[Arabian nights;

. l»^^gH^^H|H|Hi

^^^^^^^^I^L

K

ylH^H

1

1

HhhHE

-

•

i

1

1

WmW|

1

HH

^H

ONV.DF
ORONTQ

Library

■

.
i

1

■

1

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2007 with funding from

IVIicrosoft Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/arabiannights10paynuoft

TALES FROM THE ARABIC.

/,

Ay

t. J^mt^ftmjttuj'iimmf. j^4:

^mLian Nlokts

Vol. I o_,
TALES FROM THE ARABIC

OF THE BRESLAU AND CALCUTTA
(1814-18) EDITIONS OF THE BOOK OF THE
THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT NOT
OCCURRING IN THE OTHER PRINTED
TEXTS OF THE WORK, NO W FIRST DONE
INTO ENGLISH BY JOHN PAYNE,
IN THREE VOLUMES: VOL U M E

THE FIRST.

LONDOJV ^

PRINTED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
igoi

\W'

4

GASMAN EDITION
Limited to One Thousand Copies

N». 958

4

CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

PAGE

1. ASLEEP AND AWAKE 5

a. STORY OF THE LACKPENNY AND THE COOK . . 9

2. THE KHALIF OMAR BEN ABDULAZIZ AND

THE POETS 45

3. EL HEJJAJ AND THE THREE YOUNG MEN . 53

4. HAROUN ER RESHID AND THE WOMAN OF

THE BARMECIDES 57

5. THE TEN VIZIERS ; OR THE HISTORY OF KING

AZADBEKHT AND HIS SON . . . . 61

a. OF THE USELESSNESS OF ENDEAVOUR AGAINST

PERSISTENT ILL FORTUNE ^0

aa. STORY OF THE UNLUCKY MERCHANT . . 73

b. OF LOOKING TO THE ISSUES OF AFFAIRS . . . 8o

bb. STORY OF THE MERCHANT AND HIS SONS . 8l

C. OF THE ADVANTAGES OF PATIENCE .... 89

CC. STORY OF ABOU SABIR . . . . 90

d, OF THE ILL EFFECTS OF PRECIPITATION ... 98

da. STORY OF PRINCE BIHZAD .... 99

VI

PACT

e, OF THE ISSUtS OF GOOD AND EVIL ACTIONS . . I03

ee. STORY OF KING OADBIN AND HIS

VIZIERS 104

/ OF TRUST IN GOD II4

ff. STORY OF KINO BEKHTZEMAN . . • "5

g. OF CLEMENCY - . . I20

gg. STORY OF KING BIHKERD . . . .121

h. OF ENVY AND MALIC?. 12$

hh. STORY OF ILAN SHAH AND ABOU

TEMAM 126

i. OF DESTINY OR THAT WHICH IS WRITTEN ON THE

FOREHEAD I36

a. STORY OF KING IBRAHIM AND HIS SON . I38
/ OF THE APPOINTED TERM, WHICH, IF IT BE
ADVANCED, MAY NOT BE DEFERRED AND IF IT

BE DEFERRED, MAY NOT BE ADVANC£D . . 14^
jj. STORY OF KING SULEIMAN SHAH AND HIS

SONS 150

k. OF THE SPEEDY RELIEF OF GOD .... 174
kh. STORY OF THE PRISONER AND HOW GOD

CAVE HIM RELIEF I74

6. JAAFER BEN YEHYA AND ABDULMELIK BEN

SALiH ti:e ABBASIDE 183

7. ER RESHID and the BARMECIDES ... 189

8. IBN ES SEMMAK AND ER RESHID . . .195

9. EL MAMOUN AND ZUBEIDEH 199

Vll

PAGB

10. EN NUMAN AND THE ARAB OF THE BENOU

TAI .203

11. FIROUZ AND HIS WIFE 209

12. KING SHAH BEKHT AND HIS VIZIER ER

REHWAN 215

a. STORY OF THE MAN OF KHORASSAN, HIS SON AND

HIS GOVERNOR 2l8

b. STORY OF THE SINGER AND THE DRUGGIST . . 229
C. STORY OF THE KING WHO KNEW THE QUINT-
ESSENCE OF THINGS 239

d, STORY OF THE RICH MAN WHO GAVE HIS
FAIR DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE TO THE POOR
OLD MAN 247

e. STORY OF THE RICH MAN AND HIS WASTEFUL

SON 252

/ THE king's son WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH THE

PICTURE 256

g. STORY OF THE FULLER AND HIS WIFE . . . 261

h. STORY OF THE OLD WOMAN, THE MERCHANT AND

THE KING 265

i. STORY OF THE CREDULOUS HUSBAND . . . 27O

j. STORY OF THE UNJUST KING AND THE TITHER . 273
jj. STORY OF DAVID AND SOLOMON . . . 275

k. STORY OF THE THIEF AND THE WOMAN . . 278

viii

PAGE

/. STORY OF THE THREE MEN AND OUR LORD

. 282
JESUS .• • •

//. THE disciple's STORY . . • .283

m, STORY OF THE DETHRONED KING WHOSE KING-
DOM AND GOOD WERE RESTORED TO HIM . • 285
n. STORY OF THE MAN WHOSE CAUTION WAS THE

CAUSE OF HIS DEATH ^'

A STORY OF THE MAN WHO WAS LAVISH OF HIS
HOUSE AND HIS VICTUAL TO ONE WHOM HE

KNEW NOT ^93

/. STORY O-e THE IDIOT AND THE SHARPER . • 298

q. STORY OF KHKLBES AND HIS WIFE AND THE

LEARNED MAN . . • ' • • * 3®'

BSteslau Ctyt

VOL. I.

ASLEEP AND AWAKE.

ASLEEP AND AWAKE.»

There leas once [at Baghdad], in tlie Khalifeite of
Haroun er Reshid, a man, a merchant, who had a son
by name Aboulhusn el Khelia.« The merchant died and
left his son great store of wealth, which he divided into
two parts, one of which he laid up and spent of the other
half; and he fell to companying with Persians* and with
the sons of the merchants and gave himself up to good
eating and good drinking, till all that he had with him
of wealth* was wasted and gone ; whereupon he betook
himself to his friends and comrades and boon-companions
and expounded to them his case, discovering to them the
failure of that which was in his hand of wealth; but not
one of them took heed of him neither inclined unto him.

* Breslaa Text, toL !▼. pp. 134-189, Nights cclxxii.-ccxcl Thl»
b the story familiar to readers of the old '• Arabian Nights *' as ♦' Abon
Hassan, or the Sleeper Awakened " and is the only one of the eleven
tales added by Galland to his version of the (incomplete) MS. of the
Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night procured by him from
Syria, the Arabic original of which has yet been discovered. (Sec my
" Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, " Vol. IX. pp. 264 et .eq.)
The above title is of course intended to mark the contrast between the
everyday (or waking) hoars of Aboulhusn and his fantastic life in the
Khalif t palace, supposed by him to have passed in a dream, and may
also be rendered "The Sleeper and the Waker."

' Ld, The Wag. ' Always noted for debauchery,

* ^A the part he had taken for spending money.

So he returned to his mother (and indeed his spirit
was broken), and related to her that which had happened
to him and what had betided him from his friends, how
they had neither shared with him nor requited him with
speech. "O Aboulhusn," answered she, "on this wise
are the sons^ of this time: if thou have aught, they make
much of thee,' and if thou have nought, they put thee
away [from them]." And she went on to condole with
him, what while he bewailed himself and his tears flowed
and he repeated the following verses :

An if my sabstance fail, no one there is will succour me^
But if my wealth abound, of all I'm held in amity.

How many a friend, for money's sake, hath companied with me !
How many an one, with loss of wealth, hath turned mine enemy I

Then he sprang up [and going] to the place wherein
was the other half of his good, [took it] and lived with
it well; and he swore that he would never again consort
with those whom he knew, but would company only with
the stranger nor entertain him but one night and that,
whenas it morrowed, he would never know him more.
So he fell to sitting every night on the bridge' and
looking on every one who passed by him; and if he
saw him to be a stranger, he made friends with hun
and carried him to his house, where he caroused with
him till the morning. Then he dismissed him and would
never more salute him nor ever again drew near unto him
neither invited him.

* Lt. "those," a characteristic Arab idiooi.
■ Lit. draw thee near [to them].
' ta. that over the Tigris.

On this wise he continued to do for the space of a
whole year, till, one day, as he sat on the bridge, accord-
ing to his custom, expecting who should come to him,
so he might take him and pass the night with him,
behold, [up came] the Khalif and Mesrour, the swords-
man of his vengeance, disguised [in merchants' habits]
as of their wont. So he looked at them and rising up,
lor that he knew them not, said to them, " What say ye ?
Will you go with me to my dwelling-place, so ye may
eat what is ready and drink what is at hand, to wit,
bread baked in the platter^ and meat cooked and wine
clarified?" The Khalif refused this, but he conjured
him and said to him, " God on thee, O my lord, go with
me, for thou art my guest this night, and disappoint not
my expectation concerning thee!" And he ceased not
to press him till he consented to him ; whereat Aboulhusn
rejoiced and going on before him, gave not over talking
with him till they came to his [house and he carried the
Khalif into the] saloon. Er Reshid entered and made
his servant abide at the door; and as soon as he was
seated, Aboulhusn brought him somewhat to eat; so he
ate, and Aboulhusn ate with him, so eating might be
pleasant to him. Then he removed the tray and they
washed their hands and the Khalif sat down again;
whereupon Aboulhusn set on the drinking vessels and

'^ " Platter bread," i.e. bread baked in a platter, instead o^ as usual
with the Arabs, in an oven or earthen jar previously heated, to the sides
of which the thin cakes of dough are applied, "is lighter than oven-
bread, especially if it be made thin and leavened." — S^^ucouri, a medical
writer quoted by Dozy.

8

seating himself by his side, fell to filling and giving him
to drink and entertaining him with discourse.

His hospitality pleased the Khalif and the goodliness
of his fashion, and he said to him, "O youth, who art
*hou? Make me acquainted with thyself, so I may re-
quite thee thy kindness." But Aboulhusn smiled and
said, " O my lord, far be it that what is past should recui
and that I be in company with thee at other than this
time!" "Why so?" asked the Khalif. "And why will
thou not acquaint me with thy case?" And Aboulhusn
said, " Know, O my lord, that my story is extraordinary
and that there is a cause for this afi^ir." Quoth the
Khalif, "And what is the cause?" And he answered,
"The cause hath a tail." The Khalif laughed at his
words and Aboulhusn said, "I will explain to thee this
[saying] by the story of the lackpeony and the cook.
Know, O my lord, that

STORY OF THE LACKPENNY AND THE COOK.

One of the good-for-noughts found himself one day
without aught and the world was straitened upon him
and his patience failed; so he lay down to sleep and
gave not over sleeping till the sun burnt him and the
foam came out upon his mouth, whereupon he arose,
and he was penniless and had not so much as one dirhem.
Presently, he came to the shop of a cook, who had set
up therein his pans^ [over the fire] and wiped his scales
and washed his saucers and swept his shop and sprinkled
it ; and indeed his oils * were clear ' and his spices fragrant
and he himself stood behind his cooking-pots [waiting
for custom]. So the lackpenny went up to him and
saluting him, said to him, 'Weigh me half a dirhem's
worth of meat and a quarter of a dirhem's worth of kous-
koussou* and the like of bread.' So the cook weighed
out to him [that which he sought] and the lackpenny
entered the shop, whereupon the cook set the food be-
fore him and he ate till he had gobbled up the whole
and licked the saucers and abode perplexed, knowing
not how he should do with the cook concerning the

* Or cooking-pots. • Or fats for frying. • Or cla rifled.

* Taam, lit. food, the name given by the inhabitants of Northern
Africa to the preparation of millet-flour (something like semolina) called
kouskoussou, which lorms ihe staple food of the people.

•o

price of that which he had eaten and turning his eyes
about upon everything in the shop.

Presently, he caught sight of an earthen pan turned
over upon its mouth; so he raised it from the ground
and found under it a horse's tail, freshly cut oflF, and the
blood oozing from it; whereby he knew that the cook
adulterated his meat with horses' flesh. When he dis-
covered this default, he rejoiced therein and washing
his hands, bowed his head and went out; and when the
cook saw that he went and gave him nought, he cried
out, saying, 'Stay, O sneak, O slink-thief I* So" the lack-
penny stopped and said to him, ' Dost thou cry out upon
me and becall [me] with these words, O cuckold?*
Whereat the cook was angry and coming down from the
shop, said, * What meanest thou by thy speech, O thou
that devourest meat and kouskoussou and bread and
seasoning and goest forth with "Peace* [be on thee!],"
as it were the thing had not been, and payest down
nought for it?* Quoth the lackpenny, 'Thou liest, O
son of a cuckold 1 ' Wherewith the cook cried out and
laying hold of the lackpenny's collar, said, *0 Muslims,
this fellow is my first customer* this day and he hath
eaten my food and given me nought.'

So the folk gathered together to them and blamed the
lackpenny and said to him, 'Give him the price of that
which thou hast eaten.' Quoth he, * I gave him a dirhem
before I entered the shop ; ' and the cook said, * Be every-

» Or "In peace."

' Eastern peoples attach great importance, for good or evil omen, to
the first person met or the first thing that happens in the day.

riti ^-k

'm rt

II

thing I sell this day forbidden » to me, if he gave me so
much as the name of a piece of money ! By Allah, he
gave me nought, but ate my food and went out and
[would have] made off, without aught [said I]' *Nay,'
answered the lackpenny, *I gave thee a dirhem,* and he
reviled the cook, who returned his abuse; whereupon he
dealt him a cufif and they gripped and grappled and
throttled each other. When the folk saw them on this
wise, they came up to them and said to them, *What is
this strife between you, and no cause for it?' *Ay, by
Allah,' replied the lackpenny, * but there is a cause for it,
and the cause hath a tail I ' Whereupon, * Yea, by Allah,'
;ried the cook, *now thou mindest me of thyself and
thy dirhem I Yes, he gave me a dirhem and [but] a
quarter of the price is spent. Come back and take the
rest of the price of thy dirhem.' For that he understood
what was to do, at the mention of the tail j and I, O my
brother," added Aboulhusn, " my story hath a cause, which
I will tell thee."

The Khalif laughed at his speech and said, " By Allah,
this is none other than a pleasant tale ! Tell me thy story
and the cause." " With all my heart," answered Aboulhusn.
** Know, O my lord, that my name is Aboulhusn el Khelia
and that my father died and left me wealth galore, of
which I made two parts. One I laid up and with the
other I betook myself to [the enjoyment of the pleasures
of] friendship [and conviviality] and consorting with
comrades and boon-companions and with the sons of the
merchants, nor did I leave one but I caioused with him
^ Or "attributed as sin."

12

and he with me, and I spent aU my money on companion-
ship and good cheer, till there remained with me nought
[of the first half of my good] ; whereupon I betook myself
to the comrades and cup-companions upon whom I had
wasted my wealth, so haply they might provide for my
case ; but, when I resorted to them and went roimd about
to them all, I found no avail in one of them, nor broke
any so much as a crust of bread in my face. So I wept
for myself and repairing to my mother, complained to
her of my case. Quoth she, *0n this wise are friends;
if thou have aught, they make much of thee and devour
thee, but, if thou have nought, they cast thee oflF and
chase thee away.' Then I brought out the other half of
my money and bound myself by an oath that I would
never more entertain any, except one night, after which
I would never again salute him nor take note of him;
hence my saying to thee, 'Far be it that what is past
should recur I ' For that I will never again foregather
with thee, after this night."

When the Khalif heard this, he laughed heartily and
said, " By Allah, O my brother, thou art indeed excused
in this matter, now that I know the cause and that the
cause hath a tail Nevertheless if it please God, I will
not sever myself ftx)m thee." "O my guest," replied
Aboulhusn, *' did I not say to thee, ' Far be it that what
is past should recur I For that I will never again fore-
gather with any ' ? " Then the Khalif rose and Aboulhusn
set before him a dish of roast goose and a cake of
manchet-bread and sitting down, fell to cutting off morsels
and feeding the Khalif therewith. They gave not over

13

eating thus till they were content, when Abonlhusn
brought bowl and ewer and potash* and they washed
their hands.

Then he lighted him three candles and three lamps
and spreading the drinking-cloth, brought clarified wine,
limpid, old and fragrant, the scent whereof was as that
of virgin musk. He filled the first cup and saying, " O
my boon-companion, by thy leave, be ceremony laid aside
between us I I am thy slave j may I not be afflicted with
thy loss ! " drank it off and filled a second cup, which he
handed to the Khalif, with a reverence. His fashion
pleased the Khalif and the goodliness of his speech and
he said in himself, "By Allah, I will assuredly requite
him for this ! " Then Aboulhusn filled the cup again and
handed it to the Khalif, reciting the following verses :

Had we thy coming known, we would for sacrifice Have ponied thee

out heart's blood or blackness of the eyes ;
Ay, and we would have spread our bosoms in thy way, That so thy feet

might fare on eyelids, carpet-wise.

When the Khalif heard his verses, he took the cup
from his hand and kissed it and drank it off and returned
it to Aboulhusn, who made him an obeisance and filled
and drank. Then he filled again and kissing the cup
thrice, recited the following verses :

Thy presence honoureth us and we Confess thy magnanimity ;
If thou forsake us, there is none Can stand to us instead of thee.

Then he gave the cup to the Khalif, saying, "Drink
[and may] health and soundness [attend it] I It doth
' A common Eastern substitute for soap^

H

away disease and bringeth healing and setteth the runnels
of health abroach."

They gave not over drinking and carousing till the
middle of the night, when the Khalif said to his host.
"O my brother, hast thou in thy heart a wish thou
wouldst have accomplished or a regret thou wouldst foin
do away ? " " By Allah," answered he, " there is no
regret in my heart save that I am not gifted with dominion
and the power of commandment and prohibition, so I
might do what is in my mind !" Quoth the Khalif, "For
God's sake, O my brother, tell me what is in thy mind 1 **
And Aboulhusn said, " I would to God I might avenge
myself on my neighbours, for that in my neighbourhood
is a mosque and therein four sheikhs, who take it ill,
whenas there cometh a guest to me, and vex me with
talk and molest me in words and threaten me that they
will complain of me to the Commander of the Faithful,
and indeed they oppress me sore, and I crave of God the
Most High one day's dominion, that I may beat each of
them with four hundred lashes, as well as the Imam of
the mosque, and parade them about the city of Baghdad
and let call before them, 'This is the reward and the
least of the reward of whoso exceedeth [in talk] and
spiteth the folk and troubleth on them their joys.' This
is what I wish and no more."

Quoth the Khalif, " God grant thee that thou seekest 1
Let us drink one last cup and rise before the dawn draw
near, and to-morrow night I will be with thee again."
"Far be it I" said Aboulhusn. Then the Khalif filled
t cup and putting therein a piece oi Cretan henbane^

'5

gave it to his host and said to him, "My life on thee,
O my brother, drink this cup from my hand ! " '♦ Ay, by
thy life," answered Aboulhusn, " I will drink it from thy
hand." So he took it and drank it off; but hardly had
he done so, when his head forewent his feet and he fell
to the ground like a slain man ; whereupon the Khalif
went out and said to his servant Mesrour, "Go in to
yonder young man, the master of the house, and take
him up and bring him to me at the palace ; and when
thou goest out, shut the door."

So saying, he went away, whilst Mesrour entered and
taking up Aboulhusn, shut the door after him, and fol-
lowed his master, till he reached the palace, what while
the night drew to an end and the cocks cried out, and
set him down before the Commander of the Faithful, who
laughed at him. Then he sent for Jaafer the Barmecide
and when he came before him, he said to him, " Note
this young man and when thou seest him to-morrow
seated in my place of estate and on the throne of my
Khalifate and clad in my habit, stand thou in attendance
upon him and enjoin the Amirs and grandees and the
people of my household and the officers of my realm to
do the like and obey him in that which he shall command
them ; and thou, if he bespeak thee of anything, do it and
hearken unto him and gainsay him not in aught in this
coming day." Jaafer answered with, " Hearkening and
obedieHce,"* and withdrew, whilst the Khalif went in to

^ This common formula of assent is an abbreviation of " Hearkening
and obedience are due to God and to the Commander of the Faithful ''
or other the person addressed.

i6

the women of the palace, who came to him, and he said
to them, "Whenas yonder sleeper awaketh to-morrow
from his sleep, kiss ye the earth before him and make
obeisance to him and come round about him and clothe
him in the [royal] habit and do him the service of the
Khalifate and deny not aught of his estate, but say to
him, * Thou art the Khalif.' " Then he taught them what
they should say to him and how they should do with him
and withdrawing to a privy place, let down a curtain before
himself and slept

Meanwhile, Aboulhusn gave not over snoring in his
sleep, till the day broke and the rising of the sun drew
near, when a waiting-woman came up to him and said
to him, "O our lord [it is the hour of] the morning-
prayer." When he heard the girl's words, he laughed
and opening his eyes, turned them about the place and
found himself in an apartment the walls whereof were
painted with gold and ultramarine and its ceiling starred
with red gold. Around it were sleeping-chambers, with
curtains of gold-embroidered silk let down over their
doors, and all about vessels of gold and porcelain and
crystal and furniture and carpets spread and lamps burn-
ing before the prayer-niche and slave-girls and eunuchs
and white slaves and black slaves and boys and pages
and attendants. When he saw this, he was confounded
in his wit and said, " By Allah, either I am dreaming,
or this is Paradise and the Abode of Peace ! " ^ And
he shut his eyes and went to sleep again. Quoth the

^ Dar es Selam, one of the seven " Gardens " into which the Moham*
medan Paradise is divided.

17

*eaiting-woman, " O my lord, this is not of thy wont,
O Commander of the Faithful ! "

Then the rest of the women of the palace came all to
him and lifted him into a sitting posture, when he found
himself upon a couch, stuffed all with floss-silk and raised
a cubit's height from the ground.* So they seated him
upon it and propped him up with a pillow, and he looked
at the apartment and its greatness and saw those eunuchs
and slave-girls in attendance upon him and at his head,
whereat he laughed at himself and said, " By Allah, it is
not as I were on wake, and [yet] I am not asleep I "
Then he arose and sat up, whilst the damsels laughed
at him and hid [their laughter] from him j and he was
confounded in his wit and bit upon his finger. The bite
hurt him and he cried " Oh I " and was vexed ; and the
Khalif watched him, whence he saw him not, and laughed.

Presently Aboulhusn ttuned to a damsel and called to
her; whereupon she came to him and he said to her,
" By the protection of God, O damsel, am I Commander
of the Faithfiil?" "Yes, indeed," answered she; "by
the protection of God thou in this time art Commander
of the Faithful." Quoth he, " By Allah, thou liest, O
thousandfold strumpet 1" Then he turned to the chief
eunuch and called to him, whereupon he came to him
and kissing the earth before him, said, " Yes, O Com-
mander of the Faithful." "Who is Commander of the
Faithful ? " asked Aboulhusn. " Thou," replied the eunuch
and Aboulhusn said, "Thou liest, thousandfold catamite
that thou art 1 " Then he turned to another eunuch and
^ ia. a mattrass eighteen inches thick.

VOL. I. a

i8

said to him, " O my chief,* by the protection of God, tm
I Commander of the Faithful?" "Ay, by Allah, O my
lord I " answered he. " Thou in this time art Commander
of the Faithful and Vicar of the Lord of the Worlds."
Aboulhusn laughed at himself and misdoubted of hii
reason and was perplexed at what he saw and said,
"In one night I am become Khalifl Yesterday I wai
Aboulhusn the Wag, and to-day I am Commander of the
Faithful." Then the chief eunuch came up to him and
said, " O Commander of the Faithful, (the name of God
encompass thee !) thou art indeed Commander of the
Faithful and Vicar of the Lord of the Worlds ! " And
the slave-girls and eunuchs came round about him, till he
arose and abode wondering at his case.

Presently, one of the slave-girls brought him a pair of
sandals wrought with raw silk and green silk and em-
broidered with red gold, and he took them and put them
in his sleeve, whereat the slave cried out and said, " Allah !
Allah ! O my lord, these are sandals for the treading of
thy feet, so thou mayst enter the draught-house." Aboul-
husn was confounded and shaking the sandals from his
sleeve, put them on his feet, whilst the Khalif [well-nigh]
died of laughter at him. The slave forewent him to the
house of easance, where he entered and doing his occa-
sion, came out into the chamber, whereupon the slave-
girls brought him a basin of gold and an ewer of silver
and poured water on his hands and he made the ablution.

Then they spread him a prayer-carpet and he prayed.

* CompUmentaiy fonn of addresi to ennuchs, generally ased bj
falferiors 0017.

19

Now he knew not how to pray and gave not over bowing
and prostrating himself [till he had prayed the prayers]
of twenty inclinations,* pondering in himself the while
and saying, "By Allah, I am none other than the Com-
mander of the Faithful in very sooth ! This is assuredly
no dream, for all these things happen not in a dream."
And he was convinced and determined in himself that he
was Commander of the Faithful ; so he pronounced the
Salutation' and made an end* of his prayers ; whereupon
the slaves and slave-girls came round about him with
parcels of silk and stuffs* and clad him in the habit of
the Khalifate and gave him the royal dagger in his
hand. Then the chief eunuch went out before him and
the little white slaves behind him, and they ceased
not [going] till they raised the curtain and brought him
into the hall of judgment and the throne-room of the
KhaUfate. There he saw the curtains and the forty doors
and £1 Ijli and £r Recashi" and Ibdan and Jedim and
Abou Ishac* the boon-companions and beheld swords
drawn and lions' encompassing [the throne] and gilded
glaives and death-dealing bows and Persians and Arabs
and Turks and Medes and folk and peoples and Amirs

* The morning-prayer consists of four inclinations {rekdat) only. A
certain fixed succession of prayers and acts of adoration is call d a
rekcA (sing, of rekdat) from the inclination of the body that occurs la it.

' i^. the terminal formula of prayer, " Peace be on us and on all the
righteous servants of God !"

* ue, said " I purpose to make an end of prayer."

* Or "linen." • A well-known poet of the timo
' ijt. Ibrahim of Mosul, the greatest musician of his day.

' it. doughty men of war, guards.

20

and viziers and captains and grandees and officers of state
and men of war, and indeed there appeared the puissance
of the house of Abbas* and the majesty of the family ci
the Prophet

So he sat down upon the throne (rf* the Khalifate and
laid the dagger in his lap, whereupon all [present] came
up to kiss the earth before him and called down on him
length of life and continuance [of glory and prosperity].
Then came forward Jaafer the Barmecide and kissing the
earth, said, " May the wide world of God be the treading
of thy feet and may Paradise be thy dwelling-place and
the fire the habitation of thine enemies 1 May no neigh-
botir transgress against thee nor the lights of fire die
out for thee,* O Khalif of [all] cities and ruler of [all]
countries 1 "

Therewithal Aboulhusn cried out at him and said, *' O
dog of the sons of Bermek, go down forthright, thou and
the master of the police of the city, to such a place in
such a street and deliver a hundred dinars to the mother
of Aboulhusn the Wag and bear her my salutation.
[Then, go to such a mosque] and take the four sheikhs
and the Imam and beat each of them with four hundred
lashes and mount them on beasts, face to tail, and go
round with them about all the city and banish them to
a place other than the city; and bid the crier make
proclamation before them, saying, ' This is the reward

^ The Abbaside Khalifs traced their descent from Abbas, the ancle ol
Mohammed, and considered themselves, therefore, as belonging to the
iiunily of the Prophet.

* L$ May thy dwelling- place never faJ! into rviim.

31

and the least of the reward of whoso multiplieth words
and molesteth his neighbours and stinteth them of their
delights and their eating and drinking t'" Jaafer
received the order [with submission] and answered with
["Hearkening and] obedience;" after which he went
down from before Aboulhusn to the city and did that
whereunto he had bidden hira.

Meanwhile, Aboulhusn abode in the Khalifate, taking
and giving, ordering and forbidding and giving effect to
his word, till the end of the day, when he gave [those
who were present] leave and permission [to withdraw],
and the Amirs and officers of state departed to their
occasions. Then the eunuchs came to him and calling
down on him length of life and continuance [of glory and
prosperity], walked in attendance upon him and raised
the curtain, and he entered the pavilion of the harem,
where he found candles lighted and lamps burning and
singing-women smiting [on instruments of music]. When
he saw this, he was confounded in his wit and said in
himself, "By Allah, I am in truth Commander of the
Faithful 1 " As soon as he appeared, the slave-girls rose
to him and carrying him up on to the estrade,' brought
him a great table, spread with the richest meats. So he
ate thereof with all his might, till he had gotten his fill,
when he called one of the slave-girls and said to her,
" What is thy name ? " " My name is Miskeh," replied
she, and he said to another, " What is thy name ? " Quoth
she, " My name is Terkeh." Then said he to a third,

* i.t. the raised recess situate at the upper end of an Oriental saloon,
wherein ii the place of hunoor.

22

"What is thy name?" "My name is Tuhfeh,'* answered
she; and he went on to question the damsels of their
names, one alter another, [till he had made the round ol
them all], when he rose from that place and removed to
the wine-chamber.

He found it every way complete and saw therein ten
great trays, full of all finits and cakes and all manner
sweetmeats. So he sat down and ate thereof after the
measure of his sufficiency, and finding there three troops
of singing-girls, was amazed and made the girls eat
Then he sat and the singers also seated themselves, whilst
the black slaves and the white slaves and the eunuchs
and pages and boys stood, and the slave-girls, some of
them, sat and some stood. The damsels sang and warbled
all manner melodies and the place answered them for the
sweetness of the songs, whilst the pipes cried out and the
lutes made accord with them, till it seemed to Abonlhusn
that he was in Paradise and his heart was cheered and
his breast dilated. So he sported and joyance waxed on
him and he bestowed dresses of honour on the damsels
and gave and bestowed, challenging this one and kissing
that and toying with a third, plying one with wine and
another with meat, till the night fell down.

All this while the Khalif was diverting himself with
watching him and laughing, and at nightfall he bade one
of the slave-girls drop a piece of henbane in the cup and
give it to Aboulhusn to drink. So she did as he bade
ner and gave Aboulhusn the cup, whereof no sooner had
he drunken than his head forewent his feet [and he fell
down, senseless]. Therewith the Khalif came forth from

23

behind the curtain, laughing, and calling to the servant
who had brought Aboulhusn to the palace, said to him,
"Carry this fellow to his own place." So Mesrour took
him up [and carrying him to his own house], set him
down in the saloon. Then he went forth from him and
shutting the saloon-door upon him, returned to the Khalif,
who slept till the morrow.

As for Aboulhusn, he gave not over sleeping till God
the Most High brought on the morning, when he awoke,
crying out and saying, " Ho, Tuffaheh 1 Ho, Rahet el
Culoub I Ho, Miskeh 1 Ho, Tuhfeh 1 " And he gave not
over calling upon the slave-girls till his mother heard him
calling upon strange damsels and rising, came to him
and said, " The name of God encompass thee 1 Arise, O
my son, O Aboulhusn 1 Thou dreamest." So he opened
his eyes and finding an old woman at bis head, raised
his eyes and said to her, " Who art thou ? " Quoth she,
" I am thy mother ; " and he answered, " Thou liest I I
am the Commander of the Faithful, the Vicar of God."
Whereupon his mother cried out and said to him, " God
preserve thy reason ! Be silent, O my son, and cause not
the loss of our lives and the spoiling of thy wealth, [as
will assuredly betide,] if any hear this talk and carry it to
the Khalif."

So he rose from his sleep and finding himself in his
own saloon and his mother by him, misdoubted of his
wit and said to her, " By Allah, O my mother, I saw
myself in a dream in a palace, with slave-girls and
servants about me and in attendance upon me, and I sat
upon the throne of the Khalifate and ruled. By Allah,

24

0 my mother, this is what I saw, and verily it was not
a dream 1 " Then he bethought himself awhile and said,
"Assuredly, I am Aboulhusn el Khelia, and this that I
saw was only a dream, and [it was in a dream that] I was
made KhaUf and commanded and forbade.** Then he
bethought himself again and said, *'Nay, but it was no
dream and I am no other than the Khalif, and indeed

1 gave gifts and bestowed dresses of honour." Quoth his
mother to him, '* O my son, thou sportest with thy reason :
thou wilt go to the hospital and become a gazing -stock.
Indeed, that which thou hast seen is only from the Devil
and it was a delusion of dreams, for whiles Satan sporteth
with men's wits in all manner ways."

Then said she to him, " O my son, was there any one
with thee yesternight?" And he bethought himself and
said, " Yes ; one lay the night with me and I acquainted
him with my case and told him my story. Doubtless, he
was from the Devil, and I, O my mother, even as thou
sayst truly, am Aboulhusn el Khelia." " O my son," re-
joined she, "rejoice in tidings of all good, for yesterday's
record is that there came the Vivier Jaafer the Barme-
cide [and his company] and beat the sheikhs of the
mosque and the Imam^ each four hundred lashes ; after
which they paraded them about the city, making procla-
mation before them and saying, ' This is the reward and
the least of the reward of whoso lacketh of goodwill to
his neighbours and troubleth on them their lives!' and
banished them from Baghdad. Moreover, the Khalif sent
me a hundred dinars and sent to salute me." Whereupon
Aboulhusn cried out and said to her, " O old woman of

25

fll-omen, wilt thou contradict me and tell me that 1 am
not the Commander of the Faithful ? It was I who com-
manded Jaafer the Barmecide to beat the sheikhs and
parade them about the city and make proclamation before
them and who sent thee the hundred dinars and sent to
salute thee, and I, O beldam of ill-luck, am in very deed
the Commander of the Faithful, and thou art a liar, who
would make me out a dotard."

So saying, he fell upon her and beat her with a staff of
almond-wood, till she cried out, "[Help], O Muslims!"
and he redoubled the beating upon her, till the folk heard
her cries and coming to her, [found] Aboulhusn beating
her and saying to her, " O old woman of ill-omen, am
I not the Commander of the Faithful? Thou hast
enchanted me 1 " When the folk heard his words, they
said, "This man raveth," and doubted not of his madness.
So they came in upon him and seizing him, pinioned
him and carried him to the hospital. Quoth the super-
intendant, "What aileth this youth?" And they said,
" This is a madman." " By Allah," cried Aboulhusn,
** they lie against me ! I am no madman, but the
Commander of the Faithful." And the superintendant
answered him, saying, " None lieth but thou, O unluckiest
of madmen 1 "

Then he stripped him of his clothes and clapping on
his neck a heavy chain, bound him to a high lattice and
fell to drubbing him two bouts a day and two anights;
and on this wise he abode the space of ten days.
Then his mother came to him and said, " O my son,
O Aboulhusn, return to thy reason, for this is the Devil's

26

doing." Quoth he, "Thou sayst sooth, O my mother,
and bear thou witness of me that I repent [and forswear]
that talk and turn from my madness. So do thou deliver
me, for I am nigh upon death." So his mother went out
to the superintendant and procured his release and he
returned to his own house.

Now this was at the beginning of the month, and when
it was the end thereof, Aboulhusn longed to drink wine
and returning to his former usance, furnished his saloon
and made ready food and let bring wine ; then, going
forth to the bridge, he sat there, expecting one whom he
should carouse withal, as of his wont As he sat thus,
behold, up came the Khalif [and Mesrour] to him ; but
Aboulhusn saluted them not and said to them, " No
welcome and no greeting to the perverters ! * Ye are no
other than devils." However, the Khalif accosted him
and said to him, "O my brother, did I not say to thee
that I would return to thee?" Quoth Aboulhusn, "I have
no need of thee ; and as the byword says in verse :

'Twere fitter and better my loves that I leave, For, if the eye see no^
the heart will not grieve.

And indeed, O ray brother, the night thou camest to
me and we caroused together, I and thou, it was as if the
Devil came to me and troubled me that night." "And
who is he, the Devil?" asked the Khalif. "He is
none other than thou," answered Aboulhusn ; whereat the
Khalif smiled and sitting down by him, coaxed him and
spoke him fair, saying, " O my brother, when I went out
from thee, I foigot [to shut] the door [and left it] open,
*■ id. the necromancers.

27

and belike Satan came in to thee." Quoth Aboulhusn,
"Ask me not of that which hath betided me. What
possessed thee to leave the door open, so that the Devil
came in to me and there befell me with him this and
that?" And he related to him all that had befallen
him, from first to last, ai.d there is no advantage in the
repetition of it; what while the Khalif laughed and hid
his laughter.

Then said he to Aboulhusn, " Praised be God who hath
done away from thee that which irked thee and that I see
thee in weal 1 " And Aboulhusn said, " Never again will
I take thee to boon-companion or sitting-mate; for the
byword saith, ' Whoso stumbleth on a stone and retumeth
thereto, blame and reproach be upon him.' And thou,
O my brother, nevermore will I entertain thee nor use
companionship with thee, for that I have not found thy
commerce propitious to me." * But the Khalif blandished
him and conjured him, redoubling words upon him
with " Verily, I am thy guest ; reject not the guest," till
Aboulhusn took him and [carrying him home], brought
him into the saloon and set food before him and friendly
entreated him in speech. Then he told him all that had
befallen him, whilst the Khalif was like to die of hidden
laughter; after which Aboulhusn removed the tray of
food and bringing the wine-tray, filled a cup and emptied
it out three times, then gave it to the Khalif, saying,
**0 boon-companion mine, I am thy slave and let not
that which I am about to say irk thee, and be thou not

^ Lit I have not found that thoa bast a heel blessed (or propitious)
tomb

28

vexed, neither do thou vex me." And he recited these
verses :

No good's in life (to the cotinsel list of one who's purpose-whole,) An if
thou be not drunken still and gladden not thy sool.

Ay, ne'er will I leave to drink of wine, what while the night on me
Darkens, till drowsiness bow down my head upon my bowL

In wine, as the glittering sunbeams bright, my heart's contentment i%
That banishes hence, with various joys, all kinds of care and dole.

When the Khalif heard these his verses, he was moved
to exceeding delight and taking the cup, drank it off, and
they ceased not to drink and carouse till the wine rose
to their heads. Then said Aboulhusn to the Khalif,
"O boon-companion mine, of a truth I am perplexed
concerning ray affair, for meseemed I was Commander of
the Faithful and ruled and gave gifts and largesse, and
in very deed, O my brother, it was not a dream." " These
were the delusions of sleep," answered the Khalif and
crumbling a piece of henbane into the cup, said to him,
"By my life, do thou drink this cup." And Aboulhusn
said, "Surely I will drink it from thy hand." Then he
took the cup from the Khalifs hand and drank it off,
and no sooner had it settled in his belly than his head
forewent his feet [and he fell down senseless].

Now his parts and fashions pleased the Khalif and the
excellence of his composition and his frankness, and he
said in himself, "I will assuredly make him my cup-
companion and sitting-mate." So he rose forthright and
saying to Mesrour, "Take him up," [returned to the
palace]. Accordingly, Mesrour took up Aboulhusn and
carrying him to the palace of the Khalifate, set him

29

down before Er Reshid, who bade the slaves and slave-
girls encompass him about, whilst he himself hid in a
place where Aboulhusn could not see him.

Then he commanded one of the slave-girls to take the
lute and strike it at Aboulhusn's head, whilst the rest
smote apon their instruments. [So they played and
sang,] till Aboulhusn awoke at the last of the night and
heard the noise of lutes and tabrets and the sound of
the pipes and the singing of the slave-girls, whereupon
he opened his eyes and finding himself in the palace,
with the slave-girls and eunuchs about him, exclaimed,
* There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most
High, the Supreme ! Verily, I am fearful of the hospital
and of that which I suffered therein aforetime, and I doubt
not but the Devil is come to me again, as before. O my
God, put thou Satan to shame ! " Then he shut his eyes
and laid his head in his sleeve and fell to laughing softly
and raising his head [bytimes], but [still] found the apart-
ment lighted and the girls singing.

Presently, one of the eunuchs sat down at his head and
said to him, " Sit up, O Commander of the Faithful, and
look on thy palace and thy slave-girls." Quoth Aboul-
husn, "By the protection of God, am I in truth Com-
mander of the Faithful and dost thou not lie ? Yesterday,
I went not forth neither ruled, but drank and slept, and
this eunuch cometh to rouse me up." Then he sat up
and bethought himself of that which had betided him
with his mother and how he had beaten her and entered
the hospital, and he saw the marks of the beating, where-
withal the superintendant of the hospital had beaten him,

30

and was perplexed concerning his affair and pondered in
himself, sajring, "By Allah, I know not how my case is
nor what is this that betideth me 1 "

Then he turned to a damsel of the damsels and said
to her, " Who am I ? " Quoth she, " Thou art the Com-
mander of the Faithful;" and he said, "Thou liest, O
calamity I ^ If I be indeed the Commander of the Faith-
ful, bite my finger." So she came to him and bit it with
her might, and he said to her, " It sufficeth." Then he
said to the chief eunuch, "Who am I?" And he an-
swered, " Thou art the Commander of the Faithful." So
he left him and turning to a Uttle white slave, said to
him, " Bite my ear ; " and he bent down to him and put
his ear to his mouth. Now the slave was young and
lacked understanding ; so he closed his teeth upon Aboul-
husn's ear with his might, till he came near to sever it;
and he knew not Arabic, so, as often as Aboulhusn said
to him, " It sufficeth," he concluded that he said, " Bite
harder," and redoubled his bite and clenched his teeth
upon the ear, whilst the damsels were diverted from him
with hearkening to the singing-girls, and Aboulhusn cried
out for succour from the boy and the Khalif [well-nigh]
lost his senses for laughter.

Then he dealt the boy a cuff and he let go his ear,
whereupon Aboulhusn put oflF his clothes and abode naked,
with his yard and his arse exposed, and danced among
the slave-girls. They bound his hands and he wantoned
among them, what while they [well-nigh] died of laugh-
ing at him and the Khalif swooned away for excess of

* i.t, O thoa who art a calamity to those who have to do with the« I

31

laughter. Then he came to himself and going forth to
Aboulhusn, said to him, " Out on thee, O Aboulhusn I
Thou slayest me with laughter." So he turned to him
and knowing him, said to him, "By Allah, it is thou
slayest me and slayest my mother and slewest the sheikhs
and the Imam of the Mosque 1 "

Then the Khalif took him into his especial favour and
married him and bestowed largesse on him and lodged
him with himself in the palace and made him of the chief
of his boon-companions, and indeed he was preferred
with him above them and the Khalif advanced him over
them all Now they were ten in number, to wit. El Ijli
and Er Recashi and Ibdan and Hassan el Feresdec and
El Lauz and Es Seker and Omar et Tertis and Abou
Nuwas* and Abou Ishac en Nedim and Aboulhusn el
Khelia, and by each of them hangeth a story that is told
in other than this book. And indeed Aboulhusn became
high in honour with the Khalif and favoured above all,
so that he sat with him and the Lady Zubeideh bint el
Casim and married the lattefs treasuress, whose name was
Nuzhet el Fuad.

Aboulhusn abode with his wife in eating and drinking
and all delight of life, till all that was with them was
spent, when he said to her, " Harkye, O Nuzhet el Fuad ! "
" At thy service," answered she, and he said, " I have it
in mind to play a trick on the Khalif and thou shalt do
the like with the Lady Zubeideh, and we will take of
them, in a twinkling, two hundred dinars and two pieces
of silk." " As thou wilt," answered she ; " but what thinkest
^ Abou Nuwas ibn Hani, the greatest poet of the tune.

32

thou to do?" And he said, "We will feign ourselvet
dead and this is the irick. I will die before thee and
lay myself out, and do thou spread over me a kerchief of
silk and loose [the muslin of] my turban over me and tie
my toes and lay on my heart a knife and a little salt.^
Then let down thy hair and betake thyself to thy mistress
Zubeideh, tearing thy -tiress and buffeting thy face and
crying out. She will say to thee, 'What aileth thee?*
and do thou answer her, saying, 'May thy head outlive
AboulhusD el Khelia 1 For he is dead.' She will mourn
for me and weep and bid her treasuress give thee a
hundred dinars and a piece of silk and will say to thee,
* Go lay him out and carry him forth [to burial].' So do
thou take of he"- the hundred dinars and the piece of silk
and come back, and when thou returnest to me, I will
rise up and thou shalt lie down in my place, and I will
go to the Khalif and say to him, * May thy head outlive
Nuzhet el Fuad!' and tear my dress and pluck at my
beard. He will mourn for thee and say to his treasurer,
*Give Aboulhusn a hundred dinars and a piece of silk.*
Then he will say to me, ' Gk) ; lay her out and carry her
forth ; ' and I will come back to thee."

Therewith Nuzhet el Fuad rejoiced and said, " Indeed,
this is an excellent device." [Then Aboulhusn stretched
himself out] forthright and she shut his eyes and tied
his feet and covered him with the kerchief and did what
[else] her lord had bidden her; after which she rent her
dress and uncovering her head, let down her hair and
weol: in to the Lady Zubeideh, crying out and weeping.
^ As a charm against evil spirits.

