ISAAC OF MOSUL.
Quoth Isaac of Mosul,[FN#175] "I went out one night from Al
Maamun's presence, on my way to my house; and, being taken with a
pressing need to make water, I turned aside into a by-street and
stood in the middle fearing lest something might hurt me, if I
squatted against a wall.[FN#176] Presently, I espied something
hanging down from one of the houses; so I felt it to find out
what it might be and found that it was a great four-handled
basket,[FN#177] covered with brocade. Said I to myself, 'There
must be some reason for this,' and knew not what to think; then
drunkenness led me to seat myself in the basket, and behold, the
people of the house pulled me up, thinking me to be the person
they expected. Now when I came to the top of the wall; lo! four
damsels were there, who said to me, 'Descend and welcome and joy
to thee!' Then one of them went before me with a wax candle and
brought me down into a mansion, wherein were furnished sitting-
chambers, whose like I had never seen save in the palace of the
Caliphate. So I sat down and, after a while, the curtains were
suddenly drawn from one side of the room and, behold, in came
damsels walking in procession and hending hand lighted flambeaux
of wax and censers full of Sumatran aloes-wood, and amongst them
a young lady as she were the rising full moon. So I stood up to
her and she said, 'Welcome to thee for a visitor!' and then she
made me sit down again and asked me how I came thither. Quoth I,
'I was returning home from the house of an intimate friend and
went astray in the dark; then, being taken in the street with an
urgent call to make water, I turned aside into this lane, where I
found a basket let down. The strong wine which I had drunk led me
to seat myself in it and it was drawn up with me into this house,
and this is my story.' She rejoined, 'No harm shall befall thee,
and I hope thou wilt have cause to praise the issue of thine
adventure.' Then she added, 'But what is thy condition?' I said,
'A merchant in the Baghdad bazar' and she, 'Canst thou repeat any
verses?' 'Some small matter,' quoth I. Quoth she 'Then call a few
to mind and let us hear some of them.' But I said, 'A visitor is
bashful and timid; do thou begin.' 'True,' replied she and
recited some verses of the poets, past and present, choosing
their choicest pieces; and I listened not knowing whether more to
marvel at her beauty and loveliness or at the charm of her style
of declamation. Then said she, 'Is that bashfulness of thine
gone?' and I said, 'Yes, by Allah!' so she rejoined, 'Then, if
thou wilt, recite us somewhat.' So I repeated to her a number of
poems by old writers, and she applauded, saying, 'By Allah, I did
not think to find such culture among the trade folk, the sons of
the bazar!' Then she called for food" Whereupon quoth Shahrazad's
sister Dunyazad, "How pleasant is this tale and enjoyable and
sweet to the ear and sound to the sense!" But she answered, "And
what is this story compared with that which thou shalt hear on
the morrow's night, if I be alive and the King deign spare me!"
Then Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Eightieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Isaac of
Mosul continued, "Then the damsel called for food and, when it
was served to her, she fell to eating it and setting it before
me; and the sitting room was full of all manner sweet-scented
flowers and rare fruits, such as are never found save in Kings'
houses. Presently, she called for wine and drank a cup, after
which she filled another and gave it to me, saying, 'Now is the
time for converse and story-telling.' So I bethought myself and
began to say, 'It hath reached me that such and such things
happened and there was a man who said so and so,' till I had told
her a number of pleasing tales and adventures with which she was
delighted and cried, ''Tis marvellous that a merchant should bear
in memory such store of stories like these, for they are fit for
Kings.' Quoth I, 'I had a neighbour who used to consort with
Kings and carouse with them; so, when he was at leisure, I
visited his house and he hath often told me what thou hast
heard.' Thereupon she exclaimed 'By my life, but thou hast a good
memory!' So we continued to converse thus, and as often as I was
silent, she would begin, till in this way we passed the most part
of the night, whilst the burning aloes-wood diffused its
fragrance and I was in such case that if Al-Maamun had suspected
it, he would have flown like a bird with longing for it. Then
said she to me, 'Verily, thou art one of the most pleasant of
men, polished, passing well-bred and polite; but there lacketh
one thing.' 'What is that?' asked I, and she answered, If thou
only knew how to sing verses to the lute!' I answered, 'I was
passionately fond of this art aforetime, but finding I had no
taste for it, I abandoned it, though at times my heart yearneth
after it. Indeed, I should love to sing somewhat well at this
moment and fulfil my night's enjoyment.' Then said she,
'Meseemeth thou hintest a wish for the lute to be brought?' and
I, 'It is thine to decide, if thou wilt so far favour me, and to
thee be the thanks.' So she called for a lute and sang a song in
a voice whose like I never heard, both for sweetness of tone and
skill in playing, and perfection of art. Then said she, Knowest
thou who composed this air and whose are the words of this
song?'"No," answered I; and she said, The words are so and so's
and the air is Isaac's.' I asked 'And hath Isaac then (may I be
thy sacrifice!) such a talent?' She replied, 'Bravo![FN#178]
Bravo, Isaac! indeed, he excelleth in this art.' I rejoined,
'Glory be to Allah who hath given this man what he hath
vouchsafed unto none other!' Then she said 'And how would it be,
an thou heard this song from himself?' This wise we went on till
break of day dawn, when there came to her an old woman, as she
were her nurse, and said to her, 'Verily, the time is come.' So
she rose in haste and said to me, 'Keep what hath passed between
us to thyself; for such meetings are in confidence;'"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the damsel
whispered, "'Keep what hath passed between us to thyself, for
such meetings are in confidence;' and I replied, 'May I be thy
