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THE HARVARD CLASSICS

The Five-Foot Shelf of Books

THE HARVARD CLASSICS
EDITED BY CHARLES W. ELIOT, LL.D.

Stories from The
Thousand and One Nights

(the ARABIAN NIGHTs' ENTERTAINMENTS)

TRANSLATED BY

EDWARD WILLIAM LANE

REVISED BY STANLEY LANE-POOLE

W/V^ Introduction and Notes
Volume 1 6

P. F. Collier & Son Corporation

NEW YORK

Copyright, 1909
By p. F. Collier & Son

manufactured in u. s. a.

CONTENTS

Intkoduction

NIGHTS 1-3

The Story of the Merchant and the Jinni 15

The Story of the First Sheykh and the Gazelle 17

The Story of the Second Sheykh and the Two Black Hounds . 21

The Story of the Third Sheykh and the Mule 24

NIGHTS 3-9

The Story of the Fisherman 25

The Story of King Yunan and the Sage Duban 30

The Story of the Husband and the Parrot 33

The Story of the Envious Wezir and the Prince and the Ghuleh 35
The Story of the Young King of the Black Islands .46

NIGHTS 9-18

The Story of the Porter and the Ladies of Baghdad, and of the

Three Royal Mendicants, Etc. 55

The Story of the First Royal Mendicant 66

The Story of the Second Royal Mendicant 72

The Story of the Envier and the Envied 78

The Story of the Third Royal Mendicant 88

The Story of the First of the Three Ladies of Baghdad . . 100

The Story of the Second of the Three Ladies of Baghdad . 107

NIGHTS 24-32

The Story of the Humpback 115

The Story Told by the Christian Broker 120

The Story Told by the Sultan's Steward 133

The Story Told by the Jewish Physician 142

The Story Told by the Tailor 149

I

CONTENTS

The Barber's Story of Himself ....
The Barber's Story of His First Brother .
The Barber's Story of His Second Brother
The Barber's Story of His Third Brother.
The Barber's Story of His Fourth Brother

The Barber's Fifth Brother

The Barber's Story of His Sixth Brother .

NIGHTS 32-36
The Story of Nur-Ed-Din and Enis-El-Jeli$

PAGE

163
164
168
171
174
177
184

193

NIGHTS 537-566
The Story of Es-Sindibad of the Sea and Es-Sindibad of the Land 231
The First Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea 234

The Second Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea
The Third Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea
The Fourth Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea
The Fifth Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea
The Sixth Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea
The Seventh Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea

243
250
360

273
282
290

NIGHTS 566-578
The Story of the City of Brass 296

NIGHTS 738-756
The Story of Jullanar of the Sea 326

APPENDIX
The Story of 'Ala-ed-Din and the Wonderful Lamp.
The Story of 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

341
424

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

"Thb Thousand and One Nights" is one of the great story-books of
the world. It was introduced to European readers by the French scholar
Galland, who discovered the Arabic original and translated it into French
in the first decade of the eighteenth century; but its earlier history is
still involved in obscurity. There existed as early as the tenth century
of our era a Persian collection of a thousand tales, enclosed in a frame-
work which is practically the one used in the present collection, telling
of a King who was in the habit of killing his wives after the first night,
and who was led to abandon this practise by the cleverness of the Wezir's
daughter, who nighdy told him a tale which she left unfinished at dawn,
so that his curiosity led him to spare her till the tale should be completed.
Whether more than the framework of the Arabian collection was bor-
rowed from this Persian work is uncertain. The tales in the collection of
Galland and in more complete editions discovered since his time are
chiefly Persian, Indian, and Arabian in source, and in ultimate origin
come from all the ends of the earth. No two manuscripts have precisely
the same contents, and some of the most famous of the tales here printed
are probably not properly to be regarded as belonging to the collection,
but owe their association with the others to their having been included
by Galland. Thus " 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" is found in no
Oriental version of the "Nights," and " 'Ala-ed-Din and the Wonderful
Lamp" was long supposed to be in the same situation, though within
recent years it has turned up in two manuscripts.

Both the place and the date of the original compilation are still matters
of dispute among scholars. From such evidences as the detailed nature
of the references to Cairo and the prevailing Mohammedan background.
Lane argued that it must have been put together in Egypt; but this
opinion is by no means universally accepted. As to date, estimates vary
by several centuries. Burton, who believed in a strong Persian element,
thought that some of the oldest tales, such as that of "Sindibad," might be
as old as the eighth century of our era; some thirteen he dated tenth
century, and the latest in the sixteenth. There is a fair amount of agree-
ment on the thirteenth century as the date of arrangement in the present
framework, though they were probably not committed to writing till some
two centuries later.

Of a collection of fables, fairy-stories, and anecdotes of historical per-
sonages such as this, there can, of course, be no question of a single

i

4 INTRODUCTION

author. Both before and after they were placed in the mouth of Shahra-
zad, they were handed down by oral recitation, the usual form of story-
telling among the Arabs. As in the case of our own popular ballads,
whatever marks of individual authorship any one story may originally
have borne, would be obliterated in the course of generations of tradition
by word of mouth. Of the personality of an original editor or compiler,
even, we have no trace. Long after writing had to some extent fixed their
forms, the oral repetition went on; and some of them could be heard in
Mohammedan countries almost down to our own times.

In the two hundred years of their currency in the West, the stories of
the "Nights" have engrafted themselves u[X)n European culture. They
have made the fairy-land of the Oriental imagination and the mode of
life of the medieval Arab, his manners and his morals, familiar to young
and old; and allusions to their incidents and personages are wrought into
the language and literature of all the modern civilized peoples. Their
mark is found upon music and painting as well as on letters and the
common speech, as is witnessed by such diverse results of their inspira-
tion as the music of Rimsky-Korsakoff, the illustrations of Parrish, and
the marvelous idealization of their background and atmosphere in Tenny-
son's "Recollections of the Arabian Nights," "Barmecide Feast," "Open
Sesame," "Old Lamps for New," "Solomon's Seal," "The Old Man of
the Sea," "The Slave of the Lamp," "The Valley of Diamonds," "The
Roc's Egg," Haroun "al-Raschid and his "Garden of Delight," — these
and many more phrases and allusions of every-day occurrence suggest
how pervasive has been the influence of this wonder-book of the mysteri-
ous East.

The translation by E. W. Lane used here has been the standard English
version for general reading for eighty years. The translations of " 'AH
Baba" and " 'Ala-ed-Din" are by S. Lane-Poole and for permission to
use the latter we are indebted to Messrs. G. P. Putnam's Sons.

INTRODUCTION

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Praise be to God, the Beneficent King, the Creator of the universe,
who hath raised the heavens without pillars, and spread out the earth as
a bed; and blessing and peace be on the lord of apostles, our lord and
our master Mohammad, and his Family; blessing and peace, enduring
and constant, unto the day of judgment.

To proceed: — ^The lives of former generations are a lesson to posterity;
that a man may review the remarkable events which have happened to
others, and be admonished; and may consider the history of people of
preceding ages, and of all that hath befallen them, and be restrained.
Extolled be the perfection of Him who hath thus ordained the history
of former generations to be a lesson to those which follow. Such are the
Tales of a Thousand and One Nights, with their romantic stories and
their fables.

It is related (but God alone is all-knowing, as well as all-wise, and
almighty, and all-bountiful), that there was, in ancient times, a King of
the countries of India and China, possessing numerous troops, and
guards, and servants, and domestic dependents; and he had two sons;
one of whom was a man of mature age; and the other, a youth. Both of
these princes were brave horsemen; but especially the elder, who inherited
the kingdom of his father, and governed his subjects with such justice
that the inhabitants of his country and whole empire loved him. He
was called King Shahriyar: his younger brother was named Shah-
Zeman,' and was King of Samarkand. The administration of their
governments was conducted with rectitude, each of them ruling over his
subjects with justice during a {x-riod of twenty years with the utmost
enjoyment and happiness. After this period, the elder King felt a strong
desire to see his brother, and ordered his Wezir' to repair to him and
bring him.

Having taken the advice of the Wezir on this subject, he immediately
gave orders to prepare handsome presents, such as horses adorned with

' [Shahriyar, "Friend of the City;" Shah-Zeman, "King of the Age."]
' [In Persian and Turkish, Vezir; popular, Vizier.]

O INTRODUCTION

gold and costly jewels, and memluks,' and beautiful virgins, and expen-
sive stufls. He then wrote a letter to his brother, expressive of his great
desire to see him; and having sealed it, and given it to the Wezir, to-
gether with the presents above mentioned, he ordered the minister to
strain his nerves, and tuck up his skirts, and use all expedition in return-
ing. The Wezir answered, without delay, I hear and obey; and forthwith
prepared for the journey: he packed his baggage, removed the burdens,
and made ready all his provisions within three days; and on the fourth
day, he took leave of the King Shahriyar, and went forth towards the
deserts and wastes. He proceeded night and day; and each of the kings
under the authority of King Shahriyar by whose residence he passed
came forth to meet him, with costly presents, and gifts of gold and
silver, and entertained him three days; after which, on the fourth day,
he accompanied him one day's Journey, and took leave of him. Thus he
continued on his way until he drew near to the city of Samarkand, when
he sent forward a messenger to inform King Shah-Zeman of his ap-
proach. The messenger entered the city, inquired the way to the palace,
and, introducing himself to the King, kissed the ground before him, and
acquainted him with the approach of his brother's Wezir; upon which
Shah-Zeman ordered the chief officers of his court, and the great men of
his kingdom, to go forth a day's journey to meet him; and they did so;
and when they met him, they welcomed him, and walked by his stirrups
until they returned to the city. The Wezir then presented himself before
the King Shah-Zeman, greeted him with a prayer for the divine assistance
in his favour, kissed the ground before him, and informed him of his
brother's desire to see him; after which he handed to him the letter. The
King took it, read it, and understood its contents; and answered by
expressing his readiness to obey the commands of his brother. But, said
he (addressing the Wezir), I will not go until I have entertained thee
three days. Accordingly, he lodged him in a palace befitting his rank,
accommodated his troops in tents, and appointed them all things requisite
in the way of food and drink: and so they remained three days. On the
fourth day, he equipped himself for the journey, made ready his baggage,
and collected together cosdy presents suitable to his brother's dignity.

These preparations being completed, he sent forth his tents and camels
and mules and servants and guards, appointed his Wezir to be governor
of the country during his absence, and set out towards his brother's
dominions. At midnight, however, he remembered that he had left in
his palace an article which he should have brought with him; and hav-

'Male white slaves.

INTRODUCTION 7

ing returned to the palace to fetch it, he there beheld his wife sleeping
in his bed, and attended by a male negro slave, who had fallen asleep
by her side.

On beholding this scene, the world became black before his eyes; and
he said within himself. If this is the case when I have not departed from
the city, what will be the conduct of this vile woman while 1 am sojourn-
ing with my brother? He then drew his sword, and slew them both in
the bed: after which he immediately returned, gave orders for departure,
and journeyed to his brother's capital.

Shahriyar, rejoicing at the tidings of his approach, went forth to meet
him, saluted him, and welcomed him with the utmost delight. He then
ordered that the city should be decorated on the occasion, and sat down
to entertain his brother with cheerful conversation: but the mind of King
Shah-Zeman was distracted by reflections upon the conduct of his wife;
excessive grief took possession of him; and his countenance became
sallow; and his frame emaciated. His brother observed his altered con-
dition, and, imagining that it was occasioned by his absence from his
dominions, abstained from troubling him or asking respecting the cause,
until after the lapse of some days, when at length he said to him, O my
brother, I perceive that thy body is emaciated, and thy countenance is
become sallow. He answered, O brother, I have an internal sore: — and
he informed him not of the conduct of his wife which he had witnessed.
Shahriyar then said, I wish that thou wouldest go out with me on a
hunting excursion; perhaps thy mind might so be diverted: — but he
declined; and Shahriyar went alone to the chase.

Now there were some windows in the King's palace commanding a
view of his garden; and while his brother was looking out from one of
these, a door of the palace was opened, and there came forth from it
twenty females and twenty male black slaves; and the King's wife, who
was distinguished by extraordinary beauty and elegance, accompanied
them to a fountain, where they all disrobed themselves, and sat down
together. The King's wife then called out, O Mes'ud! and immediately
a black slave came to her, and embraced her; she doing the like. So also
did the other slaves and the women; and all of them continued revelling
together until the close of the day. NVhen Shah-Zeman beheld this spec-
tacle, he said within himself, By Allah! my affliction is lighter than this!
His vexation and grief were alleviated, and he no longer abstained from
sufficient food and drink.

When his brother returned from his excursion, and they had saluted
each other, and King Shahriyar observed his brother Shah-Zeman, that

8 INTRODUCTION

his colour had returned, that his face had recovered the flush of health,
and that he ate with ap[)etite, after his late abstinence, he was surprised,
and said, O my brother, when I saw thee last, thy countenance was
sallow, and now thy colour hath returned to thee: acquaint me with thy
state. — ^As to the change of my natural complexion, answered Shah-
Zeman, I will inform thee of its cause; but excuse my explaining to thee
the return of my colour. — First, said Shahriyar, relate to me the cause of
the change of thy proper complexion, and of thy weakness: let me hear
it. — Know then, O my brother, he answered, that when thou sentest thy
Wezir to me to invite me to thy presence, I prepared myself for the
journey, and when I had gone forth from the city, I remembered that I
had left behind me the jewel that I have given thee; I therefore returned
to my palace for it, and there I found my wife sleeping in my bed, and
attended by a black male slave; and I killed them both, and came to thee:
but my mind was occupied by reflections upon this affair, and this was
the cause of the change of my complexion, and of my weakness: now, as
to the return of my colour, excuse my informing thee of its cause. —
But when his brother heard these words, he said, I conjure thee by
Allah that thou acquaint me with the cause of the return of thy colour: —
so he repeated to him all that he had seen. I would see this, said Shah-
riyar, with my own eye. — ^Then, said Shah-Zcman, give out that thou
art going again to the chase, and conceal thyself here with me, and thou
shalt witness this conduct, and obtain ocular proof of it.

Shariyar, upon this, immediately announced that it was his intention
to make another excursion. The troops went out of the city with the
tents, and the King followed them; and after he had reposed awhile in
the camp, he said to his servants. Let no one come in to me: — and he
disguised himself, and returned to his brother in the palace, and sat in
one of the windows overlooking the garden; and when he had been
there a short time, the women and their mistress entered the garden with
the black slaves, and did as his brother had described, continuing so until
the hour of the afternoon-prayer.

When King Shahriyar beheld this occurrence, reason fled from his
head, and he said to his brother, Shah-Zeman, Arise, and let us travel
whither we please, and renounce the regal state, until we see whether
such a calamity as this have befallen any other person like unto us; and
if not, our death will be preferable to our life. His brother agreed to
his proposal, and they went out from a private door of the palace, and
journeyed continually, days and nights, until they arrived at a tree in
the midst of a meadow, by a spring of water, on the shore of the sea. They

INTRODUCTION 9

drank of this spring, and sat down to rest; and when the day had a litde
advanced, the sea became troubled before them, and there arose from it
a black pillar, ascending towards the sky, and approaching the meadow.
Struck with fear at the sight, they climbed up into the tree, which was
lofty; and thence they gazed to see what this might be: and behold, it
was a Jinni* of gigantic stature, broad-fronted and bulky, bearing on his
head a chest. He landed, and came to the tree into which the two Kings
had climbed, and, having seated himself beneath it, opened the chest,
and took out of it another box, which he also opened; and there came
forth from it a young woman, fair and beautiful, like the shining sun.
When the Jinni cast his eyes upon her, he said, O lady of noble race,
whom I carried off on thy wedding-night, I have a desire to sleep a little:
and he placed his head upon her knee, and slept. The damsel then
raised her head towards the tree, and saw there the two Kings; upon
which she removed the head of the Jinni from her knee, and, having
placed it on the ground, stood under the tree, and made signs to the
two Kings, as though she would say. Come down, and fear not this
'££rit. They answered her, We conjure thee by Allah that thou excuse
us in this matter. But she said, I conjure you by the same that ye come
down; and if ye do not, I will rouse this 'Efrit, and he shall put you to
a cruel death. So, being afraid, they came down to her; and, after they
had remained with her as long as she required, she took from her pocket
a purse, and drew out from this a string, upon which were ninety-eight
seal-rings; and she said to them. Know ye what are these? They an-
swered. We know not. — The owners of these rings, said she, have, all
of them, been admitted to converse with me, like as ye have, unknown
to this foolish 'Efrit; therefore, give me your two rings, ye brothers. So
they gave her their two rings from their fingers; and then she said to
them, This 'Efrit carried me ofl on my wedding-night, and put me in
the box, and placed the box in the chest, and affixed to the chest seven

^Sing. of linn (Genii), being created of fire. The species of Jinn is said to have
been created some thousands of years before Adam. According to a tradition from
the Prophet, this sgiccies consists of five orders or classes; namely, Jann (who are the
least powerful of all), Jinn, Sheytans (or Devils), 'Efrits, and Marids. The last, it is
added, are the most powerful; and the Jann are transformed Jinn; like as certain
apes and swine were transformed men. The terms Jinn and Jann, however, are gen-
erally used indiscriminately, as names of the whole species (including the other
orders above mentioned), whether good or bad; the former term is the more com-
mon. [Iblis is Satan, their King.] "Sheytan" is commonly used to signify any evil
Jinn. An 'Efrit is a powerful evil Jinni: a Marid, an evil Jinni of the most powerful
class. The Jinn (but generally speaking, evil ones) are called by the Persians Divs;
the most powerful evil Jinn, Narahs (which signifies "males," though they are said to
be males and females); the good Jinn, Peris, though this term is commonly applied to
females.

10 INTRODUCTION

locks, and deposited me, thus imprisoned, in the bottom of the roaring
sea, beneath the dashing waves; not knowing that, when one of our sex
desires to accomplish any object, nothing can prevent her. In accordance
with this, says one of the poets:

Never trust in women; nor rely upon their vows;

For their pleasure and displeasure depend upon their passions.

They offer a false affection; for perfidy lurks within their clothing.

By the tale of Yusuf be admonished, and guard against their stratagems.

Dost thou not consider that Iblis ejected Adam by means of woman?

And another jxiet says: —

Abstain from censure; for it will strengthen the censured, and increase

desire into violent passion.
If I suffer such passion, my case is but the same as that of many a man

before me:
For greatly indeed to be wondered at is he who hath kept himself safe

from women's artifice.

When the two Kings heard these words from her lips they were struck
with the utmost astonishment, and said, one to the other. If this is an
'Efrit, and a greater calamity hath happened unto him than that which
hath befallen us, this is a circumstance that should console us: — and
immediately they departed, and returned to the city.

As soon as they had entered the palace, Shahriyar caused his wife to
be beheaded, and in like manner the women and black slaves; and
thenceforth he made it his regular custom, every time that he took a
virgin to his bed, to kill her at the expiration of the night. Thus he
continued to do during a period of three years; and the people raised
an outcry against him, and fled with their daughters, and there remained
not a virgin in the city of a sufficient age for marriage. Such was the case
when the King ordered the Wezir to bring him a virgin according to
his custom; and the Wezir went forth and searched, and found none;
and he went back to his house enraged and vexed, fearing what the
King might do to him.

Now the Wezir had two daughters; the elder of whom was named
Shahrazad; and the younger, Dunyzad. The former had read various
books of histories, and the lives of preceding kings, and stories of past
generations: it is asserted that she had collected together a thousand
books of histories, relating to preceding generations and kings, and
works of the poets: and she said to her father on this occasion, Why do

INTRODUCTION II

I see thee thus changed, and oppressed with solicitude and sorrows? It
has been said by one of the poets: —

Tell him who is oppressed with anxiety, that anxiety will not last:
As happiness passeth away, so passeth away anxiety.

When the Wezir heard these words from his daughter, he related to her
all that had happened to him with regard to the King: u|X)n which she
said. By Allah, O my father, give me in marriage to this King: either I
shall die, and be a ransom for one of the daughters of the Muslims, or
I shall live, and be the cause of their deliverance from him. I conjure
thee by Allah, exclaimed he, that thou expose not thyself to such peril: —
but she said, It must be so. Then, said he, I fear for thee that the same
will befall thee that happened in the case of the Ass and the Bull and
the husbandman. — ^And what, she asked, was that, O my father.'

Know, O my daugher, said the Wezir, that there was a certain mer-
chant, who possessed wealth and catde, and had a wife and children;
and God, whose name be exalted, had also endowed him with the knowl-
edge of the languages of beasts and birds. The abode of this merchant
was in the country; and he had, in his house, an ass and a bull. When
the bull came to the place where the ass was tied, he found it swept and
sprinkled; in his manger were sifted barley and sifted cut straw, and the
ass was lying at his ease; his master being accustomed only to ride him
occasionally, when business required, and soon to return: and it hap-
pened, one day, that the merchant overheard the bull saying to the ass.
May thy food benefit thee! I am oppressed with fatigue, while thou art
enjoying repose: thou eatest sifted barley, and men serve thee; and it is
only occasionally that thy master rides thee, and returns; while I am
continually employed in ploughing, and turning the mill. — The ass
answered, When thou goest out to the field, and they place the yoke
upon thy neck, lie down, and do not rise again, even if they beat thee;
or, if thou rise, lie down a second time; and when they take thee back,
and place the beans before thee, eat them not, as though thou wert sick:
abstain from eating and drinking a day or two days, or three; and so
shalt thou find rest from trouble and labour. — Accordingly, when the
driver came to the bull with his fodder, he ate scarcely any of it; and on
the morrow, when the driver came again to take him to plough, he
found him apparcndy quite infirm: so the merchant said. Take the ass,
and make him draw the plough in his stead all the day. The man did
so; and when the ass returned at the close of the day, the bull thanked

12 INTRODUCTION

him for the favour he had conferred upon him by relieving him of his
trouble on that day; but the ass returned him no answer, for he repented
most grievously. On the next day, the ploughman came again, and took
the ass, and ploughed with him till evening; and the ass returned with
his neck flayed by the yoke, and reduced to an extreme state of weakness;
and the bull looked uf)on him, and thanked and praised him. The ass
exclaimed, I was living at ease, and nought but my meddling hath in-
jured me! Then said he to the bull. Know that I am one who would give
thee good advice: I heard our master say. If the bull rise not from his
place, take him to the butcher, that he may kill him, and make a nat''
of his skin: — I am therefore in fear for thee, and so I have given thee
advice; and peace be on thee! — When the bull heard these words of the
ass, he thanked him, and said, To-morrow I will go with alacrity: — so
he ate the whole of his fodder, and even licked the manger. — Their
master, meanwhile, was listening to their conversation.

On the followmg morning, the merchant and his wife went to the
bull's crib, and sat down there; and the driver came, and took out the
bull; and when the bull saw his master, he shook his tail, and showed
his alacrity by sounds and actions, bounding about in such a manner
that the merchant laughed until he fell backwards. His wife, in surprise,
asked him. At what dost thou laugh.? He answered, At a thing that I
have heard and seen; but I cannot reveal it; for if I did, I should die.
She said. Thou must inform me of the cause of thy laughter, even if
thou die. — I cannot reveal it, said he: the fear of death prevents me. —
Thou laughedst only at me, she said; and she ceased not to urge and
importune him until he was quite overcome and distracted. So he called
together his children, and sent for the Kadi and witnesses, that he might
make his will, and reveal the secret to her, and die: for he loved her
excessively, since she was the daughter of his f>aternal uncle, and the
mother of his children, and he had lived with her to the age of a hundred
and twenty years. Having assembled her family and his neighbours, he
related to them his story, and told them that as soon as he revealed his
secret he must die; upon which every one present said to her. We con-
jure thee by Allah that thou give up this affair, and let not thy husband,
and the father of thy children, die. But she said, I will not desist until
he tell me, though he die for it. So they ceased to solicit her; and the
merchant left them, and went to the stable to perform the ablution, and
then to return, and tell them the secret, and die.

Now he had a cock, with fifty hens under him, and he had also a dog;

'Nat': a large round piece of leather which, spread upon the ground, serves as a
table for dinner, etc.

INTRODUCTION I3

and he heard the dog call to the cock, and reproach him, saying, Art
thou happy when our master is going to die? The cock asked, How so?
— and the dog related to him the story; upon which the cock exclaimed.
By Allah! our master has little sense: / have fifty wives; and I please
this, and provoke that; while he has but one one wife, and cannot man-
age this aflair with her: why does he not take some twigs of the mul-
berry-tree, and enter her chamber, and beat her until she dies or repents?
She would never, after that, ask him a question resjxjcting anything. —
And when the merchant heard the words of the cock, as he addressed
the dog, he recovered his reason, and made up his mind to beat her. —
Now, said the Wezir to his daughter Shahrazad, perhaps I may do to
thee as the merchant did to his wife. She asked. And what did he? He
answered, He entered her chamber after he had cut off some twigs of
the mulberry-tree, and hidden them there; and then said to her. Come
into the chamber, that I may tell thee the secret while no one sees me,
and then die: — and when she had entered, he locked the chamber-door
upon her, and beat her until she became almost senseless and cried out,
I repent: — and she kissed his hands and his feet, and repented, and went
out with him; and all the company, and her own family, rejoiced; and
they lived together in the happiest manner until death.

When the Wezir's daughter heard the words of her father, she said
to him. It must be as I have requested. So he arrayed her, and went to
the King Shahriyar. Now she had given directions to her younger sister
saying to her, When I have gone to the King, I will send to request thee
to come; and when thou comest to me, and seest a convenient time, do
thou say to me, O my sister, relate to me some strange story to beguile
our waking hour: — and I will relate to thee a story that shall, if it be the
will of God, be the means of procuring deliverance.

Her father, the Wezir, then took her to the King, who, when he
saw him, was rejoiced, and said, Hast thou brought me what I desired?
He answered Yes. When the King, therefore, introduced himself to her,
she wept; and he said to her. What aileth thee? She answered, O King,
I have a young sister, and I wish to take leave of her. So the King sent
to her; and she came to her sister, and embraced her, and sat near the
foot of the bed; and after she had waited for a proper opportunity , she
said, By Allah! O my sister, relate to us a story to beguile the waking
hour of our night. Most willingly, answered Shahrazad, if this virtuous
King permit me. And the King, hearing these words, and being rest-
less, was pleased with the idea of listening to the story; and thus, on the
first night of the thousand and one, Shahrazad commenced her recita-
tions.

STORIES FROM THE THOUSAND
AND ONE NIGHTS

[Nights 1-3]
The Story of the Merchant and the Jinni

IT has been related to me, O happy King, said Shahrazad, that
there was a certain merchant who had great wealth, and traded
extensively with surrounding countries; and one day he
mounted his horse, and journeyed to a neighbouring country to col-
lect what was due to him, and, the heat oppressing him, he sat under
a tree, in a garden, and put his hand into his saddle-bag, and ate a
morsel of bread and a date which were among his provisions. Hav-
ing eaten the date, he threw aside the stone, and immediately there
appeared before him an 'Efrit, of enormous height, who, holding a
drawn sword in his hand, approached him, and said. Rise, that 1
may kill thee, as thou hast killed my son. The merchant asked him.
How have I killed thy son ? He answered. When thou atest the date,
and threwest aside the stone, it struck my son upon the chest, and,
as fate had decreed against him, he instantly died.

The merchant, on hearing these words, exclaimed. Verily to God
we belong, and verily to Him we must return! There is no strength
nor power but in God, the High, the Great! If I killed him, I did
it not intentionally, but without knowing it; and I trust in thee that
thou wilt pardon me. — The Jinni answered, Thy death is indis-
pensable, as thou hast killed my son: — and so saying, he dragged
him, and threw him on the ground, and raised his arm to strike him
with the sword. The merchant, upon this, wept bitterly, and said to
the Jinni, I commit my affair unto God, for no one can avoid what
He hath decreed: — and he continued his lamentation, repeating the
following verses: —

15

l6 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Time consists of two days; this, bright; and that, gloomy; and life, of

two moieties; this, safe; and that, fearful.
Say to him who hath taunted us on account of misfortunes. Doth fortune

oppose any but the eminent?
Dost thou observe that corpses float upon the sea, while the precious

pearls remain in its furthest depths?
When the hands of time play with us, misfortune is imparted to us by

its protracted kiss.
In the heaven are stars that cannot be numbered; but none is eclipsed

save the sun and the moon.
How many green and dry trees are on the earth; but none is assailed

with stones save that which beareth fruit!
Thou ihoughtest well of the days when they went well with thee, and

fearedst not the evil that destiny was bringing.

— When he had finished reciting these verses, the Jinni said to him,
Spare thy words, for thy death is unavoidable.

Then said the merchant, Know, O 'Efrit, that I have debts to pay,
and I have much prop)erty, and children, and a wife, and I have
pledges also in my possession : let me, therefore, go back to my house,
and give to every one his due, and then I will return to thee: I bind
myself by a vow and covenant that I will return to thee, and thou
shalt do what thou wilt; and God is witness of what I say. — UjX)n
this, the Jinni accepted his covenant, and liberated him; granting
him a respite until the expiration of the year.

The merchant, therefore, returned to his town, accomplished all
that was upon his mind to do, paid every one what he owed him,
and informed his wife and children of the event which had befallen
him; up)on hearing which, they and all his family and women wept.
He appointed a guardian over his children, and remained with his
family until the end of the year; when he took his grave<lothes
under his arm, bade farewell to his household and neighbours, and
all his relations, and went forth, in spite of himself; his family rais-
ing cries of lamentation, and shrieking.

He proceeded until he arrived at the garden before mentioned;
and it was the first day of the new year; and as he sat, weeping for
the calamity which he expected soon to befall him, a sheykh, ad-
vanced in years, approached him, leading a gazelle with a chain
attached to its neck. This sheykh saluted the merchant, wishing him
a long life, and said to him. What is the reason of thy sitting alone in
this place, seeing that it is a resort of the Jinn? The merchant there-

THE MERCHANT AND THE JINNI VJ

fore informed him of what had befallen him with the 'Efrit, and of
the cause of his sitting there; at which the sheykh, the owner of the
gazelle, was astonished, and said, By Allah, O my brother, thy faith-
fulness is great, and thy story is wonderful! if it were engraved upon
the intellect, it would be a lesson to him who would be admonished!
— And he sat down by his side, and said. By Allah, O my brother,
I will not quit this place until I see what will hapf)en unto thee with
this 'Efrit. So he sat down, and conversed with him. And the mer-
chant became almost senseless; fear entered him, and terror, and
violent grief, and excessive anxiety. And as the owner of the gazelle
sat by his side, lo, a second sheykh approached them, with two black
hounds, and inquired of them, after saluting them, the reason of
their sitting in that place, seeing that it was a resort of the Jann:
and they told him the story from beginning to end. And he had
hardly sat down when there approached them a third sheykh, with
a dapple mule; and he asked them the same question, which was
answered in the same manner.

Immediately after, the dust was agitated, and became an enormous
revolving pillar, approaching them from the midst of the desert; and
this dust subsided, and behold, the Jinni, with a drawn sword in his
hand; his eyes casting forth sparks of fire. He came to them, and
dragged from them the merchant, and said to him. Rise, that I may
kill thee, as thou killedst my son, the vital spirit of my heart. And
the merchant wailed and wept; and the three sheykhs also mani-
fested their sorrow by weeping and crying aloud and wailing: but
the first sheykh, who was the owner of the gazelle, recovering his
self-possession, kissed the hand of the 'Efrit, and said to him, O thou
Jinni, and crown of the kings of the Jann, if I relate to thee the story
of myself and this gazelle, and thou find it to be wonderful, and
more so than the adventure of this merchant, wilt thou give up to
me a third of thy claim to his blood? He answered, Yes, O sheykh;
if thou relate to me the story, and I find it to be as thou hast said, I
will give up to thee a third of my claim to his blood.

The Story of the First Sheykh and the Gazelle

Then said the sheykh. Know, O 'Efrit, that this gazelle is the
daughter of my paternal uncle, and she is of my flesh and my blood.

l8 THE THOUSAND AhfD ONE NIGHTS

I look her as my wife when she was young, and Hved with her about
thirty years; but I was not blessed with a child by her; so I took to
me a concubine slave, and by her I was blessed with a male child,
like the rising full moon, with beautiful eyes, and delicately-shaped
eyebrows, and perfectly-formed limbs; and he grew up by little and
httle until he attained the age of fifteen years. At this period, I un-
expectedly had occasion to journey to a certain city, and went
thither with a great stock of merchandise.

Now my cousin, this gazelle, had studied enchantment and
divination from her early years; and during my absence, she trans-
formed the youth above mentioned into a calf; and his mother, into
a cow; and committed them to the care of the herdsman: and when
I returned, after a long time, from my journey, I asked after my son
and his mother, and she said. Thy slave is dead, and thy son hath
fled, and I know not whither he is gone. After hearing this, 1
remained for the space of a year with mourning heart and weeping
eye, until the Festival of the Sacrifice;' when I sent to the herds-
man, and ordered him to choose for me a fat cow; and he brought
me one, and it was my concubine, whom this gazelle had enchanted.
I tucked up my skirts and sleeves, and took the knife in my hand,
and prepared myself to slaughter her; upon which she moaned and
cried so violently that I left her, and ordered the herdsman to kill
and skin her: and he did so, but found in her neither fat nor flesh,
nor anything but skin and bone; and I repented of slaughtering her,
when repentance was of no avail. I therefore gave her to the herds-
man, and said to him. Bring me a fat calf: and he brought me my
son, who was transformed into a calf. And when the calf saw me,
he broke his rop)e, and came to me, and fawned upon me, and wailed
and cried, so that I was moved with pity for him; and I said to the
herdsman. Bring me a cow, and let this —

Here Shahrazad perceived the light of morning, and discontinued
the recitation with which she had been allowed thus far to proceed.
Her sister said to her, How excellent is thy story! and how pretty!
and how pleasant! and how sweet! — but she answered. What is this
in comparison with that which I will relate to thee in the next night,

'The Grest Festival, commencing on the loth of Dhu-1-Hijjeh, when the pilgrims,
halting on their return from mount 'Arafat to Mekkeh, in the valley of Min^, perform
their sacrifice.

THE FIRST SHEYKH I9

if I live, and the King spare me! And the King said, By Allah, I
will not kill her until I hear the remainder of her story. Thus they
pleasantly passed the night until the morning, when the King went
forth to his hall of judgment, and the Wezir went thither with the
grave<lothes under his arm: and the King gave judgment, and
invested and displaced, until the close of the day, without informing
the Wezir of that which had happened; and the minister was greatly
astonished. The court was then dissolved; and the King returned
to the privacy of his palace.

[On the second and each succeeding night, Shahrazad continued
so to interest King Shahriyar by her stories as to induce him to defer
putting her to death, in expectation that her fund of amusing tales
would soon be exhausted; and as this is expressed in the original
work in nearly the same words at the close of every night, such
repetitions will in the present translation be omitted.]

When the sheykh, continued Shahrazad, observed the tears of the
calf, his heart sympathized with him, and he said to the herdsman,
Let this calf remain with the cattle. — Meanwhile, the Jinni won-
dered at this strange story; and the owner of the gazelle thus pro-
ceeded.

O lord of the kings of the Jann, while this happened, my cousin,
this gazelle, looked on, and said. Slaughter this calf; for he is fat:
but I could not do it; so I ordered the herdsman to take him back;
and he took him and went away. And as I was sitting, on the follow-
ing day, he came to me, and said, O my master, I have to tell thee
something that thou wilt be rejoiced to hear; and a reward is due to
me for bringing good news. I answered, Well: — and he said, O mer-
chant, I have a daughter who learned enchantment in her youth
from an old woman in our family; and yesterday, when thou gavest
me the calf, I took him to her, and she looked at him, and covered
her face, and wept, and then laughed, and said, O my father, hath
my condition become so degraded in thy opinion that thou bringest
before me strange men? — Where, said I, are any strange men.? and
wherefore didst thou weep and laugh ? She answered, This calf that
is with thee is the son of our master, the merchant, and the wife of
our master hath enchanted both him and his mother; and this was
the reason of ray laughter; but as to the reason of my weeping, it

20 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

was on account of his mother, because his father had slaughtered
her. — And I was excessively astonished at this; and scarcely was I
certain that the light of morning had appeared when I hastened to
inform thee.

When I heard, O Jinni, the words of the herdsman, I went forth
with him, intoxicated without wine, from the excessive joy and
happiness that I received, and arrived at his house, where his
daughter welcomed me, and kissed my hand; and the calf came to
me, and fawned upon me. And I said to the herdsman's daughter,
Is that true which thou hast said resp)ecting this calf? She answered.
Yes, O my master; he is verily thy son, and the vital spirit of thy
heart. — O maiden, said I, if thou wilt restore him, all the cattle and
other property of mine that thy father hath under his care shall be
thine. Upon this, she smiled, and said, O my master, I have no
desire for the property unless on two conditions: the first is, that
thou shalt marry me to him; and the second, that I shall enchant
her who enchanted him, and so restrain her; otherwise, I shall not
be secure from her artifice. On hearing, O Jinni, these her words, I
said. And thou shalt have all the property that is under the care of
thy father besides; and as to my cousin, even her blood shall be
lawful to thee. So, when she heard this, she took a cup, and filled
it with water, and repeated a spell over it, and sprinkled with it the
calf, saying to him, If God created thee a calf, remain in this form,
and be not changed; but if thou be enchanted, return to thy original
form, by permission of God, whose name be exalted! — upon which
he shook, and became a man; and I threw myself upon him, and
said, I conjure thee by Allah that thou relate to me all that my cousin
did to thee and to thy mother. So he related to me all that had hap-
pened to them both; and I said to him, O my son, God hath given
thee one to liberate thee, and to avenge thee: — and I married to him,
O Jinni, the herdsman's daughter ; after which, she transformed my
cousin into this gazelle. And as I happened to pass this way, I saw
this merchant, and asked him what had happened to him; and when
he had informed me, I sat down to see the result. — This is my story.
The Jinni said, This is a wonderful tale; and I give up to thee a
third of my claim to his blood.

The second sheykh, the owner of the two hounds, then advanced,

THE SECOND SHEYKH 21

and said to the Jinni, If I relate to thee the story of myself and these
hounds, and thou find it to be in like manner wonderful, wilt thou
remit to me, also, a third of thy claim to the blood of this merchant ?
The Jinni answered. Yes.

The Story of the Second Sheykh
AND THE Two Black Hounds

Then said the sheykh, Know, O lord of the kings of the Jann, that
these two hounds are my brothers. My father died, and left to us
three thousand pieces of gold;^ and I opjened a shop to sell and buy.
But one of my brothers made a journey, with a stock of merchandise,
and was absent from us for the space of a year with the caravans;
after which, he returned destitute. I said to him, Did I not advise
thee to abstain from travelling? But he wept, and said, O my
brother, God, to whom be ascribed all might and glory, decreed this
event; and there is no longer any profit in these words: I have noth-
ing left. So I took him up into the shop, and then went with him
to the bath, and clad him in a costly suit of my own clothing; after
which, we sat down together to eat; and I said to him, O my
brother, I will calculate the gain of my shop during the year, and
divide it, exclusive of the principal, between me and thee. Accord-
ingly, I made the calculations, and found my gain to amount to two
thousand pieces of gold; and I praised God, to whom be ascribed
all might and glory, and rejoiced exceedingly, and divided the gain
in two equal parts between myself and him. — My other brother then
set forth on a journey; and after a year, returned in the like condi-
tion; and I did unto him as I had done to the former.

After this, when we had lived together for some time, my brothers
again wished to travel, and were desirous that I should accompany
them; but I would not. What, said I, have ye gained in your travels,
that I should expect to gain? They importuned me; but I would not
comply with their request; and we remained selling and buying in
our shops a whole year. Still, however, they persevered in proposing
that we should travel, and I still refused, until after the lapse of six
entire years, when at last I consented, and said to them, O my
' Dinar, about half-a-guinea.

22 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

brothers, let us calculate what prof)erty we pKissess. We did so, and
found it to be six thousand pieces of gold : and I then said to them.
We will bury half of it in the earth, that it may be of service to us
if any misfortune befall us, in which case each of us shall take a
thousand pieces, with which to traffic. Excellent is thy advice, said
they. So I took the money and divided it into two equal portions,
and buried three thousand pieces of gold; and of the other half, I
gave to each of them a thousand pieces. We then prepared merchan-
dise, and hired a ship, and embarked our goods, and proceeded on
our voyage for the space of a whole month, at the expiration of
which we arrived at a city, where we sold our merchandise; and for
every piece of gold we gained ten.

And when we were about to set sail again, we found, on the shore
of the sea, a maiden clad in tattered garments, who kissed my hand,
and said to me, O my master, art thou possessed of charity and kind-
ness? If so, I will requite thee for them. I answered, Yes, I have
those qualities, though thou requite me not. Then said she, O my
master, accept me as thy wife, and take me to thy country; for I
give myself to thee: act kindly towards me; for I am one who re-
quires to be treated with kindness and charity, and who will requite
thee for so doing; and let not my present condition at all deceive
thee. When I heard these words, my heart was moved with tender-
ness towards her, in order to the accomplishment of a purpose of
God, to whom be ascribed all might and glory; and I took her, and
clothed her, and furnished for her a place in the ship in a handsome
manner, and regarded her with kind and respectful attention.

We then set sail; and I became most cordially attached to my wife,
so that, on her account, I neglected the society of my brothers, who,
in consequence, became jealous of me, and likewise envied me my
wealth, and the abundance of my merchandise; casting the eyes of
covetousness upon the whole of the property. They therefore con-
sulted together to kill me, and take my wealth; saying. Let us kill
our brother, and all the property shall be ours: — and the devil made
these actions to seem fair in their eyes; so they came to me while I
was sleeping by the side of my wife, and took both of us up, and
threw us into the sea. But as soon as my wife awoke, she shook
herself, and became transformed into a Jinniyeh. She immediately

THE SECOND SHEYKH 23

bore me away, and placed me upon an island, and, for a while, dis-
appeared. In the morning, however, she returned, and said to me,
I am thy wife, who carried thee, and rescued thee from death, by
permission of God, whose name be exalted. Know that I am a
Jinniyeh: I saw thee, and my heart loved thee for the sake of God;
for I am a believer in God and his Apostle, God bless and save him!
I came to thee in the condition in which thou sawest me, and thou
didst marry me; and see, I have rescued thee from drowning. But I
am incensed against thy brothers, and I must kill them. — When I
heard her tale, I was astonished, and thanked her for what she had
done; — But, said I, as to the destruction of my brothers, it is not what
I desire. I then related to her all that happened between myself and
them from first to last; and when she had heard it, she said, I will,
this next night, fly to them, and sink their ship, and destroy them.
But I said, I conjure thee by Allah that thou do it not; for the
author of the proverb saith, O thou benefactor of him who hath
done evil, the action that he hath done is sufficient for him: — be-
sides, they are at all events my brothers. She still, however, said.
They must be killed; — and I continued to propitiate her towards
them: and at last she lifted me up, and soared through the air, and
placed me on the roof of my house.

Having opened the doors, I dug up what I had hidden in the
earth; and after I had saluted my neighbours, and bought merchan-
dise, I opened my shop. And in the following night, when I entered
my house, I found these two dogs tied up in it; and as soon as they
saw me, they came to me, and wept, and clung to me; but I knew
not what had happened until immediately my wife appeared before
me, and said, These are thy brothers. And who, said I, hath done
this unto them? She answered, I sent to my sister, and she did it;
and they shall not be restored until after the lapse of ten years. And
I was now on my way to her, that she might restore them, as they
have been in this state ten years, when I saw this man, and, being
informed of what had befallen him, I determined not to quit the
place until I should have seen what would happen between thee and
him. — This is my story. — Verily, said the Jinni, it is a wonderful
tale; and I give up to thee a third of the claim that I had to his blood
on account of his offence.

24 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Upon this, the third sheykh, the owner of the mule, said to the
Jinni, As to me, break not my heart if I relate to thee nothing more
than this: —

The Story of the Third Sheykh and the Mule

The mule that thou seest was my wife: she became enamoured of
a black slave; and when I discovered her with him, she took a mug
of water, and, having uttered a spell over it, sprinkled me, and
transformed me into a dog. In this state, I ran to the shop of a
butcher, whose daughter saw me, and being skilled in enchantment,
restored me to my original form, and instructed me to enchant my
wife in the manner thou beholdest. — And now I hope that thou wilt
remit to me also a third of the merchant's offence. Divinely was he
gifted who said,

Sow good, even on an unworthy soil; for it will not be lost wherever
it is sown.

When the sheykh had thus finished his story, the Jinni shook with
deUght, and remitted the remaining third of his claim to the mer-
chant's blood. The merchant then approached the sheykhs, and
thanked them, and they congratulated him on his safety; and each
went his way.

But this, said Shahrazad, is not more wonderful than the story of
the fisherman. The King asked her. And what is the story of the
fisherman? And she related it as follows: —

[Nights 3-9]
The Story of the Fisherman

TrIERE was a certain fisherman, advanced in age, who had
a wife and three children; and though he was in indigent
circumstances, it was his custom to cast his net, every day,
no more than four times. One day he went forth at the hour of noon
to the shore of the sea, and put down his basket, and cast his net,
and waited until it was motionless in the water, when he drew
together its strings, and found it to be heavy: he pulled, but could
not draw it up: so he took the end of the cord, and knocked a stake
into the shore, and tied the cord to it. He then stripped himself,
and dived round the net, and continued to pull until he drew it out:
whereupon he rejoiced, and put on his clothes; but when he came
to examine the net, he found in it the carcass of an ass. At the sight
of this he mourned, and exclaimed. There is no strength nor power
but in God, the High, the Great! This is a strange piece of fortune!
— And he repeated the following verse: —

O thou who occupiest thyself in the darkness of night, and in peril!
Spare thy trouble; for the support of Providence is not obtained by toil!

He then disencumbered his net of the dead ass, and wrung it out;
after which he spread it, and descended into the sea, and — exclaim-
ing. In the name of God! — cast it again, and waited till it had sunk
and was still, when he pulled it, and found it more heavy and more
difficult to raise than on the former occasion. He therefore concluded
that it was full of fish: so he tied it, and stripped, and plunged and
dived, and pulled until he raised it, and drew it upon the shore;
when he found in it only a large jar, full of sand and mud; on seeing
which, he was troubled in his heart, and repeated the following
words of the poet: —

O angry fate, forbear! or, if thou wilt not forbear, relent!
Neither favour from fortune do I gain, nor profit from the work of my
hands.

as

26 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I came forth to seek my sustenance, but have found it to be exhausted.
How many of the ignorant are in splendor! and how many of the wise,
in obscurity!

So saying, he threw aside the jar, and wrung out and cleansed his
net; and, begging the forgiveness of God for his impatience, returned
to the sea the third time, and threw the net, and waited till it had
sunk and was motionless: he then drew it out, and found in it a
quantity of broken jars and pots.

Upon this, he raised his head towards heaven, and said, O God,
Thou knowest that I cast not my net more than four times; and I
have now cast it three times! Then — exclaiming, In the name of
God! — he cast the net again into the sea, and waited till it was still;
when he attempted to draw it up, but could not, for it clung to the
bottom. And he exclaimed. There is no strength nor power but in
God! — and he stripped himself again, and dived round the net, and
pulled until he raised it upon the shore; when he opened it, and
found in it a bottle of brass, filled with something, and having its
mouth closed with a stopper of lead, bearing the impression of the
seal of our lord Suleyman.' At the sight of this, the fisherman was
rejoiced, and said, This I will sell in the copper-market; for it is
worth ten pieces of gold. He then shook it, and found it to be
heavy, and said, I must open it, and see what is in it, and store it
in my bag; and then I will sell the bottle in the copper-market. So
he took out a knife, and picked at the lead until he extracted it from
the bottle. He then laid the bottle on the ground, and shook it, that
its contents might pour out; but there came forth from it nothing
but smoke, which ascended towards the sky, and spread over the

' No man ever obtained such absolute power over the Jinn as Suleyman Ibn-Da'ud
(Solomon, the Son of David). This he did by virtue of a most wonderful ulisman,
which is said to have come down to him from heaven. It was a seal-ring, upon which
was eni;raved "the most great name" of God; and partly composed of brass, and
partly of iron. With the brass he stamped his written commands to the good Jinn;
with the iron [which they greatly dread], those to the evil Jinn, or Devils. Over
both orders he had unlimited power; as well as over the birds and the winds, and, as
is generally said, the wild beasts. His Wezir, Asaf the son of Barkhiya, is also said
to have been acquainted with "the most great pame," by uttering which the greatest
miracles may be performed; even that of raising the dead. By virtue of this name,
engraved on his ring, Suleyman compelled the Jinn to assist in building the Temple
of Jerusalem, and in various other works. Many of the evil Jinn he converted to the
true faith; and many others of this class, who remained obstinate in infidelity, he
confined in prisons.

THE FISHERMAN TtJ

face of the earth; at which he wondered excessively. And after a
little while, the smoke collected together, and was condensed, and
then became agitated, and was converted into an 'Efrit, whose head
was in the clouds, while his feet rested upon the ground: his head
was like a dome: his hands were Uke winnowing forks; and his legs,
like masts: his mouth resembled a cavern: his teeth were Uke stones;
his nostrils, Uke trumpets; and his eyes, Uke lamps; and he had
dishevelled and dust<oloured hair.

When the fisherman beheld this 'Efrit, the muscles of his sides
quivered, his teeth were locked together, his spitde dried up, and
he saw not his way. The 'Efrit, as soon as he perceived him,
exclaimed, There is no deity but God; Suleyman is the Prophet of
God, O Prophet of God, slay me not; for I will never again oppose
thee in word, or rebel against thee in deed! — O Marid, said the fisher-
man, dost thou say, Suleyman is the Prophet of God? Suleyman
hath been dead a thousand and eight hundred years; and we are now
in the end of time. What is thy history, and what is thy tale, and
what was the cause of thy entering this bottle? When the Marid
heard these words of the fisherman, he said, There is no deity but
God! Receive news, O fisherman! — Of what, said the fisherman,
dost thou give me news? He answered. Of thy being instantly put
to a most cruel death. The fisherman exclaimed. Thou deservest,
for this news, O master of the 'Efrits, the withdrawal of protection
from thee, O thou remote!' Wherefore wouldst thou kill me? and
what requires thy killing me, when I have liberated thee from the
bottle, and rescued thee from the bottom of the sea, and brought
thee up upon the dry land? — The 'Efrit answered. Choose what
kind of death thou wilt die, and in what manner thou shalt be
kiUed. — What is my offence, said the fisherman, that this should be
my recompense from thee? The 'Efrit replied, Hear my story, O
fisherman. — Tell it then, said the fisherman, and be short in thy
words; for my soul hath sunk down to my feet.

Know then, said he, that I am one of the heretical Jinn: I rebelled

against Suleyman the son of Da'ud; I and Sakhr the Jinni; and he

sent to me his Wezir, Asaf the son of Barkhiya, who came up)on me

forcibly, and took me to him in bonds, and placed me before him:

' [Implying a malediction, but excepting bystanders.]

28 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and when Suleyman saw me, he offered up a prayer for protection
against me, and exhorted me to embrace the faith, and to submit to
his authority; but I refused; upon which he called for this bottle,
and confined me in it, and closed it upon me with the leaden stopper,
which he stamped with the Most Great Name: he then gave orders
to the Jinn, who carried me away, and threw me into the midst of
the sea. There I remained a hundred years; and I said in my heart.
Whosoever shall liberate me, I shall enrich him for ever: — but the
hundred years passed over me, and no one liberated me: and I
entered upon another hundred years; and I said. Whosoever shall
liberate me, I will open to him the treasures of the earth; — but no
one did so: and four hundred years more passed over me, and I
said, Whosoever shall liberate me, I will perform for him three
wants: — but still no one liberated me. I then fell into a violent rage,
and said within myself. Whosoever shall liberate me now, I will
kill him; and only suffer him to choose in what manner he will die.
And lo, now thou hast liberated me, and I have given thee thy
choice of the manner in which thou wilt die.

When the fisherman had heard the story of the 'Efrit, he ex-
claimed, O Allah! that I should not have liberated thee but in such
a time as this! Then said he to the 'Efrit, Pardon me, and kill me
not, and so may God pardon thee; and destroy me not, lest God
give power over thee to one who will destroy thee. The Marid
answered, I must positively kill thee; therefore choose by what man-
ner of death thou wilt die. The fisherman then felt assured of his
death; but he again implored the 'Efrit, saying, Pardon me by way
of gratitude for my liberating thee. — Why, answered the 'Efrit, I
am not going to kill thee but for that very reason, because thou hast
liberated me. — O Sheykh of the 'Efrits, said the fisherman, do I act
kindly towards thee, and dost thou recompense me with baseness?
But the proverb lieth not that saith, —

We did good to them, and they returned us the contrary; and such, by

my life, is the conduct of the wicked.
Thus he who acteth kindly to the undeserving is recompensed in the

same manner as the aider of Umm-'Amir.'
•The hyena.

THE FISHERMAN 29

The 'Efrit, when he heard these words, answered by saying, Covet
not hfe, for thy death is unavoidable. Then said the fisherman within
himself, This is a Jinni, and I am a man; and God hath given me
sound reason; therefore, I will now plot his destruction with my art
and reason, like as he hath plotted with his cunning and perfidy.
So he said to the 'Efrit, Hast thou determined to kill me? He
answered, Yes. Then said he. By the Most Great Name engraved
upon the seal of Suleyman, I will ask thee one question; and wilt
thou answer it to me truly? On hearing the mention of the Most
Great Name, the 'Efrit was agitated, and trembled, and replied,
Yes; ask, and be brief. The fisherman then said. How wast thou in
this bottle? It will not contain thy hand or thy foot; how then can
it contain thy whole body ? — Dost thou not believe that I was in it ?
said the 'Efrit. The fisherman answered, I will never believe thee
until I see thee in it. Upon this, the 'Efrit shook, and became con-
verted into smoke, which rose to the sky and then became con-
densed, and entered the bottle by little and Uttle, until it was all
enclosed; when the fisherman hastily snatched the sealed leaden
stopper, and, having replaced it in the mouth of the bottle, called out
to the 'Efrit, and said. Choose in what manner of death thou wilt
die. I will assuredly throw thee here into the sea, and build me a
house on this spot; and whosoever shall come here, 1 will prevent
his fishing in this place, and will say to him, Here is an 'Efrit, who
to any person that liberates him, will propose various kinds of death,
and then give him his choice of one of them. On hearing these
words of the fisherman, the 'Efrit endeavoured to escape; but could
not, finding himself restrained by the impression of the seal of
Suleyman, and thus imprisoned by the fisherman as the vilest and
filthiest and least of 'Efrits. The fisherman then took the bottle to
the brink of the sea. The 'Efrit exclaimed. Nay! nay! — to which the
fisherman answered. Yea, without fail! yea, without fail! The
Marid then addressing him with a soft voice and humble manner,
said. What dost thou intend to do with me, O fisherman? He
answered, I will throw thee into the sea; and if thou hast been there
a thousand and eight hundred years, I will make thee to remain
there until the hour of judgment. Did I not say to thee. Spare me,

30 THE THOUSAhfD AND ONE NIGHTS

and so may God spare thee; and destroy me not, lest God destroy
thee? But thou didst reject my petition, and wouldst nothing but
treachery; therefore God hath caused thee to fall into my hand, and
I have betrayed thee. — Open to me, said the 'Efrit, that 1 may confer
benefits upxjn thee. The fisherman repUed, Thou liest, thou accursed!
I and thou are like the Wezir of King Yunan and the sage Duban.
— What, said the 'Efrit, was the case of the Wezir Yunan and the
sage Duban, and what is their story? The fisherman answered as
follows: —

The Story of King Yunan and the Sage Duban

Know, O 'Efrit, that there was, in former times, in the country
of the Persians, a monarch who was called King Yunan, possessing
great treasures and numerous forces, valiant, and having troops of
every description; but he was afflicted with leprosy, which the physi-
cians and sages had failed to remove; neither their potions, nor
powders, nor ointments were of any benefit to him; and none of the
physicians was able to cure him. At length there arrived at the city
of this king a great sage, stricken in years, who was called the sage
Duban: he was acquainted with ancient Greek, Persian, modern
Greek, Arabic, and Syriac books, and with medicine and astrology,
both with resp)ect to their scientific principles and the rules of their
practical applications for good and evil; as well as the prof)erties of
plants, dried and fresh; the injurious and the useful: he was versed
in the wisdom of the philosophers, and embraced a knowledge of all
the medical and other sciences.

After this sage had arrived in the city, and remained in it a few
days, he heard of the case of the King, of the leprosy with which
God had afflicted him, and that the physicians and men of science
had failed to cure him. In consequence of this information, he
passed the next night in deep study; and when the morning came,
and diffused its light, and the sun saluted the Ornament of the
Good,'* he attired himself in the richest of his apparel, and presented
himself before the King. Having kissed the ground before him, and
offered up a prayer for the continuance of his power and happiness,
and greeted him in the best manner he was able, he informed him

*The Prophet Mohammad, who said "the sun never riseth until it hath saluted me."

KING YUNAN AND THE SAGE DUB AN 3 1

who he was, and said, O King, I have heard of the disease which
hath attacked thy person, and that many of the physicians are un-
acquainted with the means of removing it; and I will cure thee with-
out giving thee to drink any potion, or anointing thee with ointment.
When King Yunan heard his words, he wondered, and said to him,
How wilt thou do this? By Allah, if thou cure me, I will enrich
thee and thy children's children, and I will heap favours upon thee,
and whatever thou shalt desire shall be thine, and thou shalt be my
companion and my friend. — He then bestowed upon him a robe of
honour, and other presents, and said to him. Wilt thou cure me of
this disease without potion or ointment? He answered, Yes; I will
cure thee without any discomfort to thy person. And the King was
extremely astonished, and said, O Sage, at what time, and on what
day, shall that which thou hast proposed to me be done ? Hasten it,
O my Son. — He answered, I hear and obey.

He then went out from the presence of the King, and hired a
house, in which he deposited his books, and medicines, and drugs.
Having done this, he selected certain of his medicines and drugs,
and made a gofl-stick, with a hollow handle, into which he intro-
duced them; after which he made a ball for it, skilfully adapted;
and on the following day, after he had finished these, he went again
to the King, and kissed the ground before him, and directed him
to repair to the horse<ourse, and to play with the ball and goff-
stick. The King, attended by his Emirs and Chamberlains and
Wezirs, went thither, and, as soon as he arrived there, the sage
Duban presented himself before him, and handed to him the gof?-
stick, saying. Take this gofl-stick, and grasp it thus, and ride along
the horse<ourse, and strike the ball with it with all thy force, until
the palm of thy hand and thy whole body become moist with per-
spiration, when the medicine will penetrate into thy hand, and per-
vade thy whole body; and when thou hast done this, and the medi-
cine remains in thee, return to thy palace, and enter tlie bath, and
wash thyself, and sleep; then shalt thou find thyself cured: and
peace be on thee. So King Yunan took the gofl-stick from the sage,
and grasped it in his hand, and mounted his horse; and the ball was
thrown before him, and he urged his horse after it until he over-
took it, when he struck it with all his force; and when he had con-

32 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

tinued this exercise as long as was necessary, and bathed and slept,
he looked upon his skin, and not a vestige of the leprosy remained:
it was clear as white silver. Upon this he rejoiced exceedingly; his
heart was dilated, and he was full of happiness.

On the following morning he entered the council<hamber, and
sat upon his throne; and the Chamberlains and great officers of his
court came before him. The sage Duban also presented himself;
and when the King saw him, he rose to him in haste, and seated him
by his side. Services of food were then spread before them, and the
sage ate with the King, and remained as his guest all the day; and
when the night approached, the King gave him two thousand pieces
of gold, besides dresses of honour and other presents, and mounted
him on his own horse, and so the sage returned to his house. And
the King was astonished at his skill; saying. This man hath cured
me by an external process, without anointing me with ointment:
by Allah, this is consummate science; and it is incumbent on me to
bestow favours and honours upon him, and to make him my com-
panion and familiar friend as long as I Uve. He passed the night
happy and joyful on account of his recovery, and when he arose,
he went forth again, and sat upon his throne; the officers of his court
standing before him, and the Emirs and Wezirs sitting on his right
hand and on his left; and he called for the sage Duban, who came,
and kissed the ground before him; and the king rose, and seated
him by his side, and ate with him, and greeted him with compli-
ments: he bestowed upon him again a robe of honour and other
presents, and after conversing with him till the approach of night,
gave orders that five other robes of honour should be given to him,
and a thousand pieces of gold; and the sage departed, and returned
to his house.

Again, when the next morning came, the King went as usual to
his council<hamber, and the Emirs and Wezirs and Chamberlains
surrounded him. Now there was, among his Wezirs, one of ill
aspect, and of evil star; sordid, avaricious, and of an envious and
malicious disposition; and when he saw that the King had made
the sage Duban his friend, and bestowed upon him these favours,
he envied him his distinction, and meditated evil against him;
agreeably with the adage which saith, There is no one void of envy;

THE HUSBAND AND THE PARROT 33

— and another, which saith, Tyranny lurketh in the soul: power
manifesteth it, and weakness concealeth it. So he approached the
King, and kissed the ground before him, and said, O King of the
age, thou art he whose goodness extendeth to all men, and I have
an important piece of advice to give thee: if I were to conceal it
from thee, 1 should be a base-born wretch: therefore, if thou order
me to impart it, I will do so. The King, disturbed by these words of
the Wezir, said. What is thy advice? He answered, O glorious
King, it hath been said, by the ancients. He who looketh not to
results, fortune will not attend him: — now I have seen the King in
a way that is not right; since he hath bestowed favours upon his
enemy, and upon him who desireth the downfall of his dominion:
he hath treated him with kindness, and honoured him with the
highest honours, and admitted him to the closest intimacy: I there-
fore fear, for the King, the consequence of this conduct. — At this
the King was troubled and his countenance changed; and he said.
Who is he whom thou regardest as mine enemy, and to whom I
shew kindness? He replied, O King, if thou hast been asleep,
awake! I allude to the sage Duban. — The King said. He is my
intimate companion, and the dearest of men in my estimation; for
he restored me by a thing that I merely held in my hand, and cured
me of my disease which the physicians were unable to remove, and
there is not now to be found one like to him in the whole world,
from west to east. Wherefore, then, dost thou utter these words
against him ? I will, from this day, appoint him a regular salary and
maintenance, and give him every month a thousand pieces of gold;
and if I give him a share of my kingdom it were but a small thing
to do unto him. I do not think that thou hast said this from any
other motive than that of envy. If I didst what thou desirest, I
should repent after it, as the man repented who killed his parrot.

The Story of the Husband and the Parrot

There was a certain merchant, of an exceedingly jealous disposi-
tion, having a wife endowed with perfect beauty, who had pre-
vented him from leaving his home; but an event happened which
obliged him to make a journey; and when he found his doing so

34 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

to be indispensable, he went to the market in which birds were
sold, and bought a parrot, which he placed in his house to act as a
spy, that, on his return, she might inform him of what passed during
his absence; for this parrot was cimning and inteUigent, and remem-
bered whatever she heard. So, when he had made his journey, and
accomplished his business, he returned, and caused the parrot to be
brought to him, and asked her respecting the conduct of his wife.
She answered, Thy wife has a lover, who visited her every night
during thy absence, — and when the man heard this, he fell into a
violent rage, and went to his wife, and gave her a severe beating.

The woman imagined that one of the female slaves had informed
him of what had passed between her and her paramour during his
absence: she therefore called them together, and made them swear;
and they all swore that they had not told their master anything of
the matter; but confessed that they had heard the parrot relate to
him what had passed. Having thus established, on the testimony of
the slaves, the fact of the parrot's having informed her husband of
her intrigue, she ordered one of these slaves to grind with a hand-
mill under the cage, another to sprinkle water from above, and a
third to move a mirror from side to side, during the next night on
which her husband was absent; and on the following morning,
when the man returned from an entertainment at which he had been
present, and inquired again of the parrot what had passed that night
during his absence, the bird answered, O my master, I could neither
see nor hear anything, on account of the excessive darkness, and
thunder, and lightning, and rain. Now this happened during sum-
mer: so he said to her, What strange words are these? It is now
summer, when nothing of what thou hast described ever happens. —
The parrot, however, swore by Allah the Great that what she had
said was true; and that it had so happened: upon which the man,
not understanding the case, nor knowing the plot, became violently
enraged, and took out the bird from the cage, and threw her down
upon the ground with such violence that he killed her.

But after some days, one of his female slaves informed him of
the truth; yet he would not believe it, until he saw his wife's para-
mour going out from his house; when he drew his sword, and slew
the traitor by a blow on the back of his neck : so also did he to his

THE ENVIOUS WEZIR 35

treacherous wife; and thus both of them went, laden with the sin
which they had committed, to the fire; and the merchant discovered
that the parrot had informed him truly of what she had seen; and
he mourned grievously for her loss.

When the Wezir heard these words of King Yunan, he said, O
King of great dignity, what hath this crafty sage — this man from
whom nought but mischief proceedeth — done unto me, that I should
be his enemy, and speak evil of him, and plot with thee to destroy
him? I have informed thee respecting him in compassion for thee,
and in fear of his despoiling thee of thy happiness; and if my words
be not true, destroy me, as the Wezir of Es-Sindibad was destroyed.
— The King asked, How was that ? And the Wezir thus answered: —

The Story of the Envious Wezir and the Prince and the Ghuleh

The King above mentioned had a son who was ardently fond of
the chase; and he had a Wezir whom he charged to be always with
his son wherever he went. One day the son went forth to hunt, and
his father's Wezir was with him; and as they rode together, they
saw a great wild beast; upon which the Wezir exclaimed to the
Prince, Away after this wild beast! The King's son pursued it until
he was out of the sight of his attendants, and the beast also escaped
from before his eyes in the desert; and while the Prince wandered
in perplexity, not knowing whither to direct his course, he met in
his way a damsel, who was weeping. He said to her. Who art thou?
— and she answered, I am a daughter of one of the kings of India;
I was in the desert, and slumber overtook me, and I fell from my
horse in a state of insensibility, and being thus separated from my
attendants, I lost my way. The Prince, on hearing this, pitied her
forlorn state, and placed her behind him on his horse; and as they
proceeded, they passed by a ruin, and the damsel said to him, O my
master, 1 would alight here for a little while. The Prince therefore
lifted her from his horse at this ruin; but she delayed so long to
return, that he wondered wherefore she had loitered so, and enter-
ing after her, without her knowledge, perceived that she was a
Ghuleh,'' and heard her say. My children, I have brought you to-day
*A female Ghul, that eats men.

36 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

a fat young man: — on which they exclaimed, Bring him in to us,
O mother! that we may fill our stomachs with his flesh. When the
Prince heard their words, he felt assured of destruction; the muscles
of his sides quivered, and fear overcame him, and he retreated. The
Ghuleh then came forth, and, seeing that he appeared alarmed and
fearful, and that he was trembling, said to him, Wherefore dost thou
fear? He answered, I have an enemy of whom I am in fear. The
Ghuleh said, Thou assertest thyself to be the son of the King. He
replied. Yes. — Then, said she, wherefore dost thou not give some
money to thine enemy, and so conciliate him? He answered. He
will not be appeased with money, nor with anything but life; and
therefore do I fear him: I am an injured man. She then said to him,
if thou be an injured man, as thou affirmest, beg aid of God against
thine oppressor, and He will avert from thee his mischievous design,
and that of every other person whom thou fearest. Upon this,
therefore, the Prince raised his head towards heaven, and said, O
Thou who answerest the distressed when he prayeth to Thee, and
dispellest evil, assist me, and cause mine enemy to depart from me;
for Thou art able to do whatsoever Thou wilt! — and the Ghuleh
no sooner heard his prayer, than she departed from him. The Prince
then returned to his father, and informed him of the conduct of
the Wezir; upon which the King gave orders that the minister
should be put to death. —

And thou, O King, continued the Wezir of King Yunan, if thou
trust in this sage, he will kill thee in the foulest manner. If thou
continue to bestow favours upon him, and to make him thine inti-
mate companion, he will plot thy destruction. Dost thou not see
that he hath cured thee of the disease by external means, by a thing
that thou heldest in thy hand ? Therefore thou art not secure against
his killing thee by a thing that thou shalt hold in the same manner. —
King Yunan answered. Thou hast spoken truth: the case is as thou
hast said, O faithful Wezir: it is probable that this sage came as a
spy to accomplish my death; and if he cured me by a thing I held
in my hand, he may destroy me by a thing that I may smell: what
then, O Wezir, shall be done respecting him? The Wezir answered,
Send to him immediately, and desire him to come hither; and when

KING YUNAN A^^) THE SAGE DUB AN 37

he is come, strike off his head, and so shalt thou avert from thee
his evil design, and be secure from him. Betray him before he
betray thee. — The King said, Thou hast spoken right.

Immediately, therefore, he sent for the sage, who came, full of joy,
not knowing what the Compassionate had decreed against him, and
addressed the King with these words of the poet —

If I fail any day to render thee due thanks, tell me for whom I have

composed my verse and prose.
Thou hast loaded me with favours unsolicited, bestowed without delay

on thy part, or excuse.
How then should I abstain from praising thee as thou deservest, and

lauding thee both with my heart and voice?
Nay, I will thank thee for thy benefits conferred upon me: they are light

upon my tongue, though weighty to my back.

Knowest thou, said the King, wherefore I have summoned thee ?
The sage answered, None knoweth what is secret but God, whose
name be exalted! Then said the King, I have summoned thee that
I may take away thy Ufe. The sage, in the utmost astonishment at
this announcement, said, O King, wherefore wouldst thou kill me,
and what offence hath been committed by me ? The King answered.
It hath been told me that thou art a spy, and that thou hast come
hither to kill me: but I will prevent thee by killing thee first: — and
so saying, he called out to the executioner, Strike off the head of this
traitor, and relieve me from his wickedness. — Spare me, said the
sage, and so may God spare thee; and destroy me not, lest God
destroy thee. — And he repeated these words several times, like as I
did, O 'Efrit; but thou wouldst not let me go, desiring to destroy me.

King Yunan then said to the sage Duban, I shall not be secure
unless I kill thee; for thou curedst me by a thing that I held in my
hand, and I have no security against thy killing me by a thing that
I may smell, or by some other means. — O King, said the sage, is this
my recompense from thee? Dost thou return evil for good? — The
King answered, Thou must be slain without delay. When the sage,
therefore, was convinced that the King intended to put him to
death, and that his fate was inevitable, he lamented the benefit that
he had done to the undeserving. The executioner then advanced,

38 THE THOUSA>fD AND ONE NIGHTS

and bandaged his eyes, and, having drawn his sword, said. Give
permission. Upon this the sage wept, and said again. Spare me, and
so may God spare thee; and destroy me not, lest God destroy theel
Wouldst thou return me the recompense of the crocodile? — What,
said the King, is the story of the crocodile? The sage answered, I
cannot relate it while in this condition; but I conjure thee by Allah
to spare me, and so may He spare thee. And he wept bitterly. Then
one of the chief officers of the King arose, and said, O King, give up
to me the blood of this sage; for we have not seen him commit any
offence against thee; nor have we seen him do aught but cure thee
of thy disease, which wearied the other physicians and sages. The
King answered. Ye know not the reason wherefore I would kill the
sage: it is this, that if I suffered him to live, I should myself inevitably
p)erish; for he who cured me of the disease under which I suffered
by a thing that I held in my hand, may kill me by a thing that I
may smell; and I fear that he would do so, and would receive an
appointment on account of it; seeing that it is probable he is a spy
who hath come hither to kill me; I must therefore kill him, and
then shall I feel myself safe. — The sage then said again, Spiare me,
and so may God spare thee; and destroy me not, lest God destroy
thee.

But he now felt certain, O 'Efrit, that the King would put him
to death, and that there was no escape for him; so he said, O King,
if my death is indispensable, grant me some respite, that I may
return to my house, and acquit myself of my duties, and give
directions to my family and neighbours to bury me, and dispose of
my medical books; and among my books is one of the most especial
value, which I offer as a present to thee, that thou mayest treasure it
in thy Ubrary. — And what, said the King, is this book ? He answered.
It contains things not to be enumerated; and the smallest of the
secret virtues that it possesses is this; that, when thou hast cut ofl my
head, if thou open this book, and count three leaves, and then read
three lines on the page to the left, the head will speak to thee, and
answer whatever thou shalt ask. At this the King was excessively
astonished, and shook with delight, and said to him, O Sage, when I
have cut off thy head will it speak? He answered. Yes, O King;
and this is a wonderful thing.

KING TUNAN AND THE SAGE DUBAN 39

The King then sent him in the custody of guards; and the sage
descended to his house, and settled all his affairs on that day; and
on the following day he went up to the court: and the Emirs and
Wezirs, and Chamberlains and Deputies, and all the great officers
of the state, went thither also: and the court resembled a flower-
garden. And when the sage had entered, he presented himself be-
fore the King, bearing an old book, and a small pot containing a
fKJwder: and he sat down, and said. Bring me a tray. So they
brought him one; and he poured out the powder into it, and spread
it. He then said, O King, take this book, and do nothing with it
until thou hast cut off my head; and when thou hast done so, place
it upon this tray, and order some one to press it down upon the
powder; and when this is done, the blood will be stanched: then
open the book. As soon as the sage had said this, the King gave
orders to strike off his head; and it wasi done. The King then
opened the book, and found that its leaves were stuck together; so
he put his finger to his mouth, and moistened it with his spitde, and
opened the first leaf, and the second, and the third; but the leaves
were not opened without difficulty. He opened six leaves, and looked
at them; but found upon them no writing. So he said, O Sage,
there is nothing written in it. The head of the sage answered, Turn
over more leaves. The King did so; and in a little while, the poison
penetrated into his system; for the book was poisoned; and the
King fell back, and cried out, The poison hath penetrated into me! —
and upon this, the head of the sage Duban repeated these verses: —

They made use of their power, and used it tyrannically; and soon it

became as though it never had existed.
Had they acted equitably, they had exjjerienced equity; but they o|>-

pressed; wherefore fortune oppressed them with calamities and

trials.
Then did the case itself announce to them, This is the reward of your

conduct, and fortune is blameless.

And when the head of the sage Duban had uttered these words,
the King immediately fell down dead.

Now, O 'Efrit, continued the fisherman, know that if King Yunan
had spared the sage, Duban, God had spared him; but he refused.

40 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and desired his destruction; therefore God destroyed him; and thou,
O 'Efrit, if thou hadst spared me, God had spared thee, and I had
spared thee; but thou desiredst my death; therefore will I put thee
to death imprisoned in this bottle, and will throw thee here into the
sea. The Marid, upon this, cried out, and said, I conjure thee by
Allah, O fisherman, that thou do it not: spare me in generosity,
and be not angry with me for what I did; but if I have done evil,
do thou good, according to the proverb, — O thou benefactor of him
who hath done evil, the action that he hath done is sufficient for
him: — do not therefore as Umameh did to 'Atikeh. — And what,
said the fisherman, was their case? The 'Efrit answered. This is not
a time for telling stories, when I am in this prison; but when thou
liberatest me, I will relate to thee their case. The fisherman said.
Thou must be thrown into the sea, and there shall be no way of
escape for thee from it; for I endeavoured to propitiate thee, and
humbled myself before thee, yet thou wouldest nothing but my
destruction, though I had committed no offence to deserve it, and
had done no evil to thee whatever, but only good, delivering thee
from thy confinement; and when thou didst thus unto me, I per-
ceived that thou wast radically corrupt: and I would have thee
know, that my motive for throwing thee into this sea, is that I may
acquaint with thy story every one that shall take thee out, and
caution him against thee, that he may cast thee in again: thus shalt
thou remain in this sea to the end of time, and experience varieties
of torment. — The 'Efrit then said, Liberate me, for this is an oppor-
tunity for thee to display humanity; and I vow to thee that I will
never do thee harm; but, on the contrary, will do thee a service
that shall enrich thee for ever.

Upon this the fisherman accepted his covenant that he would not
hurt him, but that he would do him good; and when he had bound
him by oaths and vows, and made him swear by the Most Great
Name of God, he opened to him; and the smoke ascended until
it had all come forth, and then collected together, and became, as
before, an 'Efrit of hideous form. The 'Efrit then kicked the botde
into the sea. When the fisherman saw him do this, he made sure of
destruction, and said. This is no sign of good: — but afterwards he
fortified his heart, and said, O 'Efrit, God, whose name be exalted,

THE FISHERMAN 4 1

hath said, Perform the covenant, for the covenant shall be inquired
into:* — and thou hast covenanted with me, and sworn that thou wilt
not act treacherously towards me; therefore, if thou so act, God will
recompense thee; for He is jealous; He respiteth, but suffereth not
to escape; and remember that I said to thee as said the sage Duban
to King Yunan, Spare me, and so may God spare thee.

The 'Efrit laughed, and walking on before him, said, O fisherman,
follow me. The fisherman did so, not believing in his escape, until
they had quitted the neighbourhood of the city, and ascended a
mountain, and descended into a wide desert tract, in the midst of
which was a lake of water. Here the 'Efrit stopped, and ordered
the fisherman to cast his net and take some fish; and the fisherman,
looking into the lake, saw in it fish of different colours, white and
red and blue and yellow; at which he was astonished; and he cast
his net, and drew it in, and found in it four fish, each fish of a
different colour from the others, at the sight of which he rejoiced.
The 'Efrit then said to him. Take them to the Sultan, and present
them to him, and he will give thee what will enrich thee; and for
the sake of God accept my excuse, for, at present, I know no other
way of rewarding thee, having been in the sea a thousand and
eight hundred years, and not seen the surface of the earth until now;
but take not fish from the lake more than once each day : and now
I commend thee to the care of God. — Having thus said, he struck
the earth with his feet, and it clove asunder, and swallowed him.

The fisherman then went back to the city, wondering at all that
had befallen him with the 'Efrit, and carried the fish to his house;
and he took an earthen bowl, and, having filled it with water, put
the fish into it; and they struggled in the water: and when he had
done this, he placed the bowl upon his head, and repaired to the
King's palace, as the 'Efrit had commanded him, and, gomg up
unto the King, presented to him the fish; and the King was exces-
sively astonished at them, for he had never seen any like them in
the course of his life; and he said. Give these fish to the slave cook-
maid. This maid had been sent as a present to him by the King
of the Greeks, three days before; and he had not yet tried her skill.
The Wezir, therefore, ordered her to fry the fish, and said to her, O

'Kur'an, xvii. 36.

42 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

maid, the King saith unto thee, I* have not reserved my tear but
for the time of my difficulty: — to-day, then, gratify us by a specimen
of thy excellent cookery, for a person hath brought these fish as a
present to the Sultan. After having thus charged her, the Wezir
returned, and the King ordered him to give the fisherman four
hundred pieces of gold: so the Wezir gave them to him; and he
took them in his lap, and returned to his home and his wife, joyful
and happy, and bought what was needful for his family.

Such were the events that befell the fisherman: now we must
relate what happened to the maid. — She took the fish, and cleaned
them, and arranged them in the frying-pan, and left them until
one side was cooked, when she turned them upon the other side;
and lo, the wall of the kitchen clove asunder, and there came forth
from it a damsel of tall stature, smooth-cheeked, of perfect form,
with eyes adorned with kohl, beautiful in countenance, and with
heavy, swelling hips; wearing a kufiyeh interwoven with blue silk;
with rings in her ears, and bracelets on her wrists, and rings set
with precious jewels on her fingers; and in her hand was a rod of
Indian cane: and she dipped the end of the rod in the frying-pan,
and said, O fish, are ye remaining faithful to your covenant? At the
sight of this, the cook-maid fainted. The damsel then repeated the
same words a second and a third time; after which the fish raised
their heads from the frying-pan, and answered, Yes, yes. They then
repeated the following verse: —

If thou return, we return; and if thou come, we come; and if thou for-
sake, we verily do the same.

And upon this the damsel overturned the frying-pan, and departed
by the way she had entered, and the wall of the kitchen closed up
again. The cook-maid then arose, and beheld the four fish burnt
like charcoal; and she exclaimed. In his first encounter his staff
broke! — ^and as she sat reproaching herself, she beheld the Wezir
standing at her head; and he said to her. Bring the fish to the
Sultan: — and she wept, and informed him of what had happened.
The Wezir was astonished at her words, and exclaimed. This is
indeed a wonderful event; — and he sent for the fisherman, and when
he was brought, he said to him, O fisherman, thou must bring to us

THE FISHERMAN 43

four fish like those which thou broughtest before. The fisherman
accordingly went forth to the lake, and threw his net, and when he
had drawn it in he found in it four fish as before; and he took
them to the Wezir, who went with them to the maid, and said to
her, Rise, and fry them in my presence, that 1 may witness this
occurrence. The maid, therefore, prepared the fish, and put them
in the frying-pan, and they had remained but a little while, when
the wall clove asunder, and the damsel appeared, clad as before, and
holding the rod; and she dipped the end of the rod in the frying-
pan, and said, O fish, O fish, are ye remaining faithful to your old
covenant? Upon which they raised their heads, and answered as
before; and the damsel overturned the frying-pan with the rod, and
returned by the way she had entered, and the wall closed up again.
The Wezir then said. This is an event which cannot be con-
cealed from the King: — so he went to him, and informed him of
what had happened in his presence; and the King said, I must see
this with my own eyes. He sent, therefore, to the fisherman, and
commanded him to bring four fish like the former, granting him
a delay of three days. And the fisherman repaired to the lake, and
brought the fish thence to the King, who ordered again that four
hundred pieces of gold should be given to him; and then, turning
to the Wezir, said to him. Cook the fish thyself here before me. The
Wezir answered, I hear and obey. He brought the frying-pan, and
after he had cleaned the fish, threw them into it; and as soon as he
had turned them, the wall clove asunder, and there came forth from
it a negro, in size like a bull, or like one of the tribe of 'Ad,' having
in his hand a branch of a green tree; and he said, with a clear but
terrifying voice, O fish, O fish, are ye remaining faithful to your old
covenant? Upon which they raised their heads, and answered as
before. Yes, yes:

If thou return, we return; and if thou come, we come; and if thou for-
sake, we verily do the same.

The black then approached the frying-pan, and overturned it with
the branch, and the fish became like charcoal, and he went away
as he had come.

' The smallest of the ancient Arab tribe of 'Ad is said to have been sixty cubits
high.

44 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

When he had thus disappeared from before their eyes, the King
said, This is an event respecting which it is impossible to keep
silence, and there must, undoubtedly, be some strange circumstance
connected with these fish. He then ordered that the fisherman
should be brought before him, and when he had come, he said to
him. Whence came these fish? The fisherman answered, From a
lake between four mountains behind this mountain which is without
thy city. The King said to him. How many days' journey distant?
He answered, O our lord the Sultan, a journey of half-an-hour.
And the Sultan was astonished, and ordered his troops to go out
immediately with him and the fisherman, who began to curse the
'Efrit. They proceeded until they had ascended the mountain, and
descended into a wide desert tract which they had never before
seen in their whole lives; and the Sultan and all the troops wondered
at the sight of this desert, which was between four mountains, and
at the fish, which were of four colors, red and white and yellow and
blue. The King paused in astonishment, and said to the troops,
and to the other attendants who were with him. Hath any one of
you before seen this lake in this place? They all answered, No.
Then said the King, By Allah, I will not enter my city, nor will I sit
upon my throne, until I know the true history of this lake, and of
its fish. And upon this he ordered his people to encamp around these
mountains; and they did so. He then called for the Wezir, who was
a well-informed, sensible, prudent, and learned man; and when he
had presented himself before him, he said to him, I desire to do a
thing with which I will acquaint thee; and it is this: — I have
resolved to depart alone this night, to seek for information respecting
this lake and its fish: therefore, sit thou at the door of my pavilion,
and say to the Emirs and Wezirs and Chamberlains, The Sultan is
sick, and hath commanded me not to allow any person to go in
unto him : — and acquaint no one with my intention.

The Wezir was unable to oppose his design; so the King dis-
guised himself, and slung on his sword, and withdrew himself from
the midst of his troops. He journeyed the whole of the night, until
the morning, and proceeded until the heat became oppressive to him :
he then paused to rest; after which he again proceeded the re-

THE FISHERMAN 45

mainder of the day and the second night until the morning, when
there appeared before him, in the distance, something black, at the
sight of which he rejoiced, and said, Perhaps I shall there find some
person who will inform me of the history of the lake and its fish.
And when he approached this black object, he found it to be a
palace built of black stones, and overlaid with iron; and one of the
leaves of its door was open, and the other shut. The King was glad,
and he stood at the door, and knocked gently, but heard no answer;
he knocked a second and a third time, but again heard no answer:
then he knocked a fourth time, and with violence; but no one
answered. So he said. It is doubtless empty : — and he took courage,
and entered from the door into the passage, and cried out, saying,
O inhabitants of the palace, I am a stranger and a traveller! have
ye any provision? And he repeated these words a second and a
third time; but heard no answer. And upon this he fortified his
heart, and emboldened himself, and proceeded from the passage
into the midst of the palace; but he found no one there, and only
saw that it was furnished, and that there was, in the centre of it, a
fountain with four lions of red gold, which pxjured forth the water
from their mouths, Uke pearls and jewels: around this were birds;
and over the top of the palace was extended a net which prevented
their flying out. At the sight of these objects he was astonished, and
he was grieved that he saw no p)erson there whom he could ask for
information respecting the lake, and the fish, and the mountains,
and the palace. He then sat down between the doors, reflecting
upon these things; and as he thus sat, he heard a voice of lamenta-
tion from a sorrowful heart, chanting these verses: —

O fortune, thou pitiest me not, nor releasest me! See my heart is strait-
ened between affliction and peril!

Will not you [O my wife] have compassion on the mighty whom love
hath abased, and the wealthy who is reduced to indigence?

We were jealous even of the zephyr which passed over you: but when
the divine decree is issued, the eye becometh blind!

What resource hath the archer when, in the hour of conflict, he desireth
to discharge the arrow, but findeth his bow-string broken?

And when troubles are multiplied upon the noble-minded, where shall he
find refuge from fate and from destiny?

46 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

When the Sultan heard this lamentation, he sprang upon his
feet, and, seeking the direction whence it proceeded, found a curtain
suspended before the door of a chamber; and he raised it, and
beheld behind it a young man sitting on a couch raised to the
height of a cubit from the floor. He was a handsome youth, well-
shajjed, and of eloquent speech, with shining forehead, and rosy
cheek, marked with a mole resembling ambergris. The King was
rejoiced at seeing him, and saluted him; and the young man (who
remained sitting, and was clad with a vest of silk, embroidered with
gold, but who exhibited traces of grief) returned his salutation, and
said to him, O my master, excuse my not rising. — O youth! said the
King, inform me respecting the lake, and its fish of various colours,
and respecting this palace, and the reason of thy being alone in it,
and of thy lamentation. When the young man heard these words,
tears trickled down his cheeks, and he wept bitterly. And the King
was astonished, and said to him, What causeth thee to weep, O
youth? He answered. How can I refrain from weeping, when this is
my state? — and so saying, he stretched forth his hand, and lifted up
the skirts of his clothing; and lo, half of him, from his waist to the
soles of his feet, was stone; and from his waist to the hair of his
head, he was like other men. He then said. Know, O King, that
the story of the fish is extraordinary; if it were engraved upon the
intellect, it would be a lesson to him who would be admonished: —
and he related as follows: —

The Story of the Young King of the Black Islands

My father was king of the city which was here situate: his name
was Mahmud, and he was lord of the Black Islands, and of the four
mountains. After a reign of seventy years, he died, and I succeeded
to his throne; whereupon I took as my wife the daughter of my
uncle; and she loved me excessively, so that when I absented myself
from her, she would neither eat nor drink till she saw me again.
She remained under my protection five years. After this, she went
one day to the bath; and I had commanded the cook to prepare
the supper, and entered this palace, and slept in my usual place. I
had ordered two maids to fan me; and one of them sat at my head,
and the other at my feet; but I was resdess, because my wife was

YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLANDS 47

not with me; and I could not sleep. My eyes were closed, but my
spirit was awake; and I heard the maid at my head say to her at my
feet, O Mes'udeh, verily our lord is unfortunate in his youth, and
what a pity is it that it should be passed with our depraved, wicked
mistress! — Perdition to unfaithful wives! replied the other: but
(added she) such a person as our lord, so endowed by nature, is not
suited to this profligate woman, who passes every night absent from
his bed. — Verily, rejoined she at my head, our lord is careless in not
making any inquiry respecting her. — Wo to thee! said the other:
hath our lord any knowledge of her conduct, or doth she leave him
to his choice? Nay, on the contrary, she contriveth to defraud him
by means of the cup of wine which he drinketh every night before
he sleepeth, putting benj' into it; in consequence of which he sleep-
eth so soundly that he knoweth not what happeneth, nor whither
she goeth, nor what she doeth; for, after she hath given him the
wine to drink, she dresseth herself, and goeth out from him, and is
absent until daybreak, when she returneth to him, and burneth a
perfume under his nose, upon which he awaketh from his sleep.

When I heard this conversation of the maids, the light became
darkness before my face, and I was hardly conscious of the approach
of night, when my cousin returned from the bath. The table was
prepared, and we ate, and sat a while drinking our wine as usual.
I then called for the wine which I was accustomed to drink before
I lay down to sleep, and she handed to me the cup; but I turned
away, and, pretending to drink it as I was wont to do, poured it
into my bosom, and immediately lay down: upon which she said.
Sleep on; I wish that thou wouldst never wake again! By Allah,
I abhor thee, and abhor thy person, and my soul is weary of thy
company! — She then arose, and attired herself in the most magnifi-
cent of her apparel, and, having perfumed herself, and slung on a
sword, opened the door of the palace, and went out. I got up im-
mediately, and followed her until she had quitted the palace, and
passed through the streets of the city, and arrived at the city-gates,
when she pronounced some words that I understood not; where-
upon the locks fell off, and the gates opened, and she went out, I
still following her, without her knowledge. Thence she proceeded

'Bhang, hemp.

48 THE THOUSAhfD AND ONE NIGHTS

to a space among the mounds, and arrived at a strong edifice, in
which was a kubbeh' constructed of mud, with a door, which she
entered. I then cUmbed upon the roof of the kubbeh, and, looking
down upon her through an aperture, saw that she was visiting a
black slave, whose large lips, one of which overlapped the other,
gathered up the sand from the pebbly floor, while he lay, in a filthy
and wet condition, upon a few stalks of sugar<ane.

She kissed the ground before this slave; and he raised his head
towards her, and said. Wo to thee! Wherefore hast thou remained
away until this hour? The other blacks have been here drinking
wine, and each of them has gone away with his mistress; and I
refused to drink on thy account. — She answered, O my master, and
beloved of my heart, knowest thou not that I am married to my
cousin, and that I abhor every man who resembles him, and hate
myself while I am in his company? If I did not fear to displease
thee, I would reduce the city to ruins, so that the owl and the raven
should cry in it, and would transport its stones beyond Mount
Kaf.'° — Thou liest, thou infamous woman, replied the slave; and I
swear by the generosity of the blacks (and if I speak not truth, may
our valour be as the valour of the whites), that if thou loiter as thou
hast now done till this hour, I will no longer give thee my company,
nor approach thy person, thou faithless one! Dost thou inconven-
ience me for the sake of thine own pleasure, thou filthy wretch, and
vilest of the whites? — When I heard (continued the King) their
words, and witnessed what passed between them, the world became
dark before my face, and I knew not where I was. — My cousin still
stood weeping, and abasing herself before him, and said, O my
beloved, and treasure of my heart, there remaineth to me none but
thee for whom I care, and if thou cast me ofT, alas for me! O my
beloved! O light of mine eye! — Thus she continued to weep, and
to humble herself before him, until he became pacified towards her;
uf)on which she rejoiced, and arose, and, having disrobed herself,
said to him, O my master, hast thou here anything that thy maid
may eat? He answered. Uncover the dough-pan; it contains some
cooked rats* bones: eat of them, and pick them; and take this

* A building with a dome.
'" The chain of mountains believed by Muslims to encircle the earth.

YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLANDS 49

earthen pot: thou wilt find in it some buzah" to drink. So she
arose, and ate and drank, and washed her hands; after which she
lay down by the side of the slave, upon the stalks of sugar<ane,
and covered herself with his tattered clothes and rags.

When I saw her do this, I became unconscious of my existence,
and, descending from the roof of the kubbeh, entered, and took the
sword from the side of my cousin, with the intention of killing
them both. I struck the slave upon his neck, and thought that he
was killed; but the blow, which I gave with the view of severing
his head, only cut the gullet and skin and flesh; and when I thought
that I had killed him, he uttered a loud snore, upon which my
cousin started up, and, as soon as I had gone, took the sword, and
returned it to its scabbard, and came back to the city and to the
palace, and lay down again in my bed, in which she remained until
the morning.

On the following day, I observed that my cousin had cut off her
hair, and put on the apparel of mourning; and she said to me, O
my cousin, blame me not for what 1 do; for 1 have received news
that my mother is dead, and that my father hath been slain in a
holy war, and that one of my two brothers hath died of a poisonous
sting, and the other by the fall of a house: it is natural, therefore, that
I should weep and mourn. On hearing these words, I abstained
from upbraiding her, and said. Do what seemeth fit to thee; for I
will not oppose thee. Accordingly, she continued mourning and
weeping and wailing a whole year; after which she said to me, I
have a desire to build for myself, in thy palace, a tomb, with a
kubbeh, that I may repair thither alone to mourn, and I will call it
the House of Lamentations. I replied. Do what thou seest fit. So she
built for herself a house for mourning, with a kubbeh in the middle
of it, like the tomb of a saint; after which she removed thither the
slave, and there she lodged him. He was in a state of excessive
weakness, and unable to render her any service, though he drank
wine; and from the day on which I had wounded him, he had never
spoken; yet he remained alive, because the appointed term of his
Ufe had not expired. My cousin every day visited him in this tomb
early and late, to weep and mourn over him, and took to him wine

" Barley-beer.

50 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

to drink, and boiled meats; and thus she continued to do, morning
and evening, until the expiration of the second year, while I pa-
tiently suffered her, till, one day, I entered her apartments unawares,
and found her weeping, and slapping her face, and repeating these
verses : —

I have lost my existence among mankind since your absence; for my

heart loveth none but you.
Take my body, then, in mercy, to the place where you are laid; and there

bury me by your side:
And if, at my grave, you utter my name, the moaning of my bones shall

answer to your call.

As soon as she had finished the recitation of these verses, I said
to her, holding my drawn sword in my hand. This is the language
of those faithless women who renounce the ties of affinity, and
regard not lawful fellowship! — and I was about to strike her with
the sword, and had lifted up my arm to do so, when she rose — for
she knew that it was I who had wounded the slave — and, standing
before me, pronounced some words which I understood not, and
said. May God, by means of my enchantment, make thee to be
half of stone, and half of the substance of man! — whereupon I be-
came as thou seest, unable to move, neither dead nor alive; and when
I had been reduced to this state, she enchanted the city and its
markets and fields. The inhabitants of our city were of four classes;
Muslims and Christians, and Jews and Magians; and she trans-
formed them into fish: the white are the Muslims; the red, the
Magians; the blue, the Christians; and the yellow, the Jews. She
transformed, also, the four islands into four mountains, and placed
them around the lake; and from that time she has continued every
day to torture me, inflicting upon me a hundred lashes with a
leathern whip, until the blood flows from my wounds; after which
she puts on my upper half a vest of hair<loth, beneath these gar-
ments. — Having said thus, the young man wept, and ejaculated the
following verses: —

Give me patience, O Allah, to bear what Thou decreest! I will be

patient, if so I may obtain thine approval.
I am straitened, indeed, by the calamity that hath befallen me: but the

Family of the favoured Prophet shall intercede for me!

YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLANDS 5 1

Upon this, the King, looking towards the young man, said to
him, O youth, thou hast increased my anxiety. And where (he
added) is this woman? — The young man answered, She is in the
tomb where the slave is lying, in the kubbeh; and every day, before
she visits him, she strips me of my clothing, and inflicts upon me a
hundred lashes with the whip, while I weep and cry out, unable to
move so as to repulse her. After thus torturing me, she repairs early
to the slave, with the wine and boiled meat. — By Allah, O youth,
said the King, I will do thee an act of kindness for which I shall be
remembered, and a favour which historians shall record in a biog-
raphy after me.

He then sat and conversed with him until the approach of night,
upon which he arose, and waited till the first dawn of day, when he
took off his clothes, and slung on his sword, and went to the place
where the slave lay. After remarking the candles and lamps, and
perfumes and ointments, he approached the slave, and with a blow
of his sword slew him; he then carried him on his back, and threw
him into a well which he found in the palace, and returning to the
kubbeh, clad himself with the slave's clothes, and lay down with the
drawn sword by his side. Soon after, the vile enchantress went to
her cousin, and, having pulled off his clothes, took the whip and beat
him, while he cried. Ah! it is enough for me to be in this state!
Have pity on me then! — Didst thou shew pity to me, she exclaimed,
and didst thou spare my lover? — She then put on him the hair-
cloth vest and his outer garments, and repaired to the slave with a
cup of wine, and a bowl of boiled meat. Entering the tomb, she
wept and wailed, exclaiming, O my master, answer me! O my
master, speak to me! — and poured forth her lamentation in the
words of this verse: —

How long shall this aversion and harshness continue? Sufficient is the
evil which my passion hath brought up)on me!

Then, weeping, as before, she exclaimed again, O my master, answer
me and speak to me! Upon this the King, speaking in a low voice,
and adapting his tongue to the pronunciation of the blacks ejacu-
lated. Ah! Ah! there is no strength nor power but in God! On
hearing these words, she screamed with joy, and fell down in a

52 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

swoon; and when she recovered, she exclaimed, Possibly my master
is restored to health! The King, again lowering his voice, as if from
weakness, replied. Thou profligate wretch, thou deservest not that I
should address thee. — Wherefore? said she. He answered. Because
all the day long thou tormentest thy husband, while he calleth out,
and imploreth the aid of God, so that thou hast prevented my sleep-
ing from the commencement of darkness until morning: thy hus-
band hath not ceased to humble himself, and to imprecate venge-
ance upon thee, till he hath distracted me; and had it not been for
this, I had recovered my strength: this it is which hath prevented
my answering thee. — Then, with thy f)ermission, she replied, I will
liberate him from his present sufferings. — Liberate him, said the
King, and give us ease.

She replied, I hear and obey; — and immediately arose, and went
out from the kubbeh to the palace, and, taking a cup, filled it with
water, and pronounced certain words over it, upon which it began
to boil like a cauldron. She then sprinkled some of it upon her
cousin, saying. By virtue of what I have uttered, be changed from
thy present state to that in which thou wast at first! — and instantly
he shook, and stood upon his feet, rejoicing in his liberation, and
exclaimed, I testify that there is no deity but God, and that Mo-
hammad is God's Apostle; God bless and save him! She then said
to him. Depart, and return not hither, or I will kill thee: — and she
cried out in his face: so he departed from before her, and she re-
turned to the kubbeh, and said, O my master, come forth to me
that I may behold thee. He replied, with a weak voice. What hast
thou done? Thou hast relieved me from the branch, but hast not
relieved me from the root. — O my beloved, she said, and what is the
root? He answered. The people of this city, and of the four islands:
every night, at the middle hour, the fish raise their heads, and im-
precate vengeance upon me and ujx)n thee; and this is the cause
that preventeth the return of vigour to my body; therefore, liberate
them, and come, and take my hand, and raise me; for vigour hath
already in part returned to me.

On hearing these words of the King, whom she imagined to be
the slave, she said to him with joy, O my master, on my head and
my eye! In the name of Allah! — and she sprang up, full of happi-

YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLANDS 53

ness, and hastened to the lake, where, taking a little of its water,
she pronounced over it some unintelligible words, whereupon the
fish became agitated, and raised their heads, and immediately be-
came converted into men as before. Thus was the enchantment re-
moved from the inhabitants of the city, and the city became
ref)eopled, and the market-streets re-erected, and every one returned
to his occupation: the mountains also became changed into islands
as they were at the first. The enchantress then returned immediately
to the King, whom she still imagined to be the slave, and said to
him, O my beloved, stretch forth thy honoured hand, that I may
kiss it. — Approach me, said the King in a low voice. So she drew
near to him; and he, having his keen-edged sword ready in his hand,
thrust it into her bosom, and the point protruded from her back:
he then struck her again, and clove her in twain, and went forth.

He found the young man who had been enchanted waiting his
return, and congratulated him on his safety; and the young prince
kissed his hand, and thanked him. The King then said to him.
Wilt thou remain in thy city, or come with me to my capital? — O
King of the age, said the young man, dost thou know the distance
that is between thee and thy city? The King answered, Two days
and a half. — O King, replied the young man, if thou hast been
asleep, awake: between thee and thy city is a distance of a year's
journey to him who travelleth with diligence; and thou earnest in
two days and a half only because the city was enchanted: but, O
King, I will never quit thee for the twinkling of an eye. The King
rejoiced at his words, and said. Praise be to God, who hath in his
beneficence given thee to me: thou art my son; for during my whole
life, I have never been blest with a son: — and they embraced each
other, and rejoiced exceedingly. They then went together into the
palace, where the King who had been enchanted informed the
officers of his court that he was about to perform the holy pilgrim-
age: so they prepared for him everything that he required; and he
departed with the Sultan; his heart burning with reflections upon
his city, because he had been deprived of the sight of it for the
space of a year.

He set forth, accompanied by fifty menjuks and provided with
presents, and they continued their journey night and day for a whole

54 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

year, after which they drew near to the city of the Sultan, and the
Wezir and the troops, who had lost all hope of his return, came
forth to meet him. The troops, approaching him, kissed the ground
before him, and congratulated him on his safe return; and he
entered the city, and sat upon the throne. He then acquainted the
Wezir with all that had happened to the young King; on hearing
which, the Wezir congratulated the latter, also, on his safety; and
when all things were restored to order, the Sultan bestowed presents
upon a number of his subjects, and said to the Wezir, Bring to me
the fisherman who presented to me the fish. So he sent to this
fisherman, who had been the cause of the restoration of the in-
habitants of the enchanted city, and brought him; and the King
invested him with a dress of honour, and inquired of him respecting
his circumstances, and whether he had any children. The fisherman
informed him that he had a son and two daughters; and the King,
on hearing this, took as his wife one of the daughters, and the young
prince married the other. The King also conferred upon the son the
office of treasurer. He then sent the Wezir to the city of the young
prince, the capital of the Black Islands, and invested him with its
sovereignty, despatching with him the fifty memluks who had ac-
companied him thence, with numerous robes of honour to all the
Emirs; and the Wezir kissed his hands, and set forth on his journey;
while the Sultan and the young prince remained. And as to the
fisherman, he became the wealthiest of the people of his age; and
his daughters continued to be the wives of the Kings until they died.
But this (added Shahrazad) is not more wonderful than what
happened to the porter.

[Nights 9-18]

The Story of the Porter and the Ladies of Baghdad, and
OF the Three Royal Mendicants, Etc.

THERE was a man of the city of Baghdad, who was un-
married, and he was a porter; and one day, as he sat in the
market, redining against his crate, there accosted him a
female wrapped in an izar of the manufacture of El-Mosil,' com-
posed of gold-embroidered silk, with a border of gold lace at each
end, who raised her face-veil, and displayed beneath it a pair of
black eyes, with lids bordered by long lashes, exhibiting a tender
expression, and features of perfect beauty; and she said, with a
sweet voice. Bring thy crate, and follow me.

The porter had scarcely heard her words when he took up his
crate, and he followed her until she stopped at the door of a house,
and knocked; whereupon there came down to her a Christian, and
she gave him a piece of gold, and received for it a quantity of olives,
and two large vessels of wine, which she placed in the crate, saying
to the porter. Take it up, and follow me. The porter exclaimed,
This is, indeed, a fortunate day! — and he took up the crate, and
followed her. She next stopped at the shop of a fruiterer, and bought
of him Syrian apples, and 'Othmani quinces, and peaches of 'Oman,
and jasmine of Aleppo, and water-lilies of Damascus, and cucum-
bers of the Nile, and Egyptian limes, and Sultani citrons, and sweet-
scented myrtle, and sprigs of the henna-tree, and chamomile, and
anemones, and violets, and pomegranate-flowers, and eglantine: all
these she put into the porter's crate, and said to him, Take it up. So
he took it up, and followed her until she stopped at the shop of a
butcher, to whom she said. Cut off ten pounds of meat; — and he
cut it ofl for her, and she wrapped it in a leaf of a banana-tree, and
put it in the crate, and said again. Take it up, O porter: — and he
' "Mosul," a city long famous for its line stufls.
55

56 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

did so, and followed her. She next stopped at the shop of a seller
of dry fruits, and took some of every kind of these, and desired the
fxjrter to take up his burden. Having obeyed, he followed her until
she stopped at the shop of a confectioner, where she bought a dish,
and filled it with sweets of every kind that he had, which she put
into the crate; whereupon the porter ventured to say, If thou hadst
informed me beforehand, I had brought with me a mule to carry
all these things. The lady smiled at his remark, and next stopped
at the shop of a perfumer, of whom she bought ten kinds of scented
waters; rose-water, and orange-flower-water, and willow-flower-
water, &c.; together with some sugar, and a sprinkling-bottle of
rose-water infused with musk, and some frankincense, and aloes-
wood, and ambergris, and musk, and wax candles; and, placing all
these in the crate, she said. Take up thy crate, and follow me. He,
therefore, took it up, and followed her until she came to a hand-
some house, before which was a spacious court. It was a lofty
structure, with a door of two leaves, composed of ebony, overlaid
with plates of red gold.

The young lady stopped at this door, and knocked gently; where-
upon both its leaves were opened, and the pwrter, looking to see who
opened it, found it to be a damsel of tall stature, high-bosomed, fair
and beautiful, and of elegant form, with a forehead like the bright
new moon, eyes like those of gazelles, eyebrows like the new moon
of Ramadan, cheeks resembling anemones, and a mouth like the seal
of Suleyman: her countenance was like the full moon in its splen-
dour, and the forms of her bosom resembled two pomegranates of
equal size. When the porter beheld her, she captivated his reason,
the crate nearly fell from his head, and he exclaimed. Never in my
life have I seen a more fortunate day than this! The lady-portress,
standing within the door, said to the cateress and the porter. Ye are
welcome: — and they entered, and proceeded to a spacious saloon,
decorated with various colours, and beautifully constructed, with
carved wood-work, and fountains, and benches of different kinds,
and closets with curtains hanging before them; there was also in it,
at the upper end, a couch of alabaster inlaid with large f)earls and
jewels, with mosquito-curtain of red satin suspended over it, and
within this was a young lady with eyes possessing the enchantment

THE PORTER AND LADIES OF BAGHDAD 57

of Babil,' and a figure like the letter Alif, with a face that put to
shame the shining sun: she was like one of the brilliant planets,
or rather, one of the most high-born of the maidens of Arabia. This
third lady, rising from the couch, advanced with a slow and elegant
gait to the middle of the saloon, where her sisters were standing, and
said to them, Why stand ye still? Lift down the burden from the
head of this poor porter: — whereupon the cateress placed herself
before him, and the portress behind him, and, the third lady assist-
ing them, they lifted it down from his head. They then took out
the contents of the crate, and, having put everything in its place,
gave to the porter two pieces of gold, saying to him Depart, O porter.
The porter, however, stood looking at the ladies, and admiring
their beauty and their agreeable dispositions; for he had never seen
any more handsome; and when he observed that they had not a
man among them, and gazed upon the wine, and fruits, and sweet-
scented flowers, which were there, he was full of astonishment, and
hesitated to go out; up)on which one of the ladies said to him. Why
dost thou not go? dost thou deem thy hire too little? Then turning
to one of her sisters, she said to her, Give him another piece of
gold. — By Allah, O my mistress, exclaimed the porter, my hire is
but two half-dirhems, and I thought not what ye have given me too
little; but my heart and mind were occupied with reflections upon
you and your state, ye being alone, with no man among you, not one
to amuse you with his company; for ye know that the menareh'
standeth not firmly but on four walls: now ye have not a fourth,
and the pleasure of women is not complete without men: ye are
three only, and have need of a fourth, who should be a man, a
person of sense, discreet, acute, and a concealer of secrets. — We are
maidens, they replied; and fear to impart our secret to him who
will not keep it; for we have read, in a certain history, this verse: —

Guard thy secret from another: intrust it not: for he who intnisteth a
secret hath lost it.

