THE QUEEN OF THE SERPENTS.[FN#507]
There was once, in days of yore and in ages and times long gone
before, a Grecian sage called Daniel, who had disciples and
scholars and the wise men of Greece were obedient to his bidding
and relied upon his learning. Withal had Allah denied him a man
child. One night, as he lay musing and weeping over the lack of a
son who might inherit his lore, he bethought him that Allah
(extolled and exalted be He!) heareth the prayer of those who
resort to Him and that there is no doorkeeper at the door of His
bounties and that He favoureth whom He will without compt and
sendeth no supplicant empty away; nay He filleth their hands with
favours and benefits. So he besought the Almighty, the Bountiful,
to vouchsafe him a son to succeed him, and to endow him
abundantly with His beneficence. Then he returned home and
carnally knew his wife who conceived by him the same night.--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Grecian
sage returned home and knew his wife who conceived by him the
same night. A few days after this he took ship for a certain
place, but the ship was wrecked and he saved himself on one of
her planks, while only five leaves remained to him of all the
books he had. When he returned home, he laid the five leaves in a
box and locking it, gave the key to his wife (who then showed big
with child), and said to her, "Know that my decease is at hand
and that the time draweth nigh for my translation from this abode
temporal to the home which is eternal. Now thou art with child
and after my death wilt haply bear a son: if this be so, name him
Hásib Karím al-Dín[FN#508] and rear him with the best of rearing.
When the boy shall grow up and shall say to thee, 'What
inheritance did my father leave me?'' give him these five leaves,
which when he shall have read and understood, he will be the most
learned man of his time." Then he farewelled her and heaving one
sigh, departed the world and all that is therein--the mercy of
Allah the Most Highest be upon Him! His family and friends wept
over him and washed him and bore him forth in great state and
buried him; after which they wended their ways home. But few days
passed ere his widow bare a handsome boy and named him Hasib
Karim al-Din, as her husband charged her; and immediately after
his birth she summoned the astrologers, who calculated his
ascendants and drawing his horoscope, said to her, "Know, O
woman! that this birth will live many a year; but that will be
after a great peril in the early part of his life, wherefrom can
he escape, he will be given the knowledge of all the exact
sciences." So saying they went their ways. She suckled him two
years,[FN#509] then weaned him, and when he was five years old,
she placed him in a school to learn his book, but he would read
nothing. So she took him from school and set him to learn a
trade; but he would not master any craft and there came no work
from his hands. The mother wept over this and the folk said to
her, "Marry him: haply he will take heart for his wife and learn
him a trade." So she sought out a girl and married him to her;
but, despite marriage and the lapse of time, he remained idle as
before, and would do nothing. One day, some neighbours of hers,
who were woodcutters, came to her and said, "Buy thy son an ass
and cords and an axe and let him go with us to the mountain and
we will all of us cut wood for fuel. The price of the wood shall
be his and ours, and he shall provide thee and his wife with his
share." When she heard this, she joyed with exceeding joy and
bought her son an ass and cords and hatchet; then, carrying him
to the woodcutters, delivered him into their hands and solemnly
committed him to their care. Said they, "Have no concern for the
boy, our Lord will provide for him: he is the son of our Shaykh."
So they carried him to the mountain, where they cut firewood and
loaded their asses therewith; then returned to the city and,
selling what they had cut, spent the monies on their families.
This they did on the next day and the third and ceased not for
some time, till it chanced one day, a violent storm of rain broke
over them, and they took refuge in a great cave till the downfall
should pass away. Now Hasib Karim al-Din went apart from the rest
into a corner of the cavern and sitting down, fell to smiting the
floor with his axe. Presently he noted that the ground sounded
hollow under the hatchet; so he dug there awhile and came to a
round flagstone with a ring in it. When he saw this, he was glad
and called his comrades the woodcutters,--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasib
Karim al-Din saw the flagstone with the ring, he was glad and
called his comrades the woodcutters, who came to him and, finding
it was fact, soon pulled up the stone and discovered under it a
trap-door, which, being opened, showed a cistern full of bees'
honey.[FN#510] Then said they to one another, "This is a large
store and we have nothing for it but to return to the city and
fetch vessels wherein to carry away the honey, and sell it and
divide the price, whilst one of us stands by the cistern, to
guard it from outsiders." Quoth Hasib, "I will stay and keep
watch over it till you bring your pots and pans." So they left
him on guard there and, repairing to the city, fetched vessels,
which they filled with honey and loading their asses therewith,
carried them to the streets and sold the contents. They returned
on the morrow and thus they did several days in succession,
sleeping in the town by night and drawing off the stuff by day,
whilst Hasib abode on guard by it till but little remained, when
they said one to other, "It was Hasib Karim al-Din found the
honey, and tomorrow he will come down to the city and complain
against us and claim the price of it, saying, Twas I found it;'
nor is there escape for us but that we let him down into the
cistern, to bale out the rest of the honey, and leave him there;
so will he die of hunger, and none shall know of him." They all
fell in with this plot as they were making for the place; and,
when they reached it, one said to him, "O Hasib, go down into the
pit and bale out for us the rest of the honey." So he went down
and passed up to them what remained of the honey, after which he
said to them, "Draw me up, for there is nothing left." They made
him no answer; but, loading their asses, went off to the city and
left him alone in the cistern. Thereupon he fell to weeping and
crying, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,
the Glorious, the Great!" Such was his case; but as regards his
comrades, when they reached the city and sold the honey, they
repaired to Hasib's mother, weeping, and said to her, "May thy
head outlive thy son Hasib!" She asked, "What brought about his
death?" and they answered, "We were cutting wood on the mountain-
top, when there fell on us a heavy downfall of rain and we took
shelter from it in a cavern; and suddenly thy son's ass broke
loose and fled into the valley, and he ran after it, to turn it
back, when there came out upon them a great wolf, who tore thy
son in pieces and ravined the ass." When the mother heard this,
she beat her face and strewed dust on her head and fell to
mourning for her son; and she kept life and soul together only by
the meat and drink which they brought her every day. As for the
woodcutters they opened them shops and became merchants and spent
their lives in eating and drinking and laughing and frolicking.
Meanwhile Hasib Karim al-Din, who ceased not to weep and call for
help, sat down upon the cistern edge when behold, a great
scorpion fell down on him; so he rose and killed it. Then he took
thought and said, "The cistern was full of honey; how came this
scorpion here?" Accordingly he got up and examined the well right
and left, till he found a crevice from which the scorpion had
fallen and saw the light of day shining through it. So he took
out his woodman's knife and enlarged the hole, till it was big as
a window, then he crept through it and, after walking for some
time, came to a vast gallery, which led him to a huge door of
black iron bearing a padlock of silver wherein was a key of gold.
He stole up to the door and, looking through the chink, saw a
great light shining within; so he took the key and, opening the
door, went on for some time, till he came to a large artificial
lake, wherein he caught sight of something that shimmered like
silver. He walked up to it and at last he saw, hard by a hillock
of green jasper and on the hill top, a golden throne studded with
all manner gems,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasib
reached the hillock he found it of green jasper surmounted by a
golden throne studded with all manner gems, round which were set
many stools, some of gold, some of silver and others of leek
green emerald. He clomb the hillock and, counting the stools,
found them twelve thousand in number; then he mounted the throne
which was set on the centre and, seating himself thereon, fell to
wondering at the lake and the stools, and he marvelled till
drowsiness overcame him and he drops asleep. Presently, he was
aroused by a loud snorting and hissing and rustling, so he opened
his eyes; and, sitting up, saw each stool occupied by a huge
serpent, an hundred cubits in length. At this sight, great fear
get hold of him; his spittle dried up for the excess of his dread
and he despaired of life, as all their eyes were blazing like
live coals. Then he turned towards the lake and saw that what he
had taken for shimmering water was a multitude of small snakes,
none knoweth their compt save Allah the Most High. After awhile,
there came up to him a serpent as big as a mule, bearing on its
back a tray of gold, wherein lay another serpent which shone like
crystal and whose face was as that of a woman[FN#511] and who
spake with human speech. And as soon as she was brought up to
Hasib, she saluted him and he returned the salutation. There
upon, one of the serpents seated on the stools came up and,
lifting her off the tray, set her on one of the seats and she
cried out to the other serpents in their language, whereupon they
all fell down from their stools and did her homage. But she
signed to them to sit and they did so. Then she addressed Hasib,
saying, "Have no fear of us, O youth; for I am the Queen of the
Serpents and their Sultánah." When he heard her speak on this
wise, he took heart and she bade the serpents bring him somewhat
of food.[FN#512] So they brought apples and grapes and
pomegranates and pistachio-nuts and filberts and walnuts and
almonds and bananas and set them before him, and the
Queen-serpent said, "Welcome, O youth! What is thy name?"
Answered he, "Hasib Karim al-Din;" and she rejoined, "O Hasib,
eat of these fruits, for we have no other meat and fear thou have
nothing from us at all." Hearing this, he ate his fill and
praised Allah Almighty; and presently they took away the trays
from before him, and the Queen said, "Tell me, O Hasib, whence
thou art and how camest thou hither and what hath befallen thee."
So he told her his story from first to last, the death of his
father; his birth; his being sent to school where he learnt
nothing; his becoming a wood cutter; his finding the honey-
cistern; his being abandoned therein; his killing the scorpion;
his widening the crevice; his finding the iron door and his
coming upon the Queen, and he ended his long tale with saying,
"These be my adventures from beginning to end and only Allah
wotteth what will betide me after all this!" Quoth the Queen,
after listening to his words, "Nothing save good shall betide
thee:"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Serpent-queen had heard his story she said, "Nothing save good
shall betide thee: but I would have thee, O Hasib, abide with me
some time, that I may tell thee my history and acquaint thee with
the wondrous adventures which have happened to me." "I hear and
obey thy hest," answered he; and she began to tell in these
words,
The Adventures of Bulukiya.
"Know thou, O Hasib, there was once in the city of Cairo a King
of the Banu Isra'íl, a wise and a pious, who was bent double by
poring over books of learning, and he had a son named Bulúkiyá.
When he grew old and weak and was nigh upon death, his Grandees
and Officers of state came up to salute him, and he said to them,
'O folk, know that at hand is the hour of my march from this
world to the next, and I have no charge to lay on you, save to
commend to your care my son Bulukiya.' Then said he, 'I testify
that there is no god save the God;' and, heaving one sigh,
departed the world the mercy of Allah be upon him! They laid him
out and washed him and buried him with a procession of great
state. Then they made his son Bulukiya Sultan in his stead; and
he ruled the kingdom justly and the people had peace in his time.
Now it befell one day that he entered his father's treasuries, to
look about him, and coming upon an inner compartment and finding
the semblance of a door, opened it and passed in. And lo! he
found himself in a little closet, wherein stood a column of white
marble, on the top of which was a casket of ebony; he opened this
also and saw therein another casket of gold, containing a book.
