1001 Nights Vol 04 by Burton, Richard - Chapter 21

ALI SHAR[FN#254] AND ZUMURRUD.



There lived once in the days of yore and the good old times long
gone before, in the land of Khorasan, a merchant called Majd
al-Dín, who had great wealth and many slaves and servants, white
and black, young and old; but he had not been blessed with a
child until he reached the age of threescore, when Almighty Allah
vouchsafed him a son, whom he named Alí Shár. The boy grew up
like the moon on the night of fulness; and when he came to man's
estate and was endowed with all kinds of perfections, his father
fell sick of a death-malady and, calling his son to him, said, "O
my son, the fated hour of my decease is at hand, and I desire to
give thee my last injunctions." He asked, "And what are they, O
my father?"; and he answered, "O my son, I charge thee, be not
over-familiar with any[FN#255] and eschew what leadeth to evil
and mischief. Beware lest thou sit in company with the wicked;
for he is like the blacksmith; if his fire burn thee not, his
smoke shall bother thee: and how excellent is the saying of the
poet,[FN#256]

'In thy whole world there is not one,
Whose friendship thou may'st count upon,
Nor plighted faith that will stand true,
When times go hard, and hopes are few.
Then live apart and dwell alone,
Nor make a prop of any one,
I've given a gift in that I've said,
Will stand thy friend in every stead:'

And what another saith,

'Men are a hidden malady; * Rely not on the sham in them:
For perfidy and treachery * Thou'lt find, if thou examine them.'

And yet a third saith,

'Converse with men hath scanty weal, except * To while away the
time in chat and prate:
Then shun their intimacy, save it be * To win thee lore, or
better thine estate.'

And a fourth saith,

'If a sharp-witted wight e'er tried mankind, * I've eaten that
which only tasted he:[FN#257]
Their amity proved naught but wile and guile, * Their faith I
found was but hypocrisy.'"

Quoth Ali, "O my father, I have heard thee and I will obey thee
what more shall I do?" Quoth he, "Do good whereas thou art able;
be ever kind and courteous to men and regard as riches every
occasion of doing a good turn; for a design is not always easily
carried out; and how well saith the poet,

"Tis not at every time and tide unstable, * We can do kindly acts
and charitable:
When thou art able hasten thee to act, * Lest thine endeavour
prove anon unable!'"

Said Ali, "I have heard thee and I will obey thee."--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the youth
replied, "I have heard thee and I will obey thee; what more?" And
his sire continued, "Be thou, O my son, mindful of Allah, so
shall He be mindful of thee. Ward thy wealth and waste it not;
for an thou do, thou wilt come to want the least of mankind. Know
that the measure of a man's worth is according to that which his
right hand hendeth: and how well saith the poet,[FN#258]

'When fails my wealth no friend will deign befriend, * And when
it waxeth all men friendship show:
How many a foe for wealth became my friend, * Wealth lost, how
many a friend became a foe!'"

Asked Ali, "What more?" And Majd al-Din answered, "O my son, take
counsel of those who are older than thou and hasten not to do thy
heart's desire. Have compassion on those who are below thee, so
shall those who are above thee have compassion on thee; and
oppress none, lest Allah empower one who shall oppress thee. How
well saith the poet,

'Add other wit to thy wit, counsel craving, * For man's true
course hides not from minds of two
Man is a mirror which but shows his face, * And by two mirrors he
his back shall view.'

And as saith another,[FN#259]

'Act on sure grounds, nor hurry fast,
To gain the purpose that thou hast
And be thou kindly to all men
So kindly thou'lt be called again;
For not a deed the hand can try,
Save 'neath the hand of God on high,
Nor tyrant harsh work tyranny,
Uncrushed by tyrant harsh as he.'

And as saith yet another,[FN#260]

'Tyrannize not, if thou hast the power to do so; for the
tyrannical-is in danger of revenges.
Thine eye will sleep while the oppressed, wakeful, will call down
curses on thee, and God's eye sleepeth not.'

Beware of wine-bibbing, for drink is the root of all evil: it
doeth away the reason and bringeth to contempt whoso useth it;
and how well saith the poet,

'By Allah, wine shall not disturb me, while my soul * Join body,
nor while speech the words of me explain:
No day will I be thralled to wine-skin cooled by breeze[FN#261] *
Nor choose a friend save those who are of cups unfair.'

This, then, is my charge to thee; bear it before thine eyes, and
Allah stand to thee in my stead." Then he swooned away and kept
silent awhile; and, when he came to himself, he besought pardon
of Allah and pronounced the profession of the Faith, and was
admitted to the mercy of the Almighty. So his son wept and
lamented for him and presently made proper preparation for his
burial; great and small walked in his funeral-procession and
Koran readers recited Holy Writ about his bier; nor did Ali Shar
omit aught of what was due to the dead. Then they prayed over him
and committed him to the dust and wrote these two couplets upon
his tomb,

'Thou west create of dust and cam'st to life, * And learned'st in
eloquence to place thy trust;
Anon, to dust returning, thou becamest * A corpse, as though
ne'er taken from the dust."

Now his son Ali Shar grieved for him with sore grief and mourned
him with the ceremonies usual among men of note; nor did he cease
to weep the loss of his father till his mother died also, not
long afterwards, when he did with her as he had done with his
sire. Then he sat in the shop, selling and buying and consorting
with none of Almighty Allah's creatures, in accordance with his
father's injunction. This wise he continued to do for a year, at
the end of which time there came in to him by craft certain
whoreson fellows and consorted with him, till he turned after
their example to lewdness and swerved from the way of
righteousness, drinking wine in flowing bowls and frequenting
fair women night and day; for he said to himself, "Of a truth my
father amassed this wealth for me, and if I spend it not, to whom
shall I leave it? By Allah, I will not do save as saith the poet,

'An through the whole of life * Thou gett'st and gain'st for
self;
Say, when shalt thou enjoy * Thy gains and gotten pelf?'"

And Ali Shar ceased not to waste his wealth all whiles of the day
and all watches of the night, till he had made away with the
whole of his riches and abode in pauper case and troubled at
heart. So he sold his shop and lands and so forth, and after this
he sold the clothes off his body, leaving himself but one suit;
and, as drunkenness quitted him and thoughtfulness came to him,
he fell into grief and sore care. One day, when he had sat from
day-break to mid-afternoon without breaking his fast, he said in
his mind, "I will go round to those on whom I spent my monies:
perchance one of them will feed me this day." So he went the
round of them all; but, as often as he knocked at any one's door
of them, the man denied himself and hid from him, till his
stomach ached with hunger. Then he betook himself to the bazar of
the merchants,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Tenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ali Shar
feeling his stomach ache with hunger, betook himself to the
merchants' bazar where he found a crowd of people assembled in
ring, and said to himself, "I wonder what causeth these folk to
crowd together thus? By Allah, I will not budge hence till I see
what is within yonder ring!" So he made his way into the ring and
found therein a damsel exposed for sale who was five feet
tall,[FN#262] beautifully proportioned, rosy of cheek and high of
breast; and who surpassed all the people of her time in beauty
and loveliness and elegance and grace; even as saith one,
describing her,

"As she willèd she was made, and in such a way that when * She
was cast in Nature's mould neither short nor long was she:
Beauty woke to fall in love with the beauties of her form, *
Where combine with all her coyness her pride and pudency:
The full moon is her face[FN#263]and the branchlet is her shape,
* And the musk-pod is her scent--what like her can there be?
'Tis as though she were moulded from water of the pearl, * And in
every lovely limblet another moon we see!"

And her name was Zumurrud--the Smaragdine. So when Ali Shar saw
her, he marvelled at her beauty and grace and said, "By Allah, I
will not stir hence till I see how much this girl fetcheth, and
know who buyeth her!" So he took standing-place amongst the
merchants, and they thought he had a mind to buy her, knowing the
wealth he had inherited from his parents. Then the broker stood
at the damsel's head and said, "Ho, merchants! Ho, ye men of
money! Who will open the gate of biddings for this damsel, the
mistress of moons, the union pearl, Zumurrud the curtain-maker,
the sought of the seeker and the delight of the desirous? Open
the biddings' door and on the opener be nor blame nor reproach
for evermore." Thereupon quoth one merchant, "Mine for five
hundred dinars;" "And ten," quoth another. "Six hundred," cried
an old man named Rashíd al-Din, blue of eye[FN#264] and foul of
face. "And ten," cried another. "I bid a thousand," rejoined
Rashid al-Din; whereupon the rival merchants were tongue-tied,
and held their peace and the broker took counsel with the girl's
owner, who said, "I have sworn not to sell her save to whom she
shall choose: so consult her." Thereupon the broker went up to
Zumurrud and said to her, "O mistress of moons this merchant hath
a mind to buy thee." She looked at Rashid al-Din and finding him
as we have said, replied, "I will not be sold to a gray-beard,
whom decrepitude hath brought to such evil plight. Allah inspired
his saying who saith,

'I craved of her a kiss one day; but soon as she beheld * My
hoary hairs, though I my luxuries and wealth display'd;
She proudly turned away from me, showed shoulders, cried aloud:--
* 'No! no! by Him, whose hest mankind from nothingness hath
made
For hoary head and grizzled chin I've no especial-love: * What!
stuff my mouth with cotton[FN#265] ere in sepulchre I'm
laid?'"