— By your existence, said the porter, I am a man of sense, and trust-

' Babil, or Babel, is regarded by the Muslims as die fountain-head of the science
of magic, which was, and, as most think, still is, taught there to mankind by two
fallen angels, named Harut and Marut (Kur'an, ii. 96), who are there suspended
by the feet in a great pit closed by a mass of rock. ' Minaret.

58 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

worthy: I have read various books, and perused histories: I make
known what is fair, and conceal what is foul, and aa in accordance
with the saying of the poet: —

None keejjeth a secret but a faithful person: with the best of mankind

it remaineth concealed.
A secret is with me as in a house with a lock, whose key is lost, and

whose door is sealed.

When the ladies heard the verses which he quoted, and the words
with which he addressed them, they said to him, Thou knowest that
we have expended here a considerable sum of money : hast thou then
wherewith to requite us? We will not suffer thee to remain with us
unless thou contribute a sum of money; for thou desirest to sit with
us, and to be our cup-companion, and to gaze upon our beautiful
faces. — If friendship is without money, said the mistress of the house,
it is not equivalent to the weight of a grain: — and the portress
added. If thou hast nothing, depart with nothing: — but the cateress
said, O sister, let us suffer him; for, verily, he hath not been deficient
in his services for us this day : another had not been so patient with
us: whatever, therefore, falls to his share of the expense, I will de-
fray for him. — At this the porter rejoiced, and exclaimed, By Allah,
I obtained my first and only pay this day from none but thee: — and
the other ladies said to him, Sit down: thou art welcome.

The cateress then arose, and, having tightened her girdle, arranged
the bottles, and strained the wine, and prepared the table by the pool
of the fountain. She made ready all that they required, brought the
wine, and sat down with her sisters; the porter also sitting with
them, thinking he was in a dream. And when they had seated
themselves, the cateress took a jar of wine, and filled the first cup,
and drank it: she then filled another, and handed it to one of her
sisters; and in like manner she did to her other sister; after which
she filled again, and handed the cup to the porter, who, having
taken it from her hand, repeated this verse: —

I will drink the wine, and enjoy health; for, verily, this beverage is a
remedy for disease.

The wine continued to circulate among them, and the porter, taking
his part in the revels, dancing and singing with them, and enjoying

THE PORTER AND LADIES OF BAGHDAD 59

the fragrant odours, began to hug and kiss them, while one slapped
him, and another pulled him, and the third beat him with sweet-
scented flowers, till, at length, the wine made sport with their
reason; and they threw ofl all restraint, indulging their merriment
with as much freedom as if no man had been present.

Thus they continued until the approach of night, when they said
to the porter, Depart, and shew us the breadth of thy shoulders; —
but he replied. Verily the departure of my soul from my body were
more easy to me than my departure from your company; therefore
suffer us to join the night to the day, and then each of us shall
return to his own, or her own, affairs. The cateress, also, again
interceded for him, saying. By my life I conjure you that ye suffer
him to pass the night with us, that we may laugh at his drolleries,
for he is a witty rogue. So they said to him. Thou shalt pass the
night with us on this condition, that thou submit to our authority,
and ask not an explanation of anything that thou shalt see. He re-
plied, Good. — Rise then, said they, and read what is inscribed upon
the door. Accordingly, he went to the door, and found the following
inscription upon it in letters of gold. Speak not of that which doth
not concern thee, lest thou hear that which will not please thee: —
and he said. Bear witness to my promise that I will not speak of that
which doth not concern me.

The cateress then arose, and prepared for them a repast; and,
after they had eaten a little, they lighted the candles and burned
some aloes-wood. This done, they sat down again to the table; and,
while they were eating and drinking, they heard a knocking at the
door; whereupon, without causing any interruption to their meal,
one of them went to the door, and, on her return, said. Our pleasure
this night is now complete, for I have found, at the door, three
foreigners* with shaven chins, and each of them is blind of the left
eye: it is an extraordinary coincidence. They are strangers newly
arrived, and each of them has a ridiculous appearance : if they come
in, therefore, we shall be amused with laughing at them. — The lady
ceased not with these words, but continued to persuade her sisters
until they consented, and said, Let them enter; but make it a con-
dition with them that they speak not of that which doth not concern
[*Or perhaps Kalendcri darwbhes.]

6o THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

them, lest they hear that which will not please them. Upon this she
rejoiced, and having gone again to the door, brought in the three
men blind of one eye and with shaven chins, and they had thin and
twisted mustaches. Being mendicants, they saluted and drew back;
but the ladies rose to them, and seated them; and when these three
men looked at the porter, they saw that he was intoxicated; and,
observing him narrowly, they thought that he was one of their own
class, and said. He is a mendicant like ourselves, and will amuse us
by his conversation: — but the porter, hearing what they said, arose,
and rolled his eyes, and exclaimed to them. Sit quiet, and abstain
from impertinent remarks. Have ye not read the inscription upon
the door? — The ladies, laughing, said to each other, Between the
mendicants and the porter we shall find matter for amusement.
They then placed before the former some food, and they ate, and
then sat to drink. The portress handed to them the wine, and, as
the cup was circulating among them, the porter said to them.
Brothers, have ye any tale or strange anecdote wherewith to amuse
us? The mendicants, heated by the wine, asked for musical instru-
ments; and the portress brought them a tambourine of the manu-
facture of El-Mosil, with a lute of El-Irak, and a Persian harp;
whereupon they all arose; and one took the tambourine; another,
the lute; and the third, the harp: and they played upon these instru-
ments, the ladies accompanying them with loud songs; and while
they were thus diverting themselves, a person knocked at the door.
The portress, therefore, went to see who was there; and the cause of
the knocking was this.

The Khalifeh Harun Er-Rashid had gone forth this night to see
and hear what news he could collect, accompanied by Ja'far his
Wezir, and Mesrur his executioner. It was his custom to disguise
himself in the attire of a merchant; and this night, as he went
through the city, he happened to pass, with his attendants, by the
house of these ladies, and hearing the sounds of the musical instru-
ments, he said to Ja'far, I have a desire to enter this house, and to
see who is giving this concert. — They are a party who have become
intoxicated, replied Ja'far, and I fear that we may experience some
ill usage from them; — but the Khalifeh said. We must enter, and I
would that you devise some stratagem by which we may obtain

THE PORTER AND LADIES OF BAGHDAD 6 1

admission to the inmates. Ja'far therefore answered, I hear and obey :
— and he advanced, and knocked at the door; and when the portress
came and opened the door, he said to her. My mistress, we are mer-
chants from Tabariyeh,' and have been in Baghdad ten days; we
have brought with us merchandise, and taken lodgings in a Khan;
and a merchant invited us to an entertainment this night: accord-
ingly, we went to his house, and he placed food before us, and we
ate, and sat a while drinking together, after which he gave us leave
to depart; and going out in the dark, and being strangers, we missed
our way to the Khan : we trust, therefore in your generosity that you
will admit us to pass the night in your house; by doing which you
will obtain a reward in heaven. — The portress, looking at them, and
observing that they were in the garb of merchants, and that they
bore an appearance of respectability, returned, and consulted her two
companions; and they said to her, Admit them: — so she returned,
and opened to them the door. They said to her, Shall we enter with
thy permission? She answered. Come in. The Khalifeh, therefore,
entered, with Ja'far and Mesrur; and when the ladies saw them,
they rose to them, and served them, saying. Welcome are our guests;
but we have a condition to imf)ose upon you, that ye speak not of
that which doth not concern you, lest ye hear that which will not
please you. They answered. Good: — and when they had sat down
to drink, the Khalifeh looked at the three mendicants, and was sur-
prised at observing that each of them was bUnd of the left eye; and
he gazed upon the ladies, and was perplexed and amazed at their
fairness and beauty. And when the others proceeded to drink and
converse, the ladies brought wine to the Khalifeh; but he said, I am
a pilgrim; — and drew back from them. Whereupon the portress
spread before him an embroidered cloth, and placed upon it a China
bottle, into which she poured some willow-flower-water, adding to
it a lump of ice, and sweetening it with sugar, while the Khalifeh
thanked her, and said within himself. To-morrow I must reward
her for this kind action.

The party continued their carousal, and, when the wine took effect
upon them, the mistress of the house arose, and waited upon them;
and afterwards, taking the hand of the cateress, said. Arise, O my

* Tiberias.

62 THE THOUSAhfD AND ONE NIGHTS

sister, that we may fulfil our debt. She replied, Good. The portress
then rose, and, after she had cleared the middle of the saloon, placed
the mendicants at the further end, beyond the doors; after which,
the ladies called to the porter, saying. How slight is thy friendship!
thou art not a stranger, but one of the family. So the porter arose,
and girded himself, and said. What would ye? — to which one of the
ladies answered. Stand where thou art: — and presently the cateress
said to him, Assist me: — and he saw two black bitches, with chains
attached to their necks, and drew them to the middle of the saloon;
whereupon the mistress of the house arose from her place, and
tucked up her sleeve above her wrist, and, taking a whip, said to the
porter. Bring to me one of them. Accordingly, he dragged one for-
ward by the chain. The bitch whined, and shook her head at the
kdy; but the latter fell to beating her upon the head, notwithstand-
ing her howling, until her arms were tired, when she threw the whip
from her hand, and pressed the bitch to her bosom, and wiped away
her tears, and kissed her head; after which she said to the porter,
Take her back and bring the other; — and he brought her, and she
did to her as she had done to the first. At the sight of this, the mind
of the Khalifeh was troubled, and his heart was contracted, and he
winked to Ja'far that he should ask her the reason; but he replied
by a sign, Speak not.

The mistress of the house then looked towards the portress and
said to her. Arise to perform what thou hast to do. She replied.
Good : — and the mistress of the house seated herself upon a couch of
alabaster, overlaid with gold and silver, and said to the portress and
the cateress, Now jjerform your parts. The portress then seated her-
self up)on a couch by her; and the cateress, having entered a closet,
brought out from it a bag of satin with green fringes, and, placing
herself before the lady of the house, shook it, and took out from it
a lute; and she tuned its strings, and sang to it these verses: —

Restore to my eyelids the sleep which hath been ravished; and inform
me of my reason, whither it hath fled.

I discovered, when I took up my abode with love, that slumber had
become an enemy to my eyes.

They said. We saw thee to be one of the upright; what, then, hath se-
duced thee.^ I answered. Seek the cause from his glance.

THE PORTER AND LADIES OF BAGHDAD 63

Verily I excuse him for the shedding of my blood, admitting that I urged

him to the deed by vexation.
He cast his sun-like image upon the mirror of my mind, and its rejection

kindled a flame in my vitals.

When the portress had heard this song, she exclaimed, Allah
approve thee! — and she rent her clothes, and fell uf)on the floor in a
swoon; and when her bosom was thus uncovered, the Khalifeh saw
upon her the marks of beating, as if from mikra'ahs' and whips; at
which he was greatly surprised. The cateress immediately arose,
sprinkled water upon her face, and brought her another dress, which
she put on. The Khalifeh then said to Ja'far, Seest thou not this
woman, and the marks of beating upon her? I cannot keep silence
respecting this affair, nor be at rest, until I know the truth of the
history of this damsel, and that of these two bitches. But Ja'far
replied, O our lord, they have made a covenant with us that we shall
not speak excepting of that which concerneth us, lest we hear that
which will not please us. — The cateress then took the lute again,
and, placing it against her bosom, touched the chords with the ends
of her fingers, and thus sang to it : —

If of love we complain, what shall we say? Or consuming through de-
sire, how can we escajje?
Or if we send a messenger to interpret for us, he cannot convey the

lover's complaint.
Or if we would be patient, short were our existence after the loss of

those we love.
Nought remaineth to us but grief and mourning, and tears streaming

down our cheeks.
O you who are absent from my sight, but constandy dwelling within my

heart!
Have you kept your faith to an impassioned lover, who, while time en-

dureth will never change?
Or, in absence have you forgotten that lover who, on your account, is

wasting away?
When the day of judgment shall bring us together, I will beg of our

Lord a protractive trial.

On hearing these verses of the cateress, the portress again rent her
clothes, and cried out, and fell upon the floor in a swoon; and the

(Palm sticks.

64 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

cateress, as before, put on her another dress, after she had sprinkled
some water upon her face.

The mendicants, when they witnessed this scene, said, Would
that we had never entered this house, but rather had passed the night
upon the [rubbish-] mounds; for our night hath been rendered foul
by an event that breaketh the back! The Khalifeh, looking towards
them, then said, Wherefore is it so with you ? They answered, Our
hearts are troubled by this occurrence. — Are ye not, he asked, of this
house? — No, they answered; nor did we imagine that this house
belonged to any but the man who is sitting with you: — upon which
the porter said. Verily, I have never seen this place before this night;
and I would that I had passed the night upon the mounds rather
than here. They then observed, one to another. We are seven men,
and they are but three women; we will, therefore, ask them of their
history; and if they answer us not willingly they shall do it in spite of
themselves: — and they all agreed to this, excepting Ja'far, who said,
This is not a right determination; leave them to themselves, for we
are their guests, and they made a covenant with us which we should
fulfil: there remaineth but little of the night, and each of us shall
soon go his way. Then, winking to the Khalifeh, he said, There
remaineth but an hour; and to-morrow we will bring them before
thee, and thou shalt ask them their story. But the Khalifeh refused
to do so, and said, 1 have not patience to wait so long for their history.
— Words followed words, and at last they said, Who shall put the
question to them ? — and one answered. The porter.

The ladies then said to them, O people, of what are ye talking ? —
whereupon the porter approached the mistress of the house, and said
to her, O my mistress, I ask thee, and conjure thee by Allah, to tell
us the story of the two bitches, and for what reason thou didst beat
them, and then didst weep, and kiss them, and that thou acquaint
us with the cause of thy sister's having been beaten with mikra'ahs:
that is our question, and peace be on you. — Is this true that he saith
of you? inquired the lady, of the other men; and they all answered.
Yes, — excepting Ja'far, who was silent. When the lady heard their
answer, she said. Verily, O our guests, ye have wronged us exces-
sively; for we made a covenant with you beforehand, that he who
should speak of that which concerned him not should hear that

THE PORTER AND LADIES OF BAGHDAD 65

which would not please him. Is it not enough that we have admitted
you into our house, and fed you with our provisions? But it is not
so much your fault as the fault of her who introduced you to us. —
She then tucked up her sleeve above her wrist, and struck the floor
three times, saying, Come ye quickly! — and immediately the door of
a closet opened, and there came forth from it seven black slaves,
each having in his hand a drawn sword. The lady said to them, Tie
behind them the hands of these men of many words, and bind each
of them to another: — and they did so, and said, O virtuous lady, dost
thou permit us to strike off their heads? She answered, Give them
a short respite, until I shall have inquired of them their histories,
before ye behead them. — By Allah, O my mistress, exclaimed the
porter, kill me not for the offence of others: for they have all trans-
gressed and committed an offence, excepting me. Verily our night
had been pleasant if we had been preserved from these mendicants,
whose presence is enough to convert a well-peopled city into a heap
of ruins! — He then repeated this couplet: —

How good is it to pardon one able to resist! and how much more so,

one who is helpless!
For the sake of the friendship that subsisted between us, destroy not one

for the crime of another!

On hearing these words of the porter, the lady laughed after her
anger. Then approaching the men, she said. Acquaint me with your
histories, for there remaineth of your lives no more than an hour.
Were ye not persons of honourable and high condition, or governors,
I would hasten your recompense. — The Khalifeh said to Ja'far, Woe
to thee, O Ja'far! make known to her who we are; otherwise she
will kill us. — It were what we deserve, replied he. — Jesting, said the
Khalifeh, is not befitting in a time for seriousness: each has its proper
occasion. — The lady then approached the mendicants, and said to
them. Are ye brothers? They answered. No, indeed; we are only
poor foreigners. She said then to one of them, Wast thou born blind
of one eye? — 'No, verily, he answered; but a wonderful event hap-
pened to me when my eye was destroyed, and the story of it, if
engraved on the understanding, would serve as a lesson to him who
would be admonished. She asked the second and the third also;

66 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and they answered her as the first; adding, Each of us is from a
different country, and our history is wonderful and extraordinary.
The lady then looked towards them and said, Each of you shall
relate his story, and the cause of his coming to our ahode, and then
stroke his head, and go his way.

The first who advanced was the porter, who said, O my mistress,
I am a porter; and this cateress loaded me, and brought me hither,
and what hath hapf)ened to me here in your company ye know.
This is my story; and peace be on you. — Stroke thy head, then, said
she, and go: — but he replied. By Allah, I will not go until I shall
have heard the story of my companions. — The first mendicant then
advanced, and related as follows: —

The Story of the First Royal Mendicant

Know, O my mistress, that the cause of my having shaved my
beard, and of the loss of my eye, was this: — My father was a King,
and he had a brother who was also a King, and who resided in
another capital. It hapf)ened that my mother gave birth to me on the
same day on which the son of my uncle was born; and years and
days passed away until we attained to manhood. Now, it was my
custom, some years, to visit my uncle, and to remain with him sev-
eral months; and on one of these occasions my cousin paid me great
honour; he slaughtered sheep for me, and strained the wine for
me, and we sat down to drink; and when the wine had affected us,
he said to me, O son of my uncle, I have need of thine assistance in
an aflair of interest to me, and I beg that thou wilt not oppose me in
that which I desire to do. I replied, I am altogether at thy service: —
and he made me swear to him by great oaths, and, rising imme-
diately, absented himself for a little while, and then returned, fol-
lowed by a woman decked with ornaments, and perfumed, and
wearing a dress of extraordinary value. He looked towards me,
while the woman stood behind him, and said, Take this woman,
and go before me to the burial-ground which is in such a place: —
and he described it to me, and I knew it. He then added. Enter the
burial-ground, and there wait for me.

I could not oppose him, nor refuse to comply with his request.

THE FIRST ROYAL MENDICANT 67

on account of the oaths which I had sworn to him; so I took the
woman, and went with her to the burial-ground; and when we had
sat there a short time, my cousin came, bearing a basin of water,
and a bag containing some plaster, and a small adze. Going to a
tomb in the midst of the burial-ground, he took the adze, and dis-
united the stones, which he placed on one side; he then dug up the
earth with the adze, and uncovered a flat stone, of the size of a
small door, under which there appeared a vaulted staircase. Having
done this, he made a sign to the woman, and said to her. Do accord-
ing to thy choice: — whereupon she descended the stairs. He then
looked towards me, and said, O son of my uncle, complete thy kind-
ness when I have descended into this place, by replacing the trap-
door and the earth above it as they were before: then, this plaster
which is in the bag, and this water which is in the basin, do thou
knead together, and plaster the stones of the tomb as they were, so
that no man may know it, and say. This hath been lately opened,
but its interior is old: — for, during the space of a whole year I have
been preparing this, and no one knew it but God: this is what I
would have thee do. He then said to me, May God never deprive thy
friends of thy presence, O son of my uncle! — ^and, having uttered
these words, he descended the stairs.

When he had disappeared from before my eyes, I replaced the
trap-door, and busied myself with doing as he had ordered me, until
the tomb was restored to the state in which it was at first; after which
I returned to the palace of my uncle, who was then absent on a
hunting excursion. I slept that night, and when the morning came,
I reflected upon what had occurred between me and my cousin, and
repented of what I had done for him, when repentance was of no
avail. I then went out to the burial-ground, and searched for the
tomb; but could not discover it. I ceased not in my search until the
approach of night; and, not finding the way to it, returned again to
the palace; and I neither ate nor drank; my heart was troubled
respecting my cousin, since I knew not what had become of him;
and I fell into excessive grief. I passed the night sorrowful until the
morning, and went again to the burial-ground, reflecting upon the
artion of my cousin, and repenting of my compliance with his re-
quest; and I searched among all the tombs; but discovered not that

68 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

for which I looked. Thus I persevered in my search seven days
without success.

My trouble continued and increased until I was almost mad; and
I found no relief but in departing, and returning to my father; but
on my arrival at his capital, a party at the city-gate sprang upon me
and bound me. I was struck with the utmost astonishment, con-
sidering that I was the son of the Sultan of the city, and that these
were the servants of my father and of myself: excessive fear of them
overcame me, and I said within myself. What hath happened to my
father ? I asked, of those who had bound me, the cause of this con-
duct; but they returned me no answer, till after a while, when one
of them, who had been my servant, said to me. Fortune hath
betrayed thy father, the troops have been false to him, and the Wezir
hath killed him; and we were lying in wait to take thee. — They took
me, and I was as one dead, by reason of this news which I had heard
respecting my father; and I stood before the Wezir who had killed
my father.

Now, there was an old enmity subsisting between me and him;
and the cause of it was this: — I was fond of shooting with the cross-
bow; and it hapf)ened, one day, that as I was standing on the roof
of my palace, a bird alighted on the roof of the palace of the Wezir,
who was standing there at the time, and I aimed at the bird; but
the bullet missed it, and struck the eye of the Wezir, and knocked
it out, in accordance with the appointment of fate and destiny, as
the poet hath said : —

We trod the steps appointed for us: and the man whose steps are ap-
pointed must tread them.

He whose death is decreed to take place in one land will not die in any
land but that.

When I had thus put out the eye of the Wezir, he could say nothing,
because my father was King of the city. This was the cause of the
enmity between him and me: and when I stood before him, with
my hands bound behind me, he gave the order to strike off my head.
I said to him, Wouldst thou kill me for no offence ? — What offence,
he exclaimed, could be greater than this? — and he pointed to the
place of the eye which was put out. I did that, said I, unintentionally.

THE FIRST ROYAL MENDICANT 69

He replied, If thou didst it unintentionally, I will do the same to
thee purposely: — and immediately he said, Bring him forward to
me: — and, when they had done so, he thrust his finger into my left
eye, and pulled it out. Thus I became deprived of one eye, as ye see
me. He then bound me firmly, and placed me in a chest, and said
to the executioner. Take this fellow, and draw thy sword, and con-
vey him without the city; then put him to death, and let the wild
beasts devour him.

Accordingly, he went forth with me from the city, and, having
taken me out from the chest, bound hand and foot, was about to
bandage my eye, and kill me; whereupon I wept, and exclaimed, —

How many brothers have I taken as armour! and such they were; but to

guard my enemies.
I thought they would be as piercing arrows: and such they were; but to

enter my heart!

The executioner, who had served my father in the same capacity,
and to whom I had shewn kindnesses, said, on hearing these verses,

my master, what can I do, being a slave under command? — but
presently he added, Depart with thy life, and return not to this
country, lest thou perish, and cause me to perish with thee. The
poet saith, —

Flee with thy life if thou fearest oppression, and leave the house to tell

its builder's fate.
Tliou wilt find, for the land that thou quittest, another: but no soul wilt

thou find to replace thine own.

As soon as he had thus said, I kissed his hands, and believed not
in my safety until I had fled from his presence. The loss of my eye
appeared light to me when I considered my escajje from death; and

1 journeyed to my uncle's capital, and, presenting myself before him,
informed him of what had befallen my father, and of the manner
in which I had lost my eye: upon which he wept bitterly, and said.
Thou hast added to my trouble and my grief; for thy cousin hath
been lost for some days, and I know not what hath happened to him,
nor can any one give me information respecting him. Then he wept
again, until he became insensible; and when he recovered, he said,
O my son, the loss of thine eye is better than the loss of thy life.

70 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Upon this I could no longer keep silence respecting his son, my
cousin; so I informed him of ail that happened to him; and on
hearing this news he rejoiced exceedingly, and said, Shew me the
tomb. — By Allah, O my uncle, I replied, I know not where it is; for
I went afterwards several times to search for it, and could not recog-
nize its place. We, however, went together to the burial-ground,
and, looking to the right and left, I discovered it; and both I and
my uncle rejoiced. I then entered the tomb with him, and when we
had removed the earth, and lifted up the trap-door, we descended
fifty steps, and, arriving at the bottom of the stairs, there issued
forth upon us a smoke which blinded our eyes; whereupon my uncle
pronounced those words which relieve from fear him who uttereth
them, — There is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the
Great! — After this, we proceeded, and found ourselves in a saloon,
filled with flour and grain, and various eatables; and we saw there
a curtain suspended over a couch, upon which my uncle looked,
and found there his son and the woman who had descended with
him, lying side by side, and converted into black charcoal, as if they
had been thrown into a pit of fire. And when he beheld this spec-
tacle, he spat in his son's face, and exclaimed. This is what thou
deservest, O thou wretch! This is the punishment of the present
world, and there remaineth the punishment of the other world,
which will be more severe and lasting! — and he struck him with his
shoes. Astonished at this action, and grieved for my cousin, seeing
him and the damsel thus converted into charcoal, I said. By Allah,
O my uncle, moderate the trouble of thy heart, for my mind is per-
plexed by that which hath happened to thy son, and by thinking how
it hath come to pass that he and the damsel are converted into black
charcoal. Dost thou not deem it enough for him to be in this state,
that thou beatest him with thy shoes?

O son of my brother, he replied, this my son was, from his early
years, inflamed with love for his [foster-] sister, and I used to forbid
him from entertaining this passion for her, and to say within myself.
They are now children, but when they grow older a base act will
be committed by them: — and, indeed, I heard that such had been
the case, but I believed it not. I, however, reprimanded him severely,
and said to him. Beware of so foul an action, which none before thee

THE FIRST ROYAL MENDICANT ^I

hath committed, nor will any commit after thee: otherwise we shall
suffer disgrace and disparagement among the Kings until we die,
and our history will spread abroad with the caravans: have a care for
thyself that such an aaion proceed not from thee; for I should be
incensed against thee, and kill thee. I then separated him from her,
and her from him: but the vile woman loved him excessively; the
Devil got possession of them both; and when my son saw that I had
separated him, he secretly made this place beneath the earth, and,
having conveyed hither the provisions which thou seest, took advan-
tage of my inadvertence when I had gone out to hunt, and came
hither; but the Truth (whose perfection be extolled, and whose name
be exalted!) was jealously vigilant over them, and consumed them
by fire; and the punishment of the world to come will be more
severe and lasting. — He then wept, and I wept with him; and he
said to me. Thou art my son in his stead. — I remained a while
reflecting upon the world and its vicissitudes, upon the murder of
my father by the Wezir, and his usurping his throne, and the loss of
my eye, and the strange events which had happened to my cousin,
and I wept again.

We then ascended, and, having replaced the trap-door and the
earth above it, and restored the tomb to its former state, returned
to our abode; but scarcely had we seated ourselves when we heard
the sounds of drums and trumpets, warriors galloped about, and the
air was filled with dust raised by the horses' hoofs. Our minds were
perplexed, not knowing what had happened, and the King, asking
the news, was answered. The Wezir of thy brother hath slain him
and his soldiers and guards, and come with his army to assault the
city unawares; and the inhabitants, being unable to withstand, have
submitted to him: — whereufxjn I said within myself. If I fall into
his hand, he will slay me. — Griefs overwhelmed me, and I thought
of the calamines which had befallen my father and my mother, and
knew not what to do; for if I appeared, the people of the city would
know me, and the troops of my father would hasten to kill and de-
stroy me. I knew no way of escaf)e but to shave of? my beard; so I
shaved it, and, having changed my clothes, departed from the city,
and came hither, to this abode of peace, in the hope that some person
would introduce me to the Prince of the Faithful, the Khalifeh o£

72 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

the Lord of all creatures, that I might relate to him my story, and
all that had befallen me. I arrived in this city this night; and as I
stood perplexed, not knowing whither to direct my steps, I saw this
mendicant, and saluted him, and said, I am a stranger. He replied,
And I, too, am a stranger : — and while we were thus addressing each
other, our companion, this third person, came up to us, and, saluting
us, said, I am a stranger. We replied. And we, also, are strangers.
So we walked on together, and darkness overtook us, and destiny
directed us unto your abode: — This was the cause of the shaving of
my beard, and of the loss of my eye.

The lady then said to him. Stroke thy head, and depart; — but he
replied, I will not depart until I have heard the stories of the others.
And they wondered at his tale; and the Khalifeh said to Ja'far,
Verily I have never known the like of that which hath happened
to this mendicant.

The second mendicant then advanced, and, having kissed the
ground, said, —

The Story of the Second Royal Mendicant

O MY mistress, I was not born with only one eye; but my story
is wonderful, and, if written, would serve as a lesson to him who
would be admonished. I am a King, and son of a King: I read the
Kur'an according to the seven readings, and perused various works
under the tuition of different learned professors of their subjects: I
studied the science of the stars, and the writings of the poets, and
made myself a proficient in all the sciences; so that I surpassed the
people of my age. My hand-writing was extolled among all the
scribes, my fame spread among all countries, and my history among
all Kings; and the King of India, hearing of me, requested my father
to allow me to visit him, sending him various gifts and curious pres-
ents, such as were suitable to Kings. My father, therefore, prepared
for me six ships, and we proceeded by sea for the space of a whole
month, after which we came to land; and, having disembarked some
horses which we had with us in the ship, we loaded ten camels with
presents, and commenced our journey; but soon there appeared a
cloud of dust, which rose and spread until it filled the air before us,

THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT 73

and, after a while, cleared a little, and discovered to us, in the midst
of it, sixty horsemen like fierce lions, whom we perceived to be Arab
highwaymen; and when they saw us, that we were a small company
with ten loads of presents for the King of India, they galloped
towards us, pointing their spears at us. We made signs to them with
our fingers, and said, We are ambassadors to the honoured King of
India; therefore do us no injury: — but they replied. We are not in
his territories, nor under his government. They slew certain of the
young men, and the rest fled. I also fled, after I had received a severe
wound; the Arabs being employed, without further regard to us, in
taking possession of the treasure and presents which we had with us.
I proceeded without knowing whither to direct my course, reduced
from a mighty to an abject state, and journeyed till I arrived at the
summit of a mountain, where I took shelter in a cavern until the
next morning. I then resumed my journey, and arrived at a flourish-
ing city: the winter, with its cold, had passed away, and the spring
had come, with its flowers; and I rejoiced at my arrival there, being
wearied with my journey, anxious and pallid. My condition being
thus changed, I knew not whither to bend my steps; and, turning
to a tailor sitting in his shop, I saluted him, and he returned my
salutation, and welcomed me, and wished me joy, asking me the
reason of my having come thither. I acquainted him, therefore,
with what had befallen me from first to last, and he was grieved for
me, and said, O young man, reveal not thy case, for I fear what the
King of this city might do to thee, since he is the greatest of thy
father's enemies, and hath a debt of blood against him. He then
placed some food and drink before me, and we ate together, and I
conversed with him till night, when he lodged me in a place by his
shop, and brought me a bed and coverlet; and, after I had remained
with him three days, he said to me. Dost thou not know any trade by
which to make gain ? I answered, I am acquainted with the law, a
student of sciences, a writer, and an arithmetician. — Thy occupation,
he said, is profitless in our country: there is no one in our city
acquainted with science or writing, but only with getting money.
Verily, I replied, I know nothing but what I have told thee. — Gird
thyself, then, said he, and take an axe and a rope, and cut firewood
in the desert, and so obtain thy subsistence until God dispel thy

74 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

afSictioD; but acquaint no one with thy history, else they will kill
thee. He then bought for me an axe and a rope, and sent me with
a party of wood<utters, giving them a charge resjiecting me. Accord-
ingly, I went forth with them, and cut some wood, and brought
back a load upon my head, and sold it for half a piece of gold, part
of which I expended in food, laying by the remainder.

Thus I continued for the space of a year, after which I went one
day into the desert, according to my custom, to cut firewood; and,
finding there a tract with abundance of wood, I entered it, and came
to a tree, around which I dug; and as I was removing the earth from
its roots, the axe struck against a ring of brass; and I cleared away
the earth from it, and found that it was affixed to a trap-door of
wood, which I immediately removed. Beneath it appeared a stair-
case, which I descended; and at the bottom of this I entered a door,
and beheld a palace, strongly constructed, where I found a lady, like
a pearl of high price, whose aspect banished from the heart all
anxiety and grief and affliction. At the sight of her I prostrated my-
self in adoration of her Creator for the fairness and beauty which
He had displayed in her person; and she, looking towards me, said.
Art thou a man or a Jinni? I answered her, 1 am a man. — And who,
she asked, hath brought thee to this place, in which I have lived five
and twenty years without ever seeing a human being? — Her words
sounded sweetly to me, and I answered her, O my mistress, God
hath brought me to thy abode, and I hope will put an end to my
anxiety and grief: — and I related to her my story from beginning
to end. She was grieved at my case, and wept, and said, I also will
acquaint thee with my story. Know that I am the daughter of the
King of the further parts of India, the lord of the Ebony Island. My
father had married me to the son of my uncle; but on the night of
my bridal festivities, an 'Efrit named Jarjaris, the son of Rejmus, the
son of Iblis, carried me off, and, soaring with me through the air,
alighted in this place, to which he conveyed all things necessary for
me, such as ornaments, and garments, and linen, and furniture, and
food, and drink; and once in every ten days he cometh to me, and
spendeth a night here; and he hath appointed with me, that, in case
of my wanting any thing by night or day, I should touch with my
hand these two lines which are inscribed upon the kubbeh, and as

THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT 75

soon as I remove my hand I see him before me. Four days have now
passed since he was last with me, and there remain, therefore, six
days before he will come again; wilt thou then remain with me five
days, and depart one day before his visit? — 1 answered. Yes; — rejoic-
ing at the proposal; and she arose, and, taking me by the hand, con-
ducted me through an arched door to a small and elegant bath, where
I took of? my clothes, while she seated herself upon a mattress.
After this, she seated me by her side, and brought me some sherbet
of sugar infused with musk, and handed it to me to drink: she then
placed some food before me, and after we had eaten and conversed
together, she said to me. Sleep, and rest thyself; for thou are fatigued.

I slept, O my mistress, and forgot all that had befallen me; and
when I awoke, I found her rubbing my feet; upon which. I called
to her, and we sat down again and conversed awhile; and she said
to me, By Allah, I was straitened in my heart, living here alone, with-
out any person to talk with me, five and twenty years. Praise be
to God who hath sent thee to me. — I thanked her for her kind expres-
sions; and love of her took possession of my heart, and my anxiety
and grief fled away. We then sat down to drink together; and I
remained by her side all the night, delighted with her company, for
I had never seen her like in my whole life; and in the morning,
when we were both full of joy, I said to her. Shall I take thee up from
this subterranean place, and release thee from the Jinni? But she
laughed, and replied. Be content, and hold thy peace; for, of every
ten days, one day shall be for the 'Efrit, and nine for thee. I per-
sisted, however, being overcome with passion; and said, 1 will this
instant demolish this kubbeh upon which the inscription is engraved,
and let the 'Efrit come, that I may slay him: for I am predestined
to kill 'Efrits. She entreated me to refrain; but, paying no attention
to her words, I kicked the kubbeh with violence; upon which she
exclaimed. The 'Efrit hath arrived! Did I not caution thee against
this? Verily thou hast brought a calamity upon me; but save thy-
self, and ascend by the way that thou earnest.

In the excess of my fear I forgot my sandals and my axe, and
when I had ascended two steps, turning round to look for them, I
saw that the ground had opened, and there rose from it an 'Efrit
of hideous aspect, who said. Wherefore is this disturbance with

76 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

which thou hast alarmed me, and what misfortune hath befallen
thee? She answered, No misfortune hath happened to me, excepting
that my heart was contracted, and I desired to drink some wine to
dilate it, and, rising to perform my purpose, I fell against the kubbeh.
— Thou liest, vile woman, he exclaimed; — and, looking about the
palace to the right and left, he saw the sandals and axe; and said
to her, These are the property of none but a man. Who hath visited
thee? — I have not seen them, she answered, until this instant: prob-
ably they caught to thee. — This language, said he, is absurd, and will
have no effect upon me, thou shameless woman! — and, so saying,
he stripped her of her clothing, and tied her down, with her arms
and legs extended, to four stakes, and began to beat her, urging her
to confess what had happened.

For myself, being unable to endure her cries, I ascended the stairs,
overjX)wered by fear, and, arriving at the top, replaced the trap>-door
as it was at first, and covered it over with earth. I repented bitterly
of what I had done, and reflecting upon the lady and her beauty,
and how this wretch was torturing her after she had lived with him
five and twenty years, and that he tortured her only on my account,
and reflecting also upon my father and his kingdom, and how I had
been reduced to the condition of a wood-cutter, I repeated this
verse: —

When fortune bringeth thee affliction, console thyself by remembering
that one day thou must see prosperity, and another day, difficulty.

Returning to my companion, the tailor, I found him awaiting my
return as if he were placed in a pan upon burning coals. I passed last
night, said he, with anxious heart on thy account, fearing for thee
from some wild beast or other calamity. Praise be to God for thy
safe return. — I thanked him for his tender concern for me, and
entered my apartment; and as I sat meditating upon that which had
befallen me, and blaming myself for having kicked the kubbeh, my
friend the tailor came in to me, and said. In the shop is a foreigner,
who asks for thee, and he has thy axe and sandals; he came with
them to the wood-cutters, and said to them, I went out at the time
of the call of the Mu'eddin to morning-prayer, and stumbled upon
these, and know not to whom they belong: can ye guide me to their

THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT 77

owner? — The wood<utters, therefore, directed him to thee: he is
sitting in my shop; so go out to him and thank him, and take thy
axe and thy sandals. — On hearing these words, my countenance
turned pale, and my whole state became changed; and while I was
in this condition, the floor of my chamber clove asunder, and there
rose from it the stranger, and lo, he was the 'Efrit; he had tortured
the lady with the utmost cruelty; but she would confess nothing:
so he took the axe and the sandals, and said to her, If I am Jarjaris,
of the descendants of Iblis, I will bring the owner of this axe and
these sandals. Accordingly, he came, with the pretence before men-
tioned, to the wood-cutters, and, having entered my chamber with-
out granting me any delay, seized me, and soared with me through
the air: he then descended, and dived into the earth, and brought me
up into the place where I was before.

Here I beheld the lady stripped of her clothing, and with blood
flowing from her sides; and tears trickled from my eyes. The 'Efrit
then took hold of her, and said. Vile woman, this is thy lover: —
whereupon she looked at me, and replied, I know him not, nor have
Tever seen him until this instant. The 'Efrit said to her. With all
this torture wilt thou not confess? She answered. Never in my life
have I seen him before, and it is not lawful in the sight of God that
I should speak falsely against him. — Then, said he, if thou know
him not, take this sword and strike off his head. She took the
sword, and came to me, and stood over my head : but I made a sign
to her with my eyebrow, while tears ran down my cheeks. She
replied in a similar manner. Thou art he who hath done all this to
me: — I made a sign to her, however, that this was a time for pardon,
conveying my meaning in the manner thus described by the poet : —

Our signal in love is the glance of our eyes; and every intelligent person

understandeth the sign.
Our eyebrows carry on an intercourse between us: we are silent; but love

speaketh.

And when she understood me, she threw the sword from her hand,
O my mistress, and the 'Efrit handed it to me, saying, Strike off her
head, and I will liberate thee, and do thee no harm. I replied. Good :
— and, quickly approaching her, raised my hand; but she made a

yS THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

sign as though she would say, I did no injury to thee: — whereupon
my eyes poured with tears, and, throwing down the sword, I said,

mighty 'Efrit, and valiant hero, if a woman, deficient in sense and
religion, seeth it not lawful to strike off my head, how is it lawful
for me to do so to her, and especially when I have never seen her
before in my life ? I will never do it, though I should drink the cup
of death and destruction. — There is affection between you, said the
'Efrit, and, taking the sword, he struck off one of the hands of the
lady; then, the other; after this, her right foot; and then, her left
foot: thus with four blows he cut off her four extremities, while I
looked on, expecting my own death. She then made a sign to me
with her eye; and the 'Efrit, observing her, exclaimed, Now thou
hast been guilty of incontinence with thine eye! — and, with a blow
of his sword, struck off her head; after which, he turned towards me,
and said, O man, it is allowed us by our law, if a wife be guilty of
incontinence, to put her to death. This woman I carried off on her
wedding-night, when she was twelve years of age, and she was
acquainted with no man but me; and I used to pass one night with
her in the course of every ten days in the garb of a foreigner; and
when I discovered of a certainty that she had been imfaithf ul to me,

1 killed her: but as for thee, I am not convinced that thou hast
wronged me with respect to her; yet I must not leave thee unpun-
ished: choose, therefore, what injury I shall do to thee.

Upon this, O my mistress, I rejoiced exceedingly, and, eager to
obtain his pardon, I said to him. What shall 1 choose from thy
hands? — Choose he answered, into what form I shall change thee;
either the form of a dog, or that of an ass, or that of an ape. I replied,
in my desire of forgiveness. Verily, if thou wilt pardon me, God will
pardon thee in recompense for thy shewing mercy to a Muslim who
hath done thee no injury: — and I humbled myself in the most abject
manner, and said to him. Pardon me as the envied man did the
envier. — And how was that? said he. I answered as follows: —

The Story of the Envier and the Envied

Know, O my master, that there was a certain man who had a
neighbour that envied him; and the more this person envied him,

THE ENVIER AND THE ENVIED 79

SO much the more did God increase the prosperity o£ the former.
Thus it continued a long time; but when the envied man found that
his neighbour persisted in troubHng him, he removed to a place
where there was a deserted well; and there he built for himself an
oratory, and occupied himself in the worship of God. Numerous
Fakirs* assembled around him, and he acquired great esteem, people
repairing to him from every quarter, placing firm reUance upon his
sanctity; and his fame reached the ears of his envious neighbour,
who mounted his horse, and went to visit him; and when the envied
man saw him, he saluted him, and payed him the utmost civility.
The envier then said to him, I have come hither to inform thee of
a matter in which thou wilt find advantage, and for which 1 shall
obtain a recompense in heaven. The envied man replied. May God
requite thee for me with every blessing. Then, said the envier, order
the Fakirs to retire to their cells, for the information that I am about
to give thee I would have no one overhear. So he ordered them to
enter their cells; and the envier said to him, Arise, and let us walk
together, and converse; and they walked on until they came to the
deserted well before mentioned, when the envier pushed the envied
man into this well, without the knowledge of any one, and went
his way, imagining that he had killed him.

But this well was inhabited by Jinn, who received him unhurt,
and seated him upon a large stone; and when they had done this,
one of them said to the others. Do ye know this man? They an-
swered. We know him not. — This, said he, is the envied man who
fled from him who envied him, and took up his abode in this
quarter, in the neighbouring oratory, and who entertaineth us by his
zikr' and his readings; and when his envier heard of him, he came
hither to him, and, devising a stratagem against him, threw him
down here. His fame hath this night reached the Sultan of this
city, who hath purposed to visit him to-morrow, on account of the
affliction which hath befallen his daughter. — And what, said they,
hath happened to his daughter.'' He answered. Madness; for Mey-
mun, the son of Demdem, hath become inflamed with love for her;
and her cure is the easiest of things. They asked him, What is it? —

* Poor persons who especially occupy themselves in religious exercises.
^ Zikrs consist in repeating the name of God, or the profession of his unity, etc., in
chorus, accompanying the words by certain motions of the head, hands, or wbole body.

8o THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and he answered, The black cat that is with him in the oratory hath
at the end of her tail a white spot, of the size of a piece of silver; and
from this white spot should be taken seven hairs, and with these
the damsel should be fumigated, and the Marid would depart from
over her head, and not return to her; so she would be instandy cured.
And now it is our duty to take him out.

When the morning came, the Fakirs saw the sheykh rising out of
the well; and he became magnified in their eyes. And when he
entered the oratory, he took from the white spot at the end of the
cat's tail seven hairs, and placed them in a portfolio by him; and at
sunrise the King came to him, and when the sheykh saw him, he
said to him, O King, thou hast come to visit me in order that I may
cure thy daughter. The King replied. Yes, O virtuous Sheykh. —
Then, said the sheykh, send some person to bring her hither; and
I trust in God, whose name be exalted, that she may be instantly
cured. And when the King had brought his daughter, the sheykh
beheld her bound, and, seating her, suspended a curtain over her,
and took out the hairs, and fumigated her with them; whereupon
the Marid cried out from over her head, and left her; and the damsel
immediately recovered her reason, and, veiling her face, said to her
father. What is this, and wherefore didst thou bring me to this
place."* He answered her. Thou hast nothing to fear; — and rejoiced
greatly. He kissed the hand of the envied sheykh, and said to the
great men of his court who were with him, What shall be the recom-
pense of this sheykh for that which he hath done? They answered,
His recompense should be that thou marry him to her. — ^Ye
have spoken truly, said the King: — and he gave her in marriage
to him, and thus the sheykh became a connection of the King;
and after some days the King died, and he was made King in
his place.

And it happened one day that this envied King was riding with his
troops, and he saw his envier approaching; and when this man came
before him he seated him upon a horse with high distinction and
honour, and, taking him to his palace, gave him a thousand pieces
of gold, and a costly dress; after which he sent him back from the
city, with attendants to escort him to his house, and reproached him
for nothing. — Consider, then, O 'Efrit, the pardon of the envied to

THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT 8l

the envier, and his kindness to him, notwithstanding the injuries
he had done him. —

The 'Efrit, when he had heard this story, repUed, Lengthen not thy
words to me: as to my killing thee, fear it not; and as to my pardon-
ing thee, covet it not; but as to my enchanting thee, there is no escape
from it; — and, so saying, he clove the earth asunder, and soared with
me through the sky to such a height that I beheld the world beneath
me as though it were a bowl of water; then, alighting upon a moun-
tain, he took up a little dust, and, having muttered and pronounced
certain words over it, sprinkled me with it, saying. Quit this form,
and take the form of an ape! — whereupon I became like an ape of a
hundred years of age.

When I saw myself changed into this ugly form, I wept for myself,
but determined to be patient under the tyranny of fortune, know-
ing it to be constant to no one. I descended from the summit of the
mountain, and, after having journeyed for the space of a month,
arrived at the sea-shore; and, when I had stood there a short time, I
saw a vessel in the midst of the sea, with a favourable wind approach-
ing the land; I therefore hid myself behind a rock on the beach, and
when the ship came close up, I sprang into the midst of it. But as
soon as the persons on board saw me, one of them cried. Turn out
this unlucky brute from the ship: — another said. Let us kill him: —
and a third exclaimed, I will kill him with this sword. I, however,
caught hold of the end of the sword, and tears flowed from my eyes;
at the sight of which the captain took compassion on me, and said
to the passengers, O merchants, this ape hath sought my aid, and I
give it him; he is under my protection; let no one, therefore, oppose
or trouble him. He then treated me with kindness, and whatever he
said to me I understood, and all that he required to be done I per-
formed as his servant.

We continued our voyage for fifty days with a fair wind, and cast
anchor under a large city containing a population which no one but
God, whose name be exalted, could reckon; and when we had
moored our vessel, there came to us some memluks from the King
of the city, who came on board the ship, and complimented the mer-
chants on their safe arrival, saying, Our King greeteth you, rejoicing

82 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

in your safety, and hath sent to you this roll of paper, desiring that
each of you shall write a line upon it; for the King had a Wezir who
was an eminent calligraphist, and he is dead, and the King hath
sworn that he will not appoint any person to his office who cannot
write equally well. Though in the form of an ape, I arose and
snatched the paper from their hands; upon which, fearing that I
would tear it and throw it into the sea, they cried out against me,
and would have killed me; but I made signs to them that I would
write, and the captain said to them, Suffer him to write, and if he
scribble we will turn him away; but if he write well I will adopt
him as my son; for I have never seen a more intelligent ape. So I
took the pen, and demanded the ink, and wrote in an epistolary
hand this couplet: —

Fame hath recorded the virtues of the noble; but no one hath been able

to reckon thine.
May God not deprive mankind of such a father; for thou art the parent

of every excellence.

Then, in a more formal, large hand, I wrote the following verses: —

There is no writer that shall not perish; but what his hand hath written

endureth ever.
Write, therefore, nothing but what will please thee when thou shalt see

it on the day of resurrection.

Two other specimens I wrote, in two different and smaller hands,
and returned the paper to the memluks, who took it back to the
King; and when he saw what was written upon it, the hand of no
one pleased him excepting mine; and he said to his attendants. Go
to the author of this hand-writing, put upon him this dress, and
mount him upon a mule, and conduct him, with the band of music
before him, to my presence. On hearing this order, they smiled;
and the King was angry with them, and said, How is it that I give
you an order, and ye laugh at me? They answered, O King, we
laugh not at thy words, but because he who wrote this is an ape, and
not a son of Adam: he is with the captain of the ship newly arrived.
The King was astonished at their words; he shook with delight,
and said, I would purchase this ape. He then sent some messengers
to the ship, with the mule and the dress of honour, saying to them.

THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT 83

Ye must clothe him with this dress, and mount him upon the mule,
and bring him hither. So they came to the ship, and, taking me from
the captain, clad me with the dress; and the people were astonished,
and flocked to amuse themselves with the sight of me. And when
they brought me to the King, and I beheld him, 1 kissed the ground
before him three times, and he ordered me to sit down: so I sat
down upon my knees; and the persons present were surprised at
my poUte manners, and especially the King, who presently ordered
his people to retire. They, therefore, did so; none remaining but the
King, and a eunuch, and a young memluk, and myself. The King
then commanded that a repast should be brought; and they placed
before him a service of viands, such as gratified the appetite and
deUghted the eye; and the King made a sign to me that I should
eat; whereupon I arose, and, having kissed the ground before him
seven times, sat down to eat with him; and when the table was
removed, I washed my hands, and, taking the ink-case, and pen and
paper, I wrote these two verses: —

Great is my appetite for thee, O Kunafeh!' I cannot be happy nor en-
dure without thee.

Be thou every day and night my food; and may drops of honey not be
wanting to moisten thee.

Having done this, I arose, and seated myself at a distance; and the
King, looking at what I had written, read it with astonishment, and
exclaimed. Can an ape possess such fluency and such skill in cal-
ligraphy? This is, indeed, a wonder of wonders! — Afterwards, a
chess-table was brought to the King, and he said to me. Wilt thou
play? By a motion of my head I answered, Yes: — and I advanced,
and arranged the pieces. I played with him twice, and beat him;
and the King was perplexed, and said. Were this a man, he would
surpass all the people of his age.

He then said to his eunuch, Go to thy mistress, and say to her,
Answer the summons of the King: — that she may come and gratify
her curiosity by the sight of this wonderful ape. The eunuch, there-
fore, went, and returned with his mistress, the King's daughter, who,

* A kind of pastry resembling vermiceni, made of wheat-flour. It b moistened
with clarified butter — then balud, and sweetened with honey or sugar.

84 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

as soon as she saw me, veiled her face, and said, O my father, how
is it that thou art pleased to send for me and suffer strange men to
see me? — O my daughter, answered the King, there is no one here
but the young memluk, and the eunuch who brought thee up, and
this ape, with myself, thy father: from whom, then, dost thou veil
thy face? — This ape, said she, is the son of a King, and the name
of his father is Eymar: he is enchanted, and it was the 'Efrit Jarjaris,
a descendant of Iblis, who transformed him, after having slain his
own wife, the daughter of King Aknamus. This, whom thou sup-
posedst to be an ape, is a learned and wise man. — The King was
amazed at his daughter's words, and, looking towards me, said. Is
it true that she saith of thee? I answered, by a motion of my head,
Yes: — and wept. The King then said to his daughter, By what
means didst thou discover that he was enchanted? — O my father,
she answered, I had with me, in my younger years, an old woman
who was a cunning enchantress, and she taught me the art of
enchantment: I have committed its rules to memory, and know it
thoroughly, being acquainted with a hundred and seventy modes of
performing it, by the least of which I could transport the stones of
thy city beyond Mount Kaf, and make its site to be an abyss of the
sea, and convert its inhabitants into fish in the midst of it. — I conjure
thee, then, by the name of Allah, said her father, to restore this
young man, that I may make him my Wezir. Is it possible that
thou possessedst this excellence, and I knew it not ? Restore him, that
I may make him my Wezir, for he is a poUte and inteUigent
youth.

She replied, With pleasure: — ^and, taking a knife upon which were
engraved some Hebrew names, marked with it a circle in the midst
of the palace. Within this she wrote certain names and talismans,
and then she pronounced invocations, and uttered unintelligible
words; and soon the palace around us became immersed in gloom
to such a degree, that we thought the whole world was overspread;
and lo, the 'Efrit appeared before us in a most hideous shape, with
hands like winnowing-forks, and legs like masts, and eyes like burn-
ing torches; so that we were terrified at him. The King's daughter
exclaimed. No welcome to thee! — to which the 'Efrit, assuming the
form of a Uon, repUed, Thou traitress, how is it that thou hast broken

THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT 85

thine oath? Did we not swear that we would not oppose one an-
other? — Thou wretch, said she, when didst thou receive an oath? —
The 'Efrit, still in the form of a lion, then exclaimed, Take what
awaiteth thee! — and, opening his mouth, rushed upon the lady; but
she instantly plucked a hair from her head and muttered with her
lips, whereuf)on the hair became converted into a piercing sword,
with which she struck the lion, and he was cleft in twain by the
blow; but his head became changed into a scorpion. The lady imme-
diately transformed herself into an enormous serpent, and crept after
the execrable wretch in the shape of a scorpion, and a sharp contest
ensued between them; after which, the scorpion became an eagle,
and the serpent, changing to a vulture, pursued the eagle for a length
of time. The latter then transformed himself into a black cat, and
the King's daughter became a wolf, and they fought together long
and fiercely, till the cat, seeing himself overcome, changed himself
into a large red pomegranate, which fell into a pool; but, the wolf
pursuing it, it ascended into the air, and then fell upon the pavement
of the palace, and broke in pieces, its grains becoming scattered, each
apart from the others, and all spread about the whole space of
ground enclosed by the palace. The wolf, upon this, transformed
itself into a cock, in order to pick up the grains, and not leave one of
them; but, according to the decree of fate, one grain remained hidden
by the side of the pool of the fountain. The cock began to cry, and
flapped its wings, and made a sign to us with its beak; but we under-
stood not what it would say. It then uttered at us such a cry, that
we thought the palace had fallen down upon us; and it ran about the
whole of the ground, until it saw the grain that had lain hid by the
side of the pool, when it pounced upon it, to pick it up; but it fell
into the midst of the water, and became transformed into a fish, and
sank into the water; upon which the cock became a fish of a larger
size, and plunged in after the other. For a while it was absent from
our sight; but, at length, we heard a loud cry, and trembled at the
sound; after which, the 'Efrit rose as a flame of fire, casting fire from
his mouth, and fire and smoke from his eyes and nostrils: the King's
daughter also became as a vast body of fire; and we would have
plunged into the water from fear of our being burnt and destroyed;
but suddenly the 'Efrit cried out from within the fire, and came

86 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

towards us upon the liwan,* blowing fire at our faces. The lady,
however, overtook him, and blew fire in like manner in his face;
and some sparks struck us both from her and from him: her sparks
did us no harm; but one from him struck me in my eye, and de-
stroyed it, I being still in the form of an ape; and a spark from him
reached the face of the King, and burned the lower half, with his
beard and mouth, and struck out his lower teeth : another spark also
fell u(X)n the breast of the eunuch; who was burnt, and died imme-
diately. We expected destruction, and gave up all hop)e of preserv-
ing our lives; but while we were in this state, a voice exclaimed, God
is most great! God is most great! He hath conquered and aided, and
abandoned the denier of the faith of Mohammad, the chief of man-
kind.'" — The person from whom this voice proceeded was the King's
daughter: she had burnt the 'Efrit; and when we looked towards
him, we perceived that he had become a heap of ashes.

The lady then came to us, and said, Bring me a cup of water: —
and when it was brought to her, she pronounced over it some words
which we understood not, and, sprinkling me with it, said. Be
restored, by virtue of the name of the Truth, and by virtue of the
most great name of God, to thy original form! — whereupon I became
a man as I was at first, excepting that my eye was destroyed. After
this, she cried out. The fire! the fire! O my father, I shall no longer
live, for I am predestined to be killed. Had he been a human being,
I had killed him at the first of the encounter. I experienced no diffi-
culty till the scattering of the grains of the pomegranate, when I
picked them up excepting the one in which was the life of the Jinni:
had I picked up that, he had instantly died; but I saw it not, as fate
and destiny had apfxjinted; and suddenly he came upxDn me, and a
fierce contest ensued between us under the earth, and in the air, and
in the water; and every time that he tried against me a new mode, I
employed against him one more potent, until he tried against me the
mode of fire; and rarely does one escape against whom the mode of
fire is employed. Destiny, however, aided me, so that I burned him
first; but I exhorted him previously to embrace the faith of El-Islam.
Now I die; and may God supply my place to you. — Having thus

'Dais. '"This was, and I believe still is, a common battle-cry of the Arabs, and
more commonly used on the occasion of a victory.

THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT 87

said, she ceased not to pray for relief from the fire; and lo, a spark
ascended to her breast, and thence to her face; and when it reached
her face, she wept, and exclaimed, I testify that there is no deity but
God, and 1 testify that Mohammad is God's Apostle! — We then
looked towards her, and saw that she had become a heap of ashes
by the side of the ashes of the 'Efrit.

We were plunged into grief on her account, and I wished that
I had been in her place rather than have seen that sweet-faced crea-
ture who had done me this kindness reduced to a heap of ashes: but
the decree of God cannot be averted. The King, on beholding his
daughter in this state, plucked out what remained of his beard, and
slapped his face, and rent his clothes; and I also did the same, while
we both wept for her. Then came the chamberlains and other great
officers of the court, who, finding the King in a state of insensibility,
with two heaps of ashes before him, were astonished, and remained
encompassing him until he recovered from his fit, when he informed
them of what had befallen his daughter with the 'Efrit; and great
was their aflBiaion. The women shrieked, with the female slaves,
and continued their mourning seven days. After this, the King gave
orders to build, over the ashes of his daughter, a great tomb with
a dome, and illuminated it with candles and lamps: but the ashes of
the 'Efrit they scattered in the wind, exposing them to the curse o£
God. The King then fell sick, and was near unto death: his illness
lasted a month; but after this he recovered his health, and, summon-
ing me to his presence, said to me, O young man, we passed our days
in the enjoyment of the utmost happiness, secure from the vicissi-
tudes of fortune, until thou camest to us, when troubles overcame us.
Would that we had never seen thee, nor thy ugly form, on account
of which we have been reduced to this state of privation; for, in the
first place, I have lost my daughter, who was worth a hundred men;
and, secondly, I have suffered this burning, and lost my teeth: my
eunuch also is dead: but it was not in thy jxjwer to prevent these
afflictions: the decree of God hath been fulfilled on us and on thee;
and praise be to God that my daughter restored thee, though she
destroyed herself. Now, however, depart, O my son, from my city.
It is enough that hath happened on thy account; but as it was decreed
against us and thee, depart in peace.

88 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

So I departed, O my mistress, from his presence; but before I
quitted the city, I entered a public bath, and shaved my beard. I
traversed various regions, and passed through great cities, and bent
my course to the Abode of Peace, Baghdad, in the hope of obtaining
an interview with the Prince of the Faithful, that I might relate to
him all that had befallen me.

The third mendicant then advanced, and thus related his story : —

The Story of the Third Royal Mendicant

illustrious lady, my story is not like those of my two com-
panions, but more wonderful : the course of fate and destiny brought
upon them events against which they could not guard; but as to
myself, the shaving of my beard and the loss of my eye were occa-
sioned by my provoking fate and misfortune; and the cause was
this:—

1 was a King, and the son of a King; and when my father died,
I succeeded to his throne, and governed my subjects with justice and
beneficence. I took pleasure in sea-voyages; and my capital was on
the shore of an extensive sea, interspersed with fortified and garri-
soned islands, which I desired, for my amusement, to visit; I there-
fore embarked with a fleet of ten ships, and took with me provisions
sufficient for a whole month. I proceeded twenty days, after which
there arose against us a contrary wind; but at daybreak it ceased, and
the sea became calm, and we arrived at an island, where we landed,
and cooked some provisions and ate; after which we remained there
two days. We then continued our voyage; and when twenty days
more had passed, we found ourselves in strange waters, unknown
to the captain, and desired the watch to look out from the mast-head:
so he went aloft, and when he had come down he said to the cap-
tain, I saw, on my right hand, fish floating upon the surface of the
water; and looking towards the midst of the sea, I perceived some-
thing looming in the distance, sometimes black and sometimes
white.

When the captain heard this report of the watch, he threw his
turban on the deck, and plucked his beard, and said to those who
were with him. Receive warning of our destruction, which will befall

THE THIRD ROYAL MENDICANT 89

all of us: not one will escape! So saying, he began to weep; and all
of us in like manner bewailed our lot. I desired him to inform us
of that which the watch had seen. O my lord, he replied, know that
we have wandered from our course since the commencement of the
contrary wind that was followed in the morning by a calm, in con-
sequence of which we remained stationary two days; from that
f)eriod we have deviated from our course for twenty-one days, and
we have no wind to carry us back from the fate which awaits us
after this day: to-morrow we shall arrive at a mountain of black
stone, called loadstone: the current is now bearing us violendy
towards it, and the ships will fall in pieces, and every nail in them
will fly to the mountain, and adhere to it; for God hath given to the
loadstone a secret property by virtue of which everything of iron
is attracted toward it. On that mountain is such a quantity of iron
as no one knoweth but God, whose name be exalted; for from times
of old great numbers of ships have been destroyed by the influence
of that mountain. There is, upon the summit of the mountain, a
cupola of brass supported by ten columns, and upon the top of this
cupola is a horseman uf)on a horse of brass, having in his hand a
brazen spear, and upon his breast suspended a tablet of lead, upon
which are engraved mysterious names and talismans; and as long,
O King, as this horseman remains upon the horse, so long will every
ship that approaches be destroyed, with every person on board, and
all the iron contained in it will cleave to the mountain: no one will
be safe until the horseman shall have fallen from the horse. — The
captain then wept bitterly; and we felt assured that our destruction
was inevitable, and every one of us bade adieu to his friend.

On the following morning we drew near to the mountain; the
current carried us toward it with violence, and when the ships were
almost close to it, they fell asunder, and all the nails, and everything
else that was of iron, flew from them towards the loadstone. It was
near the close of day when the ships fell in pieces. Some of us were
drowned, and some escaped; but the greater number were drowned,
and of those who saved their lives none knew what became of the
others, so stupefied were they by the waves and the boisterous wind.
As for myself, O my mistress, God, whose name be exalted, spared
me on account of the trouble and torment and affliction that He had

90 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

predestined to befall me. I placed myself upon a plank, and the wind
and waves cast it upon the mountain; and when I had landed, I
found a practicable way to the summit, resembling steps cut in the
rock: so I exclaimed, In the name of God! — and offered up a prayer,
and attempted the ascent, holding fast by the notches; and presently
God stilled the wind and assisted me in my endeavours, so that I
arrived in safety at the summit. Rejoicing greatly in my escape, I
immediately entered the cupwla, and performed the prayers of two
rek'ahs" in gratitude to God for my preservation; after which 1
slept beneath the cupola, and heard a voice saying to me, O son of
Khasib, when thou awakest from thy sleep, dig beneath thy feet, and
thou wilt find a bow of brass, and three arrows of lead, whereon are
engraved talismans: then take the bow and arrows and shoot at the
horseman that is upon the top of the cupola, and relieve mankind
from this great affliction; for when thou hast shot at the horseman
he will fall into the sea; the bow will also fall, and do thou bury it
in its place; and as soon as thou hast done this, the sea will swell and
rise until it attains the summit of the mountain; and there will
appear upon it a boat bearing a man, different from him whom thou
shalt have cast down, and he will come to thee, having an oar in his
hand: then do thou embark with him; but utter not the name of
God; and he will convey thee in ten days to a safe sea, where, on
thy arrival, thou wilt find one who will take thee to thy city. All
this shall be done if thou utter not the name of God.

Awaking from my sleep, I sprang up, and did as the voice had
directed. I shot at the horseman, and he fell into the sea; and the
bow having fallen from my hand, I buried it: the sea then became
troubled, and rose to the summit of the mountain, and when I had
stood waiting there a litde while, I beheld a boat in the midst of the
sea, approaching me. I praised God, whose name be exalted, and
when the boat came to me 1 found in it a man of brass, with a tablet
of lead upon his breast, engraven with names and talismans. With-
out uttering a word, I embarked in the boat, and the man rowed me

" [Bowings]: the repetition of a set form of words, chiefly from the Kur'an, and
ejaculations of "God is most Rrcat!" etc., accompanied by particular postures; part
df the words being repeated in an erect posture; part, sitting; and part, in other
postures: an inchnation of the head and body, followed by two prostratioiu, dis-
tinguishing each rek'ah.

THE THIRD ROYAL MENDICANT 9 1

ten successive days, after which I beheld the islands of security,
whereupon, in the excess of my joy, I exclaimed. In the name of
God! There is no deity but God! God is most great! — and as soon
as I had done this, he cast me out of the boat, and sank in the sea.

Being able to swim, I swam until night, when my arms and
shoulders were tired, and, in this perilous situation, I repeated the
profession of the faith, and gave myself up as lost; but the sea rose
with the violence of the wind, and a wave like a vast castle threw
me upon the land, in order to the accomplishment of the purpose
of God. I ascended the shore, and after I had wrung out my clothes,
and spread them upon the ground to dry, I slept; and in the morning
I put on my clothes again, and, looking about to see which way I
should go, I found a tract covered with trees, to which I advanced;
and when I had walked round it, I found that I was upon a small
island in the midst of the sea; upon which I said within myself,
Every time that I escape from one calamity I fall into another that
is worse: — but while I was reflecting upon my unfortunate case, and
wishing for death, I beheld a vessel bearing a number of men. I
arose immediately, and climbed into a tree; and lo, the vessel came
to the shore, and there landed from it ten black slaves bearing axes.
They proceeded to the middle of the island, and, digging up the
earth, uncovered and lifted up a trap-door, after which they returned
to the vessel, and brought from it bread and flour and clarified butter
and honey and sheep and everything that the wants of an inhabitant
would require, continuing to pass backwards and forwards between
the vessel and the trap-door, bringing loads from the former, and
entering the latter, until they had removed all the stores from the
ship. They then came out of the vessel with various clothes of the
most beautiful description, and in the midst of them was an old
sheykh, enfeebled and wasted by extreme age, leading by the hand
a young man cast in the mould of graceful symmetry, and invested
with such perfect beauty as deserved to be a subject for proverbs.
He was Uke a fresh and slender twig, enchanting and captivating
every heart by his elegant form. The party proceeded to the trap-
door, and, entering it, became concealed from my eyes.

They remained beneath about two hours, or more; after which,
the sheykh and the slaves came out; but the youth came not with

92 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

them; and they replaced the earth, and embarked and set sail. Soon
after, I descended from the tree, and went to the excavation. I
removed the earth, and, entering the aperture, saw a flight of wooden
steps, which I descended; and, at the bottom, I beheld a handsome
dwelling-place, furnished with a variety of silken carpets; and there
was the youth, sitting upon a high mattress, with sweet-smelling
flowers and fruits placed before him. On seeing me, his countenance
became pale; but I saluted him, and said. Let thy mind be composed,

my Master: thou hast nothing to fear, O delight of my eye; for

1 am a man, and the son of a King, like thyself: fate hath impelled
me to thee, that I may cheer thee in thy solitude. The youth, when
he heard me thus address him, and was convinced that I was one
of his own species, rejoiced exceedingly at my arrival, his colour
returned, and, desiring me to approach him, he said, O my brother,
my story is wonderful: my father is a jeweller: he had slaves who
made voyages by his orders, for the purposes of commerce, and he
had dealings with Kings; but he had never been blest with a son;
and he dreamt that he was soon to have a son, but one whose life
would be short; and he awoke sorrowful. Shortly after, in accordance
with the decrees of God, my mother conceived me, and when her
time was complete, she gave birth to me; and my father was greatly
rejoiced: the astrologers, however, came to him, and said. Thy son
will live fifteen years: his fate is intimated by the fact that there is,
in the sea, a mountain called the Mountain of Loadstone, whereon
is a horseman on a horse of brass, on the former of which is a tablet
of lead suspended to his neck; and when the horseman shall be
thrown down from his horse, thy son will be slain: the person who
is to slay him is he who will throw down the horseman, and his
name is King 'Ajib, the son of King Khasib. My father was greatly
afflicted at this announcement; and when he had reared me until I
had nearly attained the age of fifteen years, the astrologers came
again, and informed him that the horseman had fallen into the sea,
and that it had been thrown down by King 'Ajib, the son of King
Khasib; on hearing which, he prepared for me this dwelling, and
here left me to remain until the completion of the term, of which
there now remain ten days. All this he did from fear lest King 'Ajib
should kill me.

THE THIRD ROYAL MENDICANT 93

When I heard this, I was filled with wonder, and said within
myself, I am King 'Ajib, the son of King Khasib, and it was I who
threw down the horseman; but, by Allah, I will neither kill him nor
do him any injury. Then said I to the youth. Far from thee be both
destruction and harm, if it be the will of God, whose name be
exalted: thou hast nothing to fear: I will remain with thee to serve
thee, and will go forth with thee to thy father, and beg of him to
send me back to my country, for the which he will obtain a reward.
The youth rejoiced at my words, and I sat and conversed with him
until night, when I spread his bed for him, and covered him, and
slept near to his side. And in the morning I brought him water,
and he washed his face, and said to me. May God requite thee for
me with every blessing. If I escape from King 'Ajib, I will make
my father reward thee with abundant favours. Never, I replied,
may the day arrive that would bring thee misfortune. I then placed
before him some refreshments, and after we had eaten together, we
passed the day conversing with the utmost cheerfulness.

I continued to serve him for nine days; and on the tenth day the
youth rejoiced at finding himself in safety, and said to me, O my
brother, I wish that thou wouldst in thy kindness warm for me some
water, that I may wash myself and change my clothes; for I have
smelt the odour of escape from death, in consequence of thy assist-
ance. — ^With pleasure, I replied; — and I arose, and warmed the
water; after which, he entered a place concealed from my view, and,
having washed himself and changed his clothes, laid himself upon
the mattress to rest after his bath. He then said to me, Cut up for
me, O my brother, a water-melon, and mix its juice with some sugar:
— so I arose, and taking a melon, brought it upon a plate, and said
to him, Knowest thou, O my master, where is the knife? — See, here
it is, he answered, upon the shelf over my head. I sprang up hastily,
and took it from its sheath, and as I was drawing back, my foot
slipped, as God had decreed, and I fell upon the youth, grasping in
my hand the knife, which entered his body, and he died instantly.
When I perceived that he was dead, and that I had killed him, I
uttered a loud shriek, and beat my face and rent my clothes, saying.
This is, indeed, a calamity! O what a calamity! O my Lord, I im-
plore thy pardon, and declare to Thee my innocence of his death!

94 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Would that 1 had died before him! How long shall I devour trouble
after trouble I

With these reflections I ascended the steps, and, having replaced
the trap-door, returned to my first station, and looked over the sea,
where I saw the vessel that had come before, approaching, and cleav-
ing the waves in its rapid course. Upon this I said within myself,
Now will the men come forth from the vessel, and find the youth
slain, and they will slay me also: — so I climbed into a tree, and
concealed myself among its leaves, and sat there till the vessel
arrived and cast anchor, when the slaves landed with the old sheykh,
the father of the youth, and went to the place, and removed the
earth. They were surprised at finding it moist, and when they had
descended the steps, they discovered the youth lying on his back,
exhibiting a face beaming with beauty, though dead, and clad in
white and clean clothing, with the knife remaining in his body.
They all wept at the sight, and the father fell down in a swoon,
which lasted so long that the slaves thought he was dead. At length,
however, he recovered, and came out with the slaves, who had
wrapped the body of the youth in his clothes. They then took back
all that was in the subterranean dwelling to the vessel, and departed.

I remained, O my mistress, by day hiding myself in a tree, and
at night walking about the open part of the island. Thus I continued
for the space of two months; and I perceived that, on the western
side of the island, the water of the sea every day retired, until, after
three months, the land that had been beneath it became dry. Rejoic-
ing at this, and feeling confident now in my escape, I traversed this
dry tract, and arrived at an expanse of sand; whereupon I embold-
ened myself, and crossed it. I then saw in the distance an appear-
ance of fire, and, advancing towards it, found it to be a palace, over-
laid with plates of copper, which, reflecting the rays of the sun,
seemed from a distance to be fire: and when I drew near to it, reflect-
ing upon this sight, there approached me an old sheykh, accom-
panied by ten young men who were all blind of one eye, at which
I was extremely surprised. As soon as they saw me, they saluted me,
and asked me my story, which I related to them from first to last;
and they were filled with wonder. They then conducted me into the
palace, where I saw ten benches, upon each of which was a mattress

THE THIRD ROYAL MENDICANT 95

covered with a blue stuff;" and each of the young men seated him-
self upon one of these benches, while the sheykh took his place upon
a smaller one; after which they said to me, Sit down, O young man,
and ask no question respecting our condition, nor respecting our
being blind of one eye. Then the sheykh arose, and brought to each
of them some food, and the same to me also; and next he brought
to each of us some wine: and after we had eaten, we sat drinking
together until the time for sleep, when the young men said to the
sheykh. Bring to us our accustomed supply: — upon which the sheykh
arose, and entered a closet, from which he brought upon his head,
ten covered trays. Placing these upxjn the floor, he lighted ten
candles, and stuck one of them upon each tray; and, having done
this he removed the covers, and there appeared beneath them ashes
mixed with pounded charcoal. The young men then tucked up their
sleeves above the elbow, and blackened their faces, and slapped their
cheeks, exclaiming. We were reposing at our ease, and our im-
pertinent curiosity suffered us not to remain so! Thus they did until
the morning, when the sheykh brought them some hot water, and
they washed their faces, and put on other clothes.

On witnessing this conduct, my reason was confounded, my heart
was so troubled that 1 forgot my own misfortunes, and I asked them
the cause of their strange behaviour; upon which they looked
towards me, and said, O young man, ask not respecting that which
doth not concern thee; but be silent; for in silence is security from
error. — I remained with them a whole month, during which every
night they did the same; and at length I said to them, I conjure you
by Allah to remove this disquiet from my mind, and to inform me
of the cause of your acting in this manner, and of your exclaiming.
We were reposing at our ease, and our imp)ertinent curiosity suffered
us not to remain so! — if ye inform me not, I will leave you, and go
my way; for the proverb saith, When the eye seeth not, the heart
doth not grieve. — On hearing these words, they repUed, We have
not concealed this affair from thee but in our concern for thy wel-
fare, lest thou shouldst become like us, and the same affliction that
hath befallen us happen also to thee. I said, however, Ye must posi-
tively inform me of this matter. — We give thee good advice, said
"The colour of mourninf;.

96 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

they, and do thou receive it, and ask us not respecting our case;
otherwise thou wilt become blind of one eye, Hke us: — but I still
persisted in my request; whereupon they said, O young man, if this
befall thee, know that thou wilt be banished from our company.
They then all arose, and, taking a ram, slaughtered and skinned it,
and said to me. Take this knife with thee, and introduce thyself
into the skin of the ram, and we will sew thee up in it, and go away;
whereupon a bird called the rukh will come to thee, and, taking thee
up by its talons, will fly away with thee, and set thee down upon a
mountain: then cut open the skin with this knife, and get out, and
the bird will fly away. Thou must arise, as soon as it hath gone, and
journey for half a day, and thou wilt see before thee a lofty palace,
encased with red gold, set with various precious stones, such as
emeralds and rubies, &c.; and if thou enter it thy case will be as
ours; for our entrance into that palace was the cause of our being
blind of one eye; and if one of us would relate to thee all that hath
befallen him, his story would be too long for thee to hear.

They then sewed me up in the skin, and entered their palace; and
soon after, there came an enormous white bird, which seized me,
and flew away with me, and set me down upon the mountain;
whereupon I cut open the skin, and got out; and the bird, as soon
as it saw me, flew away. I rose up quickly, and proceeded towards
the palace, which I found to be as they had described it to me; and
when I had entered it, I beheld, at the upper end of a saloon, forty
young damsels, beautiful as so many moons, and magnificently at-
tired, who, as soon as they saw me, exclaimed, Welcome! Welcome!
O our master and our lord! We have been for a month expecting
thee. Praise be to God who hath blessed us with one who is worthy
of us, and one of whom we are worthy! — After having thus greeted
me, they seated me upon a mattress, and said, Thou art from this
day our master and prince, and we are thy handmaids, and entirely
under thy authority. They then brought to me some refreshments,
and when I had eaten and drunk, they sat and conversed with me,
full of joy and happiness. So lovely were these ladies, that even a
devotee, if he saw them, would gladly consent to be their servant,
and to comply with all that they would desire. At the approach of
night they all assembled around me, and placed before me a table

THE THIRD ROYAL MENDICANT 97

of fresh and dried fruits, with other delicacies that the tongue cannot
describe, and wine; and one began to sing, while another played
upon the lute. The wine<ups circulated among us, and joy over-
came me to such a degree as to obliterate from my mind every
earthly care, and make me exclaim. This is indeed a delightful life!
I passed a night of such enjoyment as I had never before experienced;
and on the morrow I entered the bath; and, after I had washed my-
self, they brought me a suit of the richest clothing, and we again
sat down to a repast.

In this manner I lived with them a whole year; but on the first
day of the new year, they seated themselves around me, and began
to weep, and bade me farewell, clinging to my skirts. — What calam-
ity hath befallen you? said I. Ye have broken my heart. — They
answered, Would that we had never known thee; for we have asso-
ciated with many men, but have seen none like thee. May God,
therefore, not deprive us of thy company. — And they wept afresh.
I said to them, I wish that you would acquaint me with the cause of
this weeping. — Thou, they replied, art the cause; yet now, if thou
wilt attend to what we tell thee, we shall never be parted; but if
thou act contrary to it, we are separated from this time; and our
hearts whisper to us that thou wilt not regard our warning. — Inform
me, said I, and I will attend to your directions: — and they replied.
If then thou wouldst inquire resp>ecting our history, know that we
are the daughters of Kings: for many years it hath been our custom
to assemble here, and every year we absent ourselves during a period
of forty days; then returning, we indulge ourselves for a year in
feasting and drinking. This is our usual practice; and now we fear
that thou wilt disregard our directions when we are absent from
thee. We deliver to thee the keys of the palace, which are a hundred
in number, belonging to a hundred closets. Open each of these, and
amuse thyself, and eat and drink, and refresh thyself, excepting the
closet that hath a door of red gold; for if thou open this, the con-
sequence will be a separation between us and thee. We conjure thee,
therefore, to observe our direction, and to be patient during this
period. — Upon hearing this, I swore to them that I would never open
the closet to which they alluded; and they departed, urging me to
be faithful to my promise.

98 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I remained alone in the palace, and at the approach o£ evening I
opened the first closet, and, entering it, found a mansion like para-
dise, with a garden contuining green trees loaded with rip)e fruits,
abounding with singing birds, and watered by copious streams. My
heart was soothed by the sight, and I wandered among the trees,
scenting the fragrance of the fJowers, and listening to the warbling
of the birds as they sang the praises of the One, the Almighty. After
admiring the mingled colours of the apple resembling the hue upon
the cheek of a beloved mistress and the sallow countenance of the
perplexed and timid lover, the sweet-smelling quince diffusing an
odour like musk and ambergris, and the plum shining as the ruby,
I retired from this place, and, having locked the door, ojDened that
of the next closet, within which I beheld a spacious tract planted
with numerous palm-trees, and watered by a river flowing among
rose-trees, and jasmine, and marjoram, and eglantine, and narcissus,
and gilliflower, the odours of which diffused in every direction by
the wind, inspired me with the utmost delight. I locked again the
door of the second closet, and opened that of the third. Within this
I found a large saloon, paved with marbles of various colours, and
with cosdy minerals and precious gems, and containing cages con-
structed of sandal and aloes-wood with singing birds within them,
and others upwn the branches of trees which were planted there. My
heart was charmed, my trouble was dissipated, and I slept there
until the morning. I then opened the door of the fourth closet, and
within this door I found a great building in which were forty closets
with open doors; and, entering these, I beheld pearls, and rubies,
and chrysolites, and emeralds, and other precious jewels such as the
tongue cannot describe. I was astonished at the sight and said. Such
things as these, I imagine, are not found in the treasury of any King.
I am now the King of my age, and all these treasures, through the
goodness of God, are mine, together with forty damsels under my
authority who have no man to share them vwth me.

Thus I continued to amuse myself, passing from one place to
another, until thirty-nine days had elapsed, and I had opened the
doors of all the closets excepting that which they had forbidden me
to open. My heart was then disturbed by curiosity respecting this
hundredth closet, and the Devil, in order to plunge me into misery,

THE THIRD ROYAL MENDICANT 99

induced me to open it. I had not patience to abstain, tliough there
remained of the appointed period only one day: So I approached the
closet, and opened the door; and when I had entered, I perceived a
fragrant odour, such as I iiad never before smelt, which intoxicated
me so that I fell down insensible, and remained some time in this
state: but at length recovering, I fortified my heart, and proceeded.
I found the floor overspread with saffron, and the place illuminated
by golden lamps and by candles, which diffused the odours of musk
and ambergris; and two large perfuming-vessels filled with aloes-
wood and ambergris, and a perfume compounded with honey, spread
fragrance through the whole place. I saw also a black horse, of the
hue of the darkest night, before which was a manger of white
crystal filled with cleansed sesame, and another, similar to it, con-
taining rose-water infused with musk: he was saddled and bridled,
and his saddle was of red gold. Wondering at the sight of him, I
said within myself. This must be an animal of extraordinary quali-
ties; — and, seduced by the Devil, I led him out, and mounted him;
but he moved not from his place: I kicked him with my heel; but
still he moved not: so I took a mikra'ah and struck him with it; and
as soon as he felt the blow he uttered a sound like thunder, and,
expanding a pair of wings, soared with me to an immense height
through the air, and then alighted upon the roof of another palace,
where he threw me from his back, and, by a violent blow with his
tail upon my face, as I sat on the roof, struck out my eye, and left me.

In this state I descended from the roof, and below I found the
one-eyed young men before mentioned, who, as soon as they beheld
me, exclaimed. No welcome to thee! — Receive me, said I, into your
company: — but they replied. By Allah, thou shalt not remain with
us: — so I departed from them, with mournful heart and weeping
eye, and, God having decreed me a safe journey hither, I arrived at
Baghdad, after I had shaved my beard, and become a mendicant.

The mistress of the house then looked towards the Khalifeh and
Ja'far and Mesrur, and said to them. Acquaint me with your his-
tories: — upon which Ja'far advanced towards her, and related to her
the same story that he had told to the portress before they entered;
and when she had heard it, she liberated them all. They accordingly
departed, and when they had gone out into the street, the Khalifeh

lOO THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

inquired of the mendicants whither they were going. They answered
that they knew not whither to go: whereupon he desired them to
accompany his party; and then said to Ja'far, Take them home with
thee, and bring them before me to-morrow, and we will see the
result. Ja'far, therefore, did as he was commanded, and the Khalifeh
returned to his palace; but he was unable to sleep during the remain-
der of the night.

On the following morning he sat upon his throne, and when his
courtiers had presented themselves before him, and departed, except-
ing Ja'far, he said to him, Bring before me the three ladies and the
two bitches and the mendicants. So Ja'far arose, and brought them,
and, placing the ladies behind the curtains, said to them, We have
forgiven you on account of your previous kindness to us, and because
ye knew us not; and now I acquaint you that ye are in the presence
of the fifth of the sons of E1-' Abbas, Harun Er-Rashid; therefore
relate to him nothing but the truth. And when the ladies heard the
words which Ja'far addressed to them on the part of the Khalifeh,
the eldest of them advanced, and thus related her story: —

The Story of the First of the Three Ladies of Baghdad

O Prince of the Faithful, my story is wonderful; for these two
bitches are my sisters, born to my father, but of another mother; and
I am the youngest of the three. After the death of our father, who
left us five thousand pieces of gold, these my two sisters married,
and when they had resided some time with their husbands, each of
the latter prepared a stock of merchandise, and received from his
wife a thousand pieces of gold, and they all set forth on a journey
together, leaving me here; but after they had been absent four years,
my sisters' husbands lost all their property, and abandoned them in
a strange land, and they returned to me in the garb of beggars.
When I first saw them in this state, I knew them not; and, as soon
as I recognised them, I exclaimed. How is it that ye are in this con-
dition? — O our sister, they answered, thy inquiry now is of no use:
the Pen hath written what God hath decreed. — I sent them, there-
fore, to the bath, and, having clad them in new apparel, said to
them, O my sisters, ye are my elders, and I am young; so ye shall be

THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD 10 1

to me in the places of my father and mother. The inheritance which
I shared with you God hath blessed; partake then of its increase, for
my affairs are prosperous; and I and ye shall fare alike. — I treated
them with the utmost kindness, and during a whole year they
remained with me, and enriched themselves by the money that I
had given them; but after this period they said to me, It will be
more agreeable to us to marry again, for we can no longer abstain
from doing so. — O my sisters, I replied, ye have seen no happiness in
marriage: a good husband in this age is rarely found, and ye have
already had experience of the marriage-state. They, however, heeded
not my words; but married against my consent: yet I gave them
dowries from my own property, and continued to them my protec-
tion. They went to their husbands, and the latter, after they had
resided with them a short time, defrauded them of all that they
possessed, and, setting forth on a journey, left them destitute: so
again they returned to me, and, in a state of nudity, implored my
forgiveness, saying. Be not angry with us; for though thou art
younger than we, thou hast more mature sense; and we promise
thee that we will never again mention the subject of marriage. I
replied. Ye are welcome, O my sisters; for I have no one dearer to
me than yourselves: — and I received them, and treated them with
every kindness, and we remained happily together for the space of
a year.

After this I resolved to fit out a vessel for a mercantile voyage:
accordingly, I stocked a large ship with various goods and necessary
provisions, and said to my sisters. Will ye rather stay at home during
my voyage, or will ye go with me? — to which they answered. We
will accompany thee during the voyage, for we cannot endure to be
separated from thee. I therefore took them with me, and we set sail;
but first I divided my property into two equal portions; one of which
I took with me, and the other I concealed, saying within myself.
Perhaps some evil accident may happen to the ship, and our lives may
be prolonged; in which case, when we return we shall find that
which will be of service to us. — We continued our voyage by day
and night, till at length the vessel pursued a wrong course, and the
captain knew not whither to steer. The ship had entered a different
sea from that which we wished to cross, and for some time we knew

102 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

it not; but for ten days we had a pleasant wind, and after this, a city
loomed before us in the distance. We asked the captain what was
the name of this city; and he answered, I know it not; I have never
seen it till this day, nor have I ever before in the course of my life
navigated this sea: but as we have come hither in safety, ye have
nothing to do but to enter this city and land your goods, and, if ye
find opportunity, sell or exchange there: if not, we will rest there
two days, and take in fresh provisions. So we entered the port of
the city, and the captain landed, and after a while returned to us,
saying, Arise, and go up into the city, and wonder at that which
God hath done unto his creatures, and pray to be preserved from
his anger. And when we had entered the city, we found all its
inhabitants converted into black stones. We were amazed at the
sight, and as we walked through the market-streets, finding the
merchandise and the gold and silver remaining in their original
state, we rejoiced, and said. This must have been occasioned by some
wonderful circumstance. We then separated in the streets, each of
us attracted from his companions by the wealth and stui7s in the
shops.

As for myself, I ascended to the citadel, which I found to be a
building of admirable construction; and, entering the King's palace,
I found all the vessels of gold and silver remaining in their places,
and the King himself seated in the midst of his Chamberlains and
Viceroys and Wezirs, and clad in apparel of astonishing richness.
Drawang nearer to him, I perceived that he was sitting upon a
throne adorned with pearls and jewels, every one of the pearls
shining Uke a star: his dress was embroidered with gold, and around
him stood fifty memluks, attired in silks of various descriptions, and
having in their hands drawn swords. Stupjefied at this spectacle, I
proceeded, and entered the saloon of the Harim, upon the walls of
which were hung silken curtains; and here I beheld the Queen,
attired in a dress embroidered with fresh pearls, and having upon
her head a diadem adorned with various jewels, and necklaces of
different kinds on her neck. All her clothing and ornaments re-
mained as they were at first, though she herself was converted into
black stone. Here also I found an open door, and, entering it, I
saw a flight of seven steps, by which I ascended to an apartment

THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD IO3

paved with marble, furnished with gold-embroidered carpets, and
containing a couch of alabaster, ornamented with pearls and jewels;
but my eyes were first attracted by a gleam of light, and when I ap-
proached the spot whence it proceeded, I found a brilliant jewel, of
the size of an ostrich's egg, placed uf>on a small stool, diffusing a
light like that of a candle. The coverings of the couch above men-
tioned were of various kinds of silk, the richness of which would
surprise every beholder; and I looked at them with wonder. In this
apartment I likewise observed some lighted candles, and reflected
that there must then have been some person there to light them. I
passed thence to another part of the palace, and continued to explore
the different apartments, forgetting myself in the amazement of
my mind at all these strange circumstances, and immersed in
thoughts respecting what I beheld, until the commencement of night,
when I would have departed; but could not find the door; so I re-
turned to the place in which were the lighted candles, and there
I laid myself upon the couch, and, covering myself with a quilt,
repeated some words of the Kur'an and endeavoured to compose
myself to sleep; but I could not. I continued restless: and at midnight
I heard a recitation of the Kur'an, performed by a melodious and
soft voice; uf)on which I arose, and, looking about, saw a closet with
an open door, and I entered it, and found that it was an oratory:
lighted lamps were suspended in it, and upon a prayer carpet
spread on the floor sat a young man of handsome asfsect. Wonder-
ing that he had escaped the fate of the other inhabitants of the city,
I saluted him; and he raised his eyes, and returned my salutation:
and I then said to him, I conjure thee by the truth of that which
thou art reading in the Book of God, that thou answer the question
which I am about to ask thee: — whereupon he smiled, and repHed,
Do thou first acquaint me with the cause of thine entrance into this
place, and then I will answer thy question: so I told him my story,
and inquired of him the history of this city. Wait a little, said he; —
and he closed the Kur'an, and, having put it in a bag of satin, seated
me by his side. As I now beheld him, his countenance appeared like
the full moon, and his whole person exhibited such perfect elegance
and loveliness, that a single glance at him drew from me a thousand
sighs, and kindled a fire in my heart. I repeated my request that he

104 "^^E THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

would give me an account of the city; and, replying, I hear and
obey, he thus addressed me: —

Know that this city belonged to my fatner and his family and
subjects; and he is the King whom thou hast seen converted into
stone; and the Queen whom thou hast seen is my mother. They
were all Magians, worshipping fire in the place of the Almighty
King; and they swore by the fire and the light, and the shade and
the heat, and the revolving orb. My father had no son, till, in his
declining years, he was blest with me, whom he reared until I
attained to manhood. But, happily for me, there was, in our family,
an old woman, far advanced in age, who was a Muslimeh, believing
in God and his Apostle in her heart, though she conformed with
my family in outward observances; and my father confided in her,
on account of the faithfulness and modesty that he had observed in
her character, and shewed her great favour, firmly believing that she
held the same faith as himself; therefore, when I had passed my
infancy, he committed me to her care, saying. Take him, and rear
him, and instruct him in the ordinances of our faith, and educate
him and serve him in the best manner. The old woman accordingly
received me, but took care to instruct me in the faith of £1-Islam,
teaching me the laws of purification, and the divine ordinances of
ablution, together with the forms of prayer; after which she made
me commit to memory the whole of the Kur'an. She then charged
me to keep my faith a secret from my father, lest he should kill me;
and I did so; and a few days after, the old woman died. The in-
habitants of the city had now increased in their impiety and
arrogance, and in their dereliction of the truth; and while they were
in this state, they heard a crier proclaim with a voice like thunder,
so as to be audible to both the near and the distant, O inhabitants
of this city, abstain from the worship of fire, and worship the Al-
mighty King! — The people were struck with consternation, and,
flocking to my father, the King of the city, said to him. What is this
alarming voice which hath astounded us by its terrible sound? —
but he answered them. Let not the voice terrify you, nor let it turn
you from your faith: — and their hearts inclined to his words; so they
persevered in the worship of fire, and remained obstinate in their
impiety during another year, until the return of the period at which

THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD IO5

they had heard the voice the first time. It was then heard a second
time; and again, in the next year, they heard it a third time; but
still they persisted in their evil ways, until, drawing down upon
themselves the abhorrence and indignation of Heaven, one morn-
ing, shortly after daybreak, they were converted into black stones,
together with their beasts and all their cattle. Not one of the in-
habitants of the city escaped, excepting me; and from the day on
which this catastrophe happened, 1 have continued occupied as thou
seest, in prayer, and fasting, and reading the Kur'an : but I have be-
come weary of this solitary state, having no one to cheer me with
his company.

On hearing these words, I said to him, Wilt thou go with me to
the city of Baghdad, and visit its learned men and lawyers, and
increase thy knowledge? If so, I will be thy handmaid, though I
am the mistress of my family, and have authority over a household
of men. I have here a ship laden with merchandise, and destiny
hath driven us to this city, in order that we might become acquainted
with these events: our meeting was predestined. — In this manner I
continued to p)ersuade him until he gave his consent. I slept that
night at his feet, unconscious of my state through excessive joy; and
in the morning we rose, and, entering the treasuries, took away a
quantity of the lighter and most valuable of the articles that they
contained, and descended from the citadel into the city, where we
met the slaves and the captain, who were searching for me. They
were rejoiced at seeing me, and, to their questions respecting my
absence, I replied by informing them of all that I had seen, and
related to them the history of the young man, and the cause of the
transmutation of the people of the city, and of all that had befallen
them, which filled them with wonder. But when my two sisters
saw me with the young man, they envied me on his account, and
malevolently plotted against me.

We embarked again, and I experienced the utmost happiness,
chiefly owing to the company of the young man; and after we had
waited a while till the wind was favourable, we spread our sails, and
departed. My sisters sat with me and the young man; and, in their
conversation with me, said, O our sister, what dost thou purpose to
do with this handsome youth? I answered, I desire to take him as

I06 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

my husband: — ^and, turning to him, and approaching him, I said,
O, my master, I wish to make a proposal to thee, and do not thou
oppose it. He repHed, I hear and obey: — and I then looked towards
my sisters, and said to them. This young man is all that I desire,
and all the wealth that is here is yours. — Excellent, they repUed, is
thy determination: — yet still they designed evil against me. — We
continued our voyage with a favourable wind, and, quitting the sea
of f>eril, entered the sea of security, across which we proceeded for
some days, until we drew near the city of El-Basrah, the buildings
of which loomed before us at the approach of evening; but as soon
as we had fallen asleep, my sisters took us up in our bed, both myself
and the young man, and threw us into the sea. The youth, being
unable to swim, was drowned; God recorded him among the com-
pany of the martyrs; while I was registered among those whose Hfe
was yet to be preserved: and, accordingly, as soon as I awoke and
found myself in the sea, the providence of God supplied me with a
piece of timber, upon which I placed myself, and the waves cast me
upon the shore of an island.

During the remainder of the night I walked along this island,
and in the morning I saw a neck of land, bearing the marks of a
man's feet, and uniting with the main land. The sun having now
risen, I dried my clothes in its rays, and proceeded along the path
that I had discovered until I drew near to the shore upon which
stands the city, when I beheld a snake approaching me, and followed
by a serpent which was endeavouring to destroy it: the tongue of
the snake was hanging from its mouth in consequence of excessive
fatigue, and it excited my compassion; so I took up a stone, and
threw it at the head of the serpent, which instantly died: the snake
then extended a pair of wings, and soared aloft into the sky, leaving
me in wonder at the sight. At the time of this occurrence I had
become so fatigued, that I now laid myself down and slept; but I
awoke after a little while, and found a damsel seated at my feet,
and gently rubbing them with her hands; upon which I imme-
diately sat up, feeling ashamed that she should perform this service
for me, and said to her, Who art thou, and what dost thou want.' —
How soon hast thou forgotten me! she exclaimed: I am she to whom
thou hast just done a kindness, by kilhng my enemy; I am the

THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD I07

snake whom thou savedst from the serpent; for I am a Jinniyeh,
and the serpent was a Jinni at enmity with me; and none but thou
delivered me from him : therefore, as soon as thou didst this, I flew
to the ship from which thy sisters cast thee, and transported all
that it contained to thy house; I then sunk it; but as to thy sisters,
I transformed them by enchantment into two black bitches; for I
knew all that they had done to thee: the young man, however, is
drowned. — Having thus said, she took me up, and placed me with
the two black bitches on the roof of my house: and I found all the
treasures that the ship had contained collected in the midst of my
house: nothing was lost. She then said to me, I swear by that which
was engraved upon the seal of Suleyman, that, if thou do not inflict
three hundred lashes upon each of these bitches every day, I will
come and transform thee in the like manner: — so I replied, I hear
and obey : — and have continued ever since to inflict upon them these
strifjes, though pitying them while I do so.

The Khalifeh heard this story with astonishment, and then said
to the second lady. And what occasioned the stripes of which thou
bearest the marks.'' She answered as follows: —

The Story of the Second of the Three Ladies of Baghdad

Prince of the Faithful, my father, at his death, left considerable
property; and soon after that event 1 married to one of the wealthiest
men of the age, who, when I had lived with him a year, died, and
I inherited from him eighty thousand pieces of gold, the portion that
fell to me according to the law; with part of which I made for myself
ten suits of clothing, each of the value of a thousand pieces of gold.
And as I was sitting one day, there entered my apartment an old
woman, disgustingly ugly, who saluted me, and said, I, have an
orphan daughter whose marriage I am to celebrate this night, and I
would have thee obtain a reward and recompense in heaven by thy
being present at her nuptial festivity; for she is broken-hearted,
having none to befriend her but God, whose name be exalted. She
then wept, and kissed my feet ; and, being moved with pity and com-
passion, I assented, up)on which she desired me to prepare myself,
tiling me that she would come at the hour of nightfall and take
me; and so saying, she kissed my hand, and departed.

I08 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I arose immediately, and attired myself, and when I had completed
my preparations, the old woman returned, saying, O my mistress,
the ladies of the city have arrived, and I have informed them of thy
coming, and they are waiting with joy to receive thee: — so I put on
my outer garments, and, taking my female slaves with me, proceeded
until we arrived at a street in which a soft wind was delightfully
playing, where we saw a gateway over-arched with a marble vault,
admirably constructed, forming the entrance to a palace which rose
from the earth to the clouds. On our arrival there, the old woman
knocked at the door, and, when it was opened, we entered a carpeted
passage, illuminated by lamps and candles, and decorated with
jewels and precious metals. Through this passage we passed into a
saloon of unequalled magnificence, furnished with mattresses cov-
ered with silk, lighted by hanging lamps and by candles, and having,
at its upper end, a couch of alabaster decorated with pearls and
jewels, and canopied by curtains of satin, from which there came
forth a lady beautiful as the moon, who exclaimed to me. Most wel-
come art thou, O my sister : thou delightest me by thy company, and
refreshest my heart. She then sat down again, and said to me, O my
sister, I have a brother who hath seen thee at a festivity: he is a
young man, more handsome than myself, and, his heart being vio-
lently inflamed with love of thee, he hath bribed this old woman to
go to thee, and to employ this artifice in order to obtain for me an
interview with thee. He desireth to marry thee according to the
ordinance of God and his Ap)ostle, and in that which is lawful there
is no disgrace. — When I heard these words, and saw myself thus
confined in the house so that I could not escape, I replied, I hear,
and obey: — and the lady, rejoicing at my consent, clapped her hands,
and of)ened ,a door, upon which there came out from it a young
man so surpassingly handsome, that my heart immediately inclined
to him. No sooner had he sat down than the Kadi and four wit-
nesses entered, and saluted us, and proceeded to perform the cere-
mony of the marriage<ontract between me and the young man;
which having done, they departed; and when they had retired, the
young man looked towards me, and said, May our night be blessed.
He then informed me that he desired to impose a covenant upon
me, and, bringing a copy of the Kur'an, said, Swear that thou wilt

THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD IO9

not indulge a preference, nor at all incline, to any man but me: — and
when I had sworn to this effect he rejoiced exceedingly, and
embraced me; and the love of him took entire possession of my
heart.

We lived together in the utmost happiness for the space of a
month, after which I begged that he would allow me to go to the
bazar, in order to purchase some stuffs for dress, and, having ob-
tained his permission, went thither in company with the old woman,
and seated myself at the shop of a young merchant with whom she
was acquainted, and whose father, as she informed me, had died,
and left him great wealth. She desired him to shew me his most
cosdy stuffs; and while he was occupied in doing so, she began to
utter various flattering expressions in praise of him; but I said to
her. We have no concern with the praises that thou bestowest upon
him; we desire only to make our purchase, and to return home.
Meanwhile he produced to us what we wanted, and we handed him
the money: he refused, however, to take it, saying, It is an offer of
hospitality to you for your visit this day: — whereupon I said to the
old woman, If he will not take the money, return to him his stuff.
But he would not receive it again, and exclaimed. By Allah, I will
take nothing from you: all this is a present from me for a single kiss,
which I shall value more than the entire contents of my shop. —
What will a kiss profit thee? asked the old woman. Then, turning
to me, she said, O my daughter, thou hast heard what the youth
hath said: no harm will befall thee if he give thee a kiss, and thou
shalt take what thou wantest. — Dost thou not know, said I, that I
have taken an oath? She answered, Let him kiss thee then without
thy speaking, and so it will be of no consequence to thee, and thou
shalt take back thy money. Thus she continued to palliate the
matter until I put my head (as it were) into the bag, and consented:
so I covered my eyes, and held the edge of tiy veil in such a manner
as to prevent the passengers from seeing me, whereupon he put his
mouth to my cheek beneath the veil, but instead of merely kissing
me, he lacerated my cheek by a violent bite. I fell into a swoon from
the pain, and the old woman laid me on her lap till I recovered,
when I found the shop closed, and the old woman uttering expres-
sions of grief, and saying, What God hath averted would have been

no THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

a greater calamity: let us return home, and do thou feign to be ill,
and I will come to thee and apply a remedy that shall cure the
wound, and thou wilt quickly be restored.

After remaining there some time longer, I rose, and, in a state
of great uneasiness and fear, returned to the house, and professed
myself ill; upon which my husband came in to me, and said. What
hath befallen thee, O my mistress, during this excursion? I an-
swered, I am not well. — And what is this wound, said he, that is
upon thy cheek, and in the soft part ? 1 answered, When I asked thy
permission, and went out to-day to purchase some stuff for dress, a
camel loaded with firewood drove against me in the crowd, and
tore my veil, and wounded my cheek as thou seest, for the streets
of this city are narrow. — To-morrow, then, he exclaimed, I will go
to the governor, and make a complaint to him, and he shall hang
every seller of firewood in the city. — By Allah, said I, burden not
thyself by an injury to any one; for the truth is, that I was riding
upon an ass, which took fright with me, and I fell upon the ground,
and a stick lacerated my cheek. — If it be so, then, he replied, I will
go to-morrow to Ja'far El-Barmeki, and relate the matter to him, and
he shall kill every ass-driver in this city. — Wilt thou, said I, kill all
those men on my account when this which befell me was decreed by
God? — Undoubtedly, he answered; and, so saying, he seized me
violently, and then sprang up, and uttered a loud cry, upon which
the door opened, and there came forth from it seven black slaves,
who dragged me from my bed, and threw me down in the middle
of the apartment; whereupon he ordered one of them to hold me by
my shoulders, and to sit upon my head; and another to sit upon my
knees and to hold my feet. A third then came, with a sword in his
hand, and said, O my lord, shall I strike her with the sword, and
cleave her in twain, that each of these may take a half and throw it
into the Tigris for the fish to devour? For such is the punishment
of her who is unfaithful to her oath and to the laws of love. — My
husband answered. Strike her O Sa'ad: — And the slave, with the
drawn sword in his hand, said. Repeat the profession of the faith,
and reflect what thou wouldst have to be done, that thou mayest
give thy testamentary directions, for this is the end of thy life. —

THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD III

Good slave, I replied, release me for a while that I may do so: — and
I raised my head, and weeping as I spoke, addressed my husband
with these verses: —

You render me lovelorn, and remain at ease. You make my wounded

eyelids to be resdess, and you sleep.
Your abode is between my heart and my eyes; and my heart will not

relinquish you, nor my tears conceal my [>assion.
You made a covenant with me that you would remain faithful; but when

you had gained possession of my heart you deceived me.
Will you not pity my love for you and my moaning? Have you yourself

been secure from misfortunes?
I conjure you, by Allah, if I die, that you write upon my tombstone.

This was a slave of love.
That, perchance, some mourner who hath felt the same flame may pass

by the lover's grave, and pity her.

But on hearing these verses, and witnessing my weeping, he became
more incensed, and replied in the words of this couplet: —

I reject not the beloved of my heart from weariness: her own guilty

conduct is the cause of her punishment.
She desired that another should share with me her love; but the faith of

my heart inclineth not to partnership.

I continued to weep, and to endeavour to excite his compassion,
saying within myself, I will humble me before him, and address
him with soft words, that he may at least refrain from killing me,
though he take all that I possess; — but he cried out to the slave,
Cleave her in twain; for she is no longer of any value to us. — So the
slave approached me, and I now felt assured of my death, and com-
mitted myself to God; but suddenly the old woman came and threw
herself at my husband's feet, and, kissing them, exclaimed, O my
son, by the care with which I nursed thee, I conjure thee to pardon
this damsel, for she hath committed no offence that deserveth such a
punishment : thou art young, and I fear the effect of the imprecations
that she may utter against thee: — and after she had thus addressed
him, she wept, and continued to importune him, until, at length,
he said, I pardon her, but must cause her to bear upon her person

112 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

such marks of her offence as shall last for the remainder of her hfe.
So saying he commanded the slaves to strip off my vest, and, taking
a stick cut from a quince-tree, he beat me upon my back and my
sides until I became insensible from the violence of the blows, and
despaired of my life. He then ordered the slaves to take me away
as soon as it was night, accompanied by the old woman, and throw
me into my house in which I formerly resided. They accordingly
executed their lord's commands, and when they had deposited me
in my house, I applied myself to the healing of my wounds; but,
after I had cured myself, my sides still bore the appearance of having
been beaten with mikra'ahs. I continued to apply remedies for four
months before I was restored, and then repaired to view the house
in which this event had happened; but I found it reduced to ruin,
and the whole street pulled down; the site of the house I found
occupied by mounds of rubbish, and I knew not the cause.

