Full text of "A plain and literal translation of the Arabian nights entertainments, now entitled The book of the thousand nights and a night"

FROM-THE- LIBRARY-OF
TRINITYCOLLEGETORDNTO

,*TO THE PURE ALL THINGS ARE PURE
(Paris omnia pura)

"Niuna corrotta mente intese mai sanamente parole."

"Decameron " conclusion.

Erubuit, posuitquc meum Lucretia librum

Sed coram Bruto. Brute 1 recede, leget. "

Martial.

Mieulx est de ris que de larmes escripre,

Pour ce que rire est le propre des hommes."

RABELAIS.

The pleasure we derive from perusing the Thousand-and^One
Stone* makes us regret that we possess only a comparatively small
part of these twily enchanting fictions."

CMCHTON'S "ffisUy>of Arabia.

TO THE BOOK OF THE

ftijottsattfc Nigftte atifc a Nigf)t

ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND EXPLANATORY

VOLUME IV.

RICHARD F. BURTON

PRINTED BY THE BURTON CLUB FOR PRIVATE
SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Shammar Edition

Limited to one thousand numbered sets,
of which this is

NrnnW

PRINTED IN U. S. A.

8903^

TO WILLIAM H. CHANDLER, ESQ.,

Pembroke College^ Oxford.

MY DEAR MR. CHANDLER,

As without your friendly and generous aid this volume
could never have seen the light, I cannot resist the temptation of inscribing
it to you and without permission, for your modesty would have refused any
such acknowledgment.

I am, ever,

Yours sincerely,

RICHARD F. BURTON.

TRIESTE,

March loM, 1888.

THE TRANSLATOR'S FOREWORD.

As my first and second volumes (Supplemental) were composed of
translated extracts from the Breslau Edition of The Nights, so this
tome and its successor (vols. iv. and v.) comprise my version from
the (Edward) Wortley Montague Codex immured in the old
Bodleian Library* Oxford.

Absence from England prevents for the present my offering
a satisfactory description of this widely known manuscript;
but I may safely promise that the hiatus shall be filled up in
vol. v., which is now ready for the press.

The contents of the Wortley Montague text are not wholly
unfamiliar to Europe. In 1811 Jonathan Scott, LL.D. Oxon.
(for whom see my vols. i., ix. and x. 497), printed with Longmans
and Co. his " Arabian Nights Entertainments " in five substantial
volumes 8vo, and devoted a sixth and last to excerpts entitled

TALES
SELECTED FROM THE MANUSCRIPT COPY

OF THE

iooi NIGHTS
BROUGHT TO EUROPE BY EDWARD WORTLEY MONT^UE, ESQ.

Translated from the Arabic
BY JONATHAN SCOTT, LL.D.

Unfortunately for his readers Scott enrolled himself amongst
the acolytes of Professor Galland, a great and original genius in
the line Raconteur , and a practical Orientalist whose bright example
was destined to produce disastrous consequences. The Frenchman,

viii Translator's Foreword.

however unscrupulous he might have been about casting down and
building up in order to humour the dead level of Gallican bon gotit,
could, as is shown by his " Aladdin/' translate literatim and
verbatim when the story-stuff is of the right species and accept-
able to the average European taste. But, as generally happens
in such cases, his servile suite went far beyond their master and
model. Petis de la Croix ("Persian and Turkish Tales"),
Chavis and Gazette (" New Arabian Nights "), Dow (" Inayatu
llah") and Morell ("Tales of the Genii"), with others manifold
whose names are now all but forgotten, carried out the Gallandian
liberties to the extreme of licence and succeeded in producing a
branchlet of literature, the most vapid, frigid and insipid that can
be imagined by man, a bastard Europeo-Oriental, pseudo-Eastern
world of Western marionettes garbed in the gear which Asiatic are
(or were) supposed to wear, with sentiments and opinions, manners
and morals to match ; the whole utterly lacking life, local colour,
vraisemblance, human interest. From such abortions, such
monstrous births, libera nos, Domine !
And Scott out-gallanded Galland :

Diruit, sedificat, xnutat quad rat a rotundis.

It is hard to quote a line which he deigned textually to
translate. He not only commits felony on the original by
abstracting whole sentences and pages ad libitum, but he also
thrusts false goods into his author's pocket and patronises* the un-
fortunate Eastern story-teller by foisting upon him whatever he, the
" translator and traitor," deems needful. On this point no more
need be said : the curious reader has but to compare any one of
Scott's " translations " with the original or, for that matter, with
the present version.

I determined to do that for Scott which Lane had done partly
and imperfectly, and Payne had successfully and satisfactorily
done for Galland. But my first difficulty was about the text. It

Translator's Foreword. ix

was impossible to face without affright the prospect of working
for months amid the discomforts and the sanitary dangers of
Oxford's learned atmosphere and in her obsolete edifices the
Bodleian and the Radcliffe. Having ascertained, however, that
in the so-called " University " not a scholar could be found to read
the text, I was induced to apply for a loan not to rnyself
personally for I should have shunned the responsibility but in the
shape of a temporary transfer of the seven -volumed text, tome by
tome, to the charge of Dr. Rost, the excellent Librarian of the
India Office.

My hopes, however, were fated to be deferred. Learned bodies,
Curators and so forth, are ponderous to move and powerless to
change, for

The trail of the slow-worm is over them all.

My official application was made on September I3th, 1886. The
tardiest steps were taken as if unwillingly and, when they could no
longer decently be deferred, they resulted in the curtest and most
categorical but not most courteous of refusals, under circumstances
of peculiar disfavour, on November 1st of the same year. Here
I shall say no more : the correspondence has been relegated to
Appendix A. My subscribers, however, will have no reason to
complain of these u Ineptiae Bodleianae." I had pledged myself in
case of a loan " not to translate Tales that might be deemed
offensive to propriety :" the Curators have kindly set me free
from that troublesome condition and I thank them therefor.

Meanwhile I had not been idle. Three visits to Oxford in
September and October had enabled me to reach the DIVth
Night. But the laborious days and inclement evenings, combined
with the unsanitary state of town and libraries the Bodleian
and the Rotunda brought on a serious attack of " lithiasis " as it
is now called, and prostrated me for two months, until it was time
to leave England en route for my post.

x Translator's Foreword.

Under these circumstances my design threatened to end in
failure. As often befalls to men out of England, every move
ventured by pie menaced only check-mate. I began by seeking a
copyist at Oxford, one who would imitate the text as an ignoramus
might transcribe music : an undergraduate volunteered for the task
and after a few days dropped it in dumb disgust. The attempt
was presently repeated by a friend with the unsatisfactory result
that three words out of four were legible. In London several
Easterns were described as able and willing for the work ; but they
also were found wanting; one could not be trusted with the MS.
and another was marriage-mad. Photography was lastly proposed,
but considerations of cost seemed to render it unavailable. At
last, when matters were at the worst, the proverbial amendment
appeared. Mr. Chandler, whose energetic and conscientious
opposition to all " Bodleian loans," both of books and of manu-
scripts, had mainly caused the passing of the prohibitory statute,
came forward in the most friendly and generous way : with no
small trouble to himself he superintended the " sun-pictures," each
page of the original being reduced to half-size, and he insisted
upon the work being done wholly and solely at his own expense.
I know not how to express my gratitude.

The process was undertaken by Mr. Percy Notcutt, of Kings-
bury and Notcutt, 45, St. George's Place, Knightsbridge, and the
four hundred and odd pages were reproduced in most satisfactory
style.

Being relegated to a port-town which never possessed even an
Arabic lexicon, I have found some difficulty with the Wortley
Montague MS. as it contains a variety of local words unknown
to the common dictionaries. But I have worked my best to sur-
mount the obstacle by consulting many correspondents, amongst
whom may be mentioned the name of my late lamented friend, the
Reverend George Percy Badger ; and, finally, by submitting my proofs
to the corrections and -additions of the lexicologist Dr. Steingass.

Translators Foreword* xi

Appendix B will requfre no apology to the numerous admirers
of Mr. E. J. W. Gibb's honest and able work, "The History of the
Forty Vezirs " (London, Redway, MDCCCLXXXVl). The writer in
a book intended for the public was obliged to leave in their
original Turkish, and distinguished only by italics, three " facetious "
tales which, as usual, are some of the best in the book. These
have been translated for me and I offer them to my readers on
account of their curious analogies with many in The Nights

RICHARD F. BURTON,

TRIESTE,

April loM, 1 883.

CONTENTS OF THE FOURTH VOLUME

PAGE

1. STORY OF THE SULTAN OF AL YAMAN AND HIS THREE

SONS I

(Scott : Story of the Sultan of Yemen and his Three Sons : Vol. VI. p. I.)

2. STORY OF THE THREE SHARPERS . . . . . . if

(Scott : Story of the Three Sharpers and the Sultan, p. 7.)

a. THE SULTAN WHO FARED FORTH IN THE HABIT OF A

DARWAYSH 35

(Scott : The Adventures of the Abdicated Sultan, p. 18.)

b. HISTORY OF MOHAMMED, SULTAN OF CAIRO . . 37

(Scott : History of Mahummud, Sultan of Cairo. p. 20.)

c. STORY OF THE FIRST LUNATIC .49

(Scott: Story of the First Lunatic, p. 31.)

d. STORY OF THE SECOND LUNATIC . '''' . 67

(Scott : Story of the Second Lunatic, p. 45.)

e. STORY OF THE SAGE AND THE SCHOLAR . . . Y 74

(Scott: Story of the Retired Sage and his Pupil, related to the Sultan
by the Second Lunatic, p. 52.)

/. THE NIGHT-ADVENTURE OF SULTAN MOHAMMED OF CAIRO

WITH THE THREE FOOLISH SCHOOLMASTERS ... 90

(Scott : Night- Adventure of the Sultan, p. 68.)

: .r>

g. STORY OF THE BROKE-BACK SCHOOLMASTER . . . - . 95
( Scott : Story of the Broken-backed Schoolmaster. /, 72)

xiv Contents.

k. STORY or THE SPLIT-MOUTHED SCHOOLMASTER . , 97
(Stott : Story of the wry-mouthed Schoolmaster, p. 74.)

i. STORY OF THE LIMPING SCHOOLMASTER . . . , . 101

/. STORY OF THE THREE SISTERS AND THEIR MOTHER THE

SULTANAH . , . . . . 109

(Scott: The Sultan's Second Visit to the Sisters, p. 76; and
Story of the Sisters and the Sultana t their Mother, "p. 82.)

3. HISTORY OF THE KAZI WHO BARE A BABE . . . .167

(Scott: Story of the Avaricious Cauzee and his Wife. p. 112.)

4. TALE OF THE KAZI AND THE BHANG-EATER . . . 187

(Story of the Bang- Eater and the Cauxee. p. 126.)

a. HISTORY OF THE BHANG-EATER AND HIS WIFE . . .202
(Scoff: Story of the Bang-Eater and his Wife. p. 133 )

6. How DRUMMER ABU KASIM BECAME A KAZI . . . .210

. STORY OF THE KAZI AND HIS SLIPPER (including the Tale ojf
the Bhang- Eater who became the Just IVazir and who decided
two difficult cases) 212

(Scott : Continuation of the Fisherman, or Bang- Eater* s Adventures,
p. 138.)

V* TALE OF MAHMUD THE PERSIAN AND THE KURD SHARPER . 242
(Scott: The Sultan and the Traveller Mhamood al-ffyjemmee.
p. 154.)

*. TALE OF THE SULTAN AND THE POOR MAN WHO BROUGHT

TO HIM FRUIT 242

(Scott : Story of the Husbandman. p. 157.)

/. THE FRUIT-SELLER'S TALE 244

. TALE OF THE SULTAN AND HIS THREE SONS AND THE

ENCHANTING BIRD % 244

{Scott: Story of the Three Princes and Enchanting Bird. p. 160.)
ft. ADVENTURE OF THE FRUIT-SELLER AND THE CONCUBINE . 256

STORY OF THE KING OF AL-YAMAN AND HIS THREE SONS AND

THE ENCHANTING BIRD ..... 258
{Scott : Story of a Sultan of Yemen and hit Thret Sons. p. 169.)

Contents. xv

i. HISTORY OF THE FIRST LARRIKIN ...... 281

(Scott : Story of the First Sharper in the Cave. p. 185.)

k. HISTORY OF THE SECOND LARRIKIN 290

/. HISTORY OF THE THIRD LARRIKIN 294

m. STORY OF A SULTAN OF AL-HIND AND HIS SON MOHAMMED

(told by the First Larrikin} 297

(Scott: History of the Sultan of Hind. p. 194.)

. TALE OF THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SON (told by the Second

Larrikin) 314

(Scott : Story of the Fisherman's Son. p. 2IO.)
o. TALE OF THE THIRD LARRIKIN CONCERNING HIMSELF . . 329

HISTORY OF ABU NIYYAH AND ABU NIYYATAYN . . 334

(Scott : Story of Abou Neeut and Abou Neeuteen ; or, the Well-intentioned
and the Double-minded, p. 2I$.)

APPENDIX A. INEPTI^E BODLEIAN^ 355

APPENDIX B. THE THREE UNTRANSLATED TALES IN

MR. E. J. W. GIBB'S "FORTY VEZIRS" . . . 367

STORY OF THE SULTAN OF AL-YAMAN AND
HIS THREE SONS.

STORY OF THE SULTAN OF AL-YAMAN AND HIS
THREE SONS. 1

THERE was erewhile in the land of Al-Yaman a man which was a
Sultan and under him were three Kinglets whom he overruled.
He had four children ; to wit, three sons and a daughter : he also
owned wealth and treasures greater than reed can pen or page
may contain ; as well as animals such as horses and camels, sheep
and black cattle; and he was held in awe by all the sovrans.
But when his reign had lasted for a length of time, Age 2 brought
with it ailments and infirmities and he became incapable of faring
forth his Palace to the Divan, the hall of audience ; whereupon he
summoned his three sons to the presence and said to them, "As
for me, 'tis my wish to divide among you all my substance ere I
die, that ye may be equal in circumstance and live in accordance
with whatso I shall command." And they said, " Hearkening and
obedience." Then quoth the Sultan, " Let the eldest of you
become sovereign after me : let the cadet succeed to my moneys
and treasures 3 and as for the youngest let him inherit my animals

1 From the Wortley Montague MS. vol. iii. pp. 80-96. J. Scott : vol. vi. pp. 1-7..
Histoire du Sulthan d 1 Yemen et de ses trois fils ; Gauttier vol. vi. pp. 158-165.

* The worst disease in human life, now recognised as " Anmis Domini."

8 Arab. "Mai wa Ghawdl" : in Badawi parlance "Mai" would = flocks and herds
(pecunia, pecus) ; and amongst the burghers = ready money, coin. Another favourite
jingle of similar import is " Mdl wa Nawal."

This is an older form of the Sultan of Al-Yaman and his three sons, taken from
M. Zotenberg's " Chronique de Tabari," vol. ii. pp. 357-6l.

Apres la mort de Nizar, ses fils, en prenant possession des objets que leur pere avait
donna's chacun, eurent des contestations relativement aux autres biens. Alors i!s
monterent sur des chameaux pour se rendrei Nadjr&i aupres du devin, voulant sou-
mettre k sonjugement le partage. Sur la route, ils rencontrerent un terrain couvert
d'herbe, dont une partie tait broute"e, et une partie intacte. Modhar dit : Le chameau
qui a broute cette herbe est borgne de 1'oeil droit. Rabi'a dit : II est boiteux du pied

4 Supplemental Nights. .

of every kind. Suffer none to transgress against other ; but each
aid eacn and assist his co-partner." He then caused them to sign

droit. lyad dit : II a la queue coupee. Anmar dit : II s'est echappe des mains de son
maJtre, parce qu'il est farouche. Un peu plus loin, ils rencontrerent un homme monte"
sur un chameau ; ils lui demanderent qui il tait. II repondit qu'il etait de telle tribu,
t qu'il etait a la recherche d'un chameau qui s'etait e'chappe. Modhar lui dit : Ce

chameau n'est-il pas borgne de 1'ceil droit ? Oui, repondit 1'homme. Ne penche-

t-il pas du cote* droit? demanda Rabi'a. Oui. II n'a pas de queue, dit lyad.

C'est vrai, repondit 1'homme. Anffiar ajouta : II est farouche. Oui, dit,

1'homme ; ou est-il, ce chameau ? Nous ne 1'avons pas vu, dirent les freres. Si

vous ne 1'avez pas vu, replique I'homme, comment savez-vous toutes ces particularite's ?
II insista et dit : C'est certainement vous qui 1'avez ; rendez-le moi. Nous ne
1'avons pas. II leur demanda ou ils allaient. Les freres lui dirent qu'ils se rendaient
a Nadjrzln, aupres d'Af a, le devin, pour soumettre a son jugement un differend qui
s'etait e'leve' entre eux. Get homme, qui e"tait seul, s'attacha a leurs pas, et suivit les
quatre freres jusqu'a Nadjran.

Af a ne les connaissait pas, mais il les recut gracieusement et leur demanda le but de
leur voyage. Ils lui dirent : Notre pere est mort, et nous ne pouvons pas nous accorder
sur la partage de ses biens ; nous sommes venus afin que tu prononces entre 1 nous
quatre ; nous sommes tombe's d'accord de nous soumettre a ton jugement. Alois le
proprietaire du chameau dit : Arrange d'abord 1'affaire de mon chameau entre eux et
moi ; j'ai perdu un chameau, ce sont eux qui le tiennent. Af'a lui dit : Comment safe-
tu qu'ils 1'ont? L'homme re*pondit: Parce qu'ils m'ont donne son signalement: s'ils
ne 1'avaient pas vu, comment le sauraient-ils ? Modhar dit : J'ai reconnu que ce
chameau e"tait borgne de 1'ceil droit, parce qu'il avait broute 1'herbe d'un cote* seule-
ment, et qu'il ne 1'avait pas touche du cote* ou elle e"tait meilleure. Rabi'a dit :
J'ai remarque" que son pied droit avait imprime sur le sol des traces bien marquees et
je n'ai pas vu celles de 1'autre pied ; de la j'ai su qu'il penchait du cote* droit. ly&d
dit : J'ai vu que ses crottins e"taient re*unis en tas, comme ceux du bceuf, et non comme
sont ordinairement ceux du chameau, qui les e*crase (parpille ?) avec sa queue; j'ai
reconnu par la qu'il n* avait pas de queue. Anmar dit: J'ai remarque que 1'herbe
n'e'tait pas broute'e a un seul et meme endroit, mais qu'il avait pris partout une
bouchee : j'ai su que le chameau e"tait d'un caracte're farouche et inquiet. Le devin
admirait le savoir et 1' intelligence des quatre freres. Cette rnaniere de juger fait
partie de 1'art de la divination, et on 1'appelle b&b al-tazktn c'est une des branches
de la science. Ensuite le devin dit au proprietaire de chameau : Ces gens-la n'ont
pas ton chameau ; va-t'en. Ayant demande aux quatre freres qui ils etaient, et ceux-ci
lui ayant declare* qu'ils Etaient les fils de Nizir, fils de Ma'add, fils d'Adnin, le devin
dit : Excusez-moi de ne vous avoir pas reconnus ; j'ai e*te* lie d'amitie* avec votre pere :
soyez mes h6tes ce jour et cette nuit, demain j'arrangerai votre afiaire. Ils consentirent.
Le pere et les ancetres de ce devin avaient &< chefs de Nadjran.

Le devin leur fit pre*parer un repas. On leur servit un agneau roti et une cruche de
vin, et ils mangerent. Lorsque le vin leur monta a la tete, Modhar dit : Je n'ai jamais
bu un vin plus doux que celui-ci ; mais il vient d'une vigne plant^e sur un tombeau.
Rabi'a dit: Je n'ai jamais mange" de la viande d' agneau plus succulente que celle-ci;
mais cet agneau a etc" nourri du lait d'une chienne. Anmar dit : Se \A6 qui a servi a
faire le pain que nous venons de manger a etc* seme* dans un cimetiere. lyad dit :
Notre hote est un excellent homme ; mais il n*est pas un fils legitime j ce n'est pas son
pere (legal) qui 1'a engendre*, mais un autre homme ; sa mere 1'a concu dans l'adultere

Story of the Su j tan of At- Yaman and His Three Sons* 5

a bond and agreement to abide by his bequeathal ; and, after
delaying a while, he departed to the mercy of Allah. Thereupon
his three sons got ready the funeral gear and whatever was suited

Le devin recueillit leurs paroles, mais il ne leur en dit rien. Quand la nuit fut venue
ct qu'ils furent endormis, il appela son intendant et lui demanda de quelle vigne
provenait le vin (que Ton avail servi aux hotes). L'intendant dit : Une vigne a pousse
sur le tombeau de ton pere et elle est devenue grande ; j'en ai recueilli le raisin, et ce
vin en provient. Ensuite le devin fit venir le berger, et le questionna relativement
a 1' agneau. Le berger dit : Quand cet agneau vint au monde, il e"tait tres-joli ; mais
se mere mourut, et il n'y avait pas alors de brebis qui cut mis bas. Une chienne
avait eu des petits ; je mis cet agneau avec la chienne jusqu'a ce qu'il fut grand.
Je n'en ai pas trouv6 de meilleur pour te 1'apporter, lorsque tu m'as fait demander un
agneau. Enfin le devin appela le metayer, et 1'interrogea sur le ble. Le me"tayer lui
dit : II y a d'un cote de notre champ un cimetiere. Cette anne*e-ci j'ai ensemence une
partie du cimetiere, et c'est de la que provient le bl que je t'ai apporte". Le devin,
fort e*tonne de ces explications, dit : Maintenant c'est le tour de ma mere. II alia
trouver sa mere et lui dit: Si tune m'avoues pas la verite en ce 'qui me concerne, je
te fais mourir. Sa mere parla ainsi : Ton pere e*tait le chef de ce peuple et possedait
de grandes richesses. Comme je n'avais pas d' enfant de lui, je craignis qu'a sa mort
ses biens ne tombassent entre des mains etrangeres et qu'un autre ne prit le pouvoir,
Un Arabe, homme de belle figure, fut un jour I'h6te de ton pere ; je m'abandonnai a
lui, la nuit ; je devins enceinte, et c'est a lui que tu dois ta naissance. J'ai dit a ton
.pere que tu avais etc engendre par lui.

Le lendemain, le devin ihterrogea les quatre freres sur leurs paroles, en disant : Je
veux que vous me fassiez connaitre comment vous avez su les choses que vous avez dites.
Modhar, le premier, lui dit : J'ai su que la vigne etait planted sur un tombeau, parce que,
quand nous avions bu le vin, nous devenions tristes et nous avions la figure alte'ree ; ce
qui n'est pas 1'effet ordinaire du vin. Le deuxieme, dit; J'ai reconnu ce qui concernait
1'agneau, parce que nous n'avions jamais mang de viande plus douce que celle-la, et
qu'il n'y a, dans le monde, rien de plus doux que le lait de la chienne. Le troisieme dit :
Les Arabes honorent beaucoup leurs hotes ; lorsqu'ils traitent des hotes, ils restent avec eux
et partagent leur repas ; mais toi tu nous as fait servir le repas, tu nous as quittes et tu
t'es mis a epier nos paroles. J'ai reconnu par la ta condition ; j'ai remarque" que tu
n'avais pas la gravite des Arabes, et j'ai pense qu'il y avait quelque ille'galite dans ton
origine. Le quatrieme dit : J'ai reconuu la qualite du ble, parce que le ble sem dans
un cimetiere donne au pain un gout de terre ; et j'ai trouve ce gout dans ce pain. Le
devin leur dit : Vous etes plus savants que moi ; vous n'avez pas besoin de mon juge
ment. Ils repliquerent : Quand deux personnes ont un differend, il faut un tiers pour
juger, qu'il soil savant ou non. Ce sont les dernieres volonte*s de notre pere, qui nous
a dit de nous en rapporter a ton jugement, si nous n'etions pas d' accord sur 1' heritage.
Le devin dit : Indiquez-moi exactement ce que votre pere a donn a chacun de vous et ce
qu'il a laisse". Notre pere, dirent-ils, a laiss de 1'or, de 1'argent, des chevaux, des moutons,
des tapis et des vases de toute espece et en grand nombre. Ils raconterent ensuite ce que
leur pere avait donne* a chacun d'eux. Le devin dit : Laissez a Modhar tout ce que votre
pere avait en fait d'or et de chameaux ; car ces objets sont rouges. Donnez.les chevaux,
les esclaves et les vetements noirs a Rabi'a ; les esclaves blancs, 1'argent et les vStements
blancs a lyad, et les tapis et les moutons a Anmar. Les quatre freres accepterent cette
sentence, et s'en retournerent.

6 Supplemental Nights.

to his estate for the mortuary obsequies such as* cerements and
other matters : they washed the corpse and enshrouded it and
prayed over it: then, having committed it to the earth they
returned to their palaces where the Wazirs and the Lords of the
Land and the city-folk in their multitudes, high and low, rich and
poor, flocked to condole with them on the loss of their father. And
the news of his decease was soon bruited abroad in all the provinces ;
and deputations from each and every city came to offer condolence
to the King's sons. These ceremonies duly ended, the eldest
Prince demanded that he should be seated as Sultan on the stead
of his sire in accordance with the paternal will and testament ;
but he could not obtain it from his two brothers as both and each
said, " I will become ruler in room of my father." So enmity and
disputes for the government now arose amongst them and it was
not to be won by any ; but at last quoth the eldest Prince, " Wend
we and submit ourselves to the arbitration of a Sultan of the
tributary sultans ; and let him to whom he shall adjudge the realm
take it and reign over it." Quoth they " 'Tis well ! " and thereto
agreed, as did also the Wazirs; and the three set out without

suite seeking the capital of one of the subject Sovrans. And

Shahrazdd 1 was surprised by the dawn of day 2 and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
" How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that
I would relate to you on the coming night, an the King suffer me
to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

1 In the W. M. MS. the sisters are called " Shahrzadeh" ( = City-born) and "Dinr-
zadeh " (= ducat-born) and the royal brothers Shahrbaz (= City-player or City-falcon)
and Kahraman (vol. i. p. 1) alias Samarban (ibid.) I shall retain the old spelling.

8 I have hitherto translated " wa adraka (masc.) Shahrdzada al-Sabdh," as = And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day ; but it is more correct as well as more picturesque
to render the phrase " was surprised (or overtaken) by the dawn.*'

Story of the Sultan of Al- Yaman and His Three Sons. 7

f^untrrcfc nnfc f}ftti'etf)

DUNYAzAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night!" She replied: With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deed fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the three Princes
fared seeking a Sultan of the sultans who had been under the hands
of their sire, in order that they might take him to arbitrator. And
they stinted not faring till the middle way, when behold, they came
upon a mead abounding in herbage and in rain-water lying
sheeted. 1 So they sat them down to rest and to eat of their
victual, when one of the brothers, casting his eye upon the herb-
age, cried, " Verily a camel hath lately passed this way laden half
with Halwa-sweetmeats and half with Hdmiz-pickles." 2 "True,"
cried the second, " and he was blind of an eye." Exclaimed the
third, "Tis sooth; and indeed he hath lost his tail." Hardly,
however, had they ended their words when lo ! the owner of the
camel came upon them (for he had overheard their speech and had
said to himself, " By Allah, these three fellows have driven off my
property, inasmuch as they have described the burthen and eke
the beast as tail-less and one-eyed"), and cried out, "Ye three
have carried away my camel ! )>8 " By Allah we have not seen

1 Arab. " 'Adrdn," the V being 'Adr=much and heavy rain.

8 For " Halw " see vol. ii. pp. 47-212. Scott (vol. vi. 413) explains " Hdmiz " as
" a species of small grain," probably confounding it with Hummus (or Himmis) = vetches.
It is the pop. term for pickles, "sour meat " as opposed to " sweetmeats." The Arabs
divide the camel's pasture into "Khullah" which means sweet food called bread and
into " Hdmiz " termed fruit : the latter is composed mainly of salsolacese, and as camels
feed upon it during the hot season it makes them drink. Hence in Al-Hariri (Preface)
" I change the pasture," &*., I pass from grave to gay, from light to dignified style.
(Chenery, p. 274).

3 This is the modern version of the tale which the author of "Zadig" has made
familiar to Europe. The hero is brought before the King and Queen of Babylon for
stealing a horse and a dog ; and, when held by the chief "Destour" (priest) to be a

8 Supplemental Nights.

him," quoth the Princes, " much less have we touched him ; " but
quoth the man, " By the Almighty, who can have taken him except
you ? and if you will not deliver him to me, off with us, I and you
three, to the Sultan." They replied, " By all manner of means ;
let us wend to the Sovran." So the four hied forth, the three
Princes and the Cameleer, and ceased not faring till they reached
the capital of the King. There they took seat without the wall
to rest for an hour's time and presently they arose and pushed into
the city and came to the royal Palace. Then they craved leave of
the Chamberlains, and one of the Eunuchs caused them enter and
signified to the sovereign that the three sons of Such-and-such a
Sultan had made act of presence. So he bade them be set before
him and the four went in and saluted him, and prayed for him and
he returned their salams. He then asked them, " What is it hath
brought you hither and what may ye want in the way of enquiry ? "
Now the first to speak was the Cameleer and he said, " O my lord
the Sultan ; verily these three men have carried off my camel by
proof of their own speech." - And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy
tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she,
" And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now
when it was the next night and that was

ant*

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah, upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

thief, justifies himself. I have given in full the older history from Tabari, the historian
(vixit A.D. 839-923). For the tracker (Paggl ') and the art of tracking see Sind
Revisited, i. 180-183. I must again express my wonder that the rural police of Europe
still disdain the services of trained dogs when these are about to be introduced into the
army.

Story of the Sultan of A I- Yaman and His Three Sons^ 9

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Cameleer
came forward between the Sultan's hands and said, " O my lord,
verily these men have carried away the camel which belongeth to
me, 1 for they have indeed described him and the burthen he bore !
And I require of our lord the Sultan that he take from these
wights and deliver to me the camel which is mine as proved by
their own words." Presently, asked the Sultan, " What say ye to
the claims of this man and the camel belonging to him ? " Hereto
the Princes made answer, " By Allah, O King of the Age, we
have not seen the camel, much less have we stolen him." There-
upon the Cameleer exclaimed, " O my lord, I heard yonder one
say that the beast was blind of an eye ; and the second said that
he was tail-less, and the third said that half his load was of sour
stuff and the other half was of sweet stuff." They replied, " True,
we spake these words ; " and the Sultan cried to them, " Ye have
purloined the beast by this proof." They rejoined, " No, by Allah,
O my lord. We sat us in such a place for repose and refreshment
and we remarked that some of the pasture had been grazed down,
so we said : This is the grazing of a camel ; and he must have
been blind of one eye as the grass was eaten only on one side.
But as for our saying that he was tail-less, we noted the droppings
lying heaped 2 upon the ground which made us agree that the tail
rnust have been cut off, it being the custom of camels at such
times to whisk their tails and scatter the dung abroad. So 'twas
evident to us that the camel had lost his tail. But as for our saying
that the load was half Halwa and half Hamiz, we saw on the place

1 Arab. " Bita'i " = my own. I have already noticed that this is the Egypt form and
the Nilotes often turn the 'Ayn into an H, e.g. Bitdht for Bitd'at, e.g. Ash-Shabakah'
bitdht as-Sayd, thy net for fishing. (Spitta Bey, Contes Arabes Modernes, p. 43.)

* Arab. " Mukabbab ;" prop, vaulted, arched, domed in Kubbah (or cupola) -shape.

io Supplemental Nights.

where the camel had knelt the flies gathering in great numbers
while on the other were none : so the case was clear to us (as flies
settle on naught save the sugared) that one of the panniers must
have contained sweets and the other sours." Hearing this the
Sultan said to the Cameleer, " O man, fare thee forth and look
after thy camel ; for these signs and tokens prove not the theft of
these men but only the power of their intellect and their pene*
tration." 1 And when the Cameleer heard this, he went his
ways. Presently the Sultan cleared a place in the Palace and
allotted to it the Princes for their entertainment : he also directed
they be supplied with a banquet and the eunuchs did his bidding.
But when it was eventide and supper was served up, the trio sat
down to it purposing to eat ; the eldest, however, having hent in
hand a bannock of bread exclaimed, " By Allah, verily this cake
was baked by a woman in blood, to wit, one with the menses."
The cadet tasting a bit of kid exclaimed, " This kid was suckled
by a bitch ; and the youngest exclaimed, " Assuredly this Sultan
must be a son of shame, a bastard." All this was said by the
youths what while the Sultan had hidden himself in order to hear
and to profit by the Princes' words. So he waxed wroth and
entered hastily crying, " What be these speeches ye have spoken ?"
They replied, " Concerning all thou hast heard enquire within and
thou wilt find it wholly true." The Sultan then entered his
women's apartments and after inquisition found that the woman
who had kneaded the bread was sick with her monthly courses.
He then went forth and summoned the head-shepherd and asked
him concerning the kid he had butchered. He replied, " By Allah,
O my lord, the nanny-goat that bare the kid died and we found

1 Arab. "Firdsah." " Sciences are of three kinds: one the science of Faith, another
the science of Physiognomy (Firdsah), and another the science of the Body j but unless
there be the science of Physiognomy, other science avaiieth not." So says " The Forty
Vizirs:" Lady's vith story and Vizir's xxxist story. For a note on "Firdsah" see
vol. viii. 326.

Story of the Sultan of Al- Yaman and His Three Sons. 1 1

none other in milk to suckle him ; but I had a bitch that had just
pupped and her have I made nourish him." The Sultan lastly
hent his sword in hand and proceeded to the apartments of the
Sultdnah-mother and cried, " By Allah, unless thou avert my
shame 1 we will cut thee down with this scymitar ! Say me whose
son am I? " She replied, " By Allah, O my child, indeed false-
hood is an excuse, but fact and truth are more saving and superior.
Verily thou art the son of a cook ! " - And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet
is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! "
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the King suffer me to survive ? "
Now when it was the next night and that was

f^un*re& anfc ^fnttg-secomj

1 Arab. " In Urn tazidd (xa) Kayni"= lit. unless thou oppose my forming or com-
position.

12 Supplemental Nights.

in his Palace, he summoned the trio and as soon as they appeared
he asked them ; " Which of you was it that said : She who
kneaded the bread was in blood ? " Quoth the eldest, " That was
I ;" and quoth the King, " What led thee to suspect that she was
menstruous ? " He replied, " O my lord, when I took the bannock
and broke off a bittock, the flour fell out in lumps. 1 Now had the
kneader been well, her strength of hand would have remained and
the bread would have been wrought by all the veins ; but, when
the blood c'ame, her powers were minished for women's force is in
her hands ; and as soon as the monthly period cometh upon them
their strength is lost. Their bodies contain three hundred and
sixty veins all lying hard by one another and the blood of the
catamenia floweth from them all; hence their force becometh
feebleness. And this was my proof of the woman which was
menstruous/' Quoth the Sultan, " Tis well. We accept as certain
thy saying upon this evidence, for it is agreeable to man's under-
standing nor can any challenge it ; this being from the power of
insight into the condition of womankind. And we are assured
of its soothfastness, for 'tis evident to us without concealment.
But which is he who said of the kid's meat that the beast was
suckled by a bitch ? What proof had he of this ? How did he
learn it and whence did his intelligence discover it to him ? " Now
when the deceased Sultan's second son heard these words, he made
answer. " I, O King of the Age, am he who said that say !"" The
King replied," 'Tis well ;" and the Prince returned, "O my lord,
that which showed me the matter of the meat which was to us
brought is as follows. I found the fat of the kid all hard by the
bone, and I knew that the beast had sucked bitch's milk ; for the
flesh of dogs lieth outside and their fat is on their bones, whereas
in sheep and goats the fat lieth upon the meat. Such, then, was

1 Arab. " Farafish," a word which I cannot find in the dictionary, and so translate
according to the context. Dr. Steingass remarks that the nearest approach to it would
be "Farafik " (plur. of Furfak) = fine, thin or soft bread.

Story of the Sultan of A I- Yaman and His Three Sons. 13

my proof wherein there is nor doubt nor hesitation ; and when
thou shalt have made question and inquiry thou wilt find this to be
fact." Quoth the Sultan, " 'Tis well ; thou hast spoken truth and
whatso thou sayest is soothfast. But which is he who declared that
I am a bastard and what was his proof and what sign in me
exposed it to him ? " Quoth the youngest Prince, " I am he who
said it ; " and the Sultan rejoined, " There is no help but that thou
provide me with a proof." The Prince rejoined. "Tis well!"

And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and

ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
" How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable
and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with
that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and
that was

l&ty &rce ^un&refc antr tljfttfi.tfifttt jSififit.

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King,
the director, the jright-guiding lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
youngest Prince said to the Sultan, <f O my lord, I have evidence
tnat thou art the son of a cook and a base-born, in that thou
didst not sit at meat with us and this was mine all-sufficient
evidence. Every man hath three properties which he inheriteth
at times from his father, at times from his maternal uncle and
at times from his mother. 1 From his sire cometh generosity or

1 See, in the Turkish Tales " by Petis de la Croix (Weber, Tales of the East, vol. iii.
196), the History of the Sophi of Baghdad, where everything returns to (or resembles)
its origin. Thus the Wazir who proposed to cut up a criminal and hang him in the

14 Supplemental Nights.

niggardness ; from his uncle courage or cowardice ; from his
mother modesty or immodesty ; and such is the proof of every
man." Then quoth to him the Sultan, " Sooth thou speakest ;
but say me, men* who like you know all things thoroughly by
evidence and by your powers of penetration, what cause have they
to come seeking arbitration at 1 my hand ? Beyond yours there
be no increase of intelligence. So fare ye forth from me and
manage the matter amongst yourselves, for 'tis made palpable
to me by your own words that naught remaineth to you save to
speak of mysterious subjects ; l nor have I the capacity to adjudge
between you after that which I have heard from you. In fine
an ye possess any document drawn up by your sire before his
decease, act according to it and contrary it not" Upon this the
Princes went forth from him and made for their own country and
city and did as their father had bidden them do on his death-bed.
The eldest enthroned himself as Sultan ; the cadet assumed
possession and management of the moneys and treasures and
the youngest took to himself the camels and the horses and the
beeves and the muttons. Then each and every was indeed equal
with his co-partner in the gathering of good. But when the
new year came, there befel a drought among the beasts and all
belonging to the youngest brother died nor had he aught of
property left : yet his spirit brooked not to take anything from
his brethren or even to ask of them aught. This theri is the
Tale of the King of Al-Yaman in its entirety; yet is the Story
of the Three Sharpers 2 more wondrous and marvellous than that

shambles was the self-convicted son of a butcher ; he who advised boiling him down
and giving his flesh to the dogs was the issue of a cook, and the third who proposed to
pardon him was nobly born. See Night cccxli

1 Arab. ' Al-Mafyaat," lit. = a shady place; a locality whereupon the sun doe*
not rise.

2 Arab. Ja'idiyah," a favourite word in this MS. " Ja'ad "=a curl, a liberal man :
Ja'ad al-yad= miserly, and Abu ja'dah= father of curls, = a wolf. Scott (passim] tsans-
lates the word ' Sharper;" Gore Ouseley " Labourer;" and De Sacy (Chrestomathie

Story of the Sultan of A I- Yaman and His Three Sons. 1 5

just recounted. - And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, ^ How sweet is thy story, O sister
mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And
where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night, an the King suffer me to survive." Now when
it was the next night and that was

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied, " With
love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King,
the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating ; " and she
began to recount

ii 369> who derives it from Ju'd = avoir les cheueux crtpus] : in Egypt, homme
de la populace^ canaille. He finds it in the Fabrica Linguae Arab, of Germanus of
Silesia (p. 786) = ignavis, hebes, stupidus, esp. a coward. Ibrahim Salamah of Alexandria
makes the term signify in Syria, impudent, thieving, wicked. Spitta Bey translates
this word musicien ambulant in his Gloss, to Contes Arabes, p. 171. According lo
Dr- Steingass, who, with the Muhit al~Muh{t> reads "Ju'aydfyah," Ju'ayd is said to be
the P. N. of an Egyptian clown, who, with bell-hung cap and tambourine in hand,
wandered about the streets singing laudatory doggrel and pestering the folk for money.
Many vagabonds who adopted this calling were named after him and the word was
generalised in that sense.

THE STORY OF THE THREE SHARPERS

THE STORY OF THE THREE SHARPERS. 1

SAYING, Verily their adventure is wondrous and their actions

delightsome and marvellous; presently adding There wde

in time of yore three Sharpers who were wont every day in early
morning to prowl forth and to prey, rummaging 2 among the
mounds which outlay the city. Therein each would find a silver bit
of five parahs or its equivalent, after which the trio would forgather
and buy whatso sufficed them for supper : they would also expend
two Nusfs s upon Bast, 4 which is Bhang, and purchase a waxen
taper with the other silver bit. They had hired a cell in the flank
of a Wakcilah, a caravanserai without the walls, where they could
sit at ease to solace themselves and eat their Hashish after lighting
the candle and enjoy their intoxication and consequent merriment
till the noon o* night. Then they would sleep, again awaking
at day-dawn when they would arise and seek for spoil, according
to their custom, and ransack the heaps where at times they
would hit upon a silverling of five dirhams and at other times a
piece of four ; and at eventide they would meet to spend together
the dark hours, and they would expend everything they came
by every day. For a length of time they pursued this path
until, one day of the days, they made for the mounds as was

1 MS. vol. iii. pp. 96-121. Scott, "Story of the Three Sharpers ahd the Sultan,"
PP 7-*7 > Gaultier, Histoire des-trois Jilous et (fun Sulthan, vi. 165-176.

z Arab. Yasrahu = roaming, especially at early dawn ; hence the wolf is called
" Sirhan," and Yaklishu (if I read it aright) is from ^ Kulsh, and equivalent to
' kicking " (their heels)

8 Nusf = half a dirham, drachma or franc, see ii. 37 ; vi. 214, etc.

4 Bast, a preparation of Bhang ^{Cannabis Sativa), known in Egypt but not else-
where : see Lane M. E., chapt. xv. Here it is made synonymous with " Hashish "=s
Bhang in general.

2o Supplemental Nights.

their wont and went round searching the heaps from morning
to evening without finding even a half-parah ; wherefore they
were troubled and they- went away and nighted in their cell
without meat or drink. When the next day broke they arose
and repaired for booty, changing the places wherein they were
wont to forage ; but none of them found aught ; and their breasts
were straitened for lack of a find of dirhams wherewith to buy
them supper. This lasted for three full-told and following days until
Hunger waxed hard upon them and vexation ; so they said one to
other, " Go we to the Sultan and let us serve him with a sleight,
and each of us three shall claim to be a past master of some craft :
haply Allah Almighty may incline his heart uswards and he may
largesse us with something to expend upon our necessities."
Accordingly all three agreed to do on this wise and they sought
the Sultan whom they found in the palace-garden. They asked
leave to go in to him, but the Chamberlains refused admission :
so they stood afar off unable to approach the presence. Then
quoth they one to other, " Twere better we fall to and each smite
his comrade and cry aloud and make a clamour, 1 and as soon
as he shall hear us he will send to summon us." Accordingly
they jostled one another and each took to frapping his fellow,
making the while loud outcries. The Sultan hearing this turmoil
said, " Bring me yonder wights ; " and the Chamberlains and
Eunuchs ran out to them and seized them and set them between
the hands of the Sovran. As soon as they stood in the presence
he asked them, " What be the cause of your wrath one against
other?" They answered, "O King of the Age, we are past
masters of crafts, each of us weeting an especial art." Quoth

1 Ghaushah.a Persianism for which ' ' Ghaugha" " is a more common form. " Ghaush "
is a tree of hard wood whereof musical instruments were made : hence the mod. words
"Ghasha" and " Ghawwasha " '= he produced a sound, and "Ghaushah " = tumult,
quarrel. According to Dr. Steingass, the synon. in the native diets, are " Khisdra,"
"Laghat," "Jalabah," etc.

Story of the Tkree Sharpers. 2 1

the Sultan, " What be your crafts ? " and quoth one of the trio,
" O our lord, as for my art I am a jeweller by trade." The
King exclaimed, " Passing strange ! a sharper and a jeweller : l

this is a wondrous matter." And he questioned the second

And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dun-
yazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and
enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the
next night which was

!j* f)te* ^un&relr auto 'SPJtrtg'fiftJ Jiitgijt,

'DUNYAZAD said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an
thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut

short the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied :

With love and good will! It hath reached me, O auspicious
King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is
benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that
the Sultan asked the second Sharper saying, " And thou, the other,
what may be thy craft ? " He answered, " I am a genealogist 2 of
the horse-kind." So the King glanced at him in surprise and said
to himself, "A sharper yet he claimeth an astounding know-
ledge ! " Then he left him and put the same question to the third
who said to him, " O King of the Age, verily my art is more
wondrous and marvellous than aught thou hast heard from these

1 Said irom'ce, the jeweller being held to be one of the dishonest classes, like the washer-
man, the water-carrier, the gardener, etc. In England we may find his representative in
the " silversmith," who will ask a pound sterling for a bit of metal which cost him perhaps
five shillings or even less, and who hates to be bought by weight. The Arab, has
" Jauhar-ji," a Turkish form for Jauhari ; and here " jauhar " apparently means a pearl,
the stone once peculiar to royalty in Persia, but the kind of gem is left undetermined.

8 Arab. "Saza, yasfzu," not a dictionary word. Perhaps it is a clerical error for
" Sasa," he groomed or broke in a horse, hence understood all about horses.

22 Supplemental Nights.

twain : their craft is easy but mine is such that none save I can
discover the right direction thereto or know the first of it from the
last of it." The Sultan enquired of him, "And what be thy
craft ? " Whereto he replied, " My craft is the genealogy of the
sons of Adam." Hearing these words the Sovran wondered with
extreme wonderment and said in himself, " Verily He informeth
with His secrets the humblest of His creatures ! Assuredly these
men, an they speak truth in all they say and it prove soothfast,
are fit for naught except kingship. But I will keep them by me
until the occurrence of some nice contingency wherein I may test
them ; then, if they approve themselves good men and trustworthy
of word, I will leave them on life ; but if their speech be lying I
will do them die. Upon this he set apart for them apartments
and rationed them with three cakes of bread and a dish of roast
meat 1 and set over them his sentinels dreading lest they fly. This
case continued for a while till behold, there came to the Sultan*
from the land of 'Ajam a present of rarities, amongst which were
two gems whereof one was clear of water and the other was
clouded of colour. 2 The Sultan hent them in hand for a time and
fell to considering them straitly for the space of an hour ; after
which he called to mind the first of the three Sharpers, the self-
styled jeweller, and cried, " Bring me the jeweller-man." Accord-
ingly they went and brought him and set him before the Sovran
who asked him, " O man, art thou a lapidary ? " And when the
Sharper answered " Yes" he gave him the clear- watered stone, say-
ing, " What may be the price of this gem?" And Shahrazad

1 In ihe orig. "Shorbah," Pers. = a mess of pottage : I have altered it for reasons
which will presently appear.
'Arab. "Ghabasah," from Ghabas = obscure, dust- coloured.

Story of the Three Sharpers. 2$

would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer
me to survive." Now when it was the next night and that was

^Jje ^Jree l^untrretr anto ^tjfttg-gtxt!) &{g$t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our later night ! " She replied : With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sharper
took the jewel in hand and turned it rightwards and leftwards and
considered the outside and pried into the inside ; after which he
said to the Sultan, " O my lord, verily this gem containeth a
worm 1 bred within the heart thereof." Now when the King heard
these words he waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and commanded
the man's head to be stricken off, saying, " This jewel is clear of
colour and free of flaw or other default ; yet thou chargest it
falsely with containing a worm ! " Then he summoned the Link-
man 2 who laid hands on the Sharper and pinioned his elbows and
trussed up his legs 3 like a camel's and was about to smite his neck
when behold, the Wazir entered the presence and, seeing the
Sovran in high dudgeon and the Sharper under the scymitar, asked
what was to do. The Sultan related to him what had happened
when he drew near to him and said, " O my lord, act not after
this fashion ! An thou determine upon the killing of yonder man,
first break the gem and, if thou find therein a worm, thou wilt
know the wight's word to have been veridical ; but an thou find it

1 Arab. " Siasah "= a weevil, a moth, a worm. It does not mean simply a flaw, but
a live animal (like our toads in the rock) ; and in the popular version of the tale the
lapidary discovers its presence by the stone warming in his hand.

2 Arab. " Masha'fli" the cresset-bearer who acted hangman: see vol. i. 259, etc.

3 Arab. ' Ta'kil," tying up a camel's foreleg above the knee ; the pnmary meaning of
'Akl, which has so many secondary significations.

