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The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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It is related (but Allah is All-knowing of hidden things and All-wise!) that in the days of a King called Dahmar[FN#151] there was a barber who had in his booth a boy for apprentice and one day of the days there came in a Darwaysh man who took seat and turning to the lad saw that he was a model of beauty and loveliness and stature and symmetric grace. So he asked him for a mirror and when it was brought he took it and considered his face therein and combed his beard, after which he put hand in pouch and pulling out an Ashrafi of gold set it upon the looking-glass which he gave back to the boy.[FN#152] Hereupon the barber turned towards the beggar and wondered in himself and said, “Praise be to Allah, albeit this man be a Fakir yet he placeth a golden piece upon the mirror, and surely this is a marvellous matter.” Hereupon the Darwaysh went his ways, and on the following day he suddenly made his appearance and entering the booth called for a looking-glass from the barber’s prentice and when it was handed to him combed his beard after he had looked at his features therein; then, bringing forth an Ashrafi, he set it upon the mirror and gave it back to the boy; and the barber marvelled yet the more to see the Fakir rising up and wending his ways.[FN#153] The beggar ceased not coming every day and gazing at himself in the glass and laying down his ducat, whereat the barber said to himself, “By Allah, indeed this Darwaysh must have some object of his own and haply he is in love with the lad my prentice and I fear from the beggar lest he seduce the boy and take him away from me.” Hereat he cried, “O boy, when the Darwaysh shall come to thee draw thou not anear him; and when he demandeth the looking-glass give it not to him; for I myself will do so.” On the third day behold, the Fakir appeared according to his custom and asked for the mirror from the boy who wittingly disregarded him, whereupon he turned towards him and waxed wroth[FN#154] and was like to slay him. The apprentice was terrified at his rage and gave him the looking-glass whilst he was still an-angered; but when the man had reviewed himself therein and had combed his beard and had finished his need, he brought out ten dinars of gold and setting them upon the mirror handed them to the lad. Seeing this the barber wondered anew with extreme wonderment, saying to himself, “By Allah, this Darwaysh cometh daily and layeth down an Ashrafi, but this day he hath given ten gold pieces; withal there accrueth not to me from my shop even half a piastre of daily wage. However, O Boy, when the man shall come hither, as is his wont, do thou spread for him a prayer-rug in the inner room of the shop, lest the people seeing his constant visits should have ill suspicions of us.” “Yes!” said the lad. So when it was the next day the Fakir came and went into the ben whither he was shown by the boy, and
The Six Hundred and Fifty-third Night,
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 sent one of his Chamberlains to the boy, the apprentice of the barber, whom they sought for and brought into the presence and placed between the royal hands; and he on entering kissed ground and deprecated and prayed for his liege lord with prayers fit for the Caliphs. The Sovran returned his salam and questioned him concerning the Darwaysh who had been with him and he replied, “O King of the Realm, he charged me saying that he was faring for and would be found in such a city.” Hereupon the Sultan commanded the lad go forth and bring him, and was answered, “Hearkening and obedience;” so he appointed for him an especial ship and gifted him with various presents and the boy set sail and voyaged for a short while till he reached the port-town in question. Here he landed and made for the city-gate and as he entered it behold, he came face to face with the Darwaysh who was sitting upon a raised bench, and when he beheld him he salam’d to him and told him what had taken place. The Fakir at once arose, and without resisting the lad, went down to the ship and they shook out the sails and the two voyaged together until they reached the city of the Sultan. Here the twain went in to him and kissed ground between his hands and salam’d to him and their greeting was answered. Now as to the lad, the King largessed him largely and raised his degree to Governor and despatched him to one of his provinces therein to rule;[FN#158] but as for the Darwaysh, he remained beside King Dahmar the first day and the second until the seventh; after which quoth the Sovran, “’Tis my desire that thou teach me the art and mystery of making gold;” whereto the other replied, “Hearing and obeying, O our lord the Sultan.” Presently the Darwaysh arose; and, bringing a brazier,[FN#159] ranged thereupon the implements of his industry and lighted a fire thereunder; then, fetching a portion of lead and a modicum of tin and a quant. suff. of copper, the whole
The Six Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,
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 sent after the Darwaysh and bade him be brought into the presence and set between his hands, when he said to him, “O Darwaysh, do thou know ’tis mine aim and intention to slay thee: say me then, hast thou any charge thou wouldst send to thy family?” Quoth the Religious, “Wherefore shouldst thou kill me, O our lord, and what of ill deeds hath proceeded from me that thou shouldst destroy me therefor, and do thou make me aware of my sin, and then if I merit death kill me or decree to me banishment.”
Tale of the Simpleton Husband.[FN#167]
It is related that there was a Badawi man who had a wife and he dwelt under a tent of hair[FN#168] in the desert where, as is the fashion of Arabs, he used to shift from site to site for the purpose of pasturing his camels. Now the woman was of exceeding beauty and comeliness and perfection, and she had a friend (also a Badawi man) who at all times would come to her and have his wicked will of her, after which he would wend his ways. But one day of the days her lover visited her and said, “Wallahi, ’tis not possible but that what time we sleep together, I and thou, we make merry with thy husband looking on.”—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
The Six Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night,
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 man which was the friend of the Badawi’s wife said to her, “Wallahi, ’tis not possible but that when we make merry, I and thou, thy husband shall look upon us.” Quoth she, “Why should we suffer at such time of our enjoyment either my husband or any wight to be present?” and quoth he, “This must needs be, and unless thou consent I will take to me a mistress other than thyself.” Then said she, “How shall we enjoy ourselves with my husband looking on? This is a matter which may not be managed.” Hereupon the woman sat down and took thought of her affair and how she should do for an hour or so, and presently she arose and dug her amiddlemost the tent a hole[FN#169] which would contain a man, wherein she concealed her lover. Now, hard by the tent was a tall sycamore tree,[FN#170] and as the noodle her husband was returning from the wild the woman said to him, “Ho thou, Such-an-one! climb up this tree and bring me therefrom a somewhat of figs that we may eat them.” Said he, “’Tis well;” and arising he swarmed up the tree-trunk, when she signed to her lover who came out and mounted and fell to riding upon her. But her mate considered her and cried aloud, “What is this, O whore: doth a man cavalcade thee before me and the while I am looking at thee?” Then he came down from the tree in haste, but he saw no one, for as soon as the lover had finished his business the good-wife thrust him into the hole amiddlemost the tent and covered him with a mat. When the husband went inside to the booth and met his wife
Scott refers to a tale in the “Bahar-Danush” (Bahar-i-Danish); or, “Garden of Knowledge,” translated by himself, story viii. lesson 4; chapter xii. vol. iii. pp. 64-68. Cadell & Co., Strand, London, 1799. Five women come from a town to draw water at a well; and, finding there a young Brahmin, become his teachers and undertake to instruct him in the “Tirrea” or fifth “Veda”—there being only four of these Hindu Scriptures. Each lesson consists of an adventure showing how to cornute a husband, and the fourth runs as follows. I leave them in Scott’s language:—
The fourth lady through dread of the arrow of whose cunning the warrior of the fifth heaven[FN#173] trembled in the sky, like the reed, having bestowed her attention on the pilgrim bramin (Brahman), despatched him to an orchard; and having gone home, said to her husband, “I have heard that in the orchard of a certain husbandman there is a date tree, the fruit of which is of remarkably fine flavour; but what is yet stranger, whoever ascends it, sees many wonderful objects. If to-day, going to visit this orchard, we gather dates from this tree, and also see the wonders of it, it will not be unproductive of amusement.” In short, she so worked upon her husband with flattering speeches and caresses, that nolens volens he went to the orchard, and at the instigation of his wife, ascended the tree. At this instant she beckoned to the bramin, who was previously seated, expectantly, in a corner of the garden.
The husband, from the top of the tree, beholding what was not fit to be seen, exclaimed in extreme rage, “Ah! thou shameless Russian-born[FN#174] wretch, what abominable action is this?” The wife making not the least answer, the flames of anger seized the mind of the man, and he began to descend from the tree; when the bramin with activity and speed having hurried over the fourth section of the Tirrea Bede,[FN#175] went his way.
Verse.
The road to repose is that of activity and quickness.
The wife during her husband’s descent from the tree having arranged her plan, said, “Surely, man, frenzy must have deprived thy brain of the fumes of sense, that having foolishly set up such a cry, and not reflecting upon thine own disgrace (for here, excepting thyself, what male is present?), thou wouldst fix upon me the charge of infidelity?” The husband, when he saw no person near, was astonished, and said to himself, “Certainly, this vision must have been miraculous.”
The completely artful wife, from the hesitation of her husband, guessed the cause, and impudently began to abuse him. Then instantly tying her vest round her waist she ascended the tree. When she had reached the topmost branch, she suddenly cried out, “O thou shameless man, what abominable action is this! If thy evil star hath led thee from the path of virtue, surely thou mightest have in secret ventured upon it. Doubtless to pull down the curtain of modesty from thy eyes, and with such impudence to commit such a wicked deed, is the very extreme of debauchery.”
The husband replied, “Woman, do not ridiculously cry out, but be silent; for such is the property of this tree, that whoever ascends it, sees man or woman below in such situations.” The cunning wife now came down, and said to her husband, “What a charming garden and amusing spot is this! where one can gather fruit, and at the same time behold the wonders of the world.” The husband replied, “Destruction seize the wonders which falsely accuse man of abomination!” In short the devilish wife, notwithstanding the impudence of such an action, escaped safely to her house, and the next day, according to custom, attending at the well, introduced the bramin to the ladies, and informed them of her worthy contrivance.[FN#176]
The loves of al-hayfa and Yusuf.[FN#177]
I had a familiar in the Northern region who was called ’Adb al-Jawad and he was one of the greatest of merchants there and made of money; also he loved voyage and travel, and at whatever time I visited him and we forgathered, I and he, we exchanged citations of poetry. Now one day my heart yearned to visit him, so I repaired to his place and found him there; and as we came together we both sat down in friendly converse, I and he; and he said to me “O my brother, do thou hear what happened and was accomplished for me in these times. I travelled to the land of Al-Yaman and therein met a familiar who, when we sat down to talk, I and he, said, ’O my brother, verily there befel me and betided me in the land of Al-Hind a case that was strange and an adventure that was admirable and it ran as follows. There was erewhile a King of the kings of India and one of her greatest, who was abundant in money and troops and guards and he was called Al-Mihrjan.[FN#178] This same was a lord of high degree and a majestic and
The Six Hundred and Sixty-third Night,
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 King Al-Mihrjan largessed a robe of honour to the midwife and gifted her with a thousand gold pieces and went forth from beside his daughter. Then they committed her to wetnurses and drynurses and governesses who reared her with the fairest rearing, and after she had reached the age of four they brought to her divines who lessoned her in the art of writing and of making selections[FN#181] and presently she approved herself sharp of wits, clever, loquent of tongue, eloquent of speech, sweet spoken of phrase; and every day she increased in beauty and loveliness and stature and perfect grace. And when she reached the age of fourteen she was well read in science and she had perused the annals of the past and she had mastered astrology and geomancy and she wrote with caligraphic pen all the seven handwritings and she was mistress of metres and modes of poetry and still she grew in grace of speech. Now as her age reached her fourteenth year her sire the Sultan chose for her a palace and settled her therein and placed about her slave-girls, high-bosomed virgins numbering an hundred, and each and every famous for
“Ho thou! Hear, O Mihrjan, what to thee
shall be said * Learn the
drift of my words in
these lines convey’d:
Thy daughter, Al-Hayfa (the girded round * With good,
and with
highest of grade array’d)
Shall bring with right hand to thee ruin-bowl * And
reave thee of
realm with the sharp-biting
blade."[FN#182]
Now when Al-Mihrjan had heard what the Voice had spoken of verse and had produced for him of prose, he was wholly aroused from his sleep and became like one drunken with wine who knew not what he did and his vitals fluttered and increased his cark and care and anxious thought. So he removed from that site into another stead and was stirred up and went awandering about. Then he set his head upon the pillow but was unable to close his eyelids and the Voice drew nearer and cried upon him in frightful accents and said, “O Mihrjan, dost thou not hearken to my words and understand my verse; to wit, that thy daughter Al-Hayfa shall bequeath to thee shame and thou shalt perish by cause of her?” Then the Unseen One recited these couplets,[FN#183]
“I see thee, O Mihrjan, careless-vain * who
from hearing the
words of the wise dost
abstain:
I see Al-Hayfa, by potent lord * Upraised in her charms
and
speech sweet of strain,
Who shall home thee in grave sans a doubt and she
* Shall seize
thy king-ship and reave
thy reign.”
But when Al-Mihrjan had heard the words of the Voice and what it had urged upon him of poetry and of prose-addresses, he arose from his rest in haste and anxiety until Allah caused the morn to morrow and break in its sheen and it shone, whereupon the King summoned the Mathematicians and the Interpreters of dreams and the Commentators on the Koran; and, when they came between his hands, he related to them his vision, fully and formally, and they practised their several arts, making all apparent to them; but they concealed the truth and would not reveal it, saying to him, “Indeed the consequence of thy vision is auspicious.”— 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 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
The Six Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night,
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 an of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Astrologers said to King Al-Mihrjan, “Verily the consequence of thy vision is auspicious;” and on the second night Iblis the Accursed appeared to him under the bodily form of a handsome man and said, “Ho thou the King, I am he who terrified thee yesternight in thy dream, for the reason that thou hast ruined the Monastery of the Archers[FN#184] wherein I lay homed. However an thou wilt edify it again I will favour thee with my counsel, ho thou the King!” Al-Mihrjan replied, “Upon me be its rebuilding an thou wilt honour me with thy advice, ho thou the Voice!” Hereupon Iblis fell to lying with him and saying, “Verily I am thine aider in building thee a palace by the river Al-Kawa’ib,[FN#185] O thou will of me and desire of me!” (Now the folk heard these words spoken aloud.) Then Al-Mihrjan arose from his sleep joyful and cheerful and when morning came he summoned the Mathematicians and Architects and Masons and bade them rebuild the Monastery of the Archers; so they obeyed his bidding until they had completed it in the handsomest fashion and with the best of workmanship. After that the King ordered they construct for his daughter Al-Hayfa a palace unsurpassed by any edifice and perfectly builded and decorated, hard by the river Al-Kawa’ib; moreover that it should be situate in a wady, a hill-girt plain through which meandered the stream. So they obeyed his bidding and laid its foundations and marked with large stones the lines thereof which measured a parasang of length by a parasang of breadth. Then they
“Clear and clean is our seance from slanderous
foe; * And from
envious rival whose
aim is blame:
None hither may come save the cup-boy, and eke * Cup-comrades
who
never our fame defame.”
Upon the chandeliers themselves were inscribed these lines,
“I am raised in reverence high o’er head
* For they see that my
gift is the boon of
light:
I’m a pleasure to eyesight, so up with you all,
* O Seers, and
joy ye the joys of my
sight.”
And upon the Palace-door was inscribed the following quatrain,
“This Mansion’s adorned * As delight to mans eye; O’er its door writ is ‘Welcome,’ * So safely draw nigh.”
And when they had finished this inscription over the doorway, they went forth from the entrance which stood at the head of the Great Hall and proceeded to a square of large space abounding in trees and enjoyable for rills; and they surrounded it with a fencing-wall built of rough stone which they stuccoed over and figured with various paintings. Then they planted this garden with all manner fruit-bearing trees and fragrant herbs and flowers and firstlings of every kind and hue and they trained the branches after a wonderful fashion, leading under their shade leats and runnels of cool water; and the boughs were cunningly dispread so as to veil the ground which was planted with grains of divers sorts and greens and all of vegetation that serveth for the food of man. Also they provided it with a watering wheel whose well was revetted with alabaster[FN#190]—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
The Six Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,
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 Architects set up in that palace-garden a water-wheel whose well was revetted with alabaster and whose wood-work and wheel were of chaunders-wood, whilst its pitchers were of fine porcelain and its cordage[FN#191] was of raw silk. And when they were free of this work they edified amongst the scented shrubs and blossoms a towering dome based upon four-square walls of variegated marbles and alabasters studded with carbuncles[FN#192] and its ceiling was supported upon columns of the finest stone with joinery of lign-aloes and sandal, and they dubbed its cupola with jewels and precious stones and arabesque’d[FN#193] it with gold and
“O Friend hereon seated be blythe and gay *
Unless hereto bound
and debarred of way."[FN#194]
Then they set upon them settees for seats whereupon were inscribed these couplets,
“O Seat, be thy beauty increased evermore; *
Fair fall thee with
happiness choice and
meet;
An I fail in life through my slip and sin, * To-morrow
in Heav’n
I’ll give thee
seat.”
Then[FN#195] the attendants decorated the whole Palace until it became like unto one of the Mansions of Heaven, and when the women had done her bidding, Al-Hayfa was much pleased, so she took one of the slave-girls by the hand and walked with the rest of them around the Palace considering its artifice and its embellishment, especially the paintings which covered the walls; and they rejoiced thereat, marvelling at the cunning decorations and they were grateful to the Architects who had builded and presented all these representations. And when Al-Hayfa reached the terrace- roof of the Palace she descended by its long flight of steps which led to the river-side, and bidding the door be thrown open she gazed upon the water which encircled it like ring around finger or armlet round arm, and admired its breadth and its swiftness of streaming; and she magnified the work and admired the gateway of steel for its strength and power of defence and sued for pardon of Almighty Allah.[FN#196]—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 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
The Six Hundred and Seventieth Night,
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 Al-Hayfa sued pardon of Allah the Great and took refuge with the Almighty from Satan the Stoned, after which said she, “There is no diverter to whatso is doomed by the Lord nor availeth aught of solicitude against that commanded by the Omnipotent, the All-puissant; and His power is upon me with His destiny and needs must it come to pass.” Then she called for a pen-case of gold and she wrote for placing over the gateway of the Palace the following couplets,[FN#197]
“Behold here’s a mansion like ‘Home
of Delight’ * Whose sight
heals the sick and abates
all blight:
Here are roe-like maidens with breasts high raised
* And with
charms of the straightest
stature bedight:
Their eyes prey on the lion, the Desert’s lord.
When Al-Hayfa had finished her writing and what she had improvised of verse and couplets, she bade close the entrance of the Palace and went up, she and her women, to the higher apartments; and the while she was drowned in thought and fell to saying, “Would Heaven I knew an this mighty guard and ward will defend Al-Mihrjan and would I wot if this fortalice will fend off Fate and what fain must be.” Then she enjoined her women to high diet and the drinking of wine and listening to intimate converse and the hearing of songs and musical instruments and gladness and gaiety for a while of time; and she felt herself safe from the shifts of chance and change. Such was her case but now we will recount (Inshallah!) what further befel her.[FN#200] In the land of Sind was a King hight Sahl[FN#201] and he was of the Monarchs of might, endowed with puissance and prepotency and exalted degree, abounding in troops and guards and overruling all that fair region. Now Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) had vouchsafed him a son than whom was none in his age fairer of semblance: beautiful exceedingly was he, with a face brighter far than the full moon; and he was of tongue eloquent and of pluck puissant, valorous, formidable. Also he was mighty fond of wine mere and rare and of drinks in the morning air and of converse with the fair and he delighted in mirth and merriment and he was assiduous in his carousing which he would never forego during the watches of the night or the wards of the day. Now for the abundance of his comeliness and the brilliancy of his countenance, whenever he walked abroad in the capital he would swathe his face
The Six Hundred and Seventy-second Night.
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 Prince Yusuf, son of King Sahl, went forth the city all unknowing whither he should wend and to what part he should turn, and
“At your door, O Fountains of weal, I stand
* A stranger from
home and a-morning bann’d.
Your grace shall haply forfend my foe * And the hateful
band of
unfriends disband:
I have none resort save your gates, the which * With
verse like
carcanet see I spann’d:
Ibn Sahl hath ’spied with you safe repair, *
So for lonesome
stranger approach command!”
And when Yusuf had ended his writing, he folded the paper and made it fast to a shaft; then he took his bow and arming it drew the string and aimed the arrow at the upper terrace, where it dropped within the parapet. Now, by the decree of The Decreer Al-Hayfa was walking there with her women when the shaft fell between her feet and the paper became manifest, so she caught sight of it and took it up and opened it, and having read it understood its significance. Hereat she rejoiced and congratulated herself and her cheeks flushed rosy-red, and presently she went hastily in the direction of the entrance, whilst her women still looked down from the terrace upon the doorway and saw Yusuf a-foot before it. They cried out to their lady, “Verily there standeth below a youth lovely in his youthfulness, with his face
The Six Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,
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 Al-Hayfa bade her women bring the food trays, and when they obeyed her bidding and placed them between the hands of Yusuf he considered them and saw that one was made of Yamani onyx and another of red carnelian and a third of rock crystal, and they bore platters of gold and silver and porcelain and jasper. Upon them were ranged dishes furnished with the daintiest food which perplexed the wits, and sweetmeats and sumptuous meats, such as gazelle’s haunch and venison and fatted mutton and flesh of birds, all the big and the small, such as pigeon and rock-pigeon, and greens marinated and viands roasted and fried of every kind and colour and cheeses and sugared dishes. Then she seated Yusuf beside her and served him with all manner cates and confections and conjured him to fall-to and morselled him until he had eaten his sufficiency; after which they twain sat together in laughter and enjoyment each conjoined to other and both cast in the mould of beauty and loveliness and brilliancy and stature and symmetric grace as though in the likeness of a rattan-palm. All this and Al-Hayfa rejoiced in Yusuf, but ever and anon she took thought anent her sire King Al-Mihrjan and his works and she kept saying in her mind, “Would Heaven I wot will he wed me to this youth so charming of inner grace; and, if my father be not satisfied therewith, I will marry my lover in despite of him.” And the while Yusuf quoth to himself “Would Heaven I wot how my sire will act in the business of the concubine whose pucelage I did away, and would Heaven I knew if he have ridden forth in search of me, or he have lost sight of me and never asked of me.” On this wise either of the twain spoke to themselves, and neither of them believed in safety, all unknowing what was predestined to them by Him who saith to a thing, “Be” and it becometh. So Al-Hayfa and Yusuf sat drowned in the depths of thought, withal their joyance and enjoyment made them clean forget that writ for them by Fate; and the Prince gazing upon the greater tray saw graven upon its edge these couplets,
“For the gathering of friends and familiars
design’d * Between
hands of Kings and Wazirs
I’m shrin’d:
Upon me is whatever taste loves and joys * Of flesh
and viands
all kinds combin’d:
From me fill thee full of these cates and praise *
Thy Lord, the
Maker of all mankind.”
Then the attendants placed bread upon the trays, and the Prince found writ in moulded letters upon the loaves the couplets that follow,
“And a loaf new-born from the flour of wheat,
* White and piping
hot from the oven-heat:
Quoth to me my chider, Be wise and say * Soothe my
heart and
blame not, O friend
I greet.”
Presently the handmaidens piled upon the trays platters of silver and porcelain (whereof mention hath been made) containing all that lip and tongue gratify of the meat of muttons in fry and Kata-grouse and pigeon-poults and quails and things that fly of every kind and dye which hungry men can long to espy, and Yusuf saw inscribed upon the china dishes the following couplets,
“Platters of china fair * That all men’s eyne ensnare, None seeth in this our town * China of mould so rare.
Then he looked upon the silver plate and found it graven with these lines,
“Plate worked in silver of the brightest white
* In height of
beauty, O thou joy to
sight,
When fully finisht and when perfect made * Becometh
chargers
peerless in delight.”
And portrayed upon the porcelain were all that grow and fly of geese and poultry. Anon a handmaid brought in hand a knife wherewith to carve the meats, and Yusuf looking at the blade saw upon it letters gold-inlaid and forming these verses,
I am blade of finest grain * Wherefrom comes naught of bane: Fro’ my friends all harm I ward * And thy foes by me be slain!”
Hereupon the handmaids ended the ordinance of the table and set everything in its own stead; after which the Princess took seat beside the Prince and said to him, “O my lord, hearten our heart and deign grace to us and honour us by eating with us: this indeed be a day of joy for my union with thee and for thy lighting this my lodging with the splendour of thy semblance so bright and thy beauty so rare and for thine alighting at my home and thine opportune kindness and thine inner graciousness,[FN#209] O thou unique one of the Age and the Time, and O thou who hast no peer in our day and our tide.” Now when Yusuf heard the words of Al-Hayfa he said to her, “Wallahi, O thou who the moons adornest and who the sun and the daylight shamest, O lady of brow flower-bright and of stature elegant-slight, O thou who passest in beauty and comeliness all mortal beings, O thou with smile like water sweet and mouth-dews like purest spring and of speech the softest, I wot thou art the lady of goodness and excellence and generosity and liberality.” Then she again fell to morselling the Prince until they both had a sufficiency of food, whereupon she bade them fetch water for washing their hands after meat. And they brought to Yusuf a basin of glittering gold, when he rejoiced with exceeding exultation the while he was sunk in meditation, and at times he gazed upon Al-Hayfa and his wits were bewildered and his senses seduced him to some- thing he would do with her for the abundance that was in her of beauty and loveliness. But his reason forbade to him his passion, and quoth he in his mind, “To everything its own time,”— 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
The Six Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,
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 Yusuf said, “To everything its own time, and soothly sayeth the old saw, Whoso hurrieth upon a matter ere opportunity consent shall at last repent. Now when they brought the basin before him and therein stood an ewer of crystal garnished with gold, he looked at it and saw graven thereupon the following couplets,
“I’m a Basin gold beautifies * For the
hands of the great and the
wise:
Abased[FN#210] for the cleansing of palms, * Washing
hands with
the water of eyes.”
Thereat he considered the ewer and saw inscribed upon it these lines,
“O rare the Ewer’s form whereon must dote
* Our hearts and pupils
of our eyes fain gloat:
Seems ferly fair to all admiring orbs * You seemly
body wi’ the
slender throat.
And when he had finished washing his hands and had dried them with the napkins he pointed at them and spoke these couplets,
“Groweth my love a-heart and how to hide * When
o’er the plains
of cheek tear-torrents
glide?
I veil what love these sobs and moans betray * With
narrowed
heart I spread my patience
wide.
O Farer to the fountain,[FN#211] flow these eyes *
Nor seek from
other source to be supplied:
Who loveth, veil of Love his force shall reave, *
For tears shall
tell his secrets unespied:
I for the love of you am bye-word grown, * My lords,
and driven
to the Desert-side;
While you in heart of me are homes, your home; * And
the
heart-dweller kens what
there may bide.
When Prince Yusuf had finished his improvisation and the poetry which he produced, Princess Al-Hayfa bussed him upon the brow, and he seeing this waxed dazed of his wits and right judgment fled him and he fell fainting to the floor for a while of time. And when he came to himself he pondered how she had entreated him and his Passion would have persuaded him to do with her somewhat but Reason forbade and with her force he overcame himself. After his improvising Al-Hayfa again saluted him on the front and cried, “Indeed thou hast done well in thy words, O thou with Crescent’s brow!” Presently she came for the table of wine and filling a cup drank it off; then she crowned another goblet and passed it to Yusuf who took it and kissed it while she improvised some couplets as follows,
“Thy seduction of lips ne’er can I forbear
* Nor deny
love-confession for
charms so rare:
O thou aim of my eyes, how my longing stay? * O thou
tall of form
and long wavy hair?
Thy rose-hued cheek showeth writ new-writ[FN#212]
* Dimming wine
my cups in their rondure
bear.”
And presently she added,[FN#213]
“I hid his phantom, by the Lord, but showed
* My looks the blush
his scented cheek had
sent:
How veil the joy his love bestows, when I * To blood-red[FN#214]
tears on cheek give
open vent,
When his uplighted cheek my heart enfires * As though
a-morn in
flame my heart were
pent?
By Allah, ne’er my love for you I’ll change
* Though change my
body and to change consent.
And when Al-Hayfa had finished her improvisation and her poetry, Yusuf drained the goblet and after kissing it returned it to her; but he was as one a-swoon. Then she took it from him and he recovered and presently declaimed for her the following couplets,
“A maiden in your tribe avails my heart with
love to fire[FN#215]
* And how can I a-hidden
bear the love my eyes declare?
The branches of the sand-hill tree remember and recall
* What
time she softly bent
and showed a grace beyond compare;
And taught me how those eyne o’erguard the roses
of her cheek *
And knew to ward them
from the hand to cull her charms would
dare.”
As soon as Yusuf had finished his improvisation and what of poetry he had produced, Al-Hayfa took seat by his side and fell to conversing with him in sweetest words with softest smiles, the while saying, “Fair welcome to thee, O wonder of beauty and lovesome in eloquence and O charming in riant semblance and lord of high degree and clear nobility: thou hast indeed illumined our place with the light of thy flower-like forehead and to our hearts joyance hast thou given and our cares afar hast thou driven and eke our breasts hast made broad; and this is a day of festival to laud, so do thou solace our souls and drain of our wine with us for thou art the bourne and end and aim of our intent.” Then Al-Hayfa took a cup of crystal, and crowning it with clear-strained wine which had been sealed with musk and saffron, she passed it to Prince Yusuf. He accepted it from her albeit his hand trembled from what befel him of her beauty and the sweetness of her poetry and her perfection; after which he began to improvise these couplets,
“O thou who drainest thy morning wine * With
friends in a bower
sweet blooms enshrine
Place unlike all seen by sight of man * In the lands
and gardens
of best design—,
Take gladly the liquor that quivers in cup * And elevates
man,
this clean aid of the
Vine:
This goblet bright that goes round the room * Nor
Chosroes held
neither Nu’uman’s
line.
Drink amid sweet flowers and myrtle’s scent
* Orange-bloom and
Lily and Eglantine,
And Rose and Apple whose cheek is dight * In days
that glow with
a fiery shine;
’Mid the music of strings and musician’s
gear * Where harp and
pipe with the lute combine;—
An I fail to find her right soon shall I * Of parting
perish
foredeemed to die!”
Then Al-Hayfa responded to him in the same rhyme and measure and spake to him as follows,
“O thou who dealest in written line * Whose
nature hiding shall
e’er decline;
And subdued by wine in its mainest might * Like lover
drunken by
strains divine,[FN#216]
Do thou gaze on our garden of goodly gifts * And all
manner
blooms that in wreaths
entwine;
See the birdies warble on every bough * Make melodious
music the
finest fine.
And each Pippet pipes[FN#217] and each Curlew cries
* And
Blackbird and Turtle
with voice of pine;
Ring-dove and Culver, and eke Hazar, * And Kata calling
on Quail
vicine;
So fill with the mere and the cups make bright * With
bestest
liquor, that boon benign;—
This site and sources and scents I espy * With Rizwan’s
garden
compare defy.”
And when Al-Hayfa had ended her improvisation and what she had spoken to him of poetry, and Yusuf had given ear to the last couplet, he was dazed and amazed and he shrieked aloud and waxed distraught for her and for the women that were beside and about her, and after the cry he fell fainting to the ground. But in an hour[FN#218] he came to, when the evening evened and the wax candles and the chandeliers were lighted, his desire grew and his patience flew and he would have risen to his feet and wandered in his craze but he found no force in his knees. So he feared for himself and he remained sitting as before.—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 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
The Six Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,
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 Yusuf remained sitting as before, Al-Hayfa asked him saying, “How art thou hight, O dearling of my heart and fruit of my vitals?” Here-upon he told her his name and the name of his sire, and related to her the whole of what had befallen him, first and last, with the affair of the concubine and his faring forth from his own city and how he had sighted her Palace and had swum the stream and shot the shaft that carried the paper, after which he recited to her these couplets,
“I left my home for a fair young maid * Whose
love my night with
its light array’d;
Yet wot I not what her name may be * Thus ignorance
mating with
union forbade.
But when of her gifts I was certified * Her gracious
form the
feat easy made;
The King of Awe sent my steps to her * And to union
with beauty
vouchsafed me aid:
Indeed disgrace ever works me shame * Tho’ long
my longing to
meet I’m afraid.”
When Al-Hayfa heard his name her great love to him waxed greater. Then she took the lute upon her lap and caressed it with her finger-tips when it sighed and sobbed and groaned and moaned[FN#219] and she fell to singing these verses,
“A thousand welcomes hail thy coming fain, *
O Yusuf, dearling
son of Sahl’s
strain:
We read thy letter and we understood * Thy kingly
birth from sand
that told it plain:[FN#220]
I’m thine, by Allah, I the loveliest maid *
Of folk and thou to
be my husband deign:
Bruit of his fair soft cheek my love hath won * And
branch and
root his beauty grows
amain:
He from the Northern Realms to us draws nigh * For
King Mihrjan
bequeathing ban and
bane;
And I behold him first my Castle seek * As mate impelled
by
inspiration fain.
The land upstirs he and the reign he rules * From
East to West,
the King my father slain;
But first he flies us for no fault of ours * Upon
us wasting
senseless words and
vain:
E’en so Creation’s Lord hath deigned decree,
* Unique in
Heaven—glorified
be He!"[FN#221]
Now when Yusuf heard the words of Al-Hayfa he rejoiced with exceeding joy and she was gladdened in like manner, after which he gifted her with all that was upon him of gear and in similar guise she doffed what dress was upon her and presented it to him.[FN#222] Then she bade the slave-girls bring her an especial suit and they fetched her a second bundle and she clothed Yusuf with what was therein of sumptuous clothes. After this the Prince abode with Al-Hayfa as an inmate of her palace for a term of ten days in all the happiness of life, eating and drinking and enjoying conjugal intercourse.[FN#223] Presently Almighty Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) decreed that, when all tidings of Yusuf son of Sahl were lost, his sire sent in search of him Yahya,[FN#224] his cousin and the son of his maternal aunt, amongst a troop of twenty knights to track his trail and be taught his tidings until Allah (be He glorified and magnified!) guided him to the pages who had been left upon the river-bank. Here they had tarried for ten days whilst the sunshine burnt them and hunger was exterminating them; and when they were asked concerning their lord, they gave notice that he had swum the stream and had gone up to yonder Castle and had entered therein. “And we know not (they ended) whether he be alive or dead.” So the lord Yahya said to them, “Is there amongst you any will cross the current and bring us news of him?” But not one of them would consent and they remained in silence and confusion. So he asked them a second time and a third time yet none would rise up before him and hearten him to attempt the dangers of the stream, whereupon he drew forth his ink-case of brass and a sheet of paper and he fell to writing the following verses,
“This day I have witnessed a singular case *
Of Yusuf scion to
Sahl’s dear race:
Since he fared at undurn his sire was grieved * And
the Palace
remained but an empty
place:
I liken the youth to full moon ’mid stars *
Disappeadng and
darkening Earth’s
bright face.
’Tis my only fear that his heart is harmed,
* Brent by Love-fires
lacking of mercy and
grace:
By Allah, albeit man’s soul thou rule * Among
stranger folk thou
art but an ace!”
Presently he took a reed and grasping it thrust thereinto the twisted and folded paper, after which he stopped the hole with wax; then, lashing it to the surface of the shaft, he set it upon the bow-handle and drew the string and shot the bolt in the direction of the Castle, whither it flew and fell at the foot of the staircase beside the main entrance. It so fortuned at that time a slave-girl came forth to fill her pitcher with water and she found the arrow and picked it up and carried it to her lady who was sitting in the speak-room at converse with Yusuf. Hereupon the Prince hent the reed in hand and broke it and drew forth the paper which he opened and read and comprehended. Hereupon he wept with exceeding great weeping until he fell to the floor a-faint and the Princess took the note from his grasp and perused it, and it was hard upon her, so she bade them beat the slave-girl who brought the writ with an hundred blows and they bastinadoed her till she lost her senses. But when Yusuf recovered, he thought of his pages and his people and his homestead and his family and he cried to Al-Hayfa, “Wallahi, I have sinned with a great sin when I left my suite in the desert; and Satan garred me forget them and the wine made me mindless of them and banished from my thought my folk and my home. And now ’tis my desire to fare and look upon my pages and to forgather with Yahya my cousin, the son of the King’s sister and greet them and dismiss them to their homesteads, after which I will return to thee forthright.” Quoth she, “By Allah, I may not patient myself away from thee a single hour otherwise shall my spirit depart my body, and I conjure thee by the Almighty that thou bid me return to them a reply!” Quoth Prince Yusuf, “What news wilt thou give them? An thou say that I never came to thee none will believe; for indeed my pages saw me passing into thy Palace”—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
The Six Hundred and Eightieth Night,
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 Prince Yusuf said to the Princess Al-Hayfa, “Indeed my pages saw me passing into the Palace and have given him[FN#225] tidings to that effect.” And she responded to him with fairest response and tenderness of terms and gem-like verse. Then she took her ink-case and paper and a brazen pen and would have written but he forbade her, saying by way of deprecation “This be not the right rede! An thou return a reply my slaves will take it and will bear it to my native country and will inform the folk of all our adventure: ’tis better far that I fare to them myself and greet them and going with them to my own country satisfy my sire, after which I will return to thee in hottest haste. And do not thou on this wise, for we fear lest our affair be made public and this our case be reported to thy royal father, and it prove hard to him by reason that all such talk in the case of the Kings is to them mighty grievous. Moreover, when he shall be acquainted with the truth he will either transport thee to his presence or he shall place over this Palace guards who may forbid thee from me and forbid me from thee, and this shall be a cause of our separation each from other.” But Al-Hayfa shrieked aloud when she heard these words and wept and wailing said, “O my lord, prithee take me with thee, me and my handmaids and all that be in this my Palace.” Said he, “I will not delay from thee save for the space of my wayfare an I live and Allah Almighty preserve me.” Hereat she wept with loud weeping and groaned, and love-longing surged up in her and she fell to repeating the following couplets,
“Rain, O mine eyeballs, gouts of blood beshed
* From clouds of
eyelids e’en as
grass turns red.
O mighty bane that beatest on my bones * And oh heart-core,
that
melts with fire long-fed!
My soul’s own dearling speedeth on his march
* Who can be patient
when his true love sped?
Deal kindly with my heart, have ruth, return * Soon
to my Castle
nor be long misled.”
And when Al-Hayfa had ended her verse, Yusuf wept with sore weeping and cried, “By Allah, I had intended to return to thee after I had fared to them and had settled the matter in hand. But suffer me dismiss those who have come for me and seek reunion with thee, Inshallah—an it be the will of Allah Almighty.” Then he farewelled her and doffed what he had of dress, and when Al-Hayfa asked him, “Wherefore take off these clothes?” he answered,[FN#226] “I will not inform anyone of our news, and indeed this dress mostly befitteth womenkind.” Then he went forth from her with a grief-bound heart and she wept and cried, “Help!
The Six Hundred and Eighty-second Night,
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 Yusuf passed the night weeping and improvising verse, but he let not fall a word of explanation fearing lest he divulge his secret; and his spouses supposed that he was wroth with his sire and knew not what there was in his vitals of exceeding desire to Al-Hayfa. But when brake the day he was roused and gazing upon the rise of awaking Dawn he pondered the happy mornings which had passed; so he wept and complained and moaned like the culver and he fell to reciting these couplets,
“No joy but you in house and home I know * Save
bitter heart and
tears that ever flow;
Nor with mine eyes I view aught save yourselves *
Whenas in lowe
of love-desire I glow:
My heart enjoys but gust and greed for you, * Mine
eyelids own no
joy save wake and woe:
O blaming me for them, avaunt, by God * Nor leave
me fancy-free,
worst gift of foe!”
And when Yusuf had finished his poetry he fell into a fainting fit and he quivered as quivereth the fowl with cut throat,[FN#230] and he came not to himself save when the sun had arisen arraying the lowlands with its rays. Then he waxed wood and sat with eyes at the ground, a-gazing and not accosting nor answering aught, and lastly he took to his pillow. These tidings presently reached the King his father, who accompanied by the Lords of his land came to him and after greeting him said, “O my son, whom I would ransom with my life, what contagion hath come upon thee of disease, and whereof dost thou complain?” Quoth he, “O my father, the air hath struck me and hath cut my joints,"[FN#231] and quoth his father, “O my son, Almighty Allah vouchsafe ease thee of this thy disease.” Then the King mounted and went forth from him, and sent a leach which was a Jew[FN#232] of wits penetrating and sagacious. The man went in to him, and sitting beside him felt his joints and asked him of his case; but he held his peace nor would return aught of reply. So the Israelite knew that he was a lover and in the depths of love bedrowned; accordingly he left him and told the King that the Prince had no complaint save that he was a hot amourist and distraught of vitals. Hereupon his mother came to Yusuf and said, “O my son, fear Almighty Allah for thy soul, and have some regard for thy wives and concubines and yield not to thy passions which will mislead thee from the path of Allah.” But he deigned not answer her. In this condition he remained until three days sped, taking no taste of meat or drink, nor finding pleasure in any stead, nor aught of rest a-bed. Presently he bade summon a Mameluke of the Mamelukes Hilal hight, and asked him, “O
The Six Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night,
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 Al-Hayfa walked forth with Yusuf and led him to the saloon of session where they passed their day in privacy, he and she, and right joyous was the joy of them twain. After this the Prince abode with her thirty full-told days in merriment prime and pleasure and wine. But when that time had elapsed, she said to him, “O light of my eyes, do thou arise and go up with me to the highmost post of the Palace that we may look upon this flow of stream and command a view of these mounts and mountains and these wilds and valleys wherein wander the gazelles.” Thereupon the twain fared together and solaced themselves with the spectacle of the antelopes browsing on the desert growth, when quoth Al-Hayfa, “Ah, O my lord, would I had for captive one of these herding roes to keep beside me in the Palace,” and quoth he, “By the rights of thine eyes, and the night of their pupils, I indeed will fill the place with them.” Hereupon he went forth from her in haste, albeit she hung on to him and forbade him from that, and she invoked upon herself a mighty strong invocation, yet would he not be stayed, but taking his horse and saddling it he left his Mameluke Hilal in the Castle and swam the stream upon his steed, and rode through the wold in quest of the gazelles. He ceased not chasing them till he had taken three,[FN#236] which he tied fast and slung upon his courser and rode back until he had reached the river-bank, and Al-Hayfa sat looking at him as he pounced upon and snatched up the roes from his courser’s back like a lion and she wondered with extreme wonderment. But when he had made sure of his place on the water-side and purposed returning to the palace, lo and behold! he saw a batel[FN#237] manned by sundry men coming towards him down-stream from the direction of his capital. Now Al-Hayfa, who was in her bower, expected the craft to be sent, bearing rarities and presents, by her sire King Al-Mihrjan; and Yusuf, when he looked upon its approach, was certified that it came from her father. So he delayed going down to the river till he had seen what action might be taken by the batel, but when the Princess sighted it she made sure of its coming from her sire, so she bade bring paper for note and a pen of brass wrought wherewith she wrote in verse and lastly indited to Yusuf these couplets,
“O my need, thou hast left me a-field to fare
* When come is a
craft which our men
doth bear:
I deem she be sent by Al-Mihrjan * And it bringeth
of provaunt a
goodly share:
So loiter a little, then back to us * And obey my
bidding, O
Beauty rare."[FN#238]
Then she made fast the paper to a shaft and setting it upon a bow-handle drew the string aiming high in air, and the arrow fell between the feet of the Prince, who seeing it took it up and read the writ and comprehended its meaning and full significance. So he hung back and he turned to wandering amongst the mountains, but anon he said in himself, “There is no help but that I discover this matter.” Then he dismounted from his steed and stabled it in a cave hard-by, and having loosed the antelopes he propped himself against a rock and fell to gazing upon the batel, which ceased not floating down until it made fast at the Palace gate. Hereupon there issued from it a youth, singular of comeliness, whom Al-Hayfa greeted and embraced, and forth- right led within her Palace. Presently came forth from the batel the four pages that were therein, and amongst them was a man hight Mohammed ibn Ibrahim, one of the King’s cup-companions, whereas the youth she had embraced was her cousin, named Sahlub, the son of her maternal aunt. But when Yusuf looked upon this lover-like reception, his wits were wildered and the sparks started from his eyes, and he deprecated and waxed care-full and indeed he was like one Jinn-mad, and he cried, “Wallahi, I will stay away from them this night and see whatso they do.” Now Al-Hayfa had left her trusty handmaid at the Palace gate, saying to her, “Tarry here alone: haply Yusuf shall return during the dark hours, when do thou open to him the door.” Then she returned to her guests and bade serve the table of wine and seated Sahlub and Ibn Ibrahim, and took seat between them after she had hidden the Mameluke Hilal in a closet and she had disposed of the pages about the Palace-sides. Then they fell to drinking wine. Such was the case with these; but as regards Yusuf, he took patience until the dark hours drew near, when he swam the stream and he came forth it to the Palace-door, at which he knocked a light knock. Hereupon the porter-hand-maiden opened to him and he accosted her and questioned her concerning her lady, and was told that she was sitting with her cousin and the prime favourite and cup-companion of her sire. So quoth he to the girl, “Say me, canst thou place me in some commanding place that I may look upon them?” and she did accordingly, choosing a site whence he might spy them without being espied. He gazed at them as one distraught, while Al-Hayfa engaged them in converse and improvised verse to them; and this was so distressful to him that at last he asked the slave-girl, “Say me, hast thou by thee ink-case and paper?” 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 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
The Six Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,
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 Prince Yusuf took from the handmaid the pen-case and paper, and waxing void of sense through jealousy, fell to writing the following couplets,
“Indeed I deemed you of memory true * And our
hearts as one that
had once been two;
But I found to my sorrow you kept no pact: *
This much and you
fain of unfaith I view.
Ill eye ne’er looketh on aught but love * Save
when the lover is
hater too.
You now to another than us incline * And leave us
and homeward
path pursue;
And if such doings you dare gainsay, * I can summon
witness
convicting you;
To the Lion, wild dogs from the fount shall drive
* And shall
drink themselves, is
none honour due.
That I’m not of those who a portion take * In
love, O Moslems, I
know ye knew.”
This done, he folded the paper and gave it to the slave-girl crying, “Say me, dost thou know where be Hilal?” and as she replied “Yes,” he told her to fetch him. So she went and brought him, and when he came his lord dismissed the girl on some pretext; then he opened the Castle-door and turband’d himself with his gear and that of his Mameluke, and the twain went down to the river and swam the stream until they reached the other side. When they stood on terra firma, the Prince found his horse and saddled and mounted him, taking Hilal upon the crupper, and rode forth to his own country. Such was the case with Yusuf; but as regards Al-Hayfa, when she awoke a-morn, she asked of her lover and her handmaid handed to her the letter; so she took it and read it and mastered its meaning and significance, after which she wept with excessive weeping until she fainted and the blood issued from her eyes. Presently she came to herself and dismissed Sahlub and his companions; then she said to Ibn Ibrahim, “Rise thou and depart our presence; haply some wight may come to us and swim the stream and pass into the Palace.” But Ibn Ibrahim remained behind while Sahlub departed with those about him; and when they had left the company, Al-Hayfa asked, “O Ibn Ibrahim, say me, canst thou keep my secret and my being fascinate[FN#239] by love?” and he answered, “Yea, verily, O my lady, how should I not conceal it for thee, when thou art my mistress and princess and the daughter of my master, even though I keep it inside mine eyes?” So she continued, “O Ibn Ibrahim, there came to me a youth named the Veiled Yusuf of Beauty, son of King Sahl, Sovran of Sind; and I waxed enamoured of him and he waxed enamoured of me, and he abode with me two score of days. One day of the days,
The Six Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,
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 Al-Hayfa to Ibn Ibrahim, “I devise that thou hie to Yusuf with this letter;” whereto quoth he, “Hearkening is obedience: I will, however, take this thy writ and wend with it first to my own folk, after which I will mount my horse and fare to find him.” So she largessed him with an hundred gold pieces and entrusted to him the paper which contained the following purport in these couplets,
“What state of heart be this no ruth can hoard?
* And harm a
wretch to whom none
aid accord,
But sobs and singulfs, clouds that rain with tears
* And seas aye
flowing and with gore
outpour’d;
And flames that rage in vitals sickness-burnt * The
while in
heart-core I enfold
them stor’d.
Yet will I hearten heart with thee, O aim! * O Ravisher,
O
Moslems’ bane
ador’d:
Ne’er did I look for parting but ’twas
doomed * By God Almighty
of all the lords the
Lord.”
