KING JALI'AD OF AND HIS WAZIR SHIMAS;
FOLLOWED BY THE HISTORY OF KING WIRD KHAN,
SON OF KING JALI'AD, WITH HIS WOMEN AND
WAZIRS.[FN#55]
There was once in days of yore and in ages and times long gone
before, in the land of Hind, a mighty King, tall of presence and
fair of favour and goodly of parts, noble of nature and generous,
beneficent to the poor and loving to his lieges and all the
people of his realm. His name was Jalí'ád and under his hand were
two-and-seventy Kings and in his cities three hundred and fifty
Kazis. He had three score and ten Wazirs and over every ten of
them he set a premier. The chiefest of all his ministers was a
man called Shimás[FN#56] who was then[FN#57] two and twenty years
old, a statesman of pleasant presence and noble nature, sweet of
speech and ready in reply; shrewd in all manner of business,
skilful withal and sagacious for all his tender age, a man of
good counsel and fine manners versed in all arts and sciences and
accomplishments; and the King loved him with exceeding love and
cherished him by reason of his proficiency in eloquence and
rhetoric and the art of government and for that which Allah had
given him of compassion and brooding care[FN#58] with his lieges
for he was a King just in his Kingship and a protector of his
peoples, constant in beneficence to great and small and giving
them that which befitted them of good governance and bounty and
protection and security and a lightener of their loads in taxes
and tithes. And indeed he was loving to them each and every, high
and low, entreating them with kindness and solicitude and
governing them in such goodly guise as none had done before him.
But, with all this, Almighty Allah had not blessed him with a
child, and this was grievous to him and to the people of his
reign. It chanced, one night, as Jali'ad[FN#59] lay in his bed,
occupied with anxious thought of the issue of the affair of his
Kingdom, that sleep overcame him and he dreamt that he poured
water upon the roots of a tree,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundredth Night,
She continued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
King saw himself in his vision pouring water upon the roots of a
tree, about which were many other trees; and lo and behold! there
came fire out of this tree and burnt up every growth which
encompassed it; whereupon Jali'ad awoke affrighted and trembling,
and calling one of his pages said to him, "Go fetch the Wazir
Shimas in all haste." So he betook himself to Shimas and said to
him, "The King calleth for thee forthright because he hath awoke
from his sleep in fright and hath sent me to bring thee to him in
haste." When Shimas heard this, he arose without stay or delay
and going to the King, found him seated on his bed. He prostrated
himself before him, wishing him permanence of glory and
prosperity, and said, "May Allah not cause thee grieve, O King!
What hath troubled thee this night, and what is the cause of thy
seeking me thus in haste?" The King bade him be seated; and, as
soon as he sat down, began telling his tale and said to him, "I
have dreamt this night a dream which terrified me, and 'twas,
that methought I poured water upon the roots of a tree where
about were many other trees and as I was thus engaged, lo and
behold! fire issued therefrom and burnt up all the growths that
were around it; wherefore I was affrighted and fear took me. Then
I awoke and sent to bid thee to me, because of thy knowledge and
skill in the interpretation of dreams and of that which I know of
the vastness of thy wisdom and the greatness of thine
understanding." At this Shimas the Wazir bowed his head
groundwards awhile and presently raising it, smiled; so the King
said to him, "What deemest thou, O Shimas? Tell me the truth of
the matter and hide naught from me." Answered Shimas, "O King,
verily Allah Almighty granteth thee thy wish and cooleth thine
eyes; for the matter of this dream presageth all good, to wit,
that the Lord will bless thee with a son, who shall inherit the
Kingdom from thee, after thy long life. But there is somewhat
else I desire not to expound at this present, seeing that the
time is not favourable for interpretation." The King rejoiced in
these words with exceeding joy and great was his contentment; his
trouble departed from him, his mind was at rest and he said, "If
the case be thus of the happy presage of my dream, do thou
complete to me its exposition when the fitting time betideth: for
that which it behoveth not to expound to me now, it behoveth that
thou expound to me when its time cometh, so my joy may be
fulfilled, because I seek naught in this save the approof of
Allah extolled and exalted be He!" Now when the Wazir Shimas saw
that the King was urgent to have the rest of the exposition, he
put him off with a pretext; but Jali'ad assembled all the
astrologers and interpreters of dreams of his realm and as soon
as they were in the presence related to them his vision, saying,
"I desire you to tell me the true interpretation of this."
Whereupon one of them came forward and craved the King's
permission to speak, which being granted, he said, "Know, O King,
that thy Wazir Shimas is nowise unable to interpret this thy
dream; but he shrank from troubling thy repose. Wherefore he
disclosed not unto thee the whole thereof; but, an thou suffer me
to speak, I will expose to thee that which he concealed from
thee." The King replied, "Speak without respect for persons, O
interpreter, and be truthful in thy speech." The interpreter
said, "Know then, O King, that there will be born to thee a boy
child who shall inherit the Kingship from thee, after thy long
life; but he shall not order himself towards the lieges after thy
fashion; nay, he shall transgress thine ordinances and oppress
thy subjects, and there shall befal him what befel the Mouse with
the Cat[FN#60]; and I seek refuge with Almighty Allah[FN#61]!"
The King asked, "But what is the story of the Cat and the
Mouse?"; and the interpreter answered "May Allah prolong the
King's life! They tell the following tale of
The Mouse and the Cat.
A grimalkin, that is to say, a Cat, went out one night to a
certain garden, in search of what she might devour, but found
nothing and became weak for the excess of cold and rain that
prevailed that night. So she sought for some device whereby to
save herself. As she prowled about in search of prey, she espied
a nest at the foot of a tree, and drawing near unto it, sniffed
thereat and purred till she scented a Mouse within and went round
about it, seeking to enter and seize the inmate. When the Mouse
smelt the Cat, he turned his back to her and scraped up the earth
with his forehand, to stop the nest-door against her; whereupon
she assumed a weakly voice and said, "Why dost thou thus, O my
brother? I come to seek refuge with thee, hoping that thou wilt
take pity on me and harbour me in thy nest this night; for I am
weak because of the greatness of my age and the loss of my
strength, and can hardly move. I have ventured into thy garden
tonight, how many a time have I called upon death, that I might
be at rest from this pain! Behold, here am I at thy door,
prostrate for cold and rain and I beseech thee, by Allah, take of
thy charity my hand and bring me in with thee and give me shelter
in the vestibule of thy nest; for I am a stranger and wretched
and 'tis said, 'Whoso sheltereth a stranger and a wretched one in
his home, his shelter shall be Paradise on the Day of Doom.' And
thou, O my brother, it behoveth thee to earn eternal reward by
succouring me and suffering me abide with thee this night till
the morning, when I will wend my way."--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and First Night,
She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth
the Cat to the Mouse, "So suffer me to night with thee this
night, after which I will wend my way." Hearing these words the
Mouse replied, "How shall I suffer thee enter my nest seeing that
thou art my natural foe and thy food is of my flesh? Indeed I
fear lest thou false me, for that is of thy nature and there is
no faith in thee, and the byword saith, 'It befitteth not to
entrust a lecher with a fair woman nor a moneyless man with money
nor fire with fuel.' Neither cloth it behove me to entrust myself
to thee; and 'tis said, 'Enmity of kind, as the enemy himself
groweth weaker groweth stronger.' " The Cat made answer in the
faintest voice, as she were in most piteous case, saying, "What
thou advancest of admonitory instances is the truth and I deny
not my offenses against thee; but I beseech thee to pardon that
which is past of the enmity of kind between me and thee, for 'tis
said, 'Whoso forgiveth a creature like himself, his Creator will
forgive him his sins.' 'Tis true that whilome I was thy foe but
here am I a suitor for thy friendship, and they say, 'An thou
wilt have thy foe become thy friend, do with him good.' O my
brother, I swear to thee by Allah and make a binding covenant
with thee that I will hurt thee nevermore and for the best of
reasons, to wit, that I have no power thereto; wherefore place
thy trust in Allah and do good and accept my oath and covenant."
Quoth the Mouse, "How can I accept the covenant of one between
whom and me there is a rooted enmity, and whose wont it is to
deal treacherously by me? Were the feud between us aught but one
of blood, this were light to me; but it is an enmity of kind
between souls, and it is said, 'Whoso trusteth himself to his foe
is as one who thrusteth hand into a serpent's[FN#62] mouth.'"
Quoth the Cat, full of wrath, "My breast is strait and my soul is
faint: indeed I am in articulo mortis and ere long I shall die at
thy door and my blood will be on thy head, for that thou hadst it
in thy power to save me in mine extremity: and this is my last
word to thee." Herewith the fear of Allah Almighty overcame the
Mouse and ruth get hold upon his heart and he said in himself,
"Whoso would have the succour of Allah the Most High against his
foe, let him entreat him with compassion and kindness show. I
rely upon the Almighty in this matter and will deliver this Cat
from this her strait and earn the divine reward for her." So he
went forth and dragged into his nest the Cat, where she abode
till she was rested and somewhat strengthened and restored, when
she began to bewail her weakness and wasted strength and want of
gossips. The Mouse entreated her in friendly guise and comforted
her and busied himself with her service; but she crept along till
she got command of the issue of the nest, lest the Mouse should
escape. So when the nest-owner would have gone out after his
wont, he drew near the Cat; whereupon she seized him and taking
him in her claws, began to bite him and shake him and take him in
her mouth and lift him up and cast him down and run after him and
cranch him and torture him.[FN#63] The Mouse cried out for help,
beseeching deliverance of Allah and began to upbraid the Cat,
saying, "Where is the covenant thou madest with me and where are
the oaths thou swarest to me? Is this my reward from thee? I
brought thee into my nest and trusted myself to thee: but sooth
he speaketh that saith, 'Whoso relieth on his enemy's promise
desireth not salvation for himself.' And again, 'Whoso confideth
himself to his foe deserveth his own destruction.' Yet do I put
my trust in my Creator, for He will deliver me from thee." Now as
he was in this condition, with the Cat about to pounce on him and
devour him, behold, up came a huntsman, with hunting dogs trained
to the chase. One of the hounds passed by the mouth of the nest
and hearing a great scuffling, thought that within was a fox
tearing somewhat; so he crept into the hole, to get at him, and
coming upon the Cat, seized on her. When she found herself in the
dog's clutches, she was forced to take thought anent saving
herself and loosed the Mouse alive and whole without wound. Then
the hound brake her neck and dragging her forth of the hole,
threw her down dead: and thus was exemplified the truth of the
saying, "Who hath compassion shall at the last be compassionated.