33

When the princess saw her in this case, she said to her,
" What plight is this [in which I see thee] ? What is
thy story and what maketh thee weep?" And Nuzhet
el Fuad answered, weeping and crying out the while,
"O ray lady, may thy head live and mayst thou survive
Aboulhusn el Khelia! For he is dead." The Lady
Zubeideh mourned for him and said, " Alas for Aboulhusn
el Khelia I " And she wept for him awhile. Then she
bade her treasuress give Nuzhet el Fuad a hundred dinars
and a piece of silk and said to her, " O Nuzhet el Fuad,
go, lay him out and carry him forth."

So she took the hundred dinars and the piece of silk
and returned to her dwelling, rejoicing, and went in to
Aboulhusn and told him what had befallen, whereupon he
arose and rejoiced and girt his middle and danced and
took the hundred dinars and the piece of silk and laid
them up. Then he laid out Nuzhet el Fuad and did with
her even as she had done with him ; after which he rent
his clothes and plucked out his beard and disordered
his turban [and went forth] and gave not over running
till he came in to the Khalif, who was sitting in the hall
of audience, and he in this plight, beating upon his
breast. Quoth the Khalif to him, "What aileth thee,
O Aboulhusn I " And he wept and said, " Would thy
boon -companion had never been and would his hour
had never comel" "Tell me [thy case,]" said the
Khalif; and Aboulhusn said, " O my lord, may thy head
outlive Nuzhet el Fuad!" Quoth the Khalif, "There
is no god but God 1 " And he smote hand upon hand.
Then he comforted Aboulhusn and said to him, " Grieve

TOL. I. 3

34

not, for we will give thee a concubine other than she.**
And he bade the treasurer give him a hundred dinars and
a piece of silk. So the treasurer gave him what the
Khalif bade him, and the latter said to him, "Go, lay
her out and carry her forth and make her a handsome
funeral." So Aboulhusn took that which he had given
him and returning to his house, rejoicing, went in to
Nuzhet el Fuad and said to her, "Arise, for the wish
is accomplished mito us." So she arose and he laid
before her the hundred dinars and the piece of silk,
whereat she rejoiced, and they added the gold to the gold
and the silk to the silk and sat talking and laughing at
one another.

Meanwhile, when Aboulhusn went out from the presence
of the Khalif and went to lay out Nuzhet el Fuad, the
prince mourned for her and dismissing the divan, arose
and betook himself, leaning upon Mesrour, the swordsman
of his vengeance, [to the pavilion of the harem, where
he went in] to the Lady Zubeideh, that he might condole
with her for her slave-girl. He found the princess sitting
weeping and awaiting his coming, so she might condole
with him for [his boon-companion] Aboulhusn el Khelia.
So he said to her, "May thy head outlive thy slave-girl
Nuzhet el Fuad I " And she answered, saying, " O my
lord, God preserve my slave-girl! Mayst thou live and
long survive thy boon-companion Aboulhusn el Khelia 1
For he is dead."

The Khalif smiled and said to his eunuch, " O Mesrour,
verily women are little of wit I conjure thee, by Allah,
say, was not Aboulhusn with me but now?" ["Yes,

35

O Commajder of the Faithful," answered Mesrour.]
Quoth the Lady Zubeideh, laughing from a heart full of
wrath, "Wilt thou not leave thy jesting? Is it not
enough that Aboulhusn is dead, but thou must kill my
slave-gu-1 also and bereave us of the two and style
me little of wit?" "Indeed," answered the Khalif,
"it is Nuzhet el Fuad who is dead." And Zubeideh
said, " Indeed he hath not been with thee, nor hast thou
seen him, and none was with me but now but Nuzhet
el Fuad, and she sorrowful, weeping, with her clothes
torn. I exhorted her to patience and gave her a hundred
dinars and a piece of silk ; and indeed I was awaiting thy
coming, so I might condole with thee for thy boon-
companion Aboulhusn el Khelia, and was about to send
for thee." The Khalif laughed and said, " None is dead
but Nuzhet el Fuad ; " and she, ** No, no, my lord ; none
is dead but Aboulhusn."

With this the Khalif waxed wroth, and the Hashimi
vein* started out from between his eyes and he cried out
to Mesrour and said to him, " Go forth and see which of
them is dead." So Mesrour went out, nmning, and the
Khalif said to Zubeideh, "Wilt thou lay me a wager?"
**Yes," answered she; "I will wager, and I say that
Aboulhusn is dead." "And I," rejoined the Khalif,
" wager and say that none is dead save Nuzhet el Fuad ;
imd the stake shall be the Garden of Pleasance against thy
palace and the Pavilion of Pictures." So they [agreed

* *>. the vein said to have been peculiar to the descendants of liashim,
grandfather of Abbas and great-grandson of Mohammed, and to have
Started oat between their eyes in moments of anger.

36

opon this and] abode awaiting Mesrour, till such time aa
he should return with news.

As for Mesrour, he gave not over running till he came
to the by-street, [wherein was the house] of Aboulhusn el
Khelia. Now the latter was sitting reclining at the lattice,
and chancing to look round, saw Mesrour running along
the street and said to Nuzhet el Fuad, "Meseemeth the
Khalif, when I went forth from him, dismissed the Divan
and went in to the Lady Zubeideh, to condole witli her
[for thee;] whereupon she arose and condoled with him
[for me,] saying, 'God greaten thy recompence for [the
loss of] Aboulhusn el Khelia!' And he said to her,
■ None is dead save Nuzhet el Fuad, may thy head out-
live her!* Quoth she, *It is not she who is dead, but
Aboulhusn el Khelia, thy boon-companion.' And he to
her, ' None is dead but Nuzhet el Fuad.' And they
gamsaid one another, till the Khalif waxed wroth and
they laid a wager, and he hath sent Mesrour the sword-
bearer to see who is dead. Wherefore it were best that
thou lie down, so he may see thee and go and acquaint
the Khalif and confirm my saying." So Nuzhet el Fuad
stretched herself out and Aboulhusn covered her with her
veil and sat at her head, weeping.

Presently, in came Mesrour the eunuch to him and
saluted him and seeing Nuzhet el Fuad stretched out,
uncovered her face and said, " There is no god but God I
Our sister Nuzhet el Fuad is dead. How sudden was the
[stroke of] destiny! May God have mercy on thee and
acquit thee of responsibility 1 " Then he returned and
related what had passed before the Khalif and the Ladf

37

Zubeideh, and he laughing. "O accursed one,' said the
Khalif, "is this a time for laughter? Tell us which
is dead of them." "By Allah, O my lord," answered
Mesrour, " Aboulhusn is well and none is dead but Nuzhet
el Fuad." Quoth the Khalif to Zubeideh, "Thou hast
lost thy pavilion in thy play," and he laughed at her and
said to Mesrour, ** O Mesrour, tell her what thou sawest."
" Verily, O my lady," said the eunuch, " I ran Mrithout
ceasing till I came in to Aboulhusn in his house and found
Nuzhet el Fuad lying dead and Aboulhusn sitting at her
head, weeping. I saluted him and condoled with him and
Bat down by his side and uncovered the face of Nuzhet el
Fuad and saw her dead and her face swollen. So I said to
him, ' Carry her out forthright [to burial], so we may pray
over her.' He answered, *It is well ;' and I left him to lay
her out and came hither, that I might tell you the news."

The KhaUf laughed and said, " Tell it again and again
to thy lady lack-wit." When the Lady Zubeideh heard
Mesrour's words [and those of the Khalif,] she was wroth
and said, "None lacketh wit but he who believeth a
black slave." And she reviled Mesrour, whilst the Khalif
laughed. Mesrour was vexed at this and said to the
Khalif, " He spoke sooth who said, * Women lack wit
and religion.'" Then said the Lady Zubeideh to the
Khalif, " O Commander of the Faithful, thou sportest and
jestest with me, and this slave hoodwinketh me, to please
thee; but I will send and see which is dead of them."
And he answered, saying, "Send one who shall see which
is dead of them." So the Lady Zubeideh cried out to an
old woman, a stewardess, and said to her, "Go to the

38

house of Nuzhet el Fuad in haste and see who is dead
and loiter not" And she railed at her.

The old woman went out, running, whilst the Khalif
and Mesrour laughed, and gave not over running till she
came into the street. Aboulhusn saw her and knowing
her, said to his wife, " O Nuzhet el Fuad, meseemeth the
Lady Zubeideh hath sent to us to see who is dead
and hath not given credence to Mesrour's report of
thy death; so she hath despatched the old woman, her
stewardess, to discover the truth; wherefore it behoveth
me to be dead in my turn, for the sake of thy credit
with the Lady Zubeideh." Accordingly, he lay down and
stretched himself out, and she covered him and bound
his eyes and feet and sat at his head, weeping.

Presently, the old woman came in to her and saw her
sitting at Aboulhusn's head, weeping and lamenting; and
when she saw the old woman, she cried out and said
to her, "See what hath betided me! Indeed, Aboulhusn
is dead and hath left me alone and forlorn I " Then she
cried out and tore her clothes and said to the old woman,
"O my mother, how good he was I" Quoth the other,
" Indeed thou art excused, for thou wast used to him and
he to thee." Then she considered what Mesrour had
reported to the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh and said
to her, " Indeed, Mesrour goeth about to sow discord
between the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh." " And what
is the [cause of] discord, O my mother?" asked Nuzhet
el Fuad. " O my daughter," answered the old woman,
" Mesrour came to the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh and
gave them news of thee that thou wast dead and that

39

Aboulhusn was well." And Nuzhet el Fuad said to her,
"O my atint, I was with my lady but now and she gave
me a hundred dinars and a piece of silk; and now see
my condition and that which hath befallen me ! Indeed,
I am bewildered, and how shall I do, and I alone, forlorn ?
Would God I had died and he had lived ! "

Then she wept and the old woman with her and the
latter went up to Aboulhusn and uncovering his face, saw
his eyes bound and swollen for the binding. So she
covered him again and said, " Indeed, O Nuzhet el Fuad,
thou art afflicted in Aboulhusn ! " Then she condoled
with her and going out from her, ran without ceasing till
she came in to the Lady Zubeideh and related to her the
story ; and the princess said to her, laughing, " Tell it
over again to the Khalif, who maketh me out scant of
wit and lacking of religion, and to this ill-omened slave,
who presumeth to contradict me." Quoth Mesrour, " This
old woman lieth; for I saw Aboulhusn well and Nuzhet
cl Fuad it was who lay dead." "It is thou that liest,"
rejoined the stewardess, "and wouldst fain sow discord
between the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh." And he
said, "None lieth but thou, O old woman of ill-omen,
and thy lady believeth thee, and she doteth." Whereupon
the Lady Zubeideh cried out at him, and indeed she was
enraged at him and at his speech and wept

Then said the Khalif to her, "I lie and my eunuch
lieth, and thou liest and thy waiting-woman lieth j so
methinks we were best go, all four of us together, that we
may see which of us telleth the truth." Quoth Mesrour,
''Come, let as go, that I may put this ill-omened old

40

woman to shame* and deal her a sound drubbing foi
her l)ring." And she answered him, saying, "O dotard,
is thy wit like unto ray wit? Indeed, thy wit is as the
hen's wit." Mesrour was incensed at her words and would
have laid violent hands on her, but the Lady Zubeideh
warded him off from her and said to him, " Her sooth-
fastness will presently be distinguished from thy sooth-
fastness and her leasing from thy leasing."

Then they all four arose, lajdng wagers with one another,
and went forth, walking, from the palace-gate [and fared
on] till they came in at the gate of the street in which
Aboulhusn el Khelia dwelt He saw them and said to
his wife Nuzhet el Fuad, " Verily, all that is sticky is not
a pancake and not every time cometh the jar off safe.*
Meseemeth the old woman hath gone and told her lady
and acquainted her with our case and she hath disputed
with Mesroiu- the eunuch and they have laid wagers with
one another about our death and are come to us, all four,
the KLhalif and the eunuch and the Lady Zubeideh and
the old woman." When Nuzhet el Fuad heard this, she
started up from her lying posture and said, " How shall
we do?" And he said, "We will both feign oiu^elves
dead and stretch ourselves out and hold our breath." So
she hearkened unto him and they both lay down on the
siesta[-carpet] and bound their feet and shut their eyes
and covered themselves with the veil and held their breath.

Presently, up came the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh

* Lit. that I may do upon her sinister deeds.

' " The pitcher comes not always back unbroken from the welL *'•■
English proverb.

41

and Mesrour and the old woman and entering, found
Aboulhusn and his wife both stretched out [apparently]
dead ; which when the Lady Zubeideh saw, she wept and
said, "They ceased not to bring [ill] news of my slave-
girl, till she died; methinketh Aboulhusn's death was
grievous to her and that she died after him."* Quoth
the Khalif, "Thou shalt not forestall me with talk and
prate. She certainly died before Aboulhusn, for he came
to me with his clothes torn and his beard plucked out,
beating his breast with two bricks, and I gave him a
hundred dinars and a piece of silk and said to him, ' Go,
carry her forth [and bury her] and I will give thee a
concubine other than she and handsomer, and she shall
be in stead of her.' But it would appear that her death
was no light matter to him and he died after her;* so it
is I who have beaten thee and gotten thy stake."

The Lady Zubeideh answered him many words and the
talk waxed amain between theuL At last the Khalif sat
down at the heads of the pair and said, " By the tomb of
the Apostle of God (may He bless and preserve him 1 )
and the sepulchres of my fathers and forefathers, whoso
will tell me which of them died before the other, I will
willingly give him a thousand dinars ! " When Aboulhusn
heard the Khalifs words, he sprang up in haste and said,
" I died first, O Commander of the Faithful ! Hand over
the thousand dinars and quit thine oath and the conjura-
tion by which thou sworest." Then Nuzhet el Fuad
rose also and stood up before the Khalif and the Lady
Zubeideh, who both rejoiced in this and in their safety,
* i.t, of Bonow for his loss * «.« of grief for her Iom.

42

and the princess chid her slave-girl. Then the Khalif and
the Lady Zubeideh gave them joy at their well-being and
knew that this [pretended] death was a device to get the
money ; and the princess said to Nuzhet el Fuad, " Thoa
shouldst have sought of me that which thou desiredst,
without this fashion, and not have consumed my heart for
thee." And she said, " Indeed, I was ashamed, O my lady."

As for the Khalif, he swooned away for laughing and
said, " O Aboulhusn, thou wUt never cease to be a wag
and do rarities and oddities I " Quoth he, ** O Commander
of the Faithful, I played off this trick, for that the money
was exhausted, which thou gavest me, and I was ashamed
to ask of thee again. When I was single, I could never
keep money ; but since thou marriedst me to this damsel
here, if I possessed thy wealth, I should make an end
of it So, when all that was in my hand was spent, I
wrought this trick, so I might get of thee the hundred
dmars and the piece of silk ; and all this is an alms from
our lord. But now make haste to give me the thousand
dinars and quit thee of thine oath."

The Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh laughed and re-
turned to the palace ; and he gave Aboulhusn the thousand
dinars, saying, "Take them as a thank-offering for thy
preservation from death," whilst the princess did the like
with Nuzhet el Fuad. Moreover, the Khalif increased
Aboulhusn in his stipends and allowances, and he [and
his wife] ceased not [to live] in joy and contentment
till there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and
Sunderer of Companies, he who layeth waste the palacei
and peopleth the tombs.

THE

KHALIF OMAR BEN ABDULAZIZ

AND THE POETS.

THE KHALIF OMAR BEN ABDULAZIZ AND
THE POETS.*

It is said that, when the Khallfate devolved oo Omai
ben Abdulaziz* (of whom God accept), the poets [of the
time] resorted to him, as they had been used to resort
to the Khalifs before him, and abode at his door days and
days, but he gave them not leave to enter, till there came
to Omar Adi ben Artah,» who stood high in esteem with
him. Jerir* accosted him and begged him to crave ad-
mission for them [to the Khalif ], " It is well," answered
Adi and going in to Omar, said to him, •* The poets are
at thy door and have been there days and days ; yet hast
thou not given them leave to enter, albeit their sayings
are abiding • and their arrows go straight to the mark."
Quoth Omar, "What have I to do with the poets?" And
Adi answered, saying, " O Commander of the Faithful*
the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve) was praised

* Breslau Text, toL vi. pp. 182-188, Nights ccccxxxii-ccccxzxiv.

* The eighth Khalif (a.D. 717-720) of the house of Umejryeh and the
best and most single-hearted of all the Khalifs, with the exception of the
second, Omar ben Khettab, from whom he was descended.

* A celebrated statesman of the time, afterwards governor of Cufii
and Rassora under Omar ben Abdulaziz.

* The most renowned poet of the first century of the Hegira. He is
■aid to have been equally skilled in all styles of composition giav«
and gay.

* Or eternaL

i

46

[by a poet] and gave [him largesse,] and therein i is an
exemplar to every Muslim." Quoth Omar, *'And who
praised him ? " " Abbas ben Mirdas " praised him,", replied
Adi, "and he clad him with a suit and said, *0 Bilal,"
cut oflf from me his tongue I "* " Dost thou remember
what he said?" asked the Khalif; and Adi said, "Yes."
** Then repeat it," rejoined Omar. So Adi recited the
following verses :

I saw thee, O thou best of all the hninan race, display A book that

came to teach the Truth to those in error's way.
Thou madest known to us therein the road of righteousness, When we

had wandered from the Truth, what while in gloom it lay.
A dark affair thou littest up with Islam and with proof Quenchedst the

flaming red-coals of error and dismay.
Mohammed, then, I do confess, God's chosen prophet is, And every

man requited is for that which he doth say.
The road of right thou hast made straight, that erst was crooked grown;

Yea, for its path of old had fall'n to ruin and decay.
Exalted mayst thoa be above tb' empyrean heaven of joy And nuy

God's glory greater grow and more exalted aye I

» Or^inhinu"

* Chief of the tribe of the Benoa Suleim. Et Teberi tells this stmy
in a different way. According to him. Abbas ben Mirdas (who was a
well-known poet), being dissatisfied with the portion of booty allotted
to him by the Prophet, refused it and composed a lampoon against
Mohammed, who said to Ali, "Cut off this tongue which attacketh
me," i.e. " Silence him by giving what will satisfy him," whereupon Ali
doubled the covetous chiefs share.

* Bilal ibn Rebeh was the Prophet's freedman and crier. The word
^Va/ signifies " moisture" or (metonymically) "beneficence" and it may
well be in this sense (and not as a man's name) that it is used in th«
test

47

**And indeed," continued Adi, "this ode on the Prophet
(may God bless and keep him!) is well known and to
comment it would be tedious." Quoth Omar, " Who is at
the door?" "Among them is Omar ibn [Abi] Rebya the
Cureishite," * answered Adi, and the Khalif said, "May
God show him no favour neither quicken him ! Was it
not he who said ....?" And he recited the following
verses :

Would God upon that bitterest day, when my death calls for me, What's
'twixt thine excrement and blood' I still may smell of thee!

Yea, so but Selma in the dust my bedfellow may prove, Fair fall it thee I
In heaven or hell I reck not if it be.

"Except," continued the Khalif, "he were the enemy
of God, he had wished for her in this world, so he might
after [repent and] return to righteous dealing. By Allah,
he shall not come in to me! Who is at the door other
than he?" Quoth Adi, "Jemil ben Mamer el Udhri*
is at the door;" and Omar said, "It is he who says in
one of his odes " . . . . [And he recited the following :]

Would we may live together and when we come to die, God grant the
death-sleep bring me within her tomb to lie I

For if "Her grave above her is levelled" it be said. Of life and its con-
tinuance no jot indeed reck I.

* Said to have been the best poet ever produced by the tribe of
Cureish. His introduction here is an anachronism, as he died A.O. 712,
five years before Omar's accession.

' ix, odorem pudendorum amicse?

• A famous poet of the tribe of the Benoa Udhreh, renowned for their
passionate sincerity in love-matters. He is celebrated as the lover of
Butheineh, as Petrarch of Laura, and died A.D. 701, sixteen years before
Omar's accession.

48

"Away with him from met Who is at the door?"
"Kutheiyir Azzeh,"^ replied Adi, and Omar said, "It is

he who says in one of his odes •" [And he

repeated the following verses :]

Some with religion themselves concern and make it their business all |
Sitting," they weep for the pains of hell and still for mercy bawl 1

If they could hearken to Azzeh's speech, as I, I hearken lo it. They
straight would humble themselves to her and prone before her falL

** Leave the mention of him. Who is at the door?"
Quoth Adi, "El Akhwes el Ansari.'" "God the Most
High put him away and estrange him from His mercy 1 "
cried Omar. "Is it not he who said, berhyming on a
man of Medina his slave-girl, so she might outlive her
master ..,.?'* [And he repeated the following line :]

God [judge] betwixt me and her lord ! Away With her he flees me and
I follow aye.

" He shall not come in to me. Who is at the door, other
than he?" "Heman ben Ghalib el Ferezdec," * answered

* A friend of Jemil and a poet of equal renown. He is celebrated as
the lover of Azzeh, whose name is commonly added to his, and kept a
grocer's shop at Medina. • i.e. in the attitude of prayer.

■ A famous satirical poet of the time, afterwards banished by Omar
for the virulence of his lampoons. His name is wrongly given by the
text ; it should be EI Ahwes. He was a descendant of the Ansar or
(Medinan) helpers of Mohammed.

* A famous poet of the tribe of the Benou Temim and a rival of Jerir,
to whom he was by some preferred. He was a notorious debauchee and
Jerir, in one of the satires that were perpetually exchanged between
himself and El Ferezdec, accuses his rival of having "never been a
guest in any house, bat he departed with ignominy and left behind him
disgrace."

49

Adi; and Omar said, "It is he who saith, glorying in
adultery . . . . " [And he repeated the following verses :]

The two girls let me down from fourscore fathoms' height. As swoops a

hawk, with wings all open in full flight ;
And when my feet trod earth, " Art slain, that we should fear," Qaoth

they, '• or live, that we may hope again thy sight?*

" He shall not come in to me. Who is at the door, other
than he?" "El Akhtel et Teghlibi,"^ answered Adi;
and Omar said, " He is the unbeliever who says in his
verse . . . . " [And he repeated the following :]
Ramazan in my life ne'er I fasted, nor e'er Have I eaten of flesh, save

in public' it were.
No exhorter am I to abstain from the fair, Nor to love Mecca's vale for

my profit I care;
Nor, like others a little ere morning appear who bawl, "Come to

safety!"* I stand up to prayer.
Nay, at daybreak I drink of the wind-freshened wine And proatrate me*

instead in the dawn-whitened air.

"By Allah, he treadeth no carpet of mine! Who is
at the door other than he?" "Jerir ibn el Khetefa,"
answered Adi ; and Omar said, " It is he who saith . . . ,*
[And he recited as follows :]

^ A Christian and a celebrated poet of the time.

■ The poet apparently meant to insinuate that those who professed to
keep the fast of Ramazan ate flesh in secret. The word rendered " in
public," «.^. openly, avowedly, may also perhaps be translated "in the
forenoon," and in this El Akhtel may have meant to contrast his fi-e©-
thinking disregard of the ordinances of the fast with the strictness of the
orthodox Muslim, whose only meals in Ramazan-time are made between
lunset and dawn-peep. As soon as a white thread can be distinguished
from a black, the fast is begun and a true believer must not even smoke
or swallow his saliva till sunset.

* Prominent words of the Muezzin's fore-dawn call to prajer.

* i.e. fall down drunk.

VOL. I. A

50

But for the spying of the eyet [Ol-omened,] we had seen Wild catUini

eyes and antelopes' tresses of sable sheen.
The huntress of th' eyes* by night came to me. " Turn in peaoe^'
[Quoth I to her;] " This is no time for visiting, I ween."

" If it must be and no help, admit Jerir." So Adi went

forth and admitted Jerir, who entered, saying :

He, who Mohammed sent, as prophet to mankind. Hath to a just high-
priest" the Khalifate assijjned.

His justice and his truth all creatures do embrace ; The erring he corrects
and those of wandering mind.

I hope for present* good [and bounty at thy hand,] For souls of men
are still to present' good inclined.

Quoth Omar, "O Jerir, keep the fear of God before

thine eyes and say nought but the truth." And Jerir

recited the following verses :

How many, in Yemameh,* dishevelled widows plain ! How numy •

weakling orphan unsuccoured doth remain.
For whom is thy departure even as a father's loss I To fly or creeps

like nestlings, alone, they strive in vain.
Now that the clouds have broken their promise to our hope. We tnut

the Khalifs bounty will stand to us for rain.*

When the Khalif heard this, he said, " By Allah, O Jerir,
Omar possesseth but a hundred dirhems." ' [And he cried
out to his servant, saying,] " Ho, boy ! give them to him.*
Moreover, he gave him the ornaments of his sword ; and
Jerir went forth to the [other] poets, who said to him,
"What is behind thee?"' And he answered, "A man
who giveth to the poor and denieth the poets, and I am
well-pleased with him."*

* ue. she who ensnares [all] eyes.

* Imam, the spiritual title of the Khalif^ as head of the Faith and
leader (lit. " foreman") of the people at prayer, • Or " worldly. **

* A town and province of Arabia, of which (inter alia) Omar ben
Abdulaziz was governor, before he came to the Khalifate.

' Sjm. munificence. • About £,-2. lai.

' iM what is thy news? 'Or "I approve of him."

EL HEJJAJ AND THE THREE
YOUNG MEN.

EL HEJJAJ AND THE THREE YOUNG MEN.»

They tell that El Hejjaj' once commanded the Master
of Police [of Bassora] to go round about [the city] by
night, and whomsoever he found [abroad] after nightfall,
that he should strike ofif his head. So he went round
one night of the nights and came upon three youths
staggering from side to side, and on them signs of
[intoxication with] wine. So the officers laid hold of
them and the captain of the watch said to them,
" Who are ye that ye transgress the commandment of
the [lieutenant of the] Commander of the Faithful and
come abroad at this hour ? " Quoth one of the youths, " I
am the son of him to whom [all] necks > abase themselves,
alike the nose-pierced* of them and the [bone-]breaker ;•
they come to him in their own despite, abject and submis-
sive, and he taketh of their wealth* and of their blood."

The master of police held his hand from him, saying,
"Belike he is of the kinsmen of the Commander of the
Faithful," and said to the second, "Who art thou?"

* Breslau Text, voL vL pp. 188-9, Night ccccxxxiv.

* £1 Hejjaj ben Yousuf eth Thekefi, a famous statesman and soldier
of the seventh and eighth centuries. He was governor of Chaldaea
(Irak Arabi), under the fifth and sixth Khalifs of the Ommiade dynasty,
and was renowned for his cruelty, but appears to have been a prudent
and capable administrator, who used no more rigour than was necessary
to restrain the proverbially turbulent populations of Bassora and Cufa.
Most (if the anecdotes of his brutality and tyranny, which abound in
Arab authors, are, in all probability, apocryphaL

' Used, by synecdoche, for " heads."

* ».«. the governed, to wit, he who is led by a halter attached (meta-
phorically of course) to a ring passed through his nose, as with a cameL

* ix. the governor or he who is high of rank.

* I.*, their hair, which may be considered the wealth of the head.
This whole passace is a description jl double-entente of a barber-sargeoiu

54

Quoth he, **! am the son of him whose ranki time
abaseth not, and if it descend' one day, it will assuredly
return [to its former height] j thou seest the folk [crowd]
in troops to the light of his fire, some standing around it
and some sitting." So the master of the police refrained
from slaying him and said to the third, " Who art thou ? **
Quoth he, "I am the son of him who plungeth through
the ranks' with his might and correcteth* them with the
sword,' so that they stand straight ;* his feet are not
loosed from the «tirrup,r whenas the horsemen on the
day of battle are weary." So the master of police held
his hand from him also, saying, "Belike, he is the son
of a champion of the Arabs."

Then he kept them under guard, and when the morning
morrowed, he referred their case to El Hejjaj, who caused
bring them before him and enquiring into their afiiair,
found that the first was the son of a barber-surgeon, the
second of a [hot] bean-seller and the third of a weaver. So
he marvelled at their readiness of speech* and said to his
session-mates, " Teach your sons deportment ;• for, by Allah,
but for their ready wit, I had smitten off their heads I "

* Syn. cooking-pot

* Syn. be lowered. This passage is • rimilar description of an itine-
rant hot bean>seller.

* The rows of threads on a weaver's loom. * Syn. levelleth.

* t>. that of wood used by the Oriental weaver to govern the warp
and weft • Syn. behave aright.

' The loop of thread so called in which the weaver's foot rests.

* Syn. eloquence.

' Adeb, one of the terribly comprehensive words which abound in
Arabic literature for the confusion of translators. It signifies generally
all kinds of education and means of mental and moral discipline and
seems here to mean more particularly readiness of wit and speech o(
presence of mind.

HAROUN ER RESHID AND THE
WOMAN OF THE BARMECIDES.

HAROUN ER RESHID AND THE WOMAN OF
THE BARMECIDES.'

They tell that Haroun er Reshid was sitting oue day
to do away grievances, when there came up to him a
woman and said to him, " O Commander of the Faithful,
Boay God accomplish thine affair and cause thee rejoice
in that which He hath given thee and increase thee in
elevation 1 Indeed, thou hast done justice* and wrought
equitably."' Quoth the Khalif to those who were present
with him, " Know ye what this woman meaneth by her
saying ? " And they answered, " Of a surety, she meaneth
not otherwise than well, O Commander of the Faithful."
" Nay," rejoined Haroun ; " she purposeth only in this
an imprecation against me. As for her saying, * God
accomplish thine affair ! ' she hath taken it from the
saying of the poet, 'When an affair is accomplished,
its abatement* beginneth. Beware of cessation, whenas
it is said, "It is accomplished."' As for her saying *God
cause thee rejoice in that which He hath given thee,' she
took it from the saying of God the Most High, 'Till,
whenas they rejoiced in that which they were given, we

• Breslau Text, vol. ri. pp. 189-191, Night ccccxxxiT.

' Syn. (Koranic) " Thou hast sweived from justice " or ** been on*
fust" iflcUlta)'

• Syn. (Koranic) " Thou hast transgressed " {casU-t€t^

• Or falling-away.

58

took Hhem suddenly and lo, they were confounded!'* At
for her saying, * God increase thee in elevation I ' she took
it from the saying of the poet, ' No bird flieth and riseth
up on high, but, like as he flieth, he falleth.' And as for
her sa)ring, 'Indeed, thou hast done justice and wrought
equitably,* it is from the saying of the Most High, *[I£
ye deviate* or lag behind or turn aside, verily, God of that
which ye do is aware;" and] * As for the transgressors,"
they are fiiel for hell['fire]."'*

Then he turned to the woman and said to her, " Is it
not thus?** "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful,"
answered she ; and he said, " What prompted thee to
this?" Quoth she, "Thou slewest my father and my
mother and my kinsfolk and tookest their goods."
"Whom meanest thou?" asked the Khalif, and she
replied, "I am of the house of Bermek."* Thens aid
he to her, " As for the dead, they are of those who are past
away, and it booteth not to speak of them ; but, as for
that which I took of wealth, it shall be restored to thee^
yea, and more than it" And he was bountiful to her
to the utmost of munificence.

* Koran vi. 44.

* Or do injustice, tadilou (syn. do justice).

* Koran iv. 134.

* El casitouna (syn. those who act righteously or equitably).

* Koran Ixxii. 1$.

' Nanie of the Persian ancestor of the Barmecide (properly BtrwteUi
fiunily.

THE TEN VIZIERS.

THE TEN VIZIERS; OR THE HISTORY OF KINO
AZADBEKHT AND HIS SON/

There was once, of old days, a king of the kings, whose
name was Azadbekht ; his [capital] city was called Kuneim
Mudoud and his kingdom extended to the confines of
Sei'stan and from the frontiers of Hindustan to the sea.
He had ten viziers, who ordered his state and his
dominion, and he was possessed of judgment and ex-
ceeding wisdom. One day he went forth with certain
of his guards to the chase and fell in with an eunuch on
horseback, holding in his hand the halter of a mule,
which he led along. On the mule's back was a litter
of gold-inwoven brocade, garded about with an em-
broidered band set with gold and jewels, and over
against the litter was a company of horsemen. When
King Azadbekht saw this, he separated himself from his
companions and making for the mule and the horsemen,
questioned the latter, saying, " To whom belongeth this

* Breslaa Text, voL Ti pp. 191-343, Nights ccccxxr-cccclxxzvU,
This is the Arab version of the well-known story called, in Persian, thfl
Bekhtyar Nameh, ue. the Book of Bekhtyar, by which name the prince^
whose attempted ruin by the envious viziers ii the central incident of the
tale, is distinguished in that language. The Arab redaction of the story
is, to my mind, far superior to the Persian, both in general simplicity
and directness of style and in the absence of the irritating conceits and
moral digressions with which Persian (as well as Indian) fiction is so
often overloaded. The Persian origin of the story is apparent, not only
in the turn of the incidents and style and the names of the personage^
but in the fact that not a single line of verse ocean in U.

63

fitter and what is therein?** The eunuch answered, (foi
he knew not that he was King Azadbekht,) saying, "This
litter belongeth to Isfehend, vizier to King Azadbekht,
and therein is his daughter, whom he purposeth to marry
to Zad Shah the King."

As the eunuch was speaking with the king, behold, the
damsel raised a comer of the curtain that shut in the litter,
so she might look upon the speaker, and saw the king.
When Azadbekht beheld her and noted her fashion and
her loveliness (and indeed never set story-teller* eyes on
her like,) his soul inclined to her and she took hold upon
his heart and he was ravished by her sight So he said to
the eunuch, " Turn the mule's head and retiun, for I am
King Azadbekht and I will marry her myself, for that
Isfehend her father a my vizier and he will accept of this
affair and it will not be grievous to him." "O king,"
answered the eimuch, "may God prolong thy continuance,
have patience till I acquaint my lord her father, and thou
shalt take her in the way of approof, for it befitteth thee
not neither is it seemly unto thee that thou take her on
this wise, seeing that it will be an afiront to her father if
thou take her without his knowledge." Quoth Azadbekht,
"I have not patience [to wait] till thou go to her father
and return, and no dishonour will betide him, if I marry
her.** "O my lord," rejoined the eunuch, "nought that
is done in haste is long of durance nor doth the heart
rejoice therein; and indeed it behoveth thee not to take
her on this foul wise. Whatsoever betideth thee, destroy

*■ Rawi; this is probably a copyist's mistake for raaif % beholder, on«
wboseeth.

6^

not thyself with [undue] haste, for I know that her father's
breast will be straitened by this affair and this that thou
dost will not profit thee." But the king said, "Verily,
Isfehend is [my boughten] servant and a slave of my
slaves, and I reck not of her father, if he be vexed or
pleased." So saying, he drew the reins of the mule and
carrying the damsel, whose name was Behrjaur, to his
house, married her.

Meanwhile, the eunuch betook himself he and the
horsemen, to her father and said to him, " O my lord,
the king is beholden to thee for many years* service and
thou hast not failed him a day of the daysj and now,
behold, he hath taken thy daughter against thy wish
and without thy permission." And he related to him
what had passed and how the king had taken her by
force. When Isfehend heard the eunuch's story, he was
exceeding wroth and assembling many troops, said to
them, " Whenas the king was occupied with his women
[and concerned not himself with the affairs of his king-
dom], we took no reck of him; but now he putteth out
his hand to our harem; wherefore methinketh we should
do well to look us out a place, wherein we may have
sanctuary."

Then he wrote a letter to King Azadbekht, saying to
him, " I am a servant of thy servants and a slave of thy
slaves and my daughter is a handmaid at thy service, and
may God the Most High prolong thy days and appoint
thy times [to be] in delight and contentment I Indeed,
I still went girded of the waist in thy ser\'ice and in
caring for the preservation of thy dominion and warding

64

off thine enemies from thee ; but now I abound yet more
than before in zeal and watchfulness, for that I have taken
this to charge upon myself^ since my daughter is become
thy wife." And he despatched a messenger to the king
with the letter and a present

When the messenger came to King Azadbekht and he
read the letter and the present was laid before him, he
rejoiced with an exceeding joy and occupied himself
with eating and drinking, hour after hour. But the chief
Vizier of his Viziers came to him and said, "O king,
know that Isfehend the Vizier is thine enemy, for that
his soul liketh not that which thou hast done with him,
and the message that he hath sent thee [b a trick; so]
rejoice thou not therein, neither be thou deluded by the
sweetness of his words and the softness of his speech."
The king hearkened [not] to his Vizier's speech, but made
light of the matter and presently, [dismissing it from his
thought], busied himself with that which he was about of
eating and drinking and merrymaking and delight

Meanwhile, Isfehend the Vizier wrote a letter and
despatched it to all the Amirs, acquainting them with
that which had betided him with King Azadbekht and
how he had taken his daughter by force and adding,
"And indeed he will do with you more than he hath
done with me." When the letter reached the chiefs [of
the people and troops], they all assembled together to
Isfehend and said to him, "What is to do with him?"'

' Lit what was his affair? It may be here obsenred that the word
i«^(how?) is constantly used in the Breslau Text in the sense of mm
(what?).

65

So he discovered to them the affair of his daughter and
they all agreed, of one accord, that they should endeavoui
for the slaughter of the king and taking horse with their
troops, set out, intending for him. Azadbekht knew not
[of their design] till the noise [of the invasion] beset his
capital city, when he said to his wife Behrjaur, "How
shall we do?" And she answered, saying, "Thou
knowest best and I am at thy commandment." So he
let bring two swift horses and bestrode one himself, whilst
his wife mounted the other. Then they took what they
might of gold and went forth, fleeing, in the night, to the
desert of Kerman; what while Isfehend entered the city
and made himself king.

Now King Azadbekht's wife was big with child and the
pains of labour took her in the mountain ; so they alighted
at the mountain-foot, by a spring of water, and she gave
birth to a boy as he were the moon. Behrjaur his mother
pulled oflF a gown of gold-inwoven brocade and wrapped
the child therein, and they passed the night [in that
place], what while she gave him suck till the morning.
Then said the king to her, "We are hampered by this
child and cannot abide here nor can we carry him with
us; so methinks we were better leave him here and go,
for Allah is able to send him one who shall take him
and rear him." So they wept over him exceeding sore
and left him beside the spring, wrapped in the gown of
brocade: then they laid at his head a thousand dinars in
a bag and mounting their horses, departed, fleeing.

Now, by the ordinance of God the Most High, a
company of thieves fell in upon a caravan hard by that
VOL. I. 5

66

mountain and made prize of that \vhich was with them
of merchandise. Then they betook themselves to the
mountain, so they might share their booty, and looking
at the foot thereof, espied the gown of brocade. So they
descended, to see what it was, and finding the child
wrapped therein and the gold laid at his head, marvelled
and said, " Extolled be the perfection of God 1 By what
wickedness cometh this child here?" Then they divided
the money between them and the captain of the thieves
took the boy and made him his son and fed him with
sweet milk and dates, till he came to his house, when
he appointed him a nurse, who should rear him.

Meanwhile, King Azadbekht and his wife stayed not in
their flight till they came to [the court of] the King of
Fars,* whose name was Kutrou.* When they presented
themselves to him, he entreated them with honour and
entertained them handsomely, and Azadbekht told him
his story, first and last. So he gave him a great army
and wealth galore and he abode with him some days, till
he was rested, when he made ready with his host and
setting out for his own dominions, waged war upon
Isfehend and falling in upon the capital, defeated the
rebel vizier and slew him. Then he entered the city and
sat down on the throne of his kingship ; and whenas he
was rested and the kingdom was grown peaceful for him,
he despatched messengers to the mountain aforesaid in
quest of the child; but they returned and informed thi
king that they had not found him.

* A district of Persia, here probably Persia itself.

' Probably a corruptioa of Kisra (Cbosroes).

67

As time went on, the boy, the son of the king, grew
up and fell to stopping the way* with the thieves, and
they used to carry him with them, whenas they went
a-thieving. They sallied forth one day upon a caravan
in the land of Seistan, and there were in that caravan
strong and valiant men and with them merchandise galore.
Now they had heard that in that land were thieves ; so
they gathered themselves together and made ready their
arms and sent out spies, who returned and gave them news
of the thieves. Accordingly, they prepared for battle, and
when the robbers drew near the caravan, they fell in upon
them and they fought a sore battle. At last the folk of
the caravan overmastered the thieves, by dint of numbers,
and slew some of them, whilst the others fled. Moreover
they took the boy, the son of King Azadbekht, and seeing
him as he were the moon, possessed of beauty and grace,
brightfaced and comely of fashion, questioned him, saying,
" Who is thy father, and how camest thou with these
thieves ? " And he answered, saying, " I am the son of the
captain of the thieves." So they took him and carried
him to the capital of his father King Azadbekht

When they reached the city, the king heard of their
coming and commanded that they should attend him with
what befitted [of their merchandise]. So they presented
themselves before him, [and the boy with them,] whom
when the king saw, he said to them, " To whom belong eth
this boy ? " And they answered, " O king, we were going
in such a road, when there came out upon us a sort of
robbers ; so we made war upon them and overcame them
^ ijt. waylaying travellers, robbing on the high road.

68

and took this boy prisoner. Then we questioned him,
saying, ' Who is thy father ? ' and he answered, ' I am the
captain's son of the thieves.' " Quoth the king, " I would
fain have this boy." And the captain of the caravan said,
" God maketh thee gift of him, O king of the age, and we
all are thy slaves." Then the king dismissed [the people
of] the caravan and let carry the youth into his palace
and he became as one of the servants, what while his
father the king knew not that he was his soil As time
went on, the king observed in him good breeding and
understanding and knowledge' galore and he pleased
him ; so he committed his treasuries to his charge and
straitened the viziers' hand therefrom, commanding that
nought should be taken forth therefrom except by leave
of the youth. On this wise he abode a number of years
and the king saw in him nought but fidelity and studious-
ness in well-doing.

Now the treasuries aforetime had been in the viziers'
hand, so they might do with them what they would, and
when they came under the youth's hand, that of the viziers
was straitened from them, and the youth became dearer
to the king than a son and he could not brook to be
separated from him. When the viziers saw this, they
were jealous of him and envied him and cast about
for a device against him whereby they might oust him
from the king's favour, but found no opportunity. At
last, when came the destined hour,* it chanced that
the youth one day drank wine and became drunken
and wandered from his wits; so he fell to going round
' Or skill, ' Lit. the descended fiate.

69

about within the palace of the king and fate led him

to the lodging of the women, in which there was a little

sleeping-chamber, where the king lay with his wife.

Thither came the youth and enteni^g the chamber, found

there a couch spread, to wit, a sleeping place, and a

candle burning. So he cast himself on the couch,

marvelling at the paintings that were in the chamber,

and slept and slumbered heavily till eventide, when there

came a slave-girl, bringing with her all the dessert, eatables

and drinkables, that she was wont to make ready for the

king and his wife, and seeing the youth lying on his back,

(and none knowing of his case and he in his drunkenness

unknowing where he was,) thought that he was the king

asleep on his bed ; so she set the censing-vessel and laid the

essences by the couch, then shut the door and went away.

Presently, the king arose from the wine-chamber and

taking his wife by the hand, repaired with her to the

chamber in which he slept. He opened the door and

entering, saw the youth lying on the bed, whereupon he

turned to his wife and said to her, " What doth this youth

here? This fellow cometh not hither but on thine

account." Quoth she, " I have no knowledge of him."

With this, the youth awoke and seeing the king, sprang

up and prostrated himself before him, and Azadbekht said

to him, "O vile of origin,* O lack-loyalty, what hath

piompted thee to outrage my dwelling?" And he bade

imprison him in one place and the woman in another.

* The Arabs attribute to a man's parentage absolute power in the
determination of his good and evil qualities ; e.g. the son of a slave,
according to them, can possess none of the virtues of tlie free-bom,
whilsi good qualiiies are in like manner considered congenitally inherent
in the latter.

OF THE USELESSNESS OF ENDEAVOUR AGAINST
PERSISTENT ILL FORTUNE.

When the morning raorrowed and the king sat on the
throne of his kingship, he summoned the chief of his
viziers and said to him, "What deemest thou of this
that yonder robber-youth hath done? Behold, he hath
entered my house and lain down on my bed and I fear
lest there be an intrigue between him and the woman.
How deemest thou of the affair?" "God prolong the
king's continuance!" replied the vizier. "What sawest
thou in this youth [to make thee trust in him]? Is he
not vile of origin, the son of thieves ? Needs must a thief
revert to his vile origin, and whoso reareth the young of
the serpent shall get of them nought but biting. As for
the woman, she is not at fault; for, since [the] time [of
her marriage with thee] till now, there hath appeared
from her nought but good breeding and modesty; and
now, if the king give me leave, I will go to her and
question her, so I may discover to thee the affair."

