CRAFT AND MALICE OF WOMEN,[FN#153] OR THE
TALE OF THE KING, HIS SON, HIS CONCUBINE AND
THE SEVEN WAZIRS.
There was, in days of yore and in ages and times long gone
before, a puissant King among the Kings of China, the crown of
crowned heads, who ruled over many men of war and vassals with
wisdom and justice, might and majesty; equitable to his Ryots,
liberal to his lieges and dearly beloved by the hearts of his
subjects. He was wealthy as he was powerful, but he had grown old
without being blessed with a son, and this caused him sore
affliction. He could only brood over the cutting off of his seed
and the oblivion that would bury his name and the passing of his
realm into the stranger's hands. So he secluded himself in his
palace, never going in and out or rising and taking rest till the
lieges lost all tidings of him and were sore perplexed and began
to talk about their King. Some said, "He's dead"; others said,
"No, he's not"; but all resolved to find a ruler who could reign
over them and carry out the customs of government. At last,
utterly despairing of male issue, he sought the intercession of
the Prophet (whom Allah bless and keep!) with the Most High and
implored Him, by the glory of His Prophets and Saints and Martyrs
and others of the Faithful who were acceptable to Heaven that he
would grant him a son, to be the coolth of his eyes and heir to
the kingdom after him. Then he rose forthright and, withdrawing
to his sitting-saloon, sent for his wife who was the daughter of
his uncle. Now this Queen was of surpassing beauty and
loveliness, the fairest of all his wives and the dearest to him
as she was the nearest: and to boot a woman of excellent wit and
passing judgement. She found the King dejected and sorrowful,
tearful-eyed and heavy-hearted; so she kissed ground between his
hands and said, "O King, may my life ransom thy life! may Time
never prove thy foe, nor the shifts of Fortune prevail over thee;
may Allah grant thee every joy and ward off from thee all annoy!
How is it I see thee brooding over thy case and tormented by the
displeasures of memory?" He replied, "Thou wottest well that I am
a man now shotten in years, who hath never been blessed with a
son, a sight to cool his eyes; so I know that my kingdom shall
pass away to the stranger in blood and my name and memory will be
blotted out amongst men. 'Tis this causeth me to grieve with
excessive grief." "Allah do away with thy sorrows," quoth she:
"long ere this day a thought struck me; and yearning for issue
arose in my heart even as in thine. One night I dreamed a dream
and a voice said to me, 'The King thy husband pineth for progeny:
if a daughter be vouchsafed to him, she will be the ruin of his
realm; if a son, the youth will undergo much trouble and annoy
but he will pass through it without loss of life. Such a son can
be conceived by thee and thee only and the time of thy conception
is when the moon conjoineth with Gemini!' I woke from my dream,
but after what I heard that voice declare I refrained from
breeding and would not consent to bear children." "There is no
help for it but that I have a son, Inshallah, --God willing!"
cried the King. Thereupon she soothed and consoled him till he
forgot his sorrows and went forth amongst the lieges and sat, as
of wont, upon his throne of estate. All rejoiced to see him once
more and especially the Lords of his realm. Now when the
conjunction of the moon and Gemini took place, the King knew his
wife carnally and, by order of Allah Almighty she became
pregnant. Presently she anounced the glad tidings to her husband
and led her usual life until her nine months of pregnancy were
completed and she bare a male child whose face was as the rondure
of the moon on its fourteenth night. The lieges of the realm
congratulated one another thereanent and the King commanded an
assembly of his Olema and philosophers, astrologers and
horoscopists, whom he thus addressed, "I desire you to forecast
the fortune of my son and to determine his ascendant[FN#154] and
whatever is shown by his nativity." They replied "'Tis well, in
Allah's name, let us do so!" and cast his nativity with all
diligence. After ascertaining his ascendant, they pronounced
judgement in these words, "We see his lot favourable and his life
viable and durable; save that a danger awaiteth his youth." The
father was sorely concerned at this saying, when they added "But,
O King, he shall escape from it nor shall aught of injury accrue
to him!" Hereupon the King cast aside all cark and care and robed
the wizards and dismissed them with splendid honoraria; and he
resigned himself to the will of Heaven and acknowledged that the
decrees of destiny may not be countervailed. He committed his boy
to wet nurses and dry nurses, handmaids and eunuchs, leaving him
to grow and fill out in the Harim till he reached the age of
seven. Then he addressed letters to his Viceroys and Governors in
every clime and by their means gathered together Olema and
philosophers and doctors of law and religion, from all countries,
to a number of three hundred and three score. He held an especial
assembly for them and, when all were in presence, he bade them
draw near him and be at their ease while he sent for the
food-trays and all ate their sufficiency. And when the banquet
ended and the wizards had taken seats in their several degrees,
the King asked them, "Wot ye wherefore I have gathered ye
together?"; whereto all answered, "We wot not, O King!" He
continued, "It is my wish that you select from amongst you fifty
men, and from these fifty ten, and from these ten one, that he
may teach my son omnem rem scibilem; for whenas I see the youth
perfect in all science, I will share my dignity with the Prince
and make him partner with me in my possessions." "Know, O King,"
they replied, "that among us none is more learned or more
excellent than Al-Sindibad,[FN#155] hight the Sage, who woneth in
thy capital under thy protection. If such be thy design, summon
him and bid him do thy will." The King acted upon their advice
and the Sage, standing in the presence, expressed his loyal
sentiments with his salutation, whereupon his Sovereign bade him
draw nigh and thus raised his rank, saying, "I would have thee to
know, O Sage, that I summoned this assembly of the learned and
bade them choose me out a man to teach my son all knowledge; when
they selected thee without dissenting thought or voice. If, then,
thou feel capable of what they claimed for thee, come thou to the
task and understand that a man's son and heir is the very fruit
of his vitals and core of his heart and liver. My desire of thee
is thine instruction of him; and to happy issue Allah guideth!"
The King then sent for his son and committed him to Al-Sindibad
conditioning the Sage to finish his education in three years. He
did accordingly but, at the end of that time, the young Prince
had learned nothing, his mind being wholly occupied with play and
disport; and when summoned and examined by his sire, behold, his
knowledge was as nil. Thereupon the King turned his attention to
the learned once more and bade them elect a tutor for his youth;
so they asked, "And what hath his governor, Al-Sindibad, been
doing?" and when the King answered, "He hath taught my son
naught;" the Olema and philosophers and high officers summoned
the instructor and said to him, "O Sage, what prevented thee from
teaching the King's son during this length of days?" "O wise
men," he replied, "the Prince's mind is wholly occupied with
disport and play; yet, an the King will make with me three
conditions and keep to them, I will teach him in seven months
what he would not learn (nor indeed could any other lesson him)
within seven years." "I hearken to thee," quoth the King, "and I
submit myself to thy conditions;" and quoth Al-Sindibad, "Hear
from me, Sire, and bear in mind these three sayings, whereof the
first is, 'Do not to others what thou wouldest not they do unto
thee';[FN#156] and second, 'Do naught hastily without consulting
the experienced'; and thirdly, 'Where thou hast power show
pity.'[FN#157] In teaching this lad I require no more of thee but
to accept these three dictes and adhere thereto." Cried the King,
"Bear ye witness against me, O all ye here assembled, that I
stand firm by these conditions!"; and caused a proces verbal to
be drawn up with his personal security and the testimony of his
courtiers. Thereupon the Sage, taking the Prince's hand, led him
to his place, and the King sent them all requisites of provaunt
and kitchen-batteries, carpets and other furniture. Moreover the
tutor bade build a house whose walls he lined with the whitest
stucco painted over with ceruse,[FN#158] and, lastly, he
delineated thereon all the objects concerning which he proposed
to lecture his pupil. When the place was duly furnished, he took
the lad's hand and installed him in the apartment which was amply
furnished with belly-timber; and, after stablishing him therein,
went forth and fastened the door with seven padlocks. Nor did he
visit the Prince save every third day when he lessoned him on the
knowledge to be extracted from the wall-pictures and renewed his
provision of meat and drink, after which he left him again to
solitude. So whenever the youth was straitened in breast by the
tedium and ennui of loneliness, he applied himself diligently to
his object-lessons and mastered all the deductions therefrom. His
governor seeing this turned his mind into other channel and
taught him the inner meanings of the external objects; and in a
little time the pupil mastered every requisite. Then the Sage
took him from the house and taught him cavalarice and Jerid play
and archery. When the pupil had thoroughly mastered these arts,
the tutor sent to the King informing him that the Prince was
perfect and complete in all things required to figure favourably
amongst his peers. Hereat the King rejoiced; and, summoning his
Wazirs and Lords of estate to be present at the examination,
commanded the Sage to send his son into the presence. Thereupon
Al-Sindibad consulted his pupil's horoscope and found it barred
by an inauspicious conjunction which would last seven days; so,
in sore affright for the youth's life, he said, "Look into thy
nativity-scheme." The Prince did so and, recognising the portent,
feared for himself and presently asked the Sage, saying, "What
dost thou bid me do?" "I bid thee," he answered, "remain silent
and speak not a word during this se'nnight; even though thy sire
slay thee with scourging. An thou pass safely through this
period, thou shalt win to high rank and succeed to thy sire's
reign; but an things go otherwise then the behest is with Allah
from the beginning to the end thereof." Quoth the pupil, "Thou
art in fault, O preceptor, and thou hast shown undue haste in
sending that message to the King before looking into my
horoscope. Hadst thou delayed till the week had passed all had
been well." Quoth the tutor, "O my son, what was to be was; and
the sole defaulter therein was my delight in thy scholarship. But
now be firm in thy resolve; rely upon Allah Almighty and
determine not to utter a single word." Thereupon the Prince fared
for the presence and was met by the Wazirs who led him to his
father. The King accosted him and addressed him but he answered
not; and sought speech of him but he spake not. Whereupon the
courtiers were astounded and the monarch, sore concerned for his
son, summoned Al-Sindibad. But the tutor so hid himself that none
could hit upon his trace nor gain tidings of him; and folk said,
"He was ashamed to appear before the King's majesty and the
courtiers." Under these conditions the Sovereign heard some of
those present saying, "Send the lad to the Serraglio where he
will talk with the women and soon set aside this bashfulness;"
and, approving their counsel, gave orders accordingly. So the
Prince was led into the palace, which was compassed about by a
running stream whose banks were planted with all manner of
fruit-trees and sweet-smelling flowers. Moreover, in this palace
were forty chambers and in every chamber ten slave-girls, each
skilled in some instrument of music, so that whenever one of them
played, the palace danced to her melodious strains. Here the
Prince passed one night; but, on the following morning, the
King's favourite concubine happened to cast eyes upon his beauty
and loveliness, his symmetrical stature, his brilliancy and his
perfect grace, and love gat hold of her heart and she was
ravished with his charms.[FN#159] So she went up to him and threw
herself upon him, but he made her no response; whereupon, being
dazed by his beauty, she cried out to him and required him of
himself and importuned him; then she again threw herself upon him
and clasped him to her bosom kissing him and saying, "O King's
son, grant me thy favours and I will set thee in thy father's
stead; I will give him to drink of poison, so he may die and thou
shalt enjoy his realm and wealth." When the Prince heard these
words, he was sore enraged against her and said to her by signs,
"O accursed one, so it please Almighty Allah, I will assuredly
requite thee this thy deed, whenas I can speak; for I will go
forth to my father and will tell him, and he shall kill thee." So
signing, he arose in rage, and went out from her chamber; whereat
she feared for herself. Thereupon she buffeted her face and rent
her raiment and tare her hair and bared her head, then went in to
the King and cast herself at his feet, weeping and wailing. When
he saw her in this plight, he was sore concerned and asked her,
"What aileth thee, O damsel? How is it with thy lord, my son? Is
he not well?"; and she answered, "O King, this thy son, whom thy
courtiers avouch to be dumb, required me of myself and I repelled
him, whereupon he did with me as thou seest and would have slain
me; so I fled from him, nor will I ever return to him, nor to the
palace again, no, never again!" When the King heard this, he was
wroth with exceeding wrath and, calling his seven Wazirs, bade
them put the Prince to death. However, they said one to other,