Now when the broker heard her words he said, "By Allah, thou art
excusable, and thy price is ten thousand gold pieces!" So he told
her owner that she would not accept of old man Rashid al-Din, and
he said, "Consult her concerning another." Thereupon a second man
came forward and said, "Be she mine for what price was offered by
the oldster she would have none of;" but she looked at him and
seeing that his beard was dyed, said "What be this fashion lewd
and base and the blackening of the hoary face?" And she made a
great show of wonderment and repeated these couplets,

"Showed me Sir Such-an-one a sight and what a frightful sight! *
A neck by Allah, only made for slipper-sole to smite[FN#266]
A beard the meetest racing ground where gnats and lice contend, *
A brow fit only for the ropes thy temples chafe and
bite.[FN#267]
O thou enravish" by my cheek and beauties of my form, * Why so
translate thyself to youth and think I deem it right?
Dyeing disgracefully that white of reverend aged hairs, * And
hiding for foul purposes their venerable white!
Thou goest with one beard and comest back with quite another, *
Like Punch-and-Judy man who works the Chinese shades by
night.[FN#268]

And how well saith another'

Quoth she, 'I see thee dye thy hoariness:'[FN#269] * 'To hide, O
ears and eyes! from thee,' quoth I:
She roared with laugh and said, 'Right funny this; * Thou art so
lying e'en

Now when the broker heard her verse he exclaimed, "By Allah thou
hast spoken sooth!" The merchant asked what she said: so the
broker repeated the verses to him; and he knew that she was in
the right while he was wrong and desisted from buying her. Then
another came forward and said, "Ask her if she will be mine at
the same price;" but, when he did so, she looked at him and
seeing that he had but one eye, said, "This man is one-eyed; and
it is of such as he that the poet saith,[FN#270]

'Consort not with the Cyclops e'en a day; * Beware his falsehood
and his mischief fly:
Had this monocular a jot of good, * Allah had ne'er brought
blindness to his eye!'"

Then said the broker, pointing to another bidder, "Wilt thou be
sold to this man?" She looked at him and seeing that he was short
of stature[FN#271] and had a beard that reached to his navel,
cried, "This is he of whom the poet speaketh,

'I have a friend who hath a beard * Allah to useless length
unroll'd:
'Tis like a certain[FN#272] winter night, * Longsome and
darksome, drear and cold.'"

Said the broker, "O my lady, look who pleaseth thee of these that
are present, and point him out, that I may sell thee to him." So
she looked round the ring of merchants, examining one by one
their physiognomies, till her glance fell on Ali Shar,--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Eleventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
girl's glance fell on Ali Shar, she cast at him a look with
longing eyes, which cost her a thousand sighs, and her heart was
taken with him; for that he was of favour passing fair and
pleasanter than zephyr or northern air; and she said, "O broker,
I will be sold to none but to this my lord, owner of the handsome
face and slender form whom the poet thus describeth,

'Displaying that fair face * The tempted they assailed
Who, had they wished me safe * That lovely face had veiled!'

For none shall own me but he, because his cheek is smooth and the
water of his mouth sweet as Salsabil;[FN#273] his spittle is a
cure for the sick and his charms daze and dazzle poet and proser,
even as saith one of him,

'His honey dew of lips is wine; his breath * Musk and those
teeth, smile shown, are camphor's hue:
Rizwán[FN#274] hath turned him out o' doors, for fear * The
Houris lapse from virtue at the view
Men blame his bearing for its pride, but when * In pride the full
moon sails, excuse is due.'

Lord of the curling locks and rose red cheeks and ravishing look
of whom saith the poet,

'The fawn-like one a meeting promised me * And eye expectant
waxed and heart unstirred:
His eyelids bade me hold his word as true; * But, in their
languish,[FN#275] can he keep his word?'

And as saith another,

'Quoth they, 'Black letters on his cheek are writ! * How canst
thou love him and a side-beard see?'
Quoth I, 'Cease blame and cut your chiding short; * If those be
letters 'tis a forgery:'
Gather his charms all growths of Eden garth * Whereto those
Kausar[FN#276]-lips bear testimony.'"

When the broker heard the verses she repeated on the charms of
Ali Shar, he marvelled at her eloquence, no less than at the
brightness of her beauty; but her owner said to him, "Marvel not
at her splendour which shameth the noonday sun, nor that her
memory is stored with the choicest verses of the poets; for
besides this, she can repeat the glorious Koran, according to the
seven readings,[FN#277] and the august Traditions, after
ascription and authentic transmission; and she writeth the seven
modes of handwriting[FN#278] and she knoweth more learning and
knowledge than the most learned. Moreover, her hands are better
than gold and silver; for she maketh silken curtains and selleth
them for fifty gold pieces each; and it taketh her but eight days
to make a curtain." Exclaimed the broker, "O happy the man who
hath her in his house and maketh her of his choicest treasures!";
and her owner said to him, "Sell her to whom she will." So the
broker went up to Ali Shar and, kissing his hands, said to him,
"O my lord, buy thou this damsel, for she hath made choice of
thee."[FN#279] Then he set forth to him all her charms and
accomplishments, and added, "I give thee joy if thou buy her, for
this be a gift from Him who is no niggard of His giving."
Whereupon Ali bowed his head groundwards awhile, laughing at
himself and secretly saying, "Up to this hour I have not broken
my fast; yet I am ashamed before the merchants to own that I have
no money wherewith to buy her." The damsel, seeing him hang down
his head, said to the broker, "Take my hand and lead me to him,
that I may show my beauty to him and tempt him to buy me; for I
will not be sold to any but to him." So the broker took her hand
and stationed her before Ali Shar, saying, "What is thy good
pleasure, O my lord?" But he made him no answer, and the girl
said to him, "O my lord and darling of my heart, what aileth thee
that thou wilt not bid for me? Buy me for what thou wilt and I
will bring thee good fortune." So he raised his eyes to her and
said, "Is buying perforce? Thou art dear at a thousand dinars."
Said she, "Then buy me, O my lord, for nine hundred." He cried,
"No," and she rejoined, "Then for eight hundred;" and though he
again said, "Nay," she ceased not to abate the price, till she
came to an hundred dinars. Quoth he, "I have not by me a full
hundred." So she laughed and asked, "How much dost thou lack of
an hundred?" He answered, "By Allah, I have neither an hundred
dinars, nor any other sum; for I own neither white coin nor red
cash, neither dinar nor dirham. So look out thou for another and
a better customer." And when she knew that he had nothing, she
said to him, "Take me by the hand and carry me aside into a by-
lane, as if thou wouldst examine me privily." He did so and she
drew from her bosom a purse containing a thousand dinars, which
she gave him, saying, "Pay down nine hundred to my price and let
the hundred remain with thee by way of provision." He did as she
bid him and, buying her for nine hundred dinars, paid down the
price from her own purse and carried her to his house. When she
entered it, she found a dreary desolate saloon without carpets or
vessels; so she gave him other thousand dinars, saying, "Go to
the bazar and buy three hundred dinars' worth of furniture and
vessels for the house and three dinars' worth of meat and
drink."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twelfth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King that quoth the
slave-girl, "Bring us meat and drink for three dinars,
furthermore a piece of silk, the size of a curtain, and bring
golden and silvern thread and sewing silk of seven colours." Thus
he did, and she furnished the house and they sat down to eat and
drink; after which they went to bed and took their pleasure one
of the other. And they lay the night embraced behind the curtain
and were even as saith the poet,[FN#280]

"Cleave fast to her thou lovestand let the envious rail amain,
For calumny and envy ne'er to favour love were fain.
Lo, whilst I slept, in dreams I saw thee lying by my side And,
from thy lips the sweetest, sure, of limpid springs did
drain.
Yea, true and certain all I saw is, as I will avouch, And 'spite
the envier, thereto I surely will attain.
There is no goodlier sight, indeed, for eyes to look upon, Than
when one couch in its embrace enfoldeth lovers twain.
Each to the other's bosom clasped, clad in their twinned delight,
Whilst hand with hand and arm with arm about their necks
enchain
Lo, when two hearts are straitly knit in passion and desire, But
on cold iron smite the folk who chide at them in vain.
Thou, that for loving censurest the votaries of love, Canst thou
assain a heart diseased or heal-a cankered brain?
If in thy time thou kind but one to love thee and be true, I rede
thee cast the world away and with that one remain."

