantry. This is all through +thee: else how should this devil know me?' 'O my lady,' rejoined +the old woman, 'thou sittest in thy high palace and none may win +to thee, no, not even the birds of the air. God keep thee and +keep thy youth from blame and reproach! Thou art a princess, the +daughter of a king, and needest not reck of the barking of dogs. +Blame me not that I brought thee this letter, knowing not what +was in it; but it is my counsel that thou send him an answer, +threatening him with death and forbidding him from this idle +talk. Surely he will abstain and return not to the like of this.' +'I fear,' said the princess, 'that, if I write to him, he will +conceive hopes of me.' Quoth the old woman, 'When he reads thy +threats and menace of punishment, he will desist.' So the +princess called for inkhorn and paper and pen of brass and wrote +the following verses: + +O thou who feignest thee the prey of love and wakefulness And + plainst of that thou dost endure for passion and distress +Thinkst thou, deluded one, to win thy wishes of the moon? Did + ever any of a moon get union and liesse? +I rede thee put away the thought of this thou seekst from thee, + For that therein but peril is for thee and weariness. +If thou to this thy speech return, a grievous punishment Shall + surely fall on thee from me and ruin past redress. +By Him, the Almighty God, I swear, who moulded man from clay, Him + who gave fire unto the sun and lit the moon no less +If thou offend anew, for sure, upon a cross of tree I'll have + thee crucified for all thy wealth and goodliness! + +Then she folded the letter and giving it to the old woman, said, +'Carry this to him and bid him desist from this talk.' 'I hear +and obey,' replied she, and taking the letter, returned, +rejoicing, to her own house, where she passed the night and in +the morning betook herself to the shop of Taj el Mulouk, whom she +found expecting her. At sight of her, he well-nigh lost his +reason for delight, and when she came up to him, he rose to his +feet and seated her by his side. Then she brought out the letter +and gave it to him, saying, 'Read this. When the princess read +thy letter, she was angry; but I coaxed her and jested with her +till I made her laugh, and she had pity on thee and has returned +thee an answer.' He thanked her and bade Aziz give her a thousand +dinars: then he read her letter and fell to weeping sore, so that +the old woman's heart was moved to pity for him and his tears and +complaints grieved her. So she said to him, 'O my son, what is +there in this scroll, that makes thee weep?' 'She threatens me +with death and crucifixion,' replied he, 'and forbids me to write +to her: but if I write not, my death were better than my life. So +take thou my answer to her letter and let her do what she will.' +'By the life of thy youth,' rejoined the old woman, 'needs must I +venture my life for thee, that I may bring thee to thy desire and +help thee to win that thou hast at heart!' And he said, 'Whatever +thou dost, I will requite thee therefor, and do thou determine of +it; for thou art versed in affairs and skilled in all fashions of +intrigue: difficult matters are easy to thee: and God can do all +things.' Then he took a scroll and wrote therein the following +verses: + +My love with slaughter threatens me, woe's me for my distress! + But death is foreordained; to me, indeed, 'twere happiness; +Better death end a lover's woes than that a weary life He live, + rejected and forlorn, forbidden from liesse. +Visit a lover, for God's sake, whose every helper fails, And with + thy sight thy captive slave and bondman deign to bless! +Have ruth upon me, lady mine, for loving thee; for all, Who love + the noble, stand excused for very passion's stress. + +Then he sighed heavily and wept, till the old woman wept also and +taking the letter, said to him, 'Take heart and be of good cheer, +for it shall go hard but I bring thee to thy desire.' Then she +rose and leaving him on coals of fire, returned to the princess, +whom she found still pale with rage at Taj el Mulouk's first +letter. The nurse gave her his second letter, whereupon her anger +redoubled and she said, 'Did I not say he would conceive hopes of +us?' 'What is this dog,' replied the old woman, 'that he should +conceive hopes of thee?' Quoth the princess, 'Go back to him and +tell him that, if he write to me again, I will have his head cut +off.' 'Write this in a letter,' answered the nurse, 'and I will +take it to him, that his fear may be the greater.' So she took a +scroll and wrote thereon the following verses: + +Harkye thou that letst the lessons of the past unheeded lie, Thou + that lookst aloft, yet lackest power to win thy goal on + high, +Thinkest thou to reach Es Suha,[FN#149] O deluded one, although + Even the moon's too far to come at, shining in the middle + sky? +How then dar'st thou hope my favours and aspire to twinned + delight And my spear-straight shape and slender in thine + arms to girdle sigh? +Leave this purpose, lest mine anger fall on thee some day of + wrath, Such as e'en the parting-places shall with white for + terror dye. + +Then she folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, who took +it and returned to Taj el Mulouk. When he saw her, he rose to his +feet and exclaimed, 'May God not bereave me of the blessing of +thy coming!' Quoth she, 'Take the answer to thy letter.' He took +it and reading it, wept sore and said, 'Would some one would slay +me now, for indeed death were easier to me than this my state!' +Then he took pen and inkhorn and paper and wrote the following +verses: + +O my hope, have done with rigour; lay disdain and anger by, Visit + one who, drowned in passion, doth for love and longing sigh. +Think not, under thine estrangement, that my life I will endure. + Lo, my soul, for very severance from thy sight, is like to + die. + +Then he folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, saying, +'Grudge it not to me, though I have wearied thee to no purpose.' +And he bade Aziz give her other thousand dinars, saying, 'O my +mother, needs must this letter result in perfect union or +complete separation.' 'O my son,' replied she, 'by Allah, I +desire nought but thy weal; and it is my wish that she be thine, +for indeed thou art the resplendent moon and she the rising sun. +If I do not bring you together, there is no profit in my life: +these ninety years have I lived in the practice of wile and +intrigue; so how should I fail to unite two lovers, though in +defiance of law?' Then she took leave of him, after comforting +his heart, and returned to the palace. Now she had hidden the +letter in her hair: so she sat down by the princess and rubbing +her head, said, 'O my lady, maybe thou wilt comb out my hair: for +it is long since I went to the bath.' The princess bared her arms +to the elbow and letting down the old woman's hair, began to comb +it, when out dropped the letter and Dunya seeing it, asked what +it was. Quoth the nurse, 'This paper must have stuck to me, as I +sat in the merchant's shop: give it me, that I may return it to +him; belike it contains some reckoning of which he hath need.' +But the princess opened it, and reading it, cried out, 'This is +one of thy tricks, and hadst thou not reared me, I would lay +violent hands on thee forthright! Verily God hath afflicted me +with this merchant: but all that hath befallen me with him is of +thy contrivance. I know not whence this fellow can have come: +none but he would venture to affront me thus, and I fear lest +this my case get wind, the more that it concerns one who is +neither of my rank nor of my peers.' 'None would dare speak of +this,' rejoined the old woman, 'for fear of thine anger and awe +of thy father; so there can be no harm in sending him an answer.' +'O my nurse,' said the princess, 'verily this fellow is a devil. +How can he dare to use such language to me and not dread the +Sultan's wrath? Indeed, I am perplexed about his case: if I order +him to be put to death, it were unjust; and if I leave him, his +presumption will increase.' 'Write him a letter,' rejoined the +old woman; 'it may be he will desist.' So she called for pen and +ink and paper and wrote the following verses: + +Again and again I chide thee, yet folly ever again Lures thee: + how long, with my writing, in verse shall I bid thee + refrain, +Whilst thou but growest in boldness for all forbidding? But I No + grace save to keep thy secret, unto thy prayers may deign. +Conceal thy passion nor ever reveal it; for, an thou speak, I + will surely show thee no mercy nor yet my wrath contain. +If to thy foolish daring thou turn thee anew, for sure, The raven + of evil omen shall croak for thee death and bane; +And slaughter shall come upon thee ere long, and under the earth + To seek for a place of abiding, God wot, thou shalt be fain. +Thy people, O self-deluder, thou'lt leave in mourning for thee; + Ay, all their lives they shall sorrow for thee, fordone and + slain. + +Then she folded the letter and committed it to the old woman, who +took it and returning to Taj el Mulouk, gave it to him. When he +read it, he knew that the princess was hard-hearted and that he +should not win to her; so he complained to the Vizier and +besought his advice. Quoth he, 'Nothing will profit thee save +that thou write to her and invoke the wrath of God upon her.' And +he said to Aziz, 'O my brother, do thou write to her in my name, +according to thy knowledge.' So Aziz took a scroll and wrote the +following verses: + +O Lord, by the Five Elders, deliver me, I pray, And her, for whom + I suffer, in like affliction lay! +Thou knowest that I weary in raging flames of love; Whilst she I + love is cruel and saith me ever nay. +How long shall I be tender to her, despite my pain? How long + shall she ride roughshod o'er my weakness night and day? +In agonies I wander of never-ceasing death And find nor friend + nor helper, O Lord, to be my stay. +Full fain would I forget her; but how can I forget, When for + desire my patience is wasted all away? +Thou that forbidst my passion the sweets of happy love, Art thou + then safe from fortune, that shifts and changes aye? +Art thou not glad and easeful and blest with happy life, Whilst + I, for thee, an exile from folk and country stray? + +Then he folded the letter and gave it to Taj el Mulouk, who read +the verses and was pleased with them. So he handed the letter to +the old woman, who took it and carried it to the princess. When +she read it, she was greatly enraged and said, 'All that has +befallen me comes from this pernicious old woman!' Then she cried +out to the damsels and eunuchs, saying, 'Seize this accursed old +trickstress and beat her with your slippers!' So they beat her +till she swooned away; and when she revived, the princess said to +her, 'By Allah, O wicked old woman, did I not fear God the Most +High, I would kill thee!' Then she bade them beat her again, and +they did so, till she fainted a second time, whereupon the +princess ordered them to drag her forth and throw her without the +palace. So they dragged her along on her face and threw her down +before the gate. When she came to herself, she rose and made the +best of her way home, walking and resting by turns. She passed +the night in her own house and in the morning, she went to Taj el +Mulouk and told him what had passed, at which he was distressed +and said, 'O my mother, this that has befallen thee is grievous +to us; but all things are according to fate and destiny.' 'Take +comfort and be of good cheer,' replied she; 'for I will not give +over striving, till I have brought thee and her together and made +thee to enjoy the vile baggage who hath tortured me with +beating.' Quoth the prince, 'Tell me the reason of her aversion +to men.' 'It arose from what she saw in a dream,' answered the +old woman. 'And what was this dream?' asked the prince. 'One +night,' replied she, 'as she lay asleep, she saw a fowler spread +his net upon the ground and scatter grain round it. Then he sat +down hard by, and all the birds in the neighbourhood flocked to +the net. Amongst the rest she saw a pair of pigeons, male and +female; and whilst she was watching the net, the male bird's foot +caught in it and he began to struggle, whereupon all the other +birds took fright and flew away. But presently his mate came back +and hovered over him, then alighted on the net, unobserved by the +fowler, and fell to picking and pulling at the mesh in which the +male bird's foot was entangled with her beak, till she released +him and they flew away together. Then the fowler came up and +mended his net and seated himself afar off. After awhile, the +birds came back and the female pigeon was caught in the net, +whereupon all the other birds took fright and flew away; and the +male pigeon flew away with the rest and did not return to his +mate. Then came the fowler and took the female pigeon and killed +her. So the princess awoke, troubled by her dream, and said, "All +males are worthless, like this pigeon: and men in general are +wanting in goodness to women."' When the old woman had made an +end of her story, the prince said to her, 'O my mother, I desire +to have one look at her, though it be my death; so do thou +contrive me some means of seeing her.' 'Know then,' answered she, +'that she hath under her palace windows a pleasure-garden, to +which she resorts once in every month by the private door. In ten +days, the time of her thus going forth will arrive; so when she +is about to visit the garden, I will come and tell thee, that +thou mayst go thither and meet her. And look thou quit not the +garden, for haply, if she sees thy beauty and grace, her heart +will be taken with love of thee, and love is the most potent +means of union.' 'I hear and obey,' replied Taj el Mulouk. Then +he and Aziz left the shop, and taking the old woman with them, +showed her where they lodged. Then said the prince to Aziz, 'I +have no further need of the shop, having fulfilled my purpose of +it; so I give it to thee with all that is in it; for that thou +hast come abroad with me and hast left thy country for my sake.' +Aziz accepted his gift and they sat conversing awhile, the prince +questioning the young merchant of the strange passages of his +life and the latter acquainting him with the particulars thereof. +Presently, they went to the Vizier and acquainting him with Taj +el Mulouk's purpose, asked him what they should do. 'Let us go to +the garden,' answered he. So they donned their richest clothes +and went forth, followed by three white slaves, to the garden, +which they found thick with trees and abounding in rills. At the +gate, they saw the keeper sitting; so they saluted him and he +returned their salute. Then the Vizier gave him a hundred dinars, +saying, 'Prithee, take this spending-money and fetch us something +to eat; for we are strangers and I have with me these two lads, +whom I wish to divert.' The gardener took the money and said to +them, 'Enter and take your pleasure in the garden, for it is all +yours; and sit down till I bring you what you require.' So he +went to the market, and the Vizier and his companions entered the +garden. In a little while, the gardener returned with a roasted +lamb and bread as white as cotton, which he placed before them, +and they ate and drank; after which he set on sweetmeats, and +they ate of them, then washed their hands and sat talking. +Presently the Vizier said to the gardener, 'Tell me about this +garden: is it thine or dost thou rent it?' 'It does not belong to +me,' replied he, 'but to the Princess Dunya, the King's +daughter.' 'What is thy wage?' asked the Vizier, and the gardener +answered, 'One dinar every month and no more.' Then the Vizier +looked round about the garden and seeing in its midst a pavilion, +lofty but old and dilapidated, said to the keeper, 'O elder, I am +minded to do here a good work, by which thou shalt remember me.' +'O my lord,' rejoined the other, 'what is that?' 'Take these +three hundred dinars,' answered the Vizier. When the keeper heard +speak of the dinars, he said, 'O my lord, do what thou wilt.' So +the Vizier gave him the money, saying, 'God willing, we will work +a good work in this place.' Then they left the garden and +returned to their lodging, where they passed the night. Next day, +the Vizier sent for a plasterer and a painter and a skilful +goldsmith, and furnishing them with all the tools and materials +that they required, carried them to the garden, where he bade +them plaster the walls of the pavilion and decorate it with +various kinds of paintings. Then he sent for gold and ultramarine +and said to the painter, 'Paint me on the wall, at the upper end +of the saloon, a fowler, with his nets spread and birds lighted +round them and a female pigeon fallen into the net and entangled +therein by the bill. Let this fill one compartment of the wall, +and on the other paint the fowler seizing the pigeon and setting +the knife to her throat, whilst the third compartment of the +picture must show a great hawk seizing the male pigeon, her mate, +and digging his talons into him.' The painter did as the Vizier +bade him, and when he and the other workmen had finished, they +took their hire and went away. Then the Vizier and his companions +took leave of the gardener and returned to their lodging, where +they sat down to converse. And Taj el Mulouk said to Aziz, 'O my +brother, recite me some verses: haply it may dilate my breast and +dispel my sad thoughts and assuage the fire of my heart.' So Aziz +chanted the following verses: + +All that they fable lovers feel of anguish and despite, I in + myself comprise, and so my strength is crushed outright; +And if thou seekst a watering-place, see, from my streaming eyes, + Rivers of tears for those who thirst run ever day and night. +Or, if thou fain wouldst look upon the ruin passion's hands Can + wreak on lovers, let thy gaze upon my body light. + +And his eyes ran over with tears and he repeated these verses +also: + +Who loves not the necks and the eyes of the fair and pretends, + forsooth, To know the delight of the world, God wot, he + speaks not the truth +For in love is a secret meaning that none may win to know Save he + who has loved indeed and known its wrath and ruth. +May God not lighten my heart of passion for her I love Nor ease + my eyelids, for love, of wakefulness in my youth! + +Then he sang the following: + +Avicenna pretends, in his writings renowned, That the lover's + best medicine is song and sweet sound +And dalliance with one of his sex like his love And drinking, + with waters and fruits all around. +I took me another, to heal me for thee, And fate was propitious + and grace did abound +Yet I knew love a mortal disease, against which Avicenna his + remedy idle I found. + +Taj el Mulouk was pleased with his verses and wondered at his +eloquence and the excellence of his recitation, saying, 'Indeed +thou hast done away from me somewhat of my concern.' Then said +the Vizier, 'Of a truth there occurred to those of times past +what astounds those who hear it.' 'If thou canst recall any fine +verse of this kind,' quoth the prince, 'I prithee let us hear it +and keep the talk in vogue.' So the Vizier chanted the following +verses: + +Methought thy favours might be bought and thou to give consent To + union won by gifts of gold and grace and blandishment: +And eke, for ignorance, I deemed thy love an easy thing, Thy love + in which the noblest souls for languor are forspent; +Until I saw thee choose one out and gratify that one With sweet + and subtle favours. Then, to me 'twas evident +Thy graces never might be won by any artifice; So underneath my + wing my head I hid incontinent +And in the nest of passion made my heart's abiding-place, Wherein + my morning and my night for evermore are pent. + +Meanwhile the old woman remained shut up in her house till it +befell that the princess was taken with a desire to divert +herself in the garden. Now this she had been wont to do only in +company with her nurse; so she sent for her and spoke her fair +and made her peace with her, saying, 'I wish to go forth to the +garden, that I may divert myself with the sight of its trees and +fruits and gladden my heart with its flowers.' 'I hear and obey,' +replied the old woman; 'but let me first go to my house and +change my dress, and I will be with thee anon.' 'Go,' said the +princess; 'but be not long absent from me.' So the old woman left +her and repairing to Taj el Mulouk, said to him, 'Don thy richest +clothes and go to the gardener and salute him and make shift to +hide thyself in the garden.' 'I hear and obey,' answered he; and +she agreed with him upon a signal to be made by her to him and +returned to the princess. As soon as she was gone, the Vizier and +Aziz rose and dressed Taj el Mulouk in a right costly suit of +kings' raiment, worth five thousand dinars, and girt his middle +with a girdle of gold set with jewels. Then he repaired to the +garden and found the keeper seated at the gate. As soon as the +latter saw him, he sprang to his feet and received him with all +respect and consideration and opening the gate, said, 'Enter and +take thy pleasure in the garden.' Now the gardener knew not that +the princess was to visit the garden that day: but Taj el Mulouk +had been there but a little while, when he heard a noise and ere +he could think, out came the eunuchs and damsels by the private +door. When the gardener saw this, he came up to the prince and +said to him, 'O my lord, what is to be done? The Princess Dunya, +the King's daughter, is here.' 'Fear not,' replied the prince; +'no harm shall befall thee: for I will conceal myself somewhere +about the garden.' So the gardener exhorted him to the utmost +prudence and went away. Presently, the princess entered the +garden, attended by her damsels and the old woman, who said to +herself, 'If these eunuchs abide with us, we shall not attain our +object.' So she said to the princess, 'O my lady, I have somewhat +to say to thee that will be for thy heart's ease.' 'Say on,' +replied the princess. 'O my lady,' said the old woman, 'thou hast +no present need of these eunuchs; send them away, for thou wilt +not be able to divert thyself at thine ease, whilst they are with +us.' 'Thou art right,' rejoined the princess. So she dismissed +the eunuchs and began to walk about, whilst Taj el Mulouk fed his +eyes on her beauty and grace, without her knowledge, and fainted +every time he looked at her, by reason of her surpassing +loveliness. The old woman held her in converse and drew her on +till they reached the pavilion, which the Vizier had caused to be +decorated afresh, when the princess entered and looking round, +perceived the picture of the fowler and the birds; whereupon she +exclaimed, 'Glory be to God! This is the very presentment of what +I saw in my dream.' She continued to gaze at the painting, full +of admiration, and presently she said, 'O my nurse, I have been +wont to blame and dislike men, by reason of my having seen in my +dream the female pigeon abandoned by her mate; but now see how +the male pigeon was minded to return and set her free; but the +hawk met him and tore him in pieces.' The old woman, however, +feigned ignorance and ceased not to hold her in converse, till +they drew near the place where the prince lay hidden, whereupon +she signed to him to come out and walk under the windows of the +pavilion. He did so: and presently the princess, chancing to look +out, saw him and noting his beauty and symmetry, said to the old +woman, 'O my nurse, whence comes yonder handsome youth?' 'I know +nothing of him,' replied the old woman, 'except that I think he +must be some great king's son, for he attains the utmost extreme +of beauty and grace.' The princess fell passionately in love with +him; the spells that bound her were dissolved and her reason was +overcome by his beauty and elegance. So she said to the old +woman, 'O my nurse this is indeed a handsome youth.' 'Thou art in +the right O my lady!' replied the nurse and signed to Taj el +Mulouk to go home. So he went away, not daring to cross her +though desire flamed in him and he was distraught for love and +longing, and taking leave of the gardener, returned to his +lodging, where he told the Vizier and Aziz all that had passed. +They exhorted him to patience, saying, 'Did not the old woman +know that there was an object to be gained by thy departure, she +had not signed to thee to return home.' + +Meanwhile, desire and passion redoubled upon the princess, and +she was overcome with love-longing and said to the old woman, 'I +know not how I shall foregather with this youth, but through +thee.' 'God be my refuge from Satan the Accursed!' exclaimed the +old woman. 'Thou that art averse from men! How comes it that thou +art thus afflicted with love of this young man? Though, by Allah, +none is worthy of thy youth but he!' 'O my nurse,' said the +princess, 'help me to foregather with him, and thou shalt have of +me a thousand dinars and a dress worth as much more: but if thou +aid me not to come at him, I shall assuredly die.' 'Go to thy +palace,' replied the nurse, 'and leave me to devise means for +bringing you together. I will risk my life to content you both.' +So the princess returned to her palace, and the old woman betook +herself to Taj el Mulouk, who rose to receive her and entreated +her with respect and honour, making her sit by his side. Then +said she, 'The device hath succeeded,' and told him all that had +passed between the princess and herself. 'When is our meeting to +be?' asked he. 'To-morrow,' replied the old woman. So he gave her +a thousand dinars and a dress of equal value, and she took them +and returned to the princess, who said to her, as soon as she saw +her, 'O my nurse, what news of my beloved?' 'I have discovered +where he lives,' replied she, 'and will bring him to thee +to-morrow.' At this the princess was glad and gave her a thousand +dinars and a dress worth as much more, with which she returned to +her own house, where she passed the night. Next morning, she went +to Taj el Mulouk and dressing him in women's clothes, said to +him, 'Follow me and sway from side to side, as thou goest, and do +not hasten in thy walk nor take heed of any that speaks to thee.' +Then she went out and walked on, followed by the prince, whom she +continued to lesson and hearten by the way, that he might not be +afraid, till they came to the palace gate. She entered and the +prince after her, and she led him through doors and vestibules, +till they had passed six doors. As they approached the seventh +door, she said to him, 'Take courage and when I call out to thee +and say, "Pass, O damsel!" do not hesitate, but hasten on. When +thou art in the vestibule, thou wilt see on thy left a gallery, +with doors along it: count five doors and enter the sixth, for +therein is thy desire.' 'And whither wilt thou go?' asked the +prince. 'Nowhere,' answered she; 'except that I may drop behind +thee and the chief eunuch may detain me, whilst I talk with him.' +Then they went up to the door, where the chief eunuch was +stationed, and he, seeing Taj el Mulouk with her, dressed as a +slave-girl, said to the old woman, 'What girl is this with +thee?' Quoth she, 'This is a slave-girl of whom the Princess +Dunya has heard that she is skilled in different arts, and she +hath a mind to buy her.' 'I know no slave-girl,' rejoined the +eunuch, 'nor any one else; and none shall enter here without +being searched by me, according to the King's orders.' At this +the old woman feigned to be angry and said, 'I thought thee a man +of sense and good breeding: but, if thou be changed, I will let +the princess know of it and how thou hinderest her slave-girl.' +Then she cried out to Taj el Mulouk, saying, 'Pass on, O damsel!' +So he passed on into the vestibule, whilst the eunuch was silent +and said nothing. Then the prince counted five doors and entered +the sixth, where he found the Princess Dunya standing awaiting +him. As soon as she saw him, she knew him and pressed him to her +bosom, and he returned her embrace. Then the old woman came in to +them, having made a pretext to dismiss the princess's attendants +for fear of discovery, and the princess said to her, 'Do thou +keep the door.' So she and Taj el Mulouk abode alone together and +passed the night in kissing and embracing and twining leg with +leg. When the day drew near, she left him and shutting the door +upon him, passed in to another apartment, where she sat down +according to her wont, whilst her women came in to her, and she +attended to their affairs and conversed with them awhile. Then +she said to them, 'Leave me now, for I wish to be alone.' So they +withdrew and she betook herself to Taj el Mulouk, and the old +woman brought them food, of which they ate and after fell again +to amorous dalliance, till the dawn. Then the princess left him, +and locked the door as before; and they ceased not to do thus for +a whole month. + +Meanwhile, the Vizier and Aziz, when they found that the prince +did not return from the princess's palace all this while, gave +him up for lost and Aziz said to the Vizier, 'O my father, what +shall we do?' 'O my son,' answered he, 'this is a difficult +matter, and except we return to his father and tell him, he will +blame us.' So they made ready at once and setting out, journeyed +night and day along the valleys, in the direction of the Green +Country, till they reached King Suleiman's capital and presenting +themselves before him, acquainted him with what had befallen his +son and how they had heard no news of him, since he entered the +princess's palace. At this the King was greatly troubled and +regret was sore upon him, and he let call a holy war throughout +his realm. Then he encamped without the town with his troops and +took up his abode in his pavilion, whilst the levies came from +all parts of the kingdom; for his subjects loved him by reason of +his much justice and beneficence. As soon as his forces were +assembled, he took horse, with an army covering the country as +far as the eye could reach, and departed in quest of his son Taj +el Mulouk. Meanwhile, the latter sojourned with the princess half +a year's time, whilst every day they redoubled in mutual +affection and distraction and passion and love-longing and desire +so pressed upon Taj el Mulouk, that at last he opened his mind to +the princess and said to her, 'Know, O beloved of my heart and +entrails, that the longer I abide with thee, the more longing and +passion and desire increase on me, for that I have not yet +fulfilled the whole of my desire.' 'What then wouldst thou have, +O light of my eyes and fruit of my entrails?' asked she. 'If thou +desire aught beside kissing and embracing and entwining of legs, +do what pleases thee; for, by Allah, none hath any part in us.' +'It is not that I desire,' rejoined he; 'but I would fain +acquaint thee with my true history. I am no merchant, but a King, +the son of a King, and my father is the supreme King Suleiman +Shah, who sent his Vizier ambassador to thy father, to demand thy +hand for me in marriage, but thou wouldst not consent.' Then he +told her his story from first to last, nor is there any profit in +repeating it, and added, 'And now I wish to return to my father, +that he may send an ambassador to thy father, to demand thy hand +for me, so we may be at ease.' When she heard this, she rejoiced +greatly, because it fell in with her own wishes, and they passed +the night on this understanding. But by the decree of Fate, it +befell that sleep overcame them that night above all nights and +they slept till the sun had risen. Now at this hour, King +Shehriman was sitting on his chair of estate, with his amirs and +grandees before him, when the chief of the goldsmiths presented +himself before him carrying a large box, which he opened and +brought out therefrom a small casket worth a hundred thousand +dinars, for that which was therein of rubies and emeralds and +other jewels, beyond the competence of any King. When the King +saw this, he marveled at its beauty and turning to the chief +eunuch (him with whom the old woman had had to do, as before +related), said to him, 'O Kafour, take this casket to the +Princess Dunya.' The eunuch took the casket and repairing to the +princess's apartment, found the door shut and the old woman lying +asleep on the threshold; whereupon said he, 'Asleep at this +hour?' His voice aroused the old woman, who was terrified and +said to him, 'Wait till I fetch the key.' Then she went out and +fled for her life; but the eunuch, having his suspicions of her, +lifted the door off its hinges and entering, found the princess +and Taj el Mulouk lying asleep in each other's arms. At this +sight he was confounded and was about to return to the King, when +the princess awoke, and seeing him, was terrified and changed +colour and said to him, 'O Kafour, veil thou what God hath +veiled.' But he replied, 'I cannot conceal aught from the King;' +and locking the door on them, returned to Shehriman, who said to +him, 'Hast thou given the casket to the princess?' 'Here is the +casket,' answered the eunuch. 'Take it, for I cannot conceal +aught from thee. Know that I found a handsome young man in the +princess's arms, and they asleep in one bed.' The King commanded +them to be fetched and said to them, 'What manner of thing is +this!' and being violently enraged, seized a dagger and was about +to strike Taj el Mulouk with it, when the princess threw herself +upon him and said to her father, 'Slay me before him.' The King +reviled her and commanded her to be taken back to her chamber: +then he turned to Taj el Mulouk and said to him, 'Woe to thee! +Whence art thou? Who is thy father and what hath emboldened thee +to debauch my daughter?' 'Know, O King,' replied the prince, +'that if thou put me to death, thou wilt repent it, for it will +be thy ruin and that of all in thy dominions.' 'How so?' asked +the King. 'Know,' answered Taj el Mulouk, 'that I am the son of +King Suleiman Shah, and before thou knowest it, he will be upon +thee with his horse and foot.' When King Shehriman heard this, he +would have forborne to kill Taj el Mulouk and put him in prison, +till he should know the truth of his words; but his Vizier said +to him, 'O King of the age, it is my counsel that thou make haste +to slay this gallows-bird, that dares debauch kings' daughters.' +So the King said to the headsman, 'Strike off his head; for he is +a traitor.' Accordingly, the headsman took him and binding him +fast, raised his hand to the amirs, as if to consult them, a +first and a second time, thinking to gain time; but the King said +to him, 'How long wilt thou consult the amirs? If thou do so +again, I will strike off thine own head.' So the headsman raised +his hand, till the hair of his armpit appeared, and was about to +smite off Taj el Mulouk's head, when suddenly loud cries arose +and the people closed their strops; whereupon the King said to +him, 'Wait awhile,' and despatched one to learn the news. +Presently, the messenger returned and said, 'I see an army like +the stormy sea with its clashing billows; the earth trembles with +the tramp of their horses, and I know not the reason of their +coming.' When the King heard this, he was confounded and feared +lest his realm should be torn from him; so he turned to his +Vizier and said, 'Have not any of our troops gone forth to meet +this army?' But before he had done speaking, his chamberlains +entered with messengers from the approaching host, and amongst +them the Vizier who had accompanied Taj el Mulouk. They saluted +the King, who rose to receive them and bidding them draw near, +enquired the reason of their coming; whereupon the Vizier came +forward and said, 'Know that he who hath invaded thy realm is no +king like unto the Kings and Sultans of time past.' 'Who is he?' +asked Shehriman, and the Vizier replied, 'He is the lord of +justice and loyalty, the report of whose magnanimity the caravans +have blazed abroad, the Sultan Suleiman Shah, lord of the Green +Country and the Two Columns and the mountains of Ispahan, he who +loves justice and equity and abhors iniquity and oppression. He +saith to thee that his son, the darling of his heart and the +fruit of his loins, is with thee and in this thy city; and if he +find him in safety, his aim is won and thou shalt have praise and +thanks; but if he have disappeared from thy dominions or if aught +have befallen him, look thou for ruin and the laying waste of thy +realm; for this thy city shall become a desert, in which the +raven shall croak. Thus have I done my errand to thee and peace +be on thee!' When King Shehriman heard these words, his heart was +troubled and he feared for his kingdom: so he cried out for his +grandees and viziers and chamberlains and officers; and when they +appeared, he said to them, 'Out on you! Go down and search for +the young man!' Now the prince was still under the headsman's +hands, but he was changed by the fright he had undergone. +Presently, the Vizier, chancing to look aside, saw the prince on +the carpet of blood and knew him; so he threw himself upon him, +as did the other envoys. Then they loosed his bonds and kissed +his hands and feet, whereupon he opened his eyes and recognizing +his father's Vizier and his friend Aziz, fell down in a swoon, +for excess of delight in them. When King Shehriman saw that the +coming of the army was indeed on this youth's account, he was +confounded and feared greatly; so he went up to Taj el Mulouk and +kissing his head, said to him, with streaming eyes, 'O my son, +bear me not malice neither blame the sinner for his evil-doing: +but have compassion on my gray hairs and do not lay waste my +kingdom.' But Taj el Mulouk drew near unto him and kissing his +hand, replied, 'Fear not: no harm shall come to thee, for indeed +thou art to me as my father; but look that nought befall my +beloved, the lady Dunya.' 'O my lord,' replied the King, 'fear +not for her; nought but joy shall betide her.' And he went on to +excuse himself to him and made his peace with King Suleiman's +Vizier, to whom he promised much money, if he would conceal from +the King what he had seen. Then he bade his officers carry the +prince to the bath and clothe him in one of the best of his own +suits and bring him back speedily. So they carried him to the +bath and brought him back to the presence-chamber, after having +clad him in the suit that the King had set apart for him. When he +entered, the King rose to receive him and made all his grandees +stand in attendance on him. Then he sat down to converse with +Aziz and the Vizier and acquainted them with what had befallen +him; after which they told him how they had returned to his +father and given him to know of his son's perilous plight and +added, 'And indeed our coming hath brought thee relief and us +gladness.' Quoth he, 'Good fortune hath attended your every +action, first and last.' + +Meanwhile, King Shehriman went in to his daughter, the Princess +Dunya, and found her weeping and lamenting for Taj el Mulouk. +Moreover, she had taken a sword and fixed the hilt in the earth, +with the point to her heart between her breasts; and she bent +over it, saying, 'Needs must I kill myself and not live after my +beloved.' When her father entered and saw her in this case, he +cried out, 'O princess of kings' daughters, hold thy hand and +have compassion on thy father and the people of thy realm!' Then +he came up to her and said, 'God forbid that an ill thing should +befall thy father for thy sake!' And he told her that her lover +was the son of King Suleiman Shah and sought her to wife and that +the marriage waited only for her consent; whereat she smiled and +said, 'Did I not tell thee that he was a king's son? By Allah, I +must let him crucify thee on a piece of wood worth two dirhems!' +'O my daughter,' answered the King, 'have mercy on me, so may God +have mercy on thee!' 'Harkye,' rejoined she, 'make haste and +bring him to me without delay.' The King replied, 'On my head and +eyes be it,' and returning in haste to Taj el Mulouk, repeated +her words in his ear. So he arose and accompanied the King to the +princess, who caught hold of him and embraced him in her father's +presence and kissed him, saying, 'Thou hast made me a weary +woman!' Then she turned to her father and said to him, 'Sawst +thou ever any do hurt to the like of this fair creature, more by +token that he is a king, the son of a king, and of the free-bon, +guarded against abominations?' Therewith Shehriman went out and +shutting the door on them with his own hand, returned to the +Vizier and the other envoys and bade them report to their King +that his son was in health and gladness and enjoying all delight +of life with his beloved. So they returned to King Suleiman and +acquainted him with this, whereat he rejoiced and exclaimed, +'Praised be God who hath brought my son to his desire!' + +Meanwhile, King Shehriman despatched largesse of money and +victual to King Suleiman's troops, and choosing out a hundred +coursers and a hundred dromedaries and a hundred white slaves and +a hundred concubines and a hundred black slaves and a hundred +female slaves, sent them all to the King as a present. Then he +took horse, with his grandees and chief officers, and rode out of +the city in the direction of King Suleiman's camp. As soon as the +latter knew of his approach, he rose and advancing some paces to +meet him, took him in his arms and made him sit down beside +himself on the royal couch, where they conversed awhile frankly +and cheerfully. Then food was set before them, followed by +sweetmeats and fruits, and they ate till they were satisfied. +Presently, they were joined by Taj el Mulouk, richly dressed and +adorned, and when his father saw him, he rose and embraced him +and kissed him. Then the two kings seated him between them, +whilst all who were present rose to do him honour; and they sat +conversing awhile, after which quoth King Suleiman to King +Shehriman, 'I wish to have the contract between my son and thy +daughter drawn up in the presence of witnesses, that the marriage +may be made public, as of wont.' 'I hear and obey,' answered King +Shehriman and summoned the Cadi and the witnesses, who came and +drew up the marriage contract between the prince and princess. +Then they gave largesse of money and sweetmeats and burnt +perfumes and sprinkled essences. And indeed it was a day of joy +and festivity, and the grandees and soldiers rejoiced therein. +Then King Shehriman proceeded to equip his daughter; and Taj el +Mulouk said to his father, 'Of a truth, this young man Aziz is a +man of great worth and generosity and hath done me right noble +service, having wearied for me and travelled with me till he +brought me to my desire. Indeed, he ceased never to have patience +with me and exhort me to patience, till I accomplished my intent; +and he has now companied with us two whole years, cut off from +his native land. So now I purpose to equip him with merchandise, +that he may depart with a light heart; for his country is near at +hand.' 'It is well seen,' replied his father: so they made ready +a hundred loads of the richest and most costly stuffs, which Taj +el Mulouk presented to Aziz, saying, 'O my brother and my true +friend, take these loads and accept them from me, as a gift and +token of affection, and go in peace to thine own country.' Aziz +accepted the presents and kissing the earth before the prince and +his father, bade them farewell. Moreover, Taj el Mulouk mounted +and brought him three miles on his homeward way, after which Aziz +conjured him to turn back, saying, 'By Allah, O my lord, were it +not for my mother, I would never part from thee! But leave me not +without news of thee.' 'So be it,' replied Taj el Mulouk. Then +the prince returned to the city, and Aziz journeyed on, till he +came to his native town and repairing to his mother's house, +found that she had built him a monument in the midst of the +courtyard and used to visit it continually. When he entered, he +found her, with her hair dishevelled and spread over the tomb, +weeping and repeating the following verses: + +Indeed, I'm very patient 'gainst all that can betide; Yet do I + lack of patience thine absence to abide. +Who is there can have patience after his friend and who Bows not + the head to parting, that comes with rapid stride? + +Then sobs burst up out of her breast, and she repeated these +verses also: + +What ails me? I pass by the graveyard, saluting the tomb of my + son, And yet no greeting he gives me and answer comes there + none. +"How shall I give thee an answer, who lie in the grip of the + grave, The hostage of earth and corruption," replies the + beloved one. +"The dust hath eaten my beauties and I have forgotten thee, Shut + in from kindred and lovers and stars and moon and sun." + +Then Aziz came in to her, and when she saw him, she fell down in +a swoon for joy. He sprinkled water on her, till she revived and +rising, took him in her arms and strained him to her bosom, +whilst he in like manner embraced her. Then they exchanged +greetings, and she asked the reason of his long absence, +whereupon he told her all that had befallen him from first to +last and how Taj el Mulouk had given him a hundred loads of +wealth and stuffs. At this she rejoiced, and Aziz abode with his +mother in his native town, weeping for what had befallen him with +the daughter of Delileh the Crafty, even her who had gelded him. + +Meanwhile, Taj el Mulouk went in to his beloved, the Princess +Dunya, and did away her maidenhead. Then King Shehriman proceeded +to equip his daughter for her journey with her husband and +father-in-law and let bring them victual and gifts and rarities. +So they loaded their beasts and set forth, whilst Shehriman +brought them three days' journey on their way, till King Suleiman +begged him to return. So he took leave of them and turned back, +and Taj el Mulouk and his wife and father journeyed on, night and +day, with their troops, till they drew near the capital of the +Green Country. As soon as the news of their coming became known, +the folk decorated the city; so in they entered, and the King +sitting down on his chair of estate, with his son by his side, +gave alms and largesse and loosed those who were in bonds. Then +he held a second bridal for his son, and the sound of the +singing-women and players upon instruments of music ceased not +for a whole month, during which time the tire-women stinted not +to adorn the bride and display her in various dresses; and she +tired not of the unveiling nor did they weary of gazing on her. +Then Taj el Mulouk, after having companied awhile with his father +and mother, took up his sojourn with his wife, and they abode in +all delight of life and fair fortune, till there came to them the +Destroyer of Delights." + +When the Vizier had made an end of the story of Taj el Mulouk and +the Princess Dunya, Zoulmekan said to him, "Of a truth, it is the +like of thee who lighten the mourning heart and are worthy to be +the companions of kings and to guide their policy in the right +way." + +Meanwhile, they ceased not from the leaguer of Constantinople; +and there they lay four whole years, till they yearned after +their native land and the troops murmured, being weary of siege +and vigil and stress of war by night and by day. Then King +Zoulmekan summoned Rustem and Behram and Terkash and bespoke them +thus, "Know that all these years we have lain here and have not +come by our intent and have gotten us but increase of trouble and +concern; for indeed we came, thinking to take our wreak for King +Omar ben Ennuman and behold, my brother Sherkan was slain; so is +our sorrow grown two sorrows and our affliction two afflictions. +All this came of the old woman Dhat ed Dewahi, for it was she who +slew the Sultan in his kingdom and carried off his wife, the +Princess Sufiyeh; nor did this suffice her, but she must put +another cheat on us and slay my brother Sherkan: and indeed I +have bound myself and sworn by the most solemn oaths to avenge +them of her. What say ye? Ponder my words and answer me." With +this, they bowed their heads and answered, "It is for the Vizier +Dendan to decide." So the Vizier came forward and said, "O King +of the age, it avails us nothing to tarry here, and it is my +counsel that we strike camp and return to our own country, there +to abide awhile and after return and fall upon the worshippers of +idols." "This is a good counsel," replied the King; "for indeed +the folk weary for a sight of their families, and I also am +troubled with yearning after my son Kanmakan and my brother's +daughter Kuzia Fekan, for she is in Damascus and I know not how +it is with her." So he bade the herald call the retreat after +three days, whereupon the troops rejoiced and blessed the Vizier +Dendan. Then they fell to preparing for the homeward march and on +the fourth day, they beat the drums and unfurled the banners and +the army set forth, the Vizier in the van and the King riding in +the mid-battle, with the Great Chamberlain by his side, and +journeyed night and day, till they reached Baghdad. The folk +rejoiced in their return, and care and hardship ceased from them, +whilst those who had stayed at home came forth to meet those who +had been so long absent and each amir betook him to his own +house. As for Zoulmekan, he went up to the palace and went into +his son Kanmakan, who had now reached the age of seven and used +to go down [into the tilting-ground] and ride. As soon as the +King was rested of his journey, he entered the bath with his son, +and returning, seated himself on his chair of estate, whilst the +Vizier Dendan took up his station before him and the amirs and +grandees of the realm entered and stood in attendance upon him. +Then he called for his comrade the stoker, who had befriended him +in his strangerhood; and when he came, the King rose to do him +honour and made him sit by his own side. Now he had acquainted +the Vizier with all the kindness and fair service that the stoker +had done him; so the Vizier and all the amirs made much of him. +The stoker had waxed fat and burly with rest and good living, so +that his neck was like an elephant's neck and his face like a +porpoise's belly. Moreover, he was grown dull of wit, for that he +had never stirred from his place; so at the first he knew not the +King by his aspect. But Zoulmekan came up to him smilingly and +saluted him after the friendliest fashion, saying, "How hast thou +made haste to forget me!" So the stoker roused himself and +looking steadfastly on Zoulmekan knew him: whereupon he sprang to +his feet and exclaimed. "O my friend, who hath made thee Sultan?" +Zoulmekan laughed at him and the Vizier, coming up to him, +expounded the whole story to him and said, "He was thy brother +and thy friend; and now he is King of the land and needs must +thou get great good of him. So I counsel thee, if he say to thee, +'Ask a boon of me,' ask not but for some great thing; for thou +art very dear to him." Quoth the stoker, "I fear lest, if I ask +of him aught, he may not choose to grant it or may not be able +thereto." "Have no care," answered the Vizier; "whatsoever thou +asketh, he will give thee." "By Allah," rejoined the stoker, "I +must ask of him a thing that is in my thought! Every night I +dream of it and implore God to vouchsafe it to me." "Take heart," +said the Vizier. "By Allah, if thou askedst of him the government +of Damascus, in the room of his brother he would surely give it +thee." With this, the stoker rose to his feet and Zoulmekan +signed to him to sit; but he refused, saying, "God forfend! The +days are gone by of my sitting in thy presence." "Not so," +answered the Sultan; "they endure even now. Thou wert the cause +that I am now alive, and by Allah, what thing soever thou askest +of me, I will give it to thee! But ask thou first of God, and +then of me." "O my lord," said the stoker, "I fear...," "Fear +not," quoth the Sultan. "I fear," continued he, "to ask aught and +that thou shouldst refuse it to me." At this the King laughed and +replied, "If thou askedst of me the half of my kingdom, I would +share it with thee: so ask what thou wilt and leave talking." "I +fear...," repeated the stoker. "Do not fear," said the King. "I +fear," went on the stoker, "lest I ask a thing and thou be not +able thereto." With this, the Sultan waxed wroth and said, "Ask +what thou wilt." Then said the stoker, "I ask, first of God and +then of thee, that thou write me a patent of mastership over all +the stokers in Jerusalem." The Sultan and all who were present +laughed and Zoulmekan said, "Ask somewhat other than this." "O my +lord," replied the stoker, "said I not I feared thou wouldst not +choose to grant me what I should ask or be not able thereto?" +Therewith the Vizier nudged him once and twice and thrice, and +every time he began, "I ask of thee..." Quoth the Sultan, "Ask +and be speedy." So he said, "I beseech thee to make me captain of +the scavengers in Jerusalem or Damascus." Then all those who were +present laughed, till they fell backward, and the Vizier beat +him. So he turned to the Vizier and said to him, "What art thou +that thou shouldst beat me? It is no fault of mine: didst thou +not bid me ask some considerable thing? Let me go to my own +country." With this, the Sultan knew that he was jesting and took +patience with him awhile; then turned to him and said, "O my +brother, ask of me some considerable thing, befitting our +dignity." So the stoker said, "O King of the age, I ask first of +God and then of thee, that thou make me Viceroy of Damascus in +the room of thy brother." "God granteth thee this," answered the +King. So the stoker kissed the ground before him, and he bade set +him a chair in his rank and put on him a viceroy's habit. Then he +wrote him a patent of investiture and sealing it with his own +seal, said to the Vizier, "None shall go with him but thou; and +when thou returnest, do thou bring with thee my brother's +daughter, Kuzia Fekan." "I hear and obey," answered the Vizier +and taking the stoker, went down with him and made ready for the +journey. Then the King appointed the stoker servants and officers +and gave him a new litter and princely equipage and said to the +amirs, "Whoso loves me, let him honour this man and give him +a handsome present." So they brought him every one his gift, +according to his competence; and the King named him Ziblcan, +[FN#150] and conferred on him the surname of honour of El +Mujahid.[FN#151] As soon as the new Viceroy's gear was ready, he +went up with the Vizier to the King, to take leave of him and ask +his permission to depart. The King rose to him and embracing him, +exhorted him to do justice among his subjects and deal fairly +with them and bade him make ready for war against the infidels +after two years Then they took leave of each other and King +Ziblcan, surnamed El Mujahid, set out on his journey, after the +amirs had brought him slaves and servants, even to five thousand +in number, who rode after him. The Grand Chamberlain also took +horse, as did Behram, captain of the Medes, and Rustem, captain +of the Persians, and Terkash, captain of the Arabs, and rode with +him three days' journey, to do him honour and take their leaves +of him. Then they returned to Baghdad and the Sultan Ziblcan and +the Vizier Dendan fared on, with their company, till they drew +near Damascus. Now news was come upon the wings of birds, to the +notables of Damascus that King Zoulmekan had made Sultan over +Damascus a Sultan called Ziblcan el Mujahid; so when he reached +the city, he found it decorated in his honour, and all the folk +came out to gaze on him. He entered Damascus in great state and +went up to the citadel, where he sat down upon his chair of +estate, whilst the Vizier Dendan stood in attendance on him, to +acquaint him with the ranks and stations of the amirs. Then the +grandees came in to him and kissed hands and called down +blessings on him. He received them graciously and bestowed on +them gifts and dresses of honour; after which he opened the +treasuries and gave largesse to the troops, great and small. Then +he governed and did justice and proceeded to equip the lady Kuzia +Fekan, daughter of King Sherkan, appointing her a litter of +silken stuff. Moreover, he furnished the Vizier Dendan also for +the return journey and would have made him a gift of money, but +he refused, saying, "Thou art near the time of the tryst with the +King, and haply thou wilt have need of money, or we may send to +seek of thee funds for the Holy War or what not." When the Vizier +was ready, the Viceroy brought Kuzia Fekan to him and made her +mount the litter, giving her ten damsels to do her service. +Moreover, he mounted, to bid the Vizier farewell, and they set +forward, whilst Ziblcan returned to Damascus and busied himself +in ordering the affairs of his government and making ready his +harness of war, against such time as King Zoulmekan should send +to him there for. Meanwhile the Vizier and his company fared +forward by easy stages, till they came, after a month's travel, +to Ruhbeh[FN#152] and thence pushed on, till they drew near +Baghdad. Then he despatched messengers, to inform King Zoulmekan +of his arrival; and he, when he heard this, took horse and rode +out to meet him. The Vizier would have dismounted to receive him, +but the King conjured him not to do so and spurred his steed, +till he came up to him. Then he questioned him of Ziblcan, +whereto the Vizier replied that he was well and that he had +brought with him his brother's daughter, Kuzia Fekan. At this the +King rejoiced and said to Dendan, "Go thou and rest thee of the +fatigue of the journey, and after three days come to me again." +"With all my heart," replied the Vizier and betook himself to his +own house, whilst the King went up to his palace and went in to +his brother's daughter, who was then a girl of eight years old. +When he saw her, he rejoiced in her and sorrowed sore for her +father. Then he let make for her clothes and gave her splendid +jewels and ornaments and bade lodge her with his son Kanmakan in +one place. So they both grew up, the brightest and bravest of the +people of their time; but Kuzia Fekan grew up possessed of good +sense and understanding and knowledge of the issues of events, +whilst Kanmakan grew up generous and freehanded, taking no +thought to the issue of aught. Now Kuzia Fekan used to ride +a-horseback and fare forth with her cousin into the open plain +and range at large with him in the desert; and they both learnt +to smite with swords and thrust with spears. So they grew up, +till each of them attained the age of twelve, when King +Zoulmekan, having completed his preparations and provisions for +the Holy War, summoned the Vizier Dendan and said to him, "Know +that I am minded to do a thing, which I will discover to thee, +and do thou with speed return me an answer thereon." "What is +that, O King of the age?" asked the Vizier. "I am resolved," said +the King, "to make my son Kanmakan king and rejoice in him in my +lifetime and do battle before him, till death overcome me. What +deemest thou of this?" The Vizier kissed the earth before the +King and replied, "O King and Sultan, lord of the age and the +time, this that is in thy mind is indeed good, save that it is +now no time to carry it out, for two reasons: the first, that thy +son Kanmakan is yet of tender age; and the second, that it is of +wont that he who makes his son king in his lifetime, lives but a +little thereafterward." "Know, O Vizier," rejoined the King, +"that we will make the Grand Chamberlain guardian over him, for +he is art and part of us and he married my sister, so that he is +to me as a brother." Quoth the Vizier, "Do what seemeth good to +thee: we will obey thine orders." Then the King sent for the +Grand Chamberlain and the grandees of the kingdom and said to +them, "Ye know that this my son Kanmakan is the first cavalier of +the age and that he hath no peer in jousting and martial +exercises; and now I appoint him to be Sultan over you in my +stead and I make his uncle, the Grand Chamberlain, guardian over +him." "O King of the age," replied the Chamberlain, "I am but an +offset of thy bounty." And the King said, "O Chamberlain, verily +this my son Kanmakan and my niece Kuzia Fekan are brothers' +children; so I marry them one to the other and I call those +present to witness thereof." Then he made over to his son such +treasures as beggar description and going in to his sister Nuzhet +ez Zeman told her what he had done, whereat she rejoiced greatly +and said, "Verily, they are both my children. May God preserve +thee to them many a year!" "O my sister," replied he, "I have +accomplished that which was in my heart of the world and I have +no fear for my son: yet it were well that thou shouldst have a +watchful eye to him and to his mother." And he went on to commend +to the Chamberlain and Nuzhet ez Zeman his son and niece and +wife. Thus did he nights and days till he [fell sick and] deeming +surely that he should drink the cup of death, took to his bed and +abode thus a whole year, whilst the Chamberlain took upon himself +the ordering of the people and the realm. At the end of this +time, the King summoned his son Kanmakan and the Vizier Dendan +and said to the former, "O my son, this Vizier shall be thy +father, when I am dead; for know that I am about to leave this +transitory house of life for that which is eternal. And indeed I +have fulfilled my lust of this world; yet there remaineth in my +heart one regret, which may God dispel at thy hands!" "What +regret is that, O my father?" asked his son. "O my son," answered +Zoulmekan, "it is that I die without having avenged thy +grandfather Omar ben Ennuman and thine uncle Sherkan on an old +woman whom they call Dhat ed Dewahi; but, so God grant thee aid, +do not thou fail to take thy wreak on her and to wipe out the +disgrace we have suffered at the hands of the infidels. Beware of +the old woman's craft and do as the Vizier shall counsel thee; +for that he from of old time hath been the pillar of our realm." +And his son assented to what he said. Then the King's eyes ran +over with tears and his sickness redoubled on him, nor did it +leave to press sore upon him four whole years, during which time +his brother-in-law the Chamberlain held sway over the country, +judging and commanding and forbidding, to the contentment of the +people and the nobles, and all the land prayed for him[FN#153] +what while Zoulmekan was occupied with his malady. As for +Kanmakan, he had no thought but of riding and tilting with spears +and shooting with arrows, and thus also did his cousin Kuzia +Fekan; for they were wont to go forth at the first of the day and +return at nightfall, when she would go in to her mother and he to +his, to find her sitting weeping by his father's bed. Then he +would tend his father till daybreak, when he would go forth again +with his cousin, according to their wont. Now Zoulmekan's +sufferings were long upon him and he wept and recited these +verses: + +My strength is past away, my tale of days is told And I, alas! am + left even as thou dost behold. +In honour's day, the first amongst my folk was I, And in the race + for fame the foremost and most bold. +Would that before my death I might but see my son The empery in + my stead over the people hold +And rush upon his foes and take on them his wreak, At push of + sword and pike, in fury uncontrolled. +Lo, I'm a man fordone, in this world and the next, Except my + spright of God be solaced and consoled! + +When he had made an end of repeating these verses he laid his +head on his pillow and his eyes closed and he slept. In his sleep +he saw one who said to him, "Rejoice for thy son shall fill the +lands with justice and have the mastery over them and men shall +obey him." Then he awoke gladdened by this happy omen that he had +seen, and after a few days, death smote him, whereat great grief +fell on the people of Baghdad, and gentle and simple mourned for +him. But time passed over him, as if he had never been, and +Kanmakan's estate was changed; for the people of Baghdad set him +aside and put him and his family in a place apart. When his +mother saw this, she fell into the sorriest of plights and said, +"Needs must I go to the Grand Chamberlain, and I hope for the +favour of the Subtle, the All-Wise One!" Then she betook herself +to the house of the Chamberlain, who was now become Sultan, and +found him sitting upon his couch. So she went in to his wife +Nuzhet ez Zeman and wept sore and said, "Verily, the dead have no +friends. May God never bring you to need and may you cease not to +rule justly over rich and poor many days and years! Thine ears +have heard and thine eyes have seen all that was ours aforetime +of kingship and honour and dignity and wealth and goodliness of +life and condition; and now fortune hath turned upon us, and fate +and the time have played us false and wrought hostilely with us; +wherefore I come to thee, craving thy bounties, I that have been +used to confer favours; for when a man dies, women and girls are +brought low after him." And she repeated the following verses: + +Let it suffice thee that Death is the worker of wonders and know + That the lives which are gone from our sight will never + return to us mo'. +The days of the life of mankind are nothing but journeys, I wot, + whose watering-places for aye are mixed with misfortune and + woe. +Yet nothing afflicteth my heart like the loss of the good and the + great, Whom the stresses of adverse events have compassed + about and laid low. + + +When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard this, she remembered her brother +Zoulmekan and his son Kanmakan and making her draw near to her, +said to her, "By Allah, I am now rich and thou poor, and by +Allah, we did not leave to seek thee out, but that we feared to +wound thy heart, lest thou shouldst deem our gifts to thee an +alms. Of a truth, all the good that we now enjoy is from thee and +thy husband: so our house is thy house and our place thy place, +and all that we have of wealth and goods is thine." Then she clad +her richly and appointed her a lodging in the palace, adjoining +her own; and she and her son abode therein in all delight of +life. Him also did Nuzhet ez Zeman clothe in kings' raiment and +gave them handmaids to do them service. After a little, she told +her husband of her brother's widow, whereat his eyes filled with +tears and he said, "Wouldst thou see the world after thee, look +upon the world after another than thyself. Entertain her +honourably and enrich her poverty." + +Meanwhile, Kanmakan and Kuzia Fekan grew up and flourished, like +unto two fruit-laden saplings or two shining moons, till they +reached the age of fifteen. As for the girl, she was indeed the +fairest of the cloistered maids, with lovely face and smooth +cheeks, slender waist, heavy hips and arrowy shape, lips sweeter +than old wine and spittle as it were the fountain Selsebil of +Paradise, even as saith the poet, describing her: + +From her mouth's honeyed dew, meseems, the first-pressed wine is + drawn And on her sweetest lips the grapes, from which it's + crushed, are grown; +And when thou makest her to bend, its vines sway in her shape. + Blessed be He who fashioned her and may not be made known! + +For indeed God had united in her every attribute of beauty: her +shape put to shame the willow-wand and the rose sought grace +before her cheeks; the water of her mouth made mock of clear +wine, and she gladdened heart and eyes, even as saith of her the +poet: + +Goodly and glorious she is, and perfect in every charm. Her + eyelashes put to shame kohl and the users of kohl. +Even as a sword in the hand of Ali, the Vicar of God, So is the + glance of her eye to a lover's heart and soul. + +As for Kanmakan, he was no less accomplished in grace and +excelling in perfection; there was none could match with him in +beauty and qualities, and valour shone from between his liquid +black eyes, testifying for him and not against him. The hardest +hearts inclined to him; and when the tender down of his lips and +cheeks began to sprout, many were the poems made in his honour: +as for example quoth one: + +Unshown was my excuse, till on his cheek the hair Grew and the + darkness crept, bewildered, here and there. +A fawn, when eyes of men are fixed upon his charms, His glances + straight on them a trenchant poniard bare. + +And another: + +His lovers' souls have woven upon his cheek, I ween, A net the + blood has painted with all its ruddy sheen. +Oh, how at them I marvel! They're martyrs; yet they dwell In + fire, and for their raiment, they're clad in sendal + green.[FN#154] + +It chanced, one festival day, that Kuzia Fekan went out, +surrounded by her handmaids, to visit certain kindred of the +court; and indeed beauty encompassed her; the rose of her cheek +vied with the mole thereon, her teeth flashed from her smiling +lips, like the petals of the camomile flower, and she was as the +resplendent moon. Her cousin Kanmakan began to turn about her and +devour her with his eyes. Then he took courage and giving loose +to his tongue, repeated the following verses: + +When shall the mourning heart be healed of anger and disdain? + When, rigour ceasing, shall the lips of union smile again? +Would God I knew if I shall lie, some night, within the arms Of a + beloved, in whose heart is somewhat of my pain! + +When she heard this, she was angry and putting on a haughty air, +said to him, "Hast thou a mind to shame me among the folk, that +thou speakest thus of me in thy verse? By Allah, except thou +leave this talk, I will assuredly complain of thee to the Grand +Chamberlain, Sultan of Baghdad and Khorassan and lord of justice +and equity, whereby disgrace and punishment will fall on thee?" +To this Kanmakan made no reply, but returned to Baghdad: and +Kuzia Fekan also returned home and complained of her cousin to +her mother, who said to her, "O my daughter, belike he meant thee +no ill, and is he not an orphan? Indeed, he said nought that +implied reproach to thee; so look thou tell none of this, lest it +come to the Sultan's ears and he cut short his life and blot out +his name and make it even as yesterday, whose remembrance hath +passed away." How ever, Kanmakan's case was not hidden from the +people, and his love for Kuzia Fekan became known in Baghdad, so +that the women talked of it. Moreover, his heart became +contracted and his patience waned and he knew not what to do. +Then longed he to give vent to the anguish he endured, by reason +of the pangs of separation; but he feared her anger and her +rebuke: so he recited the following verses: + +What though I be fearful, anon, of her wrath, Whose humour serene + is grown troubled and dour, +I bear it with patience, as he who is sick Endureth a caut'ry in + hopes of a cure. + +His verses came one day to the knowledge of King Sasan (for so +had they named the Grand Chamberlain, on his assumption of the +Sultanate), as he sat on his throne, and he was told of the love +the prince bore to Kuzia Fekan; whereat he was sore vexed, and +going in to his wife Nuzhet ez Zeman, said to her, "Verily, to +bring together fire and dry grass is of the greatest of risks; +and men may not be trusted with women, so long as eyes cast +furtive glances and eyelids quiver. Now thy nephew Kanmakan is +come to man's estate and it behoves us to forbid him access to +the harem; nor is it less needful that thy daughter be kept from +the company of men, for the like of her should be cloistered." +"Thou sayest sooth, O wise King," answered she. Next day came +Kanmakan, according to his wont, and going in to his aunt, +saluted her. She returned his greeting and said to him, "O my +son, I have somewhat to say to thee, that I would fain leave +unsaid; yet must I tell it thee, in my own despite." "Speak," +said he. "Know then," rejoined she, "that thine uncle the +Chamberlain, the father of Kuzia Fekan, has heard of thy love for +her and the verses thou madest of her and has ordered that she be +kept from thee; wherefore, if thou have occasion for aught from +us, I will send it to thee from behind the door, and thou shalt +not look upon Kuzia Fekan nor return hither from day forth." When +he heard this, he withdrew, without speaking a word, and betook +himself to his mother, to whom he related what his aunt had said +to him. Quoth she, "This all comes of thy much talk. Thou knowest +that the news of thy passion for Kuzia Fekan is noised abroad +everywhere and how thou eatest their victual and makest love to +their daughter." "And who should have her but I?" replied the +prince. "She is the daughter of my father's brother and I have +the best of rights to her." "These are idle words," rejoined his +mother. "Be silent, lest thy talk come to King Sasan's ears and +it prove the cause of thy losing her and of thy ruin and increase +of affliction. They have not sent us the evening meal to-night +and we shall die of want; and were we in any land other than +this, we were already dead of the pangs of hunger or the +humiliation of begging our bread." When Kanmakan heard his +mother's words, his anguish redoubled; his eyes ran over with +tears and he sobbed and complained and repeated the following +verses: + +Give o'er this unrelenting blame, that never lets me be! My heart + loves her to whom it's thrall and may not struggle free. +Look not to me for any jot of patience, for I swear By God His + house, my patience all is clean divorced from me! +Blamers to prudence me exhort; I heed them not, for I In my + avouchment am sincere of love and constancy. +They hinder me by very force from visiting my dear, Though, by + the Merciful, nor rogue am I nor debauchee! +Indeed, my bones, whenas they hear the mention of her name, Do + quake and tremble even as birds from sparrow-hawks that + flee. +O daughter of my uncle, say to him who chides at love, That I, by + Allah, am distraught with love-longing for thee. + +And he said to his mother, "I can dwell no longer in my aunt's +house nor among these people, but will go forth and abide in the +corners of the city." So he and his mother left the palace and +took up their abode in one of the quarters of the poorer sort: +and she used to go from time to time to King Sasan's palace and +take thence food for her own and her son's subsistence. One day, +Kuzia Fekan took her aside and said to her, "Alas, my aunt, how +is it with thy son?" "O my daughter," replied she, "sooth to say, +he is tearful-eyed and mournful-hearted, being fallen into the +snare of thy love." And she repeated to her the verses he had +made; whereupon Kuzia Fekan wept and said, "By Allah, I rebuked +not him for his words of ill-will or dislike to him, but because +I feared the malice of enemies for him. Indeed, my passion for +him is double that he feels for me; words fail to set out my +yearning for him; and were it not for the extravagances of his +tongue and the wanderings of his wit, my father had not cut off +his favours from him nor decreed unto him exclusion and +prohibition. However, man's fortune is nought but change, and +patience in every case is most becoming; peradventure He who +ordained our severance will vouchsafe us reunion!" And she +repeated the following: + +O son of mine uncle, the like of thine anguish I suffer, the like + of thy passion I feel; +Yet hide I from men what I suffer for longing, And shouldst thou + not also thy passion conceal? + +When his mother heard this, she thanked her and blessed her: then +she left her and returning to her son, told him what his mistress +had said; whereupon his desire for her increased. But he took +heart, being eased of his despair, and the turmoil of his spirits +was quelled. And he said, "By Allah, I desire none but her!" And +he repeated the following verses: + +Give over thy chiding; I'll hearken no whit to the flouts of my + foes: Indeed I've discovered my secret that nought should + have made me disclose; +And she, whose enjoyment I hoped for, alack! is far distant from + me; Mine eyes watch the hours of the dark, whilst she passes + the night in repose. + +So the days and nights went by, whilst Kanmakan lay tossing upon +coals of fire, till he reached the age of seventeen: and indeed +his beauty was now come to perfection and his wit had ripened. +One night, as he lay awake, he communed with himself and said, +"Why should I keep silence, till I consume away, and see not my +love? My only fault is poverty: so, by Allah, I will go out from +this land and wander afar in the plains and valleys; for my +condition in this city is one of misery and I have no friend nor +lover in it to comfort me; wherefore I will distract myself by +absence from my native land, till I die and am at peace from +abasement and tribulation." And he repeated the following verses: + +Though my soul weary for distress and flutter fast for woe, Yet + of its nature was it ne'er to buckle to a foe. +Excuse me; for indeed my heart is like a book, whereof The + superscription's nought but tears, that aye unceasing flow. +Behold my cousin, how she seems a maid of Paradise, A houri come, + by Rizwan's grace, to visit us below! +Who seeks the glances of her eyes and dares the scathing stroke + Of their bright swords, shall hardly 'scape their swift and + deadly blow. +Lo, I will wander o'er the world, to free my heart from bale And + compensation for its loss upon my soul bestow! +Yea, I will range the fields of war and tilt against the brave + And o'er the champions will I ride roughshod and lay them + low. +Then will I come back, glad at heart and rich in goods and store, + Driving the herds and flocks as spoil before me, as I go. + +So he went out in the darkness of the night, barefoot, wearing a +short-sleeved tunic and a skull-cap of felt seven years old and +carrying a cake of dry bread, three days stale, and betook +himself to the gate El Arij of Baghdad. Here he waited till the +gate opened, when he was the first to go forth; and he went out +at random and wandered in the deserts day and night. When the +night came, his mother sought him, but found him not, whereupon +the world, for all its wideness, was straitened upon her and she +took no delight in aught of its good. She looked for him a first +day and a second and a third, till ten days were past, but no +news of him reached her. Then her breast became contracted and +she shrieked and lamented, saying, "O my son, O my delight, thou +hast revived my sorrows! Did not what I endured suffice, but thou +must depart from the place of my abiding? After thee, I care not +for food nor delight in sleep, and but tears and mourning are +left me. O my son, from what land shall I call thee? What country +hath given thee refuge?" And her sobs burst up, and she repeated +the following verses: + +We know that, since you went away, by grief and pain we're tried. + The bows of severance on us full many a shaft have plied. +They girt their saddles on and gainst the agonies of death Left + me to strive alone, whilst they across the sand-wastes + tried. +Deep in the darkness of the night a ring-dove called to me, + Complaining of her case; but I, "Give o'er thy plaint," + replied. +For, by thy life, an if her heart were full of dole, like mine, + She had not put a collar on nor yet her feet had dyed. +My cherished friend is gone and I for lack of him endure All + manner sorrows which with me for ever will abide. + +Then she abstained from food and drink and gave herself up to +weeping and lamentation. Her grief became known and all the +people of the town and country wept with her and said, "Where is +thine eye, O Zoulmekan?" And they bewailed the rigour of fate, +saying, "What can have befallen him, that he left his native town +and fled from the place where his father used to fill the hungry +and do justice and mercy?" And his mother redoubled her tears and +lamentations, till the news of Kanmakan's departure came to King +Sasan through the chief amirs, who said to him, "Verily, he is +the son of our (late) King and the grandson of King Omar ben +Ennuman and we hear that he hath exiled himself from the +country." When King Sasan heard these words, he was wroth with +them and ordered one of them to be hanged, whereat the fear of +him fell upon the hearts of the rest and they dared not speak one +word. Then he called to mind all the kindness that Zoulmekan had +done him and how he had commended his son to his care; wherefore +he grieved for Kanmakan and said "Needs must I have search made +for him in all countries." So he summoned Terkash and bade him +choose a hundred horse and go in quest of the prince. Accordingly +he went out and was absent ten days, after which he returned and +said, "I can learn no tidings of him and have come on no trace of +him, nor can any tell me aught of him." With this, King Sasan +repented him of that which he had done with Kanmakan; whilst his +mother abode without peace or comfort, nor would patience come at +her call: and thus twenty heavy days passed over her. + +To return to Kanmakan. When he left Baghdad, he went forth, +perplexed about his case and knowing not whither he should go: so +he fared on alone into the desert for the space of three days and +saw neither footman nor horseman. Sleep deserted him and his +wakefulness redoubled, for he pined for his people and his +country. So he wandered on, eating of the herbs of the earth and +drinking of its waters and resting under its trees at the hour of +the noontide heats, till he came to another road, into which he +turned and following it other three days, came to a land of green +fields and smiling valleys, abounding in the fruits of the earth. +It had drunken of the beakers of the clouds, to the sound of the +voices of the turtle and the ring-dove, till its hill-sides were +enamelled with verdure and its fields were fragrant. At this +sight, Kanmakan recalled his father's city Baghdad, and for +excess of emotion repeated the following verses: + +I wander on, in hope I may return Some day, yet know not when + that day shall be. +What drove me forth was that I found no means To fend awe, the + ills that pressed on me. + +Then he wept, but presently wiped away his tears and ate of the +fruits of the earth. Then he made his ablutions and prayed the +ordained prayers that he had neglected all this time; after which +he sat in that place, resting, the whole day. When the night +came, he lay down and slept till midnight, when he awoke and +heard a man's voice repeating the following verses: + +Life unto me is worthless, except I see the shine Of the flashing + teeth of my mistress and eke her face divine. +The bishops in the convents pray for her day and night And in the + mosques the imams fall prone before her shrine. +Death's easier than the rigours of a beloved one, Whose image + never cheers me, whenas I lie and pine. +O joy of boon-companions, when they together be And lover and + beloved in one embrace entwine! +Still more so in the season of Spring, with all its flowers, What + time the world is fragrant with blossoms sweet and fine. +Up, drinker of the vine-juice, and forth, for seest thou not + Earth gilt with blooms and waters all welling forth like + wine? + +When Kanmakan heard this, it revived his sorrows; his tears ran +down his cheeks like rivers and flames of fire raged in his +heart. He rose to see who it was that spoke, but saw none, for +the thickness of the dark; whereupon passion increased on him and +he was alarmed and restlessness possessed him. So he descended to +the bottom of the valley and followed the banks of the stream, +till he heard one sighing heavily, and the same voice recited the +followed verses: + +Though thou have used to dissemble the love in thy heart for + fear, Give on the day of parting, free course to sob and + tear. +'Twixt me and my beloved were vows of love and troth; So cease I + for her never to long and wish her near. +My heart is full of longing; the zephyr, when it blows, To many a + thought of passion stirs up my heavy cheer. +Doth she o' the anklets hold me in mind, whilst far away, Though + between me and Saada were solemn vows and dear? +Shall the nights e'er unite us, the nights of dear delight, And + shall we tell our suff'rings, each in the other's ear? +"Thou seduced by passion for us," quoth she, and I, "God keep Thy + lovers all! How many have fallen to thy spear?" +If mine eyes taste the pleasance of sleep, while she's afar, May + God deny their vision her beauties many a year! +O the wound in mine entrails! I see no cure for it Save + love-delight and kisses from crimson lips and clear. + +When Kanmakan heard this, yet saw no one, he knew that the +speaker was a lover like unto himself, debarred the company of +her whom he loved; and he said to himself; "It were fitting that +this man should lay his head to mine and become my comrade in +this my strangerhood." Then he hailed the speaker and cried out +to him, saying "O thou that goest in the sombre night, draw near +to me and tell me thy history. Haply thou shalt find in me one +who will succour thee in shine affliction." "O thou that +answerest my complaint and wouldst know my history," rejoined the +other, "who art thou amongst the cavaliers? Art thou a man or a +genie? Answer me speedily ere thy death draw near, for these +twenty days have I wandered in this desert and have seen no one +nor heard any voice but thine." When Kanmakan heard this, he said +to himself, "His case is like unto mine, for I also have wandered +twenty days in the desert and have seen none nor heard any voice: +but I will make him no answer till the day." So he was silent and +the other called out to him, saying, "O thou that callest, if +thou be of the Jinn, go in peace, and if thou be a man, stay +awhile, till the day break and the night flee with the dark." So +they abode each in his own place, reciting verses and weeping +with abundant tears, till the light of day appeared and the night +departed with the darkness. Then Kanmakan looked at the other and +found him a youth of the Bedouin Arabs, clad in worn clothes and +girt-with a rusty sword, and the signs of passion were apparent +on him. So he went up to him and accosting him, saluted him. The +Bedouin returned the salute and greeted him courteously, but made +little account of him, for what he saw of his tender years and +his condition, which was that of a poor man. So he said to him, +"O youth, of what tribe art thou and to whom art thou kin among +the Arabs? What is thy history and wherefore goest thou by night, +after the fashion of champions? Indeed, thou spokest to me in the +night words such as are spoken of none but magnanimous cavaliers +and lionhearted warriors; and now thy life is in my hand. But I +have compassion on thee by reason of thy tender age; so I will +make thee my companion, and thou shalt go with me, to do me +service." When Kanmakan heard him speak thus unseemly, after what +he had shown him of skill in verse, he knew that he despised him +and thought to presume with him; so he answered him with soft and +dulcet speech, saying, "O chief of the Arabs, leave my tenderness +of age and tell me thy story and why thou wanderest by night in +the desert, reciting verses. Thou talkest of my serving thee; who +then art thou and what moved thee to speak thus?" "Harkye, boy!" +answered the Bedouin, "I am Subbah, son of Remmah ben Hummam. My +people are of the Arabs of Syria, and I have a cousin called +Nejmeh, who brings delight to all that look on her. My father +died, and I was brought up in the house of my uncle, the father +of Nejmeh; but when I grew up and my cousin became a woman, they +excluded her from me and me from her, seeing that I was poor and +of little estate. However, the chiefs of the Arabs and the heads +of the tribes went in to her father and rebuked him, and he was +abashed before them and consented to give me his daughter, but +upon condition that I should bring him as her dower fifty head of +horses and fifty dromedaries and fifty camels laden with wheat +and a like number laden with barley, together with ten male and +ten female slaves. The dowry he imposed upon me was beyond my +competence; for he exacted more than the due marriage portion. So +now I am travelling from Syria to Irak, having passed twenty days +without seeing other than thyself, and I mean to go to Baghdad, +that I may note what rich and considerable merchants start +thence. Then I will go out in their track and seize their goods, +for I will kill their men and drive off their camels with their +loads. But what manner of man art thou?" "Thy case is like unto +mine," replied Kanmakan; "save that my complaint is more grievous +than thine; for my cousin is a king's daughter, and the dowry of +which thou hast spoken would not content her family, nor would +they be satisfied with the like of that from me." "Surely," said +Subbah, "thou art mad or light-headed for excess of passion! How +can thy cousin be a king's daughter? Thou hast no sign of +princely rank on thee, for thou art but a mendicant." "O chief of +the Arabs," rejoined Kanmakan, "marvel not at my case, for it is +due to the shifts of fortune; and if thou desire proof of me, +behold, I am Kanmakan, son of King Zoulmekan, son of King Omar +ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and Khorassan, and fortune hath +played the tyrant with me; for my father died and (my uncle) King +Sasan took the Sultanate. So I fled forth from Baghdad, secretly, +lest any should see me, and have wandered twenty days, without +seeing any but thyself. So now I have discovered to thee my case, +and my history is as thy history and my need as thy need." When +Subbah heard this, he cried out and said, "O joy! I have attained +my desire! I will have no booty this day but thyself; for, since +thou art of the lineage of kings and hast come out in the habit +of a beggar, it cannot be but thy people will seek thee, and if +they find thee in any one's hand, they will ransom thee with much +treasure. So put thy hands behind thee, O my lad, and walk before +me." "Softly, O brother of the Arabs," answered Kanmakan; "my +people will not ransom me with silver nor with gold, no, not with +a brass dirhem; and I am a poor man, having with me neither much +nor little: so leave this behaviour with me and take me to +comrade. Let us go forth of the land of Irak and wander over the +world, so haply we may win dower and marriage-portion and enjoy +our cousins' embraces." When Subbah heard this, he was angry; his +arrogance and heat redoubled and he said, "Out on thee, O vilest +of dogs! Dost thou bandy words with me? Turn thy back, or I will +chastise thee." At this Kanmakan smiled and answered, "Why should +I turn my back for thee? Is there no equity in thee? Dost thou +not fear to bring reproach upon the Arabs by driving a man like +myself captive, in dishonour and humiliation, before thou hast +proved him in the field, to know if he be a warrior or a coward?" +The Bedouin laughed and replied, "By Allah, I wonder at thee! +Thou art a boy in years, but old in talk. These words should come +from none but a doughty champion: what wantest thou of equity? +"If thou wilt have me be thy captive, to serve thee," said +Kanmakan, "throw down thine arms and put off thine upper clothes +and wrestle with me; and whichever of us throws the other shall +have his will of him and make him his servant." The other laughed +and said, "I think thy much talk denotes the nearness of thy +death." Then he threw down his sword and tucking up his skirt, +drew near unto Kanmakan, and they gripped each other. But the +Bedouin found that Kanmakan had the better of him and outweighed +him, as the quintal outweighs the dinar; and he looked at his +legs and saw that they were as firmly planted as two well-builded +minarets or two tent-poles driven into the ground or two +immovable mountains. So he knew that he himself was not able to +cope with him and repented of having come to wrestle with him, +saying in himself, "Would I had fallen on him with my weapons!" +Then Kanmakan took hold of him and mastering him shook him, till +he thought his guts would burst in his belly and roared out, +"Hold thy hand, O boy!" He heeded him not, but shook him again, +and lifting him from the ground, made with him towards the +stream, that he might throw him therein: whereupon the Bedouin +cried out, saying, "O valiant man, what wilt thou do with me?" +Quoth Kanmakan, "I mean to throw thee into this stream: it will +carry thee to the Tigris. The Tigris will bring thee to the river +Isa and the Isa to the Euphrates, and the Euphrates will bear +thee to thine own country; so thy people will see thee and know +thy manlihead and the sincerity of thy passion." When Subbah +heard this, he cried out and said, "O champion of the desert, do +not with me the deed of the wicked, but let me go, by the life of +thy cousin, the jewel of the fair!" With this, Kanmakan set him +down; and when he found himself at liberty, he ran to his sword +and buckler and taking them up, stood plotting in himself +treachery and a sudden attack on Kanmakan. The latter read his +intent in his eye and said to him, "I know what is in thy mind, +now thou hast hold of thy sword and buckler. Thou hast neither +strength nor skill for wrestling, but thou thinkest that, wert +thou on horseback and couldst wheel about and ply me with thy +sword, I had been slain long ago. But I will give thee thy will, +so there may be no despite left in thy heart. Give me the buckler +and fall on me with thy sword; either I shall kill thee or thou +me." "Here it is," answered Subbah and throwing him the shield, +drew his sword and rushed at him. Kanmakan took the buckler in +his right hand and began to fend himself with it, whilst Subbah +struck at him with the sword, saying at each stroke, "This is +the finishing one!" But Kanmakan received all his blows on his +buckler and they fell harmless, though he did not strike back +again, having no weapon of offence; and Subbah ceased not to +smite at him, till his arm was weary. When the prince saw this, +he rushed at him and seizing him in his arms, shook him and threw +him to the ground. Then he turned him over on his face and +binding his arms behind him with the hangers of his sword, began +to drag him by the feet towards the river: whereupon cried +Subbah, "What wilt thou do with me, O youth and cavalier of the +age and hero of the field?" "Did I not tell thee," answered +Kanmakan, "that it was my intent to send thee by the river to thy +people and thy tribe, lest their hearts be troubled for thee and +thou miss thy cousin's bride-feast?" At this, Subbah shrieked +aloud and wept and said, "Do not thus, O champion of the time! +Let me go and make me one of thy servants." And he wept and +wailed and recited the following verses: + +An outcast from my folk (how long my exile lasts!) am I. Would + God I knew if I in this my strangerhood shall die! +I perish, and my folk know not the place where I am slain; I fall + in exile, far away from her for whom I sigh. + +Kanmakan had compassion on him and said to him, "Make a covenant +with me and swear to be a true comrade to me and to bear me +company whithersoever I may go." "It is well," replied Subbah and +took the required oath. So Kanmakan loosed him, and he rose and +would have kissed the prince's hand; but he forbade him. Then the +Bedouin opened his wallet and taking out three barley-cakes, laid +them before Kanmakan, and they both sat down on the bank of the +stream to eat. When they had done eating, they made the ablution +and prayed, after which they sat talking of what had befallen +each of them from his people and the shifts of fortune. Then said +Kanmakan, "Whither dost thou now intend?" "I purpose," replied +Subbah, "to repair to Baghdad, thy native town, and abide there, +till God vouchsafe me the marriage-portion." "Up then," rejoined +the other, "and to the road! I abide here." So the Bedouin took +leave of him and set out for Baghdad, whilst Kanmakan remained +behind, saying to himself, "O my soul, how shall I return poor +and needy? By Allah, I will not go back empty-handed, and if God +please, I will assuredly work my deliverance!" Then he went to +the stream and made his ablutions and prayed to his Lord, laying +his brow in the dust and saying, "O my God, Thou that makest the +dew to fall and feedest the worm in the rock, vouchsafe me, I +beseech Thee, my livelihood, of Thy power and the graciousness of +Thy compassion!" Then he pronounced the salutation that closes +prayer and sat, turning right and left and knowing not which way +to take. Presently, he saw, making towards him, a horseman whose +back was bowed and who let the reins droop. He sat still and +after awhile the horseman came up to him, when, behold, he was at +the last gasp and made sure of death, for he was grievously +wounded. The tears streamed down his cheeks, like water from the +mouths of skins, and he said to Kanmakan, "O chief of the Arabs, +take me to friend, whilst I live, for thou wilt not find my like, +and give me a little water, harmful though the drinking of water +be to a wounded man, especially whilst the blood is flowing and +the life with it. If I live, I will give thee what shall heal thy +distress and thy poverty; and if I die, mayst thou be blessed for +thy good intent!" Now this horseman had under him a stallion of +the most generous breed, with legs like shafts of marble, the +tongue fails to describe it; and when Kanmakan looked at it, he +was seized with longing admiration and said in himself, "Verily, +the like of this stallion is not to be found in our time." Then +he helped the rider to alight and entreated him friendly and gave +him a little water to drink; after which he waited till he was +rested and said to him, "Who has dealt thus with thee?" "I will +tell thee the truth of the case," answered the wounded man. "I am +a horse-thief and all my life I have occupied myself with +stealing and snatching horses, night and day, and my name is +Ghessan, surnamed the plague of all stables and horses. I heard +tell of this stallion, that he was with King Afridoun in the land +of the Greeks, where they had named him El Catoul and surnamed +him El Mejnoun. So I journeyed to Constantinople on his account, +and whilst I was watching my opportunity to get at him, there +came out an old woman, much considered among the Greeks and whose +word is law with them, a past mistress in all manner of trickery, +by name Shewahi Dhat ed Dewahi. She had with her this stallion +and ten slaves, no more, to attend on her and it, and was bound +for Baghdad, there to sue for peace and pardon from King Sasan. +So I went out in their track, thinking to get the horse, and +ceased not to follow them, but was unable to get at the stallion, +by reason of the strict guard kept by the slaves, till they +reached this country and I feared lest they should enter the city +of Baghdad. As I was casting about to steal the horse, behold, a +great cloud of dust arose and covered the prospect. Presently it +opened and disclosed fifty horsemen, banded together to waylay +merchants and led by a captain by name Kehrdash, like a raging +lion, yea, in battle a lion that lays heroes flat even as a +carpet. They bore down on the old woman and her company, shouting +and surrounding them, nor was it long before they bound her and +the ten slaves and made off with their captives and the horse, +rejoicing. When I saw this, I said to myself, 'My toil is wasted +and I have not attained my desire.' However, I waited to see how +the affair would result, and when the old woman found herself a +captive, she wept and said to Kehrdash, 'O doughty champion and +invincible warrior, what wilt thou do with an old woman and +slaves, now thou hast thy will of the horse?' And she beguiled +him with soft words and promises that she would send him horses +and cattle, till he released her and her slaves. Then he went his +way, he and his comrades, and I followed them to this country, +watching my opportunity, till at last I succeeded in stealing the +horse, whereupon I mounted him and drawing a whip from my wallet, +struck him with it. When the robbers heard this, they came out on +me and surrounded me on all sides and shot arrows and cast spears +at me, whilst I stuck fast on the horse's back and he defended me +with his hoofs, till at last he shot out with me from amongst +them, like an arrow from the bow or a shooting star, after I had +gotten a grievous wound in the press of the battle. Since that +time, I have passed three days in the saddle, without tasting +food or sleep, so that my strength is wasted and the world is +become of no account to me. But thou hast dealt kindly with me +and hast had pity on me: and I see thee naked of body and +sorrowful of aspect; yet are the marks of gentle breeding +manifest on thee. So tell me, what and whence art thou and +whither art thou bound?" "My name is Kanmakan," answered the +prince, "son of King Zoulmekan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman. My +father died, and a base man seized the throne after his death and +became king over great and small." Then he told him all his story +from first to last; and the thief said to him, (and indeed he had +compassion on him), "By Allah, thou art a man of great account +and exceeding nobility and thou shalt surely win to high estate +and become the first cavalier of thy time! If thou canst lift me +into the saddle and mount behind me and bring me to my country, +thou shalt have honour in this world and a reward on the Day of +calling of men one to another;[FN#155] for I have no strength +left to hold myself in the saddle; and if I die by the way, the +steed is thine; for thou art worthier of it than any other." "By +Allah," said Kanmakan, "if I could carry thee on my shoulders or +share my life with thee, I would do so, without the horse! For I +am of those that love to do good and succour the afflicted. So +make ready to set out and put thy trust in the Subtle, the +All-Wise." And he would have lifted him on to the horse and set +forward, trusting in God the Succourable. But the robber said, +"Wait for me a little." Then he closed his eyes and opening his +hands, said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that +Mohammed is the Apostle of God! O Glorious One, pardon me my +mortal sin, for none can pardon mortal sins save Thou!" And he +made ready for death and recited the following verses: + +I've ranged through all countries, oppressing mankind, And in + drinking of wine I have wasted my days. +I've waded through torrents, the horses to steal And I've used + with my guile the high places to raze. +My case is right grievous and great is my guilt, And Catoul, + alas! is the end of my ways. +I hoped of this horse I should get my desire; But vain was my + journey and vain my essays. +All my life I have stolen the steeds, and my death Was decreed of + the Lord of all power and all praise. +So, in fine, for the good of the stranger, the poor, The orphan, + I've wearied in toils and affrays. + +When he had finished, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth; +then giving one sob, he departed this life. Kanmakan rose and dug +a grave and laid him in the earth. Then he went up to the +stallion and kissed it and wiped its face and rejoiced with an +exceeding joy, saying, "None has the like of this horse, no, not +even King Sasan." So much for Kanmakan. + +Meanwhile, news came to King Sasan that the Vizier Dendan and +half the army had thrown off their allegiance to him and sworn +that they would have no king but Kanmakan and the Vizier had +bound the troops by a solemn covenant and had gone with them to +the islands of India and Ethiopia, where he had gathered together +a host like the swollen sea, none could tell its van from its +rear. Moreover, he was resolved to make for Baghdad and possess +himself of the kingdom and slay all who should let him, having +sworn not to return the sword of war to its sheath, till he had +set Kanmakan on the throne. When this news came to Sasan, he was +drowned in the sea of melancholy, knowing that the whole state +had furled against him, great and small, and trouble and anxiety +were sore on him. So he opened his treasuries and distributed +that which was therein among his officers and prayed for +Kanmakan's return, that he might draw his heart to him with fair +usage and bounty and make him commander of those troops that +remained faithful to him, hoping thus to prop his [falling] +power. The news of this reached Kanmakan by the merchants; so he +returned in haste to Baghdad, riding on the aforesaid stallion, +and the news of his coming reached King Sasan, as he sat +perplexed upon his throne; whereupon he despatched all the troops +and head-men of Baghdad to meet him. So all who were in Baghdad +went out to meet the Prince and escorted him to the palace and +kissed the threshold, whilst the damsels and eunuchs went in to +his mother and gave her the good tidings of his return. She came +to him and kissed him between the eyes, but he said to her, "O my +mother, let me go to my uncle King Sasan, who hath overwhelmed us +with favours and benefits." Then he repaired to the palace, +whilst all the people marvelled at the beauty of the stallion and +said, "No king is like unto this man." So he went in to King +Sasan, who rose to receive him; and Kanmakan saluted him and +kissing his hands, offered him the horse as a present. The King +bade him welcome, saying, "Welcome and fair welcome to my son +Kanmakan! By Allah, the world hath been straitened on me by +reason of thine absence, but praised be God for thy safety!" And +Kanmakan called down blessings on him. Then the King looked at +the stallion and knowing it for the very horse, Catoul by name, +that he had seen in such and such a year, whilst at the leaguer +of Constantinople with King Zoulmekan, said to Kanmakan, "I! thy +father could have come by this horse, he would have bought him +with a thousand chargers of price: but now let the honour return +to thee who deservest it. We accept the steed and return it to +thee as a gift, for thou hast more right to it than any man +alive, being the prince of cavaliers." Then he bade bring forth +for him dresses of honour and led horses and appointed him the +chief lodging in the palace, giving him much money and showing +him the utmost honour, for that he feared the issue of the Vizier +Dendan's doings. At this Kanmakan rejoiced and despondency and +humiliation ceased from him. Then he went to his house and said +to his mother, "O my mother, how is it with my cousin?" "By +Allah, O my son," answered she, "my concern for thine absence +hath distracted me from any other, even to thy beloved; +especially as she was the cause of thine exile and separation +from me." Then he complained to her of his sufferings, saying, "O +my mother, go to her and speak with her; haply she will favour me +with a sight of her and dispel my anguish." "O my son," replied +his mother, "idle desires abase the necks of men; so put away +from thee this thought that will but lead to vexation; for I will +not go to her nor carry her such a message." Thereupon he told +her what he had heard from the horse-thief concerning Dhat ed +Dewahi, how she was then in their land, on her way to Baghdad, +and added, "It was she who slew my uncle and grandfather, and +needs must I avenge them and wipe out our reproach." Then he left +her and repaired to an old woman, by name Saadaneh, a cunning, +perfidious and pernicious beldam, past mistress in all kinds of +trickery and deceit To her he complained of what he suffered for +love of his cousin Kuzia Fekan and begged her to go to her and +implore her favour for him. "I hear and obey," answered the old +woman and betaking herself to Kuzia Fekan's palace, interceded +with her in his favour. Then she returned to him and said, "Thy +cousin salutes thee and will visit thee this night at the middle +hour." At this he rejoiced and sat down to await the fulfilment +of his cousin's promise. At the appointed hour she came to him, +wrapped in a veil of black silk, and aroused him from sleep, +saying, "How canst thou pretend to love me, when thou art +sleeping, heart-free, after the goodliest fashion?" So he awoke +and said, "O desire of my heart, by Allah, I slept not but hoping +that thine image might visit me in dreams!" Then she chid him +tenderly and repeated the following verses: + +Wert thou indeed a lover true and leal, Thou hadst not suffered + slumber on thee creep. +O thou who feign'st to walk the ways of love, The watch of + passion and desire to keep, +Son of my uncle, sure the eyes of those Who're love-distraught + know not the taste of sleep. + +When he heard his cousin's words, he was abashed before her and +rose and excused himself. Then they embraced and complained to +each other of the anguish of separation; and thus they did, till +the dawn broke and the day flowered forth over the lands; when +she rose to depart. At this, Kanmakan wept and sighed and +repeated the following verses: + +She came to me, after her pride had driven me to despair, She in + whose lips the teeth as the pearls of her necklace were. +I kissed her a thousand times and clipped her close in my arms + And lay all night with my cheek pressed close to the cheek + of the fair; +Till the day, that must sever our loves, as 'twere the blade of a + sword That flashes forth of its sheath, gleamed out on us + unaware. + +Then she took leave of him and returned to her palace. Now she +let certain of her damsels into her secret, and one of them told +the King, who went in to Kuzia Fekan and drawing his sabre upon +her, would have slain her: but her mother Nuzhet ez Zeman entered +and said to him, 'By Allah, do her no hurt, lest it be noised +among the folk and thou become a reproach among the kings of the +age! Thou knowest that Kanmakan is no base-born wretch, but a man +of honour and nobility, who would not do aught that could shame +him, and she was reared with him. So take patience and be not +hasty; for verily the report is spread abroad, among the people +of the palace and all the folk of the city, how the Vizier Dendan +hath levied troops from all countries and is on his way hither to +make Kanmakan king." "By Allah," said the King, "needs must I +cast him into a calamity, such that neither earth shall bear him +nor sky shadow him! I did but speak him fair and entreat him with +favour, because of my subjects and officers, lest they should +turn to him; but thou shalt see what will betide." Then he left +her and went out to order the affairs of the kingdom. + +Next day, Kanmakan came in to his mother and said to her, "O my +mother, I am resolved to go forth a-raiding in quest of booty. I +will waylay caravans and seize horses and flocks and slaves black +and white, and as soon as my store is waxed great and my case is +bettered, I will demand my cousin Kuzia Fekan in marriage of my +uncle." "O my son," replied she, "of a truth the goods of men are +not as a wastril camel, ready to thy hand; but between thee and +them are sword-strokes and lance-thrusts and men that eat wild +beasts and lay waste countries and snare lions and trap lynxes." +Quoth he, "God forbid that I should turn from my purpose, till I +have attained my desire!" Then he despatched the old woman to +Kuzia Fekan, to tell her that he was about to set out in quest of +a dowry befitting her, saying, "Thou must without fail bring me +an answer from her." "I hear and obey," repled the old woman and +going forth, presently returned with Kuzia Fekan's answer, which +was that she would come to him at midnight. So he abode awake +till one half of the night was past, when disquietude got hold on +him, and before he was aware, she came in to him, saying, "My +life be thy ransom from wakefulness!" And he sprang up to receive +her, exclaiming, "O desire of my heart, my life be thy ransom +from all things evil!" Then he acquainted her with his intent, +and she wept; but he said, "Weep not, O my cousin; for I beseech +Him who decreed our separation to vouchsafe us reunion and +felicity." Then Kanmakan went in to his mother and took leave of +her, after which he girt on his sword and donned turban and +chin-band and mounting his horse Catoul, rode through the streets +of Baghdad, till he reached the gate of the city. Here he found +his comrade Subbah ben Remmah going out, who, seeing him, ran to +his stirrup and saluted him. He returned his greeting, and Subbah +said to him, "O my brother, how camest thou by this steed and +sword and clothes, whilst I up to now have gotten nothing but my +sword and target?" Quoth Kanmakan, "The hunter returns not but +with game after the measure of his intent. A little after thy +departure, fortune came to me: so now wilt thou go with me and +work thine intent in my company and journey with me in this +desert?" "By the Lord of the Kaabeh," replied Subbah, "from this +time forth I will call thee nought but 'My lord!'" Then he ran on +before the horse with his sword hanging from his neck and his +budget between his shoulder-blades, and they pushed on into the +desert four days' space, eating of the gazelles they caught and +drinking of the water of the springs. On the fifth day, they came +in sight of a high hill, at whose foot was a Spring encampment +and a running stream. The knolls and hollows were filled with +camels and oxen and sheep and horses, and little children played +about the cattle-folds. When Kanmakan saw this, he was right glad +and his breast was filled with joy; so he addressed himself to +battle, that he might take the camels and the cattle, and said to +Subbah, "Come, let us fall upon this good, whose owners have left +it unguarded, and do battle for it with near and far, so haply it +may fall to our lot and we will share it between us." "O my +lord," replied Subbah, "verily they to whom these herds belong +are much people, and among them are doughty horsemen and footmen. +If we cast ourselves into this great danger, neither of us will +return to his people; but we shall both be cut off utterly and +leave our cousins desolate." When Kanmakan heard this, he laughed +and knew that he was a coward: so he left him and rode down the +hill, intent on rapine, shouting and chanting aloud the following +verses: + +O the house of En Numan is mickle of might! We're the champions + with swords on the squadrons that smite! +When the fury of battle flames high in our hearts, We're aye to + be found in the front of the fight. +The poor man amongst us may slumber secure Nor see the foul + favour of want or upright. +I hope for the succour of Him in whose hand Is the Kingdom, the + Maker of body and spright. + +Then he rushed upon the cattle, like a camel in heat, and drove +them all, oxen and sheep and horses and camels, before him. +Therewith the slaves ran at him with their bright swords and +their long lances; and at their head was a Turkish horseman, a +stout champion, doughty in battle and onset and skilled to wield +the tawny spear and the white sabre. He drove at Kanmakan, +saying, "Out on thee! Knewest thou to whom these cattle belong, +thou hadst not done this thing! Know that they are the good of +the Greek band, the champions of the sea and the Circassian +troop, and they are a hundred cavaliers, all stern warriors, who +have forsworn the commandment of all kings. There has been stolen +from them a steed of great price, and they have vowed not to +return hence, but with it." When Kanmakan heard these words, he +cried out, saying, "O losers, this that I bestride is the steed +itself, after which ye seek and for whose sake ye would do battle +with me! So come out against me, all of you at once, and do your +dourest!" So saying, he cried out between Catoul's ears and he +ran at them, as he were a ghoul. Then Kanmakan drove at the Turk +and smote him and overthrew him and let out his life; after which +he turned upon a second and a third and a fourth and bereft them +also of life. When the slaves saw this, they were afraid of him, +and he cried out and said to them, "Ho, sons of whores, drive out +the cattle and the