"If we do the King's commandment, he will surely repent of having
ordered his son's death, for he is passing dear to him and this
child came not to him save after despair; and he will round upon
us and blame us, saying, 'Why did ye not contrive to dissuade me
from slaying him?'" So they took counsel together, to turn him
from his purpose, and the chief Wazir said, "I will warrant you
from the King's mischief this day." Then he went in to the
presence and prostrating himself craved leave to speak. The King
gave him permission, and he said, "O King, though thou hadst a
thousand sons, yet were it no light matter to thee to put one of
them to death, on the report of a woman, be she true or be she
false; and belike this is a lie and a trick of her against thy
son; for indeed, O King, I have heard tell great plenty of
stories of the malice, the craft and perfidy of women." Quoth the
King, "Tell me somewhat of that which hath come to thy knowledge
thereof." And the Wazir answered, saying, 'Yes, there hath
reached me, O King, a tale entituled
The King and his Wazir's Wife.[FN#160]
There was once a King of the Kings, a potent man and a proud, who
was devoted to the love of women and one day being in the privacy
of his palace, he espied a beautiful woman on the terraceroof of
her house and could not contain himself from falling consumedly
in love with her.[FN#161] He asked his folk to whom the house and
the damsel belonged and they said, "This is the dwelling of the
Wazir such an one and she is his wife." So he called the Minister
in question and despatched him on an errand to a distant part of
the kingdom, where he was to collect information and to return;
but, as soon as he obeyed and was gone, the King contrived by a
trick to gain access to his house and his spouse. When the
Wazir's wife saw him, she knew him and springing up, kissed his
hands and feet and welcomed him. Then she stood afar off, busying
herself in his service, and said to him, "O our lord, what is the
cause of thy gracious coming? Such an honour is not for the like
of me." Quoth he, "The cause of it is that love of thee and
desire thee-wards have moved me to this. Whereupon she kissed
ground before him a second time and said, "By Allah, O our lord,
indeed I am not worthy to be the handmaid of one of the King's
servants; whence then have I the great good fortune to be in such
high honour and favour with thee?" Then the King put out his hand
to her intending to enjoy her person, when she said, "This thing
shall not escape us; but take patience, O my King, and abide with
thy handmaid all this day, that she may make ready for thee
somewhat to eat and drink." So the King sat down on his
Minister's couch and she went in haste and brought him a book
wherein he might read, whilst she made ready the food. He took
the book and, beginning to read, found therein moral instances
and exhortations, such as restrained him from adultery and broke
his courage to commit sin and crime. After awhile, she returned
and set before him some ninety dishes of different kinds of
colours, and he ate a mouthful of each and found that, while the
number was many, the taste of them was one. At this, he marvelled
with exceeding marvel and said to her, "O damsel, I see these
meats to be manifold and various, but the taste of them is simple
and the same." "Allah prosper the King!" replied she, "this is a
parable I have set for thee, that thou mayst be admonished
thereby." He asked, "And what is its meaning?"; and she answered,
"Allah amend the case of our lord the King!; in thy palace are
ninety concubines of various colours, but their taste is
one."[FN#162] When the King heard this, he was ashamed and rising
hastily, went out, without offering her any affront and returned
to his palace; but, in his haste and confusion, he forgot his
signet-ring and left it under the cushion where he had been
sitting and albeit he remembered it he was ashamed to send for
it. Now hardly had he reached home when the Wazir returned and,
presenting himself before the King, kissed the ground and made
his report to him of the state of the province in question. Then
he repaired to his own house and sat down on his couch and
chancing to put his hand under the cushion, behold, he found the
King's seal-ring. So he knew it and taking the matter to heart,
held aloof in great grief from his wife for a whole year, not
going in unto her nor even speaking to her, whilst she knew not
the reason of his anger. --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir
held aloof from his wife, whilst she knew not the cause of his
wrath. At last, being weary of the longsome neglect, she sent for
her sire and told him the case; whereupon quoth he, "I will
complain of him to the King, at some time when he is in the
presence." So, one day, he went in to the King and, finding the
Wazir and the Kazi of the army before him,[FN#163] complained
thus saying, "Almighty Allah amend the King's case! I had a fair
flower-garden, which I planted with mine own hand and thereon
spent my substance till it bare fruit; and its fruitage was ripe
for plucking, when I gave it to this thy Wazir, who ate of it
what seemed good to him, then deserted it and watered it not, so
that its bloom wilted and withered and its sheen departed and its
state changed." Then said the Wazir, "O my King, this man saith
sooth. I did indeed care for and guard the garden and kept it in
good condition and ate thereof, till one day I went thither and I
saw the trail of the lion there, wherefore I feared for my life
and withdrew from the garden." The King understood him that the
trail of the lion meant his own seal-ring, which he had forgotten
in the woman's house; so he said, "Return, O Wazir, to thy
flower-garden and fear nothing, for the lion came not near it. It
hath reached me that he went thither; but, by the honour of my
fathers and forefathers, he offered it no hurt." "Hearkening and
obedience," answered the Minister and, returning home sent for
his wife and made his peace with her and thenceforth put faith in
her chastity. "This I tell thee, O King (continued the Wazir),
for no other purpose save to let thee know how great is their
craft and how precipitancy bequeatheth repentance.[FN#164] And I
have also heard the following
Story of the Confectioner, his Wife, and the Parrot.
Once upon a time there dwelt in Egypt a confectioner who had a
wife famed for beauty and loveliness; and a parrot which, as
occasion required, did the office of watchman and guard, bell and
spy, and flapped her wings did she but hear a fly buzzing about
the sugar. This parrot caused abundant trouble to the wife,
always telling her husband what took place in his absence. Now
one evening, before going out to visit certain friends, the
confectioner gave the bird strict injunctions to watch all night
and bade his wife make all fast, as he should not return until
morning. Hardly had he left the door than the woman went for her
old lover, who returned with her and they passed the night
together in mirth and merriment, while the parrot observed all.
Betimes in the morning the lover fared forth and the husband,
returning, was informed by the parrot of what had taken place;
whereupon he hastened to his wife's room and beat her with a
painful beating. She thought in herself, "Who could have informed
against me?" and she asked a woman that was in her confidence
whether it was she. The woman protested by the worlds visible and
invisible that she had not betrayed her mistress; but informed
her that on the morning of his return home, the husband had stood
some time before the cage listening to the parrot's talk. When
the wife heard this, she resolved to contrive the destruction of
the bird. Some days after, the husband was again invited to the
house of a friend where he was to pass the night; and, before
departing, he enjoined the parrot with the same injunctions as
before; wherefore his heart was free from care, for he had his
spy at home. The wife and her confidante then planned how they
might destroy the credit of the parrot with the master. For this
purpose they resolved to counterfeit a storm; and this they did
by placing over the parrot's head a hand-mill (which the lover
worked by pouring water upon a piece of hide), by waving a fan
and by suddenly uncovering a candle hid under a dish. Thus did
they raise such a tempest of rain and lightning, that the parrot
was drenched and half-drowned in a deluge. Now rolled the
thunder, then flashed the lightning; that from the noise of the
hand-mill, this from the reflection of the candle; when thought
the parrot to herself, "In very sooth the flood hath come on,
such an one as belike Noah himself never witnessed." So saying
she buried her head under her wing, a prey to terror. The
husband, on his return, hastened to the parrot to ask what had
happened during his absence; and the bird answered that she found
it impossible to describe the deluge and tempest of the last
night; and that years would be required to explain the uproar of
the hurricane and storm. When the shopkeeper heard the parrot
talk of last night's deluge, he said: "Surely O bird, thou art
gone clean daft! Where was there, even in a dream, rain or
lightning last night? Thou hast utterly ruined my house and
ancient family. My wife is the most virtuous woman of the age and
all thine accusations of her are lies." So in his wrath he dashed
the cage upon the ground, tore off the parrot's head, and threw
it from the window. Presently his friend, coming to call upon
him, saw the parrot in this condition with head torn off, and
without wings or plumage. Being informed of the circumstances he
suspected some trick on the part of the woman, and said to the
husband, "When your wife leaves home to go to the Hammam-bath,
compel her confidante to disclose the secret." So as soon as his
wife went out, the husband entered his Harim and insisted on the
woman telling him the truth. She recounted the whole story and
the husband now bitterly repented having killed the parrot, of
whose innocence he had proof. "This I tell thee, O King
(continued the Wazir), that thou mayst know how great are the
craft and malice of women and that to act in haste leadeth to
repent at leisure." So the King turned from slaying his son: but,
next day, the favourite came in to him and, kissing the ground
before him, said, "O King, why dost thou delay to do me justice?
Indeed, the Kings have heard that thou commandest a thing and thy
Wazir countermandeth it. Now the obedience of Kings is in the
fulfilment of their commandments, and every one knows thy justice
and equity: so do thou justice for me on the Prince. I also have
heard tell a tale concerning
The Fuller and his Son.
There was once a man which was a fuller, and he used every day to
go forth to the Tigris-bank a-cleaning clothes; and his son was
wont to go with him that he might swim whilst his father was
fulling, nor was he forbidden from this. One day, as the boy was
swimming,[FN#165] he was taken with cramp in the forearms and
sank, whereupon the fuller plunged into the water and caught hold
of him; but the boy clung about him and pulled him down and so
father and son were both drowned. "Thus it is with thee, O King.
Except thou prevent thy son and do me justice on him, I fear lest
both of you sink together, thou and he."--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it Was the Five Hundred and Eightieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
favourite had told her tale of the Fuller and his son, she ended
with, "I fear lest both of you sink together, thou and he.
Moreover," continued she, "for an instance of the malice of men,
I have heard tell a tale concerning
The Rake's Trick against the Chaste Wife.
A certain man loved a beautiful and lovely woman, a model of
charms and grace, married to a man whom she loved and who loved
her. Moreover, she was virtuous and chaste, like unto me, and her
rake of a lover found no way to her; so when his patience was at
an end, he devised a device to win his will. Now the husband had
a young man, whom he had brought up in his house and who was in
high trust with him as his steward. So the rake addressed himself
to the youth and ceased not insinuating himself into his favour
by presents and fair words and deeds, till he became more
obedient to him than the hand to the mouth and did whatever he
ordered him. One day, he said to him, "Harkye, such an one; wilt
thou not bring me into the family dwelling-place some time when
the lady is gone out?" "Yes," answered the young steward so, when
his master was at the shop and his mistress gone forth to the
Hammam, he took his friend by the hand and, bringing him into the
house, showed him the sitting-rooms and all that was therein. Now
the lover was determined to play a trick upon the woman; so he
took the white of an egg which he had brought with him in a
vessel, and spilt it on the merchant's bedding, unseen by the
young man; after which he returned thanks and leaving the house
went his way. In an hour or so the merchant came home; and, going
to the bed to rest himself, found thereon something wet. So he
took it up in his hand and looked at it and deemed it man's seed;
whereat he stared at the young man with eyes of wrath, and asked
him, "Where is thy mistress?"; and he answered, "She is gone
forth to the Hammam and will return forthright after she has made
her ablutions."[FN#166] When the man heard this, his suspicion
concerning the semen was confirmed; and he waxed furious and
said, "Go at once and bring her back." The steward accordingly
fetched her and when she came before her husband, the jealous man
sprang upon her and beat her a grievous beating; then, binding
her arms behind her, offered to cut her throat with a knife; but
she cried out to the neighbours, who came to her, and she said to
them, "This my man hath beaten me unjustly and without cause and
is minded to kill me, though I know not what is mine offence." So
they rose up and asked him, "Why hast thou dealt thus by her?"