Whoso oppresseth shall presently be oppressed." "This, then, O
King," added the interpreter, "is what befel the Mouse and the
Cat and teacheth that none should break faith with those who put
trust in him; for who ever cloth perfidy and treason, there shall
befal him the like of that which befel the Cat. As a man meteth,
so shall it be meted unto him, and he who betaketh himself to
good shall gain his eternal reward. But grieve thou not, neither
let this trouble thee, O King, for that assuredly thy son, after
his tyranny and oppression, shall return to the goodliness of thy
policy. And I would that yon learned man, thy Wazir Shimas, had
concealed from thee naught in that which he expounded unto thee;
and this had been well advised of him, for 'tis said, 'Those of
the folk who most abound in fear are the amplest of them in
knowledge and the most emulous of good.'" The King received the
interpreter's speech with submission and gifted him and his
fellows with rich gifts; then, dismissing them he arose and
withdrew to his own apartments and fell to pondering the issue of
his affair. When night came, he went in to one of his women, who
was most in favour with him and dearest to him of them all, and
lay with her: and ere some four months had passed over her, the
child stirred in her womb, whereat she rejoiced with joy
exceeding and told the King. Quoth he, "My dream said sooth, by
Allah the Helper!"; and he lodged her in the goodliest of
lodgings and entreated her with all honour, bestowing on her
store of rich gifts and manifold boons. Then he sent one of his
pages to fetch his Wazir Shimas and as soon as he was in the
presence told the Minister what had betided, rejoicing and
saying, "My dream is come true and I have won my wish. It may be
this burthen will be a man child and inherit the Kingship after
me; what sayest thou of this, O Shimas?" But he was silent and
made no reply, whereupon cried the King, "What aileth thee that
thou rejoicest not in my joy and returnest me no answer? Doth the
thing mislike thee, O Shimas?" Hereat the Wazir prostrated
himself before him and said, ' O King, may Allah prolong thy
life! What availeth it to sit under the shade of a tree, if there
issue fire therefrom, and what is the delight of one who drinketh
pure wine, if he be choked thereby, and what cloth it profit to
quench one's thirst with sweet cool water, if one be drowned
therein? I am Allah's servant and thine, O King; but there are
three things[FN#64] whereof it besitteth not the understanding to
speak, till they be accomplished; to wit, the wayfarer, till he
return from his way, the man who is in fight, till he have
overcome his foe, and the pregnant woman, till she have cast her
burthen."----And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Second Night,
She resumed: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after
Shimas had enumerated to the King the three things whereof it
besitteth not the understanding to speak save after they are
done, he continued, "For know, O King, that he, who speaketh of
aught before its accomplishment is like the Fakir who had hung
over his head the jar of clarified butter.[FN#65]" "What is the
story of the Fakir," asked the King, "and what happened to him?"
Answered the Wazir, "O King, they tell this tale anent.
The Fakir and his Jar of Butter.[FN#66]
A fakir[FN#67] abode once with one of the nobles of a certain
town who made him a daily allowance of three scones and a little
clarified butter and honey. Now such butter was dear in those
parts and the Devotee laid all that came to him together in a jar
he had, till he filled it and hung it up over his head for safe
keeping. One night, as he sat on his bed, staff in hand, he fell
a-musing upon the butter and the greatness of its price and said
in himself, "Needs must I sell all this butter I have by me and
buy with the price an ewe and take to partner therein a
Fellah[FN#68] fellow who hath a ram. The first year she will bear
a male lamb and a female and the second a female and a male and
these in their turn will bear other males and other females, nor
will they give over bearing females and males, till they become a
great matter. Then will I take my share and vent thereof what I
will. The males I will sell and buy with them bulls and cows,
which will also increase and multiply and become many; after
which I will purchase such a piece of land and plant a garden
therein and build thereon a mighty fine[FN#69] palace. Moreover,
I will get me robes and raiment and slaves and slave girls and
hold a wedding never was seen the like thereof. I will slaughter
cattle and make rich meats and sweetmeats and confections and
assemble all the musicians and mimes and mountebanks and player-
folk and, after providing flowers and perfumes and all manner
sweet herbs, I will bid rich and poor, Fakirs and Olema, captains
and lords of the land, and whoso asketh for aught, I will cause
it to be brought him; and I will make ready all manner of meat
and drink and send out a crier to cry aloud and say, 'Whoso
seeketh aught, let him ask and get it.' Lastly I will go in to my
bride, after her unveiling and enjoy her beauty and loveliness;
and I will eat and drink and make merry and say to myself,
'Verily, hast thou won thy wish,' and will rest from devotion and
divine worship. Then in due time my wife will bear me a boy, and
I shall rejoice in him and make banquets in his honour and rear
him daintily and teach him philosophy and mathematics and polite
letters;[FN#70] so that I shall make his name renowned among men
and glory in him among the assemblies of the learned; and I will
bid him do good and he shall not gainsay me, and I will forbid
him from lewdness and iniquity and exhort him to piety and the
practice of righteousness; and I will bestow on him rich and
goodly gifts; and, if I see him obsequious in obedience, I will
redouble my bounties towards him: but, an I see him incline to
disobedience, I will come down on him with this staff." So
saying, he raised his hand, to beat his son withal but the staff
hit the jar of butter which overhung his head, and brake it;
whereupon the shards fell upon him and the butter ran down upon
his head, his rags and his beard. So his clothes and bed were
spoiled and he became a caution to whoso will be cautioned.
"Wherefore, O King," added the Wazir, "it behoveth not a man to
speak of aught ere it come to pass." Answered the King, "Thou
sayest sooth! Fair fall thee for a Wazir! Verily the truth thou
speakest and righteousness thou counsellest. Indeed, thy rank
with me is such as thou couldst wish[FN#71] and thou shalt never
cease to be accepted of me." Thereupon the Wazir prostrated
himself before the King and wished him permanence of prosperity,
saying, "Allah prolong thy days and thy rank upraise! Know that I
conceal from thee naught, nor in private nor in public aught; thy
pleasure is my pleasure, and thy displeasure my displeasure.
There is no joy for me save in thy joyance and I cannot sleep o'
nights an thou be angered against me, for that Allah the Most
High hath vouchsafed me all good through thy bounties to me:
wherefore I beseech the Almighty to guard thee with His angels,
and to make fair thy reward whenas thou meetest Him." The King
rejoiced in this, whereupon Shimas arose and went out from before
him. In due time the King's wife bare a male child and the
messengers hastened to bear the glad tidings and to congratulate
the Sovran, who rejoiced therein with joy exceeding and thanked
all with abundant thanks, saying, "Alhamdolillah--laud to the
Lord--who hath vouchsafed me a son, after I had despaired, for He
is pitiful and ruthful to His servants." Then he wrote to all the
lieges of his land, acquainting them with the good news and
bidding them to his capital; and great were the rejoicings and
festivities in all the realm. Accordingly there came Emirs and
Captains, Grandees and Sages, Olema and literati, scientists and
philosophers from every quarter to the palace and all presenting
themselves before the King, company after company, according to
their different degrees, gave him joy, and he bestowed largesse
upon them. Then he signed to the seven chief Wazirs, whose head
was Shimas, to speak, each after the measure of his wisdom, upon
the matter which concerned him the most. So the Grand Wazir
Shimas began and sought leave of the King to speak, which being
granted, he spake as follows.[FN#72] "Praised be Allah who
brought us into existence from non-existence and who favoureth
His servants with Kings that observe justice and equity in that
wherewith He hath invested them of rule and dominion, and who act
righteously with that which he appointeth at their hands of
provision for their lieges; and most especially our Sovereign by
whom He hath quickened the deadness of our land, with that which
He hath conferred upon us of bounties, and hath blessed us of His
protection with ease of life and tranquillity and fair dealing!
What King did ever with his folk that which this King hath done
with us in fulfilling our needs and giving us our dues and doing
us justice, one of other, and in abundant carefulness over us and
redress of our wrongs? Indeed, it is of the favour of Allah to
the people that their King be assiduous in ordering their affairs
and in defending them from their foes; for the end of the enemy's
intent is to subdue his enemy and hold him in his hand; and many
peoples[FN#73] bring their sons as servants unto Kings, and they
become with them in the stead of slaves, to the intent that they
may repel ill-willers from them.[FN#74] As for us, no enemy hath
trodden our soil in the days of this our King, by reason of this
passing good fortune and exceeding happiness, that no describer
may avail to describe, for indeed it is above and beyond all
description. And verily, O King, thou art worthy of this highest
happiness, and we are under thy safeguard and in the shadow of
thy wings, may Allah make fair thy reward and prolong thy
life![FN#75] Indeed, we have long been diligent in supplication
to Allah Almighty that He would vouchsafe an answer to our
prayers and continue thee to us and grant thee a virtuous son, to
be the coolth of thine eyes: and now Allah (extolled and exalted
be He!) hath accepted of us and replied to our petition,"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Third Night,
She said: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shimas the
Wazir, said to the King, "And now Almighty Allah hath accepted of
us and answered our petition and brought us speedy relief, even
as He did to the Fishes in the pond of water." The King asked,
"And how was that, and what is the tale?"; and Shimas answered
him, "Hear, O King the story of
The Fishes and the Crab.
In a certain place there was a piece of water, wherein dwelt a
number of Fishes, and it befel that the pond dwindled away and
shrank and wasted, till there remained barely enough to suffice
them and they were nigh upon death and said, "What will become of
us? How shall we contrive and of whom shall we seek counsel for
our deliverance?" Thereupon arose one of them, who was the
chiefest in wit and age, and cried, "There is nothing will serve
us save that we seek salvation of Allah; but let us consult the
Crab and ask his advice: so come ye all[FN#76] and hie we
himwards and hear his rede for indeed he is the chiefest and
wisest of us all in coming upon the truth." Each and every
approved of the Fish's advice and betook themselves in a body to
the Crab, whom they found squatted in his hole, without news or
knowledge of their strait. So they saluted him with the salam and
said, "O our lord, cloth not our affair concern thee, who art
ruler and the head of us?" The Crab returned their salutation,
replying, "And on you be The Peace! What aileth you and what d'ye
want?" So they told him their case and the strait wherein they
were by reason of the wastage of the water, and that, when it
should be dried up destruction would betide them, adding,
"Wherefore we come to thee, expecting thy counsel and what may
bring us deliverance for thou art the chiefest and the most
experienced of us." The Crab bowed his head awhile and said,
"Doubtless ye lack understanding, in that ye despair of the mercy
of Allah Almighty and His care for the provision of His creatures
one and all. Know ye not that Allah (extolled and exalted be He!)
provideth all His creatures without account and that He
foreordained their daily meat ere He created aught of creation
and appointed to each of His creatures a fixed term of life and
an allotted provision, of His divine All might? How then shall we
burthen ourselves with concern for a thing which in His secret
purpose is indite? Wherefore it is my rede that ye can do naught
better than to seek aid of Allah Almighty, and it behoveth each
of us to clear his conscience with his Lord, both in public and
private, and pray Him to succour us and deliver us from our
difficulties; for Allah the Most High disappointeth not the
expectation of those who put their trust in Him and rejecteth not
the supplications of those who prefer their suit to Him. When we
have mended our ways, our affairs will be set up and all will be
well with us, and when the winter cometh and our land is deluged,
by means of a just one's prayer, He will not cast down the good
He hath built up. So 'tis my counsel that we take patience and
await what Allah shall do with us. An death come to us, as is
wont, we shall be at rest, and if there befal us aught that
calleth for flight, we will flee and depart our land whither
Allah will.''[FN#77] Answered all the fishes with one voice "Thou
sayst sooth, O our lord: Allah requite thee for us with weal!"
Then each returned to his stead, and in a few days the Almighty
vouchsafed unto them a violent rain and the place of the pond was
filled fuller than before. 'On likewise, O King," continued
Shimas, "we despaired of a child being born to thee, and now that
God hath blessed us and thee with this well omened son, we
implore Him to render him blessed indeed and make him the coolth
of thine eyes and a worthy successor to thee and grant us of him
the like of that which He hath granted us of thee; for Almighty
Allah disappointeth not those that seek Him and it behoveth none
to cut off hope of the mercy of his God." Then, rose the second
Wazir and saluting the King with the salam spake after his
greeting was returned, as follows: "Verily, a King is not called
a King save he give presents and do justice and rule with equity
and show munificence and wisely govern his lieges, maintaining
the obligatory laws and apostolic usages established among them
and justifying them, one against other, and sparing their blood
and warding off hurt from them; and of his qualities should be
that he never abide incurious of the poor and that he succour the
highest and lowest of them and give them each the rights to them
due, so that all bless him and are obedient to his commend.