Under these circumstances, I went to reside with this my sister,
who is of the same father as myself, and I found with her these two
bitches. Having saluted her, I informed her of all that had befallen
me; to which she replied. Who is secure from the afflictions of for-
tune? Praise be to God who terminated the affair with safety to
thy life! — She then related to me her own story, and that of her two
sisters, and I remained with her, and neither of us ever mentioned
the subject of marriage. Afterwards we were joined by this our
other sister, the cateress, who every day goes out to purchase for us
whatever we happen to want.

The Khalifeh was astonished at this story, and ordered it to be
recorded in a book, as an authentic history, and deposited the book
in his library. And he said to the first lady, Knowest thou where
the Jinniyeh who enchanted thy sister is to be found? She answered,
O Prince of the Faithful, she gave me a lock of her hair, and said.
When thou desirest my presence, burn a few of these hairs, and I
will be with thee quickly, though I should be beyond Mount Kaf. —
Bring then the hair, said the Khalifeh. The lady, therefore, pro-
duced it; and the Khalifeh, taking it, burned a portion of it, and
when the odour had diffused itself, the palace shook, and they heard
a sound of thunder, and lo, the Jinniyeh appeared before them. She

THE THRtE LADIES OF BAGHDAD 113

was a Muslimeh, and therefore greeted the Khahfeh by saying, Peace
be on thee, O Khalifeh of Godl — to which he replied. On you be
peace, and the mercy of God, and his blessings!" She then said.
Know that this lady hath conferred on me a benefit for which I am
unable to requite her; for she rescued me from death, by killing
my enemy; and I, having seen what her sisters had done to her,
determined to take vengeance upon them; therefore I transformed
them by enchantment into two bitches; and, indeed, I had wished
rather to kill them, fearing lest they should trouble her; but now, if
thou desire their restoration, O Prince of the Faithful, I will restore
them, as a favour to thee and to her; for I am one of the true believ-
ers. — Do so, said the Khalifeh; and then we will enter upon the
consideration of the affair of the lady who hath been beaten, and
examine her case, and if her veracity be established, I will take
vengeance for her upon him who hath oppressed her. The Jinniyeh
replied, O Prince of the Faithful, I will guide thee to the discovery
of him who acted thus to this lady, and oppressed her, and took her
property: he is thy nearest relation. She then took a cup of water,
and, having pronounced a spell over it, sprinkled the faces of the two
bitches, saying. Be restored to your original human forms! — where-
upon they became again two young ladies. — Extolled be the per-
fection of their Creator! Having done this, the Jinniyeh said, O
Prince of the Faithful, he who beat the lady is thy son El-Emin, who
had heard of her beauty and loveliness: — and she proceeded to relate
what had happened. The Khalifeh was astonished, and exclaimed.
Praise be to God for the restoration of these two bitches which hath
been effected through my means! — and immediately he summoned
before him his son El-Emin, and inquired of him the history of the
lady; and he related to him the truth. He then sent for Kadis and
witnesses, and the first lady and her two sisters who had been trans-
formed into bitches he married to the three mendicants who had
related that they were the sons of Kings; and these he made cham-
berlains of his court, appointing them all that they required, and
allotting them apartments in the palace of Baghdad. The lady who
had been beaten he restored to his son El-Emin, giving her a large
property, and ordering that the house should be rebuilt in a more
" This salutation and its reply are to be given only to and by Muslims.

114 "^^^ THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

handsome style. Lastly, the lady cateress he took as his own wife;
he admitted her at once to his own apartment, and, on the following
day, he appointed her a separate lodging for herself, with female
slaves to wait upon her: he also allotted to her a regular income;
and afterwards built for her a palace.

[Nights 24-^2]
The Story of the Humpback

THERE was, in ancient times, in the city of El-Basrah, a
tailor who enjoyed an ample income, and was fond of spon
and merriment. He was in the habit of going out occasion-
ally with his wife, that they might amuse themselves with strange
and diverting scenes; and one day they went forth in the afternoon,
and, returning home in the evening, met a humpbacked man, whose
aspea was such as to excite laughter in the angry, and to dispel
anxiety and grief: so they approached him to enjoy the pleasure of
gazing at him, and invited him to return with them to their house,
and to join with them in a carousal that night.

He assented to their proposal; and after he had gone with them to
the house, the tailor went out to the market; night having then ap-
proached. He bought some fried iish, and bread and limes and
sweetmeat, and, returning with them, placed the fish before the
humpback, and they sat down to eat; and the tailor's wife took a
large piece of fish, and crammed the humpback with it, and, closing
his mouth with her hand, said. By Allah, thou shalt not swallow it
but by gulping it at once, and I will not give thee time to chew it.
He therefore swallowed it; but it contained a large and sharp bone,
which stuck across in his throat, his destiny having so determined,
and he expired. The tailor exclaimed. There is no strength nor
power but in God, the High, the Great! Alas, that this poor creature
should not have died but in this manner by our hands! — Where-
fore this idling? exclaimed the woman. — And what can I do? asked
her husband. — Arise, she answered, and take him in thy bosom, and
cover him with a silk napkin: I will go out first, and do thou follow
me, this very night, and say. This is my son, and this is his mother;
and we are going to convey him to the physician, that he may give
him some medicine.
No sooner had the tailor heard these words than he arose, and took

"5

Il6 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

the humpback in his bosom. His wife, accompanying him, ex-
claimed, O my child! may Allah preserve thee! Where is the part
in which thou feelest pain; and where hath this small-pox attacked
thee? — So every one who saw them said. They are conveying a child
smitten with the small-pox. Thus they proceeded, inquiring, as they
went, for the abode of the physician; and the people directed them
to the house of a physician who was a Jew; and they knocked at the
door, and there came down to them a black slave-girl, who opened
the door, and beheld a man carrying (as she imagined) a child, and
attended by its mother; and she said. What is your business? — We
have a child here, answered the tailor's wife, and we want the
physician to see him : take, then, this quarter of a piece of gold, and
give it to thy master, and let him come down and see my son; for
he is ill. The girl, therefore, went up, and the tailor's wife, entering
the vestibule, said to her husband. Leave the humpback here, and
let us take ourselves away. And the tailor, accordingly, set him up
against the wall, and went out with his wife.

The slave-girl, meanwhile, went in to the Jew, and said to him.
Below, in the house, is a sick person, with a woman and a man: and
they have given me a quarter of a piece of gold for thee, that thou
mayest prescribe for them what may suit his case. And when the
Jew saw the quarter of a piece of gold, he rejoiced, and, rising in
haste, went down in the dark: and in doing so, his foot struck against
the lifeless humpback. O Ezra! he exclaimed — O Heavens and the
Ten Commandments! O Aaron, and Joshua son of Nun! It seemeth
that I have stumbled against this sick person, and he hath fallen
down the stairs and died! And how shall I go forth with one killed
from my house? O Ezra's ass!' — He then raised him, and took him
up from the court of the house to his wife, and acquainted her with
the accident. — And why sittest thou here idle? said she; for if thou
remain thus until daybreak our lives will be lost: let me and thee,

' 'Ozcyr, or Ezra, "riding on an ass by the ruins of Jerusalem, after it had been
destroyed by the Chaldeans, doubted in his mind by what means God could raise
the city and its inhabitants again; whereupon God caused him to die, and he
remained in that condition a hundred years; at the end of which God restored him
to life, and he found a basket of figs and a cruse of wine he had with him, not in
the least spoiled or corrupted, but his ass was dead, the bones only remaining; and
these, while the Prophet looked on, were raised and cloathed with flesh, becoming an
ass again, which, being inspired with life, began immediately to bray." — Sale's Koran,
ch. ii., note [p. 31, ed. 1734].

THE HUMPBACK II7

then, take him up to the terrace, and throw him into the house of our
neighbour the Muslim; for he is the steward of the Suhan's kitchen,
and often do the cats come to his house, and eat of the food which
they find there; as do the mice too; and if he remain there for a
night, the dogs will come down to him from the terraces and eat
him up entirely. So the Jew and his wife went up, carrying
the humpback, and let him down by his hands and feet to the
pavement; placing him against the wall; which having done, they
descended.

Not long had the humpback been thus deposited when the steward
returned to his house, and opened the door, and, going up with a
lighted candle in his hand, found a son of Adam standing in the
corner next the kitchen; upon which he exclaimed. What is this.?
By Allah, the thief that hath stolen our goods is none other than a
son of Adam, who taketh what he findeth of flesh or grease, even
though I keep it concealed from the cats and the dogs; and if I
killed all the cats and dogs of the quarter it would be of no use; for
he Cometh down from the terraces! — And so saying, he took up a
great mallet, and struck him with it, and then, drawing close to him,
gave him a second blow with it upon the chest, when the humpback
fell down, and he found that he was dead; whereupon he grieved,
and said. There is no strength nor power but in God! And he
feared for himself, and exclaimed. Curse upon the grease and the
flesh, and upon this night, in which the destiny of this man hath
been accomplished by my hand! Then, looking upon him, and per-
ceiving that he was a humpback, he said. Is it not enough that thou
art humpbacked, but must thou also be a robber, and steal the flesh
and the grease? O Protector, cover me with thy gracious shelter! —
And he lifted him Uf)on his shoulders, and descended, and went
forth from the house, towards the close of the night, and stopped not
until he had conveyed him to the commencement of the market-
street, where he placed him upxjn his feet by the side of a shop at the
entrance of a lane, and there left him and retired.

Soon after there came a Christian, the Sultan's broker, who, in
a state of intoxication, had come forth to visit the bath; and he
advanced staggering, until he drew near to the humpback, when he
turned his eyes, and beheld one standing by him. Now, some persons

Il8 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

had snatched off his turban early in the night, and when he saw the
humpback standing there, he concluded that he intended to do the
same; so he clenched his fist, and struck him on the neck. Down
fell the humpback upon the ground, and the Christian called out
to the watchman of the market, while, still in the excess of his in-
toxication, he continued beating the humpback, and attempting to
throttle him. As he was thus employed, the watchman came, and,
finding the Christian kneeling upon the MusUm and beating him,
said. Arise, and quit him! He arose, therefore, and the watchman,
approaching the humpback, saw that he was dead, and exclaimed.
How is that the Christian dareth to kill the Muslim ? Then seizing
the Christian, he bound his hands behind him, and took him to the
house of the Wali;^ the Christian saying within himself, O Heavens!
O Virgin! how have I killed this man.? and how quickly did he
die from a blow of the hand! — Intoxication had departed, and re-
flection had come.

The humpback and the Christian passed the remainder of the night
in the house of the Wali, and the Wali ordered the executioner to
proclaim the Christian's crime, and he set up a gallows, and sta-
tioned him beneath it. The executioner then came, and threw the
rope round his neck, and was about to hang him, when the Sultan's
steward pushed through the crowd, seeing the Christian standing
beneath the gallows, and the people made way for him, and he said
to the executioner, Do it not, for it was I who killed him. — Where-
fore didst thou kill him.? said the Wali. He answered, I went into
my house last night, and saw that he had descended from the terrace
and stolen my goods; so I struck him with a mallet upon his chest,
and he died, and I carried him out, and conveyed him to the market-
street, where I set him up in such a place, at the entrance of such a
lane. Is it not enough for me to have killed a Muslim, that a Chris-
tian should be killed on my account? Hang, then, none but me. —
The Wali, therefore, when he heard these words, liberated the Chris-
tian broker, and said to the executioner, Hang this man, on the
ground of his confession. And he took off the rope from the neck of
the Christian, and put it round the neck of the steward, and having
stationed him beneath the gallows, was about to hang him, when
' chief police magistrate.

THE HUMPBACK II9

the Jewish physician pushed through the crowd, and called out
to the executioner, saying to him, Do it not; for none killed him
but I; and the case was this: he came to my house to be cured
of a disease, and as I descended to him I struck against him
with my foot, and he died: kill not the steward, therefore; but kill
me. So the Wall gave orders to hang the Jewish physician; and the
executioner took off the rope from the steward's neck, and put it
round the neck of the Jew. But, lo, the tailor came, and, forcing his
way among the people, said to the executioner, Do it not; for none
killed him but I; and it happened thus: I was out amusing myself
during the day, and as I was returning at the commencement of
the night, I met this humpback in a state of intoxication, with a tam-
bourine, and singing merrily; and I stopped to divert myself by
looking at him, and took him to my house. I then bought some
fish, and we sat down to eat, and my wife took a piece of fish and
a morsel of bread, and crammed them into his mouth, and he was
choked, and instantly died. Then I and my wife took him to the
house of the Jew, and the girl came down and opened the door, and
while she went up to her master, I set up the humpback by the stairs,
and went away with my wife: so, when the Jew came down and
stumbled against him, he thought that he had killed him. — And he
said to the Jew, Is this true? He answered. Yes. The tailor, then
looking towards the Wali, said to him. Liberate the Jew, and hang
me. And when the Wali heard this he was astonished at the case
of the humpback, and said, Verily this is an event that should be
recorded in books! And he said to the executioner. Liberate the
Jew, and hang the tailor on account of his own confession. So the
executioner had him forward, saying, Dost thou put forward this
and take back that; and shall we not hang one? And he put the
rope roimd the neck of the tailor.

Now the humpback was the Sultan's buffoon, and the SiJtan could
not bear him to be out of his sight; and when the humpback had
got drunk, and been absent that night and the next day until noon,
the King inquired respecting him of some of his attendants, and
they answered him, O our lord, the Wali hath taken him forth
dead, and gave orders to hang the person who killed him, and there
came a second and a third person, each saying, None killed him but

120 THE THOUSAND A^fD ONE NIGHTS

I: — and describing to the Wall the cause of his killing him. When
the King, therefore, heard this, he called out to the Chamberlain,
and said to him, Go down to the Wali, and bring them all hither
before me. So the Chamberlain went down, and found that the
executioner had almost put to death the tailor, and he called out to
him, saying, Do it not: — and informed the Wali that the case had
been reported to the King. And he took him, and the humpback
borne with him, and the tailor and the Jew and the Christian and
the steward, and went up with them all to the King; and when the
Wali came into the presence of the King, he kissed the ground, and
related to him all that had happened. And the King was astonished,
and was moved with merriment, at hearing this tale; and he com-
manded that it should be written in letters of gold. He then said to
those who were present, Have ye ever heard anything like the story
of this humpback ? And upon this the Christian advanced, and said,
O King of the age, if thou permit me I will relate to thee an event
that hath occurred to me more wonderful and strange and exciting
than the story of the humpback. — Tell us then thy story, said the
King. And the Christian related as follows: —

The Story Told by the Christian Broker

Know, O King of the age, that I came to this country with
merchandise, and destiny stayed me among your people. I was born
in Cairo, and am one of its Copts, and there I was brought up. My
father was a broker; and when I had attained to manhood, he
died, and I succeeded to his business; and as I was sitting one day,
lo, a young man of most handsome aspect, and clad in a dress of the
richest description, came to me, riding upon an ass, and when he saw
me, saluted me; whereufxjn I rose to him, to pay him honour, and
he produced a handkerchief containing some sesame, and said. What
is the value of an ardebb' of this ? I answered him, A hundred pieces
of silver. And he said to me. Take the carriers and the measures, and
repair to the Khan of El-Jawali in the district of Bab en-Nasr :* there

'In Cairo, nearly five bushels.

* "Gate of Victory or of Aid": the easternmost of the northern gates of Cairo built
in 1088. The Khan referred to is mentioned by El-Makrizi as beinf; situated at a
short distance within the present gate and by the site of the older gate of the same
name, and as existing in his time [14 17].

THE CHRISTIAN BROKER 121

wilt thou find me. And he left me and went his way, after having
given me the handkerchief with the sample of the sesame. So I went
about to the purchasers; and the price of each ardebb amounted to a
hundred and twenty pieces of silver; and I took with me four car-
riers, and went to him. I found him waiting my arrival; and when
he saw me he rose and opened a magazine, and we measured its
contents, and the whole amounted to fifty ardebbs. The young man
then said, Thou shah have, for every ardebb, ten pieces of silver as
brokerage; and do thou receive the price and keep it in thy care: the
whole sum will be five thousand; and thy share of it, five hundred:
so there will remain for me four thousand and five hundred; and
when I shall have finished the sale of the goods contained in my
store-room, I will come to thee and receive it. I replied. It shall be as
thou desirest. And I kissed his hand, and left him. Thus there
accrued to me, on that day, a thousand pieces of silver, [besides my
brokerage.]

He was absent from me a month, at the expiration of which he
came and said to me. Where is the money? I answered. Here it is,
ready. And he said. Keep it until I come to thee to receive it. And
I remained expecting him; but he was absent from me another
month; after which he came again, and said, Where is the money?
Whereupon I arose and saluted him, and said to him. Wilt thou eat
something with us? He, however, declined, and said. Keep the
money until I shall have gone and returned to receive it from thee.
He then departed; and I arose, and prepared for him the money,
and sat expecting him; but again he absented himself from me for
a month, and then came and said, After this day I will receive it
from thee. And he departed, and I made ready the money for him
as before, and sat waiting his return. Again, however, he remained
a month absent from me, and I said within myself. Verily this young
man is endowed with consummate liberality! After the month he
came, attired in rich clothing, and resembling the full moon, appear-
ing as if he had just come out of the bath, with red cheek and fair
forehead, and a mole like a globule of ambergris. When I beheld
him I kissed his hand, and invoked a blessing upon him, and said
to him, O my master, wilt thou not take thy money? — Have
patience with me, he answered, until I shall have transacted all my

122 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

affairs, after which I will receive it from thee. And so saying, he
departed; and I said within myself, By Allah, when he cometh I
will entertain him as a guest, on account of the profit which 1 have
derived from his money; for great wealth hath accrued to me from it.

At the close of the year he returned, clad in a dress richer than the
former; and I swore to him that he should alight to be my guest. —
On the condition, he replied, that thou expend nothing of my money
that is in thy possession. I said, Well: — and, having seated him,
prepared what was requisite of meats and drinks and other pro-
visions, and placed them before him, saying, In the name of Allah!
And he drew near to the table, and put forth his left hand, and thus
ate with me: so I was surprised at him;' and when we had finished
he washed his hand, and I gave him a napkin with which to wipe it.
We then sat down to converse, and I said, O my master, disf)el a
trouble from my mind. Wherefore didst thou eat with thy left
hand? Probably something paineth thee in thy right hand? — On
hearing these words, he stretched forth his arm from his sleeve, and
behold, it was maimed — an arm without a hand! And I wondered
at this; but he said to me, Wonder not; nor say in thy heart that 1
ate with thee with my left hand from a motive of self-conceit; for
rather to be wondered at is the cause of the cutting off of my right
hand. And what, said I, was the cause of it? He answered thus: —

Know that I am from Baghdad: my father was one of the chief
people of that city; and when I had attained the age of manhood, I
heard the wanderers and travellers and merchants conversing respect-
ing the land of Egypt, and their words remained in my heart until
my father died, when I took large sums of money, and prepared
merchandise consisting of the stuffs of Baghdad and of El-Mosil, and
similar precious goods, and, having packed them up, journeyed
from Baghdad; and God decreed me safety until I entered this
your city. And so saying, he wept, and repeated these verses: —

The blear-eyed escapeth a pit into which the clear-sighted falleth;
And the ignorant, an expression by which the shrewd sage is ruined.
The believer can scarce earn his food, while the impious infidel is

favoured.
What art or act can a man devise? It is what the Almighty appointethi

' The Arab$ consider it indecoroiu to eat with the left hand.

THE CHRISTIAN BROKER 1 23

I entered Cairo, continued the young man, and deposited the stuffs
in the Khan of Mesrur,' and, having unbound my packages and put
them in the magazines, gave to the servant some money to buy for
us something to eat, after which I slept a little; and when I arose,
I went to Beyn el-Kasreyn. I then returned, and passed the night;
and in the morning following, I opened a bale of stuff, and said
within myself, I will arise and go through some of the market-
streets, and see the state of the mart. So I took some stuff, and made
some of my servants carry it, and proceeded until I arrived at the
Keysariyeh' of Jaharkas, where the brokers came to me, having
heard of my arrival, and took from me the stuff, and cried it about
for sale; but the price bidden amounted not to the prime cost. And
upon this the Sheykh of the brokers said to me, O my master, I
know a plan by which thou mayest profit; and it is this: that thou
do as other merchants, and sell thy merchandise upon credit for a
certain period, employing a scrivener and a witness and a money-
changer, and receive a portion of the profits every Thursday and
Monday; so shalt thou make of every piece of silver two; and be-
sides that, thou wilt be able to enjoy the amusements afforded by
Egypt and its Nile. — The advice is judicious, I replied: and accord-
ingly I took the brokers with me to the Khan, and they conveyed
the stuffs to the Keysariyeh, where I sold it to the merchants,
writing a bond in their names, which I committed to the money-
changer, and taking from him a corresponding bond. I then re-
turned to the Khan, and remained there some days; and every day
I took for my breakfast a cup of wine, and had mutton and sweet-
meats prepared for me, until the month in which I became entitled
to the receipt of the profits, when I seated myself every Thursday
and Monday at the shops of the merchants, and the money-changer
went with the scrivener and brought me the money.

Thus did I until one day I went to the bath and returned to the
Khan, and, entering my lodging, took for my breakfast a cup of
wine, and then slept; and when I awoke I ate a fowl, and perfumed
myself with essence, and repaired to the shop of a merchant named
Bedr-ed-Din the Gardener, who, when he saw me, welcomed me,

• [In the Bcyn cl-Kasreyn or "Betwixt the Palaces," by the present Suk en-Nahhasin.
See Lane-Poole, Story of Cairo (1902), pp. 266-270.]

' A superior kind of suk or market.

124 "r**^ THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and conversed with me a while in his shop; and as we were thus
engaged, lo, a female came and seated herself by my side. She
wore a headkerchief inclined on one side, and the odours of sweet
perfumes were diffused from her, and she captivated my reason by
her beauty and loveliness as she raised her izar and 1 beheld her
black eyes. She saluted Bedr-ed-Din, and he returned her salutation,
and stood conversing with her; and when I heard her speech, love
for her took entire possession of my heart. She then said to Bedr-ed-
Din, Hast thou a piece of stuff woven with pure gold thread ? And
he produced to her a piece; and she said. May I take it and go, and
then send thee the price? But he answered, It is impossible, O my
mistress; for this is the owner of the stuff, and I owe him a portion
of the profit. — Woe to thee! said she: it is my custom to take of
thee each piece of stuff for a considerable sum of money, giving
thee a gain beyond thy wish, and then to send thee the price. — Yes,
he rejoined; but I am in absolute want of the price this day. And
upon this she took the piece and threw it back to him upon his
breast, saying. Verily your class knows not how to respect any
person's rank! And she arose, and turned away. I felt then as if
my soul went with her, and, rising upwn my feet, I said to her, O
my mistress, kindly bestow a look upon me, and retrace thine
honoured steps. And she returned, and smiled and said. For thy
sake I return. And she sat opposite me upon the seat of the shop;
and I said to Bedr-ed-Din, What is the price that thou hast agreed
to give for this piece? He answered. Eleven hundred pieces of silver.
And I said to him. Thy profit shall be a hundred pieces of silver:
give me then a paper, and I will write for thee the price upon it.
I then took the piece of stuff from him, and wrote him the paper
with my own hand, and gave the piece of stuff to the lady, saying
to her. Take it and go; and if thou wilt, bring the price to me in the
market; or, if thou wilt, it shall be my present to thee. She replied,
God recompense thee, and bless thee with my property, and make
thee my husband; and may God accept this prayer! — O my mistress,
said I, let this piece of stuff be thine, and another like it, and permit
me to see thy face. And upon this she raised her veil; and when I
beheld her face, the sight drew from me a thousand sighs, and my
heart was entangled by her love, so that I no longer remained master

THE CHRISTIAN BROKER 1 25

of my reason. She then lowered the veil again, and took the piece of
stufi, saying, O my master, leave me not desolate. So she departed,
while I continued sitting in the market-street until past the hour of
afternoon-prayer, with wandering mind, overpowered by love. In
the excess of my passion, before I rose I asked the merchant respect-
ing her; and he answered me. She is a rich lady, the daughter of a
deceased Emir, who left her great property.

I then took leave of him, and returned to the Khan, and the
supper was placed before me; but, reflecting upon her, I could eat
nothing. I laid myself down to rest; but sleep came not to me, and
I remained awake until the morning, when I arose and put on a
suit of clothing different from that which I had worn the day before;
and, having drunk a cup of wine, and eaten a few morsels as my
breakfast, repaired again to the shop of the merchant, and saluted
him, and sat down with him. The lady soon came, wearing a dress
more rich than the former, and attended by a slave-girl; and she
seated herself, and saluted me instead of Bedr-ed-Din, and said, with
an eloquent tongue which I had never heard surpassed in softness
or sweetness. Send with me some one to receive the twelve hundred
pieces of silver, the price of the piece of stuff. — Wherefore, said I,
this haste? She replied, May we never lose thee! And she handed
to me the price; and I sat conversing with her, and made a sign
to her, which she understood, intimating my wish to visit her:
whereufKjn she rose in haste, expressing displeasure at my hint. My
heart clung; to her, and I followed in the direction of her steps
through the market-street; and lo, a slave-girl came to me, and said,
O my master, answer the summons of my mistress. Wondering at
this, I said. No one here knoweth me. — How soon, she rejoined,
hast thou forgotten her! My mistress is she who was to-day at the
shop of the merchant Bedr-ed-Din. — So I went with her until we
arrived at the money-changer's; and when her mistress, who was
there, beheld me, she drew me to her side, and said, O my beloved,
thou hast wounded my heart, and love of thee hath taken jx)ssession
of it; and from the time that I first saw thee, neither sleep nor food
nor drink hath been pleasant to me. I replied, And more than thai
do I feel; and the state in which I am needs no complaint to
testify it. — Then shall I visit thee, O my beloved, she asked, or wilt

126 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

thou come to me? [For our marriage must be a secret.] — I am a
stranger, I answered, and have no place of reception but the Khan;
therefore, if thou wilt kindly permit me to go to thine abode, the
pleasure will be perfect. — Well, she replied; but to-night is the eve
of Friday, and let nothing be done till to-morrow, when, after thou
hast joined in the prayers, do thou mount thine ass, and inquire for
the Habbaniyeh; and when thou hast arrived there, ask for the
house called the Ka'ah of Barakat the Nakib,' known by the sur-
name of Abu-Shameh; for there do I reside; and delay not; for I
shall be anxiously exf)ecting thee.

On hearing this I rejoiced exceedingly, and we parted; and I re-
turned to the Khan in which I lodged. I passed the whole night
sleepless, and was scarcely sure that the daybreak had appeared when
I rose and changed my clothes, and, having perfumed myself with
essences and sweet scents, took with me fifty pieces of gold in a
handkerchief, and walked from the Khan of Mesrur to Bab
Zuweyleh,* where I mounted an ass, and said to its owner. Go with
me to the Habbaniyeh. And in less than the twinkling of an eye he
set off, and soon he stopped at a by-street called Darb El-Munakkiri,
when I said to him. Enter the street, and inquire for the Ka'ah of
the Nakib. He was absent but a httle while, and, returning, said,
Ahght. — Walk on before me, said I, to the Ka'ah. And he went on
until he had led me to the house; whereupon I said to him, To-
morrow come to me hither to convey me back. — In the name of
Allah, he replied: and I handed to him a quarter of a piece of gold,
and he took it and departed. I then knocked at the door, and there
came forth to me two young virgins in whom the forms of woman-
hood had just developed themselves, resembling two moons, and
they said. Enter; for our mistress is expecting thee, and she hath not
slept last night from her excessive love for thee. I entered an upper
saloon with seven doors: around it were latticed windows looking
upon a garden in which were fruits of every kind, and running
streams and singing birds: it was plastered with imperial gypsum,
in which a man might see his face reflected: its roof was ornamented
with gilding, and surrounded by inscriptions in letters of gold upon

« Chief.
*Or Zawileh, the touthcm gate of (the original) Cairo.

THE CHRISTIAN BROKER WJ

a ground of ultramarine: it comprised a variety of beauties, and
shone in the eyes of beholders: the pavement was of coloured
marbles, having in the midst of it a fountain, with four snakes of
red gold casting forth water from their mouths like pearls and
jewels at the corners of the pool; and it was furnished with carpets
of coloured silk, and mattresses.

Having entered, I seated myself; and scarcely had I done so when
the lady approached me. She wore a crown set with pearls and
jewels; her hands and feet were stained with henna; and her bosom
was ornamented with gold. As soon as she beheld me she smiled in
my face, and embraced me, saying, Is it true that thou hast come to
me, or is this a dream? — I am thy slave, I answered; and she said.
Thou art welcome. Verily, from the time when I first saw thee,
neither sleep hath been sweet to me nor hath food been pleasant! —
In such case have / been, I replied; — and we sat down to converse;
but I hung down my head towards the ground, in bashfulness; and
not long had I thus remained when a repast was placed before me,
consisting of the most exquisite dishes, as fricandoes and hashes and
stuffed fowls. I ate with her until we were satisfied; when they
brought the basin and ewer, and I washed my hands; after which
we perfumed ourselves with rose-water infused with musk, and
sat down again to converse; expressing to each other our mutual
passion; and her love took such pxassession of me that all the wealth
I possessed seemed worthless in comparison. In this manner we
continued to enjoy ourselves until, night approaching, the female
slaves brought supper and wine, a complete service; and we drank
until midnight. Never in my life had I passed such a night. And
when morning came, I arose, and, having thrown to her the hand-
kerchief containing the pieces of gold, I took leave of her and went
out; but as I did so she wept, and said, O my master, when shall I
see again this lovely face? I answered her, I will be with thee at
the commencement of the night. And when I went forth, I found
the owner of the ass, who had brought me the day before, waiting
for me at the door; and I mounted, and returned with him to the
Khan of Mesrur, where I alighted, and gave to him half a piece of
gold, saying to him. Come hither at sunset. He replied, On the head
be thy command.

128 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I entered the Khan, and ate my breakfast, and then went forth to
collect the price of my stuffs; after which I returned. I had prepared
for my wife a roasted lamb, and purchased some sweetmeat; and
I now called the porter, described to him the house, and gave him his
hire. Having done this, I occupied myself again with my business
until sunset, when the owner of the ass came, and I took fifty pieces
of gold, and put them into a handkerchief. Entering the house, I
found that they had wiped the marble and polished the vessels of
copper and brass, and filled the lamps and lighted the candles, and
dished the supper and strained the wine; and when my wife saw me,
she threw her arms around my neck, and said, Thou hast made me
desolate by thine absence! The tables were then placed before us,
and we ate until we were satisfied, and the slave-girls took away the
first table, and placed before us the wine; and we sat drinking, and
eating of the dried fruits, and making merry, until midnight. We
then slept until morning, when I arose and handed her the fifty
pieces of gold as before, and left her.

Thus I continued to do for a long time, until I passed the night
and awoke possessing not a piece of silver nor one of gold; and I
said within myself. This is of the work of the Devil! And I repeated
these verses: —

Poverty causeth the lustre of a man to grow dim, like the yellowness of

the setting sun.
When absent, he is not remembered among mankind; and when present,

he shareth not their pleasures.
In the market-streets he shunneth notice; and in desert places he poureth

forth his tears.
By Allah! a man, among his own relations, when afflicted with poverty,

is as a stranger!

With these reflections I walked forth into Beyn el-Kasreyn, and
proceeded thence to Bab Zuweyleh, where I found the people
crowding together, so that the gate was stopped up by their number;
and, as destiny willed, I saw there a trooper, and, unintentionally
pressing against him, my hand came in contact with his pocket, and
I felt it, and found that it contained a purse; and I caught hold of
the purse, and took it from his pcKket. But the trooper felt that his
pocket was lightened, and, putting his hand into it, found nothing;

THE CHRISTIAN BROKER I29

upon which he looked aside at me, and raised his hand with the
mace, and struck me upon my head. I fell to the ground, and the
people surrounded us, and seized the bridle of the trooper's horse,
saying, On account of the crowd dost thou strike this young man
such a blow? But he called out to them and said. This is a robber!
On hearing this I feared. The people around me said. This is a
comely young man, and hath taken nothing. While some, however,
believed this, others disbelieved; and after many words, the people
dragged me along, desiring to liberate me: but, as it was predestined,
there came at this moment the Wali and other magistrates entering
the gate, and, seeing the people surrounding me and the trooper, the
Wali said. What is the news.? The trooper answered. By Allah, O
Emir, this is a robber: I had in my pxxket a blue purse containing
twenty pieces of gold; and he took it while I was pressed by the
crowd. — Was any one with thee? asked the Wali. The trooper
answered, No. And the Wali called out to the chief of his servants,
saying. Seize him and search him. So he seized me; and protection
was withdrawn from me; and the Wali said to him. Strip him of
all that is upon him. And when he did so, they found the purse
in my clothes: and the Wali, taking it, counted the money, and
found it to be twenty pieces of gold, as the trooper had said; where-
upon he was enraged, and called out to his attendants, saying. Bring
him forward. They, therefore, brought me before him, and he said
to me, O young man, tell the truth. Didst thou steal this purse? —
And I hung down my head towards the ground, saying within my-
self. If I answer that I did not steal it, it will be useless, for he hath
produced it from my clothes; and if I say I stole it, I fall into trouble.
I then raised my head, and said. Yes, I took it. And when the Wali
heard these words, he wondered, and called witnesses, who pre-
sented themselves, and gave their testimony to my confession. — All
this took place at Bab Zuweyleh. — The Wali then ordered the
executioner to cut off my hand; and he cut off my right hand; but
the heart of the trooper was moved with compassion for me, and
he interceded for me that I should not be killed: so the Wali left
me and departed. The people however continued around me, and
gave me to drink a cup of wine; and the troojjer gave me the purse,
saying, Thou art a comely youth, and it is not fit that thou shouldst

130 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

be a thief. And I took it from him, and addressed him with these
verses: —

By Allah! good sir, I was not a robber; nor was I a thief, O best of

mankind!
But fortune's vicissitudes overthrew me suddenly, and anxiety and trouble

and poverty overpowered me.
I cast it not; but it was the Deity who cast an arrow that threw down the

kingly diadem from my head.

The trooper then left me and departed, after having given me the
purse, and I went my way; but first I wrapped my hand in a piece
of rag, and put it in my bosom. My condition thus altered, and my
countenance pallid in consequence of my sufferings, I walked to the
Ka'ah, and, in a disordered state of mind, threw myself upon the
bed. My wife, seeing my complexion thus changed, said to me. What
hath pained thee, and wherefore do I see thee thus altered? I
answered her, My head acheth, and I am not well. And on hearing
this she was vexed, and became ill on my account, and said. Burn not
my heart, O my master! Sit up, and raise thy head, and tell me
what hath hapfjened to thee this day; for I read a tale in thy face. —
Abstain from speaking to me, I replied. And she wept, and said,
it seemeth that thou art tired of us; for I see thee to be conducting
thyself in a manner contrary to thy usual habit. Then she wept
again, and continued addressing me, though I made her no reply,
until the approach of night, when she placed some food before me;
but I abstained from it, fearing that she should see me eat with my
left hand, and said, I have no desire to eat at present. She then said
again. Tell me what hath happened to thee this day, and where-
fore I see thee anxious and broken-hearted. I answered, I will
presently tell thee at my leisure. And she put the wine towards me,
saying. Take it; for it will dispel thine anxiety; and thou must drink,
and tell me thy story. I replied, therefore, If it must be so, give me
to drink with thy hand. And she filled a cup and drank it; and then
filled it again and handed it to me, and I took it from her with my
left hand, and, while tears ran from my eyes, I repeated these
verses: —

When God willeth an event to befall a man who is endowed with reason
and hearing and sight.

THE CHRISTIAN BROKER I3I

He deafeneth his ears, and blindeth his heart, and draweth his reason

from him as a hair.
Till, having fulfilled his purpose against him, He restoreth him his

reason that he may be admonished.

Having thus said,l wept again; and when she saw me do so, she
uttered a loud cry, and said, What is the reason of thy weeping?
Thou hast burned my heart! And wherefore didst thou take the
cup with thy left hand? — I answered her, 1 have a boil upon my
right hand. — Then put it forth, said she, that I may open it for
thee. — It is not yet, I replied, the proper time for opening it; and
continue not to ask me; for I will not put it forth at present. I then
drank the contents of the cup, and she continued to hand me the
wine until intoxication overcame me, and I fell asleep in the place
where I was sitting; upon which she discovered that my right arm
was without a hand, and, searching me, saw the purse containing
the gold.

Grief, such as none else experienceth, overcame her at the sight;
and she suffered incessant torment on my account until the morning,
when I awoke, and found that she had prepared for me a dish com-
posed of four boiled fowls, which she placed before me. She then
gave me to drink a cup of wine; and I ate and drank, and put down
the purse, and was about to depart; but she said. Whither wouldst
thou go? I answered. To such a place, to dispel somewhat of the
anxiety which oppresseth my heart. — Go not, said she; but rather sit
down again. So I sat down, and she said to me. Hath thy love of
me become so excessive that thou hast expended all thy wealth upon
me, and lost thy hand ? I take thee, then, as witness against me, and
God also is witness, that I will never desert thee; and thou shaft see
the truth of my words. — Immediately, therefore, she sent for wit-
nesses, who came; and she said to them. Write my contract of
marriage to this young man, and bear witness that I have received
the dowry. And they did as she desired them; after which she said.
Bear witness that all my property which is in this chest, and all my
memluks and female slaves, belong to this young man. Accordingly,
they declared themselves witnesses of her declaration, and I ac-
cepted the property, and they departed after they had received their
fees. She then took me by my hand, and, having led me to a closet.

132 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

opened a large chest, and said to me, See what is containeth in this
chest. I looked, therefore; and lo, it was full of handkerchiefs; and
she said, This is thy property, which I have received from thee: for
every time that thou gavest me a handkerchief containing fifty
pieces of gold, I wrapped it up, and threw it into this chest: take,
then, thy property; for God hath restored it to thee, and thou art
now of high estate. Fate hath afflicted thee on my account so that
thou hast lost thy right hand, and I am unable to compensate thee:
if I should sacrifice my life, it would be but a small thing, and thy
generosity would still have surpassed mine. — She then added. Now
take possession of thy property. So I received it; and she trans-
ferred the contents of her chest to mine, adding her property to
mine which I had given her. My heart rejoiced, my anxiety ceased,
and I approached and kissed her, and made myself merry by drink-
ing with her; after which she said again, Thou hast sacrificed all
thy wealth and thy hand through love of me, and how can I com-
pensate thee? By Allah, if I gave my life for love of thee, it were but
a small thing, and I should not do justice to thy claims upon me. —
She then wrote a deed of gift transferring to me all her apparel, and
her ornaments of gold and jewels, and her houses and other posses-
sions; and she passed that night in grief on my account, having
heard my relation of the accident that had befallen me.

Thus we remained less than a month, during which time she
became more and more infirm and disordered; and she endured
no more than fifty days before she was numbered among the people
of the other world. So I prepared her funeral, and deposited her
body in the earth, and having caused recitations of the Kur'an to be
performed for her, and given a considerable sum of money in alms
for her sake, returned from the tomb. I found that she had possessed
abundant wealth, and houses and lands, and among her projjerty
were the store-rooms of sesame of which I sold to thee the contents
of one; and I was not prevented from settling with thee during this
period but by my being busied in selling the remainder, the price
of which I have not yet entirely received. Now I desire of thee that
thou wilt not oppose me in that which I am about to say to thee;
since I have eaten of thy food: I give thee the price of the sesame.

THE SULTAN S STEWARD I33

which is in thy hands. — This which 1 have told thee was the cause
of my eating with my left hand.

I replied, Thou hast treated me with kindness and generosity: —
and he then said, Thou must travel with me to my country; for I
have bought merchandise of Cairo and Alexandria. Wilt thou ac-
company me? — I answered. Yes: — and promised him that I would
be ready by the first day of the following month. So I sold all that
I possessed, and, having bought merchandise with the produce,
travelled with the young man to this thy country, where he sold his
merchandise and bought other in its stead, after which he returned
to the land of Egypt: but it was my lot to remain here, and to ex-
perience that which hath befallen me this night during my absence
from my native country. — Now is not this, O King of the age, more
wonderful than the story of the humpback? The King replied. Ye
must be hanged, all of you! — And upon this, the Sultan's steward
advanced towards the King, and said, If thou permit me, I will relate
to thee a story that I happened to hear just before I found this
humpback; and if it be more wonderful than the events relating
to him, wilt thou grant us our lives? — The King answered, Tell thy
story: — and he began thus: —

The Story Told by the Sultan's Steward

I WAS last night with a party who celebrated a recitation of the
Kur'an, for which purpose they had assembled the professors of
religion and law; and when these reciters had accomplished their
task, the servants spread a repast, comprising among other dishes a
zirbajeh. We approached, therefore, to eat of the zirbajeh; but one
of the company drew back, and refused to partake of it: we con-
jured him; yet he swore that he would not eat of it: and we pressed
him again; but he said, Press me not; for I have suffered enough
from eating of this dish. And when he had finished, we said to him,
By Allah, tell us the reason of thine abstaining from eating of this
zirbajeh. He replied, Because I cannot eat of it unless I wash my
hands forty times with kali, and forty times with cyperus, and forty
times with soap; altogether, a hundred and twenty times. And upon
this, the giver of the entertainment ordered his servants, and they

134 "^"^ THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

brought water and the other things which this man required : so he
washed his hands as he had described, and advanced, though with
disgust, and, having seated himself, stretched forth his hand as one
in fear, and put it into the zirbajeh, and began to eat, while we
regarded him with the utmost wonder. His hand trembled, and
when he put it forth, we saw that his thumb was cut off, and that
he ate with his four fingers: we therefore said to him. We conjure
thee, by Allah, to tell us how was thy thumb maimed; was it thus
created by God, or hath some accident happened to it? — O my
brothers, he answered, not ordy have 1 lost this thumb, but also
the thumb of the other hand; and each of my feet is in like manner
deprived of the great toe: but see ye: — and, so saying, he uncovered
the stump of the thumb of his other hand, and we found it like the
right; and so also his feet, destitute of the great toes. At the sight of
this, our wonder increased, and we said to him. We are impatient
to hear thy story, and thine account of the cause of the amputation
of thy thumbs and great toes, and the reason of thy washing thy
hands a hundred and twenty times. So he said, —

Know that my father was a great merchant, the chief of the
merchants of the city of Baghdad in the time of the KhaUfeh Harun
Er-Rashid; but he was ardently addicted to the drinking of wine,
and hearing the lute; and when he died, he left nothing. I buried
him, and caused recitations of the Kur'an to be performed for him,
and, after I had mourned for him days and nights, I opened his shop,
and found that he had left in it but few goods, and that his debts were
many: however, I induced his creditors to wait, and calmed their
minds, and betook myself to selling and buying from week to week,
and so paying the creditors.

Thus I continued to do for a considerable period, until I had dis-
charged all the debts and increased my capital; and as I was sitting
one day, I beheld a young lady, than whom my eye had never beheld
any more beautiful, decked with magnificent ornaments and ap)-
parel, riding on a mule, with a slave before her and a slave behind
her; and she stopped the mule at the entrance of the market-street,
and entered, followed by a eunuch, who said to her, O my mistress,
enter, but inform no one who thou art, lest thou open the lire of
indignation upon us. The eunuch then further cautioned her; and

THE sultan's steward 135

when she looked at the shops of the merchants, she found none
more handsome than mine; so, when she arrived before me, with
the eunuch following her, she sat down upon the seat of my shop,
and saluted me; and I never heard speech more charming than hers,
or words more sweet. She then drew aside the veil from her face,
and I directed at her a glance which drew from me a sigh; my heart
was captivated by her love, and I continued repeatedly gazing at her
face, and recited these two verses: —

Say to the beauty in the dove-coloured veil, Death would indeed be

welcome to relieve me from my torment.
Favour me with a visit, that so I may live. See, I stretch forth my hand

to accept thy liberality.

And when she had heard my recitation of them, she answered
thus: —

May I lose my heart if it cease to love you! For verily my heart loveth

none but you.
If my eye regard any charms but yours, may the sight of you never

rejoice it after absence!

She then said to me, O youth, hast thou any handsome stuffs.' — O
my mistress, I answered, thy slave is a poor man; but wait until the
other merchants open their shops, and then I will bring thee what
thou desirest. So I conversed with her, drowned in the sea of her
love, and bewildered by my passion for her, until the merchants
had opened their shops, when I arose, and procured all that she
wanted, and the price of these stuffs was live thousand pieces of
silver: and she handed them all to the eunuch, who took them; after
which, they both went out from the market-street, and the slaves
brought to her the mule, and she mounted, without telling me
whence she was, and I was ashamed to mention the subject to her:
consequently, 1 became answerable for the price to the merchants,
incurring a debt of five thousand pieces of silver.

I went home, intoxicated with her love, and they placed before
me the supper, and I ate a morsel; but reflections upon her beauty
and loveliness prevented my eating more. I desired to sleep, but
sleep came not to me; and in this condition I remained for a week.
The merchants demanded of me their money; but I prevailed upon

136 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

them to wait another week; and after this week, the lady came again,
riding upon a mule, and attended by a eunuch and two other slaves;
and, having saluted me, said, O my master, we have been tardy in
bringing to thee the price o£ the stuffs: bring now the money-
changer, and receive it. So the money<hanger came, and the eunuch
gave him the money, and I took it, and sat conversing with her until
the market was replenished, and the merchants opened their shops,
when she said to me. Procure for me such and such things. Accord-
ingly, I procured for her what she desired of the merchants, and she
took the goods and departed without saying anything to me respect-
ing the price. When she had gone, therefore, I repented of what
I had done; for I had procured for her what she demanded for the
price of a thousand pieces of gold; and as soon as she had disapf)eared
from my sight, I said within myself. What kind of love is this ? She
hath brought me five thousand pieces of silver, and taken goods for
a thousand pieces of gold! — I feared that the result would be my
bankruptcy and the loss of the property of others, and said. The
merchants know none but me, and this woman is no other than a
cheat, who hath imposed upon me by her beauty and loveliness:
seeing me to be young, she hath laughed at me, and I asked her not
where was her residence.

I remained in a state of perplexity, and her absence was prolonged
more than a month. Meanwhile the merchants demanded of me
their money, and so pressed me that I offered my possessions for
sale, and was on the brink of ruin; but as I was sitting absorbed in
reflection, suddenly she alighted at the gate of the market-street, and
came in to me. As soon as I beheld her, my solicitude ceased, and I
forgot the trouble which I had suffered. She approached, and ad-
dressed me with her agreeable conversation, and said, Produce the
scales, and weigh thy money: — and she gave me the price of the
goods which she had taken, with a surplus; after which, she amused
herself by talking with me, and I almost died with joy and happi-
ness. She then said to me. Hast thou a wife? I answered. No: for
I am not acquainted with any woman: and wept. So she asked me.
What causeth thee to weep ? And I answered, A thought that hath
come into my mind : — and, taking some pieces of gold, gave them to
the eunuch, requesting him to grant me his mediation in the affair;

THE SULTAN S STEWARD I37

upon which he laughed, and said, She is in love with thee more than
thou art with her, and hath no want of the stuffs, but hath done this
only from her love of thee: propose to her, therefore, what thou wilt;
for she will not oppose thee in that which thou wilt say. Now she
observed me giving the pieces of gold to the eunuch, and returned,
and resumed her seat; and I said to her. Shew favour to thy slave,
and pardon me for that which I am about to say. I then acquainted
her with the feelings of my heart, and my declaration pleased her,
and she consented to my proposal, saying, This eunuch will come
with my letter; and do thou what he shall tell thee; — and she arose,
and departed.

I went to the merchants, and delivered to them their money, and
all profited except myself; for when she left me I mourned for the
interruption of our intercourse, and I slept not during the whole of
the next night: but a few days after, her eunuch came to me, and I
received him with honour, and asked him respecting his mistress.
He answered, She is sick: — and I said to him, Disclose to me her
history. He replied, The lady Zubeydeh, the wife of Harun Er-
Rashid, brought up this damsel, and she is one of her slaves: she
had desired of her mistress to be allowed the liberty of going out
and returning at pleasure, and the latter gave her permission: she
continued, therefore, to do so until she became a chief confident;
after which, she spoke of thee to her mistress, and begged that she
would marry her to thee: but her mistress said, I will not do it until
I see this young man, and if he have a desire for thee, I will marry
thee to him. We therefore wish to introduce thee immediately into
the palace; and if thou enter without any one's having knowledge
of thy presence, thou wilt succeed in accomplishing thy marriage
with her; but if thy plot be discovered, thy head will be struck off.
What, then, sayest thou? — I answered, Good: I will go with thee,
and await the event that shall befall me there. — As soon, then, as
this next night shall have closed in, said the eunuch, repair to the
mosque which the lady Zubeydeh hath built on the banks of the
Tigris, and there say thy prayers, and pass the night. — Most will-
ingly, I replied.

Accordingly, when the time of nightfall arrived, I went to the
mosque, and said my prayers there, and passed the night; and as

138 THE THOUSAND A^^D ONE NIGHTS

soon as the morning began to dawn I saw two eunuchs approaching
in a small boat, conveying some empty chests, which they brought
into the mosque. One of them then departed, and the other re-
mained; and I looked attentively at him, and lo, it was he who had
been our intermediary: and soon after, the damsel, my companion,
came up to us. I rose to her when she approached, and embraced
her; and she kissed me, and wept; and after we had conversed to-
gether for a little while, she took me and placed me in a chest, and
locked it upon me. The slaves then brought a quantity of stuf?s, and
filled with them the other chests, which they locked, and conveyed,
together with the chest in which I was enclosed, to the boat, accom-
panied by the damsel; and having embarked them, they plied the
oars, and proceeded to the palace of the honoured lady Zubeydeh.
The intoxication of love now ceased in me, and reflection came in
its place: I repented of what I had done, and prayed God to deliver
me from my dangerous predicament.

Meanwhile, they arrived at the gate of the Khalifeh, where they
landed, and took out all the chests, and conveyed them into the
palace: but the chief of the doorkeepers, who had been asleep when
they arrived, was awoke by the sounds of their voices, and cried
out to the damsel, saying. The chests must be opened, that I may
see what is in them: — and he arose, and placed his hand upon the
chest in which I was hidden. My reason abandoned me, my heart
almost burst from my body, and my limbs trembled; but the damsel
said. These are the chests of the lady Zubeydeh, and if thou of)en
them and turn them over, she will be incensed against thee, and we
shall all perish. They contain nothing but clothes dyed of various
colours, except this chest upon which thou hast put thy hand, in
which there are also some bottles filled with the water of Zemzem,"
and if any of the water run out upon the clothes it will spoil their
colours. Now I have advised thee, and it is for thee to decide: so do
what thou wilt. — When he heard, therefore, these words, he said to
her. Take the chests, and pass on: — and the eunuchs immediately
took them up, and with the damsel, conveyed them into the palace:
but in an instant, I heard a person crying out, and saying. The
Khalifeh! The Khalifeh!

'"The well at Mckkch, believed to possesi miraculous virtues.

THE SULTAN S STEWARD I39

I was bereft of my reason, and seized with a colic from excessive
fear; I almost died, and my limbs were affected with a violent
shaking. The Khalifeh cried out to the damsel, saying to her. What
are these chests? She answered, O my lord (may God exalt thy
dominion!), these chests contain clothes of my mistress Zubeydeh. —
Open them, said the Khalifeh, that I may see the clothes. — ^When I
heard this, I felt sure of my destruction. The damsel could not dis-
obey his command; but she replied, O Prince of the Faithful, there
is nothing in these chests but clothes of the lady Zubeydeh, and she
hath commanded me not to open them to any one. The Khalifeh,
however, said. The chests must be opened, all of them, that I may
see their contents: — and immediately he called out to the eunuchs
to bring them before him. I therefore felt certain that I was on the
point of destruction. They then brought before him chest after
chest, and opened each to him, and he examined the contents; and
when they brought forward the chest in which I was enclosed, I bid
adieu to life, and prepared myself for death; but as the eunuchs were
about to open it, the damsel said, O Prince of the Faithful, verily
this chest containeth things especially appertaining to women; and
it is prof)er, therefore, that it should be of)ened before the lady
Zubeydeh: — and when the Khalifeh heard her words, he ordered
the eunuchs to convey all the chests into the interior of the palace.
The damsel then hastened, and ordered two eunuchs to carry away
the chest in which I was hidden, and they took it to an inner cham-
ber, and went their way: whereupon she quickly of)ened it, and
made a sign to me to come out : so I did as she desired, and entered
a closet that was before me, and she locked the door upon me, and
closed the chest: and when the eunuchs had brought in all the chests,
and had gone back, she opened the door of the closet, and said. Thou
hast nothing to fear! May God refresh thine eye! Come forth now,
and go up with me, that thou mayest have the happiness of kissing
the ground before the lady Zubeydeh.

I therefore went with her, and beheld twenty other female slaves,
high-bosomed virgins, and among them was the lady Zubeydeh, who
was scarcely able to walk from the weight of the robes and orna-
ments with which she was decked. As she approached, the female
slaves dispersed from around her, and I advanced to her, and kissed

140 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

the ground before her. She made a sign to me to sit down: so I
seated myself before her; and she began to ask me questions re-
specting my condition and Uncage; to all of which I gave such
answers that she was pleased, and said, By Allah, the care which we
have bestowed on the education of this damsel hath not been in
vain. She then said to me. Know that this damsel is esteemed by
us as though she were really our child, and she is a trust committed
to thy care by God. Upon this, therefore, I again kissed the ground
before her, well pleased to marry the damsel; after which, she com-
manded me to remain with them ten days. Accordingly, I continued
with them during this period; but I knew nothing meanwhile of
the damsel; certain of the maids only bringing me my dinner and
supper, as my servants. After this, however, the lady Zubeydeh
asked permission of her husband, the Prince of the Faithful, to
marry her maid, and he granted her request, and ordered that ten
thousand pieces of gold should be given to her.

The lady Zubeydeh, therefore, sent for the Kadi and witnesses, and
they wrote my contract of marriage to the damsel; and the maids
then prepared sweetmeats and exquisite dishes, and distributed them
in all the apartments. Thus they continued to do for a period of ten
more days; and after the twenty days had passed, they conducted the
damsel into the bath, preparatively to my being introduced to her as
her husband. They then brought to me a repast comprising a basin
of zirbajeh sweetened with sugar, perfumed with rose-water infused
with musk, and containing different kinds of fricandoed fowls and
a variety of other ingredients, such as astonished the mind; and, by
Allah, when this repast was brought, I instantly commenced upon
the zirbajeh, and ate of it as much as satisfied me, and wiped my
hand, but forgot to wash it. I remained sitting until it became dark;
when the maids lighted the candles, and the singing-girls approached
with the tambourines, and they continued to display the bride, and
to give presents of gold, until she had {perambulated the whole of
the palace; after which they brought her to me, and disrobed her;
and as soon as I was left alone with her, I threw my arms around
her neck, scarcely believing in our union: but as I did so, she per-
ceived the smell of the zirbajeh from my hand, and immediately

THE SULTAN'S STEWARD I4I

Uttered a loud cry: whereupon the female slaves ran in to her from
every quarter.

I was violently agitated, not knowing what was the matter; and
the slaves who had come in said to her, What hath happened to thee,
O our sister? — Take away from me, she exclaimed to them, this
madman, whom I imagined to be a man of sense! — What indication
of my insanity hath appeared to thee? I asked. Thou madman,
said she, wherefore hast thou eaten of the zirbajeh, and not washed
thy hand? By Allah, I will not accept thee for thy want of sense,
and thy disgusting conduct! — And so saying, she took from her side
a whip, and beat me with it upon my back until I became insensible
from the number of the stripes. She then said to the other maids.
Take him to the magistrate of the city police, that he may cut off
his hand with which he ate the zirbajeh without washing it after-
wards. On hearing this, I exclaimed. There is no strength nor
power but in God! Wilt thou cut off my hand on account of my
eating a zirbajeh and neglecting to wash it? — And the maids who
were present entreated her, saying to her, O our sister, be not angry
with him for what he hath done this time. But she replied, By
Allah, I must cut off something from his extremities! And im-
mediately she departed, and was absent from me ten days: after
which, she came again, and said to me, O thou black-faced! Am I
not worthy of thee? How didst thou dare to eat the zirbajeh and
not wash thy hand ? — And she called to the maids, who bound my
hands behind me, and she took a sharp razor, and cut off both my
thumbs and both my great toes, as ye see, O companions; and I
swooned away. She then sprinkled upon my wounds some powder,
by means of which the blood was stanched; and I said, I will not eat
of a zirbajeh as long as I live unless I wash my hands forty times
with kali and forty times with cyperus and forty times with soap: —
and she exacted of me an oath that I would not eat of this dish
unless I washed my hands as I have described to you. Therefore,
when this zirbajeh was brought, my colour changed, and I said
within myself. This was the cause of the cutting off of my thumbs
and great toes: — so, when ye compelled me, I said, I must fulfil the
oath which I have sworn.

142 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I then said to him (continued the Sultan's steward). And what
happ)ened to thee after that? He answered, When I had thus sworn
to her, she was appeased, and I was admitted into her favour and
we hved happily together for a considerable time: after which she
said, The people of the Khalifeh's palace know not that thou hast
resided here with me, and no strange man beside thee hath entered
it; nor didst thou enter but through the assistance of the bdy
Zubeydeh. She then gave me fifty thousand pieces of gold, and said
to me, Take these pieces of gold, and go forth and buy for us a
spacious house. So I went forth, and purchased a handsome and
spacious house, and removed thither all the riches that she possessed,
and all that she had treasured up, and her dresses and rarities. — This
was the cause of the amputation of my thumbs and great toes. — So
we ate (said the Sultan's steward), and departed; and after this, the
accident with the humpback happened to me: this is all my story;
and peace be on thee.

The King said, This is not more pleasant than the story of the
humpback; nay, the story of the humpback is more pleasant than
this; and ye must all of you be crucified. — The Jew, however, then
came forward, and, having kissed the ground, said, O King of the
age, I will relate to thee a story more wonderful than that of the
humpback: — and the King said, Relate thy story. So he commenced
thus: —

The Story Told by the Jewish Physician

The most wonderful of the events that happened to me in my
younger days was this: — I was residing in Damascus, where I learnt
and practised my art; and while I was thus occupied, one day there
came to me a memluk from the house of the governor of the city:
so I went forth with him, and accompanied him to the abode of the
governor. I entered, and beheld, at the upper end of a saloon, a
couch of alabaster overlaid with plates of gold, upon which was
reclining a sick man: he was young; and a person more comely had
not been seen in his age. Seating myself at his head, I ejaculated a
prayer for his restoration; and he made a sign to me with his eye.
I then said to him, O my master, stretch forth to me thy hand: —
whereupon he put forth to me his left hand; and I was surprised at

THE JEWISH PHYSICIAN 1 43

this, and said within myself, What sel£<onceit! I felt his pulse, how-
ever, and wrote a prescription for him, and continued to visit him
for a period of ten days, until he recovered his strength; when he
entered the bath, and washed himself, and came forth: and the
governor conferred upon me a handsome dress of honour, and
appointed me superintendent of the hospital of Damascus. But when
I went with him into the bath, which they had cleared of all other
visitors for us alone, and the servants had brought the clothes, and
taken away those which he had pulled off within, I perceived that
his right hand had been cruelly amputated; at the sight of which I
wondered, and grieved for him; and looking at his skin, I observed
upon him marks of beating with mikr'ahs, which caused me to
wonder more. The young man then turned towards me, and said,
O dortor of the age, wonder not at my case; for 1 will relate to thee
my story when we have gone out from the bath: — and when we
had gone forth, and arrived at the house, and had eaten some food,
and rested, he said tc me. Hast thou a desire to divert thyself in the
supper-room? 1 answered, Yes: — and immediately he ordered the
slaves to take up thither the furniture, and to roast a lamb and bring
us some fruit. So the slaves did as he commanded them: and when
they had brought the fruit, and we had eaten, I said to him, Relate
to me thy story : — and he replied, O doctor of the age, Usten to the
relation of the events which have befallen me.

Know that I am of the children of El-Mosil. My paternal grand-
father died leaving ten male children, one of whom was my father:
he was the eldest of them, and they all grew up and married; and
my father was blest with me; but none of his nine brothers was
blest with children. So I grew up among my uncles, who delighted
in me exceedingly; and when I had attained to manhood, I was one
day with my father in the chief mosque of El-Mosil. The day was
Friday; and we performed the congregational prayers, and all the
people went out, except my father and my uncles, who sat conversing
together respecting the wonders of various countries, and the strange
sights of different cities, until they mentioned Egypt; when one of
my uncles said. The travellers assert, that there is not on the face of
the earth a more agreeable country than Egypt with its Nile: — and
my father added, He who hath not seen Cairo hath not seen the

144 ""^^ THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

world: its soil is gold; its Nile is a wonder; its women are like the
black-eyed virgins of Paradise; its houses are palaces; and its air is
temperate; its odour surpassing that of aloes-wood, and cheering the
heart: and how can Cairo be otherwise when it is the metropolis of
the world? Did ye see its gardens in the evening (he continued),
with the shade obliquely extending over them, ye would behold a
wonder, and yield with ecstasy to their attractions.

When I heard these descriptions of Egypt, my mind became
wholly engaged by reflections upon that country; and after they had
departed to their homes, I passed the night sleepless from my ex-
cessive longing towards it, and neither food nor drink was pleasant
to me. A few days after, my uncles prepared to journey thither, and
I wept before my father that I might go with them, so that he pre-
pared a stock of merchandise for me, and I departed in their com-
pany; but he said to them, Suffer him not to enter Egypt, but leave
him at Damascus, that he may there sell his merchandise.

I took leave of my father, and we set forth from El-Mosil, and
continued our journey until we arrived at Aleppo, where we re-
mained some days; after which we proceeded thence until we came
to Damascus; and we beheld it to be a city with trees and rivers and
fruits and birds, as though it were a paradise, containing fruits of
every kind. We took lodgings in one of the Khans, and my uncles
remained there until they had sold and bought; and they also sold
my merchandise, gaining, for every piece of silver, five, so that I
rejoiced at my profit. My uncles then left me, and repaired to
Egypt, and I remained and took up my abode in a handsome Ka'ah,
such as the tongue cannot describe; the monthly rent of which was
two pieces of gold.

Here I indulged myself with eating and drinking, squandering
away the money that was in my possession; and as I was sitting one
day at the door of the Ka'ah, a damsel approached me, attired in
clothing of the richest description, such as I had never seen surpassed
in costliness, and I invited her to come in; whereupon, without
hesitation, she entered; and I was delighted at her compliance, and
closed the door upon us both. She then uncovered her face, and took
off her izar, and I found her to be so surprisingly beautiful that
love for her took possession of my heart: so I went and brought a

THE JEWISH PHYSICIAN 1 45

repast consisting of the most delicious viands and fruit and every-
thing else that was requisite for her entertainment, and we ate
and sported together; after which we drank till we were intoxicated,
and fell asleep, and so we remained until the morning, when I
handed her ten pieces of gold; but she swore that she would not
accept them from me, and said. Expect me again, O my beloved,
after three days: at the hour of sunset I will be with thee: and do
thou prepare for us, with these pieces of gold, a repast similar to
this which we have just enjoyed. She then gave me ten pieces of
gold, and took leave of me, and departed, taking my reason with
her. And after the three days had expired, she came again, decked
with embroidered stuffs and ornaments and other attire more mag-
nificent than those which she wore on the former occasion. I had
prepared for her what was required previously to her arrival; so
we now ate and drank and fell asleep as before; and in the morning
she gave me again ten pieces of gold, promising to return to me after
three more days. I therefore made ready what was requisite, and
after the three days she came attired in a dress still more magnificent
than the first and second, and said to me, O my master, am I
beautiful? — Yea, verily, I answered. — Wilt thou give me leave, she
rejoined, to bring with me a damsel more beautiful than myself, and
younger than I, that she may sport with us, and we may make
merry with her? For she hath requested that she may accompany
me, and pass the night in frolicking with us. — And so saying, she
gave me twenty pieces of gold, desiring me to prepare a more plenti-
ful repast, on account of the lady who was to come with her; after
which, she bade me farewell, and departed.

Accordingly, on the fourth day, I procured what was requisite, as
usual, and soon after sunset she came, accompanied by a female
wrapped in an izar, and they entered, and seated themselves. I was
rejoiced, and lighted the candles, and welcomed them with joy and
exultation. They then took off their outer garments, and when the
new damsel uncovered her face, I perceived that she was like the full
moon : I never beheld a person more beautiful. I arose immediately,
and placed before them the food and drink, and we ate and drank,
while I continued caressing the new damsel, and filling the wine-cup
for her, and drinking with her: but the first lady was affected with a

146 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

secret jealousy. — By Allah, she said, verily this girl is beautiful! Is
she not more charming than I? — Yea, indeed, I answered. — Soon
after this I fell asleep, and when I awoke in the morning, I found my
hand defiled with blood, and opening my eyes, perceived that the
sun had risen; so I attempted to rouse the damsel, my new com-
panion, whereupon her head rolled from her body. The other
damsel was gone, and I concluded, therefore, that she had done
this from her jealousy; and after reflecting a while, I arose, and
took off my clothes, and dug a hole in the Ka'ah, in which I de-
posited the murdered damsel, afterwards covering her remains with
earth, and replacing the marble pavement as it was before. I then
dressed myself again, and, taking the remainder of my money,
went forth, and repaired to the owner of the Ka'ah, and paid him
a year's rent, saying to him, I am about to journey to my uncles in
Egypt.

So I departed to Egypt, where I met with my uncles, and they
were rejoiced to see me. 1 found that they had concluded the sale
of their merchandise, and they said to me, What is the cause of thy
coming? 1 answered, I had a longing desire to be with you, and
feared that my money would not suffice me. — For a year I remained
with them, enjoying the pleasures of Egypt and its Nile; and I
dipped my hand into the residue of my money, and expended it
prodigally in eating and drinking until near the time of my luicles'
departure, when I fled from them: so they said, Probably he hath
gone before us and returned to Damascus: — and they departed. I
then came forth from my concealment, and remained in Cairo three
years, squandering away my money until scarcely any of it re-
mained: but meanwhile I sent every year the rent of the Ka'ah at
Damascus to its owner: and after the three years my heart became
contracted, for nothing remained in my possession but the rent for
the year.

I therefore journeyed back to Damascus, and alighted at the Ka'ah.
The owner was rejoiced to see me, and I entered it, and cleansed
it of the blood of the murdered damsel, and, removing a cushion, I
found, beneath this, the necklace that she had worn that night. I
took it up and examined it, and wept a while. After this I remained
in the house two days, and on the third day I entered the bath, and

THE JEWISH PHYSICIAN I47

changed my clothes. I now had no money left; and I went one day
to the market, where (the Devil suggesting it to me, in order to
accomplish the purpose of destiny) I handed the necklace of jewels
to a broker; and he rose to me, and seated me by his side: then
having waited until the market was replenished, he took it, and
announced it for sale secredy, without my knowledge. The price
bidden for it amounted to two thousand pieces of gold; but he
came to me and said, This necklace is of brass, of the counterfeit
manufacture of the Franks, and its price hath amounted to a thou-
sand pieces of silver. I answered him. Yes: we had made it for a
woman, merely to laugh at her, and my wife has inherited it, and
we desire to sell it: go, therefore, and receive the thousand pieces
of silver. Now when the broker heard this, he perceived that the
affair was suspicious, and went and gave the necklace to the chief
of the market, who took it to the Wali, and said to him. This neck-
lace was stolen from me, and we have found the thief, clad in the
dress of the sons of the merchants. And before I knew what had
happened, the officers had surrounded me, and they took me to the
Wali, who questioned me respecting the necklace. I told him, there-
fore, the same story that I had told to the broker; but he laughed,
and said. This is not the truth: — ^and instantly his people stripped me
of my outer clothing, and beat me with mikra'ahs all over my body,
until, through the torture that I suffered from the blows, I said, I
stole it: — reflecting that it was better I should say I stole it, than
confess that its owner was murdered in my abode; for then they
would kill me to avenge her: and as soon as I had said so, they
cut off my hand, and scalded the stump with boiling oil, and I
swooned away. They then gave me to drink some wine, by swallow-
ing which I recovered my senses; and I took my amputated hand,
and returned to the Ka'ah; but its owner said to me. Since this hath
happened to thee, leave the Ka'ah, and look for another abode; for
thou art accused of an unlawful act. — O my master, I replied, give
me two or three days' delay that I may seek for a lodging: — and he
assented to this and departed and left me. So I remained alone, and
sat weeping, and saying, How can I return to my family with my
hand cut off. He who cut it off knoweth not that I am innocent:
perhaps, then, God will bring about some event for my relief.

148 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I sat weeping violently; and when the owner of the Ka'ah had
departed from me, excessive grief overcame me, and I was sick for
two days; and on the third day, suddenly the owner of the Ka'ah
came to me, with some officers of the police, and the chief of the
market, and accused me again of stealing the necklace. So 1 went
out to them, and said, What is the news? — whereupon, without
granting me a moment's delay, they bound my arms behind me, and
put a chain around my neck, saying to me. The necklace which was
in thy possession hath proved to be the property of the governor of
Damascus, its Wezir and its Ruler; it hath been lost from the gover-
nor's house for a period of three years, and with it was his daughter.
— When I heard these words from them, my limbs trembled, and I
said within myself, They will kill me! My death is inevitable! By
Allah, I must relate my story to the governor; and if he please he
will kill me, or if he please he will pardon me. — And when we
arrived at the governor's abode, and they had placed me before him,
and he beheld me, he said. Is this he who stole the necklace and went
out to sell it ? Verily ye have cut off his hand wrongfully. — He then
ordered that the chief of the market should be imprisoned, and said
to him. Give to this person the compensatory fine for his hand, or I
will hang thee and seize all thy property. And he called out to his
attendants, who took him and dragged him away,

I was now left with the governor alone, after they had, by his
permission, loosed the chain from my neck, and untied the cords
which bound my arms; and the governor looking towards me, said
to me, O my son, tell me thy story, and speak truth. How did this
necklace come into thy possession ? — So I replied, O my lord, I will
tell thee the truth: — and I related to him all that had happened to
me with the first damsel, and how she had brought to me the second,
and murdered her from jealousy; on hearing which, he shook his
head, and covered his face with his handkerchief, and wept. Then
looking towards me, he said. Know, O my son, that the elder damsel
was my daughter: I kept her closely; and when she had attained a
fit age for marriage, I sent her to the son of her uncle in Cairo; but
he died, and she returned to me, having learnt habits of profligacy
from the inhabitants of that city; so she visited thee four times; and
on the fourth occasion, she brought to thee her younger sister. They

THE TAILOR 1 49

were sisters by the same mother, and much attached to each other;
and when the event which thou hast related occurred to the elder,
she imparted her secret to her sister, who asked my permission to go
out with her; after which the elder returned alone; and when I
questioned her respecting her sister, I found her weeping for her,
and she answered, I know no tidings of her: — but she afterwards
informed her mother, secretly, of the murder which she had com-
mitted; and her mother privately related the affair to me; and she
continued to weep for her incessantly, saying. By Allah, I will not
cease to weep for her until I die. Thy account, O my son, is true;
for I knew the affair before thou toldest it me. See then, O my son,
what hath happened: and now I request of thee that thou wilt not
oppose me in that which I am about to say; and it is this: — I desire
to marry thee to my youngest daughter; for she is not of the same
mother as they were: she is a virgin, and I will receive from thee
no dowry, but will assign to you both an allowance; and thou shalt
be to me as an own son. — I replied. Let it be as thou desirest, O my
master. How could I expect to attain unto such happiness? — The
governor then sent immediately a courier to bring the property which
my father had left me (for he had died since my departure from
him), and now I am hving in the utmost affluence.

I wondered, said the Jew, at his history; and after I had remained
with him three days, he gave me a large sum of money; and I left
him, to set forth on a journey; and, arriving in this your country,
my residence here pleased me, and I experienced this which hath
happened to me with the humpback.

The King, when he had heard this story, said, This is not more
wonderful than the story of the humpback, and ye must all of you
be hanged, and especially the tailor, who is the source of all the
mischief. But he afterwards added, O tailor, if thou tell me a story
more wonderful than that of the humpback, I will forgive you your
offences. So the tailor advanced, and said, —

The Story Told by the Tailor

Know, O King of the age, that what hath happened to me is more
wonderful than the events which have happened to all the others.

150 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Before I met the humpback, I was, early in the morning, at an enter-
tainment given to certain tradesmen of my acquaintance, consisting
of tailors and linen-drapers and carpenters and others; and when the
sun had risen, the repast was brought for us to eat; and lo, the
master of the house came in to us, accompanied by a strange and
handsome young man, of the inhabitants of Baghdad. He was attired
in clothes of the handsomest description, and was a most comely
person, except that he was lame; and as soon as he had entered and
saluted us, we rose to him; but when he was about to seat himself,
he observed among us a man who was a barber, whereupon he
refused to sit down, and desired to depart from us. We and the
master of the house, however, prevented him, and urged him to seat
himself; and the host conjured him, saying. What is the reason of
thy entering, and then immediately departing? — By Allah, O my
master, replied he, offer me no opposition; for the cause of my
departure is this barber, who is sitting with you. And when the
host heard this, he was exceedingly surprised, and said. How is it
that the heart of this young man, who is from Baghdad, is troubled
by the presence of this barber? We then looked towards him, and
said. Relate to us the cause of thy displeasure against this barber;
and the young man replied, O company, a surprising adventure
happ>ened to me with this barber in Baghdad, my city; and he was
the cause of my lameness, and of the breaking of my leg; and I
have sworn that I will not sit in any place where he is present, nor
dwell in any town where he resides: I quitted Baghdad and took up
my abode in this city, and I will not pass the next night without
departing from it. — Upon this, we said to him, We conjure thee, by
Allah, to relate to us thy adventure with him. — And the counte-
nance of the barber turned pale when he heard us make this request.
The young man then said, —

Know, O good people, that my father was one of the chief
merchants of Baghdad; and God (whose name be exalted!) blessed
him with no son but myself; and when I grew up, and had attained
to manhood, my father was admitted to the mercy of God, leaving
me wealth and servants and other dependants; whereupon I began
to attire myself in clothes of the handsomest description, and to feed
upon the most delicious meats. Now God (whose perfection be

THE TAILOR I5I

extolled!) made me to be a hater of women; and so I continued,
until, one day, I was walking through the streets of Baghdad, when a
party of them stopped my way: I therefore fled from them, and,
entering a by-street which was not a thoroughfare, I reclined upon a
mastabah at its further extremity. Here I had been seated but a
short time when, lo, a window opposite the place where I sat was
opened, and there looked out from it a damsel like the full moon,
such as I had never in my life beheld. She had some flowers, which
she was watering, beneath the window; and she looked to the right
and left, and then shut the window, and disappeared from before
me. Fire had been shot into my heart, and my mind was absorbed
by her; my hatred of women was turned into love, and I continued
sitting in the same place until sunset, in a state of distraction from
the violence of my passion, when, lo, the Kadi of the city came
riding along, with slaves before him and servants behind him, and
alighted, and entered the house from which the damsel had looked
out: so I knew that he must be her father,

I then returned to my house, sorrowful and fell upon my bed, full
of anxious thoughts; and my female slaves came in to me, and
seated themselves around me, not knowing what was the matter
with me; and I acquainted them not with my case, nor returned any
answers to their questions; and my disorder increased. The neigh-
bours, therefore, came to cheer me with their visits; and among those
who visited me was an old woman, who, as soon as she saw me,
discovered my state; whereupon she seated herself at my head, and,
addressing me in a kind manner, said, O my son, tell me what hath
happened to thee? So 1 related to her my story, and she said, O my
son, this is the daughter of the Kadi of Baghdad, and she is kept in
close confinement: the place where thou sawest her is her apart-
ment, and her father occupies a large saloon below, leaving her
alone; and often do I visit her: thou canst obtain an interview with
her only through me: so brace up thy nerves. When I heard, there-
fore, what she said, I took courage, and fortified my heart; and my
family rejoiced that day. I rose up firm in limb, and hoping for
complete restoration; and the old woman departed; but she re-
turned with her countenance changed, and said, O my son, ask not
what she did when I told her of thy case; for she said. If thou

152 THE THOUSA^fD AND ONE NIGHTS

abstain not, O ill-omened old woman, from this discourse, I
will treat thee as thou deservest: — but I must go to her a second
time.

On hearing this, my disorder increased: after some days, however,
the old woman came again, and said, O my son, I desire of thee a
reward for good tidings. My soul returned to my body at these
words, and I replied, Thou shalt receive from me everything that
thou canst wish. She then said, I went yesterday to the damsel, and
when she beheld me with broken heart and weeping eye, she said
to me, O my aunt, wherefore do I see thee with contracted heart? —
and when she had thus said, I wept, and answered, O my daughter
and mistress, I came to thee yesterday from visiting a youth who
loveth thee, and he is at the point of death on thy account: — and,
her heart being moved with compassion, she asked. Who is this
youth of whom thou speakest? 1 answered. He is my son, and the
child that is dear to my soul : he saw thee at the window some days
ago, while thou wast watering thy flowers: and when he beheld
thy face, he became distracted with love for thee: I informed him of
the conversation that I had with thee the first time; upon which his
disorder increased, and he took to his pillow: he is now dying,
and there is no doubt of his fate. — And upon this, her countenance
became pale and she said. Is this all on my account ? — ^Yea, by Allah,
I answered; and what dost thou order me to do? — Go to him, said
she; convey to him my salutation, and tell him that my love is
greater than his; and on Friday next, before the congregation prayers,
let him come hither: I will give orders to op)en the door to him, and
to bring him up to me, and I will have a short interview with him,
and he shall return before my father comes back from the prayers.

When I heard these words of the old woman, the anguish which
I had suffered ceased; my heart was set at rest, and I gave her the
suit of clothes which I was then wearing, and she departed, saying
to me, Cheer up thy heart. I replied, I have no longer any pain. The
people of my house, and my friends, communicated, one to another,
the good news of my restoration to health, and I remained thus until
the Friday, when the old woman came in to me, and asked me
respecting my state; so I informed her that I was happy and well.
I then dressed and perfumed myself, and sat waiting for the people
to go to prayers, that I might repair to the damsel; but the old

THE TAILOR 153

woman said to me, Thou hast yet more than ample time, and if
thou go to the bath and shave, especially for the sake of obliterating
the traces of thy disorder, it will be more becoming. — It is a judicious
piece of advice, replied I; but I will shave my head first, and then go
into the bath.

So I sent for a barber to shave my head, saying to the boy, Go to
the market, and bring me a barber, one who is a man of sense, little
inclined to impertinence, that he may not make my head ache by his
chattering. And the boy went, and brought this sheykh, who, on
entering, saluted me; and when I returned his salutation, he said to
me. May God dispel thy grief and thine anxiety, and misfortunes
and sorrows! I responded, May God accept thy prayer! He then
said. Be cheerful, O my master; for health hath returned to thee.
Dost thou desire to be shaved or to be bled? — for it hath been handed
down, on the authority of Ibn-' Abbas" that the Prophet said, Whoso
shorteneth his hair on Friday, God will avert from him seventy
diseases; — and it hath been handed down also, on the same author-
ity, that the Prophet said. Whoso is cupped on Friday will not be
secure from the loss of sight and from frequent disease. — Abstain,
said I, from this useless discourse, and come immediately, shave my
head for I am weak. And he arose, and, stretching forth his hand,
took out a handkerchief, and opened it; and lo, there was in it an
astrolabe, consisting of seven plates; and he took it, and went into
the middle of the court, where he raised his head towards the sun,
and looked for a considerable time; after which he said to me,
Know that there have passed, of this our day, — which is Friday, and
which is the tenth of Safar, of the year 263 of the Flight of the
Prophet, — upon whom be the most excellent of blessings and peace!
— and the ascendant star of which, according to the required rules
of the science of computation, is the planet Mars, — seven degrees and
six minutes; and it happeneth that Mercury hath come in conjunc-
tion with that planet; and this indicateth that the shaving of hair
is now a most excellent operation: and it hath indicated to me, also,
that thou desirest to confer a benefit upon a person: and fortunate
is he! — but after that, there is an announcement that presenteth itself
to me respecting a matter which I will not mention to thee.

" One of the most learned of the companions of his cousin Mohammad, and one
of the most celebrated of the relators of his sayings and actions.

154 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

By Allah, I exclaimed, thou hast wearied me, and dissipated my
mind, and augured against me, when I required thee only to shave
my head: arise, then, and shave it; and prolong not thy discourse
to me. But he replied, By Allah, if thou knewest the truth of the
case, thou wouldst demand of me a further explication; and I counsel
thee to do this day as I direct thee, according to the calculations
deduced from the stars: it is thy duty to praise God, and not to
oppose me; for I am one who giveth thee good advice, and who
regardeth thee with compassion: I would that I were in thy service
for a whole year, that thou mightest do me justice; and I desire
not any pay from thee for so doing. — When I heard this, I said to him,
Verily thou art killing me this day, and there is no escape for me. —
O my master, he replied, I am he whom the people call Es-Samit,
["the Silent,"] on account of the paucity of my speech, by which I
am distinguished above my brothers: for my eldest brother is named
£i-Bakbuk; and the second, El-Heddar; and the third, Bakbak";
and the fourth is named El-Kuz el-Aswani; and the fifth, El-
Feshshar; and the sixth is named ShakaUk; and the seventh brother
is named Es-Samit; and he is myself.

Now when this barber thus overwhelmed me with his talk, I felt
as if my gall-bladder had burst, and said to the boy, Give him a
quarter of a piece of gold and let him depart from me for the sake
of Allah: for I have no need to shave my head. But the barber on
hearing what I said to the boy, exclaimed, What is this that thou
hast said, O my lord? By Allah, I will accept from thee no pay
unless I serve thee; and serve thee I must; for to do so is incumbent
on me, and to perform what thou requirest; and I care not if I
receive from thee no money. If thou knowest not my worth, I
know thine; and thy father — may Allah have mercy upon him! —
treated us with beneficence; for he was a man of generosity. By
Allah, thy father sent for me one day, like this blessed day, and
when I went to him, he had a number of his friends with him, and
he said to me, Take some blood from me. So I took the astrolabe,
and observed the altitude for him, and found the ascendant of the
hour to be of evil omen, and that the letting of blood would be
attended with trouble: I therefore acquainted him with this, and he
"All three names fignify "Clutterer."

THE TAILOR I55

conformed to my wish, and waited until the arrival of the approved
hour, when I took the blood from him. He did not oppose me;
but, on the contrary, thanked me; and in Uke manner all the many
present thanked me; and thy father gave me a hundred pieces of
gold for services similar to the letting of blood. — May God, said I,
shew no mercy to my father for knowing such a man as thou! — and
the barber laughed, and exclaimed. There is no deity but God!
Mohammad is God's Apostle! Extolled be the perfection of Him.
who changeth others, but is not changed! I did not imagine thee to
be otherwise than a man of sense; but thou hast talked nonsense in
consequence of thine illness. God hath mentioned, in his Excellent
Book, those who restrain their anger, and who forgive men: — but
thou art excused in every case. I am unacquainted, however, with
the cause of thy haste; and thou knowest that thy father used to do
nothing without consulting me; and it hath been said, that the
person to whom one applies for advice should be trusted : now thou
wilt find no one better acquainted with the affairs of the world than
myself, and I am standing on my feet to serve thee. I am not dis-
pleased with thee, and how then art thou displeased with me? But
I will have patience with thee on account of the favours which I
have received from thy father. — By Allah, said I, thou hast wearied
me with thy discourse, and overcome me with thy speech! I desire
that thou shave my head and depart from me.

I gave vent to my rage; and would have risen, even if he had
wetted my head, when he said, I knew that displeasure with me had
overcome thee; but I will not be angry with thee, for thy sense is
weak, and thou art a youth : a short time ago I used to carry thee on
my shoulder, and take thee to the school. — Upon this, I said to him,
O my brother, I conjure thee by Allah, depart from me that I may
perform my business, and go thou thy way. Then I rent my clothes;
and when he saw me do this, he took the razor, and sharpened it,
and continued to do so until my soul almost parted from my body;
then advancing to my head, he shaved a small portion of it; after
which he raised his band, and said, O my lord, haste is from the
Devil; — and he repeated this couplet: —

Deliberate, and haste not to accomplish thy desire; and be merciful, so
shall thou meet with one merciful:

156 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

For there is no hand but God's hand is above it; nor oppressor that shall
not meet with an oppressor.

O my lord (he then continued), I do not imagine that thou knowest
my condition in society; for my hand lighteth upon the heads of
kings and emirs and wezirs and sages and learned men; and of such
a one as myself hath the poet said, —

The trades altogether are like a necklace, and this barber is the chief

pearl of the strings.
He excelleth all that are endowed with skill, and under his hands are

the heads of Kings.

— Leave, said I, that which doth not concern thee! Thou hast con-
tracted my heart, and troubled my mind. — I fancy that thou art in
haste, he rejoined. I replied. Yes! Yes! Yes! — Proceed slowly, said
he; for verily haste is from the Devil, and it giveth occasion to re-
pentance and disappointment; and he upon whom be blessing and
peace hath said. The best of affairs is that which is commenced with
dehberation : — and, by Allah, I am in doubt as to thine affair : I wish,
therefore, that thou wouldst make known to me what thou art
hasting to do; and may it be good; for I fear it is otherwise.

There now remained, to the appointed time, three hours; and he
threw the razor from his hand in anger, and, taking the astrolabe,
went again to observe the sun; then after he had waited a long
time, he returned, saying. There remain, to the hour of prayer, three
hours, neither more nor less. — For the sake of Allah, said I, be
silent; for thou hast crumbled my liver! — and thereupon he took the
razor, and sharpened it as he had done the first time, and shaved
another portion of my head. Then stopping again, he said, I am
in anxiety on account of thy hurry: if thou wouldst acquaint me
with the cause of it, it would be better for thee; for thou knowest
that thy father used to do nothing without consulting me.

I perceived now that I could not avoid his importunity, and said
within myself. The time of prayer is almost come, and I desire to
go before the people come out from the service: if I delay a little
longer, I know not how to gain admission to her. I therefore said to
him. Be quick, and cease from this chattering and impertinence;

THE TAILOR 1 57

for I desire to repair to an entertainment with my friends. But
when he heard the mention of the entertainment, he exclaimed,
The day is a blessed day for me! I yesterday conjured a party of my
intimate friends to come and feast with me, and forgot to prepare
for them anything to eat; and now I have remembered it. Alas
for the disgrace that I shall experience from them! — So I said to him.
Be in no anxiety on this account, since thou hast been told that I
am going to-day to an entertainment; for all the food and drink that
is in my house shall be thine if thou use expedition in my affair,
and quickly finish shaving my head. — May God recompense thee
with every blessing! he replied: describe to me what thou hast for
my guests, that I may know it. — I have, said I, five dishes of meat,
and ten fowls fricandoed, and a roasted lamb. — Cause them to be
brought before me, he said, that I may see them. So I had them
brought to him, and he exclaimed. Divinely art thou gifted! How
generous is thy soul; But the incense and perfumes are wanting. —
I brought him, therefore, a box containing nedd" and aloes-wood
and ambergris and musk, worth fifty pieces of gold. — The time
had now become contracted, like my own heart; so I said to him.
Receive this, and shave the whole of my head, by the existence of
Mohammad, God bless and save him! But he replied. By Allah, I
will not take it until I see all that it contains. I therefore ordered
the boy, and he op)ened the box to him; whereupon the barber threw
down the astrolabe from his hand, and seating himself upxjn the
ground, turned over the perfumes and incense and aloes-wood in
the box until my soul almost quitted my body.

He then advanced, and took the razor, and shaved another small
portion of my head; after which he said. By Allah, O my son, I
know not whether I should thank thee or thank thy father; for my
entertainment to-day is entirely derived from thy bounty and kind-
ness, and I have no one among my visitors deserving of it; for my
guests are Zeytun the bath-keeper, and Sali' the wheat-seller, and
'Awkal the bean-seller, and'Akresheh the grocer, and Homeyd the
dustman, and 'Akarish the milk-seller, and each of these hath a
peculiar dance which he performeth, and peculiar verses which he
reciteth; and the best of their qualities is, that they are like thy

"A perfume composed of ambergris, musk, and aloes-wood; or simply ambergris.

158 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

servant, the memluk who is before thee; and I, thy slave, know
neither loquacity nor impertinence. As to the bath-keeper, he saith.
If I go not to the feast, it cometh to my house! — and as to the dust-
man, he is witty, and full of frolic: often doth he dance, and say,
News, with my wife, is not kept in a chest! — and each of my friends
hath jests that another hath not: but the description is not like the
actual observation. If thou choose, therefore, to come to us, it will
be more pleasant both to thee and to us: relinquish, then, thy visit
to thy friends of whom thou hast told us that thou desirest to go to
them : for the traces of disease are yet upon thee, and probably thou
art going to a p)eople of many words, who will talk of that which
concerneth them not; or probably there will be among them one
impertinent person; and thy soul is already disquieted by disease. —
I replied. If it be the will of God, that shall be on some other day:
— but he said. It will be more proper that thou first join my party
of friends, that thou mayest enjoy their conviviality, and delight
thyself with their salt. Act in accordance with the saying of the
poet: —

Defer not a pleasure when it can be had; for fortune often dcstroyeth
our plans.

Upon this I laughed from a heart laden with anger, and said to
him. Do what I require, that I may go in the care of God, whose
name be exalted! and do thou go to thy friends, for they are awaiting
thine arrival. He replied, I desire nothing but to introduce thee
into the society of these people; for verily they are of the sons of
that class among which is no impertinent person; and if thou didst
but behold them once, thou wouldst leave all thine own companions.
— May God, said I, give thee abundant joy with them, and I must
bring them together here some day. — If that be thy wish, he rejoined,
and thou wilt first attend the entertainment of thy friends this day,
wait until I take this present with which thou hast honoured me,
and place it before my friends, that they may eat and drink without
waiting for me, and then I will return to thee, and go with thee to
thy companions; for there is no false delicacy between me and my
companions that should prevent my leaving them; so I will return
to thee quickly, and repair with thee whithersoever thou goest. —

THE TAILOR 159

Upon this I exclaimed, There is no strength nor power but in God,
the High, the Great! Go thou to thy companions, and delight thy
heart with them, and leave me to repair to mine, and to remain with
them this day, for they are waiting my arrival. — But he said, I will
not leave thee to go alone. — ^The place to which I am going, said I,
none can enter except myself. — I suppose then, he rejoined, that thou
hast an appointment to-day with some female: otherwise, thou
wouldst take me with thee; for I am more deserving than all other
men, and will assist thee to attain what thou desirest. I fear that
thou art going to visit some strange woman, and that thy life will
be lost; for in this city of Baghdad no one can do anything of this
kind, especially on such a day as this; seeing that the Wali of
Baghdad is a terrible, sharp sword. — Wo to thee, O wicked old
man! I exclaimed, what are these words with which thou addressest
me! — And upon this, he kept a long silence.

The time of prayer had now arrived, and the time of the Khut-
beh" was near, when he had finished shaving my head: So I said
to him. Go with this food and drink to thy friends, and I will wait
for thee until thou return, and thou shalt accompany me: — and I
continued my endeavours to deceive him; that he might go away;
but he said to me, Verily thou art deceiving me, and wilt go alone,
and precipitate thyself into a calamity from which there will be no
escape for thee; by Allah! by Allah! then quit not this spot until I
return to thee, and accompany thee, that I may know what will be
the result of thine affair, — I replied, Well: prolong not thine absence
from me. And he took the food and drink and other things which
I had given him, but intrusted them to a porter to convey them to
his abode, and concealed himself in one of the by-streets. I then
immediately arose. The mueddins on the menarehs had chanted the
Selam of Friday; and I put on my clothes, and went forth alone,
and, arriving at the by-street, stopf>ed at the door of the house where
I had seen the damsel: and lo, the barber was behind me, and I
knew it not. I found the door open, and entered; and immediately
the master of the house returned from the prayers, and entered the
saloon, and closed the door; and I said within myself, How did this
devil discover me?

'* Friday sermon.

l6o THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Now it happened, just at this time, for the fulfilment of God's pur-
pose to rend the veil of protection before me, that a female slave
belonging to the master of the house committed some offence, in con-
sequence of which he beat her, and she cried out; whereupon a male
slave came in to him to liberate her; but he beat him also, and he
likewise cried out; and the barber concluded that he was beating
me; so he cried, and rent his clothes, and sprinkled dust upon his
head, shrieking, and calling for assistance. He was surrounded by
people, and said to them. My master hath been killed in the house
of the Kadi! Then running to my house, crying out all the while,
and with a crowd behind him, he gave the news to my family; and
I knew not what he had done when they approached, crying, Alas
for our master! — the barber all the while being before them, with
his clothes rent, and a number of the people of the city with them.
They continued shrieking, the barber shrieking at their head, and
all of them exclaiming, Alas for our slain! — Thus they advanced to
the house in which I was confined; and when the Kadi heard of
this occurrence, the event troubled him, and he arose, and of>ened
the door, and seeing a great crowd, he was confounded, and said, O
f)eople, what is the news ?

The servants replied. Thou hast killed our master. — O people,
rejoined he, what hath your master done unto me that I should kill
him; and wherefore do I see this barber before you? — Thou hast
just now beaten him with mikra'ahs, said the barber; and I heard
his cries. — What hath he done that I should kill him? repeated the
Kadi. And whence, he added, came he; and whither would he go?
— Be not an old man of malevolence, exclaimed the barber; for I
know the story, and the reason of his entering thy house, and the
truth of the whole affair; thy daughter is in love with him, and he
is in love with her; and thou hast discovered that he had entered
thy house, and hast ordered thy young men, and they have beaten
him. By Allah, none shall decide between us and thee except the
Khalifeh; or thou shalt bring forth to us our master that his family
may take him; and oblige me not to enter and take him forth from
you: haste then thyself to produce him.

Upon this, the Kadi was withheld from speaking, and became
utterly abashed before the people: but presently he said to the

THE TAILOR l6l

barber, If thou speak truth, enter thyself, and bring him forth. So
the barber advanced, and entered the house; and when I saw him
do so, I sought for a way to escape; but I found no place of refuge
except a large chest which I observed in the same apartment in
which I then was; I therefore entered this, and shut down the lid,
and held in my breath. Immediately after, the barber ran into the
saloon, and, without looking in any other direction than that in
which I had concealed myself, came thither : then turning his eyes to
the right and left, and seeing nothing but the chest, he raised it upon
his head; whereupon my reason forsook me. He quickly descended
with it; and I, being now certain that he would not quit me, opened
the chest, and threw myself upon the ground. My leg was broken
by the fall; and when I came to the door of the house, I found a
multitude of people: I had never seen such a crowd as was there
collected on that day; so I began to scatter gold among them, to
divert them; and while they were busied in picking it up, I hastened
through the by-streets of Baghdad, followed by this barber; and
wherever I entered, he entered after me, crying, They would have
plunged me into affliction on account of my master! Praise be to
God who aided me against them, and delivered my master from
their hands! Thou continuedst, O my master, to be excited by
haste for the accomplishment of thine evil design until thou
broughtest upon thyself this event; and if God had not blessed thee
with me, thou hadst not escaped from this calamity into which thou
hast fallen; and they might have involved thee in a calamity frons
which thou wouldst never have escaped. Beg, therefore, of God,
that I may live for thy sake, to liberate thee in future. By Allah,
thou hast almost destroyed me by thine evil design, desiring to go
alone; but we will not be angry with thee for thine ignorance, for
thou art endowed with little sense and of a hasty disposition. — Art
thou not satisfied, replied I, with that which thou hast done, but wilt
thou run after me through the market-streets? — And I desired for
death to liberate me from him; but found it not; and in the excess of
my rage I ran from him, and, entering a shop in the midst of the
market, implored the protection of its owner; and he drove away
the barber from me.
I then seated myself in a magazine belonging to him, and said

l62 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

within myself, I cannot now rid myself of this barber; but he will
be with me night and day, and I cannot endure the sight of his face.
So I immediately summoned witnesses, and wrote a document, divid-
ing my property among my family, and appointing a guardian over
them, and I ordered him to sell the house and all the immovable
possessions, charging him with the care of the old and young,
and set forth at once on a journey in order to escape from this wretch.
I then arrived in your country, where I took up my abode, and have
remained a considerable time; and when ye invited me, and I came
unto you, I saw this vile wretch among you, seated at the upper end
of the room. How, then, can my heart be at ease, or my sJtting
in your company be pleasant to me, with this fellow, who hath
brought these events upon me, and been the cause of the breaking
of my leg?

The young man still persevered in his refusal to remain with us;
and when we had heard his story, we said to the barber, Is this true
which the young man hath said of thee? — By Allah, he answered,
it was through my intelligence that I acted thus towards him; and
had I not done so, he had perished: myself only was the cause of his
escape; and it was through the goodness of God, by my means, that
he was afflicted by the breaking of his leg instead of being punished
by the loss of his life. Were I a person of many words, I had not
done him this kindness; and now I will relate to you an event that
happened to me, that ye may believe me to be a man of few words,
and less of an impertinent than my brothers; and it was this: —

The Barber's Story of Himself

I WAS living in Baghdad, in the reign of the Prince of the Faithful
El-Muntasir bi-llah,'* who loved the poor and indigent, and asso-
ciated with the learned and virtuous; and it happened, one day,
that he was incensed against ten persons, in consequence of which,
he ordered the chief magistrate of Baghdad to bring them to him in
a boat. I saw them, and I said within myself. These persons have
assembled for nothing but an entertainment, and, I suppose, will
pass their day in this boat eating and drinking; and none shall be
"Great-grandson of Harun £r-Rashid; acceded 86 1 a.d.

THE BARBER I 63

their companion but myself: — so I embarked, and mixed myself
among them; and when they had landed on the opposite bank, the
guards of the Wali came with chains, and put them upon their necks,
and put a chain upon my neck also. — Now this, O people, is it not
a proof of my generosity, and of my paucity of speech? For I
determined not to speak. — They took us, therefore, all together, in
chains, and placed us before El-Muntasir bi-llah, the Prince of the
Faithful; whereupxan he gave orders to strike off the heads of the
ten; and the executioner struck off the heads of the ten, and I
remained. The KhaUfeh then turning his eyes, and beholding me,
said to the executioner, Wherefore dost thou not strike off the heads
of all the ten? He answered, I have beheaded every one of the ten.
— I do not think, rejoined the K-halifeh, that thou hast beheaded
more than nine; and this who is before me is the tenth. But the
executioner replied, By thy beneficence, they are ten. — Count them,
said the KhaUfeh. And they counted them; and lo, they were ten.
The Khalifeh then looked towards me, and said, What hath induced
thee to be silent on this occasion; and how hast thou become in-
cluded among the men of blood? — And when I heard the address
of the Prince of the Faithful, I said to him, O Prince of the Faithful,
that I am the sheykh Es-Samit (the Silent) : I possess, of science, a
large stock; and as to the gravity of my understanding, and the
quickness of my apprehension, and the paucity of my speech, they
are unbounded: my trade is that of a barber; and yesterday, early
in the morning, I saw these ten men proceeding to the boat; where-
upon I mixed myself with them, and embarked with them, thinking
that they had met together for an entertainment; but soon it ap-
peared that they were criminals; and the guards came to them, and
put chains upon their necks, and upon my neck also they put a
chain; and from the excess of my generosity I was silent, and spoke
not: my speech was not heard on that occasion, on account of the
excess of my generosity; and they proceeded with us until they
stationed us before thee, and thou gavest the order to strike off the
heads of the ten, and I remained before the executioner, and ac-
quainted you not with my case. Was not this great generosity which
compelled me to accompany them to slaughter ? But throughout my
life I have acted in this excellent manner.

164 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

When the KhaUfeh heard my words, and knew that I was of a
very generous character, and of few words, and not incHned to
impertinence as this young man, whom I delivered from horrors,
asserteth, he said. Hast thou brothers? I answered. Yes: six. — And
are thy six brothers, said he, Uke thyself, distinguished by science
and knowledge, and paucity of speech? I answered, They lived not
so as to be like me: thou hast disparaged me by thy supposition, O
Prince of the Faithful, and it is not proper that thou shouldst com-
pare my brothers to me; for through the abundance of their speech,
and the smallness of their generous qualities, each of them experi-
enced a defect: the first was lame; the second, deprived of many of
his teeth; the third, blind; the fourth, one-eyed; the fifth, cropped
of his ears; and the sixth had both his lips cut ofT: and think not, O
Prince of the Faithful, that I am a man of many words: nay, 1 must
prove to thee that I am of a more generous character than they;
and each of them met with a particular adventure, in consequence
of which he experienced a defect: if thou please, I will relate their
stories to thee.

The Barber's Story of His First Brother

Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that the first (who was named
El-Bakbuk) was the lame one. He practised the art of a tailor in
Baghdad, and used to sew in a shop which he hired of a man
possessing great wealth, who lived over the shop, and who had, in
the lower part of his house, a mill. And as my lame brother was
sitting in his shop one day, sewing, he raised his head, and saw
a woman like the rising full moon, at a projecting window of the
house, looking at the people passing by; and as soon as he beheld
her, his heart was entangled by her love. He passed that day gazing
at her, and neglecting his occupation, until the evening; and on the
following morning he opened his shop, and sat down to sew; but
every time that he sewed a stitch, he looked towards the window;
and in this state he continued, sewing nothing sufficient to earn a
piece of silver.

On the third day he seated himself again in his place, looking
towards the woman; and she saw him, and, perceiving that he had

THE barber's first BROTHER 1 65

become enslaved by her love, laughed in his face, and he, in like
manner, laughed in her face. She then disappeared from before him,
and sent to him her slave-girl, with a wrapper containing a piece of
red flowered silk; and the girl, coming to him, said to him. My
mistress saluteth thee, and desireth thee to cut out for her, with the
hand of skill, a shirt of this piece, and to sew it beautifully. So he
answered, I hear and obey: — and he cut out for her the shirt, and
finished the sewing of it on that day; and on the following day the
slave-girl came to him again, and said to him. My mistress saluteth
thee, and saith to thee. How didst thou pass last night? — for she
tasted not sleep, from her passion for thee. — She then placed before
him a piece of yellow satin, and said to him. My mistress desireth
thee to cut out for her, of this piece, two pairs of trousers, and to
make them this day. He replied, I hear and obey. Salute her with
abundant salutations, and say to her. Thy slave is submissive to thine
order, and command him to do whatsoever thou wilt. — He then
busied himself with the cutting out, and used all diligence in sewing
the two pairs of trousers; and presently the woman looked out at
him from the window, and saluted him by a sign, now casting down
her eyes, and now smiling in his face, so that he imagined he should
soon obtain possession of her. After this, she disappeared from be-
fore him, and the slave-girl came to him; so he delivered to her the
two pairs of trousers, and she took them and departed: and when
the night came, he threw himself upon his bed, and remained turn-
ing himself over in restlessness until the morning.

On the following day, the master of the house came to my brother,
bringing some linen, and said to him. Cut out and make this into
shirts for me. He replied, I hear and obey: — and ceased not from
his work until he had cut out twenty shirts by the time of nightfall,
without having tasted food. The man then said to him, How much
is thy hire for this? — but my brother answered not; and the damsel
made a sign to him that he should receive nothing, though he was
absolutely in want of a single copper coin. For three days he con-
tinued scarcely eating or drinking anything, in his diligence to
accomplish his work, and when he had finished it, he went to
deliver the shirts.

Now the young woman had acquainted her husband with the

1 66 THE THOUSAND AhfD ONE NIGHTS

State of my brother's mind, but my brother knew not this; and she
planned with her husband to employ him in sewing without re-
muneration, and moreover to amuse themselves by laughing at him:
so, when he had finished all the work that they gave him, they
contrived a plot against him, and married him to their slave-girl;
and on the night when he desired to introduce himself to her, they
said to him. Pass this night in the mill, and to-morrow thou shah
enjoy happiness. My brother, therefore, thinking that their inten-
tion was good, passed the night in the mill alone. Meanwhile, the
husband of the young woman went to the miller, and instigated him
by signs to make my brother turn the mill. The miller, accordingly,
went in to him at midnight, and began to exclaim, Verily this bull
is lazy, while there is a great quantity of wheat, and the owners of
the flour are demanding it: I will therefore yoke him in the mill,
that he may finish the grinding of the flour: — and so saying, he
yoked my brother, and thus he kept him until near morning, when
the owner of the house came, and saw him yoked in the mill, and
the miller flogging him with the whip; and he left him, and retired.
After this, the slave-girl to whom he had been contracted in mar-
riage came to him early in the morning, and, having unbound him
from the mill, said to him. Both I and my mistress have been dis-
tressed by this which hath befallen thee, and we have participated
in the burden of thy sorrow. But he had no tongue wherewith to
answer her, by reason of the severity of the flogging. He then re-
turned to his house; and lo, the sheykh who had performed the
marriage<ontract came and saluted him, saying, May God prolong
thy life! May thy marriage be blessed! — May God not preserve the
liar! returned my brother: thou thousandfold villain! By Allah, I
went only to turn the mill in the place of the bull until the morning.
— Tell me thy story, said the sheykh: — and my brother told him
what had happened to him: upon which the sheykh said, Thy star
agreeth not with hers: but if thou desire that I should change for
thee the mode of the contract, I will change it for another better
than it, that thy star may agree with hers. — See then, repUed my
brother, if thou hast any other contrivance to employ.

My brother then left him, and repaired again to his shop, hoping
that somebody might give him some work, with the profit of which

THE barber's first BROTHER 167

he might obtain his food; and lo, the slave-girl came to him. She
had conspired with her mistress to play him this trick, and said to
him, Verily, my mistress is longing for thee, and she hath gone up
to look at thy face from the window. And my brother had scarcely
heard these words when she looked out at him from the window,
and, weeping, said, Wherefore hast thou cut short the intercourse
between us and thee ? But he returned her no answer : so she swore
to him that all that had happened to him in the mill was not with
her consent : and when my brother beheld her beauty and loveliness,
the troubles that had befallen him became effaced from his memory,
and he accepted her excuse, and rejoiced at the sight of her. He
saluted her, therefore, and conversed with her, and then sat a while
at his work; after which the slave-girl came to him, and said. My
mistress saluteth thee, and informeth thee that her husband hath
determined to pass this next night in the house of one of his intimate
friends; wherefore, when he hath gone thither, do thou come to
her. — Now the husband of the young woman had said to her. How
shall we contrive when he cometh to thee that I may take him and
drag him before the Wali? She replied. Let me then play him a
trick, and involve him in a disgrace for which he shall be paraded
throughout this city as an example to others: — and my brother knew
nothing of the craftiness of women. Accordingly, at the approach
of evening, the slave-girl came to him, and, taking him by the hand,
returned with him to her mistress, who said to him. Verily, O my
master, I have been longing for thee. — Hasten then, said he, to give
me a kiss, first of all. And his words were not finished when the
young woman's husband came in from his neighbour's house, and,
seizing my brother, exclaimed to him. By Allah, I will not loose thee
but in the presence of the chief magistrate of the police. My brother
humbled himself before him; but, without listening to him, he took
him to the house of the Wali, who flogged him with whips, and
mounted him upon a camel, and conveyed him through the streets
of the city, the people crying out. This is the recompense of him who
breaketh into the harims of others! — and he fell from the camel, and
his leg broke: so he became lame. The Wali then banished him
from the city; and he went forth, not knowing whither to turn his
steps: but I, though enraged, overtook him, and brought him back;

1 68 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and I have taken upon myself to provide him with meat and drink
unto the present day.