horses, or I will dye my spear in your blood!" +So they untethered the cattle and began to drive them out, and +Subbah came down to Kanmakan, crying out with a loud voice and +rejoicing greatly; when, behold, there arose a cloud of dust and +grew till it covered the prospect, and there appeared under it a +hundred cavaliers, like fierce lions. With this Subbah fled up on +to the hill, that he might gaze upon the fight in safety, saying, +"I am no warrior but in sport and jest." Then the hundred +cavaliers made towards Kanmakan from all sides, and one of them +accosted him, saying, "Whither goest thou with this good?" "I +have made prize of them," replied he, "and am carrying them away; +and I forbid you from them, for know that he who is before you is +a terrible lion and an illustrious champion and a sword that cuts +wherever it turns!" When the horseman heard this, he looked at +Kanmakan and saw that he was a cavalier as he were a strong lion, +whilst his face was as the full moon rising on its fourteenth +night, and valour shone from between his eyes. Now this horseman +was the chief of the hundred horse, and his name was Kehrdash; +and what he saw in Kanmakan of the perfection of martial grace, +together with surpassing beauty and comeliness, reminded him of a +mistress of his, by name Fatin. Now this Fatin was one of the +fairest of women in face, for God had given her beauty and grace +and charms and noble qualities of all kinds, such as the tongue +fails to describe. Moreover, the cavaliers of the tribe feared +her prowess and the champions of the land stood in awe of her, +and she had sworn that she would not marry nor give any +possession of her, except he should conquer her, saying to her +father, "None shall approach me, except he master me in the field +and the stead of war." Kehrdash was one of her suitors, and when +the news reached him of the vow she had taken, he thought scorn +to fight with a girl, fearing reproach; and one of his friends +said to him, "Thou art accomplished in beauty and manly +qualities; so if thou contend with her, even though she be +stronger than thou, thou must needs overcome her, for when she +sees thy beauty and grace, she will be discomfited before thee, +seeing that women by nature incline unto men, as is not unknown +to thee." Nevertheless he refused and would not contend with her, +albeit indeed she loved him, for what she had heard of his beauty +and velour: and he ceased not to abstain from her thus, till he +met with Kanmakan, as hath been set down. Now he took the prince +for his beloved Fatin and was afraid; so he went up to him and +said, "Out on thee, O Fatin! Thou comest to show me thy prowess; +but now alight from thy steed, that I may talk with thee, for I +have driven off these cattle and waylaid horsemen and champions, +all for the sake of thy beauty and grace, which are without peer. +So now thou shalt marry me, that kings' daughters may wait on +thee, and thou shalt become queen of these countries." When +Kanmakan heard this, the fires of wrath flamed up in him and he +cried out, saying, "Out on thee, O dog of the barbarians! Leave +thy raving of Fatin and come to cutting and thrusting, for +eftsoon thou shalt lie in the dust." So saying, he began to wheel +about him and offer battle. Then Kehrdash observed him more +closely and saw that he was indeed a doughty knight and a +stalwart champion; and the error of his thought was manifest to +him, whenas he saw the tender down that adorned his cheeks, as it +were myrtles springing from the heart of a red rose. And he +feared his onslaught and said to those that were with him, "Out +on you! Let one of you attack him and show him the keen sword and +the quivering spear; for know that for a company to do battle +with one man is foul shame, even though he be a doughty man of +war and an invincible champion." With this, there ran at Kanmakan +a lion-like horseman, mounted on a black horse with white feet +and a star on his forehead, the bigness of a dirhem, astounding +sight and wit, as he were Abjer, that was Antar's steed: even as +saith of him the poet: + +See, where the stallion yonder comes, that with a fierce delight + Drives to the battle, mingling earth with heaven in his + might. +Meseems, the morning smote his brow and to avenge himself + Thereon, he plunges straight and deep into its heart of + light. + +He rushed upon Kanmakan, who met him in mid-career, and they +wheeled about awhile in the dint of battle, exchanging blows such +as confound the wit and dim the sight, till Kanmakan took the +other at vantage and smote him a swashing blow, that shore +through turban and iron skull-cap and reached his head, and he +fell from his saddle, as a camel falls, when he rolls over. Then +a second came out to him and a third and a fourth and a fifth, +and he did with them all as he had done with the first. Thereupon +the rest rushed upon him, all at once, for indeed they were wild +with rage and concern; but it was not long before he had +transfixed them all with the point of his lance. When Kehrdash +saw his feats of arms, he knew that he was stout of heart and +concluded that he was the phoenix of the champions and heroes of +the age: so he feared death and said to Kanmakan, "I give thee +thy life and pardon thee the blood of my comrades, for I have +compassion on thee by reason of thy fair youth. So take what thou +wilt of the cattle and go thy ways, for life is better for thee +[than death]." "Thou lackest not of the generosity of the +noble,"[FN#156] replied Kanmakan; "but leave this talk and flee +for thy life and reck not of blame nor think to get back the +booty; but take the straight path for thine own safety." When +Kehrdash heard this, he waxed exceeding wroth and his anger moved +him to that which was the cause of his death; so he said to +Kanmakan, "Out on thee! Knewest thou who I am, thou wouldst not +talk thus in the open field. I am the doughty lion known as +Kehrdash, he who despoils great kings and waylays all the +travellers and seizes the merchants' goods. Yonder steed under +thee is what I am seeking and I call upon thee to tell me how +thou camest by it." "Know," replied Kanmakan, "that this steed +was being carried to my uncle King Sasan in the company of a +certain old woman, attended by ten slaves, when thou fellest upon +her and tookest the horse from her; and I have a debt of blood +against this old woman for the sake of my grandfather King Omar +ben Ennuman and my uncle King Sherkan." "Out on thee!" said +Kehrdash. "Who is thy father, O thou that hast no (known) +mother?" "Know," answered the prince, "that I am Kanmakan, son of +Zoulmekan, son of Omar ben Ennuman." Quoth Kehrdash, "Thy +perfection cannot be denied, nor yet the union in thee of martial +virtue and comeliness: but go in peace, for thy father showed us +favour and bounty." "By Allah, O vile wretch," rejoined Kanmakan, +"I will not so far honour thee as to overcome thee in the open +field!" At this the Bedouin was wroth and they drove at one +another, shouting aloud, whilst their horses pricked up their +ears and raised their tails. They clashed together with such a +dint, that it seemed to each as if the heavens were split in +sunder, and strove like two butting rams, smiting one another +with thick-coming spear-strokes. Presently, Kehrdash aimed a blow +at Kanmakan; but he evaded it and turning upon the brigand, smote +him in the breast, that the head of the spear issued from his +back. Then he collected the horses and cattle and cried out to +the slaves, saying, "Up and drive them off briskly!" With this +down came Subbah and accosting Kanmakan, said to him, "Thou hast +quitted thee right well, O hero of the age! I prayed God for thee +and He heard my prayer." Then he cut off Kehrdash's head and +Kanmakan laughed and said, "Out on thee, Subbah! I thought thee a +man of valour." Quoth the Bedouin, "Forget not thy slave in the +division of the spoil, so haply I may win therewith to marry my +cousin Nejmeh." "Thou shalt surely have a share in it," answered +Kanmakan, "but now keep watch over the booty and the slaves." +Then they set out and journeyed night and day till they drew near +Baghdad, and all the troops heard of Kanmakan and saw the booty +and the brigand's head on the point of Subbah's spear. Moreover, +the merchants knew Kehrdash's head and rejoiced, for he was a +noted highwayman, saying, "Allah hath rid mankind of him!" And +they marvelled at his death and called down blessings on his +slayer. Then all the people of Baghdad came to Kanmakan, seeking +to know what had befallen him, and he told them what had passed, +whereupon they were taken with awe of him and all the champions +and men of war feared him. After this, he drove his spoil to the +palace and planting the spear, on which was Kehrdash's head, +before the gate, gave largesse to the people of camels and horses +so that they loved him and all hearts inclined to him. Then he +took Subbah and lodged him in a spacious dwelling, giving him +part of the booty; after which he went in to his mother and told +her all that had befallen him. Meanwhile the news of him reached +the King, who rose and shutting himself up with his chief +officers, said to them, "I wish to reveal to you my secret and +acquaint you with the truth of my case. Know that Kanmakan will +be the cause of our expulsion from the kingdom; for he has slain +Kehrdash, albeit he had with him the tribes of the Turks and the +Kurds, and our affair with him will assuredly result in our +destruction, seeing that the most part of our troops are his +kinsmen and ye know what the Vizier Dendan hath done; how he +refuses to recognize me, after all the favours I have done him, +and is become a traitor to his faith. Indeed, it has come to my +knowledge that he hath levied an army in the provinces and goeth +about to make Kanmakan king, for that the kingdom was his +father's and his grandfather's before him, and he will surely +slay me without mercy." When they heard this, they replied, "O +King, verily he[FN#157] is unequal to this, and did we not know +him to have been reared by thee, not one of us would take thought +to him. We are at thy commandment; if thou wilt have us slay him, +we will do so, and if thou wilt have him kept at a distance, we +will chase him away." When King Sasan heard this, he said, +"Verily, it were wise to slay him: but needs must ye take an oath +of it." So they all pledged themselves to kill him, to the intent +that, when the Vizier Dendan came and heard of his death, his +might should be weakened and fail of that which he designed to +do. When they had made this compact with him, the King bestowed +great gifts upon them and dismissing them, retired to his own +apartments. Now the troops refused their service, awaiting what +should befall, for they saw that the most part of the army was +with the Vizier Dendan. Presently, the news of these things came +to Kuzia Fekan and caused her much concern; so that she sent for +the old woman, who was wont to carry messages between her and her +cousin, and bade her go to him and warn him of the plot against +his life. Accordingly, she repaired to Kanmakan and gave him the +princess's message, to which he replied, "Bear my cousin my +salutation and say to her, 'The earth is God's (to whom belong +might and majesty), and He maketh whom He willeth of His servants +to inherit it. How excellent is the saying of the poet: + +The kingship is God's alone, and him who would fain fulfil His + wishes He driveth away and maketh him rue for his ill. +Had I or another than I a handsbreadth of earth to my own, The + Godship were sundered in twain and two were the Power and + the Will.'" + +The old woman returned to Kuzia Fekan with Kanmakan's reply and +told her that he abode in the city. Meanwhile, King Sasan awaited +his going forth from Baghdad, that he might send after him and +kill him; till, one day, it befell that Kanmakan went out to +hunt, accompanied by Subbah, who would not leave him day or +night. He caught ten gazelles and among them one that had soft +black eyes and turned right and left; so he let her go, and +Subbah said to him, "Why didst thou let her go?" Kanmakan laughed +and set the others free also, saying, "It behoves us, of +humanity, to release gazelles that have young, and this one only +turned from side to side, to look for her young ones: so I let +her go and released the others in her honour." Quoth Subbah, "Do +thou release me, that I may go to my people." At this Kanmakan +laughed and smote him on the breast with the butt of his spear, +and he fell to the ground, writhing like a serpent. Whilst they +were thus occupied, they saw cloud of dust and heard the tramp of +horse; and presently there appeared a troop of armed cavaliers. +Now King Sasan had heard of Kanmakan's going out and sending for +an Amir of the Medes, called Jami, and twenty men, had given them +money and bidden them slay Kanmakan. So, when they drew near the +prince, they rushed at him and he met them in mid-career and +killed them all, to the last man. Meanwhile the King took horse +and riding out to meet his men, found them all slain, whereat he +wondered and turned back; but the people of the city laid hands +on him and bound him straitly. As for Kanmakan, he left that +place behind him and rode onward with Subbah. As he went, he saw +a youth sitting at the door of a house in his road and saluted +him. The youth returned his greeting and going into the house, +brought out two platters, one full of milk and the other of +brewis swimming in (clarified) butter, which he set before +Kanmakan, saying, "Favour me by eating of my victual." But he +refused and the young man said to him, "What ails thee, O man, +that thou wilt not eat?" "I have a vow upon me," replied the +prince. "What is the cause of thy vow?" asked the youth, and +Kanmakan answered, "Know that King Sasan seized upon my kingdom +wrongfully and oppressively, albeit it was my father's and my +grandfather's before me; yet he laid hands upon the throne by +force, after my father's death, and took no count of me, for that +I was of tender years. So I have bound myself by a vow to eat no +man's victual, till I have eased my heart of my enemy." +"Rejoice," rejoined the youth, "for God hath fulfilled thy vow. +Know that he is in prison and methinks he will soon die." "In +what house is he imprisoned?" asked Kanmakan. "In yonder high +pavilion," answered the other. The prince looked and saw the folk +entering and buffeting Sasan, who was suffering the agonies of +death. So he went up to the pavilion and noted what was therein; +after which he returned to his place and sitting down to meat, +ate what sufficed him and put the rest in his budget. Then he +waited till it was dark night. And the youth, whose guest he was, +slept; when he rose and repaired to the pavilion in which Sasan +was confined. Now about it were dogs, guarding it, and one of +them ran at him; so he took out of his wallet a piece of meat and +threw it to him. He ceased not to do thus, till he came to the +pavilion and making his way to the place where Sasan was, laid +his hand upon his head; whereupon he said in a loud voice, "Who +art thou?" "I am Kanmakan," replied the prince, "whom thou +wentest about to kill; but God made thee fall into the evil +thyself hadst devised. Did it not suffice thee to take my kingdom +and that of my father, but thou must go about to kill me?" And +Sasan swore a vain oath that he had not plotted his death and +that the report was untrue. So Kanmakan forgave him and said to +him, "Follow me." Quoth he, "I cannot walk a single step for +weakness." "If the case be thus," replied Kanmakan, "we will get +us two horses and ride forth and seek the open country." So they +took horse and rode till daybreak, when they prayed the +morning-prayer and fared on till they came to a garden, where +they sat down and talked awhile. Then Kanmakan rose and said to +Sasan, "Is there aught of bitterness left in thy heart against +me?" "No, by Allah!" replied Sasan. So they agreed to return to +Baghdad and Subbah the Bedouin said, "I will go on before you, to +give the folk notice of your coming." Then he rode on in advance, +acquainting men and women with the news; so all the people came +out to meet Kanmakan with tabrets and flutes; and Kuzia Fekan +also came out, like the full moon shining in all her splendour in +the thick darkness of the night. Kanmakan met her, and their +hearts yearned each to each and their bodies longed one for the +other. There was no talk among the people of the time but of +Kanmakan; for the cavaliers bore witness of him that he was the +most valiant of the folk of the age and said, "It is not just +that other than he should be King over us; but the throne of his +grandfather shall revert to him as it was." Meanwhile King Sasan +went in to his wife Nuzhet ez Zeman, who said to him, "I hear +that the folk talk of nothing but Kanmakan and attribute to him +such qualities as beggar description." "Hearing is not like +seeing," replied the King; "I have seen him, but have noted in +him not one of the attributes of perfection. Not all that is +heard is said; but the folk ape one another in extolling and +cherishing him, and God makes his praise to run on the lips of +men, so that there incline to him the hearts of the people of +Baghdad and of the perfidious traitor the Vizier Dendan, who has +levied troops from all countries and arrogates to himself the +right of naming a king of the country and chooses that it shall +be under the hand of a worthless orphan." "What then dost thou +purpose to do?" asked Nuzhet ez Zeman. "I mean to kill him," +replied the King, "that the Vizier may be baulked of his intent +and return to his allegiance to me, seeing nothing for it but my +service." Quoth she, "Perfidy is a foul thing with strangers, and +how much more with kinsfolk? Thou wouldst do better to marry him +to thy daughter Kuzia Fekan and give heed to what was said of old +time: + +If Fate set over thee a man, though thou than he Be worthier and + this be grievous unto thee, +Yield him the honour due to his estate; thou'lt find He will + advantage thee, though near or far thou be. +Speak not thy thought of him; else wilt thou be of those Who of + their own accord the way of weal do flee. +Many in the harem oft are brighter than the bride; But time is on + her side, and opportunity." + +When Sasan heard this, he rose in anger and said to her, "Were it +not that to kill thee would bring disgrace and reproach on me, I +would take off thy head with my sword and make an end of thee." +Quoth she, "I did but jest with thee." And rose and kissed his +head and hands, saying, "Thou art right, and we will cast about +for some means to kill him." When he heard this, he was glad and +said, "Make haste and contrive some device to relieve me of my +affliction; for I am at my wit's end." Said she, "I will make +shift to do away his life for thee." "How so?" asked he; and she +answered, "By means of our female slave Bakoun." Now this Bakoun +was past mistress in all kinds of knavery and was one of the most +pernicious of old women, in whose religion it was not lawful to +abstain from wickedness; she had brought up Kanmakan and Kuzia +Fekan, and the former had her in so great affection, that he was +wont to sleep at her feet. So when King Sasan heard his wife name +her, he said, "This is a good counsel," and sending for the old +woman, told her what had passed and bade go about to kill +Kanmakan, promising her all good. "O my lord," replied she, "thy +commandment shall be done: but I would have thee give me a dagger +that has been tempered in water of dearth,[FN#158] that I may +despatch him the quicklier for thee." "So be it," said Sasan and +gave her a knife that would well-nigh forego destiny. Now this +woman had heard stories and verses and committed to memory great +store of witty traits and anecdotes: so she took the dagger and +went out, considering how she should compass Kanmakan's +destruction. Then she repaired to the prince, whom she found +sitting awaiting [the coming of a messenger with] his cousin's +tryst; so that night his thought was taken up with Kuzia Fekan +and the fires of love for her raged in his heart. Bakoun went in +to him, saying, "The time of union is at hand and the days of +separation are over and gone." When he heard this, he said, "How +is it with Kuzia Fekan?" And she answered, "Know that she is +distraught for love of thee." At this he rose and taking off his +[upper] clothes, put them on her and promised her all good. Then +said she, "Know that I mean to pass this night with thee, that I +may repeat to thee what talk I have heard and divert thee with +tales of many a slave of love, whom passion hath made sick." +Quoth he, "Tell me a story, that will gladden my heart and dispel +my cares." "With all my heart," answered she and sitting down +beside him, with the dagger under her clothes, began thus, "The +pleasantest thing I ever heard was as follows: + + + + + +Bakoun's Story of the Hashish-eater. + + + + +A certain man loved the fair and spent his substance on them, +till he became a beggar and used to go about the streets and +markets, seeking his bread. One day, as he went along, a splinter +of iron pierced his finger and made it bleed; so he sat down and +wiping away the blood, bound up his finger. Then he went on, +crying out, till he came to a bath, and entering found it clean +(and empty). So he took off his clothes and sitting down by the +basin, fell to pouring water on his head, till he was tired, when +he went out to the room in which was the tank of cold water. +Finding none there, he shut himself up [in a cabinet] and taking +out a piece of hashish, swallowed it. The fumes of the drug +spread through his brain and he rolled over on to the marble +floor. Then the hashish made it appear to him as if a great lord +were kneading him and as if two slaves stood at his head, one +bearing a bowl and the other washing gear and all the requisites +of the bath. When he saw this, he said to himself, 'Meseems these +are mistaken in me; or else they are of the company of us +hashish-eaters.' Then he stretched out his legs and it seemed to +him that the bathman said to him, 'O my lord, the time of thy +going forth draws near and it is to-day thy turn of service (at +the palace).' At this he laughed and said, 'As God wills, O +hashish!' Then he sat and said nothing, whilst the bathman took +him by the hand and raising him up, girt his middle with a +waist-cloth of black silk, after which the two slaves followed +him, with the bowls and implements, till they brought him into a +cabinet, wherein they set perfumes burning. He found the place +full of various kinds of fruits and sweet-scented flowers, and +they cut him a melon and seated him on a stool of ebony, whilst +the bathman stood to wash him and the slaves poured water on him; +after which they rubbed him down well and said, 'O our lord the +Vizier, may the bath profit thee and mayst thou come to delight +everlasting!' Then they went out and shut the door on him; and he +took up the waist-cloth and laughed till he well-nigh lost his +senses. He gave not over laughing for some time and saying to +himself, 'What ails them to bespeak me as if I were a Vizier and +style me "Master" and "our lord"? Surely they are dreaming now; +but presently they will know me and say, "This fellow is a +beggar," and take their fill of cuffing me on the nape of the +neck.' Presently, he felt hot and opened the door, whereupon it +seemed to him that a little white slave and an eunuch entered, +carrying a parcel. The slave opened the parcel and brought out +three kerchiefs of silk, one of which he threw over his head, a +second over his shoulders, and a third he tied round his waist. +Moreover, the eunuch gave him a pair of bath-clogs, and he put +them on; after which in came eunuchs and slaves and supported +him, laughing the while, to the outer hall, which he found hung +and spread with magnificent furniture, such as beseems none but +kings; and the pages hastened up to him and seated him on the +divan. Then they fell to kneading him, till sleep overcame him +and he dreamt that he had a girl in his arms. So he kissed her +and set her between his thighs; then, clipping her as a man clips +a woman, took his yard in his hand and was about to have at her, +when he heard one saying to him, 'Awake, thou good-for-nought! +The hour of noon is come and thou art still asleep.' He opened +his eyes and found himself lying on the merge of the cold-water +tank, with a crowd of people about him, laughing at him; for the +napkin was fallen from his middle and discovered his yard in +point. So he knew that all this was but an imbroglio of dreams +and an illusion of hashish and was vexed and said to him who had +aroused him, 'Would thou hadst waited till I had put it in!' Then +said the folk, 'Art thou not ashamed, O hashish-eater, and thou +lying asleep and naked, with thy yard on end?' And they cuffed +him, till the nape of his neck was red. Now he was starving, yet +had he tasted the savour of delight in sleep." + + +When Kanmakan heard this story, he laughed till he fell backward +and said to Bakoun, "O my nurse, this is indeed a rare story; I +never heard its like. Hast thou any more?" "Yes," answered she +and went on to tell him diverting stories and laughable +anecdotes, till sleep overcame him. Then she sat by him till the +most part of the night was past, when she said to herself, "It is +time to profit by the occasion." So she unsheathed the dagger and +drawing near to Kanmakan, was about to slaughter him, when, +behold, in came his mother. When Bakoun saw her, she rose to meet +her, and fear got hold on her and she fell a-trembling, as if she +had the ague. The princess mother marvelled to see her thus and +aroused her son, who awoke and found her sitting at his head. Now +the reason of her coming was that Kuzia Fekan heard of the plot +to kill Kanmakan and said to his mother, "O wife of my uncle, go +to thy son, ere that wicked baggage Bakoun kill him." And she +told her what had passed, from beginning to end. So she rose at +once and stayed not for aught, till she came to her son's +lodgings, just as Bakoun was about to slay him. When he awoke, he +said to his mother, "O my mother, indeed thou comest at a good +time, for my nurse Bakoun has been with me this night." Then he +turned to Bakoun and said to her, "My life on thee, knowest thou +any story better than those thou hast told me?" "What I have told +thee," answered she, "is nothing to what I will tell thee; but +that must be for another time." Then she rose to go, hardly +believing that she should escape with her life, for she perceived +of her cunning that his mother knew what was toward; and he said, +"Go in peace." So she went her way, and his mother said to him, +"O my son, blessed be this night, wherein God the Most High hath +delivered thee from this accursed woman!" "How so?" asked he, and +she told him the whole story. "O my mother," said he, "whoso is +fated to live finds no slayer; nor, though he be slain, will he +die; but now it were wise that we depart from amongst these +enemies and let God do what He will." So, as soon as it was day, +he left the city and joined the Vizier Dendan, and certain things +befell between King Sasan and Nuzhet ez Zeman, which caused her +also to leave the city and join herself to Kanmakan and Dendan, +as did likewise such of the King's officers as inclined to their +party. Then they took counsel together what they should do and +agreed to make an expedition into the land of the Greeks and take +their revenge for the death of King Omar ben Ennuman and his son +Sherkan. So they set out with this intent and after adventures +which it were tedious to set out, but the drift of which will +appear from what follows, they fell into the hands of Rumzan, +King of the Greeks. Next morning, King Rumzan caused Dendan and +Kanmakan and their company to be brought before him and seating +them at his side, bade spread the tables of food. So they ate and +drank and took heart of grace, after having made sure of death, +for that, when they were summoned to the King's presence, they +said to one another, "He has not sent for us but to put us to +death." Then said the King, "I have had a dream, which I related +to the monks and they said, 'None can expound it to thee but the +Vizier Dendan.'" "And what didst thou see in thy dream, O King of +the age?" asked Dendan. "I dreamt," answered the King, "that I +was in a pit, as it were a black well, where meseemed folk were +tormenting me; and I would have risen, but fell on my feet and +could not get out of the pit. Then I turned and saw on the ground +a girdle of gold and put out my hand to take it; but when I +raised it from the ground, I saw it was two girdles. So I girt my +middle with them, and behold, they became one girdle; and this, O +Vizier, is my dream and what I saw in sleep." "O our lord the +Sultan," said Dendan, "this thy dream denotes that thou hast a +brother or a brother's son or an uncle's son or other near +kinsman of thy flesh and blood [of whom thou knowest not]." When +the King heard this, he looked at Kanmakan and Dendan and Nuzhet +ez Zeman and Kuzia Fekan and the rest of the captives and said in +himself, "If I cut off these people's heads, their troops will +lose heart for the loss of their chiefs and I shall be able to +return speedily to my realm, lest the kingdom pass out of my +hands." So he called the headsman and bade him strike off +Kanmakan's head, when behold, up came Rumzan's nurse and said to +him, "O august King, what wilt thou do?" Quoth he, "I mean to put +these captives to death and throw their heads among their troops; +after which I will fall upon them, I and all my men, and kill all +we may and put the rest to the rout; so will this be the end of +the war and I shall return speedily to my kingdom, ere aught +befall among my subjects." + +When the nurse heard this, she came up to him and said in the +Frank tongue, "How canst thou slay thine own brother's son and +thy sister and thy sister's daughter?" When he heard this, he was +exceeding angry and said to her, "O accursed woman, didst thou +not tell me that my mother was murdered and that my father died +by poison? Didst thou not give me a jewel and say to me, 'This +jewel was thy father's'? Why didst thou not tell me the truth?" +"All that I told thee is true," replied she: "but thy case and my +own are wonderful and thine and my history extraordinary. My name +is Merjaneh and thy mother's name was Abrizeh. She was gifted +with such beauty and grace and valour that proverbs were made of +her, and her prowess was renowned among men of war. Thy father +was King Omar ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and Khorassan. He sent +his son Sherkan on an expedition, in company with this very +Vizier Dendan; and Sherkan thy brother separated himself from the +troops and fell in with thy mother Queen Abrizeh, in a privy +garden of her palace, whither we had resorted to wrestle, she and +I and her other damsels. He came on us by chance and wrestled +with thy mother, who overcame him by the splendour of her beauty +and her valour. Then she entertained him five days in her palace, +till the news of this came to her father, by the old woman +Shewahi, surnamed Dhat ed Dewahi, whereupon she embraced Islam at +Sherkan's hands and he carried her by stealth to Baghdad, and +with her myself and Rihaneh and other twenty damsels. When we +came to thy father's presence, he fell in love with thy mother +and going in to her one night, foregathered with her, and she +became with child by him of thee. Now thy mother had three +jewels, which she gave to thy father, and he gave one of them to +his daughter Nuzhet ez Zeman, another to thy brother Zoulmekan +and the third to thy brother Sherkan. This last thy mother took +from Sherkan, and I kept it for thee. When the time of the +princess's delivery drew near, she yearned after her own people +and discovered her secret to me; so I went privily to a black +slave called Ghezban and telling him our case, bribed him to go +with us. Accordingly, he took us and fled forth the city with us +by stealth towards the land of the Greeks, till we came to a +desert place on the borders of our own country. Here the pangs of +labour came upon thy mother, and the slave, being moved by lust, +sought of her a shameful thing; whereat she cried out loudly and +was sore affrighted at him. In the excess of her alarm, she gave +birth to thee at once, and at this moment there arose, in the +direction of our country, a cloud of dust which spread till it +covered the plain. At this sight, the slave feared for his life; +so, in his rage, he smote Queen Abrizeh with his sword and slew +her, then, mounting his horse, went his way. Presently, the dust +lifted and discovered thy grandfather, King Herdoub, who, seeing +thy mother his daughter dead on the ground, was sorely troubled +and questioned me of the manner of her death and why she had left +her father's kingdom. So I told him all that had happened, first +and last; and this is the cause of the feud between the people of +the land of the Greeks and the people of Baghdad. Then we took up +thy dead mother and buried her; and I took thee and reared thee, +and hung this jewel about thy neck. But, when thou camest to +man's estate, I dared not acquaint thee with the truth of the +matter, lest it should stir up a war of revenge between you. +Moreover, thy grandfather had enjoined me to secrecy, and I could +not gainsay the commandment of thy mother's father, Herdoub, King +of the Greeks. This, then, is why I forbore to tell thee that thy +father was King Omar ben Ennuman; but, when thou camest to the +throne, I told thee [what thou knowest]; and the rest I could not +reveal to thee till this moment. So now, O King of the age, I +have discovered to thee my secret and have acquainted thee with +all that I know of the matter; and thou knowest best what is in +thy mind." When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard what the King's nurse said, +she cried out, saying, "This King Rumzan is my brother by my +father King Omar ben Ennuman, and his mother was the Princess +Abrizeh, daughter of Herdoub, King of the Greeks; and I know this +damsel Merjaneh right well." With this, trouble and perplexity +got hold upon Rumzan and he caused Nuzhet ez Zeman to be brought +up to him forthright. When he looked upon her, blood drew to +blood and he questioned her of his history. So she told me all +she knew, and her story tallied with that of his nurse; whereupon +he was assured that he was indeed of the people of Irak and that +King Omar ben Ennuman was his father. So he caused his sister to +be unbound, and she came up to him and kissed his hands, whilst +her eyes ran over with tears. He wept also to see her weeping, +and brotherly love entered into him and his heart yearned to his +brother's son Kanmakan. So he sprang to his feet and taking the +sword from the headsman's hands, bade bring the captives up to +him. At this, they made sure of death; but he cut their bonds +with the sword and said to Merjaneh, "Explain the matter to them, +even as thou hast explained it to me." "O King," replied she, +"know that this old man is the Vizier Dendan and he is the best +of witnesses to my story, seeing that he knows the truth of the +case." Then she turned to the captives and repeated the whole +story to them and to the princes of the Greeks and the Franks who +were present with them, and they all confirmed her words. When +she had finished, chancing to look at Kanmakan, she saw on his +neck the fellow jewel to that which she had hung round King +Rumzan's neck, whereupon she gave such a cry, that the whole +palace rang again, and said to the King, "Know, O my son, that +now my certainty is still more assured, for the jewel that is +about the neck of yonder captive is the fellow to that I hung to +thy neck, and this is indeed thy brother's son Kanmakan." Then +she turned to Kanmakan and said to him, "O King of the age, let +me see that jewel." So he took it from his neck and gave it to +her. Then she asked Nuzhet ez Zeman of the third jewel and she +gave it to her, whereupon she delivered the two to King Rumzan, +and the truth of the matter was made manifest to him and he was +assured that he was indeed Prince Kanmakan's uncle and that his +father was King Omar ben Ennuman. So he rose at once and going up +to the Vizier Dendan, embraced him; then he embraced Prince +Kanmakan, and they cried aloud for very gladness. The joyful news +was blazed abroad and they beat the drums and cymbals, whilst +the flutes sounded and the people held high festival. The army of +Irak and Syria heard the clamour of rejoicing among the Greeks; +so they mounted, all of them, and King Ziblcan also took horse, +saying in himself, "What can be the cause of this clamour and +rejoicing in the army of the Franks?" Then the Muslim troops made +ready for fight and advancing into the field, drew out in battle +array. Presently, King Rumzan turned and seeing the army deployed +in battalia, enquired the reason and was told the state of the +case; so he bade Kuzia Fekan return at once to the Muslim troops +and acquaint them with the accord that had betided and how it was +come to light that he was Kanmakan's uncle. So she set out, +putting away from her sorrows and troubles, and stayed not till +she came to King Ziblcan, whom she found tearful-eyed, fearing +for the captive chiefs and princes. She saluted him and told him +all that had passed, whereat the Muslims' grief was turned to +gladness. Then he and all his officers took horse and followed +the princess to the pavilion of King Rumzan, whom they found +sitting with his nephew, Prince Kanmakan. Now they had taken +counsel with the Vizier Dendan concerning King Ziblcan and had +agreed to commit to his charge the city of Damascus of Syria and +leave him king over it as before, whilst themselves entered Irak. +Accordingly, they confirmed him in the viceroyalty of Damascus +and bade him set out at once for his government, so he departed +with his troops and they rode with him a part of the way, to bid +him farewell. Then they returned and gave orders for departure, +whereupon the two armies united and King Rumzan and his nephew +set out, surrounded by their nobles and grandees. And indeed +Kanmakan rejoiced in his uncle King Rumzan and called down +blessings on the nurse Merjaneh, who had made them known to each +other; but the two Kings said to one another, "Our hearts will +never be at rest nor our wrath appeased, till we have taken our +wreak of the old woman Shewahi, surnamed Dhat ed Dewahi, and +wiped out the blot upon our honour." So they fared on till they +drew near Baghdad, and Sasan, hearing of their approach, came out +to meet them and kissed the hand of the King of the Greeks, who +bestowed on him a dress of honour. Then King Rumzan sat down on +the throne and seated his nephew at his side, who said to him, "O +my uncle, this kingdom befits none but thee." "God forbid," +replied Rumzan, "that I should supplant thee in thy kingdom!" So +the Vizier Dendan counselled them to share the throne between +them, ruling each one day in turn, and they agreed to this. Then +they made feasts and offered sacrifices and held high festival, +whilst King Kanmakan spent his nights with his cousin Kuzia +Fekan; and they abode thus awhile. + +One day, as the two Kings sat, rejoicing in the happy ending of +their troubles, they saw a cloud of dust arise and up came a +merchant, who ran to them, shrieking and crying out for succour. +"O Kings of the age," said he, "how comes it that I was in safety +in the country of the infidels and am plundered in your realm, +what though it be a land of peace and justice?" King Rumzan +questioned him of his case, and he replied, "I am a merchant, who +have been nigh a score of years absent from my native land, +travelling in far countries; and I have a patent of exemption +from Damascus, which the late Viceroy King Sherkan wrote me, for +that I had made him gift of a slave-girl. Now I was returning to +Irak, having with me a hundred loads of rarities of Ind; but, as +I drew near Baghdad, the seat of your sovereignty and the +abiding-place of your peace and your justice, there came out upon +me Bedouins and Kurds banded together from all parts, who slew my +men and robbed me of all my goods. This is what hath befallen +me." Then he wept and bemoaned himself before the two Kings, who +took compassion on him and swore that they would sally out upon +the thieves. So they set out with a hundred horse, each reckoned +worth thousands of men, and the merchant went before them, to +guide them in the right way. They fared on all that day and the +following night till daybreak, when they came to a valley +abounding in streams and trees. Here they found the bandits +dispersed about the valley, having divided the treasure between +them; but there was yet some of it left. So they fell upon them +and surrounded them on all sides, nor was it long before they +made prize of them all, to the number of near three hundred +horsemen, banded together of the scourings of the Arabs. They +bound them all, and taking what they could find of the merchant's +goods, returned to Baghdad, where the two Kings sat down upon one +throne and passing the prisoners in review before them, +questioned them of their condition and their chiefs. So they +pointed out to them three men and said, "These are our only +chiefs, and it was they who gathered us together from all parts +and countries." The Kings bade lay on these three and set the +rest free, after taking from them all the goods in their +possession and giving them to the merchant, who examined them and +found that a fourth of his stock was missing. The two Kings +engaged to make good his loss, whereupon he pulled out two +letters, one in the handwriting of Sherkan and the other in that +of Nuzhet ez Zeman; for this was the very merchant who had bought +Nuzhet ez Zeman of the Bedouin, as hath been before set forth. +Kanmakan examined the letters and recognized the handwriting of +his uncle Sherkan and his aunt Nuzhet ez Zeman; then (for that he +knew the latter's history) he went in to her with that which she +had written and told her the merchant's story. She knew her own +handwriting and recognizing the merchant, despatched to him +guest-gifts (of victual and what not) and commended him to her +brother and nephew, who ordered him gifts of money and slaves and +servants to wait on him, besides which the princess sent him a +hundred thousand dirhems in money and fifty loads of merchandise, +together with other rich presents. Then she sent for him and made +herself known to him, whereat he rejoiced greatly and kissed her +hands, giving her joy of her safety and union with her brother +and thanking her for her bounty: and he said to her, "By Allah, a +good deed is not lost upon thee!" Then she withdrew to her own +apartment and the merchant sojourned with them three days, after +which he took leave of them and set out to return to Damascus. +After this, the two Kings sent for the three robber-chiefs and +questioned them of their condition, whereupon one of them came +forward and said, "Know that I am a Bedouin, who use to lie +in wait, by the way, to steal children and virgin girls and +sell them to merchants; and this I did for many a year until +these latter days, when Satan incited me to join these two +gallows-birds in gathering together all the riff-raff of the +Arabs and other peoples, that we might waylay merchants and +plunder caravans." Said the two Kings, "Tell us the rarest of the +adventures that have befallen thee in kidnapping children and +girls." "O Kings of the age," replied he, "the strangest thing +that ever happened to me was as follows. Two-and-twenty years +ago, being at Jerusalem, I saw a girl come out of the khan, who +was possessed of beauty and grace, albeit she was but a servant +and was clad in worn clothes, with a piece of camel-cloth on her +head; so I entrapped her by guile and setting her on a camel, +made off with her into the desert, thinking to carry her to my +own people and there set her to pasture the camels and collect +their dung (for fuel); but she wept so sore, that after beating +her soundly, I carried her to Damascus, where a merchant saw her +and being astounded at her beauty and accomplishments, bid me +more and more for her, till at last I sold her to him for a +hundred thousand dinars. I heard after that he clothed her +handsomely and presented her to the Viceroy of Damascus, who gave +him for her her price thrice told; and this, by my life, was but +little for such a damsel! This, O Kings of the age, is the +strangest thing that ever befell me." The two Kings wondered at +his story; but, when Nuzhet ez Zeman heard it, the light in her +face became darkness, and she cried out and said to her brother, +"Sure, this is the very Bedouin who kidnapped me in Jerusalem!" +And she told them all that she had endured from him in her +strangerhood of hardship and blows and hunger and humiliation, +adding, "And now it is lawful to me to slay him." So saying, she +seized a sword and made at him; but he cried out and said, "O +Kings of the age, let her not kill me, till I have told you the +rare adventures that have betided me." And Kanmakan said to her, +"O my aunt, let him tell his story, and after do with him as thou +wilt." So she held her hand and the Kings said to him, "Now let +us hear thy story." "O Kings of the age," said he, "if I tell you +a rare story, will you pardon me?" "Yes," answered they. Then +said the Bedouin, "know that + + + + +Hemmad the Bedouin's Story. + + + + +Awhile ago, I was sore wakeful one night and thought the dawn +would never break: so, as soon as it was day, I rose and girding +on my sword, mounted my steed and set my lance in rest. Then I +rode out to hunt, and as I went along, a company of men accosted +me and asked me whither I went. I told them, and they said, 'We +will bear thee company.' So we all fared on together, and +presently we saw an ostrich and gave chase; but it evaded us and +spreading its wings, fled before us and drew us on after it, till +it brought us to a desert, wherein there was neither grass nor +water, nor was aught to be heard there save the hissing of +serpents, the wailing of Jinn and the howling of ghouls. Here we +lost sight of the ostrich, nor could we tell whether it had flown +up into the sky or sunk into the ground. Then we turned our +horses' heads and thought to go back; but found that our return +would be toilsome and dangerous at that time of exceeding heat; +for the heat was grievous to us, so that we were sore athirst and +our horses stood still. So we made sure of death; but as we were +in this case, we espied a spacious meadow afar off, wherein were +gazelles frisking. There was a tent pitched and by the tent-side +a horse tethered and a spear stuck in the earth, whose head +glittered in the sun. When we saw this, our hearts revived, after +we had despaired, and we turned our horses' heads towards the +meadow and rode on, till we came to a spring, where we alighted +and drank and watered our beasts. Then I was seized with a frenzy +of curiosity and went up to the door of the tent, where I saw a +young man like the new moon, without hair on his cheeks, and on +his right hand a slender damsel, as she were a willow wand. No +sooner did I set eyes on the girl, than love of her got hold upon +my heart and I saluted the young man, who returned my greeting. +Then said I to him, 'O brother of the Arabs, tell me who thou art +and what is this damsel to thee?' With this, he bent down his +head awhile, then raised it and replied, 'Tell me first who thou +art and what are these horsemen with thee.' 'I am Hemmad, son of +El Fezari,' answered I, 'the renowned cavalier, who is reckoned +as five hundred horse among the Arabs. We went forth this morning +to hunt and were overcome by thirst; so I came to the door of +this tent, thinking to get of thee a draught of water.' When he +heard this, he turned to the fair maiden and said to her, 'Bring +this man water and what there is of food.' So she went in, +trailing her skirts, whilst her feet stumbled in her long hair +and the golden bangles tinkled on her ankles, and returned after +a little, bearing in her right hand a silver vessel of cold water +and in her left a bowl full of milk and dates and flesh of wild +cattle. But, of the excess of my passion for her, I could take of +her nor meat nor drink, and I recited to her the following +verses, applying them to her: + +The dye of the henna upon her hand doth show, As 'twere a raven + new lighted on fresh-fall'n snow; +And see the full moon and the sun beside her face, This dim and + the other fearful for shame and woe. + +Then, after I had eaten and drunk, I said to the youth, 'O chief +of the Arabs, I have told thee truly who and what I am, and now I +would fain have thee do the like by me and tell me the truth of +thy case.' 'As for this damsel,' replied he, 'she is my sister.' +Quoth I, 'It is my desire that thou give her to me to wife of +free will: else will I slay thee and take her by force.' With +this, he bowed his head awhile, then raised his eyes to me and +answered, 'Thou sayest sooth in avouching thyself a renowned +cavalier and a famous champion and the lion of the desert; but if +ye all attack me treacherously and slay me and take my sister by +force, it will be a stain upon your honour. If ye be, as thou +sayest, cavaliers that are counted among the champions and fear +not the shock of battle, give me time to don my armour and gird +on my sword and set my lance in rest and mount my horse. Then +will we go forth into the field and fight; and if I conquer you, +I will kill you, every man of you; and if you overcome me and +slay me, this damsel my sister is thine.' 'This is but just,' +answered I, 'and we oppose it not.' Then I turned my horse's +head, mad for love of the damsel, and rode back to my companions, +to whom I set forth her beauty and grace, as also the comeliness +of the young man and his valour and strength of soul and how he +avouched himself a match for a thousand horse. Moreover, I +described to them the tent and all the riches and rarities it +contained and said to them, 'Be sure that this youth would not +have taken up his abode alone in this desert place, were he not a +man of great prowess: so I propose that whoso slays him shall +take his sister.' And they agreed to this. Then we armed +ourselves and mounting, rode to the tent, where we found the +young man armed and mounted; but his sister ran up to him, with +her veil drenched with tears, and laying hold of his stirrup, +cried out, saying, 'Alas!' and 'Woe worth the day!' in her fear +for her brother, and recited the following verses: + +To God above I make my moan of sorrow and affright. Mayhap, the + empyrean's Lord will smite them with dismay. +They fain would kill thee, brother mine, with malice + aforethought, Though never cause of anger was nor fault + forewent the fray. +Yet for a champion art thou known among the men of war, The + doughtiest knight that East or West goes camping by the way. +Thou wilt thy sister's honour guard, whose might is small, for + thou Her brother art and she for thee unto the Lord doth + pray +Let not the foe possess my soul nor seize on me perforce And work + their cruel will on me, without my yea or nay. +By God His truth, I'll never live in any land where thou Art not + albeit all the goods of plenty it display! +But I will slay myself for love and yearning for thy sake And in + the darksome tomb I'll make my bed upon the clay. + +When he heard her words, he wept sore and turning his horse's +head towards her, made answer with the following verses: + +Stand by and see the wondrous deeds that I will do this day, + Whenas we meet and I on them rain blows in the mellay. +E'en though the lion of the war, the captain of the host, The + stoutest champion of them all, spur out into the fray, +I'll deal a Thaalebiyan[FN#159] blow at him and in his heart I'll + let my spear, even to the shaft, its thirst for blood allay. +If I defend thee not from all that seek thee, sister mine, May I + be slaughtered and my corse given to the birds of prey! +Ay, I will battle for thy sake, with all the might I may, And + books shall story after me the marvels of this day. + +Then said he, 'O my sister, give ear to what I shall enjoin on +thee.' And she answered, 'I hear and obey.' Quoth he, 'If I fall, +let none possess thee;' and she buffeted her face and said, 'God +forbid, O my brother, that I should see thee laid low and yield +myself to thine enemies!' With this he put out his hand to her +and drew aside her veil, whereupon her face shone forth, like the +sun from out clouds. Then he kissed her between the eyes and bade +her farewell; after which he turned to us and said, 'Ho, +cavaliers! Come ye as guests or are you minded to cut and thrust? +If ye come as guests, rejoice in hospitality; and if ye covet the +shining moon,[FN#160] come out against me, one by one, and +fight.' Then came out to him a sturdy horseman, and the young man +said to him, 'Tell me thy name and thy father's name, for I have +sworn to fight with none whose name and whose father's name tally +with mine and my father's, and if it be thus with thee, I will +give thee up the girl.' 'My name is Bilal,'[FN#161] answered the +other; and the young man repeated the following verses: + +Thou liest when thou talkest of "benefits"; for lo, Thou comest + with mischief and malice and woe! +So, an thou be doughty, heed well what I say: I'm he who the + braver in the battle lays low +With a keen-cutting sword, like the horn of the moon; So look + (and beware) for a hill-shaking blow! + +Then they ran at one another, and the youth smote his adversary +in the breast, that the lance-head issued from his back. With +this, another came out, and the youth repeated the following +verses: + +O dog, that art noisome of stench and of sight, What is there of + worth that to come by is light? +'Tis only the lion, of race and of might Right noble, recks + little of life in the fight. + +Nor was it long before he left him also drowned in his blood and +cried out, 'Who will come out to me?' So a third horseman pricked +out, reciting the following verses: + +I come to thee, with a fire in my breast that blazes free, And + call on my comrades all to the fight to follow me. +Though thou hast slain the chiefs of the Arabs, yet, perdie, Thou + shalt not 'scape this day from those that follow thee! + +When the youth heard this, he answered him, saying: + +Thou com'st, like theright evil fiend that thou art, With a lie + on thy lips and a fraud at thy heart; +This day shalt thou taste of a death-dealing dart And a spear + that shall rid thee of life with its smart. + +Then he smote him on the breast, that the spear-point issued +from his back, and cried out, saying, 'Will another come out?' So +a fourth came out and the youth asked him his name. He replied, +'My name is Hilal.'[FN#162] And the youth repeated these verses: + +Thou err'st, that wouldst plunge in my sea of affray And thinkest + to daunt me with lies and dismay. +Lo, I, to whose chant thou hast hearkened this day, Thy soul, ere + thou know'st it, will ravish away! + +Then they drove at one another and exchanged blows; but the +youth's stroke forewent that of his adversary and slew him: and +thus he went on to kill all who sallied out against him. When I +saw my comrades slain, I said in myself, 'If I fight with him, I +shall not be able to withstand him, and if I flee, I shall become +a byword among the Arabs.' However, the youth gave me no time to +think, but ran at me and laying hold of me, dragged me from my +saddle. I swooned away and he raised his sword to cut off my +head; but I clung to his skirts and he lifted me in his hand, as +I were a sparrow [in the clutches of a hawk]. When the maiden saw +this, she rejoiced in her brother's prowess and coming up to him, +kissed him between the eyes. Then he delivered me to her, saying, +'Take him and entreat him well, for he is come under our rule.' +So she took hold of the collars of my coat-of-arms and led me +away by them as one would lead a dog. Then she did off her +brother's armour and clad him in a robe, after which she brought +him a stool of ivory, on which he sat down, and said to him, 'May +God whiten thine honour and make thee to be as a provision +against the shifts of fortune!' And he answered her with the +following verses: + +My sister said, (who saw my lustrous forehead blaze Midmost the + war, as shine the sun's meridian rays) +"God bless thee for a brave, to whom, when he falls on, The + desert lions bow in terror and amaze!" +"Question the men of war," I answered her, "of me, Whenas the + champions flee before my flashing gaze. +I am the world-renowned for fortune and for might, Whose prowess + I uplift to what a height of praise! +O Hemmad, thou hast roused a lion, who shall show Thee death that + comes as swift as vipers in the ways." + +When I heard what he said, I was perplexed about my affair, and +considering my condition and how I was become a captive, I was +lessened in my own esteem. Then I looked at the damsel and said +to myself, 'It is she who is the cause of all this trouble;' and +I fell a-marvelling at her beauty and grace, till the tears +streamed from my eyes and I recited the following verses: + +Reproach me not, O friend, nor chide me for the past, For I will + pay no heed to chiding and dispraise. +Lo, I am clean distraught for one, whom when I saw, Fate in my + breast forthright the love of her did raise. +Her brother was my foe and rival in her love, A man of mickle + might and dreadful in affrays. + +Then the maiden set food before her brother, and he bade me eat +with him, whereat I rejoiced and felt assured of my life. When he +had made an end of eating, she brought him a flagon of wine and +he drank, till the fumes of the wine mounted to his head and his +face flushed. Then he turned to me and said, 'Harkye, Hemmad, +dost thou know me?' 'By thy life,' answered I, 'I am rich in +nought but ignorance!' Said he, 'I am Ibad ben Temim ben +Thaalebeh, and indeed God giveth thee thy liberty and spareth +thee confusion.' Then he drank to my health and gave me a cup of +wine and I drank it off. Then he filled me a second and a third +and a fourth, and I drank them all; and he made merry with me and +took an oath of me that I would never betray him. So I swore to +him a thousand oaths that I would never deal perfidiously with +him, but would be a friend and a helper to him. + +Then he bade his sister bring me ten dresses of silk; so she +brought them and laid them on me, and this gown I have on my body +is one of them. Moreover, he made her bring one of the best of +the riding camels, laden with stuffs and victual, and a sorrel +horse, and gave the whole to me. I abode with them three days, +eating and drinking, and what he gave me is with me to this day. +At the end of this time, he said to me, 'O Hemmad, O my brother, +I would fain sleep awhile and rest myself. I trust myself to +thee; but if thou see horsemen making hither, fear not, for they +are of the Beni Thaalebeh, seeking to wage war on me.' Then he +laid his sword under his head and slept; and when he was drowned +in slumber, the devil prompted me to kill him; so I rose, and +drawing the sword from under his head, dealt him a blow that +severed his head from his body. His sister heard what I had done, +and rushing out from within the tent, threw herself on his body, +tearing her clothes and repeating the following verses: + +Carry the tidings to the folk, the saddest news can be; But man + from God His ordinance no whither hath to flee. +Now art thou slaughtered, brother mine, laid prostrate on the + earth, Thou whose bright face was as the round of the full + moon to see. +Indeed, an evil day it was, the day thou mettest them, And after + many a fight, thy spear is shivered, woe is me! +No rider, now that thou art dead, in horses shall delight Nor + evermore shall woman bear a male to match with thee. +Hemmad this day hath played thee false and foully done to death; + Unto his oath and plighted faith a traitor base is he. +He deemeth thus to have his will and compass his desire; But + Satan lieth to his dupes in all he doth decree. + +When she had ended, she turned to me and said, 'O man of accursed +lineage, wherefore didst thou play my brother false and slay him, +whenas he purposed to send thee back to thy country with gifts +and victual and it was his intent also to marry thee to me at the +first of the month?' Then she drew a sword she had with her, and +planting it in the ground, with the point set to her breast, +threw herself thereon and pressed upon it, till the blade issued +from her back and she fell to the ground, dead. I mourned for her +and wept and repented when repentance availed me nothing. Then I +went in haste to the tent and taking whatever was light of +carriage and great of worth, went my way: but in my haste and +fear, I took no heed of my (dead) comrades, nor did I bury the +maiden and the youth. This, then, is my story, and it is still +more extraordinary than that of the serving-maid I kidnapped in +Jerusalem." + +When Nuzet ez Zeman heard these words of the Bedouin, the light +in her eyes was changed to darkness, and she rose and drawing the +sword, smote him amiddleward the shoulder-blades, that the point +issued from his throat. The bystanders said to her, "Why hast +thou made haste to slay him?" And she answered, "Praised be God +who hath granted me to avenge myself with my own hand!" And she +bade the slaves drag the body out by the feet and cast it to the +dogs. Then they turned to the second prisoner, who was a black +slave, and said to him, "What is thy name? Tell us the truth of +thy case." "My name is Ghezban," answered he and told them what +had passed between himself and the princess Abrizeh and how he +had slain her and fled. Hardly had he made an end of his story, +when King Rumzan struck off his head with his sabre, saying, +"Praised be God that gave me life! I have avenged my mother with +my own hand." Then he repeated to them what his nurse Merjaneh +had told him of this same Ghezban; after which they turned to the +third prisoner and said to him, "Tell us who thou art and speak +the truth." Now this was the very camel-driver, whom the people +of Jerusalem hired to carry Zoulmekan to the hospital at +Damascus; but he threw him down on the fuel-heap and went his +way. So he told them how he had dealt with Zoulmekan, whereupon +Kanmakan took his sword forthright and cut off his head, saying, +"Praised be God who hath given me life, that I might requite this +traitor what he did with my father, for I have heard this very +story from King Zoulmekan himself!" Then they said to each other +"It remains only for us to take our wreak of the old woman +Shewahi, yclept Dhat ed Dewahi, for that she is the prime cause +of all these troubles. Who will deliver her into our hands, that +we may avenge ourselves upon her and wipe out our dishonour?" And +King Rumzan said, "Needs must we bring her hither." So he wrote a +letter to his grandmother, the aforesaid old woman, giving her to +know that he had subdued the kingdoms of Damascus and Mosul and +Irak and had broken up the host of the Muslims and captured their +princes and adding, "I desire thee of all urgency to come to me +without delay, bringing with thee the princess Sufiyeh, daughter +of King Afridoun, and whom thou wilt of the Nazarene chiefs, but +no troops; for the country is quiet and under our hand." And he +despatched the letter to her, which when she read, she rejoiced +greatly and forthwith equipping herself and Sufiyeh, set out with +their attendants and journeyed, without stopping, till they drew +near Baghdad. Then she sent a messenger to acquaint the King of +her arrival, whereupon quoth Rumzan, "We should do well to don +the habit of the Franks and go out to meet the old woman, to the +intent that we may be assured against her craft and perfidy." So +they clad themselves in Frankish apparel, and when Kuzia Fekan +saw them, she exclaimed, "By the Lord of Worship, did I not know +you, I should take you to be indeed Franks!" Then they sallied +forth, with a thousand horse, to meet the old woman, and King +Rumzan rode on before them. As soon as his eyes met hers, he +dismounted and walked towards her, and she, recognizing him, +dismounted also and embraced him; but he pressed her ribs with +his hands, till he well-nigh broke them. Quoth she, "What is +this, O my son?" But before she had done speaking, up came +Kanmakan and Dendan, and the horsemen with them cried out at the +women and slaves and took them all prisoners. Then the two Kings +returned to Baghdad, with their captives, and Rumzan bade +decorate the city three days long, at the end of which time they +brought out the old woman, with a tall red bonnet of palm-leaves +on her head, diademed with asses' dung, and preceded by a herald, +proclaiming aloud, "This is the reward of those who presume to +lay hands on kings and kings' sons!" Then they crucified her on +one of the gates of Baghdad; and her companions, seeing what +befell her, all embraced the faith of Islam. As for Kanmakan and +his uncle Rumzan and his aunt Nuzhet ez Zeman, they marvelled at +the wonderful events that had betided them and bade the scribes +set them down orderly in books, that those who came after might +read. Then they all abode in the enjoyment of all the delights +and comforts of life, till there overtook them the Destroyer of +Delights and the Sunderer of Companies; and this is all that hath +come down to us of the dealings of fortune with King Omar ben +Ennuman and his sons Sherkan and Zoulmekan and his son's son +Kanmakan and his daughter Nuzhet ez Zeman and her daughter Kuzia +Fekan. + + + + + + +END of VOL. II. + + + + + + Notes to Volume 2. + + +[FN#1] A.H. 65-86. + +[FN#2] i.e. none could approach him in the heat of fight. + +[FN#3] Sophia. + +[FN#4] Apparently Palestine (in this case). + +[FN#5] i.e. man of might and munificence. + +[FN#6] About L35,000. + +[FN#7] Dhai ed Dewahi. + +[FN#8] i.e. sperma hominis. + +[FN#9] Apparently the names of noted wrestlers. + +[FN#10] A phrase of frequent occurrence in the Koran, meaning +"your female slaves" or "the women ye have captured in war." + +[FN#11] Quoth he (Solomon), "O chiefs, which of you will bring me +her throne?" (i.e. that of Belkis, queen of Sheba) ......."I," +said an Afrit of the Jinn, "will bring it thee, ere thou canst +rise from thy stead, for I am able thereto and faithful!"--Koran +xxvii. 38, 39. + +[FN#12] One of the fountains of Paradise. + +[FN#13] Kutheiyir ibn Ali Juma, a well-known poet of the seventh +and eighth centuries at Medina. He was celebrated for his love of +Azzeh, in whose honour most of his poems were written. The writer +(or copyist) of this tale has committed an anachronism in +introducing these verses, as Kutheiyir was a contemporary of the +Khalif Abdulmelik ben Merwan before whose time Sherkan and his +father (both imaginary characters) are stated( see supra, p. 1 +{Vol. 2, FN#1}) to have lived; but the whole narrative is full of +the grossest anachronisms, too numerous, indeed, to notice. + +[FN#14] Jemil ben Mamer, another celebrated Arabian poet and +lover, a friend and contemporary of Kutheiyir. + +[FN#15] A person who dies for love is esteemed a martyr by the +Arabs. + +[FN#16] I suspect these verses to have been introduced in error +by some copyist. They appear utterly meaningless in this context. + +[FN#17] The bishop. + +[FN#18] Apparently referring in jest to her speech to him see +supra, p. 27 {see text, Vol. 2, after FN#17}, "Thou art beaten +in everything." + +[FN#19] He likens the glance of her eye to the blade of a Yemen +sword,--a comparison of frequent occurrence in Arabic poetry. + +[FN#20] Mehmil. A decorated framework or litter borne by a camel, +sent as an emblem of royalty with the caravan of pilgrims to +Mecca, by way of honour to the occasion and to the sacred object +of the pilgrimage, much as great people send their empty +carriages to attend the funeral of a person for whose memory they +wish to show their respect. The introduction of the Mehmil here +is another of the many anachronisms of the story, as the custom +is said not to here come into use till a much later period. + +[FN#21] Mecca. + +[FN#22] Medina. + +[FN#23] Oriental substitutes for soap. + +[FN#24] i.e., death. + +[FN#25] Apparently the Bedouin was angry with the merchant for +praising the girl to her face and perhaps also alarmed at finding +that he had kidnapped a young lady of consequence, where he only +thought to have made prize of a pretty wench of humble condition +and friendless. + +[FN#26] Delight of the age. + +[FN#27] Affliction (or wrath) of the age. + +[FN#28] For fuel. + +[FN#29] "God will open on me another gate (or means) of making my +living." A common formula, meaning, "It is not enough." + +[FN#30] Or state problems. + +[FN#31] One of the four great Muslim sects or schools of +theology, taking its name from the Imam es Shafi (see post, p. +131, note). {see Vol. 2 FN#89} + +[FN#32] Second of the Abbasside Khalifs, A.H. 136-158. + +[FN#33] The second Khalif after Mohammed (A.H. 13-23) and the +most renowned for piety and just government of all the borders of +the office, except perhaps his descendant Omar ben Abdulaziz +(A.H. 99-102). + +[FN#34] As a reward (in the next world) for good deeds. + +[FN#35] The fourth Khalif. + +[FN#36] The word rendered "good breeding" may also be translated +"polite accomplishments" or "mental discipline" and has a great +number of other meanings. + +[FN#37] Sixth Khalif and founder of the Ommiade dynasty (A.H. 41 +60). + +[FN#38] One of the most notable men of the day, chief of the +great tribe of the Benou Temim. He was a contemporary of the +Prophet and was held in much esteem by Muawiyeh. + +[FN#39] Surname of Ahnaf. + +[FN#40] Governor of Bassora and other places under the first four +Khalifs. + +[FN#41] Ziad teen Abou Sufyan, illegitimate brother of the Khalif +Muawiyeh, afterwards governor of Bassora Cufa and the Hejaz. + +[FN#42] Because it might have been taken to mean, "inhabitants of +hell." + +[FN#43] i.e. death. + +[FN#44] A battle fought near Medina, A.D. 625, in which Mohammed +was defeated by the Meccans under Abou Sufyan. + +[FN#45] One of Mohammed's widows and Omar's own daughter. + +[FN#46] A well-known man of letters and theologian of the seventh +and eighth centuries. + +[FN#47] i.e. to prepare himself by good works, etc., for the +world to come. + +[FN#48] A celebrated Cufan theologian of the eighth century. + +[FN#49] i.e. for the next world. + +[FN#50] The eighth Khalif of the Ommiade dynasty, a rival in +piety and single-mindedness of Omar ben Khettab. + +[FN#51] The descendants of Umeyyeh and kinsmen of the reigning +house. + +[FN#52] The second, fifth, sixth and seventh Khalifs of the +Ommiade dynasty. + +[FN#53] The mother of Omar ben Abdulaziz was a granddaughter of +Omar ben Khettab. + +[FN#54] Brother of Omar's successor, Yezid II. + +[FN#55] This passage apparently belongs to the previous account +of Omar's death-bed; but I have left it as it stands in the text, +as it would be a hopeless task to endeavour to restore this chaos +of insipid anecdote and devotional commonplace to anything like +symmetry. + +[FN#56] Lit. with (or by) neither book (i.e. Koran) nor Sunneh +(i.e. the Traditions of the Prophet). + +[FN#57] Chief of the tribe of Temim and one of the most elegant +orators of the eighth century. + +[FN#58] Surnamed Eth Thekefi, Governor of Yemen and Irak: also a +well known orator, but a most cruel and fantastic tyrant. + +[FN#59] Tenth Khalif of the Ommiade dynasty (A.D. 723-742). + +[FN#60] i.e. slave-girl. + +[FN#61] i.e. It was decreed, so it was. + +[FN#62] Nuzhet ez Zeman. + +[FN#63] Nuzhet ez Zeman. + +[FN#64] Zoulmekan. + +[FN#65] Nuzhet ez Zeman. + +[FN#66] Sedic. + +[FN#67] Sidc. + +[FN#68] Mohammed Ibn Shihab ez Zuhri, a celebrated Traditionist +and jurisconsult of Medina in the seventh and eighth centuries. + +[FN#69] Alexander. + +[FN#70] The celebrated fabulist, said to have been a black slave +of the time of David, but supposed by some to be identical with +Aesop. + +[FN#71] Koran iii. 185. + +[FN#72] One of the Companions of the Prophet. + +[FN#73] One of the contemporaries of Mohammed and a noted +Traditionist (or repeater of the sayings of the Prophet) at Cufa +in the seventh century. + +[FN#74] A noted Traditionist and expounder Of the Koran in the +first century of the Muslim era. He was a black and a native of +Cufa. + +[FN#75] Son of the martyr Hussein and grandson of the Khalif Ali. + +[FN#76] A very eminent doctor of the law and Traditionist of the +eighth century. He was a native of Cufa and was regarded as one +of the great exemplars of the true believers. + +[FN#77] i.e. those who love and obey the precepts of the Koran. + +[FN#78] i.e. Barefoot. A native of Merv and a famous ascetic of +the eighth and ninth centuries. + +[FN#79] Necessitating a fresh ablution, before the prayer can be +ended. + +[FN#80] Another noted ascetic of the time. + +[FN#81] About a penny. + +[FN#82] A well-known legist and devotee of the eighth and ninth +centuries at Baghdad, Sounder of one of the four great orthodox +Muslim schools. + +[FN#83] A famous theologian and devotee of the eighth century at +Bassora. + +[FN#84] A noted preacher and Traditionist of Khorassan in the +ninth, century. + +[FN#85] Koran .xvi. 6. + +[FN#86] A Traditionist of Medina. who flourished in the eighth +century. + +[FN#87] This paragraph is part extract from and part paraphrase +of the Koran xxviii 22-27. + +[FN#88] A well-known pietist of the eighth century. + +[FN#89] Abou Hatim el Asemm (the Deaf), a famous Balkhi +theologian of the ninth century. + +[FN#90] One of two of the most famous theologians of the second +century of the Hegira and the founders of two of the four great +Mohammedan schools. + +[FN#91] One of two of the most famous theologians of the second +century of the Hegira and the founders of two of the four great +Mohammedan schools. + + +[FN#92] Ismail ibn Yehya el Muzeni, a famous Egyptian doctor of +the law pupil of Es Shafi and Imam of the Shafiyite school in the +ninth century. + +[FN#93] Koran lxxvii. 35, 36. + +[FN#94] Mohammed. + +[FN#95] Islam. + +[FN#96] "In Hell shall they (the unbelievers) burn, and ill shall +be (their) stead."--Koran, xiv. 34. + +[FN#97] Mohammed pretended that his coming had been foretold in +the Gospels and that the Christians had falsified the passage +(John xvi. 7) promising the advent of the Comforter (<Greek> + ) by substituting the latter word for +<Greek> , glorious, renowned, praised, i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#98] The second chapter of the Koran, beginning, "This is the +Book, etc." + +[FN#99] It appears by what follows that Afridoun, supposing the +victory to be gained, returned to Constantinople immediately +after sending this message and left the command of the army to +King Herdoub. + +[FN#100] At Mecca. + +[FN#101] i.e. There is no god but God. + +[FN#102] Koran, x. 25. + +[FN#103] Cassia fistularis, a kind of carob. + +[FN#104] "say not of those who are slain in the way (service) of +God that they are dead; nay, they are living." Koran, ii 149. + +[FN#105] Apparently Constantinople. + +[FN#106] This verse alludes to the garbled version of the miracle +of Aaron's rod given in the Koran, which attributes the act to +Moses and makes the Egyptian sorcerers throw down ropes, to which +by their art they give the appearance of serpents. + +[FN#107] i.e., of the Koran. + +[FN#108] A certain formula, invoking peace on the Prophet and all +men recurring at the end of the five daily prayers and pronounced +sitting. + +[FN#109] ex voto. + +[FN#110] i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#111] "What news bringest thou, O saint?" + +[FN#112] i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#113] These epithets are often applied by the Arabs, in a +complimentary sense, to anyone who works great havoc among his +enemies by his prowess and cunning. + +[FN#114] See Vol. I. p. 135, note. {Vol. 1, FN#45} + +[FN#115] i.e. Deal with thee as if thou wert slave-born and +therefore not used to knightly fashions nor able to endure stress +of battle. + +[FN#116] A chapel so called in the Temple at Mecca. + +[FN#117] Mohammed. + +[FN#118] Protector of the women that ride therein. + +[FN#119] The Mohammedans have a legend that God gave David +extraordinary skill in working iron and making chain mail, that +he might earn his living without drawing upon the public +treasury. "And we gave David a grace from us and softened for him +iron (saying), 'Make thou coats of mail and adjust the rings duly +and deal rightly, for I look upon what ye do."' --Koran, xxxiv. +10. + +[FN#120] This appears to be an allusion to the colours of the +house of Abbas, which were black. + +[FN#121] Kafir means "black" as well as "infidel." + +[FN#122] One of the Mohammedan legends represents Moses as +seeking the water of life. + +[FN#123] The allusion here is to the face of a beloved one, which +is likened to a moon rising out of her dress. + +[FN#124] An ornamental hand, said to be so called from the +resemblance of the pen with which it is written to the leaf of +the sweet basil. + +[FN#125] lit. "the love of the Beni Udhra," an Arabian tribe, +famous for the passion and devotion with which love was practiced +among them. + +[FN#126] Syn. eye (nazir). + +[FN#127] Syn. eyebrow (hajib). + +[FN#128] i.e. including the two days that had already elapsed. + +[FN#129] i.e. a graceful youth of the province in which Mecca is +situate. + +[FN#130] A small piece of wood used in a children's out-door game +called tab. + +[FN#131] The stone of the beleh or "green" date, not allowed to +ripen. + +[FN#132] Or drachm-weight. + +[FN#133] An audacious parody of the consecrated expression used +to describe the ceremonious circumambulation of the Kaabeh at +Mecca. + +[FN#134] Subaudiantur autem utriusque sexus pudenda. + +[FN#135] Subaudiantur autem utriusque sexus pudenda. + +[FN#136] Subaudiatur vas muliebre. + +[FN#137] The word sac (leg), when used in the oblique case, as it +would necessarily be here, makes saki, i.e. cup-bearer. A play +upon the double meaning is evidently intended. + +[FN#138] In the East, bathers pay on leaving the bath. + +[FN#139] As a styptic. + +[FN#140] Dunya. + +[FN#141] Semen hominis. + +[FN#142] i.e. the rolls of dirt that come off under the bathman's +hands. + +[FN#143] Paradise. + +[FN#144] The cold room of the bath. + +[FN#145] The hot room. + +[FN#146] The door-keeper of hell. + +[FN#147] The door-keeper of Paradise. + +[FN#148] i.e. Crown of Kings. + +[FN#149] An obscure star in the Great Bear. + +[FN#150] Zibl means "dung" or "sweepings." Can (Khan) means +"chief." + +[FN#151] i.e., Him who fights for the Faith. + +[FN#152] A town on the Euphrates, on the borders of Syria and +Mesopotamia. + +[FN#153] i.e. recognized him as king by naming him in the public +prayers. + +[FN#154] i.e. the silky whiskers, which it is common, in poetry, +to call green likening them to newly-sprouted herbage. + +[FN#155] i.e. the Day of Judgment. + +[FN#156] Ironical. + +[FN#157] i.e. Kanmakan. + +[FN#158] Meaning, apparently, poisoned. + +[FN#159] i.e. with a blow worthy of the members of the family of +Thaalebeb to which (see post, p. 368 {see ...Said he, 'I am Ibad +ben Temin ben Thaalebh, and indeed...}) he belonged. + +[FN#160] i.e. his sister. + +[FN#161] i.e. benefits. + +[FN#162] i.e. new moon. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT, VOLUME II *** + +This file should be named 21001107a.txt or 21001107a.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 21001117a.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 21001107b.txt + +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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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: The Book Of The Thousand Nights And One Night, Volume II + +Author: Anonymous + +Translator: John Payne + +Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8656] +[This file was first posted on July 30, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT, VOLUME II *** + + + + +Text scanned by JC Byers <www.wollamshram.ca/1001>; proofreading +by Cameron Fruit + + +Editorial Note: Project Gutenberg also has the translation of this work by + Richard F. Burton in 16 volumes. + + + + + THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT: + + Now First Completely Done Into English + Prose and Verse, From The Original Arabic, + + By John Payne +(Author of "The Masque of Shadows," "Intaglios: Sonnets," "Songs + of Life and Death," + "Lautrec," "The Poems of Master Francis Villon of Paris," "New + Poems," Etc, Etc.). + + In Nine Volumes: + + + + VOLUME THE SECOND. + + + + 1901 + + Delhi Edition + + + Contents of The Second Volume. + +9. The History of King Omar Ben Ennuman and His Sons Sherkan + and Zoulmekan + a. Story of Taj El Mulouk and the Princess Dunya + aa. Story of Aziz and Azizeh + b. Bakoun's Story of the Hashish-Eater + c. Hemmand the Bedouin's Story + + + + + + THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS + AND ONE NIGHT + + + + THE HISTORY OF KING OMAR BEN ENNUMAN AND + HIS SONS SHERKAN AND ZOULMEKAN. + + + +There reigned once in the City of Peace, (Baghdad), before the +Khalifate of Abdulmelik ben Merwan,[FN#1] a king called Omar ben +Ennuman, who was of the mighty giants and had subdued the kings +of Persia and the Emperors of the East, for none could warm +himself at his fire[FN#2] nor cope with him in battle, and when +he was angry, there came sparks out of his nostrils. He had +gotten him the dominion over all countries, and God had subjected +unto him all creatures; his commands were obeyed in all the great +cities and his armies penetrated the most distant lands: the East +and West came under his rule, with the regions between them, Hind +and Sind and China and Hejaz and Yemen and the islands of India +and China, Syria and Mesopotamia and the land of the blacks and +the islands of the ocean and all the famous rivers of the earth, +Jaxartes and Bactrus, Nile and Euphrates. He sent his ambassadors +to the farthest parts of the earth, to fetch him true report, and +they returned with tidings of justice and peace, bringing him +assurance of loyalty and obedience and invocations of blessings +on his head; for he was a right noble king and there came to him +gifts and tribute from all parts of the world. He had a son +called Sherkan, who was one of the prodigies of the age and the +likest of all men to his father, who loved him with an exceeding +love and had appointed him to be king after him. The prince grew +up till he reached man's estate and was twenty years old, and God +subjected all men to him, for he was gifted with great might and +prowess in battle, humbling the champions and destroying all who +made head against him. So, before long, this Sherkan became +famous in all quarters of the world and his father rejoiced in +him: and his might waxed, till he passed all bounds and magnified +himself, taking by storm the citadels and strong places. + +Now King Omar had four lawful wives, but God had vouchsafed him +no son by them, except Sherkan, whom he had gotten of one of +them, and the rest were barren. Moreover he had three hundred and +threescore concubines, after the number of the days of the Coptic +year, who were of all nations, and he had lodged them all within +his palace. For he had built twelve pavilions, after the number +of the months of the year, in each thirty chambers, and appointed +to each of his concubines a night, which he lay with her and came +not to her again for a full year. As providence would have it, +one of them conceived and her pregnancy was made known, whereupon +the King rejoiced with an exceeding joy, saying, "Mayhap it will +be a son, in which case all my offspring will be males." Then he +recorded the date of her conception and made much of her. But +when the news came to Sherkan, he was troubled and it was +grievous to him, for he said, "Verily, there cometh one who shall +dispute the kingdom with me." So he said to himself, "If this +damsel bear a male child, I will kill it." But he kept this his +intent secret in his heart. Now the damsel in question was a +Greek girl, by name Sufiyeh,[FN#3] whom the King of Roum,[FN#4] +lord of Caesarea, had sent to King Omar as a present, together +with great store of rarities. She was the fairest of face and +most graceful of all his women and the most careful of his honour +and was gifted with abounding wit and surpassing loveliness. She +had served the King on the night of his lying with her, saying to +him, "O King, I desire of the God of the heavens that He grant +thee of me a male child, so I may rear him well and do my utmost +endeavour to educate him and preserve him from harm." And her +words pleased the King. She passed the time of her pregnancy in +devout exercises, praying fervently to God to grant her a goodly +male child and make his birth easy to her, till her months were +accomplished and she sat down on the stool of delivery. Now the +King had given an eunuch charge to let him know if the child she +should bring forth were male or female; and in like manner his +son Sherkan had sent one to bring him news of this. In due time, +Sufiyeh was delivered of a child, which the midwives took and +found to be a girl with a face more radiant than the moon. So +they announced this to the bystanders, whereupon the eunuch +carried the news to the King and Sherkan's messenger did the like +with his master, who rejoiced with exceeding joy; but after these +two had departed, Sufiyeh said to the midwives, "Wait with me +awhile, for I feel there is yet somewhat in my entrails." Then +she moaned and the pains of labour took her again but God made it +easy to her and she gave birth to a second child. The midwives +looked at it and found it a boy like the full moon, with +flower-white forehead and rose-red cheeks; whereupon the damsel +and her eunuchs and attendants rejoiced and she was delivered of +the afterbirth, whilst all who were in the palace set up cries of +joy. The other damsels heard of this and envied her; and the news +came to Omar, who was glad and rejoiced. Then he rose and went to +her and kissed her head, after which he looked at the boy and +bending down to it, kissed it, whilst the damsels smote the +tabrets and played on instruments of music; and he commanded that +the boy should be named Zoulmekan and the girl Nuzbet ez Zeman, +which was done accordingly. Then he appointed nurses, wet and +dry, and eunuchs and attendants to serve them and assigned them +rations of sugar and liquors and oil and other necessaries, such +as the tongue fails to set out. Moreover the people of Baghdad +heard of the children that God had vouchsafed to the King; so +they decorated the city and made proclamation of the good news. +Then came the amirs and viziers and grandees and wished the King +joy of his son and daughter, wherefore he thanked them and +bestowed dresses of honour and favours and largesse on them and +on all who were present, gentle and simple. Then he bade carry +great store of jewellery and apparel and money to Sufiyeh and +charged her to rear the children carefully and educate them well. +After this wise, four years passed by, during which time the King +sent every few days to seek news of Sufiyeh and her children; but +all this while, his son Sherkan knew not that a male child had +been born to his father, having news only of the birth of his +daughter Nuzhet ez Zeman, and they hid the thing from him, until +years and days had passed by, whilst he was busied in contending +with the men of war and tilting against the cavaliers. + +One day, as the King was sitting on his throne, there came in to +him his chamberlains, who kissed the earth before him and said, +"O King, there be come ambassadors from the King of the Greeks, +lord of Constantinople the mighty, and they desire to be admitted +to pay their respects to thee: so if the King give them leave to +enter, we will admit them, and if not, there is no appeal from +his decree." He bade admit them, and when they entered, he turned +to them and asked them how they did and the reason of their +coming. They kissed the earth before him and replied, "O +illustrious King and lord of the long arm,[FN#5] know that King +Afridoun, lord of the lands of the Greeks and of the Nazarene +armies, holding the empire of Constantinople, hath sent us to +make known to thee that he is now waging grievous war with a +fierce rebel, the lord of Caesarea; and the cause of this war is +as follows. One of the kings of the Arabs, awhile since, chanced, +in one of his conquests, upon a treasure of the time of +Alexander, from which he carried away countless riches and +amongst other things, three round jewels, of the bigness of an +ostrich's egg, from a mine of pure white jewels, never was seen +the like. Upon each of these jewels were graven talismans in the +Greek character, and they had many properties and virtues, +amongst the rest that if one of them were hung round the neck of +a new-born child, no ailment would hurt him nor would he moan or +be fevered, so long as it was about his neck. When they came to +the hands of the Arabian King and he knew their virtues, he sent +the three jewels, together with other presents and rarities, as a +gift to King Afridoun, and to that end fitted out two ships, one +bearing the treasure and presents and the other men to guard them +against whoso should offer them hindrance on the sea, being +nevertheless assured that none would dare waylay them, for that +he was King of the Arabs, more by token that their way lay +through the sea in the dominions of the King of Constantinople +and they were bound to him, nor were there on the shores of that +sea any but subjects of the most mighty King Afridoun. The ships +set out and sailed till they drew near our city, when there +sallied out on them certain corsairs of the country and amongst +them troops of the King of Caesarea, who took all the treasures +and rarities in the ships, together with the three jewels, and +slew the men. When the news came to our King, he sent an army +against them, but they defeated it; then he sent another army, +stronger than the first, but they put this also to the rout; +whereupon the King was wroth and swore that he would go out +against them in person at the head of his whole army and not turn +back from them, till he had left Caesarea in ruins and laid waste +all the lands and cities over which its King held sway. So he +craves of the lord of the age and the time, the King of Baghdad +and Khorassan, that he succour us with an army, to the end that +glory may redound to him; and he has sent by us somewhat of +various kinds of presents and begs the King to favour him by +accepting them and accord us his aid." Then they kissed the earth +before King Omar and brought out the presents, which were fifty +slave-girls of the choicest of the land of the Greeks, and fifty +white male slaves in tunics of brocade, rich girdles of gold and +silver and in their ears pendants of gold and fine pearls, worth +a thousand dinars each. The damsels were adorned after the same +fashion and clad in stuffs worth much money. When the King saw +them, he rejoiced in them and accepted them. Then he commanded +that the ambassadors should be honourably entreated and summoning +his viziers, took counsel with them of what he should do. +Accordingly, one of them, an old man named Dendan, arose and +kissing the earth before King Omar, said, "O King, thou wouldst +do well to equip numerous army and set over it thy son Sherkan, +with us as his lieutenants; and to my mind it behoves thee to do +thus, for two reasons: first, that the King of the Greeks hath +appealed to thee for aid and hath sent thee presents, and thou +hast accepted them; and secondly, that no enemy dares attack our +country, and that if thy host succour the King of the Greeks and +his foe be put to the rout, the glory will fall to thee and the +news of it will be noised abroad in all cities and countries; and +especially, when the tidings reach the islands of the ocean and +the people of Western Africa, they will send thee presents and +tribute." When the King heard the Vizier's speech, it pleased him +and he approved his counsel: so he bestowed on him dress of +honour and said to him, "It is with such as thee that kings take +counsel and it befits that thou command the van of the army and +my son Sherkan the main battle." Then he sent for Sherkan and +expounded the matter to him, telling him what the ambassadors and +the Vizier had said, and enjoined him to take arms and prepare to +set out, charging him not to cross the Vizier Dendan in aught +that he should do. Then he bade him choose from among his troops +ten thousand horsemen armed cap-a-pie and inured to war and +hardship. Accordingly, Sherkan rose at once and chose out ten +thousand horsemen, in obedience to his father's commandment, +after which he entered his palace and mustered his troops and +distributed money to them, saying, "Ye have three days to make +ready." They kissed the earth before him and proceeded at once to +make their preparations for the campaign; whilst Sherkan repaired +to the armouries and provided himself with all the arms and +armour that he needed, and thence to the stables, whence he took +horses of choice breeds and others. When the three days were +ended, the troops marched out of Baghdad, and King Omar came +forth to take leave of his son, who kissed the earth before him, +and he gave him seven thousand purses.[FN#6] Then he turned to +the Vizier Dendan and commended to his care his son Sherkan's +army and charged the latter to consult the Vizier in all things, +to which they both promised obedience. After this, the King +returned to Baghdad and Sherkan commanded the officers to draw +out the troops in battle array. So they mustered them and the +number of the army was ten thousand horsemen, besides footmen and +followers. Then they loaded the beasts and beat the drums and +blew the clarions and unfurled the banners and the standards, +whilst Sherkan mounted, with the Vizier Dendan by his side and +the standards waving over them, and the army set out and fared +on, with the ambassadors in the van, till the day departed and +the night came, when they halted and encamped for the night. On +the morrow, as soon as God brought in the day, they took horse +and continued their march, nor did they cease to press onward, +guided by the ambassadors, for the space of twenty days. On the +twenty-first day, at nightfall, they came to a wide and fertile +valley, whose sides were thickly wooded and covered with grass, +and there Sherkan called a three days' halt. So they dismounted +and pitched their tents, dispersing right and left in the valley, +whilst the Vizier Dendan and the ambassadors alighted in the +midst. As for Sherkan, when he had seen the tents pitched and the +troops dispersed on either side and had commanded his officers +and attendants to camp beside the Vizier Dendan, he gave reins to +his horse, being minded to explore the valley and himself mount +guard over the army, having regard to his father's injunctions +and to the fact that they had reached the frontier of the land of +Roum and were now in the enemy's country. So he rode on alone +along the valley, till a fourth part of the night was passed, +when he grew weary and sleep overcame him, so that he could no +longer spur his horse. Now he was used to sleep on horseback; so +when drowsiness got the better of him, he fell asleep and the +horse paced on with him half the night and entered a forest; but +Sherkan awoke not, till the steed smote the earth with his hoof. +Then he started from sleep and found himself among trees; and the +moon arose and lighted up the two horizons. He was troubled at +finding himself alone in this place and spoke the words, which +whoso says shall never be confounded, that is to say, "There is +no power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme!" +But as he rode on, in fear of the wild beasts, behold, the trees +thinned and the moon shone out upon a meadow as it were one of +the meads of Paradise and he heard therein a noise of talk and +pleasant laughter such as ravishes the wit of men. So King +Sherkan dismounted and tying his horse to a tree, fared on a +little way, till he espied a stream of running water and heard a +woman talking and saying in Arabic, "By the virtue of the +Messiah, this is not handsome of you! But whoso speaks a word, I +will throw her down and bind her with her girdle." He followed in +the direction of the voice and saw gazelles frisking and wild +cattle pasturing and birds in their various voices expressing joy +and gladness: and the earth was embroidered with all manner of +flowers and green herbs, even as says of it the poet in the +following verses: + +Earth has no fairer sight to show than this its blossom-time, + With all the gently running streams that wander o'er its + face. +It is indeed the handiwork of God Omnipotent, The Lord of every + noble gift and Giver of all grace! + +Midmost the meadow stood a monastery, and within the enclosure +was a citadel that rose high into the air in the light of the +moon. The stream passed through the midst of the monastery and +therenigh sat ten damsels like moons, high-bosomed maids, clad in +dresses and ornaments that dazzled the eyes, as says of them the +poet: + +The meadow glitters with the troops Of lovely ones that wander + there. +Its grace and beauty doubled are By these that are so passing + fair. +Virgins that, with their swimming gait, The hearts of all that + see ensnare; +Along whose necks, like trails of grapes, Stream down the tresses + of their hair: +Proudly they walk, with eyes that dart The shafts and arrows of + despair, +And all the champions of the world Are slain by their seductive + air. + +Sherkan looked at the ten girls and saw in their midst a lady +like the moon at its full, with ringleted hair and shining +forehead, great black eyes and curling brow-locks, perfect in +person and attributes, as says the poet: + +Her beauty beamed on me with glances wonder-bright: The slender + Syrian spears are not so straight and slight: +She laid her veil aside, and lo, her cheeks rose-red! All manner + lovelyness was in their sweetest sight. +The locks, that o'er her brow fell down, were like the night, + From out of which there shines a morning of delight. + +Then Sherkan heard her say to the girls, "Come on, that I may +wrestle with you, ere the moon set and the dawn come." So they +came up to her, one after another, and she overthrew them, one by +one, and bound their hands behind them with their girdles. When +she had thrown them all, there turned to her an old woman, who +was before her, and said, as if she were wroth with her, "O +wanton, dost thou glory in overthrowing these girls? Behold, I am +an old woman, yet have I thrown them forty times! So what hast +thou to boast of? But if thou have strength to wrestle with me, +stand up that I may grip thee and put thy head between thy feet." +The young lady smiled at her words, although her heart was full +of anger against her, and said, "O my lady Dhat ed Dewahi, wilt +indeed wrestle with me, or dost thou jest with me?" "I mean to +wrestle with thee in very deed," replied she. "Stand up to me +then," said the damsel, "if thou have strength to do so." When +the old woman heard this, she was sore enraged and the hair of +her body stood on end, like that of a hedge-hog. Then she sprang +up, whilst the damsel confronted her, and said, "By the virtue of +the Messiah, I will not wrestle with thee, except I be naked." "O +baggage!" So she loosed her trousers and putting her hand under +her clothes, tore them off her body; then, taking a handkerchief +of silk, she bound it about her middle and became as she were a +bald Afriteh or a pied snake. Then she turned to the young lady +and said to her, "Do as I have done." All this time, Sherkan was +watching them and laughing at the loathly favour of the old +woman. So the damsel took a sash of Yemen stuff and doubled it +about her waist, then tucked up her trousers and showed legs of +alabaster and above them a hummock of crystal, soft and swelling, +and a belly that exhaled musk from its dimples, as it were a bed +of blood-red anemones, and breasts like double pomegranates. Then +the old woman bent to her and they took hold of one another, +whilst Sherkan raised his eyes to heaven and prayed to God that +the damsel might conquer the old hag. Presently, the former bored +in under the latter, and gripping her by the breech with the left +hand and by the gullet with the right, hoisted her off the +ground; whereupon the old woman strove to free herself and in the +struggle wriggled out of the girl's hands and fell on her back. +Up went her legs and showed her hairy tout in the moonlight, and +she let fly two great cracks of wind, one of which smote the +earth, whilst the other smoked up to the skies. At this Sherkan +laughed, till he fell to the ground, and said, "He lied not who +dubbed thee Lady of Calamities![FN#7] Verily, thou sawest her +prowess against the others." Then he arose and looked right and +left, but saw none save the old woman thrown down on her back. So +he drew near to hear what should pass between them; and behold, +the young lady came up to the old one and throwing over her a +veil of fine silk, helped her to dress herself, making excuses to +her and saying, "O my lady Dhat ed Dewahi, I did not mean to +throw thee so roughly, but thou wriggledst out of my hands; so +praised be God for safety!" She returned her no answer, but rose +in her confusion and walked away out of sight, leaving the young +lady standing alone, by the other girls thrown down and bound. +Then said Sherkan to himself, "To every fortune there is a cause. +Sleep fell not on me nor did the steed bear me hither but for my +good fortune; for of a surety this damsel and what is with her +shall be my prize." So he turned back and mounted and drew his +scimitar; then he gave his horse the spur and he started off with +him, like an arrow from a bow, whilst he brandished his naked +blade and cried out, "God is Most Great!" When the damsel saw +him, she sprang to her feet and running to the bank of the river, +which was there six cubits wide, made a spring and landed on the +other side, where she turned and standing, cried out in a loud +voice, "Who art thou, sirrah, that breakest in on our pastime, +and that with thy whinger bared, as thou wert charging an army? +Whence comest thou and whither art thou bound? Speak the truth, +and it shall profit thee, and do not lie, for lying is of the +loser's fashion. Doubtless thou hast strayed this night from thy +road, that thou hast happened on this place. So tell me what thou +seekest: if thou wouldst have us set thee in the right road, we +will do so, or if thou seek help, we will help thee." When +Sherkan heard her words, he replied, "I am a stranger of the +Muslims, who am come out by myself in quest of booty, and I have +found no fairer purchase this moonlit night than these ten +damsels; so I will take them and rejoin my comrades with them." +Quoth she, "I would have thee to know that thou hast not yet come +at the booty: and as for these ten damsels, by Allah, they are no +purchase for thee! Indeed, the fairest purchase thou canst look +for is to win free of this place; for thou art now in a mead, +where, if we gave one cry, there would be with us anon four +thousand knights. Did I not tell thee that lying is shameful?" +And he said, "The fortunate man is he to whom God sufficeth and +who hath no need of other than Him." "By the virtue of the +Messiah," replied she, "did I not fear to have thy death at my +hand, I would give a cry that would fill the meadow on thee with +horse and foot; but I have pity on the stranger: so if thou seek +booty, I require of thee that thou dismount from thy horse and +swear to me, by thy faith, that thou wilt not approach me with +aught of arms, and we will wrestle, I and thou. If thou throw me, +lay me on thy horse and take all of us to thy booty; and if I +throw thee, thou shalt be at my commandment. Swear this to me, +for I fear thy perfidy, since experience has it that, as long as +perfidy is in men's natures, to trust in every one is weakness. +But if thou wilt swear, I will come over to thee." Quoth Sherkan +(and indeed he lusted after her and said to himself, "She does +not know that I am a champion of the champions."), "Impose on me +whatever oath thou deemest binding, and I will swear not to draw +near thee till thou hast made thy preparations and sayest, 'Come +and wrestle with me.' If thou throw me, I have wealth wherewith +to ransom myself, and if I throw thee, I shall get fine +purchase." Then said she, "Swear to me by Him who hath lodged the +soul in the body and given laws to mankind, that thou wilt not +beset me with aught of violence, but by way of wrestling; else +mayst thou die out of the pale of Islam." "By Allah," exclaimed +Sherkan, "if a Cadi should swear me, though he were Cadi of the +Cadis, he would not impose on me the like of this oath!" Then he +took the oath she required and tied his horse to a tree, sunken +in the sea of reverie and saying in himself, "Glory to Him who +fashioned her of vile water!"[FN#8] Then he girt himself and made +ready for wrestling and said to her, "Cross the stream to me." +Quoth she, "It is not for me to come to thee: if thou wilt, do +thou cross over to me." "I cannot do that," replied he, and she +said, "O boy, I will come to thee." So she gathered her skirts +and making a spring, landed on the other side of the river by +him; whereupon he drew near to her, wondering at her beauty and +grace, and saw a form that the hand of Omnipotence had tanned +with the leaves of the Jinn and which had been fostered by Divine +solicitude, a form on which the zephyrs of fair fortune had blown +and over whose creation favourable planets had presided. Then she +called out to him, saying, "O Muslim, come and wrestle before the +day break!" and tucked up her sleeves, showing a fore-arm like +fresh curd; the whole place was lighted up by its whiteness and +Sherkan was dazzled by it. Then he bent forward and clapped his +hands and she did the like, and they took hold and gripped each +other. He laid his hands on her slender waist, so that the tips +of his fingers sank into the folds of her belly, and his limbs +relaxed and he stood in the stead of desire, for there was +displayed to him a body, in which was languishment of hearts, and +he fell a-trembling like the Persian reed in the hurricane. So +she lifted him up and throwing him to the ground, sat down on his +breast with buttocks like a hill of sand, for he was not master +of his reason. Then she said to him, "O Muslim, it is lawful +among you to kill Christians; what sayst thou to my killing +thee?" "O my lady," replied he, "as for killing me, it is +unlawful; for our Prophet (whom God bless and preserve!) hath +forbidden the slaying of women and children and old men and +monks." "Since this was revealed unto your prophet," rejoined +she, "it behoves us to be even with him therein; so rise: I give +thee thy life, for beneficence is not lost upon men." Then she +got off his breast and he rose and brushed the earth from his +head, and she said to him, "Be not abashed; but, indeed, one who +enters the land of the Greeks in quest of booty and to succour +kings against kings, how comes it that there is no strength in +him to defend himself against a woman?" "It was not lack of +strength in me," replied he; "nor was it thy strength that +overthrew me, but thy beauty: so if thou wilt grant me another +bout, it will be of thy favour." She laughed and said, "I grant +thee this: but these damsels have been long bound and their arms +and shoulders are weary, and it were fitting I should loose them, +since this next bout may peradventure be a long one." Then she +went up to the girls and unbinding them, said to them in the +Greek tongue, "Go and put yourselves in safety, till I have +brought to nought this Muslim's craving for you." So they went +away, whilst Sherkan looked at them and they gazed at him and the +young lady. Then she and he drew near again and set breast +against breast; but, when he felt her belly against his, his +strength failed him, and she feeling this, lifted him in her +hands, swiftlier than the blinding lightning, and threw him to +the ground. He fell on his back, and she said to him, "Rise, I +give thee thy life a second time. I spared thee before for the +sake of thy prophet, for that he forbade the killing of women, +and I do so this second time because of thy weakness and tender +age and strangerhood; but I charge thee, if there be, in the army +sent by King Omar ben Ennuman to the succour of the King of +Constantinople, a stronger than thou, send him hither and tell +him of me, for in wrestling there are divers kinds of strokes and +tricks, such as feinting and the fore-tripe and the back-tripe +and the leg-crick and the thigh-twist and the jostle and the +cross-buttock." "By Allah, O my lady," replied Sherkan, (and +indeed he was greatly incensed against her), "were I the chief Es +Sefedi or Mohammed Caimal or Ibn es Seddi,[FN#9] I had not +observed the fashion thou namest; for, by Allah, it was not by +thy strength that thou overthrewest me, but by filling me with +the desire of thy buttocks, because we people of Chaldaea love +great thighs, so that nor wit nor foresight was left in me. But +now if thou have a mind to try another fall with me, with my wits +about me, I have a right to this one bout more, by the rules of +the game, for my presence of mind has now returned to me." "Hast +thou not had enough of wrestling, O conquered one?" rejoined she. +"However, come, if thou wilt; but know that this bout must be the +last." Then they took hold of each other and he set to in earnest +and warded himself against being thrown down: so they strained +awhile, and the damsel found in him strength such as she had not +before observed and said to him, "O Muslim, thou art on thy +guard!" "Yes," replied he; "thou knowest that there remaineth but +this bout, and after each of us will go his own way." She laughed +and he laughed too: then she seized the opportunity to bore in +upon him unawares, and gripping him by the thigh, threw him to +the ground, so that he fell on his back. She laughed at him and +said, "Thou art surely an eater of bran; for thou art like a +Bedouin bonnet, that falls at a touch, or a child's toy, that a +puff of air overturns. Out on thee, thou poor creature! Go back +to the army of the Muslims and send us other than thyself, for +thou lackest thews, and cry us among the Arabs and Persians and +Turks and Medes, 'Whoso has might in him, let him come to us.'" +Then she made a spring and landed on the other side of the stream +and said to Sherkan, laughing, "It goes to my heart to part with +thee; get thee to thy friends, O my lord, before the morning, +lest the knights come upon thee and take thee on the points of +their lances. Thou hast not strength enough to defend thee +against women; so how couldst thou make head against men and +cavaliers?" And she turned to go back to the monastery. Sherkan +was confounded and called out to her, saying, "O my lady, wilt +thou go away and leave the wretched stranger, the broken-hearted +slave of love?" So she turned to him, laughing, and said, "What +wouldst thou? I grant thy prayer." "Have I set foot in thy +country and tasted the sweetness of thy favours," replied +Sherkan, "and shall I return without eating of thy victual +and tasting thy hospitality? Indeed I am become one of thy +servitors." Quoth she, "None but the base refuses hospitality; on +my head and eyes be it! Do me the favour to mount and ride along +the bank of the stream, abreast of me, for thou art my guest." At +this Sherkan rejoiced and hastening back to his horse, mounted +and rode along the river-bank, keeping abreast of her, till he +came to a drawbridge, that hung by pulleys and chains of steel, +made fast with hooks and padlocks. Here stood the ten damsels +awaiting the lady, who spoke to one of them in the Greek tongue +and said to her, "Go to him and take his horse's rein and bring +him over to the monastery." So she went up to Sherkan and led him +over the bridge to the other side and he followed her, amazed at +what he saw and saying in himself, "Would the Vizier Dendan were +with me, to look on these fair faces with his own eyes." Then he +turned to the young lady and said to her, "O wonder of beauty, +now art thou doubly bound to me, firstly, by the bond of +comradeship, and secondly for that thou carriest me to thy house +and I accept of thy hospitality and am at thy disposal and under +thy protection. So do me the favour to go with me to the land of +Islam, where thou shalt look upon many a lion-hearted prince and +know who I am." His speech angered her and she said to him, "By +the virtue of the Messiah, thou art keen of wit with me! But I +see now what depravity is in thy heart and how thou allowest +thyself to say a thing that proves thee a traitor. How should I +do what thou sayest, when I know that, if I came to thy King Omar +ben Ennuman, I should never win free of him? For he has not the +like of me among his women nor in his palace, all lord of Baghdad +and Khorassan as he is, with his twelve palaces, in number as the +months of the year, and his concubines therein, in number as the +days thereof; and if I come to him, he will not respect me, for +that ye hold it lawful to take possession of the like of me, as +it is said in your scripture, 'That which your right hand +possesses.'