Without doubt, a King who is after this wise of his lieges is
beloved and gaineth of this world eminence and of the next honour
and favour with the Creator thereof. And we, the body politic of
thy subjects, acknowledge in thee, O King, all the attributes of
kingship I have noted, even as it is said, 'The best of things is
that the King of a people be just and equitable, their physician
skilful and their teacher experience-full, acting according to
his knowledge.' Now we enjoy this happiness, after we had
despaired of the birth of a son to thee, to inherit thy kingship;
however, Allah (extolled be His name!) hath not disappointed
thine expectation, but hath granted thy petition, by reason of
the goodliness of thy trust in Him and thy submission of thine
affairs to Him. Then fair fall thy hope! there hath betided thee
that which betided the Crow and the Serpent." Asked the King
"What was that?"; and the Wazir answered, "Hear, O King, the tale
of
The Crow and the Serpent.
A crow once dwelt in a tree, he and his wife, in all delight of
life, till they came to the time of the hatching of their young,
which was the midsummer season, when a Serpent issued from its
hole and crawled up the tree wriggling around the branches till
it came to the Crows' nest, where it coiled itself up and there
abode all the days of the summer, whilst the Crow was driven away
and found no opportunity to clear his home nor any place wherein
to lie. When the days of heat were past, the Serpent went away to
its own place and quoth the Crow to his wife, "Let us thank
Almighty Allah, who hath preserved us and delivered us from this
Serpent, albeit we are forbidden from increase this year. Yet the
Lord will not cut off our hope; so let us express our gratitude
to Him for having vouchsafed us safety and soundness of body:
indeed, we have none other in whom to confide, and if He will and
we live to see the next year, He shall give us other young in the
stead of those we have missed this year." Next summer when the
hatching-season came round, the Serpent again sallied forth from
its place and made for the Crows' nest; but, as it was coiling up
a branch, a kite swooped down on it and struck claws into its
head and tare it, whereupon it fell to the ground a-swoon, and
the ants came out upon it and ate it.[FN#78] So the Crow and his
wife abode in peace and quiet and bred a numerous brood and
thanked Allah for their safety and for the young that were born
to them. "In like manner, O King," continued the Wazir, "it
behoveth us to thank God for that wherewith He hath favoured thee
and us in vouchsafing us this blessed child of good omen, after
despair and the cutting off of hope. May He make fair thy future
reward and the issue of thine affair!"--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Fourth Night,
She continued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the second Wazir had ended with the words, "Allah make fair thy
future reward and the issue of thine affair!", the third Wazir,
presently rose and said, "Rejoice, O just King, in the assurance
of present prosperity and future felicity; for him, whom the
denizens of Earth love, the denizens of Heaven likewise love, and
indeed Almighty Allah hath made affection to be thy portion and
hath stablished it in the hearts of the people of thy kingdom;
wherefore to Him be thanks and praise from us and from thee, so
He may deign increase His bounty unto thee and unto us in thee!
For know, O King, that man can originate naught but by command of
Allah the Most High and that He is the Giver and all good which
befalleth a creature hath its end and issue in Him. He allotteth
His favours to His creatures, as it liketh Him; to some he giveth
gifts galore while others He doometh barely to win their daily
bread. Some He maketh Lords and Captains, and others Recluses,
who abstain from the world and aspire but to Him, for He it is
who saith, 'I am the Harmer with adversity and the Healer with
prosperity. I make whole and make sick. I enrich and impoverish.
I kill and quicken; in my hand is everything and unto Me all
things do tend.' Wherefore it behoveth all men to praise Him.
Now, especially thou, O King, art of the fortunate, the pious, of
whom it is said, 'The happiest of the just is he for whom Allah
uniteth the weal of this world and of the next world; who is
content with that portion which Allah allotteth to him and who
giveth Him thanks for that which He hath stablished.' And indeed
he that is rebellious and seeketh other than the dole which God
hath decreed unto him and for him, favoureth the wild Ass and the
Jackal.''[FN#79] The King asked, "And what is the story of the
twain?"; the Wazir answered, "Hear, O King, the tale of
The Wild Ass and the Jackal.
A certain Jackal was wont every day to leave his lair and fare
forth questing his daily bread. Now one day, as he was in a
certain mountain, behold, the day was done and he set out to
return when he fell in with another Jackal who saw him on the
tramp, and each began to tell his mate of the quarry he had
gotten. Quoth one of them, "The other day I came upon a wild Ass
and I was an hungered, for it was three days since I had eaten;
so I rejoiced in this and thanked Almighty Allah for bringing him
into my power. Then I tare out his heart and ate it and was full
and returned to my home. That was three days ago, since which
time I have found nothing to eat, yet am I still full of meat."
When the other Jackal heard his fellow's story, he envied his
fulness and said in himself, "There is no help but that I eat the
heart of a wild Ass." So he left feeding for some days, till he
became emaciated and nigh upon death and bestirred not himself
neither did he endeavour to get food, but lay coiled up in his
earth. And whilst he was thus, behold, one day there came out two
hunters trudging in quest of quarry and started a wild Ass. They
followed on his trail tracking him all day, till at last one of
them shot at him a forked[FN#80] arrow, which pierced his vitals
and reached his heart and killed him in front of the Jackal's
hole. Then the hunters came up and finding him dead, pulled out
the shaft from his heart, but only the wood came away and the
forked head abode in the Ass's belly. So they left him where he
lay, expecting that others of the wild beasts would flock to him;
but, when it was eventide and nothing fell to them, they returned
to their abiding places. The Jackal, hearing the commotion at the
mouth of his home, lay quiet till nightfall, when he came forth
of his lair, groaning for weakness and hunger, and seeing the
dead Ass lying at his door, rejoiced with joy exceeding till he
was like to fly for delight and said, "Praised be Allah who hath
won me my wish without toil! Verily, I had lost hope of coming at
a wild Ass or aught else; and assuredly[FN#81] the Almighty hath
sent him to me and crave him fall to my homestead." Then he
sprang on the body and tearing open its belly, thrust in his head
and with his nose rummaged about its entrails, till he found the
heart and tearing a tidbit swallowed it: but, as soon as he had
so done, the forked head of the arrow struck deep in his gullet
and he could neither get it down into his belly nor bring it
forth of his throttle. So he made sure of destruction and said,
"Of a truth it beseemeth not the creature to seek for himself
aught over and above that which Allah hath allotted to him. Had I
been content with what He appointed to me, I had not come to
destruction." "Wherefore, O King," added the Wazir, "it becometh
man to be content with whatso Allah hath distributed to him and
thank Him for His bounties to him and cast not off hope of his
Lord. And behold, O King, because of the purity of thy purpose
and the fair intent of thy good works, Allah hath blessed thee
with a son, after despair, wherefore we pray the Almighty to
vouchsafe him length of days and abiding happiness and make him a
blessed successor, faithful in the observance of thy covenant,
after thy long life." Then arose the fourth Wazir, and said,
"Verily, an the King be a man of understanding, a frequenter of
the gates of wisdom,"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Fifth Night,
She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
fourth Wazir, arose and said, "Verily an the King be a man of
understanding, a frequenter of the gates of wisdom, versed in
science, government and policy, and eke upright in purpose and
just to his subjects, honouring those to whom honour is due,
revering those who are digne of reverence, tempering puissance
with using clemency whenas it behoveth, and protecting both
governors and governed, lightening all burthens for them and
bestowing largesse on them, sparing their blood and covering
their shame and keeping his troth with them. Such a King, I say,
is worthy of felicity both present and future, worldly and other-
worldly, and this is of that which protecteth him from ill-will
and helpeth him to the stablishing of his Kingdom and the victory
over his enemies and the winning of his wish, together with
increase of Allah's bounty to him and His favouring him for his
praise of Him and the attainment of His protection. But an the
King be the contrary of this, he never ceaseth from misfortunes
and calamities, he and the people of his realm, for that his
oppression embraceth both stranger far and kinsman near and there
cometh to pass with him that which befel the unjust King with the
pilgrim Prince." King Jali'ad asked, "And how was that?" and the
Wazir answered, "Hear, O King, the tale of
The Unjust King and the Pilgrim Prince.
There was once in Mauritania-land[FN#82] a King who exceeded in
his rule, a tyrant, violent and over severe, who had no respect
for the welfare or protection of his lieges nor of those who
entered his realm; and from everyone who came within his Kingdom
his officers took four-fifths of his monies, leaving him one-
fifth and no more. Now Allah Almighty decreed that he should have
a son, who was fortunate and God-favoured and seeing the pomps
and vanities of this world to be transient as they are
unrighteous, renounced them in his youth and rejected the world
and that which is therein and fared forth serving the Most High,
wandering pilgrim-wise over words and wastes and bytimes entering
towns and cities. One day, he came to his father's capital and
the guards laid hands on him and searched him but found naught
upon him save two gowns, one new and the other old.[FN#83] So
they stripped the new one from him and left him the old, after
they had entreated him with contumely and contempt; whereat he
complained and said, "Woe to you, O ye oppressors! I am a poor
man and a pilgrim,[FN#84] and what shall this gown by any means
profit you? Except ye restore it to me, I will go to the King and
make complaint to him of you." They replied, "We act thus by the
King's command: so do what seemeth good to thee." Accordingly he
betook himself to the King's palace and would have entered, but
the chamberlains denied him admittance, and he turned away,
saying in himself, "There is nothing for me except to watch till
he cometh out and complain to him of my case and that which hath
befallen me." And whilst he waited, behold, he heard one of the
guards announce the King's faring forth; whereupon he crept up,
little by little, till he stood before the gate; and presently
when the King came out, he threw himself in his way and after
blessing him and wishing him weal, he made his complaint to him
informing him how scurvily he had been entreated by the
gatekeepers. Lastly he gave him to know that he was a man of the
people of Allah[FN#85] who had rejected the world seeking
acceptance of Allah and who went wandering over earth and
entering every city and hamlet, whilst all the folk he met gave
him alms according to their competence. "I entered this thy city"
(continued he), "hoping that the folk would deal kindly and
graciously with me as with others of my condition,[FN#86] but thy
followers stopped me and stripped me of one of my gowns and
loaded me with blows. Wherefore do thou look into my case and
take me by the hand and get me back my gown and I will not abide
in thy city an hour." Quoth the unjust King, "Who directed thee
to enter this city, unknowing the custom of its King?"; and quoth
the pilgrim, "Give me back my gown and do with me what thou
wilt." Now when the King heard this, his temper changed for the
worse and he said, "O fool,[FN#87] we stripped thee of thy gown,
so thou mightest humble thyself to us, but since thou makest this
clamour I will strip thy soul from thee." Then he commanded to
cast him into gaol, where he began to repent of having answered
the King and reproached himself for not having left him the gown
and saved his life. When it was the middle of the night, he rose
to his feet and prayed long and prayerfully, saying, "O Allah,
Thou art the Righteous Judge. Thou knowest my case and that which
hath befallen me with this tyrannical King, and I, Thine
oppressed servant, beseech Thee, of the abundance of Thy mercy,
to deliver me from the hand of this unjust ruler and send down on
him Thy vengeance; for Thou art not unmindful of the upright of
every oppressor. Wherefore, if Thou know that he hath wronged me,
loose on him Thy vengeance this night and send down on him Thy
punishment; for Thy rule is just and Thou art the Helper of every
mourner, O Thou to whom belong the power and the glory to the end
of time!" When the gaoler heard the prayer of the poor prisoner
he trembled in every limb, and behold, a fire suddenly broke out
in the King's palace and consumed it and all that were therein,
even to the door of the prison,[FN#88] and none was spared but
the gaoler and the pilgrim. Now when the gaoler saw this, he knew
that it had not befallen save because of the pilgrim's prayer; so
he loosed him and fleeing with him forth of the burning, betook
himself, he and the King's son, to another city. So was the
unjust King consumed, he and all his city, by reason of his
injustice, and he lost the goods both of this world and the next
world. "As for us, O auspicious King" continued the Wazir, "we
neither lie down nor rise up without praying for thee and
thanking Allah the Most High for His grace in giving thee to us,
tranquil in reliance on thy justice and the excellence of thy
governance; and sore indeed was our care for thy lack of a son to
inherit thy kingdom, fearing lest after thee there betide us a
King unlike thee. But now the Almighty hath bestowed His favours
upon us and done away our concern and brought us gladness in the
birth of this blessed child; wherefore we beseech the Lord to
make him a worthy successor to thee and endow him with glory and
felicity enduring and good abiding." Then rose the fifth Wazir
and said, "Blessed be the Most High,"--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Sixth Night,
She resumed: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
fifth Wazir said, "Blessed be the Most High, Giver of all good
gifts and graces the most precious! But to continue: we are well
assured that Allah favoureth whoso are thankful to Him and
mindful of His faith; and thou, O auspicious King, art far-famed
for these illustrious virtues and for justice and equitable
dealing between subject and subject and in that which is
acceptable to Allah Almighty. By reason of this hath the Lord
exalted thy dignity and prospered thy days and bestowed on thee
the good gift of this august child, after despair, wherefrom
there hath betided us gladness abiding and joys which may not be
cut off; for we before this were in exceeding cark and passing
care, because of thy lack of issue, and full of concern
bethinking us of all thy justice and gentle dealing with us and
fearful lest Allah decree death to thee and there be none to
succeed thee and inherit the kingdom after thee, and so we be
divided in our counsels and dissensigns arise between us and
there befal us what befel the Crows." Asked the King, "And what
befel the Crows?"; and the Wazir answered saying, "Hear, O
auspicious King, the tale of
The Crows and the Hawk.