The king gave him leave for this and the vizier betook
himself to the queen and said to her, " I am come to
thee, on account of a grave reproach, and I would have
thee be truthful with me in speech and tell me how
came the youth into the sleeping-chamber." Quoth she.

71

" I have no knowledge whatsoever [of itj," and swore to
him a solemn oath thereof, whereby he knew that she
had no knowledge of the matter and that she was not at
fault and said to her, " I will teach thee a device, where-
with thou mayst acquit thyself and thy face be whitened
before the king." "What is it?'* asked she; and he
answered, saying, "When the king calleth for thee and
questioneth thee of this, say thou to him, * Yonder youth
saw me in the privy-chamber and sent me a message,
saying, " I will give thee a hundred jewels, to whose price
money may not avail, so thou wilt suffer me to foregather
with thee." I laughed at him who bespoke me with these
words and rebuffed him ; but he sent again to me, saying,
"An thou fall not in with my wishes, I will come one
of the nights, drunken, and enter and lie down in the
sleeping-chamber, and the king will see me and kill me;
so wilt thou be put to shame and thy face will be
blackened with him and thine honour abased." ' Be this
thy saying to the king, and I will presently go to him
and repeat this to him." Quoth the queen, " And I also
will say thus."

So the vizier returned to the king and said to him,
"Verily, this youth hath merited grievous punishment,
after abundance of bounty [bestowed on him], and it may
not be that a bitter kernel should ever become sweet;
but, as for the woman, I am certified that there is no
fault in her." Then he repeated to the king the story
which he had taught the queen, which when Azadbekht
heard, he rent his clothes and bade fetch the youth. So
they brought him and stationed him before the king, who

72

let bring the headsman, and the folk all fixed their eyes
upon the youth, so they might see what the king should
do with him.

Then said Azadbekht to him (and indeed his words
were [prompted] by anger and those of the youth by
presence of mind and good breeding), " I bought thee
with my money and looked for fidelity from thee, where-
fore I chose thee over all my grandees and servants and
made thee keeper of my treasuries Why, then, hast thou
outraged my honour and entered my house and played
the traitor with me and tookest no thought unto that
which I have done thee of benefits?" **0 king,"
answered the youth, "I did this not of my choice and
fi-eewill and I had no [evil] intent in being there; but,
of the littleness of my luck, I was driven thither, for that
fate was contrary and fair fortune lacking. Indeed, I had
striven with all endeavour that nought of foul should
proceed from me and kept watch over myself, lest default
appear in me ; but none may avail to make head against
ill fortune, nor doth endeavour profit in case of lack of
luck, as appeareth by the example of the merchant who
was stricken with ill luck and his endeavour profited him
not and he succumbed to the badness of his fortune."
"What is the story of the merchant,** asked the king,
"and how was his luck changed upon him by the sorri-
ness of his fortvme?" "May God prolong the king's
continuance I " answered the youth.

73

STORY OF THE UNLUCKY MERCHANT.

"There was once a man, a merchant, who was fortunate
in trad^ and at one time his [every] dirhem profited
[him] fifty. Presently, his luck turned against him and
he knew it not j so he said in himself, ' I have wealth
galore, yet do I weary myself and go round about from
country to country; I were better abide in my own
country and rest myself in my house from this travail
and affliction and sell and buy at home.' Then he made
two parts of his money, with one whereof he bought
wheat in summer, saying, 'When the winter cometh, I
will sell it at a great profit.' But, when the winter came,
wheat became at half the price for which he had bought
itf whereat he was sore concerned and left it till the
next year. However, next year, the price fell yet lower
and one of his friends said to him, 'Thou hast no luck
in this wheat; so do thou sell it at whatsoever price.'
Quoth the merchant, 'This long while have I profited
and it is allowable that I lose this time. God is all-
knowing! If it abide [with me] half a score years, I
will not sell it save at a profit'

Then, in his anger, he walled up the door of the
granary with clay, and by the ordinance of God the
Most High, there came a great rain and descended from
the roofs of the house wherein was the wheat [so that
the latter rotted]; and needs must the merchant give
the porters five hundred dirhems fi-om his purse, so they
should cany it forth and cast it without the city, for that

74

the smell of it was noisome. So his friend said to him,
' How often did I tell thee thou hadst no luck in wheat ?
But thou wouldst not give ear to my speech, and now it
behoveth thee to go to the astrologer and question him
of thy star.' Accordingly the merchant betook himself
to the astrologer and questioned him of his star, and the
astrologer said to him, 'Thy star is unpropitious. Put
not thy hand to any business, for thou wilt not prosper
therein.' However, he paid no heed to the astrologer's
words and said in himself, 'If I do my occasion,* I am
not afraid of aught.' Then he took the other part of his
money, after he had spent therefrom three years, and built
[therewith] a ship, which he loaded with all that seemed
good to him and all that was with him and embarked on
the sea, so he might travel.

The ship tarried with him some days, till he should be
certified what he would do,' and he said, *I will enquire
of the merchants what this merchandise profiteth and in
what country it lacketh and how much is the gain
thereon.' [So he questioned them and] they directed
him to a far country, where his dirhem should profit a
hundredfold. Accordingly, he set sail and steered for the
land in question ; but, as he went, there blew on him a
tempestuous wind and the ship foundered. The merchant
saved himself on a plank and the wind cast him up, naked
as he was, on the sea-shore, hard by a town there. So he
praised God and gave Him thanks for his preservation;
then, seeing a great village hard by, he betook himself
thither and saw, seated therein, a very old man, whom he
* Or " business." ' i^ whither be should traveL

75

acquainted with his case and that which had betided him.
The old man grieved sore for him, when he heard his
story, and set food before him. So he ate and the old
man said to him, * Abide here with me, so I may make
thee my steward and factor over a farm I have here, and
thou shalt have of me five dirhems' a day,* *God make
fair thy reward,' answered the merchant, 'and requite
thee with benefits ! '

So he abode in this employ, till he had sowed and
reaped and threshed and winnowed, and all was sheer in
his hand and the owner appointed neither inspector nor
overseer, but relied altogether upon him. Then he be-
thought himself and said, *I misdoubt me the owner of
this grain will not give me my due ; so I were better take
of it, after the measure of my hire ; and if he give me my
due, I will restore him that which I have taken.' So he
took of the grain, after the measure of that which fell to
him, and hid it in a privy place. Then he carried the rest
to the old man and meted it out to him, and he said to
him, *Come, take [of the grain, after the measure of] thy
hire, for which I agreed with thee, and sell it and buy
with the price clothes and what not else ; and though thou
abide with me half a score years, yet shalt thou still have
this wage and I will acquit it to thee thus.' Quoth the
merchant in himself, 'Indeed, I have done a foul thing
in that I took it without his leave.'

Then he went to fetch that which he had hidden of
the grain, but found it not and returned, perplexed and
sorrowful, to the old man, who said to him, ' What aileth
^ About half-a-crown.

76

thee to be sorrowful?' And he answered, *Methought
thou wouldst not pay me my due ; so I took of the grain,
after the measure of my hire; and now thoa hast paid
me my due and I went to bring back to thee that which
I had hidden from thee, but found it gone, for those
who had happened upon it had stolen it.' The old
man was wroth, when he heard this, and said to the
merchant, * There is no device [can cope] with ill luck 1
I had given thee this, but, of the sorriness of thy luck
and thy fortune, thou hast done this deed, O oppressor
of thine own selfl Thou deemedst I would not acquit
thee thy wage ; but, by Allah, nevermore will I give thee
aught.' And he drove him away from him.

So the merchant went forth, afflicted, sorrowful, weep-
ing, [and wandered on along the sea-shore], till he came
to a sort of divers diving in the sea for pearls. They saw
him weeping and mourning and said to him, *What is
thy case and what maketh thee weep ? ' So he acquainted
them with his history, from first to last, whereby they knew
him and said to him, * Art thou [such an one] son of such
an one?' 'Yes,* answered he; whereupon they con-
doled with him and wept sore for him and said to him,
•Abide here till we dive for thy luck this next time and
whatsoever betideth us shall be between us and thee.'
Accordingly, they dived and brought up ten oysters, in
each two great pearls ; whereat they marvelled and said
to him, 'By Allah, thy luck hath relumed and thy good
star is in the ascendant ! ' Then they gave him ten
pearls and said to him, 'Sell two of them and make them
thy capital [whereon to trade] ; and hide the rest against

17

the time of thy straitness.' So he took them, joyful and
contented, and addressed himself to sew eight of them in
his gown, keeping the two others in his mouth; but a
thief saw him and went and advertised his mates of him ;
whereupon they gathered together upon him and took his
gown and departed from him. When they were gone
away, he arose, saying, * These two pearls [in my mouth]
will suffice me,' and made for the [nearest] city, where
he brought out the pearls [and repairing to the jewel-
market, gave them to the broker], that he might sell them.

Now, as destiny would have it, a certain jeweller of the
town had been robbed of ten pearls, like unto those which
were with the merchant j so, when he saw the two pearls
in the broker's hand, he said to him, ' To whom do these
pearls belong?' and the broker answered, *To yonder
man.' [The jeweller looked at the merchant and] seeing
him in sorry case and clad in tattered clothes, misdoubted
of him and said to him (purposing to surprise him into
confession), 'Where are the other eight pearls?' The
merchant thought he asked him of those which were in
the gown and answered, * The thieves stole them from
me.' When the jeweller heard his reply, he doubted not
but that it was he who had taken his good ; so he laid
hold of him and haling him before the chief of the
police, said to him, 'This is the man who stole my
pearls : I have found two of them upon him and he
confesseth to the other eight.'

Now the magistrate knew of the theft of the pearls;
■0 he bade clap the merchant in prison. Accordingly
they imprisoned him and flogged him, and he abode in

7Z

the prison a whole year, till, by the ordinance of God
the Most High, the Master of Police arrested one of the
divers aforesaid and imprisoned him in the prison where
the merchant lay. He saw the latter and knowing him,
questioned him of his case; whereupon he told them
his story and that which had befallen him, and the diver
marvelled at the sorriness of his luck. So, when he
came forth of the prison, he acquainted the Sultan with
the merchant's case and told him that it was he who had
given him the pearls. The Sultan bade bring him forth
of the prison and questioned him of his story, whereupon
he told him all that had befallen him and the Sultan
pitied him and assigned him a lodging in his own
palace, together with an allowance for his living.

Now the lodging in question adjoined the king's house,
and whilst the merchant was rejoicing in this and saying,
•Verily, my luck hath returned and I shall live in this
king's shadow the rest of my life,' he espied an opening
walled up with stones and clay. So he pulled out the
stones and clearing away the earth from the opening,
found that it was a window giving upon the lodging of
the kmg's women. When he saw this, he was affrighted
and rising in haste, fetched clay and stopped it up again.
But one of the eunuchs saw him and misdoubting of him,
repaired to the Sultan and told him of this. So he came
and seeing the stones pulled out, was wrotli with the
merchant and said to him, 'Is this my recompense from
thee, that thou seekest to violate my harem?' And he
bade pluck out his eyes. So they did as he commanded
and the merchant took his eyes in his hand and said*

79

•How long [wilt thou afflict me], O star of fll-omen?
First my wealth and now my life!' And he bewailed
himself, saying, 'Endeavour profiteth me- nought against
evil fortune. The Compassionate aided me not and
endeavour was useless. -

On like wise, O king," continued the youth, "whilst
fortune was favourable to me, all that I did came to
good ; but now that it is grown contrary to me, everything
tumeth against me."

When the youth had made an end of his story, the
king's anger subsided a little and he said, "Restore him
to the prison, for the day draweth to an end, and to*
morrow we will look into his affair."

> Or " forbidden," U, ainioL

OF LOOKING TO THE ISSUES OF AFFAIRS.

When it was the second day, the second of the king*!
viziers, whose naroe was Beheroun, came in to him and
said, "God advance the king I This that yonder youth
hath done is a grave matter and a foul deed and a heinous
against the household of the king." So Azadbekht bade
fetch the youth, because of the saying of the vizier; and
when he came into his presence, he said to him, " Out on
thee, O youth! Needs must I slay thee by the worst
of deaths, for indeed thou hast committed a grave crime,
and I will make thee a warning to the folk." " O king,"
answered the youth, " hasten not, for the looking to the
issues of affairs is a pillar of the realm and [a cause of]
continuance and sure stablishment for the kingship.
Whoso looketh not to the issues of affairs, there be-
falleth him that which befell the merchant, and whoso
looketh to the issues of affairs, there betideth him of
joyance that which betided the merchant's son." **And
what is the story of the merchant and his son ? " asked
the king. *' O king," answered the youth,

8i

STORY OF THE MERCHANT AND HIS SONa

"There was once a man, a merchant, who had a wife
and abundant wealth. He set out one day on a journey
with merchandise, leaving his wife big with child, and said
to her, • If it be the will of God the Most High, I will
return before the birth of the child.' Then he took leave
of her and setting out, journeyed from country to country
till he came to the court of one of the kings and fore-
gathered with him. Now this king was in need of one
who should order his affairs and those of his kingdom and
seeing the merchant well-bred and intelligent, he charged
him abide with him and entreated him with honour and
munificence. After awhile, he sought of the king leave
to go to his own house, but the latter would not consent
to this ; whereupon he said to him, * O king, suffer me
go and see my children and come again.' So he gave
him leave for this and took surety of him for his return.
Moreover, he gave him a purse, wherein were a thousand
gold dinars, and the merchant embarked in a ship and set
sail, intending for his own country.

Meanwhile, news came to his wife that her husband had
taken service with King Such-an-one; so she arose and
taking her two sons, (for she had given birth to twin boys
in his absence,) set out for those parts. As fate would
have it, they happened upon an island and her husband
came thither that very night in the ship. [When the
woman heard of the coming of the ship], she said to
her children, 'This ship cometh from the country where
vou I. 6

82

your father is; so go ye to the sea-shore, that ye may
enquire of him.* So they repaired to the sea-shore and
[going up into the ship], fell to playing about it and
occupied themselves with their play till the evening.

Now the merchant their father lay asleep in the ship,
and the crying of the bo)rs troubled him ; so he rose to
call out to them [and silence them] and let the purse
[with the thousand dinars therein] fall among the bales
of merchandise. He sought for it and finding it not,
buflfeted his head and seized upon the boys, saying, • None
took the purse but you. Ye were playing about the bales,
so ye might steal somewhat, and there was none here but
you.' Then he took a staflf and laying hold of the children,
fell to beating them and flogging them, whilst they wept,
and the sailors came roimd about them and said, 'The
boys of this island are all thieves and robbers.' Then, of
the greatness of the merchant's wrath, he swore that,
if they brought not out the purse, he would drown them
in the sea ; so when [by reason of their denial] his oath
became binding upon him, he took the two boys and
lashing them [each] to a bundle of reeds, cast them into
the sea.

Presently, the mother of the two boys, finding that they
tarried from her, went searching for them, till she came to
the ship and fell to saying, *Who hath seen two bo)rs
of mine? Their fashion is thus and thus and their age
thus and thus.' When they heard her words, they said,
* This is the description of the two boys who were drowned
in the sea but now.' Their mother heard and fell to
calling on them and saying 'Alas, my anguish for your

83

loss, O my sons 1 Where was the eye of your father this
day, that it might have seen you ? ' Then one of the crew
questioned her, saying, ' Whose wife art thou ? ' And she
answer "<, *I am the wife of such an one the merchant.
I was on my way to him, and there hath befallen me this
calamity.' When the merchant heard her speech, he knew
her and rising to his feet, rent his clothes and buffeted his
head and said to his wife, * By Allah, I have destroyed my
children with mine own hand ! This is the end of whoso
looketh not to the issues of affairs.' Then he fell a- wailing
and weeping over them, he and his wife, and he said,
' By Allah, I shall have no ease of my Ufe, till I light upon
news of them ! ' And he betook himself to going round
about the sea, in quest of them, but found them not

Meanwhile, the wind carried the two children [out
to sea and thence driving them] towards the land, cast
them up on the sea-shore. As for one of them, a com-
pany of the guards of the king of those parts found him
and carried him to their master, who marvelled at him
with an exceeding wonderment and adopted him to his
son, giving out to the folk that he was his [very] son,
whom he had hidden,^ of his love for him. So the folk
rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy, for the king's
Bake, and the latter appointed him his heir-apparent and
the inheritor of his kingdom. On this wise, a number
of years passed, till the king died and they crowned the

^ It u a common practice with Eastern nations to keep a child
(especially a son and one of unusual beauty) concealed until a certain
age, for fear of the fcvil eye. See my " Book of the Thousand Nighti
and One Night," Vol. III. p. 234 ; Vol. IX. p. 67, etc., etc.

84

jrouth king in his room. So he sat down on the throne
of his kingship and his estate flourished and his afiairs
prospered.

Meanwhile, his father and mother had gone round
about all the islands of the sea in quest of him and his
brother, hoping that the sea might have cast them up,
but found no trace of them ; so they despaired of finding
them and took up their abode in one of the islands. One
day, the merchant, being in the market, saw a broker,
and in his hand a boy he was calling for sale, and said
in himself, 'I will buy yonder boy, so I may console
myself with him for my sons.' So he bought him and
carried him to his house; and when his wife saw him,
she cried out and said, 'By Allah, this is my sonl' So
his father and mother rejoiced in him with an exceeding
joy and questioned him of his brother ; but he answered,
* The sea parted us and I knew not what became of him.'
Therewith his father and mother consoled themselves
with him and on this wise a number of years passed.

Now the merchant and his wife had taken up their
abode in a city in the land whereof their [other] son
was king, and when the boy [whom they had found]
grew up, his father assigned unto him merchandise, so
he might travel therewith. So he set out and entered
the city wherein his brother was king. News reached
the latter that there was a merchant come thither with
merchandise befitting kings. So he sent for him and
the young merchant obeyed the summons and going in
to him, sat down before him. Neither of them knew
the other ; but blood stirred between them and the king

85

said to the young merchant, *I desire of thee that thou
abide with me and I will exalt thy station and give thee
all that thou desirest and cravest' So he abode with
him awhile, quitting him not; and when he saw that he
would not suffer him to depart from him, he sent to his
father and mother and bade them remove thither to him.
So they addressed them to remove to that island, and
their son increased still in honour with the king, albeit
he knew not that he was his brother.

It chanced one night that the king sallied forth with-
out the city and drank and the wine got the mastery of
him and he became drunken. So, of the youth's fear-
fulness for him, he said, 'I will keep watch myself
over the king this night, seeing that he deserveth this
from me, for that which he hath wrought with me of
kindnesses.' So he arose forthright and drawing his
sword, stationed himself at the door of the king's
pavilion. Now one of the royal servants saw him stand-
ing there, with the drawn sword in his hand, and he was
of those who envied him his favour with the king; so
he said to him, 'Why dost thou on this wise at this
season and in the like of this place?' Quoth the
youth, *I am keeping watch over the king myselfi in
requital of his bounties to me.*

The servant said no more to him, but, when it was
morning, he acquainted a number of the king's senants
witli this and they said, * This is an opportunity for us.
Come let us assemble together and acquaint the king
with this, 80 the young merchant may lose favour with
him and he rid us of him and we be at rest from him.'

86

So they assembled together and going in to the king,
said to him, * We have a warning we would give thee.'
Quoth he, * And what is your warning ? ' And they said,
•Yonder youth, the merchant, whom thou hast taken
into favour and whose rank thou hast exalted above the
chiefs of the people of thy household, we saw yesterday
draw his sword and oflfer to fall upon thee, so he might
slay thee.' When the king heard this, his colour changed
and he said to them, *Have ye proof of this?' Quoth
they, 'What proof wouldst thou have? If thou desire
this, feign thyself drunken again this night and lie down,
as if asleep, and watch him, and thou wilt see with thine
eyes all that we have named to thee.'

Then they went to the youth and said to him, ' Know
that the king thanketh thee for thy dealing yesternight
and exceedeth in [praise of] thy good deed;' and they
prompted him to do the like again. So, when the next
night came, the king abode on wake ; watching the youth ;
and as for the latter, he went to the door of the pavilion
and drawing his sword, stood in the doorway. When the
king saw him do thus, he was sore disquieted and bade
seize him and said to him, ' Is this my requital from thee ?
I showed thee favour more than any else and thou wouldst
do with me this vile deed.' Then arose two of the king's
servants and said to him, ' O our lord, if thou command
it, we will strike off his head.' But the king said, ' Haste
in slaying is a vile thing, for it ^ is a grave matter ; the
quick we can slay, but the slain we cannot quicken, and
needs must we look to the issue of affairs. The slaying
^ i.g. killing a man.

^7

of this [youth] will not escape us.'* Therewith he bade
imprison him, whilst he himself returned [to the city] and
despatching his occasions, went forth to the chase.

Then he retiutied to the city and forgot the youth ; so
the servants went in to him and said to him, * O king, if
thou keep silence concerning yonder youth, who would
have slain thee, all thy servants will presume upon thee,
and indeed the folk talk of this matter.' With this
the king waxed wroth and saying, 'Fetch him hither,'
commanded the headsman to strike off his head. So
they [brought the youth and] bound his eyes; and the
headsman stood at his head and said to the king, 'By
thy leave, O my lord, I will strike off his head.' But
the king said, 'Stay, till I look into his affair. Needs
must I put him to death and the slaying of him will not
escape [me].' So he restored him to the prison and there
he abode till it should be the king's will to put him to
death.

Presently, his father and his mother heard of the matter ;
whereupon the former arose and going up to the place,
wrote a letter and [presented it to the king, who] read
it, and behold, therein was written, saying, ' Have pity on
me, so may God have pity on thee, and hasten not in the
slaughter [of my son]; for indeed I acted hastily in a
certain affair and drowned his brother in the sea, and to
this day I drink the cup of his anguish. If thou must
needs kill him, kill me in his stead.' Therewith the old
merchant prostrated himself before the king and weptj
and the latter said to him, * Tell me thy story.' ' O my
^ Aa it will always be in our power to slay him, when we will.

88

lord,' answered the merchant, *this youth had a broths
and I [in my haste] cast them both into the sea.' And he
related to him his story from first to last, whereupon the
king cried out with an exceeding great cry and casting
himself down from the throne, embraced his father and
brother and said to the former, * By Allah, thou art my
very father and this is my brother and thy wife b our
mother.' And they abode weeping, all three.

Then the king acquainted the people [of his court]
with the matter and said to them, • O folk, how deem ye
of my looking to the issues of affairs?' And they all
marvelled at his wisdom and foresight Then he turned
to his father and said to him, ' Hadst thou looked to the
issue of thine affair and dealt deliberately in that which
thou didst, there had not betided thee this repentance and
grief all this time.' Then he let bring his mother and
they rejoiced in each other and Uved all their days in joy
and gladness. What then," continued the young treasurer,
"is more grievous than the lack of looking to the issues
of affairs? Wherefore hasten thou not in the slaying of
me, lest repentance betide thee and sore concern."

When the king heard this, he said, ** Restore him to the
prison till the morrow, so we may look into his aSaix ;
for that deliberation in affairs is advisable and the
slaughter of this [youth] shall not escape [usj. *

OF THE ADVANTAGES OF PATIENTCR

When it was the third day, the third vizier came in to
the king and said to him, " O king, delay not the affair
of this youth, for that his deed hath caused us fall into
the mouths of the folk, and it behoveth that thou slay
him presently, so the talk may be estopped from us and
it be not said, 'The king saw on his bed a man with
his wife and spared him.'" The king was chagrined by
this speech and bade bring the youth. So they brought
him in shackles, and indeed the king's anger was roused
against him by the speech of the vizier and he was
troubled; so he said to him, "O base of origin, thou
hast dishonoured us and marred our repute, and needs
must I do away thy life from the world." Quoth the
youth, " O king, make use of patience in all thine afifairs,
so wilt thou attain thy desire, for that God the Most High
hath appointed the issue of patience [to be] in abounding
good, and indeed by patience Abou Sabir ascended from
the pit and sat down upon the throne." " Who was Abou
Sabir/' asked the king, '*and what is his stoiy?" And
the youth answered, saying, *' O king^

90

STORY OF ABOU SABIR.

There was once a man, a headman [of a village], by
name Abou Sabir, and he had much cattle and a fair wife,
who ijad borne him two sons. They abode in a certain
village and there used to ccme thither a lion and devour
Abou Sabir's cattle, so that the most part thereof waa
wasted and his wife said to him one day, * This lion hath
wasted the most part of our cattle. Arise, mount thy
horse and take thy men and do thine endeavour to kill
him, so we may be at rest from him.' But Abou Sabir
said, * Have patience, O woman, for the issue of patience
is praised. This lion it is that transgresseth against us,
and the transgressor, needs must Allah destroy hira.
Indeed, it is oiu" patience that shall slay him, and he that
doth evil, needs must it revert upon him.* A little after,
the king went forth one day to hunt and falling in with
the lion, he and his troops, gave chase to him and ceased
not [to follow] after him till they slew him. This came
to Abou Sabir's knowledge and he said to his wife, ' Said
I not to thee, O woman, that whoso doth evil, it shall
revert upon hira ? Belike, if I had sought to slay the lion
myself I had not availed against him, and this b the issue
of patience.*

It befell, after this, that a man was slain in Abou Sabir*s
village; wherefore the Sultan caused plvmder the village,
and they plundered the headman's goods with the rest
So his wife said to him, 'All the Sultan's officers know
thee; so do thou prefer thy plaint to the king, that he

91

may cause thy beasts to be restored to thee.* But he said
to her, *0 woman, said I not to thee that he who doth
evil shall suffer it? Indeed, the king hath done evil, and
he shall suffer [the consequences of] his deed, for whoso
taketh the goods of the folk, needs must his goods be
taken.' A man of his neighbours heard his speech, and
he was an envier of his; so he went to the Sultan
and acquainted him therewith, whereupon he sent and
plundered all [the rest of] his goods and drove him forth
from the village, and his wife [and children] with him.
So they went wandering in the desert and his wife said
to him, *A11 that hath befallen us cometh of thy sloth-
fulness in affairs and thy default' But he said to her,
* Have patience, for the issue of patience is good.'

Then they went on a little, and thieves met them
and despoiling them of that which remained with them,
stripped them of their raiment and took the children from
them ; whereupon the woman wept and said to her husband,
*0 man, put away from thee this folly and arise, let us
follow the thieves, so haply they may have compassion
on us and restore the children to us.' *0 woman,'
answered he, 'have patience, for he who doth evil shall
be requited with evil and his wickedness shall revert upon
him. Were I to follow them, most like one of them
would take his sword and smite off my head and slay
me; but have patience, for the issue of patience is
praised.* Then they fared on till they drew near a village
in tlie land of Kirman, and by it a river of water. So
he said to his wife, 'Abide thou here, whilst I enter the
village and look us out a place wherein we may take up

93

our lodging.* And he left her by the water and entered
the village.

Presently, up came a horseman in quest of water, so
he might water his horse. He saw the woman and she
was pleasing in his sight; so he said to her, 'Arise,
mount with me and I will take thee to wife and entreat
thee kindly.' Quoth she, ' Spare me, so may God spare
thee I Indeed, I have a husband.' But he drew his
sword and said to her, * An thou obey me not, I will
smite thee and kill thee.' When she saw his malice, she
wrote on the ground in the sand with her finger, saying,
• O Abou Sabir, thou hast not ceased to be patient, till
thy wealth is gone from thee and thy children and [now]
thy wife, who was more precious in thy sight than every-
thing and than all thy wealth, and indeed thou abidest in
thy sorrow all thy life long, so thou mayst see what thy
patience will profit thee.' Then the horseman took her,
and setting her behind him, went his way.

As for Abou Sabir, when he returned, he saw not his
wife and read what was written on the ground, wherefore
he wept and sat [awhile] sorrowing. Then said he to
hiiDself, *0 Abou Sabir, it behoveth thee to be patient,
for belike there shall betide [thee] an affair yet sorer than
this and more grievous;' and he went forth wandering
At a venture, like to the love-distraught, the madman,
till he came to a sort of labourers working upon the
palace of the king, by way of forced labour. When [the
overseers] saw him, they laid hold of him and said to
him, 'Work thou with these folk at the palace of the
king ; else will we imprison thee for life.' So he fell to

93

working with them as a labourer and every day they
gave him a cake of bread. He wrought with them a
month's space, till it chanced that one of the labourers
mounted a ladder and falling, broke his leg; whereupon
he cried out and wept. Quoth Abou Sabir to him, * Have
patience and weep not; for thou shalt find ease in thy
patience.* But the man said to him, * How long shall
I have patience?' And he answered, saying, 'Patience
bringeth a man forth of the bottom of the pit and seateth
him on the throne of the kingdom.'

Now the king was seated at the lattice, hearkening to
their talk, and Abou Sabir's words angered him; so he
bade bring him before him and they brought him forth-
right Now there was in the king's palace an underground
dungeon and therein a vast deep pit, into which the king
caused cast Abou Sabir, saying to him, * O lackwit, now
shall we see how thou wilt come forth of the pit to the
throne of the kingdom.' Then he used to come and
stand at the mouth of the pit and say, *0 lackwit, O
Abou Sabir, I see thee not come forth of the pit and
sit down on the king's throne 1 ' And he assigned him
each day two cakes of bread, whilst Abou Sabir held his
peace and spoke not, but bore with patience that which
betided him.

Now the king had a brother, whom he had imprisoned
in that pit of old time, and he haH died [there] ; but the
folk of the realm thought that he was alive, and when his
[supposed] imprisonment grew long, the king's officers
used to talk of this and of the tyranny of the king, and the
report spread abroad that the king was a tyrant, wherefore

94

they fell upon him one day and dew him. Then they
sought the well and brought out Abou Sabir therefrom,
deeming hun the king's brother, for that he was the
nearest of folk to him [in favour] and the likest, and he
had been long in the prison. So they doubted not but
that he was the prince in question and said to him,
* Reign thou in thy brother's room, for we have slain him
and thou art king in his stead.' But Abou Sabir was
silent and spoke not a word ; and he knew that this was
the issue of his patience. Then he arose and sitting down
on the king's throne, donned the royal raiment and dis-
covered justice and equity and the affairs [of the realm]
prospered [in his hand]; wherefore the folk obeyed him
and the people incHned to him and many were his troops.

Now the king, who had plundered Abou Sabir['s goods]
and driven him forth of his village, had an enemy ; and the
latter took horse against him and overcame him and
captured his [capital] city; wherefore he addressed him-
self to flight and came to Abou Sabir's city, craving
protection of him and seeking that he should succour
him. He knew not that the king of the city was the
headman whom he had despoiled; so he presented him-
self before him and made complaint to him ; but Abou
Sabir knew him and said to him, * This is somewhat of the
issue of patience. God the Most High hath given me
power over thee.* Then he bade his guards plunder the
[unjust] king and his attendants ; so they plundered them
and stripping them of their clothes, put them forth of his
country. When Abou Sabir's troops saw this, they
marvelled and said, • What is this deed that the king doth ?

95

There cometh a king to him, craving protection, and he
despoileth him ! This is not of the fashion of kings.' But
they dared not [be]speak [him] of this.

After this, news came to the king of robbers in his
land; so he set out in quest of them and ceased not to
follow after them, till he seized on them all, and behold,
they were the [very] thieves who had despoiled him [and
his wife] by the way and taken his children. So he bade
bring them before him, and when they came into his
presence, he questioned them, saying, 'Where are the
two boys ye took on such a day ? ' Quoth they, * They
are with us and we will present them to our lord the
king for slaves to serve him and give him wealth galore
that we have gotten together and divest ourselves of
all that we possess and repent from sin and fight in
thy service.' Abou Sabir, however, paid no heed to
their speech, but took all their good and bade put them
all to death. Moreover, he took the two boys and re-
joiced in them with an exceeding joy, whereat the troops
murmured among themselves, saying, 'Verily, this is a
greater tyrant than his brother! There come to him
a sort of robbers and seek to repent and proflFer two
boys [by way of peace-offering], and he taketh the two
boys and all their good and slayeth them 1 *

After this came the horseman, who had taken Aboii
Sabir's wife, and complained of her to the king that she
would not give him possession of herself, avouching that
she was his wife. The king bade bring her before him,
that he uiight hear her speech and pronounce judgment
upon her. So the horseman came with her before him,

96

and when the king saw her, he knew her and taking her
firom her ravisher, bade put the latter to death. Then be
became aware of the troops, that they murmured against
him and spoke of him as a tyrant ; so he turned to his
officers and viziers and said to them, * As for me, by God
the Great, I am not the king's brother 1 Nay, I am but
one whom the king imprisoned upon a word he heard
from me and used every day to taunt me therewith. Ye
think that I am the king's brother ; but I am Abou Sabir
and God hath given me the kingship in virtue of my
patience. As for the king who sought protection of me
and I despoiled him, it was he who first wronged me, for
that he despoiled me aforetime and drove me forth of
my native land and banished me, without due [cause] ;
wherefore I requited him with that which he had done to
me, in the way of lawful vengeance. As for the thieves
who proffered repentance, there was no repentance for
them with me, for that they began upon me with foul
[dealing] and waylaid me by the road and despoiled me
and took my good and my sons. Now these two boys,
that I took of them and whom ye deemed slaves, are my
very sons; so I avenged myself on the thieves of that
which they did with me aforetime and requited them with
equity. As for the horseman whom I slew, the woman
I took from him was my wife and he took her by force,
but God the Most High hath restored her [to me] ; so
this was my right, and my deed that I have done was
just, albeit ye, [judging] by the outward of the matter*
deemed that I had done this by way of tyranny.'
When the lulk heard this, they marvelled and fiell

97

prostrate before him; and they redoubled in esteem
for him and exceeding affection and excused themselves
to him, marvelling at that which God had done with him
and how He had given him the kingship by reason of his
longsuffering and his patience and how he had raised
himself by his patience from the bottom of the pit to the
throne of the kingdom, what while God cast down the
pate] king from the throne into the pit.* Then Abou
Sabir foregathered with his wife and said to her, * How
deemest thou of the fruit of patience and its sweetness
and the fruit of haste and its bitterness? Verily, all that
a man doth of good and evil, he shall assuredly abide.'
On like wise, O king," continued the young treasurer,
"it behoveth thee to practise patience, whenas it is
possible to thee, for that patience is of the fashion of the
noble, and it is the chiefest of their reliance, especially
for kings."

When the king heard this from the youth, his anger
subsided ; so he bade restore him to the prison, and the
folk dispersed that day.

* it, the grave.

TQIa X

OF THE ILL EFFECTS OF PRECIPITATION.

When it was the fourth day, the fourth vizier, whose
name was Zoushad, made his appearance and prostrating
himself to the king, said to him, " O king, suffer not the
talk of yonder youth to delude thee, for that he is not
a truth-teller. So long as he abideth on life, the folk
will not give over talking nor will thy heart cease to be
occupied with him." "By Allah," cried the king, "thou
sayst sooth and I will cause fetch him this day and slay
him before me." Then he commanded to bring the
youth; so they brought him in shackles and he said to
him, " Out on thee ! Thinkest thou to appease my heart
with thy prate, whereby the days are spent in talk ? I mean
to slay thee this day and be quit of thee." " O king,"
answered the youth, "it is in thy power to slay me
whensoever thou wilt, but haste is of the fashion of the
base and patience of that of the noble. If thou put me to
death, thou wilt repent, and if thou desire to bring me
back to life, thou wilt not be able thereunto. Indeed,
whoso acteth hastily in an affair, there befalleth him what
befell Bihzad, son of the king." Quoth the king, "And
what is his story ?" " O king," replied the young treasurer,

99

STORY OF PRINCE BIHZAD.

** There was once, of old time, a king and he hail a son
[named Bihzad], there was not in his day a goodlier than
he and he loved to consort with the folk and to sit with
the merchants and converse with them. One day, as he
sat in an assembly, amongst a number of folk, he heard
them talking of his own goodliness and grace and saying,
* There is not in his time a goodlier than he.* But one of
the company said, 'Indeed, the daughter of King Such
an-one is handsomer than he.' When Bihzad heard this
saying, his reason fled and his heart fluttered and he
called the last speaker and said to him, * Repeat to me
that which thou saidst and tell me the truth concerning
her whom thou avouchest to be handsomer than I and
whose daughter she is.' Quoth the man, *She is the
daughter of King Such-an-one ;' whereupon Bihzad's
heart clave to her and his colour changed.

The news reached his father, who said to him, * O my
son, this damsel to whom thy heart cleaveth is at thy
commandment and we have power over her; so wait till
I demand her [in marriage] for thee.' But the prince
said, ' I will not wait.' So his father hastened in
the matter and sent to demand her of her father, who
required of him a hundred thousand dinars to his
daughter's dowry. Quoth Bihzad's father, * So be it,' and
paid down what was in his treasuries, and there remained
to his charge but a little of the dower. So he sa'd to
his son, ' Have patience, O my son, till we gather together

100

the rest of the money and send to fetch her to thee, for
that she is become thine.' Therewith the prince waxed
exceeding wroth and said, *I will not have patience;' so
he took his sword and his spear and mounting his horse,
went forth and fell to stopping the way, [so haply that he
might win what lacked of the dowry].

It chanced one day that he fell in upon a company
of folk and they overcame him by dint of numbers and
taking him prisoner, pinioned him and carried him to
the lord of that country. The latter saw his fashion and
grace and misdoubting of him, said, * This is no robber's
favour. Tell me truly, O youth, who thou art' Bihzad
thought shame to acquaint him with his condition and
chose rather death for himself; so he answered, *I am
nought but a thief and a bandit.' Quoth the king, * It
behoveth us not to act hastily in the matter of this youth,
but that we look into his affair, for that haste still
engendereth repentance.' So he imprisoned him in his
palace and assigned him one who should serve him.

Meanwhile, the news spread abroad that Bihzad, son
of the king, was lost, whereupon his father sent letters
in quest of him [to all the kings and amongst others to
him with whom he was imprisoned]. When the letter
reached the latter, he praised God the Most High for
that he had not anydele hastened in Bihzad's affair and
letting bring him before himself, said to him, * Art thou
minded to destroy thyself?' Quoth Bihzad, *[I did this]
for fear of reproach;' and the king said, *An thou fear
reproach, thou shouldst not practise haste [in that thou
dost]; knowest thou not that the fruit of haste is re-

lOI

pentance? If wc had hasted, we also, like unto thee, we
had repented.'

Then he conferred on him a dress of honour and
engaged to him for the completion of the dowry and sent
to his father, giving him the glad news and comforting
his heart with [the tidings of] his son's safety; after
which he said to Bihzad, Arise, O my son, and go to
thy father.* *0 king,' rejoined the prince, 'complete thy
kindness to me by [hastening] my going-in to my wife ;
for, if I go back to my father, till he send a messenger
and he return, promising me, the time will be long.*
The king laughed and marvelled at him and said to him,
* I fear for thee from this haste, lest thou come to shame
and attain not thy desire.* Then he gave him wealth
galore and wrote him letters, commending him to the
father of the princess, and despatched him to them.
When he drew near their country, the king came forth
to meet him with the people of his realm and assigned
him a handsome lodging and bade hasten the going-in
of his daughter to him, in compliance with the other
king's letter. Moreover, he advised the prince's father
[of his son's coming] and they busied themselves with the
affair of the damsel.

When it was the day of the going-in,* Bihzad, of his
haste and lack of patience, betook himself to the wall,
which was between himself and the princess's lodging
and in which there was a hole pierced, and looked, so
he might see his bride, of his haste. But the bride's
mother saw him and this was grievous to her; so the
* ut. the wedding-day.

lOJ

took from one of the servants two red-hot iron spits and
thnist them into the hole through which the prince was
looking. The spits ran into his eyes and put them out
and he fell down aswoon and joyance was changed and
became mourning and sore concern. See, then, O king,"
continued the youth, " the issue of the prince's haste and
lack of deliberation, for indeed his haste bequeathed him
long repentance and his joy was changed to mourning;
and on like wise was it with the woman who hastened to
put out his eyes and deliberated not. All this was the
doing of haste; wherefore it behoveth the king not to
be hasty in putting me to death, for that I am under the
grasp of his hand, and what time soever thou desirest my
slaughter, it shall not escape [thee]."

When the king heard this, his anger subsided and he
said, "Carry him back to prison till to-morrow, lo we
may look into his aiair."

die f {ft!) ©aj.
OF THE ISSUES OF GOOD AND EVIL ACTIONS.

When it was the fifth day, the fifth Vizier, whose name
was Jehrbaur, came in to the king and prostrating himself
before him, said, "O king, it behoveth thee, if thou see
or hear that one look on thy house,^ that thou put out
his eyes. How then should it be with him whom thou
sawest midmost thy house and on thy very bed, and he
suspected with thy harem, and not of thy lineage nor
of thy kindred? Wherefore do thou away this reproach
by putting him to death. Indeed, we do but urge thee
unto this for the assurance of thine empire and of our
zeal for thy loyal counselling and of our love to thee.
How can it be lawful that this youth should live for a
single hour?"

Therewith the king was filled with wrath and said,
" Bring him forthright" So they brought the youth
before him, shackled, and the king said to him, "Out
on thee 1 Thou hast sinned a great sin and the time of
thy life hath been long;' but needs must we put thee
to death, for that there is for us no ease in thy life after
this." "O king," answered he, "know that I, by Allah,
am guiltless, and by reason of this I hope for life, for
that he who is guiltless of otfence goeth not in fear of
* i,e, thy womea. * i,e. hath been andaly prolouged.

104

punishment neither maketh great his mourning and his
concern; but whoso hath sinned, needs must his sin be
expiated upon him, though his life be prolonged, and it
shall overtake him, even as it overtook Dadbin the king
and his vizier." "How was that?" asked Azadbekht^
and the youth said,

STORY OF KING DADBIN AND HIS VIZIERS.

"There was once a king in the land of Teberistan,
by name Dadbin, and he had two viziers, called one
Zourkhan and the other Kardan. The Vizier Zourkhan
had a daughter, there was not in her time a handsomer
than she nor yet a chaster nor a more pious, for she was
a faster, a prayer and a worshipper of God the Most
High, and her name was Arwa. Now Dadbin heard tell
of her charms ; so his heart clave to her and he called
the vizier [her father] and said to him, * I desire of thee
that thou marry me to thy daughter.' Quoth 2k)urkhan,
'Allow me to consult her, and if she consent, I will
marry thee with her.' And the king said, ' Hasten unto
this.'

So the vizier went in to his daughter and said to her,
•O my daughter, the king seeketh thee of me and
desireth to marry thee.' ' O my father,' answered she
'I desire not a husband and if thou wilt marry me,
marry me not but with one who shall be below me in
rank and I nobler than he, so he may not tvun to other
than myself nor lift his eyes upon me, and many me

ios

not to one who is nobler than I, lest I be with him at
a slave-girl and a serving-woman.' So the vizier re-
turned to the king and acquainted him with that which
his daughter had said, whereat he redoubled in desire
and love-liking for her and said to her father, 'An thou
marry me not to her of good grace, I will take her by
force in thy despite.' The vizier again betook himself
to his daughter and repeated to her the king's words,
but she repHed, 'I desire not a husband.' So he
returned to the king and told him what she said, and
he was wroth and threatened the vizier, whereupon the
latter took his daughter and fled with her.

When this came to the king's knowledge, he de-
spatched troops in pursuit of Zourkhan, to stop the road
upon him, whilst he himself went out and overtaking
the vizier, smote him on the head with his mace and
slew him. Then he took his daughter by force and
returning to his dwelling-place, went in to her and
married her. Arwa resigned herself with patience to
that which betided her and committed her affair to God
the Most High; and indeed she was used to serve Him
day and night with a goodly service in the house of
King Dabdin her husband.

It befell one day that the king had occasion to make
a journey; so he called his Vizier Kardan and said to
him, 'I have a trust to commit to thy care, and it is
yonder damsel, my wife, the daughter of the Vizier
[Zourkhan], and I desire that thou keep her and guard
her thyself, for that there is not in the world aught
dearer to me than she.' Quoth Kardan in himself, *Of

io6

A truth, the king honoureth me with an exceeding honour
[in entrusting me] with this damsel.' And he answered
•With all my heart'

When the king had departed on his journey, the vizier
said in himself, 'Needs must I look upon this damsel
whom the king loveth with all this love.' So he hid him-
self in a place, that he might look upon her, and saw her
overpassing description; wherefore he was confounded at
her and his wit was dazed and love got the mastery of
him, so that he said to her, saying, 'Have pity on me,
for indeed I perish for the love of thee.' She sent back
to him, saying, 'O vizier, thou art in the place of trust
and confidence, so do not thou betray thy trust, but make
thine inward like unto thine outward * and occupy thyself
with thy wife and that which is lawful to thee. As for
this, it is lust and [women are all of] one taste.' And
if thou wilt not be forbidden from this talk, I will make
thee a byword and a reproach among the folk.' When
the vizier heard her answer, he knew that she was chaste
of soul and body ; wherefore he repented with the utmost
of repentance and feared for himself from the king and
said, 'Needs must I contrive a device wherewithal I may
destroy her ; else shall I be disgraced with the king.'