The Khahfeh laughed at my story, and exclaimed, Thou hast
spoken well : — but I replied, I will not accept this honour until thou
hast listened to me while I relate to thee what happened to the rest
of my brothers; and think me not a man of many words. — Tell me,
said the Khalifeh, what happened to all thy brothers, and grace my
ears with these nice particulars: I beg thee to employ exuberance of
diction in thy relation of these pleasant tales.

The Barber's Story of His Second Brother

Sol said. Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that my second brother,
whose name was El-Hcddar, was going one day to transact some
business, when an old woman met him, and said to him, O man,
stop a little, that I may propose to thee a thing, which, if it please
thee, thou shah do for me. My brother, therefore, stopped; and she
said to him, I will guide thee to a thing, and rightly direct thee to it,
on the condition that thy words be not many. So he said. Com-
municate what thou hast to tell me: — and she proceeded thus: —
What sayest thou of a handsome house, with running water, and
fruit and wine, and a beautiful face to behold, and a smooth cheek
to kiss, and an elegant form to embrace; and to enjoy all these
pleasures without interruption? Now, if thou wilt act agreeably
with the condition that I have imposed upon thee, thou wilt see
prosperity. — When my brother had heard her words, he said to her,
O my mistress, how is it that thou hast sought me out in preference
to all the rest of the creation for this affair; and what is there in me
that hath pleased thee? She replied. Did I not say to thee that thou
must not be a jjerson of many words? Be silent then, and come
with me.

The old woman then went her way, my brother following her,
eager to enjoy the pleasures which she had described to him, until
they had entered a spacious house, when she went up with him to
an upper story, and my brother perceived that he was in a beautiful
palace, in which he beheld four damsels, than whom none more
lovely had ever been seen, singing with voices that would charm a

THE barber's second BROTHER 169

heart as insensible as stone. One of these damsels drank a cup of
wine; and my brother said to her, May it be attended with health
and vigour I — and advanced to wait upon her; but she prevented
his doing so, giving him to drink a cup of wine; and as soon as he
had drunk it, she slapped him on his neck. When he found that
she treated him thus, he went out from the chamber in anger, and
with many words; but the old woman, following him, made a sign
to him with her eye that he should return : so he returned, and seated
himself, without speaking; and upon this, the damsel slapped him
again upon the back of his neck until he became senseless; after
which, recovering, he withdrew again. The old woman, however,
overtook him, and said to him. Wait a Uttle, and thou shalt attain
thy wish. — How many times, said he, shall I wait a little before I
attain it? The old woman answered, When she hath become ex-
hilarated with wine thou shalt obtain her favour. He therefore
returned to his place, and resumed his seat. All the four damsels
then arose, and the old woman directed them to divest my brother
of his outer clothes, and to sprinkle some rose-water upon his face;
and when they had done so, the most beautiful one among them
said to him. May Allah exalt thee to honour! Thou hast entered my
abode, and if thou have patience to submit to my requisitions, thou
wilt attain thy wish. — O my mistress, he replied, I am thy slave, and
under thy authority. — Know then, said she, that I am devotedly fond
of frolic, and he who complieth with my demands will obtain my
favour. Then she ordered the other damsels to sing; and they sang
so that their hearers were in an ecstasy; after which the chief lady
said to one of the other damsels. Take thy master, and do what is
required, and bring him back to me immediately.

Accordingly, she took him away, ignorant of that which she was
about to do; and the old woman came to him, and said, Be patient;
for there remaineth but little to do. He then turned towards the
damsel, and the old woman said to him, Be patient: thou hast
almost succeeded, and there remaineth but one thing, which is, to
shave thy beard. — How, said he, shall I do that which will disgrace
me among the people? The old woman answered. She desireth this
only to make thee like a beardless youth, that there may be nothing
on thy face to prick her; for her heart is affected with a violent love

170 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

for thee. Be patient, therefore, and thou shalt attain thy desire. — So
my brother patiently submitted to the damsel's directions: his beard
was shaven, and he was shorn also of his eyebrows and mustaches,
and his face was painted red, before the damsel took him back to
the chief lady, who, when she saw him, was at first frightened at
him, and then laughed until she fell backwards, and exclaimed, O
my master, thou hast gained me by these proofs of thine amiable
manners! She then conjured him by her life to arise and dance; and
he did so; and there was not a single cushion in the chamber that
she did not throw at him. In like manner also the other damsels
threw at him various things, such as oranges, and limes, and citrons,
until he fell down senseless from the pelting, while they slapjjed him
incessandy upon the back of his neck, and cast things in his face.
But at length the old woman said to him. Now thou hast attained
thy wish. Know that there remaineth to thee no more beadng, nor
doth there remain for thee to do more than one thing, namely, this:
it is her custom, when she is under the influence of wine, to suffer
no one to come near her until she hath taken off her outer clothes:
thou, being prepared in the like manner, must run after her, and
she will run before thee as though she were flying from thee; but
cease not to follow her from place to place until thou overtake her.
He arose, therefore, and did so: the lady ran before, and as he fol-
lowed her, she passed from chamber to chamber, and he still ran
after her. At last he heard her utter a slight sound as she ran before
him, and, continuing his pursuit, he suddenly found himself in the
midst of the street.

This street was in the market of the leather-sellers, who were then
crying skins for sale; and when the people there collected saw him
in this condition, almost naked, with shaven beard and eyebrows
and mustaches, and \vith his face painted red, they shouted at him,
and raised a loud laugh, and some of them beat him with the skins
until he became insensible. They then placed him upon an ass, and
conducted him to the Wali, who exclaimed, What is this? — They
answered. This descended upon us from the house of the Wezir, in
this condition. And the Wali inflicted upon him a hundred lashes,
and banished him from the city: but I went out after him, and
brought him back privately into the city, and allotted him a main-

THE BARBERS THIRD BROTHER I7I

tenance. Had it not been for my generous disposition, I had not
borne with such a person.

The Barber's Story of His Third Brother

As to my third brother (the bUnd man, Bakbak), who was also
surnamed Kuffeh, fate and destiny impelled him one day to a large
house, and be knocked at the door, hoping that its master would
answer him, and that he might beg of him a trifle. The owner called
out, Who is at the door? — but ray brother answered not; and then
heard him call with a loud voice. Who is this? Still, however, he
returned him no answer; and he heard the sounds of his footsteps
approaching until he came to the door and opened it, when he said
to him, What dost thou desire? My brother answered, Something
for the sake of God, whose name be exalted! — ^Art thou blind? said
the man; and my brother answered. Yes. — Then give me thy hand,
rejoined the master of the house; — so my brother stretched forth to
him his hand, and the man took him into the house, and led him up
from stair<ase to stair<ase until he had ascended to the highest
platform of the roof: my brother thinking that he was going to give
him some food or money: and when he had arrived at this highest
terrace of his bouse, the owner said. What dost thou desire, O blind
man? — I desire something, he answered again, for the sake of God,
whose name be exalted! — May God, rephed the man, open to thee
some other way! — What is this! exclaimed my brother: couldst thou
not tell me so when I was bek)w? — Thou vilest of the vile! retorted
the other: why didst thou not ask of me something for the sake of
God when thou heardest my voice the first time, when thou wast
knocking at the door? — What then, said my brother, dost thou
mean to do to me? — The man of the house answered, I have nothing
to give thee. — Then take me down the stairs, said my brother. The
man replied, The way is before thee. So my brother made his way
to the stairs, and continued descending until there remained, between
him and the door, twenty steps, when his foot slipped and he fell,
and, rolling down, broke his head.

He went forth, not knowing whither to direct his steps, and
presently there met him two blind men, his companions, who said

172 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

to him, What hath happened to thee this day? My brother, there-
fore, related to them the event that had just befallen him; and then
said to them, O my brothers, I desire to take a portion of the money
now in our possession, to expend it upon myself. — Now the owner
of the house which he had just before entered had followed him to
acquaint himself with his proceedings, and without my brother's
knowledge he walked behind him until the latter entered his abode;
when he went in after him, still unknown. My brother then sat
waiting for his companions; and when they came in to him, he said
to them, Shut the door, and search the room, lest any stranger have
followed us. When the intruder, therefore, heard what he said, he
arose, and clung to a rope that was attached to the ceiling; and the
blind men went feeUng about the whole of the chamber, and, find-
ing no one, returned and seated themselves by my brother, and
brought forth their money, and counted it; and lo, it was more than
ten thousand pieces of silver. Having done this, they laid it in a
corner of the room, and each of them took of the surplus of that sum
as much as he wanted, and they buried the ten thousand pieces of
silver in the earth; after which, they placed before themselves some
food, and sat eating; but my brother heard the sound of a stranger
by his side, and said to his friends. Is there a stranger among us?
Then stretching forth his hand, it grasped the hand of the intruder;
whereupwn he cried out to his companions, saying, Here is a stranger!
— and they fell upon him with blows until they were tired, when
they shouted out, O Muslims! a thief hath come in upon us, and
desireth to take our property! — and immediately a number of per-
sons collected around them.

Upon this, the stranger whom they accused of being a thief shut
his eyes, feigning to be blind like themselves, so that no one who
saw him doubted him to be so; and shouted, O Muslims! I demand
protection of Allah and the Sultan! I demand protection of Allah
and the Wali! I demand protection of Allah and the Emir! for I
have impxjrtant information to give to the Emir! — and before they
could collect their thoughts, the officers of the Wali surrounded
them and took them all, including my brother, and conducted them
before their master. The Wali said. What is your story? — and the
stranger replied. Hear my words, O Wali; the truth of our case will

.»_

THE BARBERS THIRD BROTHER 1 73

not become known to thee but by means of beating; and if thou wilt,
begin by beating me before my companions. The WaU therefore
said, Throw down this man, and flog him with whips: — and accord-
ingly they threw him down and flogged him; and when the stripes
tortured him, he opened one of his eyes; and after they had continued
the flogging a little longer, he opened his other eye; upon which the
Wali exclaimed, What meaneth this conduct, O thou villain? —
Grant me indemnity, replied the man, and I will acquaint thee: —
and the Wali having granted his request, he said, We four pretend
that we are blind, and, intruding among other people, enter their
houses, and see their women, and employ stratagems to corrupt
them, and to obtain money from them. We have acquired, by these
means, vast gain, amounting to ten thousand pieces of silver; and I
said to my companions, Give me my due, two thousand and five
hundred; and they rose against me and beat me, and took my prop-
erty. I beg protection, therefore, of Allah and of thee; and thou art
more deserving of my share than they. If thou desire to know the
truth of that which I have said, flog each of them more than thou
hast flogged me, and he will open his eyes.

So the Wali immediately gave orders to flog them; and the first
of them who suffered was my brother. They continued beating him
until he almost died; when the Wali said to them, O ye scoundrels!
do ye deny the gracious gift of God, feigning yourselves to be blind ?
My brother exclaimed, Allah! Allah! Allah! there is none among us
who seeth! — They then threw him down again, and ceased not to
beat him until he became insensible, when the Wali said, Leave him
until he shall have recovered, and then give him a third flogging: —
and in the meantime, he gave orders to flog his companions, to give
each of them more than three hundred stripes; while the seeing
man said to them, Open your eyes, or they will flog you again after
this time. Then addressing himself to the Wali, he said, Send with
me some person to bring thee the property; for these men will not
open their eyes, fearing to be disgraced before the spectators. And
the Wali sent with him a man, who brought him the money; and
he took it, and gave to the informer, out of it, two thousand and
five hundred pieces of silver, according to the share which he
claimed, in spite of the others (retaining the rest), and banished

174 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

from the city my brother and the two other men; but I went forth,

Prince of the Faithful, and, having overtaken my brother, asked
him respecting his sufferings; and he acquainted me with that which

1 have related unto thee. I then brought him back secretly into the
city, and allotted him a supply of food and drink as long as he hved.

The Khahfeh laughed at my story, and said. Give him a present,
and let him go: — but I repUed, I will receive nothing until I have
declared to the Prince of the Faithful what happened to the rest of
my brothers, and made it manifest to him that I am a man of few
words: — whereupon the Khalifeh said, Crack our ears, then, with
thy ridiculous stories, and continue to us thy disclosure of vices and
misdeeds. So I proceeded thus: —

The Barber's Story of His Fourth Brother

My fourth brother, O Prince of the Faithful, was the one-eyed
(named El-Kuz el Aswani) : he was a butcher in Baghdad, and both
sold meat and reared lambs; and the great and the rich had recourse
to him to purchase of him their meat, so that he amassed great
wealth, and became possessor of cattle and houses. Thus he con-
tinued to prosper for a long time; and as he was in his shop, one
day, there accosted him an old man with a long beard, who handed
to him some money, saying. Give me some meat for it. So he took
the money, and gave him the meat; and when the old man had
gone away, my brother looked at the money which he had paid him,
and, seeing that it was of a brilliant whiteness, put it aside by itself.
This old man continued to repair to him during a period of five
months, and my brother always threw his money into a chest by
itself; after which period he desired to take it out for the purpose
of buying some sheep; but on opening the chest, he found all the
contents converted into white paper, clipped round; and he slapped
his face, and cried out; whereupon a number of people collected
around him, and he related to them his story, at which they were
astonished.

He then went again, as usual, into his shop, and, having killed
a ram and hung it up within the shop, he cut off some of the meat,
and suspended it outside, saying within himself. Perhaps now this

THE BARBER S FOURTH BROTHER 1 75

old man will come again, and if so, I will seize him: — and very soon
after, the old man approached with his money; upon which my
brother arose, and, laying hold upon him, began to cry out, O
Muslims, come to my aid, and hear what this scoundrel hath done
unto me! But when the old man heard his words he said to him.
Which will be more agreeable to thee — that thou abstain from dis-
gracing me, or that I disgrace thee, before the people? — For what
wilt thou disgrace me? said my brother. The old man answered.
For thy selling human flesh for mutton. — Thou liest, thou accursed!
exclaimed my brother. — None is accursed, rejoined the old man, but
he who hath a man suspended in his shop. My brother said. If it
be as thou hast asserted, my property and blood shall be lawful to
thee: — and immediately the old man exclaimed, O ye people here
assembled! verily this butcher slaughtereth human beings, and
selleth their flesh for mutton; and if ye desire to know the truth of
my assertion, enter his shop! So the people rushed upon his shop,
and beheld the ram converted into a man, hung up, and they laid
hold upon my brother, crying out against him, Thou infidel! Thou
scoundrel! — and those who had t)een his dearest friends turned upon
him and beat him; and the old man gave him a blow upon his eye,
and knocked it out. The people then carried the carcass, and took
with them my brother, to the chief magistrate of the police; and
the old man said to him, O Emir, this man slaughtereth human
beings, and selleth their flesh for mutton; and we have therefore
brought him to thee: arise, then, and p)erform the requisition of God,
whose might and glory be extolled! Upon this, the magistrate thrust
back my brother from him, and, refusing to listen to what he would
have said, ordered that five hundred blows of a staff should be
inflicted upon him, and took all his property. Had it not been for
the great amount of his wealth, he had put him to death. He then
banished him from the city.

My brother, therefore, went forth in a state of distraction, not
knowing what course to pursue; but he journeyed onwards until
he arrived at a great city, where he thought fit to settle as a shoe-
maker: so he opened a shop, and sat there working for his sub-
sistence. And one day he went forth on some business, and, hearing
the neighing of horses, he inquired respecting the cause, and was

176 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

told that the King was going forth to hunt; whereupon he went to
amuse himself with the sight of the procession: but the King hap-
pening to look on one side, his eye met that of my brother, and imme-
diately he hung down his head, and exclaimed, I seek refuge with
God from the evil of this day! He then turned aside the bridle of
his horse, and rode back, and all his troops returned with him; after
which, he ordered his pages to run after my brother, and to beat
him; and they did so; giving him so severe a beating that he almost
died; and he knew not the cause. He returned to his abode in a
miserable plight, and afterwards went and related his misfortune to
one of the King's attendants, who laughed at the recital until he
fell backwards, and said to him, O my brother, the King cannot
endure the sight of a one-eyed person, and especially when the
defect is that of the left eye; for in this case, he faileth not to put
the person to death.

When my brother heard these words, he determined to fly from
that city; and forthwith departed from it, and repaired to another
city, where there was no King. Here he remained a long time; and
after this, as he was meditating upon his adventure in the former
city, he went out one day to amuse himself, and heard again the
neighing of horses behind him; upon which he exclaimed, The
decree of God hath come to pass! — and ran away, seeking for a place
in which to conceal himself; but he found none, until, continuing
his search, he saw a door set up as a barricade; so he pushed this, and
it fell down; and, entering the doorway, he beheld a long passage,
into which he advanced. Suddenly, however, two men laid hold
upon him, and exclaimed. Praise be to God who hath enabled us
to take thee, O thou enemy of God! For these three nights thou
hast suffered us to enjoy neither quiet nor sleep, and we have found
no repose: nay, thou hast given us a foretaste of death! — O men,
said my brother, what hath happened unto you? They answered,
Thou keepest a watch upon us, and desirest to disgrace us, and to
disgrace the master of the house! Is it not enough for thee that thou
hast reduced him to poverty, thou and thy companions? Produce
now the knife wherewith thou threatenest us every night. — And so
saying, they searched him, and found upon his waist the knife with
which he cut the shoe-leather. — O men, he exclaimed, fear God in

THE BARBERS FIFTH BROTHER 1 77

your treatment of me, and know that my story is wonderful. They
said, What then is thy story? So he related it to them, in the hope
that they would liberate him: but they believed not what he said;
and, instead of shewing him any regard, they beat him, and tore his
clothes; whereupon, his body becoming exposed to their view, they
discovered upxjn his sides the marks of beating with mikra'ahs, and
exclaimed, O wretch! these scars bear testimony to thy guilt. They
then conducted him before the Wali, while he said within himself,
I am undone for my transgressions, and none can deliver me but
God, whose name be exalted! And when he was brought before the
Wali, the magistrate said to him, O thou scoundrel! nothing but a
heinous crime hath occasioned thy having been beaten with mik-
ra'ahs: — and he caused a hundred lashes to be inflicted upon him;
after which, they mounted him upon a camel, and proclaimed be-
fore him. This is the recompense of him who breaketh into men's
houses! — But I had already heard of his misfortunes, and gone
forth, and found him; and I accompanied him about the city while
they were making this proclamation, until they left him; when I
took him, and brought him back secretly into Baghdad, and appor-
tioned him a daily allowance of food and drink.

The Barber's Fifth Brother

Mv fifth brother (El-Feshshar ["Alnaschar"]) was cropped of his
ears, O Prince of the Faithful. He was a pauper, who begged alms
by night, and subsisted upon what he thus acquired by day: and
our father was a very old man, and he fell sick and died, leaving
to us seven hundred pieces of silver, of which each of us took his
portion; namely, a hundred pieces. Now my fifth brother, when he
had received his share, was perplexed, not knowing what to do with
it; but while he was in this state, it occurred to his mind to buy
with it all kinds of articles of glass, and to sell them and make profit:
so he bought glass with his hundred pieces of silver, and put it in a
large tray, and sat upon an elevated place, to sell it, leaning his back
against a wall. And as he sat, he meditated, and said within him-
self, Verily my whole stock consisteth of this glass: I will sell it for
two hundred pieces of silver; and with the two hundred I will buy

178 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Other glass which I will sell for four hundred; and thus I will con-
tinue buying and selling until I have acquired great wealth. Then
with this I will purchase all kinds of merchandise and essences and
jewels, and so obtain vast gain. After that, I will buy a handsome
house, and meniluks,and horses, and gilded saddles; and I will eat
and drink; and I will not leave in the city a single female singer but
I will have her brought to my house that I may hear her songs. —
All this he calculated with the tray of glass lying before him. — Then,
said he, I will send all the female betrothers to seek in marriage for
me the daughters of Kings and Wezirs; and I will demand as my
wife the daughter of the chief Wezir; for I have heard that she is
endowed with perfect beauty and surprising loveliness; and I will
give as her dowry a thousand pieces of gold. If her father consent,
my wish is attained; and if he consent not, I will take her by force,
in spite of him : and when I have come back to my house, I will buy
ten young eunuchs, and I will purchase the apparel of Kings and
Sultans, and cause to be made for me a saddle of gold set with
jewels; after which I will ride every day upon a horse, with slaves
behind me and before me, and go about through the streets and
markets to amuse myself, while the people will salute me and pray
for me. Then I will pay a visit to the Wezir, who is the father of
the maiden, with memluks behind me and before me, and on my
right hand and on my left; and when he seeth me, he will rise to
me, in humiUty, and seat me in his own place; and he himself will
sit down below me, because I am his son-in-law. I will then order
one of the servants to bring a purse containing the pieces of gold
which compose the dowry; and he will place it before the Wezir;
and I will add to it another purse, that he may know my manly
spirit and excessive generosity, and that the world is contemptible
in my eye; and when he addresseth me with ten words, I will answer
him with two. And I will return to my house; and when any per-
son Cometh to me from the house of the Wezir, I will clothe him
with a rich dress: but if any come with a present, I will return it;
I will certainly not accept it. Then, on the night of the bridal dis-
play, I will attire myself in the most magnificent of my dresses, and
sit upon a mattress covered with silk; and when my wife cometh to
me, like the full moon, decked with her ornaments and apparel, I

THE BARBER'S FIFTH BROTHER 1 79

will command her to stand before me as stands the timid and the
abject; and I will not look at her, on account of the haughtiness of
my spirit and the gravity of my wisdom; so that the maids will say,
O our master and our lord, may we be thy sacrifice! This thy wife,
or rather thy handmaid, awaiteth thy kind regard, and is standing
before thee: then graciously bestow on her one glance; for the pos-
ture hath become painful to her. — Upon this, I will raise my head,
and look at her with one glance, and again inchne my head down-
wards; and thus I will do until the ceremony of displaying her is
finished; whereupon they will conduct her to the sleeping<hamber;
and I will rise from my place, and go to another apartment, and
put on my night-dress, and go to the chamber in which she is sit-
ting, where 1 will seat myself upon the divan; but I will not look
towards her. The tirewomen will urge me to approach her; but I
will not hear their words, and will order some of the attendants to
bring a purse containing five hundred pieces of gold for them, and
command them to retire from the chamber. And when they have
gone, I will seat myself by the side of the bride; but with averted
countenance, that she may say. Verily this is a man of a haughty
spirit. Then her mother will come to me, and will kiss my hands, and
say to me, O my master, look upon thy handmaid with the eye of
mercy; for she is submissively standing before thee. But I will return
her no answer. And she will kiss my feet, again and again, and will
say, O my master, my daughter is young and hath seen no man but
thee; and if she experience from thee repugnance, her heart will
break: incline to her, therefore, and speak to her, and calm her mind.
And upon this I will look at her through the corner of my eye, and
command her to remain standing before me, that she may taste the
savour of humiliation, and know that I am the Sultan of the age.
Then her mother will say to me, O my master, this is thy hand-
maid: have compassion upon her, and be gracious to her: — and she
will order her to fill a cup with wine, and to put it to my mouth.
So her daughter will say, O my lord, I conjure thee by Allah that
thou reject not the cup from thy slave; for verily I am thy slave.
But I will make her no reply; and she will urge me to take it, and
will say. It must be drunk; and will put it to my mouth: and upon
this, I will shake my hand in her face, and spurn her with my foot.

l80 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and do thus. — So saying, he kicked the tray of glass, which, being
upon a place elevated above the ground, fell, and all that was in it
broke: there escaped nothing: and he cried out and said. All this is
the result of my pride! And he slapped his face, and tore his clothes;
the passengers gazing at him, while he wept, and exclaimed. Ah!
O my grief!

The people were now repairing to perform the Friday-prayers;
and some merely cast their eyes at him, while others noticed him
not; but while he was in this state, deprived of his whole property,
and weeping, without intermission, a female approached him, on
her way to attend the Friday-prayers: she was of admirable loveli-
ness; the odour of musk was diffused from her; under her was a
mule with a stuffed saddle covered with gold-embroidered silk; and
with her was a number of servants; and when she saw the broken
glass, and my brother's state and his tears, she was moved with pity
for him, and asked respecting his case. She was answered, He had
a tray of glass, by the sale of which to obtain his subsistence, and it
is broken, and he is afflicted as thou seest : — and upon this, she called
to one of the servants, saying. Give what thou hast with thee to this
poor man. So he gave him a purse, and he took it, and when he had
opened it, he found in it five hundred pieces of gold, whereupon he
almost died of excessive joy, and offered up prayers for his ben-
efactress.

He returned to his house a rich man, and sat reflecting, and lo,
a person knocked at the door: he rose, therefore, and opened it; and
beheld an old woman whom he knew not, and she said to him, O
my son, know that the time of prayer hath almost expired, and I
am not prepared by ablution; wherefore I beg that thou wilt admit
me into thy house, that I may perform it. He replied, I hear and
obey; — and, retiring within, gave her permission to enter; his mind
still wandering from joy on account of the gold; and when she had
finished the ablution, she approached the spot where he was sitting,
and there performed the prayers of two rek'ahs. She then offered up
a supplication for my brother; and he thanked her, and doffed her
two pieces of gold; but when she saw this, she exclaimed, Extolled
be God's perfection! Verily I wonder at the person who fell in love
with thee in thy beggarly condition! Take back thy money from me.

THE barber's fifth BROTHER l8l

and if ihou want it not, return it to her who gave it thee when thy
glass broke. — O my mother, said he, how can I contrive to obtain
access to her? She answered, O my son, she hath an affection for
thee; but she is the wife of an affluent man; take then with thee all
thy money, and when thou art with her be not deficient in courteous-
ness and agreeable words; so shalt thou obtain of her favours and
her wealth whatever thou shalt desire. My brother, therefore, took
all the gold, and arose and went with the old woman, hardly believ-
ing what she had told him; and she proceeded, and my brother
behind her, until they arrived at a great door, at which she knocked;
whereupon a Greek damsel came and opened the door, and the old
woman entered, ordering my brother to do the same. He did so,
and found himself in a large house, where he beheld a great fur-
nished chamber, with curtains hung in it; and, seating himself
there, he put down the gold before him, and placed his turban on
his knees; and scarcely had he done so, when there came to him a
damsel, the like of whom had never been seen, attired in most
magnificent apparel. My brother stood up at her approach; and
when she beheld him she laughed in his face, and rejoiced at his
visit: then going to the door, she locked it; after which she returned
to my brother, and took his hand, and both of them went together
into a private chamber, carpeted with various kinds of silk, where
my brother sat down, and she seated herself by his side, and toyed
with him for a considerable time. She then rose, saying to him.
Move not, from this place until I return to thee; — and was absent
from him for a short period; and as my brother was waiting for her,
there came in to him a black slave, of gigantic stature, with a drawn
sword, the brightness of which dazzled the sight; and he exclaimed
to my brother. Wo to thee! Who brought thee to this place? Thou
vilest of men! Thou misbegotten wretch, and nursling of impunity!
— My brother was unable to make any reply; his tongue was in-
stantly tied; and the slaves laid hold upon him, and stripped him,
and struck him more than eighty blows with the flat of his sword,
until he fell sprawling upon the floor; when he retired from him,
concluding that he was dead, and uttered a great cry, so that the
earth trembled, and the place resounded at his voice, saying, Where
is £l-MeUhah? — upon which a girl came to him, holding a hand-

1 82 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

some tray containing salt; and with this she forthwith stuffed the
flesh-wounds with which my brother's skin was gashed until they
gaped open; but he moved not, fearing the slave would discover
that he was aUve, and kill him. The girl then went away, and the
slave uttered another cry, like the first, whereupon the old woman
came to my brother, and, dragging him by the feet to a deep and
dark vault, threw him into it upon a heap of slain. In this place he
remained for two whole days; and God (whose perfection he ex-
tolled!) made the salt to be the means of preserving his life, by
stanching the flow of blood from his veins; so, when he found that
he had strength sufficient to move, he arose, and, opening a shutter
in the wall, emerged from the place of the slain; and God (to whom
be ascribed all might and glory!) granted him his protection. He
therefore proceeded in the darkness, and concealed himself in the
passage until the morning, when the old woman went forth to seek
another victim, and my brother, going out after her, without her
knowledge, returned to his house.

He now occupied himself with the treatment of his wounds until
he was restored; and continued to watch for the old woman, and
constantly saw her taking men, one after another, and conducting
them to the same house. But he uttered not a word on the subject;
and when his health returned, and his strength was completely re-
newed, he took a piece of rag, and made of it a purse, which he filled
with pieces of glass: he then tied it to his waist, and disguised him-
self so that no one would know him, in the dress of a foreigner; and,
taking a sword, placed it within his clothes; and as soon as he saw
the old woman, he said to her, in the dialect of a foreigner. Old
woman, hast thou a pair of scales fit for weighing nine hundred
pieces of gold? The old woman answered, I have a young son, a
money<hanger, and he hath all kinds of scales; therefore accom-
pany me to him before he go forth from his abode, that he may
weigh for thee thy gold. So my brother said, Walk on before me: —
and she went, and my brother followed her until she arrived at the
door, and knocked; upon which the girl came out, and laughed in
his face; and the old woman said to her, I have brought you to-day
some fat meat. The girl then took my brother's hand, and conducted
him into the house (the same which he had entered before), and

THE barber's fifth BROTHER 183

after she had sat with him a short time, she rose, saying to him, Quit
not this place until I return to thee: — and she retired; and my
brother had remained not long after when the slave came to him
with the drawn sword, and said to him, Rise, thou unlucky! So my
brother rose, and, as the slave walked before him, he put his hand
to the sword which was concealed beneath his clothes, and struck
the slave with it, and cut off his head; after which he dragged him
by his feet to the vault, and called out. Where is El-Melihah? The
slave-girl, therefore, came, having in her hand the tray containing
the salt; but when she saw my brother with the sword in his hand,
she turned back and fled: my brother, however, overtook her, and
struck off her head. He then called out. Where is the old woman ?
— and she came; and he said to her, Dost thou know me, O malev-
olent hag? She answered, No, O my lord. — I am, said he, the man
who had the pieces of gold, and in whose house thou performedst
the ablution, and prayedst; after which, devising a stratagem against
me, thou betrayedst me into this place. — The old woman exclaimed.
Fear God in thy treatment of me! — but my brother, turning towards
her, struck her with the sword, and clove her in twain. He then
went in search for the chief damsel, and when she saw him, her
reason fled, and she implored his pardon; whereupon he granted
her his pardon, and said to her. What occasioned thy falling into
the hands of this black? She answered, I was a slave to one of the
merchants, and this old woman used to visit me; and one day she
said to me. We are celebrating a festivity, the like of which no one
hath seen, and I have a desire that thou shouldst witness it. I replied,
I hear and obey: — and arose, and clad myself in the best of my
attire, and, taking with me a purse containing a hundred pieces of
gold, proceeded with her until she entered this house, when sud-
denly this black took me, and I have continued with him in this
state three years, through the stratagem of the old witch. — My
brother then said to her. Is there any property of his in the house? —
Abundance, she answered; and if thou canst remove it, do so: — ^and
upon this, he arose and went with her, when she opened to him
chests filled with purses, at the sight of which he was confounded;
and she said to him. Go now, and leave me here, and bring some
person to remove the property. So he went out, and, having hired

184 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

ten men, returned; but on his arrival at the door, he found it open,
and saw neither the damsel nor the purses; he found, however, some
little money remaining, and the stuffs. He discovered, therefore,
that she had eluded him; and he took the money that remained, and,
opening the closets, took all the stuffs which they contained, leaving
nothing in the house.

He passed the next night full of happiness; but when the morn-
ing came, he found at the door twenty soldiers, and on his going
forth to them, they laid hold upon him, saying. The Wali sum-
moneth thee. So they took him, and conducted him to the Wali,
who, when he saw him, said to him. Whence obtainedst thou these
stuffs? — Grant me indemnity, said my brother: — and the Wali gave
him the handkerchief of indemnity; and my brother related to him
all that had befallen him with the old woman from first to last, and
the flight of the damsel; adding, — and of that which I have taken,
take thou what thou wilt; but leave me wherewith to procure my
food. The Wali thereupon demanded the whole of the money and
the stuffs; but fearing that the Sultan might become acquainted
with the matter, he retained a portion only, and gave the rest to my
brother, saying to him. Quit this city, or I will hang thee. My
brother replied, I hear and obey: — and went forth to one of the
surrounding cities. Some robbers, however, came upon him, and
stripped and beat him, and cut off his ears; and I, having heard of
his situation, went forth to him, taking to him some clothes; and
brought him back privily into the city, and supplied him with daily
food and drink.

The Barber's Story of His Sixth Brother

My sixth brother (Shakalik), O Prince of the Faithful, had his
lips cut off. He was in a state of extreme poverty, possessing nothing
of the goods of this perishable world; and he went forth one day to
seek for something with which to stay his departing spirit, and on
his way he beheld a handsome house, with a wide and lofty vestibule,
at the door of which were servants, commanding and forbidding;
whereupon he inquired of one of the persons standing there, who
answered. This house belongeth to a man of the sons of the Barmekis.
My brother, therefore, advanced to the doorkeepers, and begged

THE barber's sixth BROTHER 1 85

them to give him something; and they said, Enter the door of the
house, and thou wilt obtain what thou desirest of its master. So he
entered the vestibule, and proceeded through it a while until he
arrived at a mansion of the utmost beauty and elegance, having a
garden in the midst of it, unsurpassed in beauty by anything that
had ever been seen: its floors were paved with marble, and its cur-
tains were hanging around. He knew not in which direction to go;
but advanced to the upper extremity; and there he beheld a man
of handsome countenance and beard, who, on seeing my brother,
rose to him, and welcomed him, inquiring respecting his circum-
stances. He accordingly informed him that he was in want; and
when the master of the house heard his words, he manifested exces-
sive grief, and, taking hold of his own clothes, rent them, and
exclaimed. Am I in the city, and thou in it hungry? It is a thing
that I cannot endure! — Then promising him every kind of happi-
ness, he said. Thou must stay and partake of my salt. But my
brother replied, O my master, I have not patience to wait; for I am
in a state of extreme hunger.

Upon this, the master of the house called out. Boy, bring the basin
and ewer! — and he said, O my guest, advance, and wash thy hand.
He then performed the same motions as if he were washing his
hand; and called to his attendants to bring the table; whereupon
they began to come and go as though they were preparing it; after
which the master of the house took my brother, and sat down with
him at this imaginary table, and proceeded to move his hands and
lips as if he were eating; saying to my brother. Eat, and be not
ashamed, for thou art hungry, and I know how thou art suffering
from the violence of thy hunger. My brother, therefore, made the
same motions, as if he also were eating, while his host said to him.
Eat, and observe this bread and its whiteness. To this, my brother
at first made no reply; but observed in his own mind. Verily this
is a man who loveth to jest with others: — so he said to him, O my
master, in my life I have never seen bread more beautifully white
than this, or any of sweeter taste: — on which the host rejoined, This
was made by a female slave of mine whom I purchased for five hun-
dred pieces of gold. He then called out, Boy, bring to us the sikbaj,'*
••a dish composed of meat, wheat-flour, and vinegar.

1 86 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

the like o£ which is not found among the dishes of Kings I — and,
addressing my brother, he said, Eat, O my guest; for thou art
hungry, vehemently so and in absolute want of food. So my brother
began to twist about his mouth, and to chew, as in eating. The
master of the house now proceeded to demand different kinds of
viands, one after another; and, though nothing was brought, he con-
tinued ordering my brother to eat. Next he called out. Boy, place
before us the chickens stuffed with pistachio-nuts: — and said to his
guest, Eat that of which thou hast never tasted the like. — O my
master, replied my brother, verily this dish hath not its equal in
sweetness or flavour: — ^and the host, thereupon, began to put his
hand to my brother's mouth as though he were feeding him with
morsels; and proceeded to enumerate to him the various different
kinds of viands, and to describe their several excellencies; while his
hunger so increased that he longed for a cake of barley-bread. The
master of the house then said to him, Hast thou tasted anything more
delicious than the spices in these dishes? — No, O my master, an-
swered my brother. — Eat more then, resumed the host; and be not
ashamed. — I have eaten enough of the meats, replied the guest. So
the man of the house called to his attendants to bring the sweets;
and they moved their hands about in the air as if they were bringing
them; whereupon the host said to my brother, E^t of this dish; for
it is excellent; and of these kataif," by my life! and take this one
before the sirup runs from it. — May I never be deprived of thee, O
my master! exclaimed my brother, proceeding to inquire of him
respecting the abundance of musk in the kataif. — This, answered
the host, is my usual custom in my house: they always put for me,
in each of the kataif, a mithkal" of musk, and half a mithkal of
ambergris. — All this time my brother was moving his head and
mouth, and rolling about his tongue between his cheeks, as if he
were enjoying the sweets. After this, the master of the house called
out to his attendants. Bring the dried fruits! — and again they moved
about their hands in the air as though they were doing what he
ordered; when he said to my brother. Eat of these almonds, and of
these walnuts, and of these raisins; — and so on; enumerating the
various kinds of dried fruits; and added again. Eat, and be not
'' Small pancakes or other sweet pastry. " The weight of a dinar.

THE barber's sixth BROTHER 187

ashamed. — O my master, replied my brother, I have had enough,
and have not power to eat anything more: — but the host rejoined.
If thou desire, O my guest, to eat more, and to delight thy-
self with extraordinary dainties, by Allah! by Allah! remain not
hungry.

My brother now reflected upon his situation, and upon the man-
ner in which this man was jesting with him, and said within him-
self, By Allah, I will do to him a deed that shall make him repent
before God of these actions! The man of the house next said to his
attendants, Bring us the wine: — and, as before, they made the same
motions with their hands in the air as if they were doing what he
commanded; after which he pretended to hand to my brother a cup,
saying, Take this cup, for it will delight thee: — and his guest replied,

my master, this is of thy bounty: — and he acted with his hand
as though he were drinking it. — Hath it pleased thee? said the host.
— O my master, answered my brother, 1 have never seen anything
more delicious than this wine. — Drink then, rejoined the master of
the house, and may it be attended with benefit and health: — and he
himself pretended to drink, and to hand a second cup to my brother,
who, after he had affected to drink it, feigned himself intoxicated,
and, taking his host unawares, raised his hand until the whiteness
of his arm-pit appeared, and struck him such a slap upon his neck
that the chamber rang at the blow; and this he followed by a second
blow; whereupon the man exclaimed, What is this, thou vilest of
the creation? — O my master, answered my brother, I am thy slave,
whom thou hast graciously admitted into thine abode, and thou hast
fed him with thy provisions, and treated him with old wine, and he
hath become intoxicated, and committed an outrage upon thee;
but thou art of too exalted dignity to be angry with him for his
ignorance.

When the master of the house heard these words of my brother,
he uttered a loud laugh, and said to him. Verily for a long time have

1 made game of men, and jested with all persons accustomed to
joking and rudeness, but I have not seen among them any who could
endure this trick, nor any who had sagacity to conform to all my
aaions, except thee: now therefore, I pardon thee; and be thou my
companion in reality, and never relinquish me. He then gave orders

1 88 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

to bring a number of the dishes above mentioned, and he and my
brother ate together to satisfaction ; after which they removed to the
drinking-chamber, where female slaves like so many moons sang
all kinds of melodies, and played on all kinds of musical instru-
ments. There they drank until intoxication overcame them: the
master of the house treated my brother as a familiar friend, became
greatly attached to him, and clad him with a costly dress; and on
the following morning they resumed their feasting and drinking.
Thus they continued to live for a p)eriod of twenty years: the man
then died, and the Sultan seized upon his property, and took posses-
sion of it.

My brother, upon this, went forth from the city, a fugitive; and
upon his way, a party of Arabs came upon him. They made him a
captive; and the man who captured him tortured him with beating,
and said to him. By Allah, purchase thyself of me by wealth, or I
will kill thee: — but my brother, weeping, replied. By Allah, I possess
nothing, O Sheykh of the Arabs; nor do 1 know the means of
obtaining any property: I am thy captive; I have fallen into thy
hands, and do with me what thou wilt. And immediately the tyran-
nical Bedawi drew forth from his girdle a broad-bladed knife (such
as, if plunged into the neck of a camel, would cut it across from
one jugular vein to the other) and, taking it in his right hand,
approached my poor brother, and cut off with it his lips; still urging
his demand.

Now this Bedawi had a handsome wife, who, when he was absent,
used to manifest a strong affection for my brother; though he
observed a proper decorum towards her, fearing God (whose name
be exalted!), and it happened one day, that she had called him, and
seated him with her; but while they were together, lo, her husband
came in upon them; and when he beheld my brother, he exclaimed.
Wo to thee, thou base wretch! Dost thou desire now to corrupt my
wife.? — Then drawing his knife, he inflicted upon him another cruel
wound; after which he mounted him upon a camel, and having
cast him upon a mountain, left him there, and went his way. Some
travellers, however, passed by him, and when they discovered him,
they gave him food and drink, and acquainted me with his case,

THE HUMPBACK 1 89

so I went forth to him, and conveyed him back into the city, and
allotted him a sufficient maintenance.

Now I have come unto thee, O Prince of the Faithful, continued
the barber, and feared to return to my house without relating to
thee these facts; for to neglect doing so had been an error. Thus
thou hast seen that, although having six brothers, I am of a more
upright character than they. — But when the Prince of the Faithful
had heard my story, and all that I had related to him respecting my
brothers, he laughed, and said. Thou hast spoken truth O Samit (O
silent man); thou art a person of few words, and devoid of im-
pertinence; now, however, depart from this city, and take up thine
abode in another. So he banished me from Baghdad; and I jour-
neyed through various countries, and traversed many regions, until
I heard of his death, and of the succession of another Khalifeh;
when returning to my city, I met with this young man, unto whom
I did the best of deeds, and who, had it not been for me, had been
slain: yet he hath accused me of that which is not in my character;
for all that he hath related of me, with respect to impertinence, and
loquacity, and dulness, and want of taste, is false, O people, —

The tailor then proceeded thus: — When we heard the story of the
barber, and were convinced of his impertinence and loquacity, and
that the young man had been treated unjustly by him, we seized
hold upon him, and put him in confinement, and, seating ourselves
to keep watch over him, ate and drank; and the feast was finished
in the most agreeable manner. We remained sitting together until
the call to afternoon-prayers, when I went forth, and returned to
my house; but my wife looked angrily at me, and said. Thou hast
been all the day enjoying thy pleasure while I have been sitting at
home sorrowful; now if thou go not forth with me and amuse me
for the remainder of the day, thy refusal will be the cause of my
separation from thee. So I took her and went out with her, and we
amused ourselves until nightfall, when, returning home, we met this
humpback, full of drink, and repeating verses; upon which I invited
him to come home with us and he consented. I then went forth to
buy some fried fish, and having bought it and returned, we sat

190 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

down to eat; and my wife took a morsel of bread and a piece of fish,
and put them into his mouth, and choked him, so that he died;
whereupon I took him up, and contrived to throw him into the
house of this physician, and he contrived to throw him into the
house of the steward, and the steward contrived to throw him in
the way of the broker. — This is the story of what happened to me
yesterday. Is it not more wonderful than that of the humpback ?

When the King had heard this story, he ordered certain of his
chamberlains to go with the tailor, and to bring the barber; saying
to them, His presence is indispensable, that I may hear his talk, and
it may be the cause of the deliverance of you all : then we will bury
this humpback decendy in the earth, for he hath been dead since
yesterday; and we will make him a monument round his grave,
since he hath been the occasion of our acquaintance with these won-
derful stories.

The chamberlains and the tailor soon came back, after having
gone to the place of confinement and brought the barber, whom they
placed before the King; and when the King beheld him, he saw
him to be an old man, passed his ninetieth year, of dark countenance,
and white beard and eyebrows, with small ears, and long nose, and
a haughty aspect. The King laughed at the sight of him and said
to him, O silent man, I desire that thou relate to me somewhat of
thy stories. — O King of the age, replied the barber, what is the occa-
sion of the presence of this Christian and this Jew and this Muslim,
and this humpback lying dead among you; and what is the reason
of this assembly? — Wherefore dost thou ask this? said the King.
The barber answered, I ask it in order that the King may know me
to be no impertinent person, nor one who meddleth with that which
doth not concern him, and that I am free from the loquacity of which
they accuse me: for I am fortunate in my characteristic apjiellation,
since they have surnamed me Es-Samit; and, as the poet hath said, —

Seldom hast thou seen a person honoured with a surname, but thou wilt
find, if thou search, that his character is expressed by it.

The King therefore said, Explain to the barber the case of this
humpback, and what happened to him yesterday evening, and ex-

THE HUMPBACK I9I

plain to him also what the Christian hath related, and the Jew and
the steward and the tailor. So they repeated to him the stories of
all these persons.

The barber, thereupon, shook his head, saying. By Allah, this is
a wonderful thing! Uncover this humpback that I may examine
him. — And they did so. He then seated himself at his head, and,
taking it up, placed it upon his lap, and looked at his face, and
laughed so violently that he fell backwards, exclaiming, For every
death there is a cause; and the death of this humpback is most
wonderful: it is worthy of being registered in the records, that
posterity may be instructed by this event! — The King, astonished
at his words, said, O Samit, explain to us the reason of thy saying
this. — O King, replied the barber, by thy beneficence, life is yet in
the humpback! He then drew forth from his bosom a pot contain-
ing some ointment, and with this he anointed the neck of the hump-
back; after which he covered it up until it perspired; when he took
forth an iron forceps, and put it down his throat, and extracted the
piece of fish with its bone, and all the people saw them. The hump-
back now sprang upon his feet, and sneezed, and, recovering his
consciousness, drew his hands over his face, and exclaimed. There
is no Deity but God! Mohammad is God's Apostle! God bless and
save him! — and all who were present were astonished at the sight
and the King laughed until he became insensible; as did also the
other spectators. The King exclaimed. By Allah, this accident is
wonderful! I have never witnessed anything more strange! — and
added, O Muslims! O assembly of soldiers! have ye ever in the
course of your lives seen any one die and after that come to life?
But had not God blessed him with this barber, the humpback had
been to-day numbered among the f)eople of the other world; for
the barber hath been the means of restoring him to life. — They
replied. This is indeed a wonderful thing!

The King then gave orders to record this event; and when they
had done so, he placed the record in the royal library; and he
bestowed dresses of honour upon the Jew and the Christian and
the steward; upon each of them, a costly dress; the tailor he ap-
pointed to be his own tailor, granting him regular allowances, and
reconciling him and the humpback with each other: the humpback

192 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

he honoured with a rich and beautiful dress, and with similar allow-
ances, and appointed him his cup-companion; and upon the barber
also he conferred the like favours, rewarding him with a costly dress
of honour, regular allowances, and a fixed salary, and appointing
him state-barber, and his own cupxompanion: so they all lived in
the utmost happiness and comfort until they were visited by the
terminator of delights and the separator of friends.

[Nights J2— j6]
The Story of Nur-Ed-Din and Enis-El-Jelis

THERE was, in El-Basrah, a certain King, who loved the
poor and indigent, and regarded his subjects with benev-
olence; he bestowed of his wealth upon him who believed
in Mohammad (God bless and save him!) and was such as one of
the poets who have written of him hath thus described: —

He used his lances as pens; and the hearts of his enemies, as paper; their

blood being his ink;
And hence, I imagine, our forefathers applied to the lance the term

Khattiyeh.

The name of this King was Mohammad the son of Suleyman Ez-
Zeyni; and he had two Wezirs; one of whom was named El-Mo'in
the son of Sawi; and the other, El-Fadl the son of Khakan. El-Fadl
the son of Khakan was the most generous of the people of his age,
upright in conduct, so that all hearts agreed in loving him, and the
wise complied with his counsel, and all the people supplicated for
him length of life: for he was a person of auspicious aspect, a pre-
venter of evil and mischief: but the Wezir El-Mo'in the son of Sawi
hated others, and loved not good; he was a man of inauspicious
aspect; and in the same degree that the people loved Fadl-ed-Din
the son of Khakan, so did they abhor El-Mo'in the son of Sawi in
accordance with the decree of the Almighty.

Now the King Mohammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeyni was
sitting one day upon his throne, surrounded by the officers of his
court, and he called to his Wezir El-Fadl the son of Khakan, and
said to him, I desire a female slave unsurpassed in beauty by any in
her age, of perfect loveliness and exquisite symmetry, and endowed
with all praiseworthy qualities. — Such as this, repUed his courtiers,
is not to be found for less than ten thousand pieces of gold. And
the Sultan thereupon called out to the treasurer, saying. Carry ten

"93

194 "^^^ THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

thousand pieces of gold to the house of El-Fadl the son of Khakan.
So the treasurer did as he commanded, and the Wezir departed, after
the Sultan had ordered him to repair every day to the market, and
to commission the brokers to procure what he had described, and
had commanded also that no female slave of a greater price than
one thousand pieces of gold should be sold without having been
shewn to the Wezir.

The brokers, therefore, sold no female slave without shewing her
to him, and he complied with the King's command, and thus he
continued to do for a considerable time, no slave pleasing him: but
on a certain day, one of the brokers came to the mansion of the
Wezir El-Fadl, and found that he had mounted to repair to the
palace of the King; and he laid hold upon his stirrup, and repeated
these two verses: —

O thou who hast reanimated what was rotten in the state! Thou art the

Wezir ever aided in Heaven.
Thou hast revived the noble qualities that were extinct among men. May

thy conduct never cease to be approved by God!

He then said, O my master, the female slave for the procuring of
whom the noble mandate was issued hath arrived. The Wezir
replied. Bring her hither to me. So the man returned, and, after a
short absence, came again, accompanied by a damsel of elegant
stature, high-bosomed, with black eyelashes, and smooth cheek, and
slender waist, and large hips, clad in the handsomest apparel; the
moisture of her lips was sweeter than syrup; her figure put to shame
the branches of the Oriental willow; and her speech was more soft
than the zephyr passing over the flowers of the garden; as one of
her describers hath thus expressed: —

Her skin is like silk, and her speech is soft, neither redundant nor

deficient:
Her eyes, God said to them. Be, — and they were, affecting men's hearts

with the f>otency of wine.
May my love for her grow more warm each night, and cease not until

the day of judgment!
The locks on her brow are dark as night, while her forehead shines like

the gleam of morning.

NUR-ED-DIN A^fD ENIS-EL-JELIS I95

When the Wezir beheld her, she pleased him extremely, and he
looked towards the broker, and said to him. What is the price of
this damsel ? The broker answered, The price bidden for her hath
amounted to ten thousand pieces of gold, and her owner hath sworn
that this sum doth not equal the cost of the chickens which she hath
eaten, nor the cost of the dresses which she hath bestowed upon her
teachers; for she hath learnt writing and grammar and lexicology,
and the interpretation of the Kur'an, and the fundamentals of law
and religion, and medicine, and the computation of the calendar,
and the art of playing upon musical instruments. The Wezir then
said. Bring to me her master : — and the broker immediately brought
him; and lo, he was a foreigner, who had lived so long that time had
reduced him to bones and skin, as the poet hath said, —

How hath time made me to tremble! For time is powerful and severe.
I used to walk without being weary; but now I am weary and do not
walk.

And the Wezir said to him. Art thou content to receive for this
damsel ten thousand pieces of gold from the Sultan Mohammad
the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeyni.? The foreigner answered. As she is
for the Sultan, it is incumbent on me to give her as a present to him,
without price. So the Wezir, upon this, ordered that the money
should be brought, and then weighed the pieces of gold for the
foreigner; after which, the slave-broker addressed the Wezir, and
said, With the permission of our lord the Wezir, I will speak. —
Impart what thou hast to say, replied the Wezir. — It is my opinion
then, said the broker, that thou shouldst not take up this damsel to
the Sultan to-day; for she hath just arrived from her journey, and
the change of air hath affected her, and the journey hath fatigued
her; but rather let her remain with thee in thy palace ten days, that
she may take rest, and her beauty will improve: then cause her to be
taken into the bath, and attire her in clothes of the handsomest
description, and go up with her to the Sultan: so shalt thou experi-
ence more abundant good-fortune. And the Wezir considered the
advice of the slave-broker, and approved it. He therefore took her
into his palace, and gave her a private apartment to herself, allotting
her every day what she required of food and drink and other sup-
plies, and she continued a while in this state of enjoyment.

196 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Now the Wezir El-Fadl had a son like the shining full moon,
with brilliant countenance, and red cheek, marked with a mole like
a globule of ambergris, and with grey down. The youth knew not
of this damsel, and his father had charged her, saying. Know that I
have purchased thee for the King Mohammad the son of Suleyman
Ez-Zeyni, and that I have a son who hath not left a girl in the
quarter without making love to her: therefore keep thyself concealed
from him, and beware of shewing him thy face, or suffering him to
hear thy voice. The damsel replied, I hear and obey: — and he left
her and departed. And it happened, as fate had ordained, that she
went one day into the bath which was in the house, and, after cer-
tain of the female slaves had bathed her, she attired herself in rich
apparel, and her beauty and loveliness increased in consequence.
She then went in to the Wezir's wife, and kissed her hand, and said
to her. May it be favourable, O Enis-el-Jelis! How didst thou find
this bath ? — O my mistress, she answered, I wanted nothing but thy
presence there. And upon this, the mistress of the house said to the
female slaves. Arise, and let us go into the bath. And they complied
with her command, and went, accompanied by their mistress, who
first charged two young slave-girls to keep the door of the private
apartment in which was Enis-el-Jelis, saying to them. Suffer no one
to go in to the damsel; — and they replied. We hear and obey. But
while Enis-el-Jelis was sitting in her chamber, lo, the Wezir's son,
whose name was 'Ali Nur-ed-Din, came in, and asked after his
mother and the family. The two girls answered. They are gone into
the bath. Now the damsel Enis-el-Jelis heard the sf)eech of 'Ali Nur-
ed-Din as she sat in her chamber, and she said within herself, I
wonder what this youth is like, of whom the Wezir hath told me
that he hath not left a girl in the quarter without making love to
her: by Allah, I have a desire to see him. She then rose upon her
feet, fresh as she was from the bath, and, approaching the door of
the chamber, looked at 'Ali Nur-ed-Din, and beheld him to be a
youth like the full moon. The sight of him occasioned her a thou-
sand sighs; and a look from the youth, at her, affected him also in
the same manner. Each was caught in the snare of the other's love,
and the youth approached the two slave-girls, and cried out at them;
whereupon they fled from before him, and stopped at a distance,

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 1 97

looking to see what he would do. He then advanced to the door of
the chamber, and, opening it, went in, and said to the damsel. Art
thou she whom my father hath purchased for me? She answered,
Yes. And upon this, the youth, who was in a state of intoxication,
went up to her, and embraced her, while she, in like manner, threw
her arms around his neck, and kissed him. But the two slave-girls,
having seen their young master enter the chamber of the damsel
Enis-el-Jelis, cried out. The youth, therefore, soon ran forth, and
fled for safety, fearing the consequence of his intrusion; and when
the mistress of the house heard the cry of the two slave-girls, she
came out dripping from the bath, saying. What is the cause of this
cry in the house? And when she drew near to the two slave-girls
whom she had placed at the door of the private chamber, she said
to them. Wo to you! What is the matter? — They answered, as soon
as they beheld her, Our master 'Ali Nur-ed-Din came to us and beat
us, and we fled from him, and he went into the chamber of Enis-el-
Jelis, and when we cried out to thee he fled. The mistress of the
house then went to Enis-el-Jelis, and said to her. What is the news?
— O my mistress, she answered, as I was sitting here, a youth of hand-
some person came in to me, and said to me, Art thou she whom my
father hath purchased for me? — And I answered. Yes. — By Allah, O
my mistress, I believed that what he said was true; and he came up
to me and embraced me, and kissed me three times, and left me
overcome by his love.

Upon this, the mistress of the house wept, and slapped her face,
and her female slaves did the like, fearing for 'AH Nur-ed-Din, lest
his father should slay him; and while they were in this state, lo, the
Wezir came in, and inquired what had happened. His wife said to
him, Swear that thou wilt listen to that which I shall say. He replied.
Well? So she told him what his son had done; and he mourned,
and rent his clothes, and slapped his face, and plucked his beard.
His wife then said to him, Kill not thyself. I will give thee, of my
own property, ten thousand pieces of gold, her price. — But up)on this,
he raised his head towards her, and said to her. Wo to thee! I want
not her price; but I fear the loss of my life and my projjerty. —
Wherefore, O my master? she asked. — Knowest thou not, said he,
that we have this enemy El-Mo'in the son of Sawi? When he

198 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

heareth of this event, he will repair to the Sultan, and say to him,
Thy Wezir whom thou imaginest to love thee hath received from
thee ten thousand pieces of gold, and purchased therewith a female
slave such as no one hath seen equalled, and when she pleased him,
he said to his son. Take her; for thou art more worthy of her than
the Suhan: — and he took her; and the damsel is now with him. —
Then the King will say. Thou liest. And he will say to the King,
With thy permission, I will break in upon him suddenly, and bring
her to thee. And he will give him permission to do so: he will there-
fore make a sudden attack up)on the house, and take the damsel,
and conduct her into the presence of the Sultan, and he will ques-
tion her, and she will not be able to deny: he will then say, O my
lord, I give thee good counsel, but I am not in favour with thee: —
and the Sultan will make an example of me, and all the people will
make me a gazing-stock, and my life will be lost. — His wife, how-
ever, rephed. Acquaint no one; for this thing hath happened privily:
commit, therefore, thine affair unto God, in this extremity. And
upon this, the heart of the Wezir was quieted, and his mind was
relieved.

Such was the case of the Wezir. — ^Now as to Nur-ed-Din, he
feared the result of his conduct, and so passed each day in the gar-
dens, not returning to his mother until towards the close of the
night: he then slept in her apartment, and rose before morning with-
out being seen by any one else. Thus he continued to do for the
space of a month, not seeing the face of his father; and at length his
mother said to his father, O my master, wilt thou lose the damsel and
lose the child ? For if it long continue thus with the youth, he will
flee his country. — And what is to be done? said he. She answered,
Sit up this night, and when he cometh, lay hold upon him, and be
reconciled to him, and give him the damsel; for she loveth him, and
he loveth her; and I will give thee her price. So the Wezir sat up
the whole night, and when his son came, he laid hold upon him,
and would have cut his throat; but his mother came to his succour,
and said to her husband, What dost thou desire to do unto him?
He answered her, I desire to slay him. The youth then said to his
father, Am I of so small account in thy estimation ? And upon this,
the eyes of his father filled with tears, and he said to him, O my son.

NUR-ED-DIN A>fD ENIS-EL-JELIS 1 99

is the loss of my property and my life of small account with thee? —
Listen, O my father, rejoined the youth: — and he implored his for-
giveness. So the Wezir rose from the breast of his son, and was
moved with compassion for him; and the youth rose, and kissed his
father's hand; and the Wezir said, O my son, if I knew that thou
wouldst act equitably to Enis-el-Jelis, I would give her to thee. —

my father, replied the youth, wherefore should I not act equitably
towards her? And his father said, I charge thee, O my son, that
thou take not a wife to share her place, and that thou do her no
injury, nor sell her. He replied, O my father, I swear to thee that

1 will neither take a wife to share her place, nor sell her: — and he
promised him by oaths to act as he had said, and took up his abode
with the damsel, and remained with her a year; and God (whose
name be exalted!) caused the King to forget the affair of the female
slave; but the matter became known to El-Mo'in the son of Sawi;
yet he could not speak of it, on account of the high estimation in
which the other Wezir was held by the Sultan.

After this year had expired, the Wezir Fadl-ed-Din the son of
Khakan entered the bath, and came out in a state of excessive per-
spiration, in consequence of which the external air smote him, so
that he became confined to his bed, and long remained sleepless;
and his malady continued unremittingly; so he called, thereupon,
his son, 'Ali Nur-ed-Din, and when he came before him, said to him,
O my son, verily the means of life are apportioned, and its period
is decreed, and every soul must drink the cup of death. I have
nothing with which to charge thee but the fear of God, and fore-
thought with regard to the results of thine actions, and that thou
conduct thyself kindly to the damsel Enis-el-Jelis. — O my father,
said the youth, who is like unto thee? Thou hast been celebrated
for virtuous actions, and the praying of the preachers for thee on
the pulpits. — O my son, rejoined the Wezir, I hope for the appro-
bation of God, whose name be exalted! And then he pronounced
the two professions of the faith, and uttered a sigh, and was re-
corded among the company of the blest. And upon this, the palace
was filled with shrieking, and the news reached the ears of the
Sultan, and the people of the city heard of the death of El-Fadl the
son of Khakan, and even the boys in the schools wept for him. His

200 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

son 'AH Nur-ed-Din arose, and prepared his funeral, and the Emirs
and Wezirs and other officers of the state attended it, and among
them was the Wezir El-Mo'in the son of Sawi; and as the pro-
cession passed out from the mansion, one of the mourners recited
these verses: —

I said to the man who was appointed to wash him, — ^Would that he had
yielded obedience to my counsel, —

Put away from him the water, and wash him with the tears of honour,
shed in lamentation for him:

And remove these fragrant substances collected for his corpse, and per-
fume him rather with the odours of his praise:

And order the noble angels to carry him in honour. Dost thou not behold
them attending him?

Cause not men's necks to be strained by bearing him: enough are they
laden already by his benefits.

'All Nur-ed-Din for a long time remained in a state of violent
grief for the loss of his father; but as he was sitting one day in his
father's house, a person knocked at the door, and he rose up and
opened it, and lo, there was a man who was one of his father's
intimate companions, and he kissed the hand of Nur-ed-Din, and
said to him, O my master, he who hath left a son like thee hath
not died. This is the destination of the lord of the first and the last
among mankind.' O my master, cheer up thy heart, and give over
mourning. — And upon this, 'Ali Nur-ed-Din arose, and went to the
guest<hamber, and removed thither all that he required, and his
companions came together to him, and he took again his slave. Ten
of the sons of the merchants became his associates, and he gave
entertainment after entertainment, and began to be lavish with pres-
ents. His steward, therefore, came to him, and said to him, O my
master Nur-ed-Din, hast thou not heard the saying. He who ex-
pendeth and doth not calculate is reduced to poverty? This profuse
expenditure, and these magnificent presents, will annihilate the
property. — But when 'Ali Nur-ed-Din heard these words of his
steward, he looked at him, and replied, Of all that thou hast said
to me, I will not attend to one word. How excellent is the saying
of the poet: —

' The Prophet Mohammad.

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 201

If I be possessed of wealth and be not liberal, may my hand never be

extended, nor my foot raised!
Shew me the avaricious who hath attained glory by his avarice, and the

munificent who hath died through his munificence.

Know, O steward, he continued, that if there remain in thy hands
what will suffice for my dinner, thou shalt not burden me with
anxiety respecting my supper. — So the steward left him, and went
his way; and 'Ali Nur-ed-Din resumed his habits of extravagant
generosity: whenever any one of his companions said. Verily this
thing is beautiful! — he would reply, It is a present to thee: — and if
any said, O my master, verily such a house is delightful! — he would
reply. It is a present to thee.

He ceased not to give entertainments to his companions from the
commencement of day, one after another, until he had passed in
this manner a whole year; after which, as he was sitting with them,
he heard the slave-girl recite these two verses: —

Thou thoughtest well of the days when they went well with thee, and

fearedst not the evil that destiny was bringing.
Thy nights were peaceful, and thou wast deceived by them: in the midst

of their brightness there cometh gloom.

And immediately after, a person knocked at the door; so Nur-ed-
Din rose, and one of his companions followed him without his
knowledge; and when he opened the door, he beheld his steward,
and said to him. What is the news? — O my master, answered the
steward, that which I feared on thy account hath happened to thee. —
How is that? asked Nur-ed-Din. The steward answered. Know
that there remaineth not of thy property in my hands, anything
equivalent to a piece of silver, or less than a piece of silver; and these
are the accounts of thy expenses, and of thy original property. When
'Ali Nur-ed-Din heard these words, he hung down his head towards
the ground, and exclaimed, There is no strength nor power but in
God! And the man who had followed him secretly to pry into his
case, as soon as he heard what the steward told him, returned to his
companions, and said to them, See what ye will do; for 'Ali Nur-ed-
Din hath become a bankrupt. So when Nur-ed-Din returned to
them, grief appeared to them in his countenance, and immediately

202 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

one of them rose, and, looking towards him, said to him, O my
master, I desire that thou wouldst permit me to depart. — Why thus
depart to-day? said Nur-ed-Din. His guest answered. My wife is to
give birth to a child this night, and it is impossible for me to be
absent from her: I desire, therefore, to go and see her. And he
gave him leave. Then another rose, and said to him, O my master
Nur-ed-Din, I desire to-day to visit my brother; for he celebrateth
the circumcision of his son. Thus each of them asked leave of him
deceitfully, and went his way, until all had departed.

So 'Ali Nur-ed-Din remained alone; and he called his slave-girl,
and said to her, O Enis-el-Jelis, seest thou not what hath befallen
me? And he related to her what the steward had told him. She
replied, O my master, for some nights past, I have been anxious
to speak to thee of this affair; but I heard thee reciting these two
verses: —

When fortune is liberal to thee, be thou liberal to all others before she

escape from thee:
For liberality will not annihilate thy wealth when she is favourable; nor

avarice preserve it when she deserteth thee.

And when I heard thee repeat these words, I was silent, and would
not make any remark to thee. — O Enis-el-Jelis, he rejoined, thou
knowest that I have not expended my wealth but on my com-
panions; and I do not think that they will abandon me without
relief. — By Allah, said she, they will be of no use to thee. But he
said, I will immediately arise and go to them, and knock at their
doors; perhaps I shall obtain from them something which I will
employ as a capital wherewith to trade, and I will cease from di-
version and sport. So he arose instantly, and proceeded without
stopping until he arrived at the by-street in which his ten com-
panions resided; for they all lived in that same street: and he ad-
vanced to the first door, and knocked; and there came forth to him
a slave-girl, who said to him, Who art thou ? He answered, Say to
thy master, — 'AH Nur-ed-Din is standing at the door, and saith to
thee. Thy slave kisseth thy hands, looking for a favour from thee. —
And the girl entered and acquainted her master; but he called out
to her, saying. Return, and tell him, He is not here. — The girl.

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 203

therefore, returned to Nur-ed-Din, and said to him, My master. Sir,
is not here. And he went on, saying within himself. If this is a
knave, and hath denied himself, another is not. He then advanced
to the next door, and said as he had before; and the second also
denied himself; and Nur-ed-Din exclaimed, —

They are gone, who, if thou stoodest at their door, would bestow upon
thee the bounty thou desirest.

By Allah, he added, I must try all of them: perchance one of them
may stand me in the place of all the others. And he went round to
all the ten; but found not that one of them would open the door, or
shew himself, or even order him a cake or bread; and he recited the
following verses: —

A man in prosperity resembleth a tree, around which |)eople flock as

long as it hath fruit;
But as soon as it hath dropped all that it bore, they disperse from beneath

it, and seek another.
Perdition to all the f>eople of this age! for I find not one man of integrity

among ten.

He then returned to his slave: his anxiety had increased, and she said
to him, O my master, said I not unto thee that they would not
profit thee? — By Allah, he replied, not one of them shewed me his
face. — O my master, rejoined she, sell of the movables of the house a
little at a time, and expend the produce. And he did so until he had
sold all that was in the house, and there remained nothing in his
possession; and upon this he looked towards Enis-el-Jelis, and said
to her. What shall we do now ? — It is my advice, O my master, she
answered, that thou arise immediately, and take me to the market,
and sell me; for thou knowest that thy father purchased me for ten
thousand pieces of gold, and perhaps God may open to thee a way to
obtain a part of this price; and if God have decreed our reunion, we
shall meet again. But he replied, O Enis-el-Jelis, it is not easy for me
to endure thy separation for one hour. — Nor is the like easy to me,
said she: but necessity is imperious. And upon this, he took Enis-el-
Jelis, his tears flowing down his cheeks, and went and delivered her
to the broker, saying to him, Know the value of that which thou art

204 "T**^ THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

to cry for sale. — O my master Nur-ed-Din, replied the broker, noble
qualities are held in remembrance. Is she not Enis-el-Jelis, whom
thy father purchased of me for ten thousand pieces of gold? — He
answered, Yes. And the broker thereupon went to the merchants;
but he found that they had not all yet assembled; so he waited until
the rest had come; and the market was filled with all varieties of
female slaves, Turkish and Greek and Circassian and Georgian and
Abyssinian; and when he beheld its crowded state, he arose and
exclaimed, O merchants! O possessors of wealth! everything that is
round is not a nut; nor is everything long, a banana; nor is every-
thing that is red, meat; nor is everything white, fat; nor is every-
thing that is ruddy, wine; nor is everything tawny, a date! O
merchants! this precious pearl, whose value no money can equal,
with what sum will ye open the bidding for her? — And one of the
merchants answered. With four thousand and five hundred pieces
of gold.

But, lo, the Wezir El-Mo'in the son of Sawi was in the market,
and, seeing 'Ali Nur-ed-Din standing there, he said within himself.
What doth he want here, having nothing left wherewith to purchase
female slaves? Then casting his eyes around, and hearing the broker
as he stood crying in the market with the merchants around him, he
said within himself, I do not imagine anything else than that he hath
become a bankrupt, and come forth with the slave-girl to sell her;
and if this be the case, how pleasant to my heart! He then called the
crier, who approached him, and kissed the ground before him; and
the Wezir said to him, I desire this female slave whom thou art
crying for sale. The broker, therefore, being unable to oppose his
wish, brought the slave and placed her before him; and when he
beheld her, and considered her charms, her elegant figure and her soft
speech, he was delighted with her, and said to the broker. To what
has the bidding for her amounted? The broker answered, Four
thousand and five hundred pieces of gold. And as soon as the
merchants heard this, not one of them could bid another piece of
silver or of gold; but all of them drew back, knowing the tyrannical
conduct of that Wezir. El-Mo'in the son of Sawi then looked towards
the broker, and said to him, Why standest thou still? Take away
the slave-girl for me at the price of four thousand and five hundred

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 205

pieces of gold, and thou wilt have five hundred for thyself. — So the
broker went to 'Ali Nur-ed-Din, and said to him, O my master, the
slave-girl is lost to thee without price. — How so? said Nur-ed-Din.
The broker answered. We opened the bidding for her at four thou-
sand and five hundred pieces of gold; but this tyrant El-Mo'in the
son of Sawi came into the market, and when he beheld the damsel
she pleased him, and he said to me. Ask her owner if he will agree
for four thousand pieces of gold, and five hundred for thee: — and
I doubt not but he knoweth that the slave belongeth to thee; and if
he give thee her price immediately, it will be through the goodness
of God; but I know, from his injustice, that he will write thee an
order upon some of his agents for the money, and' then send to
them and desire them to give thee nothing; and every time that thou
shalt go to demand it of them, they will say to thee. To-morrow we
will pay thee: — and they will not cease to promise thee, and to defer
from day to day, notwithstanding thy pride; and when they are
overcome by thy importunity they will say. Give us the written
order: — and as soon as they have received the paper from thee they
will tear it in pieces: so thou wilt lose the price of the slave.

When Nur-ed-Din, therefore, heard these words of the broker,
he said to him. What is to be done? The broker answered, I will
give thee a piece of advice, and if thou receive it from me, thou will
have better fortune. — What is it? Asked Nur-ed-Din. — That thou
come to me immediately, answered the broker, while I am stand-
ing in the midst of the market, and take the slave-girl from me, and
give her a blow with thy hand, and say to her. Wo to thee! I have
expiated my oath that I swore, and brought thee to the market, be-
cause I swore to thee that thou shouldst be exposed in the market,
and that the broker should cry thee for sale. — If thou do this, per-
haps the trick will deceive him and the people, and they will believe
that thou tookest her not to the market but to expiate the oath. —
This, replied Nur-ed-Din, is the right counsel. So the broker returned
into the midst of the market, and, taking hold of the hand of the
slave-girl, made a sign to the Wezir El-Mo'in the son of Sawi,
saying, O my lord, this is her owner who hath just come. Then
'Ali Nur-ed-Din advanced to the broker, and tore the damsel from
him, and struck her with his hand, saying to her, Wo to thee! I

200 IMt THUU5AIMU AMU OIMfc WIUHIS

have brought thee to the market for the sake of expiating my oath.
Go home, and disobey me not again. I want not thy price, that I
should sell thee; and if I sold the furniture of the house and every-
thing else of the kind over and over again, their produce would
not amount to thy price. — But when El-Mo'in the son of Sawi,
beheld Nur-ed-Din, he said to him, Wo to thee! Hast thou any-
thing left to be sold or bought? — And he would have laid violent
hands upon him. The merchants then looked towards Nur-ed-Din
(and they all loved him), and he said to them. Here am I before
you, and ye have all known his tyranny. — By Allah, exclaimed the
Wezir, were it not for you, I had killed him! Then all of them made
signs, one to another, with the eye, and said. Not one of us will
interfere between thee and him. And upon this, 'Ali Nur-ed-Din
went up to the Wezir, the son of Sawi (and Nur-ed-Din was a man
of courage), and he dragged the Wezir from his saddle, and threw
him upon the ground. There was at that spot a kneading-place for
mud,' and the Wezir fell into the midst of it, and Nur-ed-Din beat
him with his fist, and a blow fell upon his teeth, by which his beard
became dyed with his blood. Now there were with the Wezir ten
memluks, and when they saw Nur-ed-Din treat their master in this
manner, they put their hands uf)on the hilts of their swords, and
would have fallen upon him and cut him in pieces; but the people
said to them. This is a Wezir, and this is the son of a Wezir, and
perhaps they may make peace with each other, and ye will incur
the anger of both of them; or perhaps a blow may fall upon your
master, and ye will all of you die the most ignominious of deaths:
it is advisable, therefore, that ye interfere not between them. — And
when 'Ali Nur-ed-Din had ceased from beating the Wezir, he took
his slave-girl and returned to his house.

The Wezir, the son of Sawi, then immediately arose, and his
dress, which before was white, was now dyed with three colours,
the colour of mud, and the colour of blood, and the colour of ashes;
and when he beheld himself in this condition, he took a round mat,
and hung it to his neck, and took in his hand two bundles of coarse

' By this a meant, a place where mud was kneaded to be employed in building'.
The mortar generally used in the construction of Arab houses is composed of mud in
the proportion of one-half, with a fourth part of lime, and the remaining part of the
ashes of straw and rubbish.

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 10'J

grass, and went and stood beneath the palace of the Sultan, and
cried out, O King of the age! I am oppressed! — So they brought him
before the King, who looked at him attentively, and saw that he
was his Wezir, El-Mo'in the son of Sawi. He said, therefore, Who
hath done thus unto thee? — and the Wezir cried and moaned, and
repeated these two verses: —

Shall fortune oppress me while thou existest; and the dogs devour me

when thou art a lion?
Shall all else who are dry drink freely from thy tanks, and I thirst in

thine asylum when thou art as rain?

— O my lord, he continued, thus is every one who loveth thee and
serveth thee: these afflictions always befall him. — And who, said the
King again, hath done thus unto thee? — Know, answered the Wezir,
that I went forth to-day to the market of the female slaves with the
idea of buying a cook-maid, and saw in the market a slave-girl the
like of whom I had never in my life beheld, and the broker said
that she belonged to 'Ali Nur-ed-Din. Now our lord the Sultan
had given his father ten thousand pieces of gold to buy for him with
it a beautiful female slave, and he bought that girl, and she pleased
him; so he gave her to his son; and when his father died, the son
pursued the path of prodigality, until he sold all his houses and
gardens and utensils; and when he had become a bankrupt, noth-
ing else remaining in his possession, he took the slave-girl to the
market to sell her, and deUvered her to the broker: so he cried her
for sale, and the merchants continued bidding for her until her price
amounted to four thousand pieces of gold; whereupon I said to my-
self, I will buy this for our lord the Sultan; for her original price
was from him, I therefore said, O my son, receive her price, four
thousand pieces of gold. But when he heard my words, he looked
at me and repUed, O ill-omened old man! I will sell her to the Jews
and the Christians rather than to thee. — I then said to him, I would
not buy her for myself, but for our lord the Sultan, who is our bene-
factor. As soon, however, as he had heard these words from me, he
was filled with rage, and dragged me and threw me down from the
horse, notwithstanding my advanced age, and beat me, and ceased
not to do so until he left me in the state in which thou seest me.

2o8 THE THOUSAND A^fD ONE NIGHTS

Nothing exposed me to all this ill treatment but my coming to pur-
chase this slave-girl for your majesty. — The Wezir then threw him-
self upon the ground, and lay weeping and trembling.

Now when the Sultan beheld his condition, and had heard his
speech, the vein of anger swelled between his eyes, and he looked
towards the members of his court who were attending him; where-
upon forty swordsmen stood before him, and he said to them, De-
scend immediately to the house of 'AH the son of El-Fadl the son of
Khakan, and plunder it and demoUsh it, and bring hither him and
the slave-girl with their hands bound behind them : drag them along
upon their faces, and so bring them before me. They replied,we hear
and obey : — and went forth to repair to the house of 'Ali Nur-ed-Din.
But there was in the court of the Sultan a chamberlain named 'Alam-
ed-in Senjer, who had been one of the memluks of El-Fadl the son
of Khakan, the father of 'Ali Nur-ed-Din; and when he heard the
order of the Sultan, and saw the enemies prepared to slay his
master's son, it was insupportable to him; so he mounted his horse,
and proceeded to the house of 'Ali Nur-ed-Din, and knocked at the
door. Nur-ed-Din came forth to him, and, when he saw him, knew
him, and would have saluted him; but he said, O my master, this
is not a time for salutation, nor for talking. Nur-ed-Din said, O
'Alam-ed-Din, what is the news? He replied. Save thyself by flight,
thou and the slave-girl; for EI-Mo'in the son of Sawi hath set up a
snare for you, and if ye fall into his hands he will slay you: the Sultan
hath sent to you forty swordsmen, and it is my advice that ye fly
before the evil fall upon you. Then Senjer stretched forth his hand
to Nur-ed-Din with some pieces of gold, and he counted them, and
found them to be forty pieces; and he said, O my master, receive
these, and if I had with me more, I would give it thee; but this is not
a time for expostulating. And upon this, Nur-ed-Din went in to the
damsel, and acquainted her with the occurrence, and she was con-
founded.

The two then went forth immediately from the city, and God let
down the veil of his protection upon them, and they proceeded to
the bank of the river, where they found a vessel ready to sail: the
master was standing in the midst of it, and saying, He who hath
anything to do, whether leave-taking or procuring provisions, or

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 209

who hath forgotten aught, let him do what he desireth and return;
for we are going. And they all replied, We have nothing remaining
to do, O master. So, upon this, the master said to his crew, Quick!
Loose the rope's end, and pull up the stake. — And 'Ali Nur-ed-Din
exclaimed, Whither, O master? He answered. To the abode of
Peace, Baghdad. And Nur-ed-Din embarked, and the damsel with
him, and they set the vessel afloat, and spread the sails and it shot
along like a bird with its pair of wings, carrying them forward with
a favourable wind.

Meanwhile, the forty men whom the Sultan had sent came to the
house of 'Ali Nur-ed-Din, and broke open the doors and entered,
and searched all the chambers, but without success; so they de-
molished the house, and returned, and acquainted the Sultan, who
said, Search for them in every place where they may be: — and they
replied. We hear and obey. The Wezir El-Mo'in the son of Sawi then
descended to his house, after the Sultan had invested him with a
robe of honour, and had said to him, None shall take vengeance for
thee but myself. And he greeted the King with a prayer for long
Ufc, and his heart was set at ease: and the Sultan gave orders to
proclaim throughout the city, O all ye people! our lord the Sultan
hath commanded that whoever shall meet with 'Ali Nur-ed-Din,
and bring him to the Sultan, shall be invested with a robe of honour,
and he will give him a thousand pieces of gold; and he who shall
conceal him, or know where he is, and not give information thereof,
will merit the exemplary punishment that shall befall him! So all
the people began to search for him; but could not trace him. — Such
was the case with these fjeople.

Now as to 'Ali Nur-ed-Din and his slave, they arrived in safety at
Baghdad, and the master of the vessel said to them, This is Baghdad,
and it is a city of security : winter with its cold hath departed from it,
and the spring-quarter hath come with its roses, and its trees are in
blossom, and its waters are flowing. And upon this, 'Ali Nur-ed-Din
landed with his slave-girl, and gave the master five pieces of gold.
They then walked a little way, and destiny cast them among the
gardens, and they came to a place which they found swept and
sprinkled, with long mastabahs, and pots suspended filled with
water, and over it was a covering of trellis-work of canes extending

210 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

along the whole length of a lane, at the upf>er end of which was the
gate of a garden; but this was shut. And Nur-ed-Din said to the
damsel, By Allah, this is a pleasant place! — and she replied, O my
master, let us sit down a while upon one of these mastabahs. So they
mounted and seated themselves there, and they washed their faces
and hands, and enjoyed the current of the zephyr, and slept. — Glory
be to Him who sleepeth not!

This garden was called the Garden of Delight, and in it was a
palace called the Palace of Diversion, and it belonged to the Khalifeh
Harun Er-Rashid, who, when his heart was contracted, used to come
to this garden, and enter the palace above mentioned, and there sit.
The palace had eighty latticed windows, and eighty lamps were
suspended in it, and in the midst of it was a great candlestick of
gold; and when the Khalifeh entered it, he commanded the female
slaves to open the windows, and ordered Ishak, the cup-companion,
to sing with them: so his heart became dilated, and his anxiety
ceased. There was a superintendent to the garden, an old man,
named the sheykh Ibrahim; and it happened that he went forth once
to transact some business, and found there persons diverting them-
selves with women of suspicious character, whereupon he was vio-
lently enraged, and having waited until the Khalifeh came thither
some days after, he acquainted him with this occurrence, and the
Khalifeh said, Whomsoever thou shalt find at the gate of the garden,
do with him what thou wilt. Now on this day the sheykh Ibrahim
went out to transact an affair of business, and found the two sleep-
ing at the garden-gate, covered with a single izar; and he said, Do
not these two persons know that the Khalifeh hath given me per-
mission to kill every one whom I find here? But I will only give
these two a slight beating, that no one may again approach the
gate of the garden. He then cut a green palm-stick, and went forth
to them, and raised his hand until the whiteness of his arm-pit
appeared, and was about to beat them; but he reflected in his mind,
and said, O Ibrahim, how shouldst thou beat them when thou
knowest not their case? They may be two strangers, or of the
children of the road,' whom destiny hath cast here. I will therefore
uncover their faces, and look at them. — So he lifted up the izar from

* Wayfaren.

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 211

their faces and said, These are two handsome persons, and it is not
proper that I should beat them. And he covered their faces again,
and, approaching the foot of 'Ali Nur-ed-Din, began to rub it
gendy; whereupon Nur-ed-Din opened his eyes, and saw that he was
an old man; and he blushed, and drew in his feet, and, sitting up,
took the hand of the sheykh Ibrahim and kissed it; and the sheykh
said to him, O my son, whence are ye? — O my master, he answered,
we are strangers. — And a tear gushed from his eye. The sheykh
Ibrahim then said to him, O my son, know that the Prophet (God
bless and save him!) hath enjoined generosity to the stranger. Wilt
thou not arise, O my son, and enter the garden, and divert thyself in
it, that thy heart may be dilated? — O my master, said Nur-ed-Din,
to whom doth this garden belong? The sheykh answered, O my
son, this garden I inherited from my family. And his design in
saying this was only that they might feel themselves at ease, and
enter the garden. And when Nur-ed-Din heard his words, he
thanked him, and arose, together with his slave, and, the sheykh
Ibrahim preceding them, they entered the garden.

The gate was arched, and over it were vines with grapes of dif-
ferent colours; the red, like rubies; and the black, like ebony. They
entered a bower, and found within it fruits growing in clusters and
singly, and the birds were warbling their various notes upon the
branches: the nightingale was pouring forth its melodious sounds;
and the turtle-dove filled the place with its cooing; and the black-
bird, in its singing, resembled a human being; and the ring-dove, a
person exhilarated by wine. The fruits upon the trees, comprising
every description that was good to eat, had ripened; and there were
two of each kind : there were the camphor-apricot, and the almond-
apricot, and the apricot of Khurasan; the plum of a colour like the
complexion of beauties; the cherry delighting the sense of every
man; the red, the white, and the green fig, of the most beautiful
colours; and flowers like pearls and coral; the rose, whose redness
put to shame the cheeks of the lovely; the violet, like sulphur in
contact with fire; the myrtle, the gilliflower, the lavender, and the
anemone; and their leaves were bespangled with the tears of the
clouds; the chamomile smiled, displaying its teeth, and the narcissus
looked at the rose with its negroes' eyes; the citrons resembled round

212 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

cups; the limes were like bullets of gold; the ground was carpeted
with flowers of every colour, and the place beamed with the charms
of spring; the river murmured by while the birds sang, and the wind
whistled among the trees; the season was temperate, and the zephyr
was languishing.

The sheykh Ibrahim conducted them into the elevated saloon, and
they were charmed with its beauty and the extraordinary elegances
which it displayed, and seated themselves in one of the windows;
and Nur-ed-Din, reflecting upon his past entertainments, exclaimed.
By Allah, this place is most delightful! It hath reminded me of past
events, and quenched in me an anguish like the fire of the ghada. —
The sheykh Ibrahim then brought to them some food, and they
ate to satisfaction, and washed their hands, and Nur-ed-Din, seating
himself again in one of the windows, called to his slave, and she
came to him; and they sat gazing at the trees laden with all kinds
of fruits; after which, Nur-ed-Din looked towards the sheykh, and
said to him, O sheykh Ibrahim, hast thou not any beverage? For
people drink after eating. — So the sheykh brought him some sweet
and cold water: but Nur-ed-Din said. This is not the beverage I
desire. — Dost thou want wine? asked the sheykh. — Yes, answered
Nur-ed-Din. The sheykh exclaimed, I seek refuge with Allah from
it! Verily, for thirteen years I have done nothing of that kind; for
the Prophet (God bless and save him!) cursed its drinker and its
presser and its carrier. — Hear from me two words, said Nur-ed-Din.
The sheykh replied. Say what thou wilt. So he said. If thou be
neither the presser of the wine, nor its drinker, nor its carrier, will
aught of the curse fall upon thee? The sheykh answered, No. —
Then take this piece of gold, rejoined Nur-ed-Din, and these two
pieces of silver, and mount the ass, and halt at a distance from the
place, and whatsoever man thou findest to buy it, call to him, and
say to him, take these two pieces of silver, and with this piece of
gold buy some wine, and place it upon the ass: — so, in this case,
thou wilt be neither the carrier nor the presser, nor the buyer; and
nothing will befall thee of that which befalleth the rest.

The sheykh Ibrahim, after laughing at his words, replied, By
Allah, I have never seen one more witty than thou, nor heard speech
more sweet. And Nur-ed-Din said to him. We have become de-

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 213

pendent upon thee, and thou hast nothing to do but to comply with
our wishes: bring us, therefore, all that we require. — O my son, said
the sheykh, my buttery here is before thee (and it was the store-room
furnished for the Prince of the Faithful) : enter it then, and take
from it what thou wilt; for it containeth more than thou desirest.
So Nur-ed-Din entered the store-room, and beheld in it vessels of
gold and silver and crystal, adorned with a variety of jewels; and
he took out such of them as he desired, and poured the wine into
the vessels of earthenware and bottles of glass; and he and the
damsel began to drink, astonished at the beauty of the things which
they beheld. The sheykh Ibrahim then brought to them sweet-
scented flowers, and seated himself at a distance from them; and
they continued drinking, in a state of the utmost delight, until the
wine took effect upon them, and their cheeks reddened, and their
eyes wantoned like those of the gazelle, and their hair hung down:
whereupon the sheykh Ibrahim said, What aileth me that I am
sitting at a distance from them? Why should I not sit by them?
And when shall I be in the company of such as these two, who are
like two moons ? — He then advanced, and seated himself at the edge
of the raised portion of the floor; and Nur-ed-Din said to him, O
my master, by my life I conjure thee to approach and join us. So
he went to them; and Nur-ed-Din filled a cup, and, looking at the
sheykh, said to him. Drink, that thou mayest know how delicious
is its flavour. But the sheykh Ibrahim exclaimed, I seek refuge with
Allah! Verily, for thirteen years I have done nothing of that kind. —
And Nur-ed-Din, feigning to pay no attention to him, drank the
cup, and threw himself upon the ground, pretending that intoxica-
tion had overcome him.

Upon this, Enis-el-Jelis looked towards the sheykh, and said to
him, O sheykh Ibrahim, see how this man hath treated me. — O my
mistress, said he, what aileth him? She rejoined, Always doth he
treat me thus: he drinketh a while, and then sleejjeth, and I remain
alone, and find no one to keep me company over my cup. If I
drink, who will serve me? And if I sing, who will hear me? — The
sheykh, moved with tenderness and affection for her by her words,
replied, It is not proper that a cup-companion be thus. The damsel
then filled a cup, and, looking at the sheykh Ibrahim, said to him,

214 ""^^ THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I conjure thee by my life that thou take it and drink it; reject it not,
but accept it, and refresh my heart. So he stretched forth his hand,
and took the cup, and drank it; and she filled for him a second time,
and handed it to him, saying, O my master, this remaineth for thee.
He replied, By Allah, I cannot drink it: that which I have drunk is
enough for me. But she said, By Allah, it is indispensable: — and he
took the cup, and drank it. She then gave him the third; and he
took it, and was about to drink it, when lo, Nur-ed-Din, raised him-
self, and said to him, O sheykh Ibrahim, what is this.' Did I not
conjure thee a while ago, and thou refusedst, and saidst. Verily, for
thirteen years I have not done it? — The sheykh Ibrahim, touched
with shame, replied. By Allah, I am not in fault; for she pressed me.
And Nur-ed-Din laughed, and they resumed their carousal, and
the damsel, turning her eyes towards her master, said to him, O my
master, drink thou, and do not urge the sheykh Ibrahim; that I
may divert thee with the sight of him. So she began to fill and
to hand to her master, and her master filled and gave to her, and
thus they continued to do, time after time; till at length the sheykh
Ibrahim looked towards them and said. What meaneth this? And
what sort of carousal is this? Wherefore do ye not give me to drink,
since I have become your cup-companion? — At this they both
laughed until they became almost senseless; and then drank, and
gave him to drink; and they continued thus until the expiration of
a third of the night, when the damsel said, O sheykh Ibrahim, with
thy permission shall I rise and light one of the candles which are
arranged here? — ^Rise, he answered; but light not more than one
candle. But she sprang upon her feet, and, beginning with the first
candle, proceeded until she had lighted eighty. She then sat down
again; and presently Nur-ed-Din said, O sheykh Ibrahim, in what
favour am I held with thee? Wilt thou not allow me to light one
of these lamps ? — The sheykh answered. Arise, and Ught one lamp,
and be not thou also troublesome. So he arose, and, beginning with
the first lamp, lighted all the eighty; and the saloon seemed to dance.
And after this, the sheykh Ibrahim, overcome by intoxication, said
to them. Ye are more frolicsome than I: — and he sprang upon his
feet, and opened all the windows, and sat down again with them.

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 21 5

and they continued carousing and reciting verses; and the place rang
with their merriment.

Now God, the All-seeing and All-knowing, who hath appointed a
cause to every event, had decreed that the Khalifeh should be sitting
that night at one of the windows looking towards the Tigris, by
moonlight; and he looked in that direction, and saw the light of
lamps and candles reflected in the river, and, turning his eyes up
towards the palace in the garden, he beheld it beaming with those
candles and lamps, and exclaimed. Bring hither to me Ja'far El-
Barmeki! In the twinkling of an eye, Ja'far stood before the Prince
of the Faithful; and the Khalifeh said to him, O dog of Wezirs,
dost thou serve me and not acquaint me with what happeneth in
the city of Baghdad? — What, asked Ja'far, is the occasion of these
words? The Khalifeh answered. If the city of Baghdad were not
taken from me, the Palace of Diversion were not enlivened with the
light of the lamps and candles, and its windows were not opened.
Wo to thee! Who could do these things unless the office of KhaUfeh
were taken from me? — Who, said Ja'far (the muscles of his side
quivering from fear), informed thee that the lamps and candles
were lighted in the Palace of Diversion, and that its windows were
opened ? The Khalifeh replied, Advance hither to me, and look. So
Ja'far approached the Khalifeh, and, looking towards the garden,
beheld the palace as it were a flame of fire, its light surpassing that
of the moon. He desired, therefore, to make an excuse for the
sheykh Ibrahim, the superintendent, thinking, from what he beheld,
that the event might have occurred through his p)ermission : and ac-
cordingly he said, O Prince of the Faithful, the sheykh Ibrahim last
week said to me, O my master Ja'far, I am desirous of entertaining
my children during my life and the life of the Prince of the Faith-
ful. — And what, said I, is thy design in saying this? He answered.
It is my wish that thou wouldst obtain for me permission from the
Khalifeh that I may celebrate the circumcision of my sons in the
palace. So I said. Do what thou wilt with respect to the entertain-
ment of thy sons, and, if God will, I shall have an interview with
the Khalifeh, and will acquaint him with it. And he left me thus;
and I forgot to acquaint thee. — O Ja'far, said the Khalifeh, thou wast

2l6 THE THOUSAND AhfD ONE NIGHTS

guilty of one offence against me, and then thine offence became two:
for thou hast erred in two points: the first, thy not acquainting me
with this affair; and the second, thy not accompUshing the desire
of the sheykh Ibrahim; for he did not come to thee and address thee
with these words but to hint a request for some money by the aid
of which to effect his design, and thou neither gavest him anything
nor acquaintedst me that I might give him. — O Prince of the Faith-
ful, replied Ja'far, I forgot.

The Khalifeh then said, By my forefathers, I will not pass the
remainder of my night but with him, for he is a just man, who
frequenteth the sheykhs, and attendeth to the poor, and favoureth
the indigent; and I imagine all his acquaintances are with him this
night : so I must repair to him : perhaps one of them may offer up for
us a prayer productive of good to us in this world and the next; and
probably some advantage may accrue to him from my presence, and
he will receive pleasure from this, together with his friends. — O
Prince of the Faithful, replied Ja'far, the greater part of the night
hath passed, and they are now about to disperse. But the Khalifeh
said. We must go to them. And Ja'far was silent, and was per-
plexed in his mind, not knowing what to do. So the Khalifeh rose
upon his feet, and Ja'far rose and preceded him, and Mesrur the
eunuch went with them. The three walked on reflecting, and, de-
parting from the palace, proceeded through the streets, in the attire
of merchants, until they arrived at the gate of the garden above
mentioned; and the Khalifeh, approaching it, found it open; and
he was surprised, and said. See, O Ja'far, how the sheykh Ibrahim
hath left the gate open until this hour, which is not his usual custom.
They then entered, and came to the end of the garden, where they
stopped beneath the palace; and the Khalifeh said, O Ja'far, I desire
to take a view of them secretly before I go up to them, that I may
see how the sheykhs are occupied in the dispensing of their bless-
ings and the employment of their miraculous powers; for they have
qualities which distinguish them both in their private retirements
and in their public exercises; and now we hear not their voices, nor
discover any indication of their presence. Having thus said, he looked
around, and, seeing a tall walnut-tree, he said, O Ja'far, I would
climb this tree (for its branches are near to the windows) and look

NtlR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 21 7

at them. And accordingly he ascended the tree, and climbed from
branch to branch until he came to that which was opposite to one
of the windows, and there he sat, and, looking in through this
window of the palace, beheld a damsel and a young man, Uke two
moons (extolled be the perfection of Him who created them!); and
he saw the sheykh Ibrahim sitting with a cup in his hand, and say-
ing, O mistress of beauties, drinking unaccompanied by merry
sounds is not pleasant. Hast thou not heard the saying of the poet? —

Circulate it in the large cup, and in the small; and receive it from the

hand of the shining moon;*
And drink not without merry sounds; for I have observed that horses

drink to the sound of whisding.

When the Khalifeh witnessed this conduct of the sheykh Ibrahim,
the vein of anger swelled between his eyes, and he descended, and
said, O Ja'far, I have never seen anything of the miraculous per-
formances of the just such as I have beheld this night: ascend, there-
fore, thyself also, into this tree, and look, lest the blessings of the
just escape thee. — On hearing the words of the Prince of the Faith-
ful, Ja'far was perplexed at his situation; and he climbed up into
the tree, and looked, and saw Nur-ed-Din and the sheykh Ibrahim
and the damsel, and the sheykh Ibrahim had the cup in his hand.
As soon as he beheld this, he made sure of destruction; and he de-
scended, and stood before the Prince of the Faithful, and the Khali-
feh said, O Ja'far, praise be to God who hath made us to be of the
number of those who follow the external ordinances of the holy
law, and averted from us the sin of disguising ourselves by the
practice of hypocrisy! But Ja'far was unable to reply, from his ex-
cessive confusion. The Khalifeh then looked towards him, and said.
Who can have brought these persons hither, and admitted them into
my palace? But the like of this young man and this damsel, in
beauty and loveliness and symmetry of form, mine eye hath never
beheld. — Ja'far, now conceiving a hof>e that the Khalifeh might be
propitiated, replied, Thou hast spoken truly, O Prince of the Faith-
ful. And the Khalifeh said, O Ja'far, climb up with us upon this
branch which is opposite them, that we may amuse ourselves by ob-

*Thc cupbearer.

21 8 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

serving them. So they both cHmbed up into the tree, and, looking at
them, heard the sheykh Ibrahim say, O my mistress, I have re-
hnquished decorum by the drinking of wine; but the pleasure of
this is not complete without the melodious sounds of stringed instru-
ments. — O sheykh Ibrahim, replied Enis-el-Jelis, by Allah, if we had
any musical instrument, our happiness were perfect. And when the
sheykh Ibrahim heard her words, he rose upon his feet.— The
Khalifeh said to Ja'far, What may he be going to do? Ja'far replied,
I know not. — And the sheykh Ibrahim went away, and returned
with a lute; and the Khalifeh, looking attentively at it, saw that it
was the lute of Ishak the cup<ompanion; and said. By Allah, if
this damsel sing not well, I will crucify you all; but if she sing well,
I will pardon them, and crucify thee. So Ja'far said, O Allah, let
her not sing well! — Why? asked the Khalifeh. — That thou mayest
crucify all of us, answered Ja'far; and then we shall cheer one an-
other by conversation. And the Khalifeh laughed: and the damsel
took the lute, and tuned its strings, and played upon it in a manner
that would melt iron, and inspire an idiot with intellect; after which
she sang with such sweetness that the Khalifeh exclaimed, O Ja'far,
never in my life have I heard so enchanting a voice as this! — Perhaps,
said Ja'far, the anger of the Khalifeh hath departed from him? —
Yea, he answered; it hath departed. He then descended with Ja'far
from the tree, and, looking towards him, said, I am desirous of going
up to them, to sit with them, and to hear the damsel sing before
me. — O Prince of the Faithful, replied Ja'far, if thou go up to them,
probably they will be troubled by thy presence; and as to the sheykh
Ibrahim, he will assuredly die of fear. The Khalifeh therefore said,
O Ja'far, thou must acquaint me with some stratagem by means of
which I may learn the truth of the affair without their knowing
that I have discovered them. And he and Ja'far walked towards
the Tigris, reflecting upon this matter; and lo, a fisherman stood be-
neath the windows of the palace, and he threw his net, hoping to
catch something by means of which to obtain his subsistence. — Now
the Khalifeh had, on a former occasion, called to the sheykh Ibrahim,
and said to him. What was that noise that I heard beneath the win-
dows of the palace? — and he answered. The voices of the fishermen,
who are fishing: — so he said, Go down and forbid them from coming

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 219

to this place. They were therefore forbidden to come thither; but
this night there came a fisherman named Kerim, and, seeing the
garden-gate open, he said within himself, This is a time of in-
advertence, and perhaps I may catch some fish on this occasion: —
so he took his net, and threw it into the river, and then recited some
verses, contrasting the condition of the poor fisherman, toiling
throughout the night, with that of the lord of the palace, who,
awaking from a pleasant slumber, findeth the fawn in his possession;
and as soon as he had finished his recitation, lo, the Khahfeh, un-
attended, stood at his head. The Khalifeh knew him, and exclaimed,
O Kerim! — and the fisherman, hearing him call him by his name,
turned towards him; and when he beheld the Khalifeh, the muscles
of his side quivered, and he said. By Allah, O Prince of the Faith-
ful, I did not this in mockery of the mandate; but poverty and the
wants of my family impelled me to the act of which thou art witness.
The Khalifeh replied. Throw thy net for my luck. And the fisher-
man advanced, rejoicing exceedingly, and cast the net, and, having
waited until it had attained its limit and become steady at the
bottom, drew it in again, and there came up in it a variety of fish
that could not be numbered.

The Khalifeh was delighted at this, and said, O Kerim, strip off
thy clothes: — and he did so. He was clad in a jubbeh' in which were
a hundred patches of coarse woollen stuff, containing vermin of
the most abominable kind, and among them fleas in such numbers
that he might almost have been transported by their means over the
face of the earth; and he took from his head a turban which for
three years he had never unwound; but when he happened to
find a piece of rag he twisted it around it : and when he had taken
ofT the jubbeh and the turban, the Khalifeh pulled of? from his own
person two vests of silk of Alexandria and Ba'lbekk, and a mel-
watah' and a farajiyeh, and said to the fisherman, Take these, and
put them on. The Khalifeh then put on himself the fisherman's
jubbeh and turban, and, having drawn a litham' over his face, said
to the fisherman. Go about thy business; — and he kissed the feet of
the Khalifeh, and thanked him, reciting these two verses: —

' A long outer coat with sleeves nearly reaching to the wrist.

' A jubbeh or dress of costly material.

' [The Bedawi muffler, made by the end of the head-kerchief.]

220 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Thou hast granted me favours beyond my power to acknowledge, and

completely satisfied all my wants.
I will thank thee, therefore, as long as I live, and when I die my bones

will thank thee in their grave.

But scarcely had he finished his verses, when the vermin overran
the person of the Khalifeh, and he began to seize them with his
right hand and his left from his neck, and to throw them down;
and he exclaimed, O fisherman, wo to thee! What are these abund-
ant vermin in this jubbeh? — O my lord, he answered, at present they
torment thee; but when a week shall have passed over thee, thou
wilt not feel them, nor think of them. The Khalifeh laughed, and
said to him. How can I suffer this jubbeh to remain upon me? The
fisherman replied, I wish to tell thee something; but I am ashamed,
through my awe of the Khalifeh. — Impart, said the Khalifeh, what
thou hast to tell me. So he said to him. It hath occurred to my mind,

Prince of the Faithful, that thou desirest to learn the art of fishing,
in order that thou mayest be master of a trade that may profit thee;
and if such be thy desire, this jubbeh is suitable to thee. And the
Khalifeh laughed at his words.

The fisherman then went his way, and the Khalifeh took the
basket of fish, and, having put upon it a little grass, went with it
to Ja'far, and stood before him; and Ja'far, thinking that he was
Kerim the fisherman, feared for him, and said, O Kerim, what
brought thee hither? Save thyself by flight; for the Khalifeh is
here this night. — And when the Khalifeh heard the words of Ja'far,
he laughed until he fell down uf)on his back. So Ja'far said. Perhaps
thou art our lord the Prince of the Faithful? — Yes, O Ja'far, an-
swered the Khalifeh, and thou art my Wezir, and I came with thee
hither, and thou knowest me not. How then should the sheykh
Ibrahim know me when he is drunk? Remain where thou art until

1 return to thee. — Ja'far replied, I hear and obey: — and the Khalifeh
advanced to the door of the palace, and knocked. The sheykh
Ibrahim arose, therefore, and said. Who is at the door ? He answered,
I, O sheykh Ibrahim. The sheykh said. Who art thou? — and the
Khalifeh answered, I am Kerim the fisherman: I heard that there
were guests with thee, and have therefore brought thee some fish;
for it is excellent. — Now Nur-ed-Din and the damsel were both

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 221

fond of fish, and when they heard the mention of it they rejoiced
exceedingly, and said, O my master, open to him, and let him come
in to us with the fish which he hath brought. So the sheykh Ibrahim
opened the door, and the Khalifeh, in his fisherman's disguise, en-
tered, and began by salutation; and the sheykh Ibrahim said to him.
Welcome to the robber, the thief, the gambler! Come hither, and
shew us the fish which thou hast brought. — He therefore shewed it to
them; and lo, it was alive, and moving; and the damsel exclaimed.
By Allah, O my master, this fish is excellent! I wish it were fried! —
By Allah, said the sheykh Ibrahim, thou hast spoken truth. Then,
addressing the Khalifeh, he said, O fisherman, I wish thou hadst
brought this fish fried. Arise, and fry it for us, and bring it. — On the
head be thy commands, replied the Khalifeh : I will fry it, and bring
it. — Be quick, said they, in doing it.

The Khalifeh therefore arose and ran back to Ja'far, and said, O
Ja'far, they want the fish fried. — O Prince of the Faithful, replied
he, give it me, and I will fry it. But the Khalifeh said, By the tombt
of my ancestors, none shall fry it but myself: with my own hand will
I do it! He then repaired to the hut of the superintendent, and,
searching there, found in it everything that he required, the frying-
pan, and even the salt, and wild marjoram, and other things. So he
approached the fire-place, and put on the frying-pan, and fried it
nicely; and when it was done, he put it upon a banana-leaf, and,
having taken from the garden some limes, he went up with the fish,
and placed it before them. The young man, therefore, and the
damsel and the sheykh Ibrahim advanced and ate; and when they
had finished, they washed their hands, and Nur-ed-Din said. By
Allah, O fisherman, thou hast done us a kindness this night. Then
putting his hand into his pxxket, he took forth for him three pieces
of gold, of those which Senjer had presented to him when he was
setting forth on his journey, and said, O fisherman, excuse me; for,
by Allah, if I had known thee before the events that have lately
happened to me, I would have extracted the bitterness of poverty
from thy heart; but take this as accordant with my present circum-
stances. So saying, he threw the pieces of gold to the Khalifeh, who
took them, and kissed them, and put them in his pocket. The
object of the Khalifeh in doing this was only that he might hear the

222 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

damsel sing: so he said to him, Thou hast treated me with benefi-
cence, and abundantly recompensed me; but 1 beg of thy unbounded
indulgence that this damsel may sing an air, that I may hear her.
Nur-ed-Din therefore said, O Enis-el-Jelis! She replied, Yes. — By my
life, said he, sing to us something for the gratification of this fisher-
man; for he desireth to hear thee. And when she had heard what
her master said, she took the lute, and tried it with her fingers,
after she had twisted its pegs, and sang to it these two verses: —

The fingers of many a fawn-like damsel have played upon the lute, and

the soul hath been ravished by the touch.
She hath made the deaf to hear her songs; and the dumb hath exclaimed.

