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diff --git a/3442-0.txt b/3442-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3b78cfa --- /dev/null +++ b/3442-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15733 @@ + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 8, by Richard F. Burton + +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 a Night, Volume 8 + +Author: Richard F. Burton + +Release Date: July 31, 2001 [EBook #3442] +Last updated: May 27, 2019 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS *** + + + + +This etext was scanned by J.C. Byers and proofread by Doris Ringbloom + + + + + +THE BOOK OF THE + THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT + + + +A Plain and Literal Translation + +of the Arabian Nights Entertainments + + +Translated and Annotated by + Richard F. Burton + + + +VOLUME EIGHT + + +Privately Printed By The Burton Club + + + + + A Message to + + Frederick Hankey, + + formerly of No. 2, Rue Laffitte, Paris. + + +My Dear Fred, + +If there be such a thing as "continuation," you will see these lines in the far +Spirit-land and you will find that your old friend has not forgotten you and +Annie. + +Richard F. Burton. + + +Contents of the Eighth Volume + + + King Mohammed Bin Sabaik and the Merchant Hasan (continued) + a. Story of Prince Sayf Al-Muluk and the Princess Badi'a Al-Jamal (continued) + 155. Hassan of Bassorah + 156. Khalifah The Fisherman Of Baghdad + The same from the Breslau Edition + 157. Masrur and Zayn Al-Mawasif + 158. Ali Nur Al-Din and Miriam the Girdle-Girl + + + +The Book Of The + +THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT + + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night, + + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old +Queen heard the handmaid's words she was wroth with sore wrath because +of her and cried, "How shall there be accord between man and Jinn?" But +Sayf al-Muluk replied, "Indeed, I will conform to thy will and be thy +page and die in thy love and will keep with thee covenant and regard +non but thee: so right soon shalt thou see my truth and lack of +falsehood and the excellence of my manly dealing with thee, Inshallah!" +The old woman pondered for a full hour with brow earthwards bent; after +which she raised her head and said to him, "O thou beautiful youth, +wilt thou indeed keep compact and covenant?" He replied, "Yes, by Him +who raised the heavens and dispread the earth upon the waters, I will +indeed keep faith and troth!" Thereupon quoth she, "I will win for thee +thy wish, Inshallah! but for the present go thou into the garden and +take thy pleasure therein and eat of its fruits, that have neither like +in the world nor equal, whilst I send for my son Shahyal and +confabulate with him of the matter. Nothing but good shall come of it, +so Allah please, for he will not gainsay me nor disobey my commandment +and I will marry thee with his daughter Badi'a al-Jamal. So be of good +heart for she shall assuredly be thy wife, O Sayf al-Muluk." The Prince +thanked her for those words and kissing her hands and feet, went forth +from her into the garden; whilst she turned to Marjanah and said to +her, "Go seek my son Shahyal wherever he is and bring him to me." So +Marjanah went out in quest of King Shahyal and found him and set him +before his mother. On such wise fared it with them; but as regards Sayf +al-Muluk, whilst he walked in the garden, lo and behold! five Jinn of +the people of the Blue King espied him and said to one another, "Whence +cometh yonder wight and who brought him hither? Haply 'tis he who slew +the son and heir of our lord and master the Blue King;" presently +adding, 'But we will go about with him and question him and find out +all from him." So they walked gently and softly up to him, as he sat in +a corner of the garden, and sitting down by him, said to him, "O +beauteous youth, thou didst right well in slaying the son of the Blue +King and delivering from him Daulat Khatun; for he was a treacherous +hound and had tricked her, and had not Allah appointed thee to her, she +had never won free; no, never! But how diddest thou slay him?" Sayf +al-Muluk looked at them and deeming them of the gardenfolk, answered, +"I slew him by means of this ring which is on my finger." Therewith +they were assured that it was he who had slain him; so they seized him, +two of them holding his hands, whilst other two held his feet and the +fifth his mouth, lest he should cry out and King Shahyal's people +should hear him and rescue him from their hands. Then they lifted him +up and flying away with him ceased not their flight till they came to +their King and set him down before him, saying, "O King of the Age, we +bring thee the murderer of thy son." "Where is he?" asked the King and +they answered, "This is he." So the Blue King said to Sayf al-Muluk, +"How slewest thou my son, the core of my heart and the light of my +sight, without aught of right, for all he had done thee no ill deed?" +Quoth the Prince, "Yea, verily! I slew him because of his violence and +frowardness, in that he used to seize Kings' daughters and sever them +from their families and carry them to the Ruined Well and the +High-builded Castle of Japhet son of Noah and entreat them lewdly by +debauching them. I slew him by means of this ring on my finger, and +Allah hurried his soul to the fire and the abiding-place dire." +Therewithal the King was assured that this was indeed he who slew his +son; so presently he called his Wazirs and said to them, "This is the +murtherer of my son sans shadow of doubt: so how do you counsel me to +deal with him? Shall I slay him with the foulest slaughter or torture +him with the terriblest torments or how?" Quoth the Chief Minister, +"Cut off his limbs, one a day." Another, "Beat him with a grievous +beating every day till he die." A third, "Cut him across the middle." A +fourth, "Chop off all his fingers and burn him with fire." A fifth, +"Crucify him;" and so on, each speaking according to his rede. Now +there was with the Blue King an old Emir, versed in the vicissitudes +and experienced in the exchanges of the times, and he said, "O King of +the Age, verily I would say to thee somewhat, and thine is the rede +whether thou wilt hearken or not to my say." Now he was the King's +privy Councillor and the Chief Officer of his empire, and the Sovran +was wont to give ear to his word and conduct himself by his counsel and +gainsay him not in aught. So he rose and kissing ground before his +liege lord, said to him, "O King of the Age, if I advise thee in this +matter, wilt thou follow my advice and grant me indemnity?" Quoth the +King, "Set forth thine opinion, and thou shalt have immunity." Then +quoth he, "O King of the Age, an thou slay this one nor accept my +advice nor hearken to my word, in very sooth I say that his death were +now inexpedient, for that he his thy prisoner and in thy power, and +under thy protection; so whenas thou wilt, thou mayst lay hand on him +and do with him what thou desirest. Have patience, then, O King of the +Age, for he hath entered the garden of Iram and is become the betrothed +of Badi'a al-Jamal, daughter of King Shahyal, and one of them. Thy +people seized him there and brought him hither and he did not hide his +case from them or from thee. So an thou slay him, assuredly King +Shahyal will seek blood-revenge and lead his host against thee for his +daughter's sake, and thou canst not cope with him nor make head against +his power." So the King hearkened to his counsel and commanded to +imprison the captive. Thus fared it with Sayf al-Muluk; but as regards +the old Queen, grandmother of Badi'a al-Jamal, when her son Shahyal +came to her she despatched Marjanah in search of Sayf al-Muluk; but she +found him not and returning to her mistress, said, "I found him not in +the garden." So the ancient dame sent for the gardeners and questioned +them of the Prince. Quoth they, "We saw him sitting under a tree when +behold, five of the Blue King's folk alighted by him and spoke with +him, after which they took him up and having gagged him flew away with +him." When the old Queen heard the damsel's words it was no light +matter to her and she was wroth with exceeding wrath: so she rose to +her feet and said to her son, King Shahyal, "Art a King and shall the +Blue King's people come to our garden and carry off our guests +unhindered, and thou alive?" And she proceeded to provoke him, saying, +"It behoveth not that any transgress against us during thy +lifetime."[FN#1] Answered he, "O mother of me, this man slew the Blue +King's son, who was a Jinni and Allah threw him into his hand. He is a +Jinni and I am a Jinni: how then shall I go to him and make war on him +for the sake of a mortal?" But she rejoined, "Go to him and demand our +guest of him, and if he be still alive and the Blue King deliver him to +thee, take him and return; but an he have slain him, take the King and +all his children and Harim and household depending on him; then bring +them to me alive that I may cut their throats with my own hand and lay +in ruins his reign. Except thou go to him and do my bidding, I will not +acquit thee of my milk and my rearing of thee shall be counted +unlawful."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the grandmother +of Badi'a al-Jamal said to Shahyal, "Fare thee to the Blue King and +look after Sayf al-Muluk: if he be still in life come with him hither; +but an he have slain him take that King and all his children and Harim +and the whole of his dependents an protégés and bring them here alive +that I may cut their throats with my own hand and ruin his realm. +Except thou go to him and do my bidding, I will not acquit thee of my +milk and my rearing of thee shall be accounted unlawful." Thereupon +Shahyal rose and assembling his troops, set out, in deference to his +mother, desiring to content her and her friends, and in accordance with +whatso had been fore-ordained from eternity without beginning; nor did +they leave journeying till they came to the land of the Blue King, who +met them with his army and gave them battle. The Blue King's host was +put to the rout and the conquerors having taken him and all his sons, +great and small, and Grandees and officers bound and brought them +before King Shahyal, who said to the captive, "O Azrak,[FN#2] where is +the mortal Sayf al-Muluk who whilome was my guest?" Answered the Blue +King, "O Shahyal, thou art a Jinni and I am a Jinni and is't on account +of a mortal who slew my son that thou hast done this deed; yea, the +murtherer of my son, the core of my liver and solace of my soul. How +couldest thou work such work and spill the blood of so many thousand +Jinn?" He replied, "Leave this talk! Knowest thou not that a single +mortal is better, in Allah's sight, than a thousand Jinn?[FN#3] If he +be alive, bring him to me, and I will set thee free and all whom I have +taken of thy sons and people; but an thou have slain him, I will +slaughter thee and thy sons." Quoth the Malik al-Azrak, "O King, is +this man of more account with thee than my son?"; and quoth Shahyal, +"Verily, thy son was an evildoer who kidnapped Kings' daughters and +shut them up in the Ruined Well and the High-builded Castle of Japhet +son of Noah and entreated them lewdly." Then said the Blue King, "He is +with me; but make thou peace between us." So he delivered the Prince to +Shahyal, who made peace between him and the Blue King, and Al-Azrak +gave him a bond of absolution for the death of his son. Then Shahyal +conferred robes of honour on them and entertained the Blue King and his +troops hospitably for three days, after which he took Sayf al-Muluk and +carried him back to the old Queen, his own mother, who rejoiced in him +with an exceeding joy, and Shahyal marvelled at the beauty of the +Prince and his loveliness and his perfection. Then the Prince related +to him his story from beginning to end, especially what did befal him +with Badi'a al-Jamal and Shahyal said, "O my mother, since 'tis thy +pleasure that this should be, I hear and I obey all that to command it +pleaseth thee; wherefore do thou take him and bear him to Sarandib and +there celebrate his wedding and marry him to her in all state, for he +is a goodly youth and hath endured horrors for her sake." So she and +her maidens set out with Sayf al-Muluk for Sarandib and, entering the +Garden belonging to the Queen of Hind, foregathered with Daulat Khatun +and Badi'a al-Jamal. Then the lovers met, and the old Queen acquainted +the two Princesses with all that had passed between Sayf al-Muluk and +the Blue King and how the Prince had been nearhand to a captive's +death; but in repetition is no fruition. Then King Taj al-Muluk father +of Daulat Khatun assembled the lords of his land and drew up the +contract of marriage between Sayf al-Muluk and Badi'a al-Jamal; and he +conferred costly robes of honour and gave banquets to the lieges. Then +Sayf al-Muluk rose and, kissing ground before the King, said to him, "O +King, pardon! I would fain ask of thee somewhat but I fear lest thou +refuse it to my disappointment." Taj al-Muluk replied, "By Allah, +though thou soughtest my soul of me, I would not refuse it to thee, +after all the kindness thou hast done me!" Quoth Sayf al-Muluk, "I wish +thee to marry the Princess Daulat Khatun to my brother Sa'id, and we +will both be thy pages." "I hear and obey," answered Taj al-Muluk, and +assembling his Grandees a second time, let draw up the contract of +marriage between his daughter and Sa'id; after which they scattered +gold and silver and the King bade decorate the city. So they held high +festival and Sayf al-Muluk went in unto Badi'a al-Jamal and Sa'id went +in unto Daulat Khatun on the same night. Moreover Sayf al-Muluk abode +forty days with Badi'a al-Jamal, at the end of which she said to him, +"O King's son, say me, is there left in thy heart any regret for +aught?" And he replied, "Allah forfend! I have accomplished my quest +and there abideth no regret in my heart at all: but I would fain meet +my father and my mother in the land of Egypt and see if they continue +in welfare or not." So she commanded a company of her slaves to convey +them to Egypt, and they carried them to Cairo, where Sayf al-Muluk and +Sa'id foregathered with their parents and abode with them a week; after +which they took leave of them and returned to Sarandib-city; and from +this time forwards, whenever they longed for their folk, they used to +go to them and return. Then Sayf al-Muluk and Badi'a al-Jamal abode in +all solace of life and its joyance as did Sa'id and Daulat Khatun, till +there came to them the Destroyer of delights and Severer of societies; +and they all died good Moslems. So glory be to the Living One who dieth +not, who createth all creatures and decreeth to them death and who is +the First, without beginning, and the Last, without end! This is all +that hath come down to us of the story of Sayf al-Muluk and Badi'a +al-Jamal. And Allah alone wotteth the truth.[FN#4] But not less +excellent than this tale is the History of + + +HASAN OF BASSORAH.[FN#5] + +There was once of days of yore and in ages and times long gone before, +a merchant, who dwelt in the land of Bassorah and who owned two sons +and wealth galore. But in due time Allah, the All-hearing the +All-knowing, decreed that he should be admitted to the mercy of the +Most High; so he died, and his two sons laid him out and buried him, +after which they divided his gardens and estates equally between them +and of his portion each one opened a shop.[FN#6] Presently the elder +son, Hasan hight, a youth of passing beauty and loveliness, symmetry +and perfect grace, betook himself to the company of lewd folk, women +and low boys, frolicking with them in gardens and feasting them with +meat and wine for months together and occupying himself not with his +business like as his father had done, for that he exulted in the +abundance of his good. After some time he had wasted all his ready +money, so he sold all his father's lands and houses and played the +wastrel until there remained in his hand nothing, neither little nor +muchel, nor was one of his comrades left who knew him. He abode thus +anhungred, he and his widowed mother, three days, and on the fourth +day, as he walked along, unknowing whither to wend, there met him a man +of his father's friends, who questioned him of his case. He told him +what had befallen him and the other said, "O my son, I have a brother +who is a goldsmith; an thou wilt, thou shalt be with him and learn his +craft and become skilled therein." Hasan consented and accompanied him +to his brother, to whom he commended him, saying, "In very sooth this +is my son; do thou teach him for my sake." So Hasan abode with the +goldsmith and busied himself with the craft; and Allah opened to him +the door of gain and in due course he set up shop for himself. One day, +as he sat in his booth in the bazar, there came up to him an 'Ajamí, a +foreigner, a Persian, with a great white beard and a white +turband[FN#7] on his head, having the semblance of a merchant who, +after saluting him, looked at his handiwork and examined it knowingly. +It pleased him and he shook his head, saying, "By Allah, thou art a +cunning goldsmith! What may be thy name?" "Hasan," replied the other, +shortly.[FN#8] The Persian continued to look at his wares, whilst +Hasan read in an old book[FN#9] he hent in hand and the folk were taken +up with his beauty and loveliness and symmetry and perfect grace, till +the hour of mid-afternoon prayer, when the shop became clear of people +and the Persian accosted the young man, saying, "O my son, thou art a +comely youth! What book is that? Thou hast no sire and I have no son, +and I know an art, than which there is no goodlier in the world."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Persian +accosted the young man saying, "O my son, thou art a comely youth! +Thou hast no sire and I have no son, and I know an art than which there +is no goodlier in the world. Many have sought of me instruction +therein, but I consented not to instruct any of them in it; yet hath my +soul consented that I teach it to thee, for thy love hath gotten hold +upon my heart and I will make thee my son and set up between thee and +poverty a barrier, so shalt thou be quit of this handicraft and toil no +more with hammer and anvil,[FN#10] charcoal and fire." Hasan asked, "O +my lord and when wilt thou teach me this?"; and the Persian answered, +"To-morrow, Inshallah, I will come to thee betimes and make thee in thy +presence fine gold of this copper." Whereupon Hasan rejoiced and sat +talking with the Persian till nightfall, when he took leave of him and +going in to his mother, saluted her with the salam and ate with her; +but he was dazed, without memory or reason, for that the stranger's +words had gotten hold upon his heart. So she questioned him and he told +her what had passed between himself and the Persian, which when she +heard, her heart fluttered and she strained him to her bosom, saying, +"O my son, beware of hearkening to the talk of the folk, and especially +of the Persians, and obey them not in aught; for they are sharpers and +tricksters, who profess the art of alchemy[FN#11] and swindle people +and take their money and devour it in vain." Replied Hasan, "O my +mother, we are paupers and have nothing he may covet, that he should +put a cheat on us. Indeed, this Persian is a right worthy Shaykh and +the signs of virtue are manifest on him; Allah hath inclined his heart +to me and he hath adopted me to son." She was silent in her chagrin, +and he passed the night without sleep, his heart being full of what the +Persian had said to him; nor did slumber visit him for the excess of +his joy therein. But when morning morrowed, he rose and taking the +keys, opened the shop, whereupon behold, the Persian accosted him. +Hasan stood up to him and would have kissed his hands; but he forbade +him from this and suffered it not, saying, "O Hasan, set on the +crucible and apply the bellows."[FN#12] So he did as the stranger bade +him and lighted the charcoal. Then said the Persian, "O my son, hast +thou any copper?" and he replied, "I have a broken platter." So he bade +him work the shears[FN#13] and cut it into bittocks and cast it into +the crucible and blow up the fire with the bellows, till the copper +became liquid, when he put hand to turband and took therefrom a folded +paper and opening it, sprinkled thereout into the pot about half a +drachm of somewhat like yellow Kohl or eyepowder.[FN#14] Then he bade +Hasan blow upon it with the bellows, and he did so, till the contents +of the crucible became a lump of gold.[FN#15] When the youth saw this, +he was stupefied and at his wits' end for the joy he felt and taking +the ingot from the crucible handled it and tried it with the file and +found it pure gold of the finest quality: whereupon his reason fled and +he was dazed with excess of delight and bent over the Persian's hand to +kiss it. But he forbade him, saying, "Art thou married?" and when the +youth replied "No!" he said, "Carry this ingot to the market and sell +it and take the price in haste and speak not." So Hasan went down into +the market and gave the bar to the broker, who took it and rubbed it +upon the touchstone and found it pure gold. So they opened the +biddings at ten thousand dirhams and the merchants bid against one +another for it up to fifteen thousand dirhams,[FN#16] at which price he +sold it and taking the money, went home and told his mother all that +had passed, saying, "O my mother, I have learnt this art and mystery." +But she laughed at him, saying, "There is no Majesty and there is no +Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!"—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eightieth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan +the goldsmith told his mother what he had done with the Ajami and +cried, "I have learnt this art and mystery," she laughed at him, +saying, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the +Glorious, the Great!"; and she was silent for vexation. Then of his +ignorance, he took a metal mortar and returning to the shop, laid it +before the Persian, who was still sitting there and asked him, "O my +son, what wilt thou do with this mortar?" Hasan answered, "Let us put +it in the fire, and make of it lumps of gold." The Persian laughed and +rejoined, "O my son, art thou Jinn-mad that thou wouldst go down into +the market with two ingots of gold in one day? Knowest thou not that +the folk would suspect us and our lives would be lost? Now, O my son, +an I teach thee this craft, thou must practise it but once in each +twelvemonth; for that will suffice thee from year to year." Cried +Hasan, "True, O my lord," and sitting down in his open shop, set on the +crucible and cast more charcoal on the fire. Quoth the Persian, "What +wilt thou, O my son?"; and quoth Hasan, "Teach me this craft." "There +is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the +Great!" exclaimed the Persian, laughing; "Verily, O my son, thou art +little of wit and in nowise fitted for this noble craft. Did ever any +during all his life learn this art on the beaten way or in the bazars? +If we busy ourselves with it here, the folk will say of us, These +practise alchemy; and the magistrates will hear of us, and we shall +lose our lives.[FN#17] Wherefore, O my son, an thou desire to learn +this mystery forthright, come thou with me to my house." So Hasan +barred his shop and went with that Ajamí; but by the way he remembered +his mother's words and thinking in himself a thousand thoughts he stood +still, with bowed head. The Persian turned and seeing him thus +standing laughed and said to him, "Art thou mad? What! I in my heart +purpose thee good and thou misdoubtest I will harm thee!" presently +adding, "But, if thou fear to go with me to my house, I will go with +thee to thine and teach thee there." Hasan replied, "'Tis well, O +uncle," and the Persian rejoined, "Go thou before me." So Hasan led +the way to his own house, and entering, told his mother of the +Persian's coming, for he had left him standing at the door. She +ordered the house for them and when she had made an end of furnishing +and adorning it, her son bade her go to one of the neighbours' +lodgings. So she left her home to them and wended her way, whereupon +Hasan brought in the Persian, who entered after asking leave. Then he +took in hand a dish and going to the market, returned with food, which +he set before the Persian, saying, "Eat, O my lord, that between us +there may be bread and salt and may Almighty Allah do vengeance upon +the traitor to bread and salt!" The Persian replied with a smile, +"True, O my son! Who knoweth the virtue and worth of bread and +salt?"[FN#18] Then he came forward and ate with Hasan, till they were +satisfied; after which the Ajami said, "O my son Hasan, bring us +somewhat of sweetmeats." So Hasan went to the market, rejoicing in his +words, and returned with ten saucers[FN#19] of sweetmeats, of which +they both ate and the Persian said, "May Allah abundantly requite thee, +O my son! It is the like of thee with whom folk company and to whom +they discover their secrets and teach what may profit him!"[FN#20] +Then said he, "O Hasan bring the gear." But hardly did Hasan hear these +words than he went forth like a colt let out to grass in spring-tide, +and hastening to the shop, fetched the apparatus and set it before the +Persian, who pulled out a piece of paper and said, "O Hasan, by the +bond of bread and salt, wert thou not dearer to me than my son, I would +not let thee into the mysteries of this art, for I have none of the +Elixir[FN#21] left save what is in this paper; but by and by I will +compound the simples whereof it is composed and will make it before +thee. Know, O my son Hasan, that to every ten pounds of copper thou +must set half a drachm of that which is in this paper, and the whole +ten will presently become unalloyed virgin gold;" presently adding, "O +my son, O Hasan, there are in this paper three ounces,[FN#22] Egyptian +measure, and when it is spent, I will make thee other and more." Hasan +took the packet and finding therein a yellow powder, finer than the +first, said to the Persian, "O my lord, what is the name of this +substance and where is it found and how is it made?" But he laughed, +longing to get hold of the youth, and replied, "Of what dost thou +question? Indeed thou art a froward boy! Do thy work and hold thy +peace." So Hasan arose and fetching a brass platter from the house, +shore it in shreds and threw it into the melting-pot; then he scattered +on it a little of the powder from the paper and it became a lump of +pure gold. When he saw this, he joyed with exceeding joy and was +filled with amazement and could think of nothing save the gold; but, +whilst he was occupied with taking up the lumps of metal from the +melting-pot, the Persian pulled out of his turband in haste a packet of +Cretan Bhang, which if an elephant smelt, he would sleep from night to +night, and cutting off a little thereof, put it in a piece of the +sweetmeat. Then said he, "O Hasan, thou art become my very son and +dearer to me than soul and wealth, and I have a daughter whose like +never have eyes beheld for beauty and loveliness, symmetry and perfect +grace. Now I see that thou befittest none but her and she none but +thee; wherefore, if it be Allah's will, I will marry thee to her." +Replied Hasan, "I am thy servant and whatso good thou dost with me will +be a deposit with the Almighty!" and the Persian rejoined, "O my son, +have fair patience and fair shall betide thee." Therewith he gave him +the piece of sweetmeat and he took it and kissing his hand, put it in +his mouth, knowing not what was hidden for him in the after time for +only the Lord of Futurity knoweth the Future. But hardly had he +swallowed it, when he fell down, head foregoing heels, and was lost to +the world; whereupon the Persian, seeing him in such calamitous case, +rejoiced exceedingly and cried, "Thou hast fallen into my snares, O +gallows-carrion, O dog of the Arabs! This many a year have I sought +thee and now I have found thee, O Hasan!"—And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-first Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan the +goldsmith ate the bit of sweetmeat given to him by the Ajami and fell +fainting to the ground, the Persian rejoiced exceedingly and cried, +"This many a year have I sought thee and now I have found thee!" Then +he girt himself and pinioned Hasan's arms and binding his feet to his +hands laid him in a chest, which he emptied to that end and locked it +upon him. Moreover, he cleared another chest and laying therein all +Hasan's valuables, together with the piece of the first gold-lump and +the second ingot which he had made locked it with a padlock. Then he +ran to the market and fetching a porter, took up the two chests and +made off with them to a place within sight of the city, where he set +them down on the sea-shore, hard by a vessel at anchor there. Now this +craft had been freighted and fitted out by the Persian and her master +was awaiting him; so, when the crew saw him, they came to him and bore +the two chests on board. Then the Persian called out to the Rais or +Captain, saying, "Up and let us be off, for I have done my desire and +won my wish." So the skipper sang out to the sailors, saying, "Weigh +anchor and set sail!" And the ship put out to sea with a fair wind. So +far concerning the Persian; but as regards Hasan's mother, she awaited +him till supper-time but heard neither sound nor news of him; so she +went to the house and finding it thrown open, entered and saw none +therein and missed the two chests and their valuables; wherefore she +knew that her son was lost and that doom had overtaken him; and she +buffeted her face and rent her raiment crying out and wailing and +saying, "Alas, my son, ah! Alas, the fruit of my vitals, ah!" And she +recited these couplets, + +"My patience fails me and grows anxiety; * And with your absence + growth of grief I see. +By Allah, Patience went what time ye went! * Loss of all Hope how + suffer patiently? +When lost my loved one how can' joy I sleep? * Who shall enjoy + such life of low degree? +Thou 'rt gone and, desolating house and home, * Hast fouled the + fount erst flowed from foulness free: +Thou wast my fame, my grace 'mid folk, my stay; * Mine aid wast + thou in all adversity! +Perish the day, when from mine eyes they bore * My friend, till + sight I thy return to me!" + + +And she ceased not to weep and wail till the dawn, when the neighbours +came in to her and asked her of her son, and she told them what had +befallen him with the Persian, assured that she should never, never see +him again. Then she went round about the house, weeping, and wending +she espied two lines written upon the wall; so she sent for a scholar, +who read them to her; and they were these, + +"Leyla's phantom came by night, when drowsiness had overcome me, + towards morning while my companions were sleeping in the + desert, +But when we awoke to behold the nightly phantom, I saw the air + vacant and the place of visitation was distant."[FN#23] + + +When Hasan's mother heard these lines, she shrieked and said, "Yes, O +my son! Indeed, the house is desolate and the visitation-place is +distant!" Then the neighbours took leave of her and after they had +prayed that she might be vouchsafed patience and speedy reunion with +her son, went away; but she ceased not to weep all watches of the night +and tides of the day and she built amiddlemost the house a tomb whereon +she let write Hasan's name and the date of his loss, and thenceforward +she quitted it not, but made a habit of incessantly biding thereby +night and day. Such was her case; but touching her son Hasan and the +Ajami, this Persian was a Magian, who hated Moslems with exceeding +hatred and destroyed all who fell into his power. He was a lewd and +filthy villain, a hankerer after alchemy, an astrologer and a hunter of +hidden hoards, such an one as he of whom quoth the poet, + +"A dog, dog-fathered, by dog-grandsire bred; * No good in dog + from dog race issued: +E'en for a gnat no resting-place gives he * Who is composed of + seed by all men shed."[FN#24] + + +The name of this accursed was Bahrám the Guebre, and he was wont, every +year, to take a Moslem and cut his throat for his own purposes. So, +when he had carried out his plot against Hasan the goldsmith, they +sailed on from dawn till dark, when the ship made fast to the shore for +the night, and at sunrise, when they set sail again, Bahram bade his +black slaves and white servants bring him the chest wherein were Hasan. + They did so, and he opened it and taking out the young man, made him +sniff up vinegar and blew a powder into his nostrils. Hasan sneezed and +vomited the Bhang; then, opening his eyes, he looked about him right +and left and found himself amiddleward the sea on aboard a ship in full +sail, and saw the Persian sitting by him; wherefore he knew that the +accursed Magian had put a cheat on him and that he had fallen into the +very peril against which his mother had warned him. So he spake the +saying which shall never shame the sayer, to wit, "There is no Majesty +and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Verity, +we are Allah's and unto Him we are returning! O my God, be Thou +gracious to me in Thine appointment and give me patience to endure this +Thine affliction, O Lord of the three Worlds!" Then he turned to the +Persian and bespoke him softly, saying, "O my father, what fashion is +this and where is the covenant of bread and salt and the oath thou +swarest to me?"[FN#25] But Bahram stared at him and replied, "O dog, +knoweth the like of me bond of bread and salt? I have slain of youths +like thee a thousand, save one, and thou shalt make up the thousand." +And he cried out at him and Hasan was silent, knowing that the +Fate-shaft had shot him.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-second Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan +beheld himself fallen into the hands of the damned Persian he bespoke +him softly but gained naught thereby for the Ajami cried out at him in +wrath, so he was silent, knowing that the Fate-shaft had shot him. +Then the accursed bade loose his pinion-bonds and they gave him a +little water to drink, whilst the Magian laughed and said, "By the +virtue of the Fire and the Light and the Shade and the Heat, methought +not thou wouldst fall into my nets! But the Fire empowered me over +thee and helped me to lay hold upon thee, that I might win my wish and +return and make thee a sacrifice, to her[FN#26] so she may accept of +me." Quoth Hasan, "Thou hast foully betrayed bread and salt"; whereupon +the Magus raised his hand and dealt him such a buffet that he fell and, +biting the deck with his fore-teeth, swooned away, whilst the tears +trickled down his cheeks. Then the Guebre bade his servants light him +a fire and Hasan said, "What wilt thou do with it?" Replied the Magian, +"This is the Fire, lady of light and sparkles bright! This it is I +worship, and if thou wilt worship her even as I, verily I will give +thee half my monies and marry thee to my maiden daughter." Thereupon +Hasan cried angrily at him, "Woe to thee! Thou art a miscreant Magian +who to Fire dost pray in lieu of the King of Omnipotent sway, Creator +of Night and Day; and this is naught but a calamity among creeds!" At +this the Magian was wroth and said to him, "Wilt thou not then conform +with me, O dog of the Arabs, and enter my faith?" But Hasan consented +not to this: so the accursed Guebre arose and prostrating himself to +the fire, bade his pages throw him flat on his face. They did so, and +he beat him with a hide whip of plaited thongs[FN#27] till his flanks +were laid open, whilst he cried aloud for aid but none aided him, and +besought protection, but none protected him. Then he raised his eyes to +the All-powerful King and sought of Him succour in the name of the +Chosen Prophet. And indeed patience failed him; his tears ran down his +cheeks, like rain, and he repeated these couplets twain, + +"In patience, O my God, Thy doom forecast * I'll bear, an thereby + come Thy grace at last: +They've dealt us wrong, transgressed and ordered ill; * Haply Thy + Grace shall pardon what is past." + + +Then the Magian bade his negro-slaves raise him to a sitting posture +and bring him somewhat of meat and drink. So they sat food before him; +but he consented not to eat or drink; and Bahram ceased not to torment +him day and night during the whole voyage, whilst Hasan took patience +and humbled himself in supplication before Almighty Allah to whom +belong Honour and Glory; whereby the Guebre's heart was hardened +against him. They ceased not to sail the sea three months, during which +time Hasan was continually tortured till Allah Almighty sent forth upon +them a foul wind and the sea grew black and rose against the ship, by +reason of the fierce gale; whereupon quoth the captain and crew,[FN#28] +"By Allah, this is all on account of yonder youth, who hath been these +three months in torture with this Magian. Indeed, this is not allowed +of God the Most High." Then they rose against the Magian and slew his +servants and all who were with him; which when he saw, he made sure of +death and feared for himself. So he loosed Hasan from his bonds and +pulling off the ragged clothes the youth had on, clad him in others; +and made excuses to him and promised to teach him the craft and restore +him to his native land, saying, "O my son, return me not evil for that +I have done with thee." Quoth Hasan, "How can I ever rely upon thee +again?"; and quoth Bahram, "O my son, but for sin, there were no +pardon. Indeed, I did all these doings with thee, but to try thy +patience, and thou knowest that the case is altogether in the hands of +Allah." So the crew and captain rejoiced in Hasan's release, and he +called down blessings on them and praised the Almighty and thanked Him. + With this the wind was stilled and the sky cleared and with a fair +breeze they continued their voyage. Then said Hasan to Bahram, "O +Master,[FN#29] whither wendest thou?" Replied the Magian, "O my son, I +am bound for the Mountain of Clouds, where is the Elixir which we use +in alchemy." And the Guebre swore to him by the Fire and the Light +that he had no longer any cause to fear him. So Hasan's heart was set +at ease and rejoicing at the Persian's words, he continued to eat and +drink and sleep with the Magian, who clad him in his own raiment. They +ceased not sailing on other three months, when the ship came to anchor +off a long shoreline of many- coloured pebbles, white and yellow and +sky-blue and black and every other hue, and the Magian sprang up and +said, "O Hasan, come, let us go ashore for we have reached the place of +our wish and will." So Hasan rose and landed with Bahram, after the +Persian had commended his goods to the captain's care. They walked on +inland, till they were far enough from the ship to be out of sight, +when Bahram sat down and taking from his pocket a kettle-drum[FN#30] of +copper and a silken strap, worked in gold with characts, beat the drum +with the strap, until there arose a cloud of dust from the further side +of the waste. Hasan marvelled at the Magian's doings and was afraid of +him: he repented of having come ashore with him and his colour changed. +But Bahram looked at him and said, "What aileth thee, O my son? By the +truth of the Fire and the Light, thou hast naught to fear from me; and, +were it not that my wish may never be won save by thy means, I had not +brought thee ashore. So rejoice in all good; for yonder cloud of dust +is the dust of somewhat we will mount and which will aid us to cut +across this wold and make easy to us the hardships thereof."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-third Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Persian +said to Hasan, "In very sooth yonder dust-cloud is the cloud of +something we will mount and which will aid us to cut across this wold +and will make easy to us the hardships thereof." Presently the dust +lifted off three she-dromedaries, one of which Bahram mounted and Hasan +another. Then they loaded their victual on the third and fared on +seven days, till they came to a wide champaign and, descending into its +midst, they saw a dome vaulted upon four pilasters of red gold; so they +alighted and entering thereunder, ate and drank and took their rest. +Anon Hasan chanced to glance aside and seeing from afar a something +lofty said to the Magian, "What is that, O nuncle?" Bahram replied, +"'Tis a palace," and quoth Hasan, "Wilt thou not go thither, that we +may enter and there repose ourselves and solace ourselves with +inspecting it?" But the Persian was wroth and said, "Name not to me +yonder palace; for therein dwelleth a foe, with whom there befel me +somewhat whereof this is no time to tell thee." Then he beat the +kettle-drum and up came the dromedaries, and they mounted and fared on +other seven days. On the eighth day, the Magian said, "O Hasan, what +seest thou?" Hasan replied, "I see clouds and mists twixt east and +west." Quoth Bahram, "That is neither clouds nor mists, but a vast +mountain and a lofty whereon the clouds split,[FN#31] and there are no +clouds above it, for its exceeding height and surpassing elevation. +Yon mount is my goal and thereon is the need we seek. 'Tis for that I +brought thee hither, for my wish may not be won save at thy hands." +Hasan hearing this gave his life up for lost and said to the Magian, +"By the right of that thou worshippest and by the faith wherein thou +believest, I conjure thee to tell me what is the object wherefor thou +hast brought me!" Bahram replied, "The art of alchemy may not be +accomplished save by means of a herb which groweth in the place where +the clouds pass and whereon they split. Such a site is yonder mountain +upon whose head the herb groweth and I purpose to send thee up thither +to fetch it; and when we have it, I will show thee the secret of this +craft which thou desirest to learn." Hasan answered, in his fear, +"'Tis well, O my master;" and indeed he despaired of life and wept for +his parting from his parent and people and patrial stead, repenting him +of having gainsaid his mother and reciting these two couplets, + +"Consider but thy Lord, His work shall bring * Comfort to thee, + with quick relief and near: +Despair not when thou sufferest sorest bane: * In bane how many + blessed boons appear!" + + +They ceased not faring on till they came to the foothills of that +mountain where they halted; and Hasan saw thereon a palace and asked +Bahram, "What be yonder palace?"; whereto he answered, "'Tis the abode +of the Jann and Ghuls and Satans." Then the Magian alighted and making +Hasan also dismount from his dromedary kissed his head and said to him, +"Bear me no ill will anent that I did with thee, for I will keep guard +over thee in thine ascent to the palace; and I conjure thee not to +trick and cheat me of aught thou shalt bring therefrom; and I and thou +will share equally therein." And Hasan replied, "To hear is to obey." +Then Bahram opened a bag and taking out a handmill and a sufficiency of +wheat, ground the grain and kneaded three round cakes of the flour; +after which he lighted a fire and baked the bannocks. Then he took out +the copper kettle-drum and beat it with the broidered strap, whereupon +up came the dromedaries. He chose out one and said, "Hearken, O my son, +O Hasan, to what I am about to enjoin on thee;" and Hasan replied, +"'Tis well." Bahram continued, "Lie down on this skin and I will sew +thee up therein and lay thee on the ground; whereupon the Rakham +birds[FN#32] will come to thee and carry thee up to the mountain-top. +Take this knife with thee; and, when thou feelest that the birds have +done flying and have set thee down, slit open therewith the skin and +come forth. The vultures will then take fright at thee and fly away; +whereupon do thou look down from the mountain head and speak to me, and +I will tell thee what to do." So he sewed him up in the skin, placing +therein three cakes and a leathern bottle full of water, and withdrew +to a distance. Presently a vulture pounced upon him and taking him up, +flew away with him to the mountain-top and there set him down. As soon +as Hasan felt himself on the ground, he slit the skin and coming forth, +called out to the Magian, who hearing his speech rejoiced and danced +for excess of joy, saying to him, "Look behind thee and tell me what +thou seest." Hasan looked and seeing many rotten bones and much wood, +told Bahram, who said to him, "This be what we need and seek. Make six +bundles of the wood and throw them down to me, for this is wherewithal +we do alchemy." So he threw him the six bundles and when he had gotten +them into his power he said to Hasan, "O gallows bird, I have won my +wish of thee; and now, if thou wilt, thou mayst abide on this mountain, +or cast thyself down to the earth and perish. So saying, he left +him[FN#33] and went away, and Hasan exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and +there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! This hound +hath played the traitor with me." And he sat bemoaning himself and +reciting these couplets, + +"When God upon a man possessed of reasoning, Hearing and sight + His will in aught to pass would bring, +He stops his ears and blinds his eyes and draws his wit, From + him, as one draws out the hairs to paste that cling; +Till, His decrees fulfilled, He gives him back His wit, That + therewithal he may receive admonishing. +So say thou not of aught that haps, 'How happened it?' For Fate + and fortune fixed do order everything.[FN#34]" + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Magian sent Hasan to the mountain-top and made him throw down all he +required he presently reviled him and left him and wended his ways and +the youth exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in +Allah, the Glorious, the Great! This damned hound hath played the +traitor." Then he rose to his feet and looked right and left, after +which he walked on along the mountain top, in mind making certain of +death. He fared on thus till he came to the counterslope of the +mountain, along which he saw a dark-blue sea, dashing with billows +clashing and yeasting waves each as it were a lofty mount. So he sat +down and repeated what he might of the Koran and besought Allah the +Most High to ease him of his troubles, or by death or by deliverance +from such strait. Then he recited for himself the +funeral-prayer[FN#35] and cast himself down into the main; but, the +waves bore him up by Allah's grace, so that he reached the water +unhurt, and the angel in whose charge is the sea watched over him, so +that the billows bore him safe to land, by the decree of the Most High. +Thereupon he rejoiced and praised Almighty Allah and thanked Him; after +which he walked on in quest of something to eat, for stress of hunger, +and came presently to the place where he had halted with the Magian, +Bahram. Then he fared on awhile, till behold, he caught sight of a +great palace, rising high in air, and knew it for that of which he had +questioned the Persian and he had replied, "Therein dwelleth a foe, of +mine." Hasan said to himself, "By Allah, needs must I enter yonder +palace; perchance relief awaiteth me there." So coming to it and +finding the gate open, he entered the vestibule, where he saw seated on +a bench two girls like twin moons with a chess-cloth before them and +they were at play. One of them raised her head to him and cried out +for joy saying, "By Allah, here is a son of Adam, and methinks 'tis he +whom Bahram the Magian brought hither this year!" So Hasan hearing her +words cast himself at their feet and wept with sore weeping and said, +"Yes, O my ladies, by Allah, I am indeed that unhappy." Then said the +younger damsel to her elder sister, "Bear witness against me,[FN#36] O +my sister, that this is my brother by covenant of Allah and that I will +die for his death and live for his life and joy for his joy and mourn +for his mourning." So saying, she rose and embraced him and kissed him +and presently taking him by the hand and her sister with her, led him +into the palace, where she did off his ragged clothes and brought him a +suit of King's raiment wherewith she arrayed him. Moreover, she made +ready all manner viands[FN#37] and set them before him, and sat and ate +with him, she and her sister. Then said they to him, "Tell us thy tale +with yonder dog, the wicked, the wizard, from the time of thy falling +into his hands to that of thy freeing thee from him; and after we will +tell thee all that hath passed between us and him, so thou mayst be on +thy guard against him an thou see him again." Hearing these words and +finding himself thus kindly received, Hasan took heart of grace and +reason returned to him and he related to them all that had befallen him +with the Magian from first to last. Then they asked, "Didst thou ask +him of this palace?"; and he answered, "Yes, but he said, 'Name it not +to me; for it belongeth to Ghuls and Satans.'" At this, the two damsels +waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and said, "Did that miscreant style us +Ghuls and Satans?" And Hasan answered, "Yes." Cried the younger sister, +"By Allah, I will assuredly do him die with the foulest death and make +him to lack the wind of the world!" Quoth Hasan, "And how wilt thou get +at him, to kill him, for he is a crafty magician?"; and quoth she, "He +is in a garden by name Al-Mushayyad,[FN#38] and there is no help but +that I slay him before long." Then said her sister, "Sooth spake Hasan +in everything he hath recounted to us of this cur; but now tell him our +tale, that all of it may abide in his memory." So the younger said to +him, "Know, O my brother, that we are the daughters of a King of the +mightiest Kings of the Jann, having Marids for troops and guards and +servants, and Almighty Allah blessed him with seven daughters by one +wife; but of his folly such jealousy and stiff-neckedness and pride +beyond compare gat hold upon him that he would not give us in marriage +to any one and, summoning his Wazirs and Emirs, he said to them, 'Can +ye tell me of any place untrodden by the tread of men and Jinn and +abounding in trees and fruits and rills?' And quoth they, 'What wilt +thou therewith, O King of the Age?' And quoth he, 'I desire there to +lodge my seven daughters.' Answered they, 'O King, the place for them +is the Castle of the Mountain of Clouds, built by an Ifrit of the +rebellious Jinn, who revolted from the covenant of our lord Solomon, on +whom be the Peace! Since his destruction, none hath dwelt there, nor +man nor Jinni, for 'tis cut off[FN#39] and none may win to it. And the +Castle is girt about with trees and fruits and rills, and the water +running around it is sweeter than honey and colder than snow: none who +is afflicted with leprosy or elephantiasis[FN#40] or what not else +drinketh thereof but he is healed forthright. Hearing this our father +sent us hither, with an escort of his troops and guards and provided us +with all that we need here. When he is minded to ride to us he beateth +a kettle-drum, whereupon all his hosts present themselves before him +and he chooseth whom he shall ride and dismisseth the rest; but, when +he desireth that we shall visit him, he commandeth his followers, the +enchanters, to fetch us and carry us to the presence; so he may solace +himself with our society and we accomplish our desire of him; after +which they again carry us back hither. Our five other sisters are gone +a-hunting in our desert, wherein are wild beasts past compt or +calculation and, it being our turn to do this we two abode at home, to +make ready for them food. Indeed, we had besought Allah (extolled and +exalted be He!) to vouchsafe us a son of Adam to cheer us with his +company and praised be He who hath brought thee to us! So be of good +cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for no harm shall befal +thee." Hasan rejoiced and said, "Alhamdolillah, laud to the Lord who +guideth us into the path of deliverance and inclineth hearts to us!" +Then his sister[FN#41] rose and taking him by the hand, led him into a +private chamber, where she brought out to him linen and furniture that +no mortal can avail unto. Presently, the other damsels returned from +hunting and birding and their sisters acquainted them with Hasan's +case; whereupon they rejoiced in him and going into him in his chamber, +saluted him with the salam and gave him joy of his safety. Then he +abode with them in all the solace of life and its joyance, riding out +with them to the chase and taking his pleasure with them whilst they +entreated him courteously and cheered him with converse, till his +sadness ceased from him and he recovered health and strength and his +body waxed stout and fat, by dint of fair treatment and pleasant time +among the seven moons in that fair palace with its gardens and flowers; +for indeed he led the delightsomest of lives with the damsels who +delighted in him and he yet more in them. And they used to give him +drink of the honey-dew of their lips[FN#42] these beauties with the +high bosoms, adorned with grace and loveliness, the perfection of +brilliancy and in shape very symmetry. Moreover the youngest Princess +told her sisters how Bahram the Magian had made them of the Ghuls and +Demons and Satans,[FN#43] and they sware that they would surely slay +him. Next year the accursed Guebre again made his appearance, having +with him a handsome young Moslem, as he were the moon, bound hand and +foot and tormented with grievous tortures, and alighted with him below +the palace-walls. Now Hasan was sitting under the trees by the side of +the stream; and when he espied Bahram, his heart fluttered,[FN#44] his +hue changed and he smote hand upon hand.—And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan the +goldsmith saw the Magian, his heart fluttered, his hue changed and he +smote hand upon hand. Then he said to the Princesses, "O my sisters, +help me to the slaughter of this accursed, for here he is come back and +in your grasp, and he leadeth with him captive a young Moslem of the +sons of the notables, whom he is torturing with all manner grievous +torments. Lief would I kill him and console my heart of him; and, by +delivering the young Moslem from his mischief and restoring him to his +country and kith and kin and friends, fain would I lay up merit for the +world to come, by taking my wreak of him.[FN#45] This will be an +almsdeed from you and ye will reap the reward thereof from Almighty +Allah." "We hear and we obey Allah and thee, O our brother, O Hasan," +replied they and binding chin-veils, armed themselves and slung on +their swords: after which they brought Hasan a steed of the best and +equipped him in panoply and weaponed him with goodly weapons. Then +they all sallied out and found the Magian who had slaughtered and +skinned a camel, ill-using the young Moslem, and saying to him, "Sit +thee in this hide." So Hasan came behind him, without his knowledge, +and cried out at him till he was dazed and amazed. Then he came up to +him, saying, "Hold thy hand, O accursed! O enemy of Allah and foe of +the Moslems! O dog! O traitor! O thou that flame dost obey! O thou that +walkest in the wicked ones' ways, worshipping the fire and the light +and swearing by the shade and the heat!" Herewith the Magian turned and +seeing Hasan, thought to wheedle him and said to him, "O my son, how +diddest thou escape and who brought thee down to earth?" Hasan replied, +"He delivered me, who hath appointed the taking of thy life to be at my +hand, and I will torture thee even as thou torturedst me the whole way +long. O miscreant, O atheist,[FN#46] thou hast fallen into the twist +and the way thou hast missed; and neither mother shall avail thee nor +brother, nor friend nor solemn covenant shall assist thee; for thou +saidst, O accursed, Whoso betrayeth bread and salt, may Allah do +vengeance upon him! And thou hast broken the bond of bread and salt; +wherefore the Almighty hath thrown thee into my grasp, and far is thy +chance of escape from me." Rejoined Bahram, "By Allah, O my son, O +Hasan, thou art dearer to me than my sprite and the light of mine +eyes!" But Hasan stepped up to him and hastily smote him between the +shoulders, that the sword issued gleaming from his throat-tendons and +Allah hurried his soul to the fire, and abiding-place dire. Then Hasan +took the Magian's bag and opened it, then having taken out the +kettle-drum he struck it with the strap, whereupon up came the +dromedaries like lightning. So he unbound the youth from his bonds and +setting him on one of the camels, loaded him another with victual and +water,[FN#47] saying, "Wend whither thou wilt." So he departed, after +Almighty Allah had thus delivered him from his strait at the hands of +Hasan. When the damsels saw their brother slay the Magian they joyed +in him with exceeding joy and gat round him, marvelling at his valour +and prowess,[FN#48] and thanked him for his deed and gave him joy of +his safety, saying, "O Hasan thou hast done a deed, whereby thou hast +healed the burning of him that thirsteth for vengeance and pleased the +King of Omnipotence!" Then they returned to the palace, and he abode +with them, eating and drinking and laughing and making merry; and +indeed his sojourn with them was joyous to him and he forgot his +mother;[FN#49] but while he led with them this goodly life one day, +behold, there arose from the further side of the desert a great cloud +of dust that darkened the welkin and made towards them. When the +Princesses saw this, they said to him, "Rise, O Hasan, run to thy +chamber and conceal thyself; or an thou wilt, go down into the garden +and hide thyself among the trees and vines; but fear not, for no harm +shall befal thee." So he arose and entering his chamber, locked the +door upon himself, and lay lurking in the palace. Presently the dust +opened out and showed beneath it a great conquering host, as it were a +surging sea, coming from the King, the father of the damsels. Now when +the troops reached the castle, the Princesses received them with all +honour and hospitably entertained them three days; after which they +questioned them of their case and tidings and they replied saying, "We +come from the King in quest of you." They asked, "And what would the +King with us?"; and the officers answered, "One of the Kings maketh a +marriage festival, and your father would have you be present thereat +and take your pleasure therewith." The damsels enquired, "And how long +shall we be absent from our place?"; and they rejoined, "The time to +come and go, and to sojourn may be two months." So the Princesses arose +and going in to the palace sought Hasan, acquainted him with the case +and said to him, "Verily this place is thy place and our house is thy +house; so be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear and feel +nor grief nor fear, for none can come at thee here; but keep a good +heart and a glad mind, till we return to thee. The keys of our +chambers we leave with thee; but, O our brother, we beseech thee, by +the bond of brotherhood, in very deed not to open such a door, for thou +hast no need thereto." Then they farewelled him and fared forth with +the troops, leaving Hasan alone in the palace. It was not long before +his breast grew straitened and his patience shortened: solitude and +sadness were heavy on him and he sorrowed for his severance from them +with passing chagrin. The palace for all its vastness, waxed small to +him and finding himself sad and solitary, he bethought him of the +damsels and their pleasant converse and recited these couplets, + +"The wide plain is narrowed before these eyes * And the landscape + troubles this heart of mine. +Since my friends went forth, by the loss of them * Joy fled and + these eyelids rail floods of brine: +Sleep shunned these eyeballs for parting woe * And my mind is + worn with sore pain and pine: +Would I wot an Time shall rejoin our lots * And the joys of love + with night-talk combine." + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after the +departure of the damsels, Hasan sat in the palace sad and solitary and +his breast was straitened by severance. He used to ride forth +a-hunting by himself in the wold and bring back the game and slaughter +it and eat thereof alone: but melancholy and disquiet redoubled on him, +by reason of his loneliness. So he arose and went round about the +palace and explored its every part; he opened the Princesses' +apartments and found therein riches and treasures fit to ravish the +beholder's reason; but he delighted not in aught thereof, by reason of +their absence. His heart was fired by thinking of the door they had +charged him not to approach or open on any account and he said in +himself, "My sister had never enjoined me not to open this door, except +there were behind it somewhat whereof she would have none to know; but, +by Allah, I will arise and open it and see what is within, though +within it were sudden death!" Then he took the key and, opening the +door,[FN#50] saw therein no treasure but he espied a vaulted and +winding staircase of Yamani onyx at the upper end of the chamber. So +he mounted the stair, which brought him out upon the terrace- roof of +the palace, whence he looked down upon the gardens and vergiers, full +of trees and fruits and beasts and birds warbling praises of Allah, the +One, the All-powerful; and said in himself "This is that they forbade +to me." He gazed upon these pleasaunces and saw beyond a surging sea, +dashing with clashing billows, and he ceased not to explore the palace +right and left, till he ended at a pavilion builded with alternate +courses, two bricks of gold and one of silver and jacinth and emerald +and supported by four columns. And in the centre he saw a sitting- +room paved and lined with a mosaic of all manner precious stones such +as rubies and emeralds and balasses and other jewels of sorts; and in +its midst stood a basin[FN#51] brimful of water, over which was a +trellis-work of sandalwood and aloes-wood reticulated with rods of red +gold and wands of emerald and set with various kinds of jewels and fine +pearls, each sized as a pigeon's egg. The trellis was covered with a +climbing vine, bearing grapes like rubies, and beside the basin stood a +throne of lign-aloes latticed with red gold, inlaid with great pearls +and comprising vari-coloured gems of every sort and precious minerals, +each kind fronting each and symmetrically disposed. About it the birds +warbled with sweet tongues and various voices celebrating the praises +of Allah the Most High: brief, it was a palace such as nor Cćsar nor +Chosroës ever owned; but Hasan saw therein none of the creatures of +Allah, whereat he marvelled and said in himself, "I wonder to which of +the Kings this place pertaineth, or is it Many-Columned Iram whereof +they tell, for who among mortals can avail to the like of this?" And +indeed he was amazed at the spectacle and sat down in the pavilion and +cast glances around him marvelling at the beauty of its ordinance and +at the lustre of the pearls and jewels and the curious works which +therein were, no less than at the gardens and orchards aforesaid and at +the birds that hymned the praises of Allah, the One, the Almighty; and +he abode pondering the traces of him whom the Most High had enabled to +rear that structure, for indeed He is muchel of might.[FN#52] And +presently, behold, he espied ten birds[FN#53] flying towards the +pavilion from the heart of the desert and knew that they were making +the palace and bound for the basin, to drink of its waters: so he hid +himself, for fear they should see him and take flight. They lighted on +a great tree and a goodly and circled round about it; and he saw +amongst them a bird of marvel-beauty, the goodliest of them all, and +the nine stood around it and did it service; and Hasan marvelled to see +it peck them with its bill and lord it over them while they fled from +it. He stood gazing at them from afar as they entered the pavilion and +perched on the couch; after which each bird rent open its neck-skin +with its claws and issued out of it; and lo! it was but a garment of +feathers, and there came forth therefrom ten virgins, maids whose +beauty shamed the brilliancy of the moon. They all doffed their +clothes and plunging into the basin, washed and fell to playing and +sporting one with other; whilst the chief bird of them lifted up the +rest and ducked them down and they fled from her and dared not put +forth their hands to her. When Hasan beheld her thus he took leave of +his right reason and his sense was enslaved, so he knew that the +Princesses had not forbidden him to open the door save because of this; +for he fell passionately in love with her, for what he saw of her +beauty and loveliness, symmetry and perfect grace, as she played and +sported and splashed the others with the water. He stood looking upon +them whilst they saw him not, with eye gazing and heart burning and +soul[FN#54] to evil prompting; and he sighed to be with them and wept +for longing, because of the beauty and loveliness of the chief damsel. +His mind was amazed at her charms and his heart taken in the net of her +love; lowe was loosed in his heart for her sake and there waxed on him +a flame, whose sparks might not be quenched, and desire, whose signs +might not be hidden. Presently, they came up out of that basin, whilst +Hasan marvelled at their beauty and loveliness and the tokens of inner +gifts in the elegance of their movements. Then he cast a glance at the +chief damsel who stood mother- naked and there was manifest to him what +was between her thighs a goodly rounded dome on pillars borne, like a +bowl of silver or crystal, which recalled to him the saying of the +poet,[FN#55] + +"When I took 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 thrust 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 coming out of the water they all put on their dresses and +ornaments, and the chief maiden donned a green dress,[FN#56] wherein +she surpassed for loveliness all the fair ones of the world and the +lustre of her face outshone the resplendent full moons: she excelled +the branches with the grace of her bending gait and confounded the wit +with apprehension of disdain; and indeed she was as saith the +poet,[FN#57] + +"A maiden 'twas, the dresser's art had decked with cunning + sleight; +The sun thou 'd'st say had robbed her cheek and shone with + borrowed light. +She came to us apparelled fair in under vest of green, +Like as the ripe pomegranate hides beneath its leafy screen; +And when we asked her what might be the name of what she wore, +She answered in a quaint reply that double meaning bore: +The desert's heart we penetrate in such apparel dressed, +And Pierce-heart therefore is the name by which we call the + vest." + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan +saw the damsels issue forth the basin, the chief maiden robbed his +reason with her beauty and loveliness compelling him to recite the +couplets forequoted. And after dressing they sat talking and laughing, +whilst he stood gazing on them, drowned in the sea of his love, burning +in the flames of passion and wandering in the Wady of his melancholy +thought. And he said to himself, "By Allah, my sister forbade me not +to open the door, but for cause of these maidens and for fear lest I +should fall in love with one of them! How, O Hasan shalt thou woo and +win them? How bring down a bird flying in the vasty firmament? By +Allah thou hast cast thyself into a bottomless sea and snared thyself +in a net whence there is no escape! I shall die desolate and none +shall wot of my death." And he continued to gaze on the charms of the +chief damsel, who was the lovliest creature Allah had made in her day, +and indeed she outdid in beauty all human beings. She had a mouth +magical as Solomon's seal and hair blacker than the night of +estrangement to the love-despairing man; her brow was bright as the +crescent moon of the Feast of Ramazán[FN#58] and her eyes were like +eyes wherewith gazelles scan; she had a polished nose straight as a +cane and cheeks like blood-red anemones of Nu'uman, lips like coralline +and teeth like strung pearls in carcanets of gold virgin to man, and a +neck like an ingot of silver, above a shape like a wand of Bán: her +middle was full of folds, a dimpled plain such as enforceth the +distracted lover to magnify Allah and extol His might and main, and her +navel[FN#59] an ounce of musk, sweetest of savour could contain: she +had thighs great and plump, like marble columns twain or bolsters +stuffed with down from ostrich ta'en, and between them a somewhat, as +it were a hummock great of span or a hare with ears back lain while +terrace-roof and pilasters completed the plan; and indeed she surpassed +the bough of the myrobalan with her beauty and symmetry, and the Indian +rattan, for she was even as saith of them the poet whom love did +unman,[FN#60] + +"Her lip-dews rival honey-sweets, that sweet virginity; * + Keener than Hindi scymitar the glance she casts at thee: +She shames the bending bough of Bán with graceful movement slow * + And as she smiles her teeth appear with leven's brilliancy: +When I compared with rose a-bloom the tintage of her cheeks, * + She laughed in scorn and cried, 'Whoso compares with rosery +My hue and breasts, granados terms, is there no shame in him? * + How should pomegranates bear on bough such fruit in form or + blee? +Now by my beauty and mine eyes and heart and eke by Heaven * + Of favours mine and by the Hell of my unclemency, +They say 'She is a garden-rose in very pride of bloom'; * + And yet no rose can ape my cheek nor branch my symmetry! +If any garden own a thing which unto me is like, * + What then is that he comes to crave of me and only me?"' + + +They ceased not to laugh and play, whilst Hasan stood still a-watching +them, forgetting meat and drink, till near the hour of mid-afternoon +prayer, when the beauty, the chief damsel, said to her mates, "O Kings' +daughters, it waxeth late and our land is afar and we are weary of this +stead. Come, therefore, let us depart to our own place." So they all +arose and donned their feather vests, and becoming birds as they were +before, flew away all together, with the chief lady in their midst. +Then, Hasan, despairing of their return, would have arisen and gone +down into the palace but could not move or even stand; wherefore the +tears ran down his cheeks and passion was sore on him and he recited +these couplets, + +"May God deny me boon of troth if I * After your absence sweets + of slumber know: +Yea; since that sev'rance never close mine eyes, * Nor rest + repose me since departed you! +'Twould seem as though you saw me in your sleep; * Would Heaven + the dreams of sleep were real-true! +Indeed I dote on sleep though needed not, * For sleep may bring + me that dear form to view." + + +Then Hasan walked on, little by little, heeding not the way he went, +till he reached the foot of the stairs, whence he dragged himself to +his own chamber; then he entered and shutting the door, lay sick eating +not nor drinking and drowned in the sea of his solitude. He spent the +night thus, weeping and bemoaning himself, till the morning, and when +it morrowed he repeated these couplets, + +"The birds took flight at eve and winged their way; * And sinless + he who died of Love's death-blow. +I'll keep my love-tale secret while I can * But, an desire + prevail, its needs must show: +Night brought me nightly vision, bright as dawn; * While nights + of my desire lack morning-glow. +I mourn for them[FN#61] while they heart-freest sleep * And winds + of love on me their plaything blow: +Free I bestow my tears, my wealth, my heart * My wit, my sprite:Â + most gain who most bestow! +The worst of woes and banes is enmity * Beautiful maidens deal us + to our woe. +Favour they say's forbidden to the fair * And shedding lovers' + blood their laws allow; +That naught can love-sicks do but lavish soul, * And stake in + love-play life on single throw:[FN#62] +I cry in longing ardour for my love: * Lover can only weep and + wail Love-lowe." + + +When the sun rose he opened the door, went forth of the chamber and +mounted to the stead where he was before: then he sat down facing the +pavilion and awaited the return of the birds till nightfall; but they +returned not; wherefore he wept till he fell to the ground in a +fainting-fit. When he came to after his swoon, he dragged himself down +the stairs to his chamber; and indeed, the darkness was come and +straitened upon him was the whole world and he ceased not to weep and +wail himself through the livelong night, till the day broke and the sun +rained over hill and dale its rays serene. He ate not nor drank nor +slept, nor was there any rest for him; but by day he was distracted and +by night distressed, with sleeplessness delirious and drunken with +melancholy thought and excess of love-longing. And he repeated the +verses of the love-distraught poet, + +"O thou who shamest sun in morning sheen * The branch + confounding, yet with nescience blest; +Would Heaven I wot an Time shall bring return * And quench the + fires which flame unmanifest,— +Bring us together in a close embrace, * Thy cheek upon my cheek, + thy breast abreast! +Who saith, In Love dwells sweetness? when in Love * Are bitterer + days than Aloës[FN#63] bitterest." + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan the +goldsmith felt love redouble upon him, he recited those lines; and, as +he abode thus in the stress of his love-distraction, alone and finding +none to cheer him with company, behold, there arose a dust-cloud from +the desert, wherefore he ran down and hid himself knowing that the +Princesses who owned the castle had returned. Before long, the troops +halted and dismounted round the palace and the seven damsels alighted +and entering, put off their arms and armour of war. As for the +youngest, she stayed not to doff her weapons and gear, but went +straight to Hasan's chamber, where finding him not, she sought for him, +till she lighted on him in one of the sleeping closets hidden, feeble +and thin, with shrunken body and wasted bones and indeed his colour was +changed and his eyes sunken in his face for lack of food and drink and +for much weeping, by reason of his love and longing for the young lady. + When she saw him in this plight, she was confounded and lost her wits; +but presently she questioned him of his case and what had befallen him, +saying, "Tell me what aileth thee, O my brother, that I may contrive to +do away thine affliction, and I will be thy ransom!"[FN#64] Whereupon +he wept with sore weeping and by way of reply he began reciting, + +"Lover, when parted from the thing he loves, * Has naught save + weary woe and bane to bear. +Inside is sickness, outside living lowe, * His first is fancy and + his last despair." + + +When his sister heard this, she marvelled at his eloquence and loquent +speech and his readiness at answering her in verse and said to him, "O +my brother, when didst thou fall into this thy case and what hath +betided thee, that I find thee speaking in song and shedding tears that +throng? Allah upon thee, O my brother, and by the honest love which is +between us, tell me what aileth thee and discover to me thy secret, nor +conceal from me aught of that which hath befallen thee in our absence; +for my breast is straitened and my life is troubled because of thee." +He sighed and railed tears like rain, after which he said, "I fear, O +my sister, if I tell thee, that thou wilt not aid me to win my wish but +wilt leave me to die wretchedly in mine anguish." She replied, "No, by +Allah, O my brother, I will not abandon thee, though it cost me my +life!" So he told her all that had befallen him, and that the cause of +his distress and affliction was the passion he had conceived for the +young lady whom he had seen when he opened the forbidden door; and how +he had not tasted meat nor drink for ten days past. Then he wept with +sore weeping and recited these couplets, + +"Restore my heart as 'twas within my breast, * Let mine eyes + sleep again, then fly fro' me. +Deem ye the nights have had the might to change * Love's vow? + Who changeth may he never be!" + + +His sister wept for his weeping and was moved to ruth for his case and +pitied his strangerhood; so she said to him, "O my brother, be of good +cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for I will venture being and +risk existence to content thee and devise thee a device wherewith, +though it cost me my dear life and all I hold dear, thou mayst get +possession of her and accomplish thy desire, if such be the will of +Allah Almighty. But I charge thee, O my brother, keep the matter secret +from my sisterhood and discover not thy case to any one of them, lest +my life be lost with thy life. An they question thee of opening the +forbidden door, reply to them, 'I opened it not; no, never; but I was +troubled at heart for your absence and by my loneliness here and +yearning for you.'"[FN#65] And he answered, "Yes: this is the right +rede." So he kissed her head and his heart was comforted and his bosom +broadened. He had been nigh upon death for excess of affright, for he +had gone in fear of her by reason of his having opened the door; but +now his life and soul returned to him. Then he sought of her somewhat +of food and after serving it she left him, and went in to her sisters, +weeping and mourning for him. They questioned her of her case and she +told them how she was heavy at heart for her brother, because he was +sick and for ten days no food had found way into his stomach. So they +asked the cause of his sickness and she answered, "The reason was our +severance from him and our leaving him desolate; for these days we have +been absent from him were longer to him than a thousand years and scant +blame to him, seeing he is a stranger, and solitary and we left him +alone, with none to company with him or hearten his heart; more by +token that he is but a youth and may be he called to mind his family +and his mother, who is a woman in years, and bethought him that she +weepeth for him all whiles of the day and watches of the night, ever +mourning his loss; and we used to solace him with our society and +divert him from thinking of her." When her sisters heard these words +they wept in the stress of their distress for him and said, +"Wa'lláhi—'fore Allah, he is not to blame!" Then they went out to the +army and dismissed it, after which they went into Hasan and saluted him +with the salam. When they saw his charms changed with yellow colour +and shrunken body, they wept for very pity and sat by his side and +comforted him and cheered him with converse, relating to him all they +had seen by the way of wonders and rarities and what had befallen the +bridegroom with the bride. They abode with him thus a whole month, +tendering him and caressing him with words sweeter than syrup; but +every day sickness was added to his sickness, which when they saw, they +bewept him with sore weeping, and the youngest wept even more than the +rest. At the end of this time, the Princesses having made up their +minds to ride forth a-hunting and a-birding invited their sister to +accompany them, but she said, "By Allah, O my sisters, I cannot go +forth with you whilst my brother is in this plight, nor indeed till he +be restored to health and there cease from him that which is with him +of affliction. Rather will I sit with him and comfort him." They +thanked her for her kindness and said to her, "Allah will requite thee +all thou dost with this stranger." Then they left her with him in the +palace and rode forth taking with them twenty days' victual;—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Princesses +mounted and rode forth a-hunting and a-birding, after leaving in the +palace their youngest sister sitting by Hasan's side; and as soon as +the damsel knew that they had covered a long distance from home, she +went in to him and said, "O my brother, come, show me the place where +thou sawest the maidens." He rejoiced in her words, making sure of +winning his wish, and replied, "Bismillah! On my head!" Then he essayed +to rise and show her the place, but could not walk; so she took him up +in her arms, holding him to her bosom between her breasts; and, opening +the staircase-door, carried him to the top of the palace, and he showed +her the pavilion where he had seen the girls and the basin of water, +wherein they had bathed. Then she said to him, "Set forth to me, O my +brother, their case and how they came." So he described to her whatso +he had seen of them and especially the girl of whom he was enamoured; +but hearing these words she knew her and her cheeks paled and her case +changed. Quoth he, "O my sister, what aileth thee to wax wan and be +troubled?"; and quoth she, "O my brother, know thou that this young +lady is the daughter of a Sovran of the Jann, of one of the most +puissant of their Kings, and her father had dominion over men and Jinn +and wizards and Cohens and tribal chiefs and guards and countries and +cities and islands galore and hath immense wealth in store. Our father +is a Viceroy and one of his vassals and none can avail against him, for +the multitude of his many and the extent of his empire and the muchness +of his monies. He hath assigned to his offspring, the daughters thou +sawest, a tract of country, a whole year's journey in length and +breadth, a region girt about with a great river and a deep; and thereto +none may attain, nor man nor Jann. He hath an army of women, smiters +with swords and lungers with lances, five-and-twenty thousand in +number, each of whom, whenas she mounteth steed and donneth +battle-gear, eveneth a thousand knights of the bravest. Moreover, he +hath seven daughters, who in valour and prowess equal and even excel +their sisters,[FN#66] and he hath made the eldest of them, the damsel +whom thou sawest,[FN#67] queen over the country aforesaid and who is +the wisest of her sisters and in valour and horsemanship and craft and +skill and magic excels all the folk of her dominions. The girls who +companied with her are the ladies of her court and guards and grandees +of her empire, and the plumed skins wherewith they fly are the +handiwork of enchanters of the Jann. Now an thou wouldst get +possession of this queen and wed this jewel seld-seen and enjoy her +beauty and loveliness and grace, do thou pay heed to my words and keep +them in thy memory. They resort to this place on the first day of every +month; and thou must take seat here and watch for them; and when thou +seest them coming hide thee near the pavilion sitting where thou mayst +see them, without being seen of them, and beware, again beware lest +thou show thyself, or we shall all lose our lives. When they doff their +dress note which is the feather-suit of her whom thou lovest and take +it, and it only, for this it is that carrieth her to her country, and +when thou hast mastered it, thou hast mastered her. And beware lest +she wile thee, saying, 'O thou who hast robbed my raiment, restore it +to me, because here am I in thine hands and at thy mercy!' For, an thou +give it her, she will kill thee and break down over us palace and +pavilion and slay our sire: know, then, thy case and how thou shalt +act. When her companions see that her feather-suit is stolen, they +will take flight and leave her to thee, and beware lest thou show +thyself to them, but wait till they have flown away and she despaireth +of them: whereupon do thou go in to her and hale her by the hair of her +head[FN#68] and drag her to thee; which being done, she will be at thy +mercy. And I rede thee discover not to her that thou hast taken the +feather-suit, but keep it with care; for, so long as thou hast it in +hold, she is thy prisoner and in thy power, seeing that she cannot fly +to her country save with it. And lastly carry her down to thy chamber +where she will be thine." When Hasan heard her words his heart became +at ease, his trouble ceased and affliction left him; so he rose to his +feet and kissing his sister's head, went down from the terrace with her +into the palace, where they slept that night. He medicined himself +till morning morrowed; and when the sun rose, he sprang up and opened +the staircase-door and ascending to the flat roof sat there till +supper-tide when his sister brought him up somewhat of meat and drink +and a change of clothes and he slept. And thus they continued doing, +day by day until the end of the month. When he saw the new moon, he +rejoiced and began to watch for the birds, and while he was thus, +behold, up they came, like lightning. As soon as he espied them, he +hid himself where he could watch them, unwatched by them, and they +lighted down one and all of them, and putting off their clothes, +descended into the basin. All this took place near the stead where +Hasan lay concealed, and as soon as he caught sight of the girl he +loved, he arose and crept under cover, little by little, towards the +dresses, and Allah veiled him so that none marked his approach for they +were laughing and playing with one another, till he laid hand on the +dress. Now when they had made an end of their diversion, they came +forth of the basin and each of them slipped on her feather-suit. But +the damsel he loved sought for her plumage that she might put it on, +but found it not; whereupon she shrieked and beat her cheeks and rent +her raiment. Her sisterhood[FN#69] came to her and asked what ailed +her, and she told them that her feather-suit was missing; wherefore +they wept and shrieked and buffeted their faces: and they were +confounded, wotting not the cause of this, and knew not what to do. +Presently the night overtook them and they feared to abide with her +lest that which had befallen her should befal them also; so they +farewelled her and flying away left her alone upon the terrace-roof of +the palace, by the pavilion basin.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninetieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan had +carried off the girl's plumery, she sought it but found it not and her +sisterhood flew away leaving her alone. When they were out of sight, +Hasan gave ear to her and heard her say, "O who hast taken my dress and +stripped me, I beseech thee to restore it to me and cover my shame, so +may Allah never make thee taste of my tribulation!" But when Hasan +heard her speak thus, with speech sweeter than syrup, his love for her +redoubled, passion got the mastery of his reason and he had not +patience to endure from her. So springing up from his hiding-place, he +rushed upon her and laying hold of her by the hair dragged her to him +and carried her down to the basement of the palace and set her in his +own chamber, where he threw over her a silken cloak[FN#70] and left her +weeping and biting her hands. Then he shut the door upon her and going +to his sister, informed her how he had made prize of his lover and +carried her to his sleeping-closet, "And there," quoth he, "she is now +sitting, weeping and biting her hands." When his sister heard this, she +rose forthright and betook herself to the chamber, where she found the +captive weeping and mourning. So she kissed ground before her and +saluted her with the salam and the young lady said to her, "O King's +daughter, do folk like you do such foul deed with the daughters of +Kings? Thou knowest that my father is a mighty Sovran and that all the +liege lords of the Jinn stand in awe of him and fear his majesty: for +that there are with him magicians and sages and Cohens and Satans and +Marids, such as none may cope withal, and under his hand are folk whose +number none knoweth save Allah. How then doth it become you, O +daughters of Kings, to harbour mortal men with you and disclose to them +our case and yours? Else how should this man, a stranger, come at us?" +Hasan's sister made reply, "O King's daughter, in very sooth this human +is perfect in nobleness and purposeth thee no villainy; but he loveth +thee, and women were not made save for men. Did he not love thee, he +had not fallen sick for thy sake and well-nigh given up the ghost for +desire of thee." And she told her the whole tale how Hasan had seen her +bathing in the basin with her attendants, and fallen in love with her, +and none had pleased him but she, for the rest were all her handmaids, +and none had availed to put forth a hand to her. When the Princess +heard this, she despaired of deliverance and presently Hasan's sister +went forth and brought her a costly dress, wherein she robed her. Then +she set before her somewhat of meat and drink and ate with her and +heartened her heart and soothed her sorrows. And she ceased not to +speak her fair with soft and pleasant words, saying, "Have pity on him +who saw thee once and became as one slain by thy love;" and continued +to console her and caress her, quoting fair says and pleasant +instances. But she wept till daybreak, when her trouble subsided and +she left shedding tears, knowing that she had fallen into the net and +that there was no deliverance for her. Then said she to Hasan's +sister, "O King's daughter, with this my strangerhood and severance +from my country and sisterhood which Allah wrote upon my brow, patience +becometh me to support what my Lord hath foreordained." Therewith the +youngest Princess assigned her a chamber in the palace, than which +there was none goodlier and ceased not to sit with her and console her +and solace her heart, till she was satisfied with her lot and her bosom +was broadened and she laughed and there ceased from her what trouble +and oppression possessed her, by reason of her separation from her +people and country and sisterhood and parents. Thereupon Hasan's +sister repaired to him, and said, "Arise, go in to her in her chamber +and kiss her hands and feet."[FN#71] So he went in to her and did this +and bussed her between the eyes, saying, "O Princess of fair ones and +life of sprites and beholder's delight, be easy of heart, for I took +thee only that I might be thy bondsman till the Day of Doom, and this +my sister will be thy servant; for I, O my lady, desire naught but to +take thee to wife, after the law of Allah and the practice of His +Apostle, and whenas thou wilt, I will journey with thee to my country +and carry thee to Baghdad-city and abide with thee there: moreover, I +will buy thee handmaidens and negro chattels; and I have a mother, of +the best of women, who will do thee service. There is no goodlier land +than our land; everything therein is better than elsewhere and its folk +are a pleasant people and bright of face." Now as he bespake her thus +and strave to comfort her, what while she answered him not a syllable, +lo! there came a knocking at the palace-gate. So Hasan went out to see +who was at the door and found there the six Princesses, who had +returned from hunting and birding, whereat he rejoiced and went to meet +them and welcomed them. They wished him safety and health and he +wished them the like; after which they dismounted and going each to her +chamber doffed their soiled clothes and donned fine linen. Then they +came forth and demanded the game, for they had taken a store of +gazelles and wild cows, hares and lions, hyaenas, and others; so their +suite brought out some thereof for butchering, keeping the rest by them +in the palace, and Hasan girt himself and fell to slaughtering for them +in due form,[FN#72] whilst they sported and made merry, joying with +great joy to see him standing amongst them hale and hearty once more. +When they had made an end of slaughtering, they sat down and addressed +themselves to get ready somewhat for breaking their fast, and Hasan, +coming up to the eldest Princess, kissed her head and on like wise did +he with the rest, one after other. Whereupon said they to him, "Indeed, +thou humblest thyself to us passing measure, O our brother, and we +marvel at the excess of the affection thou showest us. But Allah +forfend that thou shouldst do this thing, which it behoveth us rather +to do with thee, seeing thou art a man and therefor worthier than we, +who are of the Jinn."[FN#73] Thereupon his eyes brimmed with tears and +he wept sore; so they said to him, "What causeth thee to weep? Indeed, +thou troublest our pleasant lives with thy weeping this day. 'Twould +seem thou longest after thy mother and native land. An things be so, +we will equip thee and carry thee to thy home and thy friends." He +replied, "By Allah, I desire not to part from you!" Then they asked, +"Which of us hath vexed thee, that thou art thus troubled?" But he was +ashamed to say, "Naught troubleth me save love of a damsel," lest they +should deny and disavow him: so he was silent and would tell them +nothing of his case. Then his sister came forward and said to them, "He +hath caught a bird from the air and would have you help him to tame +her." Whereupon they all turned to him and cried, "We are at thy +service every one of us and whatsoever thou seekest that will we do: +but tell us thy tale and conceal from us naught of thy case." So he +said to his sister, "Do thou tell them, for I am ashamed before them +nor can I face them with these words."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan said to his +sister, "Do thou tell them my tale, for before them I stand abashed nor +can I face them with these words." So she said to them, "O my sisters, +when we went away and left alone this unhappy one, the palace was +straitened upon him and he feared lest some one should come in to him, +for ye know that the sons of Adam are light of wits. So, he opened the +door of the staircase leading to the roof, of his loneliness and +trouble, and sat there, looking upon the Wady and watching the gate, in +his fear lest any should come thither. One day, as he sat thus, +suddenly he saw ten birds approach him, making for the palace, and they +lighted down on the brink of the basin which is in the +pavilion-terrace. He watched these birds and saw, amongst them, one +goodlier than the rest, which pecked the others and flouted them, +whilst none of them dared put out a claw to it. Presently, they set +their nails to their neck-collars and, rending their feather-suits, +came forth therefrom and became damsels, each and every, like the moon +on fullest night. Then they doffed their dress and plunging into the +water, fell to playing with one another, whilst the chief damsel ducked +the others, who dared not lay a finger on her and she was fairest of +favour and most famous of form and most feateous of finery. They +ceased not to be in this case till near the hour of mid-afternoon +prayer, when they came forth of the basin and, donning their +feather-shifts, flew away home. Thereupon he waxed distracted, with a +heart afire for love of the chief damsel and repenting him that he had +not stolen her plumery. Wherefore he fell sick and abode on the +palace-roof expecting her return and abstaining from meat and drink and +sleep, and he ceased not to be so till the new moon showed, when +behold, they again made their appearance according to custom and +doffing their dresses went down into the basin. So he stole the chief +damsel's feather-suit, knowing that she could not fly save therewith, +hiding himself carefully lest they sight him and slay him. Then he +waited till the rest had flown away, when he arose and seizing the +damsel, carried her down from the terrace into the castle." Her sisters +asked, "Where is she?"; and she answered, "She is with him in such a +chamber." Quoth they, "Describe her to us, O our sister:" so quoth she, +"She is fairer than the moon on the night of fullness and her face is +sheenier than the sun; the dew of her lips is sweeter than honey and +her shape is straighter and slenderer than the cane; one with eyes +black as night and brow flower-white; a bosom jewel-bright, breasts +like pomegranates twain and cheeks like apples twain, a waist with +dimples overlain, a navel like a casket of ivory full of musk in grain, +and legs like columns of alabastrine vein. She ravisheth all hearts +with Nature-kohl'd eyne, and a waist slender-fine and hips of heaviest +design and speech that heals all pain and pine: she is goodly of shape +and sweet of smile, as she were the moon in fullest sheen and shine." +When the Princesses heard these praises, they turned to Hasan and said +to him, "Show her to us." So he arose with them, all love-distraught, +and carrying them to the chamber wherein was the captive damsel, opened +the door and entered, preceding the seven Princesses. Now when they +saw her and noted her loveliness, they kissed the ground between her +hands, marvelling at the fairness of her favour and the significance +which showed her inner gifts, and said to her, "By Allah, O daughter of +the Sovran Supreme, this is indeed a mighty matter: and haddest thou +heard tell of this mortal among women thou haddest marvelled at him all +thy days. Indeed, he loveth thee with passionate love; yet, O King's +daughter, he seeketh not lewdness, but desireth thee only in the way of +lawful wedlock. Had we known that maids can do without men, we had +impeached him from his intent, albeit he sent thee no messenger, but +came to thee in person; and he telleth us he hath burnt the feather +dress; else had we taken it from him." Then one of them agreed with the +Princess and becoming her deputy in the matter of the wedding contract, +performed the marriage ceremony between them, whilst Hasan clapped +palms with her, laying his hand in hers, and she wedded him to the +damsel by consent; after which they celebrated her bridal feast, as +beseemeth Kings' daughters, and brought Hasan in to her. So he rose +and rent the veil and oped the gate and pierced the forge[FN#74] and +brake the seal, whereupon affection for her waxed in him and he +redoubled in love and longing for her. Then, since he had gotten that +which he sought, he gave himself joy and improvised these couplets, + +"Thy shape's temptation, eyes as Houri's fain * And sheddeth + Beauty's sheen[FN#75] that radiance rare: +My glance portrayed thy glorious portraiture: * Rubies one-half + and gems the third part were: +Musk made a fifth: a sixth was ambergris * The sixth a pearl but + pearl without compare. +Eve never bare a daughter evening thee * Nor breathes thy like in + Khuld's[FN#76] celestial air. +An thou would torture me 'tis wont of Love * And if thou pardon + 'tis thy choice I swear: +Then, O world bright'ner and O end of wish! * Loss of thy charms + who could in patience bear?" + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-second Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan +went in unto the King's daughter and did away her maidenhead, he +enjoyed her with exceeding joy and affection for her waxed in him and +he redoubled in love-longing for her; so he recited the lines +aforesaid. Now the Princesses were standing at the door and when they +heard his verses, they said to her, "O King's daughter, hearest thou +the words of this mortal? How canst thou blame us, seeing that he +maketh poetry for love of thee and indeed he hath so done a thousand +times."