When the king returned from his journey, he questioned
his vizier of the affairs of his kingdom and the latter
answered, 'All is well, O king, save a vile matter, which

* i.e. Let thy secret thoughts and purposes be righteoos, even as thine
outward profession.

• See my "Book of the Thousand NighU and One Night," VoL V.
p. 264.

I07

I have discovered here and wherewith I am ashamed to
confront the king ; but, if I hold my peace thereof, I fear
lest other than I discover it and I [be deemed to] have
played traitor to the king in the matter of my [duty of]
loyal warning and my trust.' Quoth Dabdin, 'Speak, for
thou art none other than a truth-teller, a trusty one, a
loyal counsellor in that which thou sayest, undistrusted in
aught.' And the vizier said, * O king, this woman to whose
love thy heart cleaveth and of whose piety thou talkest
and her fasting and praying, I will make plain to thee
that this is craft and guile.' At this, the king was troubled
and said, * What is to do ? ' ' Know,' answered the vizier,
* that some days after thy departure, one came to me and
said to me, "Come, O vizier, and look." So I went to
the door of the [queen's] sleeping-chamber and beheld
her sitting with Aboulkhair, her father's servant, whom
she favoureth, and she did with him what she did, and
this is the manner of that which I saw and heard.'

When Dabdin heard this, he burnt with rage and said
to one of his eunuchs,* ' Go and slay her in her chamber.*
But the eunuch said to him, *0 king, may God prolong
thy continuance t Indeed, the killing of her may not be
at this time ; but do thou bid one of thine eunuchs take
her up on a camel and carry her to one of the trackless
deserts and cast her down there; so, if she be at fault,
God shall cause her to perish, and if she be innocent. He
will deliver her, and the king shall be free from sin
against her, for that this damsel is dear to thee and thou

1 Afterwards called his "chamberlain," i.e. the keeper of the dooi of
the harem or chief eunuch. See post, p. III.

io8

slewest her father by reason of thy love for her/ Quoth
the king, 'By Allah, thou sayst sooth I' Then he bade
one of his eunuchs carry her on a camel to one of the
far-o£f deserts and there leave her and go away, and he
forbade [him] to prolong her torment So he took her
up and betaking himself with her to the desert, left her
there without victual or water and returned, whereupon
she made for one of the [sand-]hills and ranging stones
before her [in the form of a prayer-niche], stood pra)ring.

Now it chanced that a camel-driver, belonging to Kisra
the king, lost certain camels and the king threatened him,
if he found them not, that he would slay him. So he set
out and plunged into the deserts till he came to the place
where the damsel was and seeing her standing praying,
waited till she had made an end of her prayer, when he
went up to her and saluted her, saying, ' Who art thou ? '
Quoth she, ' I am a handmaid of God.' ' What dost thou
in this desolate place ? ' asked he, and she said, * I serve
God the Most High.' When he saw her beauty and grace,
he said to her, 'Harkye! Do thou take me to husband
and I will be tenderly solicitous over thee and use thee
with exceeding compassion and I will further thee in
obedience to God the Most High.' But she answered,
saying, * I have no need of marriage and I desire to abide
here [alone] with my Lord and His service; but, if thou
wouldst deal compassionately with me and further me in
the obedience of Gk)d the Most High, carry me to a
place where there is water and thou wilt have done me
ft kindness.'

* u$. Chosro^k

109

Sio he carried her to a place wherein was running water
and setting her down on the ground, left her and went
away, marvelling at her. After he left her, he found his
camels, by her blessing, and when he returned, King
Kisra asked him, ' Hast thou found the camels ? ' [* Yes,'
answered he] and acquainted him with the afifair of the
damsel and set out to him her beauty and grace ; where-
upon the king's heart clave to her and he mounted with
a few men and betook himself to that place, where he
found the damsel and was amazed at her, for that he saw
her overpassing the description wherewith the camel-driver
had described her to him. So he accosted her and said
to her, * I am King Kisra, greatest of the kings. Wilt
thou not have me to husband?' Quoth she, 'What wilt
thou do with me, O king, and I a woman abandoned in
the desert ? ' And he answered, saying, ' Needs must this
be, and if thou wilt not consent to me, I will take up my
sojourn here and devote myself to God's service and thine
and worship Him with thee.'

Then he bade set up for her a tent and another for
himself, facing hers, so he might worship God with her,
and fell to sending her food ; and she said in herself,
* This is a king and it is not lawful for me that I suffer him
forsake his subjects and his kingdom for my sake.' So she
said to the serving-woman, who used to bring her the
food, * Speak to the king, so he may return to his women,
for he hath no need of me and I desire to abide in this
place, so I may worship God the Most High therein.' The
slave-girl returned to the king and told him this, where-
upon he sent back to her, saying, ' I have no need of the

no

kingship and I also desire to abide here and worship God
with thee in this desert.' When she found this earnestness
in him, she consented to his wishes and said, * O king, I
will consent unto thee in that which thou desirest and will
be to thee a wife, but on condition that thou bring me
Dadbin the king and his Vizier Kardan and his chamber-
lain ^ and that they be present in thine assembly, so I may
speak a word with them in thy presence, to the intent that
thou mayest redouble in affection for me.' Quoth Kisra,
' And what is thine occasion unto this ? ' So she related to
him her story from first to last, how she was the wife of
Dadbin the king and how the latter's vizier had miscalled
her honour.

When King Kisra heard this, he redoubled in love-
liking for her and afiection and said to her, ' Do what
thou wilt' So he let bring a litter and carrying her
therein to his dwelling-place, married her and entreated
her with the utmost honour. Then he sent a great army
to King Dadbin and fetching him and his vizier and the
chamberlain, caused bring them before him, unknowing
what he purposed with them. Moreover, he caused set up
for Arwa a pavilion in the courtyard of his palace and she
entered therein and let down the curtain before herself.
When the servants had set their seats and they had seated
themselves, Arwa raised a corner of the curtain and said,
* O Kardan, rise to thy feet, for it befitteth not that thou
sit in the like of this assembly, before this mighty King
Kisra.* When the vizier heard these words, his heart

' i.«. the eunuch who had dissuaded Dadbin from putting het to
death.

in

quaked and his joints were loosened and of his fear, he
rose to his feet. Then said she to him, ' By the virtue of
Him who hath made thee stand in this place of standing
[up to judgment], and thou abject and humiliated, I con-
jure thee speak the truth and say what prompted thee to
lie against me and cause me go forth from my house and
from the hand of my husband and made thee practise thus
against a man,* a true believer, and slay him. This is no
place wherein leasing availeth nor may prevarication be
therein.'

When the vizier was ware that she was Arwa and heard
her speech, he knew that it behoved him not to lie and
that nought would avail him but truth-speaking; so he
bowed [his head] to the ground and wept and said,
* Whoso doth evil, needs must he abide it, though his day
be prolonged. By Allah, I am he who hath sinned and
transgressed, and nought prompted me unto this but fear
and overmastering desire and the affliction written upon
my forehead ; • and indeed this woman is pure and chaste
and free from all fault.* When King Dadbin heard this,
he buffeted his face and said to his vizier, ' God slay thee I
It is thou that hast parted me and my wife and wronged
me I ' But Kisra the king said to him, ' God shall surely
slay thee, for that thou hastenedst and lookedst not into
thine affair and knewest not the guilty from the guiltless.

* Apparently referring to Aboulkhair (see ant^ p. 107), whom Dabdin
woald seem to have put to death upon the vizier's false accusation,
although no previous mention of this occurs.

• The Arabs believe that each man's destiny is charactered, could wf
decipher it, in the sutures of his skulL

112

Hadst thou wrought deliberately, the false had been made
manifest to thee from the true; so where was thy judg-
ment and thy sight ? '

Then said he to Arwa, ' What wilt thou that I do with
them ? * And she answered, saying, ' Accomplish on them
the ordinance of God the Most High;* the slayer shall
be slain and the transgressor transgressed against, even as
he transgressed against us ; yea, and the well doer, good
shall be done unto him, even as he did unto us.' So she
gave [her officers] commandment concerning Dadbin and
they smote him on the head with a mace and slew him,
and she said, 'This is for the slaughter of my father.'
Then she bade set the vizier on a beast [and carry him]
to the desert whither he had caused carry her [and leave
him there without victual or water] ; and she said to him,
*An thou be guilty, thou shalt abide [the punishment of]
thy guilt and perish of hunger and thirst in the desert;
but, if there be no guilt in thee, thou shalt be delivered,
even as I was delivered.'

As for the eunuch, the chamberlain, who had counselled
King Dadbin [not to slay her, but] to [cause] carry her
to the desert [and there abandon her], she bestowed on
him a sumptuous dress of honour and said to him, 'The
Uke of thee it behoveth kings to hold in favour and set
in high place, for that thou spokest loyally and well, and
a man is still requited according to his deed.' And Kisra
the king invested him with the governance of one of the
provinces of his empire. Know, therefore, O king," con-
tinued the youth, "that whoso doth good is requited

* Lh the Ux talionis, which U the essence of Muslim jurisprudeooe.

113

therewith and he who is guiltless of sin and reproach
feareth not the issue of his affair. And I, O king, am
free from guilt, wherefore I trust in God that He will
show forth the truth and vouchsafe me the victory over
enemies and enviers."

When the king heard this, his wrath subsided and he
said, "Carry him back to the prison till the morrow, so
we may look into his affair."

QTfie Zixtli IBs;.
OF TRUST IN GOD.

When it was the sixth day, the viziers' wrath redoubled,
for that they had not compassed their desire of the youth
and they feared for themselves from the king; so three
of them went in to him and prostrating themselves before
him, said to him, " O king, indeed we are loyal counsellors
to thy dignity and tenderly solicitous for thee. Verily,
thou persistest long in sparing this youth alive and we
know not what is thine advantage therein. Every day
findeth him yet on life and the talk redoubleth suspicions
on thee ; so do thou put him to death, that the talk may
be made an end of." When the king heard this speech, he
said, " By Allah, indeed, ye say sooth and speak rightly I "
Then he let bring the young treasurer and said to him,
"How long shall I look into thine affair and find no
helper for thee and see them all athirst for thy blood ? **

" O king," answered the youth, " I hope for succour
only from God, not from created beings : if He aid me,
none can avail to harm me, and if He be with me and on
my side, because of the truth, who is it I shall fear, be-
cause of falsehood ? Indeed, I have made my intent with
God a pure and sincere intent and have severed my ex-
pectation from the help of the creature -, and whoso seeketh
help [of God] findeth of his desire that which Bekhtzeman
found." Quoth the king, "Who was Bekhtzeman and
what is his story ? " " O king," replied the youth.

"5

STORY OF KING BEKHTZEMAN.

" There was once a king of the kings, whose name was
Bekhtzeman, and he was a great eater and drinker and
carouser. Now enemies of his made their appearance in
certain parts of his realm and threatened him ; and one of
his friends said to him, 'O king, the enemy maketh for
thee : be on thy guard against him.' Quoth Bekhtzeman,
' I reck not of him, for that I have arms and wealth and
men and am not afraid of aught.' Then said his friends to
him, 'Seek aid of God, O king, for He will help thee
more than thy wealth and thine arms and thy men.* But
he paid no heed to the speech of his loyal counsellors,
and presently the enemy came upon him and waged war
upon him and got the victory over him and his trust in
other than God the Most High profited him nought. So
he fled from before him and seeking one of the kings, said
to him, * I come to thee and lay hold upon thy skirts and
take refuge with thee, so thou mayst help me against
mine enemy.'

The king gave him money and men and troops galore
and Bekhtzeman said in himself, * Now am I fortified with
this army and needs must I conquer my enemy therewith
and overcome him;' but he said not, 'With the aid of
God the Most High.' So his enemy met him and over-
came him again and he was defeated and put to the rout
and fled at a venture. His troops were dispersed from
him and his money lost and the enemy followed after him.
So he sought the sea and passing over to the other side,
law a great city and therein a mighty citadel. He asked

Ii6

the name of the city and to whom it belonged and they
said to him, ' It belongeth to Khedidan the king.' So he
fared on till he came to the king's palace aud concealing
his condition, passed himself off for a horseman^ and
sought service with King Khedidan, who attached him
to his household and entreated him with honour ; but his
heart still clave to his covmtry and his home.

Presently, it chanced that an enemy attacked King
Khedidan; so he sent out his troops to him and made
Bekhtzeman head of the army. Then they went forth to
the field and Khedidan also came forth and ranged his
troops and took the spear and sallied out in person and
fought a sore battle and overcame his enemy, who fled, he
and his troops, ignominiously. When the king and his
army returned in triumph, Bekhtzeman said to him,
* Harkye, O king I Meseemeth this is a strange thing of
thee that thou art compassed about with this vast army,
yet dost thou apply thyself in person to battle and
adventurest thyself.' Quoth the king, • Dost thou call
thyself a cavalier and a man of learning and deemest that
victory b in abundance of troops?* *Ay,' answered
Bekhtzeman; 'that is indeed my belief.' And Khedidan
said, * By Allah, then, thou errest in this thy belief ! Woe
and again woe to him whose trust is in other than God 1
Indeed, this army is appointed only for adornment and
majesty, and victory is from God alone. I too, O Bekhtze-
man, believed aforetime that victory was in the multitude
of men, and in enemy came out against me with eight

' I <r. a soldier of fortune, going about £rom court to court, in quest ol
wmcc

117

hundred men, whilst I had eight hundred thousand. I
trasted in the number of my troops, whilst mine enemy
trusted in God ; so he defeated me and routed me and I
was put to a shameful flight and hid myself in one of the
mountains, where I met with a recluse, [who had] with-
drawn [himself from the world], So I joined myself to
him and complained to him of my case and acquainted
him with all that had befallen me. Quoth he, "Knowest
thou why this befell thee and thou wast defeated ?" "I know
not," answered I, and he said, " Because thou puttest thy
trust in the multitude of thy troops and reliedst not upon
God the Most High. Hadst thou put thy trust in God and
believed in Him that it is He [alone] who advantageth
and endamageth thee, thine enemy had not availed to
cope with thee. Return unto God." So I returned to
myself and repented at the hands of the solitary, who said
to me, " Turn back with what remaineth to thee of troops
and confront thine enemies, for, if their intents be changed
from God, thou wilt overcome them, wert thou alone."
When I heard these words, I put my trust in God the Most
High, and gathering together those who remained with
me, fell upon mine enemies at unawares in the night
They deemed us many and fled on the shamefuUest wise,
whereupon I entered my city and repossessed m)rself of
my place by the might of God the Most High, and now I
fight not but [trusting] in His aid.'

When Bekhtzeman heard this, he awoke from his
heedlessness and said, 'Extolled be the perfection ol
God the Great! O king, this is my case and my story,
nothing added and nought diminished, for I am King

Il8

Bekhtzeman and all this happened to me; wherefore 1
will seek the gate of God['s mercy] and repent unto
Him.' So he went forth to one of the mountains and
there worshipped God awhile, till one night, as he slept,
one appeared to him in a dream and said to him, *0
Bekhtzeman, Grod accepteth thy repentance and openeth
on thee [the gate of succour] and will further thee
against thine enemy.' When he was certified of this in
the dream, he arose and turned back, intending for his
own city; and when he drew near thereunto, he saw a
company of the king's retainers, who said to him,
'Whence art thou? We see that thou art a stranger
and fear for thee from this king, for that every stranger
who enters this city, he destroys him, of his fear of
King Bekhtzeman.' Quoth Bekhtzeman, 'None shall
hurt him nor advantage him save God the Most High.'
And they answered, saying, ' Indeed, he hath a vast army
and his heart is fortified in the multitude of his troops.'

When King Bekhtzeman heard this, his heart was com-
forted and he said in himself, *I put my trust in Gkni
If He will, I shall overcome mine enemy by the might
of God the Most High.' So he said to the folk, ' Know
ye not who I am ? ' and they answered, ' No, by Allah.'
Quoth he, *I am King Bekhtzeman.' When they heard
this and knew that it was indeed he, they dismounted
from their horses and kissed his stirrup, to do him honour,
and said to him, 'O king, why hast thou thus adventured
thyself?' Quoth he, 'Indeed, my life is a light matter
to me and I put my trust in God the Most High, looking
to Him for protection.' And they answered him, saying,

119

* May this suffice thee ! We will do with thee that which
is in our power and whereof thou art worthy : comfort thy
heart, for we will succour thee with our goods and our
lives, and we are his chief officers and the most in favour
with him of all folk. So we will take thee with us and
cause the folk follow after thee, for that the inclination
of the people, all of them, is to thee.' Quoth he, * Do
that unto which God the Most High enableth you.'

So they carried him into the city and hid him with them.
Moreover, they agreed with a company of the king's chief
officers, who had aforetime been those of Bekhtzeman,
and acquainted them with this; whereat they rejoiced
with an exceeding joy. Then they assembled together
to Bekhtzeman and made a covenant and handfast [of
fealty] with him and fell upon the enemy at unawares and
slew him and seated King Bekhtzeman again on the
throne of his kingship. And his affairs prospered and
God amended his estate and restored His bounty to him,
and he ruled his subjects justly and abode in the obedience
of the Most High. On this wise, O king," continued the
young treasurer, " he with whom God is and whose intent
is pure, meeteth nought but good. As for me, I have no
helper other than God, and I am content to submit myself
to His ordinance, for that He knoweth the purity of my
intent."

With this the king's wrath subsided and he said,
"Restore him to the prison till the morrow, so we may
look into his afifair."

OF CLEMENCY.

When it was the seventh day, the seventh vizier, whose
name was Bihkemal, came in to the king and prostrating
himself to him, said, "O king, what doth thy long-
sufifering with this youth advantage thee? Indeed the
folk talk of thee and of him. Why, then, dost thou
postpone the putting him to death ? " The vizier's words
aroused the king's anger and he bade bring the youth.
So they brought him before him, shackled, and Azadbekht
said to him, " Out on thee I By Allah, after this day there
abideth no deliverance for thee from my hand, for that
thou hast outraged mine honour, and there can be no
forgiveness for thee."

"O king," answered the youth, "there is no great
forgiveness save in case of a great crime, for according
as the o£fence is great, in so much is forgiveness magnified
and it is no dishonour to the like of thee if he spare the
like of me. Verily, Allah knoweth that there is no fault
in me, and indeed He commandeth unto clemency, and
no clemency is greater than that which spareth from
slaughter, for that thy forgiveness of him whom thou
purposest to put to death is as the quickening of a dead
man ; and whoso doth evil shall find it before him, even
as it was with King BUikerd." " And what is the story of
King Bihkerd?" asked the king. "O king/' answered
the youth,

121

STORY OF KING BIHKERD.

"Tliere was once a king named Bihkerd and he had
wealth galore and many troops ; but his deeds were evil
and he would punish for a slight offence and never for-
gave. He went forth one day to hunt and one of his
servants shot an arrow, which lit on the king's ear and
cut it off. Quoth Bihkerd, 'Who shot that arrow?'
So the guards brought him in haste the offender, whose
name was Yetrou, and he of his fear fell down on the
ground in a swoon. Then said the king, 'Put him to
death;' but Yetrou said, *0 King, this that hath befallen
was not of my choice nor of my knowledge; so do thou
pardon me, in the hour of thy power over me, for that
clemency is of the goodliest of things and belike it shall
be [in this world] a provision and a good work [for
which thou shalt be requited] one of these days, and
a treasure [laid up to thine account] with God in the
world to come. Pardon me, therefore, and fend off evil
from me, so shall God fend off from thee evil the like
thereof.' When the king heard this, it pleased him and
he pardoned the servant, albeit he had never before
pardoned any.

Now this servant was of the sons of the kings and had
fled from his father, on account of ah offence he had
committed. Then he went and took service with King
Bihkerd and there happened to him what happened.
Aftei awhile, it chanced that a man recognized him and
went and told his father, who sent him m letter, comforting

122

his heart and mind and [beseeching him] to retmn to
him. So he returned to his father, who came forth to
meet him and rejoiced in him, and the prince's affairs
were set right with him.

It befell, one day of the days, that King Bihkerd
embarked in a ship and put out to sea, so he might fish ;
but the wind blew on them and the ship foundered. The
king won ashore on a plank, imknown of any, and came
forth, naked, on one of the coasts; and it chanced that
he landed in the country whereof the father of the youth
aforesaid, [his sometime servant], was king. So he came
in the night to the gate of the latter's city and [finding
it shut], took up his lodging [for the night] in a burying-
place there.

When the morning morrowed and the folk came forth
of the city, they found a murdered man cast down in
a comer of the burial-ground and seeing Bihkerd there^
doubted not but it was he who had slain him; so they
laid hands on him and carried him up to the king and
said to him, 'This fellow hath slain a man.' The king
bade imprison him; [so they clapped him in prison]
and he fell a-saying in himself, what while he was in the
prison, *A11 that hath befallen me is of the abundance
of my sins and my tyranny, for, indeed, I have slain much
people unrighteously and this is the requital of my deeds
and that which I have wrought aforetime of oppression.'
As he was thus pondering in himself, there came a bird
and lighted down on the coign of the prison, whereupon,
of his much eagerness in the chase, he took a stone and
cast it at the bird.

1-23

Now the king's son was playing in the exercise-ground
with the ball and the mall, and the stone lit on his ear
and cut it off, whereupon the prince fell down in a swoon.
So they enquired who had thrown the stone and [finding
that it was Bihkerd,] took him and carried him before the
prince, who bade put him to death. Accordingly, they
cast the turban from his head and were about to bind
his eyes, when the prince looked at him and seeing him
cropped of an ear, said to him, ' Except thou wert a lewd
fellow, thine ear had not been cut off.' 'Not so, by
Allah ! ' answered Bihkerd. * Nay, but the story [of the
loss] of my ear is thus and thus, and I pardoned him who
smote me with an arrow and cut off my ear.' When the
prince heard this, he looked in his face and knowing him,
cried out and said, *Art thou not Bihkerd the king?'
•Yes,' answered he, and the prince said to him 'What
bringeth thee here ? ' So he told him all that had betided
him and the folk marvelled and extolled the perfection of
God the Most High.

Then the prince rose to him and embraced him and
kissed him and entreated him with honour. Moreover, he
seated him in a chair and bestowed on him a dress of
honour ; and he turned to his father and said to him,
•This is the king who pardoned me and this is his ear
that I cut off with an arrow; and indeed he deserveth
pardon from me, for that he pardoned me.' Then said he
to Bihkerd, 'Verily, the issue of clemency hath been a
provision tor thee [in thine hour of need].' And they
entreated him with the utmost kindness and sent him back
to his own country in all honour and worship. Know,

124

then, O King," continued the youth, "that there fa no
goodlier thing than clemency and that all thou dost
thereof, thou shalt find before thee, a treasure laid op
for thee."

When the king heard this, his wrath subsided and he
said, "Carry him back to the prison till the morrow, so wt
may look into his afiair/*

tE^t (Si^tlf Hag,
OF ENVY AND MALICE.

When it was the eighth day, the viziers all assembled
and took counsel togethei and said, " How shall we do
with this youth, who baffleth us with his much talk?
Indeed, we fear lest he be saved and we fall [into per-
dition]. Wherefore, let us all go in to the king and
unite our efforts to overcome him, ere he appear without
guilt and come forth and get the better of us." So they
all went in to the king and prostrating themselves before
him, said to him, "O king, have a care lest this youth
beguile thee with his sorcery and bewitch thee with his
craft. If thou heardest what we hear, thou wouldst not
suffer him live, no, not one day. So pay thou no heed
to his speech, for we are thy viziers, [who endeavour
for] thy continuance, and if thou hearken not to our
word, to whose word wilt thou hearken? Sec, we are
ten viziers who testify against this youth that he is guilty
and entered not the king's sleeping-chamber but with
evil intent, so he might put the king to shame and
outrage his honour; and if the king slay him not, let
him banish him his realm, so the tongue of the folk
may desist from him."

When the king heard his viziers' words, he was ex-
ceeding wroth and bade bring the youth, and when he
came in to the king, the viziers all cried out with one
voice, sajdng, "O scant o' grace, thinkest thou to save

126

thyself from slaughter by crafl and gufle, that thou
beguilest the king with thy talk and hopest pardon foi
the like of this great crime which thou hast committed ? "
Then the king bade fetch the headsman, so he might
smite ofiF his head ; whereupon each of the viziers fell
a-saying, " I will slay him ; " and they sprang upon him.
Quote the youth, "O king, consider and ponder these
men's eagerness. Is this of envy or no? They would
fain make severance between thee and me, so there may
fall to them what they shall plunder, as aforetime." And
the king said to him, '* Consider their testimony against
thee." " O king," answered the young man, " how shall
they testify of that which they saw not? This is but
envy and rancour; and thou, if thou slay me, thou wilt
regret me, and I fear lest there betide thee of repentance
that which betided Ilan Shah, by reason of the malice of
his viziers." " And what is his story ? " asked Azadbekht.
" O king," replied the youth,

STORY OF ILAN SHAH AND ABOU TEMAM.

" There was once a merchant named Abou Temam, and
he was a man of understanding and good breeding, quick-
witted and truthful in all his affairs, and he had wealth
galore. Now there was in his land an unjust king and a
jealous, and Abou Temam feared for his wealth from this
king and said, ' I will remove hence to another place
where I shall not be in fear.' So he made for the city of
Ilan Shah and built himselt a palace therein and trans-
porting his wealth thither, took up his abode there.

127

Presently, the news of him reached King Ilan Shahj
80 he sent to bid him to his presence and said to him,
* We know of thy coming to us and thine entry under our
allegiance, and indeed we have heard of thine excellence
and wit and generosity ; so welcome to thee and fair
welcome I The land is thy land and at thy commandment,
and whatsoever occasion thou hast unto us, it is [already]
accomplished unto thee; and it behoveth that thou be
near our person and of our assembly.' Abou Temam
prostrated himself to the king and said to him, * O king,
I will serve thee with my wealth and my life, but do thou
excuse me from nearness unto thee, for that, [if I took
service about thy person], I should not be safe from
enemies and enviers.' Then he addressed himself to
serve the king with presents and largesses, and the king
saw him to be intelligent, well-bred and of good counsel ;
so he committed to him the ordinance of his affairs and
in his hand was the power to bind and loose.

Now Ilan Shah had three viziers, in whose hands the
affairs [of the kingdom] were [aforetime] and they had
been used to leave not the king night nor day ; but they
became shut out from him by reason of Abou Temam and
the king was occupied with him to their exclusion. So
they took counsel together upon the matter and said,
'What counsel ye we should do, seeing that the king
is occupied from us with yonder man, and indeed he
honoureth him more than us? But now come, let us
cast about for a device, whereby we may remove him
from the king.' So each of them spoke forth that which
was in his mind, and one of them said, ' The king of the

128

Turks hath a daughter, whose like there is not in the
world, and whatsoever messenger goeth to demand her
in marriage, her father slayeth him. Now our king hath
no knowledge of this; so, come, let us foregather with
him and bring up the talk of her. When his heart it
taken with her, we will counsel him to despatch Abou
Temam to seek her hand in marriage; whereupon her
father will slay him and we shall be quit of him, for we
have had enough of his affair. "

Accordingly, they all went in to the king one day (and
Abou Temam was present among them,) and mentioned
the affair of the damsel, the king's daughter of the Turks,
and enlarged upon her charms, till the king's heart was
taken with her and he said to them, ' We will send one
to demand her in marriage for us ; but who shall be our
messenger?' Quoth the viziers, 'There is none for this
business but Abou Temam, by reason of his wit and good
breeding ; ' and the king said, * Indeed, even as ye say,
none is fitting for this affair but he.' Then he turned
to Abou Temam and said to him, 'Wilt thou not go
with my message and seek me [in marriage] the king's
daughter of the Tvnks ? ' and he answered, * Hearkening
and obedience, O king.'

So they made ready his affair and the king conferred
on him a dress of honour, and he took with him a present
and a letter under the king's hand and setting out, fared
on till he came to the [capital] city of Turkestaa When
the king of the Turks knew of his coming, he despatched
his officers to receive him and entreated him with honour
and lodged him as befitted his rank. Then he entertained

129

him three days, after which he summoned him to his
presence and Abou Temam went in to him and prostrat-
ing himself before him, as beseemeth unto kings, laid
the present before him and gave him the letter.

The king read the letter and said to Abou Temam,
** We will do what behoveth in the matter ; but, O Abou
Temam, needs must thou see my daughter and she thee,
and needs must thou hear her speech and she thine.* So
saying, he sent him to the lodging of the princess, who
had had notice of this; so that they had adorned her
sitting-chamber with the costliest that might be of
utensils of gold and silver and the like, and she seated
herself on a throne of gold, clad in the most sumptuous
of royal robes and ornaments. When Abou Temam
entered, he bethought himself and said, 'The wise say,
he who restraineth his sight shall suffer no evil and he
who guardeth his tongue shall hear nought of foul, and
he who keepeth watch over his hand, it shall be prolonged
and not curtailed.' ' So he entered and seating himself on
the ground, [cast down his eyes and] covered his hands
and feet with his dress.* Quoth the king's daughter to
him, *Lift thy head, O Abou Temam, and look on me
and speak with me.' But he spoke not neither raised
his head, and she continued, 'They sent thee but that
thou mightest look on me and speak with me, and
behold, thou speakest not at alL Take of these pearls

^ This phrase refers to the Arab idiom, " His hand (or arm) is long
or short," i.e. he is a man of great or little puissance.

• The Arabs consider it a want of respect to allow the hands ot feet
to remam exposed in the presence of a superior.

VOL I. 9

130

that be around thee and of these jewels and gold and
silver. But he put not forth his hand unto aught, and
when she saw that he paid no heed to anything, she
was angry and said, *They have sent me a messenger,
blind, dumb and deaC

Then she sent to acquaint her &ther with this ; where-
upon the king called Abou Temam to him and said to
him, * Thou earnest not but to see my daughter. Why,
then, hast thou not looked upon her ? ' Quoth Aboa
Temam, • I saw everything.' And the king said, * Why
didst thou not take somewhat of that which thou sawest
of jewels and the like ? For they were set for thee.' But
he answered, *It behoveth me not to put out my hand
to aught that is not mine.* When the king heard his
speech, he gave him a sumptuous dress of honour and
loved him exceedingly and said to him, 'Come, look at
this pit* So Abou Temam went up [to the mouth of the
pit] and looked, and behold, it was full of heads of men ;
and the king said to him, 'These are the heads of am-
bassadors, whom I slew, for that I saw them without loyalty
to their masters, and I was used, whenas I saw an am-
bassador without breeding,* to say, " He who sent him is
less of breeding than he, for that the messenger is the
tongue of him who sendeth him and his breeding is of
his master's breeding; and whoso is on this wise, it
befitteth not that he be akin to me." « So, because of this,
I used to put the messengers to death; but, as for thee,
thou hast overcome us and won my daughter, of the
excellence of thy breeding; so be of good heart, for she
^ Adeb. See ant^, p. 54, note 9. * iu. that he become vaj son-in-law.

131

is thy master's.* Then he sent him back to king Ilan
Shah with presents and rarities and a letter, saying, ' This
that I have done is in honour of thee and of thine
ambassador.'

When Abou Temam returned with [news of] the ac-
complishment of his errand and brought the presents and
the letter, King Ilan Shah rejoiced in this and redoubled
in showing him honour and made much of him. Some
days thereafterward, the king of Turkestan sent his
daughter and she went in to King Ilan Shah, who rejoiced
in her with an exceeding joy and Abou Temam's worth
was exalted in his sight. When the viziers saw this, they
redoubled in envy and despite and said, * An we contrive
us not a device to rid us of this man, we shall perish
of rage.' So they bethought them [and agreed upon]
a device they should practise.

Then they betook themselves to two boys aflFected to the
[special] service of the king, who slept not but on their
knee,* and they lay at his head, for that they were his pages
of the chamber, and gave them each a thousand dinars
of gold, saying, 'We desire of you that ye do somewhat
for us and take this gold as a provision against your
occasion.' Quoth the boys, 'What is it ye would have
us do?' And the viziers answered, 'This Abou Temam
hath marred our affairs for us, and if his case abide on this
wise, he will estrange us all from the king's favour; and
what we desire of you is that, when ye are alone with the

^ It is a common Eastern practice to have the feet kneaded and
pressed (shampooed) for the purpose of 'nducing sleep, and thus the
king would habitually fall asleep with his feet on the knees of his pages.

13*

king and he leaneth back, as he were asleep, one of you
say to his fellow, "Verily, the king hath taken Abou
Temam into his especial favour and hath advanced him
to high rank with him, yet is he a transgressor against the
king's honour and an accursed one." Then let the other
of you ask, " And what is his transgression ? " And the
first make answer, "He outrageth the king's honoiu- and
saith, *The King of Turkestan was used, whenas one
went to him to seek his daughter in marriage, to slay him ;
but me he spared, for that she took a liking to me, and by
reason of this he sent her hither, because she loved me.* "
Then let his fellow say, " Knowest thou this for truth ? "
And the other reply, " By Allah, this is well known unto
all the folk, but, of their fear of the king, they dare not
bespeak him thereof; and as often as the king is absent
a-hunting or on a journey, Abou Temam comes to her and
is private with her." ' And the boys answered, * We will
say this.*

Accordingly, one nigh^ when they were alone with the
king and he leant back, as he were asleep, they said these
words and the king heard it all and was like to die of
rage and said in himself, 'These are yoxmg boys, not
come to years of discretion, and have no intrigue with
any ; and except they had heard these words from some
one, they had not spoken with each other thereof* When
it was morning, wrath overmastered him, so that he stayed
not neither deliberated, but summoned Abou Temam and
taking him apart, said to him, 'Whoso guardeth not his
lord's honour, ^ what behoveth unto him ? * Quoth Abou
* Syn. whoso respecteth not his lord's women.

133

Temam, * It behoveth that his lord guard not his honour.*
*And whoso entereth the king's house and playeth the
traitor with him,' continued the king, *what behoveth
unto him?' And Abou Temam answered, *He shall not
be left on life.* Whereupon the king spat in his face
and said to him, 'Both these things hast thou done.*
Then he drew his dagger on him in haste and smiting
him in the belly, slit it and he died forthright; where-
upon the king dragged him to a well that was in his
palace and cast him therein.

After he had slain him, he fell into repentance and
mourning and chagrin waxed upon him, and none, who
questioned him, would he acquaint with the cause thereof,
nor, of his love for his wife, did he tell her of this, and
whenas she asked him of [the cause of] his grief, he
answered her not When the viziers knew of Abou
Temam's death, they rejoiced with an exceeding joy and
knew that the king's grief arose from regret for him. As
for Ilan Shah, he used, after this, to betake himself by
night to the sleeping-chamber of the two boys and spy
upon them, so he might hear what they said concerning
his wife. As he stood one night privily at the door of
their chamber, he saw them spread out the gold before
them and play with it and heard one of them say, * Out
on us! What doth this gold profit us? For that we
cannot buy aught therewith neither spend it upon our-
selves. Nay, but we have sinned against Abou Temam
and done him to death unjustly.' And the other answered,
*Had we known that the king would presendy kill him,
we had not done what we did.'

134

When the king heard this, he could not contain himself,
but rushed in upon them and said to them, ' Out on you I
What did ye? Tell me.' And they said, •Pardon, O
king.' Quoth he, * An ye would have pardon from God
and me, it behoveth you to tell me the truth, for nothing
shall save you from me but truth-speaking.' So they
prostrated themselves before him and said, *By Allah,
O king, the viziers gave us this gold and taught us to
lie against Abou Teman, so thou mightest put him to
death, and what we said was their words.' When the
king heard this, he plucked at his beard, till he was like
to tear it up by the roots and bit upon his fingers, till he
well-nigh sundered them in twain, for repentance and
sorrow that he had wrought hastily and had not delayed
fcdth Abou Temam, so he might look into his affair.

Then he sent for the viziers and said to them, *0
wicked viziers, ye thought that God was heedless of your
deed, but your wickedness shall revert upon you. Know
ye not that whoso diggeth a pit for his brother shall fall
into it ? Take from me the punishment of this world and
to-morrow ye shall get the punishment of the world to
come and requital from God.' Then he bade put them to
death; so [the headsman] smote oflF their heads before
the king, and he went in to his wife and acquainted
her with that wherein he had transgressed against Abou
Temam J whereupon she grieved for him with an exceed-
ing grief and the king and the people of his household
left not weeping and repenting all their lives. Moreover,
they brought Abou Temam forth of the well and the king
built him a dome ^ in his palace and buried him therein.
' i^. a domed tomb.

»3S

See, then, O august king," continued the youth, " what
envy doth and injustice and how God caused the viziers'
malice revert upon their own necks; and I trust in God
that He will succour me against ail who envy me my
favour with the king and show forth the truth unto him.
Indeed, I fear not for my life from death ; only 1 tear lest
the king repent of my slaughter, for that I am guiltless of
ofifence, and if I knew that I were guilty of aught, my
tongue would be mute."

When the king heard this, he bowed [his head] in
perplexity and confusion and said, " Carry him back to the
prison till the morrow, so we may look into his afiOur**

^t i^tuti) ISas.

OF DESTINY OR THAT WHICH IS WRITTEN
ON THE FOREHEAD.

When it was the ninth day, the viziers [foregathered
and] said, one to another, ** Verily, this youth baffleth us,
for as often as the king is minded to put him to death, he
beguileth him and ensorcelleth him with a story ; so what
deem ye we should do, that we may slay him and be at
rest from him?" Then they took counsel together and
were of accord that they should go to the king's wife [and
prompt her to urge the king to slaughter the youth. So
they betook themselves to her] and said to her, " Thou
art heedless of this aJSfair wherein thou art and this heed-
lessness will not profit thee; whilst the king is occupied
with eating and drinking and diversion and forgetteth
that the folk beat upon tabrets and sing of thee and say,
'The king's wife loveth the youth;' and what while he
abideth on life, the talk will increase and not diminish."
Quoth she, " By Allah, it was ye set me on against him,
and what shall I do [now]?" And they answered, "Do
thou go in to the king and weep and say to him, * Verily,
the women come to me and tell me that I am become
a byword in the city, and what is thine advantage in the
sparing of this youth ? If thou wilt not slay him, slay me,
■o this talk may be estopped from ua.' *

137

So she arose and tearing hei clothes, went in to the
king, in the presence of the viziers, and cast herself upon
him, saying, "O king, falleth my shame not upon thee
and fearest thou not reproach ? Indeed, this is not of the
behoof of kings that their jealousy over their women
should be thus [laggard]. Thou art heedless and all the
folk of the realm prate of thee, men and women. So
either slay him, that the talk may be cut ofl^ or slay me, if
thy soul will not consent to his slaughter." Thereupon
the king's wrath waxed hot and he said to her, " I have no
pleasure in his continuance [on life] and needs must I
slay him this day. So return to thy house and comfort
thy heart."

Then he bade fetch the youth; so they brought him
before him and the viziers said, " O base of origin, out on
thee I Thy term is at hand and the earth hungereth for
thy body, so it may devour it." But he answered them,
saying, "Death is not in your word nor in your envyj
nay, it is an ordinance written upon the forehead ; where-
fore, if aught be written upon my forehead, needs must
it come to pass, and neither endeavour nor thought-
taking nor precaution will deliver me therefrom; [but it
will surely happen] even as happened to King Ibrahim
and his son." Quoth the king, " Who was King Ibrahim
and who was his son ? " And the youth said, ^ O king,

138

STORY OF KING IBRAHIM AND HIS SON.

There was once a king of the kings, by came Ibrahinii
to whom the kings abased themselves and did obedience ;
but he had no son and was straitened of breast because
of this, fearing lest the kingship go forth of his hand.
He ceased not vehemently to desire a son and to buy
slave-girls and lie with them, till one of them conceived,
whereat he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and gave
gifts and largesse galore. When the girl's months were
accomplished and the season of her delivery drew near,
the king summoned the astrologers and they watched
for the hour of her child-bearing and raised astrolabes
[towards the sun] and took strait note of the time. The
damsel gave birth to a male child, whereat the king
rejoiced with an exceeding joy, and the people heartened
each other with the glad news of this.

Then the astrologers made their calculations and looked
into his nativity and his ascendant, whereupon their colour
changed and they were confounded. Quoth the king to
them, * Acquaint me with his horoscope and ye shall have
assurance and fear ye not of aught' *0 king,' answered
they, 'this child's nativity denotes that, in the seventh
year of his age, there is to be feared for him from a lion,
which will attack him ; and if he be saved from the lion,
there will betide an affair yet sorer and more grievous.*
• What is that ? ' asked the king ; and they said, * We will
not speak, except the king command us thereto and give
us assurance from [that which wej fear.' Quoth the king,

139

* God assure you 1 * And they said, * If he be saved from
the lion, the king's destruction will be at his hand/
When the king heard this, his colour changed and his
breast was straitened; but he said in himself, *I will be
watchful and do my endeavour and suffer not the lion
to eat him. It cannot be that he will kill me, and indeed
the astrologers lied.*

Then he caused rear him among the nurses and
matrons; but withal he ceased not to ponder the saying
of the astrologers and indeed his life was troubled. So
he betook himself to the top of a high mountain and
dug there a deep pit and made in it many dwelling-places
and closets and filled it with all that was needful of
victual and raiment and what not else and made in it
conduits of water from the mountain and lodged the boy
therein, with a nurse who should rear him. Moreover,
at the first of each month he used to go to the mountain
and stand at the mouth of the pit and let down a rope
he had with him and draw up the boy to him and strain
him to his bosom and kiss him and play with him awhile,
after which he would let him down again into the pit
to his place and return; and he used to count the days
till the seven years should pass by.

When came the time [of the accomplishment] of the
foreordered fate and the fortune graven on the forehead
and there abode for the boy but ten days till the seven
years should be complete, there came to the mountain
hunters hunting wild beasts and seeing a lion, gave chase
to him. He fled from them and seeking refuge in the
mountain, fell into the pit in its midst. The nurse saw

140

him forthright and fled from him into one of the closets ;
whereupon the lion made for the boy and seizing upon
him, tore his shoulder, after which he sought the closet
wherein was the nurse and falling upon her, devoured
her, whilst the boy abode cast down in a swoon. Mean-
while, when the hunters saw that the lion had fallen into
the pit, they came to the mouth thereof and heard the
shrieking of the boy and the woman; and after awhile
the cries ceased, whereby they knew that the lion had
made an end of them.

Presently, as they stood by the mouth of the pit^
the lion came scrambling up the sides and would have
issued forth; but, as often as he showed his head,
they pelted him with stones, till they beat him down
and he fell j whereupon one of the hunters descended into
the pit and despatched him and saw the boy wounded;
after which he went to the cabinet, where he found the
woman dead, and indeed the lion had eaten his fill of her.
Then he noted that which was therein of clothes and what
not else, and advising his fellows thereoi^ fell to passing
the stuflf up to them. Moreover, he took up the boy and
bringing him forth of the pit, carried him to their dwelling-
place, where they dressed his wounds and he grew up with
them, but acquainted them not with his affair ; and indeed,
when they questioned him, he knew not what he should
say, for that he was little, when they let him down into
the pit. The hunters marvelled at his speech and loved
him with an exceeding love and one of them took him to
ton and abode rearing him with him [and instructing hira]
in hunting and riding on horseback, till he attained the

141

age of twelve and became a champion, going forth with
the folk to the chase and to the stopping of the way.

It chanced one day that they sallied forth to stop the
way and fell in upon a caravan in the night; but the
people of the caravan were on their guard ; so they joined
battle with the robbers and overcame them and slew them
and the boy fell wounded and abode cast down in that
place till the morrow, when he opened his eyes and finding
his comrades slain, lifted himself up and rose to walk
in the way. Presently, there met him a man, a treasure-
seeker, and said to him, 'Whither goest thou, O youth?'
So he told him what had betided him and the other said,
* Be of good heart, for that [the season of] thy fair fortune
is come and God bringeth thee joy and solace. I am one
who am in quest of a hidden treasure, wherein is vast
wealth. So come with me, that thou mayst help me, and
I will give thee wealth, wherewith thou shalt provide thy-
self thy life long.' Then he carried the youth to his
dwelling and dressed his wound, and he abode with him
some days, till he was rested ; when he took him and two
beasts and all that he needed, and they fared on till they
came to a precipitous mountain.

Here the treasure-seeker brought out a book and reading
therein, dug in the crest of the mountain five cubits deep,
whereupon there appeared to him a stone. He pulled
it up and behold, it was a trap-door covering the mouth
of a pit. So he waited till the [foul] air was come forth
from the midst of the pit, when he bound a rope about the
bojr's middle and let him down to the bottom, and with
him a lighted flambeau. The boy looked and beheld,

142

at the upper end of the pit, wealth galore ; so the treasure-
seeker let down a rope and a basket and the boy fell to
filling and the man to drawing up, till the latter had gotten
his sufficiency, when he loaded his beasts and did his
occasion, whilst the boy looked for him to let down to
him the rope and draw him up; but he rolled a great
stone to the mouth of the pit and went away.