There was once, in a certain desert, a spacious Wady, full of
rills and trees and fruits and birds singing the praises of Allah
the One of All might, Creator of day and night; and among them
was a troop of Crows, which led the happiest of lives. Now they
were under the sway and government of a Crow who ruled them with
mildness and benignity, so that they were with him in peace and
contentment; and by reason of their wisely ordering their
affairs, none of the other birds could avail against them.
Presently it chanced that there befel their chief the doom
irrevocably appointed to all creatures and he departed
life;[FN#89] whereupon the others mourned for him with sore
mourning, and what added to their grief was that there abided not
amongst them like him one who should fill his place. So they all
assembled and took counsel together concerning whom it befitted
for his goodness and piety to set over them; and a party of them
chose one Crow, saying, "It beseemeth that this be King over us,"
whilst others objected to him and would none of him; and thus
there arose division and dissension amidst them and the strife of
excitement waxed hot between them. At last they agreed amongst
themselves and consented to sleep the night upon it and that none
should go forth at dawn next day to seek his living, but that all
must wait till high morning, when they should gather together all
in one place. "Then," said they, "we will all take flight at once
and whichsoever shall soar above the rest in his flying, he shall
be accepted of us as ruler and be made King over us." The fancy
pleased them; so they made covenant together and did as they had
agreed and took flight all, but each of them deemed himself
higher than his fellow; wherefore quoth this one, "I am highest,"
and that, "Nay, that am I." Then said the lowest of them, "Look
up, all of you, and whomsoever ye find the highest of you, let
him be your chief." So they raised their eyes and seeing the Hawk
soaring over them, said each to other, "We agreed that which bird
soever should be the highest of us we will make king over us, and
behold, the Hawk is the highest of us; what say ye to him?" And
they all cried out, "We accept of him." Accordingly they summoned
the Hawk and said to him, "O Father of Good,[FN#90] we have
chosen thee ruler over us, that thou mayst look into our affair."
The Hawk consented, saying, "Inshallah, ye shall win of me
abounding weal." So they rejoiced and made him their King. But
after awhile, he fell to taking a company of them every day and
betaking himself with them afar off to one of the caves, where he
struck them down and eating their eyes and brains, threw their
bodies into the river. And he ceased not doing on this wise, it
being his intent to destroy them all till, seeing their number
daily diminishing, the Crows flocked to him and said, "O our
King, we complain to thee because from the date we made thee
Sovran and ruler over us, we are in the sorriest case and every
day a company of us is missing and we know not the reason of
this, more by token that the most part thereof are the high in
rank and of those in attendance on thee. We must now look after
our own safety." Thereupon the Hawk waxed wroth with them and
said to them, "Verily, ye are the murtherers, and ye forestall me
with accusation!" So saying, he pounced upon them and tearing to
pieces half a score of their chiefs in front of the rest,
threatened them and crave them out, sorely cuffed and beaten,
from before him. Hereat they repented them of that which they had
done and said, "We have known no good since the death of our
first King especially in the deed of this stranger in kind; but
we deserve our sufferings even had he destroyed us one by one to
the last of us, and there is exemplified in us the saying of him
that saith, 'Whoso submitteth him not to the rule of his own
folk, the foe hath dominion over him, of his folly.' And now
there is nothing for it but to flee for our lives, else shall we
perish." So they took flight and dispersed to various places.
"And we also, O King," continued the Wazir, "feared lest the like
of this befal us and there become ruler over us a King other than
thyself; but Allah hath vouchsafed us this boon and hath sent us
this blessed child, and now we are assured of peace and union and
security and prosperity in our Mother-land. So lauded be Almighty
Allah and to Him be praise and thanks and goodly gratitude! And
may He bless the King and us all his subjects and vouchsafe unto
us and him the acme of felicity and make his life-tide happy and
his endeavour constant!" Then arose the sixth Wazir and said,
"Allah favour thee with all fell city, O King, in this world and
in the next world! Verily, the ancients have left us this saying,
'Whoso prayeth and fasteth and giveth parents their due and is
just in his rule meeteth his Lord and He is well pleased with
him.' Thou hast been set over us and hast ruled us justly and
thine every step in this hath been blessed; wherefore we beseech
Allah Almighty to make great thy reward eternal and requite thee
thy beneficence. I have heard what this wise man hath said
respecting our fear for the loss of our prosperity, by reason of
the death of the King or the advent of another who should not be
his parallel, and how after him dissensions would be rife among
us and calamity betide from our division and how it behoved us
therefore to be instant in prayer to Allah the Most High, so
haply He might vouchsafe the King a happy son to inherit the
kingship after him. But, after all, the issue of that which man
desireth of mundane goods and wherefor he lusteth is unknown to
him and consequently it behoveth a mortal to ask not of his Lord
a thing whose end he wotteth not; for that haply the hurt of that
thing is nearer to him than its gain and his destruction may be
in that he seeketh and there may befal him what befel the Serpent
charmer, his wife and children and the folk of his house."--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Seventh Night,
She said: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
sixth Wazir said, "It behoveth not a man to ask of his Lord aught
whereof he ignoreth the issue for that haply the hurt of that
thing may be nearer than its gain, his destruction may be in that
he seeketh and there may befal him what befel the Serpent
charmer, his children, his wife and his household," the King
asked, "What was that?"; and the Wazir answered, "Hear, O King
the tale of
The Serpent charmer and his Wife.
There was once a man, a Serpent-charmer,[FN#91] who used to train
serpents, and this was his trade; and he had a great
basket,[FN#92] wherein were three snakes, but the people of his
house knew this not. Every day he used to go round with this
pannier about the town gaining his living and that of his family
by showing the snakes, and at eventide he returned to his house
and clapped them back into the basket privily. This lasted a long
while, but it chanced one day, when he came home, as was his
wont, his wife asked him, saying, "What is in this pannier?" And
he replied, "What wouldest thou with it? Is not provision
plentiful with you? Be thou content with that which Allah hath
allotted to thee and ask not of aught else." With this the woman
held her peace; but she said in herself, "There is no help but
that I search this basket and know what is there." So she egged
on her children and enjoined them to ask him of the pannier and
importune him with their questions, till he should tell them what
was therein. They presently concluded that it contained something
to eat and sought every day of their father that he should show
them what was therein; and he still put them off with pleasant
presences and forbade them from asking this. On such wise they
abode awhile, the wife and mother still persisting in her quest
till they agreed with her that they would neither eat meat nor
drain drink with their father, till he granted them their prayer
and opened the basket to them. One night, behold, the Serpent-
charmer came home with great plenty of meat and drink and took
his seat calling them to eat with him, but they refused his
company and showed him anger. Whereupon he began to coax them
with fair words, saying, "Lookye, tell me what you would have,
that I may bring it you, be it meat or drink or raiment."
Answered they, "O our father, we want nothing of thee but that
thou open this pannier that we may see what is therein, else we
will slay ourselves." He rejoined, "O my children, there is
nothing good for you therein and indeed the opening of it will be
harmful to you." Hereat they redoubled in rage for all he could
say, which when he saw, he began to scold them and threaten them
with beating, except they returned from such condition; but they
only increased in anger and persistence in asking, till at last
he waxed wroth and took a staff to beat them, and they fled from
before him within the house. Now the basket was present and the
Serpent-charmer had not hidden it anywhere, so his wife left him
occupied with the children and opened the pannier in haste, that
she might see what was therein. Thereupon behold, the serpents
came out and first struck their fangs into her and killed her;
then they tried round about the house and slew all, great and
small, who were therein, except the Serpent-charmer, who left the
place and went his way. "If then, O auspicious King," continued
the Wazir, "thou consider this, thou wilt be convinced that it is
not for a man to desire aught save that which God the Great
refuseth not to him; nay, he should be content with what He
willeth. And thou, O King, for the overflowing of thy wisdom and
the excellence of thine understanding, Allah hath cooled thine
eyes with the advent of this thy son, after despair, and hath
comforted thy heart; wherefore we pray the Almighty to make him
of the just successors acceptable to Himself and to his
subjects." Then rose the seventh Wazir and said, "O King, I know
and certify all that my brethren, these Ministers wise and
learned, have said in the presence, praising thy justice and the
goodness of thy policy and proving how thou art distinguished in
this from all Kings other than thyself; wherefore they gave thee
the preference over them. Indeed, this be of that which is
incumbent on us, O King, and I say, 'Praised be Allah!' in that
He hath guerdoned thee with His gifts and vouchsafed thee of His
mercy, the welfare of the realm; and hath succoured thee and
ourselves, on condition that we increase in gratitude to Him; and
all this no otherwise than by thine existence! What while thou
remainest amongst us, we fear not oppression neither dread
upright, nor can any take long-handed advantage of our weakness!
and indeed it is said, 'The greatest good of a people is a just
King and their greatest ill an unjust King'; and again, 'Better
dwell with rending lions than with a tyrannous Sultan.' So
praised be Almighty Allah with eternal praise for that He hath
blessed us with thy life and vouchsafed thee this blessed child,
whenas thou wast stricken in years and hadst despaired of issue!
For the goodliest of the gifts in this world is a virtuous sire,
and it is said, 'Whoso hath no progeny his life is without result
and he leaveth no memory.' As for thee, because of the
righteousness of thy justice and thy pious reliance on Allah the
Most High, thou hast been vouchsafed this happy son; yea, this
blessed[FN#93] child cometh as a gift from the Most High Lord to
us and to thee, for the excellence of thy governance and the
goodliness of thy long-sufferance; and in this thou hast fared
even as fared the Spider and the Wind." Asked the King, "And what
is the story of the Spider and the Wind?"--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Eighth Night,
She continued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the King asked, "And what is the story of the twain?", the Wazir
answered, "Give ear, O King, to the tale of
The Spider and the Wind.