[FN#77] When she heard this she rejoiced and was glad and felt +happy and Hasan abode with her forty[FN#78] days in all solace and +delight, joyance and happiest plight, whilst the damsels renewed +festivities for him every day and overwhelmed him with bounty and +presents and rarities; and the King's daughter became reconciled to her +sojourn amongst them and forgot her kith and kin. At the end of the +forty days, Hasan saw in a dream, one night, his mother mourning for +him and indeed her bones were wasted and her body had waxed shrunken +and her complexion had yellowed and her favour had changed the while he +was in excellent case. When she saw him in this state, she said to +him, "O my son, O Hasan, how is it that thou livest thy worldly life at +thine ease and forgettest me? Look at my plight since thy loss! I do +not forget thee, nor will my tongue cease to name thy name till I die; +and I have made thee a tomb in my house, that I may never forget thee. +Would Heaven I knew[FN#79] if I shall live, O my son, to see thee by my +side and if we shall ever again foregather as we were." Thereupon +Hasan awoke from sleep, weeping and wailing, the tears railed down his +cheeks like rain and he became mournful and melancholy; his tears dried +not nor did sleep visit him, but he had no rest, and no patience was +left to him. When he arose, the Princesses came in to him and gave him +good-morrow and made merry with him as was their wont; but he paid no +heed to them; so they asked his wife concerning his case and she said, +"I ken not." Quoth they, "Question him of his condition." So she went +up to him and said, "What aileth thee, O my lord?" Whereupon he moaned +and groaned and told her what he had seen in his dream and repeated +these two couplets, + +"Indeed afflicted sore are we and all distraught, * Seeking for + union; yet we find no way: +And Love's calamities upon us grow * And Love though light with + heaviest weight doth weigh." + + +His wife repeated to the Princesses what he said and they, hearing the +verses, had pity on him and said to him, "In Allah's name, do as thou +wilt, for we may not hinder thee from visiting thy mother; nay, we will +help thee to thy wish by what means we may. But it behoveth that thou +desert us not, but visit us, though it be only once a year." And he +answered, "To hear is to obey: be your behest on my head and eyes!" +Then they arose forthright and making him ready victual for the voyage, +equipped the bride for him with raiment and ornaments and everything of +price, such as defy description, and they bestowed on him gifts and +presents which pens of ready writers lack power to set forth. Then they +beat the magical kettle-drum and up came the dromedaries from all +sides. They chose of them such as could carry all the gear they had +prepared; amongst the rest five-and-twenty chests of gold and fifty of +silver; and, mounting Hasan and his bride on others, rode with them +three days, wherein they accomplished a march of three months. Then +they bade them farewell and addressed themselves to return; whereupon +his sister, the youngest damsel, threw herself on Hasan's neck and wept +till she fainted. When she came to herself, she repeated these two +couplets, + +"Ne'er dawn the severance-day on any wise * That robs of sleep + these heavy-lidded eyes. +From us and thee it hath fair union torn * It wastes our force + and makes our forms its prize." + + +Her verses finished she farewelled him, straitly charging him, whenas +he should have come to his native land and have foregathered with his +mother and set his heart at ease, to fail not of visiting her once in +every six months and saying, "If aught grieve thee or thou fear aught +of vexation, beat the Magian's kettle-drum, whereupon the dromedaries +shall come to thee; and do thou mount and return to us and persist not +in staying away." He swore thus to do and conjured them to go home. So +they returned to the palace, mourning for their separation from him, +especially the youngest, with whom no rest would stay nor would +Patience her call obey, but she wept night and day. Thus it was with +them; but as regards Hasan and his wife, they fared on by day and night +over plain and desert site and valley and stony heights through +noon-tide glare and dawn's soft light; and Allah decreed them safety, +so that they reached Bassorah-city without hindrance and made their +camels kneel at the door of his house. Hasan then dismissed the +dromedaries and, going up to the door to open it, heard his mother +weeping and in a faint strain, from a heart worn with parting-pain and +on fire with consuming bane, reciting these couplets, + +"How shall he taste of sleep who lacks repose * Who wakes a-night + when all in slumber wone? +He ownčd wealth and family and fame * Yet fared from house and + home an exile lone: +Live coal beneath his[FN#80] ribs he bears for bane, * And mighty + longing, mightier ne'er was known: +Passion hath seized him, Passion mastered him; * Yet is he + constant while he maketh moan: +His case for Love proclaimeth aye that he, * (As prove his tears) + is wretched, woebegone." + + +When Hasan heard his mother weeping and wailing he wept also and +knocked at the door a loud knock. Quoth she, "Who is at the door?"; +and quoth he, "Open!" Whereupon she opened the door and knowing him at +first sight fell down in a fainting fit; but he ceased not to tend her +till she came to herself, when he embraced her and she embraced him and +kissed him, whilst his wife looked on mother and son. Then he carried +his goods and gear into the house, whilst his mother, for that her +heart was comforted and Allah had reunited her with her son versified +with these couplets, + +"Fortune had ruth upon my plight * Pitied my long long bane and + blight; +Gave me what I would liefest sight; * And set me free from all + afright. +So pardon I the sin that sin * nčd she in days evanisht quite; +E'en to the sin she sinned when she * Bleached my hair-parting + silvern white." + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-third Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan with his +mother then sat talking and she asked him, "How faredst thou, O my son, +with the Persian?" whereto he answered, "O my mother, he was no +Persian, but a Magian, who worshipped the fire, not the All-powerful +Sire." Then he told her how he dealt with him, in that he had +journeyed with him to the Mountain of Clouds and sewed him up in the +camel's skin, and how the vultures had taken him up and set him down on +the summit and what he had seen there of dead folk, whom the Magian had +deluded and left to die on the crest after they had done his desire. +And he told her how he had cast himself from the mountain-top into the +sea and Allah the Most High had preserved him and brought him to the +palace of the seven Princesses and how the youngest of them had taken +him to brother and he had sojourned with them till the Almighty brought +the Magian to the place where he was and he slew him. Moreover, he told +her of his passion for the King's daughter and how he had made prize of +her and of his seeing her[FN#81] in sleep and all else that had +befallen him up to the time when Allah vouchsafed them reunion. She +wondered at his story and praised the Lord who had restored him to her +in health and safety. Then she arose and examined the baggage and +loads and questioned him of them. So he told her what was in them, +whereat she joyed with exceeding joy. Then she went up to the King's +daughter, to talk with her and bear her company; but, when her eyes +fell on her, her wits were confounded at her brilliancy and she +rejoiced and marvelled at her beauty and loveliness and symmetry and +perfect grace: and she sat down beside her, cheering her and comforting +her heart while she never ceased to repeat "Alhamdolillah, O my son, +for thy return to me safe and sound!" Next morning early she went down +into the market and bought mighty fine furniture and ten suits of the +richest raiment in the city, and clad the young wife and adorned her +with everything seemly. Then said she to Hasan, "O my son, we cannot +tarry in this town with all this wealth; for thou knowest that we are +poor folk and the people will suspect us of practising alchemy. So +come, let us depart to Baghdad, the House[FN#82] of Peace, where we may +dwell in the Caliph's Sanctuary, and thou shalt sit in a shop to buy +and sell, in the fear of Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) and +He shall open to thee the door of blessings with this wealth." Hasan +approved her counsel and going forth straightway, sold the house and +summoned the dromedaries, which he loaded with all his goods and gear, +together with his mother and wife. Then he went down to the Tigris, +where he hired him a craft to carry them to Baghdad and embarked +therein all his possessions and his mother and wife. They sailed up the +river with a fair wind for ten days till they drew in sight of Baghdad, +at which they all rejoiced, and the ship landed them in the city, where +without stay or delay Hasan hired a storehouse in one of the +caravanserais and transported his goods thither. He lodged that night +in the Khan and on the morrow, he changed his clothes and going down +into the city, enquired for a broker. The folk directed him to one, +and when the broker saw him, he asked him what he lacked. Quoth he, "I +want a house, a handsome one and a spacious." So the broker showed him +the houses at his disposal and he chose one that belonged to one of the +Wazirs and buying it of him for an hundred thousand golden dinars, gave +him the price. Then he returned to his caravanserai and removed all his +goods and monies to the house; after which he went down to the market +and bought all the mansion needed of vessels and carpets and other +household stuff, besides servants and eunuchs, including a little black +boy for the house. He abode with his wife in all solace and delight of +life three years, during which time he was vouchsafed by her two sons, +one of whom he named Násir and the other Mansúr: but, at the end of +this time he bethought him of his sisters, the Princesses, and called +to mind all their goodness to him and how they had helped him to his +desire. So he longed after them and going out to the marketstreets of +the city, bought trinkets and costly stuffs and fruit-confections, such +as they had never seen or known. His mother asked him the reason of his +buying these rarities and he answered, "I purpose to visit my sisters, +who showed me every kind of kindness and all the wealth that I at +present enjoy is due to their goodness and munificence: wherefore I +will journey to them and return soon, Inshallah!" Quoth she, "O my son, +be not long absent from me;" and quoth he, "Know, O my mother, how thou +shalt do with my wife. Here is her feather-dress in a chest, buried +under ground in such a place; do thou watch over it, lest haply she hap +on it and take it, for she would fly away, she and her children, and I +should never hear of them again and should die of grieving for them; +wherefore take heed, O my mother, while I warn thee that thou name this +not to her. Thou must know that she is the daughter of a King of the +Jinn, than whom there is not a greater among the Sovrans of the Jann +nor a richer in troops and treasure, and she is mistress of her people +and dearest to her father of all he hath. Moreover, she is passing +high-spirited, so do thou serve her thyself and suffer her not to go +forth the door neither look out of window nor over the wall, for I fear +the air for her when it bloweth,[FN#83] and if aught befel her of the +calamities of this world, I should slay myself for her sake." She +replied, "O my son, I take refuge with Allah[FN#84] from gainsaying +thee! Am I mad that thou shouldst lay this charge on me and I disobey +thee therein? Depart, O my son, with heart at ease, and please Allah, +soon thou shalt return in safety and see her and she shall tell thee +how I have dealt with her: but tarry not, O my son, beyond the time of +travel."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan had +determined to visit the Princesses, he gave his mother the orders we +have mentioned.[FN#85] Now, as Fate would have it, his wife heard what +he said to his mother and neither of them knew it. Then Hasan went +without the city and beat the kettle-drum, whereupon up came the +dromedaries and he loaded twenty of them with rarities of Al-Irak; +after which he returned to his mother and repeated his charge to her +and took leave of her and his wife and children, one of whom was a +yearling babe and the other two years old. Then he mounted and fared +on, without stopping night or day, over hills and valleys and plains +and wastes for a term of ten days till, on the eleventh, he reached the +palace and went in to his sisters, with the gifts he had brought them. +The Princesses rejoiced at his sight and gave him joy of his safety, +whilst his sister decorated the palace within and without. Then they +took the presents and, lodging him in a chamber as before, asked him of +his mother and his wife, and he told them that she had borne him two +sons. And the youngest Princess, seeing him well and in good case, +joyed with exceeding joy and repeated this couplet, + +"I ever ask for news of you from whatso breezes pass * And never any +but yourselves can pass across my mind." + +Then he abode with them in all honour and hospitality, for three +months, spending his time in feasting and merrymaking, joy and delight, +hunting and sporting. So fared it with him; but as regards his wife, +she abode with his mother two days after her husband's departure, and +on the third day, she said to her, "Glory be to God! Have I lived with +him three years and shall I never go to the bath?" Then she wept and +Hasan's mother had pity on her condition and said to her, "O my +daughter, here we are strangers and thy husband is abroad. Were he at +home, he would serve thee himself, but, as for me, I know no one. +However, O my daughter, I will heat thee water and wash thy head in the +Hammam-bath which is in the house." Answered the King's daughter, "O my +lady, hadst thou spoken thus to one of the slave-girls, she had +demanded to be sold in the Sultan's open market and had not abode with +thee.[FN#86] Men are excusable, because they are jealous and their +reason telleth them that, if a woman go forth the house, haply she will +do frowardness. But women, O my lady, are not all equal and alike and +thou knowest that, if woman have a mind to aught, whether it be the +Hammam or what not else, none hath power over her to guard her or keep +her chaste or debar her from her desire; for she will do whatso she +willeth and naught restraineth her but her reason and her +religion."[FN#87] Then she wept and cursed fate and bemoaned herself +and her strangerhood, till Hasan's mother was moved to ruth for her +case and knew that all she said was but truth and that there was +nothing for it but to let her have her way. So she committed the +affair to Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) and making ready all that +they needed for the bath, took her and went with her to the Hammam. She +carried her two little sons with her, and when they entered, they put +off their clothes and all the women fell to gazing on the Princess and +glorifying God (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) for that He had +created so fair a form. The women of the city, even those who were +passing by, flocked to gaze upon her, and the report of her was noised +abroad in Baghdad till the bath was crowded that there was no passing +through it. Now it chanced there was present on that day and on that +rare occasion with the rest of the women in the Hammam, one of the +slave-girls of the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, by name +Tohfah[FN#88] the Lutanist, and she, finding the Hammam over crowded +and no passing for the throng of women and girls, asked what was to do; +and they told her of the young lady. So she walked up to her and, +considering her closely, was amazed at her grace and loveliness and +glorified God (magnified be His majesty!) for the fair forms He hath +created. The sight hindered her from her bath, so that she went not +farther in nor washed, but sat staring at the Princess, till she had +made an end of bathing and coming forth of the caldarium donned her +raiment, whereupon beauty was added to her beauty. She sat down on the +divan,[FN#89] whilst the women gazed upon her; then she looked at them +and veiling herself, went out. Tohfah went out with her and followed +her, till she saw where she dwelt, when she left her and returned to +the Caliph's palace; and ceased not wending till she went in to the +Lady Zubaydah and kissed ground between her hands; whereupon quoth her +mistress, "O Tohfah, why hast thou tarried in the Hammam?" She +replied, "O my lady, I have seen a marvel, never saw I its like amongst +men or women, and this it was that distracted me and dazed my wit and +amazed me, so that I forgot even to wash my head." Asked Zubaydah, +"And what was that?" ; and Tohfah answered, "O my lady, I saw a damsel +in the bath, having with her two little boys like moons, eye never +espied her like, nor before her nor after her, neither is there the +fellow of her form in the whole world nor her peer amongst Ajams or +Turks or Arabs. By the munificence, O my lady, an thou toldest the +Commander of the Faithful of her, he would slay her husband and take +her from him, for her like is not to be found among women. I asked of +her mate and they told me that he is a merchant Hasan of Bassorah +hight. Moreover, I followed her from the bath to her own house and +found it to be that of the Wazir, with the two gates, one opening on +the river and the other on the land.[FN#90] Indeed, O my lady, I fear +lest the Prince of True Believers hear of her and break the law and +slay her husband and take love-liesse with her."—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Tohfah, +after seeing the King's daughter, described her beauty to the Lady +Zubaydah ending with, "Indeed, O my mistress, I fear lest the Prince of +True Believers hear of her and break the law and slay her mate and take +her to wife," Zubaydah cried, "Woe to thee, O Tohfah, say me, doth this +damsel display such passing beauty and loveliness that the Commander of +the Faithful should, on her account, barter his soul's good for his +worldly lust and break the Holy Law! By Allah, needs must I look on +her, and if she be not as thou sayest, I will bid strike off thy head! +O strumpet, there are in the Caliph's Serraglio three hundred and three +score slave girls, after the number of the days of the year, yet is +there none amongst them so excellent as thou describest!" Tohfah +replied, "No, by Allah, O my lady!: nor is there her like in all +Baghdad; no, nor amongst the Arabs or the Daylamites nor hath Allah (to +whom belong Might and Majesty!) created the like of her!" Thereupon +Zuhaydah called for Masrur, the eunuch, who came and kissed the ground +before her, and she said to him, "O Masrur, go to the Wazir's house, +that with the two gates, one giving on the water and the other on the +land, and bring me the damsel who dwelleth there, also her two children +and the old woman who is with her, and haste thou and tarry not." Said +Masrur, "I hear and I obey," and repairing to Hasan's house, knocked at +the door. Quoth the old woman, "Who is at the door?" and quoth he, +"Masrur, the eunuch of the Commander of the Faithful." So she opened +the door and he entered and saluted her with the salam; whereupon she +returned his salute and asked his need; and he replied, "The Lady +Zubaydah, daughter of Al-Kasim[FN#91] and queen-spouse of the Commander +of the Faithful Harun al-Rashid sixth[FN#92] of the sons of Al-Abbas, +paternal uncle of the Prophet (whom Allah bless and keep!) summoneth +thee to her, thee and thy son's wife and her children; for the women +have told her anent her and her beauty." Rejoined the old woman, "O my +lord Masrur, we are foreigner folk and the girl's husband (my son) who +is abroad and far from home hath strictly charged me not to go forth +nor let her go forth in his absence, neither show her to any of the +creatures of Allah Almighty; and I fear me, if aught befal her and he +come back, he will slay himself; wherefore of thy favour I beseech +thee, O Masrur, require us not of that whereof we are unable." Masrur +retorted, "O my lady, if I knew aught to be feared for you in this, I +would not require you to go; the Lady Zubaydah desireth but to see her +and then she may return. So disobey not or thou wilt repent; and like +as I take you, I will bring you both back in safety, Inshallah!" +Hasan's mother could not gainsay him; so she went in and making the +damsel ready, brought her and her children forth and they all followed +Masrur to the palace of the Caliphate where he carried them in and +seated them on the floor before the Lady Zubaydah. They kissed ground +before her and called down blessings upon her; and Zubaydah said to the +young lady (who was veiled), "Wilt thou not uncover thy face, that I +may look on it?" So she kissed the ground between her hands and +discovered a face which put to shame the full moon in the height of +heaven. Zubaydah fixed her eyes on her and let their glances wander +over her, whilst the palace was illumined by the light of her +countenance; whereupon the Queen and the whole company were amazed at +her beauty and all who looked on her became Jinn-mad and unable to +bespeak one another. As for Zubaydah, she rose and making the damsel +stand up, strained her to her bosom and seated her by herself on the +couch. Moreover, she bade decorate the palace in her honour and calling +for a suit of the richest raiment and a necklace of the rarest +ornaments put them upon her. Then said she to her, "O liege lady of +fair ones, verily thou astoundest me and fillest mine eyes.[FN#93] What +arts knowest thou?" She replied, "O my lady, I have a dress of +feathers, and could I but put it on before thee, thou wouldst see one +of the fairest of fashions and marvel thereat, and all who saw it would +talk of its goodliness, generation after generation." Zubaydah asked, +"And where is this dress of thine?"; and the damsel answered, "'Tis +with my husband's mother. Do thou seek it for me of her." So Zubaydah +said to the old woman, "O my lady the pilgrimess, O my mother, go forth +and fetch us her feather-dress, that we may solace ourselves by looking +on what she will do, and after take it back again." Replied the old +woman, "O my lady, this damsel is a liar. Hast thou ever seen any of +womankind with a dress of feathers? Indeed, this belongeth only to +birds." But the damsel said to the Lady Zubaydah, "As thou livest, O my +lady, she hath a feather-dress of mine and it is in a chest, which is +buried in such a store-closet in the house." So Zubaydah took off her +neck a rivičre of jewels, worth all the treasures of Chosroe and Cćsar, +and gave it to the old woman, saying, "O my mother, I conjure thee by +my life, take this necklace and go and fetch us this dress, that we may +divert ourselves with the sight thereof, and after take it again!" But +she sware to her that she had never seen any such dress and wist not +what the damsel meant by her speech. Then the Lady Zubaydah cried out +at her and taking the key from her, called Masrur and said to him as +soon as her came, "Take this key and go to the house; then open it and +enter a store-closet there whose door is such and such and amiddlemost +of it thou wilt find a chest buried. Take it out and break it open and +bring me the feather-dress which is therein and set it before me."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Lady +Zubaydah, having taken the key from Hasan's mother, handed it to +Masrur, saying, "Take this key and open such a closet; then bring forth +of it the chest; break it open; bring me the feather-dress which is +therein and set it before me." "Hearkening and obedience," replied he +and taking the key went forth, whereupon the old woman arose and +followed him, weeping-eyed and repenting her of having given ear to the +damsel and gone with her to the bath, for her desire to go thither was +but a device. So she went with him to the house and opened the door of +the closet, and he entered and brought out the chest. Then he took +therefrom the feather-dress and wrapping it in a napkin, carried it to +the Lady Zubaydah, who took it and turned it about, marvelling at the +beauty of its make; after which she gave it to the damsel, saying, "Is +this thy dress of feathers?" She replied, "Yes, O my lady," and at +once putting forth her hand, took it joyfully. Then she examined it and +rejoiced to find it whole as it was, not a feather gone. So she rose +and came down from beside the Lady Zubaydah and taking her sons in her +bosom, wrapped herself in the feather-dress and became a bird, by the +ordinance of Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!), whereat +Zubaydah marvelled as did all who were present. Then she walked with a +swaying and graceful gait and danced and sported and flapped her wings, +whilst all eyes were fixed on her and all marvelled at what she did. +Then said she with fluent tongue, "Is this goodly, O my ladies?"; and +they replied, "Yes, O Princess of the fair! All thou dost is goodly." +Said she, "And this, O my mistresses, that I am about to do is better +yet." Then she spread her wings and flying up with her children to the +dome of the palace, perched on the saloon-roof whilst they all looked +at her, wide-eyed and said, "By Allah, this is indeed a rare and +peregrine fashion! Never saw we its like." Then, as she was about to +take flight for her own land, she bethought her of Hasan and said, +"Hark ye, my mistresses!" and she improvised these couplets,[FN#94] + +"O who hast quitted these abodes and faredst lief and light * To + other objects of thy love with fain and fastest flight! +Deem'st thou that 'bided I with you in solace and in joy * Or + that my days amid you all were clear of bane and blight? +When I was captive ta'en of Love and snarčd in his snare, * He + made of Love my prison and he fared fro' me forthright: +So when my fear was hidden, he made sure that ne'er should I * + Pray to the One, th' Omnipotent to render me my right: +He charged his mother keep the secret with all the care she + could, * In closet shut and treated me with enemy's + despight: +But I o'erheard their words and held them fast in memory * And + hoped for fortune fair and weal and blessings infinite: +My faring to the Hammam-bath then proved to me the means * Of + making minds of folk to be confounded at my sight: +Wondered the Bride of Al-Rashid to see my brilliancy * When she + beheld me right and left with all of beauty dight: +Then quoth I, 'O our Caliph's wife, I once was wont to own * A + dress of feathers rich and rare that did the eyes delight: +An it were now on me thou shouldst indeed see wondrous things * + That would efface all sorrows and disperse all sores of + sprite:' +Then deigned our Caliph's Bride to cry, 'Where is that dress of + thine?' * And I replied, 'In house of him kept darkling as + the night.' +So down upon it pounced Masrúr and brought it unto her, * And + when 'twas there each feather cast a ray of beaming light: +Therewith I took it from his hand and opened it straightway * And + saw its plumčd bosom and its buttons pleased my sight: +And so I clad myself therein and took with me my babes; * And + spread my wings and flew away with all my main and might; +Saying, 'O husband's mother mine tell him when cometh he * An + ever wouldest meet her thou from house and home must flee."' + + +When she had made an end of her verses, the Lady Zubaydah said to her, +"Wilt thou not come down to us, that we may take our fill of thy +beauty, O fairest of the fair? Glory be to Him who hath given thee +eloquence and brilliance!" But she said, "Far be from me that the Past +return should see!" Then said she to the mother of the hapless, +wretched Hasan, "By Allah, O my lady, O mother of my husband, it irketh +me to part from thee; but, whenas thy son cometh to thee and upon him +the nights of severance longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and +meeting to see and whenas breezes of love and longing shake him +dolefully, let him come in the islands of Wák[FN#95] to me." Then she +took flight with her children and sought her own country, whilst the +old woman wept and beat her face and moaned and groaned till she +swooned away. When she came to herself, she said to the Lady Zubaydah, +"O my lady, what is this thou hast done?" And Zubaydah said to her, "O +my lady the pilgrimess, I knew not that this would happen and hadst +thou told me of the case and acquainted me with her condition, I had +not gainsaid thee. Nor did I know until now that she was of the Flying +Jinn; else had I not suffered her to don the dress nor permitted her to +take her children: but now, O my lady, words profit nothing; so do thou +acquit me of offence against thee." And the old woman could do no +otherwise than shortly answer, "Thou art acquitted!" Then she went +forth the palace of the Caliphate and returned to her own house, where +she buffeted her face till she swooned away, When she came to herself, +she pined for her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren and for the +sight of her son and versified with these couplets, + +"Your faring on the parting-day drew many a tear fro' me, * Who + must your flying from the home long mourn in misery: +And cried I for the parting pang in anguish likest fire * And + tear-floods chafed mine eyelids sore that ne'er of tears + were free; +'Yes, this is Severance, Ah, shall we e'er joy return of you? * + For your departure hath deprived my power of privacy!' +Ah, would they had returned to me in covenant of faith * An they + return perhaps restore of past these eyne may see." + + +Then arising she dug in the house three graves and betook herself to +them with weeping all whiles of the day and watches of the night; and +when her son's absence was longsome upon her and grief and yearning and +unquiet waxed upon her, she recited these couplets, + +"Deep in mine eye-balls ever dwells the phantom-form of thee * My + heart when throbbing or at rest holds fast thy memory: +And love of thee doth never cease to course within my breast, * + As course the juices in the fruits which deck the branchy + tree: +And every day I see thee not my bosom straightened is * And even + censurers excuse the woes in me they see: +O thou whose love hath gotten hold the foremost in the heart * Of + me whose fondness is excelled by mine insanity: +Fear the Compassionate in my case and some compassion show! * + Love of thee makes me taste of death in bitterest pungency." + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan's +mother bewept through the watches of the night and the whiles of the +day her separation from her son and his wife and children. On this +wise it fared with her; but as regards Hasan, when he came to the +Princesses, they conjured him to tarry with them three months, after +which long sojourn they gave him five loads of gold and the like of +silver and one load of victual and accompanied him on his homeward way +till he conjured them to return, whereupon they farewelled him with an +embrace; but the youngest came up to him, to bid him adieu and clasping +his neck wept till she fainted. Then she recited these two couplets, + +"When shall the severance-fire be quenched by union, love, with + you? * When shall I win my wish of you and days that were + renew? +The parting-day affrighted me and wrought me dire dismay * And + doubleth woe, O master mine, by the sad word 'Adieu.'" + + +Anon came forward the second Princess and embraced him and recited +these two couplets, + +"Farewelling thee indeed is like to bidding life farewell * And + like the loss of Zephyr[FN#96] 'tis to lose thee far our + sight: +Thine absence is a flaming fire which burneth up my heart * And + in thy presence I enjoy the Gardens of Delight."[FN#97] + + +Presently came forward the third and embraced him and recited these two +couplets, + +"We left not taking leave of thee (when bound to other goal) * + From aught of ill intention or from weariness and dole: +Thou art my soul, my very soul, the only soul of me: * And how + shall I farewell myself and say, 'Adieu my Soul?'"[FN#98] + + +After her came forward the fourth and embraced him and recited these +two couplets, + +"Nought garred me weep save where and when of severance spake he, + * Persisting in his cruel will with sore persistency: +Look at this pearl-like ornament I've hung upon mine ear: * 'Tis + of the tears of me compact, this choicest jewelry!" + + +In her turn came forward the fifth and embraced him and recited these +two couplets, + +"Ah, fare thee not; for I've no force thy faring to endure, * Nor + e'en to say the word farewell before my friend is sped: +Nor any patience to support the days of severance, * Nor any + tears on ruined house and wasted home to shed." + + +Next came the sixth and embraced him and recited these two couplets, + +"I cried, as the camels went off with them, * And Love pained my + vitals with sorest pain: +Had I a King who would lend me rule * I'd seize every ship that + dares sail the Main." + + +Lastly came forward the seventh and embraced him and recited these +couplets, + +"When thou seest parting, be patient still, * Nor let foreign + parts deal thy soul affright: +But abide, expecting a swift return, * For all hearts hold + parting in sore despight." + + +And eke these two couplets, + +"Indeed I'm heartbroken to see thee start, * Nor can I farewell + thee ere thou depart; +Allah wotteth I left not to say adieu * Save for fear that saying + would melt your heart." + + +Hasan also wept for parting from them, till he swooned, and repeated +these couplets, + +"Indeed, ran my tears on the severance-day * Like pearls I + threaded in necklace-way: +The cameleer drove his camels with song * But I lost heart, + patience and strength and stay: +I bade them farewell and retired in grief * From tryst-place and + camp where my dearlings lay: +I turned me unknowing the way nor joyed * My soul, but in hopes + to return some day. +Oh listen, my friend, to the words of love * God forbid thy heart + forget all I say! +O my soul when thou partest wi' them, part too * With all joys of + life nor for living pray!" + + +Then he farewelled them and fared on diligently night and day, till he +came to Baghdad, the House of Peace and Sanctuary of the Abbaside +Caliphs, unknowing what had passed during his wayfare. At once entering +his house he went in to his mother to salute her, but found her worn of +body and wasted of bones, for excess of mourning and watching, weeping +and wailing, till she was grown thin as a tooth-pick and could not +answer him a word. So he dismissed the dromedaries then asked her of +his wife and children and she wept till she fainted, and he seeing her +in this state searched the house for them, but found no trace of them. +Then he went to the store-closet and finding it open and the chest +broken and the feather-dress missing, knew forthright that his wife had +possessed herself thereof and flown away with her children. Then he +returned to his mother and, finding her recovered from her fit, +questioned her of his spouse and babes, whereupon she wept and said, "O +my son, may Allah amply requite thee their loss! These are their three +tombs."[FN#99] When Hasan heard these words of his mother, he shrieked +a loud shriek and fell down in a fainting-fit in which he lay from the +first of the day till noon-tide; whereupon anguish was added to his +mother's anguish and she despared of his life. However, after a-while, +he came to himself and wept and buffeted his face and rent his raiment +and went about the house clean distraught, reciting these two +couplets,[FN#100] + +"Folk have made moan of passion before me, of past years, * And + live and dead for absence have suffered pains and fears; +But that within my bosom I harbour, with mine eyes * I've never + seen the like of nor heard with mine ears." + + +Then finishing his verses he bared his brand and coming up to his +mother, said to her, "Except thou tell me the truth of the case, I will +strike off thy head and kill myself." She replied, "O my son, do not +such deed: put up thy sword and sit down, till I tell thee what hath +passed." So he sheathed his scymitar and sat by her side, whilst she +recounted to him all that had happened in his absence from first to +last, adding, "O my son, but that I saw her weep in her longing for the +bath and feared that she would go and complain to thee on thy return, +and thou wouldst be wroth with me, I had never carried her thither; and +were it not that the Lady Zubaydah was wroth with me and took the key +from me by force, I had never brought out the feather-dress, though I +died for it. But thou knowest, O my son, that no hand may measure +length with that of the Caliphate. When they brought her the dress, +she took it and turned it over, fancying that somewhat might be lost +thereof, but she found it uninjured; wherefore she rejoiced and making +her children fast to her waist, donned the feather-vest, after the Lady +Zubaydah had pulled off to her all that was upon herself and clad her +therein, in honour of her and because of her beauty. No sooner had she +donned the dress than she shook and becoming a bird, promenaded about +the palace, whilst all who were present gazed at her and marvelled at +her beauty and loveliness. Then she flew up to the palace roof and +perching thereon, looked at me and said: 'Whenas thy son cometh to thee +and the nights of separation upon him longsome shall be and he craveth +reunion and meeting to see and whenas the breezes of love and longing +shake him dolefully let him leave his native land and journey to the +Islands of Wak and seek me.' This, then, is her story and what befel in +thine absence."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as +Hasan's mother had made an end of her story, he gave a great cry and +fell down in a fainting fit which continued till the end of day, when +he revived and fell to buffeting his face and writhing on the floor +like a scotched snake. His mother sat weeping by his head until +midnight, when he came to himself and wept sore and recited these +couplets',[FN#101] + +"Pause ye and see his sorry state since when ye fain withdrew; * + Haply, when wrought your cruelty, you'll have the grace to + rue: +For an ye look on him, you'll doubt of him by sickness-stress * + As though, by Allah, he were one before ye never knew. +He dies for nothing save for love of you, and he would be * + Numbered amid the dead did not he moan and groan for you. +And deem not pangs of severance sit all lightly on his soul; * + 'Tis heavy load on lover-wight; 'twere lighter an ye slew." + + +Then having ended his verse he rose and went round about the house, +weeping and wailing, groaning and bemoaning himself, five days, during +which he tasted nor meat nor drink. His mother came to him and +conjured him, till he broke his fast, and besought him to leave +weeping; but he hearkened not to her and continued to shed tears and +lament, whilst she strove to comfort him and he heeded her not. Then +he recited these couplets,[FN#102] + +"Beareth for love a burden sore this soul of me, * Could break a + mortal's back however strong that be; +I am distraught to see my case and languor grows * Making my day + and night indifferent in degree: +I own to having dreaded Death before this day: * This day I hold + my death mine only remedy." + + +And Hasan ceased not to do thus till daybreak, when his eyes closed and +he saw in a dream his wife grief-full and repentant for that which she +had done. So he started up from sleep crying out and reciting these +two couplets, + +"Their image bides with me, ne'er quits me, ne'er shall fly; * + But holds within my heart most honourable stead; +But for reunion-hope, I'd see me die forthright, * And but for + phantom-form of thee my sleep had fled." + + +And as morning morrowed he redoubled his lamentations. He abode +weeping-eyed and heavy-hearted, wakeful by night and eating little, for +a whole month, at the end of which he bethought him to repair to his +sisters and take counsel with them in the matter of his wife, so haply +they might help him to regain her. Accordingly he summoned the +dromedaries and loading fifty of them with rarities of Al-Irak, +committed the house to his mother's care and deposited all his goods in +safe keeping, except some few he left at home. Then he mounted one of +the beasts and set out on his journey single handed, intent upon +obtaining aidance from the Princesses, and he stayed not till he +reached the Palace of the Mountain of Clouds, when he went in to the +damsels and gave them the presents in which they rejoiced. Then they +wished him joy of his safety and said to him, "O our brother, what can +ail thee to come again so soon, seeing thou wast with us but two months +since?" Whereupon he wept and improvised these couplets, + +"My soul for loss of lover sped I sight; * Nor life enjoying + neither life's delight: +My case is one whose cure is all unknown; * Can any cure the sick + but doctor wight? +O who hast reft my sleep-joys, leaving me * To ask the breeze + that blew from that fair site,— +Blew from my lover's land (the land that owns * Those charms so + sore a grief in soul excite), +'O breeze, that visitest her land, perhaps * Breathing her scent, + thou mayst revive my sprite!'" + + +And when he ended his verse he gave a great cry and fell down in a +fainting-fit. The Princesses sat round him, weeping over him, till he +recovered and repeated these two couplets, + +"Haply and happily may Fortune bend her rein * Bringing my love, + for Time's a freke of jealous strain;[FN#103] +Fortune may prosper me, supply mine every want, * And bring a + blessing where before were ban and bane." + + +Then he wept till he fainted again, and presently coming to himself +recited the two following couplets, + +"My wish, mine illness, mine unease! by Allah, own * Art thou + content? then I in love contented wone! +Dost thou forsake me thus sans crime or sin * Meet me in ruth, I + pray, and be our parting gone." + + +Then he wept till he swooned away once more and when he revived he +repeated these couplets, + +"Sleep fled me, by my side wake ever shows * And hoard of + tear-drops from these eyne aye flows; +For love they weep with beads cornelian-like * And growth of + distance greater dolence grows: +Lit up my longing, O my love, in me * Flames burning 'neath my + ribs with fiery throes! +Remembering thee a tear I never shed * But in it thunder roars + and leven glows." + + +Then he wept till he fainted away a fourth time, and presently +recovering, recited these couplets, + +"Ah! for lowe of love and longing suffer ye as suffer we? * Say, + as pine we and as yearn we for you are pining ye? +Allah do the death of Love, what a bitter draught is his! * Would + I wot of Love what plans and what projects nurseth he! +Your faces radiant-fair though afar from me they shine, * Are + mirrored in our eyes whatsoever the distance be; +My heart must ever dwell on the memories of your tribe; * And the + turtle-dove reneweth all as oft as moaneth she: +Ho thou dove, who passest night-tide in calling on thy fere, * + Thou doublest my repine, bringing grief for company; +And leavest thou mine eyelids with weeping unfulfilled * For the + dearlings who departed, whom we never more may see: +I melt for the thought of you at every time and hour, * And I + long for you when Night showeth cheek of blackest blee." + + +Now when his sister heard these words and saw his condition and how he +lay fainting on the floor, she screamed and beat her face and the other +Princesses hearing her scream came out and learning his misfortune and +the transport of love and longing and the passion and distraction that +possessed him they questioned him of his case. He wept and told them +what had befallen in his absence and how his wife had taken flight with +her children, wherefore they grieved for him and asked him what she +said at leave-taking. Answered he, "O my sisters, she said to my +mother, 'Tell thy son, whenas he cometh to thee and the nights of +severance upon him longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting +to see, and whenas the winds of love and longing shake him dolefully, +let him fare in the Islands of Wak to me." When they heard his words +they signed one to other with their eyes and shook their heads, and +each looked at her sister, whilst Hasan looked at them all. Then they +bowed their heads groundwards and bethought themselves awhile; after +which they raised their heads and said, "There is no Majesty and there +is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!"; presently adding, +"Put forth thy hand to heaven and when thou reach thither, then shalt +thou win to thy wife.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Princesses said to Hasan, "Put forth thy hand to Heaven and when thou +reach thither, then shalt thou win to wife and children," thereat the +tears ran down his cheeks like rain and wet his clothes, and he recited +these couplets, + +"Pink cheeks and eyes enpupil'd black have dealt me sore + despight; * And whenas wake overpowered sleep my patience + fled in fright: +The fair and sleek-limbed maidens hard of heart withal laid waste + * My very bones till not a breath is left for man to sight: +Houris, who fare with gait of grace as roes o'er sandy-mound: * + Did Allah's saints behold their charms they'd doat thereon + forthright; +Faring as fares the garden breeze that bloweth in the dawn. * For + love of them a sore unrest and troubles rack my sprite: +I hung my hopes upon a maid, a loveling fair of them, * For whom + my heart still burns with lowe in Lazá-hell they light;— +A dearling soft of sides and haught and graceful in her gait, * + Her grace is white as morning, but her hair is black as + night: +She stirreth me! But ah, how many heroes have her cheeks * + Upstirred for love, and eke her eyes that mingle black and + white." + + +Then he wept, whilst the Princesses wept for his weeping, and they were +moved to compassion and jealousy for him. So they fell to comforting +him and exhorting him to patience and offering up prayers for his +reunion with his wife; whilst his sister said to him, "O my brother, be +of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear and be patient; so +shalt thou win thy will; for whoso hath patience and waiteth, that he +seeketh attaineth. Patience holdeth the keys of relief and indeed the +poet saith, + +'Let destiny with slackened rein its course appointed fare! And + lie thou down to sleep by night, with heart devoid of care; +For 'twixt the closing of an eye and th' opening thereof, God + hath it in His power to change a case from foul to + fair."[FN#104] + + +So hearten thy heart and brace up thy resolve, for the son of ten years +dieth not in the ninth.[FN#105] Weeping and grief and mourning gender +sickness and disease; wherefore do thou abide with us till thou be +rested, and I will devise some device for thy winning to thy wife and +children, Inshallah—so it please Allah the Most High!" And he wept +sore and recited these verses, + +"An I be healed of disease in frame, * I'm unhealed of illness in + heart and sprite: +There is no healing disease of love, * Save lover and loved one + to re-unite." + + +Then he sat down beside her and she proceeded to talk with him and +comfort him and question him of the cause and the manner of his wife's +departure. So he told her and she said, "By Allah, O my brother, I was +minded to bid thee burn the feather-dress, but Satan made me forget +it." She ceased not to converse with him and caress him and company +with him other ten days, whilst sleep visited him not and he delighted +not in food; and when the case was longsome upon him and unrest waxed +in him, he versified with these couplets, + +"A beloved familiar o'erreigns my heart * And Allah's ruling + reigns evermore: +She hath all the Arabs' united charms * This gazelle who feeds on + my bosom's core. +Though my skill and patience for love of her fail, * I weep + whilst I wot that 'tis vain to deplore. +The dearling hath twice seven years, as though * She were moon of + five nights and of five plus four."[FN#106] + + +When the youngest Princess saw him thus distracted for love and +longing-for passion and the fever-heat of desire, she went in to her +sisterhood weeping-eyed and woeful-hearted, and shedding copious tears +threw herself upon them, kissed their feet and besought them to devise +some device for bringing Hasan to the Islands of Wak and effecting his +reunion with his wife and wees. She ceased not to conjure them to +further her brother in the accomplishment of his desire and to weep +before them, till she made them weep and they said to her, "Hearten thy +heart: we will do our best endeavour to bring about his reunion with +his family, Inshallah!" And he abode with them a whole year, during +which his eyes never could retain their tears. Now the sisterhood had +an uncle, brother-german to their sire and his name was Abd al-Kaddús, +or Slave of the Most Holy; and he loved the eldest with exceeding love +and was wont to visit her once a year and do all she desired. They had +told him of Hasan's adventure with the Magian and how he had been able +to slay him; whereat he rejoiced and gave the eldest Princess a +pouch[FN#107] which contained certain perfumes, saying, "O daughter of +my brother, an thou be in concern for aught, or if aught irk thee, or +thou stand in any need, cast of these perfumes upon fire naming my name +and I will be with thee forthright and will do thy desire." This speech +was spoken on the first of Moharram[FN#108]; and the eldest Princess +said to one of the sisterhood, "Lo, the year is wholly past and my +uncle is not come. Rise, bring me the fire-sticks and the box of +perfumes." So the damsel arose rejoicing and, fetching what she sought, +laid it before her sister, who opened the box and taking thence a +little of the perfume, cast it into the fire, naming her unde's name; +nor was it burnt out ere appeared a dust-cloud at the farther end of +the Wady; and presently lifting, it discovered a Shaykh riding on an +elephant, which moved at a swift and easy pace, and trumpeted under the +rider. As soon as he came within sight of the Princesses, he began +making signs to them with his hands and feet; nor was it long ere he +reached the castle and, alighting from the elephant, came in to them, +whereupon they embraced him and kissed his hands and saluted him with +the salam. Then he sat down, whilst the girls talked with him and +questioned him of his absence. Quoth he, "I was sitting but now with my +wife, your aunt, when I smelt the perfumes and hastened to you on this +elephant. What wouldst thou, O daughter of my brother?" Quoth she, "O +uncle, indeed we longed for thee, as the year is past and 'tis not thy +wont to be absent from us more than a twelvemonth." Answered he, "I was +busy, but I purposed to come to you to-morrow." Wherefore they thanked +him and blessed him and sat talking with him.—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundredth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the girls +sat down to chat with their uncle the eldest said to him, "O my uncle, +we told thee the tale of Hasan of Bassorah, whom Bahram the Magian +brought and how he slew the wizard and how, after enduring all manner +of hardships and horrors, he made prize of the Supreme King's daughter +and took her to wife and journeyed with her to his native land?" +Replied he, "Yes, and what befel him after that?" Quoth the Princess, +"She played him false after he was blest with two sons by her; for she +took them in his absence and fled with them to her own country, saying +to his mother: 'Whenas thy son returneth to thee and asketh for me and +upon him the nights of severance longsome shall be and he craveth +reunion and meeting to see and whenas the breezes of love and longing +shake him dolefully, let him come in the Islands of Wak to me.'" When +Abd al-Kaddus heard this, he shook his head and bit his forefinger; +then, bowing his brow groundwards he began to make marks on the earth +with his finger-tips;[FN#109] after which he again shook his head and +looked right and left and shook his head a third time, whilst Hasan +watched him from a place where he was hidden from him. Then said the +Princesses to their uncle, "Return us some answer, for our hearts are +rent in sunder." But he shook his head at them, saying, "O my +daughters, verily hath this man wearied himself in vain and cast +himself into grievous predicament and sore peril; for he may not gain +access to the Islands of Wak." With this the Princesses called Hasan, +who came forth and, advancing to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus, kissed his hand +and saluted him. The old man rejoiced in him and seated him by his +side; whereupon quoth the damsels, "O uncle, acquaint our brother Hasan +with that thou hast told us." So he said to Hasan, "O my son, put away +from thee this peine forte et dure; for thou canst never gain access to +the Islands of Wak, though the Flying Jinn and the Wandering Stars were +with thee; for that betwixt thee and these islands are seven Wadys and +seven seas and seven mighty mountains. How then canst thou come at +this stead and who shall bring thee thither? Wherefore, Allah upon +thee, O my son, do thou reckon thy spouse and sons as dead and turn +back forthright and weary not thy sprite! Indeed, I give thee good +counsel, an thou wilt but accept it." Hearing these words from the +Shaykh, Hasan wept till he fainted, and the Princesses sat round him, +weeping for his weeping, whilst the youngest sister rent her raiment +and buffeted her face, till she swooned away. When Shaykh Abd +al-Kaddus saw them in this transport of grief and trouble and mourning, +he was moved to ruth for them and cried, "Be ye silent!" Then said he +to Hasan, "O my son, hearten thy heart and rejoice in the winning of +thy wish, an it be the will of Allah the Most High;" presently adding, +"Rise, O my son, take courage and follow me." So Hasan arose +forthright and after he had taken leave of the Princesses followed him, +rejoicing in the fulfilment of his wish. Then the Shaykh called the +elephant and mounting, took Hasan up behind him and fared on three days +with their nights, like the blinding leven, till he came to a vast blue +mountain, whose stones were all of azure hue and amiddlemost of which +was a cavern, with a door of Chinese iron. Here he took Hasan's hand +and let him down and alighting dismissed the elephant. Then he went up +to the door and knocked, whereupon it opened and there came out to him +a black slave, hairless, as he were an Ifrit, with brand in right hand +and targe of steel in left. When he saw Abd al-Kaddus, he threw sword +and buckler from his grip and coming up to the Shaykh kissed his hand. +Thereupon the old man took Hasan by the hand and entered with him, +whilst the slave shut the door behind them; when Hasan found himself in +a vast cavern and a spacious, through which ran an arched corridor and +they ceased not faring on therein a mile or so, till it abutted upon a +great open space and thence they made for an angle of the mountain +wherein were two huge doors cast of solid brass. The old man opened +one of them and said to Hasan, "Sit at the door, whilst I go within and +come back to thee in haste, and beware lest thou open it and enter." +Then he fared inside and, shutting the door after him, was absent +during a full sidereal hour, after which he returned, leading a black +stallion, thin of flank and short of nose, which was ready bridled and +saddled, with velvet housings; and when it ran it flew, and when it +flew, the very dust in vain would pursue; and brought it to Hasan, +saying, "Mount!" So he mounted and Abd al-Kaddus opened the second +door, beyond which appeared a vast desert. Then the twain passed +through the door into that desert and the old man said to him, "O my +son, take this scroll and wend thou whither this steed will carry thee. + When thou seest him stop at the door of a cavern like this, alight and +throw the reins over the saddle-bow and let him go. He will enter the +cavern, which do thou not enter with him, but tarry at the door five +days, without being weary of waiting. On the sixth day there will come +forth to thee a black Shaykh, clad all in sable, with a long white +beard, flowing down to his navel. As soon as thou seest him, kiss his +hands and seize his skirt and lay it on thy head and weep before him, +till he take pity on thee and he will ask thee what thou wouldst have. +When he saith to thee, 'What is thy want?' give him this scroll which +he will take without speaking and go in and leave thee. Wait at the +door other five days, without wearying, and on the sixth day expect +him; and if he come out to thee himself, know that thy wish will be +won, but, if one of his pages come forth to thee, know that he who +cometh forth to thee, purposeth to kill thee; and—the Peace![FN#110] +For know, O my son, that whoso self imperilleth doeth himself to +death;"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and First Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after +handing the scroll to Hasan, Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus told him what would +befal him and said, "Whoso self imperilleth doeth himself to death; but +also who ventureth naught advantageth naught. However an thou fear for +thy life, cast it not into danger of destruction; but, an thou fear +not, up and do thy will, for I have expounded to thee the whole case. +Yet shouldest thou be minded to return to thy friends the elephant is +still here and he will carry thee to my nieces, who will restore thee +to thy country and return thee to thy home, and Allah will vouchsafe +thee a better than this girl, of whom thou art enamoured." Hasan +answered the Shaykh, saying, "And how shall life be sweet to me, except +I win my wish? By Allah, I will never turn back, till I regain my +beloved or my death overtake me!" And he wept and recited these +couplets, + +"For loss of lover mine and stress of love I dree, * I stood + bewailing self in deep despondency. +Longing for him, the Spring-camp's dust I kissed and kissed, * + But this bred more of grief and galling reverie. +God guard the gone, who in our hearts must e'er abide * With + nearing woes and joys which still the farther flee. +They say me, 'Patience!' But they bore it all away: * On + parting-day, and left me naught save tormentry. +And naught affrighted me except the word he said, * 'Forget me + not when gone nor drive from memory.' +To whom shall turn I? hope in whom when you are lost? * Who were + my only hopes and joys and woes of me? +But ah, the pang of home-return when parting thus! * How joyed at + seeing me return mine enemy. +Then well-away! this 'twas I guarded me against! * And ah, thou + lowe of Love double thine ardency![FN#111] +An fled for aye my friends I'll not survive the flight; * Yet an + they deign return, Oh joy! Oh ecstacy! +Never, by Allah tears and weeping I'll contain * For loss of you, + but tears on tears and tears will rain." + + +When Abd al-Kaddus heard his verse he knew that he would not turn back +from his desire nor would words have effect on him, and was certified +that naught would serve him but he must imperil himself, though it lose +him his life. So he said to him, "Know, O my son, that the Islands of +Wak are seven islands, wherein is a mighty host, all virgin girls, and +the Inner Isles are peopled by Satans and Marids and warlocks and +various tribesmen of the Jinn; and whoso entereth their land never +returneth thence; at least none hath done so to this day. So, Allah +upon thee, return presently to thy people, for know that she whom thou +seekest is the King's daughter of all these islands: and how canst thou +attain to her? Hearken to me, O my son, and haply Allah will vouchsafe +thee in her stead a better than she." "O my lord," answered Hasan, +though for the love of her I were cut in pieces yet should I but +redouble in love and transport! There is no help but that I enter the +Wak Islands and come to the sight of my wife and children; and +Inshallah, I will not return save with her and with them." Said the +Shaykh, "Then nothing will serve thee but thou must make the journey?" +Hasan replied "Nothing! and I only ask of thee thy prayers for help and +aidance; so haply Allah will reunite me with my wife and children right +soon." Then he wept for stress of longing and recited these couplets, + +"You are my wish, of creatures brightest-light * I deem you lief + as hearing, fain as sight: +You hold my heart which hath become your home * And since you + left me, lords, right sore's my plight: +Then think not I have yielded up your love, * Your love which set + this wretch in fierce affright: +You went and went my joy whenas you went; * And waned and wax'ed + wan the brightest light: +You left me lone to watch the stars in woe: * Railing tears + likest rain-drops infinite. +Thou'rt longsome to the wight, who pining lies * On wake, + moon-gazing through the night, +O Night! Wind! an thou pass the tribe where they abide * Give + them my greeting, life is fain of flight. +And tell them somewhat of the pangs I bear: * The loved one + kenneth not my case aright." + + +Then he wept with sore weeping till he fainted away; and when he came +to himself, Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus said to him, "O my son, thou hast a +mother; make her not taste the torment of thy loss." Hasan replied, "By +Allah, O my lord, I will never return except with my wife, or my death +shall overtake me." And he wept and wailed and recited these couplets, + +"By Love's right! naught of farness thy slave can estrange * Nor + am I one to fail in my fealty: +I suffer such pains did I tell my case * To folk, they'd cry, + 'Madness! clean witless is he!' +Then ecstasy, love-longing, transport and lowe! * Whose case is + such case how shall ever he be?" + + +With this the old man knew that he would not turn from his purpose, +though it cost him his life; so he handed him the scroll and prayed for +him and charged him how he should do, saying "I have in this letter +given a strict charge concerning thee to Abú al-Ruwaysh,[FN#112] son of +Bilkís, daughter of Mu'in, for he is my Shaykh and my teacher, and all, +men and Jinn, humble themselves to him and stand in awe of him. And +now go with the blessing of God." Hasan forthright set out giving the +horse the rein, and it flew off with him swiftlier than lightning, and +stayed not in its course ten days, when he saw before him a vast loom +black as night, walling the world from East to West. As he neared it, +the stallion neighed under him, whereupon there flocked to it horses in +number as the drops of rain, none could tell their tale or against them +prevail, and fell to rubbing themselves against it. Hasan was +affrighted at them and fared forwards surrounded by the horses, without +drawing rein till he came to the cavern which Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus had +described to him. The steed stood still at the door and Hasan alighted +and bridged the bridle over the saddle-bow[FN#113]; whereupon the steed +entered the cavern, whilst the rider abode without, as the old man had +charged him, pondering the issue of his case in perplexity and +distraction and unknowing what would befal him.—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Second Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan, +dismounting from the steed, stood at the cavern-mouth pondering the +issue of his case and unknowing what might befal him. He abode +standing on the same spot five days with their nights, sleepless, +mournful, tearful-eyed; distracted, perplexed, pondering his severance +from home and family, comrades and friends, with weeping eye-lids and +heavy heart. Then he bethought him of his mother and of what might yet +happen to him and of his separation from his wife and children and of +all that he had suffered, and he recited these couplets, + +"With you is my heart-cure a heart that goes; * And from + hill-foot of eyelids the tear-rill flows: +And parting and sorrow and exile and dole * And farness from + country and throe that o'erthrows: +Naught am I save a lover distracted by love, * Far parted from + loved one and wilted by woes. +And 'tis Love that hath brought me such sorrow, say where * Is + the noble of soul who such sorrow unknows?" + + +Hardly had Hasan made an end of his verses, when out came the Shaykh +Abu al-Ruwaysh, a blackamoor and clad in black raiment, and at first +sight he knew him by the description that Abd al-Kaddus had given him. +He threw himself at his feet and rubbed his cheeks on them and seizing +his skirt, laid it on his head and wept before him. Quoth the old man, +"What wantest thou, O my son?" Whereupon he put out his hand to him +with the letter, and Abu al-Ruwaysh took it and re-entered the cavern, +without making him any answer. So Hasan sat down at the cave-mouth in +his place other five days as he had been bidden, whilst concern grew +upon him and terror redoubled on him and restlessness gat hold of him, +and he fell to weeping and bemoaning himself for the anguish of +estrangement and much watching. And he recited these couplets, + +"Glory to Him who guides the skies! * The lover sore in sorrow + lies. +Who hath not tasted of Love's food * Knows not what mean its + miseries. +Did I attempt to stem my tears * Rivers of blood would fount and + rise. +How many an intimate is hard * Of heart, and pains in sorest + wise! +An she with me her word would keep, * Of tears and sighs I'd fain + devise, +But I'm forgone, rejected quite * Ruin on me hath cast her eyes. +At my fell pangs fell wildlings weep * And not a bird for me but + cries." + + +Hasan ceased not to weep till dawn of the sixth day, when Shaykh Abu +al-Ruwaysh came forth to him, clad in white raiment, and with his hand +signed[FN#114] to him to enter. So he went in, rejoicing and assured +of the winning of his wish, and the old man took him by the hand and +leading him into the cavern, fared on with him half a day's journey, +till they reached an arched doorway with a door of steel. The Shaykh +opened the door and they two entered a vestibule vaulted with onyx +stones and arabesqued with gold, and they stayed not walking till they +came to a great hall and a wide, paved and walled with marble. In its +midst was a flower-garden containing all manner trees and flowers and +fruits, with birds warbling on the boughs and singing the praises of +Allah the Almighty Sovran; and there were four daďses, each facing +other, and in each daďs a jetting fountain, at whose corners stood +lions of red gold, spouting gerbes from their mouths into the basin. +On each daďs stood a chair, whereon sat an elder, with exceeding store +of books before him[FN#115] and censers of gold, containing fire and +perfumes, and before each elder were students, who read the books to +him. Now when the twain entered, the elders rose to them and did them +honour; whereupon Abu al-Ruwaysh signed to them to dismiss their +scholars and they did so. Then the four arose and seating themselves +before that Shaykh, asked him of the case of Hasan to whom he said, +"Tell the company thy tale and all that hath betided thee from the +beginning of thine adventure to the end." So Hasan wept with sore +weeping and related to them his story with Bahram; whereupon all the +Shaykhs cried out and said, "Is this indeed he whom the Magian caused +to climb the Mountain of Clouds by means of the vultures, sewn up in +the camel-hide?" And Hasan said, "Yes." So they turned to the Shaykh, +Abu al-Ruwaysh and said to him, "O our Shaykh, of a truth Bahram +contrived his mounting to the mountaintop; but how came he down and +what marvels saw he there?" And Abu al-Ruwaysh said, "O Hasan, tell +them how thou camest down and acquaint them with what thou sawest of +marvels." So he told them all that had befallen him, first and last; +how he had gotten the Magian into his power and slain him, how he had +delivered the youth from him and sent him back to his own country, and +how he had captured the King's daughter of the Jinn and married her; +yet had she played him false and taken the two boys she had borne him +and flown away; brief, he related to them all the hardships and horrors +he had undergone; whereat they marvelled, each and every, and said to +Abu al-Ruwaysh, "O elder of elders, verily by Allah, this youth is to +be pitied! But belike thou wilt aid him to recover his wife and +wees."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Third Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan +told his tale to the elders, they said to Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh, "This +youth is to be pitied and haply thou wilt aid him to recover his wife +and wees." He replied, "O my brothers, in very sooth this is a grave +matter and a perilous; and never saw I any loathe his life save this +youth. You know that the Islands of Wak are hard of access and that +none may come to them but at risk of life; and ye know also the +strength of their people and their guards. Moreover I have sworn an +oath not to tread their soil nor transgress against them in aught; so +how shall this man come at the daughter of the Great King, and who hath +power to bring him to her or help him in this matter?" Replied the +other, "O Shaykh of Shaykhs, verily this man is consumed with desire +and he hath endangered himself to bring thee a scroll from thy brother +Abd al-Kaddus; wherefore it behoveth thee to help him." And Hasan arose +and kissed Abu al-Ruwaysh's feet and raising the hem of his garment +laid it on his head, weeping and crying, "I beseech thee, by Allah, to +reunite me with my wife and children, though it cost me my life and my +soul!" The four elders all wept for his weeping and said to Abu +al-Ruwaysh, "Deal generously with this unhappy and show him kindness +for the sake of thy brother Abd al-Kaddus and profit by this occasion +to earn reward from Allah for helping him." Quoth he, "This wilful +youth weeteth not what he undertaketh; but Inshallah! we will help him +after the measure of our means, nor leave aught feasible undone." When +Hasan heard the Shaykh's word he rejoiced and kissed the hands of the +five elders, one after other, imploring their aidance. Thereupon Abd +al-Ruwaysh took inkcase and a sheet of paper and wrote a letter, which +he sealed and gave to Hasan, together with a pouch of perfumed +leather,[FN#116] containing incense and fire-sticks[FN#117] and other +needs, and said to him, "Take strictest care of this pouch, and whenas +thou fallest into any strait, burn a little of the incense therein and +name my name, whereupon I will be with thee forthright and save thee +from thy stress." Moreover, he bade one of those present fetch him an +Ifrit of the Flying Jinn; and he did so incontinently; whereupon quoth +Abu al-Ruwaysh to the fire-drake, "What is thy name!" Replied the +Ifrit, "Thy thrall is hight Dahnash bin Faktash." And the Shaykh said +"Draw near to me!" So Dahnash drew near to him and he put his mouth to +his ear and said somewhat to him, whereat the Ifrit shook his head and +answered, "I accept, O elder of elders!" Then said Abu al-Ruwaysh to +Hasan, "Arise, O my son, mount the shoulders of this Ifrit, Dahnash the +Flyer; but, when he heaveth thee heaven-wards and thou hearest the +angels glorifying God a-welkin with 'Subhána 'lláh,' have a care lest +thou do the like; else wilt thou perish and he too." Hasan replied, "I +will not say a word; no, never;" and the old man continued, "O Hasan, +after faring with thee all this day, to-morrow at peep of dawn he will +set thee down in a land cleanly white, like unto camphor, whereupon do +thou walk on ten days by thyself, till thou come to the gate of a city. + Then enter and enquire for the King of the city; and when thou comest +to his presence, salute him with the salam and kiss his hand: then give +him this scroll and consider well whatso he shall counsel thee." Hasan +replied, "Hearing and obeying," and rose up and mounted the Ifrit's +shoulders, whilst the elders rose and offered up prayers for him and +commended him to the care of Dahnash the Firedrake. And when he had +perched on the Flyer's back the Ifrit soared with him to the very +confines of the sky, till he heard the angels glorifying God in Heaven, +and flew on with him a day and a night till at dawn of the next day he +set him down in a land white as camphor, and went his way, leaving him +there. When Hasan found himself in the land aforesaid with none by his +side he fared on night and day for ten days, till he came to the gate +of the city in question and entering, enquired for the King. They +directed him to him and told him that his name was King Hassún,[FN#118] +Lord of the Land of Camphor, and that he had troops and soldiers enough +to fill the earth in its length and breadth. So he sought audience of +him and, being admitted to his presence, found him a mighty King and +kissed ground between his hands. Quoth the King, "What is thy want?" +Whereupon Hasan kissed the letter and gave it to him. The King read it +and shook his head awhile, then said to one of his officers, "Take this +youth and lodge him in the house of hospitality." So he took him and +stablished him in the guest-house, where he tarried three days, eating +and drinking and seeing none but the eunuch who waited on him and who +entertained him with discourse and cheered him with his company, +questioning him of his case and how he came to that city; whereupon he +told him his whole story, and the perilous condition wherein he was. On +the fourth day, that eunuch carried him before the King, who said to +him, "O Hasan, thou comest to me, seeking to enter the Islands of Wak, +as the Shaykh of Shaykhs adviseth me. O my son, I would send thee +thither this very day, but that by the way are many perils and thirsty +wolds full of terrors; yet do thou have patience and naught save fair +shall befal thee, for needs must I devise to bring thee to thy desire, +Inshallah! Know, O my son, that here is a mighty host,[FN#119] +equipped with arms and steeds and warlike gear, who long to enter the +Wak Islands and lack power thereto. But, O my son, for the sake of the +Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh, son of Bilkis,[FN#120] the daughter of Mu'in, I +may not send thee back to him unfulfilled of thine affair. Presently +there will come to us ships from the Islands of Wak and the first that +shall arrive I will send thee on board of her and give thee in charge +to the sailors, so they may take care of thee and carry thee to the +Islands. If any question thee of thy case and condition, answer him +saying, 'I am kinsman to King Hassun, Lord of the Land of Camphor;' and +when the ship shall make fast to the shore of the Islands of Wak and +the master shall bid thee land, do thou land. Now as soon as thou +comest ashore, thou wilt see a multitude of wooden settles all about +the beach, of which do thou choose thee one and crouch under it and +stir not. And when dark night sets in, thou wilt see an army of women +appear and flock about the goods landed from the ship, and one of them +will sit down on the settle, under which thou hast hidden thyself, +whereupon do thou put forth thy hand to her and take hold of her and +implore her protection. And know thou, O my son, that an she accord +thee protection, thou wilt win thy wish and regain thy wife and +children; but, if she refuse to protect thee, make thy mourning for +thyself and give up all hope of life, and make sure of death for indeed +thou art a dead man. Understand, O my son, that thou adventurest thy +life and this is all I can do for thee, and—the peace!"—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Hassun +spake these words to Hasan and charged him as we have related, ending +with, "This is all I can do for thee and know that except the Lord of +Heaven had aided thee, thou hadst not come hither!" The youth wept till +he swooned away, and when he recovered, he recited these two couplets, + +"A term decreed my lot I 'spy; * And, when its days shall end, I + die. +Though lions fought with me in lair * If Time be mine I'd beat + them, I!" + + +Then having ended his verse he kissed the ground before the Sovran and +said to him, "O mighty King, how many days remain till the coming of +the ships?" Replied the other, "In a month's time they will come and +will tarry here, selling their cargueson, other two months, after which +they will return to their own country; so hope not to set out save +after three whole months." Then the King bade him return to the house +of hospitality and bade supply him with all that he needed of meat and +drink and raiment fit for Kings. Hasan abode in the guest-house a +month, at the end of which the vessels arrived and the King and the +merchants went forth to them, taking Hasan with them. Amongst them he +saw a ship with much people therein, like the shingles for number; none +knew their tale save He who created them. She was anchored in +mid-harbour and had cocks which transported her lading to the shore. +So Hasan abode till the crew had landed all the goods and sold and +bought and to the time of departure there wanted but three days; +whereupon the King sent for him and equipped him with all he required +and gave him great gifts: after which he summoned the captain of the +great ship and said to him, "Take this youth with thee in the vessel, +so none may know of him save thou, and carry him to the Islands of Wak +and leave him there; and bring him not back." And the Rais said, "To +hear is to obey: with love and gladness!" Then quoth the King to Hasan, +"Look thou tell none of those who are with thee in the ship thine +errand nor discover to them aught of thy case; else thou art a lost +man;" and quoth he, "Hearing and obedience!" With this he farewelled +the King, after he had wished him long life and victory over his +enviers and his enemies; wherefore the King thanked him and wished him +safety and the winning of his wish. Then he committed him to the +captain, who laid him in a chest which he embarked in a dinghy, and +bore him aboard, whilst the folk were busy in breaking bulk and no man +doubted but the chest contained somewhat of merchandise. After this, +the vessels set sail and fared on without ceasing ten days, and on the +eleventh day they made the land. So the Rais set Hasan ashore and, as +he walked up the beach, he saw wooden settles[FN#121] without number, +none knew their count save Allah, even as the King had told him. He +went on, till he came to one that had no fellow and hid under it till +nightfall, when there came up a mighty many of women, as they were +locusts over-swarming the land and they marched afoot and armed +cap-ŕ-pie in hauberks and strait-knit coats of mail hending drawn +swords in their hands, who, seeing the merchandise landed from the +ships, busied themselves therewith. Presently they sat down to rest +themselves, and one of them seated herself on the settle under which +Hasan had crouched: whereupon he took hold of the hem of her garment +and laid it on his head and throwing himself before her, fell to +kissing her hands and feet and weeping and crying, "Thy protection! thy +good-will!" Quoth she, "Ho, thou! Arise and stand up, ere any see thee +and slay thee." So he came forth and springing up kissed her hands and +wept and said to her, "O my mistress, I am under thy protection!"; +adding, "Have ruth on one who is parted from his people and wife and +children, one who hath haste to rejoin them and one who adventureth +life and soul for their sake! Take pity on me and be assured that +therefor Paradise will be thy reward; or, an thou wilt not receive me, +I beseech thee, by Allah the Great, the Concealer, to conceal my case!" +The merchants stared to see him talking with her; and she, hearing his +words and beholding his humility, was moved to ruth for him; her heart +inclined to him and she knew that he had not ventured himself and come +to that place, save for a grave matter. So she said to him, "O my son, +be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, hearten thy heart +and take courage and return to thy hiding-place till the coming night, +and Allah shall do as He will." Then she took leave of him and Hasan +crept under the wooden settle as before, whilst the troops lighted +flambeaux of wax mixed with aloes-wood and Nadd-perfume and crude +ambergris[FN#122] and passed the night in sport and delight till the +morning. At daybreak, the boats returned to the shore and the +merchants busied themselves with buying and selling and the transport +of the goods and gear till nightfall, whilst Hasan lay hidden beneath +the settle, weeping-eyed and woeful-hearted, knowing not what was +decreed to him in the secret preordainment of Allah. As he was thus, +behold, the merchant-woman with whom he had taken refuge came up to him +and giving him a habergeon and a helmet, a spear, a sword and a gilded +girdle, bade him don them and seat himself on the settle after which +she left him, for fear of the troops. So he arose and donned the +mail-coat and helmet and clasped the girdle about his middle; then he +slung the sword over his shoulder till it hung under his armpit, and +taking the spear in his hand, sat down on that settle, whilst his +tongue neglected not to name Allah Almighty and call on Him for +protection.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan +received the weapons which the merchant-woman had given to him, saying, +"Sit thee upon the settle and let none wot thy case," he armed himself +and took his seat, whilst his tongue neglected not to name Allah +Almighty and to call upon Him for protection. And behold, there +appeared cressets and lanthorns and flambeaux and up came the army of +women. So he arose and mingling with them, became as one of them. A +little before daybreak, they set out, and Hasan with them, and fared on +till they came to their camp, where they dispersed each to her tent, +and Hasan followed one of them and lo! it was hers for whose protection +he had prayed. When she entered, she threw down her arms and doffed +her hauberk and veil. So Hasan did the like and looking at his +companion, saw her to be a grizzled old woman blue-eyed and big-nosed, +a calamity of calamities, the foulest of all created things, with face +pock-marked and eyebrows bald, gap-toothed and chap-fallen, with hair +hoary, nose running and mouth slavering;[FN#123] even as saith the like +of her the poet, + +"In her cheek-corners nine calamities * Wone, and when shown, + each one Jehannam is: +Hideous the face and favour foulest foul * As cheek of hog; yea, + 'tis a cesspool phiz." + + +And indeed she was like a pied snake or a scald she-wolf. Now when the +old woman looked at Hasan, she marvelled and said, "How came this one +to these lands and in which of the ships was he and how arrived he +hither in safety?" And she fell to questioning him of his case and +admiring at his arrival, whereupon he fell at her feet and rubbed his +face on them and wept till he fainted; and, when he recovered himself, +he recited these couplets, + +"When will Time grant we meet, when shall we be * Again united + after severance stark? +And I shall win my choicest wish and view? * Blame end and Love + abide without remark? +Were Nile to flow as freely as my tears, * 'Twould leave no + region but with water-mark: +'Twould overthrow Hijaz and Egypt-land * 'Twould deluge Syria and + 'twould drown Irák. +This, O my love, is caused by thy disdain, * Be kind and promise + meeting fair and fain!" + + +Then he took the crone's skirt and laid it on his head and fell to +weeping and craving her protection. When she saw his ardency and +transport and anguish and distress, her heart softened to him and she +promised him her safeguard, saying, "Have no fear whatsoever." Then she +questioned him of his case and he told her the manner of his coming +thither and all that had befallen him from beginning to end, whereat +she marvelled and said, "This that hath betide thee, methinks, never +betided any save thyself and except thou hadst been vouchsafed the +especial protection of Allah, thou hadst not been saved: but now, O my +son, take comfort and be of good courage; thou hast nothing more to +fear, for indeed thou hast won thy wish and attained thy desire, if it +please the Most High!" Thereat Hasan rejoiced with joy exceeding and +she sent to summon the captains of the army to her presence, and it was +the last day of the month. So they presented themselves and the old +woman said to them, "Go out and proclaim to all the troops that they +come forth to-morrow at daybreak and let none tarry behind, for whoso +tarryeth shall be slain." They replied, "We hear and we obey," and +going forth, made proclamation to all the host anent a review next +morning, even as she bade them, after which they returned and told her +of this; whereby Hasan knew that she was the Commander-in-chief of the +army and the Viceregent in authority over them; and her name was +Shawahí the Fascinator, entituled Umm al-Dawáhi, or Mother of +Calamities.[FN#124] She ceased not to bid and forbid and Hasan doffed +not off his arms from his body that day. Now when the morning broke, +all the troops fared forth from their places, but the old woman came +not out with them, and as soon as they were sped and the stead was +clear of them, she said to Hasan, "Draw near unto me, O my +son[FN#125]." So he drew near unto her and stood between her hands. +Quoth she, "Why and wherefore hast thou adventured thyself so boldly as +to enter this land, and how came thy soul to consent to its own +undoing? Tell me the truth and the whole truth and fear aught of ill +come of it, for thou hast my plighted word and I am moved to compassion +for thy case and pity thee and have taken thee under my protection. So, +if thou tell me the truth, I will help thee to win thy wish, though it +involve the undoing of souls and the destruction of bodies; and since +thou hast come to seek me, no hurt shall betide thee from me, nor will +I suffer any to have at thee with harm of all who be in the Islands of +Wak." So he told her his tale from first to last, acquainting her with +the matter of his wife and of the birds; how he had captured her as his +prize from amongst the ten and married her and abode with her, till she +had borne him two sons, and how she had taken her children and flown +away with them, whenas she knew the way to the feather-dress. Brief, +he concealed from her no whit of his case, from the beginning to that +day. But when Shawahi heard his relation, she shook her head and said +to him, "Glory be to God who hath brought thee hither in safety and +made thee hap upon me! For, hadst thou happened on any but myself, +thou hadst lost thy life without winning thy wish; but the truth of +thine intent and thy fond affection and the excess of thy love-longing +for thy wife and yearning for thy children, these it was that have +brought thee to the attainment of thine aim. Didst thou not love her +and love her to distraction, thou hadst not thus imperilled thyself, +and Alhamdolillah—Praised be Allah—for thy safety! Wherefore it +behoveth us to do thy desire and conduce to thy quest, so thou mayst +presently attain that thou seekest, if it be the will of Almighty +Allah. But know, O my son, that thy wife is not here, but in the +seventh of the Islands of Wak and between us and it is seven months' +journey, night and day. From here we go to an island called the Land of +Birds, wherein, for the loud crying of the birds and the flapping of +their wings, one cannot hear other speak."—And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman +said to Hasan, "Indeed thy wife is in the Seventh Island,[FN#126] the +greatest amongst the Islands of Wak and betwixt us and it is a +seven-months' journey. From here we fare for the Land of Birds, +whereon for the force of their flying and the flapping of their wings, +we cannot hear one other speak. Over that country we journey night and +day, eleven days, after which we come forth of it to another called the +Land of Ferals where, for stress of roaring of lions and howling of +wolves and laughing of hyćnas and the crying of other beasts of prey we +shall hear naught, and therein we travel twenty days' journey. Then we +issue therefrom and come to a third country, called the Land of the +Jánn, where, for stress of the crying of the Jinn and the flaming of +fires and the flight of sparks and smoke from their mouths and the +noise of their groaning and their arrogance in blocking up the road +before us, our ears will be deafened and our eyes blinded, so that we +shall neither hear nor see, nor dare any look behind him, or he +perisheth: but there horseman boweth head on saddle-bow and raiseth it +not for three days. After this, we abut upon a mighty mountain and a +running river contiguous with the Isles of Wak, which are seven in +number and the extent whereof is a whole year's journey for a well-girt +horseman. And thou must know, O my son, that these troops are all +virgin girls, and that the ruler over us is a woman of the Archipelago +of Wak. On the bank of the river aforesaid is another mountain, called +Mount Wak, and it is thus named by reason of a tree which beareth +fruits like heads of the Sons of Adam.[FN#127] When the sun riseth on +them, the heads cry out all, saying in their cries:— 'Wak! Wak! Glory +be to the Creating King, Al-Khallák!' And when we hear their crying, we +know that the sun is risen. In like manner, at sundown, the heads set +up the same cry, 'Wak! Wak! Glory to Al-Khallak!' and so we know that +the sun hath set. No man may abide with us or reach to us or tread our +earth; and betwixt us and the abiding-place of the Queen who ruleth +over us is a month's journey from this shore, all the lieges whereof +are under her hand, as are also the tribes of the Jinn, Marids and +Satans, while of the warlocks none kenneth the number save He who +created them. Wherefore, an thou be afraid, I will send with thee one +who will convey thee to the coast and there bring one who will embark +thee on board a ship that bear thee to thine own land. But an thou be +content to tarry with us, I will not forbid thee and thou shalt be with +me in mine eye,[FN#128] till thou win thy wish, Inshallah!" Quoth he, +"O my lady, I will never quit thee till I foregather with my wife or +lose my life!"; and quoth she, "This is a light matter; be of good +heart, for soon shalt thou come to thy desire, Allah willing; and there +is no help but that I let the Queen know of thee, that she may help +thee to attain thine aim." Hasan blessed her and kissed her head and +hands, thanking her for her good deed and exceeding kindness and firm +will. Then he set out with her, pondering the issue of his case and +the horrors of his strangerhood; wherefore he fell a-weeping and +a-wailing and recited these couplets, + +"A Zephyr bloweth from the lover's site; * And thou canst view me + in the saddest plight: +The Night of Union is as brilliant morn; * And black the + Severance-day as blackest night: +Farewelling friend is sorrow sorest sore * Parting from lover's + merest undelight. +I will not blame her harshness save to her, * And 'mid mankind + nor friend nor fere I sight: +How can I be consoled for loss of you? * Base censor's blame + shall not console my sprite! +O thou in charms unique, unique's my love; * O peerless thou, my + heart hath peerless might! +Who maketh semblance that he loveth you * And dreadeth blame is + most blame-worthy wight." + + +Then the old woman bade beat the kettle-drums for departure and the +army set out. Hasan fared with her, drowned in the sea of solicitude +and reciting verses like those above, whilst she strave to comfort him +and exhorted him to patience; but he awoke not from his tristesse and +heeded not her exhortations. They journeyed thus till they came to the +boundaries of the Land of Birds[FN#129] and when they entered it, it +seemed to Hasan as if the world were turned topsy-turvy for the +exceeding clamour. His head ached and his mind was dazed, his eyes +were blinded and his ears deafened, and he feared with exceeding fear +and made certain of death, saying to himself, "If this be the Land of +Birds, how will be the Land of Beasts?" But, when the crone hight +Shawahi saw him in this plight, she laughed at him, saying, "O my son, +if this be thy case in the first island, how will it fare with thee, +when thou comest to the others?" So he prayed to Allah and humbled +himself before the Lord, beseeching Him to assist him against that +wherewith He had afflicted him and bring him to his wishes; and they +ceased not going till they passed out of the Land of Birds and, +traversing the Land of Beasts, came to the Land of the Jann which when +Hasan saw, he was sore affrighted and repented him of having entered it +with them. But he sought aid of Allah the Most High and fared on with +them, till they were quit of the Land of the Jann and came to the river +and set down their loads at the foot of a vast mountain and a lofty, +and pitched their tents by the stream-bank. Then they rested and ate +and drank and slept in security, for they were come to their own +country. On the morrow the old woman set Hasan a couch of alabaster, +inlaid with pearls and jewels and nuggets of red gold, by the +river-side, and he sat down thereon, having first bound his face with a +chin-kerchief, that discovered naught of him but his eyes. Then she +bade proclaim among the troops that they should all assemble before her +tent and put off their clothes and go down into the stream and wash; +and this she did that she might parade before him all the girls, so +haply his wife should be amongst them and he know her. So the whole +army mustered before her and putting off their clothes, went down into +the stream, and Hasan seated on his couch watched them washing their +white skins and frolicking and making merry, whilst they took no heed +of his inspecting them, deeming him to be of the daughters of the +Kings. When he beheld them stripped of their clothes, his chord +stiffened for that looking at them mother-naked he saw what was between +their thighs, and that of all kinds, soft and rounded, plump and +cushioned; large-lipped, perfect, redundant and ample,[FN#130] and +their faces were as moons and their hair as night upon day, for that +they were of the daughters of the Kings. When they were clean, they +came up out of the water, stark naked, as the moon on the night of +fullness and the old woman questioned Hasan of them, company by +company, if his wife were among them; but, as often as she asked him of +a troop, he made answer, "She is not among these, O my lady."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventh Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman +questioned Hasan of the girls, company after company, if haply his wife +were among them; but as often as she asked him of a troop, he made +answer, "She is not among these, O my lady!" Last of all, there came up +a damsel, attended by ten slave-girls and thirty waiting-women, all of +them high-bosomed maidens. They put off their clothes and went down +into the river, where the damsel fell to riding the high horse over her +women, throwing them down and ducking them. On this wise she continued +for a full hour, after which all came up out of the water and sat down; +and they brought her napkins[FN#131] of gold-purfled silk, with which +she dried herself. Then they brought her clothes and jewels and +ornaments of the handiwork of the Jinn, and she donned them and rose +and walked with graceful pace among the troops, she and her maidens. +When Hasan saw her, his heart was ready to fly from his breast and he +said, "Verily this girl is the likest of all folk to the bird I saw in +the basin atop of the palace of my sisters the Princesses, and she +lorded it over her lieges even as doth this one." The old woman asked, +"O Hasan, is this thy wife?"; and he answered, "No, by thy life, O my +lady; this is not my wife, nor ever in my life have I set eyes on her; +neither among all the girls I have seen in these islands is there the +like of my wife nor her match for symmetry and grace and beauty and +loveliness!" Then said Shawaki, "Describe her to me and acquaint me +with all her attributes, that I may have her in my mind; for I know +every girl in the Islands of Wak, being commander of the army of maids +and governor over them; wherefore, an thou describe her to me, I shall +know her and will contrive for thee to take her." Quoth he, "My wife +hath the fairest face and a form all grace; smooth is she of cheeks and +high of breasts with eyes of liquid light, calves and thighs plump to +sight, teeth snowy white, with dulcet speech dight; in speech soft and +bland as she were a willow-wand; her gifts are a moral and lips are red +as coral; her eyes wear natural Kohl-dye and her lower labia[FN#132] in +softness lie. On her right cheek is a mole and on her waist, under her +navel, is a sign; her face shines as the rondure of the moon in sheen, +her waist is slight, her hips a heavy weight, and the water of her +mouth the sick doth heal, as it were Kausar or Salsabil."[FN#133] Said +the old woman, "Give me an increased account of her, Allah increase +thee of passion for her!" Quoth he, "My wife hath a face the fairest +fair and oval cheeks the rarest rare; neck long and spare and eyes that +Kohl wear; her side face shows the Anemones of Nu'uman, her mouth is +like a seal of cornelian and flashing teeth that lure and stand one in +stead of cup and ewer. She is cast in the mould of pleasantness and +between her thighs is the throne of the Caliphate, there is no such +sanctuary among the Holy Places; as saith in its praise the poet, + +"The name of what drave me distraught * Hath letters renowned + among men: +A four into five multiplied * And a multiplied six into + ten.[FN#134]" + + +Then Hasan wept and chanted the following Mawwál,[FN#135] + +"O heart, an lover false thee, shun the parting bane * Nor to + forgetfulness thy thoughts constrain: +Be patient; thou shalt bury all thy foes; * Allah ne'er falseth + man of patience fain." + + +And this also, + +"An wouldst be life,long safe, vaunt not delight; * Never + despair, nor wone o'erjoyed in sprite! +Forbear, rejoice not, mourn not o'er thy plight * And in ill day + 'Have not we oped?'—recite."[FN#136] + + +Thereupon the old woman bowed her head groundwards awhile, then, +raising it, said, "Laud be to the Lord, the Mighty of Award! Indeed I +am afflicted with thee, O Hasan! Would Heaven I had never known thee! +This woman, whom thou describest to me as thy wife, I know by +description and I know her to be none other than the eldest daughter of +the Supreme King, she who ruleth over all the Islands of Wak. So open +both eyes and consider thy case; and if thou be asleep, awake; for, if +this woman be indeed thy wife, it is impossible for thee ever to obtain +her, and though thou come to her, yet couldst thou not avail to her +possession, since between thee and her the distance is as that between +earth and Heaven. Wherefore, O my son, return presently and cast not +thyself into destruction nor cast me with thee; for meseemeth thou hast +no lot in her; so return whence thou camest lest our lives be lost." +And she feared for herself and for him. When Hasan heard her words, he +wept till he fainted and she left not sprinkling water on his face, +till he came to himself, when he continued to weep, so that he drenched +his dress with tears, for the much cark and care and chagrin which +betided him by reason of her words. And indeed he despaired of life +and said to the old woman, "O my lady, and how shall I go back, after +having come hither? Verily, I thought not thou wouldst forsake me nor +fail of the winning of my wish, especially as thou art the +Commander-in-chief of the army of the girls." Answered Shawahl, "O my +son, I doubted not but thy wife was a maid of the maids, and had I +known she was the King's daughter, I had not suffered thee to come +hither nor had I shown the troops to thee, for all the love I bear +thee. But now, O my son, thou hast seen all the girls naked; so tell +me which of them pleaseth thee and I will give her to thee, in lieu of +thy wife, and do thou put it that thy wife and children are dead and +take her and return to thine own country in safety, ere thou fall into +the King's hand and I have no means of delivering thee. So, Allah upon +thee, O my son, hearken unto me. Choose thyself one of these damsels, +in the stead of yonder woman, and return presently to thy country in +safety and cause me not quaff the cup of thine anguish! For, by Allah, +thou hast cast thyself into affliction sore and peril galore, wherefrom +none may avail to deliver thee evermore!" But Hasan hung down his head +and wept with long weeping and recited these couplets, + +"'Blame not!' said I to all who blamčd me; * 'Mine eye-lids + naught but tears were made to dree:' +The tears that brim these orbs have overflowed * My checks, for + lovers and love's cruelty. +Leave me to love though waste this form of me! * For I of Love + adore the insanity: +And, Oh my dearling, passion grows on me * For you—and you, why + grudge me clemency? +You wronged me after swearing troth and plight, * Falsed my + companionship and turned to flee: +And cup of humbling for your rigours sore * Ye made me drain what + day departed ye: +Then melt, O heart, with longing for their sight * And, O mine + eyes, with crowns of tears be dight." + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old +woman said to Hasan, "By Allah, O my son, hearken to my words! Choose +thee one of these girls in lieu of thy wife and presently return to thy +country in safety," he hung down his head and recited the couplets +quoted above. Then he wept till he swooned away and Shawahl sprinkled +water on his face till he revived, when she addressed him, "O my lord, +I have no shift left; because if I carry thee to the city thy life is +lost and mine also: for, when the Queen cometh to know of this, she +will blame me for admitting thee into her lands and islands, whereto +none of Adam's sons hath access, and will slay me for bringing thee +with me and for suffering mortal to look upon the virgins seen by thee +in the sea, whom ne'er touched male, neither approached mate." And +Hasan sware that he had never looked on them with evil of eye. She +resumed, "O my son, hearken to me and return to thy country and I will +give thee wealth and treasures and things of price, such as shall +suffice thee for all the women in the world. Moreover, I will give thee +a girl of the best of them, so lend an ear to my words and return +presently and imperil not thyself; indeed I counsel thee with good +counsel." But he wept and rubbed both cheeks against her feet, saying, +"O my lady and mistress and coolth of mine eyes, how can I turn back +now that I have made my way hither, without the sight of those I +desire, and now that I have come near the beloved's site, hoping for +meeting forthright, so haply there may be a portion in reunion to my +plight?" And he improvised these couplets, + +"O Kings of beauty, grace to prisoner ta'en * Of eyelids fit to + rule the Chosroës' reign: +Ye pass the wafts of musk in perfumed breath; * Your cheeks the + charms of blooming rose disdain. +The softest Zephyr breathes where pitch ye camp * And thence + far-scattered sweetness fills the plain: +Censor of me, leave blame and stint advice! * Thou bringest + wearying words and wisdom vain: +Why heat my passion with this flame and up- * braid me when + naught thou knowest of its bane? +Captured me eyes with passion maladifs, * And overthrew me with + Love's might and main: +I scatter tears the while I scatter verse; * You are my theme for + rhyme and prosy strain. +Melted my vitals glow of rosy cheeks * And in the Lazá-lowe my + heart is lain: +Tell me, an I leave to discourse of you, * What speech my breast + shall broaden? +Tell me deign! Life-long I loved the lovelings fair, but ah, * To + grant my wish eke Allah must be fain!" + + +Hearing his verses the old woman was moved to ruth for him and Allah +planted the seed of affection for him in her heart; so coming up to him +she consoled him, saying, "Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool +and clear and put away trouble from thy thought, for, by Allah, I will +venture my life with thee, till thou attain thine aim or death undo +me!" With this, Hasan's heart was comforted and his bosom broadened and +he sat talking with the old woman till the end of the day, when all the +girls dispersed, some entering their town-mansions and others nighting +in the tents. Then the old woman carried him into the city and lodged +him in a place apart, lest any should come to know of him and tell the +Queen of him and she should slay him and slay her who had brought him +thither. Moreover, she served him herself and strave to put him in fear +of the awful majesty of the Supreme King, his wife's father; whilst he +wept before her and said, "O my lady, I choose death for myself and +loathe this worldly life, if I foregather not with my wife and +children: I have set my existence on the venture and will either attain +my aim or die." So the old woman fell to pondering the means of +bringing him and his wife together and casting about how to do in the +case of this unhappy one, who had thrown himself into destruction and +would not be diverted from his purpose by fear or aught else; for, +indeed he recked not of his life and the sayer of bywords saith, "Lover +in nowise hearkeneth he to the speech of the man who is fancy-free." +Now the name of the Queen of the island wherein they were was Núr +al-Hudŕ,[FN#137] eldest daughter of the Supreme King, and she had six +virgin sisters, abiding with their father, whose capital and court were +in the chief city of that region and who had made her ruler over all +the lands and islands of Wak. So when the ancient dame saw Hasan on +fire with yearning after his wife and children, she rose up and +repaired to the palace and going in to Queen Nur al-Huda kissed ground +before her; for she had a claim on her favour because she had reared +the King's daughters one and all and had authority over each and every +of them and was high in honour and consideration with them and with the +King. Nur al-Huda rose to her as she entered and embracing her, seated +her by her side and asked her of her journey. She answered, "By +Allah, O my lady 'twas a blessed journey and I have brought thee a gift +which I will presently present to thee," adding, "O my daughter, O +Queen of the age and the time, I have a favour to crave of thee and I +fain would discover it to thee, that thou mayst help me to accomplish +it, and but for my confidence that thou wilt not gainsay me therein, I +would not expose it to thee." Asked the Queen, "And what is thy need? +Expound it to me, and I will accomplish it to thee, for I and my +kingdom and troops are all at thy commandment and disposition." +Therewithal the old woman quivered as quivereth the reed on a day when +the storm-wind is abroad and saying in herself, "O[FN#138] Protector, +protect me from the Queen's mischief!"[FN#139] fell down before her and +acquainted her with Hasan's case, saying, "O my lady, a man, who had +hidden himself under my wooden settle on the seashore, sought my +protection; so I took him under my safeguard and carried him with me +among the army of girls armed and accoutred so that none might know +him, and brought him into the city; and indeed I have striven to +affright him with thy fierceness, giving him to know of thy power and +prowess; but, as often as I threatened him, he weepeth and reciteth +verses and sayeth, 'Needs must I have my wife and children or die, and +I will not return to my country without them.' And indeed he hath +adventured himself and come to the Islands of Wak, and never in all my +days saw I mortal heartier of heart than he or doughtier of derring-do, +save that love hath mastered him to the utmost of mastery."