Then Mohammed Ibn Ibrahim took the paper and Al-Hayfa said to him, “Ho thou! Inform none that thou wast sitting beside me on that night.” Then he went forth until he drew near his folk and there he mounted a she-dromedary and pushed her pace until he arrived at the capital of Sind. He asked for the son of the King; and when they had directed him thereto he entered and found the Prince in privacy; so he kissed hands and gave him the writ which he took and opened and read. But when he had comprehended its object and purport, he turned and re-turned it with stern regards until he had well nigh torn it to tatters. Then he threw it to Ibn Ibrahim who said to him, “O lord of the Time and the Tide, ’tis not on this wise that the sons of the Kings cast away an address without returning aught of reply.” Quoth he, “There is no response from me,” and quoth Ibn Ibrahim, “O King of the Age, pity that thou mayest be pitied!"[FN#241] Hereupon the Prince called for pen-case and paper of note and pen of brass wrought[FN#242] and wrote in reply to her poetry the following couplets,
“Al-Hayfa with verses a-tip of tongue * Comes
suing mercy for
love so strong:
She hath no mercy fro’ me, but still * She pleadeth
a plea that
our love was long:
She falsed, turned face, doubted, recked her naught
* And her
hard false heart wrought
me traitor’s wrong:
Were my heart now changed her love to woo * She with
quick
despisal my heart had
stung:
Were my eyne to eye her, she’d pluck them out
* With tip of
fingers before the throng:
Soft and tranquil life for her term she seeks * While
with
hardness and harshness
our souls are wrung.
Then Yusuf folded the paper and handed it to Ibn Ibrahim and ordered him a robe of honour and an hundred dinars. So he took them and rode forth until he drew near the Palace of Al-Hayfa, when he tethered his dromedary and hid her in a cave whose mouth he walled with stones. Then he went down to the river and swam it till he reached the other side; and entering into the presence of Al-Hayfa he drew forth the paper and committed it to her. But she, after perusing it, wept with sore weeping and groaned until she swooned away for excess of tears and for the stress of what had befallen her. Such was the effect of what she had read in the letter, and she knew not what might be the issue of all this affair and she was perplext as one drunken without wine. But when she recovered she called for pen-case and paper, and she wrote these improvised couplets,
“O Lord of folk, in our age alone * And O Raper
of hearts from
the bonny and boon:
I have sent to thee ’plaining of Love’s
hard works * And my
plaint had softened
the hardest stone:
Thou art silent all of my need in love * And with
shafts of
contempt left me prone
and strown.”
And after she had ended writing she folded her note and gave it to Ibn Ibrahim who took it, and cried to his slaves, “Saddle my she-dromedary,”, after which he mounted and fared until he had made the city of Sind. Then he repaired to Yusuf and after greetings handed the letter to him, but the Prince after perusing it[FN#243] threw it in his face, and presently rose and would have left him. But Ibn Ibrahim followed him and heard him say to his pages, “Send him back without beating him,” and they did accordingly, after forbidding him the place. So he again bestrode his she-camel and ceased not pushing on till he arrived at the Palace of Al-Hayfa where he presented himself in her presence.[FN#244] But when he handed to her the writ she found it was that very same she had sent to the Prince, so she wept and sorrow was sore upon her and presently she cried, “O Ibn Ibrahim what’s to do?” He replied, “When I delivered thy writ to him, he brake its seal and read it and threw it in my face: then he rose in wrath from beside me, and as I followed he bade his slaves and pages drive me away, adding, ’I have for her nor answer nor address’; and this was all he did.” When the Princess heard his words, she felt the matter to be grievous, and she wept unknowing how she should act, and fainted for awhile, and when she recovered she said, “O Ibn Ibrahim, what is this affair and on what wise shall I behave? Do thou advise me in my case; and haply joy shall come to me from thy hand, for that thou be a Counsellor of the Kings and their boon-companion.” “O my lady,” he replied, “do thou not cut off thy tidings from him and haply shall Almighty Allah change his heart from case to case and peradventure insistence overcometh hindrance."[FN#245] Quoth she, “Had he sent me a reply I had been rightly directed as to what I should write, but now I wot not what to indite, and if this condition long endure I shall die.” “Address him again,” answered he, “and I will fare back once more and fain would I ransom thee with my life, nor will I return without a reply.”—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 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
The Six Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,
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 Ibn Ibrahim said to Al-Hayfa, “Do thou write to him and there is no help but that I return to thee with a reply, albe life depart from me.” Then she asked for pen-case and paper and thereon indited the following couplets,
“Ah would thou knew what I of parting dree *
When all my hiddens
show for man to see;
Passion and longing, pine and lowe o’ love *
Descend surcharged
on the head of me:
God help the days that sped as branches lopt * I spent
in Garden
of Eternity.[FN#246]
And I of you make much and of your love * By rights
of you, while
dearest dear be ye:[FN#247]
May Allah save you, parted though we be, * While bide
I parted
all unwillingly:
Then, O my lord, an come thou not right soon * The
tomb shall
home me for the love
of thee.”
And when she had written her reply, she largessed Ibn Ibrahim with an hundred dinars, after which he returned[FN#248] to the capital of Sind, where he found Yusuf issuing forth to hunt; so he handed to him the letter, and the Prince returning citywards set apart for him a fair apartment and spent the livelong night asking anent Al-Hayfa. And when it was morning he called for pen-case and paper whereupon he wrote these improvised couplets,
“You dealt to us a slender dole our love mote
satisfy, * Yet nor
my gratitude therefor
nor laud of me shalt gain:
I’m none of those console their hearts by couplets
or by verse *
For breach of inner
faith by one who liefly breaks the
chain:
When so it fortunes she I love a partner gives to
me * I wone in
single bliss and let
my lover love again:
Take, then, what youth your soul desires; with him
forgather, for
* I aim not at your
inner gifts nor woo your charms I deign:
You set for me a mighty check of parting and ill-will
* In public
fashion and a-morn you
dealt me bale and bane:
Such deed is yours and ne’er shall it, by Allah
satisfy * A boy,
a slave of Allah’s
slaves who still to slave is fain.”
Then Prince Yusuf robed Ibn Ibrahim in a robe of green; and giving him an hundred gold pieces, entrusted him with the letter which he carried to Al-Hayfa and handed it to her. She brake the seal and read it and considered its contents, whereupon she wept with sore weeping which ended in her shrieking aloud; and after she abode perplext as to her affair and for a time she found no sweetness in meat and drink, nor was sleep pleasant to her for the stress of her love-longing to Yusuf. Also her nature tempted her to cast herself headlong from the terrace of the Palace; but Ibn Ibrahim forbade her saying, “Do thou write to him replies, time after time; haply shall his heart be turned and he will return unto thee.” So she again called for writing materials and indited these couplets, which came from the very core of her heart,
“Thou art homed in a heart nothing else shall
invade; * Save thy
love and thyself naught
shall stay in such stead;
O thou, whose brilliancy lights his brow, * Shaped
like
sandhill-tree with his
locks for shade,
Forbid Heaven my like to aught else incline * Save
you whose
beauties none like display’d:
Art thou no amongst mortals a starless moon * O beauty
the dazzle
of day hath array’d?”
These she committed[FN#249] to Ibn Ibrahim who rode again on his route and forgathered with Prince Yusuf and gave him the letter, whose Contents were grievous to him; so he took writing materials and returned a reply in the following verses,
“Cease then to carry missives others write,
* O Son of Ibrahim,
shun silly plight:
I’m healed of longing for your land and I *
Those days forget and
daysters lost to sight:
Let then Al-Hayfa learn from me I love * Distance
from her and
furthest earthly site.
No good in loving when a rival shows * E’en
tho’ ’twere victual
shared by other wight;
These modes and fashions never mind arride *
Save him unknowing
of his requisite.
Then he entrusted the writ to Ibn Ibrahim, after giving him an hundred dinars, and he fared forth and ceased not faring till he had reached the palace of the Princess. Presently he went in and handed to her the writ, and as soon as she had read it, the contents seemed to her sore and she wept until her vitals were torn with sobs. After this she raised her hand[FN#250] heavenwards and invoked Allah and humbled herself before him and said, “My God, O my Lord, do Thou soften the heart of Yusuf ibn Sahl and turn him mewards and afflict him with love of me even as thou hast afflicted me with his love; for Thou to whatso Thou wishest canst avail, O bestest of Rulers and O forcefullest of Aiders.” Anon she fell to writing and indited these verses,
“Love rules my bosom and a-morn doth moan * The Voice, ah Love, who shows strength weakness grown! His lashes’ rapier-blade hath rent my heart; * That keen curved brand my me hath overthrown: That freshest cheek-rose fills me with desire: * Fair fall who plucketh yonder bloom new-blown! Since love befel me for that youth did I * Begin for charms of him my pride to own: O thou my hope, I swear by Him did share * Love and decreed thou shouldst in longing wone, In so exceeding grief why sight I thee * Jacob made Joseph by the loss of me?”
She then handed the letter to Ibn Ibrahim, after giving him an hundred dinars; and he returned forthright to the city of Sind and, repairing to Yusuf, gave him the writ which he took and read. Hereupon the Prince waxed sore sorrowful and said to himself, “By Allah, indeed Al-Hayfa cleaveth to love.”—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
The Six Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
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 Prince Yusuf said, “By Allah, had Al-Hayfa any save myself she had not sent me these letters; but the outgoings of the heart conciliate lovers and correspond each with other.” Then he took writing materials and after thinking awhile he improvised these couplets,
O thou of stature fair with waist full slight[FN#251]
*
Surpassing sandhill-
branch and reedlet light;
I deal in words and gems of speech that melt, * By
none ’mid all
of mortal kind indite;
From my tribe’s lord, a lion rending foes *
Moon of Perfections
and ‘The Yusuf’
hight:
Homed in thy home I joyed my joys with maids *
High-breasted,[FN#252]
virgins weakening forceful sprite;
Your songs and touch of lute ’mid trembling
wine * Consoled all
sorrows, made all hearts
delight,
Till you to other deigned union grant * And I your
nature learnt
and learnt aright,
Whereat my vitals failed, sore bane befel, * Pine,
disappointment, and
injurious blight.
No virtue dwelleth in the fairest forms * But forms
the fairest
are by goodness dight.
How many a maiden deckt with crescent brow * Hath
nature dealing
injury and despite?
Man hath no merit save in kindly mind * And loquent
tongue with
light of wits unite."[FN#253]
And when Yusuf had ended his poetry he presented an hundred dinars to Ibn Ibrahim, who took the letter and fell to cutting through the wilds and the wolds, after which he went in to the presence of Al-Hayfa and gave her the missive. She wept and wailed and cried, “O Ibn Ibrahim, this letter is indeed softer than all forewent it; and as thou hast brought it to me, O Ibn Ibrahim, I will largesse thee with two honourable robes of golden brocade and a thousand dinars.” So saying, she called for pen-case and paper whereupon she indited these couplets,
“O my lord, these words do my vitals destroy,
* O thou gem of the
earth and full moon
a-sky!
How long this recourse to denial and hate * With heart
whose
hardness no rocks outvie?
Thou hast left my spirit in parting-pangs * And in
fires of
farness that flame on
high:
How long shall I ’plain of its inner pains?
* Haps thy grace
shall grant me reunion-joy:
Then pity, my vitals and whatso homed * Thy form within
me before
I die.
She then handed the paper to Ibn Ibrahim who again set out and sought the Prince and kissed his hand and gave him the letter; whereupon said he, “O Ibn Ibrahim, come not thou again bringing me aught of missive—ever or any more after this one.” Quoth Ibn Ibrahim, “Wherefore, O my lord, shall I not do on such wise?” and quoth Yusuf “Suffer her to learn the fates of men-kind.” Said the other, “I conjure thee, by Allah Almighty, ho thou the King, inasmuch as thou art of the seed of mighty monarchs, disappoint her not of her question; and Allah upon thee, unless thou show pity to her heart it haply will melt away with melancholy and love and madness for thy sake; and all of this is for the truth of her affection.” Hereupon Yusuf smiled and taking up his pen wrote these couplets,
“Stay thy tears; for hindrance and parting hie,
* And the endless
of Empire aye glorify:
From my core of heart fly all cark and care * After
parting that
seemed all Time defy.
A Lion am I for the love of him * Whom the slanderer’s
part ne’er
can satisfy:
My mind and soul be this day with you * But my heart
and thought
are at enmity:
Thought and mind delight in Love’s cruelty *
While heart and soul
for re-union cry:
And if mind and thought e’er can overcome *
Soul and heart,
Re-union thou ne’er
shalt ’spy.”
And when Yusuf had finished his writing, he gifted Ibrahim with an hundred dinars and sent him again to Al-Hayfa with the letter, and she on receiving it shed tears and said, “O Ibn Ibrahim, seeing that his soul and heart be with us, Allah Almighty availeth to turn his thoughts and his fancy and the mind of him.” Hereupon she took writing materials and wrote,
“Calm, O my lord, thy vitals’ painful
plight, * O thou whose
semblance lighteth sooty
night:
O gladding heart, O sweet of union, Oh * Whose charms
the tribe
in festal hours delight:
O high in honour passing height of Kings, * O thou
with purest
blood ’mid Kings
bedight,
Fear’st not the Throne[FN#254] of God (O hope
of me!) * When
harming heart whereon
all pains alight?
Then deign thou grant me union, for such wise * Shall
rest my
heartstrings and dark
care wax bright:
From none, except that Lion O’ men Ali[FN#255]
* Comes pardon
proving to man- kind
his might.”
Then she passed her missive to Ibn Ibrahim giving him an hundred gold pieces and he pushed his pace till he reached the city of Sind, where he went in to Yusuf and kissed his hands and feet. The Prince taking the letter smiled and laughed and said, “O Ibn Ibrahim, when Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) shall decree my faring I will fare to them[FN#256] within a short while; but do thou return and let know that I intend forgathering with them.” Quoth the other, “Ah! O my lord, do thou indite her a reply, otherwise she will have no trust in me; so the Prince fell to penning these lines,
“My vitals restless bide for very jealousy *
The while my heart
must ever show unfriendly
gree:
Yet I obeyed my heart and tore it out for him * Albe
man ever
holds his heart in amity;
And I have heard my lover drives me forth from him
* But Allah
grant my prayer of benedicite.
In anxious care I came and sought your side this day
* Naught
shall the youth exalt
save generosity.”
Then Prince Yusuf passed the letter to Ibn Ibrahim who, after receiving his hundred dinars, repaired to Al-Hayfa and greeted her[FN#257] informing her the while that her lover was about to make act of presence.—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 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
The Six Hundred and Ninety-third Night,
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 Ibn Ibrahim said to Al-Hayfa, “Verily Yusuf purposeth to visit thee after a little while.” But when the Princess heard his words she would not believe him albeit her heart palpitated with pleasure; whereupon Ibn Ibrahim improvised to her as follows,
“O thou world-seducer and full moon bright,
* Stay thy speech and
with boon of good news
requite.
Love pledged me his word he would see thee and said,
* Hie thee
home and order the house
aright.
I awoke this morning in cark and care, * In tears
distraught and
in dire despite;
For the wrongs and farness thou doom’st me dree
* Have forced my
forces to fright-full
flight.”
And when Ibn Ibrahim had ended his verse, Al-Hayfa joyed with increased and exceeding joy, and in her delight she answered him according to the rhyme and rhythm of his verse,
“O who spreadest clouds,[FN#258] Son of Ibrahim
hight; * By the
Lord who ruleth in ’Arsh
his height,
By Mohammed the bestest of men and by * Th’
adorers of yore and
the Ta-Ha’s[FN#259]
might,
By Zemzem, Safa and wall Hatim[FN#260] * And Ka’abah
and glories
of Ka’abah’s
site,
An this speech be sooth and my dearling come * One
thousand, two
thou- sand dinars are
thy right;
And I’ll give thee a courser, O Ibrahim’s
son, * Selle, stirrups
and bridle with gold
bedight;
Six turbands and robes that shall honour show * With
that courser
the colour of blackest
night.
So hold me not like the most of mankind, * Who joy
the fair ones
to twit and flyte.”
And when Al-Hayfa had finished her verses, Ibn Ibrahim brought out to her the letter of the Prince, and as soon as she read it her heart was comforted and she waxed glad with exceeding gladness and she bade them present him with largesse of value great and a thousand dinars upon a china plate. After this she took him by the hand and led him into a closet and said, “O Ibn Ibrahim, all that be in this cabinet is a free gift to thee when thou shalt have brought to me that lover of mine.” Such was the case with them; but as regards Prince Yusuf, when Ibn Ibrahim left him, he felt love-lowe aflaming in his heart, and he summoned his Mameluke Hilal and said to him, “Go saddle for us the steed known by the name of The Bull-aye-ready-and-for-Battle-day-steady.” Hereupon the slave arose and enselled the courser and Yusuf mounted; and, taking his Mameluke on the crupper, pushed his pace (and he madly in love with Al-Hayfa), and he ceased not faring till he reached her Palace. He then swam the stream with his Mameluke hanging on, as before, to the tail, and knocked at the door which was opened by a damsel hight Nuzhat al-Zaman[FN#261] and she on recognising him kissed his hands and hurrying to her lady informed her of his coming. Al-Hayfa hearing of the arrival fell fainting to the ground and when she recovered she found Yusuf standing beside her head; so she arose and embraced him for a long while, after which she improvised and said,
“O thou Pilgrim of Love, after parting far *
From us driven by
malice of jealous foe!
My life for the friend in affection comes; * Naught
dearer to me
than such boon can show;
Full many a writ have I written thee * Nor union nor
grace of
return I know.
In this world I see him with single heart * O my wish!
and Allah
ne’er part us
two.
And when she had ended her verses she bade the slave-girls convey Ibn Ibrahim and Hilal to the gardens, after which she led Yusuf to the saloon of session and the twain passed the night together he and she, in joyance and enjoyment, for that night was indeed a night of delight. But when Allah bade the morn to morrow, Al-Hayfa arose and cried, “How short it is for a night: Ah that it had been longer for us! but ’tis for me to say even as said Imr al-Kays[FN#262] in sundry of his verses upon a similar theme,
“On me Night waxeth long nor would I shorten
Night; * Yet hasteth
Morn when I for longer
Nights would sue:
It brings me union till ‘My lover’s mine’
I cry * Yet when with
him unite disunion comes
to view.
Now when it was the second day, Al-Hayfa took seat in the assembly of converse.—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
The Six Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,
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 Al-Hayfa repaired to the saloon of seance, she and Yusuf, and summoned Ibn Ibrahim and bade the handmaids bring everything that was in the closet. They obeyed her bidding and fetched her all the contents, amongst which were ten robes of honour and three coffers of silk and fine linen and a packet of musk and a parcel of rubies and pearls and jacinths and corals and similar objects of high price. And she conferred the whole of this upon Mohammed ibn Ibrahim, the while improvising these verses,
“We are noblest of lords amongst men of might;
* What we give and
largesse bring the most
delight:
And when we strive with our hearts and souls * We
strive in
public nor rue our plight.
With me the pact no regret shall breed * Save in head
of
suspecting envying wight.
I am none who riseth sans bounteous deed; * I am none
who giveth
with felon sprite.”
And when Al-Hayfa had ended her poetry, Prince Yusuf largessed[FN#263] Ibn Ibrahim and said to him, “Thou shalt have on my part one thousand dinars and twenty robes of brocade and an hundred she-camels and eighty horses (whereof the meanest is worth five hundred gold pieces and each is saddled with a golden selle), and lastly forty handmaids.” After which he began to improvise these couplets,
“Good signeth man to sight and all men see *
Sahl’s son is lord
of liberality:
Time and the world and mortals one and all * Witness
my goodness
and for aye agree:
Who comes for purpose him I gratify * With boons,
though ’twere
with eyen-light of me:
I back my neighbour whenas harmed by * Dolour of debt
and
foeman’s tyranny:
Whoso hath moneys lacking liberal mind * Though he
snatch Fortune
’mid the vile
is he.”
And when Yusuf had finished his verse, Ibn Ibrahim arose and bussed his hands and feet and cried, “Allah dole to thee all thou desirest.” The other replied, “When thou shalt return to our city, do thou go to my quarters and therefrom take thee whatso I have promised.” Then the Prince and Princess waxed assiduous in the eating of meat and the drinking of wine; and this continued for many successive months[FN#264] until Ibn Ibrahim craved leave to visit his folk; and, when he received permission, he took with him that was light in weight and weighty of worth. And as he set forth, Al-Hayfa said to him, “When thou shalt return to thy people in safety, do thou salute for me my sire and name to him a certain stallion which same he shall largesse to thee and likewise
The Six Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,
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 Ibn Ibrahim said to Al-Mihrjan, “Verily I found this poetry in a tale of the olden time.” So the King issued orders to smite his neck, when intercession was made for him by a Courtier hight Ta’il al-Wasf,[FN#267] whereupon the King commanded him to jail, whither he was taken forthright. But as Ibn Ibrahim was being locked up, he said to the gaoler, “Say me, canst thou bring for me a pen-case and paper and pen?” and the other assented, fetching for him whatso he wanted. So he wrote to Prince Yusuf the following couplets,
“O Yusuf, master mine, for safety fly; * In
sorest danger
Ibrahim’s son
doth lie:
When from thy side for house and home he sped * Forthright
bade
Al-Mihrjan to bring
him nigh,
And ‘mid th’ Assembly highest stead assigned
* A seat in public
with a sleight full
sly.
A writ thou wrotest bore he on his head * Which fell
and picked
it up the King to ’spy:
’Tis thus discovered he thy state and raged
* With wrath and fain
all guidance would defy.
Then bade he Ibrahim’s son on face be thrown
* And painful
beating to the bare
apply;
With stripes he welted and he tare his sides * Till
force waxed
feeble, strength debility.
So rise and haste thee to thine own and fetch * Thy
power, and
instant for the tribe-lands
hie;
Meanwhile I’ll busy to seduce his men * Who
hear me, O thou
princely born and high;
For of the painful stress he made me bear * The fire
of bane I’ve
sworn him even I.”
Now when Ibn Ibrahim had finished his verse, he said to the gaoler, “Do thou summon for me the son of my brother hight Manna[FN#268] and thou shalt have from me one hundred gold pieces.” The man did his bidding, and when the youth came the uncle gave him the letter and bespake him as follows: “O son of my brother, take thou this paper and fare with it to the Castle of Al-Hayfa and swim the stream, and go up to the building and enter therein and commit this missive unto a youth whom thou shalt see sitting beside the Princess. Then do thou greet him with the salam from me, and inform him of all that I am in and what I have seen and what thou hast witnessed, and for this service I will give thee an hundred gold pieces.” The nephew took the uncle’s letter and set forth from the first of the night until he drew nigh the Castle. Such was the case with Ibn Ibrahim and his sending his nephew Manna’ on a mission to the Princess; but as regards King Al-Mihrjan, when the morning morrowed and showed its sheen and shone and the sun arose with rays a-low-land strown, he sent to summon Ibn Ibrahim; and, when they set him between his hands, he adjured him saying, “O thou! by the rights of the God unique in his rule for Unity; by Him who set up the skies without prop and stay and dispread the Earths firmly upon the watery way, unless thou inform me and apprise me rightly and truly I will order thy head to be struck off this very moment.” So the cup-companion related to the King the whole affair of Princess Al-Hayfa and Prince Yusuf, and all that had passed between the twain; whereupon Al-Mihrjan asked, “And this Yusuf from what land may he be?” “He is son to the Sovran of Sind, King Sahl,” quoth the other, and quoth Al- Mihrjan, “And is he still in the Palace, or hath he gone to his own country?” “He was therein,” replied Ibn Ibrahim, “but I know not whether he be yet there, or he be gone thence.” Hereupon Al-Mihrjan commanded his host at once to
The Six Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,
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 Sahlub went up to the Palace, he asked of Al-Hayfa, and the slave-girls told him that a youth had come thither and had taken her away and had carried her off to his own country. So he returned to Al-Mihrjan and informed him thereof, when the King took horse with all his host and pursued Yusuf with uttermost haste and hurry until there was between the twain less than a day’s march. But as the Prince drew near his capital on the tenth day he went in to his sire and told him whatso had befallen him from incept to conclusion, nor did he hide from him aught; whereupon King Sahl mustered his many (all who received from him royal solde and allowances), and bade them take horse with his son Yusuf. The troops did accordingly and the Prince rode a-van, and after a little while the two armies met. Now Ibn Ibrahim had made a compact with five of the nobles who were the chiefest men of King Al-Mihrjan’s reign and had promised them five hundred thousand dinars. So when the two hosts were about to engage, an Emir of the Emirs came forth (and he was one of those whom Ibn Ibrahim had appointed to watch over Yusuf) and said to the Prince, “O Son of the King, verily Ibn Ibrahim hath promised five of the nobles as many hundred thousand dinars of gold the which we may take and receive from thee.” Replied he, “The like sum shall be thine from me with all thou canst ask of us.” Presently the Emir returned from him to Al-Mihrjan and said to him, “Verily I have asked this youth that he make vain and void the battle between us twain, but he assented not and sware an oath that he would never return from affray until the enemies should meet and fight it out, and that he had with him a mighty host and a conquering whose van was not known from its rear.[FN#269] Now ’tis my rede that thou strive to take him prisoner[FN#270] and then do whatso he may please, especially he being son to thee, King of the mighty Kings and with him a thousand thousand knights all mailed cap-a-pie and clothed in steel not one of whom hath any fear of fight.” King Al-Mihrjan waxed wroth at the Emir’s speech and cried, “What words be these? Shall the Kings of the Age remain saying of me that a man hath debauched the daughter of Al-Mihrjan and hath carried her away perforce despite the nose of her father? Never shall such thing be spoken of me; no, never! But do thou know, ho thou the Emir, that an ye have no taste for fray nor avail for fight and ye have no training save for bibbing of wine and ease at home, I have sworn and swear by Him who lighted the lucident fires of the Sun and the Moon, none shall sally forth to do single combat with this youth save I myself.” But when so saying he knew not that was hidden from him in the World of Secrets. Presently he rushed into the field of fight with reins floating upon his courser’s neck and he renowned it, showing himself between the foremost files, and he played with the edge of glaive and spit of spear until men’s wits were bewildered and he improvised the while and cried out the following couplets,
“Ibn Sahl, ho scion of tree abhorr’d!
* Rise, meet me in mellay
and prove thee lord:
My daughter hast snatched, O thou foul of deed, *
And approachest
me fearing the Lion
of the horde.
Hadst come in honour and fairly sued * I had made
her thine own
with the best accord;
But this rape hath o’erwhelmed in dishonour
foul * Her sire, and
all bounds thou hast
overscor’d.”
Now when King Al-Mihrjan finished his verse, Yusuf rushed out to him, and cried at him with a terrible cry and a terrifying, and garred his own steed bound upon the battle-plain, where he played with brand and lance until he cast into oblivion every knight, reciting in the meantime the following verses,
“I am son to Al-Sahl, O of forbears vile! *
Come forth and fight
me sans guile or wile;
Thou hast hurt my heart; O of deed misdone, * So thou
com’st to
contend with this rank
and file."[FN#271]
King Al-Mihrjan re-echoed his war-cry, but hardly had he ended when Yusuf drawing near him answered it with a shout which enquaked his heart and ravished his reason with sore terror, and repeated in reply these couplets,
“I am not to be titled of forbears vile * O
whose ape-like face
doth the tribe defile!
Nay, I’m rending lion amid mankind, * A hero
in wilds where the
murks beguile.
Al-Hayfa befitteth me, only me; * Ho thou whom men
for an
ape[FN#272] revile,”
When Yusuf had ended these words, Al-Mihrjan rushed forth and charged down upon him, and the two drawing nigh each of the foemen set on the other with a mighty onset and a prodigious. They fought in duello and lanced out with lance and smote with sword, and dashed together as they were two ships of two mountains clashing; and they approached and retired, and the dust- cloud arose over them and they disappeared from men’s sight. But hardly had an hour passed by when Yusuf made a final attack upon his enemy and narrowed his course and barred his way and pressed him hard; and, hanging upon his flank, smote him with the scymitar upon the nape of the neck[FN#273] and caused his head to fall between his feet, when he slipt from his steed upon the ground, and he lay stone dead and in his gore drowned. Now as soon as the folk looked upon Yusuf and what he had dealt to their King and how he had made his head fly his body and had done him dead, they turned to take flight. Thereupon Yusuf recognised Sahlub the cousin of Al-Hayfa, he who had been the cause of their separation and had roused her wrath against him; so he drew near to him and smote him with the bright shining blade on the right flank, and it came forth gleaming between his left ribs; so he fell to the ground drenched with blood, and he was left prostrate in the dust. And when Yusuf had slain King Al- Mihrjan and Sahlub, his nephew, the Grandees of the realm came around him and greeted him with the salam.—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 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
The Seven Hundredth Night,
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 Grandees of King Al-Mihrjan’s reign saw their Sovran slain, they flocked to Prince Yusuf and greeted him, marvelling at his beauty and valour and excellence: then they all agreed to salute him as their Sultan and they raised him to the rank of King and sole ruler over them. Presently they led him with them, and fared seeking the city of Al-Mihrjan until they reached it, when they adorned the streets on the occasion of his coming. And King Yusuf having entered his capital took seat on the throne of his kingship and bade and forbade and deposed and appointed; and lastly freed Mohammed ibn Ibrahim from gaol, and established him his Wazir. Hereupon the new Minister displayed to him the four wives and the hundred concubines of King Al-Mihrjan, also the negro slaves, male and female, whom he found to number two hundred and four hundred. Moreover, he showed his riches and rarities and treasuries wherein were found an hundred boxes full of silk and fine linen, and parcels of pearls and rubies and jacinths and jewels and precious minerals and other wealth in abundance. So he distributed the whole amongst his nobles, and largessed them with excessive largesses; and his partisans of his subjects and his guards flocked to him with presents and offerings; and all the city-folk gave him joy and rejoiced in him. Then he commissioned Ibn Ibrahim to Al-Hayfa, daughter of King Al-Mihrjan, saying “Do thou bring her hither to me, her and her hand-maids and all that be in her palace.” Accordingly he went forth to Al-Hayfa’s Castle, and ceased not wending till he came to its entrance where he discovered that King Yusuf had appointed a craft for the river transport. And when he arrived there and found the vessel afloat he went in to Al-Hayfa and he greeted her. Then he related to her what had betided her sire from Yusuf and how the Prince had slain him after the fashion of what befel; so she cried, “There is no Majesty and no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great; and this was writ in the Book of Life!” Then she asked Ibn Ibrahim touching her mother, and he answered that she was sound and safe in her own home which she had never left nor did any one go in to her; and (added he) “she expecteth thy coming to her.” Then he bade carry down her impediments and her bondmaids and all the good that was in her Castle until nothing remained, and embarked them upon the craft; and presently, mounting her in a litter of sandal-wood plated with ruddy gold, he set her women in Howdahs;[FN#274] and, taking horse himself, he rode until they drew near the city. And when they arrived there he went
The Seven Hundred and Second Night,
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 Yusuf beheld Ibrahim the Cup-companion, and those in his company, he returned to the city and took them with him; yet he knew not Ibrahim nor did Ibrahim know him. But on entering the capital he was met by his guards and his soldiers who blessed him and prayed for him length of days and permanence of rule wherefor the courtier knew him to be a just King. Yusuf led them to and lodged them in the House of Hospitality; after which returning to his own Palace he sent for Ibrahim and assembled for him a session and received him with the highmost honour that could be, and rose to him and greeted him and embraced him and accompanied him to the sitting-saloon where the twain took their places. Then Yusuf bade summon the ten handmaidens with as many instruments of music; and, sitting down begirt by them, he ordered wine be brought. So they set before him flagons and beakers of crystal and jewelled cups; and presently pointing to the first of the slave-girls whose name is not recorded, bade her recite somewhat of her pleasantest poetry. So she hent the lute in hand and set it upon her lap and swept it with a light touch and caressed it with her finger-tips and smote it after eleven modes; then she returned to the first[FN#278] and recited these couplets,
“My heart for parting ever burns with lowe;
* My lids fiery with
tear-floods ever flow:
Ho thou in lover’s loving ferly fair, * Cut
is the road for those
Love gars to glow.
How many a youth has felt his vitals torn * By slender
forms and
glances forceful prow?
Alas for lover slain by might of Love; * Nor friend
avails nor
brother true, I trow!”
When the first handmaiden had finished, Yusuf rejoiced (as did Ibrahim the Cup-companion) with excessive joy and the King bade robe her in a sumptuous robe. Hereupon she drained her cup and passed it to her compeer whose name was Takna, and this second handmaiden taking beaker in hand placed it afore her and hending the lute smote on it with many a mode; then, returning to the first[FN#279] while the wits of all were bewildered, she improvised the following verses,
“Look on the lute that ’minds of Mangonel;
* Whose strings are
ropes that make each
shot to tell:
And note the pipes that sound with shriek and cry,
* The pipes
that cast a fearful
joyful spell;
Espy the flagons ranged in serried rank * And crops
becrowned
with wine that longs
to well.”
But when Takna had finished her poetry Yusuf and Ibrahim were gladdened and the King bade largesse her with a sumptuous robe and a thousand dinars and she tossed off her cup and passed it to her successor the third handmaiden Mubdi’[FN#280] hight. She accepted it and setting it before her took the lute and smote it after manifold fashions and presently she spake these couplets,
“Love with his painful pine doth rack this frame
of me; * Melts
heart and maims my vitals
cruel agony;
And rail my tears like cloud that rains the largest
drops; * And
fails my hand to find
what seek I fain to see:
Thee I conjure, O Yusuf, by Him made thee King * O
Sahl-son, Oh
our dearest prop, our
dignity,
This man methinks hath come to part us lovers twain
* For in his
eyes I see the flame
of jealousy.”
And when Mubdi’ had sung her song, Ibrahim the Cup-companion and King Yusuf smiled and rejoiced and anon there befel them what there befel and the two slipt down aswoon;—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 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
The Seven Hundred and Third Night,
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 King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup-companion hearing the song sung by Mubdi’, the third handmaiden, both fell to the floor aswoon; and when they revived after an hour or so, Ibrahim largessed to her one thousand dinars and a robe purfled with glistening gold. Then she drained her cup and crowning it again passed it to her compeer whose name was Nasim[FN#281] and who took it and set it in front of her. Then hending in hand the lute she played upon it with manifold modes and lastly spake these couplets,
“O Blamer, blaming me for draining lonely wine,
* Stint carping,
I this day to Holy War
incline:
Oh fair reflection she within her wine-cup shows *
Her sight
makes spirit dullest
earthly flesh refine:
How mention her? By Allah ’tis forbid in
writ * To note the
meaner charms in Eden-garth
divine.”
When the fourth handmaiden had ended her verse, Ibrahim gifted her with one thousand dinars and presented a sumptuous robe to her owner, then she drank off her cup and passed it to her compeer hight Al-Badr[FN#282] and she sang the following lines,
“One robbed of heart amid song and wine * And
Love that smiteth
with babe of eyne:
His voice to the lute shall make vitals pain * And
the wine shall
heal all his pangs and
pine:
Hast e’er seen the vile drawing near such draught
* Or miser
close-fisted thereto
incline?
The wine is set free in the two-handed jar[FN#283]
* Like sun of
summer in Aries’
sign.
When she had finished Ibrahim bade reward her like the rest with gold and gear and she passed her cup to her compeer whose name was Radah.[FN#284] The sixth handmaiden drained it and performed in four-and-twenty modes after which she sang these couplets,
“O thou wine-comrade languor cease to show;
* Hand me the morning
draught and ne’er
foreslow;
And prize fair poesy and sweet musick hear * And shun
the ‘say’
and naught of ‘said’
beknow:
The wine of day-dawn drunk with joyous throng * From
house of
Reason garreth Grief
to go:
The man of Kays aye loved his wine right well * And
from his lips
made honey’d verse
to flow;
And in like guise[FN#285] came Isa singing sweet *
For such was
custom of the long-ago.
When Radah ended her verse and her improvising of mysterious significance, and secret, King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup-companion tore their robes from their bodies until naught remained upon them save only the bag-breeches about their waists. Then the twain shrieked aloud and at one moment and they fell fainting to the floor, unheeding the world and their own selves from the excess of that was in their heads of wine and hearing of poetry spoken by the slave-girl. They remained in such condition for a while of time, after which they recovered though still amazed, a-drunken. Then they donned other dresses and sat down to listen as before, when Radah drained her goblet and filled and passed it to her compeer whose name was Na’im;[FN#286] and she taking her lute, improvised the following verses,
“My poesy-gem showeth clear of shine, * When
appears that pearl
with cheek coralline:
’Tis marvel the cloud cannot quench the blaze
* That fire in the
heart and this water
of eyne!
Then alas for Love who hath made me woe! * Pine that
rends and
racks limbs and vitals
o’ mine:
O thou Well of Poetry well forth thy gems * O’er
our drink when
our cups overbrim with
wine:
And sing in her presence, for Envy hath fled * And
flies jealous
spite and all joys combine.
Oh the charms of wine which enthral the mind, * Clear
and
clearing sprites by
its sprite refined!”
When the seventh handmaiden had ended her verses, King Yusuf and Ibrahim rejoiced with exceeding joy and each of them bade gift her with a thousand gold pieces and quoth the courtier, “By Allah Almighty, none of the Emirs or of the Wazirs or of the Kings or of the Caliphs hath attained excellence like unto this handmaid.” Hereupon Na’im passed her goblet to her compeer and she, whose name was Surur,[FN#287] tossed it off and taking in hand her lute, sang these couplets,
“How is’t with heart of me all cares waylay
* As drowned in
surging tears of Deluge-day?
I weep for Time endured not to us twain * As though
Time’s honour
did not oft betray.
O my lord Yusuf, O my ending hope, * By Him who made
thee lone on
Beauty’s way,
I dread lest glorious days us twain depart * And youth’s
bright
world be dimmed to old
and grey;
O Lord! be Parting’s palm for us undyed[FN#288]
* Ere death, nor
carry this my lord away.”
When the eighth handmaiden had ended her song, the twain marvelled at her eloquence and were like to rend that was upon them of raiment—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
The Seven Hundred and Fifth Night,
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 King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup-companion were like to rend that was upon them of raiment and they joyed with extreme joy after hearing what Surur had sung to them. Hereupon she passed her cup to her fellow, hight Zahrat al-Hayy,[FN#289] who took it and recited as follows,
“O cup-boy, I crave thee cup-comrade to be *
And hearten my heart
of its malady;
Nor pass me the bowls for I sorely dread * when drunken
all
dolours of Love- lowe
to dree,
To be vilely reviled in the sittings of men, * To
be frowardly
treated where zephyrs
play free.
God-blest is the Lute for her melodies * Which pain
me with
painfullest penalty,
With the jewels of speech whose transcendent charms
* Like fires
of Jahim[FN#290] burn
the vitals of me.
By Allah, show ruth, be compassionate, * For Allah
deals pardon
compassionately.
Yusuf and Ibrahim, hearing her words, were gladdened with excessive gladness and cried to the ninth handmaid, “May the lord be copious to thee like the fruitful years!” Then the Cup-companion bade gift her with one thousand gold pieces as like-wise did her lord. Hereupon she passed her cup to the tenth handmaiden known as Muhjat al-Kulub[FN#291] who fell to improvising these couplets,
“O Blamer, who canst not my case explain; *
Cease, for who blame
friends shall of blame
complain;
And whoso unknoweth the workings of Love * Mankind
shall reckon
him mean and vain:
Alas for Love, O ye tribe-landers, I * Am weaned that
wont
nipples of union to
drain.
I have learnt the whole of Love’s governance
* Since my baby days
amid cradles lain.
Forbear by Allah to ask of my state * How shall morn
one banned
with debtor bane?
O thou jewel of speech, O thou Yusuf, laud * To the
Lord who
robed thee with charms
amain!
Deign the God of ’Arsh make thy days endure
* In wealth and
honour sans pause or
wane;
E’en as Ishak’s son[FN#292] every gift
conjoined * Amid men,
making rulers to serve
him fain.”
When Muhjat al-Kulub ended her song, Yusuf gifted her with a splendid robe and a thousand gold pieces as eke did Ibrahim and presently the courtier said to the handmaiden, “Who is Ibrahim that thou shouldst sing of him in song?” She replied, “Wallahi, O my lord, he is son of Ishak, amongst the pleasant ones sans peer and a cup-companion to the Caliphs dear and the pearl concealed and the boon friend of our lord the Commander of the Faithful Al-Maamun and his familiar who to him joy and enjoyment maketh known. Ah! happy the man who can look upon him and forgather with him and company with him before his death; and verily by Allah he is the Master of the Age and the one Wonder of the World. Moreover, by the Almighty, O my lord, wert thou to see this lute fall into his hands, thou wouldst hear it converse in every language with the tongues of birds and beasts and of the sons of Adam: and well nigh would the place dance ere he had improvised a word. And he the horizons can make to joy and lovers with overlove can destroy, nor shall any after his decease such excellence of speech employ.” All this, and Muhjat al-Kulub knew not who was sitting beside them as she went on to praise Ibrahim. Hereupon he took the lute from her hand and smote it till thou hadst deemed that within the instrument lurked babes of the Jinns[FN#293] which were crying and wailing while spake the strings, and in fine King Yusuf imagined that the palace had upflown with them between heaven and earth. And the handmaidens sang to his tunes in sore astonishment; when Ibrahim designed to talk but King Yusuf cut kin short and fell to saying poetry in these couplets,
“By the rights of our lord who shows ruth in
extreme, * And Giver
and Guide and boon Prophet
we deem,
And by Ka’abah resplendent and all its site
* And by Zemzem, Safa
and the wall Hatim,
Lo! thou’rt hight Ibrahim, and suppose I say
* Thee sooth, my
wits thou must surely
esteem:
And thy face shows signalled with clearest eyne *
Deliv’rance
followed by Ya and Mim."[FN#294]
Now Ibrahim kept his secret and did not manifest himself to any, but presently he also improvised and spake in these words preserving the measure and rhyme,
“By him who chose Musa, the Speaker,[FN#295]
by Him * who
made[FN#296] Hashimite
orphan select and supreme!
Ibrahim am I not, but I deem this one * The Caliph
who sits by
Baghdadian stream;
Of his grace the heir of all eloquent arts * And no
partner hath
he in all gifts that
beseem.”
And when Ibrahim had finished his verses, Yusuf said to him, “By the virtue of Almighty Allah, an I guess aright and my shot[FN#297] go not amiss, thou art Ibrahim the musician;” but the courtier retained his incognito and replied, “O my lord, Ibrahim is my familiar friend and I am a man of Al-Basrah who hath stolen from him sundry of his modes and airs for the lute and other instruments and I have the
The Seven Hundred and Seventh Night,
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 Ibrahim reached Baghdad and went up to the Palace of the Commander of the Faithful and stood in the presence he was asked, “What hast thou brought for us from thy journey, O Ibrahim?” whereto he answered, “O our lord, I have come to thee with all thou willest and wishest that of rede be right and of word apposite.” Quoth he, “And what may that be?” and quoth the other, “The ten handmaids:” and so saying he set them before the Caliph, whereupon
The Seven Hundred and Ninth Night,
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 last poetical piece recited by the ten damsels to the Commander of the Faithful was by Muhjat al-Kulub; and he upon hearing it rose at once to his feet and shrieked and fell aswoon for an hour of time. And when he recovered he cried, “By Allah, O Muhjat al-Kulub and Oh of eyne the coolth, do thou repeat to me what thou hast said.” Hereupon she touched her instrument with another touch accompanying the repetition of her poetry in a style wholly unlike the first, and she repeated her song in the mode and form Nahawand.[FN#299] But when the Caliph heard her, his wits were wildered, and he rent that was upon him of raiment, and he fell fainting to the floor until Ibrahim the Cup-companion and the ten handmaidens deemed him dead. But as he revived after an hour of time he said to the handmaiden, “O Muhjat al-Kulub, ask and it shall be granted to thee. “I pray,” quoth she, “first of Allah and then of the Commander of the Faithful that he restore us, all the ten, unto our lord;” and he granted her request after he had gifted them all and largessed them.[FN#300] He also wrote to their owner, King Yusuf, a royal Rescript appointing him Sultan over all the kingdoms that were in and about the land of Al-Sind; and moreover that whenas the Caliph might be absent from his good city of Baghdad, Yusuf should take his place in bidding and forbidding and ordering and governing. This ended, he despatched the ten slave-girls with a body of his Chamberlains after giving them wealth galore and of presents and rarities great store; and they fared forth from him and ceased not faring till they reached the city of Al-Sind. Now when the ten handmaidens drew nigh thereto they sent to inform King Yusuf of their coming, and he commissioned his Wazir Mohammed bin Ibrahim to meet and receive them, and he caused them enter the Palace, wondering the while that his ten bondswomen had not found favour with the Prince of True Believers. So he summoned them to his presence and asked them thereanent, and they answered by relating all that had befallen them; and presently Muhjat al-Kulub presented to him the Royal Rescript, and when he read it he increased in joy and delight.[FN#301] Now[FN#302] when supper was over the Prince of True Believers said to Ibn Ahyam, “Needs must thou relate unto us a story which shall solace us; and said the other, “O Commander of the Faithful, I have heard a tale touching one of the Kings.” “What is that?” asked the Caliph, whereupon Ibn Ahyam fell to relating the adventures of
The three princes of china.[FN#303]
Whilome there was a King in the land of Al-S¡n and he had three male children to whose mother befel a mysterious malady. So they summoned for her Sages and leaches of whom none could understand her ailment and she abode for a while of time strown upon her couch. At last came a learned physician to whom they described her disorder and he declared, “Indeed this sickness cannot be healed save and except by the Water of Life, a treasure that can be trove only in the land Al-’Ir k.” When her sons heard these words they said to their sire, “There is no help but that we make our best endeavour and fare thither and thence bring for our mother the water in question.” Hereupon the King gat ready for them a sufficiency of provaunt for the way and they farewelled him and set forth intending for Barbarian-land.[FN#304] The three Princes ceased not travelling together for seven days, at the end of which time one said to other, “Let us separate and let each make search in a different stead, so haply shall we hit upon our need.” So speaking they parted after dividing their viaticum and, bidding adieu to one another, each went his own way. Now the eldest Prince ceased not wending over the wastes and none directed him to a town save after a while when his victual was exhausted and he had naught remaining to eat. At that time he drew near to one of the cities where he was met at the entrance by a Jewish man who asked him saying, “Wilt thou serve, O Moslem?” Quoth the youth to himself, “I will take service and haply Allah shall discover to me my need.” Then said he aloud, “I will engage myself to thee;” and said the Jew, “Every day thou shalt serve me in yonder Synagogue, whose floor thou shalt sweep and clean its mattings and rugs and thou shalt scour the candlesticks.” “’Tis well,” replied the Prince, after which he fell to serving in the Jew’s house, until one day of the days when his employer said to him, “O Youth, I will bargain with thee a bargain.” “And what may that be?” asked the young Prince, and the man answered, “I will condition with thee for thy daily food a scone and a half but the broken loaf thou shalt not devour nor shalt thou break the whole bread; yet do thou eat thy sufficiency and whoso doth contrary to our agreement we will flay[FN#305] his face. So, an it be thy desire to serve, thou art welcome.” Now of his inexperience the Prince said to him, “We will serve thee;” whereupon his employer rationed him with a scone and a half and went forth leaving him in the Synagogue. When it was noon the youth waxed anhungered so he ate the loaf and a half; and about mid-afternoon the Jew came to him and finding that he had devoured the bread asked him thereanent and the other answered, “I was hungry and I ate up all.” Cried the Jew, “I made compact with thee from the beginning that thou shouldst eat neither the whole nor the broken,” and so saying he fared forth from him and presently brought a party of Jews, who in that town numbered some fifty head, and they seized
The Seven Hundred and Eleventh Night,
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 which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the King’s son tarried with the Jewish man the first day and the second day, after which his employer did with him even as he had done by his brother before him; to wit, he slew him and wrapping him in a mat placed his corpse beside that of the eldest Prince. On this wise it happed to these twain; but as regards the youngest of the three, he ceased not travelling from town to town and enduring excessive fatigue and hunger and nakedness until by decree of Destiny and by determination of the Predestinator he was thrown into the hands of the same Jew whom he found standing at the Synagogue-door. Here the man accosted him, saying, “Wilt thou serve, O Moslem?” and the Youth agreeing he imposed upon him the same pact which he had made with his two brothers, and the Prince said “’Tis well, O Master.” Then quoth the Jew, “Do thou sweep the Synagogue and cleanse it and shake out the mats and rugs;” and quoth the other, “Good!” But when the Prince left him and went into the building, his glance fell upon the two bundles of matting wherein were wrapped the corpses of his brothers, so he drew near to them and, raising a corner of the covering, found the bodies stinking and rotten. Hereat he arose and fared forth the Synagogue and opening a pit in the ground took up his brothers (and he sorrowing over them and weeping) and buried them. Then he returned to the building and, rolling up the mats, heaped them together and so with the rugs, after which he built a fire under them until the whole were burnt and after he took down the candlesticks one and all and brake them to bits.