Thou hast excelled in thy singing!

Then she played again, in an extraordinary manner, so as to charm
the minds of her hearers, and sang the following couplet: —

We are honoured by your visiting cur abode, and your splendour hath

disf)elled the darkness of the moonless night:
It is therefore incumbent upwn me to perfume my dwelling with musk

and rosewater and camphor.

Upon this, the Khalifeh was affected with violent emotion, and
overcome by ecstasy, so that he was no longer master of himself
from excessive delight; and he began to exclaim, Allah approve
thee! Allah approve thee! Allah approve thee! So Nur-ed-Din said
to him, O fisherman, have the damsel and her art in striking the
chords pleased thee? — Yea, by Allah! exclaimed the Khalifeh. And
Nur-ed-Din immediately said. She is bestowed upon thee as a pres-
ent from me, the present of a generous man who will not revoke his
gift. And he rose upon his feet, and took a melwatah, and threw it
upon the Khalifeh in the fisherman's disguise, ordering him to
depart with the damsel. But she looked towards him, and said, O
my master, wilt thou part from me without bidding me farewell?
If we must be separated, pause while I take leave of thee. — And she
recited the following couplet: —

If you depart from me, still your abode will be in my heart, in the recess

of my bosom.
I implore the Compassionate to grant our reunion; and a boon such as

this, God will grant to whom He pleaseth.

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 223

And when she had finished, Nur-ed-Din thus repHed to her : —

She bade me farewell on the day of separation, saying, while she wept

from the pain that it occasioned,
What wilt thou do after my departure? — Say this, I replied, unto hfm

who will survive it.

The Khalifeh, when he heard this, was distressed at the thought
of separating them, and, looking towards the young man, he said
to him, O my master, art thou in fear on account o£ any crime, or
art thou in debt to any one? Nur-ed-Din answered, By Allah, O
fisherman, a wonderful event, and an extraordinary adventure, hap-
pened to me and this damsel: if it were engraved on the understand-
ing, it would be a lesson to him who would be admonished. — Wilt
thou not, rejoined the Khalifeh, relate to us thy story, and acquaint
us with thy case? Perhaps thy doing so may be productive of relief;
for the relief of God is near. — So Nur-ed-Din said, Wilt thou hear
our story in poetry or in prose? — Prose, answered the Khalifeh, is
mere talk; and verse, words put together like pearls. And Nur-ed-
Din hung down his head towards the ground, and then related his
story in a series of verses; but when he had finished, the Khalifeh
begged him to explain his case more fully. He therefore acquainted
him with the whole of his circumstances from beginning to end;
and when the Khalifeh understood the a£Fair, he said to him,
Whither wouldst thou now repair? He answered, God's earth is
wide. The Khalifeh then said to him, I will write for thee a letter
which thou shalt convey to the Sultan Mohammad the son of Suley-
man Ez-Zeyni, and when he shall have read it, he will do thee no
injury. — Is there in the world, said Nur-ed-Din, a fisherman who
correspondeth with Kings? Verily this is a thing that can never
be. — Thou hast spoken truly, rejoined the Khalifeh; but I will ac-
quaint thee with the cause. Know that I read in the same school
with him, under a master, and I was his monitor; and after that,
prosperity was his lot, and he became a Sultan, while God made me
to be a fisherman: yet I have never sent to request anything of him,
but he hath performed my wish; and if I sent to him every day to
request a thousand things of him, he would do what I asked. When
Nur-ed-Din, therefore, heard his words, he said to him, Write, that

224 "^*JE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I may see. And he took an ink-horn and a pen, and wrote (after
the phrase, In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.) —
To proceed. — This letter is from Harun Er-Rashid the son of El-
Mahdi, to his highness Mohammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeyni,
who hath been encompassed by my beneficence, and whom I con-
stituted my viceroy of a portion of my dominions. I acquaint thee
that the bearer of this letter is Nur-ed-Din the son of El-Fadl the
son of Khakan the Wezir, and on his arrival in thy presence thou
shalt divest thyself of the regal authority, and seat him in thy place;
for I have appointed him to the office to which I formerly ap-
pointed thee: so disobey not my commands: and peace be on thee. —
He then gave the letter to 'AH Nur-ed-Din, who took it and
kissed it and put it in his turban, and immediately set forth on his
journey.

The sheykh Ibrahim now looked towards the Khalifeh in his
fisherman's disguise, and said to him, O most contemptible of fish-
ermen, thou hast brought us two fish worth twenty half-dirhems,
and received three pieces of gold, and desirest to take the slave also.
But when the Khalifeh heard these words, he cried out at him, and
made a sign to Mesrur, who immediately discovered himself, and
rushed in upon him. Ja'far, meanwhile, had sent one of the attendants
of the garden to the porter of the palace to demand a suit of clothing
of him for the Prince of the Faithful; and the man went, and
brought the dress, and kissed the ground before the Khalifeh, who
took off and gave to him that with which he was then clad, and put
on this suit. The sheykh Ibrahim was sitting on a chair: the KhaHfeh
paused to see the result: and the sheykh was astounded, and began
to bite the ends of his fingers through his confusion, saying, Am
I asleep or awake ? The Khalifeh then looked at him, and said, O
sheykh Ibrahim, what is this predicament in which thou art placed?
And upon this, the sheykh recovered from his intoxication, and,
throwing himself upon the ground, implored forgiveness: and the
Khalifeh pardoned him; after which he gave orders that the damsel
should be conveyed to the palace where he resided; and when she
had arrived there, he appropriated to her a separate lodging, and
appointed persons to wait upon her, and said to her. Know that I
have sent thy master as Sulun of El-Basrah, and, if God please, I

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 225

will despatch to him a dress of honour, and send thee also to him
with it.

As to Nur-ed-Din, he continued his journey until he entered El-
Basrah, and went up to the palace of the Sultan, when he uttered
a loud cry, whereupon the Sultan desired him to approach; and
when he came into the presence of the King, he kissed the ground
before him, and produced the letter, and handed it to him. And as
soon as the Sultan saw the superscription in the handwriting of the
Prince of the Faithful, he rose upon his feet, and, having kissed it
three times, said, I hear and pay obedience to God (whose name be
exalted!) and to the Prince of the Faithful. He then summoned
before him the four Kadis,* and the Emirs, and was about to divest
himself of the regal office: but, lo, the Wezir El-Mo'in the son of
Sawi was before him, and the Sultan gave him the letter of the
Prince of the Faithful, and when he saw it, he rent it in pieces, and
put it into his mouth, and chewed it, and threw it down. The
Sultan, enraged, cried, Wo to thee! What hath induced thee to
act thus ? — He answered. This man hath had no interview with the
Khalifeh nor with his Wezir; but is a young wretch, an artful devil,
who, having met with a paper containing the handwriting of the
Khalifeh, hath counterfeited it, and written what he desired : where-
fore then shouldst thou abdicate the sovereignty, when the Khalifeh
hath not sent to thee an envoy with a royal autographical mandate;
for if this affair were true, he had sent with him a Chamberlain or a
Wezir; but he came alone. — What then is to be done? said the Sul-
tan. The Wezir answered. Send away this young man with me, and
I will take charge of him, and despatch him in company with a
Chamberlain to the city of Baghdad; and if his words be true, he
will bring us a royal autographical mandate and diploma of in-
vestiture; and if not true, they will send him back to us with the
Chamberlain, and I will take my revenge upon my offender.

When the Sultan heard what the Wezir said, it pleased him; and
the Wezir took him away, and cried out to the pages, who threw
down Nur-ed-Din, and beat him until he became insensible. He
then ordered to put a chain upon his feet, and called to the Jailer;
and when he came, he kissed the ground before him. This jailer
* Of the four orthodox sects.

226 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

was named Kuteyt; and the Wezir said to him, O Kuteyt, I desire
that thou take this person, and cast him into one of the subter-
ranean cells which are in thy prison, and torture him night and day.
The jailer replied, I hear and obey: — and he put Nur-ed-Din into
the prison, and locked the door upon him; but after having done
this, he gave orders to sweep a mastabah within the door, and
furnished it with a prayer<arpet and a pillow, and seated Nur-ed-
Din upon it, and loosed his chain, and treated him with kindness.
The Wezir every day sent to him, commanding him to beat him;
and the jailer pretended that he tortured him, while, on the con-
trary, he treated him with benignity.

Thus he continued to do for forty days; and on the forty-first day,
there came a present from the Khalifeh, and when the Sultan saw it,
it pleased him, and he conferred with the Wezirs upon the subject;
but one said. Perhaps this present was designed for the new Sultan.
Upon this, the Wezir El-Mo'in the son of Sawi remarked. It were
proper to have slain him on his arrival : — and the Sultan exclaimed,
Now thou hast reminded me of him, go down and bring him, and I
will strike off his head. The Wezir replied, I hear and obey : — and
arose, saying, I desire to proclaim throughout the city. He who
wisheth to witness the decapitation of Nur-ed-Din 'AH the son of
El-Fadl the son of Khakan, let him come to the palace: — so that all
the people may come to behold it, and I may gratify my heart, and
mortify my enviers. The Sultan said. Do what thou wilt. So the
Wezir descended, full of joy and happiness, and went to the Wali,
and ordered him to make this proclamation; and when the people
heard the crier, they all grieved and wept, even the boys in the
schools, and the tradesmen in their shops; and numbers of the people
strove together to take for themselves places where they might
behold the spectacle, while others repaired to the prison, to accom-
pany him thence. The Wezir then went forth, attended by ten mem-
luks, to the prison: and Kuteyt the jailer said to him. What dost
thou desire, O our lord the Wezir? — Bring forth to me, said the
Wezir, this young wretch. The jailer replied. He is in a most
miserable state from the excessive beating that I have inflicted upon
him. And he entered, and found him reciting some verses, com-
mencing thus: —

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 227

Who is there to aid me in my aiBictionP For my pain hath become in-
tense, and my remedy is scarce procurable!

And the jailer pulled ofl from him his clean clothes, and, having
clad him in two dirty garments, brought him out to the Wezir.
Nur-ed-Din then looked at him, and saw that he was his enemy who
had incessantly desired his destruction; and when he beheld him,
he wept, and said to him, Art thou secure from misfortune? Hast
thou not heard the saying of the poet ? —

They made use of their power, and used it tyrannically; and soon it
became as though it never had existed.

O Wezir, know that God (whose perfection be extolled, and whose
name be exalted!) is the doer of whatsoever He willeth. — O 'Ali,
replied the Wezir, wouldst thou frighten me by these words ? I am
now going to strike off thy head, in spite of the people of El-Basrah;
and I will pay no regard to thy counsel; but I will rather attend to
the saying of the poet: —

Let fortune do whatever it willeth, and bear with cheerful mind the
effects of fate.

How excellent also is the saying of another poet: —

He who liveth after his enemy a single day, hath attained his desire.

The Wezir then ordered his pages to convey him on the back of
a mule; whereupon they said to him (being distressed to obey).
Suffer us to stone him and cut him in pieces, though our lives should
be sacrificed in consequence. But he replied, Never do it. Have ye
not heard what the poet hath said : —

A decreed term is my inevitable lot; and as soon as its days have expired,

I die.
If the lions dragged me into their forest, they could not close it while

aught of it remained.

So they proceeded to proclaim before Nur-ed-Din, This is the
smallest recompense of him who forgeth a letter from the Khalifeh
to the Sultan. And they continued to parade him throughout El-
Basrah until they stationed him beneath the window of the palace.

228 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and in the place of blood, when the executioner approached him,
and said to him, I am a slave under command; and if thou hast
any want, acquaint me with it, that I may perform it for thee; for
there remaineth not of thy life any more than the period until the
Sultan shall put forth his face from the window. And upon this,
Nur-ed-Din looked to the right and left, and recited these verses: —

Is there among you a merciful friend, who will aid me? I conjure you

by Allah to answer me!
My life hath passed, and my death is at hand! Is there any who will

pity me, to obtain my recompense,
And consider my state, and relieve my anguish, by a draught of water

that my torment may be lightened?

And the people were excited to tears for him; and the executioner
took some water to hand it to him; but the Wezir arose from his
place, and struck the kuUeh* of water with his hand, and broke it,
and called to the executioner, commanding him to strike off his
head; whereupon he bound Nur-ed-Din's eyes. The people, how-
ever, called out against the Wezir, and raised a tumultuous cry
against him, and many words passed between them; and while they
were in this state, lo, a dust rose, and filled the sky and the open
tracts; and when the Sultan beheld it, as he sat in the palace, he
said to his attendants. See what is the news. The Wezir said. After
thou shalt first have beheaded this man. But the Sultan replied.
Wait thou until we see what is the news.

Now this dust was the dust of Ja'far, the Wezir of the Khalifeh,
and of his attendants; and the cause of their coming was this: — The
Khalifeh had passed thirty days without remembering the affair of
'Ali the son of El-Fadl the son of Khakan, and no one mentioned
it to him, until he came one night to the private apartment of Enis-
el-Jelis, and heard her lamenting, as she recited, with a soft voice,
the saying of the poet : —

Thine image [is before me] whether distant or near, and my tongue
never ceaseth to mention thee.

Her lamentation increased, and lo, the Khalifeh opened the door,

and entered the chamber, and saw Enis-el-Jelis weeping. On be-

*A small porous earthen bottle with a wide mouth.

NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 229

holding the KhaHfeh, she fell at his feet, and, having kissed them
three times, recited these two verses: —

thou of pure origin, and of excellent birth; of ripe-fruitful branch, and

of unsullied race!

1 remind thee of the promise thy beneficence granted, and far be it from

thee that thou shouldst forget it.

The Khalifeh said to her. Who art thou? She answered, I am the
present given to thee by 'Ali the son of El-Fadl the son of Khakan;
and I request the fulfilment of the promise which thou gavest me,
that thou wouldst send me to him with the honorary gift; for I
have now been here thirty days and have not tasted sleep. And upon
this, the Khalifeh summoned Ja'far El-Barmeki, and said to him.
For thirty days I have heard no news of 'Ali the son of El-Fadl the
son of Khakan, and I imagine nothing less than that the Sultan
hath killed him: but, by my head! by the tombs of my ancestors!
if any evil event have happened to him, I will destroy him who hath
been the cause of it, though he be the dearest of men in my estima-
tion! I desire, therefore, that thou journey immediately to El-
Basrah, and bring me an account of the conduct of the King Mo-
hammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeyni to 'All the son of El-Fadl
the son of Khakan.

So Ja'far obeyed his commands, and set forth on his journey, and
when he approached, and saw this tumult and crowd, he said. What
is the occasion of this crowd? They related to him, therefore, the
situation in which they were with regard to Nur-ed-Din; and when
he heard their words, he hastened to go up to the Sultan, and,
having saluted him, acquainted him with the cause of his coming,
and told him, that if any evil event had happened to 'Ali Nur-ed-
Din, the Khalifeh would destroy him who was the cause of it. He
then arrested the Sultan, and the Wezir El-Mo'in the son of Sawi,
and gave orders to liberate 'Ali Nur-ed-Din, and enthroned him as
Sultan in the place of the Sultan Mohammad the son of Suleyman
Ez-Zeyni; after which he remained in El-Basrah three days, the
usual period of entertainment; and on the morning of the fourth
day, 'Ali Nur-ed-Din said to Ja'far, I have a longing desire to see
the Prince of the Faithful. So Ja'far said to the King Mohammad
the son of Suleyman, Prepare thyself for travelling; for we will per-

230 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

form the morning-prayers, and depart to Baghdad. He repHed, I
hear and obey: — and they performed the morning-prayers, and
mounted all together, with the Wezir El-Mo'in the son of Sawi,
who now repented of what he had done. As to 'AH Nur-ed-Din, he
rode by the side of Ja'far: and they continued their journey until
they arrived at Baghdad, the Abode of Peace.

They then presented themselves before the Khalifeh and related
to him the case of Nur-ed-Din; whereupon the Khalifeh addressed
him, saying, Take this sword, and strike off with it the head of
thine enemy. And he took it, and approached El-Mo'in the son of
Sawi; but he looked at him, and said to him, I did according to my
nature, and do thou according to thine. And Nur-ed-Din threw
down the sword from his hand, and, looking towards the Khalifeh,
said, O Prince of the Faithful, he hath beguiled me. So the Khalifeh
said. Do thou leave him: — and he said to Mesrur, O Mesrur, ad-
vance thou, and strike off his head. Mesrur, therefore, did so: and
upon this, the Khalifeh said to 'Ali the son of El-Fadl the son of
Khakan, Request of me what thou wilt. He replied, O my lord,
I have no want of the sovereignty of El-Basrah, and desire nothing
but to have the honour of serving thee. — Most willingly I assent,
said the Khalifeh: — and he summoned the damsel, and when she
had come before him, he bestowed favours u[x>n them both: he gave
to them one of the palaces of Baghdad, and assigned to them regular
allowances, and made Nur-ed-Din one of his companions at the
table; and he remained with him until death overtook him.

[Nights 537-566]
The Story of Es-Sindibad of the Sea and Es-Sindibad of the Land

THERE was, in the time of Khalifeh, the Prince of the
Faithful, Harun Er-Rashid, in the city of Baghdad, a man
called Es-Sindibad the Porter. He was a man in poor cir-
cumstances, who bore burdens for hire upon his head. And it hap-
pened to him that he bore one day a heavy burden, and that day was
excessively hot; so he was wearied by the load, and perspired pro-
fusely, the heat violently oppressing him. In this state he passed by
the door of a merchant, the ground before which was swept and
sprinkled, and there the air was temperate; and by the side of the
door was a wide mastabah. The porter therefore put down his
burden upon that mastabah, to rest himself, and to scent the air; and
when he had done so, there came forth upon him, from the door, a
pleasant, gentle gale, and an exquisite odour, wherewith the porter
was delighted. He seated himself upon the edge of the mastabah,
and heard in that place the melodious sounds of stringed instruments,
with the lute among them, and mirth-exciting voices, and varieties
of distinct recitations. He heard also the voices of birds, warbling,
and praising God (whose name be exalted!) with diverse tones and
with all dialects; consisting of turtle-doves and hezars and blackbirds
and nightingales and ring-doves and kirawans;' whereupon he
wondered in his mind, and was moved with great delight. He
then advanced to that door, and found within the house a great
garden, wherein he beheld pages and slaves and servants and other
dependants, and such things as existed not elsewhere save in the
abodes of Kings and Sultans; and after that, there blew upon him
the odour of delicious, exquisite viands, of all different kinds, and
of delicious wine.

Upon this he raised his eyes towards heaven, and said. Extolled
be thy perfection, O Lord! O Creator! O Supplier of the con-
' Or karawan : stone-curlew.
231

232 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

vcnicnccs of life I Thou supplicst whom Thou wilt without reckon-
ing! O Allah, I implore thy forgiveness of all offences, and turn to
Thee repenting of all faults! O Lord, there is no animadverting
upon Thee with respect to thy judgment, and thy power; for Thou
art not to be questioned regarding that which Thou doest, and Thou
art able to do whatsoever Thou wilt! Extolled be thy perfection!
Thou enrichcst whom Thou wilt, and whom Thou wilt Thou
impovcrishcst! Thou magnificst whom Thou wilt, and whom Thou
wilt Thou abasest! There is no deity but Thou! How great is thy
dignity! and how mighty is thy dominion! and how excellent is thy
government! Thou hast bestowed favours upon him whom Thou
choosest among thy servants, and the owner of this place is in the
utmost affluence, delighting himself with pleasant odours and de-
licious meats and exquisite beverages of all descriptions. And Thou
has appointed unto thy creatures what Thou wilt, and what Thou
hast predestined for them; so that among them one is weary, and
another is at case; and one of them is prosperous, and another is Uke
me, in the extreme of fatigue and abjection! — And he recited thus: —

How many wretched piersons are destitute of ease! and how many are in

luxury, reposing in the shade!
I find myself afflicted by trouble beyond measure; and strange is my

condition, and heavy is my load!
Others are in prosperity, and from wretchedness are free, and never for

a single day have borne a load like mine;
Incessandy and amply blest, throughout the course of life, with happiness

and grandeur, as well as drink and meat.
All men whom God hath made are in origin alike; and I resemble this

man, and he resembleth me;
But otherwise, Ijetween us is a difference as great as the difference that

we find between wine and vinegar.
Yet in saying this, I utter no falsehood against Thee, [O my Lord;] art

wise, and with justice Thou hast judged.

And when Es-Sindibad the Porter had finished the recitation of
his verses, he desired to take up his burden and to depart. But, lo,
there came forth to him from that door a young page, handsome in
countenance, comely in stature, magnificent in apparel; and he laid
hold upon the porter's hand, saying to him, Enter: answer the sum-
mons of my master; for he calleth for thee. And the porter would

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 233

have refused to enter with the page; but he could not. He there-
fore deposited his burden with the doorkeeper in the entrance-
passage, and, entering the house with the page, he found it to be
a handsome mansion, presenting an appearance of joy and majesty.
And he looked towards a grand chamber, in which he beheld noble-
men and great lords; and in it were all kinds of flowers, and all
kinds of sweet scents, and varieties of dried and fresh fruits, to-
gether with abundance of various kinds of exquisite viands, and
beverage prepared from the fruit of the choicest grape-vines. In it
were also instruments of music and mirth, and varieties of beautiful
slave-girls, all ranged in proper order. And at the upf)er end of that
chamber was a great and venerable man, in the sides of whose beard
grey hairs had begun to appear. He was of handsome form, comely
in countenance, with an aspect of gravity and dignity and majesty
and stateliness. So, upon this, £s-Sindibad the Porter was con-
founded, and he said within himself. By Allah, this place is a portion
of Paradise, or it is the palace of a King or Sultan! Then, putting
himself in a respectful posture, he saluted the assembly, prayed for
them, and kissed the ground before them; after which he stood,
hanging down his head in humility. But the master of the house
gave him permission to seat himself. He therefore sat. And the
master of the house had caused him to draw near unto him, and
now began to cheer him with conversation, and to welcome him;
and he put before him some of the various excellent, delicious,
exquisite viands. So Es-Sindibad the Porter advanced, and, having
said. In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, — ate
until he was satisfied and satiated, when he said. Praise be to God
in every case! — and washed his hands, and thanked them for this.
The master of the house then said, Thou art welcome, and thy
day is blessed. What is thy name, and what trade dost thou fol-
low? — O my master, he answered, my name is Es-Sindibad the
Porter, and I bear upon my head men's merchandise for hire. And
at this, the master of the house smiled, and he said to him. Know,
O porter, that thy name is like mine; for I am Es-Sindibad of the
Sea: but, O porter, I desire that thou let me hear the verses that
thou wast reciting when thou wast at the door. The porter therefore
was ashamed, and said to him, I conjure thee by Allah that thou

234 "^^^ THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

be not angry with me; for fatigue and trouble, and paucity of what
the hand possesseth, teach a man ill manners, and impertinence. His
host, however, repUed, Be not ashamed; for thou hast become my
brother; recite then the verses, since they pleased me when I heard
them from thee as thou recitedst them at the door. So upon this
the porter recited to him those verses, and they pleased him, and
he was moved with delight on hearing them. He then said to him,
O porter, know that my story is wonderful, and I will inform thee
of all that happened to me and befell me before I attained this
prosperity and sat in this place wherein thou seest me. For I at-
tained not this prosperity and this place save after severe fatigue and
great trouble and many terrors. How often have I endured fatigue
and toil in my early years! I have [performed seven voyages, and
connected with each voyage is a wonderful tale, that would con-
found the mind. All that which I endured happened by fate and
destiny, and from that which is written there is no escape nor flight.

The First Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea

Know, O masters, O noble persons, that I had a father; a mer-
chant, who was one of the first in rank among the people and the
merchants, and who possessed abundant wealth and ample fortune.
He died when I was a young child, leaving to me wealth and
buildings and fields; and when 1 grew up, I put my hand upon the
whole of the property, ate well and drank well, associated with the
young men, wore handsome apparel, and passed my life with my
friends and companions, feeling confident that this course would
continue and profit me; and I ceased not to live in this manner for
a length of time. I then returned to my reason, and recovered from
my heedlessness, and found that my wealth had passed away, and
my condition had changed, and all [the money] that I had possessed
had gone. I recovered not to see my situation but in a state of fear
and confusion of mind, and remembered a tale that I had heard
before, the tale of our lord Suleyman the son of Da'ud (on both
of whom be peace!), respecting his saying, Three things are better
than three: the day of death is better than the day of birth; and a
living dog is better than a dead lion; and the grave is better than the

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 235

palace.* Then I arose, and collected what I had, of effects and ap-
parel, and sold them; after which I sold my buildings and all that
my hand possessed, and amassed three thousand pieces of silver;
and it occurred to my mind to travel to the countries of other people;
and I remembered one of the sayings of the poets, which was this: —

In proportion to one's labour, eminences are gained; and he who seeketh

eminence passeth sleepless nights.
He diveth in the sea who seeketh for jiearls, and succeedeth in acquiring

lordship and good fortune.
Whoso seeketh eminence without labouring for it loseth his life in the

search of vanity.

Upon this, I resolved, and arose, and bought for myself goods
and commodities and merchandise, with such other things as were
required for travel; and my mind had consented to my performing
a sea-voyage. So I embarked in a ship, and it descended to the aty
of El-Basrah, with a company of merchants; and we traversed the
sea for many days and nights. We had passed by island after island,
and from sea to sea, and from land to land, and in every place by
which we passed we sold and bought, and exchanged merchandise.
We continued our voyage until we arrived at an island like one
of the gardens of Paradise, and at that island the master of the ship
brought her to anchor with us. He cast the anchor, and put forth
the landing-plank, and all who were in the ship landed upon that
island. They had prepared for themselves fire-pots, and they lighted
the fires in them; and their occupations were various: some cooked;
others washed; and others amused themselves. I was among those
who were amusing themselves upon the shores of the island, and the
passengers were assembled to eat and drink and play and sport But
while we were thus engaged, lo, the master of the ship, standing upon
its side, called out with his loudest voice, O ye passengers, whom
may God preserve! come up quickly in to the ship, hasten to em-
bark, and leave your merchandise, and flee with your lives, and
save yourselves from destruction; for this apparent island, upon
which ye are, is not really an island, but it is a great fish that hath
become stationary in the midst of the sea, and the sand hath accumu-
lated upon it, so that it hath become like an island, and trees have

'Ecde*., vii. i; ix. 4.

236 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

grown upon it since times of old; and when ye lighted the fire upon
it, the fish felt the heat, and put itself in motion, and now it will
descend with you into the sea, and ye will all be drowned: then
seek for yourselves escajje before destruction, and leave the mer-
chandise. — The passengers, therefore, hearing the words of the
master of the ship, hastened to go up into the vessel, leaving the
merchandise, and their other goods, and their copp)er cooking-pwts,
and their fire-fwts; and some reached the ship, and others reached it
not. The island had moved, and descended to the bottom of the
sea, with all that were upon it, and the roaring sea, agitated with
waves, closed over it.

I was among the number of those who remained behind upon the
island; so I sank in the sea with the rest who sank. But God (whose
name be exalted !J| delivered me and saved me from drowning and
supplied me with a great wooden bowl, of the bowls in which the
passengers had been washing, and I laid hold upon it and got into it,
induced by the sweetness of life, and beat the water with my feet as
with oars, while the waves sported with me, tossing me to the right
and left. The master of the vessel had caused her sails to be spread,
and pursued his voyage with those who had embarked, not regard-
ing such as had been submerged; and I ceased not to look at that
vessel until it was concealed from my eye. I made sure of de-
struction, and night came upon me while I was in this state; but
I remained so a day and a night, and the wind and the waves aided
me until the bowl came to a stoppage with me under a high island,
whereon were trees overhanging the sea. So I laid hold upon a
branch of a lofty tree, and clung to it, after I had been at the point
of destruction; and I kept hold upon it until I landed on the island,
when I found my legs benumbed, and saw marks of the nibbling of
fish upon their hams, of which I had been Insensible by reason of
the violence of the anguish and fatigue that I was suffering.

I threw myself upon the island like one dead, and was uncon-
scious of my existence, and drowned m my stupefaction; and I
ceased not to remain in this condition until the next day. The sun
having then risen upon me, I awoke upon the island, and found
that my feet were swollen, and that I had become reduced to the
state in which I then was. Awhile I dragged myself along in a

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 237

sitting posture, and then I crawled upon my knees. And there were
in the island fruits in abundance, and springs of sweet water: there-
fore I ate of those fruits; and I ceased not to continue in this state
for many days and nights. My spirit had then revived, my soul had
returned to me, and my power of motion was renewed; and I began
to meditate, and to walk along the shore of the island, amusing
myself among the trees with the sight of the things that God (whose
name be exalted!) had created; and I had made for myself a staff
from those trees, to lean upon it. Thus I remained until I walked,
one day, upon the shore of the island, and there appeared unto me
an indistinct object in the distance. I imagined that it was a wild
beast, or one of the beasts of the sea; and I walked towards it, ceas-
ing not to gaze at it; and, lo, it was a mare, of superb appearance,
tethered in a part of the island by the sea-shore. I approached her;
but she cried out against me with a great cry, and I trembled with
fear of her, and was about to return, when, behold, a man came
forth from beneath the earth, and he called to me and pursued me,
saying to me. Who art thou, and whence hast thou come, and
what is the cause of thine arrival in this place? So I answered him,

my master, know that I am a stranger, and I was in a ship, and
was submerged in the sea with certain others of the passengers; but
God supplied me with a wooden bowl, and I got into it, and it bore
me along until the waves cast me upxDn this island. And when he
heard my words, he laid hold of my hand and said to me. Come
with me. I therefore went with him, and he descended with me
into a grotto beneath the earth, and conducted me into a large sub-
terranean chamber, and, having seated me at the upper end of that
chamber, brought me some food. I was hungry; so I ate until I was
satiated and contented, and my soul became at ease. Then he asked
me respecting my case, and what had happened to me; wherefore

1 acquainted him with my whole affair from beginning to end; and
he wondered at my story.

And when I had finished my tale, I said, I conjure thee by Allah,
O my master, that thou be not displeased with me: I have acquainted
thee with the truth of my case and of what hath happened to me,
and I desire of thee that thou inform me who thou art, and what
is the cause of thy dwelling in this chamber that is beneath the

238 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

earth, and what is the reason of thy tethering this mare by the
sea-side. So he repHed, Know that we are a party dispersed in this
island, upon its shores, and we are the grooms of the King El-
Mihraj, having under our care all his horses; and every month, when
moonlight commenceth, we bring the swift mares, and tether them
in this island, every mare that has not foaled, and conceal our-
selves in this chamber beneath the earth, that they may attract the
sea-horses. This is the time of the coming forth of the sea-horse;
and afterwards, if it be the will of God (whose name be exalted!),
I will take thee with me to the King El-Mihraj, and-divert thee with
the sight of our country. Know, moreover, that if thou hadst not
met with us, thou hadst not seen any one in this place, and wouldst
have died in misery, none knowing of thee. But I will be the means
of the preservation of thy life, and of thy return to thy country. — I
therefore prayed for him, and thanked him for his kindness and
beneficence; and while we were thus talking, the horse came forth
from the sea, as he had said. And shortly after, his companions came
each leading a mare; and, seeing me with him, they inquired of me
my story, and I told them what I had related to him. They then
drew near to me, and spread the table, and ate, and invited me: so
I ate with them; after which, they arose, and mounted the horses,
taking me with them, having mounted me on a mare.

We commenced our journey, and proceeded without ceasing until
we arrived at the city of the King El-Mihraj, and they went in to
him and acquainted him with my story. He therefore desired my
presence, and they took me in to him, and stationed me before him;
whereupon I saluted him, and he returned my salutation, and wel-
comed me, greeting me in an honourable manner, and inquired of
me respecting my case. So I informed him of all that had happened
to me, and of all that I had seen, from beginning to end; and he
wondered at that which had befallen me and happened to me, and
said to me, O my son, by Allah thou hast experienced an extraor-
dinary preservation, and had it not been for the predestined length
of thy life, thou hadst not escaf)ed from these difficulties; but praise
be to God for thy safety! Then he treated me with beneficence and
honour, caused me to draw near to him, and began to cheer me with
conversation and courtesy; and he made me his superintendent of

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 239

the sea-port, and registrar of every vessel that came to the coast. I
stood in his presence to transact his affairs, and he favoured me and
benefited me in every respect; he invested me with a handsome and
costly dress, and I became a person high in credit with him in inter-
cessions, and in accomplishing the affairs of the people. I ceased not
to remain in his service for a long time; and whenever I went to
the shore of the sea, I used to inquire of the merchants and travellers
and sailors respecting the direction of the city of Baghdad, that per-
chance some one might inform me of it, and I might go with him
thither and return to my country; but none knew it, nor knew any
one who went to it. At this I was perplexed, and I was weary of
the length of my absence from home; and in this state I con-
tinued for a length of time, until I went in one day to the King
El-Mihraj, and found with him a party of Indians. I saluted them,
and they returned my salutation, and welcomed me, and asked me
respecting my country; after which, I questioned them as to their
country, and they told me that they consisted of various races. Among
them are the Shakiriyeh, who are the most noble of their races, who
oppress no one, nor offer violence to any. And among them are a
class called the Brahmans, a people who never drink wine; but
they are persons of pleasure and joy and sport and merriment, and
possessed of camels and horses and cattle. They informed me also
that the Indians are divided into seventy-two classes; and I won-
dered at this extremely. And I saw, in the dominions of the King
El-Mihraj, an island, among others, which is called Kasil, in which
is heard the beating of tambourines and drums throughout the night,
and the islanders and travellers informed us that Ed-Dejjal' is in it.
I saw too, in the sea in which is that island, a fish two hundred
cubits long, and the fishermen fear it; wherefore they knock some
pieces of wood, and it fleeth from them; and I saw a fish whose
face was like that of the owl. I likewise saw during that voyage
many wonderful and strange things, such that, if I related them to
you, the description would be too long.

I continued to amuse myself with the sight of those islands and
the things that they contained, until I stood one day up)on the shore
of the sea, with a staff in my hand, as was my custom, and lo, a
* Aotichrist of the Musltmi.

240 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

great vessel approached, wherein were many merchants; and when
it arrived at the harbour of the city and its place of anchoring, the
master furled its sails, brought it to an anchor by the shore, and
put forth the landing-plank; and the sailors brought out every thing
that was in that vessel to the shore. They were slow in taking forth
the goods, while I stood writing their account, and I said to the
master of the ship, Doth aught remain in thy vessel ? He answered.
Yes, O my master; I have some goods in the hold of the ship; but
their owner was drowned in the sea at one of the islands during
our voyage hither, and his goods are in our charge; so we desire to
sell them, and to take a note of their price, in order to convey it to
his family in the city of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace. I therefore
said to the master. What was the name of that man, the owner of
the goods? He answered, His name was Es-Sindibad of the Sea,
and he was drowned on his voyage with us in the sea. And when
I heard his words, I looked at him with a scrutinizing eye, and
recognized him; and I cried out at him with a great cry, and said,
O master, know that I am the owner of the goods which thou hast
mentioned, and I am Es-Sindibad of the Sea, who descended upon
the island from the ship, with the other merchants who descended;
and when the fish that we were upon moved, and thou calledst out
to us, some got into the vessel, and the rest sank, and I was among
those who sank. But God (whose name be exalted!) preserved me
and saved me from drowning by means of a large wooden bowl,
of those in which passengers were washing, and I got into it, and
began to beat the water with my feet, and the wind and the waves
aided me until I arrived at this island, when I landed on it, and God
(whose name be exalted!) assisted me, and I met the grooms of the
King El-Mihraj, who took me with them and brought me to this
city. They then led me in to the King El-Mihraj, and I acquainted
him with my story; whereupon he bestowed benefits upon me, and
appointed me clerk of the harbour of this city, and I obtained profit
in his service, and favour with him. Therefore these goods that
thou hast are my goods and my portion.

But the master said. There is no strength nor power but in God,
the High, the Great! There is no longer faith nor conscience in any
one! — Wherefore, O master, said I, when thou hast heard me tell

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 24I

thee my story? He answered, Because thou heardest me say that I
had goods whose owner was drowned: therefore thou desirest to
take them without price; and this is unlawful to thee; for we saw
him when he sank, and there were with him many of the passengers,
not one of whom escaped. How then dost thou pretend that thou
art the owner of the goods? — So I said to him, O master, hear my
story, and understand my words, and my veracity will become
manifest to thee; for falsehood is a characteristic of the hypocrites.
Then I related to him all that I had done from the time that I went
forth with him from the city of Baghdad until we arrived at that
island upon which we were submerged in the sea, and I men-
tioned to him some circumstances that had occurred between me
and him. Upon this, therefore, the master and the merchants were
convinced of my veracity, and recognized me; and they congratu-
lated me on my safety, all of them saying. By Allah, we believed not
that thou hadst escaped drowning; but God hath granted thee a new
life. They then gave me the goods, and I found my name written
upon them, and nought of them was missing. So I opened them,
and took forth from them something precious and costly; the
sailors of the ship carried it with me, and I went up with it to the
King to offer it as a present, and inform him that this ship was the
one in which I was a passenger. I told him also that my goods had
arrived all entire, and that this present was a part of them. And the
King wondered at this affair extremely; my veracity in all that I
had said became manifest to him, and he loved me greatly, and
treated me with exceeding honour, giving me a large present in
return for mine.

Then I sold my bales, as well as the other goods that I had, and
gained upon them abundantly; and I purchased other goods and
merchandise and commodities of that city. And when the merchants
of the ship desired to set forth on their voyage, I stowed all that I
had in the vessel, and, going in to the King, thanked him for his
beneficence and kindness; after which I begged him to grant me
permission to depart on my voyage to my country and my family.
So he bade me farewell, and gave me an abundance of things at
my departure, of the commodities of that city; and when I had
taken leave of him, I embarked in the ship, and we set sail by the

242 THE THOUSA^^) AND ONE NIGHTS

permission of God, whose name be exalted! Fortune served us, and
destiny aided us, and we ceased not to prosecute our voyage night
and day until we arrived in safety at the city of El-Basrah. There
we landed, and remained a short time; and I rejoiced at my safety,
and my return to my country; and after that, I repaired to the
city of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace, with abundance of bales and
goods and merchandise of great value. Then I went to my quarter,
and entered my house, and all my family and companions came to
me. I procured for myself servants and other dependants, and mem-
luks and concubines and male black slaves, so that I had a large
establishment; and I purchased houses and other immovable posses-
sions, more than I had at first. I enjoyed the society of my com-
panions and friends, exceeding my former habits, and forgot all
that I had suffered from fatigue, and absence from my native
country, and difficulty, and the terrors of travel. I occupied myself
with delights and pleasures, and delicious meats and exquisite
drinks, and continued in this state. Such were the events of the first
of my voyages; and to-morrow, if it be the will of God (whose name
be exalted!), I will relate to you the tale of the second of the seven
voyages.

Es-Sindibad of the Sea then made Es-Sindibad of the Land to sup
with him; after which he gave orders to present him with a hundred
pieces of gold, and said to him, Thou hast cheered us by thy com-
pany this day. So the porter thanked him, and took from him what
he had given him, and went his way, meditating upon the events
that befell and happened to mankind, and wondering extremely. He
slept that night in his abode; and when the morning came, he re-
paired to the house of Es-Sindibad of the Sea, and went in to him;
and he welcomed him, and treated him with honour, seating him by
him. And after the rest of his companions had come, the food and
drink were set before them, and the time was pleasant to them, and
they were merry. Then Es-Sindibad of the Sea began his narrative
thus:—*

* [A paragraph similar to the preceding occurs at the end of the narrative of each
of £s-Sindibad's voyages, but, as in the case of Shahrazad's repetitions each night,
it is not here repeated.]

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 243

The Second Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea

Know, O my brothers, that I was enjoying a most comfortable
life, and the most pure happiness, as ye were told yesterday, until
it occurred to my mind, one day, to travel again to the lands of other
people, and I felt a longing for the occupation of traffic, and the
pleasure of seeing the countries and islands of the world, and gaining
my subsistence. I resolved upon that affair, and, having taken forth
from my money a large sum, I purchased with it goods and mer-
chandise suitable for travel, and packed them up. Then I went to
the bank of the river, and found a handsome, new vessel, with sails
of comely canvas, and it had a numerous crew, and was super-
fluously equipped. So I embarked my bales in it, as did also a
party of merchants besides, and we set sail that day. The voyage was
pleasant to us, and we ceased not to pass from sea to sea, and from
island to island; and at every place where we cast anchor, we met the
merchants and the grandees, and the sellers and buyers, and we sold
and bought, and exchanged goods. Thus we continued to do until
destiny conveyed us to a beautiful island, abounding with trees bear-
ing ripe fruits, where flowers diffused their fragrance, with birds
warbling, and pure rivers: but there was not in it an inhabitant, nor
a blower of a fire. The master anchored our vessel at that island and
the merchants with the other passengers landed there, to amuse
themselves with the sight of its trees, and to extol the perfection of
God, the One, the Omnipotent, and to wonder at the pwwer of the
Almighty King. I also landed upon the island with the rest, and
sat by a spring of pure water among the trees. I had with me some
food, and I sat in that place eating what God (whose name be
exalted!) had allotted me. The zephyr was sweet to us in that
place, and the time was pleasant to me; so slumber overcame me,
and I reposed there, and became immersed in sleep, enjoying that
sweet zephyr, and the fragrant gales. I then arose, and found not
in the place a human being nor a Jinni. The vessel had gone with
the passengers, and not one of them remembered me, neither any
of the merchants nor any of the sailors: so they left me in the island.

I looked about it to the right and left, and found not in it any
one save myself. I was therefore affected with violent vexation, not

244 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

to be exceeded, and my gall-bladder almost burst by reason of the
severity of my grief and mourning and fatigue. I had not with me
aught of worldly goods, neither food nor drink, and I had become
desolate, weary in my soul, and despairing of life; and 1 said. Not
every time doth the jar escape unbroken; and if I escaped the first
time, and found him who took me with him from the shore of the
island to the inhabited part, far, far from me this time is the prospect
of my finding him who will convey me to inhabited lands! Then
I began to weep and wail for myself until vexation overpowered me;
and I blamed myself for that which I had done, and for my having
undertaken this voyage and fatigue after I had been reposing at
ease in my abode and my country, in ample happiness, and enjoying
good food and good drink and good apparel, and had not been in
want of any thing, either of money or goods or merchandise. 1
repented of my having gone forth from the city of Baghdad, and
set out on a voyage over the sea, after the fatigue that I had suffered
during my first voyage, and I felt at the point of destruction, and
said. Verily to God we belong, and verily unto Him we return!
And I was in the predicament of the mad. After that, I rose and
stood up, and walked about the island to the right and left, unable
to sit in one place. Then 1 climbed up a lofty tree; and began to
look from it to the right and left; but saw nought savei sky and
water, and trees and birds, and islands and sands. Looking, how-
ever, with a scrutinizing eye, there appeared to me on the island
a white object, indistinctly seen in the distance, of enormous size:
so I descended from the tree, and went towards it, and proceeded
in that direction without stopping until I arrived at it; and lo, it
was a huge white dome, of great height and large circumference.
I drew near to it, and walked round it; but perceived no door to it;
and I found that I had not strength nor activity to climb it, on
account of its exceeding smoothness. I made a mark at the place
where I stood, and went round the dome measuring its circum-
ference; and, lo, it was fifty full paces; and I meditated upon some
means of gaining an entrance into it.

The close of the day, and the setting of the sun, had now drawn
near; and, behold, the sun was hidden, and the sky became dark,
and the sun was veiled from me. I therefore imagined that a cloud

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 245

had come over it; but this was in the season of summer: so I won-
dered; and I raised my head, and, contemplating that object atten-
tively, I saw that it was a bird, of enormous size, bulky body, and
wide wings, flying in the air; and this it was that concealed the
body of the sun, and veiled it from view upon the island. At this
my wonder increased, and I remembered a story which travellers
and voyagers had told me long before, that there is, in certain of the
islands, a bird of enormous size, called the rukh, that feedeth its
young ones with elephants. I was convinced, therefore, that the dome
which I had seen was one of the eggs of the rukh. I wondered at
the works of God (whose name be exalted!); and while I was in
this state, lo, that bird alighted upon the dome, and brooded over
it with its wings, stretching out its legs behind upon the ground;
and it slept over it. — Extolled be the perfection of Him who sleepeth
not! — Thereupon I arose, and unwound my turban from my head,
and folded it and twisted it so that it became like a rope; and I
girded myself with it, binding it tightly round my waist, and tied
myself by it to one of the feet of that bird, and made the knot fast,
saying within myself. Perhaps this bird will convey me to a land
of cities and inhabitants, and that will be better than my remaining
in this island. I passed the night sleepless, fearing that if I slept,
the bird would fly away with me when I was not aware; and when
the dawn came, and morn appeared, the bird rose from its egg, and
uttered a great cry, and drew me up into the sky. It ascended and
soared up so high that I imagined it had reached the highest region
of the sky, and after that, it descended with me gradually until it
alighted with me upon the earth, and rested upon a lofty spot. So
when I reached the earth, I hastily untied the bond from its foot,
fearing it, though it knew not of me nor was sensible of me; and
after 1 had loosed my turban from it, and disengaged it from its
foot, shaking as I did so, I walked away. Then it took something
from the face of the earth in its talons, and soared to the upper
region of the sky; and I looked attentively at that thing, and, lo, it
was a serpent, of enormous size, of great body, which it had taken
and carried off towards the sea; and I wondered at that event.

After this I walked about that place, and found myself upon an
eminence, beneath which was a large, wide, deep valley; and by

246 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

its side, a great mountain, very high; no one could see its summit
by reason of its excessive height, and no one had power to ascend it.
I therefore blamed myself for that which I had done, and said.
Would that I had remained in the island, since it is better than this
desert place; for in the island are found, among various fruits, what
I might have eaten, and I might have drunk of its rivers; but in this
place are neither trees nor fruits nor rivers: and there is no strength
nor power but in God, the High, the Great! Verily every time that
I escape from a calamity, I fall into another that is greater and more
severe! — Then I arose, and emboldened myself, and walked in that
valley; and I beheld its ground to be composed of diamonds, with
which they perforate minerals and jewels, and with which also they
perforate porcelain and the onyx; and it is a stone so hard that
neither iron nor rock have any efTect upon it, nor can any one cut
off aught from it, or break it, unless by means of the lead-stone.
All that valley was likewise occupied by serpents and venomous
snakes, every one of them like a palm-tree; and by reason of its
enormous size, if an elephant came to it, it would swallow it. Those
serpents appeared in the night, and hid themselves in the day, fear-
ing lest the rukh and the vulture should carry them off, and after
that tear them in pieces; and the cause of that I know not. I re-
mained in that valley, repenting of what I had done, and said
within myself. By Allah, I have hastened my own destruction! The
day departed from me, and I began to walk along that valley, look-
ing for a place in which to pass the night, fearing those serpents, and
forgetting my food and drink and subsistence, occupied only by
care for my life. And there appeared to me a cave near by; so I
walked thither, and I found its entrance narrow. I therefore entered
it and, seeing a large stone by its mouth, I pushed it, and stopped
with it the mouth of the cave while I was within it; and I said
within myself, I am safe now that I have entered this place; and
when daylight shineth upon me, I will go forth, and see what
destiny will do. Then I looked within the cave, and beheld a huge
serpent sleeping at the upper end of it over its eggs. At this my
flesh quaked, and I raised my head, and committed my case to fate
and destiny; and I passed all the night sleepless, until the dawn
rose and shone, when I removed the stone with which I had closed

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 247

the entrance of the cave, and went forth from it, Hke one intoxfcated,
giddy from excessive sleeplessness and hunger and fear.

I then walked along the valley; and while I was thus occupied, lo,
a great slaughtered animal fell before me, and I found no one. So I
wondered thereat extremely; and I remembered a story that I heard
long before from certain of the merchants and travellers, and persons
in the habit of journeying about, — that in the mountains of the dia-
monds are experienced great terrors, and that no one can gain access
to the diamonds, but that the merchants who import them know
a stratagem by means of which to obtain them: that they take a
sheep, and slaughter it, and skin it, and cut up its flesh, which they
throw down from the mountain to the bottom of the valley: so,
descending fresh and moist, some of these stones stick to it. Then
the merchants leave it until midday, and birds of the large kind of
vulture and the aquiline vulture descend to that meat, and, taking it
in their talons, fly up to the top of the mountain; whereupon the
merchants come to them, and cry out at them, and they fly way
from the meat. The merchants then advance to that meat, and take
from it the stones sticking to it; after which they leave the meat for
the birds and the wild beasts, and carry the stones to their countries.
And no one can procure the diamonds but by mearts of this strat-
agem. — Therefore when I beheld that slaughtered animal, and re-
membered this story, I arose and went to the slaughtered beast. I
then selected a great number of these stones, and put them into my
pocket, and within my clothes; and I proceeded to select, and put
into my pockets and my girdle and my turban, and within my
clothes. And while I was doing thus, lo, another great slaughtered
animal. So I bound myself to it with my turban, and, laying myself
down on my back, placed it upon my bosom, and grasped it firmly.
Thus it was raised high above the ground; and, behold, a vulture
descended upon it, seized it with its talons, and flew up with it
into the air, with me attached to it; and it ceased not to soar up until
it had ascended with it to the summit of the mountain, when it
alighted with it, and was about to tear o(i some of it. And there-
upon a great and loud cry arose from behind that vulture, and some-
thing made a clattering with a piece of wood upon the mountain;
whereat the vulture flew away in fear, and soared into the sky.

248 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I therefore disengaged myself from the slaughtered animal, with
the blood of which my clothes were polluted; and I stood by its
side. And, lo, the merchant who had cried out at the vulture
advanced to the slaughtered animal, and saw me standing there.
He spoke not to me; for he was frightened at me, and terrified;
but he came to the slaughtered beast, and turned it over; and, not
finding any thing upon it, he uttered a loud cry, and said. Oh, my
disappointment! There is no strength nor power but in God! We
seek refuge with God from Satan the accursed! — He repented, and
struck hand upon hand, and said. Oh, my grief! What is this affair?
— So I advanced to him, and he said to me, Who art thou, and what
is the reason of thy coming to this place? I answered him, Fear not,
nor be alarmed; for I am a human being, of the best of mankind;
and I was a merchant, and my tale is marvellous, and my story
extraordinary, and the cause of my coming to this mountain and
this valley is wondrous to relate. Fear not; for thou shalt receive of
me what will rejoice thee: I have with me abundance of diamonds,
of which I will give thee as much as will suffice thee, and every
piece that I have is better than all that would come to thee by other
means: therefore be not timorous nor afraid. — And upon this the
man thanked me, and prayed for me, and conversed with me; and,
lo, the other merchants heard me talking with their companion; so
they came to me. Each merchant had thrown down a slaughtered
animal; and when they came to us, they saluted me, and con-
gratulated me on my safety, and took me with them; and I ac-
quainted them with my whole story, relating to them what I had
suffered on my voyage, and telling them the cause of my arrival in
this valley. Then I gave to the owner of the slaughtered animal to
which I had attached myself an abundance of what I had brought
with me; and he was delighted with me, and prayed for me, and
thanked me for that; and the other merchants said to me, By Allah,
a new life hath been decreed thee; for no one ever arrived at this
place before thee and escaped from it; but praise be to God for thy
safety — They passed the next night in a pleasant and safe place, and
I passed the night with them, full of the utmost joy at my safety and
my escape from the valley of serpents, and my arrival in an inhabited
country.

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 249

And when day came, we arose and journeyed over that g^eat
mountain, beholding in that valley numerous serpents; and we con-
tinued to advance until we arrived at a garden in a great and beau-
tiful island, wherein were camphor-trees, under each of which trees
a hundred men might shade themselves. When any one desireth to
obtain some camphor from one of these trees, he maketh a perfora-
tion in the upper part of it with something long, and catcheth what
descendeth from it. The liquid camphor floweth from it, and con-
creteth like gum. It is the juice of that tree; and after this opera-
tion, the tree drieth, and becometh firewood. In that island too is a
kind of wild beast called the rhinoceros which pastureth there like
oxen and buffaloes in our country; but the bulk of that wild beast is
greater than the bulk of the camel, and it eateth the tender leaves
of trees. It is a huge beast, with a single horn, thick, in the middle
of its head, a cubit in length, wherein is the figure of a man. And
in that island are some animals of the ox-kind. Moreover, the sailors,
and travellers, and persons in the habit of journeying about in the
mountains and the lands, have told us, that this wild beast which
is named the rhinoceros lifteth the great elephant upon its horn, and
pastureth with it upon the island and the shores, without being
sensible of it; and the elephant dieth upon its horn; and its fat,
melting by the heat of the sun, and flowing upon its head entereth
its eyes, so that it becometh blind. Then it lieth down upon the
shore, and the rukh cometh to it, and carrieth it off [with the ele-
phant] in its talons to its young ones, and feedeth them with it and
with that which is upon its horn, [namely the elephant]. I saw also
in that island abundance of the buffalo-kind, the like of which
existeth not among us.

The valley before mentioned containeth a great quantity of dia-
monds such as I carried off and hid in my pockets. For these the
fjeople gave me in exchange goods and commodities belonging to
them; and they conveyed them for me, giving me likewise pieces
of silver and pieces of gold; and I ceased not to proceed with them,
amusing myself with the sight of different countries, and of what
God hath created, from valley to valley and from city to city, we, in
our way, selling and buying, until we arrived at the city of El-
Basrah. We remained there a few days, and then I came to the

250 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

city of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace, and came to my quarter, and
entered my house, bringing with me a great quantity of diamonds,
and money and commodities and goods in abundance. I met my
family and relations, bestowed alms and gifts, made presents to all
my family and companions, and began to eat well and drink well
and wear handsome apparel. I associated with friends, and com-
panions, forgot all that I had suffered, and ceased not to enjoy a
pleasant life and joyful heart and dilated bosom, with sport and
merriment. Every one who heard of my arrival came to me, and
inquired of me respecting my voyage, and the states of the different
countries: so I informed him, relating to him what I had experienced
and suffered; and he wondered at the severity of my sufferings, and
congratulated me on my safety. — This is the end of the account of
the events that befell me and happened to me during the second
voyage; and to-morrow, if it be the will of God (whose name be
exalted), I will relate to you the events of the third voyage.

The Third Voyage of £s-Sindibao of the Sea

Know, O my brothers (and hear from me the story of the third
voyage, for it is more wonderful than the preceding stories, hitherto
related — and God is all-knowing with respect to the things which
He hideth, and omniscient), that, in the times past, when I returned
from the second voyage, and was in a state of the utmost joy and
happiness, rejoicing in my safety, having gained great wealth, as I
related to you yesterday, God having compensated me for all that
I had lost, I resided in the city of Baghdad for a length of time in
the most perfect prosperity and delight, and joy and happiness.
Then my soul became desirous of travel and diversion, and I longed
for commerce and gain and profits; the soul being prone to evil. So
I meditated, and bought an abundance of goods suited for a sea-
voyage, and packed them up, and departed with them from the city
of Baghdad to the city of El-Basrah. There, coming to the bank of
the river, I beheld a great vessel, in which were many merchants
and other passengers, people of worth, and comely and good per-
sons, people of religion and kindness and probity. I therefore em-
barked with them in that vessel, and we departed in reliance on the
blessing of God (whose name be exalted!), and his aid and favour,

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 25I

rejoicing in expectation of good-fortune and safety. We ceased not
to proceed from sea to sea, and from island to island, and from city
to city; at every place by which we passed diverting ourselves, and
selling and buying, in the utmost joy and happiness. Thus we did
until we were, one day, pursuing our course in the midst of the
roaring sea, agitated with waves, when, lo, the master standing at the
side of the vessel, looked at the different quarters of the sea, and
then slapped his face, furled the sails of the ship, cast its anchors,
plucked his beard, rent his clothes, and uttered a great cry. So we
said to him, O master, what is the news? And he answered. Know,
O passengers, whom may God preserve! that the wind hath pre-
vailed against us, and driven us out of our course in the midst of
the sea, and destiny hath cast us, through our evil fortune, towards
the Mountain of Apes. No one hath ever arrived at this place and
escaped, and my heart is impressed with the conviction of the de-
struction of us all. — And the words of the master were not ended
before the apes had come to us and surrounded the vessel on every
side, numerous as locusts, dispersed about the vessel and on the
shore. We feared that, if we killed one of them, or struck him, or
drove him away, they would kill us, on account of their excessive
number; for numbers prevail against courage; and we feared them
lest they should plunder our goods and our commodities. They
are the most hideous of beasts, and covered with hair like black felt,
their aspect striking terror. No one understandeth their language
or their state, they shun the society of men, have yellow eyes, and
black faces, and are of small size, the height of each one of them
being four spans. They climbed up the cables, and severed them
with their teeth, and they severed all the ropes of the vessel in every
part: so the vessel inclined with the wind, and stopped at their
mountain, and on their coast. Then, having seized all the mer-
chants and the other passengers, and landed upon the island, they
took the vessel with the whole of its contents, and went their way
with it.

They left us upon the island, the vessel became concealed from
us, and we knew not whither they went with it. And while we
were upon that island, eating of its fruits and its herbs, and drinking
of the rivers that were there, lo, there appeared to us an inhabited

252 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

house in the midst of the island. We therefore went towards it, and
walked to it; and, behold, it was a pavilion, with lofty angles, with
high walls, having an entrance with folding doors, which were open;
and the doors were of ebony. We entered this pavilion, and found
in it a wide, open space, like a wide, large court, around which were
many lofty doors, and at its upper end was a high and great masta-
bah. There were also in it utensils for cooking, hung over the fire-
pots, and around them were many bones. But we saw not there any
person; and we wondered at that extremely. We sat in the open
space in that pavilion a little while, after which we slept; and we
ceased not to sleep from near the mid-time between sunrise and
moon until sunset. And, lo, the earth trembled beneath us, and we
heard a confused noise from the upper air, and there descended
upon us, from the summit of the pavilion, a person of enormous
size, in human form, and he was of black complexion, of lofty
stature, like a great palm-tree: he had two eyes like two blazes of fire,
and tusks like the tusks of swine, and a mouth of prodigious size,
like the mouth of a well, and lips like the lips of a camel, hanging
down upon his bosom, and he had ears like two mortars, hanging
down upon his shoulders, and the nails of his hands were like the
claws of the lion. So when we beheld him thus, we became uncon-
scious of our existence, our fear was vehement, and our terror was
violent, and through the violence of our fear and dread and terror
we became as dead men. And after he had descended upon the
ground, he sat a little while upon the mastabah. Then he arose and
came to us, and, seizing me by my hands from among my com-
panions the merchants, lifted me up from the ground in his hand,
and felt me and turned me over; and I was in his hand like a litde
mouthful. He continued to feel me as the butcher feeleth the sheep
that he is about to slaughter; but he found me infirm from excessive
affliction, and lean from excessive fatigue and from the voyage; hav-
ing no flesh. He therefore let me go from his hand, and took
another, from among my companions; and he turned him over, as
he had turned me over, and felt him as he had felt me, and let him
go. He ceased not to feel us and turn us over, one after another,
until he came to the master of our ship, who was a fat, stout, broad-
shouldered man; a person of strength and vigour: so he pleased him,

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 253

and he seized him as the butcher seizeth the animal that he is about
to slaughter, and, having thrown him on the ground, put his foot
upon his neck, which he thus broke. Then he brought a long spit,
and thrust it into his throat, and spitted him; after which he lighted
a fierce fire, and placed over it that spit upon which the master was
spitted, and ceased not to turn him round over the burning coals
until his flesh was thoroughly roasted; when he took him off from
the fire, put him before him, and separated his joints as a man sep-
arates the joints of a chicken, and proceeded to tear in pieces his
flesh with his nails, and to eat of it. Thus he continued to do until
he had eaten his flesh, and gnawed his bones, and there remained
of him nothing but some bones, which he threw by the side of the
pavilion. He then sat a little, and threw himself down, and slept
upon that mastabah, making a noise with his throat like that which
is made by a lamb or other beast when slaughtered; and he slept
uninterruptedly until the morning, when he went his way.

As soon, therefore, as we were sure that he was far from us, we
conversed together, and wept for ourselves, saying. Would that we
had been drowned in the sea, or that the apes had eaten us; for it
were better than the roasting of a man upon burning coals! By
Allah, this death is a vile one! But what God willeth cometh to
pass, and there is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the
Great! We die in sorrow, and no one knoweth of us; and there is
no escape for us from this place! — We then arose and went forth
upon the island, to see for us a place in which to hide ourselves, or
to flee; and it had become a light matter to us to die, rather than
that our flesh should be roasted with fire. But we found not for us
a place in which to hide ourselves; and the evening overtook us.
So we returned to the pavilion, by reason of the violence of our fear,
and sat there a little while; and, lo, the earth trembled beneath us,
and that black approached us, and, coming among us, began to turn
us over, one after another, as on the former occasion, and to feel us,
until one pleased him; whereupon he seized him, and did with him
as he did with the master of the ship the day before. He roasted
him, and ate him upon that mastabah, and ceased not to sleep that
night, making a noise with his throat like a slaughtered animal;
and when the day came, he arose and went his way, leaving us as

254 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

usual. Upon this we assembled together and conversed, and said,
one to another. By Allah, if we cast ourselves into the sea and die
drowned, it will be better than our dying burnt; for this mode of
being put to death is abominable! And one of us said. Hear my
words. Verily we will contrive a stratagem against him and kill
him, and be at ease from apprehension of his purpose, and relieve
the Muslims from his oppression and tyranny. — So I said to them.
Hear, O my brothers. If we must kill him, we will transport this
wood, and remove some of this firewood, and make for ourselves
rafts, each to bear three men, after which we will contrive a strat-
agem to kill him, and embark on the rafts, and proceed over the
sea to whatsoever place God shall desire. Or we will remain in
this place until a ship shall pass by, when we will embark in it. And
if we be not able to kill him, we will embark [on our rafts], and
put out to sea; and if we be drowned, we shall be preserved from
being roasted over the fire, and from being slaughtered. If we escape,
we escape; and if we be drowned, we die martyrs. — To this they all
replied, By Allah, this is a right opinion and a wise proceeding. And
we agreed upon this matter, and commenced the work. We removed
the pieces of wood out of the pavilion, and constructed rafts, attached
them to the sea-shore, and stowed upon them some provisions; after
which we returned to the pavilion.

And when it was evening, lo, the earth trembled with us, and the
black came in to us, like the biting dog. He turned us over and felt
us, one after another, and, having taken one of us, did with him as
he had done with the others before him. He ate him, and slept upon
the mastabah, and the noise from his throat was like thunder. So
thereupon we arose, and took two iron spits, of those which were
set up, and put them in the fierce fire until they were red-hot, and
became like burning coals; when we grasf)ed them firmly, and
went with them to that black while he lay asleep snoring, and we
thrust them into his eyes, all of us pressing upon them with our
united strength and force. Thus we pushed them into his eyes as
he slept, and his eyes were destroyed, and he uttered a great cry,
whereat our hearts were terrified. Then he arose resolutely from
that mastabah, and began to search for us, while we fled from him
to the right and left, and he saw us not; for his sight was blinded;

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 255

but we feared him with a violent fear, and made sure, in that time,
of destruction, and despaired of safety. And upon this he sought the
door, feeling for it, and went forth from it, crying out, while we
were in the utmost fear of him; and lo, the earth shook beneath us,
by reason of the vehemence of his cry. So when he went forth from
the pavilion, we followed him, and he went his way, searching for
us. Then he returned, accompanied by a female, greater than he,
and more hideous in form; and when we beheld him, and her who
was with him, more horrible than he in appearance, we were in
the utmost fear. As soon as the female saw us, we hastily loosed
the rafts that we had constructed, and embarked on them, and
pushed them forth into the sea. But each of the two blacks had a
mass of rock, and they cast at us until the greater number of us
died from the casting, there remaining of us only three f)ersons, I
and two others; and the raft conveyed us to another island.

We walked forward upon that island until the close of the day,
and the night overtook us in this state; so we slept a litde; and we
awoke from our sleep, and,lo, a serpent of enormous size, of large
body and wide belly, had surrounded us. It approached one of us,
and swallowed him to his shoulders: then it swallowed the rest of
him, and we heard his ribs break in pieces in its belly; after which
it went its way. At this we wondered extremely, and we mourned
for our companion, and were in the utmost fear for ourselves, say-
ing, By Allah, this is a wonderful thing! Every death that we wit-
ness is more horrible than the preceding one! We were rejoiced at
our escape from the black; but our joy is not complete! There is no
strength nor power but in God! By Allah, we have escaped from
the black and from drowning; but how shall we escape from this
unlucky serpent? — Then we arose and walked on over the island,
eating of its fruits, and drinking of its rivers, and we ceased not to
proceed till morning, when we found a great, lofty tree. So we
climbed up it, and slept upon it; I having ascended to the highest
of its branches. But when the night arrived, and it was dark, the
serpent came, looking to the right and left, and, advancing to the
tree upon which we were, came up to my companion, and swallowed
him to his shoulders; and it wound itself round the tree with him,
and I heard his bones break in pieces in its belly : then it swallowed

256 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

him entirely, while I Icxjked on; after which it descended from the
tree, and went its way. — I remained upon that tree the rest of the
night; and when the day came, and the hght appeared, I descended
from the tree, Hke one dead, by reason of excessive fear and terror,
and desired to cast myself into the sea, that I might be at rest from
the world; but it was not a light matter to me to do so; for life is
dear. So I tied a wide piece of wood upon the soles of my feet,
crosswise, and I tied one like it u{Xin my left side, and a similar
one upon my right side, and a similar one u[X)n the front of my
body, and I tied one long and wide upon the top of my head, cross-
wise, like that which was under the soles of my feet. Thus I was
in the midst of these pieces of wood, and they enclosed me on every
side. I bound them tightly, and threw myself with the whole upon
the ground; so I lay in the midst of the pieces of wood, which
enclosed me like a closet. And when the evening arrived, the ser-
pent approached as it was wont, and saw me, and drew towards me;
but it could not swallow me when I was in that state, with the pieces
of wood round me on every side. It went round me; but could not
come at me: and I looked at it, being like a dead man, by reason of
the violence of my fear and terror. The serpent retired from me, and
returned to me; and thus it ceased not to do: every time that it
desired to get at me to swallow me, the pieces of wood tied upon
me on every side prevented it. It continued to do thus from sunset
until daybreak arrived and the light appeared and the sun rose, when
it went its way, in the utmost vexation and rage. Upon this, there-
fore, I stretched forth my hands and loosed myself from those pieces
of wood, in a state like that of the dead, through the severity of that
which I had suffered from that serpent.

I then arose, and walked along the island until I came to the
extremity of it; when I cast a glance towards the sea, and beheld a
ship at a distance, in the midst of the deep. So I took a great branch
of a tree, and made a sign with it to the passengers, calling out to
them; and when they saw me, they said. We must see what this is.
Perhaps it is a man. — Then they approached me, and heard my cries
to them. They therefore came to me, and took me with them in
the ship, and asked me respecting my state: so I informed them of
all that had happened to me from beginning to end, and of the

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 257

troubles that I had suffered; whereat they wondered extremely.
They clad me with some of their clothes, attiring me decently; and
after that, they put before me some provisions, and I ate until I was
satisfied. They also gave me to drink some cool and sweet water,
and my heart was revived, my soul became at ease, and I experienced
great comfort. God (whose name be exalted!) had raised me to life
after my death: so I praised Him (exalted be his name!) for His
abundant favours, and thanked Him. My courage was strengthened
after I had made sure of destruction, so that it seemed to me that all
which I then experienced was a dream. — We proceeded on our
voyage, and the wind was fair to us by the permission of God (whose
name be exalted!) until we came in sight of an island called the
Island of Es-Selahit, where sandalwood is abundant, and there the
master anchored the ship, and the merchants and other passengers
landed, and took forth their goods to sell and buy. The owner of
the ship then looked towards me, and said to me. Hear my words,
Thou art a stranger and poor, and hast informed us that thou hast
suffered many horrors: I therefore desire to benefit thee with some-
thing that will aid thee to reach thy country, and thou wilt pray for
me. — I replied. So be it, and thou shalt have my prayers. And he
rejoined. Know that there was with us a man voyaging, whom we
lost, and we know not whether he be living or dead, having heard
no tidings of him. I desire to commit to thee his bales that thou may-
est sell them in this island. Thou shalt take charge of them, and we
will give thee something proportionate to thy trouble and thy serv-
ice; and what remaineth of them we will take and keep until we
return to the city of Baghdad, when we will inquire for the owner's
family, and give to them the remainder, together with the price of
that which shall be sold of them. Wilt thou then take charge of
them, and land with them upon this island, and sell them as do the
merchants? — I answered, I hear and obey thee, O my master; and
thou art beneficent and kind. And I prayed for him and thanked
him for that.

He thereupon ordered the porters and sailors to land those goods
upon the island, and to deliver them to me. And the clerk of the
ship said, O master, what are these bales which the sailors and porters
have brought out, and with the name o£ which of the merchants

258 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

shall I mark them? He answered, Write upon them the name o£
Es-Sindibad of the Sea, who was with us, and was drowned [or left
behind] at the island [of the rukh], and of whom no tidings have
come to us; wherefore we desire that this stranger sell them, and
take charge of the price of them, and we will give him somewhat
of it in requital of his trouble and his sale of them. What shall
remain we will take with us until we return to the city of Baghdad,
when, if we find him, we will give it to him; and if we find him
not, we will give it to his family in Baghdad. — So the clerk replied,
Thy words are good, and thy notion is excellent. And when I
heard the words of the master, mentioning that the bales were to
be inscribed with my name, I said within myself, By Allah, I am
Es-Sindibad of the Sea. Then I fortified myself, and waited till the
merchants had landed and had assembled conversing and consult-
ing upon affairs of selling and buying, when I advanced to the owner
of the ship, and said to him, O my master, dost thou know what
manner of man was the owner of the bales which thou hast com-
mitted to me that I may sell them? He answered me, I know not
his condition; but he was a man of the city of Baghdad, called Es-
Sindibad of the Sea; and we had cast anchor at one of the islands,
where he was lost, and we have had no tidings of him to the present
time. So upon this I uttered a great cry, and said to him, O master
(whom may God preserve!), know that I am Es-Sindibad of the
Sea. I was not drowned; but when thou anchoredst at the island,
and the merchants and other passengers landed, I also landed with
the party, taking with me something to eat on the shore of the island.
Then I enjoyed myself in sitting in that place, and slumber over-
taking me, I slept, and became immersed in sleep; after which I
arose and found not the ship, nor found I any one with me. There-
fore this wealth is my wealth, and these goods are my goods. All
the merchants also who transport diamonds saw me when I was
upon the mountain of the diamonds, and they will bear witness for
me that I am Es-Sindibad of the Sea, as I informed them of my story
and of the events that befell me with you in the ship. I informed
them that ye had forgotten me upon the island, asleep, and that I
arose and found not any one, and that what had befallen me befell
me.

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 259

And when the merchants and other passengers heard my words,
they assembled around me; and some of them believed me, and
others disbelieved me. But while we were thus talking, lo, one of
the merchants, on his hearing me mention the valley of diamonds
arose and advanced to me, and said to them, Hear, O company, my
words. When I related to you the most wonderful thing that I had
seen in my travels, I told you that, when we cast down the slaugh-
tered animals into the valley of diamonds, I casting down mine with
the rest, as I was accustomed to do, there came up with my slaugh-
tered beast a man attached to it, and ye believed me not, but accused
me of falsehood. — They replied. Yes: thou didst relate to us this
thing, and we believed thee not. And the merchant said to them.
This is the man who attached himself to my slaughtered animal,
and he gave me some diamonds of high price, the Uke of which exist
not, rewarding me with more than would have come up with my
slaughtered animal; and I took him as my companion until we
arrived at the city of El-Basrah, whence he proceeded to his coun-
try, having bidden us farewell, and we returned to our own coun-
tries. This is he, and he informed us that his name was Es-Sindibad
of the Sea : he told us likewise of the departure of the ship, and of
his sitting in that island. And know ye that this man came not to
us here but in order that ye might believe my words respecting the
matter which I told you; and all these goods are his property; for
he informed us of them at the time of his meeting with us, and the
truth of his assertion hath become manifest. — So when the master
heard the words of that merchant, he arose and came to me, and,
having looked at me awhile with a scrutinizing eye, said, What is
the mark of thy goods? I answered him, Know that the mark of
my goods is of such and such a kind. And I related to him a cir-
cumstance that had occurred between me and him when I embarked
with him in the vessel from El-Basrah. He therefore was convinced
that I was Es-Sindibad of the Sea, and he embraced me and saluted
me, and congratulated me on my safety, saying to me, By Allah, O
my master, thy story is wonderful and thy case is extraordinary! But
praise be to God who hath brought us together, and restored thy
goods and thy wealth to thee!

Upon this, I disposed of my goods according to the knowledge I

26o THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

possessed and they procured me, during that voyage, great gain,
whereat I rejoiced exceedingly, congratulating myself on my safety,
and on the restoration of my wealth to me. And we ceased not to
sell and buy at the islands until we arrived at the country of Es-
Sind,* where likewise we sold and bought. And I beheld in that
sea [which we navigated, namely the Sea of India,] many wonders
and strange things that cannot be numbered nor calculated. Among
the things that I saw there were a fish in the form of the cow, and a
creature in the form of the ass; and I saw a bird that cometh forth
from a sea-shell, and layeth its eggs and hatcheth them upon the
surface of the water, and never cometh forth from the sea upon the
face of the earth. — After this we continued our voyage, by permis-
sion of God (whose name be exalted!), and the wind and voyage
were pleasant to us, until we arrived at El-Basrah, where I remained
a few days. Then I came to the city of Baghdad, and repaired to
my quarter, entered my house, and saluted my family and com-
panions and friends. I rejoiced at my safety and my return to my
country and my family and city and district, and I gave alms and
presents, and clad the widows and the orphans, and collected my
companions and friends. And I ceased not to live thus, eating and
drinking, and sporting and making merry, eating well and drinking
well, associating familiarly and mingling in society; and I forgot
all that had happened to me, and the distresses and horrors that I
had suffered. And I gained during that voyage what could not be
numbered nor calculated. — Such were the most wonderful of the
things that I beheld during that voyage; and to-morrow, if it be the
will of God (whose name be exalted!), thou shalt come. [O Sindi-
bad of the Land,] and I will relate to thee the story of the fourth
voyage; for it is more wonderful than the stories of the preceding
voyages.

The Fourth Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea

Know, O my brothers, that when I returned to the city of Bagh-
dad, and met my companions and my family and my friends, and
was enjoying the utmost pleasure and happiness and ease, and had

' Western India.

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 261

forgotten all that I had experienced, by reason of the abundance of
my gains, and had become immersed in sport and mirth, and the
society of friends and companions, leading the most delightful life,
my wicked soul suggested to me to travel again to the countries of
other people, and I felt a longing for associating with the different
races of men, and for selling and gains. So I resolved upon this,
and purchased precious goods, suitable to a sea-voyage, and, having
packed up many bales, more than usual, I went from the city of
Baghdad to the city of El-Basrah, where I embarked my bales in a
ship, and joined myself to a party of the chief men of El-Basrah,
and we set forth on our voyage. The vessel proceeded with us, con-
fiding in the blessing of God (whose name be exalted!), over the
roaring sea agitated with waves, and the voyage was pleasant to us;
and we ceased not to proceed in this manner for a period of nights
and days, from island to island and from sea to sea, until a con-
trary wind rose against us one day. The master therefore cast the
anchors, and stayed the ship in the midst of the sea, fearing that she
would sink in the midst of the deep. And while we were in this
state, supplicating, and humbling ourselves to God (whose name
be exalted!), there rose against us a great tempest, which rent the
sails in strips, and the people were submerged with all their bales
and their commodities and wealth. I was submerged among the rest,
and I swam in the sea for half a day, after which I abandoned my-
self; but God (whose name be exalted!) aided me to lay hold upon
a piece of one of the planks of the ship, and I and a party of the
merchants got upon it. We continued sitting upon this plank,
striking the sea with our feet, and the waves and the wind helping
us; and we remained in this state a day and a night. And on the
following day, shortly before the mid-time between sunrise and
noon, a wind rose against us, the sea became boisterous, the waves
and the wind were violent, and the water cast us upon an island;
and we were like dead men, from excess of sleeplessness and fatigue,
and cold and hunger, and fear and thirst.

We walked along the shores of that island, and found upon it
abundant herbs; so we ate some of them to stay our departing
spirits, and to sustain us; and passed the next night upon the shore
of the island. And when the morning came, and diffused its light

262 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and shone, we rose and walked about the island to the right and
left, and there appeared to us a building in the distance. We there-
fore proceeded over the island in the direction of that building which
we had seen from a distance, and ceased not to proceed until we
stood at its door. And while we were standing there, lo, there came
forth to us from that door a party of naked men, who, without
speaking to us, seized us, and took us to their King, and he com-
manded us to sit. So we sat; and they brought to us some food,
such as we knew not, nor in our lives had we seen the like of it;
wherefore my stomach consented not to it, and I ate none of it in
comparison with my companions, and my eating so little of it was
owing to the grace of God (whose name be exalted!), in conse-
quence of which I have lived to the present time. For when my
companions ate of that food, their minds became stupefied, and they
ate like madmen, and their states became changed. Then the people
brought to them cocoa-nut-oil, and gave them to drink of it, and
anointed them with it; and when my companions drank of that oil,
their eyes became turned in their faces, and they proceeded to eat
of that food contrary to their usual manner. Upon this, therefore, I
was confounded respecting their case, and grieved for them, and
became extremely anxious by reason of the violence of my fear for
myself with regard to these naked men. I observed them atten-
tively, and, lo, they were a Magian people, and the King of their
city was a ghul; and every one who arrived at their country, or
whom they saw or met in the valley or the roads, they brought to
their King, and they fed him with that food, and anointed him with
that oil, in consequence of which his body became expanded, in
order that he might eat largely; and his mind was stupefied, his
faculty of reflection was destroyed, and he became like an idiot.
Then they gave him to eat and drink in abundance of that food and
oil, until he became fat and stout, when they slaughtered him and
roasted him, and served him as meat to their King. But as to the
companions of the King, they ate the flesh of men without roasting
or otherwise cooking it. So when I saw them do thus, I was in the
utmost anguish on my own account and on account of my com-
panions. The latter, by reason of the excessive stupefaction of their
minds, knew not what was done unto them, and the people com-

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 263

mitted them to a person who took them every day and went forth
to pasture them on that island like catde.

But as for myself, I became, through the violence of fear and
hunger, infirm and wasted in body, and my flesh dried upon my
bones. So when they saw me in this state, they left me and forgot
me, and not one of them remembered me, nor did I occur to their
minds, until I contrived a stratagem one day, and, going forth from
that place, walked along the island to a distance. And I saw a herds-
man sitting upon something elevated in the midst of the sea; and
I certified myself of him, and, lo, he was the man to whom they
had committed my companions that he might pasture them; and
he had with him many like them. As soon, therefore, as that man
beheld me, he knew that I was in possession of my reason, and that
nought of that which had afflicted my companions had afflicted me.
So he made a sign to me from a distance, and said to me. Turn
back, and go along the road that is on thy right hand; thou wilt so
reach the King's highway. Accordingly I turned back, as this man
directed me, and, seeing a road on my right hand, 1 proceeded along
it, and ceased not to go on, sometimes running by reason of fear,
and sometimes walking at my leisure until I had taken rest. Thus
I continued to do until I was hidden from the eyes of the man who
directed me to the way, and I saw him not nor did he see me. The
sun had disappeared from me, and darkness approached; where-
fore I sat to rest, and desired to sleep; but sleep came not to me that
night on account of the violence of my fear and hunger and fatigue.
And when it was midnight, I arose and walked on over the island,
and I ceased not to proceed until day arrived, and the morning came
and diffused its light and shone, and the sun rose over the tops of
the high hills and over the low gravelly plains. I was tired and
hungry and thirsty: so I began to eat of the herbs and vegetables
that were upon the island, and continued to eat of them till I was
satiated, and my departing spirit was stayed; after which I arose
and walked on again over the island; and thus I ceased not to do
all the day and the next night; whenever 1 was hungry, eating of
the vegetables.

In this manner I proceeded for the space of seven days with their
nights: and on the morning of the eighth day, I cast a glance, and

264 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

beheld a faint object in the distance. So I went towards it, and
ceased not to proceed until I came up to it, after sunset; and I looked
at it with a scrutinizing eye, while I was yet distant from it, and
with a fearful heart in consequence of what I had suffered first
and after, and, lo, it was a party of men gathering pepper. And
when I approached them, and they saw me, they hastened to me,
and came to me and surrounded me on every side, saying to me.
Who art thou, and whence hast thou come ? I answered them. Know
ye^ O people, that I am a poor foreigner. And I informed them of
my whole case, and of the horrors and distresses that had befallen
me, and what I had suffered; whereupon they said. By Allah, this
is a wonderful thing! But how didst thou escape from the blacks,
and how didst thou pass by them in this island, when they are a
numerous people, and eat men, and no one is safe from them, nor
can any pass by them? — So I acquainted them with that which had
befallen me among them, and with the manner in which they had
taken my companions, and fed them with food of which I did not
eat. And they congratulated me on my safety, and wondered at
that which had befallen me. Then they made me sit among them
until they had finished their work, and they brought me some nice
food. I therefore ate of it, being hungry, and rested with them a
while; after which they took me and embarked with me in a vessel,
and went to their island and their abodes. They then took me to
their King, and I saluted him, and he welcomed me and treated me
with honour, and inquired of me my story. So I related to him what
I had experienced, and what had befallen me and happened to me
from the day of my going forth from the city of Baghdad until I
had come unto him. And the King wondered extremely at my
story, and at the events that had happened to me; he, and all who
were present in his assembly. After that, he ordered me to sit with
him. Therefore I sat; and he gave orders to bring the food, which
accordingly they brought, and I ate of it as much as sufficed me, and
washed my hands, and offered up thanks for the favour of God
(whose name be exalted!), praising Him and glorifying Him. I
then rose from the presence of the King, and diverted myself with
a sight of his city; and, lo, it was a flourishing city, abounding with
inhabitants and wealth, and with food and markets and goods, and
sellers and buyers.

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 265

So I rejoiced at my arrival at that city, and my heart was at ease;
I became familiar with its inhabitants, and was magnified and
honoured by them and by their King above the people o£ his
dominions and the great men of his city. And I saw that all its
great men and its small rode excellent and fine horses without sad-
dles; whereat I wondered; and I said to the King, Wherefore, O
my lord, dost thou not ride on a saddle; for therein is ease to the
rider, and additional power? He said. What kind of thing is a
saddle? This is a thing that in our lives we have never seen, nor
have we ever ridden upon it. — And I said to him. Wilt thou permit
me to make for thee a saddle to ride upon and to experience the
pleasure of it? He answered me. Do so. I therefore said to him,
Furnish me with some wood. And he gave orders to bring me all
that I required. Then I asked for a clever carpenter, and sat
with him, and taught him the construction of the saddle, and how
he should make it. Afterwards I took some wool, and teased it, and
made felt of it; and I caused some leather to be brought, and covered
the saddle with it, and polished it. I then attached its straps, and
its girth: after which I brought the blacksmith, and described to
him the form of the stirrups, and he forged an excellent pair of
stirrups; and I filed them, and tinned them. Then I attached fringes
of silk. Having done this, I arose and brought one of the best of the
King's horses, girded upon him that saddle, attached to it the stir-
rups, bridled him, and brought him forward to the King; and it
pleased him, and was agreeable to him. He thanked me, and seated
himself upon it, and was greatly delighted with that saddle; and he
gave me a large present as a reward for that which I had done for
him. And when his Wezir saw that I had made that saddle, he
desired of me one like it. So I made for him a saddle like it. The
grandees and dignitaries likewise desired of me saddles, and I made
for them. I taught the carpenter the construction of the saddle; and
the blacksmith, the mode of making stirrups; and we employed our-
selves in making these things, and sold them to the great men and
masters. Thus I collected abundant wealth, and became in high
estimation with them, and they loved me exceedingly.

I continued to enjoy a high rank with the King and his attendants
and the great men of the country and the lords of the state, until I
sat one day with the King, in the utmost happiness and honour;

266 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and while I was sitting, the King said to me, Know, O thou, that
thou hast become magnified and honoured among us, and hast
become one of us, and we cannot part with thee, nor can we suffer
thee to depart from our city; and I desire of thee that thou obey me
in an affair, and reject not that which I shall say. So I said to him,
And what dost thou desire of me, O King? For I will not reject
that which thou shalt say, since thou hast shewn favour and kind-
ness and beneficence to me, and (praise be to God!) I have become
one of thy servants. — And he answered, I desire to marry thee among
us to a beautiful, lovely, elegant wife, possessed of wealth and love-
liness, and thou shalt become a dweller with us, and I will lodge
thee by me in my palace: therefore oppose me not, nor reject what
I say. And when I heard the words of the King, I was abashed at
him, and was silent, returning him no answer, by reason of the ex-
ceeding bashfulness with which I regarded him. So he said. Where-
fore dost thou not reply to me, O my son ? And I answered him, O
my master, it is thine to command, O King of the age! And upon
this he sent immediately and caused the Kadi and the witnesses to
come, and married me forthwith to a woman of noble rank, of high
lineage, possessing abundant wealth and fortune, of great origin, of
surprising loveUness and beauty, owner of dwellings and possessions
and buildings. Then he gave me a great, handsome house, standing
alone, and he gave me servants and other dependents, and assigned
me supplies and salaries. Thus I became in a state of the utmost
ease and joy and happiness, forgetting all the fatigue and affliction
and adversity that had happened to me; and I said within myself.
When I set forth on my voyage to my country, I will take her with
me. But every event that is predestined to happen to man must
inevitably take place, and no one knoweth what will befall him.
I loved her and she loved me with a great affection, concord existed
between me and her, and we lived in a most delightful manner, and
most comfortable abode, and ceased not to enjoy this state for a
length of time.

Then God (whose name be exalted!) caused to die the wife of
my neighbour, and he was a companion of mine. So I went in to
him to console him for the loss of his wife, and beheld him in a
most evil state, anxious, weary in soul and heart; and upon this I

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 267

consoled him and comforted him, saying to him, Mourn not for
thy wife. God will happily compensate thee by giving thee one
better than she, and thy hfe will be long if it be the will of God,
whose name be exalted! — But he wept violently, and said to me, O
my companion, how can I marry another after her, or how can God
compensate me by giving me a better than she, when but one day
remaineth of my life? So I replied, O my brother, return to thy
reason, and do not announce thine own death; for thou art well, in
prosperity and health. But he said to me, O my companion, by thy
life, to-morrow thou wilt lose me, and never in thy life wilt thou
see me again. — And how so? said 1. He answered me. This day
they will bury my wife, and they will bury me with her in the
sepulchre; for it is our custom in our country, when the wife dieth,
to bury with her her husband alive; and when the husband dieth,
they bury with him his wife alive; that neither of them may enjoy
life after the other. I therefore said to him. By Allah, this custom
is exceedingly vile, and none can endure it! — And while we were
thus conversing, lo, most of the people of the city came, and pro-
ceeded to console my companion for the loss of his wife and for
himself. They began to prepare her body for burial according to
their custom, brought a bier, and carried the woman in it, with all
her apparel and ornaments and wealth, taking the husband with
them; and they went forth with them to the outside of the city, and
came to a place in the side of a mountain by the sea. They advanced
to a spot there, and lifted up from it a great stone, and there ap-
peared, beneath the place of this, a margin of stone, like the margin
of a well. Into this they threw down that woman; and, lo, it was
a great pit beneath the mountain. Then they brought the man, tied
him beneath his bosom by a rope of fibres of the palm-tree, and
let him down into the pit. They also let down to him a great jug
of sweet water, and seven cakes of bread; and when they had let
him down, he loosed himself from the rope, and they drew it up,
and covered the mouth of the pit with that great stone as it was
before, and went their ways, leaving my companion with his wife in
the pit. — So I said within myself. By Allah, this death is more
grievous than the first death! I then went to their King, and said
to him, O my lord, how is it that ye bury the living vwth the dead

268 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

in your country? And he answered me, Know that this is our cus-
tom in our country: when the husband dieth, we bury with him his
wife; and when the wife dieth, we bury with her her husband alive;
that we may not separate them in hfe nor in death; and this custom
we have received from our forefathers. And I said, O King of the
age, and in hke manner the foreigner like me, when his wife dieth
among you do ye with him as ye have done with this man? He
answered me, Yes: we bury him with her, and do with him as thou
hast seen. And when I heard these words from him, my gall-bladder
almost burst by reason of the violence of my grief and mourning
for myself; my mind was stupefied, and I became fearful lest my
wife should die before me and they should bury me aUve with her.
Afterwards, however, I comforted myself, and said. Perhaps I shall
die before her: and no one knoweth which will precede and which
will follow. And I proceeded to beguile myself with occupations.

And but a short time had elapsed after that when my wife fell
sick, and she remained so a few days, and died. So the greater num-
ber of the f)eople assembled to console me, and to console her family
for her death; and the King also came to console me for the loss of
her, as was their custom. Then they brought for her a woman to
wash her, and they washed her, and decked her with the richest of
her apparel, and ornaments of gold, and necklaces and jewels. And
when they had attired my wife, and put her in the bier, and carried
her and gone with her to that mountain, and lifted up the stone
from the mouth of the pit, and cast her into it, all my companions,
and the family of my wife, advanced to bid me farewell and to con-
sole me for the loss of my life. I was crying out among them, I am
a foreigner, and am unable to endure your custom! But they would
not hear what I said, nor pay any regard to my words. They laid
hold upon me and bound me by force, tying with me seven cakes
of bread and a jug of sweet water, according to their custom, and
let me down into that pit. And, lo, it was a great cavern beneath
that mountain. They said to me, Lxx)se thyself from the ropes. But
I would not loose myself. So they threw the ropes down upon me,
and covered the mouth of the pit with the great stone that was upon
it, and went their ways. I beheld in that cavern many dead bodies,
and their smell was putrid and abominable; and I bbmed myself

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 269

for that which I had done, saying. By Allah, I deserve all that hap-
peneth to me and befalleth me! I knew not night from day; and I
sustained myself with little food, not eating until hunger almost
killed me, nor drinking until my thirst became violent, fearing the
exhaustion of the food and water that I had with me. I said. There
is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the Great! What
tempted me to marry in this city? And every time that I say, I have
escaped from a calamity, I fall into a calamity that is more mighty
than the preceding one! By Allah, my dying this death is unfor-
tunate! Would that I had been drowned in the sea, or had died
upon the mountains! It had been better for me than this evil death!
— And I continued in this manner, blaming myself. I laid myself
down upon the bones of the dead, begging aid of God (whose name
be exalted!), and wished for death, but I found it not, by reason of
the severity of my sufferings. Thus I remained until hunger burned
my stomach, and thirst inflamed me; when I sat, and felt for the
bread, and ate a little of it, and I swallowed after it a little water.
Then I rose and stood up, and walked about the sides of the cavern,
and I found that it was spacious sideways, and with vacant cavities;
but upon its bottom were numerous dead bodies, and rotten bones,
that had lain there from old times. And upon this I made for myself
a place in the side of the cavern, remote from the fresh corpses, and
there I slept.

At length my provision became greatly diminished, little remain-
ing with me. During each day, or in more than a day, I had eaten
but once, and drunk one draught, fearing the exhaustion of the
water and food that was with me before my death; and I ceased not
to do this until I was sitting one day, and while I sat, meditating
upon my case, thinking what I should do when my food and water
were exhausted, lo, the mass of rock was removed from its place, and
the light beamed down upon me. So I said. What can be the matter ?
And, behold, the people were standing at the top of the pit, and they
let down a dead man with his wife with him alive, and she was
weeping and crying out for herself; and they let down with her a
large quantity of food and water. I saw the woman; but she saw
not me; and they covered the mouth of the pit with the stone, and
went their ways. Then I arose, and, taking in my hand a long bone

270 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

of a dead man, I went to the woman, and struck her upon the middle
of the head; whereupon she fell down senseless; and I struck her a
second and a third time, and she died. So I took her bread and what
else she had, and I found upon her abundance of ornaments and
apparel, necklaces and jewels and minerals. And having taken the
water and food that was with her, 1 sat in a place that I had pre-
pared in a side of the cavern, wherein to sleep, and proceeded to eat
a little of that food, as much only as would sustain me, lest it should
be exhausted quickly, and I should die of hunger and thirst.

I remained in that cavern a length of time; and whenever they
buried a corpse, I killed the person who was buried with it aUve,
and took that person's food and drink, to subsist upon it, until I
was sleeping one day, and I awoke from my sleep, and heard some-
thing make a noise in a side of the cavern. So I said. What can this
be.' I then arose and walked towards it, taking with me a long bone
of a dead man; and when it was sensible of my presence, it ran away,
and fled from me; and, lo, it was a wild beast. But I followed it to
the upper part of the cavern, and thereupon a light appeared to me
from a small spot, like a star. Sometimes it appeared to me, and
sometimes it was concealed from me. Therefore when I saw it, I
advanced towards it; and the nearer 1 approached to it, the larger
did the light from it appear to me. So upon this I was convinced
that it was a hole in that cavern, communicating with the open
country; and I said within myself. There must be some cause for
this: either it is a second mouth, like that from which they let me
down, or it is a fissure in this place. I meditated in my mind a while,
and advanced towards the light; and, lo, it was a perforation in the
back of that mountain, which the wild beasts had made, and
through which they entered this place; and they ate of the dead
bodies until they were satiated, and went forth through this per-
foration. When I saw it, therefore, my mind was quieted, my soul
was tranquillized, and my heart was at ease; I made sure of life
after death, and became as in a dream. Then I managed to force
my way through that perforation, and found myself on the shore of
the sea, upon a great mountain, which formed a barrier between the
sea on the one side, and the island and city on the other, and to
which no one could gain access. So I praised God (whose name be

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA I'Jl

exalted!), and thanked Him, and rejoiced exceedingly, and my heart
was strengthened. I then returned through that perforation into the
cavern, and removed all the food and water that was in it, that I
had spared. I also took the clothes of the dead, and clad myself in
some of them, in addition to those 1 had on me; and I took abun-
dance of the things that were on the dead, consisting of varieties of
necklaces and jewels, long necklaces of pearls, ornaments of silver
and gold set with various minerals, and rarities; and, having tied
up some clothes of the dead in apparel of my own, I went forth
from the perforation to the back of the mountain, and stood upon
the shore of the sea. Every day I entered the cavern, and explored
it; and whenever they buried a person alive, I took the food and
water, and killed that person, whether male or female; after which
I went forth from the perforation, and sat up>on the shore of the sea,
to wait for relief from God (whose name be exalted!), by means
of a ship passing by me. And I removed from that cavern all
the ornaments that I found, and lied them up in the clothes of
the dead.

I ceased not to remain in this state for a length of time; and after-
wards, as I was sitting one day, upon the shore of the sea, meditating
upon my case, lo, a vessel passed along in the midst of the roaring
sea agitated with waves. So I took in my hand a white garment, of
the clothes of the dead, and tied it to a stafif, and ran with it along
the sea-shore, making a sign to the people with that garment, until
they happened to look, and saw me upon the summit of the moun-
tain. They therefore approached me, and heard my voice, and sent
to me a boat in which was a party of men from the ship; and when
they drew near to me they said to me. Who art thou, and what is
the reason of thy sitting in this place, and how didst thou arrive at
this mountain; for in our lives we have never seen any one who hath
come unto it? So I answered them, I am a merchant. The vessel
that I was in was wrecked, and I got upon a plank, together with my
things, and God facilitated my landing at this place, with my things,
by means of my exertion and my skill, after severe toil. They there-
fore took me with them in the boat, and embarked all that I had
taken from the cavern, tied up in the garments and grave<lothes,
and they proceeded with me until they took me up into the ship.

272 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

to the master, and all my things with me. And the master said to
me, O man, how didst thou arrive at this place, which is a great
mountain, with a great city behind it ? All my life I have been accus-
tomed to navigate this sea, and to pass by this mountain; but have
never seen any thing there except the wild beasts and the birds. — I
answered him, I am a merchant. I was in a great ship, and it was
wrecked, and all my merchandise, consisting of these stuffs and
clothes which thou seest, was submerged; but I placed it upon a
great plank, one of the planks of the ship, and destiny and fortune
aided me, so that I landed upon this mountain, where I waited for
some one to pass by and take me with him.

And I acquainted them not with the events that had befallen me
in the city, or in the cavern; fearing that there might be with them
in the ship some one from that city. Then I took forth and pre-
sented to the owner of the ship a considerable portion of my prop-
erty, saying to him, O my master, thou hast been the means of my
escape from this mountain: therefore receive from me this as a rec-
ompense for the favour which thou hast done to me. But he would
not accept it from me; and he said to me. We take nothing from
any one; and when we behold a shipwrecked person on the shore of
the sea or on an island, we take him with us, and feed him and give
him to drink; and if he be naked, we clothe him; and when we
arrive at the port of safety, we give him something of our property
as a present, and act towards him with kindness and favour for the
sake of God, whose name be exalted! — So upon this I offered up
prayers for the prolongation of his life.

We ceased not to proceed on our voyage from island to island
and from sea to sea. I hoped to escape, and was rejoiced at my
safety; but every time that I reflected upon my abode in the cavern
with my wife, my reason left me. We pursued our course until we
arrived at the Island of the Bell, when we proceeded to the island of
Kela in six days. Then we came to the kingdom of Kela, which is
adjacent to India, and in it are a mine of lead, and places where the
Indian cane groweth, and excellent camphor; and its King is a King
of great dignity, whose dominion extendeth over the Island of the
Bell. In it is a city called the City of the Bell, which is two days'
journey in extent. — At length, by the providence of God, we arrived
in safety at the city of El-Basrah, where I landed, and remained a

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 273

few days; after which I came to the city of Baghdad, and to my
quarter, and entered my house, met my family and my companions,
and made inquiries respecting them; and they rejoiced at my safety,
and congratulated me. I stored all the commodities that I had
brought with me in my magazines, gave alms and presents, and clad
the orphans and the widows; and 1 became in a state of the utmost
joy and happiness, and returned to my former habit of associating
with familiars and companions and brothers, and indulging in sport
and merriment. — Such were the most wonderful of the events that
happened to me in the course of the fourth voyage. But, O my
brother, [O Sindibad of the Land,] sup thou with me, and observe
thy custom by coming to me to-morrow, when I will inform thee
what happened to me and what befell me during the fifth voyage;
for it was more wonderful and extraordinary than the preceding
voyages.

The Fifth Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea

Know, O my brothers, that when I returned from the fourth
voyage, and became immersed in sport and merriment and joy,
and had forgotten all that I had experienced, and what had befallen
me, and what I had suffered, by reason of my excessive joy at the
gain and profit and benefits that I had obtained, my mind again
suggested to me to travel, and to divert myself with the sight of the
countries of other people, and the islands. So I arose and meditated
upon that subject, and bought precious goods, suited for a sea-
voyage. I packed up the bales, and departed from the city of Bagh-
dad to the city of El-Basrah; and, walking along the bank of the
river, I saw a great, handsome, lofty vessel, and it pleased me; where-
fore I purchased it. Its apparatus was new, and I hired for it a
master and sailors, over whom I set my black slaves and my pages as
superintendents, and I embarked in it my bales. And there came to
me a company of merchants, who also embarked their bales in it,
and paid me hire. We set sail in the utmost joy and happiness, and
rejoicing in the prospect of safety and gain, and ceased not to pursue
our voyage from island to island and from sea to sea, diverting our-
selves with viewing the islands and towns, and landing at them and
selHng and buying. Thus we continued to do until we arrived one
day at a large island, destitute of inhabitants. There was no person

274 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

upon it: it was deserted and desolate; but on it was an enormous
white dome, of great bulk; and we landed to amuse ourselves with
a sight of it, and, lo, it was a great egg of a rukh. Now when the
merchants had landed, and were diverting themselves with viewing
it, not knowing that it was the egg of a rukh, they struck it with
stones; whereupon it broke, and there poured down from it a great
quantity of liquid, and the young rukh appeared within it. So they
pulled it and drew it forth from the shell, and killed it, and took
from it abundance of meat. I was then in the ship, and knew not
of it, and they acquainted me not with that which they did. But in
the mean time one of the passengers said to me, O my master, arise
and divert thyself with the sight of this egg which we imagined to
be a dome. 1 therefore arose to take a view of it, and found the
merchants striking the egg. I called out to them. Do not this deed;
for the rukh will come and demolish our ship, and destroy us. But
they would not hear my words.

And whilei they were doing as above related, behold, the sun
became concealed from us, and the day grew dark, and there came
over us a cloud by which the sky was obscured. So we raised our
heads to see what had intervened between us and the sun, and saw
that the wings of the rukh were what veiled from us the sun's light,
so that the sky was darkened. And when the rukh came, and beheld
its egg broken, it cried out at us; whereupon its mate, the female
bird, came to it, and they flew in circles over the ship, crying out at
us with a voice more vehement than thunder. So 1 called out to the
master and the sailors, and said to them, Push off the vessel, and
seek safety before we perish. The master therefore hastened, and,
the merchants having embarked, he loosed the ship, and we de-
parted from that island. And when the rukhs saw that we had put
forth to sea, they absented themselves from us for a while. We
proceeded, and made speed, desiring to escape from them, and to
quit their country; but, lo, they had followed us, and they now
approached us, each of them having in its claws a huge mass of
rock from a mountain; and the male bird threw the rock that he
had brought upxjn us. The master, however, steered away the ship,
and the mass of rock missed her by a little space. It descended into
the sea by the ship, and the ship went up with us, and down, by

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 275

reason of the mighty plunging of the rock, and we beheld the bot-
tom of the sea in consequence of its vehement force. Then the
mate of the male rukh threw upon us the rock that she had brought,
which was smaller than the former one, and, as destiny had ordained,
it fell upon the stern of the ship, and crushed it, making the rudder
fly into twenty pieces, and all that was in the ship became sub-
merged in the sea.

I strove to save myself, impelled by the sweetness of life, and God
(whose name be exalted!) placed within my reach one of the planks
of the ship; so I caught hold of it, and, having got upon it, began
to row upon it with my feet, and the wind and the waves helped
me forward. The vessel had sunk near an island in the midst of the
sea, and destiny cast me, by permission of God (whose name be
exalted!), to that island. I therefore landed upon it; but I was at
my last breath, and in the state of the dead, from the violence of
the fatigue and distress and hunger and thirst that I had suffered. I
then threw myself down ufxjn the shore of the sea, and remained
lying there a while, until my soul felt at ease, and my heart was
tranquillized, when I walked along the island, and saw that it
resembled one of the gardens of Paradise. Its trees bore ripe fruits,
its rivers were flowing, and its birds were warbling the praises of
Him to whom belongeth might and permanence. Upon that island
was an abundance of trees and fruits, with varieties of flowers. So I
ate of the fruits until I was satiated, and I drank of those rivers until
I was satisfied with drink; and I praised God (whose name be
exalted!) for this, and glorified Him. I then remained sitting upon
the island till evening came, and night approached; whereupon I
rose; but I was Uke a slain man, by reason of the fatigue and fear
that I had experienced; and I heard not in that island a voice, nor
did I see in it any person.

I slept there without interruption until the morning, and then
rose and stood up, and walked among the trees; and I saw a stream-
let, by which sat an old man, a comely person, who was clad from
the waist downwards with a covering made of the leaves of trees.
So I said within myself, Perhaps this old man hath landed upon this
island and is one of the shipwrecked persons with whom the vessel
fell to pieces. I then approached him and saluted him, and he

276 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

returned the salutation by a sign, without speaking; and I said to
him, O sheykh, what is the reason of thy sitting in this place?
Whereupon he shook his head, and sighed, and made a sign to me
with his hand, as though he would say, Carry me upon thy neck,
and transport me from this place to the other side of the streamlet. I
therefore said within myself, 1 will act kindly with this person, and
transport him to this place to which he desireth to go: perhaps I
shall obtain for it a reward [in heaven]. Accordingly I advanced
to him, and took him upon my shoulders, and conveyed him to the
place that he had indicated to me; when I said to him. Descend at
thine ease. But he descended not from my shoulders. He had
twisted his legs round my neck, and I looked at them, and I saw
that they were like the hide of the buffalo in blackness and rough-
ness. So I was frightened at him, and desired to throw him down
from my shoulders; but he pressed upon my neck with his feet,
and squeezed my throat, so that the world became black before my
face, and 1 was unconscious of my existence, falling upon the ground
in a fit, Uke one dead. He then raised his legs, and beat me upon
my back and my shoulders; and I suffered violent pain; wherefore
I rose with him. He still kept his seat upon my shoulders, and I had
become fatigued with bearing him; and he made a sign to me that
I should go in among the trees, to the best of the fruits. When I
disobeyed him, he inflicted upon me, with his feet, blows more
violent than those of whips; and he ceased not to direct me with
his hand to every place to which he desired to go, and to that place
I went with him. If I loitered, or went leisurely, he beat me; and
I was as a captive to him. We went into the midst of the island,
among the trees, and he descended not from my shoulders by night
nor by day: when he desired to sleep, he would wind his legs round
my neck, and sleep a little, and then he would arise and beat me,
whereupon I would arise with him quickly, unable to disobey him,
by reason of the severity of that which I suffered from him; and
I blamed myself for having taken him up, and having had pity on
him. I continued with him in this condition, enduring the most
violent fatigue, and said within myself, I did a good act unto this
person, and it hath become an evil to myself! By Allah, I will never
more do good unto any one as long as I live! — I begged of God

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 277

(whose name be exalted!), at every period and in every hour, that
I might die, in consequence of the excessive fatigue and distress
that I suffered.

Thus I remained for a length of time, until I carried him one
day to a place in the island where I found an abundance of pump-
kins, many of which were dry. Upon this I took a large one that
was dry, and, having opened its upper extremity, and cleansed it,
I went with it to a grape-vine, and filled it with the juice of the
grapes. I then stopped up the aperture, and put it in the sun, and
left it for some days, until it had become pure wine; and every day
I used to drink of it, to help myself to endure the fatigue that I
underwent with that obstinate devil; for whenever I was intoxicated
by it, my energy was strengthened. So, seeing me one day drinking,
he made a sign to me with his hand, as though he would say. What
is this? And I answered him. This is something agreeable, that
invigorateth the heart, and dilateth the mind. Then I ran with him,
and danced among the trees; I was exhilarated by intoxication, and
clapped my hands, and sang, and was joyful. Therefore when he
beheld me in this state, he made a sign to me to hand him the
pumpkin, that he might drink from it; and I feared him, and gave
it to him; whereupon he drank what remained in it, and threw it
upon the ground, and, being moved with merriment, began to shake
upon my shoulders. He then became intoxicated, and drowned in
intoxication; all his limbs, and the muscles of his sides, became re-
laxed, and he began to lean from side to side upon my shoulders.
So when I knew that he was drunk, and that he was unconscious
of existence, I put my hand to his feet, and loosed them from my
neck. Then I stooped with him, and sat down, and threw him uf)on
the ground. I scarcely believed that I had liberated myself and
escaped from the state in which I had been; but I feared him, lest
he should arise from his intoxication, and torment me. I therefore
took a great mass of stone from among the trees, and, coming to
him, struck him upon his head as he lay asleep, so that his flesh
became mingled with his blood, and he was killed. May no mercy
of God be on him!