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old +woman related to Queen Nur al-Huda the adventure of Hasan, ending with, +"Never I saw any one heartier of heart than he save that love hath +mastered him to the utmost of mastery," the Queen, after lending an +attentive ear and comprehending the case, waxed wroth at her with +exceeding wrath and bowed her head awhile groundwards; then, raising +it, she looked at Shawahi and said to her, "O ill-omened beldam, art +thou come to such a pass of lewdness that thou carriest males, men, +with thee into the Islands of Wak and bringest them into me, unfearing +of my mischief? Who hath foregone thee with this fashion, that thou +shouldst do thus? By the head of the King, but for thy claim on me for +fosterage and service, I would forthwith do both him and thee to die +the foulest of deaths, that travellers might take warning by thee, O +accursed, lest any other do the like of this outrageous deed thou hast +done, which none durst hitherto! But go and bring him hither +forthright, that I may see him; or I will strike off thy head, O +accursed." So the old woman went out from her, confounded, unknowing +whither she went and saying, "All this calamity hath Allah driven upon +me from this Queen because of Hasan!" and going in to him, said, "Rise, +speak with the Queen, O wight whose last hour is at hand!" So he rose +and went with her, whilst his tongue ceased not to call upon Almighty +Allah and say, "O my God, be gracious to me in Thy decrees and deliver +me from this Thine affliction!"[FN#140] And Shawahi went with him +charging him by the way how he should speak with the Queen. When he +stood before Nur al-Huda, he found that she had donned the +chinveil[FN#141]; so he kissed ground before her and saluted her with +the salam, improvising these two couplets, + +"God make thy glory last in joy of life; * Allah confirm the + boons he deigned bestow: +Thy grace and grandeur may our Lord increase * And aye Th' + Almighty aid thee o'er thy foe!" + + +When he ended his verse Nur al-Huda bade the old woman ask him +questions before her, that she might hear his answers: so she said to +him, "The Queen returneth thy salam-greeting and saith to thee, 'What +is thy name and that of thy country, and what are the names of thy wife +and children, on whose account thou art come hither?"' Quoth he, and +indeed he had made firm his heart and destiny aided him, "O Queen of +the age and tide and peerless jewel of the epoch and the time, my name +is Hasan the fullfilled of sorrow, and my native city is Bassorah. I +know not the name of my wife[FN#142] but my children's names are Násir +and Mansúr." When the Queen heard his reply and his provenance, she +bespoke him herself and said, "And whence took she her children?" He +replied, "O Queen, she took them from the city of Baghdad and the +palace of the Caliphate." Quoth Nur al-Huda, "And did she say naught +to thee at the time she flew away?;" and quoth he, "Yes; she said to my +mother, 'Whenas thy son cometh to thee and the nights of severance upon +him longsome shall be and he craveth meeting and reunion to see, and +whenas the breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully let him come +in the Islands of Wak to me.'" Whereupon Queen Nur al-Huda shook her +head and said to him, "Had she not desired thee she had not said to thy +mother this say, and had she not yearned for reunion with thee, never +had she bidden thee to her stead nor acquainted thee with her +abiding-place." Rejoined Hasan, "O mistress of Kings and asylum of +prince and pauper, whatso happened I have told thee and have concealed +naught thereof, and I take refuge from evil with Allah and with thee; +wherefore oppress me not, but have compassion on me and earn recompense +and requital for me in the world to come, and aid me to regain my wife +and children. Grant me my urgent need and cool mine eyes with my +children and help me to the sight of them." Then he wept and wailed and +lamenting his lot recited these two couplets, + +"Yea, I will laud thee while the ring-dove moans, * Though fail + my wish of due and lawful scope: +Ne'er was I whirled in bliss and joys gone by * Wherein I found + thee not both root and rope."[FN#143] + + +The Queen shook her head and bowed it in thought a long time; then, +raising it, she said to Hasan (and indeed she was wroth), "I have ruth +on thee and am resolved to show thee in review all the girls in the +city and in the provinces of my island; and in case thou know thy wife, +I will deliver her to thee; but, an thou know her not and know not her +place, I will put thee to death and crucify thee over the old woman's +door." Replied Hasan, "I accept this from thee, O Queen of the Age, and +am content to submit to this thy condition. There is no Majesty and +there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" And he +recited these couplets, + +"You've roused my desire and remain at rest,— * Waked my wounded + lids while you slept with zest. +And ye made me a vow ye would not hang back * But your guile when + you chained me waxt manifest. +I loved you in childhood unknowing Love; * Then slay me not who + am sore opprest. +Fear ye not from Allah when slaying a friend * Who gazeth on + stars when folk sleep their best? +By Allah, my kinsmen, indite on my tomb * 'This man was the slave + of Love's harshest hest!' +Haps a noble youth, like me Love's own thrall, * When he sees my + grave on my name shall call." + + +Then Queen Nur al-Huda commanded that not a girl should abide in the +city but should come up to the palace and pass in review before Hasan +and moreover she bade Shawahi go down in person and bring them up +herself. Accordingly all the maidens in the city presented themselves +before the Queen, who caused them to go in to Hasan, hundred after +hundred, till there was no girl left in the place, but she had shown +her to him; yet he saw not his wife amongst them. Then said she to him, +"Seest thou her amongst these?"; and he replied, "By thy life, O Queen, +she is not amongst them." With this she was sore enraged against him +and said to the old woman, "Go in and bring out all who are in the +palace and show them to him." So she displayed to him every one of the +palace-girls, but he saw not his wife among them and said to the Queen, +"By the life of thy head, O Queen, she is not among these." Whereat the +Queen was wroth and cried out at those around her, saying, "Take him +and hale him along, face to earth, and cut off his head, least any +adventure himself after him and intrude upon us in our country and spy +out our estate by thus treading the soil of our islands." So they threw +him down on his face and dragged him along; then, covering his eyes +with his skirt, stood at his head with bared brands awaiting royal +permission. Thereupon Shawahi came forward and kissing the ground +before the Queen, took the hem of her garment and laid it on her head, +saying, "O Queen, by my claim for fosterage, be not hasty with him, +more by token of thy knowledge that this poor wretch is a stranger, who +hath adventured himself and suffered what none ever suffered before +him, and Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty,) preserved him from +death, for that his life was ordained to be long. He heard of thine +equity and entered thy city and guarded site;[FN#144] wherefore, if +thou put him to death, the report will dispread abroad of thee, by +means of the travellers, that thou hatest strangers and slayest them. +He is in any case at thy mercy and the slain of thy sword, if his wife +be not found in thy dominions; and whensoever thou desireth his +presence, I can bring him back to thee. Moreover, in very sooth I took +him under my protection only of my trust in thy magnanimity through my +claim on thee for fosterage, so that I engaged to him that thou wouldst +bring him to his desire, for my knowledge of thy justice and quality of +mercy. But for this, I had not brought him into thy kingdom; for I +said to myself: 'The Queen will take pleasure in looking upon him, and +hearing him speak his verses and his sweet discourse and eloquent which +is like unto pearls strung on string.' Moreover, he hath entered our +land and eaten of our meat; wherefore he hath a claim upon us."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Tenth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen +Nur al-Huda bade her pages seize Hasan and smite his neck, the old +woman, Shawahi, began to reason with her and say, "Verily he hath +entered our land and eaten of our meat, wherefore he hath a claim upon +us, the more especially since I promised him to bring him in company +with thee; and thou knowest that, parting is a grievous ill and +severance hath power to kill, especially separation from children. Now +he hath seen all our women, save only thyself; so do thou show him thy +face?" The Queen smiled and said, "How can he be my husband and have +had children by me, that I should show him my face?" Then she made them +bring Hasan before her and when he stood in the presence, she unveiled +her face, which when he saw, he cried out with a great cry and fell +down fainting. The old woman ceased not to tend him, till he came to +himself and as soon as he revived he recited these couplets, + +"O breeze that blowest from the land Irak * And from their + corners whoso cry 'Wak! Wak!' +Bear news of me to friends and say for me * I've tasted + passion-food of bitter smack. +O dearlings of my love, show grace and ruth * My heart is melted + for this severance-rack." + + +When he ended his verse he rose and looking on the Queen's face, cried +out with a great cry, for stress whereof the palace was like to fall +upon all therein. Then he swooned away again and the old woman ceased +not to tend him till he revived, when she asked him what ailed him and +he answered, "In very sooth this Queen is either my wife or else the +likest of all folk to my wife."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eleventh Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old +woman asked Hasan what ailed him, he answered, "In very sooth this +Queen is either my wife or else the likest of all folk to my wife." +Quoth Nur al-Huda to the old woman, "Woe to thee, O nurse! This +stranger is either Jinn-mad or out of his mind, for he stareth me in +the face with wide eyes and saith I am his wife." Quoth the old woman, +"O Queen, indeed he is excusable; so blame him not, for the saying +saith, 'For the lovesick is no remedy and alike are the madman and +he.'" And Hasan wept with sore weeping and recited these two couplets, + +"I sight their track and pine for longing love; * And o'er their + homesteads weep I and I yearn: +And I pray Heaven who willčd we should part, * Will deign to + grant us boon of safe return." + + +Then said Hasan to the Queen once more, "By Allah, thou art not my +wife, but thou art the likest of all folk to her!" Hereupon Nur al-Huda +laughed till she fell backwards and rolled round on her side.[FN#145] +Then she said to him, "O my friend, take thy time and observe me +attentively: answer me at thy leisure what I shall ask thee and put +away from thee insanity and perplexity and inadvertency for relief is +at hand." Answered Hasan, "O mistress of Kings and asylum of all +princes and paupers, when I looked upon thee, I was distracted, seeing +thee to be either my wife or the likest of all folk to her; but now ask +me whatso thou wilt." Quoth she, "What is it in thy wife that +resembleth me?"; and quoth he, "O my lady, all that is in thee of +beauty and loveliness, elegance and amorous grace, such as the symmetry +of thy shape and the sweetness of thy speech and the blushing of thy +cheeks and the jutting of thy breasts and so forth, all resembleth her +and thou art her very self in thy faculty of parlance and the fairness +of thy favour and the brilliancy of thy brow."[FN#146] When the Queen +heard this, she smiled and gloried in her beauty and loveliness and her +cheeks reddened and her eyes wantoned; then she turned to Shawahi Umm +Dawahi and said to her, "O my mother, carry him back to the place where +he tarried with thee and tend him thyself, till I examine into his +affair; for, an he be indeed a man of manliness and mindful of +friendship and love and affection, it behoveth we help him to win his +wish, more by token that he hath sojourned in our country and eaten of +our victual, not to speak of the hardships of travel he hath suffered +and the travail and horrors he hath undergone. But, when thou hast +brought him to thy house, commend him to the care of thy dependents and +return to me in all haste; and Allah Almighty willing![FN#147] all +shall be well." Thereupon Shawahi carried him back to her lodging and +charged her handmaids and servants and suite wait upon him and bring +him all he needed nor fail in what was his due. Then she returned to +Queen Nur al-Huda, who bade her don her arms and set out, taking with +her a thousand doughty horsemen. So she obeyed and donned her war-gear +and having collected the thousand riders reported them ready to the +Queen, who bade her march upon the city of the Supreme King, her +father, there to alight at the abode of her youngest sister, Manár +al-Saná[FN#148] and say to her, "Clothe thy two sons in the coats of +mail which their aunt hath made them and send them to her; for she +longeth for them." Moreover the Queen charged her keep Hasan's affair +secret and say to Manar al-Sana, after securing her children, "Thy +sister inviteth thee to visit her." "Then," she continued, "bring the +children to me in haste and let her follow at her leisure. Do thou +come by a road other than her road and journey night and day and beware +of discovering this matter to any. And I swear by all manner oaths +that, if my sister prove to be his wife and it appear that her children +are his, I will not hinder him from taking her and them and departing +with them to his own country."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twelfth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Oueen +said, "I swear by Allah and by all manner of oaths that if she prove to +be his wife, I will not hinder him from taking her but will aid him +thereto and eke to departing with them to his mother-land." And the old +woman put faith in her words, knowing not what she purposed in her +mind, for the wicked Jezebel had resolved that if she were not his wife +she would slay him; but if the children resembled him, she would +believe him. The Queen resumed, "O my mother, an my thought tell me +true, my sister Manar al-Sana is his wife, but Allah alone is +All-knowing! seeing that these traits of surpassing beauty and +excelling grace, of which he spoke, are found in none except my sisters +and especially in the youngest." The old woman kissed her hand and +returning to Hasan, told him what the Queen had said, whereat he was +like to fly for joy and coming up to her, kissed her head. Quoth she, +"O my son, kiss not my head, but kiss me on the mouth and be this kiss +by way of sweetmeat for thy salvation.[FN#149] Be of good cheer and +keep thine eyes cool and clear and grudge not to kiss my mouth, for I +and only I was the means of thy foregathering with her. So take +comfort, and hearten thy heart and broaden thy breast and gladden thy +glance and console thy soul for, Allah willing, thy desire shall be +accomplished at my hand." So saying, she bade him farewell and +departed, whilst he recited these two couplets, + +"Witnesses unto love of thee I've four; * And wants each case two + witnesses; no more! +A heart aye fluttering, limbs that ever quake, * A wasted frame + and tongue that speech forswore." + + +And also these two, + +"Two things there be, an blood-tears thereover * Wept eyes till + not one trace thou couldst discover, +Eyes ne'er could pay the tithe to them is due * The prime of + youth and severance from lover." + + +Then the old woman armed herself and, taking with her a thousand +weaponed horsemen, set out and journeyed till she came to the island +and the city where dwelt the Lady Manar al-Sana and between which and +that of her sister Queen Nur al-Huda was three days' journey. When +Shawahi reached the city, she went in to the Princess and saluting her, +gave her her sister's salam and acquainted her with the Queen's longing +for her and her children and that she reproached her for not visiting +her. Quoth Manar al-Sana, "Verily, I am beholden to my sister and have +failed of my duty to her in not visiting her, but I will do so +forthright." Then she bade pitch her tents without the city and took +with her for her sister a suitable present of rare things. Presently, +the King her father looked out of a window of his palace, and seeing +the tents pitched by the road, asked of them, and they answered him, +"The Princess Manar al-Sana hath pitched her tents by the way-side, +being minded to visit her sister Queen Nur al-Huda." When the King +heard this, he equipped troops to escort her to her sister and brought +out to her from his treasuries meat and drink and monies and jewels and +rarities which beggar description. Now the King had seven daughters, +all sisters-german by one mother and father except the youngest: the +eldest was called Núr al-Hudŕ, the second Najm al-Sabáh, the third +Shams al-Zuhŕ, the fourth Shajarat al-Durr, the fifth Kút al-Kulúb, the +sixth Sharaf al-Banát and the youngest Manar al-Sana, Hasan's wife, who +was their sister by the father's side only.[FN#150] Anon the old woman +again presented herself and kissed ground before the Princess, who said +to her, "Hast thou any need, O my mother?" Quoth Shawahi, "Thy sister, +Queen Nur al-Huda, biddeth thee clothe thy sons in the two habergeons +which she fashioned for them and send them to her by me, and I will +take them and forego thee with them and be the harbinger of glad +tidings and the announcer of thy coming to her." When the Princess +heard these words, her colour changed and she bowed her head a long +while, after which she shook it and looking up, said to the old woman, +"O my mother, my vitals tremble and my heart fluttereth when thou +namest my children; for, from the time of their birth none hath looked +on their faces either Jinn or man, male or female, and I am jealous for +them of the zephyr when it breatheth in the night." Exclaimed the old +woman, "What words are these, O my lady? Dost thou fear for them from +thy sister?"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman +said to the Princess Manar al-Sana, "What words be these, O my lady? +Dost thou fear for them from thy sister? Allah safeguard thy reason! +Thou mayst not cross the Queen's majesty in this matter, for she would +be wroth with thee. However, O my lady, the children are young, and +thou art excusable in fearing for them, for those that love well are +wont to deem ill: but, O my daughter, thou knowest my tenderness and +mine affection for thee and thy children, for indeed I reared thee +before them. I will take them in my charge and make my cheek their +pillow and open my heart and set them within, nor is it needful to +charge me with care of them in the like of this case; so be of cheerful +heart and tearless eye and send them to her, for, at the most, I shall +but precede thee with them a day or at most two days." And she ceased +not to urge her, till she gave way, fearing her sister's fury and +unknowing what lurked for her in the dark future, and consented to send +them with the old woman. So she called them and bathed them and +equipped them and changed their apparel. Then she clad them in the two +little coats of mail and delivered them to Shawahi, who took them and +sped on with them like a bird, by another road than that by which their +mother should travel, even as the Queen had charged her; nor did she +cease to fare on with all diligence, being fearful for them, till she +came in sight of Nur al-Huda's city, when she crossed the river and +entering the town, carried them in to their aunt. The Queen rejoiced +at their sight and embraced them, and pressed them to her breast; after +which she seated them, one upon the right thigh and the other upon the +left; and turning round said to the old woman, "Fetch me Hasan +forthright, for I have granted him my safeguard and have spared him +from my sabre and he hath sought asylum in my house and taken up his +abode in my courts, after having endured hardships and horrors and +passed through all manner mortal risks, each terribler than other; yet +hitherto is he not safe from drinking the cup of death and from cutting +off his breath." —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fourteenth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen +Nur al-Huda bade the old woman bring Hasan she said, "Verily he hath +endured hardships and horrors and passed through all manner mortal +risks each terribler than other; yet hitherto he is not safe from death +and from the cutting off of his breath." Replied Shawahi, "An I bring +him to thee, wilt thou reunite him with these his children? Or, if +they prove not his, wilt thou pardon him and restore him to his own +country?" Hearing these her words the Queen waxed exceeding wroth and +cried to her, "Fie upon thee, O ill-omened old woman! How long wilt +thou false us in the matter of this strange man who hath dared to +intrude himself upon us and hath lifted our veil and pried into our +conditions? Say me: thinkest thou that he shall come to our land and +look upon our faces and betray our honour, and after return in safety +to his own country and expose our affairs to his people, wherefore our +report will be bruited abroad among all the Kings of the quarters of +the earth and the merchants will journey bearing tidings of us in all +directions, saying, 'A mortal entered the Isles of Wak and traversed +the Land of the Jinn and the lands of the Wild Beasts and the Islands +of Birds and set foot in the country of the Warlocks and the Enchanters +and returned in safety?' This shall never be; no, never; and I swear by +Him who made the Heavens and builded them; yea, by Him who dispread the +earth and smoothed it, and who created all creatures and counted them, +that, an they be not his children, I will assuredly slay him and strike +his neck with mine own hand!" Then she cried out at the old woman, who +fell down for fear; and set upon her the Chamberlain and twenty +Mamelukes, saying, "Go with this crone and fetch me in haste the youth +who is in her house." So they dragged Shawahi along, yellow with fright +and with side-muscles quivering, till they came to her house, where she +went in to Hasan, who rose to her and kissed her hands and saluted her. + She returned not his salam, but said to him, "Come; speak the Queen. +Did I not say to thee: 'Return presently to thine own country and I +will give thee that to which no mortal may avail?' And did I forbid +thee from all this? But thou wouldst not obey me nor listen to my +words; nay, thou rejectedst my counsel and chosest to bring destruction +on me and on thyself. Up, then, and take that which thou hast chosen; +for death is near hand. Arise: speak with yonder vile harlot[FN#151] +and tyrant that she is!" So Hasan arose, broken-spirited, +heavy-hearted, and full of fear, and crying, "O Preserver, preserve +Thou me! O my God, be gracious to me in that which Thou hast decreed to +me of Thine affliction and protect me, O Thou the most Merciful of the +Mercifuls!" Then, despairing of his life, he followed the twenty +Mamelukes, the Chamberlain and the crone to the Queen's presence, where +he found his two sons Nasir and Mansur sitting in her lap, whilst she +played and made merry with them. As soon as his eyes fell on them, he +knew them and crying a great cry fell down a-fainting for excess of joy +at the sight of his children.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan's eyes +fell upon his two sons, he knew them both and crying a great cry fell +down a-fainting. They also knew him[FN#152] and natural affection +moved them so that they freed themselves from the Queen's lap and fell +upon Hasan, and Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty,) made them +speak and say to him, "O our father!" Whereupon the old woman and all +who were present wept for pity and tenderness over them and said, +"Praised be Allah, who hath reunited you with your Sire!" Presently, +Hasan came to himself and embracing his children, wept till again he +swooned away, and when he revived, he recited these verses, + +"By rights of you, this heart of mine could ne'er aby * Severance + from you albeit Union death imply! +Your phantom saith to me, 'A-morrow we shall meet!' * Shall I + despite the foe the morrow-day espy? +By rights of you I swear, my lords, that since the day * Of + severance ne'er the sweets of lips enjoyčd I! +An Allah bade me perish for the love of you, * Mid greatest + martyrs for your love I lief will die. +Oft a gazelle doth make my heart her browsing stead * The while + her form of flesh like sleep eludes mine eye: +If in the lists of Law my bloodshed she deny, * Prove it two + witnesses those cheeks of ruddy dye." + + +When Nur al-Huda was assured that the little ones were indeed Hasan's +children and that her sister, the Princess Manar al-Sana, was his wife, +of whom he was come in quest, she was wroth against her with wrath +beyond measure.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixteenth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nur +al-Huda was certified that the little ones were Hasan's children and +that her sister Manar al-Sana was his wife of whom he had come in +quest, she raged with exceeding rage, too great to be assuaged and +screamed in Hasan's face and reviled him and kicked him in the breast, +so that he fell on his back in a swoon. Then she cried out at him, +saying, "Arise! fly for thy life. But that I swore that no evil should +betide thee from me, should thy tale prove true, I would slay thee with +mine own hand forthright!" And she cried out at the old woman, who fell +on her face for fear, and said to her, "By Allah, but that I am loath +to break the oath that I swore, I would put both thee and him to death +after the foulest fashion!"; presently adding, "Arise, go out from +before me in safety and return to thine own country, for I swear by my +fortune, if ever mine eye espy thee or if any bring thee in to me after +this, I will smite off thy head and that of whoso bringeth thee!" Then +she cried out to her officers, saying, "Put him out from before me!" So +they thrust him out, and when he came to himself, he recited these +couplets, + +"You're far, yet to my heart you're nearest near; * Absent yet + present in my sprite you appear: +By Allah, ne'er to other I've inclined * But tyranny of Time in + patience bear! +Nights pass while still I love you and they end, * And burns my + breast with flames of fell Sa'ir;[FN#153] +I was a youth who parting for an hour * Bore not, then what of + months that make a year? +Jealous am I of breeze-breath fanning thee; * Yea jealous-mad of + fair soft-sided fere!" + + +Then he once more fell down in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he +found himself without the palace whither they had dragged him on his +face; so he rose, stumbling over his skirts and hardly crediting his +escape from Nur al-Huda. Now this was grievous to Shawahi; but she +dared not remonstrate with the Queen by reason of the violence of her +wrath. And forthright Hasan went forth, distracted and knowing not +whence to come or whither to go; the world, for all its wideness, was +straitened upon him and he found none to speak a kind word with him and +comfort him, nor any to whom he might resort for counsel or to apply +for refuge; wherefore he made sure of death for that he could not +journey to his own country and knew none to travel with him, neither +wist he the way thither nor might he pass through the Wady of the Jann +and the Land of Beasts and the Islands of Birds. So giving himself up +for lost he bewept himself, till he fainted, and when he revived, he +bethought him of his children and his wife and of that might befal her +with her sister, repenting him of having come to those countries and of +having hearkened to none, and recited these couplets, + +"Suffer mine eye-babes weep lost of love and tears express: * + Rare is my solace and increases my distress: +The cup of Severance-chances to the dregs I've drained; * Who is + the man to bear love-loss with manliness? +Ye spread the Carpet of Disgrace[FN#154] betwixt us twain; * Ah, + when shalt be uprolled, O Carpet of Disgrace? +I watched the while you slept; and if you deemed that I * Forgot + your love I but forget forgetfulness: +Woe's me! indeed my heart is pining for the love * Of you, the + only leaches who can cure my case: +See ye not what befel me from your fell disdain? * Debased am I + before the low and high no less. +I hid my love of you but longing laid it bare, * And burns my + heart wi' fire of passion's sorest stress: +Ah! deign have pity on my piteous case, for I * Have kept our + troth in secresy and patent place! +Would Heaven I wot shall Time e'er deign us twain rejoin! * You + are my heart's desire, my sprite's sole happiness: +My vitals bear the Severance-wound: would Heaven that you * With + tidings from your camp would deign my soul to bless!" + + +Then he went on, till he came without the city, where he found the +river, and walked along its bank, knowing not whither he went. Such +was Hasan's case; but as regards his wife Manar al-Sana, as she was +about to carry out her purpose and to set out, on the second day after +the departure of the old woman with her children, behold, there came in +to her one of the chamberlains of the King her sire, and kissed ground +between his hands,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventeenth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Manar +al-Sana was about to set out upon the journey, behold, a chamberlain of +the King, her sire, came in to her and kissing the ground before her, +said, "O Princess, the Supreme King, thy father saluteth thee and +biddeth thee to him." So she rose and accompanied the chamberlain to +learn what was required by her father, who seated her by his side on +the couch, and said to her, "O my daughter, know that I have this night +had a dream which maketh me fear for thee and that long sorrow will +betide thee from this thy journey." Quoth she, "How so, O my father, +and what didst thou see in thy dream?" and quoth he, "I dreamt that I +entered a hidden hoard, wherein was great store of monies, of jewels, +of jacinths and of other riches; but 'twas as if naught pleased me of +all this treasure and jewelry save seven bezels, which were the finest +things there. I chose out one of the seven jewels, for it was the +smallest, finest and most lustrous of them and its water pleased me; so +I took it in my hand-palm and fared forth of the treasury. When I came +without the door, I opened my hand, rejoicing, and turned over the +jewel, when, behold, there swooped down on me out of the welkin a +strange bird from a far land (for it was not of the birds of our +country) and, snatching it from my hand, returned with it whence it +came.[FN#155] Whereupon sorrow and concern and sore vexation overcame +me and my exceeding chagrin so troubled me that I awoke, mourning and +lamenting for the loss of the jewel. At once on awaking I summoned the +interpreters and expounders of dreams and declared to them my +dream,[FN#156] and they said to me: 'Thou hast seven daughters, the +youngest of whom thou wilt lose, and she will be taken from thee +perforce, without thy will.' Now thou, O my girl, art the youngest and +dearest of my daughters and the most affectionate of them to me, and +look'ye thou art about to journey to thy sister, and I know not what +may befal thee from her; so go thou not; but return to thy palace." But +when the Princess heard her father's words, her heart fluttered and she +feared for her children and bent earthwards her head awhile: then she +raised it and said to her sire, "O King, Queen Nur al-Huda hath made +ready for me an entertainment and awaiteth my coming to her, hour by +hour. These four years she hath not seen me and if I delay to visit +her, she will be wroth with me. The utmost of my stay with her shall +be a month and then I will return to thee. Besides, who is the mortal +who can travel our land and make his way to the Islands of Wak? Who can +gain access to the White Country and the Black Mountain and come to the +Land of Camphor and the Castle of Crystal, and how shall he traverse +the Island of Birds and the Wady of Wild Beasts and the Valley of the +Jann and enter our Islands? If any stranger came hither, he would be +drowned in the seas of destruction: so be of good cheer and eyes +without a tear anent my journey; for none may avail to tread our +earth." And she ceased not to persuade him, till he deigned give her +leave to depart.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Princess +ceased not to persuade him till he deigned give her leave to depart, +and bade a thousand horse escort her to the river and abide there, till +she entered her sister's city and palace and returned to them, when +they should take her and carry her back to him. Moreover, he charged +her tarry with her sister but two days and return to him in haste; and +she answered, "Hearing and obedience." Then rising up she went forth +and he with her and farewelled her. Now his words had sunken deep into +her heart and she feared for her children; but it availeth not to +fortify herself by any device against the onset of Destiny. So she set +out and fared on diligently three days, till she came to the river and +pitched her tents on its bank. Then she crossed the stream, with some +of her counsellors, pages and suite and, going up to the city and the +palace, went in to Queen Nur al-Huda, with whom she found her children +who ran to her weeping and crying out, "O our father!" At this, the +tears railed from her eyes and she wept; then she strained them to her +bosom, saying, "What! Have you seen your sire at this time? Would the +hour had never been, in which I left him! If I knew him to be in the +house of the world, I would carry you to him." Then she bemoaned +herself and her husband and her children weeping and reciting these +couplets, + +"My friends, despight this distance and this cruelty, * I pine + for you, incline to you where'er you be. +My glance for ever turns toward your hearth and home * And mourns + my heart the bygone days you woned with me, +How many a night foregathered we withouten fear * One loving, + other faithful ever fain and free!" + + +When her sister saw her fold her children to her bosom, saying, "'Tis I +who have done thus with myself and my children and have ruined my own +house!" she saluted her not, but said to her, "O whore, whence haddest +thou these children? Say, hast thou married unbeknown to thy sire or +hast thou committed fornication?[FN#157] An thou have played the +piece, it behoveth thou be exemplarily punished; and if thou have +married sans our knowledge, why didst thou abandon thy husband and +separate thy sons from thy sire and bring them hither?"—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Nineteenth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth Nur +al-Huda, the Queen, to her sister Manar al-Sana, the Princess, "An thou +have married sans our knowledge, why didst thou abandon thy husband and +separate thy sons from their sire and bring them to our land? Thou +hast hidden thy children from us. Thinkest thou we know not of this? +Allah Almighty, He who is cognisant of the concealed, hath made known +to us thy case and revealed thy condition and bared thy nakedness." +Then she bade her guards seize her and pinion her elbows and shackle +her with shackles of iron. So they did as she commanded and she beat +her with a grievous beating, so that her skin was torn, and hanged her +up by the hair; after which she cast her in prison and wrote the King +her father a writ acquainting him with her case and saying, "There hath +appeared in our land a man, a mortal, by name Hasan, and our sister +Manar al-Sana avoucheth that she is lawfully married to him and bare +him two sons, whom she hath hidden from us and thee; nor did she +discover aught of herself till there came to us this man and informed +us that he wedded her and she tarried with him a long while; after +which she took her children and departed, without his knowledge, +bidding as she went his mother tell her son, whenas longing began to +rack to come to her in the Islands of Wak. So we laid hands on the man +and sent the old woman Shawahi to fetch her and her offspring, +enjoining her to bring us the children in advance of her. And she did +so, whilst Manar al-Sana equipped herself and set out to visit me. When +the boys were brought to me and ere the mother came, I sent for Hasan +the mortal who claimeth her to wife, and he on entering and at first +sight knew them and they knew him; whereby was I certified that the +children were indeed his children and that she was his wife and I +learned that the man's story was true and he was not to blame, but that +the reproach and the infamy rested with my sister. Now I feared the +rending of our honour-veil before the folk of our Isles; so when this +wanton, this traitress, came in to me, I was incensed against her and +cast her into prison and bastinado'd her grievously and hanged her up +by the hair. Behold, I have acquainted thee with her case and it is +thine to command, and whatso thou orderest us that we will do. Thou +knowest that in this affair is dishonour and disgrace to our name and +to thine, and haply the islanders will hear of it, and we shall become +amongst them a byword; wherefore it befitteth thou return us an answer +with all speed." Then she delivered the letter to a courier and he +carried it to the King, who, when he read it, was wroth with exceeding +wrath with his daughter Manar al-Sana and wrote to Nur al-Huda, saying, +"I commit her case to thee and give thee command over her life; so, if +the matter be as thou sayest, kill her without consulting me." When the +Queen had received and read her father's letter, she sent for Manar +al-Sana and they set before her the prisoner drowned in her blood and +pinioned with her hair, shackled with heavy iron shackles and clad in +hair-cloth; and they made her stand in the presence abject and abashed. + When she saw herself in this condition of passing humiliation and +exceeding abjection, she called to mind her former high estate and wept +with sore weeping and recited these two couplets, + +"O Lord my foes are fain to slay me in despight * Nor deem I + anywise to find escape by flight: +I have recourse to Thee t' annul what they have done; * Thou art + th' asylum, Lord, of fearful suppliant wight." + + +Then wept she grievously, till she fell down in a swoon, and presently +coming to herself, repeated these two couplets,[FN#158] + +"Troubles familiar with my heart are grown and I with them, * + Erst shunning; for the generous are sociable still. +Not one mere kind alone of woe doth lieger with me lie; * Praised + be God! There are with me thousands of kinds of ill." + + +And also these, + +"Oft times Mischance shall straiten noble breast * With grief, + whence issue is for Him to shape: +But when the meshes straitest, tightest, seem * They loose, + though deemed I ne'er to find escape." + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twentieth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen Nur +al-Huda ordered into the presence her sister Princess Manar al-Sana, +they set her between her hands and she, pinioned as she was recited the +verses aforesaid. Then the Queen[FN#159] sent for a ladder of wood and +made the eunuchs lay her on her back, with her arms spread out and bind +her with cords thereto; after which she bared her head and wound her +hair about the ladder-rungs and indeed all pity for her was rooted out +from her heart. When Manar al-Sana saw herself in this state of +abjection and humiliation, she cried out and wept; but none succoured +her. Then said she to the Queen, "O my sister, how is thy heart +hardened against me? Hast thou no mercy on me nor pity on these little +children?" But her words only hardened her sister's heart and she +insulted her, saying, "O Wanton! O harlot! Allah have no ruth on whoso +sueth for thee! How should I have compassion on thee, O traitress?" +Replied Manar al-Sana who lay stretched on the ladder, "I appeal from +thee to the Lord of the Heavens, concerning that wherewith thou +revilest me and whereof I am innocent! By Allah, I have done no +whoredom, but am lawfully married to him, and my Lord knoweth an I +speak sooth or not! Indeed, my heart is wroth with thee, by reason of +thine excessive hardheartedness against me! How canst thou cast at me +the charge of harlotry, without knowledge? But my Lord will deliver me +from thee and if that whoredom whereof thou accusest me be true, may He +presently punish me for it!" Quoth Nur al-Huda after a few moments of +reflection "How durst thou bespeak me thus?" and rose and beat her till +she fainted away;[FN#160] whereupon they sprinkled water on her face +till she revived; and in truth her charms were wasted for excess of +beating and the straitness of her bonds and the sore insults she had +suffered. Then she recited these two couplets, + +"If aught I've sinned in sinful way, * Or done ill deed and gone + astray, +The past repent I and I come * To you and for your pardon pray!" + + +When Nur al-Huda heard these lines, her wrath redoubled and she said to +her, "Wilt speak before me in verse, O whore, and seek to excuse +thyself for the mortal sins thou hast sinned? 'Twas my desire that +thou shouldst return to thy husband, that I might witness thy +wickedness and matchless brazenfacedness; for thou gloriest in thy +lewdness and wantonness and mortal heinousness." Then she called for a +palm-stick and, whenas they brought the Jaríd, she arose and baring +arms to elbows, beat her sister from head to foot; after which she +called for a whip of plaited thongs, wherewith if one smote an +elephant, he would start off at full speed, and came down therewith on +her back and her stomach and every part of her body, till she fainted. +When the old woman Shawahi saw this, she fled forth from the Queen's +presence, weeping and cursing her; but Nur al-Huda cried out to her +eunuchs, saying, "Fetch her to me!" So they ran after her and seizing +her, brought her back to the Queen, who bade throw her on the ground +and making them lay hold of her, rose and took the whip, with which she +beat her, till she swooned away, when she said to her waiting-women, +"Drag this ill-omened beldam forth on her face and put her out." And +they did as she bade them. So far concerning them; but as regards +Hasan, he walked on beside the river, in the direction of the desert, +distracted, troubled, and despairing of life; and indeed he was dazed +and knew not night from day for stress of affliction. He ceased not +faring on thus, till he came to a tree whereto he saw a scroll +hanging: so he took it and found written thereon these couplets, + +"When in thy mother's womb thou wast, * I cast thy case the + bestest best; +And turned her heart to thee, so she * Fosterčd thee on fondest + breast. +We will suffice thee in whate'er * Shall cause thee trouble or + unrest; +We'll aid thee in thine enterprise * So rise and bow to our + behest." + + +When he had ended reading this scroll, he made sure of deliverance from +trouble and of winning reunion with those he loved. Then he walked +forward a few steps and found himself alone in a wild and perilous wold +wherein there was none to company with him; upon which his heart sank +within him for horror and loneliness and his side-muscles trembled, for +that fearsome place, and he recited these couplets, + +"O Zephyr of Morn, an thou pass where the dear ones dwell, * Bear + greeting of lover who ever in love-longing wones! +And tell them I'm pledged to yearning and pawned to pine * And + the might of my passion all passion of lovers unthrones. +Their sympathies haply shall breathe in a Breeze like thee * And + quicken forthright this framework of rotting bones."[FN#161] + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-first Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan +read the scroll he was certified of deliverance from his trouble and +made sure of winning reunion with those he loved. Then he walked +forward a couple of steps and stopped finding himself alone in a wild +and perilous wold wherein was none to company with him, so he wept sore +and recited the verses before mentioned. Then he walked on a few steps +farther beside the river, till he came upon two little boys of the sons +of the sorcerers, before whom lay a rod of copper graven with +talismans, and beside it a skull-cap[FN#162] of leather, made of three +gores and wroughten in steel with names and characts. The cap and rod +were upon the ground and the boys were disputing and beating each +other, till the blood ran down between them; whilst each cried, "None +shall take the wand but I." So Hasan interposed and parted them, +saying, "What is the cause of your contention?" and they replied, "O +uncle, be thou judge of our case, for Allah the Most High hath surely +sent thee to do justice between us." Quoth Hasan, "Tell me your case, +and I will judge between you;" and quoth one of them, "We twain are +brothers-german and our sire was a mighty magician, who dwelt in a cave +on yonder mountain. He died and left us this cap and rod; and my +brother saith, 'None shall have the rod but I,' whilst I say the like; +so be thou judge between us and deliver us each from other." Hasan +asked, "What is the difference between the rod and the cap and what is +their value? The rod appears to be worth six coppers[FN#163] and the +cap three;" whereto they answered, "Thou knowest not their properties." +"And what are their properties?" "Each of them hath a wonderful secret +virtue, wherefore the rod is worth the revenue of all the Islands of +Wak and their provinces and dependencies, and the cap the like!" "By +Allah, O my sons, discover to me their secret virtues." So they said, +"O uncle, they are extraordinary; for our father wrought an hundred and +thirty and five years at their contrivance, till he brought them to +perfection and ingrafted them with secret attributes which might serve +him extraordinary services and engraved them after the likeness of the +revolving sphere, and by their aid he dissolved all spells; and when he +had made an end of their fashion, Death, which all needs must suffer, +overtook him. Now the hidden virtue of the cap is, that whoso setteth +it on his head is concealed from all folks' eyes, nor can any see him, +whilst it remaineth on his head; and that of the rod is that whoso +owneth it hath authority over seven tribes of the Jinn, who all serve +the order and ordinance of the rod; and whenever he who possesseth it +smiteth therewith on the ground, their Kings come to do him homage, and +all the Jinn are at his service." Now when Hasan heard these words, he +bowed his head groundwards awhile, then said in himself, "By Allah, I +shall conquer every foe by means of this rod and cap, Inshallah! and I +am worthier of them both than these two boys. So I will go about +forthright to get them from the twain by craft, that I may use them to +free myself and my wife and children from yonder tyrannical Queen, and +then we will depart from this dismal stead, whence there is no +deliverance for mortal man nor flight. Doubtless, Allah caused me not +to fall in with these two lads, but that I might get the rod and cap +from them." Then he raised his head and said to the two boys, "If ye +would have me decide the case, I will make trial of you and see what +each of you deserveth. He who overcometh his brother shall have the rod +and he who faileth shall have the cap." They replied, "O uncle, we +depute thee to make trial of us and do thou decide between us as thou +deems fit." Hasan asked, "Will ye hearken to me and have regard to my +words?"; and they answered, "Yes." Then said he, "I will take a stone +and throw it and he who outrunneth his brother thereto and picketh it +up shall take the rod, and the other who is outraced shall take the +cap." And they said, "We accept and consent to this thy proposal." Then +Hasan took a stone and threw it with his might, so that it disappeared +from sight. The two boys ran under and after it and when they were at a +distance, he donned the cap and hending the rod in hand, removed from +his place that he might prove the truth of that which the boys had +said, with regard to their scant properties. The younger outran the +elder and coming first to the stone, took it and returned with it to +the place where they had left Hasan, but found no signs of him. So he +called to his brother, saying, "Where is the man who was to be umpire +between us?" Quoth the other, "I espy him not neither wot I whether he +hath flown up to heaven above or sunk into earth beneath." Then they +sought for him, but saw him not, though all the while he was standing +in his stead hard by them. So they abused each other, saying, "Rod and +Cap are both gone; they are neither mine nor thine: and indeed our +father warned us of this very thing; but we forgot whatso he said." +Then they retraced their steps and Hasan also entered the city, wearing +the cap and bearing the rod; and none saw him. Now when he was thus +certified of the truth of their speech, he rejoiced with exceeding joy +and making the palace, went up into the lodging of Shawahi, who saw him +not, because of the cap. Then he walked up to a shelf[FN#164] over her +head upon which were vessels of glass and chinaware, and shook it with +his hand, so that what was thereon fell to the ground. The old woman +cried out and beat her face; then she rose and restored the fallen +things to their places,[FN#165] saying in herself, "By Allah, methinks +Queen Nur al-Huda hath sent a Satan to torment me, and he hath tricked +me this trick! I beg Allah Almighty deliver me from her and preserve +me from her wrath, for, O Lord, if she deal thus abominably with her +half-sister, beating and hanging her, dear as she is to her sire, how +will she do with a stranger like myself, against whom she is +incensed?"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the ancient Lady +of Calamities cried, "When Queen Nur al-Huda doeth such misdeed to her +sister, what will she do to a stranger like myself, against whom she is +incensed?" Then said she, "I conjure thee, O devil, by the Most +Compassionate, the Bountiful-great, the High of Estate, of Dominion +Elate who man and Jinn did create, and by the writing upon the seal of +Solomon David-son (on both be the Peace!) speak to me and answer me;" +Quoth Hasan, "I am no devil; I am Hasan, the afflicted, the +distraught." Then he raised the cap from his head and appeared to the +old woman, who knew him and taking him apart, said to him, "What is +come to thy reason, that thou returnest hither? Go hide thee; for, if +this wicked woman have tormented thy wife with such torments, and she +her sister, what will she do, an she light on thee?" Then she told him +all that had befallen his spouse and that wherein she was of travail +and torment and tribulation, and straitly described all the pains she +endured adding, "And indeed the Queen repenteth her of having let thee +go and hath sent one after thee, promising him an hundred-weight of +gold and my rank in her service; and she hath sworn that, if he bring +thee back, she will do thee and thy wife and children dead." And she +shed tears and discovered to Hasan what the Queen had done with +herself, whereat he wept and said, "O my lady, how shall I do to escape +from this land and deliver myself and my wife and children from this +tyrannical Queen and how devise to return with them in safety to my own +country?" Replied the old woman, "Woe to thee! Save thyself." Quoth +he, "There is no help but I deliver her and my children from the Queen +perforce and in her despite;" and quoth Shawahi, "How canst thou +forcibly rescue them from her? Go and hide thyself, O my son, till +Allah Almighty empower thee." Then Hasan showed her the rod and the +cap, whereat she rejoiced with joy exceeding and cried, "Glory be to +Him who quickeneth the bones, though they be rotten! By Allah, O my +son, thou and thy wife were but of lost folk; now, however, thou art +saved, thou and thy wife and children! For I know the rod and I know +its maker, who was my Shaykh in the science of Gramarye. He was a +mighty magician and spent an hundred and thirty and five years working +at this rod and cap, till he brought them to perfection, when Death the +Inevitable overtook him. And I have heard him say to his two boys, 'O +my sons, these two things are not of your lot, for there will come a +stranger from a far country, who will take them from you by force, and +ye shall not know how he taketh them.' Said they, 'O our father, tell +us how he will avail to take them.' But he answered, 'I wot not.' And +O my son," added she, "how availedst thou to take them?" So he told her +how he had taken them from the two boys, whereat she rejoiced and said, +"O my son, since thou hast gotten the whereby to free thy wife and +children, give ear to what I shall say to thee. For me there is no +woning with this wicked woman, after the foul fashion in which she +durst use me; so I am minded to depart from her to the caves of the +Magicians and there abide with them until I die. But do thou, O my +son, don the cap and hend the rod in hand and enter the place where thy +wife and children are. Unbind her bonds and smite the earth with the +rod saying, 'Be ye present, O servants of these names!' whereupon the +servants of the rod will appear; and if there present himself one of +the Chiefs of the Tribes, command him whatso thou shalt wish and will." +So he farewelled her and went forth, donning the cap and hending the +rod, and entered the place where his wife was. He found her well-nigh +lifeless, bound to the ladder by her hair, tearful-eyed and +woeful-hearted, in the sorriest of plights, knowing no way to deliver +herself. Her children were playing under the ladder, whilst she looked +at them and wept for them and herself, because of the barbarities and +sore treatings and bitter penalties which had befallen her; and he +heard her repeat these couplets[FN#166], + +"There remaineth not aught save a fluttering breath and an eye + whose owner is confounded. +And a desirous lover whose bowels are burned with fire + notwithstanding which she is silent. +The exulting foe pitieth her at the sight of her. Alas for her + whom the exulting foe pitieth!" + + +When Hasan saw her in this state of torment and misery and ignominy and +infamy, he wept till he fainted; and when he recovered he saw his +children playing and their mother aswoon for excess of pain; so he took +the cap from his head and the children saw him and cried out, "O our +father!" Then he covered his head again and the Princess came to +herself, hearing their cry, but saw only her children weeping and +shrieking, "O our father!" When she heard them name their sire and +weep, her heart was broken and her vitals rent asunder and she said to +them, "What maketh you in mind of your father at this time?" And she +wept sore and cried out, from a bursten liver and an aching bosom, +"Where are ye and where is your father?" Then she recalled the days of +her union with Hasan and what had befallen her since her desertion of +him and wept with sore weeping till her cheeks were seared and furrowed +and her face was drowned in a briny flood. Her tears ran down and +wetted the ground and she had not a hand loose to wipe them from her +cheeks, whilst the flies fed their fill on her skin, and she found no +helper but weeping and no solace but improvising verses. Then she +repeated these couplets, + +"I call to mind the parting-day that rent our loves in twain, + When, as I turned away, the tears in very streams did rain. +The cameleer urged on his beasts with them, what while I found + Nor strength nor fortitude, nor did my heart with me remain. +Yea, back I turned, unknowing of the road nor might shake off The + trance of grief and longing love that numbed my heart and + brain; +And worst of all betided me, on my return, was one Who came to + me, in lowly guise, to glory in my pain. +Since the belovčd's gone, O soul, forswear the sweet of life Nor + covet its continuance, for, wanting him, 'twere vain. +List, O my friend, unto the tale of love, and God forbid That I + should speak and that thy heart to hearken should not deign! +As 'twere El Asmaď himself, of passion I discourse Fancies rare + and marvellous, linked in an endless chain."[FN#167] + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-third Night, + +She continued, When Hasan went in to his wife he saw his children and +heard her repeating the verses afore mentioned.[FN#168] Then she turned +right and left, seeking the cause of her children's crying out, "O our +father!" but saw no one and marvelled that her sons should name their +sire at that time and call upon him. But when Hasan heard her verses, +he wept till he swooned away and the tears railed down his cheeks like +rain. Then he drew near the children and raised the cap from his head +unseen of his wife, whereupon they saw him and they knew him and cried +out, saying, "O our father!" Their mother fell a-weeping again, when +she heard them name their sire's name and said, "There is no avoiding +the doom which Almighty Allah hath decreed!" adding, "O Strange! What +garreth them think of their father at this time and call upon him, +albeit it is not of their wont?" Then she wept and recited these +couplets, + +"The land of lamping moon is bare and drear; * O eyne of me pour + forth the brimming tear! +They marched: how shall I now be patient? * That I nor heart nor + patience own I swear! +O ye, who marched yet bide in heart of me, * Will you, O lords of + me, return to that we were? +What harm if they return and I enjoy * Meeting, and they had ruth + on tears of care? +Upon the parting-day they dimmed these eyne, * For sad surprise, + and lit the flames that flare. +Sore longed I for their stay, but Fortune stayed * Longings and + turned my hope to mere despair. +Return to us (O love!) by Allah, deign! * Enow of tears have + flowed for absence-bane." + + +Then Hasan could no longer contain himself, but took the cap from his +head; whereupon his wife saw him and recognising him screamed a scream +which startled all in the palace, and said to him, "How camest thou +hither? From the sky hast thou dropped or through the earth hast thou +come up?" And her eyes brimmed with tears and Hasan also wept. Quoth +she, "O man, this be no time for tears or blame. Fate hath had its +course and the sight was blinded and the Pen hath run with what was +ordained of Allah when Time was begun: so, Allah upon thee, +whencesoever thou comest, go hide, lest any espy thee and tell my +sister and she do thee and me die!" Answered he, "O my lady and lady of +all Queens, I have adventured myself and come hither, and either I will +die or I will deliver thee from this strait and travel with thee and my +children to my country, despite the nose of this thy wickedest sister." + But as she heard his words she smiled and for awhile fell to shaking +her head and said, "Far, O my life, far is it from the power of any +except Allah Almighty to deliver me from this my strait! Save thyself +by flight and wend thy ways and cast not thyself into destruction; for +she hath conquering hosts none may withstand. Given that thou tookest +me and wentest forth, how canst thou make thy country and escape from +these islands and the perils of these awesome places? Verily, thou +hast seen on thy way hither, the wonders, the marvels, the dangers and +the terrors of the road, such as none may escape, not even one of the +rebel Jinns. Depart, therefore, forthright and add not cark to my cark +and care to my care, neither do thou pretend to rescue me from this my +plight; for who shall carry me to thy country through all these vales +and thirsty wolds and fatal steads?" Rejoined Hasan, "By thy life, O +light of mine eyes, I will not depart this place nor fare but with +thee!" Quoth she, "O man! How canst thou avail unto this thing and +what manner of man art thou? Thou knowest not what thou sayest! None +can escape from these realms, even had he command over Jinns, Ifrits, +magicians, chiefs of tribes and Marids. Save thyself and leave me; +perchance Allah will bring about good after ill." Answered Hasan, "O +lady of fair ones, I came not save to deliver thee with this rod and +with this cap." And he told her what had befallen him with the two +boys; but, whilst he was speaking, behold, up came the Queen and heard +their speech. Now when he was ware of her, he donned the cap and was +hidden from sight, and she entered and said to the Princess, "O wanton, +who is he with whom thou wast talking?" Answered Manar al-Sanar, "Who +is with me that should talk with me, except these children?" Then the +Quee took the whip and beat her, whilst Hasan stood by and looked on, +nor did she leave beating her till she fainted; whereupon she bade +transport her to another place. So they loosed her and carried her to +another chamber whilst Hasan followed unseen. There they cast her +down, senseless, and stood gazing upon her, till she revived and +recited these couplets,[FN#169] + +"I have sorrowed on account of our disunion with a sorrow that + made the tears to overflow from my eyelids; +And I vowed that if Fortune reunite us, I would never again + mention our separation; +And I would say to the envious, Die ye with regret; By Allah I + have now attained my desire! +Joy hath overwhelmed me to such a degree that by its excess it + hath made me weep. +O eye, how hath weeping become thy habit? Thou weepest in joy as + well, as in sorrows." + + +When she ceased her verse the slave-girls went out from her and Hasan +took off the cap; whereupon his wife said to him, "See, O man, all this +befel me not save by reason of my having rebelled against thee and +transgressed thy commandment and gone forth without thy leave.[FN#170] +So, Allah upon thee blame me not for my sins and know that women never +wot a man's worth till they have lost him. Indeed, I have offended and +done evil; but I crave pardon of Allah Almighty for whatso I did, and +if He reunite us, I will never again gainsay thee in aught, no, +never!"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan's wife +besought pardon of him saying, "Blame me not for my sin; and indeed I +crave mercy of Allah Almighty." Quoth Hasan (and indeed his heart ached +for her), "'Twas not thou that wast in fault; nay, the fault was mine +and mine only, for I fared forth and left thee with one who knew not +thy rank, neither thy worth nor thy degree. But know, O beloved of my +heart and fruit of my vitals and light of mine eyes, that Allah +(blessed be He!) hath ordained to me power of releasing thee; so, say +me, wouldst thou have me carry thee to thy father's home, there to +accomplish what Allah decreeth unto thee, or wilt thou forthright +depart with me to mine own country, now that relief is come to thee?" +Quoth she, "Who can deliver me save the Lord of the Heavens? Go to thy +mother-land and put away from thee false hope; for thou knowest not the +perils of these parts which, an thou obey me not, soon shalt thou +sight." And she improvised these couplets, + +"On me and with me bides thy volunty; * Why then such anger such + despite to me? +Whate'er befel us Heaven forbid that love * Fade for long time or + e'er forgotten be! +Ceased not the spy to haunt our sides, till seen * Our love + estranged and then estranged was he: +In truth I trusted to fair thoughts of thine * Though spake the + wicked spy maliciously. +We'll keep the secret 'twixt us twain and hold * Although the + brand of blame unsheathed we see. +The livelong day in longing love I spend * Hoping acceptance- + message from my friend." + + +Then wept she and her children, and the handmaidens heard them: so they +came in to them and found them weeping, but saw not Hasan with them; +wherefore they wept for ruth of them and damned Queen Nur al-Huda. +Then Hasan took patience till night came on and her guards had gone to +their sleeping-places, when he arose and girded his waist; then went up +to her and, loosing her kissed her on the head and between the eyes and +pressed her to his bosom, saying, "How long have we wearied for our +mother-land and for reunion there! Is this our meeting in sleep, or on +wake?" Then he took up the elder boy and she took up the younger and +they went forth the palace; and Allah veiled them with the veil of His +protection, so that they came safe to the outer gate which closed the +entrance to the Queen's Serraglio. But finding it locked from without, +Hasan said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, +the Glorious, the Great! Verily we are Allah's and unto Him shall we +return!" With this they despaired of escape and Hasan beat hand upon +hand, saying, "O Dispeller of dolours! Indeed, I had bethought me of +every thing and considered its conclusion but this; and now, when it is +daybreak, they will take us, and what device have we in this case?" And +he recited the following two couplets,[FN#171] + +"Thou madest fair thy thought of Fate, whenas the days were fair, + And fearedst not the unknown ills that they to thee might + bring. +The nights were fair and calm to thee; thou wast deceived by + them, For in the peace of night is born full many a + troublous thing." + + +Then Hasan wept and his wife wept for his weeping and for the abasement +she had suffered and the cruelties of Time and Fortune, + +"Baulks me my Fate as tho' she were my foe; * Each day she + showeth me new cark and care: +Fate, when I aim at good, brings clear reverse, * And lets foul + morrow wait on day that's fair." + + +And also these, + +"Irks me my Fate and clean unknows that I * Of my high worth her + shifts and shafts despise. +She nights parading what ill-will she works: * I night parading + Patience to her eyes." + + +Then his wife said to him, "By Allah, there is no relief for us but to +kill ourselves and be at rest from this great and weary travail; else +we shall suffer grievous torment on the morrow." At this moment, +behold, they heard a voice from without the door say, "By Allah, O my +lady Manar al-Sana, I will not open to thee and thy husband Hasan, +except ye obey me in whatso I shall say to you!" When they heard these +words they were silent for excess of fright and would have returned +whence they came; when lo! the voice spake again saying, "What aileth +you both to be silent and answer me not?" Therewith they knew the +speaker for the old woman Shawahi, Lady of Calamities, and said to her, +"Whatsoever thou biddest us, that will we do; but first open the door +to us; this being no time for talk." Replied she, "By Allah, I will not +open to you until ye both swear to me that you will take me with you +and not leave me with yonder whore: so, whatever befalleth you shall +befal me and if ye escape, I shall escape, and if ye perish, I shall +perish: for yonder abominable woman, tribade[FN#172] that she is! +entreateth me with indignity and still tormenteth me on your account; +and thou, O my daughter, knowest my worth." Now recognising her they +trusted in her and sware to her an oath such as contented her, +whereupon she opened the door to them and they fared forth and found +her riding on a Greek jar of red earthenware with a rope of palm-fibres +about its neck,[FN#173] which rolled under her and ran faster than a +Najdi colt, and she came up to them, and said, "Follow me and fear +naught, for I know forty modes of magic by the least of which I could +make this city a dashing sea, swollen with clashing billows, and +ensorcel each damsel therein to a fish, and all before dawn. But I was +not able to work aught of my mischief, for fear of the King her father +and of regard to her sisters, for that they are formidable, by reason +of their many guards and tribesmen and servants. However, soon will I +show you wonders of my skill in witchcraft; and now let us on, relying +upon the blessing of Allah and His good aid." Now Hasan and his wife +rejoiced in this, making sure of escape, —And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan and +his wife, accompanied by the ancient dame Shawahi, fared forth from the +palace, they made sure of deliverance and they walked on till they came +without the city, when he fortified his heart and, smiting the earth +with the rod, cried, "Ho, ye servants of these names, appear to me and +acquaint me with your conditions!" Thereupon the earth clave asunder +and out came ten[FN#174] Ifrits, with their feet in the bowels of the +earth and their heads in the clouds. They kissed the earth three times +before Hasan and said as with one voice, "Adsumus! Here are we at thy +service, O our lord and ruler over us! What dost thou bid us do? For we +hear and obey thy commandment. An thou wilt, we will dry thee up seas +and remove mountains from their places." So Hasan rejoiced in their +words and at their speedy answer to his evocation; then taking courage +and bracing up his resolution, he said to them, "Who are ye and what be +your names and your races, and to what tribes and clans and companies +appertain ye?" They kissed the earth once more and answered as with one +voice, saying, "We are seven Kings, each ruling over seven tribes of +the Jinn of all conditions, and Satans and Marids, flyers and divers, +dwellers in mountains and wastes and wolds and haunters of the seas: so +bid us do whatso thou wilt; for we are thy servants and thy slaves, and +whoso possesseth this rod hath dominion over all our necks and we owe +him obedience." Now when Hasan heard this, he rejoiced with joy +exceeding, as did his wife and the old woman, and presently he said to +the Kings of the Jinn, "I desire of you that ye show me your tribes and +hosts and guards." "O our lord," answered they, "if we show thee our +tribes, we fear for thee and these who are with thee, for their name is +legion and they are various in form and fashion, figure and favour. +Some of us are heads sans bodies and others bodies sans heads, and +others again are in the likeness of wild beasts and ravening lions. +However, if this be thy will, there is no help but we first show thee +those of us who are like unto wild beasts. But, O our lord, what +wouldst thou of us at this present?" Quoth Hasan, "I would have you +carry me forthwith to the city of Baghdad, me and my wife and this +honest woman." But, hearing his words they hung down their heads and +were silent, whereupon Hasan asked them, "Why do ye not reply?" And +they answered as with one voice, "O our lord and ruler over us, we are +of the covenant of Solomon son of David (on the twain be Peace!) and he +sware us in that we would bear none of the sons of Adam on our backs; +since which time we have borne no mortal on back or shoulder: but we +will straightway harness thee horses of the Jinn, that shall carry thee +and thy company to thy country." Hasan enquired, "How far are we from +Baghdad?" and they, "Seven years' journey for a diligent horseman." +Hasan marvelled at this and said to them, "Then how came I hither in +less than a year?"; and they said, "Allah softened to thee the hearts +of His pious servants else hadst thou never come to this country nor +hadst thou set eyes on these regions; no, never! For the Shaykh Abd +al-Kaddus, who mounted thee on the elephant and the magical horse, +traversed with thee, in ten days, three years' journey for a well-girt +rider, and the Ifrit Dahnash, to whom the Shaykh committed thee, +carried thee a three years' march in a day and a night; all which was +of the blessing of Allah Almighty, for that the Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh +is of the seed of Ásaf bin Barkhiyá[FN#175] and knoweth the Most Great +name of Allah.[FN#176] Moreover, from Baghdad to the palace of the +damsels is a year's journey, and this maketh up the seven years." When +Hasan heard this, he marvelled with exceeding marvel and cried, "Glory +be to God, Facilitator of the hard, Fortifier of the weak heart, +Approximator of the far and Humbler of every froward tyrant, Who hath +eased us of every accident and carried me to these countries and +subjected to me these creatures and reunited me with my wife and +children! I know not whether I am asleep or awake or if I be sober or +drunken!" Then he turned to the Jinn and asked, "When ye have mounted +me upon your steeds, in how many days will they bring us to Baghdad?"; +and they answered, "They will carry you thither under the year, but not +till after ye have endured terrible perils and hardships and horrors +and ye have traversed thirsty Wadys and frightful wastes and horrible +steads without number; and we cannot promise thee safety, O our lord, +from the people of these islands,"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Jann said to +Hasan, "We cannot promise thee safety, O our lord, from this Islandry, +nor from the mischief of the Supreme King and his enchanters and +warlocks. It may be they will overcome us and take you from us and we +fall into affliction with them, and all to whom the tidings shall come +after this will say to us: 'Ye are wrong-doers! How could ye go +against the Supreme King and carry a mortal out of his dominions, and +eke the King's daughter with him?' adding, 'Wert thou alone with us the +thing were light; but He who conveyed thee hither is capable to carry +thee back to thy country and reunite thee with thine own people +forthright and in readiest plight. So take heart and put thy trust in +Allah and fear not; for we are at thy service, to convey thee to thy +country." Hasan thanked them therefor and said, "Allah requite you with +good! but now make haste with the horses;" they replied, "We hear and +we obey," and struck the ground with their feet, whereupon it opened +and they disappeared within it and were absent awhile, after which they +suddenly reappeared with three horses, saddled and bridled, and on each +saddle-bow a pair of saddle-bags, with a leathern bottle of water in +one pocket and the other full of provaunt. So Hasan mounted one steed +and took a child before him, whilst his wife mounted a second and took +the other child before her. Then the old woman alighted from the jar +and bestrode the third horse and they rode on, without ceasing, all +night. At break of day, they turned aside from the road and made for +the mountain, whilst their tongues ceased not to name Allah. Then they +fared on under the highland all that day, till Hasan caught sight of a +black object afar as it were a tall column of smoke a-twisting +skywards; so he recited somewhat of the Koran and Holy Writ, and sought +refuge with Allah from Satan the Stoned. The black thing grew plainer +as they drew near, and when hard by it, they saw that it was an Ifrit, +with a head like a huge dome and tusks like grapnels and jaws like a +lane and nostrils like ewers and ears like leathern targes and mouth +like a cave and teeth like pillars of stone and hands like winnowing +forks and legs like masts: his head was in the cloud and his feet in +the bowels of the earth had plowed. Whenas Hasan gazed upon him he +bowed himself and kissed the ground before him, saying, "O Hasan, have +no fear of me; for I am the chief of the dwellers in this land, which +is the first of the Isles of Wak, and I am a Moslem and an adorer of +the One God. I have heard of you and your coming and when I knew of +your case, I desired to depart from the land of the magicians to +another land, void of inhabitants and far from men and Jinn, that I +might dwell there alone and worship Allah till my fated end came upon +me. So I wish to accompany you and be your guide, till ye fare forth +of the Wak Islands; and I will not appear save at night; and do ye +hearten your hearts on my account; for I am a Moslem, even as ye are +Moslems." When Hasan heard the Ifrit's words, he rejoiced with +exceeding joy and made sure of deliverance; and he said to him, "Allah +requite thee weal! Go with us relying upon the blessing of Allah!" So +the Ifrit forewent them and they followed, talking and making merry, +for their hearts were pleased and their breasts were eased and Hasan +fell to telling his wife all that had befallen him and all the +hardships he had undergone, whilst she excused herself to him and told +him, in turn, all she had seen and suffered. They ceased not faring all +that night.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that they ceased not +faring all that night and the horses bore them like the blinding leven, +and when the day rose all put their hands to the saddle-bags and took +forth provaunt which they ate and water which they drank. Then they +sped diligently on their way, preceded by the Ifrit, who turned aside +with them from the beaten track into another road, till then untrodden, +along the sea-shore, and they ceased not faring on, without stopping, +across Wadys and wolds a whole month, till on the thirty-first day +there arose before them a dust-cloud, that walled the world and +darkened the day; and when Hasan saw this, he was confused and turned +pale; and more so when a frightful crying and clamour struck their +ears. Thereupon the old woman said to him, "O my son, this is the army +of the Wak Islands, that hath overtaken us; and presently they will lay +violent hands on us." Hasan asked, "What shall I do, O my mother?"; and +she answered, "Strike the earth with the rod." He did so whereupon the +Seven Kings presented themselves and saluted him with the salam, +kissing ground before him and saying, "Fear not neither grieve." Hasan +rejoiced at these words and answered them, saying, "Well said, O +Princes of the Jinn and the Ifrits! This is your time!" Quoth they, +"Get ye up to the mountain-top, thou and thy wife and children and she +who is with thee and leave us to deal with them, for we know that you +all are in the right and they in the wrong and Allah will aid us +against them." So Hasan and his wife and children and the old woman +dismounted and dismissing the horses, ascended the flank of the +mountain.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan with +his wife, his children and the ancient dame ascended the mountain-flank +after they had dismissed the coursers. Presently, up came Queen Nur +al-Huda, with the troops right and left, and the captains went round +about among the host and ranged them rank by rank in battle array. +Then the hosts charged down upon each other and clashed together the +twain with a mighty strain, the brave pressed on amain and the coward +to fly was fain and the Jinn cast flames of fire from their mouths, +whilst the smoke of them rose up to the confines of the sky and the two +armies appeared and disappeared. The champions fought and heads flew +from trunks and the blood ran in rills; nor did brand leave to play and +blood to flow and battle fire to flow, till the murk o' night came, +when the two hosts drew apart and, alighting from their steeds rested +upon the field by the fires they had kindled. Therewith the Seven Kings +went up to Hasan and kissed the earth before him. He pressed forwards +to meet them and thanked them and prayed Allah to give them the victory +and asked them how they had fared with the Queen's troops. Quoth they, +"They will not withstand us more than three days, for we had the better +of them to-day, taking some two thousand of them prisoners and slaying +of them much folk whose compt may not be told. So be of good cheer and +broad of breast." Then they farewelled him and went down to look after +the safety of their troops; and they ceased not to keep up the fires +till the morning rose with its sheen and shone, when the fighting-men +mounted their horses of noble strain and smote one another with +thin-edged skean and with brawn of bill they thrust amain nor did they +cease that day battle to darraign. Moreover, they passed the night on +horseback clashing together like dashing seas; raged among them the +fires of war and they stinted not from battle and jar, till the armies +of Wak were defeated and their power broken and their courage quelled; +their feet slipped and whither they fled soever defeat was before them; +wherefore they turned tail and of flight began to avail: but the most +part of them were slain and their Queen and her chief officers and the +grandees of her realm were captive ta'en. When the morning morrowed, +the Seven Kings presented themselves before Hasan and set for him a +throne of alabaster inlaid with pearls and jewels, and he sat down +thereon. They also set thereby a throne of ivory, plated with +glittering gold, for the Princess Manar al-Sana and another for the +ancient dame Shawahi Zat al-Dawahi. Then they brought before them the +prisoners and among the rest, Queen Nur al-Huda with elbows pinioned +and feet fettered, whom when Shawahi saw, she said to her, "Thy +recompense, O harlot, O tyrant, shall be that two bitches be starved +and two mares stinted of water, till they be athirst: then shalt thou +be bound to the mares' tails and these driven to the river, with the +bitches following thee that they may rend thy skin; and after, thy +flesh shall be cut off and given them to eat. How couldst thou do with +thy sister such deed, O strumpet, seeing that she was lawfully married, +after the ordinance of Allah and of His Apostle? For there is no +monkery in Al-Islam and marriage is one of the institutions of the +Apostles (on whom be the Peace!)[FN#177] nor were women created but for +men." Then Hasan commanded to put all the captives to the sword and the +old woman cried out, saying, "Slay them all and spare none[FN#178]!" +But, when Princess Manar al-Sana saw her sister in this plight, a +bondswoman and in fetters, she wept over her and said, "O my sister, +who is this hath conquered us and made us captives in our own country?" +Quoth Nur al-Huda, "Verily, this is a mighty matter. Indeed this man +Hasan hath gotten the mastery over us and Allah hath given him dominion +over us and over all our realm and he hath overcome us, us and the +Kings of the Jinn." And quoth her sister, "Indeed, Allah aided him not +against you nor did he overcome you nor capture you save by means of +this cap and rod." So Nur al-Huda was certified and assured that he had +conquered her by means thereof and humbled herself to her sister, till +she was moved to ruth for her and said to her husband, "What wilt thou +do with my sister? Behold, she is in thy hands and she hath done thee +no misdeed that thou shouldest punish her." Replied Hasan, "Her +torturing of thee was misdeed enow." But she answered, saying, "She +hath excuse for all she did with me. As for thee, thou hast set my +father's heart on fire for the loss of me, and what will be his case, +if he lose my sister also?" And he said to her, "'Tis thine to decide; +do whatso thou wilt." So she bade loose her sister and the rest of the +captives, and they did her bidding. Then she went up to Queen Nur +al-Huda and embraced her, and they wept together a long while; after +which quoth the Queen, "O my sister, bear me not malice for that I did +with thee;" and quoth Manar al-Sana, "O my sister, this was +foreordained to me by Fate." Then they sat on the couch talking and +Manar al-Sana made peace between the old woman and her sister, after +the goodliest fashion, and their hearts were set at ease. Thereupon +Hasan dismissed the servants of the rod thanking them for the succour +which they had afforded him against his foes, and Manar al-Sana related +to her sister all that had befallen her with Hasan her husband and +every thing he had suffered for her sake, saying, "O my sister, since +he hath done these deeds and is possessed of this might and Allah +Almighty hath gifted him with such exceeding prowess, that he hath +entered our country and beaten thine army and taken thee prisoner and +defied our father, the Supreme King, who hath dominion over all the +Princes of the Jinn, it behoveth us to fail not of what is due to him." +Replied Nur al-Huda, "By Allah, O my sister, thou sayest sooth in +whatso thou tellest me of the marvels which this man hath seen and +suffered; and none may fail of respect to him. But was all this on +thine account, O my sister?"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Princess +Manar al-Sana repeated to her sister these praises of Hasan, the other +replied, "By Allah, this man can claim all respect more by token of his +generosity. But was all this on thine account?" "Yes," answered Manar +al-Sana, and they passed the night in converse till the morning +morrowed and the sun rose and they were minded to depart. So they +farewelled one another and Manar al-Sana gave God-speed to the ancient +dame after the reconciling her with Queen Nur al-Huda. Thereupon Hasan +smote the earth with the rod and its servants the Jinn appeared and +saluted him, saying, "Praised be Allah, who hath set thy soul at rest! +Command us what thou wilt, and we will do it for thee in less than the +twinking of an eye." He thanked them for their saying and said to them +"Allah requite you with good! Saddle me two steeds of the best." So +they brought him forthwith two saddled coursers, one of which he +mounted, taking his elder son before him, and his wife rode the other, +taking the younger son in front of her. Then the Queen and the old +woman also backed horse and departed, Hasan and his wife following the +right and Nur al-Huda and Shawahi the left hand road. The spouses +fared on with their children, without stopping, for a whole month, till +they drew in sight of a city, which they found compassed about with +trees and streams and making the trees dismounted beneath them thinking +to rest there. As they sat talking, behold, they saw many horsemen +coming towards them, whereupon Hasan rose and going to meet them, saw +that it was King Hassun, lord of the Land of Camphor and Castle of +Crystal, with his attendants. So Hasan went up to the King and kissed +his hands and saluted him; and when Hassun saw him, he dismounted and +seating himself with Hasan upon carpets under the trees returned his +salam and gave him joy of his safety and rejoiced in him with exceeding +joy, saying to him, "O Hasan, tell me all that hath befallen thee, +first and last." So he told him all of that, whereupon the King +marvelled and said to him, "O my son, none ever reached the Islands of +Wak and returned thence but thou, and indeed thy case is wondrous; but +Alhamdolillah—praised be God—for safety!" Then he mounted and bade +Hasan ride with his wife and children into the city, where he lodged +them in the guest-house of his palace; and they abode with him three +days, eating and drinking in mirth and merriment, after which Hasan +sought Hassun's leave to depart to his own country and the King granted +it. Accordingly they took horse and the King rode with them ten days, +after which he farewelled them and turned back, whilst Hasan and his +wife and children fared on a whole month, at the end of which time they +came to a great cavern, whose floor was of brass. Quoth Hasan to his +wife, "Kennest thou yonder cave?"; and quoth she, "No." Said he, +"Therein dwelleth a Shaykh, Abu al-Ruwaysh hight, to whom I am greatly +beholden, for that he was the means of my becoming acquainted with King +Hassun." Then he went on to tell her all that had passed between him +and Abu al-Ruwaysh, and as he was thus engaged, behold, the Shaykh +himself issued from the cavern-mouth. When Hasan saw him, he dismounted +from his steed and kissed his hands, and the old man saluted him and +gave him joy of his safety and rejoiced in him. Then he carried him +into the antre and sat down with him, whilst Hasan related to him what +had befallen him in the Islands of Wak; whereat the Elder marvelled +with exceeding marvel and said, "O Hasan, how didst thou deliver thy +wife and children?" So he told them the tale of the cap and the rod, +hearing which he wondered and said, "O Hasan, O my son, but for this +rod and the cap, thou hadst never delivered thy wife and children." And +he replied, "Even so, O my lord." As they were talking, there came a +knocking at the door and Abu al-Ruwaysh went out and found Abd +al-Kaddus mounted on his elephant. So he saluted him and brought him +into the cavern, where he embraced Hasan and congratulated him on his +safety, rejoicing greatly in his return. Then said Abu al-Ruwaysh to +Hasan, "Tell the Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus all that hath befallen thee, O +Hasan." He repeated to him every thing that had passed, first and last, +till he came to the tale of the rod and cap,—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirtieth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan began +relating to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus and Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh (who sat +chattting in the cave) all that had passed, first and last, till he +came to the tale of the rod and cap; whereupon quoth Abd al-Kaddus, "O +my son, thou hast delivered thy wife and thy children and hast no +further need of the two. Now we were the means of thy winning to the +Islands of Wak, and I have done thee kindness for the sake of my +nieces, the daughters of my brother; wherefore I beg thee, of thy +bounty and favour, to give me the rod and the Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh the +cap." When Hasan heard this, he hung down his head, being ashamed to +reply, "I will not give them to you," and said in his mind, "Indeed +these two Shaykhs have done me great kindness and were the means of my +winning to the Islands of Wak, and but for them I had never made the +place, nor delivered my children, nor had I gotten me this rod and +cap." So he raised his head and answered, "Yes, I will give them to +you: but, O my lords, I fear lest the Supreme King, my wife's father, +come upon me with his commando and combat with me in my own country, +and I be unable to repel them, for want of the rod and the cap." +Replied Abd al-Kaddus, "Fear not, O my son; we will continually succour +thee and keep watch and ward for thee in this place; and whosoever +shall come against thee from thy wife's father or any other, him we +will fend off from thee; wherefore be thou of good cheer and keep thine +eyes cool of tear, and hearten thy heart and broaden thy breast and +feel naught whatsoever of fear, for no harm shall come to thee." When +Hasan heard this he was abashed and gave the cap to Abu al-Ruwaysh, +saying to Abd al-Kaddus, "Accompany me to my own country and I will +give thee the rod." At this the two elders rejoiced with exceeding joy +and made him ready riches and treasures which beggar all description. +He abode with them three days, at the end of which he set out again and +the Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus made ready to depart with him. So he and his +wife mounted their beasts and Abd al-Kaddus whistled when, behold, a +mighty big elephant trotted up with fore hand and feet on amble from +the heart of the desert and he took it and mounted it. Then they +farewelled Abu al-Ruwaysh who disappeared within his cavern; and they +fared on across country traversing the land in its length and breadth +wherever Abd al-Kaddus guided them by a short cut and an easy way, till +they drew near the land of the Princesses; whereupon Hasan rejoiced at +finding himself once more near his mother, and praised Allah for his +safe return and reunion with his wife and children after so many +hardships and perils; and thanked Him for His favours and bounties, +reciting these couplets, + +"Haply shall Allah deign us twain unite * And lockt in strict + embrace we'll hail the light: +And wonders that befel me I'll recount, * And all I suffered from + the Severance-blight: +And fain I'll cure mine eyes by viewing you * For ever yearned my + heart to see your sight: +I hid a tale for you my heart within * Which when we meet o' morn + I'll fain recite: +I'll blame you for the deeds by you were done * But while blame + endeth love shall stay in site." + + +Hardly had he made an end of these verses, when he looked and behold, +there rose to view the Green Dome[FN#179] and the jetting Fount and the +Emerald Palace, and the Mountain of Clouds showed to them from afar; +whereupon quoth Abd al-Kaddus, "Rejoice, O Hasan, in good tidings: +to-night shalt thou be the guest of my nieces!" At this he joyed with +exceeding joy and as also did his wife, and they alighted at the domed +pavilion, where they took their rest[FN#180] and ate and drank; after +which they mounted horse again and rode on till they came upon the +palace. As they drew near, the Princesses who were daughters of the +King, brother to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus, came forth to meet them and +saluted them and their uncle who said to them, "O daughters of my +brother, behold, I have accomplished the need of this your brother +Hasan and have helped him to regain his wife and children." So they +embraced him and gave him joy of his return in safety and health and of +his reunion with his wife and children, and it was a day of +festival[FN#181] with them. Then came forward Hasan's sister, the +youngest Princess, and embraced him, weeping with sore weeping, whilst +he also wept for his long desolation: after which she complained to him +of that which she had suffered for the pangs of separation and +weariness of spirit in his absence and recited these two couplets, + +"After thy faring never chanced I 'spy * A shape, but did thy form + therein descry: +Nor closed mine eyes in sleep but thee I saw, * E'en as though + dwelling 'twixt the lid and eye." + + +When she had made an end of her verses, she rejoiced with joy exceeding +and Hasan said to her, "O my sister, I thank none in this matter save +thyself over all thy sisters, and may Allah Almighty vouchsafe thee +aidance and countenance!" Then he related to her all that had past in +his journey, from first to last, and all that he had undergone, telling +her what had betided him with his wife's sister and how he had +delivered his wife and wees and he also described to her all that he +had seen of marvels and grievous perils, even to how Queen Nur al-Huda +would have slain him and his spouse and children and none saved them +from her but the Lord the Most High. Moreover, he related to her the +adventure of the cap and the rod and how Abd al-Kaddus and Abu +al-Ruwaysh had asked for them and he had not agreed to give them to the +twain save for her sake; wherefore she thanked him and blessed him +wishing him long life; and he cried, "By Allah, I shall never forget +all the kindness thou hast done me from incept to conclusion."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan +foregathered with the Princesses, he related to his sister all that he +had endured and said to her, "Never will I forget what thou hast done +for me from incept to conclusion." Then she turned to his wife Manar +al-Sana and embraced her and pressed her children to her breast, saying +to her, "O daughter of the Supreme King, was there no pity in thy +bosom, that thou partedst him and his children and settedst his heart +on fire for them? Say me, didst thou desire by this deed that he +should die?" The Princess laughed and answered, "Thus was it ordained +of Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) and whoso beguileth folk, him +shall Allah begule."[FN#182] Then they set on somewhat of meat and +drink, and they all ate and drank and made merry. They abode thus ten +days in feast and festival, mirth and merry-making, at the end of which +time Hasan prepared to continue his journey. So his sister rose and +made him ready riches and rarities, such as defy description. Then she +strained him to her bosom, because of leave-taking, and threw her arms +round his neck whilst he recited on her account these couplets, + +"The solace of lovers is naught but far, * And parting is naught + save grief singular: +And ill-will and absence are naught but woe, * And the victims of + Love naught but martyrs are; +And how tedious is night to the loving wight * From his true love + parted 'neath evening star! +His tears course over his cheeks and so * He cries, 'O tears be + there more to flow?'" + + +With this Hasan gave the rod to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus, who joyed therein +with exceeding joy and thanking him and securing it mounted and +returned to his own place. Then Hasan took horse with his wife and +children and departed from the Palace of the Princesses, who went +forth[FN#183] with him, to farewell him. Then they turned back and +Hasan fared on, over wild and wold, two months and ten days, till he +came to the city of Baghdad, the House of Peace, and repairing to his +home by the private postern which gave upon the open country, knocked +at the door. Now his mother, for long absence, had forsworn sleep and +given herself to mourning and weeping and wailing, till she fell sick +and ate no meat, neither took delight in slumber but shed tears night +and day. She ceased not to call upon her son's name albeit she +despaired of his returning to her; and as he stood at the door, he +heard her weeping and reciting these couplets, + +"By Allah, heal, O my lords, the unwhole * Of wasted frame and + heart worn with dole: +An you grant her a meeting 'tis but your grace * Shall whelm in + the boons of the friend her soul: +I despair not of Union the Lord can grant * And to weal of + meeting our woes control!" + + +When she had ended her verses, she heard her son's voice at the door, +calling out, "O mother, mother ah! fortune hath been kind and hath +vouchsafed our reunion!" Hearing his cry she knew his voice and went +to the door, between belief and misbelief; but, when she opened it she +saw him standing there and with him his wife and children; so she +shrieked aloud, for excess of joy, and fell to the earth in a +fainting-fit. Hasan ceased not soothing her, till she recovered and +embraced him; then she wept with joy, and presently she called his +slaves and servants and bade them carry all his baggage into the +house.[FN#184] So they brought in every one of the loads, and his wife +and children entered also, whereupon Hasan's mother went up to the +Princess and kissed her head and bussed her feet, saying, "O daughter +of the Supreme King, if I have failed of thy due, behold, I crave +pardon of Almighty Allah." Then she turned to Hasan and said to him, "O +my son, what was the cause of this long strangerhood?" He related to +her all his adventures from beginning to end; and when she heard tell +of all that had befallen him, she cried a great cry and fell down +a-fainting at the very mention of his mishaps. He solaced her, till +she came to herself and said, "By Allah, O my son, thou hast done +unwisely in parting with the rod and the cap for, hadst thou kept them +with the care due to them, thou wert master of the whole earth, in its +breadth and length; but praised be Allah, for thy safety, O my son, and +that of thy wife and children!" They passed the night in all pleasance +and happiness, and on the morrow Hasan changed his clothes and donning +a suit of the richest apparel, went down into the bazar and bought +black slaves and slave-girls and the richest stuffs and ornaments and +furniture such as carpets and costly vessels and all manner other +precious things, whose like is not found with Kings. Moreover, he +purchased houses and gardens and estates and so forth and abode with +his wife and his children and his mother, eating and drinking and +pleasuring: nor did they cease from all joy of life and its solace till +there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Severer of +societies. And Glory be to Him who hath dominion over the Seen and the +Unseen,[FN#185] who is the Living, the Eternal, Who dieth not at all! +And men also recount the adventures of + + +Khalifah the Fisherman of Baghdad + +There was once in tides of yore and in ages and times long gone before +in the city of Baghdad a fisherman, Khalífah hight, a pauper wight, who +had never once been married in all his days. [FN#186] It chanced one +morning, that he took his net and went with it to the river, as was his +wont, with the view of fishing before the others came. When he reached +the bank, he girt himself and tucked up his skirts; then stepping into +the water, he spread his net and cast it a first cast and a second but +it brought up naught. He ceased not to throw it, till he had made ten +casts, and still naught came up therein; wherefore his breast was +straitened and his mind perplexed concerning his case and he said, "I +crave pardon of God the Great, there is no god but He, the Living, the +Eternal, and unto Him I repent. There is no Majesty and there is no +Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Whatso He willeth is and +whatso He nilleth is not! Upon Allah (to whom belong Honour and +Glory!) dependeth daily bread! Whenas He giveth to His servant, none +denieth him; and whenas He denieth a servant, none giveth to him." And +of the excess of his distress, he recited these two couplets, + +"An Fate afflict thee, with grief manifest, * Prepare thy + patience and make broad thy breast; +For of His grace the Lord of all the worlds * Shall send to wait + upon unrest sweet Rest." + + +Then he sat awhile pondering his case, and with his head bowed down +recited also these couplets, + +"Patience, with sweet and with bitter Fate! * And weet that His + will He shall consummate: +Night oft upon woe as on abscess acts * And brings it up to the + bursting state: +And Chance and Change shall pass o'er the youth * And fleet from + his thoughts and no more shall bait." + + +Then he said in his mind, "I will make this one more cast, trusting in +Allah, so haply He may not disappoint my hope;" and he rose and casting +into the river the net as far as his arm availed, gathered the cords in +his hands and waited a full hour, after which he pulled at it and, +finding it heavy,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-second Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when +Khalifah the Fisherman had cast his net sundry times into the stream, +yet had it brought up naught, he pondered his case and improvised the +verses afore quoted. Then he said in his mind, "I will make this one +more cast, trusting in Allah who haply will not disappoint my hope." +So he rose and threw the net and waited a full hour, after which time +he pulled at it and, finding it heavy, handled it gently and drew it +in, little by little, till he got it ashore, when lo and behold! he saw +in it a one-eyed, lame-legged ape. Seeing this quoth Khalifah, "There +is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah! verily, we are +Allah's and to Him we are returning! What meaneth this heart- +breaking, miserable ill-luck and hapless fortune? What is come to me +this blessed day? But all this is of the destinies of Almighty Allah!" + Then he took the ape and tied him with a cord to a tree which grew on +the river-bank, and grasping a whip he had with him, raised his arm in +the air, thinking to bring down the scourge upon the quarry, when Allah +made the ape speak with a fluent tongue, saying, "O Khalifah, hold thy +hand and beat me not, but leave me bounden to this tree and go down to +the river and cast thy net, confiding in Allah; for He will give thee +thy daily bread." Hearing this Khalifah went down to the river and +casting his net, let the cords run out. Then he pulled it in and found +it heavier than before; so he ceased not to tug at it, till he brought +it to land, when, behold, there was another ape in it, with front teeth +wide apart, [FN#187] Kohl-darkened eyes and hands stained with +Henna-dyes; and he was laughing and wore a tattered waistcloth about +his middle. Quoth Khalifah, "Praised be Allah who hath changed the +fish of the river into apes!" [FN#188] then, going up to the first ape, +who was still tied to the tree, he said to him, "See, O unlucky, how +fulsome was the counsel thou gavest me! None but thou made me light on +this second ape: and for that thou gavest me good-morrow with thy one +eye and thy lameness, [FN#189] I am become distressed and weary, +without dirham or dinar." So saying, he hent in hand a stick [FN#190] +and flourishing it thrice in the air, was about to come down with it +upon the lame ape, when the creature cried out for mercy and said to +him, "I conjure thee, by Allah, spare me for the sake of this my fellow +and seek of him thy need; for he will guide thee to thy desire!" So he +held his hand from him and throwing down the stick, went up to and +stood by the second ape, who said to him, "O Khalifah, this my speech +[FN#191] will profit thee naught, except thou hearken to what I say to +thee; but, an thou do my bidding and cross me not, I will be the cause +of thine enrichment." Asked Khalifah, "And what hast thou to say to me +that I may obey there therein?" The Ape answered, "Leave me bound on +the bank and hie thee down to the river; then cast thy net a third +time, and after I will tell thee what to do." So he took his net and +going down to the river, cast it once more and waited awhile. Then he +drew it in and finding it heavy, laboured at it and ceased not his +travail till he got it ashore, when he found in it yet another ape; but +this one was red, with a blue waistcloth about his middle; his hands +and feet were stained with Henna and his eyes blackened with Kohl. +When Khalifah saw this, he exclaimed, "Glory to God the Great! +Extolled be the perfection of the Lord of Dominion! Verily, this is a +blessed day from first to last: its ascendant was fortunate in the +countenance of the first ape, and the scroll [FN#192] is known by its +superscription! Verily, to-day is a day of apes: there is not a single +fish left in the river, and we are come out to-day but to catch +monkeys!" Then he turned to the third ape and said, "And what thing +art thou also, O unlucky?" Quoth the ape, "Dost thou not know me, O +Khalifah!"; and quoth he, "Not I!" The ape cried, "I am the ape of Abu +al-Sa'ádát [FN#193] the Jew, the shroff." Asked Khalifah, "And what +dost thou for him?"; and the ape answered, "I give him good-morrow at +the first of the day, and he gaineth five ducats; and again at the end +of the day, I give him good-even and he gaineth other five ducats." +Whereupon Khalifah turned to the first ape and said to him, "See, O +unlucky, what fine apes other folks have! As for thee, thou givest me +good-morrow with thy one eye and thy lameness and thy ill-omened phiz +and I become poor and bankrupt and hungry!" So saying, he took the +cattle-stick and flourishing it thrice in the air, was about to come +down with it on the first ape, when Abu al-Sa'adat's ape said to him, +"Let him be, O Khalifah, hold thy hand and come hither to me, that I +may tell thee what to do." So Khalifah threw down the stick and walking +up to him cried, "And what hast thou to say to me, O monarch of all +monkeys?" Replied the ape, "Leave me and the other two apes here, and +take thy net and cast it into the river; and whatever cometh up, bring +it to me, and I will tell thee what shall gladden thee."