The Seven Hundred and Twelfth Night,
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 Jew came to his home and looked around, he found it in the condition
The Seven Hundred and Fourteenth Night,
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 young Prince ceased not wayfaring until the twain drew near to the capital of China[FN#315] where, by the fiat of Fate and the sealed decree of Destiny, on entering the walls he found that his father had fared to the mercy of Allah
The Seven Hundred and Sixteenth Night,
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 King fell into the pit (and he disguised in Darwaysh-garb) the thieves sought to slay him and carry off his clothes, when quoth he to them, “Wherefore kill me when my garments are not worth a thousand groats[FN#324] and I own not a single one? However, I have at hand a handicraft whereat I am ready to work sitting in this pit and do you take and sell my produce for a thousand faddahs; and every day I will labour for you, finishing one and requiring naught save my meat and drink and perpetual privacy in your quarters.” “At what craft art thou crafty?” asked they, and he answered, “At mat-weaving: so do ye bring me a piastre[FN#325] worth of rushes[FN#326] and the same of yarn.” Accordingly they fared forth and fetched him his need and presently he made a mat and said to them, “Take ye this and sell it not for less than a thousand faddahs.” They hied out and carried the work to the Bazar where, as soon as the folk caught sight thereof, they crowded about the seller, each man offering more until the price had risen to a thousand and two hundred silvern nusfs. Hereupon said the thieves to themselves, “By Allah, this Darwaysh can profit us with much profit and enrich us without other trade;” so every morning for ten days they brought him rushes and yarn and he wove for them a mat which they vended for a like sum. On this wise it happened to him; but as regards the Wazirs and Emirs and lords of the land, they went up to the Council-chamber[FN#327] for the first day and the second and the third until the week was ended and they awaited the coming of their King, but he came not, neither found they any tidings nor hit they upon any manifest traces and none knew whither he had wended. So they were sore exercised and confusion befel with much tittle-tattle of folk; each one said his own say nor were they guided by any to what they should do. Furthermore, as often as they asked of the Harem they were answered, “We have no tidings of him;” so they were perplext and at last they agreed, their King being clean lost, to set up a Sultan as his successor. However the Wazirs said, “Tarry ye until Allah shall open unto us a door whereby we shall be rightly directed to him.” Now the King had required from the people of the pit rushes of various colours, red and green, and when they fetched them he fell to weaving a mat like those of the striped sort, whereon he figured by marks and signs the name of the quarter wherein he was gaoled[FN#328] and discovered to his men the way thereto and the site itself; after which he said to the thieves, “Verily this mat misfitteth every save those in the Royal Palace and its price
Therighteous wazir wrongfully
gaoled.[FN#331]
It is related that there was a King among the manifold Kings of Al-Hind, and he had a Wazir which was a right good counsellor to the realm and pitiful to the lieges and the Fakirs and merciful to the miserable and just in all his dealings. Despite this the Grandees of the kingdom hated him and envied him, and at all times and seasons when he went forth the presence or returned to his house, one of the Emirs would come forward and say to the King, “O our lord, verily the Wazir doth of doings thus and thus,”—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 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
The Seven Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night,
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 Lords of the land, whenever the Wazir was absent traduced him and maligned him in the presence of the Sultan, saying, “The Minister doth such and such doings,” and this continued for a while of time. Now one day of the days, as the Sultan was sitting in his palace behold, a running messenger came to him bearing letters from sundry of the provinces which were in his reign imploring help against their foemen’s violence. “What may be done in this case?” asked the Sultan, and his Nobles answered saying, “Send to them the Wazir,” but they spake not this speech save in their resolve to ruin him and their determination to destroy him. Hereupon the King sent for him and summoned him and commended him to journey to the places in question; but those of whom the complaints had been made threw dangers and difficulties in his way. Said the Wazir, “Hearing and obeying;” and after preparing himself for wayfare he set forth on his way. Now the Lords had despatched letters to the province whither he intended, apprising the folk of his coming, and saying to them, “Empower him not with anything, and if you avail to work him aught of wrong, so do.” When the Wazir marched upon those places he was met by the people with welcomes and deputations to receive him and offer him presents and rarities and sumptuous gifts, and all who were therein honoured him with highmost honour. Presently he sent for their adversaries, and having brought them before him made peace between the two parties, and their gladness increased and their sadness ceased, and he tarried with them for a month full-told; after which he set out on his homeward march. The Lords, however, had reported all this to the King and they were right sore and sorrowful, for that their desire had been the destruction of the Minister. And one day of the days as the Wazir was sitting at home, behold, a party of Chamberlains appeared before him and summoned him to the presence, saying, “Arise, the King requireth thee.” He rose without stay or delay, and taking horse made for the presence, and ceased not riding until he had reached the palace and had gone in to the King, who forthright bade throw him into gaol. (Now it happened that the prison had seven doors.)[FN#332] Cried the Wazir, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great; and verily we be Allah’s and unto Him are we returning! Would I wot why and wherefore the King hath confined me and for what cause; but Omnipotence is Allah’s.” As soon as the Minister was quartered in his new quarters the Sovran sent to interdict his eating any food of
The Seven hundred and Thirty-First Night,
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 Fakir to the Wazir, “By Allah, O my lord, my heart hath indeed been with thee for this space of seven years; and often as I went to thy mansion, they told me that the Sultan is wroth with the Wazir; withal I still awaited for thee until this very day, when I repaired to thy quarters according to my custom and I found in thy house much folk, this sweeping and that sprinkling and that spreading, and all were in joyous case. So I asked of the by-standers and they informed me that the Sovran hath become satisfied with thee and that on the ensuing night thou wilt hie thee home for that this thy saying is soothfast."[FN#335] “O Darwaysh,” replied the other, " ’Tis true that I sent to my household and informed them thereof, for that I have received welcome news from an event befel me; so I bade apprise those at home that the Sultan is satisfied with me; and to me, O Darwaysh, hath betided a matter wondrous and an occurrence marvellous; were it written with needle-gravers upon the eye-corners it had been a warning to whoso would be warned.” The Fakir asked, “And what may be that?” and the other answered, “By Allah, O Darwaysh, the while I was in the service of His Highness the King, I was a true counsellor to him and pitiful to the lieges and I never deceived him nor did I betray him at any time at all; and often as he sent me to a place wherein were mutual strife and trouble and wrong and tyranny, I smoothed matters and pacified the folk and righted wrongs amongst them by the power of Almighty Allah. But one day of the days, my mind was set upon riding out to the waste lands about the town and the gardens thereof, by way of solacing my self; so I embarked in a little caique[FN#336] upon the river and when we were amid stream I had a longing for coffee[FN#337]; so I said to the boatman, ’Abide this place and throw out the anchor while we drink coffee.’ Hereat all my suite arose and busied themselves in preparing it until ’twas ready and I had a finjan[FN#338] worth a treasury[FN#339] of money which they filled and passed to me. I took it as I was sitting upon the gunwale of the boat whence it dropped into the stream; and I was sorely sorrowful therefor, because
The Seven Hundred and Thirty-Third Night,
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 Wazir continued to
The Cairene
youth, the barber, and the
captain.
It is related that in Misr there was a Youth, a Shalabi,[FN#343] sans peer for semblance and excellence, and he had to friend a lovely woman whose husband was a Yuzbashi[FN#344] or captain. Now whenever that young man or his playmate would fain conjoin, each with other, union proved almost impossible and yet his heart was always hanging to her love and she was in similar state and even more enamoured for that he was passing fair of form and feature. One day of the days the Captain returned home and said to his wife, “I am invited to such a place this afternoon, therefore an thou require aught ask it of me ere I go.” Cried they,[FN#345] “We want nothing save thy safety;” yet were they delighted therewith, and the youth’s friend said, “Alhamdolillah—Glory to God—this day we will send to a certain person and bring him hither and we will make merry
The Seven Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,
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 youth approached the house of his friends, suddenly the Barber caught him up hard by thereto and placing himself in front said, “Allah upon thee, O my lord, do not forget me, but be sure of return to the shop that I may poll thee.” Quoth the youth to him in his folly, " ’Tis well, O Man, I will certainly come back to thee and will not forget thy shop.” So the lover left him and ganged his gait and presently went up to the home of his friend, whilst the Barber stayed expecting him and remained standing at the door; and of the denseness of the tonsorial wits would not budge from that place and would await the youth that he might shave him. Such was the case with them; but as regards the Yuzbashi, when he went forth from his house bent upon seeking his friend who had invited him, he found that a serious matter of business[FN#347] would hinder his giving the entertainment, so the host said to the Captain, “Allah upon thee, O my lord, pardon me for I have this day a matter which will prevent my going forth to the garden and Inshallah—God willing—on the morrow we will there meet and enjoy ourselves, we and thou, free and with hearts at rest; for a man who hath work in hand may not take his pleasure and his thoughts will remain ever preoccupied.” Hereupon quoth the Captain, “Sooth thou hast said, O Such-and-such, and herein there is naught to excuse of harm or hindrance, and the day’s engagement between us if it be not to-morrow will come after to-morrow.” So he farewelled his host and left him and returned homewards. Now that Yuzbashi was a man of honour and sagacity and pluck and spunk and by nature a brave. He ceased not wending until he had reached his home where he found the Barber standing at the house door and the fellow came up to him and said, “Allah upon thee, O my lord, when thou goest within do thou send me down a handsome youth who went upstairs into this dwelling.” The Yuzbashi turned upon him with a face fiery as ruddy sparks and cried to him, “What, O Man, dost thou say that one hath gone up to my house, O pimp, O pander?[FN#348] What manner of man can enter therein and I absent?” Quoth the Barber, “By Allah, O my lord, one did go up whilst I stood awaiting him the while he passed out of my sight; so when thou art abovestairs do thou send him down to me, saying, ’Thine own Barber awaiteth thee at the entrance below.’ " Now when the Yuzbashi heard these words, he waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and going up into his house with haste and hurry knocked at the inner door which defended the Harem. The inmates heard him and knew that it was he, and the Youth fell to piddling in his bag-trowsers; but the
The Seven Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,
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 Barber wight, after he and the Captain had finished their search without finding anyone, said, “There remaineth to us only the cistern shaft;” so he went and peered therein, but he could not use his sight overwell. Hereat the Yuzbashi came up behind him and cuffed him with a mighty cuff upon the neck and laid him prostrate and insensible at the mouth of the shaft. Now when the woman heard the Barber saying, “Let us explore the door which openeth upon the cistern shaft,” she feared from the Yuzbashi, so coming up to him she said, “O my lord, how is it that thou art a Captain and that thy worth and thy length and thy breadth are on such wise; withal thou obeyest the word of a fellow Jinn-mad[FN#352] and sayest that there is a man in thine own house. This is indeed a reproach to thee.” So the Yuzbashi of his stupidity believed her, and approaching the Barber on the edge of the cistern shaft cuffed him with a cuff whose excess of violence dazed him and he fell upon the floor retaining naught of his senses. When the woman saw this she cried to her husband, “Pinion his elbows at this moment and suffer me take my due of him by a sound drubbing, and then let him go.” “This is the right rede,"quoth he and after all was done she cried to her husband, “Come with us above that we enjoy our pleasure, and Alhamdolillah that thou didst not go to the place of invitation for I should have been desolate by thine absence this day.” So they ascended and sat together, each beside other, and they sported and were gladdened and rejoiced; and after that the Captain lay down and was presently drowned in slumber. Seeing this the wife arose and repaired to the cistern shaft wherefrom she released her beloved and finding all his clothes in a filthy state from the excess of what had befallen him of affright penetrating into his heart by reason of the Yuzbashi, she doffed his dress and bringing a bundle of clean clothing garbed him therein, after which his fear was calmed and his heart comforted and he was set on the right way. Then she led him to a private stead, wherein they twain, he and she, took their joyance and had their pleasure and made merry for the space of three hours, till such time as each had had fullest will of other. After this he went forth from her and the Veiler veiled him. On such wise were the wife’s doings; but as regards what befel the Barber-man, he ceased not to remain strown on the ground and dazed by the stress of the blow and he abode there pinioned for a while. About mid-afternoon the Yuzbashi’s wife went to her husband and awaking him from sleep made for him coffee which he drank and felt cheered;
The goodwife
of Cairo and her four
gallants.[FN#354]
It is said that in Misr lived a woman, a model of beauty and loveliness and stature and perfect grace, who had a difficulty with a man which was a Kazi and after this fashion it befel. She was the wife of an Emir[FN#355] and she was wont to visit the Baths once a month; and when the appointed term for her going forth had come, she adorned herself and perfumed herself and beautified herself and hastened, tripping and stumbling,[FN#356] to the Hamm m. Now her path passed by the Kazi’s court-house where she saw many a man[FN#357] and she stopped to enjoy the spectacle, upon which the judge himself glanced at her with a glance of eyes that bequeathed to him a thousand sighs and he asked her saying, “O woman, hast thou any want?” “No indeed,” answered she, “I have none.” Then he inclined to her and drawing near her said, “O lady mine and O light of these eyne, is union possible between us twain?” She replied, “’Tis possible,” and he enquired of her when it could be, and she made an appointment with him saying, “Do thou come to me after supper-time,”—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
The Seven Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,
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 Goodwife said to the Kazi, “Do thou come to me after
The Seven Hundred and Forty-first Night,
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 woman said to her husband, “Moreover each of the four was habited in gaberdine and bonnet.” But when the amourists heard these words every one of them said to himself, “Here be a judgment this strumpet of a woman hath wrought upon us, the whore! the witch!” and her husband understanding what she told him asked, “Wherefore didst thou not bring them hither that the sight might solace us?” “O my lord,” answered she, “had I brought them
The Tailor and the Lady and the Captain.[FN#364]
It is related that a Tailor was sitting in his shop facing a tall house tenanted by a Y£zb shi, and this man had a wife who was unique for beauty and loveliness. Now one day of the days as she looked out at the latticed window the Snip espied her and was distraught by her comeliness and seemlihead. So he became engrossed by love of her and remained all day a-gazing at the casement disturbed and perturbed, and as often as she approached the window and peered out therefrom, he would stare at her and say to her, “O my lady and O core of my heart, good morning to thee; and do thou have mercy upon one sore affected by his affection to thee; one whose eyes sleep not by night for thy fair sake.” “This pimp be Jinn-mad!” quoth the Captain’s wife, “and as often as I look out at the window he dareth bespeak me: haply the folk shall say, ‘Indeed she must needs be his mistress.’” But the Tailor persevered in this proceeding for a while of days until the lady was offended thereby and said in her mind, “Wall hi, there is no help but that I devise for him a device which shall make unlawful to him this his staring and casting sheep’s eyes at my casement; nay more, I will work for ousting him from his shop.” So one day of the days when the Yuzbashi went from home, his wife arose and adorned and beautified herself, and donning the bestest of what dresses and decorations she had, despatched one of her slave-girls to the Tailor instructing her to say to him, “My lady salameth to thee and biddeth thee come and drink coffee with her.” The handmaiden went to his shop and delivered the message; and he, when hearing these words,[FN#365] waxed bewildered of wits and rose up quivering in his clothes;—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
The Seven Hundred and Forty-third Night,
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 Tailor heard the girl’s words, he quivered in his clothes; but indeed he recked not aught of the wiles of womankind. So after padlocking his shop he went with her to the house and walked upstairs, where he was met by the lady with a face like the rondure of the moon and she greeted him right merrily, and taking him by the hand led him to a well-mattressed Divan and bade her slave-girl serve him with coffee, and as he drank it she sat facing him. Presently the twain fell to conversing, she and he; and she soothed him with sweet speech, whilst he went clean out of his mind for the excess of her beauty and loveliness. This lasted until near midday, when she bade serve the dinner-trays, and took seat in front of him, and he began picking up morsels[FN#366] designed for his lips and teeth, but in lieu thereof thrust them into his eye. She laughed at him, but hardly had he swallowed the second mouthful and the third when behold, the door was knocked, whereupon she looked out from the casement and cried, “Oh my honour! this is my husband.” Hereat the man’s hands and knees began to quake, and he said to her, “Whither shall I wend?” Said she, “Go into this closet,” and forthright she thrust him into a cabinet and shot the bolt upon him and taking the key she tare out one of its teeth[FN#367] and put it in her pocket. After this she went down and opened the door to her husband who walked upstairs; and finding the dinner trays bespread, asked her, “What is this?” She answered, “I and my lover have been dining together.” “And what may be thy lover?” “Here he is."[FN#368] “Where may he be?” to which she replied, “He is inside this closet.” Now as soon as the Tailor heard her say this say, he piddled in his bag-breeches and befouled himself and he was in a filthy state with skite and piss.[FN#369] Hereupon the Captain asked, “And where’s the key?” and she answered, “Here it is with me."[FN#370] “Bring it out,” said he, so she pulled it from her pocket and handed it to him. The Captain took the key from his spouse and applying it to the wooden bolt of the cabinet rattled it to and fro[FN#371] but it would not open; so the wife came up to him and cried, “Allah upon thee, O my lord, what wilt thou do with my playmate?” Said he, “I will slay him!” and said she, “No, ’tis my opinion that thou hadst better pinion him and bind him as if crucified to the pillar in the court floor and then smite him with thy sword upon the neck and cut off his head; for I, during my born days, never saw a criminal put to death and now ’tis my desire to sight one done to die.” “Sooth is thy speech,” quoth he: so
The Seven Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,
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 Yuzbashi fell to toying with his wife, and thrusting and foining at her cleft,[FN#373] her solution of continuity, and she wriggled to and fro to him, and bucked up and down, after which he tumbled her and both were in gloria.[FN#374] This lasted until near mid-afternoon when he arose and went forth to the Hammam. But as soon as he left the house she opened the cabinet
The Syrian and the Three Women of Cairo.[FN#376]
There was a man, a Sh m¡, who came to the God-guarded city of Misr al-K hirah—Misr of Mars—and with him was a store of money and merchandize and sumptuous clothing. He hired for himself a room in a caravanserai, and having no slave, he was wont to go forth every day and roam about the city-thoroughfares and cater for himself. Now this continued for a while of time till one day of the days, as he was wandering and diverting his mind by looking to the right and to the left, he was met on the way by three women who were leaning and swaying one towards other as they walked on laughing aloud; and each and every of the three surpassed her fellow in beauty and loveliness. When he looked at them his mustachios curled[FN#377] at the sight and he accosted them and addressed the trio, saying, “May it be that ye will drink coffee in my lodging?” “Indeed we will,” said they, “and we will make mirth with thee and exceeding merriment, passing even the will of thee.” Quoth he, “When shall it be?” and quoth they, “To-night we will come to thy place.” He continued, “I am living in a room of Such-and-such a Wak lah."[FN#378] and they rejoined, “Do thou make ready for us supper and we will visit thee after the hour of night-prayers.”
The Seven Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,
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 Syrian and the three ladies ceased not to persevere in the drinking of wine until the noon o’ night, at which time he would not distinguish between masculine and feminine from the excess of his wine-bibbing, so he said to one of the three, “Allah upon thee, O my lady, what may be the name of thee?” She replied, “I am hight ‘Hast-thou-seen-aught-like-me?’” Whereat he exclaimed, “No, Wall hi!” Then he up-propped himself on his elbow and rising from the ground said to the second, “Thou, O my lady, and life-blood of my heart, what is thy name?” She answered, “I am hight ‘Never-sawest-thou-my-like,’” and he replied, “Inshallah—what Allah willeth—O my lady Never-sawest-thou-my-like.” Then said he to the third, “And thou, O dearling of my heart, what may be the name of thee?” And said she, “I am hight ‘Look-at-me-and-thou-shalt-know-me.’” When he heard these words he cried out with a loud outcry and fell to the ground saying, “No, by Allah, O my lady Look-at-me-and-thou-shalt-know-me."[FN#380] But when the three women regarded him his reason was upset and they forced upon him more wine-bibbing whilst he cried to them, “Fill for me, ho my lady Never-sawest-thou-my-like, and thou too, my lady Hast-thou-seen-aught-like-me,
The Lady with Two Coyntes.
It is told of a woman which was a fornicatress and adulteress and a companion of catastrophes and calamities that she was married to a K im-mak m[FN#386] who had none of the will of mankind to womankind, at all, at all. Now the wife was possessed of beauty and loveliness and she misliked him for that he had no desire to carnal copulation, and there was in the house a Syce-man who was dying for his love of her. But her husband would never quit his quarters, and albeit her longing was that the horse-keeper might possess her person and that she and he might lie together, this was impossible to her. She abode perplext for some sleight wherewith she might serve her mate, and presently she devised a device and said to him, “O my lord, verily my mother is dead and ’tis my wish to hie me and be present at her burial and receive visits of condolence for her; and, if she have left aught by way of heritage, to take it and then fare back to thee.” “Thou mayest go,” said he, and said she, “I dread to fare abroad alone and unattended; nor am I able to walk, my parent’s house being afar. Do thou cry out to the Syce that he fetch me hither an ass and accompany me to the house of my mother, wherein I shall lie some three nights after the fashion of folk.” Hereupon he called to the horse-keeper and when he came before him, ordered the man to bring an ass,[FN#387] and mount his mistress and hie with her; and the fellow, hearing these words, was hugely delighted. So he did as he was bidden, but instead of going to the house they twain, he and she, repaired to a garden carrying with them a flask of wine and disappeared for the whole day and made merry and took
The Seven Hundred and Fifty-first Night,
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 woman said to her husband, “My mother hath left and bequeathed to me somewhat, but I will not tell thee thereof till the coming night when we twain shall be alone.” “’Tis well,” said he; after which he continued to address himself, “Would Heaven I knew what hath been left by the mother of our Har¡m!"[FN#390] Now when darkness came on and he and she had taken seats together, he asked her, “What may be the legacy thy mother left?” and she answered, “O my lord, my mother hath bequeathed to me her Coynte being loath that it be given to other save myself
The Whorish Wife who Vaunted her Virtue.
It is related that once upon a time there was a man which was an astronomer[FN#396] and he had a wife who was singular in beauty and loveliness. Now she was ever and aye boasting and saying to him “O man, there is not amongst womankind my peer in nobility[FN#397] and chastity;” and as often as she repeated this saying to him he would give credit to her words and cry, “Wall hi, no man hath a wife like unto the lady my wife for high caste and continence!” Now he was ever singing her praises in every assembly; but one day of the days as he was sitting in a sance of the great, who all were saying their says anent womankind and feminine deeds and misdeeds, the man rose up and exclaimed, “Amongst women there is none like my wife, for that she is pure of blood and behaviour;” hereat one of those present said to him, “Thou liest, O certain person!”—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 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
The Seven Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,
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 while the man was singing the praises of his spouse one of those present rose
The Seven Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,
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 wife asked the husband saying, “What hath befallen thee on thy way?” And he answered, “O Woman, when I went forth the town and took the road, behold, a basilisk issued from his den and coming to the highway stretched himself therealong, so I was unable to step a single footstep; and indeed, O Woman, his length was that of yon sugar cane, brought by the Costermonger and which thou placedst in the corner. Also he had hair upon his head like the feathers of the pigeon-poults presented to thee by the Poulterer-man, and which thou hast set under the vessel; and lastly, O Woman, his head was like the pomegranates which thou tookest from the Market Gardener[FN#406] and carriedst within the house.” Whenas the wife heard these words, she lost command of herself and her right senses went wrong and she became purblind and deaf, neither seeing nor hearing, because she was certified that her spouse had sighted and eye-witnessed what she had wrought of waywardness
Coelebs the
droll and his wife and her
four lovers.
There lived at the Court of a certain King a man wherewith he was wont to jest and this droll was unmated. So one day of the days the Sultan said to him, “O Man, thou art a bachelor, so suffer us to marry thee,” and said the buffoon, “No, O King of the Age; allow me to remain in single blessedness, for in womankind there is no rest and they work many a wile, and indeed I fear lest haply we fall upon one who shall be of the fornicatresses, the adulteresses.” Quoth the King, “There is no help but that thou wed;” and quoth the Droll, “’Tis well, O King of the Age.” Hereupon the Sultan sent to summon the Wazir and bade him betroth the man to a woman of righteous conduct and come of decent folk. Now the Minister had with him an old nurse, and he commanded her to find a match for the Sultan’s Jester; whereupon she rose and went out from him and engaged for the man a beautiful woman. And presently the marriage-tie was tied between these twain and he went in unto the bride and she tarried with him a while of time even half a year or may be seven months. Now one day of the days the King’s Jester went forth his house ere the dawn-prayer had been called on some business for the Sultan, intending to return before rise of sun. Such was the case with him; but as regards his wife, she had known when yet unmarried four men who to her were the liefest of her companions and who, during the earlier days of her wedding, had not been able to possess her. However, on the morning when her husband fared forth from her before the call to dawn-prayers, each and every of these four favoured lovers made up their minds to visit their playmate. Now one of them was a Pieman[FN#409] and the second was an Herbalist[FN#410], the third was a Flesher and the fourth was the Shaykh of the Pipers[FN#411]. When the Droll went forth from his wife behold, the Pieman came and rapped at the door, whereat she opened
The Seven Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,
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 King’s Jester went in to his wife she said, “Thou, wherefore hast thou come so early?” and said he, “By Allah, the Sultan hath much and important business and said to me, ’Hie thee home, and tarry there and return not to me save after the third day.’” Now when the four men who were closeted together heard these words they were perplext as to their affair, and said one to other, “What shall we do? Indeed we are unable to sit out three days in this stead.” Hereupon the Pieman said to them, “Nay, rather let us play a prank whereby we may escape,” and said they, “What may be the device thou wouldest devise?” Quoth he, “Whatso I do that do ye look upon and then act in like guise,” and so speaking he arose and taking his minced meat fell to sticking it upon his skin until he was like a leper covered with sores.[FN#415] Then he went forth the closet to the husband of the mistress, and cried, “The Peace be upon you!” The man returned his salute and asked him, “What art thou?”
The Seven Hundred and Sixtieth Night,
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 despatched a posse of his Chamberlains to bring into his presence the four persons who were lovers to the Droll’s wife, and he found the first to be a Pieman who had claimed the rank of our lord Job (on whom be The Peace!),
I have also by me (said Shahrazad) another tale concerning the wiles of womankind, and it is that of
The gate-keeper
of Cairo and the cunning
she-thief.[FN#423]
It is related that in Misr of Kahir there was a man who had reached the age of fourscore and ten years, and he was a chief-watchman of the ward in the service of the Wali; a brave man withal, and one not wont to be startled or afeard. Now one night as he was going around about the city with the Chief of Police, and he was returning to the guard-house[FN#424] before break o’ day that he might perform the Wuzu-ablution, and at the call to dawn-prayers he might rise and repeat them, it so fortuned that when he was about to stand up to his orisons, according to the custom of him, suddenly a purse fell before him upon the ground. As soon as he had done with his devotions he arose and gazed around to see who had thrown him that bag of money, but he could find nobody; so he took it up and opened it, when an hundred dinars met his sight. Hereat he wondered; but on the following day when he had washed and was praying, behold, a second purse was cast at his feet; so he waited until he had finished his orisons and then stood up and looked around to see who had thrown it. Thereupon, as he failed to find any, he took it up and opened it and again beheld an hundred dinars, a matter which filled him with wonder. This continued till the third day at morning-tide, when he had washed as was his wont and stood up to his prayers, and lo and behold! another purse was dropped at his feet. Herewith he cut short his devotions, and turning him round saw beside him a girl whose years had reached fifteen; so he seized her and said, “Who art thou, and what is the reason of thy throwing at my feet every day a purse of an hundred gold pieces, and this is the third time; argal the sum amounteth to three hundred. What may be this case?” Said she, “O my lord, my name is Fatimah, and my wish and will is a matter which thou canst bring to an end for me by means of thy tongue!” Quoth he, “What is’t thou wantest of me?” and quoth she, “’Tis my intent that on
The Seven Hundred and Sixty-first Night,
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 girl to the Mukaddam, “And when thou shalt have found me drunken with wine, the Wali shall bid thee, ’Take her to the watch-house and there keep her till daybreak.’ Hereto do thou object, ’No! this were not suitable: I will cry upon someone of the quarter and will awake the Kazi of the Army, for that she belongeth to his ward.’ Then assemble all thy folk and say to them, ’Verily this girl is in liquor and not mistress of herself at such time; needs must she be of a great family and daughter to grandees; therefore ’twere not proper that we take her with us to the watch-house; nor let any hold her in his charge save the Kazi of the Army till morning and until such time as she shall have recovered her senses and can fare to her own folk.’” Hereupon quoth the Mukaddam to her, “Easy enough!” and quoth she, “An thou act on this wise and my success be from thy hand, I will give thee five hundred dinars besides the three hundred.” “This matter is not far to us,"[FN#427] said he; so she left him and went away. Now when it was the season after night-prayers, the Chief of Police came forth his quarters and, repairing to the watch-house and taking the Mukaddam and his men, would have threaded the highways of Cairo as was his wont, but the head Gate-Keeper forewent him and took the direction of the quarter wherein dwelt the Kazi of the Army; the Wali unknowing the while what was in the man’s thought. They ceased not faring until they entered that part of the town wherein stood the Judge’s house, and when they approached it, lo and behold! the Mukaddam found a something strown upon the ground.
The Seven Hundred and Sixty-third Night,
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 Kazi’s folk went and threw open the door of the chamber wherein the damsel had slept; and, when they found nothing therein, they were certified it was she who had carried away the goods. After such fashion it happened to these; but as regards the action of the Judge, he took horse and wended his way to the Sultan, and he ceased not wending till he had entered the presence and salam’d and blessed the Sovran who returned his salute. Then cried he, “O King of the Age, there hath befallen me that which is so-and-so, and I have a claim on the Chief of Police and the Mukaddam of the watch, for that indeed they were the men who bade me admit the girl into my home, and this guest of mine hath left me nor muchel nor little.” Hereupon the King bade summon the men with their many, and when they came before him, he bade strike off the heads of the two head men; but they said to him, “O King of the Age, grant us three days’ respite and, if aught discover itself to us and we rid ourselves of the responsibility, we shall be saved; but an we avail not thereto, the sword of the Sultan is long.” “Go forth,” cried the King; “I have granted you a three days’ delay; if you bring the offender ’tis well, and if not, your heads shall be in lieu thereof and eke so your families and your properties.” Hearing this they sued for dismissal, and the Wali went forth to search in this way and wander in one direction and the Mukaddam in another. They roamed about Cairo for two full-told days, but naught happened to them until the third about the call to noontide-prayers, when the Mukaddam entered a narrow street on the side of the city to the west, and behold, a door opened and a speaker spake saying, “O Mukaddam, who is behind the door?” So he turned towards the sound and said, “’Tis well,” and the other cried, “Come thou and draw near to me.” He did so and approached the entrance when suddenly he saw the damsel who had
The Seven Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night,
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 Wali rode to the Palace, he and the chief Watchman, seeking the Sultan, and they ceased not riding until they entered the presence and saluted the Sovran, praying for the endurance of his glory and the continuance of his life-tide. He returned their salute and asked concerning the affair of his Judge and they answered him, “O King of the Age, verily we have wandered about Misr and the entirety thereof, without finding any and now there remaineth for our search naught save the quarters occupied by the Kali al-’Askar. So we design to examine it that if aught be found therein we may be set free, and if not that thou work upon us thine own intent.” Hereupon the Sultan sent to summon the Judge; and, when he made act of presence, commanded him suffer the Wali and the Mukaddam to search his quarters and he replied, “Hearing and obeying.” The whole forty then fared from the Palace and reaching the Judge’s mansion rummaged it until they came upon the ruined stead described by the damsel; so thither they went and seeing a slab newly laid, pulled it up and found beneath it a white girl full-dressed and ornamented.[FN#431] The Watchman fared forth and summoned all the ward-folk who considered narrowly the corpse of the murthered damsel, and they all cried with a single voice, “Indeed this be the girl which was drunken with wine and which was carried into the Kazi’s quarters.” And they bore official testimony to such effect what while the Judge, who was standing in that stead looking and listening, said to himself, “How can such case have occurred to us without cause?” And when this business was finished, the Wali turned to the Kazi and said “O Shaykh of Islam,[FN#432] we left this damsel in thy charge and to thine honour until morning-tide, deeming that haply she might be the daughter of a grandee house and yet hast thou cut her throat and hidden her within thy premises.” But the Judge could return to him no reply nor attempt any address, for he feared lest the King should hear thereof; so he inclined to the Master of Police and got ready for him an hundred purses and twenty for the Mukaddam that they might keep silence and not report such matter of scandal to the Sultan. Accordingly they accepted that amount of money from him and the Kazi went forth from him and took horse and informed the Sultan that he had found his debtor and had recovered his due; but he spoke not these words save for fear of the Chief of Police and the Head of the Watchmen lest they inform the King that they had found the murthered damsel within his demesne. Then the
Tale of Mohsin and Musa.[FN#434]
It fortuned once upon a time that two men went forth from the same place, one foregoing the other, and they forgathered by the way. Now each had a bag full of flour and a flask[FN#435] containing somewhat of water; and when they made acquaintance on the road the first of them said to his companion, “O my brother, what may be thy name?” and said the Second, “I am hight Mohsin, the Beneficent,[FN#436] and thou, what art thou called?” Quoth the other, “M£s the Malignant."[FN#437] So the two fared on in converse and whenever mealtime came round, each would bring out a portion of meal and knead it and make of it a scone,[FN#438] and light a fire and bake it thereon: after which they would satisfy their hunger. But Mohsin knew not that had been doomed for him by his companion Musa the Misdoer, so the twain would fare together and feed together. On the following day quoth Musa to Mohsin, “O my brother, I have with me a bag of flour and a flask of water and thou hast the same, and whenever eating-time cometh round each one bringeth out somewhat of his vivers. Now this is not right; ’twere the better way that we first eat that is with thee and when ’tis ended we use my provaunt.” “’Tis well, O my brother,” quoth Mohsin. They agreed upon this condition and whenever moved by appetite they ate of Mohsin’s viaticum until his bag of flour and his flask of water were clean emptied. But when the meal-hour came, Musa arose and made for him a single scone and no more, and baked it and ate it by himself, while Mohsin sat by looking on. This befel time after time for the first day and the second day until Mohsin waxed anhungered and famine wrung his vitals, so quoth he to Musa, “O my brother, give me somewhat of thy food that I may nourish myself therewith, for indeed I am empty exceedingly.” But Musa made reply, “By Allah, I will not give it to thee; no, not a single mouthful.” Rejoined Mohsin, “O my brother, we two made covenant that we should become brethren, and first eat of my provaunt and then of thine; now, however, thou art not pleased to grant me or bite or sup. This is not the act of an honest man.” He answered, “Be brief! an thou be hungry I will give thee half of my scone on condition that I
The Seven Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,
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 Musa had thrust Mohsin into the well with intent to drown him, the blinded man cried, “O Lord thou hast doomed me to blinding, and at last Thou hast condemned me to drowning.” Then he struck out with hands and feet till he felt the walls of the well wherein he found two niches; so he set toes into one of them and there stood awaiting the salvation of Allah which was nearhand; and his heart was satisfied and he drank of the water. When the first night fell behold, two of the Jinns came to the pit and sat down in converse each with other, when quoth the first to the second,
The Seven Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,
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 covenanted with the Mediciner that the unsorceling of the Princess should be within three months; after which he set apart an apartment for him with all the furniture and appurtenances thereof and appointed to him rations of meat and drink. So Mohsin abode with him the appointed time and he in the extreme of comfort and enjoyment; but when the three months were ended the Sultan sent for him and summoned him between his hands and said, “O Shaykh, the term is gone by.” Hereupon Shaykh
The Seven Hundred and Seventy-first Night
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 King entered the closet leading Mohammed by the hand he said to him, “Do thou, O Shaykh, tell us a tale.” “By Allah, O our lord,” quoth the other, “I know naught of stories.” Whereupon the Sultan rejoined, “If so it be, I will relate to thee, O Shaykh Mohammed, an adventure of my own and ’tis as follows:—Once upon a time a man went forth his town and he made companionship with another upon the way, and each one of them bore with him a bag of meal and a flask of water.” On this wise the Sultan continued recounting to him the real history of Mohsin and Musa the Malignant, till at the end of the tale he said, “And Musa, after gouging out both eyes of Mohsin for the sake of a single scone, thrust him into a well designing to drown him therein, but Allah Almighty preserved his life and brought him forth the pit and our Lord favoured him and restored to him his two eyes and empowered him over the kingdom and thus did he become Sovran and Sultan. Now the prosperity of that Shaykh Mohsin was from the well whereinto Musa had thrust him.” Presently he added, “An this tale be soothfast, then am I Mohsin and thou art Musa the Malignant. I am able at this moment to slay thee but I will spare thee and moreover counsel thee as follows:—Do thou go to the well and haply Almighty Allah shall thereby grant to thee some good, for that the root of my fair fortune was from that same pit.” Now when the first third of the night had sped, Musa arose and repaired to the pit and descended therein when behold, the same two Jinnis had forgathered beside the wellmouth at that same hour and were seated together conversing each with other. Quoth the first, “What is thy case this day?” and quoth the second, “By Allah, O my brother, my condition is ill-conditioned ever since a certain night when we met in this place and talked together. And so it hath continued until the present time, for that I have been unable to approach the city wherein dwelleth the Sultan’s daughter: and someone that was in the well must have overheard us whilst we knew naught of him and he must have acted according to our words and slaughtered the black cock; after which I have been unable to near her abode.” Quoth the other, “By Allah, O my brother, thou hast spoken sooth; but our ill-constraint is from this well.” Hereupon the Jinni put forth his hand about the pit[FN#454] and finding Musa the Misdoer snatched him up and seizing him between his palms tore his body into four pieces and cast away the quarters in some desert stead. And this (said Shahrazad) is the award of whoso betrayeth his fellow man. And they also relate the adventure of
Mohammed the
Shalabi and his mistress
and his wife.[FN#455]
It is told among the many things which happened in Cairo the God-guarded that therein dwelt a man who was an Emir and who had a son Mohammed Shalabi[FN#456] hight, a youth in his day unique for beauty and loveliness, nor in his time was there his peer for comeliness and seemlihead amongst women or amongst men. Now when he had attained the age of ten and was approaching puberty, his sire betrothed him and wedded him to a fair wife who loved him with fondest love even after marriage. There was also in Misr a Kazi al-’Askar, a Judge of the Army, who had a daughter singular for form and favour and bloom and brilliancy, and stature and symmetric grace and she was known as Sitt al-Husn—the Lady of Loveliness. Now one chance day of the days she went forth together with her mother and the handmaidens to the Baths and when they reached the half way behold, they were confronted by the young Shalabi whose glance fell upon the girl and her glance lit upon the youth, wherefrom love and affection for him settled in her heart and it was with him after the same fashion. Presently she began to send him messages and letters and he to do on like guise, yet could neither win possession of other nor indeed could the twain meet privately in one place. This endured for the space of three years therefore were their hearts melted in fire of mutual love-longing, until on a certain day when desire in the girl surged high for her lover and likewise did his yearning for his beloved; withal neither availed to win union. Hereupon befel them sore travail and trouble and the young lady sent an old woman to her dearling praying him to meet her in such a site; and when the go-between had informed him thereof, he arose to obey her without stay or delay, unknowing what was hidden from him in the Secret Purpose. He fared till he came to the place in question when it was the hour of sunset and here the Shalabi forgathered with the Kazi’s daughter who had kept tryst with him accompanied by her handmaidens; and anon the twain, he and she, repaired to a retired spot. Now by the decree of the Decreer which is written upon the foreheads and the brows of mankind, one of the folk belonging to the Chief of Police was loitering about the place when the couple entered that secret stead; and as soon as they had settled themselves comfortably, each began complaining to other of the pangs of separation. After this the handmaidens brought to them food, meat and wine, and they ate and drank and toyed and were cheered and made merry from set of sun till the noon o’ night and they conversed together as boon companions until either was fulfilled of other and the pains of parting had vanished from their hearts. Such was the case with the lover and the beloved; but as regards the Wali’s man who was looking upon them and listening, he well knew the place wherein
The Seven Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,
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 as soon as the Shalabi’s wife was informed touching her husband how the Wali had seized him in company with the Kazi’s daughter, she arose forthright and doffing whatso of woman’s dress was upon her and donning man’s disguise provided herself with somewhat of provaunt[FN#461] and went forth intending for the gaol in the Wali’s house. She asked for the road as she went and a man of the people directed her to the office until she reached the place carrying her victuals; then she enquired for the gaoler. So they made him meet her and quoth she, “Open to me the prison wherein they have gaoled the Shalabi and the maiden,” and she promised him by signs a gold piece; hereupon he admitted her and she passed into the room where lay her spouse and the girl and set meat before him. But he knew her not and cried, “Indeed I will nor eat nor drink, and do thou fare from me and leave me in this my plight.” Quoth she, “Nay, thou must eat and gladness shall befal thee.” Accordingly he came forward and ate a small matter and she after sitting with him for an hour or so, arose and doffed her man’s dress. Then she stripped the Kazi’s daughter of all the clothes she was wearing and garbed her in the masculine garb wherewith she had entered to the twain. The young lady did as she was bidden and showed likest to the Shalabi’s wife who lastly served her with what remained of the meat and said to her, “Up with thee and hie thee home.” So the Kazi’s daughter fared forth under the disguise of a dainty youth such an one as he who anon had entered the gaol; and as soon as she had wended her way the wife took seat beside her husband. When he saw her habited in the habit of the Kazi’s daughter he recognised her and knew her for his spouse; so he asked of her, “What hath brought thee hither?” and she answered, “I have come with this contrivance for the purpose of saving thee and of saving the honour of the girl thou lovest.” But as soon as the Kazi’s daughter had departed in her disguise the gaoler was deaf to entreaty and closed the prison doors upon the pair and the Shalabi and his spouse sat down together and his heart was satisfied and his secret was safe-directed,[FN#462] and fell from him all the sorrow which had settled upon his heart. Such was the case with these two; but as regards the Chief of Police, when he went up to the Sultan and saw that he was busied he took patience until the work was ended, after which he came forward and kissed ground before him and salam’d to him and blessed him. The King returned his salute and then said,
The Seven Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,
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 Kazi of the Army repaired to the Sultan, he and the whole of his officials, and he ceased not wending until he entered the presence, where he salam’d and said, “O King of the Age, is it lawful and allowed of Allah Almighty that thy Wali charge us with calumnious charge and false?” As the Chief of Police was standing hard by, the Sultan asked him, “How can the Wali have misspoken thee and thy daughter when she is still imprisoned by him and in his house?” whereto the Chief of Police added, “’Tis true! his daughter is surely with us in durance vile, she along with her lover, for indeed I found the pair in such a place.” Said the Kazi, “O King of the Age, I will abide here beside thee and do thou let the Wali go down and bring before thee that which is with him in gaol, and the case shall be made manifest, because hearing with the ear is not like eyeing with the eye.” The Sultan replied, “This rede is right,” whereupon the Chief of Police returned to his house and ordered the gaoler to open the gaol and bring thereout the maiden Sitt al-Husn and her lover the youth Mohammed Shalabi. The man did his bidding and leading forth of prison the couple committed them to the Chief of Police who took them and fared with them to the Sovran, rejoicing the while with all joy. The citizens of Cairo heard of all this, so they flocked in crowds to solace them with the spectacle; and when the Wali reached the presence, the maiden and the young man being with him, he set them before the Sultan. Presently the King asked the youth saying, “Who mayest thou be, O young man, and who is thy father?” and answered he, “I am son of such an Emir;” when the King who believed that she was the daughter of the Chief Kazi continued, “And this maiden that is with thee, who may she be and whose daughter?” The youth replied, “This is my wife, O King of the Age,” and the King rejoined, “How can she be thy wife?” So the youth retorted, “Indeed she is; and Such-an-one and So-and-so and Such-another together with a host of thy favoured courtiers wot right well that she is my spouse and that she is the daughter of So-and-so.” Hereupon they accosted her and bespoke her and she bespake them, so they recognised her and were certified that she was lawful wife to the Shalabi. Then asked the King, “How is it that the Wali arrested thee and her?” and the youth answered, “O King of the Age, I went out with this my wife intending to enjoy ourselves and, finding a place that was cheerful and pleasant we tarried there until midnight when the Wali broke in upon us and seized us, scandalously declaring that
The Seven Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,
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 after the Wali had been put to death the Sultan bestowed his good upon Mohammed Shalabi and having gifted him with munificent gifts sent him home with his spouse in all honour. And when the youth returned to his quarters he fell to kissing his wife’s hands and feet, for that he had been saved at her hands by the stratagem she had wrought for him and she had preserved the honour of the Kazi’s daughter and had enabled her father to prevail over his enemy the Wali.[FN#465] “And now I will relate to thee” (quoth Shahrazad) “another tale touching the wiles of women;” and thereupon she fell to recounting the story of
The fellah and his wicked wife.[FN#466]
There was of olden time in the land of Egypt a Fellah, or tiller of the ground, who had a fair woman to wife and she had another man to friend. The husband used to sow every year some fifty faddan[FN#467] of seeding-wheat wherein there was not one barley-grain, and grind it in the mill and pass this meal to his spouse who would sift it and bolt it. Then would she take the softest and best of the flour to make thereof either scones or cakes[FN#468] or something more toothsome which she would give to her friend and feed him therewith, whereas the refuse of the flour[FN#469] she would make into loaves for her husband so this bread would be ruddy-brown of hue.[FN#470]
The Seven Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,
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 Fellah obeyed their bidding and took with him the scald-head youngster for house-service and on the second day the lad fell to grinding at the mill and carried the meal to his mistress and sat beside her and anon she rose and sifted and bolted the flour; still he stayed by her stealthily watching her while she kneaded it and balled it and breaded it. After this he carried off the early meal for his master and faring to the field set it before him and when the Fellah looked upon it he cried, “O Boy, by Allah this bread is white and ’tis clean unlike the foregone.” Quoth he, “O my master, I have ground it with my own hands and I sat beside my mistress the while she got it ready, kneading it and baking it, wherefor she availed not to do aught else with it.” Now when the servant-lad had left the hut her lover came in asking, “Hast thou made bread for me?” and she answered, “Indeed the boy with the scald-head ceased not sitting beside me, nor was I able to bake
The Seven Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night,
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 more that man cried to the lover “Come,” the faster did he run away; so the Fellah returned and said, “He misliketh to come and he hath fled.” Hereupon he took seat together with the scald-head and the neighbours to dine off the scones of hand-rubbed grain, and the wife served to them whatso she had made for her lover’s eating and she would not touch aught thereof but left it for her spouse and for his servant and for the neighbours. On the following day the Fellah went forth betimes to plough whilst the boy, delaying purposely at home, hid himself behind the door when behold, the lover entered to her, and she said, " ’Tis my desire that we forge a story whereby to slay my husband and Master Scald-head the servant.” Quoth he, “How wilt thou slay them?” and quoth she, “I will buy for them poison and make it up in cooked food, so they may devour it together and perish together; after which we will abide, I and thou, making merry, nor shall the dead disturb us any more.” He rejoined, “Do what thou willest,” and all this whilst the boy stood listening to them behind the door. But as soon as the lover went forth the house, the lad arose and retired; then, donning Jews’ garb he shouldered a pair of saddle-bags and went about crying, “Ho! Aloes good for use. Ho! Pepper[FN#473] good for use. Ho! Kohl good for use. Ho! Tutty good for use!” Now when the woman saw him she came forth the house and hailed him, “Ho thou the Jew!” and said he to her, “Yes, O my lady.” Then said she, “Hast thou with thee aught of poison?” and said he, “How, O my lady? Have I not with me poison of the hour?[FN#474] and whoever shall eat thereof in a mess of sweet milk[FN#475] and rice and clarified butter shall die within that time.” “Do thou take this dinar,” continued she, “and give me somewhat of it;” but he rejoined, “I do not trade for moneys, and I will sell it only for ornaments of precious metal.” Hereupon she pulled off one of her anklets and handed it to him and he, who had provided himself with half a loaf of Egyptian sugar,[FN#476] gave her the moiety thereof, saying, “Use it with sweet milk and rice and clarified butter.” She took it in high glee, and arising milked the she-buffalo, after which she boiled the loaf-sugar in the milk and then threw it into a sufficiency of the rice and the clarified butter, fancying the while that she was cooking a mortal meal,[FN#477] and lastly she ladled out the mess into a large platter. Now when it was sunset-time her husband returned from the field and was met about half-way by the boy who told him
The woman who
humoured her lover at
her husband’s expense.[FN#481]
There was a man in Cairo and he had a wife who ever boasted of her gentle blood and her obedience and her docility and her fear of the Lord. Now she happened to have in the house a pair of fatted ganders[FN#482] and she also had a lover whom she kept in the background. Presently the man came to visit her and seeing beside her the plump birds felt his appetite sharpened by them, so he said to her, “O Such-an-one, needs must thou let cook these two geese with the best of stuffing so that we may make merry over them, for that my mind is bent upon eating goose flesh.” Quoth she, “’Tis right easy; and by thy life, O So-and-so, I will slaughter them and stuff them and thou shalt take them and carry them home with thee and eat them, nor shall this pimp my husband taste of them or even smell them.” “How wilt thou do?” asked he, and she answered, “I will serve him a sleight shall enter into his brains
The Seven Hundred and Eighty-first Night,
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 woman gave to her lover the geese which she had fried and he took the twain and fared away with them. Now when it was noon suddenly her husband came home accompanied by a friend and knocked at the door; so she arose and opened to him and admitted them. Then she asked, “And hast thou brought only one man?[FN#484] hie thee forth and fetch at least two or better still three.” “’Tis well,” said he and went off to do her bidding. Then the woman accosted the guest who came first and cried, “Oh
The Kazi schooled by his wife.
