CALIPH AL-MUTAWAKKIL AND HIS CONCUBINE
MAHBUBAH.
There were in the palace of the Caliph al-Mutawakkil
ala'llah[FN#426] four thousand concubines, whereof two thousand
were Greeks and other two thousand slave born Arabians[FN#427]
and Abyssinians; and 'Obayd ibn Táhir[FN#428] had given him two
hundred white girls and a like number of Abyssinian and native
girls. Among these slave-borns was a girl of Bassorah, hight
Mahbúbah, the Beloved, who was of surpassing beauty and
loveliness, elegance and voluptuous grace. Moreover, she played
upon the lute and was skilled in singing and making verses and
wrote a beautiful hand; so that Al-Mutawakkil fell passionately
in love with her and could not endure from her a single hour. But
when she saw this affection, she presumed upon his favour to use
him arrogantly, wherefore he waxed exceeding wroth with her and
forsook her, forbidding the people of the palace to speak with
her. She abode on this wise some days, but the Caliph still
inclined to her; and he arose one morning and said to his
courtiers, "I dreamt, last night, that I was reconciled to
Mahhubah." They answered, "Would Allah this might be on wake!";
and as they were talking, behold, in came one of the Caliph's
maidservants and whispered him; so he rose from his throne and
entered the Serraglio; for the whisper had said, "Of a truth we
heard singing and lute-playing in Mahbubah's chamber and we knew
not what this meant." So he went straight to her apartment, where
he heard her playing upon the lute and singing the following
verses,
"I wander through the palace, but I sight there not a soul * To
whom I may complain or will 'change a word with me.
It is as though I'd done so grievous rebel-deed * Wherefrom can
no contrition e'er avail to set me free.
Have we no intercessor here to plead with King, who came * In
sleep to me and took me back to grace and amity;
But when the break of day arose and showed itself again, * Then
he departing sent me back to dree my privacy?"
Now when the Caliph heard her voice, he marvelled at the verse
and yet more at the strange coincidence of their dreams and
entered the chamber. As soon as she perceived him, she hastened
to rise and throw herself at his feet, and kissing them, said,
"By Allah, O my lord, this hap is what I dreamt last night; and,
when I awoke, I made the couplets thou hast heard." Replied Al-
Mutawakkil, "By Allah, I also dreamt the like!" Then they
embraced and made friends and he abode with her seven days with
their nights. Now Mahbubah had written upon her cheek, in musk,
the Caliph's name, which was Ja'afar: and when he saw this, he
improvised the following,
"One wrote upon her cheek with musk, his name was Ja'afar highs;
* My soul for hers who wrote upon her cheek the name I
sight!
If an her fingers have inscribed one line upon her cheek, * Full
many a line in heart of mine those fingers did indite:
O thou, whom Ja'afar sole of men possesseth for himself, * Allah
fill Ja'afar[FN#429] stream full draught, the wine of thy
delight!"
When Al-Mutawakkil died, his host of women forgot him, all save
Mahhubah,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Fifty-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Al-Mutawakkil died, his host of women forgot him all save
Mahbubah who ceased not to mourn for him, till she deceased and
was buried by his side, the mercy of Allah be on them both! And
men also tell the tale of