A Spider once attached herself to a high gate[FN#94] and retired
and span her web there and dwelt therein in peace, giving thanks
to the Almighty, who had made this dwelling-place easy to her and
had set her in safety from noxious reptiles. On this wise she
abode a long while, still giving thanks to Allah for her ease and
regular supply of daily bread, till her Creator bethought Him to
try her and make essay of her gratitude and patience. So he sent
upon her a strong east Wind, which carried her away, web and all,
and cast her into the main. The waves washed her ashore, and she
thanked the Lord for safety and began to upbraid the Wind,
saying, "O Wind, why hast thou dealt thus with me and what good
hast thou gotten by bearing me hither from my abiding-place,
where indeed I was in safety, secure in my home on the top of
that gate?" Replied the Wind, saying, "O Spider, hast thou not
learnt that this world is a house of calamities; and, say me, who
can boast of lasting happiness that such portion shall be thine?
Wottest thou not that Allah tempteth His creatures in order to
learn by trial what may be their powers of patience? How, then,
cloth it beset thee to upbraid me, thou who hast been saved by me
from the vasty deep?" "Thy words are true, O Wind," replied the
Spider, "yet not the less do I desire to escape from this
stranger land into which thy violence hath cast me." The Wind
rejoined, "Cease thy blaming, for right soon I will bear thee
back and replace thee in thy place, as thou wast aforetime." So
the Spider waited patiently till the north-east Wind left
blowing, and there arose a south-west Wind, which gently caught
her up and flew with her towards her dwelling-place; and when she
came to her abode, she knew it and clung to it. "And we,"
continued the Wazir, "beseech Allah (who hath rewarded the King
for his singleness of heart and patience and hath taken pity on
his subjects and blessed them with His favour and hath vouchsafed
the King this son in his old age, after he had despaired of issue
and removed him not from the world, till He had blessed him with
coolth of eyes and bestowed on him what He hath bestowed of
Kingship and Empire!) to vouchsafe unto thy son that which He
hath vouchsafed unto thee of dominion and Sultanship and glory!
Amen." Then said the King, "Praised be Allah over all praise and
thanks be to Him over all thanks! There is no god but He, the
Creator of all things, by the light of whose signs we know the
glory of His greatness and who giveth kingship and command over
his own country to whom He willeth of His servants! He chooseth
of them whomso He please to make him His viceroy and viceregent
over His creatures and commandeth him to just and equitable
dealing with them and the maintenance of religious laws and
practices and right conduct and constancy in ordering their
affairs to that which is most acceptable to Him and most grateful
to them. Whoso cloth thus and obeyeth the commandment of his
Lord, his desire attaineth and the orders of his God maintaineth;
so Providence preserveth him from the perils of the present world
and maketh ample his recompense in the future world; for indeed
He neglecteth not the reward of the righteous. And whoso cloth
otherwise than as Allah biddeth him sinneth mortal sin and
disobeyeth his Lord, preferring his mundane to his supra-mundane
weal. He hath no trace in this world and in the next no portion,
for Allah spareth not the unjust and the mischievous, nor cloth
He neglect any of His servants. These our Wazirs have set forth
how, by reason of our just dealing with them and our wise
governance of affairs, Allah hath vouchsafed us and them His
grace, for which it behoveth us to thank Him, because of the
great abundance of His mercies; each of them hath also spoken
that wherewith the Almighty inspired Him concerning this matter,
and they have vied one with another in rendering thanks to the
Most High Lord and praising Him for His favours and bounties. I
also render thanks to Allah for that I am but a slave commanded;
my heart is in His hand and my tongue in His subjection,
accepting that which He adjudgeth to me and to them, come what
may thereof. Each one of them hath said what passed through his
mind on the subject of this boy and hath set froth that which was
of the renewal of divine favour to us, after my rears had reached
the term when confidence faileth and despair assaileth. So
praised be Allah who hath saved us from disappointment and from
the alternation of rulers, like to the alternation of night and
day! For verily, this was a great boon both to them and to us;
wherefore we praise Almighty Allah who hath given a ready answer
to our prayer and hath blessed us with this boy and set him in
high place, as the inheritor of the kingship. And we entreat him,
of His bounty and clemency, to make him happy in his actions,
prone to pious works, so he may become a King and a Sultah
governing his people with justice and equity, guarding them from
perilous error and frowardness, of His grace, goodness and
generosity!" When the King had made an end of his speech, the
sages and Olema rose and prostrated themselves before Allah and
thanked the King; after which they kissed his hands and departed,
each to his own house, whilst Jali'ad withdrew into his prayers
for him and named him Wird Khán.[FN#95] The boy grew up till he
attained the age of twelve,[FN#96] when the King being minded to
have him taught the arts and sciences, bade build him a palace
amiddlemost the city, wherein were three hundred and threescore
rooms,[FN#97] and lodged him therin. Then he assigned him three
wise men of the Olema and bade them not be lax in teaching him
day and night and look that there was no kind of learning but
they instruct him hterin, so he might become versed in all
knowledge. He also commanded them to sit with him one day in each
of the rooms by turn and write on the door thereof that which
they had taught him therein of various kinds of lore and report
to himself, every seven days, whatso instructions they had
imparted to him. So they went in to the Prince and stinted not
from educating him day nor night, nor withheld from him aught of
that they knew; and presently there appeared in him readiness to
receive instruction such as none had shown before him. Every
seventh day his governors reported to the King what his son had
learnt and mastered, whereby Jali'ad became proficient in goodly
learning and fair culture, and the Olema said to him, "Never saw
we one so richly gifted with understanding as is this boy Allah
bless thee in him and give thee joy of his life!" When the Prince
had completed his twelfth year, he knew the better part of every
science and excelled all the Olema and sages of his day;
wherefore his governors brought him to his sire and said to him
"Allah gladden thine eyes, O King, with this auspicious youth! We
bring him to thee after he hath learnt all manner knowledge; and
there is not one of the learned men of the time nor a scientist
who hath attained to that whereto he hath attained of science."
The King rejoiced in this with joy exceeding and, thanking the
Almighty, prostrated himself in gratitude before Allah (to whom
belong Majesty and Might!), saying, "Laud be to the Lord for His
mercies incalculable!" Then he called his Chief Wazir and said to
him, "Know, O Shimas, that the governors of my son are come to
tell me that he hath mastered every kind of knowledge and there
is nothing but they have instructed him therein, so that he
surpasseth in this all who forewent him. What sayst thou, O
Shimas?" Hereat the Minister prostrated himself before Allah (to
whom belong Might and Majesty!) and kissed the King's hand,
saying, "Loath is the ruby stone, albeit be bedded in the hardest
rock on hill, to do aught but shine as a lamp, and this thy son
is such a gem. His tender age hath not hindered him from becoming
a sage and Alhamdolillah--praised be Allah--for that which He
deigned bestow on him! But to-morrow I will call an assembly of
the flower of the Emirs and men of learning and examine the
Prince and cause him speak forth that which is with him in their
presence, Inshallah!" ---And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Ninth Night,
She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
King Jali'ad heard the words of his Wazir, Shimas, he commended
the attendance of the keenest-witted[FN#98] of the Olema and most
accomplished of the learned and sages of his dominions, and they
all presented themselves on the morrow at the door of the palace,
whereupon the King bade admit them. Then entered Shimas and
kissed the hands of the Prince, who rose and prostrated himself
to the Minister. But Shimas said, "It behoveth not the lion-whelp
to prostrate himself to any of the wild beasts, nor besitteth it
that Light prostrate itself to shade." Quoth the Prince, "Whenas
the lion-whelp seeth the leopard,[FN#99] he riseth up to him and
prostrateth himself before him because of his wisdom, and Light
prostrateth itself to shade for the purpose of disclosing that
which is therewithin." Quoth Shimas, "True, O my lord, but I
would have thee answer me anent whatso I shall ask thee, by leave
of His Highness and his lieges." And the youth said, "And I, with
permission of my sire, will answer thee." So Shimas began and
said, "Tell me what is the Eternal, the Absolute, and what are
the two manifestations thereof and whether of the two is the
abiding one?" Answered the Prince, "Allah (to whom belong Might
and Majesty!) is the Eternal, the Absolute; for that He is Alpha,
without beginning, and Omega, without end. Now his two
manifestations[FN#100] are this world and the next, and the
abiding one of the two is the world to come." Q "Thou sayst truly
and I approve thy reply; but I would have thee tell me, how
knowest thou that one of Allah's manifestations is this world and
the other the world to come?"--"I know this because this world
was created from nothingness and had not its being from any
existing thing; wherefore its affair is referable to the first
essence. Moreover, it is a commodity swift of ceasing, the works
whereof call for requital of action and this postulateth the
reproduction[FN#101] of whatso passeth away; so the next world is
the second manifestation." Q "Now inform me how knowest thou that
the world to come is the abiding one of the two existences?"--
"Because it is the house of requital for deeds done in this world
prepared by the Eternal sans surcease." Q "Who are the people of
this world most to be praised for their practice?"--"Those who
prefer their weal in the world to come before their weal in this
world." Q "And who is he that preferreth his future to his
present welfare?"--"He who knoweth that he dwelleth in a
perishing house, that he was created but to vade away and that,
after vading away, he will be called to account and indeed, were
there in this world one living and abiding for ever, he would not
prefer it to the next world." Q "Can the future life subsist
permanently without the present?"--"He who hath no present life
hath no future life; and indeed I liken this world and its folk
and the goal to which they fare with certain workmen, for whom an
Emir buildeth a narrow house and lodgeth them therein, commanding
each of them to do a certain task and assigning to him a set term
and appointing one to act as steward over them. Whoso doeth the
work appointed unto him, the steward bringeth him forth of that
straitness; but whoso doeth it not within the stablished term is
punished. After awhile, behold, they find honey exuding from the
chinks of the house,[FN#102] and when they have eaten thereof and
tasted its sweetness of savour, they slacken in their ordered
task and cast it behind their backs. So they patiently suffer the
straitness and distress wherein they are, with what they know of
the future punishment whereto they are fast wending, and are
content with this worthless and easily won sweetness; and the
Steward leaveth not to fetch every one of them forth of the
house, for ill or good, when his appointed period shall have
come. Now we know the world to be a dwelling wherein all eyes are
dazed, and that each of its folk hath his set term; and he who
findeth the little sweetness that is in the world and busieth
himself therewith is of the number of the lost, since he
preferreth the things of this world to the things of the next
world; but whoso payeth no heed to this poor sweetness and
preferreth the things of the coming world to those of this world,
is of those who are saved." Q "I have heard what thou sayest of
this world and the next and I accept thine answer; but I see they
are as two placed in authority over man; needs must he content
them both, and they are contrary one to other. So, if the
creature set himself to seek his livelihood, it is harmful to his
soul in the future, and if he devote himself to the next world,
it is hurtful to his body, and there is no way for him of
pleasing these two contraries at once."--"Indeed, the quest of
one's worldly livelihood with pious intent and on lawful wise is
a viaticum for the quest of the goods of the world to come; if a
man spend a part of his days in seeking his livelihood in this
world, for the sustenance of his body, and devote the rest of his
day to seeking the goods of the next world, for the repose of his
soul and the warding off of hurt therefrom; and indeed I see this
world and the other world as they were two Kings, a just and an
unjust." Asked Shimas, "How so?" and the youth began the tale of
The Two Kings.