It is related of a man which was a Kazi that he had a wife of the virtuous and the righteous and of the charitable and the pitiful to the orphan and the pauper; and the same was beautiful exceedingly. Her husband held and was certified anent womankind that all and every were like unto his spouse; so that when any male masculant came into his court[FN#490] complaining about his rib he would deliver his decision that the man was a wrong-doer and that the woman was wronged. On such wise he did because he saw that his wife was the pink of perfection and he opined that the whole of her sex resembled her, and he knew naught of the wickedness and debauchery of the genus and their sorcery and their contrariety and the cunning contrivance wherewith they work upon men’s wits. He
The Seven Hundred and Eighty-third Night,
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 Kazi went in to his wife whom he found praying, he recalled to mind the matter of the man who had come to him with a contention against his spouse and he said in his thought, “Verily nor hurting nor harming ever cometh from womankind and indeed this liar complaineth of his wife falsely;” for it was still in his mind that all of the contrary sex are as virtuous as his lady. But when she had done with her devotions, she rose up to him and served him and set before him, she and her handmaidens, the tray of food and she sat down at meat with him as was her wont. Now amongst the dishes was a charger containing two chickens, so said she to her husband, “By Allah, O my lord, do thou buy for us to-morrow a couple of geese that I may let stuff them, for my heart is set upon eating of their meat.” Said he, “O my lady, to-morrow (Inshallah! an it be the will of the Almighty) I will send to the Bazar and let buy for thee two geese of the biggest and the fattest and the Eunuchs shall slaughter them and thou shalt use them as thou will.” Accordingly, at dawn-tide the Judge sent to buy two plump birds and bade the Eunuchs cut their throats and the handmaidens gutted them and stuffed them and cooked them with rice over and above the usual food. Thereupon the Kazi’s wife arose and proceeded to work her contrivance. She had bought two sparrows which the hunter had trapped; and she bade kill and dress them and place them upon the rice instead of the geese and awaited the even-tide when her husband would return to supper. Then they spread the tables whereupon was placed a covered platter under which he supposed stood the geese, so he took it off and behold, he found the two sparrows. Hereat he was perplext and said to his wife, “Allaho Akbar-God is most Great-where be the geese?” and said she to him, “Whatso thou broughtest here it be[FN#493] before thee upon the dish.” “These be two sparrows,” quoth he, and quoth she, “I wot not.” So the Judge arose displeased[FN#494] with his wife and going to her home fetched her father
The Seven Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,
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 Judge’s wife cried upon the folk of the quarter, “Do ye of your grace and benevolence to us seize the Kazi and carry him to the Maristan that they may confine him therein until he return to his reason and regain his right mind.” Hereupon they laid hands upon him and bore him to the Bedlam and imprisoned him therein amongst the maniacs, and it was certified to all the folk that their Kazi had been suddenly struck by insanity and that they had confined him in the madhouse. Now all this was of the cunning contrivance of his wife, that she might make manifest to him concerning womankind how none of mankind can prevail over them. But after the lapse of three days which the Judge passed in the Bedlam, his wife went in to him bringing a somewhat of food and set meat before him and asked him saying, “What was it thou foundest on the platter?” Answered he, “Two sparrows,” and continued she, “Recover thy senses and thy right mind and see here am I who have made thee out mad for thy confusion between two geese and two sparrows. Now whenever any man cometh to thee complaining of his wife (and thou unknowing aught of the couple and of their circumstances), thou determinest that the male is the evil-doer and withal thou wottest not that women are often the worst of wrongers and that men are sorely wronged by them. And in the matter now in hand, the whole of the folk declare that the Kazi is a wrong-doer to his wife, and no one knoweth that thou art really the wronged and I the wronger. Indeed sooth did he say who said, ‘Alas for those who be gaoled wrongfully!’ So do thou never decide aught thou knowest not. However, thou hast approved to thyself that I am true and loyal to thee and thou makest all the folk like one to other, but
The merchant’s
daughter and the prince
of al-irak.[FN#497]
Whilome there was, men say, a Khwajah, a merchant man who was lord of money and means and estates and endowments and appanages, withal he had no seed, or son or daughter, and therefore he sued Almighty Allah that he might be blessed with even a girl-child to inherit his good and keep it together. Suddenly he heard a Voice bespeak him in dreamery saying, “Ho Such-an-one, Predestination overcometh Prudence and resignation to the trials sent by Allah is foremost and fairest.” Hearing this he arose without stay or delay and casually[FN#498] slept with his wife who, by decree of the Decreer and by allowance of Allah Almighty, conceived that very night. When she became pregnant and the signs of gestation showed in her, the merchant rejoiced and distributed and doled and did alms-deed; and, as soon as her tale of days was fulfilled, there befel her what befalleth womankind of labour-pangs, and parturition came with its madding pains and the dolours of delivery, after which she brought forth a girl-babe moulded in mould of beauty and loveliness and showing promise of brilliance and stature and symmetric grace. Now on the night after the birth and when it was the middle thereof, the Merchant was sitting at converse beside his wife and suddenly he again heard the Voice announcing to him that his daughter was fated to become a mother in illicit guise by the son of a King who reigned in the region Al-Irak. He turned him towards the sound but could see no man at such time, and presently he reflected that between his city and the capital of the King’s son in Al-Irak was a distance of six months and a moiety. Now the night wherein the Merchant’s wife became a mother was the same when the King’s wife of Al-Irak bare a boy-heir, and the Merchant, albe he wist naught thereof, was seized with trembling and terror at the words of the Voice and said in himself, “How shall my daughter forgather with the King’s son in question when between us and him is a travel of six months and a half? What can be such case? But haply this Voice is of a Satan!” As soon as it was morning-tide the father summoned astrologers and men who compute horoscopes and scribes who cast lots,[FN#499] and when they presented themselves he informed them
The Seven Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,
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 Khwajah stinted not wending until he found himself without the town, where he was expectedly met by a wight in Darwaysh-garb to whom he salam’d and by whom he was saluted. Presently the holy man turned to the merchant and seeing him changed of colour and conduct asked him, “What is with thee to do, and what ill hast thou to rue that thy case and complexion are so changed to view?” “O Fakir,” answered the other, “verily a matter of marvel hath betided me and I know not how to act therein.” Quoth the ghostly man, “And what may that be?” whereupon the Merchant related to him all his affair first and last, and how he had heard a Voice saying to him, “In very deed thy daughter shall conceive after unlawful fashion by the King’s son of Al-Irak.” The Darwaysh was surprised on hearing these words from him and said in his thought, “There is no averting of adversity foredoomed
The Seven Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
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 Prince became a penman doughty in all knowledge, withal he wist not that was written for him of dule and dolours. This lasted until his tenth year, and the old King rejoiced in him and caused him to back steeds until he had mastered all of horsemanship, and he waxed accomplished in hunting and birding and he had attained the bourne of omnis res scibilis. Every morning he would superintend the governance of his sire in the office of Commandments and direct him to affairs wherein lay rede that was right until, one day of the days, his parent said to him “O my son, do thou rule for a day and I will govern on the next.” “O my father,” said he, “I am young of years nor is it meet that I meddle with public matters or sit in thy Divan.” Now when he reached the age of fourteen and had entered upon man’s estate and had waxed perfect in the words of ordinance and had become complete and sanspareil in beauty and loveliness, the King resolved upon marrying him, but he consented not, nor did his heart incline to womankind for the being in the All-Knowledge of Almighty Allah all that was foredoomed to him from Time beginningless. Presently on a chance day his nature longed for the hunt and chase, and he asked leave of his sire who consented not, fearing for his safety; but he said in himself, “An I go not I will slay myself;"[FN#508] and so he privily apprized of his intent a party of his dependents who, all and every, prepared to ride forth with him into the Desert. Now the King had in his stables a stallion, known as Ab£ Ham mah,[FN#509] which was kept alone in a smaller stall, and he was chained by four chains to a like number of posts[FN#510] and was served by two grooms who never could draw nigh to him or let him loose; nor could any, save only his lord, approach him with bridle or saddle or aught of horse-gear. But when the Prince had designed to fare forth a-hunting and a-birding, he went in to his father’s steed Abu Hamamah by hest of Allah Almighty’s might over him and for what was hidden to him in the Future, and found him chained and tethered; and, as the horse pleased him and affected his fancy, he approached him and gentled him with caressing hands. The stallion also at that time under decree of Destiny was influenced by the Lord and directed towards the Prince for the sake of that which was hidden from him in the World of Secrets. So he continued to gentle the animal and to caress him and to make much of him and he was all the more pleased with him, and said to himself, “Verily my going forth to hunt and the chase shall not be save upon this stallion;” and he
The Seven Hundred and Ninety-third Night,
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 feeling his breast a-straitened bade pitch his pavilion without the walls and tarried therein for a space of six days and on the seventh appeared his son’s suite which had been left behind when the horse ran away with the Prince, nor did any know what direction the beast had taken. As soon as the bruit went abroad and came to the ears of the bereaved father, he cried out with a single outcry and fell to the ground aswoon, and the fainting fit lasted for two days. But when he came to himself and asked after his son, the suite reported all that had befallen the youth from
The Seven Hundred nd Ninety-fifth Night,
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 sent to his suite bidding them bring the owner of that stallion adding, “If he make aught delay with you drag him before me debased and degraded, and in other than pleasurable plight.” Accordingly, they went to him and accosting him said, “O youth, thou owest hearing and obeying to His Highness the King; and, if thou come not to him with good gree we will bear thee maugre thyself.” But the Prince, hearing these their words, set his left foot in stirrup and throwing his right leg over the saddle mounted till he was firm of seat upon his stallion’s back and had power over his monture. Then he asked saying, “Who amongst you shall come near me to carry me to yonder Sultan of yours?” Whenas they saw this from him they kept away from his arm-reach, but inasmuch as they could not return to their King and report saying, “We availed not to bring him,” they exclaimed, “Allah upon thee, O Youth, that thou draw nigh with us to the Sovran and bespeak him from the back of thy steed: so shall we be clear and bear nor rebuke nor reproach.” Hearing this much the Prince understood what was in their thoughts and that their design was to win free of the King and the avoidance of blame; accordingly he said to them; “Fare ye before me and I will follow you."[FN#519] But when they returned with the youth behind them to within a short distance of the King where either of the twain could hear the other’s words, the Prince asked, “O King of the Age, what dost thou require of me and what is it thou wantest?” “Do thou dismount,” answered the Sultan, “and draw near me when I will tell thee and question thee of a certain matter;” but quoth the youth, “I will not alight from the back of my steed and let whoso hath a claim upon me demand satisfaction,[FN#520] for here be the Mayd n—the field of fight.” So saying he wheeled his steed and would have made for the open country, when the Sultan cried aloud to his followers, “Seize him and bring him hither.” So they took horse all of them, a matter of one hundred and fifty
’And how many an one in the tribe they count
* When to one a
thousand shall ne’er
amount?’
Verily this youth could not be confronted by a thousand, nor indeed could a whole tribe oppose him, and by Allah, I have been deficient in knightly devoir for not doing him honour; however, it was not to be save on such wise.” But the youth ceased not faring through days and nights for the whole of four months, unknowing the while when he should reach a place wherein to take repose. And as soon as this long wayfare ended, suddenly a mountain towering high to the heights of heaven arose before him; so he set his face thither, and after a further term of three days[FN#521] (and he ever wayfaring) he reached it and beheld upon its flanks fair leasows with grasses and rills and trees and fruits besprent, and birds hymning Allah the One, the Omnipotent. Anon he alighted therein for that his heart had somewhat to say anent that mountain, and he also marvelled thereat by cause that during his wayfare he had never seen aught like it at all, nor anything resembling that herbage and those streams. And after dismounting he unbridled his steed and suffered him browse and pasture upon the greenery and drink of the water, while he on like wise fell to eating of the fruits which hung from the trees and taking his ease and repose. But the more he shifted from place to place the fairer he found it than the first, so he was delighted with the site, and as he looked upon it he improvised these couplets,
“O who fearest the world do thou feel right
safe; * Trust all to
Him did mankind create:
Fate aye, O my lord, shall come to pass * While safe
thou art
from th’ undoomed
by Fate.”
The Sultan’s son ceased not straying from stead to stead for a term of ten days, during which he wandered round about the Mountain and solaced himself by gazing upon the trees and waters,[FN#522] and he was gladdened by the warbling of the birds till at length the Doom of Destiny and the Fiat of Fate cast him over against the door of the cave which contained the Khwajah’s daughter with her handmaids and her negro slaves. He looked at the entrance and marvelled and was perplexed at—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 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
The Seven Hundred and Ninety-seventh NIght
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 King’s son took place before the Cavern-door he marvelled at its strength intended to protect those within, but he knew not if it had any inmate or an it were void of inhabitants, seeing that the mountain was far distant and divided from towns and cities nor could any avail to reach it. So he said in his mind, “Sit thee down here over against the entrance amid these grasses and trees and fruits, for an thou quit this site thou shalt find none like it in charms and eke it shall console thee for parting from thy people. Moreover, haply shall someone of this place pass by me and from him I may ask tidings concerning this region and peradventure Almighty Allah shall guide me back to my own country and I shall forgather with my father and my folk and my friends. Indeed possibly there may be someone within this place who when he issueth forth shall become my familiar.” So he ceased not sitting at the door of the cave for a term of twenty days eating of the fruits of the trees and drinking of the water of the rain pools as likewise did his steed; but when it was the twenty and first day, behold, the door of the antre was thrown open and there came forth it two black slave-girls and a negro chattel, followed by five white handmaidens, all seeking diversion and disport among those meadows which lay on the mountain-flank and beyond. But as they paced along their eyes fell on the son of the Sultan who was still sitting there with his steed before him and they found him cast in the mould of beauty and loveliness, for he had now rested in that place from his wayfare and the perfection of charms was manifest upon him. When the slave-girls looked at him they were overwhelmed by the marvels of his
“Loving maid in obedience doth come * Trailing
skirt with her
pride all astir;
And she’s meet for no man save for him * And
he’s meet for no
maid save for her."[FN#524]
After this the Khwajah’s daughter tarried with the King’s son for a term of six months; but, from the night when he had abated her pucelage, he never approached her at all, and she also on like wise felt no lust of the flesh for him in any way nor did she solicit him to love-liesse.[FN#525] But when it was the seventh month, the youth remembered his family and native land and he sought leave of her to travel but she said to him, “Why dost thou not tarry beside us?” Said he, “If in our life there be due length needs must we forgather.”
The Seven Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,
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’s son farewelled the Merchant’s daughter and fared forth from her in early morning, seeking his folk and his natal land, and he drove amiddlemost the wilds and the wolds. On this wise it was with him; but as regards the merchant, the father of the damsel, he and the Darwaysh after consigning her to the cavern returned to his town and there spent six months in business as was his wont; but on the seventh he called to mind his child and was desolated by her absence because he had none other. So quoth he to her mother, “I have an intent to visit the girl and look upon her and see what may be her condition, for my heart is in sore doubt on her account and I cannot but fancy that some unforeseen casualty hath brought calamity or that some wayfarer may have visited her; and my thoughts are occupied with her, so ’tis my will to fare forth and see her.” “Such act were advisable,” quoth the wife; and so saying she fell to making him somewhat of provaunt amounting to some ten camel-loads.[FN#526] Presently he led forth with him a few of his negro slaves and set out to see his daughter on the Jabal al-Sah b. So he dove into the depths of the desert and cut across the dales and the hills and conjoined the journeyings of night with day for a space of three months, and about sunset-tide on the first of the fourth behold, a rider appeared to him coming from the breast of the waste, nor had he with him anyone. When the stranger drew near, the Khwajah saluted him and his salam was returned by the horseman who happened to be the Prince returning from the Merchant’s daughter. Quoth the Khwajah, “O Youth, dismount with us in this place and let us twain, I and thou, night together and solace ourselves with converse;[FN#527] then, when it shall be morning, each of us shall depart seeking his own stead.” Quoth the Prince, “No harm in that,” and so saying he sprang from the back of his steed and
The Eight Hundred and First Night,
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 Prince continued to the Merchant saying, “The slave-girls invited me and led me into the cave until I reached a Pavilion that was there. I tarried beside them for a matter of some six months when I felt desolate for my folk and my native land, so I craved leave to depart from them and farewelled them and went forth, they sending me away with highmost honour. But when bidding them goodbye I covenanted with them saying, ’an there be in life any length needs must we forgather’; and with these words I left them, and now ’tis some time since I journeyed thence when thou mettest me in this place.” Now the Merchant hearing his tale knew from the beginning what had occurred there, and was certified of the saying of the Voice, and judging from the tenor of the information said in his mind, “There is no doubt or hesitation but that this be the youth to whom was appointed my daughter, that of him she should conceive in the way of unright and the Written[FN#530] is now fulfilled.” So quoth the Merchant, “O Youth, where is thy town?” and he informed him thereof. Now the Prince knew not that he had come upon the damsel’s father by the road, whereas the Khwajah wotted right well that this man had had to do with his daughter. As soon as it was morning the twain farewelled each other and either of them went his own way; but, the Khwajah fell into cark and care such as cannot be conceived, and he fasted from food nor was meat to him sweet nor was sleep. However, he ceased not travelling till he arrived at the Jabal al-Sahab, when he approached the door of the cave and rapped thereat. The handmaidens opened to him and as soon as they saw his face they recognised him, and returning to their lady informed her thereof: so she arose to seek him, and presently met him and salam’d to him and kissed his hands and walked by his side until she reached the Pavilion, where the twain, he and she, went up, and she seated him and stood before him in
The Eight Hundred and Third Night,
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 Prince came upon that sea he was perplext and wist not what to do, so he leapt from the back of the Father of the Pigeon and set his steed standing beside him that he might lean against his quarter[FN#532] when, of the excess of his night watching, he fell asleep and was drowned in slumber. Then, by doom of Destiny the beast shook his head and snorted and set off at full speed making for the wild and the wold and was presently amiddlemost the waste. Now when some two-told hours of time had passed, the Prince shook off his drowsihead and opened his eyes, but of his steed could see nor sign nor aught of visible trace. So he smote hand upon hand and cried, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great,” after which he took seat by the side of the sea and sued comfort of Almighty Allah. On the next day a ship suddenly sailed in and made fast to the shore, after which a posse of Jews landed from her and as soon as they saw him they fell upon him and seized him and pinioned him; then, carrying him perforce aboard, loaded his legs with irons. So quoth he to himself, “Whenas Fate is so minded our eyes are blinded; however, patience is fairest and of Allah must we ask aidance.” Hereupon the Jews again disembarked and filled their kegs with the water of an adjoining rain-pool, after which they trooped aboard and making sail voyaged over the billows of the ocean before them. This lasted for a month, after which time they cast anchor beside a harbour-town, and presently swarmed out to
The Eight Hundred and Fifth night,
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 Prince urged on his party and fortified their hearts to fight, nor had an hour passed in battle and slaughter (and he smiting rightwards and leftwards) when behold, he was encountered by the Captain who sprang at him with his scymitar and designed to cut him down. But he forestalled him with sway of sabre and smote him a swashing stroke and an all-sufficient which share through his joints and tare through his limbs; and when the ship’s crew saw their Chief fall dead they gave in their submission[FN#540] and throwing down their weapons would have saved their lives. The Prince, however, went forward to them and fell to pinioning them, one after other, until he had bound them all after which he counted them and found them to number about forty head while the slain were three score and five. These he threw into the sea,[FN#541] but the captives he placed in prison after chaining them with iron chains
The Eight Hundred and Seventh Night,
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 fifty horsemen said to the King’s son, “There is no help but that we take from thee the horse,” and said he, “I have given you good advice, and well I wot and am certified that were you two hundred riders ye could never prevail over me whilst I am mounted on my courser’s back and indeed I have no fear of fight; but let any of you who hath claim to knightlihood come forwards and take him and mount him.” So saying he alighted forthright and left his horse and went to some distance from him, when one of the fifty riders pushed forwards and designed to seize the steed by the reins and bestride him, when suddenly the stallion raged like fire at him and attacked him and smote him with his forehand and drove the entrails out of his belly and the man at once fell to the ground slain. As his party saw this they bared their brands and assaulted the horse designing to cut him in pieces when behold, a dust-cloud high in lift upflew and walled the view; and all extended their glances in that direction for an hour of time until it opened and showed some two hundred knights headed by a King mighty of degree and majesty and over his head were flags a-flying. The fifty horsemen, seeing him advance with his troops, drew off and stood still to look and see whom he might be, and when the horse sighted these banners he sniffed with nostrils opened wide to the air, and made for them at full speed, as if gladdened by the sight, and approached them and returned to them a second time in like guise and at the third time he drew up hard beside them and nearing the King fell to rubbing his cheeks upon the stirrups whilst the ruler put forth his hand and gentled the steed by smoothing his head and forehead. As soon as the fifty riders saw this, they marvelled thereat, but the King’s son who had kept his ground was astounded and said to himself, “The horse fled me and when this host drew nigh he sought me again."[FN#545] Presently the Prince fixed his glance upon the latest comers and behold, the King was his father, so he sprang to him and when the sire saw him he knew his
The Eight Hundred and Eighth night.
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 took seat upon the throne and set his son by his side he summoned the fifty riders, who were brought into the presence and placed between his hands. Then he questioned them of their case and their country and the cause of their coming to that stead and they notified to him their native land and their Sovran and the reason of their wandering; to wit, their headlong pursuit of the stallion which had lasted for a term of ten days. Now when the Sultan understood their words and knew and was certified concerning their King and their country, he robed them with honourable robes[FN#547] and said to them, “Wall hi! had I known that the stallion would have submitted to you and would have obeyed you I should have delivered him up to you, but I feared for any that durst approach him,
The Eight Hundred and Tenth Night,
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 Prince went forth from his father with a train of five attendants and made for the wilderness, and he conjoined the journeys of night and day; withal he knew not whither he was going, and he chanced travel over the same wilds and wolds and dales and stony leas. But as regards the Merchant and his daughter, he went in to her one day of the days and found her weeping and wailing, so he said to her, “What causeth thee to shed tears, O my child?” and said she, “How shall I not weep? indeed I must wail over my lot, and over the promise wherewith Allah promised me.” Hereupon he exclaimed, “O my daughter, be silent and Inshallah—God willing— I will equip me for travel and will fare to the son of the King; and look to it, for haply Allah Almighty our Lord may direct me to a somewhat shall conduct me to the Prince’s city.” So saying he bade his handmaidens and eunuchs make ready forthright a viaticum sufficing for a full-told year himself and his following of pages and eunuchs, and they did his bidding. After a few days they prepared all he had required and he purposed to set out; then, he loaded his loads and, farewelling his wife and daughter, went forth seeking the city of the King’s son. He ceased not travelling for a space of three months, when he found a meadow wide of sides on the margin of a sweet-water lake, so he said to his slaves, “Alight we here in this very place that we may take our rest.” Accordingly, they dismounted and pitched a tent and furnisht it for him, and he passed that night by the water-side, and all enjoyed their repose. But as soon as morn ’gan show and shone with sheeny glow, and the sun arose o’er the lands lying low, the Khwajah designed to order a march for his slaves when suddenly espying a dust-cloud towering in rear of them, they waited to see what it might be, and after some two hours of the day it cleared off and disclosed beneath it six riders and with them a bt-beast carrying a load of provisions. These drew near the meadow where the Khwajah sat looking at them, and fear hereat entered into his heart, and trembling fell upon his limbs[FN#551] until he was assured that they were but six men. So his mind was calmed. But when the party drew near him he fixed his glance and made certain that the men were headed by the King’s son whom he had met on his first journey, and he marvelled indeed at the youth making for the same place, and he strove to guess the cause of his coming with only five followers and no more. Then he arose and accosted him and salam’d and sat down in converse with him, being assured the while that it was the same who had had doings with
The Eight Hundred and Twelfth Night,
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 Khwajah to the King’s son after he had revived, “O my child, be of good cheer and eyes clear for that thy want is won and for thee the way hath been short done and if thy heart be firm-fixed upon thy beloved the heart of her is still firmer than thine and I am a messenger from her who seek thee that I may unite you twain Inshallah—an Allah please.”
The Eight Hundred and Fourteenth Night,
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 proposed going forth to the wild that he might hunt, but his guardians feared for him so that he availed not to fare forth. Grievous to him was it that he could not obtain his liberty to set out a-chasing, and there befel him much concern[FN#562] and a burning thirst; so he lay him down sore sick and troubled. Hereupon his father and mother went in to him and, finding that he had taken to his pillow, they mourned over him, and fearing lest he be afflicted by some disease they asked him, “What is to do with thee and what calamity hath befallen thee?” Answered he, “There is no help but that I go forth a-hunting in the wilderness.” Quoth they, “O our son, we fear for thee,” and quoth he, “Fear not, for that all things be foredoomed from Eternity and, if aught be written for me, ’twill come to pass even although I were beside you; and the bye-word saith, ’Profiteth not Prudence against Predestination.’” Hereat they gave him permission, and upon the second day he rode forth to the chase, but the wold and the wilds swallowed him up, and when he would have returned he knew not the road, so he said to himself, “Folk declare that affects are affected and footsteps are sped to a life that is vile and divided daily bread.[FN#563] If aught be written to me fain must I fulfil it.” And whenever he hunted down a gazelle, he cut its throat and broiled the meat over a fire and nourished himself for a while of days and nights; but he was lost in those wastes until he drew in sight of a city. This he entered, but he had no money for food or for foraging his horse, so he sold it willy-nilly and, hiring a room in a Wak lah, lived by expending its price till the money was spent. Then he cried, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! The wise man doth even as the fool, but All-might is to Allah.” So he went forth to solace himself in the highways of the city, looking rightwards and leftwards, until he came to the gateway of the King’s Palace, and when he glanced around he saw written over it, “Dive not into the depths unless thou greed
’To tell my root and my name refrain; * The
root of the youth is
what good he gain:[FN#566]
A wight without father full oft shall win * And melting
shall
purify drossy strain.’
And folk are equal but in different degrees."[FN#567] Now when the Sultan heard these words, he wondered at his eloquence and sweetness of speech; withal he marvelled that his son-in-law would not explain to him from what land or from what folk he came. And the two ceased not their converse until after the hour of night prayers, when the Lords of the land had been dismissed; whereupon the Sultan bade an eunuch take the youth and introduce him to the Princess. So he arose from him and went with the slave, the King exclaiming the while, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might, save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great: verily yonder young man wendeth wilfully to his death.” Now when the bridegroom reached the apartment of the Sultan’s daughter and entered to 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 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
The Eight Hundred and Seventeenth Night,
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, when entering to the Sultan’s daughter, exclaimed “Bismillah—in the name of Allah—I place my trust upon Allah, and I have committed mine affair unto Allah!” Then he went forwards and found his bride seated upon her bedstead, and she was as a Hoard newly loosed from its Talisman; while she on her part rose and met him, and looked upon him and considered him until she was certified of his being cast in beauty’s mould, nor had she ever seen any like unto him. So she wept till the tears trickled adown her cheeks and she said to herself, “Oh the pity of it! Never shall my joy be fulfilled with this beautiful youth, than whom mine eyes never fell upon one fairer.” Quoth he, “What causeth thee cry, O my lady?” and quoth she, “I cry for the loss of my joys with thee seeing that thou art to perish this very night; and I sue of the Almighty and supplicate Him that my life may be thy ransom, for by Allah ’tis a pity!” When he heard these words he presently looked around and suddenly he sighted a magical Sword[FN#568] hanging by the belt against the wall: so he arose and hent it and threw it across his shoulders; then, returning he took seat upon the couch beside the Sultan’s daughter, withal his heart and his tongue never neglected to recite the Names of Allah or to sue aidance from the Prince of the Hallows[FN#569] who alone can reconcile with the Almighty fiat the fates and affairs of God’s servants. This lasted for an hour until the first third of the night, when suddenly were heard the bellowings as of wind and rumblings of thunder, and the bride, perceiving all the portents which had occurred to others, increased in weeping and wailing. Then lo and behold! a wall amiddlemost the chamber clave asunder, and there issued forth the cleft a Basilisk[FN#570] resembling a log of palm-tree, and he was blowing like the storm-blast and his eyes were as cressets and he came on wriggling and waving. But when the youth saw the monster he sprang up forthright with stout heart that knew naught of startling or affright, and cried out, “Protect me, O Chief and Lode-star of the Hallows, for I have thrown myself upon thine honour and am under thy safe-guard.” So saying and setting hand on brand he advanced and confronted the portent swiftlier than an eye-glance, raising his elbow till the blackness of the armpit appeared; and he cried out with a loud outcry whereto the whole city re-echoed, and which was audible even to the Sultan. Then he smote the monster upon his neck[FN#571] and caused head to fly from body for a measure of some two spans. Hereupon the Basilisk fell dead, but
The Eight Hundred and Nineteenth Night,
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 sat until morning-tide expecting his wife to bring him tidings of the youth that he might take him and bury him. But the Queen-mother repaired to her daughter’s apartment where she found the door locked and bolted upon the couple; so she knocked for them whilst her
The Eight Hundred and Twenty-first Night,
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 adoptive father pursued to his comrade, “So we permitted him to hie a-hunting, and he farewelled us and went forth from us and left us, whereat we fell to beweeping him; and inasmuch as until this present he hath not returned to us, I have set out to seek him and here am I in this place searching for traces of him. Peradventure may Allah Almighty deign unite me with him and gar me forgather with him; for, Wall hi! from the hour he went from us sleep hath done us no good nor have we found relish in food.” And when the speech was ended, quoth his comrade, “O my brother, whenas he is not the son of thy loins and he could prove himself perverse to thee, what must be the condition in his regard of the father who begat him and the mother who enwombed him?” He replied, “Theirs must be cark and care and misery beyond even mine;” and the other rejoined, “By Allah, O my brother, verily the relation thou hast related anent this child proveth that he is, by God, my child and of mine own seed, for in sooth his mother gave birth to him in that stead where she left him being unable to carry him with her; but now she beweepeth the loss of him through the nights and the days.” “O my brother,” quoth the adoptive father, “we twain, I and thou, will indeed make public search and open inquiry for him through the lands, and Allah Almighty shall guide us himwards.” When morning came the pair went forth together intending to journey from that city, but by doom of the Decreer the Sultan on that very day set out to visit the gardens; and, when the travellers heard tidings thereof, one said to the other, “Let us stay and solace ourselves with a sight of the royal suite and after we will wend our ways.” Said his comrade, “’Tis well.” So they took their station to await the issuing forth of the Sultan, who suddenly rode out amid his suite as the two stood leaning beside the road and looking at the Sultan, when behold, his glance fell upon the two men. He at once recognised the father who had reared him, and when he gazed at the other standing beside him his heart was opened to the love of him albeit he weeted naught of their tie of blood nor believed that any was his sire save the Shaykh who had adopted him. Accordingly, after considering them he bade carry them both to the House of Hospitality, so they led them thither and did his bidding. Hereupon the twain said to themselves, “Wherefore hath the Sultan made us his guests? Nor he knoweth us nor we know him and needs must this have a cause.” But after leaving them the King rode to the gardens where he
The Eight Hundred and Twenty-third Night,
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 man who was bespeaking the Sultan pursued to him, “Then I mounted him and rode him over the gravelly ground without the city when behold, he snorted and snarked and shook his crest and started at speed and galloped with me and bolted, swiftly as though he were a bird in the firmament of heaven.” On this wise he fell to recounting all that had befallen in the cave between him and the Merchant’s daughter and what had betided him by decree of Allah; how he had left her for his own land and how had her sire come and carried her away; also in what manner she had been delivered of a son by him on the road and had left her babe-child in the tent hoping that someone might find him and take him and tend him; and, lastly, how he had married the child’s mother and what was the cause of his going forth and his coming to that place that he might seek his son. Hereupon the Sultan turned to his adoptive father whom hitherto he had believed to be his real parent saying, “And thou, the other, dost thou know any tale like that told to us by thy comrade?” So the Shaykh recounted to him the whole history as hath before been set forth from incept to conclusion, nor hid from him aught thereof. Then the Sultan declared himself to his true sire, saying, “Thou art my father and there befel such things and such,” after which said his adoptive parent, “Wall hi, O my son, verily none is thy father save this one from whose loins thou art sprung, for I only found thee in the pavilion and took thee and tended thee in my home. But this is thy very parent in very deed.” Hereat all the three fell upon one another’s necks and kissed one another and the Sultan cried, “Praise to Him who hath united us after disunion!” and the others related to him anent his maternal grandfather how he was a Merchant, and concerning his paternal grandsire how he was a Monarch. Anon each of the two was ordered to revisit his own country and convey his consort and his children; and the twain disappeared for the space of a year and a month and at length returned to the young King. Hereupon he set apart for them palaces and settled them therein and they tarried with him until such time as there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Severer of societies.
Story of the Youth Who Would Futter His Father’s Wives.[FN#579]
It is related that there was a man who had a grown-up son, but the youth was a ne’er-do-well,[FN#580] and whatever wife his sire wedded, the son would devise him a device to lie with her and have his wicked will of her, and he so managed the matter that his father was forced to divorce her. Now the man once married a bride beautiful exceedingly and, charging her beware of his son, jealously guarded her from 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 King suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night, and that was
The Eight Hundred and Thirty-second Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be not 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 father applied himself to safe-guarding his wife and gave her a charge warning her with threats against his son and saying, “Whenas I wed ever a woman, yonder youth by his cunning manageth to have his wicked will of her.” Quoth she, “O Man, what be these words thou speakest? This thy son is a dog, nor hath he power to do with me aught, and I am a lady amongst women.” Quoth he, “Indeed I but charge thee to have a care of thyself.[FN#581] Haply I may hie me forth to wayfare and he will lay some deep plot for thee and work with thee as he wrought with others.” She replied, “O Man, hold thyself secure therefrom for an he bespeak me with a single word I will slipper him with my papoosh;[FN#582] and her rejoined, “May safety be thine!” He cohabited with her for a month till one day of the days when he was compelled to travel; so he went in to his wife and cautioned her and was earnest with her saying, “Have a guard of thyself from my son the debauchee for ’tis a froward fellow, a thief, a miserable, lest he come over thee with some wile and have his will of thee.” Said she, “What words are these? Thy son is a dog nor hath he any power over me in aught whereof thou talkest, and if he bespeak me with one injurious word, I will slipper him soundly with my foot-gear."[FN#583] He rejoined, “If thou happen to need aught[FN#584] never even mention it to him;” and she, “Hearkening and obedience.” So he farewelled her and fared forth wholly intent upon his wayfare. Now when he was far enough from the town the youth came to the grass-widow but would not address a single word to her, albeit fire was lighted in his heart by reason of her being so beautiful. Accordingly he contrived a wile. It happened to be summer-tide so he went[FN#585]
The Eight Hundred and Thirty-third Night,
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 grass-widow came forward beside her stepson and raised her raiment from her behind until the half of her below the waist was stark naked; and she did even as her husband’s son had done, and perked up her buttocks, leaning heavily upon her knees and elbows. Now when she acted on this wise the youth addressed her saying, “Thou canst not do it aright.” “How so?” “Because the wind passing in through the postern passeth out through thy portal, thy solution of continuity.” “Then how shall I do?” “Stopper thy slit wherethrough the air passeth.” “How shall I stopper it?” “An thou stopper it not thy toil will be in vain.” “Dost thou know how to stopper it?” “Indeed I do!” “Then, rise up and stopper it.” Hearing these words he arose, because indeed he greeded for her, and came up behind her as she rested upon her elbows and knees and hending in hand his prickle nailed
The Eight Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be not 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 worth celebrating, that the youth came in to his father and found his step-mother relating to him all they had done whilst he was away and the man said to him, “Wherefore, O youth, hast thou acted on such wise?” Said the son, “What harm
The Eight Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,
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 worth celebrating, that when the father had gone forth and was making for the market-town, his son happened to meet him, and the two wives went up to the terrace wishing to see if their husband be gone or not. Now by the decree of the Decreer the man had in some carelessness forgotten his papooshes so he turned to the youth who was following him and
The Eight Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be not 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 two women agreed to partnership in iniquity with the youth their stepson. Now on the next day the man went forth and left his house for some pressing occasion and his son followed him till he saw him far distant: then the youth repaired to the two wives and found them both in one chamber. So he asked them, “Why doth not each of you go to her own apartment?” and they answered, “What use is there in that? Let us all be together and take our joy, we and thou.” So he lay between them and began to toy with them and tumble them; and roll over them and mount upon the bubbies of one and thence change seat to the other’s breasts and while so doing all were plunged in the sea of enjoyment.[FN#592] But they knew not what lurked for them in the hidden World of the Future. Presently, lo and behold! the father returned and entered the house when none of them expected him or was ware of him; and he heard their play even before he went into the chamber. Here he leant against a side-wall and privily viewed their proceedings and the lewd state they were in; and he allowed time to drag on and espied them at his ease, seeing his son mount the breasts of one woman and then shift seat to the bubbies of his other wife. After noting all this he fared quietly forth the house and sought the Wali complaining of the case; so the Chief of Police took horse and repaired with him to his home where, when the two went
STORY OF THE TWO LACK-TACTS OF CAIRO AND DAMASCUS.[FN#593]
Whilome in Cairo-city there was a man famed as a Lack-tact and another in Damascus was celebrated for the like quality. Each had heard of his compeer and longed to forgather with him and sundry folk said to the Syrian, “Verily the Lack-tact of Egypt is sharper than thou and a cleverer physiognomist and more intelligent, and more penetrating, and much better company; also he excelleth thee in debate proving the superiority of his lack of tact.” Whereto the Damascene would reply, “No, by Allah, I am more tasteful in my lack of tact than yon Cairene;” but his people ceased not to bespeak him on this wise until his heart was filled full of their words; so one day of the days he cried, “By Allah, there is no help for it but I fare for Cairo and forgather with her Lack-tact.” Hereupon he journeyed from Damascus and ceased not wayfaring till he reached Cairo. The time was about set of sun and the first who met him on the road was a woman; so he asked her concerning certain of the highways of the city and she answered, “What a Lack-tact thou must be to put such a question at such an hour! Whoso entereth a strange place in the morning enquireth about its highways, but whoso entereth at eventide asketh about its caravanserai[FN#594] wherein he may night.” “Sooth thou sayest,” rejoined he, “but my lack of tact hath weakened my wits.” He then sought news of the Khans and they showed him one whereto he repaired and passed the night; and in the morning—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
The Eight Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,
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 Lack-tact of Damascus passed the night in the Wakalah and in the morning
The Eight Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be not 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 Egyptian rose up and girded his loins and tucked up his sleeves, and taking him a tray said to the Syrian, “Up and after me and see what I shall do.” Then he went out tray on head, and foregoing the Damascene to a flower-garden he gathered a bundle of blooms and sweet-scented herbs, pinks and roses and basil and pennyroyal[FN#598] and marjoram and other such, until the tray was filled, after which he turned to town. About noontide he repaired to one of the Cathedral-mosques and entered the lavatory,[FN#599] around which were some fifteen privies:[FN#600] so he stood amiddlemost the floor considering the folk as they entered the jakes to do their jobs in private lest the bazar-people come upon them during their easement. And all were sore pressed wanting to pass urine or to skite; so whenever a man entered the place in a hurry he would draw the door to. Then the Lack-tact of Cairo would pull the door open, and go in to him carrying a posy of perfumed herbs, and would say, “Thy favour![FN#601] O my brother,” and the man would shout out saying, “Allah ruin thy natal realm, are we at skite or at feast?” whereat all standing there would laugh at him. Suddenly one rushed into the lavatory sore pressed and hanging an arse[FN#602] and crying aloud in his grievous distress, “O Allah, O His Prophet, aid me!” for that he feared to let fly in his bag-trousers. Then the Lack-tact would accost him holding in hand his posy of perfumed herbs, and softly saying, “Bismillah-take it, and give me thy favour;” and the man would roar at the top of his voice, “Allah disappoint thee! what a Lack-tact thou art: I am sore pressed; get thee out.” And the further that man would fare away from him the closer he would follow him saying, “Thy favour! Take it! Smell it!” Now at that time all the cabinets of easement were full of people, nor did one remain vacant, and the distressed man stood there expecting someone to issue that he might enter; but in his condition the delay was over-long—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
The Eight Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,
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 Cairene Lack-tact kept bespeaking that sorely distressed man and following him as he fled, crying out to him and saying, “Away from me, am I not this moment about to skite or am I at a feast?” till at last the excess of weight in his arse-gut caused him to let fly in his bag-trousers and bewray all his behind. And during this time none came out of the jakes, so the unhappy sat in his unease and all the folk seeing him conskite himself fell to laughing at him as he sat there, and the Lack-tact of Cairo continued offering him the posy, saying, “Thy favour!” and the other continned shouting his loudest, “Am I at skite or at a feast?” Thereupon the Lack-tact of Damascus turned to his rival and cried, “The Fatihah[FN#603] is in thy books, O Chief Joker of Cairo. By Allah (and the Almighty grant thee length of life!) thou hast excelled me in everything, and they truly say that none can surpass or overcome the Cairene and men have agreed to declare that the Syrian winneth his wish and gaineth only blame, while the Egyptian winneth not his wish and gaineth thanks and praise.” And amongst other things it happened[FN#604] that a Cairene went to borrow a donkey from another man, a Damascene, wishing to ride it to a wedding, and when he met his friend he saluted him and said, “Ho Such-an-one, lend me thine ass for such a purpose.” Now when the owner of the animal heard these words he smote hand upon hand and cried, “O worshipper of Allah,[FN#605] a little while ere thou camest to me, a man urgently asked it of me and took it on loan: haddest thou been somewhat earlier I would have lent it to thee. Verily I am put to shame by thee as thou goest from me without thy need.” The Egyptian said in his mind, “By Allah, this one speaketh sooth, and had the donkey been in his house assuredly he would have lent it to me.” But the owner of the animal said to himself, “Certainly Such-an-one begged it of me, but the rest is a lie, for the beast is shut up in the stable.” However the Syrian who owned the beast went to his gossip, the man who had begged a loan of it, and entering the house salam’d to him and said, “Give me the donkey, O Such-an-one;”—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
The Eight Hundred and Fortieth Night,
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 Syrian went to his gossip saying, “Give me the ass;” and when the other heard this he showed his teeth[FN#606] and cried, “Allah disappoint the donkey and the owner of the donkey and whoso rideth the donkey,” and flying into an exceeding fury at last said, “Go, O my lord, and take it from the stable, and may Allah never bring back nor thee nor the beast.” So the Syrian went from him saying in himself, “Allah disappoint this fellow, why did he not give me the ass at first and then he had not had occasion to abuse and curse himself and to revile me also.” But they say and say truly, “The Syrian winneth his wish, but gaineth only blame while the Egyptian winneth not his wish and gaineth thanks and praise!”
Tale of Himself Told by the King[FN#607]
I have a tale, O my lord the Kazi, which bewildereth the wits and it is on this wise. By birth and origin I was the son of a Khwajah, but my father owned much worldly wealth in money and effect and vaiselle and rarities and so forth, besides of landed estates and of fiefs and mortmains a store galore. And every year when the ships of Al-Hind would arrive bringing Indian goods and coffee from Al-Yaman the folk brought thereof one-fourth of the whole and he three-fourths paying in ready cash and hard money.[FN#608] So his word was heard and his works were preferred amongst the Traders and the Grandees and the Rulers. Also he had control[FN#609] in counseling the Kings and he was held in awe and obeyed by the merchants, one and all, who consulted him in each and every of their affairs. This endured until one year of the years when suddenly he fell sick and his sickness grew upon him and gained mastery over his frame, so he sent for me, saying, “Bring me my son.” Accordingly I went and entered to him and found him changed of condition and nearing his last gasp. But he turned to me and said, “O my son, I charge thee with a charge which do thou not transgress nor contrary me in whatso I shall declare to thee.” “What may that be?” asked I, and he answered, “O my son, do thou never make oath in Allah’s name, or falsely or truly, even although they fill the world for thee with wealth; but safeguard thy soul in this matter and gain-say it not, nor give ear to aught other.” But when it was midnight the Divine Mystery[FN#610] left him and he died to the mercy of Allah Almighty; so I buried him, and expending much money upon his funeral and graved him in a handsome tomb. He had left to me wealth in abundance such as the pens could not compute, but when a month or so had sped after his decease suddenly came to me a party of folk, each and every claming
The Nine Hundred and Twelfth Night,
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 thus continued his relation to the Kazi:—I began selling off my landed estates and fiefs and letting out my settlements of bequeathal[FN#611] until naught of all that remained by me; so I fell to vending the house-gear and goods and carpets and pots and pans until I owned nothing whatever, and my case waxed straitened and the affair was grievous to me. Then I quoth to myself, “Allah’s earth for Allah’s folk!” and, albeit I had a wife and to male children, I left them and went forth under cover of the night a wanderer about the world and unknowing where I should bring myself to anchor. But suddenly, O my lord the Kazi, I was confronted by a man whose aspect bred awe, showing signs of saintliness and garbed wholly in spotless white; so I accosted him and kissed his hand, and he on seeing me said, “O my son, there is no harm to thee!” presently adding,
“Do thou be heedless of thy cark and care *
And unto Fate commit
thy whole affair;
The Lord shall widen what to thee is strait; * The
Lord shall all
for breadth of space
prepare:
The Lord shall gladly end they grievous toils; * The
Lord shall
work His will, so jar
forbear.”
After these words he took my hand and walked with me athwart those wilds and wolds till such time as we made a city and entered its gates. Here, however, we found no signs of creature-kind nor any mark of Son of Adam, and when I sighted whit my condition changed and fear and affright entered my heart. But presently the man turned to me and said, “Dread not nor be startled, for that this city shall (Inshallah!)