—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-third Night + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the ape of Abu +al-Sa'adat said to Khalifah, "Take thy net and cast it into the river; +and whatever cometh up, bring it to me, and I will tell thee what shall +gladden thee." He replied, "I hear and obey," and took the net and +gathered it on his shoulder, reciting these couplets, + +"When straitened is my breast I will of my Creator pray, * Who + may and can the heaviest weight lighten in easiest way; +For ere man's glance can turn or close his eye by God His grace * + Waxeth the broken whole and yieldeth jail its prison-prey. +Therefore with Allah one and all of thy concerns commit * Whose + grace and favour men of wit shall nevermore gainsay." + + +And also these twain, + +"Thou art the cause that castest men in ban and bane; * Sorrow + e'en so and sorrow's cause Thou canst assain: +Make me not covet aught that lies beyond my reach; * How many a + greedy wight his wish hath failed to gain!" + + +Now when Khalifah had made an end of his verse, he went down to the +river and casting his net, waited awhile; after which he drew it up and +found therein a fine young fish, [FN#194] with a big head, a tail like +a ladle and eyes like two gold pieces. When Khalifah saw this fish, he +rejoiced, for he had never in his life caught its like, so he took it, +marvelling, and carried it to the ape of Abu al-Sa'adat the Jew, as +'twere he had gotten possession of the universal world. Quoth the ape, +"O Khalifah, what wilt thou do with this and with thine ape?"; and +quoth the Fisherman, "I will tell thee, O monarch of monkeys all I am +about to do. Know then that first, I will cast about to make away with +yonder accursed, my ape, and take thee in his stead and give thee every +day to eat of whatso thou wilt." Rejoined the ape, "Since thou hast +made choice of me, I will tell thee how thou shalt do wherein, if it +please Allah Almighty, shall be the mending of thy fortune. Lend thy +mind, then, to what I say to thee and 'tis this!: Take another cord +and tie me also to a tree, where leave me and go to the midst of The +Dyke [FN#195] and cast thy net into the Tigris. [FN#196] Then after +waiting awhile, draw it up and thou shalt find therein a fish, than +which thou never sawest a finer in thy whole life. Bring it to me and +I will tell thee how thou shalt do after this." So Khalifah rose +forthright and casting his net into the Tigris, drew up a great +cat-fish [FN#197] the bigness of a lamb; never had he set eyes on its +like, for it was larger than the first fish. He carried it to the ape, +who said to him, "Gather thee some green grass and set half of it in a +basket; lay the fish therein and cover it with the other moiety. Then, +leaving us here tied, shoulder the basket and betake thee to Baghdad. +If any bespeak thee or question thee by the way, answer him not, but +fare on till thou comest to the market-street of the money-changers, at +the upper end whereof thou wilt find the shop of Master [FN#198] Abu +al- Sa'adat the Jew, Shaykh of the shroffs, and wilt see him sitting on +a mattress, with a cushion behind him and two coffers, one for gold and +one for silver, before him, while around him stand his Mamelukes and +negro-slaves and servant-lads. Go up to him and set the basket before +him, saying,: 'O Abu al-Sa'adat, verily I went out to-day to fish and +cast my net in thy name and Allah Almighty sent me this fish.' He will +ask, 'Hast thou shown it to any but me?;' and do thou answer, "No, by +Allah!' then will he take it of thee and give thee a dinar. Give it +him back and he will give thee two dinars; but do thou return them also +and so do with everything he may offer thee; and take naught from him, +though he give thee the fish's weight in gold. Then will he say to +thee, 'Tell me what thou wouldst have;' and do thou reply, "By Allah, I +will not sell the fish save for two words!' He will ask, 'What are +they?' and do thou answer, 'Stand up and say, 'Bear witness, O ye who +are present in the market, that I give Khalifah the fisherman my ape in +exchange for his ape, and that I barter for his lot my lot and luck for +his luck.' This is the price of the fish, and I have no need of gold.' + If he do this, I will every day give thee good-morrow and good-even, +and every day thou shalt gain ten dinars of good gold; whilst this +one-eyed, lame-legged ape shall daily give the Jew good-morrow, and +Allah shall afflict him every day with an avanie [FN#199] which he must +needs pay, nor will he cease to be thus afflicted till he is reduced to +beggary and hath naught. Hearken then to my words; so shalt thou +prosper and be guided aright." Quoth Khalifah, "I accept thy counsel, +O monarch of all the monkeys! But, as for this unlucky, may Allah +never bless him! I know not what to do with him." Quoth the ape, "Let +him go [FN#200] into the water, and let me go also." "I hear and +obey," answered Khalifah and unbound the three apes, and they went down +into the river. Then he took up the cat-fish [FN#201] which he washed +then laid it in the basket upon some green grass, and covered it with +other; and lastly shouldering his load, set out chanting the following +Mawwál, [FN#202] + +"Thy case commit to a Heavenly Lord and thou shalt safety see; * + Act kindly through thy worldly life and live repentance- + free. +Mate not with folk suspected, lest eke thou shouldst suspected be + * And from reviling keep thy tongue lest men revile at + thee!" + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Khalifah the +fisherman, after ending his song, set out with the basket upon his +shoulder and ceased not faring till he entered the city of Baghdad. +And as he threaded the streets the folk knew him and cried out to him, +saying, "What hast thou there, O Khalifah?" But he paid no heed to them +and passed on till he came to the market- street of the money-changers +and fared between the shops, as the ape had charged him, till he found +the Jew seated at the upper end, with his servants in attendance upon +him, as he were a King of the Kings of Khorason. He knew him at first +sight; so he went up to him and stood before him, whereupon Abu +al-Sa'adat raised his eyes and recognising him, said, "Welcome, O +Khalifah! What wantest thou and what is thy need? If any have missaid +thee or spited thee, tell me and I will go with thee to the Chief of +Police, who shall do thee justice on him." Replied Khalifah, "Nay, as +thy head liveth, O chief of the Jews, none hath missaid me. But I went +forth this morning to the river and, casting my net into the Tigris on +thy luck, brought up this fish." Therewith he opened the basket and +threw the fish before the Jew who admired it and said, "By the +Pentateuch and the Ten Commandments, [FN#203] I dreamt last night that +the Virgin came to me and said, 'Know, O Abu al-Sa'adat, that I have +sent thee a pretty present!' and doubtless 'tis this fish." Then he +turned to Khalifah and said to him, "By thy faith, hath any seen it but +I?" Khalifah replied, "No, by Allah, and by Abu Bakr the Veridical, +[FN#204] none hath seen it save thou, O chief of the Jews!" Whereupon +the Jew turned to one of his lads and said to him, "Come, carry this +fish to my house and bid Sa'ádah [FN#205] dress it and fry and broil +it, against I make an end of my business and hie me home." And +Khalifah said, "Go, O my lad; let the master's wife fry some of it and +broil the rest." Answered the boy, "I hear and I obey, O my lord" and, +taking the fish, went away with it to the house. Then the Jew put out +his hand and gave Khalifah the fisherman a dinar, saying, "Take this +for thyself, O Khalifah, and spend it on thy family." When Khalifah +saw the dinar on his palm, he took it, saying, "Laud to the Lord of +Dominion!" as if he had never seen aught of gold in his life; and went +somewhat away, but, before he had gone far, he was minded of the ape's +charge and turning back threw down the ducat, saying, "Take thy gold +and give folk back their fish! Dost thou make a laughing stock of +folk?" The Jew hearing this thought he was jesting and offered him two +dinars upon the other, but Khalifah said, "Give me the fish and no +nonsense. How knewest thou I would sell it at this price?" Whereupon +the Jew gave him two more dinars and said, "Take these five ducats for +thy fish and leave greed." So Khalifah hent the five dinars in hand +and went away, rejoicing, and gazing and marvelling at the gold and +saying, "Glory be to God! There is not with the Caliph of Baghdad what +is with me this day!" Then he ceased not faring on till he came to the +end of the market-street, when he remembered the words of the ape and +his charge, and returning to the Jew, threw him back the gold. Quoth +he, "What aileth thee, O Khalifah? Dost thou want silver in exchange +for gold?" Khalifah replied, "I want nor dirhams nor dinars. I only +want thee to give me back folk's fish." With this the Jew waxed wroth +and shouted out at him, saying, "O fisherman, thou bringest me a fish +not worth a sequin and I give thee five for it; yet art thou not +content! Art thou Jinn-mad? Tell me for how much thou wilt sell it." +Answered Khalifah, "I will not sell it for silver nor for gold, only +for two sayings [FN#206] thou shalt say me." When the Jew heard speak +of the "Two Sayings," his eyes sank into his head, he breathed hard and +ground his teeth for rage and said to him, "O nail-paring of the +Moslems, wilt thou have me throw off my faith for the sake of thy fish, +and wilt thou debauch me from my religion and stultify my belief and my +conviction which I inherited of old from my forbears?" Then he cried +out to the servants who were in waiting and said, "Out on you! Bash me +this unlucky rogue's neck and bastinado him soundly!" So they came +down upon him with blows and ceased not beating him till he fell +beneath the shop, and the Jew said to them, "Leave him and let him +rise." Whereupon Khalifah jumped up, as if naught ailed him, and the +Jew said to him, "Tell me what price thou asketh for this fish and I +will give it thee: for thou hast gotten but scant good of us this day." + Answered the Fisherman, "Have no fear for me, O master, because of the +beating; for I can eat ten donkeys' rations of stick." The Jew laughed +at his words and said, "Allah upon thee, tell me what thou wilt have +and by the right of my Faith, I will give it thee!" The Fisherman +replied, "Naught from thee will remunerate me for this fish save the +two words whereof I spake." And the Jew said, "Meseemeth thou wouldst +have me become a Moslem?" [FN#207] Khalifah rejoined, "By Allah, O +Jew, an thou islamise 'twill nor advantage the Moslems nor damage the +Jews; and in like manner, an thou hold to thy misbelief 'twill nor +damage the Moslems nor advantage the Jews. But what I desire of thee +is that thou rise to thy feet and say, 'Bear witness against me, O +people of the market, that I barter my ape for the ape of Khalifah the +Fisherman and my lot in the world for his lot and my luck for his +luck.'" Quoth the Jew, "If this be all thou desirest 'twill sit +lightly upon me." —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Jew said +to Khalifah the Fisherman, "If this be all thou desirest, 'twill sit +lightly upon me." So he rose without stay or delay and standing on his +feet, repeated the required words; after which he turned to the +Fisherman and asked him, "Hast thou aught else to ask of me?" "No," +answered he, and the Jew said, "Go in peace!" Hearing this Khalifah +sprung to his feet forthright; took up his basket and net and returned +straight to the Tigris, where he threw his net and pulled it in. He +found it heavy and brought it not ashore but with travail, when he +found it full of fish of all kinds. Presently, up came a woman with a +dish, who gave him a dinar, and he gave her fish for it; and after her +an eunuch, who also bought a dinar's worth of fish, and so forth till +he had sold ten dinars' worth. And he continued to sell ten dinars' +worth of fish daily for ten days, till he had gotten an hundred dinars. + Now Khalifah the Fisherman had quarters in the Passage of the +Merchants, [FN#208] and, as he lay one night in his lodging much +bemused with Hashish, he said to himself, "O Khalifah, the folk all +know thee for a poor fisherman, and now thou hast gotten an hundred +golden dinars. Needs must the Commander of the Faithful, Harun +al-Rashid, hear of this from some one, and haply he will be wanting +money and will send for thee and say to thee, 'I need a sum of money +and it hath reached me that thou hast an hundred dinars: so do thou +lend them to me those same.' I shall answer, 'O Commander of the +Faithful, I am a poor man, and whoso told thee that I had an hundred +dinars lied against me; for I have naught of this.' Thereupon he will +commit me to the Chief of Police, saying, "Strip him of his clothes and +torment him with the bastinado till he confess and give up the hundred +dinars in his possession. Wherefore, meseemeth to provide against this +predicament, the best thing I can do, is to rise forthright and bash +myself with the whip, so to use myself to beating." And his Hashish +[FN#209] said to him, "Rise, doff thy dress." So he stood up and +putting off his clothes, took a whip he had by him and set handy a +leathern pillow; then he fell to lashing himself, laying every other +blow upon the pillow and roaring out the while, "Alas! Alas! By Allah, +'tis a false saying, O my lord, and they have lied against me; for I am +a poor fisherman and have naught of the goods of the world!" The noise +of the whip falling on the pillow and on his person resounded in the +still of night and the folk heard it, and amongst others the merchants, +and they said, "Whatever can ail the poor fellow, that he crieth and we +hear the noise of blows falling on him? 'Twould seem robbers have +broken in upon him and are tormenting him." Presently they all came +forth of their lodgings, at the noise of the blows and the crying, and +repaired to Khalifah's room, but they found the door locked and said +one to other, "Belike the robbers have come in upon him from the back +of the adjoining saloon. It behoveth us to climb over by the roofs." +So they clomb over the roofs and coming down through the sky- light, +[FN#210] saw him naked and flogging himself and asked him, "What aileth +thee, O Khalifah?" He answered, "Know, O folk, that I have gained some +dinars and fear lest my case be carried up to the Prince of True +Believers, Harun al-Rashid, and he send for me and demand of me those +same gold pieces; whereupon I should deny, and I fear that, if I deny, +he will torture me, so I am torturing myself, by way of accustoming me +to what may come." The merchants laughed at him and said, "Leave this +fooling, may Allah not bless thee and the dinars thou hast gotten! +Verily thou hast disturbed us this night and hast troubled our hearts." +So Khalifah left flogging himself and slept till the morning, when he +rose and would have gone about his business, but bethought him of his +hundred dinars and said in his mind, "An I leave them at home, thieves +will steal them, and if I put them in a belt [FN#211] about my waist, +peradventure some one will see me and lay in wait for me till he come +upon me in some lonely place and slay me and take the money: but I have +a device that should serve me well, right well." So he jumped up +forthright and made him a pocket in the collar of his gaberdine and +tying the hundred dinars up in a purse, laid them in the collar-pocket. + Then he took his net and basket and staff and went down to the Tigris, +— And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Khalifah the +Fisherman, having set his hundred dinars in the collar-pocket took +basket, staff and net and went down to the Tigris, where he made a cast +but brought up naught. So he removed from that place to another and +threw again, but once more the net came up empty; and he went on +removing from place to place till he had gone half a day's journey from +the city, ever casting the net which kept bringing up naught. So he +said to himself, "By Allah, I will throw my net a-stream but his once +more, whether ill come of it or weal!" [FN#212] Then he hurled the net +with all his force, of the excess of his wrath and the purse with the +hundred dinars flew out of his collar-pocket and, lighting in +mid-stream, was carried away by the strong current; whereupon he threw +down the net and plunged into the water after the purse. He dived for +it nigh a hundred times, till his strength was exhausted and he came up +for sheer fatigue without chancing on it. When he despaired of finding +the purse, he returned to the shore, where he saw nothing but staff, +net and basket and sought for his clothes, but could light on no trace +of them: so he said in himself, "O vilest of those wherefor was made +the byword, 'The pilgrimage is not perfected save by copulation with +the camel!" [FN#213] Then he wrapped the net about him and taking +staff in one hand and basket in other, went trotting about like a camel +in rut, running right and left and backwards and forwards, dishevelled +and dusty, as he were a rebel Marid let loose from Solomon's prison. +[FN#214] So far for what concerns the Fisherman Khalifah; but as +regards the Caliph Harun al-Rashid, he had a friend, a jeweller called +Ibn al-Kirnás, [FN#215] and all the traders, brokers and middle-men +knew him for the Caliph's merchant; wherefore there was naught sold in +Baghdad, by way of rarities and things of price or Mamelukes or +handmaidens, but was first shown to him. As he sat one day in his +shop, behold, there came up to him the Shaykh of the brokers, with a +slave-girl, whose like seers never saw, for she was of passing beauty +and loveliness, symmetry and perfect grace, and among her gifts was +that she knew all arts and sciences and could make verses and play upon +all manner musical instruments. So Ibn al-Kirnas bought her for five +thousand golden dinars and clothed her with other thousand; after which +he carried her to the Prince of True Believers, with whom she lay the +night and who made trial of her in every kind of knowledge and +accomplishment and found her versed in all sorts of arts and sciences, +having no equal in her time. Her name was Kút al-Kulúb [FN#216] and +she was even as saith the poet, + +"I fix my glance on her, whene'er she wends; * And non-acceptance + of my glance breeds pain: +She favours graceful-necked gazelle at gaze; * And 'Graceful as + gazelle' to say we're fain." + + +And where is this [FN#217] beside the saying of another? + +"Give me brunettes; the Syrian spears, so limber and so straight, + Tell of the slender dusky maids, so lithe and proud of gait. +Languid of eyelids, with a down like silk upon her cheek, Within + her wasting lover's heart she queens it still in state." + + +On the morrow the Caliph sent for Ibn al-Kirnas the Jeweller, and bade +him receive ten thousand dinars as to her price. And his heart was +taken up with the slave-girl Kut al-Kulub and he forsook the Lady +Zubaydah bint al-Kasim, for all she was the daughter of his father's +brother [FN#218] and he abandoned all his favorite concubines and abode +a whole month without stirring from Kut al-Kulub's side save to go to +the Friday prayers and return to her in all haste. This was grievous +to the Lords of the Realm and they complained thereof to the Wazir +Ja'afar the Barmecide, who bore with the Commander of the Faithful and +waited till the next Friday, when he entered the cathedral-mosque and, +foregathering with the Caliph, related to him all that occurred to him +of extra-ordinary stories anent seld-seen love and lovers with intent +to draw out what was in his mind. Quoth the Caliph, "By Allah, O +Ja'afar, this is not of my choice; but my heart is caught in the snare +of love and wot I not what is to be done!" The Wazir Ja'afar replied, +"O Commander of the Faithful, thou knowest how this girl Kut al-Kulub +is become at thy disposal and of the number of thy servants, and that +which hand possesseth soul coveteth not. Moreover, I will tell thee +another thing which is that the highest boast of Kings and Princes is +in hunting and the pursuit of sport and victory; and if thou apply +thyself to this, perchance it will divert thee from her, and it may be +thou wilt forget her." Rejoined the Caliph, "Thou sayest well, O +Ja'afar; come let us go a-hunting forthright, without stay or delay." +So soon as Friday prayers were prayed, they left the mosque and at once +mounting their she-mules rode forth to the chase. —And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Caliph Harun al-Rashid and the Wazir Ja'afar would go forth a-hunting +and a-chasing, they mounted two she-mules and fared on into the open +country, occupied with talk, and their attendants outwent them. +Presently the heat became overhot and Al-Rashid said to his Wazir, "O +Ja'afar, I am sore athirst." Then he looked around and espying a +figure in the distance on a high mound, asked Ja'afar, "Seest thou what +I see?" Answered the Wazir, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful; I see a +dim figure on a high mound; belike he is the keeper of a garden or of a +cucumber- plot, and in whatso wise water will not be lacking in his +neighborhood;" presently adding, "I will go to him and fetch thee +some." But Al-Rashid said, "My mule is swifter than thy mule; so do +thou abide here, on account of the troops, whilst I go myself to him +and get of this person [FN#219] drink and return." So saying, he urged +his she-mule, which started off like racing wind or railing-water and, +in the twinkling of an eye, made the mound, where he found the figure +he had seen to be none other than Khalifah the Fisherman, naked and +wrapped in the net; and indeed he was horrible to behold, as to and fro +he rolled with eyes for very redness like cresset-gleam and dusty hair +in dishevelled trim, as he were an Ifrit or a lion grim. Al-Rashid +saluted him and he returned his salutation; but he was wroth and fires +might have been lit at his breath. Quoth the Caliph, "O man, hast thou +any water?"; and quoth Khalifah, "Ho thou, art thou blind, or Jinn-mad? + Get thee to the river Tigris, for 'tis behind this mound." So +Al-Rashid went around the mound and going down to the river, drank and +watered his mule: then without a moment's delay he returned to Khalifah +and said to him, "What aileth thee, O man, to stand here, and what is +thy calling?" The Fisherman cried, "This is a stranger and sillier +question than that about the water! Seest thou not the gear of my +craft on my shoulder?" Said the Caliph, "Belike thou art a fisherman?"; +and he replied, "Yes." Asked Al-Rashid, "Where is thy gaberdine, +[FN#220] and where are thy waistcloth and girdle and where be the rest +of thy raiment?" Now these were the very things which had been taken +from Khalifah, like for like; so, when he heard the Caliph name them, +he got into his head that it was he who had stolen his clothes from the +river-bank and coming down from the top of the mound, swiftlier than +the blinding leven, laid hold of the mule's bridle, saying, "Harkye, +man, bring me back my things and leave jesting and joking." Al-Rashid +replied, "By Allah, I have not seen thy clothes nor know aught of +them!" Now the Caliph had large cheeks and a small mouth; [FN#221] so +Khalifah said to him, "Belike, thou art by trade a singer or a piper on +pipes? But bring me back my clothes fairly and without more ado, or I +will bash thee with this my staff till thou bepiss thyself and befoul +they clothes." When Al-Rashid saw the staff in the Fisherman's hand +and that he had the vantage of him, he said to himself, "By Allah, I +cannot brook from this mad beggar half a blow of that staff!" Now he +had on a satin gown; so he pulled it off and gave it to Khalifah, +saying, "O man, take this in place of thy clothes." The Fisherman took +it and turned it about and said, "My clothes are worth ten of this +painted 'Abá-cloak;" and rejoined the Caliph, "Put it on till I bring +thee thy gear." So Khalifah donned the gown, but finding it too long +for him, took a knife he had with him, tied to the handle of his +basket, [FN#222] and cut off nigh a third of the skirt, so that it fell +only beneath his knees. Then he turned to Al-Rashid and said to him, +"Allah upon thee, O piper, tell me what wage thou gettest every month +from thy master, for thy craft of piping." Replied the Caliph, "My +wage is ten dinars a month," and Khalifah continued, "By Allah, my poor +fellow, thou makest me sorry for thee! Why, I make thy ten dinars every +day! Hast thou a mind to take service with me and I will teach thee +the art of fishing and share my gain with thee? So shalt thou make +five dinars a day and be my slavey and I will protect thee against thy +master with this staff." Quoth Al-Rashid, "I will well"; and quoth +Khalifah, "Then get off thy she-ass and tie her up, so she may serve us +to carry the fish hereafter, and come hither, that I may teach thee to +fish forthright." So Al-Rashid alighted and hobbling his mule, tucked +his skirts into his girdle, and Khalifah said to him, "O piper, lay +hold of the net thus and put it over thy forearm thus and cast it into +the Tigris thus." Accordingly, the Caliph took heart of grace and, +doing as the fisherman showed him, threw the net and pulled at it, but +could not draw it up. So Khalifah came to his aid and tugged at it +with him; but the two together could not hale it up: whereupon said the +fisherman, "O piper of ill- omen, for the first time I took thy gown in +place of my clothes; but this second time I will have thine ass and +will beat thee to boot, till thou bepiss and beskite thyself! An I +find my net torn." Quoth Al-Rashid, "Let the twain of us pull at +once." So they both pulled together and succeeded with difficulty in +hauling that net ashore, when they found it full of fish of all kinds +and colours;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Khalifah +the Fisherman and the Caliph hauled that net ashore, they found it full +of fish of all kinds; and Khalifah said to Al- Rashid, "By Allah, O +piper, thou art foul of favor but, an thou apply thyself to fishing, +thou wilt make a mighty fine fisherman. But now 'twere best thou +bestraddle thine ass and make for the market and fetch me a pair of +frails, [FN#223] and I will look after the fish till thou return, when +I and thou will load it on thine ass's back. I have scales and weights +and all we want, so we can take them with us and thou wilt have nothing +to do but to hold the scales and pouch the price; for here we have fish +worth twenty dinars. So be fast with the frails and loiter not." +Answered the Caliph, "I hear and obey" and mounting, left him with his +fish, and spurred his mule, in high good humour, and ceased not +laughing over his adventures with the Fisherman, till he came up to +Ja'afar, who said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, belike, when +thou wentest down to drink, thou foundest a pleasant flower-garden and +enteredst and tookest thy pleasure therein alone?" At this Al-Rashid +fell a laughing again and all the Barmecides rose and kissed the ground +before him, saying, "O Commander of the Faithful, Allah make joy to +endure for thee and do away annoy from thee! What was the cause of thy +delaying when thou faredst to drink and what hath befallen thee?" +Quoth the Caliph, "Verily, a right wondrous tale and a joyous adventure +and a wondrous hath befallen me." And he repeated to them what had +passed between himself and the Fisherman and his words, "Thou stolest +my clothes!" and how he had given him his gown and how he had cut off a +part of it, finding it too long for him. Said Ja'afar, "By Allah, O +Commander of the Faithful, I had it in mind to beg the gown of thee; +but now I will go straight to the Fisherman and buy it of him." The +Caliph replied, "By Allah, he hath cut off a third part of the skirt +and spoilt it! But, O Ja'afar, I am tired with fishing in the river, +for I have caught great store of fish which I left on the bank with my +master Khalifah, and he is watching them and waiting for me to return +to him with a couple of frails and a matchet. [FN#224] Then we are to +go, I and he, to the market and sell the fish and share the price." +Ja'afar rejoined, "O Commander of the Faithful, I will bring you a +purchaser for your fish." And Al-Rashid retorted, "O Ja'afar, by the +virtue of my holy forefathers, whoso bringeth me one of the fish that +are before Khalifah, who taught me angling, I will give him for it a +gold dinar." So the crier proclaimed among the troops that they should +go forth and buy fish for the Caliph, and they all arose and made for +the river-side. Now, while Khalifah was expecting the Caliph's return +with the two frails, behold, the Mamelukes swooped down upon him like +vultures and took the fish and wrapped them in gold-embroidered +kerchiefs, beating one another in their eagerness to get at the +Fisherman. Whereupon quoth Khalifah, "Doubtless these are of the fish +of Paradise!" [FN#225] and hending two fish in right hand and left, +plunged into the water up to his neck and fell a-saying, "O Allah, by +the virtue of these fish, let Thy servant the piper, my partner, come +to me at this very moment." And suddenly up to him came a black slave +which was the chief of the Caliph's negro eunuchs. He had tarried +behind the rest, by reason of his horse having stopped to make water by +the way, and finding that naught remained of the fish, little or much, +looked right and left, till he espied Khalifah standing in the stream, +with a fish in either hand, and said to him, "Come hither, O +Fisherman!" But Khalifah replied, "Begone and none of your impudence!" +[FN#226] So the eunuch went up to him and said, "Give me the fish and +I will pay thee their price." Replied the Fisherman, "Art thou little +of wit? I will not sell them." Therewith the eunuch drew his mace +upon him, and Khalifah cried out, saying, "Strike not, O loon! Better +largesse than the mace." [FN#227] So saying, he threw the two fishes +to the eunuch, who took them and laid them in his kerchief. Then he +put hand in pouch, but found not a single dirham and said to Khalifah, +"O Fisherman, verily thou art out of luck for, by Allah, I have not a +silver about me! But come to- morrow to the Palace of the Caliphate +and ask for the eunuch Sandal; whereupon the castratos will direct thee +to me and by coming thither thou shalt get what falleth to thy lot and +therewith wend thy ways." Quoth Khalifah, "Indeed, this is a blessed +day and its blessedness was manifest from the first of it!"[FN#228] +Then he shouldered his net and returned to Baghdad; and as he passed +through the streets, the folk saw the Caliph's gown on him and stared +at him till he came to the gate of his quarter, by which was the shop +of the Caliph's tailor. When the man saw him wearing a dress of the +apparel of the Caliph, worth a thousand dinars, he said to him, "O +Khalifah, whence hadst thou that gown?" Replied the Fisherman, "What +aileth thee to be impudent? I had it of one whom I taught to fish and +who is become my apprentice. I forgave him the cutting off of his hand +[FN#229] for that he stole my clothes and gave me this cape in their +place." So the tailor knew that the Caliph had come upon him as he was +fishing and jested with him and given him the gown;—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night, + +She resume, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Caliph came +upon Khalifah the Fisherman and gave him his own gown in jest wherewith +the man fared home. Such was his case; but as regards Harun al-Rashid, +he had gone out a-hunting and a-fishing only to divert his thoughts +from the damsel, Kut al-Kulub. But when Zubaydah heard of her and of +the Caliph's devotion to her, the Lady was fired with the jealousy +which the more especially fireth women, so that she refused meat and +drink and rejected the delights of sleep and awaited the Caliph's going +forth on a journey or what not, that she might set a snare for the +damsel. So when she learnt that he was gone hunting and fishing, she +bade her women furnish the Palace fairly and decorate it splendidly and +serve up viands and confections; and amongst the rest she made a China +dish of the daintiest sweetmeats that can be made wherein she had put +Bhang. Then she ordered one of her eunuchs go to the damsel Kut +al-Kulub and bid her to the banquet, saying, "The Lady Zubaydah bint +Al-Kasim, the wife of the Commander of the Faithful, hath drunken +medicine to-day and, having heard tell of the sweetness of thy singing, +longeth to divert herself somewhat of thine art." Kut al-Kulub replied, +"Hearing and obedience are due to Allah and the Lady Zubaydah," and +rose without stay or delay, unknowing what was hidden for her in the +Secret Purpose. Then she took with her what instruments she needed +and, accompanying the eunuch, ceased not fairing till she stood in the +presence of the Princess. When she entered she kissed ground before +her again and again, then rising to her feet, said, "Peace be on the +Lady of the exalted seat and the presence whereto none may avail, +daughter of the house Abbásí and scion of the Prophet's family! May +Allah fulfil thee of peace and prosperity in the days and the years!" +[FN#230] Then she stood with the rest of the women and eunuchs, and +presently the Lady Zubaydah raised her eyes and considered her beauty +and loveliness. She saw a damsel with cheeks smooth as rose and +breasts like granado, a face moon-bright, a brow flower-white and great +eyes black as night; her eyelids were langour-dight and her face beamed +with light, as if the sun from her forehead arose and the murks of the +night from the locks of her brow; and the fragrance of musk from her +breath strayed and flowers bloomed in her lovely face inlaid; the moon +beamed from her forehead and in her slender shape the branches swayed. +She was like the full moon shining in the nightly shade; her eyes +wantoned, her eyebrows were like a bow arched and her lips of coral +moulded. Her beauty amazed all who espied her and her glances amated +all who eyed her. Glory be to Him who formed her and fashioned her and +perfected her! Brief, she was even as saith the poet of one who +favoured her, + +"When she's incensed thou seest folk like slain, * And when she's + pleased, their souls are quick again: +Her eyne are armed with glances magical * Wherewith she kills and + quickens as she's fain. +The Worlds she leadeth captive with her eyes * As tho' the Worlds + were all her slavish train." + + +Quoth the Lady Zubaydah, "Well come, and welcome and fair cheer to +thee, O Kut al-Kulub! Sit and divert us with thine art and the +goodliness of thine accomplishments." Quoth the damsel, "I hear and I +obey"; and, putting out her hand, took the tambourine, whereof one of +its praisers speaketh in the following verses, + +"Ho thou o' the tabret, my heart takes flight * And love-smit + cries while thy fingers smite! +Thou takest naught but a wounded heart, * The while for + acceptance longs the wight: +So say thou word or heavy or light; * Play whate'er thou please + it will charm the sprite. +Sois bonne, unveil thy cheek, ma belle * Rise, deftly dance and + all hearts delight." + + +Then she smote the tambourine briskly and so sang thereto, that she +stopped the birds in the sky and the place danced with them blithely; +after which she laid down the tambourine and took the pipe [FN#231] +whereof it is said, + +"She hath eyes whose babes wi' their fingers sign * To sweet tunes +without a discordant line." + +And as the poet also said in this couplet, + +"And, when she announceth the will to sing, * For Union-joy 'tis + a time divine!" + + +Then she laid down the pipe, after she had charmed therewith all who +were present, and took up the lute, whereof saith the poet, + +"How many a blooming bough in glee-girl's hand is fain * as + lute to 'witch great souls by charm of cunning strain! +She sweeps tormenting lute strings by her artful touch * Wi' + finger-tips that surely chain with endless chain." + + +Then she tightened its pegs and tuned its strings and laying it in her +lap, bended over it as mother bendeth over child; and it seemed as it +were of her and her lute that the poet spoke in these couplets, + +"Sweetly discourses she on Persian string * And Unintelligence + makes understand. +And teaches she that Love's a murtherer, * Who oft the reasoning + Moslem hath unmann'd. +A maid, by Allah, in whose palm a thing * Of painted wood like + mouth can speech command. +With lute she stauncheth flow of Love; and so * Stops flow of + blood the cunning leach's hand." + + +Then she preluded in fourteen different modes and sang to the lute an +entire piece, so as to confound the gazers and delight her hearers. +After which she recited these two couplets, + +"The coming unto thee is blest: * Therein new joys for aye + attend: +Its blisses are continuous * Its blessings never end." + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fortieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the maiden, Kut +al-Kulub, after singing these songs and sweeping the strings in +presence of the Lady Zubaydah, rose and exhibited tricks of sleight of +hand and legerdemain and all manner pleasing arts, till the Princess +came near to fall in love with her and said to herself, "Verily, my +cousin Al-Rashid is not to blame for loving her!" Then the damsel +kissed ground before Zubaydah and sat down, whereupon they set food +before her. Presently they brought her the drugged dish of sweetmeats +and she ate thereof; and hardly had it settled in her stomach when her +head fell backward and she sank on the ground sleeping. With this, the +Lady said to her women, "Carry her up to one of the chambers, till I +summon her"; and they replied, "We hear and we obey." Then said she to +one of her eunuchs, "Fashion me a chest and bring it hitherto to me!", +and shortly afterwards she bade make the semblance of a tomb and spread +the report that Kut al-Kulub had choked and died, threatening her +familiars that she would smite the neck of whoever should say, "She is +alive." Now, behold, the Caliph suddenly returned from the chase, and +the first enquiry he made was for the damsel. So there came to him one +of his eunuchs, whom the Lady Zubaydah had charged to declare she was +dead, if the Caliph should ask for her and, kissing ground before him, +said, "May thy head live, O my lord! Be certified that Kut al- Kulub +choked in eating and is dead." Whereupon cried Al-Rashid, "God never +gladden thee with good news, O thou bad slave!" and entered the Palace, +where he heard of her death from every one and asked, "Where is her +tomb?" So they brought him to the sepulchre and showed him the +pretended tomb, saying, "This is her burial-place." When he saw it, he +cried out and wept and embraced it, quoting these two couplets, +[FN#232] + +"By Allah, O tomb, have her beauties ceased and disappeared from + sight * And is the countenance changed and wan, that shone + so wonder-bright? +O tomb, O tomb, thou art neither heaven nor garden, verily: * How + comes it then that swaying branch and moon in thee unite? + + +The Caliph, weeping sore for her, abode by the tomb a full hour, after +which he arose and went away, in the utmost distress and the deepest +melancholy. So the Lady Zubaydah saw that her plot had succeeded and +forthright sent for the eunuch and said, "Hither with the chest!" He +set it before her, when she bade bring the damsel and locking her up +therein, said to the Eunuch, "Take all pains to sell this chest and +make it a condition with the purchaser that he buy it locked; then give +alms with its price." [FN#233] So he took it and went forth, to do her +bidding. Thus fared it with these; but as for Khalifah the Fisherman, +when morning morrowed and shone with its light and sheen, he said to +himself, "I cannot do aught better to-day than visit the Eunuch who +bought the fish of me, for he appointed me to come to him in the Palace +of the Caliphate." So he went forth of his lodging, intending for the +palace, and when he came thither, he found Mamelukes, negro-slaves and +eunuchs standing and sitting; and looking at them, behold, seated +amongst them was the Eunuch who had taken the fish of him, with the +white slaves waiting on him. Presently, one of the Mameluke-lads +called out to him; whereupon the Eunuch turned to see who he was an lo! +it was the Fisherman. Now when Khalifah was ware that he saw him and +recognized him, he said to him, "I have not failed thee, O my little +Tulip! [FN#234] On this wise are men of their word." Hearing his +address, Sandal the Eunuch [FN#235] laughed and replied, "By Allah, +thou art right, O Fisherman," and put his hand to his pouch, to give +him somewhat; but at that moment there arose a great clamour. So he +raised his head to see what was to do and finding that it was the Wazir +Ja'afar the Barmecide coming forth from the Caliph's presence, he rose +to him and forewent him, and they walked about, conversing for a +longsome time. Khalifah the Fisherman waited awhile; then, growing +weary of standing and finding that the Eunuch took no heed of him, he +set himself in his way and beckoned to him from afar, saying, "O my +lord Tulip, give me my due and let me go!" The Eunuch heard him, but +was ashamed to answer him because of the minister's presence; so he +went on talking with Ja'afar and took no notice whatever of the +Fisherman. Whereupon quoth Khalifah, "O Slow o' Pay! [FN#236] May +Allah put to shame all churls and all who take folks's goods and are +niggardly with them! I put myself under thy protection, O my lord +Bran-belly, [FN#237] to give me my due and let me go!" The Eunuch +heard him, but was ashamed to answer him before Ja'afar; and the +Minister saw the Fisherman beckoning and talking to him, though he knew +not what he was saying; so he said to Sandal, misliking his behaviour, +"O Eunuch, what would yonder beggar with thee?" Sandal replied, "Dost +thou not know him, O my lord the Wazir?"; and Ja'afar answered, "By +Allah, I know him not! How should I know a man I have never seen but +at this moment?" Rejoined the Eunuch, "O my lord, this is the +Fisherman whose fish we seized on the banks of the Tigris. I came too +late to get any and was ashamed to return to the Prince of True +Believers, empty-handed, when all the Mamelukes had some. Presently I +espied the Fisherman standing in mid-stream, calling on Allah, with +four fishes in his hands, and said to him, 'Give me what thou hast +there and take their worth.' He handed me the fish and I put my hand +into my pocket, purposing to gift him with somewhat, but found naught +therein and said, 'Come to me in the Palace, and I will give thee +wherewithal to aid thee in thy poverty. So he came to me to-day and I +was putting hand to pouch, that I might give him somewhat, when thou +camest forth and I rose to wait on thee and was diverted with thee from +him, till he grew tired of waiting; and this is the whole story, how he +cometh to be standing here." —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-first Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Sandal +the Eunuch related to Ja'afar the Barmecide the tale of Khalifah the +Fisherman, ending with, "This is the whole story and how he cometh to +be standing here!" the Wazir, hearing this account, smiled and said, "O +Eunuch, how is it that this Fisherman cometh in his hour of need and +thou satisfiest him not? Dost thou not know him, O Chief of the +Eunuchs?" "No," answered Sandal and Ja'afar said, "This is the Master +of the Commander of the Faithful, and his partner and our lord the +Caliph has arisen this morning, strait of breast, heavy of heart and +troubled of thought, nor is there aught will broaden his breast save +this fisherman. So let him not go, till I crave the Caliph's pleasure +concerning him and bring him before him; perchance Allah will relieve +him of his oppression and console him for the loss of Kut al-Kulub, by +means of the Fisherman's presence, and he will give him wherewithal to +better himself; and thou wilt be the cause of this." Replied Sandal, +"O my lord, do as thou wilt and may Allah Almighty long continue thee a +pillar of the dynasty of the Commander of the Faithful, whose shadow +Allah perpetuate [FN#238] and prosper it, root and branch!" Then the +Wazir Ja'afar rose up and went in to the Caliph, and Sandal ordered the +Mamelukes not to leave the Fisherman; whereupon Khalifah cried, "How +goodly is thy bounty, O Tulip! The seeker is become the sought. I come +to seek my due, and they imprison me for debts in arrears!" [FN#239] +When Ja'afar came in to the presence of the Caliph, he found him +sitting with his head bowed earthwards, breast straitened and mind +melancholy, humming the verses of the poet, + +"My blamers instant bid that I for her become consoled; * But I, + what can I do, whose heart declines to be controlled? +And how can I in patience bear the loss of lovely maid, * When + fails me patience for a love that holds with firmest hold! +Ne'er I'll forget her nor the bowl that 'twixt us both went round + * And wine of glances maddened me with drunkenness + ensoul'd." + + +Whenas Ja'afar stood in the presence, he said, "Peace be upon thee, O +Commander of the Faithful, Defender of the honour of the Faith and +descendant of the uncle of the Prince of the Apostles, Allah assain him +and save him and his family one and all!" The Caliph raised his head +and answered, "And on thee be peace and the mercy of Allah and His +blessings!" Quoth Ja'afar; "With leave of the Prince of True +Believers, his servant would speak without restraint." Asked the +Caliph, "And when was restraint put upon thee in speech and thou the +Prince of Wazirs? Say what thou wilt." Answered Ja'afar, "When I went +out, O my lord, from before thee, intending for my house, I saw +standing at the door thy master and teacher and partner, Khalifah the +Fisherman, who was aggrieved at thee and complained of thee saying, +'Glory be to God! I taught him to fish and he went away to fetch me a +pair of frails, but never came back: and this is not the way of a good +partner or of a good apprentice.' So, if thou hast a mind to +partnership, well and good; and if not, tell him, that he may take to +partner another." Now when the Caliph heard these words he smiled and +his straitness of breast was done away with and he said, "My life on +thee, is this the truth thou sayest, that the Fisherman standeth at the +door?" and Ja'afar replied, "By thy life, O Commander of the Faithful, +he standeth at the door." Quoth the Caliph, "O Ja'afar, by Allah, I +will assuredly do my best to give him his due! If Allah at my hands +send him misery, he shall have it; and if prosperity he shall have it." + Then he took a piece of paper and cutting it in pieces, said to the +Wazir, "O Ja'afar, write down with thine own hand twenty sums of money, +from one dinar to a thousand, and the names of all kinds of offices and +dignities from the least appointment to the Caliphate; also twenty +kinds of punishment from the lightest beating to death." [FN#240] "I +hear and obey, O Commander of the Faithful," answered Ja'afar, and did +as he was bidden. Then said the Caliph, "O Ja'afar, I swear by my holy +forefathers and by my kinship to Hamzah [FN#241] and Akil, [FN#242] +that I mean to summon the fisherman and bid him take one of these +papers, whose contents none knowesth save thou and I; and whatsoever is +written in the paper which he shall choose, I will give it to him; +though it be the Caliphate I will divest myself thereof and invest him +therewith and grudge it not to him; and, on the other hand, if there be +written therein hanging or mutilation or death, I will execute it upon +him. Now go and fetch him to me." When Ja'afar heard this, he said to +himself, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the +Glorious, the Great! It may be somewhat will fall to this poor +wretch's lot that will bring about his destruction, and I shall be the +cause. But the Caliph hath sworn; so nothing remains now but to bring +him in, and naught will happen save whatso Allah willeth." Accordingly +he went out to Khalifah the Fisherman and laid hold of his hand to +carry him in to the Caliph, whereupon his reason fled and he said in +himself, "What a stupid I was to come after yonder ill-omened slave, +Tulip, whereby he hath brought me in company with Bran- belly!" +Ja'afar fared on with him, with Mamelukes before and behind, whilst he +said, "Doth not arrest suffice, but these must go behind and before me, +to hinder my making off?" till they had traversed seven vestibules, +when the Wazir said to him, "Mark my words, O Fisherman! Thou standest +before the Commander of the Faithful and Defender of the Faith!" Then +he raised the great curtain and Khalifah's eyes fell on the Caliph, who +was seated on his couch, with the Lords of the realm standing in +attendance upon him. As soon as he knew him, he went up to him and +said, "Well come, and welcome to thee, O piper! 'Twas not right of thee +to make thyself a Fisherman and go away, leaving me sitting to guard +the fish, and never to return! For, before I was aware, there came up +Mamelukes on beasts of all manner colours, and snatched away the fish +from me, I standing alone, and this was all of thy fault; for, hadst +thou returned with the frails forthright, we had sold an hundred +dinars' worth of fish. And now I come to seek my due, and they have +arrested me. But thou, who hath imprisoned thee also in this place?" +The Caliph smiled and raising a corner of the curtain, put forth his +head and said to the Fisherman, "Come hither and take thee one of these +papers." Quoth Khalifah the Fisherman, "Yesterday thou wast a +fisherman, and to-day thou hast become an astrologer; but the more +trades a man hath, the poorer he waxeth." Thereupon Ja'afar said, +"Take the paper at once, and do as the Commander of the Faithful +biddeth thee without prating." So he came forward and put forth his +hand saying, "Far be it from me that this piper should ever again be my +knave and fish with me!" Then taking the paper he handed it to the +Caliph, saying, "O piper, what hath come out for me therein? Hide +naught thereof."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-second Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when +Khalifah the Fisherman took up one of the papers and handed it to the +Caliph he said, "O piper, what have come out to me therein? Hide naught +thereof." So Al-Rashid received it and passed it on to Ja'afar and +said to him, "Read what is therein." He looked at it and said, "There +is no Majesty there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the +Great!" Said the Caliph, "Good news, [FN#243] O Ja'afar? What seest +thou therein?" Answered the Wazir, "O Commander of the Faithful, there +came up from the paper, 'Let the Fisherman receive an hundred blows +with a stick.'" So the Caliph commanded to beat the Fisherman and they +gave him an hundred sticks: after which he rose, saying, "Allah damn +this, O Bran-belly! Are jail and sticks part of the game?" Then said +Ja'afar, "O Commander of the Faithful, this poor devil is come to the +river, and how shall he go away thirsting? We hope that among the +alms-deeds of the Commander of the Faithful, he may have leave to take +another paper, so haply somewhat may come out wherewithal he may succor +his poverty." Said the Caliph, "By Allah, O Ja'afar, if he take another +paper and death be written therein, I will assuredly kill him, and thou +wilt be the cause." Answered Ja'afar, "If he die he will be at rest." +But Khalifah the Fisherman said to him, "Allah ne'er gladden thee with +good news! Have I made Baghdad strait upon you, that ye seek to slay +me?" Quoth Ja'afar, "Take thee a paper and crave the blessing of Allah +Almighty!" So he put out his hand and taking a paper, gave it to +Ja'afar, who read it and was silent. The Caliph asked, "Why art thou +silent, O son of Yahya?"; and he answered, "O Commander of the +Faithful, there hath come out on this paper, 'Naught shall be given to +the Fisherman.'" Then said the Caliph, "His daily bread will not come +from us: bid him fare forth from before our face." Quoth Ja'afar, "By +the claims of thy pious forefathers, let him take a third paper, it may +be it will bring him alimony;" and quoth the Caliph, "Let him take one +and no more." So he put out his hand and took a third paper, and +behold, therein was written, "Let the Fisherman be given one dinar." +Ja'afar cried to him, "I sought good fortune for thee, but Allah willed +not to thee aught save this dinar." And Khalifah answered, "Verily, a +dinar for every hundred sticks were rare good luck, may Allah not send +thy body health!" The Caliph laughed at him and Ja'afar took him by +the hand and led him out. When he reached the door, Sandal the eunuch +saw him and said to him, "Hither, O Fisherman! Give us portion of that +which the Commander of the Faithful hath bestowed on thee, whilst +jesting with thee." Replied Khalifah, "By Allah, O Tulip, thou art +right! Wilt thou share with me, O nigger? Indeed, I have eaten stick +to the tune of an hundred blows and have earned one dinar, and thou art +but too welcome to it." So saying, he threw him the dinar and went +out, with the tears flowing down the plain of his cheeks. When the +Eunuch saw him in this plight, he knew that he had spoken sooth and +called to the lads to fetch him back: so they brought him back and +Sandal, putting his hand to his pouch, pulled out a red purse, whence +he emptied an hundred golden dinars into the Fisherman's hand, saying, +"Take this gold in payment of thy fish and wend thy ways." So +Khalifah, in high good humor, took the hundred ducats and the Caliph's +one dinar and went his way, and forgot the beating. Now, as Allah +willed it for the furthering of that which He had decreed, he passed by +the mart of the hand-maidens and seeing there a mighty ring where many +folks were foregathering, said to himself, "What is this crowd?" So he +brake through the merchants and others, who said, "Make wide the way +for Skipper Rapscallion, [FN#244] and let him pass." Then he looked +and behold, he saw a chest, with an eunuch seated thereon and an old +man standing by it, and the Shaykh was crying, "O merchants, O men of +money, who will hasten and hazard his coin for this chest of unknown +contents from the Palace of the Lady Zubaydah bint al-Kasim, wife of +the Commander of the Faithful? How much shall I say for you, Allah +bless you all!" Quoth one of the merchants, "By Allah, this is a risk! +But I will say one word and no blame to me. Be it mine for twenty +dinars." Quoth another, "Fifty," and they went on bidding, one against +other, till the price reached an hundred ducats. Then said the crier, +"Will any of you bid more, O merchants?" And Khalifah the Fisherman +said, "Be it mine for an hundred dinars and one dinar." The merchants, +hearing these words, thought he was jesting and laughed at him, saying, +"O eunuch sell it to Khalifah for an hundred dinars and one dinar!" +Quoth the eunuch, "By Allah, I will sell it to none but him! Take it, +O Fisherman, the Lord bless thee in it, and here with thy gold." So +Khalifah pulled out the ducats and gave them to the eunuch, who, the +bargain being duly made, delivered to him the chest and bestowed the +price in alms on the spot; after which he returned to the Palace and +acquainted the Lady Zubaydah with what he had done, whereat she +rejoiced. Meanwhile the Fisherman hove the chest on shoulder, but +could not carry it on this wise for the excess of its weight; so he +lifted it on to his head and thus bore it to the quarter where he +lived. Here he set it down and being weary, sat awhile, bemusing what +had befallen him and saying in himself, "Would Heaven I knew what is in +this chest!" Then he opened the door of his lodging and haled the +chest until he got it into his closet; after which he strove to open +it, but failed. Quoth he, "What folly possessed me to buy this chest? +There is no help for it but to break it open and see what is herein." +So he applied himself to the lock, but could not open it, and said to +himself, "I will leave it till to-morrow." Then he would have +stretched him out to sleep, but could find no room; for the chest +filled the whole closet. So he got upon it and lay him down; but, when +he had lain awhile, behold, he felt something stir under him whereat +sleep forsook him and his reason fled.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-third Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Khalifah +the Fisherman lay down upon the chest and thus tarried awhile, behold, +something stirred beneath him; whereat he was affrighted and his reason +fled. So he arose and cried, "Meseems there be Jinns in the chest. +Praise to Allah who suffered me not to open it! For, had I done so, +they had risen against me in the dark and slain me, and from them would +have befallen me naught of good." Then he lay down again when, lo! the +chest moved a second time, more than before; whereupon he sprang to his +feet and said, "There it goes again: but this is terrible!" And he +hastened to look for the lamp, but could not find it and had not the +wherewithal to buy another. So he went forth and cried out, "Ho, +people of the quarter!" Now the most part of the folk were asleep; but +they awoke at his crying and asked, "What aileth thee, O Khalifah?" He +answered, "Bring me a lamp, for the Jinn are upon me." They laughed at +him and gave him a lamp, wherewith he returned to his closet. Then he +smote the lock of the chest with a stone and broke it and opening it, +saw a damsel like a Houri lying asleep within. Now she had been +drugged with Bhang, but at that moment she threw up the stuff and +awoke; then she opened her eyes and feeling herself confined and +cramped, moved. At this sight quoth Khalifah, "By Allah, O my lady, +whence art thou?"; and quoth she, "Bring me Jessamine, and Narcissus." +[FN#245] and Khalifah answered, "There is naught here but Henna- +flowers." [FN#246] thereupon she came to herself and considering +Khalifah, said to him, "What art thou?" presently adding, "And where am +I?" He said, "Thou art in my lodging." Asked she, "Am I not in the +Palace of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid?" And quoth he, "What manner of +thing is Al-Rashid? [FN#247] O madwoman, Thou art naught but my +slave-girl: I bought thee this very day for an hundred dinars and one +dinar, and brought thee home, and thou wast asleep in this here chest." +When she had heard these words she said to him, "What is thy name?" +Said he, "My name is Khalifah. How comes my star to have grown +propitious, when I know my ascendant to have been otherwise?" She +laughed and cried, "Spare me this talk! Hast thou anything to eat?" +Replied he, "No, by Allah, nor yet to drink! I have not eaten these +two days and am now in want of a morsel." She asked, "Hast thou no +money?"; and he said, "Allah keep this chest which hath beggared me: I +gave all I had for it and am become bankrupt." The damsel laughed at +him and said, "Up with thee and seek of thy neighbours somewhat for me +to eat, for I am hungry." So he went forth and cried out, "Ho, people +of the quarter!" Now the folk were asleep; but they awoke and asked, +"What aileth thee, O Khalifah?" Answered he, "O my neighbours, I am +hungry and have nothing to eat." So one came down to him with a +bannock and another with broken meats and a third with a bittock of +cheese and a fourth with a cucumber; and so on till he lap was full and +he returned to his closet and laid the whole between her hands, saying, +"Eat." But she laughed at him, saying, "How can I eat of this, when I +have not a mug of water whereof to drink? I fear to choke with a +mouthful and die." Quoth he, "I will fill thee this pitcher."[FN#248] +So he took the pitcher and going forth, stood in the midst of the +street and cried out, saying, "Ho, people of the quarter!" Quoth they, +"What calamity is upon thee to-night, [FN#249] O Khalifah!" And he +said, "Ye gave me food and I ate; but now I am a-thirst; so give me to +drink." Thereupon one came down to him with a mug and another with an +ewer and a third with a gugglet; and he filled his pitcher and, bearing +it back, said to the damsel, "O my lady, thou lackest nothing now." +Answered she, "True, I want nothing more at this present." Quoth he, +"Speak to me and say me thy story." And quoth she, "Fie upon thee! An +thou knowest me not, I will tell thee who I am. I am Kut al-Kulub, the +Caliph's handmaiden, and the Lady Zubaydah was jealous of me; so she +drugged me with Bhang and set me in this chest," presently adding, +"Alhamdolillah—praised be God—for that the matter hath come to easy +issue and no worse! But this befel me not save for thy good luck, for +thou wilt certainly get of the Caliph Al-Rashid money galore, that will +be the means of thine enrichment." Quoth Khalifah, "Is not Al-Rashid +he in whose Palace I was imprisoned?" "Yes," answered she; and he +said, "By Allah, never saw I more niggardly wight than he, that piper +little of good and wit! He gave me an hundred blows with a stick +yesterday and but one dinar, for all I taught him to fish and made him +my partner; but he played me false." Replied she, "Leave this unseemly +talk, and open thine eyes and look thou bear thyself respectfully, +whenas thou seest him after this, and thou shalt win thy wish." When +he heard her words, it was if he had been asleep and awoke; and Allah +removed the veil from his judgment, because of his good luck, [FN#250] +and he answered, "On my head and eyes!" Then said he to her, "Sleep, in +the name of Allah." [FN#251] So she lay down and fell asleep (and he +afar from her) till the morning, when she sought of him inkcase +[FN#252] and paper and, when they were brought wrote to Ibn al- Kirnas, +the Caliph's friend, acquainting him with her case and how at the end +of all that had befallen her she was with Khalifah the Fisherman, who +had bought her. Then she gave him the scroll, saying, "Take this and +hie thee to the jewel-market and ask for the shop of Ibn al-Kirnas the +Jeweller and give him this paper and speak not." "I hear and I obey," +answered Khalifah and going with the scroll to the market, enquired for +the shop of Ibn al- Kirnas. They directed him to thither and on +entering it he saluted the merchant, who returned his salam with +contempt and said to him, "What dost thou want?" Thereupon he gave him +the letter and he took it, but read it not, thinking the Fisherman a +beggar, who sought an alms of him, and said to one of his lads, "Give +him half a dirham." Quoth Khalifah, "I want no alms; read the paper." +So Ibn al-Kirnas took the letter and read it; and no sooner knew its +import than he kissed it and laying it on his head—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-fourth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ibn +al-Kirnas read the letter and knew its import, he kissed it and laid it +on his head; then he arose and said to Khalifah, "O my brother, where +is thy house?" Asked Khalifah, "What wantest thou with my house? Wilt +thou go thither and steal my slave-girl?" Then Ibn al-Kirnas answered, +"No so: on the contrary, I will buy thee somewhat whereof you may eat, +thou and she." So he said, "My house is in such a quarter;" and the +merchant rejoined, "Thou hast done well. May Allah not give thee +health, O unlucky one!" [FN#253] Then he called out to two of his +slaves and said to them, "Carry this man to the shop of Mohsin the +Shroff and say to him, 'O Mohsin, give this man a thousand dinars of +gold;' then bring him back to me in haste." So they carried him to the +money-changer, who paid him the money, and returned with him to their +master, whom they found mounted on a dapple she-mule worth a thousand +dinars, with Mamelukes and pages about him, and by his side another +mule like his own, saddled and bridled. Quoth the jeweller to +Khalifah, "Bismillah, mount this mule." Replied he, "I won't; for by +Allah, I fear she throw me;" and quoth Ibn al- Kirnas, "By God, needs +must thou mount." So he came up and mounting her, face to crupper, +caught hold of her tail and cried out; whereupon she threw him on the +ground and they laughed at him; but he rose and said, "Did I not tell +thee I would not mount this great jenny-ass?" Thereupon Ibn al-Kirnas +left him in the market and repairing to the Caliph, told him of the +damsel; after which he returned and removed her to his own house. +Meanwhile, Khalifah went home to look after the handmaid and found the +people of the quarter foregathering and saying, "Verily, Khalifah is +to-day in a terrible pickle! [FN#254] Would we knew whence he can have +gotten this damsel?" Quoth one of them, "He is a mad pimp; haply he +found her lying on the road drunken, and carried her to his own house, +and his absence showeth that he knoweth his offence." As they were +talking, behold, up came Khalifah, and they said to him, "What a plight +is thine, O unhappy! Knowest thou not what is come to thee?" He +replied, "No, by Allah!" and they said, "But just now there came +Mamelukes and took away thy slave-girl whom thou stolest, and sought +for thee, but found thee not." Asked Khalifah, "And how came they to +take my slave-girl?"; and quoth one, "Had he falled in their way, they +had slain him." But he, so far from heeding them, returned running to +the shop of Ibn al-Kirnas, whom he met riding, and said to him, "By +Allah, 'twas not right of thee to wheedle me and meanwhile send thy +Mamelukes to take my slave-girl!" Replied the jeweller, "O idiot, come +with me and hold thy tongue." So he took him and carried him into a +house handsomely builded, where he found the damsel seated on a couch +of gold, with ten slave-girls like moons round her. Sighting her Ibn +al-Kirnas kissed ground before her and she said, "What hast thou done +with my new master, who bought me with all he owned?" He replied, "O +my lady, I gave him a thousand golden dinars;" and related to her +Khalifah's history from first to last, whereat she laughed and said, +"Blame him not; for he is but a common wight. These other thousand +dinars are a gift from me to him and Almighty Allah willing, he shall +win of the Caliph what shall enrich him." As they were talking, there +came an eunuch from the Commander of the Faithful, in quest of Kut al- +Kulub, for, when he knew that she was in the house of Ibn al- Kirnas, +he could not endure the severance, but bade bring her forthwith. So +she repaired to the Palace, taking Khalifah with her, and going into +the presence, kissed ground before the Caliph, who rose to her, +saluting and welcoming her, and asked her how she had fared with him +who had bought her. She replied, "He is a man, Khalifah the Fisherman +hight, and there he standeth at the door. He telleth me that he hath +an account to settle with the Commander of the Faithful, by reason of a +partnership between him and the Caliph in fishing." Asked Al-Rashid, +"Is he at the door?" and she answered, "Yes." So the Caliph sent for +him and he kissed ground before him and wished him endurance of glory +and prosperity. The Caliph marvelled at him and laughed at him and +said to him, "O Fisherman, wast thou in very deed my partner [FN#255] +yesterday?" Khalifah took his meaning and heartening his heart and +summoning spirit replied, "By Him who bestowed upon thee the succession +to thy cousin, [FN#256] I know her not in anywise and have had no +commerce with her save by way of sight and speech!" Then he repeated +to him all that had befallen him, since he last saw him, [FN#257] +whereat the Caliph laughed and his breast broadened and he said to +Khalifah, "Ask of us what thou wilt, O thou who bringest to owners +their own!" But he was silent; so the Caliph ordered him fifty +thousand dinars of gold and a costly dress of honour such as great +Sovrans don, and a she-mule, and gave him black slaves of the Súdán to +serve him, so that he became as he were one of the Kings of that time. +The Caliph was rejoiced at the recovery of his favourite and knew that +all this was the doing of his cousin-wife, the Lady Zubaydah,—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Caliph +rejoiced at the recovery of Kut al-Kulub and knew that all this was the +doing of the Lady Zubaydah, his cousin-wife; wherefore he was sore +enraged against her and held aloof from her a great while, visiting her +not neither inclining to pardon her. When she was certified of this, +she was sore concerned for his wrath and her face, that was wont to be +rosy, waxed pale and wan till, when her patience was exhausted, she +sent a letter to her cousin, the Commander of the Faithful making her +excuses to him and confessing her offences, and ending with these +verses + +"I long once more the love that was between us to regain, * That + I may quench the fire of grief and bate the force of bane. +O lords of me, have ruth upon the stress my passion deals * + Enough to me is what you doled of sorrow and of pain. +'Tis life to me an deign you keep the troth you deigned to plight + * 'Tis death to me an troth you break and fondest vows + profane: +Given I've sinned a sorry sin, ye grant me ruth, for naught * By + Allah, sweeter is than friend who is of pardon fain." + + +When the Lady Zubaydah's letter reached the Caliph, and reading it he +saw that she confessed her offence and sent her excuses to him +therefor, he said to himself, "Verily, all sins doth Allah forgive; +aye, Gracious, Merciful is He!" [FN#258] And he returned her an +answer, expressing satisfaction and pardon and forgiveness for what was +past, whereat she rejoiced greatly. As for Khalifah, the Fisherman, +the Caliph assigned him a monthly solde of fifty dinars and took him +into especial favour, which would lead to rank and dignity, honour and +worship. Then he kissed ground before the Commander of the Faithful +and went forth with stately gait. When he came to the door, the Eunuch +Sandal, who had given him the hundred dinars, saw him and knowing him, +said to him, "O Fisherman, whence all this?" So he told him all that +had befallen him, first and last, whereat Sandal rejoiced, because he +had been the cause of his enrichment, and said to him, "Wilt thou not +give me largesse of this wealth which is now become thine?" So +Khalifah put hand to pouch and taking out a purse containing a thousand +dinars, gave it to the Eunuch, who said, "Keep thy coins and Allah +bless thee therein!" and marvelled at his manliness and at the +liberality of his soul, for all his late poverty. [FN#259] Then +leaving the eunuch, Khalifah mounted his she-mule and rode, with the +slaves' hands on her crupper, till he came to his lodging at the Khan, +whilst the folk stared at him in surprise for that which had betided +him of advancement. When he alighted from his beast they accosted him +and enquired the cause of his change from poverty to prosperity, and he +told them all that had happened to him from incept to conclusion. Then +he bought a fine mansion and laid out thereon much money, till it was +perfect in all points. And he took up his abode therein and was wont +to recite thereon these two couplets, + +"Behold a house that's like the Dwelling of Delight; [FN#260] * + Its aspect heals the sick and banishes despite. +Its sojourn for the great and wise appointed it, * And Fortune + fair therein abideth day and night." + + +Then, as soon as he was settled in his house, he sought him in marriage +the daughter of one of the chief men of the city, a handsome girl, and +went in unto her and led a life of solace and satisfaction, joyaunce +and enjoyment; and he rose to passing affluence and exceeding +prosperity. So, when he found himself in this fortunate condition, he +offered up thanks to Allah (extolled and excelled be He!) for what He +had bestowed on him of wealth exceeding and of favours ever succeeding, +praising his Lord with the praise of the grateful and chanting the +words of the poet, + +"To Thee be praise, O Thou who showest unremitting grace; * O + Thou whose universal bounties high and low embrace! +To Thee be praise from me! Then deign accept my praise for I * + Accept Thy boons and gifts with grateful soul in every case. +Thou hast with favours overwhelmed me, benefits and largesse * + And gracious doles my memory ne'er ceaseth to retrace. +All men from mighty main, Thy grace and goodness, drain and + drink; * And in their need Thou, only Thou, to them art + refuge-place! +So for the sake of him who came to teach mankind in ruth * + Prophet, pure, truthful-worded scion of the noblest race; +Ever be Allah's blessing and His peace on him and all * His aids + [FN#261] and kin while pilgrims fare his noble tomb to face! +And on his helpmeets [FN#262] one and all, Companions great and + good, * Through time Eternal while the bird shall sing in + shady wood!" + + +And thereafter Khalifah continued to pay frequent visits to the Caliph +Harun al-Rashid, with whom he found acceptance and who ceased not to +overwhelm him with boons and bounty: and he abode in the enjoyment of +the utmost honour and happiness and joy and gladness and in riches more +than sufficing and in rank ever rising; brief, a sweet life and a +savoury, pure as pleasurable, till there came to him the Destroyer of +delights and the Sunderer of societies; and extolled be the perfection +of Him to whom belong glory and permanence and He is the Living, the +Eternal, who shall never die! + +NOTE. I have followed the example of Mr. Payne and have translated in +its entirety the Tale of Khalifah the Fisherman from the Breslau Edit. +(Vol. iv. pp. 315-365, Night cccxxi- cccxxxii.) in preference to the +unsatisfactory process of amalgamating it with that of the Mac. Edit. +given above. + + +Khalif the Fisherman of Baghdad. + +There was once, in days of yore and in ages and times long gone before, +in the city of Baghdad, a fisherman, by name Khalíf, a man of muckle +talk and little luck. One day, as he sat in his cell,[FN#263] he +bethought himself and said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might +save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Would Heaven I knew what is my +offence in the sight of my Lord and what caused the blackness of my +fortune and my littleness of luck among the fishermen, albeit (and I +say it who should not) in the city of Baghdad there is never a +fisherman like myself." Now he lodged in a ruined place called a Khan, +to wit, an inn,[FN#264] without a door, and when he went forth to fish, +he would shoulder the net, without basket or fish-slicers,[FN#265] and +when the folk would stare at him and say to him, "O Khalif, why not +take with thee a basket, to hold the fish thou catchest?"; he would +reply, "Even as I carry it forth empty, so would it come back, for I +never manage to catch aught." One night he arose, in the darkness +before dawn, and taking his net on his shoulder, raised his eyes to +heaven and said, "Allah mine, O Thou who subjectedst the sea to Moses +son of Imrán, give me this day my daily bread, for Thou art the best of +bread-givers!" Then he went down to the Tigris and spreading his net, +cast it into the river and waited till it had settled down, when he +haled it in and drew it ashore, but behold, it held naught save a dead +dog. So he cast away the carcase, saying, "O morning of ill doom! What +a handsel is this dead hound, after I had rejoiced in its +weight[FN#266]!" Then he mended the rents in the net, saying, "Needs +must there after this carrion be fish in plenty, attracted by the +smell," and made a second cast. After awhile, he drew up and found in +the net the hough[FN#267] of a camel, that had caught in the meshes and +rent them right and left. When Khalif saw his net in this state, he +wept and said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in +Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I wonder what is my offence and the +cause of the blackness of my fortune and the littleness of my luck, of +all folk, so that I catch neither cat-fish nor sprat,[FN#268] that I +may broil on the embers and eat, for all I dare say there is not in the +city of Baghdad a fisherman like me." Then with a Bismillah he cast his +net a third time, and presently drawing it ashore found therein an ape +scurvy and one-eyed, mangy, and limping hending an ivory rod in +forehand. When Khalif saw this, he said, "This is indeed a blessed +opening! What art thou, O ape?" "Dost thou not know me?" "No, by Allah, +I have no knowledge of thee!" "I am thine ape!" "What use is there in +thee, O my ape?" "Every day I give thee good-morrow, so Allah may not +open to thee the door of daily bread." "Thou failest not of this, O +one-eye[FN#269] of ill-omen! May Allah never bless thee! Needs must I +pluck out thy sound eye and cut off thy whole leg, so thou mayst become +a blind cripple and I be quit of thee. But what is the use of that rod +thou hendest in hand?" "O Khalif, I scare the fish therewith, so they +may not enter thy net." "Is it so?: then this very day will I punish +thee with a grievous punishment and devise thee all manner torments and +strip thy flesh from thy bones and be at rest from thee, sorry bit of +goods that thou art!" So saying, Khalif the Fisherman unwound from his +middle a strand of rope and binding him to a tree by his side, said, +"Lookee, O dog of an ape! I mean to cast the net again and if aught +come up therein, well and good; but, if it come up empty, I will verily +and assuredly make an end of thee, with the cruellest tortures and be +quit of thee, thou stinking lot." So he cast the net and drawing it +ashore, found in it another ape and said, "Glory be to God the Great! I +was wont to pull naught but fish out of this Tigris, but now it +yieldeth nothing but apes." Then he looked at the second ape and saw +him fair of form and round of face with pendants of gold in his ears +and a blue waistcloth about his middle, and he was like unto a lighted +taper. So he asked him, "What art thou, thou also, O ape?"; and he +answered, saying, "O Khalif, I am the ape of Abú al-Sa'ádát the Jew, +the Caliph's Shroff. Every day, I give him good-morrow, and he maketh a +profit of ten gold pieces." Cried the Fisherman, "By Allah, thou art a +fine ape, not like this ill-omened monkey o' mine!" So saying, he took +a stick[FN#270] and came down upon the sides of the ape, till he broke +his ribs and he jumped up and down. And the other ape, the handsome +one, answered him, saying, "O Khalif, what will it profit thee to beat +him, though thou belabour him till he die?" Khalif replied, "How shall +I do? Shall I let him wend his ways that he may scare me the fish with +his hang-dog face and give me good-even and good-morrow every day, so +Allah may not open to me the door of daily bread? Nay, I will kill him +and be quit of him and I will take thee in his stead; so shalt thou +give me good-morrow and I shall gain ten golden dinars a day." +Thereupon the comely ape made answer, "I will tell thee a better way +than that, and if thou hearken to me, thou shalt be at rest and I will +become thine ape in lieu of him." Asked the Fisherman, "And what dost +thou counsel me?"; and the ape answered, saying, "Cast thy net and thou +shalt bring up a noble fish, never saw any its like, and I will tell +thee how thou shalt do with it." Replied Khalif, "Lookee, thou too! An +I throw my net and there come up therein a third ape, be assured that I +will cut the three of you into six bits." And the second ape rejoined, +"So be it, O Khalif. I agree to this thy condition." Then Khalif spread +the net and cast it and drew it up, when behold, in it was a fine young +barbel[FN#271] with a round head, as it were a milking-pail, which when +he saw, his wits fled for joy and he said, "Glory be to God! What is +this noble creature? Were yonder apes in the river, I had not brought +up this fish." Quoth the seemly ape, "O Khalif, an thou give ear to my +rede, 'twill bring thee good fortune"; and quoth the Fisherman, "May +God damn him who would gainsay thee henceforth!" Thereupon the ape +said, "O Khalif, take some grass and lay the fish thereon in the +basket[FN#272] and cover it with more grass and take also somewhat of +basil[FN#273] from the greengrocer's and set it in the fish's mouth. +Cover it with a kerchief and push thee through the bazar of Baghdad. +Whoever bespeaketh thee of selling it, sell it not but fare on, till +thou come to the market street of the jewellers and money-changers. +Then count five shops on the right-hand side and the sixth shop is that +of Abu al-Sa'adat the Jew, the Caliph's Shroff. When thou standest +before him, he will say to thee, 'What seekest thou?'; and do thou make +answer, 'I am a fisherwight, I threw my net in thy name and took this +noble barbel, which I have brought thee as a present.' If he give thee +aught of silver, take it not, be it little or mickle, for it will spoil +that which thou wouldst do, but say to him, 'I want of thee naught save +one word, that thou say to me, 'I sell thee my ape for thine ape and my +luck for thy luck.' An the Jew say this, give him the fish and I shall +become thine ape and this crippled, mangy and one-eyed ape will be his +ape." Khalif replied, "Well said, O ape," nor did he cease faring +Baghdad-wards and observing that which the ape had said to him, till he +came to the Jew's shop and saw the Shroff seated, with eunuchs and +pages about him, bidding and forbidding and giving and taking. So he +set down his basket, saying, "O Sultan of the Jews, I am a fisher-wight +and went forth to-day to the Tigris and casting my net in thy name, +cried, 'This is for the luck of Abu al-Sa'adat;' and there came up to +me this Banni which I have brought thee by way of present." Then he +lifted the grass and discovered the fish to the Jew, who marvelled at +its make and said, "Extolled be the perfection of the Most Excellent +Creator!" Then he gave the fisherman a dinar, but he refused it and he +gave him two. This also he refused and the Jew stayed not adding to his +offer, till he made it ten dinars; but he still refused and Abu +al-Sa'adat said to him, "By Allah, thou art a greedy one. Tell me what +thou wouldst have, O Moslem!" Quoth Khalif, "I would have of thee but a +single word. [FN#274]" When the Jew heard this, he changed colour and +said, "Wouldst thou oust me from my faith? Wend thy ways;" and Khalif +said to him, "By Allah, O Jew, naught mattereth an thou become a Moslem +or a Nazarene!" Asked the Jew, "Then what wouldst thou have me say?"; +and the fisherman answered, "Say, I sell thee my ape for thy ape and my +luck for thy luck." The Jew laughed, deeming him little of wit, and +said by way of jest, "I sell thee my ape for thy ape and my luck for +thy luck. Bear witness against him, O merchants! By Allah, O unhappy, +thou art debarred from further claim on me!" So Khalif turned back, +blaming himself and saying, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might +save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Alas that I did not take the +gold!" and fared on blaming himself in the matter of the money till he +came to the Tigris, but found not the two apes, whereupon he wept and +slapped his face and strewed dust on his head, saying, "But that the +second ape wheedled me and put a cheat on me, the one-eyed ape had not +escaped." And he gave not over wailing and weeping, till heat and +hunger grew sore on him: so he took the net, saying, "Come, let us make +a cast, trusting in Allah's blessing; belike I may catch a cat-fish or +a barbel which I may boil and eat." So he threw the net and waiting +till it had settled, drew it ashore and found it full of fish, whereat +he was consoled and rejoiced and busied himself with unmeshing the fish +and casting them on the earth. Presently, up came a woman seeking fish +and crying out, "Fish is not to be found in the town." She caught sight +of Khalif, and said to him, "Wilt thou sell this fish, O Master?" +Answered Khalif, "I am going to turn it into clothes, 'tis all for +sale, even to my beard.[FN#275] Take what thou wilt." So she gave him a +dinar and he filled her basket. Then she went away and behold, up came +another servant, seeking a dinar's worth of fish; nor did the folk +cease till it was the hour of mid-afternoon prayer and Khalif had sold +ten golden dinars' worth of fish. Then, being faint and famisht, he +folded and shouldered his net and, repairing to the market, bought +himself a woollen gown, a calotte with a plaited border and a +honey-coloured turband for a dinar receiving two dirhams by way of +change, wherewith he purchased fried cheese and a fat sheep's tail and +honey and setting them in the oilman's platter, ate till he was full +and his ribs felt cold[FN#276] from the mighty stuffing. Then he +marched off to his lodgings in the magazine, clad in the gown and the +honey-coloured turband and with the nine golden dinars in his mouth, +rejoicing in what he had never in his life seen. He entered and lay +down, but could not sleep for anxious thoughts and abode playing with +the money half the night. Then said he in himself, "Haply the Caliph +may hear that I have gold and say to Ja'afar, 'Go to Khalif the +Fisherman and borrow us some money of him.' If I give it him, it will +be no light matter to me, and if I give it not, he will torment me; but +torture is easier to me than the giving up of the cash.[FN#277] +However, I will arise and make trial of myself if I have a skin proof +against stick or not." So he put off his clothes and taking a sailor's +plaited whip, of an hundred and sixty strands, ceased not beating +himself, till his sides and body were all bloody, crying out at every +stroke he dealt himself and saying "O Moslems! I am a poor man! O +Moslems, I am a poor man! O Moslems, whence should I have gold, whence +should I have coin?" till the neighbours, who dwelt with him in that +place, hearing him crying and saying, "Go to men of wealth and take of +them," thought that thieves were torturing him, to get money from him, +and that he was praying for aidance. Accordingly they flocked to him +each armed with some weapon and finding the door of his lodging locked +and hearing him roaring out for help, deemed that the thieves had come +down upon him from the terrace-roof; so they fell upon the door and +burst it open. Then they entered and found him mother-naked and +bareheaded with body dripping blood, and altogether in a sad pickle; so +they asked him, "What is this case in which we find thee? Hast thou +lost thy wits and hath Jinn-madness betided thee this night?" And he +answered them, "Nay; but I have gold with me and I feared lest the +Caliph send to borrow of me and it were no light matter to give him +aught; yet, an I gave not to him 'tis only too sure that he would put +me to the torture; wherefore I arose to see if my skin were stick-proof +or not." When they heard these words they said to him, "May Allah not +assain thy body, unlucky madman that thou art! Of a surety thou art +fallen mad to-night! Lie down to sleep, may Allah never bless thee! How +many thousand dinars hast thou, that the Caliph should come and borrow +of thee?" He replied, "By Allah, I have naught but nine dinars." And +they all said, "By Allah, he is not otherwise than passing rich!" Then +they left him wondering at his want of wit, and Khalif took his cash +and wrapped it in a rag, saying to himself, "Where shall I hide all +this gold? An I bury it, they will take it, and if I put it out on +deposit, they will deny that I did so, and if I carry it on my +head,[FN#278] they will snatch it, and if I tie it to my sleeve, they +will cut it away." Presently, he espied a little breast-pocket in the +gown and said, "By Allah, this is fine! 'Tis under my throat and hard +by my mouth: if any put out his hand to hend it, I can come down on it +with my mouth and hide it in my throttle." So he set the rag containing +the gold in the pocket and lay down, but slept not that night for +suspicion and trouble and anxious thought. On the morrow, he fared +forth of his lodging on fishing intent and, betaking himself to the +river, went down into the water, up to his knees. Then he threw the net +and shook it with might and main; whereupon the purse fell down into +the stream. So he tore off gown and turband and plunged in after it, +saying, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the +Glorious, the Great!" Nor did he give over diving and searching the +stream-bed, till the day was half spent, but found not the purse. Now +one saw him from afar diving and plunging and his gown and turband +lying in the sun at a distance from him, with no one by them; so he +watched him, till he dived again when he dashed at the clothes and made +off with them. Presently, Khalif came ashore and, missing his gown and +turband, was chagrined for their loss with passing cark and care and +ascended a mound, to look for some passer-by, of whom he might enquire +concerning them, but found none. Now the Caliph Harun al-Rashid had +gone a-hunting and chasing that day; and, returning at the time of the +noon heat, was oppressed thereby and thirsted; so he looked for water +from afar and seeing a naked man standing on the mound said to Ja'afar, +"Seest thou what I see?" Replied the Wazir, "Yes, O Commander of the +Faithful; I see a man standing on a hillock." Al-Rashid asked, "What is +he?"; and Ja'afar answered, "Haply he is the guardian of a +cucumber-plot." Quoth the Caliph, "Perhaps he is a pious man[FN#279]; I +would fain go to him, alone, and desire of him his prayers; and abide +ye where you are." So he went up to Khalif and saluting him with the +salam said to him, "What art thou, O man?" Replied the fisherman, "Dost +thou not know me? I am Khalif the Fisherman;" and the Caliph rejoined, +"What? The Fisherman with the woollen gown and the honey-coloured +turband[FN#280]?" When Khalif heard him name the clothes he had lost, +he said in himself, "This is he who took my duds: belike he did but +jest with me." So he came down from the knoll and said, "Can I not take +a noontide nap[FN#281] but thou must trick me this trick? I saw thee +take my gear and knew that thou wast joking with me." At this, laughter +got the better of the Caliph and he said; "What clothes hast thou lost? +I know nothing of that whereof thou speakest, O Khalif." Cried the +Fisherman, "By God the Great, except thou bring me back the gear, I +will smash thy ribs with this staff!" (For he always carried a +quarterstaff.) Quoth the Caliph, "By Allah, I have not seen the things +whereof thou speakest!"; and quoth Khalif "I will go with thee and take +note of thy dwelling-place and complain of thee to the Chief of Police, +so thou mayst not trick me this trick again. By Allah, none took my +gown and turband but thou, and except thou give them back to me at +once, I will throw thee off the back of that she-ass thou ridest and +come down on thy pate with this quarterstaff, till thou canst not +stir!" Thereupon he tugged at the bridle of the mule so that she reared +up on her hind legs and the Caliph said to himself, "What calamity is +this I have fallen into with this madman?" Then he pulled off a gown he +had on, worth an hundred dinars, and said to Khalif, "Take this gown in +lieu of thine own." He took it and donning it saw it was too long; so +he cut it short at the knees and turbanded his head with the cut-off +piece; then said to the Caliph, "What art thou and what is thy craft? +But why ask? Thou art none other than a trumpeter." Al-Rashid asked, +"What showed thee that I was a trumpeter by trade?"; and Khalif +answered, "Thy big nostrils and little mouth." Cried the Caliph, "Well +guessed! Yes, I am of that craft." Then said Khalif, "An thou wilt +hearken to me, I will teach thee the art of fishing: 'twill be better +for thee than trumpeting and thou wilt eat lawfully[FN#282]." Replied +the Caliph, "Teach it me so that I may see whether I am capable of +learning it." And Khalif said, "Come with me, O trumpeter." So the +Caliph followed him down to the river and took the net from him, whilst +he taught him how to throw it. Then he cast it and drew it up, when, +behold, it was heavy, and the fisherman said, "O trumpeter, an the net +be caught on one of the rocks, drag it not too hard, or 'twill break +and by Allah, I will take thy she-ass in payment thereof!" The Caliph +laughed at his words and drew up the net, little by little, till he +brought it ashore and found it full of fish; which when Khalif saw, his +reason fled for joy and presently he cried, "By Allah, O trumpeter, thy +luck is good in fishing! Never in my life will I part with thee! But +now I mean to send thee to the fish-bazar, where do thou enquire for +the shop of Humayd the fisherman and say to him, 'My master Khalif +saluteth thee and biddeth thee send him a pair of frails and a knife, +so he may bring thee more fish than yesterday.' Run and return to me +forthright!" The Caliph replied (and indeed he was laughing), "On my +head, O master!" and, mounting his mule, rode back to Ja'afar, who said +to him, "Tell me what hath betided thee." So the Caliph told him all +that had passed between Khalif the Fisherman and himself, from first to +last, adding, "I left him awaiting my return to him with the baskets +and I am resolved that he shall teach me how to scale fish and clean +them." Quoth Ja'afar, "And I will go with thee to sweep up the scales +and clean out the shop." And the affair abode thus, till presently the +Caliph cried, "O Ja'afar, I desire of thee that thou despatch the young +Mamelukes, saying to them, 'Whoso bringeth me a fish from before yonder +fisherman, I will give him a dinar;' for I love to eat of my own +fishing." Accordingly Ja'afar repeated to the young white slaves what +the Caliph had said and directed them where to find the man. They came +down upon Khalif and snatched the fish from him; and when he saw them +and noted their goodliness, he doubted not but that they were of the +black-eyed Houris of Paradise: so he caught up a couple of fish and ran +into the river, saying, "O Allah mine, by the secret virtue of these +fish, forgive me!" Suddenly, up came the chief eunuch, questing fish, +but he found none; so seeing Khalif ducking and rising in the water, +with the two fish in his hands, called out to him, saying, "O Khalif, +what hast thou there?" Replied the fisherman, "Two fish," and the +eunuch said, "Give them to me and take an hundred dinars for them." Now +when Khalif heard speak of an hundred dinars, he came up out of the +water and cried, "Hand over the hundred dinars." Said the eunuch, +"Follow me to the house of Al-Rashid and receive thy gold, O Khalif;" +and, taking the fish, made off to the Palace of the Caliphate. +Meanwhile Khalif betook himself to Baghdad, clad as he was in the +Caliph's gown, which reached only to above his knees,[FN#283] turbanded +with the piece he had cut off therefrom and girt about his middle with +a rope, and he pushed through the centre of the city. The folk fell +a-laughing and marvelling at him and saying, "Whence hadst thou that +robe of honour?" But he went on, asking, "Where is the house of +Al-Rashád[FN#284]?;" and they answered, "Say, 'The house of +Al-Rashíd';" and he rejoined, "'Tis all the same," and fared on, till +he came to the Palace of the Caliphate. Now he was seen by the tailor, +who had made the gown and who was standing at the door, and when he +noticed it upon the Fisherman, he said to him, "For how many years hast +thou had admission to the palace?" Khalif replied, "Ever since I was a +little one;" and the tailor asked, "Whence hadest thou that gown thou +hast spoilt on this wise?" Khalif answered, "I had it of my apprentice +the trumpeter." Then he went up to the door, where he found the Chief +Eunuch sitting with the two fishes by his side: and seeing him +sable-black of hue, said to him, "Wilt thou not bring the hundred +dinars, O uncle Tulip?" Quoth he, "On my head, O Khalif," when, behold, +out came Ja'afar from the presence of the Caliph and seeing the +fisherman talking with the Eunuch and saying to him, "This is the +reward of goodness, O nuncle Tulip," went in to Al-Rashid and said to +him, "O Commander of the Faithful, thy master the Fisherman is with the +Chief Eunuch, dunning him for an hundred dinars." Cried the Caliph, +"Bring him to me, O Ja'afar;" and the Minister answered, "Hearing and +obeying." So he went out to the Fisherman and said to him, "O Khalif, +thine apprentice the trumpeter biddeth thee to him;" then he walked on, +followed by the other till they reached the presence-chamber, where he +saw the Caliph seated, with a canopy over his head. When he entered, +Al-Rashid wrote three scrolls and set them before him, and the +Fisherman said to him, "So thou hast given up trumpeting and turned +astrologer!" Quoth the Caliph to him, "Take thee a scroll." Now in the +first he had written, "Let him be given a gold piece," in the second, +"An hundred dinars," and in the third, "Let him be given an hundred +blows with a whip." So Khalif put out his hand and by the decree of the +Predestinator, it lighted on the scroll wherein was written, "Let him +receive an hundred lashes," and Kings, whenas they ordain aught, go not +back therefrom. So they threw him prone on the ground and beat him an +hundred blows, whilst he wept and roared for succour, but none +succoured him, and said, "By Allah, this is a good joke O trumpeter! I +teach thee fishing and thou turnest astrologer and drawest me an +unlucky lot. Fie upon thee,[FN#285] in thee is naught of good!" When +the Caliph heard his speech, he fell fainting in a fit of laughter and +said, "O Khalif, no harm shall betide thee: fear not. Give him an +hundred gold pieces." So they gave him an hundred dinars, and he went +out, and ceased not faring forth till he came to the trunk-market, +where he found the folk assembled in a ring about a broker, who was +crying out and saying, "At an hundred dinars, less one dinar! A locked +chest!" So he pressed on and pushed through the crowd and said to the +broker, "Mine for an hundred dinars!" The broker closed with him and +took his money, whereupon there was left him nor little nor much. The +porters disputed awhile about who should carry the chest and presently +all said, "By Allah, none shall carry this chest but Zurayk!"[FN#286] +And the folk said, "Blue-eyes hath the best right to it." So Zurayk +shouldered the chest, after the goodliest fashion, and walked a-rear of +Khalif. As they went along, the Fisherman said in himself, "I have +nothing left to give the porter; how shall I rid myself of him? Now I +will traverse the main streets with him and lead him about, till he be +weary and set it down and leave it, when I will take it up and carry it +to my lodging." Accordingly, he went round about the city with the +porter from noontide to sundown, till the man began to grumble and +said, "O my lord, where is thy house?" Quoth Khalif, "Yesterday I knew +it, but to-day I have forgotten it." And the porter said, "Give me my +hire and take thy chest." But Khalif said, "Go on at thy leisure, till +I bethink me where my house is," presently adding, "O Zurayk, I have no +money with me. 'Tis all in my house and I have forgotten where it is." +As they were talking, there passed by them one who knew the Fisherman +and said to him, "O Khalif, what bringeth thee hither?" Quoth the +porter, "O uncle, where is Khalif's house?" and quoth he, "'Tis in the +ruined Khan in the Rawásín Quarter."[FN#287] Then said Zurayk to +Khalif, "Go to; would Heaven thou hadst never lived nor been!" And the +Fisherman trudged on, followed by the porter, till they came to the +place when the Hammal said, "O thou whose daily bread Allah cut off in +this world, have we not passed this place a score of times? Hadst thou +said to me, 'Tis in such a stead, thou hadst spared me this great toil; +but now give me my wage and let me wend my way." Khalif replied "Thou +shalt have silver, if not gold. Stay here, till I bring thee the same." +So he entered his lodging and taking a mallet he had there, studded +with forty nails (wherewith an he smote a camel, he had made an end of +it), rushed upon the porter and raised his forearm to strike him +therewith; but Zurayk cried out at him, saying, "Hold thy hand! I have +no claim on thee," and fled. Now having got rid of the Hammal, Khalif +carried the chest into the Khan, whereupon the neighbours came down and +flocked about him, saying, "O Khalif, whence hadst thou this robe and +this chest?" Quoth he, "From my apprentice Al-Rashid who gave them to +me," and they said, "The pimp is mad! Al-Rashid will assuredly hear of +his talk and hang him over the door of his lodging and hang all in the +Khan on account of the droll. This is a fine farce!" Then they helped +him to carry the chest into his lodging and it filled the whole +closet.[FN#288] Thus far concerning Khalif; but as for the history of +the chest, it was as follows: The Caliph had a Turkish slave-girl, by +name Kut al-Kulúb, whom he loved with love exceeding and the Lady +Zubaydah came to know of this from himself and was passing jealous of +her and secretly plotted mischief against her. So, whilst the Commander +of the Faithful was absent a-sporting and a-hunting, she sent for Kut +al-Kulub and, inviting her to a banquet, set before her meat and wine, +and she ate and drank. Now the wine was drugged with Bhang; so she +slept and Zubaydah sent for her Chief Eunuch and putting her in a great +chest, locked it and gave it to him, saying, "Take this chest and cast +it into the river." Thereupon he took it up before him on a he-mule and +set out with it for the sea, but found it unfit to carry; so, as he +passed by the trunk-market, he saw the Shaykh of the brokers and +salesmen and said to him, "Wilt thou sell me this chest, O uncle?" The +broker replied, "Yes, we will do this much." "But," said the Eunuch, +"look thou sell it not except locked;" and the other, "'Tis well; we +will do that also."