THE STORY OF THE THREE SHARPERS.[FN#17]
Saying, "Verily their adventure is wondrous and their actions
delightsome and marvellous," presently adding--There were in time
of yore three Sharpers who were wont every day in early morning
to prowl forth and to prey, rummaging[FN#18] among the mounds
which outlay the city. Therein each would find a silver bit of
five parahs or its equivalent, after which the trio would for-
gather and buy whatso sufficed them for supper: they would also
expend two Nusfs[FN#19] upon Bast,[FN#20] which is Bhang, and
purchase a waxen taper with the other silver bit. They had hired
a cell in the flank of a Wakálah, a caravanserai without the
walls, where they could sit at ease to solace themselves and eat
their Hashísh after lighting the candle and enjoy their
intoxication and consequent merriment till the noon o' night.
Then they would sleep, again awaking at day-dawn when they would
arise and seek for spoil, according to their custom, and ransack
the heaps where at times they would hit upon a silverling of five
dirhams and at other times a piece of four; and at eventide they
would meet to spend together the dark hours, and they would
expend everything they came by every day. For a length of time
they pursued this path until, one day of the days, they made for
the mounds as was their wont and went round searching the heaps
from morning to evening without finding even a half-parah;
wherefore they were troubled and they went away and nighted in
their cell without meat or drink. When the next day broke they
arose and repaired for booty, changing the places wherein they
were wont to forage; but none of them found aught; and their
breasts were straitened for lack of a find of dirhams wherewith
to buy them supper. This lasted for three full-told and following
days until hunger waxed hard upon them and vexation; so they said
one to other, "Go we to the Sultan and let us serve him with a
sleight, and each of us three shall claim to be a past master of
some craft: haply Allah Almighty may incline his heart uswards
and he may largesse us with something to expend upon our
necessities." Accordingly all three agreed to do on this wise and
they sought the Sultan whom they found in the palace-garden. They
asked leave to go in to him, but the Chamberlains refused
admission: so they stood afar off unable to approach the
presence. Then quoth they one to other, "'Twere better we fall to
and each smite his comrade and cry aloud and make a
clamour,[FN#21] and as soon as he shall hear us he will send to
summon us." Accordingly they jostled one another and each took to
frapping his fellow, making the while loud outcries. The Sultan
hearing this turmoil said, "Bring me yonder wights;" and the
Chamberlains and Eunuchs ran out to them and seized them and set
them between the hands of the Sovran. As soon as they stood in
the presence he asked them, "What be the cause of your wrath one
against other?" They answered, "O King of the Age, we are past
masters of crafts, each of us weeting an especial art." Quoth the
Sultan, "What be your crafts?" and quoth one of the trio, "O our
lord, as for my art I am a jeweller by trade." The King
exclaimed, "Passing strange! a sharper and a jeweller:[FN#22]
this is a wondrous matter." And he questioned the second--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How
sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night which was
The Three Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
asked the second Sharper saying, "And thou, the other, what may
be thy craft?" He answered, "I am a genealogist[FN#23] of the
horse-kind." So the King glanced at him in surprise and said to
himself, "A sharper yet he claimeth an astounding knowledge!"
Then he left him and put the same question to the third who said
to him, "O King of the Age, verily my art is more wondrous and
marvellous than aught thou hast heard from these twain: their
craft is easy but mine is such that none save I can discover the
right direction thereto or know the first of it from the last of
it." The Sultan enquired of him, "And what be thy craft?" Whereto
he replied, "My craft is the genealogy of the sons of Adam."
Hearing these words the Sovran wondered with extreme wonderment
and said in himself, "Verily He informeth with His secrets the
humblest of His creatures! Assuredly these men, an they speak
truth in all they say and it prove soothfast, are fit for naught
except kingship. But I will keep them by me until the occurrence
of some nice contingency wherein I may test them; then, if they
approve themselves good men and trustworthy of word, I will leave
them on life; but if their speech be lying I will do them die."
Upon this he set apart for them apartments and rationed them with
three cakes of bread and a dish of roast meat[FN#24] and set over
them his sentinels dreading lest they fly. This case continued
for a while till behold, there came to the Sultan from the land
of 'Ajam a present of rarities, amongst which were two gems
whereof one was clear of water and the other was clouded of
colour.[FN#25] The Sultan hent them in hand for a time and fell
to considering them straitly for the space of an hour; after
which he called to mind the first of the three Sharpers, the
selfstyled jeweller, and cried, "Bring me the jeweller-man."
Accordingly they went and brought him and set him before the
Sovran who asked him, "O man, art thou a lapidary?" And when the
Sharper answered "Yes" he gave him the clear-watered stone,
saying, "What may be the price of this gem?"--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Sharper took the jewel in hand and turned it rightwards and
leftwards and considered the outside and pried into the inside;
after which he said to the Sultan, "O my lord, verily this gem
containeth a worm[FN#26] bred within the heart thereof." Now when
the King heard these words he waxed wroth with exceeding wrath
and commanded the man's head to be stricken off, saying, "This
jewel is clear of colour and free of flaw or other default; yet
thou chargest it falsely with containing a worm!" Then he
summoned the Linkman[FN#27] who laid hands on the Sharper and
pinioned his elbows and trussed up his legs[FN#28] like a camel's
and was about to smite his neck when behold, the Wazir entered
the presence and, seeing the Sovran in high dudgeon and the
Sharper under the scymitar, asked what was to do. The Sultan
related to him what had happened when he drew near to him and
said, "O my lord, act not after this fashion! An thou determine
upon the killing of yonder man, first break the gem and, if thou
find therein a worm, thou wilt know the wight's word to have been
veridical; but an thou find it sound then strike off his head."
"Right is thy rede," quoth the King: then he took in hand the gem
and smote it with his mace[FN#29] and when he brake behold, he
found therein the worm amiddlemost thereof. So he marvelled at
the sight and asked the man, "What proved to thee that it
harboured a worm?" "The sharpness of my sight," answered the
Sharper. Then the Sultan pardoned him and, admiring his power of
vision, addressed his attendants saying, "Bear him back to his
comrades and ration him with a dish of roast meat and two cakes
of bread." And they did as he bade them. After some time, on a
day of the days, there came to the King the tribute of 'Ajamland
accompanied with presents amongst which was a colt whose robe
black as night[FN#30] showed one shade in the sun and another in
the shadow. When the animal was displayed to the Sultan he fell
in love with it and set apart for it a stall and solaced himself
at all times by gazing at it and was wholly occupied with it and
sang its praises till they filled the whole country side.
Presently he remembered the Sharper who claimed to be a
genealogist of the horse-kind and bade him be summoned. So they
fared forth and brought him and set him between the hands of the
Sovran who said to him, "Art thou he who knoweth the breed and
descent of horses?" "Yea verily," said the man. Then cried the
King, "By the truth of Him who set me upon the necks of His
servants and who sayeth to a thing 'Be' and it becometh, an I
find aught of error or confusion in thy words, I will strike off
thy head." "Hearkening and obedience," quoth the Sharper. Then
they led him to the colt that he might consider its genealogy. He
called aloud to the groom[FN#31]--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy
tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she,
"And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it
was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Sharper called aloud to the stirrup-holder and when they brought
him he bade the man back the colt for his inspection. So he
mounted the animal and made it pace to the right and to the left
causing it now to prance and curvet and then to step leisurely,
while the connoisseur looked on and after a time quoth he to the
groom, "'Tis enough!" Then he went in to the presence and stood
between the hands of the King who enquired, "What hast thou seen
in the colt, O Kashmar?"[FN#32] Replied the Sharper, "By Allah, O
King of the Age, this colt is of pure and noble blood on the side
of the sire: its action is excellent and all its qualities are
praiseworthy save one; and but for this one it had been perfect
in blood and breed nor had there been on earth's face its fellow
in horseflesh. But its blemish remaineth a secret." The Sultan
asked, "And what is the quality which thou blamest?" and the
Sharper answered, "Its sire was noble, but its dam was of other
strain: she it was that brought the blemish and if thou, O my
lord, allow me I will notify it to thee." "'Tis well, and needs
must thou declare it," quoth the Sultan. Then said the Sharper,
"Its dam is a buffalo-cow."[FN#33] When the King heard these
words he was wroth with wrath exceeding and he bade the Linkman
take the Sharper and behead him, crying, "O dog! O accursed! How
can a buffalo-cow bear a horse?" The Sharper replied, "O my lord,
the Linkman is in the presence; but send and fetch him who
brought thee the colt and of him make enquiry. If my words prove
true and rightly placed, my skill shall be stablished; but an
they be lies let my head pay forfeit for my tongue. Here standeth
the Linkman and I am between thy hands: thou hast but to bid him
strike off my head!" Thereupon the King sent for the owner and
breeder of the colt and they brought him to the presence.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth the sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
sent for the owner and breeder of the colt and asked him saying,
"Tell me the truth anent the blood of this colt. Didst thou buy
it or breed it so that it was a rearling of thy homestead?" Said
he, "By Allah, O King of the Age, I will speak naught which is
not sooth, for indeed there hangeth by this colt the strangest
story: were it graven with graver-needles upon the eye-corners it
had been a warning to whoso would be warned. And this it is. I
had a stallion of purest strain whose sire was of the steeds of
the sea;[FN#34] and he was stabled in a stall apart for fear of
the evil eye, his service being entrusted to trusty servants. But
one day in springtide the Syce took the horse into the open and
there picquetted him when behold, a buffalo-cow walked into the
enclosed pasture where the stallion was tethered, and seeing her
he brake his heel-ropes and rushed at her and covered her. She
conceived by him and when her days were completed and her
throwing-time came she suffered sore pains and bare yonder colt.