There were once two Kings, a just and an unjust; and this one had
a land abounding in trees and fruits and herbs, but he let no
merchant pass without robbing him of his monies and his
merchandise; and the traders endured this with patience, by
reason of their profit from the fatness of the earth in the means
of life and its pleasantness, more by token that it was renowned
for its richness in precious stones and gems. Now the just King,
who loved jewels, heard of this land and sent one of his subjects
thither, giving him much specie and bidding him pass with it into
the other's realm and buy jewels therefrom. So he went thither;
and, it being told to the unjust King that a merchant was come to
his kingdom with much money to buy jewels withal, he sent for him
to the presence and said to him, "Who art thou and whence comest
thou and who brought thee thither and what is thy errand?" Quoth
the merchant, "I am of such and such a region, and the King of
that land gave me money and bade me buy therewith jewels from
this country; so I obeyed his bidding and came." Cried the unjust
King, "Out on thee! Knowest thou not my fashion of dealing with
the people of my realm and how each day I take their monies? How
then comest thou to my country? And behold, thou hast been a
sojourner here since such a time!" Answered the trader, "The
money is not mine, not a mite of it; nay, 'tis a trust in my
hands till I bring its equivalent to its owner." But the King
said, "I will not let thee take thy livelihood of my land or go
out therefrom, except thou ransom thyself with this money all of
it."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Tenth Night,
She resumed: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
unjust Ruler said to the trader who came to buy jewels from his
country, "'Tis not possible for thee to take thy livelihood of my
land except thou ransom thy life with this money, all of it else
shalt thou die." So the man said in himself, "I am fallen between
two Kings, and I know that the oppression of this ruler embraceth
all who abide in his dominions, and if I satisfy him not, I shall
lose both life and money (whereof is no doubt) and shall fail of
my errand; whilst, on the other hand, if I give him all the gold,
it will most assuredly prove my ruin with its owner, the other
King; wherefore no device will serve me but that I give this one
a trifling part thereof and content him therewith and avert from
myself and from the money perdition. Thus shall I get my
livelihood of the fatness of this land, till I buy that which I
desire of jewels; and, after satisfying the tyrant with gifts, I
will take my portion of the profit and return to the owner of the
money with his need, trusting in his justice and indulgence, and
unfearing that he will punish me for that which this unjust King
taketh of the treasure, especially if it be but a little." Then
the trader called down blessings on the tyrant and said to him,
"O King, I will ransom myself and this specie with a small
portion thereof, from the time of my entering thy country to that
of my going forth therefrom." The King agreed to this and left
him at peace for a year, till he bought all manner jewels with
the rest of the money and returned therewith to his master, to
whom he made his excuses, confessing to having saved himself from
the unjust King as before related. The just King accepted his
excuse and praised him for his wise device and set him on his
right hand in his divan and appointed him in his kingdom an
abiding inheritance and a happy life-tide.[FN#103] "Now the just
King is the similitude of the future world and the unjust King
that of the present world ; the jewels that be in the tyrant's
dominions are good deeds and pious works. The merchant is man and
the money he hath with him is the provision appointed him of
Allah. When I consider this, I know that it behoveth him who
seeketh his livelihood in this world to leave not a day without
seeking the goods of the world to come, so shall he content this
world with that which he gaineth of the fatness of the earth and
satisfy the other world with that which he spendeth of his life
in seeking after it." Q "Are the spirit[FN#104] and the body
alike in reward and retribution, or is the body, as the luster of
lusts and doer of sinful deeds, and especially affected with
punishment?"--"The inclination to lusts and sins may be the cause
of earning reward by the withholding of the soul therefrom and
the repenting thereof; but the command[FN#105] is in the hand of
Him who cloth what He will, and things by their contraries are
distinguished. Thus subsistence is necessary to the body, but
there is no body without soul, and the purification of the spirit
is in making clean the intention in this world and taking thought
to that which shall profit in the world to come. Indeed, soul and
body are like two horses racing for a wager or two foster
brothers or two partners in business. By the intent are good
deeds distinguished, and thus the body and soul are partners in
actions and in reward and retribution, and in this they are like
the Blind man and the Cripple with the Overseer of the garden."
Asked Shimas, "How so?" and the Prince said. "Hear, O Wazir, the
tale of
The Blind Man and the Cripple.
A blind man and a Cripple were travelling companions and used to
beg alms in company. One day they sought admission into the
garden of someone of the benevolent, and a kind-hearted wight,
hearing their talk, took compassion on them and carried them into
his garden, where he left them after plucking for them some of
its produce and went away, bidding them do no waste nor damage
therein. When the fruits became ripe, the Cripple said to the
Blind man, "Harkye, I see ripe fruits and long for them, but I
cannot rise to eat thereof; so go thou arise, for thou art sound
of either leg, and fetch us somewhat that we may eat." Replied
the Blind, "Fie upon thee! I had no thought of them, but now that
thou callest them to my mind, I long to eat of them and I am
impotent unto this, being unable to see them; so how shall we do
to get at them?" At this moment, behold, up came the Overseer of
the garden, who was a man of understanding, and the Cripple said
to him, "Harkye, O Overseer! I long for somewhat of those fruits,
but we are as thou seest: I am a cripple and my mate here is
stone-blind; so what shall we do?" Replied the Overseer "Woe to
you! Have ye forgotten that the master of the garden stipulated
with you that ye should do nothing whereby waste or damage befal
it; so take warning and abstain from this." But they answered,
"Needs must we get our portion of these fruits that we may eat
thereof; so tell us some device whereby we shall contrive this."
When the Overseer saw that they were not to be turned from their
purpose, he said, "This, then, is my device, O Cripple, let the
Blind bear thee on his back and take thee under the tree whose
fruit pleaseth thee, so thou mayst pluck what thou canst reach
thereof." Accordingly the Blind man took on his back the Cripple
who guided him till he brought him under a tree, and he fell to
plucking from it what he would and tearing at its boughs till he
had despoiled it, after which they went roundabout and throughout
the garden and wasted it with their hands and feet; nor did they
cease from this fashion, till they had stripped all the trees of
the garth. Then they returned to their place and presently up
came the master of the garden, who, seeing it in this plight, was
wroth with sore wrath and coming up to them said, "Woe to you!
What fashion is this? Did I not stipulate with you that ye should
do no damage in the garden?" Quoth they, "Thou knowest that we
are powerless to come at any of the fruit, for that one of us is
a cripple and cannot rise and the other is blind and cannot see
that which is before him; so what is our offense?" But the master
answered, "Think ye I know not how ye wrought and how ye have
gone about to do waste in my garden? I know, as if I had been
with thee, O Blind, that thou tookest the Cripple pick-a-back,
and he showed thee the way till thou borest him to the trees."
Then he punished them with grievous punishment and thrust them
out of the garden. "Now the Blind is the similitude of the body
which seeth not save by the spirit, and the Cripple that of the
soul, for that it hath no power of motion but by the body; the
garden is the works, for which the creature is rewarded or
punished, and the Overseer is the reason which biddeth to good
and forbiddeth from evil. Thus the body and the soul are partners
in reward and retribution." Q "Which of the learned men is most
worthy of praise, according to thee?"--"He who is learned in the
knowledge of Allah and whose knowledge profiteth him." Q "And who
is this?"--"Whoso is intent upon seeking to please his Lord and
avoid His wrath." Q "And which of them is the most excellent?"--
"He who is most learned in the knowledge of Allah." Q "And which
is the most experienced of them?"--"Whoso in doing according to
his knowledge is most constant." Q " And which is the purest
hearted of them?"-- "He who is most assiduous in preparing for
death and praising the Lord and least of them in hope, and indeed
he who penetrateth his soul with the awful ways of death is as
one who looketh into a clear mirror, for that he knoweth the
truth, and the mirror still increaseth in clearness and
brilliance." Q "What are the goodliest of treasures?"--"The
treasures of heaven." Q "Which is the goodliest of the treasures
of Heaven?"--"The praise of Allah and His magnification." Q
"Which is the most excellent of the treasures of earth?"--"The
practice of kindness."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Eleventh Night,
She said: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Wazir Shimas asked the King's son, saying, "Which is the most
excellent of the treasures of earth?" he answered, "The practice
of kindness." So the Minister pursued, "Tell me of three several
and different things, knowledge and judgment and wit, and of that
which uniteth them."--"Knowledge cometh of learning, judgment of
experience and wit of reflection, and they are all stablished and
united in reason. Whoso combineth these three qualities attaineth
perfection, and he who addeth thereto the piety and fear of the
Lord is in the right course." Q "Take the case of a man of
learning and wisdom, endowed with right judgment, luminous
intelligence and a keen wit and excelling, and tell me can desire
and lust change these his qualities?"--"Yes; for these two
passions, when they enter into a man, alter his wisdom and
understanding and judgment and wit, and he is like the
Ossifrage[FN#106] which, for precaution against the hunters,
abode in the upper air, of the excess of his subtlety; but, as he
was thus, he saw a fowler set up his nets and when the toils were
firmly staked down bait them with a bit of meat; which when he
beheld, desire and lust thereof overcame him and he forgot that
which he had seen of springes and of the sorry plight of all
birds that fell into them. So he swooped down from the welkin and
pouncing upon the piece of meat, was meshed in the same snare and
could not win free. When the fowler came up and saw the Ossifrage
taken in his toils he marvelled with exceeding marvel and said,
'I set up my nets, thinking to take therein pigeons and the like
of small fowl; how came this Ossifrage to fall into it?' It is
said that when desire and lust incite a man of understanding to
aught, he considereth the end thereof and refraineth from that
which they make fair and represseth with his reason his lust and
his concupiscence; for, when these passions urge him to aught, it
behoveth him to make his reason like unto a horseman skilled in
horsemanship who, mounting a skittish horse, curbeth him with a
sharp bit,[FN#107] so that he go aright with him and bear him
whither he will. As for the ignorant man, who hath neither
knowledge nor judgment, while all things are obscure to him and
desire and lust lord it over him, verily he doeth according to
his desire and his lust and is of the number of those that
perish; nor is there among men one in worse case than he." Q
"When is knowledge profitable and when availeth reason to ward
off the ill effects of desire and lust?"--"When their possessor
useth them in quest of the goods of the next world, for reason
and knowledge are altogether profitable; but it befitteth not
their owner to expend them in the quest of the goods of this
world, save in such measure as may be needful for gaining his
livelihood and defending himself from its mischief, but to lay
them out with a view to futurity." Q "What is most worthy that a
man should apply himself thereto and occupy his heart withal?"--
"Good works and pious." Q "If a man do this it diverteth him from
gaining his living; how then shall he do for his daily bread
wherewith he may not dispense?"--"A man's day is four-and-twenty
hours, and it behoveth him to employ one third thereof in seeking
his living, another in prayer and repose and the other in the
pursuits of knowledge;[FN#108] for a reasonable man without
knowledge is a barren land, which hath no place for tillage,
tree-planting or grass-growing. Except it be prepared for filth
and plantation, no fruit will profit therein; but, if it be
tilled and planted, it bringeth forth goodly fruits. So with the
man lacking education; there is no profit in him till knowledge
be ranted in him; then cloth he bear fruit." Q "What sayst thou
of knowledge without understanding?"--"It is as the knowledge of
a brute[FN#109] beast, which hath learnt the hours of its
foddering and waking, but hath no reason." Q "Thou hast been
brief in thine answer here anent; but I accept thy reply. Tell
me, how shall I guard myself against the Sultan?"--"By giving him
no way to thee." Q "And how can I but give him way to me, seeing
that he is set in dominion over me and that the reins of my
affair be in his hand?"--"His dominion over thee lieth in the
duties thou owest him; wherefore, an thou give him his due, he
hath no farther dominion over thee." Q "What are a Wazir's duties
to his King?"--"Good counsel and zealous service both in public
and private, right judgment, the keeping of his secrets, and that
he conceal from his lord naught of that whereof he hath a right
to be informed, lack of neglect of aught of his need with the
gratifying of which he chargeth him, the seeking his approval in
every guise, and the avoidance of his anger." Q "How should the
Wazir do with the King?"--"An thou be Wazir to the King and
wouldst fain become safe from him, let thy hearing and thy