He read the book and found in it an account of our lord Mohammed
(whom Allah bless and preserve!) and how he should be sent in the
latter days[FN#513] and be the lord of the first Prophets and the
last. On seeing the personal description Bulukiya's heart was
taken with love of him, so he at once assembled all the notables
of the Children of Israel, the Cohens or diviners, the scribes
and the priests, and acquainted them with the book, reading
portions of it to them and, adding, 'O folk, needs must I bring
my father out of his grave and burn him.' The lieges asked, 'Why
wilt thou burn him?'; and he answered, 'Because he hid this book
from me and imparted it not to me.' Now the old King had
excerpted it from the Torah or Pentateuch and the Books of
Abraham; and had set it in one of his treasuries and concealed it
from all living. Rejoined they, 'O King, thy father is dead; his
body is in the dust and his affair is in the hands of his Lord;
thou shalt not take him forth of his tomb.' So he knew that they
would not suffer him to do this thing by his sire and leaving
them he repaired to his mother, to whom said he, 'O my mother, I
have found, in one of my father's treasuries, a book containing a
description of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!), a prophet
who shall be sent in the latter days; and my heart is captivated
with love of him. Wherefore am I resolved to wander over the
earth, till I foregather with him; else I shall die of longing
for his love.' Then he doffed his clothes and donned an Aba gown
of goat's hair and coarse sandals, saying, 'O my mother, forget
me not in thy prayers.' She wept over him and said, 'What will
become of us after thee?'; but Bulukiya answered, 'I can endure
no longer, and I commit my affair and thine to Allah who is
Almighty.' Then he set out on foot Syria wards without the
knowledge of any of his folk, and coming to the sea board found a
vessel whereon he shipped as one of the crew. They sailed till he
made an island, where Bulukiya landed with the crew, but straying
away from the rest he sat down under a tree and sleep got the
better of him. When he awoke, he sought the ship but found that
she had set sail without him, and in that island he saw serpents
as big as camels and palm trees, which repeated the names of
Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) and blessed Mohammed (whom
the Lord assain and save!), proclaiming the Unity and glorifying
the Glorious; whereat he wondered."--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "when
Bulukiya saw the serpents glorifying God and proclaiming the
Unity, he wondered with extreme wonder. When they saw him, they
flocked to him and one of them said to him, 'Who and whence art
thou and whither goest thou. and what is thy name?' Quoth he, 'My
name is Bulukiya; I am of the Children of Israel and, being
distracted for love of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!), I
come in quest of him. But who are ye, O noble creatures?'
Answered they, 'We are of the dwellers in the Jahannam-hell; and
Almighty Allah created us for the punishment of Kafirs.' 'And how
came ye hither?' asked he, and the Serpents answered, 'Know, O
Bulukiya, that Hell[FN#514] of the greatness of her boiling,
breatheth twice a year, expiring in the summer and inspiring in
the winter, and hence the summer heat and winter cold. When she
exhaleth, she casteth us forth of her maw, and we are drawn in
again with her inhaled breath.' Quoth Bulukiya, 'Say me, are
there greater serpents than you in Hell?'; and they said, 'Of a
truth we are cast out with the expired breath but by reason of
our smallness; for in Hell every serpent is so great, that were
the biggest of us to pass over its nose it would not feel
us.[FN#515]' Asked Bulukiya, 'Ye sing the praises of Allah and
invoke blessings on Mohammed, whom the Almighty assain and save!
Whence wot ye of Mohammed?'; and they answered, 'O Bulukiya,
verily his name is written on the gates of Paradise; and, but for
him, Allah had not created the worlds[FN#516] nor Paradise, nor
heaven nor hell nor earth, for He made all things that be, solely
on his account, and hath conjoined his name with His own in every
place; wherefore we love Mohammed, whom Allah bless and
preserve!' Now hearing the serpents' converse did but inflame
Bulukiya's love for Mohammed and yearning for his sight; so he
took leave of them; and, making his way to the sea-shore, found
there a ship made fast to the beach; he embarked therein as a
seaman and sailed nor ceased sailing till he came to another
island. Here he landed and walking about awhile found serpents
great and small, none knoweth their number save Almighty Allah,
and amongst them a white Serpent, clearer than crystal, seated in
a golden tray borne on the back of another serpent as big as an
elephant. Now this, O Hasib, was the Serpent-queen, none other
than myself." Quoth Hasib, "And what answer didst thou make him?"
Quoth she, "Know, O Hasib, that when I saw Bulukiya, I saluted
him with the salam, and he returned my salutation, and I said to
him, 'Who and what art thou and what is thine errand and whence
comest thou and whither goest thou?' Answered he, 'I am of the
Children of Israel; my name is Bulukiya, and I am a wanderer for
the love of Mohammed, whose description I have read in the
revealed scriptures, and of whom I go in search. But what art
thou and what are these serpents about thee?' Quoth I, 'O
Bulukiya, I am the Queen of the Serpents; and when thou shalt
foregather with Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!) bear him
my salutation.' Then Bulukiya took leave of me and journeyed till
he came to the Holy City which is Jerusalem. Now there was in
that stead a man who was deeply versed in all sciences, more
especially in geometry and astronomy and mathematics, as well as
in white magic[FN#517] and Spiritualism; and he had studied the
Pentateuch and the Evangel and the Psalms and the Books of
Abraham. His name was Affan; and he had found in certain of his
books, that whoso should wear the seal ring of our lord Solomon,
men and Jinn and birds and beasts and all created things would be
bound to obey him. Moreover, he had discovered that our lord
Solomon had been buried in a coffin which was miraculously
transported beyond the Seven Seas to the place of burial;"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "Affan had
found in certain books that none, mortal or spirit, could pluck
the seal ring from the lord Solomon's finger; and that no
navigator could sail his ship upon the Seven Seas over which the
coffin had been carried. Moreover, he had found out by reading
that there was a herb of herbs and that if one express its juice
and anoint therewith his feet, he should walk upon the surface of
any sea that Allah Almighty had created without wetting his
soles, but none could obtain this herb, without he had with him
the Serpent-queen. When Bulukiya arrived at the Holy City, he at
once sat down to do his devotions and worship the Lord; and,
whilst he was so doing, Affan came up and saluted him as a True
Believer. Then seeing him reading the Pentateuch and adoring the
Almighty, he accosted him saying, 'What is thy name, O man; and
whence comest thou and whither goest thou?' He answered, 'My name
is Bulukiya; I am from the city of Cairo and am come forth
wandering in quest of Mohammed, whom Allah bless and preserve!'
Quoth Affan, 'Come with me to my lodging that I may entertain
thee.' 'To hear is to obey,' replied Bulukiya So the devotee took
him by the hand and carried him to his house where he entreated
him with the utmost honour and presentry said to him, 'Tell me
thy history, O my brother, and how thou camest by the knowledge
of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!) that thy heart hath
been taken with love of him and compelled thee to fare forth and
seek him; and lastly tell me who it was directed thee in this
road.' So he related to him his tale in its entirety; whereupon
Affan, who well nigh lost his wits for wonder, said to him, 'Make
tryst for me with the Queen of the Serpents and I will bring thee
in company with Mohammed, albeit the date of his mission is yet
far distant. We have only to prevail upon the Queen and carry her
in a cage to a certain mountain where the herbs grow; and, as
long as she is with us, the plants as we pass them will parley
with human speech and discover their virtues by the ordinance of
Allah the Most High. For I have found in my books that there is a
certain herb and all who express its juice and anoint therewith
their feet shall walk upon whatsoever sea Almighty Allah hath
made, without wetting sole. When we have found the magical herb,
we will let her go her way; and then will we anoint our feet with
the juice and cross the Seven Seas, till we come to the burial
place of our lord Solomon. Then we will take the ring off his
finger and rule even as he ruled and win all our wishes; we will
enter the Main of Murks[FN#518] and drink of the Water of Life,
and so the Almighty will let us tarry till the End of Time and we
shall foregather with Mohammed, whom Allah bless and preserve!'
Hearing these words Bulukiya replied, 'O Affan, I will make tryst
for thee with the Serpent-queen and at once show thee her abiding
place.' So Affan made him a cage of iron; and, providing himself
with two bowls, one full of wine and the other of milk, took ship
with Bulukiya and sailed till they came to the island, where they
landed and walked upon it. Then Affan set up the cage, in which
he laid a noose and withdrew after placing in it the two bowls;
when he and Bulukiya concealed themselves afar off. Presently, up
came the Queen of the Serpents (that is, myself) and examined the
cage. When she (that is I) smelt the savour of the milk, she came
down from the back of the snake which bore her tray and, entering
the cage, drank up the milk. Then she went to the bowl of wine
and drank of it, whereupon her head became giddy and she slept.
When Affan saw this, he ran up and locking the cage upon her, set
it on his head and made for the ship, he and Bulukiya. After
awhile she awoke and finding herself in a cage of iron on a man's
head and seeing Bulukiya walking beside the bearer, said to him,
'This is the reward of those who do no hurt to the sons of Adam.'
Answered he, 'O Queen, have no fear of us, for we will do thee no
hurt at all. We wish thee only to show us the herb which, when
pounded and squeezed yieldeth a juice, and this rubbed upon the
feet conferreth the power of walking dryshod upon what sea soever
Almighty Allah hath created; and when we have found that, we will
return thee to thy place and let thee wend thy way.' Then Affan
and Bulukiya fared on for the hills where grew the herbs; and, as
they went about with the Queen, each plant they passed began to
speak and avouch its virtues by permission of Allah the Most
High. As they were thus doing and the herbs speaking right and
left, behold, a plant spoke out and said, 'I am the herb ye seek,
and all who gather and crush me and anoint their feet with my
juice, shall fare over what sea soever Allah Almighty hath
created and yet ne'er wet sole.' When Affan heard this, he set
down the cage from his head and, gathering what might suffice
them of the herb, crushed it and filling two vials with the juice
kept them for future use; and with what was left they anointed
their feet. Then they took up the Serpent-queen's cage and
journeyed days and nights, till they reached the island, where
they opened the cage and let out her that is me. When I found
myself at liberty, I asked them what use they would make of the
juice; and they answered, 'We design to anoint our feet and to
cross the Seven Seas to the burial place of our lord
Solomon[FN#519] and take the seal ring from his finger.' Quoth I,
'Far, far is it from your power to possess yourselves of the
ring!' They enquired, 'Wherefore?' and I replied, 'Because
Almighty Allah vouchsafed unto our lord Solomon the gift of this
ring and distinguished him thereby, for that he said to him, 'O
Lord, give me a kingdom which may not be obtained after me; for
Thou verily art the Giver of kingdoms.[FN#520]' 'So that ring is
not for you.' And I added, 'Had ye twain taken the herb, whereof
all who eat shall not die until the First Blast,[FN#521] it had
better availed you than this ye have gotten; for ye shall nowise
come at your desire thereby.' Now when they heard this, they
repented them with exceeding penitence and went their ways."--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "when
Bulukiya and Affan heard these words, they repented them with
exceeding penitence and went their ways. Such was their case; but
as regards myself" (continued the Serpent-queen) "I went in quest
of my host and found it fallen in piteous case, the stronger of
them having grown weak in my absence and the weaker having died.
When they saw me, they rejoiced and flocking about me, asked,
'What hath befallen thee, and where hast thou been?' So I told
them what had passed, after which I gathered my forces to "ether
and repaired with them to the mountain Kaf, where I was wont to
winter, summer-freshing in the place where thou now seest me, O
Hasib Karim al-Din. This, then, is my story and what befell me."
Thereupon Hasib marvelled at her words and said to her, "I
beseech thee, of thy favour, bid one of thy guards bear me forth
to the surface of the earth, that I may go to my people." She
replied, "O Hasib, thou shalt not have leave to depart from us
till winter come, and needs must thou go with us to the Mountain
Kaf and solace thyself with the sight of the hills and sands and
trees and birds magnifying the One God, the Victorious; and look
upon Marids and Ifrits and Jinn, whose number none knoweth save
Almighty Allah." When Hasib heard this, he was sore chafed and
chagrined: then he said to her, "Tell me of Affan and Bulukiya;
when they departed from thee and went their way, did they cross
the Seven Seas and reach the burial-place of our lord Solomon or
not; and if they did had they power to take the ring or not?"