After that, I walked about the island, with a happy mind, and
came to the place where I was before, on the shore of the sea. And

278 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

I remained upon that island eating of its fruits, and drinking of the
water of its rivers, for a length of time, and watching to see some
vessel passing by me, until I was sitting one day, reflecting upon
the events that had befallen me and happ)ened to me, and I said
within myself, I wonder if God will preserve me in safety, and if I
shall return to my country, and meet my family and my compan-
ions. And, lo, a vessel approached from the midst of the roaring sea
agitated with waves, and it ceased not in its course until it anchored
at that island; whereupon the passengers landed there. So I walked
towards them; and when they beheld me, they all quickly ap-
proached me and assembled around me, inquiring respecting my
state, and the cause of my coming to that island. I therefore ac-
quainted them with my case, and with the events that had befallen
me; whereat they wondered extremely. And they said to me. This
man who rode upon thy shoulders is called the Old Man of the Sea,
and no one ever was beneath his limbs and escaped from him except
thee; and praise be to God for thy safety! Then they brought me
some food, and I ate until I was satisfied; and they gave me some
clothing, which I put on, covering myself decently. After this, they
took me with them in the ship; and when we had proceeded days
and nights, destiny drove us to a city of lofty buildings, all the
houses of which overlooked the sea. That city is called the City of
the Apes; and when the night cometh, the people who reside in it
go forth from the doors that open upon the sea, and, embarking in
boats and ships, pass the night upon the sea, in their fear of the apes,
lest they should come down upon them in the night from the
mountains.

I landed to divert myself in this city, and the ship set sail with-
out my knowledge. So I repented of my having landed there, re-
membering my companions, and what had befallen them from the
apes, first and afterwards; and I sat weeping and mourning. And
thereupon a man of the inhabitants of the city advanced to me and
said to me, O my master, it seemeth that thou art a stranger in this
country. I therefore repUed, Yes: I am a stranger, and a poor man.
I was in a ship which anchored at this city, and I landed from it to
divert myself in the city, and returned, but saw not the ship. — And
he said, Arise and come with us, and embark in the boat; for if

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 279

thou remain in the city during the night, the apes will destroy thee.
So I replied, I hear and obey. I arose immediately, and embarked
with the people in the boat, and they pushed it off from the land
until they had prof)elled it from the shore of the sea to the distance
of a mile. They passed the night, and I with them; and when the
morning came, they returned in the boat to the city, and landed, and
each of them went to his occupation. Such hath been always their
custom, every night; and to every one of them who remaineth be-
hind in the city during the night, the apes come, and they destroy
him. In the day, the apes go forth from the city, and eat of the
fruits in the gardens, and sleep in the mountains until the evening,
when they return to the city. And this city is in the furthest parts
of the country of the blacks. — Among the most wonderful of the
events that happened to me in the treatment that I met with from
its inhabitants, was this. A person of the party with whom I passed
the night said to me, O my master, thou art a stranger in this coun-
try. Art thou skilled in any art with which thou mayest occupy thy-
self? — And I answered him. No, by Allah, O my brother: I am
acquainted with no art, nor do I know how to make any thing. I
was a merchant, a person of wealth and fortune, and I had a ship,
my own property, laden with abundant wealth and goods; but it
was wrecked in the sea, and all that was in it sank, and I escaped not
drowning but by the permission of God; for He provided me with
a piece of a plank, upon which I placed myself; and it was the
means of my escape from drowning. — And upon this the man arose
and brought me a cotton bag, and said to me. Take this bag, and
fill it with pebbles from this city, and go forth with a party of the
inhabitants. I will associate thee with them, and give them a charge
respecting thee, and do thou as they shall do. Perhaps thou wilt
accomplish that by means of which thou wilt be assisted to make
thy voyage, and to return to thy country.

Then that man took me and led me forth from the city, and I
picked up small pebbles, with which I filled that bag. And, lo, a
party of men came out from the city, and he associated me with
them, giving them a charge respecting me, and saying to them. This
is a stranger; so take him with you, and teach him the mode of
gathering. Perhaps he may gain the means of subsistence, and ye

280 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

will obtain [from God] a reward and recompense. — And they
replied, We hear and obey. They welcomed me, and took me with
them, and proceeded, each of them having a bag like mine, filled
with pebbles; and we ceased not to pursue our way until we arrived
at a wide valley, wherein were many lofty trees, which no one could
climb. In that valley were also many apes, which, when they saw
us, fled from us, and ascended those trees. Then the men began to
pelt the apes with the stones that they had with them in the bags;
upon which the apes began to pluck off the fruits of those trees, and
to throw them at the men; and I looked at the fruits which the apes
threw down, and, lo, they were cocoa-nuts. Therefore when I beheld
the party do thus, I chose a great tree, upon which were many apes,
and, advancing to it, proceeded to pelt those apes with stones; and
they broke off nuts from the tree and threw them at me. So I col-
lected them as the rest of the party did, and the stones were not
exhausted from my bag until I had collected a great quantity. And
when the party had ended this work, they gathered together all
that was with them, and each of them carried off as many of the
nuts as he could. We then returned to the city during the remainder
of the day, and I went to the man, my companion, who had asso-
ciated me with the party, and gave him all that I had collected,
thanking him for his kindness. But he said to me. Take these and
sell them, and make use of the price. And afterwards he gave me
the key of a place in his house, and said to me. Put here these nuts
that thou hast remaining with thee, and go forth every day with
the party as thou hast done this day; and of what thou bringest,
separate the bad, and sell them, and make use of their price; and
the rest keep in thy possession in this place. Perhaps thou wilt
accumulate of them what will aid thee to make thy voyage. — So I
replied. Thy reward is due from God, whose name be exalted! I
idid as he told me, and continued every day to fill the bag with
stones, and to go forth with the people, and do as they did. They
used to commend me, one to another, and to guide me to the tree
upon which was abundance of fruit; and I ceased not to lead this
life for a length of time, so that I collected a great quantity of good
cocoa-nuts, and I sold a great quantity, the price of which became a
large sum in my possession. I bought every thing that I saw and

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 28 1

that pleased me, my time was pleasant, and my good fortune in-
creased throughout the whole city.

I remained in this state for some time; after which, as I was
standing by the seaside, lo, a vessel arrived at that city, and cast
anchor by the shore. In it were merchants, with their goods, and
they proceeded to sell and buy, and to exchange their goods for
cocoa-nuts and other things. So I went to my companion, informed
him of the ship that had arrived, and told him that I desired to
make the voyage to my country. And he replied, It is thine to deter-
mine. I therefore bade him farewell, and thanked him for his kind-
ness to me. Then I went to the ship, and, accosting the master,
engaged with him for my passage, and embarked in that ship the
cocoa-nuts and other things that I had with me, after which they
set sail that same day. We continued our course from island to
island and from sea to sea, and at every island at which we cast
anchor I sold some of those cocoa-nuts, and exchanged; and God
compensated me with more than I had before possessed and lost.
We passed by an island in which are cinnamon and pepper, and
some p)ersons told us that they had seen, uf)on every bunch of pepper,
a large leaf that shadeth it and wardeth from it the rain whenever
it raineth; and when the rain ceaseth to fall upon it, the leaf turneth
over from the bunch, and hangeth down by its side. From that
island I took with me a large quantity of pepper and cinnamon, in
exchange for cocoa-nuts. We passed also by the Island of El-'Asirat,
which is that wherein is the Kamari aloes-wood. And after that,
we passed by another island, the extent of which is five days' jour-
ney, and in it is the Sanfi aloes-wood, which is superior to the
Kamari; but the inhabitants of this island are worse in condition
and religion than the inhabitants of the island of the Kamari aloes-
wood; for they love depravity and the drinking of wines, and know
not the call to prayer, nor the act of prayer. And we came after
that to the pearl-fisheries; whereupon I gave to the divers some
cocoa-nuts, and said to them. Dive for my luck and lot. Accordingly
they dived in the bay there, and brought up a great number of large
and valuable pearls; and they said to me, O my master, by Allah,
thy fortune is good! So I took up into the ship what they had
brought up for me, and we proceeded, relying on the blessing of

282 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

God (whose name be exalted!), and continued our voyage until we
arrived at El-Basrah, where I landed, and remained a short time.
I then went thence to the city of Baghdad, entered my quarter, came
to my house, and saluted my family and companions, who con-
gratulated me on my safety. I stored all the goods and commodities
that I had brought with me, clothed the orphans and the widows,
bestowed alms and gifts, and made presents to my family and my
companions and my friends. God had compensated me with four
times as much as I had lost, and I forgot what had happened to me,
and the fatigue that I had suffered, by reason of the abundance of
my gain and profits, and resumed my first habits of familiar inter-
course and fellowship. — Such were the most wonderful things that
happened to me in the course of the fifth voyage: but sup ye, and
to-morrow come again, and I will relate to you the events of the
sixth voyage; for it was more wonderful than this.

The Sixth Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea

Know, O my brothers and my friends and my companions, that
when I returned frorni that fifth voyage, and forgot what I had
suffered, by reason of sport and merriment and enjoyment and
gayety, and was in a state of the utmost joy and happiness, I con-
tinued thus until I was sitting one day in exceeding delight and hap-
piness and gayety; and while I sat, lo, a party of merchants came to
me, bearing the marks of travel. And upon this I remembered the
days of my return from travel, and my joy at meeting my family and
companions and friends, and at entering my country; and my soul
longed again for travel and commerce. So I determined to set forth.
I bought for myself precious, sumptuous goods, suitable for the sea,
packed up my bales, and went from the city of Baghdad to the city
of El-Basrah, where I beheld a large vessel, in which were mer-
chants and great men, and with them were precious goods. I there-
fore embarked my bales with them in this ship, and we departed in
safety from the city of El-Basrah. We continued our voyage from
place to place and from city to city, selling and buying, and divert-
ing ourselves with viewing different countries. Fortune and the
voyage were pleasant to us, and we gained our subsistence, until we

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 283

were proceeding one day, and, lo, the master of the ship vociferated
and called out, threw down his turban, slapped his face, plucked
his beard, and fell down in the hold of the ship by reason of the
violence of his grief and rage. So all the merchants and other
passengers came together to him and said to him, O master, what
is the matter ? And he answered them, Know, O company, that we
have wandered from our course, having passed forth from the sea
in which we were, and entered a sea of which we know not the
routes; and if God appoint not for us some means of effecting our
escape from this sea, we all f)erish: therefore pray to God (whose
name be exalted!) that He may save us from this case. Then the
master arose and ascended the mast, and desired to loose the sails;
but the wind became violent upon the ship, and drove her back, and
her rudder broke near a lofty mountain; whereupon the master de-
scended from the mast, and said, There is no strength nor power
but in God, the High, the Great! No one is able to prevent what is
predestined! By Allah, we have fallen into a great peril, and there
remaineth to us no way of safety or escape from it! — So all the
passengers wept for themselves: they bade one another farewell, be-
cause of the expiration of their lives, and their hope was cut off. The
vessel drove upon that mountain, and went to pieces; its planks were
scattered, and all that was in it was submerged; the merchants fell
into the sea, and some of them were drowned, and some caught
hold upon that mountain, and landed upon it.

I was of the number of those who landed upon the mountain;
and, lo, within it was a large island. By it were many vessels broken
in pieces, and upon it were numerous goods, on the shore of the
sea, of the the things thrown up by the sea from the ships that had
been wrecked, and the passengers of which had been drowned.
Upon it was an abundance, that confounded the reason and the
mind, of commodities and wealth that the sea cast upon its shores.
I ascended to the upper part of the island, and walked about it, and
I beheld in the midst of it a stream of sweet water, flowing forth
from beneath the nearest part of the mountain, and entering at the
furthest part of it, on the opposite side [of the valley]. Then all the
other passengers went over that mountain to [the interior of] the
island, and dispersed themselves about it, and their reason was con-

284 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

founded at that which they beheld. They became like madmen in
consequence of what they saw upon the island, of commodities and
wealth lying on the shore of the sea. I beheld also in the midst of
the above-mentioned stream an abundance of various kinds of
jewels and minerals, with jacinths and large pearls, suitable to
Kings. They were like gravel in the channels of the water which
flowed through the fields; and all the bed of that stream glittered by
reason of the great number of minerals and other things that it
contained. We likewise saw on that island an abundance of the
best kind of Sanfi aloes-wood, and Kamari aloes-wood. And in that
island is a gushing spring of crude ambergris, which floweth like
wax over the side of that spring through the violence of the heat of
the sun, and spreadeth upon the sea-shore, and the monsters of the
deep come up from the sea and swallow it, and descend with it into
the sea; but it becometh hot in their stomachs, therefore they eject
it from their mouths into the sea, and it congealeth on the surface
of the water. Upon this, its colour and its qualities become changed,
and the waves cast it up on the shore of the sea : so the travellers and
merchants who know it take it and smell it. But as to the crude
ambergris that is not swallowed, it floweth over the side of that
mountain, and congealeth upon the ground; and when the sun
shineth up)on it, it melteth, and from it the odour of the whole of
that valley becometh like the odour of musk. Then, when the sun
withdraweth from it, it congealeth again. The place wherein is this
crude ambergris no one can enter: no one can gain access to it: for
the mountain surroundeth that island.

We continued to wander about the island, diverting ourselves with
the view of the good things which God (whose name be exalted!)
had created upon it, and perplexed at our case, and at the things
that we beheld, and affected with violent fear. We had collected
upon the shore of the sea a small quantity of provisions, and we used
it sparingly, eating of it every day, or two days, only one meal,
dreading the exhaustion of our stock, and our dying in sorrow, from
the violence of hunger and fear. Each one of us that died we washed,
and shrouded in some of the clothes and linen which the sea cast
upon the shore of the island; and thus we did until a great number
of us had died, and there remained of us but a small party, who

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 285

were weakened by a colic occasioned by the sea. After this, we
remained a short period, and all my associates and companions
died, one after another, and each of them who died we buried. Then
I was alone on that island, and there remained with me but little
of the provisions, after there had been much. So I wept for myself,
and said. Would that I had died before my companions, and that
they had washed me and buried me! There is no strength nor power
but in God, the High, the Great! — And I remained a short time
longer; after which I arose and dug for myself a deep grave on the
shore of the island, and said within myself. When I fall sick, and
know that death hath come to me, I will lie down in this grave, and
die in it, and the wind will blow the sand upon me, and cover me;
so I shall become buried in it. I blamed myself for my little sense,
and my going forth from my country and my city, and my voyaging
to foreign countries, after what I had suffered in the first instance,
and the second and the third and the fourth and the fifth; and when
I had not performed one of my voyages without suffering in it
horrors and distresses more troublesome and more difficult than the
horrors preceding. I believed not that I could escape and save my-
self, and repented of undertaking sea-voyages, and of my returning
to this life when I was not in want of wealth, but had abundance,
so that I could not consume what I had, nor spend half of it during
the rest of my life; having enough for me, and more than enough.

Then I meditated in my mind, and said. This river must have a
beginning and an end, and it must have a place of egress into an
inhabited country. The right plan in my opinion will be for me to
construct for myself a small raft, of sufficient size for me to sit upon
it, and I will go down and cast it upon this river, and depart on it.
If I find safety, I am safe, and escape, by permission of God (whose
name be exalted!); and if I find no way of saving myself, it will
be better for me to die in this river than in this place. — And I sighed
for myself. Then I arose and went and collected pieces of wood
that were upon that island, of Sanfi and Kamari aloes-wood, and
bound them upon the shore of the sea with some of the ropes of
the ships that had been wrecked; and I brought some straight planks,
of the planks of the ships, and placed them upon those pieces of
wood. I made the raft to suit the width of the river, less wide than

286 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

the latter, and bound it well and firmly; and having taken with me
some of those minerals and jewels and goods, and of the large pearls
that were like gravel, as well as other things that were upon the
island, and some of the crude, pure, excellent ambergris, I put them
upon that raft, with all that I had collected upwn the island, and
took with me what remained of the provisions. I then launched the
raft upon the river, made for it two pieces of wood like oars, and
acted in accordance with the following saying of one of the poets: —

Depart from a place wherein is oppression, and leave the house to tell

its builder's fate;
For thou wilt find, for the land that thou quittest, another; but no soul

wilt thou find to replace thine own.
Grieve not on account of nocturnal calamities; since every a63iction will

have its end;
And he whose death is decreed to take place in one land will not die in

any land but that.
Send not thy messenger on an errand of importance; for the soul hath

no faithful minister save itself.

I departed upon the raft along the river, meditating upon what
might be the result of my case, and proceeded to the place where
the river entered beneath the mountain. I propelled the raft into
that place, and became in intense darkness within it, and the raft
continued to carry me in with the current to a narrow place beneath
the mountain, where the sides of the raft rubbed against the sides
of the channel of the river, and my head rubbed against the roof
of the channel. I was unable to return thence, and I blamed myself
for that which I had done, and said. If this place become narrower
to the raft, it will scarcely pass through it, and it cannot return: so
I shall perish in this place in sorrow, inevitably! I threw myself
upon my face on the raft, on account of the narrowness of the chan-
nel of the river, and ceased not to proceed, without knowing night
from day, by reason of the darkness in which I was involved be-
neath that mountain, together with my terror and fear for myself lest
I should perish. In this state I continued my course along the river,
which sometimes widened and at other times contracted; but the
intensity of the darkness wearied me excessively, and slumber over-
came me in consequence of the violence of my distress. So 1 lay

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 287

upon my face on the raft, which ceased not to bear me along while
I slept, and knew not whether the time was long or short.

At length I awoke, and found myself in the light; and, opening
my eyes, I beheld an extensive tract, and the raft tied to the shore of
an island, and around me a company of Indians, and [people like]
Abyssinians. When they saw that I had risen, they rose and came
to me, and spoke to me in their language; but 1 knew not what
they said, and imagined that it was a dream, and that this occurred
in sleep, by reason of the violence of my distress and vexation. And
when they spoke to me and I understood not their speech, and
returned them not an answer, a man among them advanced to me,
and said to me, in the Arabic language. Peace be on thee, O our
brother! What art thou, and whence hast thou come, and what is
the cause of thy coming to this place? We are people of the sown
lands and the fields, and we came to irrigate our fields and our sown
lands, and found thee asleep on the raft: so we laid hold upon it,
and tied it here by us, waiting for thee to rise at thy leisure. Tell
us then what is the cause of thy coming to this place. — I replied,
I conjure thee by Allah, O my master, that thou bring me some
food; for I am hungry; and after that, ask of me concerning what
thou wilt. And thereufxjn he hastened, and brought me food, and
I ate until I was satiated and was at ease, and my fear subsided, my
satiety was abundant, and my soul returned to me. I therefore
praised God (whose name be exalted!) for all that had occurred,
rejoiced at my having passed forth from that river, and having
come to these people; and I told them of all that had happened
to me from beginning to end, and of what I had experienced upon
that river, and of its narrowness. They then talked together, and
said. We must take him with us and present him to our King, that
he may acquaint him with what hath happened to him. Accord-
ingly they took me with them, and conveyed with me the raft, to-
gether with all that was upon it, of riches and goods, and jewels and
minerals, and ornaments of gold, and they took me in to their King,
who was the King of Sarandib,* and acquainted him with what had
happened; whereupon he saluted me and welcomed me, and asked
me respecting my state, and respecting the events that had happened

•Ceylon.

288 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

to me. I therefore acquainted him with all my story, and what I had
experienced, from the first to last; and the King wondered at this
narrative extremely, and congratulated me on my safety. Then I
arose and took forth from the raft a quantity of the minerals and
jewels, and aloes-wood and crude ambergris, and gave it to the
King; and he accepted it from me, and treated me with exceeding
honour, lodging me in a place in his abode. I associated with the
best and the greatest of the people, who paid me great respect, and
I quitted not the abode of the King.

The island of Sarandib is under the equinoctial line; its night
being always twelve hours, and its day also twelve hours. Its length
is eighty leagues; and its breadth, thirty; and it extendeth largely
between a lofty mountain and a deep valley. This mountain is seen
from a distance of three days, and it containeth varieties of jacinths,
and different kinds of minerals, and trees of all sorts of spices, and
its surface is covered with emery, wherewith jewels are cut into
shape: in its rivers also are diamonds, and pearls are in its valleys.
I ascended to the summit of the mountain, and diverted myself with
a view of its wonders, which are not to be described; and afterwards
I went back to the King, and begged him to give me permission to
return to my country. He gave me permission after great pressing,
and bestowed upon me an abundant present from his treasuries; and
he gave me a present and a sealed letter, saying to me. Convey these
to the Khalifeh Harun Er-Rashid, and give him many salutations
from us. So I replied, I hear and obey. Then he wrote for me a letter
on skin of the khawi, which is finer than parchment, of yellowish
colour; and the writing was in ultramarine. And the form of what
he wrote to the Khalifeh was this: — Peace be on thee, from the
King of India, before whom are a thousand elephants, and on the
battlements of whose palace are a thousand jewels. To proceed: we
have sent to thee a trifling present: accept it then from us. Thou
art to us a brother and sincere friend, and the affection for you that
is in our hearts is great : therefore favour us by a reply. The present
is not suited to thy dignity; but we beg of thee, O brother, to accept
it graciously. And peace be on thee! — And the present was a cup
of ruby, a span high, the inside of which was embellished with
precious pearls; and a bed covered with the skin of the serpent that

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 289

swalloweth the elephant, which skin hath spots, each like a piece
of gold, and whosoever sitteth upon it never becometh diseased, and
a hundred thousand mithkals of Indian aloes-wood; and a slave-girl
like the shining full moon. Then he bade me farewell, and gave
a charge respecting me to the merchants and the master of the ship.
So I departed thence, and we continued our voyage from island
to island and from country to country until we arrived at Baghdad,
whereupon I entered my house, and met my family and my brethren;
after which I took the present, with a token of service from myself
for the Khalifeh. On entering his presence, 1 kissed his hand, and
placed before him the whole, giving him the letter; and he read
it, and took the present, with which he was greatly rejoiced, and
he treated me with the utmost honour. He then said to me, O
Sindibad, is that true which this King hath stated in his letter?
And I kissed the ground, and answered, O my lord, I witnessed in
his kingdom much more than he hath mentioned in his letter. On
the day of his public appearance, a throne is set for him upon a huge
elephant, eleven cubits high, and he sitteth upon it, having with him
his chief officers and pages and guests, standing in two ranks, on his
right and on his left. At his head standeth a man having in his
hand a golden javelin, and behind him a man in whose hand is a
great mace of gold, at the top of which is an emerald a span in
length, and of the thickness of a thumb. And when he mounteth,
there mount at the same time with him a thousand horsemen clad
in gold and silk; and as the King proceedeth, a man before him pro-
claimeth, saying, This is the King of great dignity, of high authority!
And he proceedeth to repeat his praises in terms that I remember
not, at the end of his panegyric saying, This is the King the owner
of the crown the like of which neither Suleyman nor the Mihraj
possessed! Then he is silent; and one behind him proclaimeth, say-
ing, He will die! Again I say, He will die! Again I say, He will die!
— And the other saith. Extolled be the perfection of the Living who
dieth not! — Moreover, by reason of his justice and good government
and intelligence, there is no Kadi in his city; and all the people of
his country distinguish the truth from falsity. — And the Khalifeh
wondered at my words, and said, How great is this King! His letter
hath shewn me this; and as to the greatness of his dominion, thou

290 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

hast told us what thou hast witnessed. By Allah, he hath been
endowed with wisdom and dominion! — Then the Khalifeh con-
ferred favours upon me, and commanded me to depart to my abode.
So I came to my house, and gave the legal and other alms, and
continued to live in the same pleasant circumstances as at present.
I forgot the arduous troubles that I had experienced, discarded from
my heart the anxieties of travel, rejected from my mind distress, and
betook myself to eating and drinking, and pleasures and joy.

The Seventh Voyage of £s-Sindibad of the Sea

When I relinquished voyaging, and the affairs of commerce, I said
within myself. What hath happened to me sufficeth me. And my
time was spent in joy and pleasures. But while I was sitting one day,
the door was knocked: so the door-keeper op)ened, and a page of the
Khalifeh entered and said. The Khalifeh summoneth thee. I there-
fore went with him to his majesty, and kissed the ground before him
and saluted him, whereupon he welcomed me and treated me with
honour; and he said to me, O Sindibad, I have an affair for thee to
perform. Wilt thou do it? — So I kissed his hand, and said to him,

my lord, what affair hath the master for the slave to perform?
And he answered me, I desire that thou go to the King of Sarandib,
and convey to him our letter and our present; for he sent to us a
present and a letter. And I trembled thereat, and replied, By Allah
the Great, O my lord, I have taken a hatred to voyaging; and when
a voyage on the sea, or any other travel, is mentioned to me, my
joints tremble, in consequence of what hath befallen me and what

1 have experienced of troubles and horrors, and I have no desire
for that whatever. Moreover I have bound myself by an oath not
to go forth from Baghdad. — Then I informed the Khalifeh of all
that had befallen me from the first to last; and he wondered ex-
ceedingly, and said. By Allah the Great, O Sindibad, it hath not
been heard from times of old that such events have befallen any
one as have befallen thee, and it is incumbent on thee that thou
never mention the subject of travel. But for my sake thou wilt go
this time, and convey our present and oui* letter to the King of
Sarandib; and thou shalt return quickly if it be the will of God

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 29I

(whose name be exalted!), that we may no longer have a debt of
favour and courtesy to the King. — So I replied that I heard and
obeyed, being unable to oppose his command. He then gave me the
present and the letter, with money for my expenses, and I kissed his
hand and departed from him.

I went from Baghdad to the sea, and embarked in a ship, and we
proceeded days and nights, by the aid of God (whose name be
exalted!), until we arrived at the island of Sarandib, and with us
were many merchants. As soon as we arrived, we landed at the
city, and I took the present and the letter, and went in with them
to the King, and kissed the ground before him. And when he saw
me, he said, A friendly welcome to thee, O Sindibad! By Allah
the Great, we have longed to see thee, and praise be to God who
hath shewn us thy face a second time! — Then he took me by the
hand, and seated me by his side, welcoming me, and treating me
with familiar kindness, and he rejoiced greatly. He began to con-
verse with me, and addressed me with courtesy, and said. What was
the cause of thy coming to us, O Sindibad? So I kissed his hand,
and thanked him, and answered him, O my lord, I have brought
thee a present and a letter from my master the Khalifeh Harun
Er-Rashid. I then offered to him the present and the letter, and he
read the letter, and rejoiced at it greatly. The present was a horse
worth ten thousand pieces of gold, with its saddle adorned with
gold set with jewels; and a book, and a sumptuous dress, and a
hundred different kinds of white cloths of Egypt, and silks of Es-
Suweys' and El-Kufeh and Alexandria, and Greek carpjets, and a
hundred menns of silk and flax, and a wonderful extraordinary cup
of crystal, in the midst of which was represented the figure of a
lion with a man kneeling before him and having drawn an arrow
in his bow with his utmost force, and also the table of Suleyman
the son of Da'ud, on whom be peace! And the contents of the
letter were as follows: — Peace from the King Er-Rashid, strength-
ened by God (who hath given to him and to his ancestors the rank
of the noble, and wide-spread glory), on the fortunate Sultan. To
proceed: thy letter hath reached us, and we rejoiced at it; and we
have sent the book [entided] the DeUght of the Intelligent, and

' Suez.

292 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

the Rare Present for Friends; together with varieties of royal rarities;
therefore do us the favour to accept them: and peace be on thee!
— Then the King conferred upon me abundant presents, and treated
me with the utmost honour; so I prayed for him, and thanked him
for his beneficence; and some days after that, I begged his per-
mission to depart; but he permitted me not save after great pressing.
Thereupon I took leave of him, and went forth from his city, with
merchants and other companions, to return to my country, without
any desire for travel or commerce.

We continued our voyage until we had passed many islands; but
in the midst of our course over the sea, there appeared to us a number
of boats, which surrounded us, and in them were men like devils,
having, in their hands, swords and daggers, and equipped with
coats of mail, and arms and bows. They smote us, and wounded and
slew those of us who opposed them, and, having taken the ship with
its contents, conveyed us to an island, where they sold us as slaves,
for the smallest price. But a rich man purchased me, and took me
into his house, fed me and gave me to drink, and clad me and
treated me in a friendly manner. So my soul was tranquillized, and
I rested a little. Then, one day, he said to me, Dost thou not know
any art or trade? I answered him, O my lord, I am a merchant: I
know nothing but traffic. And he said, Dost thou know the art of
shooting with the bow and arrow? — Yes, I answered: I know that.
And thereupon he brought me a bow and arrows, and mounted me
behind him upon an elephant: then he departed at the close of night,
and, conveying me among some great trees, came to a lofty and firm
tree, upon which he made me climb; and he gave me the bow and
arrows, saying to me. Sit here now, and when the elephants come
in the daytime to this place, shoot at them with the arrows: perhaps
thou wilt strike one of them; and if one of them fall, come to me and
inform me. He then left me and departed; and I was terrified and
frightened. I remained concealed in the tree until the sun rose;
when the elephants came forth wandering about among the trees,
and I ceased not to discharge my arrows till I shot one of them. I
therefore went in the evening to my master, and informed him; and
he was delighted with mc, and treated me with honour; and he went
and removed the slain elephant.

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 293

In this manner I continued, every day shooting one, and my
master coming and removing it, until one day, I was sitting in the
tree, concealed, and suddenly elephants innumerable came forth,
and I heard the sounds of their roaring and growling, which were
such that I imagined the earth trembled beneath them. They all
surrounded the tree in which I was sitting, their circuit being fifty
cubits, and a huge elephant, enormously great, advanced and came
to the tree, and, having wound his trunk around it, pulled it up by
the roots, and cast it upon the ground. I fell down senseless among
the elephants, and the great elephant, approaching me, wound his
trunk around me, raised me on his back, and went away with me,
the other elephants accompanying. And he ceased not to proceed
with me, while I was absent from the world, until he had taken me
into a place, and thrown me from his back, when he departed, and
the other elephants followed him. So I rested a little, and my terror
subsided; and I found myself among the bones of elephants. I knew
therefore that this was the burial-place of the elephants, and that
that elephant had conducted me to it on account of the teeth.

I then arose, and journeyed a day and a night until I arrived at
the house of my master, who saw me changed in complexion by
fright and hunger. And he was rejoiced at my return, and said. By
Allah, thou hast pained our heart; for I went and found the tree
torn up, and I imagined that the elephants had destroyed thee. Tell
me, then, how it happened with thee. — So I informed him of that
which had befallen me; whereat he wondered greatly, and rejoiced;
and he said to me, Dost thou know that place? I answered, Yes, O
my master. And he took me, and we went out, mounted on an
elephant, and proceeded until we came to that place; and when my
master beheld those numerous teeth, he rejoiced greatly at the sight
of them; and he carried away as much as he desired, and we re-
turned to the house. He then treated me with increased favour,
and said to me, O my son, thou hast directed us to a means of very
great gain. May God then recompense thee well! Thou art freed
for the sake of God, whose name be exalted! These elephants used
to destroy many of us on account of [our seeking] these teeth; but
God hath preserved thee from them, and thou hast profited us by
these teeth to which thou hast directed us. — I replied, O my master,

294 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

may God free thy neck from the fire [of Hell] ! And I request of
thee, O my master, that thou give me permission to depart to my
country. — Yes, said he: thou shalt have that permission: but we have
a fair, on the occasion of which the merchants come to us and pur-
chase the teeth of these elephants of us. The time of the fair is now
near; and when they have come to us, I will send thee with them,
and will give thee what will convey thee to thy country. — So 1
prayed for him and thanked him; and I remained with him treated
with respect and honour.

Then, some days after this, the merchants came as he had said,
and bought and sold and exchanged; and when they were about to
depart, my master came to me, and said. The merchants are going:
therefore arise that thou mayest depart with them to thy country.
Accordingly I arose, determined to go with them. They had bought
a great quantity of those teeth, and packed up their loads, and em-
barked them in the ship; and my master sent me with them. He
paid for me the money for my passage in the ship, together with
all that was required of me, and gave me a large quantity of goods.
And we pursued our voyage from island to island until we had
crossed the sea and landed on the shore, when the merchants took
forth what was with them, and sold. 1 also sold what I had at an
excellent rate; and I purchased some of the most elegant of things
suited for presents, and beautiful rarities, with every thing that I
desired. I likewise bought for myself a beast to ride, and we went
forth, and crossed the deserts from country to country until I
arrived at Baghdad; when I went in to the Khalifeh, and, having
given the salutation, and kissed his hand, I informed him of what
had happened and what had befallen me; whereupon he rejoiced
at my safety, and thanked God (whose name be exalted!); and he
caused my story to be written in letters of gold. I then entered my
house, and met my family and my brethren. — This is the end of the
history of the events that happened to me during my voyages; and
praise be to God, the One, the Creator, the Maker!

And when Es-Sindibad of the Sea had finished his story, he
ordered his servant to give to Es-Sindibad of the Land a hundred
pieces of gold, and said to him. How now, O my brother? Hast

ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 2Q5

thou heard of the like of these afflictions and calamities and distresses,
or have such troubles as have befallen me befallen any one else, or
hath any one else suffered such hardships as I have suffered ? Know
then that these pleasures are a compensation for the toil and humilia-
tions that I have experienced. — And upon this, Es-Sindibad of the
Land advanced, and kissed his hands, and said to him, O my lord,
by Allah, thou hast undergone great horrors, and hast deserved
these abundant favours: continue then, O my lord, in joy and
security; for God hath removed from thee the evils of fortune; and
I beg of God that He may continue to thee thy pleasures, and bless
thy days. — And upon this, Es-Sindibad of the Sea bestowed favours
upon him, and made him his boon<ompanion; and he quitted him
not by night nor by day as long as they both lived.

Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, the Strong, the
Eminent in power, the Creator of the heaven and the earth, and
of the land and the seas!

[Nights 566-578]
The Story of the City of Brass

THERE was, in olden time, and in an ancient age and period,
in Damascus of Syria, a King, one of the Khalifehs, named
'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan; and he was sitting, one
day, having with him the great men of his empire, consisting of
Kings and Suhans, when a discussion took place among them, re-
specting the traditions of former nations. They called to mind the
stories of our lord Suleyman the son of Da'ud (on both of whom be
peace!), and the dominion and authority which God (whose name
be exalted!) had bestowed upon him over mankind and the Jinn and
the birds and the wild beasts and other things; and they said, We
have heard from those who were before us that God (whose per-
fection be extolled, and whose name be exalted!) bestowed not
upon any one the like of that which He bestowed upon our lord
Suleyman, and that he attained to that to which none other attained,
so that he used to imprison the Jinn and the Marids and the Devils
in bottles of brass, and pour molten lead over them, and seal this
cover over them with a signet.

Then Talib [the son of Sahl] related, that a man embarked in a
ship with a company of others, and they voyaged to the island of
Sicily, and ceased not in their course until there arose against them
a wind which bore them away to one of the lands of God, whose
name be exalted! This happened during the black darkness of
night, and when the day shone forth, there came out to them, from
caves in that land, people of black complexion and with naked
bodies, like wild beasts, not understanding speech. They had a King
of their own race, and none of them knew Arabic save their King.
So when they saw the ship and those who were in her, he came
forth to them attended by a party of his companions, and saluted
them and welcomed them, and inquired of them respecting their

396

THE CITY OF BRASS 297

religion. They therefore acquainted him with their state; and he
said to them, No harm shall befall you. And when he asked them
respecting their religion, each of them was of some one of the
religions prevailing before the manifestation of El-Islam, and be-
fore the mission of Mohammad, may God bless and save him! —
wherefore the people of the ship said, We know not what thou
sayest. Then the King said to them, There hath not come to us any
one of the sons of Adam before you. And he entertained them
with a banquet of the flesh of birds and of wild beasts and of fish,
beside which they had no food. And after this, the people of the
ship went down to divert themselves in the city, and they found one
of the fishermen who had cast his net in the sea to catch Bsh, and
he drew it up, and lo, in it was a bottle of brass, stopped with lead,
which was sealed with the signet of Suleyman the son of Da'ud,
on both of whom be peace! And the fisherman came forth and
broke it; whereupon there proceeded from it a blue smoke, which
united with the clouds of heaven; and they heard a horrible voice,
saying. Repentance! repentance! O Prophet of God! — Then, of that
smoke there was formed a person of terrible aspect, of terrific make,
whose head would reach [as high as] a mountain; and he dis-
appeared from before their eyes. As to the people of the ship, their
hearts were almost eradicated; but the blacks thought nothing of
the event. And a man returned to the King, and asked him re-
specting this; and the King answered him, Know that this is one of
the Jinn whom Suleyman the son of Da'ud, when he was incensed
against them, imprisoned in these bottles, and he pxjured lead over
them, and threw them into the sea. When the fisherman casteth his
net, it generally bringeth up these bottles; and when they are broken,
there cometh forth from them a Jinni, who imagineth that Suley-
man is still living; wherefore he repenteth, and saith. Repentance!
O Prophet of God!

And the Prince of the Faithful, 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Mar-
wan, wondered at these words, and said, Extolled be the perfection
of God! Suleyman was endowed with a mighty dominion! — And
among those who were present in that assembly was En-Nabighah
Edh-Dhubyani;' and he said, Talib hath spoken truth in that which
' An Arab poet, who, however, died before Islam.

298 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

he hath related, and the proof o£ his veracity is the saying of the
Wise, the First, [thus versified] —

And [consider] Suleyman, when the Deity said to him, Perform the

office of Khalifeh, and govern with diligence;
And whoso obeyeth thee, honour him for doing so; and whoso dis-

obeyeth thee, imprison him forever.

He used to put them into bottles of brass, and to cast them into the
sea. — And the Prince of the Faithful approved of these words, and
said. By Allah, I desire to see some of these bottles! So Talib the
son of Sahl replied, O Prince of the Faithful, thou art able to do so,
and yet remain in thy country. Send to thy brother 'Abd-El-'Aziz,
the son of Marwan, desiring him to bring them to thee from the
Western country,' that he may write orders to Musa' to journey
from the Western Country to this mountain which we have men-
tioned, and to bring thee what thou desirest of these bottles; for the
furthest tract of his province is adjacent to this mountain. — And the
Prince of the Faithful approved of his advice, and said, O Talib,
thou hast spoken truth in that which thou hast said, and I desire
that thou be my messenger to Musa the son of Nuseyr for this
purpose, and thou shalt have a white ensign, together with what thou
shalt desire of wealth or dignity or other things, and I will be thy
substitute to take care of thy family. To this, Talib replied. Most
willingly, O Prince of the Faithful. And the Khalifeh said to him.
Go in dependence on the blessing of God, and his aid. Then he gave
orders that they should write for him a letter to his brother 'Abd-
El-'Aziz, his viceroy in Egypt, and another letter to Musa, his vice-
roy in the Western Country, commanding him to journey, himself,
in search of the bottles of Suleyman, to leave his son to govern the
country in his stead, and to take with him guides, to expand wealth,
and to collect a large number of men, and not to be remiss in ac-
complishing that object, nor to use any pretext to excuse himself.
He sealed the two letters, and delivered them to Talib the son of
Sahl, commanding him to hasten, and to elevate the ensigns over
his head; and he gave him riches and riders and footmen to aid him

* El -Maghrib, North Africa.

' [The Arab general who cooquered North Africa and Spain.]

THE CITY OF BRASS 299

in his way : he gave orders also to supply his house with every thing
requisite.

So Talib went forth on his way to Egypt. He proceeded with his
companions, traversing the districts from Syria, until they entered
Misr;* when the Governor of Egypt met him, and lodged him with
him; and he treated him with the utmost honour during the period
of his stay with him. Then he sent with him a guide who accom-
panied him to Upper Egypt until they came to the Emir Musa the
son of Nuseyr; and when he knew of his approach, he went forth
to him and met him, and rejoiced at his arrival; and Talib handed
to him the letter. So he took it and read it and understood its mean-
ing; and he put it upon his head saying, I hear and obey the com-
mand of the Prince of the Faithful. He determined to summon the
great men; and they presented themselves; and he inquired of them
respecting that which had been made known to him by the letter;
whereupon they said, O Emir, if thou desire him who will guide thee
to that place, have recourse to the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad the son
of 'Abd-El-Kuddus El-Masmudi; for he is a knowing man, and hath
travelled much, and he is acquainted with the deserts and wastes
and the seas, and their inhabitants and their wonders, and the coun-
tries and their districts. Have recourse therefore to him, and he
will direct thee to the object of thy desire. Accordingly he gave
orders to bring him, and he came before him; and, lo, he was a very
old man, whom the vicissitudes of years and times had rendered
decrepit. The Emir Musa saluted him, and said to him, O sheykh
'Abd-Es-Samad, our lord the Prince of the Faithful, 'Abd-El-Melik
the son of Marwan, hath commanded us thus and thus, and I
possess little knowledge of that land, and it hath been told me that
thou art acquainted with that country and the routes. Hast thou
then a wish to accomplish the affair of the Prince of the Faithful? —
The sheykh replied, Know, O Emir, that this route is difficult, far
extending, with few tracks. The Emir said to him, How long a
period doth it require? He answered, It is a journey of two years
and some months going, and the like returning; and on the way are
difficulties and horrors, and extraordinary and wonderful things.
Moreover, thou art a warrior for the defence of the faith, and our
* t.e., El-Fustat, "Old Cairo."

300 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

country is near unto the enemy; so perhaps the Christians may come
forth during our absence: it is expedient therefore that thou leave
in thy province one to govern it. — He replied, Well. And he left
his son Harun as his substitute in his province, exacted an oath of
fidelity to him, and commanded the troops that they should not
oppose him, but obey him in all that he should order them to do.
And they heard his words, and obeyed him. His son Harun was
of great courage, an illustrious hero, and a bold champion; and the
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad pretended to him that the place in which
were the things that the Prince of the Faithful desired was four
months' journey distant, on the shore of the sea, and that through-
out the whole route were halting-places adjacent one to another, and
grass and springs. And he said, God will assuredly make this affair
easy to us through the blessing attendant upon thee, O Viceroy of
the Prince of the Faithful. Then the Emir Musa said, Knowest thou
if any one of the Kings have trodden this land before us? He an-
swered him, Yes, O Emir: this land belonged to the King of
Alexandria, Darius the Greek.

After this they departed, and they continued their journey until
they arrived at a palace; whereupon the sheykh said. Advance with
us to this palace, which presenteth a lesson to him who will be
admonished. So the Emir Musa advanced thither, together with the
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad and his chief companions, till they came to
its entrance. And they found it open, and having lofty angles, and
steps, among which were two wide steps of coloured marbles, the
like of which hath not been seen: the ceilings and walls were
decorated with gold and silver and minerals, and over the entrance
was a slab, whereon was an inscription in ancient Greek; and the
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad said. Shall I read it, O Emir? The Emir
answered. Advance and read. May God bless thee! for nought hath
happened to us during this journey but what hath been the result
of the blessing attendant upon thee. — So he read it; and, lo, it was
poetry; and it was this: —

Here was a people whom, after their works, thou shalt see wept over

for their lost dominion;
And in this palace is the last information respecting lords collected in

the dust.

THE CITY OF BRASS 3OI

Death hath destroyed them and disunited them, and in the dust they

have lost what they amassed;
As though they had only put down their loads to rest a while: quickly

have they departed!

And the Emir Musa wept until he became insensible, and he said,
There is no deity but God, the Living, the Enduring without
failure! He then entered the palace, and was confounded by its
beauty and its construction; and he looked at the figures and images
that it contained. And, lo, over the second door were inscribed some
verses. So the Emir Musa said. Advance, O sheykh, and read. Ac-
cordingly he advanced and read; and the verses were these: —

How many companies have alighted in the tabernacles since times of

old, and taken their departure!
Consider thou then what the accidents of fortune have done with others

when they have befallen them.
They have shared together what they collected, and they have left the

pleasure thereof, and departed.
What enjoyments they had! and what food did they eat! and then in the

dust they themselves were eaten!

And again the Emir Musa wept violently : the world became yellow
before his face; and he said. We have been created for a great object!
Then they attentively viewed the palace; and, lo, it was devoid of
inhabitants, destitute of household and occupants: its courts were
desolate, and its apartments were deserted; and in the midst of it was
a chamber covered with a lofty dome, rising high into the air,
around which were four hundred tombs. To these tombs the Emir
Musa drew near, and, behold, among them was a tomb constructed
of marble, whereupon were engraved these verses : —

How often have I stood [in fight]! and how often slain! and to how

many things have I been a witness!
And how often have I eaten! and how often drunk! and how often have

I heard the songs of beauteous damsels!
And how often have I ordered! and how often forbidden! and how

many strong fortresses are seen,
Which I have besieged and searched, and from which I have taken the

lovely females' ornaments!
But in my ignorance I transgressed to obtain things wished for, which

proved at last to be frail.

302 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

TThen consider attentively thy case, O man, before thou shalt drink the

cup of death;
For after a little while shall the dust be poured upon thee, and thou

wilt be lifeless.

And the Emir Musa, and those who were with him, wept. Then
he drew near to the dome<rowned chamber, and, lo, it had eight
doors of sandal-wood, with nails of gold, ornamented with stars of
silver set with various jewels. And over the first door were inscribed
these verses: —

What I have left, I left not from generosity; but through the sentence

and decree operating upon man.
Long time I lived, happy and enraged, defending my asylum like a fierce

lion.
I was never quiet, nor would I bestow a mustard-seed, by reason of my

avarice, though I were cast into the fire.
Thus did I until I was smitten by the decree of the glorious Deity, the

Creator, the Maker.
When my death was appointed soon to take place, I could not prevent it

by my numerous stratagems;
My troops that I had collected availed not, and none of my friends aided

me, nor my neighbour.
Throughout my whole life was I wearied in my journey to the grave,

now in ease, and now in dif&culty.
So, when the purses have become laden, shouldst thou accumulate dinar

up)on dinar.
It will all pass before the morning to another, and they will have brought

thee a camel-driver and a grave-digger;
And on the day of thy judgment, lone shalt thou meet God, laden with

sin and crimes and heavy burdens.
Then let not the world deceive thee with its beauty; but see what it hath

done to thy family and neighbour.

And when the Emir Musa heard these verses, he wept again so
violently that he became insensible; and after he had recovered, he
entered the chamber covered with the dome, and beheld in it a long
tomb, of terrible appearance, whereon was a tablet of iron of China;
and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad drew near to it, and read its inscrip-
tion; and, lo, on it was written, —

In the name of God, the Eternal, the Everlasting throughout all ages:
in the name of God, who begetteth not, and who is not begotten, and
unto whom there is none like: in the name of God, the Mighty and

THE CITY OF BRASS 303

Powerful: in the name of the Living who dieth not. — To proceed: — O
thou who arrivcst at this place, be admonished by the misfortunes and
calamities that thou boholdest, and be not deceived by the world and its
beauty, and its falsity and calumny, and its fallacy and finery; for it is a
flatterer, a cheat, a traitor. Its things are borrowed, and it will take the
loan from the borrower: and it is like the confused visions of the sleeper,
and the dream of the dreamer, as though it were the sarab^ of the plain,
which the thirsty imagineth to be water: the Devil adorneth it for man
until death. These are the characteristics of the world: confide not there-
fore in it, nor incline to it; for it will betray him who dependeth upon it,
and who in his affairs relieth uf>on it. Fall not in its snares, nor cling to
its skirts. For I pwssessed four thousand bay horses in a stable; and I
married a thousand damsels, of the daughters of Kings, high-bosomed
virgins, like moons; and I was blessed with a thousand children, like
stern lions; and I lived a thousand years, happy in mind and heart; and
I amassed riches such as the Kings of the regions of the earth were un-
able to procure, and I imagined that my enjoyments would continue
without failure. But I was not aware when there alighted among us the
terminator of delights and the separator of companions, the desolator of
abodes and the ravager of inhabited mansions, the destroyer of the great
and the small and the infants and the children and the mothers. We
had resided in this palace in security until the event decreed by the
Lord of all creatures, the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the
earths, befell us, and the thunder of the Manifest Truth assailed us, and
there died of us every day two, till a great company of us had perished.
So when I saw that destruction had entered our dwellings, and had
alighted among us, and drowned us in the sea of deaths, I summoned a
writer, and ordered him to write these verses and admonitions and
lessons, and caused them to be engraved upon these doors and tablets
and tombs. I had an army comprising a thousand thousand bridles,
composed of hardy men, with spears, and coats of mail, and sharp swords,
and strong arms; and I ordered them to clothe themselves with the long
coats of mail, and to hang on the keen swords, and to place in rest the
terrible lances, and mount the high-blooded horses. Then, when the
event appointed by the Lord of all creatures, the Lord of the earth and
the heavens, befell us, I said, O companies of troops and soldiers, can ye
prevent that which hath befallen me from the Mighty King.? But the
soldiers and troops were unable to do so, and they said, How shall we
contend against Him from whom none hath secluded, the Lord of the
door that hath no door-keeper? So I said. Bring to me the wealth. (And
it was contained in a thousand pits, in each of which were a thousand
hundred-weights of red gold, and in them were varieties of pearls and
jewels, and there was the like quantity of white silver, with treasures

* Mirage.

304 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

such as the Kings of the earth were unable to procure.) And they did
so; and when they had brought the wealth before me, I said to them,
Can ye deliver me by means of all these riches, and purchase for me
therewith one day during which I may remain alive? But they could
not do so. They resigned themselves to fate and destiny, and I sub-
mitted to God with patient endurance of fate and affliction until He
took my soul, and made me to dwell in my grave. And if thou ask con-
cerning my name, I am Kush the son of Sheddad the son of 'Ad the
Greater.

And upon the same tablet were also inscribed these verses: —

Shouldst thou think upon me after the length of my age, and the vicissi-
tudes of days and circumstances,
I am the son of Sheddad, who held dominion over mankind and each

tract of the whole earth.
All the stubborn troops became abject imto me, and Esh-Sham from

Misr unto 'Adnan.
In glory I reigned, abasing their Kings, the people of the earth fearing

my dominion;
And I beheld the tribes and armies in my p>ower, and saw the countries

and their inhabitants dread me.
When I mounted, I beheld my army comprising a million bridles upon

neighing steeds;
And I possessed wealth that could not be calculated, which I treasured

up against misfortunes.
Determining to devote the whole of my property for the purpose of

extending the term of my life.
But the Deity would nought save the execution of his purpose; and thus

I became separated from my brethren.
Death, the disuniter of mankind, came to me, and I was removed from

grandeur to the mansion of contempt;
And I found [the recompense of] all my past actions, for which I am

pledged: for I was sinful!
Then raise thyself, lest thou be upon a brink; and beware of calamities!

Mayest thou be led aright!

And again the Emir Musa wept until he became insensible, in con-
sidering the fates of the people; after which, as they were going
about through the diflerent apartments of the palace, and viewing
attentively its chambers and its places of diversion, they came to a
table upon four legs of alabaster, whereon was inscribed, —

Upon this table have eaten a thousand one-eyed Kings, and a thousand
Kings each sound in both eyes. All of them have quitted the world, and
taken up their abode in the burial-grounds and the graves.

THE CITY OF BRASS 305

And the Emir Musa wrote all this. Then he went forth, and took
not with him from the palace aught save the table.

The soldiers proceeded, with the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad before
them shewing them the way, until all the first day had passed, and
the second, and the third. They then came to a high hill, at which
they looked, and, lo, upon it was a horseman of brass, on the top of
whose spear was a wide and glistening head that almost deprived
the beholder of sight, and on it was inscribed, O thou who comest
up to me, if thou know not the way that leadeth to the City of
Brass, rub the hand of the horseman, and he will turn, and then will
stop, and in whatsoever direction he stoppeth, thither proceed, with-
out fear and without difficulty; for it will lead thee to the City of
Brass. — And when the Emir Musa had rubbed the hand of the
horseman, it turned Uke the blinding lightning, and faced a different
direction from that in which they were travelling.

The party therefore turned thither and journeyed on, and it was
the right way. They took that route, and continued their course the
same day and the next night until they had traversed a wide tract
of country. And as they were proceeding, one day, they came to a
pillar of black stone, wherein was a person sunk to his arm-pits, and
he had two huge wings, and four arms; two of them like those of
the sons of Adam, and two like the fore-legs of lions, with claws.
He had hair upon his head like the tails of horses, and two eyes Hke
two burning coals, and he had a third eye, in his forehead, like the
eye of the lynx, from which there appeared sparks of fire. He was
black and tall ; and he was crying out, Extolled be the perfection of
my Lord, who hath appointed me this severe affliction and painful
torture until the day of resurrection! When the party beheld him,
their reason fled from them, and they were stupefied at the sight of
his form, and retreated in flight; and the Emir Musa said to the
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, What is this? He answered, I know not
what he is. And the Emir said. Draw near to him and investigate
his case: perhaps he will discover it, and perhaps thou wilt learn his
history. The sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad replied. May God amend the
state of the Emir! Verily we fear him. — Fear ye not, rejoined the
Emir; for he is withheld from injuring you and others by the state
in which he is. So the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad drew near to him, and

306 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

said to him, O thou f)erson, what is thy name, and what is thy nature,
and what hath placed thee here in this manner? And he answered
him, As to me, I am an 'Efrit of the Jinn, and my name is Dahish
the son of El-A'mash, and I am restrained here by the majesty,
confined by the power, [of God,] tormented as long as God (to
whom be ascribed might and glory!) willeth. Then the Emir Musa
said, O sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, ask him what is the cause of his
confinement in this pillar. He therefore asked resp)ecting that, and
the 'Efrit answered him. Verily my story is wonderful; and it is
this: —

There belonged to one of the sons of Iblis an idol of red carnelian,
of which I was made guardian; and there used to worship it one
of the Kings of the sea, of illustrious dignity, of great glory, leading,
among his troops of the Jann, a million warriors who smote with
swords before him, and who answered his prayer in cases of diffi-
culty. These Jann who obeyed him were under my command and
authority, following my words when I ordered them: all of them
were in rebellion against Suleyman the son of Da'ud (on both of
whom be peace!); and I used to enter the body of the idol, and
command them and forbid them. Now the daughter of that King
was a frequent adorer of the idol, assiduous in the worship of it, and
she was the handsomest of the people of her age, endowed with
beauty and loveliness, and elegance and perfection; and I described
her to Suleyman, on whom be peace!

So he sent to her father, saying to him, Marry to me thy daughter
and break thy carnelian-idol, and bear witness that there is no deity
but God, and that Suleyman is the Prophet of God. If thou do so,
thy due shall be the same as our due, and thy debt as our debt. But
if thou refuse, I bring against thee forces with which thou hast not
power to contend: therefore prepare an answer to the question,' and
put on the garment of death; for I will come to thee with forces
that shall fill the vacant region, and leave thee like yesterday that
hath passed. — And when the messenger of Suleyman (on whom be
peace!) came to him, he was insolent and contumacious, and mag-
nified himself and was proud. Then he said to his wezirs. What say
ye respecting the affair of Suleyman the son of Da'ud? For he
•On the day of judgment.

THE CITY OF BRASS 307

hath sent demanding my daughter, and commanding me to break
my carnelian-idol, and to adopt his faith. — And they rephed, O
great King, can Suleyman do unto thee that, when thou art in the
midst of this vast sea? If he come unto thee, he cannot prevail
against thee; since the Marids of the Jinn will fight on thy side;
and thou shalt seek aid against him of thine idol that thou wor-
shippest; for he will aid thee against him and will defend thee. The
right opinion is, that thou consult thy lord (and they meant by him
the red carnelian-idol), and hear what will be his reply: if he coun-
sel thee to fight him, fight him; but otherwise, do not. — And upon
this the King went immediately, and, going in to his idol, after he
had offered a sacrifice and slain victims, fell down before it pros-
trate, and began to weep, and to recite these verses: —

O my lord, verily I know thy dignity; and, behold, Suleyman desireth to

break thee.
O my lord, verily I seek thy defence: command then; for I am obedient

to thy command.

(Then that 'Efrit, the half of whom was in the pillar, said to the
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, while those around him listened,) And
thereupon I entered the body of the idol, by reason of my ignorance,
and the paucity of my sense, and my solicitude respecting the affair
of Suleyman, and recited this couplet : —

As for me, I am not in fear of him; for I am acquainted with everything.
If he wish to wage war with me, I will go forth, and I will snatch his
soul from him.

So when the King heard my reply to him, his heart was strength-
ened, and he determined to wage war with Suleyman the Prophet of
God (on whom be peace!) and to fight against him. Accordingly,
when the messenger of Suleyman came, he inflicted upon him a
painful beating, and returned him a shameful reply; and he sent to
threaten Suleyman, saying to him, by the messenger. Thy mind hath
suggested to thee desires. Dost thou threaten me with false words?
Either come thou to me, or I will go to thee.

Then the messenger returned to Suleyman, and acquainted him
with all that had occurred and happened to him. And when the
Prophet of God, Suleyman, heard that, [it was as though] his

308 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

resurrection took place;' his resolution was roused, and he prepared
his forces, consisting of Jinn and men, and wild beasts, and birds
and reptiles. He commanded his Wezir Ed-Dimiryat, the King of
the Jinn, to collect the Marids of the Jinn from every place: so he
collected for him, of the Devils, six hundred millions. He also
commanded Asaf the son of Barkhiya [his Wezir of men] to col-
lect his soldiers of mankind; and their number was one million or
more. He made ready the accoutrements and weapons, and mounted,
with his forces of the Jinn and of mankind, upon the carpet, with
the birds flying over his head, and the wild beasts beneath the carpet
marching, until he alighted upon his enemy's coast, and surrounded
his island, having filled the land with the forces. He then sent to our
King, saying to him. Behold, I have arrived: therefore repel from
thee that which hath come down, or else submit thyself to my
authority, and acknowledge my mission, and break thine idol, and
worship the One, the Adored God, and marry to me thy daughter
according to law, and say thou, and those who are with thee, I
testify that there is no deity but God, and I testify that Suleyman is
the Prophet of God. If thou say that, peace and safety shall be thy
lot. But if thou refuse, thy defending thyself from me in this island
shall not prevent thee: for God (whose name be blessed and exalted!)
hath commanded the wind to obey me, and I will order it to convey
me unto thee on the carpet, and will make thee an example to re-
strain others. — So the messenger came to him, and communicated to
him the message of the Prophet of God, Suleyman, on whom be
peace! But the King said to him, There is no way for the accom-
plishment of this thing that he requireth of me: therefore inform him
that I am coming forth unto him. Accordingly the messenger re-
turned to Suleyman, and gave him the reply. The King then sent
to the people of his country, and collected for himself, of the Jinn
that were under his authority, a million; and to these he added
others, of the Marids and Devils that were in the islands of the seas
and on the tops of the mountains; after which he made ready his
forces, and opened the armouries, and distributed to them the
weapons. And as the Prophet of God, Suleyman (on whom be
peace!), he disposed his troops, commanding the wild beasts to form
'/. c, his passion rose.

THE CITY OF BRASS 309

themselves into two divisions, on the right of the people and on their
left, and commanding the birds to be upon the islands. He ordered
them also, when the assault should be made, to tear out the eyes
of their antagonists with their beaks, and to beat their faces with
their wings; and he ordered the wild beasts to tear in pieces their
horses; and they replied, We hear and obey God and thee, O
Prophet of God! Then Suleyman, the Prophet of God, set for
himself a couch of alabaster adorned with jewels, and plated with
plates of red gold, and he placed his Wezir Asaf the son of Bark-
hiya on the right side, and his Wezir Ed-Dimiryat on the left side,
and the Kings of mankind on his right, and the Kings of the Jinn
on his left, and the wild beasts and the vipers and serpents before
him.

After this, they came upon us all together, and we contended with
him in a wide tract for a period of two days; and calamity befell us
on the third day, and the decree of God (whose name be exalted!)
was executed among us. The first who charged upon Suleyman were
I and my troops; and I said to my companions. Keep in your places
in the battlefield while I go forth to them and challenge Ed-Dimir-
yat. And, lo, he came forth, like a great mountain, his fires flaming,
and his smoke ascending; and he approached, and smote me with a
flaming fire; and his arrow prevailed over my fire. He cried out
at me with a prodigious cry, so that I imagined the heaven had
fallen and closed over me, and the mountains shook at his voice.
Then he commanded his companions, and they charged upon us
all together: we also charged upon them, and we cried out, one to
another: the fires rose and the smoke ascended, the hearts of the
combatants were almost cleft asunder, and the battle raged. The
birds fought in the air; and the wild beasts in the dust; and I con-
tended with Ed-Dimiryat until he wearied me and I wearied him;
after which I became weak, and my companions and troops were
enervated, and my tribes were routed. The Prophet of God, Suley-
man, cried out, Take ye this great tyrant, the ill-omened, the in-
famous! And the men charged upon the men, and the Jinn upon
the Jinn; defeat befell our King, and we became unto Suleyman a
spoil. His troops charged upon our forces, with the wild beasts on
their right and left, and the birds were over our heads, tearing out

310 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

the eyes of the people, sometimes with their talons and sometimes
with their beaks, and sometimes they beat with their wings upon the
faces of the combatants, while the wild beasts bit the horses and
tore in pieces the men, until the greater portion of the party lay
upon the face of the earth like the trunks of palm-trees. As to me,
I flew from before Ed-Dimiryat; but he followed me a journey of
three months, until he overtook me. I had fallen down through
fatigue, and he rushed upon me, and made me a prisoner. So I said
to him. By Him who hath exalted thee and abased me, pity me, and
take me before Suleyman, on whom be p)eace! But when I came
before Suleyman, he met me in a most evil manner: he caused this
pillar to be brought, and hollowed it, and put me in it, and sealed
me with his signet; after which, he chained me, and Ed-Dimiryat
conveyed me to this place, where he set me down as thou seest me;
and this pillar is my prison until the day of resurrection. He charged
a great king to guard me in this prison, and I am in this condition
tortured as thou seest me.

The party therefore wondered at him, and at the horrible nature
of his form; and the Emir Musa said, There is no deity but GodI
Suleyman was endowed with a mighty dominion! — And the sheykh
'Abd-Es-Samad said to the 'Efrit, O thou, I ask thee concerning a
thing of which do thou inform us. The 'Efrit replied. Ask con-
cerning what thou wilt. And the sheykh said. Are there in this
place any of the 'Efrits confined in bottles of brass from the time of
Suleyman, on whom be peace? He answered. Yes, in the Sea of
El-Karkar, where are a people of the descendants of Nuh (on whom
be peace!), whose country the deluge reached not, and they are
separated there from [the rest of] the sons of Adam. — And where,
said the sheykh, is the way to the City of Brass, and the place wherein
are the bottles? What distance is there between us and it? — The
'Efrit answered. It is near. So the party left him, and proceeded;
and there appeared to them a great black object, with two [seeming]
fires corresponding with each other in position, in the distance, in
that black object; whereupon the Emir Musa said to the sheykh,
What is this great black object, and what are these two correspond-
ing fires? The guide answered him, Be rejoiced, O Emir; for this
is the City^ of Brass, and this is the appearance of it that I find

THE CITY OF BRASS 3II

described in the Book of Hidden Treasures; that its wall is of black
stones, and it hath two towers of brass of El-Andalus,' which the
beholder seeth resembling two corresponding fires; and thence it is
named the City of Brass. — They ceased not to proceed until they ar-
rived at it; and, lo, it was lofty, strongly fortified, rising high into
the air, impenetrable: the height of its walls was eighty cubits, and
it had five and twenty gates, none of which would open but by
means of some artifice; and there was not one gate to it that had
not, within the city, one like it: such was the beauty of the con-
struction and architecture of the city. They stopped before it, and
endeavoured to discover one of its gates; but they could not; and
the Emir Musa said to the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, O sheykh, I see
not to this city any gate. The sheykh replied, O Emir, thus do I
find it described in the Book of Hidden Treasures; that it hath
five and twenty gates, and that none of its gates may be opened but
from within the city. — And how, said the Emir, can we contrive to
enter it, and divert ourselves with a view of its wonders?

Then the Emir Musa ordered one of his young men to mount a
camel, and ride round the city, in the hope that he might discover
a trace of a gate, or a place lower than that to which they were
opposite. So one of his young men mounted, and proceeded around
it for two days with their nights, prosecuting his journey with
diligence, and not resting; and when the third day arrived, he came
in sight of his companions, and he was astounded at that which he
beheld of the extent of the city, and its height. Then he said, O
Emir, the easiest place in it is this place at which ye have alighted.
And thereupon the Emir Musa took Talib the son of Sahl, and the
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, and they ascended a mountain opposite the
city, and overlooking it; and when they had ascended that mountain,
they saw a city than which eyes had not beheld any greater. Its
pavilions were lofty, and its domes were shining; its mansions were
in good condition, and its rivers were running; its trees were fruit-
ful, and its gardens bore ripe produce. It was a city with impene-
trable gates, empty, still, without a voice or a cheering inhabitant,
but the owl hooting in its quarters, and birds skimming in circles in
its areas, and the raven croaking in its districts and its great
' Spain; not merely Andalusia.

312 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

thoroughfare-Streets, and bewailing those who had been in it. The
Emir Musa paused, sorrowing for its being devoid of inhabitants,
and its being despoiled of people and dwellers; and he said. Extolled
be the perfection of Him whom ages and times change not, the
Creator of the creation by his power! And while he was extolling
the perfection of God (to whom be ascribed might and glory!), he
happened to look aside, and, lo, there were seven tablets of white
marble, appearing from a distance. So he approached them, and,
behold, they were sculptured and inscribed; and he ordered that their
writing should be read; therefore the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad ad-
vanced and examined them and read them; and they contained
admonition, and matter for example and restraint, unto those en-
dowed with faculties of discernment. Upon the first tablet was
inscribed, in the ancient Greek character, —

O son of Adam, how heedless art thou of the case of him who hath
been before thee! Thy years and age have diverted thee from consider-
ing him. Knowest thou not that the cup of death will be filled for thee,
and that in a short time thou wilt drink it? Look then to thyself before
entering thy grave. Where are those who possessed the countries and
abased the servants of God and led armies? Death hath come upon
them; and God is the terminator of delights and the separator of com-
panions and the devastator of flourishing dwellings; so He hath trans-
ported them from the amplitude of palaces to the straitness of the graves.

And in the lower part of the tablet were inscribed these verses: —

Where are the Kings and the peoplers of the earth? They have quitted

that which they have built and peopled;
And in the grave they are pledged for their past actions: there, after

destruction, they have become putrid corpses.
Where are the troops? They repelled not, nor profited. And where is

that which they collected and hoarded?
The decree of the Lord of the Throne surprised them. Neither riches

nor refuge saved them from it.

And the Emir Musa fainted; his tears ran down upon his cheeks,
and he said. By Allah, indifference to the world is the most ap-
propriate and the most sure course! Then he caused an inkhorn
and a paper to be brought, and he wrote the inscription of the first
tablet; after which he drew near to the second tablet, and the third,
and the fourth; and, having copied what was inscribed on them, he

THE CITY OF BRASS 313

descended from the mountain; and the world had been pictured
before his eyes.

And when he came back to the troops, they passed the day devising
means of entering the city; and the Emir Musa said to his Wezir,
Talib the son of Sahl, and to those of his chief officers, who were
around him, How shall we contrive to enter the city, that we may
see its wonders? Perhaps we shall find in it something by which we
may ingratiate ourselves with the Prince of the Faithful. — Talib the
son of Sahl replied. May God continue the prosperity of the Emir!
Let us make a ladder, and mount upon it, and perhaps we shall
gain access to the gate from within. — And the Emir said. This is
what occurred to my mind, and excellent is the advice. Then he
called to the carpenters and blacksmiths, and ordered them to make
straight some pieces of wood, and to construct a ladder covered with
plates of iron. And they did so, and made it strong. They employed
themselves in constructing it a whole month, and many men were
occupied in making it. And they set it up and fixed it against the
wall, and it proved to be equal to the wall in height, as though it
had been made for it before that day. So the Emir Musa wondered
at it, and said, God bless you! It seemeth, from the excellence of
your work, as though ye had adapted it by measuremenc to the
wall. — He then said to the people. Which of you will ascend this
ladder, and mount upon the wall, and walk along it, and contrive
means of descending into the city, that he may see how the case is,
and then inform us of the mode of opening the gate? And one of
them answered, I will ascend it, O Emir, and descend and open
the gate. The Emir therefore replied. Mount. God bless thee! —
Accordingly, the man ascended the ladder until he reached the top
of it; when he stood, and fixed his eyes towards the city, clapped his
hands, and cried out with his loudest voice, saying. Thou art beauti-
ful! Then he cast himself down into the city, and his flesh became
mashed with his bones. So the Emir Musa said, This is the action
of the rational. How then will the insane act ? If we do thus with
all our companions, there will not remain of them one; and we shall
be unable to accomplish our affair, and the affair of the Prince of
the Faithful. Depart ye; for we have no concern with this city. —
But one of them said. Perhaps another than this may be more steady

314 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

than he. And a second ascended, and a third, and a fourth, and a
fifth; and they ceased not to ascend by that ladder to the top of the
wall, one after another, until twelve men of them had gone, acting
as acted the first. Therefore the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad said, There
is none for this affair but myself, and the experienced is not like the
inexperienced. But the Emir Musa said to him. Thou shalt not do
that, nor will I allow thee to ascend to the top of this wall; for
shouldst thou die, thou wouldst be the cause of the death of us all,
and there would not remain of us one; since thou art the guide
of the party. The sheykh however replied, Perhaps the object will
be accomplished by my means, through the will of God (whose
name be exalted!) And thereupon all the people agreed to his
ascending.

Then the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad arose, and encouraged himself,
and, having said. In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merci-
ful! — he ascended the ladder, repeating the praises of God (whose
name be exalted!), and reciting the Verses of Safety, until he reached
the top of the wall; when he clapped his hands, and fixed his eyes.
The people therefore all called out to him, and said, O sheykh 'Abd-
Es-Samad, do it not, and cast not thyself down! And they said.
Verily to God we belong, and verily unto Him we return! If the
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad fall, we all perish! — Then the sheykh 'Abd-
Es-Samad laughed immoderately, and sat a long time repeating the
praises of God (whose name be exalted!), and reciting the Verses
of Safety; after which he rose with energy, and called out with his
loudest voice, O Emir, no harm shall befall you; for God (to whom
be ascribed might and glory!) hath averted from me the effect of
the artifice and fraudulence of the Devil, through the blessing re-
sulting from the utterance of the words, In the name of God, the
Compassionate, the Merciful. — So the Emir said to him. What hast
thou seen, O sheykh ? He answered. When I reached the top of the
wall, I beheld ten damsels, like moons, who made a sign with their
hands, as though they would say. Come to us. And it seemed to me
that beneath me was a sea (or great river) of water; whereupon I
desired to cast myself down, as our companions did: but I beheld
them dead; so I withheld myself from them, and recited some words
of the book of God (whose name be exalted!), whereupon God

THE CITY OF BRASS 315

averted from me the influence of those damsels' artifice, and they
departed from me; therefore I cast not myself down, and God re-
pelled from me the effect of their artifice and enchantment. There
is no doubt that this is an enchantment and an artifice which the
people of this city contrived in order to repel from it every one who
should desire to look down upon it, and wish to obtain access to it;
and these our companions are laid dead.

He then walked along the wall till he came to the two towers of
brass, when he saw that they had two gates of gold, without locks
upon them, or any sign of the means of opening them. Therefore
the sheykh paused as long as God willed, and, looking attentively,
he saw in the middle of one of the gates a figure of a horseman of
brass, having one hand extended, as though he were pointing with
it, and on it was an inscription, which the sheykh read, and, lo, it
contained these words: — Turn the pin that is in the middle of the
front of the horseman's body twelve times, and then the gate will
open. So he examined the horseman, and in the middle of the front
of his body was a pin, strong, firm, well fixed; and he turned it
twelve times; whereupon the gate opened immediately, with a noise
Uke thunder; and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad entered. He was a
learned man, acquainted with all languages and characters. And he
walked on until he entered a long passage, whence he descended
some steps, and he found a place with handsome wooden benches,
on which were people dead, and over their heads were elegant
shields, and keen swords, and strung bows, and notched arrows.
And behind the [next] gate were a bar of iron, and barricades of
wood, and locks of delicate fabric, and strong apparatus. Upon this,
the sheykh said within himself. Perhaps the keys are with these
jjeople. Then he looked, and, lo, there was a sheykh who appeared
to be the oldest of them, and he was upon a high wooden bench
among the dead men. So the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad said. May not
the keys of the city be with this sheykh! Perhaps he was the gate-
keeper of the city, and these were under his authority. — He there-
fore drew near to him, and Ufted up his garments, and, lo, the keys
were hung to his waist. At the sight of them, the sheykh 'Abd-Es-
Samad rejoiced exceedingly; his reason almost fled from him in
consequence of his joy; and he took the keys, approached the gate,

3l6 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

opened the locks, and pulled the gate and the barricades and other
apparatus, which opened, and the gate also opened, with a noise
like thunder, by reason of its greatness and terribleness, and the
enormousness of its apparatus. Upon this, the sheykh exclaimed,
God is most great! — and the people made the same exclamation with
him, rejoicing at the event. The Emir Musa also rejoiced at the
safety of the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, and at the opening of the gate
of the city; the people thanked the sheykh for that which he had
done, and all the troops hastened to enter the gate. But the Emir
Musa cried out to them, O people, if all of us enter, we shall not be
secure from some accident that may happen. Half shall enter, and
half shall remain behind.

The Emir Musa then entered the gate, and with him half of the
people, who bore their weapons of war. And the party saw their
companions lying dead: so they buried them. They saw also the
gate-keepers and servants and chamberlains and lieutenants lying
upon beds of silk, all of them dead. And they entered the market
of the city, and beheld a great market, with lofty buildings, none of
which projected beyond another: the shops were open, and the scales
hung up, and the utensils of brass ranged in order, and the khans
were full of all kinds of goods. And they saw the merchants dead
in their shops: their skins were dried, and their bones were carious,
and they had become examples of him who would be admonished.
They saw likewise four markets of particular shops filled with
wealth. And they left this place, and passed on to the silk-market,
in which were silks and brocades interwoven with red gold and
white silver upon various colours, and the owners were dead, lying
upon skins, and appearing almost as though they would speak.
Leaving these, they went on to the market of jewels and pearls and
jacinths; and they left it, and passed on to the market of the money-
changers, whom they found dead, with varieties of silks beneath
them, and their shops were filled with gold and silver. These they
left, and they proceeded to the market of the perfumers; and, lo,
their shops were filled with varieties of perfumes, and bags of musk,
and ambergris, and aloes-wood, and nedd, and camphor, and other
things; and the owners were all dead, not having with them any
food. And when they went forth from the market of the perfumers,

THE CITY OF BRASS 317

they found near unto it a palace, decorated, and strongly constructed;
and they entered it, and found banners unfurled, and drawn swords,
and strung bows, and shields hung up by chains of gold and silver,
and helmets gilded with red gold. And in the passages of that
palace were benches of ivory, ornamented with plates of brilliant
gold, and with silk, on which were men whose skins had dried upon
the bones: the ignorant would imagine them to be sleeping; but,
from the want of food, they had died, and tasted mortality. Upon
this, the Emir Musa paused, extolling the perfection of God (whose
name be exalted!), and his holiness, and contemplating the beauty
of that palace, and its strong construction, and its wonderful fabri-
cation in the most beautiful form and with the firmest architecture;
and most of its decoration was in ultramarine. Around it were
inscribed these verses: —

Consider what thou beholdest, O man; and be on thy guard before thou
departest;

And prepare good provision, that thou mayest enjoy it; for every dweller
in a house shall depart.

Consider a people who decorated their abodes, and in the dust have be-
come pledged for their actions.

They built; but their buildings availed not: and treasured; but their
wealth did not save them when the term had expired.

How often they hoped for what was not decreed them! But they passed
to the graves, and hope did not profit them;

And from their high and glorious state they were removed to the
narrowness of the sepulchre. Evil is their abode!

Then there came to them a crier, after they were buried, saying. Where
are the thrones and the crowns and the apparel?

Where are the faces which were veiled and curtained, and on which, for
their beauty, proverbs were composed? —

And the grave plainly answered the inquirer for them, As to the cheeks,
the rose is gone from them.

Long time they ate and drank; but now, after pleasant eating, they them-
selves have been eaten.

And the Emir Musa wept until he became senseless; and after-
wards, having given orders to write these verses, he went on into the
interior of the palace. There he beheld a great hall, and four large
and lofty chambers, each one fronting another, wide, decorated with
gold and silver and with various colours. In the midst of the hall

3l8 THE THOUSAND A>fD ONE NIGHTS

was a great fountain of alabaster, over which was a canopy of
brocade; and in those chambers were places [one in each chamber]
containing decorated fountains, and tanks Hned with marble; and
channels of water flowed along the floors of those chambers, the
four streams meeting together in a great tank lined with marbles
of various colours. — The Emir Musa then said to the sheykh 'Abd-
Es-Samad, Enter these chambers with us. So they entered the first
chamber; and they found it filled with gold and with white silver,
and pearls and jewels, and jacinths and precious minerals. They
found in it also chests full of red and yellow and white brocades.
And they went thence to the second chamber, and opened a closet
in it, and, lo, it was filled with arms and weapons of war, consisting
of gilded helmets, and Davidean coats of mail, and Indian swords,
and lances of Khatt Hejer, and maces of Khuwarezm, and other
instruments of war and battle. Then they passed thence to the third
chamber, in which they found closets having upon their doors
closed locks, and over them were curtains worked with various
kinds of embroidery. They opened one of these closets, and found
it filled with weapons decorated with varieties of gold and silver
and jewels. And they went thence to the fourth chamber, where
also they found closets, one of which they opened, and they found
it full of utensils for food and drink, consisting of various vessels
of gold and silver, and saucers of crystal, and cups set with brilliant
pearls, and cups of carnelian, and other things. So they began to
take what suited them of those things, an4 each of the soldiers
carried off what he could. And when they determined to go forth
from those chambers, they saw there a door of saj inlaid with ivory
and ebony, and adorned with plates of brilliant gold, in the midst
of that palace. Over it was hung a curtain of silk worked with
various kinds of embroidery, and upon it were locks of white silver,
to be ojjened by artifice, without a key. The sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad
therefore advanced to those locks, and he opened them by his
knowledge and boldness and excellent skill. And the party entered
a passage paved with marble, upon the sides of which were curtains
whereon were figured various wild beasts and birds, all these being
worked with red gold and white silver, and their eyes were of
pearls and jacinths: whosoever beheld them was confounded. Next

THE CITY OF BRASS 319

they came to a saloon, on beholding which the Emir Musa and the
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad were amazed at its construction.

They then passed on, and found a saloon constructed of polished
marble adorned with jewels. The beholder imagined that upon its
floor was running water, and if any one walked upon it he would
slip. The Emir Musa therefore ordered the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad
to throw upon it something that they might be enabled to walk on
it; and he did this, and contrived so that they passed on. And they
found in it a great dome constructed of stones gilded with red gold.
The party had not beheld, in all that they had seen, any thing more
beautiful than it. And in the midst of that dome was a great dome-
crowned structure of alabaster, around which were lattice-windows,
decorated, and adorned with oblong emeralds, such as none of the
Kings could procure. In it was a pavilion of brocade, raised upon
columns of red gold, and within this were birds, the feet of which
were of emeralds; beneath each bird was a net of brilliant pearls,
spread over a fountain; and by the brink of the fountain was placed
a couch adorned with pearls and jewels and jacinths, whereon was
a damsel resembling the shining sun. Eyes had not beheld one more
beautiful. Upon her was a garment of brilliant pearls, on her head'
was a crown of red gold, with a fillet of jewels, on her neck was a
necklace of jewels in the middle of which were refulgent gems, and
upon her forehead were two jewels the light of which was like that
of the sun; and she seemed as though she were looking at the people,
and observing them to the right and left. When the Emir Musa
beheld this damsel, he wondered extremely at her loveliness, and
was confounded by her beauty and the redness of her cheeks and
the blackness of her hair. Any beholder would imagine that she was
alive, and not dead. And they said to her. Peace be on thee, O
damsel! But Talib the son of Sahl said to the Emir, May God
amend thy state. Know that this damsel is dead. There is no life
in her. How then can she return the salutation? — And he added,
O Emir, she is skilfully embalmed; and her eyes have been taken
out after her death, and quicksilver hath been put beneath them,
after which they have been restored to their places; so they gleam;
and whenever the air putteth them in motion, the beholder imagineth
that she twinkleth her eyes, though she is dead. — Upon this the

320 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Emir Musa said, Extolled be the perfection of God, who hath sub-
dued his servants by death! — And as to the couch upon which was
the damsel, it had steps, and upon the steps were two slaves, one of
them white and the other black; and in the hand of one of them
was a weapon of steel, and in the hand of the other a jewelled sword
that blinded the eyes; and before the two slaves was a tablet of
gold, whereon was read an inscription, which was this: —

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to
God, the Creator of man; and He is the Lord of lords, and the Cause of
causes. In the name of God, the Everlasting, the Eternal: in the name
of God, the Ordainer of fate and destiny. O son of Adam, how ignorant
art thou in the long indulgence of hope! and how unmindful art thou
of the arrival of the predestined period! Knowest thou not that death
hath called for thee, and hath advanced to seize thy soul? Be ready
then for departure, and make provision in the world; for thou wilt quit
it soon. Where is Adam, the father of mankind? Where are Nuh and
his offspring? Where are the sovereign Kisras and Cscsars? Where are
the Kings of India and El-'Irak? Where are the Kings of the regions of
the earth? Where are the Amalekites? Where are the mighty monarchs?
The mansions are void of their presence, and they have quitted their
families and homes. Where are the Kings of the foreigners and the
Arabs? They have all died, and become rotten bones. Where are the
lords of high degree? They have all died. Where are Karun and
Haman?* Where is Sheddad the son of 'Ad? Where are Ken'an and
the Lord of the Stakes?'" God hath cut them off, and it is He who
cutteth short the lives of mankind, and He hath made the mansions to
be void of their presence. Did they prepare provision for the day of
resurrection, and make themselves ready to reply to the Lord of men? —
O thou, if thou know me not, I will acquaint thee with my name and my
descent. I am Tedmur, the daughter of the King of the Amalekites, of
those who ruled the countries with equity. I possessed what none of the
Kings possessed, and ruled with justice, and acted impartially towards
my subjects: I gave and bestowed, and I lived a long time in the enjoy-
ment of happiness and an easy life, and possessing emancipated female
and male slaves. Thus I did until the summoner of death came to my
abode, and disasters occurred before me. And the case was this: — Seven
years in succession came upon us, during which no water descended on
us from heaven, nor did any grass grow for us on the face of the earth.
So we ate what food we had in our dwellings, and after that we fell
upon the beasts and ate them, and there remained nothing. Upon this,

*Korah; Haman the chief minister of the Pharaoh of the oppreuion. See Kur'an,
xxviii. '"Canaan and the Pharaoh of the oppression.

THE CITY OF BRASS 321

therefore, I caused the wealth to be brought, and meted it with a measure,
and sent it by trusty men, who went about with it through ail the dis-
tricts, not leaving unvisited a single large city, to seek for some food.
But they found it not; and they returned to us with the wealth, after a
long absence. So thereufxjn we exposed to view our riches and our
treasures, locked the gates of the fortresses in our city, and submitted
ourselves to the decree of our Lx)rd, committing our case to our Master;
and thus we all died, as thou beholdest, and left what we had built and
what we had treasured. This is the story: and after the substance there
remaineth not aught save the vestige.

And they looked at the lower part of the tablet, and saw inscribed
upon it these verses: —

Child of Adam, let not hope make game of thee. From all that thy

hands have treasured thou shalt be removed.
I see thee desirous of the world and its embellishments; and the past

generations have pursued the same course.
They acquired wealth, both lawful and forbidden; but it repelled not

fate when the term expired:
They led troops in multitudes, and collected riches; and they left their

wealth and buildings, and def>arted
To the narrow graves, and lay down in the dust; and there they have

remained, pledged for their actions;
As if the company of travellers had put down their baggage during night

in a house where was no food for guests.
And its owner had said to them, O people, there is not any lodging for

you in it. So they packed after alighting:
And they all thereupon became fearful and timid: neither halting nor

journeying was pleasant unto them.
Then prepare good provision that will rejoice thee to-morrow; and act

not save agreeably with the fear of thy Lord.

And upon the tablet were also inscribed these words: —

Whoso arriveth at our city, and entereth it, God facilitating his en-
trance into it, let him take of the wealth what he can, but not touch any
thing that is on my body; for it is the covering of my person, and the
attire with which I am fitted forth from the world. Therefore let him
fear God, and not seize aught of it; for he would destroy himself. I have
caused this to be an admonition from me unto him, and a charge which
I give him in confidence. And peace be on you! I beg God, moreover,
to save you from the evil of trials and sickness.

The Emir Musa, when he heard these words, again wept so
violently that he became insensible; and after he had recovered, he

322 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

wrote all that he saw, and was admonished by what he witnessed.
He then said to his companions, Bring the sacks, and fill them with
part of these riches and these vessels and rarities and jewels. And
thereupon, Talib the son of Sahl said to the Emir Musa, O Emir,
shall we leave this damsel with the things that are upon her ? They
are things that have no equal, nor is the like of them at any time
found, and they are more than the riches thou hast taken, and will
be the best present by which thou mayest ingratiate thyself with
the Prince of the Faithful. — But the Emir replied, O thou, heardest
thou not that which the damsel hath given as a charge, in the in-
scription upon this tablet.? Moreover, and especially, she hath given
it as a charge offered in confidence, and we are not of the people
of treachery. — The Wezir Talib, however, said, And on account
of these words wilt thou leave these riches and these jewels, when
she is dead.i* What then should she do with these things, which are
the ornaments of the world, and the decoration of the living?
With a garment of cotton might this damsel be covered, and we are
more worthy of the things than she. — Then he drew near to the
steps, and ascended them until he reached the spot between the two
men [the slaves before mentioned], when, lo, one of these two
smote him upon his back, and the other smote him with the sword
that was in his hand, and struck off his head, and he fell down
dead. So the Emir Musa said, May God not regard with mercy thy
resting-place! There was, in these riches, a sufficiency; and covetous-
ness doth doubtlessly dishonour the person in whom it existeth! — He
thereupon gave orders for the entry of the troops, who accordingly
entered, and they loaded the camels with part of those riches and
minerals; after which the Emir Musa commanded them to close the
gate as it was before.

They then proceeded along the sea<oast until they came in sight
of a high mountain overlooking the sea. In it were many caves, and,
lo, in these was a people of the blacks, clad in hides, and with
burnuses of hides upon their heads, whose language was not known.
And when they saw the troops, they ran from them, and fled to those
caves, while their women and their children stood at the entrances
of the caves. So the Emir Musa said, O sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad,
what are these people.' And he answered, These are the objects of

THE CITY OF BRASS 323

the inquiry of the Prince of the Faithful. They therefore alighted,
and the tents were pitched, and the riches were put down; and they
had not rested when the King of the blacks came down from the
moun^in, and drew near to the troops. He was acquainted with the
Arabic language; therefore, when he came to the Emir Musa, he
saluted him; and the Emir returned his salutation, and treated him
with honour. Then the King of the blacks said to the Emir, Are
ye of mankind, or the Jinn ? The Emir answered. As to us, we are
of mankind; and as to you, there is no doubt but that ye are of the
Jinn, because of your seclusion in this mountain that is separated
from the world, and because of the greatness of your make. But
the King of the blacks replied. Nay, we are a people of the race of
Adam, of the sons of Ham the son of Nuh, on whom be peace! And
as to this sea, it is known by the name of El-Karkar. — So the Emir
Musa said to him. And whence obtained ye knowledge, when there
hath not come unto you any prophet divinely inspired in such a
country as this? He answered. Know, O Emir, that there appeareth
unto us, from this sea, a person diffusing a light whereby the sur-
rounding tracts are illuminated; and he proclaimeth, with a voice
which the distant and the near hear, O sons of Ham, be abashed at
Him who seeth and is not seen; and say. There is no deity but
God: Mohammad is the Aposde of God. And I am Abu-1-' Abbas
El-Khidr. — Before that, we used to worship one another; but he
called us to the worship of the Lord of mankind. — Then he said to
the Emir Musa, He hath also taught us some words to say. — And
what, asked the Emir, are those words? He answered, They are
these: — There is no deity but God alone: He hath no partner: to
Him belongeth dominion, and to Him belongeth praise: He giveth
life and killeth : and He is able to accomplish every thing. And we
seek not access to God (to whom be ascribed might and glory!) save
by these words, nor know we any others. Also, every night of
Friday we see a light upon the face of the earth, and we hear a
voice saying, Perfect! Holy! Lord of the Angels and the Spirit!
Whatsoever God willeth cometh to pass, and what He willeth not
Cometh not to pass! Every benefit from God is a gratuitous favour!
And there is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the Great!
The Emir Musa then said to him, We are the associates of the

324 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

King o£ El-Islam, 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan; and we have
come on account of the bottles of brass that are here in your sea,
and wherein are the devils imprisoned from the time of Suleyman
the son of Da'ud (on both of whom be peace!). He hath com-
manded us to bring him some of them, that he may see them, and
divert himself by the view of them. — And the King of the blacks
replied. Most willingly. Then he feasted him with fish, and ordered
the divers to bring up from the sea some of the bottles of Suleyman;
and they brought up for them twelve bottles; wherewith the Emir
Musa was delighted, and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad also, and the
soldiers, on account of the accomplishment of the affair of the Prince
of the Faithful. The Emir Musa thereupon presented to the King
of the blacks many presents, and gave him large gifts. In like
manner too the King of the blacks gave to the Emir Musa a present
consisting of wonders of the sea, in the form of human beings, and
said to him. Your entertainment for these three days shall be of
these fish. And the Emir replied. We must carry with us some of
them, that the Prince of the Faithful may see them; for thereby will
his heart be pleased more than by the bottles of Suleyman.

Then they bade him farewell, and they journeyed back until they
came to the land of Syria, and went in to the Prince of the Faithful;
whereupon the Emir Musa acquainted him with all that he had
seen, and all that had occurred to him with respect to the verses and
histories and admonitions, and told him of the case of Talib the son
of Sahl. And the Prince of the Faithful said to him. Would that I
had been with you, that I might have beheld what ye beheld! He
then took the bottles, and proceeded to open one after another, and
the devils came forth from them, saying. Repentance, O Prophet of
God! We will not return to the like conduct ever! — And 'Abd-El-
Melik the son of Marwan wondered at this. But as to the damsels
of the sea, with the like of which the King of the blacks feasted
them, they made for them troughs of wood, which they filled with
water, and into these they put them. They died, however, in conse-
quence of the intensity of the heat. After this, the Prince of the
Faithful caused the riches to be brought before him, and divided
them among the Muslims. And he said, God hath not bestowed
upon any one the like of what He bestowed upon Suleyman the son

THE CITY OF BRASS 325

of Da'ud. Then the Emir Musa begged the Prince of the Faithful
that he might appoint his son in his place as Governor of the
province, and that he might himself go to the noble Jerusalem, there
to worship God. So the Prince of the Faithful appointed his son
to the government, and he himself went to the noble Jerusalem,
and he died there.

This is the end of that which hath come down to us, of the history
of the City of Brass, entire. And God is all-knowing.

[Nights 73^56]
The Story of Jullanar of the Sea

THERE was, in olden time, and in an ancient age and period,
in the land of the Persians, a King named Shah-Zeman,
and the place of his residence was Khurasan. He had a
hundred concubines; but he had not been blest, during his whole
life, with a male child by any of them, nor a female; and he re-
flected upon this, one day, and lamented that the greater portion of
his life had passed, and he had not been blessed with a male child to
inherit the kingdom after him as he had inherited it from his fathers
and forefathers. So the utmost grief, and violent vexation, befell
him on this account.

Now while he was sitting one day, one of his memluks came in
to him, and said to him, O my lord, at the door is a slave-girl with
a merchant: none more beautiful than she hath been seen. And he re-
plied. Bring to me the merchant and the slave-girl. The merchant
and the slave-girl therefore came to him; and when he saw her, he
found her to resemble the Rudeyni' lance. She was wrapped in an
izar of silk embroidered with gold, and the merchant uncovered her
face, whereupon the place was illuminated by her beauty, and there
hung down from her forehead seven locks of hair reaching to her
anklets, like the tails of horses. She had eyes bordered with kohl,
and heavy hips, and slender waist: she was such as would cure
the malady of the sick, and extinguish the fire of the thirsty, and
was as the poet hath said in these verses: —

I am enamoured of her: she is perfect in beauty, and perfect also in

gravity and in dignity.
She is neither tall nor short; but her hips are such that the izar is too

narrow for them.
Her stature is a mean between the small and the large: so there is neither

tallness nor shortness to find fault with.

' Rudeynch and her husband Semhcr, of Khact Hejer, were famous for making
straight spear-shafts.

326

JULLANAR OF THE SEA 327

Her hair reacheth to her anklets, [and is black as night,] but her face
is ever like the day.

The King, therefore wondered at the sight of her, and at her beauty
and loveliness, and her stature and justness of form; and he said
to the merchant, O sheykh, for how much is this damsel to be sold ?
The merchant answered, O my lord, I purchased her for two thou-
sand pieces of gold of the merchant who owned her before me, and
I have been for three years travelling with her, and she hath cost, to
the period of her arrival at this place, three thousand pieces of gold;
and she is a present from me unto thee. Upon this, the King con-
ferred upon him a magnificent robe of honour, and gave orders to
present him with ten thousand pieces of gold. So he took them, and
kissed the hands of the King, thanking him for his bounty and
beneficence, and departed. Then the King committed the damsel to
the tirewomen, saying to them, Amend the state of this damsel, and
deck her, and furnish for her a private chamber, and take her into
it. He also gave orders to his chamberlains that every thing which
she required should be conveyed to her. The seat of government
where he resided was on the shore of the sea, and his city was called
the White City. And they conducted the damsel into a private
chamber, which chamber had windows overlooking the sea; and
the King commanded his chamberlains to close all the doors upon
her after taking to her all that she required.

The King then went in to visit the damsel; but she rose not to
him, nor took any notice of him. So the King said. It seemeth that
she hath been with people who have not taught her good manners.
And looking at the damsel, he saw her to be a person surpassing in
beauty and loveliness, and in stature and justness of form; her face
was hke the disk of the moon at the full, or the shining sun in the
clear sky; and he wondered at her beauty and loveliness, and stature
and justness of form, extolling the perfection of God, the Creator:
lauded be his power! Then the King advanced to the damsel, and
seated himself by her side, pressed her to his bosom, and seated her
upon his thigh; and he kissed her lips, which he found to be sweeter
than honey. After this, he gave orders to bring tables of the richest
viands, comprising dishes of every kind; and the King ate, and put

328 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

morsels into her mouth until she was satisfied, but she spoke not a
single word. The King talked to her, and inquired of her her name;
but she was silent, not uttering a word, nor returning him an answer,
ceasing not to hang down her head towards the ground; and what
protected her from the anger of the King was the excess of her
beauty and loveliness, and her tenderness of manner. So the King
said within himself, Extolled be the perfection of God, the Creator
of this damsel! How elegant is she, saving that she doth not sf)eak!
But perfection belongeth unto God, whose name be exalted! — Then
the King asked the female slaves whether she had spxiken; and they
answered him. From the time of her arrival to the present moment
she hath not spoken one word, and we have not heard her talk. The
King therefore caused some of the female slaves and concubines to
come, and ordered them to sing to her, and to make merry with
her, thinking that then she might jjerhaps sfieak. Accordingly the
female slaves and concubines played before her with all kinds of
musical instruments, and enacted sports and other performances, and
they sang so that every one who was present was moved with delight,
except the damsel, who looked at them and was silent, neither
laughing nor speaking. So the heart of the King was contracted.
He however inclined to her entirely, paying no regard to others, but
relinquishing all the rest of his concubines and favourites.

He remained with her a whole year, which seemed as one day,
and still she sf)oke not; and he said to her one day, when his love of
her, and his passion, were excessive, O desire of souls, verily the love
that I have for thee is great, and I have relinquished for thy sake all
my female slaves, and the concubines and the women and the
favourites, and made thee my worldly portion, and been patient with
thee a whole year. I beg God (whose name be exalted!) that He
will, in his grace, soften thy heart towards me, and that thou mayest
speak to me. Or, if thou be dumb, inform me by a sign, that I may
give up hop)e of thy speaking. I also beg of God (whose perfection
be extolled!) that He will bless me by thee with a male child that
may inherit my kingdom after me; for I am single and solitary, hav-
ing none to be my heir, and my age hath become great. I conjure
thee then by Allah, if thou love me, that thou return me a reply. —
And upon this, the damsel hung down her head towards the ground,

JULLANAR OF THE SEA 329

meditating. Then she raised her head, and smiled in the face of
the King, whereat it appeared to the King that lightning filled the
private chamber; and she said, O magnanimous King, and bold lion,
God hath answered thy prayer; for I am about to bear thee issue, and
the time is [almost] come. But I know not whether the child is
male or female. And were it not for my being in this state, I had
not spoken to thee one word. — And when the King heard what she
said, his face brightened up with joy and happiness, and he kissed
her head and her hands by reason of the violence of his joy, and
said. Praise be to God who hath favoured me with things that I
desired; the first, thy speaking; and the second, thy information that
thou art about to bear me issue. Then the King arose and went
forth from her, and seated himself upon the throne of his kingdom
in a state of exceeding happiness; and he ordered the Wezir to give
out to the jxxjr and the needy and the widows and others a hundred
thousand pieces of gold as a thank-offering to God (whose name be
exalted!) and an alms on his part. So the Wezir did as the King
had commanded him. And after that, the King went in to the
damsel, and sat with her, and embraced her and pressed her to his
bosom, saying to her, O my mistress, who ownest me as thy slave,
wherefore hath been this silence, seeing that thou hast been with me
a whole year, night and day, awake and asleep, yet hast not spoken
to me during this year except on this day? What then hath been
the cause of thy silence ?

The damsel answered. Hear, O King of the age, and know that
I am a poor person, a stranger, broken-hearted: I have become sepa-
rated from my mother and my family and my brother. And when
the King heard her words, he knew her desire, and he replied. As to
thy saying that thou art poor, there is no occasion for such an
assertion; for all my kingdom and my goods and possessions are at
thy service, and I also have become thy memluk: and as to thy
saying, I have become separated from my mother and my family and
my brother — inform me in what place they are, and I will send to
them, and bring them to thee. So she said to him, Know, O fortu-
nate King, that my name is Jullanar of the Sea. My father was one
of the Kings of the Sea, and he died, and left to us the kingdom;
but while we were enjoying it, one of the Kings came upon us, and

330 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

took the kingdom from our hands. I have also a brother named
Salih, and my mother is of the women of the sea; and I quarrelled
with my brother, and swore that I would throw myself into the
hands of a man of the inhabitants of the land. Accordingly I came
forth from the sea, and sat upxjn the shore of an island in the moon-
light, and there passed by me a man who took me and conducted
me to his abode, and desired to make me his concubine; but I
smote him upon his head, and he almost died; wherefore he went
and sold me to this man from whom thou tookest me, and he was
an excellent, virtuous man, a person of religion and fidelity and
kindness. But had not thy heart loved me, and hadst thou not pre-
ferred me above all thy concubines, I had not remained with thee one
hour; for I should have cast myself into the sea from this window,
and gone to my mother and my people. I was ashamed, however,
to go to them in the state in which I am; for they would imagine
evil of me, and would not believe me, even though I should swear
to them, were I to tell them that a King had purchased me with his
money, and had made me his worldly pwrtion, and chosen me in
preference to his wives and all that his right hand possessed. This
is my story, and peace be on thee! — And when he heard her words,
he thanked her, and kissed her between her eyes, and said to her.
By Allah, O my mistress, and light of my eyes, I cannot endure thy
separation for one hour; and if thou quit me, I shall die instantly.
How then shall the affair be? — She answered, O my master, the
time of the birth is near, and my family must come. — And how, said
the King, do they walk in the sea without being wetted? She
answered, We walk in the sea as ye walk upon the land, through
the influence of the names engraved upon the seal of Suleyman the
son of Da'ud, upon both of whom be peace! But, O King, when my
family and my brethren come, I will inform them that thou bought-
est me with thy money, and hast treated me with kindness and
beneficence, and it will be meet that thou confirm my assertion to
them. They will also see thy state with their eyes, and will know
that thou art a King, the son of a King. — And thereupon the King
said, O my mistress, do what seemeth fit to thee, and what thou
wishest; for I will comply with thy desire in all that thou wilt do.
And the damsel said. Know, O King of the age, that we walk in

JULLANAR OF THE SEA 331

the sea with our eyes open, and see what is in it, and we see the

sun and the moon and the stars and the sky as on the face of the
earth, and this hurteth us not.^ Know also, that in the sea are many
peoples and various forms of all the kinds that are on the land; and
know, moreover, that all that is on the land, in comparison with
what is in the sea, is a very small matter. — And the King wondered
at her words.

Then the damsel took forth from her shoulders two pieces of
Kamari aloes-wood, and took a bit of them, and, having lighted a
fire in a perfuming-vessel, threw into it that bit, and she uttered a
loud whistle, and proceeded to speak words which no one under-
stood; whereupon a great smoke arose, while the King looked on.
After this, she said to the King, O my lord, arise and conceal thyself
in a closet, that I may shew thee my brother and my mother and my
family without their seeing thee; for I desire to bring them, and
thou shalt see in this place, at this time, a wonder, and shalt wonder
at the various shapes and strange forms that God (whose name be
exalted!) hath created. So the King arose immediately, and entered
a closet, and looked to see what she would do. And she proceeded
to burn perfume and repeat spells until the sea foamed and was
agitated, and there came forth from it a young man of comely form,
of beautiful countenance, like the moon at the full, with shining
forehead, and red cheek, and hair resembling pearls and jewels; he
was, of all the creation, the most like to his sister, and the tongue of
the case itself seemed to recite in his praise these verses: —

The mcx>n becometh perfect once in each month; but the loveliness of

thy face is perfect every day.
Its abode is in the heart of one sign at a time; but thine abode is in all

hearts at once.

Afterwards, there came forth from the sea a grizzly-haired old
woman, and with her five damsels, resembling moons, and bearing a
likeness to the damsel whose name was Jullanar. Then the King
saw the young man and the old woman and the damsels walk upon
the surface of the water until they came to the damsel Jullanar; and

'These people are perhaps the Ghawwasah, or Divers and Plungers, an inferior
class of the Jinn.

332 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

when they drew near to the window, and Jullanar beheld them, she
rose to them and met them with joy and happiness. On their seeing
her, they knew her, and they went in to her and embraced her,
weeping violently; and they said to her, O Jullanar, how is it that
thou leavest us for four years, and we know not the place in which
thou art? By Allah, the world was contracted unto us, by reason
of the distress occasioned by thy separation, and we had no delight
in food nor in drink a single day, weeping night and day on account
of the excess of our longing to see thee. — Then the damsel began to
kiss the hand of the young man her brother, and the hand of her
mother, and so also the hands of the daughters of her uncle, and
they sat with her a while, asking her respecting her state, and the
things that had happened to her, and her present condition.

So she said to them. Know ye, that when I quitted you, and came
forth from the sea, I sat upon the shore of an island, and a man
took me, and sold me to a merchant, and the merchant brought me
to this city, and sold me to its King for ten thousand pieces of gold.
Then he treated me with attention, and forsook all his concubines
and his women and his favourites for my sake, and was diverted by
his regard for me from every thing that he possessed and what was
in his city. — And when her brother heard her words, he said. Praise
be to God who hath reunited us with thee! But it is my desire, O
my sister, that thou wouldst arise and go with us to our country and
our family. — So when the King heard the words of her brother, his
reason fled in consequence of his fear lest the damsel should accept
the proposal of her brother, and he could not prevent her, though he
was inflamed with love of her; wherefore he became perplexed, in
violent fear of her separation. But as to the damsel Jullanar, on
hearing the words of her brother, she said, By Allah, O my brother,
the man who purchased me is the King of this city, and he is a great
King, and a man of wisdom, generous, of the utmost liberality. He
hath treated me with honour, and he is a person of kindness, and
of great wealth, but hath no male child nor a female. He hath shewn
favour to me, and acted well to me in every respect; and from the
day when I came to him to the present time, I have not heard from
him a bad word to grieve my heart; but he hath not ceased to treat
me with courtesy, and hath done nothing without consulting me,

JULLANAR OF THE SEA 333

and I am living with him in the best of states, and the most perfect
of enjoyments. Moreover, if I quitted him, he would perish: for he
can never endure my separation even for a single hour. I also, if I
quitted him, should die, by reason of the violence of my love for
him in consequence of the excess of his kindness to me during the
period of my residence with him; for if my father were living, my
condition with him would not be like my condition with this great,
glorious King. Ye have seen, too, that I am about to bear him issue;
and praise be to God who hath made me to be a daughter of a King
of the Sea, and my husband the greatest of the Kings of the Land.
God (whose name be exalted!) afflicted me not, but compensated me
well; and as the King hath not a male child nor a female, I beg
God (whose name be exalted!) to bless me with a male child that
may inherit of this great King these buildings and palaces and
possessions of which God hath made him owner. — And when her
brother and the daughters of her uncle heard her words, their eyes
became cheerful thereat, and they said to her, O JuUanar, thou
knowest the place which thou hast in our estimation, and art ac-
quainted with our affection for thee, and thou art assured that thou
art the dearest of all persons to us, and art certain that we desire
for thee comfort, without trouble or toil. Therefore if thou be not
in a state of comfort, arise and accompany us to our country and our
family; but if thou be comfortable here, in honour and happiness,
this is our desire and wish; for we desire not aught save thy com-
fort in every respect. — And Jullanar replied. By Allah, I am in a
state of the utmost comfort and enjoyment, in honour and desirable
happiness. So when the King heard these words from her, he re-
joiced, and his heart became tranquillized, and he thanked her for
them; his love for her increased, and penetrated to his heart's core,
and he knew that she loved him as he loved her, and that she de-
sired to remain with him to see his child which she was to bear him.
Then the damsel Jullanar of the Sea gave orders to the female
slaves to bring forward the tables and the viands of all kinds; and
Jullanar herself was the person who superintended the preparation
of the viands in the kitchen. So the female slaves brought to them
the viands and the sweetmeats and the fruits; and she ate with her
family. But afterwards they said to her, O Jullanar, thy master is a

334 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

man who is a stranger to us, and we have entered his abode without
his permission and without his knowledge of us, and thou praisest to
us his excellence, and hast also brought to us his food, and we have
eaten, but have not had an interview with him, nor seen him, nor
hath he seen us, nor come into our presence, nor eaten with us, that
the bond of bread and salt might be established between us. And
they all desisted from eating, and were enraged at her, and fire began
to issue from their mouths as from cressets. So when the King be-
held this, his reason fled, in consequence of the violence of his fear
of them. Then Jullanar rose to them, and soothed their hearts; after
which she walked along until she entered the closet in which was
the King her master; and she said to him, O my master, didst thou
see, and didst thou hear my thanks to thee, and my praise of thee
in the presence of my family; and didst thou hear what they said to
me, that they desired to take me with them to our family and our
coimtry? The King answered her, I heard and saw. May God
recompense thee for us well! By Allah, I knew not the extent of the
love that thou feelest for me until this blessed hour, and I doubt not
of thy love for me. — She repUed, O my master, is the recompense of
beneficence aught but beneficence? Thou hast treated me with
beneficence, and bestowed upon me great favours, and I see that
thou lovest me with the utmost love, and thou hast shewn me every
kindness, and preferred me above all whom thou lovest and desirest.
How then could my heart be happy to quit thee, and to depart from
thee; and how could that be when thou bestowest benefits and
favours upon me ? Now I desire of thy goodness that thou come and
salute my family, and see them, and that they may see thee, and that
pleasure and mutual friendship may ensue. But know, O King of
the age, that my brother and my mother and the daughters of my
uncle have conceived a great love for thee in consequence of my
praising thee to them, and they have said, We will not depart from
thee to our country until we have an interview with the King, and
salute him. So they desire to behold thee, and to become familiar
with thee. — And the King said to her, I hear and obey; for this is
what 1 desire. He then rose from his place, and went to them, and
saluted them with the best salutation; and they hastened to rise to
him; they met him in the most polite manner, and he sat with them

JULLANAR OF THE SEA 335

in the pavilion, ate with them at the table, and remained with them
for a period of thirty days. Then they desired to return to their
country and abode. So they took leave of the King, and the Queen
JuUanar of the Sea, and departed from them, after the King had
treated them with the utmost honour.