[FN#289] So he set down the chest, and they cried it +for sale, saying, "Who will buy this chest for an hundred dinars?"; and +behold, up came Khalif the Fisherman and bought the chest after turning +it over right and left; and there passed between him and the porter +that which hath been before set out. Now as regards Khalif the +Fisherman; he lay down on the chest to sleep, and presently Kut +al-Kulub awoke from her Bhang and finding herself in the chest, cried +out and said, "Alas!" Whereupon Khalif sprang off the chest-lid and +cried out and said, "Ho, Moslems! Come to my help! There are Ifrits in +the chest." So the neighbours awoke from sleep and said to him, "What +mattereth thee, O madman?" Quoth he, "The chest is full of Ifrits;" and +quoth they, "Go to sleep; thou hast troubled our rest this night may +Allah not bless thee! Go in and sleep, without madness." He ejaculated, +"I cannot sleep;" but they abused him and he went in and lay down once +more. And behold, Kut al-Kulub spoke and said, "Where am I?" Upon which +Khalif fled forth the closet and said, "O neighbours of the hostelry, +come to my aid!" Quoth they, "What hath befallen thee? Thou troublest +the neighbours' rest." "O folk, there be Ifrits in the chest, moving +and speaking." "Thou liest: what do they say?" "They say, 'Where am +I?'" "Would Heaven thou wert in Hell! Thou disturbest the neighbours +and hinderest them of sleep. Go to sleep, would thou hadst never lived +nor been!" So Khalif went in fearful because he had no place wherein to +sleep save upon the chest-lid when lo! as he stood, with ears listening +for speech, Kut al-Kulub spake again and said, "I'm hungry." So in sore +affright he fled forth and cried out, "Ho neighbours! ho dwellers in +the Khan, come aid me!" Said they, "What is thy calamity now?"[FN#290] +And he answered, "The Ifrits in the chest say, 'We are hungry.'" Quoth +the neighbours one to other, "'Twould seem Khalif is hungry; let us +feed him and give him the supper-orts; else he will not let us sleep +to-night." So they brought him bread and meat and broken victuals and +radishes and gave him a basket full of all kinds of things, saying, +"Eat till thou be full and go to sleep and talk not, else will we break +thy ribs and beat thee to death this very night." So he took the basket +with the provaunt and entered his lodging. Now it was a moonlight night +and the moon shone in full sheen upon the chest and lit up the closet +with its light, seeing this he sat down on his purchase and fell to +eating of the food with both hands. Presently Kut al-Kulub spake again +and said, "Open to me and have mercy upon me, O Moslems!" So Khalif +arose and taking a stone he had by him, broke the chest open and +behold, therein lay a young lady as she were the sun's shining light +with brow flower-white, face moonbright, cheeks of rose-hue exquisite +and speech sweeter than sugar-bite, and in dress worth a thousand +dinars and more bedight. Seeing this his wits flew from his head for +joy and he said, "By Allah, thou art of the fair!" She asked him, "What +art thou, O fellow?" and he answered, "O my lady, I am Khalif the +Fisherman." Quoth she, "Who brought me hither?"; and quoth he, "I +bought thee, and thou art my slave-girl." Thereupon said she, "I see on +thee a robe of the raiment of the Caliph." So he told her all that had +betided him, from first to last, and how he had bought the chest; +wherefore she knew that the Lady Zubaydah had played her false; and she +ceased not talking with him till the morning, when she said to him, "O +Khalif, seek me from some one inkcase and reed-pen and paper and bring +them to me." So he found with one of the neighbours what she sought and +brought it to her, whereupon she wrote a letter and folded it and gave +it to him, saying, "O Khalif, take this paper and carry it to the +jewel-market, where do thou enquire for the shop of Abu al-Hasan the +jeweller and give it to him." Answered the Fisherman, "O my lady, this +name is difficult to me; I cannot remember it." And she rejoined, "Then +ask for the shop of Ibn al-'Ukáb."[FN#291] Quoth he, "O my lady, what +is an 'Ukab?"; and quoth she, "'Tis a bird which folk carry on fist +with eyes hooded." And he exclaimed, "O my lady, I know it." Then he +went forth from her and fared on, repeating the name, lest it fade from +his memory; but, by the time he reached the jewel-market, he had +forgotten it. So he accosted one of the merchants and said to him, "Is +there any here named after a bird?" Replied the merchant, "Yes, thou +meanest Ibn al-Ukab." Khalif cried, "That's the man I want," and making +his way to him, gave him the letter, which when he read and knew the +purport thereof, he fell to kissing it and laying it on his head; for +it is said that Abu al-Hasan was the agent of the Lady Kut al-Kulub and +her intendant over all her property in lands and houses. Now she had +written to him, saying, "From Her Highness the Lady Kut al-Kulub to Sir +Abu al-Hasan the jeweller. The instant this letter reacheth thee, set +apart for us a saloon completely equipped with furniture and vessels +and negro-slaves and slave-girls and what not else is needful for our +residence and seemly, and take the bearer of the missive and carry him +to the bath. Then clothe him in costly apparel and do with him thus and +thus." So he said "Hearing and obeying," and locking up his shop, took +the Fisherman and bore him to the bath, where he committed him to one +of the bathmen, that he might serve him, according to custom. Then he +went forth to carry out the Lady Kut al-Kulub's orders. As for Khalif, +he concluded, of his lack of wit and stupidity, that the bath was a +prison and said to the bathman, "What crime have I committed that ye +should lay me in limbo?" They laughed at him and made him sit on the +side of the tank, whilst the bathman took hold of his legs, that he +might shampoo them. Khalif thought he meant to wrestle with him and +said to himself, "This is a wrestling-place[FN#292] and I knew naught +of it." Then he arose and seizing the bathman's legs, lifted him up and +threw him on the ground and broke his ribs. The man cried out for help, +whereupon the other bathmen came in a crowd and fell upon Khalif and +overcoming him by dint of numbers, delivered their comrade from his +clutches and tunded him till he came to himself. Then they knew that +the Fisherman was a simpleton and served him till Abu al-Hasan came +back with a dress of rich stuff and clad him therein; after which he +brought him a handsome she-mule, ready saddled, and taking him by the +hand, carried him forth of the bath and said to him, "Mount." Quoth he, +"How shall I mount? I fear lest she throw me and break my ribs into my +belly." Nor would he back the mule, save after much travail and +trouble, and they stinted not faring on, till they came to the place +which Abu al-Hasan had set apart for the Lady Kut al-Kulub. Thereupon +Khalif entered and found her sitting, with slaves and eunuchs about her +and the porter at the door, staff in hand, who when he saw the +Fisherman sprang up and kissing his hand, went before him, till he +brought him within the saloon. Here the Fisherman saw what amazed his +wit, and his eye was dazzled by that which he beheld of riches past +count and slaves and servants, who kissed his hand and said, "May the +bath be a blessing to thee!"[FN#293] When he entered the saloon and +drew near unto Kut al-Kulub, she sprang up to him and taking him by the +hand, seated him on a high-mattrassed divan. Then she brought him a +vase of sherbet of sugar, mingled with rosewater and willow-water, and +he took it and drank it off and left not a single drop. Moreover, he +ran his finger round the inside of the vessel[FN#294] and would have +licked it, but she forbade him, saying, "That is foul." Quoth he, +"Silence; this is naught but good honey;" and she laughed at him and +set before him a tray of meats, whereof he ate his sufficiency. Then +they brought an ewer and basin of gold, and he washed his right hand +and abode in the gladdest of life and the most honourable. Now hear +what befel the Commander of the Faithful. When he came back from his +journey and found not Kut al-Kulub, he questioned the Lady Zubaydah of +her and she said, "She is verily dead, may thy head live, O Prince of +True Believers!" But she had bidden dig a grave amiddlemost the Palace +and had built over it a mock tomb, for her knowledge of the love the +Caliph bore to Kut al-Kulub: so she said to him, "O Commander of the +Faithful, I made her a tomb amiddlemost the Palace and buried her +there." Then she donned black,[FN#295] a mere sham and pure pretence; +and feigned mourning a great while. Now Kut al-Kulub knew that the +Caliph was come back from his hunting excursion; so she turned to +Khalif and said to him, "Arise; hie thee to the bath and come back." So +he rose and went to the Hammam-bath, and when he returned, she clad him +in a dress worth a thousand dinars and taught him manners and +respectful bearing to superiors. Then said she to him, "Go hence to the +Caliph and say to him, 'O Commander of the Faithful, 'tis my desire +that this night thou deign be my guest.'" So Khalif arose and mounting +his she-mule, rode, with pages and black slaves before him, till he +came to the Palace of the Caliphate. Quoth the wise, "Dress up a stick +and 'twill look chique."[FN#296] And indeed his comeliness was manifest +and his goodliness and the folk marvelled at this. Presently, the Chief +Eunuch saw him, the same who had given him the hundred dinars that had +been the cause of his good fortune; so he went in to the Caliph and +said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, Khalif the Fisherman is +become a King, and on him is a robe of honour worth a thousand dinars." +The Prince of True Believers bade admit him; so he entered and said, +"Peace be with thee, O Commander of the Faithful and Vice-regent of the +Lord of the three Worlds and Defender of the folk of the Faith! Allah +Almighty prolong thy days and honour thy dominion and exalt thy degree +to the highmost height!" The Caliph looked at him and marvelled at him +and how fortune had come to him at unawares; then he said to him, "O +Khalif, whence hadst thou that robe which is upon thee?" He replied, "O +Commander of the Faithful, it cometh from my house." Quoth the Caliph, +"Hast thou then a house?"; and quoth Khalif, "Yea, verily! and thou, O +Commander of the Faithful, art my guest this day." Al-Rashid said, "I +alone, O Khalif, or I and those who are with me?"; and he replied, +"Thou and whom thou wilt." So Ja'afar turned to him and said, "We will +be thy guests this night;" whereupon he kissed ground again and +withdrawing, mounted his mule and rode off, attended by his servants +and suite of Mamelukes leaving the Caliph marvelling at this and saying +to Ja'afar, "Sawest thou Khalif, with his mule and dress, his white +slaves and his dignity? But yesterday I knew him for a buffoon and a +jester." And they marvelled at this much. Then they mounted and rode, +till they drew near Khalif's house, when the Fisherman alighted and, +taking a bundle from one of his attendants, opened it and pulled out +therefrom a piece of tabby silk[FN#297] and spread it under the hoofs +of the Caliph's she-mule; then he brought out a piece of +velvet-Kimcob[FN#298] and a third of fine satin and did with them +likewise; and thus he spread well nigh twenty pieces of rich stuffs, +till Al-Rashid and his suite had reached the house; when he came +forward and said, "Bismillah,[FN#299] O Commander of the Faithful!" +Quoth Al-Rashid to Ja'afar, "I wonder to whom this house may belong," +and quoth he, "It belongeth to a man hight Ibn al-Ukab, Syndic of the +jewellers." So the Caliph dismounted and entering, with his courtiers, +saw a high-builded saloon, spacious and boon, with couches on daďs and +carpets and divans strown in place. So he went up to the couch that was +set for himself on four legs of ivory, plated with glittering gold and +covered with seven carpets. This pleased him and behold, up came +Khalif, with eunuchs and little white slaves, bearing all manner +sherbets, compounded with sugar and lemon and perfumed with rose and +willow-water and the purest musk. The Fisherman advanced and drank and +gave the Caliph to drink, and the cup-bearers came forward and served +the rest of the company with the sherbets. Then Khalif brought a table +spread with meats of various colours and geese and fowls and other +birds, saying, "In the name of Allah!" So they ate their fill; after +which he bade remove the tables and kissing the ground three times +before the Caliph craved his royal leave to bring wine and +music.[FN#300] He granted him permission for this and turning to +Ja'afar, said to him, "As my head liveth, the house and that which is +therein is Khalif's; for that he is ruler over it and I am in +admiration at him, whence there came to him this passing prosperity and +exceeding felicity! However, this is no great matter to Him who saith +to a thing, 'Be!' and it becometh; what I most wonder at is his +understanding, how it hath increased, and whence he hath gotten this +loftiness and this lordliness; but, when Allah willeth weal unto a man, +He amendeth his intelligence before bringing him to worldly affluence." +As they were talking, behold, up came Khalif, followed by cup-bearer +lads like moons, belted with zones of gold, who spread a cloth of +siglaton[FN#301] and set thereon flagons of chinaware and tall flasks +of glass and cups of crystal and bottles and hanaps[FN#302] of all +colours; and those flagons they filled with pure clear and old wine, +whose scent was as the fragrance of virgin musk and it was even as +saith the poet, + +"Ply me and also my mate be plied * With pure wine prest in the + olden tide.[FN#303] +Daughter of nobles[FN#304] they lead her forth[FN#305] * In + raiment of goblets beautified. +They belt her round with the brightest gems, * And pearls and + unions, the Ocean's pride; +So I by these signs and signets know * Wherefore the Wine is + entitled 'Bride.'[FN#306]" + + +And round about these vessels were confections and flowers, such as may +not be surpassed. When Al-Rashid saw this from Khalif, he inclined to +him and smiled upon him and invested him with an office; so Khalif +wished him continuance of honour and endurance of days and said, "Will +the Commander of the Faithful deign give me leave to bring him a +singer, a lute-player her like was never heard among mortals ever?" +Quoth the Caliph, "Thou art permitted!" So he kissed ground before him +and going to a secret closet, called Kut al-Kulub, who came after she +had disguised and falsed and veiled herself, tripping in her robes and +trinkets; and she kissed ground before the Commander of the Faithful. +Then she sat down and tuning the lute, touched its strings and played +upon it, till all present were like to faint for excess of delight; +after which she improvised these verses, + +"Would Heaven I wot, will ever Time bring our beloveds back + again? * And, ah! will Union and its bliss to bless two + lovers deign? +Will Time assure to us united days and joinčd joy, * While from + the storms and stowres of life in safety we remain? +Then O Who bade this pleasure be, our parting past and gone, * + And made one house our meeting-stead throughout the Nights + contain; +By him, draw near me, love, and closest cling to side of me * + Else were my wearied wasted life, a vanity, a bane." + + +When the Caliph heard this, he could not master himself, but rent his +raiment and fell down a-swoon; whereupon all who were present hastened +to doff their dress and throw it over him, whilst Kut al-Kulub signed +to Khalif and said to him, "Hie to yonder chest and bring us what is +therein;" for she had made ready therein a suit of the Caliph's wear +against the like of such hour as this. So Khalif brought it to her and +she threw it over the Commander of the Faithful, who came to himself +and knowing her for Kut al- Kulub, said, "Is this the Day of +Resurrection and hath Allah quickened those who are in the tombs; or am +I asleep and is this an imbroglio of dreams?" Quoth Kut al-Kulub, "We +are on wake, not on sleep, and I am alive, nor have I drained the cup +of death." Then she told him all that had befallen her, and indeed, +since he lost her, life had not been light to him nor had sleep been +sweet, and he abode now wondering, then weeping and anon afire for +longing. When she had made an end of her story, the Caliph rose and +took her by the hand, intending for her palace, after he had kissed her +inner lips, and had strained her to his bosom; whereupon Khalif rose +and said, "By Allah, O Commander of the Faithful! Thou hast already +wronged me once, and now thou wrongest me again." Quoth Al-Rashid, +"Indeed thou speakest sooth, O Khalif," and bade the Wazir Ja'afar give +him what should satisfy him. So he straightway gifted him with all for +which he wished and assigned him a village, the yearly revenues whereof +were twenty thousand dinars. Moreover Kut al-Kulub generously presented +him the house and all that was therein of furniture and hangings and +white slaves and slave-girls and eunuchs great and small. So Khalif +became possessed of this passing affluence and exceeding wealth and +took him a wife, and prosperity taught him gravity and dignity, and +good fortune overwhelmed him. The Caliph enrolled him among his +equerries and he abode in all solace of life and its delights till he +deceased and was admitted to the mercy of Allah. Furthermore they +relate a tale anent[FN#307] + + +MASRUR AND ZAYN AL-MAWASIF.[FN#308] + +There was once in days of yore and in ages and times long gone before a +man and a merchant Masrúr hight, who was of the comeliest of the folk +of his tide, a wight of wealth galore and in easiest case; but he loved +to take his pleasure in vergiers and flower-gardens and to divert +himself with the love of the fair. Now it fortuned one night, as he lay +asleep, he dreamt that he was in a garth of the loveliest, wherein were +four birds, and amongst them a dove, white as polished silver. That +dove pleased him and for her grew up in his heart an exceeding love. +Presently, he beheld a great bird swoop down on him and snatch the dove +from his hand, and this was grievous to him. After which he awoke and +not finding the bird strave with his yearnings till morning, when he +said in himself, "There is no help but that I go to-day to some one who +will expound to me this vision."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-sixth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +merchant awoke, he strave with his yearnings till morning when he said +to himself, "There is no help but that I go this day to some one who +will expound to me this vision." So he went forth and walked right and +left, till he was far from his dwelling-place, but found none to +interpret the dream to him. Then he would have returned, but on his way +behold, the fancy took him to turn aside to the house of a certain +trader, a man of the wealthiest, and when he drew near to it, suddenly +he heard from within a plaintive voice from a sorrowful heart reciting +these couplets, + +"The breeze o' Morn blows uswards from her trace * Fragrant, and + heals the love-sick lover's case. +I stand like captive on the mounds and ask * While tears make + answer for the ruined place: +Quoth I, 'By Allah, Breeze o' Morning, say * Shall Time and + Fortune aye this stead regrace? +Shall I enjoy a fawn whose form bewitched * And langourous + eyelids wasted frame and face?'" + + +When Masrur heard this, he looked in through the doorway and saw a +garden of the goodliest of gardens, and at its farther end a curtain of +red brocade, purfled with pearls and gems, behind which sat four +damsels, and amongst them a young lady over four feet and under five in +height, as she were the rondure of the lune and the full moon shining +boon: she had eyes Kohl'd with nature's dye and joined eyebrows, a +mouth as it were Solomon's seal and lips and teeth bright with pearls +and coral's light; and indeed she ravished all wits with her beauty and +loveliness and symmetry and perfect grace. When Masrur espied her, he +entered the porch and went on entering till he came to the curtain: +whereupon she raised her head and glanced at him. So he saluted her and +she returned his salam with sweetest speech; and, when he considered +her more straitly, his reason was dazed and his heart amazed. Then he +looked at the garden and saw that it was full of jessamine and gilly +flowers and violets and roses and orange blossoms and all manner +sweet-scented blooms and herbs. Every tree was girt about with fruits +and there coursed down water from four daďses, which faced one another +and occupied the four corners of the garden. He looked at the first +Líwán and found written around it with vermilion these two couplets, + +"Ho thou the House! Grief never home in thee; * Nor Time work + treason on thine owner's head: +All good betide the House which every guest * Harbours, when sore + distrest for way and stead!" + + +Then he looked at the second daďs and found written thereon in red gold +these couplets, + +"Robe thee, O House, in richest raiment Time, * Long as the + birdies on the branchlets chime! +And sweetest perfumes breathe within thy walls * And lover meet + beloved in bliss sublime. +And dwell thy dwellers all in joy and pride * Long as the + wandering stars Heaven-hill shall climb." + + +Then he looked at the third, whereon he found written in ultramarine +these two couplets, + +"Ever thy pomp and pride, O House! display * While starkeneth + Night and shineth sheeny Day! +Boon Fortune bless all entering thy walls, * And whomso dwell in + thee, for ever and aye!" + + +Then he looked at the fourth and saw painted in yellow characters this +couplet, + +"This garden and this lake in truth * Are fair sitting-steads, by + the Lord of Ruth!" + + +Moreover, in that garden were birds of all breeds, ring-dove and cushat +and nightingale and culver, each singing his several song, and amongst +them the lady, swaying gracefully to and fro in her beauty and grace +and symmetry and loveliness and ravishing all who saw her. Presently +quoth she to Masrur, "Hola man! what bringeth thee into a house other +than thy house and wherefore comest thou in unto women other than thy +women, without leave of their owner?" Quoth he, "O my lady, I saw this +garden, and the goodliness of its greenery pleased me and the fragrance +of its flowers and the carolling of its birds; so I entered, thinking +to gaze on it awhile and wend my way." Said she, "With love and +gladness!"; and Masrur was amazed at the sweetness of her speech and +the coquetry of her glances and the straightness of her shape, and +transported by her beauty and seemlihead and the pleasantness of the +garden and the birds. So in the disorder of his spirits he recited +these couplets, + +"As a crescent-moon in the garth her form * 'Mid Basil and + jasmine and Rose I scan; +And Violet faced by the Myrtle-spray * And Nu'umán's bloom and + Myrobalan: +By her perfume the Zephyrs perfumčd breathe * And with scented + sighings the branches fan. +O Garden, thou perfect of beauty art * All charms comprising in + perfect plan; +And melodious birdies sing madrigals * And the Full Moon[FN#309] + shineth in branchshade wan; +Its ring-dove, its culver, its mocking-bird * And its Philomel + sing my soul t' unman; +And the longing of love all my wits confuseth * For her charms, + as the man whom his wine bemuseth." + + +Now when Zayn al-Mawásif heard his verse, she glanced at him with eyes +which bequeathed a thousand sighs and utterly ravished his wisdom and +wits and replied to him in these lines, + +"Hope not of our favours to make thy prey * And of what thou + wishest thy greed allay: +And cease thy longing; thou canst not win * The love of the Fair + thou'rt fain t' essay, +My glances to lovers are baleful and naught * I reek of thy + speech: I have said my say!" + + +"Ho, thou! Begone about thy business, for we are none of the +woman-tribe who are neither thine nor another's.[FN#310]" And he +answered, "O my lady, I said nothing ill." Quoth she, "Thou soughtest +to divert thyself[FN#311] and thou hast had thy diversion; so wend thy +ways." Quoth he, "O my lady, belike thou wilt give me a draught of +water, for I am athirst." Whereupon she cried, "How canst thou drink of +a Jew's water, and thou a Nazarene?" But he replied, "O my lady, your +water is not forbidden to us nor ours unlawful to you, for we are all +as one creation." So she said to her slave-girl, "Give him to drink;" +and she did as she was bidden. Then she called for the table of food, +and there came four damsels, high-bosomed maids, bearing four trays of +meats and four gilt flagons full of strong old-wine, as it were the +tears of a slave of love for clearness, and a table around whose edge +were graven these couplets, + +"For eaters a table they brought and set * In the banquet-hall + and 'twas dight with gold: +Like th' Eternal Garden that gathers all * Man wants of meat and + wines manifold." + + +And when the high-breasted maids had set all this before him, quoth +she, "Thou soughtest to drink of our drink; so up and at our meat and +drink!" He could hardly credit what his ears had heard and sat down at +the table forthright; whereupon she bade her nurse[FN#312] give him a +cup, that he might drink. Now her slave-girls were called, one Hubúb, +another Khutúb and the third Sukúb,[FN#313] and she who gave him the +cup was Hubub. So he took the cup and looking at the outside there saw +written these couplets, + +"Drain not the bowl but with lovely wight * Who loves thee and + wine makes brighter bright. +And 'ware her Scorpions[FN#314] that o'er thee creep * And guard + thy tongue lest thou vex her sprite." + + +Then the cup went round and when he emptied it he looked inside and saw +written, + +"And 'ware her Scorpions when pressing them, * And hide her + secrets from foes' despight." + + +Whereupon Masrur laughed her-wards and she asked him, "What causeth +thee to laugh?" "For the fulness of my joy," quoth he. Presently, the +breeze blew on her and the scarf[FN#315] fell from her head and +discovered a fillet[FN#316] of glittering gold, set with pearls and +gems and jacinths; and on her breast was a necklace of all manner +ring-jewels and precious stones, to the centre of which hung a sparrow +of red gold, with feet of red coral and bill of white silver and body +full of Nadd-powder and pure ambergris and odoriferous musk. And upon +its back was engraved, + +"The Nadd is my wine-scented powder, my bread; * And the bosom's + my bed and the breasts my stead: +And my neck-nape complains of the weight of love, * Of my pain, + of my pine, of my drearihead." + + +Then Masrur looked at the breast of her shift and behold, thereon lay +wroughten in red gold this verse, + +"The fragrance of musk from the breasts of the fair * Zephyr + borrows, to sweeten the morning air." + + +Masrur marvelled at this with exceeding wonder and was dazed by her +charms and amazement gat hold upon him. Then said Zayn al-Mawásif to +him, "Begone from us and go about thy business, lest the neighbours +hear of us and even us with the lewd." He replied, "By Allah, O my +lady, suffer my sight to enjoy the view of thy beauty and loveliness." +With this she was wroth with him and leaving him, walked in the garden, +and he looked at her shift-sleeve and saw upon it embroidered these +lines, + +"The weaver-wight wrote with gold-ore bright * And her wrists on + brocade rained a brighter light: +Her palms are adorned with a silvern sheen; * And favour her + fingers the ivory's white: +For their tips are rounded like priceless pearl; * And her charms + would enlighten the nightiest night." + + +And, as she paced the garth, Masrur gazed at her slippers and saw +written upon them these pleasant lines, + +"The slippers that carry these fair young feet * Cause her form + to bend in its gracious bloom: +When she paces and waves in the breeze she owns, * She shines + fullest moon in the murkiest gloom." + + +She was followed by her women leaving Hubub with Masrur by the curtain, +upon whose edge were embroidered these couplets, + +"Behind the veil a damsel sits with gracious beauty dight, * + Praise to the Lord who decked her with these inner gifts of + sprite! +Guards her the garden and the bird fain bears her company; * + Gladden her wine-draughts and the bowl but makes her + brighter-bright. +Apple and Cassia-blossom show their envy of her cheeks; * And + borrows Pearl resplendency from her resplendent light; +As though the sperm that gendered her were drop of + marguerite[FN#317] * Happy who kisses her and spends in her + embrace the night." + + +So Masrur entered into a long discourse with Hubub and presently said +to her, "O Hubub, hath thy mistress a husband or not?" She replied, "My +lady hath a husband; but he is actually abroad on a journey with +merchandise of his." Now whenas he heard that her husband was abroad on +a journey, his heart lusted after her and he said, "O Hubub, glorified +be He who created this damsel and fashioned her! How sweet is her +beauty and her loveliness and her symmetry and perfect grace! Verily, +into my heart is fallen sore travail for her. O Hubub, so do that I +come to enjoy her, and thou shalt have of me what thou wilt of wealth +and what not else." Replied Hubub, "O Nazarene, if she heard thee speak +thus, she would slay thee, or else she would kill herself, for she is +the daughter of a Zealot[FN#318] of the Jews nor is there her like +amongst them: she hath no need of money and she keepeth herself ever +cloistered, discovering not her case to any." Quoth Masrur, "O Hubub, +an thou wilt but bring me to enjoy her, I will be to thee slave and +foot page and will serve thee all my life and give thee whatsoever thou +seekest of me." But quoth she, "O Masrur, in very sooth this woman hath +no lust for money nor yet for men, because my lady Zayn al-Mawasif is +of the cloistered, going not forth her house-door in fear lest folk see +her; and but that she bore with thee by reason of thy strangerhood, she +had not permitted thee to pass her threshold; no, not though thou wert +her brother." He replied, "O Hubub, be thou our go-between and thou +shalt have of me an hundred gold dinars and a dress worth as much more, +for that the love of her hath gotten hold of my heart." Hearing this +she said, "O man, let me go about with her in talk and I will return +thee and answer and acquaint thee with what she saith. Indeed, she +loveth those who berhyme her and she affecteth those who set forth her +charms and beauty and loveliness in verse, and we may not prevail over +her save by wiles and soft speech and beguilement." Thereupon Hubub +rose and going up to her mistress, accosted her with privy talk of this +and that and presently said to her, "O my lady, look at yonder young +man, the Nazarene; how sweet is his speech and how shapely his shape!" +When Zayn al-Mawasif heard this, she turned to her and said, "An thou +like his comeliness love him thyself. Art thou not ashamed to address +the like of me with these words? Go, bid him begone about his business; +or I will make it the worse for him." So Hubub returned to Masrur, but +acquainted him not with that which her mistress had said. Then the lady +bade her hie to the door and look if she saw any of the folk, lest foul +befal them. So she went and returning, said, "O my lady, without are +folk in plenty and we cannot let him go forth this night." Quoth Zayn +al-Mawasif, "I am in dole because of a dream I have seen and am fearful +therefrom." And Masrur said, "What sawest thou? Allah never trouble thy +heart!" She replied, "I was asleep in the middle of the night, when +suddenly an eagle swooped down upon me from the highest of the clouds +and would have carried me off from behind the curtain, wherefore I was +affrighted at him. Then I awoke from sleep and bade my women bring me +meat and drink, so haply, when I had drunken, the dolour of the dream +would cease from me." Hearing this, Masrur smiled and told her his +dream from first to last and how he had caught the dove, whereat she +marvelled with exceeding marvel. Then he went on to talk with her at +great length and said, "I am now certified of the truth of my dream, +for thou art the dove and I the eagle, and there is no hope but that +this must be, for, the moment I set eyes on thee, thou tookest +possession of my vitals and settest my heart a-fire for love of thee!" +Thereupon Zayn al-Mawasif became wroth with exceeding wrath and said to +him, "I take refuge with Allah from this! Allah upon thee, begone about +thy business ere the neighbours espy thee and there betide us sore +reproach," adding, "Harkye, man! Let not thy soul covet that it shall +not obtain. Thou weariest thyself in vain; for I am a merchant's wife +and a merchant's daughter and thou art a druggist; and when sawest thou +a druggist and a merchant's daughter conjoined by such sentiment?" He +replied, "O my lady, never lacked love-liesse between folk[FN#319]; so +cut thou not off from me hope of this and whatsoever thou seekest of me +of money and raiment and ornaments and what not else, I will give +thee." Then he abode with her in discourse and mutual blaming whilst +she still redoubled in anger, till it was black night, when he said to +her, "O my lady, take this gold piece and fetch me a little wine, for I +am athirst and heavy hearted." So she said to the slave-girl Hubub, +"Fetch him wine and take naught from him, for we have no need of his +dinar." So she went whilst Masrur held his peace and bespake not the +lady, who suddenly improvised these lines, + +"Leave this thy design and depart, O man! * Nor tread paths where + lewdness and crime trepan! +Love is a net shall enmesh thy sprite, * Make thee rise a-morning + sad, weary and wan: +For our spy thou shalt eke be the cause of talk; * And for thee + shall blame me my tribe and clan: +Yet scant I marvel thou lovest a Fair:— * Gazelles hunting lions + we aye shall scan!" + + +And he answered her with these, + +"Joy of boughs, bright branch of Myrobalan! * Have ruth on the + heart all thy charms unman: +Death-cup to the dregs thou garrest me drain * And don weed of + Love with its bane and ban: +How can soothe I a heart which for stress of pine * Burns with + living coals which my longings fan?" + + +Hearing these lines she exclaimed, "Away from me! Quoth the saw 'Whoso +looseth his sight wearieth his sprite.' By Allah, I am tired of +discourse with thee and chiding, and indeed thy soul coveteth that +shall never become thine; nay, though thou gave me my weight in gold, +thou shouldst not get thy wicked will of me; for, I know naught of the +things of the world, save pleasant life, by the boon of Allah +Almighty!" He answered, "O my lady Zayn al-Mawasif, ask of me what thou +wilt of the goods of the world." Quoth she, "What shall I ask of thee? +For sure thou wilt fare forth and prate of me in the highway and I +shall become a laughing-stock among the folk and they will make a +byword of me in verse, me who am the daughter of the chief of the +merchants and whose father is known of the notables of the tribe. I +have no need of money or raiment and such love will not be hidden from +the people and I shall be brought to shame, I and my kith and kin." +With this Masrur was confounded and could make her no answer; but +presently she said, "Indeed, the master-thief, if he steal, stealeth +not but what is worth his neck, and every woman who doth lewdness with +other than her husband is styled a thief; so, if it must be thus and no +help[FN#320], thou shalt give me whatsoever my heart desireth of money +and raiment and ornaments and what not." Quoth he, "An thou sought of +me the world and all its regions contain from its East to its West, +'twere but a little thing, compared with thy favour;" and quoth she, "I +will have of thee three suits, each worth a thousand Egyptian dinars, +and adorned with gold and fairly purfled with pearls and jewels and +jacinths, the best of their kind. Furthermore I require that thou swear +to me thou wilt keep my secret nor discover it to any and that thou +wilt company with none but me; and I in turn will swear to thee a true +oath that I will never false thee in love." So he sware to her the oath +she required and she sware to him, and they agreed upon this; after +which she said to her nurse Hubub, "To-morrow go thou with Masrur to +his lodging and seek somewhat of musk and ambergris and Nadd and +rose-water and see what he hath. If he be a man of condition, we will +take him into favour; but an he be otherwise we will leave him." Then +said she to him, "O Masrur, I desire somewhat of musk and ambergris and +aloes-wood and Nadd; so do thou send it me by Hubub;" and he answered, +"With love and gladness; my shop is at thy disposal!" Then the wine +went round between them and their séance was sweet: but Masrur's heart +was troubled for the passion and pining which possessed him; and when +Zayn al-Mawasif saw him in this plight, she said to her slave-girl +Sukub, "Arouse Masrur from his stupor; mayhap he will recover." +Answered Sukub, "Hearkening and obedience," and sang these couplets, + +"Bring gold and gear an a lover thou, * And hymn thy love so + success shalt row; +Joy the smiling fawn with the black-edged eyne * And the bending + lines of the Cassia-bough: +On her look, and a marvel therein shalt sight, * And pour out thy + life ere thy life-term show: +Love's affect be this, an thou weet the same; * But, an gold + deceive thee, leave gold and go!" + + +Hereupon Masrur understood her and said, "I hear and apprehend. Never +was grief but after came relief, and after affliction dealing He will +order the healing." Then Zayn al-Mawasif recited these couplets, + +"From Love-stupor awake, O Masrur, 'twere best; * For this day I + dread my love rend thy breast; +And to-morrow I fear me folks' marvel-tale * Shall make us a + byword from East to West: +Leave love of my like or thou'lt gain thee blame; * Why turn thee + us-wards? Such love's unblest! +For one strange of lineage whose kin repel * Thou shalt wake + ill-famed, of friends dispossest: +I'm a Zealot's child and affright the folk: * Would my life were + ended and I at rest!" + + +Then Masrur answered her improvisation and began to say these lines, + +"To grief leave a heart that to love ne'er ceased; * Nor blame, + for your blame ever love increased: +You misrule my vitals in tyrant-guise; * Morn and Eve I wend not + or West or East; +Love's law forbids me to do me die; * They say Love's victim is + ne'er released: +Well-away! Could I find in Love's Court a judge * I'd 'plain and + win to my rights at least." + + +They ceased not from mutual chiding till morning morrowed, when Zayn +al-Mawasif said, "O Masrur 'tis time for thee to depart, lest one of +the folk see thee and foul befal us twain." So he arose and accompanied +by nurse Hubub fared on, till they came to his lodging, where he talked +with her and said to her, "All thou seekest of me is ready for thee, so +but thou wilt bring me to enjoy her." Hubub replied, "Hearten thy +heart;" whereupon he rose and gave her an hundred dinars, saying "O +Hubub, I have by me a dress worth an hundred gold pieces." Answered +she, "O Masrur, make haste with the trinkets and other things promised +her, ere she change her mind, for we may not take her, save with wile +and guile, and she loveth the saying of verse." Quoth he, "Hearing and +obeying," and bringing her the musk and ambergris and lign-aloes and +rose-water, returned with her to Zayn al-Mawasif and saluted her. She +returned his salam with the sweetest speech, and he was dazed by her +beauty and improvised these lines, + +"O thou sheeniest Sun who in night dost shine! * O who stole my + soul with those large black eyne! +O slim-shaped fair with the graceful neck! * O who shamest Rose + wi' those cheeks o' thine! +Blind not our sight wi' thy fell disdain, * Disdain, that shall + load us with pain and pine; +Passion homes in our inmost, nor will be quenched * The fire of + yearning in vitals li'en: +Your love has housčd in heart of me * And of issue but you see I + ne'er a sign: +Then haply you'll pity this hapless wight * Thy sad lover and + then—O the Morn divine!" + + +When Zayn al-Mawasif heard his verses, she cast at him a glance of +eyes, that bequeathed him a thousand regrets and sighs and his wits and +soul were ravished in such wise, and answered him with these +couplets[FN#321], + +"Think not from her, of whom thou art enamoured aye * To win + delight; so put desire from thee away. +Leave that thou hop'st, for 'gainst her rigours whom thou lov'st + * Among the fair, in vain is all thou canst essay. +My looks to lovers bring discomfiture and woe: Indeed, * I make + no count of that which thou dost say." + + +When Masrur heard this, he hardened his heart and took patience +concealing his case and saying in himself, "There is nothing for it +against calamity save long-suffering;" and after this fashion they +abode till nightfall when Zayn al-Mawasif called for food and they set +before her a tray wherein were all manner of dishes, quails and pigeons +and mutton and so forth, whereof they ate their sufficiency. Then she +bade take away the tables and they did so and fetched the lavatory +gear; and they washed their hands, after which she ordered her women to +bring the candlesticks, and they set on candelabra and candles therein +of camphorated wax. Thereupon quoth Zayn al-Mawasif, "By Allah, my +breast is straitened this night and I am afevered;" and quoth Masrur, +"Allah broaden thy breast and banish thy bane!" Then she said, "O +Masrur, I am used to play at chess: say me, knowest aught of the game?" +He replied, "Yes; I am skilled therein;" whereupon she commanded her +handmaid Hubub fetch her the chessboard. So she went away and presently +returning with the board, set it before her, and behold, it was of +ivory-marquetried ebony with squares marked in glittering gold, and its +pieces of pearl and ruby.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn +al-Mawasif bade the chessboard be brought, they set it between her +hands; and Masrur was amazed at this, when she turned to him and said, +"Wilt have red or white?" He replied, "O Princess of the fair and +adornment of morning air, do thou take the red for they formous are and +fitter for the like of thee to bear and leave the white to my care." +Answered she, "So be it;" and, taking the red pieces, ranged them +opposite the white, then put out her hand to a piece purposing the +first pass into the battle-plain. Masrur considered her fingers, which +were white as paste, and was confounded at their beauty and shapely +shape; whereupon she turned to him and said, "O Masrur, be not bedazed, +but take patience and calm thyself." He rejoined, "O thou whose beauty +shameth the moon, how shall a lover look on thee and have +patience-boon?" And while this was doing she cried, +"Checkmate[FN#322]!" and beat him; wherefore she knew that he was +Jinn-mad for love of her and said to him, "O Masrur, I will not play +with thee save for a set stake." He replied, "I hear and obey," and she +rejoined, "Swear to me and I will swear to thee that neither of us will +cheat[FN#323] the adversary." So both sware this and she said, "O +Masrur, an I beat thee, I will have ten dinars of thee, but an thou +beat me, I will give thee a mere nothing." He expected to win, so he +said, "O my lady, be not false to thine oath, for I see thou art an +overmatch for me at this game!" "Agreed," said she and they ranged +their men and fell again to playing and pushing on their pawns and +catching them up with the queens and aligning and matching them with +the castles and solacing them with the onslaught of the knights. Now +the "Adornment of Qualities" wore on head a kerchief of blue brocade so +she loosed it off and tucking up her sleeve, showed a wrist like a +shaft of light and passed her palm over the red pieces, saying to him, +"Look to thyself." But he was dazzled at her beauty, and the sight of +her graces bereft him of reason, so that he became dazed and amazed and +put out his hand to the white men, but it alit upon the red. Said she, +"O Masrur, where be thy wits? The red are mine and the white thine;" +and he replied, "Whoso looketh at thee perforce loseth all his senses." +Then, seeing how it was with him, she took the white from him and gave +him the red, and they played and she beat him. He ceased not to play +with her and she to beat him, whilst he paid her each time ten dinars, +till, knowing him to be distraught for love of her, she said, "O +Masrur, thou wilt never win to thy wish, except thou beat me, for such +was our understanding; and henceforth, I will not play with thee save +for a stake of an hundred dinars a game." "With love and gladness," +answered he and she went on playing and ever beating him and he paid +her an hundred dinars each time; and on this wise they abode till the +morning, without his having won a single game, when he suddenly sprang +to his feet. Quoth she, "What wilt thou do, O Masrur?"; and quoth he, +"I mean to go to my lodging and fetch somewhat of money: it may be I +shall come to my desire." "Do whatso seemeth good to thee," said she; +so he went home and taking all the money he had, returned to her +improvising these two couplets, + +"In dream I saw a bird o'er speed (meseem'd), * Love's garden + decked with blooms that smiled and gleamed: +But I shall ken, when won my wish and will * Of thee, the + truthful sense of what I dreamed." + + +Now when Masrur returned to her with all his monies they fell a-playing +again; but she still beat him and he could not beat her once; and in +such case they abode three days, till she had gotten of him the whole +of his coin; whereupon said she, "O Masrur, what wilt thou do now?"; +and he replied, "I will stake thee a druggist's shop." "What is its +worth?" asked she; and he answered, "Five hundred dinars." So they +played five bouts and she won the shop of him. Then he betted his +slave-girls, lands, houses, gardens, and she won the whole of them, +till she had gotten of him all he had; whereupon she turned to him and +said, "Hast thou aught left to lay down?" Cried he, "By Him who made me +fall into the snare of thy love, I have neither money to touch nor +aught else left, little or much!" She rejoined, "O Masrur, the end of +whatso began in content shall not drive man to repent; wherefore, an +thou regret aught, take back thy good and begone from us about thy +business and I will hold thee quit towards me." Masrur rejoined, "By +Him who decreed these things to us, though thou sought to take my life +'twere a wee thing to stake for thine approof, because I love none but +thee!" Then said she, "O Masrur, fare forthright and fetch the Kazi and +the witnesses and make over to me by deed all thy lands and +possessions." "Willingly," replied he and, going forth without stay or +delay, brought the Kazi and the witnesses and set them before her. When +the judge saw her, his wits fled and his mind was amazed and his reason +was dazed for the beauty of her fingers, and he said to her, "O my +lady, I will not write out the writ of conveyance, save upon condition +that thou buy the lands and mansions and slave-girls and that they all +pass under thy control and into thy possession." She rejoined, "We're +agreed upon that. Write me a deed, whereby all Masrur's houses and +lands and slave-girls and whatso his right hand possesseth shall pass +to Zayn al-Mawasif and become her property at such a price." So the +Kazi wrote out the writ and the witnesses set hands thereto; whereupon +she took it.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-eighth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn +al-Mawasif took from the Kazi the deed which made over her lover's +property to her, she said to him, "O Masrur, now gang thy gait." But +her slave-girl Hubub turned to him and said, "Recite us some verses." +So he improvised upon that game of chess these couplets, + +"Of Time and what befel me I complain, * Mourning my loss by + chess and eyes of bane. +For love of gentlest, softest-sided fair * Whose like is not of + maids or mortal strain: +The shafts of glances from those eyne who shot * And led her + conquering host to battle-plain +Red men and white men and the clashing Knights * And, crying + 'Look to thee!' came forth amain: +And, when down charging, finger-tips she showed * That gloomed + like blackest night for sable stain, +The Whites I could not rescue, could not save * While ecstasy + made tear-floods rail and rain: +The Pawns and Castles with their Queens fell low * And fled the + Whites nor could the brunt sustain: +Yea, with her shaft of glance at me she shot * And soon that + shaft had pierced my heart and brain: +She gave me choice between her hosts, and I * The Whites like + moonlight first to choose was fain, +Saying, 'This argent folk best fitteth me * I love them, but the + Red by thee be ta'en!' +She playčd me for free accepted stake * Yet amorous mercy I could + ne'er obtain: +O fire of heart, O pine and woe of me, * Wooing a fair like moon + mid starry train: +Burns not my heart O no! nor aught regrets * Of good or land, but + ah! her eyes' disdain! +Amazed I'm grown and dazed for drearihead * And blame I Time who + brought such pine and pain. +Quoth she, 'Why art thou so bedazed!' quoth I * 'Wine-drunken + wight shall more of wine assain?' +That mortal stole my sense by silk-soft shape, * Which doth for + heart-core hardest rock contain. +I nervčd self and cried, 'This day she's mine' * By bet, nor fear + I prove she unhumŕne: +My heart ne'er ceased to seek possession, till * Beggared I found + me for conditions twain: +Will youth you loveth shun the Love-dealt blow, * Tho' were he + whelmed in Love's high-surging main? +So woke the slave sans e'en a coin to turn, * Thralled to repine + for what he ne'er shall gain!" + + +Zayn al-Mawasif hearing these words marvelled at the eloquence of his +tongue and said to him, "O Masrur, leave this madness and return to thy +right reason and wend thy ways; for thou hast wasted all thy moveables +and immoveables at the chess-game, yet hast not won thy wish, nor hast +thou any resource or device whereby thou mayst attain to it." But he +turned to her and said, "O my lady, ask of me whatso thou wilt and thou +shalt have it; for I will bring it to thee and lay it at thy feet." +Answered she, "O Masrur, thou hast no money left." "O goal of all +hopes, if I have no money, the folk will help me." "Shall the giver +turn asker?" "I have friends and kinsfolk, and whatsoever I seek of +them, they will give me." "O Masrur, I will have of thee four pods of +musk and four vases of civet[FN#324] and four pounds of ambergris and +four thousand dinars and four hundred pieces of royal brocade, purfled +with gold. An thou bring me these things, O Masrur, I will grant thee +my favours." "This is a light matter to me, O thou that puttest the +moons to shame," replied he and went forth to fetch her what she +sought. She sent her maid Hubub after him, to see what worth he had +with the folk of whom he had spoken to her; but, as he walked along the +highways he turned and seeing her afar off, waited till she came up to +him and said to her, "Whither away, O Hubub?" So she said to him, "My +mistress sent me to follow for this and that," and he replied, "By +Allah, O Hubub, I have nothing to hand!" She asked, "Then why didst +thou promise her?"; and he answered, "How many a promise made is unkept +of its maker! Fine words in love-matters needs must be." When she heard +this from him, she said, "O Masrur, be of good cheer and eyes clear +for, by Allah, most assuredly I will be the means of thy coming to +enjoy her!" Then she left him nor ceased walking till she stood before +her mistress weeping with sore weeping, and said, "O my lady, indeed he +is a man of great consideration, and good repute among the folk." Quoth +Zayn al-Mawasif, "There is no device against the destiny of Almighty +Allah! Verily, this man found not in me a pitiful heart, for that I +despoiled him of his substance and he got of me neither affection nor +complaisance in granting him amorous joy; but, if I incline to his +inclination, I fear lest the thing be bruited abroad." Quoth Hubub, "O +my lady, verily, grievous upon us is his present plight and the loss of +his good and thou hast with thee none save thyself and thy slave-girl +Sukub; so which of us two would dare prate of thee, and we thy +handmaids?" With this, she bowed her head for a while ground-wards and +the damsels said to her, "O my lady, it is our rede that thou send +after him and show him grace and suffer him not ask of the sordid; for +how bitter is such begging!" So she accepted their counsel and calling +for inkcase and paper, wrote him these couplets, + +"Joy is nigh, O Masrúr, so rejoice in true rede; * Whenas night + shall fall thou shalt do kind-deed: +Crave not of the sordid a loan, fair youth, * Wine stole my wits + but they now take heed: +All thy good I reft shall return to thee, * O Masrúr, and I'll + add to them amorous meed; +For indeed th' art patient, and sweet of soul * When wronged by + thy lover's tyrannic greed. +So haste to enjoy us and luck to thee! * Lest my folk come + between us speed, love, all speed! +Hurry uswards thou, nor delay, and while * My mate is far, on + Love's fruit come feed." + + +Then she folded the paper and gave it to Hubub the handmaid, who +carried it to Masrur and found him weeping and reciting in a transport +of passion and love-longing these lines, + +"A breeze of love on my soul did blow * That consumed my liver + for stress of lowe; +When my sweetheart went all my longings grew; * And with tears in + torrent mine eyelids flow: +Such my doubt and fears, did I tell their tale * To deaf rocks + and pebbles they'd melt for woe. +Would Heaven I wot shall I sight delight, * And shall win my wish + and my friend shall know! +Shall be folded up nights that doomed us part * And I be healed + of what harms my heart?" + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-ninth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that while Masrur, +transported by passion and love-longing, was repeating his couplets in +sing-song tone Hubub knocked at his door; so he rose and opened to her, +and she entered and gave him the letter. He read it and said to her, "O +Hubub, what is behind thee of thy lady's news[FN#325]?" She answered, +"O my lord, verily, in this letter is that dispenseth me from reply, +for thou art of those who readily descry!" Thereat he rejoiced with joy +exceeding and repeated these two couplets, + +"Came the writ whose contents a new joy revealed, * Which in + vitals mine I would keep ensealed: +And my longings grew when I kissed that writ, * As were pearl of + passion therein concealed." + + +Then he wrote a letter answering hers and gave it to Hubub, who took it +and returned with it to her mistress and forthright fell to extolling +his charms to her and expiating on his good gifts and generosity; for +she was become a helper to him, to bring about his union with her lady. +Quoth Zayn al-Mawasif, "O Hubub, indeed he tarrieth to come to us;" and +quoth Hubub, "He will certainly come soon." Hardly had she made an end +of speaking when behold, he knocked at the door, and she opened to him +and brought him in to her mistress, who saluted him with the +salam[FN#326] and welcomed him and seated him by her side. Then she +said to Hubub, "Bring me a suit of brocade;" so she brought a robe +broidered with gold and Zayn al-Mawasif threw it over him, whilst she +herself donned one of the richest dresses and crowned her head with a +net of pearls of the freshest water. About this she bound a fillet of +brocade, purfled with pearls, jacinths and other jewels, from beneath +which she let down two tresses[FN#327] each looped with a pendant of +ruby, charactered with glittering gold, and she loosed her hair, as it +were the sombrest night; and lastly she incensed herself with +aloes-wood and scented herself with musk and ambergris, and Hubub said +to her, "Allah save thee from the evil eye!" Then she began to walk, +swaying from side to side with gracefullest gait, whilst Hubub who +excelled in verse-making, recited in her honour these couplets, + +"Shamed is the bough of Bán by pace of her; * And harmed are + lovers by the gaze of her. +A moon she rose from murks, the hair of her, * A sun from locks + the brow encase of her: +Blest he she nights with by the grace of her, * Who dies in her + with oath by days of her!" + + +So Zayn al-Mawasif thanked her and went up to Masrur, as she were full +moon displayed. But when he saw her, he rose to his feet and exclaimed, +"An my thought deceive me not, she is no human, but one of the brides +of Heaven!" Then she called for food and they brought a table, about +whose marge were written these couplets,[FN#328] + +"Dip thou with spoons in saucers four and gladden heart and eye * + With many a various kind of stew and fricassee and fry. +Thereon fat quails (ne'er shall I cease to love and tender them) + * And rails and fowls and dainty birds of all the kinds that + fly. +Glory to God for the Kabobs, for redness all aglow, * And + potherbs, steeped in vinegar, in porringers thereby! +Fair fall the rice with sweet milk dressed, wherein the hands did + plunge * And eke the forearms of the fair were buried, + bracelet-high! +How my heart yearneth with regret over two plates of fish * That + by two manchet-cakes of bread of Tewarij[FN#329] did lie!" + + +Then they ate and drank and made mirth and merriment, after which the +servants removed the table of food and set on the wine service; so cup +and tasse[FN#330] passed round between them and they were gladdened in +soul. Then Masrur filled the cup and saying, "O whose thrall am I and +who is my mistress!"[FN#331] chanted these improvised couplets, + +"Mine eyes I admire that can feed their fill * On charms of a + girl rising worlds to light: +In her time she hath none to compare for gifts * Of spirit and + body a mere delight. +Her shape breeds envy in Cassia-tree * When fares she forth in + her symmetry dight: +With luminous brow shaming moon of dark * And crown-like crescent + the brightest bright. +When treads she earth's surface her fragrance scents * The Zephyr + that breathes over plain and height." + + +When he ended his extempore song she said, "O Masrur, whoso religiously +keepeth his faith and hath eaten our bread and salt, it behoveth us to +give him his due; so put away from thee all thought of what hath been +and I will restore thee thy lands and houses and all we have taken from +thee." He replied, "O my lady, I acquit thee of that whereof thou +speakest, though thou hadst been false to the oath and covenant between +us; for I will go and become a Moslem." Zayn al-Mawasif protested that +she would follow suit[FN#332] when Hubub cried to her, "O my lady, thou +art young of years and knowest many things, and I claim the +intercession of Almighty Allah with thee for, except thou do my bidding +and heal my heart, I will not lie the night with thee in the house." +And she replied, "O Hubub, it shall be as thou wilt. Rise and make us +ready another sitting-room." So she sprang to her feet and gat ready a +room and adorned and perfumed it after fairest fashion even as her lady +loved and preferred; after which she again set on food and wine, and +the cup went round between them and their hearts were glad.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fiftieth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn +al-Mawasif bade her maid Hubub make ready a private sitting-room she +arose and did her bidding, after which she again set food and wine +before them and cup and tasse went round gladdening their hearts. +Presently quoth Zayn al-Mawasif, "O Masrur, come is the time of Union +and favour; so, as thou studiest my love to savour recite us some +verses surpassing of flavour. " Upon this he recited the following +ode[FN#333], + +"I am taken: my heart bums with living flame +For Union shorn whenas Severance came, +In the love of a damsel who forced my soul +And with delicate cheeklet my reason stole. +She hath eyebrows united and eyes black-white +And her teeth are leven that smiles in light: +The tale of her years is but ten plus four; +Tears like Dragon's blood[FN#334] for her love I pour. +First I saw that face 'mid parterre and rill, +Outshining full Lune on horizon-hill; +And stood like a captive for awe, and cried, +'Allah's Peace, O who in demesne[FN#335] doth hide!' +She returned my salam, gaily answering +With the sweetest speech likest pearls a-string. +But when heard my words, she right soon had known +My want and her heart waxed hard as stone, +And quoth she, 'Be not this a word silly-bold?' +But quoth I, 'Refrain thee nor flyte and scold! +An to-day thou consent such affair were light; +They like is the loved, mine the lover-wight!' +When she knew my mind she but smiled in mirth +And cried, 'Now, by the Maker of Heaven and Earth! +I'm a Jewess of Jewry's driest e'er seen +And thou art naught save a Nazarene. +Why seek my favours? Thine's other caste; +An this deed thou do thou'lt repent the past. +Say, does Love allow with two Faiths to play? +Men shall blame thee like me, at each break of day! +Wilt thou laugh at beliefs and deride their rite, +And in thine and mine prove thee sinful sprite? +An thou lovedest me thou hadst turnčd Jew, +Losing worlds for love and my favours due; +And by the Evangel strong oath hadst sworn +To keep our secret intact from scorn!' +So I took the Torah and sware strong oath +I would hold to the covenant made by both. +Then by law, religion and creed I sware, +And bound her by oaths that most binding were; +And asked her, 'Thy name, O my dear delight?' +And she, 'Zayn al-Mawásif at home I'm hight!' +'O Zayn al-Mawasif!' (cried I) 'Hear my call: +Thy love hath made me thy veriest thrall!' +Then I peeped 'neath her chin-veil and 'spied such charms +That the longing of love filled my heart with qualms. +'Neath the curtain I ceased not to humble me, +And complain of my heart-felt misery; +But when she saw me by Love beguiled +She raised her face-veil and sweetly smiled: +And when breeze of Union our faces kiss'd +With musk-pod she scented fair neck and wrist; +And the house with her essences seemed to drip, +And I kissed pure wine from each smiling lip: +Then like branch of Bán 'neath her robe she swayed +And joys erst unlawful[FN#336] she lawful made: +And joined, conjoined through our night we lay +With clip, kiss of inner lip, langue fourrée. +The world hath no grace but the one loved fere +In thine arms to clasp with possession sheer! +With the morn she rose and she bade Good-bye +While her brow shone brighter than moon a-sky; +Reciting at parting (while tear-drops hung +On her cheeks, these scattered and other strung),[FN#337] +'Allah's pact in mind all my life I'll bear +And the lovely nights and strong oath I sware.'" + + +Zayn al-Mawasif was delighted and said to him, "O Masrur, how goodly +are thy inner gifts! May he live not who would harm thy heart!" Then +she entered her boudoir and called him: so he went in to her and taking +her in his arms, embraced her and hugged her and kissed her and got of +her that which he had deemed impossible and rejoiced in winning the +sweet of amorous will. Then said she, "O Masrur, thy good is unlawful +to me and is lawfully thine again now that we are become lovers." So +she returned to him all she had taken of him and asked him, "O Masrur, +hast thou a flower-garden whither we may wend and take our pleasure?"; +whereto he answered, "Yes, O my lady, I have a garden that hath not its +like." Then he returned to his lodgings and bade his slave-girls make +ready a splendid banquet in a handsome room; after which he summoned +Zayn al-Mawasif who came surrounded by her damsels, and they ate and +drank and made mirth and merriment, whilst the cup passed round between +them and their spirits rose high. Then lover withdrew with beloved and +Zayn al-Mawasif said to Masrur, "I have bethought me of some dainty +verses, which I would fain sing to the lute." He replied, "Do sing +them"; so she took the lute and tuning it, sang to a pleasant air these +couplets, + +"Joy from stroke of string doth to me incline, * And sweet is + a-morning our early wine; +Whenas Love unveileth the amourist's heart, * And by rending the + veil he displays his sign, +With a draught so pure, so dear, so bright, * As in hand of + Moons[FN#338] the Sun's sheeny shine +O' nights it cometh with joy to 'rase * The hoar of sorrow by + boon divine." + + +Then ending her verse, she said to him, "O Masrur, recite us somewhat +of thy poetry and favour us with the fruit of thy thought." So he +recited these two couplets, + +"We joy in full Moon who the wine bears round, * And in concert + of lutes that from gardens sound; +Where the dove moans at dawn and where bends the bough * To Morn, + and all pathways of pleasure are found." + + +When he had finished his recitation she said to him, "Make us some +verses on that which hath passed between us an thou be occupied with +love of me."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-first Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn +al-Mawasif said to Masrur, "An thou be occupied with love of me, make +us some verses on that hath passed between us," "With love and +gladness," he replied and improvised the following Kasídah[FN#339], + +"Stand thou and hear what fell to me * For love of you gazelle to + dree! +Shot me a white doe with her shaft * O' glances wounding + woundily. +Love was my ruin, for was I * Straitened by longing ecstasy: +I loved and woo'd a young coquette * Girded by strong artillery, +Whom in a garth I first beheld * A form whose sight was symmetry. +I greeted her and when she deigned * Greeting return, 'Salám,' + quoth she +'What be thy name?' said I, she said, * 'My name declares my + quality![FN#340]' +'Zayn al-Mawásif I am hight.' * Cried I, 'Oh deign I mercy see,' +'Such is the longing in my heart * No lover claimeth rivalry!' +Quoth she, 'With me an thou 'rt in love * And to enjoy me + pleadest plea, +I want of thee oh! muchel wealth; * Beyond all compt my wants o' + thee! +I want o' thee full many a robe * Of sendal, silk and damaskry; +A quarter quintal eke of musk: * These of one night shall pay the + fee. +Pearls, unions and carnelian[FN#341]-stones * The bestest best of + jewelry!' +Of fairest patience showed I show * In contrariety albe: +At last she favoured me one night * When rose the moon a crescent + wee; +An stranger blame me for her sake * I say, 'O blamers listen ye! +She showeth locks of goodly length * And black as blackest night + its blee; +While on her cheeks the roses glow * Like Lazá-flame incendiary: +In every eyelash is a sword * And every glance hath archery: +Her liplets twain old wine contain, * And dews of fount-like + purity: +Her teeth resemble strings o' pearls, * Arrayed in line and fresh + from sea: +Her neck is like the neck of doe, * Pretty and carven perfectly: +Her bosom is a marble slab * Whence rise two breasts like towers + on lea: +And on her stomach shows a crease * Perfumed with rich perfumery; +Beneath which same there lurks a Thing * Limit of mine + expectancy. +A something rounded, cushioned-high * And plump, my lords, to + high degree: +To me 'tis likest royal throne * Whither my longings wander free; +There 'twixt two pillars man shall find * Benches of high-built + tracery. +It hath specific qualities * Drive sanest men t' insanity; +Full mouth it hath like mouth of neck * Or well begirt by stony + key; +Firm lips with camelry's compare * And shows it eye of cramoisie. +An draw thou nigh with doughty will * To do thy doing lustily, +Thou'll find it fain to face thy bout * And strong and fierce in + valiancy. +It bendeth backwards every brave * Shorn of his battle-bravery. +At times imberbe, but full of spunk * To battle with the + Paynimry. +'T will show thee liveliness galore * And perfect in its + raillery: +Zayn al-Mawasif it is like * Complete in charms and courtesy. +To her dear arms one night I came * And won meed given lawfully: +I passed with her that self-same night * (Best of my nights!) in + gladdest glee; +And when the morning rose, she rose * And crescent like her + visnomy: +Then swayed her supple form as sway * The lances lopt from limber + tree; +And when farewelling me she cried, * 'When shall such nights + return to me?' +Then I replied, 'O eyen-light, * When He vouchsafeth His + decree!'"[FN#342] + + +Zayn al-Mawasif was delighted with this Ode and the utmost gladness gat +hold of her. Then said she, "O Masrur day-dawn draweth nigh and there +is naught for it save to fly for fear of scandal and spy!" He replied, +"I hear and obey," and rising led her to her lodging, after which he +returned to his quarters[FN#343] and passed the rest of the night +pondering on her charms. When the morning morrowed with its sheen and +shone, he made ready a splendid present and carried it to her and sat +by her side. And thus they abode awhile, in all solace of life and its +delight, till one day there came to Zayn al-Mawasif a letter from her +husband reporting to her his speedy return. Thereupon she said in +herself, "May Allah not keep him nor quicken him! If he come hither, +our life will be troubled: would Heaven I might despair of him!" +Presently entered Masrur and sat with her at chat, as was his wont, +whereupon she said to him, "O Masrur, I have received a missive from my +mate, announcing his speedy return from his wayfaring. What is to be +done, since neither of us without other can live?" He replied, "I know +not; but thou art better able to judge, being acquainted with the ways +of thy man, more by token that thou art one of the sharpest-witted of +women and past mistress of devices such as devise that whereof fail the +wise." Quoth she, "He is a hard man and jealous of his household: but, +when he shall come home and thou hearest of his coming, do thou repair +to him and salute him and sit down by his side, saying, 'O my brother, +I am a druggist.' Then buy of him somewhat of drugs and spices of sorts +and call upon him frequently and prolong thy talks with him and gainsay +him not in whatsoever he shall bid thee; so haply that I would contrive +may betide, as it were by chance." "I hear and I obey," quoth Masrur +and fared forth from her, with heart a-fire for love. When her husband +came home, she rejoiced in meeting him and after saluting him bade him +welcome; but he looked in her face and seeing it pale and sallow (for +she had washed it with saffron, using one of women's arts), asked her +of her case. She answered that she had been sick, she and her women, +from the time of his wayfaring, adding, "Verily, our hearts have been +engrossed with thoughts of thee because of the length of thine +absence." And she went on to complain to him of the misery of +separation and to pour forth copious tears, saying, "Hadst thou but a +companion with thee, my heart had not borne all this cark and care for +thee. So, Allah upon thee, O my lord, travel not again without a +comrade and cut me not off from news of thee, that my heart and mind +may be at rest concerning thee!"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn +al-Mawasif said to her mate, "Travel not without comrade and cut me not +off from news of thee, that my heart and mind may be at rest concerning +thee," he replied, "With love and gladness! By Allah thy bede is good +indeed and right is thy rede! By thy life, it shall be as thou dost +heed." Then he unpacked some of his stock-in-trade and carrying the +goods to his shop, opened it and sat down to sell in the Soko.[FN#344] +No sooner had he taken his place than lo and behold! up came Masrur and +saluting him, sat down by his side and began talking and talked with +him awhile. Then he pulled out a purse and taking forth gold, handed it +to Zayn al-Mawasif's man and said, "Give me the worth of these dinars +in drugs and spices of sorts, that I may sell them in my shop." The Jew +replied, "I hear and I obey," and gave him what he sought. And Masrur +continued to pay him frequent visits till, one day, the merchant said +to him, "I have a mind to take me a man to partner in trade." Quoth +Masrur, "And I also, desire to take a partner; for my father was a +merchant in the land of Al-Yaman and left me great store of money and I +fear lest it fare from me." Quoth the Jew, turning towards him, "Wilt +thou be my partner, and I will be thy partner and a true friend and +comrade to thee at home and abroad; and I will teach thee selling and +buying, giving and taking?" And Masrur rejoined, "With all my heart." +So the merchant carried him to his place and seated him in the +vestibule, whilst he went in to his wife and said to her, "I have +provided me with a partner and have bidden him hither as a guest; so do +thou get us ready good guest-cheer." Whenas she heard this, she +rejoiced divining that it was Masrur, and made ready a magnificent +banquet,[FN#345] of her delight in the success of her device. Then, +when the guest drew nigh, her husband said to her, "Come out with me to +him and bid him welcome and say, 'Thou gladdenest us[FN#346]!'" But +Zayn al-Mawasif made a show of anger, crying, "Wilt thou have me +display myself before a strange man? I take refuge with Allah! Though +thou cut me to bits, I will not appear before him!" Rejoined he, "Why +shouldst thou be abashed at him, seeing that he is a Nazarene and we +are Jews and, to boot, we are become chums, he and I?" Quoth she, "I am +not minded to present myself before a strange man, on whom I have never +once set eyes and whom I know not any wise." Her husband thought she +spoke sooth and ceased not to importune her, till she rose and veiling +herself, took the food and went out to Masrur and welcomed him; +whereupon he bowed his head groundwards, as he were ashamed, and the +Jew, seeing such dejection said in himself, "Doubtless, this man is a +devotee." They ate their fill and the table being removed, wine was set +on. As for Zayn al-Mawasif, she sat over against Masrur and gazed on +him and he gazed on her till ended day, when he went home, with a heart +to fire a prey. But the Jew abode pondering the grace and the +comeliness of him; and, as soon as it was night, his wife according to +custom served him with supper and they seated themselves before it. Now +he had a mockingbird which was wont, whenever he sat down to meat, to +come and eat with him and hover over his head; but in his absence the +fowl was grown familiar with Masrur and used to flutter about him as he +sat at meals. Now when Masrur disappeared and the master returned, it +knew him not and would not draw near him, and this made him thoughtful +concerning his case and the fowl's withdrawing from him. As for Zayn +al-Mawasif, she could not sleep with her heart thinking of Masrur, and +thus it was with her a second and even a third night, till the Jew +became aware of her condition and, watching her while she sat +distraught, began to suspect somewhat wrong. On the fourth night, he +awoke in the middle thereof and heard his wife babbling in her sleep +and naming Masrur, what while she lay on her husband's bosom, wherefore +he misdoubted her; but he dissembled his suspicions and when morning +morrowed he repaired to his shop and sat therein. Presently, up came +Masrur and saluted him. He returned his salam and said to him, +"Welcome, O my brother!" adding anon, "I have wished for thee;" and he +sat talking with him for an hour or so, after which he said to him, +"Rise, O my brother, and hie with me to my house, that we may enter +into the pact of brotherhood."[FN#347] Replied Masrur, "With joy and +goodly gree," and they repaired to the Jew's house, where the master +went in and told his wife of Masrur's visit, for the purpose of +conditioning their partnership, and said, "Make us ready a goodly +entertainment, and needs must thou be present and witness our +brotherhood." But she replied, "Allah upon thee, cause me not show +myself to this strange man, for I have no mind to company with him." So +he held his peace and forbore to press her and bade the waiting-women +bring food and drink. Then he called the mocking-bird but it knew not +its lord and settled upon Masrur's lap; and the Jew said to him, "O my +master, what is thy name?" He answered, "My name is Masrur;" whereupon +the Jew remembered that this was the name which his wife had repeated +all night long in her sleep. Presently, he raised his head and saw her +making signs[FN#348] with her forefingers to Masrur and motioning to +him with her eyes, wherefore he knew that he had been completely +cozened and cuckolded and said, "O my lord, excuse me awhile, till I +fetch my kinsmen, so they may be present at our swearing brotherhood." +Quoth Masrur, "Do what seemeth good to thee;" whereupon the Jew went +forth the house and returning privily by a back way.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-third Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zayn +al-Mawasif's husband said to Masrur, "Excuse me awhile, till I fetch my +cousins to witness the brother-bond between me and thee." Then he went +forth and, privily returning behind the sitting-room, there took his +station hard by a window which gave upon the saloon and whence he could +watch them without their seeing him. Suddenly quoth Zayn al-Mawasif to +her maid Sukub, "Whither is thy master gone?"; and quoth she, "He is +gone without the house." Cried the mistress, "Lock the door and bar it +with iron and open thou not till he knock, after thou hast told me." +Answered Sukub, "So shall it be done." Then, while her husband watched +them, she rose and filling a cup with wine, flavoured with powdered +musk and rose-water, went close to Masrur, who sprang up to meet her, +saying, "By Allah, the water of thy mouth is sweeter than this wine!" +"Here it is for thee," said she and filling her mouth with wine, gave +him to drink thereof, whilst he gave her the like to drink; after which +she sprinkled him with rose-water from front to foot, till the perfume +scented the whole place. All this while, the Jew was looking on and +marvelling at the stress of love that was between them, and his heart +was filled with fury for what he saw and he was not only wroth, but +jealous with exceeding jealousy. Then he went out again and coming to +the door found it locked and knocked a loud knock of the excess of his +rage; whereupon quoth Sukub, "O my lady, here is my master;" and quoth +Zayn al-Mawasif, "Open to him; would that Allah had not brought him +back in safety!" So Sukub went and opened the door to the Jew, who said +to her, "What ailed thee to lock the door?" Quoth she, "It hath never +ceased to be locked thus during thine absence; nor hath it been opened +night nor day;" and cried he, "Thou hast done well; this pleaseth me." +Then he went in to Masrur, laughing and dissembling his chagrin, and +said to him, "O Masrur, let us put off the conclusion of our pact of +brotherhood this day and defer it to another." Replied Masrur, "As thou +wilt," and hied him home, leaving the Jew pondering his case and +knowing not what to do; for his heart was sore troubled and he said in +himself, "Even the mocking-bird disowneth me and the slave-girls shut +the door in my face and favour another." And of his exceeding chagrin, +he fell to reciting these couplets, + +"Masrur joys life made fair by all delight of days, * Fulfilled + of boons, while mine the sorest grief displays. +The Days have falsed me in the breast of her I love * And in my + heart are fires which all-consuming blaze: +Yea, Time was clear for thee, but now 'tis past and gone * While + yet her lovely charms thy wit and senses daze: +Espied these eyes of mine her gifts of loveliness: * Oh, hard my + case and sore my woe on spirit weighs! +I saw the maiden of the tribe deal rich old wine * Of lips like + Salsabíl to friend my love betrays: +E'en so, O mocking-bird, thou dost betray my breast * And to a + rival teachest Love and lover-ways: +Strange things indeed and wondrous saw these eyne of me * Which + were they sleep-drowned still from Sleep's abyss would raise: +I see my best belovčd hath forsworn my love * And eke like my + mocking-bird fro' me a-startled strays. +By truth of Allah, Lord of Worlds who, whatso wills * His Fate, + for creatures works and none His hest gainsays, +Forsure I'll deal to that ungodly wight his due * Who but to sate + his wicked will her heart withdrew!" + + +When Zayn al-Mawasif heard this, her side-muscles trembled and quoth +she to her handmaid, "Heardest thou those lines?"; whereupon quoth the +girl, "I never heard him in my born days recite the like of these +verses; but let him say what he will." Then having assured himself of +the truth of his suspicions, the Jew began to sell all his property, +saying to himself, "Unless I part them by removing her from her mother +land the twain will not turn back from this that they are engaged in, +no, never!" So, when he had converted all his possessions into coin, he +forged a letter and read it to Zayn al-Mawasif, declaring that it had +come from his kinsmen, who invited him to visit them, him and his wife. +She asked, "How long shall we tarry with them?" and he answered, +"Twelve days." Accordingly she consented to this and said, "Shall I +take any of my maids with me?"; whereto he replied, "Take Hubub and +Sukub and leave Khutub here." Then he made ready a handsome +camel-litter[FN#349] for his spouse and her women and prepared to set +out with them; whilst she sent to her leman, telling him what had +betided her and saying, "O Masrur, an the trysting-time[FN#350] that is +between us pass and I come not back, know that he hath cheated and +cozened us and planned a plot to separate us each from other, so forget +thou not the plighted faith betwixt us, for I fear that he hath found +out our love and I dread his craft and perfidy." Then, whilst her man +was busy about his march she fell a-weeping and lamenting and no peace +was left her, night or day. Her husband saw this, but took no note +thereof; and when she saw there was scant help for it, she gathered +together her clothes and gear and deposited them with her sister, +telling her what had befallen her. Then she farewelled her and going +out from her, drowned in tears, returned to her own house, where she +found her husband had brought the camels and was busy loading them, +having set apart the handsomest dromedary for her riding, and when she +saw this and knew that needs must she be separated from Masrur, she +waxt clean distraught. Presently it chanced that the Jew went out on +some business of his; so she fared forth to the first or outer door and +wrote thereon these couplets,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn +al-Mawasif saw her spouse summon the camels and knew that the march +needs must be, she waxt clean distraught. Presently it chanced that the +Jew went out on some business so she fared forth to the first door and +wrote thereon these couplets, + +"Bear our salams, O Dove, from this our stead * From lover to + beloved far severčd! +Bid him fro' me ne'er cease to yearn and mourn * O'er happy days + and hours for ever fled: +Eke I in grief shall ever mourn and yearn, * Dwelling on days of + love and lustihead; +Long was our joyance, seeming aye to last, * When night and + morning to reunion led; +Till croaked the Raven[FN#351] of the Wold one day * His cursed + croak and did our union dead. +We sped and left the homestead dark and void * Its gates + unpeopled and its dwellers sped." + + +Then she went to the second door and wrote thereon these couplets, + +"O who passest this doorway, by Allah, see * The charms of my + fere in the glooms and make plea +For me, saying, 'I think of the Past and weep * Yet boot me no + tears flowing full and free.' +Say, 'An fail thee patience for what befel * Scatter earth and + dust on the head of thee! +And o'er travel lands East and West, and deem * God sufficeth thy + case, so bear patiently!'" + + +Then she went to the third door and wept sore and thereon wrote these +couplets, + +"Fare softly, Masrúr! an her sanctuary * Thou seek, and read what + a-door writ she. +Ne'er forget Love-plight, if true man; how oft * Hast savoured + Nights' bitter and sweetest gree! +O Masrúr! forget not her neighbourhood * For wi' thee must her + gladness and joyance flee! +But beweep those dearest united days * When thou camest veilčd in + secresy; +Wend for sake of us over farthest wone; * Span the wold for us, + for us dive in sea; +Allah bless the past days! Ah, how glad they were * When in + Gardens of Fancy the flowers pluckt we! +The nights of Union from us are fled * And parting-glooms dim + their radiancy; +Ah! had this lasted as hopčd we, but * He left only our breasts + and the rosery. +Will revolving days on Re-union dawn? * Then our vow to the Lord + shall accomplisht be. +Learn thou our lots are in hand of Him * Who on lines of + skull[FN#352] writes our destiny!" + + +Then she wept with sore weeping and returned to the house, wailing and +remembering what had passed and saying, "Glory be to God who hath +decreed to us this!" And her affliction redoubled for severance from +her beloved and her departure from her mother-land, and she recited +these couplets, + +"Allah's peace on thee, House of Vacancy! * Ceased in thee all + our joys, all our jubilee. +O thou Dove of the homestead, ne'er cease to bemoan * Whose moons + and full moons[FN#353] sorest severance dree: +Masrúr, fare softly and mourn our loss; * Loving thee our eyes + lose their brilliancy: +Would thy sight had seen, on our marching day, * Tears shed by a + heart in Hell's flagrancy! +Forget not the plight in the garth-shade pledged * When we sat + enveiléd in privacy:" + + +Then she presented herself before her husband, who lifted her into the +litter he had let make for her; and, when she found herself on the +camel's back, she recited these couplets, + +"The Lord, empty House! to thee peace decree * Long we bore + therein growth of misery: +Would my life-thread were shorn in that safe abode * And o' night + I had died in mine ecstasy! +Home-sickness I mourn, and my strangerhood * Irks my soul, nor + the riddle of future I ree. +Would I wot shall I ever that house resee * And find it, as erst, + home of joy and glee!" + + +Said her husband, "O Zayn al-Mawasif grieve not for thy departure from +thy dwelling; for thou shalt return to it ere long Inshallah!" And he +went on to comfort her heart and soothe her sorrow. Then all set out +and fared on till they came without the town and struck into the high +road, whereupon she knew that separation was certain and this was very +grievous to her. And while such things happened Masrur sat in his +quarters, pondering his case and that of his mistress, and his heart +forewarned him of severance. So he rose without stay and delay and +repairing to her house, found the outer door padlocked and read the +couplets she had written thereon; upon which he fell down in a fainting +fit. When he came to himself, he opened the first door and entering, +read what was written upon the second and likewise upon the third +doors; wherefore passion and love-longing and distraction grew on him. +So he went forth and hastened in her track, till he came up with the +light caravan[FN#354] and found her at the rear, whilst her husband +rode in the van, because of his merchandise. When he saw her, he clung +to the litter, weeping and wailing for the anguish of parting, and +recited these couplets, + +"Would I wot for what crime shot and pierced are we * Thro' the + days with Estrangement's archery! +O my heart's desire, to thy door I came * One day, when high waxt + mine expectancy: +But I found the home waste as the wold and void * And I 'plained + my pine and groaned wretchedly: +And I asked the walls of my friends who fared * With my heart in + pawn and in pendency; +And they said, 'All marched from the camp and left *An ambushed + sorrow on hill and lea;' +And a writ on the walls did they write, as write * Folk who keep + their faith while the Worlds are three." + + +Now when Zayn al-Mawasif heard these lines, she knew that it was +Masrur.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn +al-Mawasif heard these lines she knew that it was Masrur and wept, she +and her handmaids, and said to him, "O Masrur, I conjure thee by Allah, +turn back, lest my husband see us twain together!" At her words he +swooned away; and when he revived, they took leave each of other and he +recited the following couplets, + +"The Caravan-chief calleth loud o' night * Ere the Breeze bear + his cry in the morning-light: +They girded their loads and prepared to fare, * And hurried while + murmured the leader-wight. +They scent the scene on its every side, * As their march through + the valley they expedite. +After winning my heart by their love they went * O' morn when + their track could deceive my sight. +O my neighbour fair, I reckt ne'er to part, * Or the ground + bedewed with my tears to sight! +Woe betide my heart, now hath Severance hand * To heart and + vitals dealt bane and blight." + + +Then he clung to the litter, weeping and wailing, whilst she besought +him to turn back ere morn for fear of scorn. So he came up to her +Haudaj and farewelling her a second time, fell down in a swoon. He lay +an hour or so without life, and when he revived he found the caravan +had fared forth of sight. So he turned in the direction of their +wayfare and scenting the breeze which blew from their quarter, chanted +these improvised lines, + +"No breeze of Union to the lover blows * But moan he maketh burnt + with fiery woes: +The Zephyr fans him at the dawn o' day; * But when he wakes the + horizon lonely shows: +On bed of sickness strewn in pain he lies, * And weeps he bloody + tears in burning throes, +For the fair neighbour with my heart they bore * 'Mid travellers + urging beasts with cries and blows. +By Allah from their stead no Zephyr blew * But sniffed I as the + wight on eyeballs goes;[FN#355] +And snuff the sweetest South as musk it breathes * And on the + longing lover scent bestows." + + +Then Masrur returned, mad with love-longing, to her house, and finding +it lone from end to end[FN#356] and forlorn of friend, wept till he wet +his clothes; after which he swooned away and his soul was like to leave +his body. When he revived, he recited these two couplets, + +"O Spring-camp have ruth on mine overthrowing * My abjection, my + leanness, my tears aye flowing, +Waft the scented powder[FN#357] of breezes they breathe * In hope + it cure heart of a grief e'er growing." + + +Then he returned to his own lodging confounded and tearful-eyed, and +abode there for the space of ten days. Such was his case; but as +regards the Jew, he journeyed on with Zayn al-Mawasif half a score +days, at the end of which he halted at a certain city and she, being by +that time assured that her husband had played her false, wrote to +Masrur a letter and gave it to Hubub, saying, "Send this to Masrur, so +he may know how foully and fully we have been tricked and how the Jew +hath cheated us." So Hubub took it and despatched it to Masrur, and +when it reached, its news was grievous to him and he wept till he +watered the ground. Then he wrote a reply and sent it to his mistress, +subscribing it with these two couplets, + +"Where is the way to Consolation's door * How shall console him + flames burn evermore? +How pleasant were the days of yore all gone: * Would we had + somewhat of those days of yore!" + + +When the missive reached Zayn al-Mawasif, she read it and again gave it +to her handmaid Hubub, saying to her, "Keep it secret!" However, the +husband came to know of their correspondence and removed with her and +her two women to another city, at a distance of twenty days' march. +Thus it befel Zayn al-Mawasif; but as regards Masrur, sleep was not +sweet to him nor was peace peaceful to him or patience left to him, and +he ceased not to be thus till, one night, his eyes closed for weariness +and he dreamt that he saw Zayn al-Mawasif come to him in the garden and +embrace him; but presently he awoke and found her not: whereupon his +reason fled and his wits wandered and his eyes ran over with tears; +love-longing to the utterest gat hold of his heart and he recited these +couplets, + +"Peace be to her, who visits me in sleeping phantasy * Stirring + desire and growing love to uttermost degree: +Verily from that dream I rose with passion maddenčd * For sight + of fairest phantom come in piece to visit me: +Say me, can dreams declare the truth anent the maid I love, * And + quench the fires of thirst and heal my love-sick malady? +Anon to me she is liberal and she strains me to her breast; * + Anon she soothes mine anxious heart with sweetest + pleasantry: +From off her dark-red damask lips the dew I wont to sip * The + fine old wine that seemed to reek of musk's perfumery. +I wondered at the wondrous things between us done in dreams, * + And won my wish and all my will of things I hoped to see; +And from that dreamery I rose, yet ne'er could hope to find * + Trace of my phantom save my pain and fiery misery: +And when I looked on her a-morn, 'twas as a lover mad * And every + eve was drunken yet no wine brought jollity. +O breathings of the northern breeze, by Allah fro' me bear * + Them-wards the greetings of my love and best salams that be: +Say them, 'The wight with whom ye made that plight of fealty * + Time with his changes made him drain Death's cup and slain + is he!'" + + +Then he went out and ceased not to weep till he came to her house and +looking on it, saw it empty and void. Presently, it seemed to him he +beheld her form before him, whereupon fires flamed in him and his +griefs redoubled and he fell down aswoon;—And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Masrur +saw the vision of Zayn al-Mawasif and felt her embrace, he joyed with +passing joy. As soon as he awoke he sought her house, but finding it +empty and void he fell down a-swoon; and when he came to himself, he +recited these couplets, + +"Fro' them inhale I scent of Ottar and of Bán; * So fare with + heart which ecstasies of love unman: +I'd heal thy longings (love-sick lover!) by return * To site of + beauty void sans friend or mate to scan: +But still it sickeneth me with parting's ban and bane * Minding + mine olden plight with friend and partisan." + + +When he had made an end of these verses, he heard a raven croak beside +the house and wept, saying, "Glory be to God! The raven croaketh not +save over a ruined homestead." Then he moaned and groaned and recited +these couplets, + +"What ails the Raven that he croaks my lover's house hard by, * + And in my vitals lights a fire that flameth fierce and high? +For times now past and gone I spent in joyance of their love * + With love my heart hath gone to waste and I sore pain aby: +I die of longing love and lowe still in my liver raging * And + wrote to her but none there is who with the writ may hie: +Ah well-away for wasted frame! Hath farčd forth my friend * And + if she will o' nights return Oh would that thing wot I! +Then, Ho thou Breeze of East, and thou by morn e'er visit her; * + Greet her from me and stand where doth her tribe encampčd + lie!" + + +Now Zayn al-Mawasif had a sister, by name Nasím—the Zephyr—who stood +espying him from a high place; and when she saw him in this plight, she +wept and sighed and recited these couplets, + +"How oft bewailing the place shall be this coming and going, * + While the House bemoaneth its builder with tear-flood ever + a-flowing? +Here was bestest joy ere fared my friend with the caravan hieing + * And its dwellers and brightest-suns[FN#358] ne'er ceased + in its walls a-glowing: +Where be those fullest moons that here were always arising? * + Bedimmed them the Shafts of Days their charms of spirit + unknowing: +Leave then what is past of the Fair thou wast ever with love + espying * And look; for haply the days may restore them + without foreshowing: +For hadst thou not been, its dwellers had never departed flying * + Nor haddest thou seen the Crow with ill-omened croak + a-crying." + + +Masrur wept sore hearing these verses and apprehending their +significance. Now Nasim knew that which was between him and her sister +of love and longing, ecstasy and passion; so she said to him, "Allah +upon thee, O Masrur, away from this house, lest any see thee and deem +thou comest on my account! Indeed thou hast caused my sister quit it +and now thou wouldst drive me also away. Thou knowest that, but for +thee, the house would not now be void of its dwellers: so be consoled +for her loss and leave her: what is past is past." When he heard this, +he wept bitterly and said to her, "O Nasim, if I could, I should fly +for longing after her; so how can I be comforted for her?" Quoth she, +"Thou hast no device save patience;" and quoth he, "I beseech thee, for +Allah's sake, write me a writ to her, as from thyself, and get me an +answer from her, to comfort my heart and quench the fire in my vitals." +She replied, "With love and gladness," and took inkcase and paper, +whilst Masrur began to set out to her the violence of his longing and +what tortures he suffered for the anguish of severance, saying, "This +letter is from the lover despairing and sorrowful * the bereaved, the +woeful * with whom no peace can stay * nor by night nor by day * but he +weepeth copious tears alway. * Indeed, tears his eyelids have ulcerated +and his sorrows have kindled in his liver a fire unsated. His +lamentation is lengthened and restlessness is strengthened and he is as +he were a bird unmated * While for sudden death he awaiteth * Alas, my +desolation for the loss of thee * and alas, my yearning affliction for +the companionship of thee! * Indeed, emaciation hath wasted my frame * +and my tears a torrent became * mountains and plains are straitened +upon me for grame * and of the excess of my distress, I go saying, + +"Still cleaves to this homestead mine ecstasy, * And redoubled + pine for its dwellers I dree; +And I send to your quarters the tale of my love * And the cup of + your love gave the Cup-boy to me. +And for faring of you and your farness from home * My wounded + lids are from tears ne'er free: +O thou leader of litters, turn back with my love * For my heart + redoubleth its ardency: +Greet my love and say him that naught except * Those brown-red + lips deals me remedy: +They bore him away and our union rent * And my vitals with + Severance-shaft shot he: +My love, my lowe and my longing to him * Convey, for of parting + no cure I see: +I swear an oath by your love that I * Will keep pact and covenant + faithfully, +To none I'll incline or forget your love * How shall love-sick + lover forgetful be? +So with you be the peace and my greeting fair * In letters that + perfume of musk-pod bear." + + +Her sister Nasim admired his eloquence of tongue and the goodliness of +his speech and the elegance of the verses he sang, and was moved to +ruth for him. So she sealed the letter with virgin musk and incensed it +with Nadd-scent and ambergris, after which she committed it to a +certain of the merchants saying, "Deliver it not to any save to Zayn +al-Mawasif or to her handmaid Hubub." Now when the letter reached her +sister, she knew it for Masrur's dictation and recognised himself in +the grace of its expression. So she kissed it and laid it on her eyes, +whilst the tears streamed from her lids and she gave not over weeping, +till she fainted. As soon as she came to herself, she called for +pencase and paper and wrote him the following answer; complaining the +while of her desire and love-longing and ecstasy and what was hers to +endure of pining for her lover and yearning to him and the passion she +had conceived for him.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zayn +al-Mawasif wrote the following reply to Masrur's missive: "This letter +to my lord and master I indite * the king of my heart and my secret +sprite * Indeed, wakefulness agitateth me * and melancholy increaseth +on me * and I have no patience to endure the absence of thee * O thou +who excellest sun and moon in brilliancy * Desire of repose despoileth +me * and passion destroyeth me * and how should it be otherwise with +me, seeing that I am of the number of the dying? *O glory of the world +and Ornament of life, she whose vital spirits are cut off shall her cup +be sweet to quaff? * For that she is neither with the quick nor with +the dead." And she improvised these couplets and said, + +"Thy writ, O Masrúr, stirred my sprite to pine * For by Allah, + all patience and solace I tyne: +When I read thy scripture, my vitals yearned * And watered the + herbs of the wold these eyne. +On Night's wings I'd fly an a bird * And sans thee I weet not the + sweets of wine: +Life's unlawful to me since thou faredst far * To bear parting- + lowe is no force of mine." + + +Then she sprinkled the letter with powder of musk and ambergris and, +having sealed it with her signet, committed it to a merchant, saying, +"Deliver it to none save to my sister." When it reached Nasim she sent +it to Masrur, who kissed it and laid it on his eyes and wept till he +fell into a trance. Such was their case; but as regards the Jew, he +presently heard of their correspondence and began again to travel from +place to place with Zayn al-Mawasif and her damsels, till she said to +him, "Glory to God! How long wilt thou fare with us and bear us afar +from our homes?" Quoth he, "I will fare on with you a year's journey, +so no more letters may reach you from Masrur. I see how you take all my +monies and give them to him; so all that I miss I shall recover from +you: and I shall see if Masrur will profit you or have power to deliver +you from my hand." Then he repaired to a blacksmith, after stripping +her and her damsels of their silken apparel and clothing them in +raiment of hair-cloth, and bade him make three pairs of iron shackles. +When they were ready, he brought the smith in to his wife, having said +to him, "Put the shackles on the legs of these three slave-girls." The +first that came forward was Zayn al-Mawasif, and when the blacksmith +saw her, his sense forsook him and he bit his finger tips and his wit +fled forth his head and his transport grew sore upon him. So he said to +the Jew, "What is the crime of these damsels?" Replied the other, "They +are my slave-girls, and have stolen my good and fled from me." Cried +the smith, "Allah disappoint thy jealous whims! By the Almighty, were +this girl before the Kazi of Kazis,[FN#359] he would not even reprove +her, though she committed a thousand crimes a day. Indeed, she showeth +not thief's favour and she cannot brook the laying of irons on her +legs." And he asked him as a boon not to fetter her, interceding with +him to forbear the shackles. When she saw the blacksmith taking her +part in this wise she said to her husband, "I conjure thee, by Allah, +bring me not forth before yonder strange man!" Said he, "Why then +camest thou forth before Masrur?"; and she made him no reply. Then he +accepted the smith's intercession, so far as to allow him to put a +light pair of irons on her legs, for that she had a delicate body, +which might not brook harsh usage, whilst he laid her handmaids in +heavy bilboes, and they ceased not, all three, to wear hair-cloth night +and day till their bodies became wasted and their colour changed. As +for the blacksmith, exceeding love had fallen on his heart for Zayn +al-Mawasif; so he returned home in great concern and he fell to +reciting extempore these couplets, + +"Wither thy right, O smith, which made her bear * Those iron + chains her hands and feet to wear! +Thou hast ensoiled a lady soft and bright, * Marvel of marvels, + fairest of the fair: +Hadst thou been just, those anklets ne'er had been * Of iron: nay + of purest gold they were: +By Allah! did the Kázis' Kázi sight * Her charms, he'd seat her + in the highest chair." + + +Now it chanced that the Kazi of Kazis passed by the smith's house and +heard him improvise these lines; so he sent for him and as soon as he +saw him said to him, "O blacksmith, who is she on whom thou callest so +instantly and eloquently and with whose love thy heart is full filled?" +The smith sprang to his feet and kissing the Judge's hand, answered, +"Allah prolong the days of our lord the Kazi and ample his life!" Then +he described to him Zayn al-Mawasif's beauty and loveliness, brilliancy +and perfection, and symmetry and grace and how she was lovely faced and +had a slender waist and heavily based; and acquainted him with the +sorry plight wherein she was for abasement and durance vile and lack of +victual. When the Kazi heard this, he said, "O blacksmith, send her to +us and show her that we may do her justice, for thou art become +accountable for the damsel and unless thou guide her to us, Allah will +punish thee at the Day of Doom." "I hear and obey," replied the smith +and betook himself without stay and delay to Zayn al-Mawasif's lodging, +but found the door barred and heard a voice of plaintive tone that came +from heart forlorn and lone; and it was Zayn al-Mawasif reciting these +couplets, + +"I and my love in union were unite; * And filled my friend to me + cups clearly bright +Between us reigned high mirth and jollity, * Nor Eve nor Morn + brought 'noyance or affright +Indeed we spent most joyous time, with cup * And lute and + dulcimer to add delight, +Till Time estranged our fair companionship; * My lover went and + blessing turned to blight. +Ah would the Severance-raven's croak were stilled * And + Union-dawn of Love show blessčd light!" + + +When the blacksmith heard this, he wept like the weeping of the clouds. +Then he knocked at the door and the women said, "Who is at the door?" +Answered he, "'Tis I, the blacksmith," and told them what the Kazi had +said and how he would have them appear before him and make their +complaint to him, that he might do them justice on their adversary.