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TALES FROM THE ARABIC.

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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, NOW FIRST DONE
INTO ENGLISH BY JOHN PAYNE.
IN THREE VOLUMES: VOL UM E

THE THIRD,

LONDON

PRINTED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

igoi

CASHAN EDITION
Limited to One Thousand Copies

No. 958

CONTENTS OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

iSreglau Ceit.

PAGE

Id NOUREDDIN ALI OF DAMASCUS AND THE

DAMSEL SITT EL MILAH .... 3

17. EL ABBAS AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER OF

BAGHDAD 53

18. THE TWO KINGS AND THE VIZIER'S

DAUGHTERS 145

19. THE FAVOURITE AND HER LOVER . . .165

20. THE MERCHANT OF CAIRO AND THE FAVOUR-

ITE OF THE KHALIF EL MAMOUN EL
HAKIM BI AMRILLAH 171

CONCLUSION 183

Calcutta (18U48) to*

31. STORY OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR AND HIND-

BAD THE PORTER 199

a. THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR . 203

b. THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR . 221

Vlll

PAGE

NOTE 237

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE CALCUTTA (1839-42)

AND BOULAC EDITIONS 247

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE BRESLAU EDITION 261

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE CALCUTTA (1814-18)

EDITION 275

ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE FIRST LINES OF
THE VERSE IN THE "TALES FROM THE
ARABIC" 281

INDEX TO THE NAMES OF THE "T^LES FROM

THE ARABIC" 289

Breslau %tj;t.

VOL. III.

NOUREDDIN ALI OF DAMASCUS

AND THE

DAMSEL SITT EL MILAH.

NOUREDDIN ALI OF DAMASCUS AND THE
DAMSEL SITT EL MILAH.1

There was once, of old days and in bygone ages and
times, a merchant of the merchants of Damascus, by
name Abouihusn, who had money and riches and slaves
and slave-girls and lands and houses and baths; but
he was not blessed with a child and indeed his years
waxed great; wherefore he addressed himself to sup-
plicate God the Most High in private and in public and
in his inclining and his prostration and at the season
of the call to prayer, beseeching Him to vouchsafe him,
before his admittance [to His mercy], a son who should
inherit his wealth and possessions; and God answered
his prayer. So his wife conceived and the days of her
pregnancy were accomplished and her months and her
nights and the pangs of her travail came upon her and
she gave birth to a male child, as he were a piece of
the moon. He had not his match for beauty and he
put to shame the sun and the resplendent moon; for
he had a shining face and black eyes of Babylonian

1 Breslau Text, vol. xiL pp. 50-116, Nights dcocclviii-dcccclx*.

witchery1 and aquiline nose and ruby lips; brief, he was
perfect of attributes, the loveliest of the folk of his time,
without doubt or gainsaying.

His father rejoiced in him with the utmost joy and
his heart was solaced and he was glad; and he made
banquets to the folk and clad the poor and the widows.
He named the boy Sidi* Noureddin Ali and reared him
in fondness and delight among the slaves and servants.
When he came to seven years of age, his father put
him to school, where he learned the sublime Koran and
the arts of writing and reckoning : and when he reached
his tenth year, he learned horsemanship and archery and
to occupy himself with arts and sciences of all kinds,
part and parts.' He grew up pleasant and subtle and
goodly and lovesome, ravishing all who beheld him, and
inclined to companying with brethren and comrades
and mixing with merchants and travellers. From these
latter he heard tell of that which they had seen of the
marvels of the cities in their travels and heard them
say, "He who leaveth not his native land diverteth not

1 Babylon, according to the Muslims, is the head-quarters of sorcery
and it is there that the two fallen angels, Harout and Marout, who are
appointed to tempt mankind by teaching them the ait of magic, are
supposed to be confined.

* ue. "my lord," a title generally prefixed to the names of saints. It
is probable, therefore, that the boy was named after some saint or other,
whose title, as well as name, was somewhat ignorantly appropriated
to him.

* i.t. one and all?

himself [with the sight of the marvels of the world,]
and especially of the city of Baghdad."

So he was concerned with an exceeding concern for
his lack of travel and discovered this to his father, who
said to him, " O my son, why do I see thee chagrined ? "
And he answered, "I would fain travel" Quoth Aboul-
husn, "O my son, none travelleth save those whose
occasion is urgent and those who are compelled thereunto
[by need} As for thee, O my son, thou enjoyest ample
fortune; so do thou content thyself with that which
God hath given thee and be bounteous [unto others],
even as He hath been bounteous unto thee; and afflict
not thyself with the toil and hardship of travel, for
indeed it is said that travel is a piece of torment"1 But
the youth said, "Needs must I travel to Baghdad, the
abode of peace."

When his father saw the strength of his determination
to travel, he fell in with his wishes and equipped him
with five thousand dinars in cash and the like in
merchandise and sent with him two serving-men. So
the youth set out, trusting in the blessing of God the
Most High, and his father went out with him, to take
leave of him, and returned [to Damascus]. As for
Noureddin Ali, he gave not over travelling days and
nights till he entered the city of Baghdad and laying
up his loads in the caravanserai, made for the bath,
where he did away that which was upon him of the
dirt of the road and putting off his travelling clothes,

1 i.e. a foretaste of hell.

donned a costly suit of Yemen stuff; worth an hundred
dinars. Then he put in his sleeve1 a thousand mithcals*
of gold and sallied forth a-walking and swaying grace-
fully as he went His gait confounded all those who
beheld him, as he shamed the branches with his shape
and belittled the rose with the redness of his cheeks and
his black eyes of Babylonian witchcraft; indeed, thou
wouldst deem that whoso looked on him would surely be
preserved from calamity; [for he was] even as saith
of him one of his describers in the following verses :

Thy haters say and those who malice to thee bear A true word, profit*

ing its hearers everywhere %
"The glory's not in those whom raiment rich makes fair, Bat those

who still adorn the raiment that they wear."

So he went walking in the thoroughfares of the city
and viewing its ordinance and its markets and thorough-
fares and gazing on its folk. Presently, Abou Nuwas
met him. (Now he was of those of whom it is said,
"They love the fair,"* and indeed there is said what
is said concerning him.4) When he saw Noureddin Ali,
he stared at him in amazement and exclaimed, "Say,
I take refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak I *■ Then

1 Lit. he loaded his sleeve with.

* A mithcal is the same as a dinar, i.e. about ten shillings.

* Masculine.

* He was a noted debauchee, as well as the greatest poet of his day.
See my "Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night," Vol IV
p. 205, and Vol. IX. p. 332.

* See ante, VoL II. p. 24a note

be accosted the young Damascene and saluting him, said
to him, "Why do I see my lord alone and forlorn?
Meseemeth thou art a stranger and knowest not this
country; so, with my lord's permission, I will put myself
at his service and acquaint him with the streets, for
that I know this city." Quoth Noureddin, "This will
be of thy favour, O uncle." Whereat Abou Nuwas re-
joiced and fared on with him, showing him the markets
and thoroughfares, till they came to the house of a
slave-dealer, where he stopped and said to the youth,
"From what city art thou?'' "From Damascus,"
answered Noureddin; and Abou Nuwas said, "By Allah,
thou art from a blessed city, even as saith of it the
poet in the following verses :

Damascus is all gardens decked for the pleasance of the eyes ; For the
seeker there are black-eyed girls and boys of Paradise."

Noureddin thanked him and they entered the slave -
merchant's house. When the people of the house saw
Abou Nuwas, they rose to do him worship, for that
which they knew of his station with the Commander
of the Faithful. Moreover, the slave-dealer himself came
tip to them with two chairs, and they seated themselves
thereon. Then the slave-merchant went into the house
and returning with the slave-girl, as she were a willow-
wand or a bamboo-cane, clad in a vest of damask silk
and tired with a black and white turban, the ends whereof
fell down over her face, seated her on a chair of ebony;
after which quoth he to those who were present, "I will
discover to you a face as it were a full moon breaking

forth from under a cloud." And they said, "Do so."
So he unveiled the damsel's face and behold, she was like
the shining sun, with comely shape and day-bright face
and slender [waist and heavy] hipsj brief, she was en-
dowed with elegance, the description whereof existeth
not, [and was] even as saith of her the poet :

A fair one, to idolaters if she herself should show, They'd leare their

idols and her face for only Lord would know ;
And if into the briny sea one day she chanced to spit, Assuredly the

salt sea's floods straight fresh and sweet would grow.

The dealer stood at her head and one of the merchants
said, " I bid a thousand dinars for her." Quoth another,
"I bid eleven hundred dinars;" [and a third, "I bid
twelve hundred"]. Then said a fourth merchant, "Be
she mine for fourteen hundred dinars." And the biddings
stood still at that sum. Quoth her owner, "I will not
sell her save with her consent If she desire to be sold,
I will sell her to whom she willeth." And the slave-
dealer said to him, "What is her name?** "Her name
is Sitt el Milah,"1 answered the other; whereupon the
dealer said to her, "By thy leave, I will sell thee to
yonder merchant for this price of fourteen hundred
dinars." Quoth she, "Come hither to me." So he
came up to her and when he drew near, she gave him
a kick with her foot and cast him to the ground, saying,
" I will not have that old man." The slave-dealer arose,
shaking the dust from his clothes and head, and said,
"Who biddeth more? Who is desirous [of buying?]"

* Princess of the Fair.

Quoth one of the merchants, "I," and the dealer said
to her, "O Sitt el Milah, shall I sell thee to this
merchant?" "Come hither to me," answered she; but
he said, "Nay; speak and I will hearken to thee from
my place, for I will not trust myself to thee." And she
said, " I will not have him."

Then he looked at her and seeing her eyes fixed on
the young Damascene, for that in very deed he had
ravished her with his beauty and grace, went up to the
latter and said to him, " O my lord, art thou a looker-on
or a buyer? Tell me." Quoth Noureddin, "I am both
looker-on and buyer. Wilt thou sell me yonder slave-girl
for sixteen hundred dinars?" And he pulled out the
purse of gold. So the dealer returned, dancing and
clapping his hands and saying, "So be it, so be it, or
not [at all]!" Then he came to the damsel and said
to her, "O Sitt el Milah, shall I sell thee to yonder
young Damascene for sixteen hundred dinars?" But
she answered, "No," of shamefastness before her master
and the bystanders; whereupon the people of the bazaar
and the slave-merchant departed, and Abou Nuwas and
Ali Noureddin arose and went each his own way, whilst
the damsel returned to her master's house, full of love
for the young Damascene.

When the night darkened on her, she called him to
mind and her heart clave to him and sleep visited her
not; and on this wise she abode days and nights, till
she sickened and abstained from food. So her lord went
in to her and said to her, " O Sitt el Milah, how findest
thou thyself? ■ " O my lord," answered she, " I am dead

without recourse and I beseech thee to bring me my
shroud, so I may look on it before my death." There-
withal he went out from her, sore concerned for her, and
betook himself to a friend of his, a draper, who had
been present on the day when the damsel was cried
[for sale]. Quoth his friend to him, " Why do I see thee
troubled?" And he answered, "Sitt el Milah is at the
point of death and these three days she hath neither
eaten nor drunken. I questioned her to-day of her case
and she said, ' O my lord, buy me a shroud, so I may
look on it before my death.'" Quoth the draper, "Me-
thinks nought ails her but that she is enamoured of the
young Damascene and I counsel thee to mention his
name to her and avouch to her that he hath foregathered
with thee on her account and is desirous of coming to thy
house, so he may hear somewhat of her singing. If she
say, ' I reck not of him, for there is that to do with me
which distracteth me from the Damascene and from other
than he,' know that she saith sooth concerning her sick-
ness; but, if she say to thee other than this, acquaint
me therewith."

So the man returned to his lodging and going in to his
slave-girl, said to her, ■ O Sitt el Milah, I went out on
thine occasion and there met me the young man of
Damascus, and he saluted me and saluteth thee.
Indeed, he seeketh to win thy favour and would fain
be a guest in our dwelling, so thou mayst let him hear
somewhat of thy singing." When she heard speak of the
young Damascene, she gave a sob, that her soul was like
to depart her body, and answered, saying, " He knoweth

my plight and is ware that these three days past I have
eaten not nor drunken, and I beseech thee, O my lord,
by the Great God, to accomplish the stranger his due
and bring him to my lodging and make excuse to him
for me."

When her master heard this, his reason fled for joy and
he went to his friend the draper and said to him, " Thou
wast right in the matter of the damsel, for that she is
enamoured of the young Damascene ; so how shall I do ? "
Quoth the other, " Go to the bazaar and when thou seest
him, salute him and say to him, ' Indeed, thy departure
the other day, without accomplishing thine occasion, was
grievous to me ; so, if thou be still minded to buy the
girl, I will abate thee an hundred dinars of that which
thou badest for her, by way of hospitable entreatment of
thee and making myself agreeable to thee; for that thou
art a stranger in our land.' If he say to thee, ' I have
no desire for her' and hold off from thee, know that he
will not buy; in which case, let me know, so I may
contrive thee another device ; and if he say to thee other
than this, conceal not from me aught

So the girl's owner betook himself to the bazaar,
where he found the youth seated at the upper end of the
merchants' place of session, selling and buying and taking
and giving, as he were the moon on the night of its full,
and saluted him. The young man returned his salutation
and he said to him, " O my lord, be not thou vexed at the
gill's speech the other day, for her price jhall be less
than that [which thou badest], to the intent that I may
propitiate thy favour. If thou desire her for nought, I

will send her to thee, or if thou wouldst have me abate
thee of her price, I will well, for I desire nought but what
shall content thee; for that thou art a stranger in our
land and it behoveth us to entreat thee hospitably and
have consideration for thee." " By Allah," answered the
youth, " I will not take her from thee but at an advance
on that which I bade thee for her aforetime ; so wilt thou
now sell her to me for seventeen hundred dinars ? " And
the other answered, " O my lord, I sell her to thee, may
God bless thee in her."

So the young man went to his lodging and fetching
a purse, returned to the girl's owner and counted out to
him the price aforesaid, whilst the draper was between
them. Then said he, " Bring her forth ; " but the other
answered, "She cannot come forth at this present; but
be thou my guest the rest of this day and night, and on
the morrow thou shalt take thy slave-girl and go in the
protection of God." The youth fell in with him of this
and he carried him to his house, where, after a little, he
let bring meat and wine, and they [ate and] drank. Then
said Noureddin to the girl's owner, " I beseech thee bring
me the damsel, for that I bought her not but for the like
of this time." So he arose and [going in to the girl],
said to her, " O Sitt el Milah, the young man hath paid
down thy price and we have bidden him hither; so he
hath come to our dwelling and we have entertained him,
and he would fain have thee be present with him."

Therewithal the damsel rose briskly and putting off
her clothes, washed and donned sumptuous apparel and
perfumed herself and went out to him, as she were a

willow-wand or a bamboo-cane, followed by a black slave-
girl, bearing the lute. When she came to the young man,
she saluted him and sat down by bis side. Then she took
the lute from the slave-girl and tuning it, smote thereon
in four-and-twenty modes, after which she returned to the
first mode and sang the following verses :

Unto me the world's whole gladness is thy nearness and thy sight ; All

incumbent thy possession and thy love a law of right
In my tears I have a witness j when I call thee to my mind, Down my

cheeks they ran like torrents, and I cannot stay their flight
None, by Allah, 'mongst all creatures, none I love save thee alone 1 Yea,

for I am grown thy bondman, by the troth betwixt us plight
Peace upon theel Ah, how bitter were the severance from thee I B#

not this thy troth-plight's ending nor the last of our delight t

Therewithal the young man was moved to delight and
exclaimed, " By Allah, thou sayest well, O Sitt el Milah I
Let me hear more." Then he handselled her with fifty
dinars and they drank and the cups went round among
them; and her seller said to her, "O Sitt el Milah, this
is the season of leave-taking ; so let us hear somewhat
on the subject." Accordingly she struck the lute and
avouching that which was in her heart, sang the following
verses:

I am filled full of longing pain and memory and dole, That from the
wasted body's wounds distract the anguished souL

Think not, my lords, that I forget: the case is still the same. When
such a fever fills the heart, what leach can make it whole?

And if a creature in his tears could swim, as in a sea, I to do this of all
that breathe were surely first and sole.

Itf

0 ^V inker of the wine of woe, tarn from a love-rick maid, Who drinka

her tear* still, night and morn, thy bitter -flavoured bowl.

1 had not left you, had I known that severance would prove My death |

bat what is past is past, Fate stoops to no control.

As they were thus in the enjoyment of all that ia most
delicious of easance and delight, and indeed the wine was
sweet to them and the talk pleasant, behold, there came
a knocking at the door. So the master of the house went
out, that he might see what was to do, and found ten men
of the Khalif s eunuchs at the door. When he saw this,
he was amazed and said to them, "What is to do?"
Quoth they, "The Commander of the Faithful saluteth
thee and requireth of thee the slave-girl whom thou hast
for sale and whose name is Sitt el Milan.* " By Allah,"
answered the other, "I have sold her." And they said,
"Swear by the head of the Commander of the Faithful
that she is not in thy dwelling." He made oath that he
had sold her and that she was no longer at his disposal ;
but they paid no need to his word and forcing their
way into the house, found the damsel and the young
Damascene in the sitting-chamber. So they laid hands
upon her, and the youth said, "This is my slave-girl,
whom I have bought with my money." But they
hearkened not to his speech and taking her, carried
her off to the Commander of the Faithful.

Therewithal Noureddin's life was troubled; so he arose
and donned his clothes, and his host said, "Whither
away this night, O my lord?" Quoth Noureddin, "I
mean to go to my lodging, and to-morrow I will betake

myself to the palace of the Commander of the Faithful
and demand my slave-girL" "Sleep till the morning,"
said the other, "and go not forth at the like of this
hour." But he answered, "Needs must I go;" and the
host said to him, "[Go] in the safeguard of God." So
Noureddin went forth, and drunkenness had got the
mastery of him, wherefore he threw himself down on [a
bench before one of] the shops. Now the watch were
at that hour making their round and they smelt the
sweet scent [of essences] and wine that exhaled from
him; so they made for it and found the youth lying
on the bench, without sense or motion. They poured
water upon him, and he awoke, whereupon they carried
him to the house of the Chief of the Police and he
questioned him of his affair. "O my lord," answered
Noureddin, "lama stranger in this town and have been
with one of my friends. So I came forth from his
nouse and drunkenness overcame me."

The prefect bade carry him to his lodging ; but one of
those in attendance upon him, by name £1 Muradi, said
to him, "What wilt thou do? This man is clad in
rich clothes and on his finger is a ring of gold, the
beazel whereof is a ruby of great price ; so we will carry
him away and slay him and take that which is upon
him of raiment [and what not else] and bring it to
thee; for that thou wilt not [often] see profit the like
thereof, more by token that this fellow is a stranger and
there is none to enquire concerning him." Quoth the
prefect, "This fellow is a thief and that which he saith
is leasing." And Noureddin said, "God forbid that I

VOL. III. ff

should be a thief I" But the prefect answered, "Thou
liest." So they stripped him of his clothes and taking
the ring from his finger, beat him grievously, what while
he cried out for succour, but none succoured him, and
besought protection, but none protected him. Then said
he to them, "O folk, ye are quit of1 that which ye
have taken from me ; but now restore me to my lodging."
But they answered, saying, " Leave this knavery, O cheat !
Thine intent is to sue us for thy clothes on the morrow."
"By Allah, the One, the Eternal," exclaimed he, "I
will not sue any for them I " But they said, " We can
nowise do this." And the prefect bade them carry him
to the Tigris and there slay him and cast him into
the river.

So they dragged him away, what while he wept and
spoke the words which whoso saith shall nowise be con-
founded, to wit, " There is no power and no virtue save
in God the Most High, the Sublime I " When they came
to the Tigris, one of them drew the sword upon him and
El Muradi said to the swordbearer, " Smite off his head."
But one of them, Ahmed by name, said, "O folk, deal
gently with this poor wretch and slay him not unjustly
and wickedly, for I stand in fear of God the Most High,
lest He burn me with his fire." Quoth El Muradi, "A
truce to this talk ! " And Ahmed said, " If ye do with him
aught, I will acquaint the Commander of the FaithfuL"
" How, then, shall we do with him ? " asked they ; and
he answered, " Let us deposit him in prison and I will

1 Lt. Ye are welcome tot

be answerable to you for his provision; so shall we be
quit of his blood, for indeed he is wrongfully used." So
they took him up and casting him into the Prison of
Blood,1 went away.

Meanwhile, they carried the damsel into the Com-
mander of the Faithful and she pleased him; so he as-
signed her a lodging of the apartments of choice. She
abode in the palace, eating not neither drinking and
ceasing not from weeping night nor day, till, one night,
the Khalif sent for her to his sitting-chamber and said
to her, " O Sitt el Milan, be of good heart and cheerful
eye, for I will make thy rank higher than [any of] the
concubines and thou shalt see that which shall rejoice
thee." She kissed the earth and wept; whereupon the
Khalif called for her lute and bade her sing. So she
improvised and sang the following verses, in accordance
with that which was in her heart :

Say, by the lightnings of thy teeth and thy soul's pore desire, Moan'st
thou as moan the doves and is thy heart for doubt on fire?

How many a victim of the pangs of love-liking hath died I Tired is my
patience, but of blame my censors never tire.

When she had made an end of her song, she cast the
lute from her hand and wept till she swooned away,
whereupon the Khalif bade carry her to her chamber.
Now he was ravished with her and loved her with an
exceeding love; so, after awhile, he again commanded
to bring her to his presence, and when she came, he

1 ijt. the place in which those accused or convicted of crimes oi
violence were confined.

bade her sing. Accordingly, she took the late and spoke
forth that which was in her heart and sang the following
verses :

What strength have I solicitude and long desire to bear? Why art thou

purposed to depart and leave me to despair?
Why to estrangement and despite inclin'st thou with the spy ? Yet that

a bough1 from side to side incline* small wonder 'twere.
Thou layst on me a load too great to bear, and thus thou dost But that

my burdens I may bind and so towards thee fare.

Then she cast the lute from her hand and swooned
away; so she was carried to her chamber and indeed
passion waxed upon her. After a long while, the Com-
mander of the Faithful sent for her a third time and
bade her sing. So she took the lute and sang the
following verses :

0 hills of the sands and the rugged piebald plain, Shall the bondman

of love win ever free from pain?

1 wonder, shall I and the friend who's far from me Once more be

granted of Fate to meet, we twain I
Bravo for a fawn with a houri's eye of black, Like the sun or the shining

moon midst the starry train !
To lovers, "What see ye?" he saith, and to hearts of stone, "What

love ye," quoth he, "[if to love me ye disdain?"]
I supplicate Him, who parted us and doomed Our separation, that we

may meet again.

When she had made an end of her song, the Cora-

1 L/. a youth slender and flexile as a bough.

* i.e. sway gracefully. A swimming gait is the ideal of elegance to
the Arab.

mander of the Faithful said to her, "O damsel, thou
art in love." " Yes," answered she. And he said, " With
whom?" Quoth she, "With my lord and my master,
my love for whom is as the love of the earth for rain,
or as the love of the female for the male ; and indeed
the love of him is mingled with my flesh and my blood
and hath entered into the channels of my bones. O
Commander of the Faithful, whenas I call him to mind,
mine entrails are consumed, for that I have not accom-
plished my desire of him, and but that I fear to die,
without seeing him, I would assuredly kill myself."
And he said, "Art thou in my presence and bespeakest
me with the like of these words? I will assuredly make
thee forget thy lord."

Then he bade take her away ; so she was carried to her
chamber and he sent her a black slave-girl, with a casket,
wherein were three thousand dinars and a carcanet of
gold, set with pearls, great and small, and jewels, worth
other three thousand, saying to her, " The slave-girl and
that which is with her are a gift from me to thee."
When she heard this, she said, " God forbid that I should
be consoled for the love of my lord and my master, though
with the earth full of gold!" And she improvised and
recited the following verses :
I swear by bis life, yea, I swear by the life of my love without peer,

To please him or save him from hart, I'd enter the fire without

fear J
"Console thou thyself for his love," quoth they, "with another than

he ;" But, "Nay, by bis life," answered I. " I'll never forget him,

my dear I"

A moon is my love, in a robe of loveliness proudly arrayed, And the
splendours of new-broken day from his cheeks and his forehead
shine clear.

Then the Khalif summoned her to his presence a fourth
time and said to her, "O Sitt el Milan, sing." So she
improvised and sang the following verses :

To his beloved one the lover's heart's inclined) His soul's a captive

slave, in sickness' hands confined.
" What is the taste of love ? " quoth one, and I replied, •* Sweet water

'tis at first ; but torment lurks behind."
Love's slave, I keep my troth with them j but, when they vowed, Fate

made itself Urcoub,1 whom never oath could bind.
What is there in the tents? Their burdens are become A lover's, whose

belov'd is in the litters 'shrined.
In every halting-place like Joseph * she appears And he in every stead

with Jacob's grief* is pined.

When she had made an end of her song, she threw the
lute from her hand and wept till she swooned away.
So they sprinkled on her rose-water, mingled with musk,
and willow-flower water; and when she came to herself,
Er Reshid said to her, " O Sitt el Milah, this is not fair
dealing in thee. We love thee and thou lovest another."
" O Commander of the Faithful," answered she, " there
is no help for it" Therewithal he was wroth with her

1 An Arab of Medina, proverbial for faithlessness.
' Joseph is the Mohammedan prototype of beauty.
* For the loss of Joseph. Jacob, in like manner, is the Muslim type
of inconsolable grief.

and said, "By the virtue of Hemzeh1 and Akil* and
Mohammed, Prince of the Apostles, if thou name one
other than I in my presence, I will bid strike off thy
head ! " Then he bade return her to her chamber, whilst
she wept and recited the following verses :

If I must die, then welcome death to heal My woes ; 'twere lighter than

the pangs I feeL
What if the sabre cut me limb from limb ! No torment 'twere for lovers

true and leal.

Then the Khalif went in to the Lady Zubeideh, pale
with anger, and she noted this in him and said to him,
"How cometh it that I see the Commander of the
Faithful changed of colour?" "O daughter of my
uncle," answered he, " I have a beautiful slave-girl,
who reciteth verses and telleth stories, and she hath
taken my whole heart ; but she loveth other than I and
avoucheth that she loveth her [former] master ; wherefore
I have swom a great oath that, if she come again to my
sitting-chamber and sing for other than I, I will assuredly
take a span from her highest part."* Quoth Zubeideh,
" Let the Commander of the Faithful favour me with her
presence, so I may look on her and hear her singing."
So he bade fetch her and she came, whereupon the Lady
Zubeideh withdrew behind the curtain, whereas she saw
her not, and Er Reshid said to her, " Sing to us." So she
took the lute and tuning it, sang the following verses :

1 Uncle of the Prophet

• First cousin of the Prophet.

■ i.e. cut off her head.

Lo, since the day I left yon, O my matters, Life is not tweet, no

aye my heart is light.
Yea, in the night the thought of yon still slays me; Hidden are

my traces from the wise men's sight,
All for a wild deer's love, whose looks have snared me And on

whose brows the morning glitters bright.
I am become, for severance from my loved one, Like a left hand,

forsaken of the right.
Beauty on his cheek hath written, M Blest be Allah, He who created

this enchanting wight 1"
Him I beseech our loves who hath dissevered, Us of bis grace once

more to reunite.

When Er Reshid heard this, he waxed exceeding wroth
and said, " May God not reunite you twain in gladness 1 "
Then he summoned the headsman, and when he presented
himself, he said to him, "Strike off the head of this
accursed slave-girl." So Mesrour took her by the hand
and [led her away ; but], when she came to the door, she
turned and said to the Khalif, " O Commander of the
Faithful, I conjure thee, by thy fathers and forefathers,
give ear unto that I shall say I " Then she improvised
and recited the following verses :

O Amir of justice, be kind to thy subjects} For justice, indeed,

of thy nature's a trait
O thou my inclining to love him that blamest, Shall lovers be blamed

for the errors of Fate?
Then spare me, by Him who vouchsafed thee the kingship; For

a gift in this world is the regal estate

Then Mesrour carried her to the other end of the

sitting-chamber and bound her eyes and making her sit,
stood awaiting a second commandment ; whereupon quoth
the Lady Zubeideh, " O Commander of the Faithful, with
thy permission, wilt thou not vouchsafe this damsel a
share of thy clemency? Indeed, if thou slay her, it were
injustice." Quoth he, " What is to be done with her ? "
And she said, " Forbear to slay her and send for her lord.
If he be as she describeth him in grace and goodliness,
she is excused, and if he be not on this wise, then slay
her, and this shall be thy justification against her."
u Be it as thou deemest," answered Er Reshid and caused
return the damsel to her chamber, saying to her, "The
Lady Zubeideh saith thus and thus." Quoth she, " God
requite her for me with good I Indeed, thou dealest
equitably, O Commander of the Faithful, in this judg-
ment." And he answered, "Go now to thy place, and
to-morrow we will let bring thy lord." So she kissed the
earth and recited the following verses :

I am content, for him I lore, to all abide ; So, who will, let him

blame, and who will, let him chide.
At their appointed terms souls die ; but for despair My soul is lilt*

to die, or ere its term betide.
O thou with lore of whom I'm smitten, yet content, I prithee coma

to me and hasten to my side.

Then she arose and returned to her chamber .

On the morrow, the Commander of the Faithful sat
[in his hall of audience] and his Vizier Jaafer ben Yehya
the Barmecide came in to him; whereupon he called to

1 When asked, on the Day of Judgment, why he had slain her.

him, saying, "I would have thee bring me a youth
who is lately come to Baghdad, hight [Sidi Noureddin
Ali] the Damascene." Quoth Jaafer, "Hearkening and
obedience," and going forth in quest of the youth, sent
to the markets and khans and caravanserais three days'
space, but found no trace of him, neither lit upon tidings
of him. So on the fourth day he presented himself before
the Khalif and said to him, "O our lord, I have sought
him these three days, but have not found him." Quoth
Er Reshid, " Make ready letters to Damascus. Belike
he hath returned to his own land." So Jaafer wrote a
letter and despatched it by a dromedary-courier to the
city of Damascus ; and they sought him there and found
him not.

Meanwhile, news was brought that Khorassan had
been conquered ; ' whereupon Er Reshid rejoiced and bade
decorate Baghdad and release all who were in the prisons,
giving each of them a dinar and a dress. So Jaafer ad-
dressed himself to the decoration of the city and bade
his brother El Fezl ride to the prison and clothe and
release the prisoners. El Fezl did his brother's bidding
and released all but the young Damascene, who abode
still in the Prison of Blood, saying, "There is no power
and no virtue save in God the Most High, the Sublime !
Verily, we are God's and to Him we return." Then said
El Fezl to the gaoler, " Is there any prisoner left in the
prison ? " " No," answered he, and El Fezl was about

1 i.t, that some one of the many risings in Khorassan (which was
in a chronic state of rebellion during Er Reshid'i reignl had been par.
down.

to depart, when Noureddin called out to him from within
the prison, saying, " O my lord, tarry, for there remaineth
none in the prison other than I and indeed I am op-
pressed. This is a day of clemency and there is no
disputing concerning it" El Fezl bade release him ; so
they set him free and he gave him a dress and a dinar.
So the young man went out, bewildered and knowing
not whither he should go, for that he had abidden in
the prison nigh a year and indeed his condition was
changed and his favour faded, and he abode walking
and turning round, lest £1 Muradi should come upon
him and cast him into another calamity.

When £1 Muradi heard of his release, he betook himself
to the chief of the police and said to him, " O our lord,
we are not assured from yonder youth, [the Damascene],
for that he hath been released from prison and we fear
lest he complain of us." Quoth the prefect, " How shall
we do?" And El Muradi answered, saying, "I will
cast him into a calamity for thee." Then he ceased not
to follow the young Damascene from place to place till
he came up with him in a strait place and a by-street
without an issue ; whereupon he accosted him and putting
a rope about his neck, cried out, saying, "A thief!*
The folk flocked to him from all sides and fell to beating
and reviling Noureddin, whilst he cried out for succour,
but none succoured him, and El Muradi still said to him,
"But yesterday the Commander of the Faithful released
thee and to-day thou stealest!" So the hearts of the
folk were hardened against him and El Muradi carried
him to the master of police, who bade cut off his hand.

Accordingly, the hangman took him and bringing out
the knife, offered to cut off his hand, what while El
Muradi said to him, "Cut and sever the bone and sear1
it not for him, so he may lose his blood and we be
rid of him." But Ahmed, he who had aforetime been
the means of his deliverance, sprang up to him and said,
"O folk, fear God in [your dealings with] this youth,
for that I know his affair from first to last and he il
void of offence and guiltless. Moreover, he is of the
folk of condition,1 and except ye desist from him, I will
go up to the Commander of the Faithful and acquaint
him with the case from first to last and that the youth
is guiltless of crime or offence." Quoth El Muradi,
"Indeed, we are not assured from his mischief." And
Ahmed answered, "Release him and commit him to
me and I will warrant you against his affair, for ye
shall never see him again after this." So they delivered
Noureddin to him and he took him from their hands and
said to him, " O youth, have compassion on thyself,
for indeed thou hast fallen into the hands of these folk
twice and if they lay hold of thee a third time, they
will make an end of thee; and [in dealing thus with
thee], I aim at reward and recompense for thee' and
answered prayer." *

1 Lit. fry. The custom is to sear the stump by plunging it into
boiling oil.

■ Lit of those having houses.

* i\#. from God in the world to come.

4 i.e. I look to get God's favour in consequence of thy fervent prayers
for me.

Noureddin fell to kissing his hand and calling down
blessings on him and said to him, "Know that I am
a stranger in this your city and the completion of kind-
ness is better than the beginning thereof; wherefore I
beseech thee of thy favour that thou complete to me
thy good offices and kindness and bring me to the
gate of the city. So will thy beneficence be accomplished
unto me and may God the Most High requite thee for
me with good!" ["Fear not,"] answered Ahmed; "no
harm shall betide thee. Go; I will bear thee company
till thou come to thy place of assurance." And he left
him not till he brought him to the gate of the city
and said to him, "O youth, go in the safeguard of God
and return not to the city ; for, if they fall in with thee
[again], they will make an end of thee." Noureddin
kissed his hand and going forth the city, gave not over
walking till he came to a mosque that stood in one
of the suburbs of Baghdad and entered therein with
the night

Now he had with him nought wherewithal he might
cover himself; so he wrapped himself up in one of the
rugs of the mosque [and abode thus till daybreak], when
the Muezzins came and finding him sitting in that case,
said to him, " O youth, what is this plight ?" Quoth he,
"I cast myself on your hospitality, imploring your pro.
tection from a company of folk who seek to kill me
unjustly and oppressively, without cause." And [one of]
the Muezzin [s] said, "Be of good heart and cheerful
eye.' Then he brought him old clothes and covered
him withal; moreover, he set before him somewhat of

meat and seeing upon him signs of gentle bleeding,
said to him, "0 my son, I grow old and desire thee
of help, [in return for which] I will do away thy
necessity." " Hearkening and obedience," answered
Noureddin and abode with the old man, who rested
and took his ease, what while the youth [did his
service in the mosque], celebrating the praises of God
and calling the faithful to prayer and lighting the lamps
and filling the ewers1 and sweeping and cleaning out
the place.

Meanwhile, the Lady Zubeideh, the wife of the Com-
mander of the Faithful, made a banquet in her palace and
assembled her slave-girls. As for Sitt el Milah, she came,
weeping-eyed and mournful-hearted, and those who were
present blamed her for this, whereupon she recited the
following verses :

Ye chide at one who weepeth for troubles ever new ; Needs most th'

afflicted warble the woes that make him rme.
Except I be appointed a day [to end my pain^ I'll weep until mine

eyelids with blood their tears ensue.

When she had made an end of her verses, the Lady
Zubeideh bade each damsel sing a song, till the turn
came round to Sitt el Milah, whereupon she took the
lute and tuning it, sang thereto four-and-twenty songs in
four-and-twenty modes; then she returned to the first
mode and sang the following verses :

1 Provided for ablution.

Fortune its arrows all, through him I lore, let fly At me and parted me

from him for whom I sigh.
Lo, in my heart the heat of every heart burns high And in mine eye?

unite the tears of every eye.

When she had made an end of her song, she wept till
she made the bystanders weep and the Lady Zubeideh
condoled with her and said to her, "God on thee, O Sitt
el Milan, sing us somewhat, so we may hearken to thee."
" Hearkening and obedience," answered the damsel and
sang the following verses :

Assemble, ye people of passion, I pray ; For the hour of our torment

hath sounded to-day.
The rave^ of parting croaks loud at oar door} Alas, for our raven

cleaves fast to us aye !
For those whom we cherish are parted and gone ; They have left us in

torment to pine for dismay.
So arise, by your lives I conjure you, arise And come let u fare to our

loved ones away.

Then she cast the lute from her hand and wept till she
made the Lady Zubeideh weep, and she said to her, " O
Sitt el Milan, raethinks he whom thou lovest is not in
this world, for that the Commander of the Faithful hath
sought him in every place, but hath not found him."
Whereupon the damsel arose and kissing the Lady
Zubeideh's hands, said to her, " O my lady, if thou wouldst
have him found, I have a request to make to thee, wherein
thou mayst accomplish my occasion with the Commander

of the Faithful." Quoth the princess, "And what is it?"
" It is," answered Sitt el Milah, " that thou get me leave
to go forth by myself and go round about in quest of him
three days, for the adage saith, *She who mourneth for
herself is not the like of her who is hired to mourn.'1
If I find him, I will bring him before the Commander
of the Faithful, so he may do with us what he will; and
if I find him not, I shall be cut off from hope of him
and that which is with me will be assuaged." Quoth the
Lady Zubeideh, " I will not get thee leave from him but
for a whole month ; so be of good heart and cheerful
eye." Whereupon Sitt el Milah was glad and rising,
kissed the earth before her once more and went away to
her own place, rejoicing.

As for Zubeideh, she went in to the Khalif and talked
with him awhile j then she fell to kissing him between
the eyes and on his hand and asked him that which she
had promised Sitt el Milah, saying, "O Commander of
the Faithful, I doubt me her lord is not found in this
world ; but, if she go about in quest of him and find him
not, her hopes will be cut off and her mind will be set at
rest and she will sport and laugh ; for that, what while she
abideth in hope, she will never cease from her froward-
ness." And she gave not over cajoling him till he gave
Sitt el Milah leave to go forth and make search for her
lord a month's space and ordered her an eunuch to attend
her and bade the paymaster [of the household] give her
all she needed, were it a thousand dirhems a day or more.

1 i.t. if you want a thing done, do it yourself.

So the Lady Zubeideh arose and returning to her palace,
sent for Sitt el Milan and acquainted her with that which
had passed [between herself and the Khalif] ; whereupon
she kissed her hand and thanked her and called down
blessings on her.

Then she took leave of the princess and veiling her
face, disguised herself;1 after which she mounted the
mule and sallying forth, went round about seeking her
lord in the thoroughfares of Baghdad three days' space,
but lit on no tidings of him ; and on the fourth day, she
rode forth without the city. Now it was the noontide
hour and great was the heat, and she was aweary and
thirst waxed upon her. Presently, she came to the
mosque, wherein the young Damascene had taken
shelter, and lighting down at the door, said to the old
man, [the Muezzin], "O elder, hast thou a draught of
cold water? Indeed, I am overcome with heat and
thirst" Quoth he, "[Come up] with me into my house."
So he carried her up into his lodging and spreading her
[a carpet and cushions], seated her [thereon] ; after
which he brought her cold water and she drank and said
to the eunuch, " Go thy ways with the mule and on the
morrow come back to me here." [So he went away] and
she slept and rested herself.

When she awoke, she said to the old man, " O elder,
hast thou aught of food?" And he answered, "O my
lady, I have bread and olives." Quoth she, "That is

1 is. pat on the ordinary walking dress of the Eastern lady, which
completely hides the person.