And all who have seen it or have heard of it were astounded,"
said he, presently adding, "by Allah, O King of the Age, had its
dam been of the mare-kind the colt would have had no equal on
earth's surface or aught approaching it." Hereat the Sultan took
thought and marvelled; then, summoning the Sharper he said to him
when present, "O man, thy speech is true and thou art indeed a
genealogist in horseflesh and thou wottest it well. But I would
know what proved to thee that the dam of this colt was a
buffalo-cow?" Said he, "O King, my proof thereof was palpable nor
can it be concealed from any wight of right wits and intelligence
and special knowledge; for the horse's hoof is round whilst the
hooves of buffaloes are elongated and duck-shaped,[FN#35] and
hereby I kenned that this colt was a jumart, the issue of a
cow-buffalo." The Sultan was pleased with his words and said
"Ration him with a plate of roast meat and two cakes of bread;"
and they did as they were bidden. Now for a length of time the
third Sharper was forgotten till one day the Sultan bethought him
of the man who could explain the genealogy of Adam's sons. So he
bade fetch him and when they brought him into the presence he
said, "Thou art he that knowest the caste and descent of men and
women?" and the other said, "Yes." Then he commanded the Eunuchs
take him to his wife[FN#36] and place him before her and cause
him declare her genealogy. So they led him in and set him
standing in her presence and the Sharper considered her for a
while looking from right to left; then he fared forth to the
Sultan who asked him, "What hast thou seen in the Queen?"
Answered he, "O my lord, I saw a somewhat adorned with loveliness
and beauty and perfect grace, with fair stature of symmetrical
trace and with modesty and fine manners and skilful case; and she
is one in whom all good qualities appear on every side, nor is
aught of accomplishments or knowledge concealed from her and
haply in her centre all desirable attributes. Natheless, O King
of the Age, there is a curious point that dishonoureth her from
the which were she free none would outshine her of all the women
of her generation." Now when the Sultan heard the words of the
Sharper, he sprang hastily to his feet and clapping hand upon
hilt bared his brand and fell upon the man purposing to slay
him;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable
and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that
I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
fell upon the Sharper with his sword purposing to slay him; but
the Chamberlains and the Eunuchs prevented him saying, "O our
lord, kill him not until his falsehood or his fact shall have
been made manifest to thee."The Sultan said to him, "What then
appeared to thee in my Queen?" "He[FN#37] is ferly fair," said
the man, "but his mother is a dancing-girl, a gypsey."[FN#38] The
fury of the King increased hereat and he sent to summon the
inmates of his Harem and cried to his father-in-law, "Unless thou
speak me sooth concerning thy daughter and her descent and her
mother I"--[FN#39] He replied, "By Allah, O King of the Age,
naught saveth a man save soothfastness! Her mother indeed was a
Gháziyah: in past time a party of the tribe was passing by my
abode when a young maid strayed from her fellows and was lost.
They asked no questions concerning her; so I lodged her and bred
her in my homestead till she grew up to be a great girl and the
fairest of her time. My heart would not brook her wiving with any
other; so I wedded her and she bare me this daughter whom thou, O
King, hast espoused." When the Sultan heard these words the flame
in his heart was quenched[FN#40] and he wondered at the subtlety
of the Sharper man; so he summoned him and asked him saying, "O
wily one, tell me what certified to thee that my Queen had a
dancing girl, a gypsey, to mother?" He answered, "O King of the
Age, verily the Ghaziyah race hath eye-balls intensely black and
bushy brows whereas other women than the Ghaziyah have the
reverse of this." On such wise the King was convinced of the
man's skill and he cried, "Ration him with a dish of roast meat
and two scones." They did as he bade and the three Sharpers
tarried with the Sultan a long time till one day when the King
said to himself, "Verily these three men have by their skill
solved every question of genealogy which I proposed to them:
first the jeweller proved his perfect knowledge of gems; secondly
the genealogist of the horse-kind showed himself as skilful, and
the same was the case with the genealogist of mankind, for he
discovered the origin of my Queen and the truth of his words
appeared from all quarters. Now 'tis my desire that he do the
same with me that I also may know my provenance." Accordingly
they set the man between his hands and he said to him, "O fellow,
hast thou the power to tell me mine origin?" Said the Sharper,
"Yes, O my lord, I can trace thy descent, but I will so do only
upon a condition; to wit, that thou promise me safety[FN#41]
after what I shall have told thee; for the saw saith, 'Whilst
Sultan sitteth on throne 'ware his despite, inasmuch as none may
be contumacious when he saith 'Smite.'" Thereupon the Sultan told
him, "thou hast a promise of immunity, a promise which shall
never be falsed."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day
and fell silent, and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and
how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an
the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night,
and that was
The Three Hundred and Fortieth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
pledged his word for the safety of the Sharper with the customary
kerchief[FN#42] and the man said, "O King of the Age, whenas I
acquaint thee with thy root and branch, let it be between us
twain lest these present hear us." "Wherefore O man?" asked the
Sultan, and the Sharper answered, "O my lord, Allah of Allmight
hath among His names 'The Veiler';"[FN#43] wherefore the King
bade his Chamberlains and Eunuchs retire so that none remained in
the place save those two. Then the Sharper came forward and said,
"O my lord, thou art a son of shame and an issue of adultery." As
soon as the King heard these words his case changed and his
colour waxed wan and his limbs fell loose:[FN#44] he foamed at
the mouth;[FN#45] he lost hearing and sight; he became as one
drunken without wine and he fell fainting to the ground. After a
while he recovered and said to the Sharper, "Now by the truth of
Him who hath set me upon the necks of His servants, an thy words
be veridical and I ascertain their sooth by proof positive, I
will assuredly abdicate my Kingdom and resign my realm to thee,
because none deserveth it save thou and it becometh us least of
all and every. But an I find thy speech lying I will slay thee."
He replied, "Hearing and obeying;" and the Sovran, rising up
without stay or delay, went inside to his mother with grip on
glaive, and said to her, "By the truth of Him who uplifted the
lift above the earth, an thou answer me not with the whole truth
in whatso I ask thee, I will cut thee to little bits with this
blade." She enquired, "What dost thou want with me?" and he
replied, "Whose son am I, and what may be my descent?" She
rejoined, "Although falsehood be an excuse, fact and truth are
superior and more saving. Thou art indeed the very son of a cook.