And he answered, "She is divorced." Quoth they, "Thou hast no
right to maltreat her; either divorce her or use her kindly, for
we know her prudence and purity and chastity. Indeed, she hath
been our neighbour this long time and we wot no evil of her."
Quoth he, "When I came home, I found on my bed seed like human
sperm, and I know not the meaning of this." Upon this a little
boy, one of those present, came forward and said, "Show it to me,
nuncle mine!" When he saw it, he smelt it and, calling for fire
and a frying-pan, he took the white of egg and cooked it so that
it became solid. Then he ate of it and made the husband and the
others taste if it, and they were certified that it was white of
egg. So the husband was convinced that he had sinned against his
wife's innocence, she being clear of all offence, and the
neighbours made peace between them after the divorce, and he
prayed her pardon and presented her with an hundred gold pieces.
And so the wicked lover's cunning trick came to naught. "And
know, O King, that this is an instance of the malice of men and
their perfidy." When the King heard this, he bade his son be
slain; but on the next day the second Wazir came forward for
intercession and kissed ground in prostration. Whereupon the King
said, "Raise thy head: prostration must be made to Allah
only."[FN#167] So the Minister rose from before him and said, "O
King, hasten not to slay thy son, for he was not granted to his
mother by the Almighty but after despair, nor didst thou expect
such good luck; and we hope that he will live to become a guerdon
to thy reign and a guardian of thy good. Wherefore, have
patience, O King; belike he will offer a fit excuse; and, if thou
make haste to slay him, thou wilt surely repent, even as the
merchant-wight repented." Asked the King, "And how was it with
the merchant, O Wazir?"; and the Wazir answered, "O King, I have
heard a tale of
The Miser and the Loaves of Bread.
There was once a merchant, who was a niggard and miserly in his
eating and drinking. One day, he went on a journey to a certain
town and as he walked in the market-streets, behold, he met an
old trot with two scones of bread which looked sound and fair, He
asked her, "Are these for sale?"; and she answered, "Yes!" So he
beat her down and bought them at the lowest price and took them
home to his lodging, where he ate them that day. When morning
morrowed, he returned to the same place and, finding the old
woman there with other two scones, bought these also; and thus he
ceased not during twenty-five days' space when the old wife
disappeared. He made enquiry for her, but could hear no tidings
of her, till, one day as he was walking about the high streets,
he chanced upon her: so he accosted her and, after the usual
salutation and with much praise and politeness, asked why she had
disappeared from the market and ceased to supply the two cakes of
bread? Hearing this, at first she evaded giving him a reply; but
he conjured her to tell him her case; so she said, "Hear my
excuse, O my lord, which is that I was attending upon a man who
had a corroding ulcer on his spine, and his doctor bade us knead
flour with butter into a plaster and lay it on the place of pain,
where it abode all night. In the morning, I used to take that
flour and turn it into dough and make it into two scones, which I
cooked and sold to thee or to another; but presently the man died
and I was cut off from making cakes."[FN#168] When the merchant
heard this, he repented whenas repentance availed him naught,
saying, "Verily, we are Allah's and verily unto Him we are
returning! There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Him,
the Glorious, the Great!" --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
old trot told the merchant the provenance of the scones, he
cried, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,
the Glorious, the Great!" And he repeated the saying of the Most
High, "Whatever evil falleth to thee it is from thyself;"[FN#169]
and vomited till he fell sick and repented whenas repentance
availed him naught. "Moreover, O King" (continued the second
Wazir), "I have heard tell, of the malice of women, a tale of
The Lady and her Two Lovers.
Once upon a time there was a man, who was sword-bearer to one of
the Kings, and he loved a damsel of the common sort. One day, he
sent his page to her with a message, as of wont between them, and
the lad sat down with her and toyed with her. She inclined to him
and pressed him to her breast and groped him and kissed him
whereupon he sought carnal connection of her and she consented;
but, as the two were thus, lo! the youth's master knocked at the
door. So she pushed the page through a trapdoor into an
underground chamber there and opened the door to his lord, who
entered hending sword in hand and sat down upon her bed. Then she
came up to him and sported and toyed with him, kissing him and
pressing him to her bosom, and he took her and lay with her.
Presently, her husband knocked at the door and the gallant asked
her, "Who is that?"; whereto she answered, "My husband." Quoth
he, "How shall I do?" Quoth she, "Draw thy sword and stand in the
vestibule and abuse me and revile me; and when my husband comes
in to thee, do thou go forth and wend thy ways." He did as she
bade him; and, when the husband entered, he saw the King's
sword-bearer standing with naked brand in hand, abusing and
threatening his wife; but, when the lover saw him, he was ashamed
and sheathing his scymitar, went forth the house. Said the man to
his wife, "What means this?"; and she replied, "O man, how
blessed is the hour of thy coming! Thou hast saved a True
Believer from slaughter, and it happed after this fashion. I was
on the house-terrace, spinning,[FN#170] when behold, there came
up to me a youth, distracted and panting for fear of death,
fleeing from yonder man, who followed upon him as hard as he
could with his drawn sword. The young man fell down before me,
and kissed my hands and feet, saying, "O Protector, of thy mercy,
save me from him who would slay me wrongously!" So I hid him in
that underground chamber of ours and presently in came yonder man
to me, naked brand in hand, demanding the youth. But I denied him
to him, whereupon he fell to abusing and threatening me as thou
sawest. And praised be Allah who sent thee to me, for I was
distraught and had none to deliver me!" "Well hast thou done, O
woman!" answered the husband. "Thy reward is with Allah the
Almighty, and may He abundantly requite thy good deed!" Then he
went to the trap door and called to the page, saying, "Come forth
and fear not; no harm shall befal thee." So he came out,
trembling for fear, and the husband said, "Be of good cheer: none
shall I hurt thee;" condoling with him on what had befallen him;
whilst the page called down blessings on his head. Then they both
went forth, nor was that Cornuto nor was the page aware of that
which the woman had contrived. "This, then, O King," said the
Wazir, "is one of the tricks of women; so beware lest thou rely
upon their I words." The King was persuaded and turned from
putting his son to death; but, on the third day, the favourite
came in to him I and, kissing the ground before him, cried, "O
King, do me justice on thy son and be not turned from thy purpose
by thy Ministers' prate, for there is no good in wicked Wazirs,
and be not as the King of Baghdad, who relied on the word of a
certain wicked counsellor of his." Quoth he, "And how was that?"
Quoth she, "There hath been told me, O auspicious and
well-advised King, a tale of
The Kings Son and the Ogress.[FN#171]
A certain King had a son, whom he loved and favoured with
exceeding favour, over all his other children; and this son said
to him one day, "O my father, I have a mind to fare a-coursing
and a-hunting." So the King bade furnish him and commanded one of
his Wazirs to bear him company and do all the service he needed
during his trip. The Minister accordingly took everything that
was necessary for the journey and they set out with a retinue of
eunuchs and officers and pages, and rode on, sporting as they
went, till they came to a green and well-grassed champaign
abounding in pasture and water and game. Here the Prince turned
to the Minister and told him that the place pleased him and he
purposed to halt there. So they set down in that site and they
loosed the falcons and lynxes and dogs and caught great plenty of
game, whereat they rejoiced and abode there some days, in all
joyance of life and its delight. Then the King's son gave the
signal for departure; but, as they went along, a beautiful
gazelle, as if the sun rose shining from between her horns, that
had strayed from her mate, sprang up before the Prince, whereupon
his soul longed to make prize of her and he coveted her. So he
said to the Wazir, "I have a mind to follow that gazelle;" and
the Minister replied, "Do what seemeth good to thee." Thereupon
the Prince rode single-handed after the gazelle, till he lost
sight of his companions, and chased her all that day till dusk,
when she took refuge in a bit of rocky ground[FN#172] and
darkness closed in upon him. Then he would have turned back, but
knew not the way; whereat he was sore concerned and said, "There
is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious,
the Great!" He sat his mare all night till morning dawned, in
quest of relief, but found none; and, when the day appeared, he
fared on at hazard fearful, famished, thirsty, and knowing not
whither to wend till it was noon and the sun beat down upon him
with burning heat. By that time he came in sight of a great city,
with massive base and lofty bulwarks; but it was ruined and
desolate, nor was there any live thing therein save owl and
raven. As he stood among the buildings, marvelling at their
ordinance, lo! his eyes fell on a damsel, young, beautiful and
lovely, sitting under one of the city walls wailing and weeping
copious tears. So he drew nigh to her and asked, "Who art thou
and who brought thee hither?" She answered, "I am called Bint
al-Tamimah, daughter of Al-Tiyakh, King of the Gray Country. I
went out one day to obey a call of nature,[FN#173] when an Ifrit
of the Jinn snatched me up and soared with me between heaven and
earth; but as he flew there fell on him a shooting-star in the
form of a flame of fire and burned him, and I dropped here, where
these three days I have hungered and thirsted; but when I saw
thee I longed for life." --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Prince
when addressed by the daughter of King Al-Tiyakh who said to him,
"When I saw thee I longed for life," was smitten with ruth and
grief for her and took her up on his courser's crupper, saying,
"Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear; for, if
Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) restore me to my people and
family, I will send thee back to thine own folk." Then he rode
on, praying for deliverance, and presently the damsel said to
him, "O King's son, set me down, that I may do an occasion under
this wall." So he drew bridle and she alighted. He waited for her
a long while as she hid herself behind the wall; and she came
forth, with the foulest of favours; which when he saw, his hair
stood on end and he quaked for fear of her and he turned deadly
pale. Then she sprang up on his steed, behind him, wearing the
most loathly of aspects, and presently she said to him, "O King's
son, what ails thee that I see thee troubled and thy favour
changed?" "I have bethought me of somewhat that troubles me."
"Seek aid against it of thy father's troops and his braves." "He
whom I fear careth naught for troops, neither can braves affright
him." "Aid thyself against him with thy father's monies and
treasures." "He whom I fear will not be satisfied with wealth."
"Ye hold that ye have in Heaven a God who seeth and is not seen
and is Omnipotent and Omniscient." "Yes, we have none but Him."