VOL. III. J

food fit but for the like of thee. As for me, I will have
nought but roast lamb and broths and fat rissoled fowls
and stuffed ducks and all manner meats dressed with
[pounded nuts and almond-Jkemels and sugar." "O
my lady," replied the Muezzin, "I never heard of this
chapter in the Koran, nor was it revealed unto our lord
Mohammed, whom God bless and keep ! nl She laughed
and said, " O elder, the matter is even as thou sayest ;
but bring me inkhorn and paper." So he brought her
what she sought and she wrote a letter and gave it to him,
together with a seal-ring from her finger, saying, "Go
into the city and enquire for such an one the money-
changer and give him this my letter."

The old man betook himself to the city, as she bade
him, and enquired for the money-changer, to whom they
directed him. So he gave him the ring and the letter,
which when he saw, he kissed the letter and breaking
it open, read it and apprehended its purport. Then he
repaired to the market and buying all that she bade
him, laid it in a porter's basket and bade him go with
the old man. So the latter took him and went with
him to the mosque, where he relieved him of his burden
and carried the meats in to Sitt el Milah. She seated
him by her side and they ate, he and she, of those

1 This is apparently said in jest ; but the Muslim Puritan (such
as the strict Wehhabi) is often exceedingly punctilious in refusing
to eat or use anything that is not sanctified by mention in the Koran
or the Traditions of the Prophet, in the same spirit as the old
Calvinist Scotchwoman of popular tradition, who refused to eat
muffins, because they " warna mentioned in the Bible."

ich meats, till they were satisfied, when the old man
«>se and removed the food from before her.

She passed the night in his lodging and when she
arose in the morning, she said to him, " O elder, may
I not lack thy kind offices for the morning-meal I Go
to the money-changer and fetch me from him the like
of yesterday's food." So he arose and betaking himself
to the money-changer, acquainted him with that which
she had bidden him. The money-changer brought him
all that she required and set it on the heads of porters;
and the old man took them and returned with them to
Sitt el Milah. So she sat down with him and they ate
their sufficiency, after which he removed the rest of
the food. Then she took the fruits and the flowers
and setting them over against herself, wrought them into
rings and knots and letters, whilst the old man looked
on at a thing whose like he had never in his life seen
and rejoiced therein.

Then said she to him, "O elder, I would fain drink."
So he arose and brought her a gugglet of water; but
she said to him, "Who bade thee fetch that?" Quoth
he, ** Saidst thou not to me, ' I would fain drink'?" And
she answered, " I want not this ; nay, I want wine, the
delight of the soul, so haply, O elder, I may solace
myself therewith." "God forbid," exclaimed the old
man, "that wine should be drunk in my house, and I
a stranger in the land and a Muezzin and an imam,1 who
prayeth with the true-believers, and a servant of the

• tS> a leader (lit. foreman, antiates) of the people at prayer.

house of the Lord of the Worlds!" Quoth she, "Why
wilt thou forbid me to drink thereof in thy house?"
"Because," answered he, "it is unlawful." "O elder,"
rejoined she, "God hath forbidden [the eating of] blood
and carrion and hog's flesh. Tell me, are grapes and
honey lawful or unlawful?" Quoth he, "They are
lawful;" and she said, "This is the juice of grapes and
the water of honey." But he answered, "Leave this thy
talk, for thou shalt never drink wine in my house." " O
Sheikh," rejoined she, "folk eat and drink and enjoy
themselves and we are of the number of the folk and
God is very forgiving, clement"1 Quoth he, "This is
a thing that may not be." And she said, "Hast thou
not heard what the poet saith ....?" And she recited
the following verses:

O ion of Simeon, give no ear to other than my say. How bitter

from the convent 'twas to part and fare away I
Ay, and the monks, for on the Day of Palms a fawn there was

Among the servants of the church, a loveling blithe and gay.
By God, how pleasant was the night we passed, with him for

third! Muslim and Jew and Nazarene, we sported till the day.
The wine was sweet to us to drink in pleasance and repose, And

in a garden of the garths of Paradise we lay,
Whose streams beneath the myrtle's shade and cassia's welled amain

And birds made carol jubilant from every blossomed spray.
Quoth he, what while from out his hair the morning glimmered white,

"This, this is lift indeed, except, alas! it doth not stay "

1 Koran ii. 168.

"O elder," added she, "if Muslims and Jews and
Nazarenes drink wine, who are we [that we should
abstain from it]?" "By Allah, O my lady," answered
he, "spare thine endeavour, for this is a thing to which
I will not hearken." When she knew that he would not
consent to her desire, she said to him, " O elder, I am
of the slave-girls of the Commander of the Faithful
and the food waxeth on me1 and if I drink not, I shall
perish,1 nor wilt thou be assured against the issue of my
affair. As for me, I am quit of blame towards thee,
for that I have made myself known to thee and have
bidden thee beware of the wrath of the Commander of
the FaithfuL"

When the old man heard her words and that wherewith
she menaced him, he arose and went out, perplexed and
knowing not what he should do, and there met him a
Jew, who was his neighbour, and said to him, "O
Sheikh, how cometh it that I see thee strait of breast?
Moreover, I hear in thy house a noise of talk, such as
I use not to hear with thee." Quoth the Muezzin,
"Yonder is a damsel who avoucheth that she is of the
slave-girls of the Commander of the Faithful Haroun
er Reshid; and she hath eaten food and now would
fain drink wine in my house, but I forbade her. How-
ever she avoucheth that except she drink thereof, she
will perish, and indeed I am bewildered concerning my

1 ie. 1 have eaten largely and the food lies heavy on my stomach.

' Wine is considered by the Arabs a sovereign digestive. See my

"Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night," VoL IV. p. 357.

affair." "Know, O my neighbour," answered the Jew,
"that the slave-girls of the Commander of the Faithful
are used to drink wine, and whenas they eat and drink
not, they perish; and I fear lest some mishap betide
her, in which case thou wouldst not be safe from the
Khalifs wrath." "What is to be done?" asked the
Sheikh ; and the Jew replied, " I have old wine that
will suit her." Quoth the old man, "[I conjure thee]
by the right of neighbourship, deliver me from this
calamity and let me have that which is with thee!"
" In the name of God," answered the Jew and going
to his house, brought out a flagon of wine, with which
the Sheikh returned to Sitt el Milan. This pleased her
and she said to him, "Whence hadst thou this?" "I
got it from my neighbour the Jew," answered he. ** I set
out to him my case with thee and he gave me this."

Sitt el Milah filled a cup and emptied it; after which
she drank a second and a third. Then she filled the
cup a fourth time and handed it to the old man, but he
would not accept it from her. However, she conjured
him, by her own head and that of the Commander of the
Faithful, that he should take it from her, till he took the
cup from her hand and kissed it and would have set it
down; but she conjured him by her life to smell it
So he smelt it and she said to him, "How deemest
thou?" "Its smell is sweet," replied he; and she con-
jured him, by the life of the Commander of the Faithful,
to taste it So he put it to his mouth and she rose to him
and made him drink; whereupon, "O princess of the
fair," said he, " this is none other than good." Quoth she,

"So deem I. Hath not our Lord promised us wine in
Paradise?" And he answered, "Yes. Quoth the Most
High, 'And rivers of wine, a delight to the drinkers.'1
And we will drink it in this world and the world to
come." She laughed and emptying the cup, gave him
to drink, and he said, "O princess of the fair, indeed
thou art excusable in thy love for this." Then he took
from her another and another, till he became drunken and
his talk waxed great and his prate.

The folk of the quarter heard him and assembled under
the window ; and when he was ware of them, he opened
the window and said to them, "Are ye not ashamed,
O pimps? Every one in his own house doth what he
will and none hindereth him ; but we drink one poor day
and ye assemble and come, cuckoldy varlets that ye are 1
To-day, wine, and to-morrow [another] matter; and from
hour to hour [comethj relief." So they laughed and
dispersed. Then the girl drank till she was intoxicated,
when she called to mind her lord and wept, and the old
man said to her, " What maketh thee weep, O my lady ? "
"O elder," replied she, "I am a lover and separated
[from hiin I love]." Quoth he, " O my lady, what is this
love?" "And thou," asked she, "hast thou never been
in love ? " " By Allah, O my lady," answered he, " never
in all my life heard I of this thing, nor have I ever known

* "The similitude of Paradise, the which b promised onto those
who fear [God]. Therein are rivers of water incorruptible and rivers
of milk, the taste whereof changeth not, and rivers of wine, a delight
to the drinkers, and rivers of clarified honey." — Koran xlvii. 16, 17.

it! Is it of the sons of Adam or of the Jinn?" She
laughed and said, "Verily, thou art even as those of
whom the poet speaketh, when as he saith ....** And

she repeated the following verses :

How long will ye admonished be, without avail or heed ? The shepherd

still his flocks forbids, and they obey his rede.
I see yon like unto mankind in favour and in form ; Bat oxen,1 verily,

ye are in fashion and in deed.

The old man laughed at her speech and her verses
pleased him. Then said she to him, "I desire of thee
a lute." * So he arose and brought her a piece of fire-
wood. Quoth she, "What is that?" And he said,
"Didst thou not bid me bring thee wood?" "I do
not want this," answered she, and he rejoined, "What
then is it that is called wood, other than this?" She
laughed and said, "The lute is an instrument of music,
whereunto I sing.** Quoth he, "Where is this thing
found and of whom shall I get it for thee?** And she
said, "Of him who gave thee the wine." So he arose
and betaking himself to his neighbour the Jew, said to
him, "Thou favouredst us aforetime with the wine; so
now complete thy favours and look me out a thing called
a lute, to wit, an instrument for singing; for that she
seeketh this of me and I know it not" "Hearkening
and obedience," replied the Jew and going into his house,
brought him a lute. [The old man took it and carried

1 The ox is the Arab type of stupidity, as with as the as*.
• Syn. wood (ouJ).

4»

it to Sitt el Milah,] whilst the Jew took his drink and
sat by a window adjoining the other's house, so he might
hear the singing.

The damsel rejoiced, when the old man returned to
her with the lute, and taking it from him, tuned its
strings and sang the following verses:

After your loss, nor trace of me nor vestige would remain, Did not the

hope of union some whit my strength sustain.
Ye're gone and desolated by your absence is the world : Requital, ay,

or substitute to seek for you 'twere Tain.
Ye, of your strength, have burdened me, upon my weakliness, With

burdens not to be endured of mountain nor of plain.
When from your land the breeze I scent that cometh, as I were A

reveller bemused with wine, to lose my wits I'm fain.
Love no light matter is, O folk, nor are the woe and care And blame a

little thing to brook that unto it pertain.
I wander seeking East and West for you, and every time Unto a camp

I come, I'm told, '* They've fared away again."
My friends have not accustomed me to rigour ; for, of old, When I for*

took them, they to seek accord did not disdain.

When she had made an end of her song, she wept
sore, till presently sleep overcame her and she slept.

On the morrow, she said to the old man, "Get thee
to the money-changer and fetch me the ordinary." So
he repaired to the money-changer and delivered him the
message, whereupon he made ready meat and drink, as
of his wont, [with which the old man returned to the
damsel and they ate till they had enough. When she

had eaten,] she sought of him wine and he went to
the Jew and fetched it Then they sat down and drank ;
and when she grew drunken, she took the lute and
smiting it, fell a-singing and chanted the following
verses:

How long shall I thus question my heart that's drowned in woe? I'm
mute for my complaining ; but tears speak, as they flow.

They have forbid their image to visit me in sleep ; So even my nightly
phantom forsake th me, heigho!

And when she had made an end of her song, she wept
sore.

All this time, the young Damascene was hearkening, and
whiles he likened her voice to that of his slave-girl and
whiles he put away from him this thought, and the damsel
had no whit of knowledge of him. Then she broke out
again into song and chanted the following verses :

M Forget him," quoth my censurers, " forget him ; what is he?" •• If I
forget him, ne'er may God," quoth I, " remember me I"

Now God forbid a slave forget bis liege lord's love ! And how Of all
things in the world should I forget the love of thee ?

Pardon of God for everything I crave, except thy love, For on the day
of meeting Him, that will my good deed be.

Then she drank three cups and filling the old man other
three, sang the following verses :

His love he'd have hid, but bis tears denounced him to the spy,
For the heat of a red-hot coal that 'twixt his ribs did lie.

Suppose for distraction he seek in the Spring and its blooms one day,
The face of his loved one holds the only Spring for his eye.

O blamer of me for the love of him who denieth his grace, Which be
the delightsome of things, but those which the people deny ?

A sun [is my love ;] but his heat in mine entrails still rageth, concealed;
A moon, in the hearts of the folk he riseth, and not in the sky.

When she had made an end of her song, she threw
the lute from her hand and wept, whilst the old man
wept for her weeping. Then she fell down in a swoon
and presently coming to herself, filled the cup and
drinking it off, gave the old man to drink, after which
she took the lute and breaking out into song, chanted
the following verses :

Thy loss is the fairest of all my heart's woes; My esse it hath

altered and banished repose.
The world is upon me all desolate grown. Alack, my long grief

and forlornnessl Who knows
But the Merciful yet may incline thee to me And unite us again,

in despite of our foes 1

Then she wept till her voice rose high and her lamen-
tation was discovered [to those without] ; after which she
again began to drink and plying the old man with wine,
sang the following verses :

They have shut out thy person from my sight} They cannot shut

thy memory from my spright.
Favour or flout me, still my soul shall be Thy ransom, in contentment

or despite.

My outward of my inward testifies And this bean witness that that
tells aright.1

When she had made an end of her song, she threw
the lute from her hand and wept and lamented. Then
she slept awhile and presently awaking, said, ** O elder,
hast thou what we may eat ? " " O my lady," answered
the old man, " there is the rest of the food ; " but she
said, "I will not eat of a thing I have left. Go down
to the market and fetch us what we may eat" Quoth he,
M Excuse me, O my lady ; I cannot stand up, for that I am
overcome with wine ; but with me is the servant of the
mosque, who is a sharp youth and an intelligent. I will
call him, so he may buy thee that which thou desirest"
"Whence hast thou this servant?" asked she; and he
replied, "He is of the people of Damascus." When
she heard him speak of the people of Damascus, she
gave a sob, that she swooned away; and when she came
to herself, she said, 'Woe's me for the people of
Damascus and for those who are therein ! Call him, O
elder, that he may do our occasions."

So the old man put his head forth of the window and
called the youth, who came to him from the mosque and
sought leave [to enter]. The Muezzin bade him enter,
and when he came in to the damsel, he knew her and
she knew him ; whereupon he turned back in bewilder-

1 i.». my pallor and emaciation testify to the affliction of my heart
and the latter bears witness that the external symptoms correctly in-
dicate the internal malady.

ment and would have fled; but she sprang up to him
and seized him, and they embraced and wept together,
till they fell down on the ground in a swoon. When
the old man saw them in this plight, he feared for him-
self and fled forth, seeing not the way for drunkenness.
His neighbour the Jew met him and said to him, " How
comes it that I see thee confounded?" "How should
I not be confounded," answered the old man, "seeing
that the damsel who is with me is fallen in love with
the servant of the mosque and they have embraced and
fallen down in a swoon? Indeed, I fear lest the Khalif
come to know of this and be wroth with me ; so tell me
thou what is to be done in this wherewith I am afflicted
of the affair of this damsel." Quoth the Jew, M For the
nonce, take this casting-bottle of rose-water and go forth-
right and sprinkle them therewith. If they be aswoon
for this their foregathering and embracement, they will
come to themselves, and if otherwise, do thou flee."

The old man took the casting-bottle from the Jew
and going up to Noureddin and the damsel, sprinkled
their faces, whereupon they came to themselves and fell
to relating to each other that which they had suffered,
since their separation, for the anguish of severance.
Moreover, Noureddin acquainted Sitt el Milah with that
which he had endured from the folk who would have
slain him and made away with him; and she said to
him, "O my lord, let us presently give over this talk
and praise God for reunion of loves, and all this shall
cease from us." Then she gave him the cup and he
■aid, "By Allah, I will nowise drink it, whilst I am in

this plight ! " So she drank it off before him and taking
the lute, swept the strings and sang the following verses :

Thou that wast absent from my stead, yet still with me didst bide, Thou

wast removed from mine eye, yet still wast by my side.
Thou left'st unto me, after thee, languor and carefulness ; I lived a life

wherein no jot of sweetness I espied.
For thy sweet sake, as 'twere, indeed, an exile I had been, Lone and

deserted I became, lamenting, weeping-eyed.
Alack, my grief 1 Thou wast, indeed, grown absent from my view, Yet

art the apple of mine eye nor couldst from me divide.

When she had made an end of her song, she wept
and Noureddin wept also. Then she took the lute and
improvised and sang the following verses :

God knows I ne'er recalled thy memory to my thought, But still with
brimming tears straightway mine eyes were fraught ;

Yea, passion raged in me and love-longing was like To slay me ; yet
my heart to solace still it wrought.

Light of mine eyes, my hope, my wish, my thirsting eyes With looking
on thy face can never sate their drought.

When Noureddin heard these his slave-girl's verses,
he fell a-weeping, what while she strained him to her
bosom and wiped away his tears with her sleeve and
questioned him and comforted his mind. Then she took
the lute and sweeping its strings, played thereon, after
such a wise as would move the phlegmatic to delight,
and sang the following verses :

Whenas mine eyes heboid thee not, that day As of my life I do not

reckon aye ;
And when I long to look upon thy face, My life is perished with deshe

straightway.

On this wise they abode till the morning, tasting not
the savour of sleep ; and when the day lightened, behold,
the eunuch came with the mule and said to Sitt el Milah,
"The Commander of the Faithful calleth for thee." So
she arose and taking her lord by the hand, committed
him to the old man, saying, "I commend him to thy
care, under God,1 till this eunuch cometh to thee ; and
indeed, O elder, I owe thee favour and largesse such
as filleth the interspace betwixt heaven and earth."

Then she mounted the mule and repairing to the palace
of the Commander of the Faithful, went in to him and
kissed the earth before him. Quoth he to her, as who
should make mock of her, "I doubt not but thou hast
found thy lord." "By thy felicity and the length of
thy continuance [on life,] " answered she, " I have indeed
found him ! " Now Er Reshid was leaning back ; but,
when he heard this, he sat up and said to her, " By
my life, [is this thou sayest] true ? " " Ay, by thy life I "
answered she ; and he said, " Bring him into my presence,
so I may see him." But she replied, " O my lord, there
have betided him many stresses and his charms are
changed and his favour faded ; and indeed the Com-
mander of the Faithful vouchsafed me a month ; where-
fore I will tend him the rest of the month and then

1 Lit he is [first] the deposit of God, then thy deposit.

bring him to do his service to the Commander of the
Faithful." Quoth Er Reshid, "True; the condition wai
for a month ; but tell me what hath bedded him." " O
my lord," answered she, "may God prolong thy con-
tinuance and make Paradise thy place of returning and
thy harbourage and the fire the abiding-place of thine
enemies, when he presenteth himself to pay his respects
to thee, he will expound to thee his case and will name
unto thee those who have wronged him; and indeed
this is an arrear that is due to the Commander of the
Faithful, in1 whom may God fortify the Faith and
vouchsafe him the mastery over the rebel and the
froward ! "

Therewithal he ordered her a handsome house and
bade furnish it with carpets and other furniture and
vessels of choice and commanded that all she needed
should be given her. This was done during the rest of
the day, and when the night came, she despatched the
eunuch with the mule and a suit of clothes, to fetch
Noureddin from the Muezzin's lodging. So the young
man donned the clothes and mounting, rode to the house,
where he abode in luxury and delight a full-told month,
what while she solaced him with four things, to wit, the
eating of fowls and the drinking of wine and the lying
upon brocade and the entering the bath after copulation.
Moreover, she brought him six suits of clothes and fell
to changing his apparel day by day; nor was the ap-
pointed time accomplished ere his beauty returned to

1 Or "by."

him and his goodliness; nay, his charms waxed tenfold
and he became a ravishment to all who looked on him.

One day the Commander of the Faithful bade bring
nim to the presence ; so his slave-girl changed his raiment
and clothing him in sumptuous apparel, mounted him on
the mule. Then he rode to the palace and presenting
himself before the Khalif, saluted him with the goodliest
of salutations and bespoke him with eloquent and deep-
thoughted speech. When Er Reshid saw him, he mar-
velled at the goodliness of his favour and his eloquence
and the readiness of his speech and enquiring of him,
was told that he was Sitt el Milah's lord; whereupon
quoth he, " Indeed, she is excusable in her love for him,
and if we had put her to death unrighteously, as we were
minded to do, her blood would have been upon our
heads." Then he turned to the young man and entering
into discourse with him, found him well bred, intelli-
gent, quick of wit and apprehension, generous, pleasant,
elegant, erudite. So he loved him with an exceeding
love and questioned him of his native city and of his
father and of the manner of his journey to Baghdad.
Noureddin acquainted him with that which he would
know in the goodliest of words and with the concisest
of expressions ; and the Khalif said to him, " And where
hast thou been absent all this while? Indeed, we sent
after thee to Damascus and Mosul and other the towns,
but lit on no tidings of thee." "O my lord," answered
the young man, "there betided thy slave in thy city
that which never yet betided any." And he acquainted
him with his case from first to last and told him that

VOL. Ill 4

which had befallen him of evil [from El Muradi and his
crew].

When Er Reshid heard this, he was sore chagrined and
waxed exceeding wroth and said, " Shall this happen
in a city wherein lam?" And the Hashimi vein * started
out between his eyes. Then he bade fetch Jaafer, and
when he came before him, he acquainted him with the
matter and said to him, " Shall this come to pass in my
city and I have no news of it?" Then he bade Jaafer
fetch all whom the young Damascene had named [as
having maltreated him], and when they came, he let smite
off their heads. Moreover, he summoned him whom they
called Ahmed and who had been the means of the young
man's deliverance a first time and a second, and thanked
him and showed him favour and bestowed on him a
sumptuous dress of honour and invested him with the
governance over his city.*

Then he sent for the old man, the Muezzin, and when
the messenger came to him and told him that the
Commander of the Faithful sought him, he feared the
denunciation of the damsel and accompanied him to
the palace, walking and letting wind* as he went, whilst
all who passed him by laughed at him. When he came
into the presence of the Commander of the Faithful,
he fell a-trembling and his tongue was embarrassed,

1 See supra, Vol. L p. 35, note.

1 i.e. made him Chief of the Police of Baghdad, in place of the
former Prefect, whom he had put to death with the rest of Noureddin's
oppressors.

* For affright

[so that he could not speak]. The Khalif laughed at
him and said to him, "O elder, thou hast done no
offence; so [why] fearest thou?" "O my lord," answered
the old man (and indeed he was in the sorest of that
which may be of fear,) " by the virtue of thy pure fore-
fathers, indeed I have done nought, and do thou enquire
of my conduct." The Khalif laughed at him and ordering
him a thousand dinars, bestowed on him a sumptuous
dress of honour and made him chief of the Muezzins
in his mosque.

Then he called Sitt el Milah and said to her, "The
house [wherein thou lodgest] and that which is therein
is a guerdon [from me] to thy lord. So do thou take
him and depart with him in the safeguard of God the
Most High ; but absent not yourselves from our presence."
[So she went forth with Noureddin and] when she came
to the house, she found that the Commander of the
Faithful had sent them gifts galore and abundance of
good things. As for Noureddin, he sent for his fathei
and mother and appointed him agents and factors in the
city of Damascus, to take the rent of the houses and
gardens and khans and baths; and they occupied them-
selves with collecting that which accrued to him and
sending it to him every year. Meanwhile, his father and
mother came to him, with that which they had of monies
and treasures and merchandise, and foregathering with
their son, saw that he was become of the chief officers of
the Commander of the Faithful and of the number of his
session-mates and entertainers, wherefore they rejoiced in
reunion with him and he also rejoiced in them.

The Khalif assigned them pensions and allowances;
and as for Noureddin, his father brought him those riches
and his wealth waxed and his case was goodly, till he
became the richest of the folk of his time in Baghdad
and left not the presence of the Commander of the
Faithful night or day. Moreover, he was vouchsafed
children by Sitt el Milah, and he ceased not to live
the most delightsome of lives, he and she and his father
and mother, a while of time, till Aboulhusn sickened
of a sore sickness and was admitted to the mercy of
God the Most High. After awhile, his mother died also
and he carried them forth and shrouded them and buried
and made them expiations and nativities.1 Then his
children grew up and became like unto moons, and he
reared them in splendour and fondness, what while his
wealth waxed and his case flourished. He ceased not
to pay frequent visits to the Commander of the Faithful,
he and his children and his slave-girl Sitt el Milah, and
they abode, he and they, in all solace of life and
prosperity till there came to them the Destroyer of
Delights and the Sunderer of Companies; and extolled
be the perfection of the Abiding One, the Eternal I This
is all that hath come down to us of their story.

1 Lt. religious ceremonies so called. See my w Book of to* Thousand
NighU and One Night," VoL IX. p. 113, note

EL ABBAS AND THE KING'S
DAUGHTER OF BAGHDAD.

EL ABBAS AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER OF
BAGHDAD.1

There was once, of old days and in bygone ages and
times, in the city of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace,
a king mighty of estate, lord of understanding and
beneficence and liberality and generosity, and he was
strong of sultanate and endowed with might and majesty
and magnificence. His name was Ins ben Cais ben
Rebiya es Sheibani,1 and when he took horse, there rode
unto him [warriors] from the farthest parts of the two
Iraks.» God the Most High decreed that he should take
to wife a woman hight Afifeh, daughter of Ased es
Sundusi, who was endowed with beauty and grace and
brightness and perfection and justness of shape and

• Breslan Text, toI. xii. pp. 116-237, Nights dcccclxW-dcccclxxix.

1 i.e. A member of the tribe of Sheiban. No such King of Baghdad
(which was not founded till the eighth century) as Ins ben Cais is, I
believe, known to history.

• The cities and provinces of Bassora and Cufa are generally known
as - The Two Iraks " ; but the name is here in all probability used in its
wider meaning of Irak Arabi (Chaldsea) and Irak Farsi (Persian Irak).

symmetry; her face was like unto the new moon and
she had eyes as they were gazelle's eyes and an aquiline
nose like the crescent moon. She had learned horse-
manship and the use of arms and had thoroughly studied
the sciences of the Arabs ; moreover, she had gotten
by heart all the dragomanish1 tongues and indeed she
was a ravishment to mankind.

She abode with Ins ben Cais twelve years, during which
time he was blessed with no children by her; wherefore
his breast was straitened, by reason of the failure of
lineage, and he besought his Lord to vouchsafe him a
child. Accordingly the queen conceived, by permission
of God the Most High ; and when the days of her
pregnancy were accomplished, she gave birth to a maid-
child, than whom never saw eyes a goodlier, for that her
face was as it were a pure pearl or a shining lamp or
a golden* candle or a full moon breaking forth of a cloud,
extolled be the perfection of Him who created her from
vile water' and made her a delight to the beholders 1
When her father saw her on this wise of loveliness, his
reason fled for joy, and when she grew up, he taught
her the art of writing and polite letters4 and philosophy
and all manner of tongues. So she excelled the folk of

1 i.e. all those languages the knowledge whereof is necessary to an
interpreter or dragoman (properly tetjeman). Or quart is the word
terjemaniyeh (dragomanish) here a mistranscription for turkumaniyek
(Turcoman).

* ue. gilded?

* i.e. sperma bominia.
4 Syn. good breeding.

her time and overpassed her peers ;» and the sons of
the kings heard of her and all of them desired to look
upon her.

The first who sought her in marriage was King Nebhan
of Mosul, who came to her with a great company, bringing
with him an hundred she-camels laden with musk and
aloes-wood and ambergris and as many laden with
camphor and jewels and other hundred laden with silver
money and yet other hundred laden with raiment of silken
and other stuffs and brocade, besides an hundred slave-
girls and an hundred magnificent horses of swift and
generous breeds, completely housed and accoutred, as
they were brides; and all this he laid before her father,
demanding her of him in marriage. Now King Ins ben
Cais had bound himself by an oath that he would not
many his daughter but to him whom she should choose ;
so, when King Nebhan sought her in marriage, her father
went in to her and consulted her concerning his affair.
She consented not and he repeated to Nebhan that which
she said, whereupon he departed from him. After this
came King Behram, lord of the White Island, with riches
more than the first; but she accepted not of him and
he returned, disappointed ; nor did the kings give over
coming to her father, on her account, one after other,
from the farthest of the lands and the climes, each
glorying in more* than those who forewent him ; but she
paid no heed unto any of one them.

1 w. those women of equal age and rank with herseli
* i.e. vaunting himself of offering richer presents.

Presently, El Abbas, son of King El Aziz, lord of the
land of Yemen and Zebidoun1 and Mecca (which God
increase in honour and brightness and beauty!), heard
of her ; and he was of the great ones of Mecca and the
Hejaz* and was a youth without hair on his cheeks.
So he presented himself one day in his father's sitting-
chamber,* whereupon the folk made way for him and the
king seated him on a chair of red gold, set with pearls
and jewels. The prince sat, with his head bowed to the
ground, and spoke not to any ; whereby his father knew
that his breast was straitened and bade the boon-com-
panions and men of wit relate marvellous histories, such
as beseem the assemblies or kings ; nor was there one of
them but spoke forth the goodliest of that which was with
him ; but El Abbas still abode with his head bowed down.
Then the king bade his session-mates withdraw, and when
the chamber was void, he looked at his son and said
to him, "By Allah, thou rejoicest me with thy coming
in to me and chagrinest me for that thou payest no heed
to any of the session-mates noi of the boon-companions.
What is the cause of this ? "

" O father mine," answered the prince, " I have heard
tell that in the land of Irak is a woman of the daughters

1 Apparently Zebid, the ancient capital of ihe province of Tehameh
in Yemen, a town on the Red Sea, about sixty miles north of Mocha.
The copyist of the Tunis MS. appears to have written the name with
the addition of the characteristic desinence (oun) of the nominative case,
which is dropped except in the Koran and in poetry.

* Name of the province in whicu Mecca is situated.

• Syn. assembly.

of tne kings, and her father is called King Ins ben Cais,
lord of Baghdad; she is renowned for beauty and grace
and brightness and perfection, and indeed many folk have
sought her in marriage of the kings; but her soul con-
sented not unto any one of them. Wherefore I am
minded to travel to her, for that my heart cleaveth unto
her, and I beseech thee suffer me to go to her." " O my
son," answered his father, "thou knowest that I have
none other than thyself of children and thou art the
solace of mine eyes and the fruit of mine entrails; nay,
I cannot brook to be parted from thee an instant and I
purpose to set thee on the throne of the kingship and
marry thee to one of the daughters of the kings, who
shall be fairer than she." El Abbas gave ear to bis
father's word and dared not gainsay him; so he abode
with him awhile, whilst the fire raged in his entrails.

Then the king took counsel with himself to build his
son a bath and adorn it with various paintings, so he
might show it to him and divert him with the sight
thereof, to the intent that his body might be solaced
thereby and that the obsession of travel might cease from
him and he be turned from [his purpose of] removal from
his parents. So he addressed himself to the building
of the bath and assembling architects and builders and
artisans from all the towns and citadels and islands [of
his dominions], assigned them a site and marked out its
boundaries. Then the workmen occupied themselves
with the making of the bath and the setting out and
adornment of its cabinets and roofs. They used paints
and precious stones of all kinds, according to the

e©

eariousness of their hues, red and green and blue and
yellow and what not else of all manner colours ; and each
artisan wrought at his handicraft and each painter at his
art, whilst the rest of the folk busied themselves with
transporting thither varicoloured stones.

One day, as the [chief] painter wrought at his work,
there came in to him a poor man, who looked long upon
him and observed his handicraft; whereupon quoth the
painter to him, "Knowest thou aught of painting?"
"Yes," answered the stranger; so he gave him tools
and paints and said to him, "Make as a rare piece of
work." So the stranger entered one of the chambers
of the bath and drew [on the walls thereof] a double
border, which he adorned on both sides, after a fashion
than which never saw eyes a fairer. Moreover, [amiddle-
ward the chamber] he drew a picture to which there
lacked but the breath, and it was the portraiture of
Mariyeh, the king's daughter of Baghdad. Then, when
he had made an end of the portrait, he went his way
[and told none of what he had done], nor knew any
the chambers and doors of the bath and the adornment
and ordinance thereof.

Presently, the chief workman came to the palace and
sought an audience of the king, who bade admit him.
So he entered and kissing the earth, saluted him with
a salutation beseeming kings and said, "O king of the
time and lord of the age and the day, may felicity endure
unto thee and acceptance and be thy rank exalted over
all the kings both morning and evening!1 The work
1 i.e. day and night, to wit, for ever.

of the bath is accomplished, by the king's fair fortune
and the eminence of his magnanimity,1 and indeed we
have done all that behoved us and there remaineth but
that which behoveth the king." El Aziz ordered him
a sumptuous dress of honour and expended monies galore,
giving unto each who had wroughten, after the measure
of his work. Then he assembled in the bath all the
grandees of his state, amirs and viziers and chamberlains
and lieutenants, and the chief officers of his realm and
household, and sending for his son £1 Abbas, said to
him, "O my son, I have builded thee a bath, wherein
thou mayst take thy pleasance; so enter thou therein,
that thou mayst see it and divert thyself by gazing upon
it and viewing the goodliness of its ordinance and decor-
ation." "With all my heart," replied the prince and
entered the bath, he and the king and the folk about
them, so they might divert themselves with viewing that
which the workmen's hands had wroughten.

£1 Abbas went in and passed from place to place and
chamber to chamber, till he came to the chamber afore-
said and espied the portrait of Mariyeh, whereupon he
fell down in a swoon and the workmen went to his father
and said to him, " Thy son £1 Abbas hath swooned away."
So the king came and finding the prince cast down, seated
himself at his head and bathed his face with rose-water.
After awhile he revived and the king said to him, " God
keep thee,* O my sonl What hath befallen thee?"

1 Syn. the loftiness of his purpose.

* Lit " I charm thee by invoking the aid of God for thee against
evil" or " I seek refuge with God for thse."

" O my father," answered the prince, " I did but look on
yonder picture and it bequeathed me a thousand regrets
and there befell me that which thou seest" Therewithal
the king bade fetch the [chief] painter, and when he
stood before him, he said to him, "Tell me of yonder
portrait and what girl is this of the daughters of the
kings ; else will I take thy head." " By Allah, O king,"
answered the painter, "I limned it not, neither know
I who she is; but there came to me a poor man and
looked at me. So I said to him, ' Knowest thou the art
of painting?' And he replied, 'Yes.' Whereupon I gave
him the gear and said to him, ' Make us a rare piece of
work.' So he wrought yonder portrait and went away
and I know him not neither have I ever set eyes on
him save that day."

Therewithal the king bade all his officers go round
about in the thoroughfares and colleges [of the town] and
bring before him all strangers whom they found there.
So they went forth and brought him much people, amongst
whom was the man who had painted the portrait When
they came into the presence, the Sultan bade the crier
make proclamation that whoso wrought the portrait should
discover himself and have whatsoever he desired. So the
poor man came forward and kissing the earth before the
king, said to him, "O king of the age, I am he who
painted yonder portrait." Quoth El Aziz, "And knowest
thou who she is?" "Yes," answered the other; "this
is the portrait of Mariyeh, daughter of the king of
Baghdad." The king ordered him a dress of honour and
a slave-girl [and he went his way]. Then said £1 Abbas,

uO father mine, give me leave to go to her, so I may
look upon her ; else shall I depart the world, without fail."
The king his father wept and answered, saying, " O my
son, I builded thee a bath, that it might divert thee from
leaving me, and behold it hath been the cause of thy
going forth; but the commandment of God is a fore-
ordained ' decree." *

Then he wept again and El Abbas said to him,
" Fear not for me, for thou knowest my prowess and
my puissance in returning answers in the assemblies of
the land and my good breeding* and skill in rhetoric ;
and indeed he whose father thou art and whom thou
hast reared and bred and in whom thou hast united
praiseworthy qualities, the repute whereof hath traversed
the East and the West, thou needest not fear for him,
more by token that I purpose but to seek diversion4
and return to thee, if it be the will of God the Most
High." Quoth the king, "Whom wilt thou take with
thee of attendants and [what] of good ? " " O father
mine," replied El Abbas, " I have no need of horses or
camels or arms, for I purpose not battle, and I will
have none go forth with me save my servant Aamir and
no more."

As he and his father were thus engaged in talk, in came
his mother and caught hold of him ; and he said to ner,

1 Or "determinate."

• Koran xxxiii. 38.

• Or " accomplishments. '

• i.e. to make a pleasure-excursion.

" God on thee, let me go my gait and strive not to turn
me from my purpose, for that needs must I go." m O my
son," answered she, "if it must be so and there is no
help for it, swear to me that thou wilt not be absent from
me more than a year." And he swore to her. Then he
entered his father's treasuries and took therefrom what he
would of jewels and jacinths and everything heavy of
worth and light of carriage. Moreover, he bade his
servant Aamir saddle him two horses and the like for
himself, and whenas the night darkened behind him,1 he
rose from his couch and mounting his horse, set out for
Baghdad, he and Aamir, whilst the latter knew not whither
he intended.

He gave not over going and the journey was pleasant
to him, till they came to a goodly land, abounding in birds
and wild beasts, whereupon El Abbas started a gazelle
and shot it with an arrow. Then he dismounted and
cutting its throat, said to his servant, "Alight thou and
skin it and carry it to the water." Aamir answered him
[with " Hearkening and obedience "] and going down
to the water, kindled a fire and roasted the gazelle's flesh.
Then they ate their fill and drank of the water, after
which they mounted again and fared on diligently, and
Aamir still unknowing whither El Abbas was minded to
go. So he said to him, "O my lord, I conjure thee by
God the Great, wilt thou not tell me whither thou
intendest ? " El Abbas looked at him and made answer
with the following verses :

1 Lit. beset his back.

In my soul the fire of yearning and affliction rageth aye ; Lo, I barn with

love and longing ; nought in answer can I say.
To Baghdad upon a matter of all moment do I fare, For the love of

one whose beauties have my reason led astray.
Under me's a slender camel, a devourer of the waste ; Those who pass

a cloudlet deem it, as it flitteth o'er the way.
So, O Aamir, haste thy going, e'en as I do, so may I Heal my sickness

and the draining of the cup of love essay ;
For the longing that abideth in my heart is hard to bear. Fare with

me, then, to my loved one. Answer nothing, but obey.

When Aamir heard his lord's verses, he knew that he
was a slave of love [and that she of whom he was
enamoured abode] in Baghdad. Then they fared on
night and day, traversing plains and stony wastes, till
they came in sight of Baghdad and lighted down in its
suburbs1 and lay the night there. When they arose in the
morning, they removed to the bank of the Tigris and
there they encamped and sojourned three days.

As they abode thus on the fourth day, behold, a
company of folk giving their beasts the rein and crying
aloud and saying, "Quick! Quick 1 Haste to our
rescue, O King!" Therewithal the king's chamberlains
and officers accosted them and said to them, "What
is behind you and what hath befallen you?" Quoth
they, "Bring us before the king." [So they carried
them to Ins ben Cais;] and when they saw him, they
said to him, "O king, except thou succour us, we are

1 Lit. in its earth.

VOL. III. f

dead men ; for that we are a folk of the Benou Sheiban,1
who have taken up our abode in the parts of Bassora,
and Hudheifeh the Arab* hath come down on us with
his horses and his men and hath slain our horsemen
and carried off our women and children; nor was one
saved of the tribe but he who fled; wherefore we crave
help [first] by God the Most High, then by thy life."

When the king heard their speech, he bade the crier
make proclamation in the thoroughfares of the city that
the troops should prepare [for the march] and that the
horsemen should mount and the footmen come forth;
nor was it but the twinkling of the eye ere the drums
beat and the trumpets sounded; and scarce was the fore-
noon of the day passed when the city was blocked with
horse and foot So the king passed them in review
and behold, they were four-and-twenty thousand in
number, horsemen and footmen. He bade them go forth
to the enemy and gave the commandment over them
to Said ibn el Wakidi, a doughty cavalier and a valiant
man of war. So the horsemen set out and fared on
along the bank of the Tigris.