The Sultan that was before thee took me to wife and I cohabited
with him a while of time without my becoming pregnant by him or
having issue; and he would mourn and groan from the core of his
heart for that he had no seed, nor girl nor boy; neither could he
enjoy aught of sweet food or sleep. Now we had about the Palace
many caged birds; and at last, one day of the days, the King
longed to eat somewhat of poultry, so he went into the court and
sent for the Kitchener to slaughter[FN#46] one of the fowls; and
the man applied himself to catching it. At that time I had taken
my first bath after the monthly ailment and quoth I to myself,
'If this case continue with the King he will perish and the
Kingdom pass from us.' And the Shaytan tempted me to that which
displeased Allah"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next
night and that was
The Three Hundred and Forty-first Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Queen
continued, "And Satan tempted me and made the sin fair in my
sight. So I went up to the Kitchener, attired and adorned as I
was in my finest apparel and I fell a-jesting with him and
provoking him and disporting with him till his passions were
excited by me: so he tumbled me at that very hour, after which he
arose and slaughtered one of the birds and went his ways. Then I
bade the handmaids sprinkle water on the fowl and clean it and
cook it; and they did my bidding. After a while symptoms of
pregnancy declared themselves in me and became evident; and when
the King heard that his Queen was with child, he waxed gladsome
and joyful and gave alms and scattered gifts and bestowed robes
upon his Officers of State and others till the day of my delivery
and I bare a babe--which is thyself. Now at that time the Sultan
was hunting and birding and enjoying himself about the gardens
all of his pleasure at the prospect of becoming a father; and
when the bearer of good news went to him and announced the birth
of a man-child he hurried back to me and forthright bade them
decorate the capital and he found the report true; so the city
adorned itself for forty days in honour of its King. Such is my
case and my tale."[FN#47] Thereupon the King went forth from her
to the Sharper and bade him doff his dress and when this had been
done he doffed his own raiment and habited the man in royal gear
and hooded him with the Taylasán[FN#48] and asked him saying,
"What proof hast thou of my being a son of adultery?" The Sharper
answered, "O my lord, my proof was thy bidding our being
rationed, after showing the perfection of our skill, with a dish
of roast meat and two scones of bread; whereby I knew thee to be
of cook's breed, for the Kings be wont in such case to make
presents of money and valuables, not of meat and bread as thou
didst, and this evidenced thee to be a bastard King." He replied,
"Sooth thou sayest," and then robed him with the rest of his
robes including the Kalansuwah or royal head-dress under the
hood[FN#49] and seated him upon the throne of his estate.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me
to survive." Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Forty-second Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
enthroned the Sharper upon the throne of estate and went forth
from him after abandoning all his women to him and assumed the
garb of a Darwaysh who wandereth about the world and formally
abdicated his dominion to his successor. But when the Sharper-
king saw himself in this condition, he reflected and said to
himself, "Summon thy whilome comrades and see whether they
recognize thee or not." So he caused them be set before him and
conversed with them; then, perceiving that none knew him he
gifted them and sent them to gang their gait. And he ruled his
realm and bade and forbade and gave and took away and was
gracious and generous to each and every of his lieges; so that
the people of that region who were his subjects blessed him and
prayed for him. Such was the case with the Sharper; but as for
The Sultan who Fared Forth in the Habit of a
Darwaysh,[FN#50]
He ceased not wayfaring, as become a wanderer, till he came to
Cairo[FN#51] city whose circuit was a march of two and a half
days and which then was ruled by her own King Mohammed hight. He
found the folk in safety and prosperity and good ordinance; and
he solaced himself by strolling about the streets to the right
and left and he diverted his mind by considering the crowds and
the world of men contained in the capital, until he drew near the
palace when suddenly he sighted the Sultan returning from the
chase and from taking his pleasure. Seeing this the Darwaysh
retired to the wayside, and the King happening to glance in that
direction, saw him standing and discerned in him the signs of
former prosperity. So he said to one of his suite, "Take yon man
with thee and entertain him till I send for him." His bidding
being obeyed he entered the Palace and, when he had rested from
the fatigues of the way, he summoned the Fakír to the presence
and questioned him of his condition, saying, "Thou, from what
land art thou?" He responded, "O my lord, I am a beggar man;" and
the other rejoined, "There is no help but that thou tell me what
brought thee hither." The Darwaysh retorted, "O my lord, this may
not be save in privacy," and the other exclaimed, "Be it so for
thee." The twain then arose and repaired to a retired room in the
Palace and the Fakir recounted to the Sultan all that had
befallen him since the loss of his kingship and also how he, a
Sultan, had given up the throne of his realm and had made himself
a Darwaysh. The Sovran marvelled at his self-denial in yielding
up the royal estate and cried, "Laud be to Him who degradeth and
upraiseth, who honoureth and humbleth by the wise ordinance of
His All-might," presently adding, "O Darwaysh, I have passed
through an adventure which is marvellous; indeed 'tis one of the
Wonders of the World[FN#52] which I needs must relate to thee nor
from thee withhold aught thereof." And he fell to telling--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How
sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Forty-third Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the King
fell to telling the beggar man
The History of Mohammed, Sultan of Cairo.
I began my career in the world as a Darwaysh, an asker, owning
naught of the comforts and conveniences of life, till at length,
one day of the days, I became possessor of just ten
silverlings[FN#53] (and no more) which I resolved to expend upon
myself. Accordingly I walked into the Bazar purposing to purchase
somewhat of provaunt. While I was looking around, I espied a man
passing by and leading in an iron chain a dog-faced baboon and
crying "Haraj![FN#54] this ape is for sale at the price of ten
faddahs." The folk jibed at the man and jeered at his ape; but
quoth I to myself, "Buy this beast and expend upon it the ten
silverlings." Accordingly I drew near the seller and said to him,
"Take these ten faddahs;" whereupon he took them and gave me the
ape which I led to the cell wherein I dwelt. Then I opened the
door and went in with my bargain but began debating in my mind
what to do and said, "How shall I manage a meal for the baboon
and myself?" While I was considering behold, the beast was
suddenly transformed, and became a young man fair of favour who
had no equal in loveliness and stature and symmetric grace,
perfect as the moon at full on the fourteenth night; and he
addressed me saying, "O Shaykh Mohammed, thou hast bought me with
ten faddahs, being all thou hadst and art debating how we shall
feed, I and thou." Quoth I, "What art thou?" and quoth he, "Query
me no questions, concerning whatso thou shalt see, for good luck
hath come to thee." Then he gave me an Ashrafi[FN#55] and said,
"Take this piece of gold and fare thee forth to the Bazar and get
us somewhat to eat and drink." I took it from him and repairing
to the market purchased whatso food our case required; then
returning to the cell set the victual before him and seated
myself by his side. So we ate our sufficiency and passed that
night, I and he, in the cell, and, when Allah caused the morn to
dawn, he said to me, "O man, this room is not suitable to us: hie
thee and hire a larger lodging." I replied, "To hear is to obey;"
and, rising without stay or delay, went and took a room more
roomy in the upper part of the Wakálah.[FN#56] Thither we
removed, I and the youth, and presently he gave me ten dinars
more and said, "Go to the Bazar and buy thee furniture as much as
is wanted." Accordingly, I went forth and bought what he ordered
and on my return I found before him a bundle containing a suit of
clothes suitable for the Kings. These he gave to me desiring that
I hie me to the Hammam and don them after bathing, so I did his
bidding and washed and dressed myself and found in each pocket of
the many pockets an hundred gold pieces; and presently when I had
donned the dress I said to myself, "Am I dreaming or wide
awake?"[FN#57] Then I returned to the youth in the room and when
he saw me he rose to his feet and commended my figure and seated
me beside him. Presently he brought up a bigger bundle and bade
me take it and repair to the Sultan of the City and at the same
time ask his daughter in marriage for myself.--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
of Cairo continued:[FN#58]--So I took it and repaired with it to
the King of that city, and a slave whom the youth had bought bore
the bundle. Now when I approached the Palace I found thereabout
the Chamberlains and Eunuchs and Lords of the Land: so I drew
near them and when they saw me in that suit they approved my
appearance and questioned me saying, "What be thy business and
what dost thou require?" I replied, "My wish is to have audience
of the King," and they rejoined, "Wait a little while till we
obtain for thee his permission." Then one of the ushers went in
and reported the matter to the Sultan who gave orders to admit
me; so the man came out and led me within and on entering the
presence I salamed to the Sovran and wished him welfare and
presently set before him the bundle, saying, "O King of the Age,
this be in the way of a gift which besitteth my station not thine
estate." The Sultan bade the package be spread out, and he looked
into it and saw a suit of royal apparel whose like he never had
owned. So he was astonished at the sight and said in his mind,
"By Allah, I possess naught like this, nor was I ever master of
so magnificent a garment;" presently adding, "It shall be
accepted, O Shaykh, but needs must thou have some want or
requisition from me." I replied, "O King of the Age, my wish is
to become thy connection through that lady concealed and pearl
unrevealed, thy daughter." When the Sultan heard these words, he
turned to his Wazir and said, "Counsel me as to what I should do
in the matter of this man?" Said he, "O King of the Age, show him
thy most precious stone and say him, 'An thou have a jewel
evening this one it shall be my daughter's marriage-dowry.'" The
King did as he was advised, whereat I was wild with wonderment
and asked him, "An I bring thee such a gem wilt thou give me the
Princess?" He answered, "Yea, verily!" and I took my leave
bearing with me the jewel to the young man who was awaiting me in
the room.[FN#59] He enquired of me, "Hast thou proposed for
Princess?" and I replied, "Yes: I have spoken with the Sultan
concerning her, when he brought out this stone, saying to me, 'An
thou have a jewel evening this one, it shall be my daughter's
marriage dowry;' nor hath the Sultan power to false his word."
The youth rejoined, "This day I can do naught, but to-morrow
(Inshallah!) I will bring thee ten jewels like it and these thou
shalt carry and present to the Sovran." Accordingly when the
morning dawned he arose and fared forth and after an hour or so
he returned with ten gems which he gave me. I took them and
repaired with them to the Sultan and, entering the presence, I
presented to him all the ten. When he looked upon the precious
stones he wondered at their brilliant water and turning to the
Wazir again asked him how he should act in this matter. Replied
the Minister, "O King of the Age, thou requiredst of him but one
jewel and he hath brought thee ten; 'tis therefore only right and
fair to give him thy daughter."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Minister said to the Monarch, "Give him thy daughter."
Accordingly the Sultan summoned the Kazis and the Efendis[FN#60]
who wrote out the marriage-contract between me and the Princess.
Then I returned to the youth who had remained in the room and
told him all that had occurred when he said, "'Twere best to
conclude the wedding-ceremony and pay the first visit to thy
bride at once; but thou shalt on no wise consummate the nuptials
until I bid thee go in unto her, after somewhat shall have been
done by me." "Hearing and obeying," replied I; and, when the
night of going in[FN#61] came, I visited the Sultan's daughter
but sat apart from her by the side of the room during the first
night and the second and the third; nor did I approach her
although every day her mother came and asked her the usual
question[FN#62] and she answered, "He hath never approached me."