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say, + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +blacksmith told Zayn al-Mawasif what the Kazi had said, and how he +summoned them that he might apply the Lex Talionis to their adversary, +she rejoined, "How can we go to him, seeing the door is locked on us +and our feet shackled and the Jew hath the keys?" The smith replied, "I +will make the keys for the padlocks and therewith open door and +shackles." Asked she, "But who will show us the Kazi's house?"; and he +answered, "I will describe it to you." She enquired, "But how can we +appear before him, clad as we are in haircloth reeking with sulphur?" +And the smith rejoined, "The Kazi will not reproach this to you, +considering your case." So saying, he went forthright and made keys for +the padlocks, wherewith he opened the door and the shackles, and +loosing the irons from their legs, carried them forth and guided them +to the Kazi's mansion. Then Hubub did off the hair-cloth garments from +her lady's body and carried her to the Hammam, where she bathed her and +attired her in silken raiment, and her colour returned to her. Now it +happened, by exceeding good fortune, that her husband was abroad at a +bride-feast in the house of one of the merchants; so Zayn al-Mawasif, +the Adornment of Qualities, adorned herself with the fairest ornaments +and repaired to the Kazi, who at once on espying her rose to receive +her. She saluted him with softest speech and winsomest words, shooting +him through the vitals the while with the shafts of her glances, and +said, "May Allah prolong the life of our lord the Kazi and strengthen +him to judge between man and man!" Then she acquainted him with the +affair of the blacksmith and how he had done nobly by them, whenas the +Jew had inflicted on her and her women heart-confounding torments; and +how his victims deathwards he drave, nor was there any found to save. +"O damsel," quoth the Kazi, "what is thy name?" "My name is Zayn al +Mawasif,—Adomment of Qualities—and this my handmaid's name is Hubub." +"Thy name accordeth with the named and its sound conformeth with its +sense." Whereupon she smiled and veiled her face, and he said to her, +"O Zayn al-Mawasif, hast thou a husband or not?" "I have no husband"; +"And what is thy Faith?" "That of Al-Islam, and the religion of the +Best of Men." "Swear to me by Holy Law replete with signs and instances +that thou ownest the creed of the Best of Mankind." So she swore to him +and pronounced the profession of the Faith. Then asked the Kazi, "How +cometh it that thou wastest thy youth with this Jew?" And she answered, +"Know, O Kazi (may Allah prolong thy days in contentment and bring thee +to thy will and thine acts with benefits seal!), that my father left +me, after his death, fifteen thousand dinars, which he placed in the +hands of this Jew, that he might trade therewith and share his gains +with me, the head of the property[FN#360] being secured by legal +acknowledgment. When my father died, the Jew coveted me and sought me +in marriage of my mother, who said, 'How shall I drive her from her +Faith and cause to become a Jewess? By Allah, I will denounce thee to +the rulers!' He was affrighted at her words and taking the money, fled +to the town of Adan.[FN#361] When we heard where he was, we came to +Adan in search of him, and when we foregathered with him there, he told +us that he was trading in stuffs with the monies and buying goods upon +goods. So we believed him and he ceased not to cozen us till he cast us +into jail and fettered us and tortured us with exceeding sore torments; +and we are strangers in the land and have no helper save Almighty Allah +and our lord the Kazi." When the judge heard this tale he asked Hubub +the nurse, "Is this indeed thy lady and are ye strangers and is she +unmarried?", and she answered, "Yes." Quoth he, "Marry her to me and on +me be incumbent manumission of my slaves and fasting and pilgrimage and +almsgiving of all my good an I do you not justice on this dog and +punish him for that he hath done!" And quoth she, "I hear and obey." +Then said the Kazi, "Go, hearten thy heart and that of thy lady; and +to-morrow, Inshallah, I will send for this Miscreant and do you justice +on him and ye shall see prodigies of his punishment." So Hubub called +down blessings upon him and went forth from him with her mistress, +leaving him with passion and love-longing fraught and with distress and +desire distraught. Then they enquired for the house of the second Kazi +and presenting themselves before him, told him the same tale. On like +wise did the twain, mistress and maid with the third and the fourth, +till Zayn al-Mawasif had made her complaint to all the four Kazis, each +of whom fell in love with her and besought her to wed him, to which she +consented with a "Yes"; nor wist any one of the four that which had +happened to the others. All this passed without the knowledge of the +Jew, who spent the night in the house of the bridefeast. And when +morning morrowed, Hubub arose and gat ready her lady's richest raiment; +then she clad her therewith and presented herself with her before the +four Kazis in the court of justice. As soon as she entered, she veiled +her face and saluted the judges, who returned her salam and each and +every of them recognised her. One was writing, and the reed-pen dropped +from his hand, another was talking, and his tongue became tied, and a +third was reckoning and blundered in his reckoning; and they said to +her, "O admirable of attributes and singular among beauties! be not thy +heart other than hearty, for we will assuredly do thee justice and +bring thee to thy desire." So she called down blessings on them and +farewelled them and went her ways.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Kazis +said to Zayn al-Mawasif, "O admirable of attributes and singular among +beauties! Be not thy heart other than hearty for our doing thy desire +and thy winning to thy will." So she called down blessings on them and +farewelled them and went her ways, the while her husband abode with his +friends at the marriage-banquet and knew naught of her doings. Then she +proceeded to beseech the notaries and scribes and the notables and the +Chiefs of Police to succour her against that unbelieving miscreant and +deliver her from the torment she suffered from him. Then she wept with +sore weeping and improvised these couplets, + +"Rain showers of torrent tears, O Eyne and see * An they will + quench the fires that flame in me: +After my robes of gold-embroidered silk * I wake to wear the + frieze of monkery: +And all my raiment reeks of sulphur-fumes * When erst my shift + shed musky fragrancy: +And hadst thou, O Masrúr, my case descried, * Ne'er hadst thou + borne my shame and ignomy. +And eke Hubúb in iron chains is laid * By Miscreant who unknows + God's Unity. +The creed of Jewry I renounce and home, * The Moslem's Faith + accepting faithfully +Eastwards[FN#362] I prostrate self in fairest guise * Holding the + only True Belief that be: +Masrúr! forget not love between us twain * And keep our vows and + troth with goodly gree: +I've changed my faith for sake of thee, and I * For stress of + love will cleave to secrecy: +So haste to us, an us in heart thou bear, * As noble spirit, nor + as laggard fare." + + +After this she wrote a letter to Masrur, describing to him all that the +Jew had done with her from first to last and enclosed the verses +aforesaid. Then she folded the scroll and gave it to her maid Hubub, +saying, "Keep this in thy pocket, till we send it to Masrur." Upon +these doings lo and behold! in came the Jew and seeing them joyous, +said to them, "How cometh it that I find you merry? Say me, hath a +letter reached you from your bosom friend Masrur?" Replied Zayn +al-Mawasif, "We have no helper against thee save Allah, extolled and +exalted be He! He will deliver us from thy tyranny, and except thou +restore us to our birth-place and homestead, we will complain of thee +tomorrow to the Governor of this town and to the Kazi." Quoth he, "Who +struck off the shackles from your legs? But needs must I let make for +each of you fetters ten pounds in weight and go round about the city +with you." Replied Hubub, "All that thou purposest against us thou +shall fall into thyself, so it please Allah the Most High, by token +that thou hast exiled us from our homes, and to-morrow we shall stand, +we and thou, before the Governor of the city." They nighted on this +wise and next morning the Jew rose up in haste and went out to order +new shackles, whereupon Zayn al-Mawasif arose and repaired with her +women to the court-house, where she found the four Kazis and saluted +them. They all returned her salutation and the Kazi of Kazis said to +those about him, "Verily this damsel is lovely as the +Venus-star[FN#363] and all who see her love her and bow before her +beauty and loveliness." Then he despatched four sergeants, who were +Sharífs,[FN#364] saying, "Bring ye the criminal after abjectest +fashion." So, when the Jew returned with the shackles and found none in +the house, he was confounded; but, as he abode in perplexity, suddenly +up came the officers and laying hold of him beat him with a sore +beating and dragged him face downwards before the Kazi. When the judge +saw him, he cried out in his face and said to him, "Woe to thee, O foe +of God, is it come to such a pass with thee that thou doest the deed +thou hast done and bringest these women far from their country and +stealest their monies and wouldst make them Jews? How durst thou seek +to make miscreants of Moslems?" Answered the Jew, "O my lord this woman +is my wife." Now when the Kazis heard this, they all cried out, saying, +"Throw this hound on the ground and come down on his face with your +sandals and beat him with sore blows, for his offence is unpardonable." +So they pulled off his silken gear and clad him in his wife's raiment +of hair-cloth, after which they threw him down and plucked out his +beard and belaboured him about the face with sandals. Then they sat him +on an ass, face to crupper, arsi-versy, and making him take its tail in +his hand, paraded him round about the city, ringing the bell before him +in every street; after which they brought him back to the judges in +sorriest plight; and the four Kazis with one voice condemned him to +have his feet and hands cut off and lastly to be crucified. When the +accursed heard this sentence his sense forsook him and he was +confounded and said, "O my lords the Kazis, what would ye of me?" They +replied, "Say thou, 'This damsel is not my wife and the monies are her +monies, and I have transgressed against her and brought her far from +her country.'" So he confessed to this and the Kazis recorded his +confession in legal form and taking the money from him, gave it to Zayn +al-Mawasif, together with the document. Then she went away and all who +saw her were confounded at her beauty and loveliness, whilst each of +the Kazis looked for her committing herself to him. But, when she came +to her lodging, she made ready all matters she needed and waited till +night. Then she took what was light of load and weighty of worth, and +setting out with her maids under cover of the murks three days with +their nights fared on without stopping. Thus it was with her; but as +regards the Kazis they ordered the Jew to prison.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixtieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Kazis ordered +the Jew to prison and on the morrow they looked for Zayn al-Mawasif +coming to them, they and their assessors; but she presented herself not +to any of them. Then said the Chief Kazi, "I wish to-day to make an +excursion without the town on business there." So he mounted his +she-mule and taking his page with him, went winding about the streets +of the town, searching its length and width for Zayn al-Mawasif, but +never finding her. On this errand he came upon the other three Kazis, +going about on the same, each deeming himself the only one to whom she +had given tryst. He asked them whither they were riding and why they +were going about the streets; when they told him their business, +whereby he saw that their plight was as his plight and their quest as +his quest. So they all four rode throughout the city, seeking her, but +could hit on no trace of her and returned to their houses, sick for +love, and lay down on the bed of langour. Presently the Chief Kazi +bethought himself of the blacksmith; so he sent for him and said to +him, "O blacksmith, knowest thou aught of the damsel whom thou didst +direct to me? By Allah, an thou discover her not to me, I will whack +thee with whips." Now when the smith heard this, he recited these +couplets[FN#365], + +"She who my all of love by love of her hath won * Owns every + Beauty and for others leaves she none: +She gazes, a gazelle; she breathes, fresh ambergris * She waves, + a lake; she sways, a bough; she shines, a Sun." + + +Then said the blacksmith, "By Allah, O my lord, since she fared forth +from thy worshipful presence,[FN#366] I have not set eyes on her; no, +not once. Indeed she took possession of my heart and wits and all my +talk and thoughts are of her. I went to her lodging but found her not, +nor found I any who could give me news of her, and it is as if she had +dived into the depths of the sea or had ascended to the sky." Now when +the Kazi heard this, he groaned a groan, that his soul was like to +depart therefor, and he said, "By Allah, well it were had we never seen +her!" Then the smith went away, whilst the Kazi fell down on his bed +and became sick of langour for her sake, and on like wise fared it with +the other three Kazis and assessors. The mediciners paid them frequent +calls, but found in them no ailment requiring a leach: so the +city-notables went in to the Chief Kazi and saluting him, questioned +him of his case; whereupon he sighed and showed them that was in his +heart, reciting these couplets, + +"Stint ye this blame; enough I suffer from Love's malady * Nor + chide the Kazi frail who fain must deal to folk decree! +Who doth accuse my love let him for me find some excuse: * Nor + blame; for lovers blameless are in lover-slavery! +I was a Kázi whom my Fate deigned aid with choicest aid * By writ + and reed and raisčd me to wealth and high degree; +Till I was shot by sharpest shaft that knows nor leach nor cure * + By Damsel's glance who came to spill my blood and murther + me. +To me came she, a Moslemah and of her wrongs she 'plained * With + lips that oped on Orient-pearls ranged fair and orderly: +I looked beneath her veil and saw a wending moon at full * Rising + below the wings of Night engloomed with blackest blee: +A brightest favour and a mouth bedight with wondrous smiles; * + Beauty had brought the loveliest garb and robed her + cap-ŕ-pie. +By Allah, ne'er beheld my eyes a face so ferly fair * Amid + mankind whoever are, Arab or Ajamí. +My Fair! What promise didst thou make what time to me thou + said'st * 'Whenas I promise I perform, O Kazi, faithfully.' +Such is my stead and such my case calamitous and dire * And ask + me not, ye men of spunk, what dreadful teen I dree." + + +When he ended his verse he wept with sore weeping and sobbed one sob +and his spirit departed his body, which seeing they washed him and +shrouded him and prayed over him and buried him graving on his tomb +these couplets, + +"Perfect were lover's qualities in him was brought a-morn, * + Slain by his love and his beloved, to this untimely grave: +Kázi was he amid the folk, and aye 'twas his delight * To foster + all the folk and keep a-sheath the Justice-glaive: +Love caused his doom and ne'er we saw among mankind before * The + lord and master louting low before his thrallčd slave." + + +Then they committed him to the mercy of Allah and went away to the +second Kazi, in company with the physician, but found in him nor injury +nor ailment needing a leach. Accordingly they questioned him of his +case and what preoccupied him; so he told them what ailed him, +whereupon they blamed him and chid him for his predicament and he +answered them with these couplets, + +"Blighted by her yet am I not to blame; * Struck by the dart at + me her fair hand threw. +Unto me came a woman called Hubúb * Chiding the world from year + to year anew: +And brought a damsel showing face that shamed * Full moon that + sails through Night-tide's blackest hue, +She showed her beauties and she 'plained her plain * Which tears + in torrents from her eyelids drew: +I to her words gave ear and gazed on her * Whenas with smiling + lips she made me rue. +Then with my heart she fared where'er she fared * And left me + pledged to sorrows soul subdue. +Such is my tale! So pity ye my case * And this my page with + Kazi's gear indue." + + +Then he sobbed one sob and his soul fled his flesh; whereupon they gat +ready his funeral and buried him commending him to the mercy of Allah; +after which they repaired to the third Kazi and the fourth, and there +befel them the like of what befel their brethren.[FN#367] Furthermore, +they found the Assessors also sick for love of her, and indeed all who +saw her died of her love or, an they died not, lived on tortured with +the lowe of passion.— And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-first Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the city folk +found all the Kazis and the Assessors sick for love of her, and all who +saw her died lovesick or, an they died not, lived on tortured with the +lowe of passion for stress of pining to no purpose—Allah have mercy on +them one and all! Meanwhile Zayn al- Mawasif and her women drave on +with all diligence till they were far distant from the city and it so +fortuned that they came to a convent by the way, wherein dwelt a Prior +called Danis and forty monks.[FN#368] When the Prior saw her beauty, he +went out to her and invited her to alight, saying, "Rest with us ten +days and after wend your ways." So she and her damsels alighted and +entered the convent; and when Danis saw her beauty and loveliness, she +debauched his belief and he was seduced by her: wherefore he fell to +sending the monks, one after other with love-messages; but each who saw +her fell in love with her and sought her favours for himself, whilst +she excused and denied herself to them. But Danis ceased not his +importunities till he had dispatched all the forty, each one of whom +fell love-sick at first sight and plied her with blandishments never +even naming Danis; whilst she refused and rebuffed them with harsh +replies. At last when Danis's patience was at an end and his passion +was sore on him, he said in himself, "Verily, the sooth-sayer saith, +'Naught scratcheth my skin but my own nail and naught like my own feet +for mine errand may avail.'" So up he rose and made ready rich meats, +and it was the ninth day of her sojourn in the convent where she had +purposed only to rest. Then he carried them in to her and set them +before her, saying, "Bismillah, favour us by tasting the best of the +food at our command." So she put forth her hand, saying, "For the name +of Allah the Compassionating, the Compassionate!" and ate, she and her +handmaidens. When she had made an end of eating, he said to her, "O my +lady, I wish to recite to thee some verses." Quoth she, "Say on," and +he recited these couplets, + +"Thou hast won my heart by cheek and eye of thee, * I'll praise + for love in prose and poesy. +Wilt fly a lover, love-sick, love-distraught * Who strives in + dreams some cure of love to see? +Leave me not fallen, passion-fooled, since I * For pine have left + uncared the Monast'ry: +O Fairest, 'tis thy right to shed my blood, * So rue my case and + hear the cry of me!" + + +When Zayn al-Mawasif heard his verses, she answered him with these two +couplets, + +"O who suest Union, ne'er hope such delight * Nor solicit my + favours, O hapless wight! +Cease to hanker for what thou canst never have: * Next door are + the greedy to sore despight." + + +Hearing this he returned to his place, pondering in himself and knowing +not how he should do in her affair, and passed the night in the +sorriest plight. But, as soon as the darkness was darkest Zayn +al-Mawasif arose and said to her handmaids, "Come, let us away, for we +cannot avail against forty men, monks, each of whom requireth me for +himself." Quoth they, "Right willingly!" So they mounted their beasts +and issued forth the convent gate,— Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-second Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zayn +al-Mawasif and her handmaids issued forth the convent gate and, under +favour of the night, rode on till they overtook a caravan, with which +they mingled and found it came from the city of 'Adan wherein the lady +had dwelt. Presently, Zayn al-Mawasif heard the people of the caravan +discoursing of her own case and telling how the Kazis and Assessors +were dead of love for her and how the townsfolk had appointed in their +stead others who released her husband from prison. Whereupon she turned +to her maids and asked them, "Heard ye that?"; and Hubub answered, "If +the monks were ravished with love of thee, whose belief it is that +shunning women is worship, how should it be with the Kazis, who hold +that there is no monkery in Al-Islam? But let us make our way to our +own country, whilst our affair is yet hidden." So they drave on with +all diligence. Such was their case; but as regards the monks, on the +morrow, as soon as it was day they repaired to Zayn al-Mawasif's +lodging, to salute her, but found the place empty, and their hearts +sickened within them. So the first monk rent his raiment and improvised +these couplets, + +"Ho ye, my friends, draw near, for I forthright * From you + depart, since parting is my lot: +My vitals suffer pangs o' fiery love; * Flames of desire in heart + burn high and hot, +For sake of fairest girl who sought our land * Whose charms th' + horizon's full moon evens not. +She fared and left me victimed by her love * And slain by shaft + those lids death-dealing shot." + + +Then another monk recited the following couplets, + +"O ye who with my vitals fled, have ruth * On this unhappy: haste + ye homeward-bound: +They fared, and fared fair Peace on farthest track * Yet lingers + in mine ear that sweetest sound: +Fared far, and far their fane; would Heaven I saw Their shade in + vision float my couch around: +And when they went wi' them they bore my heart * And in my + tear-floods all of me left drowned." + + +A third monk followed with these extempore lines, + +"Throne you on highmost stead, heart, ears and sight * Your + wone's my heart; mine all's your dwelling-site: +Sweeter than honey is your name a-lip, * Running, as 'neath my + ribs runs vital sprite: +For Love hath made me as a tooth-pick[FN#369] lean * And drowned + in tears of sorrow and despight: +Let me but see you in my sleep, belike * Shall clear my cheeks of + tears that lovely sight." + + +Then a fourth recited the following couplets, + +"Dumb is my tongue and scant my speech for thee * And Love the + direst torture gars me dree: +O thou full Moon, whose place is highest Heaven, * For thee but + double pine and pain in me." + + +And a fifth these,[FN#370] + +"I love a moon of comely shapely form * Whose slender waist hath + title to complain: +Whose lip-dews rival must and long-kept wine; * Whose heavy + haunches haunt the minds of men: +My heart each morning burns with pain and pine * And the + night-talkers note I'm passion-slain; +While down my cheeks carnelian-like the tears * Of rosy red + shower down like railing rain." + + +And a sixth the following, + +"O thou who shunnest him thy love misled! * O Branch of Bán, O + star of highmost stead! +To thee of pine and passion I complain, * O thou who fired me + with cheeks rosy-red. +Did e'er such lover lose his soul for thee, * Or from prostration + and from prayers fled?" + + +And a seventh these, + +"He seized my heart and freed my tears to flow * Brought strength + to Love and bade my Patience go. +His charms are sweet as bitter his disdain; * And shafts of love + his suitors overthrow. +Stint blame, O blamer, and for past repent * None will believe + thee who dost Love unknow!" + + +And on like wise all the rest of the monks shed tears and repeated +verses. As for Danis, the Prior, weeping and wailing redoubled on him, +for that he found no way to her enjoyment, and he chanted the following +couplets[FN#371], + +"My patience failed me when my lover went * And fled that day + mine aim and best intent. +O Guide o' litters lead their camels fair, * Haply some day + they'll deign with me to tent! +On parting-day Sleep parted from my lids * And grew my grieving + and my joy was shent. +I moan to Allah what for Love I dree'd * My wasted body and my + forces spent." + + +Then, despairing of her, they took counsel together and with one mind +agreed to fashion her image and set it up with them, and applied +themselves to this till there came to them the Destroyer of delights +and Severer of societies. Meanwhile, Zayn al-Mawasif fared on, without +ceasing, to find her lover Masrur, till she reached her own house. She +opened the doors, and entered; then she sent to her sister Nasim, who +rejoiced with exceeding joy at the news of her return and brought her +the furniture and precious stuffs left in her charge. So she furnished +the house and dressed it, hanging the curtains over the doors and +burning aloes-wood and musk and ambergris and other essences till the +whole place reeked with the most delightful perfumes: after which the +Adornment of Qualities donned her finest dress and decorations and sat +talking with her maids, whom she had left behind when journeying, and +related to them all that had befallen her first and last. Then she +turned to Hubub and giving her dirhams, bade her fetch them something +to eat. So she brought meat and drink and when they had made an end of +eating and drinking,[FN#372] Zayn al-Mawasif bade Hubub go and see +where Masrur was and how it fared with him. Now he knew not of her +return; but abode with concern overcast and sorrow might not be +overpast;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn +al-Mawasif entered her house she was met by her sister Nasim who +brought her the furniture and stuffs wherewith she furnished the place; +and then she donned her finest dress. But Masrur knew naught of her +return and abode with concern overcast and sorrow might not be +overpast; no peace prevailed with him nor was patience possible to him. +Whenas pine and passion, desire and distraction waxed on him, he would +solace himself by reciting verse and go to the house and set him its +walls to buss. It chanced that he went out that day to the place where +he had parted from his mistress and repeated this rare song, + +"My wrongs hide I, withal they show to sight; * And now mine eyes + from sleep to wake are dight. +I cry when melancholy tries my sprite * Last not, O world nor + work more despight; + Lo hangs my soul 'twixt hardship and affright. +Were the Sultan hight Love but fair to me, * Slumber mine eyes' + companion were to me, +My Lords, some little mercy spare to me, * Chief of my tribe: be + debonnair to me, + Whom Love cast down, erst rich now pauper-wight! + + +Censors may blame thee but I look beyond * Mine ears I stop and + leave their lies unconned +And keep my pact wi' those I love so fond: * They say, 'Thou + lov'st a runaway!' I respond, + 'Whist! whenas Fate descends she blinds the sight!'" + + +Then he returned to his lodging and sat there weeping, till sleep +overcame him, when he saw in a dream as if Zayn al-Mawasif were come to +the house, and awoke in tears. So he set off to go thither, improvising +these couplets, + +"Shall I be consoled when Love hath mastered the secret of me * + And my heart is aglow with more than the charcoal's ardency? +I love her whose absence I plain before Allah for parting-stower + * And the shifts of the days and doom which allotted me + Destiny: +When shall our meeting be, O wish O' my heart and will? * O + favour of fullest Moon, when shall we Re-union see?" + + +As he made an end of his recitation, he found himself walking adown in +Zayn al-Mawasif's street and smelt the sweet savour of the pastiles +wherewithal she had incensed the house; wherefore his vitals fluttered +and his heart was like to leave his breast and desire flamed up in him +and distraction redoubled upon him; when lo, and behold! Hubub, on her +way to do her lady's errand suddenly appeared at the head of the street +and he rejoiced with joy exceeding. When she saw him, she went up to +him and saluting him, gave him the glad news of her mistress's return, +saying, "She hath sent me to bid thee to her." Whereat he was glad +indeed, with gladness naught could exceed; and she took him and +returned with him to the house. When Zayn al-Mawasif saw him, she came +down to him from the couch and kissed him and he kissed her and she +embraced him and he embraced her; nor did they leave kissing and +embracing till both swooned away for stress of affection and +separation. They lay a long while senseless, and when they revived, +Zayn al-Mawasif bade Hubub fetch her a gugglet of sherbet of sugar and +another of sherbet of lemons. So she brought what she desired and they +sat eating and drinking nor ceased before nightfall, when they fell to +recalling all that had befallen them from commencement to conclusion. +Then she acquainted him with her return to Al-Islam, whereat he +rejoiced and he also became a Moslem. On like wise did her women, and +they all repented to Allah Almighty of their infidelity. On the morrow +she made send for the Kazi and the witnesses and told them that she was +a widow and had completed the purification-period and was minded to +marry Masrur. So they drew up the wedding-contract between them and +they abode in all delight of life. Meanwhile, the Jew, when the people +of Adan released him from prison, set out homewards and fared on nor +ceased faring till he came within three days' journey of the city. Now +as soon as Zayn al-Mawasif heard of his coming she called for her +handmaid Hubub and said to her, "Go to the Jews' burial-place and there +dig a grave and plant on it sweet basil and jessamine and sprinkle +water thereabout. If the Jew come and ask thee of me, answer, 'My +mistress died twenty days ago of chagrin on thine account.' If he say, +show me her tomb, take him to the grave and after weeping over it and +making moan and lament before him, contrive to cast him therein and +bury him alive."[FN#373] And Hubub answered, "I hear and I obey." Then +they laid up the furniture in the store closets, and Zayn al-Mawasif +removed to Masrur's lodging, where he and she abode eating and +drinking, till the three days were past; at the end of which the Jew +arrived and knocked at the door of his house. Quoth Hubub, "Who's at +the door?"; and quoth he, "Thy master." So she opened to him and he saw +the tears railing down her cheeks and said, "What aileth thee to weep +and where is thy mistress?" She replied, "My mistress is dead of +chagrin on thine account." When he heard this, he was perplexed and +wept with sore weeping and presently said, "O Hubub, where is her +tomb?" So she carried him to the Jews' burial-ground and showed him the +grave she had dug; whereupon he shed bitter tears and recited this pair +of couplets,[FN#374] + +"Two things there are, for which if eyes wept tear on tear * Of + blood, till they were like indeed to disappear, +They never could fulfil the Tithe of all their due: * And these + are prime of youth and loss of loveling dear." + + +Then he wept again with bitter tears and recited these also, + +"Alack and Alas! Patience taketh flight: * And from parting of + friend to sore death I'm dight: +O how woeful this farness from dear one, and oh * How my heart is + rent by mine own unright! +Would Heaven my secret I erst had kept * Nor had told the pangs + and my liver-blight: +I lived in all solace and joyance of life * Till she left and + left me in piteous plight: +O Zayn al-Mawasif, I would there were * No parting departing my + frame and sprite: +I repent me for troth-breach and blame my guilt * Of unruth to + her whereon hopes I built." + + +When he had made an end of this verse, he wept and groaned and lamented +till he fell down a-swoon, whereupon Hubub made haste to drag him to +the grave and throw him in, whilst he was insensible yet quick withal. +Then she stopped up the grave on him and returning to her mistress +acquainted her with what had passed, whereat she rejoiced with +exceeding joy and recited these two couplets, + +"The world sware that for ever 'twould gar me grieve: *Tis false, + O world, so thine oath retrieve[FN#375]! +The blamer is dead and my love's in my arms: * Rise to herald of + joys and tuck high thy sleeve[FN#376]!" + + +Then she and Masrur abode each with other in eating and drinking and +sport and pleasure and good cheer, till there came to them the +Destroyer of delights and Sunderer of societies and Slayer of sons and +daughters. And I have also heard tell the following tale of + + +ALI NUR AL-DIN AND MIRIAM THE GIRDLE-GIRL[FN#377] + +There was once in days of yore and in ages and times long gone before +in the parts of Cairo, a merchant named Táj al-Dín who was of the most +considerable of the merchants and of the chiefs of the freeborn. But he +was given to travelling everywhere and loved to fare over wild and +wold, waterless lowland and stony waste, and to journey to the isles of +the seas, in quest of dirhams and dinars: wherefore he had in his time +encountered dangers and suffered duresse of the way such as would +grizzle little children and turn their black hair grey. He was +possessed of black slaves and Mamelukes, Eunuchs and concubines, and +was the wealthiest of the merchants of his time and the goodliest of +them in speech, owning horses and mules and Bactrian camels and +dromedaries; sacks great and small of size; goods and merchandise and +stuffs such as muslins of Hums, silks and brocades of Ba'allak, cotton +of Mery, stuffs of India, gauzes of Baghdad, burnouses of Moorland and +Turkish white slaves and Abyssinian castratos and Grecian girls and +Egyptian boys; and the coverings of his bales were silk with gold +purfled fair, for he was wealthy beyond compare. Furthermore he was +rare of comeliness, accomplished in goodliness, and gracious in his +kindliness, even as one of his describers doth thus express, + +"A merchant I spied whose lovers * Were fighting in furious + guise: +Quoth he, 'Why this turmoil of people?' * Quoth I, 'Trader, for + those fine eyes!'" + + +And saith another in his praise and saith well enough to accomplish the +wish of him, + +"Came a merchant to pay us a visit * Whose glance did my heart + surprise: +Quoth he, 'What surprised thee so?' * Quoth I, 'Trader, 'twas + those fine eyes.'" + + +Now that merchant had a son called Ali Nur al-Din, as he were the full +moon whenas it meeteth the sight on its fourteenth night, a marvel of +beauty and loveliness, a model of form and symmetrical grace, who was +sitting one day as was his wont, in his father's shop, selling and +buying, giving and taking when the sons of the merchants girt him +around and he was amongst them as moon among stars, with brow +flower-white and cheeks of rosy light in down the tenderest dight, and +body like alabaster-bright even as saith of him the poet, + +"'Describe me!' a fair one said. * Said I, 'Thou art Beauty's + queen.' +And, speaking briefest speech, * 'All charms in thee are seen.'" + + +And as saith of him one of his describers, + +"His mole upon plain of cheek is like * Ambergrís-crumb on marble + plate, +And his glances likest the sword proclaim * To all Love's rebels + 'The Lord is Great!'"[FN#378] + + +The young merchants invited him saying, "O my lord Nur al-Din, we wish +thee to go this day a-pleasuring with us in such a garden." And he +answered, "Wait till I consult my parent, for I cannot go without his +consent." As they were talking, behold, up came Taj al-Din, and his son +looked at him and said, "O father mine, the sons of the merchants have +invited me to wend a-pleasuring with them in such a garden. Dost thou +grant me leave to go?" His father replied, "Yes, O my son, fare with +them;" and gave him somewhat of money. So the young men mounted their +mules and asses and Nur al-Din mounted a she-mule and rode with them to +a garden, wherein was all that soul desireth and that eye charmeth. It +was high of walls which from broad base were seen to rise; and it had a +gateway vault-wise with a portico like a saloon and a door azure as the +skies, as it were one of the gates of Paradise: the name of the +door-keeper was Rizwán,[FN#379] and over the gate were trained an +hundred trellises which grapes overran; and these were of various dyes, +the red like coralline, the black like the snouts of Súdán[FN#380]-men +and the white like egg of the pigeon-hen. And in it peach and +pomegranate were shown and pear, apricot and pomegranate were grown and +fruits with and without stone hanging in clusters or alone,—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +sons of the merchants entered the vergier, they found therein all that +soul desireth or eye charmeth, grapes of many hues grown, hanging in +bunches or alone, even as saith of them the poet, + +"Grapes tasting with the taste of wine * Whose coats like + blackest Raven's shine: +Their sheen, amid the leafage shows, * Like women's fingers + henna'd fine." + + +And as saith another on the same theme, + +"Grape-bunches likest as they sway * A-stalk, my body frail and + snell: +Honey and water thus in jar, * When sourness past, make + Hydromel." + + +Then they entered the arbour of the garden and saw there Rizwan the +gate-keeper sitting, as he were Rizwan the Paradise-guardian, and on +the door were written these lines, + +"Garth Heaven-watered wherein clusters waved * On boughs which + full of sap to bend were fain: +And, when the branches danced on Zephyr's palm, * The Pleiads + shower'd as gifts[FN#381] fresh pearls for rain." + + +And within the arbour were written these two couplets, + +"Come with us, friend, and enter thou * This garth that cleanses + rust of grief: +Over their skirts the Zephyrs trip[FN#382] * And flowers in sleeve + to laugh are lief."[FN#383] + + +So they entered and found all manner fruits in view and birds of every +kind and hue, such as ringdove, nightingale and curlew; and the turtle +and the cushat sang their love lays on the sprays. Therein were rills +that ran with limpid wave and flowers suave; and bloom for whose +perfume we crave and it was even as saith of it the poet in these two +couplets, + +"The Zephyr breatheth o'er its branches, like * Fair girls that + trip as in fair skirts they pace: +Its rills resemble swords in hands of knights * Drawn from the + scabbard and containing-case."[FN#384] + + +And again as singeth the songster, + +"The streamlet swings by branchy wood and aye * Joys in its + breast those beauties to display; +And Zephyr noting this, for jealousy * Hastens and bends the + branches other way." + + +On the trees of the garden were all manner fruits, each in two sorts, +and amongst them the pomegranate, as it were a ball of +silver-dross,[FN#385] whereof saith the poet and saith right well, + +"Granados of finest skin, like the breasts * Of maid + firm-standing in sight of male; +When I strip the skin, they at once display * The rubies + compelling all sense to quail." + + +And even as quoth another bard, + +"Close prest appear to him who views th' inside * Red rubies in + brocaded skirts bedight: +Granado I compare with marble dome * Or virgin's breasts + delighting every sight: +Therein is cure for every ill as e'en * Left an Hadís the Prophet + pure of sprite; +And Allah (glorify His name) eke deigned * A noble say in Holy + Book indite.[FN#386] + + +The apples were the sugared and the musky and the Dámáni, amazing the +beholder, whereof saith Hassan the poet, + +"Apple which joins hues twain, and brings to mind * The cheek of + lover and beloved combined: +Two wondrous opposites on branch they show * This dark[FN#387] + and that with hue incarnadined +The twain embraced when spied the spy and turned * This red, that + yellow for the shame designed."[FN#388] + + +There also were apricots of various kinds, almond and camphor and +Jíláni and 'Antábi,[FN#389] wereof saith the poet, + + +"And Almond-apricot suggesting swain * Whose lover's visit all + his wits hath ta'en. +Enough of love-sick lovers' plight it shows * Of face deep yellow + and heart torn in twain."[FN#390] + + +And saith another and saith well, + +"Look at that Apricot whose bloom contains * Gardens with + brightness gladding all men's eyne: +Like stars the blossoms sparkle when the boughs * Are clad in + foliage dight with sheen and shine." + + +There likewise were plums and cherries and grapes, that the sick of all +diseases assain and do away giddiness and yellow choler from the brain; +and figs the branches between, varicoloured red and green, amazing +sight and sense, even as saith the poet, + +"'Tis as the Figs with clear white skins outthrown * By foliaged + trees, athwart whose green they peep, +Were sons of Roum that guard the palace-roof * When shades close + in and night-long ward they keep."[FN#391] + + +And saith another and saith well, + +"Welcome[FN#392] the Fig! To us it comes * Ordered in handsome + plates they bring: +Likest a Sufrah[FN#393]-cloth we draw * To shape of bag without a + ring." + + +And how well saith a third, + +"Give me the Fig sweet-flavoured, beauty-clad, * Whose inner + beauties rival outer sheen: +And when it fruits thou tastest it to find * Chamomile's scent + and Sugar's saccharine: +And eke it favoureth on platters poured * Puff-balls of silken + thread and sendal green." + + +And how excellent is the saying of one of them, + +"Quoth they (and I had trained my taste thereto * Nor cared for + other fruits whereby they swore), +'Why lovest so the Fig?' whereto quoth I * 'Some men love Fig and + others Sycamore.[FN#394]'" + + +And are yet goodlier those of another, + +"Pleaseth me more the fig than every fruit * When ripe and + hanging from the sheeny bough; +Like Devotee who, when the clouds pour rain, * Sheds tears and + Allah's power doth avow." + + +And in that garth were also pears of various kinds Sinaďtic,[FN#395] +Aleppine and Grecian growing in clusters and alone, parcel green and +parcel golden.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +merchants' sons went down into the garth they saw therein all the +fruits we mentioned and found pears Sinaďtic, Aleppine and Grecian of +every hue, which here clustering there single grew, parcel green and +parcel yellow to the gazer a marvel-view, as saith of them the poet, + +"With thee that Pear agree, whose hue a-morn * Is hue of hapless + lover yellow pale; +Like virgin cloistered strait in strong Harím * Whose face like + racing steed outstrips the veil." + + +And Sultani[FN#396] peaches of shades varied, yellow and red, whereof +saith the poet, + +"Like Peach in vergier growing * And sheen of Andam[FN#397] + showing: +Whose balls of yellow gold * Are dyed with blood-gouts flowing." + + +There were also green almonds of passing sweetness, resembling the +cabbage[FN#398] of the palm-tree, with their kernels within three +tunics lurking of the Munificent King's handiworking, even as is said +of them, + +"Three coats yon freshest form endue * God's work of varied shape + and hue: +Hardness surrounds it night and day; * Prisoning without a sin to + rue." + + +And as well saith another, + +"Seest not that Almond plucked by hand * Of man from bough where + wont to dwell: +Peeling it shows the heart within * As union-pearl in oyster- + shell." + + +And as saith a third better than he, + +"How good is Almond green I view! * The smallest fills the hand + of you: +Its nap is as the down upon * The cheeks where yet no beardlet + grew: +Its kernels in the shell are seen, * Or bachelors or married two, +As pearls they were of lucent white * Casčd and lapped in + Jasper's hue." + + +And as saith yet another and saith well, + +"Mine eyes ne'er looked on aught the Almond like * For charms, + when blossoms[FN#399] in the Prime show bright: +Its head to hoariness of age inclines * The while its cheek by + youth's fresh down is dight." + + +And jujube-plums of various colours, grown in clusters and alone +whereof saith one, describing them, + +"Look at the Lote-tree, note on boughs arrayed * Like goodly + apricots on reed-strown floor,[FN#400] +Their morning-hue to viewer's eye is like * Cascavels[FN#401] + cast of purest golden ore." + + +And as saith another and saith right well, + +"The Jujube-tree each Day * Robeth in bright array. +As though each pome thereon * Would self to sight display. +Like falcon-bell of gold * Swinging from every spray." + + +And in that garth grew blood oranges, as they were the +Khaulanján,[FN#402] whereof quoth the enamoured poet,[FN#403] + + +"Red fruits that fill the hand, and shine with sheen * Of fire, + albe the scarf-skin's white as snow. +'Tis marvel snow on fire doth never melt * And, stranger still, + ne'er burns this living lowe!" + + +And quoth another and quoth well, + +"And trees of Orange fruiting ferly fair * To those who straitest + have their charms surveyed; +Like cheeks of women who their forms have decked * For holiday in + robes of gold brocade." + + +And yet another as well, + +"Like are the Orange-hills[FN#404] when Zephyr breathes * Swaying + the boughs and spray with airy grace, +Her cheeks that glow with lovely light when met * At greeting- + tide by cheeks of other face." + + +And a fourth as fairly, + +"And fairest Fawn, we said to him 'Portray * This garth and + oranges thine eyes survey:' +And he, 'Your garden favoureth my face * Who gathereth orange + gathereth fire alway.'" + + +In that garden too grew citrons, in colour as virgin gold, hanging down +from on high and dangling among the branches, as they were ingots of +growing gold;[FN#405] and saith thereof the 'namoured poet, + +"Hast seen a Citron-copse so weighed adown * Thou fearest bending + roll their fruit on mould; +And seemed, when Zephyr passed athwart the tree * Its branches + hung with bells of purest gold?" + + +And shaddocks,[FN#406] that among their boughs hung laden as though +each were the breast of a gazelle-like maiden, contenting the most +longing wight, as saith of them the poet and saith aright, + +"And Shaddock mid the garden-paths, on bough * Freshest like + fairest damsel met my sight; +And to the blowing of the breeze it bent * Like golden ball to + bat of chrysolite." + + +And the lime sweet of scent, which resembleth a hen's egg, but its +yellowness ornamenteth its ripe fruit, and its fragrance hearteneth him +who plucketh it, as saith the poet who singeth it, + +"Seest not the Lemon, when it taketh form, * Catch rays of light + and all to gaze constrain; +Like egg of pullet which the huckster's hand * Adorneth dyeing + with the saffron-stain?" + + +Moreover in this garden were all manner of other fruits and +sweet-scented herbs and plants and fragrant flowers, such as jessamine +and henna and water-lilies[FN#407] and spikenard[FN#408] and roses of +every kind and plantain[FN#409] and myrtle and so forth; and indeed it +was without compare, seeming as it were a piece of Paradise to whoso +beheld it. If a sick man entered it, he came forth from it like a +raging lion, and tongue availeth not to its description, by reason of +that which was therein of wonders and rarities which are not found but +in Heaven: and how should it be otherwise when its doorkeeper's name +was Rizwan? Though widely different were the stations of those twain! +Now when the sons of the merchants had walked about gazing at the +garden after taking their pleasure therein, they say down in one of its +pavilions and seated Nur al-Din in their midst.—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night, + +She resume, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the sons +of the merchants sat down in the pavilion they seated Nur al-Din in +their midst on a rug of gold-purfled leather of Al-Táif,[FN#410] +leaning on a pillow[FN#411] of minever, stuffed with ostrich down. And +they gave him a fan of ostrich feathers, whereon were written these two +couplets, + +"A fan whose breath is fraught with fragrant scent; * Minding of + happy days and times forspent, +Wafting at every time its perfumed air * O'er face of noble youth + on honour bent." + + +Then they laid by their turbands and outer clothes and sat talking and +chatting and inducing one another to discourse, while they all kept +their eyes fixed on Nur al-Din and gazed on his beauteous form. After +the sitting had lasted an hour or so, up came a slave with a tray on +his head, wherein were platters of china and crystal containing viands +of all sorts (for one of the youths had so charged his people before +coming to the garden); and the meats were of whatever walketh earth or +wingeth air or swimmeth waters, such as Katá-grouse and fat quails and +pigeon-poults and mutton and chickens and the delicatest fish. So, the +tray being sat before them, they fell to and ate their fill; and when +they had made an end of eating, they rose from meat and washed their +hands with pure water and musk-scented soap, and dried them with napery +embroidered in silk and bugles; but to Nur al-Din they brought a napkin +laced with red gold whereon he wiped his hands. Then coffee[FN#412] was +served up and each drank what he would, after which they sat talking, +till presently the garden-keeper who was young went away and returning +with a basket full of roses, said to them, "What say ye, O my masters, +to flowers?" Quoth one of them, "There is no harm in them,[FN#413] +especially roses, which are not to be resisted." Answered the gardener, +"'Tis well, but it is of our wont not to give roses but in exchange for +pleasant converse; so whoever would take aught thereof, let him recite +some verses suitable to the situation." Now they were ten sons of +merchants of whom one said, "Agreed: give me thereof and I will recite +thee somewhat of verse apt to the case." Accordingly the gardener gave +him a bunch of roses[FN#414] which he took and at once improvised these +three couplets, + +"The Rose in highest stead I rate * For that her charms ne'er + satiate; +All fragrant flow'rs be troops to her * Their general of high + estate: +Where she is not they boast and vaunt; * But, when she comes, + they stint their prate." + + +Then the gardener gave a bunch to another and he recited these two +couplets, + +"Take, O my lord, to thee the Rose * Recalling scent by mush be + shed. +Like virginette by lover eyed * Who with her sleeves[FN#415] + enveileth head." + + +Then he gave a bunch to a third who recited these two couplets, + +"Choice Rose that gladdens heart to see her sight; * Of Nadd + recalling fragrance exquisite. +The branchlets clip her in her leaves for joy, * Like kiss of + lips that never spake in spite." + + +Then he gave a bunch to a fourth and he recited these two couplets, + +"Seest not that rosery where Rose a-flowering displays * Mounted + upon her steed of stalk those marvels manifold? +As though the bud were ruby-stone and girded all around * With + chrysolite and held within a little hoard of gold." + + +Then he gave a posy to a fifth and he recited these two couplets, + +"Wands of green chrysolite bare issue, which * Were fruits like + ingots of the growing gold.[FN#416] +And drops, a dropping from its leaves, were like * The tears my + languorous eyelids railed and rolled." + + +Then he gave a sixth a bunch and he recited these two couplets, + +"O Rose, thou rare of charms that dost contain * All gifts and + Allah's secrets singular, +Thou'rt like the loved one's cheek where lover fond * And fain of + Union sticks the gold dinar."[FN#417] + + +Then he gave a bunch to a seventh and he recited these two couplets, + +"To Rose quoth I, 'What gars thy thorns to be put forth * For all + who touch thee cruellest injury?' +Quoth she, 'These flowery troops are troops of me * Who be their + lord with spines for armoury.'" + + +And he gave an eighth a bunch and he recited these two couplets, + +"Allah save the Rose which yellows a-morn * Florid, vivid and + likest the nugget-ore; +And bless the fair sprays that displayed such flowers * And mimic + suns gold-begilded bore." + + +Then he gave a bunch to a ninth and he recited these two couplets, + +"The bushes of golden-hued Rose excite * In the love-sick lover + joys manifold: +'Tis a marvel shrub watered every day * With silvern lymph and it + fruiteth gold." + + +Then he gave a bunch of roses to the tenth and last and he recited +these two couplets, + +"Seest not how the hosts of the Rose display * Red hues and + yellow in rosy field? +I compare the Rose and her arming thorn * To emerald lance + piercing golden shield." + + +And whilst each one hent bunch in hand, the gardener brought the +wine-service and setting it before them, on a tray of porcelain +arabesqued with red gold, recited these two couplets, + +"Dawn heralds day-light: so wine pass round, * Old wine, fooling + sage till his wits he tyne: +Wot I not for its purest clarity * An 'tis wine in cup or 'tis + cup in wine."[FN#418] + + +Then the gardener filled and drank and the cup went round, till it came +to Nur al-Din's turn, whereupon the man filled and handed it to him; +but he said, "This thing I wot it not nor have I ever drunken thereof, +for therein is great offence and the Lord of All-might hath forbidden +it in His Book." Answered the gardener, "O my Lord Nur al-Din, an thou +forbear to drink only by reason of the sin, verily Allah (extolled and +exalted be He!) is bountiful, of sufferance great, forgiving and +compassionate and pardoneth the mortalest sins: His mercy embraceth all +things, Allah's ruth be upon the poet who saith, + +'Be as thou wilt, for Allah is bountiful * And when thou sinnest + feel thou naught alarm: +But 'ware of twofold sins nor ever dare * To give God partner or + mankind to harm.'" + + +Then quoth one of the sons of the merchants, "My life on thee, O my +lord Nur al-Din, drink of this cup!" And another conjured him by the +oath of divorce and yet another stood up persistently before him, till +he was ashamed and taking the cup from the gardener, drank a draught, +but spat it out again, crying, "'Tis bitter." Said the young gardener, +"O my lord Nur al-Din, knowest thou not that sweets taken by way of +medicine are bitter? Were this not bitter, 'twould lack of the +manifold virtues it possesseth; amongst which are that it digesteth +food and disperseth cark and care and dispelleth flatulence and +clarifieth the blood and cleareth the complexion and quickeneth the +body and hearteneth the hen-hearted and fortifieth the sexual power in +man; but to name all its virtues would be tedious. Quoth one of the +poets, + +'We'll drink and Allah pardon sinners all * And cure of ills by + sucking cups I'll find: +Nor aught the sin deceives me; yet said He * 'In it there be + advantage[FN#419] to mankind.'" + + +Then he sprang up without stay or delay and opened one of the cupboards +in the pavilion and taking out a loaf of refined sugar, broke off a +great slice which he put into Nur al-Din's cup, saying, "O my lord, an +thou fear to drink wine, because of its bitterness, drink now, for 'tis +sweet." So he took the cup and emptied it: whereupon one of his +comrades filled him another, saying, "O my lord Nur al-Din, I am thy +slave," and another did the like, saying, "I am one of thy servants," +and a third said, "For my sake!" and a fourth, "Allah upon thee, O my +lord Nur al-Din, heal my heart!" And so they ceased not plying him with +wine, each and every of the ten sons of merchants till they had made +him drink a total of ten cups. Now Nur al-Din's body was virgin of +wine-bibbing, or never in all his life had he drunken vine-juice till +that hour, wherefore its fumes wrought in his brain and drunkenness was +stark upon him and he stood up (and indeed his tongue was thick and his +speech stammering) and said, "O company, by Allah, ye are fair and your +speech is goodly and your place pleasant; but there needeth hearing of +sweet music; for drink without melody lacks the chief of its +essentiality, even as saith the poet, + +'Pass round the cup to the old and the young man, too, And take + the bowl from the hand of the shining moon,[FN#420] +But without music, I charge you, forbear to drink; I see even + horses drink to a whistled tune.'"[FN#421] + + +Therewith up sprang the gardener lad and mounting one of the young +men's mules, was absent awhile, after which he returned with a Cairene +girl, as she were a sheep's tail, fat and delicate, or an ingot of pure +silvern ore or a dinar on a porcelain plate or a gazelle in the wold +forlore. She had a face that put to shame the shining sun and eyes +Babylonian[FN#422] and brows like bows bended and cheeks rose-painted +and teeth pearly-hued and lips sugared and glances languishing and +breast ivory white and body slender and slight, full of folds and with +dimples dight and hips like pillows stuffed and thighs like columns of +Syrian stone, and between them what was something like a sachet of +spices in wrapper swathed. Quoth the poet of her in these couplets, + +"Had she shown her shape to idolaters' sight, * They would gaze + on her face and their gods detest: +And if in the East to a monk she'd show'd, * He'd quit Eastern + posture and bow to West.[FN#423] +An she crached in the sea and the briniest sea * Her lips would + give it the sweetest zest." + + +And quoth another in these couplets, + +"Brighter than Moon at full with kohl'd eyes she came * Like Doe, + on chasing whelps of Lioness intent: +Her night of murky locks lets fall a tent on her * A tent of + hair[FN#424] that lacks no pegs to hold the tent; +And roses lighting up her roseate cheeks are fed * By hearts and + livers flowing fire for languishment: +An 'spied her all the Age's Fair to her they'd rise * + Humbly,[FN#425] and cry 'The meed belongs to precedent!'" + + +And how well saith a third bard,[FN#426] + +"Three things for ever hinder her to visit us, for fear Of the + intriguing spy and eke the rancorous envier; +Her forehead's lustre and the sound of all her ornaments And the + sweet scent her creases hold of ambergris and myrrh. +Grant with the border of her sleeve she hide her brow and doff + Her ornaments, how shall she do her scent away from her?" + + +She was like the moon when at fullest on its fourteenth night, and was +clad in a garment of blue, with a veil of green, over brow flower-white +that all wits amazed and those of understanding amated.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the gardener +brought a girl whom we have described possessed of the utmost beauty +and loveliness and fine stature and symmetrical grace as it were she +the poet signified when he said,[FN#427] + +"She came apparelled in a vest of blue, +That mocked the skies and shamed their azure hue; +I thought thus clad she burst upon my sight, +Like summer moonshine on a wintry night." + + +And how goodly is the saying of another and how excellent, + +"She came thick veiled, and cried I, 'O display * That face like + full moon bright with pure-white ray.' +Quoth she, 'I fear disgrace,' quoth I, 'Cut short * This talk, no + shift of days thy thoughts affray.' +Whereat she raised her veil from fairest face * And crystal spray + on gems began to stray: +And I forsooth was fain to kiss her cheek, * Lest she complain of + me on Judgment-Day. +And at such tide before the Lord on High * We first of lovers + were redress to pray: +So 'Lord, prolong this reckoning and review' * (Prayed I) 'that + longer I may sight my may.'" + + +Then said the young gardener to her, "Know thou, O lady of the fair, +brighter than any constellation which illumineth air we sought, in +bringing thee hither naught but that thou shouldst entertain with +converse this comely youth, my lord Nur al-Din, for he hath come to +this place only this day." And the girl replied, "Would thou hadst told +me, that I might have brought what I have with me!" Rejoined the +gardener, "O my lady, I will go and fetch it to thee." "As thou wilt," +said she: and he, "Give me a token." So she gave him a kerchief and he +fared forth in haste and returned after awhile, bearing a green satin +bag with slings of gold. The girl took the bag from him and opening it +shook it, whereupon there fell thereout two-and-thirty pieces of wood, +which she fitted one into other, male into female and female into +male[FN#428] till they became a polished lute of Indian workmanship. +Then she uncovered her wrists and laying the lute in her lap, bent over +it with the bending of mother over babe, and swept the strings with her +finger-tips; whereupon it moaned and resounded and after its olden home +yearned; and it remembered the waters that gave it drink and the earth +whence it sprang and wherein it grew and it minded the carpenters who +cut it and the polishers who polished it and the merchants who made it +their merchandise and the ships that shipped it; and it cried and +called aloud and moaned and groaned; and it was as if she asked it of +all these things and it answered her with the tongue of the case, +reciting these couplets,[FN#429] + +"A tree whilere was I the Bulbul's home * To whom for love I + bowed my grass-green head: +They moaned on me, and I their moaning learnt * And in that moan + my secret all men read: +The woodman felled me falling sans offence, * And slender lute of + me (as view ye) made: +But, when the fingers smite my strings, they tell * How man + despite my patience did me dead; +Hence boon-companions when they hear my moan * Distracted wax as + though by wine misled: +And the Lord softens every heart to me, * And I am hurried to the + highmost stead: +All who in charms excel fain clasp my waist; * Gazelles of + languid eyne and Houri maid: +Allah ne'er part fond lover from his joy * Nor live the loved one + who unkindly fled." + + +Then the girl was silent awhile, but presently taking the lute in lap, +again bent over it, as mother bendeth over child, and preluded in many +different modes; then, returning to the first, she sang these couplets, + +"Would they [FN#430] the lover seek without ado, * He to his + heavy grief had bid adieu: +With him had vied the Nightingale[FN#431] on bough * As one far + parted from his lover's view: +Rouse thee! awake! The Moon lights Union-night * As tho' such + Union woke the Morn anew. +This day the blamers take of us no heed * And lute-strings bid us + all our joys ensue. +Seest not how four-fold things conjoin in one * Rose, myrtle, + scents and blooms of golden hue.[FN#432] +Yea, here this day the four chief joys unite * Drink and dinars, + beloved and lover true: +So win thy worldly joy, for joys go past * And naught but storied + tales and legends last." + + +When Nur al-Din heard the girl sing these lines he looked on her with +eyes of love and could scarce contain himself for the violence of his +inclination to her; and on like wise was it with her, because she +glanced at the company who were present of the sons of the merchants +and she saw that Nur al-Din was amongst the rest as moon among stars; +for that he was sweet of speech and replete with amorous grace, perfect +in stature and symmetry, brightness and loveliness, pure of all defect, +than the breeze of morn softer, than Tasnim blander, as saith of him +the poet,[FN#433] + +"By his cheeks' unfading damask and his smiling teeth I swear, By + the arrows that he feathers with the witchery of his air, +By his sides so soft and tender and his glances bright and keen, + By the whiteness of his forehead and the blackness of his + hair, +By his arched imperious eyebrows, chasing slumber from my lids + With their yeas and noes that hold me 'twixt rejoicing and + despair, +By the Scorpions that he launches from his ringlet-clustered + brows, Seeking still to slay his lovers with his rigours + unaware, +By the myrtle of his whiskers and the roses of his cheek, By his + lips' incarnate rubies and his teeth's fine pearls and rare, +By the straight and tender sapling of his shape, which for its + fruit Doth the twin pomegranates, shining in his snowy + bosom, wear, +By his heavy hips that tremble, both in motion and repose, And + the slender waist above them, all too slight their weight to + bear, +By the silk of his apparel and his quick and sprightly wit, By + all attributes of beauty that are fallen to his share; +Lo, the musk exhales its fragrance from his breath, and eke the + breeze From his scent the perfume borrows, that it scatters + everywhere. +Yea, the sun in all his splendour cannot with his brightness vie + And the crescent moon's a fragment that he from his nails + doth pare." + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Nur al-Din +was delighted with the girl's verses and he swayed from side to side +for drunkenness and fell a-praising her and saying, + +"A lutanist to us inclined * And stole our wits bemused with + wine: +And said to us her lute, 'The Lord * Bade us discourse by voice + divine.'" + + +When she heard him thus improvise the girl gazed at him with loving +eyes and redoubled in passion and desire for him increased upon her, +and indeed she marvelled at his beauty and loveliness, symmetry and +grace, so that she could not contain herself, but took the lute in lap +again and sang these couplets, + +"He blames me for casting on him my sight * And parts fro' me + bearing my life and sprite: +He repels me but kens what my heart endures * As though Allah + himself had inspired the wight: +I portrayed his portrait in palm of hand * And cried to mine + eyes, 'Weep your doleful plight.' +For neither shall eyes of me spy his like * Nor my heart have + patience to bear its blight: +Wherefore, will I tear thee from breast, O Heart * As one who + regards him with jealous spite. +And when say I, 'O heart be consoled for pine,' * 'Tis that heart + to none other shall e'er incline:" + + +Nur al-Din wondered at the charms of her verse and the elegance of her +expression and the sweetness of her voice and the eloquence of her +speech and his wit fled for stress of love and longing, and ecstasy and +distraction, so that he could not refrain from her a single moment, but +bent to her and strained her to his bosom: and she in like manner bowed +her form over his and abandoned herself to his embrace and bussed him +between the eyes. Then he kissed her on the mouth and played with her +at kisses, after the manner of the billing of doves; and she met him +with like warmth and did with him as she was done by till the others +were distracted and rose to their feet; whereupon Nur al-Din was +ashamed and held his hand from her. Then she took her lute and, +preluding thereon in manifold modes, lastly returned to the first and +sang these couplets, + +"A Moon, when he bends him those eyes lay bare * A brand that + gars gazing gazelle despair: +A King, rarest charms are the host of him * And his lance-like + shape men with cane compare: +Were his softness of sides to his heart transferred * His friend + had not suffered such cark and care: +Ah for hardest heart and for softest sides! * Why not that to + these alter, make here go there? +O thou who accusest my love excuse: * Take eternal and leave me + the transient share."[FN#434] + + +When Nur al-Din heard the sweetness of her voice and the rareness of +her verse, he inclined to her for delight and could not contain himself +for excess of wonderment; so he recited these couplets, + +"Methought she was the forenoon sun until she donned the veil * + But lit she fire in vitals mine still flaring fierce and + high, +How had it hurt her an she deigned return my poor salám * With + fingertips or e'en vouchsafed one little wink of eye? +The cavalier who spied her face was wholly stupefied * By charms + that glorify the place and every charm outvie. +'Be this the Fair who makes thee pine and long for love liesse? * + Indeed thou art excused!' 'This is my fairest she;'(quoth I) +Who shot me with the shaft of looks nor deigns to rue my woes * + Of strangerhood and broken heart and love I must aby: +I rose a-morn with vanquished heart, to longing love a prey * And + weep I through the live long day and all the night I cry." + + +The girl marvelled at his eloquence and elegance and taking her lute, +smote thereon with the goodliest of performance, repeating all the +melodies, and sang these couplets, + +"By the life o' thy face, O thou life o' my sprite! * I'll ne'er + leave thy love for despair or delight: +When art cruel thy vision stands hard by my side * And the + thought of thee haunts me when far from sight: +O who saddenest my glance albe weeting that I * No love but thy + love will for ever requite? +Thy cheeks are of Rose and thy lips-dews are wine; * Say, wilt + grudge them to us in this charming site?" + + +Hereat Nur al-Din was gladdened with extreme gladness and wondered with +the utmost wonder, so he answered her verse with these couplets, + +"The sun yellowed not in the murk gloom li'en * But lay pearl + enveiled 'neath horizon-chine; +Nor showed its crest to the eyes of Morn * But took refuge from + parting with Morning-shine.[FN#435] +Take my tear-drops that trickle as chain on chain * And they'll + tell my case with the clearest sign. +An my tears be likened to Nile-flood, like * Malak's[FN#436] + flooded flat be this love o'mine. +Quoth she, 'Bring thy riches!' Quoth I, 'Come, take!' * 'And thy + sleep?' 'Yes, take it from lids of eyne!'" + + +When the girl heard Nur al-Din's words and noted the beauty of his +eloquence her senses fled and her wit was dazed and love of him gat +hold upon her whole heart. So she pressed him to her bosom and fell to +kissing him like the billing of doves, whilst he returned her caresses +with successive kisses; but preeminence appertaineth to +precedence.[FN#437] When she had made an end of kissing, she took the +lute and recited these couplets, + +"Alas, alack and well-away for blamer's calumny! * Whether or not + I make my moan or plead or show no plea: +O spurner of my love I ne'er of thee so hard would deem * That I + of thee should be despised, of thee my property. +I wont at lovers' love to rail and for their passion chide, * But + now I fain debase myself to all who rail at thee: +Yea, only yesterday I wont all amourists to blame * But now I + pardon hearts that pine for passion's ecstasy; +And of my stress of parting-stowre on me so heavy weighs * At + morning prayer to Him I'll cry, 'In thy name, O Ali!'" + + +And also these two couplets, + +"His lovers said, 'Unless he deign to give us all a drink * Of + wine, of fine old wine his lips deal in their purity; +We to the Lord of Threefold Worlds will pray to grant our prayer' + * And all exclaim with single cry 'In thy name, O Ali!'" + + +Nur al-Din, hearing these lines and their rhyme, marvelled at the +fluency of her tongue and thanked her, praising her grace and passing +seductiveness; and the damsel, delighted at his praise, arose without +stay or delay and doffing that was upon her of outer dress and trinkets +till she was free of all encumbrance sat down on his knees and kissed +him between the eyes and on his cheek-mole. Then she gave him all she +had put off.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the girl gave +to Nur al-Din all she had doffed, saying, "O beloved of my heart, in +very sooth the gift is after the measure of the giver." So he accepted +this from her and gave it back to her and kissed her on the mouth and +cheeks and eyes. When this was ended and done, for naught is durable +save the Living, the Eternal, Provider of the peacock and the +owl,[FN#438] Nur al-Din rose from the séance and stood upon his feet, +because the darkness was now fallen and the stars shone out; whereupon +quoth the damsel to him, "Whither away, O my lord?"; and quoth he, "To +my father's home." Then the sons of the merchants conjured him to night +with them, but he refused and mounting his shemule, rode, without +stopping, till he reached his parent's house, where his mother met him +and said to him, "O my son, what hath kept thee away till this hour? By +Allah, thou hast troubled myself and thy sire by thine absence from us, +and our hearts have been occupied with thee." Then she came up to him, +to kiss him on his mouth, and smelling the fumes of the wine, said, "O +my son, how is it that, after prayer and worship thou hast become a +wine-bibber and a rebel against Him to whom belong creation and +commandment?" But Nur al-Din threw himself down on the bed and lay +there. Presently in came his sire and said, "What aileth Nur al-Din to +lie thus?"; and his mother answered, "'Twould seem his head acheth for +the air of the garden." So Taj al-Din went up to his son, to ask him of +his ailment, and salute him, and smelt the reek of wine.[FN#439] Now +the merchant loved not wine-drinkers; so he said to Nur al-Din, "Woe to +thee, O my son! Is folly come to such a pass with thee, that thou +drinkest wine?" When Nur al-Din heard his sire say this, he raised his +hand, being yet in his drunkenness, and dealt him a buffet, when by +decree of the Decreer the blow lit on his father's right eye which +rolled down on his cheek; whereupon he fell a-swoon and lay therein +awhile. They sprinkled rose-water on him till he recovered, when he +would have beaten his son; but the mother withheld him, and he swore, +by the oath of divorce from his wife that, as soon as morning morrowed, +he would assuredly cut off his son's right hand.[FN#440] When she heard +her husband's words, her breast was straitened and she feared for her +son and ceased not to soothe and appease his sire, till sleep overcame +him. Then she waited till moon-rise, when she went in to her son, whose +drunkenness had now departed from him, and said to him, "O Nur al-Din, +what is this foul deed thou diddest with thy sire?" He asked, "And what +did I with him?"; and answered she, "Thou dealtest him a buffet on the +right eye and struckest it out so that it rolled down his cheek; and he +hath sworn by the divorce-oath that, as soon as morning shall morrow he +will without fail cut off thy right hand." Nur al-Din repented him of +that he had done, whenas repentance profited him naught, and his mother +said to him, "O my son, this penitence will not profit thee; nor will +aught avail thee but that thou arise forthwith and seek safety in +flight: go forth the house privily and take refuge with one of thy +friends and there what Allah shall do await, for he changeth case after +case and state upon state." Then she opened a chest and taking out a +purse of an hundred dinars said, "O my son, take these dinars and +provide thy wants therewith, and when they are at an end, O my son, +send and let me know thereof, that I may send thee other than these, +and at the same time covey to me news of thyself privily: haply Allah +will decree thee relief and thou shalt return to thy home." And she +farewelled him and wept passing sore, nought could be more. Thereupon +Nur al-Din took the purse of gold and was about to go forth, when he +espied a great purse containing a thousand dinars, which his mother had +forgotten by the side of the chest. So he took this also and binding +the two purses about his middle,[FN#441] set out before dawn threading +the streets in the direction of Búlák, where he arrived when day broke +and all creatures arose, attesting the unity of Allah the Opener and +went forth each of them upon his several business, to win that which +Allah had unto him allotted. Reaching Bulak he walked on along the +riverbank till he sighted a ship with her gangway out and her four +anchors made fast to the land. The folk were going up into her and +coming down from her, and Nur al-Din, seeing some sailors there +standing, asked them whither they were bound, and they answered, "To +Rosetta-city." Quoth he, "Take me with you;" and quoth they, "Well +come, and welcome to thee, to thee, O goodly one!" So he betook himself +forthright to the market and buying what he needed of vivers and +bedding and covering, returned to the port and went on board the ship, +which was ready to sail and tarried with him but a little while before +she weighed anchor and fared on, without stopping, till she reached +Rosetta,[FN#442] where Nur al-Din saw a small boat going to Alexandria. +So he embarked in it and traversing the sea-arm of Rosetta fared on +till he came to a bridge called Al-Jámí, where he landed and entered +Alexandria by the gate called the Gate of the Lote-tree. Allah +protected him, so that none of those who stood on guard at the gate saw +him, and he walked on till he entered the city.—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventieth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nur +al-Din entered Alexandria he found it a city goodly of pleasaunces, +delightful to its inhabitants and inviting to inhabit therein. Winter +had fared from it with his cold and Prime was come to it with his +roses: its flowers were kindly ripe and welled forth its rills. Indeed, +it was a city goodly of ordinance and disposition; its folk were of the +best of men, and when the gates thereof were shut, its folk were +safe.[FN#443] And it was even as is said of it in these couplets, + +"Quoth I to a comrade one day, * A man of good speech and rare, +'Describe Alexandria.' * Quoth he, 'Tis a march-town fair.' +Quoth I, 'Is there living therein?' * And he, 'An the wind blow + there.'" + + +Or as saith one of the poets, + +"Alexandria's a frontier;[FN#444] Whose dews of lips are sweet + and clear; +How fair the coming to it is, * So one therein no raven speer!" + + +Nur al-Din walked about the city and ceased not walking till he came to +the merchants' bazar, whence he passed on to the mart of the +money-changers and so on in turn to the markets of the confectioners +and fruiterers and druggists, marvelling, as he went, at the city, for +that the nature of its qualities accorded with its name.[FN#445] As he +walked in the druggists' bazar, behold, an old man came down from his +shop and saluting him, took him by the hand and carried him to his +home. And Nur al-Din saw a fair bystreet, swept and sprinkled, whereon +the zephyr blew and made pleasantness pervade it and the leaves of the +trees overshaded it. Therein stood three houses and at the upper end a +mansion, whose foundations were firm sunk in the water and its walls +towered to the confines of the sky. They had swept the space before it +and they had sprinkled it freshly; so it exhaled the fragrance of +flowers, borne on the zephyr which breathed upon the place; and the +scent met there who approached it on such wise as it were one of the +gardens of Paradise. And, as they had cleaned and cooled the +by-street's head, so was the end of it with marble spread. The Shaykh +carried Nur al-Din into the house and setting somewhat of food before +him ate with his guest. When they had made an end of eating, the +druggist said to him, "When camest thou hither from Cairo?"; and Nur +al-Din replied, "This very night, O my father." Quoth the old man, +"What is thy name?"; and quoth he, "Ali Nur al-Din." Said the druggist, +"O my son, O Nur al-Din, be the triple divorce incumbent on me, an thou +leave me so long as thou abidest in this city; and I will set thee +apart a place wherein thou mayst dwell." Nur al-Din asked, "O my lord +the Shaykh, let me know more of thee"; and the other answered, "Know, O +my son, that some years ago I went to Cairo with merchandise, which I +sold there and bought other, and I had occasion for a thousand dinars. +So thy sire Taj al-Din weighed them out[FN#446] for me, all unknowing +me, and would take no written word of me, but had patience with me till +I returned hither and sent him the amount by one of my servants, +together with a gift. I saw thee, whilst thou wast little; and, if it +please Allah the Most High, I will repay thee somewhat of the kindness +thy father did me." When Nur al-Din heard the old man's story, he +showed joy and pulling out with a smile the purse of a thousand dinars, +gave it to his host the Shaykh and said to him, "Take charge of this +deposit for me, against I buy me somewhat of merchandise whereon to +trade." Then he abode some time in Alexandria city taking his pleasure +every day in its thoroughfares, eating and drinking ad indulging +himself with mirth and merriment till he had made an end of the hundred +dinars he had kept by way of spending-money; whereupon he repaired to +the old druggist, to take of him somewhat of the thousand dinars to +spend, but found him not in his shop and took a seat therein to await +his return. He sat there gazing right and left and amusing himself with +watching the merchants and passers-by, and as he was thus engaged +behold, there came into the bazar a Persian riding on a she-mule and +carrying behind him a damsel; as she were argent of alloy free or a +fish Balti[FN#447] in mimic sea or a doe-gazelle on desert lea. Her +face outshone the sun in shine and she had witching eyne and breasts of +ivory white, teeth of marguerite, slender waist and sides dimpled deep +and calves like tails of fat sheep;[FN#448] and indeed she was perfect +in beauty and loveliness, elegant stature and symmetrical grace, even +as saith one, describing her,[FN#449] + +"'Twas as by will of her she was create * Nor short nor long, but + Beauty's mould and mate: +Rose blushes reddest when she sees those cheeks * And fruits the + bough those marvel charms amate: +Moon is her favour, Musk the scent of her * Branch is her shape:Â + she passeth man's estate: +'Tis e'en as were she cast in freshest pearl * And every limblet + shows a moon innate." + + +Presently the Persian lighted down from his she-mule and making the +damsel also dismount loudly summoned the broker and said to him as soon +as he came, "Take this damsel and cry her for sale in the market." So +he took her and leading her to the middlemost of the bazar disappeared +for a while and presently he returned with a stool of ebony, inlaid +with ivory, and setting it upon the ground, seated her thereon. Then he +raised her veil and discovered a face as it were a Median targe[FN#450] +or a cluster of pearls:[FN#451] and indeed she was like the full moon, +when it filleth on its fourteenth night, accomplished in brilliant +beauty. As saith the poet, + +"Vied the full moon for folly with her face, * But was + eclipsed[FN#452] and split for rage full sore; +And if the spiring Bán with her contend * Perish her hands who + load of fuel bore!"[FN#453] + + +And how well saith another, + +"Say to the fair in the wroughten veil * How hast made that + monk-like worshipper ail? +Light of veil and light of face under it * Made the hosts of + darkness to fly from bale; +And, when came my glance to steal look at cheek. * With a + meteor-shaft the Guard made me quail."[FN#454] + + +Then said the broker to the merchants,[FN#455] "How much do ye bid for +the union-pearl of the diver and prize-quarry of the fowler?" Quoth +one, "She is mine for an hundred dinars." And another said, "Two +hundred," and a third, "Three hundred"; and they ceased not to bid, one +against other, till they made her price nine hundred and fifty dinars, +and there the biddings stopped awaiting acceptance and +consent.[FN#456]—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the merchants bid +one against other till they made the price of the girl nine hundred and +fifty dinars. Then the broker went up to her Persian master and said to +him, "The biddings for this thy slave-girl have reached nine hundred +and fifty dinars: so say me, wilt thou sell her at that price and take +the money?" Asked the Persian, "Doth she consent to this? I desire to +fall in with her wishes, for I sickened on my journey hither and this +handmaid tended me with all possible tenderness, wherefore I sware not +to sell her but to him whom she should like and approve, and I have put +her sale in her own hand. So do thou consult her and if she say, 'I +consent,' sell her to whom thou wilt: but an she say, 'No,' sell her +not." So the broker went up to her and asked her, "O Princess of fair +ones, know that thy master putteth thy sale in thine own hands, and thy +price hath reached nine hundred and fifty dinars; dost thou give me +leave to sell thee?" She answered, "Show me him who is minded to buy me +before clinching the bargain." So he brought her up to one of the +merchants a man stricken with years and decrepit; and she looked at him +a long while, then turned to the broker and said to him, "O broker, art +thou Jinn-mad or afflicted in thy wit?" Replied he, "Why dost thou ask +me this, O Princess of fair ones?"; and said she, "Is it permitted thee +of Allah to sell the like of me to yonder decrepit old man, who saith +of his wife's case these couplets, + +'Quoth she to me,—and sore enraged for wounded pride was she, * + For she in sooth had bidden me to that which might not be,— +'An if thou swive me not forthright, as one should swive his + wife, * Thou be made a cuckold straight, reproach it not to + me. +Meseems thy yard is made of wax, for very flaccidness; * For when + I rub it with my hand, it softens instantly.'[FN#457] + + +And said he likewise of his yard, + +'I have a yard that sleeps in base and shameful way * When grants + my lover boon for which I sue and pray: +But when I wake o' mornings[FN#458] all alone in bed, * 'Tis fain + o' foin and fence and fierce for futter-play.' + + +And again quoth he thereof of his yard, + +'I have a froward yard of temper ill * Dishonoring him who shows + it most regard: +It stands when sleep I, when I stand it sleeps * Heaven pity not + who pitieth that yard!'" + + +When the old merchant heard this ill flouting from the damsel, he was +wroth with wrath exceeding beyond which was no proceeding and said to +the broker, "O most ill-omened of brokers, thou hast not brought into +the market this ill-conditioned wench but to gibe me and make mock of +me before the merchants." Then the broker took her aside and said to +her, "O my lady, be not wanting in self-respect. The Shaykh at whom +thou didst mock is the Syndic of the bazar and Inspector[FN#459] +thereof and a committee-man of the council of the merchants." But she +laughed and improvised these two couplets, + +"It behoveth folk who rule in our time, * And 'tis one of the + duties of magistrateship, +To hand up the Wali above his door * And beat with a whip the + Mohtasib!" + + +Adding, "By Allah, O my lord, I will not be sold to yonder old man; so +sell me to other than him, for haply he will be abashed at me and vend +me again and I shall become a mere servant[FN#460] and it beseemeth not +that I sully myself with menial service; and indeed thou knowest that +the matter of my sale is committed to myself." He replied, "I hear and +I obey," and carried her to a man which was one of the chief merchants. +And when standing hard by him the broker asked, "How sayst thou, O my +lady? Shall I sell thee to my lord Sharíf al-Dín here for nine hundred +and fifty gold pieces?" She looked at him and, seeing him to be an old +man with a dyed beard, said to the broker, "Art thou silly, that thou +wouldst sell me to this worn out Father Antic? Am I cotton refuse or +threadbare rags that thou marchest me about from greybeard to +greybeard, each like a wall ready to fall or an Ifrit smitten down of a +fire-ball? As for the first, the poet had him in mind when he +said,[FN#461] + +'I sought of a fair maid to kiss her lips of coral red, But, 'No, + by Him who fashioned things from nothingness!' she said. +Unto the white of hoary hairs I never had a mind, And shall my + mouth be stuffed, forsooth, with cotton, ere I'm dead?' + + +And how goodly is the saying of the poet, + +'The wise have said that white of hair is light that shines and + robes * The face of man with majesty and light that awes the + sight; +Yet until hoary seal shall stamp my parting-place of hair * I + hope and pray that same may be black as the blackest night. +Albe Time-whitened beard of man be like the book he bears[FN#462] + * When to his Lord he must return, I'd rather 'twere not + white,' + + +And yet goodlier is the saying of another, + +'A guest hath stolen on my head and honour may he lack! * The + sword a milder deed hath done that dared these locks to + hack. +Avaunt, O Whiteness,[FN#463] wherein naught of brightness + gladdens sight * Thou 'rt blacker in the eyes of me than + very blackest black!' + + +As for the other, he is a model of wantonness and scurrilousness and a +blackener of the face of hoariness; his dye acteth the foulest of lies: +and the tongue of his case reciteth these lines,[FN#464] + +'Quoth she to me, 'I see thou dy'st thy hoariness;' and I, 'I do + but hide it from thy sight, O thou mine ear and eye!' +She laughed out mockingly and said, 'A wonder 'tis indeed! Thou + so aboundest in deceit that even thy hair's a lie.' + + +And how excellent is the saying of the poet, + +'O thou who dyest hoariness with black, * That youth wi' thee + abide, at least in show; +Look ye, my lot was dyčd black whilome * And (take my word!) none + other hue 'twill grow.'" + + +When the old man with dyed beard heard such words from the slave-girl, +he raged with exceeding rage in fury's last stage and said to the +broker, "O most ill-omened of brokers, this day thou hast brought to +our market naught save this gibing baggage to flout at all who are +therein, one after other, and fleer at them with flyting verse and idle +jest?" And he came down from his shop and smote on the face the broker +who took her an angered and carried her away saying to her, "By Allah, +never in my life saw I a more shameless wench than thyself![FN#465] +Thou hast cut off my daily bread and thine own this day and all the +merchants will bear me a grudge on thine account." Then they saw on the +way a merchant called Shihab al-Dín who bid ten dinars more for her, +and the broker asked her leave to sell her to him. Quoth she, "Trot him +out that I may see him and question him of a certain thing, which if he +have in his house, I will be sold to him; and if not, then not." So the +broker left her standing there and going up to Shihab al-Din, said to +him, "O my lord, know that yonder damsel tells me she hath a mind to +ask thee somewhat, which an thou have, she will be sold to thee. Now +thou hast heard what she said to thy fellows, the merchants,"—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-second Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the broker +said to the merchant, "Thou hast heard what this handmaid said to thy +fellows, the traders, and by Allah, I fear to bring her to thee, lest +she do with thee like as she did with thy neighbours and so I fall into +disgrace with thee: but, an thou bid me bring her to thee, I will bring +her." Quoth the merchant, "Hither with her to me." "Hearing and +obeying," answered the broker and fetched for the purchaser the damsel, +who looked at him and said, "O my lord, Shihab al-Din, hast thou in thy +house round cushions stuffed with ermine strips?" Replied Shihab +al-Din, "Yes, O Princess of fair ones, I have at home half a score such +cushions; but I conjure thee by Allah, tell me, what will thou do with +them?" Quoth she, "I will bear with thee till thou be asleep, when I +will lay them on thy mouth and nose and press them down till thou die." +Then she turned to the broker and said to him, "O thou refuse of +brokers, meseemeth thou art mad, in that thou showest me this hour +past, first to a pair of greybeards, in each of whom are two faults, +and then thou proferrest me to my lord Shihab al-Din wherein be three +defects; firstly, he is dwarfish, secondly, he hath a nose which is +big, and thirdly, he hath a beard which is long. Of him quoth one of +the poets, + +'We never heard of wight nor yet espied * Who amid men three + gifts hath unified: +To wit, a beard one cubit long, a snout * Span-long and figure + tall a finger wide:' + + +And quoth another poet, + +'From the plain of his face springs a minaret * Like a bezel of + ring on his finger set: +Did creation enter that vasty nose * No created thing would + elsewhere be met.'" + + +When Shihab al-Din heard this, he came down from his shop and seized +the broker by the collar, saying, "O scurviest of brokers, what aileth +thee to bring us a damsel to flout and make mock of us, one after +other, with her verses and talk that a curse is?" So the broker took +her and carried her away from before him and fared, saying, "By Allah, +all my life long, since I have plied this profession never set I eyes +on the like of thee for unmannerliness nor aught more curst to me than +thy star, for thou hast cut off my livelihood this day and I have +gained no profit by thee save cuffs on the neck-nape and catching by +the collar!" Then he brought her to the shop of another merchant, owner +of negro slaves and white servants, and stationing her before him, said +to her, "Wilt thou be sold to this my lord 'Alá al-Dín?" She looked at +him and seeing him hump-backed, said, "This is a Gobbo," and quoth the +poet of him, + +'Drawn in thy shoulders are and spine thrust out, * As seeking + star which Satan gave the lout;[FN#466] +Or as he tasted had first smack of scourge * And looked in marvel + for a second bout.' + + +And saith another on the same theme, + +'As one of you who mounted mule, * A sight for me to ridicule: Is 't +not a farce? Who feels surprise * An start and bolt with him the mule?' + +And another on a similar subject, + +'Oft hunchback addeth to his bunchy back * Faults which gar folk + upon his front look black: +Like branch distort and dried by length of days * With citrons + hanging from it loose and slack.'" + + +With this the broker hurried up to her and, carrying her to another +merchant, said to her, "Wilt thou be sold to this one?" She looked at +him and said, "In very sooth this man is blue-eyed;[FN#467] how wilt +thou sell me to him?" Quoth one of the poets, + +'His eyelids sore and bleared * Weakness of frame denote: +Arise, ye folk and see * Within his eyes the mote!'" + + +Then the broker carried her to another and she looked at him and seeing +that he had a long beard, said to the broker, "Fie upon thee! This is a +ram, whose tail hath sprouted from his gullet. Wilt thou sell me to +him, O unluckiest of brokers? Hast thou not heard say: 'All long of +beard are little of wits? Indeed, after the measure of the length of +the beard is the lack of sense; and this is a well-known thing among +men of understanding.' As saith one of the poets, + +'Ne'er was a man with beard grown overlong, * Tho' be he therefor + reverenced and fear'd, +But who the shortness noted in his wits * Added to longness noted + in his beard.' + + +And quoth another,[FN#468] + +'I have a friend with a beard which God hath made to grow to a + useless length, +It is like unto one of the nights of winter long and dark and + cold.'" + + +With this the broker took her and turned away with her, and she asked, +"Whither goest thou with me?" He answered, "Back to thy master the +Persian; it sufficeth me what hath befallen me because of thee this +day; for thou hast been the means of spoiling both my trade and his by +thine ill manners." Then she looked about the market right and left, +front and rear till, by the decree of the Decreer her eyes fell on Ali +Nur al-Din the Cairene. So she gazed at him and saw him[FN#469] to be a +comely youth of straight slim form and smooth of face, fourteen years +old, rare in beauty and loveliness and elegance and amorous grace like +the full moon on the fourteenth night with forehead flower-white, and +cheeks rosy red, neck like alabaster and teeth than jewels finer and +dews of lips sweeter than sugar, even as saith of him one of his +describers, + +"Came to match him in beauty and loveliness rare * Full moons and + gazelles but quoth I, 'Soft fare! +Fare softly, gazelles, nor yourselves compare * With him and, O + Moons, all your pains forbear!'" + + +And how well saith another bard, + +"Slim-waisted loveling, from his hair and brow * Men wake a-morn + in night and light renewed. +Blame not the mole that dwelleth on his cheek * For Nu'uman's + bloom aye shows spot negro-hued." + + +When the slave-girl beheld Nur al-Din he interposed between her and her +wits; she fell in love to him with a great and sudden fall and her +heart was taken with affection for him;—And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-third Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +slave-girl beheld Nur al-Din, her heart was taken with affection for +him; so she turned to the broker and said to him, "Will not yonder +young merchant who is sitting among the traders in the gown of striped +broadcloth bid somewhat more for me?" The broker replied, "O lady of +fair ones, yonder young man is a stranger from Cairo, where his father +is chief of the trader-guild and surpasseth all the merchants and +notables of the place. He is but lately come to this our city and +lodgeth with one of his father's friends; but he hath made no bid for +thee nor more nor less." When the girl heard the broker's words, she +drew from her finger a costly signet-ring of ruby and said to the man, +"Carry me to yonder youth, and if he buy me, this ring shall be thine, +in requital of thy travail with me this day." The broker rejoiced at +this and brought her up to Nur al-Din, and she considered him straitly +and found him like the full moon, perfect in loveliness and a model of +fine stature and symmetric grace, even as saith of him one of his +describers. + +"Waters of beauty o'er his cheeks flow bright, * And rain his + glances shafts that sorely smite: +Choked are his lovers an he deal disdain's * Bitterest draught + denaying love-delight. +His forehead and his stature and my love * Are perfect perfected + perfection-dight; +His raiment folds enfold a lovely neck * As crescent moon in + collar buttoned tight: +His eyne and twinnčd moles and tears of me * Are night that + nighteth to the nightliest night. +His eyebrows and his features and my frame[FN#470] * Crescents on + crescents are as crescents slight: +His pupils pass the wine-cup to his friends * Which, albe sweet, + tastes bitter to my sprite; +And to my thirsty throat pure drink he dealt * From smiling lips + what day we were unite: +Then is my blood to him, my death to him * His right and rightful + and most righteous right." + + +The girl gazed at Nur al-Din and said, "O my lord, Allah upon thee, am +I not beautiful?"; and he replied, "O Princess of fair ones, is there +in the world a comelier than thou?" She rejoined, "Then why seest thou +all the other merchants bid high for me and art silent nor sayest a +word neither addest one dinar to my price? 