El Abbas looked at them and saw the ensigns displayed
and the standards loosed and heard the drums beating;
so he bade his servant saddle him a charger and look
to the girths and bring him his harness of war. Quoth
Aamir, "And indeed I saw El Abbas his eyes flash and
the hair of his hands stood on end, for that indeed

1 The king's own tribe.

* »j$. the Arab of the desert or Bedouin {el Aarabi), the nomad.

horsemanship" abode [rooted in his heart]." So he
mounted his charger, whilst Aamir also bestrode a war-
horse, and they went forth with the troops and fared
on two days. On the third day, after the hour of the
mid-afternoon prayer, they came in sight of the enemy
and the two armies met and the ranks joined battle.
The strife raged amain and sore was the smiting, whilst
the dust rose in clouds and hung vaulted [over them],
so that all eyes were blinded ; and they ceased not from
the battle till the night overtook them, when the two
hosts drew off from the mellay and passed the night,
perplexed concerning themselves [and the issue of their
affair].

When God caused the morning morrow, the two armies
drew out in battle array and the troops stood looking at
one another. Then came forth El Harith ibn Saad be-
tween the two lines and played with his lance and cried
out and recited the following verses :

Algates ye are oar prey become ; this many a day and night Right

instantly of God we've craved to be vouchsafed your sight.
So hath the Merciful towards Hudheifeh driven you, A champion ruling

over all, a lion of great might.
Is there a man of you will come, that I may heal his pains With blows

right profitful for him who's sick for lust of fight ?
By Allah, come ye forth to me, for lo, I'm come to you I May he who's

wronged the victory get and God defend the right I '

1 i.t. the martial instinct.

* Lit. " And he who is oppressed shall become oppressor."

Thereupon there sallied forth to him Zuheir ben Hebib,
and they wheeled about and feinted awhile, then came
to close quarters and exchanged strokes. £1 Harith
forewent his adversary in smiting and stretched him
weltering in his gore; whereupon Hudheifeh cried out
to him, saying, "Gifted of God art thou, O Harith 1
Call another of them." So he cried out, saying, "Is
there a comer-forth [to battle?]" But they of Baghdad
held back from him ; and when it appeared to El Harith
that confusion was amongst them, he fell upon them and
overthrew the first of them upon their last and slew of
them twelve men. Then the evening overtook him and
the Baghdadis addressed themselves to flight.

When the morning morrowed, they found themselves
reduced to a fourth part of their number and there was
not one of them had dismounted from his horse. So
they made sure of destruction and Hudheifeh came out
between the ranks (now he was reckoned for a thousand
cavaliers) and cried out, saying, "Harkye, my masters
of Baghdad 1 Let none come forth to me but your
Amir, so I may talk with him and he with me; and he
shall meet me in single combat and I will meet him,
and may he who is void of offence come off safe 1 " Then
he repeated his speech and said, "Why do I not hear
your Amir return me an answer?" But Saad, the amir
of the army of Baghdad, [replied not to him], and indeed
his teeth chattered in his head, whenas he heard him
summon him to single combat.

When El Abbas heard Hudheifeh's challenge and saw
Saad in this case, he came up to the latter and said to

him, "Wilt thou give me leave to reply to him and 1
will stand thee in stead in the answering of him and the
going forth to battle with him and will make myself thy
sacrifice?" Saad looked at him and seeing valour
shining from between his eyes, said to him, " O youth,
by the virtue of the Chosen [Prophet,] (whom God bless
and keep,) tell me [who thou art and] whence thou
comest to our succour." " This is no place for question-
ing," answered the prince ; and Saad said to him, " O
champion, up and at Hudheifeh ! Yet, if his devil prove
too strong for thee, afflict not thyself in thy youth." »
Quoth El Abbas, "It is of Allah that help is to be
sought,"' and taking his arms, fortified his resolution
and went down [into the field], as he were a castle of
the castles or a piece of a mountain.

[When] Hudheifeh [saw him], he cried out to him,
saying, "Haste thee not, O youth 1 Who art thou of
the folk?" And he answered, "I am Saad [ibn] el
Wakidi, commander of the host of King Ins, and but
that thou vauntedst thyself in challenging me, I had
not come forth to thee; for that thou art not of my
peers neither art counted equal to me in prowess and
canst not avail against my onslaught Wherefore prepare
thee for departure,' seeing that there abideth but a little

1 Lt. be not ashamed to flee rather than perish in thy youth, if his
prowess (attributed to diabolical aid or possession) prove too much foi
thee.

* A periphrastic way of saying, " I look to God for help."

1 is, from the world.

of thy life.** When Hudheifeh heard this his speech,
he threw himself backward,1 as if in mockery of him,
whereat El Abbas was wroth and called out to him,
saying, " O Hudheifeh, guard thyself against me." Then
he rushed upon him, as he were a swooper of the Jinn,"
and Hudheifeh met him and they wheeled about a long
while.

Presently, El Abbas cried out at Hudheifeh a cry that
astonied him and dealt him a blow, saying, "Take this
from the hand of a champion who feareth not the like
of thee." Hudheifeh met the stroke with his shield,
thinking to ward it off from him; but the sword shore
the target in sunder and descending upon his shoulder,
came forth gleaming from the tendons of his throat and
severed his arm at the armpit ; whereupon he fell down,
wallowing in his blood, and El Abbas turned upon his
host ; nor had the sun departed the pavilion of the heavens
ere Hudheifeh's army was in full flight before El Abbas
and the saddles were empty of men. Quoth Saad, "By
the virtue of the Chosen [Prophet], whom God bless and
keep, I saw El Abbas with the blood upon his saddle
pads, [in gouts] like camels' livers, smiting with the
sword right and left, till he scattered them abroad
in every mountain-pass and desert ; and when he turned
[back to the camp], the men of Baghdad were fearful
of him.w

1 In laughter.

* i.«. as he were a flying genie, swooping down upon a mortal from
the air, hawk-fashion.

When the Baghdadis saw this succour that had
betided them against their enemies [and the victory
that El Abbas had gotten them], they turned back
and gathering together the spoils [of the defeated host],
arms and treasures and horses, returned to Baghdad,
victorious, and all by the valour of El Abbas. As for
Saad, he foregathered with the prince, and they fared
on in company till they came to the place where El
Abbas had taken horse, whereupon the latter dismounted
from his charger and Saad said to him, " O youth, where-
fore alightest thou in other than thy place? Indeed,
thy due is incumbent upon us and upon our Sultan ; so
go thou with us to the dwellings, that we may ransom
thee with our souls." " O Amir Saad," replied El Abbas,
"from this place I took horse with thee and herein is
my lodging. So, God on thee, name me not to the king,
but make as if thou hadst never seen me, for that I am
a stranger in the land."

So saying, he turned away from him and Saad fared
on to the palace, where he found all the suite in attendance
on the king and recounting to him that which had betided
them with El Abbas. Quoth the king, "Where is he?"
And they answered, " He is with the Amir Saad." [So,
when the latter entered], the king [looked, but] found
none with him ; and Saad, seeing that he hankered after
the youth, cried out to him, saying, "God prolong the
king's daysl Indeed, he refuseth to present himself
before thee, without leave or commandment" "O
Saad," asked the king, "whence cometh this man?"
And the Amir answered, "O my lord, I know not; but

he if a youth fair of favour, lovesome of aspect, ac-
complished in discourse, goodly of repartee, and valour
shineth from between his eyes."

Quoth the king, "O Saad, fetch him to me, for in-
deed thou describest to me a masterful man."1 And
he answered, saying, "By Allah, O my lord, hadst
thou but seen our case with Hudheifeh, what while he
challenged me to the field of war and the stead of
thrusting and smiting and I held back from doing
battle with him! Then, whenas I thought to go forth
to him, behold, a cavalier gave loose to his bridle-
rein and called out to me, saying, 'O Saad, wilt thou
suffer me to fill thy room in waging war with him and
I will ransom thee with myself? ' And I said, ' By Allah,
O youth, whence cometh thou?' Quoth he, 'This is no
time for thy questions.' " Then he recounted to the king
all that had passed between himself and El Abbas from
first to last ; whereupon quoth Ins ben Cais, " Bring him
to me in haste, so we may learn his tidings and question
him of his case." " It is well," answered Saad, and going
forth of the king's presence, repaired to his own house,
where he put off his harness of war and took rest for
himself.

To return to £1 Abbas, when he alighted from his
charger, he put off his harness of war and rested awhile;
after which he brought out a shirt of Venetian silk and
a gown of green damask and donning them, covered
himself with a turban of Damietta stuff and girt his

1 Syn. " Thou seitest oat to me a mighty matter."

middle with a handkerchief. Then he went out a-walking
in the thoroughfares of Baghdad and fared on till he
came to the bazaar of the merchants. There he found
a merchant, with chess before him ; so he stood watching
him and presently the other looked up at him and said
to him, ■ O youth, what wilt thou stake upon the game ? "
And he answered, " Be it thine to decide." " Then be it
a hundred dinars," said the merchant, and El Abbas con-
sented to him, whereupon quoth he, " O youth, produce
the money, so the game may be fairly stablished." So
£1 Abbas brought out a satin purse, wherein were a
thousand dinars, and laid down an hundred dinars there-
from on the edge of the carpet, whilst the merchant did
the like, and indeed his reason fled for joy, whenas he
saw the gold in £1 Abbas his possession.

The folk flocked about them, to divert themselves with
watching the play, and they called the bystanders to
witness of the wager and fell a-playing. £1 Abbas forbore
the merchant, so he might lead him on, and procrasti-
nated with him awhile ; and the merchant won and took
of him the hundred dinars. Then said the prince, " Wilt
thou play another game?" And the other answered,
"O youth, I will not play again, except it be for a
thousand dinars." Quoth the prince, "Whatsoever thou
stakest, I will match thy stake with the like thereof." So
the merchant brought out a thousand dinars and the
prince covered them with other thousand. Then they
fell a-playing, but £1 Abbas was not long with him ere
he beat him in the square of the elephant,1 nor did he
1 ix. the castle.

leave to do thus till he had beaten him four times and
won of him four thousand dinars.

This was all the merchant's good; so he said, "O
youth, I will play thee another game for the shop," Now
the value of the shop was four thousand dinars ; so they
played and £1 Abbas beat him and won his shop, with
that which was therein; whereupon the other arose,
shaking his clothes, and said to him, " Up, O youth,
and take thy shop." So £1 Abbas arose and repairing
to the shop, took possession thereof, after which he
returned to [the place where he had left] his servant
[Aamir] and found there the Amir Saad, who was come
to bid him to the presence of the king. £1 Abbas con-
sented to this and accompanied him till they came before
King Ins ben Cais, whereupon he kissed the earth and
saluted him and exceeded1 in the salutation. Quoth the
king to him, "Whence comest thou, O youth?" and he
answered, " I come from Yemen."

Then said the king, "Hast thou a need we may ac-
complish unto thee? For indeed we are exceeding be-
holden to thee for that which thou didst in the matter
of Hudheifeh and his folk." And he let cast over him
a mantle of Egyptian satin, worth an hundred dinars.
Moreover, he bade his treasurer give him a thousand
dinars and said to him, "O youth, take this in part of
that which thou deservest of us ; and if thou prolong
thy sojourn with us, we will give thee slaves and servants."
£1 Abbas kissed the earth and said, "O king, may God

1 ut. was eloquent and courtly to the utmoat

grant thee abiding prosperity, I deserve not all this."
Then he put his hand to his poke and pulling out two
caskets of gold, in each of which were rubies, whose
value none could tell, gave them to the king, saying,
"O king, God cause thy prosperity to endure, I conjure
thee by that which God hath vouchsafed thee, heal my
heart by accepting these two caskets, even as I have
accepted thy present." So the king accepted the two
caskets and El Abbas took his leave and went away to
the bazaar.

When the merchants saw him, they accosted him and
said, "O youth, wilt thou not open thy shop?" As
they were bespeaking him, up came a woman, having
with her a boy, bareheaded, and [stood] looking at £1
Abbas, till he turned to her, when she said to him, " O
youth, I conjure thee by Allah, look at this boy and
have pity on him, for that his father hath forgotten his
cap in the shop [he lost to thee] ; so if thou will well
to give it to him, thy reward be with God ! For indeed
the child maketh our hearts ache with his much weeping,
and God be witness for us that, were there left us aught
wherewithal to buy him a cap in its stead, we had not
sought it of thee." "O adornment of womankind,"
replied El Abbas, " indeed, thou bespeakest me with thy
fair speech and supplicatest me with thy goodly words
.... But bring me thy husband." So she went and
fetched the merchant, whilst the folk assembled to see
what El Abbas would do. When the man came, he
returned him the gold he had won of him, all and part,
and delivered him the keys of the shop, saying, " Requito

us with thy pious prayers." Therewithal the woman came
up to him and kissed his feet, and on like wise did the
merchant her husband ; and all who were present blessed
him, and there was no talk but of £1 Abbas.

As for the merchant, he bought him a sheep and
slaughtering it, roasted it and dressed birds and [other]
meats of various kinds and colours and bought dessert
and sweetmeats and fresh fruits. Then he repaired to
£1 Abbas and conjured him to accept of his hospitality
and enter his house and eat of his victual. The prince
consented to his wishes and went with him till they came
to his house, when the merchant bade him enter. So £1
Abbas entered and saw a goodly house, wherein was a
handsome saloon, with a vaulted estrade. When he
entered the saloon, he found that the merchant had made
ready food and dessert and perfumes, such as overpass
description; and indeed he had adorned the table with
sweet-scented flowers and sprinkled musk and rose-water
upon the food. Moreover, he had smeared the walls
of the saloon with ambergris and set [the smoke of
burning] aloes-wood abroach therein.

Presently, El Abbas looked out of the window of the
saloon and saw thereby a house of goodly ordinance, lofty
of building and abounding in chambers, with two upper
stories ; but therein was no sign of inhabitants. So he
said to the merchant, " Indeed, thou exceedest in doing
us honour ; but, by Allah, I will not eat of thy victual till
thou tell me what is the reason of the emptiness of yonder
house." "O my lord," answered the other, "that was
El Ghitrif s house and he was admitted to the mercy of

God1 and left none other heir than myself j so it became
mine, and by Allah, if thou hast a mind to sojourn in
Baghdad, do thou take up thine abode in this house, so
thou mayst be in my neighbourhood ; for that indeed my
heart inclineth unto thee with love and I would have thee
never absent from my sight, so I may still have my fill of
thee and hearken to thy speech." El Abbas thanked him
and said to him, " Indeed, thou art friendly in thy speech
and exceedest [in courtesy] in thy discourse, and needs
must I sojourn in Baghdad. As for the house, if it like
thee, I will abide therein ; so take of me its price."

So saying, he put his hand to his poke and bringing
out therefrom three hundred dinars, gave them to the
merchant, who said in himself, " Except I take the money,
he will not abide in the house." So he pouched the
money and sold him the house, taking the folk to witness
against himself of the sale. Then he arose and set food
before El Abbas and they ate of the good things which
he had provided ; after which he brought him dessert and
sweetmeats. They ate thereof till they had enough, when
the tables were removed and they washed their hands
with rose-water and willow-flower-water. Then the mer-
chant brought El Abbas a napkin perfumed with the
fragrant smoke of aloes-wood, on which he wiped his
hand,' and said to him, " O my lord, the house is become
thy house; so bid thy servant transport thither the horses
and arms and stuffs." El Abbas did this and the merchant

« i.e. died.

' The Arabs use the right hand only in eating.

7»

rejoiced in his neighbourhood and left him not night no*
day, so that the prince said to him, " By Allah, I distract
thee from thy livelihood." u God on thee, O my lord,"
replied the merchant, " name not to me aught of this, or
thou wilt break my heart, for the best of traffic is thy
company and thou art the best of livelihood." So there
befell strait friendship between them and ceremony was
laid aside from between them.

Meanwhile the king said to his vizier, " How shall we
do in the matter of yonder youth, the Yemani, on whom
we thought to confer largesse, but he hath largessed us
with tenfold [our gift] and more, and we know not
if he be a sojourner with us or no?" Then he went
into the harem and gave the rubies to his wife Afifeh,
who said to him, " What is the worth of these with thee
and with [other] the kings?" And he answered, "They
are not to be found save with the greatest of kings and
none may avail to price them with money." Quoth she,
"Whence gottest thou them?" So he recounted to her
the story of El Abbas from first to last, and she said,
" By Allah, the claims of honour are imperative on us
and the king hath fallen short of his due; for that we
have not seen him bid him to his assembly, nor hath
he seated him on his left hand."

[When the king heard his wife's words], it was as if
he had been asleep and awoke; so he went forth of the
harem and bade slaughter fowls and dress meats of all
kinds and colours. Moreover, he assembled all his
retainers and let bring sweetmeats and dessert and all
that beseemeth unto kings' tables. Then he adorned

his palace and despatched after El Abbas a man of the
chief officers of his household, who found him coming
forth of the bath, clad in a doublet of fine goats' hair
and over it a Baghdadi scarf; his waist was girt with
a Rustec1 kerchief and on his head he wore a light
turban of Damietta make.

The messenger wished him joy of the bath and ex-
ceeded in doing him worship. Then he said to him,
u The king biddeth thee in weaL" a " Hearkening and
obedience," answered £1 Abbas and accompanied the
messenger to the king's palace.

Now Afifeh and her daughter Mariyeh were behind
the curtain, looking at him; and when he came before
the king, he saluted him and greeted him with the
greeting of kings, whilst all who were present stared
at him and at his beauty and grace and perfection.
The king seated him at the head of the table ; and when
Afifeh saw him and straitly considered him, she said,
u By the virtue of Mohammed, prince of the Apostles,
this youth is of the sons of the kings and cometh not
to these parts but for some high purpose I n Then she
looked at Mariyeh and saw that her face was changed,
and indeed her eyes were dead in her face and she
turned not her gaze from El Abbas a glance of the
eyes, for that the love of him had gotten hold upon
her heart When the queen saw what had befallen hei

1 Name of a quarter of Baghdad.

■ ix. he summoneth thee to his presence by way of kindness aud not
because he is wroth with thee.

daughter, she feared for her from reproach concerning
El Abbas; so she shut the wicket of the lattice and
suffered her not to look upon him more. Now there
was a pavilion set apart for Mariyeh, and therein were
privy chambers and balconies and lattices, and she had
with her a nurse, who served her, after the fashion of
kings' daughters.

When the banquet was ended and the folk had dis-
persed, the king said to El Abbas, " I would fain have
thee [abide] with me and I will buy thee a house, so
haply we may requite thee the high services for which we
are beholden to thee; for indeed thy due is imperative
[upon us] and thy worth is magnified in our eyes ; and
indeed we have fallen short of thy due in the matter of
distance."1 When the prince heard the king's speech,
he rose and sat down* and kissing the earth, returned
thanks for his bounty and said, M I am the king's servant,
wheresoever I may be, and under his eye." Then he
recounted to him the story of the merchant and the
manner of the buying of the house, and the king said,
"Indeed, I would fain have had thee with me and in my
neighbourhood."

Then El Abbas took leave of the king and went away
to his own house. Now it befell that he passed under
the palace of Mariyeh the king's daughter, and she was
sitting at a window. He chanced to look round and his

1 :.e. in allowing thee hitherto to remain at a distance from as and
not inviting thee to attach thyself to our person.
' An Arab idiom, meaning " he showed agitation."

eyes met those of the princess, whereupon his wit de-
parted and he was like to swoon away, whilst his colour
changed and he said, " Verily, we are God's and to Him
we return ! " But he feared for himself lest estrangement
betide him ; so he concealed his secret and discovered not
his case to any of the creatures of God the Most High.
When he reached his house, his servant Aamir said to
him, "O my lord, I seek refuge for thee with God from
change of colour ! Hath there betided thee a pain from
God the Most High or hath aught of vexation befallen
thee? Verily, sickness hath an end and patience doth
away vexation." But the prince returned him no answer.
Then he brought out inkhorn [and pen] and paper and
wrote the following verses :

Quoth I (and mine a body is of passion all forslain, Ay, and a heart

that's all athirst for love and longing pain
And eye that knoweth not the sweet of sleep ; yet she, who caused My

dole, may Fortune's perfidies for aye from her abstain !
Yea, for the perfidies of Fate and sev' ranee I'm become Even as was

Bishr l of old time with Hind,1 a fearful swain ;
A talking-stock among the folk for ever I abide ; Life and the days

pass by, yet ne'er my wishes I attain),
•* Knoweth my loved one when I see her at the lattice high Shine as the

sun that flameth forth in heaven's blue demesne?"
Her eye is sharper thui a sword ; the soul with ecstasy It takes and

longing leaves behind, that nothing may assain.
As at the casement high she sat, her charms I might espy, For from

her cheeks the envious veil that hid them she had ta'en.

1 Apparently two well-known lovers.
VOL. III. 6

Sh« shot at me a shaft that reached my heart and I became The bond-
man of despair, worn out with effort all in vain.

Fawn of the palace, knowst thou not that I, to look on thee, The world
have traversed, far and wide, o'er many a hill and plain ?

Read then my writ and pity thou the blackness of my fate, Sick, love-
distraught, without a friend to whom I may complain.

Now the merchant's wife aforesaid, who was the nurse
of the king's daughter, was watching him from a window,
unknown of him, and [when she heard his verses], she
knew that there hung some rare story by him; so she
went in to him and said, " Peace be on thee, O afflicted
one, who acquaintest not physician with thy case I Verily,
thou exposest thyself unto grievous peril! I conjure
thee by the virtue of Him who hath afflicted thee and
stricken thee with the constraint of love-liking, that thou
acquaint me with thine affair and discover to me the truth
of thy secret; for that indeed I have heard from thee
verses that trouble the wit and dissolve the body." So he
acquainted her with his case and enjoined her to secrecy,
whereof she consented unto him, saying, "What shall
be the recompense of whoso goeth with thy letter and
bringeth thee an answer thereto ? " He bowed his head
for shamefastness before her [and was silent] ; and she
said to him, "Raise thy head and give me thy letter."
So he gave her the letter and she took it and carrying
it to the princess, said to her, " Read this letter and give
me the answer thereto."

Now the liefest of all things to Mariyeh was the recita-
tion of poems and verses and linked rhymes and the

twanging [of the strings of the lute], and she was versed
in all tongues ; so she took the letter and opening it,
read that which was therein and apprehended its purport.
Then she cast it on the ground and said, "O nurse, I
have no answer to make to this letter." Quoth the nurse,
" Indeed, this is weakness in thee and a reproach unto
thee, for that the people of the world have heard of thee
and still praise thee for keenness of wit and apprehension ;
so do thou return him an answer, such as shall delude
his heart and weary his soul." "O nurse," rejoined the
princess, "who is this that presumeth upon me with this
letter? Belike he is the stranger youth who gave my
father the rubies." "It is himself," answered the
woman, and Mariyeh said, "I will answer his letter
on such a wise that thou shalt not bring me other
than it [from him]." Quoth the nurse, MSo be it" So
the princess called for inkhorn and paper and wrote
the following verses:

O'erbold art thou in that to me, a stranger, thou hast sent These verses;

'twill but add to thee unease and miscontent
Now God forbid thou shouldst attain thy wishes ! What care I If thou

have looked on me a look that caused thee languishment ?
Who art thou, wretch, that thou shouldst hope to win me? With thy

rhymes What wouldst of me ? Thy reason, sure, with passion is

forspent
If to my favours thou aspire and covet me, good lack ! What leacb

such madness can assain or what medicament?
Leave rhyming, madman that thou art, lest, bound upon the cross,

Thou thy presumption in the stead of abjectness repent

Deem not, O youth, that I to thee incline ; indeed, no part Have I in

those who walk the ways, the children of the tent1
In the wide world no house thou hast, a homeless wanderer thou : To

thine own place thou shalt be borne, an object for lament*
Forbear thy verse-making, O thou that harbourest in the camp, Lest to

the gleemen thou become a name of wonderment
How many a lover, who aspires to union with his love, For all his

hopes seem near, is baulked of that whereon he's bent !
Then get thee gone nor covet that which thou shalt ne'er obtain ; So

shall it be, although the time seem near and the event
Thus unto thee have I set forth my case ; consider well My words, to

thou mayst guided be aright by their intent

When she had made an end of her verses, she folded
the letter and delivered it to the nurse, who took it and
went with it to El Abbas. When she gave it to him, he
took it and breaking it open, read it and apprehended its
purport ; and when he came to the end of it, he swooned
away. After awhile, he came to himself and said, " Praised
be God who hath caused her return an answer to my
letter! Canst thou carry her another letter, and with
God the Most High be thy requital ? " Quoth she, " And
what shall letters profit thee, seeing she answereth on this
wise ? " But he said, " Belike, she may yet be softened."
Then he took inkhom and paper and wrote tbe following
verses :

Thy letter reached me ; when the words thou wrot'st therein I read, My
longing waxed and pain and woe redoubled on my head.

Yea, wonder-words I read therein, my trouble that increased And
caused emaciation wear my body to a shred.

1 i.e. the wandering Arabs. * i*. slain.

Would God thou knewst what I endure for love of thee and how My

vitals for thy cruelty are all forspent and dead !
Fain, fain would I forget thy love. Alack, my heart denies To be

consoled, and 'gainst thy wrath nought standeth me in stead.
An thou'dst vouchsafe to favour me, 'twould lighten my despair, Though

but in dreams thine image 'twere that visited my bed.
Persist not on my weakliness with thy disdain nor be Treason and breach

of love its troth to thee attributed ;
For know that hither have I fared and come to this thy land, By hopes

of union with thee and near fruition led.
How oft I've waked, whilst over me my comrades kept the watch !

How many a stony waste I've crossed, how many a desert dread i
From mine own land, to visit thee, I came at love's command, For all

the distance did forbid, 'twixt me and thee that spread.
Wherefore, by Him who letteth waste my frame, have ruth on me And

quench my yearning and the fires by passion in me fed.
in glory's raiment clad, by thee the stars of heaven are shamed And in

amaze the full moon stares to see thy goodlihead.
All charms, indeed, thou dost comprise ; so who shall vie with thee

And who shall blame me if for love of such a fair I'm sped ?

When he had made an end of his verses, he folded
the letter and delivering it to the nurse, charged her
keep the secret So she took it and carrying it to
Mariyeh, gave it to her. The princess broke it open
and read it and apprehended its purport. Then said
she, "By Allah, O nurse, my heart is burdened with
an exceeding chagrin, never knew I a dourer, because
of this correspondence and of these verses." And the
nurse made answer to her, saying, "O my lady, thou
art in thy dwelling and thy place and thy heart is void

of care; so return him an answer and reck thou not"
Accordingly, the princess called for inkhorn and paper
and wrote the following verses :

Thou that the dupe of yearning art, how many a melting wight In

waiting for the unkept tryst doth watch the weary night !
If in night's blackness thou hast plunged into the desert's heart And

hast denied thine eyes the taste of sleep and its delight,
If near and far thy toiling feet have trod the ways and thou Devils and

Marids hast ensued nor wouldst be led uight,
And dar'dst, O dweller in the tents, to lift thine eyes to me, Hoping by

stress to win of me the amorous delight,
Get thee to patience fair, if thou remember thee of that Whose issues

(quoth the Merciful) are ever benedight,1
How many a king for my sweet sake with other kings hath vied, Still

craving union with me and suing for my sight I
Whenas En Nebhan strove to win my grace, himself to ine With camel-
loads he did commend of musk and camphor white,
And aloes- wood, to boot, he brought and caskets full of pearls And

priceless rubies and the like of costly gems and bright ;
Yea, and black slaves he proffered me and slave-girls big with child

And steeds of price, with splendid arms and trappings rich bedight.
Raiment of silk and sendal, too, he brought to as for gift, And me in

marriage sought therewith ; yet, all his pains despite,
Of me he got not what he sought and brideless did return, For that

estrangement and disdain were pleasing in my sight
Wherefore, O stranger, dare thou not approach me with desire, Lest

ruin quick and pitiless thy hardihood requite.

* " O ye who believe, seek aid of patience and prayer ; verily, God
k with the patient." — Koren ii. 148.

When she had made an end of her verses, she folded
the letter and delivered it to the nurse, who took it
and carried it to El Abbas. He broke it open and
read it and apprehended its purport; then took ink-
horn and paper and wrote the following verses:

Indeed, thou'st told the tale of kings and men of might, Each one a

lion fierce, impetuous in the fight,
Whose wits (like mine, alack I) thou stolest and whose hearts With

shafts from out thine eyes bewitching thou didst smite.
Yea, and how slaves and steeds and good and virgin girls Were proffered

thee to gift, thou hast not failed to cite,
How presents in great store thou didst refuse and eke The givers, great

and small, with flouting didst requite.
Then came I after them, desiring thee, with me No second save my

sword, my falchion keen and bright.
No slaves with me have I nor camels swift of foot, Nor slave-girls have

I brought in curtained litters dight.
Yet, an thou wilt vouchsafe thy favours unto me, My sabre thou shalt

see the foemen put to flight ;
Ay, and around Baghdad the horsemen shalt behold, Like clouds that

wall the world, full many a doughty knight,
All hearkening to my word, obeying my command, In whatsoever thing

is pleasing to my sight.
If slaves thou fain wouldst have by thousands every day Or, kneeling

at thy feet, see kings of mickle might,
And horses eke wouldst have led to thee day by day And girls, high-
breasted maids, and damsels black and white,
Lo wider my command the land of Yemen is And trenchant is my

sword against the foe in fight

When as the couriers came with news of thee, how fair Thoi wast and

sweet end how thy visage shone with light,
All, all, for thy sweet sake, I left ; ay, I forsook Aziz, my sire, and

those akin to me that bight
And unto Irak fared, my way to thee to make, And crossed the stony

wastes i' the darkness of the night.
Then sent I speech to thee in verses such as born The heart ; reproach

therein was none nor yet nnright ;
Yet with perfidiousness (sure Fortune's self as thou Ne'er so perfidious

was) my love thou didst requite
And deemedst me a waif, a homeless good-for-nought, A slave-begotten

brat, a wanton, witless wight

Then he folded the etter and committed it to the
nurse and gave her five hundred dinars, saying, "Accept
this from me, for that indeed thou hast wearied thyself
between us." "By Allah, O my lord," answered she,
" my desire is to bring about union between you, though
I lose that which my right hand possesseth." And he
said, •' May God the Most High requite thee with good ! *
Then she carried the letter to Mariyeh and said to her,
"Take this letter; belike it may be the end of the
correspondence." So she took it and breaking it open,
read it, and when she had made an end of it, she turned
to the nurse and said to her, "This fellow putteth off
lies upon me and avoucheth unto me that he hath cities
and horsemen and footmen at his command and sub-
mitting to his allegiance; and he seeketh of me that
which he shall not obtain ; for thou knowest, O nurse,
that kings' sons have sought me in marriage, with presents

and rarities ; but I have paid no heed unto aught of this ;
so how shall I accept of this fellow, who is the fool * of
his time and possessed* nought but two caskets of rubies,
which he gave to my father, and indeed he hath taken
up his abode in the house of El Ghitrif and abideth with-
out silver or gold? Wherefore, I conjure thee by Allah,
O nurse, return to him and cut off his hope of me."

Accordingly the nurse returned to El Abbas, without
letter or answer; and when she came in to him, he saw
that she was troubled and noted the marks of chagrin
on her face ; so he said to her, " What is this plight ? "
Quoth she, " I cannot set out to thee that which Mariyeh
said ; for indeed she charged me return to thee without
letter or answer." "O nurse of kings," rejoined El
Abbas, " I would have thee carry her this letter and return
not to her without it" Then he took inkhorn and paper
and wrote the following verses :

My secret is disclosed, the which I strove to hide; Of thee and

of thy love enough have I abyed.
My kinsmen and my friends for thee I did forsake And left them

weeping tears that poured as 'twere a tide.
Yea, to Baghdad I came, where rigour gave me chase And I was

overthrown of cruelty and pride.
Repression's draught, by cups, from the beloved's hand I've quaffed;

with colocynth for wine she hath me plied.
Oft as I strove to make her keep the troth of love. Unto conceal

merit's ways still would she turn aside.

1 Lit "ignorant one" (JaAil).

My body is dissolved with sufferance in vain % Relenting, ay, and

grace I hoped should yet betide;
Bat rigour still hath waxed on me and changed my case And low

hath left me bound, afflicted, weeping-eyed.
How long shall I anights distracted be for love Of thee? How

long th' assaults of grief and woes abide?
Thou, thou enjoy'st repose and comfortable sleep, Nor of the mis'ries

reckst by which my heart is wried.
I watch the stars for wake and pray that the belovM May yet to

me relent and bid my tears be dried.
The pains of long desire have wasted me away; Estrangement and

disdain my body sore have tried.
"Be thou not hard of heart," quoth I. Had ye but deigned To

visit me in dreams, I had been satisfied.
But when ye saw my writ, the standard ye o'erthrew Of faith, your

favours grudged and aught of grace denied.
Nay, though ye read therein discourse that sure should speak To

heart and soul, no word thereunto ye replied,
But deemed yourself secure from every changing chance Nor recked

the ebb and flow of Fortune's treacherous tide.
Were my affliction thine, love's anguish hadst thou dreed And in

the flaming hell of long estrangement sighed.
Yet shalt thou suffer that which I from thee have bome And with

love's woes thy heart shall yet be mortified.
The bitterness of false accusing shalt thou taste And eke the thing

reveal that thou art fain to hide ;
Yea, he thou lov'st shall be hard-hearted, recking not Of fortune's

turns or fate's caprices, in his pride.
Wherewith farewell, quoth I, and peace be on thee aye, What

while the branches bend, what while the stars abide.

When he had made an end of his verses, he folded the
letter and gave it to the nurse, who took it and carried
it to Mariyeh. When she came into the princess's
presence, she saluted her; but Mariyeh returned not her
salutation and she said, "O my lady, how hard is thy
heart that thou grudgest to return the salutation! Take
this letter, for that it is the last of that which shall come
to thee from him.'' Quoth Mariyeh, "Take my warning
and never again enter my palace, or it will be the cause
of thy destruction ; for I am certified that thou purposest
my dishonour. So get thee gone from me." And she
commanded to beat the nurse ; whereupon the latter went
forth fleeing from her presence, changed of colour and
absent of wits, and gave not over going till she came
to the house of El Abbas.

When the prince saw her in this plight, he was as a
sleeper awakened and said to her, "What hath befallen
thee? Set out to me thy case." " God on thee," answered
she, " nevermore send me to Mariyeh, and do thou protect
me, so may God protect thee from the fires of hell I"
Then she related to him that which had betided her with
Mariyeh ; which when he heard, there took him the
shamefastness of the generous and this was grievous
unto him. The love of Mariyeh fled forth of his heart
and he said to the nurse, "How much hadst thou of
Mariyeh every month ? " " Ten dinars," answered she,
and he said, "Be not concerned." Then he put his hand
to his poke and bringing out two hundred dinars, gave
them to her and said, " Take this for a whole year's wage
and turn not again to serve any one. When the yeai

is out, I will give thee two years' wage, for that thou hast
wearied thyself with us and on account of the cutting off
of thy dependence upon Mariyeh."

Moreover, he gave her a complete suit of clothes and
raising his head to her, said, " When thou toldest me that
which Mariyeh had done with thee, God rooted out the
love of her from my heart, and never again will she occur
to my mind; so extolled be the perfection of Him who
turneth hearts and eyes 1 It was she who was the cause
of my coming out from Yemen, and now the time is past
for which I engaged with my people and I fear lest my
father levy his troops and come forth in quest of me, for
that he hath no child other than myself and cannot brook
to be parted from me ; and on like wise is it with my
mother." When the nurse heard his words, she said
to him, "O my lord, and which of the kings is thy
father?" "My father is El Aziz, lord of Yemen and
Nubia and the Islands1 of the Benou Kehtan and the
Two Noble Sanctuaries' (God the Most High have them
in His keeping ! )," answered El Abbas ; " and whenas he
taketh horse, there mount with him an hundred and
twenty and four thousand horsemen, all smiters with the
sword, let alone attendants and servants and followers,
all of whom give ear unto my word and obey my com-
mandment." "Why, then, O my lord," asked the nurse*

1 i.e. Peninsula. Jczirth (sing, of jna\ r, islands) is constantly used by
the Arabs in this sense ; hence much apparent confusion in topogra-
phical passages.

* Li. Mecca and Medina.

<^»**»i'^

" didst thou conceal the secret of thy rank and lineage and
passedst thyself off for a wayfarer? Alas for our disgrace
before thee by reason of our shortcoming in rendering
thee thy due ! What shall be our excuse with thee, and
thou of the sons of the kings?" But he rejoined, "By
Allah, thou hast not fallen short 1 Nay, it is incumbent
on me to requite thee, what while I live, though I be far
distant from thee."

Then he called his servant Aamir and said to him,
" Saddle *the horses." When the nurse heard his words
and indeed [she saw that] Aamir brought him the horses
and they were resolved upon departure, the tears ran
down upon her cheeks and she said to him, " By Allah,
thy separation is grievous to me, O solace of the eye I "
Then said she, "Where is the goal of thine intent, so
we may know thy news and solace ourselves with thy
report ? " Quoth he, " I go hence to visit Akil, the son of
my father's brother, for that he hath his sojourn in the
camp of Kundeh ben Hisham, and these twenty years
have I not seen him nor he me; wherefore I purpose to
repair to him and discover his news and return hither.
Then will I go hence to Yemen, if it be the will of God
the Most High."

So saying, he took leave of the woman and her husband
and set out, intending for Akil, his father's brother's son.
Now there was between Baghdad and Akil's abiding-place
forty days' journey j so El Abbas settled himself on the
back of his courser and his servant Aamir mounted also
and they fared forth on their way. Presently, El Abbas
turned right and left and recited the following verses :

I am the champion-slayer, the warrior without peer ; My foet I slay,

destroying the hosts, when I appear.
Tow'rds £1 Akil my journey I take ; to visit him, The wastes in praise

and safety I traverse, without fear,
And all the desert spaces devour, whilst to my rede, Or if in sport or

earnest,1 still Aamir giveth ear.
Who letteth us or hind'reth our way, I spring on him, As springeth lyni

or panther upon the frighted deer ;
With ruin I o'erwhelm him and abjectness and woe And cause him

quaff the goblet of death and distance drear.
Well-ground my polished sword is and thin and keen of edge And

trenchant, eke, for smiting and long my steel-barbed spear.
So fell and fierce my stroke is, if on a mountain high It lit, though all

of granite, right through its midst 'twould shear.
Nor troops have I nor henchmen nor one to lend me aid Save God, to

whom, my Maker, my voice in praise I rear.
Tis He who pardoneth errors alike to slave and free ; On Him is my

reliance in good and evil cheer.

Then they fell to journeying night and day, and as they
went, behold, they sighted a camp of the camps of the
Arabs. So £1 Abbas enquired thereof and was told that
it was the camp of the Benou Zuhreh. Now there were
around them sheep and cattle, such as filled the earth, and
they were enemies to El Akil, the cousin of El Abbas,
upon whom they still made raids and took his cattle;
wherefore he used to pay them tribute every year, for that
he availed not to cope with them. When El Abbas came

1 i.t. whether on a matter of sport, such as the chase, or a grave
matter, such as war, etc.

near the camp, he dismounted from his courser and hit
sen-ant Aamir also dismounted ; and they set down the
victual and ate their sufficiency and rested awhile of the
day. Then said the prince to Aamir, "Fetch water and
give the horses to drink and draw water for us in thy
water-bag, by way of provision for the road."

So Aamir took the water-skin and made for the water ;
but, when he came to the well, behold, two young men
with gazelles, and when they saw him, they said to him,
"Whither wilt thou, O youth, and of which of the
Arabs art thou?" "Harkye, lads," answered he, "fill
me my water-skin, for that I am a stranger man and a
wayfarer and I have a comrade who awaiteth me."
Quoth they, "Thou art no wayfarer, but a spy from
El Akil's camp." Then they took him and carried him
to [their king] Zuheir ben Shebib; and when he came
before him, he said to him, " Of which of the Arabs
art thou?" Quoth Aamir, "I am a wayfarer." And
Zuheir said, "Whence comest thou and whither wilt
thou?" "I am on my way to Akil," answered Aamir.
When he named Akil, those who were present were
agitated; but Zuheir signed to them with his eyes
and said to him, "What is thine errand with Akil?"
Quoth he, " We would fain see him, my friend and I."