So she grieved with sore grief for that 'tis the wont of
womankind, when a maid is married and her groom goeth not in unto
her, to deem that haply folk will attribute it to some matter
which is not wholly right. After the third night the mother
reported the case to her father who cried, "This night except he
abate her pucelage I will slay him!" The tidings reached my bride
who told all to me, so I repaired to the young man and acquainted
him therewith. He cried, "When thou shalt visit her say, 'By
Allah, I will not enjoy thee unless thou give me the
amulet-bracelet hanging to thy right shoulder.'" I replied, "To
hear is to obey;" and, when I went in to her at nightfall, I
asked her, "Dost thou really desire me to futter thee?" She
answered, "I do indeed;" so I rejoined, "Then give me the
amulet-bracelet hanging over thy right shoulder." She arose
forthright and unbound it and gave it to me, whereupon I bled her
of the hymeneal blood[FN#63] and going to the young man gave him
the jewel. Then I returned to my bride and slept by her side till
the morning when I awoke and found myself lying outstreched in my
own caravanserai-cell. I was wonderstruck and asked myself, "Am I
on wake or in a dream?" and I saw my whilome garments, the
patched gabardine[FN#64] and tattered shirt alone with my little
drum;[FN#65] but the fine suit given to me by the youth was not
on my body nor did I espy any sign of it anywhere. So with fire
burning in my heart after what had befallen me, I wandered about
crowded sites and lone spots and in my distraction I knew not
what to do, whither to go or whence to come; when lo and behold!
I found sitting in an unfrequented part of the street a
Maghrabi,[FN#66] a Barbary man, who had before him some written
leaves and was casting omens for sundry bystanders. Seeing this
state of things, I came forward and drew near him and made him a
salam which he returned; then, after considering my features
straitly, he exclaimed, "O Shaykh, hath that Accursed done it and
torn thee from thy bride?" "Yes," I replied. Hereupon he said to
me, "Wait a little while," and seated me beside him; then, as
soon as the crowd dispersed he said, "O Shaykh, the baboon which
thou boughtest for ten silver bits and which was presently
transformed into a young man of Adam's sons, is not a human of
the sons of Adam but a Jinni who is enamoured of the Princess
thou didst wed. However, he could not approach her by reason of
the charmed bracelet hanging from her right shoulder, wherefore
he served thee this sleight and won it and now he still weareth
it. But I will soon work his destruction to the end that Jinnkind
and mankind may be at rest from his mischief; for he is one of
the rebellious and misbegotten imps who break the law of our lord
Solomon (upon whom be the Peace!)." Presently the Maghrabi took a
leaf and wrote upon it as it were a book.--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Maghrabi wrote a writ and signed his name within and sealed it;
after which he handed it to me saying, "O Shaykh, take this
missive and hie thee herewith to a certain spot where thou must
wait and observe those who pass by. Hearten thy heart and when
thou shalt see approaching thee a man attended by a numerous
train, present to him this scroll for 'tis he who will win for
thee thy wish." I took the note from the Barbary man and fared
forth to the place which he had described and ceased not faring
till I reached it after travelling all that night and half the
next day; then I sat down until darkness set in to await whatso
might befal me. When a fourth part of the night had passed, a
dazzling glare of lights suddenly appeared from afar advancing
towards me; and as it shone nearer, I made out men bearing
flambeaux[FN#67] and lanthorns, also a train of attendants
befitting the Kings. They looked on and considered me whilst my
heart fluttered with fear, and I was in sore affright. But the
procession defiled and drew off from before me, marching two
after two, and presently appeared the chief cortčge wherein was a
Sultan[FN#68] of the Jánn. As he neared me I heartened my heart
and advanced and presented to him the letter which he, having
halted, opened and read aloud; and it was:--"Be it known to thee,
O Sultan of the Jann, that the bearer of this our epistle hath a
need which thou must grant him by destroying his foe; and if
opposition be offered by any we will do the opponent die. An thou
fail to relieve him thou wilt know to seek from me relief for
thyself." When the King of the Jann had read the writ and had
mastered its meaning and its mysteries, he forthwith called out
to one of his serjeants[FN#69] who at once came forward and bade
him bring into his presence without delay such-and-such a Jinni
who by his spells had wrought round the daughter of the Cairene
Sultan. The messenger replied, "Hearing and obeying," and
departed from him and disappearing was absent an hour or
thereabouts; after which he and others returned with the Jinni
and set him standing before the King who exclaimed, "Wherefore, O
Accurst, hast thou wrought ill to this man and done on this wise
and on that wise?" He replied, "O my lord, all came of my
fondness for the Princess who wore a charm in her armlet which
hindered my approaching her and therefore I made use of this man
to effect my purpose. I became master of the talisman and won my
wish but I love the maiden and never will I harm her." Now when
the Sultan heard these words he said, "Thy case can be after one
of two fashions only. Either return the armlet that the man may
be reunited with his wife and she with her husband as whilome
they were; or contrary me and I will command the headsman strike
thy neck." Now when the Jinni heard this speech (and 'twas he who
had assumed the semblance of a dog-faced baboon), he refused and
was rebellious to the King and cried, "I will not return the
armlet nor will I release the damsel, for none can possess her
save myself." And having spoken in this way he attempted to
flee.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Three Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale, that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Márid
would fain have fled from before the King of the Jann, but the
Sovran bade other Marids and more forceful arrest him; so they
seized him and pinioned him and bound him in chains and collar
and dragged him behind the King of the Jann till the latter had
reached his place and had summoned him and had taken from him the
armlet. Then the Sultan gave order for him to be slain and they
slew him. When this was done, I prayed for the charm-armlet and I
recovered it after the Marid's death; they also restored to me my
fine suit. So I proceeded to the city which I entered, and as
soon as the guards and courtiers saw me, they cried out for joy
and said, "This is the son-in-law of the Sultan who was lost!"
Hereat all the lieges hurried up to me and received me with high
respect and greeted me. But after entering the Palace I proceeded
forthright till I reached the apartment set apart by them for
myself and my spouse whom I found in a deep sleep and stupefied,
as it were; a condition in which she had lain ever since I took
from her the talismanic armlet. So I replaced the jewel upon her
right shoulder and she awoke and arose and ordered herself;
whereat her father and family and the Lords of the Land and all
the folk joyed with exceeding joy. After this we lived together
in all happiness till the death of her sire who, having no son,
named me his successor so that I became what I am. Now when the
Darwaysh-Sultan heard all this he was astounded at what happeneth
in this world of marvels and miracles; upon which I said to him,
"O my brother wonder not; for whatso is predetermined shall
perforce be carried out. But thou needs must become my Wazir;
because thou art experienced in rule and governance and, since
what time my sire-in-law the Sultan died, I have been perplexed
in my plight being unable to find me a Minister who can
administer the monarchy. So do thou become my Chief Counsellor in
the realm." Thereupon the Darwaysh replied, "Hearkening and
obedience." The Sultan then robed him in a sumptuous robe of
honour and committed to him his seal-ring and all other matters
pertinent to his office, at the same time setting apart for him a
palace, spacious of corners, which he furnished with splendid
furniture and wadded carpets and vaiselle and other such matters.
So the Wazir took his seat of office and held a Divan or Council
of State forthright and commanded and countermanded, and bade and
forbade according as he saw just and equitable; and his fame for
equity and justice was disproved abroad; insomuch that who ever
had a cause or request or other business he would come to the
Wazir for ordering whatso he deemed advisable. In this condition
he continued for many years till, on a day of the days, the
Sultan's mind was depressed. Upon this he sent after the Minister
who attended at his bidding, when he said, "O Wazir, my heart is
heavy!" "Enter then," replied the Minister, "O King, into thy
treasury of jewels and rubies and turn them over in thy hands and
thy breast will be broadened." The Sultan did accordingly but it
took no effect upon his ennui; so he said, "O Wazir, I cannot win
free of this melancholic humour and nothing pleasureth me in my
palace; so let us fare forth, I and thou, in disguise." "Hearing
is obeying," quoth the Minister. The twain then retired into a
private chamber to shift their garb and habited themselves as
Darwayshes, the Darwayshes of Ajam-land, and went forth and
passed through the city right and left till they reached a
Máristán, a hospital for lunatics.[FN#70] Here they found two
young men, one reading the Koran[FN#71] and the other hearkening
to him, both being in chains like men Jinn-mad; and the Sultan
said in his mind, "By Allah, this is a marvel-case," and bespake
the men asking, "Are ye really insane?" They answered saying,
"No, by Allah; we are not daft but so admirable are our
adventures that were they graven with needle-gravers upon the
eye-corners they had been warners to whoso would be warned."