"Then pray thou to Him; haply He will deliver thee from me thine
enemy!" So the King's son raised his eyes to heaven and began to
pray with his whole heart, saying, "O my God, I implore Thy
succour against that which troubleth me." Then he pointed to her
with his hand, and she fell to the ground, burnt black as
charcoal. Therewith he thanked Allah and praised Him and ceased
not to fare forwards; and the Almighty (extolled and exalted be
He!) of His grace made the way easy to him and guided him into
the right road, so that he reached his own land and came upon his
father's capital, after he had despaired of life. Now all this
befel by the contrivance of the Wazir, who travelled with him, to
the end that he might cause him to perish on the way; but
Almighty Allah succoured him. "And this" (said the damsel) "have
I told thee, O King, that thou mayst know that wicked Wazirs deal
not honestly by nor counsel with sincere intent their Kings;
wherefore be thou wise and ware of them in this matter." The King
gave ear to her speech and bade put his son to death; but the
third Wazir came in and said to his brother Ministers, "I will
warrant you from the King's mischief this day" and, going in to
him, kissed the ground between his hands and said, "O King, I am
thy true counsellor and solicitous for thee and for thine estate,
and indeed I rede thee the best of rede; it is that thou hasten
not to slay thy son, the coolth of thine eyes and the fruit of
thy vitals. Haply his sin is but a slight slip, which this damsel
hath made great to thee; and indeed I have heard tell that the
people of two villages once destroyed one another, because of a
drop of honey." Asked the King, "How was that?"; and the Wazir
answered, saying, "Know, O King, that I have heard this story
anent
The Drop of Honey.[FN#174]
A certain hunter used to chase wild beasts in wold, and one day
he came upon a grotto in the mountains, where he found a hollow
full of bees' honey. So he took somewhat thereof in a water-skin
he had with him and, throwing it over his shoulder, carried it to
the city, followed by a hunting dog which was dear to him. He
stopped at the shop of an oilman and offered him the honey for
sale and he bought it. Then he emptied it out of the skin, that
he might see it, and in the act a drop fell to the ground,
whereupon the flies flocked to it and a bird swooped down upon
the flies. Now the oilman had a cat, which sprang upon the bird,
and the huntsman's dog, seeing the cat, sprang upon it and slew
it; whereupon the oilman sprang upon the dog and slew it, and the
huntsman in turn sprang upon the oilman and slew him. Now the
oilman was of one village and the huntsman of another; and when
the people of the two places heard what had passed, they took up
arms and weapons and rose one on other in wrath and the two lines
met; nor did the sword leave to play amongst them, till there
died of them much people, none knoweth their number save Almighty
Allah. "And amongst other stories of the malice of women"
(continued the Wazir) "I have heard tell, O King, one concerning
The Woman who made her Husband Sift Dust.[FN#175]
A man once gave his wife a dirham to buy rice; so she took it and
went to the rice-seller, who gave her the rice and began to jest
with her and ogle her, for she was dowered with beauty and
loveliness, saying, "Rice is not good but with sugar which if
thou wilt have, come in with me for an hour." So, saying, "Give
me sugar," she went in with him into his shop and he won his will
of her and said to his slave, "Weigh her out a dirham's worth of
sugar." But he made the slave a privy sign, and the boy, taking
the napkin, in which was the rice, emptied it out and put in
earth and dust in its stead, and for the sugar set stones, after
which he again knotted up the napkin and left it by her. His
object, in doing this, was that she should come to him a second
time; so, when she went forth of the shop, he gave her the napkin
and she took it, thinking to have in it rice and sugar, and
ganged her gait; but when she returned home and, setting it
before her husband, went for a cooking-pot, he found in it earth
and stones. So, as soon as she came back bringing the pot, he
said to her, "Did I tell thee I had aught to build, that thou
bringest me earth and stones?" When she saw this; she knew that
the rice-seller's slave had tricked her; so she said to her
husband, "O man, in my trouble of mind for what hath befallen me,
I went to fetch the sieve and brought the cooking-pot." "What
hath troubled thee?" asked he; and she answered, "O husband, I
dropped the dirham thou gavest me in the market-street and was
ashamed to search for it before the folk; yet I grudged to lose
the silver, so I gathered up the earth from the place where it
fell and brought it away, thinking to sift it at home. Wherefore
I went to fetch the sieve, but brought the cooking-pot instead."
Then she fetched the sieve and gave it to her husband, saying,
"Do thou sift it; for thine eyes are sharper than mine."
Accordingly he sat, sifting the clay, till his face and beard
were covered with dust; and he discovered not her trick, neither
knew what had befallen her. "This then, O King," said the Wazir,
"is an instance of the malice of women, and consider the saying
of Allah Almighty, "Surely the cunning of you (women) is
great!'[FN#176] And again, 'Indeed, the malice of Satan is weak
in comparison with the malice of women.'"[FN#177] The King gave
ear to his Wazir's speech and was persuaded thereby and was
satisfied by what he cited to him of the signs of Allah[FN#178];
and the lights of good counsel arose and shone in the firmament
of his understanding and he turned from his purpose of slaying
his son. But on the fourth day, the favourite came in to him
weeping and wailing and, kissing the ground before him, said, "O
auspicious King, and lord of good rede, I have made plainly
manifest to thee my grievance and thou hast dealt unjustly by me
and hast forborne to avenge me on him who hath wronged me,
because he is thy son and the darling of thy heart; but Allah
(extolled and exalted be He!) will presently succour me against
him, even as He succoured the King's son against his father's
Wazir." "And how was that?" asked the King; and she answered, "I
have heard tell, O King, a tale of
The Enchanted String.[FN#179]
There was once in times gone by a King who had one son and none
other; and, when the Prince grew up to man's estate, he
contracted him in marriage to another King's daughter. Now the
damsel was a model of beauty and grace and her uncle's son had
sought her in wedlock of her sire, but she would none of him. So,
when he knew that she was to be married to another, envy and
jealousy gat hold of him and he bethought himself and sent a
noble present to the Wazir of the bridegroom's father and much
treasure, desiring him to use craft for slaying the Prince or
contrive to make him leave his intent of espousing the girl and
adding, "O Wazir, indeed jealousy moveth me to this for she is my
cousin."[FN#180] The Wazir accepted the present and sent an
answer, saying, "Be of good cheer and of eyes cool and clear, for
I will do all that thou wishest." Presently, the bride's father
wrote to the Prince, bidding him to his capital, that he might go
in to his daughter; whereupon the King his father gave him leave
to wend his way thither, sending with him the bribed Wazir and a
thousand horse, besides presents and litters, tents and
pavilions. The Minister set out with the Prince, plotting the
while in his heart to do him a mischief; and when they came into
the desert, he called to mind a certain spring of running water
in the mountains there, called Al-Zahra,[FN#181] whereof
whosoever drank from a man became a woman. So he called a halt of
the troops near the fountain and presently mounting steed again,
said to the Prince, "Hast thou a mind to go with me and look upon
a spring of water near hand?" The Prince mounted, knowing not
what should befal him in the future,[FN#182] and they rode on,
unattended by any, and without stopping till they came to the
spring. The Prince being thirsty said to the Wazir, "O Minister,
I am suffering from drouth," and the other answered, "Get thee
down and drink of this spring!" So he alighted and washed his
hands and drank, when behold, he straightway became a woman. As
soon as he knew what had befallen him, he cried out and wept till
he fainted away, and the Wazir came up to him as if to learn what
had befallen him and cried, "What aileth thee?" So he told him
what had happened, and the Minister feigned to condole with him
and weep for his affliction, saying, "Allah Almighty be thy
refuge in thine affliction! How came this calamity upon thee and
this great misfortune to betide thee, and we carrying thee with
joy and gladness, that thou mightest go in to the King's
daughter? Verily, now I know not whether we shall go to her or
not; but the rede[FN#183] is thine. What dost thou command me to
do?" Quoth the Prince, "Go back to my sire and tell him what hath
betided me, for I will not stir hence till this matter be removed
from me or I die in my regret." So he wrote a letter to his
father, telling him what had happened, and the Wazir took it and
set out on his return to the city, leaving what troops he had
with the Prince and inwardly exulting for the success of his
plot. As soon as he reached the King's capital, he went in to him
and, telling him what had passed, delivered the letter. The King
mourned for his son with sore mourning and sent for the wise men
and masters of esoteric science, that they might discover and
explain to him this thing which had befallen his son, but none
could give him an answer. Then the Wazir wrote to the lady's
cousin, conveying to him the glad news of the Prince's
misfortune, and he when he read the letter rejoiced with great
joy and thought to marry the Princess and answered the Minister
sending him rich presents and great store of treasure and
thanking him exceedingly. Meanwhile, the Prince abode by the
stream three days and three nights, eating not nor drinking and
committing himself, in his strait, unto Allah (extolled and
exalted be He!) who disappointeth not whoso relieth on him. On
the fourth night, lo! there came to him a cavalier on a
bright-bay steed[FN#184] with a crown on his head, as he were of
the sons of the Kings, and said to him, "Who brought thee hither,
O youth?" The Prince told him his mishap, how he was wending to
his wedding, and how the Wazir had led him to a spring whereof he
drank and incurred what had occurred; and as he spoke his speech
was broken by tears. Having heard him the horseman pitied his
case and said, "It was thy father's Wazir who cast thee into this
strait, for no man alive save he knoweth of this spring;"
presently adding, "Mount thee behind me and come with me to my
dwelling, for thou art my guest this night." "Acquaint me who
thou art ere I fare with thee," quoth the Prince; and quoth the
other, "I am a King's son of the Jánn, as thou a King's son of
mankind; so be of good cheer and keep thine eyes clear of tear,
for I will surely do away thy cark and care; and this is a slight
thing unto me." So the Prince mounted him behind the stranger,
and they rode on, leaving the troops, from the first of the day
till midnight, when the King's son of the Jinn asked the Prince,
"Knowest thou how many days' march we have covered in this time?"
"Not I." "We have come a full year's journey for a diligent
horseman." The Prince marvelled at this and said, "How shall I do
to return to my people?" "That is not thine affair, but my
business. As soon as thou art quit of thy complaint, thou shalt
return to thy people in less than the twinkling of an eye; for
that is an easy matter to me." When the Prince heard these words
he was ready to fly for excess of joy; it seemed to him as he
were in the imbroglio of a dream and he exclaimed, "Glory be to
Him who can restore the unhappy to happiness!"--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Prince
of the Jinn said to the Prince of mankind, "When thou art quit of
thy complaint, thou shalt return to thy folk in less than the
twinkling of an eye;" and the King's son rejoiced. They fared on
all that night till the morning morrowed when lo! they found
themselves in a green and smiling country, full of trees spireing
and birds quiring and garths fruit-growing and palaces
highshowing and waters a-flowing and odoriferous flowers
a-blowing. Here the King's son of the Jinn alighted from his
steed and, bidding the Prince do the like, took him by the hand
and carried him into one of the palaces, where he found a great
King and puissant Sultan; and abode with him all that day eating
and drinking, till nightfall. Then the King's son of the Jinn
mounted his courser and taking the Prince up behind him, fared on
swiftly through the murks and glooms until morning, when lo, they
found themselves in a dark land and a desert, full of black rocks
and stones, as it were a piece of Hell; and the Prince asked the
Jinni, "What is the name of this land?" Answered the other, "It
is called the Black Country, and belongs to one of the Kings of
the Jinn, by name Zu'l Janahayn, against whom none of the other
Kings may prevail, neither may any enter his dominions save by
his permit; so tarry thou here, whilst I go ask leave." So
saying, he went away and, returning after awhile, they fared on
again, till they landed at a spring of water welling forth of a
black rock, and the King's son of the Jinn said to the King's son
of men, "Alight!" He dismounted and the other cried, "Drink of
this water!" So he drank of the spring without stay or delay;
and, no sooner had he done so than, by grace of Allah, he became
a man as before. At this he joyed with exceeding joy and asked
the Jinni, "O my brother, how is this spring called?" Answered
the other, "It is called the Women's Spring, for that no woman
drinketh thereof but she becometh a man: wherefore do thou praise
Allah the Most High and thank Him for thy restoration and mount."
So the Prince prostrated himself in gratitude to the Almighty,
after which he mounted again and they fared on diligently all
that day, till they returned to the Jinni's home, where the
Prince passed the night in all solace of life. They spent the
next day in eating and drinking till nightfall, when the King's
son of the Jinn asked the Prince, "Hast thou a mind to return to
thy people this very night?" "Yes," he answered; "for indeed I
long for them." Then the Jinni called one of his father's slaves,
Rajiz[FN#185] hight, and said to him, "Take this young man
mounted on thy shoulders, and let not the day dawn ere he be with
his father-in-law and his wife." Replied the slave, "Hearkening
and obedience, and with love and gladness, and upon my head and
eyes!" then, withdrawing awhile, re-appeared in the form of an
Ifrit. When the Prince saw this, he lost his senses for affright,
but the Jinni said to him, "Fear not; no harm shall befal thee.