When Zuheir heard his words, he bade smite off his
head ; but his Vizier said to him, " Slay him not, till his
friend be present." So he commanded the two slaves
to fetch his friend ; whereupon they repaired to El
Abbas and called to him, saying, "O youth, answer the
summons of King Zuheir." "What would the king

with me?" asked he, and they answered, "We know
not." Quoth he, "Who gave the king news of me?"
"We went to draw water," answered they, "and found
a man by the water. So we questioned him of his case,
but he would not acquaint us therewith; wherefore we
carried him perforce to King Zuheir, who questioned
him of his case and he told him that he was going to
Akil. Now Akil is the king's enemy and he purposeth
to betake himself to his c?mp and make prize of his
offspring and cut off his traces." " And what," asked El
Abbas, "hath Akil done with King Zuheir?" And they
replied, "He engaged for himself that he would bring
the king every year a thousand dinars and a thousand
she-camels, besides a thousand head of thoroughbred
horses and two hundred black slaves and fifty slave-girls;
but it hath reached the king that Akil purposeth to give
nought of this; wherefore he is minded to go to him.
So hasten thou with us, ere the king be wroth with thee
and with us."

Then said El Abbas to them, "O youths, sit by my
arms and my horse till I return." But they answered,
saying, "By Allah, thou prolongest discourse with that
which beseemeth not of words ! Make haste, or we will
go with thy head, for indeed the king purposeth to slay
thee and to slay thy comrade and take that which is
with you." When the prince heard this, his skin quaked
and he cried out at them with a cry that made them
tremble. Then he sprang upon his horse and settling
himself in the saddle, galloped till he came to the king's
assembly, when he cried out at the top of his voice,

saying, ["To horse,] cavaliers !w And levelled his spear
at the pavilion wherein was Zuheir. Now there were
about him a thousand smiters with the sword; but £1
Abbas fell in upon them and dispersed them from around
him, and there abode none in the tent save Zuheir and
his vizier.

Then came up El Abbas to the door of the tent, and
therein were four-and-twenty golden doves; so he took
them, after he had beaten them down with the end of
his lance. Then he called out, saying, "Harkye, Zuheir!
Doth it not suffice thee that thou hast quelled El Akil's
repute, but thou art minded to quell that of those who
sojourn round about him? Knowest thou not that he
is of the lieutenants of Kundeh ben [Hisham of the
Benou] Sheiban, a man renowned for prowess? Indeed,
covetise of him hath entered into thee and jealousy of
him hath gotten possession of thee. Doth it not suffice
thee that thou hast orphaned his children1 and slain his
men? By the virtue of the Chosen Prophet, I will make
thee drink the cup of death!" So saying, he drew his
sword and smiting Zuheir on his shoulder, caused the
steel issue, gleaming, from the tendons of his throat.
Then he smote the vizier and clove his head in sunder.

As he was thus, behold, Aamir called out to him and
said, "O my lord, come to my help, or I am a dead
man 1 " So El Abbas went up to him and found him
cast down on his back and chained with four chains to
four pickets of iron. He loosed his bonds and said to

1 i.t. the children of his fighting-men whom thou slewest

VOL. 111. |

him, "Go before me, 0 Aamir." So he fared on before
him a little, and presently they looked, and behold, horse-
men making to Zuheir's succour, to wit, twelve thousand
cavaliers, with Sehl ben Kaab in their van, mounted upon
a jet-black steed. He charged upon Aamir, who fled
from him, then upon El Abbas, who said, "O Aamir,
cleave fast to my horse and guard my back." Aamir did
as he bade him, whereupon El Abbas cried out at the
folk and falling upon them, overthrew their braves and
slew of them nigh two thousand cavaliers, whilst not
one of them knew what was to do nor with whom he
fought. Then said one of them to other, "Verily, the
king is slain; so with whom do we wage war? Indeed
ye flee from him; so do ye enter under his banners,
or not one of you will be saved."

Thereupon they all dismounted and putting off" that
which was upon them of harness of war, came before
El Abbas and tendered him allegiance and sued for his
protection. So he held his hand from them and bade
them gather together the spoils. Then he took the
riches and the slaves and the camels, and they all be-
came his liege-men and his retainers, to the number
(according to that which is said) of fifty thousand horse.
Moreover, the folk heard of him and flocked to him
from all sides; whereupon he divided [the spoil amongst
them] and gave gifts and abode thus three days, and
there came presents to him. Then he bade set out for
Akils abiding-place; so they fared on six days and
on the seventh day they came in sight of the camp.
El Abbas bade bis man Aamir forego him and give

Akil the glad news of his cousin's coming. So he
rode on to the camp and going in to Akil, gave him
the glad news of Zu heir's slaughter and the conquest
of his tribe.

Akil rejoiced in the coming of El Abbas and the
slaughter of his enemy and all in his camp rejoiced
also and cast dresses of honour upon Aarair. More-
over, Akil bade go forth to meet El Abbas, and com-
manded that none, great or small, freeman or slave,
should tarry behind. So they did his bidding and going
forth all, met El Abbas at three parasangs' distance
from the camp. When they met him, they all dis-
mounted from their horses and Akil and he embraced
and clapped hands.1 Then they returned, rejoicing in
the coming of El Abbas and the slaughter of their
enemy, to the camp, where tents were pitched for the
new-comers and carpets spread and game killed and
beasts slaughtered and royal guest-meals spread; and
on this wise they abode twenty days, in the enjoyment
of all delight and solace of life.

To return to King El Aziz. When his son El Abbas
left him, he was desolated for him with an exceeding
desolation, he and his mother ; and when tidings of
him tarried long and the appointed time passed [and
the prince returned not], the king caused public pro-
clamation to be made, commanding all his troops to
make ready to mount and go forth in quest of his son

1 Arab fashion of shaking hands. See my '* Book of the Thousand
Night* and One Night," VoL IX. p. 171, note.

IOO

El Abbas at the end of three days, after which time
no cause of hindrance nor excuse should be admitted
unto any. So on the fourth day, the king bade number
the troops, and behold, they were four-and-twenty
thousand horse, besides servants and followers. Ac-
cordingly, they reared the standards and the drums
beat to departure and the king set out [with his army],
intending for Baghdad ; nor did he cease to fare on
with all diligence, till he came within half a day's
journey of the city and bade his troops encamp in
[a place there called] the Green Meadow. So they
pitched the tents there, till the country was straitened
with them, and set up for the king a pavilion of green
brocade, broidered with pearls and jewels.

When El Aziz had sat awhile, he summoned the
mamelukes of his son El Abbas, and they were five-
and-twenty in number, besides half a score slave-girls,
as they were moons, five of whom the king had brought
with him and other five he had left with the prince's
mother. When the mamelukes came before him, he
cast over each of them a mantle of green brocade and
bade them mount like horses of one and the same
fashion and enter Baghdad and enquire concerning their
lord El Abbas. So they entered the city and passed
through the [streets and] markets, and there abode in
Baghdad nor old man nor boy but came forth to gaze
on them and divert himself with the sight of their
beauty and grace and the goodliness of their aspect and
of their clothes and horses, for that they were even as
moons. They gave not over going till they came to the

IOI

royal palace, where they halted, and the king looked
at them and seeing their beauty and the goodliness of
their apparel and the brightness of their faces, said,
• Would I knew of which of the tribes these are ! "
And he bade the eunuch bring him news of them.

So he went out to them and questioned them of their
case, whereupon, "Return to thy lord," answered they,
" and question him of Prince El Abbas, if he have come
unto him, for that he left his father King £1 Aziz a full-
told year agone, and indeed longing for him troubleth the
king and he hath levied a part of his army and his guards
and is come forth in quest of his son, so haply he may
light upon tidings of him." Quoth the eunuch, " Is there
amongst you a brother of his or a son?" "Nay, by
Allah 1 " answered they. " But we are all his mamelukes
and the boughten of his money, and his father El Aziz
hath despatched us to make enquiry of him. So go thou
to thy lord and question him of the prince and return
to us with that which he shall answer you." " And where
is King El Aziz ? " asked the eunuch ; and they replied,
44 He is encamped in the Green Meadow."1

The eunuch returned and told the king, who said,
"Indeed, we have been neglectful with regard to
El Abbas. What shall be our excuse with the king?
By Allah, my soul misdoubted me that the youth was
of the sons of the kings 1 " The Lady Afifeh, his wife,
■aw him lamenting for [his usage of] El Abbas and said

1 lit. a cleft meadow {mtrj selia). This is probably a mistran-
scription for mrr/sse/ia, a treeless champaign.

102

to him, "0 king, what is it thou regrettest with this
exceeding regret?" Quoth he, "Thou knowest the
stranger youth, who gave us the rubies?" "Assuredly,"
answered she; and he said, "Yonder youths, who have
halted in the palace court, are his mamelukes, and his
father King El Aziz, lord of Yemen, hath pitched his
camp in the Green Meadow ; for he is come with his army
to seek him, and the number of his troops is [four-and-]
twenty thousand men." [Then he went out from her],
and when she heard his words, she wept sore for him and
had compassion on his case and sent after him, counselling
him to send for the mamelukes and lodge them [in the
palace] and entertain them.

The king gave ear to her counsel and despatching the
eunuch for the mamelukes, assigned them a lodging and
said to them, "Have patience, till the king give you
tidings of your lord El Abbas." When they heard his
words, their eyes ran over with plenteous tears, of their
much longing for the sight of their lord. Then the king
bade the queen enter the privy chamber1 and let down
the curtain' [before the door thereof]. So she did thi»
and he summoned them to his presence. When they
stood before him, they kissed the earth, to do him worship,
and showed forth their breeding* and magnified his
dignity. He bade them sit, but they refused, till he

1 i.t. one of the small rooms opening upon the hail of audience of
saloon of estate.
1 So she might hear and see what passed, herself unseen.
* Or knowledge of court etiquette.

103

conjured them by their lord El Abbas. So they sat down
and he caused set before them food of various kinds and
fruits and sweetmeats. Now within the Lady Afifeh's
palace was an underground way communicating with the
palace of the princess Mariyeh. So the queen sent after
her and she came to her, whereupon she made her stand
behind the curtain and gave her to know that El Abbas
was the king's son of Yemen and that these were his
mamelukes. Moreover, she told her that the prince's
father had levied his troops and was come with his army
in quest of him and that he had pitched his camp in the
Green Meadow and despatched these mamelukes to make
enquiry of their lord. So Mariyeh abode looking upon
them and upon their beauty and grace and the goodliness
of their apparel, till they had eaten their fill of food and
the tables were removed; whereupon the king recounted
to them the story of El Abbas and they took leave of him
and went away.

As for the princess Mariyeh, when she returned to her
palace, she bethought herself concerning the affair of
El Abbas, repenting her of that which she had done, and
the love of him took root in her heart. So, when the
night darkened upon her, she dismissed all her women
and bringing out the letters, to wit, those which El Abbas
had written, fell to reading them and weeping. She
gave not over weeping her night long, and when she arose
in the morning, she called a damsel of her slave-girls,
Shefikeh by name, and said to her, " O damsel, I purpose
to dir-cover to thee mine affair, and I charge thee keep
my secret ; to wit, I would have thee betake thyself to the

104

house of the nurse, who used to serve me, and fetch her
to me, for that J have grave occasion for her."

Accordingly, Shefikeh went out and repairing to the
nurse's house, found her clad in apparel other1 than
that which she had been wont to wear aforetime. So
she saluted her and said to her, "Whence hadst thou
this dress, than which there is no goodlier ? ■ " O
Shefikeh," answered the nurse, "thou deemest that I
have gotten* no good save of thy mistress ; but, by Allah,
had I endeavoured for her destruction, I had done [that
which was my right], for that she did with me what
thou knowest' and bade the eunuch beat me, without
offence of me committed; wherefore do thou tell her
that he, on whose behalf I bestirred myself with her,
hath made me quit of her and her humours, for that he
hath clad me in this habit and given me two hundred
and fifty dinars and promised me the like thereof every
year and charged me serve none of the folk."

Quoth Shefikeh, "My mistress hath occasion for
thee; so come thou with me and I will engage to re*
store thee to thy dwelling in weal and safety." But
the nurse answered, saying, "Indeed, her palace is
become forbidden4 to me and never again will I enter
therein, for that God (extolled be His perfection and
exalted be He 1) of His favour and bounty hath rendered

1 i.e. richer.

a Lit seen.

' Lit. what she did.

- i'_*. tabooed or unlawful in a religious sense (htram).

105

me independent of her." So Shefikeh returned to hei
mistress and acquainted her with the* mirse's words
and that wherein she was of affluence ; whereupon
Mariyeh confessed the unseemliness of her dealing with
her and repented, whenas repentance profited her not;
and she abode in that her case days and nights, whilst
the fire of longing flamed in her heart

Meanwhile, El Abbas abode with his cousin Akil
twenty days, after which he made ready for the journey
to Baghdad and letting bring the booty he had gotten
of King Zuheir, divided it between himself and his cousin.
Then he set out for Baghdad, and when he came within
two days' journey of the city, he called his servant Aamir
and bade him mount his charger and forego him with the
baggage-train and the cattle. So Aamir [took horse and]
fared on till he came to Baghdad, and the season of his
entering was the first of the day; nor was there little
child or hoary old man in the city but came forth to divert
himself with gazing on those flocks and herds and upon
the goodliness of those slave-girls, and their wits were
amazed at what they saw. Presently the news reached the
king that the young man £1 Abbas, who had gone forth
from him, was come back with herds and rarities and
slaves and a mighty host and had taken up his sojourn
without the city, whilst his servant Aamir was presently
come to Baghdad, so he might make ready dwelling-
places for his lord, wherein he should take up his
abode.

When the king heard these tidings of Aamir, he sent
for him and let bring him before him; and when he

io6

entered his presence, he kissed the earth and saluted and
showed forth his breeding and greeted him with the
goodliest of compliments. The king bade him raise his
head and questioned him of his lord £1 Abbas; where-
upon he acquainted him with his tidings and told him
that which had betided him with King Zuheir and of the
army that was become at his commandment and of the
spoil that he had gotten. Moreover, he gave him to know
that El Abbas was coming on the morrow, and with him
more than fifty thousand cavaliers, obedient to his com-
mandment. When the king heard his speech, he bade
decorate Baghdad and commanded [the inhabitants] to
equip themselves with the richest of their apparel, in
honour of the coming of El Abbas. Moreover, he sent
to give King El Aziz the glad tidings of his son's return
and acquainted him with that which he had heard from
the prince's servant.

When the news reached El Aziz, he rejoiced with an
exceeding joy in the coming of his son and straightway
took horse, he and all his army, what while the trumpets
sounded and the musicians played, that the earth quaked
and Baghdad also trembled, and it was a notable day.
When Mariyeh beheld all this, she repented with the utter-
most of repentance of that which she had wroughten
against El Abbas his due and the fires still raged in her
vitals. Meanwhile, the troops1 sallied forth of Baghdad
and went out to meet those of El Abbas, who had halted

1 L*. those of £1 Aziz, who had apparently entered the city of
passed through it on their way to the camp of El Abbas.

107

in a meadow called the Green Island. When he espied
the approaching host, he knew not what they were;
so he strained his sight and seeing horsemen coming
and troops and footmen, said to those about him,
"Among yonder troops are ensigns and banners of
various kinds ; but, as for the great green standard that
ye see, it is the standard of my father, the which is
reserved [unto him and never displayed save] over his
head, and [by this] I know that he himself is come
out in quest of me." And he was certified of this, he
and his troops.

[So he fared on towards them] and when he drew near
unto them, he knew them and they knew him ; whereupon
they lighted down from their horses and saluting him,
gave him joy of his safety and the folk flocked to him.
When he came to his father, they embraced and greeted
each other a long time, whilst neither of them availed
unto speech, for the greatness of that which bedded them
of joy in reunion. Then El Abbas bade the folk mount ;
so they mounted and his mamelukes surrounded him and
they entered Baghdad on the most magnificent wise and
in the highest worship and glory.

The wife of the shopkeeper, to wit, the nurse, came out,
with the rest of those who came out, to divert herself
with gazing upon the show, and when she saw £1 Abbas
and beheld his beauty and the goodliness of his army and
that which he had brought back with him of herds and
slaves and slave-girls and mamelukes, she improvised
and recited the following verses:

io8

El Abbas from Akil his stead is come again ; Prize bath he made

of steeds and many a baggage-train ;
Yea, horses hath he brought, full fair of shape and hue, Whose

collars, anklet-like, ring to the bridle-rein.
Taper of hoofs and straight of stature, in the dust They prance, M

like a flood they pour across the plain;
And on their saddles perched are warriors richly clad, That with

their hands do smite on kettle-drums amain.
Coached are their limber spears, right long and lithe of point, Keen-
ground and polished sheer, amazing wit and brain.
Who dares with them to cope draws death upon himself; Yea, of

the deadly lance incontinent he's slain,
Come, then, companions mine, rejoice with me and ay, "All hail

to thee, O friend, and welcome fair and fain I n
For whoso doth rejoice in meeting him shall have Largesse and gifts

galore at his dismounting gain.

When the troops entered Baghdad, each of them
alighted in his pavilion, whilst El Abbas encamped apart
in a place near the Tigris and commanded to slaughter
for the troops, each day, that which should suffice them
of oxen and sheep and bake them bread and spread the
tables. So the folk ceased not to come to him and eat
of bis banquet. Moreover, all the people of the country
came to him with presents and rarities and he requited
them many times the like of their gifts, so that the lands
were filled with his tidings and the report of him was
bruited abroad among the folk of the deserts and the
cities.

Then, when he rode to his house that he had bought,

109

the shopkeeper and his wife came to him and gave him
joy of his safety ; whereupon he ordered them three swift
thoroughbred horses and ten dromedaries and an hundred
head of sheep and clad them both in sumptuous dresses
of honour. Then he chose out ten slave-girls and ten
black slaves and fifty horses and the like number of she-
camels and three hundred head of sheep, together with
twenty ounces of musk and as many of camphor, and
sent all this to the King of Baghdad. When this came
to Ins ben Cais, his wit fled for joy and he was perplexed
wherewithal to requite him. Moreover, El Abbas gave
gifts and largesse and bestowed dresses of honour upon
great and small, each after the measure of his station,
save only Mariyeh j for unto her he sent nothing.

This was grievous to the princess and it irked her sore
that he should not remember her ; so she called her slave-
girl Shefikeh and said to her, " Go to £1 Abbas and salute
him and say to him, ' What hindereth thee from sending
my lady Mariyeh her part of thy booty?'" So Shefikeh
betook herself to him and when she came to his door, the
chamberlains refused her admission, until they should
have gotten her leave and permission. When she entered,
El Abbas knew her and knew that she had somewhat of
speech [with him] ; so he dismissed his mamelukes and
■aid to her, u What is thine errand, O handmaid of good ? "
"O my lord," answered she, "I am a slave-girl of the
Princess Mariyeh, who kisseth thy hands and commendeth
her salutation to thee. Indeed, she rejoiceth in thy safety
and reproacheth thee for that thou breakest her heart,
alone of all the folk, for that thy largesse embraceth great

and small, yet hast thou not remembered hei with aught
of thy booty. Indeed, it is as if thou hadst hardened thy
heart against her." Quoth he, " Extolled be the perfec-
tion of him who turneth hearts 1 By Allah, my vitals
were consumed with the love of her [aforetime] and of
my longing after her, I came forth to her from my native
land and left my people and my home and my wealth,
and it was with her that began the hardheartedness and
the cruelty. Nevertheless, for all this, I bear her no
malice and needs must I send her somewhat whereby
she may remember me; for that I abide in her land
but a few days, after which I set out for the land of
Yemen."

Then he called for a chest and bringing out thence
a necklace of Greek handiwork, worth a thousand dinars,
wrapped it in a mantle of green silk, set with pearls and
jewels and inwrought with red gold, and joined thereto
two caskets of musk and ambergris. Moreover, he put
off upon the girl a mande of Greek silk, striped with
gold, wherein were divers figures and semblants de-
pictured, never saw eyes its like. Therewithal the girl's
wit fled for joy and she went forth from his presence and
returned to her mistress. When she came in to her, she
acquainted her with that which she had seen of El Abbas
and that which was with him of servants and attendants
and [set out to her] the loftiness of his station and gave
her that which was with her.

Mariyeh opened the mantle, and when she saw that
necklace, and indeed the place was illumined with the
lustre thereof, she looked at her slave-girl and said to her,

Ill

u By Allah, O Shefikeh, one look at him were liefer to me
than all that my hand possesseth 1 Would I knew what
I shall do, whenas Baghdad is empty of him and I hear
no tidings of him ! " Then she wept and calling for ink-
horn and paper and pen of brass, wrote the following
verses :

Still do I yearn, whilst passion's fire flames in my liver aye; For

parting's shafts have smitten me and done my strength away.
Oft for thy love as I would be consoled, my yearning turns To-thee-

ward still and my desires my reason still gainsay.
My transports I conceal for fear of those thereon that spy ; Yet down

my cheeks the tears course still and still my case bewray.
No rest is there for me, no life wherein I may delight, Nor pleasant

meat nor drink avails to please me, night or day.
To whom save thee shall I complain, of whom relief implore, Whose

image came to visit me, what while in dreams I lay?
Reproach me not for what I did, but be thou kind to one Who's

sick of body and whose heart is wasted all away.
The fire of love-longing I hide ; severance consumeth me, A thrall

of care, for long desire to wakefulness a prey.
Midmost the watches of the night I see thee, in a dream; A lying

dream, for he I love my love doth not repay.
Would God thou knewest that for love of thee which I endure I

It hath indeed brought down on me estrangement and dismay.
Read thou my writ and apprehend its purport, for my case This is

and fate hath stricken me with sorrows past allay.
Know, then, the woes that have befall'n a lover, neither grudge Hef

secret to conceal, but keep her counsel still, I pray.

Then she folded the letter and giving it to her slave.

112

girl, bade her carry it to £3 Abbas and bring back hii
answer thereto. Accordingly, Shefikeh took the letter
and carried it to the prince, after the doorkeeper had
sought leave of him to admit her. When she came in
to him, she found with him five damsels, as they were
moons, clad in [rich] apparel and ornaments; and when
he saw her, he said to her, "What is thine occasion, O
handmaid of good?;' So she put out her hand to him
with the letter, after she had kissed it, and he bade one
of his slave-girls receive it from her. Then he took it
from the girl and breaking it open, read it and appre-
hended its purport; whereupon "We are God's and
to Him we return 1 " exclaimed he and calling for ink-
horn and paper, wrote the following verses :

I marvel for that to my love I see thee now incline, What time

my heart, indeed, is fain to turn away from thine.
Whilere, the verses that I made it was thy wont to flout, Saying,

"No passer by the way1 hath part in me or mine.
How many a king to me hath come, of troops and guards ensued,

And Bactrian camels brought with him, in many a laden line,
And dromedaries, too, of price and goodly steeds and swift Of

many a noble breed, yet found no favour in my eyne I "
Then, after them came I to thee and union did entreat And unto

thee set forth at length my case and my design;
Yea, all my passion and desire and love-longing in verse, As pearii

in goodly order strung it were, I did enshrine.
Yet thou repaidst me with constraint, rigour and perfidy, To which

no lover might himself on any wise resign.

1 Lit none of the sons of the road.

How many a bidder onto love, a secret-craving wight, How many

a swam, complaining, saith of destiny malign,
" How many a cup with bitterness o'erflowing have I quaffed ! I make

my moan of woes, whereat it boots not to repine."
Quoth thou, "The goodliest of things is patience and its use: Its

practice still mankind doth guide to all that's fair and fine."
Wherefore fair patience look thou use, for sure 'tis praiseworthy ; Tea,

and its issues evermore are blessed and benign ;
And hope thou not for aught from me, who reck not with a folk To

mix, who may with abjectness infect my royal line.
This is my saying ; apprehend its purport, then, and know I may in no

wise yield consent to that thou dost opine.

Then he folded the letter and sealing it, delivered it
to the damsel, who took it and carried it to her mistress.
When the princess read the letter and apprehended its
contents, she said, " Meseemeth he recalleth to me that
which I did aforetime." Then she called for inkhorn and
paper and wrote the following verses :

Me, till I stricken was therewith, to love thou didst excite, And with

estrangement now, alas ! heap'st sorrows on my spright
The sweet of slumber after thee I have forsworn ; indeed The loss of

thee hath smitten me with trouble and affright.
How long shall I, in weariness, for this estrangement pine, What while

the spies of severance 1 do watch me all the night ?
My royal coach have I forsworn, sequestering myself From all, and

have mine eyes forbid the taste of sleep's delight

1 i.t. the stars

VOL. III. t

Ii4

Thou taught'st me what I cannot bear ; afflicted sore am I ; Yea, thou

hast wasted me away with rigour and despite.
Yet, I conjure thee, blame me not for passion and desire, Me whom

estrangement long hath brought to sick and sorry plight.
Sore, sore doth rigour me beset, its onslaughts bring me near Unto the

straitness of the grave, ere in the shroud I'm dight.
So be thou kind to me, for love my body wasteth sore, The thrall of

passion I'm become its fires consume me quite.

Mariyeh folded the letter and gave it to Shefikeh,
bidding her carry it to El Abbas. So she took it and
going with it to his door, would have entered; but the
chamberlains and serving-men forbade her, till they had
gotten her leave from the prince. When she went in
to him, she found him sitting in the midst of the five
damsels aforesaid, whom his father had brought him.
So she gave him the letter and he took it and read
it. Then he bade one of the damsels, whose name was
Khefifeh and who came from the land of China, tune
her lute and sing upon the subject of separation. So
she came forward and tuning the lute, played thereon
in four-and-twenty modes ; after which she returned to
the first mode and sang the following verses :

Upon the parting day our loves from us did fare And left us to endure

estrangement and despair.
Whenas the burdens all were bounden on and shrill The camel-leadei'i

call rang out across the air,
Fast flowed my tears ; despair gat hold upon my soul And needs mine

eyelids must the sweet of sleep forbear.

I wept, but those who spied to part us had no ruth On me nor on tha

fires that in my vitals flare.
Woe's me for one who burns for love and longing pain 1 Alas for the

regrets my heart that rend and tear !
To whom shall I complain of what is in my soul, Now thou art gone

and I my pillow must forswear ?
The flames of long desire wax on me day by day And far away are

pitched the tent-poles of my fair.
O breeze of heaven, from me a charge I prithee take And do not thou

betray the troth of my despair ;
Whenas thou passest by the dwellings of my love, Greet him for me

with peace, a greeting debonair,
And scatter musk on him and ambergris, so long As time endures ; for

this is all my wish and care.

When the damsel had made an end of her song, El
Abbas swooned away and they sprinkled on him rose-
water, mingled with musk, till he came to himself, when
he called another damsel (now there was on her of
linen and clothes and ornaments that which beggareth
description, and she was endowed with brightness and
loveliness and symmetry and perfection, such as shamed
the crescent moon, and she was a Turkish girl from
the land of the Greeks and her name was Hafizeh) and
said to her, " O Hafizeh, close thine eyes and tune thy
lute and sing to us upon the days of separation." She
answered him with "Hearkening and obedience" and
taking the lute, tuned its strings and cried out from
her head,1 in a plaintive voice, and sang the following
verses :

» i*. in falsetto?

0 friends, the tears flow ever, in mockery of my pain ; My heart is sick

for sev'rance and love-longing in vain.
All wasted is my body and bowels tortured sore ; Love's fire on me still

waxeth, mine eyes with tears still rain.
Whenas the fire of passion flamed in my breast, with tears, Upon the

day of wailing, to quench it I was fain.
Desire hath left me wasted, afflicted, sore afraid, For the spy knows

the secret whereof I do complain.
When I recall the season of love-delight with them, The sweet of

sleep forsakes me, my body wastes amain.
Those who our parting plotted our sev'rance still delights; The

spies, for fearful prudence, their wish of us attain.

1 fear me for my body from sickness and unrest, Lest of the fear of

sev'rance it be betrayed and slain,

When Hafizeh had made an end of her song, El Abbas
said to her, " Well done ! Indeed, thou quickenest hearts
from sorrows." Then he called another damsel of the
daughters of the Medes, by name Merjaneh, and said
to her, " O Merjaneh, sing to me upon the days of
separation." " Hearkening and obedience," answered
she and improvising, sang the following verses :

" Fair patience practise, for thereon still followeth content." So runs

the rede 'mongst all that dwell in city or in tent.
How oft of dole have I made moan for love and longing pain,

What while my body for desire in mortal peril went 1
How oft I've waked, how many a cup of sorrow have I drained,

Watching the stars of night go by, for sleepless languishment I
It had sufficed me, had thy grace with verses come to me; My

expectation still on thee in the foredawns was bent.

Then was my aeart by that which caused my agitation seared, And

from mine eyelids still the tears poured down without relent.
Yea, nevermore I ceased from that wherewith I stricken was ; My

night with wakefulness was filled, my heart with dreariment.
But now hath Allah from my heart blotted the love of thee, After

for constancy I'd grown a name of wonderment.
Hence on the morrow forth I fare and leave your land behind j

So take your leave of us nor fear mishap or ill event.
Whenas in body ye from us are far removed, would God I knew

who shall to us himself with news of you present !
And who can tell if ever house shall us together bring In union

of life serene and undisturbed content?

When Merjaneh had made an end of her song, the
prince said to her, " Well done, O damsel 1 Indeed, thou
sayest a thing that had occurred to my mind and my
tongue was like to speak it" Then he signed to the
fourth damsel, who was a Cairene, by name Sitt el Husn,
and bade her tune her lute and sing to him upon the
[same] subject. So she tuned her lute and sang the
following verses :

Fair patience use, for ease still followeth after stress And all things

have their time and ordinance no less.
Though Fortune whiles to thee belike may be unjust, Her seasons

change and man's excused if he transgress.
In her revolving scheme, to bitter sweetness still Succeeds and thing*

become straight, after crookedness.
Thine honour, therefore, guard and eke thy secret keep, Nor save

to one free-bom and true thy case confess.
The Lord's alternatives are these, wherewith He's wont The needy

wretch to ply and those in sore duresse.

118

When El Abbas heard her verses, they pleased him
and he said to her, "Well done, O Sitt el Husn!
Indeed, thou hast done away trouble from my heart
and [banished] the things that had occurred to my
mind." Then he heaved a sigh and signing to the
fifth damsel, who was from the land of the Persians
and whose name was Merziyeh (now she was the fairest
of them all and the sweetest of speech and she was
like unto a splendid star, endowed with beauty and
loveliness and brightness and perfection and justness
of shape and symmetry and had a face like the new
moon and eyes as they were gazelle's eyes) and said
to her, " O Merziyeh, come forward and tune thy lute
and sing to us on the [same] subject, for indeed we
are resolved upon departure to the land of Yemen."
Now this damsel had met many kings and had con-
sorted with the great; so she tuned her lute and sang
the following verses :

May the place of my session ne'er lack thee ! Oh, why, My heart's

love, hast thou saddened my mind and mine eye ? x
By thy ransom,1 who dwellest alone in my heart, In despair for the loss

of the loved one am I.
So, by Allah, O richest of all men m charms, Vouchsafe to a lover,

who's bankrupt well-nigh
Of patience, thy whilom endearments again, That I never to any

divulged, nor deny

1 i*. by thine absence.

• Common abbreviation for " May I be thy ransom i *

The approof of my lord, so my stress and unease I may ban and mine

enemies' malice defy,
Thine approof which shall clothe me in noblest attire And my rank in

the eyes of the people raise high.

When she had made an end of her song, all who were
in the assembly wept for the daintiness of her speech and
the sweetness of her voice and £1 Abbas said to her,
" Well done, O Merziyeh 1 Indeed, thou confoundest the
wits with the goodliness of thy verses and the elegance
of thy speech." All this while Shefikeh abode gazing
upon her, and when she beheld £1 Abbas his slave-girls
and considered the goodliness of their apparel and the
nimbleness of their wits and the elegance of their speech,
her reason was confounded. Then she sought leave of
£1 Abbas and returning to her mistress Mariyeh, without
letter or answer, acquainted her with his case and that
wherein he was of puissance and delight and majesty
and venerance and loftiness of rank. Moreover, she
told her what she had seen of the slave-girls and their
circumstance and that which they had said and how they
had made £1 Abbas desireful of returning to his own
country by the recitation of verses to the sound of the
strings.

When the princess heard this her slave-girl's report, she
wept and lamented and was like to depart the world.
Then she clave to her pillow and said, "O Shefikeh,
I will instruct thee of somewhat that is not hidden from
God the Most High, and it is that thou watch over me
till God the Most High decree the accomplishment of

120

His commandment, and when my days are ended, take
thou the necklace and the mantle that £1 Abbas gave me
and return them to him. Indeed, I deem not he will
live after me, and if God the Most High decree against
him and his days come to an end, do thou give one
charge to shroud us and bury us both in one grave."

Then her case changed and her colour paled; and
when Shefikeh saw her mistress in this plight, she
repaired to her mother and told her that the lady
Mariyeh refused meat and drink. "Since when hath
this befallen her?" asked the queen, and Shefikeh
answered, "Since yesterday;" whereat the queen was
confounded and betaking herself to her daughter, that
she might enquire into her case, found her as one dead.
So she sat down at her head and Mariyeh opened her
eyes and seeing her mother sitting by her, sat up for
shamefastness before her. The queen questioned her
of her case and she said, "I entered the bath and it
stupefied me and weakened me and left an exceeding
pain in my head; but I trust in God the Most High
that it will cease."

When her mother went out from her, Mariyeh fell
to chiding the damsel for that which she had done and
said to her, "Verily, death were leifer to me than this;
so look thou discover not my affair to any and I charge
thee return not to the like of this fashion." Then she
swooned away and lay awhile without life, and when
she came to herself, she saw Shefikeh weeping over her ;
whereupon she took the necklace from her neck and
the mantle from her body and said to the damsel, " Lay

121

them in a napkin of damask and carry them to El Abbas
and acquaint him with that wherein I am for the
persistence of estrangement and the effects of forbid-
dance." So Shefikeh took them and carried them to
£1 Abbas, whom she found in act to depart, for that
he was about to take horse for Yemen. She went in
to him and gave him the napkin and that which was
therein, and when he opened it and saw what it con-
tained, to wit, the mantle and the necklace, his vexation
was excessive and his eyes were distorted, [so that the
whites thereof appeared] and his rage was manifest in
them.

When Shefikeh saw that which betided him, she came
forward and said to him, " O bountiful lord, indeed my
mistress returneth not the mantle and the necklace
despitefully ; but she is about to depart the world and
thou hast the best right to them." "And what is the
cause of this?" asked he. Quoth Shefikeh, "Thou
knowest By Allah, never among the Arabs nor the
barbarians nor among the sons of the kings saw I a
harder of heart than thou! Is it a light matter to thee
that thou troublest Mariyeh's life and causest her mourn
for herself and depart the world on account of1 thy
youth ? Indeed, thou wast the cause of her acquaintance
with thee and now she departeth the world on thine
account, she whose like God the Most High hath not
created among the daughters of the kings."

When £1 Abbas heard these words from the damsel,

1 id. for lore of and longing for.

122

his heart irked him for Mariyeh and her case was grievous
to him ; so he said to Shefikeh, " Canst thou avail to
bring me in company with her, so haply I may discover
her affair and allay that which aileth her?" "Yes,"
answered the damsel, "I can do that, and thine will
be the bounty and the favour." So he arose and fol-
lowed her, and she forewent him, till they came to the
palace. Then she [opened and] locked behind them
four-and-twenty doors and made them fast with bolts;
and when he came to Mariyeh, he found her as she
were the setting sun, cast down upon a rug of Taifi
leather,1 among cushions stuffed with ostrich down, and
not a limb of her quivered. When her maid saw her
in this plight, she offered to cry out; but £1 Abbas said
to her, " Do it not, but have patience till we discover
her affair; and if God the Most High have decreed
the ending of her days, wait till thou have opened the
doors to me and I have gone forth. Then do what
seemeth good to thee."

So saying, he went up to the princess and laying his
hand upon her heart, found it fluttering like a doveling
and the life yet clinging to* her bosom. So he laid his
hand upon her cheek, whereupon she opened her eyes
and beckoning to her maid, signed to her, as who should
say, "Who is this that treadeth my carpet and trans-
gresseth against me?"* "O my lady," answered She-

1 ue. leather from Et Tai'f, a town of the Ilejax, renowned for the
manufacture of scented goats' leather.

* Or "suspended in."

* ia. violateth my privacy.

123

fikeh, "this is Prince El Abbas, for whose sake thou
departest the world." When Mariyeh heard speak of El
Abbas, she raised her hand from under the coverlet and
laying it upon his neck, inhaled his odour awhile. Then
she sat up and her colour returned to her and they sat
talking till a third part of the night was past.

Presently, the princess turned to her maid and bade
her fetch them somewhat of food and sweetmeats and
dessert and fruits. So Sheflkeh brought what she desired
and they ate and drank [and abode on this wise] without
lewdness, till the night departed and the day came. Then
said El Abbas, " Indeed, the day is come. Shall I go
to my father and bid him go to thy father and seek thee
of him in marriage for me, in accordance with the Book
of God the Most High and the Institutes of His Apostle
(whom may He bless and keep 1) so we may not enter
into transgression?" And Mariyeh answered, saying,
" By Allah, it is well counselled of thee ! M So he went
away to his lodging and nought befell between them ;
and when the day lightened, she improvised and recited
the following verses :

O friends, the East wind waxes, the morning draweth near ; A plaintive

voice * bespeaks me and I rejoice to hear.
Up, to our comrade's convent, that we may visit him And drink of wine

more subtle than dust ;* our trusty fere

1 Le. the plaintive song of a nightingale or turtle-dove.

1 This curious comparison appears to be founded upon the extreme
tenuity of the particles of fine dust, so minutely divided as to seen
almost fluid.

I24

Hath spent thereon his substance, withouten stint ; indeed, In his own

cloak he wrapped it, ba tendered it so dear.1
Whenas its jar was opened, the singers prostrate fell In worship of its

brightness, it shone so wonder-clear.
The priests from all the convent came flocking onto it : With cries of

joy and welcome their voices they did rear.
We spent the night in passing the cup, my mates and I, Till in the

Eastward heaven the day-star did appear.
No sin is there in drinking of wine, for it affords All that's foretold* of

union and love and happy cheer.
O mom, oar loves that sunder'st, a sweet and easeful life Thou dost for

me prohibit, with thy regard austere.
Be gracious, so our gladness may be fulfilled with wine And we of our

belov&L have easance, without fear.
The best of all religions your love is, for in yon Are love and life made

easeful, untroubled and sincere.

Meanwhile, £1 Abbas betook himself to his father's
camp, which was pitched in the Green Meadow, by
the side of the Tigris, and none might make his way
between the tents, for the much interlacement of the
tent-ropes. When the prince reached the first of the
tents, the guards and servants came out to meet him
from all sides and escorted him till he drew near the
sitting-place of his father, who knew of his coming.
So he issued forth of his pavilion and coming to meet
his son, kissed him and made much of him. Then they

1 i.e. he carried it into the convent, hidden under his cloak.
a i.e. all the delights of Paradise, as promised to the believer by the
Koran.

125

returned together to the royal pavilion and when they
had seated themselves and the guards had taken up
their station in attendance on them, the king said to
El Abbas, "O my son, make ready thine affair, so we
may go to our own land, for that the folk in our absence
are become as they were sheep without a shepherd."
£1 Abbas looked at his father and wept till he swooned
away, and when he recovered from his swoon, he im-
provised and recited the following verses:

I dipped her1 in mine arms and straight grew drunken with the scent

Of a fresh branch that had been reared in affluence and content
Twas not of wine that I had drunk ; her mouth's sweet honeyed dews

It was intoxicated me with bliss and ravishment
Upon the table of her cheek beauty hath writ " Alack, Her charms !

'Twere well thou refuge sough t'st with God incontinent"8
Since thou hast looked on her, mine eye, be easy, for by God Nor mote

nor ailment needst thou fear nor evil accident.
Beauty her appanage is grown in its entirety, And for this cause all

hearts must bow to her arbitrament
If with her cheek and lustre thou thyself adorn,* thou'lt find But

chrysolites and gold, with nought of baser metal blent
When love-longing for her sweet sake I took upon myself, The railers

flocked to me anon, on blame and chiding bent ;

1 " Him " in the text and so on throughout the piece ; but Mariyeh
is evidently the person alluded to, according to the common practice of
Muslim poets of a certain class, who consider it indecent openly to
mention a woman as an object of love.