After this, JuUanar fulfilled her period, and she gave birth to a
boy, resembling the moon at the full, whereat the King experienced
the utmost happiness, because he had not before been blest with a
son nor a daughter during his life. They continued the rejoicings,
and the decorations [of the city], for a period of seven days, in the
utmost happiness and enjoyment; and on the seventh day, the
mother of the Queen Jullanar, and her brother, and the daughters
of her uncle, all came, when they knew that Jullanar had given
birth to her child. The King met them, rejoicing at their arrival,
and said to them, I said I would not name my son until ye should
come, and that ye should name him according to your knowledge.
And they named him Bedr Basim; all of them agreeing as to this
name. They then presented the boy to his maternal uncle, Salih, who
took him upon his hands, and, rising with him from among them,
walked about the palace to the right and left; after which, he went
forth with him from the palace, descended with him to the sea, and
walked on until he became concealed from the eye of the King. So
when the King saw that he had taken his son, and disappeared from
him at the bottom of the sea, he despaired of him, and began to
weep and wail. But Jullanar, seeing him in this state, said to him,
O King of the age, fear not nor grieve for thy son; for I love my
child more than thou, and my child is with my brother; therefore
care not for the sea, nor fear his being drowned. If my brother
knew that any injury would betide the little one, he had not done
what he hath done; and presently he will bring thee thy son safe,
if it be the will of God, whose name be exalted! — And but a short
time had elapsed when the sea was agitated and disturbed, and the
uncle of the little one came forth from it, having with him the
King's son safe, and he flew from the sea until he came to them,
with the litde one on his arms, silent, and his face resembling the
moon in the night of its fulness. Then the uncle of the little one
looked towards the King, and said to him. Perhaps thou fearedst

336 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

some injury to thy son when I descended into the sea, having him
with me. So he repUed, Yes, O my master, I feared for him, and I
did not imagine that he would ever come forth from it safe. And
SaUh said to him, O King of the Land, we appUed to his eyes a
collyrium that we know, and repeated over him the names engraved
upon the seal of Suleyman the son of Da'ud (on both of whom be
peace!); for when a child is born among us, we do to him as I
have told thee. Fear not therefore, on his account, drowning, nor
suffocation, nor all the seas if he descend unto them. Like as ye walk
upon the land, we walk in the sea.

He then took forth from his pocket a case, written upon, and
sealed; and he broke its seal, and scattered its contents, whereupon
there fell from it strung jewels, consisting of all kinds of jacinths and
other gems, together with three hundred oblong emeralds, and three
hundred oblong large jewels, of the size of the eggs of the ostrich, the
light of which was more resplendent than the light of the sun and
the moon. And he said, O King of the age, these jewels and jacinths
are a present from me unto thee; for we never brought thee a
present, because we knew not the place of Jullanar's abode, nor were
acquainted with any trace or tidings of her. So when we saw thee
to have become united to her, and that we all had become one, we
brought thee this present; and after every period of a few days, we
will bring thee the Uke of it, if it be the will of God, whose name be
exalted! For these jewels and jacinths with us are more plentiful
than the gravel upon the land, and we know the excellent among
them, and the bad, and all the ways to them, and the places where
they are found, and they are easy of access to us. — And when the
King looked at those jewels and jacinths, his reason was confounded
and his mind was bewildered, and he said, By Allah, one of these
jewels is worth my kingdom! Then the King thanked Salih of the
Sea for his generosity, and, looking towards the Queen Jullanar,
he said to her, I am abashed at thy brother; for he hath shewn
favour to me, and presented me with this magnificent present, which
the people of the earth would fail to procure. So Jullanar thanked
her brother for that which he had done; but her brother said, O
King of the age, thou hadst a prior claim upon us, and to thank thee
hath been incumbent on us; for thou hast treated my sister with

JULLANAR OF THE SEA 337

beneficence, and we have entered thine abode, and eaten of thy pro-
vision; and the poet hath said, —

Had / wept before she did, in my passion for So'da, I had healed my soul

before repentance came.
But she wept before / did: her tears drew mine; and I said. The merit

belongs to the precedent.

Then SaUh said, If we stood serving thee, O King of the age, a
thousand years, regarding nothing else, we could not requite thee,
and our doing so would be but a small thing in comparison with
thy desert. — The King therefore thanked him eloquently. And Salih
remained with the King, he and his mother and the daughters of
his uncle, forty days; after which he arose and kissed the ground
before the King, the husband of his sister. So the King said to him.
What dost thou desire, O Salih? And he answered, O King of the
age, thou hast conferred favours upon us, and we desire of thy
goodness that thou wouldst grant us a boon, and give us permission
to depart; for we have become desirous of seeing again our family
and our country and our relations and oiu' homes. We will not, how-
ever, relinquish the service of thee, nor that of my sister nor the
son of my sister; and by Allah, O King of the age, to quit you is
not pleasant to my heart; but how can we act, when we have been
reared in the sea, and the land is not agreeable to us ? — So when the
King heard his words, he rose upon his feet, and bade farewell to
Salih of the Sea and his mother and the daughters of his uncle, and
they wept together on account of the separation. Then they said to
the King, In a short time we shall be with you, and we will never
relinquish you, but after every period of a few days we will visit
you. And after this, they flew towards the sea, and descended into
it, and disappeared.

The King treated JuUanar with beneficence, and honoured her
exceedingly, and the litde one grew up well; and his maternal uncle,
with his grandmother and the daughters of his uncle, after every
period of a few days used to come to the residence of the King, and
to remain with him a month, and two months, and then return to
their places. The boy ceased not, with increase of age, to increase in
beauty and loveliness until his age became fifteen years; and he was

338 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

incomparable in his perfect beauty, and his stature and his justness
of form. He had learned writing and reading, and history and
grammar and philology, and archery; and he learned to play with
the spear; and he also learned horsemanship, and all that the sons
of the Kings required. There was not one of the children of the
inhabitants of the city, men and women, that talked not of the
charms of that young man; for he was of surpassing loveliness and
perfection; and the King loved him greatly. Then the King sum-
moned the Wezir and the emirs, and the lords of the empire, and
the great men of the kingdom, and made them swear by binding
oaths that they would make Bedr Basim King over them after his
father; so they swore to him by binding oaths, and rejoiced thereat;
and the King himself was beneficent to the people, courteous in
speech, of auspicious aspect, saying nothing but what was for the
good of the people. And on the following day, the King mounted,
together with the lords of the empire and all the emirs, and all the
soldiers walked with him through the city and returned; and when
they drew near to the palace, the King dismounted to wait upon
his son, and he and all the emirs and the lords of the empire bore
the ghashiyeh before him. Each one of the emirs and the lords of
the empire bore the ghashiyeh a while; and they ceased not to pro-
ceed until they arrived at the vestibule of the palace: the King's son
riding. Thereupon he alighted, and his father embraced him, he and
the emirs, and they seated him upon the throne of the kingdom,
while his father stood, as also did the emirs, before him. Then Bedr
Basim judged the people, displaced the tyrannical and invested the
just, and continued to give judgment until near midday, when he
rose from the throne of the kingdom, and went in to his mother
Jullanar of the Sea, having upon his head the crown, and resembling
the moon. So when his mother saw him, and the King before him,
she rose to him and kissed him, and congratulated him on his
elevation to the dignity of Sultan; and she offered up a prayer in
favour of him and his father for length of life, and victory over their
enemies. He then sat with his mother and rested; and when the
time of afternoon-prayers arrived, he rode with the emirs before him
until he came to the horse-course, where he played with arms till the
time of nightfall, together with his father and the lords of his em-

JULLANAR OF THE SEA 339

pire; after which he returned to the palace, with all the people before
him. Every day he used to ride to the horse-course; and when he
returned, he sat to judge the people, and administered justice between
the emir and the poor man. He ceased not to do thus for a whole
year; and after that, he used to ride to the chase, and to go about
through the cities and provinces that were under his rule, making
proclamation of safety and security, and doing as do the Kings; and
he was incomparable among the people of his age in glory and cour-
age, and in justice to the people.

Now it came to pass that the old King, the father of Bedr Basim,
fell sick one day, whereupon his heart throbbed, and he felt that
he was about to be removed to the mansion of eternity. Then his
malady increased so that he was at the point of death. He there-
fore summoned his son, and charged him to take care of his sub-
jects and his mother and all the lords of his empire and all the
dependants. He also made them swear, and covenanted with them,
that they would obey his son, a second time; and he confided in
their oaths. And after this, he remained a few days, and was ad-
mitted to the mercy of God, whose name be exalted! His son Bedr
Basim, and his wife JuUanar, and the emirs and wezirs and the
lords of the empire, mourned over him; and they made for him a
tomb, and buried him in it, and continued the ceremonies of mourn-
ing for him a whole month. Salih, the brother of JuUanar, and her
mother, and the daughters of her uncle, also came, and consoled them
for the loss of the King; and they said, O JuUanar, if the King hath
died, he hath left this ingenuous youth, and he who hath left such
as he is hath not died. This is he who hath not an equal, the crush-
ing lion, and the splendid moon. — Then the lords of the empire,
and the grandees, went in to the King Bedr Basim, and said to him,
O King, there is no harm in mourning for the King; but mourning
becometh not any save women; therefore trouble not thy heart and
ours by mourning for thy father, for he hath died and left thee, and
he who hath left such as thou art hath not died. They proceeded
to address him with soft words, and to console him, and after that
they conducted him into the bath; and when he came forth from
the bath, he put on a magnificent suit woven of gold, adorned with
jewels and jacinths, and he put the royal crown upon his head, seated

340 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

himself upon the throne of his kingdom, and performed the affairs
of the people, deciding equitably between the strong and the weak,
and exacting for the poor man his due from the emir; wherefore
the people loved him exceedingly. Thus he continued to do so for
the space of a whole year; and after every short period, his family
of the sea visited him; so his life was pleasant, and his eye was
cheerful: and he ceased not to live in this state for a length of time.

APPENDIX
The Story of 'Ala-ei>4)in and the Wonderful Lamp

I HAVE heard, O King o£ the Age, that there dwelt in a city of
China a poor tailor who had a son named 'Ala-ed-Din. Now
this boy had been a scatter-brained scapegrace from his birth.
And when he had come to his tenth year his father wished to teach
him a handicraft; and being too poor to afford to spend money on
him for learning an art or craft or business, he took him into his
own shop to learn his trade of tailoring. But 'Ala-ed-Din, being a
careless boy, and always given to playing with the urchins of the
street, would not stay in the shop a single day, but used to watch
till his father went out on business or to meet a customer, and then
would run off to the gardens along with his fellow-ragamuffins.
Such was his case. He would neither obey his parents nor learn a
trade; till his father, for very sorrow and grief over his son's mis-
doing, fell sick and died. But 'Ala-ed-Din went on in the same way.
And when his mother perceived that her husband was dead, and
that her son was an idler of no use whatever, she sold the shop and
all its contents, and took to spinning cotton to support herself and
her good-for-nothing son. Meanwhile, 'Ala-ed-Din, freed from the
control of his father, grew more idle and disreputable, and would
not stay at home except for meals, while his poor unfortunate
mother subsisted by the spinning of her hands; and so it was, until
he had come to his fifteenth year.

One day, as 'Ala-ed-Din was sitting in the street playing with the
gutter-boys, a Moorish Darwish came along, and stood looking at
them, and began to scrutinise 'Ala-ed-Din and closely examine his
appearance, apart from his companions. Now this Darwish was
from the interior of Barbary, and was a sorcerer who could heap
mountain upon mountain by his spells, and who knew astrology.
And when he had narrowly scrutinised 'Ala-ed-Din, he said within

341

342 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

himself: "Verily this is the youth I need, and in quest of whom I
left my native land." And he took one of the boys aside and asked
him concerning 'Ala-ed-Din, whose son he was, and wanted to know
all about him. After which, he went up to 'Ala-ed-Din, and took
him aside, and said: "Boy, art thou not the son of such a one, the
tailor?" And he answered: "Yes, O my master; but as to my father,
he has long been dead." When the Moorish sorcerer heard this, he
fell upon 'Ala-ed-Din, and embraced him and kissed him and wept
till the tears ran down his cheeks. And when 'Ala-ed-Din saw the
state of the Moor, wonder seized upon him, and he asked him and
said: "Why dost thou weep, O my master? and how knowest thou
my father?" And the Moor replied in a low and broken voice:
"My boy, how dost thou ask me this question after thou hast told
me that thy father, my brother is dead? For thy father was my
brother, and I have journeyed from my country, and I rejoiced
greatly in the hope of seeing him again, after my long exile, and
cheering him; and now thou hast told me he is dead. But our blood
hideth not from me that thou art my brother's son, and I recognised
thee amongst all the boys, although thy father was not yet married
when I parted from him. And now, O my son, 'Ala-ed-Din, I have
missed the obsequies, and been deprived of the delight of meeting
thy father, my brother, whom I had looked to see again, after my
long absence, before I die. Separation caused me this grief, and
created man hath no remedy or subterfuge against the decrees of
God the most High." And he took 'Ala-ed-Din and said to him : "O
my son, there remaineth no comfort to me but in thee; thou standest
in thy father's place, since thou art his successor, and 'whoso leaveth
issue doth not die, O my son." And the sorcerer stretched forth his
hand and took ten gold pieces, and gave them to 'Ala-ed-Din, saying
to him: "O my son, where is thy house, and where is thy mother, my
brother's widow?" So 'Ala-ed-Din shewed him the way to their
house, and the sorcerer said to him: "O my son, take this money,
and give it to thy mother, and salute her from me, and tell her that
thy uncle hath returned from his exile, and, God willing, will visit
her to-morrow to greet her and to see the house where my brother
lived and the place where he is buried." So 'Ala-ed-Din kissed the
hand of the Moor, and went, running in his joy, to his mother's,

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 343

and entered, contrary to his custom, for he was not wont to come
home save at meal times. And when he was come in he cried out
in his joy: "O my mother, I bring thee good news of my uncle, who
hath returned from his exile, and saluteth thee." And she said: "O
my son, dost thou mock me? Who is this uncle of thine, and how
hast thou an uncle at all?" And 'Ala-ed-Din answered: "O my
mother, how canst thou say that I have no uncles or kinsmen hving,
when this man is my uncle on my father's side, and he hath em-
braced and kissed me and wept over me, and told me to make this
known to thee!" And she said: "O my son, 1 know indeed that
thou didst have an uncle, but he is dead, and I know not any other
that thou hast."

On the morrow the Moorish sorcerer went out to seek 'Ala-ed-Din,
for his heart could not bear parting from him; and as he wandered
in the streets of the city, he met him disporting himself as usual
along with the other vagabonds, and, approaching, he took him by
the hand and embraced and kissed him, and took from his purse
ten gold pieces, and said: "Haste thee to thy mother and give her
these gold pieces, and tell her, 'My uncle would fain sup with us;
so take these pieces and make ready for us a good supper.' But
first of all, shew me again the way to your home." And 'Ala-ed-Din
replied: "On the head and eye, O my uncle." And he went before
him and shewed him the way home. So the Moor left him and
went his way; while 'Ala-ed-Din went home and told his mother,
and gave her the gold pieces, and said his uncle would fain take
supper with them. So she arose forthwith and went to the market
and bought what she needed, and returning home she set about
making ready for the supper. And she borrowed from her neigh-
bours what she needed of dishes and the rest, and when the time
came for supper she said to her son: "Supper is ready, but perhaps
thy uncle doth not know the way to the house; go therefore, and
meet him on the road." And he answered, "I hear and obey." And
whilst they were talking, a knock came at the door, and when 'Ala-
ed-Din opened, behold, there was the Moorish wizard, with a
eunuch carrying wine and fruit. And 'Ala-ed-Din brought them in,
and the eunuch departed; but the Moor entered and saluted the
mother, and began weeping and asking her questions, as, "Where

344 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

is the place where my brother sat ?" And when she shewed him her
husband's seat, he went to it and prostrated himself and kissed
the ground, and cried: "Ah, how small is my satisfaction and how
cruel my fate, since I have lost thee, O my brother, O apple of my
eye!" And he went on in this manner, weeping and wailing, until
'Ala-€d-Din's mother was assured that it was true, for verily he had
swooned from the violence of his grief. And she raised him up
from»the ground and said: "What benefit is there in killing thyself?"
And she comforted him, and seated him. And after he was seated
and before the supper-tray was served, the Moor began talking with
her, and said: "O wife of my brother, let it not amaze thee that in
all thy life thou hast neither seen me nor heard of me in the days
of my departed brother; for it is forty years since I left this city and
banished myself from my birthplace and wandered throughout the
countries of India and China and Arabia, and came to Egypt and
abode in its glorious capital, which is one of the wonders of the
world, until at length I journeyed to the interior of the West and
abode there for the space of thirty years. One day, O wife of my
brother, I was sitting thinking of my native land and my birthplace
and my blessed brother, and my longing to see him grew stronger,
and I wept and wailed over my separation and distance from him.
And at last my yearning made me determine to journey to this
country, which is the pillow of my head and my birthplace, for to
see my brother. For I said to myself: 'O man, how long wilt thou
abandon thy country and thy native place, when thou hast but one
brother and no more? So rise and journey and see him ere thou die;
for who can tell the calamities of this world and the chances of life?
And it would be a sore grief to die without seeing thy brother. More-
over, God (praised be his nlame!) hath given thee abundant wealth,
and perchance thy brother may be in distress and poverty, and thou
canst succour him as well as look upon him.' Therefore I arose and
made ready for the journey, and recited the Fatihah, and when the
Friday prayers were over, I departed and came to this city, after
many troubles and difficulties, which I endured by the help of God.
So I arrived here, and the day before yesterday, as I roamed about
the streets, I perceived thy son 'Ala-ed-Din playing with the boys,
and by Almighty God, O wife of my brother, hardly had I seen

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 345

him, when my heart went out to him (for blood is loving to its like),
and my heart told me that he was my brother's son. And I forgot my
troubles and anxieties as soon as I saw him, and could have flown
for joy, until he told me of the death of him who is gathered to the
mercy of God most High; whereat I swooned for heaviness of grief
and regret. But 'Ala-ed-Din hath doubtless informed thee of my
tribulation. Yet am I comforted in part by this child, who hath been
bequeathed to us by the departed. Verily, 'he who leaveth issue
doth not die.' "

And when he saw that she wept at his words, he turned to 'Ala-
ed-Din, to divert her from the thought of her husband; and to con-
sole her and perfect his deception, he said, "O my son 'Ala-ed-Din,
what crafts has thou learned and what is thy trade? Hast thou
learned a craft to support thee withal, thyself and thy mother.?"
And 'Ala-ed-Din was ashamed and hung down his head in confu-
sion, and bent it toward the ground. But his mother cried: "What
then! By Allah, he knoweth nothing at all; I never saw so heedless
a child as this. All the day he idleth about with the boys of the
street, vagabonds like himself, and his father (O my grief!) died
only of grieving over him. And I am now in woeful plight; I toil,
and spin night and day to gain a couple of loaves of bread for us
to eat together. This is his state, O brother-in-law; and by thy life
he Cometh not home save to meals, and never else. And as for me, I
am minded to lock the door of my house and open not to him, but
let him go and seek his own living. I am an old woman, and I have
not strength to work and struggle for a livelihood like this. By
Allah, I have to support him with food, when it is I who ought to
be supported." And the Moor turned to 'Ala-ed-Din and said: "O
son of my brother, why dost thou continue in such gracelessness ?
It is shame upon thee and befitteth not men like thee. Thou art a
person of sense, my boy, and the son of decent folk. It is a reproach
to thee that thy mother, an aged woman, should toil for thy main-
tenance. And now that thou hast reached manhood, it behooveth
thee to devise some way whereby thou mayest be able to support
thyself. Look about, for God be praised, in this our city there are
plenty of teachers of handicrafts; nowhere more. So choose a craft
that pleaseth thee, for me to set thee up therein, so that as thou

346 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

waxest older, my son, thy trade shall bring thee maintenance. If so
be thy father's calling liketh thee not, choose another that thou pre-
ferrest. Tell me, and I will help thee as best I can, my son." And
when he saw that 'Ala-ed-Din was silent and answered him never a
word, he knew that he did not wish any calling at all, save idhng,
so he said: "O son of my brother, let not my advice be irksome to
thee; for if, after all, thou like not to learn a trade, I will open for
thee a merchant's shop of the richest stuffs, and thou shalt be known
among the people, and take and give and buy and sell and become
a man of repute in the city." And when 'Ala-ed-Din heard his uncle's
words, that he would make him a merchant trader, he rejoiced
greatly, for he knew that merchants are well dressed and well fed.
So he looked smilingly at the Moor and inclined his head to signify
his content.

And when the Moorish wizard saw 'Ala-ed-Din smiling, he per-
ceived that he was content to be made a merchant, and he said to
him: "Since thou art satisfied that I make thee a merchant and open
a shop for thee, O son of my brother, be a man, and, God willing,
to-morrow I will take thee to the market to begin with, and get cut
for thee an elegant dress such as merchants wear, and then find for
thee a shop, and keep my promise to thee." Now 'Ala-ed-Din's
mother had been in doubt whether the Moor were indeed her
brother-in-law; but when she heard his promise to her son to open a
merchant's shop for him and furnish him with goods and wares and
the rest, the woman decided in her mind that this Moor was verily
her brother-in-law, since no stranger would have acted thus to her
son. And she began to direct her son and bade him banish igno-
rance from his head and become a man, and ever obey his uncle like
a son, and retrieve the time he had squandered in idling with his
mates. Then she arose, and spread the table and served the supper,
and they all sat down, and began to eat and drink; and the Moor
discoursed to 'Ala-ed-Din on the affairs of business and the like, so
that the boy did not sleep that night for joy. And when he perceived
that the night had fallen, the Moor arose and went to his abode and
promised them to return on the morrow to take 'Ala-ed-Din to have
his merchant's clothes made.

The next day the Moor rapped at the door, and the mother of

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 347

'Ala-ed-Din arose and opened to him, but he would not enter, but
only desired to take her son with him to the market. So 'Ala-ed-Din
came forth to him and wished him good-day, and kissed his hand;
and the Moor took him by the hand and went with him to the
market, and entered a clothes-shop of all sorts of stuffs, and de-
manded a sumptuous suit of merchant's style. So the dealer brought
out what he required ready made. And the Moor said to 'Ala-ed-
Din : "Choose what pleaseth thee, my son." The boy rejoiced gready
when he understood that his uncle had given him his choice, and
he picked out the suit he preferred; and the Moor paid the dealer
the price on the spot. Then he took 'Ala-ed-Din to the Hammam,
and they bathed, and came forth, and drank sherbet. And 'Ala-ed-
Din arose and put on his new dress, rejoicing and preening; and he
approached his uncle and thanked him, and kissed his hand, and
acknowledged his kindness.

After the Moor had come forth from the bath with 'Ala-ed-Din
and taken him to the market of the merchants, and delighted him
with the buying and selling therein, he said to him: "O son of my
brother, it behooveth thee to become acquainted with the p)eople,
above all with the merchants, in order to learn their business, since
it is now thy profession." And he took him and shewed him about
the city and the mosques and all the sights of the place; and then
led him to a cook-shop, where dinner was served to them on silver
dishes; and they dined and ate and drank until they were satisfied,
and then they went their way. And the Moor pointed out the
pleasure-grounds, and great buildings, and entered the Sultan's
palace, and shewed him all the beautiful large rooms. Then he took
him to the Khan of the foreign merchants, where he had his lodging;
and he invited some of the merchants in the Khan to supper; and
when they sat down, he informed them that this was his brother's
son, whose name was 'Ala-ed-Din. And when they had eaten and
drunk and night had fallen, he arose and took 'Ala-ed-Din back to
his mother. And when she saw her son, that he was one of the mer-
chants, her reason departed for very joy, and she began to thank
her brother-in-law for his goodness, saying: "O my brother-in-law,
I could not satisfy myself if I thanked thee all my Ufe, and praised
thee for the favour thou hast done to my son." And the Moor re-

348 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

plied: "O wife of my brother, it is no favour at all, for this is my
son, and it is my duty to fill the place of my brother, his father. So
let it suffice thee." And she said : "I pray God, by his favoured ones,
the saints of old and of latter days, to keep thee and prolong thy
life to me, O my brother-in-law, so that thou mayest be a shield for
this orphan youth, and he be ever obedient to thy command and
do nothing save what thou orderest him to do." And the Moor
replied: "O wife of my brother, 'Ala-ed-Din is of man's estate and
intelligent and of an honest stock, and please God he will follow
his father's way and refresh thine eye. I am sorry, however, that,
to-morrow being Friday the day of worship, I shall not be able to
open his shop for him, because on that day all the merchants after
service repair to the gardens and walks. But on Saturday, God will-
ing, we will accompUsh our affair. And to-morrow I will come here
and take 'Ala-ed-Din, and shew him the gardens and walks outside
the city, which he may not perhaps have seen before, and point out
to him the merchant folk and people of note who walk about and
amuse themselves there, so that he may become acquainted with
them and they with him."

So the Moor slept that night at his abode, and in the morning he
came to the tailor's house and rapped at the door. Now 'Ala-ed-Din,
from excess of delight in his new dress, and what with the bathing
and eating and drinking and sightseeing of the day before, and the
expectation of his uncle's coming on the morrow to take him to the
gardens, had not slept that night, nor closed his eyes, nor scarcely
believed the morning had come. So as soon as he heard the rap at the
door he ran out like a flash of fire and opened the door and met his
uncle, who embraced and kissed him, and took him by the hand.
And as they went along he said: "O son of my brother, to-day I
will shew thee such a sight as thou never didst see in all thy life."
And he made the boy laugh and entertained him with his talk. And
they went out of the gate of the city and began meandering among
the gardens: and the Moor pointed out the splendid pleasure-
grounds and wondrous tall palaces. And so often as they looked upon
a garden or mansion or palace, the Moor would pause and say:
"Doth this astonish thee, O son of my brother?" And 'Ala-ed-Din
well nigh flew with delight at seeing things he had never imagined

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 349

in all his born days. And they ceased not to wander about and
amuse themselves till they were weary. Then they entered a large
garden hard by, whereat the heart became light and the eye bright,
for its brooks trickled amid flowers, and fountains gushed from the
jaws of brazen lions, which shone like gold. So they sat down by a
lake and rested awhile; and 'Ala-ed-Din was full of happiness and
began to make merry and jest with his uncle as though he were of
a truth his father's brother. Then the Moor arose, and loosening
his girdle, took forth a wallet of food and fruit and so forth, saying:
"O son of my brother, thou art hungry; come then and eat thy fill."
So 'Ala-ed-Din fell to eating and the Moor ate with him, and their
souls were refreshed and made glad, and they reposed. And the
Moor said: "O son of my brother, if thou art rested, let us walk a
spell and finish our stroll." So 'Ala-ed-Din arose, and the Moor led
him from garden to garden till they had quitted all the gardens and
come to a lofty hill. But 'Ala-ed-Din, who all his life had never
gone beyond the city gates, or taken such a walk, said to the Moor:
"O my uncle, whither do we go? We have left all the gardens
behind us, and come to the mountain, and if the way be far, I have
not strength to walk longer; nay, I am all but fainting from tired-
ness. There are no more gardens ahead, so let us turn and go back
to the city." But the Moor replied: "Nay, my son; this is the road,
and it is not yet an end of the gardens; for we are just going to look
at one such as is not to be seen among Kings' gardens, and all those
thou hast seen are naught compared with it. So pluck up thy cour-
age, for, God be praised, thou art now a grown man." And the
Moor set to cheering 'Ala-ed-Din with encouraging words, and re-
lated wonderful tales, both true and false, until they came to the
place which this Moorish sorcerer had fixed upon, and the which to
find he had journeyed from the lands of the West to the countries
of China. And when they arrived, he said to 'Ala-ed-Din: "O son
of my brother, sit down and rest, for this is the place we are seeking,
and if it please God I will shew thee wonders the like of which no
one in the world ever saw before, nor hath any one rejoiced in look-
ing upon what thou art to see. When thou art rested, arise and find
some faggots of wood and thin dry sticks to make a fire. Then will
I shew thee, O son of my brother, a thing beyond description." And

350 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

when 'Ala-ed-Din heard this, he longed to see what his uncle would
do, and forgot his weariness and straightway arose and began to
collect small faggots and dry sticks and gathered them together till
the Moor cried, "Enough, O son of my brotherl" Then the Moor
drew from his pocket a box, and opened it, and took from it what
incense he required, and he burnt it and muttered adjurations and
said mysterious words. And straightway, amid murk and quaking
and thunder, the earth opened, and 'Ala-ed-Din was alarmed and
terrified at this, and would have fled. But when the sorcerer per-
ceived his intention, he was wroth and furiously enraged thereat, for
without 'Ala-ed-Din his design would come to naught, and the
treasure he sought to unearth could not be obtained save by means
of the boy. And so when he saw him thinking of flight he made for
him, and raising his hand, he smote him on the head, so that his
teeth were almost knocked out, and he swooned and fell to the
ground. And after a while he came to, by the spells of the Moor,
and fell a-crying, and said: "O my uncle, what have I done to deserve
such a blow from thee?" So the Moor began to mollify him, and
said: "O my son, it is my intention to make a man of thee; so thwart
me not, who am thine uncle, and, as it were, thy father. Obey me,
rather, in all I tell thee, and shortly thou shalt forget all this toil and
trouble when thou lookest upon marvellous things." Thereupon,
when the earth had ojjened in front of the wizard, there appeared
a marble slab, wherein was a ring of brass. And drawing geometric
figures, the Moor said to 'Ala-ed-Din: "If thou dost what I tell thee,
thou wilt become richer than all the Kings put together; and for this
cause struck I thee, O my son, because there is buried here a treas-
ure which is deposited in thy name, and yet thou wast about to
abandon it and flee. And now pull thy wits together and behold
how I have cloven the earth by my spells and incantations.

"Under that stone with the ring," he continued, "is the Treasury
whereof I told thee. Put forth thy hand to the ring and raise the
stone, for no one in the world but thyself hath the power to open
it, nor can any save thee set foot in this Treasury, which hath been
reserved for thee alone. Wherefore thou must hearken to all that I
bid thee, and not gainsay my words a jot. All this, O ray son, is for

■ ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 35 1

thy good, since this treasure is immense. The Kings of the earth
have never seen the hke, and it is all for thee and for me."

So poor 'Ala-ed-Din forgot his tiredness and the beating and the
tears, and was dazzled at the words of the Moor, and rejoiced to
think that he would become so rich that Kings would not be
wealthier than he. And he said: "O my uncle, command me what
thou wilt, and I will obey thy behest." And the Moor said to him:
"O son of my brother, thou art like my own child, and more, since
thou art my brother's son, and 1 have none of kin save thee; and
thou art my heir and successor, O my son." And he approached
'Ala-ed-Din and kissed him, saying: "For whom should I design all
these labours of mine, my child, except for thee, that I may leave
thee a rich man, as rich as can be! Wherefore thwart me not in any-
thing I tell thee, but go to that ring and lift it as I bade thee." And
'Ala-ed-Din said: "O my uncle, this ring is too heavy for me; I
cannot lift it alone; come and help me to raise it, for I am htde in
years." But the Moor replied: "O my brother's son, we can accom-
plish nothing if I aid thee, and oiu- labours would be vain; put then
thy hand to the ring and lift it, and the stone will come up imme-
diately. Did I not tell thee that none can move it but thyself? Re-
p)eat thy name and the names of thy father and mother, whilst thou
pullest, and it will come up at once, and thou wilt not feel its weight."
So 'Ala-€d-Din summoned his strength and plucked up his courage,
and set to work as his uncle had bidden him, and lifted the stone
with perfect ease, after saying the names of himself and his father
and mother as the Moor had counselled him. So he hfted the slab
and cast it on one side.

And when he had lifted the slab from the door of the Treasury,
before him lay a passage entered by a descent of twelve steps. And
the Moor said to him : " 'Ala-ed-Din, pull thy wits together, and do
exaaly what I tell thee to the uttermost, and fail not a htde from it.
Descend carefully into yonder passage until thou reachest the end,
and there shalt thou find a place divided into four chambers, and
in each of these thou shalt see four golden jars and others of virgin
gold and silver. Beware that thou touch them not nor take any-
thing out of them, but leave them and go on to the fourth chamber,

352 THE THOUSAND A^^) ONE NIGHTS

without even brushing them with thy clothes or loitering a single
moment; for if thou do contrary to this thou wilt straightway be
transformed and become a black stone. And when thou comest to
the fourth chamber thou wilt find a door; then open the door, and
repeating the names thou saidst over the slab, enter, and verily thou
wilt pass thence into a garden full of fruit trees, whence thou wilt
proceed by a path which thou wilt see in front of thee about fifty
cubits long, and come upon an alcove' in which is a ladder of about
fifty steps, and thou shah see, moreover, a Lamp suspended above the
alcove. Take thou the Lamp, and pour out the oil therein, and put
it in thy breast and be not afraid for thy clothes, since it is but com-
mon oil. And on thy return thou mayest pluck what thou pleasest
from the trees, for all is thine so long as the Lamp continue in thy
hand." And when he had ended, the Moor took a signet ring from
his finger and put it on 'Ala-ed-Din's finger, and said: "My son,
this ring will guard thee from all peril and fear that may behest
thee, so long as thou obeyest all that I have told thee. Arise, there-
fore, forthwith and descend and pluck up thy courage, and strengthen
thy resolve and fear not, for thou art a man now, and no longer a
child. And after this, my boy, thou shalt speedily become possessed
of riches galore, till thou art the richest man in the world."

So 'Ala-ed-Din arose and went down into the cavern and found
the four chambers and the four golden jars therein, and these he
passed by with all care and precaution, as the Moor had told him,
and he came to the garden and went through it till he found the
alcove, and climbing the ladder, he took the Lamp and poured out
the oil and put it in his bosom, and went down into the garden,
where he began to marvel at the trees with the birds on their
branches singing the praises of their glorious Creator. And though
he had not noticed it when he entered, these trees were all covered
with precious stones instead of fruit, and each tree was of a different
kind and had different jewels, of all colours, green and white and
yellow and red and other colours, and the brilliance of these jewels
paled the sun's rays at noontide. And the size of each stone surpassed
description, so that none of the Kings of the world possessed any
like the largest or half the size of the least of them. And 'Ala-ed-

' Liwan.

*ALA-ED-D1N A^^D THE WO^fDERFUL LAMP 353

Din walked among the trees and gazed upon them and on these
things which dazzled the sight and bewildered the mind, and as he
examined them he perceived that instead of ordinary fruit the yield
was of big jewels, emeralds and diamonds, and rubies and pearls,
and other precious stones, such as to bewilder the understanding. But
as he had never seen such things in his life, and had not reached
mature years so as to know the value of such jewels (for he was still
a little boy), he imagined that these jewels were all of glass or
crystal. And he gathered pockets full of them, and began to examine
whether they were ordinary fruit, Uke figs or grapes and other like
eatables; but when he saw that they were of glass (knowing nothing
of precious stones), he put some of each kind that grew on the trees
into his pockets, and finding them of no use for food, he said in his
mind: "I will gather these glass fruits and play with them at home."
So he began plucking them and stuffing them into his pockets until
they were full; and then, when he had picked more and put them
in his girdle, and girded it on, he carried off all he could, intending
to use them for ornaments at home, since he imagined, as has been
said, that they were only glass. Then he hastened his steps, for fear
of his uncle, the Moor, and passed through the four chambers, and
came to the cavern, without as much as looking at the jars of gold,
notwithstanding that on his way back he was permitted to take of
them. And when he came to the steps, and ascended them till none
remained but the last one, which was higher than the others, he
was unable to climb it by himself, without help, seeing that he was
weighted. And he called to the Moor: "O my uncle, give me thy
hand and help me to get up." And the sorcerer replied: "O my son,
give me the Lamp, and lighten thyself; perhaps it is that which
weigheth thee down." But he answered: "O my uncle, the Lamp
doth not weigh me down at all; give me only thy hand, and when
I am up I will give thee the Lamp." But since the wizard wanted
only the Lamp, and nought beside, he began to urge 'Ala-ed-Din
to give it him, which, since it was at the bottom of his dress and the
bags of precious stones bulged over it, he could not reach to give it
him; so the Moor pressed him to give what he could not, and raged
furiously, and persisted in demanding the Lamp, when 'Ala-ed-Din
could not get at it to give it him.

354 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

And when 'Ala-ed-Din could not get at the Lamp to give it to
his uncle, the Moor, the impostor, he became frantic at not gaining
his desire, though 'Ala-ed-Din had promised to give it him without
guile or deceit as soon as he got out of the cave. But when the Moor
saw that 'Ala-ed-Din would not give him the Lamp, he was furiously
enraged and gave up all hope of getting it. So he muttered incanta-
tions and threw incense into the fire, and immediately the slab shut
of itself and by the power of magic became closed, the earth buried
the stone as heretofore, and 'Ala-ed-Din remained under the ground
unable to come forth. For this sorcerer, as we have related, was a
stranger and no uncle of 'Ala-ed-Din's; but he misrepresented him-
self and asserted a lie, in order to gain possession of this Lamp by
means of the youth.

So the accursed Moor heaped the earth over him and left him, for
whose sake this treasure had been preserved, to die of hunger. For
this damnable Moorish sorcerer was from the land of Africa, from
the inner Westland, and from his youth he had practised sorcery
and all magic arts (the City of Africa [in Barbary] is well known
for all these mysteries), and he ceased not to study and learn from
his childhood in the City of Africa until he had mastered all the
sciences. And one day, by his accomplished skill in sciences and
knowledge, acquired in the course of forty years of sorcery and
incantation, he discovered that in a remote city of China, called El-
Kal'as, there was buried a vast treasure the like of which not one of
the Kings of this world had ever amassed, and among this treasure
was a Wonderful Lamp, which whoso possessed, mortal man could
not excel him in estate or in riches, nor could the mightiest King
upon earth attain to the opulence of this Lamp and its power and
its potency. And when he discovered by his science and perceived
that this treasure could only be obtained by means of a boy of the
name of 'Ala-ed-Din, of poor family, and belonging to that city, and
understood how it could thus be taken easily and without trouble,
he straightway and without hesitation prepared to journey to China,
as we have said, and did with 'Ala-ed-Din what he did, and imagined
that he would gain possession of the Lamp. But his design and his
hopes were frustrated and his labour was in vain. So he resolved
to do 'Ala-ed-Din to death, and heaped the earth over him to the

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 355

end that he might die, for "the living hath no murderer." More-
over, he resolved upon this, in order that 'Ala-ed-Din, as he could
not get out, should not be able to bring up the Lamp from below
ground. Then he went his way and returned to the regions o£
Africa, dejected in spirit and disappointed of his aim. Thus was it
with the sorcerer.

But as for 'Ala-ed-Din, when the earth was heaped over him, be
began to call to his uncle, the Moor, whom he believed to be such,
to stretch out his hand, that he might come forth from the vault
to the face of the earth; and he shouted, and no one answered him.
Then he understood the trick which the Moor had played upon him,
and that he was no uncle at all, but a lying magician. So 'Ala-ed-Din
despaired of his life, and perceived to his grief that there remained
to him no escape to the earth's surface, and he began to weep and
bewail that which had befallen him. But after awhile he arose and
descended to see if God Most High would provide him a door of
escape. And he went, turning to right and left, and found nothing
but darkness, and four doors shut against him; for the sorcerer by
his magic had closed all the doors, and had even shut that of the
garden through which 'Ala-ed-Din had passed, so that he might
not find there a door by which to escape to the surface of the earth,
and thus to hasten his death. And 'Ala-ed-Din's weeping increased
and his wailing grew louder when he saw the doors all shut, and
the garden also, where he had intended to console himself awhile;
but he found everything closed, and he gave himself up to weeping
and lamenting, like him who hath abandoned hope, and he returned
and sat on the steps of the vault where he had first entered.

Thus he sat weeping and wailing and hopeless. But a small thing
is it to God (extolled and exalted be he!) if he willeth a thing to
say to it, "Be," and it is. Thus doth he create joy in the midst of woe;
and thus was it with 'Ala-ed-Din. When the Moorish sorcerer sent
him to the vault, he gave him a ring and put it on his finger, saying,
"Verily this ring will guard thee from all danger if thou be in trouble
and difficulties, and take away from thee all evils, and be thy helper
wheresoever thou art." And this was by the decree ol God Most
High, that it should be the means of 'Ala-ed-Din's escape. For whilst
he sat weeping and lamenting his case and abandoning his hope of

356 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

life, overwhelmed with his misfortune, in his exceeding tribulation
he began wringing his hands as the sorrowful are wont to do. And
he raised his hands supplicating God, and saying: "I testify that there
is no God but thee alone, the mighty, the omnipotent, the all<on-
quering, the quickener of the dead, creator of needs and fulfiller
thereof, who dispellest troubles and anxieties and turnest them into
joy. Thou sufficest me, and thou art the best of protectors; and I
testify that Mohammad is thy servant and apostle. O my God, by
his favour with thee, release me from this calamity." And whilst he
was supplicating God and wringing his hands from heaviness of
grief at the calamity which had overtaken him, his hand happened
to rub the ring, and, behold, immediately the Slave of the Ring
appeared before him and cried: "Here I am, thy slave, between thy
hands. Ask what thou wilt, for I am the slave of him on whose
hand is the ring, the ring of my master." And 'Ala-ed-Din looked
up and saw a Marid like the Jinn of our Lord Suleyman, standing
before him; and he was affrighted at the awful apparition, until he
heard the Slave of the Ring say : "Ask what thou wilt, for verily am
I thy servant, because the ring of my master is on thy hand." So he
recovered his spirit and called to mind the words of the Moor when
he gave him the ring. And he rejoiced exceedingly and plucked up
heart and said to him: "O Slave of the Ring, I wish thee to convey
me to the surface of the earth." And hardly had he spoken when,
behold, the earth gaped open and he found himself at the door of
the Treasury, outside, in face of the world. And when 'Ala-ed-Din
saw himself thus in face of the world, after being three days under
ground sitting in the dark Treasury, and the light of day and the
sunshine smote his face and he could not open his eyes for it, he
began to open his eyelids little by little till his eyes were stronger and
became accustomed to the light and recovered from the gloom.

Then he perceived that he was on the surface of the earth, whereat
he rejoiced greatly, and it astonished him that he should be outside
the door of the Treasury which he had entered when the Moorish
sorcerer opened it, and yet that the door should be shut and the
earth made level so that there was no trace of an entrance at all.
And he wondered more and more, and could not believe he was in
the same place, till he saw the spot where they had lighted the fire

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 357

of sticks and faggots, and the place where the sorcerer had muttered
his incantations. Then turning right and left, he saw the gardens
at a distance, and perceived the road, and he knew it was the same
by which he had come. So he gave thanks to God Most High, who
had brought him back to the earth's surface and saved him from
death after the hope of life had abandoned him. So he arose and
walked on the road which he recognized till he came to the city,
and entered, and repaired to his home, and went to his mother. And
when he saw her, he swooned on the ground before her from exceed-
ing joy at his escape and the recollection of the terror and toil and
hunger he had endured. And his mother had been sorrowful since
his departure, and had sat sobbing and weeping for him; so when
she saw him come in she rejoiced over him with great joy, though
grief seized her when she saw him fall swooning to the ground.
But she did not give way to her anxiety in the predicament, but
poured water on his face and borrowed from her neighbours aro-
matics for him to sniff. And when he was somewhat restored, he
begged her to give him something to eat, saying to her: "O my
mother, it is now three days since I ate anything at all." And his
mother arose and prepared for him what she had ready by her, and
set it before him, saying: "Come, my son, eat and refresh thyself,
and when thou art restored, tell me what hath happened to thee
and befallen thee, O my child; but I will not ask thee now, because
thou art weary." So 'Ala-ed-Din ate and drank and became restored,
and when he was better and had regained his spirits, he said to his
mother: "Ah, my mother, I have a heavy reckoning against thee for
abandoning me to that devilish man who sought my ruin and de-
sired to kill me. Know that I looked death in the face on account
of the accursed reprobate whom thou didst acknowledge as my
uncle; and had not God Most High delivered me from him, both
I and thou, my mother, would have been imposed upxjn by the
plenitude of this villain's promises of the good he would do me, and
the zeal of the love he displayed for me. But know, O mother, that
this man is a sorcerer, a Moor, a liar, accursed, impostor, cheat,
hypocrite. I hold the devils beneath the earth are not his match. May
God condemn every record of his deeds! Listen, then, my mother,
to what this devil did — for all I tell thee is really true. See how this

35^ THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

accursed one brake every promise he made me to work me good;
and look at the love he shewed me and how he acted; and all to
attain his own ambition! And he would have killed me — God be
thanked for my deliverance. Consider and hearken, O my mother,
how this Man of the curse acted." Then 'Ala-ed-Din informed his
mother all that had befallen him — weeping for excess of joy — telling
her how, after he had left her, the Moor had led him to a mountain
wherein was a treasure, and how he had muttered incantations and
spells. And he added: "After that, O my mother, he beat me till
I fainted from soreness, and a great horror gat hold of me, when
the mountain split asunder and the earth opened before me by his
sorcery, and I trembled and was afeared at the roaring of the thunder
which I heard and the darkness which fell around as he muttered
his spells. And I would fain have fled from fear when I saw these
awful sights. So when he saw that I was bent upon flight, he reviled
me and beat me. But, since the Treasure could not be unearthed
save by me, as it was in my name, and not his, and because this ill-
omened sorcerer knew that it could only be ofsened by my means,
and this was what he wanted me for; therefore, after beating me,
he thought it better to mollify me in order to send me to open the
Treasure and obtain his desire. And when he sent me, he gave me
a ring and put it on my finger, after it had been on his own. So I
descended into the Treasury, and found four chambers all full of gold
and silver and the like, and all this was as nought, for that Devil's
own hand commanded me to touch nothing of it. Then I entered
a great garden full of lofty trees, whose fruits confounded the rea-
son, for all were of glass of delightful colours; and I came to the hall
in which was this Lamp, and I took it forthwith and emptied it."
And 'Ala-ed-Din took out the Lamp from his bosom, and shewed
it to his mother, and in like manner the precious stones which he
had brought from the garden, of which there were two large pockets
full, of such as not one was to be met with among the Kings of the
world. But 'Ala-ed-Din knew not their worth, but deemed them
glass or crystal. And he continued: "After getting the Lamp, O
my mother, and arriving at the door of the Treasury, I called to
the accursed Moor, who passed himself off as my uncle, to give me
his hand and help me up, as I was overburdened with things and

'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 359

could not get up alone. But he would not give me his hand, but said:
'Hand up the Lamp that is with thee, and then I will give thee my
hand and help thee out.' But I had put the Lamp at the bottom of
my pocket, and the bags stuck out above it, and I could not get it
out to give it him, and I said: 'O my uncle, I cannot give thee the
Lamp, but when I am up I will give it thee.' But he did not mean
to help me out, for he only wanted the Lamp; and his intention was
to take it from me and heap the earth over me and destroy me, as
he did his best to do. And this is what happened, O my mother,
from this ill-omened sorcerer." And 'Ala-ed-Din told her all the
story to the end thereof, and fell to cursing the Moor with all hij
might from out of his raging soul, saying: "O my mother, woe to
this damnable sorcerer, this ill-omened, vile, inhimian cheat and
hypocrite, who contemneth all human kindness, and spurneth mercy
and compassion!"

When his mother heard her son's story and what the Moorish
sorcerer had done to him, she said : "Yea, my son, of a truth he is a
miscreant and a hypocrite, a hypocrite who slays folk by his magic;
and it was only the grace of God Most High, my son, that delivered
thee from the wiles and spells of this accursed, whom I believed to
be in truth thine uncle." And 'Ala-ed-Din, since he had not slepK; a
wink for three days, and found himself nodding, sought his repose
and went to sleep, and his mother likewise slept afterwards; and he
did not wake up till near noon on the second day. As soon as he was
awake he wanted something to eat, for he was hungry. And she said
to him: "O my son, I have nought to give thee, because thou didst
eat yesterday all that there was in the house; but wait awhile; I have
spun yarn which I will take to the market and sell and buy thee
something to eat with the proceeds." To which 'Ala-ed-Din replied :
"Mother, keep thy yarn; sell it not, but give me the Lamp I brought,
that I may go sell it, and buy therewith something to eat, for I think
the Lamp will fetch more than the yarn." So she arose and brought
the Lamp to her son, and she foimd it very dirty, and said: "O my
son, here is the Lamp, but verily it is dirty, and when we have cleaned
and polished it it will sell for a greater price." So she went and
took a handful of sand, and fell to rubbing the Lamp therewith; but
she had hardly begun to rub when there appeared before her one

360 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

of the Jann, of terrible aspect and vast stature, as it were of the
giants. And he said to her: "Tell me what thou dost want of me;
here am I, thy slave, and the slave of him who holdeth the Lamp;
not I only, but all the slaves of the Wonderful Lamp which is in
thy hand." But she trembled, and fear gat hold of her, and her
tongue clave as she gazed upon that terrible form; and she could
not answer, because she was not accustomed to seeing apparitions
like that. So in her terror she could not make any reply to the Marid,
but fell down overcome with alarm. But 'Ala-ed-Din her son was
waiting hard by, and had seen the 'Efrit of the Ring which he had
rubbed when in the Treasury; and hearing the speech of the Jinni
to his mother, he hastened forward and seized the Lamp from her
hand, saying: "O Slave of the Lamp, I am hungry; and I wish thee
to bring me something to eat, and let it be something good beyond
imagination." So the Jinni vanished for a moment and brought
him a magniBcent tray of great price, made of pure silver, on which
were twelve dishes of various foods and delicious dainties, and two
cups of silver and flagons of clear old wine, and bread whiter than
snow; and he set them before 'Ala-ed-Din and vanished. And 'Ala-
ed-Din arose and sprinkled water on his mother's face and made
her smell pungent perfumes, and she revived. Then he said : "O my
mother, come and eat of this food which God Most High hath pro-
vided for us." And when his mother saw the beautiful table, that
it was of silver, she marvelled at this affair, and said: "O my son,
who is this generous benefactor that hath satisBed our hunger and
lightened our poverty ? Verily we are in his debt, and I am thinking
that the Sultan, seeing our case and our pxjverty, sent this tray of
food to us himself." "O my mother," he answered, "this is not a
time for speculation; come, let us eat, for we are an-hungered." So
they went and sat down to the tray and fell to eating, and 'Ala-ed-
Din's mother tasted viands such as never in all her life had she
eaten the like thereof. So they ate heartily with the utmost appetite
from the violence of their hunger; moreover, the food was fit for
Kings. But they knew not if the tray were precious or not, for they
had never seen its like in their born days. And when they had done
eating (but they left enough for supper and to last for the next day),
they arose and washed their hands and sat down to talk, and 'Ala-

'ala-ed-din and the wonderful lamp 361

ed-Din's mother turned to her son and said : "O my son, tell me what
took place with the Slave, the Jinni, now that God be praised, we
have eaten and satisfied ourselves from his good things, and thou
hast no excuse for saying to me, 'I am hungry.'" So, 'Ala-ed-Din
told her all that had taken place between him and the Slave, while
she was fallen in a swoon from affright. And sore amazement took
hold upon her, and she said to him : "It is true, for the Jinn do appear
before the son of Adam, though I, O my child, in all my days have
never seen them; and I am thinking that this is the same that
appeared to thee in the Treasury." But he replied: "It is not he, O
my mother; this slave who appeared before thee is the Slave of the
Lamp." And when she heard these words she said: "How is that,
my son?" And he answered her: "This slave is different in aspect
from that; and that one was the Slave of the Ring, and this which
thou sawest is the Slave of the Lamp which was in thy hand."

And when she heard this she said: "Aha! that accursed, who
appeared to me and nearly killed me with fright, belonged to the
Lamp!" "Yes," he said, and she continued: "I adjure thee, O my
son, by the milk which thou didst suck from me cast away this
Lamp and Ring, since they will cause us great fear, and as for me,
I cannot bide a second time to look at them. And it is forbidden us
to deal with them, since the Prophet (God bless and save him!)
hath warned us against them." And he said to her: "O my mother,
thy behests be on my head and my eye! Yet as to this behest which
thou hast spoken, it is not possible for me to abandon either the
Lamp or the Ring. Thyself hast seen what good they did us when
we were an-hungered; and know, O my mother, that the Moor the
liar, the sorcerer, when I was sent down to the Treasury, wanted
nought of the gold and silver of which the four chambers were full,
but commanded me only to bring him the Lamp, and nought lie-
sides, because he knew its great value, and unless he had known that
this was immense, he had not toiled and bboured and journeyed
from his own country to ours in search of it, nor would he have
imprisoned me in the Treasury when he despaired of the Lamp,
when I would not give it to him. Therefore, O my mother, it be-
hooveth us to hold fast by this Lamp and take care of it, for it is
our sustenance, and shall make us rich, and we must not publish it

362 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

abroad to anyone. And as touching the Ring, in like manner I may
not take it off my finger, since but for this ring thou hadst not seen
me again alive, but I should have lain dead within the Treasury
under the ground. Then how can I take it off my hand? And who
knoweth what may befall me in life of troubles and perils and sore
calamities, from which this Ring may deliver me ? Only in deference
to thy wishes I will conceal the Lamp, and never again constrain
thee to look upon it." And when his mother had heard his words
and had well weighed them, she perceived they were right, and said
to him: "O my son, do as thou wilt; for myself, I wish never to see
them again, nor would I willingly witness once more the terrible
sight which I have seen."

'Ala-ed-Din and his mother continued eating of the viands which
the Jinni had brought them, two days, and then they were done. So
perceiving that nothing remained to them to eat, he arose, and took
one of the plates which the slave had brought on the tray, which
were of pure gold, though he knew it not; and he went with it to
the market. And there met him a Jew, viler than the devils, and
to him he offered the plate. And when the Jew saw it, he took
'Ala-ed-Din aside so that none should see, and examined the plate
carefully and assured himself that it was of fine gold; and not
knowing whether 'Ala-ed-Din was acquainted with its worth or
was inexperienced in such things, he said to him: "How much, O
my master, is this dish?" And 'Ala-ed-Din answered, "Thou know-
est its value." And the Jew considered how much he should bid
for it, since 'Ala-ed-Din had answered him a business-Uke answer;
so he thought to offer him a small price, and yet he feared that 'Ala-
ed-Din might know the value of it and expect to receive a high price.
So he said within himself: "Perchance he is ignorant of it and
knoweth not the value." Then he took from his pocket a dinar of
gold and gave it him. And when 'Ala-ed-Din had looked at the
piece of gold in his hand, he took it and quickly went away. So the
Jew knew that the youth did not understand the value of the plate,
so he repented with abject repentance that he had given him a dinar
instead of a carat of a sixtieth. *Ala-ed-Din meanwhile did not tarry,
but went to the baker's and bought of him bread and changed the
dinar and took and went to his mother and gave her the bread and

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 363

the change of the gold, and said to her: "O my mother, go and buy
for us what we need." And she arose and went to the market and
bought all they required, and they ate and were merry. And every
time the price of a plate was exhausted, 'Ala-ed-Din took another
and went with it to the Jew, and the accursed Hebrew bought it of
him for a pitiful price; and he would have reduced the price further,
but he was afraid, as he had given him a dinar the first time, that
if he reduced it the youth would go away and sell to some one else,
and he would thus lose his usurious gains. And 'Ala-€d-Din ceased
not to sell plate after plate till all were sold, and there remained only
the tray on which the plates were set; and as this was large and
heavy, he went and brought the Jew to his house, and shewed him
the tray, and when he saw its size he gave him ten dinars, which
'Ala-ed-Din took, and the Jew departed. And 'Ala-ed-Din and his
mother subsisted on the ten dinars till they were done.

Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose and fetched the Lamp, and rubbed it, and
there appeared before him the Slave who had appeared to him be-
fore. And the Jinni said to him: "Command what thou wilt, O my
master, for I am thy slave and the slave of him who possesseth the
Lamp." And 'Ala-ed-Din answered: "My desire is that thou bring
me a tray of food like unto that which thou didst bring me before,
for I am starving." Then, in the twinkUng of an eye, the Slave
brought him a tray, Uke the one he came with before; and on it
were twelve plates of the richest, and on them the proper viands;
and on the tray were also botdes of clear wine and white bread. Now
'Ala-ed-Din's mother had gone forth when she knew that her son
intended to rub the Lamp, that she might not look a second time
upon the Jinni; and presently she came home and perceived this
tray, covered with dishes of silver, and the odour of rich viands per-
meadng her house; and she wondered and rejoiced. And 'Ala-ed-
Din said to her: "See, O my mother, thou didst tell me to cast away
the Lamp; behold now its advantages!" And she answered: "O my
son, God multiply his weal! but I would not look upon him." Then
'Ala-ed-Din and his mother sat down to the tray, and ate and drank
till they were satisfied; and they put aside what was left for the
morrow. And when the food they had was finished, 'Ala-ed-Din
arose and took a plate of the plates of the tray under his garment

364 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and sallied forth in quest of the Jew to sell it to him; but by the
decrees of destiny he passed by the shop of a jeweller, who was a
just man and feared God. And when the jeweller sheykh saw 'Ala-
ed-Din he questioned him, saying: "O my son, what dost thou want?
for I have seen thee often passing by, and thou wast dealing with a
Jewish man, and I have seen thee making over to him various
things, and I am thinking that thou hast something with thee now,
and thou seekest him to buy it. But thou dost not know, O my son,
that the property of the Muslims, who profess the Unity of God Most
High, is fair spoil to the Jews, who always defraud them, and worst
of all this damned Jew with whom thou hast dealt and into whose
hands thou hast fallen. So if thou hast with thee, O my son, any-
thing thou wishest to sell, shew it me, and fear not at all, for I will
give thee its value by the truth of the Most High God." So 'Ala-
ed-Din produced the plate before the sheykh, who when he had
looked upon it, took it and weighed it in his balance, and ques-
tioned 'Ala-ed-Din and saicT: "Didst thou sell the like of this to the
Jew?" And he answered, "Yes, its like and its brother." And the
other said: "How much did he give thee for its price?" And he
answered, "He gave me a dinar." And when the sheykh heard from
'Ala-ed-Din that the Jew had given him only a single dinar for the
price of the plate, he exclaimed : "Woe to this accursed who cheats
the servants of the Most High God!" And looking at 'Ala-ed-Din
he said: "O my son, verily this rascally Jew hath cheated thee and
mocked at thee; for thy plate is of fine virgin silver; and I have
weighed it and found its value to be seventy dinars. So if thou wilt
take its price, take it." And the jeweller sheykh counted out to him
seventy dinars, and *Ala-ed-Din took them, and thanked him for
his kindness in shewing him the Jew's fraud. And whenever the
price of a plate was gone, he went and brought another, so that he
and his mother became well to do, though they ceased not to live as
of old, as middle-class p)eople, without excess or waste.

'Ala-ed-Din had cast aside his gracelessness and shunned vaga-
bonds, and chose for his companions upright men, and went every
day to the market of the merchants and sat with the great and the
small of them, and asked them concerning matters of business and
the price of investments and the rest. And he would visit the market

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 365

of the goldsmiths and jewellers; and there he would sit and divert
himself with looking at the jewels and how they were bought and
sold there. And thus he learned that the pockets full of fruit which
he had gathered in the Treasury were not of glass or crystal, but
were precious stones. And he knew that he had become possessed
of vast riches such as Kings could never amass. And he examined
all the stones that were in the market of the jewellers and found
that their very biggest was not equal to his smallest. And he ceased
not each day to saunter to the Bazar of the Jewellers and make
acquaintance with the people, and obtain their good-will, and in-
quire of them concerning buying and selling and taking and giving
and the dear and the cheap; till one day, after rising betimes and
putting on his dress, he went as was his wont to the Bazar of the
Jewellers, and as he passed he heard the herald calling thus: "By
command of the gracious patron. King of the Time, Lord of the
Age and the Season: now let all the people close their stores and
shops and enter in unto their houses, because Bedr-el-Budur, the
daughter of the Sultan, intendeth to visit the bath; and whoso dis-
obeyeth the order, death is his penalty, and his blood be on his own
head." And when 'Ala-ed-Din heard this proclamation, he longed
to look upon the Sultan's daughter, and said within himself: "Verily
all the folk talk of her beauty and loveliness, and the summit of my
ambition is to behold her."

So 'Ala-ed-Din set himself to seek a way whereby he might attain
to a sight of the daughter of the Sultan, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur; and
it seemed best to him to stand behind the door of the Hammam, so
as to see her face when she came in. Accordingly, without any delay,
he went to the bath before she was expected and stood behind the
door, a place where no one could see him; and when the daughter of
the Sultan drew near, after going about the city and its quarters and
diverting herself thereby, she came to the bath, and on entering,
lifted her veil and displayed her face, as it were a radiant sun or a
pearl of great price; for she was as the poet sang:

Borders of kohl enhance the witchery of her glance,
Gardens of roses are her damask cheeks.
Black are her tresses as the gloomy night.
Illumined by the glory of her brow.

366 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

When the princess raised her veil from her face and 'Ala-ed-Din
looked upon her, he said: "Of a surety her make magnifieth the
Mighty Maker, and extolled be he who made her and adorned her
with such beauty and loveliness!" His vigour became weak at the
sight of her, and his thoughts became distraught, and his sight be-
wildered, and love of her got hold of his whole soul; and he went
home and returned to his mother like one in a dream. And his
mother spake to him, but he replied not yea or nay; and she set
before him breakfast, but he remained in the same state. So she
said to him: "O my son, what hath befallen thee? Doth anything
distress thee? Tell me what hath happened to thee, for thou, con-
trary to thy wont, repliest not when I speak to thee." Then 'Ala-
ed-Din, — who had believed that all women were like his mother,
and though he had heard of the beauty of Bedr-el-Budur, the
daughter of the Sultan, yet knew not what this beauty and loveliness
might mean, — turned to his mother and said to her, "Let me alone."
But she urged him to come and eat; so he came and ate a little, and
then lay on his bed pondering till morning dawned. And he ceased
not from this state the next day, so that his mother was perplexed
for her son's condition and could not find out what had come over
him. And she believed he was seriously sick, and came and asked
him, saying: "O my son, if thou feel pain or anything of the kind,
tell me, that I may go and bring thee a physician; and this very day
there is in this city a doctor from the land of the Arabs whom the
Sultan sent for, and the rumour goeth that he is very skilful. So if
thou be sick, let me go and call him in."

When 'Ala-ed-Din heard that his mother wished to bring him a
physician, he said to her: "O my mother, I am well, and not sick at
all. But I always believed that all women resembled thee, until
yesterday I saw the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, the daughter of the Sultan,
going in to the bath." And he told her all that had betided him, and
said: "Perhaps thou didst also hear the herald calling: 'Let no man
open his shop or stay in the streets, that the Lady Bedr-el-Budur may
go to the Bath.' But I did look upon her, even as she is, because
she lifted her veil at the entering of the bath. And when I gazed
on her form and saw that noble shape, there seized me, O my
mother, a violent ecstasy of love for her, and a fixed resolve to win

•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 367

her possesseth every part of me; nor can I possibly rest until 1 gain
her. And I intend, therefore, to demand her of the Sultan, her
father, in lawful wedlt)ck." And when his mother heard his words
she feared for his reason, and said: "O my son, God's name be on
thee! for it is plain thou hast lost thy reason, my son. But be guided,
and be not as the insane." And he answered: "O my mother, I have
not lost my reason, nor am I mad, nor can thy words alter what is
in my mind, for peace is impossible to me till I win the beloved of
my heart, the lovely Lady Bedr-el-Budur. And I am determined to
demand her of her father, the Sultan." And she said to him: "O my
son, by my life, say not so, lest any one hear thee and say thou art
mad. Put away from thee this folly; for who should do a thing like
this, to ask it of the Sultan ? And I know not how thou wilt set to
work to ask this favour of the Sultan, even if thy speech be true, or
through whom thou wilt ask it." And he answered: "Through
whom, O my mother, should I make this request, when I have thee?
And whom have I more trusty than thee? It is my wish that thou
thyself ask this request." And she said: "O my son, God preserve
me from this! Have I lost my reason like thee? Cast away this
thought from thy soul, and think whose son thou art, my son, the
child of a tailor, of the poorest and meanest of the tailors to be
found in this city; and I, too, thy mother, come of very poor folk.
So how dost thou presume to ask in marriage a daughter of the
Sultan, who would not deign to marry her to any of the Kings and
Sultans, unless they were his equals in grandeur and honour and
majesty; and were they less than he but a single degree he would not
give them his daughter."

'Ala-ed-Din waited patiently till his mother had ended her speech,
and then said : "O my mother, all that thou recallest 1 know, and it
is familiar to me that I am the son of the poor; but all these thy
words cannot change my purpose in the least, nor do I the less expect
of thee, as I am thy son and thou lovest me, to do me this kindness;
otherwise thou wilt undo me, and speedy death is upon me; unless I
obtain my desire of the darling of my heart; and in any case, O
my mother, I am thy child." And when she heard his words she
wept in her grief for him, and said : "O my son, yea verily I am thy
mother, nor have I child or blood of my blood save thee; and the

368 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

height of my desire is to rejoice in thee and wed thee to a wife; but
if 1 seek to ask for thee a bride of our equals and peers, they will
ask at once if thou hast trade or merchandise or land or garden, to
live on. And what can I answer them ? And if I cannot answer the
poor people, our likes, how shall I venture upon this hazard and
dare this impertinence, O my son, and by what means shall I ask for
thee of the Sultan his daughter, and howsoever shall I compass access
to the Sultan's presence? And if they question me, what shall I
answer? And probably they will take me for a mad woman. And
supposing I gain access to the presence, what shall I take him as
an offering to his Majesty?"

And she went on: "O my child, the Sultan indeed is clement,
and never rejecteth him who approacheth him to ask of him equity
or mercy or protection. Ask him for a gift, for he is generous, and
granteth grace far and near. But he granteth his favour to those
who deserve it, either having done something before him in battle
or otherwise served their country. Then as for thee, tell me what
hast thou done before the Sultan's eyes or publicly, that thou shouldst
merit this grace ? And again, this grace which thou askest becometh
not our rank, and it is not possible that the King should give thee
the favour which thou wouldst ask. And whoso approacheth the
Sultan to ask favours, it behooveth him to take with him something
befitting his majesty, as I said to thee; and how canst thou possibly
present thyself before the Sultan, and stand before him and ask his
daughter of him when thou hast nothing with thee to offer him suit-
able to his rank?" And 'Ala-ed-Din replied: "O my mother, thou
speakest aright and thinkest well, and it behooveth me to consider all
that thou hast brought to mind. But, my mother, the love of the
Sultan's daughter, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, hath penetrated into the
core of my heart, and peace is impossible to me unless I win her.
But thou hast reminded me of something I had forgotten, and this
very thing doth embolden me to ask of him his daughter. Thou
sayest, O my mother, that I have no offering to make to the Sultan,
as is the custom of the folk, yet as a fact I have a gift to present the
equal of which I think doth not exist among the Kings anywhere,
nor anything approaching it; for verily what I thought to be glass
or crystal is nothing but precious stones; and I believe that all the

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WO^fDERFUL LAMP 369

Kings o£ the world have never owned aught to equal the least o£
them. For by visiting the jewellers I learned that these are the cost-
liest jewels which I brought in my pockets from the Treasury.
Therefore be tranquil. In the house is a china bowl; arise, therefore,
and fetch it, that I may fill it with these jewels, and we will see how
they look in it." And his mother arose and went for the china bowl,
and said within herself: "Let me see if the words of my son concern-
ing these jewels be true or not." And she set the bowl before 'Ala-
ed-Din, and he drew from his pockets the bags of jewels, and began
to arrange them in the bowl, and ceased not to set them in order
until it was full; and when it was quite full his mother looked
into it, and could not see into it without blinking, for her eyes were
dazzled by the sheen of the jewels and their radiance and the excess
of their flashing. And her reason was confounded, though she was
not certain whether or not their value was so vastly great; but she
considered that her son's speech might possibly be true — that their
equals could not be found among the King's. Then 'Ala-ed-Din
turned to her and said: "Thou hast seen, O my mother, that this
gift for the Sultan is splendid, and I am convinced that it will pro-
cure thee great favour from him, and he will receive thee with all
honour. So now, O my mother, thou hast no excuse; collect, there-
fore, thy faculties and arise; take this bowl and go with it to the
palace." And his mother replied: "O my son, certainly the present
is exceeding precious, and none, as thou sayest, possesseth its equal.
But who would dare to approach and ask of the Sultan his daughter,
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur? As for me, I dare not to say to him, 'I
want thy daughter' when he asketh me 'What is thy want?' But I
know, O my son, that my tongue will be tied. And suppose that,
by God's help, I pluck up my courage and say to him: 'It is my de-
sire to become related to thee by thy daughter, the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur and my son 'Ala-ed-Din,' they will conclude forthwith that
I am possessed, and will cast me forth in shame and disgrace, till I
tell thee not only that I shall run in danger of death, but thou wilt
likewise. Yet, in spite of all this, O my son, in deference to thy
wish, I needs must pluck up heart and go. But if the King welcome
me and honour me on account of the gift, and I should ask of him
what thou wishest, how shall I reply when he asketh me, as is usual.

370 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

What is thy condition and thy income? Haply, O my son, he will
ask me this before he asketh me who thou art." And 'Ala-ed-Din
answered : "It is impossible that the Sultan should thus question thee
after looking at the precious stones and their splendor; nor doth it
boot to consider things which may not happen. Do thou only arise
and ask him for his daughter for me, and offer him the jewels, and
do not sit there inventing obstacles. Hast thou not already learned,
O my mother, that this Lamp of mine is now a firm maintenance for
us, and that all I demand of it is brought to me? And this is my
hope, that by its means I shall know how to make answer to the
Sultan if he ask me thus."

And 'Ala-€d-Din and his mother kept talking over the matter
all that night. And when morning dawned his mother arose and
plucked up courage, the more as her son had expbined to her some-
what of the properties of the Lamp and its virtues — that it would
supply them with all they wanted. 'Ala-ed-Din, however, when he
saw that his mother had plucked up courage on his explaining to
her the effects of the Lamp, feared lest she should gossip about it to
the people, and said to her: "O my mother, take heed how thou
tellest any one about the Lamp and its virtues, for this is our own
benefit. Restrain thy thought, lest thou babble to any one about it,
for fear we lose it and lose the benefit which we possess from it."
And his mother answered, "Fear not for that, O my son." And she
arose and took the bowl of precious stones and passed forth early,
that she might reach the audience before it was crowded. And she
covered the bowl with a kerchief, and went to the palace, and when
she arrived the audience was not full; and she saw the ministers and
sundry of the magnates of the state entering to the presence of the
Sultan. And presently the levee was completed by the wezirs and
lords of the state and grandees and princes and nobles. Then the
Sultan appeared, and the ministers bowed down before him, and in
like manner the rest of the grandees and nobles. And the Sultan
seated himself on the divan on the kingly throne, and all who at-
tended the levee stood before him with crossed arms awaiting hit
command to be seated. And he ordered them to sit, and every one
of them sat down in his order. Then the petitioners presented them-
selves before the Sultan, and he decided everything, as usual, until

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP yj\

the audience was over; when the King arose and went in to the
palace, and every soul departed his own way. And when 'Ala-ed-
Din's mother saw the Sultan had risen from his throne and gone
into the Harim, she too took her departure and went her way to
her house. And when 'Ala-ed-Din perceived her, and saw the bowl
in her hand, he thought that probably some accident had befallen
her, but he did not wish to question her until she was come in and
had set down the bowl. Then she related to him what had happened,
and ended by saying: "Praise be to God, my son, that boldness came
to me, and I found a place in the levee this day, although it did not
fall to my lot to address the Sultan. Probably, if it please God Most
High, to-morrow I will speak to him. Indeed, to-day many of the
people could not address the Sultan, like me. But to-morrow, my
son, be of good cheer, since I must speak to him for the sake of thy
desire, and how shall what happened hapf)en again?" And when
'Ala-ed-Din heard his parent's words he rejoiced with exceeding
joy; and though he expected the affair from hour to hour, from the
violence of his love and yearning for the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, for
all that he practised patience. So they slept that night, and in the
morning his mother arose and went with the bowl to the audience
of the Sultan; but she found it closed. So she asked the bystanders,
and they told her that the Sultan did not hold an audience con-
tinually, but only thrice a week.

So she resolved to return home that day. And every day she went,
and when she saw the audience begin she would stand before the
Sultan till it was over, and then she would return; and next day
she would go to see if the court were closed; and in this manner
she went for a whole month. Now the Sultan had perceived her at
every levee, and when she came on the last day and stood before
the presence, as was her wont, until it was over, without having
courage to come forward or address him a word, and the Sultan had
risen and gone to his Harim, and his Grand Wezir with him, the
Sultan turned to him and said : "O Wezir, six or seven days at each
audience have I seen that old woman presenting herself here; and
I see she always carries something under her cloak. Tell me, O
Wezir, knowest thou aught of her and her business?" And the
Wezir answered: "O our lord the Sultan, verily women are want-

372 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

ing in sense; probably this woman hath come to complain to thee of
her husband or one of her people." But the Sultan was not satisfied
with the Wezir's reply, but commanded him, if the woman came
again to the levee, to bring her before him. So the Wezir put his
hand on his head and said : "I hear and obey, O our lord the Sultan."

Now the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din was wont to set forth every day
to the audience and stand in the presence before the Sultan, although
she was sad and very weary; yet for the sake of her son's desire she
made light of her trouble. And one day she came to the levee, as
usual, and stood before the Sultan, who when he saw her ordered
his Wezir, saying: "This is the woman I spake of to thee yesterday;
bring her instantly before me that I may inquire into her suit and
decide her business." And straightway the Wezir arose and brought
'Ala-ed-Din's mother to the Sultan. And when she found herself
in the presence, she performed the obeisance and invoked glory upon
him, and long life and perpetual prosperity; and she kissed the
ground before him. And the Sultan said to her: "O woman, for
some days have I seen thee at the levee, and thou hast not addressed
a word to me; tell me if thou hast a want, that I may grant it." So
she kissed the ground again and invoked blessings upon him, and
said : "Yea, by the life of thy head, O King of the Age, verily have
I a suit. But, first of all grant me immunity, if I can present my suit
to the hearing of our lord the Sultan, for perhaps thy Felicity may
find my petition strange." So the Sultan, wishing to know what
was her petition, and being endowed with much mildness, promised
her immunity, and at once ordered all who were there to depart,
and remained alone, he and the Wezir.

Then the Sultan, turning to her, said: "Explain thy suit, and the
protection of God Most High be on thee." But she answered: "O
King of the Age, I shall need thy pardon also." And he replied,
"God pardon thee." Then she said: "O our lord the Sultan, verily
I have a son whose name is 'Ala-ed-Din. One day of the days he
heard the herald proclaiming that none should open his shop or
appear in the streets of the city, because the Lady Bedr-el-Budur,
the daughter of our lord the Sultan, was going to the bath. And
when my son heard that, he longed to see her, and hid himself in a
place where he would be able to look upon her closely, and that was

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 373

behind the gate of the Hammam. So when she drew near, he
looked upon her and gazed full upon her as much as he liked; and
from the moment he saw her, O King of the Age, to this instant,
hfe hath been intolerable to him; and he hath desired me to ask her
of thy Felicity that he may wed her. I have not been able to banish
this fancy from his mind, for the love of her hath taken possession
of his heart, so that he told me: 'Be assured, O my mother, that if I
do not obtain my desire, without doubt I shall die.' So I trust for
clemency and pardon from thy Felicity for this hardihood of mine
and my son's, and punish us not for it."

When the King had heard her story, looking kindly at her, he
fell a-laughing, and asked her: "What is it thou hast with thee, and
what is this bundle?" Then the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din, perceiving
that the Sultan was not wroth at her speech, but rather laughing,
forthwith opened the cloth and set before him the bowl of jewels.
And when the Sultan saw the stones, after the cloth was taken off,
and how the hall was lighted up, as it were, by chandeliers and
lustres, he was dazed and amazed at their sparkling, and wondered
at their size and splendour and beauty, saying: — "To this day have
I never seen the like of these jewels for beauty and size and loveli-
ness, nor do I believe that there is in my treasury a single one equal
to them." Then turning to his Wezir, he said: "What sayest thou,
O Wezir, hast thou seen, thou in thy time, the like of these splendid
jewels?"

And the Wezir answered: "Never have I seen such, O our lord
the Sultan, and I do not think that the smallest of them is to be found
in the treasuries of my lord the King." And the King said to him:
"Verily he who hath presented me with these jewels is worthy to be
the bridegroom of my daughter Bedr-el-Budur, for, methinks, as far
as I can see, none is worthier of her than he." When the Wezir
heard this speech of the Sultan, his tongue became tied with vexa-
tion, and he grieved with sore grieving, because the King had prom-
ised to marry the Princess to his son. So after a little he said to
him: "O King of the Age, thy Felicity was graciously pleased to
promise the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to my son : it is therefore incumbent
on thy Highness to graciously allow three months, when, please
God, there shall be a present from my son more splendid even than

374 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

this." So the King, though he knew that this thing could not be
accomphshed either by the Wezir or by any of the grandees, yet of
his kindness and generosity granted a delay of three months, as he
had asked. And turning to the old woman, 'Ala-ed-Din's mother,
he said: "Go back to thy son, and tell him I have given my royal
word that my daughter shall bear his name, but it is necessary to
prepare her wardrobe and requisites, and so he will have to wait
three months."

'Ala-ed-Din's mother accepted this answer, and thanked the Sultan
and blessed him, and hastened forth, and almost flew with delight
till she came home and entered. And 'Ala-ed-Din her son saw how
her face was smiling; so he was cheered by the hope of good news;
moreover, she had come back without loitering as heretofore, and
had returned without the bowl. So he asked her, saying: "If it please
God, my mother, thou bringest me good news, and perhaps the
jewels and their rarity have had their effect, and the Sultan hath
welcomed thee and been gracious to thee and hearkened to thy
request?" And she related it all to him — how the Sultan had re-
ceived her and marvelled at the multitude of the jewels and their
size; and the Wezir also; and how he had promised that "his
daughter shall bear thy name; only, O my son, the Wezir spake to
him a private word before he promised me, and after the Wezir had
spoken he covenanted for a delay of three months; and I am afraid
the Wezir will be hostile to thee and try to change the mind of the
King."

When 'Ala-ed-Din heard the words of his mother and how the
Sultan had promised him after three months, his soul was relieved
and he rejoiced exceedingly, and said: "Since the Sultan hath prom-
ised for three months, though it is indeed a long time, on all accounts
my joy is immense." Then he thanked his parent and magnified
her success above her toil, and said: "By Allah, O my mother, just
now I was, as it were, in the grave, and thou hast pulled me out;
and I praise God Most High that I am now sure that there liveth
none richer or happier than I." Then he waited in patience till two
months of the three were gone.

One day of the days the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din went forth about
sunset to the market to buy oil and beheld all the bazars closed, and

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 375

the whole city deserted, and the people were putting candles and
flowers in their windows; and she saw troops and guards and caval-
cades of aghas, and lamps and lustres flaming. And wonder gat
hold of her at this marvel and gala, and she went to an oilman's
shop which was still open, and having bought the oil, said to the
dealer: "O Uncle, inform me what is the occasion to-day in the
city, that the people make such adornment, and the markets and
houses are all closed and the troops paraded?" And the oilman
answered: "O woman, I suppose thou art a stranger, not of this
city." But she said, "Nay, I am of this city." So he cried : "Art thou
of this city, and hast not heard that the son of the chief Wezir this
night is to unite himself to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, the daughter of
the Sultan, and he is now at the bath; and these officers and soldiers
are drawn up waiting to see him come forth from the bath and ac-
company him to the palace into the presence of the daughter of the
Sultan!"

When the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din heard his words she was sad
and perplexed in her mind how she should contrive to break this
dismal news to her son, for her unhappy boy was counting hour by
hour till the three months should be over. So she returned home
after a little, and when she had come and entered to her son she
said: "O my son, I would fain tell thee certain tidings, though thy
grief thereat will cost me dear." And he answered, "Tell me, what
is this news." And she said: "Verily the Sultan hath violated his
covenant to thee in the matter of his daughter the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur, and this night the Wezir's son goeth in to her. And O my
child, I have long suspected that the Wezir would change the
Sultan's mind, as I told thee how he spake privily to him before me."
Then 'Ala-ed-Din asked her: "How knowest thou that the Wezir's
son is going in this night to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, the daughter
of the Sultan?" So she told him about all the decorations she had
noticed in the town when she went to buy oil, and how the aghas
and grandees of the state were drawn up waiting for the Wezir's
son to come forth from the bath, and how this was his nuptial night.
When he learnt this, 'Ala-ed-Din was seized with a fever of grief,
till after a while he bethought him of the Lamp. Then he cheered
up, and said: "By thy life, O my mother, suppose the Wezir's son

376 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

should not enjoy her, as thou thinkest. But now let us cease this
talk, and arise; bring our supper, that we may eat, and after I have
retired awhile within my chamber all will be well."

So after supper 'Ala-ed-Din withdrew to his chamber and fastened
the door and took out the Lamp and rubbed it, and immediately
the Slave came and said: "Ask what thou wilt, for I am thy slave,
the slave of him who hath the Lamp, I and all the servants of the
Lamp." And 'Ala-ed-Din said: "Listen. I asked the Sultan that I
might marry his daughter, and he promised me, in three months; but
he hath not kept his word, but hath given her to the son of the
Wezir, and this very night it is his intention to go in to her. But I
command thee, if thou be a true servant of the Lamp, that when
thou seest the bride and bridegroom together this night thou bring
them in the bed to this place. This is what I require of thee." And
the Marid answered: "I hear and obey; and if thou hast any other
behest, besides this, command me in all thou desirest." But 'Ala-
ed-Din said: "I have no other command save that which I have told
thee." So the Slave vanished, and 'Ala-ed-Din returned to finish
the evening with his mother. But when the time came when he
expected the Slave's return, he arose and entered his chamber, and
soon after beheld the Slave with the bridal pair on their bed. And
when 'Ala-ed-Din saw them he rejoiced with great joy. Then said
he to the Slave: "Take away yonder gallows-bird and lay him in a
closet." And immediately the Slave bore the Wezir's son and
stretched him in a closet, and before leaving him he blew a cold
blast on him, and the state of the Wezir's son became miserable.
Then the Slave returned to 'Ala-ed-Din and said: "If thou needest
aught else, tell me." And 'Ala-ed-Din answered, "Return in the
morning to restore them to their place." So he said, "I hear and
obey," and vanished.

Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose, and could hardly believe that this affair
had prospered with him. But when he looked at the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur in his own house, although he had long been consumed with
love of her, yet he maintained an honourable respect towards her,
and said: "O Lady of Loveliness, think not that I brought thee here
to harm thine honour; nay, but only that none other should be
privileged to enjoy thee, since thy father the Sultan gave me his

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 377

word that I should have thee. So rest in peace." But when Bedr-el-
Budur found herself in this poor and dark house, and heard the
words of 'Ala-ed-Din, fear and shuddering took hold of her, and she
was dazed, and could not make him any reply. Then 'Ala-ed-Din
arose and stripped off his robe, and laying a sword between himself
and her, slept beside her in the bed, without doing her wrong, for
he wished only to prevent the nuptials of the Wezir's son with her.
But the Lady Bedr-el-Budur passed the worst of nights; she had not
passed a worse in all her life; and the Wezir's son, who slept in the
closet, dared not move from his fear of the Slave which possessed
him.

When it was morning, without any rubbing of the Lamp, the
Slave appeared to 'Ala-ed-Din, and said: "O my master, if thou
desirest anything, command me, that I may perform it on the head
and the eye." So 'Ala-ed-Din said: "Go bear the bride and bridegroom
to their place." And in the twinkling of an eye the Slave did as
'Ala-ed-Din bade him, and took the Wezir's son and the Lady Bedr-
el-Budur and carried them and restored them to their place in the
palace, as they had been, without seeing any one, though they almost
died of fear when they found themselves being carried from place
to place. Hardly had the Slave put them back again and departed,
when the Sultan came to visit his daughter. And when the Wezir's
son heard the door open, he forthwith leaped from the bed, for he
knew that none but the Sultan could come in at that time; but it
was exceedingly disagreeable to him, for he wished to warm himself
a Lttle, since he had not long left the [cold] closet; however, he
arose and put on his clothes.

The Sultan came in unto his daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur,
and kissed her between the eyes and wished her good-morning, and
asked her concerning her bridegroom, and whether she was con-
tent with him. But she made him never an answer, but looked at
him with an eye of anger; and he asked her again, and she remained
silent and said not a word to him. So the Sultan went his way and
departed from her house, and went to the Queen, and told her what
had befallen him with the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. Then the Queen, loth
to have him vexed with the Princess, said to him: "O King of the
Age, this is the way with most brides in their honeymoon; they are

378 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

shy, and a trifle whimsical. So chide her not, and soon she will return
to herself and converse with people; for now it is her modesty, O
King of the Age, that preventeth her speaking. However, it is my
intention to go and visit her."

So the Queen arose and put on her robes and went to her daughter
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and approached her and gave her good-
day, and kissed her betwixt the eyes. And the Princess answered her
never a word. So the Queen said to herself: "Some strange thing
must have happened to her to disquiet her thus." So she asked her:
"O my daughter, what is the cause of the state thou art in ? Tell me
what hath come to thee, that when I visit thee and bid thee good-day,
thou answerest me not." Then Bedr-el-Budur turned her head and
said to her: "Chide me not, O my mother; it was indeed my duty
to meet thee with all regard and reverence, since thou hast honoured
me by this visit. However, I beg thee to hear the reason of this my
behaviour, and see how this night which I have passed hath been
the worst of nights for me. Hardly had we gone to bed, O mother,
when one whose shape I know not lifted up the bed and bore us to
a dark, loathly, vile place." And she related to her mother the Queen
all that had happened to her that night, and how they had taken
away her bridegroom and she had been left alone, till presently an-
other youth came and slept, instead of her husband, and placed a
sword betwixt them. "And in the morning he who took us returned
to carry us back, and came with us to this our abode. Hardly had
he restored us to it and left us, when my father the Sultan entered
at the very hour of our return, and I had not heart or tongue to
speak to him from the greatness of the fear and trembling which
had come over me. And perhaps it may have vexed my father; so I
pray thee, O my mother, tell him the reason for my condition, that
he may not blame me for my lack of reply to him, but instead of
censure, excuse me."

When the Queen heard the words of her daughter the Lady Bedr-
el-Budur, she said to her: "O my child, calm thyself. If thou wert
to tell this story to any one, it might be said that the daughter of the
Sultan had lost her wits, and thou hast well done in not telling thy
father this tale; and beware, my daughter, beware of telling him
thereof." But the Princess answered her: "Mother, I have spoken to

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 379

thee sensibly, and I have not lost my wits, but this is what hath hap-
pened to me; and if thou dost not believe it when 1 say it, ask my
bridegroom." Then the Queen said to her : "Arise, now, my daughter,
and away with such fancies from thy mind; put on thy robes and
view the bridal fete which is going on in the city in thy honour and
the rejoicings that are taking place all over the realm for thy mar-
riage; and listen to the drums and songs, and look at these decora-
tions, all done for the sake of pleasing thee, my daughter." There-
upon the Queen summoned the tirewomen, and they robed the Lady
Bedr-el-Budur and straightened her up. And the Queen arose and
went to the Sultan and told him that the Princess had been troubled
that night with dreams and nightmare, and added: "Chide her not
for her lack of answer to thee." Then she summoned the Wezir's
son secretly, and asked him concerning the matter, and whether the
story of the Princess were true or not; but he, in his fear of losing
his bride from out his hand, answered: "O my sovereign lady, I
know nothing of what thou sayest." So the Queen was sure that
her daughter had been distraught by nightmare and dreams. The
festivities lasted all day, with 'Almehs and singers and the beating
of all sorts of instruments, and the Queen and the Wezir and the
Wezir's son did their utmost to keep up the rejoicing, so that the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur might be happy and forget her trouble; and all
day they left nothing that incited to enjoyment undone before her,
that she might forget what was in her mind and be content. But all
this had no influence upon her; she remained silent and sad and be-
wildered at what had befallen her that night. Worse indeed had
happened to the Wezir's son than to her, since he passed the night
in a closet; but he had denied the fact and banished this calamity
from his mind, because of his fear of losing his bride and his dis-
tinction, especially as all men envied him the connection and the
exceeding honour thereof; and, moreover, because of the splendour
of the bride's loveliness and her excessive beauty.

'Ala-ed-Din too went out that day to see the festivities which were
going on in the city and the palace, and he began to laugh, above
all when he heard people talking of the honour which had fallen to
the Wezir's son and his good-fortune in becoming the son-in-law of
the Sultan, and the great distinction shewn in his rejoicings and

380 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

wedding festivities. And 'Ala-ed-Din said to himself: "Ye know
not, ye rabble, what happened to him last night, that ye envy him!"
And when night fell and it was bedtime, 'Ala-ed-Din arose and went
to his chamber and rubbed the Lamp, and immediately the Slave
presented himself. And he ordered him to bring the Sultan's
daughter and her bridegroom as on the past night, before the Wezir's
son had taken her to him. And the Slave waited not an instant, but
vanished awhile, till he reappeared, bringing the bed in which was
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur and the son of the Wezir. And he did with
the latter as on the preceding night, — took and put him to sleep in
a closet, and there left him bleached with excessive trembling and
fear. And 'Ala-ed-Din arose and placed the sword betwixt himself
and the Princess, and went to sleep. And when it was morning the
Slave appeared and restored the pair to their own place; and 'Ala-ed-
Din was filled with delight at the misadventure of the Wezir's son.
Now when the Sultan arose in the morning he desired to go to
his daughter, Bedr-el-Budur, to see whether she would behave to him
as on the preceding day. So, after he had shaken off his drowsiness,
he arose and dressed himself and went to his daughter's palace and
of)ened the door. Then the Wezir's son hastily got up and rose
from the bed and began to put on his clothes, though his ribs almost
split with cold; for when the Sultan came in the Slave had only
just brought them back. So the Sultan entered, and approached his
daughter Bedr-el-Budur, who was in bed; and drawing aside the
curtain, he wished her good-morning, and kissed her betwixt the
eyes, and inquired after her state. But he saw she was sad, and she
answered him never a word, but looked at him angrily; and her
state was wretched. Then the Sultan was wroth with her, since she
replied not, and he fancied that something was wrong with her. So
he drew his sword and said to her: "What hath come to thee? Tell
me what hath happened to thee, or I will take thy life this very
hour. Is this the honour and reverence thou shewest me, that I
speak and thou repliest not a word ?" And when the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur saw how angry her father the Sultan was, and that his sword
was drawn in his hand, she was released from her stupor of fear,
and turned her head and said to him: "O my honoured father, be
not wroth with me, nor be hasty in thy passion, for I am excusable,

'ala-ed-din and the wonderful lamp 381

as thou shalt see. Listen to what hath befallen me, and I am per-
suaded that when thou hast heard my account of what happened
to me these two nights, thou wilt excuse me, and thy Felicity will
become pitiful toward me, even as I claim thy love." Then the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur related to her father the Sultan all that had
happened to her, adding: "O my father, if thou dost not believe me,
ask the bridegroom, and he will tell thy Felicity the whole matter;
though I knew not what they did with him when they took him
away from me, nor did I imagine where they had put him."

When the Sultan heard the speech of his daughter, grief took
hold of him and his eyes ran over with tears. And he sheathed the
sword, and came and kissed her, saying: "O my daughter, why
didst thou not tell me last night, that I might have averted this
(torment and fear which have fallen upon thee this night? How-
ever, it signifieth nothing. Arise and drive away from thee this
fancy, and next night I will set a watch to guard thee, and no such
unhappiness shall again make thee sad." And the Sultan returned
to his palace, and straightway ordered the presence of the Wezir.
And when he came and stood before him, he asked him : "O Wezir,
what thinkest thou of this affair ? Perchance thy son hath informed
thee of what occurred to him and my daughter?" But the Wezir
made answer: "O King of the Age, I have not seen my son, neither
yesterday nor to-day." Then the Sultan told him all that his daughter
the Princess Bedr-el-Budur had related, adding: "It is my desire now
that thou find out from thy son the truth of the matter; for it may be
that my daughter, from terror, did not understand what befell her,
though I believe her story to be all true."

So the Wezir arose and sent for his son and asked him concerning
all that the Sultan had told him, whether it were true or not. And
the youth replied: "O my father the Wezir, God forbid that the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur should tell lies! Nay, all she said is true, and
these two nights that have passed were the worst of nights, instead
of being nights of pleasure and joy to us both. But what befell me
was the greater evil, for, instead of sleeping with my bride in the
bed, I was put to sleep in a closet, a cursed, dark, and loathsome
place smelling horribly, and my ribs almost split with the cold."
And the young man told his father all that had happened to him.

382 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and added. "O honoured parent, I entreat thee, speak to the Sultan
that he release me from this marriage. Truly it is a great honour
to me to be the son-in-law of the Sultan, and most of all since the
love of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur hath taken possession of my being;
but I have not strength to endure another night like the two which
are over."

When the Wezir heard his son's words he was exceeding sad and
sorry, for he hoped to exalt and magnify his son by making him
son-in-law to the Sultan; therefore he considered and pondered over
this case, how to remedy it. It was a great hardship to him to break
off the marriage, for he had been much congratulated on his success
in so high a matter. So he said to his son: "Take patience, my child,
till we see what may betide this night, when we set warders to
watch over you; and do not reject this great honour, which hath been
granted to none save thee alone."

Then the Wezir left him and returned to the Sultan and told him
that what the Lady Bedr-el-Budur had said was true. Therefore
the Sultan said: "If it be so, we must not delay." And he straight-
way ordered the rejoicings to cease and the marriage to be annulled.
And the p)eople and folk of the city wondered at this strange affair,
and the more so when they saw the Wezir and his son coming
forth from the palace in a state of grief and excess of rage; and men
began asking what had happened and what the cause might be for
annulling the marriage and terminating the espousals. And none
knew how it was save 'Ala-ed-Din, the lord of the invocation, who
laughed in secret. So the marriage was dissolved, and still the Sultan
forgot and recalled not the promise he had made to the mother of
'Ala-ed-Din, nor the Wezir either, and they knew not whence came
that which had come.

'Ala-ed-Din waited in patience until the three months were over,
after which the Sultan had covenanted to wed him to his daughter,
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. Then he instantly despatched his mother
to the Sultan to demand of him the fulfilment of his promise. So
the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din went to the palace; and when the Sultan
came to the hall of audience and saw her standing before him, he
remembered his promise — that after three months he would marry
his daughter to her son. And turning to the Wezir, he said: "O

'ala-ed-din and the wonderful lamp 383

Wezir, this is the woman who gave us the jewels, and to whom we
did pledge our word for three months. Bring her to me before any-
thing else." So the Wezir went and brought 'Ala-ed-Din's mother
before the Sultan; and when she came up to him she saluted him
and prayed for his glory and lasting prosperity. Then the Sultan
asked her if she had any suit. Whereto she answered: "O King of
the Age, verily the three months are over, for which thou didst
covenant with me, after which to marry my son 'Ala-ed-Din to thy
daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur."

The King was pjerplexed at this demand, the more when he
observed her poor condition and that she was of the meanest of the
people. Yet the present she had given him was exceedingly splendid,
beyond his power to purchase. Then turning to the Wezir, he said:
"What stratagem hast thou? Of a truth I pledged my word; yet it
is evident to me that they are poor people, and not of high degree."
And the Wezir, since envy was devouring him, and he was beyond
everything grieved at what had befallen his son, said within himself:
"How shall one like this wed the daughter of the Sultan and my son
lose this honour?" So he answered the Sultan: "O ray lord, it is an
easy thing to be rid of this stranger, for it is not fit that thy Felicity
should give thy daughter to a man like this, — one knoweth not who
he is." The Sultan replied : "In what way shall we ward off this man
from us, when I have pledged my word, and the word of Kings
is sacred?" The Wezir answered: "O my lord, my advice is that
thou demand of him forty bowls of pure gold full of jewels, such
as this woman brought thee that day, and forty maids to carry the
bowls, and forty black slaves." And the Sultan said: "By Allah, O
Wezir, thou hast said well, for he cannot compass this thing, and
thus we shall be freed from him." Then he said to the mother of
'Ala-ed-Din: "Go, tell thy son that I hold to the promise which I
made to him, provided he be able to furnish my daughter's dowry,
for which I require of him forty bowls of pure gold, each full of
jewels, such as thou didst bring me, and forty maids to carry them,
and forty black slaves to attend and escort them. If thy son can do
this I will marry him to my daughter."

So the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din returned to her house shaking her
head and saying: "Whence shall my poor son procure these bowls

384 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

of jewels? Suppose he return to the Treasury and gather these
jewels and bowls from the trees, yet with all this, — and I do not
think he can, but say that he acquire them, — whence will he get the
maids and slaves?" And she ceased not to commune with herself
until she arrived at her house, where 'Ala-ed-Din was expecting her.
And when she came in, she said: "O my son, did I not tell thee not
to think that thou couldst attain to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and
that such a thing was not possible for people like us?" And he said
to her: "Explain to me what tidings there be." And she said: "O
my son, verily the Sultan received me with all honour, as is his wont,
and it is evident to me that his intentions towards us are benevolent.
But thy enemy is the accursed Wezir; for after I had spoken to the
Sultan, according to thy tongue (as thou saidst, 'Verily the time is
come for which thou didst covenant'), and after I had said to him,
'Verily it behoves thy Felicity to order the wedding of thy daughter
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to my son 'Ala-ed-Din,' he turned to the
Wezir and spake to him; and he answered him secretly; and after-
ward the Sultan gave me his answer." Then she told 'Ala-ed-Din
what the Sultan required, and said to him: "O my son, verily he
requireth of thee an immediate reply, and methinks we have no
answer for him."

When 'Ala-ed-Din heard the words of his mother, he laughed and
said: "O my mother, thou sayest that we have no answer for him,
and considerest the affair exceeding hard; but compose thy mind,
and arise, bring me something to eat, and after we have eaten, if the
Compassionate please, thou shalt see my answer. And the Sultan
like thee, thinketh he hath required an enormous thing, in order to
keep me from the Lady liedr-el-Budur; though really he hath asked
a smaller thing than I expected. But do thou arise, and fetch me
somewhat to eat, and trust me to provide the answer for thee." So
his mother arose and went forth to fetch what was needed from
the market to prepare dinner. And 'Ala-ed-Din went into his cham-
ber, and took the Lamp and rubbed it, and immediately there ap-
peared to him the Slave, who said: "O my master, ask what thou
desirest." And 'Ala-ed-Din answered: "I have demanded the
daughter of the Sultan in marriage, and the Sultan hath required of
me forty bowls of pure gold, each weighing ten pounds, and they

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 385

must be full of the jewels which are in the garden of the Treasury;
and to carry them there must be forty maids, and to each maid a
slave, forty slaves in all. So I desire of thee that thou bring me all
these." And the Jinni said: "I hear and obey, O my master," and
vanished for the space of an hour, when he brought forty maids,
and with each maid a eunuch, and on each maid's head a bowl of
fine gold full of precious stones. And he set them before 'Ala-ed-Din,
saying: "Here is thy wish: tell me then if thou hast need of any
affair or service beside this." But 'Ala-ed-Din answered: "I need
nothing else; but if I requira anything I will summon thee and
inform thee thereof." So the Slave vanished. And presently 'Ala-ed-
Din's mother appeared and entered the house, and perceived the
slaves and maids. And she marvelled, saying: "All this is from the
Lamp. God preserve it for my son!" And as she was about to raise
her veil, 'Ala-ed-Din said to her: "O my mother, this is the moment
for thee, before the Sultan goes in to his seraglio, to his family. Take
thou to him that which he demanded, and go to him forthwith, that
he may know that I am able to do what he required, and more also.
Verily he is deceived by the Wezir, and they both think to foil me."
Thereupon 'Ala-ed-Din arose and op)ened the door of the house, and
the maids and the slaves came forth side by side, each maid with a
eunuch beside her, till they filled the street. And 'Ala-ed-Din's
mother went before them. And the people flocked to the street when
they saw this mighty, wonderful sight, and stood diverting them-
selves and marvelling and observing the forms of the damsels and
their beauty and loveliness; for they all wore dresses embroidered
with gold and trimmed with jewels, none worth less than a thousand
dinars. And the folks gazed upon the bowls, and saw that the lustre
transcended the light of the sun. Over each was a piece of brocade
embroidered with gold and studded with precious stones. And the
people of the quarter stood wondering at this strange spectacle. But
'Ala-ed-Din's mother walked on, and the damsels and slaves marched
behind her, in all order and precision, and the people stopped to
examine the beauty of the damsels, and glorified God the great
Creator; and so they arrived and entered with 'Ala-ed-Din's mother,
the palace of the Sultan. And when the aghas and chamberlains and
officers of the army saw them, wonder gat hold of them and they

386 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

were amazed at this sight, the hke of which they had never wit-
nessed in all their born days, above all, such damsels, every one o£
whom would turn the head of an anchorite. And although the
chamberlain and officers of the Sultan's troops were all sons of
grandees and nobles, yet they were astonished beyond measure at the
costly dresses which the damsels wore, and the bowls upon their
heads, which they could not gaze full upon by reason of their ex-
cessive flashing and dazzle.

Then the guard went in and informed the Sultan, and he at once
ordered that they should be brought before him in the Hall of
Audience. So 'Ala-ed-Din's mother came in with them; and when
they appeared before the Sultan, they all saluted him with due
reverence and worship, and they invoked blessings on his glory and
good-fortune. Then they took the bowls from their heads and set
them before him, and removed their coverings, and then stood re-
sjjectfully. The Sultan marvelled with great admiration, and was
bewildered at the splendour of the jewels and their loveliness, which
transcended praise; and his wits were turned when he looked at
the golden bowls full of precious stones, which captivated the sight;
and he was confounded at this marvel till he became as the dumb,
and could not say a word from excess of wonder. And his mind was
the more perplexed how all this could have come about in the space
of an hour. Then he gave commandment that the damsels with the
bowls should enter the palace of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur; so they
took up their loads and went in.

After that, the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din came and said to the Sultan:
"O my lord, this is not a great thing wherewith to do honour to the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur, for she merits the double of this [dower]."
Then the Sultan turned to the Wezir and said: "What sayest thou,
O Wezir? He who can procure such riches as these in so short a
time, is he not worthy to be the Sultan's son-in-law and the daughter
of the Sultan his bride?" But the Wezir, although he marvelled at
the vastness of these riches, more even than the Sultan, yet, being
devoured by envy, which grew stronger and stronger when he saw
how content the Sultan was with the dower and riches, and though
he could not disguise the truth, answered: "It is not worthy of her."
And he was devising a plan for the Sultan, that he might not give

'ala-ed-din and the wonderful lamp 387

his daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to 'Ala-ed-Din, and accord-
ingly he went on: "O my lord, all the treasures of the universe are
not equal to the Utde finger of thy daughter. Thy Highness
hath overvalued these presents as against her." When the Sultan
heard these words of the Wezir, he jserceived that they arose
from excess of envy. So turning to 'Ala-ed-Din's mother, he said:
"O woman, go to thy son, and tell him that I have accepted the
dowry and I stand by my promise. My daughter is his bride and he
my son-in-law; and bid him come hither, in order that I may know
him. He shall have naught but honour and esteem from me. And
this night shall begin the wedding; only, as I said, let him come to
me without delay."

Then 'Ala-ed-Din's mother returned home with the speed of the
wind, and abated not the quickness of her pace, in order to con-
gratulate her son. She flew with joy at thinking that her child was
going to become the son-in-bw of the Sultan. After she had gone,
the Sultan dismissed the audience and entered the apartments of the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and bade them bring the damsels and the bowls
before her that she might look at them. And when they brought
them and the Princess examined the jewels, she was amazed and
said: "Methinks there is not found in the treasuries of the universe
a single gem like these!" Then she gazed upon the damsels and
marvelled at their beauty and grace. And she knew that all this was
from her new bridegroom, who had sent it in her service. So she
rejoiced, though she had been sorrowful and sad on account of her
bridegroom the son of the Wezir. Yet she rejoiced with great joy
when she looked upon the jewels and the beauty of the damsels; and
she made merry, and her father was greatly delighted at her cheer-
fulness, because he saw that her sadness and grief had departed from
her. Then he asked her, saying: "O my daughter, Lady Bedr-el-
Budur, does this astonish thee? Methinks this bridegroom of thine
is goodlier than the Wezir's son; and presently, please God, O my
daughter, thou shalt enjoy supreme delight with him." Thus was it
with the Sultan.