'Twould seem I please thee +not, O my lord!" Quoth he, "O my lady, were I in my own land, I had +bought thee with all that my hand possesseth of monies;" and quoth she, +"O my lord, I said not, 'Buy me against thy will,' yet, didst thou but +add somewhat to my price, it would hearten my heart, though thou buy me +not, so the merchants may say, 'Were not this girl handsome, yonder +merchant of Cairo had not bidden for her, for the Cairenes are +connoisseurs in slave-girls.'" These words abashed Nur al-Din and he +blushed and said to the broker, "How high are the biddings for her?" He +replied, "Her price hath reached nine hundred and sixty dinars,[FN#471] +besides brokerage, as for the Sultan's dues, they fall on the seller." +Quoth Nur al-Din, "Let me have her for a thousand dinars, brokerage and +price." And the damsel hastening to the fore and leaving the broker, +said, "I sell myself to this handsome young man for a thousand dinars." +But Nur al-Din held his peace. Quoth one, "We sell to him;" and +another, "He deserveth her;" and a third, "Accursed, son of accursed, +is he who biddeth and doth not buy!"; and a fourth, "By Allah, they +befit each other!" Then, before Nur al-Din could think, the broker +fetched Kazis and witnesses, who wrote out a contract of sale and +purchase; and the broker handed the paper to Nur al-Din, saying, "Take +thy slave-girl and Allah bless thee in her for she beseemeth none but +thee and none but thou beseemeth her." And he recited these two +couplets, + +"Boon Fortune sought him in humblest way[FN#472] * And came to + him draggle-tailed, all a-stir: +And none is fittest for him but she * And none is fittest but he + for her." + + +Hereat Nur al-Din was abashed before the merchants; so he arose without +stay or delay and weighed out the thousand dinars which he had left as +a deposit with his father's friend the druggist, and taking the girl, +carried her to the house wherein the Shaykh had lodged him. When she +entered and saw nothing but ragged patched carpets and worn out rugs, +she said to him, "O my lord, have I no value to thee and am I not +worthy that thou shouldst bear me to thine own house and home wherein +are thy goods, that thou bringest me into thy servant's lodging? Why +dost thou not carry me to thy father's dwelling?" He replied, "By +Allah, O Princess of fair ones, this is my house wherein I dwell; but +it belongeth to an old man, a druggist of this city, who hath set it +apart for me and lodged me therein. I told thee that I was a stranger +and that I am of the sons of Cairo city." She rejoined, "O my lord, the +least of houses sufficeth till thy return to thy native place; but, +Allah upon thee, O my lord, go now and fetch us somewhat of roast meat +and wine and dried fruit and dessert." Quoth Nur al-Din, "By Allah, O +Princess of fair ones, I had no money with me but the thousand dinars I +paid down to thy price nor possess I any other good. The few dirhams I +owned were spent by me yesterday." Quoth she, "Hast thou no friend in +the town, of whom thou mayst borrow fifty dirhams and bring them to me, +that I may tell thee what thou shalt do therewith?" And he said, "I +have no intimate but the druggist." Then he betook himself forthright +to the druggist and said to him, "Peace be with thee, O uncle!" He +returned his salam and said to him, "O my son, what hast thou bought +for a thousand dinars this day?" Nur al-Din replied, "I have bought a +slave-girl;" and the oldster rejoined, "O my son, art thou mad that +thou givest a thousand dinars for one slave-girl? Would I knew what +kind of slave-girl she is?" Said Nur al-Din, "She is a damsel of the +children of the Franks;"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Nur al-Din +said to the ancient druggist, "The damsel is of the children of the +Franks;" and the Shaykh said, "O my son, the best of the girls of the +Franks are to be had in this our town for an hundred dinars, and by +Allah, O my son, they have cheated thee in the matter of this damsel! +However, an thou have taken a fancy to her, lie with her this night and +do thy will of her and to-morrow morning go down with her to the market +and sell her, though thou lose by her two hundred dinars, and reckon +that thou hast lost them by shipwreck or hast been robbed of them on +the road." Nur al-Din replied, "Right is thy rede, O uncle, but thou +knowest that I had but the thousand dinars wherewith I purchased the +damsel, and now I have not a single dirham left to spend; so I desire +of thy favour and bounty that thou lend me fifty dirhams, to provide me +withal, till to-morrow, when I will sell her and repay thee out of her +price." Said the old man, "Willingly, O my son," and counted out to him +the fifty dirhams. Then he said to him, "O my son, thou art but young +in years and the damsel is fair, so belike thy heart will be taken with +her and it will be grievous to thee to vend her. Now thou hast nothing +to live on and these fifty dirhams will readily be spent and thou wilt +come to me and I shall lend thee once and twice and thrice, and so on +up to ten times; but, an thou come to me after this, I will not return +thy salam[FN#473] and our friendship with thy father will end ill." Nur +al-Din took the fifty dirhams and returned with them to the damsel, who +said to him, "O my lord, wend thee at once to the market and fetch me +twenty dirhams' worth of stained silk of five colours and with the +other thirty buy meat and bread and fruit and wine and flowers." So he +went to the market and purchasing for her all she sought, brought it to +her, whereupon she rose and tucking up her sleeves, cooked food after +the most skilful fashion, and set it before him. He ate and she ate +with him, till they had enough, after which she set on the wine, and +she drank and he drank, and she ceased not to ply him with drink and +entertain him with discourse, till he became drunken and fell asleep. +Thereupon she arose without stay or delay and taking out of her bundle +a budget of Táifí leather,[FN#474] opened it and drew forth a pair of +knitting needles, wherewith she fell to work and stinted not till she +had made a beautiful zone, which she folded up in a wrapper after +cleaning it and ironing it, and laid it under her pillow. Then she +doffed her dress till she was mother-naked and lying down beside Nur +al-Din shampoo'd him till he awoke from his heavy sleep. He found by +his side a maiden like virgin silver, softer than silk and delicater +than a tail of fatted sheep, than standard more conspicuous and +goodlier than the red camel,[FN#475] in height five feet tall with +breasts firm and full, brows like bended bows, eyes like gazelles' eyes +and cheeks like blood-red anemones, a slender waist with dimples laced +and a navel holding an ounce of the unguent benzoin, thighs like +bolsters stuffed with ostrich-down, and between them what the tongue +fails to set forth and at mention whereof the tears jet forth. Brief it +was as it were she to whom the poet alluded in these two couplets, + +"From her hair is Night, from her forehead Noon * From her + side-face Rose; from her lip wine boon: +From her Union Heaven, her Severance Hell: * Pearls from her + teeth; from her front full Moon." + + +And how excellent is the saying of another bard,[FN#476] + +"A Moon she rises, Willow-wand she waves * Breathes ambergris and + gazeth a gazelle. +Meseems that sorrow wooes my heart and wins * And when she wends + makes haste therein to dwell. +Her face is fairer than the Stars of Wealth[FN#477] * And sheeny + brows the crescent Moon excel." + + +And quoth a third also, + +"They shine fullest Moons, unveil Crescent-bright; * + Sway tenderest Branches and turn wild kine; +'Mid which is a Dark-eyed for love of whose charms * + The Sailors[FN#478] would joy to be ground low-li'en." + + +So Nur al-Din turned to her at once and clasping her to his bosom, +sucked first her upper lip and then her under lip and slid his tongue +between the twain into her mouth. Then he rose to her and found her a +pearl unthridden and a filly none but he had ridden. So he abated her +maidenhead and had of her amorous delight and there was knitted between +them a love-bond which might never know breach nor severance.[FN#479] +He rained upon her cheeks kisses like the falling of pebbles into +water, and struck with stroke upon stroke, like the thrusting of spears +in battle brunt; for that Nur al-Din still yearned after clipping of +necks and sucking of lips and letting down of tress and pressing of +waist and biting of cheek and cavalcading on breast with Cairene +buckings and Yamani wrigglings and Abyssinian sobbings and Hindí +pamoisons and Nubian lasciviousness and Rífí leg-liftings[FN#480] and +Damiettan moanings and Sa'ídí[FN#481] hotness and Alexandrian +languishment[FN#482] and this damsel united in herself all these +virtues, together with excess of beauty and loveliness, and indeed she +was even as saith of her the poet, + +"This is she I will never forget till I die * Nor draw near but + to those who to her draw nigh. +A being for semblance like Moon at full * Praise her Maker, her + Modeller glorify! +Tho' be sore my sin seeking love-liesse * On esperance-day ne'er + repent can I; +A couplet reciting which none can know * Save the youth who in + couplets and rhymes shall cry, +'None weeteth love but who bears its load * Nor passion, save + pleasures and pains he aby.'" + + +So Nur al-Din lay with the damsel through the night in solace and +delight,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Nur al-Din lay +with that damsel through the night in solace and delight, the twain +garbed in the closely buttoned garments of embrace, safe and secure +against the misways of nights and days, and they passed the dark hours +after the goodliest fashion, fearing naught, in their joys +love-fraught, from excess of talk and prate. As saith of them the right +excellent poet,[FN#483] + +"Go, visit her thou lovest, and regard not +The words detractors utter; envious churls +Can never favour love. Oh! sure the merciful +Ne'er make a thing more fair to look upon, +Than two fond lovers in each other's arms, +Speaking their passion in a mute embrace. +When heart has turned to heart, the fools would part them +Strike idly on cold steel. So when thou'st found +One purely, wholly thine, accept her true heart, +And live for her alone. Oh! thou that blamest +The love-struck for their love, give o'er thy talk +How canst thou minister to a mind diseased?" + + +When the morning morrowed in sheen and shone, Nur al-Din awoke from +deep sleep and found that she had brought water:[FN#484] so they made +the Ghusl-ablution, he and she, and he performed that which behoved him +of prayer to his Lord, after which she set before him meat and drink, +and he ate and drank. Then the damsel put her hand under her pillow and +pulling out the girdle which she had knitted during the night, gave it +to Nur al-Din, who asked, "Whence cometh this girdle?"[FN#485] Answered +she, "O my lord, 'tis the silk thou boughtest yesterday for twenty +dirhams. Rise now and go to the Persian bazar and give it to the +broker, to cry for sale, and sell it not for less than twenty gold +pieces in ready money." Quoth Nur al-Din, "O Princess of fair ones how +can a thing, that cost twenty dirhams and will sell for as many dinars, +be made in a single night?"; and quoth she, "O my lord, thou knowest +not the value of this thing; but go to the market therewith and give it +to the broker, and when he shall cry it, its worth will be made +manifest to thee." Herewith he carried the zone to the market and gave +it to the broker, bidding him cry it, whilst he himself sat down on a +masonry bench before a shop. The broker fared forth and returning after +a while said to him, "O my lord, rise take the price of thy zone, for +it hath fetched twenty dinars money down." When Nur al-Din heard this, +he marvelled with exceeding marvel and shook with delight. Then he +rose, between belief and misbelief, to take the money and when he had +received it, he went forthright and spent it all on silk of various +colours and returning home, gave his purchase to the damsel, saying, +"Make this all into girdles and teach me likewise how to make them, +that I may work with thee; for never in the length of my life saw I a +fairer craft than this craft nor a more abounding in gain and profit. +By Allah, 'tis better than the trade of a merchant a thousand times!" +She laughed at his language and said, "O my lord, go to thy friend the +druggist and borrow other thirty dirhams of him, and to-morrow repay +him from the price of the girdle the thirty together with the fifty +already loaned to thee." So he rose and repaired to the druggist and +said to him, "O Uncle, lend me other thirty dirhams, and to-morrow, +Almighty Allah willing, I will repay thee the whole fourscore." The old +man weighed him out thirty dirhams, wherewith he went to the market and +buying meat and bread, dried fruits, and flowers as before, carried +them home to the damsel whose name was Miriam,[FN#486] the Girdle-girl. +She rose forthright and making ready rich meats, set them before her +lord Nur al-Din; after which she brought the wine-service and they +drank and plied each other with drink. When the wine began to play with +their wits, his pleasant address and inner grace pleased her, and she +recited these two couplets, + +"Said I to Slim-waist who the wine engraced * Brought in + musk-scented bowl and a superfine, +'Was it prest from thy cheek?' He replied 'Nay, nay! * When did + man from Roses e'er press the Wine?'" + + +And the damsel ceased not to carouse with her lord and ply him with cup +and bowl and require him to fill for her and give her to drink of that +which sweeteneth the spirits, and whenever he put forth hand to her, +she drew back from him, out of coquetry. The wine added to her beauty +and loveliness, and Nur al-Din recited these two couplets, + +"Slim-waist craved wine from her companeer; * Cried (in meeting + of friends when he feared for his fere,) +'An thou pass not the wine thou shalt pass the night, * A-banisht + my bed!' And he felt sore fear." + + +They ceased not drinking till drunkenness overpowered Nur al-Din and he +slept; whereupon she rose forthright and fell to work upon a zone, as +was her wont. When she had wrought it to end, she wrapped it in paper +and doffing her clothes, lay down by his side and enjoyed dalliance and +delight till morn appeared.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Miriam the +Girdle-girl, having finished her zone and wrapped it in paper doffed +her dress and lay down by the side of her lord; and then happened to +them what happened of dalliance and delight; and he did his devoir like +a man. On the morrow, she gave him the girdle and said to him, "Carry +this to the market and sell it for twenty dinars, even as thou soldest +its fellow yesterday." So he went to the bazar and sold the girdle for +twenty dinars, after which he repaired to the druggist and paid him +back the eighty dirhams, thanking him for the bounties and calling down +blessings upon him. He asked, "O my son, hast thou sold the damsel?"; +and Nur al-Din answered, "Wouldst thou have me sell the soul out of my +body?" and he told him all that had passed, from commencement to +conclusion, whereat the druggist joyed with joy galore, than which +could be no more and said to him, "By Allah, O my son, thou gladdenest +me! Inshallah, mayst thou ever be in prosperity! Indeed I wish thee +well by reason of my affection for thy father and the continuance of my +friendship with him." Then Nur al-Din left the Shaykh and straightway +going to the market, bought meat and fruit and wine and all that he +needed according to his custom and returned therewith to Miriam. They +abode thus a whole year in eating and drinking and mirth and merriment +and love and good comradeship, and every night she made a zone and he +sold it on the morrow for twenty dinars, wherewith he bought their +needs and gave the rest to her, to keep against a time of necessity. +After the twelvemonth she said to him one day, "O my lord, whenas thou +sellest the girdle to-morrow, buy for me with its price silk of six +colours, because I am minded to make thee a kerchief to wear on thy +shoulders, such as never son of merchant, no, nor King's son, ever +rejoiced in its like." So next day he fared forth to the bazar and +after selling the zone brought her the dyed silks she sought and Miriam +the Girdle-girl wrought at the kerchief a whole week, for, every night, +when she had made an end of the zone, she would work awhile at the +kerchief till it was finished. Then she gave it to Nur al-Din, who put +it on his shoulders and went out to walk in the market-place, whilst +all the merchants and folk and notables of the town crowded about him, +to gaze on his beauty and that of the kerchief which was of the most +beautiful. Now it chanced that one night, after this, he awoke from +sleep and found Miriam weeping passing sore and reciting these +couplets, + +"Nears my parting fro' my love, nigher draws the Severance-day * + Ah well-away for parting! and again ah well-away! +And in tway is torn my heart and O pine I'm doomed to bear * For + the nights that erst witnessed our pleasurable play! +No help for it but Envier the twain of us espy * With evil eye + and win to us his lamentable way. +For naught to us is sorer than the jealousy of men * And the + backbiter's eyne that with calumny affray." + + +He said, "O my lady Miriam,[FN#487] what aileth thee to weep?"; and she +replied, "I weep for the anguish of parting for my heart presageth me +thereof." Quoth he, "O lady of fair ones, and who shall interpose +between us, seeing that I love thee above all creatures and tender thee +the most?"; and quoth she, "And I love thee twice as well as thou me; +but fair opinion of fortune still garreth folk fall into affliction, +and right well saith the poet,[FN#488] + +'Think'st thou thyself all prosperous, in days which prosp'rous + be, +Nor fearest thou impending ill, which comes by Heaven's decree? +We see the orbs of heav'n above, how numberless they are, +But sun and moon alone eclips'd, and ne'er a lesser star! +And many a tree on earth we see, some bare, some leafy green, +Of them, not one is hurt with stone save that has fruitful been! +See'st not th' refluent ocean, bear carrion on its tide, +While pearls beneath its wavy flow, fixed in the deep, abide?'" + + +Presently she added, "O my lord Nur al-Din, an thou desire to nonsuit +separation, be on thy guard against a swart-visaged oldster, blind of +the right eye and lame of the left leg; for he it is who will be the +cause of our severance. I saw him enter the city and I opine that he is +come hither in quest of me." Replied Nur al-Din, "O lady of fair ones, +if my eyes light on him, I will slay him and make an example of him." +Rejoined she, "O my lord, slay him not; but talk not nor trade with +him, neither buy nor sell with him nor sit nor walk with him nor speak +one word to him, no, not even the answer prescribed by law,[FN#489] and +I pray Allah to preserve us from his craft and his mischief." Next +morning, Nur al-Din took the zone and carried it to the market, where +he sat down on a shop-bench and talked with the sons of the merchants, +till the drowsiness preceding slumber overcame him and he lay down on +the bench and fell asleep. Presently, behold, up came the Frank whom +the damsel had described to him, in company with seven others, and +seeing Nur al-Din lying asleep on the bench, with his head wrapped in +the kerchief which Miriam had made for him and the edge thereof in his +grasp, sat down by him and hent the end of the kerchief in hand and +examined it, turning it over for some time. Nur al-Din sensed that +there was something and awoke; then, seeing the very man of whom Miriam +had warned him sitting by his side, cried out at him with a great cry +which startled him. Quoth the Frank, "What aileth thee to cry out thus +at us? Have we taken from thee aught?"; and quoth Nur al-Din, "By +Allah, O accursed, haddest thou taken aught from me, I would carry thee +before the Chief of Police!" Then said the Frank, "O Moslem, I conjure +thee by thy faith and by that wherein thou believest, inform me whence +thou haddest this kerchief;" and Nur al-Din replied, "Tis the handiwork +of my lady mother,"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Frank +asked Nur al-Din anent the maker of the kerchief, he answered, saying, +"In very sooth this kerchief is the handiwork of my mother, who made it +for me with her own hand." Quoth the Frank "Wilt thou sell it to me and +take ready money for it?," and quoth Nur al-Din, "By Allah, I will not +sell it to thee or to any else, for she made none other than it." "Sell +it to me and I will give thee to its price this very moment five +hundred dinars, money down; and let her who made it make thee another +and a finer." "I will not sell it at all, for there is not the like of +it in this city." "O my lord, wilt thou sell it for six hundred ducats +of fine gold?" And the Frank went on to add to his offer hundred by +hundred, till he bid nine hundred dinars; but Nur al-Din said, "Allah +will open to me otherwise than by my vending it. I will never sell it, +not for two thousand dinars nor more than that; no, never." The Frank +ceased not to tempt him with money, till he bid him a thousand dinars, +and the merchants present said, "We sell thee the kerchief at that +price:[FN#490] pay down the money." Quoth Nur al-Din, "I will not sell +it, I swear by Allah!"[FN#491] But one of the merchants said to him, +"Know thou, O my son, that the value of this kerchief is an hundred +dinars at most and that to an eager purchaser, and if this Frank pay +thee down a thousand for it, thy profit will be nine hundred dinars, +and what gain canst thou desire greater than this gain? Wherefore 'tis +my rede that thou sell him this kerchief at that price and bid her who +wrought it make thee other finer than it: so shalt thou profit nine +hundred dinars by this accursed Frank, the enemy of Allah and of The +Faith." Nur al-Din was abashed at the merchants and sold the kerchief +to the Frank, who, in their presence, paid him down the thousand +dinars, with which he would have returned to his handmaid to +congratulate her on what had passed; but the stranger said, "Harkye, O +company of merchants, stop my lord Nur al-Din, for you and he are my +guests this night. I have a jar of old Greek wine and a fat lamb, fresh +fruit, flowers and confections; wherefore do ye all cheer me with your +company to-night and not one of you tarry behind." So the merchants +said, "O my lord Nur al-Din, we desire that thou be with us on the like +of this night, so we may talk together, we and thou, and we pray thee, +of thy favour and bounty, to bear us company, so we and thou, may be +the guests of this Frank, for he is a liberal man." And they conjured +him by the oath of divorce[FN#492] and hindered him by main force from +going home. Then they rose forthright and shutting up their shops, took +Nur al-Din and fared with the Frank, who brought them to a goodly and +spacious saloon, wherein were two daďses. Here he made them sit and set +before them a scarlet tray-cloth of goodly workmanship and unique +handiwork, wroughten in gold with figures of breaker and broken, lover +and beloved, asker and asked, whereon he ranged precious vessels of +porcelain and crystal, full of the costliest confections, fruits and +flowers, and brought them a flagon of old Greek wine. Then he bade +slaughter a fat lamb and kindling fire, proceeded to roast of its flesh +and feed the merchants therewith and give them draughts of that wine, +winking at them the while to ply Nur al-Din with drink. Accordingly +they ceased not plying him with wine till he became drunken and took +leave of his wits; so when the Frank saw that he was drowned in liquor, +he said to him, "O my lord Nur al-Din, thou gladdenest us with thy +company to-night: welcome, and again welcome to thee." Then he engaged +him awhile in talk, till he could draw near to him, when he said, with +dissembling speech, "O my lord, Nur al-Din, wilt thou sell me thy +slave-girl, whom thou boughtest in presence of these merchants a year +ago for a thousand dinars? I will give thee at this moment five +thousand gold pieces for her and thou wilt thus make four thousand +ducats profit." Nur al-Din refused, but the Frank ceased not to ply him +with meat and drink and lure him with lucre, still adding to his +offers, till he bid him ten thousand dinars for her; whereupon Nur +al-Din, in his drunkenness, said before the merchants, "I sell her to +thee for ten thousand dinars: hand over the money." At this the Frank +rejoiced with joy exceeding and took the merchants to witness the sale. +They passed the night in eating and drinking, mirth and merriment, till +the morning, when the Frank cried out to his pages, saying, "Bring me +the money." So they brought it to him and he counted out ten thousand +dinars to Nur al-Din, saying, "O my lord, take the price of thy +slave-girl, whom thou soldest to me last night, in the presence of +these Moslem merchants." Replied Nur al-Din, "O accursed, I sold thee +nothing and thou liest anent me, for I have no slave-girls." Quoth the +Frank, "In very sooth thou didst sell her to me and these merchants +were witnesses to the bargain." Thereupon all said, "Yes, indeed! thou +soldest him thy slave-girl before us for ten thousand dinars, O Nur +al-Din and we will all bear witness against thee of the sale. Come, +take the money and deliver him the girl, and Allah will give thee a +better than she in her stead. Doth it irk thee, O Nur al-Din, that thou +boughtest the girl for a thousand dinars and hast enjoyed for a year +and a half her beauty and loveliness and taken thy fill of her converse +and her favours? Furthermore thou hast gained some ten thousand golden +dinars by the sale of the zones which she made thee every day and thou +soldest for twenty sequins, and after all this thou hast sold her again +at a profit of nine thousand dinars over and above her original price. +And withal thou deniest the sale and belittlest and makest difficulties +about the profit! What gain is greater than this gain and what profit +wouldst thou have profitabler than this profit? An thou love her thou +hast had thy fill of her all this time: so take the money and buy thee +another handsomer than she; or we will marry thee to one of our +daughters, lovelier than she, at a dowry of less than half this price, +and the rest of the money will remain in thy hand as capital." And the +merchants ceased not to ply him with persuasion and special arguments +till he took the ten thousand dinars, the price of the damsel, and the +Frank straightway fetched Kazis and witnesses, who drew up the contract +of sale by Nur al-Din of the handmaid hight Miriam the Girdle-girl. +Such was his case; but as regards the damsel's, she sat awaiting her +lord from morning till sundown and from sundown till the noon of night; +and when he returned not, she was troubled and wept with sore weeping. +The old druggist heard her sobbing and sent his wife, who went in to +her and finding her in tears, said to her, "O my lady, what aileth thee +to weep?" Said she, "O my mother, I have sat waiting the return of my +lord, Nur al-Din all day; but he cometh not, and I fear lest some one +have played a trick on him, to make him sell me, and he have fallen +into the snare and sold me."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Miriam the +Girdle-girl said to the druggist's wife, "I am fearful lest some one +have been playing a trick on my lord to make him sell me, and he have +fallen into the snare and sold me." Said the other, "O my lady Miriam, +were they to give thy lord this hall full of gold as thy price, yet +would he not sell thee, for what I know of his love to thee. But, O my +lady, belike there be a company come from his parents at Cairo and he +hath made them an entertainment in the lodging where they alighted, +being ashamed to bring them hither, for that the place is not spacious +enough for them or because their condition is less than that he should +bring them to his own house; or belike he preferred to conceal thine +affair from them, so passed the night with them; and Inshallah! +to-morrow he will come to thee safe and sound. So burden not thy soul +with cark and care, O my lady, for of a certainty this is the cause of +his absence from thee last night and I will abide with thee this coming +night and comfort thee, until thy lord return to thee." So the +druggist's wife abode with her and cheered her with talk throughout the +dark hours and, when it was morning, Miriam saw her lord enter the +street followed by the Frank and amiddlemost a company of merchants, at +which sight her side-muscles quivered and her colour changed and she +fell a-shaking, as ship shaketh in mid-ocean for the violence of the +gale. When the druggist's wife saw this, she said to her, "O my lady +Miriam what aileth thee that I see thy case changed and thy face grown +pale and show disfeatured?" Replied she, "By Allah, O my lady, my heart +forebodeth me of parting and severance of union!" And she bemoaned +herself with the saddest sighs, reciting these couplets,[FN#493] + +"Incline not to parting, I pray; * For bitter its savour is aye. +E'en the sun at his setting turns pale * To think he must part + from the day; +And so, at his rising, for joy * Of reunion, he's radient and + gay." + + +Then Miriam wept passing sore wherethan naught could be more, making +sure of separation, and cried to the druggist's wife, "O my mother, +said I not to thee that my lord Nur al-Din had been tricked into +selling me? I doubt not but he hath sold me this night to yonder Frank, +albeit I bade him beware of him; but deliberation availeth not against +destiny. So the truth of my words is made manifest to thee." Whilst +they were talking, behold, in came Nur al-Din, and the damsel looked at +him and saw that his colour was changed and that he trembled and there +appeared on his face signs of grief and repentance: so she said to him, +"O my lord Nur al-Din, meseemeth thou hast sold me." Whereupon he wept +with sore weeping and groaned and lamented and recited these +couplets,[FN#494] + +"When e'er the Lord 'gainst any man, +Would fulminate some harsh decree, +And he be wise, and skilled to hear, +And used to see; +He stops his ears, and blinds his heart, +And from his brain ill judgment tears, +And makes it bald as 'twere a scalp, +Reft of its hairs;[FN#495] +Until the time when the whole man +Be pierced by this divine command; +Then He restores him intellect +To understand." + + +Then Nur al-Din began to excuse himself to his handmaid, saying, "By +Allah, O my lady Miriam, verily runneth the Reed with whatso Allah hath +decreed. The folk put a cheat on me to make me sell thee, and I fell +into the snare and sold thee. Indeed, I have sorely failed of my duty +to thee; but haply He who decreed our disunion will vouchsafe us +reunion." Quoth she, "I warned thee against this, for this it was I +dreaded." Then she strained him to her bosom and kissed him between the +eyes, reciting these couplets, + +"Now, by your love! your love I'll ne'er forget, * Though lost my + life for stress of pine and fret: +I weep and wail through livelong day and night * As moans the + dove on sandhill-tree beset. +O fairest friends, your absence spoils my life; * Nor find I + meeting-place as erst we met." + + +At this juncture, behold, the Frank came in to them and went up to +Miriam, to kiss her hands; but she dealt him a buffet with her palm on +the cheek, saying, "Avaunt, O accursed! Thou hast followed after me +without surcease, till thou hast cozened my lord into selling me! But O +accursed, all shall yet be well, Inshallah!" The Frank laughed at her +speech and wondered at her deed and excused himself to her, saying, "O +my lady Mirian, what is my offence? Thy lord Nur al-Din here sold thee +of his full consent and of his own free will. Had he loved thee, by the +right of the Messiah, he had not transgressed against thee! And had he +not fulfilled his desire of thee, he had not sold thee." Quoth one of +the poets, + +'Whom I irk let him fly fro' me fast and faster * If I name his + name I am no directer. +Nor the wide wide world is to me so narrow * That I act expecter + to this rejecter.'"[FN#496] + + +Now this handmaid was the daughter of the King of France, the which is +a wide and spacious city,[FN#497] abounding in manufactures and +rarities and trees and flowers and other growths, and resembleth the +city of Constantinople; and for her going forth of her father's city +there was a wondrous cause and thereby hangeth a marvellous tale which +we will set out in due order, to divert and delight the +hearer.[FN#498]—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the cause of +Miriam the Girdle-girl leaving her father and mother was a wondrous and +thereby hangeth a marvellous tale. She was reared with her father and +mother in honour and indulgence and learnt rhetoric and penmanship and +arithmetic and cavalarice and all manner crafts, such as broidery and +sewing and weaving and girdle-making and silk-cord making and +damascening gold on silver and silver on gold, brief all the arts both +of men and women, till she became the union-pearl of her time and the +unique gem of her age and day. Moreover, Allah (to whom belong Might +and Majesty!) had endowed her with such beauty and loveliness and +elegance and perfection of grace that she excelled therein all the folk +of her time, and the Kings of the isles sought her in marriage of her +sire, but he refused to give her to wife to any of her suitors, for +that he loved her with passing love and could not bear to be parted +from her a single hour. Moreover, he had no other daughter than +herself, albeit he had many sons, but she was dearer to him than all of +them. It fortuned one year that she fell sick of an exceeding sickness +and came nigh upon death, werefore she made a vow that, if she +recovered from her malady, she would make the pilgrimage to a certain +monastery, situate in such an island, which was high in repute among +the Franks, who used to make vows to it and look for a blessing +therefrom. When Miriam recovered from her sickness, she wished to +accomplish her vow anent the monastery and her sire despatched her to +the convent in a little ship, with sundry daughters of the +city-notables to wait upon her and patrician Knights to protect them +all. As they drew near the island, there came out upon them a ship of +the ships of the Moslems, champions of The Faith, warring in Allah's +way, who boarded the vessel and making prize of all therein, knights +and maidens, gifts and monies, sold their booty in the city of +Kayrawán.[FN#499] Miriam herself fell into the hands of a Persian +merchant, who was born impotent[FN#500] and for whom no woman had ever +discovered her nakedness; so he set her to serve him. Presently, he +fell ill and sickened well nigh unto death, and the sickness abode with +him two months, during which she tended him after the goodliest +fashion, till Allah made him whole of his malady, when he recalled her +tenderness and loving-kindness to him and the persistent zeal with +which she had nurst him and being minded to requite her the good +offices she had done him, said to her, "Ask a boon of me?" She said, "O +my lord, I ask of thee that thou sell me not but to the man of my +choice." He answered, "So be it. I guarantee thee. By Allah, O Miriam, +I will not sell thee but to him of whom thou shalt approve, and I put +thy sale in thine own hand." And she rejoiced herein with joy +exceeding. Now the Persian had expounded to her Al-Islam and she became +a Moslemah and learnt of him the rules of worship. Furthermore during +that period the Perisan had taught her the tenets of The Faith and the +observances incumbent upon her: he had made her learn the Koran by +heart and master somewhat of the theological sciences and the +traditions of the Prophet; after which, he brought her to +Alexandria-city and sold her to Nur al-Din, as we have before set out. +Meanwhile, when her father, the King of France, heard what had befallen +his daughter and her company, he saw Doomsday break and sent after her +ships full of knights and champions, horsemen and footmen; but they +fell not in any trace of her whom they sought in the Islands[FN#501] of +the Moslems; so all returned to him, crying out and saying, +"Well-away!" and "Ruin!" and "Well worth the day!" The King grieved for +her with exceeding grief and sent after her that one-eyed lameter, +blind of the left,[FN#502] for that he was his chief Wazir, a stubborn +tyrant and a froward devil,[FN#503] full of craft and guile, bidding +him make search for her in all the lands of the Moslems and buy her, +though with a ship-load of gold. So the accursed sought her, in all the +islands of the Arabs and all the cities of the Moslems, but found no +sign of her till he came to Alexandria-city where he made quest for her +and presently discovered that she was with Nur al-Din Ali the Cairene, +being directed to the trace of her by the kerchief aforesaid, for that +none could have wrought it in such goodly guise but she. Then he bribed +the merchants to help him in getting her from Nur al-Din and beguiled +her lord into selling her, as hath been already related. When he had +her in his possession, she ceased not to weep and wail: so he said to +her, "O my lady Miriam, put away from thee this mourning and grieving +and return with me to the city of thy sire, the seat of thy kingship +and the place of thy power and thy home, so thou mayst be among thy +servants and attendants and be quit of this abasement and this +strangerhood. Enough hath betided me of travail, of travel and of +disbursing monies on thine account, for thy father bade me buy thee +back, though with a shipload of gold; and now I have spent nigh a year +and a half in seeking thee." And he fell to kissing her hands and feet +and humbling himself to her; but the more he kissed and grovelled she +only redoubled in wrath against him, and said to him, "O accursed, may +Almighty Allah not vouchsafe thee to win thy wish!" Presently his pages +brought her a she-mule with gold-embroidered housings and mounting her +thereon, raised over her head a silken canopy, with staves of gold and +silver, and the Franks walked round about her, till they brought her +forth the city by the sea-gate,[FN#504] where they took boat with her +and rowing out to a great ship in harbor embarked therein. Then the +monocular Wazir cried out to the sailors, saying, "Up with the mast!" +So they set it up forthright and spreading the newly bent sails and the +colours manned the sweeps and put out to sea. Meanwhile Miriam +continued to gaze upon Alexandria, till it disappeared from her eyes, +when she fell a-weeping in her privacy with sore weeping.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eightieth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Wazir of the Frankish King put out to sea in the ship bearing Miriam +the Girdle-girl, she gazed Alexandria-wards till the city was hidden +from her sight when she wailed and wept copious tears and recited these +couplets, + +"O dwelling of my friends say is there no return * Uswards? But + what ken I of matters Allah made? +Still fare the ships of Severance, sailing hastily * And in my + wounded eyelids tear have ta'en their stead, +For parting from a friend who was my wish and will * Healed every + ill and every pain and pang allay'd. +Be thou, O Allah, substitute of me for him * Such charge some day + the care of Thee shall not evade." + + +Then she could not refrain from weeping and wailing. So the +patrician[FN#505] knights came up to her and would have comforted her, +but she heeded not their consoling words, being distracted by the +claims of passion and love-longing. And she shed tears and moaned and +complained and recited these couplets, + +"The tongue of Love within my vitals speaketh * Saying, 'This + lover boon of Love aye seeketh!' +And burn my liver hottest coals of passion * And parting on my + heart sore suffering wreaketh. +How shall I face this fiery love concealing * When fro' my + wounded lids the tear aye leaketh? + + +In this plight Miriam abode during all the voyage; no peace was left +her at all nor would patience come at her call. Such was her case in +company with the Wazir, the monocular, the lameter; but as regards Nur +al-Din the Cairene, when the ship had sailed with Miriam, the world was +straitened upon him and he had neither peace nor patience. He returned +to the lodging where they twain had dwelt, and its aspect was black and +gloomy in his sight. Then he saw the métier wherewith she had been wont +to make the zones and her dress that had been upon her beauteous body: +so he pressed them to his breast, whilst the tears gushed from his eyes +and he recited these couplets, + +"Say me, will Union after parting e'er return to be * After + long-lasting torments, after hopeless misery? +Alas! Alas! what wont to be shall never more return * But grant + me still return of dearest her these eyne may see. +I wonder me will Allah deign our parted lives unite * And will my + dear one's plighted troth preserve with constancy! +Naught am I save the prey of death since parting parted us; * And + will my friends consent that I a weird so deadly dree? +Alas my sorrow! Sorrowing the lover scant avails; * Indeed I melt + away in grief and passion's ecstasy: +Past is the time of my delight when were we two conjoined: * + Would Heaven I wot if Destiny mine esperance will degree! +Redouble then, O Heart, thy pains and, O mine eyes, o'erflow * + With tears till not a tear remain within these eyne of me? +Again alas for loved ones lost and loss of patience eke! * For + helpers fail me and my griefs are grown beyond decree. +The Lord of Threefold Worlds I pray He deign to me return * My + lover and we meet as wont in joy and jubilee." + + +Then Nur al-Din wept with weeping galore than which naught could be +more; and peering into ever corner of the room, recited these two +couplets, + +"I view their traces and with pain I pine * And by their sometime + home I weep and yearn; +And Him I pray who parting deigned decree * Some day He deign + vouchsafe me their return!" + + +Then Nur al-Din sprang to his feet and locking the door of the house, +fared forth running at speed, to the sea shore whence he fixed his eyes +on the place of the ship which had carried off his Miriam whilst sighs +burst from his breast and tears from his lids as he recited these +couplets, + +"Peace be with you, sans you naught compensateth me * The near, + the far, two cases only here I see: +I yearn for you at every hour and tide as yearns * For + water-place wayfarer plodding wearily. +With you abide my hearing, heart and eyen-sight * And (sweeter + than the honeycomb) your memory. +Then, O my Grief when fared afar your retinue * And bore that + ship away my sole expectancy." + + +And Nur al-Din wept and wailed, bemoaned himself and complained, crying +out and saying, "O Miriam! O Miriam! Was it but a vision of thee I saw +in sleep or in the allusions of dreams?" And by reason of that which +grew on him of regrets, he recited these couplets,[FN#506] + +"Mazed with thy love no more I can feign patience, +This heart of mine has held none dear but thee! +And if mine eye hath gazed on other's beauty, +Ne'er be it joyed again with sight of thee! +I've sworn an oath I'll ne'er forget to love thee, +And sad's this breast that pines to meet with thee! +Thou'st made me drink a love-cup full of passion, +Blest time! When I may give the draught to thee! +Take with thee this my form where'er thou goest, +And when thou 'rt dead let me be laid near thee! +Call on me in my tomb, my bones shall answer +And sigh responses to a call from thee! +If it were asked, 'What wouldst thou Heaven should order?' +'His will,' I answer, 'First, and then what pleases thee.'" + + +As Nur al-Din was in this case, weeping and crying out, "O Miriam! O +Miriam!" behold, an old man landed from a vessel and coming up to him, +saw him shedding tears and heard him reciting these verses, + +"O Maryam of beauty[FN#507] return, for these eyne * Are as + densest clouds railing drops in line: +Ask amid mankind and my railers shall say * That mine eyelids are + drowning these eyeballs of mine." + + +Said the old man, "O my son, meseems thou weepest for the damsel who +sailed yesterday with the Frank?" When Nur al-Din heard these words of +the Shaykh he fell down in a swoon and lay for a long while without +life; then, coming to himself, he wept with sore weeping and improvised +these couplets, + +"Shall we e'er be unite after severance-tide * And return in the + perfectest cheer to bide? +In my heart indeed is a lowe of love * And I'm pained by the + spies who my pain deride: +My days I pass in amaze distraught, * And her image a-nights I + would see by side: +By Allah, no hour brings me solace of love * And how can it when + makebates vex me and chide? +A soft-sided damsel of slenderest waist * Her arrows of eyne on + my heart hath plied? +Her form is like Bán[FN#508]-tree branch in garth * Shame her + charms the sun who his face most hide: +Did I not fear God (be He glorified!) * 'My Fair be glorified!' + Had I cried." + + +The old man looked at him and noting his beauty and grace and symmetry +and the fluency of his tongue and the seductiveness of his charms, had +ruth on him and his heart mourned for his case. Now that Shaykh was the +captain of a ship, bound to the damsel's city, and in this ship were a +hundred Moslem merchants, men of the Saving Faith; so he said to Nur +al-Din, "Have patience and all will yet be well; I will bring thee to +her an it be the will of Allah, extolled and exalted be He!"—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-first Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old +skipper said to Nur al-Din, "I will bring thee to her, Inshallah!" the +youth asked, "When shall we set out?" and the other said, "Come but +three days more and we will depart in peace and prosperity." Nur al-Din +rejoiced at the captain's words with joy exceeding and thanked him for +his bounty and benevolence. Then he recalled the days of love-liesse +dear and union with his slave-girl without peer, and he shed bitter +tears and recited these couplets, + +"Say, will to me and you the Ruthful union show * My lords! Shall + e'er I win the wish of me or no? +A visit-boon by you will shifty Time vouchsafe? * And seize your + image eye-lids which so hungry grow? +With you were Union to be sold, I fain would buy; * But ah, I see + such grace doth all my means outgo!" + + +Then Nur al-Din went forthright to the market and bought what he needed +of viaticum and other necessaries for the voyage and returned to the +Rais, who said to him, "O my son, what is that thou hast with thee?" +said he, "My provisions and all whereof I have need for the voyage." +Thereupon quoth the old man, laughing, "O my son, art thou going +a-pleasuring to Pompey's Pillar?[FN#509] Verily, between thee and that +thou seekest is two months' journey and the wind be fair and the +weather favourable." Then he took of him somewhat of money and going to +the bazar, bought him a sufficiency of all that he needed for the +voyage and filled him a large earthen jar[FN#510] with fresh water. Nur +al-Din abode in the ship three days until the merchants had made an end +of their precautions and preparations and embarked, when they set sail +and putting out to sea, fared on one-and-fifty days. After this, there +came out upon them corsairs,[FN#511] pirates who sacked the ship and +taking Nur al-Din and all therein prisoners, carried them to the city +of France and paraded them before the King, who bade cast them into +jail, Nur al-Din amongst the number. As they were being led to prison +the galleon[FN#512] arrived with the Princess Miriam and the one-eyed +Wazir, and when it made the harbour, the lameter landed and going up to +the King gave him the glad news of his daughter's safe return: +whereupon they beat the kettledrums for good tidings and decorated the +city after the goodliest fashion. Then the King took horse, with all +his guards and lords and notables and rode down to the sea to meet her. +The moment the ship cast anchor she came ashore, and the King saluted +her and embraced her and mounting her on a bloodsteed, bore her to the +palace, where her mother received her with open arms, and asked her of +her case and whether she was a maid as before or whether she had become +a woman carnally known by man.[FN#513] She replied, "O my mother, how +should a girl, who hath been sold from merchant to merchant in the land +of Moslems, a slave commanded, abide a virgin? The merchant who bought +me threatened me with the bastinado and violenced me and took my +maidenhead, after which he sold me to another and he again to a third." +When the Queen heard these her words, the light in her eyes became +night and she repeated her confession to the King who was chagrined +thereat and his affair was grievous to him. So he expounded her case to +his Grandees and Patricians[FN#514] who said to him, "O King, she hath +been defiled by the Moslems and naught will purify her save the +striking off of an hundred Mohammedan heads." Whereupon the King sent +for the True Believers he had imprisoned; and they decapitated them, +one after another, beginning with the captain, till none was left save +Nur al-Din. They tare off a strip of his skirt and binding his eyes +therewith, led him to the rug of blood and were about to smite his +neck, when behold, an ancient dame came up to the King at that very +moment and said, "O my lord, thou didst vow to bestow upon each and +every church five Moslem captives, to help us in the service thereof, +so Allah would restore thee thy daughter the Princess Miriam; and now +she is restored to thee, so do thou fulfil thy vow." The King replied, +"O my mother, by the virtue of the Messiah and the Veritable Faith, +there remaineth to me of the prisoners but this one captive, whom they +are about to put to death: so take him with thee to help in the service +of the church, till there come to me more prisoners of the Moslems, +when I will send thee other four. Hadst thou come earlier, before they +hewed off the heads of these, I had given thee as many as thou wouldest +have." The old woman thanked the King for his boon and wished him +continuance of life, glory and prosperity. Then without loss of time +she went up to Nur al-Din, whom she raised from the rug of blood; and, +looking narrowly at him saw a comely youth and a dainty, with a +delicate skin and a face like the moon at her full; whereupon she +carried him to the church and said to him, "O my son, doff these +clothes which are upon thee, for they are fit only for the service of +the Sultan."[FN#515] So saying the ancient dame brought him a gown and +hood of black wool and a broad girdle,[FN#516] in which she clad and +cowled him; and, after binding on his belt, bade him do the service of +the church. Accordingly, he served the church seven days, at the end of +which time behold, the old woman came up to him and said, "O Moslem, +don thy silken dress and take these ten dirhams and go out forthright +and divert thyself abroad this day, and tarry not here a single moment, +lest thou lose thy life." Quoth he, "What is to do, O my mother?"; and +quoth she, "Know, O my son, that the King's daughter, the Princess +Miriam the Girdle-girl, hath a mind to visit the church this day, to +seek a blessing by pilgrimage and to make oblation thereto, a +douceur[FN#517] of thank-offering for her deliverance from the land of +the Moslems and in fulfilment of the vows she vowed to the Messiah, so +he would save her. With her are four hundred damsels, not one of whom +but is perfect in beauty and loveliness and all of them are daughters +of Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees: they will be here during this very +hour and if their eyes fall on thee in this church, they will hew thee +in pieces with swords." Thereupon Nur al-Din took the ten dirhams from +the ancient dame, and donning his own dress, went out to the bazar and +walked about the city and took his pleasure therein, till he knew its +highways and gates,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-second Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Nur al-Din, +after donning his own dress and taking the ten dirhams from the ancient +dame, fared forth to the market streets and wandered about a while till +he knew every quarter of the city, after which he returned to the +church[FN#518] and saw the Princess Miriam the Girdle-girl, daughter of +the King of France come up to the fane, attended by four hundred +damsels, high-bosomed maids like moons, amongst whom was the daughter +of the one-eyed Wazir and those of the Emirs and Lords of the realm; +and she walked in their midst as she were moon among stars. When his +eyes fell upon her Nur al-Din could not contain himself, but cried out +from the core of his heart, "O Miriam! O Miriam!" When the damsels +heard his outcry they ran at him with swords shining bright like +flashes of leven-light and would have slain him forthright. But the +Princess turned and looking on him, knew him with fullest knowledge, +and said to her maidens, "Leave this youth; doubtless he is mad, for +the signs of madness be manifest on his face." When Nur al-Din heard +this, he uncovered his head and rolled his eyes and made signs with his +hands and twisted his legs, foaming the while at the mouth. Quoth the +Princess, "Said I not that the poor youth was mad? Bring him to me and +stand off from him, that I may hear what he saith; for I know the +speech of the Arabs and will look into his case and see if his madness +admit of cure or not." So they laid hold of him and brought him to her; +after which they withdrew to a distance and she said to him, "Hast thou +come hither on my account and ventured thy life for my sake and +feignest thyself mad?" He replied, "O my lady, hast thou not heard the +saying of the poet?,[FN#519] + +'Quoth they, 'Thou'rt surely raving mad for her thou lov'st;' and + I, 'There is no pleasantness in life but for the mad,' + reply. +Compare my madness with herself for whom I rave; if she Accord + therewith, then blame me not for that which I aby.'" + + +Miriam replied, "By Allah, O Nur al-Din, indeed thou hast sinned +against thyself, for I warned thee of this before it befell thee: yet +wouldst thou not hearken to me, but followedst thine own lust: albeit +that whereof I gave thee to know I learnt not by means of inspiration +nor physiognomy[FN#520] nor dreams, but by eye-witness and very sight; +for I saw the one-eyed Wazir and knew that he was not come to +Alexandria but in quest of me." Said he, "O my lady Miriam, we seek +refuge with Allah from the error of the intelligent!"[FN#521] Then his +affliction redoubled on him and he recited this saying,[FN#522] + +"Pass o'er my fault, for 'tis the wise man's wont +Of other's sins to take no harsh account; +And as all crimes have made my breast their site, +So thine all shapes of mercy should unite. +Who from above would mercy seek to know, +Should first be merciful to those below." + + +Then Nur al-Din and Princess Miriam ceased not from lovers' chiding +which to trace would be tedious, relating each to other that which had +befallen them and reciting verses and making moan, one to other, of the +violence of passion and the pangs of pine and desire, whilst the tears +ran down their cheeks like rivers, till there was left them no strength +to say a word and so they continued till day deprated and night +darkened. Now the Princess was clad in a green dress, purfled with red +gold and broidered with pearls and gems which enhanced her beauty and +loveliness and inner grace; and right well quoth the poet of +her,[FN#523] + +"Like the full moon she shineth in garments all of green, With + loosened vest and collars and flowing hair beseen. +'What is thy name?' I asked her, and she replied, 'I'm she Who + roasts the hearts of lovers on coals of love and teen. +I am the pure white silver, ay, and the gold wherewith The + bondsmen from strait prison and dour releasčd been.' +Quoth I, 'I'm all with rigours consumed;' but 'On a rock,' Said + she, 'such as my heart is, thy plaints are wasted clean.' +'Even if thy heart,' I answered, 'be rock in very deed, Yet hath + God caused fair water well from the rock, I ween.'" + + +And when night darkened on them the Lady Miriam went up to her women +and asked them, "Have ye locked the door?"; and they answered, "Indeed +we have locked it." So she took them and went with them to a place +called the Chapel of the Lady Mary the Virgin, Mother of Light, because +the Nazarenes hold that there are her heart and soul. The girls betook +themselves to prayer for blessings from above and circuited all the +church; and when they had made an end of their visitation, the Princess +turned to them and said, "I desire to pass the night alone in the +Virgin's chapel and seek a blessing thereof, for that yearning after it +hath betided me, by reason of my long absence in the land of the +Moslems; and as for you, when ye have made an end of your visitation, +do ye sleep whereso ye will." Replied they, "With love and goodly gree: +be it as thou wilt!"; and leaving her alone in the chapel, dispersed +about the church and slept. The Lady Miriam waited till they were out +of sight and hearing, then went in search of Nur al-Din, whom she found +sitting in a corner on live coals, awaiting her. He rose and kissed her +hands and feet and she sat down and seated him by her side. Then she +pulled off all that was upon her of raiment and ornaments and fine +linen and taking Nur al-Din in her arms strained him to her bosom. And +they ceased not, she and he, from kissing and clipping and strumming to +the tune of "hocus-pocus,"[FN#524] saying the while, "How short are the +nights of Union and the nights of Disunion how long are they!" and +reciting these verses, + +"O Night of Union, Time's virginal prized, * White star of the + Nights with auroral dyes, +Thou garrest Dawn after Noon to rise * Say art thou Kohl in + Morning's Eyes, +Or wast thou Slumber to bleared eye lief? +O Night of Parting, how long thy stay * Whose latest hours aye + the first portray, +This endless circle that noways may * Show breach till the coming + of Judgment-day, +Day when dies the lover of parting-grief."[FN#525] + + +As they were in this mighty delight and joy engrossing they heard one +of the servants of the Saint[FN#526] smite the gong[FN#527] upon the +roof, to call the folk to the rites of their worship, and he was even +as saith the poet, + +"I saw him strike the gong and asked of him straightway, * Who + made the Fawn[FN#528] at striking going so knowing, eh?' +And to my soul, 'What smiting irketh thee the more— * Striking + the gong or striking note of going,[FN#529] say?'" + + +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Nur al-Din and +Miriam the Girdle-girl rose forthwith and donned her clothes and +ornaments; but this was grievous to Nur al-Din, and his gladness was +troubled; the tears streamed from his eyes and he recited these +couplets, + +"I ceasčd not to kiss that cheek with budding roses dight * And + eyes down cast and bit the same with most emphatic bite; +Until we were in gloria[FN#530] and lay him down the spy * And + sank his eyes within his brain declining further sight: +And struck the gongs as they that had the charge of them were + like * Muezzin crying duty-prayers in Allah's book indite. +Then rose she up right hastily and donned the dress she'd doffed + * Sore fearing lest a shooting-star[FN#531] upon our heads + alight. +And cried, 'O wish and will of me, O end of all my hopes! * + Behold the morning comes to us in brightest whitest light.' +I swear if but one day of rule were given to my life * And I were + made an Emperor of majesty and might, +Adown I'd break the buttresses of churches one and all * And by + their slaughter rid the earth of every shaveling wight." + + +Then the Lady Miriam pressed him to her bosom and kissed his cheek and +asked him, "O Nur al-Din, how long hast thou been in this town?" "Seven +days." "Hast thou walked about in it, and dost thou know its ways and +issues and its sea-gates and land gates?" "Yes!" "Knowest thou the way +to the offertory-chest[FN#532] of the church?" "Yes!" "Since thou +knowest all this, as soon as the first third[FN#533] of the coming +night is over, go to the offertory-chest and take thence what thou +wishest and willest. Then open the door that giveth upon the +tunnel[FN#534] leading to the sea, and go down to the harbour, where +thou wilt find a little ship and ten men therein, and when the Rais +shall see thee, he will put out his hand to thee. Give him thy hand and +he will take thee up into the ship, and do thou wait there till I come +to thee. But 'ware and have a care lest sleep overtake thee this night, +or thou wilt repent whenas repentance shall avail thee naught." Then +the Princess farewelled him and going forth from Nur al-Din, aroused +from sleep her women and the rest of the damsels, with whom she betook +herself to the church door and knocked; whereupon the ancient dame +opened to her and she went forth and found the knights and varlets +standing without. They brought her a dapple she-mule and she mounted: +whereupon they raised over her head a canopy[FN#535] with curtains of +silk, and the knights took hold of the mule's halter. Then the +guards[FN#536] encompassed her about, drawn brand in hand, and fared on +with her, followed by her, till they brought her to the palace of the +King her father. Meanwhile, Nur al-Din abode concealed behind the +curtain, under cover of which Miriam and he had passed the night, till +it was broad day, when the main door was opened and the church became +full of people. Then he mingled with the folk and accosted the old +Prioress, the guardian[FN#537] of the shrine, who said to him, "Where +didst thou lie last night?" Said he, "In the town as thou badest me." +Quoth she, "O my son, thou hast done the right thing; for, hadst thou +nighted in the Church, she had slain thee on the foulest wise." And +quoth he, "Praised be Allah who hath delivered me from the evil of this +night!" Then he busied himself with the service of the church and +ceased not busying till day departed and night with darkness starkened +when he arose and opened the offertory-chest and took thence of jewels +whatso was light of weight and weighty of worth. Then he tarried till +the first watch of the night was past, when he made his way to the +postern of the tunnel and opening it, went forth, calling on Allah for +protection, and ceased not faring on until, after finding and opening +the door, he came to the sea. Here he discovered the vessel moored to +the shore near the gate; and her skipper, a tall old man of comely +aspect with a long beard, standing in the waist, his ten men being +ranged before him. Nur al-Din gave him his hand, as Miriam had bidden +him, and the captain took it and pulling him on board of the ship cried +out to his crew, saying, "Cast off the moorings and put out to sea with +us, ere day break." Said one of the ten, "O my lord the Captain, how +shall we put out now, when the King hath notified us that to-morrow he +will embark in this ship and go round about the sea, being fearful for +his daughter Miriam from the Moslem thieves?" But the Rais cried out at +them saying, "Woe to you, O accursed; Dare ye gainsay me and bandy +words with me?" So saying the old captain bared his blade and with it +dealt the sailor who had spoken a thrust in the throat, that the steel +came out gleaming from his nape; and quoth another of the sailors, +"What hath our comrade done of crime, that thou shouldst cut his +throat?" Thereupon the captain clapped hand to sword and smote off the +speaker's head, nor did he leave smiting the rest of the sailors till +he had slain them all, one after other, and cast the ten bodies ashore. +Then he turned to Nur al-Din and cried out at him with a terrible great +cry, that made him tremble, saying, "Go down and pull up the +mooring-stake." Nur al-Din feared lest he should strike him also with +the sword; so he sprang up and leapt ashore and pulling up the stake +jumped aboard again, swiftlier than the dazzling leven. The captain +ceased not to bid him do this and do that and tack and wear hither and +thither and look at the stars, and Nur al-Din did all that he bade him, +with heart a-quaking for affright; whilst he himself spread the sails, +and the ship fared with the twain into the dashing sea, swollen with +clashing billows.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old +skipper had made sail he drave the ship, aided by Nur al-Din, into the +dashing sea before a favouring gale. Meanwhile, Nur al-Din held on to +the tackle immersed in deep thought, and drowned in the sea of +solicitude, knowing not what was hidden for him in the future; and +whenever he looked at the captain, his heart quaked and he knew not +whither the Rais went with him. He abode thus, preoccupied with care +and doubt, till it was high day, when he looked at the skipper and saw +him take hold of his long beard and pull at it, whereupon it came off +in his hand and Nur al-Din, examining it, saw that it was but a false +beard glued on. So he straitly considered that same Rais, and behold, +it was the Princess Miriam, his mistress and the dearling of his heart, +who had contrived to waylay the captain and slay him and skinned off +his beard, which she had stuck on to her own face. At this Nur al-Din +was transported for joy, and his breast broadened and he marvelled at +her prowess and the stoutness of her heart and said to her, "Welcome, O +my hope and my desire and the end of mine every wish!" Then love and +gladness agitated him and he made sure of winning to his hopes and his +expectancy; wherefore he broke out into song and chanted these +couplets, + +"To all who unknown my love for the May * From whom Fate disjoins + me O say, I pray, +'Ask my kith and kin of my love that aye * Ensweetens my verses + to lovely lay: + For the loss of the tribesmen my life o'er sway!' + + +Their names when named heal all malady; * Cure and chase from + heart every pain I dree: +And my longings for love reach so high degree * That my Sprite is + maddened each morn I see, + And am grown of the crowd to be saw and say. + + +No blame in them will I e'er espy: * No! nor aught of solace sans + them descry: +Your love hath shot me with pine, and I * Bear in heart a flame + that shall never die, + But fire my liver with fiery ray. + + +All folk my sickness for marvel score * That in darkest night I + wake evermore +What ails them to torture this heart forlore * And deem right for + loving my blood t' outpour: + And yet—how justly unjust are they! + + +Would I wot who 'twas could obtain of you * To wrong a youth + who's so fain of you: +By my life and by Him who made men of you * And the spy tell + aught I complain of you + He lies, by Allah, in foulest way! + + +May the Lord my sickness never dispel, * Nor ever my heart of its + pains be well, +What day I regret that in love I fell * Or laud any land but + wherein ye dwell: + Wring my heart and ye will or make glad and gay! + + +I have vitals shall ever be true to you * Though racked by the + rigours not new to you +Ere this wrong and this right I but sue to you: * Do what you + will to thrall who to you + Shall ne'er grudge his life at your feet to lay." + + +When Nur al-Din ceased to sing, the Princess Miriam marvelled at his +song and thanked him therefor, saying, "Whoso's case is thus it +behoveth him to walk the ways of men and never do the deed of curs and +cowards." Now she was stout of heart and cunning in the sailing of +ships over the salt sea, and she knew all the winds and their shiftings +and every course of the main. So Nur al-Din said, "O my lady, hadst +thou prolonged this case on me,[FN#538] I had surely died for stress of +affright and chagrin, more by token of the fire of passion and +love-longing and the cruel pangs of separation." She laughed at his +speech and rising without stay or delay brought out somewhat of food +and liquor; and they ate and drank and enjoyed themselves and made +merry. Then she drew forth rubies and other gems and precious stones +and costly trinkets of gold and silver and all manner things of price, +light of weight and weighty of worth, which she had taken from the +palace of her sire and his treasuries, and displayed them to Nur +al-Din, who rejoiced therein with joy exceeding. All this while the +wind blew fair for them and merrily sailed the ship nor ceased sailing +till they drew near the city of Alexandria and sighted its landmarks, +old and new, and Pompey's Pillar. When they made the port, Nur al-Din +landed forthright and securing the ship to one of the +Fulling-Stones,[FN#539] took somewhat of the treasures that Miriam had +brought with her, and said to her, "O my lady, tarry in the ship, +against I return and carry thee up into the city in such way as I +should wish and will." Quoth she, "It behoveth that this be done +quickly, for tardiness in affairs engendereth repentance." Quoth he, +"There is no tardiness in me;" and, leaving her in the ship, went up +into the city to the house of the druggist his father's old fried, to +borrow of his wife for Miriam veil and mantilla, and walking boots and +petticoat-trousers after the usage of the women of Alexandria, +unknowing that there was appointed to betide him of the shifts of Time, +the Father of Wonders, that which was far beyond his reckoning. Thus it +befel Nur al-Din and Miriam the Girdle-girl; but as regards her sire +the King of France, when he arose in the morning, he missed his +daughter and questioned her women and her eunuchs of her. Answered +they, "O our lord, she went out last night, to go to Church and after +that we have no tidings of her." But, as the King talked with them, +behold, there arose so great a clamour of cries below the palace, that +the place rang thereto, and he said, "What may be the news?" The folk +replied, "O King, we have found ten men slain on the sea-shore, and the +royal yacht is missing. Moreover we saw the postern of the Church, +which giveth upon the tunnel leading to the sea, wide open; and the +Moslem prisoner, who served in the Church, is missing." Quoth the King, +"An my ship be lost, without doubt or dispute."—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night, + +She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King +of France missed his daughter they brought him tidings of her, saying, +"Thy yacht is lost"; and he replied, "An the craft be lost, without +dispute or doubt my daughter is in it." So he summoned without stay or +delay the Captain of the Port and cried out at him, saying, "By the +virtue[FN#540] of the Messiah and the Faith which is no liar, except +thou and thy fighting men overtake my ship forthright and bring it back +to me, with those who are therein, I will do thee die the foulest of +deaths and make a terrible example of thee!" Thereupon the captain went +out from before him, trembling, and betook himself to the ancient dame +of the Church, to whom said he, 'Heardest thou aught from the captive, +that was with thee, anent his native land and what countryman he was?" +And she answered, "He used to say, I come from the town of Alexandria." +When the captain heard the old woman's words he returned forthright to +the port and cried out to the sailors, "Make ready and set sail." So +they did his bidding and straightway putting out to sea, fared night +and day till they sighted the city of Alexandria at the very time when +Nur al-Din landed, leaving the Princess in the ship. They soon espied +the royal yacht and knew her; so they moored their own vessel at a +distance therefrom and putting off in a little frigate they had with +them, which drew but two cubits of water and in which were an hundred +fighting-men, amongst them the one-eyed Wazir (for that he was a +stubborn tyrant and a froward devil and a wily thief, none could avail +against his craft, as he were Abu Mohammed al-Battál[FN#541]), they +ceased not rowing till they reached the bark and boarding her, all at +once, found none therein save the Princess Miriam. So they took her and +the ship, and returning to their own vessel, after they had landed and +waited a long while,[FN#542] set sail forthright for the land of the +Franks, having accomplished their errand, without a fight or even +drawing sword. The wind blew fair for them and they sailed on, without +ceasing and with all diligence, till they reached the city of France +and landing with the Princess Miriam carried her to her father, who +received her, seated on the throne of his Kingship. As soon as he saw +her, he said to her, "Woe to thee, O traitress! What ailed thee to +leave the faith of thy fathers and forefathers and the safeguard of the +Messiah, on whom is our reliance, and follow after the faith of the +Vagrants,[FN#543] to wit, the faith of Al-Islam, the which arose with +the sword against the Cross and the Images?" Replied Miriam, "I am not +at fault, I went out by night to the church, to visit the Lady Mary and +seek a blessing of her, when there fell upon me unawares a band of +Moslem robbers, who gagged me and bound me fast and carrying me on +board the barque, set sail with me for their own country. However, I +beguiled them and talked with them of their religion, till they loosed +my bonds; and ere I knew it thy men overtook me and delivered me. And +by the virtue of the Messiah and the Faith which is no liar and the +Cross and the Crucified thereon, I rejoiced with joy exceeding in my +release from them and my bosom broadened and I was glad for my +deliverance from the bondage of the Moslems!" Rejoined the King, "Thou +liest, O whore! O adultress! By the virtue of that which is revealed of +prohibition and permission in the manifest Evangel,[FN#544] I will +assuredly do thee die by the foulest of deaths and make thee the vilest +of examples! Did it not suffice thee to do as thou didst the first time +and put off thy lies upon us, but thou must return upon us with thy +deceitful inventions?" Thereupon the King bade kill her and crucify her +over the palace gate; but, at that moment the one-eyed Wazir, who had +long been enamoured of the Princess, came in to him and said, "Ho King! +slay her not, but give her to me to wife, and I will watch over her +with the utmost warding, nor will I go in unto her, till I have built +her a palace of solid stone, exceeding high of foundation, so no +thieves may avail to climb up to its terrace-roof; and when I have made +an end of building it, I will sacrifice thirty Moslems before the gate +thereof, as an expiatory offering to the Messiah for myself and for +her." The King granted his request and bade the priests and monks and +patriarchs marry the Princess to him; so they did his bidding, +whereupon he bade set about building a strong and lofty palace, +befitting her rank and the workmen fell to work upon it. On this wise +it betided the Princess Miriam and her sire and the one-eyed Wazir; but +as regards Nur al-Din, when he came back with the petticoat-trousers +and mantilla and walking boots and all the attire of Alexandrian women +which he had borrowed of the druggist's wife, he "found the air void +and the fane afar[FN#545]";—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night, + +She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nur +al-Din, "found the air void[FN#546] and the fane afar," his heart sank +within him and he wept floods of tears and recited these +verses,[FN#547] + +"The phantom of Soada came by night to wake me towards morning + while my companions were sleeping in the desert: +But when we awoke to behold the nightly phantom, I saw the air + vacant, and the place of visitation distant." + + +Then Nur al-Din walked on along the sea-shore and turned right and +left, till he saw folk gathered together on the beach and heard them +say, "O Moslems, there remaineth no honour to Alexandria-city, since +the Franks enter it and snatch away those who are therein and return to +their own land, at their leisure[FN#548] nor pursued of any of the +Moslems or fighters for the Faith!" Quoth Nur al-Din to them, "What is +to do?"; and quoth they, "O my son, one of the ships of the Franks, +full of armed men, came down but now upon the port and carried off a +ship which was moored here, with her that was therein, and made +unmolested for their own land." Nur al-Din fell down a-swoon, on +hearing these words; and when he recovered they questioned him of his +case and he told them all that had befallen him first and last; +whereupon they all took to reviling him and railing at him, saying, +"Why couldst thou not bring her up into the town without mantilla and +muffler?" And all and each of the folk gave him some grievous word, +berating him with sharp speech, and shooting at him some shaft of +reproach, albeit one said, "Let him be; that which hath befallen him +sufficeth him," till he again fell down in a fainting-fit. And behold, +at this moment, up came the old druggist, who, seeing the folk gathered +together, drew near to learn what was the matter and found Nur al-Din +lying a-swoon in their midst. So he sat down at his head and arousing +him, said to him as soon as he recovered, "O my son, what is this case +in which I see thee?" Nur al-Din said, "O uncle, I had brought back in +a barque my lost slave-girl from her father's city, suffering patiently +all I suffered of perils and hardships; and when I came with her to +this port, I made the vessel fast to the shore and leaving her therein, +repaired to thy dwelling and took of thy consort what was needful for +her, that I might bring her up into the town; but the Franks came and +capturing barque and damsel made off unhindered, and returned to their +own land." Now when the Shaykh, the druggist, heard this, the light in +his eyes became night and he grieved with sore grieving for Nur al-Din +and said to him, "O my son, why didst thou not bring her out of the +ship into the city without mantilla? But speech availeth not at this +season; so rise, O my son, and come up with me to the city; haply Allah +will vouchsafe thee a girl fairer than she, who shall console thee for +her. Alhamdolillah-praised be Allah-who hath not made thee lose aught +by her! Nay, thou hast gained by her. And bethink thee, O my son, that +Union and Disunion are in the hands of the Most High King." Replied Nur +al-Din, "By Allah, O uncle, I can never be consoled for her loss nor +will I ever leave seeking her, though on her account I drink the cup of +death!" Rejoined the druggist, "O my son, and what art thou minded to +do?" Quoth Nur al-Din, "I am minded to return to the land of the +Franks[FN#549] and enter the city of France and emperil myself there; +come what may, loss of life or gain of life." Quoth the druggist, "O my +son, there is an old saw, 'Not always doth the crock escape the shock'; +and if they did thee no hurt the first time, belike they will slay thee +this time, more by token that they know thee now with full knowledge." +Quoth Nur al-Din, "O my uncle, let me set out and be slain for the love +of her straightway and not die of despair for her loss by slow +torments." Now as Fate determined there was then a ship in port ready +to sail, for its passengers had made an end of their affairs[FN#550] +and the sailors had pulled up the mooring-stakes, when Nur al-Din +embarked in her. So they shook out their canvas and relying on the +Compassionate, put out to sea and sailed many days, with fair wind and +weather, till behold, they fell in with certain of the Frank cruisers, +which were scouring those waters and seizing upon all ships they saw, +in their fear for the King's daughter from the Moslem corsairs: and as +often as they made prize of a Moslem ship, they carried all her people +to the King of France, who put them to death in fulfilment of the vow +he had vowed on account of his daughter Miriam. So, seeing the ship +wherein was Nur al-Din they boarded her and taking him and the rest of +the company prisoners, to the number of an hundred Moslems, carried +them to the King and set them between his hands. He bade cut their +throats. Accordingly they slaughtered them all forthwith, one after +another, till there was none left but Nur al-Din, whom the headsman had +left to the last, in pity of his tender age and slender shape. When the +King saw him, he knew him right well and said to him, "Art thou not Nur +al-Din, who was with us before?" Said he, "I was never with thee: and +my name is not Nur al-Din, but Ibrahim." Rejoined the King; "Thou +liest, thou art Nur al-Din, he whom I gave to the ancient dame the +Prioress, to help her in the service of the church." But Nur al-Din +replied, "O my lord, my name is Ibrahim." Quoth the King, "Wait a +while," and bade his knights fetch the old woman forthright, saying, +"When she cometh and seeth thee, she will know an thou be Nur al-Din or +not." At this juncture, behold, in came the one-eyed Wazir who had +married the Princess and kissing the earth before the King said to him, +"Know, O King, that the palace is finished; and thou knowest how I +vowed to the Messiah that, when I had made an end of building it, I +would cut thirty Moslems' throats before its doors; wherefore I am come +to take them of thee, that I may sacrifice them and so fulfil my vow to +the Messiah. They shall be at my charge, by way of loan, and whenas +there come prisoners to my hands, I will give thee other thirty in lieu +of them." Replied the King, 'By the virtue of the Messiah and the Faith +which is no liar, I have but this one captive left!" And he pointed to +Nur al-Din, saying, "Take him and slaughter him at this very moment and +the rest I will send thee when there come to my hands other prisoners +of the Moslems." Thereupon the one-eyed Wazir arose and took Nur al-Din +and carried him to his palace, thinking to slaughter him on the +threshold of the gate; but the painters said to him, "O my lord, we +have two days' painting yet to do: so bear with us and delay to cut the +throat of this captive, till we have made an end of our work; haply by +that time the rest of the thirty will come, so thou mayst despatch them +all at one bout and accomplish thy vow in a single day." Thereupon the +Wazir bade imprison Nur al-Din.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir +bade imprison Nur al-Din, they carried him to the stables and left him +there in chains, hungering and thirsting and making moan for himself; +for indeed he saw death face to face. Now it fortuned, by the ordinance +of Destiny and fore-ordained Fate, that the King had two stallions, own +brothers,[FN#551] such as the Chosroe Kings might sigh in vain to +possess themselves of one of them; they were called Sábik and +Láhik[FN#552] and one of them was pure silvern white while the other +was black as the darksome night. And all the Kings of the isles had +said, "Whoso stealeth us one of these stallions, we will give him all +he seeketh of red gold and pearls and gems;" but none could avail to +steal them. Now one of them fell sick of a jaundice and there came a +whiteness over his eyes;[FN#553] whereupon the King gathered together +all the farriers in the city to treat him; but they all failed of his +cure. Presently the Wazir came into the King; and finding him troubled +because of the horse, thought to do away his concern and said to him, +"O King, give me the stallion and I will cure him," The King consented +and caused carry the horse to the stable wherein Nur al-Din lay +chained; but, when he missed his brother, he cried out with an +exceeding great cry and neighed, so that he affrighted all the folk. +The Wazir, seeing that he did thus but because he was parted from his +brother, went to tell the King, who said, "If this, which is but a +beast, cannot brook to be parted from his brother, how should it be +with those that have reason?" And he bade his grooms take the other +horse and put him with his brother in the Wazir's stables, saying, +"Tell the Minister that the two stallions be a gift from me to him, for +the sake of my daughter Miriam." Nur al-Din was lying in the stable, +chained and shackled, when they brought in the two stallions and he saw +that one of them had a film over his eyes. Now he had some knowledge of +horses and of the doctoring of their diseases; so he said to himself, +"This by Allah is my opportunity! I will go to the Wazir and lie to +him, saying, 'I will heal thee this horse': then will I do with him +somewhat that shall destroy his eyes, and he will slay me and I shall +be at rest from this woe-full life." So he waited till the Wazir +entered the stable, to look upon the steed, and said to him, "O my +lord, what will be my due, an I heal this horse, and make his eyes +whole again?" Replied the Wazir, "As my head liveth, an thou cure him, +I will spare thy life and give thee leave to crave a boon of me!" And +Nur al-Din said, "O my lord, bid my hands be unbound!" So the Wazir +bade unbind him and he rose and taking virgin glass,[FN#554] brayed it +and mixed it with unslaked lime and a menstruum of onion-juice. Then he +applied the whole to the horse's eyes and bound them up, saying in +himself, "Now will his eyes be put out and they will slay me and I +shall be at rest from this woe-full life." Then he passed the night +with a heart free from the uncertainty[FN#555] of cark and care, +humbling himself to Allah the Most High and saying, "O Lord, in Thy +knowledge is that which dispenseth with asking and craving!" Now when +the morning morrowed and the sun shone, the Wazir came to the stable +and, loosing the bandage from the horse's eyes considered them and +found them finer than before, by the ordinance of the King who openeth +evermore. So he said to Nur al-Din, "O Moslem, never in the world saw I +the like of thee for the excellence of thy knowledge. By the virtue of +the Messiah and the Faith which is no liar, thou makest me with wonder +to admire, for all the farriers of our land have failed to heal this +horse!" Then he went up to Nur al-Din and, doing off his shackles with +his own hand, clad him in a costly dress and made him his master of the +Horse; and he appointed him stipends and allowances and lodged him in a +story over the stables. So Nur al-Din abode awhile, eating and drinking +and making merry and bidding and forbidding those who tended the +horses; and whoso neglected or failed to fodder those tied up in the +stable wherein was his service, he would throw down and beat with +grievous beating and lay him by the legs in bilboes of iron. +Furthermore, he used every day to descend and visit the stallions and +rub them down with his own hand, by reason of that which he knew of +their value in the Wazir's eyes and his love for them; wherefore the +Minister rejoiced in him with joy exceeding and his breast broadened +and he was right glad, unknowing what was to be the issue of his case. +Now in the new palace, which the one-eyed Wazir had bought for Princess +Miriam, was a lattice-window overlooking his old house and the flat +wherein Nur al-Din lodged. The Wazir had a daughter, a virgin of +extreme loveliness, as she were a fleeing gazelle or a bending +branchlet, and it chanced that she sat one day at the lattice aforesaid +and behold, she heard Nur al-Din, singing and solacing himself under +his sorrows by improvising these verses, + +"O my Censor who wakest a-morn to see * The joys of life and its + jubilee! +Had the fangs of Destiny bitten thee * In such bitter case thou + hadst pled this plea, + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +But from Fate's despight thou art safe this day;- * From her + falsest fay and her crying 'Nay!' +Yet blame him not whom his woes waylay * Who distraught shall say + in his agony, + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +Excuse such lovers in flight abhorr'd * Nor to Love's distreses + thine aid afford: +Lest thy self be bound by same binding cord * And drink of Love's + bitterest injury. + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +In His service I wont as the days went by * With freest heart + through the nights to lie; +Nor tasted wake, nor of Love aught reckt * Ere my heart to + subjection summoned he: + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +None weet of Love and his humbling wrong * Save those he sickened + so sore, so long, +Who have lost their wits 'mid the lover-throng * Draining + bitterest cup by his hard decree: + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +How oft in Night's gloom he cause wake to rue * Lovers' eyne, and + from eyelids their sleep withdrew; +Till tears to the railing of torrents grew, * Overflowing cheeks + , unconfined and free: + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +How many a man he has joyed to steep * In pain, and for pine hath + he plundered sleep,— +Made don garb of mourning the deepest deep * And even his + dreaming forced to flee: + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +How oft sufferance fails me! How bones are wasted * And down my + cheeks torrent tear-drops hasted: +And embittered She all the food I tasted * However sweet it was + wont to be: + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +Most hapless of men who like me must love, * And must watch when + Night droops her wing from above, +Who, swimming the main where affection drove * Must sign and sink + in that gloomy sea: + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +Who is he to whom Love e'er stinted spite * And who scaped his + springes and easy sleight; +Who free from Love lived in life's delight? * Where is he can + boast of such liberty? + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!' +Deign Lord such suffering wight maintain * Then best Protector, + protect him deign! +Establish him and his life assain * And defend him from all + calamity: + 'Ah me, for Love and his case, ah me: + My heart is burnt by the fires I dree!'" + + +And when Nur al-Din ended his say and ceased to sing his rhyming lay, +the Wazir's daughter said to herself, "By the virtue of the Messiah and +the Faith which is no liar, verily this Moslem is a handsome youth! But +doubtless he is a lover separated from his mistress. Would Heaven I wot +an the beloved of this fair one is fair like unto him and if she pine +for him as he for her! An she be seemly as he is, it behoveth him to +pour forth tears and make moan of passion; but, an she be other than +fair, his days are wasted in vain regrets and he is denied the taste of +delights."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + +When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night, + +She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir's +daughter said to herself, "An his beloved be fair as he, it behoveth +him to pour forth tears; and, if other than fair, his heart is wasted +in vain regrets!" Now Miriam the Girdle-girl, the Minister's consort, +had removed to the new palace the day before and the Wazir's daughter +knew that she was straitened of breast; so she was minded to seek her +and talk with her and tell her the tidings of the young man and the +rhymes and verses she had heard him recite; but, before she could carry +out her design the Princess sent for her to cheer her with her +converse. So she went to her and found her heavy at heart and her tears +hurrying down her cheeks; and whilst she was weeping with sore weeping +she recited these couplets, + +"My life is gone but love-longings remain * And my breast is + straitened with pine and pain: +And my heart for parting to melt is fain * Yet hoping that union + will come again, + And join us in one who now are twain. +Stint your blame to him who in heart's your thrall * With the + wasted frame which his sorrows gall, +Nor with aim of arrow his heart appal * For parted lover is + saddest of all, + And Love's cup of bitters is sweet to drain!" + + +Quoth the Wazir's daughter to her, "What aileth thee, O Princess, to be +thus straitened in breast and sorrowful of thought?" Whereupon Miriam +recalled the greatness of the delights that were past and recited these +two couplets, + +"I will bear in patience estrangement of friend * And on cheeks + rail tears that like torrents wend: +Haply Allah will solace my sorrow, for He * Neath the ribs of + unease maketh ease at end." + + +Said the Wazir's daughter, "O Princess, let not thy breast be +straitened, but come with me straightway to the lattice; for there is +with us in the stable[FN#556] a comely young man, slender of shape and +sweet of speech, and meseemeth he is a parted lover." Miriam asked, +"And by what sign knowest thou that he is a parted lover?"; and she +answered, "O Queen, I know it by his improvising odes and verses all +watches of the night and tides of the day." Quoth the Princess in +herself, "If what the Wazir's daughter says be true, these are +assuredly the traits of the baffled, the wretched Ali Nur al-Din. Would +I knew if indeed he be the youth of whom she speaketh?" At this +thought, love-longing and distraction of passion redoubled on her and +she rose at once and walking with the maiden to the lattice, looked +down upon the stables, where she saw her love and lord Nur al-Din and +fixing her eyes steadfastly upon him, knew him with the bestest +knowledge of love, albeit he was sick, of the greatness of his +affection for her and of the fire of passion, and the anguish of +separation and yearning and distraction. Sore upon him was emaciation +and he was improvising and saying, + +"My heart is a thrall; my tears ne'er abate * And their rains the + railing of clouds amate; +'Twixt my weeping and watching and wanting love; * And whining + and pining for dearest mate. +Ah my burning heat, my desire, my lowe! * For the plagues that + torture my heart are eight; +And five upon five are in suite of them; * So stand and listen to + all I state: +Mem'ry, madding thoughts, moaning languishment, * Stress of + longing love, plight disconsolate; +In travail, affliction and strangerhood, * And annoy and joy when + on her I wait. +Fail me patience and stay for engrossing care * And sorrows my + suffering soul regrate. +On my heart the possession of passion grows * O who ask of what + fire in my heart's create, +Why my tears in vitals should kindle flame, * Burning heart with + ardours insatiate, +Know, I'm drowned in Deluge[FN#557] of tears and my soul * From + Lazá-lowe fares to Háwiyah-goal."[FN#558] + + +When the Princess Miriam beheld Nur al-Din and heard his loquence and +verse and speech, she made certain that it was indeed her lord Nur +al-Din; but she concealed her case from the Wazir's daughter and said +to her, "By the virtue of the Messiah and the Faith which is no liar, I +thought not thou knewest of my sadness!" Then she arose forthright and +withdrawing from the window, returned to her own place, whilst the +Wazir's daughter went to her own occupations. The Princess awaited +patiently awhile, then returned to the window and sat there, gazing +upon her beloved Nur al-Din and delighting her eyes with his beauty and +inner and outer grace. And indeed, she saw that he was like unto moon +at full on fourteenth night; but he was ever sighing with tears never +drying, for that he recalled whatso he had been abying. So he recited +these couplets, + +"I hope for Union with my love which I may ne'er obtain * At all, + but bitterness of life is all the gain I gain: +My tears are likest to the main for ebb and flow of tide; * But + when I meet the blamer-wight to staunch my tears I'm fain. +Woe to the wretch who garred us part by spelling of his + spells;[FN#559] * Could I but hend his tongue in hand I'd + cut his tongue in twain: +Yet will I never blame the days for whatso deed they did * + Mingling with merest, purest gall the cup they made me + drain! +To whom shall I address myself; and whom but you shall seek * A + heart left hostage in your Court, by you a captive ta'en? +Who shall avenge my wrongs on you,[FN#560] tyrant despotical * + Whose tyranny but grows the more, the more I dare complain? +I made him regnant of my soul that he the reign assain * But me + he wasted wasting too the soul I gave to reign. +Ho thou, the Fawn, whom I so lief erst gathered to my breast * + Enow of severance tasted I to own its might and main, +Thou'rt he whose favours joined in one all beauties known to man, + * Yet I thereon have wasted all my Patience' fair domain. +I entertained him in my heart whereto he brought unrest * But I + am satisfied that I such guest could entertain. +My tears for ever flow and flood, likest the surging sea * And + would I wot the track to take that I thereto attain. +Yet sore I fear that I shall die in depths of my chagrin * And + must despair for evermore to win the wish I'd win." + + +When Miriam heard the verses of Nur al-Din the loving-hearted, the +parted; they kindled in her vitals a fire of desire, and while her eyes +ran over with tears, she recited these two couplets, + +"I longed for him I love; but, when we met, * I was amazed nor + tongue nor eyes I found. +I had got ready volumes of reproach; * But when we met, could + syllable no sound." + + +When Nur al-Din heard the voice of Princess Miriam, he knew it and wept +bitter tears, saying, "By Allah, this is the chanting of the Lady +Miriam."