Answered she, "Know, that when they left me, they anointed their
feet with the juice; and, walking over the water, fared on from
sea to sea, diverting themselves with the wonders of the deep,
nor ceased they faring till they had traversed the Seven Seas and
came in sight of a mountain, soaring high in air, whose stones
were emeralds and whose dust was musk; and in it was a stream of
running water. When they made it they rejoiced, saying each to
the other, 'Verily we have won our wish'; and they entered the
passes of the mountain and walked on, till they saw from afar a
cavern surmounted by a great dome, shining with light. So they
made for the cavern, and entering it beheld therein a throne of
gold studded with all manner jewels, and about it stools whose
number none knoweth save Allah Almighty. And they saw lying at
full length upon the throne our lord Solomon, clad in robes of
green silk inwoven with gold and broidered with jewels and
precious minerals: his right hand was passed over his breast and
on the middle finger was the seal ring whose lustre outshone that
of all other gems in the place. Then Affan taught Bulukiya
adjurations and conjurations galore and said to him, 'Repeat
these conjurations and cease not repeating until I take the
ring.' Then he went up to the throne; but, as he drew near unto
it lo' c mighty serpent came forth from beneath it and cried out
at him with so terrible a cry that the whole place trembled and
sparks flew from its mouth, saying, 'Begone, or thou art a dead
man' But Affan busied himself with his incantations and suffered
himself not to be startled thereby. Then the serpent blew such a
fiery blast at him, that the place was like to be set on fire,
and said to him, Woe to thee! Except thou turn back, I will
consume thee' Hearing these words Bulukiya left the cave, but
Affan, who suffered himself not to be troubled, went up to the
Prophet: then he put out his hand to the ring and touched it and
strove to draw it off the lord Solomon's finger; and behold, the
serpent blew on him once more and he became a heap of ashes. Such
was his case; but as regards Bulukiya he fell down in a swoon."--
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued: "When Bulukiya saw Affan burnt up by the fire and
become a heap of ashes, he fell down in a swoon. Thereupon the
Lord (magnified be His Majesty!) bade Gabriel descend earthwards
and save him ere the serpent should blow on him. So Gabriel
descended without delay and, finding Affan reduced to ashes and
Bulukiya in a fit, aroused him from his trance and saluting him
asked, 'How camest thou hither?' Bulukiya related to him his
history from first to last, adding, 'Know that I came not hither
but for the love of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!), of
whom Affan informed me that his mission would take place at the
End of Time; moreover that none should foregather with him but
those who endured to the latter days by drinking of the Water of
Life through means of Solomon's seal. So I companied him hither
and there befell him what befell; but I escaped the fire and now
it is my desire that thou inform me where Mohammed is to be
found.' Quoth Gabriel, 'O Bulukiya, go thy ways, for the time of
Mohammed's coming is yet far distant.' Then he ascended up to
heaven forthright, and Bulukiya wept with sore weeping and
repented of that which he had done, calling to mind my words,
whenas I said to them, 'Far is it from man's power to possess
himself of the ring.' Then he descended from the mountain and
returned in exceeding confusion to the sea shore and passed the
night there, marvelling at the mountains and seas and islands
around him. When morning dawned, he anointed his feet with the
herb-juice and descending to the water, set out and fared on over
the surface of the seas days and nights, astonied at the terrors
of the main and the marvels and wonders of the deep, till he came
to an island as it were the Garden of Eden. So he landed and,
finding himself in a great and pleasant island, paced about it
and saw with admiration that its dust was saffron and its gravel
carnelian and precious minerals; its hedges were of jessamine,
its vegetation was of the goodliest of trees and of the brightest
of odoriferous shrubs; its brushwood was of Comorin and Sumatran
aloes-wood and its reeds were sugar-canes. Round about it were
roses and narcissus and amaranths and gilly-flowers and
chamomiles and white lilies and violets, and other flowers of all
kinds and colours. Of a truth the island was the goodliest place,
abounding in space, rich in grace, a compendium of beauty
material and spiritual. The birds warbled on the boughs with
tones far sweeter than chaunt of Koran and their notes would
console a lover whom longings unman. And therein the gazelle
frisked free and fain and wild cattle roamed about the plain. Its
trees were of tallest height; its streams flowed bright; its
springs welled with waters sweet and light; and all therein was a
delight to sight and sprite. Bulukiya marvelled at the charms of
the island but knew that he had strayed from the way he had first
taken in company with Affan. He wandered about the place and
solaced him with various spectacles until nightfall, when he
climbed into a tree to sleep; but as he sat there, musing over
the beauty of the site, behold, the sea became troubled and there
rose up to the surface a great beast, which cried out with a cry
so terrible that every living thing upon the isle trembled. As
Bulukiya gazed upon him from the tree and marvelled at the
bigness of his bulk, he was presently followed unexpectedly by a
multitude of other sea beasts in kind manifolds, each holding in
his fore-paw a jewel which shone like a lamp, so that the whole
island became as light as day for the lustre of the gems. After
awhile, there appeared, from the heart of the island, wild beasts
of the land, none knoweth their number save Allah the Most High;
amongst which Bulukiya noted lions and panthers and lynxes and
other ferals; and these land beasts flocked down to the shore;
and, foregathering with the sea beasts, conversed with them till
daybreak, when they separated and each went his own way.
Thereupon Bulukiya, terrified by what he had seen, came down from
the tree and, making the sea shore, anointed his feet with the
magical juice, and set out once more upon the surface of the
water. He fared on days and nights over the Second Sea, till he
came to a great mountain skirting which ran a Wady without end,
the stones whereof were magnetic iron and its beasts, lions and
hares and panthers. He landed on the mountain foot and wandered
from place to place till nightfall, when he sat down sheltered by
one of the base hills on the sea side, to eat of the dried fish
thrown up by the sea. Presently, he turned from his meal and
behold, a huge panther was creeping up to rend and ravin him; so
he anointed his feet in haste with the juice and, descending to
the surface of the water, fled walking over the Third Sea, in the
darkness, for the night was black and the wind blew stark. Nor
did he stay his course till he reached another island, whereon he
landed and found there trees bearing fruits both fresh and
dry.[FN#522] So he took of these fruits and ate and praised Allah
Almighty; after which he walked for solace; about the island till
eventide."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "Bulukiya
(continued the Queen) walked for solace about the island till
eventide, when he lay down to sleep. As soon as day brake, he
began to explore the place and ceased not for ten days, after
which he again made the shore and anointed his feet and, setting
out over the Fourth Sea, walked upon it many nights and days,
till he came to a third island of fine white sand without sign of
trees or grass. He walked about it awhile but, finding its only
inhabitants sakers which nested in the sand, he again anointed
his feet and trudged over the Fifth Sea, walking night and day
till he came to a little island, whose soil and hills were like
crystal. Therein were the veins wherefrom gold is worked; and
therein also were marvellous trees whose like he had never seen
in his wanderings, for their blossoms were in hue as gold. He
landed and walked about for diversion till it was nightfall, when
the flowers began to shine through the gloom like stars. Seeing
this sight, he marvelled and said, 'Assuredly, the flowers of
this island are of those which wither under the sun and fall to
the earth, where the winds smite them and they gather under the
rocks and become the Elixir[FN#523] which the folk collect and
thereof make gold.' He slept there all that night and at sunrise
he again anointed his feet and, descending to the shore, fared on
over the Sixth Sea nights and days, till he came to a fifth
island. Here he landed and found, after walking an hour or so,
two mountains covered with a multitude of trees, whose fruits
were as men's heads hanging by the hair, and others whose fruits
were green birds hanging by the feet; also a third kind, whose
fruits were like aloes, if a drop of the juice fell on a man it
burnt like fire; and others, whose fruits wept and laughed,
besides many other marvels which he saw there. Then he returned
to the sea shore and, finding there a tall tree, sat down beneath
it till supper time when he climbed up into the branches to
sleep. As he sat considering the wonderful works of Allah behold,
the waters became troubled, and there rose therefrom the
daughters of the sea, each mermaid holding in her hand a jewel
which shone like the morning. They came ashore and, foregathering
under the trees, sat down and danced and sported and made merry
whilst Bulukiya amused himself with watching and wondering at
their gambols, which were prolonged till the morning, when they
returned to the sea and disappeared. Then he came down and,
anointing his feet, set out on the surface of the Seventh Sea,
over which he journeyed two whole months, without getting sight
of highland or island or broadland or lowland or shoreland, till
he came to the end thereof. And so doing he suffered exceeding
hunger, so that he was forced to snatch up fishes from the
surface of the sea and devour them raw, for stress of famine. In
such case he pushed on till in early forenoon he came to the
sixth island, with trees a-growing and rills a flowing, where he
landed and walked about, looking right and left, till he came to
an apple tree and put forth his hand to pluck of the fruit, when
lo! one cried out to him from the tree, saying, 'An thou draw
near to this tree and cut of it aught, I will cut thee in twain.'
So he looked and saw a giant forty cubits high, being the cubit
of the people of that day; whereat he feared with sore fear and
refrained from that tree. Then said he to the giant, 'Why cost
thou forbid me to eat of this tree?' Replied the other, 'Because
thou art a son of Adam and thy father Adam forgot the covenant of
Allah and sinned against Him and ate of the tree.' Quoth
Bulukiya, 'What thing art thou and to whom belongeth this island,
with its trees, and how art thou named?' Quoth the tall one, 'My
name is Sharáhiyá and trees and island belong to King
Sakhr;[FN#524] I am one of his guards and in charge of his
dominion,' presently adding, 'But who art thou and whence comest
thou hither?' Bulukiya told him his story from beginning to end
and Sharahiya said, 'Be of good cheer,' and brought him to eat.
So he ate his fill and, taking leave of the giant, set out again
and ceased not faring on over the mountains and sandy deserts for
ten days; at the end of which time he saw, in the distance, a
dust cloud hanging like a canopy in air; and, making towards it,
he heard a mighty clamour, cries and blows and sounds of mellay.
Presently he reached a great Wady, two months' journey long; and,
looking whence the shouts came, he saw a multitude of horse men
engaged in fierce fight and the blood running from them till it
railed like a river. Their voices were thunderous and they were
armed with lance and sword and iron mace and bow and arrow, and
all fought with the utmost fury. At this sight he felt sore
affright"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued: "When Bulukiya saw the host in fight, he felt sore
affright and was perplexed about his case; but whilst he
hesitated, behold, they caught sight of him and held their hands
one from other and left fighting. Then a troop of them came up to
him, wondering at his make, and one of the horsemen said to him,
'What art thou and whence camest thou hither and whither art
wending; and who showed thee the way that thou hast come to our
country?' Quoth he, 'I am of the sons of Adam and am come out,
distracted for the love of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and
preserve!); but I have wandered from my way.' Quoth the horseman,
'Never saw we a son of Adam till now, nor did any ever come to
this land.' And all marvelled at him and at his speech. 'But what
are ye, O creatures?' asked Bulukiya; and the rider replied, 'We
are of the Jánn.' So he said, 'O Knight, what is the cause of the
fighting amongst you and where is your abiding place and what is
the name of this valley and this land?' He replied, 'Our abiding-
place is the White Country; and, every year, Allah Almighty
commandeth us to come hither and wage war upon the unbelieving
Jann.' Asked Bulukiya, 'And where is the White Country?' and the
horseman answered, 'It is behind the mountain Kaf, and distant
seventy-five years journey from this place which is termed the
Land of Shaddád son of 'Ád: we are here for Holy War; and we have
no other business, when we are not doing battle, than to glorify
God and hallow him. More over, we have a ruler, King Sakhr highs,
and needs must thou go with us to him, that he may look upon thee
for his especial delight.' Then they fared on (and he with them)
till they came to their abiding place; where he saw a multitude
of magnificent tents of green silk, none knoweth their number
save Allah the Most High, and in their midst a pavilion of red
satin, some thousand cubits in compass, with cords of blue silk
and pegs of gold and silver. Bulukiya marvelled at the sight and
accompanied them as they fared on and behold, this was the royal
pavilion. So they carried him into the presence of King Sakhr,
whom he found seated upon a splendid throne of red gold, set with
pearls and studded with gems; the Kings and Princes of the Jann
being on his right hand, and on his left his Councillors and
Emirs and Officers of state, and a multitude of others. The King
seeing him bade introduce him, which they did; and Bulukiya went
up to him and saluted him after kissing the ground before him.