24 Supplemental Nights.

sound then strike off his head." " Right is thy rede," quoth the
King : then he took in hand the gem and smote it with his
mace 1 and when it brake behold, he found therein the worm
amiddlemost thereof. So he marvelled at the sight and asked the
man, " What proved to thee that it harboured a worm ? " " The
sharpness of my sight," answered the Sharper. Then the Sultan
pardoned him and, admiring his power of vision, addressed his
attendants saying, " Bear him back to his comrades and ration him
with a dish of roast meat and two cakes of bread." And they did
as he bade them. After some time, on a day of the days, there
came to the King the tribute of'Ajam-land accompanied with
presents amongst which was a colt whose robe black as night 3
showed one shade in the sun and another in the shadow. When
the animal was displayed to the Sultan he fell in love with it and
set apart for it a stall and solaced himself at all times by gazing
at it and was wholly occupied with it and sang its praises till they
filled the whole country side. Presently he remembered the
Sharper who claimed to be a genealogist of the horse-kind and
bade him be summoned. So they fared forth and brought him
and set him between the hands of the Sovran who said to him,
" Art thou he who knoweth the breed and descent of horses ? "
" Yea verily," said the man. Then cried the King, By the trutn
of Him who set me upon the necks of His servants and who sayeth
to a thing * Be ' and it becometh, an I find aught of error or con-
fusion in thy words, I will strike off thy head." " Hearkening and
obedience," quoth the Sharper. Then they led him to the colt
that he might consider its genealogy. He called aloud to the

groom 3 And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell

silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister

1 Arab. "Suwan," lit. = rock, syenite, hard stone, flint ; here a marteau de guerre.

2 Arab. " Hdlik "= intensely black, so as to look blue under a certain angle of light.

3 Arab. " Rikdb " (=stirrup) + da"r " Pers. = holder).

Story of the Three Sharpers. 25

mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the
next night and that was

f^unfcreb anU / 2FJutg=setonti) Nicjjt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sharper
called aloud to the stirrup-holder and when they brought him he
bade the man back the colt for his inspection. So he mounted
the animal and made it pace to the right and to the left causing it
now to prance and curvet and then to step leisurely, while the
connoisseur looked on and after a time quoth he to the groom,
" Tis enough ! " Then he went in to the presence and stood
between the hands of the King who enquired, " What hast thou
seen in the colt, O Kashmar ? "> Replied the Sharper, " By Allah,
O King of the Age, this colt is of pure and noble blood on the
side of the sire : its action is excellent and all its qualities are
praiseworthy save one ; and but for this one it had been perfect
in blood and breed nor had there been on earth's face its fellow
in horseflesh. But its blemish remaineth a secret/ 1 The Sultan
asked, " And what is the quality which thou blamest ? " and the
Sharper answered, " Its sire was noble, but its dam was of other
strain : she it was that brought the blemish and if thou, O my
lord, allow me I will notify it to thee." "Tis well, and needs
must thou declare it," quoth the Sultan. Then said the Sharper

1 I have ransacked dictionaries and vocabularies but the word is a mere blank.

26 Supplemental Nights.

" Its dam is a buffalo-cow." 1 When the King heard these words
he was wroth with wrath exceeding and he bade the Linkman
take the Sharper and behead him, crying, "O dog! O accursed !
How can a buffalo-cow bear a horse ? " The Sharper replied, <* O
my lord, the Linkman is in the presence ; but send and fetch him
who brought thee the colt and of him make enquiry. If my words
prove true and rightly placed, my skill shall be stablished ; but
an they be lies let my head pay forfeit for my tongue. Here
standeth the Linkman and I am between thy hands : thou hast
but to bid him strike off my head ! " Thereupon the King sent
for the owner and breeder of the colt and they brought him to the

presence. And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day

and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth
the sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and
how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night,
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

6e fwe ^unftrefc an* ^ttp.fg8ft 42tg!)t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting

1 Arab. " Jdmusah." These mules are believed in by the Arabs. Shaw arid other
travellers mention the Mauritanian " Jumart," the breed between a bull and a mare (or
jenny-ass) or an ass and a cow. Buffon disbelieved in the mongrel, holding" it to be a
mere bardeau t got by a stallion horse out of an ass. Voltaire writes "Jumarre" after
German fashion, and Littr derives it from jument + art (finale pejorative), or the Languedoc
" Gimere " which according to Diez suggests " Chimsera." Even in London not many
years ago a mule was exhibited as the issue of a horse and a stag. No Indian ever
allows his colt to drink buffalo's milk, the idea being that a horse so fed will lie down in
instead of fording or swimming a stream.

Story of the Three Sharpers. 2J

and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
sent for the owner and breeder of the colt and asked him saying,
" Tell me the truth anent the blood of this colt. Didst thou buy
it or breed it so that it was a reading of thy homestead ? " Said
he, " By Allah, O King of the Age, I will speak naught which is
not sooth, for indeed there hangeth by this colt the strangest
.story : were it graven with graver-needles upon the eye-corners
it had been a warning to whoso would be warned. And this it is.!
I had a stallion of purest strain whose sire was of the steeds of the
sea ;* and he was stabled in a stall apart for fear of the evil eye^
his service being entrusted to trusty servants. But one day in
springtide the Syce took the horse into the open and there
picquetted him when behold, a buffalo-cow walked into the
enclosed pasture where the stallion was tethered, and seeing her
he brake his heel-ropes and rushed at her and covered her. She 1
conceived by him and when her days were completed and her
throwing-time came she suffered sore pains and bare yonder coltJ
And all who have seen it or have heard of it were astounded," said ;
he, presently adding, " by Allah, O King of the Age, had its dam
been of the mare-kind the colt would have had no equal on earth's
surface or aught approaching it.", Hereat the Sultan took thought,
and marvelled ; then, summoning the Sharper he said to him
when present, " O man, thy speech is true and thou art indeed a
genealogist in horseflesh and thou wottest it well. But I would
know what proved to thee that the dam of this colt was a buffalo-
cow ? " Said he, O King, my proof thereof was palpable nor can
it be concealed from any wight of right wits and intelligence and
special knowledge ; for the horse's hoof is round whilst the hooves
of buffaloes are elongated and duck -shaped, 2 and hereby I kenned
that this colt was a jumart, the issue of a cow-buffalo." The

1 See Sindbad the Seaman, vol. vi. 9.

8 Arab. " Mubattat " from bait = a duck: in Persia the Batt-i-May is a wine glass
shaped like the duck. Scott (vi. 12) translates " thick and longish."

28 Supplemental Nights.

Sultan was pleased with his words and said, " Ration him with a
plate of roast meat and two cakes of bread ;" and they did as
they were bidden. Now for a length of time the third Sharper
was forgotten till one day the Sultan bethought him of the man
who could explain the genealogy of Adam's sons. So he bade
fetch him and when they brought him into the presence he said,
"Thou art he that knowest the caste and descent of men and
women ? " and the other said, " Yes." Then he commanded the
Eunuchs take him to his wife 1 and place him before her and cause
him declare her genealogy. So they led him in and set him
standing in her presence and the Sharper considered her for a
while looking from right to left; then he fared forth to the
Sultan who asked him, " What hast thou seen in the Queen ? "
Answered he, " O my lord, I saw a somewhat adorned with
loveliness and beauty and perfect grace, with fair stature of sym-
metrical trace and with modesty and fine manners and skilful case ;
and she is one in whom all good qualities appear on every side,
nor is aught of accomplishments or knowledge concealed from
her and haply in her centre all desirable attributes. Natheless,
O King of the Age, there is a curious point that dishonoured
her from the which were she free none would outshine her of all
the women of her generation.'* Now when the Sultan heard the
words of the Sharper, he sprang hastily to his feet and clapping
hand upon hilt bared his brand and fell upon the man purposing

to slay him ; And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was
the next night and that was

1 Arab, "his Harim" ; see vol. i. 165 ; iv. 126.

Story of the Three Sharpers. 29

^untofc anfc ^fn'ttg-mntf) ,$U<$t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night!" She replied: With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
fell upon the Sharper with his sword purposing to slay him ; but
the Chamberlains and the Eunuchs prevented him saying, ' O our
lord, kill him not until his falsehood or his fact shall have been
made manifest to thee." The Sultan said to him, " What then
appeared to thee in my Queen ? " " He l is ferly fair," said the
man, " but his mother is a dancing-girl, a gypsey." 2 The fury of
the King increased hereat and he sent to summon the inmates of
his Harem and cried to his father-in-law, "Unless thou speak me
sooth concerning thy daughter and her descent and her mother

I " 3 He replied, " By Allah, O King of the Age, naught saveth

a man save soothfastness ! Her mother indeed was a Ghaziyah :
in past time a party of the tribe was passing by my abode when
a young maid strayed from her fellows and was lost. They asked
no questions concerning her ; so I lodged her and bred her in my
homestead till she grew up to be a great girl and the fairest of her
time. My heart would not brook her wiving with any other ; so I
wedded her and she bare me this daughter whom thou, O King,
hast espoused." When the Sultan heard these words the flame in
his heart was quenched 4 and he wondered at the subtlety of the
Sharper man ; so he summoned him and asked him saying, " O

1 Again "he " for she. See vol. ii. 179.

2 Arab. "Ghaziyah" : for the plur. " Ghawazi " see vol. i. 214; also Lane (M.E.J
index under " Ghazeeyehs."

3 The figure prothesis without apodosis. Understand "will slay thee": see vol. vi.
203.

* Because the girl had not been a professional dancer, i.e. a public prostitute.

3O Supplemental Nights.

wily one, tell me what certified to thee that my Queen had a
dancing girl, a gypsey, to mother ? " He answered, " O King of
the Age, verily the Ghaziyah race hath eye-balls intensely black
and bushy brows whereas other women than the Ghaziyah have
the reverse of this." On such wise the King was convinced of the
man's skill and he cried, " Ration him with a dish of roast meat
and two scones." They did as he bade and the three Sharpers
tarried with the Sultan a long time till one day when the King
said to himself, " Verily these three men have by their skill solved
every question of genealogy which I proposed to them : first the
jeweller proved his perfect knowledge of gems ; secondly the
genealogist of the horse-kind showed himself as skilful, and the
same was the case with the genealogist of mankind, for he dis-
covered the origin of my Queen and the truth of his words
appeared from all quarters. Now 'tis my desire that he do the
same with me that I also may know my provenance." Accord-
ingly they set the man between his hands and he said to him, " O
fellow, hast thou the power to tell me mine origin ? " Said the
Sharper, " Yes, O my lord, I can trace thy descent, but I will so do
only upon a condition ; to wit, that thou promise me safety * after
what I shall have told thee ; for the saw saith, * Whilst Sultan
sitteth on throne 'ware his despite, inasmuch as none may be con-
tumacious when he saith * Smite.' " Thereupon the Sultan told
him, "thou hast a promise of immunity, a promise which shall

never be falsed." And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of

day and fell silent, and ceased to say her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine,
and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the
next night, and that was

1 Arab. Aman " = quarter, mercy : see vol. i. 342.

Story of the Three Sharpers. 3 1

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the
watching of this our latter night!" She replied: - With love
and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
pledged his word for the safety of the Sharper with the customary
kerchief l and the man said, " O King of the Age, whenas I ac-
quaint thee with thy root and branch, let it be between us twain
lest these present hear us." " Wherefore O man ? " asked the
Sultan, and the Sharper answered, " O my lord, Allah of Allmight
hath among His names ' The Veiler ' " ; 2 wherefore the King bade
his Chamberlains and Eunuchs retire so that none remained in the
place save those two. Then the Sharper came forward and said,
"O my lord, thou art a son of shame and an issue of adultery."
As soon as the King heard these words his case changed and his
colour waxed wan and his limbs fell loose : 3 he foamed at the
mouth ; 4 he lost hearing and sight ; he became as one drunken
without wine and he fell fainting to the ground. After a while he
recovered and said to the Sharper, " Now by the truth of Him
who hath set me upon the necks of His servants, an thy words be
veridical and I ascertain their sooth by proof positive, I will

1 For the "Mandil" of mercy see vol. i. 343 ; for that of dismissal x. 47 and Ibn
Khali, iv. 211. In Spitta Bey's " Contes Arabes " (p. 223), I find throwing the kerchief
(taramma al mahramah) used in the old form of choosing a mate. In the Tale of the
Sultan of Al-Yaman and his three Sons (Supplem. Nights, vol. iv.) the Princesses drop
their kerchiefs upon the head of the Prince who had saved them, by way of pointing
him out.

8 Arab. " Satta"r :" see vols. i. 258 and Hi. 41.

8 In the text " Arghd " for " Arkhd "=he brayed " (like an ostrich, etc.) for " his
limbs relaxed." It reminds one of the German missionary's fond address to his flock
" My prethren, let us bray ! "

4 Arab. "Azbad,"from y' Zbd (Zabd) = foaming, frothing, etc., whence " Zubaydah,"
etc.

32 Supplemental Nights.

assuredly abdicate my Kingdom and resign my realm to thee,
because none deserveth it save thou and it becometh us least of
all and every. But an I find thy speech lying I will slay thee. He
replied, " Hearing and obeying ;" and the Sovran, rising up with-
out stay or delay, went inside to his mother with grip on glaive,
and said to her, " By the truth of Him who uplifted the lift above
the earth, an thou answer me not with the whole truth in whatso I
ask thee, I will cut thee to little bits with this blade." She en-
quired, " What dost thou want with me ? " and he replied, " Whose
son am I, and what may be my descent ? " She rejoined, " Al-
though falsehood be an excuse, fact and truth are superior and
more saving. Thou art indeed the very son of a cook. The Sultan
that was before thee took me to wife and I cohabited with him a
while of time without my becoming pregnant by him or having
issue ; and he would mourn and groan from the core of his heart
for that he had no seed, nor girl nor boy ; neither could he enjoy
aught of sweet food or sleep. Now we had about the Palace
many caged birds ; and at last, one day of the days, the King
longed to eat somewhat of poultry, so he went into the court and
sent for the Kitchener to slaughter * one of the fowls ; and the
man applied -himself to catching it. At that time I had taken my
first bath after the monthly ailment and quoth I to myself: If
this case continue with the King he will perish and the Kingdom
pass from us. And the Shaytan tempted me to that which dis-
pleased Allah" And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day

and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night

1 Arab, v/ "Zabh" (Zbh) = the ceremonial killing of animals for food: see vols. v.
391 ; viii. 44. I may note, as a proof of how modern is the civilisation of Europe that
the domestic fowl was unknown to Europe till about the time of Pericles (ob. B.C. 429)."

Story of the Three Sharpers. 33

an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

OTjrec pjuntrrctr anlr jportg-first

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With
love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Queen con-
tinued : - And Satan tempted me and made the sin fair in my
sight. So I went up to the Kitchener, attired and adorned as I
was in my finest apparel and I fell a-jesting with him and provok-
ing him and disporting with him till his passions were excited by
me : so he tumbled me at that very hour, after which he arose and
slaughtered one of the birds and went his ways. Then I bade the
handmaids sprinkle water on the fowl and clean it and cook it ;
and they did my bidding. After a while symptoms of pregnancy
declared themselves in me and became evident ; and when the
King heard that his Queen was with child, he waxed gladsome and
joyful and gave alms and scattered gifts and bestowed robes upon
his Officers of Estate and others till the day of my delivery and I
bare a babe which is thyself. Now at that time the Sultan was
hunting and birding and enjoying himself about the gardens all of
his pleasure at the prospect of becoming a father ; and when the
bearer of good news went to him and announced the birth of a
man-child he hurried back to me and forthright bade them decorate
the capital and he found the report true ; so the city adorned itself
for forty days in honour of its King. Such is my case and my
tale. 1 Thereupon the King went forth from her to the Sharper

1 See in " The Forty Vizirs" (Lady's ivth Tale) how Khizr tells the King the origin
of his Ministers from the several punishmen's which they propose for the poor man. I
VOL. IV, C

34 Supplemental Nights.

and bade him doff his dress and when this had been done he
doffed his own raiment and habited the man in royal gear and
hooded him with the Taylasan 1 and asked him saying, "What
proof hast thou of my being a son of adultery?" The Sharper
answered, " O my lord, my proof was thy bidding our being
rationed, after showing the perfection of our skill, with a dish of
roast meat and two scones of bread ; whereby I knew thee to be of
cook's breed, for the Kings be wont in such case to make presents
of money and valuables, not of meat and bread as thou didst, and
this evidenced thee to be a bastard King." He replied, " Sooth thou
sayest,"and then robed him with the rest of his robes including the
Kalansuwah or royal head-dress under the hood 2 and seated him

upon the throne of his estate. And Shahrazad was surprised

by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story,
O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she,
" And 'where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive." Now when it
was the next night and that was

t&ty Jm 3utt&re& antr JF<me=sccon& jSt'g&t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this latter night ! " She replied : With love and

good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director,

have noticed this before in Night cccxxxiii. Boethius, translated by Chaucer, explains
the underlying idea, "All thynges seken ayen to hir propre course and all thynges
rejoysen in hir returninge agayne to hir nature."

1 For the Taylasdn-hood see vol. iv. 286,

a The " Kalansuwah "-cap is noted by Lane (A. N. chapt. iii. 22) as " Kalensuweh."
In M. E. (Supplement i. " The Copts ") he alters the word to Kalas'weh and describes
it as a strip of woollen stuff, of a deep blue or black colour, about four inches wide,
attached beneath the turban and hanging down the back to the length of about a foot.
It is the distinguishing mark of the Coptic regular clergy.

The Sultan who fared forth in the Habit of a Darwaysh. 3 5

the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds
fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan enthroned
the Sharper upon the throne of estate and went forth from him
after abandoning all his women to him and assumed the garb of a
Darwaysh who wandereth about the world and formally abdicated
his dominion to his successor. But when the Sharper-king saw
himself in this condition, he reflected and said to himself,
" Summon thy whilome comrades and see whether they recog-
nize thee or not." So he caused them be set before him and
conversed with them ; then, perceiving that none knew him he
gifted them and sent them to gang their gait. And he ruled his
realm and bade and forbade and gave and took away and was
gracious and generous to each and every of his lieges ; so that the
people of that region who were his subjects blessed him and prayed
for him. Such was the case with the Sharper ; but as for

THE SULTAN WHO FARED FORTH IN THE HABIT
OF A DAR WA YSH?

He ceased not wayfaring, as become a wanderer, till he came to
Cairo 2 city whose circuit was a march of two and a half days and
which then was ruled by her own King Mohammed hight. He
found the folk in safety and prosperity and good ordinance ; and
he solaced himself by strolling about the streets to the right and
left and he diverted his mind by considering the crowds and the

1 W. M. MS. vol. iii. pp. 121-141. Scott, "The Adventures of the abdicated
Sultan," pp. 18-19; including the "History of Mahummud, Sultan of Cairo," pp.
20-30.

2 Kjjhirah." I repeat my belief (Pilgrimage i. 171) that " Kahtrah," whence our
" Cairo" through the Italian corruption, means not la victorieuse (Mediant al-Kahirah)
as D'Herbelot has it ; but City of Khir or Mars the planet. It was so called because as
Richardson informed the world (sub voce} it was founded in A.H. 358 ( = A.D. 968) when
the warlike planet was in the ascendant by the famous General Jauhar a Dalmatian rene-
gade (not a "Greek slave") for the first of the Fatimite dynasty Al-Mu'izz li '1-dfni

lldh.

36 Supplemental Nights.

worldj of men contained in the capital, until he drew near the
palace when suddenly he sighted the Sultan returning from the
chase and from taking his pleasure. Seeing this the Darwaysh
retired to the wayside, and the King happening to glance in that
direction, saw him standing and discerned in him the signs of
former prosperity. So he said to one of his suite, " Take yon man
with thee and entertain him till I send for him." His bidding
being obeyed he entered the Palace and, when he had rested from
the fatigues of the way, he summoned the Fakir to the presence
and questioned him of his condition, saying, " Thou, from what
land art thou?" He responded, " O my lord, I am a beggar
man ; " and the other rejoined, " There is no help but that thou
tell me what brought thee hither." The Darwaysh retorted* " O
my lord, this may not be save in privacy," and the other exclaimed,
" Be it so for thee." The twain then arose and repaired to a
retired room in the Palace and the Fakir recounted to the Sultan
all that had befallen him since the loss of his kingship and also
how he, a Sultan, had given up the throne of his realm and had
made himself a Darwaysh. The Sovran marvelled at his self-
denial in yielding up the royal estate and cried, " Laud be to Him
who degradeth and upraiseth, who honoureth and humbleth by
the wise ordinance of His All-might," presently adding, " O
Darwaysh, I have passed through an adventure which is mar-
vellous ; indeed 'tis one of the Wonders of the World 1 which I
needs must relate to thee nor from thee withhold aught thereof."

And he fell to telling . And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of

day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale,
O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And

1 According to Caussin de Perceval (pere) in his translation of the "Contes Arabes,"
there are four wonders in the Moslem world : (i) the Pharos of Alexandria ; (2) the
Bridge of Sanjia in Northern Syria; (3) The Church of Rohah (Edessa) ; and (4) the
Amawi Mosque of Damascus.

History of Mohammed, Sultan of Cairo. 37

where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it
was the next night and that was

THE HISTORY OF MOHAMMED, SULTAN OF CAIRO.

I began my career in the world as a Darwaysh, an asker, owning
naught of the comforts and conveniences of life, till at length, one
day of the days, I became possessor of just ten silverlings 1 (and
no more) which I resolved to expend upon myself. Accordingly
I walked into the Bazar purposing to purchase somewhat of pro-
vaunt. While I was looking around, I espied a man passing by
arid leading in an iron chain a dog-faced baboon and crying
" Haraj ! 2 this ape is for sale at the price of ten faddahs." The
folk jibed at the man and jeered at his ape ; but quoth I to myself,
" Buy this beast and expend upon it the ten silverlings." Accord-
ingly I drew near the seller and said to him, "Take these ten
faddahs ;" whereupon he took them and gave me the ape which I

1 Arab. " Faddah," lit. '= silver, because made of copper alloyed with nobler metal i
the smallest Egyptian coin = Nuss (i.e. Nusf, or half a dirham) and the Turk, parah,
It is the fortieth of the piastre and may be assumed at the value of a quarter-farthing.

3 This word, in Egypt. *' Harag," is the cry with which the Dallal (broker) announces
each sum bidden at an auction.

38 Supplemental Nights.

led to the eel! wherein I dwelt. Then I opened the door and went
in with my bargain but began debating in my mind what to do
and, said, " How shall I manage a meal for the baboon and
myself? " While I was considering behold, the beast was suddenly
transformed, and became a young man fair of favour who had no
equal in loveliness and stature and symmetric grace, perfect as the
moon at full on the fourteenth night ; and-he addressed me saying,
" O Shaykh Mohammed, thou hast bought me with ten faddahs,
being all thou hadst and art debating how we shall feed, I and
thou." Quoth I, " What art thou ? " and quoth he, " Query me no
questions, concerning whatso thou shalt see, for good luck hath
come to thee." Then he gave me an Ashrafi 1 and said, " Take
this piece of gold and fare thee forth to the Bazar and get us
somewhat to eat and drink." I took it from him and repairing to
the market purchased whatso food our case required ; then returning
to the cell set the victual before him and seated myself by his side.
So we ate our sufficiency and passed that night, I and he, in the
cell, and, when Allah caused the morn to dawn, he said to me, " O
man, this room is not suitable to us : hie thee and hire a larger
lodging." I replied, t To hear is to obey ;" and, rising without
stay or delay, went and took a room more roomy in the upper part
of the Wakalah. 2 Thither we removed, I and the youth, and
presently he gave me ten dinars more and said, " Go to the Bazar
and buy thee furniture as much as is wanted/' Accordingly, I
went forth and bought what he ordered and on my return I found
before him a bundle containing a suit of clothes suitable for the
Kings. These he gave to me desiring that I hie me to the
Hammam and don them after bathing, so I did his bidding and
washed and dressed myself and found in each pocket of the many
pockets an hundred gold pieces ; and presently when I had donned

1 The Portuguese Xerafim : Supplemental Nights, vol. iii. 294.
8 A Khan or caravanserai : see vol. i. 266 and Pilgrimage i. 60.

History of Mohammed, Sultan of Cairo. 39

the dress I said to myself, " Am I dreaming or wide awake ? " l
Then I returned to the youth in the room and when he saw me he
rose to his feet and commended my figure and seated me beside
him. Presently he brought up a bigger bundle and bade me take
it and repair to the Sultan of the City and at the same time ask
his daughter in marriage for myself. And Shahrazad was sur-
prised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! "
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? "
Now when it was the next night and that was

fie tZT&ree f^unfcre& anfc Jfortg-fourtf) j3ij$t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan of
Cairo continued : 2 So I took it and repaired with it to the King
of that city, and a slave whom the youth had bought bore the
bundle. Now when I approached the Palace I found thereabout
the Chamberlains and Eunuchs and Lords of the Land : so I drew
near them and when they saw me in that suit they approved my
appearance and questioned me saying, " What be thy business
and what dost thou require ? " I replied, " My wish is to have

1 Arab. " Hilm " (vision) "au 'Ilm " (knowledge) a phrase peculiar to this MS.

8 The careless scribe forgets that the Sultan is speaking and here drops into the third
person. This "Enallage of persons" is, however, Koranic and therefore classical:
Arab critics aver that in such cases the " Hikayah " ( = literal reproduction of a discourse
etc.) passes into an " Ikhbar" (= mere account of the same discourse). See Al-Mas'udi
iii. 216. I dare not reproduce this figure in English.

4<D Supplemental Nights

audience of the King," and they rejoined, " Wait a little while till
we obtain for thee his permission." Then one of the ushers went
in and reported the matter to the Sultan who gave orders to
admit me ; so the man came out and led me within and on entering
the presence I salamed to the Sovran and wished him welfare and
presently set before him the bundle, saying, " O King of the Age,
this be in the way of a gift which besitteth my station not thine
estate." The Sultan bade the package be spread out, and he
looked into it and saw a suit of royal apparel whose like he never
had owned. So he was astonished at the sight and said in his
mind, " By Allah, I possess naught like this, nor was I ever master
of so magnificent a garment ;" presently adding, " It shall be
accepted, O Shaykh, but needs must thou have some want or
requisition from me." I replied, " O King of the Age, my wish is
to become thy connection through that lady concealed and pearl
unrevealed, thy daughter." When the Sultan heard these words,
he turned to his Wazir and said, " Counsel me as to what I should
do in the matter of this man ? " Said he, " O King of the Age,
show him thy most precious stone and say him : An thou have a
jewel evening this one it shall be my daughter's marriage-dowry."
The King did as he was advised, whereat I was wild with wonder-
ment and asked him, " An I bring thee such a gem wilt thou give
me the Princess ? " He answered, " Yea, verily ! " and I took my
leave bearing with me the jewel to the young man who was await-
ing me in the room. 1 He enquired of me, " Hast thou proposed

for the Princess ? " and I replied, " Yes : I have spoken with the
Sultan concerning her, when he brought out this stone, saying to
me : An thou have a jewel evening this one, it shall be my
daughter's marriage-dowry; nor hath the Sultan power to false
his word/' The youth rejoined, " This day I can do naught, but

1 Arab. "Auzah," the Pers. Otak and the Turk. Otah (vulg. "Oda" whence
** Odalisque "), a popular word in Egypt and Syria.

History of M oka mmed\ Sultan of Cairo. 41

to-morrow (Inshallah f) I will bring thee ten jewels like it and
these thou shalt carry and present to the Sovran.' 1 Accordingly
when the mornfng dawned he arose and fared forth and aftervan
hour or so he returned with ten gems which he gave me. I took
them and repaired with them to the Sultan and, entering the
presence, I presented to him all the ten. When he looked upon
the precious stones he wondered at their brilliant water and turning
to the Wazir again asked him how he should act in this matter.
Replied the Minister, " O King of the Age, thou requiredst of him
but one jewel and he "hath brought thee ten ; 'tis therefore only

right and fair to give him thy daughter." And Shahrazad per-

ceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet
and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delect-
able!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

^f)e &rce ^unteg* anfc jFortg=fift& NffiSt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night!" She replied: With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Minister
said to the Monarch, " Give him thy daughter.'* Accordingly the
Sultan summoned the Kazis and the Efendis 1 who wrote out the
marriage-contract between me and the Princess. Then I returned
to the youth who had remained in the room and told him all that

1 Arab. " Al-Afandiyah " showing the late date or reduction of the tale. The Turkish
word derives from the Romaic Afentfe (a^ivrrfs) the corrupted O.G. avOevrrj? = an
absolute commander, an "authentic." The word should not be written as usual
"' Efiendi," but " Eiendi," as Prof. Galland has been careful to do.

42 Supplemental Nights.

had occurred when he said, " Twere best to conclude the wedding-
ceremony and pay the first visit to thy bride at once ; but thou
shalt on no wise consummate the nuptials until I bid thee go in
unto her, after somewhat shall have been done by me." " Hearing
and obeying," replied I ; and, when the night of going in 1 came,
I visited the Sultan's daughter but sat apart from her by the side
of the room during the first night and the second and the third ;
nor did I approach her although every day her mother came and
asked her the usual question 2 and she answered, " He hath never
approached me." So she grieved with sore grief for that 'tis the
wont of womankind, when a maid is married and her groom goeth
not in unto her, to deem that haply folk will attribute it to some
matter which is not wholly right. After the third night the
mother reported the case to her father who cried, "This night
except he abate her pucelage I will slay him ! " The tidings
reached my bride who told all to me, so I repaired to the young
man and acquainted him therewith. He cried, " When thou shalt
visit her say : By Allah, I will not enjoy thee unless thou give
me the amulet-bracelet hanging to thy right shoulder." I replied,
" To hear is to obey ; " and, when I went in to her at nightfall, I
asked her, " Dost thou really desire me to futter thee ? " She
answered, " I do indeed ; " so I rejoined, " Then give me the
amulet-bracelet hanging over thy right shoulder. She arose
forthright and unbound it and gave it to me, whereupon I bled
her of the hymeneal blood 3 and going to the young man gave him
the jewel. Then I returned to my bride and slept by her side till
the morning when I awoke and found myself lying outstretched

1 Arab. "Al-dakhlah" j repeatedly referred to in The Nights. The adventure is a
replica of that in ' Abu Mohammed hight Lazybones," vol. iv., pp. 171-174.

2 Usual in the East, not in England, where some mothers are idiots enough not to tell
their daughters what to expect on the wedding night. Hence too often unpleasant
surprises, disgust and dislike. The most modern form is that of the chloroform' d
bride upon whose pillow the bridegroom found a paper pinned and containing the words,
" Mamma says you're to do what you like."

3 Arab. " Akhaztu dam wajhhi-haV'

History of Mohammed, Sultan of Cairo. 43

in my own caravanserai-cell. I was wonderstruck and asked
myself, " Am I on wake or in a dream ? " and I saw my whilome
garments, the patched gabardine 1 and tattered shirt along with
my little drum ; 2 but the fine suit given to me by the youth was
not on my body nor did I espy any sign of it anywhere. So with
fire burning in my heart after what had befallen me, I wandered
about crowded sites and lone spots and in my distraction I knew
not what to do, whither to go or whence to come ; when lo and
behold ! I found sitting in an unfrequented part of the street a
Maghrabi, 3 a Barbary man, who had before him some written
leaves and was casting omens for sundry bystanders. Seeing this
state of things, I came forward and drew near him and made him a
salam which he returned ; then, after considering my features
straitly, he exclaimed, " O Shaykh, hath that Accursed done it
and torn thee from thy bride ? " " Yes," I replied. Hereupon he
said to me, " Wait a little while," and seated me beside him ; then,
as soon as the crowd dispersed he said, " O Shaykh, the baboon
which thou boughtest for ten silver bits and which was presently
transformed into a young man of Adam's sons, is not a human of
the sons of Adam but a Jinni who is enamoured of the Princess
thou didst wed. However, he could not approach her by reason
of the charmed bracelet hanging from her right shoulder, wjiere-
fore he served thee this sleight and won it and now he still weareth
it. But I will soon work his destruction to the end that Jinnkind
and mankind may be at rest from his mischief; for he is one of

1 Arab. "Dilk" more commonly "Khirkah," the tattered and pieced robe of a
religious mendicant.

2 Arab. " Darbsilah." Scott (p. 24) must have read "GharbaMah" when he trans-
lated "A turban full of holes as a sieve." In classical Arabic the word is written
" Darbalah," and seems to correspond with the Egyptian " Dardbukkah," a tabor of
wood or earthenware figured by Lane (M.E. chapt. xviii.). It is, like the bowl, part of
the regular Darwaysh's begging gear.

3 Vulg. Maghribi. For this word see the story of Alaeddin, Supplem., vol.iii. 51.
According to Heron, " History of Maugraby," the people of Provence, Languedoc and
Gascony use Maugraby as a term of cursing : MaugrebUu being nsed in other parts of
France.

44 Supplemental Nights.

the rebellious and misbegotten imps who break the law of our lord
Solomon (upon whom be the Peace !). Presently the Maghrabi

took a leaf and wrote upon it as it were a book. And Shah-

razad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
" How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that
I would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer
me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

anto

DUNYAZAD said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night!" She replied: With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Maghrabi wrote a writ and signed his name within and sealed it ;
after which he handed it to me saying, " O Shaykh, take this missive
and hie thee herewith to a certain spot where thou must wait and
observe those who pass by. Hearten thy heart and when thou
shalt see approaching thee a man attended by a numerous train,
present to him this scroll for 'tis he who will win for thee thy wish,"
I took the note from the Barbary man and fared forth to the
place which he had described and ceased not faring till I reached
it after travelling all that night and half the next day ; then I sat
down until darkness set in to await whatso might befal me. When
a fourth part of the night had passed, a dazzling glare of lights
suddenly appeared from afar advancing towards me ; and as it
shone nearer, I made out men bearing flambeaux 1 and lanthorns,

1 In text "Fandrat"; the Arab. plur. of the Pers. " Fan ar "= a light -house, and
here equiv. to the Mod. Gr. <avop, a lantern, the Egypt. "Fanus."

History of Mohammed \ Sultan of Cairo. 45

also a train of attendants befitting the Kings. They looked on
and considered me whilst my heart fluttered with fear, and I was
in sore affright. But the procession defiled and drew off from before
me, marching two after two, and presently appeared the chief
cortege wherein was a Sultan 1 of the Jann. As he neared
me I heartened my heart and advanced and presented to him the
letter which he, having halted, opened and read aloud ; and it

was : " Be it known to thee, O Sultan of the Jann, that the

bearer of this our epistle hath a need which thou must grant him
by destroying his foe ; and if opposition be offered by any we will
do the opponent die. An thou fail to relieve him thou wilt know
to seek from me relief for thyself." When the King of the Jann
had read the writ and had mastered its meaning and its mysteries,
he forthwith called out to one of his Serjeants 2 who at once came
forward and bade him bring into his presence without delay such-
and-such a Jinni who by his spells had wrought round the daughter
of the Cairene Sultan. The messenger replied, " Hearing and
obeying," and departed from him and disappearing was absent
an hour or thereabouts ; after which he and others returned with
the Jinni and set him standing before the King who exclaimed,
" Wherefore, O Accurst, hast thou wrought ill to this man and
done on this wise and on that wise ? " He replied, " O my lord,
all came of my fondness for the Princess who wore a charm in her
armlet which hindered my approaching her and therefore I made
use of this man to effect my purpose. I became master of the
talisman and won my wish but I love the maiden and never will

1 This Sultan of the Jann preceded by sweepers, flag-bearers and tent-pitchers always
appears in the form of second-sight called by Egyptians " Darb al-Mandal" = striking
the magic circle in which the enchanter sits when he conjures up spirits. Lane (M.E.
chapt. xii.) first made the "Cairo Magician" famous in Europe, but Herklots and
others had described a cognate practice in India many years before him.

2 Arab. "Jawush" for Chawush (vulg. Chiaush) Turk. = an army-serjeant, a herald
or serjeant-at-arms ; an apparitor or officer of the Court of Chancery (not a " Mace-
bearer or Messenger," Scott). See vol. vii. 327.

46 Supplemental Nights.

I harm her." Now when the Sultan heard these words he said,
" Thy case can be after one of two fashions only. Either return
the armlet that the man may be reunited with his wife and she
with her husband as whilome they were ; or contrary me and I
will command the headsman strike thy neck." Now when the
Jinni heard this speech (and 'twas he who had assumed the
semblance of a dog-faced baboon), he refused and was rebellious
to the King and cried, " I will not return the armlet nor will I
release the damsel, for none can possess her save myself." And
having spoken in this way he attempted to flee. - And Shah-
razad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How
sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that
I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer
me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

f^unfcrrt anfc jfortu-scbcntf) Jttg&t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale, that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : - With
love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King,
the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the ftjarid
would fain have fled from before the King of the Jann, but the
Sovran bade other Marids and more forceful arrest him ; so they
seized him and pinioned him and bound him in chains and collar
and dragged him behind the King of the Jann till the latter had
reached his place and had summoned him and had taken from
him the armlet. Then the Sultan gave order for him to be slain
and they slew him. When this was done, I prayed for the charm-
armlet and I recovered it after the Marid's death ; they also

History of Mohammed, Sultan of Cairo. 47

restored to me my fine suit. So I proceeded to the city which
I entered, and as soon as the guards and courtiers saw me, they
cried out for joy and said, " This is the son-in-law of the Sultan
who was lost ! " Hereat all the lieges hurried up to me and
received me with high respect and greeted me. But after entering
the Palace I proceeded forthright till I reached the apartment
set apart by them for myself and my spouse whom I found in a
deep sleep and stupefied, as it were ; a condition in which she
had lain ever since I took from her the talismanic armlet. So
I replaced the jewel upon her right shoulder and she awoke
and arose and ordered herself ; whereat her father and family
and the Lords of the Land and all the folk joyed with exceeding
joy. After this we lived together in all happiness till the death
of her sire who, having no son, named me his successor so that
I became what I am. Now when the Darwaysh-Sultan heard
all this he was astounded at what happeneth in this world of
marvels and miracles ; upon which I said to him, " O my brother,
wonder not ; for whatso is predetermined shall perforce be carried
out. But thou needs must become my Wazir ; because thou art
experienced in rule and governance and, since what time my sire-
in-law the Sultan died, I have been perplexed in my plight being
unable to find me a Minister who can administer the monarchy.
So do thou become my Chief Counsellor in the realm." There-
upon the Darwaysh replied, " Hearkening and obedience." The
Sultan then robed him in a sumptuous robe of honour and com-
mitted to him his seal-ring and all other matters pertinent to
his office, at the same time setting apart for him a palace, spacious
of corners, which he furnished with splendid furniture and wadded
carpets and vaiselle and other such matters. So the Wazir took
his seat of office and held a Divan or Council of State forth-
right and commanded and countermanded, and bade and forbade
according as he saw just and equitable ; and his fame for equity
and justice was dispread abroad ; insomuch that whoever had

48 Supplemental Nights.

a cause or request or other business he would come to the Wazir
for ordering whatso he deemed advisable. In this condition he
continued for many years till, on a day of the days, the Sultan's
mind was depressed. Upon this he sent after the Minister who
attended at his bidding, when he said, "O Wazir, my heart is
heavy!" "Enter then," replied the Minister, " O King, into
thy treasury of jewels and rubies and turn them over in thy
hands and thy breast will be broadened." The Sultan did accord-
ingly but it took no effect upon his ennui ; so he said, " O Wazir,
I cannot win free of this melancholic humour and nothing
pleasureth me in my palace ; so let us fare forth, I and thou,
in disguise." " Hearing is obeying/' quoth the Minister. The
twain then retired into a private chamber to shift their garb and
habited themselves as Darwayshes, the Darwayshes of Ajam-land,
and went forth and passed through the city right and left till
they reached a Mdristdn, a hospital for lunatics. 1 Here they
found two young men, one reading the Koran 2 and the other
hearkening to him, both being in chains like men Jinn-mad; and
the Sultan said in his mind, " By Allah, this is a marvel-case,"
and bespake the men asking, " Are ye really insane ? " They
answered saying, " No, by Allah ; we are not daft but so admirable
are our adventures that were they graven with needle-gravers
upon the eye-corners they had been warners to whoso would be
warned." "What are they?" quoth the King, and quoth they,
" Each of us, by Allah, hath his own story ; " and presently he
who had been reading exclaimed, " O King of the Age, hear

my tale." And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day

and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine,

1 Arab, from Persian " Bfmaiistan," a "sick-house," hospital, a mad-house:
vol. i. 288.
* The text says only that " he was reading : " sub. the Holy Volume.

Story of t/te First Lunatic. 49

and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was
the next night, and that was

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

THE STORY OF THE FIRST LUNATIC.'

I was a merchant and kept a shop wherein were Hindi goods of
all kinds and colours, highmost priced articles ; and I sold and
bought with much profit. I continued in this condition a while
of time till one day of the days as I, according to my custom, was
sitting in my shop an old woman came up and gave me the good
morning and greeted me with the salam. I returned her salute
when she seated her upon the shopboard and asked me saying,
" O master, hast thou any pieces of choice Indian stuffs ? " I

1 MS. vol. iii., pp. 142-168. Scott, " Story of the First Lunatic," pp. 31-44.
Gauttier, Histoire du Premier Fou, vol. vi. 187. It is identical with No. ii. of Chavis and
Cazotte, translated by C. de Perceval, Le Bimaristan (i.e. the Hospital), ou Histoire du
jeune Marchand de Bagdad et de la Dame tnconnue" (vol. viii. pp. 179-180). Heron
terms it the " Story of Halechalbe (All Chelebi?) and the Unknown Lady," and the
narrative is provided with a host of insipid and incorrect details, such as " A gentleman
enjoying his pipe." The motif of this tale is common in Arab folk-lore, and it first
appears in the "Tale of Aziz and Azizah," ii. 328. A third variant will occur
further on.

VOL. IV. D

jo Supplemental Nights.

replied, " O my mistress, I have with me whatso thou wantest ; "
and she rejoined, " Bring me forth one of them." Accordingly
I arose and fetched her a Hindi piece of the costliest price and
placed it in her hands. She took it and examining it was greatly
pleased by its beauty and presently said to me, " O my lord, for
how much is this?" Said I "Five hundred dinars;" where-
upon she pulled forth her purse and counted out to me the five
hundred gold pieces. Then she took the stuff and went her ways ;
and I, O our lord the Sultan, had sold to her for five hundred
sequins a piece of cloth worth at cost price three hundred and
fifty gold pieces. She came to me again, O my lord, on the next
day and asked me for another piece ; so I rose up and brought
her the bundle and she paid me once more five hundred dinars :
then she took up her bargain and ganged her gait. She did the
same, O my lord, on the third and the fourth day and so on
to the fifteenth, taking a piece of stuff from me and paying me
regularly five hundred golden pieces for each bargain. On the
sixteenth behold, she entered my shop as was her wont, but she
found not her purse ; so she said to me, " O Khwajah, 1 I have
left my purse at home." Said I, " O my lady, an thou return 'tis
well and if not thou art welcome to it." She sware she would
not take it and I, on the other hand, sware her to carry it off as a
token of love and friendship. 2 Thereupon debate fell between us,
and I, O our lord the Sultan, had made muchel of money by her
and, had she taken two pieces gratis, I would not have asked
questions anent them. At last she cried, " O Khwajah, I have
sworn an oath and thou hast sworn an oath, and we shall never
agree except thou favour me by accompanying me to my house

1 Spelt in vol. iii. 143 and elsewhere, " Khwaja for " Khwajah."
* Arab. " Hubban li-raasik," lit. = out of love for thy head, i.e. from affection for
thee. Dr. Steingass finds it analogous with the Koranic "Hubban li 'llahi (ii. 160),
where it is joined with " Ashaddu"= stronger, as regards love to or for Allah, more
Allah-loving. But it can stand adverbially by itself = out of love for Allah, for Allah'*
sake*

Story of the First Lunatic. 51

so thou mayest receive the value of the stuff, when neither of us
will have been forsworn : therefore lock up thy shop lest anything
be lost in thine absence." Accordingly I bolted my door and went
with her, O our lord the Sultan, and we ceased not walking,
conversing the while we walked, I and she, until we neared her
abode when she pulled out a kerchief from her girdle and said,
" 'Tis my desire to bind this over thine eyes." Quoth I, " For
what cause?" and quoth she, "For that on our way be sundry
houses whose doors are open and the women are sitting in the
vestibules of their homes, so that haply thy glance may alight upon
some one of them, married or maid, and thy heart become
engaged in a love-affair and thou abide distraught, because in
this quarter of the town be many fair faces, wives and virgins,
who would fascinate even a religious, and therefore we are alarmed
for thy peace of mind." Upon this I said in myself, " By Allah,
this old woman is able of advice ; " and I consented to her
requirement, when she bound the kerchief over my eyes and
blindfolded me. Then we walked on till we came to the house
she sought ; and when she rapped with the door-ring a slave-girl
came out and opening the door let us in. The old body then
approached me and unbound the kerchief from over my eyes ;
whereupon I looked around me, holding myself to be a captive,
and I found me in a mansion having sundry separate apartments
in the wings and 'twas richly decorated resembling the palaces

of the Kings. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

fell silent and ceased saying ' her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and* enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coining
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was
the next night and that was

52 Supplemental Nights.

Wb* f)W J^imfcrefc antf Jfortg.nmt?)

DUNYAZAD said to her " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love and

good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director,
the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds

fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth pursued :

By Allah, O our lord the Sultan, of that house I never saw the
fellow. She then bade me hide within a room and I did her
bidding in a corner place where beside me I beheld heaped together
and cast down in that private site all the pieces of stuff which the
ancient dame had purchased of me. Seeing this I marvelled in
my mind and lo ! appeared two damsels as they were moons and
came down from an upper story till they stood on the ground-floor ;
after which they cut a piece of cloth into twain and each maiden
took one and tucked up her sleeves. They then sprinkled the
court of that palace with water of the rose and of the orange-
flower, 1 wiping the surface with the cloth and rubbing it till it
became as silver ; after which the two girls retired into an inner
room and brought out some fifty chairs 2 which they set down, and
placed over each seat a rug s with cushions of brocade. They then
carried in a larger chair of gold and placed upon it a carpet with
cushions of orfrayed work and after a time they withdrew.
Presently, there descended from the staircase, two following two, a
host of maidens in number till they evened the chairs and each one
of them sat down upon her own, and at last suddenly appeared a
young lady in whose service were ten damsels, and she walked up

1 Arab. " Zahr," lit. and genetically a blossom; but often used in a specific sense
throughout The Nights.

8 Arab, " Kursi " here = a square wooden seat without back and used, for sitting cross-
legged. See Suppl. vol. i. 10.

-Arab. " Sujjddah "= lit. a praying carpet, which Lane calls " Seggadeh."

Story of the First Lunatic. 53

to and they seated her upon the great chair. When I beheld her,
O my lord the Sultan, my right senses left me and my wits fled
me and I was astounded at her loveliness and her stature and her
symmetric grace as she swayed to and fro in her pride of beauty and
gladsome spirits amongst those damsels and laughed and sported
with them. At last she cried aloud, " O mother mine ! J> when the
ancient dame answered her call and she asked her, " Hast thou
brought the young man ? " The old woman replied, " Y/ss, he is
present between thy hands ; " and the fair lady said, " Bring him
hither to me ! " But when I heard these words I said to myself,
" There is no Majesty and there is no Might, save in Allah, the
Glorious, the Great ! Doubtless when this damsel shall have dis-
covered my being in such hiding place she will bid them do me
die/' The old woman then came forwards to me and led me before
the young lady seated on the great chair ; and, when I stood in
her presence, she smiled in my face and saluted me with the salam
and welcomed me ; after which she signed for a seat to be brought
and when her bidding was obeyed set it close beside her own.
She then commanded me to sit and I seated me by her side.
- And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell
silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this com-
pared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the
Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night
and that was

54 Supplemental Nights.

of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth

pursued : She seated me beside her, O our lord the Sultan, and

fell to talking and joking with me for an hour or so when she said,
" O youth, what sayest thou of me and of my beauty and my loveli-
ness? Would Heaven that I could occupy thy thought and
please thee so that I might become to thee wife and thou be to me
man." When I heard these her words I replied, "O my lady,
how dare I presume* to attain such honour ? Indeed I do not
deem myself worthy to become a slave between thy hands."
Hereupon said she, " Nay, O young man, my words have in them
nor evasion nor alteration ; so be not disheartened or fearful of
returning me a reply, for that my heart is fulfilled of thy love.*'
I now understood, O our lord the Sultan, that the damsel was
desirous of marrying me ; but I could not conceive what was the
cause thereof or who could have given her intelligence concerning
me. She continued to enjoy herself in the gladsomest way till at
length I was emboldened to say to her, " O my lady, an thy words
to me be after the fashion of thy will, remember the proverb :
When a kindness is- to be done, this is its time." "By Allah, O
youth, there cannot be a more fortunate day than this present."
" O my lady, what shall I apportion to thee for dowry ? " " The
dowry hath been paid to me in the value of the stuffs which thou
entrustedst to this ancient dame who is my mother ! " " That
cannot suffice." " By Allah, naught shall be added ; but, O youth
'tis my intention forthright to send after the Kazi and his Assessors
and I will choose me a trustee 1 that they may tie together us
twain without delay ; and thou shalt come in to me this coming
evening. But all such things be upon one condition." "And
what maybe thy condition ?" "This, that thou swear never to
address or to draw near any woman save myself." And I, O our

1 Arab. " Wakfl," lit.= agent : here the woman's representative, corresponding roughly
with the man who gives away the bride amongst ourselves.