' i.e. from the witchery of her beauty. See Vol. II. p. 240, note.

* Lot "if thou kohl thyself," id. use them as a cosmetic for the eye.

126

Bat on no wise was I affray ed nor turned from lore of her; So let the

railer rave of her henceforth his heart's content.
By God, forgetfulness of he1* shall never cross my mind, What while I

wear the bonds of life nor when of death they're rent
An if I live, in love of her I'll live, and if I die Of love and longing

for her sight, O rare I O excellent I

When £1 Abbas had made an end of his verses, his
father said to him, " I seek refuge for thee with God, O
my son 1 Hast thou any want unto which thou availest
not, so I may endeavour for thee therein and lavish my
treasures in quest thereof?" "O father mine," answered
£1 Abbas, "I have, indeed, an urgent want, on account
whereof I came forth of my native land and left my
people and my home and exposed myself to perils and
stresses and became an exile from my country, and I
trust in God that it may be accomplished by thine august
endeavour." "And what is thy want?" asked the king.
Quoth El Abbas, "I would have thee go and demand
me in marriage Mariyeh, daughter of the King of Baghdad,
for that my heart is distraught with love of her." And
he recounted to his father his story from first to last

When the king heard this from his son, he rose to
his feet and calling for his charger of state, took horse
with four-and-twenty amirs of the chief officers of his
empire. Then he betook himself to the palace of the
King of Baghdad, who, when he saw him coming, Dade
his chamberlains open the doors to him and going down
himself to meet him, received him with all worship
\nd hospitality and entreated him with the utmost honour

127

Moreover, he carried him [and his suite] into the palace
and causing make ready for them carpets and cushions,
sat down upon a chair of gold, with traverses of juniper-
wood, set with pearls and jewels. Then he bade bring
sweetmeats and confections and odoriferous flowers and
commanded to slaughter four-and-twenty head of sheep
and the like of oxen and make ready geese and fowls,
stuffed and roasted, and pigeons and spread the tables;
nor was it long before the meats were set on in dishes
of gold and silver. So they ate till they had enough
and when they had eaten their fill, the tables were removed
and the wine-service set on and the cups and flagons
ranged in order, whilst the mamelukes and the fair slave-
girls sat down, with girdles of gold about their middles,
inlaid with all manner pearls and diamonds and emeralds
and rubies and other jewels. Moreover, the king bade
fetch the musicians ; so there presented themselves before
him a score of damsels, with lutes and psalteries and
rebecks, and smote upon instruments of music, on such
wise that they moved the assembly to delight.

Then said El Aziz to the King of Baghdad, " I would
fain speak a word to thee ; but do thou not exclude
from us those who are present If thou consent unto
my wish, that which is ours shall be thine and that
which is incumbent on thee shall be incumbent on us,1
and we will be to thee a mighty aid against all enemies
and opposites." Quoth Ins ben Cais, "Say what thou
wilt, O King, for indeed thou excellest in speech and

1 i.*. we will assume thy debts and responsibilities

128

attainest [the mark] in that which thou sayest" So El
Aziz said to him, " I desire that thou give thy daughter
Mariyeh in marriage to my son El Abbas, for thou
knowest that wherewithal he is gifted of beauty and
loveliness and brightness and perfection and how he
beareth himself in the frequentation of the valiant and
his constancy in the stead of smiting and thrusting."
"By Allah, O king," answered Ins ben Cais, "of my
love for Mariyeh, I have appointed her disposal to be
in her own hand; wherefore, whomsoever she chooseth
of the folk, I will marry her to him."

Then he arose and going in to his daughter, found
her mother with her; so he set out to them the case
and Mariyeh said, "O father mine, my wish is subject
unto1 thy commandment and my will ensueth thy will ;
so whatsoever thou choosest, I am still obedient unto
thee and under thy dominion." Therewithal the King
knew that Mariyeh inclined unto El Abbas ; so he
returned forthright to King El Aziz and said to him,
" May God amend the King ! Verily, the occasion is
accomplished and there is no opposition unto that which
thou commandest" Quoth El Aziz, " By God's leave
are occasions accomplished. How deemest thou, O
King, of fetching El Abbas aad drawing up the contract
of marriage between Mariyeh and him ? " And Ins ben
Cais answered, saying, "Thine be it to decide."

So El Aziz sent after his son and acquainted him with
tnv which had passed ; whereupon El Abbas called for

* Lit " behind."

129

four-and- twenty mules and half a score horses [and as
many camels] and loaded the mules with pieces of silk
and rugs of leather and boxes of camphor and musk
and the camels [and horses] with chests of gold and
silver. Moreover, he took the richest of the stuffs and
wrapping them in pieces of gold-striped silk, laid them
on the heads of porters, and they fared on with the
treasures till they reached the King of Baghdad's palace,
whereupon all who were present dismounted in honour
of El Abbas and escorting him to the presence of King
Ins ben Cais, displayed unto the latter all that they had
with them of things of price. The king bade carry al)
this into the harem and sent for the Cadis and the
witnesses, who drew up the contract and married Mariyeh
to Prince El Abbas, whereupon the latter commanded to
[slaughter] a thousand head of sheep and five hundred
buffaloes. So they made the bride-feast and bade thereto
ail the tribes of the Arabs, Bedouins and townsfolk, and
the tables abode spread for the space of ten days.

Then El Abbas went in to Mariyeh in a happy and
praiseworthy hour1 and found her an unpierced pearl
and a goodly filly that had never been mounted ; where-
fore he rejoiced and was glad and made merry, and
care and sorrow ceased from him and his life was
pleasant and trouble departed and he abode with her

1 i*. a specially auspicious hour, at ascertained by astrological
calculations. Eastern peoples have always laid great stress upon the
necessity of commencing all important undertakings at an (astrologically)
favourable time.

VOL. III. 9

130

in the gladsomest of case and in the most easeful of
life, till seven days were past, when King El Aziz
determined to set out and return to his kingdom and
bade his son seek leave of his father-in-law to depart
with his wife to his own country. [So El Abbas be-
spoke King Ins of this] and he granted him the leave
he sought; whereupon he chose out a red camel, taller1
than the [other] camels, and mounting Mariyeh in a
litter thereon, loaded it with apparel and ornaments.

Then they spread the ensigns and the standards, whilst
the drums beat and the trumpets sounded, and set out
upon the homeward journey. The King of Baghdad rode
forth with them and brought them three days' journey
on their way, after which he took leave of them and
returned with his troops to Baghdad. As for King El
Aziz and his son, they fared on night and day and gave
not over going till there abode but three days' journey
between them and Yemen, when they despatched three
men of the couriers to the prince's mother [to acquaint
her with their return], safe and laden with spoil, bringing
with them Mariyeh, the king's daughter of Baghdad.
When the queen-mother heard this, her wit fled for joy
and she adorned El Abbas his slave-girls after the
goodliest fashion. Now he had ten slave-girls, as they
were moons, whereof his father had carried five with
him to Baghdad, as hath aforetime been set out, and
other five abode with his mother. When the dromedary-

1 Or " more valuable." Red camels are considered better than those
of other colours by some of the Arabs.

I3i

posts1 came, they were certified of the approach of £1
Abbas, and when the sun rose and their standards
appeared, the prince's mother came out to meet her
son; nor was there great or small, old man or infant,
but went forth that day to meet the king.

The drums of glad tidings beat and they entered in
the utmost of worship and magnificence. Moreover, the
tribes heard of them and the people of the towns and
brought them the richest of presents and the costliest
of rarities and the prince's mother rejoiced with an
exceeding joy. Then they slaughtered beasts and made
mighty bride-feasts to the people and kindled fires, that
it might be visible afar to townsman [and Bedouin] that
this was the house of the guest-meal and the wedding,
festival, to the intent that, if any passed them by, [without
partaking of their hospitality], it should be of his own
fault' So the folk came to them from all parts and
quarters and on this wise they abode days and months.

Then the prince's mother bade fetch the five slave-girls
to that assembly; whereupon they came and the ten
damsels foregathered. The queen seated five of them
on her son's right hand and other five on his left and
the folk assembled about them. Then she bade the five
who had remained with her speak forth somewhat of verse,
so they might entertain therewith the assembly and that

1 i.t. couriers mounted on dromedaries, which animals are commonly
used for this purpose, being (for long distances) swifter and mora
enduring than horses.

' Lit. he sinned against himselt

132

El Abbas might rejoice therein. Now she had clad them
in the richest of raiment and adorned them with trinkets
and ornaments and wroughten work of gold and silver
and collars of gold, set with pearls and jewels. So they
came forward, with harps and lutes and psalteries and
recorders and other instruments of music before them,
and one of them, a damsel who came from the land
of China and whose name was Baoutheh, advanced and
tightened the strings of her lute. Then she cried out
from the top of her head1 and improvising, sang the
following verses :

Unto its pristine lustre your land returned and more, Whenas ye came,

dispelling the gloom that whiles it wore.
Oar stead, that late was desert, grew green and eke our trees, That

barren were, grew loaded with ripened fruits galore.
Yea, to the earth that languished for lack of rain, the clouds Were

bounteous ; so it flourished and plenteous harvests bore ;
And troubles, too, forsook us, who tears like dragons' blood, O foldings,

for your absence had wept at every pore.
Indeed, your long estrangement hath caused my bowels yearn. Would

God I were a servant in waiting at your door I

When she had made an end of her song, all who
were present were moved to delight and El Abbas
rejoiced in this. Then he bade the second damsel sing
somewhat on the like subject. So she came forward
and tuning the strings of her harp, which was of balass

1 U. in falsetto?

133

ruby,» warbled a plaintive air and improvising, sang the
following verses :

The absent ones' harbinger came ns unto With tidings of those who*

had caused us to rue.
" My soul be thy ransom," quoth I, " for thy grace ! Indeed, to As

oath that thou swor'st thou wast true."
Ob the dear nights of union, in you was our joy, But afflicted were w

since ye bade us adieu.
You swore you'd be faithful to us and our love, And true to your oath

and your troth-plight were you ;
And I to you swore that a lover I was ; God forbid that with treason

mine oath I ensue !
Yea, "Welcome! Fair welcome to those who draw near I" I called

out aloud, as to meet you I flew.
The dwellings, indeed, one and all, I adorned, Bewildered and dazed

with delight at your view ;
For death in your absence to us was decreed ; But, when ye came back,

we were quickened anew.

When she had made an end of her verses, El Abbas
bade the third damsel, who came from Samarcand of the
Persians and whose name was Rummaneh, sing, and she
answered with "Hearkening and obedience." Then she
took the psaltery and crying out from the midst of her
bead, * improvised and sang the following verses :

1 i.e. of gold or rare wood, set with balass rabies.
1 i.t. whose absence.
• m. in a throat mice 7

134

My watering lips, that call the rose of thy soft cheek, declare My basil,1

lily mine, to be the myrtles of thy hair.
Sandhill * and down • betwixt there blooms a yellow willow-flower,*

Pomegranate-blossoms • and for fruits pomegrantes • that doth

bear.
His eyelids' sorcery from mine eyes hath banished sleep ; since he From

me departed, nought see I except a drowsy fair.'
He shot me with the shafts of looks launched from an eyebrow's ■ bow;

A chamberlain* betwixt his eyes hath driven me to despair.
My heart belike shall his infect with softness, even as me His body

with disease infects, of its seductive air.
Yet, if with him forgotten be the troth-plight of our loves, I have a

king who of his grace will not forget me e'er.

1 Koranic synonym, victual (rihan). See Vol. IL p. 247, note.
■ Apparently, the apple of the throat.

* Apparently, the belly.

* Apparently, the bosom.

* Cf . Fletcher's well-known song in The Bloody Brother ;

" Hide, O hide those hills of snow,

That thy frozen bosom bears,
On whose tops the pinks that grow

Are of those that April wears."

' L$. the breasts themselves.

' i.e. your languishing beauties are alone present to my mind's eye.
A drowsy voluptuous air of languishment is considered by the Aral >s an
especial charm.

* Syn. chamberlain (hajib).

* Syn. eyebrow (hajib). The usual trifling play of words is of course
intended.

135

His tides the tamarisk's slendemess deride, so lithe they are, Whence
for conceit in his own charms still drunken doth he fare.

Whenas he runs, his feet still show like wings,1 and for the wind When
was a rider found, except King Solomon it were ? *

Therewithal £1 Abbas smiled and her verses pleased
him. Then he bade the fourth damsel come forward
and sing. Now she was from the land of Morocco and
her name was Belekhsha. So she came forward and
taking the lute and the psaltery, tightened the strings
thereof and smote thereon in many modes ; then returned
to the first mode and improvising, sang the following
verses :

When in the fitting-chamber we for merry-making sate, With thine

eyes' radiance the place thou didst illuminate
And pliedst us with cups of wine, whilst from the necklace pearls' A

strange intoxicating bliss withal did circulate,
Whose subtleness might well infect the understanding folk ; And secrets

didst thou, in thy cheer, to us communicate.
Whenas we saw the cup, forthright we signed to pass it round And sun

and moon unto our eyes shone sparkling from it straight.
The curtain of delight, perforce, we've lifted through the friend,* Foe

tidings of great joy, indeed, there came to us of late.

1 Lit. feathers.

* Solomon is fabled by the Muslims to have compelled the wind to
bear bis throne when placed upon his famous magic carpet. See my
" Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night," VoL V. pp. 235-6.

1 Quart the teeth.

4 i.t the return of our beloved hath enabled us to remove the barrien
that stood between us and delight.

136

The camel-leader singing came with the belcVd ; oar wish Accom-
plished was and we were quit of all the ratters' prate.

When clear'd my sky was by the sweet of our foregathering And not
a helper there remained to disuniting Fate,

I shut myself up with my love ; no spy betwixt us was ; We feared no
enemies' despite, no envious neighbour's hate.

Life with our loves was grown serene, estrangement was at end : Oar
dear ones all delight of love vouchsafed to us elate,

Saying, "Thy fill of onion take ; no spy is there on us, Whom we
should fear, nor yet reproach our gladness may abate."

Oct loves are joined and cruelty at last is done away ; Ay, and the cop
of love-delight 'twixt us doth circulate.

Upon you be the peace of God t May all prosperity, Far what's
decreed of years and lives, upon you ever wait !

When Belekhsha had made an end of her verses, all
present were moved to delight and £1 Abbas said to
her, "Well done, O damsel!" Then he bade the fifth
damsel come forward and sing. Now she was from
the land of Syria and her name was Rihaneh; she
was surpassing of voice and when she appeared in an
assembly, all eyes were fixed upon her. So she came
forward and taking the rebeck (for that she was used
to play upon [all manner] instruments) improvised and
sang the following verses :
Your coming to- me- ward, indeed, with "Welcome! I'air welcome I "

I hail. Your sight to me gladness doth bring and banisheth sorrow

and bale ;
For love with your presence grows sweet, untroubled and life is serene

And the star of our fortune bums bright, that clouds in your

absence did veil.

137

Yea, by Allah, my longing for you ne'er waneth nor passeth away j

For your like among creatures is rare and sought for in mountain

and vale.
Ask mine eyes whether slumber hath lit on their lids since the hour of

your loss Or if aye on a lover they've looked. Nay, an ye believe

not their tale,
My heart, since the leave-taking day afflicted, will tell of my case,

And my body, for love and desire grown wasted and feeble and

frail.
Could they who reproach me but see my sufferings, their hearts would

relent ; They'd marvel, indeed, at my case and the loss of my loved

ones bewail.
Yea, they'd join me in pouring forth tears and help me my woes to

lament, And like onto me they'd become all wasted and tortured

and pale.
How long did the heart for thy love that languished with longing

endure A burden of passion, 'neath which e'en mountains might

totter and fail !
By Allah, what Borrows and woes to my soul for thy sake were decreed 1

My heart is grown hoar, ere eld's snows have left on my tresses

their trail.
The fires in my vitals that rage if I did but discover to view, Their

ardour the world to consume, from the East to the West, might

avail.
But now unto me of my loves accomplished are joyance and cheer And

those whom I cherish my soul with the wine of contentment

regale.
Oui Lord, after sev'rance, with them hath conjoined us, for he who

doth good Shall ne'er disappointed abide and kindnesses kindness

entail.

When King £1 Aziz heard the damsel's song, her

138

speech and her verses pleased him and he said to El
Abbas, "O my son, verily, these damsels are weary with
long versifying, and indeed they make us yearn after
the dwellings and the homesteads with the goodliness
of their songs. Indeed, these five have adorned our
assembly with the excellence of their melodies and have
done well in that which they have said before those
who are present; wherefore we counsel thee to en-
franchise them for the love of God the Most High."
Quoth El Abbas, "There is no commandment but thy
commandment;" and he enfranchised the ten damsels
in the assembly; whereupon they kissed the hands of
the king and his son and prostrated themselves in
thanksgiving to God the Most High. Then they put
off that which was upon them of ornaments and laying
aside the lutes [and other] instruments of music, clave
to their houses, veiled, and went not forth.1

As for King El Aziz, he lived after this seven years
and was admitted to the mercy of God the Most High;

1 Singing (as I have before pointed oat) is not, in the eyes of the
strict Muslim, a reputable occupation and it is, therefore, generally the
first idea of the " repentant" professional songstress or (as in this case)
enfranchised slave-girl, who has been wont to entertain her master with
the display of her musical talents, to free herself from all signs of her
former profession and identify herself as closely as possible with the
ordinary " respectable " bcurgtoise of the harem, from whom she has
been distinguished hitherto by unveiled face and freedom of ingress and
egress ; and with this aim in view she would naturally be inclined to
exaggerate the rigour of Muslim custom, as applied to herself.

139

whereupon hb son £1 Abbas carried him forth to burial
on such wise as beseemeth unto kings and let make
recitations and readings of the Koran, in whole or in
part, over his tomb. He kept up the mourning for his
father a full-told month, at the end of which time he
sat down on the throne of the kingship and judged and
did justice and distributed silver and gold. Moreover,
he loosed all who were in the prisons and abolished
grievances and customs dues and did the oppressed
justice of the oppressor; wherefore the people prayed
for him and loved him and invoked on him endurance
of glory and kingship and length of continuance [on
life] and eternity of prosperity and happiness. More-
over, the troops submitted to him and the hosts from
all parts of the kingdom, *nd there came to him
presents from all the lands. The kings obeyed him and
many were his troops and his grandees, and his subjects
lived with him the most easeful and prosperous of
lives.

Meanwhile, he ceased not, he and his beloved, Queen
Mariyeh, in the most delightsome of life and the
pleasantest thereof, and he was vouchsafed by her
children; and indeed there befell friendship and love
between them and the longer their companionship was
prolonged, the more their love waxed, so that they
became unable to endure from each other a single hour,
save the time of his going forth to the Divan, when
he would return to her in the utterest that might be
of longing. Aud on this wise they abode in all solace
and delight of life, till there came to them the Destroyer

'40

of Delights and the Sunderer of Companies. So extolled
be the perfection of Him whose kingdom endureth for
ever, who is never heedless neither dieth nor sleepethl
This is all that hath come down to as of their story,
and so peace [be on yon f ]

SHEHRZAD AND SHEHRIYAR.

SHEHRZAD AND SHEHRIYAR.*

King Shehriyar marvelled [at this story"] and said.
■ By Allah, verily, injustice slayeth its folk ! "■ And he
was edified by that wherewith Shehrzad bespoke him and
sought help of God the Most High. Then said he to
her, " Tell me another of thy stories, O Shehrzad ; let
it be a pleasant one and this shall be the completion
of the story-telling." "With all my heart," answered
Shehrzad. "It hath reached me, O august King, that
a man once said to his fellows, * I will set forth to you

1 Breslau Text, vol. xii. pp. 383-4 (Night mi).

1 ue. that of the king, his seven viziers, his son and his favourite,
which in the Breslau Edition immediately follows the Story of El
Abbas and Mariyeh and occupies pp. 237-3S3 of voL xii. (Nights
dcccclxxix-m). It will be found translated in my "Book of thr
Thousand Nights and One Night," Vol. V. pp. 260-346, under thw
name of "The Malice of Women."

* i.e. those who practise it

144

a means1 of security* against vexation." A friend of
mine once related to me and said, " We attained [whiles]
to security* against vexation,' and the origin of it was
other than this ; to wit, it was as follows :*

1 Or " cause " {sebeb).

' Or " preservation " (selameh).

* Or " turpitude, anything that is hateful or vexatious" (keraheK).

4 These preliminary words of Shehrzad have no apparent connection
with the story that immediately follows and which is only her own told
in the third person, and it is difficult to understand why they should be
here introduced. The author may have intended to connect them with
the story by means of a further development of the latter and with
the characteristic carelessness of the Eastern story-teller, forgotten or
neglected to carry out his intention ; or, again, it is possible that the
words in question may have been intended as an introduction to the
Story of the Favourite and her Lover (see post, p. 165), to which they
seem more suitable, and have been misplaced by an error of transcrip-
tion. In any case, the text is probably (as usual) corrupt

THE TWO KINGS AND THE
VIZIER'S DAUGHTERS.

vol. irr.

THE TWO KINGS AND THE VIZIER'S
DAUGHTERS.1

[Aforetime] I journeyed in [many] lands and climes
and towns and visited the great cities and traversed the
ways and [exposed myself to] dangers and hardships.
Towards the last of my life, I entered a city [of the
cities of China],* wherein was a king of the Chosroes
and the Tubbas* and the Caesars.4 Now that city had
been peopled with its inhabitants by means of justice
and equitable dealing; but its [then] king was a tyrant,
who despoiled souls and [did away] lives; there was
no warming oneself at his fire,6 for that indeed he

* Breslau Text, vol. xii. pp. 384-394.

* The kingdom of the elder brother is afterwards referred to as situate
in China. See post, p. 150.

* Tubba was the dynastic title of the ancient Himyerite Kings of
Yemen, even as Chosroes and Caesar of the Kings of Persia and the
Emperors of Constantinople respectively.

4 i.e. a king similar in magnificence and dominion to the monarchs
of the three dynasties aforesaid, whose names are in Arab literature
synonyms for regal greatness.

* i.e. his rage was ungovernable, so that none dared approach him in
his heat of passion.

148

oppressed the true believers and wasted the lands. Now
he had a younger brother, who was [king] in Samarcand
of the Persians, and the two kings abode a while of
time, each in his own city and place, till they yearned
unto each other and the elder king despatched his vizier
in quest of his younger brother.

When the vizier came to the King of Samarcand [and
acquainted him with his errand], he submitted himself
to the commandment [of his brother and made answer]
with 'Hearkening and obedience.' Then he equipped
himself and made ready for the journey and brought
forth his tents and pavilions. A while after midnight,
he went in to his wife, that he might take leave of
her, and found with her a strange man, sleeping with
her in one bed. So he slew them both and dragging
them out by the feet, cast them away and set forth
incontinent on his journey. When he came to his
brother's court, the latter rejoiced in him with an ex-
ceeding joy and lodged him in the pavilion of enter-
tainment, [to wit, the guest-house,] beside his own
palace. Now this pavilion overlooked a garden belong-
ing to the elder king and there the younger brother
abode with him some days. Then he called to mind
that which his wife had done with him and remembered
him of her slaughter and bethought him how he was
a king, yet was not exempt from the vicissitudes of
fortune ; and this wrought upon him with an exceeding
despite, so that it caused him abstain from meat and
drink, or, if he ate anything, it profited him not

When his brother saw him on this wise, he doubted

149

not but that this had bedded him by reason of severance
from his people and family and said to him, ' Come, let
us go forth a-hunting.' But he refused to go with him j
so the elder brother went forth to the chase, whilst the
younger abode in the pavilion aforesaid. As he was
diverting himself by looking out upon the garden from
the window of the palace, behold, he saw his brother's
wife and with her ten black slaves and as many slave-
girls. Each slave laid hold of a damsel [and swived
her] and another slave [came forth and] did the like
with the queen ; and when they had done their occasions,
they all returned whence they came. Therewithal there
betided the King of Samarcand exceeding wonder and
solacement and he was made whole of his malady, little
by little.

After a few days, his brother returned and finding
him healed of his sickness, said to him, 'Tell me, O
my brother, what was the cause of thy sickness and thy
pallor, and what is the cause of the return of health to
thee and of rosiness to thy face after this?' So he
acquainted him with the whole case and this was
grievous to him; but they concealed their affair and
agreed to leave the kingship and fare forth pilgrim-
wise, wandering at a venture, for they deemed that
there had befallen none the like of this which had
befallen them [So they went forth and wandered on
at hazard] and as they journeyed, they saw by the way
a woman imprisoned in seven chests, whereon were five
locks, and sunken in the midst of the salt sea, under
the guardianship of an Afrit; yet for all this that

150

woman issued forth of the sea and opened those locks
and coming forth of those chests, did what she would
with the two brothers, after she had circumvented
the Afrit

When the two kings saw that woman's fashion and
how she circumvented the Afrit, who had lodged her
at the bottom of the sea, they turned back to their
kingdoms and the younger betook himself to Samarcand,
whilst the elder returned to China and established unto
himself a custom in the slaughter of women, to wit, his
vizier used to bring him a girl every night, with whom
he lay that night, and when he arose in the morning,
he gave her to the vizier and bade him put her to
death. On this wise he abode a great while, whilst
the people murmured and the creatures [of God] were
destroyed and the commons cried out by reason of that
grievous affair whereinto they were fallen and feared
the wrath of God the Most High, dreading lest He
should destroy them by means of this. Still the king
persisted in that fashion and in that his blameworthy
intent of the killing of women and the despoilment of
the curtained ones,1 wherefore the girls sought succour
of God the Most High and complained to Him of the
tyranny of the king and of his oppressive dealing with
them.

Now the king's vizier had two daughters, own sisters,
the elder of whom had read books and made heiself

1 i.e. maidens cloistered or concealed behind curtains and veiled in
the harem.

i5i

mistress of [all] sciences and studied the writings of
the sages and the histories of the boon-companions,1
and she was possessed of abundant wit and knowledge
galore and surpassing apprehension. She heard that
which the folk suffered from the king and his despiteous
usage of their children ; whereupon compassion gat hold
upon her for them and jealousy and she besought God
the Most High that He would bring the king to re-
nounce that his heresy,* and God answered her prayer.
Then she took counsel with her younger sister and said
to her, 'I mean to contrive somewhat for the liberation
of the people's children ; and it is that I will go up to
the king [and offer myself to him], and when I come
to his presence, I will seek thee. When thou comest
in to me and the king hath done his occasion [of me],
do thou say to me, • O my sister, let me hear and let
the king hear a story of thy goodly stories, wherewithal
we may beguile the waking hours of our night, till we
take leave of each other.' 'It is well,* answered the
other. 'Surely this contrivance will deter the king
from his heresy and thou shalt be requited with ex-
ceeding favour and abounding recompense in the world

1 i.e. those whose business it is to compose or compile stories, verses,
etc, for the entertainment of kings and grandees.

* i.e. that his new and damnable custom. The literal meaning of
bidah is "an innovation or invention, anything new;" but the word is
commonly used in the sense of "heresy" or "heterodox innovation,"
anything new being naturally heretical in the eyes of the orthodox
religionist.

152

to come, for that indeed thou adventurest thyself and
wilt either perish or attain to thy desire.'

So she did this and fair fortune aided her and the
Divine favour was vouchsafed unto her and she dis-
covered her intent to her father, who forbade her there-
from, fearing her slaughter. However, she repeated her
speech to him a second and a third time, but he
consented not Then he cited unto her a parable, that
should deter her, and she cited him a parable in answer
to his, and the talk was prolonged between them and
the adducing of instances, till her father saw that he
availed not to turn her from her purpose and she said
to him, * Needs must I marry the king, so haply I may
be a sacrifice for the children of the Muslims; either
I shall turn him from this his heresy or I shall die.'
When the vizier despaired of dissuading her, he went
up to the king and acquainted him with the case, saying,
*I have a daughter and she desireth to give herself to
the king.' Quoth the king, 'How can thy soul consent
unto this, seeing that thou knowest I lie but one night
with a girl and when I arise on the morrow, I put her
to death, and it is thou who slayest her, and thou hast
done this again and again ? ' * Know, O king,' answered
the vizier, 'that I have set forth all this to her, yet
consented she not unto aught, but needs must she have
thy company and still chooseth to come to thee and
present herself before thee, notwithstanding that I have
cited to her the sayings of the sages; but she hath
answered me to the contrary thereof with more than
that which I said to her.' And the king said, 'Bring

153

her to jae this night and to-morrow morning come thou
and take her and put her to death ; and by Allah, an
thou slay her not, I will slay thee and her also I '

The vizier obeyed the king's commandment and going
out from before him, [returned to his own house. When
it was night, he took his elder daughter and carried her
up to the king ; and when she came into his presence,]
she wept; whereupon quoth he to her, 'What causeth
thee weep? Indeed, it was thou who willedst this.'
And she answered, saying, • I weep not but for longing
after my little sister; for that, since we grew up, I and
she, I have never been parted from her till this day;
so, if it please the king to send for her, that I may
look on her and take my fill of her till the morning,
this were bounty and kindness of the king.'

Accordingly, the king bade fetch the girl [and she
came]. Then there befell that which befell of his fore-
gathering with the elder sister, and when he went up
to his couch, that he might sleep, the younger sister
said to the elder, ' I conjure thee by Allah, O my sister,
an thou be not asleep, tell us a story of thy goodly stories,
wherewithal we may beguile the watches of our night,
against morning come and parting.' ' With all my heart,'
answered she and fell to relating to her, whilst the king
listened. Her story was goodly and delightful, and whilst
she was in the midst of telling it, the dawn broke. Now
the king's heart clave to the hearing of the rest of the
story; so he respited her till the morrow, and when it
was the next night, she told him a story concerning the
marvels of the lands and the extraordinary chances of

154

the folk, that was yet stranger and rarer than the first
In the midst of the story, the day appeared and she
was silent from the permitted speech. So he let her
live till the ensuing night, so he might hear the com-
pletion of the story and after put her to death.

Meanwhile, the people of the city rejoiced and were
glad and blessed the vizier's daughter, marvelling for
that three days had passed and that the king had not
put her to death and exulting in that, [as they deemed,]
he had turned [from his purpose] and would never again
burden himself with blood-guiltiness against any of the
maidens of the city. Then, on the fourth night, she
related to him a still more extraordinary story, and on
the fifth night she told him anecdotes of kings and
viziers and notables. On this wise she ceased not [to
do] with him [many] days and nights, what while the
king still said in himself, 'When I have heard the end
of the story, I will put her to death,' and the people
waxed ever in wonder and admiration. Moreover, the
folk of the provinces and cities heard of this thing, to
wit, that the king had turned from his custom and from
that which he had imposed upon himself and had re-
nounced his heresy, wherefore they rejoiced and the folk
returned to the capital and took up their abode therein,
after they had departed thence j yea, they were constant
in prayer to God the Most High that He would stablish
the king in that his present case ; and this," said Shehrzad,
" is the end of that which my friend related to me.*

155

"O Shehrzad," quoth Shehriyar, "finish unto us the
story that thy friend told thee, for that it resembleth
the story of a king whom I knew; but fain would I
hear that which betided the people of this city and what
they said of the affair of the king, so I may return from
that wherein I was." "With all my heart," answered
Shehrzad. "Know, O august king and lord of just
judgment and praiseworthy excellence and exceeding
prowess, that, when the folk Heard that the king had
put away from him his custom and returned from that
which had been his wont, they rejoiced in this with an
exceeding joy and offered up prayers for him. Then
they talked with one another of the cause of the
slaughter of the girls, and the wise said, 'They1 are
not all alike, nor are the fingers of the hand alike.'"

x i * women.

SHEHRZAD AND SHEHRIYAR.

(Conclusion^)

SHEHRZAD AND SHEHRIYAR.'

When King Shehriyar heard this story, he came to
himself and awaking from his drunkenness/ said, " By
Allah, this story is my story and this case is my case,
for that indeed I was in wrath* and [danger of] punish-
ment till thou turnedst me back from this into the right
way, extolled be the perfection of the Causer of causes
and the Liberator of necks ! Indeed, O Shehrzad," con-
tinued he, "thou hast awakened me unto many things
and hast aroused me from mine ignorance."

Then said she to him, " O chief of the kings, the wise
say, 'The kingship is a building, whereof the troops
are the foundation,' and whenas the foundation is strong,
the building endureth ; wherefore it behoveth the king
to strengthen the foundation, for that they say, 'Whenas
the foundation is weak, the building falleth.' On like
wise it behoveth the king to care for his troops and do

1 Breslau Text, voL xii. pp. 394-398.

1 i.e. his apathy or indifference to the principles of right and wrong
and the consequences of his wicked behaviour.
• i.e. in a state of reprobation, having incurred the wrath of God.

i6o

justice among his subjects, even as the owner of the
garden careth for his trees and cutteth away the weeds
that have no profit in them ; and so it behoveth the
king to look into the affairs of his subjects and fend
off oppression from them. As for thee, O king," con-
tinued Shehrzad, "it behoveth thee that thy vizier be
virtuous and versed in the knowledge of the affairs of
the folk and the common people ; and indeed God the
Most High hath named his name1 in the history of
Moses (on whom be peace ! ) whenas He saith, [Quoth
Moses] ' And make me a vizier of my people, Aaron
[my brother]." Could a vizier have been dispensed
withal, Moses ben Imran had been worthier [than any
of this dispensation].'

As for the vizier, the sultan discovereth unto him
his affairs, private and public; and know, O king, that
the similitude of thee with the people is that of the
physician with the sick man ; and the condition * of the
vizier is that he be truthful in his sayings, trustworthy
in all his relations, abounding in compassion for the
folk and in tender solicitude over them. Indeed, it is
said, O king, that good troops' are like the druggist;

1 i.e. hath mentioned the office of vizier.

* Koran xx. 3a

* i.e. none had been better qualified to dispense with a vizier
than he.

4 i.e, the essential qualification.

' The word jeish (troops) is here apparently used in the sense ol
officials, ministers of government.

161

if his perfumes reach thee not, thou still sraellest the
sweet scent of them; and ill troops are like the black-
smith; if his sparks burn thee not, thou sraellest his
nauseous smell. So it behoveth thee take unto thyself
a virtuous vizier, a man of good counsel, even as thou
takest unto thee a wife displayed before thy face, for
that thou hast need of the man's righteousness for thine
own amendment,1 seeing that, if thou do righteously,
the commons will do likewise, and if thou do evil, they
also will do evil."

When the king heard this, drowsiness overcame him
and he slept and presently awaking, called for the
candles. ' So they were lighted and he sat down on
his couch and seating Shehrzad by him, smiled in her
face. She kissed the earth before him and said, " O
king of the age and lord of the time and the day,
extolled be the perfection of [God] the Forgiving One,
the Bountiful Giver, who hath sent me unto thee, of
His favour and beneficence, so I have informed thee
with longing after Paradise; for that this which thou
wast used to do was never done of any of the kings
before thee. As for women, God the Most High [in
His Holy Book] maketh mention of them, [whenas He
saith, ' Verily, men who submit [themselves unto God]

1 Or " rectification. n

VOL. HI. II

162

and women who submit] and true-believing men and
true-believing women and obedient men and obedient
women and soothfast men and soothfast women [and
long-suffering men and long-suffering women and men
who* order themselves humbly and women who order
themselves humbly and charitable men and charitable
women and men who fast and women who fast] and
men who guard their privities and women who guard
their privities [and men who are constantly mindful
of God and women who are constantly mindful, God
hath prepared unto them forgiveness and a mighty
recompense].'1

As for that which hath befallen thee, verily, it hath
befallen [many] kings before thee and their women have
played them false, for all they were greater of puissance
than thou, yea, and mightier of kingship and more
abounding in troops. If I would, I could relate unto
thee, O king, concerning the wiles of women, that
whereof I could not make an end all my life long;
and indeed, aforetime, in all these my nights that I
have passed before thee, I have told thee [many stories
and anecdotes] of the artifices of women and of their
craft and perfidy j but indeed the things abound on
me ;' wherefore, if it like thee, O king, I will relate
unto thee [somewhat] of that which befell kings of
old time of the perfidy of their women and of the

1 Koran xxxiii. 35.

a it. I know not which to choose of the superabundant material at
my command in the way of instances of women's craft.

163

calamities which overtook them by reason of these
latter." "How so?" asked the king. "Tell on."
" Hearkening and obedience," answered Shehrzad. "It
hath been told me, O king, that a man once related
to a company and spoke as follows:

THE FAVOURITE AND HER
LOVER.

THE FAVOURITE AND HER LOVER.1

One day, a day of excessive heat, as I stood at the
door of my house, I saw a fair woman approaching, and
with her a slave-girl carrying a parcel. They gave not
over going till they came up to me, when the woman
stopped and said to me, ' Hast thou a draught of water ? '
'Yes,' answered I. 'Enter the vestibule, O my lady, so
thou mayst drink/ Accordingly, she entered and I went
up into the house and fetched two mugs of earthenware,
perfumed with musk" and full of cold water. She took
one of them and discovered her face, [that she might
drink]; whereupon I saw that she was as the shining
sun or the rising moon and said to her, 'O my lady,
wilt thou not come up into the house, so thou mayst
rest thyself till the air grow cool and after go away to
thine own place?' Quoth she, 'Is there none with
thee?' 'Indeed,' answered I, 'I am a [stranger] and
a bachelor and have none belonging to me, nor is there

1 Breslau Text, voL xii. pp. 398-402.

a i*. incensed with the smoke of burning mask. It U a common
practice in the East to fumigate drinking-vessels with the fragrant
smoke of aloes-wood and other perfumes, for the purpose of giving •
pleasant flavour to the water, etc., drunk from them.

i68

a living soul in the house.' And she said, 'An thou
be a stranger, thou art he in quest of whom I was going
about'

Then she went up into the house and put off her
[walking] clothes and I found her as she were the full
moon. I brought her what I had by me of meat and
drink and said to her, 'O my lady, excuse me: this
is that which is ready.' Quoth she, 'This is abundant
kindness and indeed it is what I sought' And she
ate and gave the slave-girl that which was left; after
which I brought her a casting-bottle of rose-water,
mingled with musk, and she washed her hands and
abode with me till the season of afternoon-prayer, when
she brought out of the parcel that she had with her a
shirt and trousers and an upper garment1 and a kerchief
wroughten with gold and gave them to me; saying,
'Know that I am one of the favourites of the Khalif,
and we are forty favourites, each one of whom hath
a lover who cometh to her as often as she would have
him; and none is without a lover save myself, where-
fore I came forth to-day to find me a gallant and
behold, I have found thee. Thou must know that the
Khalif lieth each night with one of us, whilst the other
nine-and-thirty favourites take their ease with the nine-
and-thirty men, and I would have thee be with me on
such a day, when do thou come up to the palace of
the Khalif and wait for me in such a place, till a little

1 Huntini f.mraniyeh. Foucantyeh means " upper " (fern.) ; but the
meaning of hutuini i* unknown to me.

i6g

eunuch come out to thee and say to thee a [certain]
word, to wit, "Art thou Sendel?" And do thou answer,
" Yes," and go with him.'

Then she took leave of me and I of her, after I had
strained her to my bosom and embraced her and we
had kissed awhile. So she went away and I abode
expecting the appointed day, till it came, when I arose
and went forth, intending for the trysting-place j but a
friend of mine met me by the way [and would have
me go home with him. So I accompanied him to his
house] and when I came up [into his sitting-chamber]
he locked the door on me and went forth to fetch what
we might eat and drink. He was absent till mid-day,
then till the hour of afternoon-prayer, whereat I was
sore disquieted. Then he was absent till sundown, and
I was like to die of chagrin and impatience ; [and indeed
he returned not] and I passed my night on wake, nigh
upon death, for that the door was locked on me, and
my soul was like to depart my body on account of the
tryst.