Mount thy horse and leap him on to the Ifrit's shoulders." "Nay,"
answered he, "I will leave my horse with thee and bestride his
shoulders myself." So he bestrode the Ifrit's shoulders and, when
the Jinni cried, "Close thine eyes, O my lord, and be not a
craven!" he strengthened his heart and shut his eyes. Thereupon
the Ifrit rose with him into the air and ceased not to fly
between sky and earth, whilst the Prince was unconscious, nor was
the last third of the night come before he alighted down with him
on the terrace-roof of his father-in-law's palace. Then said the
Ifrit, "Dismount and open thine eyes; for this is the palace of
thy father-in-law and his daughter." So he came down and the
Ifrit flew away and left him on the roof of the palace. When the
day broke and the Prince recovered from his troubles, he
descended into the palace and as his father-in-law caught sight
of him, he came to meet him and marvelled to see him descend from
the roof of the palace, saying, "We see folk enter by the doors;
but thou comest from the skies." Quoth the Prince, "Whatso Allah
(may He be extolled and exalted!) willeth that cometh to pass."
And he told him all that had befallen him, from first to last,
whereat the King marvelled and rejoiced in his safety; and, as
soon as the sun rose, bade his Wazir make ready splendid
bride-feasts. So did he and they held the marriage festival:
after which the Prince went in unto his bride and abode with her
two months, then departed with her for his father's capital. As
for the damsel's cousin, he died forthright of envy and jealousy.
When the Prince and his bride drew near his father's city, the
King came out to meet them with his troops and Wazirs, and so
Allah (blessed and exalted be He!) enabled the Prince to prevail
against his bride's cousin and his father's Minister. "And I pray
the Almighty" (added the damsel) "to aid thee against thy Wazirs,
O King, and I beseech thee to do me justice on thy son!" When the
King heard this, he bade put his son to death;--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When is was the Five Hundred and Eighty-forth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
favourite had told her tale to the King she said, "I beseech thee
to do me justice by putting thy son to death." Now this was the
fourth day, so the fourth Wazir entered and, kissing the ground
before him, said, "Allah stablish and protect the King! O King,
be deliberate in doing this thou art resolved upon, for the wise
man doth naught till he hath considered the issue thereof, and
the proverb saith, 'Whoso looketh not to his actions' end, hath
not the world to friend; and whoso acteth without consideration,
there befalleth him what befel the Hammam-keeper with his wife.'"
"And what betided him?" asked the King. And the Wazir answered,
"I have heard tell, O King, a tale of the
Wazir's Son and the Hammam-Keepeer's Wife."[FN#186]
There was once a bath-keeper, to whom resorted the notables of
the folk and head men, and one day there came in to him a
handsome youth of the sons of Wazirs who was fat and bulky of
body. So he stood to serve him and when the young man put off his
clothes[FN#187] he saw not his yard, for that it was hidden
between his thighs, by reason of the excess of his fat, and there
appeared thereof but what was like unto a filbert.[FN#188] At
this the bath-keeper fell a-lamenting and smiting hand upon hand,
which when the youth saw, he said to him, "What ails thee, O
bath-keeper, to lament thus?" And he answered, saying, "O my
lord, my lamentation is for thee, because thou art in sore
straits, for all thy fair fortune and goodliness and exceeding
comeliness, seeing thou hast naught wherewithal to do and receive
delight, like unto other men." Quoth the youth, "Thou sayst
sooth, but thou mindest me of somewhat I had forgotten." "What is
that?" asked the bathkeeper, and the youth answered, "Take this
gold piece and fetch me a pretty woman, that I may prove my
nature on her." So he took the money and betaking himself to his
wife, said to her, "O woman, there is come to me in the bath a
young man of the sons of the Wazirs, as he were the moon on the
fullest night; but he hath no prickle like other men, for that
which he hath is but some small matter like unto a filbert. I
lamented over his youth and he gave me this dinar and asked me to
fetch him a woman on whom he might approve himself. Now thou art
worthier of the money than another, and from this no harm shall
betide us, for I will protect thee. So do thou sit with him
awhile and laugh at him and take this dinar from him." So the
good wife took the dinar and rising, adorned herself and donned
the richest of her raiment. Now she was the fairest woman of her
time. Then she went out with her husband and he carried her in to
the Wazir's son in a privy place. When she came in to him, she
looked at him and finding him a handsome youth, fair of favour as
he were the moon at full, was confounded at his beauty and
loveliness; and on like wise his heart and wit were amazed at the
first sight of her and the sweetness of her smile. So he rose
forthright and locking the door, took the damsel in his arms and
pressed her to his bosom and they embraced, whereupon the young
man's yard swelled and rose on end, as it were that of a jackass,
and he rode upon her breast and futtered her, whilst she sobbed
and sighed and writhed and wriggled under him. Now the bathkeeper
was standing behind the door, awaiting what should betide between
them, and he began to call her saying, "O Umm Abdillah, enough!
Come out, for the day is long upon thy sucking child." Quoth the
youth, "Go forth to thy boy and come back;" but quoth she, "If I
go forth from thee, my soul will depart my body; as regards the
child, so I must either leave him to die of weeping or let him be
reared an orphan, without a mother." So she ceased not to abide
with him till he had done his desire of her ten times running,
while her husband stood at the door, calling her and crying out
and weeping and imploring succour. But none came to aid him and
he ceased not to do thus, saying, "I will slay myself!"; till at
last, finding no way of access to his wife, and being distraught
with rage and jealousy, to hear her sighing and murmuring and
breathing hard under the young man, he went up to the top of the
bath and, casting himself down therefrom, died. "Moreover, O
King" (continued the Wazir), "there hath reached me another story
of the malice of women." "What is that?" asked the King, and the
Wazir said, "Know, O King, that it is anent
The Wife's Device to Cheat her Husband."
There was once a woman who had no equal in her day for beauty and
loveliness and grace and perfection; and a certain lewd youth and
an obscene setting eyes on her, fell in love with her and loved
her with exceeding passion, but she was chaste and inclined not
to adultery. It chanced one day that her husband went on a
journey to a certain town, whereupon the young man fell to
sending to her many times a day; but she made him no reply. At
last, he resorted to an old woman, who dwelt hard by, and after
saluting her he sat down and complained to her of his sufferings
for love of the woman and his longing to enjoy her. Quoth she, "I
will warrant thee this; no harm shall befal thee, for I will
surely bring thee to thy desire, Inshallah, --an it please Allah
the Most High!" At these words he gave her a dinar and went his
way. When the morning morrowed she appeared before the woman and,
renewing an old acquaintance with her, fell to visiting her
daily, eating the undertime with her and the evening meal and
carrying away food for her children. Moreover, she used to sport
and jest with her, till the wife became corrupted[FN#189] and
could not endure an hour without her company. Now she was wont,
when she left the lady's house, to take bread and fat wherewith
she mixed a little pepper and to feed a bitch, that was in that
quarter; and thus she did day by day, till the bitch became fond
of her and followed her wherever she went. One day she took a
cake of dough and, putting therein an overdose of pepper, gave it
to the bitch to eat, whereupon the beast's eyes began to shed
tears, for the heat of the pepper, and she followed the old
woman, weeping. When the lady saw this she was amazed and asked
the ancient, "O my mother, what ails this bitch to weep?"
Answered she, "Learn, O my heart's love, that hers is a strange
story. Know that she was once a close friend of mine, a lovely
and accomplished young lady, a model of comeliness and perfect
grace. A young Nazarene of the quarter fell in love with her and
his passion and pining increased on him, till he took to his
pillow, and he sent to her times manifold, begging her to have
compassion on him and show him mercy, but she refused, albeit I
gave her good counsel, saying, "O my daughter, have pity on him
and be kind and consent to all he wisheth." She gave no heed to
my advice, until, the young man's patience failing him, he
complained at last to one of his friends, who cast an enchantment
on her and changed her human shape into canine form. When she saw
what transformation had befallen her and that there was none to
pity her case save myself, she came to my house and began to fawn
on me and buss my hands and feet and whine and shed tears, till I
recognised her and said to her, 'How often did I not warn thee?;
but my advice profited thee naught.'"--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old
trot related to the young lady the tale of the bitch and
recounted the case in her cunning and deceit, with the view to
gain her consent and said to her, "When the enchanted beast came
to me and wept I reminded her, 'How often did I not warn thee?;
but my advice profited thee naught.' However, O my daughter,
seeing her misery, I had compassion on her case and kept her by
me; and as often as she bethinketh herself of her former estate,
she weepeth thus, in pity for herself." When the lady heard this,
she was taken with great alarm and said, "O my mother, by Allah,
thou affrightest me with this thy story." "Why so?" asked the old
woman. Answered the lady, "Because a certain handsome young man
fell in love with me and hath sent many times to me, but hitherto
I have repelled him; and now I fear lest there befal me the like
of what befel this bitch." "O my daughter," rejoined the old
woman, "look thou to what I counsel thee and beware of crossing
me, for I am in great fear for thee. If thou know not his
abiding-place, describe his semblance to me, that I may fetch him
to thee, and let not any one's heart be angered against thee." So
the lady described him to her, and she showed not to know him and
said, "When I go out, I will ask after him." But when she left
the lady, she went straight to the young man and said to him, "Be
of good cheer, for I have played with the girl's wits; so
to-morrow at noon wait thou at the head of the street, till I
come and carry thee to her house, where thou shalt take thine
ease with her the rest of the day and all night long." At this
the young man rejoiced with exceeding joy and gave her two
dinars, saying, "When I have won my wish of her, I will give thee
ten gold pieces." Then she returned to the lady and said to her,
"I have seen him and spoken with him on this matter. I found him
exceeding wroth with thee and minded to do thee a harm, but I
plied him with fair words till he agreed to come to-morrow at the
time of the call to noon-prayer." When the lady heard this she
rejoiced exceedingly and said, "O my mother, if he keep his
promise, I will give thee ten dinars." Quoth the old woman, "Look
to his coming from none but from me." When the next morn morrowed
she said to the lady, "Make ready the early meal and forget not
the wine and adorn thyself and don thy richest dress and
decoration, whilst I go and fetch him to thee." So she clad
herself in her finest finery and prepared food, whilst the old
woman went out to look for the young man, who came not. So she
went around searching for him, but could come by no news of him,
and she said to herself, "What is to be done? Shall the food and
drink she hath gotten ready be wasted and I lose the gold pieces
she promised me? Indeed, I will not allow my cunning contrivance
to come to naught, but will look her out another man and carry
him to her." So she walked about the highways till her eyes fell
on a pretty fellow, young and distinguished-looking, to whom the
folk bowed and who bore in his face the traces of travel. She
went up to him and saluting him, asked, "Hast thou a mind to meat
and drink and a girl adorned and ready?" Answered he, "Where is
this to be had?" "At home, in my house," rejoined she and
carrying him to his own house, knocked at the door. The lady
opened to them and ran in again, to make an end of her dressing
and perfuming; whilst the wicked old woman brought the man, who
was the husband and house-master, into the saloon and made him
sit down congratulating herself on her cunning contrivance.