So they lay together till the morning and love for the other
waxed firmly fixed in the heart of each. And on rising, Zumurrud
took the curtain and embroidered it with coloured silks and
purpled it with silver and gold thread and she added thereto a
border depicting round about it all manner of birds and beasts;
nor is there in the world a feral but she wrought his semblance.
This she worked in eight days, till she had made an end of it,
when she trimmed it and glazed and ironed it and gave it to her
lord, saying, "Carry it to the bazar and sell it to one of the
merchants at fifty dinars; but beware lest thou sell it to a
passer-by, as this would cause a separation between me and thee,
for we have foes who are not unthoughtful of us." "I hear and I
obey," answered he and, repairing to the bazar, sold the curtain
to a merchant, as she bade him; after which he bought a piece of
silk for another curtain and gold and silver and silken thread as
before and what they needed of food, and brought all this to her,
giving her the rest of the money. Now every eight days she made a
curtain, which he sold for fifty dinars, and on this wise passed
a whole year. At the end of that time, he went as usual to the
bazar with a curtain, which he gave to the broker; and there came
up to him a Nazarene who bid him sixty dinars for it; but he
refused, and the Christian continued bidding higher and higher,
till he came to an hundred dinars and bribed the broker with ten
ducats. So the man returned to Ali Shar and told him of the
proffered price and urged him to accept the offer and sell the
article at the Nazarene's valuation, saying, "O my lord, be not
afraid of this Christian for that he can do thee no hurt." The
merchants also were urgent with him; so he sold the curtain to
the Christian, albeit his heart misgave him; and, taking the
money, set off to return home. Presently, as he walked, he found
the Christian walking behind him; so he said to him, "O
Nazarene,[FN#281] why dost thou follow in my footsteps?" Answered
the other "O my lord, I want a something at the end of the
street, Allah never bring thee to want!"; but Ali Shar had barely
reached his place before the Christian overtook him; so he said
to him, "O accursed, what aileth thee to follow me wherever I
go?" Replied the other, "O my lord, give me a draught of water,
for I am athirst; and with Allah be thy reward!"[FN#282] Quoth
Ali Shar to himself, "Verily, this man is an Infidel who payeth
tribute and claimeth our protection[FN#283] and he asketh me for
a draught of water; by Allah, I will not baulk him!"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Thirteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth Ali
Shar to himself, "This man is a tributary Unbeliever and he asked
me for a draught of water; by Allah, I will not baulk him!" So he
entered the house and took a gugglet of water; but the slave-girl
Zumurrud saw him and said to him, "O my love, hast thou sold the
curtain?" He replied, "Yes;" and she asked, "To a merchant or to
a passer-by? for my heart presageth a parting." And he answered,
"To whom but to a merchant?" Thereupon she rejoined, "Tell me the
truth of the case, that I may order my affair; and why take the
gugglet of water?" And he, To give the broker to drink," upon
which she exclaimed, There is no Majesty and there is no Might
save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!"; and she repeated these
two couplets,[FN#284]

"O thou who seekest separation, act leisurely, and let not the
embrace of the beloved deceive thee!
Act leisurely; for the nature of fortune is treacherous, and the
end of every union is disjunction.

Then he took the gugglet and, going out, found the Christian
within the vestibule and said to him, "How comest thou here and
how darest thou, O dog, enter my house without my leave?"
Answered he, "O my lord, there is no difference between the door
and the vestibule, and I never intended to stir hence, save to go
out; and my thanks are due to thee for thy kindness and favour,
thy bounty and generosity." Then he took the mug and emptying it,
returned it to Ali Shar, who received it and waited for him to
rise up and to go; but he did not move. So Ali said to him, "Why
dost thou not rise and wend thy way?"; and he answered, "O my
lord, be not of those who do a kindness and then make it a
reproach, nor of those of whom saith the poet,[FN#285]

'They're gone who when thou stoodest at their door * Would for
thy wants so generously cater:
But stand at door of churls who followed them, * They'd make high
favour of a draught of water!'"

And he continued, "O my lord, I have drunk, and now I would have
thee give me to eat of whatever is in the house, though it be but
a bit of bread or a biscuit with an onion." Replied Ali Shar,
"Begone, without more chaffer and chatter; there is nothing in
the house." He persisted, "O my lord, if there be nothing in the
house, take these hundred dinars and bring us something from the
market, if but a single scone, that bread and salt may pass
between us."[FN#286] With this, quoth Ali Shar to himself, "This
Christian is surely mad; I will take his hundred dinars and bring
him somewhat worth a couple of dirhams and laugh at him." And the
Nazarene added, "O my lord, I want but a small matter to stay my
hunger, were it but a dry scone and an onion; for the best food
is that which doeth away appetite, not rich viands; and how well
saith the poet,

'Hunger is sated with a bone-dry scone, * How is it then[FN#287]
in woes of want I wone?
Death is all-justest, lacking aught regard * For Caliph-king and
beggar woe-begone.'"

Then quoth Ali Shar, "Wait here, while I lock the saloon and
fetch thee somewhat from the market;" and quoth the Christian,
"To hear is to obey." So Ali Shar shut up the saloon and, locking
the door with a padlock, put the key in his pocket: after which
he went to market and bought fried cheese and virgin honey and
bananas[FN#288] and bread, with which he returned to the house.
Now when the Christian saw the provision, he said, "O my lord,
this is overmuch; 'tis enough for half a score of men and I am
alone; but belike thou wilt eat with me." Replied Ali, "Eat by
thyself, I am full;" and the Christian rejoined, "O my lord, the
wise say, Whoso eateth not with his guest is a son of a whore."
Now when Ali Shar heard these words from the Nazarene, he sat
down and ate a little with him, after which he would have held
his hand;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Fourteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ali Shar
sat down and ate a little with him, after which he would have
held his hand; but the Nazarene privily took a banana and peeled
it; then, splitting it in twain, put into one half concentrated
Bhang, mixed with opium, a drachm whereof would over throw an
elephant; and he dipped it in the honey and gave it to Ali Shar,
saying, "O my lord, by the truth of thy religion, I adjure thee
to take this." So Ali Shar, being ashamed to make him forsworn,
took it and swallowed it; but hardly had it settled well in his
stomach, when his head forwent both his feet and he was as though
he had been a year asleep. As soon as the Nazarene saw this, rose
to his feet as he had been a scald wolf or a cat-o'-mount[FN#289]
at bay and, taking the saloon key, left Ali Shar prostrate and
ran off to rejoin his brother. And the cause of his so doing was
that the Nazarene's brother was the same decrepit old man who
purposed to buy Zumurrud for a thousand dinars, but she would
none of him and jeered him in verse. He was an Unbeliever
inwardly, though a Moslem outwardly, and had called himself
Rashid al-Din;[FN#290] and when Zumurrud mocked him and would not
accept of him, he complained to his brother the aforesaid
Christian who played this sleight to take her from her master Ali
Shar; whereupon his brother, Barsum by name said to him, "Fret
not thyself about the business, for I will make shift to seize
her for thee, without expending either diner or dirham. Now he
was a skilful wizard, crafty and wicked; so he watched his time
and ceased not his practices till he played Ali Shar the trick
before related; then, taking the key, he went to his brother and
acquainted him with what had passed. Thereupon Rashid al-Din
mounted his she mule and repaired with his brother and his
servants to the house of Ali Shar, taking with him a purse of a
thousand dinars, wherewith to bribe the Chief of Police, should
he meet him. He opened the saloon door and the men who were with
him rushed in upon Zumurrud and forcibly seized her, threatening
her with death, if she spoke, but they left the place as it was
and took nothing therefrom. Lastly they left Ali Shar lying in
the vestibule after they had shut the door on him and laid the
saloon key by his side. Then the Christian carried the girl to
his own house and setting her amongst his handmaids and
concubines, said to her, "O strumpet, I am the old man whom thou
didst reject and lampoon; but now I have thee, without paying
diner or dirham." Replied she (and her eyes streamed with tears),
"Allah requite thee, O wicked old man, for sundering me and my
lord!" He rejoined, "Wanton minx and whore that thou art, thou
shalt see how I will punish thee! By the truth of the Messiah and
the Virgin, except thou obey me and embrace my faith, I will
torture thee with all manner of torture!" She replied, "By Allah,
though thou cut my flesh to bits I will not forswear the faith of
Al-Islam! It may be Almighty Allah will bring me speedy relief,
for He cloth even as He is fief, and the wise say: 'Better body
to scathe than a flaw in faith.'" Thereupon the old man called
his eunuchs and women, saying, "Throw her down!" So they threw
her down and he ceased not to beat her with grievous beating,
whilst she cried for help and no help came; then she no longer
implored aid but fell to saying, "Allah is my sufficiency, and He
is indeed all-sufficient!" till her groans ceased and her breath
failed her and she fell into a fainting-fit. Now when his heart
was soothed by bashing her, he said to the eunuchs, "Drag her
forth by the feet and cast her down in the kitchen, and give her
nothing to eat." And after quietly sleeping that night, on the
morrow the accursed old man sent for her and beat her again,
after which he bade the Castrato return her to her place. When
the burning of the blows had cooled, she said, "There is no god
but the God and Mohammed is the Apostle of God! Allah is my
sufficiency and excellent is my Guardian!" And she called for
succour upon our Lord Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!)--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Fifteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zumurrud
called for succour upon our Lord Mohammed (whom Allah bless and
keep!). Such was her case; but as regards Ali Shar, he ceased not
sleeping till next day, when the Bhang quitted his brain and he
opened his eyes and cried out, "O Zumurrud"; but no one answered
him. So he entered the saloon and found the empty air and the
fane afar;[FN#291] whereby he knew that it was the Nazarene who
had played him this trick. And he groaned and wept and lamented
and again shed tears, repeating these couplets,