At daybreak, my friend returned and opening the
door, came in, bringing with him meat-pottage1 and
fritters and bees* honey,' and said to me, 'By Allah,
thou must needs excuse me, for that I was with a com-
pany and they locked the door on me and have but
now let me go.' But I returned him no answer. Then

1 Herisek. See supra, Vol. II. p. 26, note 4.
* The Arabs distinguish three kinds of honey, ut. bees' honey, cane-
honey (treacle or syrup of sugar) and drip-honey (date-syrup).

he set before me that which was with him and I ate
a single mouthful and went out, running, so haply I might
overtake that which had escaped me.1 When I came
to the palace, I saw over against it eight-and-thirty
gibbets set up, whereon were eight-and-thirty men
crucified, and under them eight-and-thirty concubines
as they were moons. So I enquired of the reason of
the crucifixion of the men and concerning the women
in question, and it was said unto me, 'The men [whom
thou seest] crucified the Khalif found with yonder
damsels, who are his favourites.' When I heard this,
I prostrated myself in thanksgiving to God and said,
*God requite thee with good, O my friend I' For that,
had he not invited me [and kept me perforce in his
house] that night, I had been crucified with these men,
wherefore praise be to God I

Thus," continued Shehrzad, "none is safe from the
calamities of fortune and the vicissitudes of time, and
[in proof of this], I will relate unto thee yet another
story still rarer and more extraordinary than this. Know,
O King, that one said to me, 'A friend of mine, a
merchant, told me the following story. Quoth he,

1 i.e. yet arrive in time for the rendezvous.

THE MERCHANT OF CAIRO
AND THE FAVOURITE OF
THE KHALIF EL MAMOUN
EL HAKIM BI AMRILLAH,,

THE MERCHANT OF CAIRO AND THE
FAVOURITE OF THE KHALIF EL MAMOUN
EL HAKIM BI AMRILLAH.*

As I sat one day in my shop, there came up to me
a fair woman, as she were the moon at its rising, and
with her a slave-girl. Now I was a handsome man in
my time; so the lady sat down on [the bench before]
my shop and buying stuffs of me, paid down the price
and went away. I questioned the girl of her and she
said, "I know not her name." Quoth I, "Where is her
abode?" "In heaven," answered the slave-girl; and I
said, " She is presently on the earth ; so when doth she
ascend to heaven and where is the ladder by which she
goeth up?" Quoth the girl, "She hath her lodging in
a palace between two rivers,' to wit, the palace of El
Mamoun el Hakim bi AmriUah."* Then said I, "I am

1 Breslsra Text, pp. 402-412.

* i.e. on an island between two branches of the Nile.

• It is not plain what Khalif is here meant, though it is evident, from
Che context, that an Egyptian prince is referred to, unless the story is
told of the Abbaside Khalif £1 Mamoun, son of Er Reshid (a.d.
813-33), during his temporary residence in Egypt, which he is said to
have visited. This is, however, unlikely, as his character was the

174

a dead man, without recourse;" but she replied, "Have
patience, for needs must she return unto thee and buy
stuffs of thee yet again." "And how cometh it," asked
I, " that the Commander of the Faithful trusteth her to
go out?" "He loveth her with an exceeding love,"
answered she, " and is wrapped up in her and gainsayeth
her not"

Then the girl went away, running, after her mistress,
whereupon I left the shop and set out after them, so I
might see her abiding-place. I followed after them all
the way, till she disappeared from mine eyes, when I
returned to my place, with a heart on fire. Some days
after, she came to me again and bought stuffs of me.
I refused to take the price and she said, "We have no
need of thy goods." Quoth I, " O my lady, accept them
from me as a gift ; " but she said, " [Wait] till I try thee
and make proof of thee." Then she brought out of her
pocket a purse and gave me therefrom a thousand dinars,
saying, " Trade with this till I return to thee." So I took

reverse of sanguinary j besides, El Mamoun was not his name, but his
title (Aboulabbas Abdallah El Mamoun Billah). Two Khalifs of Egypt
assumed the title of El Hakim bi Amrillah (He who rules or decrees by
or in accordance with the commandment of God), ue. the Fatimite
Abou Ali El Mensour (a.D. 995-1021), and the fainiant Abbaside
Aboulabbas Ahmed (a.d. 1261-1301) ; but neither of these was named
El Mamoun. It is probable, however, that the first named is the prince
referred to in the story, the latter having neither the power nor the
inclination for such wholesale massacres as that described in the text,
which are perfectly in character with the brutal and fantastic nature of
the founder of the Druse religion.

175

the purse and she went away [and returned not to me]
till six months had passed by. Meanwhile, I traded with
the money and sold and bought and made other thousand
dinars profit [on it].

Presently, she came to me again and I said to her,
• Here is thy money and I have gained [with it] other
thousand dinars." Quoth she, "Keep it by thee and
take these other thousand dinars. As soon as I have
departed from thee, go thou to Er Rauzeh1 and build
there a goodly pavilion, and when the building thereof
is accomplished, give me to know thereof." So saying,
she left me and went away. As soon as she was gone,
I betook myself to Er Rauzeh and addressed myself to
the building of the pavilion, and when it was finished,
I furnished it with the goodliest of furniture and sent
to the lady to tell her that I had made an end of its
building ; whereupon she sent back to me, saying, " Let
him meet me to-morrow at daybreak at the Zuweyleh
gate and bring with him a good ass." So I got me
an ass and betaking myself to the Zuweyleh gate, at
the appointed time, found there a young man on horse-
back, awaiting her, even as I awaited her.

As we stood, behold, up came the lady, and with her
a slave-girl. When she saw the young man, she said
to him, "Art thou here?" And he answered, "Yes,
O my lady." Quoth she, " To-day I am bidden by this
man. Wilt thou go with us?" And he replied, "Yes."
Then said she, "Thou hast brought me [hither] against

1 is. the well-known island of that name (The Garden).

176

my will and perforce. Wilt thou go with us in any
event?"1 "Yes, yes," answered he and we fared on,
[all three,] till we came to Er Rauzeh and entered the
pavilion. The lady diverted herself awhile with viewing
its ordinance and furniture, after which she put off her
[walking-Jclothes and sat down [with the young man]
in the goodliest and chiefest place. Then I went forth
and brought them what they should eat at the first of
the day; moreover, I went out also and fetched them
what they should eat at the last of the day and brought
them wine and dessert and fruits and flowers. On this
wise I abode in their service, standing on my feet, and
she said not unto me, " Sit," nor " Take, eat " nor
"Take, drink," what while she and the young man sat
toying and laughing, and he fell to kissing her and
pinching her and hopping about upon the ground and
laughing.

They abode thus awhile and presently she said, " Up
to now we have not become drunken ; let me pour out."
So she took the cup and gave him to drink and plied him
with liquor, till he became drunken, when she took him
and carried him into a closet. Then she came out, with
his head in her hand, what while I stood silent, fixing not
mine eyes on hers neither questioning her of this; and
she said to me, " What is this ?" " I know not," answered
I; and she said, "Take it and cast it into the river."
I obeyed her commandment and she arose and stripping
herself of her clothes, took a knife and cut the dead man's

ut. *' whatever may betide "or " will I, nill I"?

177

body in pieces, which she laid in three baskets, and said
to me, " Throw them into the river.''

I did as she bade me and when I returned, she said to
me, "Sit, so I may relate to thee yonder fellow's case,
lest thou be affrighted at that which hath befallen him.
Thou must know that I am the Khalif s favourite, nor
is there any more in honour with him than I ; and I am
allowed six nights in each month, wherein I go down
[into the city and take up my abode] with my [former]
mistress, who reared me; and when I go down thus,
I dispose of myself as I will. Now this young man was
the son of neighbours of my mistress, when I was a virgin
girl One day, my mistress was [engaged] with the chief
[officers] of the palace and I was alone in the house.
When the night came on, I went up to the roof, so I
might sleep there, and before I was aware, this youth
came up from the street and falling upon me, knelt on my
breast. He was armed with a poniard and I could not
win free of him till he had done away my maidenhead
by force; and this sufficed him not, but he must needs
disgrace me with all the folk, for, as often as I came down
from the palace, he would lie in wait for me by the way
and swive me against my will and follow me whithersoever
I went. This, then, is my story, and as for thee, thou
pleasest me and thy patience pleaseth me and thy good
faith and loyal service, and there abideth with me none
dearer than thou." Then I lay with her that night and
there befell what befell between us till the morning, when
she gave me wealth galore and fell to coming to the
pavilion six days in every month.

vol. in. is

i78

On this wise we abode a whole year, at the end of
which time she was absent1 from me a month's space,
wherefore fire raged in my heart on her account. When
it was the next month, behold, a little eunuch presented
himself to me and said, "I am a messenger to thee
from such an one," [naming my mistress], "who giveth
thee to know that the Commander of the Faithful hath
sentenced her to be drowned, her and those who are
with her, six-and-twenty slave-girls, on such a day at
Deir et Tin,1 for that they have confessed against one
another of lewdness, and she biddeth thee look how
thou mayst do with her and how thou mayst contrive
to deliver her, even if thou gather together all her
money and spend it upon her, for that this is the
time of manhood."* Quoth I, " I know not this woman ;
belike it is other than I [to whom this message is
addressed]; so beware, O eunuch, lest thou cast me
into stress." Quoth he, " Behold, I have told thee
[that which I had to say,"] and went away, leaving me
in concern [on her account].

[When the appointed day arrived], I arose and
changing my clothes and favour, donned sailor's ap-
parel ; then I took with me a purse full of gold and
buying good [victual for the] morning-meal, accosted
a boatman [at Deir et Tin] and sat down and ate with
him; after which said I to him, "Wilt thou hire me

1 Lit. she was cut off or cut herself off.

■ Lit. " The convent of Clay."

* ix. this is the time to approve thyself a man.

179

thy boat?" Quoth he, "The Commander of the
Faithful hath commanded me to be here;" and he
told me the story of the concubines and how the
Khalif purposed to drown them that day. When I
heard this from him, I brought out to him half a score
dinars and discovered to him my case, whereupon
quoth he to me, " O my brother, get thee empty cala-
bashes, and when thy mistress cometh, give me to know
of her and I will contrive the trick."

I kissed his hand and thanked him, and as I was
walking about, [waiting,] up came the guards and
eunuchs with the women, who were weeping and
crying out and taking leave of one another. The
eunuchs cried out to us, whereupon we came with the
boat, and they said to the boatman, "Who is this?"
" This is my mate," answered he, " [whom I have
brought,] to help me, so one of us may keep the boat,
whilst another doth your service." Then they brought
out to us the women, one by one, saying, "Throw
them [in] by the Island;" and we answered, "It is
well." Now each of them was shackled and they had
made a jar of sand fast , about her neck. We did as
the eunuchs bade us and ceased not to take the
women, one after another, and cast them in, till they
gave us my mistress and I winked to my comrade. So
we took her and carried her out into mid-stream,
where I gave her the empty calabashes1 and said to
her, "Wait for me at the mouth of the canal." Then

1 To keep her afloat

i8o

we cast her in, after we had loosed the jar of sand
from her neck and done off her fetters, and returned.

Now there remained one after her; so we took her
and drowned her and the eunuchs went away, whilst
we dropped down the river with the boat till we came
to the mouth of the canal, where I saw my mistress
awaiting me. So we took her up into the boat and
returned to our pavilion on Er Rauzeh. Then I rewarded
the boatman and he took his boat and went away;
whereupon quoth she to me, "Thou art indeed a friend
in need."1 And I abode with her some days; but the
shock wrought upon her so that she sickened and fell
to wasting away and redoubled in languishment and weak-
ness till she died. I mourned for her with an exceeding
mourning and buried her; after which I removed all
that was in the pavilion to my own house [and aban-
doned the former].

Now she had brought to the pavilion aforetime a little
brass coffer and laid it in a place whereof I knew not;
so, when the inspector of inheritances* came, he searched
the pavilion and found the coffer, with the key in the
lock. So he opened it and finding it full of jewels and
jacinths and earrings and seal-rings and precious stones,
such as are not found save with kings and sultans, took

1 Lit "Thou art the friend who it found (or present) for the vicissi-
tudes of Time (or Fortune)."

* i.e. the officer whose duty it is to search out the estates of intestates
and lay bands upon such property as escheats to the Crown fur want
of heirs.

I8i

it, ana me with it, and ceased not to put me to the
question with beating and torment till I confessed to
them the whole affair from beginning to end, where-
upon they carried me to the Khalif and I told him all
that had passed between me and her; and he said to
me, ' O man, depart from this city, for I acquit thee
for thy valiance sake and because of thy [constancy in]
keeping thy secret and thy daring in exposing thyself
to death." So I arose forthright and departed his city ;
and this is what befell me.' "

SHEHRZAD AND SHEHRIYAR.

King Shehriyar marvelled at these things and Shehrzad
said to him, " Thou marvelledst at that which befell thee
on the part of women; yet hath there befallen the kings
of the Chosroes before thee what was more grievous
than that which befell thee, and indeed I have set forth
unto thee that which betided khalifs and kings and
others than they with their women, but the exposition
is long and hearkening groweth tedious, and in this
[that I have already told thee] is sufficiency for the
man of understanding and admonishment for the wise."

Then she was silent, and when the king heard her
speech and profited by that which she said, he sum-
moned up his reasoning faculties and cleansed his heart
and caused his understanding revert [to the right way]
and turned [with repentance] to God the Most High and
said in himself, "Since there befell the kings of the
Chosroes more than that which hath befallen me, never,
whilst I abide [on life], shall I cease to blame myself
[for that which I did in the slaughter of the daughters
of the folk]. As for this Shehrzad, her like is not
found in the lands; so extolled be the perfection of
Him who appointed her a means for the deliverance of
His creatures from slaughter and oppression 1" Then

1 86

he arose from his session and kissed her head, whereat
she rejoiced with an exceeding joy, she and her sister
Dinarzad.

When the morning morrowed, the king went* forth
and sitting down on the throne of the kingship, sum-
moned the grandees of his empire j whereupon the
chamberlains and deputies and captains of the host
went in to him and kissed the earth before him. He
distinguished the vizier with his especial favour and
bestowed on him a dress of honour and entreated him
with the utmost kindness, after which he set forth
briefly to his chief officers that which had betided him
with Shehrzad and how he had turned from that his
former usance and repented him of what he had done
aforetime and purposed to take the vizier's daughter
Shehrzad to wife and let draw up the contract of
marriage with her.

When those who were present heard this, they kissed
the earth before him and offered up prayers for him
and for the damsel Shehrzad, and the vizier thanked
her. Then Shehriyar made an end of the session in
all weal, whereupon the folk dispersed to their dwelling-
places and the news was bruited abroad that the king
purposed to marry the vizier's daughter Shehrzad. Then
he proceeded to make ready the wedding gear, and
[when he had made an end of his preparations], he
sent after his brother King Shahzeman, who came, and
King Shehriyar went forth to meet him with the troops.
Moreover, they decorated the city after the goodliest
fashion and diffused perfumes [from the censing-vessels]

i87

and [burnt] aJoes-wood and other perfumes in all the
markets and thoroughfares and rubbed themselves with
saffron, what while the drums beat and the flutes and
hautboys sounded and it was a notable day.

When they came to the palace, King Shehriyar com-
manded to spread the tables with beasts roasted [whole]
and sweetmeats and all manner viands and bade the crier
make proclamation to the folk that they should come
up to the Divan and eat and drink and that this should
be a means of reconciliation between him and them.
So great and small came up unto him and they abode
on that wise, eating and drinking, seven days with their
nights., Then the king shut himself up with his brother
and acquainted him with that which had betided him
with the vizier's daughter [Shehrzad] in those three years
[which were past] and told him what he had heard
from her of saws and parables and chronicles and
pleasant traits and jests and stories and anecdotes and
dialogues and histories and odes and verses ; whereat
King Shahzeman marvelled with the utterest of marvel
and said, " Fain would I take her younger sister to wife,
so we may be two own brothers to two own sisters, and
they on likewise be sisters unto us ; for that the calamity
which befell me was the means of the discovering of
that which befell thee and all this time of three years
past I have taken no delight in woman, save that I lie
each night with a damsel of my kingdom, and when
I arise in the morning, I put her to death ; but now
I desire to marry thy wife's sister Dinarzad."

When King Shehriyar heard his brother's words he

1 88

rejoiced with an exceeding joy and arising forthright,
went in to his wife Shehrzad and gave her to know
of that which his brother purposed, to wit, that he
sought her sister Dinarzad in marriage; whereupon, "O
king of the age," answered she, "we seek of him one
condition, to wit, that he take up his abode with us,
for that I cannot brook to be parted from my sister
an hour, because we were brought up together and may
not brook severance from each other. If he accept
this condition, she is his handmaid." King Shehriyar
returned to his brother and acquainted him with that
which Shehrzad had said ; and he answered, saying,
" Indeed, this is what was in my mind, for that I desire
nevermore to be parted from thee. As for the king-
dom, God the Most High shall send unto it whom He
chooseth, for that there abideth to me no desire for the
kingship."

When King Shehriyar heard his brother's words, he
rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said, "Verily, this
is what I had wished, O my brother. So praised be
God who hath brought about union between us I "
Then he sent after the Cadis and learned men and
captains and notables, and they married the two brothers
to the two sisters. The contracts were drawn up and
the two kings bestowed dresses of honour of silk and
satin on those who were present, whilst the city was
decorated and the festivities were renewed. The king
commanded each amir and vizier and chamberlain and
deputy to decorate his palace and the folk of the city
rejoiced in the presage of happiness and content

imtjl p«l r»n—

189

Moreover, King Shehriyar bade slaughter sheep and
set up kitchens and made bride-feasts and fed all
comers, high and low.

Then the eunuchs went forth, that they might per-
fume the bath [for the use of the brides] ; so they
essenced it with rose-water and willow-flower-water
and bladders of musk and fumigated it with Cakili1
aloes-wood and ambergris. Then Shehrzad entered,
she and her sister Dinarzad, and they cleansed their
heads and clipped their hair. When they came forth
of the bath, they donned raiment and ornaments, [such
as were] prepared for the kings of the Chosroes;
and among Shehrzad's apparel was a dress charactered
with red gold and wroughten with semblants of birds
and beasts. Moreover, they both encircled their necks
with necklaces of jewels of price, in the like whereof
Iskender* rejoiced not, for therein were great jewels
such as amazed the wit and the eye, and the thought
was bewildered at their charms, for indeed, each of
them was brighter than the sun and the moon. Before
them they kindled lighted flambeaux in torch-holders
of gold, but their faces outshone the flambeaux, for
that they had eyes sharper than drawn swords and
the lashes of their eyelids ensorcelled all hearts. Their
cheeks were rosy and their necks and shapes swayed
gracefully and their eyes wantoned. And the slave-
girls came to meet them with instruments of music,

1 i.t. Sumatran.
' t.t. Alexander.

190

Then the two kings entered the bath, and when they
came forth, they sat down on a couch, inlaid with
pearls and jewels, whereupon the two -sisters came up
to them and stood before them, as they were moons,
swaying gracefully from side to side in their beauty and
grace. Presently they brought forward Shehrzad and
displayed her, for the first dress, in a red suit ; where-
upon King Shehriyar rose to look upon her and the
wits of all present^ men and women, were confounded,
for that she was even as saith of her one of her
describers :

Like a son at the end of a cane in a hill of sand, She shines in a dress

of the hue of pomegranate flower.
She gives me to drink of her cheeks and her honeyed lips And qnenches

the worst of the fires that my heart devour.

Then they attired Dinarzad in a dress of blue brocade
and she became as she were the full moon, whenas it
shineth forth. So they displayed her in this, for the
first dress, before King Shahzeman, who rejoiced in het
and well-nigh took leave of his wits for longing and
amorous desire ; yea, he was distraught with love for
her, whenas he saw her, for, indeed, she was as saith
of her one of her describers in the following verses :

She comes in a robe the colour of ultramarine, Blue as the stainless

sky, unflecked with white ;
I view her with yearning eyes and she seems to me A moon of the

summer, set in a winter's night

Then they returned to Shehrzad and displayed her in

the second dress. They clad her in a dress of surpassing
goodliness, and veiled her face to the eyes with her
hair. Moreover, they let down her side locks and she
was even as saith of her one of her describers in the
following verses :

Bravo for her whose loosened locks her cheeks do overcloud I She slays

me with her cruelty, so fair she is and proud.
Quoth I, "Thou overcurtainest the morning with the night ; " And she,

" Not so ; it is the moon that with the dark I shroud."

Then they displayed Dinarzad in a second and a third
and a fourth dress and she came forward, as she were
the rising sun, and swayed coquettishly to and fro; and
indeed she was even as saith the poet of her in the
following verses :

A sun of beauty she appears to all who look on her, Glorious in arch

and amorous grace, with coyness beautified ;
And when the sun of morning sees her visage and her smile, O'ercome,

he hasteneth his face behind the clouds to hide.

Then they displayed Shehrzad in the third dress and
the fourth and the fifth, and she became as she were a
willow-wand or a thirsting gazelle, goodly of grace and
perfect of attributes, even as saith of her one in the
following verses :

Like the full moon she shows upon a night of fortune fair, Slender of

shape and charming all with her seductive air.
She hath an eye, whose glances pierce the hearts of all mankind, Not

can cornelian with her cheeks for ruddiness compare.

192

The sable torrent of her locks falls down unto her hips ; Beware the

serpents of her curls, I counsel thee, beware t
Indeed her glance, her sides are soft ; but none the less, alas ! Her

heart is harder than the rock ; there is no mercy there.
The starry arrows of her looks she darts above her veil ; They hit and

never miss the mark, though from afar they fare.

Then they returned to Dinarzad and displayed her in
the fifth dress and in the sixth, which was green. Indeed,
she overpassed with her loveliness the fair of the four
quarters of the world and outshone, with the brightness
of her countenance, the full moon at its rising ; for she
was even as saith of her the poet in the following
verses :

A damsel made for love and decked with subtle grace ; Thou'dst deem
tie very sun had borrowed from her face.

Sne came in robes of green, the likeness of the leaf That the pome-
granate's flower doth in the bud encase,

" How call'st thou this thy dress? " quoth we, and she replied A word

wherein the wise a lesson well might trace ;
'Breaker of hearts," quoth she, " I call it, for therewith I've broken
many a heart among the amorous race."

Then they displayed Shehrzad in the sixth and seventh
dresses and clad her in youths' apparel, whereupon she
came forward, swaying coquettishly from side to side ; and
indeed she ravished wits and hearts and ensorcelled with
her glances [all who looked on her]. She shook her
sides and wagged her hips, then put her hair on the
hilt of her sword and went up to King Shehriyar, who

193

embraced her, as the hospitable man embraces the guest,
and threatened her in her ear with the taking of the
sword; and indeed she was even as saith of her the
poet in these verses:

Were not the darkness1 still in gender masculine, As ofttimes is the case

with she-things passing fine,
Tirewomen to the bride, who whiskers, ay, and beard Upon her face

produce, they never would assign.'

On this wise they did with her sister Dinarzad, and
when they had made an end of displaying the two brides,
the king bestowed dresses of honour on all who were
present and dismissed them to their own places. Then
Shehrzad went in to King Shehriyar and Dinarzad to
King Shahzeman and each of them solaced himself with
the company of his beloved and the hearts of the folk
were comforted. When the morning morrowed, the
vizier came in to the two kings and kissed the ground
before them; wherefore they thanked him and were
bountiful to him. Then they went forth and sat down
upon couches of estate, whilst all the viziers and amirs
and grandees and the chief officers of the realm and

1 i.e. the blackness of the hair.

1 The ingenuity of the bride's attendants, on the occasion of a
wedding, is strained to the utmost to vary her attire and the manner
in which the hair is dressed on the occasion of her being displayed
to her husband, and one favourite trick consists in fastening her tresses
about her chin and cheeks, so as to produce a sort of imitation of a
beard and whiskers.

VOL. III. 13

194

the household presented themselves before them and
kissed the earth. King Shehriyar ordered them dresses
of honour and largesse and they offered up prayers for
the abiding continuance [on life] of the king and his
brother.

Then the two kings appointed their father-in-law the
vizier to be viceroy in Samarkand and assigned him five
of the chief amirs to accompany him, charging them
attend him and do him service. The vizier kissed the
earth and prayed that they might be vouchsafed length
of life. Tnen he went in to his daughters, whilst the
eunuchs and ushers walked before him, and saluted
them and bade them farewell. They kissed his hands
and gave him joy of the kingship and bestowed on him
treasures galore. Then he took leave of them and
setting out, journeyed days and nights till he came
within three days' journey of Samarcand, where the
townspeople met him and rejoiced in him with an
exceeding joy. So he entered Samarcand and they
decorated the city, and it was a notable day. He sat
down on the throne of his kingship and the viziers did
him homage and the grandees and amirs of Samarcand
and prayed that he might be vouchsafed justice and
victory and length of continuance [on life]. So he
bestowed on them dresses of honour and entreated them
with worship and they made him Sultan over them.

As soon as his father-in-law had departed for Samar-
cand, King Shehriyar summoned the grandees of his
realm and made them a magnificent banquet of all
manner rich meats and exquisite sweetmeats. Moreover,

195

he bestowed on them dresses of honour and guerdoned
them and divided the kingdoms between himself and
his brother in their presence, whereat the folk rejoiced.
Then the two kings abode, ruling each a day in turn,
and they accorded with each other, what while tneir
wives continued in the love of God the Most High and
in thanksgiving to Him; and the subjects and the
provinces were at peace and the preachers prayed for
them from the pulpits, and their report was bruited
abroad and the travellers bore tidings of them [to all
countries].

Moreover, King Shehriyar summoned chroniclers and
copyists and bade them write all that had betided him
with his wife, first and last ; so they wrote this and
named it " The Stories of the Thousand Nights and One
Night" The book came to1 thirty volumes and these
the king laid up in his treasury. Then the two kings
abode with their wives in all delight and solace of life,
for that indeed God the Most High had changed their
mourning into joyance; and on this wise they continued
till there took them the Destroyer of Delights and
Sunderer of Companies, he who maketh void the dwell-
ing-places and peopleth the tombs, and they were trans-
lated to the mercy of God the Most High; their houses
were laid waste and their palaces ruined and the kings
inherited their riches.

Then there reigned after them an understanding king,
who was just, keen-witted and accomplished and loved

> Literal.

196

stories, especially those which chronicle the doings of
kings and sultans, and he found [in the treasuries
of the kings who had foregone him] these marvellous
and rare and delightful stories, [written] in the thirty
volumes aforesaid. So he read in them a first book
and a second and a third and [so on] to the last
of them, and each book pleased him more than that
which forewent it, till he came to the end of them.
Then he marvelled at that which he had read [therein]
of stories and discourse and witty traits and anecdotes
and moral instances and reminiscences and bade the
folk copy them and publish them in all lands and climes ;
wherefore their report was bruited abroad and the people
named them " The marvels and rarities of the Thousand
Nights and One Night." This is all that hath come
down to us of [the history of] this book, and God is
All-Knowing.1

' iu, God only knows if it be true or not

Calcutta (isms) Cejrt

SINDBAD THE SAILOR AND
HINDBAD THE PORTER.

NOTE.

As the version of the sixth and seventh voyages
of Sindbad the Sailor contained in1 the Calcutta
Edition (i 8 14-18) of the first two hundred Nights
and in the text of the Voyages published by M.
Langlds (Paris, 18 14) differs very materially from
that of the complete Calcutta (1839-42) Edition*
(which is, in this case, practically identical with
those of Boulac and Breslau), adopted by me as
my standard text in the translation of "The Book
of the Thousand Nights and One Night," the story
of the seventh voyage in particular turning upon an
altogether different set of incidents, related nearly

1 Or rather appended to. The Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor form
no part of the scheme of Nights in this edition, bat are divided into
*' Voyages " only and form a sort of appendix, following the Two
hondreth Night. See my "Book of the Thousand Nights and One
Night," Vol. IX. pp. 307-&

• See my " Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night," VoL V.
pp. 202 and 210.

202

as in the old version of M. Galland, I now give
a translation of the text of the two voyages in
question afforded by the Calcutta (1814—18) Edition,
corrected and completed by collation with that of
M. Langles, from which it differs only in being
slightly less full It will be observed that in this
version of the story the name Sindbad is reserved
for the Sailor, the porter being called Hind bad

THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF
SINDBAD THE SAILOR.

SINDBAD THE SAILOR AND HINDBAD THE

PORTER.

On the morrow they1 returned to their place, as of
their wont, and betook themselves to eating and drink-
ing and merry-making and sporting till the last of the
day, when Sindbad bade them hearken to his relation
concerning his sixth voyage, the which (quoth he) is
of the most extraordinary of pleasant stories and the
most startling [for that which it comprisethj of tribu-
lations and disasters. Then said he,

THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE
SAILOR.

u When I returned from my fifth voyage, I gave myself
up to eating and drinking and passed my time in solace
and delight and forgot that which I had suffered of
stresses and afflictions, nor was it long before the
thought of travel again presented itself to my mind
' i.e. the porter and the other guests.

206

and my soul hankered after the sea. So I brought
out the goods and binding up the bales, departed
from Baghdad, [intending] for certain of the lands,
and came to the sea-coast, where I embarked in a
stout ship, in company with a number of other mer-
chants of like mind with myself, and we [set out and]
sailed till we came among certain distant islands
and found ourselves in difficult and dangerous case
[One day], as the ship was sailing along, and we
unknowing where we were, behold, the captain came
down [from the mast] and casting his turban from his
head, fell to buffeting his face and plucking at his
beard and weeping and supplicating [God for deliver-
ance]. We asked him what ailed him, and he answered,
saying, ' Know, O my masters, that the ship is fallen
among shallows and drifteth upon a sand -bank of the
sea. Another moment [and we shall be upon it]. If
we clear the bank, [well and good]; else, we are all
dead men and not one of us will be saved; where-
fore pray ye to God the Most High, so haply He
may deliver us from these deadly perils, or we shall
lose our lives.' So saying, he mounted [the mast]
and set the sail, but at that moment a contrary wind
smote the ship, and it rose upon the crest of the

207

waves and sank down again into the trough of
the sea

Now there was before us a high mountain,1 rising
[abruptly] from the sea, and the ship fell off into an
eddy," which bore it on till presently it struck upon the
skirt* of the mountain and broke in sunder; where-
upon the captain came down [from the mast], weeping,
and said, 'God's will be done! Take leave of one
another and look yourselves out graves from to-day,
for we have fallen into a predicament4 from which
there is no escape, and never yet hath any been cast
away here and come off alive.' So all the folk fell
a-weeping and gave themselves up for lost, despairing
of deliverance; friend took leave of friend and sore
was the mourning and lamentation; for that hope was
cut off and they were left without guide or pilot.8 Then
all who were in the ship landed on the skirt of the
mountain and found themselves on a long island,
whose shores were strewn with [wrecks], beyond count
or reckoning, [of] ships that had been cast away [there]
and whose crews had perished; and there also were

1 i.e. a mountainous island.

• Kherabeh, lit. a hole. Syn. ruin or destruction.

• i.e. an outlying spur or reef.

' Syn. perilous place. ' Lit. their guide was disappointed.

208

dry bones and dead bodies, heaped upon one another,
and goods without number and riches past count
So we abode confounded, drunken, amazed, humbling
ourselves [in supplication to God] and repenting us
[of having exposed ourselves to the perils of travel] ;
but repentance availed not in that place.

In this island is a river of very sweet water, issuing
from the shore of the sea and entering in at a wide
cavern in the skirt of an inaccessible mountain, and
the stones of the island are all limpid sparkling crystal
and jacinths of price. Therein also is a spring of
liquid, welling up like [molten] pitch, and when it
cometh to the shore of the island, the fish swallow it,
then return and cast it up, and it becoraeth changed
from its condition and that which it was aforetime ; and
it is crude ambergris. Moreover, the trees of the island
are all of the most precious aloes-wood, both Chinese
and Comorin; but there is no way of issue from the
place, for it is as an abyss midmost the sea; the
steepness of its shore forbiddeth the drawing up of
ships, and if any approach the mountain, they fall into
the eddy aforesaid; nor is there any resource1 in that
island.

* i.e. means (hilek) of sustaining life.

209

So we abode there, daily expecting death, and whoso
of us had with him a day's victual ate it in five days,
and after this he died; and whoso had with him a
month's victual ate it in five months and died also. As
for me, I had with me great plenty of victual; so I
buried it in a certain place and brought it out, [little
by little,] and fed on it; and we ceased not to be thus,
burying one the other, till all died but myself and I
abode alone, having buried the last of my companions,
and but little victual remained to me. So I said in
myself, 'Who will bury me in this place?' And 1
dug me a grave and abode in expectation of death,
for that I was in a state of exhaustion. Then, of the
excess of my repentance, I blamed and reproached
myself for my much [love of] travel and said, * How
long wilt thou thus imperil thyself?' And I abode
as I were a madman, unable to rest; but, as I was
thus melancholy and distracted, God the Most High
inspired me with an idea, and it was that I looked at
the river aforesaid, as it entered in at the mouth of
the cavern in the skirt of the mountain, and said in
myself, 'Needs must this water have issue in some
place.'

So I arose and gathering wood and planks from the
vol. in. 14

2IO

wrecks, wrought of them the semblance of a boat [to
wit, a raft,] and bound it fast with ropes, saying, 'I
will embark thereon and fare with this water into the
inward of the mountain. If it bring me to the main
land or to a place where I may find relief and safety,
[well and good]; else I shall [but] perish, even as my
companions have perished.' Then I collected of the
riches and gold and precious stuffs, cast up there,
whose owners had perished, a great matter, and of
jacinths and crude ambergris and emeralds somewhat
past count, and laid all this on the raft [together with
what was left me of victual]. Then I launched it on
the river and seating myself upon it, put my trust in
God the Most High and committed myself to the
stream.

The raft fared on with me, running along the surface
of the river, and entered into the inward of the moun-
tain, where the light of day forsook me and I abode
dazed and stupefied, unknowing whither I went. Whenas
I hungered, I ate a little of the victual I had with me,
till it was all spent and I abode expecting the mercy of
the Lord of all creatures.1 Presently I found myself in

1 U. death.

211

a strait [channel] in the darkness and my head rubbed
against the roof of the cave; and in this case I abode
awhile, knowing not night from day, whilst anon the
channel grew straiter and anon widened out ; and whenas
my breast was straitened and I was confounded at my
case, sleep took me and I knew neither little nor much.
When I awoke and opened my eyes, I found myself
[in the open air] and the raft moored to the bank of
the stream, whilst about me were folk of the blacks of
Hind. When they saw that I was awake, they came
np to me, to question me; so I rose to them and
saluted them. They bespoke me in a tongue I knew
not, whilst I deemed myself in a dream, and for the
excess of my joy, I was like to fly and my reason re-
fused to obey me. Then there came to my mind the
verses of the poet and I recited, saying:

Let destiny with loosened rein its course appointed fare And lie thou
down to sleep by night, with heart devoid of care ;

For 'twixt the closing of an eye and th' opening thereof, God hath it
in His power to change a case from foul to fair.

When they heard me speak in Arabic, one of them
came up to me and saluting me [in that language],
questioned me of my case. Quoth I, ' What [manner

212

of men] are ye and what country is this?' 'O my
brother,' answered he, 'we are husbandmen and come
to this river, to draw water, wherewithal to water our
fields ; and whilst we were thus engaged to-day, as of
wont, this boat appeared to us on the surface of the
water, issuing from the inward of yonder mountain.
So we came to it and finding thee asleep therein, moored
it to the shore, against thou shouldst awake. Ac-
quaint us, therefore, with thy history and tell us how
thou earnest hither and whence thou enteredst this
river and what land is behind yonder mountain, for
that we have never till now known any make his way
thence to us.' But I said to them, 'Give me some-
what to eat and after question me.' So they brought
me food and I ate and my spirits revived and I was
refreshed. Then I related to them all that had befallen
me, whereat they were amazed and confounded and said,
'By Allah, this is none other than a marvellous story,
and needs must we carry thee to our king, that thou
mayst acquaint him therewith.' So they carried me
before their king, and I kissed his hand and saluted
him.
Now he was the king of the land of Serendib,1

1 i.e. Ceylon.

213

and he welcomed me and entreated me with kind*
ness, bidding me be seated and admitting me to his
table and converse. So I talked with him and called
down blessings upon him and he took pleasure in my
discourse and showed me satisfaction and said to me,
'What is thy name?' '0 my lord,' answered I, 'my
name is Sindbad the Sailor;' and he said, 'And what
countryman art thou?' Quoth I, 'I am of Baghdad.'
'And how earnest thou hither?' asked he. So I told
him my story and he marvelled mightily thereat and
said, ' By Allah, O Sindbad, this thy story is marvellous
and it behoveth that it be written in characters of
gold.'

Then they brought the raft before him and I said
to him, 'O my lord, I am in thy hands, I and all ray
good.' He looked at the raft and seeing therein
jacinths and emeralds and crude ambergris, the like
whereof was not in his treasuries, marvelled and was
amazed at this. Then said he, * O Sindbad, God forbid
that we should covet that which God the Most High
hath vouchsafed unto thee! Nay. it behoveth us
rather to further thee on thy return to thine own
country.' So I called down blessings on him and
thanked him. Then he signed to one of his atten-

214

dants, who took me and established me in a goodly
lodging, and the king assigned me a daily allowance
and pages to wait on me. And every day I used
to go in to him and he entertained me and entreated
me friendly and delighted in my converse; and as
often as our assembly broke up, I went out and
walked about the town and the island, diverting myself
by viewing them.

Now this island is under the Equinoctial line; its
night is still twelve hours and its day the like. Its
length is fourscore parasangs and its breadth thirty,
and it is a great island, stretching between a lofty
mountain and a deep valley. This mountain is visible
at a distance of three days' journey and therein are
various kinds of jacinths and other precious stones
and metals of all kinds and all manner spice-trees,
and its soil is of emery, wherewith jewels are wrought
In its streams are diamonds, and pearls are in its
rivers.1 I ascended to its summit and diverted myself

1 Audiyeh (plural of wadi, a valley). The use of the word in this
sense points to an African origin of this version of the story. The
Moors of Africa and Spain commonly called a river "a valley," by a
natural figure of metonymy substituting the container for the contained j
eg. Guadalquiver (Wadi el Kebir, the Great River), Guadiana, etc

215

by viewing all the marvels therein, which are such
as beggar description ; after which I returned to the
king and sought of him permission to return to my
own country. He gave me leave, after great pressure,
and bestowed on me abundant largesse from his
treasuries. Moreover, he gave me a present and a
sealed letter and said to me, 'Carry this to the
Khalif Haroun er Reshid and salute him for us with
abundant salutation.' And I said, ' I hear and obey.'

Now this letter was written with ultramarine upon the
skin of the hog-deer, the which is goodlier than parch-
ment or paper and inclineth unto yellow, and was to
the following effect : ' From the King of Hind, before
whom are a thousand elephants and on the battlements
of his palace a thousand jewels, [to the Khalif Haroun
er Reshid, greeting]. To proceed:1 we send thee some
small matter of presents, which do thou accept and
be to us as a brother and a friend, for that the love of
thee aboundeth in our heart and we would have thee
to know that we look to thee for an answer. Indeed,
we are sharers with thee in love and fear, ceasing1 never

1 i*. after the usual compliments, the letter proceeded thus.

• i.e. we are thine allies in peace and war, for offence and defence.
Those whom thou lovest we love, and those whom thou hatest we
hate.

2l6

to do thee honour; and for a beginning, we send thee
the Book of the Quintessence of Balms and a present
after the measure of that which is fallen to our lot.
Indeed, this is unworthy of thy rank, but we beseech
thee, O brother, to favour us by accepting it, and
peace be on thee I'

Now this present was a cup of ruby, a span high
and a finger's length broad, full of fine pearls, each
a mithcal1 in weight and a bed covered with the skin
of the serpent that swalloweth the elephant, marked
with spots, each the bigness of a dinar, whereon whoso
sitteth shall never sicken ; also an hundred thousand
rnithcals of Indian aloes-wood and thirty grains of
camphor, each the bigness of a pistachio-nut, and a
slave-girl with her paraphernalia, a charming creature,
as she were the resplendent moon. Then the king took
leave of me, commending me to the merchants and the
captain of the ship, and I set out, with that which was
entrusted to my charge and my own good, and we
ceased not to pass from island to island and from
country to country, till we came to Baghdad, when I
entered my house and foregathered with my family
and brethren.