speaking to him surpass his expectation of thee, and be thy
seeking of thy want from him after the measure of thy rank in his
esteem, and beware lest thou advance thyself to a dignity whereof
he deemeth thee unworthy for this would be like presuming against
him. So, if thou take advantage of his mildness and raise thee to
a rank beyond that which he deemeth thy due, thou wilt be like
the hunter, whose wont it was to trap wild beasts for their pelts
and cast away the flesh. Now a lion used to come to that place
and eat of the carrion, and in course of time, he made friendship
with the hunter who would throw meat to him and wipe his hands on
his back whilst the lion wagged his tail.[FN#110] But when the
hunter saw his tameness and gentleness and submissiveness to him,
he said to himself, 'Verily this lion humbleth himself to me and
I am master of him, and I see not why I should not mount him and
strip off his hide, as with the other wild beasts.' So he took
courage and sprang on the lion's back, presuming on his mildness
and deeming himself sure of him; which when the lion saw, he
raged with exceeding rage and raising his fore-paw, smote the
hunter, that he drove his claws into his vitals, after which he
cast him under foot and tare him in pieces and devoured him. By
this we may know that it behoveth the Wazir to bear himself
towards the King according to that which he seeth of his
condition and not presume upon the superiority of his own
judgment, lest the King become jealous of him."--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Twelfth Night,
She continued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
youth, the son of King Jali'ad, said to Shimas the Wazir, "It
behoveth the Minister to bear himself towards the Monarch
according to that which he seeth of his condition, and not to
presume upon the superiority of his own judgment lest the King
wax jealous of him." Quoth Shimas, "How shall the Wazir grace
himself in the King's sight."--"By the performance of the trust
committed to him and of loyal counsel and sound judgment and the
execution of his commands." Q "As for what thou sayest of the
Wazir's duty to avoid the King's anger and perform his wishes and
apply himself diligently to the doing of that where with he
chargeth him, such duty is always incumbent on him; but how, an
the King's whole pleasure be tyranny and the practice of
oppression and exorbitant extortion; and what shall the Wazir do
if he be afflicted by intercourse with this unjust lord? An he
strive to turn him from his lust and his desire, he cannot do
this, and if he follow him in his lusts and flatter him with
false counsel, he assumeth the weight of responsibility herein
and becometh an enemy to the people. What sayst thou of this?"--
"What thou speakest, O Wazir, of his responsibility and
sinfulness ariseth only in the case of his abetting the King in
his wrong doing; but it behoveth the Wazir, when the King taketh
counsel with him of the like of this, to show forth to him the
way of justice and equity and warn him against tyranny and
oppression and expound to him the principles of righteously
governing the lieges, alluring him with the future reward that
pertaineth to this and restraining him with warning of the
punishment he otherwise will incur. If the King incline to him
and hearken unto his words, his end is gained, and if not, there
is nothing for it but that he depart from him after courteous
fashion, because in parting for each of them is ease." Q "What
are the duties of the King to his subjects and what are the
obligations of the lieges to their lord?"--"They shall do whatso
he ordereth them with pure intent and obey him in that which
pleaseth him and pleaseth Allah and the Apostle of Allah. And the
lieges can claim of the lord that he protect their possessions
and guard their women,[FN#111] even as it is their duty to
hearken unto him and obey him and expend their lives freely in
his defence and give him his lawful due and praise him fairly for
that which he bestoweth upon them of his justice and bounty." Q
"Have his subjects any claim upon the King other than that which
thou hast said?"--"Yes. The rights of the subjects from their
Sovran are more binding than the liege lord's claim upon his
lieges, for that the breach of his duty towards them is more
harmful than that of their duty towards him, because the ruin of
the King and the loss of his kingdom and fortune befal not save
by the breach of his devoir to his subjects; wherefore it
behoveth him who is invested with the kingship to be assiduous in
furthering three things: to wit, the fostering of the faith, the
fostering of his subjects and the fostering of government; for by
the ensuing of these three things, his kingdom shall endure." Q
"How cloth it behove him to do for his subjects' weal?"--"By
giving them their due and maintaining their laws and
customs[FN#112] and employing Olema and learned men to teach them
and justifying them, one of other, and sparing their blood and
defending their goods and lightening their loads and
strengthening their hosts." Q "What is the Minister's claim upon
the Monarch?"--"None hath a more imperative claim on the King
than hath the Wazir, for three reasons: firstly, because of that
which shall befal him from his liege lord in case of error in
judgment, and because of the general advantage to King and
commons in case of sound judgmen; secondly, that folk may know
the goodliness of the degree which the Wazir holdeth in the
King's esteem and therefore look on him with eyes of veneration
and respect and submission[FN#113]; and thirdly, that the Wazir,
seeing this from King and subjects, may ward off from them that
which they hate and fulfil to them that which they love." Q "I
have heard all thou hast said of the attributes of King and Wazir
and liege and approve thereof; but now tell me what is incumbent
in keeping the tongue from lying and folly and slandering good
names and excess in speech."--"It behoveth a man to speak naught
but good and kindness and to talk not of that which toucheth him
not, to leave detraction nor carry tale he hath heard from one
man to his enemy, neither seek to harm his friend nor his foe
with his Sultan and reck not of any (neither of him from whom he
hopeth for good nor of him whom he feareth for mischief) save of
Allah Almighty; for He indeed is the only one who harmeth or
profiteth. Let him not impute default unto any nor talk
ignorantly, lest he incur the weight and the sin thereof before
Allah and earn hate among men; for know thou that speech is like
an arrow which once shot none can avail to recall. Let him also
beware of disclosing his secret to one who shall discover it,
lest he fall into mischief by reason of its disclosure, after
confidence on its concealment; and let him be more careful to
keep his secret from his friend than from his foe, for the
keeping a secret with all folk is of the performance of faithful
trust." Q "Tell me how a man should bear himself with his family
and friends."--"There is no rest for a son of Adam save in
righteous conduct; he should render to his family that which they
deserve and to his brethren whatso is their due." Q "What should
one render to one's kinsfolk?"--"To parents, submission and soft
speech and affability and honour and reverence. To brethren, good
counsel and readiness to expend money for them and assistance in
their undertakings and joyance in their joy and grieving for
their grief and closing of the eyes toward the errors that they
may commit; for, when they experience this from a man, they
requite him with the best of counsel they can command and expend
their lives in his defence; wherefore, an thou know thy brother
to be trusty, lavish upon him thy love and help him in all his
affairs."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Thirteenth Night,
She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
youth, the son and heir of King Jali'ad, when questioned by the
Wazir upon the subjects aforesaid, returned him satisfactory
replies; when Shimas resumed, "I see that brethren are of two
kinds, brethren of trust and brethren of society.[FN#114] As for
the first who be friends, there is due to them that which thou
hast set forth; but now tell me of the others who be
acquaintances."--As for brethren of society, thou gettest of them
pleasance and goodly usance and fair speech and enjoyable
company; so be thou not sparing to them of thy delights, but be
lavish to them thereof, like as they are lavish to thee, and
render to them that which they render to thee of affable
countenance and an open favour and sweet speech, so shall thy
life be pleasant and thy words be accepted of them." Q "Tell me
now of the provision decreed by the Creator to all creatures.
Hath He alloted to men and beasts each his several provision to
the completion of his appointed life term; and if this allotment
be thus, what maketh him who seeketh his livelihood to incur
hardships and travail in the quest of that which he knoweth must
come to him, if it be decreed to him, albeit he incur not the
misery of endeavour; and which, if it be not decreed to him, he
shall not win, though he strive after it with his uttermost
striving? Shall he therefore stint endeavour and in his Lord put
trust and to his body and his soul give rest?"-- "Indeed, we see
clearly that to each and every there is a provision distributed
and a term prescribed; but to all livelihood are a way and means,
and he who seeketh would get ease of his seeking by ceasing to
seek; withal there is no help but that he seek his fortune. The
seeker is, however, in two cases: either he gaineth his fortune
or he faileth thereof. In the first case, his pleasure consisteth
in two conditions: first, in the having gained his fortune, and
secondly, in the laudable[FN#115] issue of his quest; and in the
other case, his pleasure consisteth, first, in his readiness to
seek his daily bread; secondly, in his abstaining from being a
burthen to the folk; and thirdly, in his freedom from liability
to blame." Q "What sayst thou of the means of seeking one's
fortune?"--"A man shall hold lawful that which Allah (to whom
belong Might and Majesty!) alloweth, and unlawful whatso He
forbiddeth." Reaching this pass the discourse between them came
to an end, and Shimas and all the Olema present rose and
prostrating themselves before the young Prince, magnified and
extolled him, whilst his father pressed him to his bosom and
seating him on the throne of kingship, said, "Praised be Allah
who hath blessed me with a son to be the coolth of mine eyes in
my lifetime!" Then said the King's son to Shimas in presence of
all the Olema, "O sage that art versed in spiritual questions,
albeit Allah have vouchsafed to me but scanty knowledge, yet do I
comprehend thine intent in accepting from me what I proffered in
answer concerning that whereof thou hast asked me, whether I hit
or missed the mark therein, and belike thou forgavest my errors;
but now I am minded to question thee anent a thing, whereof my
judgment faileth and whereto my capacity is insufficient and
which my tongue availeth not to set forth, for that it is obscure
to me, with the obscurity of clear water in a black vessel.
Wherefore would have thee expound it to me so no iota thereof may
remain doubtful to the like of me, to whom its obscurity may
present itself in the future, even as it hath presented itself to
me in the past; since Allah, even as He hath made life to be in
lymph[FN#116] and strength in food and the cure of the sick in
the skill of the leach, so hath He appointed the healing of the
fool to be in the learning of the wise. Give ear, therefore, to
my speech." Replied the Wazir, "O luminous of intelligence and
master of casuistical questions, thou whose excellence all the
Olema attest, by reason of the goodliness of thy discretion of
things and thy distribution[FN#117] thereof and the justness of
thine answers to the questions I have asked thee, thou knowest
that thou canst enquire of me naught but thou art better able
than I to form a just judgment thereon and expound it truly, for
that Allah hath vouchsafed unto thee such wisdom as He hath
bestowed on none other of men. But inform me of what thou wouldst
question me." Quoth the Prince, "Tell me from what did the
Creator (magnified be His all-might!) create the world, albeit
there was before it naught and there is naught seen in this world
but it is created from something; and the Divine Creator
(extolled and exalted be He!) is able to create things from
nothing,[FN#118] yet hath His will decreed, for all the
perfection of His power and grandeur, that He shall create naught
but from something." The Wazir replied, "As for those, who
fashion vessels of potter's clay,[FN#119] and other
handicraftsmen, who cannot originate one thing save from another
thing, they are themselves only created entities; but, as for the
Creator, who hath wrought the world after this wondrous fashion,
an thou wouldst know His power (extolled and exalted be He!) of
calling things into existence, extend thy thought and consider
the various kinds of created things, and thou wilt find signs and
instances, proving the perfection of His puissance and that He is
able to create the ens from the non-ens; nay, He called things
into being, after absolute non-existence, for the elements which
be the matter of created things were sheer nothingness. I will
expound this to thee, so thou mayst be in no scepticism thereof,
and the marvel-signs of the alternation of Night and Day shall
make this clear to thee. When the light goeth and the night
cometh, the day is hidden from us and we know not the place where
it abideth; and when the night passeth away with its darkness and
its terror, the day cometh and we know not the abiding-place of
the night.[FN#120] In like manner, when the sun riseth upon us,
we know not where it hath laid up its light, and when it setteth,
we ignore the abiding-place of its setting; and the examples of
this among the works of the Creator (magnified be His name and
glorified be His might!) abound in what confoundeth the thought
of the keenest witted of human beings." Rejoined the Prince, "O
sage, thou hast set before me of the power of the Creator what is
incapable of denial; but tell me how He called His creatures into
existence." Answered Shimas, "He created them by the sole power
of His one Word,[FN#121] which existed before time, and wherewith
he created all things." Quoth the Prince, "Then Allah (be His
name magnified and His might glorified!) only willed the
existence of created things, before they came into being?"