The Nine Hundred and Thirteenth Night,
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 man to the youth[FN#612], “Trust in Allah, for verily joy shall assuredly come to thee from the Almighty.” “What joy?” quoth the Khwajah’s son, “and indeed this city is a ruinous heap nor is there indweller or habitant or any to attest God’s Unity.” But the man ceased not going about the highways of the deserted town with his companion till such time as he reached the Palace of the Sultanate, and the twain entering therein found it with its vases and its tapestry like a bride tricked out[FN#613]. Bit the Spider had tented therein, so both the wights fell to shaking and sweeping for three days’ space till they had cleaned away all the webbing and dust of years; after which the elder man took the younger and entered a closet. Herein he came upon a trap-door which the two uplifted, when behold, they found a staircase leading below; so they descended and walked till they ended at a place with four open halls, one and all fulfilled with gold, and amiddlemost thereof rose a jetting fount twenty ells long by fifteen broad, and the whole basin was heaped up with glittering gems and precious ores. When the merchant’s son saw this sight, he was wildered on his wits and perplext in his thoughts, but the man said to him, “O my son, all this hath become thine own good.” After this the two replaced the trap-door as it was and quitted that place; then the man took him and led him to another stead concealed from the ken of man wherein he found arms and armour and costly raiment; and the two stinted not wandering about the palace until they reached the royal Throne-room. Now, when the Khwajah’s son looked upon it he waxed distraught and fell a-fainting to the floor for awhile[FN#614] and presently when he revived he asked his companion, “O my lord, what be this?” Answered he, “This be the
The Nine Hundred and Fourteenth Night,
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 merchant’s son resumed to the Kazi:—Then the man vanisht from my view and I wist no more thereof. So I seated me (and I was all alone) in that city for the first day and the second, but on the third behold, I saw a crowd making for me from the city-suburbs and they were seeking a site wherefrom they had somewhat to require. So I met them and welcomed them and seated them, and soon I arose and cooking for them food ate in their company and we nighted together; and when it was morning I presented each and every of them with an hundred dinars. These they accepted and fared forth from me and on reaching their homes they recounted the adventure to other folk who also flocked to me and received presents like those who preceded them. Anon appeared to me a multitude with their children and wives who said, “Billahi,[FN#616] O my lord, accept of us that we may settle beside thee and be under thy protecting glance;” whereupon I ordered houses be given to them. Moreover there was amongst them a comely youth who showed signs of prosperity and him I made my assessor; so we two, I and he, would converse together. The crowd thickened, little by little, until the whilome ruined city became fulfilled of inhabitants, when I commanded sundry of them that they go forth and lay our gardens and orchards and plant tree-growth; and a full-told
The Nine Hundred and Fifteenth Night,
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 young man went in to the Sultan and kissed the ground before him and the King regarding him felt his heart yearn himwards and said, “What wantest thou, O youth?” “My design is service with thee,” said the other; and the King rejoined, “Then welcome to thee!” So he abode in his employ for a term of four months until he became like unto a Mameluke[FN#618] and his first case was changed: the Sultan also drew him near and fell to consulting him in sundry matters the which proved propitious, so quoth the King, “By Allah, this young man meriteth naught less than to become my Wazir,” and accordingly made him his Minister of the Right. In his new degree he became as another liege lord[FN#619] and his word was heard, so the land was opened up by his hand and year by year he derived from it corvees and taxes, nor did he cease to be the Chief Councilor under the right hand of the King. Meanwhile his brother who was the younger stinted not faring from land to land until he was met by a party of wayfarers that said to him, “O youth, verily the Sultan who ruleth in such a capital is a liberal lord, loving the poor and paupers; so do thou seek him and haply shall he show himself bounteous to thee.” Quoth he, “I know not the city,” and quoth they, “We will lead thee thereto for we purpose to go by his town.” So they took him and he accompanied them until they reached the city when he farewelled them and entered the gates. After
The Nine Hundred and Sixteenth Night,
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 woman who bode alone having been abandoned by her husband and her children, cried, “I am here sitting sans my mate and sans my sons; whatso ever shall I do?” and anon the case became grievous to her and she set out to bewander the regions saying, “Haply shall Allah reunite me with my children and my husband!” And she stinted not passing from place to place and shifting from site to site until she reached a town upon the margin of the main and found a vessel in cargo and
The Nine Hundred and Seventeenth Night,
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 two sons foregathered in converse while the mother was listening and anon quoth the elder to the younger, “Allah upon thee, O Wazir of the Left, do thou relate to me whatso befel and betided thee in thy time and what was the true cause of thy coming to this city; nor conceal from
End of Volume xv.
Catalogue of Wortley
Montague
manuscript contents.
I here proceed to offer a list of the tales in the Wortley Montague MS. (Nos. 550-556), beginning with
Vol. I.,
which contains 472 pages=92 Nights. It is rudely written, with great carelessness and frequent corrections, and there is a noted improvement in the subsequent vols. which Scott would attribute to another transcriber. This, however, I doubt: in vol. i. the scribe does not seem to have settled down to his work. The Ms. begins abruptly and without caligraphic decoration; nor is there any red ink in vol. i. except for the terminal three words. The topothesia is in the land of Sasan, in the Isles of Al-Hind and Al-Sind; the elder King being called “Baz” and “Shar-baz” and the younger “Kahraman” (p. l, 11. 5-6), and in the same page (1. 10) “Saharban, King of Samarkand”; while the Wazir’s daughters are “Shahrzadah” and “Dunyazadah” (p. 8). The Introduction is like that of the Mac. Edit. (my text); but the dialogue between the Wazir and his Daughter is shortened, and the “Tale of the Merchant and his Wife,” including “The Bull and the Ass,” is omitted. Of novelties we find few. When speaking of the Queen and Mas’ud the Negro (called Sa’id in my text, p. 6) the author remarks:—
Take no black to lover; pure musk tho’ he be * Carrion-taint shall pierce to the nose of thee.
And in the “Tale of the Trader and the Jinni " (Ms. 1, 9: see my transl. 1, 25) the ’Ifrit complains that the Merchant had thrown the date-stones without exclaiming “Dastur!”—by thy leave.
The following is a list of the Tales in vol. i.:—
Page
Introductory Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-9 Tale of the Trader and the Jinni, Night i.-ii. . . . . . . . . .9 The First Shaykh’s Story, Night ii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Second Shaykh’s Story, Night ii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 The Third Shaykh’s Story, Night iv.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Scott, following “Oriental Collections,” ii. 34, supposes that the latter was omitted by M. Galland “on account of its indecency, it being a very free detail of the amours of an unfaithful wife.” The true cause was that it did not exist in Galland’s Copy of The Nights (Zotenberg, Histoire d’ ’Ala al-Din, p. 37). Scott adds, “In this copy the Genie restores the Antelope, the Dogs and the Mule to their pristine forms, which is not mentioned by Galland, on their swearing to lead virtuous lives.”
Page Conclusion of the Trader and the Jinni, Night v. . . . . . . . 43 The Fisherman and the Jinni, including the Tales of the Sage Duban and the ensorcelled Prince and omitting the Stories (1) of King Sindibad and his Falcon (2) the Husband and the Parrot and (3) the Prince and the Ogress.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad, Night v. . . . . .100 The First Kalandar’s Tale, Night xxxix.. . . . . . . . . . . .144 The Second Kalandar’s Tale, Night xlviii.. . . . . . . . . . .152
(The beginning of this
Tale is wanting in the Ms. which
omits p. 151: also
The Envier and the Envied, admitted into
the list of Hikayat,
is here absent.)
The Third Kalandar’s Tale, Night lv. . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 The Eldest Lady’s Tale. Night lxvi.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .231 Tale of the Portress. Conclusion of the Story of the Porter and Three Ladies of Baghdad, Night lxii. (a clerical mistake for lxx.?). . . . . . . .260
(In Galland follow the
Voyages of Sindbad the Seaman which
are not found in this
copy.)
The Tailor and the Hunchback, Night lxviii. (for lxxiv.?). . .295 The Nazarene Broker’s Story, Night lxviii. (for lxxiv.?) . . .308 The Youth whose hand was cut off, Night (?)[FN#628]. . . . . .312
(In p. 314 is a hiatus not accounting for the loss of hand.)
The Barber’s Tale of his First Brother . . . . . . . . . . . .314 The Barber’s Tale of his Second Brother. . . . . . . . . . . .317 The Barber’s Tale of his Third Brother . . . . . . . . . . .323 The Barber’s Tale of his Fourth Brother. . . . . . . . . . . .327 The Barber’s Tale of his Fifth Brother . . . . . . . . . . . .331 The Barber’s Tale of his Sixth Brother . . . . . . . . . . . .343 The end of the Tale of the Hunchback, the Barber and others, Night lxviii.(?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350
(Here Ends My Vol. I.)
Nur al-Din Ali and the Damsel Anis al-Jalis, Night lxviii. . .355 Sayf al-Muluk and Badi’a al-Jamal, Night xci.[FN#629]. . . . .401 Tale of the Youth of Mosul whose hand was cut off, Night xcii466-472
(The Tale of the Jewish Doctor in my vol. i. 288-300.)
Vol. i. ends with a page of scrawls, the work of some by-gone owner.
Vol. II.
Contains 316 pages, and includes end of Night xcii. to Night clxvi. The Ms. is somewhat better written; the headings are in red ink and the verses are duly divided. The whole volume is taken up by the Tale of Kamar al-Zaman (1st), with the episodes of Al-Amjad and Al-As’ad, but lacking that of Ni’amah and Naomi. In Galland Kamar al-Zaman begins with Night ccxi.: in my translation with vol. iii. 212 and concludes in vol. iv. 29. This 2nd vol. (called in colophon the 4th Juz) ends with the date 20th Sha’aban, A.H. 1177.
Vol. III.
Contains 456 pages, extending from Night cccvi. (instead of Night clxvii.) to cdxxv. and thus leaving an initial hiatus of 140 Nights (cxvi.-cccvi. C. de Perceval, vol. viii. p. 14). Thus the third of the original eight volumes is lost. On this subject Dr. White wrote to Scott, “One or two bundles of Arabic manuscript, of the same size and handwriting as the second volume of the Arabian Tales, were purchased at the sale by an agent for Mr. Beckford of Fonthill, and I have no doubt whatever but that the part deficient in your copy is to be found in his possession.” If such be the case, and everything seems to prove it, this volume was not No. iii. but No. iv. The Ms. begins abruptly with the continuation of the tale. There is no list of contents, and at the end are two unimportant “copies of verses” addressed to the reader, five couplets rhyming in imu (e.g. ta’dimu) and two in—af (e.g. Salaf).
The following is a list of the contents:—
&nb
sp; Page
Part of the Tale of Hasan of Bassorah, Nights cccvi.-cccxxix
1-81 Story of the Sultan of Al-Yaman[FN#630] and his
Sons, told to Al-Rashid by Hasan of Bassorah,
Nights cccxxix.-cccxxxiv.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Story of the Three Sharpers,[FN#631] Nights cccxxxiv.-cccxlii.
96 The Sultan who fared forth in the habit of a Darwaysh,
Night cccxlii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .121 History of Mohammed, Sultan of
Cairo, Night cccxliii.-cccxlviii124 Story of the First
Lunatic,[FN#632] Night cccxlviii.-ccclv . .141 Story
of the Second Lunatic, Night ccclv.-ccclvii. . . .
. . .168 Story of the Sage and his Scholar, Night
ccclvii.-ccclxii. . .179 Night-Adventure of Sultan
Mohammed of Cairo with three foolish Schoolmasters,
Night ccclxii . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204
Tale of the Mother and her Three Daughters, Night
ccclxii. . .206 Story of the broke-back Schoolmaster,
Night ccclxiii . . . . .211 Story of the Split-mouthed
Schoolmaster, Night ccclxiii. . . .214 Story of the
limping Schoolmaster, Night ccclxiv.-ccclxv . . 219
Story of the three Sisters and their Mother the Sultanah,
Night ccclxvi.-ccclxxxvi . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .231 History of the Kazi who bare
a babe, Night ccclxxxvi.-cccxcii.322 Tale of the Kazi
and the Bhang-eater, Night cccxciii.-cdiii. .344 History
of the Bhang-eater and his wife, Night cccxciii.-cdiii348
How Drummer Abu Kasim became a Kazi, Night cdiii.-cdxii.
. . .372 Story of the Kazi and his Slipper (including
the Tale of the Bhang-eater who became the Just
Wazir and who
decided two difficult cases), Night
cdxii.-cdxiii. . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .424
Tale of Mahmud the Persian and the Kurd Sharper, Night
cdiii.-cdxvi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . .428 Tale of the Sultan and the poor man
who brought to him fruit, including the
Fruit-seller’s[FN#633]
Tale, Night cdxvi.-cdxxv. . . . .432
Story of the King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons and
the Enchanting Bird, which ends this
volume, Night
cdxvii-cdxxvi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .437
Vol. IV.
Page
Contains 456 pages, and ranges between Nights cdxxvi.
and dxcvi.
Continuation of the Story of the King of Al-Yaman[FN#634]
and his
Three Sons and the
Enchanting Bird,
Night cdxxvi.-cdxxxix . . . . . . . . 1-34
Scott prefers “The Sultan of the East,” etc.
History of the First Larrikin, Night cdxxxix-cdxliv. . . . . . 34
Scott: “The first Sharper in the Cave,” p. 185.
History of the Second Larrikin, Night cdxliii.-cdxlv . . . . . 46 History of the Third Larrikin, Night cdxlv.-cdxlvi . . . . . . 53 Story of a Sultan of Hind and his Son Mohammed, Night cdxlvi.-cdlviii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Scott: “The Sultan of Hind.”
Tale of a Fisherman and his Son, Night cdlix.-cdlxix . . . . . 83 Tale of the Third Larrikin concerning himself, Night cdlxix.-cdlxxii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Scott: “The Unfortunate Lovers.”
History of Abu Niyyah and Abu Niyyatayn, Night cdlxxii.-cdlxxxiii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Scott: “Abou
Neeut, the well-intentioned Sultan of Moussul,
and Ab ou Neeutteen,
the double-minded.”
The Courtier’s Story, or Tale of the Nadim to the Emir of Cairo, Night cdlxxxiii.-cdxci . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Scott: “Story
related to an Ameer of Egypt by a Courtier,”
p. 229.
Another relation of the Courtier, Night cdcxi. . . . . . . . .157
(Here Iblis took the place of a musician.)
The Shaykh with Beard shorn by the Shaytan, Night cdxcii . . .162 History of the King’s Son of Sind and the Lady Fatimah, Night cdxci.-di. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165
Scott: “The
Sultan of Sind and Fatimah, daughter of
Ummir[FN#635] (’Amir)
Ibn Naomann (Nu’uman).”
History of the Lovers of Syria, Night di.-dx . . . . . . . . .189
Scott: “The Lovers of Syria.”
History of Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf and the Young Sayyid, Night dx-dxx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Scott: “The Young Sayd and Hijauje.”
Uns al-Wujud and the Wazir’s Daughter Rose-in-hood, Night dxxi.-dxli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
Scott: “Ins
al-Wujood and Wird al-Ikmaum, daughter of
Ibrahim, Vizier of Sultan
Shamikh.”
Story of the Sultan’s Son and Daughter of the Wazir, Night dxli.-dxlv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293 Tale of Sultan Kayyish, Night dxlv.-dlvii. . . . . . . . . . .312
(A romance of chivalry
and impossible contests of ten
knights against 15,000
men.)
The Young Lady transformed into a Gazelle by her Step-mother, Night dlviii.-dlxiii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .345 The History of Mazin, Night dlxviii-dxcv. (omitted, because it is the same as “Hasan of Bassorah and the King’s Daughter of the Jinn,” vol. viii. 7); to the end of vol. iv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .456
Vol. V.
Page
Contains 465 pages from the beginning of Night dxcvi.
to dccxlvi.
Continuation and end of the History of Mazin, Night
dxcvi-dcxxiv1-94
Night adventure of Harun al-Rashid, Night dcxxxxv.-dcl
. . . . 95
Scott: “Adventure of Haroon al-Rusheed, vol. vi. 343 (including Story related to Haroon al-Rusheed) by Ibn Munsoor of Damascus, of his adventures at Bussorah; the Story related to Haroon al-Rusheed by Munjaub (Manjab) and Haroon’s conduct on hearing the story of Munjaub.”
Tale of the Barber and his Son (told by Manjab), Night dlxi.-dcli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Scott: “Story
of the Sultan, the Dervishe and the Barber’s
Son.”
The Badawi Woman and her Lover, Night dclv.-dclvi. . . . . . .196 Story of the Wife and her two Gallants, Night dclvi.-dclx. . .199 Tale of Princess Al-Hayfa and Prince Yusuf, Night dclx.-dccx .210
Scott: “Story of Aleefah, daughter of Mherejaun, Sultan of Hind, and Eusuff, Prince of Sind, related to Haroun al-Rusheed by the celebrated reciter of Tales, Ibn Malook Aleed Iowaudee,” p. 352.
Adventures of the Three Princes of China, Night dccx.-dccxvii.362
Scott: “Adventures
of the Three Princes, sons of the Sultan
of China.”
History of the first Brave, Night dccxvii.-dccxxii . . . . . .385
Scott: “The
Military Braggadocio;” Ouseley, “Tier
Gallant
Officer” and the
Lat. list “Miles Gloriosus.”
History of another Brave, Night dccxxii.-dccxxiii. . . . . . .395 The Merry Adventures of a Simpleton,[FN#636] Night dccxxiii.-dccxxvi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .400
Scott: “The Idiot and his Asses.”
The Goodwife of Cairo and the three Rakehells, Night dccxxvi.-dccxxviii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .409 Story of the righteous Wazir wrongfully gaoled, Night dccxxviii.-dccxxxviii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .416 Tale of the Barber, the Captain and the Cairene Youth, Night dccxxxiii.-dcxxxvii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .430
(In the Lat. list we find “Tonsor et Juvenis Cahirensis.”)
Story of the Goodwife of Cairo and her Gallants, Night dccxxxviii.-dccxliii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .444
Scott: “The
virtuous Woman of Cairo and her Suitors,” p.
380.
The Kazi’s Tale of the Tailor, the Lady and the Captain,[FN#637] Night dccxlii.-dccxlvi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .455
Scott: “The Cauzee’s Story,” p. 386.
Story of the Syrian and the Three Women of Cairo, Night dccxlvi-and to end of vol. v . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .465
Vol. VI.
Page
Contains 365 pages, from Night dccxlvi. to Night dccclxxiii.
The following is a list of the contents:—
Continuation of the Story of the Syrian, Night dccxlvi.-dccxlix1-9 Tale of the Kaim-makam’s Lady and her two Coyntes, Night dccxlix.-dcclii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Tale of the whorish Wife who vaunted her virtues, Night dcclii.-dcclv. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Coelebs the Droll[FN#638] and his Wife and her four lovers, Night dcclv.-dcclx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Scott: “The Deformed Jester.”
The Gate-keeper of Cairo and the wily She-Thief, Night dcclix.-dcclxv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Scott: “The
aged Watchman of Cairo and the artful female
thief.”
Tale of Mohsin and Musa, Night dcclxv.-dcclxxii. . . . . . . . 57
Scott: “Mhassun
the liberal and Mousseh the treacherous
Friend.”
Mohammed Shalabi[FN#639] and his Wife and the Kazi’s Daughter, Night dcclxxii.-dcclxxvii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Scott: “Mahummud Julbee,” etc.
The Fellah and his wicked Wife, Night dcclxxvii.-dcclxxx . . . 92 The Woman who humoured her Lover at her Husband’s expense, Night dcclxxx.-dcclxxxi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Scott: “The Adulteress.”
The Kazi Schooled by his Wife, Night dcclxxxi.-dcclxxxv. . . .106 The Merchant’s Daughter and the Prince of Al-Irak, Night dccclxv.-dcccxxiv. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Scott: “Story
of the Merchant, his Daughter, and the Prince
of Eerauk,” p.
391. In the text we find ’Irak for Al-Irak.
The Story of Ahmad and Ali who cuckolded their Masters, Night dcccxxiv.-dcccxxix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
Scott: “The Two Orphans.”
The Fellah and his fair Wife, Night dcccxxix.-dcccxxx. . . . .241 The Youth who would futter his Father’s Wives, Night dcccxxx.-dcccxxxviii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Scott: “The
Vicious Son, translating the Arab. Al-Ibn
al-Fidawi.”
The two Lack-tacts of Cairo and Damascus, including
the short
’Tale of the Egyptian, the
Syrian and the Ass,”
Night dcccxxxviii.-dcccxl. . . . . .261
Scott: “The two wits of Cairo and Sind.”
The Tale of Musa and Ibrahim, including Anecdotes of the Berberines, Night dcccxl.-dcccxliii. . . . . . . . . . . . . .271 The Brother Wazirs, Ahmad and Mohammed, Night dcccxiv.-dccclxxiii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280 And to end of vol. vi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .365
Vol. Vii.
Contains 447 pages, from Night dccclxxiii.-mi.
The following is a list of the contents:—
Page Conclusion of the Brother Wazirs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-69 Story of the thieving Youth and his Step-mother, Night dcccxcvii.-cm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 The Kazi of Baghdad and his virtuous Wife, Night cm.-cmxi. . . 77 History of the Sultan who protected the Kazi’s Wife, Night cmxi.-cmxvii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 The Sultan of Al-’Irak, Zunnar ibn Zunnar, Night cmxvii.-cmxxi126 Ardashir, Prince of Persia, and the Princess Hayat al-Nufus,Page 193
daughter of Sultan Kadir, Night cmxxi.-cmlxviii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 Story of Shaykh Nakkit the Fisherman, Night cmlxviii.-cmlxxviii297 The Sultan of Andalusia, and the Prince of Al-’Irak who deflowered the Wazir’s daughter; a prose replica of Al-Hayfa and Yusuf. Ms. vol. v. 210. Night cmlxxviii.-cmlxxxviii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .329 Tale of Sultan Taylun and the generous Fellah, Night cmlxxxviii365 The retired Sage and his Servant-lad, Night cmxcviii . . . . .414 The Merchant’s Daughter who married an Emperor of China, Night cmxcviii.-mi., ending the work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .430-447
This Ms. terminates The Nights with the last tale and has no especial conclusion relating the marriage of the two brother Kings with the two sisters.
I.—Notes on the stories contained in volume xiv.[FN#640]
By W. F. Kirby.
Story of the Sultan of Al-yaman and His Three Sons.
P. 5.—The hippopotamus has also been observed, at the Zoological Gardens, to scatter his dung in the manner described.
P. 7.—It is evident from the importance which the author attaches to good birth and heredity, that he would hardly approve of the Socialistic custom, so prevalent in the East, of raising men of low birth to important offices of State.
The Story of the Three Sharpers (pp. 10-23).
P. 10.—In quoting the titles of this and other tales of the Wortley Montague Ms., in which the word Ja’idi frequently occurs, Scott often wrote “labourer” or “artisan” instead of “sharper.” The term “sharper” is hardly applicable here, for the fellows appear really to have possessed the knowledge to which they laid claim. The “sharpers” in this story differ much from such impostors as the Illiterate Schoolmaster (No. 93, vol. v. pp. 119-121), who escapes from his dilemma by his ready wit, or from European pretenders of the type of Grimm’s Dr. Knowall, who escapes from his difficulties by mere accident; or again from our old friend Ma’aruf (No. 169), whose impudent pretensions and impostures are aided by astounding good luck.
P. 13.—This test was similar to that given to Ma’aruf (vol. x. pp. 16,17), but there is nothing in the latter passage to show whether Ma’aruf had any real knowledge of gems, or not. In the present story, the incident of the worm recalls the well-known incident of Solomon ordering worms to pierce gems for Bilkees, the Queen of Sheba.
P. 13.—English schoolboys sometimes play the “trussing game.” Two boys have their wrists and ankles tied together, and their arms are passed over their knees, and a stick thrust over the arms and under the knees, and they are then placed opposite each other on the ground, and endeavour to turn each other over with their toes.
P. 15 note.—Can the word Kashmar be a corruption of Kashmiri?
History of Mohammed, Sultan of Cairo (pp. 25-35).
P. 25.—A few years ago, a travelling menagerie exhibited a pair of dog-faced baboons in Dublin as “two monstrous gorillas!”
P. 28.—Ma’aruf’s jewel has been already referred to. The present incident more resembles the demand made by the king and the wazir from Aladdin and his mother, though that was far more extravagant.
P. 29.—A more terrible form of these wedding disillusions, is when the bridegroom is entrapped into marriage by an evil magician, and wakes in the morning to find the phantom of a murdered body in the place of his phantom bride, and to be immediately charged with the crime. Compare the story of Naerdan and Guzulbec (Caylus’ Oriental Tales; Weber, ii. pp. 632-637) and that of Monia Emin (Gibb’s Story of Jewad, pp. 36, 75). Compare my Appendix, Nights, x. pp. 443, 449, 450.
P. 31.—There is a Western story (one of the latest versions of which may be found in Moore’s Juvenile Poems under the title of “The Ring”) in which a bridegroom on his wedding-day places the ring by accident on the finger of a statue of Venus; the finger closes on it, and Venus afterwards interposes continually between him and his bride, claiming him as her husband on the strength of the ring. The unfortunate husband applies to a magician, who sends him by night to a meeting of cross-roads, where a procession similar to that described in the text passes by. He presents the magician’s letters to the King (the devil in the mediaeval versions of the story) who requires Venus to surrender the ring, and with it her claim to the husband.
One of the most curious stories of these royal processions is perhaps the Lithuanian (or rather Samoghitian) story of
The King of the Rats.[FN#641]
Once upon a time a rich farmer lived in a village near Korzian, who was in the habit of going into the wood late in the evening. One evening he went back again into the wood very late, when he distinctly heard the name Zurkielis shouted. He followed the voice, but could not discover from whence the sound proceeded.
On the next evening the farmer went into the wood, and did not wait long before he heard the cry repeated, but this time much louder and more distinctly. On the third evening the farmer went again to the wood; but this time on Valpurgis-night—the Witch’s Sabbath. Suddenly he saw a light appear in the distance; then more lights shone out, and the light grew stronger and stronger; and presently the farmer saw a strange procession advancing, and passing by him. In front of the procession ran a great number of mice of all sorts, each of whom carried a jewel in his mouth which shone brighter than the sun. After these came a golden chariot, drawn by a lion, a bear, and two wolves. The chariot shone like fire, and, instead of nails, it was studded with dazzling jewels. In the chariot sat the King of the Rats and his consort, both clad in golden raiment.
A year passed by, and on the next Valpurgis-night the farmer went back to the wood, and everything happened as on the year before. The farmer became immensely rich from the gold and jewels which he collected; and on the third anniversary of the Valpurgis-night he did not go to the wood, but remained quietly at home. He was quite rich enough, and he was afraid that some harm might happen to him in the wood. But on the following morning a rat appeared, and addressed him as follows: “You took the gold and jewels, but this year you did not think it needful to pay our king and his consort the honour due to them by appearing before them during the procession in the wood; and henceforward it will go ill with you.”
Having thus spoken, the rat disappeared; but shortly afterwards such a host of rats took up their abode in the farmer’s house that it was impossible for him to defend himself against them. The rats gnawed everything in the house, and whatever was brought into it. In time the farmer was reduced to beggary, and died in wretchedness.
This is a variant of “Woman’s Craft” (No. 184 of our Table), or “Woman’s Wiles,” (Supp. Nights, ii. pp. 99-107). Mr. L. C. Smithers tells me that an English version of this story, based upon Langles’ translation (Cf. Nights, x. App., p. 440, sub “Sindbad the Sailor"), appeared in the Literary Souvenir for 1831, under the title of “Woman’s Wit.”
Pp. 51-56.—Concerning the Shikk and the Nesnas, Lane writes (1001 Nights, i., Introd. note 21): “The Shikk is another demoniacal creature, having the form of half a human being (like a man divided longitudinally); and it is believed that the Nesnas is the offspring of a Shikk and of a human being. The Shikk appears to travellers; and it was a demon of this kind who killed, and was killed by, ’Alkamah, the son of Safwan, the son of Umeiyeh, of whom it is well known that he was killed by a Jinnee. So says El-Kazweenee.
“The Nesnas (above-mentioned) is described as resembling half a human being, having half a head, half a body, one arm, and one leg, with which it hops with much agility; as being found in the woods of El-Yemen, and being endowed with speech; ‘but God,’ it is added, ‘is all-knowing.’ (El-Kazweenee in the khatimeh of his work.) It is said that it is found in Hadramot as well as El-Yemen; and that one was brought alive to El-Mutawekkil; it resembled a man in form, excepting that it had but half a face, which was in its breast, and a tail like that of a sheep. The people of Hadramot, it is added, eat it; and its flesh is sweet. It is only generated in their country. A man who went there asserted that he saw a captured Nesnas, which cried out for mercy, conjuring him by God and by himself. (Mi-rat ez-Zeman.) A race of people whose head is in the breast is described as inhabiting an island called Jabeh (supposed to be Java) in the Sea of El-Hind or India; and a kind of Nesnas is also described as inhabiting the Island of Raij, in the Sea of Es-Seen, or China, and having wings like those of the bat. (Ibn El-Wardee.)” Compare also an incident in the story of Janshah (Nights v. p. 333, and note) and the description of the giant Haluka in Forbes’ translation of the Persian Romance of Hatim Tai (p. 47): “In the course of an hour the giant was so near as to be distinctly seen in shape like an immense dome. He had neither hands nor feet, but a tremendous mouth, situated in the midst of his body. He advanced with an evolving motion, and from his jaws issued volumes of flame and clouds of smoke.” When his reflection was shown him in a mirror, he burst with rage.
I may add that a long-tailed species of African monkey (Cercopithecus Pyrrhonotus) is now known to naturalists as the Nisnas.
I once heard a tale of two Irishmen, one of whom lowered the other over a cliff, probably in search of the nests of sea-fowl. Presently the man at the top called out, “Hold hard while I spit on my hands,” so he loosed the rope for that purpose, and his companion incontinently disappeared with it.
In Scott’s “Story of the Wry-mouthed Schoolmaster” (Arabian Nights vi. pp. 74 75) the schoolmaster crams a boiling egg into his mouth, which the boy smashes.
Night Adventure of Sultan Mohammed
of Cairo (pp.
68-84).
P. 78.—Scott (vi. p. 403) makes the proclamation read, “Whoever presumes after the first watch of the night to have a lamp lighted in his house, shall have his head struck off, his goods confiscated, his house razed to the ground, and his women dishonoured.” A proclamation in such terms under the circumstances (though not meant seriously) would be incredible, even in the East.
In the Esthonian Kalevipoeg we read of two giants who lay down to sleep on opposite sides of the table after eating a big supper of thick peas-soup. An unfortunate man was hidden under the table, and the consequence was that he was blown backwards and forwards between them all night.
History of the Bhang-Eater and His Wife (pp. 155-161).
Selling a bull or a cow in the manner described is a familiar incident in folk-lore; and in Riviere’s “Contes Populaires Kabyles” we find a variant of the present story under the title of “L’Idiot et le Coucou.” In another form, the cow or other article is exchanged for some worthless, or apparently worthless, commodity, as in Jack and the Bean-stalk; Hans im Gluck; or as in the case of Moses in the Vicar of Wakefield. The incident of the fool finding a treasure occurs in Cazotte’s story of Xailoun.[FN#642]
How Drummer Abu Kasim Became a Kazi (pp. 161-163).
I have heard an anecdote of a man who was sued for the value of a bond which he had given payable one day after the day of judgment. The judge ruled, “This is the day of judgment, and I order that the bill must be paid to-morrow!”
This story is well known in Europe, though not as forming part of The Nights. Mr. W. A. Clouston informs me that it first appeared in Cardonne’s “Melanges de litterature orientale” (Paris, 1770). Cf. Nights x. App. pp. 450 and 452.
History of the Third Larrikin (pp. 231-233).
Such mistakes must be very frequent. I remember once seeing a maid stoop down with a jug in her hand, when she knocked her head against the table. Some one sitting by, thinking it was the jug, observed, “Never mind, there’s nothing in it.”
Another time I was driving out in the country with a large party, and our host got out to walk across to another point. Presently he was missed, and they inquired, “Where is he?” There was a dog lying in the carriage, and one of the party looked round, and not seeing the dog, responded, “Why, where is the dog?”
Tale of the Fisherman and His Son (pp. 247-260).
The present story, though not very important in itself, is interesting as combining some of the features of three distinct classes of folk-tales. One of these is the anti-Jewish series, of which Grimm’s story of the Jew in the Bramble-Bush is one of the most typical examples. According to these tales, any villainy is justifiable, if perpetrated on a Jew. We find traces of this feeling even in Shakespeare, and to this day Shylock (notwithstanding the grievous wrongs which he had suffered at the hands of Christians) rarely gets much sympathy from modern readers, who quite overlook all the extenuating circumstances in his case.[FN#643] Nor do we always find the Jew famous for ’cuteness in folk-tales. This phase of his reputation is comparatively modern, and in the time of Horace, “Credat Judaeus” was a Roman proverb, which means, freely translated, “Nobody would be fool enough to believe it except a Jew.”
The present story combines the features of the anti-Jewish tales, the Alaeddin series, and the Grateful Beasts series. (Compare Mr. W. A. Clouston’s remarks on Aladdin, Supp. Nights, App. iii., pp. 371-389; and also his “Tales and Popular Fictions.”)
In vol. 53 of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (1884, pp. 24-39) I find a Nicobar story which relates how Tiomberombi received a magic mirror from a snake whose enemy he had killed. Its slaves obeyed all his orders if he only put the key into the keyhole, but he was not allowed to open the mirror, as he was too weak to face the spirits openly. He dwelt on an island, but when a hostile fleet came against him, the gunners could not hit it, as the island became invisible. The hostile chief sent an old woman to worm the secret out of Tiomberombi’s wife; the mirror was stolen, and Tiomberombi and his wife were carried off. On reaching land, Tiomberombi was thrown into prison, but he persuaded the rats to fetch him the mirror.[FN#644] He destroyed his enemies, went home, and re-established himself on his island, warning his wife and mother not to repeat what had happened, lest the island should sink. They told the story while he was eating; the island sank into the sea, and they were all drowned.
The History of Abu Niyyah and
Abu Niyyatayn (pp.
264-279).
This story combines features which we find separately in Nos. 3b (ba); 162 and 198. The first story, the Envier and the Envied, is very common in folk-lore, and has been sometimes used in modern fairy-tales. The reader will remember the Tailor and the Shoemaker in Hans Christian Andersen’s “Eventyr.” Frequently, as in the latter story, the good man, instead of being thrown into a well, is blinded by the villain, and abandoned in a forest, where he afterwards recovers his sight. One of the most curious forms of this story is the Samoghitian
Truth and Injustice.[FN#645]
Truth and Injustice lived in the same country, and one day they happened to meet, and agreed to be friends. But as Injustice brought many people into trouble, Truth declared that she would have no more to do with her, upon which Injustice grew angry, and put out the eyes of Truth. Truth wandered about for a long time at random, and at last she came to a walnut-tree, and climbed up it to rest awhile in safety from wild beasts. During the night a wolf and a mouse came to the foot of the tree, and held the following conversation. The wolf began, “I am very comfortable in the land where I am now living, for there are so many blind people there that I can steal almost any animal I like without anybody seeing me. If the blind men knew that they had only to rub their eyes with the moss which grows on the stones here in order to recover their sight, I should soon get on badly with them.”
The mouse responded, “I live in a district where the people have no water, and are obliged to fetch it from a great distance. When they are away from home I can enjoy as much of their provisions as I like; indeed, I can heap together as large a store as I please without being disturbed. If the people knew that they had only to cut down a great oak tree and a great lime tree which grow near their houses, in order to find water, I should soon be badly off.”
As soon as the wolf and the mouse were gone, Truth came down from her tree, and groped about until she found a moss-covered stone, when she rubbed her eyes with the moss. She recovered her sight immediately, and then went her way till she came to the country where most of the people were blind. Truth demanded that the blind people should pay her a fixed sum of money, when she would tell them of a remedy by which they could recover their sight. The blind men gave her the money, and Truth supplied them with the remedy which had cured herself.
After this, Truth proceeded further till she came to the district where the people had no water. She told them that if they would give her a carriage and horses, she would tell them where to find water. The people were glad to agree to her proposal.
When Truth had received the carriage and horses, she showed the people the oak and the lime tree, which they felled by her directions, when water immediately flowed from under the roots in great abundance.
As Truth drove away she met Injustice, who had fallen into poverty, and was wandering from one country to another in rags. Truth knew her immediately, and asked her to take a seat in her carriage. Injustice then recognised her, and asked her how she had received the light of her eyes, and how she had come by such a fine carriage. Truth told her everything, including what she had heard from the wolf and the mouse. Injustice then persuaded her to put out her eyes, for she wanted to be rich, and to have a fine carriage too; and then Truth told her to descend. Truth herself drove away, and seldom shows herself to men.
Injustice wandered about the country till she found the walnut tree, up which she climbed. When evening came, the wolf and the fox met under the tree again to talk. Both were now in trouble, for the wolf could not steal an animal without being seen and pursued by the people, and the mouse could no longer eat meat or collect stores without being disturbed, for the people were no longer obliged to leave their home for a long time to fetch water. Both the wolf and the mouse suspected that some one had overheard their late conversation, so they looked up in search of the listener, and discovered Injustice in the tree. The animals supposed that it was she who had betrayed them, and said in anger, “May our curse be upon you that you may remain for ever blind, for you have deprived us of our means of living.”
After thus speaking, the animals ran away, but Injustice has ever since remained blind, and does harm to everybody who chances to come in her way.
II.—Notes on the stories contained in volume xv.
By W. F. Kirby.
History of the King’s Son
of Sind and the Lady Fatimah
(pp. 1-13).
P. 3.—This mixture of seeds, &c., is a very common incident in folk-tales.
P. 7.—Compare the well-known incident in John xviii. 1-11, which passage, by the way, is considered to be an interpolation taken from the lost Gospel of the Hebrews.
History of the Lovers of Syria (pp. 13-26).
P. 18.—Divination by the flight or song of birds is so universal that it is ridiculous of Kreutzwald (the compiler of the Kalevipoeg) to quote the fact of the son of Kalev applying to birds and beasts for advice as being intended by the composers as a hint that he was deficient in intelligence.
In Bulwer Lytton’s story of the Fallen Star (Pilgrims of the Rhine, ch. xix.) he makes the imposter Morven determine the succession to the chieftainship by means of a trained hawk.
P. 26, note 2.—Scott may possibly refer to the tradition that the souls of the dead are stored up in the trumpet of Israfil, when he speaks of the “receiving angel.”
History of Al-hajjaj Bin Yusuf
and the Young Sayyid
(pp. 26-44).
P. 30, note 2.—I doubt if the story-teller intended to represent Al-Hajjaj as ignorant. The story rather implies that he was merely catechising the youth, in order to entangle him in his talk.
P. 33.—Compare the story of the Sandal-wood Merchant and the Sharpers (Nights, vi. p. 206) in which the Merchant is required to drink up the sea [or rather, perhaps, river], and requires his adversary to hold the mouth of the sea for him with his hand.
P. 38, note 1.—It is well known that children should not be allowed to sleep with aged persons, as the latter absorb their vitality.
Night Adventure of Harun Al-rashid
and the Youth Manjab
(pp. 45-80).
P. 77.—In the Danish ballads we frequently find heroes appealing to their mothers or nurses in cases of difficulty. Compare “Habor and Signild,” and “Knight Stig’s Wedding,” in Prior’s Danish Ballads, i. p. 216 and ii. p. 339.
Story of the Darwaysh and the Barber’s Boy and the Greedy Sultan (pp. 80-88).
This story belongs to the large category known to students of folk-lore as the Sage and his Pupil; and of this again there are three main groups:
1. Those in which (as in the present instance) the two remain on friendly terms.
2. Those in which the sage is outwitted and destroyed by his pupil (e.g., Cazotte’s story of the Maugraby; or Spitta Bey’s tales, No. 1).
3. Those in which the pupil attempts to outwit or to destroy the sage, and is himself outwitted or destroyed (e.g., The Lady’s Fifth Story, in Gibb’s Forty Vezirs, pp. 76-80; and his App. B. note v., p. 413).
The Loves of Al-hayfa and Yusuf (pp. 93-166).
P. 114, note 4.—I believe that a sudden attack of this kind is always speedily fatal.
The Goodwife of Cairo and Her
Four Gallants (pp.
193-217).
P. 194, note 2.—It may be worth while to note that Swedenborg asserts that it is unlawful in Heaven for any person to look at the back of the head of another, as by so doing he interrupts the divine influx. The foundation of this idea is perhaps the desire to avoid mesmeric action upon the cerebellum.
Tale of Mohsin and Muss (pp. 232-241).
The notes on the story of Abu Niyyat and Abu Niyyateen (supra, pp. 356) will apply still better to the present story.
The Merchant’s Daughter,
and the Prince of Al-irak (pp.
264-317).
Pp. 305-312.—The case of Tobias and Sara (Tobit, chaps. iii.-viii.) was very similar: but in this instance the demon Asmodeus was driven away by fumigating with the liver and heart of a fish.
Arabian Nights,
Volume 15
Footnotes
[FN#1] In the same volume (ii. 161) we also find an “Introductory Chapter of the Arabian Tales,” translated from an original manuscript by Jonathan Scott, Esq. neither Ms nor translation having any meet. In pp. 34, 35 (ibid.) are noticed the ’Contents of a Fragment of the Arabian Nights procured in India by James Anderson, Esq., a copy of which” (made by his friend Scott) “is now in the possession of Jonathan Scott, Esq.” (See Scott, vol. vi. p. 451.) For a short but sufficient notice of this fragment cf. the Appendix (vol. x. p. 439) to my Thousand Nights and a Night, the able and conscientious work of Mr. W. F. Kirby. “The Labourer and the Flying Chain” (No. x.) and “The King’s Son who escaped death by the ingenuity of his Father’s seven Viziers” (No. xi.) have been translated or rather abridged by Scott in his “Tales, Anecdotes and Letters” before alluded to, a vol. of pp. 446 containing scraps from the Persian “Tohfat al-Majalis” and “Hazliyat’ Abbid Zahkani” (Facetiae of ’Abbid the Jester), with letters from Aurangzeb and other such padding much affected by the home public in the Early XIXth Century.
[FN#2] So called from Herr Uri, a Hungarian scholar who first catalogued “The Contents.”
[FN#3] W. M. Ms. iv. 165 189: Scott (vi. 238 245), “Story of the Prince of Sind, and Fatima, daughter of Amir Bin Naomaun”: Gauttier (vi. 342 348) Histoire du Prince de Sind et de Fatime. Sind is so called from Sindhu, the Indus (in Pers. Sind b), is the general name of the riverine valley: in early days it was a great station of the so-called Aryan race, as they were migrating eastwards into India Proper, and it contains many Holy Places dating from the era of the Pur n s. The Moslems soon made acquaintance with it, and the country was conquered and annexed by Mohammed bin K sim, sent to attack it by the famous or infamous Hajj j bin Y£suf the Thakafite, lieutenant of Al-’Ir k under the Ommiade Abd al-Malik bin Marw n. For details, see my “Sind Re-visited”: vol. i. chapt. viii.
[FN#4] [In Ms. “shakhat,” a modern word which occurs in Spitta Bey’s “Contes Arabes Modernes,” spelt with the palatal instead of the dental, and is translated there by “injurier.”—St.]
[FN#5] In the text “Sahr¡j”; hence the “Chafariz” (fountain) of Portugal, which I derived (Highlands of the Brazil, i. 46) from “Sak r¡j.” It is a “Moghrabin” word=fonte, a fountain, preserved in the Brazil and derided in the mother country, where a New World village is described as
—Chafariz,
Joam Antam e a Matriz:
which may be roughly rendered
—Parish
church,
on the Green and Johnny Birch.
[FN#6] [Here I suppose the scribe dropped a word, as “yaht j,” or the like, and the sentence should read: it requires, etc.—st.]
[FN#7] In text “S rayah,” for “Sar yah,” Serai, Government House: vol. ix. 52.
[FN#8] A manner of metonymy, meaning that he rested his cheek upon his right hand.
[FN#9] For the sig. of this phrase=words suggested by the circumstances, see vol. i. 121.
[FN#10] Mr. Charles M. Doughty ("Arabia Deserta,” i. 223) speaks of the Badawin who sit beating the time away, and for pastime limning with their driving-sticks (the B k£r) in the idle land.”
[FN#11] In text “Lam yanub al-W hidu min-hum nisf haff n.” [I cannot explain this sentence satisfactory to myself, but by inserting “ill ” after “min-hum.” Further I would read “nassaf"=libavit, delibavit degustavit (Dozy, Suppl. s. v.) and “Hif n,” pl. of “Hafna"=handful, mouthful, small quantity, translating accordingly: “and none took his turn without sipping a few laps.”—St.]
[FN#12] “Tarajjama”: Suppl. vol. iv. 188. I shall always translate it by “he deprecated” scil. evil to the person addressed.
[FN#13] [The text, as I read it, has: “In wahadtu (read wajadtu) f¡ h zih al-S ’ h shayyan naakul-hu wa nam£t bi-hi nart h min h z al-Taab wa’l-mashakkah la-akultu-hu"=if I could find at this hour a something (i.e. in the way of poison) which I might eat and die thereby and rest from this toil and trouble, I would certainly eat it, etc.—st.]
[FN#14] See vol. i. 311 for this “tom-tom” as Anglo-Indians call it.
[FN#15] i.e. Whereinto the happy man was able to go, which he could not whilst the spell was upon the hoard.
[FN#16] Here ends this tale, a most lame and impotent conclusion, in the W. M. Ms. iv. 189. Scott (p. 244 5) copied by Gauttier (vi. 348) has, “His father received him with rapture, and the prince having made an apology to the sultana (!) for his former rude behaviour, she received his excuses, and having no child of her own readily adopted him as her son; so that the royal family lived henceforth in the utmost harmony, till the death of the sultan and sultana, when the prince succeeded to the empire.”
[FN#17] W.M Ms. iv. 189. Scott (vi. 246-258) “Story of the Lovers of Syria, or, the Heroine:” Gauttier (iv. 348-354) Histoire des Amans de Syrie.
[FN#18] Scott (vi. 246) comments upon the text:—“The master of the ship having weighed anchor, hoisted sail and departed: the lady in vain entreating him to wait the return of her beloved, or send her on shore, for he was captivated with her beauty. Finding herself thus ensnared, as she was a woman of strong mind . . . she assumed a satisfied air; and as the only way to preserve her honour, received the addresses of the treacherous master with pretended complacency, and consented to receive him as a husband at the first port at which the ship might touch.”
[FN#19] The captain, the skipper, not the owner: see vols. i. 127; vi. 12; the fem. (which we shall presently find) is “Ra’isah.”
[FN#20] Scott (p. 246) has:—“At length the vessel anchored near a city, to which the captain went to make preparations for his marriage; but the lady, while he was on shore, addressed the ship’s crew, setting forth with such force his treacherous conduct to herself, and offering such rewards if they would convey her to her lover at the port they had left, that the honest sailors were moved in her favour, agreed to obey her as their mistress, and hoisting sail, left the master to shift for himself.”
[FN#21] In text “Kamrah,” = the chief cabin, from the Gr. {Greek}(?) = vault; Pers. Kamar; Lat. “Camara”; Germ. “Kammer.” It is still the popular term in Egypt for the “cuddy,” which is derived from Pers. “Kadah” = a room.
[FN#22] Scott makes the doughty damsel (p. 249), “relate to them her own adventures, and assure them that when she should have rejoined her lover, they should, if they choose it be honourably restored to their homes; but in the mean time she hoped they would contentedly share her fortunes.”
[FN#23] In text “Fidawi,” see “Fida’i” and “Fidawiyah,” suppl. col. iv. 220.
[FN#24] [In the text “Al-Kazanat,” pl. of “Kazan,” which occurs in Spitta Bey’s tales under the form “Kazan” on account of the accent. It is the Turkish “Kazghan,” vulgarly pronounced “Kazan,” and takes in Persian generally the form “Kazkan.” In Night 652 it will be met again in the sense of crucibles.—St.]
[FN#25] In text “Banj al-tayyar,” i.e. volatile: as we should say, that which flies fastest to the brain.
[FN#26] This marvellous bird, the “Ter-il-bas” (Tayr Taus?), is a particular kind of peacock which is introduced with a monstrous amount of nonsense about “Dagon and his son Bil-il-Sanan” and made to determine elections by alighting upon the head of one of the candidates in Chavis and Cazotte, “History of Yamalladdin (Jamal al-Din), Prince of Great Katay” (Khata = Cathay = China). See Heron, iv. 159.
[FN#27] Lit. “hath given it to him.”