"O Love thou'rt instant in thy cruellest guise; * Here is my
heart 'twixt fears and miseries:
Pity, O lords, a thrall who, felled on way * Of Love, erst
wealthy now a beggar lies:
What profits archer's art if, when the foe * Draw near, his
bowstring snap ere arrow {lies:
And when griefs multiply on generous man * And urge, what fort
can fend from destinies?
How much and much I warded parting, but * 'When Destiny descends
she blinds our eyes?'"

And when he had ended his verse, he sobbed with loud sobs and
repeated also these couplets,

"Enrobes with honour sands of camp her foot step wandering lone,
* Pines the poor mourner as she wins the stead where wont to
wane
She turns to resting-place of tribe, and yearns thereon to view *
The spring-camp lying desolate with ruins overstrown
She stands and questions of the site, but with the tongue of case
* The mount replies, 'There is no path that leads to union,
none!
'Tis as the lightning flash erewhile bright glittered o'er the
camp * And died in darkling air no more to be for ever
shown.'"

And he repented when repentance availed him naught, and wept and
rent his raiment. Then he hent in hand two stones and went round
about the city, beating his breast with the stones and crying "O
Zumurrud!" whilst the small boys flocked round him, calling out,
"A madman! A madman!" and all who knew him wept for him, saying,
"This is such an one: what evil hath befallen him?" Thus he
continued doing all that day and, when night darkened on him, he
lay down in one of the city lanes and sleet till morning On the
morrow, he went round about town with the stones till eventide,
when he returned to his saloon to pass therein the night.
Presently, one of his neighbours saw him, and this worthy old
woman said to him, "O my son, Heaven give thee healing! How long
hast thou been mad?" And he answered her with these two
couplets,[FN#292]

"They said, Thou revest upon the person thou lovest. * And I
replied, The sweets of life are only for the mad.
Drop the subject of my madness, and bring her upon whom I rave *
If she cure my madness do not blame me."

So his old neighbour knew him for a lover who had lost his
beloved and said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might,
save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! O my son, I wish thou
wouldest acquaint me with the tale of thine affliction.
Peradventure Allah may enable me to help thee against it, if it
so please Him." So he told her all that had befallen him with
Barsum the Nazarene and his brother the wizard who had named
himself Rashid al-Din and, when she understood the whole case,
she said, "O my son, indeed thou hast excuse." And her eyes
railed tears and she repeated these two couplets,

"Enough for lovers in this world their ban and bane: * By Allah,
lover ne'er in fire of Sakar fries:
For, sure, they died of love-desire they never told * Chastely,
and to this truth tradition testifies."[FN#293]

And after she had finished her verse, she said, "O my son, rise
at once and buy me a crate, such as the jewel-pedlars carry; buy
also bangles and seal-rings and bracelets and ear-rings and other
gewgaws wherein women delight and grudge not the cash. Put all
the stock into the crate and bring it to me and I will set it on
my head and go round about, in the guise of a huckstress and make
search for her in all the houses, till I happen on news of her--
Inshallah!" So Ali Shar rejoiced in her words and kissed her
hands, then, going out, speedily brought her all she required;
whereupon she rose and donned a patched gown and threw over her
head a honey-yellow veil, and took staff in hand and, with the
basket on her head, began wandering about the passages and the
houses. She ceased not to go from house to house and street to
street and quarter to quarter, till Allah Almighty led her to the
house of the accursed Rashid al-Din the Nazarene where, hearing
groans within, she knocked at the door,--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Sixteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
old woman heard groans within the house, she knocked at the door,
whereupon a slave-girl came down and opening to her, saluted her.
Quoth the old woman, "I have these trifles for sale: is there any
one with you who will buy aught of them?" "Yes," answered the
damsel and, carrying her indoors, made her sit down; whereupon
all the slave-girls came round her and each bought something of
her. And as the old woman spoke them fair and was easy with them
as to price, all rejoiced in her, because of her kind ways and
pleasant speech. Meanwhile, she looked narrowly at the ins and
outs of the place to see who it was she had heard groaning, till
her glance fell on Zumurrud, when she knew her and she began to
show her customers yet more kindness. At last she made sure that
Zumurrud was laid prostrate; so she wept and said to the girls,
"O my children, how cometh yonder young lady in this plight?"
Then the slave-girls told her all what had passed, adding,
"Indeed this matter is not of our choice; but our master
commanded us to do thus, and he is now on a journey." She said,
"O my children, I have a favour to ask of you, and it is that you
loose this unhappy damsel of her bonds, till you know of your
lord's return, when do ye bind her again as she was; and you
shall earn a reward from the Lord of all creatures." "We hear and
obey," answered they and at once loosing Zumurrud, gave her to
eat and drink. Thereupon quoth the old woman, "Would my leg had
been broken, ere I entered your house!" And she went up to
Zumurrud and said to her, "O my daughter, Heaven keep thee safe;
soon shall Allah bring thee relief." Then she privily told her
that she came from her lord, Ali Shar, and agreed with her to be
on the watch for sounds that night, saying, "Thy lord will come
and stand by the pavilion-bench and whistle[FN#294] to thee; and
when thou hearest him, do thou whistle back to him and let
thyself down to him by a rope from the window, and he will take
thee and go away with thee." So Zumurrud thanked the old woman,
who went forth and returned to Ali Shar and told him what she had
done, saying, "Go this night, at midnight, to such a quarter, for
the accursed carle's house is there and its fashion is thus and
thus. Stand under the window of the upper chamber and whistle;
whereupon she will let herself down to thee; then do thou take
her and carry her whither thou wilt." He thanked her for her good
offices and with flowing tears repeated these couplets,

"Now with their says and saids[FN#295] no more vex me the chiding
race; * My heart is weary and I'm worn to bone by their
disgrace:
And tears a truthful legend[FN#296] with a long ascription-chain
* Of my desertion and distress the lineage can trace.
O thou heart-whole and free from dole and dolours I endure, * Cut
short thy long persistency nor question of my case:
A sweet-lipped one and soft of sides and cast in shapeliest mould
* Hath stormed my heart with honied lure and honied words of
grace.
No rest my heart hath known since thou art gone, nor ever close *
These eyes, nor patience aloe scape the hopes I dare to
trace:
Ye have abandoned me to be the pawn of vain desire, * In squalid
state 'twixt enviers and they who blame to face:
As for forgetting you or love 'tis thing I never knew; * Nor in
my thought shall ever pass a living thing but you."

And when he ended his verses, he sighed and shed tears and
repeated also these couplets,

"Divinely were inspired his words who brought me news of you; *
For brought he unto me a gift was music in mine ear:
Take he for gift, if him content, this worn-out threadbare robe,
* My heart, which was in pieces torn when parting from my
fete."