The King returned his salute and said, 'Draw near me, O mortal!'
and Bulukiya went close up to him. Hereupon the King, commanding
a chair to be set for him by his royal side, bade him sit down
and asked him 'Who art thou?'; and Bulukiya answered, 'I am a
man, and one of the Children of Israel.' 'Tell me thy story,'
cried King Sakhr, 'and acquaint me with all that hath befallen
thee and how thou camest to this my land.' So Bulukiya related to
him all that had occurred in his wanderings from beginning to
end."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued: "When Bulukiya related to Sakhr what befell him in his
wanderings, he marvelled thereat. Then he bade the servants bring
food and they spread the tables and set on one thousand and five
hundred platters of red gold and silver and copper, some
containing twenty and some fifty boiled camels, and others some
fifty head of sheep; at which Bulukiya marvelled with exceeding
marvel. Then they ate and he ate with them, till he was satisfied
and returned thanks to Allah Almighty; after which they cleared
the tables and set on fruits, and they ate thereof, glorifying
the name of God and invoking blessings on His prophet Mohammed
(whom Allah bless and preserve!) When Bulukiya heard them make
mention of Mohammed, he wondered and said to King Sakhr, 'I am
minded to ask thee some questions.' Rejoined the King, 'Ask what
thou wilt,' and Bulukiya said, 'O King, what are ye and what is
your origin and how came ye to know of Mohammed (whom Allah
assain and save!) that ye draw near to him and love him?' King
Sakhr answered, 'O Bulukiya, of very sooth Allah created the fire
in seven stages, one above the other, and each distant a thousand
years journey from its neighbour. The first stage he named
Jahannam[FN#525] and appointed the same for the punishment of the
transgressors of the True-believers, who die unrepentant; the
second he named Lazá and appointed for Unbelievers: the name of
the third is Jahím and is appointed for Gog and Magog.[FN#526]
The fourth is called Sa'ír and is appointed for the host of
Iblis. The fifth is called Sakar and is prepared for those who
neglect prayer. The sixth is called Hatamah and is appointed for
Jews and Christians. The seventh is named Háwiyah and is prepared
for hypocrites. Such be the seven stages.' Quoth Bulukiya, 'Haply
Jahannam hath least of torture for that it is the uppermost.'
'Yes,' quoth King Sakhr, 'the most endurable of them all is
Jahannam; natheless in it are a thousand mountains of fire, in
each mountain seventy thousand cities of fire, in each city
seventy thousand castles of fire, in each castle seventy thousand
houses of fire, in each house seventy thousand couches of fire
and in each couch seventy thousand manners of torment. As for the
other hells, O Bulukiya, none knoweth the number of kinds of
torment that be therein save Allah Most Highest.' When Bulukiya
heard this, he fell down in a fainting-fit, and when he came to
himself, he wept and said, 'O King what will be my case?' Quoth
Sakhr, 'Fear not, and know thou that whoso loveth Mohammed (whom
Allah bless and keep!) the fire shall not burn him, for he is
made free therefrom for his sake; and whoso belongeth to his
Faith the fire shall fly him. As for us, the Almighty Maker
created us of the fire for the first that he made in Jahannam
were two of His host whom he called Khalít and Malít. Now Khalít
was fashioned in the likeness of a lion, with a tail like a
tortoise twenty years' journey in length and ending in a member
masculine; while Malít was like a pied wolf whose tail was
furnished with a member feminine. Then Almighty Allah commanded
the tails to couple and copulate and do the deed of kind, and of
them were born serpents and scorpions, whose dwelling is in the
fire, that Allah may there with torment those whom He casteth
therein; and these increased and multiplied. Then Allah commanded
the tails of Khalit and Malit to couple and copulate a second
time, and the tail of Malit conceived by the tail of Khalit and
bore fourteen children, seven male and seven female, who grew up
and intermarried one with the other. All were obedient to their
sire, save one who disobeyed him and was changed into a worm
which is Iblis (the curse of Allah be upon him!). Now Iblis was
one of the Cherubim, for he had served Allah till he was raised
to the heavens and cherished[FN#527] by the especial favour of
the Merciful One, who made him chief of the Cherubim.'"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued: "'Iblis served God and became chief of Cherubim. When,
however, the Lord created Adam (with whom be peace!), He
commanded Iblis to prostrate himself to him, but he drew back; so
Allah Almighty expelled him from heaven and cursed him.[FN#528]
This Iblis had issue and of his lineage are the devils; and as
for the other six males, who were his elders, they are the
ancestors of the true believing Jann, and we are their
descendants. Such, O Bulukiya is our provenance.[FN#529]'
Bulukiya marvelled at the King's words and said, 'O King, I pray
thee bid one of thy guards bear me back to my native land.'
'Naught of this may we do,' answered Sakhr, 'save by commandment
of Allah Almighty; however, an thou desire to leave us and return
home, I will mount thee on one of my mares and cause her carry
thee to the farthest frontiers of my dominions, where thou wilt
meet with the troops of another King, Barákhiyá highs, who will
recognize the mare at sight and take thee off her and send her
back to us; and this is all we can do for thee, and no more.'
When Bulukiya heard these words he wept and said, 'Do whatso thou
wilt.' So King Sakhr caused bring the mare and, setting Bulukiya
on her back, said to him, 'Beware lest thou alight from her or
strike her or cry out in her face; for if thou do so she will
slay thee; but abide quietly riding on her back till she stop
with thee; then dismount and wend thy ways.' Quoth Bulukiya, 'I
hear and I obey;' he then mounted and setting out, rode on a long
while between the rows of tents; and stinted not riding till he
came to the royal kitchens where he saw the great cauldrons, each
holding fifty camels, hung up over the fires which blazed
fiercely under them. So he stopped there and gazed with a marvel
ever increasing till King Sakhr thinking him to be anhungered,
bade bring him two roasted camels; and they carried them to him
and bound them behind him on the mare's crupper. Then he took
leave of them and fared on, till he came to the end of King
Sakhr's dominions, where the mare stood still and Bulukiya
dismounted and began to shake the dust of the journey from his
raiment. And behold, there accosted him a party of men who,
recognising the mare, carried her and Bulukiya before their King
Barakhiya. So he saluted him, and the King returned his greeting
and seated him beside himself in a splendid pavilion, in the
midst of his troops and champions and vassal Princes of the Jann
ranged to right and left; after which he called for food and they
ate their fill and pronounced the Alhamdolillah. Then they set on
fruits, and when they had eaten thereof, King Barakhiya, whose
estate was like that of King Sakhr, asked his guest, 'When didst
thou leave King Sakhr?' And Bulukiya answered, 'Two days ago.'
Quoth Barakhiya, 'Dost thou know, how many days' journey thou
hast come in these two days?' Quoth he, 'No,' and the King
rejoined, 'Thou hast come a journey of threescore and ten
months.'"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued: "Barakhiya said to Bulukiya, 'In two days thou hast
come a journey of threescore and ten months; moreover when thou
mountedst the mare, she was affrighted at thee, knowing thee for
a son of Adam, and would have thrown thee; so they bound on her
back these two camels by way of weight to steady her.' When
Bulukiya heard this, he marvelled and thanked Allah Almighty for
safety. Then said the King, 'Tell me thy adventures and what
brought thee to this our land.' So he told him his story from
first to last, and the King marvelled at his words, and kept
Bulukiya with him two months." Upon this Hasib Karim al-Din after
he had marvelled at her story, again besought the Serpent-queen
saying, "I pray thee of thy goodness and graciousness command one
of thy subjects conduct me to the surface of the earth, that I
may return to my family;" but she answered, "O Hasib, I know that
the first thing thou wilt do, after seeing the face of the earth
will be to greet thy family and then repair to the Hammam bath
and bathe; and the moment thou endest thine ablutions will see
the last of me, for it will be the cause of my death." Quoth
Hasib, "I swear that I will never again enter the Hammam bath so
long as I live, but when washing is incumbent on me, I will wash
at home." Rejoined the Queen, "I would not trust thee though thou
shouldst swear to me an hundred oaths; for such abstaining is not
possible, and I know thee to be a son of Adam for whom no oath is
sacred. Thy father Adam made a covenant with Allah the most High,
who kneaded the clay whereof He fashioned him forty mornings and
made His angels prostrate themselves to him; yet after all his
promise did he forget and his oath violate, disobeying the
commandment of his Lord." When Hasib heard this, he held his
peace and burst into tears; nor did he leave weeping for the
space of ten days, at the end of which time he said to the Queen,
"Prithee acquaint me with the rest of Bulukiya's adventures."