Presently in walked the lady, who no sooner set eyes on her
husband sitting by the old trot than she knew him and guessed how
the case stood; nevertheless, she was not taken aback and without
stay or delay bethought her of a device to hoodwink him. So she
pulled off her outer boot and cried at her husband, "Is this how
thou keepest the contract between us? How canst thou betray me
and deal thus with me? Know that, when I heard of thy coming, I
sent this old woman to try thee and she hath made thee fall into
that against which I warned thee: so now I am certified of thine
affair and that thou hast broken faith with me. I thought thee
chaste and pure till I saw thee, with my own eyes, in this old
woman's company and knew that thou didst frequent loose
baggages." So saying, she fell to beating him with her slipper
about the head, and crying out, "Divorce me! Divorce me!"; whilst
he excused himself and swore to her, by Allah the Most High, that
he had never in his life been untrue to her nor had done aught of
that whereof she suspected him. But she stinted not to weep and
scream and bash him, crying out and saying, "Come to my help, O
Moslems!"; till he laid hold of her mouth with his hand and she
bit it. Moreover, he humbled himself to her and kissed her hands
and feet, whilst she would not be appeased and continued to cuff
him. At last, she winked at the old woman to come and hold her
hand from him. So she came up to her and kissed her hands and
feet, till she made peace between them and they sat down
together; whereupon the husband began to kiss her hands, saying,
"Allah Almighty requite thee with all good, for that thou hast
delivered me from her!" And the old woman marvelled at the wife's
cunning and ready wit. "This, then, O King" (said the Wazir) "is
one of many instances of the craft and malice and perfidy of
women." When the King heard this story, he was persuaded by it
and turned from his purpose to slay his son;-- And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
fourth Wazir had told his tale, the King turned from his purpose
to slay his son; but, on the fifth day, the damsel came in to him
hending a bowl of poison in hand, calling on Heaven for help and
buffeting her cheeks and face, and said to him, "O King, either
thou shalt do me justice and avenge me on thy son, or I will
drink up this poison-cup and die, and the sin of my blood shall
be on thy head at the Day of Doom. These thy Ministers accuse me
of malice and perfidy, but there be none in the world more
perfidious than men. Hast thou not heard the story of the
Goldsmith and the Cashmere[FN#190] singing-girl?" "What befel the
twain, O damsel?" asked the King; and she answered, saying,
"There hath come to my knowledge, O august King, a tale of the
Goldsmith and the Cashmere Singing-Girl.
There lived once, in a city of Persia a goldsmith who delighted
in women and in drinking wine. One day, being in the house of one
of his intimates, he saw painted on the wall the figure of a
lutanist, a beautiful damsel, beholder never beheld a fairer or a
more pleasant. He looked at the picture again and again,
marvelling at its beauty, and fell so desperately in love with
it, that he sickened for passion and came near to die. It chanced
that one of his friends came to visit him and sitting down by his
side, asked how he did and what ailed him, whereto the goldsmith
answered, "O my brother, that which ails me is love, and it befel
on this wise. I saw a figure of a woman painted on the house-
wall of my brother such an one and became enamoured of it."
Hereupon the other fell to blaming him and said, "This was of thy
lack of wit; how couldst thou fall in love with a painted figure
on a wall, that can neither harm nor profit, that seeth not
neither heareth, that neither taketh nor withholdeth." Said the
sick man, "He who painted yonder picture never could have limned
it save after the likeness of some beautiful woman." "Haply,"
rejoined his friend, "he painted it from imagination." "In any
case," replied the goldsmith, "here am I dying for love of the
picture, and if there live the original thereof in the world, I
pray Allah Most High to protect my life till I see her." When
those who were present went out, they asked for the painter of
the picture and, finding that he had travelled to another town,
wrote him a letter, complaining of their comrade's case and
enquiring whether he had drawn the figure of his own inventive
talents or copied it from a living model; to which he replied, "I
painted it after a certain singing-girl belonging to one of the
Wazirs in the city of Cashmere in the land of Hind." When the
goldsmith heard this, he left Persia for Cashmere-city, where he
arrived after much travail. He tarried awhile there till one day
he went and clapped up an acquaintance with a certain of the
citizens who was a druggist, a fellow of a sharp wit, keen,
crafty; and, being one even-tide in company with him, asked him
of their King and his polity; to which the other answered,
saying, "Well, our King is just and righteous in his governance,
equitable to his lieges and beneficent to his commons and
abhorreth nothing in the world save sorcerers; but, whenever a
sorcerer or sorceress falls into his hands, he casteth them into
a pit without the city and there leaveth them in hunger to die."
Then he questioned him of the King's Wazirs, and the druggist
told him of each Minister, his fashion and condition, till the
talk came round to the singing-girl and he told him, "She
belongeth to such a Wazir." The goldsmith took note of the
Minister's abiding place and waited some days, till he had
devised a device to his desire; and one night of rain and thunder
and stormy winds, he provided himself with thieves' tackle and
repaired to the house of the Wazir who owned the damsel. Here he
hanged a rope-ladder with grappling-irons to the battlements and
climbed up to the terrace-roof of the palace. Thence he descended
to the inner court and, making his way into the Harim, found all
the slave-girls lying asleep, each on her own couch; and amongst
them reclining on a couch of alabaster and covered with a
coverlet of cloth of gold a damsel, as she were the moon rising
on a fourteenth night. At her head stood a candle of ambergris,
and at her feet another, each in a candlestick of glittering
gold, her brilliancy dimming them both; and under her pillow lay
a casket of silver, wherein were her Jewels. He raised the
coverlet and drawing near her, considered her straitly, and
behold, it was the lutanist whom he desired and of whom he was
come in quest. So he took out a knife and wounded her in the back
parts, a palpable outer wound, whereupon she awoke in terror;
but, when she saw him, she was afraid to cry out, thinking he
came to steal her goods. So she said to him, "Take the box and
what is therein, but slay me not, for I am in thy protection and
under thy safe-guard[FN#191] and my death will profit thee
nothing." Accordingly, he took the box and went away.--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When is was the Five Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
goldsmith had entered the Wazir's palace he wounded the damsel
slightly in the back parts and, taking the box which contained
her jewels, wended his way. And when morning morrowed he donned
clothes after the fashion of men of learning and doctors of the
law and, taking the jewel-case went in therewith to the King of
the city, before whom he kissed the ground and said to him, "O
King, I am a devout man; withal a loyal well-wisher to thee and
come hither a pilgrim to thy court from the land of Khorasan,
attracted by the report of thy just governance and righteous
dealing with thy subjects and minded to be under thy standard. I
reached this city at the last of the day and finding the gate
locked and barred, threw me down to sleep without the walls; but,
as I lay betwixt sleep and wake, behold, I saw four women come
up; one riding on a broom-stick, another on a wine-jar, a third
on an oven-peel and a fourth on a black bitch,[FN#192] and I knew
that they were witches making for thy city. One of them came up
to me and kicked me with her foot and beat me with a fox's tail
she had in her hand, hurting me grievously, whereat I was wroth
and smote her with a knife I had with me, wounding her in the
back parts, as she turned to flee from me. When she felt the
wound, she fled before me and in her flight let drop this casket,
which I picked up and opening, found these costly jewels therein.
So do thou take it, for I have no need thereof, being a wanderer
in the mountains[FN#193] who hath rejected the world from my
heart and renounced it and all that is in it, seeking only the
face of Allah the Most High." Then he set the casket before the
King and fared forth. The King opened the box and emptying out
all the trinkets it contained, fell to turning them over with his
hand, till he chanced upon a necklace whereof he had made gift to
the Wazir to whom the girl belonged. Seeing this, he called the
Minister in question and said to him, "This is the necklace I
gave thee?" He knew it at first sight and answered, "It is; and I
gave it to a singing girl of mine." Quoth the King, "Fetch that
girl to me forthwith." So he fetched her to him, and he said,
"Uncover her back parts and see if there be a wound therein or
no." The Wazir accordingly bared her backside and finding a
knife-wound there, said, "Yes, O my lord, there is a wound." Then
said the King, "This is the witch of whom the devotee told me,
and there can be no doubt of it," and bade cast her into the
witches' well. So they carried her thither at once. As soon as it
was night and the goldsmith knew that his plot had succeeded, he
repaired to the pit, taking with him a purse of a thousand
dinars, and, entering into converse with the warder, sat talking
with him till a third part of the night was passed, when he
broached the matter to him, saying, "Know, O my brother, that
this girl is innocent of that they lay to her charge and that it
was I brought this calamity upon her." Then he told him the whole
story, first and last, adding, "Take, O my brother, this purse of
a thousand dinars and give me the damsel, that I may carry her to
my own land, for these gold pieces will profit thee more than
keeping her in prison; moreover Allah will requite thee for us,
and we too will both offer up prayers for thy prosperity and
safety." When the warder heard this story, he marvelled with
exceeding marvel at that device and its success; then taking the
money, he delivered the girl to the goldsmith, conditioning that
he should not abide one hour with her in the city. Thereupon the
goldsmith took the girl and fared on with her, without ceasing,
till he reached his own country and so he won his wish. "See,
then, O King" (said the damsel), "the malice of men and their
wiles. Now thy Wazirs hinder thee from doing me justice on thy
son; but to-morrow we shall stand, both thou and I, before the
Just Judge, and He shall do me justice on thee, O King." When the
King heard this, he commanded to put his son to death; but the
fifth Wazir came in to him and kissing the ground before him,
said, "O mighty King, delay and hasten not to slay thy son: speed
will oftentimes repentance breed; and I fear for thee lest thou
repent, even as did the man who never laughed for the rest of his
days." "And how was that, O Wazir?" asked the King. Quoth he, "I
have heard tell, O King, this tale concerning
The Man who never Laughed during the Rest of his Days.
There was once a man who was rich in lands and houses and monies
and goods, eunuchs and slaves, and he died and went to the mercy
of Allah the Most High; leaving a young son, who, when he grew
up, gave himself to feasting and carousing and hearing music and
singing and the loud laughter of parasites; and he wasted his
substance in gifts and prodigality till he had squandered all the
money his father left him, --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the young
man, when he had squandered all the money his father had left him
and naught thereof remained to him, betook himself to selling his
slaves and handmaids, lands and houses and spent the proceeds on
like wise, till he was reduced to beggary and must needs labour
for his living. He abode thus a year's space, at the end of which
time he was sitting one day under a wall, awaiting who should
hire him when behold, there came up to him an old man of comely
aspect and apparel and saluted him. The young man asked, "O
uncle, hast thou known me aforetime?" and the other answered,
"Not so, O my son, I know thee not at all, at all; but I see the
trace of gentle breeding on thee despite thy present case." "O
uncle, " rejoined the poor man, "needs must Fate and Fortune be
accomplished; but, O uncle, O bright of blee, hast thou any
occasion wherein thou wouldst employ me?" Said the other, "I
wish, O my son, to employ thee in a slight matter." "What is it?"