[FN#10] So how canst thou speak thus to me? As for thy +saying, 'Thou shalt look upon the champions of the Muslims,' by +the Messiah, thou sayst that which is not true; for I saw your +army, when it reached our country, these two days ago, and I did +not see that your ordinance was that of kings, but beheld you +only as a rabble of men collected together. And as for thy +saying, 'Thou shalt know who I am,' I did not show thee courtesy +of any intent to honour thee, but out of pride in myself; and the +like of thee should not say this to the like of me, even though +thou be Sherkan himself, King Omar ben Ennuman's son, who is +renowned in these days." "And dost thou know Sherkan?" asked he. +"Yes," replied she; "and I know of his coming with an army of ten +thousand horse, for that he was sent by his father with these +troops to the succour of the King of Constantinople." "O my +lady," rejoined Sherkan, "I conjure thee, as thou believest in +thy religion, tell me the cause of all this, that I may know +truth from falsehood and with whom the fault lies." "By the +virtue of thy faith," replied she, "were it not that I fear lest +the news of me be bruited abroad that I am of the daughters of +the Greeks, I would adventure myself and sally forth against the +ten thousand horse and kill their chief, the Vizier Dendan, and +take their champion Sherkan. Nor would there be any reproach to +me in this, for I have read books and know the Arabic language +and have studied good breeding and polite letters. But I have no +need to vaunt my own prowess to thee, for thou hast tasted of my +quality and proved my strength and skill and pre-eminence in +wrestling; nor if Sherkan himself had been in thy place to-night +and it had been said to him, 'Leap this river,' could he have +done so. And I could wish well that the Messiah would throw him +into my hands here in this monastery, that I might go forth to +him in the habit of a man and pull him from his saddle and take +him prisoner and lay him in fetters." When Sherkan heard this, +pride and heat and warlike jealousy overcame him and he was +minded to discover himself and lay violent hands on her but her +beauty held him back from her, and he repeated the following +verse: + +Their charms, whatever fault the fair commit, A thousand + intercessors bring for it. + +So she went up, and he after her; whilst he looked at her back +and saw her buttocks smiting against each other, like the billows +in the troubled sea; and he recited the following verses: + +In her face an advocate harbours, who blots out her every fault + From the hearts of mankind, for he is mighty to intercede. +Whenas I look at her face, I cry in my wonder aloud, "The moon of + the skies in the night of her full is risen indeed!" +If the Afrit of Belkis[FN#11] himself should wrestle a fall with + her, Her charms would throw him forthright, for all his + strength and speed. + +They went on till they reached a vaulted gate, arched over with +marble. This she opened and entered with Sherkan into a long +vestibule, vaulted with ten arches from each of which hung a lamp +of crystal, shining like the rays of the sun. The damsels met her +at the end of the vestibule, bearing perfumed flambeaux and +having on their heads kerchiefs embroidered with all manner +jewels and went on before her, till they came to the inward of +the monastery, where Sherkan saw couches set up all around, +facing one another and overhung with curtains spangled with gold. +The floor was paved with all kinds of variegated marbles, and in +the midst was a basin of water, with four-and-twenty spouts of +gold around it, from which issued water like liquid silver; +whilst at the upper end stood a throne covered with silks of +royal purple. Then said the damsel, "O my lord, mount this +throne." So he seated himself on it, and she withdrew: and when +she had been absent awhile, he asked the servants of her, and +they said, "She hath gone to her sleeping-chamber; but we will +serve thee as thou shalt order." So they set before him rare +meats and he ate till he was satisfied, when they brought him a +basin of gold and an ewer of silver, and he washed his hands. +Then his mind reverted to his troops, and he was troubled, +knowing not what had befallen them in his absence and thinking +how he had forgotten his father's injunctions, so that he abode +oppressed with anxiety and repenting of what he had done, till +the dawn broke and the day appeared, when he lamented and sighed +and became drowned in the sea of melancholy, repeating the +following verses: + +I lack not of prudence and yet in this case I've been fooled; so + what shift shall avail unto me? +If any could ease me of love and its stress, Of my might and my + virtue I'd set myself free. +But alas! my heart's lost in the maze of desire, And no helper + save God in my strait can I see. + +Hardly had he finished, when up came more than twenty damsels +like moons, encompassing the young lady, who appeared amongst +them as the full moon among stars. She was clad in royal brocade +and girt with a woven girdle set with various kinds of jewels, +that straitly clasped her waist and made her buttocks stand out +as they were a hill of crystal upholding a wand of silver; and +her breasts were like double pomegranates. On her head she wore a +network of pearls, gemmed with various kinds of jewels, and she +moved with a coquettish swimming gait, swaying wonder-gracefully, +whilst the damsels held up her skirts. When Sherkan saw her +beauty and grace, he was transported for joy and forgot his army +and the Vizier Dendan end springing to his feet, cried out, +"Beware, beware of that girdle rare!" and repeated the following +verses: + +Heavy of buttocks, languorous of gait, With limber shape and + breasts right delicate, +She hides what passion in her bosom burns; Yet cannot I my heat + dissimulate. +Her maidens, like strung pearls, behind her fare, Now all + dispersed now knit in ordered state. + +She fixed her eyes on him and considered him awhile, till she was +assured of him, when she came up to him and said, "Indeed the +place is honoured and illumined by thy presence, O Sherkan! How +didst thou pass the night, O hero, after we went away and left +thee? Verily lying is a defect and a reproach in kings, +especially in great kings; and thou art Sherkan, son of King Omar +ben Ennuman; so henceforth tell me nought but truth and strive +not to keep the secret of thy condition, for falsehood engenders +hatred and enmity. The arrow of destiny hath fallen on thee, and +it behoves thee to show resignation and submission." When Sherkan +heard what she said, he saw nothing for it but to tell her the +truth so he said, "I am indeed Sherkan, son of Omar ben Ennuman, +whom fortune hath afflicted and cast into this place: so now do +whatsoever thou wilt." She bowed her head a long while, then +turned to him and said, "Reassure thyself and be of good cheer; +for thou art my guest, and bread and salt have passed between us; +so art thou in my safeguard and under my protection. Have no +fear; by the virtue of the Messiah, if all the people of the +earth sought to harm thee, they should not come at thee till the +breath had left my body for thy sake; for thou art under my +protection and that of the Messiah." Then she sat down by his +side and began to sport with him, till his alarm subsided and he +knew that, had she been minded to kill him, she would have done +so on the past night. After awhile, she spoke in the Greek tongue +to one of her serving-women, who went away and returned in a +little with a goblet and a tray of food; but Sherkan abstained +from eating, saying in himself, "Maybe she hath put somewhat in +this meat." She knew what was in his thought; so she turned to +him and said, "By the virtue of the Messiah, the case is not as +thou deemest, nor is there aught in this food of what thou +suspectest! Were I minded to kill thee, I had done so before +now." Then she came to the table and ate a mouthful of every +dish, whereupon Sherkan came forward and fell to. She was pleased +at this, and they both ate till they were satisfied, after which +she let bring perfumes and sweet-smelling herbs and wines of all +colours and kinds, in vessels of gold and silver and crystal. She +filled a first cup and drank it off, before offering it to +Sherkan, even as she had done with the food. Then she filled a +second time and gave the cup to him. He drank and she said to +him, "See, O Muslim, how thou art in the utmost delight and +pleasure of life!" And she ceased not to drink and to ply him +with drink, till he took leave of his wits, for the wine and the +intoxication of love for her. Presently she said to the +serving-maid, "O Merjaneh, bring us some instruments of music." +"I hear and obey," replied Merjaneh, and going out, returned +immediately with a lute, a Persian harp, a Tartar flute and an +Egyptian dulcimer. The young lady took the lute and tuning it, +sang to it in a dulcet voice, softer than the zephyr and sweeter +than the waters of Tesnim,[FN#12] the following verses: + +May Allah assoilzie thine eyes! How much is the blood they have + shed! How great is the tale of the shafts thy pitiless + glances have sped! +I honour the mistress, indeed, that harshly her suitor entreats; + 'Tis sin in the loved to relent or pity a lover misled. +Fair fortune and grace to the eyes that watch the night, + sleepless, for thee, And hail to the heart of thy slave, by + day that is heavy as lead! +'Tis thine to condemn me to death, for thou art my king and my + lord. With my life I will ransom the judge, who heapeth + unright on my head. + +Then each of the damsels rose and taking an instrument played and +sang to it in the Greek language. The lady their mistress, sang +also, to Sherkan's delight. Then she said to him, "O Muslim, dost +thou understand what I say?" "No," replied he; "it was the beauty +of thy finger-tips that threw me into ecstasies." She laughed and +said, "If I sang to thee in Arabic, what wouldst thou do?" "I +should lose the mastery of my reason," replied he. So she took an +instrument and changing the measure, sang the following verses: + +Parting must ever bitter be; How shall one bear it patiently? +Three things are heavy on my heart, Absence, estrangement, + cruelty. +I love a fair to whom I'm thrall, And severance bitter is to me. + +Then she looked at Sherkan and found he had lost his senses for +delight: and he lay amongst them insensible awhile, after which +he revived and recalling the singing inclined to mirth. Then they +fell again to drinking and ceased not from sport and merriment +till the day departed with the evening and the night let fall her +wings. Thereupon she rose and retired to her chamber. Sherkan +enquired after her and being told that she was gone to her +bedchamber, said, "I commend her to the safe-keeping of God and +to His protection!" As soon as it was day, a waiting-woman came +to him and said, "My mistress bids thee to her." So he rose and +followed her, and as he drew near her lodging, the damsels +received him with smitten tabrets and songs of greeting and +escorted him to a great door of ivory set with pearls and jewels. +Here they entered and he found himself in a spacious saloon, at +the upper end of which was a great estrade, carpeted with various +kinds of silk, and round it open lattices giving upon trees and +streams. About the place were figures, so fashioned that the air +entered them and set in motion instruments of music within them, +and it seemed to the beholder as if they spoke. Here sat the +young lady, looking on the figures; but when she saw Sherkan, she +sprang to her feet and taking him by the hand, made him sit down +by her and asked him how he had passed the night. He blessed her +and they sat talking awhile, till she said to him, "Knowest thou +aught touching lovers and slaves of passion?" "Yes," replied he; +"I know some verses on the subject." "Let me hear them," said +she. So he repeated the following verses: + +Pleasure and health, O Azzeh, and good digestion to thee! How + with our goods and our names and our honours thou makest + free! +By Allah, whene'er I blow hot, she of a sudden blows cold, And no + sooner do I draw near, than off at a tangent flies she! +Indeed, as I dote upon Azzeh, as soon as I've cleared me of all + That stands between us and our loves, she turns and abandons + me; +As a traveller that trusts in the shade of a cloud for his + noontide rest, But as soon as he halts, the shade flits and + the cloud in the distance cloth flee. + +When she heard this, she said, "Verily Kutheiyir[FN#13] was a +poet of renown and a master of chaste eloquence and attained rare +perfection in praise of Azzeh, especially when he says: + +'If Azzeh should before a judge the sun of morning cite, Needs + must the umpire doom to her the meed of beauty bright; +And women all, who come to me, at her to rail and flite, God make + your cheeks the sandal-soles whereon her feet alight!' + +"And indeed it is reported," added she, "that Azzeh was endowed +with the extreme of beauty and grace." Then she said to Sherkan, +"O king's son, dost thou know aught of Jemil's[FN#14] verses to +Butheineh?" "Yes," replied he; "none knows Jemil's verses better +than I." And he repeated the following: + +"Up and away to the holy war, Jemil!" they say; and I, "What have + I to do with waging war except among the fair?" +For deed and saying with them alike are full of ease and cheer, + And he's a martyr[FN#15] who tilts with them and falleth + fighting there. +If I say to Butheineh, "What is this love, that eateth my life + away?" She answers, "Tis rooted fast in thy heart and will + increase fore'er." +Or if I beg her to give me back some scantling of my wit, + Wherewith to deal with the folk and live, she answereth, + "Hope it ne'er!" +Thou willst my death, ah, woe is me! thou willst nought else but + that; Yet I, I can see no goal but thee, towards which my + wishes fare. + +"Thou hast done well, O king's son," said she, "and Jemil also +did excellently well. But what would Butheineh have done with him +that he says, 'Thou wishest to kill me and nought else?'" "O my +lady," replied he, "she sought to do with him what thou seekest +to do with me, and even that will not content thee." She laughed +at his answer, and they ceased not to carouse till the day +departed and the night came with the darkness. Then she rose and +went to her sleeping-chamber, and Sherkan slept in his place till +the morning. As soon as he awoke, the damsels came to him with +tambourines and other instruments of music, according to their +wont, and kissing the earth before him, said to him, "In the name +of God, deign to follow us; for our mistress bids thee to her." +So he rose and accompanied the girls, who escorted him, smiting +on tabrets and other instruments of music, to another saloon, +bigger than the first and decorated with pictures and figures of +birds and beasts, passing description. Sherkan wondered at the +fashion of the place and repeated the following verses: + +My rival plucks, of the fruits of the necklets branching wide, + Pearls of the breasts in gold enchased and beautified +With running fountains of liquid silver in streams And cheeks of + rose and beryl, side by side. +It seemeth, indeed, as if the violet's colour vied With the + sombre blue of the eyes, with antimony dyed.[FN#16] + +When the lady saw Sherkan, she came to meet him, and taking him +by the hand, said to him, "O son of King Omar ben Ennuman, hast +thou any skill in the game of chess?" "Yes," replied he; "but do +not thou be as says the poet." And he repeated the following +verses: + +I speak, and passion, the while, folds and unfolds me aye; But a + draught of the honey of love my spirits thirst could stay. +I sit at the chess with her I love, and she plays with me, With + white and with black; but this contenteth me no way. +Meseemeth as if the king were set in the place of the rook And + sought with the rival queens a bout of the game to play. +And if I looked in her eyes, to spy the drift of her moves, The + amorous grace of her glance would doom me to death + straightaway. + +Then she brought the chess-board and played with him; but instead +of looking at her moves, he looked at her face and set the knight +in the place of the elephant[FN#17] and the elephant in the place +of the knight. She laughed and said to him, "If this be thy play, +thou knowest nothing of the game." "This is only the first bout," +replied he; "take no count of it." She beat him, and he replaced +the pieces and played again with her; but she beat him a second +time and a third and a fourth and a fifth. So she fumed to him +and said, "Thou art beaten in everything." "O my lady," answered +he, "how should one not be beaten, who plays with the like of +thee?" Then she called for food, and they ate and washed their +hands, after which the maids brought wine, and they drank. +Presently, the lady took the dulcimer, for she was skilled to +play thereon, and sang to it the following verses: + +Fortune is still on the shift, now gladness and now woe; I liken + it to the tide, in its ceaseless ebb and flow. +So drink, if thou have the power, whilst it is yet serene, Lest + it at unawares depart, and thou not know. + + +They gave not over carousing till nightfall, and this day was +pleasanter than the first. When the night came, the lady went to +her sleeping-chamber, leaving Sherkan with the damsels. So he +threw himself on the ground and slept till the morning, when +the damsels came to him with tambourines and other musical +instruments, according to their wont. When he saw them, he sat +up; and they took him and carried him to their mistress, who came +to meet him and taking him by the hand, made him sit down by her +side. Then she asked him how he had passed the night, to which he +replied by wishing her long life; and she took the lute and sang +the following verses: + +Incline not to parting, I pray, For bitter its taste is alway. +The sun at his setting grows pale, To think he must part from the + day. + +Hardly had she made an end of singing, when there arose of a +sudden a great clamour, and a crowd of men and knights rushed +into the place, with naked swords gleaming in their hands, crying +out in the Greek tongue, "Thou hast fallen into our hands, O +Sherkan! Be sure of death!" When he heard this, he said to +himself, "By Allah, she hath laid a trap for me and held me in +play, till her men should come! These are the knights with whom +she threatened me: but it is I who have thrown myself into this +peril." Then he turned to the lady to reproach her, but saw that +she had changed colour; and she sprang to her feet and said to +the new-comers, "Who are ye?" "O noble princess and unpeered +pearl," replied the knight their chief, "dost thou know who is +this man with thee?" "Not I," answered she. "Who is he?" Quoth +the knight, "He is the despoiler of cities and prince of +cavaliers, Sherkan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman. This is he who +captures the citadels and masters the most impregnable strengths. +The news of him reached King Herdoub, thy father, by the report +of the old princess Dhat ed Dewahi; and thou hast done good +service to the army of the Greeks by helping them to lay hands on +this pestilent lion." When she heard this, she looked at the +knight and said to him, "What is thy name?" And he answered, "My +name is Masoureh son of thy slave Mousoureh ben Kasherdeh, chief +of the nobles." Quoth she, "And how camest thou in to me without +my leave?" "O our lady," replied he, "when I came to the gate, +neither chamberlain nor porter offered me any hindrance; but all +the gate-keepers rose and forewent me as of wont; though, when +others come, they leave them standing at the gate, whilst they +ask leave for them to enter. But this is no time for long talk, +for the King awaits our return to him with this prince, who is +the mainstay of the army of Islam, that he may kill him and that +his troops may depart whence they came, without our having the +toil of fighting them." "Thou sayest an ill thing," rejoined the +princess. "Verily, the lady Dhat ed Dewahi lied; and she hath +avouched a vain thing, of which she knows not the truth; for by +the virtue of the Messiah, this man who is with me is not +Sherkan, nor is he a captive, but a stranger, who came to us, +seeking hospitality, and we received him as a guest. So, even +were we assured that this was Sherkan and did we know that it was +he beyond doubt, it would suit ill with my honour that I should +deliver into your hands one who hath come under my safeguard. +Betray me not, therefore, in the person of my guest, neither +bring me into ill repute among men; but return to the King my +father and kiss the earth before him and tell him that the case +is not according to the report of the lady Dhat ed Dewahi." "O +Abrizeh," replied the knight Masoureh, "I cannot go back to the +King without his enemy." Quoth she (and indeed she was angry), +"Out on thee! Return to him with the answer, and no blame shall +fall on thee." But he said, "I will not return without him." At +this her colour changed and she exclaimed, "A truce to talk and +idle words; for of a verity this man would not have come in to +us, except he were assured that he could of himself make head +against a hundred horse; and if I said to him, 'Art thou Sherkan, +son of King Omar ben Ennuman?' he would answer, 'Yes.' Nathless, +it is not in your power to hinder him; for if ye beset him, he +will not turn back from you, till he have slain all that are in +the place. Behold, he is with me and I will bring him before you, +with his sword and buckler in his hands." "If I be safe from thy +wrath," replied Masoureh, "I am not safe from that of thy father, +and when I see him, I shall sign to the knights to take him +prisoner, and we will carry him, bound and abject, to the King." +When she heard this, she said, "The thing shall not pass thus, +for it would be a disgrace. This man is but one and ye are a +hundred. So, an ye be minded to attack him, come out against him, +one after one, that it may appear to the King which is the +valiant amongst you." "By the Messiah," rejoined Masoureh, "thou +sayest sooth, and none but I shall go out against him first!" +Then she said, "Wait till I go to him and tell him and hear what +he says. If he consent, it is well but if he refuse, ye shall not +anywise come at him, for I and my damsels and all that are in the +house will be his ransom." So she went to Sherkan and told him +the case, whereat he smiled and knew that she had not betrayed +him, but that the matter had been bruited abroad, till it came to +the King, against her wish. So he laid all the blame on himself, +saying, "How came I to venture myself in the country of the +Greeks?" Then he said to her, "Indeed, to let them tilt against +me, one by one, were to lay on them a burden more than they can +bear. Will they not come out against me, ten by ten?" "That were +knavery and oppression," replied she. "One man is a match for +another." When he heard this, he sprang to his feet and made +towards them, with his sword and battle-gear; and Masoureh also +sprang up and rushed on him. Sherkan met him like a lion and +smote him with his sword upon the shoulder, that the blade came +out gleaming from his back and vitals. When the princess saw +this, Sherkan's prowess was magnified in her eyes and she knew +that she had not overthrown him by her strength, but by her +beauty and grace. So she turned to the knights and said to them, +"Avenge your chief!" Thereupon out came the slain man's brother, +a fierce warrior, and rushed upon Sherkan, who delayed not, but +smote him on the shoulders, and the sword came out, gleaming, +from his vitals. Then cried the princess, "O servants of the +Messiah, avenge your comrades!" So they ceased not to come out +against him, one by one, and he plied them with the sword, till +he had slain fifty knights, whilst the princess looked on. And +God cast terror into the hearts of those who were left, so that +they held back and dared not meet him in single combat, but +rushed on him all at once; and he drove at them with a heart +firmer than a rock and smote them as the thresher smiteth the +corn, till he had driven sense and life forth of them. Then the +princess cried out to her damsels, saying, "Who is left in the +monastery?" "None but the porters," replied they; whereupon she +went up to Sherkan and embraced him, and he returned with her to +the saloon, after he had made an end of the mellay. Now there +remained a few of the knights hidden in the cells of the convent, +and when Abrizeh saw this, she rose and going away, returned, +clad in a strait-ringed coat of mail and holding in her hand a +scimitar of Indian steel. And she said, "By the virtue of the +Messiah, I will not be grudging of myself for my guest nor will I +abandon him, though for this I abide a reproach in the land of +the Greeks!" Then she counted the dead and found that he had +slain fourscore of the knights and other twenty had taken flight. +When she saw how he had dealt with them, she said to him, "God +bless thee, O Sherkan! The cavaliers may well glory in the like +of thee!" Then he rose and wiping his sword of the blood of the +slain, repeated the following verses: + +How often in battle I've cleft the array And given the champions + to wild beasts a prey! +Ask all men what happened to me and to them, When I drove through + the ranks on the sword-smiting day. +I left ail their lions of war overthrown: On the sun-scorched + sands of those countries they lay. + +When he had finished, the princess came up to him and kissed his +hand; then she put off her coat of mail, and he said to her, "O +my lady, wherefore didst thou don that coat of mail and bare thy +sabre?" "It was of my care for thee against yonder wretches," +replied she. Then she called the porters and said to them, "How +came you to let the king's men enter my house, without my leave!" +"O princess," replied they, "we have not used to need to ask +leave for the king's messengers, and especially for the chief of +the knights." Quoth she, "I think you were minded to dishonour me +and slay my guest." And she bade Sherkan strike off their heads. +He did so and she said to the rest of her servants, "Indeed, they +deserved more than that." Then turning to Sherkan, she said to +him, "Now that there hath become manifest to thee what was +hidden, I will tell thee my story. Know, then, that I am the +daughter of Herdoub, King of Roum; my name is Abrizeh and the old +woman called Dhat ed Dewahi is my grandmother, my father's +mother. She it was who told my father of thee, and she will +certainly cast about to ruin me, especially as thou hast slain my +father's men and it is noised abroad that I have made common +cause with the Muslims. Wherefore it were wiser that I should +leave dwelling here, what while Dhat ed Dewahi is behind me; but +I claim of thee the like kindness and courtesy I have shown thee, +for my father and I are now become at odds on thine account. So +do not thou omit to do aught that I shall say to thee, for indeed +all this hath fallen out through thee." At this, Sherkan was +transported for joy and his breast dilated, and he said, "By +Allah, none shall come at thee, whilst my life lasts in my body! +But canst thou endure the parting from thy father and thy folk?" +"Yes," answered she. So Sherkan swore to her and they made a +covenant of this. Then said she, "Now my heart is at ease; but +there is one other condition I must exact of thee." "What is +that?" asked Sherkan. "It is," replied she, "that thou return +with thy troops to thine own country." "O my lady," said he, "my +father, King Omar ben Ennuman, sent me to make war upon thy +father, on account of the treasure he took from the King of +Constantinople, and amongst the rest three great jewels, rich in +happy properties." "Reassure thyself," answered she; "I will tell +thee the truth of the matter and the cause of the feud between us +and the King of Constantinople. Know that we have a festival +called the Festival of the Monastery, for which each year the +kings' daughters of various countries and the wives and daughters +of the notables and merchants resort to a certain monastery and +abide there seven days. I was wont to resort thither with the +rest; but when there befell hostility between us, my father +forbade me to be present at the festival for the space of seven +years. One year, it chanced that amongst the young ladies who +resorted to the Festival as of wont, there came the King's +daughter of Constantinople, a handsome girl called Sufiyeh. +They tarried at the monastery six days, and on the seventh, +the folk went away; but Sufiyeh said, 'I will not return to +Constantinople, but by sea.' So they fitted her out a ship, in +which she embarked, she and her suite, and put out to sea; but as +they sailed, a contrary wind caught them and drove the ship from +her course, till, as fate and providence would have it, she fell +in with a ship of the Christians from the Island of Camphor, with +a crew of five hundred armed Franks, who had been cruising about +for some time. When they sighted the sails of the ship in which +were Sufiyeh and her maidens, they gave chase in all haste and +coming up with her before long, threw grapnels on board and made +fast to her. Then they made all sail for their own island and +were but a little distant from it, when the wind veered and rent +their sails and cast them on to a reef on our coast. Thereupon we +sallied forth on them, and looking on them as booty driven to us +by fate, slew the men and made prize of the ships, in which we +found the treasures and rarities in question and forty damsels, +amongst whom was Sufiyeh. We carried the damsels to my father, +not knowing that the King's daughter of Constantinople was among +them, and he chose out ten of them, including Sufiyeh, for +himself, and divided the rest among his courtiers. Then he set +apart Sufiyeh and four other girls and sent them to thy father, +King Omar ben Ennuman, together with other presents, such as +cloth and stuffs of wool and Grecian silks. Thy father accepted +them and chose out from amongst the five girls the princess +Sufiyeh, daughter of King Afridoun; nor did we hear aught more of +the matter till the beginning of this year, when King Afridoun +wrote to my father in terms which it befits not to repeat, +reproaching and menacing him and saying to him, 'Two years ago, +there fell into thy hands a ship of ours, that had been seized by +a company of Frankish corsairs and in which was my daughter +Sufiyeh, attended by near threescore damsels. Yet thou sentest +none to tell me of this and I could not make the case public, +lest disgrace fall on my repute among the kings, by reason of my +daughter's dishonour. So I kept the affair secret till this year, +when I communicated with certain of the Frankish pirates and +sought news of my daughter from the kings of the islands. They +replied, "By Allah, we carried her not forth of thy realm, but we +have heard that King Herdoub took her from certain pirates." And +they told me all that had befallen her. So now, except thou wish +to be at feud with me and design to disgrace me and dishonour my +daughter, thou wilt forthright, as soon as this letter reaches +thee, send my daughter back to me. But if thou pay no heed to my +letter and disobey my commandment, I will assuredly requite thee +thy foul dealing and the baseness of thine acts.' When my father +read this letter, it was grievous to him and he regretted not +having known that Sufiyeh, King Afridoun's daughter, was amongst +the captured damsels, that he might have sent her back to her +father; and he was perplexed about the affair, for that, after +the lapse of so long a time, he could not send to King Omar ben +Ennuman and demand her back from him, the more that he had lately +heard that God had vouchsafed him children by this very Sufiyeh. +So when we considered the matter, we knew that this letter was +none other than a great calamity; and nothing would serve but +that my father must write an answer to it, making his excuses to +King Afridoun and swearing to him that he knew not that his +daughter was among the girls in the ship and setting forth how he +had sent her to King Omar ben Ennuman and God had vouchsafed him +children by her. When my father's reply reached King Afridoun, he +rose and sat down and roared and foamed at the mouth, exclaiming, +'What! shall he make prize of my daughter and she become a +slave-girl and be passed from hand to hand and sent for a gift to +kings, and they lie with her without a contract? By the virtue of +the Messiah and the true faith, I will not desist till I have +taken my revenge for this and wiped out my disgrace, and indeed I +will do a deed that the chroniclers shall chronicle after me.' So +he took patience till he had devised a plot and laid great +snares, when he sent an embassy to thy father King Omar, to tell +him that which thou hast heard so that thy father equipped thee +and an army with thee and sent thee to him, Afridoun's object +being to lay hold of thee and thine army with thee. As for the +three jewels of which he told thy father, he spoke not the truth +of them; for they were with Sufiyeh and my father took them from +her, when she fell into his hands, she and her maidens, and gave +them to me, and they are now with me. So go thou to thy troops +and turn them back, ere they fare farther into the land of the +Franks and the country of the Greeks; for as soon as you are come +far enough into the inward of the country, they will stop the +roads upon you, and there will be no escape for you from their +hands till the day of rewards and punishments. I know that thy +troops are still where thou leftest them, because thou didst +order them to halt there three days; and they have missed thee +all this time and know not what to do." When Sherkan heard her +words, he was absent awhile in thought then he kissed Abrizeh's +hand and said, "Praise be to God who hath bestowed thee on me and +appointed thee to be the cause of my salvation and that of those +who are with me! But it is grievous to me to part from thee and I +know not what will become of thee after my departure." Quoth she, +"Go now to thy troops and lead them back, whilst ye are yet near +your own country. If the ambassadors are still with them, lay +hands on them, that the case may be made manifest to thee, and +after three days I will rejoin thee and we will all enter Baghdad +together; but forget thou not the compact between us." Then she +rose to bid him farewell and assuage the fire of longing; so she +took leave of him and embraced him and wept sore; whereupon +passion and desire were sore upon him and he also wept and +repeated the following verses: + +I bade her farewell, whilst my right hand was wiping my eyes, And + still with my left, the while, I held her in close embrace. +Then, "Fearest thou not disgrace?" quoth she; and I answered, + "No. Sure, on the parting-day, for lovers there's no + disgrace!" + +Then Sherkan left her and went without the monastery, where they +brought him his horse and he mounted and rode down the bank of +the stream, till he came to the bridge, and crossing it, entered +the forest. As soon as he was clear of the trees and came to the +open country, he was aware of three horsemen pricking towards +him. So he drew his sword and rode on cautiously: but as they +drew near he recognized them and behold, it was the Vizier Dendan +and two of his officers. When they saw him and knew him, they +dismounted and saluting him, asked the reason of his absence, +whereupon he told them all that had passed between him and the +princess Abrizeh from first to last. The Vizier returned thanks +to God the Most High for his safety and said, "Let us at once +depart hence, for the ambassadors that were with us are gone to +inform their king of our arrival, and belike he will hasten to +fall on us and seize us." So they rode on in haste, till they +came to the camp, when Sherkan commanded to depart forthright, +and the army set out and journeyed by forced marches for five +days, at the end of which time they alighted in a thickly wooded +valley, where they rested awhile. Then they set out again and +fared on till they came to the frontiers of their own country. +Here they felt themselves in safety and halted to rest; and the +country people came out to them with guest-gifts and victual and +fodder for the cattle. They lay there and rested two days; after +which Sherkan bade the Vizier Dendan fare forward to Baghdad with +his troops, and he did so. But Sherkan himself abode behind with +a hundred horse, till the rest of the army had been gone a day, +when he mounted, he and his men, and fared on two parasangs' +space, till they came to a narrow pass between two mountains and +behold, there arose a great cloud of dust in their front. So they +halted their horses awhile, till the dust lifted and discovered a +hundred cavaliers, as they were fierce lions, cased in complete +steel As soon as they came within earshot of Sherkan and his men, +they cried out to them, saying, "By John and Mary, we have gotten +what we hoped! We have been following you by forced marches, +night and day, till we forewent you in this place. So alight and +lay down your arms and yield yourselves, that we may grant you +your lives." When Sherkan heard this, his eyes rolled and his +cheeks flushed and he said, "O dogs of Nazarenes, how dare ye +enter our country and set foot on our earth? And doth not this +suffice you, but ye must adventure yourselves and give us such +words as these? Do ye think to escape out of our hands and return +to your country?" Then he cried out to his hundred horse, saying, +"Up and at these dogs, for they are even as you in number!" So +saying, he drew his sword and drove at them, without further +parley, he and his hundred men. The Franks received them with +hearts stouter than stone, and they met, man to man. Then fell +champion upon champion and there befell a sore strife and great +was the terror and the roar of the battle; nor did they leave +jousting and foining and smiting with swords, till the day +departed and the night came with the darkness; when they drew +apart, and Sherkan mustered his men and found them all unhurt, +save four who were slightly wounded. Then said he to them, "By +Allah, all my life I have waded in the surging sea of war and +battle, but never saw I any so firm and stout in sword-play and +shock of men as these warriors!" "Know, O King," replied they, +"that there is among them a Frank cavalier, who is their leader, +and indeed he is a man of valour and his strokes are terrible: +but, by Allah, he spares us, great and small; for whoso falls +into his hands, he lets him go and forbears to slay him. By +Allah, an he would, he could kill us all!" When Sherkan heard +this, he was confounded and said, "To-morrow, we will draw out +and defy them to single combat, for we are a hundred to their +hundred; and we will seek help against them from the Lord of the +heavens." Meanwhile, the Franks came to their leader and said to +him, "Of a truth, we have not come by our desire of these this +day." "To-morrow," quoth he, "we will draw out and joust against +them, one by one." So they passed the night in this mind, and +both camps kept watch till the morning. As soon as God the Most +High brought on the day, King Sherkan mounted, with his hundred +horse, and they betook themselves to the field, where they found +the Franks ranged in battle array, and Sherkan said to his men, +"Verily, our enemies are of the same mind as we; so up and at +them briskly." Then came forth a herald of the Franks and cried +out, saying, "Let there be no fighting betwixt us to-day, except +by way of single combat, a champion of yours against one of +ours!" Thereupon one of Sherkan's men came out from the ranks and +spurring between the two parties, cried out, "Who is for +jousting? Who is for fighting? Let no laggard nor weakling come +out against me to-day!" Hardly had he made an end of speaking, +when there sallied forth to him a Frankish horseman, armed +cap-a-pie and clad in cloth of gold, riding on a gray horse, and +he had no hair on his cheeks. He drove his horse into the midst +of the field and the two champions fell to cutting and thrusting, +nor was it long before the Frank smote the Muslim with his lance +and unhorsing him, took him prisoner and bore him off in triumph. +At this, his comrades rejoiced and forbidding him to go out +again, sent forth another to the field, to whom sallied out a +second Muslim, the brother of the first. The two drove at each +other and fought for a little, till the Frank ran at the Muslim +and throwing him off his guard by a feint, smote him with the +butt-end of his spear and unhorsed him and took him prisoner. +After this fashion, the Muslims ceased not to come forth and the +Franks to unhorse them and take them prisoner, till the day +departed and the night came with the darkness. Now they had +captured twenty cavaliers of the Muslims, and when Sherkan saw +this, it was grievous to him, and he mustered his men and said to +them, "What is this thing that hath befallen us? To-morrow +morning, I myself will go out into the field and seek to joust +with their chief and learn his reason for entering our country +and warn him against fighting. If he persist, we will do battle +with him, and if he proffer peace, we will make peace with him." +They passed the night thus, and when God brought on the day, both +parties mounted and drew out in battle array. Then Sherkan was +about to sally forth, when behold, more than half of the Franks +dismounted and marched on foot, before one of them, who was +mounted, to the midst of the field. Sherkan looked at this +cavalier and behold, he was their chief. He was clad in a tunic +of blue satin and a close-ringed shirt of mail; his face was as +the full moon at its rising and he had no hair on his cheeks. In +his hand he held a sword of Indian steel, and he was mounted on a +black horse with a white star, like a dirhem, on his forehead. He +spurred into the midst of the field and signing to the Muslims, +cried out with fluent speech in the Arabic tongue, saying, "Ho, +Sherkan! Ho, son of Omar ben Ennuman, thou that stormest the +citadels and layest waste the lands, up and out to joust and +battle with him who halves the field with thee! Thou art prince +of thy people and I am prince of mine; and whoso hath the upper +hand, the other's men shall come under his sway." Hardly had he +made an end of speaking, when out came Sherkan, with a heart full +of wrath, and spurring his horse into the midst of the field, +drove like an angry lion at the Frank, who awaited him with calm +and steadfastness and met him as a champion should. Then they +fell to cutting and thrusting, nor did they cease to wheel and +turn and give and take, as they were two mountains clashing +together or two seas breaking one against the other, till the day +departed and the night brought on the darkness, when they drew +apart and returned, each to his people. As soon as Sherkan +reached his comrades, he said to them, "Never in my life saw I +the like of this cavalier; and he has one fashion I never yet +beheld in any. It is that, when he has a chance of dealing his +adversary a deadly blow, he reverses his lance and smites him +with the butt. Of a truth, I know not what will be the issue +between him and me; but I would we had in our army his like and +the like of his men." Then he passed the night in sleep, and when +it was morning, the Frank spurred out to the mid-field, where +Sherkan met him, and they fell to fighting and circling one about +the other, whilst all necks were stretched out to look at them; +nor did they cease from battle and swordplay and thrusting with +spears, till the day departed and the night came with the +darkness, when they drew asunder and returned each to his own +camp. Then each related to his comrades what had befallen him +with his adversary, and the Frank said to his men, "To-morrow +shall decide the matter." So they both passed the night in sleep, +and as soon as it was day, they mounted and drove at each other +and ceased not to fight till the middle of the day. Then the +Frank made a shift, first spurring his horse and then checking +him with the bridle, so that he stumbled and threw him; whereupon +Sherkan fell on him and was about to smite him with his sword and +make an end of the long strife, when the Frank cried out, "O +Sherkan, this is not the fashion of champions! It is only the +beaten[FN#18] who deal thus with women." When Sherkan heard this, +he raised his eyes to the Frank's face and looking straitly at +him, knew him for none other than the princess Abrizeh, whereupon +he threw the sword from his hand and kissing the earth before +her, said to her, "What moved thee to do this thing?" Quoth she, +"I was minded to prove thee in the field and try thy stoutness in +battle. These that are with me are all of them my women, and they +are all maids; yet have they overcome thy horsemen in fair fight; +and had not my horse stumbled with me, thou shouldst have seen my +strength and prowess." Sherkan smiled at her speech and said, +"Praised be God for safety and for my reunion with thee, O queen +of the age!" Then she cried out to her damsels to loose the +prisoners and dismount. They did as she bade and came and kissed +the earth before her and Sherkan, who said to them, "It is the +like of you that kings treasure up against the hour of need." +Then he signed to his comrades to salute the princess; so they +dismounted all and kissed the earth before her, for they knew the +story. After this, the whole two hundred mounted and rode day and +night for six days' space, till they drew near to Baghdad when +they halted and Sherkan made Abrizeh and her companions put off +their male attire and don the dress of the women of the Greeks. +Then he despatched a company of his men to Baghdad to acquaint +his father with his arrival in company with the princess Abrizeh, +daughter of King Herdoub, to the intent that he might send some +one to meet her. They passed the night in that place, and when +God the Most High brought on the day, Sherkan and his company +took horse and fared on towards the city. On the way, they met +the Vizier Dendan, who had come out with a thousand horse, by +commandment of King Omar, to do honour to the princess Abrizeh +and to Sherkan. When they drew near, the Vizier and his company +dismounted and kissed the earth before the prince and princess, +then mounted again and escorted them, till they reached the city +and came to the palace. Sherkan went in to his father, who rose +and embraced him and questioned him of what had happened. So he +told him all that had befallen him, including what the princess +Abrizeh had told him and what had passed between them and how she +had left her father and her kingdom and had chosen to depart and +take up her abode with them. And he said to his father, "Indeed, +the King of Constantinople had plotted to do us a mischief, +because of his daughter Sufiyeh, for that the King of Caesarea +had made known to him her history and the manner of her being +made a gift to thee, he not knowing her to be King Afridoun's +daughter; else would he have restored her to her father. And of a +verity, we were only saved from these perils by the lady Abrizeh, +and never saw I a more valiant than she!" And he went on to tell +his father of the wrestling and the jousting from beginning to +end. When King Omar heard his son's story, Abrizeh was exalted in +his eyes, and he longed to see her and sent Sherkan to fetch her. +So Sherkan went out to her and said, "The king calls for thee." +She replied, "I hear and obey;" and he took her and brought her +in to his father, who was seated on his throne, attended only by +the eunuchs, having dismissed his courtiers and officers. The +princess entered and kissing the ground before him, saluted him +in choice terms. He was amazed at her fluent speech and thanked +her for her dealing with his son Sherkan and bade her be seated. +So she sat down and uncovered her face, which when the king saw, +his reason fled and he made her draw near and showed her especial +favour, appointing her a palace for herself and her damsels and +assigning them due allowances. Then he asked her of the three +jewels aforesaid, and she replied, "O King of the age, they are +with me." So saying, she rose and going to her lodging, opened +her baggage and brought out a box, from which she took a casket +of gold. She opened the casket and taking out the three jewels, +kissed them and gave them to the King and went away, taking his +heart with her. Then the king sent for his son Sherkan and gave +him one of the three jewels. Sherkan enquired of the other two, +and the King replied, "O my son, I mean to give one to thy +brother Zoulmekan and the other to thy sister Nuzhet ez Zeman." +When Sherkan heard that he had a brother (for up to that time he +had only known of his sister) he turned to his father and said to +him, "O King, hast thou a son other than myself?" "Yes," answered +Omar, "and he is now six years old." And he told him that his +name was Zoulmekan and that he and Nuzhet ez Zeman were twins, +born at a birth. This news was grievous to Sherkan, but he hid +his chagrin and said, "The blessing of God the Most High be upon +them!" And he threw the jewel from his hand and shook the dust +off his clothes. Quoth his father, "What made thee change colour, +when I told thee of this, seeing that the kingdom is assured to +thee after me? For, verily, the troops have sworn to thee and the +Amirs and grandees have taken the oath of succession to thee; and +this one of the three jewels is thine." At this, Sherkan bowed +his head and was ashamed to bandy words with his father: so he +accepted the jewel and went away, knowing not what to do for +excess of anger, and stayed not till he reached the princess +Abrizeh's palace. When she saw him, she rose to meet him and +thanked him for what he had done and called down blessings on him +and his father. Then she sat down and made him sit by her side. +After awhile, she saw anger in his face and questioned him, +whereupon he told her that God had vouchsafed his father two +children, a boy and a girl, by Sufiyeh, and that he had named the +boy Zoulmekan and the girl Nuzhet ez Zeman. "He has given me one +of the jewels," continued he, "and kept the other two for them. I +knew not of Zoulmekan's birth till this day, and he is now six +years old. So when I learnt this, wrath possessed me and I threw +down the jewel: and I tell thee the reason of my anger and hide +nothing from thee. But I fear lest the King take thee to wife, +for he loves thee and I saw in him signs of desire for thee: so +what wilt thou say, if he wish this?" "Know, O Sherkan," replied +the princess, "that thy father has no dominion over me, nor can +he take me without my consent; and if he take me by force, I will +kill myself. As for the three jewels, it was not my intent that +he should give them to either of his children and I had no +thought but that he would lay them up with his things of price in +his treasury; but now I desire of thy favour that thou make me a +present of the jewel that he gave thee, if thou hast accepted +it." "I hear and obey," replied Sherkan and gave her the jewel. +Then said she, "Fear nothing," and talked with him awhile. +Presently she said, "I fear lest my father hear that I am with +you and sit not down with my loss, but do his endeavour to come +at me; and to that end he may ally himself with King Afridoun and +both come on thee with armies and so there befall a great +turmoil." "O my lady," replied Sherkan, "if it please thee to +sojourn with us, take no thought of them, though all that be in +the earth and in the ocean gather themselves together against +us!" "It is well," rejoined she; "if ye entreat me well, I will +tarry with you, and if ye deal evilly by me, I will depart from +you." Then she bade her maidens bring food; so they set the +tables, and Sherkan ate a little and went away to his own house, +anxious and troubled. + +Meanwhile, King Omar betook himself to the lodging of the lady +Sufiyeh, who rose to her feet, when she saw him, and stood till +he was seated. Presently, his two children, Zoulmekan and Nuzbet +ez Zeman, came to him, and he kissed them and hung a jewel round +each one's neck, at which they rejoiced and kissed his hands. +Then they went to their mother, who rejoiced in them and wished +the King long life; and he said to her, "Why hast thou not told +me, all this time, that thou art King Afridoun's daughter, that I +might have advanced thee and enlarged thee in dignity and used +thee with increase of honour and consideration?" "O King," +replied Sufiyeh, "what could I desire greater or more exalted +than this my standing with thee, overwhelmed as I am with thy +favours and thy goodness? And God to boot hath blessed me by thee +with two children, a son and a daughter." Her answer pleased the +King and he set apart for her and her children a splendid palace. +Moreover, he appointed for their service eunuchs and attendants +and doctors and sages and astrologers and physicians and surgeons +and in every way redoubled in favour and munificence towards +them. Nevertheless, he was greatly occupied with love of the +princess Abrizeh and burnt with desire of her night and day; and +every night, he would go in to her, and talk with her and pay his +court to her, but she gave him no answer, saying only, "O King of +the age, I have no desire for men at this present." When he saw +that she repelled him, his passion and longing increased till, at +last, when he was weary of this, he called his Vizier Dendan and +opening his heart to him, told him how love for the princess +Abrizeh was killing him and how she refused to yield to his +wishes and he could get nothing of her. Quoth the Vizier, "As +soon as it is dark night, do thou take a piece of henbane, the +bigness of a diner, and go in to her and drink wine with her. +When the hour of leave-taking draws near, fill a last cup and +dropping the henbane in it, give it to her to drink, and she will +not reach her sleeping chamber, ere the drug take effect on her. +Then do thou go in to her and take thy will of her." "Thy counsel +is good," said the King, and going to his treasury, took thence a +piece of concentrated henbane, which if an elephant smelt, he +would sleep from year to year. He put it in his bosom and waited +till some little of the night was past, when he betook himself to +the palace of the princess, who rose to receive him; but he bade +her sit down. So she sat down, and he by her, and he began to +talk with her of drinking, whereupon she brought the table of +wine and set it before him. Then she set on the drinking-vessels, +and lighted the candles and called for fruits and confections and +sweetmeats and all that pertains to drinking. So they fell to +drinking and ceased not to carouse, till drunkenness crept into +the princess's head. When the King saw this, he took out the +piece of henbane and holding it between his fingers, filled a cup +and drank it off; then filled another cup, into which he dropped +the henbane, unseen of Abrizeh, and saying, "Thy health!" +presented it to her. She took it and drank it off; then rose and +went to her sleeping-chamber. He waited awhile, till he was +assured that the drug had taken effect on her and gotten the +mastery of her senses, when he went in to her and found her lying +on her back, with a lighted candle at her head and another at her +feet. She had put off her trousers, and the air raised the skirt +of her shift and discovered what was between her thighs. When the +King saw this, he took leave of his senses for desire and Satan +tempted him and he could not master himself, but put off his +trousers and fell upon her and did away her maidenhead. Then he +went out and said to one of her women, by name Merjaneh, "Go in +to thy mistress, for she calls for thee." So she went in to the +princess and found her lying on her back, with the blood running +down her thighs; whereupon she took a handkerchief and wiped away +the blood and tended her mistress and lay by her that night. As +soon as it was day, she washed the princess's hands and feet and +bathed her face and mouth with rose-water, whereupon she sneezed +and yawned and cast up the henbane. Then she revived and washed +her hands and mouth and said to Merjaneh, "Tell me what has +befallen me." So she told her what had passed and how she had +found her, lying on her back, with the blood running down her +thighs, wherefore she knew that the King had played the traitor +with her and had undone her and taken his will of her. At this +she was afflicted and shut herself up, saying to her damsels, +"Let no one come in to me and say to all that I am ill, till I +see what God will do with me." The news of her illness came to +the King, and he sent her cordials and sherbet of sugar and +confections. Some months passed thus, during which time the +King's flame subsided and his desire for her cooled, so that he +abstained from her. Now she had conceived by him, and in due +time, her pregnancy appeared and her belly swelled, wherefore the +world was straitened upon her and she said to her maid Merjaneh, +"Know that it is not the folk who have wronged me, but I who +sinned against myself in that I left my father and mother and +country. Indeed, I abhor life, for my heart is broken and I have +neither courage nor strength left. I used, when I mounted my +horse, to have the mastery of him, but now I have no strength +to ride. If I be brought to bed in this place, I shall be +dishonoured among my women, and every one in the palace will know +that he has taken my maidenhead in the way of shame; and if I +return to my father, with what face shall I meet him or have +recourse to him? How well says the poet: + +Wherewith shall I be comforted, that am of all bereft, To whom + nor folk nor home nor friend nor dwelling-place is left?" + +Quoth Merjaneh, "It is for thee to command; I will obey." And +Abrizeh said, "I would fain leave this place privily, so that +none shall know of me but thou, and return to my father and +mother; for when flesh stinketh, there is nought for it but its +own folk, and God shall do with me as He will." "It is well, O +princess," replied Merjaneh. So she made ready in secret and +waited awhile, till the King went out to hunt and Sherkan betook +himself to certain of the fortresses to sojourn there awhile. +Then she said to Merjaneh, "I wish to set out to-night, but how +shall I do? For already I feel the pangs of labour, and if I +abide other four or five days, I shall be brought to bed here, +and how then can I go to my country? But this is what was written +on my forehead." Then she considered awhile and said, "Look us +out a man who will go with us and serve us by the way, for I have +no strength to bear arms." "By Allah, O my lady," replied +Merjaneh, "I know none but a black slave called Ghezban, who is +one of the slaves of King Omar ben Ennuman; he is a stout fellow +and keeps guard at the gate of our palace. The King appointed him +to attend us, and indeed we have overwhelmed him with favours. I +will go out and speak with him of the matter and promise him +money and tell him that, if he have a mind to tarry with us, we +will marry him to whom he will. He told me before to-day that he +had been a highwayman; so if he consent, we shall have our desire +and come to our own country." "Call him, that I may talk with +him," said the princess. So Merjaneh went out and said to the +slave, "O Ghezban, God prosper thee, do thou fall in with what my +lady says to thee." Then she took him by the hand and brought him +to Abrizeh. He kissed the princess's hands and when she saw him, +her heart took fright at him, but she said to herself, "Necessity +is imperious," and to him, "O Ghezban, wilt thou help us against +the perfidies of fortune and keep my secret, if I discover it to +thee?" When the slave saw her, his heart was taken by storm and +he fell in love with her forthright, and could not choose but +answer, "O my mistress, whatsoever thou biddest me do, I will not +depart from it." Quoth she, "I would have thee take me and this +my maid and saddle us two camels and two of the king's horses and +set on each horse a saddle-bag of stuff and somewhat of victual, +and go with us to our own country; where, if thou desire to abide +with us, I will marry thee to her thou shalt choose of my +damsels; or if thou prefer to return to thine own country, we +will send thee thither, with as much money as will content thee." +When Ghezban heard this, he rejoiced greatly and replied, "O my +lady, I will serve thee faithfully and will go at once and saddle +the horses." Then he went away, rejoicing and saying in himself, +"I shall get my will of them; and if they will not yield to me, I +will kill them and take their riches." But this his intent he +kept to himself and presently returned, mounted on one horse and +leading other two and two camels. He brought the horses to the +princess, who mounted one and made Merjaneh mount the other, +albeit she was suffering from the pains of labour and could +scarce possess herself for anguish. Then they set out and +journeyed night and day through the passes of the mountains, till +there remained but a day's journey between them and their own +country, when the pangs of travail came upon Abrizeh and she +could no longer sit her horse. So she said to Ghezban, "Set me +down, for the pains of labour are upon me," and cried to +Merjaneh, saying, "Do thou alight and sit down by me and deliver +me." They both drew rein and dismounting from their horses, +helped the princess to alight, and she aswoon for stress of pain. +When Ghezban saw her on the ground, Satan entered into him and he +drew his sabre and brandishing it in her face, said, "O my lady, +vouchsafe me thy favours." With this, she turned to him and said, +"It were a fine thing that I should yield to black slaves, after +having I refused kings and princes!" And she was wroth with him +and said, "What words are these? Out on thee! Do not talk thus in +my presence and know that I will never consent to what thou +sayst, though I drink the cup of death. Wait till I have cast my +burden and am delivered of the after-birth, and after, if thou be +able thereto, do with me as thou wilt; but, an thou leave not +lewd talk at this time, I will slay myself and leave the world +and be at peace from all this." And she recited the following +verses: + +O Ghezban, unhand me and let me go freer Sure, fortune is heavy + enough upon me. +My Lord hath forbidden me whoredom. "The fire Shall be the + transgressor's last dwelling," quoth He: +So look not on me with the eye of desire, For surely to lewdness + I may not agree; +And if thou respect not mine honour and God Nor put away filthy + behaviour from thee, +I will call with my might on the men of my tribe And draw them + ail hither from upland and lea. +Were I hewn, limb from limb, with the Yemani sword, Yet never a + lecher my visage should see +Of the freeborn and mighty; so how then should I Let a whoreson + black slave have possession of me? + +When Ghezban heard this, he was exceeding angry; his eyes grew +bloodshot and his face became of the colour of dust; his nostrils +swelled, his lips protruded and the terrors of his aspect +redoubled. And he repeated the following verses: + +Abrizeh, have mercy nor leave me to sigh, Who am slain by the + glance of thy Yemani eye![FN#19] +My body is wasted, my patience at end, And my heart for thy + cruelty racked like to die. +Thy glances with sorcery ravish all hearts; My reason is distant + and passion is nigh. +Though thou drewst to thy succour the world full of troops, I'd + not stir till my purpose accomplished had I. + +Thereupon Abrizeh wept sore and said to him, "Out on thee, O +Ghezban! How darest thou demand this of me, O son of shame and +nursling of lewdness? Dost thou think all folk are alike!" When +the pestilent slave heard this, he was enraged and his eyes +reddened: and he came up to her and smote her with the sword on +her neck and killed her. Then he made off into the mountains, +driving her horse before him with the treasure. In the agonies of +death, she gave birth to a son, like the moon, and Merjaneh took +him and laid him by her side, after doing him the necessary +offices; and behold, the child fastened to its mother's breast, +and she dead. When Merjaneh saw this, she cried out grievously +and rent her clothes and cast dust on her head and buffeted her +cheeks, till the blood came, saying, "Alas, my mistress! Alas, +the pity of it! Thou art dead by the hand of a worthless black +slave, after all thy prowess!" As she sat weeping, there arose a +great cloud of dust and darkened the plain; but, after awhile, it +lifted and discovered a numerous army. Now this was the army of +King Herdoub, the princess Abrizeh's father, who, hearing that +his daughter had fled to Baghdad, she and her maidens, and that +they were with King Omar ben Ennuman, had come out with his +troops to seek tidings of her from travellers who might have seen +her with King Omar at Baghdad. When he had gone a day's journey +from his capital, he espied three horsemen afar off and made +towards them, thinking to ask whence they came and seek news of +his daughter. Now these three were his daughter and Merjaneh and +Ghezban; and when the latter saw the troops drawing near, he +feared for himself; so he killed Abrizeh and fled. When they came +up and King Herdoub saw his daughter lying dead and Merjaneh +weeping over her, he threw himself from his horse and fell down +in a swoon. So all his company dismounted and pitching the tents, +set up a great pavilion for the King, without which stood the +grandees of the kingdom. At the sight of her lord the King, +Merjaneh's tears redoubled, and when he came to himself, he +questioned her and she told him all that had passed, how he that +had slain his daughter was a black slave, belonging to King Omar +ben Ennuman, and how the latter had dealt with the princess. When +King Herdoub heard this, the world grew black in his sight and he +wept sore. Then he called for a litter and laying his dead +daughter therein, returned to Caesarea and carried her into the +palace. Then he went in to his mother Dhat ed Dewahi and said to +her, "Shall the Muslims deal thus with my daughter? King Omar ben +Ennuman despoiled her by force of her honour and after this, one +of his black slaves slew her. By the Messiah, I will assuredly be +revenged for her and clear away the stain from my honour! Else I +shall kill myself with my own hand." And he wept passing sore. +Quoth his mother, "It was none other than Merjaneh killed her, +for she hated her in secret. But do not thou fret for taking +revenge for thy daughter, for, by the virtue of the Messiah, I +will not turn back from King Omar ben Ennuman, till I have slain +him and his sons; and I will assuredly do a deed, passing the +power of wise men and champions, of which the chroniclers shall +tell in all countries and places: but needs must thou obey me in +all I shall direct, for he who is firmly set on aught shall +surely compass his desire." "By the virtue of the Messiah," +replied he, "I will not cross thee in aught that thou shalt say!" +Then said she, "Bring me a number of damsels, high-bosomed maids, +and summon the wise men of the time and let them teach them +philosophy and the art of conversation and making verses and the +rules of behaviour before kings, and let them talk with them of +all manner of science and edifying knowledge. The sages must be +Muslims, that they may teach the damsels the language and +traditions of the Arabs, together with the history of the Khalifs +and the pedigree of the Kings of Islam; and if we persevere in +this for the space of four years, we shall attain our end. So +possess thy soul in patience and wait; for, as one of the Arabs +says, 'It is a little thing to wait forty years for one's +revenge.' When we have taught the girls these things, we shall be +able to do our will with our enemy, for he is a doting lover of +women and has three hundred and threescore concubines, to which +are now added a hundred of the flower of thy damsels, that were +with thy late daughter. So, as soon as we have made an end of +their education, I will take them and set out with them." When +the King heard his mother's words, he rejoiced and came up to her +and kissed her head. Then he rose at once and despatched +messengers and couriers to the ends of the earth, to fetch him +Muslim sages. So they betook them to distant lands and brought +him thence the sages and doctors whom he sought. When they were +before him, he made much of them and bestowed on them dresses of +honour, appointing them stipends and allowances and promising +them much money, whenas they should have taught the damsels. Then +he committed the latter to their charge, enjoining them to +instruct them in all manner of knowledge, sacred and profane, and +all polite accomplishments; and they set themselves to do his +bidding. + +As for King Omar ben Ennuman, when he returned from hunting, he +sought the princess Abrizeh, but found her not nor could any give +him news of her. This was grievous to him and he said, "How did +she leave the palace, unknown of any? Had my kingdom been at +stake in this, it were in a parlous case! Never again will I go +a-hunting till I have sent to the gates those who shall keep good +guard over them!" And he was sore vexed and heavy at heart for +the loss of the princess Abrizeh. Presently, his son Sherkan +returned from his journey; and he told him what had happened and +how the princess had fled, whilst he was absent a-hunting, +whereat he was greatly concerned. Then King Omar took to visiting +his children every day and making much of them and brought them +wise men and doctors, to teach them, appointing them stipends and +allowances. When Sherkan saw this, he was exceeding wroth and +jealous of his brother and sister, so that the signs of chagrin +appeared in his face and he ceased not to languish by reason of +this, till one day his father said to him, "What ails thee, that +I see thee grown weak in body and pale of face?" "O my father," +replied Sherkan, "every time I see thee fondle my brother and +sister and make much of them, jealousy seizes on me, and I fear +lest it grow on me, till I slay them and thou slay me in return. +This is the reason of my weakness of body and change of colour. +But now I crave of thy favour that thou give me one of thine +outlying fortresses, that I may abide there the rest of my life, +for as the byword says, 'It is better and fitter for me to be at +a distance from my friend; for when the eye seeth not, the heart +doth not grieve.'" And he bowed his head. When the King heard +Sherkan's words and knew the cause of his ailment, he soothed him +and said to him, "O my son, I grant thee this. I have not in my +realm a greater than the fortress of Damascus, and the government +of it is thine from this time." So saying, he called his +secretaries of state and bade them make out Sherkan's patent of +investiture to the viceroyalty of Damascus of Syria. Then he +equipped Sherkan and formally invested him with the office and +gave him his final instructions, enjoining him to policy and good +government; and the prince took leave of his father and the +grandees and officers of state and set out for his government, +taking with him the Vizier Dendan. When he arrived at Damascus, +the townspeople beat the drums and blew the trumpets and +decorated the city and came out to meet him in great state, +whilst all the notables and grandees walked in procession, each +according to his rank. + +Soon after Sherkan's departure, the governors of King Omar's +children presented themselves before him and said to him, "O our +lord, thy children's education is now complete and they are +versed in all polite accomplishments and in the rules of manners +and etiquette." At this the King rejoiced with an exceeding joy +and conferred bountiful largesse upon the wise men, seeing +Zoulmekan grown up and flourishing and skilled in horsemanship. +The prince had now reached the age of fourteen and occupied +himself with piety and devout exercises, loving the poor and wise +men and the students of the Koran, so that all the people of +Baghdad loved him, men and women. One day, the procession of the +Mehmil[FN#20] of Irak passed round Baghdad, previously to the +departure of the pilgrimage to the holy places[FN#21] and tomb of +the Prophet.[FN#22] When Zoulmekan saw the procession, he was +seized with longing to go on the pilgrimage; so he went in to his +father and said to him, "I come to ask thy leave to make the +pilgrimage." + +But his father forbade him, saying, "Wait till next year, and I +will go with thee." When Zoulmekan saw that the fulfilment of his +desire was postponed, he betook himself to his sister Nuzhet ez +Zeman, whom he found standing at prayer. As soon as she had made +an end of her devotions, he said to her, "I am dying of desire to +see the Holy House of God at Mecca and to visit the Prophet's +tomb. I asked my father's leave, but he forbade me: so I mean to +take somewhat of money and set out privily on the pilgrimage, +without his knowledge." "I conjure thee by Allah," exclaimed she, +"to take me with thee and that thou forbid me not to visit the +tomb of the Prophet, whom God bless and preserve!" And he +answered, "As soon as it is dark night, do thou leave this place, +without telling any, and come to me." Accordingly, she waited +till the middle of the night, when she donned a man's habit and +went to the gate of the palace, where she found Zoulmekan with +camels ready harnessed. So they mounted and riding after the +caravan, mingled with the Irak pilgrims, and God decreed them a +prosperous journey, so that they entered Mecca the Holy in +safety, standing upon Arafat and performing the various rites of +the pilgrimage. Then they paid a visit to the tomb of the Prophet +(whom God bless and preserve) and thought to return with the +pilgrims to their native land; but Zoulmekan said to his sister, +"O my sister, it is in my mind to visit Jerusalem and the tomb of +Abraham the friend of God (on whom be peace)." "I also desire to +do this," replied she. So they agreed upon this, and he went out +and took passage for himself and her and they made ready and +set out with a company of pilgrims bound for Jerusalem. That very +night she fell sick of an ague and was grievously ill, but +presently recovered, after which her brother also sickened. She +tended him during the journey, but the fever increased on him and +he grew weaker and weaker, till they arrived at Jerusalem, where +they alighted at a khan and hired a lodging there. Here they +abode some time, whilst Zoulmekan's weakness increased on him, +till he was wasted with sickness and became delirious. At this, +his sister was greatly afflicted and exclaimed, "There is no +power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme! It is +He who hath decreed this." They sojourned there awhile, his +sickness ever increasing and she tending him, till all their +money was spent and she had not so much as a dirhem left. Then +she sent a servant of the khan to the market, to sell some of her +clothes, and spent the price upon her brother; and so she sold +all she had, piece by piece, till she had nothing left but an old +rug; whereupon she wept and exclaimed, "God is the Orderer of the +past and the future!" Presently, her brother said to her, "O my +sister, I feel recovery drawing near and I long for a little +roast meat." "O my brother," replied she, "I am ashamed to beg; +but tomorrow I will enter some rich man's house and serve him and +earn somewhat for our living." Then she bethought herself awhile +and said, "It is hard to me to leave thee and thou in this state, +but I must perforce go." "God forbid!" rejoined he. "Thou wilt be +put to shame; but there is no power and no virtue but in God!" +And he wept and she wept too. Then she said, "O my brother, we +are strangers and this whole year have we dwelt here; yet none +hath knocked at our door. Shall we then die of hunger? I know no +resource but that I go out and earn somewhat to keep us alive, +till thou recover from thy sickness; when we will return to our +native land." She sat weeping with him awhile, after which she +rose and veiling her head with a camel-cloth, which the owner had +forgotten with them, embraced her brother and went forth, weeping +and knowing not whither she should go. Zoulmekan abode, awaiting +her return, till the evening; but she came not, and the night +passed and the morning came, but still she returned not; and so +two days went by. At this he was greatly troubled and his heart +fluttered for her, and hunger was sore upon him. At last he left +the chamber and calling the servant of the inn, bade him carry +him to the bazaar. So he carried him to the market and laid him +down there; and the people of Jerusalem came round him and were +moved to tears at his condition. He signed to them for somewhat +to eat; so they took money from some of the merchants and bought +food and fed him therewith; after which they carried him to a +shop, where they laid him on a mat of palm-leaves and set a +vessel of water at his head. At nightfall, they all went away, +sore concerned for him, and in the middle of the night, he called +to mind his sister, and his sickness redoubled on him, so that he +abstained from eating and drinking and became insensible. When +the people of the market saw him thus, they took thirty dirhems +for him from the merchants and hiring a camel, said to the +driver, "Carry this sick man to Damascus and leave him at the +hospital; peradventure he may be cured and recover his health." +"On my head be it!" replied he; but he said to himself, "How +shall I take this sick man to Damascus, and he nigh upon death?" +So he carried him away and hid with him till the night, when he +threw him down on the fuel-heap in the stoke-hole of a bath and +went his way. In the morning, the stoker of the bath came to his +work and finding Zoulmekan cast on his back on the fuel-heap, +exclaimed, "Could they find no other place in which to throw this +dead man?" So saying, he gave him a push with his foot, and he +moved, whereupon quoth the stoker, "This is some one who has +eaten hashish and thrown himself down at hazard." Then he looked +at him and saw that he had no hair on his face and was endowed +with grace and comeliness; so he took pity on him and knew that +he was sick and a stranger. "There is no power and no virtue but +in God!" said he "I have sinned against this youth; for indeed +the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve!) enjoins hospitality to +strangers." Then he lifted him up and carrying him to his own +house, committed him to his wife and bade her tend him. So she +spread him a bed and laid a cushion under his head, then heated +water and washed his hands and feet and face. Meanwhile, the +stoker went to the market and buying rose-water and sherbet of +sugar, sprinkled Zoulmekan's face with the one and gave him to +drink of the other. Then he fetched a clean shirt and put it on +him. With this, Zoulmekan scented the breeze of recovery and life +returned to him; and he sat up and leant against the pillow. At +this the stoker rejoiced and exclaimed, "O my God, I beseech +Thee, by Thy hidden mysteries, make the salvation of this youth +to be at my hands!" And he nursed him assiduously for three days, +giving him to drink of sherbet of sugar and willow-flower water +and rose-water and doing him all manner of service and kindness, +till health began to return to his body and he opened his eyes +and sat up. Presently the stoker came in and seeing him sitting +up and showing signs of amendment, said to him, "How dost thou +now, O my son?" "Thanks be to God," replied Zoulmekan, "I am well +and like to recover, if so He please." The stoker praised the +Lord of All for this and going to the market, bought ten +chickens, which he carried to his wife and said to her, "Kill two +of these for him every day, one in the morning and the other at +nightfall." So she rose and killed a fowl, then boiling it, +brought it to him and fed him with the flesh and gave him the +broth to drink. When he had done eating, she brought hot water +and he washed his hands and lay back upon the pillow; whereupon +she covered him up and he slept till the time of afternoon-prayer. +Then she killed another fowl and boiled it; after which she cut +it up and bringing it to Zoulmekan, said, "Eat, O my son!" +Presently, her husband entered and seeing her feeding him, sat +down at his head and said to him, "How is it with thee now, O my +son?" "Thanks be to God for recovery!" replied he. "May He +requite thee thy goodness to me!" At this the stoker rejoiced +and going out, bought sherbet of violets and rose-water and made +him drink it. Now his day's earnings at the bath were five +dirhems, of which he spent every day two dirhems for Zoulmekan, +one for sweet waters and sherbets and another for fowls; and he +ceased not to entreat him thus kindly for a whole month, till +the trace of illness ceased from him and he was quite recovered +whereupon the stoker and his wife rejoiced and the former +said to him, "O my son, wilt thou go with me to the bath?" +"Willingly," replied he. So the stoker went to the market and +fetched an ass, on which he mounted Zoulmekan and supported him +in the saddle, till they came to the bath Then he made him alight +and sit down, whilst he repaired to the market and bought +lote-leaves and lupin-meal,[FN#23] with which he returned to the +bath and said to Zoulmekan, "O my son, in the name of God, enter, +and I will wash thy body." So they both entered the inner room of +the bath, and the stoker fell to rubbing Zoulmekan's legs and was +going on to wash his body with the lote-leaves and powder, when +there came to them a bathman, whom the keeper of the bath had +sent to Zoulmekan, and seeing the stoker rubbing and washing the +latter, said to him, "This is trespassing on the keeper's +rights." "By Allah," replied the stoker, "the master overwhelms +us with his favours!" Then the bathman proceeded to shave +Zoulmekan's head, after which he and the stoker washed and +returned to the latter's house, where he clad Zoulmekan in a +shirt of fine stuff and a tunic of his own and gave him a +handsome turban and girdle and wound a silken kerchief about his +neck. Meanwhile the stoker's wife had killed two chickens and +cooked them for him; so, as soon as Zoulmekan entered and seated +himself on the couch, the stoker arose and dissolving sugar in +willow-flower water, made him drink it. Then he brought the tray +of food and cutting up the chickens, fed him with the meat and +broth, till he was satisfied, when he washed his hands and +praised God for recovery, saying to the stoker, "It is to thee, +under God the Most High, that I owe my life!" "Leave this talk," +replied the stoker, "and tell us the manner of thy coming to this +city and whence thou art; for I see signs of gentle breeding in +thy face." "Tell me first how thou camest to fall in with me," +said Zoulmekan; "and after I will tell thee my story." "As +for that," rejoined the stoker, "I found thee lying on the +rubbish-heap, by the door of the stoke-house, as I went to my +work, near the morning, and knew not who had thrown thee down +there. So I carried thee home with me; and this all I have to +tell." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Glory to Him who quickens the bones, +though they be rotten! Indeed, O my brother, thou hast not done +good to one who is unworthy, and thou shalt reap the reward of +this. But where am I now?" "In the city of Jerusalem," replied +the stoker; whereupon Zoulmekan called to mind his strangerhood +and his separation from his sister and wept. Then he discovered +his secret to the stoker and told him his story, repeating the +following verses: + +They heaped up passion on my soul, beyond my strength to bear, + And for their sake my heart is racked with weariness and + care. +Ah, be ye pitiful to me, O cruel that ye are, For e'en my foes do + pity me, since you away did fare! +Grudge not to grant unto mine eyes a passing glimpse of you, To + ease the longing of my soul and lighten my despair. +I begged my heart to arm itself with patience for your loss. + "Patience was never of my wont," it answered; "so forbear." + +Then he redoubled his weeping, and the stoker said to him, "Weep +not, but rather praise God for safety and recovery." Quoth +Zoulmekan, "How far is it hence to Damascus?" "Six days' +journey," answered the stoker "Wilt thou send me thither?" asked +Zoulmekan. "O my lord," replied the stoker, "how can I let thee +go alone, and thou a young lad and a stranger? If thou be minded +to make the journey to Damascus, I will go with thee; and if my +wife will listen to me and accompany me, I will take up my abode +there; for it goes to my heart to part with thee." Then said he +to his wife, "Wilt thou go with me to Damascus or wilt thou abide +here, whilst I bring this my lord thither and return to thee? For +he is bent upon, going to Damascus, and by Allah, it is hard to +me to part with him, and I fear for him from the highway +robbers." Quoth she, "I will go with you." And he said, "Praised +be God for accord!" Then he rose and selling all his own and his +wife's gear, bought a camel and hired an ass for Zoulmekan; and +they set out and reached Damascus at nightfall after six days' +journey. They alighted there, and the stoker went to the market +and bought meat and drink. They had dwelt but five days in +Damascus, when his wife sickened and after a few days' illness, +was translated to the mercy of God. The stoker mourned for her +with an exceeding grief, and her death was no light matter to +Zoulmekan, for she had tended him assiduously and he was grown +used to her. Presently, he turned to the stoker and finding him +mourning, said to him, "Do not grieve, for we must all go in at +this gate."[FN#24] "God requite thee with good, O my son!" +replied the stoker. "Surely He will compensate us with his +bounties and cause our mourning to cease. What sayst thou, O my +son? Shall we walk abroad to view Damascus and cheer our +spirits?" "Thy will is mine," replied Zoulmekan. So the stoker +took him by the hand, and they sallied forth and walked on, till +they came to the stables of the Viceroy of Damascus, where they +found camels laden with chests and carpets and brocaded stuffs +and saddle-horses and Bactrian camels and slaves, white and +black, and folk running to and fro and a great bustle. Quoth +Zoulmekan, "I wonder to whom all these camels and stuffs and +servants belong!" So he asked one of the slaves, and he replied, +"These are presents that the Viceroy of Damascus is sending to +King Omar ben Ennuman, with the tribute of Syria." When Zoulmekan +heard his father's name, his eyes filled with tears and he +repeated the following verses: + +Ye that are far removed from my desireful sight, Ye that within + my heart are sojourners for aye, +Your comeliness is gone and life no more for me Is sweet, nor + will the pains of longing pass away. +If God one day decree reunion of our loves, How long a tale of + woes my tongue will have to say! + +Then he wept and the stoker said to him, "O my son, thou art +hardly yet recovered; so take heart and do not weep, for I fear a +relapse for thee." And he applied himself to comfort him and +cheer him, whilst Zoulmekan sighed and bemoaned his strangerhood +and separation from his sister and his family and repeated the +following verses, with tears streaming from his eyes: + +Provide thee for the world to come, for needs must thou be gone; + Or soon or late, for every one the lot of death is drawn. +Thy fortune in this world is but delusion and regret; Thy life in + it but vanity and empty chaff and awn. +The world, indeed, is but as 'twere a traveller's halting-place, + Who makes his camels kneel at eve and fares on with the + dawn. + +And he continued to weep and lament, whilst the stoker wept too +for the loss of his wife, yet ceased not to comfort Zoulmekan +till the morning. When the sun rose, he said to him, "Meseems +thou yearnest for thy native land?" "Even so," replied Zoulmekan, +"and I may not tarry here; so I will commend thee to God's care +and set out with these people and journey with them, little by +little, till I come to my country." "And I with thee," said the +stoker; "for I cannot bear to part with thee. I have done thee +service, and I mean to complete it by tending thee on the way." +At this, Zoulmekan rejoiced and said, "May God abundantly requite +thee for me!" Then the stoker went out and selling the camel, +bought another ass, which he brought to Zoulmekan, saying, "This +is for thee to ride by the way; and when thou art weary of +riding, thou canst dismount and walk." "May God bless thee and +help me to requite thee!" said Zoulmekan. "Indeed, thou hast +dealt with me more lovingly than one with his brother." Then the +stoker provided himself with victual for the journey, and they +waited till it was dark night, when they laid their provisions +and baggage on the ass and set out on their journey. + +To return to Nuzhet ez Zeman, when she left her brother in the +khan and went out to seek service with some one, that she might +earn wherewith to buy him the roast meat he longed for, she fared +on, weeping and knowing not whither to go, whilst her mind was +occupied with concern for her brother and with thoughts of her +family and her native land. And she implored God the Most High to +do away these afflictions from them and repeated the following +verses: + +The shadows darken and passion stirs up my sickness amain, And + longing rouses within me the old desireful pain. +The anguish of parting hath taken its sojourn in my breast, And + love and longing and sorrow have maddened heart and brain. +Passion hath made me restless and longing consumes my soul And + tears discover the secret that else concealed had lain. +I know of no way to ease me of sickness and care and woe, Nor can + my weak endeavour reknit love's severed skein. +The fire of my heart with yearnings and longing grief is fed And + for its heat, the lover to live in hell is fain. +O thou that thinkest to blame me for what betides me, enough; God + knows I suffer with patience whate'er He doth ordain. +I swear I shall ne'er find solace nor be consoled for love, The + oath of the children of passion, whose oaths are ne'er in + vain! +Bear tidings of me, I prithee, O night, to the bards of love And + that in thee I sleep not be witness yet again! + +She walked on, weeping and turning right and left, as she went, +till there espied her an old man who had come into the town from +the desert with other five Bedouins. He took note of her and +seeing that she was charming, but had nothing on her head but a +piece of camel-cloth, marvelled at her beauty and said in +himself, "This girl is pretty enough to dazzle the wit, but it is +clear she is in poor case, and whether she be of the people of +the city or a stranger, I must have her." So he followed her, +little by little, till presently he came in front of her and +stopping the way before her in a narrow lane, called out to her, +saying, "Harkye, daughterling, art thou a freewoman or a slave?" +When she heard this, she said to him, "By thy life, do not add to +my troubles! "Quoth he, "God blessed me with six daughters, but +five of them died and only one is left me, the youngest of them +all; and I came to ask thee if thou wert of the people of this +city or a stranger, that I might take thee and carry thee to her, +to bear her company and divert her from mourning for her sisters, +If thou hast no parents, I will use thee as one of them, and thou +and she shall be as my two children." When she heard what he +said, she bowed her head for bashfulness and said to herself, +"Surely I may trust myself to this old man." Then she said to +him, "O uncle, I am a girl of the Arabs (of Irak) and a stranger, +and I have a sick brother; but I will go with thee to thy +daughter on one condition; that is, that I may spend the day only +with her and go to my brother at night. I am a stranger and was +high in honour among my people, yet am I become cast down and +abject. I came with my brother from the land of Hejaz and I fear +lest he know not where I am." When the Bedouin heard this, he +said to himself, "By Allah, I have gotten what I sought!" Then he +turned to her and said, "There shall none be dearer to me than +thou; I only wish thee to bear my daughter company by day, and +thou shalt go to thy brother at nightfall. Or, if thou wilt, +bring him to dwell with us." And he ceased not to give her fair +words and coax her, till she trusted in him and agreed to serve +him. Then he went on before her and she followed him, whilst he +winked to his men to go on in advance and harness the camels and +load them with food and water, ready for setting out as soon as +he should come up. Now this Bedouin was a base-born wretch, a +highway-robber and a brigand, a traitor to his friend and a past +master in craft and roguery. He had no daughter and no son, and +was but a wayfarer in Jerusalem, when, by the decree of God, he +fell in with this unhappy girl. He held her in converse till they +came without the city, where he joined his companions and found +they had made ready the camels. So he mounted a camel, taking +Nuzhet ez Zeman up behind him, and they rode on all night, making +for the mountains, for fear any should see them. By this, she +knew that the Bedouin's proposal was a snare and that he had +tricked her; and she gave not over weeping and crying out the +whole night long. A little before the dawn, they halted and the +Bedouin came up to Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "O wretch, +what is this weeping! By Allah, an thou hold not thy peace, I +will beat thee to death, city faggot that thou art!" When she +heard this, she abhorred life and longed for death; so she turned +to him and said, "O accursed old man, O greybeard of hell, did I +trust in thee and hast thou played me false, and now thou wouldst +torture me?" When he heard her words, he cried out, "O insolent +wretch, dost thou dare to bandy words with me?" And he came up to +her and beat her with a whip, saying, "An thou hold not thy +peace, I will kill thee." So she was silent awhile, but she +called to mind her brother and her former happy estate and wept +in secret. Next day, she turned to the Bedouin and said to him, +"How couldst thou deal thus perfidiously with me and lure me into +these desert mountains, and what wilt thou do with me?" When he +heard her words, he hardened his heart and said to her, "O +pestilent baggage, wilt thou bandy words with me?" So saying, he +took the whip and brought it down on her back, till she well-nigh +fainted. Then she bowed down and kissed his feet; and he left +beating her and began to revile her, saying, "By my bonnet, if I +see or hear thee weeping, I will cut out thy tongue and thrust it +up thy kaze, city strumpet that thou art!" So she was silent and +made him no reply, for the beating irked her; but sat down, with +her arms round her knees and bowing her head, fell a-musing on +her case. Then she bethought her of her former ease and affluence +and her present abasement, and called to mind her brother and his +sickness and forlorn condition and how they were both strangers +in a foreign land; whereat the tears coursed down her cheeks and +she wept silently and repeated the following verses: + +The tides of fate 'twixt good and ill shift ever to and fro, And + no estate of life for men endureth evermo'. +All things that to the world belong have each their destined end + And to all men a term is set, which none may overgo. +How long must I oppression bear and peril and distress! Ah, how I + loathe this life of mine, that nought but these can show! +May God not prosper them, these days, wherein I am oppressed of + Fate, these cruel days that add abjection to my woe! +My purposes are brought to nought, my loves are reft in twain By + exile's rigour, and my hopes are one and all laid low. +O ye, who pass the dwelling by, wherein my dear ones are, Bear + them the news of me and say, my tears for ever flow. + +When she had finished, the Bedouin came up to her and taking +compassion on her, bespoke her kindly and wiped away her tears. +Then he gave her a cake of barley-bread and said to her, "I do +not love to be answered, when I am angry: so henceforth give me +no more of these insolent words, and I will sell thee to an +honest fellow like myself, who will use thee well, even as I have +done." "It is well," answered she; and when the night was long +upon her and hunger gnawed her, she ate a little of the +barley-cake. In the middle of the night, the Bedouin gave the +signal for departure; so they loaded the camels and he mounted +one of them, taking Nuzhet ez Zeman up behind him. Then they set +out and journeyed, without stopping, for three days, till they +reached the city of Damascus, where they alighted at the Sultan's +khan, hard by the Viceroy's Gate. Now she had lost her colour and +her charms were changed by grief and the fatigue of the journey, +and she ceased not to weep. So the Bedouin came up to her and +said, "Hark ye, city wench! By my bonnet, an thou leave not this +weeping, I will sell thee to a Jew!" Then he took her by the hand +and carried her to a chamber, where he left her and went to the +bazaar. Here he went round to the merchants who dealt in +slave-girls and began to parley with them, saying, "I have with +me a slave-girl, whose brother fell ill, and I sent him to my +people at Jerusalem, that they might tend him till he was cured. +The separation from him was grievous to her, and since then, she +does nothing but weep. Now I purpose to sell her, and I would +fain have whoso is minded to buy her of me speak softly to her +and say to her, 'Thy brother is with me in Jerusalem, ill;' and I +will be easy with him about her price." Quoth one of the +merchants, "How old is she?" "She is a virgin, just come to the +age of puberty," replied the Bedouin, "and is endowed with sense +and breeding and wit and beauty and grace. But from the day I +sent her brother to Jerusalem, she has done nothing but grieve +for him, so that her beauty is fallen away and her value +lessened." When the merchant heard this, he said, "O chief of the +Arabs, I will go with thee and buy this girl of thee, if she be +as thou sayest for wit and beauty and accomplishments; but it +must be upon conditions, which if thou accept, I will pay thee +her price, and if not, I will return her to thee." "If thou +wilt," said the Bedouin, "take her up to Prince Sherkan, son of +King Omar ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and of the land of +Khorassan, and I will agree to whatever conditions thou mayst +impose on me; for when he sees her, she will surely please him, +and he will pay thee her price and a good profit to boot for +thyself." "It happens," rejoined the merchant, "that I have just +now occasion to go to him, that I may get him to sign me patent, +exempting me from customs-dues, and I desire of him also a letter +of recommendation to his father King Omar. So, if he take the +girl, I will pay thee down her price at once." "I agree to this," +answered the Bedouin. So they returned together to the khan, +where the Bedouin stood at the door of the girl's chamber and +called out, saying, "Ho, Najiyeh!" which was the name he had +given her. When she heard him, she wept and made no answer. Then +he turned to the merchant and said to him, "There she sits. Do +thou go up to her and look at her and speak kindly to her, as I +enjoined thee." So he went up to her courteously and saw that she +was wonder-lovely and graceful especially as she was acquainted +with the Arabic tongue; and he said to the Bedouin, "Verily she +is even as thou saidst, and I shall get of the Sultan what I will +for her." Then he said to her, "Peace be on thee, O daughterling! +How dost thou?" She turned to him and replied, "This was written +in the book of Destiny." Then she looked at him and seeing him to +be a man of reverend appearance, with a handsome face, said to +herself, "I believe this man comes to buy me. If I hold aloof +from him, I shall abide with this tyrant, and he will beat me to +death. In any case, this man is comely of face and makes me hope +for better treatment from him than from this brute of a Bedouin. +Mayhap he only comes to hear me talk; so I will give him a fair +answer." All this while, she had kept her eyes fixed on the +ground; then she raised them to him and said in a sweet voice, +"And upon thee be peace, O my lord, and the mercy of God and His +blessing! This is what is commanded of the Prophet, whom God +bless and preserve! As for thine enquiry how I do, if thou +wouldst know my condition, it is such as thou wouldst not wish +but to thine enemies." And she was silent. When the merchant +heard what she said, he was beside himself for delight in her and +turning to the Bedouin, said to him, "What is her price, for +indeed she is illustrious!" At this the Bedouin was angry and +said, "Thou wilt turn me the girl's head with this talk! Why dost +thou say that she is illustrious,[FN#25] for all she is of the +scum of slave-girls and of the refuse of the people? I will not +sell her to thee." When the merchant heard this, he knew he was +dull-witted and said to him, "Calm thyself, for I will buy her of +thee, notwithstanding the defects thou mentionest." "And how much +wilt thou give me for her?" asked the Bedouin "None should name +the child but its father," replied the merchant. "Name thy price +for her." "Not so," rejoined the Bedouin; "do thou say what thou +wilt give." Quoth the merchant in himself, "This Bedouin is an +addle-pated churl. By Allah, I cannot tell her price, for she has +mastered my heart with her sweet speech and her beauty: and if +she can read and write, it will be the finishing touch to her +good fortune and that of her purchaser. But this Bedouin does not +know her value." Then he turned to the latter and said to him, "O +elder of the Arabs, I will give thee two hundred dinars for her, +in cash, clear of the tax and the Sultan's dues." When the +Bedouin heard this, he flew into a violent passion and cried out +at the merchant, saying, "Begone about thy business! By Allah, +wert thou to offer me two hundred dinars for the piece of +camel-cloth on her head, I would not sell it to thee! I will not +sell her, but will keep her by me, to pasture the camels and +grind corn." And he cried out to her, saying, "Come, thou +stinkard, I will not sell thee." Then he turned to the merchant +and said to him, "I thought thee a man of judgment; but, by my +bonnet, if thou begone not from me, I will let thee hear what +will not please thee!" "Verily," said the merchant to himself, +"this Bedouin is mad and knows not the girl's value, and I will +say no more to him about her price for the present; for by Allah, +were he a man of sense, he would not say, 'By my bonnet!' By +Allah, she is worth the kingdom of the Chosroes and I will give +him what he will, though it be all I have." Then he said to him, +"O elder of the Arabs, calm thyself and take patience and tell me +what clothes she has with thee." "Clothes!" cried the Bedouin; +"what should the baggage want with clothes? The camel-cloth in +which she is wrapped is ample for her." "With thy leave," said +the merchant, "I will lift her veil and examine her as folk +examine girls whom they think of buying." "Up and do what thou +wilt," replied the other, "and God keep thy youth! Examine her, +inside and out, and if thou wilt, take off her clothes and look +at her naked." "God forbid!" said the merchant; "I will but look +at her face." Then he went up to her, confounded at her beauty +and grace, and seating himself by her side, said to her, "O my +mistress, what is thy name?" "Dost thou ask what is my name now," +said she, "or what it was formerly?" "Hast thou then two names?" +asked the merchant. "Yes," replied she, "my whilom name was +Nuzhet ez Zeman;[FN#26] but my name at this present is Ghusset ez +Zeman."[FN#27] When the merchant heard this, his eyes filled with +tears, and he said to her, "Hast thou not a sick brother?" +"Indeed, my lord, I have," answered she; "but fortune hath parted +us, and he lies sick in Jerusalem." The merchant's heart was +confounded at the sweetness of her speech, and he said to +himself, "Verily, the Bedouin spoke the truth of her." Then she +called to mind her brother and how he lay sick in a strange land, +whilst she was parted from him and knew not what was become of +him; and she thought of all that had befallen her with the +Bedouin and of her severance from her father and mother and +native land; and the tears ran down her cheeks and she repeated +the following verses: + +May God keep watch o'er thee, belov'd, where'er thou art, Thou + that, though far away, yet dwellest in my heart! +Where'er thy footsteps lead, may He be ever near, To guard thee + from time's shifts and evil fortune's dart! +Thou'rt absent, and my eyes long ever for thy sight, And at thy + thought the tears for aye unbidden start. +Would that I knew alas! what country holds thee now, In what + abode thou dwell'st, unfriended and apart! +If thou, in the green o the rose, still drink o' the water of + life, My drink is nought but tears, since that thou didst + depart. +If sleep e'er visit thee, live coals of my unrest, Strewn betwixt + couch and side, for aye my slumbers thwart +All but thy loss to me were but a little thing, But that and that + alone is sore to me, sweetheart. + +When the merchant heard her verses, he wept and put out his hand +to wipe away her tears; but she let down her veil, saying, "God +forbid, O my master!" The Bedouin, who was sitting at a little +distance, watching them, saw her cover her face and concluded +that she would have hindered him from handling her: so he rose +and running to her, dealt her such a blow on the shoulders with a +camel's halter he had in his hand, that she fell to the ground on +her face. Her eyebrow smote against a stone, which cut it open, +and the blood streamed down her face; whereupon she gave a loud +scream and fainted away. The merchant was moved to tears for her +and said in himself, "I must and will buy this damsel, though I +pay down her weight in gold, and deliver her from this tyrant." +And he began to reproach the Bedouin, whilst Nuzhet ez Zeman lay +insensible. When she came to herself, she wiped away her tears +and bound up her head: then, raising her eyes to heaven, she +sought her Lord with a sorrowful heart and repeated the following +verses: + +Have ruth on one who once was rich and great, Whom villainy hath + brought to low estate. +She weeps with never-ceasing tears and says, "There's no recourse + against the laws of Fate." + +Then she turned to the merchant and said to him, in a low voice, +"By Allah, do not leave me with this tyrant, who knows not God +the Most High! If I pass this night with him, I shall kill myself +with my own hand: save me from him, and God will save thee from +hell-fire." So the merchant said to the Bedouin, "O chief of the +Arabs, this girl is none of thine affair; so do thou sell her to +me for what thou wilt." "Take her," said the Bedouin, "and pay me +down her price, or I will carry her back to the camp and set her +to feed the camels and gather their droppings."[FN#28] Quoth the +merchant, "I will give thee fifty thousand dinars for her." "God +will open,"[FN#29] replied the Bedouin. "Seventy thousand," said +the merchant. "God will open," repeated the other; "she hath cost +me more than that, for she hath eaten barley-bread with me to the +value of ninety thousand dinars." Quoth the merchant, "Thou and +all thy people and thy whole tribe in all your lives have not +eaten a thousand dinars' worth of barley: but I will make thee +one offer, which if thou accept not, I will set the Viceroy of +Damascus on thee, and he will take her from thee by force." "Say +on," rejoined the Bedouin. "A hundred thousand," said the +merchant. "I will sell her to thee at that price," answered the +Bedouin; "I shall be able to buy salt with that." The merchant +laughed and going to his house, returned with the money and gave +it to the Bedouin, who took it and made off, saying, "I must go +to Jerusalem: it may be I shall happen on her brother, and I will +bring him here and sell him." So he mounted and journeyed to +Jerusalem, where he went to the khan and enquired for Zoulmekan, +but could not find him. + +Meanwhile, the merchant threw his gaberdine over Nuzhet ez Zeman +and carried her to his house, where he dressed her in the richest +clothes he could buy. Then he carried her to the bazaar, where he +bought her what jewellery she chose and put it in a bag of satin, +which he laid before her, saying, "This is all for thee, and I +ask nothing of thee in return but that, when thou comest to the +Viceroy of Damascus, thou tell him what I gave for thee and that +it was little compared with thy value: and if he buy thee, tell +him how I have dealt with thee and ask of him for me a royal +patent, with a recommendation to his father King Omar Ben +Ennuman, lord of Baghdad, to the intent that he may forbid the +taking toll on my stuffs or other goods in which I traffic." When +she heard his words, she wept and sobbed, and the merchant said +to her, "O my mistress, I note that, every time I mention +Baghdad, thine eyes fill with tears: is there any one there whom +thou lovest? If it be a merchant or the like, tell me; for I know +all the merchants and so forth there; and an thou wouldst send +him a message, I will carry it for thee." "By Allah," replied +she, "I have no acquaintance among merchants and the like! I know +none there but King Omar ben Ennuman." When the merchant heard +this, he laughed and was greatly rejoiced and said in himself, +"By Allah, I have gotten my desire!" Then he said to her, "Hast +thou then been shown to him?" "No," answered she; "but I was +brought up with his daughter and he holds me dear and I have much +credit with him; so if thou wouldst have him grant thee a patent +of exemption, give me ink-horn and paper, and I will write thee a +letter, which, when thou reachest Baghdad, do thou deliver into +the King's own hand and say to him, 'Thy handmaid Nuzhet ez Zeman +salutes thee and would have thee to know that the changing +chances of the nights and days have smitten her, so that she has +been sold from place to place and is now with the Viceroy of +Damascus.'" The merchant wondered at her eloquence and his +affection for her increased and he said to her, "I cannot think +but that men have abused thine understanding and sold thee for +money. Tell me, dost thou know the Koran?" "I do," answered she; +"and I am also acquainted with philosophy and medicine and the +Prolegomena and the commentaries of Galen the physician on the +Canons of Hippocrates, and I have commented him, as well as the +Simples of Ibn Beltar, and have studied the works of Avicenna, +according to the canon of Mecca, as well as other treatises. I +can solve enigmas and establish parallels[FN#30] and discourse +upon geometry and am skilled in anatomy. I have read the books of +the Shafiyi[FN#31] sect and the Traditions of the Prophet, I am +well read in grammar and can argue with the learned and discourse +of all manner of sciences. Moreover I am skilled in logic and +rhetoric and mathematics and the making of talismans and +calendars and the Cabala, and I understand all these branches of +knowledge thoroughly. But bring me ink-horn and paper, and I will +write thee a letter that will profit thee at Baghdad and enable +thee to dispense with passports." When the merchant heard this, +he cried out, "Excellent! Excellent! Happy he in whose palace +thou shalt be!" Then he brought her ink-horn and paper and a pen +of brass and kissed the earth before her, to do her honour. She +took the pen and wrote the following verses: + +"What ails me that sleep hath forsaken my eyes and gone astray? + Have you then taught them to waken, after our parting day! +How comes it your memory maketh the fire in my heart to rage? + Is't thus with each lover remembers a dear one far away? +How sweet was the cloud of the summer, that watered our days of + yore! 