Story of the First Lunatic. 55

lord the Sultan, being unmarried and eager to possess so beautiful
a bricle, said to her, " This be thine ; and I will never contrary thee
by word or by deed." She then sent to summon the Kazi and
his witnesses and appointed an agent ; upon which they knotted
the knot. After the marriage ceremony was ended she ordered
coffee l and sherbets and gave somewhat of dirhams to the Kazi
and a robe of honour to her trustee ; and this done, all \yent their
several ways. I was lost in astonishment and said in my mind,
" Do I dream or am I on wake ? " She then commanded her
damsels to clear the Hammam-bath and cleanse it and fill it
afresh and get ready towels and waist-cloths and silken napkins 2
and scented woods and essences, as virgin ambergris and ottars
and perfumes of vari-coloured hues and kinds. And when they
had executed her orders, she ordered the Eunuchry standing in her
service to take me and bear me* to the Bath, largessing each one
with a sumptuous dress. They led me into a Hammam which had
been made private and I saw a place tongue is powerless to portray.
And as we arrived there they spread vari-coloured carpets upon
which I sat me down and doffed what clothing was upon me : then
I entered the hot rooms and smelt delicious scents diffused from
the sides of the hall, sandal-wood, Comorin lign-aloes and other
such fragrant substances. Here they came up to me and seated
me, lathering me with perfumed soaps and shampoo'd me till my
body became silver-bright ; when they fetched the metal tasses and
I washed with water luke-warm after which they brought me cold
water mingled with rose water and I sprinkled it over me. After
this they supplied me with silken napkins and drying-towels of
palm-fibre 3 wherewith I rubbed me and then repaired to the cool

1 The mention of coffee and sherbet, here and in the next page, makes the tafe syn-
chronous with that of Ma'aruf or the xvii. century.

8 The MS. writes "Zardakdt ' for " Zardakhdn" : see below.

3 Scott (p. 36) has " mahazzira (for mahazim), al Zerdukkaut (for al-Zardakhan) " ana
" munnaskif (for manashif) al fillfillee." Of the former he notes (p. 414) " What this

^6 Supplemental Nights.

room outside the calidarium J where I found a royal dress. The
Eunuchry arrayed me therein and after fumigating me with the
smoke of lign-aloes served up somewhat of confections 2 and coffee
and sherbets of sundry sorts ; so I drank after eating the Ma'jun.
About eventide I left the Baths with all the Eunuchry in attendance
on me and we walked till we entered the Palace and they led me
into a closet spread with kingly carpets and cushions. And behold,
she came up to me attired in a new habit more sumptuous than

that I had seen her wearing erewhile. And Shahrazad perceived

the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful
is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth
she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now
when it was the next night and that was

5* 3T&W f^un&rrtr anfc Jfiftg=first Vfgbt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and wojrthy celebrating, that the youth

composition is I cannot define : it may be translated compound of salffron, yoke of egg or
of yellowish drugs." He evidently confounds it with the Pers. Zard-i-Khayah = yoke of
egg. Of the second he says " compound of peppers, red, white and black." Lane
(The Nights, vol. i. p. 8) is somewhat scandalised at such misrepresentation ; translating
the first " apron- napkins of thick silk," and the second " drying towels of Lif or palm-
fibre," further suggesting that the text may have dropped a conjunction = drying towels
and fibre.

1 Arab. " Liwdn al-barrnf,"lit. = the outer bench in the " Maslakh " orapodyterium.

2 Arab. " Ma'jun," pop. applied to an electuary of Bhang (^Cannabis sattva) : it is the
" Maagoon" sold by the " Maagungee" of Lane (M.E. chap. xv). Here, however, the
term may be used in the sense of "confections" generally, the sweetmeats eaten by
way of restoratives in the Bath.

Story of the First Lunatic. 57

continued : And I, O our lord the Sultan, went into the closet

and behold, she met me wearing a habit of the most sumptuous :
so when I sighted her she seemed to me from the richness of her
ornaments like an enchanted hoard wherefrom the talisman had
been newly removed. She sat down beside me and bent lovingly
over me and I rose up for I could no longer contain my passion
and wrought that work which was to be worked. 1 Presently she
again disappeared but soon returned in vestments even richer than
the last and she did with me as before and I embraced her once
more. In short, O our lord the Sultan, we ceased not dwelling
together, I and she, in joyaunce and enjoyment, laughter and
disport and delicious converse for a space of twenty days. At the
end of this time I called to mind my lady-mother, and said to the
dame I had espoused, " O my lady, 'tis long since I have been
absent from home and 'tis long since my parent hath seen me or
wotteth aught concerning me : needs must she be pining and
grieving for my sake. So do thou give me leave to visit her and
look after my mother and also after my shop." Quoth she, " No
harm in that : thou mayst visit thy mother daily and busy thyself
about thy shop-business ; but this ancient dame (my mother) is
she who must lead thee out and bring thee back." Whereto I
replied, " 'Tis well." Upon this the old woman came in and tied
a kerchief over my eyes according to custom and fared forth
with me till we reached the spot where she had been wont to
remove the bandage. Here she unbound it saying, "We will
expect thee to-morrow about noontide and when thou comest
to this place, thou shalt see me awaiting thee." I left her and

1 He speaks of taking her maidenhead as if it were porter's work and so defloration
was regarded by many ancient peoples. The old Nilotes incised the hymen before con-
gress ; the Phoenicians, according to Saint Athanasius, made a slave of the husband's
abate it. The American Chibchas and Caribs looked upon virginity as a reproach,
proving that the maiden had never inspired love. For these and other examples
see p. 72, chap. iii. "L'Amour dans rHumaniteV* by P. Mantegazta, a civilised and
unprejudiced traveller.

5 8 Supplemental Nights.

repaired to my mother whom I found grieving and weeping at
my absence ; and upon seeing me she rose up and threw her
arms round my neck with tears of joy. I said, " Weep not, O my
mother, for the cause of my absence hath been a certain matter
which be thus and thus." I then related to her my adventure and
she on hearing it was rejoiced thereby and exclaimed, " O my son,
may Allah give thee gladness ; but I pray thee solace me J at least
every two days with a visit that my longing for thee may be
satisfied." I replied, "This shall be done;" and thenceforth, O
our lord the Sultan, I went to my shop and busied myself as was
my wont till noontide, when I returned to the place appointed
and found the old woman awaiting me. Nor did I ever fare forth
from the mansion without her binding my eyes with the kerchief
which she loosed only when we reached my own house ; and
whenever I asked her of this she would answer, " On our way be
sundry houses whose doors are open and the women sitting in the
vestibules of their homes, so that haply thy glance may alight
upon some one of them, matron or maid : all sniff up love like
water, 2 and we fear for thee lest thy heart be netted in the net
of amours." For thirty days, a whole month, I continued to go
and come after this fashion but, O our lord the Sultan, at all
times and tides I was drowned in thought and wondered in my
mind, saying, "What chance caused me forgather with this
damsel ? What made me marry her ? Whence this wealth which
is under her hand ? How came I to win union with her ? " For
I knew not the cause of all this. Now, on a day of the days, I
found an opportunity of being private with one of her black slave
girls 3 and questioned her of all these matters that concerned her

1 Arab. "Zill," lit. "shadow me."

2 Arab. " Istinshdk," one of the items of the "Wuzii" or lesser -ablution: see
vol. v. 198.

8 In Chavis her name is "Zaliza" and she had conceived an unhappy passion "
for her master, to whom she "declared her sentiments without reserve."

Story of the First Lunatic. 59

mistress. She replied, " O my lord, the history of my lady is
marvellous ; but I dare not relate it to thee in fear lest she hear
thereof and do me die." So I said to her, "By Allah, O hand-
maid of good, an thou wilt say me sooth I will veil it darkly for in
the keeping of secrets there is none like myself : nor will I reveal it
at any time." Then I took oath of secrecy when she said, " O
my lord," - And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day
and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and
how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an
the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

an& $ tftg^cottti Kfgftt,

1 Arab. " Armaghanat," the Arab. plur. of " Armaghan," Pers.=a present.
8 In the text, "jumlatun min.al-mal," which Scott apparently reads " Hamlat al<
jamal" and translates (p. 38) " a camel's load of treasure."

60 Supplemental Nights.

depart she collected the fragments of the feast and distributed
them amongst the mean and the mesquin. On her return she
passed through the Bazar-street wherein standeth thy shop, and
it was a Friday when thou wast sitting, adorned with thy finest
dress, in converse with the nearest neighbour. And suddenly as
she fared by, she beheld thee in such state and her heart was
stricken with sore stroke of love albeit none of us observed her
condition and what affection she had conceived for thee. How-
ever, no sooner had she reached her palace than her melancholy
began to grow upon her with groans and her cark and care, and
her colour left her : she ate and drank little and less and her sleep
forsook her and her frame was sorely enfeebled till at last she took
to her bed. Upon this her mother went to summon a learned
man 1 or a mediciner that he might consider the condition of her
daughter and what sickness had gotten about her : she was absent
for an hour and returned with an ancient dame who took seat
beside her and putting forth her hand felt the patient's pulse.
But she could perceive in her no bodily ailment or pain, upon
which the old woman understood her case, but she durst not
bespeak her of it or mention to her mother that the girl's heart
was distraught by love. So she said, There is no harm to thee !
and (Inshallah !) to-morrow I will return hither to thee and bring
with me a certain medicine. She then went forth from us and
leading the mother to a place apart, said to her, O my lady, Allah
upon thee, pardon me for whatso I shall mention and be thou con-
vinced that my words are true and keep them secret nor divulge
them to any. The other replied, Say on and fear not for aught
which hath become manifest to thee of my daughter's unweal :
haply Allah will vouchsafe welfare. She rejoined, Verily, thy
daughter hath no bodily disorder or malady of the disease kind

1 The learned man was to exorcise some possible "evil spirit" or "the eye," &
superstition which seems to have begun, like all others, with the ancient Egyptians.

Story of the First Lunatic. 6 1

but she is in love and there can be no cure for her save union with
her beloved. "Quoth the mother, And how about the coming of
her sweetheart ? This is a matter which may not be managed
except thou show us some contrivance whereby to bring this youth
hither and marry him to her. But contrivance is with Allah.
Then the old lady went her ways forthright and the girl's mother
sought her daughter and said to her after kindly fashion, O my
child, as for thee thy disorder is a secret and not a bodily disease.
Tell me of him thou requirest and fear naught from me ; belike
Allah will open to us the gate of contrivance whereby thou shalt
win to thy wish. Now when the maiden heard these words she
was abashed before her parent and kept silence, being ashamed to
speak ; nor would she return any reply for the space of twenty
days. But during this term her distraction increased and her
mother ceased not to repeat the same words, time after time, till it
became manifest to the parent that the daughter was madly in
love with a young" man ; so at last quoth she, Describe him to me.
Quoth the other, O mother mine, indeed he is young of years and
fair of favour ; also he woneth in such a Bazar, methinks on its
southern side. Therewith the dame arose without stay or delay
and fared forth to find the young man and 'tis ' thyself, O youth !
And when the mother saw thee she took from thee a piece of cloth
and brought it to her daughter and promised thou shouldst visit
her. Thenceforwards she ceased not repeating her calls to thee for
the period thou wottest well until by her cunning she brought thee
hither ; and that happened which happened and thou didst take the
daughter to wife. Such is her tale and beware lest thou reveal
my disclosure." " No, by Allah," replied I. Then the lunatic

resumed speaking to the Sultan : O my lord, I continued to

cohabit with her for the space of one month, going daily to see my
mother and to sell in my shop and I returned to my wife every
evening blindfolded and guided as usual by my^ mother-in-law.
Now one day of the days as I was sitting at my business, a damsel

62 Supplemental Nights.

came into the Bazar-street And Shahrazad perceived the dawn

of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale,
O sister mine, and enjoyable and* delectable ! " Quoth she, " And
where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it
was the next night and that was

&e ^Jree ^untotr an* Jftfts-tjCrU Wfijt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, "Allah uponthee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth

continued : A damsel came into the Bazar-street bearing the

image of a cock made of precious ore and crusted with pearls and
rubies and other gems ; and she offered it to the good men 1 of the
market for sale. So they opened the biddings at five hundred
dinars and they ceased not contending 2 thereanent till the price
went up to nine hundred and fifty gold pieces. All this time and
I looked on nor did I interfere by speaking a syllable or by adding
to the biddings a single bit of gold. At last, when none would
offer aught more, the girl came up to me and said, " O my lord,
all the gentlemen have increased their biddings for the cock ; but
thou hast neither bidden nor heartened my heart by one kind
word." Quoth I, " I have no need thereof ; " and quoth she, " By
Allah, needs must thou bid somewhat more than the others." I

1 The MS. 1 have said, always writes "Khwajd" instead of "Khwajah" (plur.
M Khwajdt ") : for this word, the modern Egyptian " Howajah," see vol. vi. 46. Here
it corresponds with our "goodman."

8 Arab. " Yatazdwadu " = increasing.

Story of the First Lunatic. 63

replied, " Since there is no help for it, I will add fifty dinars which
will fill up the thousand." She rejoined, " Allah gar thee gain ? " l
So I fared into my shop to fetch the money, saying in my mind,
" I will present this curiosity to my Harim : haply /twill pleasure
her." But when I was about, O my lord the Sultan, to count out
the thousand ducats, the damsel would not accept aught of me but
said, " I have a request to make of thee, O youth 1 to wit, that I
may take one kiss from thy cheek." I asked her, " For what pur-
pose ? " and she answered. " I want one kiss of thy cheek which
shall be the price of my cock, for I need of thee naught else." I
thought to myself, " By Allah, a single kiss of my cheek for the
value of a thousand sequins were an easy price ; " and I gave my
consent thereto, O my lord. Then she came up to me and leaned
over me and bussed my cheek, but after the kiss she bit me with a
bite which left its mark : 2 then she gave me the cock and went her
ways in haste. Now when it was noon I made for my wife's house
and came upon the old woman awaiting me at the customed stead
and she bound the kerchief over my eyes and after blindfolding
them fared with me till we reached our home when she unbound
it. I found my wife sitting in the saloon dressed from head to foot
in cramoisy 3 and with an ireful face, whereupon I said to myself,
" O Saviour, 4 save me ! " I then went up to her and took out the
cock which was covered with pearls and rubies, thinking that her
evil humour would vanish at the sight of it and said, " O my
lady, accept this cock for 'tis curious and admirable to look upon ;
and I bought it to pleasure thee." She put forth her hand and
taking it from me examined it by turning it rightwards and left-

1 By which she accepted the offer.

3 This incident has already occurred in the tale of the Portress (Second Lady of
Baghdad, vol. i. 179), but here the consequences are not so tragical. In Chavis the
vulgar cock becomes " a golden Censer ornamented with diamonds, to be sold for two
thousand sequins ' (each = 9 shill.).

3 A royal sign of wrath generally denoting torture and death. See vols. iv. 72 ;
vi. 250.

4 Arab. " Ya Sallam," addressed to Allah.

64 Supplemental Nights.

wards ; then exclaimed, " Didst thou in very sooth buy this on my
account?" Replied I, "By Allah, O my lady, I bought it for
thee at a thousand gold pieces/' Hereupon she shook her head at
me, O my lord the Sultan, and cried out after a long look at my
face, " What meaneth that bite on thy cheek ? " Then with a loud
and angry voice she called to her women who came down the stairs
forthright bearing the body of a young girl with the head cut off
and set upon the middle of the corpse ; 1 and I looked and behold,
it was the head of the damsel who had sold me the cock for a kiss
and who had bitten my cheek. Now my wife had sent her with
the toy by way of trick, saying to her, " Let us try this youth
whom I have wedded and see if he hold himself bound by his
plighted word and pact or if he be false and foul." But of all
this I knew naught. Then she cried a second cry and behold, up
came three handmaids bearing with them three cocks like that
which I had brought for her and she said, " Thou bringest me this
one cock when I have these three cocks ; but inasmuch as, O
youth, thou hast broken the covenant that was between me and
thee, I want thee no more : go forth ! wend thy ways forthright ! "
And she raged at me and cried to her mother, " Take him away ! " 2

And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell

silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoy-
able and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran
suffer me to survive ?" Now when it was the next night and that was

1 Here more is meant than meets the eye. When a Moslem's head was struck off,
in the days of the Caliphate, it was placed under his armpit, whereas that of a Jew or a
Christian was set between his legs, close to the seat of dishonour.

8 In Chavis and Cazotte the lady calls to " Morigen, her first eunuch and says, Cut
off his head 1 " Then she takes a theorbo and " composed the following couplets "
of which the first may suffice :

Since my swain unfaithful proves,
Let him go to her he loves, etc., etc.

Story of the First Lunatic. 6$

f^untefc antr jptftg.fourtj Ntgfit,

so they seized me perforce and jailed me in the madhouse as thou
hast seen me, O our lord the Sultan. They say, " This man is
Jinn-mad ;" but, by Allah, I am no maniac, O my lord, and such
is my tale. Hereat the King marvelled and bowed his brow
ground wards for a while in deep thought over this affair : then he
raised hi? h^ad and turning to his Minister said, " O Wazir, by the
truth of Him. who made me ruler of this realm, except thou
discover the damsel who married this youth, thy head shall pay
forfeit." The Wazir was consterned to hear the case of the young-
man ; but he could not disobey the royal commandment so he
said, " Allow me three days of delay, O our *ord the Sultan ;
and to this much of grace the King consented. Then the Wazir
craved dismissal and would have taken the Youth with him ; whea
the Sultan cried, " As soon as thou shalt have hit upon the house,
the young man will go into it and come forth it like other folk,"
He replied, " Hearkening and obedience." So he took, the Youth
VOL. IV. E

66 Supplemental Nights*

and went out with aching head and giddy as a drunken man,
perplexed and unknowing whither he should wend ; and he
threaded the city streets from right to left and from east to west,
tarrying at times that he might privily question the folk. But
naught discovered itself to him and he made certain of death.
In this condition he continued for two days and the third till
noontide, when he devised him a device and said to the Youth,
" K newest thou the spot where the old woman was wont to blind-
fold thine eyes ? " He replied, " Yes." So the Minister walked on
with him till the young man exclaimed, " Here, 'tis this ! J>1 The
Wazir then said, " O Youth, knowest thou the door-ring wherewith
she was wont to rap and canst thou distinguish its sound ? " He
said " I can." Accordingly, the Wazir took him and went the
round of all the houses in that quarter and rapped with every
door-ring asking him, " Is't this ?" and he would answer, "No."
And the twain ceased not to do after such fashion until they came
to the door where the appointment had taken place without risk
threatened ; 2 and the Wazir knocked hard at it and the Youth,
hearing the knock, exclaimed, " O my lord, verily this be the ring
without question or doubt or uncertainty." So the Minister
knocked again with the same knocker and the slave-girls threw
open the door and the Wazir, entering with the youth, found that
the palace belonged to the daughter of the Sultan who had been
succeeded by his liege lord. 3 But when the Princess saw the
Minister together with her spouse, she adorned herself, and came
down from the Harem and salam'd to him. Thereupon he asked
her, " What hath been thy business with this young man ? " So

1 The device has already occurred in " All Baba."

* Arab. " Al-ma'hud min ghayr wa'd."

3 In Chavis and Gazette the king is Hartm al-Rashid and the masterful young person
proves to be Zeraida, the favourite daughter of Ja'afar Bermaki ; whilst the go-between
b not the young lady's mother but Nemana, an old governess. The over-jealous husband
in the Second Lady of Baghdad (vol. i. 179) is Al-Amin, son and heir of the Caliph
Harun al-Rashid.

Story of the Second Lunatic. 67

she told him her tale from first to last and he said, " O my lady,
the King commandeth that he enter and quit the premises as before
and that he come hither without his eyes being bandaged with the
kerchief." She obeyed and said, " The commandments of our
lord the Sultan shall be carried out." Such was the history of
that youth whom the Sultan heard reading the Koran in the
Maristcin, the public madhouse : but as regards the second Lunatic
who sat listening, the Sultan asked him, " And thou, the other,
what be thy tale ? " So he began to relate the

STORY OF THE SECOND LUNATIC?

" O my lord/' quoth the young man, " my case is marvellous, and
haply thou wilt desire me to relate it in order continuous ; " and
quoth the Sultan, " Let me hear it." - And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful
is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth
she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
Ion the coming night an the Sovran suffer "Sue to survive ? " Now.
when it was the next night and that was

1 Vol. iii. pp. 168-179: and Scott's " Story of the Second Lunatic," pp. 45-51.
The name is absurdly given as the youth was anything but a lunatic ; but this is Arab
symmetromania. The tale is virtually the same as " Women's Wiles," in- Supplemental
Nights, vol. u. 137-151.

68 Supplemental Nights.

youth said : O my lord the Sultan, I am by calling a merchant

man and none of the guild was younger, I having just entered my
sixteenth year. Like my fellows I sold and bought in the Bazar
every day till, one day of the days, a damsel came up to me and
drew near and handed to me a paper which I opened ; and behold,
it was full of verses and odes in praise of myself, and the end of
the letter contained the woman's name professing to be enamoured
of me. When I read it I came down from my shopboard, in my
folly and ignorance, and putting forth my hand seized the girl and
beat her till she swooned away. 1 After this I let her loose and she
went her ways and then I fell into a brown study saying to myself,
" Would Heaven I wot whether the girl be without relations or if
she have kith and kin to whom she may complain and they will
come and bastinado me." And, O our lord the Sultan, I repented
of what I had done whenas repentance availed me naught and
this lasted me for twenty days., .At the end of that time as I was
sitting in my shop according to my custom, behold, a young lady
entered and she was sumptuously clad and sweetly scented and she
was even as the moon in its fullness on the fourteenth night. When
I gazed upon her my wits fled and my sane senses and right judg-
ment forsook me and I was incapable of attending to aught save
herself. She then came up and said, " O youth, hast thou by thee
a variety of metal ornaments ? " and said I, " O my lady, of all
kinds thou canst possibly require." Hereupon she wished to see
some anklets which I brought out for her, when she put forth her

feet to me and showing me the calves of her legs said, " O my lord,

try them on me." This I did. Then she asked for a necklace 2
and I produced one when she unveiled her bosom and said, " Take
its measure on me : " so I set it upon her and she said, " I want a

1 This forward movement on the part of the fair one is held to be very insulting by
the modest Moslem. This incident Is wanting in " Women's Wiles."

2 Arab. " Labbah," usually the part of the throat where ornaments are hung or camels
are stabbed.

Story of the Second Lunatic. 69

fine pair of bracelets," and I brought to her a pair when, extending
her hands and displaying her wrists she said to me, " Put them on
me." I did so and presently she asked me, " What may be the
price of all these ? " when I exclaimed, " O my lady, accept them
from me in free gift ;" and this was of the excess of my love to her,

King of the Age, and my being wholly absorbed in her. Then
quoth I to her, " O my lady, whose daughter art thou ? " and quoth
she, "I am the daughter of the Shaykh al-Islam." 1 I replied,
" My wish, is to ask thee in marriage of thy father," and she
rejoined, " Tis well : but, O youth, I would have thee know that

when thou askest me from my sire he will say : 1 have but one

daughter and she is a cripple and deformed even as Satfh was. 2 Do
thou, however make answer that thou art contented to accept her
and if he offer any remonstrance cry : I'm content, content ! "

1 then enquired, " \Vhen shall that be ? " and she replied, " To-
morrow about undurn hour 3 come to our house and thou wilt find
my sire, the Shaykh al-Islam, sitting with his companions and
intimates. Then ask me to wife." So we agreed upon this
counsel and on the next day, O our lord the Sultan, I went with
several of my comrades and we repaired, I and they, to the house
of the Shaykh al-Islam, whom I found sitting with sundry Grandees
about him. We made our salams which they returned and they
welcomed us and all entered into friendly and familiar conversation.
When it was time for the noon-meal the tablecloth 4 was spread
and they invited us to join them, so we dined with them and after
dinner drank coffee. I then stood up saying, " O my lord, I am
come hither to sue and solicit thee for the lady concealed and the

1 The Chief of the Moslem Church. For the origin of the office and its date (A.D.
1453) see vols. ix. 289, and x. 85.

2 Arab. " Satihah" =a she-Satih : this seer was a headless and neckless body, with face
in breast, lacking members and lying prostrate on the ground. His fellow, "Shikk,"
was a half-man, and both foretold the divine mission of Mohammed. (Ibn Khali, i. 487.)

3 Arab. " Wakt al-Zuha ;" the 'division of time between sunrise and midday.
In the text " Sufrah"= the cloth: see vol. i. 178, etc.

70 Supplemental Nights.

pearl unrevealed, thy daughter." But when the Shaykh al-Islam
heard from me these words he bowed his head for awhile ground-
wards - And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night,
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the
watching of this our latter night ? " She replied : - With love
and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
resumed : - Now when the Shaykh al-Islam heard from me those
words he bowed his brow groundwards for a while in deep thought
concerning the case of his daughter who was a cripple and
wondrously deformed. For the damsel who had told me of her
had played me a trick and served me a sleight, I all the time
knowing nothing about her guile. Presently he raised his head
and said to me, " By Allah, O my son, I have a daughter but she
is helpless." Quoth I, " I am content ; " and quoth he, " An thou
take her to wife after this description, 'tis on express condition
that she be not removed from my house and thou also shalt pay
her the first visit and cohabit with her in my home." I replied,
"To hear is to obey;" being confident, O King of the Age,
that she was the damsel who had visited my shop and whom
I had seen with my own eyes. Thereupon the Shaykh al-Islam
married his daughter to me and I said in my mind, " By Allah,

Story of the Second Lunatic. 11

is it possible that I am become master of this damsel and shall
enjoy to my full her beauty and loveliness ? " But when night
fell they led me in procession to the chamber of my bride ;
and when I beheld her I found her hideous as her father had
described her, a deformed cripple. At that moment all manner
of cares mounted my back and I was full of fury and groaned
with grief from the core of my heart; but I could not say a
word, for that I had accepted her to wife of my own free will
and had declared myself contented in presence of her sire. So
I took seat silently in a corner of the room and my bride in
another, because I could not bring myself to approach her, she
being unfit for the carnal company of man and my soul could not
accept cohabitation with her. And at dawntide, O my lord the
Sultan, I left the house and went to my shop which I opened
according to custom and sat down with my head dizzy like one
drunken without wine ; when lo ! there appeared before me the
young lady who had caused happen to me that mishap. She came
up and salam'd to me but I arose with sullenness and abused her
and cried, " Wherefore, O my lady, hast thou put upon me such a
piece of work ? " She replied, " O miserable," l recollect such a
day when I brought thee a letter and thou after reading it didst
come down from thy shop and didst seize me and didst trounce
me and didst drive me away." I replied, " O my lady, prithee
pardon me for I am a true penitent ; " and I ceased not to soften
her with soothing 2 words and promised her all weal if she would
but forgive me. At last she deigned excuse me and said, " There
is no harm for thee ; and, as I have netted thee, so will I unmesh
thee." I replied, " Allah ! Allah ! 3 O my lady, I am under thy
safeguard;'' and she rejoined, "Hie thee to the Agha of the

1 Arab. " Ya Tinjir," lit.=O Kettle.

2 Arab. " Tari," lit. = wet, with its concomitant suggestion, soft and pleasant like
desert-rain.

3 Here meaning Haste, haste ! " See vol. i. 46. j

72 Supplemental Nights.

Jandkilah, 1 the gypsies, give him fifty piastres and say him :

We desire thee to furnish us with a father and a mother and cousins
and kith and kin, and do thou charge them to say of me, " This is
our cousin and our blood relation." - Then let him send them all
to the house of the Shaykh al-Islam and repair thither himself
together with his followers, a party of drummers and a parcel of
pipers. When they enter his house and the Shaykh shall perceive
them and exclaim, What's this we've here ? let the Agha reply, O
my lord, we be kinsmen with thy son-in-law and we are come to
gladden his marriage with thy daughter and to make merry with
him. He will exclaim, Is this thy son a gypsey musician ? and do
thou explain saying, Aye, verily I am a Jankali ; and he will cry
out to thee, O dog, thou art a gypsey and yet durst thou marry
the daughter of the Shaykh al-Islam ? Then do thou make
answer : O my lord, 'twas my ambition to be ennobled by thine
alliance and I have espoused thy daughter only that the mean
name of Jankali may pass away from me and that I may be under
the skirt of thy protection." Hereat, O my lord the Sultan, I arose
without stay and delay and did as the damsel bade me and agreed
with the Chiefs of the Gypsies for fifty piastres. 2 On the second
day about noon lo and behold ! all the Janakilah met before the
house of the Shaykh al-Islam and they, a-tom-toming and a-piping

and a-dancing, crowded into the courtyard of the mansion. And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad " How
sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and

1 The chief man (Aghd) of the Gypsies, the Jink of Egypt whom Turkish soldiers call
Ghiovende, a race of singers and dancers ; in fact professional Nautch-girls. See p, 222,
" Account of the Gypsies of India," by David MacRitchie (London, K. Paul, 1886), a
most useful manual.

a Arab. " Kurush," plur. of " Kirsh " (pron. " Girsh "), the Egyptian piastre = one-
fifth of a shilling. The word may derive from a i/ Karsh = collecting money ; but it is
more probably a corruption of Groschen, primarily a great or thick piece of money and
secondarily a small silver coin = 3 kjeuzers = I penny.

Story of the Second Lunatic. 73

delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that
I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

6c fie ^un&tefc an* JW^sebtntJ) JSigSt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
continued : So the Janakilah entered the house of the Shaykh al-
Islam all a-drumming and a-dancing. Presently the family came
out and asked, " What is to do ? And what be this hubbub ? "
The fellows answered, " We are gypsey-folk and our son is in
your house having wedded the daughter of the Shaykh al-Islam."
Hearing these words the family went up and reported to its head,
and he, rising from his seat, descended to the court-yard which he
found full of Jankalis. He enquired of them their need and they
told him that the youth, their kinsman, having married the daughter
of the house, they were come to make merry at the bride-feast.
Quoth the Shaykh, " This indeed be a sore calamity that a gipsey
should espouse the daughter of the Shaykh al-Islam. By Allah,
I will divorce her from him." So he sent after me, O our lord
the Sultan, and asked me saying, " What is thy breed and what
wilt thou take to be off with thyself? " Said I, " A Jankali ; and
I married thy daughter with one design namely to sink the mean
name of a gypsey drummer in the honour of connection and
relationship with thee." He replied, " 'Tis impossible that my
daughter can cohabit with thee : so up and divorce her." I re-
joined " Not so : I will -never repudiate her." Then we fell to
quarrelling but the folk interposed between us and arranged that I

74 Supplemental Nights.

should receive forty purses 1 for putting her away. And when he
paid me the moneys I gave her the divorce and took the coin and
went to my shop, rejoicing at having escaped by this contrivance.
On the next day, behold, came the damsel who had taught me the
sleight and saluted me and wished me good morning. I returned
her salam and indeed, O our lord the Sultan, she was a model of
beauty and loveliness, stature and symmetrical grace and my heart
was enmeshed in her love for the excess of her charms and the
limpid flow of her speech and the sweetness of her tongue. So I
said to her, " And when this promise ? " and said she, " I am the
daughter of Such-and-such, a cook in such a quarter ; and do thou
go ask me in marriage of him." So I rose up with all haste and
went to her father and prayed that he would give her to me. And
presently I wedded her and went in unto her and found her as the
full moon of the fourteenth night and was subjugated by her
seemlihead. Such, then, is the adventure which befel me ; but, O
my lord the Sultan, the Story of the Sage Such-an-one and his
Scholar is more wonderful and delectable ; for indeed 'tis of the
marvels of the age and among the miracles which have been
seen by man. Thereupon the Sovran bade him speak, and the
Second Lunatic proceeded to recount the

STORY OF THE SAGE AND THE SCHOLAR*

There was in times of yore and in ages long gone before a
learned man who had retired from the world secluding himself in
an upper cell of a Cathedral-mosque, and this place he left not
for many days save upon the most pressing needs. At last a

1 The purse (" Kis") is -= 500 piastres (kurush) = $; and a thousand purses com-
pose the Treasury (" Khaznah ") = ;5,ooo.

2 MS. voL iii. pp. 179-303. It is Scott's " Story of the Retired Sage and his Pupil,
related to the Sultan by the Second Lunatic," vi. pp. 52-67 ; and Gauttier's Histoire du
Sage, vi. 199-214." The scene is laid in Cairo.

Story of the Sage and the Scholar. 75

beautiful boy whose charms were unrivalled in his time went in to
him and salam'd to him. The Shaykh returned the salute and
welcomed him with the fairest welcome and courteously entreated
him seating him beside himself. Then he asked him of his case
and whence he came and the boy answered, " O my lord, ques-
tion me not of aught nor of my worldly matters, for verily I am as
one who hath fallen from the heavens upon the earth 1 and my sole
object is the honour of tending thee." The Sage again welcomed
him and the boy served him assiduously for a length of time
till he was twelve years old. Now on one day of the days 2 the
lad heard certain of his fellows saying that the Sultan had a
daughter endowed with beauty whose charms were unequalled by
all the Princesses of the age. So he fell in love with her by
hearsay. - And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day
and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and
how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night,
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ?" Now when it was the next
night and that was

1 Meaning that he was an orphan and had, like the well-known widow, " seen better
days."

2 The phrase, I have noted, is not merely pleonastic : it emphasises the assertion that
it was a chance day

76 Supplemental Nights.

Sage fell in love with the Sultan's daughter by hearsay. Presently
he went in to his master and told him thereof adding, " O my lord,
verily the King hath a daughter beautiful and lovesome and my
soul longeth to look upon her an it be only a single look." The
Shaykh asked him saying, " Wherefore, O my son ? What have
the like of us to do with the daughters of Sovrans or others ? We
be an order of eremites and self-contained and we fear the Kings
for our own safety." And the Sage continued to warn the lad
against the shifts of Time and to divert him from his intent ; but
the more words he uttered to warn him and to deter him, the more
resolved he became to win his wish, so that he abode continually
groaning and weeping. Now this was a grievous matter to the good
Shaykh who loved him with an exceeding love passing all bounds ;
and when he saw him in this condition he exclaimed, " There is
no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the
Great." And his heart was softened and he had ruth upon the
case of his scholar and pitied his condition, and at last said to
him, " O my son, dost thou truly long to look but a single look at
the Sultan's daughter ? " Quoth he, " Yes, O my lord," and quoth
the other, " Come hither to me." Accordingly he came up to him
and the Shaykh produced a Kohl-pot and applied the powder to
one of his scholar's eyes, who behold, forthright became such that
all who saw him cried out, " This is a half-man." 1 Then the Sage

1 An old Plinian fable long current throughout the East. It is the Pers. Nim-chihreh,
and the Arab Shikk and possibly Nasna^ = nisf al-Nas (?) See vol. v. 333. Shikk
had received from Allah only half the form of a man, and his rival diviner Satfh was a
shapeless man of flesh without limbs. They lived in the days of a woman named Tarffah,
daughter of Al-Khayr al-Himyari and wife of Amru bin 'Amir who was famous for having
intercourse with the Jann. When about to die she sent for the two, on account of their de-
formity and the influence exercised upon them by the demons ; and, having spat into their
mouths, bequeathed to them her Jinni, after which she departed life and was buried at Al-
Johfah. Presently they became noted soothsayers ; Shikk had issue but Satih none ; they
lived 300 (some say 600) years, and both died shortly before the birth of the Prophet concern-
ing whom they prophesied. When the Tobba of Al-Yaman dreamed that a dove flew from
a holy place and settled in the Tihamah (lowland-seaboard) of Meccah, Satih interpreted
it to signify that a Prophet would arise to destroy idols and to teach the best of faiths.
The two also predicted (according to Tabari) to Al-Rabi'ah, son of Nasr, a Jewish king

Story of the Sage and the Scholar. 77

bade him go about the city and the youth obeyed his commands
and fared forth ; but vvhenas the folk espied him they cried out,
" A miracle ! a miracle ! this be a Half-man ! " And the more the
youth walked about the streets the more the folk followed him and
gazed upon him for diversion and marvelled at the spectacle; and
as often as the great men of the city heard of him they sent to
summon him and solaced themselves with the sight and said, " Laud
to the Lord ! Allah createth whatso He wisheth and commandeth
whatso He willeth as we see in the fashioning of this half-man ."
The youth also looked freely upon the Harims of the Grandees, he
being fairer than any of them ; and this case continued till the
report reached the Sultan who bade him be brought into the pre-
sence, and on seeing him marvelled at the works of the Almighty.
Presently the whole court gathered together to gaze at him in
wonderment and the tidings soon reached the Queen who sent an
Eunuch to fetch him and introduce him into the Serraglio. The
women all admired the prodigy and the Princess looked at him and
he looked at her ; so his fascination increased upon him and he said
in his secret soul, " An I wed her not I will slay myself ! " After
this the youth was dismissed by the Sultan's Harim and he, whose
heart burned with love for the King's daughter, returned home.
The Shaykh asked him, " Hast thou, O my son, seen the Princess ? "
and he answered, " I have, O my master ; but this one look sufficeth
me not, nor can I rest until I sit by her side and fill myself with
gazing upon her." Quoth he, " O my child, we be an ascetic folk
that shun the world nor have we aught to do with enmeshing our-
selves in the affairs of the Sultan, and we fear for thee, O my son,"
But the youth replied, " O my lord, except I sit by her side and
stroke her neck and shoulders with these my hands, I will slay

of Al-Yaman, that the Habash (Abyssinians) should conquer the country, govern it, and
be expelled, and after this a Prophet should arise amongst the Arabs and bring a new
religion which all should embrace and which should endure until Doomsday. Compare
this with the divining damsel in Acts xvi. 16-18.

78 Supplemental Nights.

myself." Hereupon the Sage said in his mind, " I will do whatso I
can for this good youth and perchance Allah may enable him to
win his wish." He then arose and brought out the Kohl-pot and
applied the powder to his scholar's either eye ; and, when it had
settled therein, it made him invisible to the ken of man. Then
he said, " Go forth, O my son, and indulge thy desire ; but return
again soon and be not absent too long." Accordingly the youth
hastened to the Palace and entering it looked right and left, none
seeing him the while, and proceeded to the Harem where he seated
himself beside the daughter of the Sultan. Still none perceived
him until, after a time, he put forth his hand and softly stroked
her neck. But as soon as the Princess felt the youth's touch, she
shrieked a loud shriek heard by all ears in the Palace and cried
" I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the stoned ! " At this pro-
ceeding on the girl's part all asked her saying, " What is to do
with thee ?" Whereto she answered, " Verily some Satan hath this
instant touched me on the neck." Upon this her mother was
alarmed for her and sent for her nurse 1 and when informed of what
had befallen the girl the old woman said, "If there be aught
of Satans here naught is so sovereign a specific to drive them
away and keep them off as the smoke of camel's dung." 2 Then
she arose and brought thereof a quantity which was thrown into
the fire and presently it scented and pervaded the whole apartment.
All this and the Youth still sat there without being seen. But
when the dung-smoke thickened, his e'yes brimmed and he could
not but shed tears, and the more smoke there was the more his

1 Arab. " Kahramanah ; " the word has before been explained as a nurse, a duenna,
an Amazon guarding the Harem. According to C. de Perceval (pere) it \vas also the
title given by the Abbasides to the Governess of the Serraglio.

2 So in the Apocrypha ( " Tobias " vi. 8). Tobit is taught by the Archangel Raphael
to drive away evil spirits (or devils) by the smoke of a bit of fish's heart. The practice
may date from the earliest days when "Evil Spirits" were created by man. In India,
when Europeans deride the existence of Jinns and Rakshasas, and declare that they
never saw one, the people receive this information with a smile which means only, " I
should think not t you and yours are worse than any of our devils."

Story of the Sage and the Scholar. 79

eyes watered and big drops flowed till at last all the Kohl was
washed off and trickled down with the tears. So he became
visible a-middlemost the royal Harem ; and, when the dames
descried him, all shrieked one shriek, each at other, upon which
the Eunuchry rushed in ; then, finding the young man still seated
there, they laid hands upon him and haled him before the Sultan
to whom they reported his crime and how he had been caught
lurking in the King's Serraglio a-sitting beside the Princess.
Hearing this, the Sovran bade summon the Headsman and com-
mitted to him the criminal bidding him take the youth and robe
him in a black habit bepatched with flame-colour ; l then, to set
him upon a camel and, after parading him through Cairo city and
all the streets, to put him to death. Accordingly the executioner

took the Youth. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

atrtr

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the
watching of this our latter night 1 " She replied : With love
and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Linkman
took the youth and fared forth with him from the palace : then he
looked at him and found him fair of form and favour, a sans peer

1 An Inquisitorial costume called in the text " Shmiydt bi al-Nar."

80 Supplemental Nights.

in loveliness, and he observed that he showed no fear nor shrinking
from death. So he had pity upon him and his heart yearned to
him and he said in his mind, " By Allah, attached to this young
man is a rare history." Then he brought a leathern gown which
he put upon him, and the flamey black habit which he passed over
his arms : and setting him upon a camel as the Sultan had com-
manded, at last carried him in procession crying out the while,
" This is the award and the least award of him who violateth the
Harem of the King ;" and he threaded the streets till they came
to the square before the great Mosque wherein was the Shaykh,
Now as all the folk were enjoying the spectacle, the Sage looked
out from the window of his cell and beheld the condition of his
scholar. He was moved to ruth and reciting a spell he summoned
the Jann and bade them snatch the young man off the camel's back
with all care and kindness and bring him to his cell ; and he also
commanded an 'Aun of the 'Auns l to seize some oldster and set
him upon the beast in lieu of the Youth. They did as he bid them
for that he had taken fealty of the Jdnn and because of his pro-
found studies in the Notaricon 2 and every branch of the art magi-
cal. And when all the crowd saw the youth suddenly transformed
into a grey-beard they were awe-stricken and cried, " Alhamdolilah
laud to the Lord the young man hath become an old man ! "
They then looked again and behold, they saw a person well-known
amongst the lieges, one who had long been wont to sell greens and
colocasia at the hostelry gate near the Cathedral-mosque. Now
the headsman noting this case was confounded with sore affright ;
so he returned to the palace with the oldster seated on the camel
and went in to the Sultan followed by all the city-folk who were

1 A tribe of the Jinn sometimes made synonymous with " Ma"rid" and at other times
contrasted with these rebels, as in the Story of Ma'aruf and J. Scott's " History of the
Sultan of Hind" (vol. vi. 195). For another note see The Nights, iv. 88.

2 Arab. " 'Ilm al-Huruf," not to be confounded with " the 'Ilm al-Jumal," or " Hisab
Al-Jumal," a notation by numerical values of the alphabet. See Lumsden's Grammar
of the Persian Language, i. 37.

Story of the Sage and the Scholar. 8 1

gazing at the spectacle. Then he stood before the King and the
eunuchry and did homage and prayed for the Sovran and said,
" O our lord the Sultan, verily the Youth hath vanished, and in
lieu of him is this Shaykh well known to the whole city." Hear-
ing these words the King was startled ; sore fear entered his heart
and he said to himself, " Whoso hath been able to do this deed can
do e'en more: he can depose me from my kingship or he can
devise my death." So his affright increased and he was at a loss
how to contrive for such case. Presently he summoned his Minis-
ter and when he came into the presence said to him, " O Wazir,
advise me how to act in the affair of this Youth and what measures
should be taken." The Minister bowed his brow groundwards in
thought for a while, then raising it he addressed the Sultan and
said, " O King of the Age, this be a thing beyond experience, and
the doer must be master of a might we comprehend not and
haply he may work thee in the future some injury and we fear
from him for thy daughter. Wherefore the right way is that
thou issue a royal autograph and bid the Crier go round about the
city and cry saying : Let him who hath wrought this work appear
before the King under promise of safety and again safety safety
on the word of a Sultan which shall never be falsed. Should the
Youth then surrender himself, O King of the Age, marry him to
thy daughter when perhaps his mind may be reconciled to thee by
love of her. He hath already cast eyes upon her and he hath seen
the inmates of thy Harem unrobed, so that naught can save their
honour but his being united with the Princess." Hereupon the
Sultan indited an autographic rescript and placed it in the Crier's
hands even as the Wazir had counselled : and the man went about
the streets proclaiming, " By Command of the just King ! whoso
hath done this deed let him discover, himself and come to the
Palace under promise of safety and again safety, the safety of
sovereigns safety on the word of a Sultan which shall never be
falsed. 1 * And the Crier ceased not crying till in fine he reached

VOL. IV. F

82 Supplemental Nights.

the square fronting the great Mosque. The Youth who was stand-
ing there heard the proclamation and returning to his Shaykh said
" O my lord, the Crier hath a rescript from the Sultan and he crieth
saying, Whoso hath done this deed let him discover himself and
come to the Palace under promise of safety and again safety
safety on the word of a Sultan which shall never be falsed. And,
I must go to him perforce." Said the Sage, "O my son, why
shouldst thou do on such wise ? Hast thou not already suffered
thy sufficiency?" But the young man exclaimed, "Nothing shall
prevent my going ; " and at this the Shaykh replied, " Go then,
O my son, and be thy safeguarding with the Living, the Eternal."
Accordingly, the Youth repaired to the Hammam and having
bathed attired himself in the richest attire he owned, after which
he went forth and discovered himself to the Crier who led him
to the Palace and set him before the Sovran. He salamed to
the Sultan and did him obeisance and prayed for his long life
and prosperity in style the most eloquent, and proffered his peti-
tion in verse the most fluent. The Sultan looked at him (and he
habited in his best and with all of beauty blest), and the royal
mind was pleased and he enquired saying, "Who art thou,
O Youth ? " The other replied, " I am the Half-man whom thou
sawest and I did the deed whereof thou wottest." As soon as
the King heard this speech he entreated him with respect and
bade him sit in the most honourable stead, and when he was
seated the twain conversed together. The Sultan was as-
tounded at his speech and they continued their discourse till
they touched upon sundry disputed questions of learning,
when the Youth proved himself as superior to the Sovran as a
dinar is to a dirham : and to whatever niceties of knowledge the
monarch asked, the young man returned an all-sufficient answer,
speaking like a book. So the Sultan abode confounded at the
eloquence of his tongue and the purity of his phrase and the
readiness of his replies ; and he said in his mind, " This Youth is as

Story of the Sage and the Scholar. 83

worthy to become my daughter's mate as she is meet to become
his helpmate." Then he addressed him in these words, " O Youth,
my wish is to unite thee with my daughter and after thou hast
looked upon her and her mother none will marry her save thyself."
The other replied, " O King of the Age, I am ready to obey thee,
but first I must take counsel of my friends." The King rejoined,
"No harm in that : hie thee home and ask their advice." The

Youth then craved leave to retire and repairing to his Shaykh,

And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this com-
pared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the
Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night
and that was

6* tlfcree f^untort an* gfefxttetj) Nfefjt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Youth then
craved leave to retire and, repairing to his Shaykh, informed him
of what had passed between himself and the Sultan and said to
him, " 'Tis also my wish, O my lord, to marry his daughter." The
Sage replied, " There be no fault herein if it be lawful wedlock :
fare thee forth and ask her in marriage." Quoth the Youth, " But
I, O my lord, desire to invite the King to visit us ; " and quoth
the Sage, <f Go invite him, O my son, and hearten thy heart." The
Youth replied, " O my lord, since I first came to thee and thou didst
honour me by taking me into thy service, I have known none

84 Supplemental Nights.

other home save this narrow cell wherein thou sittest, never stirring
from it or by night or by day. How can we invite the King
hither ? " The Sage rejoined, " O my son, do thou go invite him
relying upon Allah, the Veiler who veileth all things, and say to

him : My Shaykh greeteth thee with the salam and inviteth

thee to visit him next Friday/ 1 Accordingly, the Youth repaired
to the King and saluted him and offered his service and blessed
him with most eloquent tongue and said, " O King of the Age,

my Shaykh greeteth thee and sayeth to thee : Come eat thy

pottage 1 with us next Friday," whereto the Sultan replied, " Hear-
ing is consenting." Then the Youth returned to the Sage and
waited upon him according to custom, longing the while for the
coming of Friday. On that day the Sage said to the Youth, " O
my son, arise with me and I will show thee what house be ours, so
thou mayst go fetch the King." Then he took him and the two
walked on till they came upon a ruin in the centre of the city and
the whole was in heaps, mud, clay, and stones. The Sage looked
at it and said, " O my son, this is our mansion ; do thou hie thee
to the King and bring him hither." But the Youth exclaimed,
" O my lord, verily this be a ruinous heap ! How then can I invite
the Sultan and bring him to such an ill place ? This were a shame
and a disgrace to us." Quoth the Sage, " Go and dread thou
naught." Upon this the Youth departed saying in himself, " By
Allah, my Shaykh must be Jinn-mad and doubtless he confoundeth
in his insanity truth and untruth." But he stinted not faring till
he reached the Palace and went in to the Sultan whom he found
expecting him ; so he delivered the message, " Deign honour us,
O my lord, with thy presence." 2 Hereupon the King arose with-
out stay or delay and took horse, and all the lords of the land also

1 Like our " Cut your mutton," or manger la sozipe or die suppe einzunekmen. For
this formula meaning like the Brazilian "cup of water," a grand feast, see vol. vii. 168.