He waited till night darkened and, when came the appointed time,
he went to the quarter she had described to him and saw and
recognised the Christian's house; so he sat down on the bench
under the gallery. Presently drowsiness overcame him and he slept
(Glory be to Him who sleepeth not!?, for it was long since he had
tasted sleep, by reason of the violence of his passion, and he
became as one drunken with slumber. And while he was on this
wise,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Seventeenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that while he
lay asleep, behold, a certain thief, who had come out that night
and prowled about the skirts of the city to steal-somewhat,
happened by the decree of Destiny, on the Nazarene's house. He
went round about it, but found no way of climbing up into it, and
presently on his circuit he came to the bench, where he saw Ali
Shar asleep and stole his turband; and, as he was taking it
suddenly Zumurrud looked out and seeing the thief standing in the
darkness, took him for her lord; whereupon she let herself down
to him by the rope with a pair of saddle-bags full of gold. Now
when the robber saw that, he said to himself, "This is a wondrous
thing, and there must needs be some marvellous cause to it." Then
he snatched up the saddle-bags, and threw Zumurrud over his
shoulders and made off with both like the blinding lightening.
Quoth she, "Verily, the old woman told me that thou west weak
with illness on my account; and here thou art, stronger than a
horse." He made her no reply; so she put her hand to his face and
felt a beard like the broom of palm-frond used for the
Hammam,[FN#297] as if he were a hog which had swallowed feathers
and they had come out of his gullet; whereat she took fright and
said to him, "What art thou?" "O strumpet," answered he, "I am
the sharper Jawán[FN#298] the Kurd, of the band of Ahmad
al-Danaf; we are forty sharpers, who will all piss our tallow
into thy womb this night, from dusk to dawn." When she heard his
words, she wept and beat her face, knowing that Fate had gotten
the better of her and that she had no resource but resignation
and to put her trust in Allah Almighty. So she took patience and
submitted herself to the ordinance of the Lord, saying, "There is
no god but the God! As often as we escape from one woe, we fall
into a worse." Now the cause of Jawan's coming thither was this:
he had said to Calamity-Ahmad, "O Sharper-captain,[FN#299] I have
been in this city before and know a cavern without the walls
which will hold forty souls; so I will go before you thither and
set my mother therein. Then will I return to the city and
steal-somewhat for the luck of all of you and keep it till you
come; so shall you be my guests and I will show you hospitality
this day." Replied Ahmad al-Danaf, "Do what thou wilt." So Jawan
went forth to the place before them and set his mother in the
cave; but, as he came out he found a trooper lying asleep, with
his horse picketed beside him; so he cut his throat and, taking
his clothes and his charger and his arms, hid them with his
mother in the cave, where also he tethered the horse. Then he
betook himself to the city and prowled about, till he happened on
the Christian's house and did with Ali Shar's turband and
Zumurrud and her saddle-bags as we have said. He ceased not to
run, with Zumurrud on his back, till he came to the cavern, where
he gave her in charge of his mother, saying, "Keep thou watch
over her till I return to thee at first dawn of day," and went
his ways.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Eighteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth
Kurdish Jawan to his mother, "Keep thou watch over her till I
come back to thee at first dawn of day," and went his ways. Now
Zumurrud said to herself, "Why am I so heedless about saving my
life and wherefore await till these forty men come?: they will
take their turns to board me, till they make me like a water-
logged ship at sea." Then she turned to the old woman, Jawan's
mother, and said to her, "O my aunt, wilt thou not rise up and
come without the cave, that I may louse thee in the sun?"[FN#300]
Replied the old woman, "Ay, by Allah, O my daughter: this long
time have I been out of reach of the bath; for these hogs cease
not to carry me from place to place." So they went without the
cavern, and Zumurrud combed out her head hair and killed the lice
on her locks, till the tickling soothed her and she fell asleep;
whereupon Zumurrud arose and, donning the clothes of the murdered
trooper, girt her waist with his sword and covered her head with
his turband, so that she became as she were a man. Then, mounting
the horse after she had taken the saddle-bags full of gold, she
breathed a prayer, "O good Protector, protect me I adjure thee by
the glory of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and preserve!)," adding
these words in thought, "If I return to the city belike one of
the trooper's folk will see me, and no good will befal me." So
she turned her back on the town and rode forth into the wild and
the waste. And she ceased not faring forth with her saddle-bags
and the steed, eating of the growth of the earth and drinking of
its waters, she and her horse, for ten days and, on the eleventh,
she came in sight of a city pleasant and secure from dread, and
established in happy stead. Winter had gone from it with his cold
showers, and Prime had come to it with his roses and orange-
blossoms and varied flowers; and its blooms were brightly
blowing; its streams were merrily flowing and its birds warbled
coming and going. And she drew near the dwellings and would have
entered the gate when she saw the troops and Emirs and Grandees
of the place drawn up, whereat she marvelled seeing them in such
unusual-case and said to herself, "The people of the city are all
gathered at its gate: needs must there be a reason for this."
Then she made towards them; but, as she drew near, the soldiery
dashed forward to meet her and, dismounting all, kissed the
ground between her hands and said, "Aid thee Allah, O our lord
the Sultan!" Then the notables and dignitaries ranged themselves
before her in double line, whilst the troops ordered the people
in, saying, "Allah aid thee and make thy coming a blessing to the
Moslems, O Sultan of all creatures! Allah establish thee, O King
of the time and union-pearl of the day and the tide!" Asked
Zumurrud, "What aileth you, O people of this city?" And the Head
Chamberlain answered, "Verily, He hath given to thee who is no
niggard in His giving; and He hath been bountiful to thee and
hath made thee Sultan of this city and ruler over the necks of
all who are therein; for know thou it is the custom of the
citizens, when their King deceaseth leaving no son, that the
troops should sally forth to the suburbs and sojourn there three
days: and whoever cometh from the quarter whence thou hast come,
him they make King over them. So praised be Allah who hath sent
us of the sons of the Turks a well-favoured man; for had a lesser
than thou presented himself, he had been Sultan." Now Zumurrud
was clever and well-advised in all she did: so she said, "Think
not that I am of the common folk of the Turks! nay, I am of the
sons of the great, a man of condition; but I was wroth with my
family, so I went forth and left them. See these saddle-bags full
of gold which I have brought under me that, by the way, I might
give alms thereof to the poor and the needy." So they called down
blessings upon her and rejoiced in her with exceeding joy and she
also joyed in them and said in herself, "Now that I have attained
to this"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Nineteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth
Zumurrud to herself, "Now that I have attained to this case,
haply Allah will reunite me with my lord in this place, for He
can do whatso He willeth." Then the troops escorted her to the
city and, all dismounting, walked before her to the palace. Here
she alighted and the Emirs and Grandees, taking her under both
armpits,[FN#301] carried her into the palace and seated her on
the throne; after which they all kissed ground before her. And
when duly enthroned she bade them open the treasuries and gave
largesse to all the troops, who offered up prayers for the
continuance of her reign, and all the townsfolk accepted her rule
and all the lieges of the realm. Thus she abode awhile bidding
and forbidding, and all the people came to hold her in exceeding
reverence and heartily to love her, by reason of her continence
and generosity; for taxes she remitted and prisoners she released
and grievances she redressed; but, as often as she bethought her
of her lord, she wept and besought Allah to reunite her and him;
and one night, as she chanced to be thinking of him and calling
to mind the days she had passed with him, her eyes ran over with
tears and she versified in these two couplets,

"My yearning for thee though long is fresh, * And the tears which
chafe these eyelids increase
When I weep, I weep from the burn of love, * For to lover
severance is decease."[FN#302]