quoth the young man, and quoth the stranger, "We are eleven old
men in one house, but we have none to serve us; so an thou wilt
stay and take service with us, thou shalt have food and clothing
to thy heart's content, besides what cometh to thee of coin and
other good; and haply Allah will restore thee thy fortune by our
means." Replied the youth, "Hearkening and obedience!" "But I
have a condition to impose on thee." "What is that?" "O my son,
it is that thou keep our secret in what thou seest us do, and if
thou see us weep, that thou question us not of the cause of our
weeping." "It is well, O uncle;" "Come with me, O my son, with
the blessing of Allah Almighty." So he followed him to the bath,
where the old man caused cleanse his body of the crusted dirt,
after which he sent one to fetch a handsome garment of linen and
clad him therein. Then he carried him to his company which was in
his domicile and the youth found a house lofty and spacious and
strongly builded, wherein were sitting-chambers facing one
another; and saloons, in each one a fountain of water, with the
birds warbling over it, and windows on every side, giving upon a
fair garden within the house. The old man brought him into one of
the parlours, which was variegated with many-coloured marbles,
the ceiling thereof being decorated with ultramarine and glowing
gold; and the floor bespread with silken carpets. Here he found
ten Shaykhs in mourning apparel, seated one opposite other,
weeping and wailing. He marvelled at their case and purposed to
ask the reason, when he remembered the condition and held his
peace. Then he who had brought him delivered to him a chest
containing thirty thousand dinars and said to him, "O my son,
spend freely from this chest what is fitting for our
entertainment and thine own; and be thou faithful and remember
that wherewith I charged thee." "I hear and I obey, " answered he
and served them days and nights, till one of them died, whereupon
his fellows washed him and shrouded him and buried him in a
garden behind the house,[FN#194] nor did death cease to take
them, one after other, till there remained but the Shaykh who had
hired the youth for service. Then the two men, old and young,
dwelt together in that house alone for years and years, nor was
there with them a third save Allah the Most High, till the elder
fell sick; and when the younger despaired of his life, he went up
to him and condoling with him, said, "O nuncle mine, I have
waited upon you twelve years and have not failed of my duties a
single hour, but have been loyal and faithful to you and served
you with my might and main." "Yes, O my son," answered the old
man, "thou hast served us well until all my comrades are gone to
the mercy of Allah (to whom belong honour and glory!) and needs
must I die also." "O my lord," said the other, "thou art in
danger of death and I would fain have thee acquaint me with the
cause of your weeping and wailing and of your unceasing mourning
and lamentation and regrets." "O my son," answered the old man,
"it concerns thee not to know this, so importune me not of what I
may not do: for I have vowed to Almighty Allah that I would
acquaint none of His creatures with this, lest he be afflicted
with what befel me and my comrades. If, then, thou desire to be
delivered from that into which we fell, look thou open not yonder
door, "[FN#195] and pointed to a certain part of the house; "but,
if thou have a mind to suffer what we have suffered, then open it
and thou shalt learn the cause of that thou hast seen us do; and
whenas thou knowest it, thou shalt repent what time repentance
will avail thee not."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
surviving Shaykh of the ten said to the youth, "Beware how thou
open yonder door or thou shalt repent what time repentance will
avail thee not." Then his sickness grew on him and he
accomplished his term and departed life to the presence of his
Lord; and the young man washed him with his own hands and
shrouded him and buried him by the side of his comrades; after
which he abode alone in the place and took possession of
whatsoever was therein. Withal he was uneasy and troubled
concerning the case of the old men, till, one day, as he sat
pondering the words of his dead master and his injunction not to
open the door, he suddenly bethought himself to go and look for
it. So he rose up and repaired to the part whither the dead man
had pointed and sought till, in a dark unfrequented corner, he
found a little door, over which the spider had spun her webs and
which was fastened with four padlocks of steel. Seeing this he
recalled the old man's warning and restrained himself and went
away; and he held aloof from it seven days, whilst all the time
his heart prompted him to open it. On the eighth day his
curiosity got the better of him and he said, "Come what will,
needs must I open the door and see what will happen to me
therefrom. Nothing can avert what is fated and fore-ordained of
Allah the Most High; nor doth aught befal but by His will." So
saying, he rose and broke the padlocks and opening the door saw a
narrow passage, which he followed for some three hours when lo!
he came out on the shore of a vast ocean[FN#196] and fared on
along the beach, marvelling at this main, whereof he had no
knowledge and turning right and left. Presently, a great eagle
swooped down upon him from the lift and seizing him in its
talons, flew away with him betwixt heaven and earth, till it came
to an island in the midst of the sea, where it cast him down and
flew away. The youth was dazed and knew not whither he should
wend, but after a few days as he sat pondering his case, he
caught sight of the sails of a ship in the middlemost of the
main, as it were a star in the sky; and his heart clave to it, so
haply his deliverance might be therein. He continued gazing at
the ship, until it drew nigh, when he saw that it was a foyst
builded all of ivory and ebony, inlaid with glistening gold made
fast by nails of steel, with oars of sandal and lign-aloes. In it
were ten damsels, high-bosomed maids, as they were moons; and
when they saw him, they came ashore to him and kissed his hands,
saying, "Thou art the King, the Bridegroom!" Then there accosted
him a young lady, as she were the sun shining in sky serene
bearing in hand a silken napkin, wherein were a royal robe and a
crown of gold set with all manner rubies and pearls. She threw
the robe over him and set the crown upon his head, after which
the damsels bore him on their arms to the foyst, where he found
all kinds of silken carpets and hangings of various colours. Then
they spread the sails and stretched out into mid-ocean. Quoth the
young man, "Indeed, when they put to sea with me, meseemed it was
a dream and I knew not whither they were wending with me.
Presently, we drew near to land, and I saw the shore full of
troops none knoweth their number save Allah (extolled and exalted
be He!) and all were magnificently arrayed and clad in complete
steel. As soon as the vessel had made fast to the land, they
brought me five marked[FN#197] horses of noble breeds, housed and
saddled with gold, inlaid with all manner pearls and high-priced
bezel stones. I chose out one of them and mounted it, whilst they
led the four others before me. Then they raised the banners and
the standards over my head, whilst the troops ranged themselves
right and left, and we set out, with drums beating and cymbals
clashing, and rode on; whilst I debated in myself whether I were
in sleep or on wake; and we never ceased faring, I believing not
in that my estate, but taking all this for the imbroglio of a
dream, till we drew near to the green mead, full of palaces and
gardens and trees and streams and blooms and birds chanting the
praises of Allah the One, the Victorious. Hereupon, behold, an
army sallied out from amid the palaces and gardens, as it were
the torrent when it poureth down,[FN#198] and the host overflowed
the mead. These troops halted at a little distance from me and
presently there rode forth from amongst them a King, preceded by
some of his chief officers on foot." When he came up to the young
man (saith the tale-teller) he dismounted also, and the two
saluted each other after the goodliest fashion. Then said the
King, "Come with us, for thou art my guest." So they took horse
again and rode on stirrup touching stirrup in great and stately
procession, conversing as they went, till they came to the royal
palace, where they alighted together.--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the two
rode together in stately procession till they entered the palace,
when the King taking the young man by the hand, led him into a
domed room followed by his suite, and making him sit down on a
throne of gold, seated himself beside him. Then he unbound the
swathe from his lower face; and behold, the King was a young
lady, like the splendid sun shining in the sheeny sky, perfect in
beauty and loveliness, brilliancy and grace, arrogance[FN#199]
and all perfection. The youth looked upon this singular blessing
and embodied boon and was lost in wonder at her charms and
comeliness and seemlihead and at the splendour and affluence he
saw about him, when she said "Know, O King, that I am the Queen
of this land and that all the troops thou hast seen, whether
horse or foot, are women, there is no man amongst them; for in
this our state the men delve and sow and ear and occupy
themselves with the tillage of the earth and the building of
towns and other mechanical crafts and useful arts, whilst the
women govern and fill the great offices of state and bear arms."
At this the youth marvelled with exceeding marvel and, as they
were in discourse, behold, in came the Wazir who was a tall
gray-haired old woman of venerable semblance and majestic aspect,
and it was told him that this was the Minister. Quoth the Queen
to her, "Bring us the Kazi and witnesses." So she went out to do
this, and the Queen, turning to him, conversed with him in
friendly fashion, and enforced herself to reassure his awe of her
and do away his shame with speech blander than the zephyr,
saying, "Art thou content to be to me baron and I to thee feme?"
Thereupon he arose and would have kissed ground between her
hands, but she forbade him and he replied, saying, "O my lady, I
am the least of thy slaves who serve thee." "Seest thou all these
servants and soldiers and riches and hoards and treasures?" asked
she, and he answered, "Yes!" Quoth she, "All these are at thy
commandment to dispose of them and give and bestow as seemeth
good to thee." Then she pointed to a closed door and said, "All
these things are at thy disposal, save yonder door; that shalt
thou not open, and if thou open it thou shalt repent when
repentance will avail thee naught. So beware! and again I say,
beware!" Hardly had she made an end of speaking when the Waziress
entered followed by the Kazii and witnesses, all old women, with
their hair streaming over their shoulders and of reverend and
majestic presence; and the Queen bade them draw up the contract
of marriage between herself and the young man. Accordingly, they
performed the marriage-ceremony and the Queen made a great
bride-feast, to which she bade all the troops; and after they had
eaten and drunken, he went in unto his bride and found her a maid
virginal. So he did away her hymen and abode with her seven years
in all joyance and solace and delight of life, till, one day of
the days, he bethought himself of the forbidden door and said in
himself, "Except there were therein treasures greater and grander
than any I have seen, she had not forbidden me therefrom." So he
rose and opened the door, when, lo! behind it was the very bird
which had brought him from the sea-shore to the island, and it
said to him, "No welcome to a face that shall never prosper!"
When he saw it and heard what it said, he fled from it; but it
followed him and seizing him in its talons, flew with him an
hour's journey betwixt heaven and earth, till it set him down in
the place whence it had first carried him off and flew away. When
he came to his senses, he remembered his late estate, great,
grand and glorious, and the troops which rode before him and his
lordly rule and all the honour and fair fortune he had lost and
fell to weeping and wailing.[FN#200] He abode two months on the
sea-shore, where the bird had set him down, hoping yet to return
to his wife, till, as he sat one night wakeful, mourning and
musing, behold, he heard one speaking, albeit he saw no one, and
saying, "How great were the delights! Alas, far from thee is the
return of that which is past!" When he heard this, he redoubled
in his regrets and despaired of recovering his wife and his fair
estate that was; so he returned, weary and broken-hearted, to the
house where he had dwelt with the old men and knew that they had
fared even as he and that this was the cause of their shedding
tears and lamenting their lot; wherefore he ever after held them
excused. Then, being overcome with chagrin and concern, he took
to his chamber and gave himself up to mourning and lamentation;
and he ceased not crying and complaining and left eating and
drinking and pleasant scents and merriment; nor did he laugh once
till the day of his death, when they buried him beside the
Shaykhs. "See, then, O King," continued the Wazir "what cometh of
precipitance; verily, it is unpraiseworthy and bequeatheth
repentance; and in this I give thee true advice and loyal
counsel." When the King heard this story, he turned from slaying
his son;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
King heard this story he turned from slaying his son; but, on the
sixth day, the favourite came in to him hending a naked knife in
hand, and said to him, "Know, O my lord, that except thou hearken
to my complaint and protect thy right and thine honour against
these thy Ministers, who are banded together against me, to do me
wrong, I will kill myself with this knife, and my blood will
testify against thee on the Day of Doom. Indeed, they pretend
that women are full of tricks and malice and perfidy; and they
design thereby to defeat me of my due and hinder the King from
doing me justice; but, behold, I will prove to thee that men are
more perfidious than women by the story of a King among the Kings
and how he gained access to the wife of a certain merchant." "And
what passed between them?" asked the King, and she answered, "I
have heard tell, O august King, a tale of
The King's Son and the Merchant's Wife.