1 About seventy-two grain*.

217

Then I took the present and a token of service from
myself to the Khalif and [presenting myself before
him], kissed his hands and laid the whole before him,
together with the King of Hind's letter. He read the
letter and taking the present, rejoiced therein with
an exceeding joy and entreated me with the utmost
honour. Then said he to me, 'O Sindbad, is this
king, indeed, such as he avoucheth in this letter?' I
kissed the earth and answered, saying, 'O my lord, I
myself have seen the greatness of his kingship to be
manifold that which he avoucheth in his letter. On
the day of his audience,1 there is set up for him a
throne on the back of a huge elephant, eleven cubits
high, whereon he sitteth and with him are his officers
and pages and session-mates, standing in two ranks on
his right hand and on his left. At his head standeth a
man, having in his hand a golden javelin, and behind
him another, bearing a mace of the same metal, tipped
with an emerald, a span long and an inch thick.
When he mounteth, a thousand riders take horse with
him, arrayed in gold and silk; and whenas he rideth
forth, he who is before him proclaimeth and saith, " This

* Or public appearance.

218

is the king, mighty of estate and high of dominion t "
And he proceedeth to praise him on this wise and
endeth by saying, "This is the king, lord of the crown
the like whereof nor Solomon1 nor Mihraj * possessed ! "
Then is he silent, whilst he who is behind the king
proclaimed! and saith, "He shall die! He shall diel
And again I say, he shall die 1 " And the other
rejoineth, saying, "Extolled be the perfection of the
Living One who dieth notl" And by reason of his
justice and judgment' and understanding, there is no
Cadi in his [capital] city ; but all the people of his
realm distinguish truth from falsehood and know [and
practise] truth and right for themselves.'

The Khalif marvelled at my speech and said, 'How
great is this king ! Indeed, his letter testifieth of him ;
and as for the magnificence of his dominion, thou hast
acquainted us with that which thou hast seen ; so, by
Allah, he hath been given both wisdom and dominion.'

1 Solomon was the dynastic name of the kings of the pne- Adamite
Jinn and is here used in a generic sense, as Chosroes for the ancient
Kings of Persia, Caesar for the Emperors of Constantinople, Tubba for
the Himyerite Kings of Yemen, etc., etc

' i>. Maharajah.

• Or " government."

219

Then he bestowed on me largesse and dismissed me,
so I returned to my house and paid the poor-rate1 and
gave alms and abode in my former easy and pleasant
case, forgetting the grievous stresses I had suffered.
Yea, I cast out from my heart the cares of travel and
traffic and put away travail from my thought and gave
myself up to eating and drinking and pleasure and
delight."

1 Every Muslim is bound by law to give alms to the extent of two
and half per cent of his property.

THE SEVENTH VOAYGE OF
SINDBAD THE SAILOR.

SINDBAD THE SAILOR AND HINDBAD THE
SORTER.

When Sindbad the Sailor had made an end of his
story, all who were present marvelled at that which
had befallen him. Then he bade his treasurer give the
porter an hundred mithcals of gold and dismissed him,
charging him return on the morrow, with the rest of
the folk, to hear the history of his seventh voyage. So
the porter went away to his house, rejoicing; and on
the morrow he presented himself with the rest of the
guests, who sat down, as of their wont, and occupied
themselves with eating and drinking and merry-making
till the end of the day, when their host bade them
hearken to the story of his seventh voyage. Quoth
Sindbad the Sailor,

324

THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THF
SAILOR.

"When I [returned from my sixth voyage, II for-
swore travel and renounced commerce, saying in myself,
'What bath befallen me sufficeth me.' So I abode at
home and passed my time in pleasance and delight,
till, one day, as I sat at mine ease, plying the wine-
cup [with my friends], there came a knocking at the
door. The doorkeeper opened and found without one
of the Khalif's pages, who came in to me and said,
'The Commander of the Faithful biddeth thee to him/
So I accompanied him to the presence of the Khalif
and kissing the earth before him, saluted him. He bade
me welcome and entreated me with honour and said
to me, 'O Sindbad, I have an occasion with thee,
which I would have thee accomplish for me.' So I
kissed his hand and said, 'O my lord, what is the
lord's occasion with the slave ? ' Quoth he, ' I would
have thee go to the King of Serendib and carry him
our letter and our present, even as he sent us a present
and a letter.'

225

At this I trembled and replied, 'By the Most Great
God, O my lord, I have taken a loathing to travel, and
whenas any maketh mention to me of travel by sea
or otherwise, I am like to swoon for affright, by reason
of that which hath befallen me and what I have
suffered of hardships and perils. Indeed, I have no
jot of inclination left for this, and I have sworn never
again to leave Baghdad.' And I related to him all
that had befallen me, first and last ; whereat he marvelled
exceedingly and said, ' By the Most Great God, O
Sindbad, never was heard from time immemorial of one
whom there betided that which hath betided thee and
well may it behove thee never again to mention travel !
But for my sake go thou this once and carry my letter
to the King of Serendib and return in haste, if it be
the will of God the Most High, so we may not remain
indebted to the king for favour and courtesy.' And
I answered him with 'Hearkening and obedience,' for
that I dared not gainsay his commandment

Then he gave me the present and letter and money
for my expenses. So I kissed his hand and going out
from before him, repaired to the sea-coast, where I
took ship with many other merchants and we sailed
days and nights, till, after a prosperous voyage, God
vol. in. 15

226

vouchsafed us a safe arrival at the island of Serendib.
We landed and went up to the city, wheie I carried
the letter and present to the king and kissing the earth
fell [prostrate before him], invoking blessings on him.
When he saw me, ' Welcome to thee, O Sindbad 1 '
quoth he. ' By the Most Great God, we have longed
for thy sight and the day is blessed on which we behold
thee once more.' Then he took my hand and seating
me by his side, welcomed me and entreated me friendly
and rejoiced in me with an exceeding joy; after which
he fell to conversing with me and caressing me and
said, 'What brings thee to us, O Sindbad?' I kissed
his hand and thanking him, said, 'O my lord, I bring
thee a present and a letter from my lord the Khalif
Haroun er Reshid.' Then I brought out to him the
present and the letter and he read the latter and
accepted the former, rejoicing therein with an exceed-
ing joy.

Now this present was a horse worth ten thousand
dinars and all its housings and trappings of gold set
with jewels, and a book and five different kinds of
suits of apparel and an hundred pieces of fine white
linen cloths of Egypt and silks of Suez and Cufa and
Alexandria and a crimson carpet and another of

227

Tebaristan1 make and an hundred pieces of cloth of
silk and flax mingled and a goblet of glass of the
time of the Pharaohs, a finger-breadth thick and a span
wide, amiddleward which was the figure of a lion and
before him an archer kneeling, with his arrow drawn to
the head, and the table of Solomon son of David,1 on
whom be peace; and the contents of the letter were as
follows: 'From the Khalif Haroun er Reshid, unto
whom and to his forefathers (on whom be peace)
God hath vouchsafed the rank of the noble and
exceeding glory, to the august, God-aided Sultan,
greeting. Thy letter hath reached us and we rejoiced
therein and have sent thee the book [called] "The
Divan of Hearts and the Garden of Wits," of the
translation whereof when thou hast taken cognizance,
its excellence will be established in thine eyes ; and
the superscription of this book we have made unto
thee. Moreover, we send thee divers other kingly

* In North-east Persia.

■ Alleged to have been found by the Arab conquerors of Spain on
the occasion of the sack of Toledo and presented by them to the
Ommiade Khalif El Welid ben Abdulmelik (a.d. 705-716). See my
M Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night," Vol. III. p. 331.

228

presents;1 so do thou favour us by accepting them,
and peace be on thee I'

When the king had read this letter, he rejoiced
with an exceeding joy and bestowed on me great
store of presents and entreated me with the utmost
honour. Some days after this, I sought of him leave
to depart, but he granted it not to me save after
much pressing. So I took leave of him and shipped
with divers merchants and others, intending for my
own country and having no desire for travel or
traffic. We sailed on, without ceasing, till we had
passed many islands j but, one day, as we fared on
over a certain tract of the sea, there came forth upon
us a multitude of boats full of men like devils, clad
in chain-mail and armed with swords and daggers
and bows and arrows, and surrounded us on every
side. They entreated us after the cruellest fashion,
smiting and wounding and slaying those who made
head against them, and taking the ship, with the crew
and all that were therein, carried us to an island,
where they sold us all for a low price. A rich man
bought me and taking me into his house, gave me

1 i*. such as are fit to be sent from king to king.

229

to eat and drink and clothed me and entreated me
kindly, till my heart was comforted and I was some-
what restored.

One day my master said to me, 'Knowest thou not
some art or handicraft?' And I answered, saying,
'O my lord, I am a merchant and know nought but
traffic.' Quoth he, 'Knowest thou how to shoot with
a bow and arrows?' And I replied, 'Yes, I know
that.' So he brought me a bow and arrows and
mounting me behind him on an elephant, set out
with me, at the last of the night, and fared on till
we came to a forest of great trees; whereupon he
made me climb a high and stout tree and giving
me the bow and arrows, said to me, 'Sit here, and
when the elephants come hither by day, shoot at them,
so haply thou shalt hit one of them; and if any of
them fall, come at nightfall and tell me.' Then he
went away and left me trembling and fearfuL I abode
hidden in the tree till the sun rose, when the elephants
came out and fared hither and thither among the trees,
and I gave not over shooting at them with arrows,
till I brought down one of them. So, at eventide, I
went and told my master, who rejoiced in me and

230

rewarded me; then he came and carried away the
dead elephant.

On this wise I abode a while of time, every day
shooting an elephant, whereupon my master came and
carried it away, till, one day, as I sat hidden in the
tree, there came up elephants without number, roaring
and trumpeting, so that meseemed the earth trembled
for the din. They all made for the tree whereon
I was and the girth whereof was fifty cubits, and
compassed it about. Then a huge elephant came
up to the tree and winding his trunk about it, tugged
at it, till he plucked it up by the roots and cast it to
the ground. I fell among the elephants, and the great
elephant, coming up to me, as I lay aswoon for
affright, wound his trunk about me and tossing me on
to his back, made off with me, accompanied by the
others; nor did he leave faring on with me, and I
absent from the world, till he brought me to a certain
place and casting me down from off his back, went
away, followed by the rest. I lay there awhile, till
my trouble subsided and my senses returned to me,
when I sat up, deeming myself in a dream, and found
myself on a great hill, stretching far and wide and
all of elephants' bones So I knew that this was theix

231

burial-place and that they had brought me thither on
account of the bones.

Then I arose and fared on a day and a night, till
I came to the house of my master, who saw me pale
and disfeatured for fear and hunger. He rejoiced in
my return and said to me, 'By Allah, thou hast made
my heart ache on thine account ; for I went and finding
the tree torn up by the roots, doubted not but the
elephants had destroyed thee. Tell me then how it
was with thee.' So I told him what had befallen me
and he marvelled exceedingly and rejoiced, saying,
'Knowst thou where this hill is?' 'Yes, O my lord,'
answered I. So he took me up with him on an elephant
and we rode till we came to the elephants' burial-place.

When he saw those many bones, he rejoiced therein
with an exceeding joy and carried away what he had
a mind to thereof. Then we returned to his house and
he entreated me with increased favour and said to me,
' Verily, O my son, thou hast directed us to a passing
great gain, may God requite thee with all good! Thou
art free for the sake of God the Most High. Every
year these elephants used to kill of us much people
on account of these bones ; but God delivered thee from
them and thou hast done us good service in the matter

232

of these bones, of which thou hast given as to know ;
wherefore thou meritest a great recompense, and thou
art free.' 'O my lord,' answered I, 'may God free thy
neck from the fire I I desire of thee that thou give me
leave to return to my own country.' ' So be it,' replied
he j 'but we have a fair, on occasion whereof the
merchants come hither to us and take of us these
elephants' bones. The time of the fair is now at hand,
and when they come to us, I will send thee with them
and give thee somewhat to bring thee to thine own
country.'

I blessed him and thanked him and abode with him
in all honour and consideration, till, after a little, the
merchants came, even as he had said, and bought and
sold and bartered; and when they were about to
depart, my master came to me and said, ' The merchants
are about to depart; arise, that thou mayst go with
them to thy country.' So I betook myself to the folk,
and behold, they had bought great store of elephants'
bones and bound up their loads and embarked in the
ship ; and my master took passage for me with them
and paid my hire and all that was chargeable upon
me.1 Moreover, he gave me great store of goods and

1 Li. the price of his victual and other necessaries for the voyage.

233

we set sail and passed from island to island, till we
traversed the sea and arrived at the port of our
destination; whereupon the merchants brought out their
goods and sold; and I also brought out that which
was with me and sold it at a good profit.

Then I bought of the best and finest of the produce
and rarities of the country and all I had a mind to
and a good hackney1 and we set out again and
traversed the deserts from country to country till we
came to Baghdad. Then I went in to the Khalif and
saluted him and kissed his hand; after which I ac-
quainted him with all that had passed and that which
had befallen me. He rejoiced in my deliverance and
thanked God the Most High; then he caused write my
story in letters of gold and I betook myself to my
house and foregathered with my brethren and family.
This, then," added Sindbad, "is the last of that which
befell me in my travels, and praise be to God, the
One, the Creator, the Maker 1 ■

1 Lit. riding-beatt (French monture, no exact English equivalent X
whether camel, mule or hone does not appear.

234

When Sindbad the Sailor had made an end of his
story, he bade his servant give the porter an hundred
mithcals of gold and said to him, "How now, my
brother! Hast ever in the world heard of one whom
such calamities have betided as have betided me and
hath any suffered that which I have suffered of afflic-
tions or undergone that which I have undergone of
hardships? Wherefore it behoveth that I have these
pleasures in requital of that which I have undergone
of travail and humiliations." So the porter came
forward and kissing the merchant's hands, said to him,
u O my lord, thou hast indeed suffered grievous perils
and hast well deserved these bounteous favours [that
God hath vouchsafed thee]. Abide, then, O my lord,
in thy delights and put away from thee [the remem-
brance of] thy troubles ; and may God the Most High
crown thine enjoyments with perfection and accomplish
thy days in pleasance until the hour of thine admission
[to His mercy] 1 "

Therewithal Sindbad the Sailor bestowed largesse upon
him and made him his boon-companion, and he abode,
leaving him not night or day, to the last of their lives.
Praise be to God the Glorious, the Omnipotent, the
Strong, the Exalted of estate, Creator of heaven and

235

earth and land and sea, to whom belongeth glorifi-
cation ! Amen. Amen. Praise be to God, the Lord
of the Worlds I Amen,

NOTE.

NOTE,

As stated In the Prefatory Note to my "Book
of the Thousand Nights and One Night," four
printed Editions (of which three are more or less
complete) exist of the Arabic text of the original
work, namely those of Calcutta (1839-42), Boulac
(Cairo), Breslau (Tunis) and Calcutta (18 14-18).
The first two are, for purposes of tabulation,
practically identical, one whole story only,1 of those
that occur in the Calcutta (1839-42) Edition, (which
is the most complete of all,) being omitted from
that of Boulac ; and I have, therefore, given but
one Table of Contents for these two Editions.
The Breslau Edition, though differing widely from
those of Calcutta (1839-42) and Boulac in contents,
resembles them in containing the full number (a
thousand and one) of Nights, whilst that of Calcutta

* The Envier and the Envied.

240

(1814-18) is but a fragment, comprising only the
first two hundred Nights and the Voyages of
Sindbad, as a separate Tale.

The subscribers to my "Book of the Thousand
Nights and One Night" and the present "Tales
from the Arabic" have now before them a com-
plete English rendering (the first ever made) of all
the tales contained in the four printed (Arabic)
Texts of the original work and I have, therefore,
thought it well to add to this, the last Volume of
my Translation, full Tables of Contents of these
latter, a comparison of which will show the exact
composition of the different Editions and the par-
ticulars in which they differ from one another,
together with the manner in which the various
stories that make up the respective collections
are distributed over the Nights. In each Table, the
titles of the stories occurring only in the Edition
of which it gives the contents are printed in Italics
and each Tale is referred to the number of the
Night on which it is begun.

The Breslau Edition, which was printed from a
Manuscript of the Book of the Thousand Nights

241

and One Night alleged to have been furnished to
the Editor by a learned Arab of Tunis, whom he
styles " Herr M. Annaggar " (Quaere En Nejjar, the
Carpenter), the lacunes found in which were supple-
mented from various other MS. sources indicated by
Silvestre de Sacy and other eminent Orientalists, is
edited with a perfection of badness to which only
German scholars (at once the best and worst editors
in the world) can attain. The original Editor, Dr.
Maximilian Habicht, was during the period (1825—
1839) of publication of the first eight Volumes,
engaged in continual and somewhat acrimonious 1
controversy concerning the details of his editorship
with Prof. H. L. Fleischer, who, after his death,
undertook the completion of his task and approved
himself a worthy successor of his whilom adversary,
his laches and shortcomings in the matter of
revision and collation of the text being at least
equal in extent and gravity to those of his pre-
decessor, whilst he omitted the one valuable feature
of the latter's work, namely, the glossary of Arabic

1 After the manner of Orientalists, a far more irritable folk than
any poets.

vol. ni. 16

242

words, not occurring in the dictionaries, appended
to the earlier volumes.

As an instance of the extreme looseness with
which the book was edited, I may observe that
the first four Vols, were published without tables
of contents, which were afterwards appended en
bloc to the fifth Volume. The state of corruption
and incoherence in which the printed Text was
placed before the public by the two learned Editors,
who were responsible for its production, is such as
might well drive a translator to despair : the un-
corrected errors of the press would alone fill a
volume and the verse especially is so corrupt that
one of the most laborious of English Arabic scholars
pronounced its translation a hopeless task. I have
not, however, in any single instance, allowed myself
to be discouraged by the difficulties presented by
the condition of the text, but have, to the best of
my ability, rendered into English, without abridg-
ment or retrenchment, the whole of the tales, prose
and verse, contained in the Breslau Edition, which
are not found in those of Calcutta (1839-42) and
Boulac. In this somewhat ungrateful task, I have

243

again had the cordial assistance of Captain Burton,
who has (as in the case of my "Book of the
Thousand Nights and One Night") been kind
enough to look over the proofs of my translation
and to whom I beg once more to tender my
warmest thanks.

Some misconception seems to exist as to the
story of Seif dhoul Yezen, a fragment of which
was translated by Dr. Habicht and included, with
a number of tales from the Breslau Text, in the
fourteenth Vol. of the extraordinary gallimaufry
published by him in 1824—5 as a complete transla-
tion of the 1 00 1 Nights1 and it has, under the

1 By the by, apropos of this soi-disant complete translation of the
great Arabian collection of romantic fiction, it is difficult to understand
how an Orientalist of repute, such as Dr. Habicht, can have put forth
a publication of this kind, which so swarms with blunders of every
description as to throw the mistakes of all other translators completely
into the shade and to render it utterly useless to the Arabic scholar as a
book of reference. We can only conjecture that he must have left the
main portion of the work to be executed, without efficient supervision,
by incapable collaborators or that he undertook and executed the trans-
lation in such haste as to preclude the possibility of any preliminary
examination and revision, worthy of the name, of the original MS. ;
and this latter supposition appears to be borne out by the fact that
the translation was entirely published before the appearance of any
rpotion of the Arabic Text, as printed from the Tunis Manuscript.

244

mistaken impression that this long but interesting
Romance forms part of the Book of the Thousand
Nights and One Night, been suggested that a com-
plete translation of it should be included in the
present publication. The Romance in question does
not, however, in any way, belong to my original
and forms no part of the Breslau Text, as will be
at once apparent from an examination of the Table
of Contents of the latter (see post. p. 261), by which
all the Nights are accounted for Dr. Habicht
himself tells us, in his preface to the first Vol. of

Whilst on the subject of German translations, it may be well to correct
an idea, which appears to prevail among non- Arabic scholars, .0 the
effect that complete translations of the Book of the Thousand Nights
and One Night exist in the language of Hoffmann and Heine, and
which is (as far, at least, as my own knowledge extends) a com-
pletely erroneous one. I have, I believe, examined all the German
translations in existence and have found not one of them worthy
of serious consideraton ; the best, that of Hammer-Purgstall, to
which I had looked for help in the elucidation of doubtful and
corrupt passages, being so loose and unfaithful, so disfigured by ruth-
less retrenchments and abridgments, no less than by gross errors of all
kinds, that I found myself compelled to lay it aside as useless. It is
but fair, however, to the memory of the celebrated Austrian Orientalist,
to state that the only form in which Von Hammer's translation is pro*
curable is that of the German rendering of Prof. Zinserling (18234),
executed from the original (French) manuscript, which latter was un-
fortunately lost before publication.

245

the Arabic Text, that he found the fragment
(undivided into Nights) at the end of the fifth
Volume of his MS., into which other detached
tales, having no connection with the Nights, appear
to have also found their way. This being the
case, it is evident that the Romance of Seif dhoul
Yezen in no way comes within the scope of the
present work and would (apart from the fact that
its length would far overpass my limits) be a
manifestly improper addition to it It is, however,
possible that, should I come across a suitable text
of the work, I may make it the subject of a
separate publication ; but this is, of course, a
matter for future consideration.

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF
THE CALCUTTA (1839-42) AND
BOULAC EDITIONS OF THE
ARABIC TEXT OF THE BOOK
OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS
AND ONE NIGHT.

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE CALCUTTA
(183^-42) AND BOULAC EDITIONS OP
THE ARABIC TEXT OF THE BOOK OF
THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE
NIGHT.

Introduction. — Story of King Shehriyar and his Brother.
a. Story of the Ox and the As*
I. The Merchant and the Genie .

a. The First Old Man's Story

b. The Second Old Man's Story
e. The Third Old Man's Story

S. The Fisherman and the Genie

a. Story of the Physician Douban

aa. Story of King Sindbad and his Falcon

ab. Story of the King's Son and the Ogress

b. Story of the Enchanted Youth . .
% The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad

a. The First Calender's Story . ,

b, The Second Calender's Story . *
ba. Story of the Envier and the Envied,1

iii

If
w
»♦
rii
is
si

xii
xiii

1 The Boulac Edition omits this story altogether.

250

€. The Third Calender's Story .
d. The Eldest Lady's Story #

t. The Story of the Portress .

4. The Three Apples . . .

5. Noureddin Ali of Cairo and his Son Bedreddin

Hassan . . .

6. Story of the Hunchback . .

a. The Christian Broker's Story .

b. The Controller's Story . .
(. The Jewish Physician's Story .

d. The Tailor's Story
t. The Barber's Story

ea. Story of the Barber's First Brother
tb. Story of the Barber's Second Brother
U, Story of the Barber's Third Brother
td. Story of the Barber's Fourth Brother
«. Story of the Barber's Fifth Brother
ef. Story of the Barber's Sixth Brother

7. Noureddin Ali and the Damsel Enis el Jelit

8. Ghanim ben Eyoub the Slave of Love

a. Story of the Eunuch Bekhit .

b. Story of the Eunuch Kafour ,
0. The History of King Omar ben Ennuman and

hit Sons Sherkan and Zoulmekan
a. Story of Taj tl Mulouk and the Princess

Dunya . . .

ma. Story of Aziz and Aziteh .

Jk Bakoun's Story of the Hashish-Eater

e. Hemmad the Bedouin's Story
10. The Birds and Beasts and the Son of Adam

xir
xvii
xviii

xix

XXV
»•

xxvii

xxviii

xxix

xxxi

»»

•1
xxxiii
xxxiv
xxxix

X1T

cvii

cxii

cxliii

cxliv

cxlri

251

11. The Hermits ...»

12. The Waterfowl and the Tortoise ,

13. The Wolf and the Fox . . .

a. The Hawk and the Partridge ,

14. The Mouse and the Weasel . .

15. The Cat and the Crow . . .

16. The Fox and the Ctow . , s

m. The Mouse and the Flea . •

A The Falcon and the Birds . .

*. The Sparrow and the Eagle ,

17. The Hedgehog and the Pigeons . ,

a. 7X* Merchant and the Two Sharpers

18. The Thief and his Monkey . .

a. The Foolish Weaver . .

19. 7>k Sparrow and the Peacock . •

20. Ali ben Bekkar and Shemsennehar .

21. Kemerezzeman and Budour . .

a. Nimeh ben er Rebya and Num his Slave-girl

22. Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat . .

23. Hatim et Tal ; his Generosity after Death

24. Maan ben Zaldeh and the three Girls .

25. Maan ben Zaideh and the Bedouin .

26. The City of Lebtait

27. The Khalif Hisham and the Arab Youth

28. Ibrahim ben el Mehdi and the Barber-surgeon
2Q. The City of Irem

30. Isaac of Mosul's Story of Khedijeh and the

Khalif Mamoun

31. The Scavenger and the Noble Lady of Baghdad

32. The Mock Khalif

cxlviii

cxlix
cl

cli
clii

cliii

clxx

ccxxxvii

ccl

cclxx

cclxxi

cclxxii

cclxxiii
cclxxvi

cclxxix
cclxxxii
ccixxxvi

252

33. AH the Persian and the Kurd Sharper . • « ccxcit

34. The Imam Abou Yousuf with Haroun er Reshki

and his Vizier Jaafer . . . , ccxcvi

35. The Lover who feigned himself a Thief to save

his Mistress's Honour . , , ocxcvii

36. yaafer the Barmecide and the Bean-Seller , . ocxciz

37. Aboa Mohammed the Lazy tit* ccc

38. Yehya ben Khalid and Mensour , , a ccc v

39. Yehya ben Khalid and the Man who forged

a Letter in his Name . . , oocvi

4a The Khali f El Mamoun and the Strange Doctor , cccvii

41. AH Shar and Zumurrnd . . . . cccviii

42. The Loves of Jubeir ben Umeir and the Lady

Budour . . . • ( occxxvii

43. The Man of Yemeni and his six Slave-girls , , cccxxxiv

44. Haroun er Reshid with the Damsel and Aboa

Nuwas . . , i eocxxxviii

45. The Man who stole the Dog's Dish of Gold . . cecal

46. The Sharper of Alexandria and the Master of

Police . • • • • cccxli

47. El Melik en Nasir and the three Masters of

Police. . . . . ( cccxiiii

a. Story of the Chief of the New Cairo Police . . ,

b. Story of the Chief of the Boulac Police . » cccxliv
t. Story of the Chief of the Old Cairo Police • „

48. The Thief and the Money-Changer , ,

49. The Chief of the Cous Police and the Sharper ♦ cccxl v
5a Ibrahim ben el Mehdi and the Merchant's Sister , oocxlvi
SI. The Woman whose Hands were cut off tor

Almsgiving . • . . • cccxlriiJ

*53

52. The Devout Israelite . . . ,

S3- Abou Hassan et Ziyadi and ike Man from

Khorassan • • .

54. The Poor Man and his Generous Friend
55* The Ruined Man who became Rich again

through a Dream . .

56. El Mutawekkil and his Favourite Mehboubeh

57. Werdan the Butcher's Adventure with the Lady

and the Bear . , .

58. The King's Daughter and the Apt

59. The Enchanted Horse .

60. Uns el Wujoud and the Vizier's Daughter

Rose-in-bud . . .

61. Abou Nnwas with the three Boys and the

Khalif Ilaroun er Reshid
6a. Abdullah ben Maatner with the Man of Bassora
and his Slave-girl . .

63. The Lovers of the Benou Udhreh

64. The Vitier of Yemen and his young Brother

65. The Loves of the Boy and Girl at School

66. El Mutelemmis and his Wife Umeimeh

67. Haroun er Reshid and Zubeideh in the Bath

68. Haroun er Reshid and the three Poets

69. Musab ben ez Zubeir and Aaisheh his Wife

70. Aboulaswed and his squinting Slave-girl

71. Haroun er Reshid and the two Girls .
7a. Haroun er Reshid and the three Girls .

73. The Miller and his Wife

74. The Simpleton and the Suarper ,

cccxlviii
cccxlix

M
cccli

cccliii

ccclv

ccclvii

ccclxxi

ccclxxxi

ccclxxxiii
•1

ccdxxxiv
ccclxxxv

N
»•

ccclxxxvi

»»

occlxxxvii

ccclxxxviii

254

75- The Imam Abou Yousuf with Haroun er Reshld
and Zubeideh ....

76. The Khalif £1 Hakim and the Merchant

77. King Kisra Anonshirwan and the Village Damsel

78. The Water-Carrier and the Goldsmith's Wife

79. Khusrau and Shirin and the Fisherman

80. Yehya ben Khalid and the Poor Man

81. Mohammed el Amin and Jaafer ben el Hadi

82. Said ben Salim and the Barmecides .

83. The Woman's Trick against her Husband

84. The Devout Woman and the two Wicked Elders

85. Jaafer the Barmecide and the Old Bedouin

86. Omar ben el Khettab and the Young Bedouin

87. El Mamoun and the Pyramids of Egypt

88. The Thief turned Merchant and the other Thief

89. Mesrour and Ibn el Caribi ,

90. The Devout Prince . ,

91. The Schoolmaster who Fell in Love by Report

92. The Foolish Schoolmaster

93. The Ignorant Man who set up for a Schoolmaster

94. The King and the Virtuous Wife

95. Abdurrehman the Moor's Story of the Roe

96. Adi ben Zeid and the Princess Hind .

97. Dibil el Khuzai with the Lady and Muslin ben

el Welid

98. Isaac of Mosul and the Merchant

99. The Three Unfortunate Lovers

100. The Lovers of the Benou Tai

101. The Mad Lover . ,

102. The Apples of Paradise ,

ccclxxxriii
ccclxxxix

cccxc
cccxci

cccxciii
cccxciv
cccxcv

cccxcix
cccci
cccci:

cccciii

occcvii

ccccix
occcx
ccccxi

ccccxii

255

103. The Loves of Aboa Isa and Curret el Ain .

104. El Amin and his Uncle Ibrahim ben el Mehdi

105. £1 Feth ben Khacan and El Mutawekkil

106. The Man's Dispute with the Learned Woman

of the relative Excellence of the Sexes

107. Abon Suweid and the Handsome Old Woman

108. AH ben Tahir and the Girl Mounis .

109. The Woman who had a Boy and the other who

had a Man to Lover . . .

no. The Haunted House in Baghdad

111. The I'ilgrim and the Old Woman who dwelt

in the Desert ....

112. Aboulhusn and his Slave-girl Taweddud

1 13. The Angel of Death with the Proud King and

the Devout Man . .

114. The Angel of Death and the Rich King

1 1 5. The Angel of Death and the King of the Children

of Israel ....

116. Iskender Dhoulkernein and a certain Tribe of

Poor Folk . . .

117. The Righteousness of King Anoushirwan

1 18. The Jewish Cadi and his Pious Wife

1 1 9. The Shipwrecked Woman and her Child ,

120. The Pious Black Slave . . .

121. The Devout Platter-maker and his Wife .

122. El Hejjaj ben Yousuf and the Pious Man

123. The Blacksmith who could Handle Fire without

Hurt .....

124. 1 he Saint to whom God pave a Clouu to serve

him and the Devout A'm$

ccccxiv

ccccxviii

ccccxix

ccccxxiu
ccccxxiv

ccccxxxiv
ccccxxxvi

cccclxii
n

cccclxiii

cccclxiv
»»

CCCClxT

cccclxvi

cocclxvii

cccclxviii

cccclxx

cccclxxi

cccclxxiii

256

I 25. The Muslim Champion and the Christian Lady m eccclxxiv

126. Ibrahim ben el Khawwas and the Christian

King's Daughter , . • . , cccclxxvii

127. The Justice of Providence • • . . occclxxriii

128. The Ferryman of the Nile and the Hermit . . cccclxxix

129. The King of the Island .... ,,

130. Abulhusned Durraj and AbouJ oaf er the Leper ■ cccclxxxi

131. The Queen of the Serpents . , cccclxxxii

a. The Adventures of Beloukiya . . . cccclxxxvi

b. The Story of Janshah .... ccccxcix

132. Sindbad the Sailor and Sindbad the Porter • * dxxxvi

a. The First Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor . • dxxxviii

b. The Second Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor • dxliii
«. The Third Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor . dxlvi
d. The Fourth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor . dl
*. The Fifth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor . dlvi
/. The Sixth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor • dlix
g. The Seventh Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor • dbdii

133. The City of Brass . • . • • dlxvi

134. The Malice of Women • . • • dbtxviii

a. The King and his Vizier's Wife . • „

b. The Merchant's Wife and the Parrot • . dlxxix

c . The Fuller and his Son ...» ,,

d. The Lover's Trick against the Chaste Wife • dlxxx
t. The Niggard and the Loaves of Bread . • N
/ The Lady and her Two Lovert • • • dlxxxi
g. The King's Son and the Ogres* . • • ».
k. Hie Drop of Honey . • • dlxxxii
i. The Woman who made her Husband sift

Dust .«•••• M

257

f. The Enchanted Springs • . • dlxxxil
4. The Vizier's Son and the Bathkeeper's Wife , dlxxxiv
A The Wife's Device to Cheat her Husband • „
m. The Goldsmith and the Cashmere Singing-
girl ....•• dlxxxvt
n. The Man who never Laughed again . • dlxxxvii
x The King's Son and the Merchant's Wife • dzd
p. 1 he Page who feigned to know the Speech of

Birds ...*•• dx cii

f. The Lady and her five Suitors • • • dxciii

p. The Man who saw the Night of Power • > dxcri

s. The Stolen Necklace . . • « „

Th« two Pigeons • , Oacvii
m. Prince Behram of Persia and the PrioceM

EdDetma » • • • « „

r. The House with the Belvedere . • • dxcviii

m. The Kings Son and the Afrits Mistress • dcii

*. The Sandal-wood Merchant and the Sharpen • dciii

p. The Debauchee and the Three-year -old Child . dcv

s. The Stolen Purse • . • • ,,

>3$- louder and his Brothers .... dcvi

1 36. The History of Gherib and his Brother Agib . dcuiv

137. Otbeh and Keyya . . . . . dclxxx

138. Hind Daughter of En Nutnan and El Hejjaj . ddxxxi

139. Khuzcimeh ben Bishr and Ikrimeh el Feyya* . , rigl»«Tii
14a Younus the Scribe and the KhalifWelid ben Sehl , dclxxxiv

141. Harouner Reshid and the Arab Giri . , , dclxxxv

142. El Astna'i and the three Girls of Bassora . , dclxxxvi

143. Ibrahim of Mosul and the Devil . , • dclxxxvii

144. The Lovers of the Benou Udkrek . , i dclxxxviii

vol in. 17

258

145. The Bedouin and his Wife .... dcxd

146. The Lovers of Bassora . . dcxciii

147. Isaac of Mosul and his Mistress and the Devil % dcxcv

148. The Lovers of Medina . . . • dcxcvi

149. El Mel. A en Nasir and his Vitier . . dcxcvii
15a The Rogueries of Delileh the Crafty and her

Daughter Zeyneb the Trickstress . . dcxcviii

151. The Adventures of Quicksilver Ali of Cairo 1

a Sequel to the Rogueries of Delileh the

Crafty ..... dccviil

152. Ardeshir and Heyat en Nufous . . . dccxix

153. J ulnar of the Sea and her Son King Bedr Basim

of Persia • iccxxxriil

1 54 King Mohammed hen Sebai'k and the Merchant

Hassan ..... dcclvi

a. Story of Prince Seif el Mulouk and the

Princess Bediya el Jemal . . . dcclviii

155. Hassan of Bassora and the King's Daughter of

the Jinn ..... dcclxxviii

156. Khelifeh the Fisherman of Baghdad . . , dcccxxxii

157. Mesrour and Zein el Mewasif .... dcccxlv

158. Ali Nbureddin and the Frank King's Daughter . dccclxiii

159. The Man of Upper Egypt and his Frank Wife . dcccxciv

160. The Ruined Man of Baghdad and his Slave-girl . dcccxcvi

161. King Jelyaad of Hind and his Vizier Shimas :

whereafter ensueth the History of King

Wird Khan son of King Jelyaad and

his Women and Viziers . . . dcccxciz

«. The Cat and the Mouse .... dcccc

*. The Fakir and his Pot of Butter . • . dccccii

259

c The Fishes and t\e Crab . •

d. The Crow and the Serpent •

e. The Fox and the Wild Ass

f. The Unjust King and the Pilgrim Prince

g . The Crows and the Hawk

k. The Serpent-Charmer and his Wile

i. The Spider and the Wind

/ The Two Kings .

k. The Blind Man and the Cripple •

/. The Foolish Fisherman . .

m. The Boy and the Thieves .

m. The Man and his Wilful Wife .

«. The Merchant and the Thieves •

/. The Foxes and the Wolf .

q. The Shepherd and the Thief

r. The Heathcock and the Tortoises

162. Aboukir the Dyer and Abousir the Barber

163. Abdallah the Fisherman and Abdallah the

Merman , .

164. The Merchant of Oman

165. Ibrahim and Jemilek .

166. Ahoulhusn of Khorassan . .

167. Kemerateman and the jfeweller's Wift

168. Abdallah ben Fazil and his Brothers .

169. Marouf the Cobbler and his Wife tatimek
Conclusion.

dcccciii
H

dcccchr

dccccv

dccccvi

dccccvii

dccccviii

dccccix

dccccx

dccccxviii

dccccxix
dccccxx
dccccxxi

dccccxxiv
dccccxxx

dccccxl
dccccxlvi
dcccciii
dcccclix
dcccclxiii
dcccclxxvri
dcca:»i- > Mi

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE
BRESLAU (TUNIS) EDITION OF
THE ARABIC TEXT OF THE
BOOK OF THE THOUSAND
NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT.

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE BRESLAU
{TUNIS) EDITION OF THE ARABIC TEXT
OF THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND
NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT

Introduction. — Story of King Shehriyar and his Brother,
a. Story of the Ox and the Ass

1. The Merchant and the Genie

a. The First Old Man's Story

b. The Second Old Man's Story

c. The Third Old Man's Story

2. The Fisherman and the Genie

a. Story of the Physician Douban

aa. Story of the Jealous Man and the Parrot l

ab. Story of the King's Son and the Ogress

b. Story of the Enchanted Youth .

3. The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad

a. The First Calender's Story . ,

b. The Second Calender's Story . .
ba. The Envier and the Envied . ,

010*1

vi
▼hi

»t
xi

xiv

xxi

xxviii

xxxvii

xlvi

1 Calcutta (1839-42) and Boulac 134A "The Merchant'! Wife and
the Parrot.*

264

e. The Third Calender's Story , , liii
J. The Eldest Lady's Story . • , . lxiii
«. Story of the Portress • • • « brrii

4. The Three Apples . . . • • brix

5. Nonreddin Ali of Cairo and his Son Bedreddin

Hassan • . . . # lxxii

6. Story of the Hunchback . • . . cii

a. The Christian Broker's Story . • • crii
t. The Controller's Story • • • a g"f
t. The Jewish Physician's Story • # » cxxix
J. The Tailor's Story . . • • cxxxvii
t. The Barber's Story . . , , , c«1'i

ea. Story of the Barber's First Brother , m cl

eb. Story of the Barber's Second Brother % cliv
tc. Story of the Barber's Third Brother . , drii
td. Story of the Barber's Fourth Brother • dviii
*e. Story of the Barber's Fifth Brother , , dz
ef. Story of the Barber's Sixth Brother • , dxi v

y. Ali ben Bekkar and Shemsennehar . • . d-"x

8. Nonreddin Ali and the Damsel Enis d Jelis • « cxcix

9. Kemerezzeman and Budour . . • « ccxriii
ia The Enchanted Horse . . • • • ccxliv
II. The Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor . • • cd

m. The First Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor • cclii

b. The Second Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor • ecliii

c. The Third Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor , cclv

d. The Fourth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor • odiz
t. The Fifth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor . « oclxiii

f. The Sixth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor « odxri

g. The Serenth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor , odxu

265

l a. Asleep and Awake . ,

a. The Lackpenny and the Cook

13. Seif el Mulouk and Bediya el Jemal

14. Khelif the Fisherman 1 .

15. Ghanim ben Eyoub the Slave of Love

a. Story of the Eunuch Sewab *

b. Story of the Eunuch Kafour

16. Uns el Wujoud and the Vizier's Daughter Rose-

in-bud . ,

17. The Merchant of Oman ,

18. Ardeshir and Heyat en Nufous

19. Hassan of Bassora and the King's Daughter

of the Jinn

20. Haroun er Reshid and the three Poets
ai. Omar ben Abdulazis and the Poets

22. El Hejjaj and the three Young Men

23. Er Reshid and the Woman of the Barmecides
34. The Ten Fitters; or the History of King Azad-

bekht and his Son
m. The Unlucky Merchant .
J. The Merchant and his Sons
t. Abou Sabir . .

d. Prince Bihtad

e. King Dadbin and his Vitiers

cclxxj

cclxxiii

ccxci

cccxxi

cccxxxii

cccxxxiv

• cccrli

• cccliv

• ccclxiv

. ccclxxxvi

• ccccxxxii

• N

• occcxxxiv

• occcxxxv

• ccccxl

• ccccxliv

• ccccxlviii

• ccccliii

• cccclv

1 This will be found translated in my "Book of the Thousand Nights
and One Night," Vol. VII. p. 307, as an Appendix to the Calcutta
(1839-42) and Boulac version of the story, from which it differs in
detail

" Called " Bekhit " in Calcutta (1839-42) and Boulac Editions.