When the boy saw what the treasure-seeker had done
with him he committed his affair to God (extolled be His
perfection and exalted be He !) and abode perplexed
concerning his case and said, * How bitter is this death I '
For that indeed the world was darkened on him and the
pit was blinded to him. So he fell a-weeping and saying,

♦ I was delivered from the lion and the thieves and now
is my death [appointed to be] in this pit, where I shall
die lingeringly.' And he abode confounded and looked
for nothing but death. As he pondered [his aflfair],
behold, he heard a sound of water running with a mighty
noise ; so he arose and walked in the pit, following after
the sound, till he came to a comer and heard the mighty
running of water. So he laid his ear to the sound of the
current and hearing it a great strength, said in himself

* This is the running of a mighty water and needs must
I die in this place, be it to-day or to-morrow j so I will
cast myself into the water and not die a lingering death in
this pit*

Then he braced up his courage and gathering his skirts
about him, threw himself into the water, and it bore him
along with an exceeding might and carrying him under
the earth, stayed not till it brought him out into a deep

>43

valley, wherethrough ran a great river, that welled up
from under the earth. When he found himself on the
surface of the earth, he abode perplexed and dazed all
that day ; after which he came to himself and rising, fared
on along the valley, till he came to an inhabited land and
a great village in the dominions of the king his father.
So he entered the village and foregathered with its in-
habitants, who questioned him of his case ; whereupon
he related to them his history and they marvelled at him,
how God had delivered him from all this. Then he took
up his abode with them and they loved him exceedingly.

To return to the king his father. When he went to the
pit, as of his wont, and called the nurse, she returned him
no answer, whereat his breast was straitened and he let
down a man who [found the nurse dead and the boy gone
and] acquainted the king therewith ; which when he heard,
he buffeted his head and wept passing sore and descended
into the midst of the pit, so he might see how the case
stood. There he found the nurse slain and the lion dead,
but saw not the boy ; so he [returned and] acquainted the
astrologers with the verification of their words, and they
said, * O king, the lion hath eaten him j destiny hath been
accomplished upon him and thou art delivered from his
hand ; for, had he been saved from the lion, by Allah, we
had feared for thee from him, for that the king's de-
struction should have been at his hand.' So the king left
[sorrowing for] this and the days passed by and the a£Fair
was forgottea

Meanwhile, the boy [grew up and] abode with the
people of the village, and when God willed the ac-

144

complishment of His ordinance, the wht-li endeavoar
availeth not to avert, he went forth with a company of
the villagers, to stop the way. The folk compUined
of them to the king, who saUied out with a company of
his men and surrounded the highwaymen and the boy
with them, whereupon the latter drew forth an arrow and
launched it at them, and it smote the king in his vitals and
wounded him. So they carried him to his house, after
they had laid hands upon the youth and his companions
and brought them before the king, saying, *What biddest
thou that we do with them ? * Quoth he, ' I am presently
in concern for myself; so bring me the astrologers/ Ac-
cordingly, they brought them before him and Ke said
to them, ' Ye told me that my death should be by slaying
at the hand of my son : how, then, befalleth it that I have
gotten my death-wound on this wise of yonder thieves?'
The astrologers marvelled and said to him, * O king, it is
not impossible to the lore of the stars, together with the
fore-ordinance of God, that he who hath smitten thee
should be thy son.'

When Ibrahim heard this, he let fetch the thieves
and said to them, 'Tell me truly, which of you shot the
arrow that wounded me.' Quoth they, * It was this youth
that is with us.' Whereupon the king fell to looking
upon him and said to him, *0 youth, acquaint me with
thy case and tell me who was thy father and thou shall have
assurance from God.' * O my lord,' answered the youth,
*I know no father; as for me, my father lodged me in
a pit [when I was little], with a nurse to rear me, and
one day, there fell in upon us a Uon, which tore my

145

shoulder, then left me and occupied himself with the
nurse and rent her in pieces ; and God vouchsafed me
one who brought me forth of the pit* Then he related
to him all that had befallen him, first and last ; which
when Ibrahim heard, he cried out and said, ' By Allah,
this is my very son ! ' And he said to him, * Uncover thy
shoulder.* So he uncovered it and behold, it was scarred.

Then the king assembled his nobles and commons and
the astrologers and said to them, * Know that what God
hath graven upon the forehead, be it fair fortune or
calamity, none may avail to efface, and all that is decreed
unto a man he must needs abide. Indeed, this my care-
taking and my endeavour profited me nought, for that
which God decreed unto my son, he hath abidden and
that which He decreed unto me hath betided me. Never-
theless, I praise God and thank Him for that this was at
my son's hand and not at the hand of another, and praised
be He for that the kingship is come to my son I ' And
he strained the youth to his breast and embraced him
and kissed him, saying, 'O my son, this matter was on
such a wise, and of my care and watchfulness over thee
from destiny, I lodged thee in that pit; but caretaking
availed not' Then he took the crown of the kingship
and set it on his son's head and caused the folk and the
people swear fealty to him and commended the subjects
to his care and enjoined him to justice and equity. And
he took leave of him that night and died and his son
reigned in his stead.

On like wise, O king," continued the young treasurer,
"is it with thee. If God have written aught on my fore^

VOL. I. 10

146

head, needs must it befall me and my speech to the kmg
shall not profit me, no, nor my adducing to him of
[illustrative] instances, against the fore-ordinance of God.
So with these viziers, for all their eagerness and endeavour
for my destruction, this shall not profit them ; for, if God
[be minded to] save me, He will give me the victory over
them."

When the king heard these words, he abode in per-
plexity and said, "Restore him to the prison till the
morrow, so we may look into his aflfair, for the day
draweth to an end and I mean to put him to death on
exemplary wise, and [to-morrow] we will do with him
that which he meriteth.'*

OF THE APPOINTED TERM,* WHICH, IF IT
BE ADVANCED, MAY NOT BE DEFERRED
AND IF IT BE DEFERRED, MAY NOT BE
ADVANCED.

When it was the tenth day, (now this day was called El
Mihrjan' and it was the day of the coming in of the folk,
gentle and simple, to the king, so they might give him joy
and salute him and go forth), the counsel of the viziers
fell of accord that they should speak with a company of
the notables of the city [and urge them to demand of the
king that he should presently put the youth to death]. So
they isaid to them, '* When ye go in to-day to the king and
salute him, do ye say to him, 'O king, (to God be the
praise !) thou art praiseworthy of policy and governance,
just to all thy subjects ; but this youth, to whom thou hast
been bountiful, yet hath he reverted to his base origin and
wrought this foul deed, what is thy purpose in his con-
tinuance [on life]? Indeed, thou hast prisoned hirn in
thy house, and every day thou hearest his speech and thou

' Of a man's life. The Muslims believe each man's last hour to he
written in a book called " The Preserved Tablet."

• t>. the Autumnal Equinox, one of the two great festival days (the
other being the New Year) of the Persians. See my " Book of the
Thousand Nights and One Night," VoL IV. p. 144.

143

knowest not what the folk say.' " And they answered with»
" Hearkening and obedience.**

So, when they entered with the folk and had prostrated
themselves before the king and given him joy and he had
raised their rank, [they sat down]. Now it was the custom
of the folk to salute and go forth j so, when they sat down,
the king knew that they had a word that they would fain
say. So he turned to them and said, ** Ask your need.**
And the viziers also were present. Accordingly, they
bespoke him with all that these latter had taught them
and the viziers also spoke with them ; and Azadbekht said
to them, " O folk, I know that this your speech, there is
no doubt of it, proceedeth from love and loyal counsel to
me, and ye know that, were I minded to slay half these
tolk, I could avail to put them to death and this would not
be difficult to me ; so how shall I not slay this youth and
he in my power and under the grip of my hand ? Indeed,
his crime is manifest and he hath incurred pain of death
and I have only deferred his slaughter by reason of the
greatness of the offence ; for, if I do this with him and my
proof against him be strengthened, my heart is healed and
the heart of the folk ; and if I slay him not to-day, his
slaughter shall not escape me to-morrow.**

Then he bade fetch the youth and when he was present
before him, he prostrated himself to him and prayed for
him ; whereupon quoth the king to him, •* Out on thee I
How long shall the folk upbraid me on thine account
and blame me for delaying thy slaughter? Even the
people of my city blame me because of thee, so that
I am grown a talkiug-stock among them, and indeed they

149

come in to me and upbraid me [and urge me] to put
thee to death. How long shall I delay this? Indeed,
this very day I mean to shed thy blood and rid the folk
of thy prate."

**0 king," answered the youth, "if there have betided
thee talk because of me, by Allah, by Allah the Great,
those who have brought on thee this talk from the folk
are these wicked viziers, who devise with the folk and
tell them foul things and evil concerning the king's house ;
but I trust in God that He will cause their malice to
revert upon their heads. As for the king's menace of
me with slaughter, I am in the grasp of his hand; so
let not the king occupy his mind with my slaughter, for
that I am like unto the sparrow in the hand of the fowler ;
if he will, he slaughtereth him, and if he will, he looseth
him. As for the delaying of my slaughter, it [proceedeth]
not [from] the king, but from Him in whose hand is my
life; for, by Allah, O king, if God willed my slaughter,
thou couldst not avail to postpone it, no, not for a single
hour. Indeed, man availeth not to fend off evil from
himself, even as it was with the son of King Suleiman
Shah, whose anxiety and carefulness for the accomplish-
ment of his desire of the new-bom child [availed him
nothing], for his last hour was deferred how many a time !
and God saved him until he had accomplished his [fore-
ordained] period and had fulfilled [the destined term of]
his life."

"Out on thee I** exclaimed the king. "How great is
thy craft and thy talk I Tell me, what was their story."
And the youth said, " O king,

ISO

STORY OF KING SULEIMAN SHAH AND
HIS SONS.

There was once a king named Suleiman Shah, who was
goodly of polity and judgment, and he had a brother
who died and left a daughter. So Suleiman Shah reared
her on the goodliest wise and the girl grew up, endowed
with reason and perfection, nor was there in her time
a fairer than she. Now the king had two sons, one of
whom he had appointed in himself that he would marry
her withal, and the other purposed in himself that he
would take her. The elder son's name was Belehwan
and that of the younger Melik Shah, and the girl waa
called Shah Khatoun.

One day. King Suleiman Shah went in to his brother's
daughter and kissing her head, said to her, 'Thou art
my daughter and dearer to me than a child, for the love
of thy father deceased ; wherefore I am minded to marry
thee to one of my sons and appoint him my heir apparent,
so he may be king after me. Look, then, which thou
wilt have of my sons, for that thou hast been reared with
them and knowest them.' The damsel arose and kissing
his hand, said to him, * O my lord, I am thine handmaid
and thou art the ruler over me ; so whatsoever pleaseth
thee, do, for that thy wish is higher and more honourable
and nobler [than mine] and if thou wouldst have me serve
thee, [as a handmaid], the rest of my life, it were liefer
to me than any [husband].'

151

The king approved her speech and bestowed on hei
E dress of honour and gave her magnificent gifts; after
which, for that his choice had fallen upon his younger
son, Melik Shah, he married her with him and made him
his heir apparent and caused the folk swear fealty to
him. When this came to the knowledge of his brother
Belehwan and he was ware that his younger brother had
been preferred over him, his breast was straitened and
the affair was grievous to him and envy entered into
him and rancour; but he concealed this in his heart,
whilst fire raged therein because of the damsel and the
kingship.

Meanwhile Shah Khatoun went in to the king's son
and conceived by him and bore a son, as he were the
resplendent moon. When Belehwan saw this that had
betided his brother, jealousy and envy overcame him;
BO he went in one night to his father's house and coming
to his brother's lodging, saw the nurse sleeping at the
chamber-door, with the cradle before her and therein his
brother's child asleep. Belehwan stood by him and fell
to looking upon his face, the radiance whereof was as
that of the moon, and Satan insinuated himself into his
heart, so that he bethought himself and said, 'Why is
not this child mine ? Indeed, I am worthier of him than
my brother, [yea], and of the damsel and the kingship.'
Then envy got the better of him and anger spurred
him, so that he took out a knife and setting it to the
child's gullet, cut his throat and would have severed his
windpipe.

So he left him for dead and entering his brother's

152

chamber, saw him asleep, with the damsel by his side,
and thought to slay her, but said in himself^ * I will leave
the damsel for myself.' Then he went up to his brother
and cutting his throat, severed his head from his body,
after which he left him and went away. Therewithal
the world was straitened upon him and his life was a
light matter to him and he sought his father Suleiman
Shah's lodging, that he might slay him, but could not
win to him. So he went forth from the palace and hid
himself in the city till the morrow, when he repaired to
one of his father's strengths and fortified himself therein.

Meanwhile, the nurse awoke, that she might give the
child suck, and seeing the bed running with blood, cried
out; whereupon the sleepers and the king awoke and
making for the place, found the child with his throat
cut and the cradle running over with blood and his
lather slain and dead in his sleeping chamber. So they
examined the child and found life in him and his wind-
pipe whole and sewed up the place of the wound. Then
the king sought his son Belehwan, but found him not
and saw that he had fled ; whereby he knew that it was
he who had done this deed, and this was grievous to
the king and to the people of his realm and to the lady
Shah Katoun. So the king laid out his son Melik Shah
and buried him and made him a mighty hmeral and they
mourned passing sore; after which he addressed himself
to the rearing of the infant

As for Belehwan, when he fled and fortified himself,
his power waxed amain and there remained for him but
to make war upon his father, who had cast his affection

153

upon the child and used to rear him on his knees and
supplicate God the Most High that he might live, so
he might commit the commandment to him. When he
came to five years of age, the king mounted him on
horseback and the people of the city rejoiced in him
and invoked on him length of life, so he might take
his father's leavings* and [heal] the heart of his grand-
father.

Meanwhile, Belehwan the froward addressed himself to
pay court to Caesar, King of the Greeks,* and seek help
of him in making war upon his father, and he inclined
unto him and gave him a numerous army. His father
the king heard of this and sent to Caesar, saying, * O king
of illustrious might, succour not an evil-doer. This is my
son and he hath done thus and thus and cut his brother's
throat and that of his brother's son in the cradle.' But
he told not the King of the Greeks that the child [had
recovered and] was alive. When Caesar heard [the truth]
of the matter, it was grievous to him and he sent back to
Suleiman Shah, saying, * If it be thy will, O king, I will
cut off his head and send it to thee.' But he made
answer, saying, * I reck not of him : the reward of his
deed and his crimes shall surely overtake him, if not
tOHiay, then to-morrow.' And from that day he con-
tinued to correspond with Caesar and to exchange letters
and presents with him.

* i^, heritage.

■ i.e. The Emperor of the Romans of the Lower Empire, so called by
the Arabs. "Caesar" is their generic term for the Emperors of Con
staatinople, as is Kisra (Chosroes) for the ancient Kings of Persia.

154

Now the king of the Greeks heard tell of the damsel'
and of the beauty and grace wherewith she was gifted,
wherefore his heart clave to her and he sent to seek
her in marriage of Suleiman Shah, who could not refuse
him. So he arose and going in to Shah Khatoun, said
to her, ' O my daughter, the king of the Greeks hath sent
to me to seek thee in marriage. What sayst thou?*
She wept and answered, saying, * O king, how canst
thou find it in thy heart to bespeak me thus? Abideth
there husband for me, after the son of my uncle ? ' * O my
daughter,' rejoined the king, * it is indeed as thou sayest ;
but let us look to the issues of affairs. Needs must I take
account of death, for that I am an old man and fear not
but for thee and for thy little son; and indeed I have
written to the king of the Greeks and others of the kings
and said, "His uncle slew him," and said not that he
[hath recovered and] is living, but concealed his affair.
Now hath the king of the Greeks sent to demand thee
in marriage, and this is no thing to be refused and fain
would we have our back strengthened with him.'" And
she was silent and spoke not

So King Suleiman Shah made answer unto Caesar with
•Hearkening and obedience.' Then he arose and de-
spatched her to him, and Caesar went in to her and found
her overpassing the description wherewithal they had
described her to him; wherefore he loved her with an
exceeding love and preferred her over all his women
and his love for Suleiman Shah was magnified; but Shah

* It. Shah Khatoun.

* i.e. our power increased bj his alliance, a familiar Arab idiom.

155

Khatoun'a heart still clave to her son and she could
say nought. As for Suleiman Shah's rebellious son,
Belehwan, when he savir that Shah Khatoun had married
the king of the Greeks, this was grievous to him and
he despaired of her. Meanwhile, his father Suleiman
Shah kept strait watch over the child and cherished him
and named him Melik Shah, after the name of his father.
When he reached the age of ten, he made the folk swear
fealty to him and appointed him his heir apparent, and
after some days, [the hour of] the old king's admission
[to the mercy of God] drew near and he died.

Now a party of the troops had banded themselves
together for Belehwan ; so they sent to him and bringing
him privily, went in to the little Melik Shah and seized
him and seated his uncle Belehwan on the throne of the
kingship. Then they proclaimed him king and did
homage to him all, saying, 'Verily, we desire thee and
deliver to thee the throne of the kingship ; but we wish
of thee that thou slay not thy brother's son, for that on
our consciences are the oaths we swore to his father and
grandfather and the covenants we made with them.' So
Belehwan granted them this and imprisoned the boy in an
undergroimd dungeon and straitened him. Presently, the
heavy news reached his mother and this was grievous to
her; but she could not speak and committed her affair
to God the Most High, daring not name this to King
Caesar her husband, lest she should make her uncle King
Suleiman Shah a liar.

So Belehwan the froward abode king in his father's
room and his affairs prospered, what while the young

156

Melik Shah lay in the underground dungeon four full-told
years, till his charms faded and his favomr changed. When
God (extolled be His perfection and exalted be He I)
willed to relieve him and bring him forth of the prison,
Belehwan sat one day with his chief officers and the
grandees of his state and discoursed with them of the
story of King Suleiman Shah and what was in his heart
Now there were present certain viziers, men of worth, and
they said to him, * O king, verily God hath been bountiful
unto thee and hath brought thee to thy wish, so that thou
art become king in thy father's stead and hast gotten thee
that which thou soughtest. But, as for this boy, there is
no guilt in him, for that, from the day of his coming into
the world, he hath seen neither ease nor joyance, and
indeed his favour is faded and his charms changed [with
long prison]. What is his offence that he should merit
this punishment ? Indeed, it is others than he who were
to blame, and God hath given thee the victory over them,
and there is no fault in this poor wight.' Quoth Belehwan,
* Indeed, it is as ye say ; but I am fearful of his craft and
am not assured from his mischief; belike the most part
of the folk will incline unto him.' * O king,' answered
they, ' what is this boy and what power hath he ? If thou
fear him, send him to one of the frontiers.' And Belehwan
said, * Ye say sooth : we will send him to be captain over
such an one of the marches.'

Now over against the place in question was a host of
enemies, hard of heart, and in this he purposed the youth's
slaughter. So he bade bring him forth of the underground
dungeon and caused him draw near to him and saw his

157

case. Then he bestowed on him a dress of honour and
the folk rejoiced in this. Moreover, he tied him an ensigm
and giving him a numerous army, despatched him to the
region aforesaid, whither all who went were still slain or
made prisoners. So Melik Shah betook himself thither
with his army and when it was one of the days, behold, the
enemy fell in upon them in the night ; whereupon some of
his men fled and the rest the enemy took ; and they took
Melik Shah also and cast him into an underground
dungeon, with a company of his men. There he abode
a whole year in evil plight, whilst his fellows mourned
over his beauty and grace.

Now it was the enemy's wont, at every year's end, to
bring forth their prisoners and cast them down from the
top of the citadel to the bottom. So they brought them
forth, at the end of the year, and cast them down, and
Melik Shah with them. However, he fell upon the [other]
men and the earth touched him not, for his term was
[God-]guarded. Now those that were cast down there
were slain and their bodies ceased not to lie there till the
wild beasts ate them and the winds dispersed them. Melik
Shah abode cast down in his place, aswoon, all that day
and night, and when he recovered and found himself
whole, he thanked God the Most High for his safety [and
rising, fared on at a venture]. He gave not over walking,
unknowing whither he went and feeding upon the leaves
of the trees ; and by day he hid himself whereas he might
and fared on all his night at hazard ; and thus he did some

' In token of deputation of authority, a ceremony osaal on the ap<
pointment of a governor of a province.

158

da3rs, till he came to an inhabited land and seeing folk
there, accosted them and acquainted them with his case,
giving them to know that he had been imprisoned in the
fortress and that they had cast him down, but God the
Most High had delivered him and brought him oflf alive.

The folk took compassion on him and gave him to
eat and drink and he abode with them awhile. Then he
questioned them of the way that led to the kingdom of his
uncle Belehwan, but told them not that he was his uncle.
So they taught him the way and he ceased not to go
barefoot, till he drew near his uncle's capital, and he
naked and hungry, and indeed his body was wasted and
his colour changed. He sat down at the gate of the city,
and presently up came a company of King Beleliwan's
chief officers, who were out a-hunting and wished to water
their horses. So they lighted down to rest and the youth
accosted them, saying, * I will ask you of somewhat, where-
with do ye acquaint me.' Quoth they, *Ask what thou
wilt.' And he said, 'Is King Belehwan well?' They
laughed at him and answered, 'What a fool art thou, O
youth 1 Thou art a stranger and a beggar, and what
concern hast thou vrith the king's health?' Quoth he,
'Indeed, he is my uncle j' whereat they marvelled and
said, 'It was one question^ and now it is become two.'
Then said they to him, 'O youth, it is as thou wert
mad. Whence pretendest thou to kinship with the king?
Indeed, we know not that he hath aught of kinsfolk,
except a brother's son, who was prisoned with him, and
he despatched him to wage war upon the infidels, so that
* Or enigauu

159

they slew him.' *I am he,' answered Melik Shah, *and
they slew me not, but there betided me this and that'

They knew him forthright and rising to him, kissed his
bands and rejoiced in him and said to him, ' O our lord,
in good sooth, thou art a king and the son of a king, and
we desire thee nought but good and beseech [God to
grant] thee continuance. Consider how God hath rescued
thee from this thy wicked uncle, who sent thee to a place
whence none came ever oflf alive, purposing not in this but
thy destruction; and indeed thou fellest into [peril of]
death and God delivered thee therefrom. So how wilt
thou return and cast thyself again into thine enemy's
hand? By Allah, save thyself and return not to him
again. Belike thou shalt abide upon the face of the
earth till it please God the Most High [to vouchsafe thee
relief] ; but, if thou fall again into his hand, he will not
suffer thee live a single hour.*

The prince thanked them and said to them, *God re-
quite you with all good, for indeed ye give me loyal
counsel; but whither would ye have me go?* Quoth
they, 'Get thee to the land of the Greeks, the abiding-
place of thy mother.' And he said, 'My grandfather
Suleiman Shah, when the King of the Greeks wrote to
him, demanding my mother in marriage, concealed my
affair and hid my secret; [and she hath done the like,]
and I cannot make her a liar.' 'Thou sayst sooth,' re-
joined they; 'but we desire thine advantage, and even
if thou tookest service with the folk, it were a means of
thy continuance [on life].' Then each of them brought
out to him money and gave to him and clad him and fed

IGO

him and fared on with him a parasang's distance till they
brought him far from the city, and giving him to know
that he was safe, departed from him, whilst he fared on
till he came forth of the dominions of his uncle and
entered those [of the king] of the Greeks. Then he
entered a village and taking up his abode therein, betook
himself to serving one there in ploughing and sowing and
the like.

As for his mother, Shah Khatoun, great was her longing
for her son and she [still] thought of him and news of him
was cut off from her, wherefore her life was troubled and
she forswore sleep and could not make mention of him
before King Caesar her husband. Now she had an eunuch
who had come with her from the court of her uncle Ring
Suleiman Shah, and he was intelligent, quickwitted, a man
of good counsel So she took him apart one day and said
to him, 'Thou hast been my servant from my childhood
to this day ; canst thou not therefore avail to get me news
of my son, for that I cannot speak of his matter?' *0 my
lady,' answered he, 'this is an affair that thou hast con-
cealed from the first, and were thy son here, it would not
be possible for thee to harbour him, lest tbine honour
fall into suspicion with the king; for they would never
credit thee, since the news hath been spread abroad that
thy son was slain by his imcle.' Quoth she, 'The case
is even as thou sayst and thou speakest truly ; but, pro-
vided I know that my son is alive, let him be in these
parts pasturing sheep and let me not see him nor he me.*
And he said to her, * How shall we contrive in this affair ? *
'Here are my treasures and my wealth,' answered she.

\y'

-^-£^fXtLUA^ Pin.

i6i

•Takj all thou wilt and bring me my son or else news
of him.'

Then they agreed upon a device between them, to wit,
that they should feign an occasion in their own country,
under pretext that she had there wealth buried from the
time of her husband Melik Shah and that none knew of it
but this eunuch who was with her, wherefore it behoved
that he should go and fetch it So she acquainted the
king her husband with this and sought of him leave for
the eunuch to go: and the king granted him permission
for the journey and charged him cast about for a device,
lest any get wind of him. Accordingly, the eunuch dis-
guised himself as a merchant and repairing to Belehwan's
city, began to enquire concerning the youth's case ; where-
upon they told him that he had been prisoned in an
underground dungeon and that his uncle had released
him and dispatched him to such a place, where they had
slain him. When the eunuch heard this, it was grievous
to him and his breast was straitened and he knew not
what he should do.

It chanced one day that one of the horsemen, who had
fallen in with the young Melik Shah by the water and clad
him and given him spending-money, saw the eunuch in
the city, disguised as a merchant, and recognizing him,
questioned him of his case and of [the reason of] his
coming. Quoth he, *I come to sell merchandise.' And
the horseman said, *I will tell thee somewhat, if thou
canst keep it secret.' * It is well,' answered the eunuch ;
*what is it?' And the other said, *We met the king's
son Melik Shah, I and certain of the Arabs who were witl^

VOL. I. II

1 62

me, and saw him by such a water and gave him spending-
money and sent him towards the land of the Greeks, near
his mother^ for that we feared for him, lest his uncle
Belehwan should kill him.' Then he told him all that had
passed between them, whereupon the eunuch's counten-
ance changed and he said to the cavaUer, 'Assurance!*
*Thou shalt have assurance,' answered the other, 'though
thou come in quest of him,' And the eunuch rejoined,
saying, 'Truly, that is my errand, for there abideth no
repose for his mother, lying down or rising up, and she
hath sent me to seek news of him.* Quoth the cavalier,
*Go in safety, for he is in a [certain] part of the land of
the Greeks, even as I said to thee.*

The eunuch thanked him and blessed him and mount-
ing, returned upon his way, following the trace, whilst the
cavalier rode with him to a certain road, when he said to
him, 'This is where we left him.' Then he took leave
of him and returned to his own city, whilst the eunuch
fored on along the road, enquiring of the youth in every
village he entered by the description which the cavalier
had given him, and he ceased not to do thus till he came
to the village where the young Melik Shah was. So he
entered and lighting down therein, made enquiry after
the prince, but none gave him news of him ; whereat he
abode perplexed concerning his affair and addressed him-
self to depart Accordingly he mounted his horse [and
set out homeward] ; but, as he passed through the village,
he saw a cow bound with a rope and a youth asleep by
her side, with the end of the halter in his hand; so he
looked at him and passed on and took no heed of him

i63

in his heart; but presently he stopped and said in him-
selfi *If he of whom I am in quest be come to the like
[of the condition] of yonder sleeping youth, by whom I
passed but now, how shall I know him ? Alas, the length
of my travail and weariness ! How shall I go about in
quest of a wight whom I know not and whom, if I saw
him face to face, I should not know ? '

Then he turned back, pondering upon that sleeping
youth, and coming to him, as he slept, lighted down
from his horse and sat down by him. He fixed his
eyes upon his face and considered him awhile and said
in himself 'For aught I know, this youth may be Melik
Shah.' And he fell a-hemming and saying, 'Harkye,
O youth 1 * Whereupon the sleeper awoke and sat up j
and the eunuch said to him, * Who is thy father in
this village and where is thy dwelling?' The youth
sighed and answered, 'I am a stranger;' and the eunuch
said, 'From what land art thou and who is thy father?'
Quoth the other, 'I am from such a land,' and the
eunuch ceased not to question him and he to answer
him, till he was certified of him and knew him. So
he rose and embraced him and kissed him and wept
over his case. Moreover, he told him that he was going
about in quest of him and informed him that he was
come privily from the king his mother's husband and
that his mother would be content [to know] that he
was alive and well, though she saw him not.

Then he re-entered the village and buying the prince
a horse, moimted him thereon and they ceased not going,
till they came to the frontier of their own country, where

i64

tiiere feli robbers npon them by the way and took all that
was with them and pinioned them; after which they cast
them into a pit hard by the road and went away and left
them to die there, and indeed they had cast many folk
into that pit and they had died.

The eunuch fell a-weeping in the pit and the jrouth said
to him, 'What is this weeping and what shall it profit
here ? ' Quoth the eunuch, * I weep not for fear of death,
but of pity for thee and the sorriness of thy case and
because of thy mother's heart and for that which thou
hast suffered of horrors and that thy death should be this
abject death, after the endurance of ^H manner stresses.'
But the youth said, 'That which hath betided me was
forewrit to me and that which is written none hath power
to efface ; and if my term be advanced, none may avail to
defer it' * Then they passed that night and the following
day and the next night and the next day [in the pit], till
they were weak with hunger and came near upon death
and could but groan feebly.

Now it befell, by the ordinance of God the Most High
and His providence, that Caesar, king of the Greeks, the
husband of Melik Shah's mother Shah Khatoun, [went
forth to the chase that day]. He started a head of game,
he and his company, and chased it, till they came up with
it by that pit, whereupon one of them lighted down from
his horse, to slaughter it, hard by the mouth of the pit.
He heard a sound of low moaning from the bottom of the
pit; so he arose and mounting his horse, waited till the

^ ii.it my death be ordained of destiny to befall <n an early day,
: may avail to postpone it to a later daj.

16$

troopj were assembled. Then he acquainted the king
with this and he bade one of his servants [descend into
the pit]. So the man descended and brought oat the
youth [and the eunuch], aswoon.

They cut their bonds and poured wine into their gullets,
till they came to themselves, when the king looked at the
eunuch and recognizing him, said, *Harkye, such an one I'
* Yes, O my lord the king,' replied the man and prostrated
himself to him; whereat the king marvelled with an
exceeding wonder and said to him, * How earnest thou
to this place and what hath befallen thee?" Quoth the
eunuch, *I went and took out the treasure and brought
it hither; but the [evil] eye was behind me and I
unknowing. So the thieves took us alone here and
seized the money and cast us into this pit, so we might
die of hunger, even as they had done with other than
we J but God the Most High sent thee, in pity to us.'

The king marvelled, he and his company, and praised
God the Most High for that he had come thither; after
which he turned to the eunuch and said to him, 'What
is this youth thou hast with thee?' 'O king,' answered
he, * this is the son of a nurse who belonged to us and
we left him little. I saw him to-day and his mother
said to me, 'Take him with thee.' So I brought him
with me, that he might be a servant to the king, for
that he is an adroit and quickwitted youth.' Then the
king fared on, he and his company, and the eunuch and
the youth with them, what while he questioned the former
of Belehwan and his dealing with his subjects, and he
answered, saying, *As thy head liveth, O king, the folk

i66

with him are in sore straits and not one of them desireth
to look on him, gentle or simple.'

[When the king returned to his palace,] he went in to
his wife Shah Khatomi and said to her, ' I give thee the
glad news of thine eunuch's return,' And he told her
what had betided and of the youth whom he had brought
with him. When she heard this, her wits fled and she
would have cried out, but her reason restrained her, and
the king said to her, * What is this ? Art thou overcome
with grief for [the loss of] the treasure or [for that which
hath befallen] the eunuch?' 'Nay, as thy head liveth,
O king I ' answered she. * But women are fainthearted.'
Then came the servant and going in to her, told her all
that had befallen him and acquainted her with her son's
case also and with that which he had suffered of stresses
and how his uncle had exposed him to slaughter and he
had been taken prisoner and they had cast him into the
pit and hurled him from the top of the citadel and how
Grod had delivered him from these perils, all of them ; and
he went on to tell her [all that had betided him], whilst
she wept

Then said she to him, 'When the king saw him and
questioned thee of him, what saidst thou to him ? ' And
he answered, ' I said to him, " This is the son of a nurse
who belonged to us. We left him little and he grew up ;
so I brought him, that he might be servant to the king." '
Quoth she, ' Thou didst well.' And she charged him to
be instant in the service of the prince. As for the king,
he redoubled in kindness to the eunuch and appointed the
youth a liberal allowance and he abode going in to the

1 67

king's house and coming out therefrom and standing in
his service, and every day he grew in favour with him;
whilst, as for Shah Khatoun, she used to stand a-watch
for him at the windows and balconies and gaze upon him,
and she on coals of fire on his account, yet could she not
speak.

On this wise she abode a great while and indeed
yearning for him came nigh to slay her; so she stood
and watched for him one day at the door of her chamber
and straining him to her bosom, kissed him on the cheek
and breast At this moment, out came the master of the
king's household and seeing her embracing the youth,
abode amazed. Then he asked to whom that chamber
belonged and was answered, 'To Shah Khatoun, wife of
the king,' whereupon he turned back, trembling as [one
smitten by] a thunderbolt. The king saw him quaking
and said to him, ' Out on thee 1 what is the matter ? * * O
king,' answered he, * what matter is graver than that which
I see ? ' * What seest thou ? ' asked the king and the
officer said, * I see that yonder youth, who came with the
eunuch, he brought not with him but on account of Shah
Khatoim ; for that I passed but now by her chamber door,
and she was standing, watching ; [and when the youth
came up,] she rose to him and clipped him and kissed
him on his cheek.'

When the king heard this, he bowed [his head] in
amazement and perplexity and sinking into a seat, clutched
at his beard and shook it, till he came nigh to pluck it
out. Then he arose forthright and laid hands on the
youth and clapped him in prison. Moreover, he took the

i68

eunuch also and cast them both into an underground
dungeon in his house, after which he went in to Shah
Khatoun and said to her, ' Thou hast done well, by Allah,
O daughter of nobles, O thou whom kings sought in
marriage, for the excellence of thy repute and the good-
liness of the reports of thee ! How fair is thy semblance 1
May God curse her whose inward is the contrary of her
outward, after the likeness of thy base favour, whose out-
ward is comely and its inward foul, fair face and foul
deeds! Verily, I mean to make of thee and of yonder
good-for-nought an example among the folk, for that
thou sentest not thine eunuch but of intent on his
account, so that he took him and brought him into my
house and thou hast trampled my head with him ; and
this is none other than exceeding hardihood] but thoa
shall see what I will do with you.'

So saying, he spat in her face and went out from her ;
whilst Shah Khatoun made him no answer, knowing that,
if she spoke at that time, he would not credit her speech.
Then she humbled herself in supplication to God the
Most High and said, *0 God the Great, Thou knowest
the hidden things and the outward parts and the inward I
If an advanced term^ be [appointed] to me, let it not be
deferred, and if a deferred one, let it not be advanced ! *
On this wise she passed some days, whilst the king fell
into perplexity and forswore meat and drink and sleep
and abode knowing not what he should do and saying
[in himself], 'If I kill the eunuch and the youth, my
soul will not be solaced, for they are not to blame, seeing
^ Of life. See supra, note, p. 147.

1 69

diat she sent to fetch him, and my heart will not suffei
me to slay them all three. But I will not be hasty in
putting them to death, for that I fear repentance.' Then
he left them, so he might look into the affair.

Now he had a nurse, a foster-mother, on whose knees
he had been reared, and she was a woman of understand-
ing and misdoubted of him, but dared not accost him
[with questions]. So she went in to Shah Khatoun and
finding her in yet sorrier plight than he, asked her what
was to do; but she refused to answer. However, the
nurse gave not over coaxing and questioning her, till she
exacted of her an oath of secrecy. So the old woman
swore to her that she would keep secret all that she
should say to her, whereupon the queen related to her
her history from first to last and told her that the youth
was her son. With this the old woman prostrated herself
before her and said to her, ' This is an easy matter.* But
the queen answered, saying, * By Allah, O my mother, I
choose my destruction and that of my son rather than
defend myself by avouching a thing whereof they will
not credit me ; for they will say, " She avoucheth this,
but that she may fend off reproach from herselt" And
nought will avail me but patience.' The old woman was
moved by her speech and her intelligence and said to her,
•Indeed, O my daughter, it is as thou sayst, and I hope
in God that He will show forth the truth. Have patience
and I will presently go in to the king and hear what he
saith and contrive somewhat in this matter, if it be the
will of God the Most High.'

Then she arose and going in to the king, found him

170

with his head between his knees, and he lamenting. So
she sat down by him awhile and bespoke him with soft
words and said to him, * Indeed, O my son, thou con-
sumest mine entrails, for that these [many] days thou
hast not mounted to horse, and thoa lametitest and I
know not what aileth thee.' 'O my mother,' answered
he, ' [this my chagrin] is due to yonder accursed woman,
of whom I still deemed well and who hath done thus
and thus.' Then he related to her the whole story from
first to last, and she said to him, * This thy concern is on
account of a worthless woman.' Quoth he, *I was but
considering by what death I should slay them, so the
folk may [be admonished by their fate and] repent.' And
she said, ' O my son, beware of haste, for it engendereth
repentance and the slaying of them will not escape [thee].
When thou art assured of tliis aflair, do what thou wilt'
*0 my mother,* rejoined he; 'there needeth no assurance
concerning him for whom she despatched her eunuch and
he fetched him.'

But she said, ' There is a thing wherewith we will make
her confess, and all that is in her heart shall be dis-
covered to thee.' 'What is that?' asked the king, and
she answered, ' I will bring thee a hoopoe's heart, * which,
when she sleepeth, do thou lay upon her heart and ques-
tion her of all thou wilt, and she will discover this unto
thee and show forth the truth to thee." The king rejoiced

* The hoopoe is fabled by the Muslim chroniclers to have been to
Solomon what Odin's ravens were to the Norse god. It is said to have
known all the secrets of the earth and to have revealed them to him )
hence the magical virtues attributed by the Mohammedans to its heait

171

in this and said to his nurse, * Hasten and let none know
of thee/ So she arose and going in to the queen, said
to her, * I have done thine occasion and it is on this wise.
This night the king will come in to thee and do thou
feign thyself asleep ; and if he ask thee of aught, do thou
answer him, as if in thy sleep.* The queen thanked her
and the old woman went away and fetching the hoopoe's
heart, gave it to the king.

Hardly was the night come, when he went in to his
wife and found her lying back, [apparently] asleep; so
he sat down by her side and laying the hoopoe's heart
on her breast, waited awhile, so he might be certified
that she slept. Then said he to her, 'Shah Khatoun,
Shah Khatoun, is this my recompense from thee ? * Quoth
she, * What oflFence have I committed ? ' And he, * What
offence can be greater than this? Thou sentest after
yonder youth and broughtest him hither, on account of
the desire of thy heart, so thou mightest do with him
that for which thou lustedst.' * I know not desire/
answered she. 'Verily, among thy servants are those
who are comelier and handsomer than he; yet have I
never desired one of them.' * Why, then,' asked he, * didst
thou lay hold of him and kiss him ! * And she said, ' This
is my son and a piece of my heart ; and of my longing
and love for him, I could not contain myself, but sprang
upon him and kissed him.* When the king heard this,
he was perplexed and amazed and said to her, * Hast
thou a proof that this youth is thy son ? Indeed, I have
a letter from thine uncle King Suleiman Shah, [wherein
he giveth me to know] that his uncle Belehwan cut hit

172

throat/ 'Yes,' answered she, *he did indeed cat his
throat, but severed not the windpipe ; so my uncle sewed
op the wound and reared him, [and he lived,] for that his
hour was not come.'

When the king heard this, he said, 'This proof sufficeth
me,' and rising forthright in the night, let bring the youth
and the eunuch. Then he examined the former's throat
with a candle and saw [the scar where] it [had been] cut
from ear to ear, and indeed the place had healed up
and it was like unto a stretched-out thread. Therewithal
the king fell down prostrate to God, [in thanksgiving to
Him] for that He had delivered the prince from all these
perils and from the stresses that he had undergone and
rejoiced with an exceeding joy for that he had wrought
deliberately and had not made haste to slay him, in which
case sore repentance had betided him. As for the youth,"
continued the young treasurer, "he was not saved but
because his term was deferred, and on like wise, O
king, is it with me ; I too have a deferred term, which
I shall attain, and a period which I shall accomplish, and
I trust in God the Most High that He will give me the
victory over these wicked viziers."

When the youth had made an end of his speech, the
king said, "Carry him back to the prison;" and when
they had done this, he turned to the viziers and said to
them, " Yonder youth looseth his tongue upon you, but I
know your aflfectionate solicitude for the welfare of my
empire and your loyal counsel to me ; so be of good heart,
for all that ye counsel me I will do." When they heard
tnese words, they rejoiced and each of them said his say

173

Thtn said the king, **I have not deferred his slanghter
but to the intent that the talk might be prolonged and that
words might abound, and I desire [now] that ye sit up for
him a gibbet without the town and make proclamation
among the folk that they assemble and take him and carry
him in procession to the gibbet, with the crier crying
before him and saying, *This is the recompense of him
whom the king delighted to favour and who hath betrayed
himl*** The viziers rejoiced, when they heard this, and
slept not that night, of their joy ; and they made procla-
QiatioD in the dty and set up the gibbet

OF THE SPEEDY RELIEF OF GOD.

When it was the eleventh day, the viziers betook them
early in the morning to the king's gate and said to him,
"O king, the folk are assembled from the king's gate
to the gibbet, so they may see [the execution ofj the
king's commandment on the youth." So the king bade
fetch the prisoner and they brought him; whereupon the
viziers turned to him and said to him, ** O vile of origin,
doth any hope of life remain with thee and lookest thou
still for deliverance after this day?" "O wicked viziers,**
answered he, " shall a man of understanding renounce
hope in God the Most High ? Indeed, howsoever a man
be oppressed, there cometh to him deliverance from the
midst of stress and life from the midst of death, [as is
shown by the case of] the prisoner and how God delivered
hioL" '^What is his story?" asked the king; and the
youth answered, saying, " O king, they tell that

STORY OF THE PRISONER AND HOW GOD
GAVE HIM RELIEF.

There was once a king of the kings, who had a high
palace, overlooking a prison of his, and he used to hear
in the night one saying, 'O Ever-present Deliverer, O
Thou whose relief is nigh, relieve Thou me 1 ' One day

175

tiie king waxed wroth and said, "Yonder fool looketh
for relief from [the consequences of J his crime.* Then
said he to his officers, ' Who is in yonder prison ? ' And
they answered, ' Folk upon whom blood hath been found.' '
So the king bade bring the man in question before him
and said to him, * O fool, little of wit, how shalt thou be
delivered from this prison, seeing that thine ofifence is
great?' Then he committed him to a company of his
guards and said to them, 'Take this fellow and crucify
him without the city.'

Now it was the night- season. So the soldiers carried
him without the city, thinking to crucify him, when,
behold, there came out upon them thieves and fell in
on them with swords and [other] weapons. Thereupon
the guards left him whom they purposed to put to death
[and took to flight], whilst the man who was going to
slaughter fled forth at a venture and plunging into the
desert, knew not whither he went before he found himself
in a thicket and there came out upon him a lion of
frightful aspect, which snatched him up and set him under
him. Then he went up to a tree and tearing it up by
the roots, covered the man therewith and made off into
the thicket, in quest of the lioness.

As for the man, he committed his aflfair to God the
Most High, relying upon Him for deliverance, and said
in himself, * What is this affair ? * Then he did away the
leaves from himself and rising, saw great plenty of men's
bones there, of those whom the lion had devoured. He

^ This phrase may be read either literally or in its idiomatic sense, id*
•* Folk convicted or suspected of murder or complicity in murder."

170

looked again and saw a heap of gold l3ring alongside
a girdle;^ whereat he marvelled and gathering up the
gold in his skirts, went forth of the thicket and fled in
afiright at hazard, turning neither to the right nor to the
lefl, in his fear of the lion ; till he came to a village and
cast himself down, as he were dead. He lay there till
the day appeared and he was rested from his fatigue,
when he arose and burying the gold, entered the village.
Thus God gave him relief and he came by the gold."

Then said the king, " How long wilt thou beguile us
with thy prate, O youth? But now the hour of thy
slaughter is come." And he bade crucify him upon the
gibbet. [So they carried him to the place of execution]
and were about to hoist him up [upon the cross,] when,
behold, the captain of the thieves, who had found him
and reared him,* came up at that moment and asked what
was that assembly and [the cause o(] the crowds gathered
there. They told him that a servant of the king had com-
mitted a great crime and that he was about to put him to
death. So the captain of the thieves pressed forward and
looking upon the prisoner, knew him, whereupon he went
up to him and embraced him and clipped him and fell to
kissing him upon his mouth. Then said he, ''This is a
boy whom I found under such a mountain, wrapped in a
gown of brocade, and I reared him and he fell to stopping
the way with us. One day, we set upon a caravan, but
they put us to flight and wounded some of us and tr>ok the
boy and went their way. From that day to this I have

* Or purse-belt.