ransom! I needed no charge to this.' Then I took leave of her and
she sent a handmaid to show me the way and open the house door;
so I went forth and returned to my own place, where I prayed the
morning prayer and slept. Now after a time there came to me a
messenger from Al-Maamun, so I went to him and passed the day in
his company. And when the night fell I called to mind my
yesternight's pleasure, a thing from which none but an ignoramus
would abstain, and betook myself to the street, where I found the
basket, and seating myself therein, was drawn up to the place in
which I had passed the previous night. When the lady saw me, she
said, 'Indeed, thou hast been assiduous;' and I answered,
'Meseemeth rather that I am neglectful.' Then we fell to
discoursing and passed the night as before in
general-conversation and reciting verses and telling rare tales,
each in turn, till daybreak, when I wended me home; and I prayed
the dawn prayer and slept. Presently there came to me a messenger
from Al-Maamun; so I went to him and spent my day with him till
nightfall, when the Commander of the Faithful said to me, 'I
conjure thee to sit here, whilst I go out for a want and come
back.' As soon as the Caliph was gone, and quite gone, my
thoughts began to tempt and try me and, calling to mind my late
delight, I recked little what might befal me from the Prince of
True Believers. So I sprang up and turning my back upon the
sitting-room, ran to the street aforesaid, where I sat down in
the basket and was drawn up as before. When the lady saw me, she
said, 'I begin to think thou art a sincere friend to us.' Quoth
I, 'Yea, by Allah!' and quoth she, 'Hast thou made our house
thine abiding-place?' I replied, 'May I be thy ransom! A guest
claimeth guest right for three days and if I return after this,
ye are free to spill my blood.' Then we passed the night as
before; and when the time of departure drew near, I bethought me
that Al Maamun would assuredly question me nor would ever be
content save with a full explanation: so I said to her, 'I see
thee to be of those who delight in singing. Now I have a cousin,
the son of my father's brother, who is fairer than I in face and
higher of rank and better of breeding; and he is the most
intimate of Allah's creatures with Isaac.' Quoth she, 'Art thou a
parasite[FN#179] and an importunate one?' Quoth I, 'It is for
thee to decide in this matter;' and she, 'If thy cousin be as
thou hast described him, it would not mislike us to make
acquaintance with him.' Then, as the time was come, I left her
and returned to my house, but hardly had I reached it, ere the
Caliph's runners came down on me and carried me before him by
main force and roughly enough."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Isaac of
Mosul continued, "And hardly had I reached my house ere the
Caliph's runners came down upon me and carried me before him by
main force and roughly enough. I found him seated on a chair,
wroth with me, and he said to me, 'O Isaac, art thou a traitor to
thine allegiance?' replied I, 'No, by Allah, O Commander of the
Faithful!' and he rejoined, 'What hast thou then to say? tell me
the whole truth;' and I, 'Yes, I will, but in private.' So he
signed to his attendants, who withdrew to a distance, and I told
him the case, adding, 'I promised her to bring thee,' and he
said, 'Thou didst well.' Then we spent the day in our
usual-pleasures, but Al-Maamun's heart was taken up with her, and
hardly was the appointed time come, when we set out. As we went
along, I cautioned him, saying, 'Look that thou call me not by my
name before her; and I will demean myself like thine attendant.'
And having agreed upon this, we fared forth till we came to the
place, where we found two baskets hanging ready. So we sat down
in them and were drawn up to the usual-place, where the damsel
came forward and saluted us. Now when Al Maamun saw her, he was
amazed at her beauty and loveliness; and she began to entertain
him with stories and verses. Presently, she called for wine and
we fell to drinking she paying him special attention and he
repaying her in kind. Then she took the lute and sang these
verses,
'My lover came in at the close of night, * I rose till he sat and
remained upright;
And said 'Sweet heart, hast thou come this hour? * Nor feared on
the watch and ward to 'light:'
Quoth he 'The lover had cause to fear, * But Love deprived him of
wits and fright.'
And when she ended her song she said to me, 'And is thy cousin
also a merchant?' I answered, 'Yes,' and she said, 'Indeed, ye
resemble each other nearly.' But when Al-Maamun had drunk three
pints,[FN#180] he grew merry with wine and called out, saying,
'Ho, Isaac!' And I replied, 'Labbayk, Adsum, O Commander of the
Faithful,' whereupon quoth he, 'Sing me this air.' Now when the
young lady learned that he was the Caliph, she withdrew to
another place and disappeared; and, as I had made an end of my
song, Al-Maamun said to me, 'See who is the master of this
house', whereupon an old woman hastened to make answer, saying,
'It belongs to Hasan bin Sahl.'[FN#181] 'Fetch him to me,' said
the Caliph. So she went away and after a while behold, in came
Hasan, to whom said Al-Maamun 'Hast thou a daughter?' He said,
'Yes, and her name is Khadijah.' Asked the Caliph, 'Is she
married?' Answered Hasan, 'No, by Allah!' Said Al-Maamun, Then I
ask her of thee in marriage.' Replied her father, 'O Commander of
the Faithful, she is thy handmaid and at thy commandment.' Quoth
Al-Maamun, 'I take her to wife at a present settlement of thirty
thousand dinars, which thou shalt receive this very morning, and,
when the money has been paid thee, do thou bring her to us this
night.' And Hasan answered, 'I hear and I obey.' Thereupon we
went forth and the Caliph said to me, 'O Isaac, tell this story
to no one.' So I kept it secret till Al-Maamun's death. Surely
never did man's life gather such pleasures as were mine these
four days' time, whenas I companied with Al-Maamun by day and
Khadijah by night; and, by Allah, never saw I among men the like
of Al-Maamun nor among women have I ever set eyes on the like of
Khadijah; no, nor on any that came near her in lively wit and
pleasant speech! And Allah is All knowing. But amongst stories is
that of