Accordingly, she began again as follows: "Know, O Hasib, that
Bulukiya, after abiding two months with King Barakhiya,
farewelled him and fared on over wastes and deserts nights and
days' till he came to a high mountain which he ascended. On the
summit he beheld seated a great Angel glorifying the names of God
and invoking blessings on Mohammed. Before him lay a tablet
covered with characters, these white and those black,[FN#530]
whereon his eyes were fixed, and his two wings were outspread to
the full, one to the western and the other to the eastern
horizon. Bulukiya approached and saluted the Angel, who returned
his salam adding, 'Who art thou and whence comest thou and
whither wendest thou and what is thy story?' Accordingly, he
repeated to him his history, from first to last, and the Angel
marvelled mightily thereat, whereupon Bulukiya said to him, 'I
pray thee in return acquaint me with the meaning of this tablet
and what is writ thereon; and what may be thine occupation and
thy name.' Replied the Angel, 'My name is Michael, and I am
charged with the shifts of night and day; and this is my
occupation till the Day of Doom.' Bulukiya wondered at his words
and at his aspect and the vastness of his stature and, taking
leave of him, fared onwards, night and day, till he came to a
vast meadow over which he walked observing that it was traversed
by seven streams and abounded in trees. He was struck by its
beauty and in one corner thereof he saw a great tree and under it
four Angels. So he drew near to them and found the first in the
likeness of a man, the second in the likeness of a wild beast,
the third in the likeness of a bird and the fourth in the
likeness of a bull, engaged in glorifying Almighty Allah, and
saying, 'O my God and my Master and my Lord, I conjure Thee, by
Thy truth and by the decree of Thy Prophet Mohammed (on whom be
blessings and peace!) to vouchsafe Thy mercy and grant Thy
forgiveness to all things created in my likeness; for Thou over
all things art Almighty!' Bulukiya marvelled at what he heard but
continued his journey till he came to another mountain and
ascending it, found there a great Angel seated on the summit,
glorifying God and hallowing Him and invoking blessings on
Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!), and he saw that Angel
continually opening and shutting his hands and bending and
extending his fingers. He accosted him and saluted him; whereupon
the Angel returned his salam and enquired who he was and how he
came thither. So Bulukiya acquainted him with his adventures
including his having lost the way; and besought him to tell him,
in turn, who he was and what was his function and what mountain
was that. Quoth the Angel, 'Know, O Bulukiya, that this is the
mountain Kaf, which encompasseth the world; and all the countries
the Creator hath made are in my grasp. When the Almighty is
minded to visit any land with earthquake or famine or plenty or
slaughter or prosperity, He biddeth me carry out His commands and
I carry them out without stirring from my place; for know thou
that my hands lay hold upon the roots of the earth,' "--And
Shahrazed perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued: "When the angel said, 'And know thou that my hands lay
hold upon the roots of the earth,' he asked, 'And hath Allah
created other worlds than this within the mountain Kaf?' The
Angel answered, 'Yes, He hath made a world white as silver, whose
vastness none knoweth save Himself, and hath peopled it with
Angels, whose meat and drink are His praise and hallowing and
continual blessings upon His Prophet Mohammed (whom Allah bless
and keep!). Every Thursday night[FN#531] they repair to this
mountain and worship in congregation Allah until the morning, and
they assign the future recompense of their lauds and litanies to
the sinners of the Faith of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and
save!) and to all who make the Ghusl ablution of Friday; and this
is their function until the Day of Resurrection.' Asked Bulukiya,
'And hath Allah created other mountains behind the mountain
Kaf?'; whereto he answered, 'Yes, behind this mountain is a range
of mountains five hundred years' journey long, of snow and ice,
and this it is that wardeth off the heat of Jahannam from the
world, which verily would else be consumed thereby. Moreover,
behind the mountain Kaf are forty worlds, each one the bigness of
this world forty times told, some of gold and some of silver and
others of carnelian. Each of these worlds hath its own colour,
and Allah hath peopled them with angels, that know not Eve nor
Adam nor night nor day, and have no other business than to
celebrate His praises and hallow Him and make profession of His
Unity and proclaim His Omnipotence and supplicate Him on behalf
of the followers of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!). And
know, also, O Bulukiya, that the earths were made in seven
stages, one upon another, and that Allah hath created one of His
Angels, whose stature and attributes none knoweth but Himself and
who beareth the seven stages upon his shoulders. Under this Angel
Almighty Allah hath created a great rock, and under the rock a
bull, and under the bull a huge fish, and under the fish a mighty
ocean.[FN#532] God once told Isa (with whom be peace! ) of this
fish, and he said, 'O Lord show me the fish, that I may look upon
it.' So the Almighty commanded an angel to take Isa and show him
the fish. Accordingly, he took him up and carried him (with whom
be peace!) to the sea, wherein the fish dwelt, and said, 'Look, O
Isa, upon the fish.' He looked but at first saw nothing, when,
suddenly, the fish darted past like lightning. At this sight Isa
fell down aswoon, and when he came to himself, Allah spake to him
by inspiration, saying, 'O Isa, hast thou seen the fish and
comprehended its length and its breadth?' He replied, 'By Thy
honour and glory, O Lord, I saw no fish; but there passed me by a
great bull, whose length was three days' journey, and I know not
what manner of thing this bull is.' Quoth Allah, 'O Isa, this
that thou sawest and which was three days in passing by thee, was
but the head of the fish;[FN#533] and know that every day I
create forty fishes like unto this.' And Isa hearing this
marvelled at the power of Allah the Almighty. Asked Bulukiya,
'What hath Allah made beneath this sea which containeth the
fish?'; and the Angel answered, 'Under the sea the Lord created a
vast abyss of air, under the air fire, and under the fire a
mighty serpent, by name Falak; and were it not for fear of the
Most Highest, this serpent would assuredly swallow up all that is
above it, air and fire and the Angel and his burden, without
sensing it.'"--And Shahrazed perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the angel
said to Bulukiya when describing the serpent, "'And were it not
for fear of the Most Highest, this serpent would assuredly
swallow up all that is above it, air and fire, and the Angel and
his burden, without sensing it. When Allah created this serpent
He said to it by inspiration, 'I will give thee somewhat to keep
for me, so open thy mouth.' The serpent replied, 'Do whatso Thou
wilt;' and opened his mouth and God placed Hell into his maw,
saying, 'Keep it until the Day of Resurrection. When that time
comes, the Almighty will send His angels with chains to bring
Hell and bind it until the Day when all men shall meet; and the
Lord will order Hell to go open its gates and there will issue
therefrom sparks bigger than the mountains.' When Bulukiya heard
these things he wept with sore weeping and, taking leave of the
Angel, fared on westwards, till he came in sight of two creatures
sitting before a great shut gate. As he drew near, he saw that
one of the gatekeepers had the semblance of a lion and the other
that of a bull; so he saluted them and they returned his salam
and enquired who and whence he was and whither he was bound.
Quoth he, 'I am of the sons of Adam, a wanderer for the love of
Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!) and I have strayed from my
way.' Then he asked them what they were and what was the gate
before which they sat, and they answered, 'We are the guardians
of this gate thou seest and we have no other business than the
praise and hallowing of Allah and the invocation of blessings on
Mohammed (whom may He bless and keep!).' Bulukiya wondered and
asked them, 'What is within the gate?'; and they answered, 'We
wot not.' Then quoth he, 'I conjure you, by the truth of your
glorious Lord, open to me the gate, that I may see that which is
therein.' Quoth they, 'We cannot, and none may open this gate, of
all created beings save Gabriel, the Faithful One, with whom be
peace!' Then Bulukiya lifted up his voice in supplication to
Allah, saying, 'O Lord, send me thy messenger Gabriel, the
Faithful One, to open for me this gate that I may see what be
therein;' and the Almighty gave ear unto his prayer and commanded
the Archangel to descend to earth and open to him the gate of the
Meeting-place of the Two Seas. So Gabriel descended and, saluting
Bulukiya, opened the gate to him, saying, 'Enter this door, for
Allah commandeth me to open to thee.' So he entered and Gabriel
locked the gate behind him and flew back to heaven. When Bulukiya
found himself within the gate, he looked and beheld a vast ocean,
half salt and half fresh, bounded on every side by mountain
ranges of red ruby whereon he saw angels singing the praises of
the Lord and hallowing Him. So he went up to them and saluted
them and having received a return of his salam, questioned them
of the sea and the mountains. Replied they, 'This place is
situate under the Arsh or empyreal heaven; and this Ocean causeth
the flux and flow of all the seas of the world; and we are
appointed to distribute them and drive them to the various parts
of the earth, the salt to the salt and the fresh to the
fresh,[FN#534] and this is our employ until the Day of Doom. As
for the mountain ranges they serve to limit and to contain the
waters. But thou, whence comest thou and whither art thou bound?'
So he told them his story and asked them of the road. They bade
him traverse the surface of the ocean which lay before him: so he
anointed his feet with the juice of the herb he had with him, and
taking leave of the angels, set out upon the face of the sea and
sped on over the water nights and days; and as he was faring,
behold, he met a handsome youth journeying along like himself,
whereupon he greeted him and he returned his greeting. After they
parted he espied four great Angels wayfaring over the face of the
sea, and their going was like the blinding lightning; so he
stationed himself in their road, and when they came up to him, he
saluted them and said to them, 'I ask you by the Almighty, the
Glorious, to tell me your names and whither are ye bound?'
Replied the first Angel, 'My name is Gabriel and these my
companions are called Isráfíl and Míká'íl and Azrá'íl. There hath
appeared in the East a mighty dragon, which hath laid waste a
thousand cities and devoured their inhabitants; wherefore Allah
Almighty hath commanded us to go to him and seize him and cast
him into Jahannam.' Bulukiya marvelled at the vastness of their
stature and fared on, as before, days and nights, till he came to
an island where he landed and walked about for a while,"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "Bulukiya
landed on the island and walked about for a while, till he saw a
comely young man with light shining from his visage, sitting
weeping and lamenting between two built tombs. So he saluted him
and he returned his salutation, and Bulukiya said to him, 'Who
art thou and what are these two built tombs between which thou
sittest, and wherefore this wailing?' He looked at him and wept
with sore weeping, till he drenched his clothes with his tears;
then said, 'Know thou, O my brother, mine is a marvellous story
and a wondrous; but I would have thee sit by me and first tell me
thy name and thine adventures and who thou art and what brought
thee hither; after which I will, in turn, relate to thee my
history.' So Bulukiya sat down by him and related to him all that
had befallen him from his father's death,[FN#535] adding, 'Such
is my history, the whole of it, and Allah alone knoweth what will
happen to me after this.' When the youth heard his story, he
sighed and said, 'O thou unhappy! How few things thou hast seen
in thy life compared with mine. Know, O Bulukiya, that unlike
thyself I have looked upon our lord Solomon, in his life, and
have seen things past count or reckoning. Indeed, my story is
strange and my case out of range, and I would have thee abide
with me, till I tell thee my history and acquaint thee how I come
to be sitting here.'" Hearing this much Hasib again interrupted
the Queen of the Serpents and said to her, "Allah upon thee, O
Queen, release me and command one of thy servants carry me forth
to the surface of the earth, and I will swear an oath to thee
that I will never enter the Hammam-bath as long as I live." But
she said, "This is a thing which may not be nor will I believe
thee upon thine oath." When he heard this, he wept and all the
serpents wept on his account and took to interceding for him with
their Queen, saying, "We beseech thee, bid one of us carry him
forth to the surface of the earth, and he will swear thee an oath
never to enter the bath his life long." Now when Yamlaykhá (for
such was the Queen's name) heard their appeal, she turned to
Hasib and made him swear to her an oath; after which she bade a
serpent carry him forth to the surface of the earth. The serpent
made ready, but as she was about to go away with him, he turned
to Queen Yamlaykha and said, "I would fain have thee tell me the
history of the youth whom Bulukiya saw sitting between two
tombs." So she said: "Know, O Hasib, that when Bulukiya sat down