* See supra, p. 66.

177

gone round about the lands in quest of him, but have not
lighted on news of him [till now ;] and this is he."

When the king heard this, he was certified that the
youth was his very son ; so he cried out at the top of his
voice and casting himself upon him, embraced him and
wept and said, " Had I put thee to death, as was my
intent, I should have died of regret for thee." Then he
cut his bonds and taking his crown from his head, set it
on that of his son, whereupon the people raised cries of
joy, whilst the trumpets sounded and the drums beat and
there befell a great rejoicing. They decorated the city
and it was a glorious day; the very birds stayed their
flight in the air, for the greatness of the clamour and the
noise of the crying. The army and the folk carried the
prince [to the palace] in magnificent procession, and the
Qf'ws came to his mother Behrjaur, who came forth and
threw herself upon him. Moreover, the king bade open
the prison and bring forth all who were therein, and
they held high festival seven days and seven nights and
rejoiced with a mighty rejoicing ; whilst terror and silence
and confusion and affright fell upon the viziers and they
gave themselves up for lost

After this the king sat, with his son by his side and the
viziers sitting before him, and summoned his chief officers
and the folk of the city, Then the prince turned to the
viziers and said to them, "See, O wicked viziers, that
which God hath done and the speedy [coming of] relief."
But they answered not a word and the king said, ** It
sufficeth me that there is nothing alive but rejoiceth with
me this day, even to the birds in the sky, but ye, yout
VOL. I. la

178

breasts are straitened. Indeed, this is the greatest of itt*
will in you to me, and had I hearkened to you, my regret
had been prolonged and I had died miserably of griet"
" O my father," quoth the prince, " but for the fairness of
thy thought and thy judgment and thy longanimity and
deliberation in affairs, there had not betided thee this
great joyance. Hadst thou slain me in haste, repentance
would have been sore on thee and long grie^ and on this
wise doth he who ensueth haste repent."

Then the king sent for the captain of the thieves and
bestowed on him a dress of honour,^ commanding that all
who loved the king should put off [their raiment and cast
it] upon him.* So there fell dresses of honour [and other
presents] on him, till he was wearied with their much
plenty, and Azadbekht invested him with the mastership
of the police of his city. Then he bade set up other nine
gibbets beside the first and said to his son, "Thou art
guiltless, and yet these wicked viziers endeavoured for thy
slaughter.** "O my father," answered the prince, "I had
no fault [in their eyes] but that I was a loyal coimsellor to
thee and still kept watch over thy good and withheld their

* Khilaah^ lit. that which one takes oflf from one's own person, to
bestow upon a messenger of good tidmgs or any other whom it b desired
especially to honour. The literal meaning of the phrase, here rendered
"he bestowed on him a dress of honour," is " he put oflf on him
[that which was upon himself]." A Khilaah commonly includes a
horse, a sword, a girdle or waist-cloth and other articles, according to
the rank of the recipient, and might more precisely be termed " a com-
plete equipment of honour."

* An economical mode of rewarding merit, much in favour with
Eastern monarch*.

179

hands from thy treasuries; wherefore they were jealous
and envied me and plotted against me and sought to slay
me." Quoth the king, "The time [of retribution] is at
hand, O my son; but what deemest thou we should do
with them in requital of that which they did with thee?
For that they have endeavoured for thy slaughter and
exposed thee to public ignominy and soiled my honour
among the kings."

Then he turned to the viziers and said to them, " Out
on ye I What liars ye are 1 What excuse is left you ? "
"O king," answered they, "there abideth no excuse for
us and our sin hath fallen upon us and broken us in pieces.
Indeed we purposed evil to this youth and it hath reverted
upon us, and we plotted mischief against him and it hath
overtaken us; yea, we digged a pit for him and have
fallen ourselves therein." So the king bade hoist up the
viziers upon the gibbets and crucify them there, for that
God is just and ordaineth that which is right Then
Azadbekht and his wife and son abode in joyance and con-
tentment, till there came to them the Destroyer of Delights
and they died all; and extolled be the perfection of the
[Ever-]Living One, who dieth not, to whom be glory and
whose mercy be upon us for ever and ever I Amen.

JAAFER BEN YEHYA AND AB-
DULMELIK BEN SALIH THE
ABBASIDE.

JAAFER BEN YEHYA AND ABDULMELIK BEN
SALIH THE ABBASIDE.*

It is told of Jaafer ben Yehya the Barmecide that he
sat down one day to drink and being minded to be
private (with his friends), sent for his boon-companions,
in whom he delighted, and charged the chamberlain* that
he should suffer none of the creatures of God the Most
High to enter, save a man of his boon-companions, by
name Abdulmelik ben Salih,' who was behindhand with
them. Then they donned coloured clothes,* for that it
was their wont, whenas they sat in the wine-chamber, to
don raiment of red and yellow and green silk, and sat
down to drink, and the cups went round and the lutes
pulsed.

Now there was a man of the kinsfolk of the Khalif
[Haroun er Reshid], by name Abdulmelik ben Salih

* Breslan Text, voL viL pp. 251-4, Night dlxr.
■ Syn. doorkeper {kajib).

* Ibn Khellikan, who tells this story in a somewhat different style, on
the authority of Er Reshid's brother Ibrahim ben El Mehdi, calls the
person whom Jaafer expected " Abdulmelik ben Behran, the intendant
of his demesnes."

* The wearing of silk and bright colours is forbidden to the strict
Muslim and it is generally considered proper, in a man of position, to
wear them only on festive occasions or in private, as in the text.

i84

ben Ali ben Abdallah ben el Abbas,* who was great ot
gravity and piety and decorousness, and £r Reshid was
used instantly to require of him that he should keep him
company in his carousals and drink with him and had
proflfered him, to this end, riches galore, but he still
refused. It chanced that this Abdulmelik es Salih came
to the door of Jaafer ben Yehya, that he might bespeak
him of certain occasions of his, and the chamberlain,
doubting not but he was the Abdulmelik ben Salih afore-
said, whom Jaafer had charged him admit and that he
should suffer none but him to enter, allowed him to go
in to his master.

When Jaafer saw him, his reason was like to depart
for shame and he knew that the chamberlain had been
deceived by the likeness of the name ; and Abdulmelik
also perceived how the case stood and confusion was
manifest to him in Jaafer's face. So he put on a cheerful
favour and said, " No harm be upon you ! « Bring us of
these dyed clothes." So they brought him a dyed gown"
and he put it on and sat discoursing cheerily with Jaafer

* The Abbasides or descendants of El Abbas, the Prophet's ancle,
were noted for their excessive pride and pretensions to strict orthodoxy
in all outward observances. Abdulmelik ben Salih, who was a well-
known general and statesman of the time, was especially renowned for
pietism and austerity of manners.

• i^. Do not let my presence trouble yoti.

' As a member of the reigning family, he of course wore black
clothes, that being the especial colour of the house of Abbas, adopted
by them in opposition to the rival (and fallen) dynasty of the Benou
Umeyyeh, whose fiamily colour was white, tha*^ of the house of Ali
being green.

i85 .

and jesting with him. Then said he, " Give as to diink
of your wine." So they poured him out a pint and he
said, "Be ye indulgent with us, for we have no wont of
this.** Then he chatted and jested with them till Jaafer's
breast dilated and his constraint ceased from him and his
shamefastness, and he rejoiced in this with an exceeding
joy and said to Abdulmelik, "What is thine errand?"
Quoth the other, "I come (may God amend thee I) on
three occasions, whereof I would have thee bespeak the
Khalif ; to wit, firstly, I have on me a debt to the amount
of a thousand thousand dirhems,* which I would have
discharged; secondly, I desire for my son the office of
governor of a province, whereby his rank may be raised j
and thirdly, I would fain have thee marry him to a
daughter of the Khalif^ for that she is his cousin and he
is a match for her." And Jaafer said, "God accom-
plisheth unto thee these three occasions. As for the
money, it shall presently be carried to thy house ; as for
the government, I make thy son viceroy of Egypt; and
as for the marriage, I give him to wife such an one, the
daughter of our Lord the Commander of the Faithful, at
a dowry of such and such a sum. So depart in the
assurance of God the Most High."

So Abdulmelik went away to his house, whither he
found that the money had foregone him, and on the
morrow Jaafer presented himself before the Khalif and
acquainted him with what had passed and that he had
appointed Abdulmelik's son governor of Egypt and had

* Abont ;^25,(xx>. Ibn Khellikan makes the debt four millions of
dirhems or about ;^ioo,ooo.

i86

promised him his daughter in marriage. £r Reshid ap-
proved of this and confirmed the appointment and the
marriage. [Then he sent for the young man] and he
went not forth of the palace of the Khalif till he wrote
him the patent [of investiture with the government] of
Egypt; and he let bring the Cadis and the witnesses
and drew up the contract of marriage.

ER RESHID AND THE
BARMECIDES.

ER RESHID AND THE BARMECIDES.*

It is said that the most extraordinaiy of that which
happened to Er Reshid was as follows : His brother
El Hadi,' when he succeeded to the Khalifate, enquired
of a seal-ring of great price, that had belonged to his
father El Mehdi,' and it came to his knowledge that
Er Reshid had taken iu So he required it of the latter,
who refused to give it up, and El Hadi insisted upon him,
but he still denied the seal-ring of the Khalifate. Now
this was on the bridge [over the Tigris], and he threw the
ring into the river. When El Hadi died and Er Reshid
succeeded to the Khalifate, he came in person to that
bridge, with a seal-ring of lead, which he threw into the
river at the same place, and bade the divers seek it So
they did [his bidding] and brought up the first ring, and
this was reckoned [an omen] of Er Reshid's good fortune
and [a presage of] the continuance of his reign.*

* Breslau text, voL viL pp. 258-60, Night dlxviL

• Fourth Khalif of the house of Abbas, aj>. 785-786W

• Third Khalif of the house of Abbas, A.D. 775-785.

* The following is Et Teberi's version of this anecdote. El Mehdi
had presented his son Haroun with a ruby ring, worth a hundred
thousand dinars, and the latter being one dey with his brother [the then
reigning Khalif], EI Hadi saw the ring on his finger and desired it. So,
when Haroun went out from him, he sent after him, to seek the ring ol
him. The KhaliPs messenger overtook Er Reshid on the bridge ovef
the Tigris and acquainted him with his errand ; whereupon the prince
enraged at the demand, pulled off the ring and threw it into the river.
When El Hadi died and Er Reshid succeeded to the throne^ he went

190

When Er Reshid came to the throne, he invested Jaafei
ben Yehya ben Khalid el BermekiV with the vizierate.
Now Jaafer was eminently distinguished for generosity and
munificence, and the stories of him to this efiFect are re-
nowned and are written in the books. None of the viziers
attained to the rank and favour which he enjoyed with
Er Reshid, who was wont to call him brother* and used to
carry him with him into his house. The period of his
vizierate was nineteen years,* and Yehya one day said to
his son Jaafer, " O my son, what time thy reed trembleth,
water it with kindness." * Opinions differ concerning the
reason of Jaafer's slaughter, but the better is as follows.

with his suite to the bridge in question and bade his Vizier Yehya ben
Khalid send for divers and cause them make search for the ring. It had
then been five months in the water and no one believed it would be
found. However, the divers plunged into the river and found the ting
in the very place where he had thrown it in, whereat Haroun rejoiced
with an exceeding joy, regarding it as a presage of fair fortune.

* This is an error. Jaafer's father Yehya was appointed by Haroun
his vizier and practically continued to exercise that office till the fall of
the Barmecides (a.d. 803), his sons Fezl and Jaafer acting only as his
assistants or lieutenants. See my Essay on the History and Character of
the Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night.

* Another mistake. It was Fezl, the Khalirs foster-brother, to whom
he used to give this title.

* A third mistake. The whole period during which the empire was
governed by Yehya and his soni was onlj seventeen years, u«. A.D
786-803, but see my Essay.

* The apparent meaning of this somewhat obscure saying is, " Since
fortune is imcertain, conciliate the favour of those with whom thou hast
to do by kind offices, so thoa mayst find refuge with them in time
of need."

191

Er Reshid could not brook to be parted from Jaafer nor
from his [own] sister Abbaseh, daughter of El Mehdi,
a single hour, and she was the loveliest woman of her
time ; so he said to Jaafer, " I will marry thee to her, that
it may be lawful to thee to look upon her, but thou shalt
not touch her." [Accordingly, they were married] and
they used both to be present in Er Reshid's sitting
chamber. Now the Khalif would rise bytimes [and go
forth] from the chamber, and they being both young and
filled with wine, Jaafer would rise to her and swive her.
She conceived by him and bore a handsome boy and
fearing Er Reshid, despatched the newborn child by one of
her confidants to Mecca the Holy, may God the Most High
advance it in honour and increase it in venerance and
nobility and magnification I The afifair abode concealed
till there befell despite between Abbaseh and one of her
slave-girls, whereupon the latter discovered the affair of
the child to Er Reshid and acquainted him with its
abiding-place. So, when the Khalif made the pilgrimage,
he despatched one who brought him the boy and found the
affair true, wherefore he caused befall the Barmecides that
which befell.*

^ For a detailed accotmt of the Barmecides and of their &11, tee my

IBN ES SEMMAK AND ER
RESHID.

VOL. 1 13

IBN ES SEMMAK AND ER RESHID.'

It is related that Ibn es Semmak' went in one day
to Er Reshid and the Khalif, being athirst, called for
drink. So his cup was brought him, and when he took
it, Ibn es Semmak said to him, "Softly, O Commander
of the Faithful! If thou wert denied this draught, with
what wouldst thou buy it?" "With the half of my
kingdom," answered the Khalif; and Ibn es Semmak said,
"Drink and God prosper it to thee I" Then, when he
had drunken, he said to him, "If thou wert denied the
going forth of the draught from thy body, with what
wouldst thou buy its issue?" "With the whole of my
kingdom," answered Er Reshid : and Ibn es Semmak
said, " O Commander of the Faithful, verily, a kingdom
that weigheth not in the balance against a draught [of
water] or a voiding of urine is not worth the striving for."
And Haroun wept

* Breslau Text, vol. viL pp. 260-1, Night dlxviiL

' Aboulabbas Mohammed Ibn Sabih, surnamed Ibn es Semmak (son
of the fishmonger), a well-known Cufan jurisconsult and ascetic of the
time. He passed the latter part of his life at Baghdad and enjoyed
high favour with Er Reshid, as the only theological authority whom the
latter could induce to promise him admission to Paradise.

EL MAMOUN AND ZUBEIDEtt

EL MAMOUN AND ZUBEIDEH.«

It is said that El Mamoun' came one day upon Zubeideh,
mother of El Amin/ and saw her moving her lips and
muttering somewhat he understood not; so he said to
her, "O mother mine, dost thou imprecate [curses]
upon me, for that I slew thy son and despoiled him of
his kingdom?" "Not so, by Allah, O Commander of
the Faithful!*' answered she, and he said, "What then
saidst thou?" Quoth she, "Let the Commander of the
Faithful excuse me." But he was instant with her, saying,
"Needs must thou tell it" And she replied, "I said,
*God confound importunity I * " "How so?" asked the
Khalif, and she said, " I played one day at chess with the
Commander of the Faithful [Haroun er Reshid] and
he imposed on me the condition of commandment and

* Breslaa Text, vol. viL pp. 261-2, Night dIxviiL

■ Seventh Khalif of the house of Abbas, A.D. 813-33.

• Sixth Khalif of the house of Abbas, A.D. 809-13, a sangninary and
incapable prince, whose contemplated treachery against his brother El
Mamoun, (whom, by the advice of his vizier, the worthless intriguer
Fezl ben Rebya, the same who was one of the prime movers in the ruin
of the illustrious Barmecide family and who succeeded Yehya and his
sons in the vizierate (see my Essay), he contemplated depriving of his
rijfht of succession and murdering,) was deservedly requited with the
loss of his own kingdom and life. He was, by the way, put to death
by £1 Mamoun's general, in contravention of the express orders of that
generous and humane prince, who wished his brother to be sent prisoner
tc Uim, on the capture of Baghdad.

200

acceptance.* He beat me and bade me put off my clothes
and go round about the palace, naked ; so I did this, and
I incensed against him. Then we fell again to pla)dng
and I beat him ; so I bade him go to the kitchen and
swive the foulest and sorriest wench oi the wenches
thereof. [I went to the kitchen] and found not a slave-
girl fouler and filthier than thy mother;' so I bade him
swive her. He did as I bade him and she became with
child by him of thee, and thus was I [by my unlucky
insistance] the cause of the slaying of my son and the
despoiling him of his kingdom." When £1 Mamoun
heard this, he turned away, saying, *'God curse the
importimate 1 " to wit, himself who had importuned her
till she acquainted him with that matter.

' /.#. forfeits. It is ft fovonrite custom among the Arabs to impose OB
the loser of a game, in lieu oi stalces, the obligation of doing wliatsoeTer
the winner may command liim. For an illnstratioo of tliis practice, see
my " Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night," VoL V. pp^ 336-4I,
Story oi the Sandalwood Merchant and the Sharpers.

* £1 Mamoun was of a very swarthy complexion and is said to haw
been the son of a black slave-girl. Znbeideh was Er Reshid's cousin,
and El Amin was, therefore, a member of the house of Abbas, both on
the father's and mother's side. Of this purity of descent from the
Prophet's family (in which he is said to have stood alone among the
Khalifs of the Abbaside dynasty) both himself and liis mother were
exceedingly proud, and it was doubtless this circumstance which led Er
Reshid to prefer El Amin and to assign him the precedence in the soo*
cession over the more capable and worthier El Mamona.

EN NUMAN AND THE ARAB
OF THE BENOU TAL

EN NUMAN AND THE ARAB OF THE
BENOU TAI.»

It is said that En Numan* had two boon-companions,
one of whom was called Ibn Saad and the other Amrou
ben el Melik, and he became one night drunken and
bade bury them alive; so they buried them. When he
arose on the morrow, he enquired for them and was
acquainted with their case, whereupon he built over them
a monument and appointed to himself a day of ill-luck
and a day of good-luck. If any met him on his day of
ill-omen, he slew him and with his blood he washed the
monument aforesaid, the which is a place well known in
Cufa ; and if any met him on his day of grace, he enriched
him.

Now there accosted him once, on his day of ill-omen,
an Arab of the Benou Tai,» and En Numan would have
put him to death; but the Arab said, "God quicken the
king 1 I have two little girls and have made none guardian
over them ; so, if the king see fit to grant me leave to go
to them, I will give him the covenant of God * that I will

• Breslau Text, vol. viii. pp. 226-9, Nights dclx-i.

' A prae-Mohammedan King of the Arab kingdom of Hireh. (a town
near Cufa on the Euphrates), under the suzerainty of the Chosroes of
Persia, and a cruel and fantastic tyrant.

• The tribe to which belonged the renowned prse-Mohammedan chiefr
tain and poet, Hatim Tal, so celebrated in the East for his extravagant
generosity and hospitality.

• M. I will make a solemn covenant with him before God.

204

return to him, whenas I have appointed them a gnardian."
En Nuraan had compassion on him and said to him, ** If a
man will be surety for thee of those who are with us,
[I will let thee go], and if thou return not, I will put him
to death." Now there was with En Numan his vizier
Sherik ben Amrou ; so the Tai ^ looked at him and said,

Sherik ben Amrou, what device avails the hand of death to stay? O
brother of the brotherless, brother of all th' afflicted, say.

Brother of En Numan, with thee lies an old man's anguish to allay, A
graybeard slain, may God make fair his deeds upon the Reckoning-
Dayl

Quoth Sherik, ** On me be his warranty, may God assain
the king ! " So the Tai departed, after a term had been
assigned him for his coming.

When the appointed day arrived, En Numan sent for
Sherik and said to him, "Verily the first part of this day
is past." And Sherik answered, "The king hath no
recourse against me till it be eventide." When it evened,
there appeared one afar off and En Numan fell to looking
upon him and on Sherik, and the latter said to him,
" Thou hast no right over me till yonder fellow come, for
belike he is my man." As he spoke, up came the Tsu in
haste and En Numan said "By Allah, never saw I [any]
more generous than you two ! I know not whether of you
is the more generous, this one who became warrant for
thee in [danger of] death or thou who retiumest unto
slaughter." Then said he to Sherik, "What prompted
thee to become warrant for him, knowing that it was
* ^«. he of the tribe of TaL

205

death?** And he said, "[I did this] lest it be said,
'Generosity hath departed from viziers.'" Then said
En Numan to the Tai, "And thou, what prompted thee
to return, knowing that therein was death and thine own
destruction?" Quoth the Arab, "[I did this] lest it be
said, 'Fidelity hath departed from the folk.'" And En
Numan said, " By Allah, I will be the third of you,* lest it
be said, * Clemency hath departed from kings.' " So he
pardoned him and bade abolish the day of ill-omen;
whereupon the Arab recited the following verses :

Full many a man incited me to infidelity, But I refused, for all the talk

wherewith they set on me,
I am a man in whom good faith's a natural attribute ; TLe deeds of

every upright man should with his speech agree.

Quoth En Numan, " What prompted thee to keep faith,
the case being as thou sayest?" "O king," answered
the Arab, "it was my religion." And En Numan said,
"What is thy religion?" "The Christian," replied the
other. Quoth the king, "Expound it imto me." [So
the Tai expounded it to him] and En Numan became
a Christian.'

* In generosity.

' A similar anecdote is told of Omar ben el Khettab, second successor
of Mohammed, and will be found in my " Book of the Thousand Nights
and One Night," Vol. IV. p. 239,

1

FIROUZ AND HIS WIFE,

n.^

^

FIROUZ AND HIS WIFE.*

A certain king sat one day on the roof of his palace,
diverting himself with looking about him, and presently,
chancing to look aside, he espied, on [the roof of] a
house over against his palace, a woman, never saw his
eyes her like. So he turned to those who were present
and said to them, "To whom belongeth yonder house?**
"To thy servant Firouz," answered they, "and that is his
wife." So he went down, (and indeed love had made
him drunken and he was passionately enamoured of her),
and calling Firouz, said to him, " Take this letter and go
with it to such a city and bring me the answer." Firouz
took the letter and going to his house, laid it under
his head and passed that night. When the morning
morrowed, he took leave of his wife and set out for the
city in question, unknowing what the king purposed
against him.

As for the king, he arose in haste and disguising
himself, repaired to the house of Firouz and knocked at
the door. Quoth Firouz's wife, "Who is at the door?"
And he answered, saying, " I am the king, thy husband's
master." So she opened the door and he entered and sat
down, saying, "We are come to visit thee." Quoth she,
" I seek refuge [with God] from this visitation, for indeed
I deem not well thereof." And the king said, " O desire
* Breslau Text, vol. viii. pp. 273-8, Nights dclxxv-rt
VOL. I. 14

210

of hearts, I am thy husband's master and methinks thoc
knowest me not." "Nay," answered she, "I know thee^

0 my lord and master, and I know thy purpose and that
which thou seekest and that thou art my husband's lord.

1 understand what thou wishest, and indeed the poet hath
forestalled thee in his saying of the following verses, in
reference to thy case :

Your water I'll leave without drinking, for there Too manj already havv

drunken whilere.
When the flies light on food, from the platter my hand I raise, though

mjr spirit should long for the fare ;
And whenas the dogs at a fountain have lapped, The lions to drink ol

the water forbear."

Then said she, "O king, comest thou to a [watering-]
place whereat thy dog hath drunken and wilt thou drink
thereof?" The king was abashed at her and at her words
and went out from her, but forgot his sandal in the house.

As for Ftrouz, when he went forth from his house, he
sought the letter, but found it not ; so he returned home.
Now his return fell in with the king's going forth and he
found the tatter's sandal in his house, whereat his wit was
dazed and he knew that the king had not sent him away
but for a purpose of his own. However, he held his peace
and spoke not a word, but, taking the letter, went on his
errand and accomplished it and returned to the king, who
gave him a hundred dinars. So Firouz betook himself to
the market and bought what beseemeth women of goodly
gifts and returning to his wife, saluted her and gave her
all that he had brought and said to her, "Arise [go] to
thy father's house." "Wherefore?" asked she, and he

211

said, " Verily, the king hath been bountiful to me and I
would have thee show forth this, so thy father may rejoice
in that which he seeth upon thee." " With all my heart,"
answered she and arising forthright, betook herself to the
house of her father, who rejoiced in her coming and in
that which he saw upon her; and she abode with him a
month's space, and her husband made no mention of her.

Then came her brother to him and said, " O Firouz, an
thou wilt not acquaint me with the reason of thine anger
against thy wife, come and plead with us before the king."
Quoth he, "If ye will have me plead with you, I will do
so." So they went to the king and found the cadi sitting
with him; whereupon quoth the damsel's brother, "God
assist our lord the cadi! I let this man on hire a high-
walled garden, with a well in good case and trees laden
with fruit ; but he beat down its walls and ruined its well
and ate its fruits, and now he desireth to return it to me."
The cadi turned to Firouz and said to him, " What sayst
thou, O youth?" And he answered, "Indeed, I delivered
him the garden in the goodliest of case." So the cadi
said to the brother, "Hath he delivered thee the garden,
as he saith ? " And the other replied, " No ; but I desire
to question him of the reason of his returning it" Quoth
the cadi, "What sayst thou, O youth?" And Firouz
answered, "I returned it in my own despite, for that I
entered it one day and saw the track of the lion ; where-
fore I feared lest, if I entered it again, the lion should
devour me. So that which I did, I did of reverence to
him and for fear of him."

Now the king was leaning back upon the cushion,

aia

■nd when he heard the man's words, he knew the purport
therecrf; so he sat up and said, " Return lo thjr garden
in all assurance and ease of hearty for, by Allah, never
saw 1 the like of thy garden nor stouter of ward than
its walls over its trees 1 " So Ftrouz returned to his wile,
and the cadi knew not the truth oi the afiair, no, nor
any oi those who were in that assembly, save the lung
and the husband and the damsel's brother/

t A amilar story will be foood in •? * Book ut die ThoiwiMl Nigbti
«dH Om NiglO^" Vol V. |k 16^

KING SHAH BEKHT AND HIS
VIZIER ER REHWAN.

KING SHAH BEKHT AND HIS VIZIER

ER REHWAN.»

There was once, of old days and in bygone ages and
times, a king of the kings of the time, by name Shah
Bekht, who had troops and servants and guards galore
and a vizier called Er Rehwan, who was wise, understand-
ing, a man of good counsel and a cheerful acceptor of the
commandments of God the Most High, to whom belong
might and majesty. The king committed to him the
affairs of his kingdom and his subjects and said according
to his word, and on this wise he abode a long space of
time.

Now this vizier had many enemies, who envied him his
high place and still sought to do him hurt, but found no
way thereunto, and God, in His fore-knowledge and His
fore-ordinance from time immemorial, decreed that the
king dreamt that the Vizier Er Rehwan gave him a fruit
from off a tree and he ate it and died. So he awoke,
affrighted and troubled, and when the vizier had presented
himself before him [and withdrawn] and the king was
alone with those in whom he trusted, he related to them
his dream and they counselled him to send for the
astrologers and interpreters [of dreams] and commended
to him a sage, for whose skill and wisdom they vouched.
Sc the king sent for him and entreated him with honour

' Breslan Text, toL zi. pp. 84-318, Nights dccclxxr-dcccczzz.

2l6

and made him draw near to himself Now there had
been private with the sage in question a company of the
▼izier's enemies, who besought him to slander the vizier
to the king and counsel him to put him to death, in
consideration of that which they promised him of wealth
galore; and he agreed with them of this and told the
king that the vizier would slay him in the course of the
[ensuing] month and bade him hasten to put him to death,
else would he siurely slay him.

Presently, the vizier entered and the king signed to him
to cause avoid the place. So he signed to those who were
present to withdraw, and they departed ; whereupon quoth
the king to him, " How deemest thou, O excellent vizier,

0 loyal counsellor in all manner of governance, of a vision

1 have seen in my sleep?" "What is it, O king?" asked
the vizier, and Shah Bekht related to him his dream,
adding, " And indeed the sage interpreted it to me and
said to me, * An thou put not the vizier to death within
a month, he will slay thee.' Now I am exceeding loth
to put the like of thee to death, yet do I fear to leave thee
on life. What then dost thou counsel me that I should
do in this matter?" The vi?ier bowed his head awhile,
then raised it and said, " God prosper the king 1 Verily, it
skills not to continue him on life of whom the king is
afraid, and my counsel is that thou make haste to put me
to death."

When the king heard his speech, he turned to him and
said, " It is grievous to me, O vizier of good counsel."
And he told him that the [other] sages testified [to the
correctness of their fellow's interpretation of the dream] ;

217

whereupon Er Rehvean sighed and knew that the king
went in fear of him; but he showed him fortitude and
said to him, " God assain the king I My counsel is that
the king accomplish his commandment and execute his
ordinance, for that needs must death be and it is liefei
to me that I die, oppressed, than that I die, an oppressor.
But, if the king see fit to defer the putting of me to death
till the morrow and will pass this night with me and take
leave of me, when the morrow cometh, the king shall do
what he will"

Then he wept till he wet his gray hairs and the king
was moved to compassion for him and granted him that
which he sought and vouchsafed him that night's respite.

(!P^e jfitet Ht^ of t^e fRonl^

MThen it was eventide, the king caused avoid his sitting
chamber and summoned the vizier, who presented him-
self and making his obeisance to the king, kissed the
earth before him and bespoke him as follows :

STORY OF THE MAN OF KHORASSAN, HIS
SON AND HIS GOVERNOR.

"There was once a man of Khorassan and he had
a son, whose improvement he ardently desired; but the
young man sought to be alone and to remove himself
from his father's eye, so he might give himself up to
pleasance and delight So he sought of his father [leave
to make] the pilgrimage to the Holy House of God and
to visit the tomb of the Prophet (whom God bless and
keep 1). Now between them and Mecca was a journey
of five hundred parasangs; but his father could not
gainsay him, for that the law of God made this^
incumbent on him and because of that which he hoped
for him of improvement [therefrom]. So he joined unto
him a governor, in whom he trusted, and gave him much
money and took leave of him. The son set out on the

* ^ pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is one of a Muslim's argent datiei^

219

holy pflgrimage* with the governor and abode on that
wise, spending freely and using not thrift.

Now there was in his neighbourhood a poor man, who
had a slave-girl of surpassing beauty and loveliness, and
the youth became enamoured of her and suffered grief
and concern for the love of her and her loveliness, so that
he was like to perish for passion ; and she also loved him
with a love yet greater than his love for her. So she
called an old woman who used to visit her and acquainted
her with her case, saying, * An I foregather not with him,
I shall die.' The old woman promised her that she would
do her endeavour to bring her to her desire ; so she veiled
herself and repairing to the young man, saluted him and
acquainted him with the girl's case, saying, 'Her master
is a covetous man ; so do thou invite him [to thy lodging]
and tempt him with money, and he will sell thee the
damsel.'

Accordingly, he made a banquet, and stationing himself
in the man's way, invited him and carried him to his
house, where they sat down and ate and drank and abode
in discourse. Presently, the young man said to the other,
*I hear that thou hast with thee a slave-girl, whom thou
desirest to sell.' And he answered, saying, *By Allah,
O my lord, I have no mind to sell her 1 * Quoth the
youth, * I hear that she cost thee a thousand dinars, and

^ By a rhetorical figure, Mecca is sometimes called El Hejj (the
Pilgrimage) and this appears to be the case here. It is one of the
dearest towns in the East and the chief occupation of its inhabitants it
the housing and fleecing of pilgrims. An Arab proverb says, " Therf
U no place in which money goes '*o fast] as it goes in Mecca."

220

I will give thee six hundred, to boot' And the other
said, • I sell her to thee [at that price].' So they fetched
notaries, who drew up the contract of sale, and the young
man counted out to the girl's master half the purchase
money, saying, 'Let her be with thee till I complete to
thee the rest of the price and take my slave-girL' The
other consented to this and took of him a bond for the
rest of the money, and the girl abode with her master, on
deposit.

As for the youth, he gave his governor a thousand
dirhems and despatched him to his father, to fetch money
from him, so he might pay the rest of the girl's price,
saying to him, * Be not [long] absent.* But the governor
said in himself ' How shall I go to hb father and say to
him, "Thy son hath wasted thy money and wantoned it
away **?* With what eye shall I look on him, and indeed,
I am he in whom he confided and to whom he hath
entrusted his son? Indeed, this were ill seen. Nay, I
will fare on to the pilgrimage* [with the caravan of
pilgrims], in despite of this fool of a youth ; and when
he is weary [of waiting], he will demand back the
money [he hath already paid] and return to his father,
and I shall be quit of travail and reproach.' So he went
on with the caravan to the pilgrimage' and took up his
abode there.

Meanwhile, the youth abode expecting his governor's

* lit loved with it

' It is not dear what is here meant by El Hejji perhaps Medina,
though this is a "visitation" and not an obligatory part of tha
pilgrimage. The passage is probably corrupt

221

return, but he returned not; wherefore concern and
chagrin waxed upon him, because of his mistress, and his
longing for her redoubled and he was like to slay himself.
She became aware of this and sent him a messenger,
bidding him to her. So he went to her and she questioned
him of the case> whereupon he told her what was to
do of the matter of his governor, and she said to him,
* With me is longing the like of that which is with thee,
and I misdoubt me thy messenger hath perished or thy
father hath slain him ; but I will give thee all my trinkets
and my clothes, and do thou sell them and pay the rest
of my price, and we will go, I and thou, to thy father.'

So she gave him all that she possessed and he sold it
and paid the rest of her price ; after which there remained
to him a hundred dirhems. These he spent and lay that
night with the damsel in all delight of life, and his soul
was like to fly for joy ; but when he arose in the morning,
he sat weeping and the damsel said to him, ' What aileth
thee to weep?' And he said, 'I know not if my father
be dead, and he hath none other heir but myself; and
how shall I win to him, seeing I have not a dirhem?'
Quoth she, *! have a bracelet; do thou sell it and buy
small pearls with the price. Then bray them and fashion
them into great pearls, and thereon thou shalt gain much
money, wherewith we may make our way to thy country.'
So he took the bracelet and repairing to a goldsmith,
said to him, < Break up this bracelet and sell it' But he
said, 'The king seeketh a good^ bracelet; I will go to
him and bring thee the price thereof.' So he carried
*■ Syn. whole or perfect {seAiA),

222

the bracelet to the Sultan and it pleased him greatly,
by reason of the goodliness of its workmanship. Then
he called an old woman, who was in his palace, and
said to her, 'Needs must I have the mistress of this
bracelet, though but for a single night, or I shall die'
And the old woman answered, * I will bring her to thee.'

So she donned a devotee's habit and betaking herself
to the goldsmith, said to him, 'To whom belongeth the
bracelet that is in the king's hand?* Quoth he, *It
belongeth to a man, a stranger, who hath bought him a
slave-girl from this city and lodgeth with her in such a
place.' So the old woman repaired to the young man's
house and knocked at the door. The damsel opened to
her and seeing her clad in devotee's apparel,* saluted her
and said to her, * Belike thou hast an occasion with us ? '
*Yes,' answered the old woman; 'I desire privacy and
ablution.' * Quoth the girl, * Enter.' So she entered and
did her occasion and made the ablution and prayed.
Then she brought out a rosary and began to tell her beads
thereon, and the damsel said to her, 'Whence comest
thou, O pilgrim?" Quoth she *[I come] from [visiting]
the Idol * of the Absent in such a chiurch.' There standeth
up no woman [to prayer] before him, who hath an absent

* i.e. in white woollen garments.

' t.tf. I desire a privy place, where I may make the preliminary
ablution and pray.

* It is customary in the East to give old men and women the com*
plimentary title of " pilgrim," assuming, as a matter of coarse, that they
have performed the obligatory rite of pilgrimage.

* Or saint

' Keniseh, a Christian or other non- Muslim place of worship.

223

frieiid and discovereth to him her need, but he acquainteth
her with her case and giveth her tidings of her absent
one.' *0 pilgrim,' said the damsel, *we have an absent
one, and my lord's heart cleaveth to him and I desire to
go to the idol and question him of him.' Quoth the
old woman, '[Wait] till to-morrow and ask leave of thy
husband, and I will come to thee and go with thee in
weal.*

Then she went away, and when the girl's master came,
she sought his leave to go with the old woman and he
granted her leave. So the beldam took her and carried
her to the king's door. The damsel entered with her, un-
knowing whither she went, and beheld a goodly house
and chambers adorned [with gold and colours] that were
no idol's chambers. Then came the king and seeing her
beauty and grace, went up to her, to kiss her; whereupon
she fell down in a fit and strove with her hands and feet.
When he saw this, he was solicitous for her and held aloof
from her and left her; but the thing was grievous to her
and she refused meat and drink, and as often as the king
drew near her, she fled from him in affright, wherefore he
swore by Allah that he would not approach her, save with
her consent, and fell to guerdoning her with trinkets and
raiment, but she only redoubled in aversion to him.

Meanwhile, the youth her master abode expecting her;
but she returned not and his heart forbode him of the
draught [of separation]; so he went forth at hazard,
distraught and knowing not what he should do, and fell
to strewing dust upon his head and crying out, ' The old
woman hath taken her and gone awayl' The boys

224

followed him with stones and pelted him, sajrin^ 'A
madman! A madman 1' Presently, the king's chamber-
lain^ who was a man of age and worth, met him, and when
he saw his youth, he forbade the boys and drove them
away from him, after which he accosted him and questioned
him of his case. So he told him how it was with him
and the chamberlain said to him, * Fear not : all shall yet
be well with thee. I will deliver thy slave-girl for thee : so
calm thy trouble/ And he went on to speak him fair and
comfort him, till he put faith in his speech.

Then he carried him to his house and stripping him
of his dothes, clad him in rags; after which he called
an old woman, who was his stewardess, and said to her,
'Take this youth and dap on his neck this iron chain
and go round about with him in all the thoroughfares
of the dty; and when thou hast made an end of this,
go up with him to the palace of the king.' And he said
to the youth, ' In whatsoever place thou seest the damsel,
speak not a syllable, but acquaint me with her place and
thou shalt owe her deliverance to none but me.' The
youth thanked him and went with the old woman on
such wise as the chamberlain bade him. She fared on
with him till they entered the city [and made the round
thereof]; after which she went up to the palace of the
king and fell to saying, ' O people of affluence, look on
a youth whom the devils take twice in the day and pray
for preservation from [a like] affliction I ' And she ceased
not to go round about with him till she came to the
eastern wing^ of the palace, whereupon the slave-girls
^ Apparently the harem.

225

came out to Icok upon him and when they saw him they
were amazed at his beauty and grace and wept for him.

Then they told the damsel, who came forth and looked
upon him and knew him not. But he knew her; so he
bowed his head and wept. She was moved to compassion
for him and gave him somewhat and returned to her
place, whilst the youth returned with the stewardess to
the chamberlain and told him that she was in the king's
house, whereat he was chagrined and said, *By Allah,
I will assuredly contrive a device for her and deliver
her ! ' Whereupon the youth kissed his hands and feet.
Then he turned to the old woman and bade her change
her apparel and her favour. Now this old woman was
goodly of speech and nimble of wit; so he gave her
costly and delicious perfumes and said to her, 'Get thee
to the king's slave girls and sell them these [perfumes]
and make thy way to the damsel and question her if she
desire her master or not.' So the old woman went out
and making her way to the palace, went in to the damsel
and drew near her and recited the following verses :

God keep the days of love-delight I How dearly sweet they were I How
joyous and how solaceful was life in them whilere I

Would he were not who sundered us upon the parting day I How manj
a body hath he slain, how many a bone laid bare?

Sans fault of mine, my blood and tears he shed and beggared me Of him
I love, yet for himself gained nought thereby whate'er.

When the damsel heard these verses, she wept till her
clothes were drenched and drew near the old woman, who
said to her, 'Knowest thou such an one?' And she

VOL. I. i;

226

wept and said, *He is my lord. Whence knowest thou
him?' *0 my lady,' answered the old woman, 'sawst
thou not the madman who came hither yesterday with the
old woman? He was thy lord. But this is no time for
talk. When it is night, get thee to the top of the palace
[and wait] on the roof till thy lord come to thee and
contrive for thy deliverance.' Then she gave her what
ghe would of perfumes and returning to the chamberlain,
acquainted him with that which had passed, and he told
the youth.

When it was eventide, the chamberlain let bring two
horses and great store of water and victual and a saddle-
camel and a man to show them the way. These he hid
without the town, whilst he and the young man took with
them a long rope, made fast to a staple, and repaired to
the palace. When they came thither, they looked and
beheld the damsel standing on the roof. So they threw
her the rope and the staple; whereupon she [made the
latter fast to the parapet and] wrapping her sleeves about
her hands, slid down [the rope] and landed with them.
They carried her without the town, where they mounted,
she and her lord, and fared on, whilst the guide forewent
them, directing them in the way, and they gave not over
going night and day till they entered his father's house.
The young man saluted his father, who rejoiced in him,
and he related to him all that had befallen him, whereupon
he rejoiced in his safety.

As for the governor, he wasted all that was with him
and returned to the city, where he saw the youth and
excused himself to him. Then he questioned him of what

227

had befallen him and he told him, whereat he marvelled
and returned to companionship with him ; but the youth
ceased to have regard for him and gave him not stipends,
as of his [former] wont, neither discovered to him aught
of his secrets. When the governor saw that there was no
profit for him with the young Khorassani, he returned to
the king, the ravisher of the damsel, and told him what
the chamberlain had done and counselled him to slay the
latter and incited him to recover the damsel, [promising]
to give his friend to drink of poison and return. So the
king sent for the chamberlain and upbraided him ; where-
upon he fell upon him and slew him and the kmg's
servants fell upon the chamberlain and slew him.

Meanwhile, the governor returned to the youth, who
questioned him of his absence, and he told him that he
had been in the city of the king who had taken the
damsel When the youth heard this, he misdoubted of
the governor and never again trusted him in aught, but
was still on his guard against him. Then the governor
made great store of sweetmeats and put in them deadly
poison and presented them to the youth. When the latter
saw the sweetmeats, he said in himself, 'This is an ex-
traordinary thing of the governor 1 Needs must there be
mischief in this sweetmeat, and I will make proof of it
upon himself.* So he made ready victual and set on the
sweetmeat amongst it and bade the governor to his house
and set food before him. He ate and amongst the rest,
they brought him the poisoned sweetmeat; so he ate
thereof and died fort? right; whereby the youth knew
that this was a plot against himself and said, ' He who

228

ceeketh his fortune of his own [unaided] might* attaineth
it not.' Nor (continued the vizier) is this, O king of
the age, more extraordinary than the story of the druggist
and his wi£e and the singer."

When King Shah Bekht heard his vizier's story, he gave
him leave to withdraw to his own house and he abode
^here the rest of the night and the next day till the
evening.

^ ia. otherwise than according to God's ordinanoet

When the evening evened, the king sat in his privy
sitting-chamber and his mind was occupied with the
story of the singer and the druggist. So he called the
vizier and bade him tell the story. ** It is weU," answered
he. " They tell, O my lord, that

STORY OF THE SINGER AND THE DRUGGIST.

There was once in the city of Hemadan* a young man
of comely aspect and excellently skilled in singing to
the lute, and he was well seen of the people of the city.
He went forth one day of his city, with intent to travel,
and gave not over journeying till his travel brought him
to a goodly city. Now he had with him a lute and what
pertained thereto,* so he entered and went round about
the city till he fell in with a druggist, who, when he
espied him, called to him. So he went up to him and
he bade him sit down. Accordingly, he sat down by
him and the druggist questioned him of his case. The
singer told him what was in his mind and the other took
him up into his shop and brought him food and fed him.
Then said he to him, 'Arise and take up thy lute and
beg about the stree ts, and whenas thou smellest the odour
of wine, break in upon the drinkers and say to them,

* A city of Persian Irak.

' Lit. its apparatus, i^. spare strings, etc«l

230

**! am a singer." They will laugh and say, "Corner
[sing] to us." And when thou singest, the folk will know
thee and bespeak one another of thee ; so shalt thou
become known in the city and thine affairs will prosper.'

So he went round about, as the druggist bade him, till
the sun grew hot, but found none drinking. Then he
entered a by-street, that he might rest himself, and seeing
there a handsome and lofty house, stood in its shade and
fell to observing the goodliness of its ordinance. As he
was thus engaged, behold, a window opened and there
appeared thereat a face, as it were the moon. Quoth
she, * ' What aileth thee to stand there ? Dost thou want
aught ? ' And he answered, * I am a stranger,* and ac-
quainted her with his case ; whereupon quoth she, * What
sayst thou to meat and drink and the enjoyment of
a fair-face[d one] and getting thee what thou mayst
spend ? ' * O my lady,* answered he, ' this is my desire
and that in quest whereof I am going about.'