And when she had ended her verse, she wiped away her tears and
repairing to the palace, betook herself to the Harim, where she
appointed to the slave-girls and concubines separate lodgings and
assigned them pensions and allowances, giving out that she was
minded to live apart and devote herself to works of piety. So she
applied herself to fasting and praying, till the Emirs said,
"Verily this Sultan is eminently devout;" nor would she suffer
any male attendants about her, save two little eunuchs to serve
her. And on this wise she held the throne a whole year, during
which time she heard no news of her lord, and failed to hit upon
his traces, which was exceeding grievous to her; so, when her
distress became excessive, she summoned her Wazirs and
Chamberlains and bid them fetch architects and builders and make
her in front of the palace a horse-course, one parasang long and
the like broad. They hastened to do her bidding, and lay out the
place to her liking; and, when it was completed, she went down
into it and they pitched her there a great pavilion, wherein the
chairs of the Emirs were ranged in due order. Moreover, she bade
them spread on the racing-plain tables with all manners of rich
meats and when this was done she ordered the Grandees to eat. So
they ate and she said to them, "It is my will that, on seeing the
new moon of each month, ye do on this wise and proclaim in the
city that no man shall open his shop, but that all our lieges
shall come and eat of the King's banquet, and that whoso
disobeyeth shall be hanged over his own door."[FN#303] So they
did as she bade them, and ceased not so to do till the first new
moon of the second year appeared; when Zumurrud went down into
the horse-course and the crier proclaimed aloud, saying, "Ho, ye
lieges and people one and all, whoso openeth store or shop or
house shall straight way be hanged over his own door; for it
behoveth you to come in a body and eat of the King's banquet."
And when the proclamation became known, they laid the tables and
the subjects came in hosts; so she bade them sit down at the
trays and eat their fill of all the dishes. Accordingly they sat
down and she took place on her chair of state, watching them,
whilst each who was at meat said to himself, "Verily the King
looketh at none save me." Then they fell to eating and the Emirs
said to them, "Eat and be not ashamed; for this pleaseth the
King." So they ate their fill and went away, blessing the
Sovereign and saying, one to the other, "Never in our days saw we
a Sultan who loved the poor as doth this Sultan." And they wished
him length of life. Upon this Zumurrud returned to her palace,--
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twentieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Queen
Zumurrud returned to her palace, rejoicing in her device and
saying to herself, "Inshallah, I shall surely by this means
happen on news of my lord Ali Shar." When the first day of the
second month came round, she did as before and when they had
spread the tables she came down from her palace and took place on
her throne and commanded the lieges to sit down and fall to. Now
as she sat on her throne, at the head of the tables, watching the
people take their places company by company and one by one,
behold her eye fell on Barsum, the Nazarene who had bought the
curtain of her lord; and she knew him and said in her mind, "This
is the first of my joy and the winning of my wish." Then Barsum
came up to the table and, sitting down with the rest to eat,
espied a dish of sweet rice, sprinkled with sugar; but it was far
from him, so he pushed up to it through the crowd and, putting
out his hand to it, seized it and set it before himself. His next
neighbour said to him, "Why dost thou not eat of what is before
thee? Is not this a disgrace to thee? How canst thou reach over
for a dish which is distant from thee? Art thou not ashamed?"
Quoth Barsum, "I will eat of none save this same." Rejoined the
other, "Eat then, and Allah give thee no good of it!" But another
man, a Hashish-eater, said, "Let him eat of it, that I may eat
with him." Replied his neighbour, "O unluckiest of Hashish-
eaters, this is no meat for thee; it is eating for Emirs. Let it
be, that it may return to those for whom it is meant and they eat
it." But Barsum heeded him not and took a mouthful of the rice
and put it in his mouth; and was about to take a second mouthful
when the Queen, who was watching him, cried out to certain of her
guards, saying, "Bring me yonder man with the dish of Sweet rice
before him and let him not eat the mouthful he hath read but
throw it from his hand."[FN#304] So four of the guards went up to
Barsum and haled him along on his face, after throwing the
mouthful of rice from his hand, and set him standing before
Zumurrud, whilst all the people left eating and said to one
another, By Allah, he did wrong in not eating of the food meant
for the likes of him." Quoth one, "For me I was content with this
porridge[FN#305] which is before me." And the Hashish-eater said,
"Praised be Allah who hindered me from eating of the dish of
sugared rice for I expected it to stand before him and was
waiting only for him to have his enjoyment of it, to eat with
him, when there befel him what we see." And the general said, one
to other, "Wait till we see what shall befal him." Now as they
brought him before Queen Zumurrud she cried, "Woe to thee, O blue
eyes! What is thy name and why comest thou to our country?" But
the accursed called himself out of his name having a white
turband[FN#306] on, and answered, "O King, my name is Ali; I work
as a weaver and I came hither to trade." Quoth Zumurrud, "Bring
me a table of sand and a pen of brass," and when they brought her
what she sought, she took the sand and the pen, and struck a
geomantic figure in the likeness of a baboon; then, raising her
head, she looked hard at Barsum for an hour or so and said to
him, "O dog, how darest thou lie to Kings? Art thou not a
Nazarene, Barsum by name, and comest thou not hither in quest of
somewhat? Speak the truth, or by the glory of the Godhead, I will
strike off thy head!" At this Barsum was confounded and the Emirs
and bystanders said, "Verily, this King understandeth geomancy:
blessed be He who hath gifted him!" Then she cried out upon the
Christian and said, 'Tell me the truth, or I will make an end of
thee!" Barsum replied, "Pardon, O King of the age; thou art right
as regards the table, for the far one[FN#307] is indeed a
Nazarene,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Barsum
replied, "Pardon, O King of the age; thou art right as regards
the table, for thy slave is indeed a Nazarene." Whereupon all
present, gentle and simple, wondered at the King's skill in
hitting upon the truth by geomancy, and said, "Verily this King
is a diviner, whose like there is not in the world." Thereupon
Queen Zumurrud bade flay the Nazarene and stuff his skin with
straw and hang it over the gate of the race-course. Moreover, she
commended to dig a pit without the city and burn therein his
flesh and bones and throw over his ashes offal and ordure. "We
hear and obey," answered they, and did with him all she bade;
and, when the folk saw what had befallen the Christian, they
said, "Serve him right; but what an unlucky mouthful was that for
him!" And another said, "Be the far one's wife divorced if this
vow be broken: never again to the end of my days will I eat of
sugared rice!"; and the Hashish-eater cried "Praised be Allah,
who spared me this fellow's fate by saving me from eating of that
same rice!" Then they all went out, holding it thenceforth
unlawful to sit over against the dish of sweet rice as the
Nazarene had sat. Now when the first day of the third month came,
they laid the tables according to custom, and covered them with
dishes and chargers, and Queen Zumurrud came down and sat on her
throne, with her guards in attendance, as of wont, in awe of her
dignity and majesty. Then the townsfolk entered as before and
went round about the tables, looking for the place of the dish of
sweet rice, and quoth one to another, "Hark ye, O Hájí[FN#308]
Khalaf!"; and the other answered, "At thy service, O Hájí
Khálid." Said Khálid, "Avoid the dish of sweet rice and look thou
eat not thereof; for, if thou do, by early morning thou will be
hanged."[FN#309] Then they sat down to meat around the table;
and, as they were eating, Queen Zumurrud chanced to look from her
throne and saw a man come running in through the gate of the
horse-course; and having considered him attentively, she knew him
for Jawan the Kurdish thief who murdered the trooper. Now the
cause of his coming was this: when he left his mother, he went to
his comrades and said to them, "I did good business yesterday;
for I slew a trooper and took his horse. Moreover there fell to
me last night a pair of saddle-bags, full of gold, and a young
lady worth more than the money in pouch; and I have left all that
with my mother in the cave." At this they rejoiced and repaired
to the cavern at night-fall, whilst Jawan the Kurd walked in
front and the rest behind; he wishing to bring them the booty of
which he had boasted. But he found the place clean empty and
questioned his mother, who told him all that had befallen her;
whereupon he bit his hands for regret and exclaimed, "By Allah, I
will assuredly make search for the harlot and take her, wherever
she is, though it be in the shell of a pistachio-nut,[FN#310] and
quench my malice on her!" So he went forth in quest of her and
ceased not journeying from place to place, till he came to Queen
Zumurrud's city. On entering he found the town deserted and,
enquiring of some women whom he saw looking from the windows,
they told him that it was the Sultan's custom to make a banquet
for the people on the first of each month and that all the lieges
were bound to go and eat of it. Furthermore the women directed
him to the racing-ground, where the feast was spread. So he
entered at a shuffling trot; and, finding no place empty, save
that before the dish of sweet rice already noticed, took his seat
right opposite it and stretched out his hand towards the dish;
whereupon the folk cried out to him, saying, "O our brother, what
wouldst thou do?" Quoth he, "I would eat my fill of this dish."
Rejoined one of the people, "If thou eat of it thou wilt
assuredly find thyself hanged to-morrow morning." But Jawan said,
"Hold thy tongue and talk not so unpleasantly." Then he stretched
out his hand to the dish and drew it to him; but it so chanced
that the Hashish-eater of whom we have spoken, was sitting by
him; and when he saw him take the dish, the fumes of the Hashish
left his head and he fled from his place and sat down afar off,
saying, "I will have nothing to do with yonder dish." Then Jawan
the Kurd put out his hand (which was very like a raven's
claws,[FN#311] scooped up therewith half the dishful and drew out
his neave as it were a camel's hoof,--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Jawan the
Kurd drew his neave from the dish as it were a camel's hoof and
rolled the lump of rice in the palm of his hand, till it was like
a big orange, and threw it ravenously into his mouth; and it
rolled down his gullet, with a rumble like thunder and the bottom
of the deep dish appeared where said mouthful had been. Thereupon
quoth to him one sitting by his side, "Praised be Allah for not
making me meat between thy hands; for thou hast cleared the dish
at a single mouthful;" and quoth the Hashish-eater, "Let him eat;
methinks he hath a hanging face." Then, turning to Jawan he
added, "Eat and Allah give thee small good of it." So Jawan put
out his hand again and taking another mouthful, was rolling it in
his palm like the first, when behold, the Queen cried out to the
guards saying, "Bring me yonder man in haste and let him not eat
the mouthful in his hand." So they ran and seizing him as he hung
over the dish, brought him to her, and set him in her presence,
whilst the people exulted over his mishap and said one to the
other, "Serve him right, for we warned him, but he would not take
warning. Verily, this place is bound to be the death of whoso
sitteth therein, and yonder rice bringeth doom to all who eat of
it." Then said Queen Zumurrud to Jawan, "What is thy name and
trade and wherefore comest thou to our city?" Answered he, "O our
lord the Sultan, my name is Othman; I work as a gardener and am
come hither in quest of somewhat I have lost." Quoth Zumurrud,
"Here with a table of sand!" So they brought it, and she took the
pen and drawing a geomantic scheme, considered it awhile, then
raising her head, exclaimed, "Woe to thee, thou loser! How darest
thou lie to Kings? This sand telleth me that of a truth thy name
is Jawan the Kurd and that thou art by trade a robber, taking
men's goods in the way of unright and slaying those whom Allah
hath forbidden to slay save for just cause." And she cried out
upon him, saying, "O hog, tell me the truth of thy case or I will
cut off thy head on the spot." Now when he heard these words, he
turned yellow and his teeth chattered; then, deeming that he
might save himself by truth-telling, he replied, "O King, thou
sayest sooth; but I repent at thy hands henceforth and turn to
Allah Almighty!" She answered, "It were not lawful for me to
leave a pest in the way of Moslems;" and cried to her guards,
"Take him and skin him and do with him as last month ye did by
his like." They obeyed her commandment; and, when the Hashish-
eater saw the soldiers seize the man, he turned his back upon the
dish of rice, saying, "'Tis a sin to present my face to thee!"
And after they had made an end of eating, they dispersed to their
several homes and Zumurrud returned to her palace and dismissed
her attendants. Now when the fourth month came round, they went
to the race-course and made the banquet, according to custom, and
the folk sat awaiting leave to begin. Presently Queen Zumurrud
entered and, sitting down on her throne, looked at the tables and
saw that room for four people was left void before the dish of
rice, at which she wondered. Now as she was looking around,
behold, she saw a man come trotting in at the gate of the horse-
course; and he stayed not till he stood over the food-trays; and,
finding no room save before the dish of rice, took his seat
there. She looked at him and knowing him for the accursed
Christian who called himself Rashid al-Din, said in her mind,
"How blessed is this device of the food,[FN#312] into whose toils
this infidel hath fallen" Now the cause of his coming was
extraordinary, and it was on this wise. When he returned from his
travels,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
accursed, who had called himself Rashid al-Din, returned from
travel, his household informed him that Zumurrud was missing and
with her a pair of saddle-bags full of money; on hearing which
ill tidings he rent his raiment and buffeted his face and plucked
out his beard. Then he despatched his brother Barsum in quest of
her to lands adjoining and, when he was weary of awaiting news of
him, he went forth himself, to seek for him and for the girl,
whenas fate led him to the city of Zumurrud. He entered it on the
first day of the month and finding the streets deserted and the
shops shut and women idling at the windows, he asked them the
reason why, and they told him that the King made a banquet on the
first of each month for the people, all of whom were bound to
attend it, nor might any abide in his house or shop that day; and
they directed him to the racing-plain. So he betook himself
thither and found the people crowding about the food, and there
was never a place for him save in front of the rice-dish now
well-known. Here then he sat and put forth his hand to eat
thereof, whereupon Zumurrud cried out to her guards, saying,
"Bring me him who sitteth over against the dish of rice." So they
knew him by what had before happened and laid hands on him and
brought him before Queen Zumurrud, who said to him, "Out on thee!
What is thy name and trade, and what bringeth thee to our city?"
Answered he, "O King of the age, my name is Rustam[FN#313] and I
have no occupation, for I am a poor dervish." Then said she to
her attendants, "Bring me table of sand and pen of brass." So
they brought her what she sought, as of wont; and she took the
pen and made the dots which formed the figure and considered it
awhile, then raising her head to Rashid al-Din, she said, "O dog,
how darest thou lie to Kings? Thy name is Rashid al-Din the
Nazarene, thou art outwardly a Moslem, but a Christian at heart,
and thine occupation is to lay snares for the slave-girls of the
Moslems and make them captives. Speak the truth, or I will smite
off thy head." He hesitated and stammered, then replied, "Thou
sayest sooth, O King of the age!" Whereupon she commanded to
throw him down and give him an hundred blows with a stick on each
sole and a thousand stripes with a whip on his body; after which
she bade flay him and stuff his skin with herds of flax and dig a
pit without the city, wherein they should burn his corpse and
cast on his ashes offal-and ordure. They did as she bade them and
she gave the people leave to eat. So they ate and when they had
eaten their fill they went their ways, while Queen Zumurrud
returned to her palace, saying, "I thank Allah for solacing my
heart of those who wronged me." Then she praised the Creator of
the earth and the heavens and repeated these couplets,