As for 'Ala-ed-Din, when his mother returned and entered the
house, laughing in the excess of her joy, and he saw her so, he scented
good news, and said: "To God be praise everlasting! My desire is now

388 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

accomplished." And his mother said: "Good news for thee, O my
child! Cheer thy heart, and refresh thine eye for the fulfilment of
thy wish. The Sultan hath accepted thy present, the riches and
portion and dowry of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur; and she is thy bride,
and this night, O my son, is the wedding and thy union with the
Princess. To assure me of his promise the Sultan hath proclaimed
thee before the world as his son-in-law, and saith that to-night is the
consummation. Moreover, he said to me: 'Let thy son come to me,
that I may become acquainted with him and welcome him with all
honour and regard.' And here am I, my son; my task is over;
hapfjen what may, it is now thy own affair."

Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose and kissed his mother's hand and thanked
her, and magnified her goodness to him, and went and entered his
chamber and took the Lamp and rubbed it, and behold, the Slave
appeared, saying, "At thy service! Ask what thou desirest." So
'Ala-ed-Din answered: "I desire thee to take me to a bath the equal
of which existeth not in the universe; and bring me there a dress so
royal and exceeding costly that Kings possess not its match." And
the Marid repUed, "I hear and obey." And he lifted him and took
him into a bath such as Kings and Emperors never saw, all of
marble and carnelian, with wonderful pictures which captivated the
eye; and not a soul was there. In it was a hall studded over with
splendid jewels, which when 'Ala-ed-Din entered, there came to him
one of the Jann in human shape, who washed and kneaded him to
the top of his bent. After which 'Ala-ed-Din went from the bath into
the spacious hall, and found his old clothes gone and in their place
a suit of royal robes. Then there was brought to him sherbet and
coffee flavoured with ambergris. And he drank and arose, and a
number of slaves appeared before him, and clad him in resplendent
clothes, and he was dressed and perfumed and scented. Though
'Ala-ed-Din was, in fact, a poor tailor's son, none would have sup-
posed it, but rather would say: "This is the greatest of the sons of
the Kings. Extolled be he who changeth others but himself changeth
not!" Then the Jinni came and lifted him and returned him to his
house, and said: "O my master, hast thou further need?" And 'Ala-
ed-Din replied : "Yes, I want thee to bring me forty-eight memluks,
twenty-four to go before me and twenty-four to follow me, with their

'ala-ed-din and the wonderful lamp 389

chargers and habiliments and arms; and everything on them and
their horses must be of the very costUest, such as is not in the
treasuries of Kings. Then bring me a stallion fit for the Cscsars, and
let his housings be of gold studded over with magnificent jewels;
and bring me forty-eight thousand dinars, to each memluk a
thousand. For I wish to go to the Sultan's presence. So delay not,
since without all these things of which I have told thee I cannot
visit him. Bring me also twelve damsels; they must be of peerless
beauty, and clad in the most sumptuous raiment, that they may
accompany my mother to the palace of the Sultan. And let each
damsel be attired like the King's ladies." And the Slave answered,
"I hear and obey." And vanishing awhile, he brought him in the
twinkling of an eye, all that he had commanded; and he led a steed
the fellow of which did not exist among the horses of the Arabs,
and his housings were of gorgeous cloth of gold.

'Ala-ed-Din sent for his mother at once, and delivered to her the
twelve maidens, and gave her robes that she might be robed, when
the damsels would escort her to the palace of the Sultan. And he sent
one of the memluks which the Jinni had brought him to the Sultan,
to ascertain whether he had come forth from his harem or not. So
the memluk went quicker than lightning, and returned to him
speedily, saying: "O my master, the Sultan expecteth thee." Then
'Ala-ed-Din arose and mounted and the memluks rode before him
and behind him. And they were such as to make all men cry:
"Extolled be the Lord who created them in such perfection of beauty
and grace!" And they scattered gold among the people before their
master 'Ala-ed-Din, who excelled them in beauty and comeliness, —
and make no mention of the sons of Kings! Extolled be the Bounti-
ful, the Eternal! And all this came by virtue of the Wonderful
Lamp, which whoso possessed, it brought him beauty and loveliness
and wealth and wisdom. And the people were astonished at the
generosity of 'Ala-ed-Din and his excessive bounty, and were dis-
traught as they gazed upon his beauty and comeliness and grace and
courtliness. And they extolled the Compassionate for this his noble
creation; and all blessed him, though they knew he was the son of
Such-an-one the tailor; and none was envious of him, but all pro-
nounced him worthy of his luck.

390 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Thus was the crowd dazzled by 'Ala-ed-Din and his bounty and
generosity, as he was going to the palace, scattering gold. And they
blessed him, great and small, till he reached the palace, with the
memluks before and behind him distributing largesse to the people.
Now the Sultan had assembled the grandees of the state, and in-
formed them that he had given his word for the marriage of his
daughter to 'Ala-ed-Din. And he bade them await his coming, and
then go forth, one and all, and receive him. And he sent for the
emirs and the wezirs and chamberlains and gentlemen of the guard
and oflScers of the army, and they were all in waiting for 'Ala-ed-Din
at the gate of the palace. Now when 'Ala-ed-Din arrived he would
have dismounted at the gate, but one of the emirs whom the Sultan
had appointed for the office approached and said : "O my master, the
order is that thou enter and remain mounted on thy charger till thou
comest to the gate of the Hall of Audience." And they all marched
before him and escorted him to the gate of the Divan, when some
of them approached and held his stirrup, and others supported
him on each side or took him by the hand, and the emirs and officers
of state went before him and led him into the Hall of Audience
close to the royal throne. Then the Sultan descended at once from
his throne, and clasped him to his breast, and forbidding him to
kiss the ground, kissed him and seated him beside him on his right.
And 'Ala-ed-Din did as was proper towards Kings, in giving saluta-
tions and benedictions, saying: "O our lord the Sultan, verily the
generosity of thy Felicity caused thee to vouchsafe me the Lady
Bedr-el-Budur thy daughter, although I am not worthy of so great
an honour, since I am of the meanest of thy slaves. And I beg God
to prolong thy life perpetually. But in truth, O King, my tongue is
powerless to thank thee for the greatness of the surpassing favours
with which thou hast overwhelmed me. And I beg of thy Felicity
that thou give me a piece of land where I may build a palace suitable
for the Lady Bedr-el-Budur." And the Sultan was bewildered as he
gazed upon 'Ala-ed-Din in his princely robes, and looked upon him
and considered his beauty and comeliness, and saw the memluks
arrayed for his service and their handsome apparel. And his wonder
increased when 'Ala-ed-Din's mother approached in her cosdy attire,
sumptuous as though she had been a Queen; and when he per-

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 39I

ceived the twelve damsels attending her standing before her in all
respect and worship. Further, the Sultan considered the eloquence of
'Ala-ed-Din, and the refinement of his language, and was astounded
at it, he and all those who were with him at the levee. And fire was
kindled in the heart of the Wezir for envy of 'Ala-ed-Din, till he
almost died. Then the Sultan, after hearing 'Ala-ed-Din's bene-
dicdons, and perceiving the loftiness of his bearing and his deference
and eloquence, pressed him to his bosom and kissed him, saying:
"Alas for me, my son, that I have not enjoyed thy company till
this day!"

When the Sultan saw 'Ala-ed-Din in this respect he rejoiced with
great joy, and immediately ordered the music and band to play. And
he arose and took 'Ala-ed-Din and led him into the palace, where
supper was made ready and the servants had laid the tables. So the
Sultan sat down and seated 'Ala-ed-Din on his right; and the wezirs
also sat, and the grandees of the state and lords of the realm, all of
them in their degree; and the band played, and they made very
merry in the palace. And the Sultan waxed friendly with 'Ala-ed-
Din and conversed with him, and he answered with all courdiness
and eloquence, as though he had been brought up in the palaces of
Kings and had been their familiar. And the longer the conversation
lasted between them the greater became the Sultan's joy and satis-
faction, as he listened to his graceful replies and the charm of his
eloquence.

After they had eaten and drunk and removed the tables, the Sultan
commanded to bring the Kadis and witnesses, and they came and
tied the knot and wrote the contract of marriage between 'Ala-ed-
Din and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. After this 'Ala-ed-Din arose and
would have gone out, but the Sultan stopped him, saying: "Whither,
O my son? The festivities are beginning and the wedding is ready,
and the knot is tied and the contract written." But he answered:
"O my lord the King, it is my intention to build a palace for the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur befitting her rank and station; and it is im-
possible that I should enter in to her before this is done. But, please
God, the building shall be finished in the briefest space by the energy
of thy servant and the countenance of thy Felicity. And for me,
much as I long for union now with the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, yet it

392 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

behoveth me to serve her and to do so first." So the Sultan said to
him: "O my son, choose the land which thou deemest fit for thy
project; take it altogether into thy hands; but the best place would
be here in front of my palace on the open plain; then if thou so
fanciest build the palace there." "This," said 'Ala-ed-Din, "is the
height of my desire, to be near thy Felicity."

Therefore 'Ala-ed-Din took leave of the Sultan and went forth
riding with his memluks before and behind him. And all the world
blessed him and said, "By Allah, he is worthy!" till he reached his
house. There he alighted from his horse and entered his chamber
and rubbed the Lamp, and, behold, the Slave appeared before him
and said : "Ask what thou wilt, O my master." So 'Ala-ed-Din said :
"I require thee to do me an important service, which is to build me
with all speed a palace in front of the Sultan's Serai; and let it be
marvellous in its construction, such as Kings have not seen, and
perfect in its fittings of stately furniture fit for princes; and so forth."
And the Slave replied, "I hear and obey," and vanished. But before
the break of dawn he came to 'Ala-ed-Din and said : "O my master,
the palace is finished to the utmost of thy desire, and if thou wish to
see it, arise at once and look at it." So 'Ala-ed-Din arose, and the Slave
bore him in the twinkling of an eye to the palace. And when he
saw it, he was astounded at its construction, for all its stones were
of jasper and alabaster and porphyry and mosaics. Then the Slave
took him into a treasury full of all sorts of gold and silver and
precious stones, not to be numbered or estimated or appraised or
valued. And again, he took him into another room, where he saw
all the table equipments, plates and dishes, ewers and basins, of gold
and silver, and likewise flagons and goblets; and he led him to the
kitchen, where he saw the scullions with all their requisites and
cooking utensils, all of gold and silver; and next to a chamber full
of chests packed with royal raiment, such as captivated the reason,
brocades from India and China, and embroideries. Again he led him
to numerous rooms all full of what defieth description; and then to
the stables, where he found horses the like of which were not found
among the Kings in all the world; and from there he took him to
the saddle-room, which was full of costly harness and saddles,
studded with pearls and fine stones and the like. And all this was

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 393

done in a single night. 'Ala-ed-Din was astounded and distraught
at the vastness of these riches, which the mightiest sovereign on
earth could not compass. And the palace was full of servants and
maidens whose loveliness would tempt a saint. But the most wonder-
ful of all the things to be seen in the palace was a pavilion or kiosk
with twenty-four bays, all of emeralds and diamonds and other
jewels; and one bay was not finished by 'Ala-ed-Din's wish, in
order that the Sultan might be unequal to completing it.

When 'Ala-ed-Din had surveyed the palace in every part, he re-
joiced and was greatly delighted. Then turning to the Slave, he
said: "I desire one thing of thee, which is still lacking, and of which
I forgot to tell thee." And the Slave said: "Ask on, O my master,
whatsoever thou wishest." So he said: "I desire of thee a carpet of
splendid brocade, and let it be all worked with gold, and such that
when spread it shall reach from my palace to that of the Sultan,
so that the Lady Bedr-el-Budur when she cometh hither may walk
upon it and not tread upon the bare ground." So the Slave went
away for a while, and on his return said: "O my master, what thou
didst ask of me is done." And he took and shewed him a carpet
which captivated the reason, and it stretched from palace to palace.
Then the Slave carried 'Ala-ed-Din back to his house.

At this moment it was already dawn, and the Sultan arose from
sleep and opened the window of his chamber and looked out, and
in front of his palace he perceived a building; so he began to rub
his eyes, and opened them wide to observe it. And he saw a great
palace, bewildering the wits; and he gazed upon the carpet laid
down from his own palace to that other. And in like manner the
doorkeepers and all the royal household were perplexed in their
minds at this thing. Just then the Wezir came in, and as he came
he perceived the new palace and the carpet, and he too marvelled.
And when the Sultan entered, the two began talking of this strange
spectacle, and wondering at the sight of this thing, which dazzled
the sight and delighted the heart, saying: "Of a truth, the like of this
palace could not, we imagine, be built by Kings." And the Sultan
turned to the Wezir and said: "Dost thou see now that 'Ala-ed-Din
is worthy to mate my daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, after seeing
and considering this royal edifice and these riches which the mind

394 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

of man could not conceive?" But the Wezir, on account of his envy
of 'Ala-ed-Din, answered : "O King of the Age, verily this building
and this edifice and these riches could not exist save by means of
magic, for no man alive, be he the chiefest in authority or the
greatest in wealth, could complete this edifice in a single night."
Then answered the Sultan: "It is a wonder to me how thou art
always imputing evil to 'Ala-ed-Din; meseems, however, that it
proceedeth from thy envy of him; for thou wast present thyself
when I gave him this land, when he asked me for a site to build
a palace on for my daughter, and I granted him this piece of land
for his palace before thine eyes. But shall he who bringeth such a
dowry of jewels for my daughter as Kings possess not even a few
thereof, shall he be unequal to building a palace like this?"

When the Wezir heard the Sultan's words, and perceived that he
loved 'Ala-ed-Din greatly, his jealousy increased; only, as he could
not do anything to avert it, he watched and could not answer the
Sultan a word. But as to 'Ala-ed-Din, when he saw that it was
morning, and the time had come for him to go to the palace, because
his wedding fete was going on, and the emirs and wezirs and
grandees of state had collected about the Sultan in order to be
present at the wedding, he arose and rubbed the Lamp and the
Slave appeared to him and said: "O my master, ask what thou
desirest, for I am here at thy service." So 'Ala-ed-Din answered: "I
intend to go now to the Sultan's palace, as this is my wedding-day,
and I need ten thousand dinars which I wish thee to bring me."
Then the Slave vanished for the twinkling of an eye and returned
with the ten thousand dinars. Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose and mounted,
and there rode with him his memluks, before and behind. And
he proceeded to the palace, scattering gold to the crowd as he went,
so that they were filled with affection for him, and his dignity was
enhanced thereby. And when he arrived at the palace, and the
emirs and aghas and guards who were drawn up in waiting saw
him, they hastened immediately to the Sultan and apprised him.
Then the Sultan arose and met him and embraced and kissed him,
and holding him by the hand led him into the palace and sat down
and seated him at his side on the right; while the whole town was
decorated, and the musical instruments resounded in the palace,

< .

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 395

and the singers sang. Then the Suhan commanded that the banquet
should be served, and the eunuchs and memluks hastened to lay the
tables, which were such as befit Kings. And 'Ala-ed-Din and the
Sultan and the grandees of the realm and the chief officers of state
sat down and ate and drank till they were satisfied. And there were
great rejoicings in the palace and the city; and all the nobles were
delighted, and the people in all the kingdom rejoiced; and the rulers
of provinces and chiefs of departments from distant regions came to
see the wedding of 'Ala-ed-Din and the festivities. And the Sultan
wondered in his mind at 'Ala-ed-Din's mother — how she used to
come to him in shabby clothes when her son possessed such vast
wealth. And the people who came to the Sultan's palace to witness
the fetes of 'Ala-ed-Din, when they saw his new palace and the
beauty of the building, marvelled greatly how a splendid palace
like that could be finished in a single night. And they fell to bless-
ing 'Ala-ed-Din, and saying: "God give him enjoyment! By Allah,
verily he deserveth it! God bless his days!"

When 'Ala-ed-Din had finished the banquet he arose and took
leave of the Sultan, and mounting, he and his memluks proceeded
to his palace, to prepare for the reception of his bride the Lady
Bedr-el-Budur. And all the people cheered him with one shout as
he went: "God give thee enjoyment! God increase thy glory! God
prolong thy life!" And a vast concourse accompanied him as far
as his home, while he scattered gold amongst them. When he was
come to his palace, he dismounted and entered it and seated himself
on the divan, and the memluks stood attentive before him; and
presently they brought him sherbets. After which he gave command
to his memluks and maidens, eunuchs and all his household, to
prepare for the reception of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur his bride. Now
when it was afternoon and the air had become cool and the heat
of the sun had abated, the Sultan ordered the troops and emirs of
the state and wezirs to descend into the Meydan or riding-ground;
so they all went down, and the Sultan with them. And 'Ala-ed-
Din arose, and mounted with his memluks, and went down also to
the Meydan. And he displayed his horsemanship, playing with the
Jerid^ in the Meydan, so that none could stand against him. He was

'Javelin of palm.

396 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

riding a stallion the like of which did not exist among the horses
of the purest Arabs. And his bride the Lady Bedr-el-Budur watched
him from a window of her apartments, and seeing his grace and
horsemanship, she fell violently in love with him, and almost flew
with joy. When they had jousted round the Meydan and had each
shewn what horsemanship he possessed, and 'Ala-ed-Din the best of
them all, the Sultan proceeded to his palace, and 'Ala-ed-Din re-
turned to his own.

And when it was evening, the nobles and wezirs came and took
'Ala-ed-Din and conducted him in procession to the bath called
Imperial, which he entered, and was bathed and perfumed, and
coming forth put on a dress more gorgeous than before. Then he
mounted, and the guards and emirs rode before him, and escorted
him in stately progress, while four of the wezirs surrounded him
with drawn swords. And all the people, natives and strangers alike,
and all the troops, marched before him in procession, bearing candles
and drums and pipes and instruments of joy and revel, till they
arrived at his palace, where he dismounted, and entering, seated
himself. And the wezirs and emirs who were with him sat also;
and the memluks brought sherbets and sweet drinks, and served
all the crowd who had come with him in procession — a multitude
past numbering. And 'Ala-ed-Din ordered his memluks to go
forth from the palace gate and scatter gold among the crowd. When
the Sultan returned from the Meydan and entered his palace, he
forthwith ordered them to form a procession for his daughter the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur, to escort her to her bridegroom's palace. There-
upon the guards and officers of state who had taken part in 'Ala-ed-
Din's progress, mounted, and the handmaids and eunuchs brought
forth tapjers and escorted the Lady Bedr-el-Budur in a stately pro-
cession till they brought her to her bridegroom's palace. 'Ala-ed-
Din's mother walked beside her; and in front were the wives of the
wezirs and the emirs and grandees and chief officers; and along with
her were the eight-and-forty damsels which 'Ala-ed-Din had given
her, each carrying in her hand a tall taper of camphor and ambergris
set in a candlestick of gold inlaid with jewels. And they all went
forth with her from the seraglio, men and women, and marched
before her till they came to her groom's palace, when they took her

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 397

to her apartments, and changed her dress and displayed her. And
when the displaying was over they led her to the chamber of her
bridegroom 'Ala-ed-Din, and he went in to her.

Now his mother was with the bride, and when he came to unveil
her, his mother began to observe the beauty of the bride and her
loveliness. And she looked at the chamber she was in, ail sparkling
with gold and jewels; and there were lustres of gold all set with
emeralds and rubies. And she said within herself: "I used to think
the Sultan's palace magnificent, but this chamber is unique. Me-
thinks not one of the greatest of Emperors and Kings ever attained
to its like, and I do not believe that all the world could make a
chamber like this." And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur also began to look
and wonder at this palace and its splendour. Then the tables were
laid, and they all ate and drank and made merry; after which eighty
handmaidens came before them, each with an instrument of joy
and revel in her hand; and they stretched their fingers and touched
the strings and evolved harmonious modulations till they rent the
hearts of the hearers. And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur wondered the
more, and said within herself: "Never in my life have I heard songs
like these," till she left off eating and gave herself up to listening.
And 'Ala-ed-Din poured out wine for her and gave it her with his
own hand. And content and great rejoicing fell upon them, and it
was a glorious night, such as Alexander, Lord of the two Horns,
never spent in his time. And when they had done eating and drink-
ing and the tables were taken away, 'Ala-ed-Din arose and went in
to his bride.

And when it was morning 'Ala-ed-Din arose, and the treasurer
brought him a splendid costly suit of the richest of the robes of
Kings. And he dressed, and they brought him coffee with ambergris,
and he drank; and then ordered the horses to be saddled, and
mounted, and his memluks rode before and behind him. And he
proceeded to the palace of the Sultan, and as soon as he had arrived
and entered, the servants went and informed the Sultan of his
arrival; who, when he heard of it, arose straightway to meet him,
and embraced and kissed him as though he were his son, and seated
him on his right. And the wezirs and emirs and officers of state and
nobles of the realm blessed him, and the Sultan blessed and con-

398 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

gratulated him. And he ordered breakfast to be brought and they all
breakfasted. And when they had eaten and drunk their fill, and the
servants had removed the tables from before them, 'Ala-ed-Din
turned to the Sultan and said: "O my lord, will thy Felicity deign
to honour me this day to dinner with the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, thy
well-beloved daughter, accompanied by all the wezirs and nobles of
thy realm?" And the Sultan, being charmed with him, answered:
"Thou art too hospitable, O my son." And forthwith he ordered the
wezirs and officers of state and grandees of the realm, and arose and
took horses, and they likewise, and 'Ala-ed-Din rode with them
till they came to the new palace. And when the Sultan had
entered and considered the building and its construction and
masonry, which was of jasper and carneHan, his reason was con-
founded and distraught at this splendour and wealth and magnifi-
cence. And turning to the Wezir, he asked: "What sayest thou, O
Wezir? Hast thou seen in all thy time a thing like this, or is there
to be found among the Kings of the world such wealth and gold
and jewels as we see here in this palace?" And the Wezir replied:
"O my lord the King, this is a thing that is not within the reach of
any King of the sons of Adam, and all the people of the world
could not have built a palace like this, nor could masons construct
such a work, except, as I said to thy Felicity, by the power of magic."
But the Sultan knew that the Wezir could never speak without envy
of 'Ala-ed-Din, and wished to prove to the Sultan that all this was
not done by strength of man, but wholly by force of magic. So the
Sultan answered him: "Enough, O Wezir; thou hast no more to
say; and I know the reason of thy speaking thus."

Then 'Ala-ed-Din walked before the Sultan till they came to the
upper kiosk, where he looked at the ceiling and windows and lattices
all set with emeralds and rubies and other precious stones, and he
was astonished and astounded and his wits were confounded, and
he was distraught in his mind. Then the Sultan began to wander
about the kiosk and look at things which captivated the reason.
And he perceived the bay which 'Ala-ed-Din had purposely left un-
finished. And when the Sultan had examined it and saw that it
was not complete, he cried : "Woe to thee, O bay, that thou art not
perfect!" And turning to the Wezir, he said: "Knowest thou the

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 399

cause of the unfinished state of this bay and its lattices?" And he
replied: "O my lord, 1 think this window is left unfinished on
account of thy Felicity hastening the wedding of 'Ala-ed-Din, so that
he had not time to finish it." At that moment 'Ala-ed-Din had gone
to his bride, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, to apprise her of the visit of
her father the Sultan. But when he returned, the latter asked him:
"O my son 'Ala-ed-Din, what is the reason that this bay of the kiosk
is not complete?" And 'Ala-ed-Din repUed: "O King of the Age,
in consequence of the hurry of the wedding I could not get workmen
to finish it." Then said the Sultan : "It is a fancy of mine to complete
it myself." "God continue thy glory, O King," answered 'Ala-ed-
Din. "So shall thy memory be perpetuated in thy daughter's palace."
Then the Sultan ordered them to bring the jewellers and gold-
smiths, and commanded that they should be furnished from the treas-
ury with all they wanted of gold and jewels and minerals; and when
they were assembled he bade them complete what was lacking in
the lattice of the kiosk.

Meanwhile the Lady Bedr-el-Budur came to meet her father the
Sultan, and as she drew near he noticed her face was smiling; so he
embraced and kissed her, and led her into the kiosk, where all
entered together. It was the time of the noon meal, and one table
was prepared for the Sultan and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur and 'Ala-
ed-Din, and a second for the Wezirs and lords of state and grandees
of the realm and officers of the army and chamberlains and gentle-
men of the guard.

Then the Sultan seated himself between his daughter and his son-
in-law. And when he stretched forth his hand to the food and
tasted it, he was filled with surprise at the viands and the admirable
and savoury cookery. And before him stood eighty damsels, each
of whom might say to the full moon: "Get up, that I may seat
myself in thy stead!" And they all held instruments of joy and revel
in their hands, and tuned them, and stretched out their fingers
and touched the strings, and drew forth melodious strains, which
would expand the heart of the sorrowful. And the Sultan was de-
lighted. The moment was agreeable, and he was happy, and said:
"Verily this thing transcendeth the power of Emperors and Kings."
So they fell to eating and drinking, and the cup went round among

400 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

them till they were satisfied; then fruits and sweetmeats and the
like were brought and served in another apartment, whither they
repaired and took their fill of these delights. Then the Sultan arose
to look at the work of the jewellers and goldsmiths, and see if it
resembled that of the palace. So he ascended to them and inspected
their work and how they had progressed; but he perceived a strong
contrast, and that they were unable to produce such work as the
palace of 'Ala-ed-Din. They told him that they had brought all the
jewels they could find in the [ordinary] treasury, but it was not
enough. Upon this he ordered the Great Treasury to be opened,
and gave them what they wanted; and [said that] if that were still
insufficient, they might take the present which 'Ala-ed-Din had given
him. So the jewellers took all the precious stones which the Sultan
allowed, and they worked with them and again found that they
had not enough, and were unable to complete half what remained
unfinished of the lattices of the kiosk. Thereupon the Sultan com-
manded them to seize all the jewels which they might find among
the wezirs and grandees of the state. So the jewellers took them all
and continued their task, and even so there was not enough.

When morning came, 'Ala-ed-Din ascended to see how the jewel-
lers had worked, and perceived that they had not completed half the
deficient bay. So he immediately ordered them to take down all
that they had done and return the jewels to their owners. So they
undid it all, and sent to the Sultan what was his, and to the wezirs
what was theirs. Then the jewellers went to the Sultan and told
him that 'Ala-ed-Din had ordered them thus. And he asked them:
"What did he say? What was his reason, and why was he not
pleased that the bay should be finished, and why did he demolish
what ye had done?" They answered: "O our lord, we have no
knowledge at all, but he bade us demolish all we had done." There-
upon the Sultan called for his horses and mounted and went to
'Ala-ed-Din's palace.

Now 'Ala-ed-Din, after dismissing the goldsmiths and jewellers
retired into his closet, and rubbed the Lamp, when the Slave instantly
appeared, saying: "Ask whatsoever thou desirest, for thy Slave is in
thy hands." And 'Ala-ed-Din said: "I wish thee to finish the bay
that was left incomplete." "On the head and also the eye," answered

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 40I

the Slave, and vanished, but shortly returned, saying: "O my lord,
that which thou didst command me to do is finished." So 'Ala-ed-
Din mounted to the kiosk and saw all the bays were perfect. And
whilst he was inspecting them, lo, a eunuch came and said: "O my
master, the Sultan cometh to thee, and entereth the palace gate."
So 'Ala-ed-Din went down at once to meet him. When the Sultan
saw him he cried: "O my son, wherefore hast thou done thus, and
wouldest not let the jewellers finish the lattice of the kiosk, so that
an unfinished spot remaineth in thy palace?" And 'Ala-ed-Din re-
plied: "O King of the Age, I left it imperfect only for a purpose; for
I was not unequal to finishing it, nor could I wish thy Felicity to
honour me at a palace wherein anything was imperfect. But that
thou mayest know that I am not incapable of perfecting it, I beg
of thy Felicity to inspect the bays of the kiosk, and see if there be
aught unfinished there." So the King ascended to the apartments
and entered the kiosk and began to look over it to the right and the
left, but he found nothing whatever incomplete, but found all the
bays perfect. And seeing this he was astonished, and embraced 'Ala-
ed-Din and fell to kissing him, saying: "O my son, what strange
doing is this! In a single night thou canst accomplish a work which
the jewellers would fail to do in months! By Allah, I do not think
thou hast a fellow or peer in the world." And 'Ala-ed-Din replied:
"God prolong thy life and continue thy length of days forever!
Thy servant is not worthy of such praise." But the King said, "O
my son, verily thou art worthy of all praise, since thou hast ac-
complished a thing which all the workmen in the universe could
not do." Then the Sultan descended and went to the apartments of
his daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to rest with her; and he saw
that she was very happy at the state and magnificence that sur-
rounded her, and after resting awhile he returned to his palace.

Every day 'Ala-ed-Din used to ride through the city with his
memluks before and behind, scattering gold right and left among
the people, and all the world, foreigners and neighbours, the far
and the near, were alike drawn with love to him by reason of his
excessive generosity and bounty. And he increased the provision for
the f)oor and indigent, and himself gave them alms with his own
hand; for which deeds he acquired great renown throughout the

402 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

realm; and many of the grandees of the state and the emirs ate at
his table, and men swore only "by his precious life!" And he went
frequently to the chase and the Meydan and horse exercises and
javelin jousts in the presence of the Sultan. And whenever the Lady
Bedr-el-Budur saw him performing on the backs of horses, her love
for him waxed stronger, and she thought within herself that God
had been very gracious to her in causing to happen that which
happened with the son of the Wezir, so that she was reserved to be
the virgin bride of 'Ala-ed-Din.

Thus 'Ala-ed-Din daily increased in fair fame and renown, and
the love of him grew stronger in the hearts of all the subjects, and
he was magnified in the eyes of the people. At this time, moreover,
certain of the Sultan's enemies rode down against him, and the
Sultan equipped the troops to resist them, and made 'Ala-ed-Din
leader of the army. So 'Ala-ed-Din went with the troops, till he
drew near to the enemy, whose armies were very strong. And he drew
his sword, and rushed upon the enemy, and the battle and slaughter
began, and the conflict was sturdy. But 'Ala-ed-Din broke them and
dispersed them, killing the greater part, and looting their goods and
provisions and cattle beyond number. Then he returned triumphant
after a glorious victory, and made his entry into his city, who had
adorned herself for him in her rejoicing over him. And the Sultan
went forth to meet him and congratulated him and embraced and
kissed him, and there was a magnificent fete and great rejoicings.
And the Sultan and 'Ala-ed-Din entered the palace, where there met
him his bride, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, who was rejoicing over him,
and kissed him between the eyes. And they went into her palace,
and presently the Sultan and all sat down, and the damsels brought
sherbets. So they drank; and the Sultan ordered throughout the
kingdom that they should illuminate for the victory of 'Ala-ed-Din
over the enemy. And the chiefs and the soldiers and the crowd
turned [their prayers] only to God in Heaven and 'Ala-ed-Din on
earth, for they loved him exceedingly, because of the excess of his
bounty and generosity and his fighting for his country, and his
charge, and his rout of the foe. And thus was it with 'Ala-ed-Din.

But as to the Moorish sorcerer, when he had returned to his
country, he spent all this time in lamenting the labour and trouble

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 4O3

he had taken in his quest of the Lamp, and the more because his
labour was fruitless; and the morsel had fallen from his hand just
as it was touching his lips. And he fell to thinking over all this,
and lamented, and cursed 'Ala-ed-Din in his exceeding rage, and at
times he would mutter: "That this misbegotten boy is dead below
ground I am satisfied, and I hope yet to get the Lamp, since it is
still safe."

One day of the days he drew a table in sand and put the figures
down and examined them carefully and verified them, that he might
perceive and be certified of the death of 'Ala-ed-Din and the preser-
vation of the Lamp, beneath the ground; and he looked into the
figures, both "mothers" and "daughters," intently, but he saw not
the Lamp. At this, anger overcame him, and he drew the figure
again, to be certain of 'Ala-ed-Din's death; but he saw him not in
the Treasury. So his rage increased and the more so when he
ascertained that the t)oy was alive on the surface of the earth. And
when he knew that he had come forth from underground and was
possessed of the Lamp for which he himself had endured privations
and labour such as man can hardly bear, then he said within him-
self: "I have borne many pains and suffered torments which no one
else would have endured for the sake of the Lamp, and this cursed
boy has taken it without an effort; and if this accursed knoweth the
virtues of the Lamp, no one in the world should be richer than he."
And he added: "There is nothing for it but that I compass his
destruction." So he drew a second table, and inspecting the figures,
discovered that 'Ala-ed-Din had acquired immense wealth and had
married the daughter of the Sultan. So he was consumed with the
flame of anger begotten of envy.

He arose that very hour, and equipped himself, and journeyed to
the land of China, and when he arrived at the metropolis wherein
dwelt 'Ala-ed-Din, he entered and alighted at one of the Khans. And
he heard the p)eople talking of nothing but the splendour of 'Ala-ed-
Din's palace. After he had rested from his journey, he dressed him-
self and went down to perambulate the streets of the city. And he
never met any people but they were admiring this palace and its
splendour, and talking together of the beauty of 'Ala-ed-Din and his
grace and dignity and generosity and the charm of his manners.

404 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

And the Moor approached one of those who were depicting 'Ala-ed-
Din with these encomiums, and said to him: "O gentle youth, who
may this be whom ye praise and commend?" And the other re-
plied: "It is evident that thou, O man, art a stranger and comest from
distant parts; but be thou from ever so distant a land, how hast thou
not heard of the Emir 'Ala-ed-Din whose fame, methinks, hath filled
the world and whose palace one of the Wonders of the World hath
been heard of far and near? And how hast thou not heard any-
thing of this or of the name of 'Ala-ed-Din, our Lord increase his
glory and give him joy?" But the Moor answered: "Verily it is the
height of my desire to see the palace, and if thou wilt do me the
favour, direct me to it, since I am a stranger." Then the man said,
"I hear and obey," and proceeded before him and guided him to the
palace of 'Ala-ed-Din. And the Moor began to examine it, and knew
that it was all the doing of the Lamp, and cried: "Ah! There is
nothing for it but that I dig a pit for this cursed son of a tailor, who
could not even earn a supper. And if the fates aid me I will un-
doubtedly send his mother back to her spinning, as she was before;
and as for him, I will take his life."

He returned to the Khan in this state of grief and regret and sad-
ness for envy of 'Ala-ed-Din. When he arrived at the Khan he took
his instruments of divination and drew a table to discover where
the Lamp was; and he found it was in the palace, and not on 'Ala-
ed-Din himself. Whereat he rejoiced mightily, and said: "The task
remaineth easy, to destroy the life of this accursed; and I have a way
to obtain the Lamp." Then he went to a coppersmith and said:
"Make me a number of lamps, and take their price, and more; only
I wish thee to hasten to finish them." And the coppersmith an-
swered, "I hear and obey." And he set to work at them and com-
pleted them; and when they were done the Moor paid him the price
he asked for them, and took them and departed and went to the
Khan, where he put them in a basket. Then he went about the
streets and bazars of the city, crying: "O who will exchange old
lamps for new?" And when the people heard him crying thus, they
laughed at him, saying: "No doubt this man is mad, since he goeth
about to exchange old lamps for new." And all the world followed
him, and the street boys pursued him from place to place and mocked

< .

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 405

at him; but he gainsaid them not nor cared for that, but did not
cease perambulating the city till he came under 'Ala-ed-Din's palace,
when he began to cry in a louder voice, while the boys shouted at
him, "Madman! Madman!"

Now by the decrees of destiny the Lady Bedr-el-Budur was in the
kiosk, and hearing some one crying and the boys shouting at him,
and not understanding what it was all about, she ordered one of her
handmaids, saying: "Go and find out who it is that crieth and what
he is crying." So the damsel went to look, and perceived a man
crying: "O who will exchange old lamps for new?" and the boys
around him making sport of him. And she returned and told her
mistress Bedr-el-Budur, saying: "O my lady, this man is crying: 'O
who will exchange old lamps for new?' and the urchins are follow-
ing him and laughing at him." So the Lady Bedr-el-Budur laughed
too at this oddity. Now 'Ala-ed-Din had left the Lamp in his apart-
ment, instead of replacing it in the Treasury and locking it up, and
one of the maids had seen it. So she said: "O my mistress, me-
thinks I have seen in my master's room an old lamp; let us exchange
it with this man for a new one, to find out if his cry be true or
false." And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur said to her: "Bring the Lamp
which thou sayest thou didst see in thy master's room." For the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur had no knowledge of the Lamp and its qualities,
and that it was this which had brought 'Ala-ed-Din her husband to
his present high station; and her chief desire was to try and discover
the object of this man who exchanged new lamps for old. So the
damsel went and ascended to the apartment of 'Ala-ed-Din and
brought the Lamp to her mistress, and none of them suspected the
guile of the Moorish wizard and his cunning. Then the Lady Bedr-
el-Budur ordered an agha of the eunuchs to go down and exchange
the Lamp for a new one. So he took the Lamp and gave it to
the Moor and received from him a new lamp, and returned
to the Princess and gave her the exchange; and she, after examining
it, saw it was really new, and fell a-laughing at the folly of the
Moor.

But he, when he got the Lamp and knew it was the Lamp of the
Treasure, instantly put it in his bosom and abandoned the rest of the
lamps to the people who were chaffering with him, and went run-

406 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

ning till he came to the outskirts of the city, when he walked on over
the plains and waited patiently till night had fallen, and he saw
that he was alone in the desert, and none there but he. Then he took
forth the Lamp from his bosom and rubbed it, and immediately the
Marid appeared to him, and said : "At thy service, I am thy slave in
thy hands; ask of me what thou desirest." So the Moor repHed: "I
require thee to remove the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din from its site, with
its inmates and all that is in it, and myself also, and set it in my
country, the land of Africa. Thou knowest my town, and I wish this
palace to be in my town, among the gardens." And the Marid slave
replied, "I hear and obey. Shut thine eye and open it, and thou wilt
find thyself in thy country along with the palace." And in a moment
this was done, and the Moor and the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din and all
in it were removed to the land of Africa. Thus it was with the
Moorish sorcerer.

To return to the Sultan and 'Ala-ed-Din. When the Sultan arose
in the morning from his sleep, in his affection and love for his
daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, he was wont every day when he
was aroused from sleep to open the window and look out towards
her. So he arose that day, as usual, and opened the window to look
upon his daughter. But when he approached the window and looked
towards the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din, he beheld nothing — nay, the
place was as bare as it was of yore, and he saw neither palace nor
any other building. And he was wrapped in amazement and dis-
traught in mind; and he rubbed his eyes, in case they were dimmed
or darkened, and returned to his observation, till at last he was sure
that no trace or vestige of the palace remained; and he knew not
how or why it had disappeared. So his wonder increased, and he
smote his hands together, and the tears trickled down over his beard,
because he knew not what had become of his daughter.

Then he sent at once and had the Wezir fetched. And he stood
before him, and as soon as he came in he noticed the sorrowful state
of his sovereign, and said to him: "Pardon, O King of the Age.
God defend thee from calamity. Wherefore dost thou grieve?" The
Sultan replied: "Perhaps thou dost not know my trouble?" And the
Wezir said: "Not a whit, O my lord. By Allah, I have no knowl-
edge of it whatever." Then said the Sultan: "It is evident thou hast

'ala-ed-din and the wonderful lamp 407

not looked towards the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din." "True, O my
master," replied the Wezir, "it must now be still closed." Then said
the King: "Since thou hast no knowledge of anything, arise and
look out of the window and see where 'Ala-ed-Din's palace is which
thou sayest is shut up." So the Wezir arose and looked out of the
window towards the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din, and could espy nothing,
neither palace nor anything else. So his reason was amazed and he
was astounded, and returned to the Sultan, who said: "Dost thou
know now the reason of my grief, and hast thou observed the palace
of 'Ala-ed-Din which thou saidst was shut?" The Wezir answered:
"O King of the Age, I informed thy Felicity before that this palace
and all these doings were magic." Then the Sultan was inflamed
with wrath, and cried out: "Where is 'Ala-ed-Din?" He answered:
"Gone to the chase." Thereupon the Sultan instantly ordered some
of his aghas and soldiers to go and fetch 'Ala-ed-Din, pinioned and
shackled. So the aghas and soldiers proceeded till they came upon
'Ala-ed-Din, whom they thus addressed: "Chastise us not, O our
master 'Ala-ed-Din, for the Sultan hath commanded us to take thee
chained and pinioned. So we beg thy pardon, for we are acting
under the royal mandate, which we cannot oppose." When 'Ala-ed-
Din heard the words of the aghas and soldiers, wonder took hold
of him, and his tongue became tied, for he understood not the cause
of this. Then turning to them, he said: "O company, have ye no
knowledge of the cause of this order of the Sultan? I know myself
to be innocent, and to have committed no sin against the Sultan
or against the kingdom." They answered: "O our master, we know
no cause at all." Then 'Ala-ed-Din dismounted and said to them:
"Do with me what the Sultan ordered, for the command of the
Sultan must be on the head and the eye." Then the aghas chained
'Ala-ed-Din and manacled him and bound him with irons and led
him to the city. And when the citizens saw him bound and chained
with iron, they knew that the Sultan would cut off his head; and
since he was exceedingly beloved of them all, the lieges assembled
together and brought their weapons and went forth from their
houses and followed the soldiers to see what would be the event.
When the troops with 'Ala-ed-Din reached the palace, they en-
tered and told the Sultan; whereupon he straightway commanded

408 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

the executioner to come and cut off his head. But when the citizens
knew this, they barred the gates and shut the doors of the palace,
and sent a message to the Suhan, saying: "We will instantly pull
down thy house over thy head and all others in it, if any mischief
or harm come to 'Ala-ed-Din." So the Wezir went in and in-
formed the Sultan, saying: "O King of the Age, thy command is
about to seal the book of our lives. It were better to pardon 'Ala-ed-
Din lest there come upon us the calamity of calamities; for the lieges
love him more than us." Now the executioner had already spread the
carpet of death, and seated 'Ala-ed-Din thereon, and bandaged his
eyes, and had walked round him thrice, waiting for the King's
command, when the Sultan looking out of 'the window, beheld his
subjects attacking him and scaling the walls with intent to pull them
down. So he immediately ordered the executioner to stay his 'hand,
and bade the herald go out to the crowd and proclaim that he had
pardoned 'Ala-ed-Din and granted him grace. When 'Ala-ed-Din
saw he was free, and espied the Sultan seated on his throne, he drew
near and said to him: "O my lord, since thy 'Felicity hath been
gracious to me all my life, vouchsafe to tell me what is my offence."
Then the Sultan said: "O traitor, hitherto I knew of no offence in
thee." And turning to the Wezir, he said: "Take him and shew him
from the windows where his palace is." And when the Wezir had
led him and he had looked out of the window in the direction of
his palace, he found the site bare as it was before he built his palace
thereon; and he saw never a vestige of the palace at all. So he was
amazed and bewildered and knew not what had happened. And
when he returned, the King asked him: "What hast thou seen?
Where is thy palace, and where is my daughter, the kernel of my
heart, my only child, than whom I have none other?" And 'Ala-
ed-Din answered: "O King of the Age, I know not at all, nor what
this is that hath occurred." Then said the Sultan: "Know, O 'Ala-
ed-Din, that I have pardoned thee in order that thou mayest go and
look into this matter and search for my daughter for me; and do not
present thyself without her; for if thou bringest her not, by my
life I will cut off thy head." And 'Ala-ed-Din replied: "I hear and
obey, O King of the Age. Only grant me a delay of forty days, and
then if I do not bring her, cut off my head and do what thou wilt."

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 409

And the Sultan answered: "I grant thee a delay of forty days, as thou
askest, but think not to escape from my hand, for 1 would bring
thee back even if thou wert up in the clouds instead of on the face
of 'the earth." "O my lord the Sultan," said 'Ala-ed-Din, "as I told
thy Fehcity, if I fail to bring her at the appointed time, I will come
and have my head cut off."

Now when all the people and citizens saw that 'Ala-ed-Din was
released, they rejoiced with exceeding joy and were glad at his
escape; but the shame of what had befallen him, and bashfulness,
and the jealous satisfaction [of his enemies] caused 'Ala-ed-Din's
head to droop. So he went wandering about the city, and was be-
wildered at the case and knew not what had happened to him. For
two days he remained in the city, in a sorrowful state, knowing
not how to find his wife and palace, while some of the people
brought him food and drink. 'After the two days he left the city, and
wandered about the desert in an aimless manner, and walked on
without stopping till the road led him beside a river, where, in the
heaviness of the grief that oppressed him he gave up hope, and
longed to throw himself into the river. But being a Muslim, and
professing the Unity of God, he feared God in his soul, and he stood
at the river's 'bank to perform the religious ablutions. Now as he
was taking the water in his hands, he began to rub his fingers to-
gether, and, so doing, he chanced to rub the Ring. Thereupon the
Marid [of the Ring] appeared and said: "At thy service! Thy slave
is in thy hands. Ask of me what thou desirest." And when he saw
the Marid, 'Ala-ed-Din rejoiced with great joy, and said: "O Slave, I
desire thee to 'bring me my palace and my wife, the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur, in it, and all else that it containeth." But the Marid an-
swered : "O my master thou askest a hard matter which I cannot do.
This thing pertaineth to the Slave of the Lamp, and I am not able
to attempt it." So 'Ala-ed-Din replied: "Since this thing is beyond
thy power, take me 'only and place me beside my palace wherever
it may be on the earth." And the Slave answered : "I hear and obey,
O my master." So the Marid bore him away, and in 'the twinkling
of an eye set him down beside his palace in the land of Africa, in
front of the 'apartment of his wife. It was then nightfall, yet he
espied the palace and knew it to be his. And his grief vanished, and

410 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

he hoped in God, after hope had been cut off, that he 'should see his
wife once more. And he began to consider the mysterious workings
of God (glory to his omnipotence!), and how the Ring had cheered
him, when all hope would have died had not God aided him with
the Slave of the Ring. So he rejoiced, and air his tribulation left him.
And as he had gone four days without sleep, from the heaviness of
his grief and anxiety and excess of pondering, he went beside the
palace and slept under a tree; for, as hath been said, the palace was
amid the gardens of Africa outside the city.

That night he slept beside the palace under a tree in perfect
repose, though he whose head belongeth to the headsman sleepeth
not of nights save when drowsiness compelleth him. But for the
space of four days sleep had deserted him. So he slept till broad
day, when he was awakened by the warbling of birds, and arose and
went to the river there, which flowed to the city, and washed his
hands and face, and performed the ablutions, and said the morning-
prayer. And when he had done praying he returned and sat under
the' window of the apartment of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. Now she,
in the excess of her grief at her separation from her husband and
from the Sultan, her father, and the horror of what had befallen her
from the accursed Moorish wizard, was wont to arise every day at
the streak of dawn, and to sit weeping; for she slept not at all of
nights, and avoided food and drink. And her handmaiden would
come to 'her at prayer-time to dress her, and as fate had decreed, the
girl had opened the window at that instant in order for her to look
upon the trees and the streams and console herself. And the maid
looked out of the window and discovered 'Ala-ed-Din, her master,
sitting beneath the apartment, and she said to the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur: "O my mistress, O my mistress! Here is my master 'Ala-ed-
Din sitting under the window." So the Lady Bedr-el-Budur arose in
haste and looked out of the window and saw him, and 'Ala-ed-Din
turned his head and saw her, and she greeted him and he greeted
her, and they were both like to fly with joy. And she said to him:
"Arise and come in to me by the secret door, now that the accursed
is away." And she bade the girl descend and open the secret door
for him. And 'Ala-ed-Din arose and entered thereby, and his wife,
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, met him at the door, and they embraced

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 4II

and kissed one another in perfect bliss till they began to weep from
excess of happiness. And when they were seated 'Ala-ed-Din said
to her: "O Lady Bedr-el-Budur, before anything it is my wish to
ask thee somewhat. It was my habit to put an old copper lamp in
my apartment in a certain place. . . ." When the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur heard this, she sighed and said: "Alas, my beloved, it was
that Lamp that was the cause of our falling into this misfortune."
And 'Ala-ed-Din asked her, "How did this affair happen?" And
she told him the whole story from first to last, and how they had
exchanged the old lamp for a new one. And she added: "The next
day we hardly saw one another in the morning before we found our-
selves in this country; and he who cozened us and exchanged the
Lamp told me that he had done this by force of magic by the aid
of the Lamp, and that he is a Moor of Africa, and we are in his
town."

When the Lady Bedr-el-Budur had done speaking, 'Ala-ed-Din
said to her: "Tell me what this accursed is going to do with thee,
and what and how he speaketh to thee, and what is his will of thee."
She answered: "He cometh to see me every day only once, and he
would win me to love him, and marry him instead of thee, and for-
get thee and be consoled for thee. And he saith that the Sultan, my
father, hath cut olT thy head, and telleth me that thou art of poor
people, and that he is the cause of thy wealth. And he blandisheth
me with his words, but he never seeth in me anything but tears
and weeping, and he hath not heard a kind word from me." Then
'Ala-ed-Din said: "Tell me, if thou knowest, where he keepeth the
Lamp." But she replied: '"He carryeth it always with him, and it is
not possible to part him from it for a single instant. But once, when
he told me what I had related to thee, he took it from his bosom
and shewed it to me." So when 'Ala-ed-Din heard these words he
rejoiced greatly, and said: "O Lady Bedr-el-Budur, listen. I propose
to go out now and return after changing my dress. So be not sur-
prised at it; but instruct one of thy maidens 'to stand by the private
door till she see me, and then open it at once. And now I will plot
how to slay this 'Accursed."

Therefore 'Ala-ed-Din arose and went forth from the palace gate,
and proceeded till he met by the way a peasant, to whom he said:

412 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

"O man, 'take my clothes and give me thine." But the f)easant would
not do so. So 'Ala-ed-Din compelled him and took his clothes from
him and put them on, and gave him his own costly robes. Then he
went along the road till he reached the city. And he went to the
bazar of the perfumers and bought of them some potent benj, the
son of an instant,' buying two drachms of it for two dinars. Then he
returned along the road till he came to the palace; and when the
slave-girl saw him she opened the private door. And he entered to
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and said to her: "Listen! I wish thee to
dress and adorn thyself and dismiss grief; and when this damned
Moor Cometh, do thou receive him with a pleasant welcome, and
meet him with a smiling face, and bid him come and sup with thee;
and shew him that thou hast forgotten thy beloved 'Ala-ed-Din and
thy father, and that thou lovest him with vehement love. Then ask
him for a drink, and let it be red wine; and, shewing all the tokens
of joy 'and happiness, drink to his secret; and when thou hast served
him with three cups of wine, so as to make him careless, put this
powder in the cup and crown it with wine; and as soon as he
drinketh this cup wherein thou hast put this powder, he shall in-
stantly fall, like a dead man, on his back." And when the Lady
Bedr-el-Budur heard these words of 'Ala-ed-Din she said: "This is
an exceedingly difficult thing for me to do;^ but to escape from the
profanation of this accursed, who hath afflicted me with separation
from thee and from my father, it is lawful to kill the wretch." Then,
after 'Ala-ed-Din had eaten and drunk with his wife and appeased
his hunger, he arose without delay or hindrance and went forth
from the palace.

Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur sent for her tirewoman, who at-
tired her and 'adorned her and put on her handsomest dress and
perfumed her. And whilst she was doing so, behold, the cursed
Moor appeared. And when he looked at her in this array, he re-
joiced greatly, and 'all the more when she received him with a
smiling face, contrary to her habit; and his love for her inr.reased,
and he desired her passionately. Then she took him by her side and
seated him, saying: "O my beloved, if thou wilt, come to me this
night and let us sup together. Enough of sorrow have I had, and
* /.*., which took effect in a moment.

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 413

were I to sit mourning for a thousand years or two, 'Ala-ed-Din
would not come back to me from the grave. And I rely upon what
thou saidst yesterday, that my father slew him in his sorrow at my
absence. Do not wonder that I am changed since yesterday; it is
because I have resolved to take thee as my lover and intimate in-
stead of 'Ala-ed-Din, for I have no other man than thee. So I look
for thy coming to me to-night, that we may sup together and drink
a little wine with one another. And it is my desire that thou give
me to taste of the wine of thy native Africa; perhaps it is better
than ours. I have with me some wine of our country, but I desire
greatly to taste the wine of thine."

When the Moor saw the love which the Lady Bedr-el-Budur dis-
played towards him, and how she was changed from her former
melaqcholy, he believed she had given up hope of 'Ala-ed-Din, and
he rejoiced greatly, and said, "O my soul, I hear and obey whatever
thou desirest and biddest me. I have in my house a jar of wine
of my country, which I have kept laid up underground for eight
years; and now I am going to draw sufficient for us, and will return
to thee speedily." But the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, in order to coax him
more and more, said: "O my dearest, do not go thyself, and leave
me; but send one of the servants to fill for us from it, and remain
here sitting by me that I may console myself with thee." But he
said: "O my mistress, none knoweth but I where the jar is, and I
will not tarry long away from thee." So the Moor went out, and
after a little time returned with as much wine as they needed. Then
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur said to him: "Thou hast taken pains for me,
and I have suffered for thy sake, O beloved." And he answered:
"Not so, O my eye; 1 am honoured in serving thee." Then the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur sat with him at the table, and they ate, and
presently the lady asked him for drink; and immediately the hand-
maid filled for her a goblet, and then filled another for the Moor.
So she drank to his long life and his secret, and he to her life; and
she made a boon-fellow of him. Now the Lady Bedr-el-Budur was
accomplished in eloc^uence and refinement of speech, and she be-
witched him by addressing him in a delicious way, so that he might
become more in love with her. But the Moor thought this was
sincere, and did not imagine that her love was feigned, a snare to

414 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

kill him. And his infatuation for her increased, and he almost died
of love when he saw her shew him such sweetness of word and
thought; and his head swam, and the world seemed nothing in
his eye.

When they came to the end of the supper and the wine had al-
ready mastered his brain, and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur observed it,
she said: "We have a custom in our country, but I know not if ye
have it here. Tell me if ye have or not." And the Moor asked,
"What is this custom?" "At the end of supper," she replied, "for
every one to take the cup of his beloved and drink it." And she
forthwith took his cup and filled it with wine for herself, and bade
the handmaid give him her cup, wherein was wine mixed with the
benj. Now the maid knew what to do, for all the maids and
eunuchs in the palace wished for his death, and sympathised with
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. So the girl gave him the cup, and he, when
he heard her words and saw her drinking out of his cup and giving
him hers to drink, thought himself Alexander the Great, Lord of the
two Horns, as he gazed upon all these tokens of love. Then she said
to him, undulating her sides, and putting her hand in his: "O my
soul, here is thy cup in my hand, and my cup in thine, thus do
lovers drink from one another's cups." Then she kissed his cup and
drank it and put it down and came to him and kissed him on the
lips. And he flew with delight, and resolved to do as she did, and
raised the cup to his mouth and drank it off, without thinking if
there were anything in it or not. And instantly, in a moment,
he fell on his back, like a corpse, and the cup fell from his
hand.

Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur rejoiced, and the maidens ran and
opened the door to 'Ala-ed-Din, their master, who came in, and went
up to his wife's room, and found her sitting at the table, with the
Moor lying in front of her like a dead man. And he drew near and
kissed her and thanked her. Then rejoicing with excessive joy, he
turned to her and said: "Do thou and thy slave-girls retire to thy
apartment and leave me alone now, that I may arrange my plan."
And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur delayed not, but went, she and her
maidens. Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose, and locking the door after them,
went up to the Moor and put his hand into his bosom and took

< ,

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 415

forth the Lamp; after which he drew his sword and cut of? his head.
Then he rubbed the Lamp, and there appeared the Marid slave, who
said: "At thy service, O my master. What wilt thou?" And 'Aia-
ed-Din answered: "I desire thee to lift this palace from this country
and bear it to the land of China, and set it down in the place where
it was, opposite the Sultan's palace." And the Marid replied, "1 hear
and obey, O my master." Then 'Ala-ed-Din went and sat with the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur, his wife, and embraced and kissed her, and she
him. And they sat in company while the Marid carried the palace
and set it in its place opposite the palace of the Sultan.

And 'Ala-ed-Din ordered the maids to bring a table before him,
and seated himself, he and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, his wife; and
they fell to eating and drinking in all joy and happiness till they
were satisfied. Then withdrawing to the hall of carousal, they sat
and drank and caroused and kissed each other in perfect bliss. For
the time had been long since they had enjoyed themselves together.
So they ceased not till the sun of wine shone in their heads, and
drowsiness overcame them. Then they arose and went to bed in all
contentment. Next morning 'Ala-ed-Din arose and awoke his wife,
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur; and the slave-girls came and dressed and ar-
rayed and adorned her, while 'Ala-ed-Din put on his handsomest
dress, and both were like to fly for joy at their re-union after separa-
tion. And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur was the more happy that day,
because she was going to see her father. Thus was it with 'Ala-ed-
Din and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur.

But as for the Sultan, after he had banished 'Ala-ed-Din, he never
ceased grieving for his daughter; and every hour of every day he
would sit and weep for her like a woman, for she was his only child
and he had none other. And as he shook off his slumber, morning
after morning, he would go in haste to the window and open it and
look where 'Ala-ed-Din's palace once stood, and his tears would flow
till his eyes were dry and his eyelids sore. Now that day he arose
at daybreak and looked out as usual, when, lo, he espied before him
a building; so he rubbed his eyes and considered it attentively till
he was sure it was 'Ala-ed-Din's palace. So he ordered his horse
instantly on the spot, and when it was saddled he went down and
mounted and went to 'Ala-ed-Din's palace. And when his son-in-law

4l6 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

saw him coming, he went down to meet him half-way, and took him
by the hand and led him to the apartments of the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur, his daughter. And she, being very anxious to see her father,
came down and met him at the door of the staircase in front of the
hall on the ground floor. So her father embraced her and kissed
her, and wept, and she likewise. Then 'Ala-ed-Din led him to the
upper rooms, and they sat; and the Sultan asked her of her state and
what had befallen her. And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur told him all
that had happened to her, and said: "O my father, I did not arrive
till yesterday, when I saw my husband. And it was he who de-
livered me from the power of that man, the Moor, the wizard, the
accursed. Methinks on the earth's face there is none viler than he.
And but for 'Ala-ed-Din, my beloved, I had not escaped from him,
nor hadst thou seen me again all my days. But heavy grief and
sorrow took possession of me, O my father, not only for my separa-
tion from thee, but also for the parting from my husband, in whose
debt I shall be all the days of my life, seeing he delivered me from
that accursed wizard." Then she began to relate to her father all
that had befallen her, and how the Moor had cheated her in the
shape of a seller of lamps, exchanging new for old, and how she had
thought this his folly and laughed at him, and being deceived, had
taken the old lamp that was in her husband's room and sent it by a
eunuch and exchanged it for a new lamp. "And the next day,

my father, we found ourselves, with the palace and all besides, in
the land of Africa. And I knew not the virtue of the Lamp which

1 exchanged till my husband came and plotted a stratagem by which
we escajjed. And had he not heljjed us, the accursed would have
possessed himself of me by force. But 'Ala-ed-Din, my husband,
gave me a f)otion and I put it into his wine-cup, and I gave it him,
and he drank and fell down like a corpse. Thereupon my husband,
'Ala-ed-Din, came in, and I know not how it was done, but we were
carried from Africa to our place here." And 'Ala-ed-Din said: "O
my lord, when I ascended and saw him like the dead, drunk and
drowsy with benj, I told the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to go, she and her
maids, to the inner apartments, and she arose and went, she and her
maids, from that polluted place. Then I drew near to that accursed
Moor and put my hand into his bosom, and drew out the Lamp (for

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 417

the Lady Bedr-el-Budur had informed me that he always kept it
there), and when I had taken it, I bared my sword and cut off his
damnable head. Then I worked the Lamp and ordered its Slave to
bear the palace and all therein and set it down in this spot. And if
thy Felicity doubt my words, arise with me and look upon this
cursed Moor." So the King arose and went with 'Ala-ed-Din to the
apartment and saw the Moor, and immediately commanded that
they should take the carcase away and burn it and scatter the ashes
to the winds.

Then the Sultan embraced 'Ala-ed-Din and fell a-kissing him,
saying: "Forgive me, O my son, that 1 was going to take thy life,
through the wickedness of this cursed sorcerer, who threw thee into
this calamity; but I may be excused, my son, for what I did to thee,
since I saw myself deprived of my daughter, the only child I have,
dearer to me than my kingdom. Thou knowest how the hearts of
parents yearn over their children, and the more when they are like
me, who have only the Lady Bedr-€l-Budur." Thus the Sultan began
excusing himself to 'Ala-ed-Din and kissing him. But 'Ala-ed-Din
replied: "O King of the Age, thou didst nothing to me contrary to
law, nor did I sin against thee; but all this arose from the Moor,
that filthy wizard." Then the Sultan ordered that the city should
be decorated, and they adorned it, and the rejoicings and festivities
were held. And he ordered the herald to proclaim through the
streets: "This day is a high festival, and let rejoicings be held through-
out the kingdom for a whole month of thirty days, for the return of
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur and her husband." Thus was it with 'Ala-ed-
Din and the Moor.

Yet 'Ala-ed-Din was not wholly quit of that accursed Moor, al-
though his body had been burnt and its ashes scattered to the winds.
For this miscreant had a brother viler than himself, and even more
skilled in necromancy and geomancy and astrology, — "two beans
split," as the proverb saith. Each dwelt in his own region of the
world, to fill it with his spells, his deceit, and his wickedness. Now it
chanced one day that this brother wished to know how it was with
the Moor; and he brought out his table and marked the figures, and
carefully inspecting them, discovered that his brother was in the
abode of the tomb. So he mourned, being assured of his death. Then

4l8 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

he tried a second time, to see how he died and the place of his death;
and he found that he died in China and had perished by the vilest
of slaughter, and that his destroyer was a youth named 'Ala-ed-Din.
So he forthwith arose and prepared for a journey, and travelled over
plains and wastes and mountains a number of months, till he came
to the land of China and the metropolis wherein 'Ala-ed-Din dwelt.
And he went to the foreigners' Khan and hired a room and rested
there awhile. Then he arose to wander about the streets of the city
to find a way for the accomplishment of his fell design, of wreak-
ing vengeance upon 'Ala-ed-Din for his brother.

Presently he entered a coflee-house in the bazar. It was a large
place, and many people had gathered together there to play, some
at Mankala, and others at backgammon, or at chess, and so forth.
And he sat down there and listened to the p)eople who sat beside him
talking about a pious woman called Fatimeh, who was always at
her devotions in a cell outside the town, and never came into the city
except twice a month, and how she had worked a number of miracles.
And when the Moorish sorcerer heard this, he said within himself:
"Now I have found what I wanted. If it please God, by means of
this woman I shall accomplish my purpose." Then he drew near to
the people who were talking of the miracles of this old ascetic, and
he said to one of them: "O Uncle, I heard you discussing the miracles
of some saint named Fatimeh. Who is she, and where doth she
dwell?" And the man answered: "Wonderful! how art thou in our
town and hast not heard of the miracles of our Lady Fatimeh? It
is plain that thou, my poor friend, art a stranger, since thou hast
not heard of the fasts of this holy woman and her abstraction from
the world and the perfection of her piety." And the Moor re-
joined: "Yes, O my master, I am a foreigner, and only yesternight
came I to your city; and I hope thou wilt inform me concerning the
miracles of this good woman and where she hath her dwelling, for
I have fallen into trouble, and my intention is to go to her, and ask
for her prayers. So that perhaps God (honour and glory to him!)
may deliver me from my trouble by means of her prayers." So the
man told him about the miracles of holy Fatimeh, and her piety and
the excellence of her devotions. And he took him by the hand and

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 419

led him forth outside the city, and shewed him the way to her
dwelling in a cave on the top of a little hill. So the Moor magnified
his favour and thanked him for his goodness and returned to his
place in the Khan.

As destiny had decreed, the next day Fatimeh descended to the
town, and the Moorish wizard went forth in the morning from the
Khan and watched the people thronging, and he drew nigh to see
what was the news. So he saw Fatimeh standing, and all who had
any sickness came to her, and were blessed by her, and asked for her
prayers; those whom she touched recovered from whatever disease
they had. The Moorish wizard followed her about till she returned
to her cave. Then he waited till the evening had fallen, when he
went to the shop of a wine-seller and drank a cup of wine. Then
he went forth in search of the cave of Fatimeh the ascetic, and,
arriving there, entered and saw her lying on her back upon a piece
of matting. So he approached, and sat upon her, and drew his
hanger and shouted at her; whereupon she awoke and opened her
eyes, and saw a man of Morocco with a drawn dagger sitting upon
her breast as though with intent to kill her. So she was afraid and
starded. Then he said to her: "Listen! if thou utter a syllable or
scream, I will kill thee outright that very minute. Get up, now, and
do all that I tell thee." And he swore to her an oath that if she
did what he told her, he would not slay her. Then he got up from
her, and Fatimeh arose, and he said to her: "Give me thy clothes
and take mine." So she gave him her clothes and headbands and veil
and cloak; and he said: "Thou must also anoint me with what shall
stain the colour of my face like thy colour." So Fatimeh went inside
the cave and brought a pot of ointment, and took some of it in her
palm, and rubbed it on his face, till it became of the same colour as
hers. And she gave him her staff, and taught him how to walk and
what to do when he went down into the city; and she put her rosary
round his neck. Finally she gave him a mirror, saying: "Look, now,
thou art not different from me a whit." And he saw himself as it
were Fatimeh in very deed, there as she was. But when he had at-
tained his wish, he broke his oath, and asking for a rope, which she
brought him, he seized her and strangled her w'th it in the cave;

420 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

and when she was dead he dragged her out and cast her into a pit
which was there outside the cave. After which he returned to her
cave and went to sleep till day broke.

Then he arose and went down to the city and stationed himself
beneath the apartment of 'Ala-ed-Din, while the people gathered
around him, for they were sure he was Fatimeh the ascetic. And he
began to do as she did, and laid his hands on the suffering, and
recited for these the opening chapter of the Kur'an, and for those
another chapter, and prayed for others. And the crowding of the
people upon him and their clamour reached the ears of the Lady
Bedr-el-Budur, and she said to her maidens: "See what is the news
and what is the cause of the uproar." So an agha of the eunuchs
went to see what was the matter, and returned, saying: "O my
mistress, this noise is on account of the Seyyideh Fatimeh, and if
thou wilt so order, I will bring her before thee that thou mayest be
blessed by her." And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur replied: "Go and
bring her to me, for 1 have long heard continually of her miracles
and her merits, and 1 yearn to see her and be blessed by her; for
people in trouble profit greatly by her virtues." So the agha went
and fetched the Moorish sorcerer, disguised in Fatimeh's clothes.
And when he came before the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and looked
upon her, he began saying his beads, and none there doubted that
he was the saint herself. Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur arose and
saluted him and seated him beside her, and said: "O my mistress
Fatimeh, I wish thee to stay with me always, that I be blessed by thee
and learn of thee the paths of piety and devotion, and be thy dis-
ciple." Now this was a trick of this accursed magician, and he re-
solved to complete his treachery further. So he said: "O my lady, I
am a f)oor woman, dwelling in the desert, and the like of me is not
worthy to stay in the palaces of Kings." But the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur answered: "Have no anxiety at all, O mistress Fatimeh. I
will give thee a place in my house, where thou shalt worship and
none ever disturb thee, and thou shalt serve God here better than
thou couldst in thy cave." So the Moor replied: "I hear and obey,
O my lady. I will not gainsay thy words, for the word of the
children of Kings cannot be contradicted or disobeyed. Only I beg
that my eating and drinking and sitting may be in my own room

*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 42I

alone, where none may enter; and I do not require dainties, but
each day vouchsafe to send me by thy handmaid to my chamber
a piece of bread and a drink of water; and when I desire to eat let
me eat in my room alone." The wretch resolved thus for fear lest
he should lift his veil, when his affair might be foiled and he be
proved a man by his beard and mustache. "O my mistress Fatimeh,"
replied the Princess, "be of good cheer; nothing shall be but as thou
desirest. Arise now with me that I may shew thee the chamber
which I mean to make ready for thy stay with us." So the Lady
Bedr-el-Budur arose and took the wizard, who was disguised as
Fatimeh the ascetic, and led him to the place which she had promised
him to stay in, saying: "O my mistress Fatimeh, here shalt thou live
and this chamber is for thyself, where thou shalt dwell in all ease
and comfort and privacy." So the Moor thanked her for her good-
ness and blessed her. Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur took him and
shewed him the lattices and the kiosk of jewels with its twenty-four
windows, and said: "What thinkest thou, O my mistress Fatimeh, of
this wonderful kiosk?" The Moor answered: "By Allah, my
daughter, it is wonderful and splendid, and methinks there is none
like it in the world. But alas! for one thing which is wanting to its
beauty and adornment." "What is that, O my mistress Fatimeh,"
Lady Bedr-el-Budur asked, "which is lacking, and what is this thing
which would adorn it?" And the sorcerer replied: "O my lady, all
it lacketh is that there should hang from the dome an egg of the
bird called the rukh; and were this hung, the kiosk would not be
equalled in the world." Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur said: "What
is this bird, and where is its egg to be found?" And the Moor said:
"O my lady, the rukh is a huge bird that lifteth camels and ele-
phants in its claws and flieth off with them, so vast is its strength.
And this bird is found chiefly in the mountains of Kaf; and he
who built this kiosk can bring thee one of its eggs." Then they
ceased talking, as it was the dinner hour; and when the maidens
had laid the table the Lady Bedr-el-Budur seated herself and in-
vited the accursed Moor to eat with her. But he refused and retired
to his own room, and there the slave-girls brought him his food.

When it was evening 'Ala-ed-Din returned from hunting, and
his wife met him and saluted him, and he embraced and kissed her.

422 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Then looking in her face he perceived a trace of melancholy, and,
unlike her habit, she was not smiling. So he asked her : "What hath
come over thee, O my beloved? Tell me hath anything disturbed
thy mind?" And she said: "Nothing at all; but, O my beloved, I
fancied that there was nothing wanting to our kiosk; yet, O my
eyes, if an egg of the rukh were hung from the dome there would
not be its equal in the universe." And 'Ala-ed-Din said: "And for
this thou art sad! when it is as easy as possible to me. So be of
good cheer, and whatsoever thou dost want, only inform me of it,
and I will bring it from the bowels of the earth in an instant." Then,
after cheering her, he retired to his chamber and took the Lamp
and rubbed it, and immediately the Marid appeared and said: "Ask
what thou desirest." And 'Ala-ed-Din replied: "I wish thee to
bring me an egg of the rukh to hang from the dome of the kiosk."
But when the Marid heard these words his face became terrible, and
he was wroth, and shouted with a tremendous voice: "O hinderer
of good deeds, is it not enough for thee that I and all the slaves of
the Lamp are at thy service, but thou wishest, moreover, that I bring
thee our Lady for thy amusement, to hang her up in the dome of
thy kiosk to please thee and thy wife? By God, ye both deserve to
be burnt to ashes this instant and scattered to the winds; but as ye
were ignorant of this, not knowing its meaning, I pardon you, since
ye are innocent. The insult cometh from the accursed magician,
brother of the Moorish sorcerer, who pretendeth to be Fatimeh the
ascetic, after putting on her dress and slaying her in her cave. And
he is come to kill thee in revenge for his brother; and he it was who
made thy wife demand this thing of me." Then the Marid vanished.
But when 'Ala-ed-Din heard his words his faculties departed and
his limbs shook at the Marid's fearful shout. But he plucked up
resolution, and went forth from his chamber to his wife's apart-
ments, where he pretended that his head ached, for he knew that
Fatimeh was renowned for the mystery of curing all aches. When
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur saw him putting his hand to his head and
complaining of pain, she asked him the cause, and he answered: "I
know not, except that my head aches badly." So she instantly sent
for Fatimeh, that she might lay her hand upon his head. And 'Ala-

ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 423

ed-Din said, "Who is Fatimeh?" And she told him how she had
estabUshed Fatimeh the ascetic in the palace. So the slave-girls went
and brought the accursed Moor. And 'Ala-ed-Din rose to him; and,
shewing that he knew nothing o£ the trick, saluted him as though he
were saluting Fatimeh the ascetic, and kissed the hem of his gown,
and welcomed him, and said, "O my mistress Fatimeh, I hope thou
wilt do me a favour, since I have heard of thy success in curing
sickness; and I have a violent pain in my head." Then the accursed
Moor hardly believed these words, for it was just what he wanted;
but he approached 'Ala-ed-Din to lay his hand on his head and cure
his pain. And he laid one hand on him, and putting the other
under his dress drew forth a dagger to kill him. But 'Ala-ed-Din
was watching him, and waited till he had bared the dagger,
when he seized him and took the dagger and plunged it into his
heart.

When the Lady Bedr-el-Budur saw him, she screamed and said:
"What hath Fatimeh the ascetic done that thou shouldst place this
awful burden of her blood upon thy soul ? Dost thou not fear God,
that thou slayest Fatimeh, a holy woman, whose miracles are
famous?" And 'Ala-ed-Din said: "I have not killed Fatimeh, but he
whom I killed first killed Fatimeh, and this is the brother of the
cursed Moorish sorcerer who seized thee and removed thy palace
to Africa by his spells. And this accursed brother of his came to
this country, and contrived this trick, and slew Fatimeh and as-
sumed her dress, only to wreak vengeance upon me for his brother's
blood. And he it was who made thee ask for the rukh's egg, that
it might cause my destruction. And if thou doubtedst me, come and
look at him I slew." Then 'Ala-ed-Din lifted the veil of the Moor,
and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur looked and saw a man with a beard
all over his face. Then she understood the truth, and said to 'Ala-ed-
Din: "O my beloved, twice have I brought thee in peril of death!"
But he replied: "No harm is done, O Lady Bedr-el-Budur. Blessing
on thine eyes! I accept all that cometh from thee with perfect de-
light." And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, when she heard these words,
hastened and embraced and kissed him, saying: "O my beloved, ail
this is my love for thee, and I knew nothing; and I treasure thy

424 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

love." And he kissed her and pressed her to his bosom, and their
love grew stronger.

Now at that moment the Sultan appeared, and they told him all
that had befallen from the brother of the Moorish sorcerer. And
they looked at him, and he was dead. So the Sultan ordered that
he should be burnt and his ashes scattered to the winds, like his
brother's. But 'Ala-ed-Din abode with his wife, the Lady Bedr-el-
Budur, in all content and happiness and escaped all danger. And
after a time the Sultan died, and 'Ala-ed-Din sat on the royal throne
and ruled and administered justice to the subjects, and all the people
loved him, and he lived with his wife, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, in
perfect peace and happiness, till they were visited by the terminator
of delights and the separator of companions.

The Story of *Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

In former days there lived in a town of Persia two brothers, one
named Kasim, and the other 'Ali Baba. Their father divided a small
inheritance equally between them. Kasim married a rich wife, and
became a wealthy merchant. 'Ali Baba married a woman as poor as
himself, and lived by cutting wood and bringing it upon three
asses into the town to sell.

One day, when 'Ali Baba was in the forest, and had just cut wood
enough to load his asses, he saw at a distance a great cloud of dust
approaching him. He observed it with attention, and distinguished
soon after a body of horsemen, whom he suspected to be robbers.
He determined to leave his asses in order to save himself; so climbed
up a large tree, planted on a high rock, the branches of which were
thick enough to conceal him, and yet enabled him to see all that
passed without being discovered.

The troop, to the number of forty, well mounted and armed, came
to the foot of the rock on which the tree stood, and there dismounted.
Every man unbridled his horse, tied him to some shrub, and hung
about his neck a bag of corn which they carried behind them. Then
each took off his saddle-bag, which from its weight seemed to *Ali
Baba to be full of gold and silver. One, whom he took to be their
captain, came under the tree in which he was concealed, and making

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 425

his way through some shrubs, pronounced the words: "Open, Sim-
sim!"* A door opened in the rock; and after he had made all his
troop enter before him, he followed them, when the door shut again
of itself.

The robbers stayed some time within the rock, during which 'Ali
Baba, fearful of being caught, remained in the tree.

At last the door opened again, and as the captain went in last,
so he came out first, and stood to see them all pass by him; when
'Ali Baba heard him make the door close by pronouncing the words:
"Shut, Simsim!" Every man at once went and bridled his horse,
fastened his wallet, and mounted again; and when the captain saw
them all ready, he put himself at their head, and returned the way
they had come.

'Ali Baba followed them with his eyes as far as he could see them,
and afterward waited a long time before he descended. Remember-
ing the words the captain of the robbers used to cause the door to
open and shut, he wished to try if his pronouncing them would have
the same effect. Accordingly he went among the shrubs, and, per-
ceiving the door concealed behind them, stood before it, and said,
"Open, Simsim!" Whereupon the door instantly flew wide open.

Now 'Ali Baba expected a dark, dismal cavern, but was surprised
to see a well-lighted and spacious chamber, lighted from an opening
at the top of the rock, and filled with all sorts of provisions, rich
bales of silk, embroideries, and valuable tissues, piled upon one
another, gold and silver ingots in great heaps, and money in bags.
The sight of all these riches made him suppose that this cave must
have been occupied for ages by robbers, who had succeeded one
another.

'Ali Baba went boldly into the cave, and collected as much of the
gold coin, which was in bags, as his three asses could carry. When
he had loaded them with the bags, he laid wood over them so that
they could not be seen. Then he stood before the door, and pro-

* This talismanic word, though it is the Arabic name of sesame (Sesamiim orientale,
a plant producing oil-grain much used in the East), must have some other meaning.
A German folk-tale, "Simeliberg," beginning in something of the same way with the
magical opening of a rock, has the phrase "Open Simsi," which the Grimms explain
as an old German word for "mountain" (Hartland, Inst. Folklore Congress, 1891).
There is nothing to prove that 'Ali Baba is not a European folk-tale turned into
Arabic by Galland's Syrian munshi.

426 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

nouncing the words, "Shut, Simsim!" the door closed of itself; and
he made the best of his way to the town.

When he got home, he drove his asses into a little yard, shut the
gates carefully, threw off the wood that covered the panniers, car-
ried the bags into his house, and ranged them in order before his
wife. He then emptied the bags, which raised such a heap of gold
as dazzled his wife's eyes, and then he told her the whole adventure
from beginning to end, and, above all, recommended her to keep
it secret.

The wife rejoiced greatly at their good fortune, and would count
all the gold piece by piece. "Wifey," replied 'Ali Baba, "you do not
know what you undertake, when you pretend to count the money;
you will never have done. I will dig a hole, and bury it. There is
no time to be lost." "You are in the right, husband," replied she,
"but let us know, as nigh as possible, how much we have. I will
borrow a small measure, and measure it, while you dig the hole."

So the wife ran to her brother-in-law Kasim, who lived hard by,
and addressing herself to his wife, desired her to lend her a meas-
ure for a little while. The sister-in-law did so, but as she knew 'Ali
Baba's poverty, she was curious to know what sort of grain his wife
wanted to measure, and artfully put some suet at the bottom of the
measure.

'Ali Baba's wife went home, set the measure upon the heap of
gold, filled it, and emptied it often upon the divan, till she had done,
when she was very well satisfied to find the number of measures
amounted to so many as they did, and went to tell her husband, who
had almost finished digging the hole. While 'Ali Baba was burying
the gold, his wife carried the measure back again to her sister-in-law,
but without taking notice that a piece of gold had stuck to the bot-
tom. "Sister," said she, giving it to her again, "you see that I have
not kept your measure long. I am obliged to you for it, and return
it with thanks."

As soon as she was gone, Kasim's wife looked at the bottom of the
measure, and was amazed to find a piece of gold sticking to it. Envy
immediately possessed her breast. "What!" said she, "has 'Ali Baba
gold so plentiful as to measure it? Whence has he all this wealth?"

Kasim, her husband, was at his shop. When he came home, his

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 427

wife said to him: "Kasim, I know you think yourself rich, but 'Ali
Baba is infinitely richer than you. He does not count his money, he
measures it." Then she told him the stratagem she had used to
make the discovery, and shewed him the piece of money, which was
so old that they could not tell in what prince's reign it was coined.

Now Kasim, after he had married the rich widow, had never
treated 'Ali Baba as a brother, but neglected him; and now, instead
of being pleased, he conceived a base envy at his brother's prosperity.
He could not sleep all that night, and went to him in the morning
before sunrise. " 'Ali Baba," said he, "I am surprised at you; you
pretend to be miserably poor, and yet you measure gold. My wife
found this at the bottom of the measure you borrowed yesterday."

By this discourse, 'Ali Baba perceived that Kasim and his wife,
through his own wife's folly, knew what they had so much reason to
conceal; but what was done could not be undone. Therefore, with-
out showing the least surprise or trouble, he confessed all, and
offered his brother part of his treasure to keep the secret.

Kasim rose the next morning long before the sun, and set out for
the forest with ten mules bearing great chests, which he intended to
fill, and followed the road which 'Ali Baba had indicated. He was
not long before he reached the rock, and found the place, by the
tree and other marks which his brother had given him. When he
reached the entrance of the cavern, he pronounced the words, "Open
Simsim!" The door immediately opened, and when he was in,
closed upon him. In examining the cave, he was rejoiced to find
much more riches than he had expected. He quickly laid as many
bags of gold as he could carry at the door of the cavern; but his
thoughts were so full of the great riches he should possess, that he
could not think of the word to make it open, but instead of "Sim-
sim," said, "Open, Barley!" and was much amazed to find that the
door remained fast shut. He named several sorts of grain, but still
the door would not open, and the more he endeavoured to remember
the word "Simsim," the more his memory was confounded, and he
had as much forgotten it as if he had never heard it mentioned. He
threw down the bags he had loaded himself with, and walked dis-
tractedly up and down the cave, without having any regard to the
riches around him.

428 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

About noon the robbers visited their cave. At some distance they
sawf Kasim's mules straggling about the rock, with great chests on
their backs. Alarmed at this, they galloped full speed to the cave.
They drove away the mules, who strayed through the forest so far,
that they were soon out of sight, and then, with naked sabres in
their hands, they approached the door, which, on their captain pro-
nouncing the proper words, immediately opened.

Kasim, who heard the noise of the horses' feet, at once guessed the
arrival of the robbers, and resolved to make one effort for his life.
He rushed to the door, and no sooner saw the door open, than he
ran out and threw the leader down; but he could not escape the
other robbers, who, with their scimitars, soon deprived him of life.

The first care of the robbers after this was to examine the cave.
They found all the bags which Kasim had brought to the door, to
be ready to load his mules, and carried them back to their places,
but they did not miss what 'Ali Baba had taken away before. Then
holding a council, and deliberating upon this occurrence, they
guessed that Kasim, when he was in, could not get out again, but
could not imagine how he had learned the secret words by which
alone he could enter. So to terrify any person who should attempt
the same thing, they cut Kasim's body into four quarters and hung
two on one side, and two on the other, within the door of the cave.
Then they mounted their horses, and went to beat the roads again,
and to attack the caravans they might meet.

In the meantime, Kasim's wife was very uneasy, when night came,
and her husband was not returned. She ran to 'Ali Baba in great
alarm, and said: "I believe, brother-in-law, that you know Kasim
is gone to the forest, and upon what account; it is now night, and
he has not returned; I am afraid some misfortune has happened to
him." So after midnight, 'Ali Baba departed with his three asses,
and went to the forest, and when he came near the rock, having seen
neither his brother nor the mules in his way, was alarmed at finding
some blood spilt near the door, which he took for an ill omen;
but when he had pronounced the word, and the door had opened,
he was struck with horror at the dismal sight of his brother's body.
He went into the cave, however, to find something to enshroud the
remains; and having loaded one of his asses with them, covered them

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 429

over with wood. The other two asses he loaded with bags of gold,
covering them with wood also as before; and then bidding the door
shut, came away. When he came home, he drove the two asses
loaded with gold into his yard, and left the care of unloading them
to his wife, while he led the other to his sister-in-law's house.

There he knocked at the door, which was opened by Marjaneh, a
clever slave-girl, who was fruitful in inventions to meet the most
difficult circumstances. When he came into the court, he unloaded
the ass, and taking Marjaneh aside, said to her: "You must observe
an inviolable secrecy. Your master's body is contained in these two
panniers. We must bury him as if he had died a natural death. Go
now and tell your mistress. I leave the matter to your wit and
skilful devices."

Marjaneh went out early the next morning to a druggist, and
asked for a sort of lozenge which was considered efficacious in the
most dangerous disorders. The apothecary inquired who was ill.
She replied, with a sigh: "Her good master Kasim himself; and that
he could neither eat nor speak." In the evening Marjaneh went to
the same druggist's again, and with tears in her eyes, asked for an
essence which they used to give to sick people only when at the last
extremity. "Alas!" said she, taking it from the apothecary, "I am
afraid that this remedy will have no better effect than the lozenges,
and that I shall lose my good master."

All that day 'Ali Baba and his wife were seen going between
Kasim's and their own house, and nobody was surprised in the
evening to hear the lamentable shrieks and cries of Kasim's wife and
Marjaneh, who gave out everywhere that her master was dead. The
next morning, at daybreak, Marjaneh went to an old cobbler whom
she knew to be always early at his stall, and bidding him good-
morrow, put a piece of gold into his hand, saying: "Baba Mustafa,
you must bring with you your sewing tackle, and come with me;
but I must tell you, I shall blindfold you when you come to such a
place."

Baba Mustafa seemed to hesitate a little at these words. "Oh! oh!"
replied he, "you would have me do something against my con-
science or against my honour?" "God forbid!" said Marjaneh, put-
ting another piece of gold into his hand, "that I should ask anything

430 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

that is contrary to your honour! only come along with me and

fear nothing."

Baba Mustafa went with Marjaneh, who, after she had bound his
eyes with a handkerchief at the place she had mentioned, conveyed
him to her deceased master's house, and never uncovered his eyes
till he had entered the room where she had put the corpse together.
"Baba Mustafa," said she, "you must make haste and sew the parts
of this body together; and when you have done, I will give you
another piece of gold."

After Baba Mustafa had finished his task, she blindfolded him
again, gave him the third piece of gold as she had promised, and
recommending secrecy to him, carried him back to the place where
she first bound his eyes, pulled off the bandage, and let him go
home, but watched him that he returned towards his stall, till he
was quite out of sight, for fear he should have the curiosity to re-
turn and follow her. She then went home, and, on her return,
warmed some water to wash the body, and at the same time 'Ali
Baba perfumed it with incense, and wrapped it in the grave-clothes
with the accustomed ceremonies. Not long after, they brought the
bier, and the Imam and the other ministers of the mosque arrived.
Four neighbours carried the corpse to the burying-ground, following
the Imam, who recited the prayers. 'Ali Baba came after, and Mar-
janeh followed in the procession, weeping, beating her breast, and
tearing her hair. Kasim's wife stayed at home mourning, uttering
lamentable cries with the women of the neighbourhood, who came,
according to custom, during the funeral, and, joining their lamen-
tations with hers, filled the quarter far and near with sounds of
grief.

Three or four days after the funeral, 'Ali Baba removed his few
goods openly to his sister-in-law's house, in which he would in
future live; but the money he had taken from the robbers he con-
veyed thither by night. As for Kasim's shop, he intrusted it entirely
to the management of his eldest son.

While these things were being done, the forty robbers again visited
their retreat in the forest. Great, then, was their surprise to find
Kasim's body taken away, with some of their bags of gold. "We are
certainly discovered," said the captain. "The removal of the body,

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 43 1

and the loss of some of the money, plainly shews that the man whom
we killed had an accomplice; and for our own lives' sake we must
try and find him. What say you, my sons?"

All the robbers unanimously approved of the captain's proposal.

"Well," said the captain, "one of you, the boldest and most skilful
among you, must go into the town, disguised as a traveller and a
stranger, to try if he can hear any talk of the man whom we have
killed, and endeavour to find out who he was, and where he lived.
This is a matter of the first importance, and for fear of any treachery,
I propose that whoever undertakes this business without success,
even though the failure arises only from an error of judgment, shall
suffer death."

Without waiting for the sentiments of his companions, one of the
robbers started up, and said: "I submit to this condition, and deem
it an honour to expose my life to serve the troop." He then dis-
guised himself and went into the town just at daybreak, and walked
up and down, till accidentally he came to Baba Mustafa's stall, which
was always open before any of the shops. Baba Mustafa was seated
with an awl in his hand, just going to work. The robber gave him
good-morrow, and perceiving that he was old, said: "O Uncle, you
begin to work very early. Is it possible that one of your age can see
so well ? I question, even if it were somewhat lighter, whether you
could see to stitch."

"You do not know me," replied Baba Mustafa; "for old as I am, I
have extraordinary good eyes; and you will not doubt it when I tell
you that I sewed the body of a dead man together in a place where I
had not so much light as I have now."

"A dead body!" exclaimed the robber, with affected amazement.
"Yes, yes," answered Baba Mustafa, "I see you want to have me
speak out, but you shall know no more."

The robber felt sure that he had discovered what he sought. He
pulled out a piece of gold, and putting it into Baba Mustafa's hand,
said to him: "I do not want to learn your secret, though you might
safely trust me with it. The only thing I desire of you is to shew me
the house where you stitched up the dead body."

"If I were disposed to do you that favour," replied Baba Mustafa,
"I could not. I was taken to a certain place, whence I was led blind-

432 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

fold to the house, and afterwards brought back again in the same
manner; it is therefore impossible for me again to do what you wish."

"Perhaps," said the robber, "you may remember a httle of the way
that you were led blindfold. Come, let me blind your eyes at the
same place. We will walk together; perhaps you may recognize
some part; and as everybody ought to be paid for their trouble, there
is another piece of gold for you; gratify me in what I ask you." So
saying, he put another piece of gold into his hand.

"I cannot promise," said Baba Mustafa, "that I can remember the
way exactly; but since you wish it, I will try what I can do." At
these words he arose, to the great joy of the robber, and led him to
the place where Marjaneh had bound his eyes. "It was here," said
Baba Mustafa, "I was blindfolded; and I turned this way." The rob-
ber tied his handkerchief over his eyes, and walked by him till he
stopped at Kasim's house, where 'Ali Baba then lived. The thief,
before he pulled off the band, marked the door with a piece of
chalk which he had ready in his hand, and then asked him if he
knew whose house that was; to which Baba Mustafa replied, that
as he did not live in that neighbourhood, he could not tell. The
robber thanked him for the trouble he had taken, and left him to go
back to his stall, while he returned to the forest.

A little after the robber and Baba Mustafa had parted, Marjaneh
went out of 'Ali Baba's house upon an errand, and upon her return,
seeing the mark the robber had made, stopped to observe it. "What
can be the meaning of this mark?" she said to herself; "somebody
intends my master no good; however, with whatever intention it
was done, it is advisable to guard against the worst." Accordingly,
she fetched a piece of chalk, and marked two or three doors on each
side, in the same manner, without saying a word to her master
or mistress.

In the meantime, the robber rejoined his troop in the forest, and
recounted to them his success; expatiating upon his good fortune in
meeting so soon with the only person who could inform him of what
he wanted to know. All the robbers listened to him with the utmost
satisfaction, when the captain, after commending his diligence, ad-
dressing himself to them all, said: "Comrades, we have no time to
lose; let us set off well armed, without its appearing who we are; but

'ali baba and the forty thieves 433

that we may not excite any suspicion, let only one or two go into the
town together, and join at our rendezvous, which shall be the great
square. In the meantime, our comrade who brought us the good
news and I will go and find out the house, that we may consult what
had best be done."

This was approved by all, and they filed off in parties of two each,
after some interval of time, and got into the town without being
suspected. The captain and he who had visited the town in the
morning as spy came in the last. He led the captain into the street
where he had marked 'Ali Baba's residence; and when they came
to the first of the houses which Marjaneh had marked, he pointed
it out. But the Captain observed that the next door was chalked in
the same manner, and in the same place; and shewing it to his
guide, asked him what house it was, that, or the first. The guide
was so confounded, that he knew not what answer to make, but
still more puzzled, when he and the captain saw five or six houses
similarly marked. He assured the captain, with an oath, that he had
marked but one, and could not tell who had chalked the rest, so that
he could not distinguish the house which the cobbler had stopped at.

The captain, finding that their design had proved abortive, went
directly to the place of rendezvous, and told his followers that they
had lost their labour and must return to the cave. So they all
returned as they had come.

When the troop was all got together, the captain told them the
reason of their returning; and presently the conductor was declared
by all worthy of death. But as the safety of the troop required the
discovery of the second intruder into the cave, another of the gang,
who promised himself that he should succeed better, came forward,
and his offer being accepted, he went and corrupted Baba Mustafa,
as the other had done; and being shewn the house, marked it in a
place more remote from sight, with red chalk. Not long after, Mar-
janeh, whose eyes nothing could escape, went out, and seeing the
red chalk, and arguing with herself as she had done before, marked
the other neighbours' houses in the same place and manner. Ac-
cordingly, when the robber and his captain came to the street, they
found the same difficulty; at which the captain was enraged, and the
robber in as great confusion as his predecessor. Thus the captain and

434 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

his troop were forced to retire a second tiiTcie, and much more dis-
satisfied; while the robber, who had been the author of the mistake,
underwent the same punishment.

The captain, having lost two brave fellows of his troop, was afraid
of diminishing it too much by pursuing this plan to get information
of the residence of their plunderer; and therefore resolved to take
upon himself the important commission. Accordingly, he addressed
himself to Baba Mustafa, who did him the same service he had done
to the other robbers. He had not set any particular mark on the
house, but examined and observed it so carefully, by passing often
by it, that it was impossible for him to mistake it. Well satisfied
with his attempt, and informed of what he wanted to know, he
returned to the forest; and when he came into the cave, where the
troop waited for him, said: "Now, comrades, nothing can prevent
our full revenge, as I am certain of the house; and in my way hither
I have thought how to put it into execution; but if any one can form
a better expedient, let him communicate it." He then told them his
contrivance; and as they approved of it, ordered them to go into
the villages about, and buy nineteen mules, with thirty-eight large
leather jars, one full of oil, and the others empty.

In two or three days' time the robbers had purchased the mules
and jars, and as the mouths of the jars were rather too narrow for
his purpose, the captain caused them to be widened; and after
having put one of his men into each, with the weapons which he
thought fit, leaving open the seam which had been undone to leave
them room to breathe, he rubbed the jars on the outside with oil
from the full vessel.

When the nineteen mules were loaded with thirty-seven robbers
in jars, and the jar of oil, the captain set out with them, and reached
the town by the dusk of the evening. He led them through the
streets till he came to 'Ali Baba's door where he was sitting after
supper to take the air. He stopped his mules, addressed himself to
him, and said: "I have brought some oil a great way, to sell at to-
morrow's market; and it is now so late that I do not know where to
lodge. If I should not be troublesome to you, do me the favour to
let me pass the night with you,"

Though 'Ali Baba had seen the captain of the robbers in the for-

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 435

est, and had heard him speak, it was impossible to know him in the
disguise of an oil-merchant. He told him he should be welcome, and
immediately opened his gates for the mules to go into the yard. At
the same time he called to a slave, and ordered him, when the mules
were unloaded, to put them into the stable, and to feed them; and
then went to Marjaneh, to bid her make a good supper for his guest.
After they had finished supper, 'Ali Baba, charging Marjaneh afresh
to take care of his guest, said to her: "To-morrow morning I am
going to the bath before daybreak; take care my bathing linen be
ready, give them to 'Abd-Allah, and make me some good broth
against I return."

After this he went to bed.

In the meantime the captain of the robbers went into the yard, and
took oflf the lid of each jar, and gave his people orders what to do.
Beginning at the first jar, and so on to the last, he said to each
man: "As soon as I throw some stones out of the chamber window
where I sleep, do not fail to come out, and I will immediately join
you." After this he returned into the house, when Marjaneh, taking
up a light, conducted him to his chamber.

Marjaneh, remembering 'Ali Baba's orders, got his bathing linen
ready, and ordered 'Abd-Allah to set on the pot for the broth; but
while it was preparing the lamp went out, and there was no more
oil in the house. So she took the oil-pot, and went into the yard;
when as she came nigh the first jar, the robber within said softly,
"Is it time.''" Without showing her amazement, she answered, "Not
yet, but presently." She went quietly in this manner to all the jars,
giving the same answer, till she came to the jar of oil.

By this means Marjaneh found that her master 'Ah Baba had
admitted thirty-eight robbers into his house, and that this pretended
oil-merchant was their captain. She made what haste she could to
fill her oil-pot, and returned into her kitchen, where, as soon as she
had lighted her lamp, she took a great kettle, went again to the oil-
jar, filled the kettle, set it on a large wood fire, and as soon as it
boiled, went and poured enough into every jar to stifle and destroy
the robber within. When she had done this, she returned into the
kitchen; and having put out the great fire she had made to boil the
oil, and leaving just enough to make the broth, put out the lamp

436 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

also, and remained silent, resolving not to go to rest till she had
observed what might follow through a window of the kitchen, which
opened into the yard. She had not waited long before the captain of
the robbers got up, opened the window, and finding no light, and
hearing no noise, or anyone stirring in the house, gave the appointed
signal, by throwing little stones at the jars. He then listened, but
not hearing or perceiving anything, he began to grow uneasy, threw
stones again a second and also a third time, and could not compre-
hend the reason that none of them should answer his signal. Much
alarmed, he went softly down into the yard, and going to the first
jar, whilst asking the robber, whom he thought alive, if he was in
readiness, smelt the hot boiled oil, which sent forth a steam out of
the jar. Hence he suspected that his plot to murder 'Ali Baba, and
plunder his house, was discovered. Examining all the jars, one after
another, he found that all his gang were dead; and, enraged to de-
spair at having failed in his design, he forced the lock of a door
that led from the yard to the garden, and climbing over the walls,
made his escape.

When Marjaneh saw him depart, she went to bed, satisfied and
pleased to have succeeded so well in saving her master and family.

'Ali Baba rose before day, and, followed by his slave, went to the
bath, entirely ignorant of the important event which had happened
at home. When he returned he was much surprised to see the oil-
jars, and that the merchant was not gone with the mules, and asked
Marjaneh the reason of it. "O my master," answered she, "God
preserve you and your family. You will be better informed of what
you wish to know when you have seen what I have to shew you, if
you will follow me." Then she bade him look into the first jar, and
see if there was any oil. 'Ali Baba did so, and seeing a man, started
back in alarm, and cried out, "Be not afraid," said Marjaneh, "the
man you see there can neither do you nor any one else any harm.
He is dead." "O Marjaneh," said 'Ali Baba, "what is it you shew
me?" "Moderate your astonishment," replied Marjaneh, "and do
not excite the curiosity of the neighbours; for it is of great importance
to keep this affair secret. Look into all the other jars."

'Ali Baba examined all the other jars, one after another; and when
he came to that which had the oil in, found it prodigiously sunk,

*ALI BAB A AND THE FORTY THIEVES 437

and stood for some time motionless, sometimes looking at the jars,
and sometimes at Marjaneh, without saying a word, so great was
his surprise. Marjaneh then told him all she had done, from the
first observing the mark upon the house, to the destruction of the
robbers, and the flight of their captain.

On hearing of these brave deeds from the lips of Marjaneh, 'Ali
Baba said to her: "God, by your means, has delivered me from the
snares these robbers laid for my destruction. I owe my life to you;
and, for the first token of my acknowledgment, give you your
liberty from this moment, till I can complete your recompense as
I intend."

'Ali Baba's garden was very long, and shaded at the further end
by a great number of large trees. Near these he and the slave 'Abd-
AUah dug a trench, long and wide enough to hold the bodies of the
robbers; and as the earth was light, they were not long in doing it.
When this was done, 'Ali Baba hid the jars and weapons; and as he
had no occasion for the mules, he sent them at different times to be
sold in the market by his slave.

Meanwhile the captain returned to the forest with inconceivable
mortification. He did not stay long; the loneliness of the gloomy
cavern became frightful to him. He determined, however, to avenge
the fate of his companions, and to accomplish the death of 'Ali Baba.
For this purpose he returned to the town, and took a lodging in a
Khan, and disguised himself as a merchant in silks. Under this
assumed character he gradually conveyed a great many sorts of rich
stuffs and fine linen to his lodging from the cavern, with all neces-
sary precaution to conceal the place whence he brought them. In
order to dispose of the merchandise, when he had thus amassed them
together, he took a warehouse, which happened to be opposite to
Kasim's, which 'Ali Baba's son had occupied since the death of his
uncle.

He took the name of Khoja Hoseyn, and, as a new-comer, was,
according to custom, extremely civil and complaisant to all the
merchants his neighbours. 'Ali Baba's son was, from his vicinity,
one of the first to converse with Khoja Hoseyn, who strove to culti-
vate his friendship more particularly. Two or three days after he
was settled, 'Ali Baba came to see his son, and the captain of the

438 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

robbers recognised him at once, and soon learned from his son who
he was. After this he increased his assiduities, caressed him in the
most engaging manner, made him some small presents, and often
asked him to dine and sup with him.

One day 'Ali Baba's son and Khoja Hoseyn met by appointment,
took their walk, and as they returned, 'Ali Baba's son led Khoja
Hoseyn through the street where his father lived, and when they
came to the house, stopped and knocked at the door. "This," said he,
"is my father's house, who, from the account I have given him of
your friendship, charged me to procure him the honour of your
acquaintance; and I desire you to add this pleasure to those for which
I am already indebted to you."

Though it was the sole aim of Khoja Hoseyn to introduce him-
self into 'Ali Baba's house, that he might kill him, yet he excused
himself, and offered to take his leave; but a slave having opened the
door, 'Ali Baba's son took him by the hand and led him in. 'Ali
Baba received Khoja Hoseyn with a smiling countenance, and in
the most obliging manner he could wish. He thanked him for all the
favours he had done his son; adding withal, the obligation was the
greater as he was a young man, not much acquainted with the
world, and that he might contribute to his information. After a little
more conversation, he offered again to take his leave, when 'Ali
Baba, stopping him, said: "Where are you going in so much haste?
I beg you would do me the honour to sup with me; though my
entertainment may not be worthy your acceptance, such as it is, I
heartily offer it." "O my master," replied Khoja Hoseyn, "I am
thoroughly persuaded of your good-will; but the truth is, I can eat
no victuals that have any salt in them; therefore judge how I should
feel at your table." "If that is the only reason," said 'Ali Baba, "it
ought not to deprive me of the honour of your company; for there
is no salt ever put into my bread, and as to the meat we shall have
to-night, I promise you there shall be none in that. Therefore do me
the favour to stay."

Then 'Ali Baba went into the kitchen, and ordered Marjaneh to
put no salt to the meat that was to be dressed that night; and to
make quickly two or three dishes besides what he had ordered, but

*ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 439

to be sure to put no salt in them. Now Marjaneh, who was always
ready to obey her master, could not help being surprised at this
order. "Who is this strange man," said she, "who eats no salt with
his meat? Your supper will be spoiled if I keep it back so long."
"Do not be angry, Marjaneh," replied 'Ali Baba. "He is an honest
man; therefore do as I bid you."

Marjaneh obeyed, though with no little reluctance, and had a
curiosity to see this man who ate no salt. To this end, when she had
finished what she had to do in the kitchen, she helped 'Abd-AUah
to carry up the dishes; and, looking at Khoja Hoseyn, knew him at
first sight, notwithstanding his disguise, to be the captain of the
robbers, and examining him very carefully, perceived that he had a
dagger under his garment. "I am not in the least amazed," said she
to herself, "that this wicked man, who is my master's greatest enemy,
would eat no salt with him, since he intends to assassinate him; but
I will prevent him."

When 'Abd- Allah had put the service of fruit with the wine before
'Ali Baba, Marjaneh retired, dressed herself neatly, with a suitable
head-dress, like a dancer, girded her waist with a silver-gilt girdle,
to which were hung a poniard with a hilt and guard of the same
metal, and put a handsome veil on her face. When she had thus
attired herself, she said to 'Abd-AUah: "Take your tabor, and let us
go and divert our master and his son's friend, as we do sometimes
when he is alone."

'Abd-AUah took his tabor and played all the way into the hall
before Marjaneh, who, when she came to the door, made a low
obeisance by way of asking leave to exhibit her skill. "Come in,
Marjaneh," said 'Ali Baba, "and let Khoja Hoseyn see what you can
do, that he may tell us what he thinks of your performance."

After she had danced several dances with much grace, she drew
the poniard and, holding it in her hand, began a dance, in which
she outdid herself, by the many different figures, light movements,
and the surprising leaps and wonderful exertions with which she
accompanied it. Sometimes she presented the poniard to one breast,
sometimes to another, and oftentimes seemed to strike her own. At
last, she snatched the tabor from 'Abd-AUah with her left hand, and

440 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

holding the dagger in her right, presented the other side of the tabor,
after the manner of those who get a hvehhood by dancing, and
solicit the liberahty of the spectators.

'Ali Baba put a piece of gold into the tabor, as did also his son;
and Khoja Hoseyn, seeing that she was coming to him, had pulled
his purse out of his bosom to make her a present; but while he was
putting his hand into it, Marjaneh plunged the poniard into his
heart.

'Ali Baba and his son, shocked at this action, cried out aloud. "Ill-
omened woman!" exclaimed 'Ali Baba, "what have you done to ruin
me and my family?" "It was to preserve, not to ruin you," answered
Marjaneh; "for see here," continued she, opening the pretended
Khoja Hoseyn's garment, and shewing the dagger, "what an enemy
you had entertained! Look well at him, and you will find him to
be both the pretended oil-merchant and the captain of the gang of
forty robbers. Remember, too, that he would eat no salt with you;
and what would you have more to persuade you of his wicked de-
sign ? Before I saw him, I suspected him as soon as you told me you
had such a guest. I knew him, and you now find that my suspicion
was not groundless."

Then 'Ali Baba, seeing that Marjaneh had saved his life a second
time, embraced her. "O Marjaneh," said he, "I gave you your liberty,
and then promised you that my gratitude should not stop there, but
that I would soon give you higher proofs of its sincerity; which I
now do by making you my daughter-in-law." Then addressing him-
self to his son, he said: "I believe you, son, to be so dutiful a child,
that you will not refuse Marjaneh for your wife. You see that Khoja
Hoseyn sought your friendship with a treacherous design to take
away my life: and if he had succeeded, there is no doubt but he
would have sacrificed you also to his revenge. Consider that by
marrying Marjaneh you marry the preserver of our family."

A few days afterwards, 'Ali Baba celebrated the nuptials of his son
and Marjaneh with great solemnity, a sumptuous feast, and the
usual dancing and spectacles; and had the satisfaction to see that
his friends and neighbours, whom he invited, had no knowledge of
the true motives of the marriage; but that those who were not un-
acquainted with Marjaneh's good qualities commended his gener-

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 44 1

osity and goodness o£ heart. 'Ali Baba did not visit the robber's
cave for a whole year, as he supposed the other two, whom he could
get no account of, might be alive.

At the year's end, when he found they had not made any attempt
to disturb him, he resolved to make another journey. He mounted
his horse, and when he came to the cave he alighted, tied his horse
to a tree, then approaching the entrance, pronounced the words,
"Open, Simsim!" whereupon the door opened. He entered the
cavern, and by the condition he found things in, judged that nobody
had been there since the captain had fetched the goods for his shop.
From this time he believed he was the only person in the world who
had the secret of opening the cave, and that all the treasure was at
his sole disposal. He put as much gold into his saddle-bags as his
horses would carry, and returned to the town. Some years later he
carried his son to the cave and taught him the secret, which he
handed down to his posterity, who, using their good fortune with
moderation, lived in great honour and splendour till they were
visited by the terminator of delights and the separator of com-
panions.