Replied Shimas, "And of His will He created them with His one
Word and, but for His speech and that one Word, the creation had
not come into existence."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Fourteenth Night,
She resumed: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after
the King's son had asked his sire's Wazir the casuistical
questions aforesaid, and had received a sufficient answer, Shimas
said to him, "O dear my son,[FN#122] there is no man can tell
thee other but tints I have said, except he twist the words
handed down to us of the Holy Law and turn the truths thereof
from their evident meaning. And such a perversion is their saying
that the Word hath inherent and positive power and I take refuge
with Allah from such a mis-belief! Nay, the meaning of our saying
that Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) created the world
with His Word is that He (exalted be His name!) is One in His
essence and His attributes and not that His Word hath independent
power. On the contrary, power is one of the attributes of Allah,
even as speech and other attributes of perfection are attributes
of Allah (exalted be His dignity and extolled be His empery!);
wherefore He may not be conceived without His Word, nor may His
Word be conceived without Him, for, with His Word, Allah
(extolled be His praise!) created all His creatures, and without
His Word, the Lord created naught. Indeed, He created all things
but by His Word of Truth, and by Truth are we created." Quoth the
Prince, "I comprehend that which thou hast said on the subject of
the Creator and from thee I accept this with understanding, but I
hear thee say that He created the world by His Word of Truth. Now
Truth is the opposite of Falsehood; whence then arose Falsehood
with its opposition unto Truth, and how cometh it to be possible
that it should be confounded therewith and become doubtful to
human beings, so that they need to distinguish between the twain?
And cloth the Creator (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) love
Falsehood or hate it? An thou say He loveth Truth and by it
created all things and abhorreth Falsehood, how came the False,
which the Creator hateth, to invade the True which He loveth?"
Quoth Shimas, "Verily Allah the Most High created man all
Truth[FN#123], loving His name and obeying His word, and on this
wise man had no need of repentance till Falsehood invaded the
Truth whereby he was created by means of the capability[FN#124]
which Allah had placed in him, being the will and the inclination
called lust of lucre.[FN#125] When the False invaded the True on
this wise, right became confounded with wrong, by reason of the
will of man and his capability and greed of gain, which is the
voluntary side of him together with the weakness of human nature;
wherefore Allah created penitence for man, to turn away from him
Untruth and stablish him in Truth, and He created for him also
punishment if he should abide in the obscurity of Falsehood."
Quoth the Prince, "Tell me how came Untruth to invade Truth, so
as to be confounded therewith, and how became man liable to
punishment and so stood in need of repentance." Replied Shimas,
"When Allah created man with Truth, He made him loving to Himself
and there was for him neither repentance nor punishment; but he
abode thus till Allah put in him the soul, which is of the
perfection of humanity, albeit naturally inclined to lust which
is inherent therein. From this sprang the growth of Untruth and
its confusion with Truth, wherewith man was created and with the
love whereof his nature had been made; and when man came to this
pass, he declined from the Truth with disobedience, and whoso
declineth from the Truth falleth into Falsehood." Said the
Prince, "Then Falsehood invaded Truth only by reason of
disobedience and transgression?" Shimas replied, "Yes, and it is
thus because Allah loveth mankind, and of the abundance of His
love to man He created him having need of Himself, that is to
say, of the very Truth. But oftentimes man lapseth from this by
cause of the inclination of the soul to lusts and turneth to
frowardness, wherefore he falleth into Falsehood by the act of
disobeying his Lord and thus deserveth punishment, and, by
putting away from himself Falsehood with repentance and by the
returning to the love of the Truth, he meriteth future reward."
Quoth the Prince, "Tell me the origin of sin, whilst all mankind
trace their being to Adam, and how cometh it that he, being
created of Allah with truth, drew disobedience on himself; then
was his disobedience coupled with repentance, after the soul had
been set in him, that his issue might be reward or retribution?
Indeed, we see some men constant in sinfulness, inclining to that
which He loveth not and transgressing in this the original intent
and purpose of their creation, which is the love of the Truth,
and drawing on themselves the wrath of their Lord, whilst we see
others constant in seeking the satisfaction of their Creator and
obeying Him and meriting mercy and future recompense. What
causeth this difference prevailing between them?" Replied Shimas,
"The origin of disobedience descending upon mankind is
attributable to Iblis, who was the noblest of all that Allah
(magnified be His name!) created of angels[FN#126] and men and
Jinn, and the love of the Truth was inherent in him, for he knew
naught but this; but whenas he saw himself unique in such
dignity, there entered into him pride and conceit, vainglory and
arrogance which revolted from loyalty and obedience to the
commandment of His Creator; wherefore Allah made him inferior to
all creatures and cast him out from love, making his abiding-
place to be in disobedience. So when he knew that Allah
(glorified be His name!) loved not disobedience and saw Adam and
the case wherein he was of truth and love and obedience to his
Creator, envy entered into him and he devised some device to
pervert Adam from the truth, that he might be a partaker with
himself in Falsehood; and by this, Adam incurred chastisement for
his inclining to disobedience, which his foe made fair to him,
and his subjection to his lusts, whenas he transgressed the
charge of his Lord, by reason of the appearance of Falsehood.
When the Creator (magnified be the praises of Him and hallowed be
the names of Him!) saw the weakness of man and the swiftness of
his inclining to his enemy and leaving the truth, He appointed to
him, of His mercy, repentance, that therewith he might arise from
the slough[FN#127] of inclination to disobedience and taking the
arms and armour of repentance, overcame therewith his foe Iblis
and his hosts and return to the Truth, wherein he was created.
When Iblis saw that Allah (magnified be His praise!) had
appointed him a protracted term,[FN#128] he hastened to wage war
upon man and to best him with wiles, to the intent that he might
oust him from the favour of his Lord and make him a partaker with
himself in the wrath which he and his hosts had incurred;
wherefore Allah (extolled be His praises!) appointed unto man the
capability of penitence and commanded him to apply himself to the
Truth and persevere therein; and forbade him from disobedience
and frowardness and revealed to him that he had on the earth an
enemy warring against him and relazing not from him night nor
day. Thus hath man a right to future reward, if he adhere to the
Truth, in the love of which his nature was created; but he
becometh liable to punishment, if the flesh master him and
incline him to lusts."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Fifteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
young Prince had questioned Shimas touching disputed points of
olden time and had been duly answered, he presently said, "Now
tell me by what power is the creature able to transgress against
his Creator, seeing that His omnipotence is without bounds, even
as thou hast set forth, and that naught can overcome Him or
depart from His will? Deemest thou not that He is able to turn
His creatures from this disobedience and compel them eternally to
hold the Truth?" Answered Shimas, "In very sooth Almighty Allah
(honoured be His name!) is just and equitable and loving-kind to
the people of His affection.[FN#129] He created His creatures
with justice and equity and of the inspiration of His justice and
the overflowing of His mercy, He gave them kingship over
themselves, that they should do whatever they might design. He
showeth them the way of rightwousness and bestoweth on them the
power and ability of doing what they will of good: and if they do
the opposite thereof, they fall into destruction and
disobedience." Q "If the Creator, as thou sayest, have granted
to mankind power and ability[FN#130] and they by reason thereof
are empowered to do whatso they will, why then doth He not come
between them and that which they desire of wrong and turn them to
the right?"--"This is of the greatness of His mercy and the
goodliness of His wisdom; for, even as aforetime he showed wrath
to Iblis and had no mercy on him, even so he showed Adam mercy,
by means[FN#131] of repentance, and accepted of him, after He had
been wroth with him." Q "He is indeed mere Truth, for He it is
who requiteth every one according to his works, and there is no
Creator save Allah who hath power over all things. But tell me,
hath He created that which He loveth and that which He loveth not
or only that which He loveth?"--"He created all things, but
favoureth only that which he loveth." Q "What reckest thou of two
things, one whereof is pleasing to God and earneth future reward
for him who practiseth it and the other offendeth Allah and
entaileth lawful punishment upon the doer?"--"Expound to me these
two things and make me to apprehend them, that I may speak
concerning them." Q "They are good and evil, the two things
inherent in the body and in the soul."--"O wise youth, I see that
thou knowest good and evil to be of the works which the soul and
the body combine to do. Good is named good, because it is in
favour with God, and evil is termed ill, for that in it is His
ill-will. Indeed, it behoveth thee to know Allah and to please
Him by the practice of good, for that He hath bidden us to this
and forbidden us to do evil." Q "I see these two things, to wit,
good and evil, to be wrought only by the five senses familiarly
known in the body of man, which be the sensorium[FN#132] whence
proceed speech, hearing, sight, smell and touch. Now I would
have thee tell me whether these five senses were created
altogether for good or for evil."--"Apprehend, O man, the
exposition of that whereof thou askest and it is a manifest
proof; so lay it up in thine innermost thought and take it to thy
heart. And this it is that the Creator (extolled and exalted be
He!) created man with Truth and impressed him with the love
thereof and there proceedeth from it no created thing save by the
puissance of the Most High, whose trace is in every phenomenon.
He[FN#133] (extol we Him and exalt we Him!) is not apt but to the
ordering of justice and equity and beneficence, and He created
man for the love of Him and set in him a soul, wherein the
inclination to lusts was innate and assigned him capability and
ableness and appointed the Five Senses aforesaid to be to him a
means of winning Heaven or Hell." Q "How so?"--"In that He
created the Tongue for speech, the Hands for action, the Feet for
walking and the Eyes for seeing and the Ears for hearing, and
upon each bestowed especial power and incited them to exercise
and motion, bidding each of them do naught save that which
pleaseth Him. Now what pleaseth Him in Speech is truthfulness and
abstaining from its opposite, which is falsehood; and what
pleaseth Him in Sight is turning it unto that which He loveth and
leaving the contrary, which is turning it unto that which He
hateth, such as looking unto lusts; and what pleaseth Him in
Hearing is hearkening to naught but the True, such as admonition
and that which is in Allah's writ and leaving the contrary, which
is listening to that which incurreth the anger of Allah; and what
pleaseth Him in the Hands is not hoarding up that which He
entrusteth to them, but expending it in such way as shall please
Him and leaving the contrary, which is avarice or spending in
sinfulness that which He hath committed to them; and what
pleaseth Him in the Feet is that they be constant in the pursuit
of good, such as the quest of instruction, and leave its
contrary, which is the walking in other than the way of Allah.
Now respecting the rest of the lusts which man practiseth, they
proceed from the body by command of the soul. But the lusts which
proceed from the body are of two kinds, the lust of reproduction
and the lust of the belly. As for the former, that which pleaseth
Allah thereof is that it be not other than lawful[FN#134] and He
is displeased with it if contrary to His law. As for the lust of
the belly, eating and drinking, what pleaseth Allah thereof is
that each take naught save that which the Almighty hath appointed
him be it little or mickle, and praise the Lord and thank Him;
and what angereth Him thereof is that a man take that which is
not his by right. All precepts other than these are false, and
thou knowest that Allah created everything and delighteth only in
Good and commandeth each member of the body to do that which He
hath made on it incumbent, for that He is the All-wise, the All-
knowing." Q "Was it foreknown unto Allah Almighty (exalted be His
power!) that Adam, by eating of the tree from which He forbade
him and whence befel what befel, would leave obedience for
disobedience?"--"Yes, O sage youth. This was foreknown unto Allah
Almighty ere He created Adam, and the proof and manifestation
attached thereto is the warning He gave him against eating of the
tree and His informing him that, if he ate of the fruit he would