"They ruled awhile and theirs was harsh tyrannic rule, * But soon
that rule went by as though it never were:
If just they had won justice; but they sinned, and so * The world
collected all its bane for them to bear:
So died they and their case's tongue declares aloud * This is for
that so of the world your blaming spare."

And when her verse was ended she called to mind her lord Ali Shar
and wept flowing tears; but presently recovered herself and said,
"Haply Allah, who hath given mine enemies into my hand, will
vouchsafe me the speedy return of my beloved;" and she begged
forgiveness of Allah (be He extolled and exalted')--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
begged forgiveness of Allah (be He extolled and exalted!), and
said, "Haply He will vouchsafe me speedy reunion with my beloved
Ali Shar for He can do what He willeth and to His servants
showeth grace, ever mindful of their case!" Then she praised
Allah and again besought forgiveness of Him, submitting herself
to the decrees of destiny, assured that each beginning hath his
end, and repeating the saying of the poet,

"Take all things easy; for all worldly things * In Allah's hand
are ruled by Destiny:
Ne'er shall befal thee aught of things forbidden, * Nor what is
bidden e'er shall fail to thee!"

And what another saith.

"Roll up thy days[FN#314] and easy shall they roll * Through
life, nor haunt the house of grief and dole:
Full many a thing, which is o'er hard to find,* Next hour shall
bring thee to delight thy soul."

And what a third saith,[FN#315]

"Be mild what time thou'rt ta'en with anger and despite * And
patient, if there fall misfortune on thy head.
Indeed, the nights are quick and great with child by Time * And
of all wondrous things are hourly brought to bed."

And what a fourth saith,

"Take patience which breeds good if patience thou can learn; * Be
calm soured, scaping anguish-draughts that gripe and bren:
Know, that if patience with good grace thou dare refuse, * With
ill-graced patience thou shalt bear what wrote the Pen."

After which she abode thus another whole month's space, judging
the folk and bidding and forbidding by day, and by night weeping
and bewailing her separation from her lord Ali Shar. On the first
day of the fifth month, she bade them spread the banquet on the
race-plain, according to custom, and sat down at the head of the
tables, whilst the lieges awaited the signal to fall to, leaving
the place before the dish of rice vacant. She sat with eyes fixed
upon the gate of the horse-course, noting all who entered and
saying in her soul, "O Thou who restoredest Joseph to Jacob and
diddest away the sorrows of Job,[FN#316] vouchsafe of Thy might
and Thy majesty to restore me my lord Ali Shar; for Thou over all
things art Omnipotent, O Lord of the Worlds! O Guide of those who
go astray! O Hearer of those that cry! O Answerer of those who
pray, answer Thou my prayer, O Lord of all creatures." Now hardly
had she made an end of her prayer and supplication when behold,
she saw entering the gate of the horse-plain a young man, in
shape like a willow branch, the comeliest of youths and the most
accomplished, save that his face was wan and his form wasted by
weariness. Now as he entered and came up to the tables, he found
no seat vacant save that over against the dish of sweet rice so
he sat down there; and, when Zumurrud looked upon him, her heart
fluttered and, observing him narrowly, she knew him for her lord
Ali Shar, and was like to have cried out for joy, but restrained
herself, fearing disgrace before the folk and, albeit her bowels
yearned over him and her heart beat wildly, she hid what she
felt. Now the cause of his coming thither was on this wise. After
he fell asleep upon the bench and Zumurrud let herself down to
him and Jawan the Kurd seized her, he presently awoke and found
himself lying with his head bare, so he knew that some one had
come upon him and had robbed him of his turband whilst he slept.
So he spoke the saying which shall never shame its sayer and,
which is, "Verily, we are Allah's and to Him are we returning!"
and, going back to the old woman's house, knocked at the door.
She came out and he wept before her, till he fell down in a
fainting fit. Now when he came to himself, he told her all that
had passed, and she blamed him and chid him for his foolish
doings saying, "Verily thine affliction and calamity come from
thyself." And she gave not over reproaching him, till the blood
streamed from his nostrils and he again fainted away. When he
recovered from his swoon,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ali
Shar recovered from his swoon he saw the old woman bewailing his
griefs and weeping over him; so he complained of his hard lot and
repeated these two couplets,

"How bitter to friends is a parting, * And a meeting how sweet to
the lover!
Allah join all the lovers He parteth, * And save me who of love
ne'er recover."[FN#317]

The old woman mourned over him and said to him, "Sit here, whilst
I go in quest of news for thee and return to thee in haste." "To
hear is to obey," answered he. So she left him on her good errand
and was absent till midday, when she returned and said to him, "O
Ali, I fear me thou must die in thy grief; thou wilt never see
thy beloved again save on the bridge Al-Sirát;[FN#318] for the
people of the Christian's house, when they arose in the morning,
found the window giving on the garden torn from its hinges and
Zumurrud missing, and with her a pair of saddle-bags full of the
Christian's money. And when I came thither, I saw the Chief of
Police standing at the door, he and his many, and there is no
Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the
Great!" Now, as Ali Shar heard these words, the light in his
sight was changed to the darkness of night and he despaired of
life and made sure of death; nor did he leave weeping, till he
lost his senses. When he revived, love and longing were sore upon
him; there befel him a grievous sickness and he kept his house a
whole year; during which the old woman ceased not to bring him
doctors and ply him with ptisanes and diet-drinks and make him
savoury broths till, after the twelve-month ended, his life
returned to him. Then he recalled what had passed and repeated
these couplets,

"Severance-grief nighmost, Union done to death, * Down-railing
tear-drops, heart fire tortureth!
Redoubleth pine in one that hath no peace * For love and wake and
woe he suffereth:
O Lord, if there be thing to joy my soul * Deign Thou bestow it
while I breathe my breath."