'Tis flitted, before of its pleasance my longing I + could stay. +I sue to the wind and beg it to favour the slave of love, The + wind that unto the lover doth news of you convey. +A lover to you complaineth, whose every helper fails. Indeed, in + parting are sorrows would rend the rock in sway. + +"These words are from her whom melancholy destroys and whom +watching hath wasted; in her darkness there are no lights found, +and she knows not night from day. She tosses from side to side on +the couch of separation and her eyes are blackened with the +pencils of sleeplessness; she watches the stars and strains her +sight into the darkness: verily, sadness and emaciation have +consumed her and the setting forth of her case would be long. No +helper hath she but tears and she reciteth the following verses: + +"No turtle warbles on the branch, before the break of morn, But + stirs in me a killing grief, a sadness all forlorn. +No lover, longing for his loves, complaineth of desire, But with + a doubled stress of woe my heart is overborne. +Of passion I complain to one who hath no ruth on me. How soul and + body by desire are, one from other, torn!" + +Then her eyes brimmed over with tears, and she wrote these verses +also: + +"Love-longing, the day of our parting, my body with mourning + smote, And severance from my eyelids hath made sleep far + remote. +I am so wasted for yearning and worn for sickness and woe, That, + were it not for my speaking, thou'dst scarce my presence + note." + +Then she wept and wrote at the foot of the scroll, "This is from +her who is far from her people and her native land, the +sorrowful-hearted Nuzhet ez Zeman." She folded the letter and +gave it to the merchant, who took it and reading what was written +in it, rejoiced and exclaimed, "Glory to Him who fashioned thee!" +Then he redoubled in kindness and attention to her all that day; +and at nightfall, he sallied out to the market and bought food, +wherewith he fed her; after which he carried her to the bath and +said to the tire-woman, "As soon as thou hast made an end of +washing her head, clothe her and send and let me know.' Meanwhile +he fetched food and fruit and wax candles and set them on the +dais in the outer room of the bath; and when the tire-woman had +done washing her, she sent to tell the merchant, and Nuzhet ez +Zeman went out to the outer room, where she found the tray spread +with food and fruit. So she ate, and the tire-woman with her, and +gave what was left to the people and keeper of the bath. Then she +slept till the morning, and the merchant lay the night in a place +apart. When he awoke, he came to her and waking her, presented +her with a shift of fine silk, a kerchief worth a thousand +dinars, a suit of Turkish brocade and boots embroidered with red +gold and set with pearls and jewels. Moreover, he hung in each of +her ears a circlet of gold, with a fine pearl therein, worth a +thousand dinars, and threw round her neck a collar of gold, with +bosses of garnet and a chain of amber beads, that hung down +between her breasts to her middle. Now this chain was garnished +with ten balls and nine crescents and each crescent had in its +midst a beazel of ruby and each ball a beazel of balass ruby. The +worth of the chain was three thousand dinars and each of the +balls was worth twenty thousand dirhems, so that her dress in all +was worth a great sum of money. When she had put these on, the +merchant bade her make her toilet, and she adorned herself to the +utmost advantage. Then he bade her follow him and walked on +before her through the streets, whilst the people wondered at her +beauty and exclaimed, "Blessed be God, the most excellent +Creator! O fortunate man to whom she shall belong!" till they +reached the Sultan's palace; when he sought an audience of +Sherkan and kissing the earth before him, said, "O august King, I +have brought thee a rare gift, unmatched in this time and richly +covered with beauty and good qualities." "Let me see it," said +Sherkan. So the merchant went out and returning with Nuzhet ez +Zeman, made her stand before Sherkan. When the latter beheld her, +blood drew to blood, though he had never seen her, having only +heard that he had a sister called Nuzhet ez Zeman and a brother +called Zoulmekan and not having made acquaintance with them, in +his jealousy of them, because of the succession. Then said the +merchant, "O King, not only is she without peer in her time for +perfection of beauty and grace, but she is versed to boot in all +learning, sacred and profane, besides the art of government and +the abstract sciences." Quoth Sherkan, "Take her price, according +to what thou gavest for her, and go thy ways." "I hear and obey," +replied the merchant; "but first I would have thee write me +a patent, exempting me for ever from paying tithe on my +merchandise." "I will do this," said Sherkan; "but first tell me +what you paid for her." Quoth the merchant, "I bought her for a +hundred thousand dinars, and her clothes cost me as much more." +When the Sultan heard this, he said, "I will give thee more than +this for her," and calling his treasurer, said to him, "Give this +merchant three hundred and twenty thousand dinars; so will he +have a hundred and twenty thousand dinars profit." Then he +summoned the four Cadis and paid him the money in their presence; +after which he said to them, "I call you to witness that I free +this my slave-girl and purpose to marry her." So the Cadis drew +up the act of enfranchisement, and the Sultan scattered much gold +on the heads of those present, which was picked up by the pages +and eunuchs. Then they drew up the contract of marriage between +Sherkan and Nuzhet ez Zeman, after which he bade write the +merchant a perpetual patent, exempting him from tax and tithe +upon his merchandise and forbidding all and several to do him let +or hindrance in all his government, and bestowed on him a +splendid dress of honour. Then all who were present retired, and +there remained but the Cadis and the merchant; whereupon quoth +Sherkan to the former, "I wish you to hear such discourse from +this damsel as may prove her knowledge and accomplishment in all +that this merchant avouches of her, that we may be certified of +the truth of his pretensions." "Good," answered they; and he +commanded the curtains to be drawn before Nuzhet ez Zeman and her +attendants, who began to wish her joy and kiss her hands and +feet, for that she was become the Viceroy's wife. Then they came +round her and easing her of the weight of her clothes and +ornaments, began to look upon her beauty and grace. Presently the +wives of the Amirs and Viziers heard that King Sherkan had bought +a damsel unmatched for beauty and accomplishments and versed in +all branches of knowledge, at the price of three hundred and +twenty thousand dinars, and that he had set her free and married +her and summoned the four Cadis to examine her. So they asked +leave of their husbands and repaired to the palace. When they +came in to her, she rose and received them with courtesy, +welcoming them and promising them all good. Moreover, she smiled +in their faces and made them sit down in their proper stations, +as if she had been brought up with them, so that their hearts +were taken with her and they all wondered at her good sense and +fine manners, as well as at her beauty and grace, and said to +each other, "This damsel is none other than a queen, the daughter +of a king." Then they sat down, magnifying her, and said to her, +"O our lady, our city is illumined by thy presence, and our +country and kingdom are honoured by thee. The kingdom indeed is +thine and the palace is thy palace, and we all are thy handmaids; +so do not thou shut us out from thy favours and the sight of thy +beauty." And she thanked them for this. All this while the +curtains were drawn between Nuzhet ez Zeman and the women with +her, on the one side, and King Sherkan and the Cadis and merchant +seated by him, on the other. Presently, Sherkan called to her and +said, "O queen, the glory of thine age, this merchant describes +thee as being learned and accomplished and asserts that thou art +skilled in all branches of knowledge, even to astrology: so let +us hear something of all this and give us a taste of thy +quality." + +"O King," replied she, "I hear and obey. The first subject of +which I will treat is the art of government and the duties of +kings and what behoves governors of lawful commandments and what +is incumbent on them in respect of pleasing manners. Know then, O +King, that all men's works tend either to religion or to worldly +life, for none attains to religion save through this world, +because it is indeed the road to the next world. Now the world is +ordered by the doings of its people, and the doings of men +are divided into four categories, government (or the exercise +of authority), commerce, husbandry (or agriculture) and +craftsmanship. To government are requisite perfect (knowledge of +the science of) administration and just judgment; for government +is the centre (or pivot) of the edifice of the world, which is +the road to the future life since that God the Most High hath +made the world to be to His servants even as victual to the +traveller for the attainment of the goal: and it is needful that +each man receive of it such measure as shall bring him to God, +and that he follow not in this his own mind and desire. If the +folk would take of the goods of the world with moderation and +equity, there would be an end of contentions; but they take +thereof with violence and iniquity and persist in following their +own inclinations; and their licentiousness and evil behaviour in +this give birth to strife and contention. So they have need of +the Sultan, that he may do justice between them and order their +affairs prudently, and if he restrain not the folk from one +another, the strong will get the mastery over the weak. Ardeshir +says that religion and the kingship are twin; religion is a +treasure and the king its keeper; and the divine ordinances and +men's own judgment indicate that it behoves the folk to adopt a +ruler to hold the oppressor back from the oppressed and do the +weak justice against the strong and to restrain the violence of +the proud and the unjust. For know, O King, that according to the +measure of the ruler's good morals, even so will be the time; as +says the apostle of God (on whom be peace and salvation), 'There +are two classes, who if they be virtuous, the people will be +virtuous, and if they be depraved, the people also will be +depraved: even princes and men of learning.' And it is said by a +certain sage, 'There are three kinds of kings, the king of the +Faith, the king who watches over and protects those things that +are entitled to respect and honour, and the king of his own +inclinations. The king of the Faith constrains his subjects to +follow the laws of their faith, and it behoves that he be the +most pious of them all, for it is by him that they take pattern +in the things of the Faith; and the folk shall do obedience to +him in what he commands in accordance with the Divine ordinances; +but he shall hold the discontented in the same esteem as the +contented, because of submission to the Divine decrees. As for +the king of the second order, he upholds the things of the Faith +and of the world and compels the folk to follow the Law of God +and to observe the precepts of humanity; and it behoves him to +conjoin the sword and the pen; for whoso goeth astray from what +the pen hath written, his feet slip, and the king shall rectify +his error with the edge of the sword and pour forth his justice +upon all men. As for the third kind of king, he hath no religion +but the following his own lusts and fears not the wrath of his +Lord, who set him on the throne; so his kingdom inclines to ruin, +and the end of his arrogance is in the House of Perdition.' And +another sage says, 'The king has need of many people, but the +folk have need of but one king; wherefore it behoves that he be +well acquainted with their natures, to the end that he may reduce +their difference to concord, that he may encompass them one and +all with his justice and overwhelm them with his bounties.' And +know, O King, that Ardeshir, styled Jemr Shedid, third of the +Kings of Persia, conquered the whole world and divided it into +four parts and let make for himself four seal-rings, one for each +division of his realm. The first seal was that of the sea and the +police and of prohibition, and on it was written, 'Alternatives.' +The second was the seal of revenue and of the receipt of monies, +and on it was written, 'Culture.' The third was the seal of the +commissariat, and on it was written, 'Plenty.' The fourth was the +seal of (the Court of Enquiry into) abuses, and on it was +written, 'Justice.' And these remained in use in Persia until the +revelation of Islam. King Chosroes also, wrote to his son, who +was with the army, 'Be not over-lavish to thy troops, or they +will come to have no need of thee; neither be niggardly with +them, or they will murmur against thee. Do thy giving soberly and +confer thy favours advisedly; be liberal to them in time of +affluence and stint them not in time of stress.' It is said that +an Arab of the desert came once to the Khalif Mensour[FN#32] and +said to him, 'Starve thy dog and he will follow thee.' When the +Khalif heard his words, he was enraged, but Aboulabbas et Tousi +said to him, 'I fear that, if some other than thou should show +him a cake of bread, the dog would follow him and leave thee.' +Thereupon the Khalif's wrath subsided and he knew that the +Bedouin had meant no offence and ordered him a present. And know, +O King, that Abdulmelik ben Merwan wrote to his brother +Abdulaziz, when he sent him to Egypt, as follows: 'Pay heed to +thy secretaries and thy chamberlains, for the first will acquaint +thee with necessary matters and the second with matters of +etiquette and ceremonial observance, whilst the tribute that goes +out from thee will make thy troops known to thee.' Omar ben el +Khettab[FN#33] (whom God accept) was in the habit, when he +engaged a servant, of laying four conditions on him, the first +that he should not ride the baggage-beasts, the second that he +should not wear fine clothes, the third that he should not eat of +the spoil and the fourth that he should not delay to pray after +the proper time. It is said that there is no wealth better than +understanding and no understanding like common sense and prudence +and no prudence like the fear of God; that there is no offering +like good morals and no measure like good breeding and no profit +like earning the Divine favour;[FN#34] that there is no piety +like the observance of the limits of the Law and no science like +that of meditation, no devotion like the performance of the +Divine precepts, no safeguard like modesty, no calculation like +humility and no nobility like knowledge. So guard the head and +what it contains and the body and what it comprises and remember +death and calamity. Says Ali[FN#35], (whose face God honour!), +'Beware of the wickedness of women and be on thy guard against +them. Consult them not in aught, but be not grudging of +complaisance to them, lest they be tempted to have recourse to +intrigue.' And also, 'He who leaves the path of moderation and +sobriety, his wits become perplexed.' And Omar (whom God accept) +says, 'There are three kinds of women, first, the true-believing, +God-fearing woman, loving and fruitful, helping her husband +against fate, not helping fate against her husband; secondly, she +who loves and tenders her children, but no more; and thirdly, the +woman who is as a shackle that God puts on the neck of whom He +will. Men also are three: the first, who is wise, when he +exercises his judgment; the second, wiser than he, who, when +there falls on him somewhat of which he knows not the issue, +seeks folk of good counsel and acts by their advice; and the +third, who is addle-headed, knowing not the right way nor heeding +those who would instruct him.' Justice is indispensable in all +things; even slave-girls have need of justice; and highway +robbers, who live by violence, bear witness of this, for did they +not deal equitably among themselves and observe fairness in their +divisions, their order would fall to pieces. For the rest, the +chief of noble qualities is generosity and benevolence. How well +says the poet: + +'By largesse and mildness the youth chief of his tribe became, And + it were easy for thee to follow and do the same.' + +And quoth another: + +'In mildness stability lies and clemency wins us respect, And + safety in soothfastness is for him who is soothfast and + frank; +And he who would get himself praise and renown for his wealth + from the folk, In the racecourse of glory must be, for + munificence, first in the rank.'" + +And Nuzhet ez Zeman discoursed upon the policy and behaviour of +kings, till the bystanders said, "Never heard we one reason of +the duties of kings like this damsel! Mayhap she will favour us +with discourse upon some subject other than this." When she heard +this, she said, "As for the chapter of good breeding,[FN#36] it is +wide of scope, for it is a compend of perfections. There came in +one day to the Khalif Muawiyeh[FN#37] one of his boon-companions, +who spoke of the people of Irak and the goodness of their wit; +and the Khalif's wife Meisoun, mother of Yezid, heard him. So, +when he was gone, she said to the Khalif, 'O Commander of the +Faithful, prithee let some of the people of Irak come in to thee +and talk with them, that I may hear their discourse.' So the +Khalif said to his attendants, 'Who is at the door?' And they +answered, 'The Benou Temim.' 'Let them come in,' said he. So they +came in and with them Ahnaf ben Cais.[FN#38] Now Muawiyeh had +drawn a curtain between himself and Meisoun, that she might hear +what they said without being seen herself; and he said to Ahnaf, +'O Abou Behr,[FN#39] pray, near and tell me what counsel thou hast +for me.' Quoth Ahnaf, 'Part thy hair and trim thy moustache and +clip thy nails and pluck out the hair of thine armpits and shave +thy pubes and be constant in the use of the toothstick, for +therein are two-and-seventy virtues, and make the Friday +(complete) ablution as an expiation for what is between the two +Fridays.' 'What is thy counsel to thyself?' asked Muawiyeh. 'To +plant my feet firmly on the ground,' replied Ahnaf, 'to move them +with deliberation and keep watch over them with my eyes.' 'How,' +asked the Khalif, 'dost thou carry thyself, when thou goest in to +the common folk of thy tribe?' 'I lower my eyes modestly,' replied +Ahnaf, 'and salute them first, abstaining from what does not +concern me and being sparing of words.' 'And how, when thou goest +in to thine equals?' asked Muawiyeh. 'I give ear to them, when they +speak,' answered the other, 'and do not assail them, when they err.' +'And how dost thou,' said the Khalif, 'when thou goest in to thy +chiefs?' 'I salute without making any sign,' answered Ahnaf, 'and +await the response: if they bid me draw near, I do so, and if they +bid me stand aloof, I withdraw.' 'How dost thou with thy wife?' +asked the Khalif. 'Excuse me from answering this, O Commander of +the Faithful!' replied he; but Muawiyeh said, 'I conjure thee to +answer.' Then said Ahnaf, 'I entreat her kindly and show her +pleasant familiarity and am large in expenditure, for women were +created of a crooked rib.' 'And how,' asked the Khalif, 'dost thou +when thou hast a mind to lie with her?' 'I speak to her to perfume +herself,' answered the other, 'and kiss her till she is moved to +desire; then, if it be as thou knowest, I throw her on her back. If +the seed abide in her womb, I say, "O my God, make it blessed and +let it not be a castaway, but fashion it into a goodly shape!" Then +I rise from her and betake myself to the ablution, first pouring +water over my hands and then over my body and returning thanks to +God for the delight He hath given me.' 'Thou hast answered +excellently well,' said Muawiyeh; 'and now tell me what thou wouldst +have.' Quoth Ahnaf, 'I would have thee rule thy subjects in the fear +of God and do equal justice amongst them.' So saying, he withdrew +from the Khalif's presence, and when he had gone, Meisoun said, +'Were there but this man in Irak, he would suffice to it.' This +(continued Nuzhet ez Zeman) is a small fraction of the chapter of +good breeding. Know O King, that Muyekib was intendant of the +treasury during the Khalifate of Omar ben Khettab. 'One day +(quoth he) the Khalif's son came to me and I gave him a dirhem +from the treasury. Then I returned to my own house, and +presently, as I was sitting, there came to me a messenger, +bidding me to the Khalif. So I was afraid and went to him, and +when I came into his presence, I saw in his hand the dirhem I had +given his son. "Harkye, Muyekib," said he, "I have found somewhat +concerning thy soul." "What is it, O Commander of the Faithful?" +asked I; and he answered, "It is that thou wilt have to render an +account of this dirhem to the people of Mohammed (on whom be +peace and salvation) on the Day of Resurrection."' This same Omar +wrote a letter to Abou Mousa el Ashari,[FN#40] to the following +purport, 'When these presents reach thee, give the people what is +theirs and send the rest to me.' And he did so. When Othman +succeeded to the Khalifate, he wrote a like letter to Abou Mousa, +who did his bidding and sent him the tribute accordingly, and +with it came Ziad[FN#41] When the latter laid the tribute before +Othman, the Khalif's son came in and took a dirhem, whereupon +Ziad fell a-weeping. 'Why dost thou weep?' asked Othman. Quoth +Ziad, 'I once brought Omar ben Khettab the like of this, and his +son took a dirhem, whereupon Omar bade snatch it from his hand. +Now thy son hath taken of the tribute, yet have I seen none +rebuke him nor take the money from him.' And Othman said, 'Where +wilt thou find the like of Omar?' Again, Zeid ben Aslam relates +of his father that he said, 'I went out one night with Omar, and +we walked on till we espied a blazing fire in the distance. Quoth +Omar, "This must be travellers, who are suffering from the cold: +let us join them." So we made for the fire, and when we came to +it, we found a woman who had lighted a fire under a cauldron, and +by her side were two children, crying. "Peace on you, O folk of +the light!" said Omar, for he misliked to say, "folk of the +fire;"[FN#42] "what ails you?" Quoth she, "The cold and the night +irk us." "What ails these children that they weep?" asked he. +"They are hungry," replied she. "And what is in this cauldron?" +asked Omar. "It is what I quiet them with," answered she, "and +God will question Omar ben Khettab of them, on the Day of +Resurrection." "And what," rejoined the Khalif, "should Omar know +of their case?" "Why then," said she, "should he undertake the +governance of the people's affairs and yet be unmindful of them?" +Then Omar turned to me and said, "Come with me." So we both set +off running till we reached the treasury, where he took out a +sack of flour and a pot of fat and said to me, "Put these on my +back." "O Commander of the Faithful," said I, "I will carry them +for thee." "Wilt thou bear my burden for me on the Day of +Resurrection?" replied he. So I put the things on his back, and +we set off, running, till we came to the woman, when he threw +down the sack. Then he took out some of the flour and put it in +the cauldron and saying to the woman, "Leave it to me," fell to +blowing the fire; Now he had a great beard and I saw the smoke +issuing from the interstices thereof, till the flour was cooked, +when he threw in some of the fat and said to the woman, "Do thou +feed the boys whilst I cool the food for them." So they ate their +fill and he left the rest with her. Then he turned to me and +said, "O Aslam, I see it was indeed hunger made them weep; and I +am glad I did not go away without finding out the reason of the +light I saw."' It is said that Omar passed, one day, by a flock +of sheep, kept by a slave, and asked the latter to sell him a +sheep. 'They are not mine,' replied the shepherd. 'Thou art the +man I sought,' said Omar and buying him of his master, set him +free, whereupon the slave exclaimed, 'O my God, thou hast +bestowed on me the lesser emancipation; vouchsafe me now the +greater!'[FN#43] They say also, that Omar ben Khettab was wont to +give his servants sweet milk and eat coarse fare himself and to +clothe them softly and wear himself coarse garments. He gave all +men their due and exceeded in his giving to them. He once gave a +man four thousand dirhems and added thereto yet a thousand, +wherefore it was said to him, 'Why dost thou not favour thy son +as thou favourest this man?' He answered, 'This man's father +stood firm in fight on the day of Uhud.'[FN#44] El Hassan +relates that Omar once came (back from an expedition) with much +money and that Hefseh[FN#45] came to him and said, 'O Commander +of the Faithful, be mindful of the due of kinship!' 'O Hefseh,' +replied he, 'God hath indeed enjoined us to satisfy the dues of +kinship, but of our own monies, not those of the true believers. +Indeed, thou pleasest thy family, but angerest thy father.' And +she went away, dragging her skirts. Says Omar's son, 'I implored +God one year (after Omar's death) to show me my father, till at +last I saw him wiping the sweat from his brow and said to him, +"How is it with thee, O my father?" "But for God's mercy," +answered he, "thy father had perished." Then said Nuzhet ez +Zeman, "Hear, O august King, the second division of the first +chapter of the instances of the followers of the Prophet and +other pious men. Says El Hassan of Bassora,[FN#46] 'Not a soul of +the sons of Adam goes forth of the world, without grieving for +three things, failure to enjoy what he has amassed, failure to +compass what he hoped and failure to provide himself with +sufficient provision for that to which he goes.[FN#47]' It was +said to Sufyan,[FN#48] 'Can a man be devout and yet possess +wealth?' 'Yes,' replied he, 'so he be patient under affliction +and return thanks, when God giveth to him.' When Abdallah ben +Sheddad was on his death-bed, he sent for his son Mohammed and +admonished him, saying, 'O my son, I see the messenger of death +calling me and so I charge thee to cherish the fear of God, both +in public and private. Praise God and be true in thy speech, for +the praise of God brings increase of prosperity, and piety in +itself is the best of provision,[FN#49] even as says one of the +poets: + +I see not that bliss lies in filling one's chest; The God-fearing + man can alone be called blest. +For piety aye winneth increase of God; So of all men's provision + 'tis surely the best. + +When Omar ben Abdulaziz[FN#50] succeeded to the Khalifate, he +went to his own house and laying hands on all that his family and +household possessed, put it into the public treasury. So the +Ommiades[FN#51] betook themselves for aid to his father's sister, +Fatimeh, daughter of Merwan, and she sent to Omar, saying, 'I +must needs speak with thee.' So she came to him by night, and +when he had made her alight from her beast and sit down, he said +to her, 'O aunt, it is for thee to speak first, since it is at +thine instance that we meet; tell me, therefore, what thou +wouldst with me.' 'O Commander of the Faithful,' replied she, 'it +is thine to speak first, for thy judgment perceives that which is +hidden from the senses.' Then said the Khalif, 'Of a verity God +sent Mohammed as a mercy to some and a punishment to others; and +He chose out for him what was with him and withdrew him to +Himself, leaving the people a river, whereof the thirsty of them +might drink. After him he made Abou Bekr the Truth-teller Khalif +and he left the river in its pristine state, doing what was +pleasing to God. Then arose Omar and worked a work and furnished +forth a strife, of which none might do the like When Othman came, +he diverted a stream from the river, and Muawiyeh in his turn +sundered several streams from it. In like manner, Yezid and the +sons of Merwan, Abdulmelik and Welid and Suleiman[FN#52], ceased +not to take from the river and dry up the main stream, till the +commandment devolved upon me, and now I am minded to restore +the river to its normal condition.' When Fatimeh heard this, +she said, 'I came, wishing only to speak and confer with thee, +but if this be thy word, I have nothing to say to thee.' Then +she returned to the Ommiades and said to them, 'See what you +have brought on you by allying yourselves with Omar ben +Khettab.' [FN#53] When Omar was on his deathbed, he gathered his +children round him, and Meslemeh[FN#54] ben Abdulmelik said to +him, 'O Commander of the Faithful, wilt thou leave thy children +beggars and thou their protector? None can hinder thee from +giving them in thy lifetime what will suffice them out of the +treasury; and this indeed were better than leaving it to revert +to him who shall come after thee.' Omar gave him a look of wrath +and wonder and replied, 'O Meslemeh, I have defended them all the +days of my life, and shall I make them miserable after my death? +My sons are like other men, either obedient to God the Most High +or disobedient: if the former, God will prosper them, and if the +latter, I will not help them in their disobedience. Know, O +Meslemeh, that I was present, even as thou, when such an one of +the sons of Merwan was buried, and I fell asleep by him and saw +him in a dream given over to one of the punishments of God, to +whom belong might and majesty. This terrified me and made me +tremble, and I vowed to God that, if ever I came to the throne, I +would not do as the dead man had done. This vow I have striven to +fulfil all the days of my life, and I hope to be received into +the mercy of my Lord.' Quoth Meslemeh, 'A certain man died and I +was present at his funeral. I fell asleep and meseemed I saw him, +as in a dream, clad in white clothes and walking in a garden full +of running waters. He came up to me and said, "O Meslemeh, it is +for the like of this that governors (or men who bear rule) should +work."' Many are the instances of this kind, and quoth one of the +men of authority, 'I used to milk the ewes in the Khalifate of +Omar ben Abdulaziz, and one day, I met a shepherd, among whose +sheep were wolves. I thought them to be dogs, for I had never +before seen wolves; so I said to the shepherd, "What dost thou +with these dogs?" "They are not dogs, but wolves," replied he. +Quoth I, "Can wolves be with sheep and not hurt them?" "When the +head is whole," replied he, "the body is whole also."' Omar ben +Abdulaziz preached once from a mud pulpit, and after praising and +glorifying God the Most High, said three words and spoke as +follows, 'O folk, make clean your hearts, that your outward lives +may be clean to your brethren, and abstain from the things of the +world. Know that from Adam to this present, there is no one man +alive among the dead. Dead are Abdulmelik and those who forewent +him, and Omar also will die, and those who come after him.' Quoth +Meslemeh (to this same Omar, when he was dying), 'O Commander of +the Faithful, shall we set a pillow behind thee, that thou mayest +lean on it a little?' But Omar answered, 'I fear lest it be a +fault about my neck on the Day of Resurrection.' Then he gasped +for breath and fell back in a swoon; whereupon Fatimeh cried out, +saying, 'Ho, Meryem! Ho, Muzahim! Ho, such an one! Look to this +man!' And she began to pour water on him, weeping, till he +revived, and seeing her in tears, said to her, 'O Fatimeh, why +dost thou weep?' 'O Commander of the Faithful,' replied she, 'I +saw thee lying prostrate before us and thought of thy prostration +before God the Most High in death and of thy departure from the +world and separation from us. This is what made me weep.' +'Enough, O Fatimeh,' answered he; 'indeed thou exceedest.' Then +he would have risen, but fell down, and Fatimeh strained him to +her, saying, 'Thou art to me as my father and my mother, O +Commander of the Faithful! We cannot speak to thee, all of +us.'[FN#55] Again (continued Nuzhet ez Zeman), Omar ben Abdulaziz +wrote to the people of the festival at Mecca, as follows, 'I call +God to witness, in the Holy Month, in the Holy City and on the +day of the Great Pilgrimage, that I am innocent of your +oppression and of the wickedness of him that doth you wrong, in +that I have neither commanded this nor purposed it, neither hath +any report of aught thereof reached me (till now) nor have I had +knowledge of it; and I trust therefore that God will pardon it to +me. None hath authority from me to do oppression, for I shall +assuredly be questioned (at the Last Day) concerning every one +who hath been wrongfully entreated. So if any one of my officers +swerve from the right and act without law or authority,[FN#56] ye +owe him no obedience, till he return to the right way.' He said +also (may God accept of him), 'I do not wish to be relieved from +death, for that it is the supreme thing for which the true +believer is rewarded.' Quoth one of authority, 'I went one day to +the Commander of the Faithful, Omar ben Abdulaziz, who was then +Khalif, and saw before him twelve dirhems, which he bade take to +the treasury. So I said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, +thou impoverishest thy children and reducest them to beggary, +leaving nothing for them. Thou wouldst do well to appoint +somewhat by will to them and to those who are poor of the people +of thy house." "Draw near to me," answered he. So I drew near to +him and he said, "As for thy saying, 'Thou beggarest thy +children; provide for them and for the poor of thy household,' it +is without reason, for God will replace me to my children and to +those who are poor of the people of my house, and He will be +their guardian. Verily, they are like other men; he who fears +God, God will provide him a happy issue, and he that is addicted +to sin, I will not uphold him in his disobedience." Then he +called his sons before him, and they were twelve in number. When +he beheld them, his eyes filled with tears and he said to them, +"Your father is between two things; either ye will be rich and he +will enter the fire, or ye will be poor and he enter Paradise; +and your father's entry into Paradise is liefer to him than that +ye should be rich. So go, God be your helper, for to Him I commit +your affair."' Quoth Khalid ben Sefwan,[FN#57] 'Yusuf ben +Omar[FN#58] accompanied me to Hisham ben Abdulmelik,[FN#59] and I +met him as he came forth with his kinsmen and attendants. He +alighted and a tent was pitched for him. When the people had +taken their seats, I came up to the side of the carpet (on which +the Khalif was reclining) and waiting till my eyes met his, +bespoke him thus, "May God fulfil His bounty to thee, O Commander +of the Faithful, and direct into the right way the affairs He +hath committed to thy charge, and may no harm mingle with thy +cheer! O Commander of the Faithful, I have an admonition for +thee, which I have gleaned from the history of the kings of time +past!" At this, he sat up and said to me, "O son of Sefwan, say +what is in thy mind." "O Commander of the Faithful," quoth I, +"one of the kings before thee went forth, in a time before thy +time, to this very country and said to his companions, 'Saw ye +ever any in the like of my state or to whom hath been given even +as it hath been given unto me?' Now there was with him one of +those who survive to bear testimony to the Faith and are +upholders of the Truth and walkers in its highway, and he said, +'O King, thou askest of a grave matter. Wilt thou give me leave +to answer?' 'Yes,' replied the King, and the other said, 'Dost +thou judge thy present state to be temporary or enduring?' 'It is +a temporary thing,' replied the King. 'Why then,' asked the man, +'do I see thee exult in that which thou wilt enjoy but a little +while and whereof thou wilt be questioned at length and for the +rendering an account whereof thou wilt be as a pledge?' 'Whither +shall I flee,' asked the King, 'and where is that I must seek?' +'Abide in thy kingship,' replied the other, 'and apply thyself to +obey the commandments of God the Most High; or else don thy +worn-out clothes and devote thyself to the service of thy Lord, +till thine appointed hour come to thee.' Then he left him, +saying, 'I will come to thee again at daybreak.' So he knocked at +his door at dawn and found that the King had put off his crown +and resolved to become an anchorite, for the stress of his +exhortation." When Hisham heard this, he wept till his beard was +drenched and putting off his rich apparel, shut himself up in his +palace. Then the grandees and courtiers came to me and said, +"What is this thou hast done with the Commander of the Faithful? +Thou hast marred his cheer and troubled his life!"' "But +(continued Nuzhet ez Zeman, addressing herself to Sherkan) how +many admonitory instances are there not that bear upon this +branch of the subject! Indeed, it is beyond my power to report +all that pertains to this head in one sitting; but, with length +of days, O King of the age, all will be well." + +Then said the Cadis, "O King, of a truth this damsel is the +wonder of the time and the unique pearl of the age! Never in all +our lives heard we the like." And they called down blessings on +Sherkan and went away. Then said he to his attendants, "Prepare +the wedding festivities and make ready food of all kinds." So +they addressed themselves to do his bidding, and he bade the +wives of the amirs and viziers and grandees depart not until the +time of the wedding banquet and of the unveiling of the bride. +Hardly was the time of afternoon-prayer come, when the tables +were spread with roast meats and geese and fowls and all that the +heart can desire or that can delight the eye; and all the people +ate till they were satisfied. Moreover, the King had sent for all +the singing-women of Damascus and they were present, together +with all the slave-girls of the King and the notables who knew +how to sing. When the evening came and it grew dark, they lighted +flambeaux, right and left, from the gate of the citadel to that +of the palace, and the amirs and viziers and grandees defiled +before King Sherkan, whilst the singers and the tire-women took +Nuzhet ez Zeman, to dress and adorn her, but found she needed no +adorning. Meantime King Sherkan went to the bath and coming out, +sat down on his bed of estate, whilst they unveiled the bride +before him in seven different dresses; after which they eased her +of the weight of her dresses and ornaments and gave such +injunctions as are usually given to girls on their wedding-night. +Then Sherkan went in to her and took her maidenhead; and she at +once conceived by him, whereat he rejoiced with an exceeding joy +and commanded the sages to record the date of her conception. On +the morrow, he went forth and seated himself on his throne, and +the grandees came in to him and gave him joy. Then he called his +private secretary and bade him write to his father, King Omar ben +Ennuman, a letter to the following effect: "Know that I have +bought me a damsel, who excels in learning and accomplishment and +is mistress of all kinds of knowledge. I have set her free and +married her and she has conceived by me. And needs must I send +her to Baghdad to visit my brother Zoulmekan and my sister Nuzhet +ez Zeman." And he went on to praise her wit and salute his +brother and sister, together with the Vizier Dendan and all the +amirs. Then he sealed the letter and despatched it to his father +by a courier, who was absent a whole month, after which time he +returned with the old King's answer. Sherkan took it and read as +follows, after the usual preamble, "In the name of God," etc., +"This is from the afflicted and distraught, him who hath lost his +children and is (as it were) an exile from his native land, King +Omar ben Ennuman, to his son Sherkan. Know that, since thy +departure from me, the place is become contracted upon me, so +that I can no longer have patience nor keep my secret: and the +reason of this is as follows. It chanced that Zoulmekan sought my +leave to go on the pilgrimage, but I, fearing for him the shifts +of fortune, forbade him therefrom until the next year or the year +after. Soon after this, I went out to hunt and was absent a whole +month. When I returned, I found that thy brother and sister had +taken somewhat of money and set out by stealth with the caravan +of pilgrims. When I knew this, the wide world became strait on +me, O my son; but I awaited the return of the caravan, hoping +that they would return with it. Accordingly, when the caravan +came back, I questioned the pilgrims of them, but they could give +me no news of them; so I put on mourning apparel for them, being +heavy at heart and sleepless and drowned in the tears of my +eyes." Then followed these verses: + +Their image is never absent a breathing-while from my breast, I + have made it within my bosom the place of the honoured + guest, +But that I look for their coming, I would not live for an hour, + And but that I see them in dreams, I ne'er should lie down + to rest. + +The letter went on (after the usual salutations to Sherkan and +those of his court), "Do not thou therefore neglect to seek news +of them, for indeed this is a dishonour to us." When Sherkan read +the letter, he mourned for his father, but rejoiced in the loss +of his brother and sister. Now Nuzhet ez Zeman knew not that he +was her brother nor he that she was his sister, although he paid +her frequent visits, both by day and by night, till the months of +her pregnancy were accomplished and she sat down on the stool of +delivery. God made the delivery easy to her and she gave birth to +a daughter, whereupon she sent for Sherkan and said to him, "This +is thy daughter: name her as thou wilt." Quoth he, "Folk use to +name their children on the seventh day." Then he bent down to +kiss the child and saw, hung about her neck, a jewel, which he +knew at once for one of those that the princess Abrizeh had +brought from the land of the Greeks. At this sight, his senses +fled, his eyes rolled and wrath seized on him, and he looked at +Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "O damsel, whence hadst thou +this jewel?" When she heard this, she replied, "I am thy lady and +the lady of all in thy palace. Art thou not ashamed to say to me, +'O damsel'?[FN#60] Indeed, I am a queen, the daughter of a king; +and now concealment shall cease and the truth be made known. I am +Nuzhet ez Zeman, daughter of King Omar ben Ennuman." When Sherkan +heard this, he was seized with trembling and bowed his head +towards the earth, whilst his heart throbbed and his colour +paled, for he knew that she was his sister by the same father. +Then he lost his senses; and when he revived, he abode in +amazement, but did not discover himself to her and said to her, +"O my lady, art thou indeed the daughter of King Omar ben +Ennuman?" "Yes," replied she; and he said, "Tell me how thou +camest to leave thy father and be sold for a slave." So she told +him all that had befallen her, from first to last, how she had +left her brother sick in Jerusalem and how the Bedouin had lured +her away and sold her to the merchant. When Sherkan heard this +all was certified that she was indeed his sister, he said to +himself, "How can I have my sister to wife? By Allah, I must +marry her to one of my chamberlains; and if the thing get wind, I +will avouch that I divorced her before consummation and married +her to my chief chamberlain." Then he raised his head and said, +"O Nuzhet ez Zeman, thou art my very sister; for I am Sherkan, +son of King Omar ben Ennuman, and may God forgive us the sin into +which we have fallen!" She looked at him and seeing that he spoke +the truth, became as one bereft of reason and wept and buffeted +her face, exclaiming, "There is no power and no virtue but in +God! Verily we have fallen into grievous sin! What shall I do and +what answer shall I make my father and my mother, when they say +to me, 'Whence hadst thou thy daughter'?" Quoth Sherkan, "I +purpose to marry thee to my chief chamberlain and let thee bring +up my daughter in his house, that none may know thee to be my +sister. This that hath befallen us was ordained of God for a +purpose of His own, and there is no way to cover ourselves but by +thy marriage with the chamberlain, ere any know." Then he fell to +comforting her and kissing her head, and she said to him, "What +wilt thou call the child?" "Call her Kuzia Fekan,"[FN#61] replied +he. Then he gave her in marriage to the chief chamberlain, and +they reared the child in his house, on the laps of the slave- +girls, till, one day, there came to King Sherkan a courier +from his father, with a letter to the following purport, "In the +name of God, etc. Know, O puissant King, that I am sore afflicted +for the loss of my children: sleep fails me and wakefulness is +ever present with me. I send thee this letter that thou mayst +make ready the tribute of Syria and send it to us, together with +the damsel whom thou hast bought and taken to wife; for I long to +see her and hear her discourse; because there has come to us from +the land of the Greeks a devout old woman, with five damsels, +high-bosomed maids, endowed with knowledge and accomplishments +and all fashions of learning that befit mortals; and indeed the +tongue fails to describe this old woman and her companions. As +soon as I saw the damsels, I loved them and wished to have them +in my palace and at my commandment, for none of the kings +possesses the like of them; so I asked the old woman their price, +and she replied, 'I will not sell them but for the tribute of +Damascus.' And by Allah, this is but little for them, for each +one of them is worth the whole price. So I agreed to this and +took them into my palace, and they remain in my possession. +Wherefore do thou expedite the tribute to us, that the old woman +may return to her own country; and send us the damsel, that she +may strive with them before the doctors; and if she overcome +them, I will send her back to thee with the year's revenue of +Baghdad." When Sherkan read this letter, he went in to his +brother-in-law and said to him, "Call the damsel to whom I +married thee." So she came, and he showed her the letter and said +to her, "O my sister, what answer wouldst thou have me make to +this letter?" "It is for thee to judge," replied she. Then she +recalled her people and her native land and yearned after them; +so she said to him, "Send me and my husband the Chamberlain to +Baghdad, that I may tell my father how the Bedouin seized me and +sold me to the merchant, and how thou boughtest me of him and +gavest me in marriage to the Chamberlain, after setting me free." +"Be it so," replied Sherkan. Then he made ready the tribute in +haste and gave it to the Chamberlain, bidding him make ready for +Baghdad, and furnished him with camels and mules and two +travelling litters, one for himself and the other for the +princess. Moreover, he wrote a letter to his father and committed +it to the Chamberlain. Then he took leave of his sister, after he +had taken the jewel from her and hung it round his daughter's +neck by a chain of fine gold; and she and her husband set out for +Baghdad the same night. Now their caravan was the very one to +which Zoulmekan and his friend the stoker had joined themselves, +as before related, having waited till the Chamberlain passed +them, riding on a dromedary, with his footmen around him. Then +Zoulmekan mounted the stoker's ass and said to the latter, "Do +thou mount with me." But he said, "Not so: I will be thy +servant." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Needs must thou ride awhile." "It is +well," replied the stoker; "I will ride when I grow tired." Then +said Zoulmekan, "O my brother, thou shalt see how I will do with +thee, when I come to my own people." So they journeyed on till +the sun rose, and when it was the hour of the noonday rest, the +Chamberlain called a halt, and they alighted and rested and +watered their camels. Then he gave the signal for departure and +they journeyed for five days, till they came to the city of +Hemah, where they made a three days' halt; then set out again and +fared on, till they reached the province of Diarbekir. Here there +blew on them the breezes of Baghdad, and Zoulmekan bethought him +of his father and mother and his native land and how he was +returning to his father without his sister: so he wept and sighed +and complained, and his regrets increased on him, and he repeated +the following verses: + +How long wilt thou delay from me, beloved one? I wait: And yet + there comes no messenger with tidings of thy fate. +Alack, the time of love-delight and peace was brief indeed! Ah, + that the days of parting thus would of their length abate! +Take thou my hand and put aside my mantle and thou'lt find My + body wasted sore; and yet I hide my sad estate. +And if thou bid me be consoled for thee, "By God," I say, "I'll + ne'er forget thee till the Day that calls up small and + great!" + +"Leave this weeping and lamenting," said the stoker, "for we are +near the Chamberlain's tent." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Needs must I +recite somewhat of verse, so haply it may allay the fire of my +heart." "God on thee," cried the stoker, "leave this lamentation, +till thou come to thine own country; then do what thou wilt, and +I will be with thee, wherever thou art." "By Allah," replied +Zoulmekan, "I cannot forbear from this!" Then he set his face +towards Baghdad and began to repeat verses. Now the moon was +shining brightly and shedding her light on the place, and Nuzhet +ez Zeman could not sleep that night, but was wakeful and called +to mind her brother and wept. Presently, she heard Zoulmekan +weeping and repeating the following verses: + +The southern lightning gleams in the air And rouses in me the old + despair, +The grief for a dear one, loved and lost, Who filled me the cup + of joy whilere. +It minds me of her who fled away And left me friendless and sick + and bare. +O soft-shining lightnings, tell me true, Are the days of + happiness past fore'er? +Chide not, O blamer of me, for God Hath cursed me with two things + hard to bear, +A friend who left me to pine alone, And a fortune whose smile was + but a snare. +The sweet of my life was gone for aye, When fortune against me + did declare; +She brimmed me a cup of grief unmixed, And I must drink it and + never spare. +Or ever our meeting 'tide, sweetheart, Methinks I shall die of + sheer despair, +I prithee, fortune, bring back the days When we were a happy + childish pair; +The days, when we from the shafts of fate, That since have + pierced us, in safety were! +Ah, who shall succour the exiled wretch, Who passes the night in + dread and care, +And the day in mourning for her whose name, Delight of the + Age[FN#62], bespoke her fair? +The hands of the baseborn sons of shame Have doomed us the wede + of woe to wear. + +Then he cried out and fell down in a swoon, and when Nuzhet ez +Zeman heard his voice in the night, her heart was solaced and she +rose and called the chief eunuch, who said to her, "What is thy +will?" Quoth she, "Go and fetch me him who recited verses but +now." "I did not hear him," replied he; "the people are all +asleep." And she said, "Whomsoever thou findest awake, he is the +man." So he went out and sought, but found none awake but the +stoker; for Zoulmekan was still insensible, and, Nuzhet ez Zeman, +going up to the former, said to him, "Art thou he who recited +verses but now, and my lady heard him?" The stoker concluded that +the lady was wroth and was afraid and replied, "By Allah, 'twas +not I!" "Who then was it?" rejoined the eunuch. "Point him out to +me. Thou must know who it was, seeing that thou art awake." The +stoker feared for Zoulmekan and said in himself, "Maybe the +eunuch will do him some hurt." So he answered, "I know not who it +was." "By Allah," said the eunuch, "thou liest, for there is none +awake here but thou! So needs must thou know him." "By Allah," +replied the stoker, "I tell thee the truth! It must have been +some passer-by who recited the verses and disturbed me and +aroused me, may God requite him!" Quoth the eunuch, "If thou +happen upon him, point him out to me and I will lay hands on him +and bring him to the door of my lady's litter; or do thou take +him with thine own hand." "Go back," said the stoker, "and I will +bring him to thee." So the eunuch went back to his mistress and +said to her, "None knows who it was; it must have been some +passer-by." And she was silent. Meanwhile, Zoulmekan came to +himself and saw that the moon had reached the zenith and felt the +breath of the breeze that goes before the dawn; whereupon his +heart was moved to longing and sadness, and he cleared his throat +and was about to recite verses, when the stoker said to him, +"What wilt thou do?" "I have a mind to repeat somewhat of verse," +answered Zoulmekan, "that I may allay therewith the fire of my +heart." Quoth the other, "Thou knowest not what befell me, whilst +thou wert aswoon, and how I only escaped death by beguiling the +eunuch." "Tell me what happened," said Zoulrnekan. "Whilst thou +wert aswoon," replied the stoker, "there came up to me but now an +eunuch, with a long staff of almond-tree wood in his hand, who +looked in all the people's faces, as they lay asleep, and finding +none awake but myself, asked me who it was recited the verses. I +told him it was some passer-by; so he went away and God delivered +me from him; else had he killed me. But first he said to me, 'If +thou hear him again, bring him to us.'" When Zoulmekan heard +this, he wept and said, "Who is it would forbid me to recite? I +will surely do so, come what may; for I am near my own country +and care for no one." "Dost thou wish to destroy thyself?" asked +the stoker; and Zoulmekan answered, "I cannot help reciting +verses." "Verily," said the stoker, "I see this will bring about +a parting between us here though I had promised myself not to +leave thee, till I had brought thee to thy native city and +re-united thee with thy mother and father. Thou hast now been +with me a year and a half, and I have never baulked thee or +harmed thee in aught. What ails thee then, that thou must needs +recite, seeing that we are exceeding weary with travel and +watching and all the folk are asleep, for they need sleep to rest +them of their fatigue." But Zoulmekan answered, "I will not be +turned from my purpose." Then grief moved him and he threw off +disguise and began to repeat the following verses: + +Halt by the camp and hail the ruined steads by the brake, And + call on her name aloud; mayhap she will answer make. +And if for her absence the night of sadness darken on thee, Light + in its gloom a fire with longings for her sake. +Though the snake of the sand-hills hiss, small matter is it to me + If it sting me, so I the fair with the lips of crimson take. +O Paradise, left perforce of the spirit, but that I hope For ease + in the mansions of bliss, my heart would surely break! + +And these also: + +Time was when fortune was to us even as a servant is, And in the + loveliest of lands our happy lives did kiss. +Ah, who shall give me back the abode of my belov'd, wherein The + Age's Joy[FN#63] and Place's Light[FN#64] erst dwelt in + peace and bliss? + +Then he cried out three times and fell down senseless, and the +stoker rose and covered him. When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard the first +verses, she called to mind her mother and father and brother; and +when she heard the second, mentioning the names of herself and +her brother and their sometime home, she wept and calling the +eunuch, said to him, "Out on thee! But now I heard him who +recited the first time do so again, and that hard by. So, by +Allah, an thou fetch him not to me, I will rouse the Chamberlain +on thee, and he shall beat thee and turn thee away. But take +these hundred dinars and give them to him and do him no hurt, but +bring him to me gently. If he refuse, give him this purse of a +thousand dinars and leave him and return to me and tell me, after +thou hast informed thyself of his place and condition and what +countryman he is. Return quickly and do not linger, and beware +lest thou come back and say, 'I could not find him.'" So the +eunuch went out and fell to examining the people and treading +amongst them, but found none awake, for the folk were all asleep +for weariness, till he came to the stoker and saw him sitting up, +with his head uncovered. So he drew near him and seizing him by +the hand, said to him, "It was thou didst recite the verses!" The +stoker was affrighted and replied, "No, by Allah, O chief of the +people, it was not I!" But the eunuch said, "I will not leave +thee till thou show me who it was; for I fear to return to my +lady without him." Thereupon the stoker feared for Zoulmekan and +wept sore and said to the eunuch, "By Allah, it was not I, nor do +I know who it was. I only heard some passer-by recite verses: so +do not thou commit sin on me, for I am a stranger and come from +Jerusalem, and Abraham the Friend of God be with thee!" "Come +thou with me," rejoined the eunuch, "and tell my lady this with +thine own mouth, for I see none awake but thee." Quoth the +stoker, "Hast thou not seen me sitting here and dost thou not +know my station? Thou knowest none can stir from his place, +except the guards seize him. So go thou to thy mistress and if +thou hear any one reciting again, whether it be near or far, it +will be I or some one whom I shall know, and thou shalt not know +of him but by me." Then he kissed the eunuch's head and spoke him +fair, till he went away; but he made a circuit and returning +secretly, came and hid himself behind the stoker, fearing to go +back to his mistress empty-handed. As soon as he was gone, the +stoker aroused Zoulmekan and said to him, "Awake and sit up, that +I may tell thee what has happened." So Zoulmekan sat up, and the +stoker told him what had passed, and he answered, "Let me alone; +I will take no heed of this and I care for none, for I am near my +own country." Quoth the stoker, "Why wilt thou obey thine own +inclinations and the promptings of the devil? If thou fearest no +one, I fear for thee and myself; so God on thee, recite no more +verses, till thou come to thine own country! Indeed, I had not +thought thee so self-willed. Dost thou not know that this lady is +the wife of the Chamberlain and is minded to chide thee for +disturbing her. Belike, she is ill or restless for fatigue, and +this is the second time she hath sent the eunuch to look for +thee." However, Zoulmekan paid no heed to him, but cried out a +third time and repeated the following verses: + +The carping tribe I needs must flee; Their railing chafes my + misery. +They blame and chide at me nor know They do but fan the flame in + me. +"She is consoled," they say. And I, "Can one consoled for country + be?" +Quoth they, "How beautiful she is!" And I, "How dear-belov'd is + she!" +"How high her rank!" say they; and I, "How base is my humility!" +Now God forfend I leave to love, Deep though I drink of agony! +Nor will I heed the railing race, Who carp at me for loving thee. + +Hardly had he made an end of these verses when the eunuch, who +had heard him from his hiding, came up to him; whereupon the +stoker fled and stood afar off, to see what passed between them. +Then said the eunuch to Zoulmekan, "Peace be on thee, O my lord!" +"And on thee be peace," replied Zoulmekan, "and the mercy of God +and His blessing!" "O my lord," continued the eunuch, "this is +the third time I have sought thee this night, for my mistress +bids thee to her." Quoth Zoulmekan, "Whence comes this bitch that +seeks for me? May God curse her and her husband too!" And he +began to revile the eunuch, who could make him no answer, because +his mistress had charged him to do Zoulmekan no violence nor +bring him, save of his free will, and if he would not come, to +give him the thousand dinars. So he began to speak him fair and +say to him, "O my lord, take this (purse) and go with me. We will +do thee no unright nor wrong thee in aught; but we would have +thee bend thy gracious steps with me to my mistress, to speak +with her and return in peace and safety; and thou shalt have a +handsome present." When Zoulmekan heard this, he arose and went +with the eunuch, stepping over the sleeping folk, whilst the +stoker followed them at a distance, saying to himself, "Alas, the +pity of his youth! To-morrow they will hang him. How base it will +be of him, if he say it was I who bade him recite the verses!" +And he drew near to them and stood, watching them, without their +knowledge, till they came to Nuzhet ez Zeman's tent, when the +eunuch went in to her and said, "O my lady, I have brought thee +him whom thou soughtest, and he is a youth, fair of face and +bearing the marks of gentle breeding." When she heard this, her +heart fluttered and she said, "Let him recite some verses, that I +may hear him near at hand, and after ask him his name and +extraction." So the eunuch went out to Zoulmekan and said to him, +"Recite what verses thou knowest, for my lady is here hard by, +listening to thee, and after I will ask thee of thy name and +extraction and condition." "Willingly," replied he; "but as for +my name, it is blotted out and my trace among men is passed away +and my body wasted. I have a story, the beginning of which is not +known nor can the end of it be described, and behold, I am even +as one who hath exceeded in drinking wine, till he hath lost the +mastery of himself and is afflicted with distempers and wanders +from his right mind, being perplexed about his case and drowned +in the sea of melancholy." When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard this, she +broke out into loud weeping and sobbing and said to the eunuch, +"Ask him if he have lost a beloved one, such as his father or +mother." The eunuch did as she bade him, and Zoulmekan replied, +"Yes, I have lost all whom I loved: but the dearest of all to me +was my sister, from whom Fate hath parted me." When Nuzhet ez +Zeman heard this, she exclaimed, "May God the Most High reunite +him with those he loves!" Then said she to the eunuch, "Tell him +to let me hear somewhat on the subject of his separation from his +people and his country." The eunuch did so, and Zoulmekan sighed +heavily and repeated the following verses: + +Ah, would that I knew they were ware Of the worth of the heart + they have won! +Would I knew through what passes they fare, From what quarter + they look on the sun! Are they living, I wonder, or dead? + Can it be that their life's race is run? +Ah, the lover is ever distraught And his life for misgivings + undone! + +And also these: + +I vow, if e'er the place shall bless my longing sight, Wherein my + sister dwells, the age's dear delight,[FN#65] +I'll take my fill of life and all the sweets of peace, Midst + trees and flowing streams: and maidens fair and bright +The lute's enchanting tones shall soothe me to repose, What while + I quaff full cups of wine like living light +And honeyed dews of love suck from the deep-red lips Of lovelings + sleepy-eyed, with tresses black as night. + +When he had finished, Nuzhet ez Zeman lifted up a corner of the +curtain of the litter and looked at him. As soon as her eyes fell +on him, she knew him for certain and cried out, "O my brother! O +Zoulmekan!" He looked at her and knew her and cried out, "O my +sister! O Nuzhet ez Zeman!" Then she threw herself upon him, and +he received her in his arms, and they both fell down in a swoon. +When the eunuch saw this, he wondered and throwing over them +somewhat to cover them, waited till they should recover. After +awhile, they came to themselves, and Nuzhet ez Zeman rejoiced +exceedingly. Grief and anxiety left her and joys flocked upon her +and she repeated the following verses: + +Fate swore 'twould never cease to plague my life and make me rue. + Thou hast not kept thine oath, O Fate; so look thou penance + do. +Gladness is come and my belov'd is here to succour me; So rise + unto the summoner of joys, and quickly too. +I had no faith in Paradise of olden time, until I won the nectar + of its streams from lips of damask hue. + +When Zoulmekan heard this, he pressed his sister to his breast, +whilst, for the excess of his joy, the tears streamed from his +eyes and he repeated the following verses: + +Long time have I bewailed the severance of our loves, With tears + that from my lids streamed down like burning rain, +And vowed that, if the days should reunite us two, My lips should + never speak of severance again. +Joy hath o'erwhelmed me so, that, for the very stress Of that + which gladdens me, to weeping I am fain. +Tears are become to you a habit, O my eyes, So that ye weep alike + for gladness and for pain. + +They sat awhile at the door of the litter, conversing, till she +said to him, "Come with me into the litter and tell me all that +has befallen thee, and I will do the like." So they entered and +Zoulmekan said, "Do thou begin." Accordingly, she told him all +that had happened to her since their separation and said, +"Praised be God who hath vouchsafed thee to me and ordained that, +even as we left our father together, so we shall return to him +together! Now tell me how it has fared with thee since I left +thee." So he told her all that had befallen him and how God had +sent the stoker to him, and how he had journeyed with him and +spent his money on him and tended him night and day. She praised +the stoker for this, and Zoulmekan added, "Indeed, O my sister, +the man hath dealt with me in such benevolent wise as would not a +lover with his mistress or a father with his son, for that he +fasted and gave me to eat, and went afoot, whilst he made me +ride; and I owe my life to him." "God willing," said she, "we +will requite him for all this, according to our power." Then she +called the eunuch, who came and kissed Zoulmekan's hand, and she +said, "Take thy reward for glad tidings, O face of good omen! It +was thy hand reunited me with my brother; so the purse I gave +thee and its contents are thine. But now go to thy master and +bring him quickly to me." The eunuch rejoiced and going to the +Chamberlain, summoned him to his mistress. Accordingly, he came +in to his wife and finding Zoulmekan with her, asked who he was. +So she told him all that had befallen them, first and last, and +added, "Know, O Chamberlain, that thou hast gotten no slave-girl +to wife: but the daughter of King Omar ben Ennuman: for I am +Nuzhet ez Zeman, and this is my brother Zoulmekan." When the +Chamberlain heard her story, he knew it for the manifest truth +and was certified that he was become King Omar ben Ennuman's +son-in-law and said to himself, "I shall surely be made governor +of some province." Then he went up to Zoulmekan and gave him joy +of his safety and re-union with his sister, and bade his servants +forthwith make him ready a tent and one of the best of his own +horses to ride. Then said Nuzhet ez Zeman, "We are now near my +country and I would fain be alone with my brother, that we may +enjoy one another's company and take our fill of each other, +before we reach Baghdad; for we have been long parted." "Be it as +thou wilt," replied the Chamberlain and going forth, sent them +wax candles and various kinds of sweetmeats, together with three +costly suits of clothes for Zoulmekan. Then he returned to the +litter, and Nuzhet ez Zeman said to him, "Bid the eunuch find the +stoker and give him a horse to ride and provide him a tray of +food morning and evening, and let him be forbidden to leave us." +The Chamberlain called the eunuch and charged him accordingly; so +he took his pages with him and went out in search of the stoker, +whom he found at the tail of the caravan, saddling his ass and +preparing for flight. The tears were running down his cheeks, out +of fear for himself and grief for his separation from Zoulmekan, +and he was saying to himself, "Indeed, I warned him for the love +of God, but he would not listen to me. O that I knew what is +become of him!" Before he had done speaking, the eunuch came up +and stood behind him, whilst the pages surrounded him. The stoker +turned and seeing the eunuch and the pages round him, changed +colour and trembled in every nerve for affright, exclaiming, +"Verily, he knows not the value of the good offices I have done +him! I believe he has denounced me to the eunuch and made me an +accomplice in his offence." Then the eunuch cried out at him, +saying, "Who was it recited the verses? Liar that thou art, why +didst thou tell me that thou knewest not who it was, when it was +thy companion? But now I will not leave thee till we come to +Baghdad, and what betides thy comrade shall betide thee." Quoth +the stoker, "Verily, what I feared has fallen on me." And he +repeated the following verse: + +'Tis e'en as I feared it would be: We are God's and to Him return + we. + +Then said the eunuch to the pages, "Take him off the ass." So +they took him off the ass and setting him on a horse, carried him +along with the caravan, surrounded by the pages, to whom said the +eunuch, "If a hair of him be missing, it shall be the worse for you." +But he bade them privily treat him with consideration and not +humiliate him. When the stoker saw himself in this case, he gave +himself up for lost and turning to the eunuch, said to him, "O chief, +I am neither this youth's brother nor anywise akin to him; but I +was a stoker in a bath and found him lying asleep on the fuel-heap." +Then the caravan fared on and the stoker wept and imagined a +thousand things in himself, whilst the eunuch walked by his side +and told him nothing, but said to him, "You disturbed our mistress +by reciting verses, thou and the lad: but have no fear for thyself." +This he said, laughing at him the while in himself. When the +caravan halted, they brought them food, and he and the eunuch ate +from one dish. Then the eunuch let bring a gugglet of sherbet of +sugar and after drinking himself, gave it to the stoker, who drank; +but all the while his tears ceased not flowing, out of fear for +himself and grief for his separation from Zoulmekan and for what +had befallen them in their strangerhood. So they travelled on with +the caravan, whilst the Chamberlain now rode by the door of his +wife's litter, in attendance on Zoulmekan and the princess, and now +gave an eye to the stoker, and Nuzhet ez Zeman and her brother +occupied themselves with converse and mutual condolence; and so they +did till they came within three days' journey of Baghdad. Here they +alighted at eventide and rested till the morning, when they woke +and were about to load the beasts, when behold, there appeared +afar off a great cloud of dust, that obscured the air, till it +became as dark as night. Thereupon the Chamberlain cried out to +them to stay their preparations for departure, and mounting with +his officers rode forward in the direction of the dust-cloud. +When they drew near it, they perceived under it a numerous army, +like the full flowing sea, with drums and flags and standards and +horsemen and footmen. The Chamberlain marvelled at this: and when +the troops saw him, there came forth from amongst them a troop of +five hundred horse, who fell upon him and his suite and +surrounded them, five for one; whereupon said he to them, "What +is the matter and what are these troops, that ye use us thus?" +"Who art thou?" asked they. "Whence comest thou and whither art +thou bound?" And he answered, "I am the Chamberlain of the +Viceroy of Damascus, King Sherkan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman, +lord of Baghdad and of the land of Khorassan, and I bring tribute +and presents from him to his father in Baghdad." When the +horsemen heard speak of King Omar, they let their kerchiefs fall +over their faces and wept, saying, "Alas! King Omar is dead, and +he died poisoned. But fare ye on, no harm shall befall you, and +join his Grand Vizier Dendan." When the Chamberlain heard this, +he wept sore and exclaimed, "Alas, our disappointment in this our +journey!" Then he and his suite rode on, weeping, till they +reached the main body of the army and sought access to the +Vizier Dendan, who called a halt and causing his pavilion to be +pitched, sat down on a couch therein and commanded to admit the +Chamberlain. Then he bade him be seated and questioned him; and +he replied that he was the Viceroy's Chamberlain of Damascus and +was bound to King Omar with presents and the tribute of Syria. +The Vizier wept at the mention of King Omar's name and said, +"King Omar is dead by poison, and the folk fell out amongst +themselves as to whom they should make king after him, so that +they were like to come to blows on this account; but the notables +and grandees interposed and restored peace, and the people agreed +to refer the matter to the decision of the four Cadis, who +adjudged that we should go to Damascus and fetch thence the late +king's son Sherkan and make him king over his father's realm. +Some of them would have chosen his second son Zoulmekan, were it +not that he and his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman set out five years ago +for Mecca, and none knows what is become of them." When the +Chamberlain heard this, he knew that his wife had told him the +truth and grieved sore for the death of King Omar, what while he +was greatly rejoiced, especially at the arrival of Zoulmekan, for +that he would now become King of Baghdad in his father's room. So +he turned to the Vizier and said to him, "Verily, your affair is +a wonder of wonders! Know, O chief Vizier, that here, where you +have encountered me, God giveth you rest from fatigue and +bringeth you that you desire after the easiest of fashions, in +that He restoreth to you Zoulmekan and his sister Nuzhet ez +Zeman, whereby the matter is settled and made easy." When the +Vizier heard this, he rejoiced greatly and said, "O Chamberlain, +tell me their story and the reason of their having been so long +absent." So he repeated to him the whole story and told him that +Nuzhet ez Zeman was his wife. As soon as he had made an end of +his tale, the Vizier sent for the amirs and viziers and grandees +and acquainted them with the matter; whereat they rejoiced +greatly and wondered at the happy chance. Then they went in to +the Chamberlain and did their service to him, kissing the earth +before him; and the Vizier Dendan also rose and stood before him, +in token of respect. After this the Chamberlain held a great +council, and he and the Vizier sat upon a throne, whilst all the +amirs and officers of state took their places before them, +according to their several ranks. Then they dissolved sugar in +rose-water and drank, after which the amirs sat down to hold +council and bade the rest mount and ride forward leisurely, till +they should make an end of their deliberations and overtake them. +So the officers kissed the earth before them and mounting, rode +onward, preceded by the standards of war. When the amirs had +finished their conference, they mounted and rejoined the troops; +and the Chamberlain said to the Vizier Dendan, "I think it well +to ride on before you, that I may notify Zoulmekan of your coming +and choice of him as Sultan over the head of his brother Sherkan, +and that I may make him ready a place befitting his dignity." "It +is well thought," answered the Vizier. Then the Chamberlain rose +and Dendan also rose, to do him honour, and brought him presents, +which he conjured him to accept. On like wise did all the amirs +and officers of state, calling down blessings on him and saying +to him, "Mayhap thou will make mention of our case to King +Zoulmekan and speak to him to continue us in our dignities." The +Chamberlain promised what they asked and the Vizier Dendan sent +with him tents and bade the tent-pitchers set them up at a days +journey from the city. Then the Chamberlain mounted and rode +forward, full of joy and saying in himself, "How blessed is this +journey!" And indeed his wife was exalted in his eyes, she and +her brother Zoulmekan. They made all haste, till they reached a +place distant a day's journey from Baghdad, where he called a +halt and bade his men alight and make ready a sitting place for +the Sultan Zoulmekan, whilst he rode forward with his pages and +alighting at a distance from Nuzhet ez Zeman's litter, commanded +the eunuchs to ask the princess's leave to admit him. They did so +and she gave leave; whereupon he went in to her and her brother +and told them of the death of their father, King Omar ben +Ennuman, and how the heads of the people had made Zoulmekan king +over them in his stead; and he gave them joy of the kingdom. When +they heard this, they both wept for their father and asked the +manner of his death. "The news rests with the Vizier Dendan," +replied the Chamberlain, "who will be here to-morrow with all the +troops; and it only remains for thee, O prince, to do what they +counsel, since they have chosen thee King; for if thou do not +this, they will crown another, and thou canst not be sure of +thyself with another king. Haply he will kill thee, or discord +may befall between you and the kingdom pass out of your hands." +Zoulmekan bowed his head awhile, then raised it and said, "I +accept;" for indeed he saw that the Chamberlain had counselled +him rightly and that there was no refusing; "but, O uncle, how +shall I do with my brother Sherkan?" "O my son," replied the +Chamberlain, "thy brother will be Sultan of Damascus, and thou +Sultan of Baghdad; so gird up thy resolution and prepare to do +what befits thy case." Then he presented him with a suit of royal +raiment and a dagger of state, that the Vizier Dendan had brought +with him, and leaving him, returned to the tent-pitchers and bade +them choose out a spot of rising ground and pitch thereon a +spacious and splendid pavilion, wherein the Sultan might sit to +receive the amirs and grandees. Then he ordered the cooks to make +ready rich food and serve it up and the water-carriers to set up +the water-troughs. They did as he bade them and presently there +arose a cloud of dust and spread till it obscured the horizon. +After awhile, the breeze dispersed it, and there appeared under +it the army of Baghdad and Khorassan, led by the Vizier Dendan, +all rejoicing in the accession of Zoulmekan. Now Zoulmekan had +donned the royal robes and girt himself with the sword of state: +so the Chamberlain brought him a steed and he mounted, surrounded +by the rest of the company on foot, and rode between the tents, +till he came to the royal pavilion, where he entered and sat +down, with the royal dagger across his thighs, whilst the +Chamberlain stood in attendance on him and his servants stationed +themselves in the vestibule of the pavilion, with drawn swords in +their hands. Presently, up came the troops and sought admission +to the King's presence; so the Chamberlain went in to Zoulmekan +and asked his leave, whereupon he bade admit them, ten by ten. +Accordingly, the Chamberlain went out to them and acquainted them +with the King's orders, to which they replied, "We hear and +obey." Then he took ten of them and carried them, through the +vestibule, into the presence of the Sultan, whom when they saw, +they were awed; but he received them with the utmost kindness and +promised them all good. So they gave him joy of his safe return +and invoked God's blessing upon him, after which they took the +oath of fealty to him, and kissing the earth before him, +withdrew. Then other ten entered and he received them in the same +manner; and they ceased not to enter, ten by ten, till none was +left but the Vizier Dendan. So he went in and kissed the earth +before Zoulmekan, who rose to meet him, saying, "Welcome, O noble +Vizier and father! Verily, thine acts are those of a precious +counsellor, and judgment and foresight are in the hands of the +Subtle, the All Wise." Then he commanded the Chamberlain to go +out and cause the tables to be spread at once and bid the troops +thereto. So they came and ate and drank. Moreover, he bade Dendan +call a ten days' halt of the army, that he might be private with +him and learn from him the manner of his father's death. +Accordingly, the Vizier went forth and transmitted the King's +wishes to the troops, who received his commands with submission +and wished him eternity of glory. Moreover, he gave them leave to +divert themselves and ordered that none of the lords in waiting +should go in to the King for his service for the space of three +days. Then Zoulmekan waited till nightfall, when he went in to +his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "Dost thou know the +fashion of my father's death or not?" "I have no knowledge of +it," replied she, and drew a silken curtain before herself, +whilst Zoulmekan seated himself without the curtain and sending +for the Vizier, bade him relate to him in detail the manner of +King Omar's death. "Know then, O King," replied Dendan, "that +King Omar ben Ennuman, when he returned to Baghdad from his +hunting excursion, enquired for thee and thy sister, but could +not find you and knew that you had gone on the pilgrimage, +whereat he was greatly concerned and angered, and his breast was +contracted. He abode thus a whole year, seeking news of you from +all who came and went, but none could give him any tidings of +you. At the end of this time, as we were one day in attendance +upon him, there came to us an old woman, as she were a devotee, +accompanied by five damsels, high-bosomed maids, like moons, +endowed with such beauty and grace as the tongue fails to +describe; and to crown their perfections, they knew the Koran by +heart and were versed in various kinds of learning and in the +histories of bygone peoples. The old woman sought an audience of +the King, and he bade admit her; whereupon she entered and kissed +the ground before him. Now I was then sitting by his side, and +he, seeing in her the signs of devoutness and asceticism, made +her draw near and sit down by him. So she sat down and said to +him, 'Know, O King, that with me are five damsels, whose like no +king possesses, for they are endowed with beauty and grace and +wit. They know the Koran and the traditions and are skilled in +all manner of learning and in the history of bygone peoples. They +are here before thee, at thy disposal; for it is by proof that +folk are prized or disdained.' Thy late father looked at the +damsels and their favour pleased him; so he said to them, 'Let +each of you tell me something of what she knows of the history of +bygone folk and peoples of times past.' Thereupon one of them +came forward and kissing the earth before him, spoke as follows, +'Know, O King, that it behoves the man of good breeding to eschew +impertinence and adorn himself with excellencies, observing the +Divine precepts and shunning mortal sins; and to this he should +apply himself with the assiduity of one who, if he stray +therefrom, is lost; for the foundation of good breeding is +virtuous behaviour. Know that the chief reason of existence is +the endeavour after life everlasting and the right way thereto is +the service of God: so it behoves thee to deal righteously with +the people; and swerve not from this rubrick, for the mightier +folk are in dignity, the more need they have of prudence and +foresight; and indeed kings need this more than common folk, for +the general cast themselves into affairs, without taking thought +to the issue of them. Be thou prodigal both of thyself and thy +treasure in the way of God and know that, if an enemy dispute +with thee, thou mayst litigate with him and refute him with proof +and ward thyself against him; but as for thy friend, there is +none can judge between thee and him but righteousness and +fair-dealing. Wherefore, choose thy friend for thyself, after +thou hast proved him. If he be a man of religion, let him be +zealous in observing the external letter of the Law and versed in +its inner meaning, as far as may be: and if he be a man of the +world, let him be free-born, sincere, neither ignorant nor +perverse, for the ignorant man is such that even his parents +might well flee from him, and a liar cannot be a true friend, for +the word "friend"[FN#66] is derived from "truth,"[FN#67] that +emanates from the bottom of the heart; and how can this be the +case, when falsehood is manifest upon the tongue? Know, +therefore, that the observance of the Law profits him who +practices it: so love thy brother, if he be after this fashion, +and do not cast him off, even if thou see in him that which thou +mislikest; for a friend is not like a wife whom one can divorce +and take again; but his heart is like glass; once broken, it +cannot be mended. And God bless him who says: + +Be careful not to hurt men's hearts nor work them aught of dole, + For hard it is to bring again a once estranged soul; +And hearts, indeed, whose loves in twain by discord have been + rent Are like a broken glass, whose breach may never be made + whole. + +The wise say (continued she), "The best of friends is he who is +the most assiduous in good counsel, the best of actions is that +which is fairest in its result, and the best of praise is (not) +that which is in the mouths of men." It is said also, "It behoves +not the believer to neglect to thank God, especially for two +favours, health and reason." Again, "He who honoureth himself, +his lust is a light matter to him, and he who makes much of small +troubles, God afflicts him with great ones: he who obeys his own +inclination neglects his duties and he who listens to the +slanderer loses the true friend. He who thinks well of thee, do +thou fulfil his thought of thee. He who exceeds in contention +sins, and he who does not beware of upright is not safe from the +sword." + +Now will I tell thee somewhat of the duties of judges. Know, O +King, that no judgment serves the cause of justice except it be +given after deliberation, and it behoves the judge to treat all +people alike, to the intent that the rich and noble may not be +encouraged to oppression nor the poor and weak despair of +justice. He should extract proof from him who complains and +impose an oath upon him who denies; and compromise is lawful +between Muslims, except it be a compromise sanctioning an +unlawful or forbidding a lawful thing. If he have done aught +during the day, of which he is doubtful, the judge should +reconsider it and apply his discernment to elucidating it, that +(if he have erred) he may revert to the right, for to do justice +is a religious obligation and to return to that which is right is +better than perseverance in error. Then he should study the +precedents and the law of the case and do equal justice between +the suitors, fixing his eye upon the truth and committing his +affair to God, to whom belong might and majesty. Let him require +proof of the complainant, and if he adduce it, let him put the +defendant to his oath; for this is the ordinance of God. He +should receive the testimony of competent Muslim witnesses, one +against another, for God the Most High hath commanded judges to +judge by externals, He Himself taking charge of the secret +things. It behoves the judge also to avoid giving judgment, +whilst suffering from stress of pain or hunger, and that in his +decisions between the folk he seek to please God, for he whose +intent is pure and who is at peace with his conscience, God shall +guarantee him against what is between him and the people. Quoth +Ez Zuhri,[FN#68] "There are three things, which if they be found +in a Cadi, he should be deposed; namely, if he honour the base, +love praise and fear dismissal." It is related that Omar ben +Abdulaziz once deposed a Cadi, who asked him why he had done so. +"It has come to my knowledge," replied Omar, "that thy speech is +greater than thy condition." It is said also that Iskender[FN#69] +said to his Cadi, "I have invested thee with this function and +committed to thee in it my soul and my honour and manhood; so do +thou guard it with thy soul and thine understanding." To his cook +he said, "Thou art the governor of my body; so look thou tender +it." To his secretary he said, "Thou art the controller of my +wit: so do thou watch over me in what thou writest for me."' + +With this the first damsel retired and a second one came forward +and kissing the earth seven times before the King thy father, +spoke as follows: 'The sage Lucman[FN#70] said to his son, "There +are three men whom thou shalt not know, but in three several +cases; thou shalt not know the merciful man but in time of anger, +nor the brave man but in time of war nor thy friend but when thou +hast need of him." It is said that the oppressor shall repent, +though the people praise him, and that the oppressed is safe, +though the people blame him. Quoth God the Most High, "[FN#71] +Think not that those who rejoice in their deeds and love to be +praised for that which they have not done, shall escape +punishment; indeed there is reserved for them a grievous +punishment." Quoth Mohammed (on whom be peace and salvation), +"Works are according to intentions, and to each man is attributed +that which he intends." He saith also, "There is a part of the +human body, which being whole, all the rest is whole, and which +being corrupt, the whole body is corrupt; it is the heart. And +indeed the heart is the most marvellous part of man, since it is +that which ordereth his whole affair; if covetise stir in it, +desire destroys him, and if affliction master it, anguish slays +him: if anger rage in it, danger is sore upon him, and if it be +blest with contentment, he is safe from discontent; if fear +overtake it, he is filled with mourning, and if calamity smite +it, affliction betideth him. If a man gain wealth, his heart is +peradventure diverted thereby from the remembrance of his Lord, +and if poverty afflict him, his heart is distracted by care, or +if disquietude waste his heart, weakness reduces him to +impotence. So, in any case, there is nothing will profit him but +that he be mindful of God and occupy himself with gaining his +living and securing his place in Paradise." It was asked of a +certain wise man, "Who is the most ill-conditioned of men?" "He," +replied the sage, "whose lusts master his manhood and whose mind +exceeds in the pursuit of objects of high emprise, so that his +knowledge increases and his excuse diminishes; and how excellent +is what the poet says: + +The freest of all men from need of the arrogant meddler am I, The + fool who's unguided of God and judges the folk all awry; +For wealth and good gifts are a loan and each man at last shall + be clad As it were in a mantle, with that which hid in his + bosom doth lie. +If thou enter on aught by a door that is other than right, thou + wilt err; But the right door will dead thee aright, for + sure, if thou enter there by." + +As for anecdotes of devotees (continued the maiden), quoth Hisham +ben Besher, "I said to Omar ben Ubeid, 'What is true devoutness?' +and he answered, 'The Prophet (whom God bless and preserve) hath +expounded it, when he says, "The devout is he who takes thought +to death and calamity and prefers that which is eternal to that +which passes away, who counts not the morrow as of his days, but +reckons himself among the dead."'" And it is related that Abou +Dherr[FN#72] used to say, "Poverty is dearer to me than riches +and sickness than health." Quoth one of the listeners, "May God +have mercy on Abou Dherr! For my part, I say, 'He who puts his +trust in the goodness of the election of God the Most High should +be content with that condition of which the Almighty hath made +choice for him.'" Quoth one of the Companions (of the Prophet), +"Ibn Ali Aqfa[FN#73] prayed with us the morning-prayer one day. +When he had done, he read the seventy-fourth chapter (of the +Koran), beginning, 'O thou that coverest thyself!' till he came +to where God says, 'When the trumpet is blown,' and fell down +dead." It is said that Thabit el Benani wept till he well nigh +lost his eyes. They brought him a man to tend him, who said to +him, "I will cure thee, provided thou do my bidding." "In what +respect?" asked Thabit. "In that thou leave weeping," replied the +physician. "What is the use of my eyes," rejoined Thabit, "if +they do not weep?" Said a man to Mohammed ibn Abdallah, "Exhort +me." "I exhort thee," replied he, "to be an abstinent possessor +in this world and a greedy slave in the next." "How so?" asked +the other; and Mohammed said, "The abstinent man in this world +possesses both this world and the world to come." Quoth Ghauth +ben Abdallah, "There were two brothers among the people of +Israel, one of whom said to the other, 'What is the worst thing +thou hast done?' 'One day,' answered the other, 'I came upon a +nest of young birds; so I took out one and threw it back into the +nest; but the others drew apart from it. This is the worst thing +I ever did; so now tell me what is the worst thing thou hast ever +done.' 'When I betake myself to prayer,' rejoined the first, 'I +am fearful to have done so only for the sake of the reward. This +is the worst thing I have done.' Now their father heard what they +said and exclaimed, 'O my God, if they speak the truth, take them +to Thyself!' Quoth one of the wise men, 'Verily these were of the +most virtuous of children.'" Quoth Said ben Jubeir,[FN#74] "I was +once in company with Fuzaleh ibn Ubeid and said to him, 'Give me +some good counsel.' 'Bear in mind these two things,' replied he. +'Attribute no partner to God, and do no hurt to any of His +creatures.' And he repeated the following verses: + +Be as thou wilt and banish dread and care, For God is bountiful + and debonair; +So of two things, the doing hurt to men And giving God a partner, + thou beware." + +And how well saith the poet: + +If thou neglect with pious works for death to furnish thee And + after meet with one equipped with store of piety, +Thou wilt, when all too late, repent that thou wert not like him + And didst not for the other world make ready as did he.' + +Then the second damsel withdrew and a third came forward and +spoke as follows. 'Indeed, the chapter of piety is a very wide +one; but I will mention what occurs to me thereof, concerning +pious men of old time. Quoth a certain holy man, "I rejoice in +death, though I am not assured of ease therein, save that I know +death interposes between a man and his works; so I hope for +multiplication of good works and cessation of evil ones." Itaa es +Selemi, when he had made an end of an exhortation, was wont to +tremble and weep sore. It was asked him why he did this and he +replied, "I purpose (or am about) to enter upon a grave matter, +and it is the standing up before God the Most High, to do in +accordance with my exhortation." In like manner Zein el +Aabidin[FN#75] was wont to tremble when he rose to pray. Being +asked the reason of this, he replied, "Do ye not know before whom +I stand and to whom I address myself?" It is said that there +lived near Sufyan eth Thauri[FN#76] a blind man who, when the +month of Ramazan came, went out with the folk to pray, but +remained silent and hung back (in repeating the prayers). Said +Sufyan, "On the Day of Resurrection, he shall come with the +people of the Koran[FN#77] and they will be distinguished from +their fellows by excess of honour." Quoth Sufyan, "Were the soul +stablished in the heart as it befits, it would fly away, for joy +and longing for Paradise and grief and fear of hell-fire." It is +related also of Sufyan that he said, "To look upon the face of a +tyrant is a sin."' + +Then the third damsel retired and a fourth came forward, who +said, 'I will treat of sundry traditions of pious men. It is +related that Bishr el Hafi[FN#78] said, "I once heard Khalid +say, 'Beware of secret hypocrisy.' Quoth I, 'What is secret +hypocrisy?' He answered, 'When one of you, in praying, prolongs +his inclinations and prostrations till a cause of impurity[FN#79] +come upon him.'" Quoth one of the sages, "The doing of good works +expiates evil deeds." Quoth Ibrahim ben Adhem[FN#80], "I sought +assiduously of Bishr el Hafi that he should acquaint me with some +of the theological mysteries; but he said, 'O my son, it behoves +us not to teach this knowledge to every one; of every hundred, +five, even as the poor-rate upon money.' I thought his answer +excellent, and when I went to pray, I saw Bishr praying: so I +stood behind him, inclining myself in prayer, till the Muezzin +made his call. Then rose a man of poor appearance and said, 'O +folk, beware of truth, when it is hurtful, for there is no harm +in beneficial falsehood, and in compulsion is no choice: speech +profits not in the absence of good qualities nor is there any +hurt in silence, when they exist.' Presently I saw Bishr drop a +danic[FN#81] so I picked it up and exchanged it for a dirhem, +which I gave him. 'I will not take it,' said he. Quoth I, 'It is +a fair exchange;' but he answered, 'I cannot barter the riches of +the world to come for those of this world.'" It is reported also +that Bishr's sister once went to Ahmed ben Hembel[FN#82] and said +to him, "O Imam of the Faith, we are a family that work for our +living by day and spin thread by night; and oftentimes, the +cressets of the watch of Baghdad pass by and we on the roof +spinning by their light. Is this forbidden to us?" "Who art +thou?" asked Ahmed. "I am the sister of Bishr el Hafi," replied +she. "O household of Bishr," rejoined the Imam, "I shall never +cease to quafl full draughts of piety and continence from your +hearts." Quoth one of the learned, "When God wills well to +any man, he opens upon him the gate of action." Malik ibn +Dinar,[FN#83] when he passed through the bazaar and saw aught +that he wished for, was wont to say, "O soul, take patience, for +I will not accord to thee what thou desirest." He said also (may +God accept of him), "The salvation of the soul lies in resistance +to its desires and its ruin in submission to them." Quoth Mensour +ben Ammar,[FN#84] "I set out one year on the pilgrimage and was +making for Mecca by way of Cufa, when, one overcast night, I +heard a voice crying out from the womb of the night and saying, +'O my God, by Thy power and Thy glory, I meant not by my +disobedience to transgress against Thee, for indeed I am not +ignorant of Thee; but my fault is one Thou didst foreordain to me +from all eternity; so do Thou pardon me my sin, for indeed I +disobeyed Thee of my ignorance!' When he had made an end of his +prayer, he recited aloud the verse, 'O ye who believe, keep +yourselves and your households from the fire whose fuel is men +and stones!"[FN#85] Then I heard a fall, but knew not what it was +and passed on. On the morrow, as we went our way, we fell in with +a funeral train, followed by an old woman, whose strength had +left her. I questioned her of the dead, and she replied, 'This is +the funeral of a man who passed by us yesterday, whilst my son +was standing at prayer. The latter recited a verse from the Book +of God the Most High, when behold the man's gall-bladder burst +and he fell dead.'" + +Therewith the fourth damsel retired and the fifth, coming +forward, spoke as follows: 'I also will repeat what occurs to me +in the way of devotional anecdotes. Meslemeh ben Dinar used to +say, "The making sound the secret thoughts covers sins, both +great and small, and when the believer is resolved to leave +sinning, help comes to him." Also, "Every piece of good fortune, +that does not draw one nearer to God, is a calamity, for a little +of this world distracts from a great deal of the world to come +and a great deal of the first makes thee forget the whole of the +latter." It was asked of Abou Hazim,[FN#86] "Who is the most +fortunate of men?" "He who spends his life in the service of +God," replied he. "And who is the most foolish of mankind?" asked +the other. "He who sells his part in the world to come for the +worldly goods of others," answered Abou Hazim. It is reported +that Moses (on whom be peace), when he came to the waters of +Midian, exclaimed, "O my Lord, indeed I am in need of that which +Thou sendest down to me of good!" And he asked of his Lord and +not of his folk. There came two damsels and he drew water for +them and gave not precedence to the shepherds. When they returned +to their father Jethro (on whom be peace!) they told him, and he +said to one of them, "Haply, he is hungry: go back to him and bid +him hither." So she covered her face and returning to Moses, said +to him, "My father bids thee to him, that he may reward thee for +having drawn water for us." Moses was averse to this and +unwilling to follow her. Now she was a woman large in the +buttocks, and the wind blowing upon her gown, discovered this; +which when Moses saw, he lowered his eyes and said to her, "Do +thou walk behind me." So she followed him, till he came to +Jethro's house, where the evening meal was ready. "O Moses," said +Jethro, "I desire to reward thee for having drawn water for +them." But he answered, "I am of a people who sell nothing of the +fashion of the next world for earthly gold and silver." "O +youth," rejoined Jethro, "nevertheless thou art my guest, and it +is my wont and that of my fathers to do honour to the guest by +setting food before him." So Moses sat down and ate. Then Jethro +hired Moses for eight pilgrimages, that is to say, eight years, +and appointed to him for hire the hand of his daughter, and +Moses' service to him was to stand for her dowry. As says the +Holy Writ of him (quoth Jethro), "I am minded to marry thee to +one of these my daughters, on condition that thou serve me eight +years, and if thou serve out the ten, it will be of thine own +will, for I do not wish to press hardly on thee."[FN#87] A +certain man once said to one of his friends, "Thou hast made me +desolate, for that I have not seen thee this long while." Quoth +the other, "I have been distracted from thee by Ibn Shihab; dost +thou know him?" "Yes," replied the first; "he hath been my +neighbour these thirty years, but I have never spoken to him." +"Indeed," rejoined his friend, "thou forgettest God in forgetting +thy neighbour! If thou lovedst God, thou wouldst love thy +neighbour. Knowst thou not that a neighbour has a claim upon his +neighbour, even as the right of kindred?" Quoth Hudheifeh, "We +entered Mecca with Ibrahim ben Adhem,[FN#88] and whilst making +the prescribed circuits about the Kaabeh, we met with Shekic the +Balkhi. Quoth Ibrahim to Shekic, 'What is your fashion in your +country?' 'When we are vouchsafed [food],' replied he, 'we eat, +and when we suffer hunger, we take patience.' 'This is the +fashion of the dogs of Balkh,' rejoined Ibrahim. 'But we, when we +are blest with plenty, we do honour to God, and when we suffer +famine, we praise Him.' And Shekic seated himself before Ibrahim +and said to him, 'Thou art my master.'" Quoth Mohammed ben Amran, +"A man once asked of Hatim el Asemm[FN#89], 'What maketh thee to +trust in God?' 'Two things,' replied he, 'I know that what God +has appointed for my daily bread shall be eaten by none but +myself; so my heart is at rest as to that; and I know that I was +not created without God's knowledge and am abashed before Him.'" + +Then the fifth damsel retired and the old woman came forward and +kissing the earth before thy father nine times, spoke as follows: +'Thou hast heard, O King, what these all have said on the subject +of piety; and I will follow their example in relating what I have +heard of the famous men of times past. It is said that the Imam +es Shafi[FN#90] divided the night into three portions, the first +for study, the second for sleep and the third for prayer. The +Imam Abou Henifeh[FN#91] was wont also to pass half the night in +prayer. One day a man pointed him out to another, as he passed, +and said, "Yonder man watches the whole night." Quoth Abou +Henifeh, "When I heard this, I was abashed before God, to hear +myself praised for what was not in me; so, after this, I used to +watch the whole night." Er Rebya relates that Es Shafi used to +recite the whole Koran seventy times over during the month of +Ramazan, and that in prayer. Quoth Es Shafi (may God accept of +him!), "For ten years I never ate my fill of barley-bread, for +satiety hardens the heart and deadens the wit and induces sleep +and enfeebles one from standing up (to pray)." It is reported of +Abdallah ben Mohammed es Sekra that he said, "I was once talking +with Omar, and he said to me, 'Never saw I a more God-fearing or +eloquent man than Mohammed ben Idris es Shafi. I went out one day +with El Harith ben Lebib es Suffar, who was a disciple of El +Muzeni[FN#92] and had a fine voice, and he read the saying or the +Most High, 'On that day, they shall not speak nor shall it be +permitted to them to excuse themselves.'[FN#93] I saw Es Shafi's +colour change; his skin shuddered, and he was violently moved and +fell down senseless. When he revived, he said, 'I seek refuge +with God from the stead of the liars and the fate of the +negligent! O my God, the hearts of the wise abase themselves +before Thee. O my God, of Thy goodness, accord to me the +remission of my sins, adorn me with Thy protection and pardon me +my shortcomings, by the magnanimity of Thine essence!' Then I +rose and went away." Quoth one of the pious, "When I entered +Baghdad, Es Shafi was there. I sat down on the river-bank, to +make the ablution before prayer; and as I was thus occupied, +there came up one who said to me, 'O youth, make thine ablution +well and God will make it well for thee in this world and the +world to come.' I turned and saw a man, with a company of people +after him. So I hastened to finish my ablutions and followed him. +Presently, he turned and said to me, 'Dost thou want aught?' +'Yes,' answered I; 'I desire that thou teach me somewhat of that +which God the Most High hath taught thee.' 'Know, then,' said he, +'that he who believes in God the Most High shall be saved and he +who is jealous of his faith shall be delivered from destruction, +and he who practices abstinence in this world, his eyes shall be +solaced on the morrow (of death). Shall I tell thee any more?' +'Assuredly,' replied I. 'Abstain from the things of this world,' +continued he, 'and be greedy of the good of the world to come. Be +sincere and faithful in all thy dealings, and thou shalt be saved +with the elect.' Then he went on and I asked about him and was +told that he was the Imam es Shafi. Es Shafi was wont to say, "I +would have the folk profit by this wisdom (of mine), on condition +that none of it be attributed to me." Also, "I never disputed +with any one, but I would that God the Most High should give him +the knowledge of the Truth and aid him to expound it; nor did I +ever dispute with any, but for the showing forth of the Truth, +and I recked not whether God should manifest it by my lips or +his." He said also (may God accept of him!), "If thou fear to +grow conceited of thy learning, bethink thee Whose grace thou +seekest and what good it is thou yearnest after and what +punishment thou dreadest." It was told to Abou Henifeh that the +Commander of the Faithful Abou Jaafer el Mensour had named him +Cadi and ordered him a present of ten thousand dirhems; but he +would not accept of this; and when the day came on which the +money was to be paid, he prayed the morning-prayer, then covered +his head with his cloak and spoke not. When the Khalif's +messenger came with the money, he went in to the Imam and +accosted him, but he would not speak to him. Quoth the messenger, +"This money is lawfully thine." "I know that it is lawfully +mine," replied the Imam; "but I abhor that the love of tyrants +should take hold upon my heart." "Canst thou not go in to them +and guard thyself from loving them?" asked the other. "Can I look +to enter the sea, without wetting my clothes?" answered Abou +Henifeh. Another of Es Shafi's sayings is as follows: + +O soul, if thou be fain to do as I shall say, Thou shalt be free + from need and great of grace for aye. +Put far away from thee ambitions and desires, For lo, how oft a + wish to death hath led the way! + +Among the sayings of Sufyan eth Thauri, with which he admonished +Ali ben el Hassan es Selemi was the following, "Look that thou +practice sincerity and beware of falsehood and treachery and +hypocrisy and presumption for God annuls good works with either +of these things. Borrow not but of Him who is merciful to His +debtors and let thy comrade be one who will cause thee to abstain +from the world. Let the thought of death be ever present with +thee and be constant in asking pardon of God and beseeching of +Him peace for what remains of thy life. Give loyal counsel to +every true-believer, when he asks thee concerning the things of +his faith, and beware of betraying a believer, for he who betrays +a believer betrays God and His apostle. Avoid dissension and +litigation and leave that which awakens doubt in thee, betaking;, +thyself rather to those things that will not disquiet thee; so +shalt thou be at peace. Enjoin that which is just and forbid that +which is evil, so shalt thou be beloved of God. Make fair thine +inner man, and God shall make fair thine outer man. Accept the +excuse of him who excuses himself to thee and hate none of the +true-believers. Draw near unto those that reject thee and forgive +those that oppress thee; so shalt thou be the companion of the +prophets. Commit thine affair to God, both in public and in +private, and fear Him with the fear of one who knows that he must +die and be raised again to stand before the Almighty, remembering +that thou art destined for one of two dwellings, either Paradise +the glorious or the flaming fire."' Having spoken thus, the old +woman sat down beside the damsels. + +When the late King thy father heard their discourse, he knew that +they were the most accomplished of the people of their time and +seeing their beauty and grace and the greatness of their +learning, he showed them all favour. Moreover, he turned to the +old woman and entreated her with honour, setting apart for her +and her damsels the palace that had been the lodging of the +princess Abrizeh, to which he let carry all that they needed of +the best. Here they abode ten days, and whenever the King visited +them, he found the old woman absorbed in prayer, watching by +night and fasting by day; wherefore love of her took hold upon +his heart and he said to me, 'O Vizier, verily this old woman is +a pious soul, and reverence for her is strong in my heart.' On +the eleventh day, the King visited her, that he might pay her the +price of the five damsels; but she said to him, 'O King, know +that the price of these passes the competence of men, for I seek +for them neither gold nor silver nor jewels, be it little or +much.' The King wondered at this and said, 'O my lady, what is +their price?' 'I will not sell them to thee,' replied she, 'save +on condition that thou fast a whole month, watching by night and +fasting by day for the love of God the Most High: but if thou +wilt do this, they are thine, to use as thou pleasest.' The King +wondered at the perfectness of her piety and devotion and +abnegation and she was magnified in his eyes, and he said, 'May +God make this pious old woman to profit us!' So he agreed to her +proposal, and she said to him, 'I will help thee with my +prayers.' Then she called for a gugglet of water and muttered +over it words in an unknown language and abode awhile, speaking +over it things that we understood not. Then she covered it with a +cloth and sealing it up, gave it to the King, saying, 'When thou +has fasted ten days, break thy fast on the eleventh night with +what is in this cup, for it will root out the love of the world +from thy heart and fill it with light and faith. As for me, I +purpose to go out to-morrow to visit my brethren of the invisible +world, for I yearn after them, and I will return to thee when the +ten days are past.' So the King took the gugglet and setting it +apart in a closet of his palace, locked the door and put the key +in his pocket. Next day, the old woman departed and the King +entered upon his fast. When he had accomplished the first ten +days thereof, he opened the gugglet and drank what was therein +and found it cordial to his stomach. Within the next ten days, +the old woman returned, bringing sweetmeats wrapped in a green +leaf, like no leaf of a tree. She went in to the King and saluted +him; and when he saw her he rose to meet her, saying, 'Welcome, O +pious lady!' 'O King,' said she, 'the spirits salute thee, for I +told them of thee, and they rejoiced in thee and have sent thee +this cake, which is of the sweetmeats of the other world. Do thou +break thy fast on it at the end of the day.' The King rejoiced +greatly at this and exclaimed, 'Praised be God who hath given me +brethren of the invisible world!' And he thanked the old woman +and kissed her hands and entreated her and the damsels with +exceeding honour. Then he fasted till twenty days were past, at +the end of which time the old woman came to him and said, 'Know, +O King, that I told the spirits of the love that is between thee +and me and how I had left the damsels with thee, and they were +glad that the damsels should belong to a King like thee; for they +were wont, when they saw them, to be strenuous in offering up +effectual prayer on their behalf. So I would fain carry them to +the spirits, that they may benefit by their favours, and they +shall surely not return to thee without some treasure of the +treasures of the earth, that thou, after the completion of thy +fast, mayst occupy thyself with their dress and help thyself to +the fulfilment of thy wishes with that which they shall bring +thee.' The King thanked her and said, 'But that I fear to cross +thee, I would not accept the treasure or aught else: but when +wilt thou set out with them?' 'On the seven-and-twentieth night,' +replied she; 'and I will bring them back to thee at the end of +the month, by which time thou wilt have accomplished thy fast and +they will have had their courses and be free from impurity. Then +they shall become thine and be at thy disposal. By Allah, each +one of them is worth many times thy kingdom!' 'I know it, O pious +lady,' replied the King. Then said the old woman, 'If there be +any one in thy palace who is dear to thee, thou wouldst do well +to send her with me, that she may find solace and seek a blessing +of the spirits.' Quoth the King, 'I have a Greek slave called +Sufiyeh, by whom God hath vouchsafed me two children, a son and a +daughter: but they were lost years ago. Take her with thee, that +she may get the spirits' blessing: it may be they will pray God +for her, that her children may be restored to her.' 'It is well,' +replied the old woman; for indeed this was what she most desired. +The King gave not over fasting till the seven-and-twentieth +night, when the old woman said to him, 'O my son, I am about to +go to the spirits; so bring me Sufiyeh.' Accordingly, he sent for +her and delivered her to the old woman, who placed her with the +other damsels. Then she went in to her chamber and bringing out a +sealed cup, presented it to the King, saying, 'On the thirtieth +day, do thou go to the bath and when thou comest out, enter one +of the closets in thy palace and drink the liquor that is in this +cup. Then sleep, and thou shalt attain what thou seekest, and +peace be on thee!' The King was glad and thanked her and kissed +her hands. Quoth she, 'I commend thee to God;' and he said, 'When +shall I see thee again, O pious lady? Indeed I love not to part +with thee.' Then she called down blessings on him and departed +with the five damsels and the Princess Sufiyeh; whilst the King +fasted other three days, till the end of the month, when he went +to the bath and coming out, shut himself up in a closet, +commanding that none should go in to him. Then he drank what was +in the cup and lay down to sleep. We sat awaiting him till the +end of the day, but he did not come out and we said, 'Belike he +is tired with the bath and with watching by night and fasting by +day, and sleepeth.' So we waited till next day; but still he did +not come out. Then we stood at the closet-door and cried aloud, +so haply he might awake and ask what was the matter. But nothing +came of this: so at last we lifted the door off its hinges and +going in, found the King dead, with his flesh torn into strips +and his bones broken in pieces. When we saw him in this case, it +was grievous to us, and we took up the cup and found in its cover +a piece of paper, on which was written the following, 'He who +does evil leaves no regrets behind him. This is the reward of him +who plays the traitor with kings' daughters and debauches them: +and we make known to all who happen upon this scroll that +Sherkan, when he came to our country, debauched our Princess +Abrizeh; nor did this suffice him, but he must take her from us +and bring her to you. Then he (Omar ben Ennuman) (debauched her +and) sent her away, in company of a black slave, who slew her and +we found her lying dead in the desert. This is none of kings' +fashion, and he who did this is requited with nought but his +deserts. So do ye suspect none of having killed him, for none +slew him but the cunning witch, whose name is Dhat ed Dewahi. And +behold, I have taken the King's wife Sufiyeh and have carried her +to her father King Afridoun of Constantinople. Moreover, we will +assuredly make war upon you and kill you and take your land from +you, and ye shall be cut off even to the last man, nor shall +there be left of you a living soul, no, nor a blower of the fire, +except he serve the Cross and the Girdle.' When we read this, we +knew that the old woman had cheated us and carried out her plot +against us: so we cried out and buffeted our faces and wept sore. +However, weeping availed us nothing and the troops fell out as to +whom they should make Sultan. Some would have thee and others thy +brother Sherkan; and we ceased not to wrangle about this for the +space of a month, at the end of which time certain of us drew +together and agreed to repair to thy brother Sherkan. So we set +out and journeyed on till we fell in with thee: and this is the +manner of the death of King Omar ben Ennuman.' + +When the Vizier had made an end of his story, Zoulmekan and his +sister wept, and the Chamberlain wept also. Then said the latter +to Zoulmekan, "O King, weeping will profit thee nothing; nor will +aught avail thee but that thou fortify thy heart and strengthen +thy resolution and stablish thy power; for verily he is not dead +who leaves the like of thee behind him." So Zoulmekan gave over +weeping and causing his throne to be set up without the pavilion, +commanded the army to pass in review before him. Then he sat down +on the throne, with the Chamberlain by his side and all the +arm-bearers behind him, whilst the Vizier Dendan and the rest of +the amirs and grandees stood before him, each in his several +room. Then said Zoulmekan to Dendan, "Acquaint me with the +particulars of my father's treasures." Dendan answered, "I hear +and obey," and gave him to know the amount and nature of the late +King's treasure and what was in the treasury of money and jewels +and other precious things. So Zoulmekan gave largesse to the army +and bestowed a sumptuous dress of honour on the Vizier Dendan, +saying, "I confirm thee in thine office." Whereupon Dendan kissed +the earth before him and wished him long life. Then he bestowed +dresses of honour on the amirs, after which he turned to the +Chamberlain and said, "Bring out before us the tribute of +Damascus, that is with thee." So he laid before him the chests of +money and jewels and rarities, and he took them and divided them +all amongst the troops, till there was nothing left. And the +amirs kissed the ground before him and wished him long life, +saying, "Never saw we a king, who gave the like of these gifts." +Then they all went away to their own tents, and when it was +morning, Zoulmekan gave orders for departure. So they set out and +journeyed for three days, till on the fourth day they drew near +to Baghdad. When they entered the city, they found it decorated, +and King Zoulmekan went up to his father's palace and sat down on +the throne, whilst the amirs of the army and the Vizier Dendan +and the Chamberlain of Damascus stood before him. Then he bade +his private secretary write a letter to his brother Sherkan, +acquainting him with all that had passed and adding, "As soon as +thou hast read this letter, make ready thine affair and join us +with thine army, that we may make war upon the infidels and take +vengeance on them for our father and wipe out the stain upon our +honour." Then he folded the letter and sealed it and said to +Dendan, "None shall carry this letter but thou; and I would have +thee speak my brother fair and say to him, 'If thou have a mind +to thy father's kingdom, it is thine, and thy brother shall be +Viceroy for thee in Damascus; for to this effect am I instructed +by him."' So the Vizier went out from before him and proceeded +to make ready for his journey. Then Zoulmekan set apart a +magnificent house for the stoker and furnished it with sumptuous +furniture and lodged him therein. One day, he went out a-hunting +and as he was returning to Baghdad, one of the amirs presented +him with horses of fine breeds and damsels whose beauty beggars +description. One of the damsels pleased him: so he went in to her +and lay with her, and she conceived by him forthright. After +awhile, the Vizier Dendan returned from Damascus, bringing him +news of his brother Sherkan and that he was then on his way to +him, and said to him, "Thou wouldst do well to go out to meet +him." Zoulmekan replied, "I hear and obey;" and riding forth with +his grandees a day's journey from Baghdad, pitched his tents and +halted to await the coming of his brother. Next morning, the army +of Syria appeared, with King Sherkan in its midst, a bold +cavalier, a fierce lion and a warrior against whom none might +make head. As the squadrons drew nigh and the dust-clouds neared +and the troops came up with banners flying, Zoulmekan and his +attendants rode forward to meet Sherkan; and when the King saw +his brother, he would have dismounted, but Sherkan conjured him +not to do so and himself set foot to the ground and walked +towards him. As soon as he reached Zoulmekan, the latter threw +himself upon him, and they embraced and wept and condoled with +one another. Then they mounted and rode onward, they and their +troops, till they reached Baghdad, where they alighted and went +up to the royal palace and passed the night there. Next morning, +Zoulmekan went forth and bade proclaim a holy war and summon the +troops from all parts. They abode a whole month, awaiting the +coming of the levies, whilst the folk poured in from all parts of +the kingdom, and every one who came they entreated with honour +and munificence and promised him all manner of good. Then Sherkan +said to Zoulmekan, "O my brother, tell me thy history." So he +told him all that had befallen him, first and last, including the +benevolent dealing of the stoker with him. "Hast thou requited +him his kindness to thee?" asked Sherkan. "Not yet," replied +Zoulmekan, "but, God willing, I will surely do so, as soon as I +return from this expedition and am at leisure to attend to him." +Therewith, Sherkan was certified that his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman +had told him the truth; but he concealed what had passed between +them and contented himself with sending his salutation to her by +her husband the Chamberlain. She returned his greeting in the +same fashion, calling down blessings on him and enquiring after +her daughter Kuzia Fekan, to which he replied that the child was +well and in all health and safety. Then he went to his brother to +take counsel with him for departure; and Zoulmekan said, "O my +brother, we will set out as soon as the army is complete and the +Arabs have come in from all parts." So he bade make ready the +wheat and other provisions and munitions of war and went in to +his wife, who was now five months gone with child; and he put +under her hand mathematicians and astrologers, to whom he +appointed stipends and allowances. Then, three months after the +arrival of the army of Syria, as soon as the troops were all +assembled and the Arabs had come in, he set out, at the head of +his troops, with his brother Sherkan on his right and his +brother-in-law the Chamberlain on his left hand. The name of the +general of the army of the Medes was Rustem and that of the +general of the army of the Turks Behram. So the squadrons broke +up and marched forward and the companies and battalions filed +past in battle array, till the whole army was in motion. They +ceased not to fare on for the space of a month; halting three +days a week to rest, by reason of the greatness of the host, till +they came to the country of the Greeks; and as they drew near, +the people of the villages and hamlets took fright at them and +fled to Constantinople. + +To return to Dhat ed Dewahi. As soon as she reached her own +country and felt herself in safety, she said to her son, King +Herdoub, "Be consoled; for I have avenged thy daughter Abrizeh +and killed King Omar ben Ennuman and brought back the Princess +Sufiyeh. So now let us go to the King of Constantinople and carry +him back his daughter and tell him what has happened, that he may +be on his guard and prepare his forces and that we may do the +like; for I know that the Muslims will not delay to attack us." +"Let us wait till they draw near our country," replied Herdoub, +"that we may make us ready meantime and assemble our power." +Accordingly they fell to levying their forces and preparing for +war, so that by the time the news of the Muslims' advance reached +them, they were ready for defence. Then King Herdoub and his +mother set out for Constantinople, and King Afridoun, hearing of +the arrival of the King of the Greeks, came forth to meet him and +asked how it was with him and the cause of his visit. So Herdoub +acquainted him with the doing; of his mother Dhat ed Dewahi, how +she had slain the Muslim king and recovered the Princess Sufiyeh +and that the Muslims had assembled their forces and were on their +way to attack them, wherefore it behoved that they two should +join powers and meet them. King Afridoun rejoiced in the recovery +of his daughter and the death of King Omar and sent to all +countries, to seek succour and acquaint the folk with the reason +of the slaying of King Omar. So the Christian troops flocked to +him from all quarters, and before three months were past, the +army of the Greeks was complete, besides which there joined +themselves to him the French and Germans and Ragusans and Genoese +and Venetians and all the hosts of the Pale Faces and warriors +from all the lands of the Franks, and the earth was straitened on +them by reason of their multitude. Then Afridoun the Great King +commanded to depart; so they set out from Constantinople and +ceased not to defile through the city for the space of ten days. +They fared on till they reached a spacious valley, hard by the +salt sea, where they halted three days; and on the fourth day, +they were about to set out again, when news came to them of the +approach of the army of Islam and the defenders of the faith of +the Best of Men.