"What are they?" quoth the King, and quoth they, "Each of us, by
Allah, hath his own story;" and presently he who had been reading
exclaimed, "O King of the Age, hear my tale."--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night, and that was
The Three Hundred and Forty-eighth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
began relating to the Sultan
The Story of the First Lunatic.[FN#72]
I was a merchant and kept a shop wherein were Hindi goods of all
kinds and colours, highmost priced articles; and I sold and
bought with much profit. I continued in this condition a while of
time till one day of the days as I, according to my custom, was
sitting in my shop an old woman came up and gave me the good
morning and greeted me with the salam. I returned her salute when
she seated her upon the shopboard and asked me saying, "O master,
hast thou any pieces of choice Indian stuffs?" I replied, "O my
mistress, I have with me whatso thou wantest;" and she rejoined,
"Bring me forth one of them." Accordingly I arose and fetched her
a Hindi piece of the costliest price and placed it in her hands.
She took it and examining it was greatly pleased by its beauty
and presently said to me, "O my lord, for how much is this?" Said
I, "Five hundred dinars;" whereupon she pulled forth her purse
and counted out to me the five hundred gold pieces. Then she took
the stuff and went her ways; and I, O our lord the Sultan, had
sold to her for five hundred sequins a piece of cloth worth at
cost price three hundred and fifty gold pieces. She came to me
again, O my lord, on the next day and asked me for another piece;
so I rose up and brought her the bundle and she paid me once more
five hundred dinars: then she took up her bargain and ganged her
gait. She did the same, O my lord, on the third and the fourth
day and so on to the fifteenth, taking a piece of stuff from me
and paying me regularly five hun- dred golden pieces for each
bargain. On the sixteenth behold, she entered my shop as was her
wont, but she found not her purse; so she said to me, "O
Khwájah,[FN#73] I have left my purse at home." Said I, "O my
lady, an thou return 'tis well and if not thou art welcome to
it." She sware she would not take it and I, on the other hand,
sware her to carry it off as a token of love and
friendship.[FN#74] Thereupon debate fell between us, and I, O our
lord the Sultan, had made muchel of money by her and, had she
taken two pieces gratis, I would not have asked questions anent
them. At last she cried, "O Khwajah, I have sworn an oath and
thou hast sworn an oath, and we shall never agree except thou
favour me by accompanying me to my house so thou mayest receive
the value of the stuff, when neither of us will have been
forsworn: therefore lock up thy shop lest anything be lost in
thine absence." Accordingly I bolted my door and went with her, O
our lord the Sultan, and we ceased not walking, conversing the
while we walked, I and she, until we neared her abode when she
pulled out a kerchief from her girdle and said, "'Tis my desire
to bind this over thine eyes." Quoth I, "For what cause?" and
quoth she, "For that on our way be sundry houses whose doors are
open and the women are sitting in the vestibules of their homes,
so that haply thy glance may alight upon some one of them,
married or maid, and thy heart become engaged in a love-affair
and thou abide distraight, because in this quarter of the town be
many fair faces, wives and virgins, who would fascinate even a
religious, and wherefore we are alarmed for thy peace of mind."
Upon this I said in myself, "By Allah, this old woman is able of
advice;" and I consented to her requirement, when she bound the
kerchief over my eyes and blindfolded me. Then we walked on till
we came to the house she sought; and when she rapped with the
door-ring a slave-girl came out and opening the door let us in.
The old body then approached me and unbound the kerchief from
over my eyes; whereupon I looked around me, holding myself to be
a captive, and I found me in a mansion having sundry separate
apartments in the wings and 'twas richly decorated resembling the
palaces of the Kings.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And
where is this com- pared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was
the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Forty-ninth Night,
Dunyazad said to her "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
pursued:--By Allah, O our lord the Sultan, of that house I never
saw the fellow. She then bade me hide within a room and I did her
bidding in a corner place where beside me I beheld heaped
together and cast down in that private site all the pieces of
stuff which the ancient dame had purchased of me. Seeing this I
marvelled in my mind and lo! appeared two damsels as they were
moons and came down from an upper story till they stood on the
ground-floor; after which they cut a piece of cloth into twain
and each maiden took one and tucked up her sleeves. They then
sprinkled the court of that palace with water of the rose and of
the orange-flower,[FN#75] wiping the surface with the cloth and
rubing it till it became as silver; after which the two girls
retired into an inner room and brought out some fifty
chairs[FN#76] which they set down, and placed over each seat a
rug[FN#77] with cushions of brocade. They then carried in a
larger chair of gold and placed upon it a carpet with cushions of
orfrayed work and after a time they withdrew. Presently, there
descended from the staircase, two following two, a host of
maidens in number till they evened the chairs and each one of
them sat down upon her own, and at last suddenly appeared a young
lady in whose service were ten damsels, and she walked up to and
they seated her upon the great chair. When I beheld her, O my
lord the Sultan, my right senses left me and my wits fled me and
I was astounded at her loveliness and her stature and her
symmetric grace as she swayed to and fro in her pride of beauty
and gladsome spirits amongst those damsels and laughed and
sported with them. At last she cried aloud, "O mother mine!" when
the ancient dame answered her call and she asked her, "Hast thou
brought the young man?" The old woman replied, "Yes, he is
present between thy hands;" and the fair lady said, "Bring him
hither to me!" But when I heard these words I said to myself,
"There is no Majesty and there is no Might, save in Allah, the
Glorious, the Great! Doubtless when this damsel shall have
discovered my being in such hiding place she will bid them do me
die." The old woman then came forwards to me and led me before
the young lady seated on the great chair; and, when I stood in
her presence, she smiled in my face and saluted me with the salam
and welcomed me; after which she signed for a seat to be brought
and when her bidding was obeyed set it close beside her own. She
then commanded me to sit and I seated me by her side.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Fiftieth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
pursued:--She seated me beside her, O our lord the Sultan, and
fell to talking and joking with me for an hour or so when she
said, "O youth, what sayest thou of me and of my beauty and my
loveliness? Would Heaven that I could occupy thy thought and
please thee so that I might become to thee wife and thou be to me
man." When I heard these her words I replied, "O my lady, how
dare I presume to attain such honour? Indeed I do not deem myself
worthy to become a slave between thy hands." Hereupon said she,
"Nay, O young man, my words have in them nor evasion nor
alteration; so be not disheartened or fearful of returning me a
reply, for that my heart is fulfilled of thy love." I now
understood, O our lord the Sultan, that the damsel was desirous
of marrying me; but I could not conceive what was the cause
thereof or who could have given her intelligence concerning me.
She continued to enjoy herself in the gladsomest way till at
length I was emboldened to say to her, "O my lady, an thy words
to me be after the fashion of thy will, remember the proverb,
'When a kindness is to be done, this is its time.'" "By Allah, O
youth, there cannot be a more fortunate day than this present."
"O my lady, what shall I apportion to thee for dowry?" "The dowry
hath been paid to me in the value of the stuffs which thou
entrustedst to this ancient dame who is my mother!" "That cannot
suffice." "By Allah, naught shall be added; but, O youth, 'tis my
intention forthright to send after the Kazi and his Asses- sors
and I will choose me a trustee[FN#78] that they may tie together
us twain without delay; and thou shalt come in to me this coming
evening. But all such things be upon one condition." "And what
may be thy condition?" "This, that thou swear never to address or
to draw near any woman save myself." And I, O our lord the
Sultan, being unmarried and eager to possess so beautiful a
bride, said to her, "This be thine; and I will never contrary
thee by word or by deed." She then sent to summon the Kazi and
his witnesses and appointed an agent; upon which they knotted the
knot. After the marriage ceremony was ended she ordered
coffee[FN#79] and sherbets and gave somewhat of dirhams to the
Kazi and a robe of honour to her trustee; and this done, all went
their several ways. I was lost in astonishment and said in my
mind, "Do I dream or am I on wake?" She then commanded her
damsels to clear the Hammam-bath and cleanse it and fill it
afresh and get ready towels and waist-cloths and silken
napkins[FN#80] and scented woods and essences, as virgin
ambergris and ottars and perfumes of vari-coloured hues and
kinds. And when they had executed her orders, she ordered the
Eunuchry standing in her service to take me and bear me to the
Bath, largessing each one with a sumptuous dress. They led me
into a Hammam which had been made private and I saw a place
tongue is powerless to portray. And as we arrived there they
spread vari-coloured carpets upon which I sat me down and doffed
what clothing was upon me: then I entered the hot rooms and smelt
delicious scents diffused from the sides of the hall,
sandal-wood, Comorin lign-aloes and other such fragrant
substances. Here they came up to me and seated me, lathering me
with perfumed soaps and shampoo'd me till my body became
silver-bright; when they fetched the metal tasses and I washed
with water luke-warm after which they brought me cold water
mingled with rose water and I sprinkled it over me. After this
they supplied me with silken napkins and drying-towels of
palm-fibre[FN#81] wherewith I rubbed me and then repaired to the
cool room outside the calidarium[FN#82] where I found a royal
dress. The Eunuchry arrayed me therein and after fumigating me
with the smoke of lign-aloes served up somewhat of
confections[FN#83] and coffee and sherbets of sundry sorts; so I
drank after eating the Ma'jun. About eventide I left the Baths
with all the Eunuchry in attendance on me and we walked till we
entered the Palace and they led me into a closet spread with
kingly carpets and cushions. And behold, she came up to me
attired in a new habit more sumptuous than that I had seen her
wearing erewhile.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next
night and that was
The Three Hundred and Fifty-first Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
continued:--And I, O our lord the Sultan, went into the closet
and behold, she met me wearing a habit of the most sumptuous: so
when I sighted her she seemed to me from the richness of her
ornaments like an enchanted hoard wherefrom the talisman had been
newly removed. She sat down beside me and bent lovingly over me
and I rose up for I could no longer contain my passion and
wrought that work which was to be worked.[FN#84] Presently she
again disappeared but soon returned in vestments even richer than
the last and she did with me as before and I embraced her once
more. In short, O our lord the Sultan, we ceased not dwelling
together, I and she, in joyaunce and enjoyment, laughter and
disport and delicious converse for a space of twenty days. At the
end of this time I called to mind my lady-mother, and said to the
dame I had espoused, "O my lady, 'tis long since I have been
absent from home and 'tis long since my parent hath seen me or
wotteth aught concerning me: needs must she be pining and
grieving for my sake. So do thou give me leave to visit her and
look after my mother and also after my shop." Quoth she, "No harm
in that: thou mayst visit thy mother daily and busy thyself about
thy shop-business; but this ancient dame (my mother) is she who
must lead thee out and bring thee back." Whereto I replied, "'Tis
well." Upon this the old woman came in and tied a kerchief over
my eyes according to custom and fared forth with me till we
reached the spot where she had been wont to remove the bandage.