When the second year began, the old woman said to him, "O my son,
all this thy weeping and wailing will not bring thee back thy
mistress. Rise, therefore, gird the loins of resolution and seek
for her in the lands: peradventure thou shalt light on some news
of her." And she ceased not to exhort and hearten him, till he
took courage and she carried him to the Hammam. Then she made him
drink strong wine and eat white meats, and thus she did with him
for a whole month, till he regained strength; and setting out
journeyed without ceasing till he arrived at Zumurrud's city
where he went to the horse-course, and sat down before the dish
of sweet rice and put out his hand to eat of it. Now when the
folk saw this, they were concerned for him and said to him, "O
young man, eat not of that dish, for whoso eateth thereof,
misfortune befalleth him." Answered he, "Leave me to eat of it,
and let them do with me what they will, so haply shall I be at
rest from this wearying life." Accordingly he ate a first
mouthful, and Zumurrud was minded to have him brought before her,
but then she bethought her that belike he was an hungered and
said to herself, "It were properer to let him eat his fill." So
he went on eating, whilst the folk looked at him in astonishment,
waiting to see what would betide him; and, when he had satisfied
himself, Zumurrud said to certain of her eunuchry, "Go to yonder
youth who eateth of the rice and bring him to me in courteous
guise, saying: 'Answer the summons of the King who would have a
word with thee on some slight matter.'" They replied, "We hear
and obey," and going straightways up to Ali Shar, said to him, "O
my lord, be pleased to answer the summons of the King and let thy
heart be at ease." Quoth he, "Hearkening and obedience;" and
followed the eunuchs,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ali Shar
rejoined, "Hearkening and obedience;" and followed the eunuchs,
whilst the people said to one another, "There is no Majesty and
there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I
wonder what the King will do with him!" And others said, "He will
do him naught but good: for had he intended to harm him, he had
not suffered him to eat his fill." Now when the Castratos set him
in presence of Zumurrud he saluted and kissed the earth before
her, whilst she returned his salutation and received him with
honour. Then she asked him, "What may be thy name and trade, and
what brought thee to our city?"; and he answered, "O King my name
is Ali Shar; I am of the sons of the merchants of Khorasan; and
the cause of my coming hither is to seek for a slave-girl whom I
have lost for she was dearer to me than my hearing and my seeing,
and indeed my soul cleaveth to her, since I lost her; and such is
my tale." So saying he wept, till he swooned away; whereupon she
bade them sprinkle rose-water on his face, which they did till he
revived, when she said, "Here with the table of sand and the
brass pen." So they brought them and she took the pen and struck
a geomantic scheme which she considered awhile; and then cried,
"Thou hast spoken sooth, Allah will grant thee speedy reunion
with her; so be not troubled." Upon this she commanded her head-
chamberlain to carry him to the bath and afterwards to clothe him
in a handsome suit of royal-apparel, and mount him on one of the
best of the King's horses and finally bring him to the palace at
the last of the day. So the Chamberlain, after saying "I hear and
I obey," took him away, whilst the folk began to say to one
another, "What maketh the King deal thus courteously with yonder
youth?" And quoth one, "Did I not tell you that he would do him
no hurt?; for he is fair of aspect; and this I knew, ever since
the King suffered him to eat his fill." And each said his say;
after which they all dispersed and went their ways. As for
Zumurrud, she thought the night would never come, that she might
be alone with the beloved of her heart. As soon as it was dark,
she withdrew to her sleeping-chamber and made her attendants
think her overcome with sleep; and it was her wont to suffer none
to pass the night with her save those two little eunuchs who
waited upon her. After a while when she had composed herself, she
sent for her dear Ali Shar and sat down upon the bed, with
candles burning over her head and feet, and hanging lamps of gold
lighting up the place like the rising sun. When the people heard
of her sending for Ali Shar, they marvelled thereat and each man
thought his thought and said his say; but one of them declared,
"At all events the King is in love with this young man, and to-
morrow he will make him generalissimo of the army."[FN#319] Now
when they brought him into her, he kissed the ground between her
hands and called down blessings her, and she said in her mind,
"There is no help for it but that I jest with him awhile, before
I make myself known to him.''[FN#320] Then she asked him, "O Ali,
say me, hast thou been to the Hammam?"[FN#321] and he answered,
"Yes, O my lord." Quoth she, "Come, eat of this chicken and meat,
and drink of this wine and sherbet of sugar; for thou art weary;
and after that come thou hither." "I hear and I obey," replied he
and did as she commanded him do. Now when he had made an end of
eating and drinking, she said to him, "Come up with me on the
couch and shampoo[FN#322] my feet." So he fell to rubbing feet
and kneading calves, and found them softer than silk. Then said
she, "Go higher with the massage;" and he, "Pardon me, O my lord,
to the knee but no farther!" Whereupon quoth she, "Durst thou
disobey me?: it shall be an ill-omened night for thee!"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zumurrud
cried to her lord, Ali Shar, "Durst thou disobey me?: it shall be
an ill-omened night for thee! Nay, but it behoveth thee to do my
bidding and I will make thee my minion and appoint thee one of my
Emirs." Asked Ali Shar, "And in what must I do thy bidding, O
King of the age?" and she answered, "Doff thy trousers and lie
down on thy face." Quoth he, "That is a thing in my life I never
did; and if thou force me thereto, verily I will accuse thee
thereof before Allah on Resurrection-day. Take everything thou
hast given me and let me go from thy city." And he wept and
lamented; but she said, "Doff thy trousers and lie down on thy
face, or I will strike off thy head." So he did as she bade him
and she mounted upon his back; and he felt what was softer than
silk and smoother than cream and said in himself, "Of a truth,
this King is nicer than all the women!" Now for a time she abode
on his back, then she turned over on the bed, and he said to
himself, "Praised be Allah! It seemeth his yard is not standing."
Then said she, "O Ali, it is of the wont of my prickle that it
standeth not, except they rub it with their hands; so, come, rub
it with thy hand, till it be at stand, else will I slay thee." So
saying, she lay down on her back and taking his hand, set it to
her parts, and he found these same parts softer than silk; white,
plumply-rounded, protuberant, resembling for heat the hot room of
the bath or the heart of a lover whom love-longing hath wasted.
Quoth Ali in himself, "Verily, our King hath a coynte; this is
indeed a wonder of wonders!" And lust get hold on him and his
yard rose and stood upright to the utmost of its height; which
when Zumurrud saw, she burst out laughing and said to him, "O my
lord, all this happeneth and yet thou knowest me not!" He asked
"And who art thou, O King?"; and she answered, "I am thy slave-
girl Zumurrud." Now whenas he knew this and was certified that
she was indeed his very slave-girl, Zumurrud, he kissed her and
embraced her and threw himself upon her as the lion upon the
lamb. Then he sheathed his steel rod in her scabbard and ceased
not to play the porter at her door and the preacher in her pulpit
and the priest[FN#323] at her prayer niche, whilst she with him
ceased not from inclination and prostration and rising up and
sitting down, accompanying her ejaculations of praise and of
"Glory to Allah!" with passionate movements and wrigglings and
claspings of his member[FN#324] and other amorous gestures, till
the two little eunuchs heard the noise. So they came and peeping
from behind the curtains saw the King lying on his back and upon
him Ali Shar, thrusting and slashing whilst she puffed and blew
and wriggled. Quoth they, "Verily, this be no man's wriggle:
belike this King is a woman.''[FN#325] But they concealed their
affair and discovered it to none. And when the morrow came,
Zumurrud summoned all the troops and the lords of the realm and
said to them, "I am minded to journey to this man's country; so
choose you a viceroy, who shall rule over you till I return to
you." And they answered, "We hear and we obey." Then she applied
herself to making ready the wants of the way, to wit provaunt and
provender, monies and rarities for presents, camels and mules and
so forth; after which she set out from her city with Ali Shar,
and they ceased not faring on, till they arrived at his native
place, where he entered his house and gave many gifts to his
friends and alms and largesse to the poor. And Allah vouchsafed
him children by her, and they both lived the gladdest and
happiest of lives, till there came to them the Destroyer of
delights and the Severer of societies and the Garnerer of graves.
And glorified be He the Eternal without cease, and praised be He
in every case! And amongst other tales they tell one of