by the youth and told him his tale, from first to last, in order
that the other might also recount his adventures and explain the
cause of his sitting between the two tombs."--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
continued: "When Bulukiya ended his recount, the youth said, 'How
few things of marvel hast thou seen in thy life, O unhappy! Now I
have looked upon our lord Solomon while he was yet living and I
have witnessed wonders beyond compt and conception.' And he began
to relate
The Story of Janshah.[FN#536]
'Know, O my brother, that my sire was a King called Teghmús, who
reigned over the land of Kabul and the Banu Shahlán, ten thousand
warlike chiefs, each ruling over an hundred walled cities and a
hundred citadels; and he was suzerain also over seven vassal
princes, and tribute was brought to him from the broad lands
between East and West. He was just and equitable in his rule and
Allah Almighty had given him all this and had bestowed on him
such mighty empire, yet had He not vouchsafed him a son (though
this was his dearest wish) to inherit the kingdom after his
decease. So one day it befell that he summoned the Olema and
astrologers, the mathematicians and almanac-makers, and said,
'Draw me my horoscope and look if Allah will grant me a son to
succeed me.' Accordingly, they consulted their books and
calculated his dominant star and the aspects thereof; after which
they said to him, 'Know, O King, that thou shalt be blessed with
a son, but by none other than the daughter of the King of
Khorásán.' Hearing this Teghmus joyed with exceeding joy and,
bestowing on the astrologers and wizards treasure beyond
numbering or reckoning, dismissed them. His chief Wazir was a
renowned warrior, by name ‘Ayn Zár, who was equal to a thousand
cavaliers in battle; so him he summoned and, repeating to him
what the astrologers had predicted, he said, 'O Wazir, it is my
will that thou equip thee for a march to Khorasan and demand for
me the hand of its King Bahrwan's daughter.' Receiving these
orders the Wazir at once proceeded to get ready for the journey
and encamped without the town with his troops and braves and
retinue, whilst King Teghmus made ready as presents for the King
of Khorasan fifteen hundred loads of silks and precious stones,
pearls and rubies and other gems, besides gold and silver; and he
also prepared a prodigious quantity of all that goeth to the
equipment of a bride; then, loading them upon camels and mules,
delivered them to Ayn Zar, with a letter to the following
purport. 'After invoking the blessing of Heaven, King Teghmus to
King Bahrwan, greeting. Know that we have taken counsel with the
astrologers and sages and mathematicians, and they tell us that
we shall have boon of a boy child, and that by none other than
thy daughter. Wherefore I have despatched unto thee my Wazir Ayn
Zar, with great store of bridal gear, and I have appointed him to
stand in my stead and to enter into the marriage-contract in my
name. Furthermore I desire that of thy favour thou wilt grant him
his request without stay or delay; for it is my own, and all
graciousness thou showest him, I take for myself; but beware of
crossing me in this, for know, O King Bahrwan, that Allah hath
bestowed upon me the Kingdom of Kabul, and hath given me dominion
over the Banu Shahlan and vouchsafed me a mighty empire; and if I
marry thy daughter, we will be, I and thou, as one thing in
kingship; and I will send thee every year as much treasure as
will suffice thee. And this is my desire of thee.' Then King
Teghmus sealed the letter with his own ring and gave it to the
Wazir, who departed with a great company and journeyed till he
drew near the capital of Khorasan. When King Bahrwan heard of his
approach, he despatched his principal Emirs to meet him,[FN#537]
with a convoy of food and drink and other requisites, including
forage for the steeds. So they fared forth with the train till
they met the Wazir; then, alighting without the city, they
exchanged salutations and abode there, eating and drinking, ten
days; at the end of which time they mounted and rode on into the
town, where they were met by King Bahrwan, who came out to greet
the Wazir of King Teghmus and alighting, embraced him and carried
him to his citadel. Then Ayn Zar brought out the presents and
laid them before King Bahrwan, together with the letter of King
Teghmus, which when the King read and understood, he joyed with
joy exceeding and welcomed the Wazir, saying, 'Rejoice in winning
thy wish; and know that if King Teghmus sought of me my life,
verily I would give it to him.' Then he went in forthright to his
daughter and her mother and his kinsfolk, and acquainting them
with the King of Kabul's demand sought counsel of them, and they
said, 'Do what seemeth good to thee.'--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundredth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "King
Bahrwan consulted his daughter and her mother and his kinsfolk
and they said, 'Do what seemeth good to thee.' So he returned
straightway to the Minister Ayn Zar and notified to him that his
desire had been fulfilled; and the Wazir, abode with him two
months, at the end of which time he said to him, 'We beseech thee
to bestow upon us that wherefore we came, so we may depart to our
own land.' 'I hear and obey,' answered the King. Then he prepared
all the gear wanted for the wedding; and when this was done he
assembled his Wazirs and all his Emirs and the Grandees of his
realm and the monks and priests who tied the knot of marriage
between his daughter and King Teghmus by proxy. And King Bahrwan
bade decorate the city after the goodliest fashion and spread the
streets with carpets. Then he equipped his daughter for the
journey and gave her all manner of presents and rarities and
precious metals, such as none may describe; and Ayn Zar departed
with the Princess to his own country. When the news of their
approach reached King Teghmus, he bade celebrate the wedding
festivities and adorn the city; after which he went in unto the
Princess and abated her maidenhead; nor was it long before she
conceived by him and, accomplishing her months, bare a man-child
like the moon on the night of its full. When King Teghmus knew
that his wife had given birth to a goodly son, he rejoiced with
exceeding joy and, summoning the sages and astrologers and
mathematicians, said to them, 'I would that ye draw the horoscope
of the newborn child with his ascendant and its aspects and
acquaint me what shall befall him in his lifetime.' So they made
their calculations and found them favourable; but, that he would,
in his fifteenth year, be exposed to perils and hardships, and
that if he survived, he would be happy and fortunate and become a
greater king than his father and a more powerful. The King
rejoiced greatly in this prediction and named the boy Janshah.
Then he delivered him to the nurses, wet and dry, who reared him
excellently well till he reached his fifth year, when his father
taught him to read the Evangel and instructed him in the art of
arms and lunge of lance and sway of sword, so that in less than
seven years he was wont to ride a-hunting, and a-chasing; he
became a doughty champion, perfect in all the science of the
cavalarice and his father was delighted to hear of his knightly
prowess. It chanced one day that King Teghmus and his son
accompanied by the troops rode out for sport into the woods and
wilds and hunted till mid afternoon of the third day, when the
Prince started a gazelle of a rare colour, which fled before him.
So he gave chase to it, followed by seven of King Teghmus's white
slaves all mounted on swift steeds, and rode at speed after the
gazelle, which fled before them till she brought them to the sea
shore. They all ran at her to take her as their quarry, but she
escaped from them and, throwing herself into the waves,"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and First Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "when
Janshah and the Mamelukes ran at the gazelle, to take her as
their quarry, she escaped from them and, throwing herself into
the waves, swam out to a fishing bark, that was moored near the
shore, and sprang on board. Janshah and his followers dismounted
and, boarding the boat, made prize of the gazelle and were minded
to return to shore with her, when the Prince espied a great
island in the offing and said to his merry men, 'I have a longing
to visit yonder island.' They answered, 'We hear and obey,' and
sailed on till they came to the island, where they landed and
amused themselves with exploring the place. Then they again
embarked and taking with them the gazelle, set out to return
homeward, but the murk of evening overtook them and they missed
their way on the main. Moreover a strong wind arose and crave the
boat into mid-ocean, so that when they awoke in the morning, they
found themselves lost at sea. Such was their case; but as regards
King Teghmus, when he missed his son, he commanded his troops to
make search for him in separate bodies; so they dispersed on all
sides and a company of them, coming to the sea shore, found there
the Prince's white slave whom he had left in charge of the
horses. They asked him what was become of his master and the
other six, and he told them what had passed whereupon they took
him with them and returned to the King and acquainted him with
what they had learnt. When Teghmus heard their report, he wept
with sore weeping and cast the crown from his head, biting his
hands for vexation. Then he rose forthright and wrote letters and
despatched them to all the islands of the sea. Moreover he got
together an hundred ships and filling them with troops, sent them
to sail about in quest of Janshah, while he himself withdrew with
his troops to his capital, where he abode in sore concern. As for
Janshah's mother, when she heard of his loss she buffeted her
face and began the mourning ceremonies for her son making sure
that he was dead. Meanwhile, Janshah and his men ceased not
driving before the wind and those in search of them cruised about
for ten days till, finding no trace they returned and reported
failure to the King. But a stiff gale caught the Prince's craft
which went spooning till they made a second island, where they
landed and walked about. Presently they came upon a spring of
running water in the midst of the island and saw from afar a man
sitting hard by it. So they went up to him and saluted him, and
he returned their salam, speaking in a voice like the
whistle[FN#538] of birds. Whilst Janshah stood marvelling at the
man's speech he looked right and left and suddenly split himself
in twain, and each half went a different way.[FN#539] Then there
came down from the hills a multitude of men of all kinds, beyond
count and reckoning; and they no sooner reached the spring, than
each one divided into two halves and rushed on Janshah and his
Mamelukes to eat them. When the voyagers saw this, they turned
and fled seawards; but the cannibals pursued them and caught and
ate three of the slaves, leaving only three slaves who with
Janshah reached the boat in safety; then launching her made for
the water and sailed nights and days without knowing whither
their ship went. They killed the gazelle, and lived on her flesh,
till the winds drove them to a third island which was full of
trees and waters and flower-gardens and orchards laden with all
fashion of fruits: and streams strayed under the tree shade:
brief, the place was a Garden of Eden. The island pleased the
Prince and he said to his companions, 'Which of you will land and
explore?' Then said one of the slaves, 'That will I do'; but he
replied, 'This thing may not be; you must all land and explore
the place while I abide in the boat.' So he set them ashore,"--
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "the Prince
set them ashore, and they searched the island, East and West, but
found no one; then they fared on inland to the heart thereof,
till they came to a Castle compassed about with ramparts of white
marble, within which was a palace of the clearest crystal and,
set in its centre a garden containing all manner fruits beyond
description, both fresh and dry, and flowers of grateful odour
and trees and birds singing upon the boughs. Amiddlemost the
garden was a vast basin of water, and beside it a great open hall
with a raised dais whereon stood a number of stools surrounding a
throne of red gold, studded with all kinds of jewels and
especially rubies and seeing the beauty of the Castle and of the
Garden they entered and explored in all directions, but found no
one there, so after rummaging the Castle they returned to Janshah
and told him what they had seen. When he heard their report, he
cried, 'Needs must I solace myself with a sight of it;' so he
landed and accompanied them to the palace, which he entered
marvelling at the goodliness of the place. They then visited
every part of the gardens and ate of the fruits and continued
walking till it waxed dark, when they returned to the estrade and
sat down, Janshah on the throne in the centre and the three
others on the stools ranged to the right and left. Then the
Prince, there seated, called to mind his separation from his
father's throne-city[FN#540] and country and friends and
kinsfolk; and fell a-weeping and lamenting over their loss whilst
his men wept around him. And as they were thus sorrowing behold,
they heard a mighty clamour, that came from seaward and looking
in the direction of the clamour saw a multitude of apes, as they
were swarming locusts. Now the castle and the island belonged to
these apes, who, finding the strangers' boat moored to the
strand, had scuttled it and after repaired to the palace, where
they came upon Janshah and his men seated." Here the Serpent-
queen again broke off her recital saying, "All this, O Hasib, was
told to Bulukiya by the young man sitting between the two tombs."