So she opened the door to him and brought him in.
Then she seated him at the upper end of the room and
set food before him. So he ate and drank and lay with
her and swived her. Then she sat down in his lap and
they toyed and laughed and kissed till the day was half
spent, when her husband came home and she could find
nothing for it but to hide the singer in a rug, in which
she rolled him up. The husband entered and seeing
the place disordered* and smelling the odour of wine,
questioned her of this. Quoth she, ♦! had with me a

* ia. the woman whose face he saw.

* Lit the place of battle, i.e. that where they had laiik

231

friend of mine and I conjured her [to drink with me] ;
so we drank a jar [of wine], she and I, and she went
away but now, before thy coming in.' Her husband,
(who was none other than the singer's friend the
druggist, that had invited him and fed him), deemed
her words true and went away to his shop, whereupon
the singer came forth and he and the lady returned to
their sport and abode on this wise till eventide, when
slie gave him money and said to him, 'Come hither to-
morrow in the forenoon.' * It is well,* answered he and
departed ; and at nightfall he went to the bath.

On the morrow, he betook himself to the shop of his
friend the druggist, who welcomed him and questioned
him of his case and how he had fared that day. Quoth
the singer, 'May God requite thee with good, O my
brother I For that thou hast directed me unto easance ! *
And he related to him his adventure with the woman,
till he came to the mention of her husband, when he
said, * And at midday came the cuckold her husband and
knocked at the door. So she wrapped me in the mat,
and when he had gone about his business, I came forth
and we returned to what we were about.' This was
grievous to the druggist and he repented of having taught
him [how he should do] and misdoubted of his wife. So
he said to the singer, 'And what said she to thee at thy
going away?' And the other answered, 'She bade me
come back to her on the morrow. So, behold, I am going
to her and I came not hither but that I might acquaint
thee with this, lest thy heart be occupied with me.' Theo
he took leave of him and went his way. As sooc as the

232

druggist was assured that he had reached the house, he
cast the net over his shop* and made for his house,
misdoubting of his wife, and knocked at the door.

Now the singer had entered and the druggist's wife
said to him, 'Arise, enter this chest.' So he entered it
and she shut the lid on him and opened to her husband,
who came in, in a state of bewilderment, and searched
the house, but found none and overlooked the chest
So he said in himself, * The house [of which the singet
apoke] is one which resembleth my house and the woman
is one who resembles my wife,' and returned to his shop j
whereupon the singer came forth of the chest and falling
upon the druggist's wife, did his occasion and paid her
her due and weighed down the scale for her.' Then they
ate and drank and kissed and clipped, and on this wise
they abode till the evening, when she gave him money,
for that she found his weaving good,* and made him
promise to come to her on the morrow.

So he left her and slept his night and on the morrow
he repaired to the shop of his friead the druggist and
saluted him The other welcomed him and questioned
him of his case; whereupon he told him how he had
fared, till he came to the mention of the woman's
husband, when he said, 'Then came the cuckold her

* A common Eastern ^hion of securing a shop, when left for a short
time. The word shebekeh (net) may also be rendered a grating or ntt-
work of iron or other metaL

* i.e. gave her good measure.

* ».*. she found him a good workman. Equivoque ^rotique, apparent^
fxinded on the to-and-fro movement ol the shuttle in weaving.

233

husband and she clapped me into the chest and shut the
lid on me, whilst her addlepated pimp of a husband went
round about the house, top and bottom; and when he
had gone his way, we returned to what we were about.*
With this, the druggist was certified that the house was
his house and the wife his wife, and he said, * And what
wilt thou do to-day?' Quoth the singer, *I shall return
to her and weave for her and full her yam,* and I came
but to thank thee for thy dealing with me.'

Then he went away, whilst the fire was loosed in the
heart of the druggist and he shut his shop and betaking
himself to his house, knocked at the door. Quoth the
singer, 'Let me get into the chest, for he saw me not
yesterday.' ' Nay,' answered she, ' wrap thyself up in the
rug.' So he wrapped himself up in the rug and stood in
a comer of the room, whilst the druggist entered and
went straight to the chest, but found it empty. Then
he went round about the house and searched it from top
to bottom, but found nothing and no one and abode
between belief and disbelief, and said in himself, ' Belike,
I suspect my wife of that which is not in her.' So he
was certified of her innocence and returned to his shop,
whereupon out came the singer and they abode on their
former casey as of wont, till eventide, when she gave him
one of her husband's shirts and he took it and going
away, passed the night in his lodging.

On the morrow, he repaired to the droggist, who
saluted him and came to meet him and rejoiced in him
and smiled in his face, deeming his wife innocent Then
* Equivoque erotique.

234

he questioned him of his yesterday's case and he told
him how he had fared, saying, * O my brother, when
the cuckold knocked at the door, I would have entered
the chest ; but his wife forbade me and rolled me up
in the rug. The man entered and thought of nothing
but the chest ; so he broke it open and abode as he were
a madman, going up and coming down. Then he went
his way and I came out and we abode on our wonted case
till eventide, when she gave me this shirt of her husband's;
and behold, I am going to her.'

When the druggist heard the singer's words, he was
certified of the case and knew that the calamity, all of it,
was in his own house and that the wife was his wifej
and he saw the shirt, whereupon he redoubled in certainty
and said to the singer, 'Art thou now going to her?'
' Yes, O my brother,' answered he and taking leave of
him, went away; whereupon the druggist started up, as
he were a madman, and ungarnished his shop.* Whilst
he was thus engaged, the singer won to the house, and
presently up came the druggist and knocked at the door.
The singer would have wrapped himself up in the rug,
but she forbade him and said to him, ' Get thee down to
the bottom of the house and enter the oven* and shut
the lid upon thyself.' So he did as she bade him and
she went down to her husband and opened the door to
him, whereupon he entered and went round about the

* ia. removed the goods exposed for sale and laid them up in the
inner shop or storehouse.

' The Eastern oven is generally a great earthenware jar sunken in Um
earth.

235

house, but found no one and overlooked the oven. So
he stood meditating and swore that he would not go
forth of the house till the morrow.

As for the singer, when his [stay in the oven] grew
long upon him, he came forth therefrom, thinking that
her husband had gone away. Then he went up to the
roof and looking down, beheld his friend the druggist;
whereat he was sore concerned and said in himself, * Alas,
the disgrace of it I This is my friend the druggist, who
dealt kindly with me and wrought me fair and I have
requited him with foul' And he feared to return to the
druggist; so he went down and opened the first door
and would have gone out ; but, when he came to the
outer door, he found it locked and saw not the key. So
he stole up again to the roof and cast himself down into
the [next] house. The people of the house heard him
and hastened to him, deeming him a thief. Now the
house in question belonged to a Persian; so they laid
hands on him and the master of the house began to beat
him, saying to him, ' Thou art a thief.' ' Nay,' answered
he, * I am no thief, but a singing-man, a stranger. I heard
your voices and came to sing to you.'

When the folk heard his words, they talked of letting
him go ; but the Persian said, * O folk, let not his speech
beguile you. This fellow is none other than a thief who
knoweth how to sing, and when he happeneth on the
like of us, he is a singer.' * O our lord,' answered they,
'this man is a stranger, and needs must we release him.*
Quoth he, ' By Allah, my heart revolteth from this fellow !
Let me make an end of him with beating.' But they

236

said, *Thou mayst nowise do that' So they deli^/ered
the singer from the Persian, the master of the house, and
seated him amongst them, whereupon he fell to singing
to them and they rejoiced in him.

Now the Persian had a mameluke,i as he were the
full moon, and he arose [and went out], and the saiger
followed him and wept before him, professing love to
him and kissing his hands and feet. The mameluke took
compassion on him and said to him, 'When the night
Cometh and my master entereth [the harem] and the folk
go away, I will grant thee thy desire; and I lie in such
a place.' Then the singer returned and sat with the
boon-companions, and the Persian rose and went out, he
and the mameluke beside him. [Then they returned and
sat down.]* Now the singer knew the place that the
mameluke occupied at the first of the night ; but it befell
that he rose from his place and the candle went out.
The Persian, who was drunken, fell over on his face, and
the singer, supposing him to be the mameluke, said, * By
Allah, it is good ! ' and threw himself upon him and
clipped him, whereupon the Persian started up, crying
out, and laying hands on the singer, pinioned him and
beat him grievously, after which he bound him to a tree
that was in the house.*

Now there was in the house a fair singing-girl and

* i.e. a boughten white slave [memlouk).

• Apparently changing places. The text is here fearfully corrupt and
(as in many other parts of the Breslaa Edition) so incoherent «8 to be
almost unintelligible.

' M. in the (inner) courtyard.

237

when she saw the singer pinioned and bound to the tree,
she waited till the Persian lay down on his couch, when
she arose and going to the singer, fell to condoling with
him over what had betided him and ogling him and
handling his yard and rubbing it, till it rose on end.
Then said she to him, * Do thou swive me and I will
loose thy bonds, lest he return and beat thee again ; for
he purposeth thee evil.' Quoth he, * Loose me and I will
do.' But she said, * I fear that, [if I loose thee], thou
wilt not do. But I will do, and thou standing ; and when
I have done, I will loose thee,' So saying, she pulled up
her clothes and sitting down on the singer's yard, fell to
going and coming.

Now there was in the house a ram, with which the
Persian used to butt, and when he saw what the woman
did, he thought she would butt with him; so he broke
his halter and running at her, butted her and broke her
head. She fell on her back and cried out; whereupon
the Persian started up from sleep in haste and seeing the
singing-girl [cast down on her back] and the singer with
his yard on end, said to the latter, * O accursed one, doth
not what thou hast already done suffice thee ? * Then he
beat him soundly and opening the door, put him out in
the middle of the night.

He lay the rest of the night in one of the ruins, and
when he arose in the morning, he said, * None is to blame.
I sought my own good, and he is no fool who seeketh
good for himself; and the druggist's wife also sought
good for herself; but destiny overcometh precaution and
there remaineth no abiding for me in this towa' So he

238

went forth from the city. Nor (added the vizier) is this
ttory, extraordinary though it be, more extraordinary than
that of the king and his son and that which betided them
of wonders and rarities."

When the king heard this story, he deemed it pleasant
and said, "This story is near unto that which I know
and meseeraeth I should do well to have patience and
hasten not to slay my vizier, so I may get of him the
story of the king and his son." Then he gave the vizier
leave to go away to his own house; so he thanked him
and abode in his house all that day.

Cn^e QC^frTj i^fflfit of ^t iIHont|.

When it was the time of the evening meal, the king
repaired to the sitting-chamber and summoning the
vizier, sought of him the story he had promised him;
and the vizier said, " They avouch, O king, that

STORY OF THE KING WHO KNEW THE
QUINTESSENCE' OF THINGS.

There came to a king of the kings, in his old age, a
son, who grew up comely, quick-witted and intelligent,
and when he came to years of discretion and became a
young man, his father said to him, 'Take this kingdom
and govern it in my stead, for I desire to flee [from the
world] to God the Most High and don the gown of
wool and give myself up to devotioa' Quoth the prince,
* And I also desire to take refuge with God the Most
High.' And the king said, 'Arise, let us flee forth and
make for the mountains and worship in them, for shame-
fastness before God the Most High.*

So they gat them raiment of wool and clothing them-
selves therewith, went forth and wandered in the deserts
and wastes ; but, when some days had passed over them,
they became weak for hunger and repented them of that
^ i^. the essential nature, lit. jewel.

240

wfiich they had done, whenas repentance profited them
not, and the prince complained to his father of weariness
and hunger. * Dear my son,' answered the king, * I did
with thee that which behoved me,' but thou wouldst not
hearken to me, and now there is no means of returning
to thy former estate, for that another hath taken the
kingdom and become its defender ; but I will counsel
thee of somewhat, wherein do thou pleasure me.' Quoth
the prince, * What is it ? ' And his father said, ' Take me
and go with me to the market and sell me and take my
price and do with it what thou wilt, and I shall become
the property of one who will provide for my support*

* Who will buy thee of me,' asked the prince, ' seeing
thou art a very old man ? Nay, do thou rather sell me^
for the demand for me will be greater.' But the king
said, 'An thou wert king, thou wouldst require me of
service.*

So the youth obeyed his father's commandment and
taking him, carried him to the slave-dealer and said to
the latter, 'Sell me this old man.* Quoth the dealer,

• Who will buy this fellow, and he a man of fourscore ? *
Then said he to the king, *In what crafts dost thou
excel ? * Quoth he, * I know the quintessence of jewels
and I know the quintessence of horses and that of men ;
brief, I know the quintessence of all things.' So the
dealer took him and went about, offering him for sale to
the folk; but none would buy. Presently, up came the
overseer of the [Sultan's] kitchen and said, ' What is this
man?* And the dealer answered, 'This is a slave foe

^ ia.ia profferiag thee the kingship.

241

sale.' The cook marvelled at this and bought the king
for ten thousand dirhems, after questioning him of what
he could do. Then he paid down the money and carried
him to his house, but dared not employ him in aught of
service; so he appointed him an allowance, such as
should suffice for his livelihood, and repented him of
having bought him, saying, 'What shall I do with the
like of this fellow ? '

Presently, the king [of the city] was minded to go forth
to his garden,* a-pleasuring, and bade the cook forego
him thither and appoint in his stead one who should dress
meat for the king, so that, when he returned, he might
find it ready. So the cook fell a-considering of whom he
should appoint and was bewildered concerning his affair.
As he was on this wise, the old man came to him and
seeing him perplexed how he should do, said to him,
*Tell me what is in thy mind; belike, I may avail to
relieve thee.' So he acquainted him with the king's
wishes and he said, * Have no care for this, but leave me
one of the serving-men and go thou in peace and sm^ety,
for I will suffice thee of this.' So the cook departed
with the king, after he had brought the old man what
he needed and left him a man of the guards.

When he was gone, the old man bade the trooper wash
the kitchen-vessels and made ready passing goodly food.
When the king returned, he set the meat before him, and
he tasted food whose like he had never known ; whereat
he marvelled and asked who had dressed it So they
acquainted him with the old man's case and he summoned
^ Without the city.
VOL. I. '*^

242

him to his presence and awarded him a handsome recom-
pense.^ Moreover, he commanded that they should cook
together, he and the cook, and the old man obeyed his
commandment.

Awhile after this, there came two merchants to the
king with two pearls of price and each of them avouched
that his pearl was worth a thousand dinars, but there
was none who availed to value them. Then said the
cook, ' God prosper the king ! Verily, the old man whom
I bought avouched that he knew the quintessence of
jewels and that he was skilled in cookery. We have
made proof of him in cookery and have found him the
skilfuUest of men; and now, if we send after him and
prove him on jewels, [the truth or falsehood of] his
pretension will be made manifest to us.*

So the king bade fetch the old man and he came and
stood before the Sultan, who showed him the two pearls.
Quoth he, * As for this one, it is worth a thousand dinars.*
And the king said, *So saith its owner.' *But for this
other,' continued the old man, 'it is worth but five
hundred.' The folk laughed and marvelled at his saying,
and the merchant, [the owner of the second pearl], said
to him, * How can this, which is greater of bulk and purer
of water and more perfect of rondure, be less of worth
than that ? ' And the old man answered, * I have said what
b with me.' * Then said the king to him, * Indeed, the

' According to the condnsion of the story, this recompense con>
listed in an augmentation of the old oum's allowance* of food. Set
post, p. 245.

* i.4, 1 have given my opiniob

243

outward appearance thereof is like unto that of the other
pearl; why then is it worth but the half of its price?*
*Yes,' answered the old man, '[its outward resembleth
the other]; but its inward is corrupt.' 'Hath a pearl
then an outward and an inward?' asked the merchant,
and the old man said, 'Yes. In its inward is a boring
worm ; but the other pearl is sound and secure against
breakage.' Quoth the merchant, * Give us a token of this
and prove to us the truth of thy saying.* And the old
man answered, 'We will break the pearl. If I prove a
liar, here is my head, and if I speak truth, thou v/ilt have
lost thy pearl.' And the merchant said, * I agree to that/
So they broke the pearl and it was even as the old man
had said, to wit, in its midst was a boring worm.

The king marvelled at what he saw and questioned him
of [how he came by] the knowledge of this. *0 king,'
answered the old man, ' this [kind of] jewel is engendered
m the belly of a creature called the oyster and its origin is
a drop of rain and it is firm to the touch [and groweth
not warm, when held in the hand] ; so, when [I took the
second pearl and felt that] it was warm to the touch, I
knew that it harboured some living thing, for that live
things thrive not but in heat.'* So the king said to the
cook, ' Increase his allowance.' And he appointed to him
[fresh] allowances.

Awhile after this, two merchants presented themselves
to the king with two horses, and one said, *I ask a
thousand dinars for my horse,' and the other, ' I seek five

^ This passage is evidently conupt I hare amended it, on conjectorct
to the best of my power.

244

thousand for mine.' Quoth the cook, 'We have cmi-
perienced the old man's just judgment; what deemeth
the king of fetching him?' So the king bade fetch him,
and when he saw the two horses, he said, 'This one is
worth a thousand and the other two thousand dinars.'
Quoth the folk, ' This [horse that thou judgeth the lesser
worth] is an evident thoroughbred and he is younger and
swifter and more compact of Hmb than the other, ay, and
finer of head and clearer of skin and colour. What token,
then, hast thou of the truth of thy saying ? ' And the old
man said, ' This ye say is all true, but his sire b old and
this other is the son of a young horse. Now, when the
son of an old horse standeth still [to rest,] his breath
returneth not to him and his rider falleth into the hand of
him who followeth after him; but the son of a young
horse, if thou put him to speed and make him run, [then
check him] and alight from off him, thou wilt find him
untired, by reason of his robustness.'

Quoth the merchant, * Indeed, it is as the old man
avoucheth and he is an excellent judge.' And the king
said, ' Increase his allowance.' But the old man stood
still and did not go away. So the king said to him, * Why
dost thou not go about thy business ? ' And he answered,
' My business is with the king.' ' Name what thou wouldst
have,' said the king, and the other replied, ' I would have
thee question me of the quintessences of men, even as
thou hast questioned me of the quintessences of horses.*
Quoth the king, 'We have no occasion to question thee
of [this].' But the old man replied, ' I have occasion to
acquaint thee.' ' Say what thou pleasest,' rejoined the

245

king, and the old man said, * Verily, the king is the son
of a baker/ Quoth the king * How knowest thou that ? '
And the other replied, * Know, O king, that I have
examined into degrees and dignities i and have learnt
this.'

Thereupon the king went in to his mother and
questioned her of his father, and she told him that the
king her husband was weakj« * wherefore,' quoth she,
* I feared for the kingdom, lest it pass away, after
his death ; so I took to my bed a young man, a baker,
and conceived by him [and bore a son] ; and the kingship
came into the hand of my son, to wit, thyself* So the
king returned to the old man and said to him, 'I am
indeed the son of a baker; so do thou expound to me
the means whereby thou knewest me for this.' Quoth the
other, * I knew that, hadst thou been a king's son, thou
wouldst have given largesse of things of price, such as
rubies [and the like] ; and wert thou the son of a Cadi,
thou hadst given largesse of a dirhem or two dirhems,
and wert thou the son of a merchant, thou hadst given
wealth galore. But I saw that thou guerdonest me not
but with cakes of bread [and other victual], wherefore
I knew that thou wast the son of a baker.' Quoth the
king, ' Thou hast hit the mark.' And he gave him wealth
galore and advanced him to high estate."

^ The words rutei wa mtnazil, here rendered "degrees and digni-
ties," may also be rendered, " stations and mansions (of the mooo
and planets).'* • Syn- *' ailing " or " lickly."

246

This stoiy pleased King Shah Bekht and he marvelled
thereat; but the vizier said to him, "This story is not
more extraordinary than that of the rich man who married
his fair daughter to the poor old man." The king's mind
was occupied with the [promised] story and he bade the
vizier withdraw to his lodging. So he [returned to hia
house and] abode there the rest of the night and the
whole of the following day.

When the evening evened, the king withdrew to his
privy sitting-chamber and bade fetch the vizier. When he
presented himself before him, he said to him, "Tell me
the story of the wealthy man who married his daughter
to the poor old man." " It is well," answered the vizier.
" Know, O puissant king, that

STORY OF THE RICH MAN WHO GAVE HIS
FAIR DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE TO THE
POOR OLD MAN.

A certain wealthy merchant had a fair daughter, who
was as the full moon, and when she attained the age of
fifteen, her father betook himself to an old man and
spreading him a carpet in his sitting-chamber, gave him
to eat and caroused with him. Then said he to him, *I
desire to marry thee to my daughter.' The other excused
himself, because of his poverty, and said to him, ' I am not
worthy of her nor am I a match for thee.' The merchant
was instant with him, but he repeated his answer to him,
saying, 'I will not consent to this till thou acquaint me
with the reason of thy desire for me. If I find it reason-
able, I will fall in with thy wish ; and if not, I will not do
this ever.'

'Know, then,' said the merchant, Uhat I am a man
from the land of China and was in my youth well-favoured

248

and well-lo-do. Now I made no account of womankind,
one and all, but followed after boys, and one night I saw,
in a dream, as it were a balance set up, and it was said
by it^ "This is the portion of such an one." Presently,
I heard my own name ; so I looked and beheld a woman
of the utmost loathliness; whereupon I awoke in affright
and said, "I will never marry, lest haply this loathly
woman fall to my lot." Then I set out for this city with
merchandise and the voyage was pleasant to me and the
sojourn here, so that I took up my abode here awhile
and got me friends and factors, till I had sold all my
merchandise and taken its price and there was left me
nothing to occupy me till the folk^ should depart and
I depart with them.

One day, I changed my clothes and putting money in
my sleeve, sallied forth to explore the holes and comers
of this city, and as I was going about, I saw a handsome
house. Its goodliness pleased me; so I stood looking
on it, and behold, a lovely woman [at the lattice]. When
she saw me, she made haste and descended, whilst I
abode confoimded. Then I betook myself to a tailor
there and questioned him of the house and to whom it
belonged. Quoth he, " It belongeth to such an one the
notary, may God curse him 1" "Is he her father?" asked
I ; [and he replied, " Yes."] So I repaired in haste to a
man, with whom I had been used to deposit my goods
(or sale, and told him that I desired to gain access to
such an one the notary. Accordingly he assembled his
friends and we betook ourselves to the notary's house.
^ i.e. the caravan with which he came.

249

When we came in to him, we saluted him and sat with
him, and I said to him, "I come to thee as a suitor,
desiring the hand of thy daughter in marriage." Quoth
he, "I have no daughter befitting this man." And I
rejoined, " God aid thee f My desire is for thee and not
for her."* But he still refused and his friends said to him,
" This is an honourable man and thine equal in estate,
and it is not lawful to thee that thou hinder the girl of
her fortune." Quoth he to them, "Verily, my daughter
whom ye seek is passing foul-favoured and in her are
all blameworthy qualities." And I said, " I accept her,
though she be as thou sayesL" Then said the folk,
"Extolled be the perfection of Godl A truce to talk!
[The thing is settled;] so say the word, how much wilt
thou have [to her dowry]?'* Quoth he, "I must have
four thousand dinars." And I said, "Hearkening and
obedience."

So the affair was concluded and we drew up the con-
tract of marriage and I made the bride-feast ; but on the
wedding-night I beheld a thing* than which never made
God the Most High aught more loathly. Methought
her people had contrived this by way of sport; so I
laughed and looked for my mistress, whom I had seen
[at the lattice], to make her appearance ; but saw her not.
When the affair was prolonged and I found none but her,
I was like to go mad for vexation and fell to beseeching
my Lord and humbling myself in supplication to Him that

^ i,«. I seek to many thy daughter, not for her own sake, but because
I desire thine alliance.
' i£. the face of his bride.

250

He would deliver me from her. When I arose in the
morning, there came the chamber-woman and said to me,
" Hast thou occasion for the bath ?" " No," answered I j
and she said, "Art thou for breakfast?" But I replied,
"No;" and on this wise I abode three days, tasting
neither meat nor drink.

When the damsel * saw me in this plight, she said to me,
" O man, tell me thy story, for, by Allah, an I may avail
to thy deliverance, I will assuredly further thee thereto."
I gave ear to her speech and put faith in her loyalty and
told her the story of the damsel whom I had seen [at the
lattice] and how I had fallen in love with her ; whereupon
quoth she, " If the girl belong to me, that which I possess
is thine, and if she belong to my father, I will demand
her of him and deliver her to thee." Then she fell to
calling slave-girl after slave-girl and showing them to me,
till I saw the damsel whom I loved and said, "This is
she." Quoth my wife, " Let not thy heart be troubled,
for this is my slave-girl. My father gave her to me and
I give her to thee. So comfort thyself and be of good
heart and cheerful eye."

Then, when it was night, she brought her to me, after
she had adorned her and perfumed her, and said to her,
" Gainsay not this thy lord in aught that he shall seek of
thee." When she came to bed with me, I said in myself^
" Verily, this damsel • is more generous than 1 1 ** Then
I sent away the slave-girl and drew not nigh unto her, but
arose forthright and betaking myself to my wife, lay with
her and dia away her maidenhead. She straightway con-
^ i.e. his wife. * i,*. his wifis.

251

ceived by me and accomplishing the time of her pregnancy,
gave birth to this dear little daughter ; in whom I rejoiced,
for that she was lovely to the utterest, and she hath in-
herited her mother's wit and her father's comeliness.

Indeed, many of the notables of the people have sought
her of me in marriage, but I would not marry her to any,
for that, one night, I saw, in a dream, the balance afore-
said set up and men and women being weighed, one
against the other, therein, and meseemed I saw thee [and
her] and it was said to me, "This is such a man,* the
allotted portion of such a woman."* Wherefore I knew
that God the Most High had allotted unto her none other
than thyself, and I choose rather to marry thee to her in
my lifetime than that thou shouldst marry her after my
death.'

When the poor man heard the merchant's story, he
became desirous of marrying his daughter. So he took
her to wife and was vouchsafed of her exceeding love.
Nor," added the vizier, " is this story more extraordinary
than that of the rich man and his wasteful heir."

When the king heard his vizier's story, he was assured
that he would not slay him and said, " I will have patience
with him, so I may get of him the story of the rich man
and his wasteful heir." And he bade him depart to hia
own house.

I Namiog the poor man. ' Naming his daughter.

HOft M^ BW of f^e Mot(£^

When the evening evened, the king sat in his pAvy
closet and summoning the vizier, required of him the
promised story. So £r Kehwan said, ** Know, O king, that

STORY OF THE RICH MAN AND HIS
WASTEFUL SON.

There was once a sage of the sages, who had three sons
and sons' sons, and when they waxed many and their
posterity multiplied, there befell dissension between them.
So he assembled them and said to them, ' Be ye one hand^
against other than you and despise' not [one another,]
lest the folk despise you, and know that the like of you is
as the rope which the man cut, when it was single ; then
he doubled [it] and availed not to cut it ', on this wise is
division and union. And beware lest ye seek help of
others against yourselves' or ye will fall into perdition, for
by whosesoever means ye attain your desire,* his word"
will have precedence of* your word. Now I have wealth
which I will bury in a certain place, so it may be a store
for you, against the time of your need.*

Then they left him and dispersed and one of the sons
fell to spying upon his father, so that he saw him hide the
treasure without the city. When he had made an end of

» i^. united. ■ Or " humble." • /.#. one another.

* Or " conquer." • Or '* commandment."

• Lii. " will be higher than."

253

burying it, he returned to his house ; and when the mom'
ing morrowed, his son repaired to the place where he had
seen his father bury the treasure and dug and took it and
went his way. When the [hour of the] old man's admis-
sion [to the mercy of God] drew nigh, he called his sons
to him and acquainted them with the place where he had
hidden his riches. As soon as he was dead, they went
and dug up the treasure and found wealth galore, for that
the money, which the first son had taken by stealth, was
on the surface and he knew not that vmder it was other
money. So they took it and divided it and the first son
took his share with the rest and laid it to that which he
had taken aforetime, behind [the backs of) his father and
his brethren. Then he took to wife the daughter of his
father's brother and was vouchsafed by her a male child,
who was the goodliest of the folk of his time.

When the boy grew up, his father feared for him fi'om
poverty and change of case, so he said to him, * Dear my
son, know that in my youth I wronged my brothers in the
matter of our father's good, and I see thee in weal ; but,
if thou [come to] need, ask not of one of them nor of
any other, for I have laid up for thee in yonder chamber a
treasure ; but do not thou open it until thou come to lack
thy day's food.' Then he died, and his wealth, which was
a great matter, fell to his son. The young man had not
patience to wait till he had made an end of that which
was with him, but rose and opened the chamber, and
behold, it was [empty and its walls were] whitened, and in
its midst was a rope hanging down and half a score
bricks, one upon another, and a scroll, wherein was

254

written, •Needs must death betide; so hang thyself and
beg not of any, but kick away the bricks, so there may be no
escape* for thee, and thou shalt be at rest from the exulta-
tion of enemies and enviers and the bitterness of poverty.'
When the youth saw this, he marvelled at that which
his father had done and said, * This is a sorry treasure.*
Then he went forth and fell to eating and drinking with
the folk, till nothing was left him and he abode two days
without tastmg food, at the end of which time he took a
handkerchief and selling it for two dirhems, bought bread
and milk with the price and left it on the shelf [and went
out Whilst he was gone,] a dog came and took the
bread and spoiled the milk, and when the man returned
and saw this, he buflfeted his face and went forth, dis-
traught, at a venture. Presently, he met a friend of his,
to whom he discovered his case, and the other said to
him, ' Art thou not ashamed to talk thus? How hast thou
wasted all this wealth and now comest telling lies and
saying, " The dog hath mounted on the shelf,** and talking
nonsense ? * And he reviled him.

So the youth returned to his house, and indeed the
world was grown black in his eyes and he said, *My
father said sooth.* Then he opened the chamber door
and piling up the bricks under his feet, put the rope about
his neck and kicked away the bricks and swung himself
off; whereupon the rope gave way with him [and he fell]
to the ground and the ceiling clove in sunder and there
poured down on him wealth galore. So he knew that his
Either meant to discipline' him by means of this and

* Syn. device or resource {AileA). ' Syn. chasten or iostruct.

255

invoked God's mercy on him. Then he got him again
that which he had sold of lands and houses and what not
else and became once more in good case. Moreover, his
friends returned to him and he entertained them some days.
Then said he to them one day, 'There was with us
bread and the locusts ate it; so we put in its place a
stone, a cubit long and the like broad, and the locusts
came and gnawed away the stone, because of the smell
of the bread.* Quoth one of his friends (and it was he
who had given him the lie concerning the dog and the
bread and milk), * Marvel not at this, for mice do more
than that.* And he said, 'Go to your houses. In the
days of my poverty, I was a liar [when I told you] of the
dog's climbing upon the shelf and eating the bread and
spoiling the milk ; and to-day, for that I am rich again,
I say sooth [when I tell you] that locusts devoured a
stone a cubit long and a cubit broad.' They were con-
founded at his speech and departed from him; and the
youth's good flourished and his case was amended.* Nor,"
added the vizier, "is this stranger or more extraordinary
than the story of the king's son who fell in love with the
picture."

Quoth the king, " Belike, if I hear this story, I shall
gain wisdom from it; so I will not hasten in the slaying
of this vizier, nor will I put him to death before the thirty
days have expired." Then he gave him leave to with-
draw, and he went away to his own house.

* Students of our old popular poetry will recognire, in the principal
incident of this stoiy, the subject of the well-known ballad, " The Heii
of Linne."

^t Sfart^ ^ffl^ of tfje Man^

When the day departed and the evening came, the king
sat in his privy chamber and summoned the vizier, who
presented himself to him and he questioned him of the
story. So the vizier said, " Know, O august king, that

THE KING'S SON WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH
THE PICTURE.

There was once, in a province of Persia, a king of the
kings, who was mighty of estate, endowed with majesty
and venerance and having troops and guards at his
command; but he was childless. Towards the end of
his life, his Lord vouchsafed him a male child, and the
boy grew up and was comely and learned all manner of
knowledge. He made him a private place, to wit, a
lofty palace, builded with coloured marbles and [adorned
with] jewels and paintings. When the prince entered
the palace, he saw in its ceiling the picture [of a woman],
than whom he had never beheld a fairer of aspect, and
she was compassed about with slave-girls; whereupon
he fell down in a swoon and became distraught for love
of her. Then he sat under the picture, till, one day, his
father came in to him and finding him wasted of body
and changed of colour, by reason of his [continual]
looking on that picture, thought that he was ill and
sent for the sages and physicians, that they might
medicine him. Moreover, he said to one of his boon-
companions, 'If thou canst learn what aileth my son,

257

thou shalt have of me krgesse.* So the courtiei went in
to the prince and spoke him fair and cajoled him, till he
confessed to him that his malady was caused by the picture.
Then he returned to the king and told him what ailed his
son, whereupon he transported the prince to another palace
and made his f3rmer lodging the guest-house; and who-
soever of the Arabs was entertained therein, he questioned
of the picture, but none could give him tidings thereof.

One day, there came a traveller and seeing the picture,
said, * There is no god but God ! My brother wrought this
picture.' So the king sent for him and questioned him
of the affair of the picture and where was he who had
wrought it. 'O my lord,* answered the traveller, *we
are two brothers and one of us went to the land of Hind
and fell in love with the king's daughter of the country,
and it is she who is the original of the portrait. In every
city he entereth, he painteth her portrait, and I follow
him, and long is my journey.' When the king's son heard
this, be said, * Needs must I travel to this damsel.' So he
took all manner rarities and store of riches and journeyed
days and nights till he entered the land of Hind, nor
did he win thereto save after sore travail. Then he
enquired of the King of Hind and he also heard of him.

When the prince came before him, he sought of him
his daughter in marriage, and the king said, ' Indeed, thou
art her equal, but none dare name a man to her, because
of her aversion to men.' So the prince pitched his tents
under the windows of the princess's palace, till one day he
got hold of one of her favourite slave-girls and gave her
wealth galore. Quoth she to him, *Hast thou a wish?*
VOL. I. 17

258

•Yes,' answered he and acquainted her with his case; and
she said, * Indeed thou puttest thyself in peril' Then he
abode, flattering himself with false hopes, till all that he
had with him was gone and the servants fled from him;
whereupon quoth he to one in whom he trusted, 'I am
minded to go to my country and fetch what may suffice
me and return hither.' And the other answered, * It is for
thee to decide.' So they set out to return, but the way
was long to them and all that the prince had with him was
spent and his company died and there abode but one with
him, on whom he loaded what remamed of the victual and
they left the rest and fared on. Then there came out
a lion and ate the servant, and the prince abode alone.
lie went on, till his beast stood still, whereupon he left
her and fared on afoot till his feet swelled.

Presently he came to the land of the Turks,* and he
naked and hungry and having with him nought but some-
what of jewels, bound about his fore-arm. So he went
to the bazaar of the goldsmiths and calling one of the
brokers, gave him the jewels. The broker looked and
seeing two great rubies, said to him, 'Follow me.' So he
followed him, till he brought him to a goldsmith, to whom
he gave the jewels, saying, *Buy these.' Quoth he,

* Whence hadst thou these?' And the broker replied,

* This youth is the owner of them.' Then said the gold-
smith to the prince, * Whence hadst thou these rubies?*
And he told him all that had befallen him and that he was
a king's son. The goldsmith marvelled at his story and
bought of him the rubies for a thousand dinars.

* i^. Turcomans ; afterwards called Sejestan.

259

Then said the prince to him, * Make ready to go with
me to my country.' So he made ready and went with the
prince till he drew near the frontiers of his father's
kingdom, where the people received him with the utmost
honour and sent to acquaint his father with his son's
coming. The king came out to meet him and they
entreated the goldsmith with honour. The prince abode
awhile with his father, then set out, [he and the gold-
smith] to return to the country of the fair one, the
daughter of the King of Hind; but there met him robbers
by the way and he fought the sorest of battles and was
slain. The goldsmith buried him and marked his grave*
and returned, sorrowing and distraught to his own country,
without telling any of the prince's death.

To return to the king's daughter of whom the prince
went in quest and on whose account he was slain. She
had been used to look out from the top of her palace and
gaze on the youth and on his beauty and grace ; so she
said to her slave-girl one day, 'Harkye! What is come
of the troops that were encamped beside my palace?'
Quoth the maid, 'They were the troops of the youth,
the king's son of the Persians, who came to demand thee
in marriage, and wearied himself on thine account, but
thou hadst no compassion on him.' * Out on thee ! ' cried
the princess. 'Why didst thou not tell me?' And the
damsel answered, 'I feared thy wrath.* Then she sought
an audience of the king her father and said to him,
* By Allah, I will go in quest of him, even as he came in
quest of me , else should I not do him justice.'

* With a pile of stones or some such landmark.

26o

So she made ready and setting out, traversed the deserts
and spent treasures till she came to Sejestan, where she
called a goldsmith to make her somewhat of trinkets.
[Now the goldsmith in question was none other than the
prince's friend]; so, when he saw her, he knew her (for
that the prince had talked with him of her and had
depictured her to him) and questioned her of her case.
She acquainted him with her errand, whereupon he
buffeted his face and rent his clothes and strewed dust
on his head and fell a-weeping. Quoth she, *Why dost
thou thus ? ' And he acquainted her with the prince's case
and how he was his comrade and told her that he was
dead; whereat she grieved for him and faring on to his
father and mother, [acquainted them with the case].

So the prince's father and his uncle and his mother and
the grandees of the realm repaired to his tomb and the
princess made lamentation over him, crying aloud. She
abode by the tomb a whole month; then she let fetch
painters and caused them limn her portraiture and that of
the king's son. Moreover, she set down in writing their
story and that which had befallen them of perils and
afflictions and set it [together with the pictures], at the
head of the tomb; and after a little, they departed from
the place. Nor," added the vizier, "is this more extra-
ordinary, O king of the age, than the story of the fuller and
his wife and the trooper and what passed between them."

With this the king bade the vizier go away to his
lodging, and when he arose in the morning, he abode his
day in his house.

tS^t &tbmt}) ^(5}ft of ffit Mord%

At eventide the king sat [in his privy sitting-chamber]
and sending for the vizier, said to him, "Tell me the
story of the fuller and his wife." "With all my heart,"
answered the vizier. So he came forward and saidj
** Know, O king of the age, that

STORY OF THE FULLER AND HIS WIFE.

There was once in a certain city a woman fair of favour,
who had to lover a trooper. Her husband was a fuller,
and when he went out to his business, the trooper used to
come to her and abide with her till the time of the fuller's
return, when he would go away. On this wise they abode
awhile, till one day the trooper said to his mistress, ' I mean
to take me a house near unto thine and dig an underground
passage from my house to thy house, and do thou say to thy
husband, " My sister hath been absent with her husband
and now they have returned from their travels ; and I have
made her take up her sojourn in my neighbourhood, so I
may foregather with her at all times. So go thou to her
husband the trooper and offer him thy wares [for sale], and
thou wilt see my sister with him and wilt see that she is I and
I am she, without doubt. So, Allah, Allah, go to my sister's
husband and give ear to that which he shall say to thee."'

Accordingly, the trooper bought him a house near at
hand and made therein an underground passage commu-
nicating with his mistress's house. When he had accom-
plished his affair, the wife bespoke her husband as her

262

lover had lessoned her and he went out to go to the
trooper's house, but turned back by the way, whereupon
quoth she to hira, *By Allah, go forthright, for that my
sister asketh of thee.' So the dolt of a fuller went out
and made for the trooper's house, whilst his wife forewent
him thither by the secret passage, and going up, sat down
beside her lover. Presently, the fuller entered and saluted
the trooper and his [supposed] wife and was confounded
at the coincidence of the case.* Then doubt betided him
and he returned in haste to his dwelling; but she forewent
him by the underground passage to her chamber and
donning her wonted clothes, sat [waiting] for him and
said to him, 'Did I not bid thee go to my sister and salute
her husband and make friends with them?* Quoth he,
* I did this, but I misdoubted of my affair, when I saw his
wife.' And she said, * Did I not tell thee that she resem-
bleth me and I her, and there is nought to distinguish
between us but our clothes ? Go back to her.'

So, of the heaviness of his wit, he believed her and
turning back, went in to the trooper; but she had fore-
gone him, and when he saw her beside her lover, he fell
to looking on her and pondering. Then he saluted her
and she returned him the salutation ; and when she spoke,
he was bewildered. So the trooper said to him, * What
ails thee to be thus ? ' And he answered, * This woman u
my wife and the voice is her voice.' Then he rose in
haste and returning to his own house, saw his wife, who
had foregone him by the secret passage. So he went
back to the trooper's house and saw her sitting as before ;
^ iM the extraordinary resemblance of the supposed sister to his wife.

263

whereupon he was abashed before her and sitting down
in the trooper's sitting-chamber, ate and drank with him
and became drunken and abode without sense all that day
till nightfall, when the trooper arose and shaving off some
of the fuller's hair (which was long and flowing) after the
fashion of the Turks, clipped the rest short and clapped a
tarboush on his head.

Then he thrust his feet into boots and girt him with a
sword and a girdle and bound about his middle a quiver
and a bow and arrows. Moreover, he put money in his
pocket and thrust into his sleeve letters-patent addressed
to the governor of Ispahan, bidding him assign to Rustem
Khemartekeni a monthly allowance of a hundred dirhems
an' ten pounds of bread and five pounds of meat and
enrol him among the Turks under his commandment.
Then he took him up and carrying him forth, left him
in one of the mosques.

The fuller gave not over sleeping till sunrise, when he
awoke and finding himself in this plight, misdoubted of
his afifair and imagined that he was a Turk and abode
putting one foot forward and drawing the other back.
Then said he in himself, *I will go to my dwelling, and
if my wife know me, then am I Ahmed the fuller j but, if
she know me not, I am a Turk.' So he betook himself to
his house ; but when the artful baggage his wife saw him,
she cried out in his face, saying, * Whither away, O trooper ?
Wilt thou break into the house of Ahmed the fuller, and he
a man of repute, having a brother-in-law a Turk, a man of
high standing with the Sultan ? An thou depart not, I will
acquaint my husband and he will requite thee thy deed.'

264

When he heard her words, the dregs of the drunkenness
wrought in him and he imagined that he was indeed a
Turk. So he went out from her and putting his hand to
his sleeve, found therein a scroll and gave it to one who
read it to him. When he heard that which was written in
the scroll, his mind was confirmed in the false supposition ;
but he said in himself, * Maybe my wife seeketh to put a
cheat on me ; so I will go to my fellows the fullers ; and
if they know me not, then am I for sure Khemartekeni the
Turk.' So he betook himself to the fullers and when they
espied him afar oflf, they thought that he was one of the
Turks, who used to wash their clothes with them with-
out payment and give them nothing.

Now they had complained of them aforetime to the
Sultan, and he said, ' If any of the Turks come to you,
pelt them with stones.' So, when they saw the fuller,
they fell upon him with sticks and stones and pelted him ;
whereupon quoth he [in himself], * Verily, I am a Turk
and knew it not.' Then he took of the money in his
pocket and bought him victual [for the journey] and hired
a hackney and set out for Ispahan, leaving his wife to the
trooper. Nor," added the vizier, "is this more extra-
ordinary than the story of the merchant and the old
woman an4 the king."

The vizier's story pleased King Shah Bekht and his
heart clave to the story of the merchant and the old
woman ; so he bade Er Rehwan withdraw to his lodging
and he went away to his house and abode there the
next day.

When the evening evened, the king sat in his privy
chamber and bade fetch the vizjer, who presented himself
before him, and the king required of him the promised
story. So the vizier answered, " With all my heart Know,
O king, that

STORY OF THE OLD WOMAN, THE MERCHANT
AND THE KING.

There was once in a city of Khorassan a family of
affluence and distinction, and the townsfolk used to envy
them for that which God had vouchsafed them. As time
went on, their fortune ceased from them and they passed
away, till there remained of them but one old woman.
When she grew feeble and decrepit, the townsfolk
succoured her not with aught, but put her forth of the
city, saying, ' This old woman shall not harbour with us,
for that we do her kindness and she requiteth us with
eviL' So she took shelter in a ruined place and strangers
used to bestow alms upon her, and on this wise she abode
a while of time.

Now the uncle's son of the king of the city had afore-
time disputed [the kingship] with him, and the people
misliked the king; but God the Most High decreed that
he should get the better of his cousin. However, jealousy
of him abode in his heart and he acquainted the vizier,

266

who hid it not and sent [him] money. Moreover, he
fell to summoning [all strangers who came to the town],
man after man, and questioning them of their faith and
their worldly estate, and whoso answered him not [to
his liking], he took his good.* Now a certain wealthy
man of the Muslims was on a journey and it befell that
he arrived at that city by night, unknowing what was
to do, and coming to the ruin aforesaid, gave the old
woman money and said to her, *No harm upon thee.'
Whereupon she lifted up her voice and prayed [for him].
He set down his merchandise by her [and abode with
her] the rest of the night and the next day.