[FN#28] Arab. “Jihaz,” the Egypt. “Gahaz,” which is the Scotch “tocher,” and must not be confounded with the “Mahr” = dowry, settled by the husband upon the wife. Usually it consists of sundry articles of dress and ornament, furniture (matting and bedding carpets, divans, cushions and kitchen utensils), to which the Badawi add “Gribahs” (water-skins) querns, and pestles with mortars. These are usually carried by camels from the bride’s house to the bridegroom’s: they are the wife’s property, and if divorced she takes them away with her and the husband has no control over the married woman’s capital, interest or gains. For other details see Lane M.E. chapt. vi. and Herklots chapt. xiv. sec. 7.
[FN#29] [Arab. “Shuwar” = trousseau, whence the verb “shawwara binta-hu” = he gave a marriage outfit to his daughter. See Dozy Suppl. s. v. and Arnold Chrestom. 157, 1. —St.]
[FN#30] Arab. “Ghashim,” see vol. ii. 330. It is a favourite word in Egypt extending to Badawiland, and especially in Cairo, where it is looked upon as slighting if not insulting.
[FN#31] The whole of the scene is a replica of the marriage between Kamar al-Zaman and that notable blackguard the Lady Budur (vol. iii. 211), where also we find the pigeon slaughtered (p. 289). I have mentioned that the blood of this bird is supposed throughout the East, where the use of the microscope is unknown, and the corpuscles are never studied, most to resemble the results of a bursten hymen, and that it is the most used to deceive the expert eyes of midwives and old matrons. See note to vol. iii. p. 289.
[FN#32] Scott (p. 254) makes his heroine “erect a most magnificent caravanserai, furnished with baths hot and cold, and every convenience for the weary traveller.” Compare this device with the public and royal banquet (p. 212) contrived by the slave-girl sultaness, the charming Zumurrud or Smaragdine in the tale of Ali Shar, vol. iv. 187.
[FN#33] In text “Shakhs,” see vol. iii. 26; viii. 159.
[FN#34] This assemblage of the dramatis personae at the end of the scene, highly artistic and equally improbably, reminds us of the ending of King Omar bin al-Nu’uman (vol. iii. 112)
[FN#35] The King and the Minister could not have recognised the portrait as neither had seen the original.
[FN#36] In text “Ishtalaka” = he surmised, discovered (a secret).
[FN#37] In the Arab. “she knew them,” but the careless storyteller forgets the first part of his own story.
[FN#38] Story-telling being servile work.
[FN#39] [In the Ms. “istanatu la-ha.” The translation in the text presupposes the reading “istanattu” as the 10th form of “matt) = he jumped, he leapt. I am inclined to take it for the 8th form of “sanat,” which according to Dozy stands in its 2nd form “sannat” for “sannat,” a transposition of the classical “nassat” = he listened to. The same word with the same meaning of “listening attentively,” recurs in the next line in the singular, applying to the captain and the following pronoun “la-ha” refers in both passages to “Hikayah,” tale, not to the lady-sultan who reveals herself only later, when she has concluded her narrative.—St.]
[FN#40] Here the converse is probably meant, as we have before seen.
[FN#41] Scott ends (p. 258) “Years of unusual happiness passed over the heads of the fortunate adventurers of this history, until death, the destroyer of all things, conducted them to a grave which must one day be the resting-place for ages of us all, till the receiving (?) angel shall sound his trumpet.”
[FN#42] Scott (vi. 259-267), “Story of Hyjuaje, the tyrannical Governor of Coufeh, and the Young Syed.” For the difference between the “Sayyid” (descendant of Hasan) and the “Sharif,” derived from Husayn, see vol. v. 259. Being of the Holy House the youth can truly deny tat he belongs to any place or race, as will be seen in the sequel.
[FN#43] This masterful administrator of the Caliphate under the early Ommiades is noticed in vols. iv. 3, vii. 97. The succession to the Prophet began—as mostly happens in the proceedings of elective governments, republics, and so forth—with the choice of a nobody, “Abubakr the Veridical,” a Meccan merchant, whose chief claim was the glamour of the Apostolate. A more notable personage, and seen under the same artificial light, was “Omar the Justiciary,” also a trader of Meccah, who was murdered for an act of injustice. In Osman nepotism and corruption so prevailed, while distance began to dim the Apostolic glories, that the blood-thirsty turbulence of the Arab was aroused and caused the death of the third Caliph by what we should call in modern phrase “lynching.” Ali succeeded, if indeed we can say he succeeded at all, to an already divided empire. He was only one of the four who could be described as a man of genius, and therefore he had a host of enemies: he was a poet, a sage, a moralist and even a grammarian; brave as a lion, strong as a bull, a successful and experienced captain, yet a complete failure as a King. A mere child in mundane matters, he ever acted in a worldly sense as he should have avoided acting, and hence, after a short and disastrous reign, he also was killed. His two sons, Hasan and Husayn, inherited all the defects and few of the merits of their sire: Hasan was a pauvre diable, whose chief characteristic was addiction to marriage, and by poetical justice one of his wives murdered him. Husayn was of stronger mould, but he fought against the impossible; for his rival was Mu’awiyah, the Cavour of the Age, the longest-headed man in Arabia, and against Yazid, who, like Italy of the present day, flourished and prospered by the artificial game which the far-seeing politician, his father, had bequeathed to his house—the Ommiade. The fourth of this dynasty, ’Abd al-Malik bin Marwan, “the Father of Flies,” and his successor, Al-Walid, were happy in being served thoroughly and unscrupulously by Al-Hajjaj, the ablest of Lieutenants. whose specialty it was to take in hand a revolted province, such as Al-Hijaz, Al-Irak, or Khorasan, and to slaughter it into submission; besides deaths in battle he is computed to have slain 120,000 men. He was an unflinching preacher of the Divine Right of Kings and would observe that the Lord says, “Obey Allah and ye can” (conditional), but as regards royal government “Hearing and obeying” (absolute); ergo, all opposition was to be cut down and uprooted. However, despite his most brilliant qualities, his learning, his high and knightly sense of honour, his insight and his foresight (e.g. in building Wasit), he won an immortality of infamy: he was hated by his contemporaries, he is the subject of silly tale and offensive legend (e.g., that he was born without anus, which required opening with instruments, and he was suckled by Satan’s orders on blood), and he is still execrated as the tyrant, per excellentiam, and the oppressor of the Holy Family— the children and grand-children of the Apostle.
The traditional hatred of Al-Hajjaj was envenomed by the accession of the Abbasides and this dynasty, the better to distinguish itself from the Ommiades, affected love for the Holy Family, especially Ali and his descendants, and a fanatical hatred against their oppressors. The following table from Ibn Khaldun (Introduct. xxii.) shows that the Caliphs were cousins, which may account for their venomous family feud.
[First Version]
’Abd Manaf | ____________|____________ | | Hashim Abd Shams | | Abd al-Muttalib Umayyah | | ___________|__________ ____|______ | | | | | Al-Abbas Abdullah Abu Talib Harb Abu ’l-Aus | | | | | Abdullah Mohammed | Abu Sufyan Al-Hakim | | | | | Ali Fatimah married Ali Mu’awiyah Marwan | _____|_____ (1st Ommiade) | | | Mohammed Al-Hasan Al-Husayn | Al-Saffah (1st Abbaside)
[Second Version]
’Abd Manaf, father of Hashim and Abd Shams
Hashim, father of Abd al-Muttalib
Abd al-Muttalib, father
of Al-Abbas, Abdullah, and Abu Talib
Al-Abbas,
father of Abdullah
Abdullah,
father of Ali
Ali,
father of Mohammed
Mohammed,
father of Al-Saffah (1st Abbaside)
Abdullah,
father of Mohammed
Mohammed,
father of Fatimah, who married Ali
(son
of Abu Talib)
Fatimah,
mother of Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn
Abu
Talib, father of Ali
Abd Shams, father of Umayyah
Umayyah, father of Harb
and Abu ’l-Aus
Harb,
father of Abu Sufyan
Abu
Sufyan, father of Mu’awiyah (1st Ommaide)
Abu
’l-Aus, father of Al-Hakim
Al-Hakim,
father of Marwan
[FN#44] [The word here translated “invited guest” reads in the Ms. “Mad’ur.” In this form it is no dictionary word, but under the root “D’r” I find in the Muhit: “wa ’l-’amatu takulu fulanun da’irun ya’ni ghalizun jafin” = the common people say such a one is “daiir,” i.e., rude, churlish. “Mad’ur” may be a synonym and rendered accordingly: as though thou wert a boor or clown.—St]
[FN#45] A neat specimen of the figure anachronism. Al-Hajjaj died in A.H. 95 (= Ad 714), and Cairo was built in A.H. 358 (= Ad 968).
[FN#46] Perfectly true in the present day. The city was famed for intelligence and sanguinary fanaticism; and no stranger in disguise could pass through it without detection. This ended with the massacre of 1840, which brought a new era into the Moslem East. The men are, as a rule, fine-looking, but they seem to be all show: we had a corps of them in the old Bash-Buzuks, who, after a month or two in camp, seemed to have passed suddenly from youth into old age.
[FN#47] In text, “Yasta’amiluna al-Mrd,” which may have a number of meanings, e.g. “work frowardness” (Maradd), or “work the fruit of the tree Arak” (Maradd = wild capparis) and so forth. I have chosen the word mainly because “Murd” rhymes to “Burd.” The people of Al-Yaman are still deep in the Sotadic Zone and practice; this they owe partly to a long colonization of the “’Ajam,” or Persians. See my Terminal Essay, “Pederasty,” p. 178.
[FN#48] “Burd,” plur. of “Burdah” = mantle or woolen plaid of striped stuff: vol. vii. 95. They are still woven in Arabia, but they are mostly white.
[FN#49] So in Tabari (vol. III. 127) Al Hajjaj sees a man of haughty mien (Abd al-Rahman bin Abdullah), and exclaims, “Regarde comme il est orgueilleux: par Dieu, j’aurais envie de lui couper la tete!”
[FN#50] [The phrase is Koranic (viii. 24): “Wa ’lamu anna ’llaha yahulu bayna ’l-mari wa kalbi-hi,” which Rodwell translates: Know that God cometh in between man and his own heart.—St]
[FN#51] “Yathrib,” the classical name ’{Greek}, one of the multifarious titles of what is called in full “Madinat al-Nabi,” City of the Prophet, and vulgarly, Al-Madinah, the City. “Tayyibah,” the good, sweet, or lawful: “Al-Munawwarah” = the enlightened, i.e. by the light of The Faith and the column of (odylic) flame supposed to be based upon the Prophet’s tomb. For more, see my Pilgrimage, ii. 162. I may note how ridiculously the story-teller displays ignorance in Al-Hajjaj, who knew the Moslem’s Holy Land by heart.
[FN#52] In text “Taawil,” = the commentary or explanation of Moslem Holy Writ: “Tanzil” = coming down, revelation of the Koran: “Tahrim” = rendering any action “haram” or unlawful, and “Tahil” = the converse, making word or deed canonically legal. Those are well known theological terms.
[FN#53] The Banu Ghalib, whose eponymous forefather was Ghalib, son of Fihr, the well known ancestor of Mohammed.
[FN#54] In text “Hasab wa Nasab.” It is told of Al-Mu’izz bi Dini’llah, first Fatimate Caliph raised to the throne of Egypt, that he came forward to the elective assembly and drew his sword half way out of the scabbard and exclaimed “Haza Nasabi” (this is my genealogy); and then cast handfuls of gold amongst the crowd, crying, “Haza Hasabi” (such is my title to reign). This is as good as the traditional saying of Napoleon the Great at his first assuming the iron crown—“God gave her to me; woe for whoso toucheth her” (the crown).
[FN#55] [In Ms. “takhs-u,” a curious word of venerable yet green old age, used in the active form with both transitive and intransitive meaning: to drive away (a dog, etc.), and to be driven away. In the Koran (xxiii. 110) we find the imper. “ikhsau” = be ye driven away, an in two other places (ii. 61, vii. 166), the nomen agentis “khasi” = “scouted” occurs, as applied to the apes into which the Sabbath-breaking Jews were transformed. In the popular language of the present day it has become equivalent with “khaba,” to be disappointed, and may here be translated: thou wilt fail ignominiously.—St]
[FN#56] Scott introduces (p. 262), “the tyrant, struck with his magnanimity, became calm, and commanding the executioner to release the youth, said, For the present I forbear, and will not kill thee unless thy answers to my further questions shall deserve it. They then entered on the following dialogue: Hyjuawje hoping to entrap him in discourse.”
[FN#57] See the dialogue on this subject between Al-Hajjaj and Yahya ibn Yamar in Ibn Khallikan, iv. 60.
[FN#58] Surah xxxiii. (The Confederates), v. 40, which ends, “And Allah knoweth all things.”
[FN#59] Surah lix. (The Emigration), v. 40: the full quotation would be, “The spoil, taken from the townsfolk and assigned by Allah to His Apostle, belongeth to Allah and to the Apostle and to his kindred and to the orphan and to the poor and to the wayfarer, that naught thereof may circulate among such only of you as be rich. What the Apostle hath given you, take. What he hath refused you, refuse. And fear ye Allah, for Allah is sure in punishing.”
[FN#60] The House of Hashim, great-grandfather to the Prophet.
[FN#61] Ibn Khallikan (vol. i. 354) warns us that “Al-Tai” means belonging to the Tai which is a famous tribe. This relative adjective is of irregular formation; analogy would require it to be Taii; but the formation of relative adjectives admits some variations; thus from dahr (time) is derived duhri (temporal) and from sahl (a plain), suhli (plain, level). The author might also have told us that there is always a reason for such irregularities; thus “Dahri” (from Dahr) would mean a Mundanist, one who believes in this world and not the next or another.
[FN#62] The “Banu Thakif” was a noble tribe sprung from Iyad (Ibn Khallikan i. 358-363); but the ignorant and fanatic scribe uses every means, fair and foul, to defame Al-Hajjaj. It was a great race and a well known, living about Taif in the Highlands East of Meccah, where they exist to the present day. Mr. Doughty (loc. cit. ii. 174) mentions a kindred of the Juhaynah Badawin called El-Thegif (Thakif) of whom the Medinites say, “Allah ya’alan Thegif Kuddam takuf” (God damn the Thegif ere thou stand still). They are called “Yahud” (Jews), probably meaning pre-Islamitic Arabs, and are despised accordingly.
[FN#63] In Arab. “Jady” = the Zodiacal sign Capricorn.
[FN#64] We find similar facetia in Mullah Jami (Garden viii.). When a sheep leapt out of the stream, her tail happened to be raised, and a woolcarder said laughing:—“I have seen thy parts genital.” She turned her head and replied, “O miserable, for many a year I have seen thee mother-naked yet never laughed I.” This alludes to the practice of such artisans who on account of the heat in their workshops and the fibre adhering to their clothes work in naturalibus. See p. 178, the Beharistan (Abode of Spring). Printed by the Kamashastra Society for Private Subscribers only. Benares, 1887.
[FN#65] This passage is not Koranic, and, according to Prof. Houdas, the word “Muhkaman” is never found in the Holy Volume. [The passage is not a literal quotation, but it evidently alludes to Koran iii. 5: “Huwa’llazi anzala ’alayka ’l-kitaba minhu ayatun muh-kamatun” = He it is who sent down to thee the book, some of whose signs (or versets) are confirmed. The singular “muhkamatun” is applied (xlvii.) to “Saratun,” a chapter, and in both places the meaning of “confirmed” is “not abrogated by later revelations.” Hence the sequel of my first quotation these portions are called “the mother (i.e. groundwork) of the book,” and the learned Sayyid is not far from the mark after all.—St]
[FN#66] Surah ii. (The Cow) v. 56, the verse beginning, “Allah! there be no God but He; ... His Throne overreacheth the Heavens and the Hearth,” etc.
[FN#67] Surah lxxiii. (The Bee) v. 92, ending with, “And he forbiddeth frowardness and wrong-doing and oppression; and He warneth you that haply may ye be warned.”
[FN#68] Surah (Meccah) xcix. vv. 7 and 8: in text “Mithkala Zarratin,” which Mr. Rodwell (p. 28) englishes “an atom’s weight of good,” and adds in a foot-note, “Lit. a single ant.” Prof. Houdas would render it, Quiconque aura fait la valeur d’un mitskal de millet en fait de bien; but I hardly think that “Zarrah” can mean “Durrah” = millet. ["Mithkal” in this context is explained by the commentators by “Wazn” = weight, this being the original meaning of the word which is a nomen instrumenti of the form “Mif’al,” denoting “that by which the gravity of bodies is ascertained.” Later on it became the well-known technical term for a particular weight. “Zarrah,” according to some glossarists, is the noun of unity of “Zarr,” the young ones of the any, an antlet, which is said to weigh the twelfth part of a “Kitmir” = pedicle of the date0fruit, or the hundredth part of a grain of barley, or to have no weight at all. Hence “Mukhkh al-Zarr,” the brains of the antlet, means a thing that does not exist or is impossible to be found. According to others, “Zarrah” is a particle of al-Haba, i.e. of the motes that are seen dancing in the sunlight, called “Sonnenstaubchen” in German, and “atomo solare” in Italian. Koran xxi. 48 and xxxi. 15 we find the expression “Mithkala Habbatin min Khardalin” = of the weight of a mustard-seed, used in a similar sense with the present quotation.—St]
[FN#69] Surah lxx. 38, Mr. Rodwell (p. 60) translates, “Is it that every man of them would fain enter the Garden of Delights?”
[FN#70] Surah xxxix. 54: they sinned by becoming apostates from Al-Islam. The verset ends, “Verily all sins doth Allah forgive: aye, Gracious, and Merciful is He.”
[FN#71] Surah ii. 159; the quotation in the Ms. is cut short.
[FN#72] Surah ii. 107; the end of the verse is, “Yet both are readers of the Book. So with like words say they (the pagan Arabs) who have no knowledge.”
[FN#73] Surah li. (The Scattering), v. 56.
[FN#74] Surah ii. v. 30.
[FN#75] Surah xl. (The Believer), v. 78. In the text it is fragmentary. I do not see why Mr. Rodwell founds upon this verset a charge against the Prophet of ignorance concerning Jewish history: Mohammed seems to have followed the Talmud and tradition rather than the Holy Writ of the Hebrews.
[FN#76] Surah (The Believers) lxiv. 108.
[FN#77] Surah xxxv. (The Creator or the Angels), v. 31: The sentence concludes in v. 32, “Who of His bounty hath placed us in a Mansion that shall abide for ever, therein no evil shall reach us, and therein no weariness shall touch us.”
[FN#78] Surah ("Sad”) lix. 54; Iblis, like Satan in the Book of Job, is engaged in dialogue with the Almighty. I may here note that Scott (p. 265) has partially translated these Koranic quotations, but he has given only one reference.
[FN#79] In text “Ana min ahli zalika,” of which the vulgar equivalent would be “Kizi” (for “Kazalika,” “Kaza”) = so (it is)!
[FN#80] i.e. On an empty stomach, to “open the spittle” is = to break the fast. Sir Wm. Gull in his evidence before a committee of the House of Commons deposed that after severe labor he found a bunch of dried raisins as efficacious a “pick-me up” as a glass of stimulants. The value of dried grapes to the Alpinist is well known.
[FN#81] Arab. “Al-Kadid” = jerked (charqui = chaire cuite) meat-flesh smoked, or (mostly) sun-dried.
[FN#82] I have noticed (i. 345) one of the blunders in our last unfortunate occupation of Egypt where our soldiers died uselessly of dysenteric disease because they were rationed with heating beef instead of digestible mutton.
[FN#83] Arab. “Al-Marham al-akbar.”
[FN#84] [In the text: “Al-Kisrat al-yabisah ’ala ’l-Rik fa-innaha tukhlik jami’a ma ’ala fum al-madah min al-balgham,” of which I cannot make anything but: a slice of dry bread (kisrah = piece of bread) on the spittle (i.e. to break the fast), for it absorbs (lit. uses up, fourth form of “khalik” = to be worn out) all that there may be of phlegm on the mouth of the stomach. Can it be that the dish “Khushk-nan” (Pers. = dry bread) is meant, of which the village clown in one of Spitta Bey’s tales, when he was treated to it by Harun al-Rashid thought it must be the “Hammam,” because he has heard his grandmother say, that the Hammam (bath) is the most delightful thing in the world? St]
[FN#85] The stomach has two mouths, oesophagic above (which is here alluded to) and pyloric below.
[FN#86] Arab. “’Irk al-Unsa” = chordae testiculorum, in Engl. simply the cord.
[FN#87] The “’Ajuz” is a woman who ceases to have her monthly period: the idea is engrained in the Eastern mind and I cannot but believe in it seeing the old-young faces of men who have “married their grandmothers” for money or folly, and what not.
[FN#88] Arab. “Al-’Akik,” vol. iii. 179: it is a tradition of the Prophet that the best of bezels for a signet-ring is the carnelian, and such are still the theory and practice of the Moslem East.
[FN#89] Arab. “Tuhal;” in text “Tayhal.” Mr. Doughty (Arabia Deserta, i. 547) writes the word “Tahal” and translates it “ague-cake,” i.e. the throbbing enlarged spleen, left after fevers, especially those of Al-Hijaz and Khaybar. [The form “Tayhal” with a plural “Tawahil” for the usual “Tihal” = spleen is quoted by Dozy from the valuable Vocabulary published by Schiaparelli, 1871, after an old Ms. of the end of the xiii. century. It has the same relation to the verb “tayhal” = he suffered from the spleen, which “Tihal” bears the same verb “tuhil,” used passively in the same sense. The name of the disease is “Tuhal.”—St]
[FN#90] In text “Kasalah” = a shock of corn, assemblage of sheaves. It may be a clerical error for “Kasabah” = stalk, haulm, straw.
[FN#91] Of course the conversation drifts into matters sexual and inter-sexual: in a similar story, “Tawad dud,” the learned slave girl, “hangs her head down for shame and confusion” (vol. v. 225); but the young Sayyid speaks out bravely as becomes a male masculant.
[FN#92] [In the text: “Allati lau nazarat ila ’l-sama la-a’shab (fourth form of ’ashab with the affirmative ‘la’) al-Safa (pl. of Safat), wa lau nazarat ila ’l-arz la amtar taghru ha (read thaghru-ha) Luluan lam yuskab wa riku-ha min al-Zulal a’zab (for a’zab min al-Zulal),” which I would translate: Who if she look upon the heavens, the very rocks cover themselves with verdure, and an she look upon the earth, her lips rain unpierced pearls (words of virgin eloquence) and the dews of whose mouth are sweeter than the purest water. — St.]
[FN#93] These lines have often occurred before: see index (vol. x. 395) “Wa lau anunaha li ’l-Mushrikin,” etc. I have therefore borrowed from Mr. Payne, vol. viii. 78, whose version is admirable.
[FN#94] For the Jahin-hell, see vol. viii. 111.
[FN#95] For the Seven Ages of womankind (on the Irish model) see vol. ix. 175. Some form of these verses is known throughout the Moslem East to prince and peasant. They usually begin:—
From the tenth to the twentieth year * To the gaze
a charm doth
appear;
and end with:—
From sixty to three score ten * On all befal Allah’s malison.
[FN#96] [Here I suppose the word “kal” has been dropped after “bi ’l-shi’r,” and it should be: He (the youth) replied, that was our common sire, Adam, etc.—st.]
[FN#97] “Habil” and “Kabil” are the Arab. equivalent of Abel and Cain. Neither are named in the Koran (Surah v. “The Table,” vv. 30-35), which borrows dialogue between the brothers derived from the Targum (Jeirus. on Gen. iv. 8) and makes the raven show the mode of burial to Cain, not to Adam, as related by the Jews. Rodwell’s Koran, p. 543.
[FN#98] Sit venia verbo: I have the less hesitation in making Adam anticipate the widow Malone from a profound conviction that some Hibernian antiquary, like Vallancey who found the Irish tongue in the Punic language of Plautus, shall distinctly prove that our first forefather spoke Keltic.
[FN#99] In text “Rih,” wind, gust (of temper), pride, rage. Amongst the Badawin it is the name given to rheumatism (gout being unknown), and all obscure aching diseases by no means confined to flatulence or distension. [The Ms. has: “ila an kata-ka ’l-’amal al-rabih,” which gives no sense whatever. Sir Richard reads: “katala-ka ’l-’amal al-rih,” and thus arrives at the above translation. I would simply drop a dot on the first letter of “kata-ka,” reading “fata-ka,” when the meaning of the line as it stands, would be: until the work that is profitable passed away from thee, i.e., until thou ceasedst to do good. The word “rabih” is not found in Dictionaries, but it is evidently an intensive of “rabih” (tijarah rabihah = a profitable traffic) and its root occurs in the Koran, ii. 15: “Fa-ma rabihat Tijaratuhum” = but their traffic has not been gainful.—St.]
[FN#100] Arab. “Badrah”: see vol. iv. 281. [According to Kamus, “Badrah is a purse of one thousand or ten thousand dirhams, or of seven thousand dinars. As lower down it is called “Badrat Zahab,” a purse of gold, I would take it here in the third sense.—St]
[FN#101] In text “Zardiya,” for “Zardiyyah” = a small mail coat, a light helmet.
[FN#102] Arab. “’Ind ’uzzati ’s-sinini” = lit. the thorny shrubs of ground bare of pasture.
[FN#103] This is another form of “inverted speech,” meaning the clean contrary; see vols. ii. 265; vi. 262; and vii. 179.
[FN#104] In text “Lam yakthir Khayrak”; this phrase (pronounced “Kattir Khayrak”) is the Egyptian (and Moslem) equivalent for our “thank you.” Vols. iv. 6; v. 171. Scott (p. 267) make Al-Hajjaj end with, “Cursed is he who doth not requite a sincere adviser, declareth our sacred Koran.”
[FN#105] In the W.M. Ms. this tale is followed by the “History of Uns al-Wujud and the Wazir’s daughter Rose-in-hood,” for which see vol. v. 32 et seq. Then comes the long romance “Mazin of Khorasan,” which is a replica of “Hasan of Bassorah and the King’s daughter of the Jinn” (vol. vii. 7). I have noted (vol. x. 75) that this story shows us the process of transition from the Persian original to the Arabic copy. “Mazin” is also the P.N. of an Arab tribe: De Sacy, Chrest. i. 406.
[FN#106] Ms. vol. v. pp. 92-94: Scott, vol. vi. 343: Gauttier, vi. 376. The story is a replica of the Mock Caliph (vol. iv. 130) and the Tale of the First Lunatic (Suppl. vol. iv.); but I have retained it on account of the peculiar freshness and naivete of treatment which distinguishes it, also as a specimen of how extensively editors and scriveners can vary the same subject.
[FN#107] In text “Natar” (watching) for “Nataf” (indigestion, disgust).
[FN#108] Here again we have the formula “Kala ’l-Rawi"=the reciter saith, showing the purpose of the Ms. See Terminal Essay, p. 144.
[FN#109] It were well to remind the reader that “Khalifah” (never written “Khalif”) is=a viceregent or vicar, i.e. of the Prophet of Allah, not of Allah himself, a sense which was especially deprecated by the Caliph Abubakr as “vicar” supposes l’absence du chef; or Dieu est present partout et a tout instant. Ibn Khal. ii. 496.
[FN#110] This tale, founded on popular belief in tribadism, has already been told in vol. vii. 130: in the W.M. Ms. it occupies 23 pages (pp. 95- 118). Scott (vi. 343) has “Mesroor retired and brought in Ali Ibn Munsoor Damuskkee, who related to the Caliph a foolish narrative (!) of two lovers of Bussorah, each of whom was coy when the other wished to be kind.” The respectable Britisher evidently cared not to “read between the lines.”
[FN#111] In pop. parlance “Let us be off.”
[FN#112] Arab. “Al-Afak” plur. of Ufk, “elegant” (as the grammarians say) for the world, the universe.
[FN#113] [In Ms. “Rankah” or “Ranakah,” probably for “Raunakah,” which usually means “troubled,”; speaking of water, but which, according to Schiaparelli’s Vocabulista, has also the meaning of “Raunak"=amenitas. As however “Ranakah” taken as fem. of “Ranak” shares with Raunakah the signification of “troubled,” it may perhaps also be a parallel form to the latter in the second sense.—St.]
[FN#114] The text has “Martabat Saltanah” (for Sultaniyah) which may mean a royal Divan. The “Martabah” is a mattress varying in size and thickness, stuffed with cotton and covered with cloths of various colours and the latter mostly original and admirable of figuration but now supplanted by the wretched printed calicoes of civilisation. It is placed upon the ground and garnished with cushions which are usually of length equally the width of the mattress and of a height measuring about half of that breadth. When the “Martabah” is placed upon its “Mastabah” (bench of masonry or timber) or upon its “Sarir” (a framework of “jarid” or midribs of the palm), it becomes the Diwan=divan.
[FN#115] In text “Bi-iza-huma;” lit. vis-a-vis to the twain.
[FN#116] These have occurred vol. i. 176: I quote Mr. Payne (i. 156).
[FN#117] In text “Hanna-kumu ’llah:” see “Hanian,” vol. ii. 5.
[FN#118] This is usually a sign of grief, a symbolic act which dates from the days of the Heb. patriarchs (Gen. xxxvii. 29-34); but here it is the mark of strong excitement. The hand is placed within the collar and a strong pull tears the light stuff all down the breast. Economical men do this in a way which makes darning easy.
[FN#119] [The Ms. is very indistinct in this place, but by supplying “’an” after “ghibta” and reading “’ayni” for “’anni,” I have no doubt the words are: Wa in ghibta ’an ’ayni fa-ma ghibta ’an kalbi=and if thou art absent from my eyes, yet thou are not absent from my heart. The metre is Tawil and the line has occurred elsewhere in The Nights.—St.]
[FN#120] I have already noted that “Hilal” is the crescent (waxing or waning) for the first and last two or three nights: during the rest of the lunar month the lesser light is called “Kamar.”
[FN#121] The sense is that of Coleridge.—
To
be beloved is all I need;
And
whom I love I love indeed.
[FN#122] There is something wrong in the text. I cannot help again drawing the reader’s attention to the skilful portraiture of the model Moslem Minister, the unfortunate Ja’afar. He is never described in the third person; but the simple dialogue always sets him off as a wise, conciliatory, benevolent, loveable and man-loving character, whose constant object is to temper the harshness and headstrong errors of a despotic master as the Caliph is represented to be by way of showing his kingliness. See vol. i., 102. [The Ms. is certainly wrong here, but perhaps it can be righted a little. It has: “Kad yakun Z R H ahad fi Mal jazil wa harab al-Maz’un,” etc., where Sir Richard reads “zarra-hu"=he harmed, and Mazghun=the hated one, i.e. enemy. I have a strong suspicion that in the original from which our scribe copied, the two words were “zamin” and “al-Mazmun.” Zamin in the Arabic character would be {Arabic characters} The loop for the “m,” if made small, is easily overlooked; the curve of the “n,” if badly traced, can as easily be mistaken for “r” and a big dot inside the “n” might appear like a blotted “h”. Mazmun would become “Maz’un” by simply turning the “m” loop upwards instead of downwards, an error the converse of which is so frequently committed in printed texts. Curiously enough the same error occurs p. 192 of the Ms., where we shall find “na’ ’al” with two ’Ayns instead of “na’mal” with ’Ayn and Mim. If this conjecture is correct the sense would be: Haply he may have stood security for someone for much money, and the person for whom security was given, took to flight, etc. For “zamin” with the acc. see Ibn Jubair ed. by Wright, 77, 2. I may say on this occasion, that my impression of the Montague Ms. is, that it is a blundering copy of a valuable though perhaps indistinctly written original.—St.]
[FN#123] In text “’Aurat"=nakedness: see vol. vi. 30.
[FN#124] In Arab. “’Urrah”: see Fatimah the Dung in vol. x. 1.
[FN#125] [In the Ms. “bi-Wujuh al Fanijat al-Milah.” The translator conjectures “al-fatihat,” which he refers to “Wujuh.” I read it “al-Ghanijat,” in apposition with al-Milah, and render: the faces of the coquettish, the fair. See index under “Ghunj.”—St.]
[FN#126] In text “Ballat,” the name still given to the limestone slabs cut in the Torah quarries South of Cairo. The word is classical, we find in Ibn Khaldun (vol. i. p. 21, Fr. Trans.) a chief surnomme el-Balt (le pave), a cause de sa fermete et de sa force de caractere.
[FN#127] In text “Usburu"=be ye patient, the cry addressed to passengers by the Grandee’s body-guard.
[FN#128] The “young person” here begins a tissue of impertinences which are supposed to show her high degree and her condescension in mating with the jeweller. This is still “pretty Fanny’s way” amongst Moslems.
[FN#129] A “swear” peculiarly feminine, and never to be used by men.
[FN#130] In text “’Ala-Akli:” the whole passage is doubtful. [I would read, and translate the passage as follows: “Ma tastahli ’ala haza illa shay la tazann-hu allazi (for “allati,” see Suppl. iv. 197) kayyamtini (2nd fem. sing.) min ’ala akli wa ana zanantu innahu man yujab la-hu al-kiyam; thumma iltifatat illayya wa kalat hakaza sirtu ana la-ghazarat al-thiyab al-wasikhat min al-fakr fa-hal ma ghasalta wajhak?"=Thou deservest not for this but a thing thou doest not fancy, thou who madest me rise from before my food, while I thought he was one to whom rising up is due. Then she turned towards me, saying, “Am I then in this manner (i.e. like thyself) a bundle of clothes all dirty from poverty, and hast thou therefore ("fa” indicating the effect of a cause) not washed thy face?” Or to put it in more intelligible English: “Am I then like thyself a heap of rags that thou shouldst come to me with unwashed face?”—St.]
[FN#131] Of the respect due to food Lane (M. E. chapt. xiii.) tells the following tale: “Two servants were sitting at the door of their master’s house, eating their dinner, when they observed a Mameluke Bey with several of his officers, riding along the streets towards them. One of these servants rose, from respect to the Grandee, who regarding him with indignation, exclaimed, Which is the more worthy of respect, the bread which is before thee or myself? Without awaiting a reply, he made, it is said, a well-understood signal with his hand; and the unintending offender was beheaded on the spot.” I may add that the hero of the story is said to have been the celebrated “Daftardar” whose facetious cruelties have still a wide fame in the Nile Valley.
[FN#132] I would read (for “Sirtu ansa"=I have become) “Sirt’ anta"=thou hast become.
[FN#133] In text “Mukh;” lit.=brain, marrow.
[FN#134] [In Ar. “Wa zand mujauhar fi-hi Asawir min al-Zahab al-ahmar,” which may mean: and a fore-arm (became manifest), ornamented with jewels, on which were bracelets of red gold.—St.]
[FN#135] For this famous type of madman see Suppl. Vol. vi.
[FN#136] [Ar. “Ghurrat,” which may be bright looks, charms, in general, or according to Bocthor, fore-locks. The more usual plural of “Ghurrah” is “Ghurar.”—St.]
[FN#137] In the text “Darajah"=an instant; also a degree (of the Zodiac). We still find this division of time in China and Japan, where they divide the twenty-four hours into twelve periods, each of which is marked by a quasi-Zodiacal sign: e.g.—
Midnight until 2 a.m. is represented by the Rat.
2 a.m. until 4 a.m. is represented by the Ox. 4
a.m. until 6 a.m. is represented by the Tiger. 6
a.m. until 8 a.m. is represented by the Hare. 8 a.m.
until 10 a.m. is represented by the Dragon.
10 a.m. until noon is represented by the Serpent.
Noon until 2 p.m. is represented by the Horse.
2 p.m. until 4 p.m. is represented by the Ram.
4 p.m. until 6 p.m. is represented by the Ape.
6 p.m. until 8 p.m. is represented by the Cock.
8 p.m. until 10 p.m. is represented by the Hog.
10 p.m. until midnight is represented by the Fox.
See p. 27 Edit. ii. of C. B. Mitford’s Tales of Old Japan, a most important contribution to Eastern folklore.
["Darajah” is, however, also used for any short space of time; according to Lane It is=4 minutes (i.e. the 24 hours or 1,440 minutes of the astronomical day divided into 360 degrees of 4 minutes each), and Bocthor gives it as an equivalent for our instant or moment.—St.]
[FN#138] The young fool vaunts his intersexual powers, apparently unknowing that nothing can be more fatal to love than fulfilling the desires of a woman who, once accustomed to this high diet, revolts against any reduction of it. He appears to have been a polisson by his own tale told to the Caliph and this alone would secure the contempt of a high-bred and high-spirited girl.
[FN#139] The “nosebag”; vol. ii. 52, etc. The Badawiyah (Badawi woman) generally prefers a red colour, in opposition to the white and black of civilisation; and she of the Arabian Desert generally disdains to use anything of the kind.
[FN#140] This ablution of the whole body he was bound to perform after having had carnal knowledge of a woman, and before washing he was in a state of ceremonial impurity. For “Ghusl,” or complete ablution, see vol. v. 80.
[FN#141] “The Heart of the Koran,” chap. xxxvi. see vol. iv. 50.
[FN#142] The Mandil apparently had been left in the shop by the black slave-girl. Women usually carry such articles with them when “on the loose,” and in default of water and washing they are used to wipe away the results of car. cop.
[FN#143] In Arab. “Shakk.” The criminal was hung up by the heels, and the executioner, armed with a huge chopper, began to hew him down from the fork till he reached the neck, when, by a dextrous turn of the blade, he left the head attached to one half of the body. This punishment was long used in Persia and abolished, they say, by Fath Ali Shah, on the occasion when an offender so treated abused the royal mother and women relatives until the knife had reached his vitals. “Kata’ al-’Arba’,” or cutting off the four members, equivalent to our “quartering,” was also a popular penalty.
[FN#144] In text “Ghibtu ’an al-Dunya,” a popular phrase, meaning simply I fainted.
[FN#145] This was done to staunch the blood: see the salt-wench in vol. i. 341.
[FN#146] This couplet has repeatedly occurred: in the preceding volume, Night cdv. (Suppl. iv. 172); and in The Nights (proper), vol. vi. 246. Here I have quoted Lane (A.N. iii. 220), who has not offered a word of comment or of explanation concerning a somewhat difficult couplet.
[FN#147] The plur. masc. for the sing. fem.: see vol. vii. 140.
[FN#148] He speaks after the recognised conventional fashion, as if reporting the camp-shift of a Badawi tribe.
[FN#149] See vol. i. 25 for the parallel of these lines.
[FN#150] The text inserts here, “Saith the Reciter of this adventure and right joyous history strange as rare,” etc.
[FN#151] Scott, in the “Story of the Sultan, the Dirveshe, and the Barber’s son” (vi. 348), calls the King “Rammaud.” The tale is magical and Rosicrucian, laid somewhat upon the lines of “The Physician Duban”; i.45.
[FN#152] This is the custom among Eastern Moslems: the barber, after his operations are over, presents his hand-mirror for the patient to see whether all be satisfactory, saying at the same time “Na’iman"=may it be pleasurable to thee! The customer answers “Allah bring thee pleasure,” places the fee upon the looking-glass and returns it to the shaver. For “Na’iman” see vol. ii. 5.
[FN#153] The least that honest Figaro expected to witness was an attempt upon the boy’s chastity.
[FN#154] In text “Tazaghzagha,” gen.=he spoke hesitatingly, he scoffed. [I read the words in the text: “Tazaghghara fihi.” The Kamus gives “Zaghara-hu"=he seized it by force, he took hold of him with violence, and this present fifth form, although not given in the Dictionaries, has doubtlessly the same meaning. Popularly we may render it: he pitched into him.—St]
[FN#155] In the text “Kazanat” (plur. of “Kazan"), afterwards written “Kazat” (a clerical error?). They are opposed to the “Kawalib"=moulds. [See note to p. 17.—St.]
[FN#156] “Akhraja min Kulahi-hi (Kulah?) busah.”
[FN#157] “Akhaza min-ha ‘ala ma’ lakati ’l-Hilal shay misl al-Jinnah.” [I have no doubt that “Kulah” is meant for “Kulah,” a Dervish’s cap. “Busah” puzzles me. I am inclined to take it for a reed used as a case or sheath, as we shall see p. 263 of the Ms. Prince Yusuf uses a “Kasabah” or reed to enclose a letter in it. “Mi’lakat (popular corruption for ‘Mil’akat’) al-Hilal” may be the spoon or hollow part of an ear-picker, Hilal being given by Bocthor as equivalent for “cure-oreille.” Lastly for “al-Jinnah” I would read “al-Habbah"=grain. The article before the word may indicate that a particular grain is meant perhaps “al-Habbat al-halwah"=anise seed, or that it stands for “al-Hubbah,” according to Lempriere (A Tour to Marocco, London 1791, p. 383) a powder employed by the ladies of Marocco to produce embonpoint.—St.]
[FN#158] So even in our day Mustafa bin Ism’ail who succeeded “General Khayru ’l-Din” as Prime Minister to “His Highness Mohammed al-Sadik, Bey of Tunis,” began life as apprentice to a barber, became the varlet of an officer, rose to high dignity and received decorations from most of the European powers.
[FN#159] In text “Wijak,” a stove, a portable hearth.
[FN#160] In the text: ["Wa sara kulla-ma tastari nafsuhu yak’ad kuddama ’l-Darwish,” which I would translate: and each time his heart chose (8th form of “Sarw”) he used to sit before the Darwaysh, etc.—st.]
[FN#161] In text “Darin” for “Zarin"=what is powdered, collyrium.
[FN#162] The King failed because his “Niyat” or intention was not pure; that is, he worked for wealth, and not, as the Darwaysh had done, for the good of his brother man.
[FN#163] For the importance attached to this sign of sovereignty see in my Pilgrimage (ii. 218-19) the trouble caused by the loss of the Prophet’s seal-ring (Khatim) at Al-Madinah.
[FN#164] The text is somewhat doubtful—“Min kuddam-ak.” [Perhaps it means only “from before thee,” i.e. in thy presence, without letting him out of sight and thereby giving him a chance of escape.—St.]
[FN#165] This especially is on the lines of “The Physician Duban”; vol. i. 45.
[FN#166] In text “Wa min-hum man faha,” evidently an error of the scribe for “Man nafahu.” Scott (vi. 351), after the fashion of the “Improver-school,” ends the tale, which is somewhat tail-less, after this fashion, “At the same instant, the Sultan and his courtiers found themselves assaulted by invisible agents, who, tearing off their robes, whipped them with scourges till the blood flowed in streams from their lacerated backs. At length the punishment ceased, but the mortification of the Sultan did not end here, for all the gold which the Dirveshe had transmuted returned to its original metals. Thus, by his unjust credulity, was a weak Prince punished for his ungrateful folly. The barber and his son also were not to be found, so that the sultan could gain no intelligence of the Dirveshe, and he and his courtiers became the laughing-stock of the populace for years after their merited chastisement.” Is nothing to be left for the reader’s imagination?
[FN#167] See under the same name the story in my Suppl. vol. i. 162; where the genealogy and biography of the story is given. I have translated the W.M. version because it adds a few items of interest. A marginal note of Scott’s (in the W.M. Ms. v. 196) says that the “Tale is similar to Lesson iv. in the Tirrea Bede.” See note at the end of this History.
[FN#168] For the Badawi tent, see vol. vii. 109.
[FN#169] In text “Birkah"=a fountain-basin, lake, pond, reservoir. The Bresl. Edit. has “Sardab"=a souterrain.
[FN#170] Arab. “Jummayz”: see vol. iii. 302. In the Bresl. Edit. it is a “tall tree,” and in the European versions always a “pear-tree,” which is not found in Badawi-land.
[FN#171] “Adi” in Egyptian (not Arabic) is=that man, the (man) here; “Adini” (in the text) is=Here am I, me voici. Spitta Bey (loc. cit. iv. 20, etc.)
[FN#172] Arab. “Ma’murah.” In the Bresl. Edit. “the place is full of Jinns and Marids.” I have said that this supernatural agency, ever at hand and ever credible to Easterns, makes this the most satisfactory version of the world-wide tale.
[FN#173] The planet Mars.
[FN#174] The Asiatics have a very contemptible opinion of the Russians, especially of the females, whom they believe to be void of common modesty. Our early European voyagers have expressed the same idea.—Scott.
[FN#175] i.e. having enjoyed the woman.—R.F.B.
[FN#176] The reader will doubtless recollect the resemblance which the plot of this lesson bears to Pope’s January and May, and to one of Fontaine’s Tales. Eenaiut Olla acknowledges his having borrowed it from the Brahmins, from whom it may have travelled through some voyage to Europe many centuries past, or probably having been translated in Arabic or Persian, been brought by some crusader, as were many Asiatic romances, which have served as the groundwork of many of our old stories and poems.—Scott.
[FN#177] In Scott (vi. 352) “Adventures of Aleefa and Eusuff.” This long and somewhat longsome history is by another pen, which is distinguished from the ordinary text by constant attempts at fine writing, patches of Saj’a or prose-rhyme and profuse poetry, mostly doggerel. I recommend it to the student as typically Arabian with its preponderance of verse over prose, its threadbare patches made to look meaner by the purpureus pannus; its immoderate repetition and its utter disregard of order and sequence. For the rest it is unedited and it strikes me as a sketch of adventure calculated to charm the Fellah-audience of a coffee-house, whose delight would be brightened by the normal accompaniment of a tambourine or a Rababah, the one-stringed viol.
[FN#178] This P. N. has occurred in vol. vi. 8, where I have warned readers that it must not be confounded with the title “Maharaj"=Great Rajah. Scott (vi. 352) writes “Mherejaun,” and Gauttier (vi. 380) “Myr-djyhan” (Mir Jahan=Lord Life).
[FN#179] I need not inform the civilised reader that this “feeling conception” is unknown except in tales.
[FN#180] i.e. “The Slim-waisted.” Scott (vi. 352) persistently corrupts the name to “Aleefa,” and Gauttier (vi. 380) follows suit with “Alifa.”
[FN#181] In text “Al-Istikhraj,” i.e. making “elegant extracts.”
[FN#182] These lines are the merest doggerel of a strolling Rawi, like all the pieces d’occasion in this Ms.
[FN#183] Which are still worse: two couplets rhyme in ani, and one in ali, which is not lawful.
[FN#184] In text “Dayr Nashshabah,” a fancy name.
[FN#185] So in text: the name is unknown to me; its lit. meaning would be, “of high-breasted Virgins.”
[FN#186] In text “Al-Jay’a” which is a well-omened stone like the ’Akik=carnelian. The Arabs still retain our mediaeval superstitions concerning precious stones, and of these fancies I will quote a few. The ruby appeases thirst, strengthens cardiac action and averts plague and “thunderbolts.” The diamond heals diseases, and is a specific against epilepsy or the “possession” by evil spirits: this is also the specialty of the emerald, which, moreover, cures ophthalmia and the stings of scorpions and bites of venomous reptiles, blinding them if placed before their eyes. The turquoise is peculiarly auspicious, abating fascination, strengthening the sight, and, if worn in a ring, increasing the milk of nursing mothers: hence the blue beads hung as necklaces to cattle. The topaz (being yellow) is a prophylactic against jaundice and bilious diseases. The bloodstone when shown to men in rage causes their wrath to depart: it arrests hemorrhage, heals toothache, preserves from bad luck, and is a pledge of long life and happiness. The “cat’s-eye” nullifies Al-Ayn=malign influence by the look, and worn in battle makes the wearer invisible to his foe. This is but a “fist-full out of a donkey-load,” as the Persians say: the subject is a favourite with Eastern writers.
[FN#187] Or white lead: in the text it is “Sapidaj,” corresponding with the “Isfidaj” of vol. vi. 126.
[FN#188] In the text “Bashkhanah”; corr. of the Pers. “Peshkhanah"=state-tents sent forward on the march.
[FN#189] This phrase, twice repeated, is the regular formula of the Rawi or professional reciter; he most unjustifiably, however, neglects the “Inshallah.”
[FN#190] The revetment of the old wells in Arabia is mostly of dry masonry.
[FN#191] [Ar. “Tawanis,” with a long final to rhyme with “Kawadis,” instead of the usual “Tawanis,” pl. of “Taunas,” which Dozy (Suppl. s.v.) identifies with the Greek in the sense of cable.—St.]
[FN#192] In Arab. “Hajarata ’l-Bahraman.”