Quoth Hasib, "And what did Janshah do with the apes?"; so the
Queen resumed her tale: "He and his men were sore affrighted at
the appearance of the apes, but a company of them came up to the
throne whereon he sat and, kissing the earth before him, stood
awhile in his presence with their paws upon their breasts in
posture of respect. Then another troop brought to the castle
gazelles which they slaughtered and skinned; and roasting pieces
of the flesh till fit for food they laid them on platters of gold
and silver and spreading the table, made signs to Janshah and his
men to eat. The Prince and his followers came down from their
seats and ate, and the apes ate with them, till they were
satisfied, when the apes took away the meat and set on fruits of
which they partook and praised Allah the most Highest. Then
Janshah asked the apes by signs what they were and to whom the
palace belonged, and they answered him by signals, 'Know ye that
this island belonged of yore to our lord Solomon, son of David
(on both of whom be peace!), and he used to come hither once
every year for his solace,'"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Janshah asked the apes by signs to whom the palace belonged, they
answered him by signals, "'Of a truth this place belonged of yore
to our lord Solomon, son of David (on both of whom be peace!),
who used to come hither once every year for his solace, and then
wend his ways.' Presently the apes continued, 'And know, O King,
that thou art become our Sultan and we are thy servants; so eat
and drink, and whatso thou ever bid us, that will we do.' So
saying, they severally kissed the earth between the hands of
Janshah and all took their departure. The Prince slept that night
on the throne and his men on the stools about him, and on the
morrow, at daybreak, the four Wazirs or Captains of the apes
presented themselves before him, attended by their troops, who
ranged themselves about him, rank after rank, until the place was
crowded. Then the Wazirs approached and exhorted him by signs to
do justice amongst them and rule them righteously; after which
the apes cried out to one another and went away, all save a small
party which remained in presence to serve him. After awhile,
there came up a company of apes with huge dogs in the semblance
of horses, each wearing about his head a massive chain; and
signed to Janshah and his three followers to mount and go with
them. So they mounted, marvelling at the greatness of the dogs,
and rode forth, attended by the four Wazirs and a host of apes
like swarming locusts, some riding on dogs and others afoot till
they came to the sea-shore. Janshah looked for the boat which
brought him and finding it scuttled turned to the Wazirs and
asked how this had happened to it; whereto they answered, 'Know,
O King, that, when thou camest to our island, we kenned that thou
wouldst be Sultan over us and we feared lest ye all flee from us,
in our absence; and embark in the boat, so we sank it.' When
Janshah heard this, he turned to his Mamelukes and said to them,
'We have no means of escaping from these apes, and we must
patiently await the ordinance of the Almighty.' Then they fared
on inland and ceased not faring till they came to the banks of a
river, on whose other side rose a high mountain, whereon Janshah
saw a multitude of Ghuls. So he turned to the apes and asked
them, 'What are these Ghuls?' and they answered, 'Know, O King,
that these Ghuls are our mortal foes and we come hither to do
battle with them.' Janshah marvelled to see them riding horses,
and was startled at the vastness of their bulk and the
strangeness of their semblance; for some of them had heads like
bulls and others like camels. As soon as the Ghuls espied the
army of the apes, they charged down to the river bank and
standing there, fell to pelting them with stones as big as maces;
and between them there befell a sore fight. Presently, Janshah,
seeing that the Ghuls were getting the better of the apes, cried
out to his men, saying, 'Unease your bows and arrows and shoot at
them your best shafts and keep them off from us.' They did so and
slew of the Ghuls much people, when there fell upon them sore
dismay and they turned to flee; but the apes, seeing Janshah's
prowess, forded the river and headed by their Sultan chased the
Ghuls, killing many of them in the pursuit, till they reached the
high mountain where they disappeared. And while exploring the
said mountain Janshah found a tablet of alabaster, whereon was
written, 'O thou who enterest this land, know that thou wilt
become Sultan over these apes and that from them there is no
escape for thee, except by the passes that run east and west
through the mountains. If thou take the eastern pass, thou wilt
fare through a country swarming with Ghuls and wild beasts,
Marids and Ifrits, and thou wilt come, after three months'
journeying, to the ocean which encompasseth the earth; but, if
thou travel by the western pass, it will bring thee, after four
months' journeying, to the head of the Wady of Emmets.[FN#541]
When thou hast followed the road, that leads through this
mountain, ten days,' "--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Janshah
read this much upon the tablet and found, at the end of the
inscription, "'Then thou wilt come to a great river, whose
current is so swift that it blindeth the eyes. Now this river
drieth up every Sabbath,[FN#542] and on the opposite bank lies a
city wholly inhabited by Jews, who the faith of Mohammed refuse;
there is not a Moslem among the band nor is there other than this
city in the land. Better therefore lord it over the apes, for so
long as thou shalt tarry amongst them they will be victorious
over the Ghuls. And know also that he who wrote this tablet was
the lord Solomon, son of David (on both be peace!).' When Janshah
read these words, he wept sore and repeated them to his men. Then
they mounted again and, surrounded by the army of the apes who
were rejoicing in their victory, returned to the castle. Here
Janshah abode, Sultaning over them, for a year and a half. And at
the end of this time, he one day commanded the ape-army to mount
and go forth a hunting with him, and they rode out into the woods
and wilds, and fared on from place to place, till they approached
the Wady of Emmets, which Janshah knew by the description of it
upon the alabaster tablet. Here he bade them dismount and they
all abode there, eating and drinking a space of ten days, after
which Janshah took his men apart one night and said, 'I purpose
we flee through the Valley of Emmets and make for the town of the
Jews; it may be Allah will deliver us from these apes and we will
go God's ways.' They replied, 'We hear and we obey:' so he waited
till some little of the night was spent then, donning his armour
and girding his sword and dagger and such like weapons, and his
men doing likewise, they set out and fared on westwards till
morning. When the apes awoke and missed Janshah and his men, they
knew that they had fled. So they mounted and pursued them, some
taking the eastern pass and others that which led to the Wady of
Emmets, nor was it long before the apes came in sight of the
fugitives, as they were about to enter the valley, and hastened
after them. When Janshah and his men saw them, they fled into the
Emmet-valley; but the apes soon overtook them and would have
slain them, when behold, there rose out of the earth a multitude
of ants like swarming locusts, as big as dogs, and charged home
upon the apes. They devoured many of their foes, and these also
slew many of the ants; but help came to the emmets: now an ant
would go up to an ape and smite him and cut him in twain, whilst
ten apes could hardly master one ant and bear him away and tear
him in sunder. The sore battle lasted till the evening but the
emmets were victorious. In the gloaming Janshah and his men took
to flight and fled along the sole of the Wady."--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "in the
gloaming Janshah and his men took to flight and fled along the
sole of the Wady till the morning. With the break of day, the
apes were up and at them, which when the Prince saw, he shouted
to his men, 'Smite with your swords.' So they bared their blades
and laid on load right and left, till there ran at them an ape,
with tusks like an elephant, and smote one of the Mamelukes and
cut him in sunder. Then the apes redoubled upon Janshah and he
fled with his followers into the lower levels of the valley,
where he saw a vast river and by its side a mighty army of ants.
When the emmets espied Janshah they pushed on and surrounded him,
and one of the slaves fell to smiting them with his sword and
cutting them in twain; whereupon the whole host set upon him and
slew him. At this pass, behold, up came the apes from over the
mountain and fell in numbers upon Janshah; but he tore off his
clothes and, plunging into the river, with his remaining servant,
struck out for the middle of the stream. Presently, he caught
sight of a tree on the other bank; so he swam up to it and laying
hold of one of its branches, hung to it and swung himself ashore,
but as for the last Mameluke the current carried him away and
dashed him to pieces against the mountain. Thereupon Janshah fell
to wringing his clothes and spreading them in the sun to dry,
what while there befell a fierce fight between the apes and the
ants, until the apes gave up the pursuit and returned to their
own land. Meanwhile, Janshah, who abode alone on the river-bank,
could do naught but shed tears till nightfall, when he took
refuge in a cavern and there passed the dark hours, in great fear
and feeling desolate for the loss of his slaves. At daybreak
awaking from his sleep he set out again and fared on nights and
days, eating of the herbs of the earth, till he came to the
mountain which burnt like fire, and thence he made the river
which dried up every Sabbath. Now it was a mighty stream and on
the opposite bank stood a great city, which was the capital of
the Jews mentioned in the tablet. Here he abode till the next
Sabbath, when the river dried up and he walked over to the other
side and entered the Jew city, but saw none in the streets. So he
wandered about till he came to the door of a homestead, which he
opened and entering, espied within the people of the house
sitting in silence and speaking not a syllable. Quoth he, 'I am a
stranger and anhungered;' and they signed to him, as to say, 'Eat
and drink, but speak not.'[FN#543] So he ate and drank and slept
that night and, when morning dawned, the master of the house
greeted him and bade him welcome and asked him, 'Whence comest
thou and whither art thou bound?' At these words Janshah wept
sore and told him all that had befallen him and how his father
was King of Kabul; whereat the Jew marvelled and said, 'Never
heard we of that city, but we have heard from the merchants of
the caravans that in that direction lieth a land called
Al-Yaman.' 'How far is that land from this place?' asked Janshah,
and the Jew answered, 'The Cafilah merchants pretend that it is a
two years and three months' march from their land hither.' Quoth
Janshah, 'And when doth the caravan come?' Quoth the Jew, 'Next
year 'twill come.' "--And Shahrazed perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Jew was questioned anent the coming of the caravan, he replied,
"'Next year 'twill come.' At these words the Prince wept sore and
fell a-sorrowing for himself and his Mamelukes; and lamenting his
separation from his mother and father and all which had befallen
him in his wanderings. Then said the Jew, 'O young man, do not
weep, but sojourn with us till the caravan shall come, when we
will send thee with it to thine own country.' So he tarried with
the Jew two whole months and every day he went out walking in the
streets for his solace and diversion. Now it chanced one day,
whilst he paced about the main thoroughfares, as of wont, and was
bending his steps right and left, he heard a crier crying aloud
and saying, 'Who will earn a thousand gold pieces and a slave-
girl of surpassing beauty and loveliness by working for me
between morning and noontide?' But no one answered him and
Janshah said in his mind, 'Were not this work dangerous and
difficult, he would not offer a thousand diners and a fair girl
for half a day's labour.' Then he accosted the crier and said, 'I
will do the work;' so the man carried him to a lofty mansion
where they found one who was a Jew and a merchant, seated on an
ebony chair, to whom quoth the crier, standing respectfully
before him, 'O merchant, I have cried every day these three
months, and none hath answered, save this young man.' Hearing his
speech the Jew welcomed Janshah, led him into a magnificent
sitting-room and signalled to bring food. So the servants spread
the table and set thereon all manner meats, of which the merchant
and Janshah ate, and washed their hands. Then wine was served up
and they drank; after which the Jew rose and bringing Janshah a
purse of a thousand diners and a slave-girl of rare beauty, said
to him, 'Take maid and money to thy hire.' Janshah took them and
seated the girl by his side when the trader resumed, 'To-morrow
to the work!'; and so saying he withdrew and Janshah slept with
the damsel that night. As soon as it was morning, the merchant
bade his slaves clothe him in a costly suit of silk whenas he
came out of the Hammam-Bath. So they did as he bade them and
brought him back to the house, whereupon the merchant called for
harp and lute and wine and they drank and played and made merry
till the half of the night was past, when the Jew retired to his
Harim and Janshah lay with his slave-girl till the dawn. Then he
went to the bath and on his return, the merchant came to him and
said, 'Now I wish thee to do the work for me.' 'I hear and obey,'
replied Janshah. So the merchant bade his slaves bring two she-
mules and set Janshah on one, mounting the other himself. Then
they rode forth from the city and fared on from morn till noon,
when they made a lofty mountain, to whose height was no limit.