[FN#94] So they halted other three days, and on +the seventh day, they espied a great cloud of dust which spread +till it covered the whole country; nor was an hour of the day +past before the dust lifted and melted away into the air, and its +darkness was pierced and dispersed by the starry sheen of +lance-points and spear-heads and the flashing of sword-blades. +Presently, there appeared the banners of Islam and the Mohammedan +ensigns and the mailed horsemen surged forward, like the letting +loose of the billows of the sea, clad in cuirasses as they were +clouds girdled about moons. Thereupon the Christian horsemen rode +forward and the two hosts met, like two seas clashing together, +and eyes fell upon eyes. The first to spur into the fight was the +Vizier Dendan, with the army of Syria, thirty thousand cavaliers, +followed by Rustem, the general of the Medes, and Behram, the +general of the Turks, with other twenty thousand horse, behind +whom came the men of the sea-coast, sheathed in glittering mail +as they were full moons passing through a night of clouds. Then +the Christian host called upon Jesus and Mary and the defiled +Cross, and fell upon the Vizier Dendan and the army of Syria. Now +this was in pursuance of a stratagem devised by Dhat ed Dewahi; +for, before his departure, King Afridoun had gone in to her and +said, "It is thou hast brought this great stress on us; so do +thou advise me how I shall do and what plan I shall follow." "O +great King and mighty priest," replied she, "I will teach thee a +shift, which would baffle Iblis himself, though he should call to +his aid against it all his grisly hosts. It is that you send +fifty thousand men in ships to the Mountain of Smoke and there +let them land and stir not till the standards of Islam come upon +you, when do you up and at them. Then let the troops from the +seaward sally out upon the Muslims and take them in rear, whilst +you confront them from the landward. So not one of them shall +escape, and our stress shall cease and abiding peace enure to +us." Her counsel commended itself to King Afridoun and he +replied, "It is well; thy counsel shall be followed, O princess +of cunning old women and recourse of kings warring for their +blood-revenge!" So when the army of Islam came upon them in that +valley, of a sudden the flames began to run among the tents and +the swords to play upon men's bodies. Then came up the army of +Baghdad and Khorassan, six score thousand horse, with Zoulmekan +at their head. When the host of the infidels that lay by the sea +saw them, they came out and followed in their steps, and +Zoulmekan, seeing this, cried out to his men, saying, "Turn back +to the infidels, O people of the Chosen Prophet, and fall upon +those who deny and transgress the authority of the Compassionate, +the Merciful!" So they turned and fought with the Christians, and +Sherkan came up with another wing of the Muslim army, near six +score thousand men, whilst the infidels numbered nigh upon +sixteen hundred thousand. When the Muslims mingled in the mellay, +their hearts were strengthened and they cried out, saying, "God +hath promised to succour us and abandon the infidels!" And they +clashed together with swords and spears. As for Sherkan, he made +himself a passage through the ranks and raged among the masses of +the foe, fighting so fierce a battle that it would have made +children grow grey for fear; nor did he leave to tourney among +the infidels and work havoc upon them with the keen-edged +scimitar, shouting, "God is most great!" till he drove them back +to the brink of the sea. Then the strength of the foe failed and +God gave the victory to the faith of Submission,[FN#95] and they +fought, drunken without wine, till they slew of the infidels +forty and five thousand in that encounter, whilst of the Muslims +but three thousand and five hundred fell. Moreover, the Lion of +the Faith, King Sherkan, and his brother Zoulmekan slept not that +night, but occupied themselves with looking to the wounded and +heartening their men with assurance of victory and salvation and +promise of a recompense in the world to come. + +Meanwhile King Afridoun assembled the captains of his host and +said to them, "Verily, we had accomplished our intent and had +solaced our hearts, but for our over-confidence in our numbers: +it was that which undid us." But Dhat ed Dewahi said to them, +"Assuredly nought shall profit you, except ye seek the favour of +the Messiah and put your trust in the True Faith; for by the +virtue of the Messiah, the whole strength of the Muslims lies in +that devil, King Sherkan!" "To-morrow," said Afridoun, "I will +draw out in battle array and send out against them the famous +cavalier, Luca ben Shemlout; for if King Sherkan come out to +joust with him, he will slay him and the other champions of the +Muslims, till not one is left; and I purpose this night to sacre +you all by fumigation with the Holy Incense." When the amirs +heard this, they kissed the earth before him. Now the incense in +question was the excrement of the Chief Patriarch, which was +sought for with such instance and so highly valued, that the high +priests of the Greeks used to mix it with musk and ambergris and +send it to all the countries of the Christians in silken sachets; +and kings would pay a thousand dinars for every drachm of it, for +they sought it to perfume brides withal and the chief of them +were wont to use a little of it in ointment for the eyes and as a +remedy in sickness and colic. But the priests used to mix their +own excrement with it, for that the excrement of the Chief +Patriarch could not suffice for half a score countries. So, as +soon as the day broke and the morning appeared with its lights +and shone, the horsemen ran to arms, and King Afridoun summoned +the chief of his knights and nobles and invested them with +dresses of honour. Then he made the sign of the cross on their +foreheads and incensed them with the incense aforesaid; after +which he called for Luca ben Shemlout, surnamed the Sword of the +Messiah, and after incensing him and rubbing his palate with the +holy excrement, daubed and smeared his cheeks and anointed his +moustaches with the remainder. Now there was no stouter champion +in the land of the Greeks than this accursed Luca, nor any +doughtier at bowshot or smiting with swords or thrusting with +spears in the mellay; but he was foul of favour, for his face was +as the face of a jackass, his shape that of an ape and his look +as the look of a malignant serpent, and the being near unto him +was more grievous than parting from the beloved. Moreover, he was +black as night and his breath was fetid as that of the lion; he +was crooked as a bow and grim-visaged as the pard, and he was +branded with the mark of the infidels. He kissed Afridoun's feet +and the King said to him, "It is my wish that thou go out against +Sherkan, King of Damascus, and hasten to deliver us from this +affliction." Quoth Luca, "I hear and obey." And the King made the +sign of the cross on his forehead and felt assured of speedy help +from heaven, whilst Luca went out and mounted a sorrel horse. Now +he was clad in a red tunic and a hauberk of gold set with jewels +and bore a three-barbed spear, as he were Iblis the accursed on +the day of marshalling his hosts to battle. Then he rode forward, +he and his troop of infidels, as they were driving to the Fire, +preceded by a herald, crying aloud in the Arabic tongue and +saying, "Ho, followers of Mohammed, let none of you come out +to-day but your champion Sherkan, the Sword of Islam, lord of +Damascus of Syria!" Hardly had he made an end of speaking, when +there arose a mighty tumult in the plain, all the people heard +its voice, that called to mind the Day of Weeping. The cowards +trembled and all necks turned towards the sound, and behold, it +was King Sherkan. For, when Zoulmekan saw that accursed infidel +spur out into the plain, he turned to Sherkan and said to him, +"Of a surety they seek for thee." "Should it be so," replied +Sherkan, "it were pleasing to me." So when they heard the herald, +they knew Luca to be the champion of the Greeks. Now he was one +of the greatest of villains, one who made hearts to ache, and had +sworn to clear the land of the Muslims; and indeed the Medes and +Turks and Kurds feared his mischief. So Sherkan drove at him like +an angry lion, mounted on a courser like a wild gazelle, and +coming nigh to him, shook his javelin in his hand, as it were a +darting viper, and recited the following verses: + +I have a sorrel horse, right swift and eath to guide, Shall give + thee of its might what thou mayst ill abide. +Ay, and a limber spear I have, full keen of point, As 'twere the + dam of deaths upon its shaft did ride; +And eke a trenchant sword of Ind, which when I draw, Thou'dst + deem that levins flashed and darted far and wide, + +Luca understood not what he said nor did he apprehend the +vehemence of the verse; but he smote his forehead with his hand, +in honour of the cross drawn thereon, and kissed it, then ran at +Sherkan with lance pointed at him. When he came within spear- +shot, he threw the javelin into the air, till it was lost +to sight, and catching it with the other hand, as do the +jugglers, hurled it at Sherkan. It sped from his hand, like a +shooting star, and the people clamoured and feared for Sherkan: +but as it drew near him, he put out his hand and caught it in +full flight, to the amazement of the beholders. Then he shook it, +till it was well-nigh broken, and hurled it up into the air, till +it disappeared from sight. As it descended, he caught it again, +in less than the twinkling of an eye, and cried out from the +bottom of his heart, saying, "By the virtue of Him who created +the seven heavens, I will make this accursed fellow the byword of +the world!" Then he hurled the javelin at Luca ben Shemlout, who +thought to do as Sherkan had done and catch it in mid-flight; but +Sherkan made haste and sped another dart at him, which smote him +on the forehead amiddleward the sign of the cross, and God +hurried his soul to the Fire and the Ill Stead.[FN#96] When the +infidels saw Luca fall dead, they buffeted their faces, crying, +"Alas!" and "Woe worth the day!" and called for aid upon the +priests of the monasteries, saying, "Where are the crosses?" So +the monks offered up prayers and the Christians all drew together +against Sherkan and brandishing their swords and lances, rushed +forward to the attack. Army met army and men's breasts fell under +the hoofs of the horses, whilst the sword and the spear ruled and +arms and wrists grew weak and it was as if the horses had been +made without legs; nor did the herald of war cease to call to +battle, till all arms were weary and the day departed and the +night came with the darkness. So the two hosts drew apart whilst +every warrior staggered like a drunken man, for stress of war and +much thrusting and smiting, and the ground was hidden with the +slain; sore were the wounds and the hurt knew not by whom he +died. Then Sherkan joined his brother and the Chamberlain and the +Vizier Dendan and said to them, "Verily God hath opened a door +for the destruction of the infidels, praised be the Lord of the +Two Worlds!" "Let us never cease to praise God," replied +Zoulmekan, "for that He hath dispelled trouble from the Arabs and +the Persians. Indeed the folk, generation after generation, shall +tell of thy prowess against the accursed Luca, the falsifier of +the Evangel,[FN#97] of thy catching the javelin in mid-flight and +smiting the enemy of God among men; and thy report shall endure +until the end of time." Then said Sherkan, "Harkye, O grand +Chamberlain and doughty captain!" "At thy service," answered he. +Quoth Sherkan, "Take the Vizier Dendan and twenty thousand men +and lead them, by a forced march, seven parasangs towards the +sea, till ye come near the shore, at two parasangs' distance from +the foe. Then hide in the hollows of the ground, till ye hear the +tumult of the infidels disembarking from the ships; and when the +swords have begun to play between us and them and ye see our +troops falling back, as if defeated, and all the infidels +following them, as well those in front as those from the sea-ward +and the tents, do ye lie in wait for them: and as soon as ye see +the standard with the words, 'There is no god but God, and +Mohammed is His Apostle!' up with the green banner and fall on +their rear, shouting, 'God is most great!' and do your endeavour, +that they may not interpose between the retreating army and the +sea." The Chamberlain agreed to this, and he and the Vizier +Dendan took twenty thousand men and set out at once, even as +Sherkan had commanded. As soon as it was morning the troops +donned their armour and drawing their swords, set their spears in +rest and sprang to horse. Then the Christians drew out in battle +array upon the hills and plains and the priests cried out and all +heads were uncovered. Moreover, those who were in the ships +hoisted the cross at their mast-heads and making from all sides +towards the shore, landed their horses and addressed them to the +fray, whilst the swords glittered and the javelins glanced like +levies against the cuirasses. So they all joined battle and the +mill-wheels of death rushed round over footmen and horsemen: +heads flew from bodies and tongues grew mute and eyes dim; +gall-bladders burst and skulls were cloven in sunder and wrists +shorn in twain; whilst the horses plashed in pools of blood and +men gripped each other by the beards. The host of Islam called +out, "Peace and blessing on the Prince of Mankind and glory and +praise in the highest to the Compassionate One!" whilst the +infidels shouted, "Glory to the Cross and the Girdle and the +Vine-juice and the Presser and the Priests and the Monks and the +Festival of Palms and the Metropolitan!" Presently, Zoulmekan and +Sherkan held back and their troops gave way and feigned to +retreat before the infidels, who pursued them, deeming them +routed, and made ready to cut and thrust. Then the host of the +Muslims began to chant the first verses of the Chapter of the +Cow,[FN#98] whilst the slain were trampled under the hoofs of the +horses and the heralds of the Greeks cried out, "Ho, servants of +the Messiah! Ho, people of the True Faith! Ho, followers of the +Pope! Verily the divine grace shines upon you, for see, the hosts +of Islam incline to tree! So turn ye not your backs to them, but +let your swords bite on their necks and hold not your hands from +them, else are ye outcasts from the Messiah, son of Mary, who +spoke even in the cradle!" Thereupon Afridoun thought that the +infidels were victorious, knowing not that this was but a +stratagem of the Muslims, and sent to King Herdoub, to give him +the glad tidings of success, adding, "It was nought but the +excrement of the Arch-Patriarch that availed us, in that the +fragrance of it exhaled from the beards and moustaches of the +servants of the Cross near and far; and I swear, by the Miracles +of the Messiah and by the Waters of Baptism, that I will not +leave upon the earth a single defender of Islam!"[FN#99] So the +messenger betook himself to King Herdoub whilst the infidels +called to each other saying, "Let us take our wreak for Luca!" +and King Herdoub cried out, "Vengeance for Abrizeh!" With this, +King Zoulmekan cried out to his men, saying, "Ho, servants of the +Requiting King. up and smite the children of blasphemy and +disobedience with the white of the sword and the brown of the +spear!" So the Muslims turned upon the infidels and plied them +with the keen-edged scimitar, whilst their herald cried aloud, +"Up, ye lovers of the chosen prophet and at the enemies of the +Faith! Now is the time for those, who hope for salvation on the +Day of Fear, to win the favour of the Bountiful, the Forgiving +One, for verily Paradise is under the shadow of swords!" So +Sherkan and his men fell upon the infidels and cut off their +retreat and tourneyed among the ranks, when lo, a cavalier of +goodly presence opened a passage through the army of the Greeks +and circled hither and thither amongst them, cutting and +thrusting and covering the ground with heads and bodies, so that +the infidels feared him and their necks bent under his blows. He +was girt with two swords, that of his glances and a scimitar, and +armed with two lances, one of cane and the other the straightness +of his shape; over his shoulders flowed down his hair, whose +beauty might have stood him in stead of many warriors, even as +says the poet: + +Flowing hair, as I deem, is not fair to the sight, Except it be + spread, on the day of the fight, +O'er a youth with a spear that he giveth to drink Of the blood of + full many a beard-bearing knight. + +Or as says another: + +I turned to him, what while he girt his faulchion on, and said, + "Surely, the sabres of thy looks should stand thee in + sword's stead." +Quoth he, "The sabres of my looks I keep for those who love, My + sword for those who have no wit of passion's goodlihead." + +When Sherkan. saw him, he said to him, "Ho, champion of the +champions! I conjure thee, by the Koran and the attributes of the +Compassionate One, tell me who thou art: for verily by thy deeds +this day thou hast pleased the Requiting King, whom one thing +distracts not from another, in that thou hast discomfited the +children of impiety and disbelief." Quoth the horseman, "Thou art +he who sworest brotherhood to me but yesterday: how quickly thou +hast forgotten me!" Then he uncovered his face, so that what was +hidden of his beauty was disclosed, and lo, it was none other +than Zoulmekan! When Sherkan knew his brother, he rejoiced in +him, except that he feared for him from the throng of adversaries +and the onslaught of the champions; and this for two reasons, the +first, his tender age and exposure to the evil eye, and the +second, that his life was the mainstay of the empire. So he said +to him, "O King, thou adventurest thy life, and indeed I am in +fear for thee from the foe; so join thy horse to mine, and thou +wouldst do well not to hazard thyself forth of these squadrons, +that we may shoot at the enemy with thine unerring shaft." Quoth +Zoulmekan, "I wish to equal thee in battle and I will not spare +myself before thee in fight." Then the host of Islam rushed upon +the infidels and encompassing them on all sides, waged a right +holy war on them and broke the power of the children of impiety +and pride and corruption. King Herdoub sighed when he saw the +evil case that had fallen on the Greeks, and they turned their +backs and addressed themselves to flight, making for the ships, +when lo, there came out upon them from the sea shore a new army, +led by the Vizier Dendan, him who was wont to make the champions +bite the dust, and the Chamberlain of Syria, with twenty thousand +doughty cavaliers, and fell upon their rear with sword and spear, +whilst the army of Islam pressed them in front and flank. Then +some of the Muslims turned against those that were in the ships +and rained perditions on them, till they threw themselves into +the sea, and they slew of them much people, more than a hundred +thousand knights, nor did one of their champions escape, great or +small. Moreover, they took their ships, with all the baggage and +treasure therein, and the Muslims got that day booty, the like of +which was never gotten of time past; nor did ever ear hear of +such a battle. But twenty of the ships escaped, and amongst the +booty were fifty thousand horses, besides treasure and spoil past +count or reckoning, whereat the Muslims rejoiced with an +exceeding joy and thanked God for the aid and protection He had +vouchsafed them. + +Meanwhile, the news reached Constantinople that King Afridoun had +gotten the victory over the Muslims, and Dhat ed Dewahi said, "I +know that my son King Herdoub is no runagate and that he has +nought to fear from the hosts of Islam, but will bring the whole +world to the Nazarene faith." Then she commanded the city to be +decorated, and the people held high festival and drank wines, +knowing not what God had decreed to them. Whilst they were in the +midst of their rejoicings, behold, the raven of affliction +croaked against them and up came the twenty ships of fugitives, +amongst them the King of Caesarea. King Afridoun met them on the +sea-shore, and they told him all that had befallen them, weeping +sore and lamenting, whereupon rejoicing was turned into dismay, +and King Afridoun was filled with consternation and knew that +there was no repairing their mischance. The women gathered +together to make moan and lament: and the city was filled with +mourning; all hearts failed, whilst the hired mourners cried +aloud and weeping and wailing arose on all sides. When King +Herdoub met King Afridoun, he told him the truth of the case and +how the flight of the Muslims was but a stratagem and said to +him, "Look not to see any of the troops, save those that have +already reached thee." When Afridoun heard this, he fell down in +a swoon with his nose under his feet; and as soon as he revived +he exclaimed, "Surely the Messiah was wroth with the army, that +he delivered them thus into the hands of the Muslims!" Then came +the Arch-Patriarch sadly to King Afridoun who said to him, "O our +father, destruction hath overtaken our army and the Messiah hath +punished us." "Grieve not nor be concerned," replied the +Patriarch; "for it cannot be but that one of you has sinned +against the Messiah, and all have been punished for his sin; but +now we will read prayers for you in the churches, that the +Mohammedan hosts may be repelled from you." After this, Dhat ed +Dewahi came to Afridoun and said to him, "O King, verily the +Muslims are many, and we shall never prevail against them, save +by wile: wherefore I purpose to work upon them by stratagem and +repair to the army of Islam; haply I may be able to carry out my +intent against their leader and slay their champion, even as I +slew his father. If I succeed, not one of them shall return to +his native land, for all their strength lies in him; but I wish +to have some Christians of Syria, such as go out from time to +time to sell their goods, to help me in carrying out my plan." +"Be it so, whenas thou wilt," replied the King. So she bade fetch +a hundred men, natives of Nejran in Syria, and said to them, "Ye +have heard what has befallen the Christians with the Muslims?" +"Yes," replied they; and the King said, "This woman has devoted +herself to the Messiah and purposes to go forth with you, +disguised as Mohammedans, to work out a device, which shall +profit us and hinder the Muslim host from us: so if ye also are +willing to devote yourselves to Christ, I will give you a quintal +of gold. Those of you who escape shall have the money, and those +of you who are slain Christ will reward." "O King," replied they, +"we devote ourselves to the Messiah, and we will be thy +sacrifice." Then the old woman took drugs and simples and boiled +them in water, till the black essence of them was extracted. She +waited till it was cold, then dipped the end of a handkerchief +therein and coloured her face therewith.. Moreover she put on, +over her clothes, a long gaberdine with an embroidered border and +taking in her hand a rosary, went in to King Afridoun, who knew +her not nor did any of his companions know her, till she +discovered herself to them, when they all praised her for her +cunning and her son rejoiced and said, "May the Messiah never +fail thee!" Then she took with her the Syrian Christians, and +set out for the army of Baghdad. Now this accursed old woman was +a witch of the witches, past mistress in sorcery and deception, +knavish, crafty, debauched and perfidious, with foul breath, red +eyelids, sallow cheeks, pale face, bleared eyes, mangy body, +grizzled hair, humped back, withered complexion and running +nostrils. She had studied the scriptures of Islam and made the +pilgrimage to the Holy House of God,[FN#100] to come to the +knowledge of the Mohammedan ordinances and the doctrines of the +Koran; and she had professed Judaism in Jerusalem two years' +space, that she might perfect herself in the magical arts of men +and Jinn; so that she was a plague of plagues and a calamity of +calamities, utterly depraved and having no religion. Now the +chief reason of her sojourn with her son, King Herdoub, was on +account of the maidens at his court: for she was given to +tribadism and could not exist without it: so if any damsel +pleased her, she was wont to teach her the art and rub saffron on +her, till she fainted away for excess of pleasure. Whoso obeyed +her, she used to favour and spake interest for her with her son; +and whoso repelled her, she would contrive to destroy. This was +known to Merjaneh and Rihaneh and Utriyeh, the handmaids of +Abrizeh, and the princess loathed the old woman and abhorred to +lie with her because of the ill smell from her armpits and the +stench of her wind, more fetid than carrion, and the roughness of +her body, coarser than palm fibre. She was wont to bribe those +who served her desires with jewels and instruction; but Abrizeh +held aloof from her and sought refuge with the All-Wise, the +Omniscient; for well does the poet say: + +O thou that abasest thyself to those that are rich and great And + lordest it with disdain o'er those of low estate, +Thou that thinkest to gild thy baseness by gathering gold, The + scenting of aught that's foul skills not its stench to + abate! + +To continue. As soon as Dhat ed Dewahi had departed, her son went +in to Afridoun and said to him, "O King, we have no need of the +Chief Patriarch nor of his prayers, but will act according to my +mother's counsel and await what she will do of her craft without +end with the Muslim host, for they are on the march hither with +all their strength and will quickly be with us." When King +Afridoun heard this, terror took hold upon his heart and he wrote +letters forthright to all the countries of the Christians, +saying, "It behoves none of the followers of the Messiah or +soldiers of the Cross to hold back, especially the folk of the +citadels and strong places: but let them all come to us foot and +horse and women and children, for the Muslim hosts already tread +our soil. So hasten, hasten, ere what we fear come to pass." + +Now Dhat ed Dewahi had clad her companions in the habit of Muslim +merchants and had provided herself with a hundred mules laden +with stuffs of Antioch, such as gold woven satin and royal +brocade and so forth, and with a letter from King Afridoun to the +following effect: "These are merchants from the land of Syria, +who have been with us: so it behoves none to do them let or +hindrance nor take tithe of them, till they reach their own +country and the place of their security, for by merchants a +country flourishes and grows rich, and these are no men of war +nor evil-doers." So, as soon as she came without the city, she +said to them, "O folk, I wish to work out a plot for the +destruction of the Muslims." "O princess," replied they, "command +us what thou wilt; we are at thy disposal, and may the Messiah +prosper thy dealing!" Then she donned a gown of fine white wool +and rubbing her forehead, till she made a great mark (as of a +scar), anointed it with an ointment of her own fashion, so that +it shone greatly. Now she was lean-bodied and hollow-eyed, and +she bound her legs tightly round with cords just above her feet, +till she drew near the Muslim camp, when she unwound them, +leaving the marks of the cords deeply embedded in the flesh. Then +she anointed the weals with dragon's blood and bade her +companions beat her severely and lay her in a chest. "How can we +beat thee," replied they, "who art our sovereign lady and mother +of the supreme King?" Quoth she, "We blame not nor reproach him +who goeth to the jakes, and in time of necessity, forbidden +things become lawful. When ye have laid me in the chest, set it +on the back of one of the mules and pass on with it and the other +goods through the Muslim camp, crying aloud the profession of the +Faith of Unity.[FN#101] If any hinder you, give up the mules and +their lading and betake yourself to their king Zoulmekan and cast +yourselves on his protection, saying, 'We were in the country of +the infidels and they took nothing from us, but wrote us a +passport, that none should hinder us: so why do ye seize upon our +goods? See, here is the letter of the King of the Greeks, +commanding that none shall do us let or hindrance.' If he say to +you, 'What profit had ye of your commerce in the land of the +Greeks?' answer him, 'We profited in that it was given us to +accomplish the deliverance of a pious man, who had lain nigh +fifteen years in a dungeon under the earth, crying out for help, +yet none helped him. On the contrary, the infidels tortured him +night and day. We knew not of this: but after we had sojourned +awhile in Constantinople, having sold our goods and bought others +in their stead, we made ready to set out and return to our native +land. We spent the night before our departure, conversing about +our journey, and when the day broke, we saw a figure painted upon +the wall; and behold, as we drew nigh it, it moved and said, "O +Muslims, is there amongst you one who is minded to gain the +favour of the Lord of the two worlds?" "How so?" asked we. +"Know," replied the figure, "that God hath made me speak to you, +to the intent that your belief may be fortified and that your +faith may inspire you and that you may go forth of the country of +the infidels and repair to the camp of the Muslims. where ye shall +find the Sword of the Compassionate One, the Champion of the Age, +King Sherkan, him by whom He shall conquer Constantinople and +destroy the followers of the Christian heresy. On the third day +of your journey, you will come to [a town, in which stands] a +hermitage known as the hermitage of Metronhena. Make for it with +a pure intent and do your utmost endeavour to come into the +hermitage, for therein is a true believer from Jerusalem, by name +Abdallah, one of the holiest of men, whom God hath blessed with +supernatural powers, such as dispel doubts and obscurity. Him +certain of the monks seized by fraud and shut in an underground +dungeon, where he has lain many a year. So, if ye desire to gain +the favour of the Lord of the Faithful, ye cannot accomplish a more +acceptable work than the deliverance of this holy man." When we +heard what the figure said, we knew that this holy man was indeed +of the chiefest of the devotees and heart-whole servants of God; so +we set out and after three days' journey, came in sight of the town, +and making for it, passed the day in buying and selling, as is the +wont of merchants. As soon as the day had departed and the night was +come with the darkness, we repaired to the hermitage, wherein was +the dungeon, and presently heard the holy man chant some verses of +the Koran and repeat the following lines: + +I strive with my heart, for anguish that's well-nigh cleft in + twain, And there ebbs and flows in my bosom a flooding sea + of pain. +Indeed, there is no deliverance, and death is near at hand; Yet + death than long affliction were kinder and more fain. +O lightning, if thou visit my native land and folk, If for the + fair ones' lustre thine own red brilliance wane +Carry my salutation to those I love and say, I lie in a far Greek + dungeon and cry for help in vain. +How can I win to join them, since that the ways with wars Are + blocked and the gate of succour is barred with many a + chain?' + +When once ye have brought me into the Muslim camp," added the old +woman, "I know how I will make shift to beguile them and slay +them all, even to the last man." When the Christians heard what +she said, they kissed her hands and laid her in a chest, after +they had beaten her grievously, in obedience to her commands, +seeing it to be incumbent on them to do her bidding in this, then +made for the Muslim camp. + +Meanwhile, the Muslims sat down to converse with each other, +after they had made an end of the battle and the pillage, and +Zoulmekan said to his brother, "Verily, God hath given us the +victory, because of our just dealing and concord amongst +ourselves; wherefore, O Sherkan, do thou continue to obey my +commandment, in submission to God (to whom belong might and +majesty), for I mean to slay ten kings and fifty thousand of the +Greeks, in revenge for my father, and enter Constantinople." "My +life be thy ransom against death!" replied Sherkan. "Needs must I +follow forth the Holy War, though I tarry many a year in the +infidels' country. But, O my brother, I have in Damascus a +daughter called Kuzia Fekan, who is one of the marvels of the +time, and I love her heartily." "And I also," said Zoulmekan, +"have left my wife with child and near her time, nor do I know +what God will vouchsafe me by her. But, O my brother, promise me +that, if she bring me a son, thou wilt grant me thy daughter for +my son and pledge me thy faith thereon." "With all my heart," +replied Sherkan and put out his hand to his brother, saying, "If +thou be blessed with a son, I will give him my daughter Kuzia +Fekan to wife." At this Zoulmekan rejoiced, and they fell to +giving each other joy of the victory, whilst the Vizier Dendan +also congratulated them and said to them "Know, O Kings, that God +hath given us the victory, for that we have devoted ourselves to +Him (to whom belong might and majesty) and have left our homes +and families: and it is my counsel that we follow up the foe and +press upon them and harass them; it may be God shall bring us to +our desire and we shall destroy our enemies. If it please you, do +ye embark in the ships and sail upon the sea, whilst we fare +forward by land and bear the brunt of the battle." And he ceased +not to urge them to action, repeating the following verses: + +The goodliest of delights it is one's foes to slay And on the + backs of steeds the spoil to bear away. +Oft comes a messenger with promise of a friend, And the friend + comes himself without a trysting-day. + +And these also: + +As I live, I will make of war my mother and the spear My brother + and the sword my father, and for fere +I will take each shag-haired warrior that meets death with a + smile, As if to die in battle were e'en his wish most dear! + +"Glory be to God," continued he, "Who hath vouchsafed us His +almighty aid and hath given us spoil of silver and fine gold!" +Then Zoulmekan commanded to depart; and the army set out and +fared on, by forced marches, toward Constantinople, till they +came to a wide and blooming champaign, full of all things fair, +with wild cattle frisking and gazelles passing to and fro. Now +they had traversed great deserts and had been six days cut off +from water, when they drew near this meadow and saw therein +waters welling and trees laden with ripe fruits and the land as +it were Paradise; it had donned its adornments and decked +itself.[FN#102] The branches of its trees swayed gently to and +fro, drunken with the new wine of the dew, and therein were +conjoined the fresh sweetness of the fountains of Paradise and +the soft breathings of the zephyr. Mind and eye were confounded +with its beauty, even as says the poet: + +Look on the verdant smiling mead, with flowers and herbs beseen, + As 'twere the Spring thereon had spread a mantle all of + green. +If thou behold it with the eye of sense alone, thou'lt see Nought + but as 'twere a lake wherein the water waves, I ween: +But with thy mind's eye look; thou'lt see a glory in the trees + And lo' amidst the boughs above, the waving banners' sheen! + +Or as another says: + +The river's a cheek that the sun has rosy made; For ringlets it + borrows the cassia's creeping shade. +The water makes anklets of silver about the legs Of the boughs, + and the flowers for crowns o'er all are laid. + +When Zoulmekan saw this champaign, with its thick-leaved trees +and its blooming flowers and warbling birds, he turned to his +brother Sherkan and said to him, "O my brother, verily Damascus +hath not in it the like of this place. We will abide here three +days, that we may rest ourselves and that the troops may regain +strength and their souls be fortified to encounter the accursed +infidels." So they halted and pitched their camp there. +Presently, they heard a noise of voices afar, and Zoulmekan +enquiring the cause thereof, was told that a caravan of Syrian +merchants had halted there to rest and that the Muslim troops had +come on them and had haply seized some of their goods, that they +had brought from the country of the infidels. After awhile, up +came the merchants, crying out and appealing to the King for +redress. So Zoulmekan bade bring them before him, and they said +to him, "O King, we have been in the country of the infidels and +they spoiled us of nothing: why then do our brothers the Muslims +despoil us of our goods, and that in their own country? When we +saw your troops, we went up to them, thinking no evil, and they +robbed us of what we had with us." Then they brought out to him +the letter of the King of Constantinople, and Sherkan took it and +reading it, said to them, "We will restore you what has been +taken from you; but it behoved you not to carry merchandise to +the country of the infidels." "O our lord," replied they, "of a +truth, God moved us to go thither, that we might win what never +champion won the like of, no, not even thou in ail thy battles." +"What was it that ye won?" asked Sherkan. "O King," replied they, +"we will not tell thee, except in private; for if this thing be +noised among the folk, it may come to the ears of the King of +Constantinople, and this will be the cause of our ruin and of the +ruin of all Muslims that resort to the land of the Greeks." (Now +they had hidden the chest wherein was Dhat ed Dewahi.) So +Zoulmekan and his brother brought them to a private place, where +they repeated to him the story of the devotee, even as the old +woman had lessoned them, and wept till they made the two kings +weep. There withal Sherkan's heart yearned to the devotee and he +was moved to pity for him and zeal for the service of God the +Most High. So he said to the Syrians, "Did ye rescue the holy man +or is he still in the hermitage?" Quoth they, "We delivered him +and slew the hermit, fearing for ourselves; after which we made +haste to fly, for fear of death; but a trusty man told us that in +this hermitage are quintals of gold and silver and jewels." Then +they fetched the chest and brought out the accursed old woman, as +she were a cassia[FN#103] pod, for excess of blackness and +leanness, and laden with fetters and shackles. When Zoulmekan and +the bystanders saw her, they took her for a man of the dower of +God's servants and the most excellent of devotees, more by token +of the shining of her forehead for the ointment with which she +had anointed it. So Zoulmekan and Sherkan wept sore and kissed +her hands and feet, sobbing aloud: but she signed to them and +said, "Give over weeping and hear my words." So they left +weeping, in obedience to her, and she said, "Know that I was +content to accept what my Lord did unto me, knowing that the +affliction that befell me was a trial from Him (to whom belong +might and majesty); since that for him who is not patient under +trial and affliction there is no coming to the delights of +Paradise. I had indeed besought Him that I might return to my +native land, yet not for impatience of the sufferings decreed to +me, but that I might die under the hoofs of the horses of the +warriors of the Faith, who, being slain in battle, live again +without suffering death,"[FN#104]; and she repeated the following +couplets: + +The fortress[FN#105] is Sinai's self and the fire of war burns + free, And thou art Moses and this the time appointed to + thee. +Throw down thy rod, for lo, it shall swallow up all they make! + And fear not; I trow the ropes of the folk no serpents + be.[FN#106] +Read thou the lines of the foe for chapters,[FN#107] the day of + the fight, And let thy sword mark on their necks the verses, + what while they flee. + +Then her eyes ran over with tears and her forehead shone like +gleaming light, and Sherkan rose and kissed her hand and caused +food to be set before her: but she refused it, saying, "I have +not broken my fast (till sunset) for fifteen years; and how +should I do so now, whenas my Lord hath been bountiful to me in +delivering me from the captivity of the infidels and doing away +from me that which was more grievous than the fiery torment? I +will wait till sun down." So at nightfall Sherkan and Zoulmekan +came to her with food and said, "Eat, O pious man." But she said, +"This is no time for eating; it is the hour for doing my service +to the Requiting King." Then she took up her station in the +prayer-niche and stood praying till the night was spent; and she +ceased not to do thus for three days and nights, sitting not but +at the time of salutation.[FN#108] When Zoulmekan saw this her +behaviour, belief in her took firm hold upon his heart and he +said to Sherkan, "Cause a tent of perfumed leather to be pitched +for this holy man and appoint a servant to wait upon him." On the +fourth day, she called for food; so they brought her all kinds of +meats that could allure the sense or delight the eye; but of all +this she ate but one cake of bread with salt. Then she turned +again to her fast, and when the night came, she rose anew to +pray: and Sherkan said to Zoulmekan, "Verily, this man carries +renunciation of the world to the utmost extreme, and were it not +for this holy war, I would join myself to him and worship God in +his service, till I came before His presence. And now I would +fain enter his tent and talk with him awhile." "And I also," said +Zoulmekan. "To-morrow we sally forth against Constantinople, and +we shall find no time like the present." "And I also," said the +Vizier Dendan, "desire to see this holy man; haply he will pray +for me that I may find my death in this holy war and come to the +presence of my Lord, for I am weary of the world." So as soon as +night had darkened on them, they repaired to the tent of the +witch Dhat et Dewahi and finding her standing praying, fell +a-weeping, for pity of her: but she paid no heed to them till the +night was half spent, when she ended her devotions by pronouncing +the salutation (to the guardian angels). Then she turned to them +and greeted them, saying, "Wherefore come ye?" "O holy man," said +they, "didst thou not hear us weeping round thee?" "To him who +stands before God," replied she, "there remains nor sight nor +hearing for the things of this world." Quoth they, "We would have +thee tell us the manner of thy captivity and offer up prayer for +us this night, for that will profit us more than the possession +of Constantinople." "By Allah," answered she, "were ye not the +leaders of the Muslims, I would not tell you aught of this; for I +complain not but to God alone. However, to you I will relate the +circumstance of my captivity. Know, then, that I was in Jerusalem +with certain saints and ecstatics, and did not magnify myself +among them, for that God had endowed me with humility and +abnegation, till one night I chanced to go down to the lake and +walked upon the water. There withal there entered into me pride, +whence I know not, and I said to myself, 'Who can walk upon the +water, like unto me?' And from that time my heart became hardened +and God afflicted me with the love of travel. So I journeyed to +the land of the Greeks and visited it in every part during a +whole year, leaving no place but I worshipped God therein. When I +came to the place (where the Syrians found me) I ascended the +mountain and saw there a hermitage, inhabited by a monk called +Metrouhena. When he saw me, he came out to me and kissed my hands +and feet, saying, 'Verily, I have seen thee, since thou camest +into the land of the Greeks, and thou hast filled me with longing +for the land of Islam.' Then he took my hand and carrying me into +the hermitage, brought me to a dark place, where he took me +unawares and locking the door on me, left me there forty days, +without meat or drink; for it was his intent to kill me by +starvation. One day it chanced that a knight called Decianus came +to the hermitage, accompanied by ten squires and his daughter +Temathil, a girl of incomparable beauty. The monk told them of +me, and Decianus said, 'Bring him out, for surely there is not a +bird's meal of flesh left on him.' So they opened the door of the +dungeon and found me standing erect in the niche, praying and +reciting the Koran and glorifying God and humbling myself to Him. +When they saw this, the monk exclaimed, 'This man is indeed a +sorcerer of the sorcerers!' Then they all came in on me, and +Decianus and his company beat me grievously, till I desired death +and reproached myself, saying, 'This is the reward of him who +glorifies himself and takes credit for that which God hath +bestowed upon him, beyond his own competence! For, indeed, my +soul, pride and arrogance have crept into thee. Dost thou not +know that pride angers the Lord and hardens the heart and brings +men to the fire?' Then they laid me in fetters and returned me to +my place, which was a dungeon under the earth. Every three days, +they threw me down a cake of barley-bread and a draught of water; +and every month or two, came Decianus to the hermitage, with his +daughter Temathil, who is now grown up, for when I first saw her, +she was nine years old, and I abode fifteen years in the dungeon, +so that she must be now four-and twenty years of age. There is +not in our land nor in the land of the Greeks a fairer than she, +and her father feared lest the King (of Constantinople) should +take her from him; for she had vowed herself to the service of +the Messiah and rode with Decianus in the habit of a cavalier, so +that none who saw her knew her for a woman. In this hermitage her +father had laid up his treasures, for all who had aught of price +were wont to deposit it there, and I saw there all manner of gold +and silver and jewels and precious vessels and rarities, none may +keep count of them save God the Most High. Ye are more worthy of +these riches than the infidels; so do ye lay hands on that which +is in the hermitage and divide it among the Muslims, and +especially among those who wage the holy war. When these +merchants came to Constantinople and sold their merchandise, the +image on the wall spoke to them, by God's special grace to me; so +they made for the hermitage and tortured Metrouhena, after the +most grievous fashion, and dragged him by the beard, till he +showed them where I was, when they took me and fled for fear of +death. To-morrow, Temathil will visit the hermitage as of wont, +and her father and his squires will come after her, to protect +her: so, an ye would be witness of these things, take me with you +and I will deliver to you the treasure and the riches of the +knight Decianus, that are stored up in that mountain; for I saw +them bring out vessels of gold and silver to drink in and heard a +damsel of their company sing to them in Arabic. Alas, that so +sweet a voice should not be busied in reciting the Koran! So, an +ye will, I will bring you to the hermitage and ye shall hide +there, against the coming of Decianus and his daughter. Then take +her, for she is only fit for the king of the age, Sherkan, or for +King Zoulmekan." When they heard her words, they all rejoiced, +with the exception of the Vizier Dendan, who put no faith in her +story, for her words took no hold on his reason and he was +confounded at her discourse and signs of doubt and disbelief +appeared in his face; but he feared to speak with her, for awe of +the King. Then she said, "I fear lest Decianus come and seeing +the troops encamped here, be afraid to enter the hermitage." So +Zoulmekan resolved to despatch the army towards Constantinople +and said, "I mean to take a hundred horse and many mules and make +for the mountain, where we will load the mules with the +treasure." Then he sent for the Chamberlain and for the captains +of the Turks and Medes and said to them, 'As soon as it is day, +do ye strike camp and set out for Constantinople. Thou, O +Chamberlain, shall fill my place in council and command, and +thou, O Rustem, shalt be my brother's deputy in battle. Let none +know that we are not with you, and after three days we will +rejoin you." Then he chose out a hundred of the stoutest +cavaliers, and he and Sherkan and Dendan set out for the +hermitage, with mules and chests for the transport of the +treasure. As soon as it was morning, the Chamberlain gave the +signal for departure, and the troops set out, thinking that the +two Kings and the Vizier were with them. Now the Syrians that +were with Dhat ed Dewahi had taken their departure privily, after +they had gone in to her and kissed her hands and feet and gotten +her leave and taken her orders. Then she waited till it was dark +night and going in to Zoulmekan and his companions, said to them, +"Come, let us set out for the mountain, and take with you a few +men." They obeyed her and left five horsemen at the foot of the +mountain, whilst the rest rode on before Dhat ed Dewahi, to whom +new strength seemed given for excess of joy, so that Zoulmekan +said to his companions, "Glory be to God who sustains this holy +man, whose like we never saw!" Now she had written a letter to +the King of Constantinople and despatched it by a carrier-pigeon, +acquainting him with what had passed and adding, "Do thou send me +ten thousand horsemen of the stoutest of the Greeks and let them +come stealthily along the foot of the mountains, lest the Muslim +host get sight of them, to the hermitage and hide themselves +there, till I come to them with the Muslim King and his brother, +for I have inveigled them and will bring them thither, together +with the Vizier Dendan and a hundred horse, no more, that I may +deliver to them the crosses that are in the hermitage. I am +resolved to slay the monk Metrouhena, since my scheme cannot be +carried out but at the cost of his life. If my plot work well, +not one of the Muslims shall return to his own country, no, not a +living soul nor a blower of the fire; and Metrouhena shall be a +sacrifice for the followers of the Christian faith and the +servants of the Cross, and praise be to the Messiah, first and +last!" When this letter reached Constantinople, the keeper of the +pigeons carried it to King Afridoun, who read it and forthwith +equipped ten thousand cavaliers with horses and dromedaries and +mules and victual and bade them repair to the hermitage and hide +there; and they did as he commanded them. Meanwhile. when +Zoulmekan and his companions reached the hermitage, they entered +and met the monk Metrouhena, who came out to see who they were; +whereupon quoth Dhat ed Dewahi, "Slay this accursed fellow.' So +they fell on him with their swords and made him drink the cup of +death. Then the accursed old woman carried them to the place of +offerings[FN#109] and brought out to them treasures and precious +things, more than she had promised them, which they laid in +chests and loaded the mules therewith. As for Temathil and her +father, they came not, for fear of the Muslims, and Zoulmekan +tarried there, awaiting her, the whole of that day and two more, +till Sherkan said to him, "By Allah, I am troubled at heart for +the army of Islam, for I know not what is come of them." "And I +also am concerned for them," replied Zoulmekan. "We have come by +a great treasure and I do not believe that Temathil or any one +else will come to the hermitage, after that which has befallen +the host of the Christians. So we should do well to content +ourselves with what God has given us and depart; and haply He +will help us break open Constantinople." So they came down from +the mountain, for Dhat ed Dewahi dared not gainsay them, for fear +of betraying herself, and rode on till they reached the head of a +defile, in which the old woman had laid an ambush for them with +the ten thousand horse. As soon as the latter saw them, they made +at them from all sides, couching their lances and baring their +sabres, whilst they shouted the watchword of their infidel faith +and set the arrows of their mischief to the strings. + +When Zoulmekan saw them, he was ware that they were a mighty host +and said, "Who can have given these troops advice of us?" "O my +brother," replied Sherkan, "this is no time for talking, but for +smiting with swords and shooting with arrows; so gird up your +courage and strengthen your hearts, for this pass is like a +street with two gates: though, by the virtue of the Lord of the +Arabs and the Persians, were not the place so strait, I would +bring them to nought, though they were a hundred thousand men!" + +"Had we known this," said Zoulmekan, "we would have brought with +us five thousand horse." "If we had ten thousand," rejoined the +Vizier, "they would avail ail us nothing in this narrow place: +but God will succour us against them. I know this defile and its +straitness, and there are many places of refuge in it; for I have +been here on an expedition with King Omar ben Ennuman, what while +we laid siege to Constantinople. We camped in this place, and +there is here water colder than snow. So come, let us win? out of +this pass ere the infidels increase on us and get the start of us +to the mountain-top, that they may hurl down rocks upon us and we +be powerless to come at them." So they hurried on, to get out of +the defile: but Dhat ed Dewahi looked at them and said, "What is +it ye fear, ye who have vowed yourselves to God the Most High, to +work His will? By Allah, I was imprisoned underground for fifteen +years, yet never gainsaid I God in aught He did with me! Fight ye +in the way of God; whoso of ye is killed, Paradise shall be his +abode, and whoso kills, his endeavour shall be for his glory." +When they heard her words, their concern and anxiety ceased from +them and they stood firm, awaiting the onset of the infidels, who +fell on them from all sides, whilst the swords played upon their +necks and the cup of death went round amongst them. + +The Muslims fought right valiantly for the service of God and +wrought upon His enemies with stroke of sword and push of pike; +whilst Zoulmekan smote upon the men and made the champions bite +the dust and their heads fly from their bodies, five by five and +ten by ten, till he had done to death a number of them past +count. Presently, he looked at the old woman and saw her waving +her sword and heartening them, and all who feared fled to her for +shelter; but (in secret) she was beckoning to the infidels to +kill Sherkan. So troop after troop rushed on him to slay him: but +each troop he charged and drove back, with the sword in their +loins; and indeed he thought it was the holy man's blessing that +gave him the victory over them and said in himself, "Verily God +looks on this holy man with eyes of favour and strengthens my +prowess against the infidels with the purity of his intent: for I +see that they fear me and cannot stand against me, but every one +who attacks me turns tail and flees." So they battled the rest of +the day, and when the night fell, the Muslims took refuge in a +cave, being hard pressed and weary with stress of battle; and +five-and-forty of them were slain that day by rocks that the +infidels rolled down on them. When they were gathered together, +they sought the devotee, but could find no trace of him. This was +grievous to them and they said, "Belike, he hath died a martyr." +Quoth Sherkan "I saw him heartening the men with divine instances +and sacring them with verses of the Koran." Whilst they were +talking, behold, the accursed old woman stood before them, with +the head of the captain of the ten thousand horse, a noble +knight, a fierce champion and an obstinate devil, in her hand. +Now one of the Turks had slain him with an arrow, and God hurried +his soul to the fire: and when the infidels saw what the Muslim +had done with their leader, they all fell on him and hewed him in +pieces with their swords, and God hastened with his soul to +Paradise. Then the old woman cut off the knight's head and +carrying it to Sherkan and Zoulmekan and the Vizier, threw it at +their feet; whereupon Sherkan exclaimed, "Praised be God that we +see thee in safety, O holy man and devout champion of the Faith!" +"O my son," replied she, "I have sought a martyr's death this +day, throwing myself midmost the host of the infidels, but they +feared me. When ye separated, a holy jealousy seized me for you; +so I rushed on the knight their captain, though he was reckoned a +match for a thousand horse, and smote him and severed his head +from his body. Not one of the infidels could come near me, so I +took his head and have brought it to you, that you may be +heartened in the holy strife and work out the will of the Lord of +the Faithful with your swords. And now I will leave you to strive +against the infidels, whilst I go to your army, though they be at +the gates of Constantinople, and return with twenty thousand +horse to destroy these unbelievers." Quoth Sherkan, "How wilt +thou win to them, O holy man, seeing that the valley is blocked +up by the infidels on all sides?" "God will veil me from their +eyes," replied she, "and they shall not see me; nor if any saw +me, would he dare to attack me, for I shall be absorbed in God +and He will fend off His enemies from me." "Thou sayst sooth, O +holy man," rejoined Sherkan, "for indeed I have been witness of +this; so, if thou canst set out at the first of the night, it +will be the better for us." "I will set out forthright," replied +she; "and, an thou wilt, thou shalt go with me, and none shall +see thee. If thy brother also have a mind to go, we will take +him, but none else; for the shadow of a saint can cover but two." +"As for me," said Sherkan, "I will not leave my comrades; but, if +my brother please, he will do well to go with thee and win free +of this strait; for he is the stronghold of the Muslims and the +sword of the Lord of the two worlds; and if it be his pleasure, +let him take with him the Vizier Dendan, or whom else he may +choose, and send us ten thousand horse to succour us against +these villains." So they agreed to this and Dhat ed Dewahi said, +"Wait till I go on before you and look if the infidels be asleep +or awake." Quoth they, "We will go with thee and trust our affair +to God." "If I do your bidding," replied she, "do not blame me, +but blame yourselves; for it is my counsel that you wait till I +have spied you out the state of the case." Then said Sherkan, "Go +and return quickly, for we shall be awaiting thee." So she went +out and Sherkan turned to his brother and said, "Were not this +holy man a miracle-worker, he had never slain yonder doughty +knight. This is a sufficient measure of his power, and indeed the +strength of the infidels is broken by the slaying of their +leader, for he was a fierce warrior and a stubborn devil." Whilst +they were thus devising of the power of the devotee, behold, the +cursed old woman returned and promised them victory over the +unbelievers; whereupon they thanked her, and she said, "Where is +the king of the age Zoulmekan?" "Here am I," replied he. "Take +thy Vizier," said she, "and follow me, that we may win out to +Constantinople." Now she had acquainted the infidels with the +cheat she had put on the Muslims, and they rejoiced mightily and +said, "We shall not be content till we have slain their king in +return for the death of our general; for we had no stouter +cavalier than he; but when thou bringest him to us, we will carry +him to King Afridoun." Then she went out with Zoulmekan and +Dendan and walked on before them, saying, "Fare on with the +blessing of the Most High God!" They did as she bade them, for +the arrow of fate and destiny had fallen on them, and she led +them on, through the midst of the Christian camp, till they came +to the narrow pass aforesaid. Whilst the enemy watched them, but +did them no hindrance; for the old woman had enjoined this on +them. When Zoulmekan and Dendan saw that the infidels did them no +hindrance, the Vizier exclaimed, "By Allah, this is one of the +holy man's miracles! Without doubt he is of the elect." "By +Allah," said Zoulmekan, "I think the infidels must be blind, for +we see them, and they see us not." Whilst they were thus praising +the holy man and recounting his virtues, behold, the infidels +fell upon them from all sides and seized them, saying, "Is there +any one else with you, that we may seize upon him?" Quoth Dendan, +"See ye not yon other man that is before us?" "By the Messiah and +the Monks and the Primate and the Metropolitan," replied they, +"we see none but you!" And Zoulmekan said, "By Allah, this is a +chastisement decreed to us by God!" Then the Christians laid +shackles on their feet and set men to guard them during the +night, whilst Dhat ed Dewahi fared on and disappeared from their +sight. So they fell to lamenting and said, "Verily, the +gainsaying of pious men leads to greater stress than this, and we +are punished by the strait into which we have fallen." + +Meanwhile, Sherkan passed the night in the cavern with his +companions, and when the day broke, he arose and prayed the +morning-prayer. Then he and his men made ready to do battle with +the infidels, and he encouraged them and promised them all good. +Then they sallied out against the Christians, who cried out to +them from afar as soon as they saw them, saying, "O Muslims, we +have taken your Sultan and your Vizier that has the ordering of +your affairs; and except ye leave fighting us, we will slay you +to the last man, but if ye yield to us, we will take you to our +king, who will make peace with you, on condition that you leave +our country and return to your own land and do us no harm, and we +will do you no harm. If you accept, it will be well for you; but +if you refuse, you have nothing to hope for but death. So now we +have told you, and this is our last word to you." When Sherkan +heard this and was certified of the captivity of his brother and +the Vizier Dendan, he was greatly troubled and wept; his strength +failed him and he made sure of death, saying inwardly, "I wonder +what was the cause of their capture? Did they fail of respect to +the holy man or disobey him, or what?" Then they rushed upon the +unbelievers and slew great plenty of them. The valiant, that day, +was known from the faint-hearted, and the swords and spears were +dyed with blood; for the infidels flocked on them from all sides, +as flies flock to wine; but Sherkan and his men ceased not to +wage the fight of those who fear not death nor let it hinder them +from the pursuit of victory, till the valley ran with blood and +the earth was full of the slain. So fought they on till +nightfall, when the two parties separated, each to his own place, +and the Muslims returned to the grotto, where both victory and +loss were manifest to them, and there was no dependence for them +but on God and the sword. That day there had been slain of them +five-and-thirty men of the chief amirs, and they had put to the +sword thousands of the infidels, both horse and foot. When +Sherkan saw this, the case was grievous to him, and he said to +his comrades, "What shall we do?" "That which God wills," replied +they. On the morning of the second day, Sherkan said to the +remnant of his troop, "If ye go forth to fight, not one of you +will remain alive and we have but little food and water left; so +meseems ye would do better to draw your swords and stand at the +door of the cavern, to hinder any from entering. Peradventure the +holy man may have traversed the Christian host, without being +seen of the unbelievers, and may win to Constantinople and return +with ten thousand horse, to succour us against the infidels." +"This is the better course," replied they, "and there is no doubt +of its expediency." So they went out and held the opening of the +grotto, standing in its sides; and every one of the infidels who +sought to come in, they slew. Thus did they fend off the enemy +from the door of the cavern and make head against all their +assaults, till the day departed and the night came with the +shadows, by which time King Sherkan had but five-and-twenty men +left. Then said the Christians to each other, "When shall these +battles have an end? We are weary of fighting the Muslims." And +one of them said, "Up and let us fall on them, for there be but +five-and-twenty and of them left. If we cannot prevail on them to +fight, let us light a fire upon them; and if they submit and +yield themselves up, we will take them prisoners: else we will +leave them to serve as fuel to the fire, so that they shall +become a warning to men of understanding. May the Messiah not +have mercy on their fathers and may the sojourn of the Christians +be no abiding-place for them!" So they repaired to the cavern and +heaping up faggots in the door-way, set fire to them. Thereupon, +Sherkan and his companions made sure of death and yielded +themselves up. The unbelievers thought to kill them, but the +knight their captain said to those who counselled this, "It is +for none but King Afridoun to kill them, that he may quench +thereby his thirst for vengeance; wherefore it behoves us to keep +them prisoners till the morrow, when we will journey with them to +Constantinople and deliver them to King Afridoun, who shall deal +with them as he pleases." "This is the right course," replied +they; and he commanded to pinion the prisoners and set guards +over them. Then, as soon as it was dark, the infidels gave +themselves up to feasting and merry-making and called for wine +and drank, till they all fell backward. Presently, Sherkan turned +to his brother Zoulmekan and said to him "My brother, how shall +we get free?" "By Allah," replied Zoulmekan, "I know not; for we +are here like birds in a cage." At this Sherkan was angry and +sighed for excess of wrath and stretched himself, till his bonds +broke; whereupon he went up to the captain of the guard and +taking from his bosom the keys of the fetters, freed Zoulmekan +and Dendan and the rest of the prisoners. Then said he, "Let us +slay three of these infidels and don their clothes, we three; so +shall we be disguised as Greeks and pass through them without +their knowing us, and win out to our army." "This is no safe +counsel," replied Zoulmekan "for if we kill them, I fear some of +their comrades may hear their groans and the enemy he roused upon +us and kill us. It were better to make our way out of the pass." +So they agreed upon this and set out. When they had left the head +of the defile a little way behind, they saw horses picketed and +their riders sleeping by them: and Sherkan said to his brother, +"Let us each take one of these steeds." So they took five- +and-twenty horses, one for each man, and mounted and rode on +till they were out of reach, whilst God sent sleep upon the +infidels for a secret purpose of His own. Meanwhile, Sherkan +gathered as many swords and spears as he could from the sleepers +and faring on after his comrades, found them awaiting him, on +coals of fire on his account, and said to them, "Have no fear, +since God protects us. I have that to propose, which meseems will +advantage us." "What is it?" asked they, and he said, "It is that +we all climb to the mountain-top and cry out with one voice, 'God +is most great! The army of Islam is upon you! God is most great!' +If we do this, their company will surely be dissolved, for they +are too drunken to find out the trick, but will think that the +Muslim troops have encompassed them on all sides and have become +mingled with them; so they will fall on one another with their +swords, in the confusion of drunkenness and sleep, and we will +cleave them asunder with their own brands and the sword will go +round amongst them till the morning." "This plan is not good," +replied Zoulmekan. "We should do better to make our way to our +army and keep silence; for, if we cry out, 'God is most great!' +they will wake and fall on us, and not one of us will escape." +"By Allah," rejoined Sherkan, "though they be roused on us, I +desire urgently that ye fall in with my plan, for nothing but +good can come of it." So they agreed and ascending the mountain, +shouted out, "God is most great!" And the hills and trees and +stones cried out with them, "God is most great!" for the fear of +the Almighty. When the unbelievers heard this, they started up +from sleep and did on their armour, crying out to one another and +saying, "By the Messiah, the enemy is upon us." Then they fell +on each other and slew of their own men more than any knows save +God the Most High. As soon as it was day, they sought for the +captives, but found them not, and their captains said, "It +was the prisoners who did this; so up and hasten after them, +till ye overtake them, when we will make them quaff the cup of +punishment; and let not trouble nor panic possess you." So they +sprang to horse and rode after the fugitives, nor was it long +before they overtook them and surrounded them. Wheu Zoulmekan saw +this, he was seized with terror and said to his brother, "What I +feared is come upon us, and now it only remains for us to fight +for the faith." But Sherkan held his peace. Then Zoulmekan and +his companions rushed down from the hill-top, crying out, "God is +most great!" and addressed themselves to fight and sell their +lives in the service of the Lord of the Faithful, when, behold, +they heard many voices crying out, "There is no god but God! God +is most great! Peace and salvation upon the Bringer of Glad +Tidings, the Admonisher of Mankind!"[FN#110] So they turned +towards the sound and saw a company of Muslims pricking towards +them, whereupon their courage revived and Sherkan ran at the +Christians, crying out, "There is no god but God! God is most +great!" so that the earth shook as with an earthquake and the +unbelievers broke asunder and fled into the mountains, whither +the Muslims followed them with sword and spear and made their +heads fly from their bodies, till the day departed and the night +came with the darkness. Then the Muslims drew together and passed +the night rejoicing; and when the day broke and the morning arose +with its light and shone, they saw Behram, the captain of the +Medes, and Rustem, the captain of the Turks, advancing to join +them, with twenty thousand cavaliers, as they were fierce lions. +As soon as they saw Zoulmekan, the chiefs dismounted and saluting +him, kissed the earth before him; and he said to them, "Rejoice +ye in the glad news of the victory of the Muslims and the +discomfiture of the unbelievers!" Then they gave each other joy +of their deliverance and of the greatness of the reward that +awaited them in the world to come. + +Now the manner of the coming of the succours was as follows. +When Behram and Rustem and the Chamberlain came in sight +of Constantinople, with the Muslim army, they saw that the +Christians had manned the walls and towers and set all their +strengths in order of defence, for that they knew of the approach +of the host of Islam, through the craft and perfidy of the old +woman Dhat ed Dewahi. So, when they heard the clash of arms and +tramp of horse-hoofs and saw the Mohammedan standards and the +ensigns of the Faith of the Unity of God emerging from the +dust-clouds and heard the voices of the Muslims chanting the +Koran aloud and glorifying the Compassionate One, and the army of +Islam drew near, as it were the swollen sea, for the multitude of +footmen and horsemen and women and children, they poured forth +like a flight of locusts or the streaming of water from the +rain-clouds; and the captain of the Turks said to the captain of +the Medes, "O Amir, of a truth, we are in jeopardy from the +multitude of the foe on the walls. Look at yonder forts and at +the folk like the tempestuous sea with its clashing billows. +Indeed the infidels out-number us a hundred times and we cannot +be sure but that some spy may inform them that we are without a +leader. Verily, we are in peril from these enemies, whose number +may not be told and whose extent is limitless, especially in the +absence of King Zoulmekan and his brother Sherkan and the +illustrious Vizier Dendan. If they know of this, they will be +emboldened to attack us in their absence and will cut off us to +the last man; not one of us will escape alive. So it is my +counsel that we each take ten thousand horse and repair to the +hermitage of Metrouhena and the Meadow of Meloukhna in quest of +our brothers and our chiefs. If thou follow my counsel, it may be +we shall be the cause of their deliverance, in case they be hard +pressed by the infidels; and if not, no blame will rest on me. +But, if we go, it were well that we return quickly, for suspicion +is part of prudence." The other fell in with his counsel; so they +chose twenty thousand horse and set out for the hermitage by +cross roads. + +To return to Dhat ed Dewahi. As soon as she had delivered +Zoulmekan and his companions into the hands of the infidels, she +mounted a swift horse, saying to the Christians, "I mean to +rejoin the Muslim army before Constantinople and contrive for +their destruction; for I will tell them that their chiefs are +dead, and when they hear this, their alliance will be dissolved +and their confederation broken up and their host dispersed. Then +will I go to King Afridoun and my son King Herdoub, and they will +sally forth on them with their troops and destroy them, nor leave +one of them alive." So she mounted and fared on across country +all that night, and at daybreak, she sighted the army of Behram +and Rustem advancing towards her. So she turned aside into a +wayside copse and alighting there, hid her horse among the trees, +saying to herself, "Belike they are returning, routed, from the +assault of Constantinople." However, as she drew near, she saw +that their standards were not reversed and knew that they were +not retreating because of defeat, but that they feared for their +king and their chiefs. When she was assured of this, she hastened +up to them, running at the top of her speed, like a stubborn +Satan as she was, and cried out, "Hasten, O soldiers of the +Merciful One, hasten to the holy war against the hosts of Satan!" +When Behram saw her, he dismounted and kissing the earth before +her, said, "What is behind thee, O friend of God?"[FN#111] "Do +not ask of evil case and sore disasters," answered she. "Know +that, when our comrades had taken the treasure from the hermitage +and were on their way back to Constantinople, there came out on +them a great host and a fierce of unbelievers." And she repeated +to them the story, in such wise as to fill them with trouble and +terror, and added, "The most of them are dead, and there are but +five-and-twenty left." "O holy man," said Behram, "when didst +thou leave them?" "But last night," replied she. "Glory be to +God," exclaimed he, "Who hath rolled up the distance for thee +like a carpet, so that thou hast sped thus, walking upon thy feet +and leant upon a palm-tree staff! But thou art one of the friends +of God, that fly like birds, when possessed by the stress of His +commandment!" Then he mounted his horse, perplexed and confounded +for that which he had heard from the lying old beldam and saying, +"There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High! Verily +our labour is lost and our hearts are heavy within us, for our +king is a prisoner and those who are with him!" Then they fared +on in haste and stayed not the whole of that day and night, till +at daybreak they reached the head of the pass and heard Zoulmekan +and Sherkan shouting, "There is no god but God! God is most +great!" Whereupon they drove at the unbelievers and overwhelmed +them, as the torrent overwhelms the plains, shouting out their +war-cries, till the stoutest champions were affrighted and the +mountains were cloven by the noise. On the morrow, they +foregathered with Zoulmekan, and each recognised the other as has +been before set out. Then they kissed the earth before the King +and his brother Sherkan, and the latter told them all that had +befallen him and his men in the grotto, whereat they marvelled +and said, "Hasten back with us to Constantinople, for we left our +companions there, and our hearts are with them." So they made +haste to depart, commending themselves to the Subtle, the +All-wise; and Zoulmekan exhorted the Muslims to steadfastness, +reciting the following verses: + +To thee be the praise, O Thou that meritest thanks and praise! + And mayest Thou never cease to succour me all my days! +I grew up in exile, but Thou, my God, wast ever my friend. 'Twas + Thou didst decree me success and broughtest me forth of the + maze. +Thou hast given me lordship and wealth and fortune and girded my + midst With the falchion of valour and wreathed my forehead + with victory's bays. +Thou hast shadowed me under Thy wings and made me to prosper + amain And hast graced me with favours untold, of Thy + bounties abounding always: +Thou hast saved me from all that I feared, by the counsel of him + whom I trust, The Vizier and chief of the chiefs, the hero + and pride of our days. +By Thy favour we fell on the Greeks and smote them with sword and + with spear; But again to the fight they returned, in + garments blood-red for affrays. +So I feigned to be routed and flee and give back from the fight; + then I turned On the toe, as the fierce lion turns on the + hunters, that find him at gaze. +I left them laid low on the plain, as 'twere they were drunken + with wine, Not the wine that is pressed from the grape, but + that of death's cup of amaze; +Whilst their ships all fell under our hand and ours was the + empery grown: From the East to the West, sea and shore, we + were lords of the lands and the ways. +Then there came to our camp the recluse, the saint, whose + miraculous power Is blazoned in desert and town, wherever + the sun sheds its rays. +He joined us, his vengeance to wreak on all that believe not in + God. Indeed, it is known to the folk what came of our strife + and our frays. +They slew of us some, but they woke on the morrow in Paradise, + Each lodged in a palace on high, whereunder a river strays. + +When Zoulmekan had made an end of reciting these verses, his +brother Sherkan gave him joy of his safety and praise for that he +had done; after which they set out by forced marches to rejoin +their army. + +Meanwhile, Dhat ed Dewahi, after she had spoken with Rustem and +Behram, returned to the coppice, where she took her horse and +mounting, sped on, till she drew near the host of the Muslims +that lay leaguer before Constantinople, when she lighted down +from her steed and led it to the Chamberlain's pavilion. When he +saw her, he signed to her with his hand and said, "Welcome, O +pious recluse!" Then he questioned her of what had befallen, and +she repeated to him her disquieting and deluding report, saying, +"Indeed I fear for the Amirs Rustem and Behram, for that I met +them on the way and sent them and their following to the King and +his companions. They are but twenty thousand horse, and the +unbelievers are more in number than they; so I would now have +thee send of the rest of thy troops in haste to their succour, +lest they be slain to the last man." And she said to them +"Hasten! Hasten!" When the Chamberlain and the Muslims heard +these her words, their hearts sank within them and they wept; but +she said to them, "Ask aid of God and be patient under this +affliction, taking example by those that have been before you of +the people of Islam, for God hath prepared Paradise, with its +palaces, for those who die martyrs; and needs must all die, but +death is most praiseworthy, when it comes in fighting for the +Faith." When the Chamberlain heard this speech of the accursed +old woman, he called for the Amir Behram's brother, a cavalier +named Terkash, and choosing out for him ten thousand intrepid +veterans, bade him set out at once. So he departed forthright and +marched all that day and the next night, till he neared the +Muslims. When the day dawned, Sherkan saw the dust of them and +feared for his companions, saying, "If these troops that are +nearing us be Muslims, our victory is assured; but if they be +Christians, there is no gainsaying the decrees of Fate." Then he +turned to his brother Zoulmekan and said to him, "Fear not, for I +will ransom thee with my life from destruction. If these be +Muslim troops then were it an increase of God's favours; but if +they be our foes, there is nothing for it but to fight them. Yet +do I long to see the holy man once again before I die, so he may +pray for me that I may not die except a martyr." Whilst he was +thus speaking, behold, there appeared the banners with the words, +"There is no god but God and Mohammed is His Apostle" inscribed +on them, and he cried out to the new-comers, saying, "How is it +with the Muslims?" "They are in weal and safety," replied they; +"and we come not hither but out of concern for you." Then the +chief of the succours dismounted and kissing the earth before +Sherkan, said, "O my lord, the Sultan and the Vizier Dendan and +Rustem and my brother Behram, are they all in safety?" "They are +all well," answered the prince; "but who brought thee tidings of +us?" "It was the holy man," said Terkash. "He told us that he had +met my brother Behram and Rustem and had sent them to you and +also that the infidels had encompassed you and were more in +number than you; yet meseems the case is the contrary of this and +that you are victorious." "And how did the holy man reach you?" +asked Sherkan. "Walking on his feet," replied the Amir; "and he +had compassed, in the space of a single day and night, ten days' +journey for a diligent horseman." "Verily, he is a friend of +God," said Sherkan; "but where is he now?" Quoth Terkash, "We +left him with our troops, the people of Faith, encouraging them +to do battle with the infidels and rebels." Therewith Sherkan was +glad and thanked God for their own deliverance and that of the +holy man and commended the dead to the mercy of God saying, "This +was written in the Book of Fate." Then they set out for +Constantinople by forced marches, and whilst they were on the +road thither, behold, a cloud of dust arose before them and +spread till the prospect was hidden and the day darkened by it. +Sherkan looked at it and said, "Verily, I fear lest this be the +infidels who have routed the army of Islam, for that this dust +covers the country and blots out the two horizons." Presently +there appeared midmost the dust a pillar of darkness and came +towards them, blacker than the blackness of (evil) fortune and +more dreadful than the terrors of the Day of Judgment. + +Horse and foot hastened up to look at it and know its meaning, +when, behold, they saw it to be the recluse aforesaid; so they +crowded round him to kiss his hands, and he cried out, "O people +of the best of men[FN#112], the lamp of the darkness, the +infidels have overcome the Muslims by craft, for they fell upon +them in their tents, whilst they deemed themselves in safety, and +made a sore slaughter of them; so hasten to the aid of the +believers in the unity of God and deliver them from those that +deny Him!" When Sherkan heard this, his heart was sore troubled +and he alighted from his horse, in amazement, and kissed the +recluse's hands and feet. In like wise did his brother Zoulmekan +and the rest of the troops, except the Vizier Dendan, who +dismounted not, but said, "By Allah, my heart revolts from this +devotee, for I never knew aught but evil come of these that make +a show of devotion to religion. Leave him and hasten to rejoin +your comrades for this fellow is of those that are outcast from +the gate of mercy of the Lord of the Two Worlds! How often have I +come out to war with King Omar ben Ennuman and trodden the earth +of these lands!" "Put away from thee this foul thought," said +Sherkan. "Hast thou not seen this holy man excite the faithful to +battle, recking nought of spears and swords? Wherefore, slander +him not, for slander is blameworthy and the flesh of pious folk +is poisoned. Look how he encourages us to battle, and did not God +love him, He had not rolled up the distance for him (like a +carpet), after He had aforetime cast him into grievous torment?" +Then Sherkan let bring a Nubian mule for her riding and said to +her, "Mount, pious man, God-fearing and holy!" But she refused, +feigning self-denial, that she might attain her end: and they +knew not that the pretended devotee was such an one as he of whom +the poet says: + +He prayeth and fasteth amain for an end that he hath in view. + When once he has gained his end, fasting and prayer, adieu! + +So she walked among the horsemen and the footmen, like a crafty +fox meditating an assault, and began to uplift her voice, +chanting the Koran aloud and celebrating the praises of the +Compassionate One. Then they pressed forward till they reached +the Mohammedan camp, where Sherkan found the Muslims in a state +of confusion and the Chamberlain upon the brink of retreat, +whilst the sword wrought havoc among the faithful, good and bad. +Now the cause of this weakness among the Muslims was that the +accursed old woman Dhat ed Dewahi, when she saw that Behram +and Rustem had set forward with their troops to join Sherkan +and Zoulmekan, repaired to the camp or the Muslims before +Constantinople and wrought upon the Chamberlain to despatch the +Amir Terkash, as hath been before set out, to the further succour +of the princes, purposing in this to divide the Muslim forces and +weaken them. Then she left them and going to the walls of +Constantinople, called with a loud voice on the knights of the +Greeks, saying, "Throw me down a cord that I may tie thereto this +letter, which do ye carry to King Afridoun and my son King +Herdoub, that they may read it and do as is written therein." So +they let down a string and she tied thereto a letter, to the +following purport, "From the chiefest of calamities and the +greatest of afflictions, Dhat ed Dewahi, to King Afridoun. Know +that I have contrived a device for the destruction of the +Muslims, so rest you quiet. I made their Sultan and the Vizier +Dendan prisoners and returned to their camp and acquainted them +therewith, whereupon their power was broken and their strength +weakened. Moreover, I have wrought on them to send ten thousand +men under the Amir Terkash to the succour of the captives, and +there be now but few men left with the besiegers. Wherefore, it +is my counsel that ye sally forth, with all your power, whilst it +is yet day, and fall on them in their tents and slay them to the +last man for the Messiah looks down upon you and the Virgin +favours you; and I hope that the Messiah will not forget this +that I have done." When this letter came to King Afridoun, he +rejoiced greatly and sending at once for King Herdoub, read the +letter to him, whereat he was exceeding glad and said, "See the +craft of my mother; verily it dispenses with swords, and her +aspect stands in stead of the terrors of the Day of Fear." "May +the Messiah not bereave us of her," rejoined Afridoun, "nor +deprive her of her craft and knavery[FN#113]." Then he gave +orders for the sally, and the news was noised abroad in the city. +So the Christian troops and soldiers of the Cross drew their keen +sabres and sallied forth of the city, shouting out their impious +war-cries and blaspheming the Lord of all creatures. When the +Chamberlain saw them, he said, "Behold, the Christians are upon +us, whilst the most part of our troops are gone to the succour of +King Zoulmekan! They surely know of the absence of our Sultan and +most like they will attack us." Therewith he waxed angry and +cried out, "Ho, soldiers of Islam and defenders of the True +Faith, if you flee, you are lost, and if you stand fast, you will +conquer! Know that courage lies in endurance and that no case is +so desperate but that God is able to bring about its relief. May +He bless you and look upon you with eyes of compassion! "Then +the Muslims cried out, "God is most great!" and the believers in +the Divine Unity shouted the profession of the Faith and the two +hosts joined battle. The mill-wheels of war whirled round, with +cutting and thrusting; the swords and spears played and the +plains and valleys were filled with blood. The priests and monks +prayed aloud, girding on their girdles and uplifting the crosses, +whilst the Muslims shouted out the praises of the Requiting King +and chanted verses of the Koran. The hosts of the Compassionate +God fought against the legions of Satan and heads flew from +bodies, what while the good angels hovered above the people of +the Chosen Prophet, nor did the sword cease to play, till the day +departed and the night came with the shadows. Now the unbelievers +had encompassed the Muslims and made sure of overcoming the host +of the True Faith with the dawn, deeming not that they could +escape destruction. As soon as it was light, the Chamberlain +mounted, he and his men, trusting that God would help them, and +the two armies came together and joined battle. The fight raged +all along the line and heads flew from bodies, whilst the brave +stood fast and the faint-hearted turned their backs and fled; and +the Judge of death judged and gave sentence, so that the +champions fell from their saddles and the meadows were heaped +with the slain. Then the Muslims began to give back and the +Greeks took possession of some of their tents; whereupon the +Muslims were about to break and retreat, when behold, up came +Sherkan, with the rest of their troops and the standards of the +believers in the Unity of God, and fell upon the infidels, +followed by Zoulmekan and the Vizier Dendan and the Amirs Behram +and Rustem and Terkash. When the Christians saw this, they lost +their senses and their reason fled, and the dust clouds rose till +they covered the country, whilst the true believers joined their +pious comrades. Then Sherkan accosted the Chamberlain and praised +him for his steadfastness, and he in turn gave him joy of his +timely succour. Therewith the Muslims rejoiced and their hearts +were fortified; so they rushed upon the foe and devoted +themselves to God, in the battle for the Faith. When the infidels +saw the Mohammedan standards and read thereon the words +proclaiming the Unity of God, they shrieked aloud and said, +"Woe!" and "Ruin!" and besought succour of the priests and monks. +Moreover they fell to calling upon Jesus and Mary and the +abhorrent Cross and stayed their hands from the battle, whilst +King Afridoun went up to King Herdoub (to consult with him), for +the two kings stood one at the head of each wing. Now there was +with them also a famous cavalier named Lawiya, who was in command +of the centre, and the infidels drew out in battle-array; but +indeed they were full of alarm and disquiet. Meanwhile, the +Muslims arrayed their forces and Sherkan came to his brother +Zoulmekan and said to him, "O king of the age, doubtless they +mean to joust? and that is also what we desire; but it is my wish +to set in our van-ward battle the stoutest-hearted of our men: +for wise ordering is the half of life." "As thou wilt, O man of +good counsel," replied the Sultan. "It is my wish," added +Sherkan, "to be myself in the centre of the line, with the Vizier +Dendan on my left and thee on my right, whilst Behram and Rustem +command the right and left wing; and thou, O mighty King, shalt +be under the standards and the ensigns, for that thou art our +stay and upon thee, after God, is our dependence, and we will all +be thy ransom from aught that can harm thee." Zoulmekan thanked +him and the battle-cries arose and the sabres were drawn, when, +behold, there came forth a cavalier from the Grecian ranks; and +as he drew near, they saw that he was mounted on a slow-paced +mule, fleeing with her master from the shock of swords. Her +housings were of white silk, surmounted by a carpet of Cashmere +stuff, and on her back sat a gray-bearded old man of comely and +reverend aspect, clad in a gown of white wool. He spurred her on +till he came to the Muslims, to whom said he, "I am an ambassador +to you, and all an ambassador has to do is to deliver his +message; so give me a safe conduct and the right of speech, that +I may do my errand to you." "Thou art in safety," replied +Sherkan; "fear neither stroke of sword nor thrust of lance." +Thereupon the old man dismounted and taking the cross from his +neck, (laid it) before the Sultan and carried himself humbly to +him, after the fashion of one who hopes for fair treatment. Then +said the Muslims to him, "What is thy news?" He answered, "I am +an ambassador from King Afridoun, whom I counselled to avert the +destruction of all these manly bodies and images of the +Compassionate; and it seemed good to him to stop the shedding of +blood and limit the strife to the encounter of two horsemen in +battle; so he agreed to this and says to you, 'Verily, I will +ransom my troops with my life; so let the Muslim king do likewise +and ransom his army with his life. If he kill me, there will be +no stability left in the army of the Greeks, and if I kill him, +it will be the like with the Muslims.'" When Sherkan heard this, +he said, "O monk, we agree to this, for it is just; and behold I +will joust: with him, for I am champion of the Muslims, even as +he of the Christians; and if he slay me, he will have gained the +victory and there will remain for the Muslim army nothing but +flight. So return to him, O monk, and tell him that the combat +shall be for to-morrow, seeing that to-day we are weary with our +journey; but after rest there shall be neither reproach nor +blame." So the monk returned, rejoicing, to King Afridoun and +King Herdoub and told them what Sherkan had said, whereat +Afridoun was exceeding glad and lightened of anxiety and trouble +and said in himself, "No doubt but this Sherkan is the hardest +hitter of them with the sword and the dourest at push of pike; +and when I have slain him, their hearts will fail them and their +strength will be broken." Now Dhat ed Dewahi had written to King +Afridoun of this and told him that Sherkan was a cavalier of +cavaliers and a champion of champions and had warned him against +him; but Afridoun was a stalwart cavalier, who fought in many a +fashion; he could hurl stones and javelins and smite with the +iron mace and feared not the doughtiest of prowess in the dint of +war. So when he heard from the monk that Sherkan agreed to joust, +he well-nigh lost his reason for stress of joy, for that he had +confidence in himself and deemed that none could stand against +him. Then the infidels passed the night in joy and merry-making +and wine-drinking, and as soon as it was day, the two armies drew +out in battle array, with their brown spears and white swords. +Presently, they saw a cavalier prick out into the plain, mounted +on a stout and swift charger equipped for war: he was of great +stature and was clad in a cuirass of steel made for stress of +battle. On his breast he wore a jewelled mirror and in his hand +he bore a keen scimitar and a lance of khelenj wood[FN#114] of +curious Frankish workmanship. He uncovered his face and cried +out, saying, "Whoso knoweth me hath enough of me, and whoso +knoweth me not shall see who I am. I am Afridoun he who is +overborne by the blessing of Shewahi Dhat ed Dewahi." Before he +had made an end of speaking, Sherkan, the champion of the +Muslims, spurred out to meet him, mounted on a sorrel horse worth +a thousand [dinars] of red gold, with housings embroidered in +pearls and jewels, and girt with a sword of watered Indian steel, +that shore through necks and made hard ventures easy. He drove +his charger between the two armies, whilst the horsemen all gazed +on him, and cried out to Afridoun, saying, "Out on thee, O +accursed one, dost thou think me as one of the horsemen thou hast +met, that cannot stand against thee in the mellay?" Then they +rushed upon one another and came together like two mountains +crashing or two seas breaking each against each. So they advanced +and retreated and drew together and parted and ceased not to +joust and battle with stroke of sword and thrust of spear, whilst +the two armies looked on. Some said, "Afridoun will conquer," and +other some, "Sherkan;" and they stayed not their hands from the +battle, till the clamour of the bystanders subsided and the +dust-clouds rose and the day waned and the sun began to grow +pale. Then King Afridoun cried out to Sherkan, saying, "By the +virtue of the Messiah and the True Faith, thou art a doughty +horseman and a stalwart fighting man, but thou art guileful and +thy nature is not that of the freeborn and meseemeth thy fashion +is other than praiseworthy nor is thy fighting that of a prince; +for see, thy people even thee with slaves[FN#115] and bring thee +out a charger other than thine, that thou mayst (mount him and) +return to the battle. But by the virtue of the Messiah, thy +fighting fatigues me and I am weary of cutting and thrusting with +thee; and if thou wert purposed to do battle with me tonight thou +wouldst not change aught of thy harness nor thy horse till thou +hadst shown the cavaliers thy valour and skill in fight." When +Sherkan heard him say that his own folk evened him with slaves, +he was angry and turned towards his men, meaning to sign to them +and bid them not prepare him change of armour or horse, when, +behold, Afridoun shook his javelin in the air and hurled it at +Sherkan. Now, when the latter turned, he found none behind him +and knew that this was a trick of the accursed infidel; so he +wheeled round in haste and seeing the javelin coming at him, +swerved from it, till his head was level with the pommel of his +saddle. The javelin grazed his breast and pierced the skin, for +Sherkan was high-bosomed: so he gave one cry and swooned away. +Then the accursed Afridoun was glad, thinking that he had slain +him, and called to the Christians to rejoice, whereat the +infidels were encouraged and the true believers wept. When +Zoulmekan saw his brother reeling from side to side in his +saddle, so that he had well-nigh fallen, he sent cavaliers to his +succour; whereupon the infidels drove at the Muslims and the two +hosts joined battle, whilst the keen Yemen blades played among +them. The first to reach Sherkan were Dendan and Rustem and +Behram, who found him on the point of falling off his horse; so +they stayed him in his saddle and carried him to Zoulmekan; then +giving him in charge to his servants, returned to the battle. +Then the strife redoubled and the weapons clashed, and there was +nought to be heard but the roar of the battle nor to be seen but +blood flowing and necks bending beneath the blows; nor did the +swords cease to play on men's necks nor the strife to rage more +and more, till the most part of the night was past and the two +hosts were weary of battle. So they called a truce and each army +returned to its tents, whilst all the infidels repaired to King +Afridoun and kissed the earth before him, and the priests and +monks wished him joy of his victory over Sherkan. Then he went up +into Constantinople and sat down upon his throne; and King +Herdoub came to him and said, "May the Messiah strengthen thine +arm and cease never to be thy helper and hearken to the prayers +of my pious mother on thy behalf! Know that the Muslims can make +no stand, now they have lost Sherkan." "To-morrow," replied +Afridoun, "shall end the war, for I will seek out Zoulmekan and +slay him, and their army shall turn tail and take to flight." + +Meanwhile, Zoulmekan returned to his tent thinking of nothing but +his brother, and going in to the latter's pavilion, found him in +evil plight; whereat he was sore troubled and sent for the Vizier +Dendan and the Amirs Behram and Rustem, that he might take +counsel with them. When they entered, they were all of accord to +summon the physicians to treat Sherkan, and they wept and said, +"The age will not lightly afford his like!" They watched by him +all that night, and towards morning there came to them the +pretended recluse, weeping. When Zoulmekan saw her, he rose to +receive her; and she stroked Sherkan's wound with her hand, +chanting somewhat of the Koran and repeating some of the signs of +the Compassionate One. Then she kept watch over him till the day, +when he came to himself and opening his eyes, moved his tongue in +his mouth and spoke. At this Zoulmekan rejoiced, saying, "Verily +the blessing of the holy man hath taken effect on him!" And +Sherkan said, "Praised be God for recovery; indeed, I am well +now. Yonder accursed one played me false, and but that I swerved +aside quicklier than lightning, the javelin had pierced me +through and through. So praised be God for my safety! How is it +with the Muslims?" "They weep for thee," answered Zoulmekan. +Quoth Sherkan, "I am well and in good case; but where is the holy +man?" Now she was sitting by him and said, "At thy head." So he +turned to her and kissed her hand; and she said, "O my son, it +behoves thee to arm thyself with patience, and God shall make +great thy reward; for the guerdon is measured by that which has +been endured." Quoth Sherkan, "Pray for me," and she did so. As +soon as it was morning and the day arose and shone, the Muslims +sallied out into the field, and the Christians made ready to cut +and thrust. Then the host of the Muslims advanced and offered +battle; and Zoulmekan and Afridoun made ready to tilt at one +another. But when Zoulmekan sallied out into the field, there +came with him Dendan and Behram and the Chamberlain, saying, "We +will be thy sacrifice." "By the Holy House and the Well Zemzem +and the Stead of Abraham,"[FN#116] exclaimed he, "I will not be +hindered from going forth against these barbarians!" So he rode +out into the field and played with sword and spear, till both +armies wondered; then he rushed upon the right wing of the Greek +army and slew two knights and in like manner dealt he with the +left wing. Then he stayed his steed in the midst of the field and +cried out, "Where is Afridoun, that I may make him drink the cup +of humiliation?" But King Herdoub conjured Afridoun not to budge +from the field, saying, "O King, it was thy turn yesterday: +to-day it is mine. I reck not of his prowess." So he pricked out +towards Zoulmekan, with a sabre in his hand and under him a jet +black horse, swift as he were Abjer, he that was Antar's horse, +even as says the poet: + +He vies with the glance of the eye on a swift-footed steed, That + fares as it had a mind to outstrip Fate. +The hue of his hide is the blackest of all things black, Like + night, when the shadows shroud it in sable state. +The sound of his neighing troubles the hearts of men, As it were + thunder that echoes in heaven's gate. +If he run a race with the wind, he leads the way, Nor can the + lightning outstrip him, early or late. + +Then each rushed upon the other, guarding himself from his blows +and showing the rare qualities that were in him and the wonders +of his prowess; and they fell to advancing and retreating and +ceased not to flee and return to the attack and wheel hither and +thither, till the breasts of the bystanders were straitened (for +anxiety) and they were weary of waiting for the event. At last, +Zoulmekan cried out and rushing upon Herdoub, King of Caesarea, +dealt him such a blow that he shore his head from his body and +made an end of him. When the infidels saw this, they all rushed +at Zoulmekan, who met them in mid-field, and they fell to cutting +and thrusting, till the blood ran in streams. Then the Muslims +cried out, "God is most great;" and "There is no god but God;" +and invoked blessings on the Giver of Good Tidings, the +Admonisher of Mankind,[FN#117] and there befell a great battle. +But God sent help to the faithful and confusion to the infidels. +The Vizier Dendan shouted, "Avenge King Omar ben Ennuman and his +son Sherkan!" and baring his head, cried out to the Turks. Now +there were beside him more than twenty thousand horse, who all +charged with him as one man, and the unbelievers found nothing +for it but flight. So they turned their backs to flee, whilst the +keen sabres wrought havoc amongst them and the Muslims slew of +them that day more than fifty thousand cavaliers and took more +than that: and much people also were slain at the going in of the +gates by reason of the greatness of the crowd, whilst the +Christians mounted the walls, fearing an assault. Then the +Muslims returned to their tents, fortified and victorious, and +King Zoulmekan went in to his brother, whom he found in the most +joyous case. So he returned thanks to the Bountiful, the Exalted +One and gave Sherkan joy of his deliverance. "Verily," answered +he, "we are all under the benediction of this holy and God- +fearing man, nor would you have been victorious, but for his +effectual prayers; for all day he hath never ceased to invoke +victory on the Muslims. I found strength return to me, when I +heard you cry, 'God is most great!' for then I knew you had +gotten the better of your enemies. But now tell me, O my brother, +what befell thee." So he told him all that had passed, how he had +slain the accursed Herdoub and he had gone to the malediction of +God; and Sherkan praised his prowess. When Dhat ed Dewahi heard +tell of her son's death, the blood fled from her face and her +eyes ran over with streaming tears; however, she kept her counsel +and feigned to the Muslims that she was glad and wept for excess +of joy: but she said in herself, "By the virtue of the Messiah, +there remains no profit of my life, if I make not his heart bleed +for his brother Sherkan, even as he has made mine bleed for King +Herdoub, the mainstay of the Christian faith and the hosts of the +Cross!" + +The Vizier Dendan and Zoulmekan and the Chamberlain abode with +Sherkan, till they had dressed his wound and anointed it; after +which they gave him medicines and he began to recover his +strength; whereat they were exceeding glad and told the troops, +who rejoiced greatly, saying, "To-morrow he will ride with us and +take part in the siege." Then said Sherkan to them, "You have +fought all day and are weary, and it behoves that you return to +your tents and sleep and not watch." So they went away all to +their tents and there remained none with Sherkan but Dhat ed +Dewahi and a few servants. He talked with her awhile, then lay +down to rest, he and his servants, and soon sleep overcame them +all and they were as dead men. But the old woman abode awake and +looking at Sherkan, saw that he was drowned in sleep. So she +sprang to her feet, as she were a bald she-bear or a speckled +snake, and drew from her girdle a poisoned knife, that would have +melted a rock if laid thereon; then going up to Sherkan, she drew +the knife across his throat and cut off his head. After this, she +went up to the sleeping servants and cut off their heads also, +lest they should awake. Then she left the tent and made for the +Sultan's pavilion, but finding the guards awake, turned to that +of the Vizier. He was reading the Koran and seeing her, said, +"Welcome, O holy man!" When she heard this, her heart trembled +and she said, "The reason of my coming hither at this time is +that I heard the voice of a friend of God and am going to him." +Then she went away, but the Vizier said to himself, "By Allah, I +will follow the holy man to-night!" So he rose and went after +her: but the accursed old woman heard his footsteps and knew that +he was following her: wherefore she feared discovery and said in +herself, "Except I put him off with some trick, he will discover +me." So she turned and said to him from afar, "Harkye, Vizier, I +am going after this saint, that I may know who he is; and after I +will ask his leave for thee to join him. Then I will come back +and tell thee; for I fear to let thee accompany me, without his +leave, lest he take umbrage at seeing thee with me." When the +Vizier heard this, he was abashed and knew not what to answer; so +he left her and returning to his tent, would have slept; but +sleep was not favourable to him and the world was straitened upon +him. So he rose and went out, saying in himself, "I will go talk +with Sherkan till the morning." But when he came to Sherkan's +tent, he found the blood running like a rivulet and saw the +servants lying dead. At this he gave a cry that aroused all who +were asleep, and they hastened to him and seeing the blood +streaming, set up a clamour of weeping and lamentation. The noise +awoke the Sultan, who enquired what was the matter, and they said +to him, "Sherkan and his servants are murdered." So he rose in +haste and entering the tent, saw his brother's headless trunk and +the Vizier by it shrieking aloud. At this sight, he swooned away +and all the troops stood round him, weeping and crying aloud, +till he came to himself, when he looked at Sherkan and wept sore, +whilst all who were present did the like. Then said Zoulmekan, +"Know ye who did this, and how is it I see not the recluse, him +who hath put away the things of the world?" Quoth the Vizier, +"And who should have been the cause of this our affliction, save +that devotee of Satan? By Allah, my heart shrank from him from +the first, because I know that all who profess to be absorbed in +the things of the faith are corrupt and treacherous!" And he told +the King how he would have followed the devotee, but he forbade +him; whereupon the folk broke out into weeping and lamentation +and besought Him who is ever near at hand, Him who answereth +prayer, to cause the false recluse, who denied His evidences, to +fall into their hands. Then they laid Sherkan out and buried him +in the mountain aforesaid, mourning over his renowned virtues, +after which they looked for the opening of the city-gate; but it +opened not and none appeared to them on the walls; whereat they +wondered exceedingly, and King Zoulmekan said, "By Allah, I will +not turn back from them, though I tarry here years and years, +till I take my wreak of my brother Sherkan and lay Constantinople +in ruins and slay the King of the Nazarenes, even if death +overcome me and I be at rest from this sorry world!" Then he +brought out the treasure he had taken from the hermitage of +Metrouhena and mustering the troops, divided it amongst them, nor +was there one of them but he gave him what contented him. +Moreover, he called together three hundred horse of every +division and said to them, "Do ye send succours to your family, +for I am resolved to camp here, till I have taken my revenge for +my brother Sherkan, even if I die in this place." Then he +summoned couriers and gave them letters and charged them to do +the soldiers' errands to their families and let them know that +they were safe and in good heart, but that they were encamped +before Constantinople, resolved either to destroy it or perish, +and that, though they should abide there months and years, they +would not depart thence till they had taken the city. Moreover, +he bade Dendan write to his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman, acquainting +her with what had befallen them and with their situation and +commending his child to her care, since that, when he went out to +war, his wife was near her delivery and must needs by that time +have been brought to bed; and if she had given birth to a son, he +charged the messengers to hasten their return and bring him the +news. Then he gave them money and they set out at once, and all +the people came out to take leave of them and entrust them with +the money and the messages they wished to send to their families. +After they had departed, Zoulmekan turned to the Vizier and +commanded him to push forward with the army against the city +walls. So the troops advanced, but found none on the walls, +whereat they marvelled and Zoulmekan was troubled. + +To return to Dhat ed Dewahi. As soon as she had slain Sherkan, +she hastened to the walls of Constantinople and called out in the +Greek tongue to the guards, to throw her down a rope. Quoth they, +"Who art thou?" and she said, "I am the princess Dhat ed Dewahi." +They knew her and threw her down a rope, to which she tied +herself, and they drew her up into the city. Then she went in to +King Afridoun and said to him, "What is this I hear from the +Muslims? They say that my son King Herdoub is slain." He +answered, "It is true;" and when she heard this, she shrieked out +and wept so grievously, that she made Afridoun and all who were +present weep also. Then she told the King how she had slain +Sherkan and thirty of his servants, whereat he rejoiced and +thanked her and kissed her hands and exhorted her to resignation +for the loss of her son. "By the Messiah," said she, "I will not +rest content with killing one of the Muslim dogs in revenge for +my son, a king of the kings of the age! But I will assuredly make +shift to kill the Sultan Zoulmekan and the Vizier Dendan and the +Chamberlain and Rustem and Behram and ten thousand cavaliers of +the army of Islam to boot; for it shall never be that my son's +head be paid with the blood-wit of Sherkan's head only." Then +said she to Afridoun, "It is my wish that mourning be made for my +son Herdoub and that the girdle be cut and the crosses broken." +"Do what thou wilt," replied Afridoun; "I will not gainsay thee +in aught. And if thou prolong thy mourning, it were a little +thing; for though the Muslims beleaguer us years and years, they +will never compass their will of us nor get aught of us but +trouble and weariness." Then she took ink-horn and paper and +wrote the following letter: "Shewaha Dhat ed Dewahi to the host +of the Muslims. Know that I entered your country and duped your +nobles and slew your king Omar ben Ennuman in the midst of his +palace. Moreover, I slew, in the battle of the mountain pass and +of the grotto, many of your men, and the last I killed were +Sherkan and his servants. And if fortune favour me and Satan obey +me, I will assuredly kill your Sultan and the Vizier Dendan, for +I am she who came to you in the disguise of a recluse and ye were +the dupes of my tricks and devices. Wherefore, if you be minded +to be in safety, depart at once; and if you covet your own +destruction, abide where you are; for though ye abide here years +and years, ye shall not come by your desire of us; and so peace +be on you." Then she devoted three days to mourning for her son +King Herdoub, and on the fourth day, she called a knight and bade +him make the letter fast to an arrow and shoot it into the Muslim +camp; after which she entered the church and gave herself up to +weeping and lamentation for the loss of her son, saying to him +who took the kingship after him, "Nothing will serve me but I +must kill Zoulmekan and all the princes of Islam." + +Meanwhile, the Muslims passed three days in concern and anxiety, +and on the fourth day, they saw a knight on the wall, holding a +bow and about to shoot an arrow to which was fastened a letter. +So they waited till he had shot, and the King bade the Vizier +Dendan take the letter and read it. He did so, and when Zoulmekan +heard its purport, his eyes filled with tears and he shrieked for +anguish at the old woman's perfidy, and Dendan said, "By Allah, +my heart shrank from her!" "How could this traitress impose upon +us twice?" exclaimed Zoulmekan. "By Allah, I will not depart +hence till I fill her kaze with molten lead and set her in a +cage, as men do birds, then bind her with her hair and crucify +her at the gate of Constantinople." Then he addressed himself +again to the leaguer of the city, promising his men that, if it +should be taken, he would divide its treasures equally among +them. After this, he bethought him of his brother and wept sore; +and his tears ceased not to flow, till his body was wasted with +grief, as it were a bodkin. But the Vizier Dendan came in to him +and said, "Take comfort and be consoled; thy brother died not but +because his hour was come, and there is no profit in this +mourning. How well says the poet: + +That which is not to be shall by no means be brought To pass, and + that which is to be shall come, unsought, +Even at the time ordained: but he that knoweth not The truth is + still deceived and finds his hopes grown nought. + +Wherefore do thou leave this weeping and lamentation and +strengthen thy heart to bear arms." "O Vizier," replied +Zoulmekan, "my heart is heavy for the death of my brother and +father and our absence from our native land, and my mind is +concerned for my subjects." Thereupon the Vizier and the +bystanders wept; but they ceased not from the leaguer of +Constantinople, till, after awhile, news arrived from Baghdad, by +one of the Amirs, that the Sultan's wife had given birth to a son +and that the princess Nuzhet ez Zeman had named him Kanmakan. +Moreover, his sister wrote to him that the boy bid fair to be a +prodigy and that she had commanded the priests and preachers to +pray for them from the pulpits; also, that they were all well and +had been blessed with abundant rains and that his comrade the +stoker was in the enjoyment of all prosperity, with slaves and +servants to attend upon him; but that he was still ignorant of +what had befallen him. Zoulmekan rejoiced greatly at this news +and said to the Vizier Dendan, "Now is my hope fulfilled and my +back strengthened, in that I have been vouchsafed a son. +Wherefore I am minded to leave mourning and let make recitations +of the Koran over my brother's tomb and do almsdeeds on his +account." Quoth the Vizier, "It is well." Then he caused tents to +be pitched over his brother's tomb and they gathered together +such of the troops as could repeat the Koran. Some fell to +reciting the Koran, whilst others chanted the litanies of the +praise of God, and thus they did till the morning, when Zoulmekan +went up to the tomb of his brother Sherkan and shedding copious +tears, repeated the following verses: + +They bore him forth, whilst all who went behind him wept and + cried Such cries as Moses gave, when God broke down the + mountain side, +Till to a tomb they came, whose grave seemed dug in all men's + hearts By whom the unity of God is held and glorified. +I had not thought, or ere they bore thee forth upon the bier, To + see my joy upon the hands of men uplifted ride; +Nor, till they laid thee in the grave, could I have ever deemed + That stars could leave their place in heaven and in the dark + earth hide. +Is the indweller of the tomb the hostage of a pit, In which, for + that his face is there, splendour and light abide? +Lo, praise has ta'en upon itself to bring him back to life; Now + that his body's hid, his fame's shown forth and magnified. + +When he had made an end of reciting these verses, he wept and all +the troops wept with him; then he threw himself on the tomb, wild +with grief, and the Vizier repeated the words of the poet: + +That which fleets past thou hast left and won what endureth for + aye, And even as thou are the folk, that were and have + passed away; +And yet it was not of thy will that thou quittedst this house of + the world; For here hadst thou joy and delight of all that + befell in thy day. +How oft hast thou proven thyself a succour and shield from the + foe, When the arrows and javelins of war flew thick in the + midst of the fray! +I see that this world's but a cheat and a vanity after all, And + ever to seek out the Truth all creatures desire and essay! +The Lord of the Empyrean vouchsafe thee in heaven to dwell And + the Guide assign thee therein a goodly sojourn, I pray! +I bid thee adieu with a sigh and I see, for the loss of thee, The + East and the West o'ershadowed with mourning and dismay. + +When the Vizier had finished, he wept sore, and the tears fell +from his eyes, like a network of pearls. Then came forward one of +Sherkan's boon-companions, weeping till his eyes resembled +rivers, and recalled the dead man's noble qualities, reciting the +following cinquains: + +Where be thy giving, alas! and the hand of thy bounty fled? They + lie in the earth, and my body is wasted for drearihead. +O guide of the camel-litters,[FN#118] (may God still gladden thy + stead!) My tears on my cheeks have written, in characters of + red, + That which would both rejoice thee and fill thee with + pain and dread! +By Allah, 'twixt me and my heart, not a word of thee is said Nor + doth the thought of thy grace and thy glory pass through my + head, +But that mine eyes are wounded by dint of the tears I shed! Yea, + if to rest on another my glance be ever led, + May my lids be drawn in slumber by longing for the + dead! + +Then Zoulmekan and Dendan wept sore and the whole army lamented +aloud; after which they all withdrew to their tents, and +Zoulmekan turned to Dendan and took counsel with him concerning +the conduct of the war. On this wise they passed days and nights, +what while Zoulmekan was weighed down with grief and concern, +till at last he said to the Vizier, "I have a mind to hear +stories of adventures and chronicles of kings and tales of folk +oppressed of love, so haply God may make this to solace the heavy +anxiety that is on my heart and do away from me weeping and +lamentation." "O King," replied Dendan, "if nought but hearing +pleasant tales of bygone kings and peoples and stories of folk +oppressed of love and so forth can dispel thy trouble, the thing +is easy, for I had no other business, in the lifetime of thy late +father, than to tell him stories and repeat verses to him; so, +this very night, I will tell thee a story of a lover and his +beloved, which shall lighten thy heart." When Zoulmekan heard +this, his heart yearned after that which the Vizier promised him +and he did nothing but watch for the coming of the night, that he +might hear what he had to tell. So, no sooner had the night +closed in, than he bade light the lamps and the candles and bring +all that was needful of meat and drink and perfumes and what not +and sending for Dendan, Rustem, Behram, Terkash and the Grand +Chamberlain, turned to the Vizier and said, "O Vizier, behold, +the night is come and hath let down its veils over us, and we +desire that thou tell us that which thou didst promise us." "With +all my heart," replied the Vizier "Know, O august King, that I +have heard tell a story of a lover and a loved one and of the +discourse between them and of the rare and pleasant things that +befell them, a story such as does away care from the heart and +dispels sorrow like unto that of the patriarch Jacob: and it is +as follows: + + + + +Story of Taj El Mulouk and the Princess Dunya. + + + +There stood once, behind the mountains of Ispahan, a town called +the Green City, in which dwelt a king named Suleiman Shah, a man +of virtue and beneficence, just, generous and loyal, to whom +travellers resorted from all parts, for his renown was noised +abroad in all cities and countries; and he reigned over the +country for many years, in all honour and prosperity, save that +he had neither wife nor child. Now he had a vizier who was akin +to him in goodness and generosity, and one day, he sent for him +and said to him, 'O my Vizier, my heart is heavy and my patience +at end and my strength fails me, for that I have neither wife nor +child. This is not of the fashion of kings that rule over all, +princes and beggars; for they rejoice in leaving behind them +children, who shall succeed them and by whom both their number +and strength are multiplied. Quoth the Prophet (whom God bless +and preserve), "Marry and engender and multiply, that I may boast +myself of you over the peoples on the Day of Resurrection." So +what is thy counsel, O Vizier? Advise me what is fitting to +be done.' When the Vizier heard this, the tears streamed from +his eyes and he replied, 'God forbid, O king of the age, that +I should speak on that which is of the pertinence of the +Compassionate One! Wilt thou have me cast into the fire by the +wrath of the All-powerful King? Buy a concubine.' 