[FN#193] In text “Zamaku-ha.”
[FN#194] I can see little pertinence in this couplet: but that is not a sine qua non amongst Arabs. Perhaps, however, the Princess understands that she is in a gorgeous prison and relieves her heart by a cunning hint.
[FN#195] I again omit “Saith the Reciter of this marvellous relation,” a formula which occurs with unpleasant reiteration.
[FN#196] i.e. she cried “Astaghfiru ’llah” (which strangers usually pronounce “Astaffira ’llah"); a pious exclamation, humbling oneself before the Creator, and used in a score of different senses, which are not to be found in the dictionaries.
[FN#197] In vol. viii. 183, there are two couplets of which the first is here repeated.
[FN#198] [Here the translator seems to read “Khams Ghaffar,"=five pardoners,where however, grammar requires a plural after “khams.” I take “khams” to be a clerical error for “Khamr"=wine, and read the next word “’ukar,” which is another name for wine, but is also used adjectively together with the former, as in the Breslau Edition iv. 6 “al-Khamr al-’ukar"=choice wine.—St.]
[FN#199] I understand this as the cupbearer who delights the five senses.
[FN#200] In the original we have, “Saith the Sayer of this delectable narrative, the strange and seld-seen (and presently we will return to the relation full and complete with its sense suitable and its style admirable), anent what befel and betided of Destinies predestinate and the will of the Lord preordinate which He decreed and determined to His creatures.” I have omitted it for uniformity’s sake.
[FN#201] Meaning “The easy-tempered.” Scott (vi. 354) writes “Sohul.”
[FN#202] In text “Litam"=the mouth-band for man: ii. 31, etc. The “Mutalathsimin” in North Africa are the races, like the Tawarik, whose males wear this face-swathe of cloth.
[FN#203] “Drowned in her blood,” says the text which to us appears hyperbole run mad. So when King Omar (vol. ii. 123) violently rapes the unfortunate Princess Abrizah “the blood runs down the calves of her legs.” This is not ignorance, but that systematic exaggeration which is held necessary to impressionise an Oriental audience.
[FN#204] For this allusion see vol. v. 191.
[FN#205] This physical sign of delight in beauty is not recognised in the literature of Europe, and The Nights usually attributes it to old women.
[FN#206] In text “Hima"=the private and guarded lands of a Badawi tribe; viii. 102.
[FN#207] In text “Daylaki.”
[FN#208] A small compact white turband and distinctive sign of the True Believers: see vol. viii. 8.
[FN#209] [The words in the text seem to be: “wa Talattuf Alfazak wa Ma’anik al-hisan"=and for the pleasingness of thy sayings and meanings so fine and fair.—St.]
[FN#210] [The Arabic seems here to contain a pun, the consonantic outline of “Tasht"="basin” being the same as of “tashshat"=she was raining, sprinkling.—St.]
[FN#211] In Arab. “Ya Warid”: see vol. iii. 56.
[FN#212] The growing beard and whisker being compared with black letters on a white ground.
[FN#213] In the text these seven couplets form one quotation, although the first three rhyme in ——aru and the second four in--iru.
[FN#214] This “diapedesis” of bloodstained tears is frequently mentioned in The Nights; and the “Bloody Sweat” is well-known by name. The disease is rare and few have seen it whilst it has a certain quasi-supernatural sound from the “Agony and bloody sweat” in the Garden of Gethsemane. But the exudation of blood from the skin was described by Theophrastus and Aristotle and lastly by Lucan in these lines:—
—Sic
omnia membra
Emisere
simul rutilum pro sanguine virus.
Sanguis
erant lachrymae, etc.
Of Charles ix. of France Mezaray declares “Le sang lui rejaillait par las pores et tous les conduits de son corps,” but the superstitious Protestant holds this to be a “judgment.” The same historian also mentions the phenomenon in a governor condemned to die; and Lombard in the case of a general after losing a battle and a nun seized by banditti—blood oozed from every pore. See Dr. Millingen’s “Curiosities of Medical Experience,” p. 485, London, Bentley, 1839.
[FN#215] [I read this line: “Fi Hayyi-kum Taflatun hama ’l-Fawadu bi-ha (Basit)” and translate: In your clan there is a maiden of whom my heart is enamoured. In the beginning of the next line the metre requires “tazakkarat,” which therefore refers to “Aghsun,” not to the speaker: “the branches remember (and by imitating her movements show that they remember) the time when she bent aside, and her bending, graceful beyond compare, taught me that her eyes kept watch over the rose of her cheek and knew how to protect it from him who might wish to cull it.” This little gem of a Mawwal makes me regret that so many of the snatches of poetry in this Ms. are almost hopelessly corrupted.—St.]
[FN#216] In the text “Sima’a,” lit. hearing, applied idiomatically to the ecstasy of Darwayshes when listening to esoteric poetry.
[FN#217] The birds mentioned in the text are the “Kumri” (turtle-dove), the “Shabaytar” [also called “Samaytar” and “Abu al-’Ayzar"=the father of the brisk one, a long-necked water bird of the heron kind.—St.], the Shuhrur (in Ms. Suhrur)=a blackbird [the Christians in Syria call St. Paul “Shuhrur al-Kanisah,” the blackbird of the Church, on account of his eloquence.—St.], the “Karawan,” crane or curlew (Charadrius aedicnemus) vol. vi. 1; the “Hazar;” nightingale or bird of a thousand songs, vol. v. 48; the “Hamam,” ruffed pigeon, culver, vol. v. 49; the “Kata,” or sandgrouse, vols. i. 131, iv. 111, etc.; and the “Samman” or quail, Suppl. vol. vi.
[FN#218] The “Sa’ah,” I may here remark, is the German Stunde, our old “Stound,” somewhat indefinite but meaning to the good Moslem the spaces between prayer times. The classical terms, Al-Zuha (undurn-hour, or before noon) and Maghrib=set of sun, become in Badawi speech Al-Ghaylah=siesta-time and Ghaybat al-Shams. (Doughty, index.)
[FN#219] For the beautiful song of the lute, referred to here, see vol. viii. 281.
[FN#220] Alluding to the “Takht Raml,” table of sand, geomantic table?
[FN#221] As before noted, her love enables her to deal in a somewhat of prophetic strain.
[FN#222] This scene may sound absurd; but it is admirable for its materialism. How often do youthful lovers find an all-sufficient pastime in dressing themselves up and playing the game of mutual admiration. It is well nigh worthy of that “silliest and best of love-stories”—Henrietta Temple.
[FN#223] The text bluntly says “Wa Nikah,” which can mean nothing else.
[FN#224] Scott calls him “Yiah”: vi. 354.
[FN#225] Arab. “Akhbaru-hu,” alluding to the lord Yahya.
[FN#226] Here I presume a “Kala” (quoth he) is omitted; for the next sentence seems appropriate to Yusuf.
[FN#227] In Arab. “Tastaghis"=lit. crying out “Wa Ghausah”—Ho, to my aid!
[FN#228] The “Zug” or draught which gave him rheumatism—not a romantic complaint for a young lover. See vol. ii. 9. But his power of sudden invention is somewhat enviable, and lying is to him, in Hindustani phrase, “easy as drinking water.”
[FN#229] Who evidently ignored or had forgotten the little matter of the concubine, so that incident was introduced by the story-teller for mere wantonness.
[FN#230] In text “Mazbuh"=slaughtered for food.
[FN#231] i.e. “I suffer from an acute attack of rheumatism”—a complaint common in even the hottest climates.
[FN#232] Needless to say that amongst Moslems, as amongst Christians, the Israelite medicine-man has always been a favourite, despite an injunction in the “Dinim” (Religious Considerations) of the famous Andalusian Yusuf Caro. This most fanatical work, much studied at Tiberias and Safet (where a printing-press was established in the xvith century) decides that a Jewish doctor called to attend a Goi (Gentile) too poor to pay him is bound to poison his patient—if he safely can.
[FN#233] Lit. “The-Bull-(Taur for Thaur or Saur)numbered-and-for-battle-day-lengthened.” In p.30 this charger is called, “The-bull-that-spurneth-danger-on-battle-day.” See vol. vi. 270 for a similar compound name, The-Ghul-who-eateth-man-we-pray-Allah-for-safety.
[FN#234] In text “Al-Jariyah radih,” the latter word being repeated in p.282, where it is Radih a P.N. [Here also I would take it for a P.N., for if it were adjective to “al-Jariyah” it should have the article.—St.]
[FN#235] The “Radif,” or back-rider, is common in Arabia, esp. on dromedaries when going to the Razzia: usually the crupper-man loads the matchlock and his comrade fires it.
[FN#236] The text has “thirty,” evidently a clerical error.
[FN#237] Arab. “Sakhtur” for “Shakhtur,” vol. vii. 362.
[FN#238] Doggerel fit only for the coffee-house.
[FN#239] In text “Ta’ayyun"=influence, especially by the “’Ayn,” or (Evil) Eye.
[FN#240] I have somewhat abridged the confession of the Princess, who carefully repeats every word known to the reader. This iteration is no objection in the case of a coffee-house audience to whom the tale is told bit by bit, but it is evidently unsuited for reading.
[FN#241] In text “Irham turham:” this is one of the few passive verbs still used in popular parlance.
[FN#242] This formula will be in future suppressed.
[FN#243] I spare my readers the full formula:—“Yusuf took it and brake the seal (fazza-hu) and read it and comprehended its contents and purport and significance: and, after perusing it,” etc. These forms, decies repetita, may go down with an Eastern audience, but would be intolerable in a Western volume. The absence of padding, however, reduces the story almost to a patchwork of doggerel rhymes, for neither I nor any man can “make a silk purse from a suille ear.”
[FN#244] Here again in full we have:—“He mounted the she-camel and fared and ceased not faring until he drew near to the Palace of Al-Hayfa, where he dismounted and concealed his dromedary within the same cave. Then he swam the stream until he had reached the Castle and here he landed and appeared before Al-Hayfa,” etc.
[FN#245] “’Tis dogged as does it” was the equivalent expression of our British Aristotle; the late Charles Darwin.
[FN#246] Arab. “Jannat al-Khuld"=the Eternal Garden: vol. ix. 214.
[FN#247] [I read: Wa inni la-ar’akum wa ar’a widada-kum, wa-hakki-kumu antum a’azzu ’l-Wara ’andi=And I make much of you and of your love; by your rights (upon me, formula of swearing), you are to me the dearest of mankind.—St.]
[FN#248] In text: “He swam the stream and bestrode his she-camel.”
[FN#249] In text “Then she folded the letter and after sealing it,” etc.
[FN#250] Not “her hands” after Christian fashion.
[FN#251] In text, “Ahyaf,” alluding to Al-Hayfa.
[FN#252] Arab. “Al-Kawa’ib,” also P. N. of the river.
[FN#253] This is moralising with a witness, and all it means is “handsome is that handsome does.”
[FN#254] In text “’Arsh” = the Ninth Heaven; vol. v.167.
[FN#255] The Shi’ah doctrine is here somewhat exaggerated.
[FN#256] “Them” for “her,” as has often occurred.
[FN#257] In the original “entrusted to her the missive:” whereas the letter is delivered afterwards.
[FN#258] The cloud (which contains rain) is always typical of liberality and generous dealing.
[FN#259] The Koranic chapt. No. xx., revealed at Meccah and recounting the (apocryphal) history of Moses.
[FN#260] The “broken” (wall) to the North of the Ka’abah: Pilgrimage iii. 165.
[FN#261] i.e. “Delight of the Age:” see vol. ii. 81.
[FN#262] In the text written “Imriyyu ’l-Kays”: for this pre-Islamitic poet see Term. Essay, p. 223. “The Man of Al-Kays” or worshipper of the Priapus-idol was a marking figure in Arabian History. The word occurs, with those of Aera, Dusares (Theos Ares), Martabu, Allat and Manat in the Nabathaean (Arabian) epigraphs brought by Mr. Doughty from Arabia Deserta (vol. i. pp. 180-184).
[FN#263] In text “Zakka,” which means primarily a bird feeding her young.
[FN#264] In the text “months and years,” the latter seeming de trop.
[FN#265] Or “Yathrib” = Al-Madinah; vol. iv. 114.
[FN#266] Scott (vi. 358 et seqq.) who makes Ali bin Ibrahim, “a faithful eunuch,” renders the passage, “by some accident the eunuch’s turban unfortunately falling off; the precious stones (N.B. the lovers’ gift) which, with a summary of the adventures (!) of Eusuff and Aleefa, and his own embassy to Sind, were wrapped in the folds, tumbled upon the floor,”
[FN#267] i.e. “Drawer-out of Descriptions.”
[FN#268] i.e. a Refuser, a Forbidder.
[FN#269] i.e. both could not be seen at the same time.
[FN#270] [The Ms. has T Kh D H, which the translator reads “takhuz-hu.” I suspect that either the second or eighth form of “ahad” is meant, in the sense that thou comest to an agreement (Ittihad) with him.—St.]
[FN#271] In the Ms. v. 327, we find four hemistichs which evidently belong to Al-Mihrjan; these are:—
Hadet come to court her in fairer guise * I had given
Al-Hayfa in
bestest style;
But in mode like this hast thou wrought me wrong *
And made Envy
gibe me with jeering
smile.”
Also I have been compelled to change the next sentence, which in the original is, “And hardly had King Al-Mihrjan ended his words,” etc.
[FN#272] In this doggerel, “Kurud” (apes) occurs as a rhyme twice in three couplets.
[FN#273] “Upon the poll of his head” (’ala hamati-hi) says the Arabian author, and instantly stultifies the words.
[FN#274] Arab. “Haudaj” = a camel-litter: the word, often corrupted to Hadaj, is now applied to a rude pack-saddle, a wooden frame of mimosa-timber set upon a “witr” or pad of old tent-cloth, stuffed with grass and girt with a single cord. Vol. viii. 235, Burckhardt gives “Maksar,” and Doughty (i. 437) “Muksir” as the modern Badawi term for the crates or litters in which are carried the Shaykhly housewives.
[FN#275] In text “Sunnah” = the practice, etc., of the Prophet: vol. v. 36, 167.
[FN#276] This, as the sequel shows, is the far-famed Musician, Ibrahim of Mosul: vol. vii. 113.
[FN#277] In the text King of Al-Sin=China, and in p. 360 of Ms. Yusuf is made “King of China and Sind,” which would be much like “King of Germany and Brentford.”
[FN#278] This is the full formula repeated in the case of all the ten blessed damsels. I have spared the patience of my readers.
[FN#279] This formula of the cup and lute is decies repetita, justifying abbreviation.
[FN#280] i.e. The Beginner, the Originator.
[FN#281] The Zephyr, or rather the cool north breeze of upper Arabia, vol. viii. 62.
[FN#282] The “Full Moon”; plur. Budur: vols. iii., 228, iv., 249.
[FN#283] “Dann” = amphora, Gr. {Greek} short for {Greek} = having two handles.
[FN#284] “The large-hipped,” a form of Radih.
[FN#285] In text “Minba’ada-hu” making Jesus of later date than Imr al-Kays.
[FN#286] i.e. “The Delight”: also a P.N. of one of the Heavens: vols. iii. 19; iv. 143.
[FN#287] i.e. Joy, Contentment.
[FN#288] In text “La khuzibat Ayday al-Firak,” meaning, “may separation never ornament herself in sign of gladness at the prospect of our parting.” For the Khazib-dye see vol. iii. 105.
[FN#289] i.e. “Bloom or the Tribe.” “Zahrat"=a blossom especially yellow and commonly applied to orange-flower. In line 10 of the same page the careless scribe calls the girl “Jauharat (Gem) of the Tribe.”
[FN#290] For this Hell, see vol. viii. 111.
[FN#291] “Core” or “Life-blood of Hearts.”
[FN#292] Presently explained.
[FN#293] In text “Afrakh al-Jinn,” lit.=Chicks of the Jinns, a mere vulgarism: see “Farkh ’Akrab,” vol. iv. 46.
[FN#294] “Ibraa” = deliverance from captivity, etc. Ya = i, and Mim = m, composing the word “Ibrahim.” The guttural is concealed in the Hamzah of Ibraa, a good illustration of Dr. Steingass’s valuable remarks in Terminal Essay, pp. 235, 236.
[FN#295] “Kalim” = one who speaks with another, a familiar. Moses’ title is Kalimu’llah on account of the Oral Law and certain conversations at Mount Sinai.
[FN#296] In text “Istifa” = choice, selection: hence Mustafa = the Chosen Prophet, Mohammcd; vols i. 7; ii. 40.
[FN#297] In text “Jazr” = cutting, strengthening, flow (of tide).
[FN#298] In the text “Nafishah” Pers. “Nafah,” derived, I presume, from “Naf” = belly or testicle, the part which in the musk-deer was supposed to store up the perfume.
[FN#299] For ’Nahavand,” the celebrated site in Al-Irak where the Persians sustained their final defeat at the hands of the Arabs A.H. 21. It is also one of the many musical measures, like the Ispahani, the Rasti, the Rayhani, the Busalik, the Nava, etc., borrowed from the conquered ’Ajami.
[FN#300] This second half of the story is laid upon the lines of “The Man of Al-Yaman and his six Slave-girls”: vol. iv. 245.
[FN#301] This history again belongs to the class termed “Abtar = tailless. In the text we find for all termination, “After this he (Yusuf) invited Mohammed ibn Ibrahim to lie that night in the palace.” Scott (vi. 364) ends after his own fashion:—“They (the ten girls) recited extempore verses before the caliph, but the subject of each was so expressive of their wish to return to their beloved sovereign, and delivered in so affecting a manner, that Mamoon, though delighted with their wit and beauty, sacrificed his own pleasure to their feelings, and sent them back to Eusuff by the officer who carried the edict, confirming him in his dominions, where the prince of Sind and the fair Aleefa continued long, amid a nnmerous progeny, to live the protectors of their happy subjects.”
[FN#302] This tale is headless as the last is tailless. We must suppose that soon after Mohammed ibn Ibrahim had quitted the Caliph, taking away the ten charmers, Al-Maamun felt his “breast straitened” and called for a story upon one of his Rawis named Ibn Ahyam. This name is repeated in the text and cannot be a clerical error for Ibn Ibrahim.
[FN#303] Scott (vi. 366) “Adventures of the Three Princes, sons of the Sultan of China.”
[FN#304] In the text “’Ajam,” for which see vol. i. 2, 120. Al-Irak, I may observe, was the head-quarters of the extensive and dangerous Kh rijite heresy; and like Syria has ever a bad name amongst orthodox Moslems.
[FN#305] In the Arab. “Salkh,” meaning also a peculiar form of circumcision, for which see Pilgrimage iii. 80-81. The Jew’s condition was of course a trick, presenting an impossibility and intended as a mere pretext for murdering an enemy to his faith. Throughout the Eastern world this idea prevails, and both Sir Moses Montefiore and M. Cremieux were utterly at fault and certainly knew it when they declared that Europe was teaching it to Asia. Every Israelite community is bound in self-defence, when the murder of a Christian child or adult is charged upon any of its members, to court the most searching enquiry and to abate the scandal with all its might.
[FN#306] The text has “F¡ K¡b,” which Scott (vol. vi. 367) renders “a mat.” [According to the Muh¡t “K¡b” is a small thick mat used to produce shade, pl. “Kiy b” and “Aky b.” The same authority says the word is of Persian origin, but this seems an error, unless it be related to “Keb” with the Y majh£l, which in the Appendix to the Burh ni K ti’ is given as synonymous with “Pech,” twist, fold. Under “Bard¡"==papyrus the Muh¡t mentions that this is the material from which the mats known by the name of “Aky b” are made.—St.]
[FN#307] The text has here “Wasayah,” probably a clerical error for “wa Miah” (spelt M yah"), and a hundred pair of pigeons.— St.]
[FN#308] Showing utter ignorance of the Jewish rite which must always be performed by the Mohel, an official of the Synagogue duly appointed by the Sheliach==legatus; and within eight days after birth. The rite consists of three operations. Milah==the cut; Priah==tearing the foreskin and Mess¡zah==applying styptics to the wound. The latter process has become a matter of controversy and the Israelite community of Paris, headed by the Chief Rabbi, M. Zadoc Kahin, has lately assembled to discuss the question. For the difference between Jewish and Moslem circumcision see vol. v. 209.
[FN#309] The Jewish quarter (H rah), which the Israelites themselves call “Hazer,"==a court-yard, an enclosure. In Mayer’s valuable “Conversations-lexicon” the Italian word is derived from the Talmudic “Ghet"==divorce, separation (as parting the Hebrews from the rest of the population) and the Rev. S. R. Melli, Chief Rabbi of Trieste, has kindly informed me that the word is Chaldaic.
[FN#310] [Ar. “Sarm£jah,” from Persian “Sar-m£zah,” a kind of hose or gaiter worn over a boot.—St.]
[FN#311] [Arab. “Yastan¡t,” aor. to the preter. “istanat,” which has been explained, supra, p. 24.—St.]
[FN#312] The bed would be made of a carpet or thin mattress strewn upon the stucco flooring of the terrace-roof. But the ignorant scribe overlooks the fact that by Mosaic law every Jewish house must have a parapet for the “Sakf” (flat roof), a precaution neglected by Al-Islam.
[FN#313] Good old classical English. In the “Breeches Bible” (A.D. 1586) we read, “But a certaine woman cast a piece of millstone upon Abimelech’s head and broke his brain-panne” Judges ix. 33).
[FN#314] [The words “’Irz,” protection, in the preceding sentence, “Hurmah” and “Shat r h” explain each other mutually. The formula “f¡ ’irzak” (vulg. “arzak"), I place myself under thy protection, implies an appeal to one’s honour ("’Irz"). Therefore the youth says: “Inna h zih Hurmah lam ’alay-h Shat rah,” i.e. “Truly this one is a woman” (in the emphatic sense of a sacred or forbidden object; “this woman” would be “h zih al-Hurmah"), “I must not act vilely or rashly towards her,” both vileness and rashness belonging to the many significations of “Shat rah,” which is most usually “cleverness.” —St.]
[FN#315] In the text “Sind,” still confounding this tale with the preceding.
[FN#316] In text “Intih ba ’l furas,” lit.==the snatching of opportunities, a jingle with “Kanas.”
[FN#317] [Compare with this episode the viith of Spitta Bey’s Tales: Histoire du Prince qui apprit un mtier.—St.]
[FN#318] i.e. enables a man to conceal the pressure of impecuniosity.
[FN#319] In text “Al-S dah wa al-Khat y t.”
[FN#320] Subaudi, “that hath not been pierced.” “The first night,” which is often so portentous a matter in England and upon the Continent (not of North America), is rarely treated as important by Orientals. A long theoretical familiarity with the worship of Venus
Leaves not much mystery for the nuptial night.
Such lore has been carefully cultivated by the “young person” with the able assistance of the ancient dames of the household, of her juvenile companions and co-evals and especially of the slave-girls. Moreover not a few Moslems, even Egyptians, the most lecherous and salacious of men, in all ranks of life from prince to peasant take a pride in respecting the maiden for a few nights after the wedding-feast extending, perhaps to a whole week and sometimes more. A brutal haste is looked upon as “low”; and, as sensible men, they provoke by fondling and toying Nature to speak ere proceeding to the final and critical act. In England it is very different. I have heard of brides over thirty years old who had not the slightest suspicion concerning what complaisance was expected of them: out of mauvaise honte, the besetting sin of the respectable classes, neither mother nor father would venture to enlighten the elderly innocents. For a delicate girl to find a man introducing himself into her bedroom and her bed, the shock must be severe and the contact of hirsute breast and hairy limbs with a satiny skin is a strangeness which must often breed loathing and disgust. Too frequently also, instead of showing the utmost regard for virginal modesty and innocence (alias ignorance), the bridegroom will not put a check upon his passions and precipitates matters with the rage of the bull, ruentis in venerem. Even after he hears “the cry” which, as the Arabs say, “must be cried,” he has no mercy: the newly made woman lies quivering with mental agitation and physical
[FN#321] [Arab. “’Al ghayri tar¡k,” which I would translate “out of the way,” like the Persian “b¡-R h.”—St.]
[FN#322] In text “Kababj¡” (for Kababji) seller of Kab bs, mutton or kid grilled in small squares and skewered: see vol. vi. 225.
[FN#323] In text “Sujj dah;” vol. vi. 193.
[FN#324] In text “Faddah” all through.
[FN#325] In text “Kirsh” (==piastre) a word before explained. See Lane (M.E.) Appendix B.
[FN#326] In Arab. “Sam r;” from the Pers. “Sumar"==a reed, a rush.
[FN#327] In Arab. “D¡w n:” vols. vii. 340; ix. 108.
[FN#328] Scott has (vol. vi. 373), “The desired articles were furnished, and the Sultan setting to work, in a few days finished a mat, in which he ingeniously contrived to plait in flowery characters, known only to himself and his vizier, the account of his situation.”
[FN#329] In Arab. “Ghir rah” (plur. “Ghar ¡r")==a sack. In Ibn Khall. (iv. pp. 90, 104) it is a large sack for grain and the especial name of a tax on corn.
[FN#330] In the text “Mohammed ibn Ibrahim,” another confusion with the last tale. This story is followed in the Ms. by (1) “The History of the First Brave,” (2) “The History of the Second Brave,” and “The Tale of the Noodle and his Asses,” which I have omitted because too feeble for insertion.
[FN#331] Scott (vi.375) “Story of the Good Vizier unjustly imprisoned.” Gauttier (vi. 394) Histoire du bon Vizier injustement emprisonne.
[FN#332] This detail has no significance, though perhaps its object may be to affect the circumstantial, a favourite manoeuvre with the Rawi. [It may mean that the prisoner had to pass through seven gates before reaching it, to indicate its formidable strength and the hopelessness of all escape, except perhaps by a seven-warded, or as the Arabs would say, a seven-pinned key of gold. In the modern tale mentioned on p. 174 the kidnapped Prince and his Wazir are made to pass “through one door after the other until seven doors were passed,” to emphasize the utter seclusion of their hiding place.—St.]
[FN#333] i.e. the mats and mattresses, rugs and carpets, pillows and cushions which compose the chairs, tables and beds of a well-to-do Eastern lodging.
[FN#334] The pretext was natural. Pious Moslems often make such vows and sometimes oblige themselves to feed the street dogs with good bread.
[FN#335] In text “Min hakk haza ’l-Kalam sahih.”
[FN#336] In text “Kaik” and “Kaik-ji,” the well-known caique of the Bosphorus, a term which bears a curious family resemblance to the “Kayak” of the Eskimos.
[FN#337] Here coffee is mentioned without tobacco, whereas in more modern days the two are intimately connected. And the reason is purely hygienic. Smoking increases the pulsations without strengthening them, and depresses the heart-action with a calming and soothing effect. Coffee, like alcohol, affects the circulation in the reverse way by exciting it through the nervous system; and not a few authorities advise habitual smokers to end the day and prepare for rest with a glass of spirits and water. It is to be desired that the ignorants who write about “that filthy tobacco” would take the trouble to observe its effects on a large scale, and not base the strongest and extremest opinions, as is the wont of the Anglo-Saxon Halb-bildung, upon the narrowest and shakiest of bases. In Egypt, India and other parts of the Eastern world they will find nicotiana used by men, women and children, of all ranks and ages; and the study of these millions would greatly modify the results of observing a few hundreds at home. But, as in the case of opium-eating, populus vult decipi, the philanthrope does not want to know the truth, indeed he shrinks from it and loathes it. All he cares for is his own especial “fad.”
[FN#338] Arab. “Finjal” systematically repeated for “Finjan” pronounced in Egypt “Fingan” see vol. viii. 200. [The plural “Fanajil,” pronounced “Fanagil,” occurs in Spitta Bey’s Contes Arabes Modernes, p. 92, and in his Grammar, p. 26, the same author states that the forms “Fingan” and “Fingal” are used promiscuously.—St.]
[FN#339] For the “Khaznah” (Khazinah) or 10,000 kis each = 5, see vols. ii. 84; iii. 278.
[FN#340] A euphuism meaning some disaster. The text contains a favourite incident in folklore; the first instance, I believe, being that of Polycrates of Samos according to Herodotus (lib. iii. 41-42). The theory is supported after a fashion by experience amongst all versed in that melancholy wisdom the “knowledge of the world.” As Syr Cauline the knight philosophically says:—
Everye
white will have its blacke,
And
everye sweete its sowre: etc.
[FN#341] Thus making the food impure and unfit for a religious Moslem to eat. Scott (vi. 378) has “when a huge rat running from his hole leaped into the dish which was placed upon the floor.” He is probably thinking of the East Indian “bandycoot.”
[FN#342] In text this tale concludes, “It is ended and this (next) is the History of the Barber.”
[FN#343] A dandy, a macaroni, from the Turk. Chelebi, see vol i 22. Here the word is thoroughly Arabised. In old Turk. it means, a Prince of the blood; in mod. times a gentleman, Greek or European.
[FN#344] In the text “ézbasha” or “Uzbasha,” a vile Egyptianism for Yuzbashi-head of a hundred (men) centurion, captain.
[FN#345] Scil. the household, the Harem, etc. As usual, the masc. is used for the fem.
[FN#346] [Ar. “Al-Rashakah,” a word is not found in the common lexicons. In Dozy and “Engelmann’s Glossary of Spanish and Portuguese words derived from the Arabic,” it is said to be a fork with three prongs, here probably a hat-stand in the shape of such a fork.—St.]
[FN#347] In text “Sha’il” copyist’s error for “Shaghil,” act. part. of “Shughl” = business, affairs. [Here it stands probably for the fuller “Shughl shaghil,” an urgent business.—St.]
[FN#348] In text “Ya ’Ars, ya Mu’arras”: vol. i. 338.
[FN#349] In Syria most houses have a rain cistern or tank into which the terrace-roof drains and which looks from above like a well with a cover. The water must have been low when the lover hid himself in the reservoir.
[FN#350] [In the Ms. “Min Hakk la-hu Asl an ’and-na huna Rajil,” a thoroughly popular phrase. “Min Hakk” and “min Hakkan,” where in the adverbial meaning of Hakkan its grammatical form as an accusative is so far forgotten that it allows itself to be governed by the preposition “min,” is rendered by Bocthor “tout de bon,” “serieusement.” “Asl” = root has here the meaning of foundation in fact. The literal translation of the passage would therefore be: “Forsooth, is there any truth in it that a man is here in our house?” “Min Hakk” has occurred page 183, where the text, quoted in the note, may perhaps be translated: “Of a truth, is this saying soothfast?”—St.]
[FN#351] [The Ms. has: “Ya Gharati a-Zay ma huna Rajil;” “Ya Gharati” will recur presently, p. 195, along with “ya Musibati” = Oh my calamity! I take it therefore to be an exclamation of distress from “Gharat” = invasion, with its incidents of devastation, rapine and ruin. It would be the natural outcry of the women left helpless in an unprotected camp when invaded by a hostile tribe. In “a-Zay ma” the latter particle is not the negative, but the pronoun, giving to “a-Zay” = “in what manner,” “how ?” the more emphatical sense of “how ever?” In the same sense we find it again, infra, Night 754, “a-Zay ma tafutni” = how canst thou quit me? I would therefore render: “Woe me I am undone, how ever should there be a man here?” or something to that purpose.—St.]
[FN#352] In Persian he would be called “Pari-stricken,”—smitten by the Fairies.
[FN#353] A quarter-staff (vols. i, 234; viii. 186) opp. to the “Dabbus,” or club-stick of the Badawin, the Caffres’ “Knob-kerry,” which is also called by the Arabs “Kana,” pron. “Gana.”
[FN#354] Scott’s “Story of the Lady of Cairo and her four Gallants” (vol. vi. 380): Gauttier, Histoire d’ une Dame du Caire et de ses Galans (vi. 400). This tale has travelled over the Eastern world. See in my vol. vi. 172 “The Lady and her Five Suitors,” and the “Story of the Merchant’s Wife and her Suitors” in Scott’s “Tales, Anecdotes, and Letters” (Cadell, London, 1800), which is in fact a garbled version of the former, introduced into the rpertoire of “The Seven Waz¡rs.” I translate the W. M. version of the tale because it is the most primitive known to me; and I shall point out the portions where it lacks finish.
[FN#355] This title does not appear till p. 463 (vol. v.) of the Ms., and it re-appears in vol. vi. 8.
[FN#356] i.e. in her haste: the text has “Kharrat.” The Persians who rhetorically exaggerate everything say “rising and sinking like the dust of the road.” [I doubt whether “Kharrat” could have the meaning given to it in the translation. The word in the Ms. has no Tashd¡d and I think the careless scribe meant it for “Kharajat,” she went out.—St.]
[FN#357] I read “N s malmum¡n=assembled men, a crowd of people."- -St.]
[FN#358] “Rajul Khw j :” see vol. vi. 46, etc. For “Sh hbandar"=king of the port, a harbourmaster, whose post I have compared with our “Consul,” see vol. iv. 29. It is often, however, applied to Government officials who superintend trade and levy duties at inland marts.
[FN#359] Arab. “Khim r,” a veil or rather a covering for the back of the head. This was the especial whorishness with which Shahrazad taxes the Goodwife: she had been too prodigal of her charms, for the occiput and the “back hair” should not be displayed even to the moon.
[FN#360] These four become five in the more finished tale—the King, the Wazir, the Kazi, the Wali or Chief of Police and the Carpenter. Moreover each one is dressed in different costume, gowns yellow, blue, red and patched with headgear equally absurd.
[FN#361] In text “Turt£r"=the Badawi’s bonnet: vol. ii. 143. Mr. Doughty (i. 160) found at Al-Khuraybah the figure of an ancient Arab wearing a close tunic to the knee and bearing on poll a coif. At Al-’Ula he was shown an ancient image of a man’s head cut in sandstone: upon the crown was a low pointed bonnet. “Long caps” are also noticed in i. 562; and we are told that they were “worn in outlandish guise in Arabia.”
[FN#362] In text “Emb rah” (pron. ’M rah); pop. for Al-b rihah=the last part of the preceding day or night, yesterday. The vulgar Egyptian uses it as if it were a corruption of the Pers. “in b r"=this time. The Arab Badawin pronounce it El-beyrih (with their exaggerated “Im lah”) and use it not only for “yesterday,” but also for the past afternoon.
[FN#363] This device is far inferior in comic effect to the carpenter’s press or cabinet of five compartments, and it lacks the ludicrous catastrophe in which all the lovers make water upon one another’s heads.
[FN#364] Scott (vi. 386) “The Cauzee’s story:” Gauttier (vi. 406) does not translate it.
[FN#365] In the text the message is delivered verbatim: this iteration is well fitted for oral work, with its changes of tone and play of face, and varied “gag”; but it is most annoying for the more critical reader.
[FN#366] Arab. “Lukmah"=a balled mouthful: vols. i. 261, vii. 367.
[FN#367] The “Mift h” (prop. “Miftah”) or key used throughout the Moslem East is a bit of wood, 7 14 inches long, and provided with 4 10 small iron pins which correspond with an equal number of holes in the “Dabbah” or wooden bolt. If one of these teeth be withdrawn the lock will not open. Lane (M.E. Introduction) has a sketch of the “Miftah” and “Dabbah.”
[FN#368] In text “Ayoh” which is here, I hold, a corruption of “I (or Ayy) h£"="yes indeed he.” [I take “aywah” (as I would read the word) to be a different spelling for “aywa"=yes indeed, which according to Spitta Bey, Gr. p. 168 is a contraction of “Ay (I) wa’ll hi,” yes by Allah. “What? thy lover?” asks the husband, and she emphatically affirms the fact, to frighten the concealed tailor—st.]
[FN#369] In the Arab. “Al-Ashkhakh,” plur. of “Shakhkh” and literally “the stales” meaning either dejection. [I read: “bi ’l-Shakh kh,” the usual modern word for urine. “’Alayya Shakh kh” is: I want to make water. See Dozy Suppl. s.v.-St.]
[FN#370] In text “Ah£ ma’¡”—pure Fellah speech.
[FN#371] In the Arab. “laklaka-h ”—an onomatopoeia.
[FN#372] In text “Il an yas¡r Karmu-hu.” Karm originally means cutting a slip of skin from the camel’s nose by way of mark, in lieu of the normal branding.
[FN#373] In text “Yazghaz-h f¡ shikkati-ha,” the verb being probably a clerical error for “Yazaghzagh,” from “Zaghzagha,"=he opened a skin bag.
[FN#374] This is the far-famed balcony-scene in “Fanny” (of Ernest Feydeau translated into English and printed by Vizetelly and Co.) that phenomenal specimen of morbid and unmasculine French (or rather Parisian) sentiment, which contrasts so powerfully with the healthy and manly tone of The Nights. Here also the story conveys a moral lesson and, contrary to custom, the husband has the best of the affair. To prove that my judgment is not too severe, let me quote the following passages from a well-known and popular French novelist, translated by an English littrateur and published by a respectable London firm.
In “A Ladies’ Man:” by Guy de Maupassant, we read:—
Page 62.—And the conversation, descending from elevated theories concerning love, strayed into the flowery garden of polished blackguardism. It was the moment of clever, double meanings; veils raised by words, as petticoats are lifted by the wind; tricks of language, cleverly disguised audacities; sentences which reveal nude images in covered phrases, which cause the vision of all that may not be said to flit rapidly before the eyes of the mind, and allow well-bred people the enjoyment of a kind of subtle and mysterious love, a species of impure mental contact, due to the simultaneous evocations of secret, shameful and longed-for pleasures.
Page 166.—George and Madeleine amused themselves with watching all these couples, the woman in summer toilette and the man darkly outlined beside her. It was a huge flood of lovers flowing towards the Bois, beneath the starry and heated sky. No sound was heard save the dull rumble of wheels. They kept passing by, two by two in each vehicle, leaning back on the seat, clasped one against the other, lost in dreams of desire, quivering with the anticipation of coming caresses. The warm shadow seemed full of kisses. A sense of spreading lust rendered the air heavier and more suffocating. All the couples, intoxicated with the same idea, the same ardour, shed a fever about them.
Page 187—As soon as she was alone with George, she clasped him in her arms, exclaiming: “Oh! my darling Pretty-boy, I love you more and more every day.”
The cab conveying them rocked like a ship.
“It is not so nice as our own room,” said she.
He answered; “Oh, no.” But he was thinking of Madame Waller.
Page 198.—He kissed her neck, her eyes, her lips with eagerness, without her being able to avoid his furious caresses, and whilst repulsing him, whilst shrinking from his mouth, she, despite herself, returned his kisses. All at once she ceased to struggle, and, vanquished, resigned, allowed him to undress her. One by one he neatly and rapidly stripped off the different articles of clothing with the light fingers of a lady’s maid. She had snatched her bodice from his hands to hide her face in it, and remained standing amidst the garments fallen at her feet. He seized her in his arms and bore her towards the couch. Then she murmured in his ear in a broken voice, “I swear to you, I swear to you, that I have never had a lover.”
And he thought, “That is all the same to me.”
[FN#375] In text “Ant’ amilta maskhar (for maskharah) matah (for mat ),” idiomatical Fellah-tongue.
[FN#376] Scott (Appendix vol. vi. 460) simply called this tale “The Syrian.” In M. Clouston’s “Book of Noodles” (pp. 193 194) we find a man who is searching for three greater simpletons than his wife, calling himself “Saw ye ever my like?” It is quoted from Campbell’s “Popular Tales of the West Highlands” (ii. 385 387), but it lacks the canopic wit of the Arabo-Egyptian. I may note anent the anecdote of the Gabies (p. 201), who proposed, in order to make the tall bride on horseback enter the low village-gate, either to cut off her head or the legs of her steed, that precisely the same tale is told by the biting wits of Damascus concerning the boobies of Halb£n. “Halb £n,” as these villagers call their ancient hamlet, is justly supposed to be the Helbon whose wine is mentioned by Ezekiel in the traffic of Damascus, although others less reasonably identify it with Halab=Aleppo.
[FN#377] In text “La’bat Shaw ribu-hu"=lit. his mustachios played.
[FN#378] For the “Wak lah,” or caravanserai, see vol. i. 266.
[FN#379] In text “Kab£t,” plur. Kab b¡t:
Oh! who is more brave than
a dark Suliote,
In his snowy camise and his shaggy capote?
“Childe Harold,” Canto ii.
And here I cannot but notice the pitiful contrast (on the centenary of the poet’s nativity, Jan. 22nd, ’88) between the land of his birth and that of his death. The gallant Greeks honoured his memory with wreaths and panegyrics and laudatory articles, declaring that they will never forget the anniversaries of his nativity and his decease. The British Pharisee and Philistine, true to his miserable creed, ignored all the “real Lord Byron”—his generosity, his devotion to his friends, his boundless charity, and his enthusiasm for humanity. They exhaled their venom by carping at Byron’s poetry (which was and is to Europe a greater boon than Shakespeare’s), by condemning his morality (in its dirty sexual sense) and in prophesying for him speedy oblivion. Have these men no shame in presence of the noble panegyric dedicated by the Prince of German poets, Goethe, to his brother bard whom he welcomed as a prophet? Can they not blush before Heine (the great German of the future), before Flaubert, Alfred de Musset, Lamartine, Leopardi and a host of Italian, Spanish and Portuguese notables? Whilst England will not forgive Byron for having separated from his unsympathetic wife, the Literary society of Moscow celebrated his centenary with all honour; and Prof. Nicholas Storojenko delivered a speech which has found an echo
further
west
Than
his sires’ “Islands of the Blest.”
He rightly remarked that Byron’s deadly sin in the eyes of the Georgian-English people was his Cosmopolitanism. He was the poetical representative of the Sturm und Drang period of the xixth century. He reflected, in his life and works, the wrath of noble minds at the collapse of the cause of freedom and the reactionary tendency of the century. Even in the distant regions of Monte Video Byron’s hundredth birthday was not forgotten, and Don Luis Desteffanio’s lecture was welcomed by literary society.
[FN#380] He cried out thinking of the mystical meaning of such name. So {Greek}, would mean in Suf¡ language—Learn from thyself what is thy Lord;—corresponding after a manner with the Christian “looking up through Nature to Nature’s God.”
[FN#381] The phrase prob. means so drunk that his circulation had apparently stopped.
[FN#382] This is the article usually worn by the professional buffoon. The cap of the “Sutar¡” or jester of the Arnaut (Albanian) regiments—who is one of their professional braves—is usually a felt cone garnished with foxes’ brushes.
[FN#383] In Arab. “Sabbal alayhim (for Alayhinna, the usual masc. pro fem.) Al-Satt r"=lit. the Veiler let down a curtain upon them.
[FN#384] The barber being a surgeon and ever ready to bleed a madman.
[FN#385] i.e. Can play off equally well the soft-brained and the hard-headed.
[FN#386] i.e. a deputy (governor, etc.); in old days the governor of Constantinople; in these times a lieutenant-colonel, etc.
[FN#387] Which, as has been said, is the cab of Modern Egypt, like the gondola and the caique. The heroine of the tale is a Nilotic version of “Aurora Floyd.”
[FN#388] In text “Rafaka” and infr (p. 11) “Zafaka.”
[FN#389] [In text “Misla ’l-Kal m,” which I venture to suggest is another clerical blunder for: “misla ’l-Kil b"=as the dogs do.— St.]
[FN#390] i.e. My wife. In addition to notes in vols. i. 165, and iv. 9, 126, I would observe that “Har¡m” (women) is the broken plur. of “Hurmah;” from Haram, the honour of the house, forbidden to all save her spouse. But it is also an infinitive whose plur. is Harim t=the women of a family; and in places it is still used for the women’s apartment, the gynaeceum. The latter by way of distinction I have mostly denoted by the good old English corruption “Harem.”
[FN#391] In text “Misla ’l-kh r£f” (for Khar£f) a common phrase for an “innocent,” a half idiot, so our poets sing of “silly (harmless, Germ. Selig) sheep.”
[FN#392] In text this ends the tale.
[FN#393] In text “Wa l huwa ’ashamn min-ka talkash ’al Harimi-n .” “’Ashama,” lit.=he greeded for; and “Lakasha"=he conversed with. [There is no need to change the “talkas” of the text into “talkash.” “Lakasa” is one of the words called “Zidd,” i.e. with opposite meanings: it can signify “to incline passionately towards,” or “to loath with abhorrence.” As the noun “Laks” means “itch” the sentence might perhaps be translated: “that thou hadst an itching after our Har¡m.” What would lead me to prefer the reading of the Ms. is that the verb is construed with the preposition “’al "=upon, towards, for, while “lakash,” to converse, is followed by “ma’"=with.—St.]
[FN#394] Such was the bounden duty of a good neighbour.
[FN#395] He does not insist upon his dancing because he looks upon the offence as serious, but he makes him tell his tale—for the sake of the reader.
[FN#396] “S hib al-Hay t:” this may also=a physiognomist, which, however, is probably not meant here.
[FN#397] In text “Har rah"=heat, but here derived from “Hurr"=freeborn, noble.
[FN#398] In text “Azay m taf£t-n¡?”
[FN#399] In the Arab. “Rajul Khuzar¡"=a green-meat man. [The reading “Khuzar¡” belongs to Lane, M.E. ii. 16, and to Bocthor. In Schiaparelli’s Vocabulista and the Muh¡t the form “Khuzr¡” is also given with the same meaning.—St.]
[FN#400] [In text “Far rij¡,” as if the pl. of “Farr£j"=chicken were “Far rij” instead of “Far r¡j.” In modern Egyptian these nouns of relation from irregular plurals to designate tradespeople not only drop the vowel of the penultimate but furthermore, shorten that of the preceding syllable, so that “Far rij¡” becomes “Fararj¡.” Thus “San dik¡,” a maker of boxes, becomes “Sanadk¡,” and “Dakh khin¡, a seller of tobacco brands,” “Dakhakhn¡.” See Spitta Bey’s Grammar, p. 118.—St.]
[FN#401] In the Arab. “Al-M j£r,” for “Maaj£r"=a vessel, an utensil.
[FN#402] In text “shaklaba” here="shakala"=he weighed out (money, whence the Heb. Shekel), he had to do with a woman.
[FN#403] [The trade of the man is not mentioned here, p. 22 of the 5th vol. of the Ms., probably through negligence of the copyist, but it only occurs as far lower down as p. 25.—St.]
[FN#404] A certain reviewer proposes “stained her eyes with Kohl,” showing that he had never seen the Kohl-powder used by Asiatics.
[FN#405] ["Bi-M al-fas¡kh ’al Akr s al-Jullah.” “M al-Fas¡kh"=water of salt-fish, I would translate by “dirty brine” and “Akr s al-Jullah” by “dung-cakes,” meaning the tale should be written with a filthy fluid for ink upon a filthy solid for paper, more expressive than elegant.—St.]
[FN#406] “Al-Jan¡n ti”; or, as the Egyptians would pronounce the word, “Al-Gan¡n t¡”. [Other Egyptian names for gardener are “Jan in¡,” pronounced “Gan in¡,” “Bust nj¡” pronounced “Bustangi,” with a Turkish termination to a Persian noun, and “Bakhshaw ng¡,” for Baghchaw nj¡,” where the same termination is pleonastically added to a Persian word, which in Persian and Turkish already means “gardener.”—St.]
[FN#407] A Koranic quotation from “Joseph,” chap. xii. 28: Sale has “for verily your cunning is great,” said by Potiphar to his wife.
[FN#408] I have inserted this sentence, the tale being absolutely without termination. So in the Mediaeval Lat. translations the MSS. often omit “explicit capitulum (primum). Sequitur capitulum secundum,” this explicit being a sine qua non.
[FN#409] In text “Fatairi” = a maker of “Fatirah” = pancake, or rather a kind of pastry rolled very thin, folded over like a napkin, saturated with butter and eaten with sugar or honey poured over it.
[FN#410] In Arab. “Nayizati,” afterwards “Nuwayzati,” and lastly “Rayhani” (p. 34)=a man who vends sweet and savoury herbs. We have neither the craft nor the article, so I have rendered him by “Herbalist.”
[FN#411] In text a “Mihtar"=a prince, a sweeper, a scavenger, the Pers. “Mihtar,” still used in Hindostani. [In Quatremere’s Histoire des Sultans Mamlouks “Mihtar” occurs also in the sense of superintendent, of head-equerry, and of chief of a military band. See Dozy Supp. s. v.—St.]