Here she unbound it saying, "We'll expect thee to-morrow about
noontide and when thou comest to this place, thou shalt see me
awaiting thee." I left her and repaired to my mother whom I found
grieving and weeping at my absence; and upon seeing me she rose
up and threw her arms round my neck with tears of joy. I said,
"Weep not, O my mother, for the cause of my absence hath been a
certain matter which be thus and thus." I then related to her my
adventure and she on hearing it was rejoiced thereby and
exclaimed, "O my son, may Allah give thee gladness; but I pray
thee solace me[FN#85] at least every two days with a visit that
my longing for thee may be satisfied." I replied,"This shall be
done;" and thenceforth, O our lord the Sultan, I went to my shop
and busied myself as was my wont till noontide, when I returned
to the place appointed and found the old woman awaiting me. Nor
did I ever fare forth from the mansion without her binding my
eyes with the kerchief which she loosed only when we reached my
own house; and whenever I asked her of this she would answer, "On
our way be sundry houses whose doors are open and the women
sitting in the vestibules of their homes, so that haply thy
glance may alight upon some one of them, matron or maid: all
sniff up love like water,[FN#86] and we fear for thee lest thy
heart be netted in the net of amours."For thirty days, a whole
month, I continued to go and come after this fashion but, O our
lord the Sultan, at all times and tides I was drowned in thought
and wondered in my mind, saying, "What chance caused me forgather
with this damsel? What made me marry her? Whence this wealth
which is under her hand? How came I to win union with her?" For I
knew not the cause of all this. Now, on a day of the days, I
found an opportunity of being private with one of her black slave
girls[FN#87] and questioned her of all these matters that
concerned her mistress. She replied, "O my lord, the history of
my lady is marvellous; but I dare not relate it to thee in fear
lest she hear thereof and do me die." So I said to her, "By
Allah, O handmaid of good, an thou wilt say me sooth I will veil
it darkly for in the keeping of secrets there is none like
myself: nor will I reveal it at any time." Then I took oath of
secrecy when she said, "O my lord,"--And Shahrazad was surprised
by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy
story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth
she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now
when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Fifty-second Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
continued:--Then the handmaiden said to me, "O my lord, my lady
went forth one day of the days to the Hammam with the object of
pleasuring and of diverting herself, for which purpose she made
goodly preparation including gifts and presents,[FN#88] matters
worth a mint of money.[FN#89] After leaving the baths she set out
upon an excursion to eat the noon-day meal in a flower garden
where she enjoyed herself with exceeding joy and enjoyment,
eating and drinking till the evening; and when she designed to
depart she collected the fragments of the feast and distributed
them amongst the mean and the mesquin. On her return she passed
through the Bazar-street wherein standeth thy shop, and it was a
Friday when thou wast sitting, adorned with thy finest dress, in
converse with the nearest neighbour. And suddenly as she fared
by, she beheld thee in such state and her heart was stricken with
sore stroke of love albeit none of us observed her condition and
what affection she had conceived for thee. However, no sooner had
she reached her palace than her melancholy began to grow upon her
with groans and her cark and care, and her colour left her: she
ate and drank little and less and her sleep forsook her and her
frame was sorely enfeebled till at last she took to her bed. Upon
this her mother went to summon a learned man[FN#90] or a
mediciner that he might consider the condition of her daughter
and what sickness had gotten about her: she was absent for an
hour and returned with an ancient dame who took seat beside her
and putting forth her hand felt the patient's pulse. But she
could perceive in her no bodily ailment or pain, upon which the
old woman understood her case, but she durst not bespeak her of
it nor mention to her mother that the girl's heart was distraught
by love. So she said, 'There is no harm to thee! and (Inshallah!)
to-morrow I will return hither to thee and bring with me a
certain medicine.' She then went forth from us and leading the
mother to a place apart, said to her, 'O my lady, Allah upon
thee, pardon me for whatso I shall mention and be thou convinced
that my words are true and keep them secret nor divulge them to
any.' The other replied, 'Say on and fear not for aught which
hath become manifest to thee of my daughter's unweal: haply Allah
will vouchsafe welfare.' She rejoined, 'Verily, thy daughter hath
no bodily disorder or malady of the disease kind but she is in
love and there can be no cure for her save union with her
beloved.' Quoth the mother, 'And how about the coming of her
sweetheart? This is a matter which may not be managed except thou
show us some contrivance whereby to bring this youth hither and
marry him to her. But contriv- ance is with Allah.' Then the old
lady went her ways forthright and the girl's mother sought her
daughter and said to her after kindly fashion, 'O my child, as
for thee thy disorder is a secret and not a bodily disease. Tell
me of him thou requirest and fear naught from me; belike Allah
will open to us the gate of con- trivance whereby thou shalt win
to thy wish.' Now when the maiden heard these words she was
abashed before her parent and kept silence, being ashamed to
speak; nor would she return any reply for the space of twenty
days. But during this term her distraction increased and her
mother ceased not to repeat the same words, time after time, till
it became manifest to the parent that the daughter was madly in
love with a young man; so at last quoth she, 'Describe him to
me.' Quoth the other, 'O mother mine, indeed he is young of years
and fair of favour; also he woneth in such a Bazar, methinks on
its southern side.' Therewith the dame arose without stay or
delay and fared forth to find the young man and 'tis thyself, O
youth! And when the mother saw thee she took from thee a piece of
cloth and brought it to her daughter and promised thou shouldst
visit her. Thence- forwards she ceased not repeating her calls to
thee for the period thou wottest well until by her cunning she
brought thee hither; and that happened which happened and thou
didst take the daughter to wife. Such is her tale and beware lest
thou reveal my disclosure." "No, by Allah," replied I. Then the
lunatic resumed speaking to the Sultan:--O my lord, I continued
to cohabit with her for the space of one month, going daily to
see my mother and to sell in my shop and I returned to my wife
every evening blindfolded and guided as usual by my
mother-in-law. Now one day of the days as I was sitting at my
business, a damsel came into the Bazar-street.--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and
tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Fifty-third Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
continued:--A damsel came into the Bazar-street bearing the image
of a cock made of precious ore and crusted with pearls and rubies
and other gems; and she offered it to the goodmen[FN#91] of the
market for sale. So they opened the biddings at five hundred
dinars and they ceased not contending[FN#92] thereanent till the
price went up to nine hundred and fifty gold pieces. All this
time and I looked on nor did I interfere by speaking a syllable
or by adding to the biddings a single bit of gold. At last, when
none would offer aught more, the girl came up to me and said, "O
my lord, all the gentlemen have increased their biddings for the
cock; but thou hast neither bidden nor heartened my heart by one
kind word." Quoth I, "I have no need thereof;" and quoth she, "By
Allah, needs must thou bid somewhat more than the others." I
replied, "Since there is no help for it, I will add fifty dinars
which will fill up the thousand." She rejoined, "Allah gar thee
gain!"[FN#93] So I fared into my shop to fetch the money, saying
in my mind, "I will present this curiosity to my Harim: haply
'twill pleasure her." But when I was about, O my lord the Sultan,
to count out the thousand ducats, the damsel would not accept
aught of me but said, "I have a request to make of thee, O youth!
to wit, that I may take one kiss from thy cheek." I asked her,
"For what purpose?" and she answered, "I want one kiss of thy
cheek which shall be the price of my cock, for I need of thee
naught else." I thought to myself, "By Allah, a single kiss of my
cheek for the value of a thousand sequins were an easy price;"
and I gave my consent thereto, O my lord. Then she came up to me
and leaned over me and bussed my cheek, but after the kiss she
bit me with a bite which left its mark:[FN#94] then she gave me
the cock and went her ways in haste. Now when it was noon I made
for my wife's house and came upon the old woman awaiting me at
the customed stead and she bound the kerchief over my eyes and
after blindfolding them fared with me till we reached our home
when she unbound it. I found my wife sitting in the saloon
dressed from head to foot in cramoisy[FN#95] and with an ireful
face, whereupon I said to myself, "O Saviour,[FN#96] save me!" I
then went up to her and took out the cock which was covered with
pearls and rubies, thinking that her evil humour would vanish at
the sight of it and said, "O my lady, accept this cock for 'tis
curious and admirable to look upon; and I bought it to pleasure
thee." She put forth her hand and taking it from me examined it
by turning it rightwards and leftwards; then exclaimed, "Didst
thou in very sooth buy this on my account?" Replied I, "By Allah,
O my lady, I bought it for thee at a thousand gold pieces."