2 Arab. " Tafazzal," a most useful word employed upon almost all occasions of invita-
tion and mostly equivalent to ' Have the kindness," etc. See vol. iu 103.

Story of the Sage and the Scholar. 85

mounted, following the Youth to the place where he told them his
Shaykh abode. But when they drew near it they found a royal
mansion and eunuchry standing at the gates in costliest gear as if
robed from a talismanic hoard. When the young man saw this
change of scene, he was awe-struck and confounded in such way
that hardly could he keep his senses, and he said to himself, " But
an instant ago I beheld with mine own eyes this very place a
ruinous heap : how then hath it suddenly become on this same
site a Palace such as belongeth not to our Sultan ? But I had
better keep the secret to myself." Presently the King alighted as
also did his suite, and entered the mansion, and whenas he inspected
it he marvelled at the splendour of the first apartment, but the
more narrowly he looked the more magnificent he found the place,
and the second more sumptuous than the first. So his wits were
bewildered thereat till he was ushered into a spacious speak-room
where they found the Shaykh sitting on one side of the chamber 1
to receive them. The Sultan salam'd to him whereupon the Sage
raised his head and returned his greeting but did not rise to his
feet. The King then sat him down on the opposite side when the
Shaykh honoured him by addressing him and was pleased to con-
verse with him on various themes ; all this while the royal senses
being confounded at the grandeur around him and the rarities in
that Palace. Presently the Shaykh said to his Scholar, " Knock
thou at this door and bid our breakfast be brought in." So the
young man arose and rapped and called out " Bring in the break-
fast ; " when lo ! the door was opened and there came out of it an
hundred Mamelukes 2 of the Book, each bearing upon his head a
golden tray, whereon were set dishes of precious metals ; and these,

1 The Shaykh for humility sits at the side, not at the " Sadr," or top of the room ; but
he does not rise before the temporal power. The Sultan is equally courteous and the
Shaykh honours him by not keeping silence.

* Arab. " Miat Mamluk kitdbi," the latter word meaning "one of the Book, a Jew"
(especially), or a Christian.

86 Supplemental Nights.

which were filled with breakfast-meats of all kinds and colour^
they ranged in order before the Sultan. He was surprised at the
sight for that he had naught so splendid in his own possession ;
but he came forwards and ate, as likewise did the Shaykh and all
the courtiers till they were satisfied. And after this they drank
coffee and sherbets, and the Sultan and the Shaykh fell to con-
versing on questions of lore : the King was edified by the words of
the Sage who on his part sat respectfully between the Sovran's
hands. Now when it was well nigh noon, the Shaykh again said
to his Scholar, " Knock thou at that door and bid our noonday-
meal be brought in." He arose and rapped and called out, " Bring
in the dinner ; " when lo ! the door opened of itself and there came
out of it an hundred white slaves all other than the first train and
each bearing a tray upon his head. They spread the Sufrah-cloth
before the Sultan and ranged the dishes, and he looked at the plates
and observed that they were of precious metals and stones ; whereat
he was more astonished than before and he said to himself, " In
very deed this be a miracle ! " So all ate their sufficiency when
basins and ewers, some of gold and others of various noble ores,
were borne round and they washed their hands, after which the
Shaykh said, " O King, at how much hast thou valued for us the
dower of thy daughter ? " The Sovran replied, " My daughter's
dower is already in my hands." This he said of his courtesy and
respect, but the Shaykh replied, " Marriage is invalid save with a
dower." He then presented to him a mint of money and the tie
of wedlock was duly tied ; after which he rose and brought for his
guest a pelisse of furs such as the Sultan never had in his treasury
and invested him therewith and he gave rich robes to each and
every of his courtiers according to their degree. The Sultan then
took leave of the Shaykh and accompanied by the Scholar returned

to the Palace. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful, is thy tale, O sister

Story of the Sage and the Scholar. 8?

mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

5e 6e ^uitttefc atrtr ->ixtg=fitst Ntgijt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night ! She replied : With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan took
with him the Scholar and they fared till, they reached the citadel
and entered the Palace, during which time the King was pondering
the matter and wondering at the affair. And when night came
he bade them get ready his daughter that the first visit might be
paid to her by the bridegroom. They did his bidding and carried
the Youth in procession to her and he found the apartment
bespread with carpets and perfumed with essences ; the bride,
however was absent So he said in his mind, " She will come
presently albeit now she delayeth ; " and he ceased not expecting
her till near midnight, whilst the father and the mother said,
"Verily the young man hath married our daughter and now
sleepeth with her." On this wise the Youth kept one reckoning
and the Sultan and his Harem kept another till it was hard upon

dawn all this and the bridegroom watched in expectation of

the bride. Now when the day brake, the mother came to visit
her child expecting to see her by the side of her mate ; but she
could not find a trace of her, nor could she gather any clear
tidings of her. Accordingly she asked the Youth, her son-in-law,
who answered that since entering the apartment he had expected
his bride but she came not to him nor had he seen a sign of her.

88 Supplemental Nights.

Hereupon the Queen shrieked and rose up calling aloud upon her
daughter, for she had none other child save that one. The
clamour alarmed the Sultan who asked what was to do and was
informed that the Princess was missing from the Palace and had
not been seen after she had entered it at eventide. Thereupon he
went to the Youth and asked him anent her, but he also told him
that he had not found her when the procession led him into the
bridal chamber. Such was the case with these ; but as regards
the Princess, when they conducted her to the bridal room before
the coming of the bridegroom, a Jinni * of the Marids, who often
visited the royal Harem, happened to be there on the marriage-
night and was so captivated by the charms of the bride that he
took seat in a corner, and upon her entering and before she was
ware snatched her up and soared with her high in air. And he
flew with her till he reached a pleasant place of trees and rills
some three months' journey from the city, and in that shady place
he set her down. But he wrought her no bodily damage and
every day he would bring her whatso she wanted of meat and
drink and solaced her by showing her the rills and trees. Now
this Jinni had changed his shape to that of a fair youth fearing*
iest his proper semblance affright her, and the girl abode in that
place for a space of forty days. But the father, after failing to find
his daughter, took the Youth and repaired to the Shaykh in his
cell, and he was as one driven mad as he entered and complained
of the loss of his only child. The Shaykh hearing these words
dove into the depths of meditation for an hour : then he raised his
head and bade them bring before him a chafing-dish of lighted
charcoal. They fetched all he required and he cast into the fire
some incenses over which he pronounced formulae of incantation,
and behold ! the world was turned topsy-turvy and the winds
shrieked and the earth was canopied by dust-clouds whence

1 This MS. prefers the rare form " Al-Jann " for the singular.

Story of the Sage and the Scholar. 89

descended at speed winged troops bearing standards and colours. 1
And amiddlemost of them appeared three Sultans of the Jann
all crying out at once, " Labbayka ! Labbayk ! Adsumus,
hither we speed to undertake thy need." The Shaykh then
addressed them, saying, " My commandment is that forthright ye
bring me the Jinni who hath snatched away the bride of my son,"
and they said, "To hear is to obey," and at once commanded
fifty of their dependent Jinns to reconduct the Princess to her
chamber and to hale the culprit before them. These orders were
obeyed : they disappeared for an hour or so and suddenly returned,
bringing the delinquent Jinni in person ; but as for the Sultan's
daughter, ten of them conveyed her to her Palace, she wotting
naught of them and not feeling aught of fear. And when they
set the Jinni before the Shaykh, he bade the three Sultans of the
Jann burn him to death and so they did without stay or delay.
All this was done whilst the Sovran sat before the Shaykh,
looking on and listening and marvelling at the obedience of that
host and its Sultans and their subjection and civil demeanour in
presence of the Elder. Now as soon as the business ended after
perfectest fashion, the Sage recited over them a spell and all went
their several ways ; after which he bade the King take the Youth
and conduct him to his daughter. This bidding was obeyed and
presently the bridegroom abated the maidenhead of the bride,
what while her parents renewed their rejoicings over the recovery
of their lost child. And the Youth was so enamoured of the
Princess that he quitted not the Harem for seven consecutive days.
On the eighth the Sultan was minded to make a marriage-banquet
and invited all the city-folk to feast for a whole month and he
wrote a royal rescript and bade proclaim with full publicity that,
according to the commands of the King's majesty, the wedding-
feast should continue for a month, and that no citizen, be he rich

1 These flags, I have noticed, are an unfailing accompaniment of a Jinn army.

90 Supplemental Nights.

or be he poor, should light fire or trim lamp in his own domicile
during the wedding of the Princess ; but that all must eat of the
royal entertainment until the expiry of the fte. So they
slaughtered beeves and stabbed camels in the throat and the
kitcheners and carpet-spreaders were commanded to prepare the
stables, and the officers of the household were ordered to receive
the guests by night and by day. Now one night King Mohammed
of Cairo said to his Minister, u O Wazir, do thou come with me in
changed costume and let us thread the streets and inspect and espy
the folk : haply some of the citizens have neglected to appear at
the marriage-feast." He replied, " To hear is to obey." So the
twain after exchanging habits for the gear of Persian Darwayshes
went down to the city and there took place

THE NIGHT-ADVENTURE OF SULTAN MOHAMMED

OF CAIRO}

The Sultan and the Wazir threaded the broadways of the city and
they noted the houses and stood for an hour or so in each and
every greater thoroughfare, till they came to a lane, a cul-de-sac
wherethrough none could pass, and behold, they hit upon a house
containing a company of folk. Now these were conversing and
saying, " By Allah, our Sultan hath not acted wisely nor hath he
any cause to be proud, since he hath made his daughter's bride-
feast a vanity and a vexation and the poor are excluded therefrom.
He had done better to distribute somewhat of his bounty amongst
the paupers and the mesquin, who may not enter his palace nor
can they obtain aught to eat." Hearing this the Sultan said to
the Wazir, " By Allah, needs must we enter this place ; " and the
Minister replied, "Do whatso thou wiliest" Accordingly the

1 MS. vol. iii. pp. 203-210; Scott, " Night Adventure of the Sultdn," pp. 68-71.
Gauttier, Aventure nocturne du Sulthan t vi. 214.

The Night- Adventure of Sultan Mohammed of Cairo. 91

King went up to the door and knocked, when one came out and
asked, " Who is at the door ? " The Sultan answered, " Guests ; "
and the voice rejoined, " Welcome to the guests ; " and the door
was thrown open. Then they went in till they reached the sitting-
room where they found three men of whom one was lame, the
second was broken-backed and the third was split-mouthed. 1 And
all three were sitting together in that place. So he asked them,
" Wherefore sit ye here, ye three, instead of going to the Palace ? "
and they answered him, " O Darwaysh, 'tis of the weakness of
our wits ! " The King then turned to his Minister and said,
" There is no help but thou must bring these three men into my
presence, as soon as the wedding-fetes be finished, that I may

enquire into what stablished their imbecility/' And Shahrazad

was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet
is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! "
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? "
Now when it was the next night and that was

{?) 2Time IBunfcrcti anfc &(xtg*8econ& Jitgjt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night!" She replied: With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King,
the director, the fight-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
said to the Wazir, " Needs must thou bring these three men into
my presence, as soon as the wedding-fetes be finished, and we will

1 Arab. " Mashrut shadak." Ashdak is usually applied to a wide-chapped face, like
that of Margaret Maultasch or Mickle-mouthed Meg. Here, however, it alludes to an,
accidental deformity which will presently be described.

92 Supplemental Nights.

enquire into what proved their imbecility." Then quoth the King
to them, " Wherefore fare ye not, ye three, and eat of the royal
banquet day by day ? " and quoth they, " O Darwaysh, we are
crippled folk who cannot go and come, for this be grievous to us ;
but, an the Sultan would assign to us somewhat of victual, and
send it hither, we would willingly eat thereof." He rejoined,
"What knoweth the Sultan that ye sit in this place?" and they
retorted, " Ye be Darwayshes who enter everywhere : so when ye
go in to him, tell him our tale ; haply shall Almighty Allah incline
his heart uswards." The King asked them, " Be you three ever
sitting together in this stead ? " and they answered, " Yea, verily :
we never leave one another by night or by day." Then the King
and the Minister rose up and having presented them with a few
silvers took leave and departed. Now it was midnight when they
reached a tenement wherein sat three girls with their mother
spinning and eating ; and each one appeared fairer than her fellows,
and at times they sang and then they laughed and then they talked.
The Sultan said to the Wazir, " There is no help but we enter
to these damsels ; " whereto the Minister replied " What have
we to do with going near them ? Let them be as they are ! "
The Sultan, however, rejoined, " Needs must we enter," and the
Wazir retorted, " Hearkening and obedience ; " and he rapped at
the door when one of the sisterhood cried out, " Who knocketh
in this gloom of the night ? " The Minister answered, " We are
two Darwayshes, guests and strangers ; " and the girl rejoined,
" We are maidens with our mother and we have no men in our
house who can admit you ; so fare ye to the marriage-feast of
the Sultan and become ye his guests." The Minister continued,
" We are foreigners and we know not the way to the Palace and
we dread lest the Chief of Police happen upon us" and apprehend
us at this time o' night. We desire that you afford us lodging
till daylight when we will go about our business and you need
not expect from us aught save respect and honourable treatment."

Th& Night- Adventure of Sultan Mohammed of Cairo. 93

Now when the mother heard this, she pitied them and bade one
daughter open the door. So the damsel threw it open and the
Sultan and Wazir entered and salam'd and sat down to converse
together ; but the King gazed upon the sisters and marvelled
at their beauty and their loveliness, and said in his mind, " How
cometh it that these maidens dwell by themselves unmated and
they in such case?" So quoth he to them, " How is it ye lack
husbands, you being so beautiful, and that ye have not a man
in the house ? " Quoth the youngest, " O Darwaysh, hold thy
tongue l nor ask us of aught, for our story is wondrous and our
adventures marvellous, But 'ware thy words and shorten thy
speech ; verily hadst thou been the Sultan and thy companion the
Wazir an you heard our history haply ye had taken compassion
upon our case." Thereupon the King turned to the Minister and
said, " Up with us and wend we our ways ; but first do thou
make sure of the place and affix thy mark upon the door/' Then
the twain rose up and fared forth but the Wazir stood awhile and
set a sign upon the entrance and there left his imprint ; after
which the twain returned to the Palace. Presently the youngest
sister said to her mother, " By Allah, I fear lest the Dafwayshes
have made their mark upon our door to the end that they may
recognise it by day ; for haply the twain may be the King and
his Minister." " What proof hast thou of this ? " asked the
mother, and the daughter answered, " Their language and their
questioning which were naught save importunity ! " And saying
this she went to the door where she found the sign and mark.
Now besides the two houses to the right and to the left were
fifteen doors, so the girl marked them all with the same mark set
by the Wazir. 3 But when Allah had caused the day to dawn,

1 Arab. "Amsik lisana-k": the former word is a standing "chaff" with the Turks,
as in their tongue it means cunnus-penis and nothing else. I ever found it advisable
when speaking Arabic before Osmanlis, to use some such equivalent as Khuz=take thoo.

* This is the familiar incident in " Ali Baba " : Supplem. vol. iii. 384, etc.

94 Supplemental Nights.

the King said to the Minister, "Go thou and look at the sign
and make sure of it." The Wazir went as he was commanded
by the Sultan, but he found all the doors marked in the same way,
whereat he marvelled and knew not nor could he distinguish the
door he sought. Presently he returned and reported the matter
of the door-marks to the King who cried, "By Allah, these girls
must have a curious history ! But when the bride-feast is finished
we will enquire into the case of the three men who are weak-
witlings and then we will consider that of the damsels who are
not." As soon as the thirtieth feast-day passed by, he invested
with robes of honour all the Lords of his land and the high Officers
of his estate and matters returned to their customed course.
Then. he sent to summon the three men who had professed them-
selves weak of wits and they were brought into the presence, each
saying of himself, " What can the King require of us ? " When
they came before him he bade them be seated and they sat ;
then he said to them, " My requirement is that ye relate to me
proofs of the weakness of your minds and the reason of your
maims." Now the first who was questioned was he of the broken
back, and when the enquiry was put to him he said, " Deign to
favour me with an answer O our Lord the Sultan, on a matter
which passed through my mind." He replied, " Speak out and
fear not ! " So the other enquired, " How didst thou know us
and who told thee of us and of our weakly wits ? " Quoth the
King, " 'Twas the Darwaysh who went in to you on such a
night ;" and quoth the broken-backed man, " Allah slay all the
Darwayshes who be tattlers and tale-carriers ! " Thereupon the
Sultan turned to the Wazir and laughing said, "We will not
reproach them for aught: rather let us make fun of them,"
adding to the man, " Recite, O Shaykh." So he fell to telling

THE STORY OF THE BROKE-BACK SCHOOLMASTER*

I began life, O King of the Age, as a Schoolmaster and my case

was wondrous. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day

and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was
the next night and that was

2Tjje ^m l^tmfcrcb anto &fxtg-t]jfr& Ni'gjt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleeping, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King,
the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Shaykh

continued. 1 began life, O my lord, as a Schoolmaster, and

my tale with the boys was wondrous. They numbered from
sixty to seventy, and I taught them to read and I inculcated
due discipline and ready respect esteeming these a part of liberal
education ; nor did I regard, O King of the Age, the vicissitudes
of Time and Change ; nay, I held them with so tight a rein that
whenever the boys heard me sneeze 2 they were expected to lay

1 MS. iii. 210-214. Scott's Story of the broken-backed Schoolmaster," vi. pp.
72-75, and Gauttier, " Histoire du Maitre d'ecole treinte^ vi. 217. The Arabic is
" Muaddib al-Atfal " = one who teacheth children. I have before noted that amongsf
Moslems the Schoolmaster is always a fool. So in Europe of the l6th century
probably no less than one-third of the current jests turned upon the Romish clergy and
its phenomenal ignorance compared with that of the pagan augur. The Story of the
First Schoolmaster is one of the most humorous in this MS.

2 For the usual ceremony when a Moslem sneezes, see vol. ix. 22O.

9" Supplemental Nights.

down their writing-tablets and stand up with their arms crossed
and exclaim, '< Allah have ruth upon, thee, O our lord ! " whereto
I would make reply, " Allah deign pardon us and you ! " And
if any of the lads failed or delayed to join in this prayer I was
wont to bash him with a severe bashing. One day of the days
they asked leave to visit the outskirts of the town for liberty and
pleasuring * and when I granted it they clubbed their pittances
for a certain sum of money to buy them a noonday meal. So we
went forth to the suburbs and there found verdure and water, and
we enjoyed ourselves that day with perfect enjoyment until mid-
afternoon when we purposed to return homewards. Accordingly,
the boys collected their belongings and laded them upon an ass
and we walked about half-way when behold, the whole party,
big and little, stood still and said to me, " O our lord, we are
athirst and burning with drowthiness, nor can we stir from this
spot and if we leave it without drinking we shall all die." Now
there was in that place a draw-well, but it was deep and we had
nor pitcher nor bucket nor aught wherein to draw water and the
scholars still suffered from exceeding thirst. We had with us,
however, cooking-gear such as chauldrons and platters ; so I said
to them, " O boys, whoso carrieth a cord or hath bound his
belongings with one let him bring it hither ! " They did my
bidding and I tied these articles together and spliced them as
strongly as I could : then said I to the lads, " Bind me under the
arm-pits." Accordingly they made me fast by passing the rope
around me and I took with me a chauldron, whereupon they let
me down bucket-wise into the well till I reached the water.
Then I loosed the bandage from under my armpits and tied
it to the chauldron which I filled brim-full and shook the rope
for a signal to the boys above. They haled at the vessel till they

4 The "day in the country," lately become such a favourite wUh English schools,
is an old Eastern custom.

Story of the Split- Mouthed Schoolmaster. 97

pulled it up and began drinking and giving drink ; and on this wise
they drew a first chauldron and a second and a third and a fourth
till they were satisfied and could no more and cried out to me, " We
have had enough, quite enough/' Hereupon I bound the bandage
under my armpits, as it was when I went down, and I shook it
as a signal and they haled me up till I had well-nigh reached the
kerbstone of the well when a fit of sneezing seized me and I
sneezed violently. At this all let go their hold and carrying
their arms over their breasts, cried aloud, " Allah have ruth upon
thee, O our lord ! " but I, as soon as they loosed hold, fell into
the depths of the well and brake my back. I shrieked for excess
of agony and all the boys ran on all sides screaming for aid till
they were heard by some wayfaring folk ; and these haled at me
and drew me out. They placed me upon the ass and bore me
home : then they brought a leach to medicine me and at last
I became even as thou seest me, O Sultan of the Age. Such, then,
is my story showing the weakness of my wits ; for had I not
enjoined and enforced over-respect the boys would not have let
go their hold when I happened to sneeze nor would my back
have been broken. " Thou speakest sooth, O Shaykh," said the
Sultan, " and indeed thou hast made evident the weakness of thy
wit." Then quoth he to the man who was cloven of mouth.
" And thou, the other, what was it split thy gape ? " " The
weakness of my wit, O my lord the Sultan," quoth he, and fell
to telling the

STORY OF THE SPLIT-MOUTHED SCHOOLMASTER

I also began life, O King of the Age, as a schoolmaster and had
under my charge some eighty boys. Now I was strict with such

1 MS. iii. 214-219. Scott's " Story of the wry-mouthed Schoolmaster, 1 * vi. pp.
74*75 : Gauttier's Histoire du Second EstropM , vi. p. 220..

VOL, IV. G

98 Supplemental Nights.

strictness that from morning to evening I sat amongst them and
would never dismiss them to their homes before sundown. But
'tis known to thee, O our lord the King, that boys' wits be short
after the measure of their age, and that they love naught save play
and forgathering in the streets and quarter. Withal, I took no
heed of this and ever grew harder upon them till one day all met
and with the intervention of the eldest Monitor they agreed and
combined to play me a trick. He arranged with them that next
morning none should enter the school until he had taught them,
each and~ every, to say as they went in, " Thy safety, O our lord,
how yellow is thy face ! " Now the first who showed himself was
the Monitor and he spoke as had been agreed ; but I was rough
with him and sent him away ; then a second came in and repeated
| what the first had said; then a third and then a fourth, until ten
;boys had used the same words. So quoth I to myself, " Ho, Such-
an-one ! thou must be unwell without weeting it :" then I arose
and went into the Harem and lay down therein when the Monitor,
having collected from his school-fellows some hundred-and-eighty
Nusfs, 1 came in to me and cried, "Take this, O our lord, and
expend the 'money upon thy health.'* Thereupon I said to myself,
" Ho, Such-an-one! every Thursday 2 thou dost not collect sixty

1 In these days the whole would be about lod.

a Pay-day for the boys in Egypt. The Moslem school has often been described but it
always attracts the curiosity of strangers. The Moorish or Maroccan variety is a simple
affair ; " no forms, no desks, few books. A number of boards about the size of foolscap,
whitewashed on either side, whereon the lessons from the alphabet to sentences of the-
Kfcran are plainly written in large black letters j a pen and ink, a book and a swJlbh
or two, complete the paraphernalia. The dominie, squatting 1 on the ground, tailor-
fashion, like his pupils, who may number from ten to thirty, repeats the lesson in a
sonorous sing-song voice, and is imitated by the urchins, who accompany their voices by
a rocking to and fro which sometimes enables them to keep time. A sharp applica-
tion of the cane is wonderfully effectual in recalling wandering attention ; and lazy boys
are speedily expelled. On the admission of a pupil, the parents pay some small sum,
varying according to their means, and every Wednesday, which is a half-holiday, a pay-
ment is made from Jd. to 2d. New moons and feasts are made occasions for larger
payments, and are also holidays, which last ten days during the two greater festivals.
Thursdays are whole holidays, and no work is done on Friday mornings, that day being

Story of the Split-Mouthed Schoolmaster. 99

Faddahs from the boys," and I cried to him, "Go, let them forth
for a holiday." So he went and dismissed them from school to the
playground. On the next day he collected as much as on the first
and came in to me and said, " Expend these moneys, O our lord,
upon thy health." He did the same on the third day and the
fourth, making the boys contribute much coin and presenting it to
me ; and on such wise he continued till the tenth day, when he
brought the money as was his wont, At that time I happened to
hold in my hand a boiled egg which I purposed eating, but on
sighting him I said in myself, " An he see thee feeding he will

cut off the supplies." So I crammed the egg into my chops

And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, "And where is this com-
pared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the
Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night
and that was

the Mohammedan Sabbath,' or at least 'meeting day,' as it is called. When the
pupils have mastered the first short chapter of the Koran, it is customary for them to be
paraded round the town on horseback, with ear-splitting music, and sometimes charitably
disposed persons make small presents to the youngster by way of encouragement.
After the first, the last is learned, then the last but one, and so on, backwards, as, with
the exception of the first, the longest chapters are at the beginning. Though reading
and a little writing are taught at the same time, all the scholars do not arrive at the
pitch of perfection necessary to indite a polite letter, so that consequently there is plenty
of employment for the numerous scribes or Tdlibs who make a profession of writing.
These may frequently be seen in small rooms opening on to the street, usually very
respectably dressed in a white flowing haik and large turban, and in most cases of
venerable appearance, their noses being adorned wilh huge goggles. Before them are
their appliances, pens made of reeds, ink, paper, and sand in lieu of blotting paper.
They usually possess also a knife and scissors, with a case to hold them all. In writing,
they place the paper on the knee, or upon a pad of paper in the left hand/' The mam
merit of the village school in Eastern lands is its noises which teaches the boy to con-
centrate his attention. As Dr. Wilson of Bombay said, the young idea is taught to shout
as well as to shoot and this vivi voce process is a far better mnemonic than silent reading.
Moreover it is fine practice in the art of concentrating attention.

I0 Supplemental Nights.

antf Sbtxte-fourtf)

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah, upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love
and good will! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Schoolmaster
said to himself, " If the Monitor see me eating the egg now in thy
hand he will cut off the supplies and assert thee to be sound." So
(continued he) I crammed the egg into my chops and clapped my
jaws together. Hereupon the lad turned to me and cried, " O my
lord, thy cheek is much swollen ;" and I, " Tis only an impos-
thume." But he drew a whittle 1 forth his sleeve and coming up to
me seized my cheek, and slit it, when the egg fell out and he said,
" O my lord, this it was did the harm and now 'tis passed away
from thee." Such was the cause of the splitting of my mouth, O our
lord the Sultan. Now had I cast away greed of gain and eaten
the egg in the Monitor's presence, what could have been the ill
result ? But all this was of the weakness of my wit ; for also
had I dismissed the boys every day about mid-afternoon, I should
have gained naught nor lost aught thereby. However the Dealer
of Destiny is self-existent, and this is my case. Then the Sultan
turned to the Wazir and laughed and said, " The fact is that whoso
schooleth boys is weak of wit ; " and said the other, <' O King of
the Age, all pedagogues lack perceptives and reflectives ; nor can
they become legal witnesses before the Kazi because verily they
credit the words of little children without evidence of the speech
being or factual or false. So their reward in the world to come

1 Arab. "Mikshat," whose */ would be " Kasht " *= skinning (a camel).

Story of the Limping Schoolmaster. ior

must be abounding ! "* Then the Sultan asked the limping maru
saying, And thou, the other, what lamed thee?" So he began
to tell

THE STORY OF THE LIMPING SCHOOLMASTER?

My tale, O my loid the Sultan, is marvellous and 'twas as follows,'
My father was by profession a schoolmaster and, when he fared to
the ruth of Almighty Allah, I took his place in the school and
taught the boys to read after the fashion of my sire. Now over
the schoolrmT. was an upper lattice whereto planks had been,
nailed and I was ever casting looks at it till one chance day I said
to myself, " By Allah, this lattice thus boarded up needs must
contain hoards or moneys or manuscripts which my father stored
there before his decease ; and on such wise I am deprived of them.'"
So I arose and brought a ladder and lashed it to another till the
two together reached the lattice and I clomb them holding a
carpenter's adze 3 wherewith I prized up the planks until all were
removed. And behold, I then saw a large fowl, to wit, a kite,*
setting upon her nestlings. But when she saw me she flew
sharply in my face and I was frightened by her and thrown back ;
so I tumbled from the ladder-top to the ground and brake both
knee-caps. Then they bore me home and brought a leach to heal
me ; but he did me no good and I fell into my present state.
Now this, O our lord the Sultan, proveth the weakness of my wit
and the greatness of my greed ; for there is a ^saw amongst men
that saith " Covetise aye wasteth and never gathereth : so 'ware

1 Evidently said ironice as of innocents. In " The Forty Vezirs " we read, "At
length they perceived that all this tumult arose from their trusting on this wise the
words of children. " (Lady's XXth Tale).

2 MS. iii. 219-220. For some unaccountable reason it is omitted by Scott (vi
who has written English words in the margin of the W. M. Codex.

3 In text " K^dum " for " Kudutn," a Syrian form.

A Arab. " Hidyah," which in Egypt means a falcon; see vol. iii. 158..

i 02 Supplemental Nights.

thee of covetise." Such, O lord of the Age and the Time, is my
tale. Hereupon the King bade gifts and largesse be distributed
to the three old schoolmasters, and when his bidding was obeyed
they went their ways. Then the Sultan turned to the Minister
and said, "O Wazir, now respecting the matter of the three
maidens and their mother, I would have thee make enquiry and
find out their home and bring them hither ; or let us go to them
In disguise and hear their history, for indeed it must be wonderful.
Otherwise how could they have understood that we served them
that sleight by marking their door and they on their part set
marks of like kind upon all the doors of the quarter that we
might lose the track and touch of them. By Allah, this be rare
intelligence on the part of these damsels : but we, O Wazir, will
strive to come upon their traces." Then the Minister fared forth,
after changing his dress and demeanour, and walked to the quarter
in question, but found all the doors similarly marked. So he was
sore perplext concerning his case and fell to questioning all the
folk wont to pass by these doors but none could give him any
information ; and he walked about sore distraught until eventide,
when he returned to the Sultan without aught of profit. As he
went in to the presence, his liege lord asked him saying, " What
bringest thou of tidings ? " and he answered, O King, I have not
found the property, 1 but there passed through my mind a stratagem
which, an we carry it out, peradventure shall cause us to happen
upon the maidens." Quoth the Sultan, "What be that ? " and quoth
he, " Do thou write me an autograph-writ and give it to the Crier
that he may cry about the city : Whoso lighteth wick after supper-
tide shall have his head set under his heels." The Sultan rejoined,
" This thy rede is right." Accordingly, on the next day the King
wrote his letter and gave it to the Crier bidding him fare through
the city and forbid the lighting of lamps after night-prayers ; and

1 Arab. "Sifah," = lit. a quality.

Story of the Limping Schoolmaster. 103

the man took the royal rescript and set it in a green bag. Then
he went forth and cried about the street saying, " According to the
commandment of our King, the Lord of prosperity and Master
of the necks of God's servants, if any light wick after night-
prayers his head shall be set under his heels, his good shall be
spoiled and his women shall be cast into jail." And the Crier
stinted not crying through the town during the first day and the
second and the third, until he had gone round the whole place ;
nor was there a citizen but who knew the ordinance. Now the
King waited patiently till after the proclamation of the third day ;
but on the fourth night he and his Minister went down from the
palace in disguise after supper-tide to pry about the wards and
espy into the lattices of the several quarters. They found no light
till they came to the ward where the three damsels lived, and the
Sultan, happening to glance in such a direction, saw the gleam of
a lamp in one of the tenements. So he said to the Wazir, " Ho !
there is a wick alight." Presently they drew near it and found
that it was within one of the marked houses ; wherefore they came

to a stand and knocked at the door, And Shahrazad perceived

^fje j)ree juntos antr &fag=fiftj) Nfgfit,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will! It hath reached me, O auspicious King,
the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting

IO4 Supplemental Nights.

and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when
the Sultan and the Wazir stood over against the door behind
which was the light and knocked at it, the youngest of the sisters
cried out, " Who is at the door ? " and they replied, " Guests and
Darwayshes." She rejoined, "What can you want at this hour
and what can have belated you ? " And they, " We be men living
in a Khan; but we have lost our way thither and we fear to
happen upon the Chief of Police. So of your bountiful kindness
open ye to us and house us for the remnant of the night ; and
such charity shall gain you reward in Heaven." Hereto the
mother added, " Go open to them the door ! " and the youngest
of the maidens came forward and opened to them and admitted
them. Then the parent and her children rose up and welcomed
them respectfully and seated them and did them honour and set
before them somewhat of food which they ate and were gladdened.
Presently the King said, " O damsels, ye cannot but know that
the Sultan proclaimed forbiddal of wick-burning; but ye have
.lighted your lamps and have not obeyed him when all the citizens
have accepted his commandment/' Upon this the youngest
sister accosted him saying, " O Darwaysh, verily the Sultan's
order should not be obeyed save in commandments which be
reasonable ; but this his proclamation forbidding lights is sinful to
accept ; and indeed the right direction * wherein man should walk
is according to Holy Law which saith, 'No obedience to the
creature in a matter of sin against the Creator.' The Sultan
(Allah make him prevail !) herein acteth against the Law and
imitateth the doings of Satan. For we be three sisters with our
mother, making four in the household, and every night we sit
together by lamp-light and weave a half-pound weight of linen
web 2 which our mother taketh in the morning for sale to the

1 Arab. "IstilaV = specific dialect, idiom. See De Sacy, Chrestomathie, i. 443,
, where the learned Frenchman shows abundant learning 1 , but does very little for the learner.
* In the text " Kattan '" = linen, flax.

The Night-Advinture of Sultan Mohammed of Cairo. 105

Bazar and buyeth us therewith half a pound of raw flax and
with the remainder what sufficeth us of victual." The Sultan
now turned to his Minister and said, "O Wazir, this damsel
astonisheth me by her questions and answers. What case of
casuistry can we propose to her and what disputation can we set
up ? Do thou contrive us somewhat shall pose and perplex her."
" O my lord," replied the Wazir, " we are here in the guise of Dar-
wayshes and are become to these folk as guests : how then can
we disturb them with troublesome queries in their own home?"
Quoth the Sultan, " Needs must thou address them ; " so the
Wazir said to the girl, " O noble one, obedience to the royal
orders is incumbent upon you as upon all lieges." Said she,
" True, he is our Sovran ; but how can he know whether we be
starving or full-fed ? " " Let us see," rejoined the Wazir, " when
he shall send for you and set you before the presence and question
you concerning your disobeying his orders, what thou wilt say ? "

She retorted, " I would say to the Sultan : Thou hast con-

traried Holy Law." At this the Minister resumed, " An he ask
thee sundry questions wilt thou answer them ? " and she replied,
" Indeed I will." Hereat the Minister turned to the King and
said, " Let us leave off question and answer with this maiden on
points of conscience and Holy Law and ask if she understand
the fine arts." Presently the Sultan put the question when she
replied, " How should I not understand them when I am their
father and their mother ? " Quoth he, " Allah upon thee, O my
lady, an thou wouldst favour us, let us .hear one of thine airs
and its words." So she rose and retired but presently returning
with a lute sat down and set it upon her lap and ordered the
strings and smote it with a masterly touch : then she fell to
singing amongst other verses these ordered couplets :

" Do thou good to men and so rule their necks : o Long reigns who by benefit
rules mankind :

1 06 Supplemental Nights.

And lend aid to him who for aidance hopes : o For aye grateful is man with

a noble mind
Who brings money the many to him will incline And money for tempting of

man was designed :
Who hindereth favour and bounties, ne'er o Or brother or friend in creation

shall find :
With harsh looks frown not in the Sage's face ; Disgusteth the freeman

denial unkind :
Who frequenteth mankind all of good unknow'th : o Man is lief of rebellion,

of largesse loath."

When the Sultan heard these couplets, his mind was distraught
and he was perplext in thought ; then turning to his Wazir, he
said, " By Allah, these lines were surely an examination of and
an allusion to our two selves ; and doubtless she weeteth of us
that I am the Sultan and thou art the Wazir, for the whole tenor
of her talk proveth her knowledge of us." Then he turned to the
maiden and said, " Right good are thy verse and thy voice, and
thy words have delighted us with exceeding delight." Upon this
she sang the following two couplets :

Men seek for them sorrow, and toil o Thro 1 long years as they brightly flow ;
But Fate, in the well like the tank * > Firm-fixt, ruleth all below.

Now as soon as the Sultan heard these last two couplets he
made certain that the damsel was aware of his quality. She did
not leave off her lute-playing till near daylight, when she rose and
retired and presently brought in a breakfast befitting her degree
(for indeed she was pleased with them) ; and when she had
served it up they ate a small matter which sufficed them. After
this she said, " Inshallah, you will return to us this night before
supper-tide and become our guests ; " and the twain went their
ways marvelling at the beauty of the sisters and their loveliness
and their fearlessness in the matter of the proclamation; and
the Sultan said to the Wazir, " By Allah, my soul inclineth unto
that maiden." And they stinted not walking until they had

1 Arab. "Ff Jf&n ka'l-Jawbi !" which, I suppose, means small things (or men)
and great.

The Night-Adventure of Sultan Mohammed of Cairo. 107

entered the palace. But when that day had gone by and evening
drew nigh, the Monarch made ready to go, he and the Minister,

to the dwelling of the damsels And Shahrazad was surprised

by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story,
O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she,
"And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive." Now
when it was the next night and that was

an&

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the King and
the Councillor made ready to go to the dwelling of the damsels
taking with them somewhat of gold pieces, the time being half an
hour after set of sun ; and presently they repaired to the house of
the sisters whither they had been invited on the past night. So
they rapped at the door when the youngest maiden came to it and
opened and let them in : then she salam'd to them and greeted
them and entreated them with increased respect saying, " Welcome
to our lords the Darwayshes." But she eyed them with the eye of
the physiognomist l and said in herself, " Verily these two men are

1 This form of cleverness is a favourite topic in Arabian folk-lore. The model man was
lyas aUMuzani, al-Kazi (of Bassorah), in the 2nd century A. H., mentioned by Al-
Harfrf in his 7th Ass. and noted in Arab. Prov. (i. 593) as "more intelligent than lyas."
Ibn Khallikan (i. 233) tells sundry curious tales of him. Hearing a Jew ridicule the
Moslem Paradise where the blessed ate and drank ad libitum but passed nothing aWay, he
asked if all his food were voided : the Jew replied that God converted a part of it into
nourishment and he rejoined, " Then why not the whole ? " Being once in a courtyard
he said that there was an animal under the bricks and a serpent was found : he had noted

1 08 Supplemental Nights.

on no wise what they seem and, unless my caution and intelligence
and power of knowledge have passed away from me, this must be
the Sultan and that his Wazir, for grandeur and majesty are evi-
dent on them.'* Then she seated them and accosted them even
more pleasantly and set before them supper, and when they had
eaten enough, she brought basins and ewers for handwashing and
served up coffee causing them to enjoy themselves and to give and
take in talk till their pleasure was perfect. At the time of night-
orisons they arose and, after performing the Wuzu-ablution, prayed,
and when their devotions were ended the Sultan hent in hand his
purse and gave it to the youngest sister saying, " Expend ye this
upon your livelihood." She took the bag which held two thousand
dinars and kissed his right hand, feeling yet the more convinced
that he must be the Sultan : so she proved her respect by the few-
ness of her words as she stood between his hands to do him service.
Also she privily winked at her sisters and mother and said to them
by signs, " Verily this be the Monarch and that his Minister." The
others then arose and followed suit as the sister had done, when
the Sultan turned to the Wazir and said, " The case is changed :
assuredly they have comprehended it and ascertained it ;" presently
adding to the girl,"O damsel, we be only Darwaysh folk and yet
you all stand up in our service as if we were sovrans. I beseech

that only two of the tiles showed signs of dampness and this proved that there was
something underneath that breathed. Al-Maydani relates of him that hearing a dog
bark, he declared that the beast was tied to the brink of a well ; and he judged so
because the bark was followed by an echo. Two men came before him, the complainant
claimed money received by the defendant who denied the debt. lyas asked the plaintiff
where he had given it, and was answered, " Under a certain tree." The judge told him
to go there by way of refreshing his memory and in his absence asked the defendant if
his adversary could'toave reached it. "Not yet," said the rogue, forgetting himself ;
' 'tis a long way off" which answer convicted him. Seeing three women act upon a
sudden alatm, he said, " One of them is pregnant, another is nursing, and the third is a
virgin," He explained his diagnosis as follows. " In time of danger persons lay their
hands on what they most prize. Now I saw the pregnant woman in her flight place her
hand on her belly, which showed that she was with child ; the nurse placed her hand on
her bosom, whereby I knew that she was suckling, and the third covered her parts with
her hand proving to me that she was a maid." (Chenery's Al- Hariri, p. 334).

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 109

you do not on this wise." But the youngest sister again came
forwards and kissed the ground before him and blessed him and
recited this couplet :

41 Fair fate befal thee to thy foe's despite : White be thy days and his be
black as night. 1

By Allah, O King of the Age, thou art the Sultan and that is the
Minister." The Sovran asked, " What cause hast thou for supposing
this ? " and she answered, " From your grand demeanour and your
majestic mein ; for such be the qualities of Kings which cannot
be concealed." Quoth the Monarch, " Thou hast spoken sooth ;
but, tell me, how happeneth it that you wone here without men
protectors ? " and quoth she, " O my lord the King, our history is
wondrous and were it graven with graver-needles upon the eye-
corners it were a warning to whoso would be warned." He rejoined,
"What is it ? " and she began the

STORY OF THE THREE SISTERS AND THEIR MOTHER?

I and my sisters and my mother are not natives of this city but of
a capital in the land Al-Irak where my father was Sovran having
troops and guards, Wazirs and Eunuch-chamberlains ; and my
mother was the fairest woman of her time insomuch that her
beauty was a proverb throughout each and every region. Now it
chanced that when I and my sisters were but infants, our father
would set out to hunt and course and slay beasts of raven and
take his pleasure in the gardens without the city. So he sent for
his Wazir and appointed and constituted him Viceregent in his
stead with full authority to command and be gracious to his lieges :
then he got him ready and marched forth and the Viceroy entered

1 Such an address would be suited only to a King or a ruler.

2 MS. Hi, 231-240; Scott's "Story of the Sisters and the Sultana their mother,"

vi. 82 ; Gauttier' s Histoire de la Sulthane et de ses trots Filles, vi. 228.

no Supplemental Nights.

upon his office. But it happened that it was the hot season and
my mother betook herself to the terrace-roof of the palace in
order to smell the air and sniff up the breeze. At that very hour,
by the decree of the Decreer, the Wazir was sitting in the Kiosk
or roofed balcony hanging to his upper mansion and holding in
hand a mirror ; and, as he looked therein, he saw the reflection of
my mother, a glance of eyes which bequeathed him a thousand
sighs. He was forthright distracted by her beauty and loveliness
and fell sick and took to his pillow. Presently a confidential
nurse came in and feeling his pulse, which showed no malady, said
to him, "No harm for thee ! thou shalt soon be well nor ever suffer
from aught of sorrow." Quoth he, " O my nurse, canst thou keep
a secret ? " and quoth she, " I can." Then he told her all the love
he had conceived for my mother and she replied, " This be a light
affair nor hath it aught of hindrance : I will manage for thee such
matter and I will soon unite thee with her." Thereupon he packed
up for her some of the most sumptuous dresses in his treasury and

said, " Hie thee to her and say : The Wazir hath sent these to

thee by way of love-token and his desire is either that thou come
to him and converse, he and thou, for a couple of hours, 1 or that
he be allowed to visit thee." The nurse replied with " Hearken-
ing and obedience," and fared forth and found my mother (and
we little ones were before her) all unknowing aught of that
business. So the old woman saluted her and brought forwards the
dresses, and my mother arose and opening the bundle beheld
sumptuous raiment and, amongst other valuables, a necklace of
precious stones. So she said to the nurse, " This is indeed orna-
mental gear, especially the collar ;" and said the nurse, " O my lady,
these are from thy slave the Wazir by way of love-token, for he
doteth on thee with extreme desire and his only wish is to for-
gather with thee and converse, he and thou, for a couple of hours,

1 Arab. " Darajatdni " =lit. two astronomical degrees : the word is often used in this MS.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 1 1 1

either in his own place or in thine whither he will come." Now
when my mother heard these words from the nurse she arose and
drew a scymitar which lay hard by and of her angry hastiness
made the old woman's head fall from her body and bade her slave
girls pick up the pieces and cast them into the common privy of
the palace. So they did her bidding and wiped away the blood.
Now the Wazir abode expecting his nurse to return to him but she
returned not ; so next day he despatched another handmaid who
went to my mother and said to her, " O my Ia4y, our lord the
Wazir sent thee a present of dress by his nurse ; but she hath
not come back to him." Hereupon my mother bade her Eunuchs
take the slave and strangle her, then cast the corpse into the
same house of easement where they had thrown the nurse. They
did her bidding ; but she said in her mind, " Haply the Wazir will
return from the road of unright :" and she kept his conduct a
secret. He however fell every day to sending slave-girls with the
same message and my mother to slaying each and every, nor
deigned show him any signs of yielding. But she, O our lord the
Sultan, still kept her secret and did not acquaint our fathef there-
with, always saying to herself, " Haply the Wazir will return to
the road of right." And behold my father presently came back
from hunting and sporting and pleasuring, when the Lords of the
land met him and salam'd to him, and amongst them appeared
the Minister whose case was changed. Now some years after this,
O King of the Age, our sire resolved upon a Pilgrimage to the

Holy House of Meccah And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of

day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable." Quoth she, "And
where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it;
was the next night and that was

1 1 2 Supplemental Nights.