[FN#412] “Ant’ aysh” for “man,” decidedly not complimentary, “What (thing) art thou?”
[FN#413] Arab. “Kabsh.” Amongst the wilder tubes of the East ram’s mutton is preferred because it gives the teeth more to do: on the same principle an old cock is the choicest guest-gift in the way of poultry.
[FN#414] “Naubah,” lit.=a period, keeping guard, and here a band of pipes and kettledrums playing before the doors of a great man at certain periods.
[FN#415] In text “Al-Mubtali.”
[FN#416] Arab. “Hawwalin”; the passage is apparently corrupt. ["Hawalin” is clerical error for either “hawala"=all around, or “Hawali” = surroundings, surrounding parts, and “Audan” is pl. of the popular “Widn” or “Wudn” for the literary “Uzn,” ear.—St.]
[FN#417] The exclamation would be uttered by the scribe or by Shahrazad. I need hardly remind the reader that “Khizr” is the Green Prophet and here the Prophet of greens.
[FN#418] For “Israfil"=Raphael, the Archangel who will blow the last trump, see vol. ii. 287.
[FN#419] Gen. meaning “Look sharp,” here syn. with “Allah! Allah!"=I conjure thee by God. Vol. i. 346.
[FN#420] A Persian would say, “I am a Irani but Wallahi indeed I am not lying.”
[FN#421] [This sentence of wholesale extermination passed upon womankind, reminds me of the Persian lines which I find quoted in ’Abdu ’l-Jalil’s History of the Barmecides:
Agar
nek budi Zan u Ray-i-Zan
Zan-ra
Ma-zan Nam budi, na Zan,
and which I would render Anglice:
If
good there were in Woman and her way
Her
name would signify “Slay not,” not “Slay.”
“Zan” as noun=woman; as imp. of “zadan"=strike, kill, whose negative is “mazan.”—St.]
[FN#422] In the text the Shaykh, to whom “Aman” was promised, is also gelded, probably by the neglect of the scribe.
[FN#423] This tale is a variant of “The First Constable’s History:” Suppl. Nights, vol. ii. 3-11.
[FN#424] In text “Al-Bawwabah"=a place where door-keepers meet, a police-station; in modern tongue “Karakol,” for “Karaghol-khanah"=guard-house.
[FN#425] In text ’Kazi al-’Askar"=the great legal authority of a country: vol. vi. 131.
[FN#426] Anglo-Indice “Mucuddum"=overseer, etc., vol. iv. 42.
[FN#427] i.e. is not beyond our reach.
[FN#428] In text “Ya Sultan-am” with the Persian or Turkish suffixed possessional pronoun.
[FN#429] In text “mal,” for which see vol. vi. 267. Amongst the Badawin it is also applied to hidden treasure.
[FN#430] I carefully avoid the obnoxious term “intoxication” which properly means “poisoning,” and should be left to those amiable enthusiasts the “Teetotallers.”
[FN#431] A sign of foul play; the body not having been shrouded and formally buried.
[FN#432] For the title, the office and the date see vol. ix. 289.
[FN#433] The names are=Martha and Mary.
[FN#434] Ms. vi. 57-77, not translated by Scott, who entitles it (vi. 461) “Mhassun, the Liberal, and Mouseh, the treacherous Friend.” It is a variant of “The Envier and the Envied:” vol. i. 123.
[FN#435] The Arab. “Jarrah”: vol. viii. 177.
[FN#436] i.e. One who does good, a benefactor.
[FN#437] In the text “M£s wa M£zi,” the latter word==vexatious, troublesome. [I notice that in the Ms. the name is distinctly and I believe purposely spelt with Hamzah above the W w and Kasrah beneath the S¡n, reading “Muus¡.” It is, therefore, a travesty of the name M£s , and the exact counterpart of “Muhsin”, being the active participle of “as a”, 4th form of “s a,"==he did evil, he injured, and nearly equivalent with the following “Muuz¡.” The two names may perhaps be rendered: Muhsin, the Beneficent, and Muus¡, the Malignant, the Malefactor.—St.]
[FN#438] In text “Fat¡r” for “Fat¡rah"==a pancake, before described.
[FN#439] In text “Bi-kh tiri-k"==Thy will be done; the whole dialogue is in pure Fellah speech.
[FN#440] Supposed to be American, but, despite Bartlett, really old English from Lancashire, the land which has supplied many of the so-called “American” neologisms. A gouge is a hollow chisel, a scoop; and to gouge is to poke out the eye: this is done by thrusting the fingers into the side-hair thus acting as a base and by prising out the ball with the thumbnail which is purposely grown long.
[FN#441] [In the text: “Fa tarak-hu Muus¡ am’ d ir yaltash f¡ ’l-Tar¡k.” Latash has the meaning of beating, tapping; I therefore think the passage means: “hereupon Muus¡ left him, blind as he was, tramping and groping his way” (feeling it with his hands or stick). -St.]
[FN#442] In text “Biiru mily nah Moyah.” As a rule the Fellah of Egypt says “Mayyeh,” the Cairene “Mayya,” and the foreigner “Moyah”: the old Syrian is “May ,” the mod. “Moy,” and the classical dim. of “M ” is “Muwayy,” also written"Muwayy” and “Muwayhah.”
[FN#443] “Sabt"==Sabbath, Saturday: vol. ii. 305, and passim.
[FN#444] i.e. “By Allah,” meaning “Be quick!”
[FN#445] For this well-nigh the sole equivalent amongst the Moslems of our “thank you,” see Vol. iv. 6. and v. 171.
[FN#446] In Arab. “Ana ’l-Tab¡b, al-Mud wi.” In pop. parlance, the former is the scientific practitioner and the latter represents the man of the people who deals in simples, etc.
[FN#447] In text “R kiba-h ,” the technical term for demoniac insiliation or possession: the idea survives in our “succubi” and “incubi.” I look upon these visions often as the effects of pollutio nocturne. A modest woman for instance dreams of being possessed by some man other than her husband; she loves the latter and is faithful to him, and consequently she must explain the phenomena superstitiously and recur to diabolical agency. Of course it is the same with men, only they are at less trouble to excuse themselves.
[FN#448] The construction here, Ms. p. 67, is very confused. [The speech of Muhsin seems to be elliptical. In Ar. it runs: “Li-ann¡ iz , lam nukhullis-ha (or nukhlis-h , 2nd or 4th form) taktuln¡, wa an iz lam tattafik ma’¡ ann¡ iz khallastu-h tu’t¡-h alayya” —which I believe to mean: “for if I do not deliver her, thou wilt kill me; so I (say) unless thou stipulate with me that when I have delivered her thou wilt give her to me in marriage—” supply: “well then I wash my hand of the whole business.” The Shaykh acts on the tit for tat principle in a style worthy of the “honest broker” himself.—St.]
[FN#449] In text “Yaum Sabt” again.
[FN#450] As has been said (vol. ii. 112) this is a sign of agitation. The tale has extended to remote Guernsey. A sorcier named Hilier Mouton discovers by his art that the King’s daughter who had long and beautiful tresses was dying because she had swallowed a hair which had twined round her praecordia. The cure was to cut a small square of bacon from just over the heart, and tie it to a silken thread which the Princess must swallow, when the hair would stick to it and come away with a jerk. See (p. 29) “Folk-lore of Guernsey and Sark,” by Louise Lane-Clarke, printed by E. Le Lievre, Guernsey, 1880; and I have to thank for it a kind correspondent, Mr. A. Buchanan Brown, of La Couture, p. 53, who informs us why the Guernsey lily is scentless, emblem of the maiden who sent it from fairy-land.
[FN#451] The text says only, “O my father, gift Shaykh Mohsin.”
[FN#452] Her especial “shame” would be her head and face: vol. vi. 30, 118.
[FN#453] In northern Africa the “D r al-Ziy fah” was a kind of caravanserai in which travellers were lodged at government expense. Ibn Khald£n (Fr. Transl. i. 407).
[FN#454 In most of these tales the well is filled in over the intruding “villain” of the piece. Ibn Khaldun (ii. 575) relates a “veritable history” of angels choking up a well; and in Mr. Doughty (ii. 190) a Pasha-governor of Jiddah does the same to a Jinni-possessed pit.
[FN#455] This tale is of a kind not unfrequent amongst Moslems, exalting the character of the wife, whilst the mistress is a mere shadow.
[FN#456] Here written “Jalab¡” (whence Scott’s “Julbee,” p. 461) and afterwards (p. 77, etc.) “Shalab¡”: it has already been noticed in vol. i. 22 and elsewhere.
[FN#457] In text “Baltah” for Turk. “B ltah"==an axe, a hatchet. Hence “Baltah-ji” a pioneer, one of the old divisions of the Osmanli troops which survives as a family name amongst the Levantines and semi-European Perotes of Constantinople.
[FN#458] Here the public gaol is in the Head Policeman’s house. So in modern times it is part of the Wali or Governor’s palace and is included in the Maroccan “Kasbah” or fortalice.
[FN#459] In text “Naakhaz bi-lissati-him;” “Luss” is after a fashion {Greek}; but the Greek word included piracy which was honourable, whenas the Arab. term is mostly applied to larcenists and similar blackguards. [I would read the word in the text “Balsata-hum,” until I have received their “ransom.”—St.]
[FN#460] In the text “Tajr¡s” which I have rendered by a circumlocution. [For the exact meaning of “Tajr¡s,” see Dozy, Suppl.s.v. “jarras,” where an interesting passage from “Mas’£d¡” is quoted.—St.]
[FN#461] In Moslem lands prisoners are still expected to feed themselves, as was the case in England a century ago and is still to be seen not only in Al-Islam, Egypt and Syria, but even in Madeira and at Goa.
[FN#462] In text “Hud Sirru-hu,” i.e. his secret sin was guided (by Allah) to the safety of concealment. [A simpler explanation of this passage would perhaps be: “wa had Sirru-hu,"== and his mind was at rest.—St.]
[FN#463] Arab. “Aud j” (plur. of “Wadaj”) a word which applies indiscriminately to the carotid arteries and jugular veins. The latter, especially the external pair, carry blood from the face and are subject abnormally to the will: the late lamented Mr. Charley Peace, who murdered and “burgled” once too often, could darken his complexion and even change it by arresting jugular circulation. The much-read Mr. F. Marion Crawford (Saracinesca, chapt. xii.) makes his hero pass a foil through his adversary’s throat, “without touching the jugular artery (which does not exist)or the spine.” But what about larynx and pharynx? It is to be regretted that realistic writers do not cultivate a little more personal experience. No Englishman says “in guard” for “on guard.” “Colpo del Tancredi” is not=="Tancred’s lunge” but “the thrust of the (master) Tancredi:” it is quite permissible and to say that it loses half its dangers against a left-handed man is to state what cannot be the fact as long as the heart is more easily reached from the left than from the right flank.
[FN#464] Lit. “Then faring forth and sitting in his own place.” I have modified the too succinct text which simply means that he was anxious and agitated.
[FN#465] After this in the text we have only, “End of the Adventure of the Kazi’s Daughter. It is related among the many wiles of women that there was a Fellah-man, etc.” I have supplied the missing link.
[FN#466] On the margin of the W. M. Ms. (vi. 92) J. Scott has written: “This story bears a faint resemblance to one in the Bahardanush.” He alludes to the tale I have already quoted. I would draw attention to “The Fellah and his Wicked Wife,” as it is a characteristic Fellah-story showing what takes place too often in the villages of Modern Egypt which the superficial traveller looks upon as the homes of peace and quiet. The text is somewhat difficult for technicalities and two of the pages are written with a badly nibbed reed-pen which draws the lines double.
[FN#467] The “Faddan” (here miswritten “Faddad”) = a plough, a yoke of oxen, a “carucate,” which two oxen can work in a single season. It is also the common land-measure of Egypt and Syria reduced from acre 1.1 to less than one acre. It is divided into twenty-four Kirats (carats) and consists or consisted of 333 Kasabah (rods), each of these being 22-24 Kabzahs (fists with the thumb erect about = 6 1/2 inches). In old Algiers the Faddan was called “Zuijah” (= a pair, i.e. of oxen) according to Ibn Khaldun i. 404.
[FN#468] In text “Masbubah.”
[FN#469] Arab. “Dashish,” which the Dicts. make=wheat-broth to be sipped. ["Dashish” is a popular corruption of the classical “Jashish” = coarsely ground wheat (sometimes beans), also called “Sawik,” and “Dashishah” is the broth made of it.-St.]
[FN#470] In text “Ahmar” = red, ruddy-brown, dark brown.
[FN#471] In text “Kas’at (=a wooden platter, bowl) afrukah.” [The “Mafrukah,” an improvement upon the Fatirah, is a favourite dish with the Badawi, of which Dozy quotes lengthy descriptions from Vansleb and Thevenot. The latter is particularly graphical, and after enumerating all the ingredients says finally: “ils en font une grosse pate dont ils prennent de gros morceaux.—St.]
[FN#472] The Fellah will use in fighting anything in preference to his fists and a stone tied up in a kerchief or a rag makes no mean weapon for head-breaking.
[FN#473] The cries of an itinerant pedlar hawking about woman’s wares. See Lane (M. E.) chapt. xiv. “Flfl’a” (a scribal error?) may be “Filfil"=pepper or palm-fibre. “Tutty,” in low- Lat. “Tutia,” probably from the Pers. “Tutiyah,” is protoxide of zinc, found native in Iranian lands, and much used as an eye-wash.
[FN#474] In text “Samm Sa’ah.”
[FN#475] “Laban halib,” a trivial form="sweet milk;” “Laban” being the popular word for milk artificially soured. See vols. vi. 201; vii. 360.
[FN#476] In text “Nisf ra’as Sukkar Misri.” “Sukkar” (from Pers. “Shakkar,” whence the Lat. Saccharum) is the generic term, and Egypt preserved the fashion of making loaf-sugar (Raas Sukkar) from ancient times. “Misri” here=local name, but in India it is applied exclusively to sugar-candy, which with Gur (Molasses) was the only form used throughout the country some 40 years ago. Strict Moslems avoid Europe-made white sugar because they are told that it is refined with bullock’s blood, and is therefore unlawful to Jews and the True Believers.
[FN#477] Lit. “that the sugar was poison.”
[FN#478] In text “Kata’a Judur-ha” (for “hu"). [I refer the pronoun in “Judur-ha” to “Rakabah,” taking the “roots of the neck” to mean the spine.-St.]
[FN#479] In text “Fahata” for “Fahasa” (?) or perhaps a clerical error for “Fataha"=he opened (the ground). ["Fahata,” probably a vulgarisation of “fahatha” (fahasa)=to investigate, is given by Bocthor with the meaning of digging, excavating. Nevertheless I almost incline to the reading “fataha,” which, however, I would pronounce with Tashdid over the second radical, and translate: “he recited a ‘Fatihah’ for them,” the usual prayer over the dead before interment. The dative “la-hum,” generally employed with verbs of prayer, seems to favour this interpretation. It is true I never met with the word in this meaning, but it would be quite in keeping with the spirit of the language, and in close analogy with such expressions as “kabbara,” he said “Allabu akbar,” “Hallala,” he pronounced the formula of unity, and a host of others. Here it would, in my opinion, wind up the tale with a neat touch of peasant’s single-mindedness and loyal adherence to the injunctions of religion even under provoking circumstances.- -St.]
[FN#480] In the Ms. we have only “Ending. And it is also told,” etc. I again supply the connection.
[FN#481] Scott does not translate this tale, but he has written on the margin (Ms. vi. 101), “A story which bears a strong resemblance to that I have read (when a boy) of the Parson’s maid giving the roasted goose to her Lover and frightening away the guests, lest he should geld them.”
[FN#482] In text “Zakarayn Wizz (ganders) siman”; but afterwards “Wizzatayn"=geese.
[FN#483] These dried fruits to which pistachios are often added, form the favourite “filling” of lamb and other meats prepared in “pulao” (pilaff).
[FN#484] “Anta jaib(un) bas rajul (an) wahid (an)”—veritable and characteristic peasant’s jargon.
[FN#485] i.e., it is a time when men should cry for thy case. “La Haula"=there is no Majesty, etc. An ejaculation of displeasure, disappointments, despair.
[FN#486] In text “Mahashima-k"=good works, merits; in a secondary sense beard and mustachios. The word yard (etymologically a rod) is medical English, and the young student is often surprised to see, when a patient is told to show his yard, a mere inchlet of shrunken skin. ["Mahashim,” according to Bocthor, is a plural without singular, meaning: les parties de la generation. Pedro de Alcala gives “Hashshum,” pl. “Hashashim,” for the female parts, and both words are derived from the verb “hasham, yahshim,” he put to shame.—St.]
[FN#487] Characteristic words of abuse, “O thou whose fate is always to fail, O thou whose lot is ever subject to the accidents of Fortune!”
[FN#488] Arab. “Bayzah"=an egg, a testicle. See “Bayza’ani,” vol. ii. 55.
[FN#489] Here the text ends with the tag, “Concluded is the story of the Woman with her Husband and her Lover. It is related of a man which was a Kazi,” etc. I have supplied what the writer should have given.
[FN#490] The “Mahkamah” (Place of Judgment), or Kazi’s Court, at Cairo is mostly occupied with matrimonial disputes, and is fatally famous for extreme laxness in the matter of bribery and corruption. During these days it is even worse than when Lane described it. M.E. chapt. iv.
[FN#491] The first idea of an Eastern would be to appeal from the Kazi to the Kazi’s wife, bribing her if he failed to corrupt the husband; and he would be wise in his generation as the process is seldom known to fail.
[FN#492] In Arab. “Sitta-ha”: the Mauritanians prefer “Sidah,” and the Arabian Arabs Kabirah"=the first lady, Madame Mere.
[FN#493] In text “Ahu ’inda-k,”—pure Fellah speech.
[FN#494] In text here and below “Maghbun” usually=deceived, cajoled.
[FN#495] He began to fear sorcery, Satan, etc. “Muslimina” is here the reg. Arab. plur. of “Muslim"=a True Believer. “Musulman” (our “Mussalman” too often made plur. by “Mussalmen”) is corrupted Arab. used in Persia, Turkey and India by the best writers as Sa’adi; the plur. is “Musulmanan” and the Hind. fem. is Musalmani. Francois Pyrard, before alluded to, writes (i. 261) “Mouselliman, that is, the faithful.”
[FN#496] In the text “help ye the Moslems.”
[FN#497] Again the old, old story of the “Acrisian maid,” and a prose variant of “Yusuf and Al-Hayfa” for which see supra p. 93. I must note the difference of treatment and may observe that the style is rough and the incidents are unfinished, but it has the stuff of an excellent tale.
[FN#498] In text “Min ghayr Wa’ad” = without appointment, sans prmditation, a phrase before noticed.
[FN#499] In text, “Al-Mukawwam¡na wa Arb bu ’l-Aklam,” the latter usually meaning “Scribes skilled in the arts of caligraphy.”
[FN#500] In text “Zarb al-F l” = casting lots for presage, see v. 136.
[FN#501] “The Mount of Clouds.”
[FN#502] In the margin is written “Kbb,” possibly “Kubb” for “Kubbah” = a vault, a cupola. [I take “Kubba” for the passive of the verb “Kabba” = he cut, and read “Fajwatun” for “Fajwatan” = “and in that cave there is a spot in whose innermost part from the inside a crevice is cut which,” etc.—st.]
[FN#503] “Zarb al-Akl m,” before explained: in a few pages we shall come upon “San’at al-Akl m.
[FN#504] A pun upon the name of the Mountain.
[FN#505] In text “Wa kulli T rik” = Night-traveller, magician, morning-star.
[FN#506] i.e. In Holy Writ—the Koran and the Ah d¡s.
[FN#507] “Walad al-Hay h” for “Hay t” i.e. let him be long-lived.
[FN#508] This and other incidents appear only at the latter end of the tale, Ms. p. 221.
[FN#509] i.e. “Father of a Pigeon,” i.e. surpassing in swiftness the carrier-pigeon.
[FN#510] “Bi-sab’a Sikak” = lit. “with seven nails;” in the Ms. vol. vi. p. 133, 1. 2, and p. 160, 1. 4, we have “four Sikak,” and the word seems to mean posts or uprights whereto the chains were attached. ["Sakk,” pl. “Sik k” and “Suk£k,” is nail, and “Sikkah,” pl. “Sikak,” has amongst many other meanings that of “an iron post or stake” (Bocthor: piquet de fer).—St.]
[FN#511] In text “Al-Lij m w’ al-B¡l m” = the latter being a “T bi’” or dependent word used only for jingle. [The Muh¡t explains “Bil m” by “Kim m at-Thaur” = muzzle of a bull, and Bocthor gives as equivalent for it the French “cavecon” (English “cavesson” nose-band for breaking horses in). Here, I suppose, it means the headstall of the bridle.—St.]
[FN#512] In Arab. “Al-Sayfu w’-al Kalani.”
[FN#513] In text “Itowwaha,” which is repeated in p. 146, 1. 2. ["Ittawwah” seems to be the modern Egyptian 5th form of “Tauh.” In classical Arabic it would be “tatawwah,” but in the dialect of to-day the prefix becomes “it,” whose final dental here assimilates with the initial palatal of the root; p. 146 the word is correctly spelt with two Tashdids. The meaning is: he threw himself (with his right foot foremost) upon the horse’s back. Instances of this formation, which has now become all but general in Egyptian, are not infrequent in old Arabic, witness chapters lxxiii. and lxxiv. of the Koran, which begin with “ayyuh ’l Muddassiru” and “ayyuh ’l-Muzzammilu” respectively.—St.]
[FN#514] In text “Ramaha bi-h.”
[FN#515] The vowel points in the Ms. show this to be a quotation.
[FN#516] In text “Yarj£,” I presume an error for “yarja’u.” [I believe “yarju” is an error for yajr£,” and the various paces to which they put their horses are meant: sometimes they galloped (ramah£), sometimes they trotted (Pedro de Alcala gives “trotar” for “jar yajr¡"), sometimes they ambled (yas¡r£).—St.]
[FN#517] In text “Saith the Sayer of this say so wondrous and this delectable matter seld-seen and marvellous,”—which I omit as usual.
[FN#518] In text “Sar’a ’l-Lij m.”
[FN#519] The invariable practice of an agent de police in England and France, according to the detective tales of mm. Gaboriau and Du Boisgobey. In Africa the guide often attempts to follow instead of leading the party, and this proceeding should always awake suspicion.
[FN#520] In text another prothesis without apodosis: see vol. vi. 203, etc.
[FN#521] In text “Fa gh ba thal that ayyamin” = and he (or it the mountain?) disappeared for three days. ["Gh ba” = departed, may have here the meaning of “passed away” and three days had gone, and he ever travelling, before (il an) he reached it.—St.]
[FN#522] A feeling well-known to the traveller: I have often been laughed at for gazing fondly upon the scanty brown-green growth about Suez after a few months’ sojourn in the wolds of Western Arabia. It is admirably expressed in that book of books Eothen (chapt. xvii.): —“The next day I entered upon Egypt, and floated along (for the delight was as the delight of bathing) through green wavy fields of rice, and pastures fresh and plentiful, and dived into the cold verdure of grasses and gardens, and quenched my hot eyes in shade, as though in deep, rushing waters.”
[FN#523] The writer does not mean to charge the girl with immodesty (after the style “Come to my arms, my slight acquaintance!”) but to show how powerfully Fate and Fortune wrought upon her. Hence also she so readily allowed the King’s son to possess her person.
[FN#524] [I read “al-Muhibbattu,” fem. of “Muhibb,” lover (in Tasawwuf particularly = lover of God), and take the “lam taku taslah” in the second verse for the 3rd person fem., translating: The loving maiden has come in obedience to the lover’s call, proudly trailing her skirts ("tajarru min al-T¡hi Azy la-h "), and she is meet, etc.—st.]
[FN#525] Again the work of Fate which intended to make the lovers man and wife and probably remembered the homely old English proverb, “None misses a slice from a cut loaf.”
[FN#526] A little matter of about a ton at the smallest computation of 200 lbs. to each beast.
[FN#527] In text “Nataw s£ saw¡yah” [Clerical error for “nataw nas£ (nata nas£, the rarely used 6th form of anisa) shuwayyah” = let us divert ourselves a little.—St.]
[FN#528] In text “salaku-hu wa nashal£-hu.” The “salk” = scoring the skin and the “nashl” = drawing meat from the cooking-pot with the fingers or a flesh-hook or anything but a ladle which would be “Gharf.”
[FN#529] This account has been slightly abridged seeing that it is a twice-told tale.
[FN#530] “Written” either on the Preserved Tablet (vol. ii. 68) or on the sutures of the skull (iii. 123).
[FN#531] In Arab. “Kh lat-k¡ ins nun,” meaning also to lie with. Lat. misceo. [The same word occurs presently in another tropical sense: “Kh lata-h al-Khajal wa ’l-Hay ” = shame and abashment mixed with her, i.e. suffused or overwhelmed her.—St.]
[FN#532] In text “Istanade ’al Shakkati-h.” ["Istan da ’al ” is in the Vocabulista in Arabico rendered by “recumbere” and “Shikkah” is a rug, while I can find no authority for “Shakkah” as “quarter.” The passage may therefore mean he lay down on his rug. If he had been leaning against the standing horse, it would on bolting have thrown him on the ground and awaked him rudely.— St.]
[FN#533] “Rajul ikhtiy r,” a polite term for an old man: See i. 55. In the speech of the Badawin it means a man of substance and hospitality.
[FN#534] **In**? Arab. “Wa l sh: Mur d¡ bas Ism al-Madinah.” I seem to hear some Fellah speaking to me from the door of his clay hut.
[FN#535] “Mad¡nat al-Andal£s” = usually Seville.
[FN#536] In text “Kabd n,” the usual form being “Kaptan,” from the Ital. Capitano (iv. 85): here, however, we have the Turk. form as in “Kap£d n-pash ” = Lord High Admiral of ancient Osmanli-land.
[FN#537] Arab. “Khaznat al-S¡l h.” When Easterns, especially Maroccan Moslems and Turkish Pilgrims, embark as passengers, their weapons are taken from them, ticketed and placed in a safe cabin.
[FN#538] Arab. “Waka’h” = an affair (of fight).
[FN#539] i.e. crying the war-cry, “All ho Akbar” = God is most Great (vol. ii. 89, etc.) and “L il ha illa ’llah,” the refrain of Unity: vol. ii. 236.
[FN#540] In text “A’at£ Al-W¡rah.” ["W¡rah” is gerund of the Turkish “w¡rmek” or “wermek,” to give, to give up, and the phrase in the text corresponds to the Turkish “w¡rah w¡rmek” = to capitulate.—St.]
[FN#541] The “buccaneers,” quite as humane, made their useless prisoners “walk a plank.” The slave-ships, when chased and hard-driven, simply tossed the poor devil niggers overboard; and the latter must often have died, damning the tender mercies of the philanthrope which had doomed them to untimely deaths instead of a comfortable middle passage from Blackland to Whiteland.
[FN#542] [In the text “K rish¡n” = chasing, being in hot pursuit of; see Dozy, Suppl. s. v. “karash.”—St.]
[FN#543] See in Mr. Doughty’s valuable “Arabia Deserta” (i. 309) how the Badawi’s mare puts down her soft nose to be kissed by the sitters about the coffee-hearth.
[FN#544] In text, “Hadda ’ll ho bayn¡ wa baynakum.”
[FN#545] The last clause is omitted in the text which is evidently defective: Ms. vol. vi. p. 180, line 7.
[FN#546] In text “Tauh n al-Hus n.”
[FN#547] In Abyssinia the “Khil’at” = robe of honour (see vol. i. 195) is an extensive affair composed of a dress of lion’s pelt with silver-gilt buttons, a pair of silken breeches, a cap and waist-shawl of the same material, a sword, a shield and two spears; a horse with furniture of silk and silver and a mule similarly equipped. These gifts accompany the insignia of the “Order of Solomon,” which are various medals bearing an imperial crown, said to represent the Hierosolymitan Temple of the Wise King, and the reverses show the Amharic legend “Yohanne Negus zei Etiopia”—John, Emperor of Ethiopia. The orders are distinguished as (1) the Grand Cross, a star of 100 grammes in massive gold, hammer-wrought, and studded with gems, given only to royalties; (2) the Knighthood, similar, but of 50 grammes, and without jewels, intended for distinguished foreigners; (3) the Officer’s Star, silver-gilt, of 50 grammes; and (4) the Companion’s, of pure silver, and the same weight. All are worn round the neck save the last, which hangs upon the chest. This practice of gilding the metals prevails also in Europe, for instance in Austria, where those made of gunmetal are often gilt by the recipients contrary to all official etiquette.
[FN#548] Meaning only that the babe was perfectly beautiful.
[FN#549] In order that the cord might not be subject to the evil eye or fall into the hand of a foe who would use it magically to injure the babe. The navel-string has few superstitions in England. The lower classes mostly place over the wound a bit of cloth wherein a hole has been burned, supposing that the carbon will heal the cut, and make it fast to the babe by a “binder” or swathe round the body, as a preventative to “pot-belly.” But throughout the East there are more observances. In India, on the birth of the babe, the midwife demands something shining, as a rupee or piece of silver, and having touched the navel-string therewith she divides it and appropriates the glittering substance, under the pretence that the absence of the illuminating power of some such sparkling object would prevent her seeing to operate. The knife with which the umbilical cord has been cut is not used for common purposes but is left beside the puerpera until the “Chilla” (fortieth day), when “Kajjal” (lamp-black), used by way of Kohl, is collected on it and applied to the child’s eyelids. Whenever the babe is bathed or taken out of the house the knife must be carried along with it; and when they are brought in again the instrument is deposited in its former place near the mother. Lastly, on the “Chilla"-day they must slaughter with the same blade a cock or a sheep (Herklots, chapt. i. sec. 3). Equally quaint is the treatment of the navel-string in Egypt; but Lane (M.E.) is too modest to give details.
[FN#550] In text “Sarsarah,” a clerical error for “Akhaza(?) surratan.” See Ms. vol. vi. p. 197, line 9. [I read “sarra Surrah (Surratan)” = he tied up a purse.—St.]
[FN#551] In the text “on account of the dust-cloud” which, we were just told, had cleared away [The translator seems to have overlooked the “k na” before “kad d khala-hu al-Ra’b,” which gives to the verb the force of a pluperfect: “and fear had entered into him at the sight of the dust-cloud.”—St.]
[FN#552] i.e. his daughter, of whom he afterwards speaks in the plur.
[FN#553] These concealments are inevitable in ancient tale and modern novel, and it need hardly be said that upon the nice conduct of them depends all the interest of the work. How careful the second-rate author is to spoil his plot by giving a needless “pregustation” of his purpose, I need hardly say.
[FN#554] The mysteries of the marriage-night are touched with a light hand because the bride had already lost her virginity.
[FN#555] In text “Ab£yah,” a Fellah vulgarism for Ab¡ which latter form occurs a few lines lower down.
[FN#556] In text “Wa-Saw bi ’hu (As bi ’a-hu?) f¡ hanaki-h:” this is explained in Ms. p. 216: “Bi-yarza’u f¡ As b¡ hi.” [Dozy, Suppl. i. 815, gives “Saw bi’” as an irregular pl. of “Asba’” quoting from Bresl. ed. iii. 381, 9.] I would rather say it is a regularly formed broken plural of a singular “S bi’” = the pointing one, i.e. index, now commonly called “Sabb bah” the reviler, where the same idea of pointing at with contempt seems to prevail, and “Sh hid” = the witnessing, because it is raised in giving testimony. In the plural it would be naturally generalised to “finger,” and in point of fact, the sing. “S bi’” is used nowadays in this sense in Egypt along with the other popular form of “Sub ’.”
[FN#557] I write “Cafilah” and not “Cafila” with the unjustifiable suppression of the final “h” which is always made sensible in the pure pronunciation of the Badawi. The malpractice has found favour chiefly through the advocacy of Dr. Redhouse, an eminent Turkish scholar whose judgments must be received with great caution; and I would quote on this subject the admirable remarks of my late lamented friend Dr. G. P. Badger in “The Academy” of July 2, 1887. “Another noticeable default in the same category is that, like Sale, Mr. Wherry frequently omits the terminal ‘h’ in his transliteration of Arabic. Thus he writes Sura, Am¡na, F tima, Mad¡na, Tah ma; yet, inconsistently enough, he gives the ‘h’ in Allah, Khadijah, Kaabah, Makkah, and many other words. This point deserves special notice, owing to Dr. Redhouse’s letter, published in ‘The Academy’ of November 22 last, in which he denounces as ‘a very common European error’ the addition of the ‘h’ or ‘final aspirate,’ in the English transliteration of many Arabic words. Hence, as I read the eminent Orientalist’s criticism, when that aspirate is not sounded in pronunciation he omits it, writing “F&amacron;tima,” not Fatimah, lest, as I presume, the unwary reader may aspirate the ‘h.’ But in our Bibles we find such names as Sarah, Hannah, Judah, Beulah, Moriah, Jehovah, in the enunciation of which no one thinks of sounding the last letter as an aspirate. I quite agree with Dr. Redhouse that in the construct case the final h assumes the sound of t, as in Fatimatu bint-Muhammed; yet that does not strike me as a valid reason for eliding the final h, which among other uses, is indicative of the feminine gender, as in Ftimah, Khadijah, Aminah, etc.; also of the nomina vicis, of many abstract nouns, nouns of multitude and of quality, as well as of adjectives of intensiveness, all which important indications would be lost by dropping the final h. And further unless the vowel a, left after the elision of that letter, be furnished with some etymological mark of distinction, there would be great risk of its being confounded with the , formative of the singular of many verbal nouns, such as bin, saf, jal; with the masculine plurals ending in the same letters, such as hukam, ghniy, k£far; and with
[FN#558] In the text, “Wa s ba’l-d r wa Zaujatu-hu mutawass¡y¡n bi-h .” [I cannot explain to myself the plural “Mutawass¡n” unless by supposing that the preceding “S b al-D r” is another blunder of the scribe for “S hibu ’l-D r” when the meaning would be: “and the master of the house and his wife took charge of her (the nurse) during the days of suckling.” —St.]
[FN#559] In text “S r£ yar sh£-hu wa yatawassu.”
[FN#560] [In the text “Fik¡” the popular form of the present day “Fik¡h,” properly “learned in the law” (LL.D. as we would say), but now the usual term for “school-master.”—St.]
[FN#561] Both of which are practised by Easterns from horseback, the animal going at fullest speed. With the English saddle and its narrow stirrup-irons we can hardly prove ourselves even moderately good shots after Parthian fashion.
[FN#562] In text “Ihtim m wa Ghullah”: I suspect that the former should be written with the major h, meaning fever.
[FN#563] See Suppl. vol. iv. p. 191.
[FN#564] i.e. tempt not Providence unless compelled so to do by necessity.
[FN#565] The youth was taking a “F l” or omen: see vol. v. 136.
[FN#566] In text “Hasal,” for which I would read “Khasal.”
[FN#567] A wiser Sprichwort than those of France and America. It compares advantageously with the second par. of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) by the Representatives of the U.S., which declares, “these truths to be self-evident:—that all men are created equal,” etc. It is regretable that so trenchant a state-paper should begin with so gross and palpable a fallacy. Men are not born equal, nor do they become equal before their death-days even in condition, except by artificial levelling; and in republics and limited monarchies, where all are politically equal, the greatest social inequalities ever prevail. Still falser is the shibboleth-crow of the French cock, “Libert, Egalit, Fraternit,” which has borrowed its plumage from the American Bird o’ Freedom. And Douglas Jerrold neatly expressed the truth when he said,—“We all row in the same boat but not with the same sculls.”
[FN#568] Sayf Kun£z¡ = a talismanic scymitar: see “Kanz,” ix. 320.
[FN#569] In Arab. “Al-Kutb al-Ghauth” = lit. the pole-star of invocation for help; or simply “Al-Ghauth” is the highest degree of sanctity in the mystic fraternity of Tasawwuf. See v. 384; and Lane (A. N.) i. 232. Students who would understand these titles will consult vol. iii. chapt. 12 of The Dabist n by Shaw and Troyer, Paris and London, 1843. By the learned studies of Dr. Pertsch the authorship of this work of the religious eclecticism of Akbar’s reign, has been taken from the wrongful claimant and definitively assigned to the legitimate owner, Mobed Shah. (See Z. d. M. G. xvi. 224.) It is regretable that the index of the translation is worthless as its contents are valuable.
[FN#570] Arab. “Su’ub n” = cockatrice, etc., vols. i. 172; vii. 322. Ibn Khaldun (vol. iii. 350) tells us that it was the title of a famous and fatal necklace of rubies.
[FN#571] In Ar. “Anakati-h.” [This is a very plausible conjecture of the translator for the word written in the text: “’Anfakati-h” = the hair between the lower lips and the chin, and then used for the chin itself.—St.]
[FN#572] In the text “Tisht” (a basin for the ewer), which I have translated tray: these articles are often six feet in diameter.
[FN#573] A neat touch of realism: the youth is worn out by the genial labours of the night which have made the bride only the merrier and the livelier. It is usually the reverse with the first post-nuptial breakfast: the man eats heartily and the woman can hardly touch solid food. Is this not a fact according to your experience, Mesdames?
[FN#574] In text “Tazargh¡t” a scribal error for “Zaghr¡tah.” In Mr. Doughty (ii. 621) “Zal gh¡t” for “Zagh rit” and the former is erroneously called a “Syrian word.” The traveller renders it by “Lullul-lullul-lullul-l .” [Immediately before, however, the correct form “hiya tazaghritu,” she was lulli-looing, had been used. The word occurs in numerous forms, differentiated by the interchange of the dental and palatal “t” and of the liquid letters “r” and “l.” Dozy gives: “Zaghrata,” “Zaghlata” and “Zalghata” for the verb, and “Zaghr¡tah,” “Zaghr£tah” (both with pl. “Zagh r¡t"), “Zalgh£tah,” “Zalghatah” (both with pl. “Zal gh¡t"), and even a plural “Zagh l¡t” for the noun.—St.]
[FN#575] In these cases usually an exception is made of brigands, assassins and criminals condemned for felony. See Ibn Khaldun, iv. 189.
[FN#576] [In text: “biyarza’ f¡ As b¡-hi” (see supra p. 294). This is, as far as I remember, the only instance where in the Ms. the aorist is preceded by the preposition “bi,” a construction now so common in the popular dialects. Strange as it may appear at first sight, it has a deep foundation in the grammatical sentiment, if I may say so, of the Arabic language, which always ascribed a more or less nominal character to the aorist. Hence its inflection by Raf’ (u), Nasb (a) and
[FN#577] [Again “yastanit” = he listened attentively; comp. note p. 24.—St.]
[FN#578] In text “Zarb al-Akl m.”
[FN#579] Vol. iii. 247-261. This violation of the Harem is very common in Egypt.
[FN#580] Arab. “Fadawi,” here again = a blackguard, see Suppl. vol. iv. 220.
[FN#581] The Irishman says, Sleep with both feet in one stocking.
[FN#582] Arab. or rather Egypt. “Babuj,” from “Babug,” from the Pers. “Pay-push” = foot-clothing, vulg. “Papush.” To beat with shoe, slipper, or pipe-stick is most insulting; the idea, I believe, being that these articles are not made, like the rod and the whip, for coporal chastisement, and are therefore used by way of slight. We find the phrase “he slippered the merchant” in old diaries, e.g. Sir William Ridges, 1683, Hakluyts, mdccclxxvii.
[FN#583] Arab. “Sarmujah” = sandals, slippers, shoes, esp. those worn by slaves.
[FN#584] Suggesting carnal need.
[FN#585] The young man being grown up did not live in his father’s house.
[FN#586] Arab. “Tartara.” The lexicons give only the sigs. “chattering” and so forth. Prob. it is an emphatic reduplication of “Tarra” = sprouting, pushing forward.
[FN#587] The youth plays upon the bride’s curiosity, a favourite topic in Arab. and all Eastern folk-lore.
[FN#588] There is a confusion in the text easily rectified by the sequel. The facetia suggests the tale of the Schildburgers, who on a fine summer’s day carried the darkness out of the house in their caps and emptied it into the sunshine which they bore to the dark room.
[FN#589] A kindly phrase popularly addressed to the returning traveller whether long absent or not.
[FN#590] In the text “Hamakah.”
[FN#591] Arab. “Adi” which has occurred before.
[FN#592] This “little orgie,” as moderns would call it, strongly suggests the Egyptian origin of the tale.
[FN#593] Ms. vol. vi. 262-271. Arab. " ’Adim al-Zauk” which the old Latin dictionaries translate “destitutus experientiae” and “expers desiderii,” and it is = to our deficient in taste, manners, etc. The term is explained in vol. ix. 266. Here it evidently denotes what we call “practical joking,” a dangerous form of fun, as much affected by Egyptians as by the Hibernians.
[FN#594] In text “Wakalah” = an inn: vol. i. 266.
[FN#595] " ’Ausaj,” for which the dictionaries give only a thorny plant, a bramble.
[FN#596] The grand old Eastern or Desert-gate of Cairo: see vol. vi. 234.
[FN#597] Arab. “Thakalah,” lit. = heaviness, dullness, stupidity.
[FN#598] This is a mere shot: the original has “Baitharan.”
[FN#599] Arab. “Mayzah” = the large hall with a central fountain for ablution attached to every great Mosque.
[FN#600] In the text “Shashmah,” from Pers. “Chashmah” a fountain; applied in Egypt to the small privies with slab and hole; vol. i. 221.
[FN#601] [In Ar. “Unsak,” an expression principally used when drinking to one’s health, in which sense it occurs, for instance, in the Bresl. ed. of The Nights, i. 395, 7.-St.]
[FN#602] Arab. “Mutati bi zahri-h”: our ancestors’ expression was not polite, but expressive and picturesque.
[FN#603] The normal pun: “Fatihah,” fem. of “fatih” = an opener, a conqueror, is the first Koranic chapter, for which see iv. 36.
[FN#604] This appears to be a kind of padding introduced to fill up the Night. The loan of an ass is usually granted gratis in Fellah villages and Badawi camps. See Matth. xxi. 2, 3; Mark xi. 2-6, and Luke xix. 30-34.
[FN#605] i.e. O Moslem, opposed to Enemy of Allah = a non-Moslem. In text Ya ’Ibad, plur. for sing.
[FN#606] Arab. “Kashshara” = grinned a ghastly smile; it also means laughing so as to show the teeth.
[FN#607] This tale follows “The Kazi of Baghdd, his Treacheous Brother and his Virtuous Wife,” which is nothing but a replica o “The Jewish Kazi and his Pious Wife” (vol. v. 256). Scott has translated it, after his fashion, in vol. vi. p. 396-408, and follows it up with “The sultan’s Story of Himself,” which ends his volume as it shall be the conclusion of mine.
[FN#608] In text, “Wa yaakhazu ‘l thalatha arba’ min mali-hi wa salbi hali-hi.”
[FN#609] In text, “La-hu Diraah (for “Dirayah” = prudence) fi tadbiri ’l-Muluk.”
[FN#610] In text, “Al-Sirru ’l-ilahi,” i.e. the soul, which is “divinae particula aurae.”
[FN#611] In text, “Nuwajiru ’l-wukufat.” [I read “nuwajiru (for nuajiru”) ’l-wukufat,” taking the first word to be a verb corresponding to the preceding, “nabi’u,” and the second a clerical error for “al-Maukufat.” In this case the meaning would be: “and letting for hire such parts of my property as were inalienable.”—St.]
[FN#612] Here the text has the normal enallage of persons, the third for the first, “the youth” for “I.” I leave it unaltered by way of specimen.
[FN#613] In text “’Arus muhalliyah.”
[FN#614] He fainted thinking of the responsibilities of whoso should sit thereupon.
[FN#615] Here is a third enallage, the King returning to the first person, the oratio directa.
[FN#616] i.e. “by Allah;” for “Bi” (the particle proper of swearing) see viii. 310.
[FN#617] Here again is a fourth enallage; the scribe continuing the narrative.
[FN#618] i.e. well fed, sturdy and bonny.
[FN#619] “Sara la-hu Shanan.” [The work in the text, which is exceedingly badly written, looks to me as if it were meant for “Thaniyan” = and he (the youth) became second to him (the Sultan), i.e. his alter ego.—St.]
[FN#620] In text “Yatama’ash min-hu.” [A denominative of the 5th form from “Ma’ash,” livelihood. It usually has the meaning of “earning one’s living,” but occurs in Makkari’s Life of Ibn al-Khatib also in the sense of “feeding or glutting upon,” although applied there not to victuals but to books.—St.]
[FN#621] In text “Sara yurashi-h.” ["Yurashi” and “yurashu,” which had occured p. 304, are the 6th form of “rasha, yarshu” = he bestowed a gift (principally for the sake of bribery, hence “Rashwah” or “Rishwah” = a bribe), he treated kindly.—St.]
[FN#622] “Markab Mausukah,” from “Wask” = conceiving, being pregnant, etc.
[FN#623] “Mutawassi * * * al-Wisayat al-Tammah.” ["Mutawassi” has been met with before (see p. 303) and “Wisayah” is the corresponding noun = he charged himself with (took upon himself) her complete charge, i.e. maintnance.—St.]
[FN#624] [In Ar. “khalli-na nak’ud,” a thoroughly modern expression. It reads like a passage from Spitta Bey’s Contes Arabes Modernes, where such phrases as: “khalli-na niktib al-Kitab,” let us write the marriage contract, “ma-ttkhallihsh (for “ma takhalli-hu shay”) yishufak,” let him not see thee and the like are very frequent.—St.]
[FN#625] “Fi Kashshi ’l-Markab;” According to custome in the East all the ship’s crew had run on shore about their own business as soon as she cast anchor. This has happened to me on board an Egyptian man-of-war where, on arriving at Suez, I found myself the sum total of the crew.
[FN#626] In text, “Jilan ba’da Jil:” the latter word = revolutions, change of days, tribe, people.
[FN#627] The denoument is a replica of “The Tale of the King who lost kingdom and wife and wealth and Allah restored them to him” (Suppl. Nights, vol. i. 221). That a Sultan should send his Ministers to keep watch over a ship’s cargo sounds passably ridiculous to a European reader, but a coffee-house audience in the East would have found it perfectly natural. Also, that three men, the Sultan and his sons, should live together for years without knowing anything of one another’s lives seems to us an absurdity; in the case of an Oriental such detail would never strike him even as impossible or even improbable.
[FN#628] Between Nights lxviii. and xci. (p. 401) the Nights are not numbered.
[FN#629] Here the numeration begins again.
[FN#630] In Ouseley he becomes a “King of Greece.”
[FN#631] The Arab. is “Ja’idi”: Scott has “Artizans or Sharpers”: Ouseley, “labourers.”
[FN#632] Ouseley has “Story of the first foolish Man.”
[FN#633] In the Latin Catalogue he is called Agricola, and by Scott the Husbandman.
[FN#634] In Ouseley he now becomes a King of Greece.
[FN#635] In Ouseley, “Bint-Ameen.”
[FN#636] In Arab. “Rujub al-Mutarmakh,” in the Lat. list “insipicus.”
[FN#637] In Ouseley “The Tailor, a story told by the Cauzee.”
[FN#638] In Scott “The Deformed Jester,” reading “Al-Ahdab” for “Al-Maskharat al-Azib.”
[FN#639] In text “Al-Jalabi,” whence Ouseley and Scott’s “Mahummud Julbee.”
[FN#640] Further notes illustrative of this and the succeeding volumes will be found in the Bibliography in Volume xvi. I frequently refer to tales by their numbers in the Table (Nights, vol. x., pp. 455-472).
[FN#641] Veckenstedt, Mythen, Sagen und Legenden der Zamaiten, ii. pp. 160,162.
[FN#642] Compare, too, Mr. Clouston’s “Book of Noodles,” chap. v., “The Silly Son.”
[FN#643] Cf. “An Apology for the Character and Conduct of Shylock,” in a volume of Essays published by a Society of Gentlemen in Exeter (1796), pp. 552-573.
[FN#644] This incident shews that the story belongs to the Grateful Beasts’ class, though it is not said that Tiomberombi had conferred any benefit on the rats; it is only implied that he understood their language.
[FN#645] Veckenstedt, Mythen, Sagen und Legenden der Zamaiten, i. pp. 163-166.