Hereupon she shook her head at me, O my lord the Sultan, and
cried out after a long look at my face, "What meaneth that bite
on thy cheek?" Then with a loud and angry voice she called to her
women who came down the stairs forthright bearing the body of a
young girl with the head cut off and set upon the middle of the
corpse;[FN#97] and I looked and behold, it was the head of the
damsel who had sold me the cock for a kiss and who had bitten my
cheek. Now my wife had sent her with the toy by way of trick,
saying to her, "Let us try this youth whom I have wedded and see
if he hold himself bound by his plighted word and pact or if he
be false and foul." But of all this I knew naught. Then she cried
a second cry and behold, up came three handmaids bearing with
them three cocks like that which I had brought for her and she
said, "Thou bringest me this one cock when I have these three
cocks; but inasmuch as, O youth, thou hast broken the covenant
that was between me and thee, I want thee no more: go forth! wend
thy ways forthright!" And she raged at me and cried to her
mother, "Take him away!"[FN#98]--And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O
sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And
where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it
was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Youth
continued to the King:--Hereupon the old woman, O my lord, hent
me by the hand and bound the kerchief over my eyes as was her
wont and led me to the customed place when she loosed the bandage
saying, "Begone!" and disappeared. But I, O my lord, became like
a madman and ran through the streets as one frantic crying, "Ah
her loveliness! Ah her stature! Ah her perfect grace! Ah her
ornaments!" Hereupon the folk seeing me and hearing me say these
words shouted out, "Yonder is a lunatic;" so they seized me
perforce and jailed me in the madhouse as thou hast seen me, O
our lord the Sultan. They say, "This man is Jinn-mad;" but, by
Allah, I am no maniac, O my lord, and such is my tale. Hereat the
King marvelled and bowed his brow groundwards for a while in deep
thought over this affair: then he raised his head and turning to
his Minister said, "O Wazir, by the truth of Him who made me
ruler of this realm, except thou discover the damsel who married
this youth, thy head shall pay forfeit." The Wazir was consterned
to hear the case of the young man; but he could not disobey the
royal commandment so he said, "Allow me three days of delay, O
our lord the Sultan;" and to this much of grace the King
consented. Then the Wazir craved dismissal and would have taken
the Youth with him; when the Sultan cried, "As soon as thou shalt
have hit upon the house, the young man will go into it and come
forth it like other folk." He replied, "Hearkening and
obedience." So he took the Youth and went out with aching head
and giddy as a drunken man, perplexed and unknowing whither he
should wend; and he threaded the city streets from right to left
and from east to west, tarrying at times that he might privily
question the folk. But naught discovered himself to him and he
made certain of death. In this condition he continued for two
days and the third till noontide, when he devised him a device
and said to the Youth, "Knowest thou the spot where the old woman
was wont to blindfold thine eyes?" He replied, "Yes." So the
Minister walked on with him till the young man exclaimed, "Here,
'tis this!"[FN#99] The Wazir then said, "O Youth, knowest thou
the door-ring wherewith she was wont to rap and canst thou
distinguish its sound?" He said, "I can." Accordingly, the Wazir
took him and went the round of all the houses in that quarter and
rapped with every door-ring asking him, "Is't this?" and he would
answer, "No." And the twain ceased not to do after such fashion
until they came to the door where the appointment had taken place
without risk threatened;[FN#100] and the Wazir knocked hard at it
and the Youth, hearing the knock, exclaimed, "O my lord, verily
this be the ring without question or doubt or uncertainty." So
the Minister knocked again with the same knocker and the
slave-girls threw open the door and the Wazir, entering with the
Youth, found that the palace belonged to the daughter of the
Sultan who had been succeeded by his liege lord.[FN#101] But when
the Princess saw the Minister together with her spouse, she
adorned herself and came down from the Harem and salam'd to him.
Thereupon he asked her, "What hath been thy business with this
young man?" So she told him her tale from first to last and he
said, "O my lady, the King commandeth that he enter and quit the
premises as before and that he come hither without his eyes being
bandaged with the kerchief." She obeyed and said, "The
commandments of our lord the Sultan shall be carried out." Such
was the history of that youth whom the Sultan heard reading the
Koran in the Máristán, the public madhouse: but as regards the
second Lunatic who sat listening, the Sultan asked him, "And
thou, the other, what be thy tale?" So he began to relate the
Story of the Second Lunatic.[FN#102]
"O my lord," quoth the young man, "my case is marvellous, and
haply thou wilt desire me to relate it in order continuous;" and
quoth the Sultan, "Let me hear it."--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy
tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she,
"And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it
was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the second
youth said:--O my lord the Sultan, I am by calling a merchant man
and none of the guild was younger, I having just entered my
sixteenth year. Like my fellows I sold and bought in the Bazar
every day till, one day of the days, a damsel came up to me and
drew near and handed to me a paper which I opened; and behold, it
was full of verses and odes in praise of myself, and the end of
the letter contained the woman's name professing to be enamoured
of me. When I read it I came down from my shopboard, in my folly
and ignorance, and putting forth my hand seized the girl and beat
her till she swooned away.[FN#103] After this I let her loose and
she went her ways and then I fell into a brown study saying to
myself, "Would Heaven I wot whether the girl be without relations
or if she have kith and kin to whom she may complain and they
will come and bastinado me." And, O our lord the Sultan, I
repented of what I had done whenas repentance availed me naught
and this lasted me for twenty days. At the end of that time as I
was sitting in my shop according to my custom, behold, a young
lady entered and she was sumptuously clad and sweetly scented and
she was even as the moon in its fullness on the fourteenth night.
When I gazed upon her my wits fled and my sane senses and right
judgment forsook me and I was incapable of attending to aught
save herself. She then came up and said, "O youth, hast thou by
thee a variety of metal ornaments?" and said I, "O my lady, of
all kinds thou canst possibly require." Hereupon she wished to
see some anklets which I brought out for her, when she put forth
her feet to me and showing me the calves of her legs said, "O my
lord, try them on me." This I did. Then she asked for a
necklace[FN#104] and I produced one when she unveiled her bosom
and said, "Take its measure on me:" so I set it upon her and she
said, "I want a fine pair of bracelets," and I brought to her a
pair when, extending her hands and displaying her wrists to me
she said, "Put them on me." I did so and presently she asked me,
"What may be the price of all these?" when I exclaimed, "O my
lady, accept them from me in free gift;" and this was of the
excess of my love to her, O King of the Age, and my being wholly
absorbed in her. Then quoth I to her, "O my lady, whose daughter
art thou?" and quoth she, "I am the daughter of the Shaykh
al-Islám."[FN#105] I replied, "My wish is to ask thee in marriage
of thy father," and she rejoined, "'Tis well: but, O youth, I
would have thee know that when thou askest me from my sire he
will say, 'I have but one daughter and she is a cripple and
deformed even as Satíh was.[FN#106] Do thou, however, make answer
that thou art contented to accept her and if he offer any
remonstrance cry, 'I'm content, content!'" I then enquired, "When
shall that be?" and she replied, "Tomorrow about undurn
hour[FN#107] come to our house and thou wilt find my sire, the
Shaykh al-Islam, sitting with his companions and intimates. Then
ask me to wife." So we agreed upon this counsel and on the next
day, O our lord the Sultan, I went with several of my comrades
and we repaired, I and they, to the house of the Shaykh al-Islam,
whom I found sitting with sundry Grandees about him. We made our
salams which they returned and they welcomed us and all entered
into friendly and familiar conversation. When it was time for the
noon-meal the tablecloth[FN#108] was spread and they invited us
to join them, so we dined with them and after dinner drank
coffee. I then stood up saying, "O my lord, I am come hither to
sue and solicit thee for the lady concealed and the pearl
unrevealed, thy daughter." But when the Shaykh al-Islam heard
from me these words he bowed his head for awhile groundwards--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
resumed:--Now when the Shaykh al-Islam heard from me those words
he bowed his brow groundwards for a while in deep thought
concerning the case of his daughter who was a cripple and
wondrously deformed. For the damsel who had told me of her had
played me a trick and served me a sleight, I all the time knowing
nothing about her guile. Presently he raised his head and said to
me, "By Allah, O my son, I have a daughter but she is helpless."