Here the Jew dismounted, ordering Janshah to do the same; and
when he obeyed the merchant gave him a knife and a cord, saying,
'I desire that thou slaughter this mule.' So Janshah tucked up
his sleeves and skirts and going up to the mule, bound her legs
with the cord, then threw her and cut her throat; after which he
skinned her and lopped off her head and legs and she became a
mere heap of flesh. Then said the Jew, 'Slit open the mule's
belly and enter it and I will sew it up on thee. There must thou
abide awhile and whatsoever thou seest in her belly, acquaint me
therewith.' So Janshah slit the mule's belly and crept into it,
whereupon the merchant sewed it up on him and withdrew to a
distance,"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "the
merchant sewed up the mule's belly on Janshah and, withdrawing to
a distance, hid himself in the skirts of the mountain. After a
while a huge bird swooped down on the dead mule and snatching it
up, flew up with it to the top of the mountain, where it set down
the quarry and would have eaten it; but Janshah, feeling the bird
begin to feed, slit the mule's belly and came forth. When the
bird saw him, it took fright at him and flew right away;
whereupon he stood up and looking right and left, saw nothing but
the carcasses of dead men, mummied by the sun, and exclaimed,
'There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the
Glorious, the Great!' Then he looked down the precipice and
espied the merchant standing at the mountain-foot, looking for
him. As soon as the Jew caught sight of him, he called out to
him, 'Throw me down of the stones which are about thee, that I
may direct thee to a way whereby thou mayst descend.' So Janshah
threw him down some two hundred of the stones, which were all
rubies,[FN#544] chrysolites and other gems of price; after which
he called out to him, saying, 'Show me the way down and I will
throw thee as many more.' But the Jew gathered up the stones and,
binding them on the back of the mule, went his way without
answering a word and left Janshah alone on the mountain-top. When
the Prince found himself deserted, he began to weep and implore
help of Heaven, and thus he abode three days; after which he rose
and fared on over the mountainous ground two month's space,
feeding upon hill-herbs; and he ceased not faring till he came to
its skirts and espied afar off a Wady full of fruitful trees and
birds harmonious, singing the praises of Allah, the One, the
Victorious. At this sight he joyed with great joy and stayed not
his steps till, after an hour or so, he came to a ravine in the
rocks, through which the rain torrents fell into the valley. He
made his way down the cleft till he reached the Wady which he had
seen from the mountain-top and walked on therein, gazing right
and left, nor ceased so doing until he came in sight of a great
castle, towering high in air. As he drew near the gates he saw an
old man of comely aspect and face shining with light standing
thereat with a staff of carnelian in his hand, and going up to
him, saluted him. The Shaykh returned his salam and bade him
welcome, saying, 'Sit down, O my son.' So he sat down at the door
of the castle and the old man said to him, 'How camest thou to
this land, untrodden by son of Adam before thee, and whither art
thou bound?' When Janshah heard his words he wept bitterly at the
thought of all the hardships he had suffered and his tears choked
his speech. Quoth the Shaykh, 'O my son, leave weeping; for
indeed thou makest my heart ache.' So saying, he rose and set
somewhat of food before him and said to him, 'Eat.' He ate and
praised Allah Almighty; after which the old man besought him
saying, 'O my son, I would have thee tell me thy tale and
acquaint me with thine adventures.' So Janshah related to him all
that had befallen him, from first to last, whereat the Shaykh
marvelled with exceeding marvel. Then said the Prince, 'Prithee
inform me who is the lord of this valley and to whom doth this
great castle belong?' Answered the old man, 'Know, O my son, this
valley and all that is therein and this castle with all it
containeth belong to the lord Solomon, son of David (on both be
peace!). As for me, my name is Shaykh Nasr,[FN#545] King of the
Birds; for thou must know that the lord Solomon committed this
castle to my charge,'"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "Shaykh
Nasr pursued, 'Thou must know that the lord Solomon com misted
this castle to my charge and taught me the language of birds and
made me ruler over all the fowls which be in the world; wherefore
each and every come hither once in the twelvemonth, and I pass
them in review: then they depart; and this is why I dwell here.'
When Janshah heard this, he wept sore and said to the Shaykh, 'O
my father, how shall I do to get back to my native land?' Replied
the old man, 'Know, O my son, that thou art near to the mountain
Kaf, and there is no departing for thee from this place till the
birds come, when I will give thee in charge to one of them, and
he will bear thee to thy native country. Meanwhile tarry with me
here and eat and drink and divert thyself with viewing the
apartments of this castle.' So Janshah abode with Shaykh Nasr,
taking his pleasure in the Wady and eating of its fruits and
laughing and making merry with the old man, and leading a right
joyous life till the day appointed for the birds to pay their
annual visit to the Governor. Thereupon the Shaykh said to him,
'O Janshah, take the keys of the castle and solace thyself with
exploring all its apartments and viewing whatever be therein, but
as regards such a room, beware and again beware of opening its
door; and if thou gainsay me and open it and enter there, through
nevermore shalt thou know fair fortune.' He repeated this charge
again and again with much instance; then he went forth to meet
the birds, which came up, kind by kind, and kissed his hands.
Such was his case; but as regards Janshah, he went round about
the castle, opening the various doors and viewing the apartments
into which they led, till he came to the room which Shaykh Nasr
had warned him not to open or enter. He looked at the door and
its fashion pleased him, for it had on it a padlock of gold, and
he said to himself, 'This room must be goodlier than all the
others; would Heaven I wist what is within it, that Shaykh Nasr
should forbid me to open its door! There is no help but that I
enter and see what is in this apartment; for whatso is decreed
unto the creature perforce he must fulfil.' So he put out his
hand and unlocked the door and entering, found himself before a
great basin; and hard by it stood a little pavilion, builded all
of gold and silver and crystal, with lattice-windows of jacinth.
The floor was paved with green beryl and balas rubies and
emeralds and other jewels, set in the ground-work mosaic-fashion,
and in the midmost of the pavilion was a jetting fountain in a
golden basin, full of water and girt about with figures of beasts
and birds, cunningly wrought of gold and silver and casting water
from their mouths. When the zephyr blew on them, it entered their
ears and therewith the figures sang out with birdlike song, each
in its own tongue. Beside the fountain was a great open saloon
with a high dais whereon stood a vast throne of carnelian, inlaid
with pearls and jewels, over which was spread a tent of green
silk fifty cubits in width and embroidered with gems fit for seal
rings and purfled with precious metals. Within this tent was a
closet containing the carpet of the lord Solomon (on whom be
peace!); and the pavilion was compassed about with a vast garden
full of fruit trees and streams; while near the palace were beds
of roses and basil and eglantine and all manner sweet-smelling
herbs and flowers. And the trees bore on the same boughs fruits
fresh and dry and the branches swayed gracefully to the wooing of
the wind. All this was in that one apartment and Janshah wondered
thereat till he was weary of wonderment; and he set out to solace
himself in the palace and the garden and to divert himself with
the quaint and curious things they contained. And first looking
at the basin he saw that the gravels of its bed were gems and
jewels and noble metals; and many other strange things were in
that apartment."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "Janshah
saw many strange things and admirable in that apartment. Then he
entered the pavilion and mounting the throne, fell asleep under
the tent set up thereover. He slept for a time and, presently
awaking, walked forth and sat down on a stool before the door. As
he sat, marvelling at the goodliness of that place, there flew up
from mid sky three birds, in dove-form but big as eagles, and
lighted on the brink of the basin, where they sported awhile.
Then they put off their feathers and became three
maidens,[FN#546] as they were moons, that had not their like in
the whole world. They plunged into the basin and swam about and
disported themselves and laughed, while Janshah marvelled at
their beauty and loveliness and the grace and symmetry of their
shapes. Presently, they came up out of the water and began
walking about and taking their solace in the garden; and Janshah
seeing them land was like to lose his wits. He rose and followed
them, and when he overtook them, he saluted them and they
returned his salam; after which quoth he, 'Who are ye, O
illustrious Princesses, and whence come ye?' Replied the youngest
damsel, 'We are from the invisible world of Almighty Allah and we
come hither to divert ourselves.' He marvelled at their beauty
and said to the youngest, 'Have ruth on me and deign kindness to
me and take pity on my case and on all that hath befallen me in
my life.' Rejoined she, 'Leave this talk and wend thy ways';
whereat the tears streamed from his eyes, and he sighed heavily
and repeated these couplets,
'She shone out in the garden in garments all of green, * With
open vest and collars and flowing hair beseen:
'What is thy name?' I asked her, and she replied, 'I'm she * Who
roasts the hearts of lovers on coals of love and teen.'
Of passion and its anguish to her made my moan; * 'Upon a rock,'
she answered, 'thy plaints are wasted clean.'
'Even if thy heart,' I told her, 'be rock in very deed, * Yet
hath God made fair water well from the rock, I
ween.'[FN#547]
When the maidens heard his verses, they laughed and played and
sang and made merry. Then he brought them somewhat of fruit, and
they ate and drank and slept with him till the morning, when they
donned their feather-suits, and resuming dove shape flew off and
went their way. But as he saw them disappearing from sight, his
reason well nigh fled with them, and he gave a great cry and fell
down in a fainting fit and lay a-swooning all that day. While he
was in this case Shaykh Nasr returned from the Parliament of the
Fowls and sought for Janshah, that he might send him with them to
his native land, but found him not and knew that he had entered
the forbidden room. Now he had already said to the birds, 'With
me is a young man, a mere youth, whom destiny brought hither from
a distant land; and I desire of you that ye take him up and carry
him to his own country.' And all answered, 'We hear and we obey.'
So he ceased not searching for Janshah till he came to the
forbidden door and seeing it open he entered and found the Prince
lying a-swoon under a tree. He fetched scented waters and
sprinkled them on his face, whereupon he revived and turned."--
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Tenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "when
Shaykh Nasr saw Janshah lying a-swoon under the tree he fetched
him somewhat of scented waters and sprinkled them on his face.
Thereupon he revived and turned right and left, but seeing none
by him save the Shaykh, sighed heavily and repeated these
couplets,
'Like fullest moon she shines on happiest night, * Soft sided
fair, with slender shape bedight.
Her eye-babes charm the world with gramarye; * Her lips remind of
rose and ruby light.
Her jetty locks make night upon her hips; * Ware, lovers, ware ye
of that curl's despight!
Yea, soft her sides are, but in love her heart * Outhardens
flint, surpasses syenite:
And bows of eyebrows shower glancey shafts * Despite the distance
never fail to smite.
Then, ah, her beauty! all the fair it passes; * Nor any rival her
who see the light.'
When Shaykh Nasr heard these verses, he said, 'O my son, did I
not warn thee not to open that door and enter that room? But now,
O my son, tell me what thou sawest therein and acquaint me with
all that betided thee.' So Janshah related to him all that had
passed between him and the three maidens, and Shaykh Nasr, who
sat listening in silence said, 'Know, O my son, that these three
maidens are of the daughters of the Jann and come hither every
year for a day, to divert themselves and make merry until mid
afternoon, when they return to their own country.' Janshah asked,
'And where is their country?'; and the old man answered, 'By
Allah, O my son, I wot not:' presently adding, 'but now take
heart and put away this love from thee and come with me, that I
may send thee to thine own land with the birds.' When Janshah
heard this, he gave a great cry and fell down in a trance; and
presently he came to himself, and said, 'O my father indeed I
care not to return to my native land: all I want is to foregather
with these maidens and know, O my father, that I will never again
name my people, though I die before thee.' Then he wept and
cried, 'Enough for me that I look upon the face of her I love,
although it be only once in the year!' And he sighed deeply and
repeated these couplets,
'Would Heaven the Phantom[FN#548] spared the friend at night *
And would this love for man were ever dight!
Were not my heart afire for love of you, * Tears ne'er had
stained my cheeks nor dimmed my sight.
By night and day, I bid my heart to bear * Its griefs, while
fires of love my body blight.'
Then he fell at Shaykh Nasr's feet and kissed them and wept sore,
crying, 'Have pity on me, so Allah take pity on thee and aid me
in my strait so Allah aid thee!' Replied the old man, 'By Allah O
my son, I know nothing of these maidens nor where may be their
country; but, O my son, if thy heart be indeed set on one of
them, tarry with me till this time next year for they will
assuredly reappear; and, when the day of their coming draweth
near, hide thyself under a tree in the garden. As soon as they
have alighted and doffed their feather-robes and plunged into the
lake and are swimming about at a distance from their clothes,
seize the vest of her whom thy soul desireth. When they see thee,
they will come a bank and she, whose coat thou hast taken, will
accost thee and say to thee with the sweetest of speech and the
most witching of smiles, 'Give me my dress, O my brother, that I
may don it and veil my nakedness withal.' But if thou yield to
her prayer and give her back the vest thou wilt never win thy
wish: nay, she will don it and fly away to her folk and thou wilt
nevermore see her again Now when thou hast gained the vest, clap
it under thine armpit and hold it fast, till I return from the
Parliament of the Fowls, when I will make accord between thee and
her and send thee back to thy native land, and the maiden with
thee. And this, O my son, is all I can do for thee, nothing
more.' "--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eleventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "quoth
Shaykh Nasr to Janshah, 'Hold fast the feather-robe of her thy
soul desireth and give it not back to her till I return from the
Parliament of the Fowls. And this, O my son, is all I can do for
thee, nothing more.' When Janshah heard this, his heart was
solaced and he abode with Shaykh Nasr yet another year, counting
the days as they passed until the day of the coming of the birds.
And when at last the appointed time arrived the old man said to
him, 'Do as