'Know, O +Vizier,' rejoined the King, 'that when a prince buys a female +slave, he knows neither her condition nor her lineage and thus +cannot tell if she be of mean extraction, that he may abstain +from her, or of gentle blood, that he may be intimate with her. +So if he have commerce with her, belike she will conceive by him +and her son be a hypocrite, a tyrant and a shedder of blood. +Indeed such a woman may be likened to a salt soil, which, if one +till it, yields only worthless crops; for it may be the son in +question will be obnoxious to the wrath of his Lord, doing not +that which He commandeth him neither abstaining from that which +He forbiddeth him. Wherefore I will never risk being the cause of +this, through the purchase of a concubine; and it is my will, +therefore, that thou demand for me in marriage the daughter of +some one of the kings, whose lineage is known and whose beauty is +renowned. If thou canst direct me to some king's daughter of the +Muslims, who is a woman of good birth and piety, I will seek her +hand and marry her before witnesses, that the favour of the Lord +of all creatures may accrue to me thereby.' 'O King,' said the +Vizier, 'God hath fulfilled thy need and hath brought thee to thy +desire; for it hath come to my knowledge that King Zehr Shah, +Lord of the White Country, hath a daughter of surpassing beauty, +whom report fails to describe; she hath not her equal in this +age, being perfect in beauty and symmetry, with melting black +eyes and long hair, slender-waisted and heavy-hipped. When she +draws nigh, she seduces, and when she turns her back, she slays, +ravishing heart and sight, even as says of her the poet: + +A slender one, her shape confounds the branch of the cassia tree; + Nor sun nor moon can with her face for brightness evened be. +Meseems, the water of her mouth is honey blent with wine; Ay, and + her teeth are finer pearls than any in the sea. +The purest white and deepest black meet in her glittering glance + And shapelier than the black-eyed maids of Paradise is she. +How many a man her eyes have slain, who perished in despair; The + love of her's a way wherein are fear and misery. +If I would live, behold, she's death! I may not think of her, + Lest I should die; for, lacking her, life's nothing worth to + me. + +So it is my counsel, O King, that thou despatch to her father a +sagacious and experienced ambassador, versed in the conduct of +affairs, who shall with courteous and persuasive speech demand +her in marriage for thee; for she hath not her equal in the +world, far or near. So shalt thou enjoy her beauty in the way of +right and the Lord of Glory be content with thee; for it is +reported of the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve) that he +said, "There is no monkery in Islam." At this the King was +transported to the perfection of delight; his heart was lightened +and his breast dilated and care and anxiety ceased from him; and +he said to the Vizier, 'None shall go about this business but +thou, by reason of thy consummate wit and good breeding; +wherefore do thou make ready by the morrow and depart and demand +me this girl in marriage, with whom thou hast made my heart to be +engrossed; nor do thou return to me but with her.' 'I hear and +obey,' replied the Vizier, and withdrawing to his own house, made +ready a present such as befits kings, of jewels and other +precious things, light of carriage but heavy of worth, besides +Arabian horses and coats of mail, fine-wrought as those which +David made,[FN#119] and chests of treasure, such as speech &fails +to describe. These all he loaded upon camels and mules and set +out, with flags and banners flying before him and attended by a +hundred white slaves and the like number of black and a hundred +slave-girls. The King charged him to return to him speedily; so +he set out, leaving Suleiman Shah on coals of fire, engrossed +night and day with desire for the princess, and fared on, without +ceasing, night and day, across plains and deserts, till there +remained but a day's journey between him and the city to which he +was bound. Here he halted on the banks of a river, and calling +one of his chief officers, bade him hasten forward to King Zehr +Shah and announce his approach. Accordingly, the messenger rode +on in haste to the city and was about to enter it, when the King, +who chanced to be seated in one of his pleasaunces before the +gate, espied him and knowing him for a stranger, bade bring him +before him. So when the messenger came into his presence, he +informed him of the approach of the Vizier of the mighty King +Suleiman Shah, Lord of the Green Country and of the mountains of +Ispahan; whereat King Zehr Shah rejoiced and bade him welcome. +Then he carried him to his palace and said to him, 'Where didst +thou leave the Vizier?' 'I left him,' replied the messenger, 'at +the first of the day, on the banks of such a river, and he will +be with thee to-morrow, may God continue His favours to thee +and have mercy upon thy parents!' Whereupon the King commanded +one of his Viziers to take the better part of his nobles and +chamberlains and officers and grandees and go out to meet the +ambassador, in honour of King Suleiman Shah, for that his +dominion extended over the country. + +Meanwhile, King Suleiman's Vizier abode in his stead, till the +night was half spent, when he set out for the city; but hardly +had the day appeared and the sun risen upon the hills and plains, +when he saw King Zehr Shah's Vizier approaching with his retinue +and the two parties joined company at some parasangs' distance +from the city. At this the Vizier made sure of the success of his +errand and saluted the new-comers, who escorted him to the King's +palace and forewent him to the seventh vestibule, where none +might enter on horseback, for it was near the presence chamber of +the King. So the Vizier alighted and walked on till he came to a +lofty hall, at the upper end whereof stood a couch of alabaster, +set with pearls end jewels and having four elephants' tusks for +feet. It was covered with a mattress of green satin, embroidered +with red gold, and surmounted by a canopy adorned with pearls and +jewels, and on it sat King Zehr Shah, whilst his officers of +state stood in attendance on him. When the Vizier stood before +him, he composed himself and loosing his tongue, displayed such +skill of speech as befits viziers and saluted the King in +eloquent and complimentary language, reciting the following +verses in his honour: + +He cometh, bending gracefully in his robes and shedding dew Of + bounty over the thirsting land and the folk to him that sue. +Indeed, he charmeth; nor amulets nor spells nor magic may Avail + to ward off the faithful glance of those his eyes from you. +Say to the censurers, "Blame me not: whilst life abide in me, + I'll never swerve from the love of him nor turn to love + anew." +Lo, slumber surely is tired of me and fallen in love with him, + And even my heart hath played me false and but to him is + true! +O heart, thou art not the only one that loves and tenders him, So + get thee gone and bide with him and leave me here to rue! +Except the praise of the King Zehr Shah it be that folk acclaim, + There's nought rejoices mine ears, in sooth, to hearken + thereunto. +A King, the sight of whose glorious face would well thy pains + repay; Though thou shouldst lavish thy heart's best blood, + so great a grace to woo. +If thou be minded to offer up a pious prayer for him, Thou'lt + find but true believer, and sharers the whole world through. +O folk of this realm, if any forswear his governance And look for + another, I hold him none of the faithful few + +When the Vizier had made an end of his speech, the King bade him +draw near and showed him the utmost honour then seating him by +his own side, he smiled in his face and made him a gracious +reply. They conversed till the time of the morning-meal, when the +attendants brought in the tables of food and they all ate till +they were satisfied, after which the tables were removed and all +who were present withdrew, with the exception of the chief +officers; which when the Vizier saw, he rose to his feet, and +after complimenting the King a second time and kissing the earth +before him, spoke as follows: 'O mighty king and august prince, I +have travelled hither and am come to thee upon an errand, wherein +is profit and good and prosperity for thee; and it is that I come +as ambassador to thee, seeking the hand of thy noble and +illustrious daughter, from the most just, loyal and excellent +King Suleiman Shah, Lord of the Green Country and of the +mountains of Ispahan, who sends thee many and rare presents and +gifts of price, ardently desiring thine alliance. Art thou, then, +minded to him as he to thee?' And he was silent, awaiting a +reply. When the King heard his words he sprang to his feet +and kissed the earth respectfully before the Vizier, to the +amazement of the bystanders, whose minds were confounded at his +condescension to the ambassador. Then he praised Him who is the +Lord of glory and honour and replied, still standing, 'O mighty +Vizier and illustrious lord, hear what I say. Verily we are of +the subjects of King Suleiman Shah and are ennobled by his +alliance and aspire ardently thereto. My daughter is one of his +handmaids, and it is my dearest wish that he may become my stay +and my support in time of need.' Then he summoned the Cadis and +the witnesses, who took act that King Suleiman had deputed his +Vizier his proxy to conclude the marriage, and King Zehr Shah +joyfully consented on behalf of his daughter. So the Cadis drew +up the marriage contract and offered up prayers for the happiness +and prosperity of the contracting parties; after which the Vizier +arose and fetching the gifts and rarities and precious things +that he had brought with him, laid them all before the King, who +betook himself to the equipment of his daughter, honourably +entreating the Vizier and feasting great and small; and they held +high festival for two months, omitting nought that could gladden +heart and eye. When all was ready that was needful for the bride, +the King caused the tents to be pitched without the city and they +packed the bride's clothes and jewels in chests and loaded them +on mules and camels. Now he had provided his daughter with Greek +handmaids and Turkish slave-girls and great store of jewels and +precious things, and had let make for her a litter of red gold +inlaid with pearls and jewels, which within was as one of the +chambers of a palace and without as one of the pavilions of +Paradise, whilst its mistress seemed as she were of the lovely +hours. Moreover, he furnished her also with twenty mules for the +journey and brought her three parasangs forward on her road, +after which he bade her and the Vizier farewell and returned to +his own city in peace and gladness. Meanwhile, the Vizier and his +company fared on by forced marches, traversing plains and deserts +and staying not day or night, till they came within three days' +journey of King Suleiman's capital, when the Vizier despatched a +messenger to acquaint the King with their arrival. The messenger +hastened forward till he reached the King's presence and +announced to him the coming of the bride, whereat he rejoiced and +bestowed on him a dress of honour. Then he bade his troops don +their richest apparel and sally forth in grand procession, with +banners flying, to meet the princess and her company and do them +honour, and let cry throughout the city that neither cloistered +damsel nor honoured lady nor infirm old woman should fail to go +forth to meet the bride. So they all went out to meet her and the +chiefest of them vied in doing her service, meaning to bring her +to the King's palace by night. Moreover, the grandees agreed to +decorate the road and stand on either side, whilst the bride +should pass by, clad in the robes her father had given her and +preceded by her eunuchs and serving-women. So at the appointed +time, she made her appearance, surrounded by the troops, these on +her right hand and those on her left, and the litter ceased not +going with her, till they drew near the palace; nor was there any +one but came forth to gaze upon the show. The drums beat and the +lances were brandished, the trumpets blared and the banners +fluttered and the horses pranced, whilst fragrant odours breathed +around, till they reached the gate of the palace and the pages +entered with the litter through the private gate. The place shone +with its splendours and the walls glittered for the lustre of its +ornaments. When the night came, the eunuchs threw open the doors +of the bride-chamber and stood on either hand; whereupon the +bride entered, among her damsels, like the moon among stars or a +pearl of matchless beauty in a string of lesser pearls, and +seated herself upon a couch of alabaster inlaid with pearls and +jewels, that had been set for her there. Then came the King in to +her and God filled his heart with love of her; so he did away her +maidenhead, and his trouble and disquiet ceased from him. She +conceived by him the first night, and he abode with her well-nigh +a month, at the end of which time he went forth and seating +himself on his throne of state, dispensed justice to his +subjects, till the months of her pregnancy were accomplished. +Towards daybreak on the last night of the ninth month, the queen +was seized with the pangs of labour; so she sat down on the stool +of delivery and God made the travail easy to her, so that she +gave birth to a male child, on whom appeared the signs of happy +fortune. When the King heard of this, he rejoiced with an +exceeding joy and rewarded the bearer of the good tidings with +much treasure. Then, of his gladness, he went in to the child and +kissed him between the eyes, wondering at his brilliant beauty; +for in him was the saying of the poet made truth: + +God hath a lion given in him unto the forts of fame And in the + heaven of high estate hath set another star. +Lo, at his birth, the spears shake all and all the wild deer + start And all the chieftains of the folk and all the men of + war! +So mount him not upon the breasts, for he shall surely deem That + horses' backs for such as he the softer sitting are; +And wean ye him from sucking milk, for he eftsoon shall find The + blood of foemen in the field the sweeter drink by far. + +The midwives took the new-born child and cut the cord of his +navel, after which they anointed his eyes with kohl and named him +Taj el Mulouk Kharan. He was suckled at the breast of delight and +reared in the lap of favouring fortune, and the days ran on and +the years passed by, till he reached the age of seven. Then the +King his father summoned the doctors and learned men and bade +them teach his son writing and science and polite letters. This +they did for some years, till he had learnt all that was needful, +when the King took him out of the professors' hands and committed +him to a master, who taught him horsemanship and the use of arms, +till the boy attained the age of fourteen and became proficient +in martial exercises. Moreover, he outshone all the people of his +time for the excess of his beauty; so that, whenever he went +abroad on any occasion, all who saw him were ravished with him +and made verses in his honour, and even the virtuous were seduced +by his brilliant loveliness. Quoth the poet of him: + +A tender branch, that from the breeze hath ta'en its nourishment! + I clipped him and straightway became drunk with his sweetest + scent; +Not drunken with the drunkenness of one who drinketh wine, But + with the honey of his mouth fulfilled of languishment. +All loveliness comprised is within his perfect form, So that o'er + all the hearts of men he reigns omnipotent. +By God, forgetfulness of him shall never cross my mind. What + while I wear the chains of life, nor even when they're rent! +Lo, if I live, in love of him I'll live; and, if I die Of + love-longing for him, I'll say, "O rare! O excellent!" + +When he reached his eighteenth year, the tender down began to +invade the table of his rosy cheeks, which were adorned by a +black mole like a grain of ambergris, and he captivated the minds +and eyes of all who looked on him, even as says of him the poet +in the following verses: + +He is become the Khalif of beauty in Joseph's place; The hearts + of all lovers dread him, whenas they see his grace. +Pause thou with me and fasten thy gaze on him! thou'lt see The + sign of the Khalifate set in sable[FN#120] on his face. + +And as says another: + +Thine eyes have never looked upon a fairer sight, Of all the + things that are to see beneath the sky, +Than yonder mole of brown, that nestles on his face, Midmost the + rosy cheek, beneath the coal-black eye. + +And a third: + +I marvel at yon mole that serves the fire eternal, Upon his + cheek, yet is not burned, all Kafir[FN#121] though it be; +And eke I marvel that he's sent or God, with every glance To work + true miracles; and yet a sorcerer is he! +The many gall-bladders that burst for him it is that make The + shining fringes of his cheek so black and bright to see. + +And yet a fourth: + +I wonder to hear the folk ask of the water of life And question + in which of the lands its magical fountain flows +Whenas I see it well from the damask lips of a fawn, Under his + tender moustache and his cheek's perennial rose. +And eke 'tis a wonder of wonders that Moses,[FN#122] finding it + there Flowing, yet took no patience nor laid him down to + repose. + +When he came to man's estate, his beauty increased and he had +many comrades and friends; and every one who drew near to him +hoped that he would become Sultan after his father's death and +that he himself might be one of his officers. He had a passion +for hunting and would hardly leave the chase a single hour. His +father would have restrained him, fearing for him the perils of +the desert: and the wild beasts; but he paid no heed to him. One +day, he bade his attendants take ten days' provender and setting +out for the chase, rode on into the desert four days long, at the +end of which time he came to a verdant champaign, full of wild +beasts pasturing and trees laden with ripe fruit and springs +welling forth. Then he said to his followers, 'Set up the nets in +a wide circle and let our general rendezvous be at the mouth of +the ring, in such a spot.' So they staked out a wide circle with +the nets; and there gathered together a multitude of all kinds of +wild beasts and gazelles, which cried out for fear of them and +threw themselves in terror right in the face of the horses. Then +they loosed the dogs and sakers and hunting lynxes on them and +smote them with arrows in the vitals; so, by the time they came +to the closed end of the ring of nets, they took a great number +of the wild beasts, and the rest fled. Then the prince sat down +by the water-side and letting spread the game before himself, +apportioned it among his men, after he had set apart the choicest +thereof for his father King Suleiman and despatched it to him; +and other part he divided among the officers of his court. He +passed the night in that place, and when it was morning, there +came up a caravan of merchants, with their slaves and servants, +and halted by the water and the verdure. When Taj el Mulouk saw +this, he said to one of his companions, 'Go, bring me news of +yonder folk and ask them why they have halted here.' So the man +went up to them and said, 'Tell me who ye are, and answer +quickly.' 'We are merchants,' replied they, 'and have halted here +to rest, for that the next station is distant and we have +confidence in King Suleiman Shah and his son Taj el Mulouk, +knowing that all who alight in their dominions are in peace and +safety; and we have with us precious stuffs, that we have brought +for the prince.' The messenger returned with this news to the +prince, who said, I will not depart hence till I see what they +have brought for me. Then he mounted and rode to the caravan, +followed by his servants. The merchants rose to receive him and +invoked on him the aid and favour of God, with continuance of +glory and virtues; after which they pitched him a pavilion of red +satin, emblazoned with pearls and jewels, in which they spread +him a royal divan, upon a silken carpet embroidered at the upper +end with emeralds. The prince seated himself on the divan, whilst +his servants stood in attendance upon him, and bade the merchants +bring out all that they had with them. Accordingly, they produced +all their merchandise, and he viewed it and took of it what liked +him, paying them the price. Then he remounted and was about to +ride onward, when his eyes fell on a handsome young man, well +dressed and elegantly made, with flower-white forehead and face +brilliant as the moon, save that his beauty was wasted and that +pallor had invaded his cheeks by reason of separation from those +he loved: sighing and lamentation were grievous upon him and the +tears streamed from his eyelids, as he repeated the following +verses: + +Absence is long and care and fear are heavy on my soul, Whilst + from mine eyes the tears, O friend, without cessation roll. +Alas, I left my heart behind upon the parting day, And now sans + heart, sans hope, abide all lonely in my dole. +Pause with me, O my friend, what while I take my leave of one By + whose sweet speech diseases all and sorrows are made whole. + +Having said this, he wept awhile and fell down in a swoon, whilst +Taj el Mulouk looked at him wonderingly then coming to himself, +he stared fixedly before him, with distracted air, and repeated +these other verses: + +I rede thee beware of her glance, for, lo, 'tis a wizard, I ween! + None 'scapeth unscathed of the shafts of her eyes, that has + gazed on their sheen. +For, trust me, black eyes, that are armed with the grace of a + languorous look, Are swifter and sharper to wound than + scimitars, tempered and keen. +And let not thy mind be beguiled by the sweet and the soft of her + words; For the fever that springs from her speech + o'ermasters the senses, demesne. +Soft-sided, were silk but to press on her skin, it would cause it + to bleed, So delicate-bodied she is and so nesh, as forsooth + thou hast seen. +Right chary she is of the charms 'twixt her neck and her anklets + that lie, And what is the sweetest of scents to the + fragrance that breathes from my queen! + +Then he gave a sob and swooned away a second time. When Taj el +Mulouk saw him thus, he was perplexed about his case and went up +to him. So when he came to himself and saw the prince standing by +him, he sprang to his feet and kissed the earth before him; and +Taj el Mulouk said to him, 'Why didst thou not show us thy +merchandise?' 'O my lord,' answered the young merchant, 'there is +nought among my stock worthy of thine august highness.' 'It +matters not,' said the prince, 'thou must show me what thou hast +and acquaint me with thy case; for I see thee weeping-eyed and +mournful-hearted. If thou hast been wronged, we will do away +thine oppression, and if thou be in debt, we will discharge thy +debt; for my heart aches for thee, since I first set eyes on +thee.' Then he called for seats and they set him a chair of ebony +and ivory, netted with gold and silk, and spread him a silken +carpet. So he sat down on the chair and bidding the young +merchant seat himself on the carpet, again commanded him to show +him his merchandise. 'O my lord,' said he, 'do not name this to +me; for I have nought worthy of thee.' 'I will have it so,' +rejoined Taj el Mulouk and bade some of the servants fetch the +goods. So they brought them in spite of the merchant; and when he +saw this, the tears streamed from his eyes and he wept and sighed +and lamented; sobs rose from his bosom and he repeated the +following verses: + +By the witching amorous sweetness and the blackness of thine + eyes, By the tender flexile softness in thy slender waist + that lies, +By the graces and the languor of thy body and thy shape, By the + fount of wine and honey from thy coral lips that rise, +O my hope, to see thine image in my dreams were sweeter far Than + were safety to the fearful, languishing in woful wise! + +Then he opened his bales and displayed their contents to Taj el +Mulouk, piece by piece, till he came to a mantle of satin +brocaded with gold, worth two thousand dinars from which, when he +opened it, there fell a piece of linen. As soon as he saw this, +he caught up the piece of linen in haste and hid it under his +thigh; and indeed he seemed as though he had lost his reason, and +he repeated the following verses: + +When shall my sad tormented heart be healed, alas, of thee? The + Pleiades were nearer far than is thy grace to me. +Distance estrangement, longing pain and fire of love laid waste, + Procrastination and delay, in these my life doth flee. +For no attainment bids me live nor exile slays me quite, Travel + no nigher doth me bring, nor wilt thou nearer be. +There is no justice to be had of thee nor any ruth In thee; no + winning to thy grace and yet no breaking free. +Alack, for love of thee, the ways are straitened all on me; So + that I know not where I go nor any issue see! + +The prince wondered greatly at his behaviour, and said to him, +'What is that piece of linen?' 'O my lord,' replied the merchant, +'thou hast no concern with it.' 'Show it me,' said the prince; +and the merchant answered, 'O my lord, it was on account of this +piece of linen that I refused to show thee my goods; for I cannot +let thee look on it.' But Taj el Mulouk rejoined, 'I must and +will see it;' and insisted and became angry. So he drew it out +from under his thigh, weeping and lamenting and redoubling his +sighs and groans, and repeated the following verses: + +Blame ye the lover not, for blame but irketh him to hear; Indeed, + I spoke him truth, but he to me would lend no ear. +God have her in His care, my moon that rises far away, Down in + the valley, midst the camp, from out the collars' + sphere![FN#123] +I left her; would to God my love had left me peace of life! So + had I never parted been from her that held me dear. +O how she pleaded for my sake upon our parting day, What while + adown her cheeks and mine tear followed upon tear! +May God belie me not! The wede of my excuse from me Was all to + rent for loss of her; but I will mend my cheer. +No bed is easy to my side, nor is her resting-place Ayemore + reposeful unto her, now I'm no longer near. +For Fate with an ill-omened hand hath wrought upon our loves And + hindered me from my delight and her from hers, yfere. +Indeed, what time it filled the cup, whereof she drank what I + E'en made her drink, it poured us out grief, all unmixed and + sheer. + +Quoth Taj el Mulouk, 'Thy conduct perplexes me; tell me why thou +weepest at the sight of this piece of linen.' When the young +merchant heard speak of the piece of linen, he sighed and +answered, 'O my lord, my story is a strange and eventful one, +with regard to this piece of linen and her from whom I had it and +her who wrought the figures and emblems that be thereon.' So +saying, he unfolded the piece of linen, and behold, thereon were +the figures of two gazelles, facing one another, one wrought in +silk and gold and the other in silver with a ring of red gold and +three bugles of chrysolite about its neck. When Taj el Mulouk saw +the figures and the beauty of their fashion, he exclaimed, 'Glory +be to God who teacheth man that which he knoweth not!' And his +heart was filled with longing to hear the merchant's story; so he +said to him, 'Tell me thy story with her who gave thee these +gazelles.' 'Know, O my lord,' replied the young man, 'that + + + + +Story of Aziz and Azizeh. + + + +My father was one of the chief merchants (of my native town) and +God had vouchsafed him no other child than myself; but I had a +cousin, the daughter of my father's brother, who was brought up +with me in our house; for her father was dead and before his +death, he had agreed with my father that I should marry her. So +when I reached man's estate and she became a woman, they did not +separate us, and we ceased not to sleep on the same couch, +knowing no evil, albeit she was more thoughtful, more intelligent +and quicker-witted than I, till at last, my father spoke to my +mother and said, "This very year we will draw up the contract of +marriage between Aziz and Azizeh." So they agreed upon this, and +he betook himself to preparing victual for the marriage +festivities. When he had made an end of his preparations and +there remained nought but to draw up the contract and consummate +the marriage, he appointed the wedding for a certain Friday, +after the congregational prayers, and going round to his friends +among the merchants and others, acquainted them with this, whilst +my mother invited her female friends and kindred. When the day +came, they cleaned the guest-chamber and washed the marble floor, +then spread carpets about the house and set out thereon what +was needful, after they had hung the walls with cloth of gold. +Now the folk had agreed to come to our house after the Friday- +prayers; so my father went and let make cates and dishes +of sweetmeats, and there remained nothing to do but to draw up +the contract. Then my mother sent me to the bath and sent after +me a suit of new clothes of the richest kind which I put on, when +I came out. The clothes were perfumed, and as I went along, there +exhaled from them a delicious fragrance, that scented the way. I +was about to repair to the mosque, when I bethought me of one of +my friends and was minded to go in quest of him that he might be +present at the drawing up of the contract, saying in myself, +"This will occupy me till near the time of prayer." So I turned +back and came to a by-street, that I had never before entered. +Now I was in a profuse perspiration, from the effects of the bath +and the new clothes on my body, and the sweat streamed from me, +whilst the perfume of my clothes was wafted abroad: so I sat down +to rest on a stone bench at the upper end of the street, +spreading under me an embroidered handkerchief I had with me. The +heat redoubled on me, so that my forehead sweated and the drops +ran down on to my cheeks; but I could not wipe my face with my +handkerchief, because I lay upon it. So I was about to take the +skirt of my gaberdine and wipe my cheeks with it, when suddenly +there fell on me from above a white handkerchief, softer to the +feel than the zephyr and pleasanter to the sight than recovery to +the sick. I seized on it and looking up to see whence it came, my +eyes met those of the lady who gave me these gazelles. She was +looking out of a wicket in a lattice of brass and never saw my +eyes a fairer than she; my tongue fails to picture her beauty. +When she saw me looking at her, she put her forefinger to her +mouth, then joined her middle and index fingers and laid them on +her bosom, between her breasts; after which she drew in her head +and shut the wicket. With this, fire broke out and raged in my +heart; the glance I had of her cost me a thousand sighs and I +abode perplexed, having heard no word from her and understanding +not the meaning of her signs. I looked again at the window, but +found it shut and waited till sundown but heard no sound and saw +no one. When I despaired of seeing her again, I rose and taking +up the handkerchief, opened it, whereupon there exhaled from it a +scent of musk, which caused me such ease that meseemed I was in +Paradise. Then I spread it out before me and there dropped from +it a little scroll of paper. I opened the scroll, which was +scented with a delicious perfume, and found written therein the +following verses: + +I sent my love a scroll, complaining of desire Writ in a fine, + small hand; for writings vary still. +"Why is thy writing thus," my lover said to me, "Attenuate and + small, uneath to read and ill?" +Quoth I, "Because I too am wasted, ay, and thin. Thus should + their writing be, who weary at Love's will." + +Then, casting my eyes on the beauty of the handkerchief, I saw +embroidered on one of its borders the following verses: + +The down of his whiskers writes (good luck to it for A scribe!) + Two lines, in the basil[FN#124] hand, on the table of his + face. +O the wilderment of the moon at him, when he appears! And O the + shame of the branch at sight of his flexile grace! + +And on the opposite border were the following verses: + +The whiskers write upon his cheeks, with ambergris on pearl, Two + lines, as 'twere with jet upon an apple, line for line. +Death harbours in his languid eyes and slays with every glance; + And in his cheeks is drunkenness, and not in any wine. + + +When I read what was written on the handkerchief, the flames of +love raged in my heart, and longing and trouble redoubled on me. +So I took the handkerchief and the scroll and went home, knowing +no means to compass my desire, for that I was inexperienced in +love affairs and unskilled in the interpretation of the language +of signs used therein. The night was far spent before I reached +my house, and when I entered, I found my cousin sitting weeping. +As soon as she saw me, she wiped away her tears and coming up to +me, took off my (outer) clothes and asked me the reason of my +absence, saying, "All the folk, amirs and notables and merchants +and others, assembled here, and the Cadi and the witnesses came +also at the appointed time. They ate and sat awhile, awaiting thy +coming for the drawing up of the contract, till they despaired of +thee, when they dispersed and went their ways. And indeed," added +she, "thy father was exceeding wroth, by reason of this, and +swore that he would not celebrate our marriage till next year, +for that he hath spent much money on this occasion. What hath +befallen thee to make thee tarry till now?" "O my cousin," +replied I, "do not ask me what hath befallen me." Then I told her +all that had passed and showed her the handkerchief and the +scroll. She took them and read what was written therein; +whereupon the tears ran down her cheeks and she repeated the +following verses: + +Who says to thee, the first of love is free, Tell him, not so; + but, on the contrary, +'Tis all constraint, wherein no blame can be. History indeed + attests this verity; + It does not style the good coin falsified. +Say, if thou wilt, the taste of pain is sweet, Or to be spurned + by Fortune's flying feet; +Of need or vengeance, fortune or defeat, With joy or dole it + makes the heart to beat: + 'Twixt phrase and counterphrase I'm stupefied. +But as for him whose happy days are light, Fair maids, whose lips + with smiles are ever bright, +Borne on the fragrant gales of their delight, Who hath his will, + unhindered of despite, + 'Tis not with him A craven heart may bide. + +Then she asked me what she said and what signs she made to me. +"She spoke not," answered I; "but put her index finger to her +mouth, then joining it to her middle finger, laid them both on +her bosom and pointed in the ground, after which she drew in her +head and shut the wicket and I saw her no more. She took my heart +with her and I sat till sundown, expecting her to appear again at +the window; but she came not: so, when I despaired of her, I rose +and went home. This is my story, and I beg thee to help me in +this my affliction." With this, she raised her face to me and +said, "O my cousin, if thou soughtest my eye, I would tear it +from its socket for thee, and I cannot choose but help thee to +thy desire and her also to hers; for she is passionately +enamoured of thee, even as thou of her." "And what is the meaning +of her signs?" asked I. "As for the putting her finger to her +mouth," replied Azizeh, "it meant that thou art to her as her +soul to her body and that she would bite upon union with thee +with her wisdom-teeth. The handkerchief is the token of greeting +from lover to beloved and the scroll is a sign that her heart is +bound up in thee. As for the laying her two fingers between her +breasts, it is as if she said to thee, 'Return hither after two +days, that the sight of thy countenance may dispel my anguish.' +For know, O my cousin, that she loves thee and trusts in thee. +This is my reading of her signs, and could I come and go at will, +I would quickly bring you and her together and cover you both +with my skirt." I thanked her and said to myself, "I will wait +two days." So I abode two days in the house, without going out, +and ate not nor drank, but lay with my head in my cousin's lap, +whilst she comforted me and bade me take heart and be of good +cheer. When the two days were past, she said to me, "Take courage +and dress thyself and go to her, according to the tryst." Then +she rose and changed my clothes and perfumed me with incense. So +I took heart and went out and walked on till I came to the +by-street, where I sat down on the bench. After awhile, the +wicket opened and I looked up and seeing the lady, fell down in a +swoon. When I revived, I took courage to look again at her and +again became insensible. Then I came to myself and looking at +her, saw that she had a mirror and a red handkerchief in her +hand. When she saw me, she bared her forearms and smote her +breast with her palm and five fingers; after which she raised her +hands and holding the mirror forth of the wicket, took the red +handkerchief and retired with it, but immediately returned and +putting out her hand with the handkerchief, lowered it towards +the ground and raised it again three several times. Then she +wrung it out and folded it in her hands, bowing her head the +while; after which she drew in her head and shutting the window, +went away, without saying a word, leaving me confounded and +knowing not what she meant. I sat there till the evening and did +not return home till near midnight, when I found my cousin +sitting, weeping bitterly and repeating the following verses: + +Ah me, what ails the censurer, that he at thee should flite? How + shall I be consoled for thee, and thou a sapling slight? +O thou, the splendour of whose sight has ta'en my heart by storm, + Whose supple bending grace compels to passion's utmost + height,[FN#125] +Whose eyes, with Turkish languor caught, work havoc in the breast + And leave such wounds as ne'er were made by falchion in the + fight! +Thou layst on me a heavy load of passion and desire, On me that + am too weak to bear a shift upon me dight. +Ay, tears of blood I weep, for that my censors say to me, "A + sudden sword, from out his lids thou lovest, shall thee + smite." +Ah, would my heart were like to thine, even as my body is Like to + thy waist, all thin and frail and dwindled for despite! +Thou, that my prince in beauty art, a steward[FN#126] hast, whose + rule Aggrieves me and a chamberlain[FN#127] that doth me + foul upright. +He lies who says, "All loveliness in Joseph was comprised." How + many Josephs are there not within thy beauty bright! +I force myself to turn from thee, for fear of spying eyes, Though + sore it irks me to forswear the solace of thy sight. + +At this, trouble and grief redoubled on me and I fell down in a +corner; whereupon she sprang up and coming to me, lifted me up +and took off my outer clothes and wiped my face with her sleeve. +Then she asked me how I had fared, and I told her all that had +happened. "O my cousin," said she, "as for her sign to thee with +her palm and five fingers, it meant, 'Return after five days;' +and her gestures with the mirror and the putting forth of her +head and the lowering and raising of the red handkerchief meant, +'Sit in the dyer's shop, till my messenger come to thee.'" When I +heard this, fire flamed up in my heart and I exclaimed, "O my +cousin, by Allah, thou sayst sooth in this thine interpretation; +for I saw the shop of a Jewish dyer in the street." Then I wept, +and she said, "O my cousin, summon up resolution and be steadfast +of heart: others are occupied with love for years and are +constant to endure the ardour of passion, whilst thou hast but a +week[FN#128] to wait; so why art thou thus impatient?" Then she +went on to cheer me with comfortable talk and brought me food: so +I took a mouthful, but could not eat and abstained from meat and +drink and knew not the solace of sleep, till my colour paled and +I lost my good looks; for I had never before been in love nor +tasted the ardour of passion. So I fell sick and my cousin also +sickened on my account; but every night she would divert me with +stories of love and lovers, till I fell asleep; and whenever I +awoke, I used to find her wakeful for my sake, with the tears +running down her cheeks. Thus we did till the five days were +past, when she rose and heating water, bathed me with it. Then +she dressed me and said to me, "Go to her and may God fulfil your +wish and bring thee to thy desire of thy beloved!" So I went out +and walked on, till I came to the by-street. I found the dyer's +shop shut, for it was Saturday, and sat before it, till I heard +the call to afternoon-prayer. Then the sun turned pale, the +Muezzins chanted the call to the prayer of sunset and the night +came; but I saw no sign nor heard aught of her. With this, I +feared for myself, sitting there alone; so I rose and went home, +staggering like a drunken man. When I reached the house, I found +my cousin Azizeh standing, with one hand grasping a peg driven +into the wall and the other on her breast; and she was sighing +heavily and repeating the following verses: + +The longing of a Bedouin maid, whose folk are far away, Who + yearns after the willow of the Hejaz and the hay,[FN#129] +Whose tears, when she on travellers lights, might for their water + serve And eke her passion, with its heat, their bivouac-fire + purvey, +Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love, Who + deems that I commit a crime in loving him alway. + +When she had finished, she turned and seeing me, wiped away her +tears and mine with her sleeve. Then she smiled in my face and +said, "O my cousin, God grant thee joy of that which He hath +given thee! Why didst thou not pass the night with thy beloved +and why hast thou not fulfilled thy desire of her?" When I heard +what she said, I gave her a kick in the breast and she fell over +on to the edge of the estrade and struck her forehead against a +peg there. I looked at her and saw that her forehead was cut open +and the blood running; but she was silent and did not utter a +syllable. She made some tinder of rags and staunching the wound +with it, bound her forehead with a bandage; after which she wiped +up the blood that had fallen on the carpet, and it was as if +nothing had happened. Then she came up to me and smiling in my +face, said, with gentle speech, "By Allah, O my cousin, I had it +not in my thought to mock at thee or at her! I was troubled with +a pain in my head and thought to be let blood, but now thou hast +eased my head and brow; so tell me what has befallen thee +to-day." So I told her what had passed and she wept and said, "O +my cousin, rejoice in the near fulfilment of thy desire and the +attainment of thy hopes. Verily, this is a sign of acceptance; +she only stayed away, because she wished to try thee and know if +thou wert patient and sincere in thy love for her or not. +To-morrow, do thou go to her at the old place and note what signs +she makes to thee; for indeed thy gladness is near and the end of +thy grief is at hand." And she went on to comfort me; but my +trouble and affliction ceased not to increase on me. Presently, +she brought me food, but I kicked the dishes away, so that their +contents were scattered in all directions, and said, "Every lover +is a madman; he inclines not to food neither enjoys sleep." "By +Allah, O my cousin," answered she, "these are indeed the signs of +love!" And the tears streamed down her cheeks, whilst she +gathered the fragments of the dishes and wiped up the food; then +she sat down by me and talked to me, whilst I prayed God to +hasten the coming of the day. When, at last, the morning arose +with its light and shone, I went out and hastening to the +by-street in question, sat down on the bench, when behold, the +wicket opened and she put out her head, laughing. Then she went +in and returned with a mirror, a bag, a pot of flowering plants +and a lamp. First, she took the mirror and putting it into the +bag, tied it up and threw it back into the room; after which she +let down her hair over her face and set the lamp an instant on +the pot of flowers; then took up all the things and shutting the +window, went away, without saying a word. My heart was tortured +by her obscure signs and mysterious gestures, and passion and +distraction redoubled on me. So I retraced my steps, tearful-eyed +and mournful-hearted, and returning home, found Azizeh sitting, +with her face to the wall; for her heart was on fire for grief +and anxiety and jealousy; albeit the love she bore me forbade her +to acquaint me with what she suffered, by reason of what she saw +of the excess of my passion and distraction (for another). I +looked at her and saw that she had two bandages on her head, one +on account of the wound on her forehead, and the other over her +eye, which pained her for excess of weeping; and she was in very +sorry plight, weeping and repeating the following verses: + +I count the nights, night after night, the weary nights and slow; + Yet would I, once upon a time, unreckoned let them go. +I have no knowledge, O my friend, of that which God ordains Of + Leila or what He decrees to me, but this I know +He to another her adjudged and cursed me with her love: So hath + He not afflicted me with other than her woe. + +When she had finished, she looked round and seeing me through her +tears, wiped them away and came up to me, but could not speak for +excess of emotion. So she was silent awhile, then said to me, "O +my cousin, tell me what befell thee with her this time." So I +told her all that had passed, and she said, "Be patient, for the +time of thy delight is come, and thou hast won to the attainment +of thy hopes. As for her sign with the mirror and the bag, it was +as if she said to thee, 'When the sun is set;' and the letting +down of her hair over her face signified, When the night is come +and hath let fall the blackness of the dark and overmastered the +daylight, come hither.' As for her gesture with the flower-pot +and the lamp, it meant, 'When thou comest, enter the garden +behind the street, and where as thou seest the lamp burning, go +thither and seat thyself beneath it and wait for me; for the love +of thee is killing me.'" When I heard this, I cried out for +excess of passion and said, "How long wilt thou deceive me with +promises and I go to her, but get not my will nor find any truth +in thine interpreting?" At this, she laughed and replied, "Thou +needest but have patience for the rest of the day, till the light +depart and the night come with the darkness, and thou shalt enjoy +fruition and accomplish thy hopes. And indeed this is true +without leasing." And she repeated the following verses: + +Let the days pass, as they list, and fare, And enter thou not the + house of despair. +Full oft when the quest of a thing is hard, The next hour brings + us the end of our care. + +Then she came to me and began to comfort me with soothing words, +but dared not offer me food, fearing my wrath and seeking to make +me incline to her: so she only took off my upper garment and said +to me, "Sit, O my cousin, that I may entertain thee with talk, +till the end of the day; and God willing, thou shalt be with thy +beloved as soon as it is night." But I paid no heed to her and +gave not over looking for the coming of the night, saying, "O +Lord, hasten the coming of the night!" till the hour of the +evening-prayer, when she wept sore and giving me a grain of pure +musk, said to me, "O my cousin, put this in thy mouth, and when +thou foregatherest with thy beloved and hast taken thy will of +her and she hath granted thee thy desire, repeat to her this +verse: + +Tell me, O lovers, for God's sake, I do entreat of you, When love + is sore upon a maid, alack! what shall she do?" + +And she kissed me and made me swear not to repeat this to my +mistress, till I should be about to leave her. Then I went out +and walked on till I came to the garden. I found the door open; +so I entered, and seeing a light in the distance, made towards it +and came to a great pavilion, vaulted over with a dome of ivory +and ebony, from the midst of which hung the lamp. The floor was +spread with silken carpets, embroidered in gold and silver, and +under the lamp stood a great candle, burning in a stand of gold. +Midmost the pavilion was a fountain, adorned with all manner of +figures; and by it stood a table of food, covered with a silken +napkin, and a great porcelain vase full of wine, with a goblet of +crystal, sprayed with gold. Near these was a great covered dish +of silver, which I uncovered and found therein fruits of all +kinds, figs and pomegranates and grapes and oranges and citrons +and shaddocks, together with all manner sweet-scented flowers, +such as roses and jasmine and myrtle and eglantine and narcissus +and all kinds of sweet-smelling herbs; but I saw there not a +living soul, no, not even a slave, male or female, to guard these +things. I was transported with delight at what I saw, and my +grief and anxiety ceased from me. So I sat down to await the +coming of the beloved of my heart: but the first hour of the +night passed by, and the second and the third, and still she came +not. Then I grew sore an hungred, for that it was long since I +had tasted food by reason of the violence of my passion: but when +I found the garden even as my cousin had told me and saw the +truth of her interpretation of my mistress's signs, my mind was +set at rest and I made sure of attaining my desire, so that +nature resumed its sway and I felt the pangs of hunger. Moreover +the odour of the viands on the table excited in me a longing to +eat: so I went up to the table, and lifting the cover, found in +the middle a porcelain dish, containing four fricasseed fowls, +seasoned with spices, round which were four smaller dishes, one +containing sweetmeats, another conserve of pomegranate-seeds, a +third almond patties and a fourth honey fritters, and the +contents of these dishes were part sweet and part acid. So I ate +of the fritters and a piece of meat, then went on to the almond +patties and ate what I would of them; after which I attacked the +sweetmeats, of which I ate a spoonful or two or three or four, +ending with part of a fowl and a mouthful of bread. With this my +stomach became full and my limbs heavy and I grew drowsy; so I +laid my head on a cushion, after having washed my hands, and +sleep overcame me; and I knew not what happened to me after this +nor did I awake till the sun's heat burnt me, for that I had not +tasted sleep for days. When I awoke, I found myself lying on the +naked marble, with a piece of salt and another of charcoal on my +stomach; so I stood up and shook my clothes and turned right and +left, but could see no one. At this I was perplexed and +afflicted; the tears ran down my cheeks and I mourned grievously +for myself. Then I returned home, and when I entered, I found my +cousin beating her bosom and weeping like the rain-clouds, as she +repeated the following verses: + +From out my loved one's land a breeze blows cool and sweet: The + fragrance of its wafts stirs up the ancient heat. +Blow, zephyr of the East! Each lover hath his lot, His + heaven-appointed doom of fortune or defeat. +Lo, if we might, we would embrace thee for desire, Even as a + lover clips his mistress, when they meet. +Whenas my cousin's face is absent, God forbids All pleasance + [unto me] and all life has of sweet. +Ah, would I knew his heart was even as is mine, All wasted and + consumed by passion's flaming feet! + +When she saw me, she rose in haste and wiping away her tears, +accosted me with her soft speech, saying, "O my cousin, verily +God hath been gracious to thee in thy love, in that she whom thou +lovest loves thee, whilst I pass my time in weeping and lamenting +my separation from thee that blamest and chidest me; but may God +not reproach thee for my sake!" Then she smiled in my face, a sad +smile, and caressed me; then taking off my outer clothes, she +spread them out and said, "By Allah, this is not the scent of one +who hath enjoyed his mistress! Tell me what has befallen thee, O +my cousin." So I told her all that had passed, and she smiled +again, a sad smile, and said, "Verily, my heart is full of pain; +but may he not live who would hurt thy heart! Indeed, this woman +makes herself extravagantly difficult to thee, and by Allah, I +fear for thee from her. Know that the meaning of the salt is that +thou wert drowned in sleep and she likens thee to insipid food, +at which the soul sickens; and it is as if she said to thee, 'It +behoves that thou be salted, lest nature reject thee. Thou +professest to be of the true lovers, but sleep is forbidden to a +lover; therefore, thy love is false.' But it is her love for thee +that is false; for she saw thee asleep, yet awoke thee not, and +were her love for thee sincere, she had aroused thee. As for the +charcoal, it means, 'God blacken thy face, for that thou makest +a lying presence of love, whereas thou art but a child and +hast no concern but to eat and drink and sleep!' This is the +interpretation of her signs, and may God the Most High deliver +thee from her!" When I heard my cousin's words, I beat my breast +with my hand and cried out, "By Allah, this is the truth, for I +slept and lovers sleep not! Indeed, I have sinned against myself, +for nought could have done me more hurt than eating and sleeping. +What shall I do!" Then I wept sore and said to her, "Have +compassion on me and tell me what to do, so may God have +compassion on thee: else I shall die." Now my cousin loved me +very dearly; so she replied, "On my head and eyes. But, O my +cousin, as I have told thee often, could I go in and out at will, +I would very soon bring you together and cover you both with my +skirt: nor would I do this but hoping to win thy favour. God +willing, I will do my utmost endeavour to bring about your union; +but hearken thou to me and do as I bid thee. Go to the garden at +nightfall and sit down in the same place and look thou eat not, +for eating induces sleep; and beware of sleeping, for she will +not come to thee, till a fourth part of the night be passed. And +may God save thee from her mischief!" When I heard this, I +rejoiced and besought God to hasten the night. As soon as it was +dark, I rose to go, and my cousin said to me, "If thou foregather +with her, repeat to her the verse I taught thee, at the time of +leave-taking." "On my head and eyes," replied I, and going out, +repaired to the garden, where I found all as on the previous +night, with meat and drink spread ready, and dessert and flowers +and so forth. I went up into the pavilion and smelt the odour of +the viands and my soul lusted after them; but I forbore awhile, +till at last I could no longer restrain my appetite. So I went up +to the table, and raising the cover, found a dish of fowls, +surrounded by four smaller dishes, containing various meats. I +ate a mouthful of each dish and a piece of meat and as much as I +would of the sweetmeat: then I tasted a dish of rice dressed with +honey and saffron and liking it, supped of it by the spoonful, +till I was satisfied and my belly was full. With this, my eyelids +became heavy; so I took a cushion and put it under my head, +saying, "Surely I can recline upon it, without going to sleep." +Then I closed my eyes and slept, nor did I wake till the sun had +risen, when I found myself lying on the bare marble, with a die +of bone, a play-stick,[FN#130] a green date-stone[FN#131] and a +carob-bean on my stomach. There was no furniture nor aught else +in the place, and it was as if there had been nothing there +yesterday. So I rose and shaking all these things off me, went +out in a rage, and going home, found my cousin sighing and +repeating the following verses: + +Wasted body and heart a-bleeding for despair And tears that down + my cheeks stream on and on for e'er, +And a beloved one persistent in disdain; Yet all a fair one does + must needs be right and fair. +O cousin mine, thou'st filled my heart with longing pain And + wounded are mine eyes with tears that never spare. + +I chid her and reviled her, at which she wept; then wiping away +her tears, she came up to me and kissed me and pressed me to her +bosom, whilst I held back from her and blamed myself. Then she +said to me, "O my cousin, meseems thou didst sleep again last +night?" "Yes," replied I; "and when I awoke, I found on my +stomach a die of bone, a play-stick, a green date-stone and a +carob-bean, and I know not why she did this." Then I wept and +said to her, "Expound to me her meaning in this and tell me what +I shall do and help me in this my strait." "On my head and eyes," +answered she. "Know then that, by the figure of the die and the +play-stick, she says to thee, 'Thy body is present, but thy heart +absent. Love is not thus: so do not reckon thyself among lovers.' +As for the date-stone, it is as if she said to thee, 'If thou +wert in love, thy heart would be on fire with passion and thou +wouldst not taste the delight of sleep; for the sweet of love is +like a green date and kindles a fire in the entrails.' As for the +carob-bean, it signifies, 'The lover's heart is wearied; so be +thou patient under our separation, even as Job was patient.'" +When I heard this, fires raged in my entrails and grief redoubled +upon my heart and I cried out, saying, "God ordained sleep to me, +of my ill-fortune!" Then I said to her, "O my cousin, I conjure +thee by my life, contrive me some device whereby I may win to +her!" She wept and answered, "O Aziz, O my cousin, verily my +heart is full of melancholy thought and I cannot speak: but go +thou again to-night to the same place and look that thou sleep +not, and thou shalt surely attain thy desire. This is my counsel +and peace be on thee." "God willing," said I, "I will not sleep, +but will do as thou biddest me." Then she rose and set food +before me, saying, "Eat now what may suffice thee, that thy heart +may be free." So I ate my fill, and when the night came, my +cousin rose and bringing me a sumptuous suit of clothes, clad me +therein. Then she made me promise to repeat the verse aforesaid +to my mistress and bade me beware of sleeping. So I left her and +repairing to the garden, went up into the pavilion, where I +occupied myself with gazing on the garden, holding my eyes open +with my fingers and wagging my head from side to side, as the +night darkened on me. Presently I grew hungry with watching, and +the smell of the meats, being wafted towards me, increased my +hunger: so I went up to the table and taking off the cover, ate a +piece of meat and a mouthful of every dish; after which I turned +to the vessel of wine, saying in myself, "I will drink one cup." +So I drank one cup and a second and a third, till I had drunk +full half a score, when the air smote me and I fell to the earth +like a dead man. I lay thus till day, when I awoke and found +myself without the garden, with a large sharp knife and an iron +dirhem[FN#132] on my stomach. I arose trembling and taking the +knife and the dirhem, went home where I found my cousin saying, +"Verily, I am in this house wretched and sorrowful, having no +helper but weeping." When I entered, I fell down at full length +and fainted, throwing the knife and the dirhem from my hand. As +soon as I came to myself, I told her what had passed and said, +"Indeed, I shall never enjoy my desire." The sight of my tears +and my passion redoubled her distress on my account, and she +said, "Verily, I can no more. I warned thee against sleeping; but +thou wouldst not listen to my counsel, and my words profited thee +nothing." "By Allah," cried I, "I conjure thee to explain to me +the meaning of the knife and the dirhem." "By the dirhem," +replied she, "she alludes to her right eye, and it is as if she +said to thee, 'I swear, by the Lord of all creatures and by my +right eye, that, if thou come here again and sleep, I will slay +thee with this knife!' And indeed, O my cousin, I fear for thee +from her malice; my heart is full of anguish for thee and I +cannot speak. Nevertheless, if thou canst be sure of thyself not +to sleep, return to her and thou shalt attain thy desire; but if +thou sleep, according to thy wont, she will surely slay thee." "O +my cousin," said I, "what shall I do? I conjure thee, by Allah, +to help me in this my affliction!" "On my head and eyes," replied +she. "If thou wilt hearken to me and do as I say, thou shalt have +thy will." Quoth I, "I will indeed hearken to thee and do thy +bidding." And she said, "When it is time for thee to go, I will +tell thee." Then she pressed me to her bosom and laying me on the +bed, rubbed my feet, till drowsiness overcame me and I was +drowned in sleep; when she took a fan and seating herself at my +head, ceased not to fan my face till the end of the day. Then she +awoke me, and I found her sitting at my head weeping, with the +fan in her hand and her clothes wet with tears. When she saw that +I was awake, she wiped away her tears and fetching food, set it +before me. I refused it, but she said to me, "Didst thou not +promise to do my bidding? Eat." So I ate and did not cross her, +and she proceeded to put the food into my mouth and I to eat, +till I was full. Then she made me drink sherbet of jujube-fruit +and sugar and washed my hands and dried them with a napkin; after +which she sprinkled me with rose-water, and I sat with her +awhile, restored to health and spirits. When the night had closed +in, she dressed me and said to me, "O my cousin, watch all night +and sleep not; for she will not come to thee this time till the +last of the night, and God willing, thou shalt foregather with +her this night: but do not forget my charge." Then she wept, and +my heart was sore for her by reason of her much weeping, and I +said to her, "What is the charge thou gavest me?" "When thou art +about to take leave of her," replied she, "repeat to her the +verse I taught thee." So I left her, full of gladness, and +repairing to the garden, entered the pavilion, where I sat down +satiated with food, and watched till a fourth part of the night +was past. The night was tedious to me as it were a year: but I +remained awake, till it was three quarters spent and the cocks +cried out and I became sore an hungred for long watching. So I +went up to the table and ate my fill, whereupon my head grew +heavy and I was on the point of falling asleep, when I espied a +light making towards me from afar. So I sprang up and washed my +hands and mouth and roused myself; and before long, up came the +lady, accompanied by ten damsels, in whose midst she shone, like +the full moon among the stars. She was clad in a dress of green +satin, embroidered with red gold, and she was as says the poet: + +She lords it over her lovers in garments all of green, With open + vest and collars and flowing hair beseen. +"What is thy name?" I asked her, and she replied, "I'm she Who + burns the hearts of lovers on coals of love and teen." +I made my moan unto her of passion and desire; "Upon a rock," she + answered, "thy plaints are wasted clean." +"Even if thy heart," I told her, "be rock in very deed, Yet hath + God made fair water well from the rock, I ween." + +When she saw me, she laughed and said, "How is it that thou art +awake and that sleep hath not overcome thee. Now that thou hast +passed the night without sleep, I know that thou art in love, for +it is the mark of a lover to watch the night for stress of +longing." Then she signed to her women and they went away, +whereupon she came up to me and strained me to her bosom and +kissed me and sucked my upper lip, whilst I kissed her and sucked +her lower lip. I put my hand to her waist and pressed it and we +came to the ground at the same moment. Then she undid her +trousers and they fell down to her anklets and we fell to +clipping and toying and cricketing and speaking softly and biting +and intertwining of legs and going round about the House and the +corners thereof,[FN#133] till her senses failed her for delight +and she swooned away. And indeed that night was heart-gladdening +and eye-refreshing, even as says the poet: + +The sweetest of all the nights that ever the world can show! The + cup in it stinted never from hand to hand to go. +Therein I did dissever mine eyes from sleep and made The + ear-drop[FN#134] and the anklet[FN#135] foregather evermo'. + + +We lay together till the morning, when I would have gone away, +but she stopped me, saying, "Stay, till I tell thee somewhat and +give thee a charge." So I waited, whilst she undid a handkerchief +and taking out this piece of linen, spread it out before me. I +saw worked on it these two figures of gazelles and admired it +exceedingly; and she said to me, "Keep this carefully, for it is +my sister's work." "What is thy sister's name?" asked I, and she +answered, "Nour el Huda." Then I took the piece of linen and went +away, joyful, after we had agreed that I should visit her every +night in the garden; but in my joy I forgot to repeat to her the +verse my cousin had taught me. When I reached home, I found +Azizeh lying down; but, as soon as she saw me, she rose, with the +tears running from her eyes, and coming up to me, kissed me on +the breast and said, "Didst thou repeat the verse to her, as I +enjoined thee?" "I forgot it," answered I; "and here is what made +me forget it." And I threw the piece of linen down before her. +She rose and sat down again, but was unable to contain herself +and her eyes ran over with tears, whilst she repeated the +following verses: + +O thou that seekest severance, forbear; Let not the fair delude + thee with their sleight. +Softly, for fortune's nature is deceit And parting is the end of + love-delight. + +Then she said, "O my cousin, give me this piece of linen." So I +gave it to her, and she took it and unfolding it, saw what was +therein. When the time came for my going to my mistress, she said +to me, "Go and peace be with thee; and when thou art about to +leave her, repeat to her the verse I taught thee and which thou +forgottest." Quoth I, "Repeat it to me." So she repeated it. Then +I went to the garden and entered the pavilion, where I found the +lady awaiting me. When she saw me, she rose and kissed me and +made me sit in her lap; and we ate and drank and did our desire +as on the previous night. In the morning, I repeated to her my +cousin's verse: + +Tell me, O lovers, for God's sake I do entreat of you, When love + is sore upon a maid, alack! what shall she do? + +When she heard this, her eyes filled with tears and she answered +with the following verse: + +Against her passion she must strive and hide her case from view + And humble and submissive be, whatever may ensue. + +This I committed to memory and returned home, rejoiced at having +done my cousin's errand. When I entered the house, I found Azizeh +lying on the bed and my mother at her head, weeping over her +condition. When the latter saw me, she said to me, "Out on thee +for a cousin! How couldst thou leave the daughter of thine uncle +in ill case and not ask what ailed her?" Azizeh, seeing me, +raised her head and sat up and said, "O Aziz, didst thou repeat +the verse to her?" "Yes," replied I; "and she wept and recited, +in answer, another verse, which I remember." "Tell it me," said +Azizeh. I did so; and she wept and repeated the following verses: + +How shall she temper her desire, It doth her fire undo, And still + with each recurring day her heart is cleft in two. +Indeed, she strives for patience fair, but findeth nought in her + Except a heart too weak to bear the love that makes her rue. + +"When thou goest to thy mistress as of wont," added she, "repeat +to her these verses also." "I hear and obey," answered I and +betook myself, at the wonted time, to the garden, where there +passed between my mistress and myself what the tongue fails to +describe. As I was about to leave her, I repeated to her my +cousin's verses; whereupon the tears streamed from her eyes and +she replied: + +If she her secret cannot hide and lack of patience due, I see no + help for her but death, of all things old and new. + +Then I returned home, where I found Azizeh fallen of a swoon and +my mother sitting at her head. When she heard my voice, she +opened her eyes and said, "O Aziz, didst thou repeat the verses +to her?" "Yes," answered I; "and she replied with this verse." +And I repeated it; whereupon my cousin swooned again, and when +she came to herself, she recited the following verses: + +"I hearken, I obey, I die; yet bear to one who slew My hopes of + union and delight, my greeting and adieu. +Fair fall the happy of their joy, alack! and fair befall The + wretched lover of the cup that's set her lips unto." + +When it was night, I repaired, as of wont, to the garden, where I +found my mistress awaiting me. We sat down and ate and drank, +after which we did our need and slept till the morning; and as I +was going away, I repeated to her Azizeh's verses. When she heard +them, she gave a loud cry and was greatly moved and exclaimed, +"Alas! Alas! She who said these words is dead!" Then she wept and +said to me, "Out on thee! What kin is she, who spoke thus, to +thee?" "She is the daughter of my father's brother," replied I. +"Thou liest," rejoined she. "By Allah, were she thy cousin, thou +wouldst have loved her even as she loved thee! It is thou who +hast killed her, and may God in like manner kill thee! By Allah, +hadst thou told me thou hadst a cousin, I would not have admitted +thee to my favours!" Quoth I, "Indeed, she is my cousin, and it +was she who interpreted to me thy signs and taught me how to come +at thee and how I should deal with thee; and but for her, I had +never won to thee." "Did she then know of us?" asked she. "Yes," +answered I; and she exclaimed, "God give thee sorrow of thy +youth, even as thou hast wasted hers!" Then she said to me, "Go +and see after her." So I went away, troubled at heart, and when I +reached our street, I heard a sound of wailing, and asking about +it, was answered, "We found Azizeh dead behind the door." I +entered the house, and when my mother saw me, she said to me, +"Her death lies at thy door, and may God not acquit thee of her +blood! Out on thee for a cousin!" Then came my father, and we +laid her out and did her the last offices and buried her. +Moreover, we let make recitations of the Koran over her tomb and +abode there three days, after which we returned home, grieving +for her. When I entered the house, my mother came to me and said, +"I would fain know what thou didst to her, to break her heart, +for, O my son, I questioned her many times of the cause of her +malady, but she would tell me nothing. So, God on thee, tell me +what thou didst to her, that she died." Quoth I, "I did nothing." +"May God avenge her on thee!" rejoined my mother. "She told me +nothing, but kept her secret till she died, of her affection for +thee. But when she died, I was with her, and she opened her eyes +and said to me, 'O wife of my uncle, may God hold thy son +guiltless of my blood and punish him not for that he hath done +with me! And now He transporteth me from this transitory house of +the world to the other and eternal dwelling-place.' 'O my +daughter,' said I, 'God preserve thee and preserve thy youth!' +And I questioned her of the cause of her illness; but she made me +no answer. Then she smiled and said, 'O wife of my uncle, when my +cousin is about to repair to the place whither he goes every day, +bid him repeat these two words at his going away: "Faith is fair +and perfidy foul." For this is of my tenderness over him, that I +am solicitous for him in my lifetime and after my death.' Then +she gave me somewhat for thee and made me swear that I would not +give it to thee, till I should see thee weeping for her and +lamenting her death. The thing is with me, and when I see thee as +I have said, I will give it to thee." "Show it me," quoth I: but +she would not. Then I gave myself up to my pleasures and thought +no more of my cousin's death; for I was light-witted and would +fain have been with my beloved day and night. So hardly had the +night fallen, when I betook myself to the garden, where I found +the lady sitting on coals of fire, for much waiting. As soon as +she saw me, she ran to me and throwing her arms about my neck, +enquired of my cousin. "She is dead," replied I; "and we have +caused litanies and recitations of the Koran to be performed for +her; and it is now four nights since she died." When she heard +this, she shrieked aloud and wept, saying, "Did I not tell thee +that thou hadst slain her? Hadst thou let me know of her before +her death, I would have requited her the kindness she did me, in +that she served me and brought thee to me; for but for her, we +had never come together; and I fear lest some calamity befall +thee by reason of thy sin against her." Quoth I, "She acquitted +me before she died." And I repeated to her what my mother had +told me. "God on thee," rejoined she, "when thou returnest to thy +mother, learn what it is she hath for thee." Quoth I, "My mother +also said to me, 'Before thy cousin died, she laid a charge upon +me, saying, "When thy son is about to go whither of wont, teach +him these two words, 'Faith is fair and perfidy foul.'" When my +mistress heard this, she exclaimed, "The mercy of God the Most +High be upon her! Indeed, she hath delivered thee from me, for I +had it in mind to do thee a mischief, but now I will not hurt +thee nor trouble thee." I wondered at this and said to her, "What +then didst thou purpose to do with me, and we lovers?" Quoth she, +"Thou art infatuated with me; for thou art young and witless; thy +heart is free from guile and thou knowest not our perfidy and +malice. Were she yet alive, she would protect thee, for she is +the cause of thy preservation and hath delivered thee from +destruction. And now I charge thee that thou speak not with +neither accost any of our sex, young or old, for thou art young +and simple and knowest not the wiles of women and their malice, +and she who explained the signs to thee is dead. And indeed I +fear for thee, lest thou fall into some calamity and find none to +deliver thee from it, now that thy cousin is dead. Alas, the pity +of her! Would God I had known her before her death, that I might +have visited her and requited her the fair service she did me! +The mercy of the Most High be upon her, for she kept her secret +and revealed not what she suffered, and but for her, thou hadst +never won to me! But there is one thing I desire of thee." "What +is it?" said I. "It is," answered she, "that thou bring me to her +grave, that I may visit her in the tomb wherein she is and write +some verses thereon." "To-morrow," replied I, "if it be the will +of God." Then I lay with her that night, and she ceased not, from +time to time, to say, "Would thou hadst told me of thy cousin, +before her death!" And I said to her, "What is the meaning of the +two words she taught me?" But she made me no answer. As soon as +it was day, she rose and taking a purse of dinars, said to me, +"Come, show me her tomb, that I may visit it and grave some +verses thereon and build a dome over it and commend her to the +mercy of God and bestow these dinars in alms for her soul." "I +hear and obey," replied I and went on before her, whilst she +followed me, giving alms by the way and saying to all to whom she +gave, "This is an alms for the soul of Azizeh, who kept her +counsel, till she drank the cup of death, and discovered not the +secret of her passion." And she stinted not thus to give alms and +say, "For Azizeh's soul," till the purse was empty and we came to +the burial-place. When she saw the tomb, she wept and threw +herself upon it; then pulling out a graver of steel and a light +mallet, she graved the following verses, in fine characters, upon +the stone at the head of the tomb: + +I passed by a ruined tomb, in the midst of a garden-way, Upon + whose letterless stone seven blood-red anemones lay. +"Who sleeps in this unmarked grave?" I said; and the earth, "Bend + low; For a lover lies here and waits for the Resurrection + Day." +"God help thee, O victim of love," I cried, "and bring thee to + dwell In the highest of all the heavens of Paradise, I pray! +How wretched are lovers all, even in the sepulchre, When their + very graves are covered with ruin and decay! +Lo, if I might, I would plant thee a garden round about And with + my streaming tears the thirst of its flowers allay!" + +Then she returned to the garden, weeping, and I with her, and she +said to me, "By Allah, thou shalt never leave me!" "I hear and +obey," answered I. Then I devoted myself wholly to her and paid +her frequent visits, and she was good and generous to me. As +often as I passed the night with her, she would make much of me +and ask me of the two words my cousin told my mother, and I would +repeat them to her. + +I abode thus a whole year, till, what with eating and drinking +and dalliance and wearing change of rich raiment, I waxed stout +and fat, so that I lost all thought of sorrow and anxiety and +forgot my cousin Azizeh. At the end of this time, I went one +day to the bath, where I refreshed myself and put on a rich +suit of clothes, scented with various perfumes; then, coming +out I drank a cup of wine and smelt the fragrance of my new +clothes, whereupon my breast dilated, for I knew not the +perfidy of fortune nor the calamities of events. When the hour +of evening-prayer came, I thought to repair to my mistress; but +being heated with wine, I knew not where I went, so that, on the +way, my drunkenness turned me into a by-street called En Nekib, +where, as I was going along, I met an old woman with a lighted +flambeau in one hand and a folded letter in the other; and she +was weeping and repeating the following verses: + +O welcome, bearer of glad news, thrice welcome to my sight; How + sweet and solaceful to me thy tidings of delight! +Thou that the loved one's greeting bringst unto my longing soul, + God's peace, what while the zephyr blows, dwell with thee + day and night! + +When she saw me, she said to me, "O my son, canst thou read?" And +I, of my officiousness, answered, "Yes, O old aunt." "Then, take +this letter," rejoined she, "and read it to me." So I took the +letter, and unfolding it, read it to her. Now it contained the +greetings of an absent man to his friends; and when she heard its +purport, she rejoiced and was glad and called down blessings on +me, saying, "May God dispel thine anxiety, as thou hast dispelled +mine!" Then she took the letter and walked on. Meanwhile, I was +seized with a pressing need and squatted down on my heels to make +water. When I had finished, I stood up and cleansed myself with +pebbles, then shaking down my clothes, was about to go my way, +when the old woman came up to me again and bending down to kiss +my hand, said, "O my lord, God give thee joy of thy youth! I +entreat thee to go with me to yonder door, for I told them what +thou readest to me of the letter, and they believe me not: so +come with me two steps and read them the letter from behind the +door and accept my devout prayers." "What is the history of this +letter?" asked I; and she answered, "O my son, it is from my son, +who hath been absent from us these ten years. He set out with +merchandise and tarried long in foreign parts, till we lost hope +of him, supposing him to be dead. Now comes this letter from him, +and he has a sister, who weeps for him day and night; so I said +to her, 'He is in good health and case.' But she will not believe +and says, 'Thou must needs bring me one who will read the letter +in my presence, that my heart may be set at rest and my mind +eased.' Thou knowest, O my son, that those who love are prone to +imagine evil: so do me the favour to go with me and read the +letter, standing without the door, whilst I call his sister to +listen behind the curtain, so shalt thou dispel our anxiety and +fulfil our need. Quoth the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve), +'He who eases an afflicted one of one of the troubles of this +world, God will ease him of a hundred troubles;' and according to +another tradition, 'Whoso relieves his brother of one of the +troubles of this world, God will relieve him of two-and-seventy +troubles of the Day of Resurrection.' And I have betaken myself +to thee; so do not disappoint me." "I hear and obey," replied I. +"Do thou go before me." So she went on and I followed her a +little way, till she came to the gate of a large handsome house, +whose door was plated with copper. I stood without the door, +whilst the old woman cried out in Persian, and before I could +think, a damsel ran up, with a nimble and agile step. She had +tucked up her trousers to her knees, so that I saw a pair of legs +that confounded mind and eye, for they were like columns of +alabaster, adorned with anklets of gold, set with jewels. As says +the poet, describing her: + +O thou who barest thy leg for lovers to look upon, That by the + sight of the leg the rest they may infer, +Who passest the cup around midst thy gallants, brisk and free, + Nought seduces the folk but the cup[FN#136] and the + cup-bearer.[FN#137] + +She had seemingly been engaged in work of some kind, for she had +tucked the end of her shift within the ribbon of her trousers and +thrown the skirt of her robe over her arm. Her sleeves were +rolled up to the elbows, so that I could see her white wrists and +forearms, on which were two pairs of bracelets, with clasps of +great pearls and round her neck was a collar of precious stones. +Her ears were adorned with pendants of pearls and on her head she +wore a kerchief of brocade, embroidered with jewels of price. +When I saw her I was confounded at her beauty, for she was like +the shining sun. Then she said, with clear and dulcet speech, +never heard I sweeter, "O my mother, is this he who cometh to +read the letter?" "It is," replied the old woman; and she put out +her hand to me with the letter. Now she was standing about half a +rod within the door; so I stretched out my hand and put my head +and shoulders within the door, thinking to draw near her and read +the letter, when behold, before I knew what she would be at, the +old woman thrust her head into my back and pushed me forward, +with the letter in my hand, so that before I could think, I found +myself in the vestibule. Then she entered, swiftlier than the +blinding lightning, and had but to shut the door. When the damsel +saw me in the vestibule, she came up to me and straining me to +her bosom, threw me to the floor, then knelt upon my breast and +kneaded my belly with her hands, till I lost my senses. Then she +took me by the hand and led me unable to resist, for the violence +of her pressure, through seven vestibules, whilst the old woman +went before us with the lighted candle, till we came to a great +saloon, with four daises, in which a horseman might play at ball. +Here she released me, saying, "Open thine eyes." So I opened +them, still giddy for the excess of her pressing and pummelling, +and saw that the whole place was built of the finest alabaster +and hung and carpeted with stuffs of silk and brocade, with +cushions and divans of the same. Therein also were two benches of +brass and a couch of red gold set with pearls and jewels, +befitting none save kings like unto thee. Then said she, "O Aziz, +which wouldst thou rather, life or death?" "Life," answered I; +and she said, "If life be liefer to thee, thou must marry me." +Quoth I, "It were odious to me to marry the like of thee." "If +thou marry me," rejoined she, "thou wilt at least be safe from +the daughter of Delileh the crafty." "And who is she?" asked I. +She laughed and replied, "How comes it that thou knowest her not, +seeing that to-day thou hast companied with her a year and four +months, may God the Most High destroy her and afflict her with +one worse than herself! By Allah, there lives not a more +perfidious than she! How many hath she not slain before thee and +what deeds hath she not done! Nor can I understand how thou hast +been so long in her company, yet hath she not killed thee nor +done thee any hurt." When I heard this, I marvelled exceedingly +and said, "Who made thee to know of her, O my lady?" "I know of +her," said she, "as the age knows of its calamities: but now I +would fain have thee tell me all that has passed between you, +that I may know the cause of thy deliverance from her." So I told +her all that had happened, including the story of my cousin +Azizeh. When she heard of the latter's death, her eyes ran over +with tears and she smote hand upon hand and cried out, "God have +mercy on her, for she lost her youth in His service, and may He +replace her to thee! By Allah, O Aziz, it was she who was the +cause of thy preservation from the daughter of Delileh and but +for her, thou hadst been lost! Now she is dead and I fear for +thee from the other's perfidy and mischief; but my heart is full +and I cannot speak." "By Allah," quoth I, "all this happened, +even as thou sayest!" And she shook her head and said, "There +lives not this day the like of Azizeh." "And when she was dying," +continued I, "she bade me repeat to my mistress these two words, +'Faith is fair and perfidy foul.'" When she heard this, she +exclaimed, "By Allah, O Aziz, it was this that saved thee from +dying by her hand: and now my heart is at ease for thee from her +for she will never slay thee and thy cousin preserved thee, both +in her lifetime and after her death. By Allah, I have desired +thee this many a day, but could not get at thee till now and +except by a trick, which succeeded with thee for thou art +inexperienced and knowest not the malice of women nor the wiles +of old women." "No, by Allah!" rejoined I. Then said she to me, +"Be of good cheer and take comfort; the dead is in the mercy of +God and the living shall be fairly entreated. Thou art a handsome +youth, and I do not desire thee but according to the ordinance of +God and of His prophet, on whom be peace and salvation! Whatever +thou desirest of money and stuff, thou shalt have without stint, +and I will not impose any toil on thee, for there is with me +always bread baked and water in the pitcher. All I ask of thee is +that thou do with me even as the cock does." "And what is it the +cock does?" asked I. At this she laughed and clapped her hands +and fell over on her back for excess of laughter: then she sat up +and said, "O light of my eyes, dost thou not know what the cock's +business is?" "No, by Allah!" replied I; and she said, "The +cock's business is to eat and drink and tread." I was abashed at +her words and said, "Is that the cock's business?" "Yes," +answered she; "and all I ask of thee now is to gird thy loins and +strengthen thy resolution and swive thy best." Then she clapped +her hands and cried out, saying, "O my mother, bring hither those +who are with thee." Whereupon in came the old woman, carrying a +veil of silk and accompanied by four lawful witnesses, who +saluted me and sat down. Then she lighted four candles, whilst +the young lady covered herself with the veil and deputed one of +the witnesses to execute the contract on her behalf. So they drew +up the marriage contract and she acknowledged to have received +the whole of her dowry, both precedent and contingent, and to be +indebted to me in the sum of ten thousand dirhems. Then he gave +the witnesses their fee and they withdrew whence they came; +whereupon she put off her clothes and abode in a shift of fine +silk, laced with gold, after which she took me by the hand and +carried me up to the couch, saying, "There is no blame in what is +lawful." She lay down on her back and drawing me on to her +breast, heaved a sigh and followed it up with an amorous gesture. +Then she pulled up the shift above her breasts, and when I saw +her thus, I could not choose but thrust into her, after I had +sucked her lips, whilst she moaned and made a show of bashfulness +and wept without tears. And indeed the case reminded me of the +saying of the poet: + +When I drew up her shift and discovered the terrace-roof of her + kaze, I found it as strait as my humour or eke my worldly + ways. +So I drove it incontinent in, halfway; and she heaved a sigh. + "For what dost thou sigh?" quoth I. "For the rest of it, + sure," she says. + +Then said she, "O my beloved, to it and do thy best, for I am +thine handmaid. My life on thee, give it me, all of it, that I +may take it in my hand and thrust it into my entrails!" And she +ceased not to excite me with sobs and sighs and amorous gestures, +in the intervals of kissing and clipping, till we attained the +supreme felicity and the term of our desires. We lay together +till the morning, when I would have gone out; but she came up to +me, laughing, and said, "Thinkest thou that going out of the bath +is the same as going in?[FN#138] Verily, I believe thou deemest +me to be the like of the daughter of Delileh. Beware of such a +thought, for thou art my husband by contract and according to +law. If thou be drunken, return to thy right mind and know that +this house is opened but one day in every year. Go down and look +at the great door." So I went down and found the door locked and +nailed up and returned and told her so. "Know, O Aziz," said she, +"that we have in this house flour and grain and fruits and +pomegranates and sugar and meat and sheep and fowls and so forth, +enough to serve us for many years; and henceforth, the door will +not be opened till after the lapse of a whole year, nor shalt +thou find thyself without till then." Quoth I, "There is no power +and no virtue but in God!" "And what can this irk thee," rejoined +she, "seeing thou knowest the cock's craft, of which I told +thee?" Then she laughed and I laughed too, and I conformed to +what she said and abode with her, plying the cock's craft, eating +and drinking and cricketing, twelve whole months, during which +time she conceived by me and brought me a son. At the end of the +year, I heard the door opened and men came in with manchets and +flour and sugar. Thereupon, I would have gone out, but my wife +said, "Wait till nightfall and go out as thou camest in." So I +waited till the hour of evening-prayer, and was about to go forth +in fear and trembling, when she stopped me, saying, "By Allah, I +will not let thee go, except thou swear to return this night +before the closing of the door." I agreed to this, and she made +me take a solemn oath by sword and Koran and the oath of divorce +to boot that I would return to her. Then I left her and going +straight to the garden, found the door open as usual; whereat I +was angry and said to myself, "I have been absent a whole year +and come here at unawares and find the place open as of wont! I +wonder, is the damsel still in her old case? Algates I must enter +and see, before I go to my mother, more by token that it is now +nightfall." So I entered and making for the pavilion, found the +daughter of Delileh sitting there with her head on her knee and +her hand to her cheek. Her colour was changed and her eyes +sunken; but when she saw me, she exclaimed, "Praised be God for +thy safety!" and would have risen, but fell down for joy. I was +abashed before her and hung my head; but presently went up to +her, and kissing her, said, "How knewest thou that I should come +to thee to-night?" "I knew it not," replied she. "By Allah, this +whole year past I have not tasted sleep, but have watched every +night, expecting thee, from the day thou wentest out from me and +I gave thee the new suit of clothes, and thou didst promise me to +go to the bath and come back! So I abode awaiting thee that night +and a second and a third; but thou camest not till now, and I +ever expecting thy coming, for this is the way of lovers. And now +I would have thee tell me what has been the cause of thine +absence this year long." So I told her all that had happened: and +when she knew that I was married, her colour paled. "I have come +to thee to-night," added I; "but I must leave thee before day." +Quoth she, "Doth it not suffice her to have tricked thee into +marrying her and kept thee prisoner with her a whole year, but +she must make thee take the oath of divorce to return to her +before morning and not allow thee to divert thyself with thy +mother or me nor suffer thee to pass one night with either of us, +away from her? How, then, must it be with one from whom thou hast +been absent a whole year, and I knew thee before she did? But may +God have compassion on thy cousin Azizeh, for there befell her +what never befell any and she endured what never any endured else +and died, oppressed and rejected of thee; yet was it she +protected thee against me. Indeed, I thought thou didst love me, +so let thee take thine own way; else had I not let thee go safe +and sound, when I had it in my power to hold thee in duresse and +destroy thee." Then she wept and waxed wroth and shuddered in my +face and looked at me with angry eyes. When I saw this, I was +terrified at her and trembled in every nerve, for she was like a +dreadful ghoul and I like a bean over the fire. Then said she, +"Thou art of no use to me, now thou art married and hast a child, +nor art thou any longer fit for my company. I care only for +bachelors and not for married men; for they profit us nothing. +Thou hast sold me for yonder stinking nosegay; but by Allah, I +will make the baggage's heart ache for thee, for thou shalt not +live either for me or for her!" Then she gave a loud cry, and ere +I could think, up came ten damsels and threw me on the ground; +whereupon she rose and taking a knife, said, "I will slaughter +thee like a he-goat; and that will be less than thy desert, for +thy behaviour to me and to thy cousin before me." When I found +myself at the mercy of her women, with my cheeks stained with +dust, and saw her sharpen the knife, I made sure of death and +cried out to her for mercy. But she only redoubled in inhumanity +and ordered the maids to bind my hands behind me, which they did, +and throwing me on my back, sat down on my stomach and held my +head. Then two of them sat on my shins, whilst other two held my +hands, and she bade a third pair beat me. So they beat me till I +lost my senses and my voice failed. When I revived, I said to +myself, "It were easier and better for me to have my throat cut +than to be beaten thus!" And I remembered how my cousin used to +say to me, "God keep thee from her mischief!" and cried out and +wept, till my voice failed and I remained without breath or +motion. Then she sharpened the knife and said to the girls, +"Uncover him." With this God inspired me to repeat to her the +two words my cousin had bequeathed me, and I said, "O my lady, +dost thou not know that faith is fair and perfidy foul?" When +she heard this, she cried out and said, "God pity thee, Azizeh, +and give thee Paradise in exchange for thy wasted youth! Verily, +she served thee in her lifetime and after her death, and now +she has saved thee alive out of my hands with these two words. +Nevertheless, I cannot leave thee thus, but I must e'en set my +mark on thee, to spite yonder shameless baggage, who has kept +thee from me." Then she called out to the damsels and bade them +bind my feet with cords and sit on me. They did her bidding, +whilst I lay insensible, and she fetched a pan of copper and +setting it on a brazier, poured into it oil of sesame, in which +she fried cheese.[FN#139] Then she came up to me and unfastening +my trousers, tied a cord round my cullions and giving it to two +of her women, bade them pull at it. They did so, and I swooned +away and was for excess of pain in a world other than this. Then +she came with a steel scalpel and cut off my yard, so that I +remained like a woman: after which she seared the wound with the +boiling oil and rubbed it with a powder, and I the while +unconscious. When I came to myself, the blood had ceased to flow; +so she bade the damsels unbind me and gave me a cup of wine to +drink. Then said she to me, "Go now to her whom thou hast married +and who grudged me a single night, and the mercy of God be on thy +cousin Azizeh, who discovered not her secret! Indeed she was the +cause of thy preservation, for hadst thou not repeated those +words to me, I had surely slain thee. Rise and go to whom thou +wilt, for thou hadst nothing of mine, save what I have cut off, +and now I have no part in thee, nor have I any further care or +occasion for thee: so begone about thy business and bless thy +cousin's memory!" With that, she gave me a push with her foot, +and I rose, hardly able to walk, and went little by little, till +I came to the door of my wife's house I found it open, so I threw +myself within it and fell down in a swoon; whereupon my wife came +out and lifting me up, carried me into the saloon and found that +I was like unto a woman. Then I fell into a deep sleep; but when +I awoke, I found myself thrown down at the gate of the garden. I +rose, groaning for pain and misery, and made my way to my +mother's house, where I found her weeping for me and saying, "O +my son, would I knew where thou art!" So I drew near and threw +myself upon her, and when she saw me, she knew that I was ill, +for my face was at once pale and livid. Then I called to mind my +cousin and all the kind offices she had been wont to do me and +knew that she had indeed loved me; so I wept for her and my +mother wept also. Presently, she said to me, "O my son, thy +father is dead." At this my anguish redoubled, and I wept till I +lost my senses. When I came to myself, I looked at the place +where Azizeh had been used to sit and wept anew, till I all but +fainted for excess of grief; and I ceased not to weep and lament +thus till midnight, when my mother said to me, "Thy father has +been dead these ten days." "I shall never think of any one but my +cousin Azizeh," answered I; "and indeed I deserve all that hath +befallen me, in that I abandoned her who loved me so dear." "What +hath befallen thee?" asked my mother. So I told her all that had +happened, and she wept awhile, then rose and set meat and drink +before me. I ate a little and drank, after which I repeated my +story to her, and she exclaimed, "Praised be God that she did but +this to thee and forbore to slay thee!" Then she tended me and +medicined me till I regained my health: and when my recovery was +complete, she said to me, "O my son, I will now bring out to thee +that which thy cousin committed to me in trust for thee; for it +is thine. She made me swear not to give it thee, till I should +see thee recalling her to mind and weeping over her and thine +affections severed from other than her; and now I see these +conditions fulfilled in thee." So she arose and opening a chest, +took out the piece of linen, with the figures of gazelles worked +thereon, which I had given Azizeh; and I opened it and found +written therein the following verses: + +Who moved thee, fairest one, to use this rigour of disdain And + slay, with stress of love, the souls that sigh for thee in + vain? +If thou recall me not to mind beyond our parting-day, God knows + the thought of thee with me for ever shall remain! +Thou smitest me with cruel words, that yet are sweet to me: Wilt + thou one day, though but in dreams, to look upon me deign? +I had not thought the ways of Love were languishment and woe And + stress of soul until, alas! to love thee I was fain. +I knew not weariness till I the captive of thine eyes Became and + all my soul was bound in passion's fatal chain. +Even my foes have ruth on me and pity my distress: But thou, O + heart of steel, wilt ne'er have mercy on my pain. +By God, although I die, I'll ne'er forget thee, O my hope, Nor + comfort take, though life itself for love should waste and + wane! + +When I read these verses, I wept sore and buffeted my face; then +I unfolded the scroll, and there fell from it another. I opened +it and found these words written therein: "Know, O my cousin, +that I acquit thee of my blood and I beseech God to make accord +between thee and her whom thou lovest: but if aught befall thee +through the daughter of Delileh the crafty, return thou not to +her neither resort to any other woman and bear thine affliction +patiently, for were not the ordained term of thy life a long one, +thou hadst perished long ago: but praised be God, who hath +appointed my last day before thine! My peace be upon thee; +preserve the cloth with the gazelles figured thereon and let it +not leave thee, for it used to keep me company, whenas thou wert +absent from me; but I conjure thee, by Allah, if thou chance to +fall in with her who wrought these gazelles and it be in thy +power to foregather with her, hold aloof from her and do not let +her approach thee nor marry her; and if thou happen not on her +and find no way to her, look thou company not with any other of +her sex. Know that she who wrought these gazelles is the daughter +of the King of the Camphor Islands and every year she works a +like cloth and despatches it to far countries, that her report +and the beauty of her broidery, which none in the world can +match, may be bruited abroad, As for thy beloved, the daughter of +Delileh, this cloth came to her hand, and she used to ensnare +folk with it, showing it to them and saying, 'I have a sister who +wrought this.' But she lied in this saying, may God bring her to +shame! This, then, is my parting counsel to thee, and I have not +charged thee thus, but because I know that, after my death, the +world will be straitened on thee and belike, by reason of this, +thou wilt leave thy native land and wander in foreign countries, +and hearing of her who wrought these figures, be minded to +foregather with her. Then wilt thou remember me and it shall not +avail thee nor wilt thou know my value till after my death." + +When I had read the scroll and understood what was written +therein, I fell again to weeping, and my mother wept because I +did; and I ceased not to gaze upon it and weep till nightfall. I +abode thus a whole year, at the end of which time the merchants, +with whom I am in this caravan, prepared to set out from my +native town, and my mother counselled me to equip myself and +journey with them, so haply I might find forgetfulness and my +sorrow cease from me, saying, "Take comfort and put away from +thee this mourning and travel for a year or two or three, till +the caravan returns, when peradventure thy breast may be dilated +and thy heart lightened." She ceased not to persuade me thus, +till I provided myself with merchandise and set out with the +caravan. But all the time of my journey, my tears have never +ceased flowing; and at every station where we halt, I open this +piece of linen and look on these gazelles and call to mind my +cousin Azizeh and weep for her as thou hast seen, for indeed she +loved me very dearly and died, oppressed and rejected of me; I +did her nought but ill and she did me nought but good. When these +merchants return from their journey, I shall return with them, by +which time I shall have been a whole year absent; yet is my +sorrow greater than ever and my grief and affliction were but +increased by my visit to the Islands of Camphor and the Castle of +Crystal. The islands in question are seven in number and are +ruled by a king, Shehriman by name, who hath a daughter called +Dunya; and I was told that it was she who wrought these gazelles +and that this thou seest was of her broidery. When I knew this, +yearning redoubled on me and I became a prey to consuming languor +and drowned in the sea of melancholy thought; and I wept over +myself, for that I was become even as a woman, without manly gear +like other men, and that there was no recourse for me. From the +day of my departure from the Camphor Islands, I have been +tearful-eyed and sorrowful-hearted, and I know not whether it +will be given me to return to my native land and die by my mother +or not, for I am weary of the world.' + +When the young merchant had made an end of telling his story, he +wept and groaned and complained and gazed upon the figures +wrought on the piece of linen, whilst the tears streamed down his +cheeks and he repeated the following verses: + +'Needs must thy sorrow have an end,' quoth many an one 'and cease + And I, Needs must your chiding end and let me be at peace.' +'After awhile,' say they; and I, 'Who will ensure me life, O + fools, until the hands of grief their grip of me release?' + +And also these: + +God knows that, since my severance from thee, full sore I've + wept, So sore that needs my eyes must run for very tears in + debt! +'Have patience,' quoth my censurers, 'and thou shalt win them + yet.' And I, 'O thou that blamest me, whence should I + patience get?' + +Then said he, 'This, O prince, is my story: hast thou ever heard +a stranger one?' Taj el Mulouk marvelled greatly at the young +merchant's tale and said to him, 'By Allah, thou hast suffered +that which never befell any but thyself, but thou hast life +appointed to thee, which thou must needs fulfil; and now I would +fain have thee tell me how thou sawest the lady who wrought these +gazelles.' 