DUNYAZAD said to her "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the
watching of this our latter night." She replied : - With Jove
and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youngest
sister continued to the Sultan : - So our sire, O King of the
Age, resolved upon a Pilgrimage to the Holy House of Meccah
and stablished the same Wazir Viceregent in his stead to deal com-
mandment and break off and carry out. So he said in his heart,
"'Now have I won my will of the Sultan's Harem." So the King
gat him ready and fared forth to Allah's Holy House after com-
mitting us to the charge of his Minister. But when he had been
gone ten days, and the Wazir knew that he must be far from the
city where he had left behind him me and my sisters and my
mother, behold, an Eunuch of the Minister's came in to us and
kissed ground before the Queen and said to her " Allah upon thee,
O my lady, pity my lord the Wazir, for his heart is melted by
thy love and his wits wander and his right mind ; and he is now
become as one annihilated. So do thou have ruth upon him and
revive his heart and restore his health." Now when my mother
heard these words, she bade her Eunuchs seize that Castrato and
carry him from the room to the middle of the Divan-court and
there slay him ; but she did so without divulging her reasons.
They obeyed her bidding ; and when the Lords of the land and
others saw the body of a man slain by the eunuchry of the palace,
they informed the Wazir, saying, " What hateful business is this
which hath befallen after the Sultan's departure ? " He asked,
What is to do ? " and they told him that his Castrato had been
slain by a party of the palace eunuchry. Thereupon he said to

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. '113

them, " In your hand abideth testimony of this whenas the Sultan
shall return and ye shall bear witness to it." But, O King, the
Wazir's passion for our mother waxed cool after the deaths of the
nurse and the slave-girls and the eunuch ; and she also held her peace
and spake not a word there anent. On this wise time passed
and he sat in the stead of my sire till tne Sultan's return drew near
when the Minister dreaded lest our father, learning his ill deeds,
should do him die. So he devised a device and wrote a letter to

the King saying : " After salutation be it known to thee that

thy Harem hath sent to me, not only once but five several times
during thine absence, soliciting of me a foul action, to which I
refused consent and replied, By Allah, however much she may
wish to betray my Sovran, I by the Almighty will not turn traitor ;
for that I was left by thee guardian of the realm after thy
departure." He added words upon words; then he sealed the
scroll and gave it to a running courier with orders to hurry along
the road. The messenger took it and fared with it to the Sultan's
camp when distant eight days' journey from the capital ; and,
finding him seated in his pavilion, 1 delivered the writ. He took
it and opened it and read it and when he understood its secret
significance, his face changed, his eyes turned backwards and he
bade his tents be struck for departure. So they fared by
forced marches till between him and his capital remained only
two stations. He then summoned two Chamberlains with orders
to forego him to the city and take my mother and us three girls
a day's distance from it and there put us to death. Accordingly,
they led us four to the open country purposing to kill us, and my
mother knew not what intent was in their minds until they reached
the appointed spot. Now the Queen had in times past heaped
alms-deeds and largesse upon the two Chamberlains, so they held
the case to be a grievous and said each to other, " By Allah we

1 Arab. " Siwsin ;" plur. "Sfwdwln."
VQL7 IV. H

1 14 Supplemental Nights.

cannot slaughter them ; no, never ! " Then they told my mother
of the letter which the Wazir had written to our father saying such
and-such, upon which she exclaimed, " He hath lied, by Allah, the
arch-traitor; and naught happened save so-and-so." Then she
related to them all she had done with the exactest truth. The
men said, " Sooth thou hast spoken ;" then arising without stay or
delay they snared a 'gazelle and slaughtered it and filled with its
blood four flasks ; after which they broiled some of the flesh over
the embers and gave it to my mother that we might satisfy our
hunger. Presently they farewelled us saying, " We give you in
charge of Him who never disappointed those committed to His
care ;" and, lastly, they went their ways leaving us alone in the
wild and the wold. So we fell to eating the desert-grasses and
drinking of the remnants of the rain, and we walked awhile and rested
awhile without rinding any city or inhabited region ; and we waxed
tired, O King of the Age, when suddenly we came upon a spot on
a hill-flank abounding in vari-coloured herbs and fair fountains.
Here we abode ten days and behold, a caravan drew near us and
encamped hard by us, but they did not sight us for that we hid
ourselves from their view until night fell. Then I went to them
and asked of sundry eunuchs and ascertained that there was a city
at the distance of two days' march from us ; so I returned and
informed my mother who rejoiced at the good tidings. As soon
as it was morn the caravan marched off, so we four arose and
walked all that day through at a leisurely pace, and a second day
and so forth ; until, on the afternoon of the fifth, a city rose before
our sight fulfilling all our desires 1 and we exclaimed, " Alham-
dolillah, laud be to the Lord who hath empowered us to reach it."
We ceased not faring till sunset when we entered it and we found
it a potent capital. Such was our case and that of our mother ; 2

1 Arab. " *A1 hudud (or Ate hadd) al-Shauk, repeated in MS. iii. 239.
8 Here the writer, forgetting that the youngest sister is speaking, breaks out into the
third person " their case"" their mother," etc.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 115

but as regards our sire the Sultan, as he drew near his home after
the return-journey from the Hajj, the Lords of the land and the
Chiefs of the city flocked out to meet him, and the town-folk
followed one another like men riding on pillions 1 to salute him, and
the poor and the mesquin congratulated him on his safety and at
last the Wazir made his appearance. The Sultan desired to be

private with the Minister And Shahrazad, was surprised by the

dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O
sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she,
" And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when
it was the next night and that was

t&ty STjme f^untafc anH SbtxtB*efe!)t!) Ntgjt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the King
desired to be private with the Minister and when they were left
alone he said, " O Wazir, how was it between thee and that Harim
of mine ? " Said the other, " O King of the Age, she sent to me
not only once but five several times and I refrained from her and
whatsoever eunuch she despatched I slew, saying, Haply she may
cease so doing and abandon her evil intent. But she did not
repent, so I feared for thine honour and sent to acquaint thee with
the matter." The Sultan bowed his head groundwards for a while,

1 The idea is that of the French anonyma's ' Mais, Monsieur, vous me suivez comme
un lavement.**

1 1 6 Supplemental Nights.

then raising it he bade summon the two Chamberlains whom he
had sent to slay his wife and three children. On their appearing
he asked them, "What have you done in fulfilling my com-
mandment ? " They answered, " We did that which thou badest
be done," and showed him the four flasks they had filled
with the blood and said, " This be their blood, a flask-full from
each." The Sultan hent them in hand and mused over what had
taken place between him and his wife of love and affection and
union ; so he wept with bitter weeping and fell down in a fainting
fit. After an hour or so he recovered and turning to the Wazir
said, " Tell me, hast thou spoken sooth ? " and the other replied,
" Yes, I have/' Then the Sultan addressed the two Chamberlains
and asked them, " Have ye put to death my daughters with their
mother ? " But they remained silent nor made aught of answer or
address. So he exclaimed, " What is on your minds that ye speak
not ? " They rejoined, " By Allah, O King of the Age, the honest
man cannot tell an untruth for that lying and leasing are the
characteristics of hypocrites and traitors." When the Wazir heard
the Chamberlains 1 speech his colour yellowed, his frame was dis-
ordered and a trembling seized his limbs, and the King turned to
him and noted that these symptoms had been caused by the words
of the two officials. So he continued to them, " What mean ye,
O Chamberlains, by your saying that lies and leasing are the
characteristics of hypocrites and traitors ? Can it be that ye have
not put them to death ? And as ye claim to be true men either
ye have killed them and ye speak thus or you are liars. Now by
Him who hath set me upon the necks of His lieges, if ye declare
not to me the truth I will do you both die by the foulest of deaths."
They rejoined, " By Allah, O King of the Age, whenas thou badest
us take them and slay them, we obeyed thy bidding and they knew
not nor could they divine what was to be until we arrived with
them at the middlemost and broadest of the desert ; and when we
informed them of what had been done by the Wazir, thy Harem

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 1 1 7

exclaimed : There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in

Allah, the Glorious, the Great. Verily we are Allah's and unto
Him are we returning. But an ye kill us you will kill us wrongfully
and ye wot not wherefor. By the Lord, this Wazir hath foully
lied and hath accused us falsely before the Almighty. So we said to

her,O King of the Age: Inform us of what really took place ; and

said the mother of the Princesses: Thus and thus it happened.

Then she fell to telling us the whole tale from first to last of the
nurse who was sent to her and the handmaids and the Eunuch. 1
Hereupon the Sultan cried, "And ye, have ye slain them or not ?"
and the Chamberlains replied, " By Allah, O King of the Age,
whenas the loyalty of thy Harem was made manifest to us we
snared a gazelle and cut its throat and filled these four flasks with
its blood; after which we broiled some of the flesh upon the
embers and offered it to thy Harem and her children saying to

them : We give thee in charge to Him who never disappointeth

those committed to His care, and w.e added, Your truth shall
save you. Lastly we left them in the midmost of the waste and
we returned hither." When the Sultan heard these words he turned
to the Wazir and exclaimed, " Thou hast estranged from me my
wife and my children ; " but the Minister uttered not a word nor
made any address and trembled in every limb like one afflicted with
an ague. And when the King saw the truth of the Chamberlains
and the treachery of the Minister he bade fuel be collected and set
on fire and they did his bidding. Then he commanded them to
truss up the Wazir, hand tied to foot, and bind him perforce upon
a catapult 2 and cast him into the middle of the fiery pyre which
made his bones melt before, his flesh. Lastly he ordered his palace

1 The text (p. 243) speaks of two eunuchs, but only one has been noticed.

2 Arab. "Manjanik; " there are two forms of this word from the Gr. Mayyavor,
or MwtfavJ/j and it survives in our mangonel, a battering engine. The idea in the text
is borrowed from the life of Abraham whom Nimrod cast by means of a catapult (which
is a bow worked by machinery) into a fire too hot for man to approach.

1 1 8 Supplemental Nig hts.

to be pillaged, his good to be spoiled and the women of his Harem
to be sold for slaves. After this he said to the Chamberlains,

- ;.-. .. "" -. " ' - x .;".'': .

" You must know, the spot wherein you left the Queen and
Princesses;" and said they, "O King of the Age, we know it
well ; but when we abandoned them and returned home they were
in the midst of the wolds and the wilds nor can we say what befel
them or whether they be now alive or dead." On this wise fared
it with them ; but as regards us three maidens and our mother, when

we entered the city And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day

and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable ? " Quoth she, " And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the
next night and that was

$e Jtee f^untafc anfc gbfrtg-mnti) Nt'gH

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youngest

sister continued her tale : So when we three maidens and our

mother entered the city about sunset I the youngest said to them,
" We be three Princesses and a Queen-mother : so we cannot show
ourselves in this our condition and needs must we lodge us in a
Khan : also 'tis my rede that we should do best by donning boys'
dress. All agreeing hereto we did accordingly and, entering a
Caravanserai, hired us a retired chamber in one of the wings.
Now every day we three fared forth to service and at eventide we
forgathered and took what sufficed us of sustenance ; but our

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. \ 19

semblance had changed with the travails of travel and all who
looked at us would say, These be lads. In this plight we passed
the space of a year full-told till, one day of the days, we three
fared forth to our chares, as was our wont, and behold, a young
man met us upon the way and turning to me asked, " O lad, wilt
thou serve in my house ? " Quoth I, " O my uncle, 1 I must ask
advice," and quoth he, " O my lad, crave counsel of thy mother
and come and serve in our home." He then looked at my sisters
and enquired, " Be these thy comrades, O lad ? " and I replied
" No, they are my brothers." So we three went to our mother in
the Khan and said to her, " This young man wisheth to hire the
youngest of us for service," and said she, " No harm in that."
Thereupon the youth arose and taking me by the hand guided me
to his home and led me in to his mother and his wife, and when
the ancient dame saw me, her heart was opened to me. Presently
quoth the young man to his parent, " I have brought the lad to
serve in our house and he hath two brothers and his mother
dwelling with them." Quoth she, ''May it be fortunate to thee,
O my son." 2 So I tarried there serving them till sunset and when
the evening-meal was eaten, they gave me a dish of meat and three
large bannocks of clean bread. These I took and carried to my
mother whom I found sitting with my sisters and I set before them
the meat and bread ; but when my parent saw this she wept with
sore weeping and cried, " Time hath overlooked us ; erst we gave
food to the folk and now the folk send us food." And cried I,
" Marvel not at the works of the Creator ; for verily Allah hath
ordered for us this and for others that and the world endureth not
for any one ; " and I ceased not soothing my mother's heart till it
waxed clear of trouble and we ate and praised Almighty Allah.
Now every day I went forth to serve at the young man's house and

1 Showing that he was older ; otherwise she would have addressed him, " O my cousin."
A man is " young," in Arab speech, till forty and some say fifty.

2 The little precatory formula would keep off the Evil Eye.

1 20 Supplemental Nights.

at eventide bore to my mother and sisters their sufficiency of food
for supper, 1 breakfast and dinner ; and when the youth brought
eatables of any kind for me I would distribute it to the family.
And he looked well after our wants and at times he would supply
clothing for me and for the youths, my sisters, and for my parent ;
so that all hearts in our lodgings were full of affection for him, At
last his mother said, " What need is there for the lad to go forth
from us every eventide and pass the night with his people ? Let
him lie in our home and every day about afternoon-time carry the
evening meal to his mother and brothers and then return to us and
keep me company." I replied, " O my lady, let me consult my
mother, to whom I will fare forthright and acquaint her herewith."
But my parent objected saying, " O my daughter, we fear lest thou
be discovered and they find thee out to be a girl." I replied,
" Our Lord will veil our secret ;" and she rejoined, " Then do thou
obey them." So I lay with the young man's mother nor did any
divine that I was a maid, albeit from the time when I entered into
that youth's service my strength and comeliness had increased.
At last, one night of the nights, I went after supper to sleep at my
employer's and the young man's mother chanced to glance in my
direction when she saw my loosed hair which gleamed and
glistened many-coloured as a peacock's robe. Next morning I
arose and gathering up my locks donned the Tdkiyah 2 and pro-
ceeded, as usual, to do service about the house never suspecting
that the mother had taken notice of my hair. Presently she said
to her son, " Tis my wish that thou buy me a few rose-blossoms
which be fresh." He asked, " To make conserve ? " and she
answered, " No." Then he enquired ; " Wherefore wantest thou
roses ? " and she replied, " By Allah, O my son, I wish therewith
to try this our servant whom I suspect to be a girl and no boy ;

1 Sapper comes first because the day begins at sundown.
8 Calotte or skull-cap ; vol. i. 224 ; viii. 120.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 121

and under him in bed I would strew rose-leaves, for an they be
found wilted in the morning he is a lad, and if they remain as they
were he is a lass." 1 So he fared forth and presently returned to
his mother with the rose-blossoms ; and, when the sleeping-hour
came, she went and placed them in my bed. I slept well and in
the morning when I arose she came to me and found that the
petals had not changed for the worse ; nay, they had gained lustre.
So she made sure that I was a girl. And Shahrazad was sur-
prised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, * And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive? "
Now when it was the next night and that was

antr

1 This is a new "fact" in physics and certainly to be counted amongst '* things not
generally known." But Easterns have a host of "dodges" to detect physiological
differences such as between man and maid, virgin and matron, imperfect castratos and
perfect eunuchs and so forth. Very Eastern, mutatis mutandis^ is the tale of the thief-
catcher, who discovered a fellow in feminine attire by throwing an object for him to
catch in his lap and by his closing his legs instead of opening them wide as the petticoated
ones would do.

122 Supplemental Nigkts.

his wont ; and he found me with sleeves tucked up to the elbows
engaged in washing a bundle of shirts and turbands ; and I was
careless of myself so he drew near me and noted my cheeks that
flushed rosy red and eyes which were as those of the thirsty
gazelle and my scorpion locks hanging adown my side face. This
took place in summertide ; and when he saw me thus his wits
were distraught and his sound senses were as naught and his judg-
ment was in default : so he went in to his parent and said to her,
" O my mother, indeed this servant is no boy, but a maiden girl
and my wish is that thou discover for me her case and make
manifest to me her, condition and marry me to her, for that my
heart is fulfilled of her love." Now by the decree of the Decreer
I was privily listening to all they said of me ; so presently I arose,
after washing the clothes and what else they had given me ; but
my state was changed by their talk and I knew and felt certified
that the youth and his mother had recognised me for a girl. I
continued on this wise till eventide when I took the food and
returned to my family and they all ate till they had eaten enough,
when I told them my adventure and my conviction. So my mother
said to me, " What remaineth for us now to do ? " and said I, " O my
mother, let us arise, we three, before night shall set in and go forth
ere they lock the Khan upon us ; 1 and if the door-keeper ask us
aught let us answer : We are faring to spend the night in the
house of the youth where our son is serving." My mother replied,
" Right indeed is thy rede." Accordingly, all four of us went forth
at the same time and when the porter asked, " This is night-tide
and whither may ye be wending ? " we answered, " We have been
invited by the young man whom our son serveth for he maketh a
Septena-festival a and a bridal-feast : so we purpose to night with

1 She did not wish to part with her maidenhead at so cheap a price.

2 Arab. "Subu"' (for " Yaum al-Subu' ") a festival prepared on the seventh day
after a birth or a marriage or return from pilgrimage. See Lane (M. E. passim) under
"Subooa."

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 123

i
him and return a-morn." Quoth he, " There is no harm in that

So we issued out and turned aside and sought the waste lands, the
Veiler veiling us, and we ceased not walking till the day brake and
we were sore a-wearied. Then we sat for rest till the rise of sun and
when it shone we four sprang up and strave with our wayfare
throughout the first day and the second and the third until the
seventh. (Now all this was related to Mohammed the Sultan of
Cairo and his Wazir by the youngest Princess and they abode
wondering at her words.) On the seventh day we reached this city
and here we housed ourselves ; but to this hour we have no news of
our sire after the Minister was burnt nor do we know an he be whole
or dead. Yet we yearn for him : so do thou, of thine abundant
favour, O King of the Age, and thy perfect beneficence, send a
messenger to seek tidings of him and to acquaint him with our case,
when he will send to fetch us." Here she ceased speaking and the
Monarch and Minister both wondered at her words and exclaimed,
" Exalted be He who decreeth to His servants severance and re-
union." Then the Sultan of Cairo arose without stay or delay
and wrote letters to the King of Al-Irak, the father of the damsels,
telling him that he had taken them under his safeguard, them and
their mother, and gave the writ to the Shaykh of the Cossids l and
appointed for it a running courier and sent him forth with it to
the desert. After this the King took the three maidens and their
mother and carried them to his Palace where he set apart for them
an apartment and he appointed for them what sufficed of appoint-
ments. Now, as for the Cossid who fared forth with the letter, he
stinted not spanning the waste for the space of two months until
he made the city of the bereaved King of Al-Irak, and when
he asked for the royal whereabouts they pointed out to him a

1 For this Anglo-Indian term, = a running courier, see vol. vii. 340. Lt is the gist of
the venerable Joe Miller in which the father asks a friend to name his seventh- months
child. " Call him ' Cossid,' for verily he hath accomplished a march of nine months in
seven months."

1 24 Supplemental Nights.

pleasure-garden. So he repaired thither and went in to him,
kissed ground before him, offered his services, prayed for him and
lastly handed to him the letter. The King took it and brake the
seal and opened the scroll ; but when he read it and comprehended
its contents, he rose up and shrieked a loud shriek and fell to the
floor in a fainting fit. So the high officials flocked around him
and raised him from the ground, and when he recovered after an
hour or so they questioned him concerning the cause of this. He
then related to them the adventures of his wife and children ; how
they were still in the bonds of life whole and hearty ; and forth-
right he ordered a ship to be got ready for them and stored therein
gifts and presents for him who had been the guardian of his Queen
and her daughters. But he knew not what lurked for them in the
future. So the ship sailed away, all on board seeking the desired
city, and she reached it without delay, the winds blowing light and
fair. Then she fired the cannon of safe arrival * and the Sultan
sent forth to enquire concerning her, - And Sharazad perceived
the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful
is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth
she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now
when it was the next night and that was

anU

DUNYAZAD said to her, Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the
watching this our latter night ! " She replied : With love and
good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director

1 Arab. "Madafi al-Salamah," a^ustom showing the date of the tale to be more
modern than any in the ten vols. of The Nights proper.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 125

the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds
fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan made enquiries
concerning that ship, when behold ! the Rais l came forth her to
the land and accosting the King handed to him the letter and
acquainted him with the arrival of the gifts and presents. Where-
upon he bade all on board her come ashore and be received in the
guest-house for a space of three days until the traces of travel
should disappear from them. After that time the Sultan gat ready
whatso became his high degree of offerings evening those despatched
to him by the father of the damsels and stowed them in the vessel,
where he also embarked as much of victual and provaunt as might
suffice for all the voyagers. On the fourth day after sunset the
damsels and their mother were borne on board and likewise went
the master after they had taken leave of the King and had
salanVd to him and prayed for his preservation. Now in early
morning the breeze blew free and fair so they loosed sail and made
for the back 2 of the sea and voyaged safely for the first day and
the second. But on the third about mid-afternoon a furious gale
came out against them ; whereby the sails were torn to tatters and
the masts fell overboard : so the crew made certain of death, and
the ship ceased not to be tossed upwards and to settle down
without mast or sail till midnight, all the folk lamenting one to
other, as did the maidens and their mother, till the wreck was
driven upon an island and there went to pieces. Then he whose
life-term was short died forthright and he whose life-term was long
survived ; and some bestrode planks and others butts and others
again bulks of timber whereby all were separated each from other.
Now the mother and two of the daughters clomb upon planks they
chanced find and sought their safety ; but the youngest of the
maidens who had mounted a keg, 3 and who knew nothing of her

1 Master, captain, skipper (not owner) : see vols. i. 127 ; vi. 112.

8 Zahr al-Bahr = the surface which affords a passage to man.

9 Arab* " Batiyah," gen. - a blackjack, a leathern flagon.

126 Supplemental Nights.

mother and sisters, was carried up and cast down by the waves for
the space of five days till she landed upon an extensive sea.-board
where she found a sufficiency to eat and drink. She sat down
upon the shore for an hour of time until she had taken rest and
her heart was calmed and her fear had flown and she had recovered
her spirits: then she rose and paced the sands, all unknowing
whither she should wend, and whenever she came upon aught of
herbs she would eat of them. This lasted through the first day
and the second till the forenoon of the third, when lo and behold !
a Knight advanced towards her, falcon on fist and followed by a
greyhound. For three days he had been wandering about the
waste questing game either of birds or of beasts, but he happened
not upon either when he chanced to meet the maiden, and seeing
her said in his mind, " By Allah, yon damsel is my quarry this
very day.'* So he drew near her and salam'd to her and she
returned his salute ; whereupon he asked her of her condition and
she informed him of what had betided her ; and his heart was
softened towards her and taking her up on his horse's crupper he
turned him homewards. Now of this youngest sister (quoth
Shahrazad) there is much to say, and we will say it when the tale
shall require the telling. But as regards the second Princess, she
ceased not floating on the plank for the space of eight days, until
she was borne by the set of the sea close under the walls of a
city : but she was like one drunken with wine when she crawled up
the shore and her raiment was in rags and her colour had wanned
for excess of affright. However, she walked onwards at a slow
pace till she reached the city and came upon a house of low stone
walls. So she went in and there finding an ancient dame sitting
and spinning yarn, she gave her good evening and the other
returned it adding, " Who art thou, O my daughter, and whence
comest thou ? " She answered, " O my aunt, I'm fallen from the
skies and have been met by the earth : thou needest not question
me of aught, for my heart is clean molten by the fire of grief.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 127

An thou take me in for love and kindness 'tis well and if not I
will again fare forth on my wanderings." When the old woman
heard these words she compassioned the maiden and her heart
felt tender towards her, and she cried, " Welcome to thee, O my
daughter, sit thee down ! " Accordingly she sat her down beside
her hostess and the two fell to spinning yarn whereby to gain
their daily bread : and the old dame rejoiced in her and said,
" She shall take the place of my daughter." Now of this second
Princess (quoth Shahrazad) there is much to say and we will say
it when the tale shall require the telling. But as regards the eldest
sister, she ceased not clinging to the plank and floating over the
sea till the sixth day passed, and on the seventh she was cast upon
a stead where lay gardens distant from the town six miles. So
she walked into them and seeing fruit close-clustering she took
of it and ate and donned the cast-off dress of a man she found
nearhand. Then she kept on faring till she entered the town and
here she fell to wandering about the Bazars till she came to the
shop of a Kunafar^-maker who was cooking his vermicelli ; and
he, seeing a fair youth in man's habit, said to her, " O younker,
wilt thou be my servant?" "O my uncle," she said, " I will
well ; " so he settled her wage each day a quarter farthing, 2 not
including her diet. Now in that town were some fifteen shops
wherein Kunafah was made. She abode with the confectioner the
first day and the second and the third to the full number of ten,
when the traces of travel left her and fear departed from her heart,
and her favour and complexion were changed for the better and
she became even as the moon, nor could any guess that the lad
was a lass. Now it was the practice of that man to buy every

1 "Kunafah = a vermicelli cake often eaten at breakfast : see vol. x. I : " Kunafdni"
is the baker or confectioner. Scott (p. 101) converts the latter into a " maker of cotton
wallets for travelling."

2 In the text (iii. 260) "Midi," a clerical error for ' Mayyidf," an abbreviation o
" Muayyadi," the Faddah, Nuss or half-dirham coined under Sultan al-Muayyad, A.H.
ixth cent. = A.D. xvth.

1 28 Supplemental Nights.

day half a quartern ! of flour and use it for making his vermicelli ;
but when the so-seeming youth came to him he would lay in each
morning three quarterns ; and the townsfolk heard of this change
and fell to saying, " We will never dine without the Kunafah of the
confectioner who hath in his house the youth." This is what
befel the eldest Princess of whom (quoth Shahrazad) there is much
to say and we will say it when the tale shall require the telling*
But as regards the Queen-mother, - And Shahrazad was sur-
prised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! J>
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? "
Now when it was the next night and that was

1 Arab. " Rub' " (plur. " Arba' ") = the fourth of a Waybah," the latter being the
sixth of an Ardabb (Irdabb) = 5 bushels. See vol. i. 263.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 129

not walking through the rest of that day and those that followed
till one day of the days behold, a dust-cloud suddenly appeared to
them spireing up to the skies. They fared for it and after a while
it lifted, showing beneath it a host with swords glancing and lance*
heads gleams lancing and war steeds dancing and prancing, and
these were ridden by men like unto eagles and the host was under
the hands of a Sultan around whom ensigns and banners were
flying. And when this King saw the Rais and the sailors and the
woman following, he wheeled his charger themwards to learn what
tidings they brought and rode up to the strangers and questioned
them ; and the castaways informed them that their ship had broken
up under them. Now the cause of this host's taking the field was
that the King of Al-Irak, the father of the three maidens, after he
appointed the ship and saw her set out, felt uneasy at heart, pre-
saging evil, and feared with sore fear the shifts of Time. So he
went forth, he and his high Officials and his host, and marched
adown the longshore till, by decree of the Decreer, he suddenly
and all unexpectedly came upon his Queen who was under charge
of the ship's captain. Presently, seeing the cavalcade and its ensigns
the Rais went forward and recognising the King hastened up to
him and kissed his stirrup and his feet. The Sultan turned towards
him and knew him ; so he asked him of his state and the Rais
answered by relating all that had befallen him. Thereupon, the
King commanded his power to alight in that place and they did
so and set up their tents and pavilions. Then the Sultan took
seat in his Shamiydnah 1 and bade them bring his Queen and they
brought her, and when eye met eye the pair greeted each other
fondly and the father asked concerning her three children. She
declared that she had no tidings of them after the shipwreck and
she knew not whether they were dead or alive. Hereat the King

1 A royal pavilion ; according to Shakespear (Hind. Diet, sub vofe) it is a corruption
of the Pers. "Sayaban." = canopy.

VOI. IV. I

130 Supplemental Nights.

wept with sore weeping and exclaimed, "Verily we are Allah's
and unto Him we are returning! " after which he gave orders to
march from that place upon his capital. Accordingly they stinted
not faring for a space of four days till they reached the city and he
entered his citadel-palace. But every time and every hour he was
engrossed in pondering the affair of the three Princesses and kept
saying, "Would heaven I wot are they drowned or did they escape
the sea; and, if they were -saved, Oh, that I knew whether they
were scattered or abode in company one with other and whatever
else may have betided them ! " And he ceased not brooding over
the issue of things and kept addressing himself in speech ; and
neither meat was pleasant to him nor drink. Such were his case
and adventure ; but as regards the youngest sister whenas she was
met by the Knight and seated upon the crupper of his steed, he
ceased not riding with her till he reached his city and went into his
citadel-palace. Now the Knight was the son of a Sultan who had
lately deceased, but a usurper had seized the reins of rule in his
stead and Time had proved a tyrant to the youth, who had there-
fore addicted himself to hunting and sporting. Now by the decree
of the Decreer he had ridden forth to the chase where he met the
Princess and took her up behind him, and at the end of the ride,
when he returned to his mother, he was becharmed by her charms ;
so he gave her in charge to his parent and honoured her with the
highmost possible honour and felt for her a growing fondness even
as felt she for him. And when the girl had tarried with them &
month full-told she increased in beauty and loveliness and sym-
metrical stature and perfect grace ; then, the heart of the youth
was fulfilled with love of her and on like wise was the soul of the
damsel who, in her new affection, forgot her mother and her sisters.
But from the moment that maiden entered his Palace the fortunes
of the young Knight amended and the world waxed propitious to
him nor less did the hearts of the lieges incline to him ; so they held
a meeting and said, " There shall be over us no Sovran and no Sultan

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. \ 3 r

save the son of our late King ; and he who at this present ruleth
us hath neither great wealth nor just claim to the sovereignty.
Now all this benefit which accrued to the young King was by the
auspicious coming of the Princess. Presently the case was agreed
upon by all the citizens of the capital that on the morning of the
next day they would make him ruler and depose the usurper."
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dun-
yazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and
enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an
the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

DUNYAZAD said to her, Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied: - With
love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the citizens
in early morning held a meeting whereat were present the Lords
of the land and the high Officials, and they went in to the usurping
Sultan determined to remove and depose him. But he refused
and forswore consent, saying, " By Allah, such thing may not be
except after battle and slaughter." Accordingly they fared forth
and acquainted the young King who held the matter grievous and
was overridden by cark and care : however he said to them, "If
there must perforce be fighting and killing, I have treasures
sufficient to levy a host." So saying he went away and dis-
appeared ; but presently he brought them the moneys which they
distributed to the troops. Then they repaired to the Maydan,

132 Supplemental Nights.

the field of fight outside the city, and on like guise the usurping*
Sultan rode out with all his power. And when the two opposing
hosts were ranged in their forces, each right ready for the fray,
the usurper and his men charged home upon the young King
and either side engaged in fierce combat and sore slaughter befel.
But the usurper had the better of the battle and purposed to seize
the young King amidst his many when, lo and behold ! appeared
a Knight backing a coal-black mare ; and he was armed cap-a-pie
in a coat of mail, and he carried a spear and a mace. With these
he bore down upon the usurper and shore off his right forearm
so that he fell from his destrier, and the Knight seeing this struck
him a second stroke with the sword and parted head from body.
.When his army saw the usurper fall, all sought safety in flight
and sauve qui peut ; but the army of the young King came up
with them and caused the scymitar to fall upon them so that
were saved of them only those to whom length of life was fore-
ordained. Hereupon the victors lost no time in gathering the
spoils and the horses together ; but the young King stood gazing
at the Knight and considering his prowess ; yet he failed to
recognize him and after an hour or so the stranger disappeared
leaving the conqueror sorely chafed and vexed for that he knew
him not and had failed to forgather with him. After this the
young King returned from the battle-field with his band playing
behind him and he entered the seat of his power, and was raised
by the lieges to the station of his sire. Those who had
escaped the slaughter dispersed in all directions and sought safety
in flight and the partizans who had enthroned the young King
thronged around him and gave him joy as also did the general
of the city, whose rejoicings were increased thereby. Now the
coming of the aforesaid Knight was a wondrous - matter. When
the rightful King made ready for battle the Princess feared for his
life and, being skilled in the practice of every weapon, she escaped
the notice of the Queen-dowager and after donning her war-garb

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 133

and battle-gear she went forth to the stable and saddled her a
mare and mounted her and pushed in between the two armies.
And as soon as she saw the usurper charge down upon the young
King as one determined to shed his life's blood, she forestalled
him and attacked him and tore out the life from between his ribs.
Then she returned to her apartment nor did any know of the deed
she had done. Presently, when it was eventide the young King
entered the Palace after securing his succession to royalty ; but
he was still chafed and vexed for that he knew not the Knight.
His mother met him and gave him joy of his safety and his
accession to the Sultanate, whereto he made reply, " Ah ! O my
mother, my length of days was from the hand of a horseman who
suddenly appearing joined us in our hardest stress and aided me
in my straitest need and saved me from Death." Quoth she, " O
my son, hast thou recognised him ? " and quoth he, " Twas my
best desire to discover him and to stablish him as my Wazir, but
this I failed to do." Now when the Princess heard these words
she laughed and rejoiced and still laughing said, "To whoso will
make thee acquainted with him what wilt thou give ? " and said
he, " Dost thou know him ? " So she replied, " I wot him not "
and he rejoined, " Then what is the meaning of these thy words ? "
when she answered him in these prosaic rhymes c 1

"O my lord, may I prove thy sacrifice Nor exult at thy sorrows thine

enemies !
Could unease and disease by others be borne o The slave should bear load on

his lord that lies :
I'll carty whatever makes thee complain And be my body the first that

dies.'*

When he heard these words he again asked, " Dost thou know
him ? " and she answered, " He ? Verily we wot him not ; 2 and

1 Arab. "Musajja"' = chymed prose: for the Saj'a, see vol. i. 116, and Terminal
Essay, vol. x. p. 255. So Chaucer :

In rhyme or elles in cadence.

2 Arab* '* Hiiwa inn4. lam na'rifu-h" lit. = He, verily we wot him not: the
position of the two first pronouns is intended to suggest " I am he."

134 Supplemental Nights.

repeated the saying to t him a second tittle : withal he by no means
understood her. So quoth she, " How canst thou administer the
Sultanate and yet fail to comprehend my simple words ? For
indeed I have made the case clear to thee." Hereupon he
fathomed the secret of the saying and flew to her in his joy and
clasped her to his bosom and kissed her upon the cheeks. But
his mother turned to him and said, "O my son, do not on this
-wise for everything hath its time and season;" - And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to
say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How
sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delect-
able ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

an& gbcbentp-fouttft Jit'gjt,

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 135

" O King of the Age, 'twere not suitable that thou become Sultan
except thou take to thee a wife ; and Alhamdolillah laud to the
Lord who hath set thee on the necks of His servants and who
hath restored the realm to thee as successor of thy sire. There is
no help but that thou marry." Quoth he, " To hear is to consent,"
then he arose without stay or delay and went in to his mother and
related to her what had happened. Quoth she, " O my son, do-
what becometh thee and Allah prosper thy affairs ! " He said to
her, " O my mother, retire thou with the maiden and persuade her
to marriage for I want none other and I love not aught save her-
self," and said she, " With joy and gladness." So he went from
her and she arose and was private with the damsel when she
addressed her, " O my lady, the King desireth to wed thee and he
wanteth none other and he seeketh not aught save thee." But the
Princess hearing this exclaimed, " How shall I marry, I who have
lost my kith and kin and my dear ones and am driven from my
country and my birth-place ? This were a proceeding opposed to
propriety ! But if it need must be and I have the fortune to
forgather with my mother and sisters and father, then and then
only it shall take place." The mother replied, " Why this delay, O
my daughter ? The Lords of the land have stood up against the
King in the matter of marriage, and in the absence of espousals
we fear for his deposition. Now maidens be many and their
relations long to see each damsel wedded to my son and become
a Queen in virtue of her husband's degree : but he wanteth none
other and loveth naught save thyself jj; Accordingly, an thou

.-v-j-?-

wouldst take compassion on him and protect him by thy consent
from the insistence of the Grandees, deign accept him to mate."
Nor did the Sultan's mother cease to speak soothing words to the
maiden and to gentle her with soft language until her mind was
made up and she gave consent. 1 Upon this they began to prepare

1 In Moslem tales decency compels the maiden, however much she may be in love* to

1 36 Supplemental Nights,

for the ceremony forthright, and summoned the Kazi and witnesses
who duly knotted the knot of wedlock and by eventide the glad
tidings of the espousals were bruited abroad. The King bade
spread bride-feasts and banqueting tables and invited his high
Officials and the Grandees of the kingdom and he went in to the
maiden that very night and the rejoicings grew in gladness and all
sorrows ceased to deal sadness. Then he proclaimed through the
capital and all the burghs that the lieges should decorate the
streets with rare tapestries and multiform in honour of the
i Sultanate. Accordingly, they adorned the thoroughfares in the
icity and its suburbs for forty days and the rejoicings increased
iwhen the King fed the widows and the Fakirs and the mesquin
and scattered gold and robed and gifted and largessed till all the
days of decoration were gone by. On this wise the sky of his
estate grew clear by the loyalty of the lieges and he gave orders
to deal justice after the fashion of the older Sultans, to wit, the
Chosroes and the Caesars ; and this condition endured for three
years, during which Almighty Allah blessed him by the Princess
with two men-children as they were moons. Such was the case
with the youngest Princess ; but as regards the cadette, the second

sister, And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell

silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the corning night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ?" Now when it was the next
night and that was

show extrenie unwillingness in parting with her maidenhead especially by marriage ; and
this farce is enacted in real life (see vol. viii. 40). The French tell the indecent truth,
Desir de fille est tin feu qui devore :
k Desir de ferame est plus fort encore.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 1 37

1 The Arab, form (our old " bashaw") of the Turk. " Pasha," which the French
and many English write Pacha, thus confusing the vulgar who called Ibrahim Pacha
" Abraham Parker.'* The origin of the word is much debated and the most fanciful
derivations have been proposed. Some have taken it from the Sansk. " Paksha" = a
wing : Fuerst from Pers. Paigah = rank, dignity ; Von Hammer (History) from Pai-
Shah = foot of the king ; many from " Padishah " = the Sovran, and Mr. E. T. W.
Gibb suspects a connection with the Turk. " Bash " = a head. He writes to me that
the oldest forms are " Bashah " and " Bdshah " ; and takes the following quotation from
Colonel Jevdd Bey, author of an excellent work on the Janissaries published a few years
ago. " As it was the custom of the (ancient) Turks to call the eldest son ' PashaV the
same style was given to his son A1& al-Din (Aladdin) by Osmdn Ghazi, the founder of
the Empire ; and he kept this heir at home and beside him, whilst he employed the
cadet Orkhan Bey as his commander-in-chief. When Orkhan Ghazf ascended the
throne he conferred the title of Pashd upon his son Sulayman. Presently reigned Murad
(Amurath), who spying signs of disaffection in his first-born Sawuji Bey about the middle
of his reign created Kara Khalil (his Kazi-Askar or High Chancellor) Wazir with the
title Kazyr al-Din Pasha ; thus making him, as it were, an adopted son. After this the
word passed into the category of official titles and came to be conferred upon those
who received high office." Colonel Jevad Bey then quotes in support of his opinion the
" History of Munajjim Pasha " and the " Fatayah al-Wuku'at " = Victories of Events. I
may note that the old title has been sadly prostituted in Egypt as well as an Turkey : in
1851 Pashas could be numbered on a man's fingers; now they are innumerable and of
no account.

138 Supplemental Nights.

and let him drink of it ; haply will Almighty Allah vouchsafe him
a cure whereby we shall gain some good " Said the other, " O my
daughter, and how shall I obtain admittance and who shall set the
broth before him ? " The maiden replied, " O my mother, at the
Gate of Allah Almighty ! " ! and the dame rejoined, " Do thou
whatso thou wiliest." So the damsel arose and cooked a tasse of
broth and mingled with it sundry hot spices such as pimento 2
and she had certain leaflets taken from the so-called Wind-
tree, 3 whereof she inserted a small portion deftly mingling the
ingredients. Then the old woman took it and set forth and
walked till she reached the Basha's mansion where the servants
and eunuchs met her and asked her of what was with her. She
answered, " This is a tasse of broth which I have brought for the
Basha that he drink of it as much as he may fancy: haply
Almighty Allah shall vouchsafe healing to him." They went in
and reported that to the Basha who exclaimed, " Bring her to me
hither." Accordingly, they led her within and she offered to him
the tasse of broth, whereupon he rose and sat upright and removed
the cover from the cup which sent forth a pleasant savour : so he
took it and sipped of it a spoonful and a second and a third when
his heart opened to her and he drank of it till he could no more.
Now this was in the forenoon and after finishing the soup he gave
the old woman a somewhat of dinars which she took and returned
therewith to the damsel rejoicing, and handed to her the gold pieces.
But the Basha immediately after drinking the broth felt drowsy
and he slept a restful sleep till mid-afternoon and when he awoke
health had returned to his frame beginning from the time he drank.
So he asked after the ancient dame and sent her word to prepare
for him another tasse of broth like the first ; but they told him

1 Arab. "'Alk bdbi 'llah " = for love of the Lord, gratis, etc.,' a most popular
phrase.

2 Arab. " Bahdr," often used for hot spices generally.

3 In the text Shajarat Rih.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. \ 39

that none knew her dwelling-place. Now when the old woman
returned home the maiden asked her whether the broth had
pleased the Basha or not ; and she said that it was very much to
his liking ; so the girl got ready a second portion but without all
the stronger ingredients 1 of the first. Then she gave it to the
dame who took it and went forth with it and whilst the Basha was
asking for her behold, up she came and the servants took her and
led her in to the Governor. On seeing her he rose and sat upright
and called for other food and when it was brought he ate his
sufficiency, albeit for a length of time he could neither rise nor
walk. But from the hour he drank all the broth he sniffed the
scent of health and he could move about as he moved when hale
and hearty. So he asked the old dame saying, " Didst thou cook
this broth ? and she answered, " O my lord, my daughter made it
and sent me with it to thee. He exclaimed, "By Allah this
maiden cannot be thy daughter, O old woman ; and she can be
naught save the daughter of Kings. But bid her every day at
morning-tide cook me a tasse of the same broth. The other
replied, "To hear is to obey," and returned home with this
message to the damsel who did as the Basha bade the first day
and the second to the seventh day. And the Basha waxed
stronger every day and when the week was ended he took horse
and rode to his pleasure-garden. He increased continually in
force and vigour till, one day of the days, he sent for the dame
and questioned her concerning the damsel who lived with her ; so
she acquainted him with her case and what there was in her of
beauty and loveliness and perfect grace. Thereupon the Basha fell

in love with the girl by hearsay and without eye-seeing 2 : And

Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,

1 Arab. " Ma'adin" = minerals, here mentioned for the first time.

2 For the ear conceiving love before the eye (the basis of half these love-stories), see
vol. Hi. 9.

1 40 Supplemen tal Nights.

" How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that
I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer
me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night !" She replied : -- With love
and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director,
the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds
fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Basha fell in love
with the girl by hearsay and without eye-seeing : so he changed
his habit and donning a dress of Darwaysh-cut left his mansion
and threaded the streets passing from house to house until he
reached that of the old woman. He then knocked at the entrance
and she came behind it and asked " Who's at the door ? " " A
Darwaysh and a stranger," answered he, " who knoweth no man in
this town and who is sore anhungered." Now the ancient dame
was by nature niggardly and she had lief put him off, but the
damsel said to her, " Turn him not away," and quoting * Honour
to the foreigner is a duty/ said, " So do thou let him in." She
admitted him and seated him when the maiden brought him a
somewhat of food and stood before him in his service. He ate
one time and ten times he gazed at the girl until he had eaten his
sufficiency when he washed his hands and rising left the house and
went his ways. But his heart flamed with love of the Princess
and he was deeply enamoured of her and he ceased not walking
until he reached his mansion whence he sent for the old woman.
And when they brought her, he produced a mint of money and a
sumptuous dress in which he requested and prayed her to attire
the damsel : then the old woman took it and returned to her

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 141

protegee, saying to herself, " By Allah, if the girl accept the Basha
and marry him she will prove sensible as fortunate ; but an she
be not content so to do I will turn her out of my door." When
she went in she gave her the dress and bade her don it, but the
damsel refused till the old woman coaxed her and persuaded her
to try it on. Now when the dame left the Basha, he privily
assumed a woman's habit and followed in her footsteps ; and at
last he entered the house close behind her and beheld the Princess
in the sumptuous dress. Then the fire of his desire flamed higher
in his heart and he lacked patience to part from her, so he returned
to his mansion with mind preoccupied and vitals yearning.
Thither he summoned the old woman and asked her to demand
the girl in marriage and was instant with her and cried, " No help
but this must be." Accordingly she returned home and acquainted
the girl with what had taken place adding, " O my daughter, verily
the Basha loveth thee and his wish is to wed thee : he hath been a
benefactor to us, and thou wilt never meet his like ; for that he is
deeply enamoured of thee and the byword saith, ' Reward of
lover is return of love/ ' And the ancient dame ceased not
gentling her and plying her with friendly words till she was soothed
and gave consent Then she returned to the Basha and informed
him of her success, so he joyed with exceeding joy, and without
stay or delay bade slaughter beeves and prepare bridal feasts and
spread banquets whereto he invited the notables of his government :
after which he summoned the Kazi who tied the knot and he
went in to her that night. And of the abundance of his love he
fared not forth from her till seven days had sped ; and he ceased
not to cohabit with her for a span of five years during which Allah
vouchsafed to him a man-child by her and two daughters. Such
was the case with the cadette Princess ; but as regards the eldest
sister, when she entered the city in youth's attire she was accosted
by the Kundfah-baker and was hired for a daily wage of a Mfdf
of silver'besides her meat and drink in his house. Now 'twas the

142 Supplemental Nights.

practice of that man every day to buy half a quartern of flour
and thereof make his vermicelli ; but when the so-seeming youth
came to him he would buy and work up three quarterns ; and all
the folk who bought Kunafah of him would flock to his shop
with the view of gazing upon the beauty and loveliness of the
Youth and said, " Exalted be He who created and perfected what
He wrought in the creation of this young man ! " Now by the
decree of the Decreer the baker's shop faced the lattice-windows
of the Sultan's Palace and one day of the days the King's
daughter chanced to look out at the window and she saw the
Youth standing with sleeves tucked up from arms which shone like
ingots 1 of silver. Hereat the Princess fell in love with the Youth,
- And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth .her sister
Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful, is thy tale, O sister mine,
and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an
the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the
watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : -- With love and
good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director,
the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds
fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the Sultan's
daughter looked out at the window she fell in love with the youth,
and she knew not how to act that she might forgather with him :

1 According to Dr. Steingass " Mirwad" = the iron axle of a pulley or a wheel for
drawing water or lifting loads, hence possibly a bar of metal, an ingot. But he is more
inclined to take it in its usual sense of " Kohl-pencil." Here " Mirwdd " is the broader
form like " Miftah " for " Miftah," much used in Syria.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 143

so desire afflicted her and extreme fondness and presently she took
to her pillow all for her affection to that young man. Thereupon
her nurse went in to her and found her lying upon her carpet-bed
a-moaning and a-groaning " Ah ! " So she exclaimed, " Thy safety
from all whereof thou hast to complain ! " Then she took her
hand and felt her pulse but could find in it no symptoms of sick-
ness bodily, whereupon she said, " O my lady, thou hast no unease
save what eyesight hath brought thee." She replied, "O my
mother, do thou keep sacred my secret, and if thy hand can reach
so far as to bring me my desire, prithee do so j" and the nurse
rejoined, " O my lady, like me who can keep a secret ? therefore
confide to me thy longing and Allah vouchsafe thee thy dearest
hope." Said the Princess, " O my mother, my heart is lost to the
young man who worketh in the vermicelli-baker's shop and if I
fail to be united with him I shall die of grief." The nurse replied,
" By Allah, O my lady, he is the fairest of his age and indeed I
lately passed by him as his sleeves were tucked up above his fore-
arms and he ravished my wits : I longed to accost him but shame
overcame me in presence of those who were round him, some
buying Kunafah and others gazing on. his beauty and loveliness,
his symmetric stature and his perfect grace. But I, O my lady,
will do thee a service and cause thee forgather with him ere long."
Herewith the heart of the Princess was solaced and she promised
the nurse all good. Then the old woman left her and fell to
devising how she should act in order to bring about a meeting
between her and the youth or carry him into the Palace. So she
went to the baker's shop and bringing out an Ashrafi 1 said to him,
" Take, O Master, this gold piece and make me a platter 2 of
vermicelli meet for the best and send it for me by this Youth who

1 For the Ashrafi, a gold coin of variable value, see vol. iii. 294. It is still coined ;
the Calcutta Ashrafi worth i us. 8d. is ^th (about 55. to the oz.) better than the
English standard, and the Regulations of May, 1793, made it weigh 190*894 grs. Troy.

a In text " Anjar " = a flat platter ; Pers.

144 Supplemental Nights.

shall bring it to my home that be near hand : I cannot carry it
myself." Quoth the baker in his mind, " By Allah, good pay is
this gold piece and a Kunafah is worth ten silverlings ; so all the
rest is pure profit." And he replied, " On my head and eyes be it,
O my lady;" and taking the Ashrafi made her a plate of vermi-
celli and bade his servant bear it to her house. So he took it up
and accompanied the nurse till she reached the Princess's palace
when she went in and seated the Youth in an out-of-the-way closet.
Then she repaired to her nursling and said, " Rise up, O my
lady, for I have brought thee thy desire." The Princess sprang
to her feet in hurry and flurry and fared till she came to the closet ;
then, going in she found the Youth who had set down the Kunafah
and who was standing in expectation of the nurse's return that he
and she might wend homewards. And suddenly the Sultan's
daughter came in and bade the Youth be seated beside her, and
when he took seat she clasped him to her bosom of her longing for
him and fell to kissing him on the cheeks and mouth ever
believing him to be a male masculant, till her hot desire for him
was quenched. 1 Then she gave to him two golden dinars and said
to him, " O my lord and coolth of my eyes, do thou come hither
every day that we may take our pleasure, I and thou." He said,
" To hear is to obey," and went forth from her hardly believing in
his safety, for he had learnt that she was the Sultan's daughter,
and he walked till he reached the shop of his employer to whom
he gave the twenty dinars. Now when the baker saw the gold,
affright and terror entered his heart and he asked his servant
whence the money came ; and, when told of the adventure, his
horror and dismay increased and he said to himself, "An this

1 By what physical process the author modestly leaves to the reader's imagination.
Easterns do not often notice this feminine venereal paroxysm which takes the place of
seminal emission in the male. I have seen it happen to a girl when hanging by the
arms a trifle too long from a gymnastic cross-bar ; and I need hardly say that at such
moments (if men only knew them) every woman, even the most modest, is an easy
conquest. She will repent it when too late, but the flesh has been too strong for her.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 145

case of ours continue, either the Sultan will hear that this youth
practiseth upon his daughter, or she will prove in the family way
and 'twill end in our deaths and the ruin of our country. The
lad must quit this evil path." Thereupon quoth he to the Youth,
" From this time forwards do thou cease faring forth thereto,"
whereat quoth the other, " I may not prevent myself from going
and I dread death an I go not." So the man cried, " Do whatso
may seem good to thee." Accordingly, the Princess in male attire
fell to going every morning and meeting the Sultan's daughter,
till one day of the days she went in and the twain sat down and
laughed and enjoyed themselves, when lo and behold ! the King
entered. And as soon as he espied the youth and saw him seated
beside his daughter, he commanded him be arrested and they
arrested him ; - And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of
day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister
mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And
where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it
was the next night and that was

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : --- With love
and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the
Sultan entered and saw the youth sitting beside his daughter he
commanded him to be arrested and they arrested him ; they also
seized the Princess and bound her forearms to her sides with
straitest bonds. Then the King summoned the Linkman and
VOL. TV. K

146" Supplemental Nights.

bade him smite off both their heads : so he took them and went
down with them to the place of execution. But when the tidings
reached the Kunafani he shut up shop without stay and delay and
fled. Presently the Sultan said in his mind, " Fain would I
question the Youth touching his object in entering hither, and ask
him who conducted him to my daughter and how he won access
to her/' Accordingly he sent to bring back the twain and
imprisoned them till night-fall : then he went in to his Harem
and caused his daughter's person to be examined, and when they
inspected her she proved to be a pure maid. This made the King
marvel, for he supposed that the Youth must have undone her
maidenhead j 1 so he sent for him to the presence, and when he came
he considered him and found him fairer even than his daughter ;
nay, far exceeding her in beauty and loveliness. So he cried, " By
Allah this be a wondrous business ! Verily my daughter hath
excuse for loving this Youth nor to my judgment doth she even
him in charms : not the less this affair is a shame to us, and the
foulest of stains and needs must the twain be done to death
to-morrow morning ! " Herewith he commanded the jailer to take
the Youth and to keep him beside him and he shut up the girl
with her nurse. The jailer forthwith led his charge to the jail ;
but it so happened that its portal was low ; and, when the Youth
was ordered to pass through it, he bent his brow downwards for
easier entrance, when his turband struck against the lintel and fell
from his head. The jailer turned to look at him, and behold, his
hair was braided and the plaits being loosed gleamed like an ingot
of gold. He felt assured that the youth was a maiden so he
returned to the King in all haste and hurry and cried, " Pardon,
O our lord the Sultan ! " " Allah pardon us and thee ; " replied
the King, and the man rejoined, " O King of the Age, yonder 1
Youth is no boy ; nay, he be a virgin girl." Quoth the Sultan,

'..*_ A neat and suggestive touch of Eastern manners 'and morals.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother.