Now thieves had followed him, so they might rob him
oi his good, but availed not unto aught; wherefore he
went up to the old woman and kissed her head and
exceeded in munificence to her. Then she [warned him
of that which awaited strangers entering the town and]
said to him, * I like not this for thee and I fear mischief
for thee from these questions that the vizier hath ap-
pointed for the confrontation of the ignorant.' And she
expounded to him the case according to its fashion.
Then said she to him, ' But have no concern : only carry
me with thee to thy lodging, and if he question thee
of aught, whilst I am with thee, I will expoimd the
answers to thee.' So he carried her with him to the
city and established her in his lodging and entreated
her kindly.

* The forgoing passage is evidently very compt and the meaning is
by no means plain, but, in the absence of a parallel version, it is ink*
possible to clear up the obscurity of the text.

267

Presently, the vizier heard of the merchant's coming;
80 he sent to him and let bring him to his house and
talked with him awhile of his travels and of that which he
had abidden therein, and the merchant answered him
thereof. Then said the vizier, ' I will put certain questions
to thee, which if thou answer me, it will be well [for
thee].* And the merchant rose and made him no answer.
Quoth the vizier, ' What is the weight of the elephant ?'
The merchant was perplexed and returned him no answer
and gave himself up for lost Then said he, 'Grant me
three days' time.' So the vizier granted him the delay he
sought and he returned to his lodging and related what
had passed to the old woman, who said, * When the morrow
Cometh, go to the vizier and say to him, " Make a ship and
launch it on the sea and put in it an elephant, and when
it sinketh in the water, [under the beast's weight], mark
the place to which the water riseth. Then take out the
elephant and cast in stones in its place, till the ship sink
to the mark aforesaid; whereupon do thou take out the
stones and weigh them and thou wilt know the weight
of the elephant" '

So, when he arose in the morning, he repaired to the
vizier and repeated to him that which the old woman had
taught him ; whereat the vizier marvelled and said to him,
*What sayst thou of a man, who seeth in his house four
holes, and in each a viper ofiFering to come out and kill
him, and in his house are four staves and each hole may
not be stopped but with the ends of two staves ? How
shall he stop all the holes and deliver himself from the
vipers?' When the merchant heard this, there betided

268

him [of concern] what made him forget the first and he
said to the vizier, ' Grant me time, so I may consider the
answer/ ' Go out,' replied the vizier, ' and bring me the
answer, or I will seize thy good.'

The merchant went out and returned to the old
woman, who, seeing him changed of colour, said to him,
*What did he ask thee, [may God confound] his hoari-
ness ? ' So he acquainted her with the case and she said
to him, * Fear not ; I will bring thee forth of this [strait].'
Quoth he, * God requite thee with good I ' And she said,

* To-morrow go to him with a stout heart and say, " The
answer to that whereof thou askest me is that thou put the
heads of two staves into one of the holes ; then take the
other two staves and lay them across the middle of the first
two and stop with their heads the second hole and with
their butts the fourth hole. Then take the butts of the
first two staves and stop with them the third hole."'*

So he repaired to the vizier and repeated to hun the
answer ; and he marvelled at its justness and said to him,

* Go ; by Allah, I will ask thee no more questions, for thou
with thy skill marrest my foundation.'* Then he entreated
him friendly and the merchant acquainted him with the
affair of the old woman; whereupon quoth the vizier,

* Needs must the man of understanding company with

^ This appears to be the sense of the text { bnt the whole passage is
to obscnie and oorrnpt that h is impossible to make sure of its exact
meaning.

• Meaning apparently, " thou puttest my devices to nought " or
(perhaps) " thou art so skilful that I fear lest thou undermine my favour
with the king and oust me from my post of vizier."

269

those of understanding/ Thus did this weak woman
restore to that man his life and good on the easiest wise.
Nor," added the vizier, "is this more extraordinaxy than
the story of the credulous husband."

When the king heard this story, he said, " How like is
this to our own case ! " Then he bade the vizier retire to
his lodging; so he withdrew to his house and on the
morrow he abode at home [till the king should fiimmon
him to his presence]

QTlie iaCnt^ Mobi at tfje i^ant|.

When the night came, the king sat in his privy chamber
and sending afler the vizier, sought of him the promised
story; and he said, *' Know, O august king, that

STORY OF THE CREDULOUS HUSBANa

There was once of old time a foolish, ignorant man,
who had wealth galore, and his wife was a fair woman,
who loved a handsome youth. The latter used to watch
for her husband's absence and come to her, and on this
wise he abode a long while. One day, as the woman was
private with her lover, he said to her, * O my lady and my
beloved, if thou desire me and love me, give me posses-
sion of thyself and accomplish my need in thy husband's
presence ; else will I never again come to thee nor draw
near thee, what while I abide on life.' Now she loved
him with an exceeding love and could not brook his
separation an hour nor could endure to vex him; so,
when she heard his words, she said to him, [* So be it,] in
God's name, O my beloved and solace of mine eyes, may
he not live who would vex thee I ' Quoth he, * To-day ? '
And she said, ' Yes, by thy life,' and appointed him of this.

When her husband came home, she said to him, *I
desire to go a-pleasuring.* And he said, 'With all my
heart.' So he went, till he came to a goodly place,
abounding in vines and water, whither he carried her and

271

pitched her a tent beside a treat tree; and she betook
herself to a place beside the tent and made her there an
underground hiding-place, [in which she hid her lover].
Then said she to her husband, *I desire to mount this
tree.' And he said, 'Do so.' So she climbed up and
when she came to the top of the tree, she cried out and
buffeted her face, saying, ' Lewd fellow that thou art, are
these thy usages? Thou sworest [fidelity to me] and
liedst.' And she repeated her speech twice and thrice.

Then she came down from the tree and rent her clothes
and said, *0 villain, if these be thy dealings with me
before my eyes, how dost thou when thou art absent
from me?' Quoth he, 'What aileth thee?' and she
said, * I saw thee swive the woman before my very eyes.*

* Not so, by Allah ! ' cried he. * But hold thy peace till
I go up and see.* So he climbed the tree and no sooner
did he begin to do so than up came the lover [from his
hiding-place] and taking the woman by the legs, [fell to
Bwiving her]. When the husband came to the top of
the tree, he looked and beheld a man swiving his wife.
So he said, *0 strumpet, what doings are these?' And
he made haste to come down from the tree to the ground ;
[but meanwhile the lover had returned to his hiding-
place] and his wife said to him, 'What sawest thou?'

* I saw a man swive thee,* answered he ; and she said,
*Thou liest; thou sawest nought and sayst this but of
conjecture.*

On this wise they did three times, and every time [he
climbed the tree] the lover came up out of the underground
place and bestrode her; whilst her husband looked on and

27a

sbp sHll said, *0 liar, seest thou aught?* 'Yes,* would
he answer and came down in haste, but saw no one and
she said to him, * By my life, look and say nought but
the truth!* Then said he to her, 'Arise, let us depart
this place,* for it is full of Jinn and Marids.* [So they
returned to their house] and passed the night [there]
and the man arose in the morning, assured that this was
all but imagination and illusion. And so the lover ac-
complished his desire.* Nor, O king of the age," added
the vizier, "is this more extraordinary than the story of
the king and the tither.**

When the king heard this from the vizier, he bade him
go away [and he withdrew to his house].

^ Lit. "land ;" bat the meaning is evidently as in the text.
* The reader will recognize the well-kaown stoiy used by Chancer,
Boccaccio and La Fontaine.

I

When it was eventide, the king summoned the viziei
and sought of him the story of the King and the Tither,
and he said, " Know, O king, that

STORY OF THE UNJUST KING AND THE
TITHER.

There was once a king of the kings of the earth, who
dwelt in a populous* city, abounding in good ; but he
oppressed its people and used them foully, so that he
ruined' the city; and he was named none other than
tyrant and misdoer. Now he was wont, whenas he heard
of a masterful man' in another land, to send after him
and tempt him with money to take service with him ; and
there was a certain tither, who exceeded all his brethren
m oppression of the people and foulness of dealing. So
the king sent after him and when he stood before him, he
found him a mighty man* and said to him, ' Thou hast
been praised to me, but meseemeth thou overpassest the
description. Set out to me somewhat of thy sayings and
doings, so I may be dispensed therewith from [enquiring
into] all thy circumstance.' * With all my heart,' answered
the other. *Know, O king, that I oppress the folk and
people' the land, whilst other than I wasteth' it and
peopleth it not'

^ Syn. flourishing. ■ SyH. depopulated. • Lit. an oppressor.
* i.e. a man of commanding presence.

' Syn. cause flourish. ' Syn. depopulateth.

VOL. L l8

274

Now the king was leaning back ; so he sat up and said,
'Tell me of this.' *It is well,' answered the tither. *I
go to the man whom I purpose to tithe and circumvent
him and feign to be occupied with certain business, so
that I seclude myself therewith from the folk ; and mean- ^
while the man is squeezed after the foulest fashion, till
nothing is left him. Then I appear and they come in to
me and questions befall concerning him and I say, ** In-
deed, I was ordered worse than this, for some one (may
God curse him !) hath slandered him to the king." Then
I take half of his good and return him the rest publicly
before the folk and send him away to his house, in all
honour and worship, and he causeth the money returned
to be carried before him, whilst he and all who are with
him call down blessings on me. So is it published in
the city that I have returned him his money and he him-
self saith the like, so he may have a claim on me for the
favour due to whoso praiseth me. Then I feign to forget
him till some time^ hath passed over him, when I send
for him and recall to him somewhat of that which hath
befallen aforetime and demand [of him] somewhat privily.
So he doth this and hasteneth to his dwelling and sendeth
what I bid him, with a glad heart. Then I send to another
man, between whom and the other is enmity, and lay
hands upon him and feign to the first man that it is he
who hath traduced him to the king and taken the half
of his good ; and the people praise me."

* Lit. the year.

• The whole of the tither's account of himself is terribly : bscnre and
■o corrupt that it is hardly pt^ssible to make sense of it. The
remark applies to much of the rest of the story.

275

The king marvelled at this and at his dealing and con-
trivance and invested him with [the control of] all his
affairs and of his kingdom and the land abode [under his
governance] and he said to him, 'Take and people.'*
One day, the tither went out and saw an old man, a wood-
cutter, and with him wood ; so he said to him, ' Pay a
dirhem tithe for thy load.' Quoth the old man, * Behold,
thou killest me and killest my family.' 'What [meanest
thou]?' said the tither. 'Who killeth the folk?' And
the other answered, *If thou suffer me enter the city,
I shall sell the wood there for three dirhems, whereof
I will give thee one and buy with the other two what will
support my family; but, if thou press me for the tithe
without the city, the load will sell but for one dirhem
and thou wilt take it and I shall abide without food, I
and my family. Indeed, thou and I in this circumstance
are like unto David and Solomon, on whom be peace I '
['How so?* asked the tither, and the woodcutter said],
'Know that

STORY OF DAVID AND SOLOMON.

Certain husbandmen once made complaint to David
(on whom be peace!) against certain owners of sheep,
whose flocks had fallen upon their crops by night and
devoured them, and he bade value the crops [and that the
shepherds should make good the amount]. But Solomon
(on whom be peace ! ) rose and said, " Nay, but let the
sheep be delivered to the husbandmen, so they may take
^ Or " cause flourish."

276

their milk and wool, till they have repaid themselves the
value of their crops; then let the sheep retmn to thdr
owners." So David withdrew his own ordinance and
caused execute that of Solomon ; yet was David no
oppressor ; but Solomon's judgment was more pertinent
and he showed himself therein better versed in juris-
prudence.'*

When the tither heard the old man's speech, he relented
towards him and said to him, ' O old man, I make thee
a present of that which is due from thee, and do thou
cleave to me and leave me not, so haply I may get of thee
profit that shall do away from me my errors and guide me
into the way of righteousness.* So the old man followed
him, and there met him another with a load of wood.
Quoth the tither to him, 'Pay what is due from thee.*
And he answered, * Have patience with me till to-morrow,
for I owe the hire of a house, and I will sell another load
of wood and pay thee two days' tithe.' But he refused
him this and the old man said to him, ' If thou constrain
him unto this, thou wilt enforce him quit thy country, for
that he is a stranger here and hath no domicile ; and if he
remove on account of one dirhem, thou wilt lose [of him]
three hundred and threescore dirhems a year. Thus wilt
thou lose the much in keeping the little.' Quoth the tither,

' Lit. a better theol(^;ian. The Muslim law being entirelj based on
the Koran and the Traditions of the Prophet, the terms " lawyer"
and "theologian" ue necessarily ■jnonymoos among Mohammedan
peoplea.

277

'l give him a dirhem every month to the hire of his

lodging.'

Then he went on and presently there met him a third
woodcutter and he said to him, 'Pay what is due from
thee.' And he answered, 'I will pay thee a dirhem^
when I enter the city ; or take of me four danics* [now].'
Quoth the tither, * I will not do it,* but the old man said
to him, 'Take of him the four danics presently, for it is
easy to take and hard to restore.' ' By Allah,' quoth the
tither, ' it is good ! ' and he arose and went on, crying
out, at the top of his voice and saying, ' I have no power
to-day [to do evil].' Then he put off his clothes and went
forth wandering at a venture, repenting unto his Lord.
Nor," added the vizier, "is this story more extraordinary
than that of the thief who believed the woman and sought
refuge with God against falling in with her like, by reason
of her cunning contrivance for herself."

When the king heard this, he said in himself, "Since
the tither repented, in consequence of the admonitions
[of the woodcutter], it behoves that I spare this vizier,
so I may hear the story of the thief and the woman."
And he bade Er Rehwan withdraw to his lodging.

a A dauic is the sixth of a dirhem, ia. about one penny.

CTfre Slebmt!) Hi^ at t\)t Mant%

When the evening came and the king sat in his privy
chamber, he summoned the vizier and required of him
the story of the thief and the woman. Quoth the vizier,
" Know, O king, that

STORY OF THE THIEF AND THE WOMAN.

A certain thief was a [cunning] workman and used not
to steal aught, till he had spent all that was with him;
moreover, he stole not from his neighbours, neither
companied with any of the thieves, lest some one should
come to know him and his case get wind. On this wise
he abode a great while, in flourishing case, and his secret
was concealed, till God the Most High decreed that he
broke in upon a poor man, deeming that he was rich.
When he entered the house, he found nought, whereat he
was wroth, and necessity prompted him to wake the man,
who was asleep with his wife. So he aroused him and
said to him, * Show me thy treasure.*

Now he had no treasure; but the thief believed him
not and insisted upon him with threats and blows. When
he saw that he got no profit of him, he said to him,
'Swear by the oath of divorce from thy wife* [that thou

^ i^. say, " May I be [triply] divorced from my wife, if etc. I" By the
Muslim law, a divorce three times pronounced is irrevocable, and in
case of its appearing that the user of such an oath as the above had
sworn falsely, his wife would become divorced by operation of iaw,
without further ceremony. Hence the frequency and binding nature of
the oath in question.

279

hast nothing].* So he swore and his wife said to him,
'Out on thee! Wilt thou divorce me? Is not the
treasure buried in yonder chamber?' Then she turned
to the thief and conjured him to multiply blows upon
her husband, till he should deliver to him the treasure,
concerning which he had sworn falsely. So he drubbed
him grievously, till he carried him to a certain chamber,
wherein she signed to him that the treasure was and that
he should take it up.

So the thief entered, he and the husband; and when
they were both in the chamber, she locked on them the
door, which was a stout one, and said to the thief, ' Out
on thee, O fool ! Thou hast fallen [into the trap] and
now I have but to cry out and the officers of the police
will come and take thee and thou wilt lose thy life, O
Satan ! ' Quoth he, * Let me go forth ; ' and she said, * Thou
art a man and I am a woman ; and in thy hand is a knife
and I am afraid of thee.' Quoth he, 'Take the knife
from me.' So she took the knife from him and said to
her husband, ' Art thou a woman and he a man ? Mar his
nape with beating, even as he did with thee; and if he
put out his hand to thee, I will cry out and the police
will come and take him and cut him in sunder.' So the
husband said to him, *0 thousand-horned,^ O dog, O
traitor, I owe thee a deposit,* for which thou dunnest me.'
And he fell to beating him grievously with a stick of
live-oak, whilst he called out to the woman for help and
besought her of deliverance; but she said, 'Abide in thy

^ i^. thousandfold cuckold.

' i^. the blows which the thief had given him.

28o

place till the morning, and thou shalt see wonders.' And
her husband beat him within the chamber, till he [well-
nigh] made an end of him and he swooned away.

Then he left beating him and when the thief came to
himself, the woman said to her husband, 'O man, this
house is on hire and we owe its owners much money, and
we have nought; so how wilt thou do?* And she went
on to bespeak him thus. Quoth the thief, 'And what is
the amount of the rent?' *It will be fourscore dirhems,'
answered the husband ; and the thief said, ' I will pay this
for thee and do thou let me go my way.' Then said the
wife, *0 man, how much do we owe the baker and the
greengrocer?' Quoth the thie^ 'What is the sum of
this?' And the husband said, 'Sixscore dirhems.' 'That
makes two hundred dirhems,' rejoined the other ; ' let me
go my way and I will pay tliem.' But the wife said, ' O
my dear one, and the girl groweth up and needs must we
marry her and equip her and [do] what else is needful*
So the thief said to the husband, 'How much dost thou
want?' And he answered, 'A hundred dirhems, in the
way of moderation.'* Quoth the thief, 'That makes
three hundred dirhems.' And the woman said, 'O my
dear one, when the girl is married, thou wilt need money
for winter expenses, charcoal and firewood and other
necessaries.' 'What wouldst thou have?* asked the
thief; and she said, 'A hundred dirhems.' 'Be it four
hundred dirhems,' rejoined he; and she said, 'O my
dear one and solace of mine eyes, needs must my
husband have capital in hand, wherewith he may buy
^ i.i. at least, at the most moderate reckoning.

2bl

merchandise and open him a shop/ *How much will
that be?' asked he, and she said, 'A hundred dirhems.'
Quoth the thief, '[That makes five hundred dirhems; I
will pay it ;] but may I be divorced from my wife if all
my possessions amount to more than this, and that the
savings of twenty years ! Let me go my way, so I may
deliver them to thee.' * O fool,' answered she, * how shall
I let thee go thy way ? Give me a right token.' [So he
gave her a token for his wife] and she cried out to her
young daughter and said to her, ' Keep this door.'

Then she charged her husband keep watch over the
thief, till she should return, and repairing to his wife, ac-
quainted her with his case and told her that her husband
the thief had been taken and had compounded for his
release, at the price of seven hundred dirhems, and named
to her the token. So she gave her the money and she
took it and returned to her house. By this time, the
dawn had broken; so she let the thief go his way, and
when he went out, she said to him, 'O my dear one,
when shall I see thee come and take the treasure?' 'O
indebted one,' answered he, 'when thou needest other
seven hundred dirhems, wherewithal to amend thy case
and that of thy children and to discharge thy debts.' And
he went out, hardly believing in his deliverance from her.
Nor," added the vizier, "is this more extraordinary than
the story of the three men and our Lord Jesus."

And the king bade him depart to his own house.

C!)e dTtnelftfj lafgfjt of tfje fHontfj.

When it was eventide, the king summoned the viziei
and bade him tell the [promised] story. " Hearkening and
obedience," answered he. " Know, O king, that

STORY OF THE THREE MEN AND OUR
LORD JESUS.

Three men once went out in quest of riches and came
upon a block of gold, weighing a hundred pounds. When
they saw it, they took it up on their shoulders and fared
on with it, till they drew near a certain city, when one of
them said, 'Let us sit in the mosque, whilst one of us goes
and buys us what we may eat.' So they sat down in the
mosque and one of them arose and entered the city.
When he came therein, his soul prompted him to play his
fellows false and get the gold for himself alone. So he
bought food and poisoned it j but, when he returned to his
comrades, they fell upon him and slew him, so they might
enjoy the gold without him. Then they ate of the
[poisoned] food and died, and the gold abode cast down
over against them.

Presently, Jesus, son of Mary (on whom be peace !)
passed by and seeing this, besought God the Most High
for tidings of their case ; so He told him what had betided
them, whereat great was his wonderment and he related to

283

bis disciples what he had seen. Quoth one of them,
*0 Spirit of God/ nought resembleth this but ray own
stoiy.' ' How so ? ' asked Jesus, and the other said,

THE DISCIPLE'S STORY.

*I was aforetime in such a city and hid a thousand
dirhems in a monastery there. After awhile, I went
thither and taking the money, bound it about my middle.
[Then I set out to return] and when I came to the desert,
the carrying of the money was burdensome to me.
Presently, I espied a horseman pricking after raej so
I [waited till he came up and] said to him, " O horseman,
carry this money [for me] and earn reward and recompense
[from God]." "Nay," answered he; "I will not do it,
for I should weary myself and weary my horse." Then
he went on, but, before he had gone far, he said in himself
"If I take up the money and spur my horse and forego
him, how shall he overtake me?" And I also said in
myself, "Verily, I erred [in asking him to carry the
money] ; for, had he taken it and made ofl^ I could have
done nought" Then he turned back to me and said to
me, " Hand over the money, that I may carry it for thee."
But I answered him, saying, "That which hath occurred
to thy mind hath occurred to mine also ; so go in peace." '

Quoth Jesus (on whom be peace 1), ' Had these dealt
prudently, they had taken thought for themselves; but
they neglected the issues of events ; for that whoso acteth

^ Or " Breath of God," a title given to Jesus by the Mohammedani

284

pradendy is safe and conquereth,i and whoso neglecteth
precaution perisheth and repenteth.' Nor," added the
vizier, "is this more extraordinary nor goodlier than the
story of the king, whose kingdom was restored to him and
his wealth, after he had become poor, possessing not a
single dirhem.*

When the king heard this, he said in himself "How
like is this to my own stoiy in the matter of the vizier and
his slaughter 1 Had I not used precaution, I had put him
to death." And he bade Er Rehwan depart to his own
house.

* ittt attaioeth his ^Trin

8rf}f 2ri)frtfnitb 0fg5t of tlje i^ontl.

When the evening evened, the king sent for the viziei
to his privy sitting chamber and bade him [tellj the
[piomised] story. So be said, " Hearkening and obedi-
ence. They avouch, O king, that

STORY OF THE DETHRONED KING WHOSE
KINGDOM AND GOOD WERE RESTORED
TO HIM.

There was once, in a city of Hind, a just and beneficent
king, and he had a vizier, a man of understanding, just in
his judgment, praiseworthy in his policy, in whose hand
was the governance of all the affairs of the realm ; for
he was firmly stablished in the king's favour and high
in esteem with the folk of his time, and the king set great
store by him and committed himself to him in all his
afiairs, by reason of his contrivance for his subjects, and
he had helpers * who were content with him.

Now the king had a brother, who envied him and would
fain have been in his place; and when he was weary of
looking for his death and the term of his life seemed
distant unto him, he took counsel with certain of his
partisans and they said, 'The vizier is the king's coun-
sellor and but for him, there would be left the king no
^ Sjm, guards.

2^6

kingdom.' So the king's brother cast about for the ruin
of the vizier, but could find no means of accomplishing
his design; and when the affair grew long upon him,
he said to his wife, 'What deemest thou will advantage
us in this?' Quoth she, 'What is it?' And he replied,
' I mean in the matter of yonder vizier, who inciteth my
brother to devoutness with all his might and biddeth
him thereto, and indeed the king is infatuated with his
counsel and committeth to him the governance of all
things and matters.' Quoth she, 'Thou sayst truly; but
how shall we do with him?' And he answered, *I have
a device, so thou wilt help me in that which I shall
say to thee.' Quoth she, 'Thou shalt have my help in
whatsoever thou desirest.' And he said, 'I mean to dig
him a pit in the vestibule and dissemble it artfully.'

So he did this, and when it was night, he covered the
pit with a light covering, so that, whenas the vizier stepped
upon it, it would give way with him. Then he sent to
him and summoned him to the presence in the king's
name, and the messenger bade him enter by the privy
door. So he entered in thereat, alone, and when he
stepped upon the covering of the pit, it gave way with
him and he fell to the bottom; whereupon the king's
brother fell to pelting him with stones. When the vizier
saw what had be tided him, he gave himself up for lost;
so he stirred not and lay stilL The prince, seeing him
make no motion, [deemed him dead]; so he took him
forth and wrapping him up in his clothes, cast him into
the billows of the sea in the middle of the night. When
the vizier felt the water, he awoke from the swoon and

287

swam awhile, till a ship passed by him, whereupon he
cried out to the sailors and they took him up.

When the morning morrowed, the people went seeking
for him, but found him not ; and when the king knew this,
he was perplexed concerning his affair and abode unknow-
ing what he should do. Then he sought for a vizier to
fill his room, and the king's brother said, * I have a vizier,
a sufficient man.' ' Bring him to me,' said the king. So
he brought him a man, whom he set at the head of affairs ;
but he seized upon the kingdom and clapped the king in
irons and made his brother king in his stead. The new
king gave himself up to all manner of wickedness, where-
at the folk murmured and his vizier said to him, ' I fear
lest the Indians take the old king and restore him to the
kingship and we both perish ; wherefore, if we take him
and cast him into the sea, we shall be at rest from him j
and we will publish among the folk that he is dead.' And
they agreed upon this. So they took him up and carrying
him out to sea, cast him in.

When he felt the water, he struck out, and gave not
over swimming till he landed upon an island, where he
abode five days, findmg nothing which he might eat or
drink ; but, on the sixth day, when he despaired of him-
self, he caught sight of a passing ship; so he made
signals to the crew and they came and took him up and
fared on with him to an inhabited country, where they set
him ashore, naked as he was. There he saw a man
tilling ; so he sought guidance of him and the husband-
man said, ' Art thou a stranger ? ' ' Yes,' answered the
king and sat with him and they talked. The husbandman

288

found him quickwitted and intelligent and said to him, * If
(hou sawest a comrade of mine, thou wouldst see him the
like of what I see thee, for his case is even as thy case,
and he is presently my friend.*

Quoth the king, 'Verily, thou makest me long to see
him. Canst thou not bring us together ? ' * With all my
heart,* answered the husbandman, and the king sat with
him till he had mad? an end of his tillage, when he carried
him to his dwelling-place and brought him in company
with the other stranger, and behold, it was his vizier.
When they saw each other, they wept and embraced, and
the husbandman wept for their weeping; but the king
concealed their affair and said to him, 'This is a man
from my country and he is as my brother.' So they abode
with the husbandman and helped him for a wage, where-
with they supported themselves a long while. Meanwhile,
they sought news of their country and learned that which
its people suffered of straitness and oppression.

One day, there came a ship and in it a merchant from
their own country, who knew them and rejoiced in them
with an exceeding joy and clad them in goodly appareL
Moreover, he acquainted them with the manner of the
treachery that had been practised upon them and
counselled them to return to their own land, they and
he with whom they had made friends,^ assuring them that
God the Most High would restore them to their former
estate. So the king returned and the folk joined them-
selves to him and he fell upon his brother and his vizier
and took them and clapped them in prison.
* i,e. the husbandoian.

289

Then he sat down again upon the throne of his kingship,
whilst the vizier stood before him, and they returned to
their former estate, but they had nought of the [goods
of the world]. So the king said to his vizier, * How shall
we avail to abide in this city, and we in this state of
poverty?' And he answered, *Be at thine ease and have
no concern.' Then he singled out one of the soldiers »
and said to him, 'Send us thy service' for the year.' Now
there were in the city fifty thousand subjects* and in the
hamlets and villages a like number ; and the vizier sent to
each of these, saying, * Let each of you get an egg and lay
it under a hen.' So they did this and it was neither
burden nor grievance to them.

When twenty days had passed by, each [egg] was
hatched, and the vizier bade them pair the chickens,
male and female, and rear them well. So they did this
and it was found a charge unto no one. Then they
waited for them awhile and after this the vizier enquired
of the chickens and was told that they were become fowls.
Moreover, they brought him all their eggs and he bade
set them ; and after twenty days there were hatched from
each [pair] of them thirty or five-and-twenty or fifteen
[chickens] at the least. The vizier let note against each
man the number of chickens that pertained to him, and
after two months, he took the old hens and the cockerels,
and there came to him from each man nigh half a score,
and he left the [young] hens with them. On like wise he

* u«. those bound to render suit and service to the king, as holden
of fiefs.

* Syn. the revenue or rent-charge of thy fief. ' Heads of families?

▼ou I. 19

290

lent to the country folk and let the cocks abide with them.
So he got him young ones [galore] and appropriated to
himself the sale of the fowls, and on this wise he got him,
in the course of a year, that which the regal estate re-
quired of the king and his affairs were set right for him by
the vizier's contrivance. And he peopled' the country
and dealt justly by his subjects and retmned to them all
that he took from them and lived a happy and prosperous
life. Thus good judgment and prudence are better than
wealth, for that understanding profiteth at all times and
seasons. Nor," added the vizier, "is this more extra-
ordinary than the story of the man whose caution slew
him."

When the king heard his vizier's words, he marvelled
with the utmost wonderment and bade him retire to his
lodging. [So £r Rehwan withdrew to his house and
abode there till eventide of the next day, when he again
pxesentixl himself before the king.]

* Or "caased fiourialu''

©bf iFoortfentb iSfg^t at tfje ponf^

When the vizier returned to the king, the latter sought
of him the story of the man whose caution slew him and
be said, " Know, O august king, that

STORY OF THE MAN WHOSE CAUTION WAS
THE CAUSE OF HIS DEATH.

There was once a man who was exceeding cautious over
himself, and he set out one day on a journey to a land
abounding in wild beasts. The caravan wherein he was
came by night to the gate of a city; but the warders
refused to open to them ; so they passed the night without
the city, and there were lions there. The man aforesaid,
of the excess of his caution, could not fix upon a place
wherein he should pass the night, for fear of the wild
beasts and reptiles ; so he went about seeking an empty
place wherein he might lie.

Now there was a mined building hard by and he
climbed up on to a high wall and gave not over clamber-
ing hither and thither, of the excess of his carefulness,
till his feet betrayed him and he slipped [and fell] to
the bottom and died, whilst his companions arose in
the morning in health [and weal]. Now, if he had over-
mastered his corrupt^ judgment and submitted himself
* Or £rowarcL

292

to fete and fortune fore-ordained, it had been safer and
better [for him]; but he made light of the folk and
belittled their wit and was not content to take example
by them ; for his soul whispered him that he was a man of
understanding and he imagined that, if he abode with
them, he would perish; so his folly cast him into
perdition. Nor," added the vizier, " is this more extra-
ordinary than the story of the man who was lavish of his
house and his victual to one whom he knew not"

When the king heard this, he said, " I will not isolate
myself from the folk and slay my vizier." And he bade
him depart to bis dwelling.

Cljf f fftmttf) fii^i at ^t {Bmtt^

tVhen the evening evened, the king let fetch the viziei
u\d required oi him the (promised] story. So be said,
** Know, O king, that

STORY OF THE MAN WHO WAS LAVISH OF
HIS HOUSE AND HIS VICTUAL TO ONE
WHOM HE KNEW NOT.

There was once an Arab of [high] rank and [goodly]
presence, a man of exalted generosity and magnanimity,
and he had brethren, with whom he consorted and
caroused, and they were wont to assemble by turns in
each other's houses. When it came to his turn, he made
ready in his house all manner goodly and pleasant meats
and dainty drinks and exceeding lovely flowers and
excellent fruits, and made provision of all kinds of
instruments of music and store of rare apothegms and
marvellous stories and goodly instances and histories and
witty anedotes and verses and what not else, for there was
none among those with whom he was used to company
but enjoyed this on every goodly wise, and in the enter-
tainment he had provided was all whereof each had need.
Then he sallied forth and went round about the city,
in quest of his friends, so he might assemble them ; but
found none of them in his house.

Now in that town was a man of good breeding and

294

large generosity, a merchant of condition, young of yean
and bright of face, who had come to that town from his
own country with great store of merchandise and wealth
galore. He took up his abode therein and the place was
pleasant to him and he was lavish in expenditure, so that
he came to the end of all his good and there remained
with him nothing save that which was upon him of
raiment So he left the lodging wherein he had abidden
in the days of his affluence, after he had wasted* that
which was therein of fumitive, and fell to harbouring
in the houses of the townsfolk from night to night.

One day, as he went wandering about the streets, he
espied a woman of the utmost beauty and grace, and
what he saw of her charms amazed him and there betided
him what made him forget his present plight. She ac-
costed him and jested with him and he besought her of
foregathering and companionship. She consented to this
and said to him, * Let us go to thy lodging.' With this
he repented and was perplexed concerning his afiair and
grieved for that which must escape him of her company
by reason of the straitness of his hand," for that he had
no jot of spending money. But he was ashamed to say,
*No,* after he had made suit to her; so he went on
before her, bethinking him how he should rid himself
of her and casting about for an excuse which he might
put oflF on her, and gave not over going from street to
street, till he entered one that had no issue and saw, at
the farther end, a door, whereon was a padlock.

So he said to her, ' Do thou excuse me, for my

^ i.t. told and spent the price of. ■ ^«. his lack of means to entertain her.

295

servant hath locked the door, and who shall open to as?'
Quoth she, *0 my lord, the padlocV is worth [but] half
a score dirhems.' So saying, she tucked up [her sleeves]
from fore-arms as they were crystal and taking a stone,
smote upon the padlock and broke it Then she opened
the door and said to him, 'Enter, O my lord.' So he
entered, committing his affair to God, (to whom belong
might and majesty,) and she entered after him and locked
the door from within. They foimd themselves in a pleasant
house, comprising all ^ weal and gladness ; and the young
man went on, till he came to the sitting-chamber, and
behold, it was furnished with the finest of furniture [and
arrayed on the goodliest wise for the reception of guests,]
OS hath before been set out, [for that it was the house of
the man aforesaid].

He [seated himself on the divan and] leant upon a
cushion, whilst she put out her hand to her veil and did it
ofl. Then she put off her heavy outer clothes and dis-
covered her charms, whereupon he embraced her and
kissed her and swived her ; after which they washed and
returned to their place and he said to her, ' Know that I
have little knowledge [of what goes on] in my house, for
that I trust to my servant ; so arise thou and see what the
boy hath made ready in the kitchen.' Accordingly, she
arose and going down into the kitchen, saw cooking pots
over the fire, wherein were all manner of dainty meats,
and manchet-bread and fresh almond-and-honey cakes.
So she set bread on a dish and ladled out [what she
would] firom the pots and brought it to him.
* i.«. all that can conduce to.

296

They ate and drank and sported and made merry awhile
of the day ; and as they were thus engaged, up came the
master of the house, with his friends, whom he had
brought with him, that they might carouse together, as of
wont He saw the door opened and knocked lightly,
saying to his friends, ' Have patience with me, for some
of my family are come to visit me; wherefore excuse
belongeth [first] to God the Most High, and then to you.'*
So they took leave of him and went their ways, whilst he
gave another light knock at the door. When the young
man heard this, he changed colour and the woman said
to him, 'Methinks thy servant hath returned.' 'Yes,*
answered he ; and she arose and opening the door to the
master of the hous^ said to him, 'Where hast thou been?
Indeed, thy master is wroth with thee.' *0 my lady,'
answered he, 'I have but been about his occasions. '

Then he girt his middle with a handkerchief and enter-
ing, saluted the young merchant, who said to him, ' Where
hast thou been?' Quoth he, ' I have done thine errands;'
and the youth said, 'Go and eat and come hither and
drink.' So he went away, as he bade him, and ate. Then
he washed and returning to the saloon, sat down on the
carpet and fell to talking with them; whereupon the
young merchant's heart was comforted and his breast
dilated and he addressed himself to joyance. They abode
in the most delightsome life and the most abounding
pleasance till a third part of the night was past, when the
master of the house arose and spreading them a bed,
invited them to He down. So they lay down and the
* £«. it is for yoa (after God) to excuse me.

297

youth abode on wake, pondering their affair, till daybreak,
when the woman awoke and said to her companion, ' 1
wish to go.' So he bade her farewell and she departed ;
whereupon the master of the house followed her with a
purse of money and gave it to her, saying, * Blame not
my master,' and made his excuse to her for the young
merchant

Then he returned to the youth and said to him, ' Arise
and come to the bath.' And he fell to shampooing his
hands and feet, whilst the youth called down blessings on
him and said, *0 my lord, who art thou? Methinks there
is not in the world the like of thee, no, nor a pleasanter
than thy composition.' Then each of them acquainted
the other with his case and condition and they went to
the bath; after which the master of the house conjured
the young merchant to return with him and summoned his
friends. So they ate and drank and he related to them
the story, wherefore they praised the master of the house
and glorified him; and their friendship was complete,
what while the young merchant abode in the town, till
God vouchsafed him a commodity of travel, whereupon
they took leave of him and he departed ; and this is the
end of his story. Nor," added the vizier, " O king of
the age, is this more marvellous than the story of the rich
man who lost his wealth and his wit"

When the king heard the vizier's story, it pleased hiro
aud he bade him go to his house.

Cfie ^fxteentl) 0i^t of ti)e i^ont|.

When the evening evened, the king sat in lis sitting-
chamber and sending for his vizier, bade him relate the
story of the wealthy man who lost his wealth and his wit.
So he said, " Know, O king, that

STORY OF THE IDIOT AND THE SHARPER.

There was once a inan of fortune, who lost his wealth,
and chagrin and melancholy got the mastery of him, so
that he became an idiot and lost his wit. There abode
with him of his wealth about a score of dinars and he used
to beg alms of the folk, and that which they gave him he
would gather together and lay to the dinars that were left
him. Now there was in that town a vagabond, who made
his living by sharping, and he knew that the idiot had
somewhat of money; so he fell to spying upon him and
gave not over watching him till he saw him put in an
earthen pot that which he had with him of money and
enter a deserted ruin, where he sat down, [as if] to make
water, and dug a hole, in which he laid the pot and
covering it up, strewed earth upon the place. Then he
went away and the sharper came and taking what was in
the pot, covered it up again, as it was.

Presently, the idiot returned, with somewhat to add to
his hoard, but found it not; so he bethought him who
had followed him and remembered that he had found

299

the sharper aforesaid assiduous in sitting with him and
questioning him. So he went in quest of him, assured
that he had taken the pot, and gave not over looking for
him till he espied him sitting ; whereupon he ran to him
and the sharper saw him. [Then the idiot stood within
earshot] and muttered to himself and said, * In the pot
are threescore dinars and I have with me other score in
such a place and to-day I will unite the whole in the
pot' When the sharper heard him say this to himself
muttering and mumbling after his fashion, he repented
him of having taken the dinars and said, ' He will pre-
sently return to the pot and find it empty; wherefore
that* for which I am on the look-out will escape me;
and meseemeth I were best restore the dinars [to their
place], so he may see them and leave all that is with him
in the pot, and I can take the whole.'

Now he feared [to return to the pot then and there],
lest the idiot should follow him to the place and find
nothing and so his plan be marred. So he said to him,
* O Ajlan,* I would have thee come to my lodging and eat
bread with me.' So the idiot went with him to his
lodging and he seated him there and going to the market,
sold somewhat of his clothes and pawned somewhat from
his house and bought dainty food. Then he betook him-
self to the ruin and replacing the money in the pot, buried
it again ; after which he returned to his lodging and gave
the idiot to eat and drink, and they went out together.
The sharper went away and hid himself, lest the idiot

^ i.t. the [supposed] rest of his hoard.
* Apparently the idiot's name.

300

should see him, ^hflst the latter repaired to his hiding-
place and took the pot

Presently, the sharper came to the ruin, rejoicing in that
which he deemed he should get, and dug in the place, but
found nothing and knew that the idiot had tricked him.
So he buffeted his face, for chagrin, and fell to following
the other whithersoever he went, so he might get what
was with him, but availed not unto this, for that the idiot
knew what was in his mind and was certified that he spied
upon him, [with intent to rob him] ; so he kept watch over
himself. Now, if the sharper had considered [the conse-
quences of] haste and that which is begotten of loss there-
from, he had not done thus. Nor," continued the vizier, "is
this story, O king of the age, rarer or more extraordinary
or more diverting than the story of Khelbes and his wife
and the learned man and that which befell between them."

When the king heard this story, he renounced his
purpose of putting the vizier to death and his soul
prompted him to continue him on lite. So he bade him
go away to his house.

CTfje Sebentetntfi ^i^t d ^t Itontj^

When the evening evened, the king summoned the
rizier, and when he presented himself, he required of him
the [promised] story. So he said, "Hearkening and
obedience. Know, O august king, that

STORY OF KHELBES AND HIS WIFE AND THE
LEARNED MAN.

There was once a man hight Khelbes, who was a lewd
fellow, a calamity, notorious for this fashion, and he had a
fair wife, renowned for beauty and loveliness. A man of
his townsfolk fell in love with, her and she also loved him.
Now Khelbes was a crafty fellow and full of tricks, and
there was in his neighbourhood a learned man, to whom
the folk used to resort every day and he told them stories
and admonished them [with moral instances] ; and Khelbes
was wont to be present in his assembly, for the sake of
making a show before the folk.

Now this learned man had a wife renowned for beauty
and loveliness and quickness of wit and understanding
and the lover cast about for a device whereby he might
win to Khelbes's wife; so he came to him and told him,
as a secret, what he had seen of the learned man's wife
and confided to him that he was enamoured of her and
besought him of help in this. Khelbes told him that

302

she was distinguished to the utterest for chastity and
continence and that she exposed herself not to suspicion ;
but the other said, ' I cannot renounce her, [firstly,] because
the woman incUneth to me and coveteth my wealth, and
secondly, because of the greatness of my love for her ; and
nothing is wanting but thy help.' Quoth Khelbes, ' I will
do thy will ; ' and the other said, * Thou shalt have of me
two dirhems a day, on condition that thou sit with the
learned man and that, when he riseth from the assembly,
thou speak a word notifying the breaking up of the
session.' So they agreed upon this and Khelbes entered
and sat in the assembly, whilst the lover was assured in
his heart that the secret was safe with him, wherefore he
rejoiced and was content to pay the two dirhems.

Then Khelbes used to attend the learned man's
assembly, whilst the other would go in to his wife and
abide with her, on such wise as he thought good, till
the learned man arose from his session; and when
Khelbes saw that he purposed rising, he would speak
a word for the lover to hear, whereupon he went forth
from Khelbes's wife, and the latter knew not that calamity
was in his own house. At last the learned man, seeing
Khelbes do on this wise every day, began to misdoubt
of him, more by token of that which he knew of his
character, and suspicion grew upon him ; so, one day,
he advanced the time of his rising before the wonted
hour and hastening up to Khelbes, laid hold of him and
said to him, * By Allah, an thou speak a single syllable,
I will do thee a mischief ! ' Then he went in to his wife,
with Khelbes in his grasp, and behold, she was sitting, ar

303

of her wont, nor was there about her aught of suspicious
or unseemly.

The learned man bethought him awhile of this, then
made for Khelbes's house, which adjoined his own, still
holding the latter; and when they entered, they found
the young man lying on the bed with Khelbes's wife;
whereupon quoth he to him, *0 accursed one, the
calamity is with thee and in thine own house I ' So
Khelbes put away his wife and went forth, fleeing, and
returned not to his own land. This, then," continued the
vizier, "is the consequence of lewdness, for whoso
purposeth in himself craft and perfidy, they get possession
of him, and had Khelbes conceived of himself that» which
he conceived of the folk of dishonour and calamity, there
had betided him nothing of this. Nor is this story, rare
and extraordinary though it be, more extraordinary or
rarer than that of the pious woman whose husband's
brother accused her of lewdness."

When the king heard this, wonderment gat hold of him
and his admiration for the vizier redoubled; so he bade
him go to his house and return to him [on the morrow],
according to his wont. Accordingly, the vizier withdrew
to his lodging, where he passed the night and the
ensuing day.

* Li. had he been on his own guard against that, etc

END OF VOL. L

]

BINDING LIST APR 15 1942

University of Toronto
Library

DO NOT

REMOVE

THE

CARD

FROM

THIS

POCKET

Acme Library Card Pocket
LOWE-MARTIN CO. limited

u-; t *

;iuf

;?-;U!U,

I

^^^^^^^^H'

^■'■'i:''-^^im:\:''m

^Hi

iSstaS^sfv

l^^-y:^:^)m'^:W

Tummwr

, '' ,; M' v^ '\ 1 > ■['-.'.['.

. S , 1

- ' , .';'•■ ; ■ ^ ^>

'.i; t

i?; w;

.■.:■■■. ^; : ■ ■■■■ 'J' K"ir;-;ii''f[;'"!-iii;w

;'''*-;!;'iH'!M:'i^*-''il

i-h:;(<

,.■•!'

'^^i':