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +End of Volume 8. + + Arabian Nights, Volume 8 + Footnotes + + +[FN#1] Ironicč; we are safe as long as we are defended by such a +brave. + +[FN#2] Blue, azure. This is hardly the place for a protest, but I must +not neglect the opportunity of cautioning my readers against rendering +Bahr al-Azrak ("Blue River") by "Blue Nile." No Arab ever knew it by +that name or thereby equalled it with the White Nile. The term was a +pure invention of Abyssinian Bruce who was well aware of the unfact he +was propagating, but his inordinate vanity and self-esteem, contrasting +so curiously with many noble qualities, especially courage and +self-reliance, tempted him to this and many other a traveller's tale. + +[FN#3] This is orthodox Moslem doctrine and it does something for the +dignity of human nature which has been so unwisely depreciated and +degraded by Christianity. The contrast of Moslem dignity and Christian +abasement in the East is patent to every unblind traveller. + +[FN#4] Here ends vol. iii. of the Mac. Edit. + +[FN#5] This famous tale is a sister prose-poem to the "Arabian +Odyssey" Sindbad the Seaman; only the Bassorite's travels are in +Jinn-land and Japan. It has points of resemblance in +"fundamental outline" with the Persian Romance of the Fairy Hasan +Bánú and King Bahrám-i-Gúr. See also the Kathá (s.s.) and the two +sons of the Asúra Máyá; the Tartar "Sidhi Kúr" (Tales of a +Vampire or Enchanted Corpse) translated by Mr. W. J. Thoms (the +Father of "Folk-lore" in 1846,) in "Lays and Legends of various +Nations"; the Persian Bahár-i-Dánish (Prime of Lore). Miss +Stokes' "Indian Fairy Tales"; Miss Frere's "Old Deccan Days" and +Mrs. F. A. Steel's "Tale of the King and his Seven Sons," with +notes by Lieutenant (now Captain) R. C. Temple (Folk-lore of the +Panjab, Indian Antiquary of March, 1882). + + +[FN#6] In the Mac. Edit. (vol. iv. i.) the merchant has two sons who +became one a brazier ("dealer in copper-wares" says Lane iii. 385) and +the other a goldsmith. The Bresl. Edit. (v. 264) mentions only one +son, Hasan, the hero of the story which is entitled, "Tale of Hasan +al-Basrí and the Isles of Wák Wák." + +[FN#7] Arab. "Shásh Abyaz:" this distinctive sign of the True +Believer was adopted by the Persian to conceal his being a +fire-worshipper, Magian or "Guebre." The latter word was introduced +from the French by Lord Byron and it is certainly far superior to +Moore's "Gheber." + +[FN#8] Persians being always a suspected folk. + +[FN#9] Arab. "Al-Búdikah" afterwards used (Night dcclxxix) in the +sense of crucible or melting-pot, in modern parlance a pipe-bowl; and +also written "Bútakah," an Arab distortion of the Persian "Bútah." + +[FN#10] Arab. "Sindán" or "Sindiyán" (Dozy). "Sandán," anvil; +"Sindán," big, strong (Steingass). + + +[FN#11] Arab. "Kímiya," (see vol. i. 305) properly the substance +which transmutes metals, the "philosopher's stone" which, by the by, is +not a stone; and comes from {chymeía,chymós} = a fluid, a wet drug, as +opposed to Iksír (Al-) {Xerón, Xérion}, a dry drug. Those who care to +see how it is still studied will consult my History of Sindh (chapt. +vii) and my experience which pointed only to the use made of it in base +coinage. Hence in mod. tongue Kímiyáwi, an alchemist, means a coiner, a +smasher. The reader must not suppose that the transmutation of metals +is a dead study: I calculate that there are about one hundred workers +in London alone. + +[FN#12] Arab. "Al-Kír," a bellows also = Kúr, a furnace. For the +full meaning of this sentence, see my "Book of the Sword," p. 119. + +[FN#13] Lit. "bade him lean upon it with the shears" (Al-Káz). + +[FN#14] There are many kinds of Kohls (Hindos. Surmá and +Kajjal) used in medicine and magic. See Herklots, p. 227. + + +[FN#15] Arab. "Sabíkah" = bar, lamina, from "Sabk" = melting, +smelting: the lump in the crucible would be hammered out into an ingot +in order to conceal the operation + +[FN#16] i.e. Ł375. + +[FN#17] Such report has cost many a life: the suspicion was and is +still deadly as heresy in a "new Christian" under the Inquisition. + +[FN#18] Here there is a double entendre: openly it means, "Few men +recognise as they should the bond of bread and salt:" the other sense +would be (and that accounts for the smile), "What the deuce do I care +for the bond?" + +[FN#19] Arab. "Kabbát" in the Bresl. Edit. "Ka'abán ": Lane (iii. +519) reads "Ka'áb plur. of Ka'ab a cup." + +[FN#20] A most palpable sneer. But Hasan is purposely represented as +a "softy" till aroused and energized by the magic of Love. + +[FN#21] Arab. "Al-iksír" (see Night dcclxxix, supra p. 9): the Greek +word which has returned from a trip to Arabia and reappeared in Europe +as "Elixir." + +[FN#22] "Awák" plur. of "Ukíyah," the well-known "oke," or "ocque," a +weight varying from 1 to 2 lbs. In Morocco it is pronounced "Wukíyah," +and = the Spanish ounce (p. 279 Rudimentos del Arabe Vulgar, etc., by +Fr. José de Lorchundi, Madrid, Rivadeneyra, 1872). + +[FN#23] These lines have occurred in vol. iv. 267, where references to +other places are given. I quote Lane by way of variety. In the text +they are supposed to have been written by the Persian, a hint that +Hasan would never be seen again. + +[FN#24] i.e. a superfetation of iniquity. + +[FN#25] Arab. "Kurbán," Heb. { }Corban = offering, oblation to be +brought to the priest's house or to the altar of the tribal God Yahveh, +Jehovah (Levit. ii, 2-3 etc.). Amongst the Maronites Kurban is the host +(-wafer) and amongst the Turks 'Id al-Kurban (sacrifice-feast) is the +Greater Bayram, the time of Pilgrimage. + +[FN#26] Nár = fire, being feminine, like the names of the other +"elements." + +[FN#27] The Egyptian Kurbáj of hippopotamus-hide (Burkh. Nubia, pp. +62,282) or elephant-hide (Turner ii. 365). Hence the Fr. Cravache (as +Cravat is from Croat). + +[FN#28] In Mac. Edit. "Bahriyah": in Bresl. Edit. "Nawátíyah." +See vol. vi. 242, for {Naýtes}, navita, nauta. + + +[FN#29] In Bresl. Edit. (iv. 285) "Yá Khwájah," for which see vol. vi. +46. + +[FN#30] Arab. "Tabl" (vulg. baz) = a kettle-drum about half a foot +broad held in the left hand and beaten with a stick or leathern thong. +Lane refers to his description (M.E. ii. chapt. v.) of the Dervish's +drum of tinned copper with parchment face, and renders Zakhmah or +Zukhmah (strap, stirrup-leather) by "plectrum," which gives a wrong +idea. The Bresl. Edit. ignores the strap. + +[FN#31] The "Spartivento" of Italy, mostly a tall headland which +divides the clouds. The most remarkable feature of the kind is the +Dalmatian Island, Pelagosa. + +[FN#32] The "Rocs" (Al-Arkhákh) in the Bresl. Edit. (iv. 290). +The Rakham = aquiline vulture. + + +[FN#33] Lane here quotes a similar incident in the romance "Sayf Zú +al-Yazan," so called from the hero, whose son, Misr, is sewn up in a +camel's hide by Bahrám, a treacherous Magian, and is carried by the +Rukhs to a mountain-top. + +[FN#34] These lines occurred in Night xxvi. vol. i. 275: I quote +Mr. Payne for variety. + + +[FN#35] Thus a Moslem can not only circumcise and marry himself but +can also bury canonically himself. The form of this prayer is given by +Lane M. E. chapt. xv. + +[FN#36] i.e. If I fail in my self-imposed duty, thou shalt charge me +therewith on the Judgment-day. + +[FN#37] Arab. "Al-Alwán," plur. of laun (colour). The latter in +Egyptian Arabic means a "dish of meat." See Burckhardt No. 279. I +repeat that the great traveller's "Arabic Proverbs" wants republishing +for two reasons. First he had not sufficient command of English to +translate with the necessary laconism and assonance: secondly in his +day British Philistinism was too rampant to permit a literal +translation. Consequently the book falls short of what the Oriental +student requires; and I have prepared it for my friend Mr. Quaritch. + +[FN#38] i.e. Lofty, high-builded. See Night dcclxviii. vol. vii. p. +347. In the Bresl. Edit. Al-Masíd (as in Al-Kazwíni): in the Mac. Edit. +Al-Mashid + +[FN#39] Arab. "Munkati" here = cut off from the rest of the world. +Applied to a man, and a popular term of abuse in Al-Hijáz, it means one +cut off from the blessings of Allah and the benefits of mankind; a +pauvre sire. (Pilgrimage ii. 22.) + +[FN#40] Arab. "Baras au Juzám," the two common forms of leprosy. See +vol. iv. 51. Popular superstition in Syria holds that coition during +the menses breeds the Juzám, Dáa al-Kabír (Great Evil) or Dáa al-Fíl +(Elephantine Evil), i.e. Elephantiasis and that the days between the +beginning of the flow (Sabíl) to that of coition shows the age when the +progeny will be attacked; for instance if it take place on the first +day, the disease will appear in the tenth year, on the fourth the +fortieth and so on. The only diseases really dreaded by the Badawin +are leprosy and small-pox. Coition during the menses is forbidden by +all Eastern faiths under the severest penalties. Al-Mas'údi relates how +a man thus begotten became a determined enemy of Ali; and the ancient +Jews attributed the magical powers of Joshua Nazarenus to this accident +of his birth, the popular idea being that sorcerers are thus impurely +engendered. + +[FN#41] By adoption - See vol. iii. 151. This sudden affection (not +love) suggests the "Come to my arms, my slight acquaintance!" of the +Anti-Jacobin. But it is true to Eastern nature; and nothing can be more +charming than this fast friendship between the Princess and Hasan. + +[FN#42] En tout bien et en tout honneur, be it understood. + +[FN#43] He had done nothing of the kind; but the feminine mind is +prone to exaggeration. Also Hasan had told them a fib, to prejudice +them against the Persian. + +[FN#44] These nervous movements have been reduced to a system in the +Turk. "Ihtilájnámeh" = Book of palpitations, prognosticating from the +subsultus tendinum and other involuntary movements of the body from +head to foot; according to Ja'afar the Just, Daniel the Prophet, +Alexander the Great; the Sages of Persia and the Wise Men of Greece. In +England we attend chiefly to the eye and ear. + +[FN#45] Revenge, amongst the Arabs, is a sacred duty; and, in their +state of civilization, society could not be kept together without it. +So the slaughter of a villain is held to be a sacrifice to Allah, who +amongst Christians claims for Himself the monopoly of vengeance. + +[FN#46] Arab. "Zindík." See vol. v. 230. + +[FN#47] Lane translates this "put for him the remaining food and +water;" but Al-Ákhar (Mac. Edit.) evidently refers to the Najíb +(dromedary). + +[FN#48] We can hardly see the heroism of the deed, but it must be +remembered that Bahram was a wicked sorcerer, whom it was every good +Moslem's bounden duty to slay. Compare the treatment of witches in +England two centuries ago. + +[FN#49] The mother in Arab tales is ma mčre, now becoming somewhat +ridiculous in France on account of the over use of that venerable +personage. + +[FN#50] The forbidden closet occurs also in Sayf Zú al-Yazan, who +enters it and finds the bird-girls. Trébutien ii, 208 says, "Il est +assez remarquable qu'il existe en Allemagne une tradition ŕ peu prčs +semblable, et qui a fourni le sujet d'un des contes de Musaeus, +entitulé, le voile enlevé." Here Hasan is artfully left alone in a +large palace without other companions but his thoughts and the reader +is left to divine the train of ideas which drove him to open the door. + +[FN#51] Arab. "Buhayrah" (Bresl. Edit. "Bahrah"), the tank or cistern +in the Hosh (court-yard) of an Eastern house. Here, however, it is a +rain-cistern on the flat roof of the palace (See Night dcccviii). + +[FN#52] This description of the view is one of the most gorgeous in +The Nights. + +[FN#53] Here again are the "Swan-maidens" (See vol. v. 346) "one of +the primitive myths, the common heritage of the whole Aryan (Iranian) +race." In Persia Bahram-i-Gúr when carried off by the Dív Sapíd seizes +the Peri's dove-coat: in Santháli folk-lore Torica, the Goatherd, +steals the garment doffed by one of the daughters of the sun; and hence +the twelve birds of Russian Story. To the same cycle belong the +Seal-tales of the Faroe Islands (Thorpe's Northern Mythology) and the +wise women or mermaids of Shetland (Hibbert). Wayland the smith +captures a wife by seizing a mermaid's raiment and so did Sir Hagán by +annexing the wardrobe of a Danubian water-nymph. Lettsom, the +translator, mixes up this swan-raiment with that of the Valkyries or +Choosers of the Slain. In real life stealing women's clothes is an old +trick and has often induced them, after having been seen naked, to +offer their persons spontaneously. Of this I knew two cases in India, +where the theft is justified by divine example. The blue god Krishna, +a barbarous and grotesque Hindu Apollo, robbed the raiment of the +pretty Gopálís (cowherdesses) who were bathing in the Arjun River and +carried them to the top of a Kunduna tree; nor would he restore them +till he had reviewed the naked girls and taken one of them to wife. +See also Imr al-Kays (of the Mu'allakah) with "Onaiza" at the port of +Daratjuljul (Clouston's Arabian Poetry, p.4). A critic has complained +of my tracing the origin of the Swan-maiden legend to the physical +resemblance between the bird and a high-bred girl (vol. v. 346). I +should have explained my theory which is shortly, that we must seek a +material basis for all so-called supernaturalisms, and that +anthropomorphism satisfactorily explains the Swan-maiden, as it does +the angel and the devil. There is much to say on the subject; but this +is not the place for long discussion. + +[FN#54] Arab. "Nafs Ammárah," corresponding with our canting term +"The Flesh." Nafs al-Nátíkah is the intellectual soul or function; Nafs +al-Ghazabíyah = the animal function and Nafs al Shahwáníyah = the +vegetative property. + +[FN#55] The lines occur in vol. ii. 331: I have quoted Mr. +Payne. Here they are singularly out of place. + + +[FN#56] Not the "green gown" of Anglo-India i.e. a white ball-dress +with blades of grass sticking to it in consequence of a "fall +backwards." + +[FN#57] These lines occur in vol. i. 219: I have borrowed from +Torrens (p. 219). + + +[FN#58] The appearance of which ends the fast and begins the +Lesser Festival. See vol. i. 84. + + +[FN#59] See note, vol. i. 84, for notices of the large navel; much +appreciated by Easterns. + +[FN#60] Arab. "Shá'ir Al-Walahán" = the love-distraught poet; Lane +has "a distracted poet." My learned friend Professor Aloys Sprenger +has consulted, upon the subject of Al-Walahán the well-known Professor +of Arabic at Halle, Dr. Thorbeck, who remarks that the word (here as +further on) must be an adjective, mad, love-distraught, not a "lakab" +or poetical cognomen. He generally finds it written Al-Shá'ir +al-Walahán (the love-demented poet) not Al-Walahán al-Shá'ir = Walahán +the Poet. Note this burst of song after the sweet youth falls in love: +it explains the cause of verse-quotation in The Nights, poetry being +the natural language of love and battle. + +[FN#61] "Them" as usual for "her." + +[FN#62] Here Lane proposes a transposition, for "Wa-huwá (and he) +fi'l-hubbi," to read "Fi 'l-hubbi wa huwa (wa-hwa);" but the latter is +given in the Mac. Edit. + +[FN#63] For the pun in "Sabr"=aloe or patience. See vol. i. 138. In +Herr Landberg (i. 93) we find a misunderstanding of the couplet— + + "Aw'ákibu s-sabri (Kála ba'azuhum) + Mahmúdah: Kultu, 'khshi an takhirriní.'" + + +"The effects of patience" (or aloes) quoth one "are praiseworthy!" +Quoth I, "Much I fear lest it make me stool." Mahmúdah is not only un +laxatif, but a slang name for a confection of aloes. + +[FN#64] Arab. "Akúna fidá-ka." Fidá = ransom, self-sacrifice and +Fidá'an = instead of. The phrase, which everywhere occurs in The +Nights, means, "I would give my life to save thine " + + +[FN#65] Thus accounting for his sickness, improbably enough but in +flattering way. Like a good friend (feminine) she does not hesitate a +moment in prescribing a fib. + +[FN#66] i.e. the 25,000 Amazons who in the Bresl. Edit. (ii. 308) are +all made to be the King's Banát" = daughters or protégées. The Amazons +of Dahome (see my "Mission") who may now number 5,000 are all +officially wives of the King and are called by the lieges "our +mothers." + +[FN#67] The tale-teller has made up his mind about the damsel; +although in this part of the story she is the chief and eldest sister +and subsequently she appears as the youngest daughter of the supreme +Jinn King. The mystification is artfully explained by the +extraordinary likeness of the two sisters. (See Night dcccxi.) + +[FN#68] This is a reminiscence of the old-fashioned "marriage by +capture," of which many traces survive, even among the civilised who +wholly ignore their origin. + +[FN#69] Meaning her companions and suite. + +[FN#70] Arab. "'Abáah" vulg. "'Abáyah." See vol. ii. 133. + +[FN#71] Feet in the East lack that development of sebaceous glands +which afflicts Europeans. + +[FN#72] i.e. cutting the animals' throats after Moslem law. + +[FN#73] In Night dcclxxviii. supra p.5, we find the orthodox Moslem +doctrine that "a single mortal is better in Allah's sight than a +thousand Jinns." For, I repeat, Al-Islam systematically exalts human +nature which Christianity takes infinite trouble to degrade and debase. + The results of its ignoble teaching are only too evident in the East: +the Christians of the so-called (and miscalled) "Holy Land" are a +disgrace to the faith and the idiomatic Persian term for a Nazarene is +"Tarsá" = funker, coward. + +[FN#74] Arab. "Sakaba Kúrahá;" the forge in which children are +hammered out? + +[FN#75] Arab. "Má al-Maláhat" = water (brilliancy) of beauty. + +[FN#76] The fourth of the Seven Heavens, the "Garden of +Eternity," made of yellow coral. + + +[FN#77] How strange this must sound to the Young Woman of London in +the nineteenth century. + +[FN#78] "Forty days" is a quasi-religious period amongst Moslem for +praying, fasting and religious exercises: here it represents our +"honey-moon." See vol. v. p. 62. + +[FN#79] Yá layta, still popular. Herr Carlo Landberg (Proverbes et +Dictons du Peuple Arabe, vol. i. of Syria, Leyden, E. J. Brill, 1883) +explains layta for rayta (=raayta) by permutation of liquids and argues +that the contraction is ancient (p. 42). But the Herr is no Arabist: +"Layta" means "would to Heaven," or, simply "I wish," "I pray" (for +something possible or impossible); whilst "La'alla" (perhaps, it may +be) prays only for the possible: and both are simply particles +governing the noun in the oblique or accusative case. + +[FN#80] "His" for "her," i.e. herself, making somewhat of confusion +between her state and that of her son. + +[FN#81] i.e. his mother; the words are not in the Mac. Edit. + +[FN#82] Baghdad is called House of Peace, amongst other reasons, from +the Dijlah (Tigris) River and Valley "of Peace." The word was variously +written Baghdád, Bághdád, (our old Bughdaud and Bagdat), Baghzáz, +Baghzán, Baghdán, Baghzám and Maghdád as Makkah and Bakkah (Koran iii. +90). Religious Moslems held Bágh (idol) and Dád (gift) an ill-omened +conjunction, and the Greeks changed it to Eirenopolis. (See Ouseley's +Oriental Collcctions, vol. i. pp. 18-20.) + +[FN#83] This is a popular saying but hardly a "vulgar proverb." +(Lane iii. 522.) It reminds rather of Shakespear's: + + + "So loving to my mother, + That he might not beteem the winds of heaven + Visit her face too roughly." + + +[FN#84] i.e. God forbid that I should oppose thee! + +[FN#85] Here the writer again forgets apparently, that Shahrazad is +speaking: she may, however, use the plural for the singular when +speaking of herself. + +[FN#86] i.e. She would have pleaded ill-treatment and lawfully +demanded to be sold. + +[FN#87] The Hindus speak of "the only bond that woman knows—her +heart." + +[FN#88] i.e. a rarity, a present (especially in Persian). + +[FN#89] Arab. "Al-bisát" wa'l-masnad lit. the carpet and the cushion. + +[FN#90] For "Báb al-bahr" and "Báb al-Barr" see vol. iii. 281. + +[FN#91] She was the daughter of Ja'afar bin Mansúr; but, as will be +seen, The Nights again and again called her father Al-Kásim. + +[FN#92] This is an error for the fifth which occurs in the popular +saying, "Is he the fifth of the sons of Al-Abbás!" i.e. Harun +al-Rashid. Lane (note, in loco) thus accounts for the frequent mention +of the Caliph, the greatest of the Abbasides in The Nights. But this +is a causa non causa. + +[FN#93] i.e. I find thy beauty all-sufficient. So the proverb "The +son of the quarter (young neighbour) filleth not the eye," which +prefers a stranger. + +[FN#94] They are mere doggerel, like most of the pičces de +circonstance. + +[FN#95] Afterwards called Wák Wák, and in the Bresl. Edit. Wák al-Wák. +See Lane's notes upon these Islands. Arab Geographers evidently speak +of two Wak Waks. Ibn al-Fakih and Al-Mas'údi (Fr. Transl., vol. iii. +6-7) locate one of them in East Africa beyond Zanzibar and Sofala. "Le +territoire des Zendjes (Zanzibar-Negroids) commence au canal +(Al-Khalij) dérivé du haut Nil (the Juln River?) et se prolonge +jusqu'au pays de Sofalah et des Wak-Wak." It is simply the peninsula of +Guardafui (Jard Hafun) occupied by the Gallas, pagans and Christians, +before these were ousted by the Moslem Somal; and the former +perpetually ejaculated "Wak" (God) as Moslems cry upon Allah. This +identification explains a host of other myths such as the Amazons, who +as Marco Polo tells us held the "Female Island" Socotra (Yule ii. 396). + The fruit which resembled a woman's head (whence the puellć +Wakwakienses hanging by the hair from trees), and which when ripe +called out "Wak Wak" and "Allah al-Khallák" (the Creator) refers to the +Calabash-tree (Adausonia digitata), that grotesque growth, a vegetable +elephant, whose gourds, something larger than a man's head, hang by a +slender filament. Similarly the "cocoa" got its name, in Port. = +Goblin, from the fancied face at one end. The other Wak Wak has been +identified in turns with the Seychelles, Madagascar, Malacca, Sunda or +Java (this by Langlčs), China and Japan. The learned Prof. de Goeje +(Arabishe Berichten over Japan, Amsterdam, Muller, 1880) informs us +that in Canton the name of Japan is Wo-Kwok, possibly a corruption of +Koku-tan, the ebony-tree (Diospyros ebenum) which Ibn Khor-dábah and +others find together with gold in an island 4,500 parasangs from Suez +and East of China. And we must remember that Basrah was the chief +starting-place for the Celestial Empire during the rule of the Tang +dynasty (seventh and ninth centuries). Colonel J. W. Watson of Bombay +suggests New Guinea or the adjacent islands where the Bird of Paradise +is said to cry "Wak Wak!" Mr. W. F. Kirby in the Preface (p. ix.) to +his neat little book "The New Arabian Nights," says: "The Islands of +Wak-Wak, seven years' journey from Bagdad, in the story of Hasan, have +receded to a distance of a hundred and fifty years' journey in that of +Majin (of Khorasan). There is no doubt(?) that the Cora Islands, near +New Guinea, are intended; for the wonderful fruits which grow there are +Birds of Paradise, which settle in flocks on the trees at sunset and +sunrise, uttering this very cry." Thus, like Ophir, Wak Wak has +wandered all over the world and has been found even in Peru by the +Turkish work Tárikh al-Hind al-Gharbi = History of the West Indies +(Orient. Coll. iii 189). + +[FN#96] I accept the emendation of Lane's Shaykh, "Nasím " +(Zephyr) for "Nadím " (cup-companion). + + +[FN#97] "Jannat al-Ná'im" = Garden of Delights is No. V Heaven, made +of white diamond. + +[FN#98] This appears to her very prettily put. + +[FN#99] This is the "House of Sadness" of our old chivalrous Romances. +See chapt. vi. of "Palmerin of England," by Francisco de Moraes (ob. +1572), translated by old Anthony Munday (dateless, 1590?) and +"corrected" (read spoiled) by Robert Southey, London, Longmans, 1807. + +[FN#100] The lines have occurred in Night clix. (vol. iii. 183), I +quote Mr. Payne who, like Lane, prefers "in my bosom" to "beneath my +ribs." + +[FN#101] In this tale the Bresl. Edit. more than once adds "And let us +and you send a blessing to the Lord of Lords" (or to "Mohammed," or to +the "Prophet"); and in vol. v. p. 52 has a long prayer. This is an act +of contrition in the tale-teller for romancing against the expressed +warning of the Founder of Al-Islam. + +[FN#102] From Bresl. Edit. (vi. 29): the four in the Mac. Edit. are +too irrelevant. + +[FN#103] Arab. "Ghayúr"—jealous, an admirable epithet which +Lane dilutes to "changeable"—making a truism of a metaphor. + + +[FN#104] These lines have occurred before. I quote Mr. Payne. + +[FN#105] i.e. One fated to live ten years. + +[FN#106] This poetical way of saying "fourteen" suggests Camoens +(The Lusiads) Canto v. 2. + + +[FN#107] Arab. "Surrah," lit. = a purse: a few lines lower down it is +called "'Ulbah" = a box which, of course, may have contained the bag. + +[FN#108] The month which begins the Moslem year. + +[FN#109] As an Arab often does when deep in thought. Lane appositely +quotes John viii. 6. "Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on +the ground." Mr. Payne translates, "He fell a-drumming on the earth +with his fingers," but this does not complete the sense. + +[FN#110] i.e."And the peace of Allah be upon thee! that will end thy +story." The Arab formula, "Wa al-Salám" (pron. Wassalám) is used in a +variety of senses. + +[FN#111] Like Camoens, one of the model lovers, he calls upon +Love to torment him still more—ad majorem Dei (amoris) gloriam. + + +[FN#112] Pron. Aboor-Ruwaysh. "The Father of the little Feather": he +is afterwards called "Son of the daughter of the accursed Iblis"; yet, +as Lane says, "he appears to be a virtuous person." + +[FN#113] Arab. "Kantara al-lijám fi Karbús (bow) sarjih." + +[FN#114] I do not translate "beckoned" because the word would give a +wrong idea. Our beckoning with the finger moved towards the beckoner +makes the so-beckoned Eastern depart in all haste. To call him you must +wave the hand from you. + +[FN#115] The Arabs knew what large libraries were; and a learned man +could not travel without camel-loads of dictionaries. + +[FN#116] Arab. "Adim;" now called Bulghár, our Moroccan leather. + +[FN#117] Arab. "Zinád," which Lane renders by "instruments for +striking fire," and Mr. Payne, after the fashion of the translators of +Al-Hariri, "flint and steel." + +[FN#118] A congener of Hasan and Husayn, little used except in Syria +where it is a favourite name for Christians. The Muhít of Butrus +Al-Bostáni (s.v.) tells us that it also means a bird called Abú Hasan +and supplies various Egyptian synonyms. In Mod. Arab. Grammar the form +Fa''úl is a diminutive as Hammúd for Ahmad, 'Ammúr for 'Amrú. So the +fem. form, Fa''úlah, e.g. Khaddúgah = little Khadijah and +Naffúsah=little Nafisah; Ar'úrah = little clitoris - whereas in Heb. it +is an incrementative e.g. dabbúlah a large dablah (cake or lump of +dried figs, etc.). + +[FN#119] In the Mac. Edit. "Soldiers of Al-Daylam" i.e. warlike as the +Daylamites or Medes. See vol. ii. 94. + +[FN#120] Bilkís, it will be remembered, is the Arab. name of the +Queen of Sheba who visited Solomon. In Abyssinia she is termed +Kebra zá negest or zá makadá, the latter (according to Ferdinand +Werne's "African Wanderings," Longmans, 1852) being synonymous +with Ityopia or Habash (Ethiopia or Abyssinia). + + +[FN#121] Arab. "Dakkah," which Lane translates by "settee." + +[FN#122] Arab. "Ambar al-Khám" the latter word (raw) being pure +Persian. + + +[FN#123] The author neglects to mention the ugliest part of +old-womanhood in the East, long empty breasts like tobacco-pouches. In +youth the bosom is beautifully high, arched and rounded, firm as stone +to the touch, with the nipples erect and pointing outwards. But after +the girl-mother's first child (in Europe le premier embellit) all +changes. Nature and bodily power have been overtasked; then comes the +long suckling at the mother's expense: the extension of the skin and +the enlargement of its vessels are too sudden and rapid for the +diminished ability of contraction and the bad food aids in the +continual consumption of vitality. Hence, among Eastern women age and +ugliness are synonymous. It is only in the highest civilisation that +we find the handsome old woman. + +[FN#124] The name has occurred in the Knightly tale of King Omar and +his sons, Vol. ii. 269. She is here called Mother of Calamities,but in +p. 123, Vol. iv. of the Mac. Edit. she becomes "Lady (Zát) al-Dawáhi." +It will be remembered that the title means calamitous to the foe. + +[FN#125] By this address she assured him that she had no design upon +his chastity. In Moslem lands it is always advisable to accost a +strange woman, no matter how young, with, "Yá Ummí!" = O my mother. +This is pledging one's word, as it were, not to make love to her. + +[FN#126] Apparently the Wakites numbered their Islands as the +Anglo-Americans do their streets. For this they have been charged with +"want of imagination"; but the custom is strictly classical. See at +Pompeii "Reg (io) I; Ins (ula) I, Via Prima, Secunda," etc. + +[FN#127] These are the Puellć Wakwakienses of whom Ibn Al-Wardi +relates after an ocular witness, "Here too is a tree which bears fruits +like women who have fair faces and are hung by their hair. They come +forth from integuments like large leathern bags (calabash-gourds?) and +when they sense air and sun they cry 'Wak! Wak!' (God! God!) till +their hair is cut, and when it is cut they die; and the islanders +understand this cry wherefrom they augure ill." The Ajáib al-Hind +(chapt. xv.) places in Wak-land the Samandal, a bird which enters the +fire without being burnt evidently the Egyptian "Pi-Benni," which the +Greeks metamorphised to "Phnix." It also mentions a hare-like animal, +now male then female, and the Somal behind Cape Guardafui tell the same +tale of their Cynhyćnas. + +[FN#128] i.e. I will keep thee as though thou wert the apple of my +eye. + +[FN#129] A mere exaggeration of the "Gull-fairs" noted by travellers +in sundry islands as Ascension and the rock off Brazilian Santos. + +[FN#130] Arab. "Kámil wa Basít wa Wáfir" = the names of three popular +metres, for which see the Terminal Essay. + +[FN#131] Arab. "Manáshif" = drying towels, Plur. of Minshafah, and +the popular term which Dr. Jonathan Swift corrupted to "Munnassaf." +Lane (Nights, Introduct. p. ix.). + +[FN#132] Arab. "Shafaif" opposed to "Shafah" the mouth-lips. + +[FN#133] Fountains of Paradise. This description is a fair instance of +how the Saj'a (prose-rhyme) dislocates the order; an Arab begins with +hair, forehead, eyebrows and lashes and when he reaches the nose, he +slips down to the toes for the sake of the assonance. If the latter be +neglected the whole list of charms must be otherwise ordered; and the +student will compare Mr. Payne's version of this passage with mine. + +[FN#134] A fair specimen of the Arab logogriph derived from the Abjad +Alphabet which contains only the Hebrew and Syriac letters not the six +Arabic. Thus 4 X 5=20 which represents the Kaf (K) and 6 X 10=60, or +Sin (S). The whole word is thus "Kus", the Greek {kysňs} or {kyssňs}, +and the lowest word, in Persian as in Arabic, for the female pudenda, +extensively used in vulgar abuse. In my youth we had at the University +something of the kind, + + To five and five and fifty-five + The first of letters add + To make a thing to please a King + And drive a wise man mad. + + +Answer VVLVA. Very interesting to the anthropological student is this +excursus of Hasan, who after all manner of hardships and horrors and +risking his life to recover his wife and children, breaks out into song +on the subject of her privities. And it can hardly be tale-teller's +gag as both verse and prose show considerable art in composition. (See +p. 348.) + +Supplementary Note To Hasan of Bassorah. + +Note(p.93)—There is something wondrous naďve in a lover who, when asked +by his mistress to sing a song in her honour, breaks out into versical +praises of her parts. But even the classical Arab authors did not +disdain such themes. See in Al-Harírí (Ass. of Mayyáfarikín) where Abú +Zayd laments the impotency of old age in form of a Rasy or funeral +oration (Preston p. 484, and Chenery p. 221). It completely deceived +Sir William Jones, who inserted it into the chapter "De Poesi Funebri," +p. 527 (Poeseos Asiaticć Commentarii), gravely noting, "Hćc Elegia non +admodum dissimilis esse videtur pulcherrimi illius carminis de Sauli et +Jonathani obitu; at que adeň versus iste 'ubi provocant adversarios +nunquam rediit a pugnć contentione sine spiculo sanguine imbuto,' ex +Hebrćo reddi videtur, + + A sanguine occisorum, a fortium virorum adipe, + Arcus Jonathani non rediit irritus." + + +I need hardly say with Captain Lockett (226) that this "Sabb warrior," +this Arabian Achilles, is the celebrated Bonus Deus or Hellespontiacus +of the Ancients. The oration runs thus:— + + O folk I have a wondrous tale, so rare + Much shall it profit hearers wise and ware! + I saw in salad-years a potent Brave + And sharp of edge and point his warrior glaive; + Who entered joust and list with hardiment + Fearless of risk, of victory confident, + His vigorous onset straitest places oped + And easy passage through all narrows groped: + He ne'er encountered foe in single fight + But came from tilt with spear in blood stained bright; + Nor stormed a fortress howso strong and stark— + With fencčd gates defended deep and dark— + When shown his flag without th' auspicious cry + "Aidance from Allah and fair victory nigh!" + Thus wise full many a night his part he played + In strength and youthtide's stately garb arrayed, + Dealing to fair young girl delicious joy + And no less welcome to the blooming boy. + But Time ne'er ceased to stint his wondrous strength + (Steadfast and upright as the gallow's length) + Until the Nights o'erthrew him by their might + And friends contemned him for a feckless wight; + Nor was a wizard but who wasted skill + Over his case, nor leach could heal his ill. + Then he abandoned arms abandoned him + Who gave and took salutes so fierce and grim; + And now lies prostrate drooping haughty crest; + For who lives longest him most ills molest. + Then see him, here he lies on bier for bet;— + Who will a shroud bestow on stranger dead? + + +A fair measure of the difference between Eastern and Western manners is +afforded by such a theme being treated by their gravest writers and the +verses being read and heard by the gravest and most worshipful men, +whilst amongst us Preston and Chenery do not dare even to translate +them. The latter, indeed, had all that immodest modesty for which +English professional society is notable in this xixth century. He +spoiled by needlessly excluding from a scientific publication (Mem. +R.A.S.) all of my Proverbia Communia Syriaca (see Unexplored Sryia, i. +364) and every item which had a shade of double entendre. But Nemesis +frequently found him out: during his short and obscure rule in Printing +House Square, The Thunderer was distinguished by two of the foulest +indecencies that ever appeared in an English paper. + +The well-known Koranic verse, whereby Allah is introduced into an +indecent tale and "Holy Writ" is punned upon. I have noticed (iii. +206) that victory Fat'h lit.=opening everything (as e.g. a maidenhead). + +[FN#135] Egyptian and Syrian vulgar term for Mawálíyah or Mawáliyah, a +short poem on subjects either classical or vulgar. It generally +consists of five lines all rhyming except the penultimate. The metre +is a species of the Basít which, however, admits of considerable +poetical license; this being according to Lane the usual "Weight," + +/ / / . +/ / / +/ / / +/ / / +/ / / +The scheme is distinctly anapćstic and Mr. Lyall (Translations of +Ancient Arabic Poetry) compares with a cognate metre, the Tawíl, +certain lines in Abt Vogler, e.g. + +"Ye know why the forms are fair, ye hear how the tale is told." + +[FN#136] i.e. repeat the chapter of the Koran termed The Opening, and +beginning with these words, "Have we not opened thy breast for thee and +eased thee of thy burden which galled thy back? *** Verily with the +difficulty cometh ease!"—Koran xciv. vol. 1, 5. + +[FN#137] Lane renders Nur al-Hudŕ (Light of Salvation) by Light of Day +which would be Nur al-Hadŕ. + +[FN#138] In the Bresl. Edit. "Yá Salám"=O safety!—a vulgar +ejaculation. + +[FN#139] A favourite idiom meaning from the mischief which may (or +will) come from the Queen. + +[FN#140] He is not strong-minded but his feminine persistency of +purpose, likest to that of a sitting hen, is confirmed by the +"Consolations of religion." The character is delicately drawn. + +[FN#141] In token that she intended to act like a man. + +[FN#142] This is not rare even in real life: Moslem women often hide +and change their names for superstitious reasons, from the husband and +his family. + +[FN#143] Arab. "Sabab" which also means cause. Vol. ii. 14. +There is the same metaphorical use of "Habl"= cord and cause. + + +[FN#144] Arab. "Himŕ," a word often occurring in Arab poetry, domain, +a pasture or watered land forcibly kept as far as a dog's bark would +sound by some masterful chief like "King Kulayb." (See vol. ii. 77.) +This tenure was forbidden by Mohammed except for Allah and the Apostle +(i.e. himself). Lane translates it "asylum." + +[FN#145] She was a maid and had long been of marriageable age. + +[FN#146] The young man had evidently "kissed the Blarney stone"; but +the flattery is the more telling as he speaks from the heart. + +[FN#147] "Inshallah " here being= D. V. + +[FN#148] i.e. The "Place of Light" (Pharos), or of Splendour. Here we +find that Hasan's wife is the youngest sister, but with an +extraordinary resemblance to the eldest, a very masterful young person. + The anagnorisis is admirably well managed. + +[FN#149] i.e. the sweetmeats of the feast provided for the returning +traveller. The old woman (like others) cannot resist the temptation of +a young man's lips. Happily for him she goes so far and no farther. + +[FN#150] The first, fourth, fifth and last names have already +occurred: the others are in order, Star o' Morn, Sun of Undurn and +Honour of Maidenhood. They are not merely fanciful, but are still used +in Egypt and Syria. + +[FN#151] Arab. "Fájirah" and elsewhere "Áhirah," =whore and strumpet +used often in loose talk as mere abuse without special meaning. + +[FN#152] This to Westerns would seem a most improbable detail, but +Easterns have their own ideas concerning "Al-Muhabbat al-ghariziyah" +=natural affection, blood speaking to blood, etc. + +[FN#153] One of the Hells (see vol. iv. 143). Here it may be +advisable to give the names of the Seven Heavens (which are evidently +based upon Ptolemaic astronomy) and which correspond with the Seven +Hells after the fashion of Arabian system-mania. (1) Dar al-Jalál +(House of Glory) made of pearls; (2) Dár al-Salám (of Rest), rubies and +jacinths; (3) Jannat al-Maawá (Garden of Mansions, not "of mirrors," as +Herklots has it, p. 98), made of yellow copper; (4) Jannat al-Khuld (of +Eternity), yellow coral; (5) Jannat al-Na'ím (of Delights), white +diamond; (6) Jannat al-Firdaus (of Paradise), red gold; and (7) Jannat +al-'Adn (of Eden, or Al-Karár= of everlasting abode, which some make +No. 8), of red pearls or pure musk. The seven Hells are given in vol. +v. 241; they are intended for Moslems (Jahannam); Christians (Lazŕ); +Jews (Hutamah); Sabians (Sa'ir); Guebres (Sakar); Pagans or idolaters +(Jahím); and Hypocrites (Háwiyah). + +[FN#154] Arab. "'Atb," more literally= "blame," "reproach." + +[FN#155] Bresl. Edit. In the Mac. "it returned to the place whence I +had brought it"—an inferior reading. + +[FN#156] The dreams play an important part in the Romances of +Chivalry, e.g. the dream of King Perion in Amadis de Gaul, chapt. ii. +(London; Longmans, 1803). + +[FN#157] Amongst Moslems bastardy is a sore offence and a love-child +is exceedingly rare. The girl is not only carefully guarded but she +also guards herself knowing that otherwise she will not find a husband. + Hence seduction is all but unknown. The wife is equally well guarded +and lacks opportunities hence adultery is found difficult except in +books. Of the Ibn (or Walad) Harám (bastard as opposed to the Ibn +Halál) the proverb says, "This child is not thine, so the madder he be +the more is thy glee!" Yet strange to say public prostitution has never +been wholly abolished in Al-Islam. Al-Mas'údi tells us that in Arabia +were public prostitutes'(Bagháyá), even before the days of the Apostle, +who affected certain quarters as in our day the Tartúshah of Alexandria +and the Hosh Bardak of Cairo. Here says Herr Carlo Landberg (p. 57, +Syrian Proverbs) "Elles parlent une langue toute ŕ elle." So +pretentious and dogmatic a writer as the author of Proverbes et Dictons +de la Province de Syrie, ought surely to have known that the Hosh +Bardak is the head-quarters of the Cairene Gypsies. This author, who +seems to write in order to learn, reminds me of an acute Oxonian +undergraduate of my day who, when advised to take a "coach," became a +"coach" himself. + +[FN#158] These lines occur in vol. vii. p. 340. I quote Mr. +Payne. + + +[FN#159] She shows all the semi-maniacal rancour of a good woman, or +rather a woman who has not broken the eleventh commandment, "Thou shalt +not be found out," against an erring sister who has been discovered. +In the East also these unco'gúid dames have had, and too often have, +the power to carry into effect the cruelty and diabolical malignity +which in London and Paris must vent itself in scan. mag. and anonymous +letters. + +[FN#160] These faintings and trances are as common in the Romances of +Chivalry e.g. Amadis of Gaul, where they unlace the garments to give +more liberty, pour cold water on the face and bathe the temples and +pulses with diluted vinegar (for rose water) exactly as they do in The +Nights. + +[FN#161] So Hafiz, "Bád-i-Sabá chu bugzarí" etc. + +[FN#162] Arab. "Takiyah." See vol. i. 224 and for the Tarn-Kappe vol. +iv. p. 176. In the Sinthásana Dwatrinsati (vulgo. Singhásan Battísí), +or Thirty-two Tales of a Throne, we find a bag always full of gold, a +bottomless purse; earth which rubbed on the forehead overcomes all; a +rod which during the first watch of the night furnishes jewelled +ornaments; in the second a beautiful girl; in the third invisibility, +and in the fourth a deadly foe or death; a flower-garland which renders +the possessor invisible and an unfading lotus-flower which produces a +diamond every day. + +[FN#163] Arab. "Judad," plur. of Jadíd, lit.= new coin, ergo applied +to those old and obsolete; 10 Judad were= one nusf or half dirham. + +[FN#164] Arab. "Raff," a shelf proper, running round the room about +7-7˝ feet from the ground. During my day it was the fashion in +Damascus to range in line along the Raff splendid porcelain bowls +brought by the Caravans in olden days from China, whilst on the table +were placed French and English specimens of white and gold "china" +worth perhaps a franc each. + +[FN#165] Lane supposes that the glass and china-ware had fallen upon +the divan running round the walls under the Raff and were not broken. + +[FN#166] These lines have occurred in Night dclxxxix. vol. vii. p. +119. I quote Lane. + +[FN#167] The lines have occurred before. I quote Mr. Payne. + +[FN#168] This formula, I repeat, especially distinguishes the +Tale of Hasan of Bassorah. + + +[FN#169] These lines have occurred in vol. 1. 249. I quote Lane. + +[FN#170] She speaks to the "Gallery," who would enjoy a loud laugh +against Mistress Gadabout. The end of the sentence must speak to the +heart of many a widow. + +[FN#171] These lines occur in vol. i. 25: so I quote Mr. Payne. + +[FN#172] Arab. "Musáhikah;" the more usual term for a Tribade is +"Sahíkah" from "Sahk" in the sense of rubbing: both also are applied to +onanists and masturbators of the gender feminine. + +[FN#173] i.e. by way of halter. This jar is like the cask in +Auerbach's Keller; and has already been used by witches; Night +dlxxxvii. vol. vi. 158. + +[FN#174] Here they are ten but afterwards they are reduced to seven: I +see no reason for changing the text with Lane and Payne. + +[FN#175] Wazir of Solomon. See vol. i. 42; and vol. iii. 97. + +[FN#176] Arab. "Ism al-A'azam," the Ineffable Name, a superstition +evidently derived from the Talmudic fancies of the Jews concerning +their tribal god, Yah or Yahvah. + +[FN#177] The tradition is that Mohámmed asked Akáf al-Wadá'ah "Hast a +wife?"; and when answered in the negative, "Then thou appertainest to +the brotherhood of Satans! An thou wilt be one of the Christian monks +then company therewithal; but an thou be of us, know that it is our +custom to marry!" + +[FN#178] The old woman, in the East as in the West, being the most +vindictive of her kind. I have noted (Pilgrimage iii. 70) that a +Badawi will sometimes though in shame take the blood-wit; but that if +it be offered to an old woman she will dash it to the ground and clutch +her knife and fiercely swear by Allah that she will not eat her son's +blood. + +[FN#179] Neither dome nor fount etc. are mentioned before, the normal +inadvertency. + +[FN#180] In Eastern travel the rest comes before the eating and +drinking. + +[FN#181] Arab. "'Id" (pron.'Eed) which I have said (vol. i. 42, 317) +is applied to the two great annual festivals, the "Fęte of Sacrifice," +and the "Break-Fast." The word denotes restoration to favour and +Moslems explain as the day on which Adam (and Eve) who had been +expelled from Paradise for disobedience was re-established (U'ída) by +the relenting of Allah. But the name doubtless dates amongst Arabs +from days long before they had heard of the "Lord Nomenclator." + +[FN#182] Alluding to Hasan seizing her feather dress and so taking her +to wife. + +[FN#183] Arab. "Kharajú"=they (masc.) went forth, a vulgarism for +"Kharajna" (fem.) + +[FN#184] Note the notable housewife who, at a moment when youth would +forget everything, looks to the main chance. + +[FN#185] Arab. "Al-Malakút" (not "Malkút" as in Freytag) a Sufi term +for the world of Spirits (De Lacy Christ, Ar. i. 451). Amongst Eastern +Christians it is vulgarly used in the fem. and means the Kingdom of +Heaven, also the preaching of the Gospel. + +[FN#186] This is so rare, even amongst the poorest classes in the +East, that it is mentioned with some emphasis. + +[FN#187] A beauty among the Egyptians, not the Arabs. + +[FN#188] True Fellah—"chaff." + +[FN#189] Alluding to the well-known superstition, which has often +appeared in The Nights, that the first object seen in the morning, such +as a crow, a cripple, or a cyclops determines the fortunes of the day. +Notices in Eastern literature are as old as the days of the Hitopadesa; +and there is a something instinctive in the idea to a race of early +risers. At an hour when the senses are most impressionable the aspect +of unpleasant spectacles has double effect. + +[FN#190] Arab. "Masúkah," the stick used for driving cattle, bâton +gourdin (Dozy). Lane applies the word to a wooden plank used for +levelling the ground. + +[FN#191] i.e. the words I am about to speak to thee. + +[FN#192] Arab. "Sahifah," which may mean "page" (Lane) or "book" +(Payne). + + +[FN#193] Pronounce, "Abussa'ádát" = Father of Prosperities: +Lane imagines that it came from the Jew's daughter being called +"Sa'adat." But the latter is the Jew's wife (Night dcccxxxiii) +and the word in the text is plural. + + +[FN#194] Arab. "Furkh samak" lit. a fish-chick, an Egyptian +vulgarism. + +[FN#195] Arab. "Al-Rasif"; usually a river-quay, levée, an +embankment. Here it refers to the great dyke which distributed the +Tigris-water. + +[FN#196] Arab. "Dajlah," see vol. i, p 180. It is evidently the +origin of the biblical "Hid-dekel" "Hid" = fierceness, swiftness. + +[FN#197] Arab. "Bayáz" a kind of Silurus (S. Bajad, Forsk.) which +Sonnini calls Bayatto, Saksatt and Hébedé; also Bogar (Bakar, an ox). +The skin is lubricous, the flesh is soft and insipid and the fish often +grows to the size of a man. Captain Speke and I found huge specimens +in the Tangany ika Lake. + +[FN#198] Arab. "Mu'allim," vulg. "M'allim," prop.= teacher, master +esp. of a trade, a craft. In Egypt and Syria it is a civil address to +a Jew or a Christian, as Hájj is to a Moslem. + +[FN#199] Arab. "Gharámah," an exaction, usually on the part of +government like a corvée etc. The Europeo-Egyptian term is Avania +(Ital.) or Avanie (French). + +[FN#200] Arab. "Sayyib-hu" an Egyptian vulgarism found also in Syria. + Hence Sáibah, a woman who lets herself go (a-whoring) etc. It is syn. +with "Dashar," which Dozy believes to be a softening of Jashar; and +Jashsh became Dashsh. + +[FN#201] The Silurus is generally so called in English on account of +its feeler-acting mustachios. + +[FN#202] See Night dcccvii, vol. viii. p. 94. + +[FN#203] This extraordinary confusion of two distinct religious +mythologies cannot be the result of ignorance. Educated Moslems know +at least as much as Christians do, on these subjects, but the Rawi or +story-teller speaks to the "Gallery." In fact it becomes a mere +'chaff' and The Nights give some neat specimens of our modern +linguistic. + +[FN#204] See vol. ii. 197. "Al-Siddíkah" (fem.) is a title of +Ayishah, who, however, does not appear to have deserved it. + + +[FN#205] The Jew's wife. + +[FN#206] Here is a double entendre. The fisherman meant a word or +two. The Jew understood the Shibboleth of the Moslem Creed, popularly +known as the "Two Words,"—I testify that there is no Ilah (god) but +Allah (the God) and I testify that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah. +Pronouncing this formula would make the Jew a Moslem. Some writers are +surprised to see a Jew ordering a Moslem to be flogged; but the former +was rich and the latter was poor. Even during the worst days of Jewish +persecutions their money-bags were heavy enough to lighten the greater +part, if not the whole of their disabilities. And the Moslem saying +is, "The Jew is never your (Moslem or Christian) equal: he must be +either above you or below you." This is high, because unintentional +praise of the (self-) Chosen People. + +[FN#207] He understands the "two words" (Kalmatáni) the Moslem's +double profession of belief; and Khalifah's reply embodies the popular +idea that the number of Moslems (who will be saved) is preordained and +that no art of man can add to it or take from it. + +[FN#208] Arab. "Mamarr al-Tujjár" (passing-place of the traders) +which Lane renders "A chamber within the place through which the +traders passed." At the end of the tale (Night dccxlv.) we find him +living in a Khan and the Bresl. Edit. (see my terminal note) makes him +dwell in a magazine (i.e. ground- floor store-room) of a ruined Khan. + +[FN#209] The text is somewhat too concise and the meaning is that the +fumes of the Hashish he had eaten ("his mind under the influence of +hasheesh," says Lane) suggested to him, etc. + +[FN#210] Arab. "Mamrak" either a simple aperture in ceiling or roof +for light and air or a more complicated affair of lattice- work and +plaster; it is often octagonal and crowned with a little dome. Lane +calls it "Memrak," after the debased Cairene pronunciation, and shows +its base in his sketch of a Ka'áh (M.E., Introduction). + +[FN#211] Arab. "Kamar." This is a practice especially amongst +pilgrims. In Hindostan the girdle, usually a waist-shawl, is called +Kammar-band our old "Cummerbund." Easterns are too sensible not to +protect the pit of the stomach, that great ganglionic centre, against +sun, rain and wind, and now our soldiers in India wear flannel-belts on +the march. + +[FN#212] Arab. "Fa-immá 'alayhá wa-immá bihá," i.e. whether (luck go) +against it or (luck go) with it. + +[FN#213] "O vilest of sinners!" alludes to the thief. "A general +plunge into worldly pursuits and pleasures announced the end of the +pilgrimage-ceremonies. All the devotees were now "whitewashed"—the book +of their sins was a tabula rasa: too many of them lost no time in +making a new departure down South and in opening a fresh account" +(Pilgrimage iii. 365). I have noticed that my servant at Jeddah would +carry a bottle of Raki, uncovered by a napkin, through the main +streets. + +[FN#214] The copper cucurbites in which Solomon imprisoned the +rebellious Jinns, often alluded to in The Nights. + +[FN#215] i.e. Son of the Chase: it is prob. a corruption of the +Persian Kurnas, a pimp, a cuckold, and introduced by way of chaff, +intelligible only to a select few "fast" men. + +[FN#216] For the name see vol. ii.61, in the Tale of Ghánim bin +'Ayyúb where the Caliph's concubine is also drugged by the Lady +Zubaydah. + + +[FN#217] We should say, "What is this?" etc. The lines have occurred +before so I quote Mr. Payne. + +[FN#218] Zubaydah, I have said, was the daughter of Ja'afar, son of +the Caliph al-Mansur, second Abbaside. The story-teller persistently +calls her daughter of Al-Kásim for some reason of his own; and this he +will repeat in Night dcccxxxix. + +[FN#219] Arab. "Shakhs," a word which has travelled as far as +Hindostan. + + +[FN#220] Arab. "Shamlah" described in dictionaries, as a cloak +covering the whole body. For Hizám (girdle) the Bresl. Edit. reads +"Hirám" vulg. "Ehrám," the waist-cloth, the Pilgrim's attire. + +[FN#221] He is described by Al-Siyúti (p. 309) as "very fair, tall +handsome and of captivating appearance." + +[FN#222] Arab. "Uzn al-Kuffah" lit. "Ear of the basket," which vulgar +Egyptians pronounce "Wizn," so "Wajh" (face) becomes "Wishsh" and so +forth. + +[FN#223] Arab. "Bi-fardayn" = with two baskets, lit. "two singles," +but the context shows what is meant. English Frail and French Fraile +are from Arab. "Farsalah" a parcel (now esp. of coffee-beans) evidently +derived from the low Lat. "Parcella" (Du Cange, Paris, firmin Didot +1845). Compare "ream," vol. v. 109. + +[FN#224] Arab. "Sátúr," a kind of chopper which here would be used +for the purpose of splitting and cleaning and scaling the fish. + +[FN#225] And, consequently, that the prayer he is about to make will +find ready acceptance. + +[FN#226] Arab. "Ruh bilá Fuzúl" (lit. excess, exceeding) still a +popular phrase. + +[FN#227] i.e. better give the fish than have my head broken. + +[FN#228] Said ironicč, a favourite figure of speech with the +Fellah: the day began badly and threatened to end unluckily. + + +[FN#229] The penalty of Theft. See vol. i. 274. + +[FN#230] This is the model of a courtly compliment; and it would still +be admired wherever Arabs are not "frankified." + +[FN#231] Arab. "Shibábah;" Lane makes it a kind of reed- flageolet. + +[FN#232] These lines occur in vol. i. 76: I quote Mr. Payne. + +[FN#233] The instinctive way of juggling with Heaven like our sanding +the sugar and going to church. + +[FN#234] Arab. "Yá Shukayr," from Shakar, being red (clay, etc.): +Shukár is an anemone or a tulip and Shukayr is its dim. Form. Lane's +Shaykh made it a dim. of "Ashkar" = tawny, ruddy (of complexion), so +the former writes, "O Shukeyr." Mr. Payne prefers "O Rosy cheeks." + +[FN#235] For "Sandal," see vol. ii. {55}. Sandalí properly means an +Eunuch clean rasé, but here Sandal is a P.N. = Sandal-wood. + +[FN#236] Arab. "Yá mumátil," one who retards payment. + +[FN#237] Arab. "Kirsh al-Nukhál" = Guts of bran, a term little fitted +for the handsome and distinguished Persian. But Khalifah is a +Fellah-grazioso of normal assurance shrewd withal; he blunders like an +Irishman of the last generation and he uses the first epithet that +comes to his tongue. See Night dcccxliii. for the sudden change in +Khalifah. + +[FN#238] So the Persian "May your shadow never be less" means, I have +said, the shadow which you throw over your servant. Shade, cold water +and fresh breezes are the joys of life in arid Arabia. + +[FN#239] When a Fellah demanded money due to him by the Government of +Egypt, he was a once imprisoned for arrears of taxes and thus prevented +from being troublesome. I am told that matters have improved under +English rule, but I "doubt the fact." + +[FN#240] This freak is of course not historical. The tale- teller +introduces it to enhance the grandeur and majesty of Harun al-Rashid, +and the vulgar would regard it as a right kingly diversion. Westerns +only wonder that such things could be. + +[FN#241] Uncle of the Prophet: for his death see Pilgrimage ii. 248. + +[FN#242] First cousin of the Prophet, son of Abú Tálib, a brother of +Al-Abbas from whom the Abbasides claimed descent. + +[FN#243] i.e. I hope thou hast or Allah grant thou have good tidings +to tell me. + +[FN#244] Arab. "Nákhúzah Zulayt." The former, from the Persian +Nákhodá or ship-captain which is also used in a playful sense "a +godless wight," one owning no (ná) God (Khudá). Zulayt = a low fellow, +blackguard. + +[FN#245] Yásamín and Narjis, names of slave-girls or eunuchs. + +[FN#246] Arab. Tamar-hanná, the cheapest of dyes used ever by the +poorest classes. Its smell, I have said, is that of newly mown hay, +and is prized like that of the tea-rose. + +[FN#247] The formula (meaning, "What has he to do here?") is by no +means complimentary. + +[FN#248] Arab. "Jarrah" (pron. "Garrah") a "jar." See Lane (M.E. +chapt. v.) who was deservedly reproached by Baron von Hammer for his +superficial notices. The "Jarrah" is of pottery, whereas the "Dist" is +a large copper chauldron and the Khalkinah one of lesser size. + +[FN#249] i.e. What a bother thou art, etc. + +[FN#250] This sudden transformation, which to us seems exaggerated and +unnatural, appears in many Eastern stories and in the biographies of +their distinguished men, especially students. A youth cannot master his +lessons; he sees a spider climbing a slippery wall and after repeated +falls succeeding. Allah opens the eyes of his mind, his studies become +easy to him, and he ends with being an Allámah (doctissimus). + +[FN#251] Arab. "Bismillah, Námí!" here it is not a blessing, but a +simple invitation, "Now please go to sleep." + +[FN#252] The modern inkcase of the Universal East is a lineal +descendant of the wooden palette with writing reeds. See an +illustration of that of "Amásis, the good god and lord of the two +lands" (circ. B.C. 1350) in British Museum (p. 41, "The Dwellers on the +Nile," by E. A. Wallis Bridge, London, 56, Paternoster Row, 1885). + +[FN#253] This is not ironical, as Lane and Payne suppose, but a +specimen of inverted speech—Thou art in luck this time! + +[FN#254] Arab. "Marhúb" = terrible: Lane reads "Mar'úb" = terrified. + But the former may also mean, threatened with something terrible. + +[FN#255] i.e. in Kut al-Kulúb. + +[FN#256] Lit. to the son of thy paternal uncle, i.e. Mohammed. + +[FN#257] In the text he tells the whole story beginning with the +eunuch and the hundred dinars, the chest, etc.: but — "of no avail is a +twice-told tale." + +[FN#258] Koran xxxix. 54. I have quoted Mr. Rodwell who affects the +Arabic formula, omitting the normal copulatives. + +[FN#259] Easterns find it far easier to "get the chill of poverty out +of their bones" than Westerns. + +[FN#260] Arab. "Dar al-Na'ím." Name of one of the seven stages of +the Moslem heaven. This style of inscription dates from the days of +the hieroglyphs. A papyrus describing the happy town of Raamses ends +with these lines.— + + Daily is there a supply of food: + Within it gladness doth ever brood + * * * * + Prolonged, increased; abides there Joy, etc., etc. + + +[FN#261] Arab. "Ansár" = auxiliaries, the men of Al-Medinah +(Pilgrimage ii. 130, etc.). + + +[FN#262] Arab. "Asháb" = the companions of the Prophet who may number +500 (Pilgrimage ii. 81, etc.). + +[FN#263] Arab. "Hásilah" prob. a corner of a "Godown" in some +Khan or Caravanserai. + + +[FN#264] Arab. "Funduk" from the Gr. {pandocheîon}, whence the +Italian Fondaco e.g. at Venice the Fondaco de' Turchi. + + +[FN#265] Arab. "Astár" plur. of Satr: in the Mac. Edit. Sátúr, both +(says Dozy) meaning "Couperet" (a hatchet). Habicht translates it "a +measure for small fish," which seems to be a shot and a bad shot as the +text talks only of means of carrying fish. Nor can we accept Dozy's +emendation Astál (plur. of Satl) pails, situlć. In Petermann's Reisen +(i. 89) Satr=assiette. + +[FN#266] Which made him expect a heavy haul. + +[FN#267] Arab. "Urkúb" = tendon Achilles in man hough or pastern in +beast, etc. It is held to be an incrementative form of 'Akab (heel); as +Kur'úb of Ka'b (heel) and Khurtúm of Khatm (snout). + +[FN#268] Arab. "Karmút" and "Zakzúk." The former (pronounced Garmút) +is one of the many Siluri (S. Carmoth Niloticus) very common and +resembling the Shál. It is smooth and scaleless with fleshy lips and +soft meat and as it haunts muddy bottoms it was forbidden to the +Ancient Egyptians. The Zakzúk is the young of the Shál (Synodontis +Schal: Seetzen); its plural form Zakázik (pronounced Zigázig) gave a +name to the flourishing town which has succeeded to old Bubastis and of +which I have treated in "Midian" and "Midian Revisited." + +[FN#269] "Yá A'awar"=O one-eye! i.e.. the virile member. So the vulgar +insult "Ya ibn al-aur" (as the vulgar pronounce it) "O son of a yard!" +When Al-Mas'údi writes (Fr. Trans. vii. 106), "Udkhul usbu'ak fí +aynih," it must not be rendered "Il faut lui faire violence": thrust +thy finger into his eye ('Ayn) means "put thy penis up his fundament!" +('Ayn being=Dubur). The French remarks, "On en trouverait l'équivalent +dans les bas-fonds de notre langue." So in English "pig's eye," "blind +eye," etc. + +[FN#270] Arab. "Nabbút"=a quarterstaff: see vol. i. 234. + +[FN#271] Arab. "Banní," vulg. Benni and in Lane (Lex. Bunni) the +Cyprinus Bynni (Forsk.), a fish somewhat larger than a barbel with +lustrous silvery scales and delicate flesh, which Sonnini believes may +be the "Lepidotes" (smooth-scaled) mentioned by Athenćus. I may note +that the Bresl. Edit. (iv. 332) also affects the Egyptian vulgarism +"Farkh-Banni" of the Mac. Edit. (Night dcccxxxii.). + +[FN#272] The story-teller forgets that Khalif had neither basket nor +knife. + +[FN#273] Arab. "Rayhán" which may here mean any scented herb. + +[FN#274] In the text "Fard Kalmah," a vulgarism. The Mac. Edit. +(Night dcccxxxv.) more aptly says, "Two words" (Kalmatáni, vulg. +Kalmatayn) the Twofold Testimonies to the Unity of Allah and the +Mission of His Messenger. + + +[FN#275] The lowest Cairene chaff which has no respect for itself or +others. + +[FN#276] Arab. "Karrat azlá hú": alluding to the cool skin of healthy +men when digesting a very hearty meal. + +[FN#277] This is the true Fellah idea. A peasant will go up to his +proprietor with the "rint" in gold pieces behind his teeth and undergo +an immense amount of flogging before he spits them out. Then he will +return to his wife and boast of the number of sticks he has eaten +instead of paying at once and his spouse will say, "Verily thou art a +man." Europeans know nothing of the Fellah. Napoleon Buonaparte, for +political reasons, affected great pity for him and horror of his +oppressors, the Beys and Pashas; and this affectation gradually became +public opinion. The Fellah must either tyrannise or be tyrannised over; +he is never happier than under a strong-handed despotism and he has +never been more miserable than under British rule or rather misrule. +Our attempts to constitutionalise him have made us the laughing-stock +of Europe. + +[FN#278] The turban is a common substitute for a purse with the lower +classes of Egyptians; and an allusion to the still popular practice of +turban-snatching will be found in vol. i. p. 259. + +[FN#279] Arab. "Sálih," a devotee; here, a naked Dervish. + +[FN#280] Here Khalif is made a conspicuous figure in Baghdad like +Boccaccio's Calandrino and Co. He approaches in type the old Irishman +now extinct, destroyed by the reflux action of Anglo-America (U.S.) +upon the miscalled "Emerald Isle." He blunders into doing and saying +funny things whose models are the Hibernian "bulls" and acts purely +upon the impulse of the moment, never reflecting till (possibly) after +all is over. + +[FN#281] Arab. "Kaylúlah," explained in vol. i. 51. + +[FN#282] i.e. thy bread lawfully gained. The "Bawwák" (trumpeter) like +the "Zammár" (piper of the Mac. Edit.) are discreditable craftsmen, +associating with Almahs and loose women and often serving as their +panders. + +[FN#283] i.e. he was indecently clad. Man's "shame" extends from navel +to knees. See vol vi. 118. + +[FN#284] Rashád would be=garden-cresses or stones: Rashíd the +heaven-directed. + +[FN#285] Arab. "Uff 'alayka"=fie upon thee! Uff=lit. Sordes Aurium and +Tuff (a similar term of disgust)=Sordes unguinum. To the English reader +the blows administered to Khalif appear rather hard measure. But a +Fellah's back is thoroughly broken to the treatment and he would take +ten times as much punishment for a few piastres. + +[FN#286] Arab. "Zurayk" dim. of Azrak=blue-eyed. See vol. iii. 104. + +[FN#287] Of Baghdad. + +[FN#288] Arab. "Hásil," i.e. cell in a Khan for storing goods: +elsewhere it is called a Makhzan (magazine) with the same sense. + +[FN#289] The Bresl. text (iv. 347) abbreviates, or rather omits; so +that in translation details must be supplied to make sense. + +[FN#290] Arab. "Kamán," vulgar Egyptian, a contraction from Kamá (as) ++ anna (since, because). So " Kamán shuwayh"=wait a bit; " Kamán +marrah"=once more and "Wa Kamána-ka"=that is why. + +[FN#291] i.e. Son of the Eagle: See vol. iv. 177. Here, however, as +the text shows it is hawk or falcon. The name is purely fanciful and +made mnemonically singular. + +[FN#292] The Egyptian Fellah knows nothing of boxing like the +Hausá man; but he is fond of wrestling after a rude and +uncultivated fashion, which would cause shouts of laughter in +Cumberland and Cornwall. And there are champions in this line, +See vol. ii. 93. + + +[FN#293] The usual formula. See vol. ii. 5. + +[FN#294] As the Fellah still does after drinking a cuplet ("fingán" he +calls it) of sugared coffee. + +[FN#295] He should have said "white," the mourning colour under the +Abbasides. + +[FN#296] Anglicč, "Fine feathers make fine birds"; and in Eastern +parlance, "Clothe the reed and it will become a bride." (Labbis +al-Búsah tabkí 'Arúsah, Spitta Bey, No. 275.) I must allow myself a few +words of regret for the loss of this Savant, one of the most +singleminded men known to me. He was vilely treated by the Egyptian +Government, under the rule of the Jew-Moslem Riyáz; and, his health not +allowing him to live in Austria, he died shortly after return home. + +[FN#297] Arab. " Saub (Tobe) 'Atábi": see vol. iii. 149. + +[FN#298] In text "Kimkhá," which Dozy also gives Kumkh=chenille, +tissu de soie veloutee: Damasqučte de soie or et argent de +Venise, du Levant , ŕ fleurs, etc. It comes from Kamkháb or +Kimkháb, a cloth of gold, the well-known Indian "Kimcob." + + +[FN#299] Here meaning=Enter in Allah's name! + +[FN#300] The Arabs have a saying, "Wine breeds gladness, music +merriment and their offspring is joy." + +[FN#301] Arab. "Jokh al-Saklát," rich kind of brocade on broadcloth. + +[FN#302] Arab. "Hanabát," which Dozy derives from O. German +Hnapf, Hnap now Napf: thence too the Lat. Hanapus and Hanaperium: +Ital. Anappo, Nappo; Provenc. Enap and French and English +"Hanap"= rich bowl, basket, bag. But this is known even to the +dictionaries. + + +[FN#303] Arab. " Kirám," nobles, and " Kurúm," vines, a word which +appears in Carmel=Karam-El (God's vineyard). + +[FN#304] Arab. "Suláf al-Khandarísí," a contradiction. Suláf=the +ptisane of wine. Khandarísí, from Greek {chóndros}, lit. gruel, applies +to old wine. + +[FN#305] i.e. in bridal procession. + +[FN#306] Arab. "Al-'Arús, one of the innumerable tropical names given +to wine by the Arabs. Mr. Payne refers to Grangeret de la Grange, +Anthologie Arabe, p. 190. + +[FN#307] Here the text of the Mac. Edition is resumed. + +[FN#308] i.e. "Adornment of (good) Qualities." See the name punned on +in Night dcccli. Lane omits this tale because it contains the illicit +"Amours of a Christian and a Jewess who dupes her husband in various +abominable ways." The text has been taken from the Mac. and the Bresl. +Edits. x. 72 etc. In many parts the former is a mere Epitome. + +[FN#309] The face of her who owns the garden. + +[FN#310] i.e. I am no public woman. + +[FN#311] i.e. with the sight of the garden and its mistress— purposely +left vague. + +[FN#312] Arab. "Dádat." Night dcclxxvi. vol. vii. p. 372. + +[FN#313] Meaning respectively "Awaking" (or blowing hard), "Affairs" +(or Misfortunes) and "Flowing" (blood or water). They are evidently +intended for the names of Jewish slave-girls. + +[FN#314] i.e. the brow-curls, or accroche-cÂurs. See vol. i. 168. + +[FN#315] Arab. "Wisháh" usually applied to woman's broad belt, +stomacher (Al-Hariri Ass. of Rayy). + +[FN#317] The old Greek "Stephane." + +[FN#317] Alluding to the popular fancy of the rain-drop which becomes +a pearl. + +[FN#318] Arab. "Ghází"=one who fights for the faith. + +[FN#319] i.e. people of different conditions. + +[FN#320] The sudden change appears unnatural to Europeans; but an +Eastern girl talking to a strange man in a garden is already half won. +The beauty, however, intends to make trial of her lover's generosity +before yielding. + +[FN#321] These lines have occurred in the earlier part of the +Night: I quote Mr. Payne for variety. + + +[FN#322] Arab. "Al-Sháh mát"=the King is dead, Pers. and Arab. +grotesquely mixed: Europeans explain "Checkmate" in sundry ways, all +more or less wrong. + +[FN#323] Cheating (Ghadr) is so common that Easterns who have no +tincture of Western civilisation look upon it not only as venial but +laudable when one can take advantage of a simpleton. No idea of +"honour" enters into it. Even in England the old lady whist-player of +the last generation required to be looked after pretty closely—if Mr. +Charles Dickens is to be trusted. + +[FN#324] Arab. "Al-Gháliyah," whence the older English Algallia. +See vol. i., 128. The Voyage of Linschoten, etc. Hakluyt Society +MDCCCLXXXV., with notes by my learned friend the late Arthur Coke +Burnell whose early death was so sore a loss to Oriental +students. + + +[FN#325] A favourite idiom, "What news bringest thou?" ("O +Asám!" Arab. Prov. ii. 589) used by Háris bin Amrú, King of +Kindah, to the old woman Asám whom he had sent to inspect a girl +he purposed marrying. + + +[FN#326] Amongst the Jews the Arab Salám becomes "Shalúm" and a +Jewess would certainly not address this ceremonial greeting to a +Christian. But Eastern storytellers care little for these +minutić; and the "Adornment of Qualities," was not by birth a +Jewess as the sequel will show. + + +[FN#327] Arab. "Sálifah," the silken plaits used as adjuncts. +See vol. iii, 313. + + +[FN#328] I have translated these lines in vol. i. 131, and quoted Mr. +Torrens in vol. iv. 235. Here I borrow from Mr. Payne. + +[FN#329] Mr. Payne notes:—Apparently some place celebrated for its +fine bread, as Gonesse in seventeenth-century France. It occurs also in +Bresl. Edit. (iv. 203) and Dozy does not understand it. But Arj the +root=good odour. + +[FN#330] Arab. "Tás," from Pers. Tásah. M. Charbonneau a Professor of +Arabic at Constantine and Member of the Asiatic Soc. Paris, who +published the Histoire de Chams-Eddine et Nour-Eddine with Maghrabi +punctuation (Paris, Hachette, 1852) remarks the similarity of this word +to Tazza and a number of other whimsical coincidences as Zauj, {zygós} +jugum; Inkár, negare; matrah, matelas; Ishtirá, acheter, etc. To which +I may add wasat, waist; zabad, civet; Bás, buss (kiss); uzrub (pron. +Zrub), drub; Kat', cut; Tarík, track; etc., etc. + +[FN#331] We should say "To her (I drink)" etc. + +[FN#332] This is ad captandum. The lovers becoming Moslems would +secure the sympathy of the audience. In the sequel (Night dccclviii) we +learn that the wilful young woman was a born Moslemah who had married a +Jew but had never Judaized. + +[FN#333] The doggerel of this Kasidah is not so phenomenal as some we +have seen. + +[FN#334] Arab. "'Andam"=Brazil wood, vol. iii. 263. + +[FN#335] Arab. " Himŕ." See supra, p. 102. + +[FN#336] i.e. her favours were not lawful till the union was +sanctified by heartwhole (if not pure) love. + +[FN#337] Arab. "Mansúr wa munazzam=oratio soluta et ligata. + +[FN#338] i.e. the cupbearers. + +[FN#339] Which is not worse than usual. + +[FN#340] i.e. "Ornament of Qualities." + +[FN#341] The 'Akík, a mean and common stone, ranks high in +Moslem poetry on account of the saying of Mohammed recorded by +Ali and Ayishah "Seal with seals of Carnelian." ('Akik.) + + +[FN#342] See note ii. at the end of this volume. + +[FN#343] Arab. "Mahall" as opposed to the lady's "Manzil," which would +be better "Makám." The Arabs had many names for their old habitations, +e.g.; Kubbah, of brick; Sutrah, of sun-dried mud; Hazírah, of wood; +Tiráf, a tent of leather; Khabáa, of wool; Kash'a, of skins; Nakhád, of +camel's or goat's hair; Khaymah, of cotton cloth; Wabar, of soft hair +as the camel's undercoat and Fustát (the well-known P.N.) a tent of +horsehair or any hair (Sha'ar) but Wabar. + +[FN#344] This is the Maghribi form of the Arab. Súk=a bazar-street, +known from Tanjah (Tangiers) to Timbuctoo. + +[FN#345] Arab. "Walímah" usually=a wedding-feast. According to the +learned Nasíf al-Yazají the names of entertainments are as follows: +Al-Jafalŕ=a general invitation, opp. to Al-Nakarŕ, especial; Khurs, a +childbirth feast; 'Akíkah, when the boy-babe is first shaved; +A'zár=circumcision-feast; Hizák, when the boy has finished his +perlection of the Koran; Milák, on occasion of marriage-offer; Wazímah, +a mourning entertainment; Wakírah=a "house-warming"; Nakí'ah, on +returning from wayfare; 'Akírah, at beginning of the month Rajab; +Kirŕ=a guest-feast and Maadubah, a feast for other cause; any feast. + +[FN#346] Arab. "Anistaná" the pop. phrase=thy company gladdens us. + +[FN#347] Here "Muákhát" or making mutual brotherhood would be=entering +into a formal agreement for partnership. For the forms of "making +brotherhood," see vol. iii. {151}. + +[FN#348] Arab. "Ishárah" in classical Arab. signs with the finger +(beckoning); Aumá with the hand; Ramz, with the lips; Khalaj, with the +eyelids (wink); and Ghamz with the eye. Aumáz is a furtive glance, +especially of women, and Ilház, a side-glance from lahaza, limis oculis +intuitus est. See Preston's Al-Hariri, p. 181. + +[FN#349] Arab. "Haudaj" (Hind. Haudah, vulg. Howda=elephant-saddle), +the women's camel-litter, a cloth stretched over a wooden frame. See +the Prize-poem of Lebid, v. 12. + +[FN#350] i.e. the twelve days' visit. + +[FN#351] See note, vol. vii. {226}. So Dryden (Virgil):— + + "And the hoarse raven on the blasted bough + By croaking to the left presaged the coming blow." + + +And Gay (Fable xxxvii.), + + "That raven on the left-hand oak, + Curse on his ill-betiding croak!" + + +In some Persian tales two crows seen together are a good omen. + +[FN#352] Vulgar Moslems hold that each man's fate is written in the +sutures of his skull but none can read the lines. See vol. iii. 123. + +[FN#353] i.e. cease not to bemoan her lot whose moon-faced beloved +ones are gone. + +[FN#354] Arab. "Rukb" used of a return caravan; and also meaning +travellers on camels. The vulgar however apply "Rákib" (a camel-rider) +to a man on horseback who is properly Fáris plur. "Khayyálah," while +"Khayyál" is a good rider. Other names are "Fayyál" (elephant-rider), +Baghghál (mule-rider) and Hammár (donkey-rider). + +[FN#355] A popular exaggeration. See vol. i. 117 + +[FN#356] Lit. Empty of tent-ropes (Atnáb). + +[FN#357] Arab. "'Abír," a fragrant powder sprinkled on face, body and +clothes. In India it is composed of rice flower or powdered bark of the +mango, Deodar (uvaria longifolia), Sandalwood, lign-aloes or curcuma +(zerumbat or zedoaria) with rose-flowers, camphor, civet and +anise-seed. There are many of these powders: see in Herklots Chiksá, +Phul, Ood, Sundul, Uggur, and Urgujja. + +[FN#358] i.e. fair faced boys and women. These lines are from the +Bresl. Edit. x. 160. + +[FN#359] i.e. the Chief Kazi. For the origin of the Office and title +see vol. ii. 90, and for the Kazi al-Arab who administers justice among +the Badawin see Pilgrimage iii. 45. + +[FN#360] Arab. "Raas al-Mál"=capital, as opposed to Ribá or +Ribh=interest. This legal expression has been adopted by all +Moslem races. + + +[FN#361] Our Aden which is thus noticed by Abulfeda (A.D. 1331): "Aden +in the lowlands of Tehámah * * * also called Abyana from a man (who +found it?), built upon the seashore, a station (for land travellers) +and a sailing-place for merchant ships India-bound, is dry and +sunparcht (Kashifah, squalid, scorbutic) and sweet water must be +imported. * * * It lies 86 parasangs from San'á but Ibn Haukal +following the travellers makes it three stages. The city, built on the +skirt of a wall-like mountain, has a watergate and a landgate known as +Bab al-Sákayn. But 'Adan Lá'ah (the modest, the timid, the less known +as opposed to Abyan, the better known?) is a city in the mountains of +Sabir, Al-Yaman, whence issued the supporters of the Fatimite Caliphs +of Egypt." 'Adan etymologically means in Arab. and Heb. pleasure +({hédone}), Eden (the garden), the Heaven in which spirits will see +Allah and our "Coal-hole of the East," which we can hardly believe ever +to have been an Eden. Mr. Badger who supplied me with this note +described the two Adens in a paper in Ocean Highways, which he cannot +now find. In the 'Ajáib al-Makhlúkát, Al-Kazwíni (ob. A.D. 1275) +derives the name from Ibn Sinán bin Ibrahím; and is inclined there to +place the Bír al-Mu'attal (abandoned well) and the Kasr alMashíd (lofty +palace) of Koran xxii. 44; and he adds "Kasr al-Misyad" to those +mentioned in the tale of Sayf al-Mulúk and Badí'a al-Jamál. + +[FN#362] Meaning that she had been carried to the Westward of +Meccah. + + +[FN#363] Arab. "Zahrawíyah" which contains a kind of double entendre. +Fátimah the Prophet's only daughter is entitled Al-Zahrá the +"bright-blooming"; and this is also an epithet of Zohrah the planet +Venus. For Fatimah see vol. vi. 145. Of her Mohammed said, "Love your +daughters, for I too am a father of daughters" and, "Love them, they +are the comforters, the dearlings." The Lady appears in Moslem history +a dreary young woman (died ćt. 28) who made this world, like Honorius, +a hell in order to win a next-world heaven. Her titles are Zahrá and +Batúl (Pilgrimage ii. 90) both signifying virgin. Burckhardt translates +Zahrá by "bright blooming" (the etymological sense): it denotes +literally a girl who has not menstruated, in which state of purity the +Prophet's daughter is said to have lived and died. "Batúl" has the +sense of a "clean maid" and is the title given by Eastern Christians to +the Virgin Mary. The perpetual virginity of Fatimah even after +motherhood (Hasan and Husayn) is a point of orthodoxy in Al-Islam as +Juno's with the Romans and Umá's with the Hindú worshippers of Shiva. +During her life Mohammed would not allow Ali a second wife, and he held +her one of the four perfects, the other three being Asia wife of +"Pharaoh," the Virgin Mary and Khadijah his own wife. She caused much +scandal after his death by declaring that he had left her the Fadak +estate (Abulfeda I, 133, 273) a castle with a fine palm-orchard near +Khaybar. Abu Bakr dismissed the claim quoting the Apostle's Hadis, "We +prophets are folk who will away nothing: what we leave is alms-gift to +the poor," and Shí'ahs greatly resent his decision. (See Dabistan iii. +5152 for a different rendering of the words.) I have given the popular +version of the Lady Fatimah's death and burial (Pilgrimage ii. 315) and +have remarked that Moslem historians delight in the obscurity which +hangs over her last resting-place, as if it were an honour even for the +receptacle of her ashes to be concealed from the eyes of men. Her +repute is a curious comment on Tom Hood's + +"Where woman has never a soul to save." + +[FN#364] For Sharif and Sayyid, descendants of Mohammed, see vol. iv. +170. + +[FN#365] These lines have occurred with variants in vol. iii. 257, and +iv. 50. + +[FN#366] Arab. "Hazrat," esp. used in India and corresponding with our +medićval "prćsentia vostra." + +[FN#367] This wholesale slaughter by the tale-teller of worshipful and +reverend men would bring down the gallery like a Spanish tragedy in +which all the actors are killed. + +[FN#368] They are called indifferently "Ruhbán"=monks or +"Batárikah"=patriarchs. See vol. ii. 89. + + +[FN#369] Arab. "Khilál." The toothpick, more esteemed by the Arabs +than by us, is, I have said, often used by the poets as an emblem of +attenuation without offending good taste. Nizami (Layla u Majnún) +describes a lover as "thin as a toothpick." The "elegant" Hariri (Ass. +of Barkaid) describes a toothpick with feminine attributes, "shapely of +shape, attractive, provocative of appetite, delicate as the leanest of +lovers, polished as a poinard and bending as a green bough." + +[FN#370] From Bresl. Edit. x. 194. + +[FN#371] Trébutien (vol. ii. 344 et seq.) makes the seven monks sing +as many anthems, viz. (1) Congregamini; (2) Vias tuas demonstra mihi; +(3) Dominus illuminatis; (4) Custodi linguam; (5) Unam petii a Domino; +(6) Nec adspiciat me visus, and (7) Turbatus est a furore oculus meus. +Dánis the Abbot chaunts Anima mea turbata est valdč. + +[FN#372] A neat and characteristic touch: the wilful beauty eats and +drinks before she thinks of her lover. Alas for Masrur married. + +[FN#373] The unfortunate Jew, who seems to have been a model husband +(Orientally speaking), would find no pity with a coffee-house audience +because he had been guilty of marrying a Moslemah. The union was null +and void therefore the deliberate murder was neither high nor petty +treason. But, The Nights, though their object is to adorn a tale, never +deliberately attempt to point a moral and this is one of their many +charms. + +[FN#374] These lines have repeatedly occurred. I quote Mr. +Payne. + + +[FN#375] i.e. by the usual expiation. See vol. {ii. 186}. + +[FN#376] Arab. "Shammirí"=up and ready! + +[FN#377] I borrow the title from the Bresl. Edit. x. 204. Mr. Payne +prefers "Ali Noureddin and the Frank King's Daughter." Lane omits also +this tale because it resembles Ali Shar and Zumurrud (vol. iv. 187) and +Alá al-Din Abu al-Shámát (vol. iv. 29), "neither of which is among the +text of the collection." But he has unconsciously omitted one of the +highest interest. Dr. Bacher (Germ. Orient. Soc.) finds the original in +Charlemagne's daughter Emma and his secretary Eginhardt as given in +Grimm's Deutsche Sagen. I shall note the points of resemblance as the +tale proceeds. The correspondence with the King of France may be a +garbled account of the letters which passed between Harun al-Rashid and +Nicephorus, "the Roman dog." + +[FN#378] Arab. "Allaho Akbar," the Moslem slogan or war-cry. See vol. +ii. 89. + +[FN#379] The gate-keeper of Paradise. See vol. iii. 15, 20. + +[FN#380] Negroes. Vol. iii. 75. + +[FN#381] Arab. "Nakat," with the double meaning of to spot and to +handsel especially dancing and singing women; and, as Mr. Payne notes +in this acceptation it is practically equivalent to the English phrase +"to mark (or cross) the palm with silver." I have translated "Anwá" by +Pleiads; but it means the setting of one star and simultaneous rising +of another foreshowing rain. There are seven Anwá (plur. of nawa) in +the Solar year viz. Al-Badri (Sept.-Oct.); Al-Wasmiyy (late autumn and +December); Al-Waliyy (to April); Al-Ghamír (June); Al-Busriyy (July); +Bárih al-Kayz (August) and Ahrák al-Hawá extending to September 8. +These are tokens of approaching rain, metaphorically used by the poets +to express "bounty". See Preston's Hariri (p. 43) and Chenery upon the +Ass. of the Banu Haram. + +[FN#382] i.e. They trip and stumble in their hurry to get there. + +[FN#383] Arab. "Kumm" = sleeve or petal. See vol. v. 32. + +[FN#384] Arab. "Kiráb" = sword-case of wood, the sheath being of +leather. + +[FN#385] Arab. "Akr kayrawán," both rare words. + +[FN#386] A doubtful tradition in the Mishkát al-Masábih declares that +every pomegranate contains a grain from Paradise. See vol. i. 134. The +Koranic reference is to vi. 99. + +[FN#387] Arab. "Aswad," lit. black but used for any dark colour, here +green as opposed to the lighter yellow. + +[FN#388] The idea has occurred in vol. i. 158. + +[FN#389] So called from the places where they grow. + +[FN#390] See vol. vii. for the almond-apricot whose stone is cracked +to get at the kernel. + +[FN#391] For Roum see vol. iv. 100: in Morocco "Roumi" means simply a +European. The tetrastich alludes to the beauty of the Greek slaves. + +[FN#392] Arab. "Ahlan" in adverb form lit. = "as one of the +household": so in the greeting "Ahlan wa Sahlan" (and at thine ease), +wa Marhabá (having a wide free place). + +[FN#393] For the Sufrah table-cloth see vol. i. 178. + +[FN#394] See vol. iii. 302, for the unclean allusion in fig and +sycamore. + +[FN#395] In the text "of Tor": see vol. ii. 242. The pear is mentioned +by Homer and grows wild in South Europe. Dr. Victor Hehn (The +Wanderings of Plants, etc.) comparing the Gr.{ápios} with the Lat. +Pyrus, suggests that the latter passed over to the Kelts and Germans +amongst whom the fruit was not indigenous. Our fine pears are mostly +from the East. e.g. the "bergamot" is the Beg Armud, Prince of Pears, +from Angora. + +[FN#396] i.e. "Royal," it may or may not come from Sultaníyah, a town +near Baghdad. See vol. i. 83; where it applies to oranges and citrons. + +[FN#397] 'Andam = Dragon's blood: see vol. iii. 263. + +[FN#398] Arab. "Jamár," the palm-pith and cabbage, both eaten by +Arabs with sugar. + + +[FN#399] Arab. "Anwár" = lights, flowers (mostly yellow): hence the +Moroccan "N'wár," with its usual abuse of Wakf or quiescence. + +[FN#400] Mr. Payne quotes Eugčne Fromentin, "Un Eté dans le Sahara," +Paris, 1857, p. 194. Apricot drying can be seen upon all the roofs at +Damascus where, however, the season for each fruit is unpleasantly +short, ending almost as soon as it begins. + +[FN#401] Arab. "Jalájal" = small bells for falcons: in Port. +cascaveis, whence our word. + +[FN#402] Khulanján. Sic all editions; but Khalanj, or Khaulanj adj. +Khalanji, a tree with a strong-smelling wood which held in hand as a +chaplet acts as perfume, as is probably intended. In Span. Arabic it is +the Erica-wood. The "Muhit" tells us that is a tree parcel yellow and +red growing in parts of India and China, its leaf is that of the +Tamarisk (Tarfá); its flower is coloured red, yellow and white; it +bears a grain like mustard-seed (Khardal) and of its wood they make +porringers. Hence the poet sings, + +"Yut 'amu 'l-shahdu fí 'l-jifáni, wa yuska * Labanu 'l-Bukhti fi +Kusá'i 'l-Khalanji: +Honey's served to them in platters for food; * Camels' milk in +bowls of the Khalanj wood." + + +The pl. Khalánij is used by Himyán bin Kaháfah in this "bayt", + +"Hattá izá má qazati 'l-Hawáijá * Wa malaat Halába-há +'l-Khalánijá: +Until she had done every work of hers * And with sweet milk had +filled the porringers." + + +[FN#403] In text Al-Shá'ir Al-Walahán, vol. iii. 226. + +[FN#404] The orange I have said is the growth of India and the golden +apples of the Hesperides were not oranges but probably golden nuggets. +Captain Rolleston (Globe, Feb. 5, '84, on "Morocco-Lixus") identifies +the Garden with the mouth of the Lixus River while M. Antichan would +transfer it to the hideous and unwholesome Bissagos Archipelago. + +[FN#405] Arab. "Ikyán," the living gold which is supposed to grow in +the ground. + +[FN#406] For the Kubbad or Captain Shaddock's fruit see vol. ii. 310, +where it is misprinted Kubád. + +[FN#407] Full or Fill in Bresl. Edit. = Arabian jessamine or cork-tree +({phellón}. The Bul. and Mac. Edits. read "filfil" = pepper or +palm-fibre. + +[FN#408] Arab. "Sumbul al-'Anbari"; the former word having been +introduced into England by patent medicines. "Sumbul" in Arab. and +Pers. means the hyacinth, the spikenard or the Sign Virgo. + +[FN#409] Arab. "Lisán al-Hamal" lit. = Lamb's tongue. + +[FN#410] See in Bresl. Edit. X, 221. Taif, a well-known town in the +mountain region East of Meccah, and not in the Holy Land, was once +famous for scented goat's leather. It is considered to be a "fragment +of Syria" (Pilgrimage ii. 207) and derives its name = the +circumambulator from its having circuited pilgrim-like round the +Ka'abah (Ibid.). + +[FN#411] Arab. "Mikhaddah" = cheek-pillow: Ital. guanciale. In +Bresl. Edit. Mudawwarah (a round cushion) Sinjabiyah (of Ermine). +For "Mudawwarah" see vol. iv. 135. + + +[FN#412] "Coffee" is here evidently an anachronism and was probably +inserted by the copyist. See vol. v. 169, for its first metnion. But +"Kahwah" may have preserved its original meaning = strong old wine +(vol. ii. 261); and the amount of wine-drinking and drunkenness proves +that the coffee movement had not set in. + +[FN#413] i.e. they are welcome. In Marocco "Lá baas" means, "I am +pretty well" (in health). + +[FN#414] The Rose (Ward) in Arab. is masculine, sounding to us most +uncouth. But there is a fem. form Wardah = a single rose. + +[FN#415] Arab. "Akmám," pl. of Kumm, a sleeve, a petal. See vol. iv. +107 and supra p. 267. The Moslem woman will show any part of her person +rather than her face, instinctively knowing that the latter may be +recognised whereas the former cannot. The traveller in the outer East +will see ludicrous situations in which the modest one runs away with +hind parts bare and head and face carefully covered. + +[FN#416] Arab. "Ikyán" which Mr. Payne translates "vegetable gold" +very picturesquely but not quite preserving the idea. See supra p. 272. + +[FN#417] It is the custom for fast youths, in Egypt, Syria, and +elsewhere to stick small gold pieces, mere spangles of metal on the +brows, cheeks and lips of the singing and dancing girls and the +perspiration and mask of cosmetics make them adhere for a time till +fresh movement shakes them off. + +[FN#418] See the same idea in vol. i. 132, and 349. + +[FN#419] "They will ask thee concerning wine and casting of lots; say: +'In both are great sin and great advantages to mankind; but the sin of +them both is greater than their advantage.'" See Koran ii. 216. +Mohammed seems to have made up his mind about drinking by slow degrees; +and the Koranic law is by no means so strict as the Mullahs have made +it. The prohibitions, revealed at widely different periods and varying +in import and distinction, have been discussed by Al-Bayzáwi in his +commentary on the above chapter. He says that the first revelation was +in chapt. xvi. 69 but, as the passage was disregarded, Omar and others +consulted the Apostle who replied to them in chapt. ii. 216. Then, as +this also was unnoticed, came the final decision in chapt. v. 92, +making wine and lots the work of Satan. Yet excuses are never wanting +to the Moslem, he can drink Champagne and Cognac, both unknown in +Mohammed's day and he can use wine and spirits medicinally, like sundry +of ourselves, who turn up the nose of contempt at the idea of drinking +for pleasure. + +[FN#420] i.e. a fair-faced cup-bearer. The lines have occurred before: +so I quote Mr. Payne. + +[FN#421] It is the custom of the Arabs to call their cattle to water +by whistling; not to whistle to them, as Europeans do, whilst making +water. + +[FN#422] i.e. bewitching. See vol. i. 85. These incompatible metaphors +are brought together by the Saj'a (prose rhyme) in—"iyah." + +[FN#423] Mesopotamian Christians, who still turn towards Jerusalem, +face the West, instead of the East, as with Europeans: here the monk is +so dazed that he does not know what to do. + +[FN#424] Arab. "Bayt Sha'ar" = a house of hair (tent) or a couplet of +verse. Watad (a tentpeg) also is prosodical, a foot when the two first +letters are "moved" (vowelled) and the last is jazmated (quiescent), +e.g. Lakad. It is termed Majmú'a (united), as opposed to "Mafrúk" +(separated), e.g. Kabla, when the "moved" consonants are disjoined by a +quiescent. + +[FN#425] Lit. standing on their heads, which sounds ludicrous enough +in English, not in Arabic. + +[FN#426] These lines are in vol. iii. 251. I quote Mr. Payne who notes +"The bodies of Eastern women of the higher classes by dint of continual +maceration, Esther-fashion, in aromatic oils and essences, would +naturally become impregnated with the sweet scents of the cosmetics +used." + +[FN#427] These lines occur in vol. i. 218: I quote Torrens for +variety. + +[FN#428] So we speak of a "female screw." The allusion is to the +dove-tailing of the pieces. This personification of the lute has +occurred before: but I solicit the reader's attention to it; it has a +fulness of Oriental flavour all its own. + +[FN#429] I again solicit the reader's attention to the simplicity, the +pathos and the beauty of this personification of the lute. + +[FN#430] "They" for she. + +[FN#431] The Arabs very justly make the "'Andalib" = nightingale, +masculine. + +[FN#432] Anwár = lights or flowers: See Night dccclxv. supra p. 270. + +[FN#433] These couplets have occurred in vol. i. 168; so I quote +Mr. Payne. + + +[FN#434] i.e. You may have his soul but leave me his body: company +with him in the next world and let me have him in this. + +[FN#435] Alluding to the Koranic (cxiii. 1.), "I take refuge with the +Lord of the Daybreak from the mischief of that which He hath created, +etc." This is shown by the first line wherein occurs the Koranic word +"Ghásik" (cxiii. 3) which may mean the first darkness when it +overspreadeth or the moon when it is eclipsed. + +[FN#436] "Malak" = level ground; also tract on the Nile sea. +Lane M.E. ii. 417, and Bruckhardt Nubia 482. + + +[FN#437] This sentiment has often been repeated. + +[FN#438] The owl comes in because "Búm" (pron. boom) rhymes with +Kayyúm = the Eternal. + + +[FN#439] For an incident like this see my Pilgrimmage (vol. i. 176). +How true to nature the whole scene is; the fond mother excusing her boy +and the practical father putting the excuse aside. European paternity, +however, would probably exclaim, "The beast's in liquor!" + +[FN#440] In ancient times this seems to have been the universal and +perhaps instinctive treatment of the hand that struck a father. By Nur +al-Din's flight the divorce-oath became technically null and void for +Taj al-Din had sworn to mutilate his son next morning. + +[FN#441] So Roderic Random and his companions "sewed their money +between the lining and the waistband of their breeches, except some +loose silver for immediate expense on the road." For a description of +these purses see Pilgrimage i. 37. + +[FN#442] Arab. Rashid (our Rosetta), a corruption of the Coptic +Trashit; ever famous for the Stone. + + +[FN#443] For a parallel passage in praise of Alexandria see vol. i. +290, etc. The editor or scribe was evidently an Egyptian. + +[FN#444] Arab. "Saghr" (Thagr), the opening of the lips showing the +teeth. See vol. i. p. 156. + +[FN#445] Iskandariyah, the city of Iskandar or Alexander the Great, +whose "Soma" was attractive to the Greeks as the corpse of the Prophet +Daniel afterwards was to the Moslems. The choice of site, then occupied +only by the pauper village of Rhacotis, is one proof of many that the +Macedonian conqueror had the inspiration of genius. + +[FN#446] i.e. paid them down. See vol. i. 281; vol. ii. 145. + +[FN#447] Arab. "Baltiyah," Sonnini's "Bolti" and Nébuleux (because it +is dozid-coloured when fried), the Labrus Niloticus from its labra or +large fleshy lips. It lives on the "leaves of Paradise" hence the flesh +is delicate and savoury and it is caught with the épervier or sweep-net +in the Nile, canals and pools. + +[FN#448] Arab. "Liyyah," not a delicate comparison, but exceedingly +apt besides rhyming to "Baltiyah." The cauda of the "five-quarter +sheep, whose tails are so broad and thick that there is as much flesh +upon them as upon a quarter of their body," must not be confounded with +the lank appendage of our English muttons. See i. 25, Dr. Burnell's +Linschoten (Hakluyt Soc. 1885). + +[FN#449] A variant occurs in vol. iv. 191. + +[FN#450] Arab. "Tars Daylami," a small shield of bright metal. + +[FN#451] Arab. "Kaukab al-durri," see Pilgrimage ii. 82. + +[FN#452] Arab. "Kusúf" applied to the moon; Khusúf being the solar +eclipse. + +[FN#453] May Abú Lahab's hands perish. . . and his wife be a bearer of +faggots!" Koran cxi. 1 & 4. The allusion is neat. + +[FN#454] Alluding to the Angels who shoot down the Jinn. See vol. i. +224. The index misprints "Shibáh." + +[FN#455] For a similar scene see Ali Shar and Zumurrud, vol. iv. 187. + +[FN#456] i.e. of the girl whom as the sequel shows, her owner had +promised not to sell without her consent. This was and is a common +practice. See vol. iv. 192. + +[FN#457] These lines have occurred in vol. iii. p. 303. I quote +Mr. Payne. + + +[FN#458] Alluding to the erectio et distensio penis which comes on +before dawn in tropical lands and which does not denote any desire for +women. Some Anglo-Indians term the symptom signum salutis, others a +urine-proud pizzle. + +[FN#459] Arab. "Mohtasib," in the Maghrib "Mohtab," the officer +charged with inspecting weights and measures and with punishing fraud +in various ways such as nailing the cheat's ears to his shop's shutter, +etc. + +[FN#460] Every where in the Moslem East the slave holds himself +superior to the menial freeman, a fact which I would impress upon the +several Anti-slavery Societies, honest men whose zeal mostly exceeds +their knowledge, and whose energy their discretion. + +[FN#461] These lines, extended to three couplets, occur in vol. iv. +193. I quote Mr. Payne. + +[FN#462] "At this examination (on Judgment Day) Mohammedans also +believe that each person will have the book, wherein all the actions of +his life are written, delivered to him; which books the righteous will +receive in their right hand, and read with great pleasure and +satisfaction; but the ungodly will be obliged to take them, against +their wills, in their left (Koran xvii. xviii. lxix, and lxxxiv.), +which will be bound behind their backs, their right hand being tied to +their necks." Sale, Preliminary Discourse; Sect. iv. + +[FN#463] "Whiteness" (bayáz) also meaning lustre, honour. + +[FN#464] This again occurs in vol. iv. 194. So I quote Mr. +Payne. + + +[FN#465] Her impudence is intended to be that of a captive +Princess. + + +[FN#466] i.e. bent groundwards. + +[FN#467] See vol. iv. 192. In Marocco Za'ar is applied to a man with +fair skin, red hair and blue eyes (Gothic blood?) and the term is not +complimentary as "Sultan Yazid Za'ar." + +[FN#468] The lines have occurred before (vol. iv. 194). I quote Mr. +Lane ii. 440. Both he and Mr. Payne have missed the point in "ba'zu +layáli" a certain night when his mistress had left him so lonely. + +[FN#469] Arab. "Raat-hu." This apparently harmless word suggests one +similar in sound and meaning which gave some trouble in its day. Says +Mohammed in the Koran (ii. 98) "O ye who believe! say not (to the +Apostle) Rá'iná (look at us) but Unzurná (regard us)." "Rá'iná" as +pronounced in Hebrew means "our bad one." + +[FN#470] By reason of its leanness. + +[FN#471] In the Mac. Edit. "Fifty." For a scene which illustrates this +mercantile transaction see my Pilgrimage i. 88, and its deduction. "How +often is it our fate, in the West as in the East, to see in bright eyes +and to hear from rosy lips an implied, if not an expressed 'Why don't +you buy me?' or, worse still, 'Why can't you buy me?'" + +[FN#472] See vol. ii. 165 dragging or trailing the skirts = walking +without the usual strut or swagger: here it means assuming the humble +manners of a slave in presence of the master. + +[FN#473] This is the Moslem form of "boycotting": so amongst early +Christians they refused to give one another God-speed. Amongst Hindús +it takes the form of refusing "Hukkah (pipe) and water" which +practically makes a man an outcast. In the text the old man expresses +the popular contempt for those who borrow and who do not repay. He had +evidently not read the essay of Elia on the professional borrower. + +[FN#474] See note p. 273. + +[FN#475] i.e. the best kind of camels. + +[FN#476] This first verse has occurred three times. + +[FN#477] Arab. "Surayyá" in Dictionaries a dim. of Sarwá = moderately +rich. It may either denote abundance of rain or a number of stars +forming a constellation. Hence in Job (xxxviii. 31) it is called a heap +(kímah). + +[FN#478] Pleiads in Gr. the Stars whereby men sail. + +[FN#479] This is the Eastern idea of the consequence of satisfactory +coition which is supposed to be the very seal of love. Westerns have +run to the other extreme. + +[FN#480] "Al-Ríf" simply means lowland: hence there is a Ríf in the +Nile-delta. The word in Europe is applied chiefly to the Maroccan coast +opposite Gibraltar (not, as is usually supposed the North-Western +seaboard) where the Berber-Shilhá race, so famous as the "Rif pirates" +still closes the country to travellers. + +[FN#481] i.e. Upper Egypt. + +[FN#482] These local excellencies of coition are described jocosely +rather than anthropologically. + +[FN#483] See vol. i. 223: I take from Torrens, p. 223. + +[FN#484] For the complete ablution obligatory after copulation before +prayers can be said. See vol. v. 199. + +[FN#485] Arab. "Zunnár," the Greek {zoonárion}, for which, see vol. +ii. 215. + +[FN#486] Miriam (Arabic Maryam), is a Christian name, in Moslem lands. +Abú Maryam "Mary's father" (says Motarrazi on Al-Hariri, Ass. of +Alexandria) is a term of contempt, for men are called after sons (e.g. +Abu Zayd), not after daughters. In more modern authors Abu Maryam is +the name of ushers and lesser officials in the Kazi's court. + +[FN#487] This formality, so contrary to our Western familiarity after +possession, is an especial sign of good breeding amongst Arabs and +indeed all Eastern nations. It reminds us of the "grand manner" in +Europe two hundred years ago, not a trace of which now remains. + +[FN#488] These lines are in Night i. ordered somewhat differently: so +I quote Torrens (p. 14). + +[FN#489] i.e. to the return Salám—"And with thee be peace and the +mercy of Allah and His blessings!" See vol. ii. 146. The enslaved +Princess had recognised her father's Wazir and knew that he could have +but one object, which being a man of wit and her lord a "raw laddie," +he was sure to win. + +[FN#490] It is quite in Moslem manners for the bystanders to force the +sale seeing a silly lad reject a most advantageous offer for +sentimental reasons. And the owner of the article would be bound by +their consent. + +[FN#491] Arab. "Wa'llahi." "Bi" is the original particle of swearing, +a Harf al-jarr (governing the genitive as Bi'lláhi) and suggesting the +idea of adhesion: "Wa" (noting union) is its substitute in oath-formulć +and "Ta" takes the place of Wa as Ta'lláhi. The three-fold forms are +combined in a great "swear." + +[FN#492] i.e. of divorcing their own wives. + +[FN#493] These lines have occurred before: I quote Mr. Payne. + +[FN#494] These lines are in Night xxvi., vol. i. 275: I quote +Torrens (p. 277), with a correction for "when ere." + + +[FN#495] This should be "draws his senses from him as one pulls hair +out of pate." + +[FN#496] Rághib and Záhid: see vol. v. 141. + +[FN#497] Carolus Magnus then held court in Paris; but the text +evidently alludes to one of the port-cities of Provence as Marseille +which we English will miscall Marseilles. + +[FN#498] Here the writer, not the young wife, speaks; but as a +tale-teller he says "hearer" not "reader." + +[FN#499] Kayrawán, the Arab. form of the Greek Cyrene which has lately +been opened to travellers and has now lost the mystery which enshrouded +it. In Hafiz and the Persian poets it is the embodiment of remoteness +and secrecy; as we till the last quarter century spoke of the "deserts +of Central Africa." + +[FN#500] Arab. "'Innín": alluding to all forms of impotence, from +dislike, natural deficiency or fascination, the favourite excuse. +Easterns seldom attribute it to the true cause, weak action of the +heart; but the Romans knew the truth when they described one of its +symptoms as cold feet. "Clino-pedalis, ad venerem invalidus, ab ea +antiqua opinione, frigiditatem pedum concubituris admodum officere." +Hence St. Francis and the bare-footed Friars. See Glossarium Eroticum +Linguae Latinć, Parisiis, Dondey-Dupré, MDCCCXXVI. + +[FN#501] I have noted the use of "island" for "land" in general. So in +the European languages of the sixteenth century, insula was used for +peninsula, e.g. Insula de Cori = the Corean peninsula. + +[FN#502] As has been noticed (vol. i. 333), the monocular is famed for +mischief and men expect the mischief to come from his blinded eye. + +[FN#503] Here again we have a specimen of "inverted speech" (vol. ii. +265); abusive epithets intended for a high compliment, signifying that +the man was a tyrant over rebels and a froward devil to the foe. + +[FN#504] Arab. "Bab al-Bahr," see vol. iii. 281. + +[FN#505] Arab. "Batárikah" see vol. ii. 89. The Templars, Knights of +Malta and other orders half ecclesiastic, half military suggested the +application of the term. + +[FN#506] These lines have occurred in vol. i. 280—I quote +Torrens (p. 283). + + +[FN#507] Maryam al-Husn containing a double entendre, "O place of the +white doe (Rím) of beauty!" The girl's name was Maryam the Arab. form +of Mary, also applied to the B.V. by Eastern Christians. Hence a common +name of Syrian women is "Husn Maryam" = (one endowed with the spiritual +beauties of Mary: vol. iv. 87). I do not think that the name was +"manufactured by the Arab story-tellers after the pattern of their own +names (e.g. Nur al-Din or Noureddin, light of the faith, Tajeddin, +crown of faith, etc.) for the use of their imaginary Christian female +characters." + +[FN#508] I may here remind readers that the Bán, which some +Orientalists will write "Ben," is a straight and graceful species of +Moringa with plentiful and intensely green foliage. + +[FN#509] Arab. "Amúd al-Sawári" = the Pillar of Masts, which is still +the local name of Diocletian's column absurdly named by Europeans +"Pompey's Pillar." + +[FN#510] Arab. "Batiyah," also used as a wine-jar (amphora), a flagon. + +[FN#511] Arab. "Al-Kursán," evidently from the Ital. "Corsaro," a +runner. So the Port. "Cabo Corso," which we have corrupted to "Cape +Coast Castle" (Gulf of Guinea), means the Cape of Tacking. + +[FN#512] Arab. "Ghuráb," which Europeans turn to "Grab." + +[FN#513] Arab. "Sayyib" (Thayyib) a rare word: it mostly applies to a +woman who leaves her husband after lying once with him. + +[FN#514] Arab. "Batárikah:" here meaning knights, leaders of armed men +as in Night dccclxii., supra p. 256, it means "monks." + +[FN#515] i.e. for the service of a temporal monarch. + +[FN#516] Arab. "Sayr" = a broad strip of leather still used by way of +girdle amongst certain Christian religions in the East. + +[FN#517] Arab. "Haláwat al-Salámah," the sweetmeats offered to friends +after returning from a journey or escaping sore peril. See vol. iv. 60. + +[FN#518] So Eginhardt was an Erzcapellan and belonged to the ghostly +profession. + +[FN#519] These lines are in vols. iii. 258 and iv. 204. I quote +Mr. Payne. + + +[FN#520] Arab. "Firásah," lit. = skill in judging of horse flesh +(Faras) and thence applied, like "Kiyáfah," to physiognomy. One +Kári was the first to divine man's future by worldly signs +(Al-Maydáni, Arab. prov. ii. 132) and the knowledge was +hereditary in the tribe Mashíj. + + +[FN#521] Reported to be a "Hadis" or saying of Mohammed, to whom are +attributed many such shrewd aphorisms, e.g. "Allah defend us from the +ire of the mild (tempered)." + +[FN#522] These lines are in vol. i. 126. I quote Torrens (p. 120). + +[FN#523] These lines have occurred before. I quote Mr. Payne. + +[FN#524] Arab. "Khák-bák," an onomatopÂia like our flip-flap and a +host of similar words. This profaning a Christian Church which +contained the relics of the Virgin would hugely delight the +coffee-house habitués, and the Egyptians would be equally flattered to +hear that the son of a Cairene merchant had made the conquest of a +Frankish Princess Royal. That he was an arrant poltroon mattered very +little, as his cowardice only set of his charms. + +[FN#525] i.e. after the rising up of the dead. + +[FN#526] Arab. "Nafísah," the precious one i.e. the Virgin. + +[FN#527] Arab. "Nákús," a wooden gong used by Eastern Christians which +were wisely forbidden by the early Moslems. + +[FN#528] i.e. a graceful, slender youth. + +[FN#529] There is a complicatd pun in this line: made by splitting the +word after the fashion of punsters. "Zarbu 'l-Nawákísí" = the striking +of the gongs, and "Zarbu 'l Nawá, Kísí = striking the departure signal: +decide thou (fem. addressed to the Nafs, soul or self)" I have +attempted a feeble imitation. + +[FN#530] The modern Italian term of the venereal finish. + +[FN#531] Arab. "Najm al-Munkazzi," making the envious spy one of the +prying Jinns at whom is launched the Shiháb or shooting-star by the +angels who prevent them listening at the gates of Heaven. See vol. i. +224. + +[FN#532] Arab. "Sandúk al-Nuzur," lit. "the box of vowed oblations." +This act of sacrilege would find high favour with the auditory. + +[FN#533] The night consisting like the day of three watches. See vol. +i. + +[FN#534] Arab. "Al-Khaukhah," a word now little used. + +[FN#535] Arab. "Námúsiyah," lit. mosquito curtains. + +[FN#536] Arab. "Jáwashiyah," see vol. ii. 49. + +[FN#537] Arab. "Kayyimah," the fem. of "Kayyim," misprinted +"Kayim" in vol. ii. 93. + + +[FN#538] i.e. hadst thou not disclosed thyself. He has one great merit +in a coward of not being ashamed for his cowardice; and this is a +characteristic of the modern Egyptian, whose proverb is, "He ran away, +Allah shame him! is better than, He was slain, Allah bless him!" + +[FN#539] Arab. "Ahjar al-Kassárín" nor forgotten. In those days ships +anchored in the Eastern port of Alexandria which is now wholly +abandoned on account of the rocky bottom and the dangerous "Levanter," +which as the Gibraltar proverb says + +"Makes the stones canter." + +[FN#540] Arab. "Hakk" = rights, a word much and variously used. To +express the possessive "mine" a Badawi says "Hakki" (pron. Haggi) and +"Lílí;" a Syrian "Shítí" for Shayyati, my little thing or "taba 'i" my +dependent; an Egyptian "Bitá' i" my portion and a Maghribi "M'tá 'i" +and "diyyáli" (di allazí lí = this that is to me). Thus "mine" becomes +a shibboleth. + +[FN#541] i.e. The "Good for nothing," the "Bad'un;" not some forgotten +ruffian of the day, but the hero of a tale antedating The Nights in +their present form. See Terminal Essay, x. ii. + +[FN#542] i.e. Hoping to catch Nur al-Din. + +[FN#543] Arab. "Sawwáhún" = the Wanderers, Pilgrims, wandering Arabs, +whose religion, Al-Islam, so styled by its Christain opponents. And yet +the new creed was at once accepted by whole regions of Christians, and +Mauritania, which had rejected Roman paganism and Gothic Christianity. +This was e.g. Syria and the so-called "Holy Land," not because, as is +fondly asserted by Christians, al-Islam was forced upon them by the +sword, but on account of its fulfilling a need, its supplying a higher +belief, unity as opposed to plurality, and its preaching a more manly +attitude of mind and a more sensible rule of conduct. Arabic still +preserves a host of words special to the Christian creed; and many of +them have been adopted by Moslems but with changes of signification. + +[FN#544] i.e. of things commanded and things prohibited. The writer is +thinking of the Koran in which there are not a few abrogated +injunctions. + +[FN#545] See below for the allusion. + +[FN#546] Arab. "Kafrá" = desert place. It occurs in this couplet, + + "Wa Kabrun Harbin fí-makánin Kafrin; + Wa laysa Kurba Kabri Harbin Kabrun." + "Harb's corse is quartered in coarse wold accurst; + Nor close to corse of Harb is other corse;—" + + +words made purposely harsh because uttered by a Jinni who killed a +traveller named "Harb." So Homer:— + +{pollŕ d' hánanta, kátanta, párantá te dachmía t' ęlthon.} + +and Pope:— + +"O'er hills, o'er dales, o'er crags, o'er rocks they go, etc." + +See Preface (p. v.) to Captain A. Lockett's learned and whimsical +volume, "The Muit Amil" etc. Calcutta, 1814. + +[FN#547] These lines have occurred vol. iv. 267. I quote Mr. +Lane. + + +[FN#548] The topethesia is here designedly made absurd. Alexandria was +one of the first cities taken by the Moslems (A.H. 21 = 642) and the +Christian pirates preferred attacking weaker places, Rosetta and +Damietta. + +[FN#549] Arab. "Bilád al-Rúm," here and elsewhere applied to +France. + + +[FN#550] Here the last line of p. 324, vol. iv. in the Mac. +Edit. is misplaced and belongs to the next page. + + +[FN#551] Arab. "Akhawán shakíkán" = brothers german (of men and +beasts) born of one father and mother, sire and dam. + +[FN#552] "The Forerunner" and "The Overtaker," terms borrowed from the +Arab Epsom. + +[FN#553] Known to us as "the web and pin," it is a film which affects +Arab horses in the damp hot regions of Malabar and Zanzibar and soon +blinds them. This equine cataract combined with loin-disease compels +men to ride Pegu and other ponies. + +[FN#554] Arab. "Zujáj bikr" whose apparent meaning would be glass in +the lump and unworked. Zaj áj bears, however, the meaning of +clove-nails (the ripe bud of the clove-shrub) and may possibly apply to +one of the manifold "Alfáz Adwiyah" (names of drugs). Here, however, +pounded glass would be all sufficient to blind a horse: it is much used +in the East especially for dogs affected by intestinal vermicules. + +[FN#555] Alluding to the Arab saying "The two rests" +(Al-ráhatáni) "certainty of success or failure," as opposed to +"Wiswás" when the mind fluctuates in doubt. + + +[FN#556] She falls in love with the groom, thus anticipating the noble +self-devotion of Miss Aurora Floyd. + +[FN#557] Arab. "Túfán" see vol. {iv. 136}: here it means the +"Deluge of Noah." + + +[FN#558] Two of the Hells. See vol. v. 240. + +[FN#559] Lit. "Out upon a prayer who imprecated our parting!" + +[FN#560] The use of masculine for feminine has frequently been noted. +I have rarely changed the gender or the number the plural being often +employed for the singular (vol. i. 98). Such change may avoid +"mystification and confusion" but this is the very purpose of the +substitution which must be preserved if "local colour" is to be +respected. + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 8, by Richard F. Burton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT *** + +***** This file should be named 3442-0.txt or 3442-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/4/3442/ + +This etext was scanned by J.C. 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