266

'• King Bekhtteman . • .

g. King Bihkerd . . .

h. Ilan Shah and Abou Temam .
i". A'm^ Ibrahim and his Son ,

_/. King Suleiman Shah and his Sons
k. The Prisoner and how God gave him Relief

25. The City of Brass

26. Nimeh ben er Rebya and Num his Slave-girl

27. Alaeddin Abou es Shamai . .

28. Hatim Tai ; his Generosity after Death

29. Maan ben Zaldeh and the three Girls .

30. Maan ben Zaldeh and the Bedouin ,

31. The City of Lebtait .

32. The Khalif Hisham and the Arab Youth

33. Ibrahim ben el Mehdi and the Barber- Surgeon

34. The City of Irem ,

35. Isaac of Mosul's Story of Khedijeh and the

Khalif Mamoun . .

36. The Mock Khalif

37. The Imam Abou Yousuf with Er Reshid and

Jaafer . .

38. The Lover who feigned himself a Thief to save

his Mistress's Honour ,

39. Abou Mohammed the Lazy . .

40. yaafer ben Yehya and Abdulmelik ben Salih

41. Jaafer ben Yehya1 and the Man who forged

a Letter in his Name . .

42. Er Reshid and the Barmecides .

0tjrf)t

cccclxi

cccclxir

cccclxvi

cccclxxi

cccclxxv

cccclxxxv

cccclxxxvii

dxx

dxxxi

dxxxii

dxxxiv

dxxxviii

dxl

dxliii

dlT

dlvii
dlviii
dlxv

dlxvi

dlxv 1

1 Yehya ben Khalid (Calcutta (1839-42) and Boulac).

267

43- Il>n es Senimak and Er Reshid • .

44. El Ma > noun and Zubeideh . . .

45. Ali Shir1 and Zumurrud . . .

46. The Loves of Budour and Jubeir ben Umeir .

47. The Man of Yemen and his six Slave-girls .

48. Haroun Er Reshid with the Damsel and Abou

Nuwas ....

49. The Man who stole the Dog's Dish of Gold .

50. El Melik en Nasir and the Three Masters of

Police ....

a. Story of the Chief of the New Cairo Police

b. Story of the Chief of the Boulac Police .

c. Story of the Chief of the Old Cairo Police

51. The Thief and the Money-changer

5a. Ibrahim ben el Mehdi and the Merchant's Sister
53. King Kelyaad * of Hind and his Vizier Shimas

a. The Cat and the Mouse . .

b. The Fakir and his Pot of Butter .

c. The Fishes and the Crab . .

d. The Crow and the Serpent .
». The Fox and the Wild Ass

f. The Unjust King and the Pilgrim Prince

g. The Crows and the Hawk
h. The Serpent-Charmer and his Wife
1. The Spider and the Wind
/. The Two Kings . . .
i. The Blind Man and the Cripple .

dlxviii
»»

dlxix

dlxxxvii
dxcv

dcii

dciii

dciv
dcr

dcvi
dcix

»»

dcx

dcxi

dcxii
dcxiii
dcxiv

dcx*

dcxvi

1 "Shar" (Calcutta (1839-42) and Boulac).
• " Jelyaad " (Calcutta (1839-42) and Boulac).

268

L The Foolish Fisherman .

m. The Boy and the Thieves .

». The Man and his Wilful Wife

0. The Merchant and the Thieves

/. The Foxes and the Wolf .

q. The Shepherd and the Thief

r. The Heathcock and the Tortoises

54. The Woman whose Hands were cut off for

Almsgiving .

55. The Poor Man and his Generous Friend

56. The Ruined Man who became Rich again

through a Dream

57. Abou Nuwas with the Three Boys and the

Khalif Haroun er Reshid

58. The Lovers of the Benou Udhreh1

59. El Mutelemmis and his Wife Umeimeh

60. Haroun Er Reshid and Zubeideh in the Bath

61. Musab ben ez Zubeir and Aalsheh his Wife

62. Aboulaswed and his Squinting Slave-girl

63. Haroun er Reshid and the Two Girls .

64. Haroun er Reshid and the Three Girls

65. The Simpleton and the Sharper .

66. The Imam Abou Yousuf with Er Reshid and

Zubeideh . .

67. The Khalif El Hakim and the Merchant

68. Kisra Anoushirwan and the Village Damsel

69. The Water-Carrier and the Goldsmith's Wife

£fcrf)t

dcxxvi
dcxxvii
dcxxviii
dcxxbx
dcxxx
dcxxxii
dcxxxiv

dcxli
dcxliii

dcxliv

dcxlv

dcxlvi
dcxlviii

■
dcxlix
deli

dclii

dcliii

dcliv

1 Calcutta (1839-42) and Boulac, No. 63. See my •* Book of the
Thousand Nights and One Night," VoL IV. p. 211.

269

mil

7a Khusrau and Shirin and the Fisherman • • dclvi

71. Yehyaben Khalid and the Poor Man a • >*

72. Mohammed el Amin and Jaafer ben el Hadi . • dclvii

73. The Woman's Trick against her Husband , • dclviii

74. The Devout Woman and the Two Wicked

Elders • . • • dcliz

75 £1 Fezl ben Rebiya l and the Old Bedouin . . dels

76 En Nutnan and the Arab of the Benou Tad , • „

77. The Draper and the Thief1 . . • • debd

78. Mesrour and Ibn el Caribi . . * • dclxii

79. The Devout Prince . . . . dclxiv
8a The Schoolmaster who fell in Love by Report . ddx v

81. The Foolish Schoolmaster .... dclxvi

82. The Ignorant Man who set up for a Schoolmaster . dclxvii

83. Adi ben Zeid and the Princess Hind . . , dclxviii

84. Dibil el Khuzal with the Lady and Muslim ben

elWelid dclza

85. Isaac of Mosul and the Merchant • • • „

86. The Three Unfortunate Lovers • • • dclxxii

87. The Lovers of the Benou Tai . • • • dclxxiii

88. The Mad Lover • • • • • dclxxiv

89. Fir out and his Wife . • . ( • del xxv
9a The Apples of Paradise . . • • dclxxvi

91. The Loves of Abou Isa and Curret el Ain • , dclxxvui

92. El Amin and his Uncle Ibrahim ben el Mehdi , dclxxxii

93. El Feth ben Khacan and El Mutawekkil . . dclxxxiii

- Calcutta (1839-42) and Boulac, "Jaafer the Barmecide."
1 Calcutta (1839-42) and Boulac, "The Thief turned Merchant and
the other Thief," No. 88.

270

94. The Man's Dispute with the Learned Woman of

the relative Excellence of the Sexes . . dclxxxiH

95. Abou Suweid and the Handsome Old Woman . dclxxxvii

96. Ali ben Tahir and the Girl Mounis . . , dclxxxviii

97. The Woman who had a Boy and the other who

had a Man to Lover . . . • H

98. The Haunted House in Baghdad » • • m

99. The History of Gherib and his brother Agib . • dcxcviil

100. The Rogueries of Delileh the Crafty and her

Daughter Zeyneb the Trickstress , • doclvl

101. The Adventures of Quicksilver Ali of Cairo . • dcclxvi

102. Jouder and his Brothers • • doclxxv

103. J ulnar of the Sea and her Son King Bedr Basim

of Persia • • • • • dccxdv

104. Mesrour and Zein el Mewasif . . . • dcccxxi

105. Ali Noureddin and the Frank King's Daughter . dcccxxxi

106. The Man of Upper Egypt and his Frank Wife . dccclxii

107. The Ruined Man of Baghdad and his Slave-girl . dccclxiv

108. Aboukir the Dyer and Abousir the Barber . . dccclxvii

109. Abdallah the Fisherman and Abdallah the Merman • dccclxxvii

110. King Shah Bekht and his Vizier Er Rehwan . . dccclxxxv

a. The Man of Khorassan, his Son and his

Governor ..... dccclxxxvi

b. The Singer and the Druggist . . dccclxxxviii
t. The King who knew the Quintessence of Things . dcccxci
d. The Rich Man who gave his Fair Daughter

in Marriage to the Poor Old Man . . dcccxcii

». The Rich Man and his Wasteful Son . . dcccxciii

f. The King's Son who fell in Love with the PL-tut* . dcccxciv

/. The Fuller and his Wife .... dcccxcv!

271

4, The Old Woman, the Merchant and the King
L The Credulous husband . . ,

/. The Unjust King and tht Tither . .

Jo. Story of David and Solomon . ,

i. The Thief and the Woman . .

L The Three Men and our Lord Jesut .
la. The Disciple's Story . . ,

m. The Dethroned King whose Kingdom and

Good were Restored to Him

n. The Man whose Caution was the Cause of

his Death ....

#. The Man who was lavish of his House and

his Victual to one whom he knew not .

p. The Idiot and the Sharper

q. Khelbes and his Wife and the Learned Man

r. The Pious Woman accused of Lewdnete .

i. The Journeyman and the Girl

t. The Weaver who became a Physician by his

Wife's Commandment . .

«. The Two Sharpers who cheated each his

Fellow ....

v. The Sharpers wtth the Money- Changer and

the Ass ....

to. The Sharper and the Merchants , ,

wa. The Hawk and the Locust , .

m. The King and his Chamberlain's Wife .

xa. The Old Woman and the Draper's Wife

t The foul favoured Man and his Fair Wife

«. The Kins who lost Kingdom and Wife and

Wealth and God restored them to him .

dcccxcvi

dcccxcviii

dcccxcix

dcccci

dccccili

dcccciv
dcccci

dccccvi
dccccvii

dccccix

dcccrxi

dccccxiv
dccccxv
dccccxvi

dccccxvii

dccccxviii

dccccix

272

ma. Stlim and Selma . , , dccccxxii

bb. The King of Hind and hit Visit* . . <uxccxxviii

■II. £1 Mtlik a Zahir Rnkneddin Biters of Bnnamc

dart and the Sixteen Officers of Folic* , dccccxm

a. The First Officer's Story .

e. Th* Second Officer's Story . , . dccccxxxii

e. The Third Officer's Story . ,

d. The Fenrth Officer's Story . . . dccccxxxiv

A The Fifth Officer's Story . ,

/ 751* Sixth Officer's Story . ,

g. The Seventh Officer's Story ,

h. The Eighth Officer's Story , , . dccccxxxv

ha. The Thief s Story , , , dccccxxxriii

4. The Ninth Officer's Story . ,

/ The Tenth Officer's Story .

k. The Eleventh Officer's Story

L The Twelfth Officer's Story , , . dccccxxxix

m The Thirteenth Officer's Story ,

n. The Fourteenth Officer's Story

na. A Merry Jest of a Thief • • • rirrrrKl

no. Story of the Old Sharper ,

o. The Fifteenth Officer's Story

p. The Sixteenth Officer's Story .

I IX Abdallah ben Nafi and the King's Son of

Cashghar ..... dcccodi

a. Story of Tuhfet el Culoub and But nut w

Reshid ..... dccccxlii

113. Nonreddin Ali and Sitt el Milah . . dcccclviii

WAr El Abbas and the King's Dau^hte* of tiafhdmd , dcccclxvi

115. The Malice of Women ..... dnccclnar

273

«. The King and his Vizier's Wife .
k The Merchant's Wife and the Parrot

e. The Fuller and his Son .
d. The Lover's Trick against the Chaste Wife
«. The Niggard and the Loaves of Bread

f. The Lady and her Two Lovers .
/. The King's Son and the Ogress .
k. The Drop of Honey . .
i. The Woman who made her Husband Sift

Dust ....
/ The Enchanted Springs .
i. The Vizier's Son and the Bathkeeper'a

Wife

L The Wife's Device to Cheat her Husband
m. The Goldsmith and the Cashmere Singing-
Girl ....
m. The Man who never Laughed again
0. The King's Son and the Merchant's Wife
/. The Man who saw the Night of Power
f. The Stolen Necklace . .

r. Prince Behram of Persia and the Prince*

Ed Detma
i. The House with the Belvedere
/. The Sandalwood Merchant and the Sharpen
m. The Debauchee and the Three-year-old

Child ....
9. The Stolen Purse ....
m. Th4 Fox and tht Folk1 . . .

1 This story will be found translated in my " Book of
Nights and One Night,' Vol. V. p. 345.

TOL. IIL

, dccccltxi

dcccclxxxrv

• »

. dcccclxxxv
dccccbuuvi

dcccclxxxviii
dcccclxxxix

dccccxc

dccccxci

dccccxciii

•>

dccccxciv

dccccxcv
dccccxcviii

dccccxciz

the Thousand
II

274

116. The Two Kings and the Viner't Daughters - • Mi

H7. The Favourite and her Lover •. . . • .-

IlS. The Merchant of Cairo and the Favourite tf

the Khali/ El Mamoun El Hakim

bi Amrillak ••>••* •

Conclusio*

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF
THE UNFINISHED CALCUTTA
(1814-18) EDITION (FIRST TWO
HUNDRED NIGHTS ONLY) OF
THE ARABIC TEXT OF THE
BOOK OF THE THOUSAND
NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT.

TABLE OF CONTENTS OP THE UN-
FINISHED CALCUTTA (1814-18) EDITION
(FIRST TWO HUNDRED NIGHTS ONLY)
OF THE ARABIC TEXT OF THE BOOK
OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE
NIGHT.

4»itf>t

INTRODUCTION.

a. The Ox and the An * .

I. The Merchant and the Genie .

a. The First Old Man's Story

*. The Second Old Man's Story '

s. The Fisherman and the Genie . . .

viii

a. The Physician Douban . . <

aa. The Merchant and the Parrot . <

xnr

ad. The King's Son and the Ogress ,

*. The Enchanted Youth

xxi

j. The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad

xxviii

1 The Third Old Man's Story is wanting.

278

m. The First Calender's Story . . . • xxxix

b. The Second Calender's Story ... xlii
ba. The Envier and the Envied ... xlvi

c. The Third Calender's Story . . . liii

d. The Eldest Lady's Story1 . . . . lxiv

4. The Three Apples i lxviii

5. Noureddin Ali of Cairo and his Son Bedreddin Hassan . lxxii

6. Isaac of Mosul's Story of Khedijeh and the Khalif El

Mamoun ..... xciv

7. Story of the Hunchback . . . ci

a. The Christian Broker's Story * . , cix

i. The Cook's Story 9 . . • • cxxi

c. The Jewish Physician's Story . • . cxxix

d. The Tailor's Story . • • . cxxxvi

e. The Barber's Story . . • . cxliii
ta. Story of the Barber's First Brother . . cxlv
eb Story of the Barber's Second Brother • . cxlviii
$c. Story of the Barber's Third Brother . . di

ed. Story of the Barber's Fourth Brother . ■ clii

ee. Story of the Barber's Fifth Brother . . cUt

ef. Story of the Barber's Sixth Brother • • clviii
& Ali ben Bekkar and Shemscnnehar . « • clxiii
9. Noureddin Ali and the Damsel Ennis el Jelis . . clxxxi

10. Wotnafs Craft ...... cxcv-cc

11. Sindbad the Sailor and Hindbad the Porter'

1 The Story of the Portress is wanting.

• Calcutta (1839-42), Boulac and Breslau, "The Controller's Story."
1 Calcutta (1839-43) and Boulac, "Sindbad the Sailor and Sindbad
the Porter."

279

a. The First Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor

b. The Second Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor

c. The Third Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor

d. The Fourth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
c. The Fifth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
/ The Sixth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor

4 The Seventh Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor

ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE
FIRST LINES OF THE VERSE
IN THE "TALES FROM THE
ARABIC"

ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE FIRST
LINES OF THE VERSE IN THE " TALES
FROM THE ARABIC*

N.B. —The Roman numerals denote the volume, the Arabic the page

A DAMSEL made for love and decked with subtle grace, iii. 192.

A fair one, to idolaters if she herself should show, iii. 10.

A sun of beauty she appears to all who look on her, iii. 191.

A white one, from her sheath of tresses now laid bare, ii. 291.

After jour loss, nor trace of me nor vestige would remain, iii. 41 .

Algates ye are our prey become; this many a day and night, iii 6.

All intercessions come and all alike do ill succeed, ii. 218.

An if my substance fail, no one there is will succour me, i. 6.

An if ye'd of evil be quit, look that no evil ye do, ii. 192.

Assemble, ye people of passion, I pray, iii. 31.

Awaken, O ye sleepers all, and profit, whilst it's here, it 234.

BEARD of the old he-goat, the one-eyed, what shall be, ii. 231.
Behold, I am clad in a robe of leaves green, ii. 242.
But for the spying of the eyes [ill-omened,] we had seen, i. 50.
By Allah, but that I trusted that I should meet you again, ii. 266.
By Iiim whom I worship, indeed, I swear, O thou that mine eye doll
fill, ii. 213.

284

DAMASCUS is all gardens decked for the pleasance of the eyes, ill 9.
Drink ever, O lovers, I rede you, of wine, ii. 23a

EL Abbas from Akil his stead is come again, iii. 108.
Endowed with amorous grace put any else am I, ii. 253.

FAIR fall the maid whose loosened locks her cheeks do overcloud I

iii. 191.
Fair patience practise, for thereon still folio weth content, iii. 116.
Fair patience use, for ease still followeth after stress, iii. 117.
For the uses of food I was fashioned and made, ii. 223.
" Forget him," quoth my censurers, " forget him ; what is he ? " iii. 42.
Fortune its arrows all, through him I love, let fly, iii. 31.
Full many a man incited me to infidelity, i. 205.

GOD judge betwixt me and her lord 1 Away, i. 48.
God keep the days of love-delight I How dearly sweet they were ! i. 225.
God keep the days of love-delight ! How passing sweet they were 1 ii. 96
God knows I ne'er recalled thy memory to my thought, iii. 46.

HAD we thy coming known, we would for sacrifice, i. 13.

Haste not to that thou dost desire ; for haste is still unblest, ii. 88.

He who Mohammed sent, as prophet to mankind, i. 50.

His love he'd have hid, but his tears denounced him to the spy, iii. 42.

His love on him took pity and wept for his dismay, ii. 210.

How long, O Fate, wilt thou oppress and baffle me ? ii. 69.

How long shall I thus question my heart that's drowned in woe ? iii. 42.

How long will ye admonished be, without avail or heed ? iii. 4a

How many, in Yemameh, dishevelled widows plain 1 i. 50.

I AM content, for him I love, to all abide, iii. 25 .

I am filled full of longing pain and memory and dole, iii. 15.

I am the champion-slayer he warrior without peer, iii. 94.

■ ■W«M«|l»Hiiri">y>»-< Pl» 1 O. •

285

I clipped her in mine arms and straight grew drunken with the scent,

iii. 125.
I fear to be seen in the air, ii. 255.

I marvel for that to my love I see thee now incline, iii. 1 1 a.
I saw thee, O thou best of all the human race, display, i. 46.
I swear by his life, yea, I swear by the life of my love without peer,

iii. SI.
If I must die, then welcome death to heal, iii. 23.
If, in his own land, midst his folk, abjection and despite, ii. 196.
I'm the crown of every sweet and fragrant weed, ii. 255.
In every rejoicing a boon1 midst the singers and minstrels am I, ii. 258
In my soul the fire of yearning and affliction rageth aye, iii. 65.
Indeed, thou'st told the tale of kings and men of might, iii. 87.
It chances whiles that the blind man escapes a pit, ii. 51.
It is as the jasmine, when it I espy, ii. 236.

LET destiny with loosened rein its course appointed fare, iii. 211.

Like a sun at the end of a cane in a hill of sand, iii. 190.

Like the full moon she shows upon a night of fortune fair, iii. 191.

Lo, since the day I left you, O my masters, iii. 24.

Look at the moss-rose, on its branches seen, ii. 256.

MAY the place of my session ne'er lack thee ! Oh, why, iii. 118.

Me, till I stricken was therewith, to love thou didst excite, iii. 113.

Midst colours, my colour excel leth in light, ii. 258.

Most like a wand of emerald my shape it is, trow I, ii. 245.

My flower a marvel on your heads doth show, ii. 254.

My fortitude fails, my endeavour is vain, ii. 95.

My fruit is a jewel all wroughten of gold, ii. 243.

» Tmh/th.

286

My heart will never credit that I am far from thee, it 275.

My secret is disclosed, the which I strove to hide, iii. 89.

My watering lips, that cull the rose of thy soft cheek, declare, iii. 1 34.

NO good's in life (to the counsel list of one who's purpose-whole), i. 28.

O AMIR of justice, be kind to thy subjects, iii. 24.

O friends, the East wind waxeth, the morning draweth near, iii. 123.

O friends, the tears flow ever, in mockery of my pain, iii. 116.

O hills of the sands and the rugged piebald plain, iii. 20.

O thou that blamest me for my heart and railest at my ill, ii. 101.

O thou that questionest the lily of its scent, ii. 256.

O son of Simeon, give no ear to other than my say, iii. 36.

O'er all the fragrant flowers that be I have the pref ' rence aye, ii. 235.

O'erbold art thou in that to me, a stranger, thou hast sent, iii. 83.

Oft as my yearning waxeth, my heart consoleth me, ii. 228.

One of the host am I of lovers sad and sere, ii. 252.

PEACE on thee I Would our gaze might light on thee once more ! ii. 89.
Peace on you, people of my troth 1 With peace I do you greet, ii. 224.

QUOTH I (and mine a body is of passion all forslain), iii. 81.

RAIL not at the vicissitudes of Fate, ii. 219.
Ramazan in my life ne'er I fasted, nor e'er, i. 49.

SAY, by the lightnings of thy teeth and thy soul's pure desire, iii. 19.
She comes in a robe the colour of ultramarine, iii. 190.
Sherik ben Amrou, what device avails the hand of death to stay ? i. 204.
Some with religion themselves concern and make it their business all,
L48.

287

Still by your ruined camp a dweller I abide, ii. 209.

Still do I yearn, whilst passion's fire flames in my liver aye, in. lit.

THE absent ones' harbinger came us unto, Hi. 153.

The billows of thy love o'erwhelm me passing sore, ii. 226.

The crown of the flow'rets am I, in the chamber of wine, ii. 244.

The Merciful dyed me with that which I wear, ii. 245.

The season of my presence is never at an end, ii. 246.

The two girls let me down from fourscore fathoms' height, L 40.

The zephyr's sweetness on the coppice blew, ii. 235.

They have departed, but the steads yet full of them remain, it 239.

They have shut out thy person from my sight, iii. 43.

Thou that the dupe of yearning art, how many a melting wight, iii. 86.

Thou that wast absent from my stead, yet still with me didst bide,

iii. 46.
Thy haters say and those who malice to thee bear, iii. 8.
Thy letter reached me ; when the words thou wrot'st therein I read,

iii. 84.
Thy loss is the fairest of all my heart's woes, iii. 43.
Thy presence honoureth us and we, i. 13.
To his beloved one the lover's heart's inclined, iii. 22.
'Twere better and meeter thy presence to leave, ii. 85.
Twere fitter and better my loves that I leave, i. 26.

UNTO its pristine lustre your land returned and more, iii. 132.

Unto me the whole world's gladness is thy nearness and thy sight, iii. 1 5.

Upon the parting day our loves from us did fare, iii. 114.

WERE not the darkness still in gender masculine, iii. 193.
What strength have I solicitude and long desire to bear, iii. 20.
When in the sitting-chamber we for merry-making sate, iii. 135.

288

Whenai mine eyes behold thee not, that day, iii. 47.

Whenas the sool desireth one other than its peer, ii. 207.

Wind of the East, if thou pass by the land where my loved ones dwell,

I pray, ii. 204, 271.
Would God upon that bitterest day, when my death calls for me, L 47.
Would we may live together, and when we come to die, i. 47.

YE chide at one who weepeth for troubles ever new, iii. 30.

Ye know I'm passion-maddened, racked with love and languishment,

iL«3a
Your coming to- me- ward, indeed, with "Welcome I Fair wekoma I*

I hail, iii. 136.
Your water I'll leave without drinking, for there, L aia

INDEX TO THE NAMES OF THE
"TALES FROM THE ARABIC."

VOL. TTT.

INDEX TO THE NAMES OF THE " TALES
FROM THE ARABIC"

N.B. — The Roman numerals denote the volume, the Arabi- the page.

ABBAS (El) and the King's Daughter of Baghdad, Hi. 53.

Abbaside, Jaafer ben Yehya and Abdulmelik ben Salih the, i. 183.

Abdallah ben Nafi and the King's Son of Cashghar, ii. 195.

Abdulmelik ben Salih the Abbaside, Jaafer ben Yehya, and, L 183,

Abou Sabir, Story of, i. 9a

Abou Temam, Story of I Ian Shah and, i. 126.

Actions, Of the Issues of Good and Evil, i. 103.

Advantages of Patience, Of the, i. 89.

Affairs, Of Looking to the Issues of, i. 80.

Ali of Damascus and Sitt el Milah, Noureddin, iii. 3.

Appointed Term, Of the, i. 147.

Alab oi the Benou Tai, En Numan and the, i. 203.

Asleep and Awake, i. 5.

292

Am, the Sharpers, the Money -Changer and the, iL 41.

Awake, Asleep and, L 5.

Azadbekht and his Son, History of King, i. 61

BAGHDAD, El Abbas and the King's Daughter of, iii. 53.

Barmecides, Er Reshid and the, i. 189.

Barmecides, Haronn er Reshid and the Woman of the, L 57.

Bekhtzeman, Story of King, i. 115.

Benou Tai, En Numan and the Arab of the, L 203.

Bibers el Bunducdari and the Sixteen Officers of Police, El Melik es

Zahir Rukneddin, ii. 117.
Bihkerd, Story of King, i. 121.
Bihzad, Story of Prince, i. 99.
Bunducdari (El) and the Sixteen Officers of Police, El Melik ez Zahir

Rukneddin Bibers, iL 117.

CAIRO (The Merchant of) and the Favourite of the Khalif El Mamoua

El Hakim bi Amrillah, iii 171.
Cashghar, Abdallah ben Nan and the King's Son of, iL 195.
Caution was the Cause of his Death, The Man whose, i. 291.
Chamberlain's Wife, The King and his, iL 53.
Clemency, Of, L 120.
Cook, The Lackpenny and the, L 9.
Craft, Women's, ii. 287.
Credulous Husband, The, i. 27a

DADBIN (King) and his Viziers, Story of, L 104.

Damascus (Noureddin Ali of) and Sitt el Milah, iii. 3.

Daughter of the Poor Old Man, The Rich Man who married his

Fair, i. 247.
Daughters, The Two Kings and the Vizier's, iii. 145.

293

David and Solomon, i. 275.

Death, The Man whose Caution was the Cause of his, i. 291.

Destiny, Of, i. 136.

Dethroned King whose Kingdom and Good were restored to him,

The, i. 285.
Disciple's Story, The, L 283.
Draper's Wife, The Old Woman and the, ii. 55.
Druggist, The Singer and the, i. 229.

EIGHTH Officer's Story, The, ii. 155.

Eleventh Officer's Story, The, ii. 175.

Endeavour against Persistent 111 Fortune, Of the Uselessness of, i. 7a

Envy and Malice, Of, i. 125.

FAVOURITE and her Lover, The, iii. 165.

Favourite of the Khalif El Mamoun el Hakim bi Amrillah, The

Merchant of Cairo and the, iii. 171.
Fifteenth Officer's Story, The, ii. 19a
Fifth Officer's Story, The, ii. 144.
Firouz and his Wife, i. 209.
First Officer's Story, The, ii. 122.
Forehead, Of that which is written on the, i. 136,
Fortune, Of the Uselessness of Endeavour against Persistent 111, i. 70.
Foul-favoured Man and his Fair Wife, The, ii. 6t.
Fourteenth Officer's Story, The, ii. 183.
Fourth Officer's Story, The, ii. 142.
Fuller and his Wife, The, i. 261.

GIRL, The Journeyman and the, ii. 17.

God, Of the Speedy Relief of, L 174.

God, Of Trust in, L 114.

Governor, Story of the Man of Khorassan, his Son and his, i. 218.

294

HAKIM (El) bi Amrillah, The Merchant and the Favourite of th*

Khalif El Mamoun, in. 1 7 1.
Haroun er Reshid, Tuhfet el Culoub and, iL 203
Haroun er Reshid and the Woman of the Barmecides L 57
Hawk and the Locust, The, ii. 5a
Hejjaj (El) and the Three Young Men, i. 53.
Hind and his Vizier, The King of, ii. 105.
Hindbad the Porter, Sindbad the SaUor and, iii. 199.
Husband, The Credulous, i. 270.

IBN es Semmak and Er Reshid, i. 195.

Ibrahim and his Son, Story of King, i. 138.

Idiot and the Sharper, The, i. 298.

Ilan Shah and Abou Temam, Story of, i. 126.

Ill Effects of Precipitation, Of the, i. 98.

Ill Fortune, Of the Uselessness of Endeavour against Persistent, L 7a

Issues of Affairs, Of Looking to the, i. 80.

Issues of Good and Evil Actions, Of the, i. 103.

JAAFER ben Yehya and Abdulmelik ben Salih the Abbaside, i. 183.

Jest of a Thief, A Merry, ii. 186.

Jesus, The Three Men and our Lord, i. 282.

Journeyman and the Girl, The, iL 1 7.

KHALIF, El Mamoun El Hakim bi Amrillah, The Merchant of Cairo

and the Favourite of the, iii. 171.
Khalif Omar ben Abdulaziz and the Poets, The, L 45.
Khelbes and his Wife and the Learned Man, i. 301.
Khorassan, his Son and his Governor, Story of the Man of, i. 218.
King Azadbekht and his Son, History of, i. 61.
King Bekhtzeman, Story of, L 115.

295

King Bihkerd, Story of, i. 131.

King and his Chamberlain's Wife, The, H. 53.

King Dadbin and his Viziers, Story of, i. 104.

King (The Dethroned), whose Kingdom and Good were restored to him,

i. 285.
King of Ind and his Vizier, The, ii. 105.
King Ibrahim and his Son, Story of, i. 138.
King who lost Kingdom and Wife and Wealth, The, ii. 66,
King, The Old Woman, the Merchant and the, i. 265.
King who knew the Quintessence of Things, The, i 239.
King Shah Bekht and his Vizier Er Rehwan, L 21 5.
King Suleiman Shah and his Sons, Story of, i. 150.
King (The Unjust) and the Tither, i. 273.
King's Daughter of Baghdad, El Abbas and the, iii. 53.
King's Son of Cashghar, Abdullah ben Nan and the, ii. 195,
Kings and the Vizier's Daughters, The Two, iii. 145,

LACKPENNY and the Cook, The, L 9.

Lavish of House and Victual to one whom he knew not, The Man who

was, i. 293.
Learned Man, Khelbes and his Wife and the, i. 301,
Lewdness, The Pious Woman accused of, ii 5.
Locust, The Hawk and the, ii. 50.
Looking to the Issues of Affairs, Of, i. 80.
Lover, The Favourite and her, iii. 165.

MALICE, Of Envy and, i. 125.

Mamoun (El) El Hakim bi Amrillah, The Mercrant and the Favourite

of the Khalif, iii. 171.
Mamoun (El) and Zubeideh, i. 199.

296

Man whose Caution was the Cause of his Death, The, i. 291.

Man and his Fair Wife, The Foul-favoured, ii. 61.

Man of Khorassan, his Son and his Governor, Story of the, i. 218.

Man who was lavish of House and Victual to One whom he knew not,

The, L 293.
Mariyeh, El Abbas and, iii. 53.
Marriage to the Poor Old Man, The Rich Man who gave his Fair

Daughter in, i. 247.
Melik (El) Ez Zahir Rukneddin Bibers el Bunducdari and the Sixteen

Officers of Police, ii. 117.
Men and our Lord Jesus, The Three, i. 282.
Merchant of Cairo and the Favourite of the Khalif El Mamoun K

Hakim bi Amrillah, The, iii. 171.
Merchant and the King, The Old Woman, the, i. 265.
Merchant and his Sons, The, i. 81.
Merchant, The Unlucky, i. 73.
Merchants, The Sharper and the, ii. 46.
Merouzi (El) and Er Razi, ii. 28.
Merry Jest of a Thief, A, ii. 186.
Money-Changer and the Ass, The Sharpers, the, B. 41.

NINTH Officer's Story, The, H. 167.

Noureddin Ali of Damascus and Sitt el Milah, ML f>

Numan (En) and the Arab of the Benou Tai, i. 203,

OFFICER'S Story, The First, ii. 122.
Officer's Story, The Second, ii. 134.
Officer's Story, The Third, ii. 137.
Officer's Story, The Fourth, ii. 14a.
Officer's Story, The Fifth, ii. 144-

297

Officer's Story, The Sixth, ii. 146.

Officer's Story, The Seventh, ii. 15a

Officer's Story, the Eighth, ii. 155.

Officer's Story, The Ninth, ii. 167.

Officer's Story, The Tenth, ii. 172.

Officer's Story, The Eleventh, ii. 175.

Officer's Story, The Twelfth, ii. 179.

Officer's Story, The Thirteenth, ii. 181.

Officer's Story, The Fourteenth, ii. 183.

Officer's Story, The Fifteenth, ii. 19a

Officer's Story, The Sixteenth, ii. 193.

Officers of Police, El Melik ez Zahir Rukneddin Bibers el Bunducdari

and the Sixteen, ii. 117.
Old Sharper, Story of the, ii. 187.
Old Woman and the Draper's Wife, The, ii. 55.
Old Woman, the Merchant and the King, The, i. 265.
Omar ben Abdulaziz and the Poets, The Khalif, i. 45.

PATIENCE, Of the Advantages of, i. 89.

Physician by his Wife's Commandment, The Weaver who became a,

ii. 21.
Picture, The Prince who fell in love with the, L 256.
Pious Woman accused of Lewdness, The, ii. 5*
Poets, The Khalif Omar ben Abdulaziz and the, i. 45.
Police, El Melik ez Zahir Rukneddin Bibers el Bunducdari and th«

Sixteen Officers of, ii. 117.
Poor Old Man, The Rich Man who gave his Fair Daughter in Marriago

to the, i. 247.
Porter, Sindbad the Sailor and Hindbad the, iii. 199.
Precipitation, Of the 111 Effects of, i. 98.

298

Prince Bihrad, Story of, L 99.

Prince who fell in Love with the Picture, The, L 256.

Prisoner and how God gave him Relief, Story of the, i. 174.

QUINTESSENCE of Things, The King who knew the, i. 039.

RAZI (Er) and El Merouzi, ii. 28.

Rehwan (Er), King Shah Bekht and his Virier, i. tl$.

Relief of God, Of the Speedy, i. 174.

Relief, Story of the Prisoner and how God gave him, L 174.

Reshid (Er) and the Barmecides, i. 189.

Reshid (Er), Ibn es Semmak and, i. 195.

Reshid (Er), Tuhfet el Culoub and, ii. 203.

Reshid (Haroun er) and the Woman of the Barmecides, i. 57.

Rich Man who gave his Fair Daughter in Marriage to the Poor Old

Man, The, i. 247.
Rich Man and his Wasteful Son, The, i. 25a.

SABIR (Abou), Story of, i. 90.

Sailor and Hindbad the Porter, Sindbad the, iiL 199.

Second Officer's Story, The, ii. 134.

Selim and Selma, ii 81.

Selma, Selim and, ii. 81.

Semmak (Ibn es) and Er Reshid, i. 195.

Seventh Officer's Story, The, ii. 1 5a

Seventh Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor, The, m. 224.

Shah Bekht and his Vizier Er Rehwan, King, i. 215.

Sharper, The Idiot and the, i. 298.

Sharper and the Merchant, The, ii. 46

Sharper, Story of the OM, ii. 187.

Sharpers who cheated each his Fellow, The Two, ii. aS.

299

Sharpers, The Money-Changer and the Ass, The, it 41.

Shehriyar, Shehrzad and, ii. Ill, iii. 141, 157.

Shehrzad and Shehriyar, ii. in, iii. 141, 157.

Sindbad the Sailor and Hindbad the Porter, iii. 199.

Sindbad the Sailor, The Seventh Voyage of, iii 224.

Sindbad the Sailor, The Sixth Voyage of, iii. 203.

Singer and the Druggist, The, i. 229.

Sitt el Milah, Noureddin AH of Damascus and, iii. 3.

Sixteen Officers of Police, £1 Melik ez Zahir Rukneddin Biben d

Bunducdari and the, ii. 1 17.
Sixteenth Officer's Story, The, ii. 193.
Sixth Officer's Story, The, ii. 146.
Sixth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor, The, iii. 203.
Solomon, David and, i. 275.

Son, The History of King Azadbekht and his, i. 61.
Son and his Governor, Story of the Man of Khorassan, his, L 3I&
Son, Story of King Ibrahim and his, L 138.
Son, The Rich Man and his Wasteful, i. 252.
Sons, Story of King Suleiman Shah and his, i. 1 50.
Sons, The Merchant and his, i. 81.
Speedy Relief of God, Of the, L 174.
Suleiman Shah and his Sons, Story of King, i. 15a

TA I, En Numan and the Arab of the Benou. i. 203.

Temam (Abou), Story of Ilan Shah and, i. 126.

Ten Viziers, The, i. 61 .

Tenth Officer's Story, The, ii. 17*

Term, Of the Appointed, i. 147.

Thief, A Merry Jest of a, ii. 186.

Thief s Story, The, ii. 165.

3<x>

Thief and the Woman, The, L 278.

Things, The King who knew the Quintessence of, L 239.

Third Officer's Story, The, ii. 137.

Thirteenth Officer'* Story, The, ii. 181.

Three Men and our Lord Jesus, The, i. 282.

Three Young Men, £1 Hejjaj and the, L 53.

Tither, The Unjust King and the, L 273.

Trust in God, Of, 114.

Tuhfet el Culoub and Er Reshid, ii. 203.

Twelfth Officer's Story, The, n. 179.

Two Kings and the Vizier's Daughters, The, iii 145.

UNJUST King and the Tither, The, i. 273.

Unlucky Merchant, The, L 73.

Uselessness of Endeavour against Persistent 111 Fortune, Of the, i. 7a

VIZIER, The King of Hind and his, ii. 105.

Vizier Er Rehwan, King Shah eeicht and his, i. 21 5.

Vizier's Daughters, The Two Kings and the, iii. 145.

Viziers, Story of King Dadbin ana nis, 1. 104.

Viziers, The Ten, L 61.

Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor, The Seventh, iii. 224.

Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor, The Sixth, iii 203.

WASTEFUL Son, The Rich Man and bis, i. 252.

Weaver who became a Physician by his Wife's Commandment, The

ii. 31.
Wife, The King and bis Chamberlain's, ii. 53
Wife, The Old Woman and the Draper's, ii. 55.

30i

Wife, Fironz and his, i. 209.

Wife, The Fuller and his, i. 261.

Wife and the Learned Man, Khelbes and his, i. 301.

Woman accused of Lewdness, The Pious, ii. 5.

Woman of the Barmecides, Haroun er Reshid and the, V 57.

Woman, The Thief and the, i. 278.

Woman (The Old) and the Draper's Wife, ii 55.

Woman (The Old), the Merchant and the King, i. 265.

Women's Craft, ii. 287.

YOUNG Men, £1 Hejjaj and the Three, L 53.

ZUBEIDEH, El Mamonn and, i. 199

TH* kjvu,

m ■■■*■' p

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