A certain merchant, who was addicted to jealousy, had a wife that
was a model of beauty and loveliness; and of the excess of his
fear and jealousy of her, he would not abide with her in any
town, but built her a pavilion without the city, apart from all
other buildings. And he raised its height and strengthened its
doors and provided them with curious locks; and when he had
occasion to go into the city, he locked the doors and hung the
keys about his neck.[FN#201] One day, when the merchant was
abroad, the King's son of that city came forth, to take his
pleasure and solace in the open country without the walls, and
seeing the solitary pavilion, stood still to examine it for a
long while. At last he caught sight of a charming lady looking
and leaning out of one of the windows,[FN#202] and being smitten
with amazement at her grace and charms, cast about for a means of
getting to her, but could find none. So he called up one of his
pages, who brought him ink-case[FN#203] and paper and wrote her a
letter, setting forth his condition for love of her. Then he set
it on the pile-point of an arrow and shot it at the pavilion, and
it fell in the garden, where the lady was then walking with her
maidens. She said to one of the girls, "Hasten and bring me yon
letter," for she could read writing;[FN#204] and, when she had
read it and understood what he said in it of his love and
passion, yearning and longing, she wrote him a merciful reply, to
the effect that she was smitten with a yet fiercer desire for
him; and then threw the letter down to him from one of the
windows of the pavilion. When he saw her, he picked up the reply
and after reading it, came under the window and said to her, "Let
me down a thread, that I may send thee this key; which do thou
take and keep by thee." So she let down a thread and he tied the
key to it.[FN#205] Then he went away and repairing to one of his
father's Wazirs, complained to him of his passion for the lady
and that he could not live without her; and the Minister said,
"And how dost thou bid me contrive?" Quoth the Prince, "I would
have thee set me in a chest[FN#206] and commit it to the
merchant, feigning to him that it is thine and desiring him to
keep it for thee in his country-house some days, that I may have
my will of her; then do thou demand it back from him." The Wazir
answered, "With love and gladness." So the Prince returned to his
palace and fixing the padlock, the key whereof he had given the
lady, on a chest he had by him, entered therein. Then the Wazir
locked it upon him and setting it on a mule, carried it to the
pavilion of the merchant, who, seeing the Minister, came forth to
him and kissed his hands, saying, "Belike our lord the Wazir hath
some need or business which we may have the pleasure and honour
of accomplishing for him?" Quoth the Minister, "I would have thee
set this chest in the safest and best place within thy house and
keep it till I seek it of thee." So the merchant made the porters
carry it inside and set it down in one of his store-closets,
after which he went out on business. As soon as he was gone, his
wife arose and went up to the chest and unlocked it with the key
the King's son had given her, whereupon there came forth a youth
like the moon. When she saw him, she donned her richest raiment
and carried him to her sitting-saloon, where they abode seven
days, eating and drinking and making merry: and as often as her
husband came home, she put the Prince back into the chest and
locked it upon him. One day the King asked for his son and the
Wazir hurried off to the merchant's place of business and sought
of him the chest.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Wazir reached the merchant's counting-house he asked for the box.
The man accordingly repaired in haste to his pavilion, contrary
to his custom and knocked at the door. When his wife was ware of
him, she hurried the Prince back into the chest, but, in her
confusion, forgot to lock it. The merchant bade the porters take
it up and carry it to his house in the town. So they took up the
box by the lid, whereupon it flew open and lo! the Prince was
lying within. When the merchant saw him and knew him for the
King's son, he went out to the Wazir and said to him, "Go in,
thou, and take the King's son; for none of us may lay hands on
him." So the Minister went in and taking the Prince, went away
with him. As soon as they were gone, the merchant put away his
wife and swore that he would never marry again. "And," continued
the damsel, "I have heard tell, also, O King, a tale of
The Page who Feigned to Know the Speech of Birds.[FN#207]
A certain man of rank once entered the slave-market and saw a
page being cried for sale; so he bought him and carrying him
home, said to his wife, "Take good care of him." The lad abode
there for a while till, one day, the man said to his wife, "Go
forth to-morrow to the garden and take thy solace therein and
amuse thyself and enjoy thyself." And she replied, "With love and
gladness!" Now when the page heard this, he made ready in secret
meat and drink and fruits and desert, and sallied forth with them
privily that night to the garden, where he laid the meat under
one tree, the wine under another and the fruit and conserves
under a third, in the way his mistress must pass. When morning
morrowed the husband bade him accompany the lady to that garden
carrying with him all the provisions required for the day; so she
took horse and riding thither with him, dismounted and entered.
Presently, as they were walking about, a crow croaked,[FN#208]
and the page said, "Thou sayst sooth;" whereupon his mistress
asked him, "Dost thou know what the crow said?"; and he answered,
"Yes, O my lady, he said, Under yonder tree is meat; go and eat
it." So she said, "I see thou really dost understand them;" then
she went up to the tree and, finding a dish of meat ready
dressed, was assured that the youth told the truth and marvelled
with exceeding marvel. They ate of the meat and walked about
awhile, taking their pleasure in the garden, till the crow
croaked a second time, and the page again replied, "Thou sayst
sooth." "What said he?" quoth the lady, and quoth the page, "O my
lady, he saith that under such a tree are a gugglet of water
flavoured with musk and a pitcher of old wine." So she went up
with him to the tree and, finding the wine and water there,
redoubled in wonderment and the page was magnified in her eyes.
They sat down and drank, then arose and walked in another part of
the garden. Presently the crow croaked again and the page said,
"Thou sayst sooth." Said the lady, "What saith he now?" and the
page replied, "He saith that under yonder tree are fruits, fresh
and dried." So they went thither and found all as he said and sat
down and ate. Then they walked about again till the crow croaked
a fourth time, whereupon the page took up a stone and threw it at
him. Quoth she, "What said he, that thou shouldst stone him?" "O
my lady," answered he, "he said what I cannot tell thee." "Say
on," rejoined she, "and be not abashed in my presence, for there
is naught between me and thee." But he ceased not to say, "No,"
and she to press him to speak, till at last she conjured him to
tell her, and he answered, "The crow said to me, 'Do with thy
lady even as doth her husband.'" When she heard his words she
laughed till she fell backward and said, "This is a light matter,
and I may not gainsay thee therein." So saying, she went up to a
tree and, spreading the carpet under it, lay down, and called to
him to come and do her need, when, lo! her husband, who had
followed them unawares and saw this, called out to the page,
saying, "Harkye, boy! What ails thy mistress to lie there,
weeping?" Answered the page, "O my lord, she fell off the tree
and was killed;[FN#209] and none but Allah (be He extolled and
exalted!) restored her to thee. Wherefore she lay down awhile to
recover herself by rest." When the lady saw her husband standing
by her head, she rose and made a show of weakness and pain,
saying, "O my back! O my sides! Come to my help, O my friends! I
shall never survive this." So her husband was deceived and said
to the page, "Fetch thy mistress's horse and set her thereon."
Then he carried her home, the boy holding one stirrup and the man
the other and saying, "Allah vouchsafe thee ease and recovery!"
"These then, O King," (said the damsel) "are some instances of
the craft of men and their perfidy; wherefore let not thy Wazirs
turn thee from succouring me and doing me justice." Then she
wept, and when the King saw her weeping (for she was the dearest
to him of all his slave-girls) he once more commanded to put his
son to death; but the sixth Minister entered and kissing ground
before him, said, "May the Almighty advance the King! Verily I am
a loyal counsellor to thee, in that I counsel thee to deal
deliberately in the matter of thy son;"--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the sixth
Wazir said, "O King, deal deliberately in the matter of thy son;
for falsehood is as smoke and fact is built on base which shall
not be broken; yea, and the light of sooth dispelleth the night
of untruth. Know that the perfidy of women is great, even as
saith Allah the Most High in His Holy Book, "Verily, the malice
of you is great.[FN#210] And indeed a tale hath reached me that a
certain woman befooled the Chiefs of the State on such wise as
never did any before her." Asked the King, "And how was that?"
And the Wazir answered, "I have heard tell a tale, O King, as
follows concerning
The Lady and her Five Suitors.[FN#211]
A woman of the daughters of the merchants was married to a man
who was a great traveller. It chanced once that he set out for a
far country and was absent so long that his wife, for pure ennui,
fell in love with a handsome young man of the sons of the
merchants, and they loved each other with exceeding love. One
day, the youth quarrelled with another man, who lodged a
complaint against him with the Chief of Police, and he cast him
into prison. When the news came to the merchant's wife his
mistress, she wellnigh lost her wits; then she arose and donning
her richest clothes repaired to the house of the Chief of Police.
She saluted him and presented a written petition to this purport,
"He thou hast clapped in jail is my brother, such and such, who
fell out with such an one; and those who testified against him
bore false witness. He hath been wrongfully imprisoned, and I
have none other to come in to me nor to provide for my support;
therefore I beseech thee of thy grace to release him." When the
magistrate had read the paper, he cast his eyes on her and fell
in love with her forthright; so he said to her, "Go into the
house, till I bring him before me; then I will send for thee and
thou shalt take him." "O my lord," replied she, "I have none to
protect me save Almighty Allah!: I am a stranger and may not
enter any man's abode." Quoth the Wali, "I will not let him go,
except thou come to my home and I take my will of thee." Rejoined
she, "If it must be so, thou must needs come to my lodging and
sit and sleep the siesta and rest the whole day there." "And
where is thy abode?" asked he; and she answered, "In such a
place," and appointed him for such a time. Then she went out from
him, leaving his heart taken with love of her, and she repaired
to the Kazi of the city, to whom she said, "O our lord the Kazi!"
He exclaimed, "Yes!" and she continued, "Look into my case, and
thy reward be with Allah the Most High!" Quoth he, "Who hath
wronged thee?" and quoth she, "O my lord, I have a brother and I
have none but that one, and it is on his account that I come to
thee; because the Wali hath imprisoned him for a criminal and men
have borne false witness against him that he is a wrong-doer; and
I beseech thee to intercede for him with the Chief of Police."
When the Kazi looked on her, he fell in love with her forthright
and said to her, "Enter the house and rest awhile with my
handmaids whilst I send to the Wali to release thy brother. If I
knew the money-fine which is upon him, I would pay it out of my
own purse, so I may have my desire of thee, for thou pleasest me
with thy sweet speech." Quoth she, "If thou, O my lord, do thus,
we must not blame others." Quoth he, "An thou wilt not come in,
wend thy ways." Then said she, "An thou wilt have it so, O our
lord, it will be privier and better in my place than in thine,
for here are slave-girls and eunuchs and goers-in and comers-out,
and indeed I am a woman who wotteth naught of this fashion; but
need compelleth." Asked the Kazi, "And where is thy house?"; and
she answered, "In such a place," and appointed him for the same
day and time as the Chief of Police. Then she went out from him
to the Wazir, to whom she preferred her petition for the release
from prison of her brother who was absolutely necessary to her:
but he also required her of herself, saying, "Suffer me to have
my will of thee and I will set thy brother free." Quoth she, "An
thou wilt have it so, be it in my house, for there it will be
privier both for me and for thee. It is not far distant and thou
knowest that which behoveth us women of cleanliness and
adornment." Asked he, "Where is thy house?" "In such a place,"
answered she and appointed him for the same time as the two
others. Then she went out from him to the King of the city and
told him her story and sought of him her brother's release. "Who
imprisoned him?" enquired he; and she replied, "Twas thy Chief of
Police." When the King heard her speech, it transpierced his
heart with the arrows of love and he bade her enter the palace
with him, that he might send to the Kazi and release her brother.
Quoth she, "O King, this thing is easy to thee, whether I will or
nill; and if the King will indeed have this of me, it is of my
good fortune; but, if he come to my house, he will do me the more
honour by setting step therein, even as saith the poet,
'O my friends, have ye seen or have ye heard * Of his visit whose
virtues I hold so high?'"
Quoth the King, "We will not cross thee in this." So she
appointed him for the same time as the three others, and told him
where her house was.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the woman
told the King where her house was and appointed him for the same
time as the Wali, the Kazi and the Wazir. Then she left him and
betaking herself to a man which was a carpenter, said to him, "I
would have thee make me a cabinet with four compartments one
above other, each with its door for locking up. Let me know thy
hire and I will give it thee." Replied he, "My price will be four
dinars; but, O noble lady and well-protected, if thou wilt
vouchsafe me thy favours, I will ask nothing of thee." Rejoined
she, "An there be no help but that thou have it so, then make
thou five compartments with their padlocks;" and she appointed
him to bring it exactly on the day required. Said he, "It is
well; sit down, O my lady, and I will make it for thee
forthright, and after I will come to thee at my leisure." So she
sat down by him, whilst he fell