'O my lord,' answered Aziz, 'I got me access to her by +a stratagem, and it was this. When I entered her city with the +caravan, I went forth and wandered about the gardens [till I came +to one walled in and] abounding in trees, whose keeper was a +venerable old man of advanced age. I asked him to whom the garden +belonged, and he replied, "To the lady Dunya, the king's +daughter. We are now beneath her palace," added he; "and when she +is minded to divert herself, she opens the private door and walks +in the garden and breathes the fragrance of the flowers." So I +said to him, "Favour me by allowing me to sit in the garden till +she comes; haply I may be fortunate enough to catch a sight of +her as she passes." "There can be no harm in that," answered he. +So I gave him money and said to him, "Buy us something to eat." +He took the money joyfully and opening the door, admitted me into +the garden and carried me to a pleasant spot, where he bade me +sit down and await his return. Then he brought me fruit and +leaving me, returned after awhile with a roasted lamb, of which +we ate till we had enough, my heart yearning the while for a +sight of the princess. Presently, as we sat, the postern opened +and the keeper said to me, "Rise and hide thyself." I did so; and +behold a black eunuch put out his head through the wicket and +said, "O elder, is there any one with thee?" "No," answered he; +and the eunuch said, "Shut the garden gate." So the keeper shut +the gate, and the lady Dunya came in by the private door. When I +saw her, methought the moon had risen above the horizon and was +shining; so I looked at her a long while and longed for her, as a +man athirst longs for water. After a time she withdrew and shut +the door; whereupon I left the garden and sought my lodging, +knowing that I could not win to her and that I was no mate for +her, more by token that I was become like unto a woman, having no +manly gear, and she was a king's daughter and I but a merchant; +so how could I have access to the like of her or to any other +woman? Accordingly, when my companions made ready for departure, +I too made ready and set out with them, and we journeyed till we +arrived at this place, where we met with thee. This then is my +story, and peace be on thee!' + +When Taj el Mulouk heard the young merchant's account of the +princess Dunya and her beauty, fires raged in his bosom and his +heart and thought were occupied with love for her; passion and +longing were sore upon him and he knew not what to do. Then he +mounted his horse and taking Aziz with him, returned to his +father's capital, where he assigned the merchant a house and +supplied him with all that he needed in the way of meat and drink +and clothing. Then he left him and returned to his palace, with +the tears running down his cheeks, for report [whiles] stands in +stead of sight and very knowledge. He abode thus till his father +came in to him and finding him pale-faced, lean of body and +tearful eyed, knew that some chagrin had betided him and said to +him, 'O my son, acquaint me with thy case and tell me what hath +befallen thee, that thy colour is changed and thy body wasted.' +So he told him all that had passed and how he had heard from +Aziz of the princess Dunya and had fallen in love with her on +hearsay, without having set eyes on her. 'O my son,' said the +King, 'she is the daughter of a king whose country is far +distant from ours: so put away this thought from thee and go +into thy mother's palace. There are five hundred damsels like +moons, and whichsoever of them pleaseth thee, take her; or else +we will seek thee in marriage some one of the kings' daughters, +fairer than the lady Dunya.' 'O my father,' answered Taj el +Mulouk, 'I desire none other, for she it is who wrought the +gazelles that I saw, and I must have her; else I will flee into +the deserts and waste places and slay myself for her sake.' Then +said his father, 'O my son, have patience with me, till I send +to her father and demand her hand in marriage, as I did with thy +mother. It may be that God will bring thee to thy desire; and if +her father will not consent, I will shake his kingdom under him +with an army, whose van shall be upon him, whilst the rear is yet +with me.' Then he sent for Aziz and said to him, 'O my son, dost +thou know the way to the Camphor Islands?' 'Yes,' answered he; +and the King said, 'It is my wish that thou accompany my Vizier +thither.' 'I hear and obey, O King of the age,' replied Aziz; +whereupon the King summoned his Vizier and said to him, 'Devise +me some plan, whereby my son's affair may be rightly managed, and +go to the King of the Camphor Islands and demand his daughter in +marriage for Tej el Mulouk.' 'I hear and obey,' answered the +Vizier. Then Taj el Mulouk returned to his dwelling place and his +longing redoubled and impatience and unease were sore upon him; +and when the night darkened upon him, he wept and sighed and +complained and repeated the following verses: + +The shadows darken and my tears flow aye without avail, Whilst in + my heart the fires of love rage on and never fail. +Question the nights of me, and they will testify to thee That I + in all their endless hours do nought but weep and wait. +Wakeful for love-longing and grief, I lie and watch the stars All + night, what while upon my cheeks the tears fall down like + hail. +Lowly and helpless I abide, for such as lovers be Have, as it + were, nor kith nor kin to help them in their bale. + +Then he swooned away and did not recover his senses till the +morning, when there came to him one of his father's servants and +standing at his head, summoned him to the King's presence. So he +went with him, and his father seeing that his pallor had +increased, exhorted him to patience and promised him union with +her he loved. Then he equipped Aziz and the Vizier for the +journey and gave them presents for the princess's father; and +they set out and fared on night and day, till they drew near the +Camphor Islands, when the Vizier called a halt on the banks of a +stream and despatched a messenger to acquaint the King of his +arrival. The messenger had not long been gone, when they saw, +advancing towards them, the King's chamberlains and amirs, who +met them at a parasang's distance from the city and escorted them +to the royal presence. They laid before the King the gifts with +which they were charged and enjoyed his hospitality three days. +On the fourth day the Vizier rose and going in to the King, stood +before him and acquainted him with the object of his visit; +whereat he was perplexed and knew not what answer to make him, +for that his daughter was averse from men and did not desire to +marry. So he bowed his head awhile, then raised it and calling +one of his eunuchs, said to him, 'Go to thy mistress, the +princess Dunya, and repeat to her what thou hast heard and tell +her this Vizier's errand.' So the eunuch went out and returning +after a while, said to the King, 'O King of the age, when I went +to the lady Dunya and told her what I had heard, she was +exceeding wroth and made at me with a staff, meaning to break my +head; whereupon I fled from her, and she said to me, 'If my +father force me to marry, him whom I wed I will kill.' Then said +the King to the Vizier and Aziz, 'Salute the King your master and +tell him what ye have heard and that my daughter is averse from +men and hath no mind to marry.' So they returned, without having +accomplished the object of their journey, and fared on till they +rejoined the King and told him what had passed; whereupon he +commanded the chief to summon the troops for war. But the Vizier +said to him, 'O King, do not this, for the King is not at fault, +seeing that, when his daughter learnt our business, she sent to +say that, if her father forced her to marry, she would kill her +husband and herself after him: so the refusal comes from her.' +When the King heard this, he feared for Taj el Mulouk and said, +'If I make war on the King of the Camphor Islands and carry off +his daughter, she will kill herself and it will profit me +nothing.' So he told his son how the case stood, and he said, 'O +my father, I cannot live without her; so I will go to her and +cast about to get me access to her, though I die in the attempt.' +'How wilt thou go to her?' asked his father; and he answered, 'In +the disguise of a merchant.' Then said the King, 'If thou must go +and there is no help for it, take with thee Aziz and the Vizier.' +He agreed to this, and the King took money from his treasuries +and made ready for him merchandise, to the value of a hundred +thousand dinars; and when the night came Taj el Mulouk went to +Aziz's lodging and passed the night there, heart-smitten and +taking no delight in food nor sleep; for melancholy was heavy +upon him and he was agitated with longing for his beloved. So he +besought the Creator to unite him with her and wept and groaned +and complained, repeating the following verses: + +Shall union after estrangement betide us, perchance, some day? + Shall I ever make moan of my passion to thee, I wonder, and + say, +'How oft have I called thee to mind, whilst the night in its + trances slept! Thou hast made me waken, whilst all but I in + oblivion lay. + +Then he wept sore and Aziz wept with him, for that he remembered +his cousin; and they both ceased not to do thus till the morning, +when Taj el Mulouk rose and went in to his mother in his +travelling dress. She asked him of his case, and he told her what +was to do; so she gave him fifty thousand dinars and bade him +farewell, offering up prayers for his safety and for his union +with his beloved. Then he left her and betaking himself to his +father, asked his leave to depart. The King granted him leave and +presenting him with other fifty thousand dinars, let pitch a tent +for him without the city, in which they abode two days, then set +out on their journey. And Taj el Mulouk delighted in Aziz's +company and said to him, 'O my brother, I can never bear to be +parted from thee.' 'Nor I from thee,' replied Aziz; 'and fain +would I die at thy feet: but, O my brother, my heart is concerned +for my mother.' 'When we have attained our wish,' said the +prince, 'all will be well.' As for the Vizier, he exhorted Taj el +Mulouk to patience, whilst Aziz entertained him with talk and +recited verses to him and diverted him with stories and +anecdotes; and so they fared on day and night for two whole +months, till the way became tedious to the prince and the fires +of passion redoubled on him. So he repeated the following verses: + +Long is the road and restlessness and grief redouble aye, Whilst + in my breast the fires of love rage ever night and day +O thou, the goal of all my hopes, sole object of my wish, I swear + by Him, the Most High God, who moulded man from clay, +For love of thee I bear a load of longing and desire, Such as the + mountains of Es Shumm might ne'er withal away! +Indeed, O lady of my world,[FN#140] love slayeth me outright; No + breath of life in me is left, my fainting spright to stay +But for the hope of union with thee, that lures me on, My weary + body had no strength to furnish forth the way. + +When he had finished, he wept and Aziz wept with him, from a +lacerated heart, till the Vizier was moved to pity by their +weeping and said to the prince, 'O my lord, take courage and be +of good cheer; all will yet be well.' 'O Vizier,' said Taj el +Mulouk, 'indeed I am weary of the length of the way. Tell me how +far we are distant yet from the city.' 'But a little way,' +replied Aziz. Then they continued their journey, traversing +valleys and plains and hills and stony wastes, till one night, as +Taj el Mulouk was asleep, he dreamt that his beloved was with him +and that he embraced her and pressed her to his bosom; and he +awoke, trembling and delirious with emotion, and repeated the +following verses: + +My heart is maddened for love and my tears for ever flow, And + longing is ever upon me and unrelenting woe. +My plaint is, for tears, as the mourning of women bereft of + young, And I moan, when the darkness gathers, as the + turtles, sad and low. +Yet, if the breezes flutter from the land where thou dost dwell, + Their wafts o'er the earth, sun-weaned, a grateful coolness + throw. +Peace be on thee, my beloved, as long as the cushat flies, As + long as the turtles warble, as long as the zephyrs blow! + +When he had finished, the Vizier came to him and said, 'Rejoice; +this is a good sign: so comfort thyself and be of good cheer, for +thou shalt surely compass thy desire.' And Aziz also came to him +and exhorted him to patience and applied himself to divert him, +talking with him and telling him stories. So they pressed on, +night and day, other two months, till, one day, at sunrise, there +appeared to them some white thing in the distance and Taj el +Mulouk said to Aziz, 'What is yonder whiteness?' 'O my lord,' +answered he, 'that is the Fortress of Crystal and the city that +thou seekest.' At this the prince rejoiced, and they fared +forward till they drew near the city, to the exceeding joy of Taj +el Mulouk, whose grief and anxiety ceased from him. They entered, +in the guise of merchants, the King's son being habited as a +merchant of importance, and repaired to a great khan, known as +the Merchants' Lodging. Quoth Taj el Mulouk to Aziz, 'Is this the +resort of the merchants?' 'Yes,' replied he; 'it is the khan in +which I lodged when I was here before.' So they alighted there +and making their beasts kneel down, unloaded them and laid up +their goods in the warehouses. They abode four days, resting; at +the end of which time, the Vizier proposed that they should hire +a large house. To this they assented and hired a spacious house, +fitted up for festivities, where they took up their abode, and +the Vizier and Aziz studied to devise some plan of conduct +for Taj el Mulouk, whilst the latter remained in a state of +perplexity, knowing not what to do. The Vizier could think +of nothing but that he should set up as a merchant in the +stuff-market; so he turned to the prince and Aziz and said to +them, 'If we tarry thus, we shall not compass our desire nor +attain our aim; but I have bethought me of somewhat, in which, if +it please God, we shall find our advantage.' 'Do what seemeth +good to thee,' replied Taj el Mulouk; 'indeed there is a blessing +on the aged, more by token that thou art versed in the conduct +of affairs: so tell me what is in thy mind.' 'It is my counsel,' +rejoined the Vizier, 'that we hire thee a shop in the stuff- +bazaar, where thou mayst sit to sell and buy. Every one, great +and small, hath need of silken and other stuffs; so if thou be +patient and abide in thy shop, thine affairs will prosper, if +it please God, especially as thou art comely of aspect. Moreover, +I would have thee make Aziz thy factor and set him within the +shop, to hand thee the pieces of stuffs and silks.' When Taj el +Mulouk heard this, he said, 'This is a good counsel.' So he took +out a handsome suit of merchant's clothes, and putting it on, set +out for the bazaar, followed by his servants, to one of whom he +had given a thousand dinars, wherewith to fit up the shop. When +they came to the stuff-market and the merchants saw Taj el +Mulouk's beauty and grace, they were confounded and some said, +'Sure Rizwan hath opened the gates of Paradise and left them +unguarded, so that this passing lovely youth hath come out.' And +others, 'Belike this is one of the angels.' They asked for the +shop of the overseer of the market, and the merchants directed +them to it. So they repaired thither and saluted him, and he and +those who were with him rose to them and seated them and made +much of them because of the Vizier, whom they saw to be a man of +age and reverend aspect; and seeing Aziz and Taj el Mulouk in his +company, they said to one another, 'Doubtless this old man is +the father of these two youths.' Then said the Vizier, 'Which of +you is the overseer of the market?' 'This is he,' answered they; +whereupon he came forward and the Vizier, observing him, saw him +to be an old man of grave and dignified carriage, with slaves and +servants, white and black. He greeted them in the friendliest +manner and was lavish in his attentions to them: then he made +them sit by his side and said to them, 'Have you any business +which we may have the pleasure of transacting?' 'Yes,' answered +the Vizier. 'I am an old man, stricken in years, and have with +me these two youths, with whom I have travelled through many +towns and countries, tarrying a whole year in every city (of +importance) on our way, that they might take their pleasure in +viewing it and come to know its people. Now I have chosen to make +a stay in this your town; so I would fain have thee allot me a +handsome shop in the best situation, wherein I may establish +them, that they may traffic and learn to buy and sell and give +and take, whilst they divert themselves with the sight of the +place and acquire the uses of its people.' 'Good,' said the +overseer, and looking at the two youths, rejoiced in them and +conceived a great affection for them. Now he was a great lover of +bewitching glances, preferring the commerce of boys to that of +girls and inclining to their love. So he said in himself, 'These +be fine purchase; glory to Him who created and fashioned them out +of vile water!'[FN#141] and rising, stood before them like a +servant, to do them honour. Then he went out and made ready for +them a shop in the midst of the market, than which there was no +larger nor better in the bazaar, for it was spacious and +handsomely decorated and fitted with shelves of ebony and ivory; +after which he delivered the keys to the Vizier, who was dressed +as an old merchant, saying, 'Take them, O my lord, and may God +make it a blessed abiding-place to thy sons!' The Vizier took the +keys, and they returned to the khan and caused their servants to +transport to the shop all their goods and stuffs and valuables, +of which they had great plenty, worth treasures of money. Next +morning, the Vizier carried the two young men to the bath, where +they washed and put on rich clothes and perfumed themselves to +the utmost therein. Now each of them was passing fair to look +upon, and the bath enhanced their charms to the utmost, even as +says the poet: + +Good luck to him who in the bath doth serve him as his squire, + Handling a body 'gotten sure 'twixt water and the fire! +With skilful hands he showeth forth the marvels of his craft, In + that he gathers very musk[FN#142] from what is like + camphire. + +When the overseer heard that they had gone to the bath, he sat +down to await them, and presently they came up to him, like two +gazelles, with red cheeks and black eyes and shining faces, as +they were two lustrous moons or two fruit-laden saplings. When he +saw them, he rose and said to them, 'May your bath profit you +ever!' Whereupon Taj el Mulouk replied, with the sweetest of +speech, 'May God be bountiful to thee, O my father! Why didst +thou not come with us and bathe in our company?' Then they both +bent over his hands and kissing them, walked before him to the +shop, to do him honour and show their respect for him, for that +he was chief of the merchants and the market, as well as their +sense of his kindness in giving them the shop. When he saw their +hips quivering, emotion and longing redoubled on him and he could +not contain himself, but puffed and snorted and devoured them +with his eyes, repeating the following verses: + +The heart in them studies the chapter of worship unshared sheer + No proofs of more gods to worship than one it readeth here. +No wonder it is they tremble by reason of their weight; How much + is there not of motion in that revolving sphere! + +And also these: + +Two fair ones walking on the earth mine eyes did late espy; Two + that I needs must love although they walked upon mine eye. + +When they heard this, they begged him to enter the bath with them +a second time. He could hardly believe his ears and hastening +thither, went in with them. The Vizier had not yet left the bath; +so when he heard of the overseer's coming, he came out and +meeting him in the outer room of the bath, invited him to enter. +He refused, but Taj el Mulouk took him by one hand and Aziz by +the other and carried him into a cabinet, the impure old man +submitting to them, whilst his emotion increased on him. Then Taj +el Mulouk swore that none but he should wash him and Aziz that +none but he should pour water on him. He would have refused, +albeit this was what he desired; but the Vizier said to him, +'They are thy sons; let them wash thee and bathe thee.' 'God +preserve them to thee!' exclaimed the overseer. 'By Allah, thy +coming and theirs hath brought blessing and fortune upon our +city!' and he repeated the following verses: + +Thou cam'st, and the mountains about us grew green And glittered, + with flowers for the bridegroom beseen; +Whilst earth and her creatures cried, 'Welcome to thee, Thrice + welcome, that comest in glory and sheen!' + +They thanked him for this, and Taj el Mulouk proceeded to wash +him, whilst Aziz poured water over him and he thought himself in +Paradise. When they had made an end of his service, he called +down blessings on them and sat talking with the Vizier, gazing +the while on the youths. Presently, the servants brought them +towels, and they dried themselves and donned their clothes. Then +they went out, and the Vizier said to the overseer, 'O my lord, +verily the bath is the Paradise of this world.' 'May God +vouchsafe it[FN#143] to thee,' replied the overseer, 'and health +to thy sons and guard them from the evil eye! Do you remember +aught that the poets have said in praise of the bath?' 'Yes,' +said Taj el Mulouk and repeated the following verses: + +The life of the bath is the pleasantest part of life, Except that + the time of our sojourn there is slight. +A heaven, wherein 'tis irksome to us to bide: A hell, into which + we enter with delight. + +'And I also,' said Aziz, 'remember some verses in praise of the +bath.' Quoth the overseer, 'Let us hear them.' So he repeated the +following: + +I know a house, wherein flowers from the sheer stone blow; Most + goodly, when the flames about it rage and glow. +Thou deem'st it hell, and yet, in truth, 'tis Paradise And most + that be therein are sun and moons, I trow. + +His verses pleased the overseer and he wondered at their grace +and eloquence and said, 'By Allah, ye possess both beauty and +eloquence! But now listen to me.' And he chanted the following +verses: + +O pleasaunce of hell-fire and paradise of pain! Bodies and souls + therein indeed are born again. +I marvel at a house, whose pleasantness for aye Doth flourish, + though the flames beneath it rage amain. +A sojourn of delight to those who visit it It is; the pools on + them their tears in torrents rain. + +Then he fed his eyes on the gardens of their beauty and repeated +the following verses: + +I went to the bath-keeper's house and entered his dwelling-place + And found no door-keeper there but met me with smiling face. +I sojourned awhile in his heaven[FN#144] and visited eke his + hell[FN#145] And thanked both Malik[FN#146] and + Rizwan[FN#147] for solace and kindly grace. + +They were charmed with these verses, and the overseer invited +them to his house; but they declined and resumed to their own +lodging, to rest from the great heat of the bath. They took their +ease there and ate and drank and passed the night in the greatest +comfort and delight, till morning, when they arose from sleep and +making their ablutions, prayed the morning-prayer and drank the +morning-draught. As soon as the sun had risen and the markets and +shops were open, they went out to the bazaar and opened their +shop, which their servants had already furnished, after the +handsomest fashion, with prayer-rugs and silken carpets and a +pair of divans, each worth a hundred dinars. On each divan they +had spread a rug, garded with gold and fit for a king, and in the +midst of the shop stood a third seat of still greater elegance, +even as the case required. Taj el Mulouk sat down on one couch +and Aziz on another, whilst the Vizier seated himself on that in +the centre, and the servants stood before them. The people of the +city heard of them and crowded to them, so that they sold some of +their goods and the report of Taj el Mulouk's beauty and grace +spread throughout the place. Some days passed thus, and every day +the people flocked to them more and more, till the Vizier, after +exhorting the prince to keep his secret, commended him to Aziz's +care and went home, that he might be alone and cast about for +some device that might profit them. + +Meanwhile, the two young men sat talking and the prince said to +Aziz, 'It may be some one will come from the Princess Dunya.' So +he abode in expectation of this days and nights, whilst his heart +was troubled and he knew neither sleep nor rest: for desire had +gotten the mastery of him and passion and longing were sore upon +him, so that he forewent the solace of sleep and abstained from +meat and drink; yet ceased he not to be like the full moon. One +day, as he sat in the shop, there came up an old woman, followed +by two slave-girls. She stopped before Taj el Mulouk and +observing his grace and elegance and symmetry, marvelled at his +beauty and sweated in her clothes, exclaiming, 'Glory to Him who +created thee out of vile water and made thee a ravishment to all +who look upon thee!' And she fixed her eyes on him and said, +'This is sure no mortal, but a noble angel.' Then she drew near +and saluted him, whereupon he returned her salute and (being +prompted thereto by Aziz) rose to his feet to receive her and +smiled in her face after which he made her sit down by his side +and fanned her, till she was rested and refreshed, when she +turned to him and said, 'O my son, O thou that art perfect in +graces and charms, art thou of this country?' 'By Allah, O my +lady,' answered he in the sweetest and pleasantest of voices, 'I +was never in this country in my life till now, nor do I sojourn +here save for my diversion.' 'May all honour and prosperity +attend thee!' rejoined she. 'What stuffs has thou brought with +thee? Show me something handsome; for the fair should bring +nothing but what is fair.' When he heard her words, his heart +fluttered and he knew not what she meant; but Aziz made a sign to +him, and he replied, 'I have everything thou canst desire, and +amongst the rest goods that befit none but kings and kings' +daughters; so tell me for whom thou seekest the stuff, that I may +show thee what will befit her.' This he said, that he might learn +the meaning of her words; and she rejoined, 'I want a stuff fit +for the Princess Dunya, daughter of King Shehriman.' When the +prince heard the name of his beloved, he rejoiced greatly and +said to Aziz, 'Give me such a bale.' So Aziz brought it and +opened it before Taj el Mulouk, who said to the old woman, +'Choose what will suit her; for these are goods only to be found +with me.' So she chose goods worth a thousand dinars and said, +'How much is this?' And ceased not the while to talk with him and +rub the inside of her thighs with the palm of her hand. 'Shall I +haggle with the like of thee about this paltry price?' answered +he. 'Praised be God who hath brought me acquainted with thee!' +'The name of God be upon thee!' exclaimed she. 'I commend thy +fair face to the protection of the Lord of the Daybreak! Fair +face and pleasant speech! Happy the woman who lies in thy bosom +and clasps thy waist in her arms and enjoys thy youth, especially +if she be fair and graceful like unto thee!' At this, Taj el +Mulouk laughed till he fell backward and said (in himself), 'O +Thou who fulfillest desires by means of dissolute old women! They +are indeed the accomplishers of desires!' Then said she, 'O my +son, what is thy name?' And he answered, 'My name is Taj el +Mulouk.'[FN#148] 'This is a name of kings and kings' sons,' +rejoined she; 'and thou art clad in a merchant's habit.' Quoth +Aziz, 'For the love his parents and family bore him and the value +they set on him, they named him thus.' 'Thou sayst sooth,' +replied the old woman. 'May God guard you both from the evil eye +and the malice of the enemy and the envious, though hearts be +broken by your charms!' Then she took the stuff and went away, +amazed at the prince's beauty and grace and symmetry, and going +in to the Princess Dunya, said to her, 'O my lady, I have brought +thee some handsome stuff.' 'Show it me,' said the princess. 'Here +it is,' answered the old woman; 'turn it over, O my treasure, and +examine it.' So the princess looked at the stuff and was amazed +at its beauty and said, 'O my nurse, this is indeed handsome +stuff! I have never seen its like in our city.' 'O my lady,' +replied the nurse, 'he who sold it me is handsomer still. It +would seem as if Rizwan had left the gates of Paradise open and +this youth had come out. I would he might sleep this night with +thee and lie between thy breasts! He hath come hither with these +stuffs for amusement's sake, and he is a ravishment to all who +set eyes on him.' The princess laughed at her words and said, +'Allah afflict thee, O pernicious old woman! Thou dotest and +there is no sense left in thee. Give me the stuff, that I may +look at it anew.' So she gave it her, and she examined it again +and seeing that though small, it was of great value, was moved to +admiration, for she had never in her life seen its like, and +exclaimed, 'By Allah, this is a handsome stuff.' 'O my lady,' +said the old woman, 'if thou sawest him who sold it to me, thou +wouldst know him for the handsomest of all that be upon the face +of the earth.' Quoth the princess, 'Didst thou ask him if he had +any need, that we might satisfy it?' The nurse shook her head and +answered, 'God keep thy sagacity! Assuredly he has a want, may +thy skill not fail thee. What man is free from wants?' 'Go back +to him,' rejoined the princess; 'salute him for me, and say to +him, "Our land and town are honoured by thy visit, and if thou +hast any need, we will fulfil it to thee, on our head and eyes."' +So the old woman returned to Taj el Mulouk, and when he saw her, +his heart leapt for joy and he rose to his feet and taking her +hand, seated her by his side. As soon as she was rested she told +him what the princess had said, whereat he rejoiced exceedingly; +his breast dilated and gladness entered his heart, and he said in +himself, 'Verily, I have gotten my desire.' Then said he to the +old woman, 'Belike thou wilt take her a message from me and bring +me her answer.' 'I hear and obey,' replied she. So he said to +Aziz, 'Bring me inkhorn and paper and a pen of brass.' Aziz +brought him what he sought, and he took the pen and wrote the +following verses: I send thee, O my hope, a letter, to complain +Of all my soul endures for parting and its pain. + +Six lines it hath; the first, 'A fire is in my heart;' The next + line setteth forth my passion all in vain; +The third, 'My patience fails and eke my life doth waste;' The + fourth, 'All love with me for ever shall remain.' +The fifth, 'When shall mine eyes behold thee? And the sixth, + 'When shall the day betide of meeting for us twain? + +And by way of subscription he wrote these words, 'This letter is +from the captive of desire, prisoned in the hold of longing, from +which there is no deliverance but in union and intercourse with +her whom he loveth, after absence and separation: for he +suffereth grievous torment by reason of his severance from his +beloved.' Then his tears rushed out and he wrote the following +verses: + +I write to thee, my love, and the tears run down as I write; For + the tears of my eyes, alack I cease never day or night. +Yet do I not despair; mayhap, of God His grace, The day shall + dawn for us of union and delight. + +Then he folded the letter and sealed it and gave it to the old +woman, saying, 'Carry it to the lady Dunya.' 'I hear and obey,' +answered she; whereupon he gave her a thousand dinars and said to +her, 'O my mother, accept this, as a token of my affection.' She +took the letter and the money, calling down blessings on him, and +returned to the princess. When the latter saw her, she said to +her, 'O my nurse, what is it he asks, that we may fulfil his wish +to him?' 'O my lady,' replied the old woman, 'he sends thee this +letter by me, and I know not what is in it.' The princess took +the letter and reading it, exclaimed, 'Who and what is this +merchant that he should dare to write to me thus?' And she +buffeted her face, saying, 'What have we done that we should come +in converse with shopkeepers? Alas! Alas! By Allah, but that I +fear God the Most High, I would put him to death and crucify him +before his shop!' 'What is in the letter,' asked the old woman, +'to trouble thy heart and move thine anger thus? Doth it contain +a complaint of oppression or demand for the price of the stuff?' +'Out on thee!' answered the princess. 'There is none of this in +it, nought but words of love and gallantry. This is all through +thee: else how should this devil know me?' 'O my lady,' rejoined +the old woman, 'thou sittest in thy high palace and none may win +to thee, no, not even the birds of the air. God keep thee and +keep thy youth from blame and reproach! Thou art a princess, the +daughter of a king, and needest not reck of the barking of dogs. +Blame me not that I brought thee this letter, knowing not what +was in it; but it is my counsel that thou send him an answer, +threatening him with death and forbidding him from this idle +talk. Surely he will abstain and return not to the like of this.' +'I fear,' said the princess, 'that, if I write to him, he will +conceive hopes of me.' Quoth the old woman, 'When he reads thy +threats and menace of punishment, he will desist.' So the +princess called for inkhorn and paper and pen of brass and wrote +the following verses: + +O thou who feignest thee the prey of love and wakefulness And + plainst of that thou dost endure for passion and distress +Thinkst thou, deluded one, to win thy wishes of the moon? Did + ever any of a moon get union and liesse? +I rede thee put away the thought of this thou seekst from thee, + For that therein but peril is for thee and weariness. +If thou to this thy speech return, a grievous punishment Shall + surely fall on thee from me and ruin past redress. +By Him, the Almighty God, I swear, who moulded man from clay, Him + who gave fire unto the sun and lit the moon no less +If thou offend anew, for sure, upon a cross of tree I'll have + thee crucified for all thy wealth and goodliness! + +Then she folded the letter and giving it to the old woman, said, +'Carry this to him and bid him desist from this talk.' 'I hear +and obey,' replied she, and taking the letter, returned, +rejoicing, to her own house, where she passed the night and in +the morning betook herself to the shop of Taj el Mulouk, whom she +found expecting her. At sight of her, he well-nigh lost his +reason for delight, and when she came up to him, he rose to his +feet and seated her by his side. Then she brought out the letter +and gave it to him, saying, 'Read this. When the princess read +thy letter, she was angry; but I coaxed her and jested with her +till I made her laugh, and she had pity on thee and has returned +thee an answer.' He thanked her and bade Aziz give her a thousand +dinars: then he read her letter and fell to weeping sore, so that +the old woman's heart was moved to pity for him and his tears and +complaints grieved her. So she said to him, 'O my son, what is +there in this scroll, that makes thee weep?' 'She threatens me +with death and crucifixion,' replied he, 'and forbids me to write +to her: but if I write not, my death were better than my life. So +take thou my answer to her letter and let her do what she will.' +'By the life of thy youth,' rejoined the old woman, 'needs must I +venture my life for thee, that I may bring thee to thy desire and +help thee to win that thou hast at heart!' And he said, 'Whatever +thou dost, I will requite thee therefor, and do thou determine of +it; for thou art versed in affairs and skilled in all fashions of +intrigue: difficult matters are easy to thee: and God can do all +things.' Then he took a scroll and wrote therein the following +verses: + +My love with slaughter threatens me, woe's me for my distress! + But death is foreordained; to me, indeed, 'twere happiness; +Better death end a lover's woes than that a weary life He live, + rejected and forlorn, forbidden from liesse. +Visit a lover, for God's sake, whose every helper fails, And with + thy sight thy captive slave and bondman deign to bless! +Have ruth upon me, lady mine, for loving thee; for all, Who love + the noble, stand excused for very passion's stress. + +Then he sighed heavily and wept, till the old woman wept also and +taking the letter, said to him, 'Take heart and be of good cheer, +for it shall go hard but I bring thee to thy desire.' Then she +rose and leaving him on coals of fire, returned to the princess, +whom she found still pale with rage at Taj el Mulouk's first +letter. The nurse gave her his second letter, whereupon her anger +redoubled and she said, 'Did I not say he would conceive hopes of +us?' 'What is this dog,' replied the old woman, 'that he should +conceive hopes of thee?' Quoth the princess, 'Go back to him and +tell him that, if he write to me again, I will have his head cut +off.' 'Write this in a letter,' answered the nurse, 'and I will +take it to him, that his fear may be the greater.' So she took a +scroll and wrote thereon the following verses: + +Harkye thou that letst the lessons of the past unheeded lie, Thou + that lookst aloft, yet lackest power to win thy goal on + high, +Thinkest thou to reach Es Suha,[FN#149] O deluded one, although + Even the moon's too far to come at, shining in the middle + sky? +How then dar'st thou hope my favours and aspire to twinned + delight And my spear-straight shape and slender in thine + arms to girdle sigh? +Leave this purpose, lest mine anger fall on thee some day of + wrath, Such as e'en the parting-places shall with white for + terror dye. + +Then she folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, who took +it and returned to Taj el Mulouk. When he saw her, he rose to his +feet and exclaimed, 'May God not bereave me of the blessing of +thy coming!' Quoth she, 'Take the answer to thy letter.' He took +it and reading it, wept sore and said, 'Would some one would slay +me now, for indeed death were easier to me than this my state!' +Then he took pen and inkhorn and paper and wrote the following +verses: + +O my hope, have done with rigour; lay disdain and anger by, Visit + one who, drowned in passion, doth for love and longing sigh. +Think not, under thine estrangement, that my life I will endure. + Lo, my soul, for very severance from thy sight, is like to + die. + +Then he folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, saying, +'Grudge it not to me, though I have wearied thee to no purpose.' +And he bade Aziz give her other thousand dinars, saying, 'O my +mother, needs must this letter result in perfect union or +complete separation.' 'O my son,' replied she, 'by Allah, I +desire nought but thy weal; and it is my wish that she be thine, +for indeed thou art the resplendent moon and she the rising sun. +If I do not bring you together, there is no profit in my life: +these ninety years have I lived in the practice of wile and +intrigue; so how should I fail to unite two lovers, though in +defiance of law?' Then she took leave of him, after comforting +his heart, and returned to the palace. Now she had hidden the +letter in her hair: so she sat down by the princess and rubbing +her head, said, 'O my lady, maybe thou wilt comb out my hair: for +it is long since I went to the bath.' The princess bared her arms +to the elbow and letting down the old woman's hair, began to comb +it, when out dropped the letter and Dunya seeing it, asked what +it was. Quoth the nurse, 'This paper must have stuck to me, as I +sat in the merchant's shop: give it me, that I may return it to +him; belike it contains some reckoning of which he hath need.' +But the princess opened it, and reading it, cried out, 'This is +one of thy tricks, and hadst thou not reared me, I would lay +violent hands on thee forthright! Verily God hath afflicted me +with this merchant: but all that hath befallen me with him is of +thy contrivance. I know not whence this fellow can have come: +none but he would venture to affront me thus, and I fear lest +this my case get wind, the more that it concerns one who is +neither of my rank nor of my peers.' 'None would dare speak of +this,' rejoined the old woman, 'for fear of thine anger and awe +of thy father; so there can be no harm in sending him an answer.' +'O my nurse,' said the princess, 'verily this fellow is a devil. +How can he dare to use such language to me and not dread the +Sultan's wrath? Indeed, I am perplexed about his case: if I order +him to be put to death, it were unjust; and if I leave him, his +presumption will increase.' 'Write him a letter,' rejoined the +old woman; 'it may be he will desist.' So she called for pen and +ink and paper and wrote the following verses: + +Again and again I chide thee, yet folly ever again Lures thee: + how long, with my writing, in verse shall I bid thee + refrain, +Whilst thou but growest in boldness for all forbidding? But I No + grace save to keep thy secret, unto thy prayers may deign. +Conceal thy passion nor ever reveal it; for, an thou speak, I + will surely show thee no mercy nor yet my wrath contain. +If to thy foolish daring thou turn thee anew, for sure, The raven + of evil omen shall croak for thee death and bane; +And slaughter shall come upon thee ere long, and under the earth + To seek for a place of abiding, God wot, thou shalt be fain. +Thy people, O self-deluder, thou'lt leave in mourning for thee; + Ay, all their lives they shall sorrow for thee, fordone and + slain. + +Then she folded the letter and committed it to the old woman, who +took it and returning to Taj el Mulouk, gave it to him. When he +read it, he knew that the princess was hard-hearted and that he +should not win to her; so he complained to the Vizier and +besought his advice. Quoth he, 'Nothing will profit thee save +that thou write to her and invoke the wrath of God upon her.' And +he said to Aziz, 'O my brother, do thou write to her in my name, +according to thy knowledge.' So Aziz took a scroll and wrote the +following verses: + +O Lord, by the Five Elders, deliver me, I pray, And her, for whom + I suffer, in like affliction lay! +Thou knowest that I weary in raging flames of love; Whilst she I + love is cruel and saith me ever nay. +How long shall I be tender to her, despite my pain? How long + shall she ride roughshod o'er my weakness night and day? +In agonies I wander of never-ceasing death And find nor friend + nor helper, O Lord, to be my stay. +Full fain would I forget her; but how can I forget, When for + desire my patience is wasted all away? +Thou that forbidst my passion the sweets of happy love, Art thou + then safe from fortune, that shifts and changes aye? +Art thou not glad and easeful and blest with happy life, Whilst + I, for thee, an exile from folk and country stray? + +Then he folded the letter and gave it to Taj el Mulouk, who read +the verses and was pleased with them. So he handed the letter to +the old woman, who took it and carried it to the princess. When +she read it, she was greatly enraged and said, 'All that has +befallen me comes from this pernicious old woman!' Then she cried +out to the damsels and eunuchs, saying, 'Seize this accursed old +trickstress and beat her with your slippers!' So they beat her +till she swooned away; and when she revived, the princess said to +her, 'By Allah, O wicked old woman, did I not fear God the Most +High, I would kill thee!' Then she bade them beat her again, and +they did so, till she fainted a second time, whereupon the +princess ordered them to drag her forth and throw her without the +palace. So they dragged her along on her face and threw her down +before the gate. When she came to herself, she rose and made the +best of her way home, walking and resting by turns. She passed +the night in her own house and in the morning, she went to Taj el +Mulouk and told him what had passed, at which he was distressed +and said, 'O my mother, this that has befallen thee is grievous +to us; but all things are according to fate and destiny.' 'Take +comfort and be of good cheer,' replied she; 'for I will not give +over striving, till I have brought thee and her together and made +thee to enjoy the vile baggage who hath tortured me with +beating.' Quoth the prince, 'Tell me the reason of her aversion +to men.' 'It arose from what she saw in a dream,' answered the +old woman. 'And what was this dream?' asked the prince. 'One +night,' replied she, 'as she lay asleep, she saw a fowler spread +his net upon the ground and scatter grain round it. Then he sat +down hard by, and all the birds in the neighbourhood flocked to +the net. Amongst the rest she saw a pair of pigeons, male and +female; and whilst she was watching the net, the male bird's foot +caught in it and he began to struggle, whereupon all the other +birds took fright and flew away. But presently his mate came back +and hovered over him, then alighted on the net, unobserved by the +fowler, and fell to picking and pulling at the mesh in which the +male bird's foot was entangled with her beak, till she released +him and they flew away together. Then the fowler came up and +mended his net and seated himself afar off. After awhile, the +birds came back and the female pigeon was caught in the net, +whereupon all the other birds took fright and flew away; and the +male pigeon flew away with the rest and did not return to his +mate. Then came the fowler and took the female pigeon and killed +her. So the princess awoke, troubled by her dream, and said, "All +males are worthless, like this pigeon: and men in general are +wanting in goodness to women."' When the old woman had made an +end of her story, the prince said to her, 'O my mother, I desire +to have one look at her, though it be my death; so do thou +contrive me some means of seeing her.' 'Know then,' answered she, +'that she hath under her palace windows a pleasure-garden, to +which she resorts once in every month by the private door. In ten +days, the time of her thus going forth will arrive; so when she +is about to visit the garden, I will come and tell thee, that +thou mayst go thither and meet her. And look thou quit not the +garden, for haply, if she sees thy beauty and grace, her heart +will be taken with love of thee, and love is the most potent +means of union.' 'I hear and obey,' replied Taj el Mulouk. Then +he and Aziz left the shop, and taking the old woman with them, +showed her where they lodged. Then said the prince to Aziz, 'I +have no further need of the shop, having fulfilled my purpose of +it; so I give it to thee with all that is in it; for that thou +hast come abroad with me and hast left thy country for my sake.' +Aziz accepted his gift and they sat conversing awhile, the prince +questioning the young merchant of the strange passages of his +life and the latter acquainting him with the particulars thereof. +Presently, they went to the Vizier and acquainting him with Taj +el Mulouk's purpose, asked him what they should do. 'Let us go to +the garden,' answered he. So they donned their richest clothes +and went forth, followed by three white slaves, to the garden, +which they found thick with trees and abounding in rills. At the +gate, they saw the keeper sitting; so they saluted him and he +returned their salute. Then the Vizier gave him a hundred dinars, +saying, 'Prithee, take this spending-money and fetch us something +to eat; for we are strangers and I have with me these two lads, +whom I wish to divert.' The gardener took the money and said to +them, 'Enter and take your pleasure in the garden, for it is all +yours; and sit down till I bring you what you require.' So he +went to the market, and the Vizier and his companions entered the +garden. In a little while, the gardener returned with a roasted +lamb and bread as white as cotton, which he placed before them, +and they ate and drank; after which he set on sweetmeats, and +they ate of them, then washed their hands and sat talking. +Presently the Vizier said to the gardener, 'Tell me about this +garden: is it thine or dost thou rent it?' 'It does not belong to +me,' replied he, 'but to the Princess Dunya, the King's +daughter.' 'What is thy wage?' asked the Vizier, and the gardener +answered, 'One dinar every month and no more.' Then the Vizier +looked round about the garden and seeing in its midst a pavilion, +lofty but old and dilapidated, said to the keeper, 'O elder, I am +minded to do here a good work, by which thou shalt remember me.' +'O my lord,' rejoined the other, 'what is that?' 'Take these +three hundred dinars,' answered the Vizier. When the keeper heard +speak of the dinars, he said, 'O my lord, do what thou wilt.' So +the Vizier gave him the money, saying, 'God willing, we will work +a good work in this place.' Then they left the garden and +returned to their lodging, where they passed the night. Next day, +the Vizier sent for a plasterer and a painter and a skilful +goldsmith, and furnishing them with all the tools and materials +that they required, carried them to the garden, where he bade +them plaster the walls of the pavilion and decorate it with +various kinds of paintings. Then he sent for gold and ultramarine +and said to the painter, 'Paint me on the wall, at the upper end +of the saloon, a fowler, with his nets spread and birds lighted +round them and a female pigeon fallen into the net and entangled +therein by the bill. Let this fill one compartment of the wall, +and on the other paint the fowler seizing the pigeon and setting +the knife to her throat, whilst the third compartment of the +picture must show a great hawk seizing the male pigeon, her mate, +and digging his talons into him.' The painter did as the Vizier +bade him, and when he and the other workmen had finished, they +took their hire and went away. Then the Vizier and his companions +took leave of the gardener and returned to their lodging, where +they sat down to converse. And Taj el Mulouk said to Aziz, 'O my +brother, recite me some verses: haply it may dilate my breast and +dispel my sad thoughts and assuage the fire of my heart.' So Aziz +chanted the following verses: + +All that they fable lovers feel of anguish and despite, I in + myself comprise, and so my strength is crushed outright; +And if thou seekst a watering-place, see, from my streaming eyes, + Rivers of tears for those who thirst run ever day and night. +Or, if thou fain wouldst look upon the ruin passion's hands Can + wreak on lovers, let thy gaze upon my body light. + +And his eyes ran over with tears and he repeated these verses +also: + +Who loves not the necks and the eyes of the fair and pretends, + forsooth, To know the delight of the world, God wot, he + speaks not the truth +For in love is a secret meaning that none may win to know Save he + who has loved indeed and known its wrath and ruth. +May God not lighten my heart of passion for her I love Nor ease + my eyelids, for love, of wakefulness in my youth! + +Then he sang the following: + +Avicenna pretends, in his writings renowned, That the lover's + best medicine is song and sweet sound +And dalliance with one of his sex like his love And drinking, + with waters and fruits all around. +I took me another, to heal me for thee, And fate was propitious + and grace did abound +Yet I knew love a mortal disease, against which Avicenna his + remedy idle I found. + +Taj el Mulouk was pleased with his verses and wondered at his +eloquence and the excellence of his recitation, saying, 'Indeed +thou hast done away from me somewhat of my concern.' Then said +the Vizier, 'Of a truth there occurred to those of times past +what astounds those who hear it.' 'If thou canst recall any fine +verse of this kind,' quoth the prince, 'I prithee let us hear it +and keep the talk in vogue.' So the Vizier chanted the following +verses: + +Methought thy favours might be bought and thou to give consent To + union won by gifts of gold and grace and blandishment: +And eke, for ignorance, I deemed thy love an easy thing, Thy love + in which the noblest souls for languor are forspent; +Until I saw thee choose one out and gratify that one With sweet + and subtle favours. Then, to me 'twas evident +Thy graces never might be won by any artifice; So underneath my + wing my head I hid incontinent +And in the nest of passion made my heart's abiding-place, Wherein + my morning and my night for evermore are pent. + +Meanwhile the old woman remained shut up in her house till it +befell that the princess was taken with a desire to divert +herself in the garden. Now this she had been wont to do only in +company with her nurse; so she sent for her and spoke her fair +and made her peace with her, saying, 'I wish to go forth to the +garden, that I may divert myself with the sight of its trees and +fruits and gladden my heart with its flowers.' 'I hear and obey,' +replied the old woman; 'but let me first go to my house and +change my dress, and I will be with thee anon.' 'Go,' said the +princess; 'but be not long absent from me.' So the old woman left +her and repairing to Taj el Mulouk, said to him, 'Don thy richest +clothes and go to the gardener and salute him and make shift to +hide thyself in the garden.' 'I hear and obey,' answered he; and +she agreed with him upon a signal to be made by her to him and +returned to the princess. As soon as she was gone, the Vizier and +Aziz rose and dressed Taj el Mulouk in a right costly suit of +kings' raiment, worth five thousand dinars, and girt his middle +with a girdle of gold set with jewels. Then he repaired to the +garden and found the keeper seated at the gate. As soon as the +latter saw him, he sprang to his feet and received him with all +respect and consideration and opening the gate, said, 'Enter and +take thy pleasure in the garden.' Now the gardener knew not that +the princess was to visit the garden that day: but Taj el Mulouk +had been there but a little while, when he heard a noise and ere +he could think, out came the eunuchs and damsels by the private +door. When the gardener saw this, he came up to the prince and +said to him, 'O my lord, what is to be done? The Princess Dunya, +the King's daughter, is here.' 'Fear not,' replied the prince; +'no harm shall befall thee: for I will conceal myself somewhere +about the garden.' So the gardener exhorted him to the utmost +prudence and went away. Presently, the princess entered the +garden, attended by her damsels and the old woman, who said to +herself, 'If these eunuchs abide with us, we shall not attain our +object.' So she said to the princess, 'O my lady, I have somewhat +to say to thee that will be for thy heart's ease.' 'Say on,' +replied the princess. 'O my lady,' said the old woman, 'thou hast +no present need of these eunuchs; send them away, for thou wilt +not be able to divert thyself at thine ease, whilst they are with +us.' 'Thou art right,' rejoined the princess. So she dismissed +the eunuchs and began to walk about, whilst Taj el Mulouk fed his +eyes on her beauty and grace, without her knowledge, and fainted +every time he looked at her, by reason of her surpassing +loveliness. The old woman held her in converse and drew her on +till they reached the pavilion, which the Vizier had caused to be +decorated afresh, when the princess entered and looking round, +perceived the picture of the fowler and the birds; whereupon she +exclaimed, 'Glory be to God! This is the very presentment of what +I saw in my dream.' She continued to gaze at the painting, full +of admiration, and presently she said, 'O my nurse, I have been +wont to blame and dislike men, by reason of my having seen in my +dream the female pigeon abandoned by her mate; but now see how +the male pigeon was minded to return and set her free; but the +hawk met him and tore him in pieces.' The old woman, however, +feigned ignorance and ceased not to hold her in converse, till +they drew near the place where the prince lay hidden, whereupon +she signed to him to come out and walk under the windows of the +pavilion. He did so: and presently the princess, chancing to look +out, saw him and noting his beauty and symmetry, said to the old +woman, 'O my nurse, whence comes yonder handsome youth?' 'I know +nothing of him,' replied the old woman, 'except that I think he +must be some great king's son, for he attains the utmost extreme +of beauty and grace.' The princess fell passionately in love with +him; the spells that bound her were dissolved and her reason was +overcome by his beauty and elegance. So she said to the old +woman, 'O my nurse this is indeed a handsome youth.' 'Thou art in +the right O my lady!' replied the nurse and signed to Taj el +Mulouk to go home. So he went away, not daring to cross her +though desire flamed in him and he was distraught for love and +longing, and taking leave of the gardener, returned to his +lodging, where he told the Vizier and Aziz all that had passed. +They exhorted him to patience, saying, 'Did not the old woman +know that there was an object to be gained by thy departure, she +had not signed to thee to return home.' + +Meanwhile, desire and passion redoubled upon the princess, and +she was overcome with love-longing and said to the old woman, 'I +know not how I shall foregather with this youth, but through +thee.' 'God be my refuge from Satan the Accursed!' exclaimed the +old woman. 'Thou that art averse from men! How comes it that thou +art thus afflicted with love of this young man? Though, by Allah, +none is worthy of thy youth but he!' 'O my nurse,' said the +princess, 'help me to foregather with him, and thou shalt have of +me a thousand dinars and a dress worth as much more: but if thou +aid me not to come at him, I shall assuredly die.' 'Go to thy +palace,' replied the nurse, 'and leave me to devise means for +bringing you together. I will risk my life to content you both.' +So the princess returned to her palace, and the old woman betook +herself to Taj el Mulouk, who rose to receive her and entreated +her with respect and honour, making her sit by his side. Then +said she, 'The device hath succeeded,' and told him all that had +passed between the princess and herself. 'When is our meeting to +be?' asked he. 'To-morrow,' replied the old woman. So he gave her +a thousand dinars and a dress of equal value, and she took them +and returned to the princess, who said to her, as soon as she saw +her, 'O my nurse, what news of my beloved?' 'I have discovered +where he lives,' replied she, 'and will bring him to thee +to-morrow.' At this the princess was glad and gave her a thousand +dinars and a dress worth as much more, with which she returned to +her own house, where she passed the night. Next morning, she went +to Taj el Mulouk and dressing him in women's clothes, said to +him, 'Follow me and sway from side to side, as thou goest, and do +not hasten in thy walk nor take heed of any that speaks to thee.' +Then she went out and walked on, followed by the prince, whom she +continued to lesson and hearten by the way, that he might not be +afraid, till they came to the palace gate. She entered and the +prince after her, and she led him through doors and vestibules, +till they had passed six doors. As they approached the seventh +door, she said to him, 'Take courage and when I call out to thee +and say, "Pass, O damsel!" do not hesitate, but hasten on. When +thou art in the vestibule, thou wilt see on thy left a gallery, +with doors along it: count five doors and enter the sixth, for +therein is thy desire.' 'And whither wilt thou go?' asked the +prince. 'Nowhere,' answered she; 'except that I may drop behind +thee and the chief eunuch may detain me, whilst I talk with him.' +Then they went up to the door, where the chief eunuch was +stationed, and he, seeing Taj el Mulouk with her, dressed as a +slave-girl, said to the old woman, 'What girl is this with +thee?' Quoth she, 'This is a slave-girl of whom the Princess +Dunya has heard that she is skilled in different arts, and she +hath a mind to buy her.' 'I know no slave-girl,' rejoined the +eunuch, 'nor any one else; and none shall enter here without +being searched by me, according to the King's orders.' At this +the old woman feigned to be angry and said, 'I thought thee a man +of sense and good breeding: but, if thou be changed, I will let +the princess know of it and how thou hinderest her slave-girl.' +Then she cried out to Taj el Mulouk, saying, 'Pass on, O damsel!' +So he passed on into the vestibule, whilst the eunuch was silent +and said nothing. Then the prince counted five doors and entered +the sixth, where he found the Princess Dunya standing awaiting +him. As soon as she saw him, she knew him and pressed him to her +bosom, and he returned her embrace. Then the old woman came in to +them, having made a pretext to dismiss the princess's attendants +for fear of discovery, and the princess said to her, 'Do thou +keep the door.' So she and Taj el Mulouk abode alone together and +passed the night in kissing and embracing and twining leg with +leg. When the day drew near, she left him and shutting the door +upon him, passed in to another apartment, where she sat down +according to her wont, whilst her women came in to her, and she +attended to their affairs and conversed with them awhile. Then +she said to them, 'Leave me now, for I wish to be alone.' So they +withdrew and she betook herself to Taj el Mulouk, and the old +woman brought them food, of which they ate and after fell again +to amorous dalliance, till the dawn. Then the princess left him, +and locked the door as before; and they ceased not to do thus for +a whole month. + +Meanwhile, the Vizier and Aziz, when they found that the prince +did not return from the princess's palace all this while, gave +him up for lost and Aziz said to the Vizier, 'O my father, what +shall we do?' 'O my son,' answered he, 'this is a difficult +matter, and except we return to his father and tell him, he will +blame us.' So they made ready at once and setting out, journeyed +night and day along the valleys, in the direction of the Green +Country, till they reached King Suleiman's capital and presenting +themselves before him, acquainted him with what had befallen his +son and how they had heard no news of him, since he entered the +princess's palace. At this the King was greatly troubled and +regret was sore upon him, and he let call a holy war throughout +his realm. Then he encamped without the town with his troops and +took up his abode in his pavilion, whilst the levies came from +all parts of the kingdom; for his subjects loved him by reason of +his much justice and beneficence. As soon as his forces were +assembled, he took horse, with an army covering the country as +far as the eye could reach, and departed in quest of his son Taj +el Mulouk. Meanwhile, the latter sojourned with the princess half +a year's time, whilst every day they redoubled in mutual +affection and distraction and passion and love-longing and desire +so pressed upon Taj el Mulouk, that at last he opened his mind to +the princess and said to her, 'Know, O beloved of my heart and +entrails, that the longer I abide with thee, the more longing and +passion and desire increase on me, for that I have not yet +fulfilled the whole of my desire.' 'What then wouldst thou have, +O light of my eyes and fruit of my entrails?' asked she. 'If thou +desire aught beside kissing and embracing and entwining of legs, +do what pleases thee; for, by Allah, none hath any part in us.' +'It is not that I desire,' rejoined he; 'but I would fain +acquaint thee with my true history. I am no merchant, but a King, +the son of a King, and my father is the supreme King Suleiman +Shah, who sent his Vizier ambassador to thy father, to demand thy +hand for me in marriage, but thou wouldst not consent.' Then he +told her his story from first to last, nor is there any profit in +repeating it, and added, 'And now I wish to return to my father, +that he may send an ambassador to thy father, to demand thy hand +for me, so we may be at ease.' When she heard this, she rejoiced +greatly, because it fell in with her own wishes, and they passed +the night on this understanding. But by the decree of Fate, it +befell that sleep overcame them that night above all nights and +they slept till the sun had risen. Now at this hour, King +Shehriman was sitting on his chair of estate, with his amirs and +grandees before him, when the chief of the goldsmiths presented +himself before him carrying a large box, which he opened and +brought out therefrom a small casket worth a hundred thousand +dinars, for that which was therein of rubies and emeralds and +other jewels, beyond the competence of any King. When the King +saw this, he marveled at its beauty and turning to the chief +eunuch (him with whom the old woman had had to do, as before +related), said to him, 'O Kafour, take this casket to the +Princess Dunya.' The eunuch took the casket and repairing to the +princess's apartment, found the door shut and the old woman lying +asleep on the threshold; whereupon said he, 'Asleep at this +hour?' His voice aroused the old woman, who was terrified and +said to him, 'Wait till I fetch the key.' Then she went out and +fled for her life; but the eunuch, having his suspicions of her, +lifted the door off its hinges and entering, found the princess +and Taj el Mulouk lying asleep in each other's arms. At this +sight he was confounded and was about to return to the King, when +the princess awoke, and seeing him, was terrified and changed +colour and said to him, 'O Kafour, veil thou what God hath +veiled.' But he replied, 'I cannot conceal aught from the King;' +and locking the door on them, returned to Shehriman, who said to +him, 'Hast thou given the casket to the princess?' 'Here is the +casket,' answered the eunuch. 'Take it, for I cannot conceal +aught from thee. Know that I found a handsome young man in the +princess's arms, and they asleep in one bed.' The King commanded +them to be fetched and said to them, 'What manner of thing is +this!' and being violently enraged, seized a dagger and was about +to strike Taj el Mulouk with it, when the princess threw herself +upon him and said to her father, 'Slay me before him.' The King +reviled her and commanded her to be taken back to her chamber: +then he turned to Taj el Mulouk and said to him, 'Woe to thee! +Whence art thou? Who is thy father and what hath emboldened thee +to debauch my daughter?' 'Know, O King,' replied the prince, +'that if thou put me to death, thou wilt repent it, for it will +be thy ruin and that of all in thy dominions.' 'How so?' asked +the King. 'Know,' answered Taj el Mulouk, 'that I am the son of +King Suleiman Shah, and before thou knowest it, he will be upon +thee with his horse and foot.' When King Shehriman heard this, he +would have forborne to kill Taj el Mulouk and put him in prison, +till he should know the truth of his words; but his Vizier said +to him, 'O King of the age, it is my counsel that thou make haste +to slay this gallows-bird, that dares debauch kings' daughters.' +So the King said to the headsman, 'Strike off his head; for he is +a traitor.' Accordingly, the headsman took him and binding him +fast, raised his hand to the amirs, as if to consult them, a +first and a second time, thinking to gain time; but the King said +to him, 'How long wilt thou consult the amirs? If thou do so +again, I will strike off thine own head.' So the headsman raised +his hand, till the hair of his armpit appeared, and was about to +smite off Taj el Mulouk's head, when suddenly loud cries arose +and the people closed their strops; whereupon the King said to +him, 'Wait awhile,' and despatched one to learn the news. +Presently, the messenger returned and said, 'I see an army like +the stormy sea with its clashing billows; the earth trembles with +the tramp of their horses, and I know not the reason of their +coming.' When the King heard this, he was confounded and feared +lest his realm should be torn from him; so he turned to his +Vizier and said, 'Have not any of our troops gone forth to meet +this army?' But before he had done speaking, his chamberlains +entered with messengers from the approaching host, and amongst +them the Vizier who had accompanied Taj el Mulouk. They saluted +the King, who rose to receive them and bidding them draw near, +enquired the reason of their coming; whereupon the Vizier came +forward and said, 'Know that he who hath invaded thy realm is no +king like unto the Kings and Sultans of time past.' 'Who is he?' +asked Shehriman, and the Vizier replied, 'He is the lord of +justice and loyalty, the report of whose magnanimity the caravans +have blazed abroad, the Sultan Suleiman Shah, lord of the Green +Country and the Two Columns and the mountains of Ispahan, he who +loves justice and equity and abhors iniquity and oppression. He +saith to thee that his son, the darling of his heart and the +fruit of his loins, is with thee and in this thy city; and if he +find him in safety, his aim is won and thou shalt have praise and +thanks; but if he have disappeared from thy dominions or if aught +have befallen him, look thou for ruin and the laying waste of thy +realm; for this thy city shall become a desert, in which the +raven shall croak. Thus have I done my errand to thee and peace +be on thee!' When King Shehriman heard these words, his heart was +troubled and he feared for his kingdom: so he cried out for his +grandees and viziers and chamberlains and officers; and when they +appeared, he said to them, 'Out on you! Go down and search for +the young man!' Now the prince was still under the headsman's +hands, but he was changed by the fright he had undergone. +Presently, the Vizier, chancing to look aside, saw the prince on +the carpet of blood and knew him; so he threw himself upon him, +as did the other envoys. Then they loosed his bonds and kissed +his hands and feet, whereupon he opened his eyes and recognizing +his father's Vizier and his friend Aziz, fell down in a swoon, +for excess of delight in them. When King Shehriman saw that the +coming of the army was indeed on this youth's account, he was +confounded and feared greatly; so he went up to Taj el Mulouk and +kissing his head, said to him, with streaming eyes, 'O my son, +bear me not malice neither blame the sinner for his evil-doing: +but have compassion on my gray hairs and do not lay waste my +kingdom.' But Taj el Mulouk drew near unto him and kissing his +hand, replied, 'Fear not: no harm shall come to thee, for indeed +thou art to me as my father; but look that nought befall my +beloved, the lady Dunya.' 'O my lord,' replied the King, 'fear +not for her; nought but joy shall betide her.' And he went on to +excuse himself to him and made his peace with King Suleiman's +Vizier, to whom he promised much money, if he would conceal from +the King what he had seen. Then he bade his officers carry the +prince to the bath and clothe him in one of the best of his own +suits and bring him back speedily. So they carried him to the +bath and brought him back to the presence-chamber, after having +clad him in the suit that the King had set apart for him. When he +entered, the King rose to receive him and made all his grandees +stand in attendance on him. Then he sat down to converse with +Aziz and the Vizier and acquainted them with what had befallen +him; after which they told him how they had returned to his +father and given him to know of his son's perilous plight and +added, 'And indeed our coming hath brought thee relief and us +gladness.' Quoth he, 'Good fortune hath attended your every +action, first and last.' + +Meanwhile, King Shehriman went in to his daughter, the Princess +Dunya, and found her weeping and lamenting for Taj el Mulouk. +Moreover, she had taken a sword and fixed the hilt in the earth, +with the point to her heart between her breasts; and she bent +over it, saying, 'Needs must I kill myself and not live after my +beloved.' When her father entered and saw her in this case, he +cried out, 'O princess of kings' daughters, hold thy hand and +have compassion on thy father and the people of thy realm!' Then +he came up to her and said, 'God forbid that an ill thing should +befall thy father for thy sake!' And he told her that her lover +was the son of King Suleiman Shah and sought her to wife and that +the marriage waited only for her consent; whereat she smiled and +said, 'Did I not tell thee that he was a king's son? By Allah, I +must let him crucify thee on a piece of wood worth two dirhems!' +'O my daughter,' answered the King, 'have mercy on me, so may God +have mercy on thee!' 'Harkye,' rejoined she, 'make haste and +bring him to me without delay.' The King replied, 'On my head and +eyes be it,' and returning in haste to Taj el Mulouk, repeated +her words in his ear. So he arose and accompanied the King to the +princess, who caught hold of him and embraced him in her father's +presence and kissed him, saying, 'Thou hast made me a weary +woman!' Then she turned to her father and said to him, 'Sawst +thou ever any do hurt to the like of this fair creature, more by +token that he is a king, the son of a king, and of the free-bon, +guarded against abominations?' Therewith Shehriman went out and +shutting the door on them with his own hand, returned to the +Vizier and the other envoys and bade them report to their King +that his son was in health and gladness and enjoying all delight +of life with his beloved. So they returned to King Suleiman and +acquainted him with this, whereat he rejoiced and exclaimed, +'Praised be God who hath brought my son to his desire!' + +Meanwhile, King Shehriman despatched largesse of money and +victual to King Suleiman's troops, and choosing out a hundred +coursers and a hundred dromedaries and a hundred white slaves and +a hundred concubines and a hundred black slaves and a hundred +female slaves, sent them all to the King as a present. Then he +took horse, with his grandees and chief officers, and rode out of +the city in the direction of King Suleiman's camp. As soon as the +latter knew of his approach, he rose and advancing some paces to +meet him, took him in his arms and made him sit down beside +himself on the royal couch, where they conversed awhile frankly +and cheerfully. Then food was set before them, followed by +sweetmeats and fruits, and they ate till they were satisfied. +Presently, they were joined by Taj el Mulouk, richly dressed and +adorned, and when his father saw him, he rose and embraced him +and kissed him. Then the two kings seated him between them, +whilst all who were present rose to do him honour; and they sat +conversing awhile, after which quoth King Suleiman to King +Shehriman, 'I wish to have the contract between my son and thy +daughter drawn up in the presence of witnesses, that the marriage +may be made public, as of wont.' 'I hear and obey,' answered King +Shehriman and summoned the Cadi and the witnesses, who came and +drew up the marriage contract between the prince and princess. +Then they gave largesse of money and sweetmeats and burnt +perfumes and sprinkled essences. And indeed it was a day of joy +and festivity, and the grandees and soldiers rejoiced therein. +Then King Shehriman proceeded to equip his daughter; and Taj el +Mulouk said to his father, 'Of a truth, this young man Aziz is a +man of great worth and generosity and hath done me right noble +service, having wearied for me and travelled with me till he +brought me to my desire. Indeed, he ceased never to have patience +with me and exhort me to patience, till I accomplished my intent; +and he has now companied with us two whole years, cut off from +his native land. So now I purpose to equip him with merchandise, +that he may depart with a light heart; for his country is near at +hand.' 'It is well seen,' replied his father: so they made ready +a hundred loads of the richest and most costly stuffs, which Taj +el Mulouk presented to Aziz, saying, 'O my brother and my true +friend, take these loads and accept them from me, as a gift and +token of affection, and go in peace to thine own country.' Aziz +accepted the presents and kissing the earth before the prince and +his father, bade them farewell. Moreover, Taj el Mulouk mounted +and brought him three miles on his homeward way, after which Aziz +conjured him to turn back, saying, 'By Allah, O my lord, were it +not for my mother, I would never part from thee! But leave me not +without news of thee.' 'So be it,' replied Taj el Mulouk. Then +the prince returned to the city, and Aziz journeyed on, till he +came to his native town and repairing to his mother's house, +found that she had built him a monument in the midst of the +courtyard and used to visit it continually. When he entered, he +found her, with her hair dishevelled and spread over the tomb, +weeping and repeating the following verses: + +Indeed, I'm very patient 'gainst all that can betide; Yet do I + lack of patience thine absence to abide. +Who is there can have patience after his friend and who Bows not + the head to parting, that comes with rapid stride? + +Then sobs burst up out of her breast, and she repeated these +verses also: + +What ails me? I pass by the graveyard, saluting the tomb of my + son, And yet no greeting he gives me and answer comes there + none. +"How shall I give thee an answer, who lie in the grip of the + grave, The hostage of earth and corruption," replies the + beloved one. +"The dust hath eaten my beauties and I have forgotten thee, Shut + in from kindred and lovers and stars and moon and sun." + +Then Aziz came in to her, and when she saw him, she fell down in +a swoon for joy. He sprinkled water on her, till she revived and +rising, took him in her arms and strained him to her bosom, +whilst he in like manner embraced her. Then they exchanged +greetings, and she asked the reason of his long absence, +whereupon he told her all that had befallen him from first to +last and how Taj el Mulouk had given him a hundred loads of +wealth and stuffs. At this she rejoiced, and Aziz abode with his +mother in his native town, weeping for what had befallen him with +the daughter of Delileh the Crafty, even her who had gelded him. + +Meanwhile, Taj el Mulouk went in to his beloved, the Princess +Dunya, and did away her maidenhead. Then King Shehriman proceeded +to equip his daughter for her journey with her husband and +father-in-law and let bring them victual and gifts and rarities. +So they loaded their beasts and set forth, whilst Shehriman +brought them three days' journey on their way, till King Suleiman +begged him to return. So he took leave of them and turned back, +and Taj el Mulouk and his wife and father journeyed on, night and +day, with their troops, till they drew near the capital of the +Green Country. As soon as the news of their coming became known, +the folk decorated the city; so in they entered, and the King +sitting down on his chair of estate, with his son by his side, +gave alms and largesse and loosed those who were in bonds. Then +he held a second bridal for his son, and the sound of the +singing-women and players upon instruments of music ceased not +for a whole month, during which time the tire-women stinted not +to adorn the bride and display her in various dresses; and she +tired not of the unveiling nor did they weary of gazing on her. +Then Taj el Mulouk, after having companied awhile with his father +and mother, took up his sojourn with his wife, and they abode in +all delight of life and fair fortune, till there came to them the +Destroyer of Delights." + +When the Vizier had made an end of the story of Taj el Mulouk and +the Princess Dunya, Zoulmekan said to him, "Of a truth, it is the +like of thee who lighten the mourning heart and are worthy to be +the companions of kings and to guide their policy in the right +way." + +Meanwhile, they ceased not from the leaguer of Constantinople; +and there they lay four whole years, till they yearned after +their native land and the troops murmured, being weary of siege +and vigil and stress of war by night and by day. Then King +Zoulmekan summoned Rustem and Behram and Terkash and bespoke them +thus, "Know that all these years we have lain here and have not +come by our intent and have gotten us but increase of trouble and +concern; for indeed we came, thinking to take our wreak for King +Omar ben Ennuman and behold, my brother Sherkan was slain; so is +our sorrow grown two sorrows and our affliction two afflictions. +All this came of the old woman Dhat ed Dewahi, for it was she who +slew the Sultan in his kingdom and carried off his wife, the +Princess Sufiyeh; nor did this suffice her, but she must put +another cheat on us and slay my brother Sherkan: and indeed I +have bound myself and sworn by the most solemn oaths to avenge +them of her. What say ye? Ponder my words and answer me." With +this, they bowed their heads and answered, "It is for the Vizier +Dendan to decide." So the Vizier came forward and said, "O King +of the age, it avails us nothing to tarry here, and it is my +counsel that we strike camp and return to our own country, there +to abide awhile and after return and fall upon the worshippers of +idols." "This is a good counsel," replied the King; "for indeed +the folk weary for a sight of their families, and I also am +troubled with yearning after my son Kanmakan and my brother's +daughter Kuzia Fekan, for she is in Damascus and I know not how +it is with her." So he bade the herald call the retreat after +three days, whereupon the troops rejoiced and blessed the Vizier +Dendan. Then they fell to preparing for the homeward march and on +the fourth day, they beat the drums and unfurled the banners and +the army set forth, the Vizier in the van and the King riding in +the mid-battle, with the Great Chamberlain by his side, and +journeyed night and day, till they reached Baghdad. The folk +rejoiced in their return, and care and hardship ceased from them, +whilst those who had stayed at home came forth to meet those who +had been so long absent and each amir betook him to his own +house. As for Zoulmekan, he went up to the palace and went into +his son Kanmakan, who had now reached the age of seven and used +to go down [into the tilting-ground] and ride. As soon as the +King was rested of his journey, he entered the bath with his son, +and returning, seated himself on his chair of estate, whilst the +Vizier Dendan took up his station before him and the amirs and +grandees of the realm entered and stood in attendance upon him. +Then he called for his comrade the stoker, who had befriended him +in his strangerhood; and when he came, the King rose to do him +honour and made him sit by his own side. Now he had acquainted +the Vizier with all the kindness and fair service that the stoker +had done him; so the Vizier and all the amirs made much of him. +The stoker had waxed fat and burly with rest and good living, so +that his neck was like an elephant's neck and his face like a +porpoise's belly. Moreover, he was grown dull of wit, for that he +had never stirred from his place; so at the first he knew not the +King by his aspect. But Zoulmekan came up to him smilingly and +saluted him after the friendliest fashion, saying, "How hast thou +made haste to forget me!" So the stoker roused himself and +looking steadfastly on Zoulmekan knew him: whereupon he sprang to +his feet and exclaimed. "O my friend, who hath made thee Sultan?" +Zoulmekan laughed at him and the Vizier, coming up to him, +expounded the whole story to him and said, "He was thy brother +and thy friend; and now he is King of the land and needs must +thou get great good of him. So I counsel thee, if he say to thee, +'Ask a boon of me,' ask not but for some great thing; for thou +art very dear to him." Quoth the stoker, "I fear lest, if I ask +of him aught, he may not choose to grant it or may not be able +thereto." "Have no care," answered the Vizier; "whatsoever thou +asketh, he will give thee." "By Allah," rejoined the stoker, "I +must ask of him a thing that is in my thought! Every night I +dream of it and implore God to vouchsafe it to me." "Take heart," +said the Vizier. "By Allah, if thou askedst of him the government +of Damascus, in the room of his brother he would surely give it +thee." With this, the stoker rose to his feet and Zoulmekan +signed to him to sit; but he refused, saying, "God forfend! The +days are gone by of my sitting in thy presence." "Not so," +answered the Sultan; "they endure even now. Thou wert the cause +that I am now alive, and by Allah, what thing soever thou askest +of me, I will give it to thee! But ask thou first of God, and +then of me." "O my lord," said the stoker, "I fear...," "Fear +not," quoth the Sultan. "I fear," continued he, "to ask aught and +that thou shouldst refuse it to me." At this the King laughed and +replied, "If thou askedst of me the half of my kingdom, I would +share it with thee: so ask what thou wilt and leave talking." "I +fear...," repeated the stoker. "Do not fear," said the King. "I +fear," went on the stoker, "lest I ask a thing and thou be not +able thereto." With this, the Sultan waxed wroth and said, "Ask +what thou wilt." Then said the stoker, "I ask, first of God and +then of thee, that thou write me a patent of mastership over all +the stokers in Jerusalem." The Sultan and all who were present +laughed and Zoulmekan said, "Ask somewhat other than this." "O my +lord," replied the stoker, "said I not I feared thou wouldst not +choose to grant me what I should ask or be not able thereto?" +Therewith the Vizier nudged him once and twice and thrice, and +every time he began, "I ask of thee..." Quoth the Sultan, "Ask +and be speedy." So he said, "I beseech thee to make me captain of +the scavengers in Jerusalem or Damascus." Then all those who were +present laughed, till they fell backward, and the Vizier beat +him. So he turned to the Vizier and said to him, "What art thou +that thou shouldst beat me? It is no fault of mine: didst thou +not bid me ask some considerable thing? Let me go to my own +country." With this, the Sultan knew that he was jesting and took +patience with him awhile; then turned to him and said, "O my +brother, ask of me some considerable thing, befitting our +dignity." So the stoker said, "O King of the age, I ask first of +God and then of thee, that thou make me Viceroy of Damascus in +the room of thy brother." "God granteth thee this," answered the +King. So the stoker kissed the ground before him, and he bade set +him a chair in his rank and put on him a viceroy's habit. Then he +wrote him a patent of investiture and sealing it with his own +seal, said to the Vizier, "None shall go with him but thou; and +when thou returnest, do thou bring with thee my brother's +daughter, Kuzia Fekan." "I hear and obey," answered the Vizier +and taking the stoker, went down with him and made ready for the +journey. Then the King appointed the stoker servants and officers +and gave him a new litter and princely equipage and said to the +amirs, "Whoso loves me, let him honour this man and give him +a handsome present." So they brought him every one his gift, +according to his competence; and the King named him Ziblcan, +[FN#150] and conferred on him the surname of honour of El +Mujahid.[FN#151] As soon as the new Viceroy's gear was ready, he +went up with the Vizier to the King, to take leave of him and ask +his permission to depart. The King rose to him and embracing him, +exhorted him to do justice among his subjects and deal fairly +with them and bade him make ready for war against the infidels +after two years Then they took leave of each other and King +Ziblcan, surnamed El Mujahid, set out on his journey, after the +amirs had brought him slaves and servants, even to five thousand +in number, who rode after him. The Grand Chamberlain also took +horse, as did Behram, captain of the Medes, and Rustem, captain +of the Persians, and Terkash, captain of the Arabs, and rode with +him three days' journey, to do him honour and take their leaves +of him. Then they returned to Baghdad and the Sultan Ziblcan and +the Vizier Dendan fared on, with their company, till they drew +near Damascus. Now news was come upon the wings of birds, to the +notables of Damascus that King Zoulmekan had made Sultan over +Damascus a Sultan called Ziblcan el Mujahid; so when he reached +the city, he found it decorated in his honour, and all the folk +came out to gaze on him. He entered Damascus in great state and +went up to the citadel, where he sat down upon his chair of +estate, whilst the Vizier Dendan stood in attendance on him, to +acquaint him with the ranks and stations of the amirs. Then the +grandees came in to him and kissed hands and called down +blessings on him. He received them graciously and bestowed on +them gifts and dresses of honour; after which he opened the +treasuries and gave largesse to the troops, great and small. Then +he governed and did justice and proceeded to equip the lady Kuzia +Fekan, daughter of King Sherkan, appointing her a litter of +silken stuff. Moreover, he furnished the Vizier Dendan also for +the return journey and would have made him a gift of money, but +he refused, saying, "Thou art near the time of the tryst with the +King, and haply thou wilt have need of money, or we may send to +seek of thee funds for the Holy War or what not." When the Vizier +was ready, the Viceroy brought Kuzia Fekan to him and made her +mount the litter, giving her ten damsels to do her service. +Moreover, he mounted, to bid the Vizier farewell, and they set +forward, whilst Ziblcan returned to Damascus and busied himself +in ordering the affairs of his government and making ready his +harness of war, against such time as King Zoulmekan should send +to him there for. Meanwhile the Vizier and his company fared +forward by easy stages, till they came, after a month's travel, +to Ruhbeh[FN#152] and thence pushed on, till they drew near +Baghdad. Then he despatched messengers, to inform King Zoulmekan +of his arrival; and he, when he heard this, took horse and rode +out to meet him. The Vizier would have dismounted to receive him, +but the King conjured him not to do so and spurred his steed, +till he came up to him. Then he questioned him of Ziblcan, +whereto the Vizier replied that he was well and that he had +brought with him his brother's daughter, Kuzia Fekan. At this the +King rejoiced and said to Dendan, "Go thou and rest thee of the +fatigue of the journey, and after three days come to me again." +"With all my heart," replied the Vizier and betook himself to his +own house, whilst the King went up to his palace and went in to +his brother's daughter, who was then a girl of eight years old. +When he saw her, he rejoiced in her and sorrowed sore for her +father. Then he let make for her clothes and gave her splendid +jewels and ornaments and bade lodge her with his son Kanmakan in +one place. So they both grew up, the brightest and bravest of the +people of their time; but Kuzia Fekan grew up possessed of good +sense and understanding and knowledge of the issues of events, +whilst Kanmakan grew up generous and freehanded, taking no +thought to the issue of aught. Now Kuzia Fekan used to ride +a-horseback and fare forth with her cousin into the open plain +and range at large with him in the desert; and they both learnt +to smite with swords and thrust with spears. So they grew up, +till each of them attained the age of twelve, when King +Zoulmekan, having completed his preparations and provisions for +the Holy War, summoned the Vizier Dendan and said to him, "Know +that I am minded to do a thing, which I will discover to thee, +and do thou with speed return me an answer thereon." "What is +that, O King of the age?" asked the Vizier. "I am resolved," said +the King, "to make my son Kanmakan king and rejoice in him in my +lifetime and do battle before him, till death overcome me. What +deemest thou of this?" The Vizier kissed the earth before the +King and replied, "O King and Sultan, lord of the age and the +time, this that is in thy mind is indeed good, save that it is +now no time to carry it out, for two reasons: the first, that thy +son Kanmakan is yet of tender age; and the second, that it is of +wont that he who makes his son king in his lifetime, lives but a +little thereafterward." "Know, O Vizier," rejoined the King, +"that we will make the Grand Chamberlain guardian over him, for +he is art and part of us and he married my sister, so that he is +to me as a brother." Quoth the Vizier, "Do what seemeth good to +thee: we will obey thine orders." Then the King sent for the +Grand Chamberlain and the grandees of the kingdom and said to +them, "Ye know that this my son Kanmakan is the first cavalier of +the age and that he hath no peer in jousting and martial +exercises; and now I appoint him to be Sultan over you in my +stead and I make his uncle, the Grand Chamberlain, guardian over +him." "O King of the age," replied the Chamberlain, "I am but an +offset of thy bounty." And the King said, "O Chamberlain, verily +this my son Kanmakan and my niece Kuzia Fekan are brothers' +children; so I marry them one to the other and I call those +present to witness thereof." Then he made over to his son such +treasures as beggar description and going in to his sister Nuzhet +ez Zeman told her what he had done, whereat she rejoiced greatly +and said, "Verily, they are both my children. May God preserve +thee to them many a year!" "O my sister," replied he, "I have +accomplished that which was in my heart of the world and I have +no fear for my son: yet it were well that thou shouldst have a +watchful eye to him and to his mother." And he went on to commend +to the Chamberlain and Nuzhet ez Zeman his son and niece and +wife. Thus did he nights and days till he [fell sick and] deeming +surely that he should drink the cup of death, took to his bed and +abode thus a whole year, whilst the Chamberlain took upon himself +the ordering of the people and the realm. At the end of this +time, the King summoned his son Kanmakan and the Vizier Dendan +and said to the former, "O my son, this Vizier shall be thy +father, when I am dead; for know that I am about to leave this +transitory house of life for that which is eternal. And indeed I +have fulfilled my lust of this world; yet there remaineth in my +heart one regret, which may God dispel at thy hands!" "What +regret is that, O my father?" asked his son. "O my son," answered +Zoulmekan, "it is that I die without having avenged thy +grandfather Omar ben Ennuman and thine uncle Sherkan on an old +woman whom they call Dhat ed Dewahi; but, so God grant thee aid, +do not thou fail to take thy wreak on her and to wipe out the +disgrace we have suffered at the hands of the infidels. Beware of +the old woman's craft and do as the Vizier shall counsel thee; +for that he from of old time hath been the pillar of our realm." +And his son assented to what he said. Then the King's eyes ran +over with tears and his sickness redoubled on him, nor did it +leave to press sore upon him four whole years, during which time +his brother-in-law the Chamberlain held sway over the country, +judging and commanding and forbidding, to the contentment of the +people and the nobles, and all the land prayed for him[FN#153] +what while Zoulmekan was occupied with his malady. As for +Kanmakan, he had no thought but of riding and tilting with spears +and shooting with arrows, and thus also did his cousin Kuzia +Fekan; for they were wont to go forth at the first of the day and +return at nightfall, when she would go in to her mother and he to +his, to find her sitting weeping by his father's bed. Then he +would tend his father till daybreak, when he would go forth again +with his cousin, according to their wont. Now Zoulmekan's +sufferings were long upon him and he wept and recited these +verses: + +My strength is past away, my tale of days is told And I, alas! am + left even as thou dost behold. +In honour's day, the first amongst my folk was I, And in the race + for fame the foremost and most bold. +Would that before my death I might but see my son The empery in + my stead over the people hold +And rush upon his foes and take on them his wreak, At push of + sword and pike, in fury uncontrolled. +Lo, I'm a man fordone, in this world and the next, Except my + spright of God be solaced and consoled! + +When he had made an end of repeating these verses he laid his +head on his pillow and his eyes closed and he slept. In his sleep +he saw one who said to him, "Rejoice for thy son shall fill the +lands with justice and have the mastery over them and men shall +obey him." Then he awoke gladdened by this happy omen that he had +seen, and after a few days, death smote him, whereat great grief +fell on the people of Baghdad, and gentle and simple mourned for +him. But time passed over him, as if he had never been, and +Kanmakan's estate was changed; for the people of Baghdad set him +aside and put him and his family in a place apart. When his +mother saw this, she fell into the sorriest of plights and said, +"Needs must I go to the Grand Chamberlain, and I hope for the +favour of the Subtle, the All-Wise One!" Then she betook herself +to the house of the Chamberlain, who was now become Sultan, and +found him sitting upon his couch. So she went in to his wife +Nuzhet ez Zeman and wept sore and said, "Verily, the dead have no +friends. May God never bring you to need and may you cease not to +rule justly over rich and poor many days and years! Thine ears +have heard and thine eyes have seen all that was ours aforetime +of kingship and honour and dignity and wealth and goodliness of +life and condition; and now fortune hath turned upon us, and fate +and the time have played us false and wrought hostilely with us; +wherefore I come to thee, craving thy bounties, I that have been +used to confer favours; for when a man dies, women and girls are +brought low after him." And she repeated the following verses: + +Let it suffice thee that Death is the worker of wonders and know + That the lives which are gone from our sight will never + return to us mo'. +The days of the life of mankind are nothing but journeys, I wot, + whose watering-places for aye are mixed with misfortune and + woe. +Yet nothing afflicteth my heart like the loss of the good and the + great, Whom the stresses of adverse events have compassed + about and laid low. + + +When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard this, she remembered her brother +Zoulmekan and his son Kanmakan and making her draw near to her, +said to her, "By Allah, I am now rich and thou poor, and by +Allah, we did not leave to seek thee out, but that we feared to +wound thy heart, lest thou shouldst deem our gifts to thee an +alms. Of a truth, all the good that we now enjoy is from thee and +thy husband: so our house is thy house and our place thy place, +and all that we have of wealth and goods is thine." Then she clad +her richly and appointed her a lodging in the palace, adjoining +her own; and she and her son abode therein in all delight of +life. Him also did Nuzhet ez Zeman clothe in kings' raiment and +gave them handmaids to do them service. After a little, she told +her husband of her brother's widow, whereat his eyes filled with +tears and he said, "Wouldst thou see the world after thee, look +upon the world after another than thyself. Entertain her +honourably and enrich her poverty." + +Meanwhile, Kanmakan and Kuzia Fekan grew up and flourished, like +unto two fruit-laden saplings or two shining moons, till they +reached the age of fifteen. As for the girl, she was indeed the +fairest of the cloistered maids, with lovely face and smooth +cheeks, slender waist, heavy hips and arrowy shape, lips sweeter +than old wine and spittle as it were the fountain Selsebil of +Paradise, even as saith the poet, describing her: + +From her mouth's honeyed dew, meseems, the first-pressed wine is + drawn And on her sweetest lips the grapes, from which it's + crushed, are grown; +And when thou makest her to bend, its vines sway in her shape. + Blessed be He who fashioned her and may not be made known! + +For indeed God had united in her every attribute of beauty: her +shape put to shame the willow-wand and the rose sought grace +before her cheeks; the water of her mouth made mock of clear +wine, and she gladdened heart and eyes, even as saith of her the +poet: + +Goodly and glorious she is, and perfect in every charm. Her + eyelashes put to shame kohl and the users of kohl. +Even as a sword in the hand of Ali, the Vicar of God, So is the + glance of her eye to a lover's heart and soul. + +As for Kanmakan, he was no less accomplished in grace and +excelling in perfection; there was none could match with him in +beauty and qualities, and valour shone from between his liquid +black eyes, testifying for him and not against him. The hardest +hearts inclined to him; and when the tender down of his lips and +cheeks began to sprout, many were the poems made in his honour: +as for example quoth one: + +Unshown was my excuse, till on his cheek the hair Grew and the + darkness crept, bewildered, here and there. +A fawn, when eyes of men are fixed upon his charms, His glances + straight on them a trenchant poniard bare. + +And another: + +His lovers' souls have woven upon his cheek, I ween, A net the + blood has painted with all its ruddy sheen. +Oh, how at them I marvel! They're martyrs; yet they dwell In + fire, and for their raiment, they're clad in sendal + green.