"What sayest thou ? " and quoth the other, By the truth of Him
who made thee ruler of the necks of His worshippers, O King of
the Age, verily this is a maiden." So he bade the prison-keeper
bring her and set her in his presence and he returned with her
right soon, but now she paced daintily as the gazelle and veiled her
face, because she saw that the jailer had discovered her sex. The
King then commanded them carry her to the Harem whither he
followed her and presently, having summoned his daughter, he
questioned her concerning the cause of her union with the so-seem-
ing Youth. Herewith she related all that had happened with
perfect truth : he also put questions to the Princess in man's habit,
but she stood abashed before him and was dumb, unable to utter a
single word. As soon as it was morning, the Sultan asked of the
place where the Youth had dwelt and they told him that he lodged
with a Kundfah-baker, and the King bade fetch the man, when they
reported that he had fled. However, the Sultan was instant in
finding him, so they went forth and sought him for two days when
they secured him and set him between the royal hands. He enquired
into the Youth's case and the other replied, " By Allah, O King
of the Age, between me and him were no questionings and I
wot not whence may be his origin." The Monarch rejoined, " O
man, thou hast my plighted word for safety, so continue thy
business as before and now gang thy gait." Then he turned to
the maiden and repeated his enquiries, when she made answer
saying, " O my lord, my tale is wondrous and my adventures

marvellous." " And what may they be ?" he asked her. And

Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
" How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable
and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with
that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and
that was

Supplemental Nights.

anfc &ebentg=mnt!)

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love

and good will! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Princess
said to the Sultan, " In very sooth my tale is passing strange," and
he besought her to recount it. So she began to disclose the whole
of her history and the adventures which had befallen her and her
sisters and their mother ; especially of the shipwreck in middle-
most ocean and of her coming to land j after which .she told the
affair of the Wazir burnt by her sire, that traitor who had separated
children from father and, brief, all that had betided them from first
to last. Hearing her soft speech and her strange story the Sultan
marvelled and his heart inclined herwards ; then he gave her in
charge to the Palace women and conferred upon her favours and
benefits. But when he looked upon her beauty and loveliness, her
brilliancy and perfect grace he fell deeply in love with her, and his
daughter hearing the accidents which had happened to the Princess's
father cried, u By Allah, the story of this damsel should be chronicled
in a book, that it become the talk of posterity and be quoted as
an instance of the omnipotence of Allah Almighty ; for He it is
who parteth and scattereth and re-uniteth." So saying she took
lier and carried her to her own apartment where she entreated her
honourably ; and the maiden, after she had spent a month in the
Palace, showed charms grown two-fold and even more. At last
one day of the days, as she sat beside the King's daughter in her
chamber about eventide, when the sun was hot after a sultry summer
day and her cheeks had flushed rosy red, behold, the Sultan
entered passing through the room on his way to the Harem and

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 149

his glance undesignedly 1 fell upon the Princess who was in home
gear, and he looked a look of eyes that cost him a thousand sighs.
So he was astounded and stood motionless knowing not whether to
go or to come ; and when his daughter sighted him in such plight
she went up to him and said, " What hath betided thee and brought
thee to this condition ?" Quoth he, " By Allah, this girl hath stolen
my senses from my soul : I am fondly enamoured of her and if
thou aid me not by asking her in marriage and I fail to wed her
'twill make my wits go clean bewildered." Thereupon the King's
daughter returned to the damsel and drawing near her said, " O
my lady and light of my eyes, indeed my father hath seen, thee in
thy deshabille and he hath hung 2 all his hopes upon thee, so do not
thou contrary my words nor the counsel I am about to offer thee.''
" And what may that be, O my lady ?" asked she, and the other
answered, "My wish is to marry thee to my sire 'and thou be to
him wife and he be to thee man." But when the maiden heard
these words she wept with bitter weeping till she sobbed aloud and
cried, " Time hath mastered us and decreed separation : I know
nothing of my mother and sisters and father, an they be dead or on
life, and whether they were drowned or came to ground ; then how
should I enjoy a bridal fete when they may be in mortal sadness
and sorrow ? " But the other ceased not to soothe her and array
fair words against her and show her fondly friendship till her soul
consented to wedlock. Presently the other brought out to her what
habit befitted the occasion still comforting her heart with pleasant
converse, 3 after which she carried the tidings to her sire. So he
sent forthright to summon his Lords of the reign and Grandees of

1 In text " Ghayr Wa'd," or " Min ghayr Wa'd." Lit. without previous agreement :
much used in this text for suddenly, unexpectedly, without design.

2 The reader will have remarked the use of the Arabic " ' Alaka " = he hung, which
with its branches greatly resembles the Lat. pendere.

3 Arab. "Min al-MaUbis", plur. of " Malbas " = anything pleasant or enjoyable;
as the plural of "Milbas " = dress, garment, it cannot here apply.

150 Supplemental Nights.

the realm and the knot was tied between them twain ; and, going
in unto her that night, he found her a hoard wherefrom the spell
had freshly been dispelled ; and of his longing for her and his
desire to her he abode with her two se'nnights never going forth
from her or by night or by day. Hereat the dignitaries of his
empire were sore vexed for that their Sultan ceased to appear
at the Divan and deal commandment between man and man, and
his daughter went in and acquainted him therewith. He asked
her how long he had absented himself and she answered saying,
" Knowest thou how long thou hast tarried in the Palace ?" whereto
he replied " Nay." " Fourteen whole days," cried she, whereupon
he exclaimed, " By Allah, O my daughter, I thought to myself that
I had spent with her two days and no more." And his daughter
wondered to hear his words. Such was the case of the cadette
Princess ; but as regards the King, the father of the damsel, when
he forgathered with the mother of his three daughters and she
told him of the shipwreck and the loss of her children he determined
to travel in search of the three damsels, he and the Wazir habited

as Darwayshes And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of

day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine,
and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

an* i$t(etfj

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 1 5 1

director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
resolved to travel in search of his children (the three damsels)
he and his Wazir habited as Darwayshes. So leaving the govern-
ment in charge of his wife he went forth and the twain in their
search first visited the cities on the seaboard beginning with the
nearest ; but they knew not what was concealed from them in the
world of the future. They stinted not travelling for the space of
a month till they came to a city whose Sultan had a place hight
Al-Dijlah l whereupon he had built a Palace. The Darwayshes
made for it and found the King sitting in his Kiosque 2 accom-
panied by two little lads, the elder eight years old and the second
six. They drew near to him and saluting him offered their
services and blessed him, wishing him length of life as is the
fashion when addressing royalties ; and he returned their greetings
and made them draw near and showed them kindness ; also, when
it was eventide he bade his men serve them with somewhat of
food. On the next day the King fared forth to Tigris-bank and
sat in his Kiosque together with the two boys. Now the Dar-
wayshes had hired them a cell in the Khan whence it was their
daily wont to issue forth and wander about the city asking for
what they sought; and this day they again came to the place 1
wherein sat the Sultan and they marvelled at the fair ordinance of
the Palace. They continued to visit it every day till one day
of the days the two went out, according to their custom, and
when entering the Palace one of the King's children, which was
the younger, came up to them and fell to considering them as
if he had forgotten his own existence. This continued till the
Darwayshes retired to their cell in the caravanserai whither the

1 i.e. "The Tigris" (Hid-dekel), with which the Egyptian writer seems to be im-
perfectly acquainted. Seevols. i. 180; viii. 150.

2 The word, as usual misapplied in the West, is to be traced through the Turk.
Kushk (pron. Kyushk) to the Pers. " Kushk " = an upper chamber.

I 5 2 Supplemental Nights.

boy followed them to carry out the Secret Purpose existing in the
All-knowledge of Allah. And when the two sat down the
Sultan's son went in to them and fell to gazing upon them and
solacing himself with the sight, when the elder Darwaysh clasped
him to his bosom and fell to kissing his cheeks, marvelling at his
semblance and at his beauty ; and the boy in his turn forgot his
father and his mother and took to the old man. Now whenas.
night fell the Sultan retired homewards fancying that his boy
had foregone him to his mother while the Sultanah fancied that
her child was with his father, and this endured till such time as
the King had entered the Harem. But only the elder child was
found there so the Sultan asked, " Where is the second boy ? "
and the Queen answered, " Day by day thou takest them with
thee to Tigris-bank and thou bringest them back ; but to-day
only the elder hath returned." Thereupon they sought him but
found him not and the mother buffeted her face in grief for her
child and the father lost his right senses. Then the iiigh Officials
fared forth to search for their King's son and sought him from
early night to the dawn of day, but not finding him they deemed
that he had been drowned in Tigris-water. So they summoned
all the fishermen and divers and caused them to drag the river
for a space of four days. All this time and the boy abode with
the Darwayshes, who kept saying to him, " Go to thy father and
thy mother;" but he would not obey them and he would sit
with the Fakirs upon whom all his thoughts were fixed while
theirs were fixed upon him. This lasted till the fifth day when
the door-keeper unsummoned entered the cell and found the
Sultan's son sitting with the old men ; so he went out hurriedly
and repairing to the King cried, " O my Sovran, thy boy is with
those Darwayshes who were wont daily to visit thee." Now when
the Sultan heard the porter's words, he called aloud to his
Eunuchs and Chamberlains and gave them his orders ; when they
ran a race, as it were, till they entered upon the holy men and

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 153

carried them from their cell together with the boy and set all
four l before the Sultan. The King exclaimed, " Verily these
Darwayshes must be spies and their object was to carry off my
boy;" so he took up his child and clasped him to his bosom
and kissed him again and again of his yearning fondness to him,
and presently he sent him to his mother who was well-nigh frantic.
Then he committed the two Fakirs (with commands to decapitate
them) to the Linkman who took them and bound their hands and
bared their heads and fell to crying, '< This be his reward and the
least of awards who turneth traitor and kidnappeth the sons of
the Kings'; " and as he cried all the citizens great and small flocked
to the spectacle. But when the boy heard the proclamation, he
went forth in haste till he stood before the elder Darwaysh who
was still kneeling upon the rug of blood and threw himself upon
him at full length till the Grandees of his father forcibly removed
him. Then the executioner stepped forward purposing to strike
the necks of the two old men and he raised his sword hand till
the dark hue of his arm-pit showed 2 and he would have dealt
the blow when .the boy again made for the elder Fakir and
threw himself upon him not only once but twice and thrice, pre-
venting the Sworder's stroke and abode clinging to the old man.
The Sultan cried, " This Darwaysh is a Sorcerer : " but when the
tidings reached the Sultanah, the boy's mother, she exclaimed, 1

1 Four including the doorkeeper. The Darwayshes were suspected of kidnapping,
a practice common in the East, especially with holy men. I have noticed in my Pil-
grimage (vols. ii. 273 ; iii. 327), that both at Meccah and at Al-Medinah the cheeks ot
babes are decorated with the locally called "Mashali " = three parallel gashes drawn
by the barber with the razor down the fleshy portion of each cheek, from the exterior
angles of the eyes almost to the corners of the mouth. According to the citizens,
this "Tashrit" is a modem practice distinctly opposed to the doctrine of AMslam ;
but, like the tattooing of girls, it is intended to save the children from being carried off,
for good luck, by kidnapping pilgrims, especially Persians.

2 The hair being shaven or plucked and showing the darker skin. In the case of the
axilla-pile, vellication is the popular process : see vol. ix. 139. Europeans who do not
adopt this essential part of cleanliness in hot countries are looked upon as impure by
Moslems.

154 Supplemental Nights.

"O King, needs must this D2rwaysh have a strange 'tale to tell,
for the boy is wholly absorbed in him. So it is not possible to
slay him on this wise till thou summon him to the presence and
question him : I also will listen to him behind the curtain and
thus none shall hear him save ,our two selves." The King did
her bidding and commanded the old man to be brought : so they
took him from under the sword and set him before the King

And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell

silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was
the next night and that was

W&, f)W ?^untolf anfc 3Ef$tj}=first Iffg&t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that at the King's
bidding they took up the Fakir who was still kneeling under the
glaive and set him before the King who bade him be seated.
And when he sat him down the Sultan commanded all who were
in the presence of Eunuchs and Chamberlains to withdraw, and
they withdrew leaving the Sovran with the old religious. But the
second Darwaysh still knelt in his bonds under the sword of the
Sworder- who, standing over against his head, kept looking for the
royal signal to strike. Then cried the King, " O Mendicant, what
drove thee to take my son, the core of my heart ? " He replied,
" By Allah, O King, I took him not for mine own. pleasure ;

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. \ 5 5

but he would not go from me and I threatened him, withal he
showed no fear till this destiny descended upon us." Now when
the Sultan heard these words his heart softened to the old man
and he pitied him while the Sultanah who sat behind the curtain
fell to weeping aloud. Presently the King said, " O Darwaysh,
relate to us thy history, for needs must it be a singular ; " but the
old man began to shed tears and said, " O King of the Age, I
have a marvellous adventure which were it graven with needle-
gravers upon the eye corners were a warning to whoso would be
warned." The Sultan was surprised and replied, "What then
may be thy history, O Mendicant ? " and the other rejoined, " O
King of the Age, I will recount it to thee." 1 Accordingly he told
him of his kingship and the Wazir tempting his wife and of her
slaying the nurse, the slave-girls, and the Eunuch ; but when he
came to this point the Sultanah ran out in haste and hurry from
behind the curtain and rushing up to the Darwaysh threw herself
upon his bosom. The King seeing this marvelled and in a fury of
jealousy clapped hand to hilt crying to the Fakir, " This be most
unseemly behaviour ! " But the Queen replied, " Hold thy hand,
by Allah, fie is my father and I am his loving daughter ; " and
she wept and laughed alternately 2 all of the excess of her joy.
Hereat the King wondered and bade release the second religious
and exclaimed, " Sooth he spake who said :

Allah joineth the parted when think the twain * With firmest thought ne'er to
meet again.**

Then the Sultanah began recounting to him the history of her
sire and specially what befel him from his Wazir ; and he, when he
heard her words, felt assured of their truth. Presently he bade them
change the habits of her father and of his Wazir and dress them
with the dress of Kings ; and he set apart for them an apartment

1 Here a little abbreviation has been found necessary: "of no avail is a twice-told
tale."
9 The nearest approach in Eastern tales to Western hysterics.

156 Supplemental Nights.

and alloited to them rations of meat and drink ; so extolled be
He who disuniteth and reuniteth ! Now the Sultanah in question
was the youngest daughter of the old King who had been met by
the Knight when out hunting, the same that owed all his fair
fortunes to her auspicious coming. Accordingly the, father was
assured of having found the lost one and was delighted to note her
high degree ; but after tarrying with her for a time he asked permis-
sion of his son-in-law to set out in quest of her two sisters and he
supplicated Almighty Allah to reunite him with the other twain as
with this first one. Thereupon quoth the Sultan, " It may not be
save that I accompany thee, for otherwise haply some mishap of
the world may happen to thee." Then the three sat down in
council debating what they should do and in fine they agreed to
travel, taking with them some of the Lords of the land and
Chamberlains and Nabobs. They made ready and after three
days they marched out of the city - And Shahrazad was sur-
prised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! "
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? "
'Mow when it was the next night and that was

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 157

regent who would carry out his commandments. Then they
turned to travelling in quest of the two lost daughters and stinted
not their wayfare for a space of twenty days, when they drew near
a city lofty of base, and, finding a spacious camping. plain, thereon
pitched their tents. The time was set of sun, so the cooks
applied themselves to getting ready the evening meal and when
supper was served up all ate what sufficed them, and it was but
little because of the travails of travel, and they nighted in that site
until morn was high. Now the ruler of that city was a Sultan
mighty of might, potent of power and exceeding in energy ; and
he was surprised to hear a Chamberlain report to him saying, " O
King of the Age, after an eventless night early this morning we
found outside thy capital tents and pavilions with standards and
banners planted overagainst them and all this after the fashion of
the Kings." The Sovran replied, "There is no help but that to
these creations of Allah some requirement is here : however, we
will learn their tidings." So he took horse with his Grandees and
made for the ensigns and colours, and drawing near he noted
gravity and majesty in the array and eunuchs and followers and
serving-men standing ready to do duty. Then he dismounted and
walked till he approached the bystanders whom he greeted with
the salam. They salam'd in return and received him with most
honourable reception and highmost respect till they had introduced
him into the royal Shahmiyanah ; when the two Kings rose to
him and welcomed him and he wished them long life in such
language as is spoken by Royalties ; and all sat down to converse
one with other. Now the Lord of the city had warned his people
before he fared forth that dinner must be prepared ; so when it
was mid-forenoon the Farrdsh-folk 1 spread the tables with trays of
food and the guests came forward, one and all, and enjoyed their

1 A tent-pitcher, body servant, etc. See voL vii. 4. The word is still popular in
Persia.

1 5 8 Supplemental Nights.

meal and were gladdened. Then the dishes were carried away
for the servants and talk went round till sunset, at which time the
King again ordered food to be brought and all supped till they
had their sufficiency. But the Sultan kept wondering in his mind
and saying, " Would Heaven I wot the cause of these two Kings
coming to us ! " and when night fell the strangers prayed him to
return home and to revisit them next morning. So he farewelled
them and fared forth. This lasted three days, during which time
he honoured them with all honour, and on the fourth he got ready
for them a banquet and invited them to his Palace. They mounted
and repaired thither when he set before them food; and as soon
as they had fed, the trays were removed and coffee and confections
and sherbets were served up and they sat talking and enjoying
themselves till supper-tide when they sought permission to hie
campwards. But the Sultan of the city sware them to pass the
night with him ; so they returned to their session till the father of
the damsels said, u Let each of us tell a tale that our waking hours
may be the more pleasant." " Yes/' they replied and all agreed
in wishing that the Sultan of the city would begin. Now by the
decree of the Decreer the lattice-window of the Queen opened Upon
the place of session and she could see them and hear every word
they said. He began, *" By Allah I have to relate an adventure
which befel me and 'tis one of the wonders of our time." Quoth

they, " And what may it be ? " And Shahrazad was surprised by

the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful
is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth
she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate ta you
on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now
when it was the next night and that was

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 159

DUNYAZAD said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night!" She replied: With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
of the city said, " In such a year I had a malady which none
availed to medicine until at last an old woman came to me bearing
a tasse of broth which when I drank caused health return to me.
So I bade her bring me a cupful every day and I drank it till,
after a time, I chanced to ask her who made that broth and she
answered that it was her daughter. And one day I assumed a
disguise and went to the ancient dame's house and there saw the
girl who was a model of beauty and loveliness, brilliancy, sym-
metric stature and perfect grace, and seeing her I lost my heart to
her, and asked her to wife. She answered, " How can I wed ; I
separated from my sisters and parents and all unknowing what
hath become of them ? " Now when the father of the damsels
heard these words, tears rolled down his cheeks in rills and he
remembered his two lost girls and wept and moaned and com-
plained, the Sultan looking on in astonishment the while ; and
when he went to his Queen he found her lying in a fainting fit.
Hereupon he cried out her name and seated her and she on coming
to exclaimed, " By Allah, he who wept before you is my very
father : by Him who created me I have no doubt thereof!" So
the Sultan went down to his father-in-law and led him up to the
Harem, and the daughter rose and met him and they threw their
arms round each other's necks, and fondly greeted each other.
After this the old King passed the night relating to her what had
befallen him while she recounted to him whatso hath betided her,

160 Supplemental Nights.

from first to last, whereupon their rejoicings increased and the
father thanked Almighty Allah for having found two of his three
children. The old King and his sons-in-law and his Wazir ceased
not to enjoy themselves in the city, eating and drinking 1 and
making merry for a space of two days when the father asked
aidance of his daughters' husbands to seek his third child that the
general joy might be perfected. This request they granted and
resolved to journey with him ; so they made their preparations for
travel and issued forth the city together with sundry Lords of the
land and high Dignitaries, all taking with them what was required of
rations. Then travelling together in a body they faced the march.
This was their case ; but as regards the third daughter (she who
in. man's attire had served the KunaTah-baker), after being married
to the Sultan his love for her and desire to her only increased
and she cohabited with him for a length of time. But one day of the
days she called to mind her parents and her kith and kin and her
native country, so she wept with sorest weeping till she swooned
away and when she recovered she rose without stay or delay and
taking two suits of Mameluke's habits patiently awaited the fall of
night. Presently she donned one of the dresses and went down to
the stables where, finding all the grooms asleep, she saddled her
a stallion of the noblest strain and clinging to the near side
mounted him. Then, having supplicated the veiling of the Veiler,
she fared undercover of the glooms for her own land, all unweeting
the way, and when night gave place to day she saw herself amidst
mountains and sands; nor did she know what she should do.
However she found on a hill-flank some remnants of the late rain
which she drank ; then, loosing the girths of her horse she gave
him also to drink and she was about to take her rest in that place
when, lo and behold ! a lion big of bulk and mighty of might drew

1 The amount of eating and drinking in this tale is phenomenal j but, I repeat, Arabs
enjoy reading of " meat and drink " almost as much as Englishmen.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 161

near her and he was lashing his tail l and roaring thunderously,

And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell

silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how en-
joyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the
Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night
and that was

ana

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night!" She replied: With

iove and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the lion
advanced to spring upon the Princess who was habited as a Mame-
luke, and rushed to rend her in pieces, she, seeing her imminent
peril, sprang up in haste and bared her blade and met him brand
in hand saying, " Or he will slay me or I slay him." But as she
was hearty of heart she advanced till the two met and fell to fight
and struck each at other, but the lion waxed furious and gnashed
his tusks, now retreating and now circuiting around her and then
returning to front his foe purposing to claw her, when she
heartened her heart and without giving ground she swayed her
sabre with all the force of her forearm and struck the beast between
tlie eyes and the blade came out gleaming between his. thighs and
he sank on earth life-forlore and weltering in his gore. Presently
she wiped her scymitar and returned it to its sheath ; then, drawing

1 Arab writers always insist upon the symptom of rage which distinguishes the felines
from the canines ; but they do not believe that the end of the tail has a sting.

VOL. IV. T

1 62 Supplemental Nights.

a whittle she came up to the carcass intending to skin it for her
own use, when behold, there towered from afar two dust-clouds,
one from the right and the other from the left, whereat she with-
drew from flaying the Ho'n's fell and applied herself to looking out.
Now by the decree of the Decreer the first dust-cloud approaching
her was that raised by the host of her father and his sons-in-law who,
when they drew near all stood to gaze upon her and consider her,
saying in wonderment one to other, " How can this white slave (and
he a mere lad) have slain this lion single-handed ? Wallahi, had
that beast charged down upon us he had scattered us far and
wide, and haply he had torn one of us to pieces. By Allah, this
matter is marvellous ! " But the Mameluke looked mainly at the
old King whom he knew to be his sire for his heart went forth to
him. Meanwhile the second dust-cloud approached until those
beneath it met the others who had foregone them, and behold, under
it was the husband of the disguised Princess and his many. Now
the cause of this King marching forth and coming thither was this.
When he entered the Palace intending for the Harem, he found not
his Queen, and he fared forth to seek her and presently by the
decree of the Decreer the two hosts met at the place where the lion
had been killed. The Sultan gazed upon the Mameluke and mar-
velled at his slaying the monster and said to himself, " Now were
this white slave mine I would share with him my good and stablish
him in my kingdom." Herewith the Mameluke came forward and
flayed the lion of his fell and gutted him ; then, lighting a fire he
roasted somewhat of his flesh until it was sufficiently cooked all
gazing upon him the while and marvelling at the heartiness of his
heart And when the meat was ready, he carved it and setting it
upon a Sufrah 1 of leather said to all present, " Bismillah, eat, in the
name of Allah, what Fate hath given to you ! " Thereupon all

1 The circular leather which acts alternately provision bag and table-cloth. See vols*
i. 178 ; v. 8 ; viii. 269, and ix. 141.

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. \ 63

came forward and fell to eating of the lion's flesh except the
Princess's husband who was not pleased to join them and said,
" By Allah, I will not eat of this food until I learn the case of this
youth." l Now the Princess had recognised her spouse from the
moment of his coming, but she was concealed from him by her
Mameluke's clothing ; and he disappeared time after time then
returned to gaze upon the white slave, eyeing now his eyes now his
sides and now the turn of his neck and saying privily in his
mind, " Laud to the Lord who created and fashioned him ! By
Allah this Mameluke is the counterpart of my wife in eyes and
nose, and all his form and features are made likest-like unto hers.
So extolled be He who hath none similar and no equal ! " He was
drowned in this thought but all the rest ate till they had eaten
enough ; then they sat down to pass the rest of their day and their
night in that stead. When it was dawn each and every craved
leave to depart upon his own business ; but the Princess's husband
asked permission to wander in quest of her while the old King, the
father of the damsels, determined to go forth with his two sons-in-
law and find the third and last of his lost daughters. Then the
Mameluke said to them, <; O my lords, sit we down, I and you, for
the rest of the day in this place and to-morrow I will travel with
you." Now the Princess for the length of her wanderings (which
began too when she was a little one) had forgotten the semblance
of her sire ; but when she looked upon the old King her heart
yearned unto him and she fell to talking with him, while he on
his part whenever he gazed at her felt a like longing and sought
speech of her. So the first who consented to the Mameluke's
proposal was the sire whose desire was naught save to sit beside
her ; then the rest also agreed to pass the day reposing in that
place, for that it was a pleasant mead and a spacious, garnished

1 He refused because he suspected some trick and would not be on terms of bread
and salt with the stranger.

164 Supplemental Nights.

with green grass and bright with bourgeon and blossom. So they
took seat there till sundown when each brought out what victual
he had and all ate their full and then fell to conversing; and
presently said the Princess, " O my lords, let each of you tell us a
tale which he deemeth strange." Her father broke in saying,
" Verily this rede be right and the first to recount will be I, for
indeed mine is a rare adventure." Then he began his history
telling them that he was born a King and that such-and-such
things had befallen him and so forth until the end of his tale ;
and the Princess hearing his words was certified that he was
her sire. So presently she said, "And I too have a strange

history." And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day

and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ?" Now when it was the
next night and that was

^6e &m ^unfcrefc anti ^tgijtg-fiftb Nigfjt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night!" She replied: With

love and goodwill ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Princess
in Mameluke's habit said, " And I too have a strange history."
Then she fell to relating all that had betided her from the very
beginning to that which hath before been described ; and when
her father heard it he felt assured that she was his daughter. So
he arose and threw himself upon her and embraced her and after
he veiled her face with a kerchief was with him, and her husband

Story of the Three Sisters and their Mother. 165

exclaimed, " Would to Heaven that I also could forgather with my
wife." Quoth she, "Inshallah, and that soon," and she inclined
to him after kindly fashion and said to herself, " Indeed this be
my true husband." Herewith all resolved to march from that
stead and they departed, the Princess's spouse still unknowing
that she was his wife ; and they stinted not faring till they entered
the Sultan's city and all made for the Palace. Then the Princess
slipped privily into the Harem without the knowledge of her mate
and changed her semblance, when her father said to her husband,
" Hie thee to the women's apartment : haply Allah may show to
thee thy wife." So he went in and found her sitting in her own
apartment and he marvelled as he espied her and drew near her
and threw his arms round her neck of his fond love to her and
asked her concerning her absence* Thereupon she told him the
truth saying, "I went forth seeking my sire and habited in a
Mameluke's habit and 'twas I slew the lion and roasted his flesh
over the fire, but thou wouldest not eat thereof." At these words
the Sultan rejoiced and his rejoicings increased and all were in
the highmost of joy and jolliment ; he and her father with the two
other sons-in-law, and this endured for a long while. But at last
all deemed it suitable to revisit their countries and capitals and
each farewelled his friends and the whole party returned safe and
sound to their own homes. 1

1 The story contains excellent material, but the writer or the copier has " scamped "
it in two crucial points, the meeting of the bereaved Sultan and his wife (Night ccclxxvii)
and the finale where we miss the pathetic conclusions of the Mac. and Bresl. Edits. Also
a comparison of this hurried denouement with the artistic tableau of "King Omar bin
al-Nu'uman," where all the actors are mustered upon the stage before the curtain falls,
measures the difference between this MS. and the printed texts, showing the superior
polish and finish of the latter.

THE STORY OF THE KAZI WHO BARE
A BABE.

1 6 9

THE STORY OF THE KAZI WHO BARE A BABE. 1

IT hath been related that in Tarabulus-town 2 of Syria was a Kazf
appointed under orders of the Caliph Harun al-Rashfd to adjudge
law-suits and dissolve contracts and cross-examine witnesses ; and
after taking seat in his Mahkamah 3 his rigour and severity became
well known to all men. Now this judge kept a black hand-
maiden likest unto a buffalo-bull and she cohabited with him for a
lengthened while ; for his nature was ever niggardly nor could any-
one wrest from him half a Faddah or any alms-gift or aught else ;
and his diet was of biscuit 4 and onions. Moreover, he was osten-
tatious as he was miserly : he had an eating-cloth bordered with a
fine bell-fringe, 5 and when any person entered about dinner-time
or supper-tide he would cry out, " O handmaid, fetch the fringed
table-cloth ; " and all who heard his words would say to them-
selves, " By Allah, this must needs be a costly thing." Presently
one day of the days his assessors and officers said to him, " O our
lord the Kazi, take to thyself a wife, for yon negress becometh
not a dignitary of thy degree." Said he, "An this need be, let
any who hath a daughter give her to me in wedlock and I will
espouse her." Herewith quoth one present, " I have a fair daughter

1 Vol. iii. pp. 386-97, where it follows immediately the last story. Scott (Story of
the Avaricious Cauzee and his Wife, vi. 112) has translated it after his own fashion,
excising half and supplying it out of his own invention ; and Gauttier has followed suit
in the Histoire du Cadi avare et de sa Femtne, vi. 254.

2 Tarabulus and Atrabulus are Arabisations of Tripolis (hod. Tripoli) the Well-known
port-town north of Bayrut ; founded by the Phoenicians, rose to fame under the
Seleucidse, and was made splendid by the Romans. See Socin's " Baedeker," p. 509.

3 i.e. the Kazi's court-house.

4 Arab. " Buksumah " = "hard bread " (Americanice).

5 Arab. " Sufrah umm jalajil." Lit. an eating-cloth with little bells, like those hung
to a camel, or metal plates as on the rim of a tambourine.

1 70 Supplemen tal Nights.

and a marriageable," whereto quoth the Kazi, " An thou wouldst
do me a favour this is the time." So the bride was fitted out and
the espousals took place forthright and that same night the Kazi's
father-in-law came to him and led him in to his bride saying in
his heart, " I am now connected with the Kazi." And he took
pleasure in the thought for he knew naught of the judge's
stinginess and he could not suppose but that his daughter would
be comfortable with her mate and well-to-do in the matter of diet
and dress and furniture. Such were the fancies which occurred to
him ; but as for the Kazi, he lay with the maid and abated her
maidenhead ; and she in the morning awaited somewhat wherewith
to break her fast and waited in vain. Presently the Kazi left her
and repaired to his court-house whither the city-folk came and
gave him joy of his marriage and wished him good morning,
saying in themselves, " Needs must he make a mighty fine bride-
feast." But they sat there to no purpose until past noon when
each went his own way privily damning the judge's penuriousness.
As soon as they were gone he returned to his Harem and cried
out to his black wench, " O handmaiden, fetch the fringed table-
cloth ; " and his bride hearing this rejoiced, saying to herself, " By
Allah, his calling for this cloth requireth a banquet which befitteth
it, food suitable for the Kings." The negress arose and faring
forth for a short time returned with the cloth richly fringed and
set upon it a Kursi-stool, 1 and a tray of brass whereon were served
three biscuits and three onions. When the bride saw this, she
prayed in her heart saying, " Now may my Lord wreak my revenge
upon my father ! " but her husband cried to her, " Come hither, my
girl," and the three sat down to the tray wherefrom each took a

1 The Kursi here = the stooLupon which the "Sfnfyah" or tray of tinned copper is
placed, the former serving as a table. These stools, some 15 inches high and of wood
inlaid with bone, tortoise-shell or mother-of-pearl, are now common in England, where
one often sees children using them as seats. The two (Kursi and Siniyah) compose
the Sufrah, when the word is used in the sense of our *' dinner-table." Lane (M.E.
v ) gi ves an illustration of both articles.

Story of the Kazi who bare a Babe. 171

biscuit and an onion. The Kazi and the negress'ate all their
portions, but the bride could not swallow even a third of the hard
bread apportioned to her; so she rose up, heartily cursing her
father's ambition in her heart. At supper-tide it was the same
till the state of things became longsome to her and this endured
continuously for three days, when she was ready to sink with
hunger. So she sent for her sire and cried aloud in his face. The
Kazi hearing the outcries of his bride asked, " What is to do ? "
whereupon they informed him that the young woman was not in

love with this style of living. And Shahrazad was surprised by

the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story,
O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she,
" And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now
when it was the next night and that was

{je 'Sfjree f^untafc anU ^fgfitg-sebentft Vfgfti,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love

and good will! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the bride
was not in love with the Kazi's mode of living ; so he took her and
cut off her nose and^.xiivorced her, falsely declaring that she had
behaved frowardly. On the next day he proposed for another wife
and married her and entreated her in like fashion as the first ;
and when she demanded a divorce, he shredded off her nostrils
and put her away ; and whatever woman he espoused he starved
by his stinginess and tortured with hunger, and when any demanded
a divorce^he would chop, effliher nose on false pretences and put

172 Supplemental Nights.

her away witnout paying aught either of her marriage settlement
or of the contingent dowry. At last the report of that Kazi's
avarice came to the ears of a damsel of Mosul-city, a model of
beauty and loveliness who had insight into things hidden and just
judgment and skilful contrivance. Thereupon, resolved to avenge
jher sex, she left her native place and journeyed till she made
Tarabulus ; and by the decree of the Decreer at that very time the
judge, after a day spent in his garden, purposed to return home so
he mounted his mule and met her half-way between the pleasance
and the town. He chanced to glance at her and saw that she was
wondrous beautiful and lovely, symmetrical and graceful and the
spittle ran from his mouth wetting his mustachios ; and he advanced
and accosting her said, " O thou noble one, whence comest thou
hither ? " " From behind me ! " " Connu. I knew that ; but from
what city ? " " From Mosul." " Art thou single and secluded or
femme couverte with a husband alive." " Single I am still ! " " Can
it be that thou wilt take me and thou become to me mate and I
become to thee man ? " " If such be our fate 'twill take place and
I will give thee an answer to-morrow ; " and so saying the damsel
went on to Tarabulus. Now the Kazi after hearing her speech felt
his love for her increase ; so next morning he sent to ask after her,
and when they told him that she had alighted at a Khan, he
despatched to her the negress his concubine with a party of friends
to ask her in marriage, notifying that he was Kazi of the city.
Thereupon she demanded a dower of fifty dinars and naming
a deputy caused the knot be knotted and she came to him about
evening time and he went in to her. But when it was the supper-
hour he called as was his wont to his black handmaiden saying
" Fetch the fringed table-cloth," and she fared forth and fetched it
bringing also three biscuits and three onions, and as soon as the
meal was served up all three sat down to it, the Kazi, the slave-girl,
and the new bride. Each took a biscuit and an onion and ate
them up and the bride exclaimed " Allah requite thee with wealth.

Story of the Kazi who bare a Babe. 173

By Allah, this be a wholesome supper." When the judge heard
this he was delighted with her and cried out, "Extolled be the
Almighty for that at last He hath vouchsafed to me a wife who
thanketh the Lord for muchel or for little ! " But he knew not
what the Almighty had decreed to him through the wile and guile,
the malice and mischief of women. Next morning the Kazi
repaired to the Mahkamah and the bride arose and solaced herself
with looking at the apartments, of which some lay open whilst
others were closed. Presently she came to one which was made
fast by a door with a wooden bolt and a padlock of iron : she
considered it and found it strong but at the threshold was a fissure
about the breadth of a finger ; so she peeped through and espied
gold and silver coins heaped up in trays of brass which stood upon
Kursi-stools and the nearest about ten cubits from the door. She
then arose and fetched a long wand, the mid-rib of a date-palm, 1
and arming the end with a lump of leaven she pushed it through
the chink under the door and turned it round and round upon
the money-trays as if sewing or writing. At last two dinars stuck
to the dough and she drew them through the fissure and returned
to her own chamber ; then, calling the negress, she gave her the
ducats saying, " Go thou to the Bazar and buy us some mutton
and rice and clarified butter ; and do thou also bring us some fresh
bread and spices and return with them without delay." The
negress took the gold and went to the market, where she bought
all that her lady bade her buy and speedily came back, when the
Kazi's wife arose and cooked a notable meal, after which she and
the black chattel ate whatso they wanted. Presently the slave
brought basin and ewer to her lady and washed her hands and
then fell to kissing her feet, saying, " Allah feed thee, O my lady,
even as thou hast fed me, for ever since I belonged to this Kazi I

1 Arab. "Jaridah," a palm-frond stripped of its leaves (Supplemental, vol. i. 264);
hence the " Jarfd " used as a javelin ; see vol. vi. 263.

174 Supplemental Nights.

have lacked the necessaries of life." Replied the other, " Rejoice,
O handmaiden, for henceforth thou shalt have every day naught
but the bestest food of manifold kinds ; " and the negress prayed
Allah to preserve her and thanked her. At noon the Kazi entered
and cried, " O handmaid fetch the fringed cloth," and when she
brought it he sat down and his wife arose and served up somewhat
of the food she had cooked and he ate and rejoiced and was filled
and at last he asked, " Whence this provision?" She answered,
" I have in this city many kinsfolk who hearing of my coming sent
me these meats and quoth I to myself, When my lord the Kazi
shall return home he shall make his dinner thereof." On the next
day she did as before and drawing out three ducats called the slave-
girl and gave her two of them bidding her go to the Bazar and buy
a lamb ready skinned and a quantity of rice and clarified butter
and greens and spices and whatso was required for dressing the
dishes. So the handmaid went forth rejoicing, and bought all her
lady had ordered and forthwith returned when her mistress fell to
cooking meats of various kinds and lastly sent to invite all her
neighbours, women and maidens. When they came she had got
ready the trays garnished with dainty food * and served up to them
all that was suitable and they ate and enjoyed themselves and made
merry. Now this was about mid-forenoon, but as mid-day drew
near they went home carrying with them dishes full of dainties
which they cleared and washed and sent back till everything was

returned to its place. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day

1 An Egyptian or a Syrian housewife will make twenty dishes out of roast lamb,
wholly unlike the " good plain cook " of Great or Greater Britain, who leaves the
stomach to do all the work of digestion in which she ought to but does not assist.

Story of the Kazi who bare a Babe. 175

an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

i)e &6ree ?^unbretf an* Etgfitg.cfjjfttJ Nfg&t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short.

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : -With love

and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the guests
of the Kazi's wife fared from her before turn of sun ; and, when it
was noon, behold, the Kazi entered his Harem and said, " O hand-
maiden, fetch the fringed tablecloth," when the wife arose and set
before him viands of various sorts. He asked whence they came
and she answered saying, " This is from my maternal aunt who
sent it as a present to me." The judge ate and was delighted and
abode in the Harem till set of sun. But his wife ceased not daily
to draw money from his hoard and to expend it upon entertaining
her friends and gossips, and this endured for a whole year. Now
beside her mansion dwelt a poor woman in a mean dwelling and
every day the wife would feed her and her husband and babes ;
moreover she would give them all that sufficed them. The woman
was far gone with child and the other charged her saying, " As
soon as 'tis thy time to be delivered, do thou come to me for I have
a mind to play a prank upon this Kazi who feareth not Allah and
who, whenever he taketh to himself a wife, first depriveth her of
food till she is well nigh famished, then shreddeth off her nose
under false pretences and putteth her away taking all her belongings
and giving naught of dower either the precedent or the contingent"
And the poor woman replied, " To hear is to obey." Then the
wife persisted in her lavish expenditure till her neighbour came to
her already overtaken by birth-pains, and these lasted but a little

176 Supplemental Nights.

while when she was brought to bed of a boy. Hereupon the
Kazi's wife arose and prepared a savoury dish called a Baysarah, 1
the base of which is composed of beans and gravied mallows 2
seasoned with onions and garlic. It was noon when her husband
came in and she served up the dish ; and he being anhungered ate
of it and ate greedily and at supper time he did likewise. But he
was not accustomed to a Baysdrah, so as soon as night came on
his paunch began to swell ; the wind bellowed in his bowels ; his
stress was such that he could not be more distressed and he roared
out in his agony. Herewith his wife ran in and cried to him, " No
harm shall befal thee, O my lord ! " and so saying she passed her
hand over his stomach and presently exclaimed " Extolled be He,
O my lord ; verily thou art pregnant and a babe is in thy belly."
And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell
silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this com-
pared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the
Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night
and that was

anfc IBtgljt^m'ntj) JJfgljt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

1 A plate of "Baysdr" or " Faysar," a dish peculiar to Egypt; beans seasoned
with milk and honey and generally eaten with meat. See Mr. Guy Lestrange's "Al-
Mukaddasi," Description of Syria, p. 80 j an author who wrote cir. A.H. 986. Scott
(vi. 119) has " A savoury dish called byssarut, which is composed of parched beans and
pounded salt meat, mixed up with various seeds, onions and garlic." Gauttier (vi. 261)
carefully avoids giving the Arabic name, which occurs in a subsequent tale (Nights cdxliv.)
when a laxative is required.

2 Arab. " Mulukhiyah ndshiyah," lit. = flowing ; i.e. soft like tpinards au jus.
Mulukhfya" that favourite vegetable, the malva esculenta is derived from the Gr.
fjuaXdx^) (also written f J -^X r f) from yu,oXa<jcro> = to soften, because somewhat relaxing.
In ancient Athens it was the food of the poorer classes and in Egypt it is eaten by all,
taking the place of our spinath and sorrel.

Story of the Kazi who bare a Babe. 177

the watching of this our latter night !" She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Kazi's wife
came up to him and passing her palm over his paunch presently
cried, *' Extolled be He, O my lord : verily thou art pregnant and
.a babe is in thy belly." Quoth the Kazi, " How shall a man bear a
child ? " and quoth she, " Allah createth whatso He willeth." And
as they two sat at talk the flatulence and belly-ache increased and
Violent colic 1 set in and the torments waxed still more torturing,
Then the wife rose up and disappeared but presently she returned
with her pauper neighbour's newly-born babe in her sleeve, its
mother accompanying it : she also brought a large basin of copper
and she found her husband rolling from right to left and crying
aloud in his -agony. At last the qualms 2 in his stomach were
ready to burst forth and the rich food to issue from his body, and
when this delivery was near hand the wife privily set the basin
under him like a close stool and fell to calling upon the Holy
Names and to shampooing and rubbing down his skin while she
ejaculated, " The name of Allah be upon thee ! " 8 But all this was
of her malice. At last the prima via opened and the Kazi let fly,
whereat his wife came quickly behind and setting the babe upon
its back gently pinched it so that it began to wail, and said, " O
man. Alhamdolillah, laud to the Lord, who hath so utterly
relieved thee of thy burthen," and she fell to muttering Names

1 Arab. "Kalak" = lit. "agitation," "disquietude** and here used as syfl. with
"Kulanj," a true colic.

2 Arab. " Mazardt,*' from the \/ " Mazr," = being addled (an egg).

3 Here is an allusion to the ' Massage," which in these days has assumed throughout
Europe all the pretensions of scientific medical treatment. The word has been needlessly
derived from the Arab. "Mas'h" = rubbing, kneading ; but we have the Gr. synonym
|xa(7cra> and the Lat. Massare. The text describes child-bed customs amongst Moslem
women ; and the delivery of the Kazi has all the realism of M. Zola's accouchement id
Lajoie de Vivre.

VOL. IV. Ji

178 Supplemental Nights.

over the newborn. Then quoth he, " Have a care of the little
one and keep it from cold draughts ; " for the trick had taken
completely with the Kazi and he said in his mind, " Allah createth
whatso He willeth : even men if so predestined can bring forth."
And presently he added, " O woman, look out for a wet nurse to
suckle him ;" and she repHed, " O my lord, the nurse is with me in
the women's apartments." Then having sent away the babe and
its mother she came up to the Kazi and washed him and removed
the basin from under him and made him lie at full length.
Presently after taking thought he said, "O woman, be careful to
Keep this matter private for fear of the folk who otherwise might
say : Our Kazi hath borne a babe." She replied, " O my lord,
as the affair is known to other than our two selves how can we
manage to conceal it ?" and after she resumed, " O my husband,
this business can on no wise be hidden from the people for more
than a week or at most till next month." Herewith he cried out,
" O my calamity ; if it reach the ears of folk and they say : Our,
Kazi hath borne a babe, then what shall we do ? " He pondered
the matter until morning when he rose before daylight and, taking
some provaunt secretly, made ready to depart the city, saying,
" O Allah, suffer none to see me ! " Then, after giving his wife
charge of the house and bidding her take care of his effects and
farewelling her, he went forth secretly from her and journeyed that
day. and a second and a third until the seventh, when he entered
Damascus of Syria where none knew him. But he had no spending
money for he could not persuade himself to take even a single
dinar from his hoard and he had provided himself with naught save
the meagrest provision. So his condition was straitened and he
was compelled to sell somewhat of his clothes and lay out the price
upon his urgent needs ; and when the coin was finished he was
forced to part with other portions of his dress till little or nothing
of it remained to him. Then, in his sorest strait, he went to the
Shaikh of the Masons and said to him, " O master, ray wish is

Story of the Ka?,i who bare a Babe. 179

to serve in this industry ; " l and said he, " Welcome to thee. 1 ' So
the Kazi worked through every day for a wage of five Faddahs.

Such was his case ; but as regards his wife, And Shahrazad

was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet
and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delect-
able ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on this coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was the

f^un&relr an* JHuutKti)

daughters of folk and devoureth their substance and shreddeth off

their nostrils." She also sent to the women he had married and
divorced, and gave them of his good the equivalent of their dowers
and a solatium for losing their noses. And every day she assembled

1 Arab. " Fa^dlah " = the building craft, builder's trade;

2 In text " Kawwarah," which is not found in the dictionaries. Kuwdrah " = that
which is cut off from the side of a thing, etc. My translation is wholly tentative : perhaps
Kawwdra may be a copyist's error for " Kazdzah" = vulg. a (flask of) glass.

i8o Supplemental Nights.

the goodwives of the quarter and cooked for them manifold kinds
of food because her spouse the Kazi was possessed of property
approaching two Khaznahs 1 of money, he being ever loath to
expend what his hand could hend and unprepared to part with
aught on any wise, for the excess of his niggardness and his greed
of gain. Nor did she cease from so doing for a length of time
until suddenly she overheard folk saying, " Our Kazi hath borne a
babe." And such bruit spread abroad and was reported in sundry
cities, nor ceased the rumour ere it reached the ears of the Caliph
Harun al-Rashid in Baghdad city. Now hearing it he marvelled
and cried, " Extolled be Allah ! this hap, by the Lord, never can
have happened save at the hand of some woman, a wise and a
clever at contrivance ; nor would she have wrought after such
fashion save to make public somewhat erst proceeding from the
Kazi, either his covetous intent or his high-handedness in com-
mandment. But needs must this goodwife be summoned before
me and recount the cunning practice she hath practised ; Allah
grant her success in the prank she hath played upon the Judge."
Such was her case ; but as concerns the Kazi, he abode working
at builders' craft till his bodily force was enfeebled and his frame
became frail ; so presently quoth he to himself, " Do thou return
to thy native land, for a long time hath now passed and this affair is
clean forgotten." Thereupon he returned to Tarabulus, but as he
drew near thereto he was met outside the city by a bevy of small boys
who were playing at forfeits, and lo and behold ! cried one to his
comrades, " O lads, do ye remember such and such a year when
our Kazi was brought to bed ? " 2 But the Judge hearing these
words returned forthright to Damascus by the way he came, saying
to himself, " Hie thefc not save to Baghdad city for 'tis further

1 The " Khaznah," = 'treasury, is a thousand " Kfs " = 500 piastres, or $ at par ;
and thus represents ,5,000, a large sum for Tripoli in those days.