[FN#154] + +It chanced, one festival day, that Kuzia Fekan went out, +surrounded by her handmaids, to visit certain kindred of the +court; and indeed beauty encompassed her; the rose of her cheek +vied with the mole thereon, her teeth flashed from her smiling +lips, like the petals of the camomile flower, and she was as the +resplendent moon. Her cousin Kanmakan began to turn about her and +devour her with his eyes. Then he took courage and giving loose +to his tongue, repeated the following verses: + +When shall the mourning heart be healed of anger and disdain? + When, rigour ceasing, shall the lips of union smile again? +Would God I knew if I shall lie, some night, within the arms Of a + beloved, in whose heart is somewhat of my pain! + +When she heard this, she was angry and putting on a haughty air, +said to him, "Hast thou a mind to shame me among the folk, that +thou speakest thus of me in thy verse? By Allah, except thou +leave this talk, I will assuredly complain of thee to the Grand +Chamberlain, Sultan of Baghdad and Khorassan and lord of justice +and equity, whereby disgrace and punishment will fall on thee?" +To this Kanmakan made no reply, but returned to Baghdad: and +Kuzia Fekan also returned home and complained of her cousin to +her mother, who said to her, "O my daughter, belike he meant thee +no ill, and is he not an orphan? Indeed, he said nought that +implied reproach to thee; so look thou tell none of this, lest it +come to the Sultan's ears and he cut short his life and blot out +his name and make it even as yesterday, whose remembrance hath +passed away." How ever, Kanmakan's case was not hidden from the +people, and his love for Kuzia Fekan became known in Baghdad, so +that the women talked of it. Moreover, his heart became +contracted and his patience waned and he knew not what to do. +Then longed he to give vent to the anguish he endured, by reason +of the pangs of separation; but he feared her anger and her +rebuke: so he recited the following verses: + +What though I be fearful, anon, of her wrath, Whose humour serene + is grown troubled and dour, +I bear it with patience, as he who is sick Endureth a caut'ry in + hopes of a cure. + +His verses came one day to the knowledge of King Sasan (for so +had they named the Grand Chamberlain, on his assumption of the +Sultanate), as he sat on his throne, and he was told of the love +the prince bore to Kuzia Fekan; whereat he was sore vexed, and +going in to his wife Nuzhet ez Zeman, said to her, "Verily, to +bring together fire and dry grass is of the greatest of risks; +and men may not be trusted with women, so long as eyes cast +furtive glances and eyelids quiver. Now thy nephew Kanmakan is +come to man's estate and it behoves us to forbid him access to +the harem; nor is it less needful that thy daughter be kept from +the company of men, for the like of her should be cloistered." +"Thou sayest sooth, O wise King," answered she. Next day came +Kanmakan, according to his wont, and going in to his aunt, +saluted her. She returned his greeting and said to him, "O my +son, I have somewhat to say to thee, that I would fain leave +unsaid; yet must I tell it thee, in my own despite." "Speak," +said he. "Know then," rejoined she, "that thine uncle the +Chamberlain, the father of Kuzia Fekan, has heard of thy love for +her and the verses thou madest of her and has ordered that she be +kept from thee; wherefore, if thou have occasion for aught from +us, I will send it to thee from behind the door, and thou shalt +not look upon Kuzia Fekan nor return hither from day forth." When +he heard this, he withdrew, without speaking a word, and betook +himself to his mother, to whom he related what his aunt had said +to him. Quoth she, "This all comes of thy much talk. Thou knowest +that the news of thy passion for Kuzia Fekan is noised abroad +everywhere and how thou eatest their victual and makest love to +their daughter." "And who should have her but I?" replied the +prince. "She is the daughter of my father's brother and I have +the best of rights to her." "These are idle words," rejoined his +mother. "Be silent, lest thy talk come to King Sasan's ears and +it prove the cause of thy losing her and of thy ruin and increase +of affliction. They have not sent us the evening meal to-night +and we shall die of want; and were we in any land other than +this, we were already dead of the pangs of hunger or the +humiliation of begging our bread." When Kanmakan heard his +mother's words, his anguish redoubled; his eyes ran over with +tears and he sobbed and complained and repeated the following +verses: + +Give o'er this unrelenting blame, that never lets me be! My heart + loves her to whom it's thrall and may not struggle free. +Look not to me for any jot of patience, for I swear By God His + house, my patience all is clean divorced from me! +Blamers to prudence me exhort; I heed them not, for I In my + avouchment am sincere of love and constancy. +They hinder me by very force from visiting my dear, Though, by + the Merciful, nor rogue am I nor debauchee! +Indeed, my bones, whenas they hear the mention of her name, Do + quake and tremble even as birds from sparrow-hawks that + flee. +O daughter of my uncle, say to him who chides at love, That I, by + Allah, am distraught with love-longing for thee. + +And he said to his mother, "I can dwell no longer in my aunt's +house nor among these people, but will go forth and abide in the +corners of the city." So he and his mother left the palace and +took up their abode in one of the quarters of the poorer sort: +and she used to go from time to time to King Sasan's palace and +take thence food for her own and her son's subsistence. One day, +Kuzia Fekan took her aside and said to her, "Alas, my aunt, how +is it with thy son?" "O my daughter," replied she, "sooth to say, +he is tearful-eyed and mournful-hearted, being fallen into the +snare of thy love." And she repeated to her the verses he had +made; whereupon Kuzia Fekan wept and said, "By Allah, I rebuked +not him for his words of ill-will or dislike to him, but because +I feared the malice of enemies for him. Indeed, my passion for +him is double that he feels for me; words fail to set out my +yearning for him; and were it not for the extravagances of his +tongue and the wanderings of his wit, my father had not cut off +his favours from him nor decreed unto him exclusion and +prohibition. However, man's fortune is nought but change, and +patience in every case is most becoming; peradventure He who +ordained our severance will vouchsafe us reunion!" And she +repeated the following: + +O son of mine uncle, the like of thine anguish I suffer, the like + of thy passion I feel; +Yet hide I from men what I suffer for longing, And shouldst thou + not also thy passion conceal? + +When his mother heard this, she thanked her and blessed her: then +she left her and returning to her son, told him what his mistress +had said; whereupon his desire for her increased. But he took +heart, being eased of his despair, and the turmoil of his spirits +was quelled. And he said, "By Allah, I desire none but her!" And +he repeated the following verses: + +Give over thy chiding; I'll hearken no whit to the flouts of my + foes: Indeed I've discovered my secret that nought should + have made me disclose; +And she, whose enjoyment I hoped for, alack! is far distant from + me; Mine eyes watch the hours of the dark, whilst she passes + the night in repose. + +So the days and nights went by, whilst Kanmakan lay tossing upon +coals of fire, till he reached the age of seventeen: and indeed +his beauty was now come to perfection and his wit had ripened. +One night, as he lay awake, he communed with himself and said, +"Why should I keep silence, till I consume away, and see not my +love? My only fault is poverty: so, by Allah, I will go out from +this land and wander afar in the plains and valleys; for my +condition in this city is one of misery and I have no friend nor +lover in it to comfort me; wherefore I will distract myself by +absence from my native land, till I die and am at peace from +abasement and tribulation." And he repeated the following verses: + +Though my soul weary for distress and flutter fast for woe, Yet + of its nature was it ne'er to buckle to a foe. +Excuse me; for indeed my heart is like a book, whereof The + superscription's nought but tears, that aye unceasing flow. +Behold my cousin, how she seems a maid of Paradise, A houri come, + by Rizwan's grace, to visit us below! +Who seeks the glances of her eyes and dares the scathing stroke + Of their bright swords, shall hardly 'scape their swift and + deadly blow. +Lo, I will wander o'er the world, to free my heart from bale And + compensation for its loss upon my soul bestow! +Yea, I will range the fields of war and tilt against the brave + And o'er the champions will I ride roughshod and lay them + low. +Then will I come back, glad at heart and rich in goods and store, + Driving the herds and flocks as spoil before me, as I go. + +So he went out in the darkness of the night, barefoot, wearing a +short-sleeved tunic and a skull-cap of felt seven years old and +carrying a cake of dry bread, three days stale, and betook +himself to the gate El Arij of Baghdad. Here he waited till the +gate opened, when he was the first to go forth; and he went out +at random and wandered in the deserts day and night. When the +night came, his mother sought him, but found him not, whereupon +the world, for all its wideness, was straitened upon her and she +took no delight in aught of its good. She looked for him a first +day and a second and a third, till ten days were past, but no +news of him reached her. Then her breast became contracted and +she shrieked and lamented, saying, "O my son, O my delight, thou +hast revived my sorrows! Did not what I endured suffice, but thou +must depart from the place of my abiding? After thee, I care not +for food nor delight in sleep, and but tears and mourning are +left me. O my son, from what land shall I call thee? What country +hath given thee refuge?" And her sobs burst up, and she repeated +the following verses: + +We know that, since you went away, by grief and pain we're tried. + The bows of severance on us full many a shaft have plied. +They girt their saddles on and gainst the agonies of death Left + me to strive alone, whilst they across the sand-wastes + tried. +Deep in the darkness of the night a ring-dove called to me, + Complaining of her case; but I, "Give o'er thy plaint," + replied. +For, by thy life, an if her heart were full of dole, like mine, + She had not put a collar on nor yet her feet had dyed. +My cherished friend is gone and I for lack of him endure All + manner sorrows which with me for ever will abide. + +Then she abstained from food and drink and gave herself up to +weeping and lamentation. Her grief became known and all the +people of the town and country wept with her and said, "Where is +thine eye, O Zoulmekan?" And they bewailed the rigour of fate, +saying, "What can have befallen him, that he left his native town +and fled from the place where his father used to fill the hungry +and do justice and mercy?" And his mother redoubled her tears and +lamentations, till the news of Kanmakan's departure came to King +Sasan through the chief amirs, who said to him, "Verily, he is +the son of our (late) King and the grandson of King Omar ben +Ennuman and we hear that he hath exiled himself from the +country." When King Sasan heard these words, he was wroth with +them and ordered one of them to be hanged, whereat the fear of +him fell upon the hearts of the rest and they dared not speak one +word. Then he called to mind all the kindness that Zoulmekan had +done him and how he had commended his son to his care; wherefore +he grieved for Kanmakan and said "Needs must I have search made +for him in all countries." So he summoned Terkash and bade him +choose a hundred horse and go in quest of the prince. Accordingly +he went out and was absent ten days, after which he returned and +said, "I can learn no tidings of him and have come on no trace of +him, nor can any tell me aught of him." With this, King Sasan +repented him of that which he had done with Kanmakan; whilst his +mother abode without peace or comfort, nor would patience come at +her call: and thus twenty heavy days passed over her. + +To return to Kanmakan. When he left Baghdad, he went forth, +perplexed about his case and knowing not whither he should go: so +he fared on alone into the desert for the space of three days and +saw neither footman nor horseman. Sleep deserted him and his +wakefulness redoubled, for he pined for his people and his +country. So he wandered on, eating of the herbs of the earth and +drinking of its waters and resting under its trees at the hour of +the noontide heats, till he came to another road, into which he +turned and following it other three days, came to a land of green +fields and smiling valleys, abounding in the fruits of the earth. +It had drunken of the beakers of the clouds, to the sound of the +voices of the turtle and the ring-dove, till its hill-sides were +enamelled with verdure and its fields were fragrant. At this +sight, Kanmakan recalled his father's city Baghdad, and for +excess of emotion repeated the following verses: + +I wander on, in hope I may return Some day, yet know not when + that day shall be. +What drove me forth was that I found no means To fend awe, the + ills that pressed on me. + +Then he wept, but presently wiped away his tears and ate of the +fruits of the earth. Then he made his ablutions and prayed the +ordained prayers that he had neglected all this time; after which +he sat in that place, resting, the whole day. When the night +came, he lay down and slept till midnight, when he awoke and +heard a man's voice repeating the following verses: + +Life unto me is worthless, except I see the shine Of the flashing + teeth of my mistress and eke her face divine. +The bishops in the convents pray for her day and night And in the + mosques the imams fall prone before her shrine. +Death's easier than the rigours of a beloved one, Whose image + never cheers me, whenas I lie and pine. +O joy of boon-companions, when they together be And lover and + beloved in one embrace entwine! +Still more so in the season of Spring, with all its flowers, What + time the world is fragrant with blossoms sweet and fine. +Up, drinker of the vine-juice, and forth, for seest thou not + Earth gilt with blooms and waters all welling forth like + wine? + +When Kanmakan heard this, it revived his sorrows; his tears ran +down his cheeks like rivers and flames of fire raged in his +heart. He rose to see who it was that spoke, but saw none, for +the thickness of the dark; whereupon passion increased on him and +he was alarmed and restlessness possessed him. So he descended to +the bottom of the valley and followed the banks of the stream, +till he heard one sighing heavily, and the same voice recited the +followed verses: + +Though thou have used to dissemble the love in thy heart for + fear, Give on the day of parting, free course to sob and + tear. +'Twixt me and my beloved were vows of love and troth; So cease I + for her never to long and wish her near. +My heart is full of longing; the zephyr, when it blows, To many a + thought of passion stirs up my heavy cheer. +Doth she o' the anklets hold me in mind, whilst far away, Though + between me and Saada were solemn vows and dear? +Shall the nights e'er unite us, the nights of dear delight, And + shall we tell our suff'rings, each in the other's ear? +"Thou seduced by passion for us," quoth she, and I, "God keep Thy + lovers all! How many have fallen to thy spear?" +If mine eyes taste the pleasance of sleep, while she's afar, May + God deny their vision her beauties many a year! +O the wound in mine entrails! I see no cure for it Save + love-delight and kisses from crimson lips and clear. + +When Kanmakan heard this, yet saw no one, he knew that the +speaker was a lover like unto himself, debarred the company of +her whom he loved; and he said to himself; "It were fitting that +this man should lay his head to mine and become my comrade in +this my strangerhood." Then he hailed the speaker and cried out +to him, saying "O thou that goest in the sombre night, draw near +to me and tell me thy history. Haply thou shalt find in me one +who will succour thee in shine affliction." "O thou that +answerest my complaint and wouldst know my history," rejoined the +other, "who art thou amongst the cavaliers? Art thou a man or a +genie? Answer me speedily ere thy death draw near, for these +twenty days have I wandered in this desert and have seen no one +nor heard any voice but thine." When Kanmakan heard this, he said +to himself, "His case is like unto mine, for I also have wandered +twenty days in the desert and have seen none nor heard any voice: +but I will make him no answer till the day." So he was silent and +the other called out to him, saying, "O thou that callest, if +thou be of the Jinn, go in peace, and if thou be a man, stay +awhile, till the day break and the night flee with the dark." So +they abode each in his own place, reciting verses and weeping +with abundant tears, till the light of day appeared and the night +departed with the darkness. Then Kanmakan looked at the other and +found him a youth of the Bedouin Arabs, clad in worn clothes and +girt-with a rusty sword, and the signs of passion were apparent +on him. So he went up to him and accosting him, saluted him. The +Bedouin returned the salute and greeted him courteously, but made +little account of him, for what he saw of his tender years and +his condition, which was that of a poor man. So he said to him, +"O youth, of what tribe art thou and to whom art thou kin among +the Arabs? What is thy history and wherefore goest thou by night, +after the fashion of champions? Indeed, thou spokest to me in the +night words such as are spoken of none but magnanimous cavaliers +and lionhearted warriors; and now thy life is in my hand. But I +have compassion on thee by reason of thy tender age; so I will +make thee my companion, and thou shalt go with me, to do me +service." When Kanmakan heard him speak thus unseemly, after what +he had shown him of skill in verse, he knew that he despised him +and thought to presume with him; so he answered him with soft and +dulcet speech, saying, "O chief of the Arabs, leave my tenderness +of age and tell me thy story and why thou wanderest by night in +the desert, reciting verses. Thou talkest of my serving thee; who +then art thou and what moved thee to speak thus?" "Harkye, boy!" +answered the Bedouin, "I am Subbah, son of Remmah ben Hummam. My +people are of the Arabs of Syria, and I have a cousin called +Nejmeh, who brings delight to all that look on her. My father +died, and I was brought up in the house of my uncle, the father +of Nejmeh; but when I grew up and my cousin became a woman, they +excluded her from me and me from her, seeing that I was poor and +of little estate. However, the chiefs of the Arabs and the heads +of the tribes went in to her father and rebuked him, and he was +abashed before them and consented to give me his daughter, but +upon condition that I should bring him as her dower fifty head of +horses and fifty dromedaries and fifty camels laden with wheat +and a like number laden with barley, together with ten male and +ten female slaves. The dowry he imposed upon me was beyond my +competence; for he exacted more than the due marriage portion. So +now I am travelling from Syria to Irak, having passed twenty days +without seeing other than thyself, and I mean to go to Baghdad, +that I may note what rich and considerable merchants start +thence. Then I will go out in their track and seize their goods, +for I will kill their men and drive off their camels with their +loads. But what manner of man art thou?" "Thy case is like unto +mine," replied Kanmakan; "save that my complaint is more grievous +than thine; for my cousin is a king's daughter, and the dowry of +which thou hast spoken would not content her family, nor would +they be satisfied with the like of that from me." "Surely," said +Subbah, "thou art mad or light-headed for excess of passion! How +can thy cousin be a king's daughter? Thou hast no sign of +princely rank on thee, for thou art but a mendicant." "O chief of +the Arabs," rejoined Kanmakan, "marvel not at my case, for it is +due to the shifts of fortune; and if thou desire proof of me, +behold, I am Kanmakan, son of King Zoulmekan, son of King Omar +ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and Khorassan, and fortune hath +played the tyrant with me; for my father died and (my uncle) King +Sasan took the Sultanate. So I fled forth from Baghdad, secretly, +lest any should see me, and have wandered twenty days, without +seeing any but thyself. So now I have discovered to thee my case, +and my history is as thy history and my need as thy need." When +Subbah heard this, he cried out and said, "O joy! I have attained +my desire! I will have no booty this day but thyself; for, since +thou art of the lineage of kings and hast come out in the habit +of a beggar, it cannot be but thy people will seek thee, and if +they find thee in any one's hand, they will ransom thee with much +treasure. So put thy hands behind thee, O my lad, and walk before +me." "Softly, O brother of the Arabs," answered Kanmakan; "my +people will not ransom me with silver nor with gold, no, not with +a brass dirhem; and I am a poor man, having with me neither much +nor little: so leave this behaviour with me and take me to +comrade. Let us go forth of the land of Irak and wander over the +world, so haply we may win dower and marriage-portion and enjoy +our cousins' embraces." When Subbah heard this, he was angry; his +arrogance and heat redoubled and he said, "Out on thee, O vilest +of dogs! Dost thou bandy words with me? Turn thy back, or I will +chastise thee." At this Kanmakan smiled and answered, "Why should +I turn my back for thee? Is there no equity in thee? Dost thou +not fear to bring reproach upon the Arabs by driving a man like +myself captive, in dishonour and humiliation, before thou hast +proved him in the field, to know if he be a warrior or a coward?" +The Bedouin laughed and replied, "By Allah, I wonder at thee! +Thou art a boy in years, but old in talk. These words should come +from none but a doughty champion: what wantest thou of equity? +"If thou wilt have me be thy captive, to serve thee," said +Kanmakan, "throw down thine arms and put off thine upper clothes +and wrestle with me; and whichever of us throws the other shall +have his will of him and make him his servant." The other laughed +and said, "I think thy much talk denotes the nearness of thy +death." Then he threw down his sword and tucking up his skirt, +drew near unto Kanmakan, and they gripped each other. But the +Bedouin found that Kanmakan had the better of him and outweighed +him, as the quintal outweighs the dinar; and he looked at his +legs and saw that they were as firmly planted as two well-builded +minarets or two tent-poles driven into the ground or two +immovable mountains. So he knew that he himself was not able to +cope with him and repented of having come to wrestle with him, +saying in himself, "Would I had fallen on him with my weapons!" +Then Kanmakan took hold of him and mastering him shook him, till +he thought his guts would burst in his belly and roared out, +"Hold thy hand, O boy!" He heeded him not, but shook him again, +and lifting him from the ground, made with him towards the +stream, that he might throw him therein: whereupon the Bedouin +cried out, saying, "O valiant man, what wilt thou do with me?" +Quoth Kanmakan, "I mean to throw thee into this stream: it will +carry thee to the Tigris. The Tigris will bring thee to the river +Isa and the Isa to the Euphrates, and the Euphrates will bear +thee to thine own country; so thy people will see thee and know +thy manlihead and the sincerity of thy passion." When Subbah +heard this, he cried out and said, "O champion of the desert, do +not with me the deed of the wicked, but let me go, by the life of +thy cousin, the jewel of the fair!" With this, Kanmakan set him +down; and when he found himself at liberty, he ran to his sword +and buckler and taking them up, stood plotting in himself +treachery and a sudden attack on Kanmakan. The latter read his +intent in his eye and said to him, "I know what is in thy mind, +now thou hast hold of thy sword and buckler. Thou hast neither +strength nor skill for wrestling, but thou thinkest that, wert +thou on horseback and couldst wheel about and ply me with thy +sword, I had been slain long ago. But I will give thee thy will, +so there may be no despite left in thy heart. Give me the buckler +and fall on me with thy sword; either I shall kill thee or thou +me." "Here it is," answered Subbah and throwing him the shield, +drew his sword and rushed at him. Kanmakan took the buckler in +his right hand and began to fend himself with it, whilst Subbah +struck at him with the sword, saying at each stroke, "This is +the finishing one!" But Kanmakan received all his blows on his +buckler and they fell harmless, though he did not strike back +again, having no weapon of offence; and Subbah ceased not to +smite at him, till his arm was weary. When the prince saw this, +he rushed at him and seizing him in his arms, shook him and threw +him to the ground. Then he turned him over on his face and +binding his arms behind him with the hangers of his sword, began +to drag him by the feet towards the river: whereupon cried +Subbah, "What wilt thou do with me, O youth and cavalier of the +age and hero of the field?" "Did I not tell thee," answered +Kanmakan, "that it was my intent to send thee by the river to thy +people and thy tribe, lest their hearts be troubled for thee and +thou miss thy cousin's bride-feast?" At this, Subbah shrieked +aloud and wept and said, "Do not thus, O champion of the time! +Let me go and make me one of thy servants." And he wept and +wailed and recited the following verses: + +An outcast from my folk (how long my exile lasts!) am I. Would + God I knew if I in this my strangerhood shall die! +I perish, and my folk know not the place where I am slain; I fall + in exile, far away from her for whom I sigh. + +Kanmakan had compassion on him and said to him, "Make a covenant +with me and swear to be a true comrade to me and to bear me +company whithersoever I may go." "It is well," replied Subbah and +took the required oath. So Kanmakan loosed him, and he rose and +would have kissed the prince's hand; but he forbade him. Then the +Bedouin opened his wallet and taking out three barley-cakes, laid +them before Kanmakan, and they both sat down on the bank of the +stream to eat. When they had done eating, they made the ablution +and prayed, after which they sat talking of what had befallen +each of them from his people and the shifts of fortune. Then said +Kanmakan, "Whither dost thou now intend?" "I purpose," replied +Subbah, "to repair to Baghdad, thy native town, and abide there, +till God vouchsafe me the marriage-portion." "Up then," rejoined +the other, "and to the road! I abide here." So the Bedouin took +leave of him and set out for Baghdad, whilst Kanmakan remained +behind, saying to himself, "O my soul, how shall I return poor +and needy? By Allah, I will not go back empty-handed, and if God +please, I will assuredly work my deliverance!" Then he went to +the stream and made his ablutions and prayed to his Lord, laying +his brow in the dust and saying, "O my God, Thou that makest the +dew to fall and feedest the worm in the rock, vouchsafe me, I +beseech Thee, my livelihood, of Thy power and the graciousness of +Thy compassion!" Then he pronounced the salutation that closes +prayer and sat, turning right and left and knowing not which way +to take. Presently, he saw, making towards him, a horseman whose +back was bowed and who let the reins droop. He sat still and +after awhile the horseman came up to him, when, behold, he was at +the last gasp and made sure of death, for he was grievously +wounded. The tears streamed down his cheeks, like water from the +mouths of skins, and he said to Kanmakan, "O chief of the Arabs, +take me to friend, whilst I live, for thou wilt not find my like, +and give me a little water, harmful though the drinking of water +be to a wounded man, especially whilst the blood is flowing and +the life with it. If I live, I will give thee what shall heal thy +distress and thy poverty; and if I die, mayst thou be blessed for +thy good intent!" Now this horseman had under him a stallion of +the most generous breed, with legs like shafts of marble, the +tongue fails to describe it; and when Kanmakan looked at it, he +was seized with longing admiration and said in himself, "Verily, +the like of this stallion is not to be found in our time." Then +he helped the rider to alight and entreated him friendly and gave +him a little water to drink; after which he waited till he was +rested and said to him, "Who has dealt thus with thee?" "I will +tell thee the truth of the case," answered the wounded man. "I am +a horse-thief and all my life I have occupied myself with +stealing and snatching horses, night and day, and my name is +Ghessan, surnamed the plague of all stables and horses. I heard +tell of this stallion, that he was with King Afridoun in the land +of the Greeks, where they had named him El Catoul and surnamed +him El Mejnoun. So I journeyed to Constantinople on his account, +and whilst I was watching my opportunity to get at him, there +came out an old woman, much considered among the Greeks and whose +word is law with them, a past mistress in all manner of trickery, +by name Shewahi Dhat ed Dewahi. She had with her this stallion +and ten slaves, no more, to attend on her and it, and was bound +for Baghdad, there to sue for peace and pardon from King Sasan. +So I went out in their track, thinking to get the horse, and +ceased not to follow them, but was unable to get at the stallion, +by reason of the strict guard kept by the slaves, till they +reached this country and I feared lest they should enter the city +of Baghdad. As I was casting about to steal the horse, behold, a +great cloud of dust arose and covered the prospect. Presently it +opened and disclosed fifty horsemen, banded together to waylay +merchants and led by a captain by name Kehrdash, like a raging +lion, yea, in battle a lion that lays heroes flat even as a +carpet. They bore down on the old woman and her company, shouting +and surrounding them, nor was it long before they bound her and +the ten slaves and made off with their captives and the horse, +rejoicing. When I saw this, I said to myself, 'My toil is wasted +and I have not attained my desire.' However, I waited to see how +the affair would result, and when the old woman found herself a +captive, she wept and said to Kehrdash, 'O doughty champion and +invincible warrior, what wilt thou do with an old woman and +slaves, now thou hast thy will of the horse?' And she beguiled +him with soft words and promises that she would send him horses +and cattle, till he released her and her slaves. Then he went his +way, he and his comrades, and I followed them to this country, +watching my opportunity, till at last I succeeded in stealing the +horse, whereupon I mounted him and drawing a whip from my wallet, +struck him with it. When the robbers heard this, they came out on +me and surrounded me on all sides and shot arrows and cast spears +at me, whilst I stuck fast on the horse's back and he defended me +with his hoofs, till at last he shot out with me from amongst +them, like an arrow from the bow or a shooting star, after I had +gotten a grievous wound in the press of the battle. Since that +time, I have passed three days in the saddle, without tasting +food or sleep, so that my strength is wasted and the world is +become of no account to me. But thou hast dealt kindly with me +and hast had pity on me: and I see thee naked of body and +sorrowful of aspect; yet are the marks of gentle breeding +manifest on thee. So tell me, what and whence art thou and +whither art thou bound?" "My name is Kanmakan," answered the +prince, "son of King Zoulmekan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman. My +father died, and a base man seized the throne after his death and +became king over great and small." Then he told him all his story +from first to last; and the thief said to him, (and indeed he had +compassion on him), "By Allah, thou art a man of great account +and exceeding nobility and thou shalt surely win to high estate +and become the first cavalier of thy time! If thou canst lift me +into the saddle and mount behind me and bring me to my country, +thou shalt have honour in this world and a reward on the Day of +calling of men one to another;[FN#155] for I have no strength +left to hold myself in the saddle; and if I die by the way, the +steed is thine; for thou art worthier of it than any other." "By +Allah," said Kanmakan, "if I could carry thee on my shoulders or +share my life with thee, I would do so, without the horse! For I +am of those that love to do good and succour the afflicted. So +make ready to set out and put thy trust in the Subtle, the +All-Wise." And he would have lifted him on to the horse and set +forward, trusting in God the Succourable. But the robber said, +"Wait for me a little." Then he closed his eyes and opening his +hands, said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that +Mohammed is the Apostle of God! O Glorious One, pardon me my +mortal sin, for none can pardon mortal sins save Thou!" And he +made ready for death and recited the following verses: + +I've ranged through all countries, oppressing mankind, And in + drinking of wine I have wasted my days. +I've waded through torrents, the horses to steal And I've used + with my guile the high places to raze. +My case is right grievous and great is my guilt, And Catoul, + alas! is the end of my ways. +I hoped of this horse I should get my desire; But vain was my + journey and vain my essays. +All my life I have stolen the steeds, and my death Was decreed of + the Lord of all power and all praise. +So, in fine, for the good of the stranger, the poor, The orphan, + I've wearied in toils and affrays. + +When he had finished, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth; +then giving one sob, he departed this life. Kanmakan rose and dug +a grave and laid him in the earth. Then he went up to the +stallion and kissed it and wiped its face and rejoiced with an +exceeding joy, saying, "None has the like of this horse, no, not +even King Sasan." So much for Kanmakan. + +Meanwhile, news came to King Sasan that the Vizier Dendan and +half the army had thrown off their allegiance to him and sworn +that they would have no king but Kanmakan and the Vizier had +bound the troops by a solemn covenant and had gone with them to +the islands of India and Ethiopia, where he had gathered together +a host like the swollen sea, none could tell its van from its +rear. Moreover, he was resolved to make for Baghdad and possess +himself of the kingdom and slay all who should let him, having +sworn not to return the sword of war to its sheath, till he had +set Kanmakan on the throne. When this news came to Sasan, he was +drowned in the sea of melancholy, knowing that the whole state +had furled against him, great and small, and trouble and anxiety +were sore on him. So he opened his treasuries and distributed +that which was therein among his officers and prayed for +Kanmakan's return, that he might draw his heart to him with fair +usage and bounty and make him commander of those troops that +remained faithful to him, hoping thus to prop his [falling] +power. The news of this reached Kanmakan by the merchants; so he +returned in haste to Baghdad, riding on the aforesaid stallion, +and the news of his coming reached King Sasan, as he sat +perplexed upon his throne; whereupon he despatched all the troops +and head-men of Baghdad to meet him. So all who were in Baghdad +went out to meet the Prince and escorted him to the palace and +kissed the threshold, whilst the damsels and eunuchs went in to +his mother and gave her the good tidings of his return. She came +to him and kissed him between the eyes, but he said to her, "O my +mother, let me go to my uncle King Sasan, who hath overwhelmed us +with favours and benefits." Then he repaired to the palace, +whilst all the people marvelled at the beauty of the stallion and +said, "No king is like unto this man." So he went in to King +Sasan, who rose to receive him; and Kanmakan saluted him and +kissing his hands, offered him the horse as a present. The King +bade him welcome, saying, "Welcome and fair welcome to my son +Kanmakan! By Allah, the world hath been straitened on me by +reason of thine absence, but praised be God for thy safety!" And +Kanmakan called down blessings on him. Then the King looked at +the stallion and knowing it for the very horse, Catoul by name, +that he had seen in such and such a year, whilst at the leaguer +of Constantinople with King Zoulmekan, said to Kanmakan, "I! thy +father could have come by this horse, he would have bought him +with a thousand chargers of price: but now let the honour return +to thee who deservest it. We accept the steed and return it to +thee as a gift, for thou hast more right to it than any man +alive, being the prince of cavaliers." Then he bade bring forth +for him dresses of honour and led horses and appointed him the +chief lodging in the palace, giving him much money and showing +him the utmost honour, for that he feared the issue of the Vizier +Dendan's doings. At this Kanmakan rejoiced and despondency and +humiliation ceased from him. Then he went to his house and said +to his mother, "O my mother, how is it with my cousin?" "By +Allah, O my son," answered she, "my concern for thine absence +hath distracted me from any other, even to thy beloved; +especially as she was the cause of thine exile and separation +from me." Then he complained to her of his sufferings, saying, "O +my mother, go to her and speak with her; haply she will favour me +with a sight of her and dispel my anguish." "O my son," replied +his mother, "idle desires abase the necks of men; so put away +from thee this thought that will but lead to vexation; for I will +not go to her nor carry her such a message." Thereupon he told +her what he had heard from the horse-thief concerning Dhat ed +Dewahi, how she was then in their land, on her way to Baghdad, +and added, "It was she who slew my uncle and grandfather, and +needs must I avenge them and wipe out our reproach." Then he left +her and repaired to an old woman, by name Saadaneh, a cunning, +perfidious and pernicious beldam, past mistress in all kinds of +trickery and deceit To her he complained of what he suffered for +love of his cousin Kuzia Fekan and begged her to go to her and +implore her favour for him. "I hear and obey," answered the old +woman and betaking herself to Kuzia Fekan's palace, interceded +with her in his favour. Then she returned to him and said, "Thy +cousin salutes thee and will visit thee this night at the middle +hour." At this he rejoiced and sat down to await the fulfilment +of his cousin's promise. At the appointed hour she came to him, +wrapped in a veil of black silk, and aroused him from sleep, +saying, "How canst thou pretend to love me, when thou art +sleeping, heart-free, after the goodliest fashion?" So he awoke +and said, "O desire of my heart, by Allah, I slept not but hoping +that thine image might visit me in dreams!" Then she chid him +tenderly and repeated the following verses: + +Wert thou indeed a lover true and leal, Thou hadst not suffered + slumber on thee creep. +O thou who feign'st to walk the ways of love, The watch of + passion and desire to keep, +Son of my uncle, sure the eyes of those Who're love-distraught + know not the taste of sleep. + +When he heard his cousin's words, he was abashed before her and +rose and excused himself. Then they embraced and complained to +each other of the anguish of separation; and thus they did, till +the dawn broke and the day flowered forth over the lands; when +she rose to depart. At this, Kanmakan wept and sighed and +repeated the following verses: + +She came to me, after her pride had driven me to despair, She in + whose lips the teeth as the pearls of her necklace were. +I kissed her a thousand times and clipped her close in my arms + And lay all night with my cheek pressed close to the cheek + of the fair; +Till the day, that must sever our loves, as 'twere the blade of a + sword That flashes forth of its sheath, gleamed out on us + unaware. + +Then she took leave of him and returned to her palace. Now she +let certain of her damsels into her secret, and one of them told +the King, who went in to Kuzia Fekan and drawing his sabre upon +her, would have slain her: but her mother Nuzhet ez Zeman entered +and said to him, 'By Allah, do her no hurt, lest it be noised +among the folk and thou become a reproach among the kings of the +age! Thou knowest that Kanmakan is no base-born wretch, but a man +of honour and nobility, who would not do aught that could shame +him, and she was reared with him. So take patience and be not +hasty; for verily the report is spread abroad, among the people +of the palace and all the folk of the city, how the Vizier Dendan +hath levied troops from all countries and is on his way hither to +make Kanmakan king." "By Allah," said the King, "needs must I +cast him into a calamity, such that neither earth shall bear him +nor sky shadow him! I did but speak him fair and entreat him with +favour, because of my subjects and officers, lest they should +turn to him; but thou shalt see what will betide." Then he left +her and went out to order the affairs of the kingdom. + +Next day, Kanmakan came in to his mother and said to her, "O my +mother, I am resolved to go forth a-raiding in quest of booty. I +will waylay caravans and seize horses and flocks and slaves black +and white, and as soon as my store is waxed great and my case is +bettered, I will demand my cousin Kuzia Fekan in marriage of my +uncle." "O my son," replied she, "of a truth the goods of men are +not as a wastril camel, ready to thy hand; but between thee and +them are sword-strokes and lance-thrusts and men that eat wild +beasts and lay waste countries and snare lions and trap lynxes." +Quoth he, "God forbid that I should turn from my purpose, till I +have attained my desire!" Then he despatched the old woman to +Kuzia Fekan, to tell her that he was about to set out in quest of +a dowry befitting her, saying, "Thou must without fail bring me +an answer from her." "I hear and obey," repled the old woman and +going forth, presently returned with Kuzia Fekan's answer, which +was that she would come to him at midnight. So he abode awake +till one half of the night was past, when disquietude got hold on +him, and before he was aware, she came in to him, saying, "My +life be thy ransom from wakefulness!" And he sprang up to receive +her, exclaiming, "O desire of my heart, my life be thy ransom +from all things evil!" Then he acquainted her with his intent, +and she wept; but he said, "Weep not, O my cousin; for I beseech +Him who decreed our separation to vouchsafe us reunion and +felicity." Then Kanmakan went in to his mother and took leave of +her, after which he girt on his sword and donned turban and +chin-band and mounting his horse Catoul, rode through the streets +of Baghdad, till he reached the gate of the city. Here he found +his comrade Subbah ben Remmah going out, who, seeing him, ran to +his stirrup and saluted him. He returned his greeting, and Subbah +said to him, "O my brother, how camest thou by this steed and +sword and clothes, whilst I up to now have gotten nothing but my +sword and target?" Quoth Kanmakan, "The hunter returns not but +with game after the measure of his intent. A little after thy +departure, fortune came to me: so now wilt thou go with me and +work thine intent in my company and journey with me in this +desert?" "By the Lord of the Kaabeh," replied Subbah, "from this +time forth I will call thee nought but 'My lord!'" Then he ran on +before the horse with his sword hanging from his neck and his +budget between his shoulder-blades, and they pushed on into the +desert four days' space, eating of the gazelles they caught and +drinking of the water of the springs. On the fifth day, they came +in sight of a high hill, at whose foot was a Spring encampment +and a running stream. The knolls and hollows were filled with +camels and oxen and sheep and horses, and little children played +about the cattle-folds. When Kanmakan saw this, he was right glad +and his breast was filled with joy; so he addressed himself to +battle, that he might take the camels and the cattle, and said to +Subbah, "Come, let us fall upon this good, whose owners have left +it unguarded, and do battle for it with near and far, so haply it +may fall to our lot and we will share it between us." "O my +lord," replied Subbah, "verily they to whom these herds belong +are much people, and among them are doughty horsemen and footmen. +If we cast ourselves into this great danger, neither of us will +return to his people; but we shall both be cut off utterly and +leave our cousins desolate." When Kanmakan heard this, he laughed +and knew that he was a coward: so he left him and rode down the +hill, intent on rapine, shouting and chanting aloud the following +verses: + +O the house of En Numan is mickle of might! We're the champions + with swords on the squadrons that smite! +When the fury of battle flames high in our hearts, We're aye to + be found in the front of the fight. +The poor man amongst us may slumber secure Nor see the foul + favour of want or upright. +I hope for the succour of Him in whose hand Is the Kingdom, the + Maker of body and spright. + +Then he rushed upon the cattle, like a camel in heat, and drove +them all, oxen and sheep and horses and camels, before him. +Therewith the slaves ran at him with their bright swords and +their long lances; and at their head was a Turkish horseman, a +stout champion, doughty in battle and onset and skilled to wield +the tawny spear and the white sabre. He drove at Kanmakan, +saying, "Out on thee! Knewest thou to whom these cattle belong, +thou hadst not done this thing! Know that they are the good of +the Greek band, the champions of the sea and the Circassian +troop, and they are a hundred cavaliers, all stern warriors, who +have forsworn the commandment of all kings. There has been stolen +from them a steed of great price, and they have vowed not to +return hence, but with it." When Kanmakan heard these words, he +cried out, saying, "O losers, this that I bestride is the steed +itself, after which ye seek and for whose sake ye would do battle +with me! So come out against me, all of you at once, and do your +dourest!" So saying, he cried out between Catoul's ears and he +ran at them, as he were a ghoul. Then Kanmakan drove at the Turk +and smote him and overthrew him and let out his life; after which +he turned upon a second and a third and a fourth and bereft them +also of life. When the slaves saw this, they were afraid of him, +and he cried out and said to them, "Ho, sons of whores, drive out +the cattle and the horses, or I will dye my spear in your blood!" +So they untethered the cattle and began to drive them out, and +Subbah came down to Kanmakan, crying out with a loud voice and +rejoicing greatly; when, behold, there arose a cloud of dust and +grew till it covered the prospect, and there appeared under it a +hundred cavaliers, like fierce lions. With this Subbah fled up on +to the hill, that he might gaze upon the fight in safety, saying, +"I am no warrior but in sport and jest." Then the hundred +cavaliers made towards Kanmakan from all sides, and one of them +accosted him, saying, "Whither goest thou with this good?" "I +have made prize of them," replied he, "and am carrying them away; +and I forbid you from them, for know that he who is before you is +a terrible lion and an illustrious champion and a sword that cuts +wherever it turns!" When the horseman heard this, he looked at +Kanmakan and saw that he was a cavalier as he were a strong lion, +whilst his face was as the full moon rising on its fourteenth +night, and valour shone from between his eyes. Now this horseman +was the chief of the hundred horse, and his name was Kehrdash; +and what he saw in Kanmakan of the perfection of martial grace, +together with surpassing beauty and comeliness, reminded him of a +mistress of his, by name Fatin. Now this Fatin was one of the +fairest of women in face, for God had given her beauty and grace +and charms and noble qualities of all kinds, such as the tongue +fails to describe. Moreover, the cavaliers of the tribe feared +her prowess and the champions of the land stood in awe of her, +and she had sworn that she would not marry nor give any +possession of her, except he should conquer her, saying to her +father, "None shall approach me, except he master me in the field +and the stead of war." Kehrdash was one of her suitors, and when +the news reached him of the vow she had taken, he thought scorn +to fight with a girl, fearing reproach; and one of his friends +said to him, "Thou art accomplished in beauty and manly +qualities; so if thou contend with her, even though she be +stronger than thou, thou must needs overcome her, for when she +sees thy beauty and grace, she will be discomfited before thee, +seeing that women by nature incline unto men, as is not unknown +to thee." Nevertheless he refused and would not contend with her, +albeit indeed she loved him, for what she had heard of his beauty +and velour: and he ceased not to abstain from her thus, till he +met with Kanmakan, as hath been set down. Now he took the prince +for his beloved Fatin and was afraid; so he went up to him and +said, "Out on thee, O Fatin! Thou comest to show me thy prowess; +but now alight from thy steed, that I may talk with thee, for I +have driven off these cattle and waylaid horsemen and champions, +all for the sake of thy beauty and grace, which are without peer. +So now thou shalt marry me, that kings' daughters may wait on +thee, and thou shalt become queen of these countries." When +Kanmakan heard this, the fires of wrath flamed up in him and he +cried out, saying, "Out on thee, O dog of the barbarians! Leave +thy raving of Fatin and come to cutting and thrusting, for +eftsoon thou shalt lie in the dust." So saying, he began to wheel +about him and offer battle. Then Kehrdash observed him more +closely and saw that he was indeed a doughty knight and a +stalwart champion; and the error of his thought was manifest to +him, whenas he saw the tender down that adorned his cheeks, as it +were myrtles springing from the heart of a red rose. And he +feared his onslaught and said to those that were with him, "Out +on you! Let one of you attack him and show him the keen sword and +the quivering spear; for know that for a company to do battle +with one man is foul shame, even though he be a doughty man of +war and an invincible champion." With this, there ran at Kanmakan +a lion-like horseman, mounted on a black horse with white feet +and a star on his forehead, the bigness of a dirhem, astounding +sight and wit, as he were Abjer, that was Antar's steed: even as +saith of him the poet: + +See, where the stallion yonder comes, that with a fierce delight + Drives to the battle, mingling earth with heaven in his + might. +Meseems, the morning smote his brow and to avenge himself + Thereon, he plunges straight and deep into its heart of + light. + +He rushed upon Kanmakan, who met him in mid-career, and they +wheeled about awhile in the dint of battle, exchanging blows such +as confound the wit and dim the sight, till Kanmakan took the +other at vantage and smote him a swashing blow, that shore +through turban and iron skull-cap and reached his head, and he +fell from his saddle, as a camel falls, when he rolls over. Then +a second came out to him and a third and a fourth and a fifth, +and he did with them all as he had done with the first. Thereupon +the rest rushed upon him, all at once, for indeed they were wild +with rage and concern; but it was not long before he had +transfixed them all with the point of his lance. When Kehrdash +saw his feats of arms, he knew that he was stout of heart and +concluded that he was the phoenix of the champions and heroes of +the age: so he feared death and said to Kanmakan, "I give thee +thy life and pardon thee the blood of my comrades, for I have +compassion on thee by reason of thy fair youth. So take what thou +wilt of the cattle and go thy ways, for life is better for thee +[than death]." "Thou lackest not of the generosity of the +noble,"[FN#156] replied Kanmakan; "but leave this talk and flee +for thy life and reck not of blame nor think to get back the +booty; but take the straight path for thine own safety." When +Kehrdash heard this, he waxed exceeding wroth and his anger moved +him to that which was the cause of his death; so he said to +Kanmakan, "Out on thee! Knewest thou who I am, thou wouldst not +talk thus in the open field. I am the doughty lion known as +Kehrdash, he who despoils great kings and waylays all the +travellers and seizes the merchants' goods. Yonder steed under +thee is what I am seeking and I call upon thee to tell me how +thou camest by it." "Know," replied Kanmakan, "that this steed +was being carried to my uncle King Sasan in the company of a +certain old woman, attended by ten slaves, when thou fellest upon +her and tookest the horse from her; and I have a debt of blood +against this old woman for the sake of my grandfather King Omar +ben Ennuman and my uncle King Sherkan." "Out on thee!" said +Kehrdash. "Who is thy father, O thou that hast no (known) +mother?" "Know," answered the prince, "that I am Kanmakan, son of +Zoulmekan, son of Omar ben Ennuman." Quoth Kehrdash, "Thy +perfection cannot be denied, nor yet the union in thee of martial +virtue and comeliness: but go in peace, for thy father showed us +favour and bounty." "By Allah, O vile wretch," rejoined Kanmakan, +"I will not so far honour thee as to overcome thee in the open +field!" At this the Bedouin was wroth and they drove at one +another, shouting aloud, whilst their horses pricked up their +ears and raised their tails. They clashed together with such a +dint, that it seemed to each as if the heavens were split in +sunder, and strove like two butting rams, smiting one another +with thick-coming spear-strokes. Presently, Kehrdash aimed a blow +at Kanmakan; but he evaded it and turning upon the brigand, smote +him in the breast, that the head of the spear issued from his +back. Then he collected the horses and cattle and cried out to +the slaves, saying, "Up and drive them off briskly!" With this +down came Subbah and accosting Kanmakan, said to him, "Thou hast +quitted thee right well, O hero of the age! I prayed God for thee +and He heard my prayer." Then he cut off Kehrdash's head and +Kanmakan laughed and said, "Out on thee, Subbah! I thought thee a +man of valour." Quoth the Bedouin, "Forget not thy slave in the +division of the spoil, so haply I may win therewith to marry my +cousin Nejmeh." "Thou shalt surely have a share in it," answered +Kanmakan, "but now keep watch over the booty and the slaves." +Then they set out and journeyed night and day till they drew near +Baghdad, and all the troops heard of Kanmakan and saw the booty +and the brigand's head on the point of Subbah's spear. Moreover, +the merchants knew Kehrdash's head and rejoiced, for he was a +noted highwayman, saying, "Allah hath rid mankind of him!" And +they marvelled at his death and called down blessings on his +slayer. Then all the people of Baghdad came to Kanmakan, seeking +to know what had befallen him, and he told them what had passed, +whereupon they were taken with awe of him and all the champions +and men of war feared him. After this, he drove his spoil to the +palace and planting the spear, on which was Kehrdash's head, +before the gate, gave largesse to the people of camels and horses +so that they loved him and all hearts inclined to him. Then he +took Subbah and lodged him in a spacious dwelling, giving him +part of the booty; after which he went in to his mother and told +her all that had befallen him. Meanwhile the news of him reached +the King, who rose and shutting himself up with his chief +officers, said to them, "I wish to reveal to you my secret and +acquaint you with the truth of my case. Know that Kanmakan will +be the cause of our expulsion from the kingdom; for he has slain +Kehrdash, albeit he had with him the tribes of the Turks and the +Kurds, and our affair with him will assuredly result in our +destruction, seeing that the most part of our troops are his +kinsmen and ye know what the Vizier Dendan hath done; how he +refuses to recognize me, after all the favours I have done him, +and is become a traitor to his faith. Indeed, it has come to my +knowledge that he hath levied an army in the provinces and goeth +about to make Kanmakan king, for that the kingdom was his +father's and his grandfather's before him, and he will surely +slay me without mercy." When they heard this, they replied, "O +King, verily he[FN#157] is unequal to this, and did we not know +him to have been reared by thee, not one of us would take thought +to him. We are at thy commandment; if thou wilt have us slay him, +we will do so, and if thou wilt have him kept at a distance, we +will chase him away." When King Sasan heard this, he said, +"Verily, it were wise to slay him: but needs must ye take an oath +of it." So they all pledged themselves to kill him, to the intent +that, when the Vizier Dendan came and heard of his death, his +might should be weakened and fail of that which he designed to +do. When they had made this compact with him, the King bestowed +great gifts upon them and dismissing them, retired to his own +apartments. Now the troops refused their service, awaiting what +should befall, for they saw that the most part of the army was +with the Vizier Dendan. Presently, the news of these things came +to Kuzia Fekan and caused her much concern; so that she sent for +the old woman, who was wont to carry messages between her and her +cousin, and bade her go to him and warn him of the plot against +his life. Accordingly, she repaired to Kanmakan and gave him the +princess's message, to which he replied, "Bear my cousin my +salutation and say to her, 'The earth is God's (to whom belong +might and majesty), and He maketh whom He willeth of His servants +to inherit it. How excellent is the saying of the poet: + +The kingship is God's alone, and him who would fain fulfil His + wishes He driveth away and maketh him rue for his ill. +Had I or another than I a handsbreadth of earth to my own, The + Godship were sundered in twain and two were the Power and + the Will.'" + +The old woman returned to Kuzia Fekan with Kanmakan's reply and +told her that he abode in the city. Meanwhile, King Sasan awaited +his going forth from Baghdad, that he might send after him and +kill him; till, one day, it befell that Kanmakan went out to +hunt, accompanied by Subbah, who would not leave him day or +night. He caught ten gazelles and among them one that had soft +black eyes and turned right and left; so he let her go, and +Subbah said to him, "Why didst thou let her go?" Kanmakan laughed +and set the others free also, saying, "It behoves us, of +humanity, to release gazelles that have young, and this one only +turned from side to side, to look for her young ones: so I let +her go and released the others in her honour." Quoth Subbah, "Do +thou release me, that I may go to my people." At this Kanmakan +laughed and smote him on the breast with the butt of his spear, +and he fell to the ground, writhing like a serpent. Whilst they +were thus occupied, they saw cloud of dust and heard the tramp of +horse; and presently there appeared a troop of armed cavaliers. +Now King Sasan had heard of Kanmakan's going out and sending for +an Amir of the Medes, called Jami, and twenty men, had given them +money and bidden them slay Kanmakan. So, when they drew near the +prince, they rushed at him and he met them in mid-career and +killed them all, to the last man. Meanwhile the King took horse +and riding out to meet his men, found them all slain, whereat he +wondered and turned back; but the people of the city laid hands +on him and bound him straitly. As for Kanmakan, he left that +place behind him and rode onward with Subbah. As he went, he saw +a youth sitting at the door of a house in his road and saluted +him. The youth returned his greeting and going into the house, +brought out two platters, one full of milk and the other of +brewis swimming in (clarified) butter, which he set before +Kanmakan, saying, "Favour me by eating of my victual." But he +refused and the young man said to him, "What ails thee, O man, +that thou wilt not eat?" "I have a vow upon me," replied the +prince. "What is the cause of thy vow?" asked the youth, and +Kanmakan answered, "Know that King Sasan seized upon my kingdom +wrongfully and oppressively, albeit it was my father's and my +grandfather's before me; yet he laid hands upon the throne by +force, after my father's death, and took no count of me, for that +I was of tender years. So I have bound myself by a vow to eat no +man's victual, till I have eased my heart of my enemy." +"Rejoice," rejoined the youth, "for God hath fulfilled thy vow. +Know that he is in prison and methinks he will soon die." "In +what house is he imprisoned?" asked Kanmakan. "In yonder high +pavilion," answered the other. The prince looked and saw the folk +entering and buffeting Sasan, who was suffering the agonies of +death. So he went up to the pavilion and noted what was therein; +after which he returned to his place and sitting down to meat, +ate what sufficed him and put the rest in his budget. Then he +waited till it was dark night. And the youth, whose guest he was, +slept; when he rose and repaired to the pavilion in which Sasan +was confined. Now about it were dogs, guarding it, and one of +them ran at him; so he took out of his wallet a piece of meat and +threw it to him. He ceased not to do thus, till he came to the +pavilion and making his way to the place where Sasan was, laid +his hand upon his head; whereupon he said in a loud voice, "Who +art thou?" "I am Kanmakan," replied the prince, "whom thou +wentest about to kill; but God made thee fall into the evil +thyself hadst devised. Did it not suffice thee to take my kingdom +and that of my father, but thou must go about to kill me?" And +Sasan swore a vain oath that he had not plotted his death and +that the report was untrue. So Kanmakan forgave him and said to +him, "Follow me." Quoth he, "I cannot walk a single step for +weakness." "If the case be thus," replied Kanmakan, "we will get +us two horses and ride forth and seek the open country." So they +took horse and rode till daybreak, when they prayed the +morning-prayer and fared on till they came to a garden, where +they sat down and talked awhile. Then Kanmakan rose and said to +Sasan, "Is there aught of bitterness left in thy heart against +me?" "No, by Allah!" replied Sasan. So they agreed to return to +Baghdad and Subbah the Bedouin said, "I will go on before you, to +give the folk notice of your coming." Then he rode on in advance, +acquainting men and women with the news; so all the people came +out to meet Kanmakan with tabrets and flutes; and Kuzia Fekan +also came out, like the full moon shining in all her splendour in +the thick darkness of the night. Kanmakan met her, and their +hearts yearned each to each and their bodies longed one for the +other. There was no talk among the people of the time but of +Kanmakan; for the cavaliers bore witness of him that he was the +most valiant of the folk of the age and said, "It is not just +that other than he should be King over us; but the throne of his +grandfather shall revert to him as it was." Meanwhile King Sasan +went in to his wife Nuzhet ez Zeman, who said to him, "I hear +that the folk talk of nothing but Kanmakan and attribute to him +such qualities as beggar description." "Hearing is not like +seeing," replied the King; "I have seen him, but have noted in +him not one of the attributes of perfection. Not all that is +heard is said; but the folk ape one another in extolling and +cherishing him, and God makes his praise to run on the lips of +men, so that there incline to him the hearts of the people of +Baghdad and of the perfidious traitor the Vizier Dendan, who has +levied troops from all countries and arrogates to himself the +right of naming a king of the country and chooses that it shall +be under the hand of a worthless orphan." "What then dost thou +purpose to do?" asked Nuzhet ez Zeman. "I mean to kill him," +replied the King, "that the Vizier may be baulked of his intent +and return to his allegiance to me, seeing nothing for it but my +service." Quoth she, "Perfidy is a foul thing with strangers, and +how much more with kinsfolk? Thou wouldst do better to marry him +to thy daughter Kuzia Fekan and give heed to what was said of old +time: + +If Fate set over thee a man, though thou than he Be worthier and + this be grievous unto thee, +Yield him the honour due to his estate; thou'lt find He will + advantage thee, though near or far thou be. +Speak not thy thought of him; else wilt thou be of those Who of + their own accord the way of weal do flee. +Many in the harem oft are brighter than the bride; But time is on + her side, and opportunity." + +When Sasan heard this, he rose in anger and said to her, "Were it +not that to kill thee would bring disgrace and reproach on me, I +would take off thy head with my sword and make an end of thee." +Quoth she, "I did but jest with thee." And rose and kissed his +head and hands, saying, "Thou art right, and we will cast about +for some means to kill him." When he heard this, he was glad and +said, "Make haste and contrive some device to relieve me of my +affliction; for I am at my wit's end." Said she, "I will make +shift to do away his life for thee." "How so?" asked he; and she +answered, "By means of our female slave Bakoun." Now this Bakoun +was past mistress in all kinds of knavery and was one of the most +pernicious of old women, in whose religion it was not lawful to +abstain from wickedness; she had brought up Kanmakan and Kuzia +Fekan, and the former had her in so great affection, that he was +wont to sleep at her feet. So when King Sasan heard his wife name +her, he said, "This is a good counsel," and sending for the old +woman, told her what had passed and bade go about to kill +Kanmakan, promising her all good. "O my lord," replied she, "thy +commandment shall be done: but I would have thee give me a dagger +that has been tempered in water of dearth,[FN#158] that I may +despatch him the quicklier for thee." "So be it," said Sasan and +gave her a knife that would well-nigh forego destiny. Now this +woman had heard stories and verses and committed to memory great +store of witty traits and anecdotes: so she took the dagger and +went out, considering how she should compass Kanmakan's +destruction. Then she repaired to the prince, whom she found +sitting awaiting [the coming of a messenger with] his cousin's +tryst; so that night his thought was taken up with Kuzia Fekan +and the fires of love for her raged in his heart. Bakoun went in +to him, saying, "The time of union is at hand and the days of +separation are over and gone." When he heard this, he said, "How +is it with Kuzia Fekan?" And she answered, "Know that she is +distraught for love of thee." At this he rose and taking off his +[upper] clothes, put them on her and promised her all good. Then +said she, "Know that I mean to pass this night with thee, that I +may repeat to thee what talk I have heard and divert thee with +tales of many a slave of love, whom passion hath made sick." +Quoth he, "Tell me a story, that will gladden my heart and dispel +my cares." "With all my heart," answered she and sitting down +beside him, with the dagger under her clothes, began thus, "The +pleasantest thing I ever heard was as follows: + + + + + +Bakoun's Story of the Hashish-eater. + + + + +A certain man loved the fair and spent his substance on them, +till he became a beggar and used to go about the streets and +markets, seeking his bread. One day, as he went along, a splinter +of iron pierced his finger and made it bleed; so he sat down and +wiping away the blood, bound up his finger. Then he went on, +crying out, till he came to a bath, and entering found it clean +(and empty). So he took off his clothes and sitting down by the +basin, fell to pouring water on his head, till he was tired, when +he went out to the room in which was the tank of cold water. +Finding none there, he shut himself up [in a cabinet] and taking +out a piece of hashish, swallowed it. The fumes of the drug +spread through his brain and he rolled over on to the marble +floor. Then the hashish made it appear to him as if a great lord +were kneading him and as if two slaves stood at his head, one +bearing a bowl and the other washing gear and all the requisites +of the bath. When he saw this, he said to himself, 'Meseems these +are mistaken in me; or else they are of the company of us +hashish-eaters.' Then he stretched out his legs and it seemed to +him that the bathman said to him, 'O my lord, the time of thy +going forth draws near and it is to-day thy turn of service (at +the palace).' At this he laughed and said, 'As God wills, O +hashish!' Then he sat and said nothing, whilst the bathman took +him by the hand and raising him up, girt his middle with a +waist-cloth of black silk, after which the two slaves followed +him, with the bowls and implements, till they brought him into a +cabinet, wherein they set perfumes burning. He found the place +full of various kinds of fruits and sweet-scented flowers, and +they cut him a melon and seated him on a stool of ebony, whilst +the bathman stood to wash him and the slaves poured water on him; +after which they rubbed him down well and said, 'O our lord the +Vizier, may the bath profit thee and mayst thou come to delight +everlasting!' Then they went out and shut the door on him; and he +took up the waist-cloth and laughed till he well-nigh lost his +senses. He gave not over laughing for some time and saying to +himself, 'What ails them to bespeak me as if I were a Vizier and +style me "Master" and "our lord"? Surely they are dreaming now; +but presently they will know me and say, "This fellow is a +beggar," and take their fill of cuffing me on the nape of the +neck.' Presently, he felt hot and opened the door, whereupon it +seemed to him that a little white slave and an eunuch entered, +carrying a parcel. The slave opened the parcel and brought out +three kerchiefs of silk, one of which he threw over his head, a +second over his shoulders, and a third he tied round his waist. +Moreover, the eunuch gave him a pair of bath-clogs, and he put +them on; after which in came eunuchs and slaves and supported +him, laughing the while, to the outer hall, which he found hung +and spread with magnificent furniture, such as beseems none but +kings; and the pages hastened up to him and seated him on the +divan. Then they fell to kneading him, till sleep overcame him +and he dreamt that he had a girl in his arms. So he kissed her +and set her between his thighs; then, clipping her as a man clips +a woman, took his yard in his hand and was about to have at her, +when he heard one saying to him, 'Awake, thou good-for-nought! +The hour of noon is come and thou art still asleep.' He opened +his eyes and found himself lying on the merge of the cold-water +tank, with a crowd of people about him, laughing at him; for the +napkin was fallen from his middle and discovered his yard in +point. So he knew that all this was but an imbroglio of dreams +and an illusion of hashish and was vexed and said to him who had +aroused him, 'Would thou hadst waited till I had put it in!' Then +said the folk, 'Art thou not ashamed, O hashish-eater, and thou +lying asleep and naked, with thy yard on end?' And they cuffed +him, till the nape of his neck was red. Now he was starving, yet +had he tasted the savour of delight in sleep." + + +When Kanmakan heard this story, he laughed till he fell backward +and said to Bakoun, "O my nurse, this is indeed a rare story; I +never heard its like. Hast thou any more?" "Yes," answered she +and went on to tell him diverting stories and laughable +anecdotes, till sleep overcame him. Then she sat by him till the +most part of the night was past, when she said to herself, "It is +time to profit by the occasion." So she unsheathed the dagger and +drawing near to Kanmakan, was about to slaughter him, when, +behold, in came his mother. When Bakoun saw her, she rose to meet +her, and fear got hold on her and she fell a-trembling, as if she +had the ague. The princess mother marvelled to see her thus and +aroused her son, who awoke and found her sitting at his head. Now +the reason of her coming was that Kuzia Fekan heard of the plot +to kill Kanmakan and said to his mother, "O wife of my uncle, go +to thy son, ere that wicked baggage Bakoun kill him." And she +told her what had passed, from beginning to end. So she rose at +once and stayed not for aught, till she came to her son's +lodgings, just as Bakoun was about to slay him. When he awoke, he +said to his mother, "O my mother, indeed thou comest at a good +time, for my nurse Bakoun has been with me this night." Then he +turned to Bakoun and said to her, "My life on thee, knowest thou +any story better than those thou hast told me?" "What I have told +thee," answered she, "is nothing to what I will tell thee; but +that must be for another time." Then she rose to go, hardly +believing that she should escape with her life, for she perceived +of her cunning that his mother knew what was toward; and he said, +"Go in peace." So she went her way, and his mother said to him, +"O my son, blessed be this night, wherein God the Most High hath +delivered thee from this accursed woman!" "How so?" asked he, and +she told him the whole story. "O my mother," said he, "whoso is +fated to live finds no slayer; nor, though he be slain, will he +die; but now it were wise that we depart from amongst these +enemies and let God do what He will." So, as soon as it was day, +he left the city and joined the Vizier Dendan, and certain things +befell between King Sasan and Nuzhet ez Zeman, which caused her +also to leave the city and join herself to Kanmakan and Dendan, +as did likewise such of the King's officers as inclined to their +party. Then they took counsel together what they should do and +agreed to make an expedition into the land of the Greeks and take +their revenge for the death of King Omar ben Ennuman and his son +Sherkan. So they set out with this intent and after adventures +which it were tedious to set out, but the drift of which will +appear from what follows, they fell into the hands of Rumzan, +King of the Greeks. Next morning, King Rumzan caused Dendan and +Kanmakan and their company to be brought before him and seating +them at his side, bade spread the tables of food. So they ate and +drank and took heart of grace, after having made sure of death, +for that, when they were summoned to the King's presence, they +said to one another, "He has not sent for us but to put us to +death." Then said the King, "I have had a dream, which I related +to the monks and they said, 'None can expound it to thee but the +Vizier Dendan.'" "And what didst thou see in thy dream, O King of +the age?" asked Dendan. "I dreamt," answered the King, "that I +was in a pit, as it were a black well, where meseemed folk were +tormenting me; and I would have risen, but fell on my feet and +could not get out of the pit. Then I turned and saw on the ground +a girdle of gold and put out my hand to take it; but when I +raised it from the ground, I saw it was two girdles. So I girt my +middle with them, and behold, they became one girdle; and this, O +Vizier, is my dream and what I saw in sleep." "O our lord the +Sultan," said Dendan, "this thy dream denotes that thou hast a +brother or a brother's son or an uncle's son or other near +kinsman of thy flesh and blood [of whom thou knowest not]." When +the King heard this, he looked at Kanmakan and Dendan and Nuzhet +ez Zeman and Kuzia Fekan and the rest of the captives and said in +himself, "If I cut off these people's heads, their troops will +lose heart for the loss of their chiefs and I shall be able to +return speedily to my realm, lest the kingdom pass out of my +hands." So he called the headsman and bade him strike off +Kanmakan's head, when behold, up came Rumzan's nurse and said to +him, "O august King, what wilt thou do?" Quoth he, "I mean to put +these captives to death and throw their heads among their troops; +after which I will fall upon them, I and all my men, and kill all +we may and put the rest to the rout; so will this be the end of +the war and I shall return speedily to my kingdom, ere aught +befall among my subjects." + +When the nurse heard this, she came up to him and said in the +Frank tongue, "How canst thou slay thine own brother's son and +thy sister and thy sister's daughter?" When he heard this, he was +exceeding angry and said to her, "O accursed woman, didst thou +not tell me that my mother was murdered and that my father died +by poison? Didst thou not give me a jewel and say to me, 'This +jewel was thy father's'? Why didst thou not tell me the truth?" +"All that I told thee is true," replied she: "but thy case and my +own are wonderful and thine and my history extraordinary. My name +is Merjaneh and thy mother's name was Abrizeh. She was gifted +with such beauty and grace and valour that proverbs were made of +her, and her prowess was renowned among men of war. Thy father +was King Omar ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and Khorassan. He sent +his son Sherkan on an expedition, in company with this very +Vizier Dendan; and Sherkan thy brother separated himself from the +troops and fell in with thy mother Queen Abrizeh, in a privy +garden of her palace, whither we had resorted to wrestle, she and +I and her other damsels. He came on us by chance and wrestled +with thy mother, who overcame him by the splendour of her beauty +and her valour. Then she entertained him five days in her palace, +till the news of this came to her father, by the old woman +Shewahi, surnamed Dhat ed Dewahi, whereupon she embraced Islam at +Sherkan's hands and he carried her by stealth to Baghdad, and +with her myself and Rihaneh and other twenty damsels. When we +came to thy father's presence, he fell in love with thy mother +and going in to her one night, foregathered with her, and she +became with child by him of thee. Now thy mother had three +jewels, which she gave to thy father, and he gave one of them to +his daughter Nuzhet ez Zeman, another to thy brother Zoulmekan +and the third to thy brother Sherkan. This last thy mother took +from Sherkan, and I kept it for thee. When the time of the +princess's delivery drew near, she yearned after her own people +and discovered her secret to me; so I went privily to a black +slave called Ghezban and telling him our case, bribed him to go +with us. Accordingly, he took us and fled forth the city with us +by stealth towards the land of the Greeks, till we came to a +desert place on the borders of our own country. Here the pangs of +labour came upon thy mother, and the slave, being moved by lust, +sought of her a shameful thing; whereat she cried out loudly and +was sore affrighted at him. In the excess of her alarm, she gave +birth to thee at once, and at this moment there arose, in the +direction of our country, a cloud of dust which spread till it +covered the plain. At this sight, the slave feared for his life; +so, in his rage, he smote Queen Abrizeh with his sword and slew +her, then, mounting his horse, went his way. Presently, the dust +lifted and discovered thy grandfather, King Herdoub, who, seeing +thy mother his daughter dead on the ground, was sorely troubled +and questioned me of the manner of her death and why she had left +her father's kingdom. So I told him all that had happened, first +and last; and this is the cause of the feud between the people of +the land of the Greeks and the people of Baghdad. Then we took up +thy dead mother and buried her; and I took thee and reared thee, +and hung this jewel about thy neck. But, when thou camest to +man's estate, I dared not acquaint thee with the truth of the +matter, lest it should stir up a war of revenge between you. +Moreover, thy grandfather had enjoined me to secrecy, and I could +not gainsay the commandment of thy mother's father, Herdoub, King +of the Greeks. This, then, is why I forbore to tell thee that thy +father was King Omar ben Ennuman; but, when thou camest to the +throne, I told thee [what thou knowest]; and the rest I could not +reveal to thee till this moment. So now, O King of the age, I +have discovered to thee my secret and have acquainted thee with +all that I know of the matter; and thou knowest best what is in +thy mind." When Nuzhet ez Zeman heard what the King's nurse said, +she cried out, saying, "This King Rumzan is my brother by my +father King Omar ben Ennuman, and his mother was the Princess +Abrizeh, daughter of Herdoub, King of the Greeks; and I know this +damsel Merjaneh right well." With this, trouble and perplexity +got hold upon Rumzan and he caused Nuzhet ez Zeman to be brought +up to him forthright. When he looked upon her, blood drew to +blood and he questioned her of his history. So she told me all +she knew, and her story tallied with that of his nurse; whereupon +he was assured that he was indeed of the people of Irak and that +King Omar ben Ennuman was his father. So he caused his sister to +be unbound, and she came up to him and kissed his hands, whilst +her eyes ran over with tears. He wept also to see her weeping, +and brotherly love entered into him and his heart yearned to his +brother's son Kanmakan. So he sprang to his feet and taking the +sword from the headsman's hands, bade bring the captives up to +him. At this, they made sure of death; but he cut their bonds +with the sword and said to Merjaneh, "Explain the matter to them, +even as thou hast explained it to me." "O King," replied she, +"know that this old man is the Vizier Dendan and he is the best +of witnesses to my story, seeing that he knows the truth of the +case." Then she turned to the captives and repeated the whole +story to them and to the princes of the Greeks and the Franks who +were present with them, and they all confirmed her words. When +she had finished, chancing to look at Kanmakan, she saw on his +neck the fellow jewel to that which she had hung round King +Rumzan's neck, whereupon she gave such a cry, that the whole +palace rang again, and said to the King, "Know, O my son, that +now my certainty is still more assured, for the jewel that is +about the neck of yonder captive is the fellow to that I hung to +thy neck, and this is indeed thy brother's son Kanmakan." Then +she turned to Kanmakan and said to him, "O King of the age, let +me see that jewel." So he took it from his neck and gave it to +her. Then she asked Nuzhet ez Zeman of the third jewel and she +gave it to her, whereupon she delivered the two to King Rumzan, +and the truth of the matter was made manifest to him and he was +assured that he was indeed Prince Kanmakan's uncle and that his +father was King Omar ben Ennuman. So he rose at once and going up +to the Vizier Dendan, embraced him; then he embraced Prince +Kanmakan, and they cried aloud for very gladness. The joyful news +was blazed abroad and they beat the drums and cymbals, whilst +the flutes sounded and the people held high festival. The army of +Irak and Syria heard the clamour of rejoicing among the Greeks; +so they mounted, all of them, and King Ziblcan also took horse, +saying in himself, "What can be the cause of this clamour and +rejoicing in the army of the Franks?" Then the Muslim troops made +ready for fight and advancing into the field, drew out in battle +array. Presently, King Rumzan turned and seeing the army deployed +in battalia, enquired the reason and was told the state of the +case; so he bade Kuzia Fekan return at once to the Muslim troops +and acquaint them with the accord that had betided and how it was +come to light that he was Kanmakan's uncle. So she set out, +putting away from her sorrows and troubles, and stayed not till +she came to King Ziblcan, whom she found tearful-eyed, fearing +for the captive chiefs and princes. She saluted him and told him +all that had passed, whereat the Muslims' grief was turned to +gladness. Then he and all his officers took horse and followed +the princess to the pavilion of King Rumzan, whom they found +sitting with his nephew, Prince Kanmakan. Now they had taken +counsel with the Vizier Dendan concerning King Ziblcan and had +agreed to commit to his charge the city of Damascus of Syria and +leave him king over it as before, whilst themselves entered Irak. +Accordingly, they confirmed him in the viceroyalty of Damascus +and bade him set out at once for his government, so he departed +with his troops and they rode with him a part of the way, to bid +him farewell. Then they returned and gave orders for departure, +whereupon the two armies united and King Rumzan and his nephew +set out, surrounded by their nobles and grandees. And indeed +Kanmakan rejoiced in his uncle King Rumzan and called down +blessings on the nurse Merjaneh, who had made them known to each +other; but the two Kings said to one another, "Our hearts will +never be at rest nor our wrath appeased, till we have taken our +wreak of the old woman Shewahi, surnamed Dhat ed Dewahi, and +wiped out the blot upon our honour." So they fared on till they +drew near Baghdad, and Sasan, hearing of their approach, came out +to meet them and kissed the hand of the King of the Greeks, who +bestowed on him a dress of honour. Then King Rumzan sat down on +the throne and seated his nephew at his side, who said to him, "O +my uncle, this kingdom befits none but thee." "God forbid," +replied Rumzan, "that I should supplant thee in thy kingdom!" So +the Vizier Dendan counselled them to share the throne between +them, ruling each one day in turn, and they agreed to this. Then +they made feasts and offered sacrifices and held high festival, +whilst King Kanmakan spent his nights with his cousin Kuzia +Fekan; and they abode thus awhile. + +One day, as the two Kings sat, rejoicing in the happy ending of +their troubles, they saw a cloud of dust arise and up came a +merchant, who ran to them, shrieking and crying out for succour. +"O Kings of the age," said he, "how comes it that I was in safety +in the country of the infidels and am plundered in your realm, +what though it be a land of peace and justice?" King Rumzan +questioned him of his case, and he replied, "I am a merchant, who +have been nigh a score of years absent from my native land, +travelling in far countries; and I have a patent of exemption +from Damascus, which the late Viceroy King Sherkan wrote me, for +that I had made him gift of a slave-girl. Now I was returning to +Irak, having with me a hundred loads of rarities of Ind; but, as +I drew near Baghdad, the seat of your sovereignty and the +abiding-place of your peace and your justice, there came out upon +me Bedouins and Kurds banded together from all parts, who slew my +men and robbed me of all my goods. This is what hath befallen +me." Then he wept and bemoaned himself before the two Kings, who +took compassion on him and swore that they would sally out upon +the thieves. So they set out with a hundred horse, each reckoned +worth thousands of men, and the merchant went before them, to +guide them in the right way. They fared on all that day and the +following night till daybreak, when they came to a valley +abounding in streams and trees. Here they found the bandits +dispersed about the valley, having divided the treasure between +them; but there was yet some of it left. So they fell upon them +and surrounded them on all sides, nor was it long before they +made prize of them all, to the number of near three hundred +horsemen, banded together of the scourings of the Arabs. They +bound them all, and taking what they could find of the merchant's +goods, returned to Baghdad, where the two Kings sat down upon one +throne and passing the prisoners in review before them, +questioned them of their condition and their chiefs. So they +pointed out to them three men and said, "These are our only +chiefs, and it was they who gathered us together from all parts +and countries." The Kings bade lay on these three and set the +rest free, after taking from them all the goods in their +possession and giving them to the merchant, who examined them and +found that a fourth of his stock was missing. The two Kings +engaged to make good his loss, whereupon he pulled out two +letters, one in the handwriting of Sherkan and the other in that +of Nuzhet ez Zeman; for this was the very merchant who had bought +Nuzhet ez Zeman of the Bedouin, as hath been before set forth. +Kanmakan examined the letters and recognized the handwriting of +his uncle Sherkan and his aunt Nuzhet ez Zeman; then (for that he +knew the latter's history) he went in to her with that which she +had written and told her the merchant's story. She knew her own +handwriting and recognizing the merchant, despatched to him +guest-gifts (of victual and what not) and commended him to her +brother and nephew, who ordered him gifts of money and slaves and +servants to wait on him, besides which the princess sent him a +hundred thousand dirhems in money and fifty loads of merchandise, +together with other rich presents. Then she sent for him and made +herself known to him, whereat he rejoiced greatly and kissed her +hands, giving her joy of her safety and union with her brother +and thanking her for her bounty: and he said to her, "By Allah, a +good deed is not lost upon thee!" Then she withdrew to her own +apartment and the merchant sojourned with them three days, after +which he took leave of them and set out to return to Damascus. +After this, the two Kings sent for the three robber-chiefs and +questioned them of their condition, whereupon one of them came +forward and said, "Know that I am a Bedouin, who use to lie +in wait, by the way, to steal children and virgin girls and +sell them to merchants; and this I did for many a year until +these latter days, when Satan incited me to join these two +gallows-birds in gathering together all the riff-raff of the +Arabs and other peoples, that we might waylay merchants and +plunder caravans." Said the two Kings, "Tell us the rarest of the +adventures that have befallen thee in kidnapping children and +girls." "O Kings of the age," replied he, "the strangest thing +that ever happened to me was as follows. Two-and-twenty years +ago, being at Jerusalem, I saw a girl come out of the khan, who +was possessed of beauty and grace, albeit she was but a servant +and was clad in worn clothes, with a piece of camel-cloth on her +head; so I entrapped her by guile and setting her on a camel, +made off with her into the desert, thinking to carry her to my +own people and there set her to pasture the camels and collect +their dung (for fuel); but she wept so sore, that after beating +her soundly, I carried her to Damascus, where a merchant saw her +and being astounded at her beauty and accomplishments, bid me +more and more for her, till at last I sold her to him for a +hundred thousand dinars. I heard after that he clothed her +handsomely and presented her to the Viceroy of Damascus, who gave +him for her her price thrice told; and this, by my life, was but +little for such a damsel! This, O Kings of the age, is the +strangest thing that ever befell me." The two Kings wondered at +his story; but, when Nuzhet ez Zeman heard it, the light in her +face became darkness, and she cried out and said to her brother, +"Sure, this is the very Bedouin who kidnapped me in Jerusalem!" +And she told them all that she had endured from him in her +strangerhood of hardship and blows and hunger and humiliation, +adding, "And now it is lawful to me to slay him." So saying, she +seized a sword and made at him; but he cried out and said, "O +Kings of the age, let her not kill me, till I have told you the +rare adventures that have betided me." And Kanmakan said to her, +"O my aunt, let him tell his story, and after do with him as thou +wilt." So she held her hand and the Kings said to him, "Now let +us hear thy story." "O Kings of the age," said he, "if I tell you +a rare story, will you pardon me?" "Yes," answered they. Then +said the Bedouin, "know that + + + + +Hemmad the Bedouin's Story. + + + + +Awhile ago, I was sore wakeful one night and thought the dawn +would never break: so, as soon as it was day, I rose and girding +on my sword, mounted my steed and set my lance in rest. Then I +rode out to hunt, and as I went along, a company of men accosted +me and asked me whither I went. I told them, and they said, 'We +will bear thee company.' So we all fared on together, and +presently we saw an ostrich and gave chase; but it evaded us and +spreading its wings, fled before us and drew us on after it, till +it brought us to a desert, wherein there was neither grass nor +water, nor was aught to be heard there save the hissing of +serpents, the wailing of Jinn and the howling of ghouls. Here we +lost sight of the ostrich, nor could we tell whether it had flown +up into the sky or sunk into the ground. Then we turned our +horses' heads and thought to go back; but found that our return +would be toilsome and dangerous at that time of exceeding heat; +for the heat was grievous to us, so that we were sore athirst and +our horses stood still. So we made sure of death; but as we were +in this case, we espied a spacious meadow afar off, wherein were +gazelles frisking. There was a tent pitched and by the tent-side +a horse tethered and a spear stuck in the earth, whose head +glittered in the sun. When we saw this, our hearts revived, after +we had despaired, and we turned our horses' heads towards the +meadow and rode on, till we came to a spring, where we alighted +and drank and watered our beasts. Then I was seized with a frenzy +of curiosity and went up to the door of the tent, where I saw a +young man like the new moon, without hair on his cheeks, and on +his right hand a slender damsel, as she were a willow wand. No +sooner did I set eyes on the girl, than love of her got hold upon +my heart and I saluted the young man, who returned my greeting. +Then said I to him, 'O brother of the Arabs, tell me who thou art +and what is this damsel to thee?' With this, he bent down his +head awhile, then raised it and replied, 'Tell me first who thou +art and what are these horsemen with thee.' 'I am Hemmad, son of +El Fezari,' answered I, 'the renowned cavalier, who is reckoned +as five hundred horse among the Arabs. We went forth this morning +to hunt and were overcome by thirst; so I came to the door of +this tent, thinking to get of thee a draught of water.' When he +heard this, he turned to the fair maiden and said to her, 'Bring +this man water and what there is of food.' So she went in, +trailing her skirts, whilst her feet stumbled in her long hair +and the golden bangles tinkled on her ankles, and returned after +a little, bearing in her right hand a silver vessel of cold water +and in her left a bowl full of milk and dates and flesh of wild +cattle. But, of the excess of my passion for her, I could take of +her nor meat nor drink, and I recited to her the following +verses, applying them to her: + +The dye of the henna upon her hand doth show, As 'twere a raven + new lighted on fresh-fall'n snow; +And see the full moon and the sun beside her face, This dim and + the other fearful for shame and woe. + +Then, after I had eaten and drunk, I said to the youth, 'O chief +of the Arabs, I have told thee truly who and what I am, and now I +would fain have thee do the like by me and tell me the truth of +thy case.' 'As for this damsel,' replied he, 'she is my sister.' +Quoth I, 'It is my desire that thou give her to me to wife of +free will: else will I slay thee and take her by force.' With +this, he bowed his head awhile, then raised his eyes to me and +answered, 'Thou sayest sooth in avouching thyself a renowned +cavalier and a famous champion and the lion of the desert; but if +ye all attack me treacherously and slay me and take my sister by +force, it will be a stain upon your honour. If ye be, as thou +sayest, cavaliers that are counted among the champions and fear +not the shock of battle, give me time to don my armour and gird +on my sword and set my lance in rest and mount my horse. Then +will we go forth into the field and fight; and if I conquer you, +I will kill you, every man of you; and if you overcome me and +slay me, this damsel my sister is thine.' 'This is but just,' +answered I, 'and we oppose it not.' Then I turned my horse's +head, mad for love of the damsel, and rode back to my companions, +to whom I set forth her beauty and grace, as also the comeliness +of the young man and his valour and strength of soul and how he +avouched himself a match for a thousand horse. Moreover, I +described to them the tent and all the riches and rarities it +contained and said to them, 'Be sure that this youth would not +have taken up his abode alone in this desert place, were he not a +man of great prowess: so I propose that whoso slays him shall +take his sister.' And they agreed to this. Then we armed +ourselves and mounting, rode to the tent, where we found the +young man armed and mounted; but his sister ran up to him, with +her veil drenched with tears, and laying hold of his stirrup, +cried out, saying, 'Alas!' and 'Woe worth the day!' in her fear +for her brother, and recited the following verses: + +To God above I make my moan of sorrow and affright. Mayhap, the + empyrean's Lord will smite them with dismay. +They fain would kill thee, brother mine, with malice + aforethought, Though never cause of anger was nor fault + forewent the fray. +Yet for a champion art thou known among the men of war, The + doughtiest knight that East or West goes camping by the way. +Thou wilt thy sister's honour guard, whose might is small, for + thou Her brother art and she for thee unto the Lord doth + pray +Let not the foe possess my soul nor seize on me perforce And work + their cruel will on me, without my yea or nay. +By God His truth, I'll never live in any land where thou Art not + albeit all the goods of plenty it display! +But I will slay myself for love and yearning for thy sake And in + the darksome tomb I'll make my bed upon the clay. + +When he heard her words, he wept sore and turning his horse's +head towards her, made answer with the following verses: + +Stand by and see the wondrous deeds that I will do this day, + Whenas we meet and I on them rain blows in the mellay. +E'en though the lion of the war, the captain of the host, The + stoutest champion of them all, spur out into the fray, +I'll deal a Thaalebiyan[FN#159] blow at him and in his heart I'll + let my spear, even to the shaft, its thirst for blood allay. +If I defend thee not from all that seek thee, sister mine, May I + be slaughtered and my corse given to the birds of prey! +Ay, I will battle for thy sake, with all the might I may, And + books shall story after me the marvels of this day. + +Then said he, 'O my sister, give ear to what I shall enjoin on +thee.' And she answered, 'I hear and obey.' Quoth he, 'If I fall, +let none possess thee;' and she buffeted her face and said, 'God +forbid, O my brother, that I should see thee laid low and yield +myself to thine enemies!' With this he put out his hand to her +and drew aside her veil, whereupon her face shone forth, like the +sun from out clouds. Then he kissed her between the eyes and bade +her farewell; after which he turned to us and said, 'Ho, +cavaliers! Come ye as guests or are you minded to cut and thrust? +If ye come as guests, rejoice in hospitality; and if ye covet the +shining moon,[FN#160] come out against me, one by one, and +fight.' Then came out to him a sturdy horseman, and the young man +said to him, 'Tell me thy name and thy father's name, for I have +sworn to fight with none whose name and whose father's name tally +with mine and my father's, and if it be thus with thee, I will +give thee up the girl.' 'My name is Bilal,'[FN#161] answered the +other; and the young man repeated the following verses: + +Thou liest when thou talkest of "benefits"; for lo, Thou comest + with mischief and malice and woe! +So, an thou be doughty, heed well what I say: I'm he who the + braver in the battle lays low +With a keen-cutting sword, like the horn of the moon; So look + (and beware) for a hill-shaking blow! + +Then they ran at one another, and the youth smote his adversary +in the breast, that the lance-head issued from his back. With +this, another came out, and the youth repeated the following +verses: + +O dog, that art noisome of stench and of sight, What is there of + worth that to come by is light? +'Tis only the lion, of race and of might Right noble, recks + little of life in the fight. + +Nor was it long before he left him also drowned in his blood and +cried out, 'Who will come out to me?' So a third horseman pricked +out, reciting the following verses: + +I come to thee, with a fire in my breast that blazes free, And + call on my comrades all to the fight to follow me. +Though thou hast slain the chiefs of the Arabs, yet, perdie, Thou + shalt not 'scape this day from those that follow thee! + +When the youth heard this, he answered him, saying: + +Thou com'st, like theright evil fiend that thou art, With a lie + on thy lips and a fraud at thy heart; +This day shalt thou taste of a death-dealing dart And a spear + that shall rid thee of life with its smart. + +Then he smote him on the breast, that the spear-point issued +from his back, and cried out, saying, 'Will another come out?' So +a fourth came out and the youth asked him his name. He replied, +'My name is Hilal.'[FN#162] And the youth repeated these verses: + +Thou err'st, that wouldst plunge in my sea of affray And thinkest + to daunt me with lies and dismay. +Lo, I, to whose chant thou hast hearkened this day, Thy soul, ere + thou know'st it, will ravish away! + +Then they drove at one another and exchanged blows; but the +youth's stroke forewent that of his adversary and slew him: and +thus he went on to kill all who sallied out against him. When I +saw my comrades slain, I said in myself, 'If I fight with him, I +shall not be able to withstand him, and if I flee, I shall become +a byword among the Arabs.' However, the youth gave me no time to +think, but ran at me and laying hold of me, dragged me from my +saddle. I swooned away and he raised his sword to cut off my +head; but I clung to his skirts and he lifted me in his hand, as +I were a sparrow [in the clutches of a hawk]. When the maiden saw +this, she rejoiced in her brother's prowess and coming up to him, +kissed him between the eyes. Then he delivered me to her, saying, +'Take him and entreat him well, for he is come under our rule.' +So she took hold of the collars of my coat-of-arms and led me +away by them as one would lead a dog. Then she did off her +brother's armour and clad him in a robe, after which she brought +him a stool of ivory, on which he sat down, and said to him, 'May +God whiten thine honour and make thee to be as a provision +against the shifts of fortune!' And he answered her with the +following verses: + +My sister said, (who saw my lustrous forehead blaze Midmost the + war, as shine the sun's meridian rays) +"God bless thee for a brave, to whom, when he falls on, The + desert lions bow in terror and amaze!" +"Question the men of war," I answered her, "of me, Whenas the + champions flee before my flashing gaze. +I am the world-renowned for fortune and for might, Whose prowess + I uplift to what a height of praise! +O Hemmad, thou hast roused a lion, who shall show Thee death that + comes as swift as vipers in the ways." + +When I heard what he said, I was perplexed about my affair, and +considering my condition and how I was become a captive, I was +lessened in my own esteem. Then I looked at the damsel and said +to myself, 'It is she who is the cause of all this trouble;' and +I fell a-marvelling at her beauty and grace, till the tears +streamed from my eyes and I recited the following verses: + +Reproach me not, O friend, nor chide me for the past, For I will + pay no heed to chiding and dispraise. +Lo, I am clean distraught for one, whom when I saw, Fate in my + breast forthright the love of her did raise. +Her brother was my foe and rival in her love, A man of mickle + might and dreadful in affrays. + +Then the maiden set food before her brother, and he bade me eat +with him, whereat I rejoiced and felt assured of my life. When he +had made an end of eating, she brought him a flagon of wine and +he drank, till the fumes of the wine mounted to his head and his +face flushed. Then he turned to me and said, 'Harkye, Hemmad, +dost thou know me?' 'By thy life,' answered I, 'I am rich in +nought but ignorance!' Said he, 'I am Ibad ben Temim ben +Thaalebeh, and indeed God giveth thee thy liberty and spareth +thee confusion.' Then he drank to my health and gave me a cup of +wine and I drank it off. Then he filled me a second and a third +and a fourth, and I drank them all; and he made merry with me and +took an oath of me that I would never betray him. So I swore to +him a thousand oaths that I would never deal perfidiously with +him, but would be a friend and a helper to him. + +Then he bade his sister bring me ten dresses of silk; so she +brought them and laid them on me, and this gown I have on my body +is one of them. Moreover, he made her bring one of the best of +the riding camels, laden with stuffs and victual, and a sorrel +horse, and gave the whole to me. I abode with them three days, +eating and drinking, and what he gave me is with me to this day. +At the end of this time, he said to me, 'O Hemmad, O my brother, +I would fain sleep awhile and rest myself. I trust myself to +thee; but if thou see horsemen making hither, fear not, for they +are of the Beni Thaalebeh, seeking to wage war on me.' Then he +laid his sword under his head and slept; and when he was drowned +in slumber, the devil prompted me to kill him; so I rose, and +drawing the sword from under his head, dealt him a blow that +severed his head from his body. His sister heard what I had done, +and rushing out from within the tent, threw herself on his body, +tearing her clothes and repeating the following verses: + +Carry the tidings to the folk, the saddest news can be; But man + from God His ordinance no whither hath to flee. +Now art thou slaughtered, brother mine, laid prostrate on the + earth, Thou whose bright face was as the round of the full + moon to see. +Indeed, an evil day it was, the day thou mettest them, And after + many a fight, thy spear is shivered, woe is me! +No rider, now that thou art dead, in horses shall delight Nor + evermore shall woman bear a male to match with thee. +Hemmad this day hath played thee false and foully done to death; + Unto his oath and plighted faith a traitor base is he. +He deemeth thus to have his will and compass his desire; But + Satan lieth to his dupes in all he doth decree. + +When she had ended, she turned to me and said, 'O man of accursed +lineage, wherefore didst thou play my brother false and slay him, +whenas he purposed to send thee back to thy country with gifts +and victual and it was his intent also to marry thee to me at the +first of the month?' Then she drew a sword she had with her, and +planting it in the ground, with the point set to her breast, +threw herself thereon and pressed upon it, till the blade issued +from her back and she fell to the ground, dead. I mourned for her +and wept and repented when repentance availed me nothing. Then I +went in haste to the tent and taking whatever was light of +carriage and great of worth, went my way: but in my haste and +fear, I took no heed of my (dead) comrades, nor did I bury the +maiden and the youth. This, then, is my story, and it is still +more extraordinary than that of the serving-maid I kidnapped in +Jerusalem." + +When Nuzet ez Zeman heard these words of the Bedouin, the light +in her eyes was changed to darkness, and she rose and drawing the +sword, smote him amiddleward the shoulder-blades, that the point +issued from his throat. The bystanders said to her, "Why hast +thou made haste to slay him?" And she answered, "Praised be God +who hath granted me to avenge myself with my own hand!" And she +bade the slaves drag the body out by the feet and cast it to the +dogs. Then they turned to the second prisoner, who was a black +slave, and said to him, "What is thy name? Tell us the truth of +thy case." "My name is Ghezban," answered he and told them what +had passed between himself and the princess Abrizeh and how he +had slain her and fled. Hardly had he made an end of his story, +when King Rumzan struck off his head with his sabre, saying, +"Praised be God that gave me life! I have avenged my mother with +my own hand." Then he repeated to them what his nurse Merjaneh +had told him of this same Ghezban; after which they turned to the +third prisoner and said to him, "Tell us who thou art and speak +the truth." Now this was the very camel-driver, whom the people +of Jerusalem hired to carry Zoulmekan to the hospital at +Damascus; but he threw him down on the fuel-heap and went his +way. So he told them how he had dealt with Zoulmekan, whereupon +Kanmakan took his sword forthright and cut off his head, saying, +"Praised be God who hath given me life, that I might requite this +traitor what he did with my father, for I have heard this very +story from King Zoulmekan himself!" Then they said to each other +"It remains only for us to take our wreak of the old woman +Shewahi, yclept Dhat ed Dewahi, for that she is the prime cause +of all these troubles. Who will deliver her into our hands, that +we may avenge ourselves upon her and wipe out our dishonour?" And +King Rumzan said, "Needs must we bring her hither." So he wrote a +letter to his grandmother, the aforesaid old woman, giving her to +know that he had subdued the kingdoms of Damascus and Mosul and +Irak and had broken up the host of the Muslims and captured their +princes and adding, "I desire thee of all urgency to come to me +without delay, bringing with thee the princess Sufiyeh, daughter +of King Afridoun, and whom thou wilt of the Nazarene chiefs, but +no troops; for the country is quiet and under our hand." And he +despatched the letter to her, which when she read, she rejoiced +greatly and forthwith equipping herself and Sufiyeh, set out with +their attendants and journeyed, without stopping, till they drew +near Baghdad. Then she sent a messenger to acquaint the King of +her arrival, whereupon quoth Rumzan, "We should do well to don +the habit of the Franks and go out to meet the old woman, to the +intent that we may be assured against her craft and perfidy." So +they clad themselves in Frankish apparel, and when Kuzia Fekan +saw them, she exclaimed, "By the Lord of Worship, did I not know +you, I should take you to be indeed Franks!" Then they sallied +forth, with a thousand horse, to meet the old woman, and King +Rumzan rode on before them. As soon as his eyes met hers, he +dismounted and walked towards her, and she, recognizing him, +dismounted also and embraced him; but he pressed her ribs with +his hands, till he well-nigh broke them. Quoth she, "What is +this, O my son?" But before she had done speaking, up came +Kanmakan and Dendan, and the horsemen with them cried out at the +women and slaves and took them all prisoners. Then the two Kings +returned to Baghdad, with their captives, and Rumzan bade +decorate the city three days long, at the end of which time they +brought out the old woman, with a tall red bonnet of palm-leaves +on her head, diademed with asses' dung, and preceded by a herald, +proclaiming aloud, "This is the reward of those who presume to +lay hands on kings and kings' sons!" Then they crucified her on +one of the gates of Baghdad; and her companions, seeing what +befell her, all embraced the faith of Islam. As for Kanmakan and +his uncle Rumzan and his aunt Nuzhet ez Zeman, they marvelled at +the wonderful events that had betided them and bade the scribes +set them down orderly in books, that those who came after might +read. Then they all abode in the enjoyment of all the delights +and comforts of life, till there overtook them the Destroyer of +Delights and the Sunderer of Companies; and this is all that hath +come down to us of the dealings of fortune with King Omar ben +Ennuman and his sons Sherkan and Zoulmekan and his son's son +Kanmakan and his daughter Nuzhet ez Zeman and her daughter Kuzia +Fekan. + + + + + + +END of VOL. II. + + + + + + Notes to Volume 2. + + +[FN#1] A.H. 65-86. + +[FN#2] i.e. none could approach him in the heat of fight. + +[FN#3] Sophia. + +[FN#4] Apparently Palestine (in this case). + +[FN#5] i.e. man of might and munificence. + +[FN#6] About £35,000. + +[FN#7] Dhai ed Dewahi. + +[FN#8] i.e. sperma hominis. + +[FN#9] Apparently the names of noted wrestlers. + +[FN#10] A phrase of frequent occurrence in the Koran, meaning +"your female slaves" or "the women ye have captured in war." + +[FN#11] Quoth he (Solomon), "O chiefs, which of you will bring me +her throne?" (i.e. that of Belkis, queen of Sheba) ......."I," +said an Afrit of the Jinn, "will bring it thee, ere thou canst +rise from thy stead, for I am able thereto and faithful!"--Koran +xxvii. 38, 39. + +[FN#12] One of the fountains of Paradise. + +[FN#13] Kutheiyir ibn Ali Juma, a well-known poet of the seventh +and eighth centuries at Medina. He was celebrated for his love of +Azzeh, in whose honour most of his poems were written. The writer +(or copyist) of this tale has committed an anachronism in +introducing these verses, as Kutheiyir was a contemporary of the +Khalif Abdulmelik ben Merwan before whose time Sherkan and his +father (both imaginary characters) are stated( see supra, p. 1 +{Vol. 2, FN#1}) to have lived; but the whole narrative is full of +the grossest anachronisms, too numerous, indeed, to notice. + +[FN#14] Jemil ben Mamer, another celebrated Arabian poet and +lover, a friend and contemporary of Kutheiyir. + +[FN#15] A person who dies for love is esteemed a martyr by the +Arabs. + +[FN#16] I suspect these verses to have been introduced in error +by some copyist. They appear utterly meaningless in this context. + +[FN#17] The bishop. + +[FN#18] Apparently referring in jest to her speech to him see +supra, p. 27 {see text, Vol. 2, after FN#17}, "Thou art beaten +in everything." + +[FN#19] He likens the glance of her eye to the blade of a Yemen +sword,--a comparison of frequent occurrence in Arabic poetry. + +[FN#20] Mehmil. A decorated framework or litter borne by a camel, +sent as an emblem of royalty with the caravan of pilgrims to +Mecca, by way of honour to the occasion and to the sacred object +of the pilgrimage, much as great people send their empty +carriages to attend the funeral of a person for whose memory they +wish to show their respect. The introduction of the Mehmil here +is another of the many anachronisms of the story, as the custom +is said not to here come into use till a much later period. + +[FN#21] Mecca. + +[FN#22] Medina. + +[FN#23] Oriental substitutes for soap. + +[FN#24] i.e., death. + +[FN#25] Apparently the Bedouin was angry with the merchant for +praising the girl to her face and perhaps also alarmed at finding +that he had kidnapped a young lady of consequence, where he only +thought to have made prize of a pretty wench of humble condition +and friendless. + +[FN#26] Delight of the age. + +[FN#27] Affliction (or wrath) of the age. + +[FN#28] For fuel. + +[FN#29] "God will open on me another gate (or means) of making my +living." A common formula, meaning, "It is not enough." + +[FN#30] Or state problems. + +[FN#31] One of the four great Muslim sects or schools of +theology, taking its name from the Imam es Shafi (see post, p. +131, note). {see Vol. 2 FN#89} + +[FN#32] Second of the Abbasside Khalifs, A.H. 136-158. + +[FN#33] The second Khalif after Mohammed (A.H. 13-23) and the +most renowned for piety and just government of all the borders of +the office, except perhaps his descendant Omar ben Abdulaziz +(A.H. 99-102). + +[FN#34] As a reward (in the next world) for good deeds. + +[FN#35] The fourth Khalif. + +[FN#36] The word rendered "good breeding" may also be translated +"polite accomplishments" or "mental discipline" and has a great +number of other meanings. + +[FN#37] Sixth Khalif and founder of the Ommiade dynasty (A.H. 41 +60). + +[FN#38] One of the most notable men of the day, chief of the +great tribe of the Benou Temim. He was a contemporary of the +Prophet and was held in much esteem by Muawiyeh. + +[FN#39] Surname of Ahnaf. + +[FN#40] Governor of Bassora and other places under the first four +Khalifs. + +[FN#41] Ziad teen Abou Sufyan, illegitimate brother of the Khalif +Muawiyeh, afterwards governor of Bassora Cufa and the Hejaz. + +[FN#42] Because it might have been taken to mean, "inhabitants of +hell." + +[FN#43] i.e. death. + +[FN#44] A battle fought near Medina, A.D. 625, in which Mohammed +was defeated by the Meccans under Abou Sufyan. + +[FN#45] One of Mohammed's widows and Omar's own daughter. + +[FN#46] A well-known man of letters and theologian of the seventh +and eighth centuries. + +[FN#47] i.e. to prepare himself by good works, etc., for the +world to come. + +[FN#48] A celebrated Cufan theologian of the eighth century. + +[FN#49] i.e. for the next world. + +[FN#50] The eighth Khalif of the Ommiade dynasty, a rival in +piety and single-mindedness of Omar ben Khettab. + +[FN#51] The descendants of Umeyyeh and kinsmen of the reigning +house. + +[FN#52] The second, fifth, sixth and seventh Khalifs of the +Ommiade dynasty. + +[FN#53] The mother of Omar ben Abdulaziz was a granddaughter of +Omar ben Khettab. + +[FN#54] Brother of Omar's successor, Yezid II. + +[FN#55] This passage apparently belongs to the previous account +of Omar's death-bed; but I have left it as it stands in the text, +as it would be a hopeless task to endeavour to restore this chaos +of insipid anecdote and devotional commonplace to anything like +symmetry. + +[FN#56] Lit. with (or by) neither book (i.e. Koran) nor Sunneh +(i.e. the Traditions of the Prophet). + +[FN#57] Chief of the tribe of Temim and one of the most elegant +orators of the eighth century. + +[FN#58] Surnamed Eth Thekefi, Governor of Yemen and Irak: also a +well known orator, but a most cruel and fantastic tyrant. + +[FN#59] Tenth Khalif of the Ommiade dynasty (A.D. 723-742). + +[FN#60] i.e. slave-girl. + +[FN#61] i.e. It was decreed, so it was. + +[FN#62] Nuzhet ez Zeman. + +[FN#63] Nuzhet ez Zeman. + +[FN#64] Zoulmekan. + +[FN#65] Nuzhet ez Zeman. + +[FN#66] Sedic. + +[FN#67] Sidc. + +[FN#68] Mohammed Ibn Shihab ez Zuhri, a celebrated Traditionist +and jurisconsult of Medina in the seventh and eighth centuries. + +[FN#69] Alexander. + +[FN#70] The celebrated fabulist, said to have been a black slave +of the time of David, but supposed by some to be identical with +Aesop. + +[FN#71] Koran iii. 185. + +[FN#72] One of the Companions of the Prophet. + +[FN#73] One of the contemporaries of Mohammed and a noted +Traditionist (or repeater of the sayings of the Prophet) at Cufa +in the seventh century. + +[FN#74] A noted Traditionist and expounder Of the Koran in the +first century of the Muslim era. He was a black and a native of +Cufa. + +[FN#75] Son of the martyr Hussein and grandson of the Khalif Ali. + +[FN#76] A very eminent doctor of the law and Traditionist of the +eighth century. He was a native of Cufa and was regarded as one +of the great exemplars of the true believers. + +[FN#77] i.e. those who love and obey the precepts of the Koran. + +[FN#78] i.e. Barefoot. A native of Merv and a famous ascetic of +the eighth and ninth centuries. + +[FN#79] Necessitating a fresh ablution, before the prayer can be +ended. + +[FN#80] Another noted ascetic of the time. + +[FN#81] About a penny. + +[FN#82] A well-known legist and devotee of the eighth and ninth +centuries at Baghdad, Sounder of one of the four great orthodox +Muslim schools. + +[FN#83] A famous theologian and devotee of the eighth century at +Bassora. + +[FN#84] A noted preacher and Traditionist of Khorassan in the +ninth, century. + +[FN#85] Koran .xvi. 6. + +[FN#86] A Traditionist of Medina. who flourished in the eighth +century. + +[FN#87] This paragraph is part extract from and part paraphrase +of the Koran xxviii 22-27. + +[FN#88] A well-known pietist of the eighth century. + +[FN#89] Abou Hatim el Asemm (the Deaf), a famous Balkhi +theologian of the ninth century. + +[FN#90] One of two of the most famous theologians of the second +century of the Hegira and the founders of two of the four great +Mohammedan schools. + +[FN#91] One of two of the most famous theologians of the second +century of the Hegira and the founders of two of the four great +Mohammedan schools. + + +[FN#92] Ismail ibn Yehya el Muzeni, a famous Egyptian doctor of +the law pupil of Es Shafi and Imam of the Shafiyite school in the +ninth century. + +[FN#93] Koran lxxvii. 35, 36. + +[FN#94] Mohammed. + +[FN#95] Islam. + +[FN#96] "In Hell shall they (the unbelievers) burn, and ill shall +be (their) stead."--Koran, xiv. 34. + +[FN#97] Mohammed pretended that his coming had been foretold in +the Gospels and that the Christians had falsified the passage +(John xvi. 7) promising the advent of the Comforter (<Greek> + ) by substituting the latter word for +<Greek> , glorious, renowned, praised, i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#98] The second chapter of the Koran, beginning, "This is the +Book, etc." + +[FN#99] It appears by what follows that Afridoun, supposing the +victory to be gained, returned to Constantinople immediately +after sending this message and left the command of the army to +King Herdoub. + +[FN#100] At Mecca. + +[FN#101] i.e. There is no god but God. + +[FN#102] Koran, x. 25. + +[FN#103] Cassia fistularis, a kind of carob. + +[FN#104] "say not of those who are slain in the way (service) of +God that they are dead; nay, they are living." Koran, ii 149. + +[FN#105] Apparently Constantinople. + +[FN#106] This verse alludes to the garbled version of the miracle +of Aaron's rod given in the Koran, which attributes the act to +Moses and makes the Egyptian sorcerers throw down ropes, to which +by their art they give the appearance of serpents. + +[FN#107] i.e., of the Koran. + +[FN#108] A certain formula, invoking peace on the Prophet and all +men recurring at the end of the five daily prayers and pronounced +sitting. + +[FN#109] ex voto. + +[FN#110] i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#111] "What news bringest thou, O saint?" + +[FN#112] i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#113] These epithets are often applied by the Arabs, in a +complimentary sense, to anyone who works great havoc among his +enemies by his prowess and cunning. + +[FN#114] See Vol. I. p. 135, note. {Vol. 1, FN#45} + +[FN#115] i.e. Deal with thee as if thou wert slave-born and +therefore not used to knightly fashions nor able to endure stress +of battle. + +[FN#116] A chapel so called in the Temple at Mecca. + +[FN#117] Mohammed. + +[FN#118] Protector of the women that ride therein. + +[FN#119] The Mohammedans have a legend that God gave David +extraordinary skill in working iron and making chain mail, that +he might earn his living without drawing upon the public +treasury. "And we gave David a grace from us and softened for him +iron (saying), 'Make thou coats of mail and adjust the rings duly +and deal rightly, for I look upon what ye do."' --Koran, xxxiv. +10. + +[FN#120] This appears to be an allusion to the colours of the +house of Abbas, which were black. + +[FN#121] Kafir means "black" as well as "infidel." + +[FN#122] One of the Mohammedan legends represents Moses as +seeking the water of life. + +[FN#123] The allusion here is to the face of a beloved one, which +is likened to a moon rising out of her dress. + +[FN#124] An ornamental hand, said to be so called from the +resemblance of the pen with which it is written to the leaf of +the sweet basil. + +[FN#125] lit. "the love of the Beni Udhra," an Arabian tribe, +famous for the passion and devotion with which love was practiced +among them. + +[FN#126] Syn. eye (nazir). + +[FN#127] Syn. eyebrow (hajib). + +[FN#128] i.e. including the two days that had already elapsed. + +[FN#129] i.e. a graceful youth of the province in which Mecca is +situate. + +[FN#130] A small piece of wood used in a children's out-door game +called tab. + +[FN#131] The stone of the beleh or "green" date, not allowed to +ripen. + +[FN#132] Or drachm-weight. + +[FN#133] An audacious parody of the consecrated expression used +to describe the ceremonious circumambulation of the Kaabeh at +Mecca. + +[FN#134] Subaudiantur autem utriusque sexûs pudenda. + +[FN#135] Subaudiantur autem utriusque sexûs pudenda. + +[FN#136] Subaudiatur vas muliebre. + +[FN#137] The word sac (leg), when used in the oblique case, as it +would necessarily be here, makes saki, i.e. cup-bearer. A play +upon the double meaning is evidently intended. + +[FN#138] In the East, bathers pay on leaving the bath. + +[FN#139] As a styptic. + +[FN#140] Dunya. + +[FN#141] Semen hominis. + +[FN#142] i.e. the rolls of dirt that come off under the bathman's +hands. + +[FN#143] Paradise. + +[FN#144] The cold room of the bath. + +[FN#145] The hot room. + +[FN#146] The door-keeper of hell. + +[FN#147] The door-keeper of Paradise. + +[FN#148] i.e. Crown of Kings. + +[FN#149] An obscure star in the Great Bear. + +[FN#150] Zibl means "dung" or "sweepings." Can (Khan) means +"chief." + +[FN#151] i.e., Him who fights for the Faith. + +[FN#152] A town on the Euphrates, on the borders of Syria and +Mesopotamia. + +[FN#153] i.e. recognized him as king by naming him in the public +prayers. + +[FN#154] i.e. the silky whiskers, which it is common, in poetry, +to call green likening them to newly-sprouted herbage. + +[FN#155] i.e. the Day of Judgment. + +[FN#156] Ironical. + +[FN#157] i.e. Kanmakan. + +[FN#158] Meaning, apparently, poisoned. + +[FN#159] i.e. with a blow worthy of the members of the family of +Thaalebeb to which (see post, p. 368 {see ...Said he, 'I am Ibad +ben Temin ben Thaalebh, and indeed...}) he belonged. + +[FN#160] i.e. his sister. + +[FN#161] i.e. benefits. + +[FN#162] i.e. new moon. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT, VOLUME II *** + +This file should be named 21001108a.txt or 21001108a.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 21001118a.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 21001108b.txt + +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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