2 The same incident occurs in that pathetic tale with an ill name*' How Abu al-
Hasan brake Wind," vol. v. 135.

Story of the Kazi who bare a Babe. 1 8 1

away than Damascus ! " and set out at once for the House of
Peace. However he entered it privily, because he was still in the
employ of the Prince of True Believers, Harun al-Rashid ; and,
changing semblance and superficial, he donned the dress of a
Persian Darwaysh and fell to walking about the streets of the
capital. Here met he sundry men of high degree who showed
him favour, but he could not venture himself before the Caliph
albe sundry of the subjects said to him, " O Darwaysh, why dost
thou not appear in the presence of the Commander of the Faithful \
Assuredly he would bestow upon thee many a boon, for he is a
true Sultan ; and, specially, an thou panegyrise him in poetry, he
will largely add to his largesse." Now by the decree of Destiny
the viceregent of Allah upon His Earth had commanded the Kazi's
wife be brought from Tarabulus : so they led her into the presence
and when she had kissed ground before him and salam'd to him
and prayed for the perpetuity of his glory and his existence, he
asked her anent her husband and how he had borne a child and
what was the prank she had played him and in what manner shq
had gotten the better of him. She hung her head groundwards?
awhile for shame nor could she return aught of reply for a time,i
when the Commander of the Faithful said to her, " Thou hast my
promise of safety and again safety, the safety of one who betrayeth
not his word. So she raised her head and cried, "By Allah, O

King of the Age, the story of this Kazi is a strange And

Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,

How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that

1 would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer
me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

182 Supplemental Nights.

*&& tljtte f^untaU anfc Ntiut

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that quoth the
.Kazi's wife, " By Allah, O King of the Age, the story of this
Kazi is a strange and of the wonders of the world and 'tis as
follows. My spouse is so niggardly of nature and greedy of gain
that whatso wife he weddeth he starveth her with hunger and,
whenas she loseth patience, he shreddeth her nostrils and putteth
her away, taking all her good and what not. Now this case
continued for a while of time. Also he had a black slave-wench
and a fine eating-cloth and when dinner-time came he would cry,
O handmaid, fetch the fringed table-cloth ! whereupon she would
bring it and garnish it with three biscuits and three onions, one to
each mouth. Presently accounts of this conduct came to me at
Mosul, whereupon I removed me to Tardbulus, and there played
him many a prank amongst which was the dish of Baysdr by me
seasoned with an over quantity of onions and garlic and such spices
as gather wind in the maw and distend it like a tom-tom and breed
borborygms. 1 This I gave him to eat and then befel that which
befel. So I said to him, Thou art in the family way and
tricked him, privily bringing into the house a new-born babe.
When his belly began to drain off I set under him a large metal
basin and after pinching the little one I placed it in the utensil
and recited Names over it. Presently quoth he, Guard my little

1 Arab. " Karkabah," clerical error (?) for "Karkarah " = driving (as wind the
clouds) ; rumbling of wind in bowels. Dr. Steingass holds that it is formed by addition
of a second " k," from the ^ "Karb," one of whose meanings it: "to inflate the
stomach."

Story of the Kazi who bare a Babe. 183

stranger from the draught and bring hither a wet-nurse ; and I
did accordingly. But he waxed ashamed of the birth and in the
morning he fared forth the city nor knew we what Allah had done
with him. But as he went I bespake him with the words which
the poet sang when the Ass of Umm Amr went off:

Ass and Umm Amr bewent their way ; Nor Ass nor Umm Amr returned
for aye ;

and then I cited the saying of another :

When I forced him to fare I bade him hie, Where Umm Kash'am 2 caused
her selle to fly."

Now as the Caliph Harun al-Rashid heard these words he
laughed so hearty a laugh that he fell backwards and bade the
goodwife repeat her history till he waxed distraught for excess of
merriment, when lo and behold ! a Darwaysh suddenly entered
the presence. The wife looked at her husband and recognised
him ; but the Caliph knew not his Kazi, so much had time and
trouble changed the Judge's cheer. However, she signalled to the
Commander of the Faithful that the beggar was her mate and
he taking the hint cried out, " Welcome to thee, O Darwaysh, and

1 For Ummu 'Amrin = mother of 'Amru, se written and pronounced " 'Amr," a fancy
name, see vol. v. 118, for the Tale of the Schoolmaster, a well-known "Joe Miller."
[Ummu 'Amrin, like Ummu 'Amirin, is a slang term for "hyena." Hence, if Ass and
Umm Amr went off together, it is more than likely that neither came back. St.]

2 A slang name for Death. "Kash'am" has various sigs. esp. the lion, hence
Rabi'at al-Faras (of the horses), one of the four sons of Nizar was surnamed Al
Kash'am from his cceur de lion (Al-Mas'udi iii. 238). Another pleasant term for
departing life is Abu Yahy = Father of John, which also means "The Living"
from Hayy Death being the lord of all : hence " Yamiit " lit. = he dies, is an ill*
omened name amongst Arabs. Kash'am is also a hyena, and Umm Kash'am is syn.
with Umm 'Amir (vol. I. 43). It was considered a point of good breeding to use these
" Kunyah * for the purpose of varying speech (see Al-Hariri Ass. xix). The phrase in
the text = meaning went to hell, as a proverb was first used by Zuhayr, one of the
" Suspended Poets." Umm Kash'am was the P.N. of a runaway camel which, passing
by a large fire, shied and flung its riding saddle into the flames. So in Al-Siyuti's
" History of the Caliphs" (p. 447), the text has "And Malak Shah went to where her
saddle was thrown by Umm Kash'am," which Major Jarrett renders "departed
to hell-fire."

1 84 Supplemental Nights

where be the babe thou barest at Tarabulus ? " The unfortunate
replied, " O King of the Age, do men go with child ? " and the
Prince of True Believers rejoined, " We heard that the Kazi bare
a babe and thou art that same Kazi now habited in Fakir's habit.
But who may be this woman thou seest ? " He made answer
41 1 wot not ; " but the dame exclaimed, " Why this denial, O thou
who fearest Allah so little ? I conjure thee by the life of the King
to recount in his presence all that betided thee." He could deny
it no longer so he told his tale before the Caliph, who laughed at
him aloud ; and at each adventure the King cried out, " Allah
spare thee and thy child, O Kazi ! " Thereupon the Judge
explained saying, " Pardon, O King of the Age, I merit even

more than what hath betided me." And Shahrazad was

surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet
and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delect-
able ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

WQZ &ree $^unfctc& ant) Ntntg=seconfc If fflfct,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With love

and good will ! " It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that quoth the Kazi
to the King, " I deserve even more than what hath betided me for
my deeds were unrighteous, O Ruler of the Time. But now the
twain of us be present between thy hands ; so do thou, of thy
generous grace and the perfection of thy beneficence, deign
reconcile me unto my wife and from this moment forwards I repent

Story of the Kazi who bare a Babe. 185

before the lace of Allah nor will I ever return to the condition I
was in of niggardise and greed of gain. But 'tis for her to decide
and on whatever wise she direct me to act, therein will I not
gainsay her ; and do thou vouchsafe to me the further favour of
restoring me to the office I whilome held. When the Prince of
True Believers, Harun al-Rashid, heard the Kazi's words he turned
to the Judge's wife and said, " Thou also hast heard what thy
mate hath averred : so do thou become to him what thou wast
before and thou hast command over all which thy husband re-
quireth." She replied, " O King of the Age, even as thou hast the
advantage of knowing, verily the Heavens and the son of Adam
change not ; for that man's nature is never altered except with his
existence nor doth it depart from him save when his life departeth.
However, an he speak the truth let him bind himself by a deed
documented under thy personal inspection and thine own seal ; so
that if he break his covenant the case may be committed to thee."
The Caliph rejoined, " Sooth thou sayest that the nature of Adam's
son is allied to his existence ;" but the Kazi exclaimed, " O our
lord the Sultan, bid write for me the writ even as thou hast heard
from her mouth and do thou deign witness it between us twain."
Thereupon the King reconciled their differences and allotted to
them a livelihood which would suffice and sent them both back to
Tarabulus-town. This is all that hath come down to us concerning
the Kazi who bare a babe : yet 'tis as naught compared with the
tale of the Bhang-eaters, for their story is wondrous and their ad-
ventures delectable and marvellous. " What may it be ? " asked
Shahryar ; so Shahrazad began to recount

THE TALE OF THE KAZI AND THE
BHANG-EATER.

I8 9

THE TALE OF THE KAZI AND THE BHANG-EATER. 1

THERE was a certain, eater of Bhang -- And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! "
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive ? "
Now when it was the next night and that was

DUNAYZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other then sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : -- With love
and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that there was a cer-
tain eater of Bhang whose wont it was every day to buy three
Faddahs* worth of hemp and he would eat one third thereof in the
morning and a second at noon and the rest about sundown. He
was by calling a fisherman ; and regularly as dawn appeared he
would take hook and line and go down to the river a-fishing ; then
he would sell of his catch a portion, expending half a Faddah on
bread and eat this with the remaining part of the fish broiled. He
would also provide himself day by day with a waxen taper and
light it in his cell and sit before it, taking his pleasure and talking
to himself after his large dose -of Bhang. In such condition he

1 Scott's "Story of the Bhang^eater and Cauzee," vi. 126: Gauttfer, Histoirt du
Preneur <? Opium ct du Cadi, vi. 268.

Supplemental Nights.

abode a while of time until one fine spring-night, about the middle
of the month when the moon was shining sheeniest, he sat down
to bespeak himself and said, " Ho, Such-an-one ! hie thee forth and
solace thy soul with looking at the world, for this be a time when
none will espy thee and the winds are still." Herewith he went
forth intending for the river ; but as soon as he issued from his cell-
door and trod upon the square, he beheld the moonbeams bestrown
upon the surface and, for the excess of his Bhang, his Fancy
said to him, " By Allah, soothly the stream floweth strong and
therein needs must be much store of fish. Return, O Such-an-
one, to thy cell, bring hook and line and cast them into these
waters ; haply Allah our Lord shall vouchsafe thee somewhat of
fish, for men say that by night the fisherwight on mighty fine work
shall alight." He presently brought out his gear and, having
baited the hook, made a cast into the moonlit square, taking sta-
tion in the shadow of the walls where he believed the river bank
to be. Then he bobbed l with his hook and line and kept gazing
at the waters, when behold ! a big dog sniffed the bait and coming
up to it swallowed the hook till it stuck in his gullet. 2 The beast
feeling it prick his throttle yelped with pain and made more noise
every minute, rushing about to the right and the left : so the line
was shaken in the man's hand and he drew it in, but by so doing
the hook pierced deeper and the brute howled all the louder ; and
it was pull Bhang-eater and pull cur. But the man dared not
draw near the moonlight, holding it to be the river, so he tucked up
his gown to his hip-bones, and as the dog pulled more lustily he
said in his mind, " By Allah this must be a mighty big fish and I
believe it to be a ravenous. 3 Then he gripped the line firmly and
haled it in but the dog had the better of him and dragged him to

1 Arab. " Lawwaha " = lit. pointing out, making clear.

2 Text "in his belly," but afterwards in his " Halkah" = throat, throttle, which gives
better sense.

8 In text ' Hayishah" from / " Haysh " = spoiling, etc.

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang- Eater. 191

the very marge of the moonlight ; so the fisherman waxed afraid and
began to cry " Alack ! Alack ! Alack ! ! To my rescue ye braves ! 2
Help me for a monster of the deep would drown me ! Yallah,
hurry ye, my fine fellows, hasten to my aid ! " Now at that hour
people were enjoying the sweets of sleep and when they heard
these unseasonable outcries they flocked about him from every
side and accosting him asked, " What is it ? What maketh
thee cry aloud at such an hour? What hath befallen thee ? "
He answered, " Save me, otherwise a river-monster will cause
me fall into the stream and be drowned." Then, finding him
tucked up to the hips, the folk approached him and enquired,
" Where is the stream of which thou speakest ? " and he replied,
" Vender's the river ; be ye all blind ? " Thereat they understood
that he spoke of the moonbeams, whose sheen was dispread upon
earth, deeming it a river-surface, and they told him this ; but he
would not credit them and cried, " So ye also desire to drown me ;
be off from me ! our Lord will send me other than you to lend
me good aid at this hour of need." They replied, " O well-born
one, this be moonshine ;" but he rejoined, " Away from me, ye low
fellows, 3 ye dogs ! " They derided him and the angrier he grew
the more they laughed, till at last they said one to other, " Let us
leave him and wend our ways," and they quitted him in such con-
dition And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
Sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable !" Quoth she, "Arid where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive .? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

1 Arab. " Yauh ! " See vols. ii. 321 ; vi. 235.

2 Arab. "Ya Jad'an " (pron. "Gad'an") more gen. " Ya Jad'a"= mon brave J

3 In text " Yd 'Arzad" : prob. a clerical slip for " 'Urzat," plur. of " 'Urzah" = a
companion, a (low) fellow, a man evil spoken of.

Supplemental Nights;

antr Nuutg-fouttf)

DUNYAZAD said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the
watching of this our latter night!" She replied :~ With love
and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the folk
who flocked to the assistance of the Bhang-eater left him in such
condition, he crying aloud in affright, the dog being now before
him in a phrenzy of pain for the hook sticking in his gullet ana
being unable to rid himself of it, while the man dreaded to draw
near the moonshine, still deeming (albeit he stood upon terra firma)
that he was about to step into the stream. So he hugged the
wall shadow which to him represented the river-bank. In this
case he continued until day brake and light shone and the to-ing
and fro-ing of the folk increased ; withal he remained as he was,
crying out for affright lest he be drowned. Suddenly a Kazi rode by
him and seeing him with gown kilted up and the hound hanging on
to the hook, asked, " What may be the matter with thee, O man ? "
He answered saying, " O my lord, I dread lest I be drowned in
this stream, whither a monster of the deep is a-dragging me."
The judge looked at him and knew him for a Bhang-eater, so he
dismounted from his monture and cried to one of his attendants,
"Catch hold of yon dog and unhook him!" Now this Kazi
was also one who was wont to use Hashfsh ; so quoth he to him-
self, " By Allah, take this fellow with thee and feed him in thy
house and make a mocking-stock of him; and, as each night
cometh on do thou and he eat together a portion of the drug and
enjoy each other's company." Accordingly he took him and
carrying him to his quarters seated him in a private stead until
nightfall when the twain met and supped together ; then they

Talc of the Kazi and the Bkang-Eater. 193

swallowed a large dose of Bhang and they lit candles and sat in
their light to enjoy themselves. 1 Presently from excess of the
drug they became as men Jinn-mad, uttering words which befit not
to intend or to indite, 2 amongst which were a saying of the Bhang-
eater to the Kazi, " By Allah, at this season I'm as great as the
King;" and the Judge's reply, " And I also at such time am as
great as the Basha, the Governor." Thereupon quoth to him
the Bhang-eater, " I'm high above thee and if the King would cut
off the Governor's head what would happen to hinder him ? " And
quoth the Kazi, " Yea, verily ; naught would hinder him ; but 'tis
the custom of Kings to appoint unto Governors a place wherein
they may deal commandment." Then they fell to debating the
affairs of the Government and the Sultanate, when by decree of
the Decreer the Sultan of the city went forth his palace that very
night, accompanied by the Wazir (and the twain in disguise) ; and
they ceased not traversing the town till they reached the house
wherein sat the Bhang-eater and the Kazi. So they stood at the
door and heard their talk from first to last when the King turned
to the Minister and asked, " What shall we do with these two
fellows ? " " Be patient, O King of the Age/' answered the Wazir,
" until they make an end of their talk, after which whatso thou
wilt do with them that will they deserve." " True indeed," 3 quoth
the ruler, "nevertheless, instead of standing here let us go in to
them." Now that night the boon-companions had left the door
open forgetting to padlock it ; so the visitors entered and salam'd
to them and they returned the greeting and rose to them and
bade them be seated. Accordingly they sat down and the Sultan
said to the Bhang-eater, " O man, fearest thou not aught from the
Sovran, thou and thy friend ; and are ye sitting up until this hour ? '*

1 Easterns love drinking in a bright light : see vol. ii. 59.

2 Arab. "'Aid" (= comprehension understanding) and "Nakl" (= copying,
describing, transcribing), a favourite phrase in this MS.

3 Arab. " Ummall " ; gen. Ummal, an affirmation ; Certes, I believe you I

VOL, IV. JW

194 Supplemental Nights*

He replied, " The Sultan himself often fareth forth at such un-
timely time, and as he is a King even so am I, and yonder man is
my Basha : moreover, if the ruler think to make j apery of us, we

are his equals and more." Thereupon the Sultan turned to his
,Wazir and said by signals, " I purpose to strike off the heads of
these fellows ;" and said the Minister in the same way, "O King,
needs must they have a story, for no man with his wits in his
head would have uttered such utterance. But patience were our
bestest plan.",- Then cried the Bhang-eater to the Sultan, " O
man, whenever we say a syllable, thou signallest to thine associate!
What is it thou wouldst notify to him and we not understanding
it ? By Allah, unless thou sit respectfully in our presence we will
bid our Basha strike off thy pate \ " -- And Shahrazad was sur-
prised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. ; Then quoth her sister Dunyazad," How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! "
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you 'on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ?."
Now when it was the next night and that was

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang-Eater. 195

conceive that the twain are eaters of Hashfsh, which drug when
swallowed by man, garreth him prattle of whatso he pleaseth and
chooseth, making him now a Sultan then a Wazir and then a
merchant, the while it seemeth to him that the world is in the
hollow of his hand." Quoth the Sultan, " And what may be thy
description of Hashish ? " and quoth the Wazir, " Tis composed
of hemp leaflets, whereto they add aromatic roots and somewhat
of sugar : then they cook it and prepare a kind of confection which
they eat ; * but whoso eateth it (especially an he eat more than,-
enough), talketh of matters which reason may on no wise repre-
sent. If thou wouldst know its secret properties, on the coming
night (Inshallah !) we will bring some with us and administer it to
these two men ; and when they eat it the dose will be in addition
to their ordinary." After this the Sultan left them and went
forth, when the Bhang-eater said to the Kazi, " By Allah, this
night we have enjoyed ourselves and next night (if Allah please !)
we will enjoy ourselves yet more." The other replied, "Yes,
but I fear from the Sultan, lest he learn our practice and cut off
our heads." "Who shall bring the Sovran to us?" asked the
other : " he is in his palace and we are in our own place ; and,
granting he come, I will divert him by recounting an adventure
which befel me," The Kazi answered, " Have no dread of the
Sultan ; for he may not fare forth a-nights single-handed ; nay,
what while he issueth forth he must be escorted by his high
officials." Now when the next night fell, the Kazi brought the
Hashish which he divided into two halves, eating one himself and'
giving the other to his companion ; and both swallowed their
portions after supper and then lit the waxen tapers and sat down

1 For the many preparations of this drug, see Herkldts, Appendix, pp. ixviii. ciii.
It is impossible to say how "Indian hemp," like opium, datura, ether and chloroform,
will affect the nervous system of an untried man. I have read a dozen descriptions of
the results, from the highly imaginative Monte Christo to the prose of prosaic travellers ;
and do not recognise that they are speaking of the same thing.

196 Supplemental Nights.

to take their pleasure. 1 Suddenly the Sultan and his Wazir came
in upon them during the height of their enjoyment, and the
visitors were habited in dress other than before, and they brought
with them a quantity of Bhang-confection and also some conserve
of roses : so they handed a portion of the first to the revellers,
which these accepted and ate, while they themselves swallowed the
conserve, the others supposing it to be Hashish like what they
had eaten. Now when they had taken an overdose, they got into
a hurly-burly of words and fell to saying things which can neither
be intended nor indited, and amongst these they exclaimed, " By
Allah, the Sultan is deposed and we will rule in his stead and
deal commandment to his reign." The other enquired, " And if
the Sultan summon us what wilt thou say to him ? " " By Allah,
X will tell him a tale which befel myself and crave of him ten
Faddahs wherewithal to buy Bhang ! " " And hast thou any skill
in tale-telling ? " " In good sooth I have ! " . " But how wilt thou
^depose the Sultan and reign in his stead ? " X" I will say to him
* Be off ! * and he will go." " He will strike thy neck." Nay, the
Sultan is pitiful and will not punish me for my words." So saying
the Bhang-eater arose and loosed the inkle of his bag-trowsers,
then approaching the Sultan he drew forth his prickle and pro-
ceeded to bepiss him ; 2 but the King took flight as the other faced

him, and fled before him, he pursuing. And Shahrazad was

surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased say-
ing her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How

1 This tranquil enjoyment is popularly called " Kayf." See my Pilgrimage i. 13. In
a coarser sense it is applied to all manners of intoxication ; and the French traveller
Sonnini says, " The Arabs (by which he means the Egyptians) give the name of Kayf to
the voluptuous relaxation, the delicious stupor, produced by the smoking of hemp." I
have smoked it and eaten it for months without other effect than a greatly increased
appetite and a little drowsiness.

2 These childish indecencies are often attributed to Bhang-eaters. See "Bakun's Tale
of the Hashish-eater," vol. ii. 91. Modest Scott (vi. 129) turns the joke into " tweaking
the nose." Respectable Moslems dislike the subject, but the vulgar relish it as much
as the sober Italian enjoys the description of a drinking bout in novels.

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang-Eater. 197

sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with
that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and
that was

e f^untrrefc anti j3metg=st'xtf)

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : - With
love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Bhang-eater holding up his bag-trowsers ran after the Sultan
purposing to bepiss him and caught up the fugitive at the door-
way when he fell over the threshold and began a-piddling upon
his own clothes. In like manner the Kazi attempted to bepiss
the Wazir and ran after him to the entrance, where he also fell
upon the Bhang-eater and took to making water over him. So
the Bhang-eater and the Kazi lay each bewraying other, and the
Sultan and the Wazir stood laughing at them and saying, " By
Allah, too much Hashish injureth man's wits ; " and presently they
left and went their ways returning to their palaces, But the two
drunkards ceased not lying in their own water till day broke ; and
when the fumes of the drug had left their brains, they arose and
found themselves dripping and befouled with their own filth.
Thereupon each said to other, " What be this cross hath betided
us ? " Presently they arose and washed themselves and their
clothes ; then sitting down together they said, " None did this
deed by us save and except the two fellows who were with us ;
and who knoweth what they were, or citizens of this city or
strangers ; for 'twas they brought the intoxicant which we ate

198 Supplemental Nights.

and it bred a madness in our brains. Verily 'twas they did the
mischief; but, an they come to us a third time, needs must we be
instant with them and learn from them an they be foreigners or
folk of this city : we will force them to confess, but if they hide
them from us we will turn them out" On the next night they
met again and the two sat down and ate a quantity of Hashish
after they had supped : and they lit the waxen tapers and each of
them drank a cup of coffee. 1 Presently their heads whirled round
under the drug and they sat down to talk and enjoy themselves
when their drunkenness said to them, " Up with you and dance."
Accordingly they arose and danced, when behold, the Sultan and
his Wazir suddenly came in upon them and salam'd to them : so they
returned the salutation but continued the saltation. The newcomers
considered them in this condition and forthwith the King turned
to the Minister and said, " What shall we do with them ?* Said the
other, " Patience until their case come to end in somewhat whereof
we can lay hold." Then they chose seats for themselves and solaced
them with the spectacle, and the dancers kept on dancing until they
were tired and were compelled to sit down and take their rest.

" * In the text " Finjdl," a vulgarism for " Finjdn" : so the converse " Isma'fn" for
" Ism' ail " = Ishmael. Mr. J. W. Redhouse (The Academy No. 764) proposes a new
date for coffee in Al-Yaman. Colonel Playfair (History of Yemen, Bombay 1859) had
carelessly noted that its " first use at Aden was by a judge of the place who had seen
it drunk at Zayla', on the African coast opposite Aden," and he made the judge die in
A.H. 875 = A.D. 1470. This is about the date of the Shaykh al-Shizali's tomb at
Mocha, and he was the first who brought the plant from about African Harar to the
Arabian seaboard. But Mr. Redhouse finds in a Turkish work written only two
centuries ago, and printed at Constantinople, in A.D. 1732, that the "ripe fruit was
discovered growing wild in the mountains of Yemen (?) by a company of dervishes
Vanished thither." Finding the berry relieve their hunger and support their vigils the
prior, " Shaykh 'Umar advised their stewing it (?) and the use became established.
They dried a store of the fruit ; and its use spread to other dervish communities, who
perhaps (!) sowed the seed wherever it would thrive throughout Africa (N.B. where it
is indigenous) and India (N.B. where both use and growth are quite modern). From
Africa, two centuries later, its -use was reimported to Arabia at Aden (?) by the judge
above mentioned, who in a season of scarcity of the dried fruit (?) tried the seed "
{N.B. which is the fruit). This is passing strange and utterly unknown to the learned
De Sacy (ChresJ, Arab. 1.412-481).

Story of the Kazi and tJte Bhang- Eater. 199

Presently the Bhang-eater looked at the Sultan and exclaimed,
" You, whence are you ? " and he replied, " We be foreigner folk
and never visited this city before that night when we met you ; and
as we heard you making merry we entered to partake of your
merriment." On this wise the device recoiled upon the Bhang-
eater and presently the King asked them, saying, " Fear ye not
lest the Sultan hear of you, and ye in this condition which would
cause your disgrace at his hands ? " The Bhang-eater answered,
" The Sultan ! What tidings of us can he have ? He is in the
royal Palace and we in our place of Bhang-eating." The Sovran
rejoined, " Why not go to him ! Belike he will gift you and
largesse you ; " but the Bhang-eater retorted, " We fear his people
lest they drive us away." Whereto quoth the King, " They will
not do on such wise and if thou require it we will write thee a note
to his address, for we know him of old inasmuch as both of us
learned to read in the same school." " Write thy writ,*' quoth the
other to the Sultan who after inditing it and sealing it placed it in
their hands and presently the two visitors departed. Then the
Bhang-eater and the Kazi sat together through the night until
daylight did appear when the fumes of the Hashish had fled their
brains and the weather waxed fine and clear. So they said, each
to other, " Let us go to the Sultan," and the twain set out together
and walked till they reached the square facing the Palace. Here,
finding a crowd of folk, they went up to the door and the Bhang-
eater drew forth his letter and handed it to one of the Sultan's
suite, who on reading it fell to the ground and presently rising

placed it upon his head. And Shahrazad was surprised by the

dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O
sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she,
" And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when
it was the next night and that was

2OO Supplemental Nights.

an& Ntnetp-sebentft

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the officer who
took the letter caused the Bhang-eater and his comrade enter the
presence, and the Sultan catching sight of them commanded them
to be seated in a private stead where none other man was. His
bidding was obeyed ; and at noon-tide he sent them a tray of food
for dinner and also coffee ; and the same was done at sundown.
But as soon as supper-tide came the Sultan prayed and recited
sections of Holy Writ, as was his wont, until two hours had passed
when he ordered the twain be summoned ; and when they stood in
the presence and salam'd to him and blessed him the King returned
their salute and directed them to be seated. Accordingly they sat down
and quoth the Sultan to the Bhang-eater, " Where be the man who
gave you the writ ?" Quoth the other, " O King of the Age, there

were two men who came to us and said : Why go ye not to

the King ? Belike he will gift you and largesse you. Our reply

was : We know him not and we fear lest his folk drive us away.

So one of them said to us, I will write thee a note to his address
for we know him of old, inasmuch as both of us learned to read
in the same school. Accordingly he indited it and sealed it and
gave it to us ; and coming hither we found his words true and now
we are between his hands/' The Sultan enquired, "Was there
any lack of civility to the strangers on your part ?" and they replied,
"None, save our questioning them and saying, Whence come
ye ? whereto they rejoined, We be strangers. Beyond this there
was nothing unpleasant ; nothing at all." " Whither went they ?"

Story of the Kazi and the Bhang-Eater. 201

asked the King and the other answered, " I wot not." The
Sultan continued, " Needs must thou bring them to me for 'tis
long since I saw them ;" and the other remarked, " O King of the
Age, if again they come to our place we will seize them and
carry them before thee even perforce, but in case they come not, we
have no means to hand." Quoth the King, "An thou know
them well, when thou catchest sight of them they cannot escape
thee/' and quoth the other, "Yea, verily." Then the Sultan pur-
sued, " What did ye with the twain who came before them and
ye wanted to bepiss them ?" Now when the Bhang-eater heard
these words his colour paled and his case changed, his limbs
trembled and he suspected that the person which he had insulted
was the Sultan ; whereupon the King turned towards him and
seeing in him signs of discomfiture asked, " What is in thy mind,
O Bhang-eater ? What hath befallen thee ?" The other arose
forthright and kissing ground cried, " Pardon, O King of the
Age, before whom I have sinned." The Sovran asked, " How
didst thou know this ?" and he ^answered, " Because none other was
with us and news of us goeth not out of doors ; so needs must thou
have been one of the twain and he who wrote the writ was thy-
self ; for well we know that the kings read not in schools. Thou
and thy friend did come in disguise to make merry at our expense ;
therefore pardon us, O King of the Age, for mercy is a quality of
the noble, and Almighty Allah said, ' Whoso pardoneth and benefi t-
teth his reward is with Allah/ and eke He said, ' And the stiflers
of wrath and the pardoners of mankind and Allah loveth the
doers of good." 1 Herewith the Sultan smiled and said, " No harm

1 Koran iii. 128. D'Herbelot and Sale (Koran, chap. iii. note) relate on this text a
noble story of Hasan All-son and his erring slave which The Forty Vezirs (Lady's eighth
story, p. 113) ignorantly attributes to Harun al-Rashid : Forthwith the Caliph rose
in wrath and was about to hew the girl in pieces, when she said, " O Caliph, Almighty
Allah saith in His glorious Word (the Koran), 'And the stiflers of Wrath' (iii. 128).
Straightway the Caliph's wrath was calmed. Again said the girl, 'And the pardoners
of men.' " (ibid.) Quoth the Caliph, I have forgiven the crimes of all the criminals who

2O2 Supplemental Nights.

shall befal thee, O Bhang-eater ! Thine excuse is accepted and
thy default pardoned, but, O thou clever fellow, hast thou ho tale
to tell us ?" He replied, "O King of the Age, I have a story
touching myself and my wife which, were it graven with needle-
gravers upon the eye-corners were a warning to whoso would be
warned. But I strave against her on my own behalf, withal she
overcame me and tyrannised over me by her contrivance." " What
is it ?" asked the King ; so the man began to relate the

HISTORY OF THE BHANG-EATER AND HIS WIFE-

In the beginning of my career I owned only a single bull and
poverty confused my wits. And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful
is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth
she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ?" Now
when it was the next night and that was

antr

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

may be in prison.* Again said the slave-girl, * And Allah loveth the beneficent ' (ibid.)
Quoth the Caliph, ' God be witness that I have with my own wealth freed thee and as
many male and female slaves as I have, and that this day I have for the love of Allah
given the half of all my good in alms to the poor.' " This is no improvement upon the
simple and unexaggerated story in Sale. " It is related of Hasan, the son of Ali, that a
slave having once thrown a dish on him boiling hot, as he sat at table, and fearing his
master's resentment, fell on his knees and repeated these words, Paradise is for those
who bridle their anger. Hasan answered, I am not angry. The slave proceeded, And
for those who forgive men. I forgive you, said Hasan. The slave, however, finished
the verse, For Allah loveth the beneficent. Since it is so, replied Hasan, I give you
your liberty and four hundred pieces of silver."

History of the Bhang-Eater and his Wife. 203

the watching of this our latter night!" She replied: With

said to the Sultan : 1 had no property save a single bull and

poverty confused my wits. So I resolved to sell Roger 1 and going
to the Bazar stood therein expecting someone to buy it, but none
came to me until the last of the day. At that time I drove it
forth and dragged it off till we reached half-way to my home,
where I came upon a tree and sat down to rest in the cool
shade. Now I had somewhat of Bhang with me, also a trifle of
bread which I brought out and ate, and after I drank a draught
of water from the spring. Presently the Bhang began to wobble
in my brains and behold a bird in the tree-top which men call a
Magpie 2 fell a-cawing, so I said to her, "Thou, O Mother of
Solomon, hast thou a mind to buy the bull ?" and she cawed
again. I continued, "Whatso price ever thou settest upon the
bull, at that will I cede it to thee." Again a croak, and I
" Haply thou hast brought no money ? " Another croak and
cried I, "Say the word and I will leave the bull with thee till
next Friday when thou wilt come and pay me its price." But
she still cawed, and I, whenever she opened beak, O King of the
Age, fancied that she bespake me and wanted the bull. But all
this was of the excess of my Bhang which kept working in my
brains and I mistook the croaking for her conversing. Accordingly
I left with her the bull bound to the tree and turned towards my
village ; and, when I went in to my wife, she asked me anent the

1 The old name of the parish bull in rural England.

2 Arab. "Kawi'k:" see The Nights, vol. vi. 182, where the bird is called
{< Ak'ak." Our diets, do not give the word, but there is a t/ " Kauk " (Kdka, yakuku)
to cluck, and "Kauk" = an aquatic bird with a long neck. I assume "Kawfk" to
be an intensive form of the same root. The "Mother of Solomon" is a fanciful
4< Kunyah," or bye name given to the bird by the Bhang-eater, suggesting his high
opinion of her wisdom.

2O4 Supplemental Nights.

bull and I told her of my selling it to the Mother of Solomon.
" Who may she be ? " asked my rib, and I replied, " She dwelleth
in yonder tree ; " whereat my spouse rejoined, " Allah compensate
thee with welfare." So I awaited patiently the appointed term ;
then, after swallowing somewhat of Bhang, I repaired to the tree
and sat beneath it when, lo and behold ! the pie cawed and I cried
to her, " Hast thou brought the coin ? " A second caw ! Then said
I, " Come hither and bring me the money." A third caw ! Hereat
I waxed wroth and arose and taking up a bittock of brick I threw
it at her as she sat perched upon the tree, whereupon she flew
off and alit upon an ' old man ' * of clay hard by. So it occurred
to my mind, " By Allah, the Mother of Solomon biddeth me follow
her and recover the value of the bull from yonder 'old man/"
Presently I went up to it and digging therein suddenly came upon
a crock 2 full of gold wherefrom I took ten ashrafis, the value of
the bull, and returned it to its place, saying, "Allah ensure thy
weal, O Mother of Solomon." Then I walked back to my village
and went in to my wife and said, " By Allah, verily the Mother
of Solomon is of the righteous ! Lookye, she gave me these ten
golden ducats to the price of our Roger/' Said my wife, "And
who may be the Mother of Solomon ? " and I told her all that had
befallen me especially in the matter of the crock of gold buried
in the ' old man/ But after she heard my words she tarried until

1 Arab.^Natur," prop, a watchman : also a land-mark, a bench-mark of tamped
clay.

2 In text "Bartaman" for " Martaban " = a pot, jar, or barrel-shaped vessel : others
apply the term to fine porcelain which poison cannot affect. See Col. Yule's Glossary,
s. v. Martaban, where the quotation from Ibn Batutah shows that the term was current in
the xivth century. Linschoten (i. lol) writes, "In this town (Martaban of Pegu)
many of the great earthen pots are made, which in India are called Martananas> and
many of them are carried throughout all India of all sorts both small and great: and
some are so great that they will fill two pipes of water." Pyrard (i. 259) applies the
name to " certain handsome jars, of finer shape and larger than I have seen elsewhere "
(Transl. by Albert Gray for the Hakluyt Soc. 1887). Mr. Hill adds that at Male
the larger barrel-shaped jars of earthenware are still called " Mdtaban," and Mr. P.
Brown (Zillah Dictionary, 1852) finds the word preserved upon the Madras coast == a
black jar in which rice is imported from Pegu.

History of the Bhang-Eater and his Wife. 205

sundown ; then, going to the land-mark she dug into it and
carrying off the crock brought it home privily. But I suspected
her of so doing and said to her, " O woman, hast thou taken the
good of the Mother of Solomon (and she of the righteous) after
we have received from her the price of our Roger out of her own
moneys ? And hast thou gone and appropriated her property ?
By Allah, an thou restore it not to its stead even as it was, I will
report to the Waif that my wife hath happened upon treasure-
trove." And so saying I went forth from her. Then she arose
and got ready somewhat of dough for cooking with flesh-meat and,
sending for a fisherman, bade him bring her a few fishes fresh-caught
and all alive, and taking these inside the house she drew sweet
water and sprinkled them therewith, and lastly she placed the
dough and meat outside the house ready for nightfall. Presently
I returned and we supped, I and she ; but 'twas my firm resolve
to report my wife's find to the Chief of Police. We slept together
till midnight when she awoke me saying, " O man, I have dreamed
a dream, and this it is, that the sky hath rained down drink and
meat and that the fishes have entered our house." I replied to
her of my folly and the overmuch Bhang which disported in my
head, " Let us get up and look." So we searched the inside of the
house and we found the fishes, and the outside where we came upon
the doughboy and flesh-meat ; so we fell to picking it up, I and
she, and broiling it and eating thereof till morning. Then said I,
" Do thou go and return the moneys of Solomon's Mother to their

own place." But she would not and flatly refused. And

Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
" How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that
I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer nie
to survive ? Jl Now when it was the next night and that was

206 Supplemental Nights.

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the
watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : - With love
and good will! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Bhang-
eater continued : I said to my wife, " Do thou go and return
the moneys of Solomon's Mother to their own place ; " but she
would not and flatly refused. Then I repeated x my words but
without avail, so I flew into a fury and leaving her ceased not
trudging till I found the Wali and said to him, " O my lord, my
wife Such-an-one hath hit upon a hoard and 'tis now with her." 2
The Chief of Police asked, " O man, hast thou seen it?" and I
answered, " Yes." So he sent a body of his followers to bring her
before him and wlien she came said to her, "O woman, where
is the treasure trove ? " Said she, " O my lord, this report is a
baseless ; " whereupon the Chief of Police bade her be led to jail.
They did his bidding and she abode in the prison a whole day,
after which the Wali summoned her and repeated his words to her
adding, "An thou bring not the hoard I will slay thee and
cast thy corpse into the bogshop 3 of the Hammam." The woman
(my wife) rejoined, " O my lord, I never found aught ; " and
when he persisted threatening her with death she cried, " O my
lord, wherefore oppress me on this wise and charge such load
of sin upon thine own neek ? I never came upon treasure at all,

1 The Arabic here changes person, "he repeated" after Eastern fashion, and confuses
the tale to European readers.

2 Such treasure trove belonging to the State, i.e. the King.

3 Arab. "Hurl" for "Hur " = a pool, marsh, or quagmire, .in fact corresponding
with our vulgar "bogshop." Dr, Steingass would read " Haurf," a " mansiib " of
" Haur " = pond, quagmfre, which, in connection with a Hammam, may = sink,
sewer, etc.

History of the Bhang- Eater and his Wife. 207

at all ! " The Chief of Police retorted, " My first word and my

last are these : Except thou bring the treasure trove I will slay

thee and cast thee into the jakes." Herewith quoth she, " O my
lord, ask my husband where it was I hit upon the hoard and at
what time, by day or by night," and the Wali's men cried, " By
Allah, these her words are just and right, nor is therein aught of
harm/' So he sent to summon me and asked me, " O man, when
did thy wife hit upon the hoard ? " I answered, " O my lord,
she found it on the night when the skies rained drink and food
and fishes." Now when the Wali heard my words he said to
me, " O man, the skies are not wont to shed aught save rainwater ;
and a man in his right wits speaketh not such speech as this."
Said I, "By the life of thy head, O my lord, they did rain
all three of them ; " but the officers cried, " O my lord, verily
this man be Jinn-mad and his wife who telleth plain truth is
wronged by him : the fellow deserveth confining in the Maristan." l
Accordingly the Chief of Police bade the men set the woman
free and let her wend her ways and seize me and throw me
into the madhouse. They did his bidding and I remained there
the first day and the second till the third when my wife said
to herself, " There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in
Allah, the Glorious, the Great ! By the Lord, needs must I go
and relieve my husband from Bedlam and charge him never again
to speak of that treasure trove." So she came to the Maristan
and entering said to me, " Ho, Such-an-one, if any ask of
thee saying : What do the skies rain ? 2 do thou make answer,

1 The Bedlam : see vol. i. 288.

2 Arab. "Tamtar aysh?" (i.e. Ayyu shayyin, see vol. i. 79). I may note that the
vulgar abbreviation is of ancient date. Also the Egyptian dialect has borrowed, from
its ancestor the Coptic, the practice of putting the interrogatory pronoun or adverb after
(not before) the verb, e.g. "Ra'ih fayn ? " = Wending (art thou) whither? It is
regretable that Egyptian scholars do not see the absolute necessity of studying Coptic,
and this default is the sole imperfection of the late Dr. Spitta Bey's admirable Grammar
of Egyptian.

2o8 Supplemental Nights.

They rain water! Furthermore if they inquire ~of thee, Do
they ever rain drink and food and fishes ? reply thou, This is
clean impossible, nor can such thing ever take place ! Then
haply they will say to thee, How many days are in the week ;
^nd do thou say, Seven days and this day be such a day ! Lastly
have a guard on thyself when speaking." I rejoined, " 'Tis
well, and now hie thee forth and buy me half a faddah's worth
of Bhang, for during these days I have not eaten aught thereof."
So she went and bought me somewhat of food and of Hashish : --
And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine,
and enjoyable and delectable 1 " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an
the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next
night and that was

1 Arab. " 'Arsah," akin to " Mu'arris " (masc.) = a pimp, a pander. See vol. i. 3.58 ;
and Supp. vol. i, 206 ; and for its use Pilgrimage, i. 276.

History of the Bhang- Eater and his Wife. '209

thou wottest that the skies did rain flesh and drink and fishes !'
Why then didst thou not tell the truth before the Chief of
Police ? '* Thereupon the Manager of the Madhouse cried to
me, " O fellow, this is the babble of madmen ! " and I, " By
Allah, I ate of them boiled ; and doubtless the same kind of
rain fell in your house." The other exclaimed, " There be nor
4 doubt nor hesitation anent the insanity of one who sayeth such
say ! " Now all this was related by the Bhang-eater to the
Sultan who marvelled and asked him, " What could have made
thee go to the Manager and recount to him such absurdities ? "
But the Bhang-eater resumed, saying, " I dwelt in the Maristan
twenty days until at last having no Bhang to eat I came to
my senses and confessed that the skies shed only rain-water,
that the week containeth seven days and that this day be
such-and-such ; in fact I discoursed like a man in his right mind.
So they discharged me and I went my ways. But when the
Kazi heard this tale he cried out to the Sultan, "O King of
the Age, my story is still more wondrous than this, which is only
a prank played by a wife. My name was originally Abu Kdsim
al-Tamburf 1 and I was appointed Kazi after a neat thing I did,
and if thou, O our lord the Sultan, desire to be told of the
adventures which befel me and of the clever trick wherefor
they made^ me a judge, deign give thy commandment and I
will commence it." Quoth the Sultan, " Recount to us why and
where they entitled thee Kazi," and the judge began to relate

1 i.e. Abu Kdsim the Drummer. The word " Tambur " is probably derived from
" Tabl " = a drum, which became by the common change of liquids " Tabur " in
O. French and "Tabour" in English. Hence the mod. form '* Tambour," which has
been adopted by Turkey, e.g. Tamburji = a drummer. In Egypt, however, "Tambur "
is applied to a manner of mandoline or guitar, mostly used by Greeks and other
foreigners. See Lane, M.E. chap, xviiu

2 1 o Supplemental Nights.

HOW DRUMMER ABU KASIM BECAME A KAZL

There was once, O King of the Age, a merchant and a man
of Bassorah who went about trading with eunuchs and slave-
boys and who bore his goods in bales 1 from Bassorah to Ajam-
land there to sell them and to buy him other merchandise
for vending in Syria. On this wise he tarried a long while until
one year of the years he packed up his property, as was his
wont, and fared forth with it to Persia. But at that time there
fortuned to be a famine and when he arrived at one of the
cities of Ajam-land, where formerly the traders bought his goods,
on this occasion none of them would come near him. In such
case he continued a long while till at last a Khwajah appeared
before him, a man who owned abundant riches in Persia, but
his home was distant three days from the place. The visitor
asked saying, " O Bassorite, wilt thou sell me thy stock-in-trade ? "
whereto the other answered, " And how ? Of course I'll sell
it ! " So the buyer opened the gate of bidding and offered
such-and-such ; but the Bassorah man cried, " Allah openeth."
Then the purchaser added somewhat and the seller rejoined,
"Give me yet more?" At last the buyer exclaimed, "I will
give nothing more than * Anaught ' 2 ; " and the seller accepted
the offer saying, " May Allah grant us gain ! " Thereupon
the Persian Khwajah took over all the goods from the vendor and
next day the twain rroet to settle money-matters. Now I, O
King of the Age, happened to ,be abiding in that city. The
seller received from the buyer payment in full nor did anything
remain ; but after, the Bassorah man said to his customer, ** Thou
still owest me the ' Anaught/ which thou must hand over to me."

* Arab. " Bal" (sing. Balah)= a bale, from the Span. Bala and Italian Balla, a
small parcel made up in the shape of a bale, Lat. Palla.

* Arab. "Walasb," iur. ' Was la shayya" = "And nihil " (nil, non ens, naught).

How Drummer A bu Kasim became a Kazi. 211

The other replied jeeringly, " And the * Anaught ' is a naught ;
to wit, no thing ; " but the Bassorite rejoined. tf Here with that
'Anaught'!" Upon this a violent ruffle befel' between them,
the cause was carried before the King and payment was required
in the Divan, for the Bassorite. still demanded from the pur-
chaser his "Anaught." The Sultan asked, "And what be this
' Anaught ' ? " and the Bassorah man answered, " I wot not,

O King of the Age ; " whereat the Sultan marvelled. And

Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night,
an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next
night and that was

6e Jpour f^untott anlr jffrst Nfgftt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thau
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night!" She {replied: With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
marvelled at the action of this Bassorite and his saying, " Give me
my ' Anaught ! ' " Presently the tidings of that cause reached me,
O King; so I went to the Divan which was thronged with folk and
all present kept saying, " How woulcfit be if this f Anaught ' were
a fraud or a resiliation of the contract ? " Thereupon the Sultan
exclaimed, "Whoso shall settle this case, to him verily will f I be
bountiful. 1 V So I came forward, O Kin of the Age, thinking of
a conceit and kissed ground and said to him, "I will conclude this
cause/' and he rejoined, "An thou determine it and^dispose of it

212 Supplemental Nights.

I will give thee largesse ; but if not, I will strike off thy head." I
rejoined, " To hear is to obey." Then I bade them bring a large
basin which could hold a skinful of water and ordered them fill
it ; after which I called out to the Bassorite, *' Draw near/' and
he drew near. All this and the King looked on and kept his eyes
fixed upon us. Then I cried to the claimant, " Close thy fist I "
and he did accordingly,- and again I commanded him to close it and
to keep it tight closed. He obeyed my bidding and I continued
" Dip thy neave into the basin," and he dipped it. Presently I
asked, " Is thy hand in the water and thy fist closed ? " and he
replied, " It is." Then said I, "Withdraw it," and he withdrew it,
and I cried, <( Open thy neave," and he opened it. Then I asked
what thing hast thou found therein ? " and he answered, " A
naught ; " whereupon I cried to him, " Take thine ' Anaught ' and
wend thy ways." Hereupon the Sultan said to the Bassorite,
" Hast thou taken thine * Anaught, 1 O man ? " and said he " Yes."
Accordingly the King bade him gang his gait. Then the Sultan gifted
me with costly gifts and named me Kazi ; and hence, O King of the
Age, is the cause of the title in the case of one who erst was Abu
Kasim the Drummer." Hereat quoth the Sultan, " Relate to us
what rare accident befel thee in thy proper person." So the judge
began to recount

THE STORY OF THE KAZI AND HIS SLIPPER.

Once upon a 1 time, O King of the Age, I had a slipper which
hardly belonged to its kind nor ever was there seen a bigger. Now
one day of the days I waxed aweary of it and sware to myself that
I would never wear it any more ; so in mine anger I flung it away
and it fortuned to fall upon the flat roof of a Khwdjah's house
where the stucco was weakest. Thence it dropped through,
striking a shelf that held a number of phials full of the purest

i .. S*

Story of the Kazi and his Slipper. 2 1 3

rose-water and the boarding yielded breaking all the bottles and
spilling their contents. The house-folk heard the breakage
ringing and rattling ; so they crowded one after other to discover
what had done the damage and at last they found my papoosh
sprawling amiddlemost the room. Then they made sure that the
shelf had not been broken except by the violence of that slipper,
and they examined it when, behold, the housemaster cried, saying,
" This be the papoosh of Abu Kasim the Drummer/' Hereupon
he took it and carried it to the Governor who summoned me and
set me before him ; then he made me responsible for the phials and
whatso was therein and for the repairing of the terrace-roof and
upraising it again. And lastly he handed to me the slipper which
was exceedingly long and broad and heavy and, being cruel old it
showed upwards of an hundred and thirty patches nor was it
unknown to any of the villagers. So I took it and fared forth and,
being anangered with the article, I resolved to throw it into some
dark hole or out-of-the-way place ; And Shahrazad was sur-
prised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet
and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delect-
able ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to Survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

SHje Jfour f^untoefc anfc Second Nt'gfjt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
deeds of fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that Abu Kasim the
Drummer continued to the Sultan ; I resolved to throw it into

2 1 4 Supplemental Nights.

some dark hole or out-of-the-way-place ; and presently I came to
the watercloset of the Hammam and cast it into the conduit
saying, " Now shall none ever see it again ; nor shall I be troubled
with its foul aspect for the rest of my life." Then I returned
home. and abode there the first day and the second, but about noon
on the third a party of the Governor's men came and seized me
and bore me before him ; and -no sooner did he see me than he
cried out, " Throw him ! " Accordingly they laid me out at
fullest length and gave me an hundred cuts with a scourge 1 which
I bore stoutly and presently said, " O my Sultan, 2 what be the cause
of this fustigation and wherefor do they oppress me ? " Said he,
"O man, the conduit 3 of the jakes attached to the Mosque was
choked by thy slipper and the flow, unable to pass off, brimmed
over, whereby sundry houses belonging to the folk were wrecked. 4
I replied, " O my lord, can a slipper estopp the flowing of a water
that feedeth a Hammam ? " Thereupon the Governor said to me,
" Take it away and if any find it in his place and again bring me
a complaint thereanent, I will cut off thy head." So they haled
me away after tossing my slipper to me, and I repaired to the
Efendi 5 of the town and said to him, " O our lord, I have a com-
plaint against this Papoosh which is not my property nor am I its
owner : prithee do thou write me a deed to such purport between
me and the Slipper and all who pass down this road." The
Efendi replied,. " O man, how shall I write thee a deed between
thee and thy Papoosh, which is a senseless thing ? Nay, take it thy-

1 Arab. "Kurbaj " = cravache: vol. viii. 17. The best are made of hippopotamas-
hide (imported from East Africa), boiled and hammered into a round form and tapering
to the point. Plied by a strong arm they cut like a knout.

8 The text " Ya" Sultdn-am," a Persian or Turkish form for the Arab. "Yd
Sultdn-i."

In text " Kalb" for " Kulbat" = a cave, a cavern.

* The houses were of unbaked brick or cob, which readily melts away in rain and
requires annual repairing at the base of the walls where affected by rain and dew. In
Sind the damp of the earth with its nitrous humour eats away the foundations and soon
Crumbles them to dust.

e Here meaning the under- Governor or head Clerk.

Story of the Kazi and his Slipper. 2 1 5

self and cut it up and cast it into some place avoided of the folk."
Accordingly I seized it and hacked it with a hatchet into four
pieces which I threw down in the four corners of the city, saying
to myself the while, " By Allah, I shall nevermore in my life hear
any further of its adventures ; " and walked away barefoot. But
I had thrown one bit under a bridge that crossed a certain of the
small canals ; and the season was the dries, wherefore it collected
a heap of sand which rose thereupon, and the wind whenever it
blew brought somewhat of dust and raised the pile higher until the
archway was blocked up by a mound. Now when the Nil 1 flooded
and reached that archway the water was dammed up and ceased
running, so the townsfolk said, " What may be the matter ? The
Nile-inundation hath reached the bridge but cannot pass under it.
Come let us inspect the archway." They did so and presently
discovered the obstacle ; to wit, the mound before the arch which
obstructed the waterway ; whereupon a party kilted their clothes
and waded into the channel that they might clear it. But when
they came to the mound-base they found my quarter-slipper, and
they exclaimed with one cry, " This be the Papoosh of Abu
Kasim the Drummer ! " But as soon as the tidings reached me,
I fared away, flying from that town, and while so doing was
met by my comrade, yonder Bhang-eater ; so we agreed that we
would travel together and he companied me till we came to this
city, e'en as thou seest us, O our lord the Sultan." Thereupon
the King said to them, " Do ye twain abide with me amongst my
servants; but I have a condition with you which is that ye be
righteous in your service and that ye be ready to join my stance
every night after supper-tide." Then he cautioned them against
disobedience and quoth he, " Be ye not deluded by becoming my
companions nor say to yourselves, We be the assessors of the

1 "Nil" (= the Nile), in vulgar Egyptian parlance the word is = "high Nile," or
the Nile in flood.

2 1 6 Supplemental Nights.

King ; for that the byword declareth : -- Whenas the King sitteth
beware of his severity, and be not refractory whenever he shall say
to thee * Do.' " They agreed to this condition and each whispered
his mate, " Do thou have a care to act righteously ! " Then they
left the King nor did they see him again till one day of the days
when behold, a Khwajah appeared before the Sultan -- And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dun-
yazad, " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoy-
able and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the
Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night
and that was

jfour ^unUrefc anfc SHjiift

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang-Eater. 217

sighs, so he said to himself, " By Allah, if I meet not this maiden,
although it be only once, I shall die of a broken heart nor shall
any one know of my death." He then took to passing under the
window every day and to gazing upwards and to tarrying there
from morning-tide to set of sun ; but the more he looked the less
he saw of her because Fortune which was fair to him the first time
had now turned foul. So he continued in this condition for a
while, coming every day to look at the lattice and seeing naught.
Presently his case became strait and ill health entered his frame
for love to the merchant's daughter ; and by reason of its excess
he betook himself to his pillow turning and tossing right and left
and crying, " O her eyes ! O her loveliness ! O her stature ! O
her symmetrical grace ! " But as he was repeating these words
behold, an old woman came in to him and, seeing his concern and
chagrin, accosted him and said, " No harm to thee ! " Quoth he,
" Ah, my reverend mother, unless thou come to my aid I perish,"
and quoth she, " What is upon thy mind ? " So he disclosed to
her all he felt of fondness and affection for the Khwajah's daughter
and she rejoined, " Thou wilt never win to thy wish in this matter
except through me." Then she left him and repaired to her own
place, pondering the wiles of women, till she entered her house
and there she donned a woollen robe and hung three rosaries
around her neck, after which she hent a palm-staff in hand and
set out for the merchant's quarters. She ceased not walking till
she reached the place and entered in her garb of a religious
mendicant 1 crying out, " Allah, there is no god but the God !
extolled be Allah ! Allah be with you all ! " When the girl,
whose name was Sitt al-Husn the Lady of Beauty heard these
words she met her, hoping for a blessing, and saying, " O my
mother, pray for me !" and the old woman responded, " The name

1 Arab. " Darwayshah " = a she-Fakfr, which in Europe would be represented by
that prime pest a begging nun.

218 Supplemental Nights.

of Allah be upon thee ! Allah be thy safeguard ! "* Then she
sat down and the damsel came and took seat beside her ; so like-
wise did the girl's mother and both sought a blessing from her and
conversed together till about noon when she arose and made the
Wuzii-ablution and span out her prayers, whilst those present
exclaimed, " By Allah this be a pious woman ! " When her
orisons were ended they served up dinner to her ; but she said,
" I'm fasting ;" whereat they increased in love and belief herwards
and insisted upon her abiding with them until sunset that she
might break her fast within their walls. On such wise she acted
but it was all a fraud. Then they persisted in keeping her for the
night ; so she nighted with them, and when it was morn she arose
and prayed and mumbled words, some intelligible and others not
to be understanded of any, while the household gazed upon her
and, whenever she would move from place, to place, supported her
with their hands under her armpits. At last, when it was mid-
forenoon she fared forth from them albeit their intent was not to
let her depart But early on the next day she came in to them
and all met her with greetings and friendly reception, kissing her
hands and bussing her feet ; so she did as she had done on the
first day and in like guise on the third while they showed her
increased honour and worship. On the fourth day she came to
them, as was her wont, and they prayed her be seated ; however she
refused and said, " I have a daughter whom I am about to marry
and the bridal festivities will be in my house ; but I come to you
at this hour to let you know my desire that Sitt al-Husn may
accompany me and be present at my girl's wedding- feast and thus
she will gain a blessing." Her mother replied, " We dread lest
somewhat befal her," but the ancient woman rejoined, " Fear not
for her as the Hallows 2 are with her !" Thereupon cried the girl,

1 Arab. ** Allah ha6z-ik " = the popular Persian expression, "Khuda Hafiz!"
* Arab. " Salihin " = the Saints, the Holy Ones.

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang- Eater. 219

" There is no help but that I accompany her and be present at
her daughter's wedding ceremony and enjoy the spectacle and take
my pleasure." The mother said, " 'Tis well ;" and the old trot
added, " I will go and return within this moment." So saying,
she went off as one aweary to the house of the Bhang-eatet and
told him what she had done ; then she returned to the maiden
whom she found drest and decorated and looking her best. So she

took the girl and fared forth with her And Shahrazad was

surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and
tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable 1"
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ?"
Now when it was the next night and that was

te Jfour ^untrrefc nn& JpourtJ Nf$t,

22O Supplemental Nights.

purpose love-liesse we will pass the night in this place." Quoth
the'Khang-eater, "By Allah, O my lady, thou speakest sooth but
what' shall we do at such hour as this?" and quoth she, " Hie
thee to the market-street and bring all whereof I spoke." Said
he, " Hearkening and obedience," and said she, tf I will sit down,
I and this my mother in this place, the while thou goest and
comest." He rejoined, " A sensible saying !" and forthright fared
from her intending for the Bazar to bring the requisites ; and he was
right gladsome nor knew what was prepared for him in the hidden
future. Now as soon as he went the damsel arose and without
making aught of noise locked the door closely upon herself and
the old trot : then she wandered about the rooms and presently
came upon a butcher's chopper 1 which she seized. Hereupon
tucking up her sleeves above her elbows, in the firmness of her
heart she drew near the old crone until she was hard by her right
and so clove her skull asunder that she fell weltering in her blood
and her ghost fled her flesh. After this the damsel again went
about the house and all worth the taking she took, leaving whatso
was unworthy, till she had collected a number of fine robes which
the man had brought together after he had become a cup-com-
panion of the Sultan ; and, lastly, she packed the whole in a sheet 5
and went forth therewith. Now the season was morning but The
Veiler veiled her and none met her on the way until she reached
her home and went in to her mother whom she found awaiting her
and saying, " By Allah, to day my girl hath tarried long at the
bridal festivities of the Ascetic's daughter." And behold Sitt al-

1 Arab. " Sharkh" = in diets, the unpolished blade of a hiltless sword.

* In the text " Mildyah," a cotton stuff some 6 feet long, woven in small chequers of
white and indigo-blue with an ending of red at either extremity. Men wrap it round the
body or throw it over the shoulder like our plaid, whose colours I believe are a survival
of the old body-paintings, Pictish and others. The woman's " Milayah " worn only
out of doors may be of silk or cotton : it is made of two pieces which are sewed together
lengthwise and these cover head and body like a hooded cloak. Lane figures it in
M. E. chapt. !. When a woman is too poor to own a " Mildyah " or a " Habarah* ' (a
similar article) she will use a bed-sheet for out-of-doors work.

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang- Eater. 22 1

Husn came in to her carrying a large sheet stuffed with raiment,
and as her mother saw her agitated and in disorder she questioned
her of her case and of what was packed in the bundle. But the
girl, who returned no reply and could not speak one syllable for
the emotion caused by the slaughter of the ancient woman, fell to
the ground in a fit. Her swoon endured from noon until eventide,
her mother sitting at her head the while and sorrowing for her
condition. But about set of sun behold, in came her father who
found his daughter aswoon ; so he questioned his wife who began
by recounting to him what they had noted in the old woman of
prayer and display of devotion and how she had told them, " I
have a daughter whom I am about to marry and the bridal festivi-
ties will be in my house." "And," pursued the mother, "she
invited us to visit her ; so at undurn-tide I sent with her the girl ;
who at noontide came back bringing somewhat wrapped up and
bundled, which be this. But when she entered the house she fell
to the floor in a fainting fit and she is even as thou seest ; nor do
I know what befel her," Then the father rose up and besprinkled
somewhat of water upon her face which revived her and she said,
" Where am I ?" whereto said he, " Thou art with us." And when
she had recovered and returned to her senses, and her condition
was as before the swoon, she told them of the old woman and her
ill designs and of her death and lastly how the clothes had been
brought by herself from the house of the Bhang-eater. As soon as
her sire had heard her words, he set out from his home and sought

the Sultan. And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day

and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad " How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an
the Sovran suffer me to survive ?" Now when it was the next
night and that was

222 Supplemental Nights.

J^our f^untofc an* Jtftf)

DUNYAZAD said to her " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : -- With
love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that whilst the
Sultan was sitting behold, the Khwajah came in and complained
to him of the Bhang-eater, whereupon he ordered a company to go
fetch the accused and they went off and found him not. So they
returned and reported accordingly. Such was the cause of the
Khwajah coming to the King and such was the case with them ;
but as regards the Bhang-eater, when he went off rejoicing to the
Bazar in order to buy whatso the merchant's daughter had asked
him, he brought many a thing wherewith he returned to his lodg-
ing. However as he returned he beheld the old woman slaughtered
and weltering in her blood and he found nothing at all of the
choice articles wherewith his house was fulfilled ; so he fell to
quoting this couplet : ! -

"'Twas as a hive of bees that greatly thrived ; But, when the bee-swarm
fled, 'twas clean unhived.

And when he beheld that condition of things he turned from his
home in haste and without stay or delay left it about the hour of mid-
afternoon and fared forth from the city. There he found a caravan
bound to some bourne or other, so he proceeded therewith hardly
believing in his own safety and he ceased not accompanying the
Cafilah 2 for the space of five days till it made the city the

1 The pun here is " KhaHydt "= bee-hive and empty: See vols. vi., 246; ix. 291.
It will occur again in Supplementary vol. v. Night DCXLVI.

2 i.e. .Caravan, the common Eastern term. In India it was used for a fleet of
merchantmen under convoy : see Col. Yule, Glossary, s. v.

Tale of the Kazi and the 'Bhang-Eater. 223

travellers sought, albeit he was fatigued and footsore from the
stress of hardships and weariness he had endured. So he entered
the place and wandered about until he found a Khan wherein
he hired him a cell by way of nighting-stead and every day he
would go forth to seek service for wages whereby he might make
a livelihood. Now one day of the days a woman met him face
to face on the highway and said to him, " Dost thou do service ? "
and said he, " Indeed I do, O my lady." She continued, " There
is a wall about my place which I desire to level and build another
in lieu thereof for that 'tis old and very old." He replied to her,
" Tis well " and she took him and repaired with him to her house
and showing him the wall in question handed to him a pickaxe
and said, " Break it down as much as thou art able be it for two
or three days, and heap up the stones in one place and the dried
mud in another." He replied, " Hearkening and obedience ; "
after which she brought to him somewhat of food and of water
and he ate and drank and praised Almighty Allah. After this he
rose and began breaking down the wall and he ceased not working
and piling up the stones and the dried mud until it was sunset
time when the woman paid him to his wage ten faddahs and
added a something of food which he took and turned towards his
own cell. As soon as it was the second day he repaired to the
house of the woman who again gave him somewhat to break his
fast and he fell to felling the wall even as he had done on the first
day and he worked till noon ; but when it was midday and all
the household was asleep, lo and behold ! he found in the middle
of the foundation a crock 1 full of gold. So he opened it and con-
sidered its contents whereat he was rejoiced and he went forth
without leisure or loss of time seeking his own cell and when he
reached it he locked himself within for fear le&t any look upon
him. Then he opened the crock and counted therein one hundred

1 Again " Bartaman " for Martaban."

224 Supplemental Nights.

dinars which he pouched in his purse and stowed away in his
breast-pocket. Presently he returned, as he was, to break down the
rest of the wall and whilst he was trudging along the highway
suddenly he sighted a box surrounded by a crowd of whom none
knew what might be its contents and its owner was crying out,
" For an hundred gold pieces ! " Thereupon the Bhang-eater
went forwards saying to himself, " Buy thee yonder box for the
hundred dinars and thy luck be thy lot, for if there be inside of it
aught of wonderful 'tis well, and if otherwise thou shalt stand by
thy bad bargain." So he drew near the broker 1 and said to him,
"This box for how much?" 2 and the other answered, "For an
hundred gold dinars ! " But when he questioned him as to its
contents the man replied, " I know not ; whoso taketh it his luck
be his lot." Thereupon he brought out to him the hundred ducats
and the broker made over to him the box which he charged upon
his shoulders and carried off to his cell. There arrived he bolted
himself in and opened the coffer wherein he found a white slave-
girl which was a model of beauty and loveliness and stature and
perfect grace : but she was like one drunken with wine. So he
shook her but she was not aroused when he said to himself, " What
may be the story of this handmaiden ? " and he was never tired of
looking upon her while she was in that condition and he kept
saying to himself, <; Would Heaven I wot an she be on life or in
death ; withal I see her breath coming and going." Now when it
was about midnight, the handmaiden revived and looking around
and about her, cried, " Where am I ? " and said the Bhang-eater
" Thou, O my lady, art in my home ; " whereby she understood

what had befallen her And Shahrazad was surprised by the

dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet -and tasteful, is thy

1 The " Sahib" =owner, and the " Dallal" = broker, are evidently the same person.
* ' Ate kam " for " kam " (how much ?) peasants' speech.

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang-Eater. 225

tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she,
" And where is this compared with that I wpuld relate to you on
the coining night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now
when it was the next night and that was

f)e jFour f^unlwlr and gbixtj Nfefjt,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the handmaiden
understood what had befallen her at the hands of her enemies.
Now the cause thereof was that the Sultan of that city had bought
him for concubine one Kut al-Kulub 1 , or Heart's-food hight, and she
became to him the liefest of all the women he before had, amongst
whom his wife, the daughter of his uncle, had been preferred:
but all fell into the rank of the common and from the time he
bought the new handmaid he was wholly occupied with her love
and he never went near the other inmates of his Harem, not ever
his cousin. So they were filled with exceeding jealousy against
Heart's-food the new comer. Now one day of the days the Sultan
went forth to hunt and bird and enjoy the occasion and solace
himself in the gardens together with the Lords of his land, and
they rode on till they found themselves amiddlemost of the waste
pursuing their quarry. But when two days had passed, his wife
together with the women which were concubines arose and invited
all the neighbourhood whereamong was Kut al-Kulub, and she

1 She has appeared already twice in The Nights, esp. in The Tale of Ghanim bin
'Ayyub (vol. ii. 45) and in Khalifah the Fisherman of Baghdad (vol. viii. 145). I
must again warn my readers not to confound " Kut" = food with *' Kuwwat"= force,
as in Scott's " Koout al Koolloob " (vi. 146). $ee Terminal Essay p. HO.

VOL. IV. P

226 Supplemental Nights.

spread for them a sumptuous banquet and lavished upon the new
comers all manner of attentions and the wife began to play with
her rival and to disport with her until it was thought that she
loved none in the assembly save Heart's-food ; and on such wise
she continued to cheer her and solace her and gambol with her
and make her laugh until the trays were laid and the meats were
dispread and all the guests came forward and fell to eating and
drinking. Thereupon the King's cousin-wife brought a plate
seasoned with Bhang and set it before the concubine who had no
sooner eaten it and it had settled in her stomach than she trembled
as with sudden palsy and fell to the ground without power of
motion. Then the Queen bade place her in a box and having
locked her therein sent for one who was Shaykh of the Brokers and
committed to him the coffer saying, " Do thou sell it for an hundred
gold pieces whilst it is locked and fast locked and suffer not any
open it, otherwise we will work for the cutting off of thy hands."
He replied, "To hear is to obey ; " and took up the box and went
with it to the market-street where he said to the brokers, " Cry
for sale this coffer at an hundred dinars and if any attempt to
open it, open it not to any by any manner of means." So they
took their station and made auction of it for an hundred gold
pieces, when by the decree of Destiny the Bhang-eater passed
down the street exulting in his hundred dinars which he had
found in the crock while levelling the wall belonging to the
woman. Thereupon he came up and having paid the price
required carried off his coffer saying in his mind, " My luck is my
livelihood." After this he went to his own cell and opened it and
found there the handmaid in condition as though drunken with
wine. Such is the history of that concubine Kut al-Kulub and
she fell not into the hand of the Bhang-eater save by the wile and
guile of the Sultan's cousin-wife. But when she recovered from
her fainting fit and gazed around and understood what had
befallen her she concealed her secret and said to the man, " Verily

Tale of tJie Kazi and the Bhang-Eater. 227

this thy cell becometh us not ;" and, as she had somewhat of gold'
pieces with her and a collar of jewels around her neck worth a'
thousand dinars, she brought out for him some money and sent
him forth to hire for them a house in the middle of the quarter
befitting great folk and when this was done she had herself trans-
ported thither. Then she would give him every day spending-
money to buy whatso she ever required and she would cook the
delicatest dishes fit for the eating of the Kings wherewith she fed
herself and her owner. This continued for twenty days when
suddenly the Sultan returned from his hunting party and as soon
as he entered his palace he asked for Kut al-Kulub - And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad
" How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that
I should relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer
me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

jpour l^untac* anfc

DUNYAZAD said to/ her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : - With
love and goodwill ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that as soon as
the Sultan returned from the chase he asked after Kut al-Kulub
from his exceeding desire to her, and the daughter of his uncle
told him the tidings saying, " By Allah, O King of the Age, three
days after the time thou faredst forth there came upon her malaise
and malady wherein she abode six days and then she deceased
to the mercy of Almighty Allah." He exclaimed, " There is no
Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the,

228 Supplemental Night* *

Great ! Verily we are the Almighty's and unto Him shall we
return." Then befel him the extreme of grief and straitness of
breast and he passed that night in exceeding cark and care for
Kut al-Kulub. And when it was morning he sent after the Wazir
and summoned him between his hands and bade him go forth to
the Tigris-bank and there approve some place whereon he might
build a palace which should command all the roads. The Minister
replied, " Hearkening and obeying ; " and hied to do his lord's
bidding taking with him architects 1 and others, and having found a
piece of level ground he ordered them to measure an hundred ells of
length for the building by a breadth of seventy cubits. Presently
he sent for surveyors and master-masons whom he commanded to
make ready every requisite for the work, of ashlar and . lime and
lead ; also to dig trenches for the base of the walls. Then they
fell to laying the foundations, and the builders and handicraftsmen
began to .pile the stones and prepare the loads while the Wazir
stood by them bidding and forbidding. Now when it was the third
day, the Sultan went forth the Palace to look at the masons and
artizans who were working at the foundations of his new edifice.
And as soon as he had inspected it, it pleased him, so he said to
the Wazir, " Walldhi ! none would befit this palace save and except
Kut al-Kulub, when 'twould have been full of significance ; " and
so saying he wept with sore weeping at the remembrance of her.
Quoth the Wazir to him, "O King of the Age, have patience
when calamity afflicteth thee, even as said one of them with much
meaning, anent long-suffering:

Be patient under weight of wrath and blow of sore calamities : o The Nights
compressed by Time's embrace gravities miras gerunt res.'*

1 In text "Mu'ammarjiyah" (master-masons), a vulgar Egyptianism for "Mu'am-
marin. See "JaVashiyah," vols. ii. 49; via. 330. In the third line below we find
" Muhandizin " = geometricians, architects, for " Muhandisin." [Perhaps a reminiscence
of the Persian origin of the word "Handasah" = geometry, which is derived from
1 Andazah ' ' = measurement, etc. St.]

2 The text ends this line in Arabic.

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang- Eater. 229

Then quoth the Sultan, " 'Tis well, O Wazir, I know that patience
is praiseworthy and fretfulness is blameworthy, for indeed quoth
the poet :

When Time shall turn on thee, have patience for 'tis best of plight : o Ease
shall pursue unease and naught but suffrance makes it light ;

and by Allah, O Wazir, human nature is never free from sad
thought and remembrance. Verily that damsel pleased me and I
delighted in her ; nor can I ever think to find one like her in
beauty and loveliness." Thereupon the Wazir fell to guiding the
Sultan with fair words until his breast was broadened and the two
began to solace themselves by inspecting the masons. After this
the Sultan would go forth every morning for solace to Tigris-bank
and tidings reached the ears of Kut al-Kulub that her lord was
engaged on building a riverine palace, whereupon she said to the
Bhang-eater, " Day by day we expend money upon our condition,
and our outgoing is without incoming, so 'twere but right that
each morning thou fare and work with the workmen who are
edifying a mansior for the Sultan, inasmuch as the folk declare
that he is of temper mild and merciful and haply thou shalt gain
from him profit and provision." " O my lady," he replied, " by
Allah, I have no patience to part with thee or to be far from thee ; "
and he said so because he loved her and she loved him, for that
since the time he had found her locked in the box and had looked
upon her he had never required her of her person and this was
indeed from his remembrance, for he bore in mind but too well
what had befallen him from the Khwajah's daughter. And she on
her side used to say, " 'Tis a wondrous thing that yon Bhang-eater
never asketh me aught nor draweth nigh me seeing that I be a
captive of his right hand." So she said to him, " Assuredly thou
dost love me ? " and said he, " How can it be otherwise when
thou art the blood of my life and the light of mine eyes ? " " O
light of mine eyes," she replied, "take this necklace, and set it in

230 Supplemental Nights.

thy breast-pocket and go work at the Sultan's palace, and as often
as thou shalt think of me, do thou take it out and consider it and
smell it and it shall be as if thou wert to see me." Hearing this
he obeyed her and went forth till he reached the palace where he
found the builders at work and the Sultan and the Wazir sitting in

a Kiosk hard by overseeing the masons and the workmen ; And

!)0 Jfout f^untrrefc an* <($*!) If fg&t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the

watching of this our latter night ! ** She replied : With love

and good will ! It hath re'ached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of -deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the
Bhang-eater joined the masons he saw the Sultan and Wazir over-
seeing them ; and, as soon as the King sighted him, he opened his
breast to him and said, " O man, wilt thou also do work ? " and
said the other, " Yes." So he bade him labour with the builders
and he continued toiling till hard upon noon-tide, at which time
lie remembered his slave-girl and forthright he bowed his head
upon his bosom-pocket and he sniffed thereat. The Wazir saw
liim so doing and asked him, " What is the meaning of thy sniffing
at what is in thy poke ? " and he answered him, " No matter.''
However the Minister espied him a second time occupied in like
guise and quoth he to the Sultan, " Look, O King of the Age, at yon

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang- Eater. 231

labourer who is hiding something in his pocket and smelling
thereat." " Haply," responded the Sovran, " there is in his pouch
something he would look at." However when the Sultan's glance
happened to fall that way he beheld the Bhang-eater sniffing and
smelling at his poke, so he said to the Wazir, " Wallahi ! Verily
this workman's case is a strange." Hereupon both fixed their eyes
upon him and they saw him again hiding somewhat in his pouch
and smelling at it. The Wazir cried, " Verily this fellow is a-fizzling
and he boweth his head toward his breast in order that he may
savour his own farts." ! The Sultan laughed and said, " By Allah,
if he do on this wise 'tis a somewhat curious matter, or perhaps,
O Wazir, he have some cause to account for it ; at any rate do thou
call out to him and ask him." So the Wazir arose and drawing
near to him asked him saying, " Ho, this one ! 2 every time thou
fizzlest thou smellest and sniffest at thy fizzlings;" whereto
answered the workman, " Wag not thy tongue with these words
seeing thou art in the presence of a King glorious of degree."
Quoth the Minister, "What 'is the matter with thee in this case
that thou art sniffing at thy pocket ? " and quoth the labourer,
" Verily my beloved is in my pouch/' The Wazir wondered
hereat and reported the same to the Sultan who cried, " Return to
him and say : Is it possible that thou display to us thy beloved
who is in thy breast-pocket?" So he returned to him and said,
" Show us what there is in thy pouch." Now the origin of this

1 Alluding to the curious phenomenon pithily expressed in the Latin proverb, " Suus
cuique crepitus bene olet," I know of no exception to the rule, except amongst travel-
lers in Tibet, where the wild onion, the only procurable green-stuff, produces an odour
so rank and fetid that men run away from their own crepitations. The subject is not
savoury, yet it has been copiously illustrated : I once dined at a London house whose
nameless owner, a noted bibliophile, especially of "facetiae," had placed upon the
drawing-room table a dozen books treating of the "Crepitus vehtris." When the
guests came up and drew near the table, and opened the volumes, their faces were a
study. For the Arab. " Faswah " = a silent break" wind, see vol. ix. n and 291. It
is opposed to " Zirt" = a loud fart and the vulgar term , see vol ii. 88.

2 Arab. " Ya Haza," see vol. i. 290.

232 Supplemental Nights.

necklace was that the King had bought it for Kut al-Kulub at the
price of a thousand dinars and the damsel had given it to the
Bhang-eater with the sole object that the Sultan might look upon
it and thereby be directed unto her and might learn the reason of
her disappearance and her severance from him. Hereupon the
man brought out to them the necklace from his breast-pocket and
the Sultan on seeing it at once recognized it and wondered how it
had fallen into the hands of that workman ; accordingly he asked
who was its owner and the other answered, " It belongeth to the
"handmaid whom I bought with an hundred dinars." Quoth the
Sultan to him, " Is it possible 1 thou invite us to thy quarters that
we may look upon this damsel ;" and quoth the other, " Would
you look upon my slave-girl and not be ashamed of yourselves ?
However I will consult her, and if she be satisfied therewith we
will invite you." They said to him, " This be a rede that is right
and an affair which no blame can excite." When the day had
reached its term the masons and workmen were dismissed after
they had taken their wage ; but as for the Bhang-eater the Sultan
gave him two gold pieces and set him free about sunset tide ; so
he fared to his handmaid and informed her of what had befallen
him from the King, adding, " He hath indeed looked upon the
necklace and hath asked me to invite him hither as well as the
Wazir." Quoth she, " No harm in that ; but to-morrow (Inshal-
lah !) do thou bring all we require for a state occasion of meats
and drinks, and let me have them here by noon-tide, so they may
eat the early meal. But when he shall ask to buy me of thee
compose thy mind and say thou, No, when he will reply to thee :
Give me this damsel in free gift. Hereat do thou say : She is
a present from me to thee ; because indeed I am his slave and
bought with his money for one thousand and five hundred dinars ;

1 In text " Yumkinshayy," written in a single word, a favourite expression, Fellah-
like withal, throughout this MS.

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang-Eater. 233

and thou hadst never become my lord save through my foes who
devised a device against me and who sold me when thou boughtest
me. However the hour of thy prosperity hath now come." And
when morning morrowed she gave him five gold pieces and said to
him, " Bring for me things that be such and such," and said he,
" Hearing and obedience." So he went to the market-street where
he purchased all the supplies wherewith she had charged him and
returned to her forthright. Hereupon she arose and tucking up
her sleeves prepared meats that befitted the King and likewise
she got ready comfits and the daintiest of dainties and sherbets
and she tempered the pastilles and she besprinkled the room with
rosewater and looked to the furniture of the place. About midday
she sent to the Sultan and the Wazir with notice that she was
ready ; so the Bhang-eater repaired to the Palace and having gone
in to the presence said, " Have the kindness ! " J The twain arose
without more ado and hied with him privily till they reached his
house and entered therein. -- And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet is thy story,
O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she
<c And where is this compared with that I should relate to you on
the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now
when it was the next night and that was

jfour ^un&refc anfc

1 In text " Tafarzalu ;" see vol. ii. 103.

2 3 4 Supplemental Nights.

of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan and
the Wazir entered the place wherein were the Bhang-eater and the
damsel, and took their seats. Now the meats were ready and
they served up to them the trays and the dishes, when they fell to
and were cheered by the sumptuous viands until they had eaten
after the measure of their sufficiency. And when their hands were
washed, the confections and sherbet and coffee were set before
them, so they ate and were satisfied and gladdened and made
merry. After this quoth the Sultan to the Bhang-eater, " Where
is the damsel ? " and quoth the man, " She is here," whereat he
was commanded to bring her. Accordingly he went off and led
her in and as soon as the King sighted her he recognised her and
ordered her owner to make her over to him and said when he did
so, " O man, wilt thou sell to me this damsel ? " But the other
kissed ground before him and replied, " O King of the age, she is
from me a free gift to thee ; " and quoth the Sultan, " She is
accepted from thee, O Shaykh, and do thou come and bring her
thyself to the Palace about sundown-time." He replied, " To hear
is to obey." And at the hour named he took the damsel and
ceased not faring with her till he brought her to the Serai, 1 where
the Eunuchry met her and took her and carried her in to the Sultan.
But as soon as she entered she nestled in his bosom and he threw
his arms round her neck and kissed her of his excessive desire to
her. Then he asked her saying, " This man who purchased thee,
hath he any time approached thee ? " whereto she . answered,
" By Allah, O King, from the time he bought me in the box which
he opened and found me alive therein until this present never hath
he looked upon my face, and as often as I addressed him he would

1 The word (Saray) is Pers. but naturalised throughout Egypt and Syria ; in places
like Damascus where there i s no King it is applied to the official head-quarters of. the
Waif (provincial governor), and contains the prison like the Maroccan " Kasbah." It
must not be confounded with " Serraglio " = the Harem, Gynecium or women's rooms,
which appears to be a bastard neo- Latin word " Serrare," through the French Serrer.
I therefore always write it with the double " canine letter."

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang-Eater. 235

bow his brow earthwards." Quoth the Sultan, " By Allah, this
wight deserveth an aidance for that he paid down for thee an
hundred dinars and he hath presented thee in free gift to me."
Now when morrowed the morning the King sent after the Bhang-
eater and summoned him between his hands and bestowed upon
him one thousand five hundred dinars with a suit of royal raiment,
after which he presented to him, by way of honourable robe, 1 a
white slave girl. He also set apart for him an apartment and made
him one of his boon companions. So look thou, O hearer, 2 how
it happened to this Bhang-eater from the Khwajah's daughter and
his love herwards ; how he failed to win her and how he gained of
blows whatso he gained ; and after what prosperity befel him from
the part of Kut Al-Kulub. And ever afterwards when the Sultan
would ride out for disport or for the hunt and chase he would take
the man with him. Presently of the perfection of his prosperity
this Bhang-eater fully mastered the affairs of the kingdom, both
its income and its outgo, and his knowledge embraced all the
regions and cities which were under the rule of his lord. Further-
more, whenever he would counsel the King, his advice was found
to be in place and he was consulted upon all State affairs,, and
whenever he heard of any business he understood its inner as well
as its outer meaning until the Sultan and the Wazir both sought
rede of him, and he would point out to them the right and un-
right, and that which entaileth trouble and no trouble, when they
could fend it off and overthrow it or by word or by deed of hand.
Now one day of the many days the King was in a certain of his
gardens a-solacing himself with the sights when his heart and
stomach became full of pain and he fell ill and his illness grew
upon him, nor did he last four days ere he departed to the mercy
of Allah Almighty. As he had no issue, either son or daughter,

1 I have noted (vol. i. 95) that the " Khil'ah" = robe of honour, consists of many
articles, such as a horse, a gold-hilted sword, a fine turban, etc., etc.

2 This again shows the " Nakkal " or coffee-house tale-teller. See vol. x. 163.

236 Supplemental Nights.

the country remained without a King for three days, when the
Lords of the land forgathered and agreed upon a decision, all and
some, that they would have no King or Sultan save the Wazir and
that the man the Bhang-eater should be made Chief Councillor.
So they agreed upon this matter and their words went forth to the
Minister who at once took office. After this he gave general
satisfaction and lavished alms on the mean and miserable, also on
the widows and orphans, when his fame was bruited abroad and it
dispread far and wide till men entitled him the "Just Wazir " and

in such case he governed for a while of time. And Shahrazad

was surprised by dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and
tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! "
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? M
Now when it was the next night and that was

5e JFour pjunUrrtf an& STentfc Nfg&t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish fof us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Wazir
governed for a while of time with all justice of rule so that the
caravans spread abroad the name and fame of him throughout every
city and all the countries. Presently there befel him an affair
between two women which were sister-wives to one man. 1 Now

1 This is the Moslem version of "Solomon's Judgment (i Kings iii. i6-2o) k The
Hebrew legend is more detailed but I prefer its rival for sundry reasons. Here the
women are not '* harlots " but the co-wives of one man and therefore hostile ; moreover
poetical justice is done to the constructive murderess.

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang- Eater. 237

these had conceived by him in the same month and when the time
of their pregnancy had passed, the twain were delivered in the
same place at the same hour and the midwife was one and the
same. One brought forth a babe but it was a daughter which
incontinently died and the other a man-child who lived. The
women quarrelled and fought about the boy-babe and both of them
said, " This is my child ; " and there befel between them exceeding
contention and excessive hostility. So they carried their cause
before the divines and the Olema and the head men of the place,
yet did none of them know how to decide between th6 twain and
not a few of the folk said, " Let each woman take the child to her
for a month," whilst others declared that they might keep it
between them at all times, whilst of the women one said, " 'Tis
well : this be my boy ! " and the other declared " 'Tis well, this be
my son ! " nor could any point out to which of the women the boy
belonged. So the town's people were gathered together and said,
"None can determine this dispute except the Just Wazir;" and
they agreed upon this, so that the husband of the two women and
sundry of his associates arose and took the twain of them and
travelled with them to hear the Minister's judgment. Also the
Olema and the great men of the place declared " By Allah, we also
needs must travel with the party and produce the two women and
be present at the Just Wazir's judgment/' So they all assembled
and followed after the two adversaries, nor did they cease travelling
until they entered the city where the Minister abode. There they
delayed for rest during one day and on the second they all joined
one another and went in to the Wazir and recounted to him the case
of the two women. Hearing this he bowed his brow groundwards
and presently raising it he cried, " Bring me two eggs and void
them of their contents and see that .the shells be clean empty."
Then he commanded that each of the women drain somewhat of
milk from her nipple into the egg-shell till she had filled it. They
did accordingly and set before him the egg-shells brimful when he

238 Supplemental Nights.

said, " Bring me a pair of scales." * After this he placed both eggs
in the balance-pan and raising it aloft from its rounded stead per-
ceived that one was weighty and the other was light. Quoth he,
" The milk of the woman in this egg is the heavier and she is the
mother of the boy-babe whereas the other bare the girl-child and
we know not an it be alive or dead.",, Hereat the true mother of
the boy held her peace but the other wailed aloud and said, " 'Tis
well : still this be my babe ! " Thereupon quoth the Wazir, " I am
about to take the boy and hew him in halves whereof I will give
one to each of you twain." But the true mother arose and cried
out, " No ! O my lord, do not on this wise : I will forfeit my claim
for Allah's sake ; " while the other one exclaimed, " All this is right
good [ " Now all the folk of the city who were then standing by
heard these words and looked on ; but when this order was pro-
nounced and the woman was satisfied and declared, rt I will take
half the boy," the Wazir gave orders forthright that they seize her
and hang her ; so they hanged her and he gave the babe to the right
mother. Then said they to him, " O our lord, how was it proved
to thee that the boy was the child of this one ? " and he said, " It
became evident to me from two sides ; in the first place because
her milk was the heavier, so that I knew that the boy was her boy,

and secondly when I commanded : Let us cut the boy in half, the

real mother consented not to this and the matter was hard upon her
because the child was a slice of her liver, and she said to herself:
His life is better than his death, even though my sister-wife take
him, at any rate I shall be able to look upon him. But the second
woman designed only to gratify her spite whether the boy died or
not and to harm her sister-wife ; so when I saw that she was
contented to have the babe killed, I knew that it was right to do
her die." Then all who were present of the Lords of the land and

1 I am not aware that the specific gravity of the milks has ever been determined by
modem science.; and perhaps the experiment is worthy a triaL

Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang-Eater* 239

the Olema and divines and notables wondered at the judgment and
exclaimed, " By Allah, well done, 1 O Wazir of the realm/' Now this
history of the Minister's perspicacity and penetration was spread
abroad and all folk went from his presence and everyone who
had wives that had borne girls took somewhat of milk from the
women and went to each and every of those who had borne boys and
took from them milk in the same quantity as the Wazir had taken, and
weighed it in the scales, when they found that the mothers of males
produced milk that was not equal to, nay it weighed two-fold that
of those who bare girls. Hereupon they said, " It is not right that
we call this Minister only the Just Wazir ; " and all were agreed
that he should be titled " The Wazir-wise-in-Allah-Almighty ; " 2
and the reason whereof was the judgment which he passed in the
cause between the two women. Now after this it befel him to

deliver a decision more wondrous than the former. And Shah-

razad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, " How
sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! "
Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that I should relate
to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? "
Now when it was the next night and that was

fo ;{Four PJtmbrtfj an& 15Ubeatf) Nij$t,

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short

the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : With

love and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting

1 Arab. " Duna-k." See vol. iv. p. 20.

2 " Al-Wazfru'l-'Arif bMldhiTa'ala," a title intended to mimic those of the Abbaside
Caliphs ; such as ' Mu'tasim bi'llah " (servant of Allah), the first of the long line whose
names begin with an epithet (the Truster, the Implorer, etc.), and end with " bi'llah.'\

240 Supplemental Nights.

and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that to the
Wazir-wise-in-Almighty-Allah there befel between his hands a
strange matter which was as follows. As he was sitting one
day of the days there came in to him unexpectedly two men, of
whom one led a cow and a little colt whilst the second had with
him a mare and a little calf. Now the first who came forward
was the owner of the mare and quoth he, " O my lord, I have a
claim upon this man." Quoth the Minister, " What be thy claim ?"
And the plaintiff continued, " I was going a-morn to the meadow
for pasture and with me was my mare followed by her young one,
her little colt, when yonder man met me upon the road and the
colt began to play and to throw up gravel with its hoofs as is the
wont of horse-flesh and draw near to the cow. Hereupon this
man came up and seized it and said, " This colt is the offspring of
my cow," and so saying he took it away and he gave me his calf,
crying, " Take this which be the issue of thy mare." So the
Wazir turning to the master of the cow asked, " O man, what
sayest thou concerning what thy comrade hath spoken ? " and the
other answered, " O my lord, in very deed this colt is the produce
of my cow and I brought it up by hand." Quoth the Wazir, " Is
it right that black cattle should bring forth horses and that horses
should bear cows ? indeed the intelligence of an intelligent man
may not compass this ; " and quoth the other, " O my lord, Allah
createth whatso He willeth and maketh kine to produce horses and
horses to produce kine." Hereupon the Minister said to him, " O
Shaykh, when thou seest a thing before thee and lookest thereon
canst thou speak of it in the way of truth ? " And the other
assented. Then the Wazir continued addressing the two men,
" Wend your ways at this time and on the morrow be present here
at early morn and let it be at a vacant hour." Accordingly they
forthright went forth, and the next day early the two men came
to the divan of the Wazir who set before them a she-rnouse he had
provided and called for a sack which he filled with^ earth. And

Story of the Khazi and the Bhang-Eater. 24!

as the men stood between his hands he said, " Wait ye patiently
without speaking a word ; " so they held their peace and presently
he bade them set the sack and the mouse before him and he ordered
the men to load the sack upon the mouse. Both cried, " our
lord, 'tis impossible that a mouse can carry a sack full of earth,"
when he answered, " How then can a cow bear a colt ? and when a
mouse shall be able to bear a sack then shall a cow bear a colt/ 1
All this and the Sultan was looking out at the latticed window
listening and gazing. Hereupon the Wazir gave an order that
the master of the mare take her colt and the master of the cow
carry off her calf; after which he bade them go about their
business. - And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day
and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, " How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive ? " Now when it was the
next night and that was

jpour f^untofc an&

242 Supplemental Nights.

he hath all kind of rare tales ,and strange anecdotes and wondrous
histories and marvellous adventures." Said the Sultan, " There is
no help but that thou summon him to us hither and let us hear
from him somewhat." So the Wazir sent after the Persian and
when the man stood in the presence 'said to him, "Verily the
Sultan hath summoned thee." He replied, " Hearing and
obeying," when he was taken and set before the Sovran and as he
entered he saluted him with the salams of the Caliphs and blessed
him and prayed for him. 1 The King returned his greeting and
after seating him said to him, " O Mahamud, at this moment my
breast is indeed straitened and I have heard of thee that thou hast
a store of rare stories which I would that thou cause me hear 2 and
let it be somewhat sweet of speech which shall banish my cark
and my care and the straitness of my breast." Hereto the other
replied, " Hearing and obeying ; " and began to relate the

TALE OF MAHMUD THE PERSIAN AND THE KURD

SHARPER?

The Sultan was delighted with the 'Aj ami's relation and largessed
him two thousand pieces of gold ; after which he returned to his
palace and took seat upon his Divan when suddenly a poor man
appeared before him carrying a load of fruit and greens and
greeted him and prayed for him and expressed a blessing which
the Sultan returned and bade him fair welcome. After which he
asked, <( What hast thou with thee, O Shaykh ? " and the other
answered, " O King of the Age, I have an offering to thee of fresh

1 [Tarajjama, which is too frequently used in this MS. to be merely considered as a
clerical error, I suppose to mean: he pronounced for him the formula: "A'uzzubi

llahi mina 'l-Shaytani '\-Rajimi = I take refuge with Allah against Satan tha Stoned.
See Koran xvi. 100. It would be thus equivalent with the usual ta'awwaza. ST.]

2 The MS. here ends Night cdxii. and begins the next. Up to this point I have
followed the numeration but from this forwards as the Nights become unconscionably
short compared with the intervening dialogues, I have thrown two and sometimes three
into one. The Arabic numbers are, however, preserved for easier reference.

3 This is a poor and scamped version of " Ali the Persian and the Kurd Sharper/' in
vol. iv. 149. It is therefore omitted,

Makmud the Persian and the Kurd Sharper. 243

greens and firstfruits ; " and the King rejoined, " It is accepted. 11
Thereupon the man placed them between his royal hands and
stood up, and the King having removed the cover 1 found under it
a portion of ordinary cucumbers and sundry curling cucumbers
and bundles of rose-mallows 2 which had been placed before him.
So he took thereof some little matter and ate it and was much
pleased and bade the Eunuchry bear the rest into the Harem.
They carried out his commands and the women also were delighted
and having eaten somewhat they distributed the remainder to the
slave-girls. Then said they, " By Allah, this man, the fruit-owner,
deserveth Bakhshish ; " s so they sent to him by the Eunuch one
hundred gold pieces whereto the Sultan added twain, so the whole
of his gain was three hundred dinars. But the Sultan was much
pleased with the man and a part of the care which he felt was
lightened to him, whereupon asked he, " O Shaykh, knowest thou
aught of boon-companionship with the Kings ? " to which the
other answered, " Yes ; " for he was trim of tongue and ready of
reply and sweet of speech. Presently the Sultan continued, " O
Shaykh, for this present go back to thy village and give to thy wife
and family that which Allah hath made thy lot." Accordingly
the man went forth and did as the King bade him ; after which he
returned in a short time and went into the presence about set of
sun when he found his liege lord at supper. The King bade him
sit to the trays which he did and he ate after the measure of his
sufficiency, and again when the Sultan looked upon him he was
pleased with him. And when the hour of night-prayers came all

1 The dish-cover, usually made of neatly plaited straw variously coloured, is always
used, not only for cleanliness but to prevent the Evil Eye falling upon and infecting
the food.

2 The " Bamiyah," which = the Gumbo, Occra (Okrd) or Bhendi of Brit Indi* Which
names the celebrated bazar of Bombay, is the esculent hibiscus, the polygonal pod (some-
three inches long and thick as a man's finger) full of seeds and mucilage making it an
excellent material for soups and stews. It is a favourite dish in Egypt and usually eaten
with a squeeze of lime-juice. See Lane, Mod. Egypt, chapt. v., and Herklots (App.
p. xlii.) who notices the curry of " Bandaki " or Hibiscus esculentus.

3 Written "Bakshish" for "Bakhshish/ 1 after Fellah-fashion.

244 Supplemental Nights.

prayed together f then the King invited him to sit down as a cup-
companion and commanded him to relate one of his tales. - And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
" How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable ! " Quoth she, " And where is this compared with that
I should relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer
me to survive ? " Now when it was the next night and that was

DUNYAZAD said to her, " Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou
be other then sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night ! " She replied : -- With love
and good will ! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and
of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the man took
seat as a boon-companion of the King, and began to relate

THE TALE OF THE SULTAN AND HIS SONS AND THE
ENCHANTING BIRD*

It is told anent a man, one of the Kings of Orient-land, that he
had three sons, of whom the eldest one day of the days heard
the folk saying, "In such a place there is a bird hight the

; * [In the MS. : Wa'1-Sultanu karaa Wirduh (Wirda-hu) wa jalasa li '1-Munadamah =
And the Sovran recited his appointed portion of the Koran, and then sat down to con-
vivial converse. This reminds of the various passages of the present Shah of Persia's
Diary, in which he mentions the performance of his evening devotions, before setting
out for some social gathering, say a supper in the Guildhall, which he neatly explains
as a dinner after midnight (Sham ba'd az nisf-i-shab). ST.]

2 This is Scott's "Story of the Three Princes and Enchanting Bird," vol. vi. 160.
On the margin of the W. M. MS. he has written '* Story of the King and his Three Sons
and the Enchanting Bird*' (vol. i., Night cdxvii)- Gauttier, vi. 292, names it Histoire
des Trois Pr