Quoth I, "I am content;" and quoth he, "An thou take her to wife
after this description, 'tis on express condition that she be not
removed from my house and thou also shalt pay her the first visit
and cohabit with her in my home." I replied, "To hear is to
obey;" being confident, O King of the Age, that she was the
damsel who had visited my shop and whom I had seen with my own
eyes. Thereupon the Shaykh al-Islam married his daughter to me
and I said in my mind, "By Allah, is it possible that I am become
master of this damsel and shall enjoy to my full her beauty and
loveliness?" But when night fell they led me in procession to the
chamber of my bride; and when I beheld her I found her as hideous
as her father had described her, a deformed cripple. At that
moment all manner of cares mounted my back and I was full of fury
and groaned with grief from the core of my heart; but I could not
say a word, for that I had accepted her to wife of my own free
will and had declared myself contented in presence of her sire.
So I took seat silently in a corner of the room and my bride in
another, because I could not bring myself to approach her, she
being unfit for the carnal company of man and my soul could not
accept cohabitation with her. And at dawntide, O my lord the
Sultan, I left the house and went to my shop which I opened
according to custom and sat down with my head dizzy like one
drunken without wine; when lo! there appeared before me the young
lady who had caused happen to me that mishap. She came up and
salam'd to me but I arose with sullenness and abused her and
cried, "Wherefore, O my lady, hast thou put upon me such a piece
of work?" She replied, "O miserable,[FN#109] recollect such a day
when I brought thee a letter and thou after reading it didst come
down from thy shop and didst seize me and didst trounce me and
didst drive me away." I replied, "O my lady, prithee pardon me
for I am a true penitent;" and I ceased not to soften her with
soothing[FN#110] words and promised her all weal if she would but
forgive me. At last she deigned excuse me and said, "There is no
harm for thee; and, as I have netted thee, so will I unmesh
thee." I replied, "Allah! Allah![FN#111] O my lady, I am under
thy safeguard;" and she rejoined, "Hie thee to the Aghá of the
Janákilah,[FN#112] the gypsies, give him fifty piastres and say
him, 'We desire thee to furnish us with a father and a mother and
cousins and kith and kin, and do thou charge them to say of me,
This is our cousin and our blood relation.' Then let him send
them all to the house of the Shaykh al-Islam and repair thither
himself together with his followers, a party of drummers and a
parcel of pipers. When they enter his house and the Shaykh shall
perceive them and exclaim, 'What's this we've here?' let the Agha
reply, 'O my lord, we be kinsmen with thy son-in-law and we are
come to gladden his marriage with thy daughter and to make merry
with him.' He will exclaim, 'Is this thy son a gypsey musician?'
and do thou explain, saying, 'Aye, verily I am a Jankali;' and he
will cry out to thee, 'O dog, thou art a gypsey and yet durst
thou marry the daughter of the Shaykh al-Islam?' Then do thou
make answer, 'O my lord, 'twas my ambition to be ennobled by
thine alliance and I have espoused thy daughter only that the
mean name of Jankali may pass away from me and that I may be
under the skirt of thy protection.'" Hereat, O my lord the
Sultan, I arose without stay and delay and did as the damsel bade
me and agreed with the Chiefs of the Gypsies for fifty
piastres.[FN#113] On the second day about noon lo and behold! all
the Janákilah met before the house of the Shaykh al-Islam and
they, a tom-toming and a-piping and a-dancing, crowded into the
courtyard of the mansion.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
continued:--So the Janákilah entered the house of the Shaykh
al-Islam all a-drumming and a-dancing. Presently the family came
out and asked, "What is to do? And what be this hubbub?" The
fellows answered, "We are gypsey-folk and our son is in your
house having wedded the daughter of the Shaykh al-Islam." Hearing
these words the family went up and reported to its head, and he,
rising from his seat, descended to the courtyard which he found
full of Jankalis. He enquired of them their need and they told
him that the youth, their kinsman, having married the daughter of
the house, they were come to make merry at the bride-feast. Quoth
the Shaykh, "This indeed be a sore calamity that a gypsey should
espouse the daughter of the Shaykh al-Islam. By Allah, I will
divorce her from him." So he sent after me, O our lord the
Sultan, and asked me saying, "What is thy breed and what wilt
thou take to be off with thyself?" Said I, "A Jankali; and I
married thy daughter with one design namely to sink the mean name
of a gypsey drummer in the honour of connection and relationship
with thee." He replied, "'Tis impossible that my daughter can
cohabit with thee: so up and divorce her." I rejoined, "Not so: I
will never repudiate her." Then we fell to quarrelling but the
folk interposed between us and arranged that I should receive
forty purses[FN#114] for putting her away. And when he paid me
the moneys I gave her the divorce and took the coin and went to
my shop, rejoicing at having escaped by this contrivance. On the
next day, behold, came the damsel who had taught me the sleight
and saluted me and wished me good morning. I returned her salam
and indeed, O our lord the Sultan, she was a model of beauty and
loveliness, stature and symmetrical grace and my heart was
enmeshed in her love for the excess of her charms and the limpid
flow of her speech and the sweetness of her tongue. So I said to
her, "And when this promise?" and said she, "I am the daughter of
Such-andsuch, a cook in such a quarter; and do thou go ask me in
marriage of him." So I rose up with all haste and went to her
father and prayed that he would give her to me. And presently I
wedded her and went in unto her and found her as the full moon of
the fourteenth night and was subjugated by her seemlihead. Such,
then, is the adventure which befel me; but, O my lord the Sultan,
the Story of the Sage Such-an-one and his Scholar is more
wonderful and delectable; for indeed 'tis of the marvels of the
age and among the miracles which have been seen by man. Thereupon
the Sovran bade him speak, and the Second Lunatic proceeded to
recount the
Story of the Sage and the Scholar.[FN#115]
There was in times of yore and in ages long gone before a learned
man who had retired from the world secluding himself in an upper
cell of a Cathedral-mosque, and this place he left not for many
days save upon the most pressing needs. At last a beautiful boy
whose charms were unrivalled in his time went in to him and
salam'd to him. The Shaykh returned the salute and welcomed him
with the fairest welcome and courteously entreated him seating
him beside himself. Then he asked him of his case and whence he
came and the boy answered, "O my lord, question me not of aught
nor of my worldly matters, for verily I am as one who hath fallen
from the heavens upon the earth[FN#116] and my sole object is the
honour of tending thee." The Sage again welcomed him and the boy
served him assiduously for a length of time till he was twelve
years old. Now on one day of the days[FN#117] the lad heard
certain of his fellows saying that the Sultan had a daughter
endowed with beauty whose charms were unequalled by all the
Princesses of the age. So he fell in love with her by
hearsay.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell
silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the
Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night, and
that was
The Three Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the lad
who served the Sage fell in love with the Sultan's daughter by
hearsay. Presently he went in to his master and told him thereof
adding, "O my lord, verily the King hath a daughter beautiful and
lovesome and my soul longeth to look upon her an it be only a
single look." The Shaykh asked him saying, "Wherefore, O my son?
What have the like of us to do with the daughters of Sovrans or
others? We be an order of eremites and selfcontained and we fear
the Kings for our own safety." And the Sage continued to warn the
lad against the shifts of Time and to divert him from his intent;
but the more words he uttered to warn him and to deter him, the
more resolved he became to win his wish, so that he abode
continually groaning and weeping. Now this was a grievous matter
to the good Shaykh who loved him with an exceeding love passing
all bounds; and when he saw him in this condition he exclaimed,
"There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the
Glorious, the Great." And his heart was softened and he had ruth
upon the case of his scholar and pitied his condition, and at
last said to him, "O my son, dost thou truly long to look but a
single look at the Sultan's daughter?" Quoth he, "Yes, O my
lord," and quoth the other, "Come hither to me." Accordingly he
came up to him and the Shaykh produced a Kohl-pot and applied the
powder to one of his scholar's eyes, who behold, forthright
became such that all who saw him cried out, "This is a
half-man."[FN#118] Then the Sage bade him go about the city and
the youth obeyed his commands and fared forth; but whenas the
folk espied him they cried out, "A miracle! a miracle! this be a
half-man!" And the more the youth walked about the streets the
more the folk followed him and gazed upon him for diversion and
marvelled at the spectacle; and as often as the great men of the
city heard of him they sent to summon him and solaced themselves
with the sight and said, "Laud to the Lord! Allah createth whatso
He wisheth and commandeth whatso He willeth as we see in the
fashioning of this half-man." The youth also looked freely upon
the Harims of the Grandees, he being fairer than any of them; and
this case continued till the report reached the Sultan who bade
him be brought into the presence, and on seeing him marvelled at
the works of the Almighty. Presently the whole court gathered
together to gaze at him in wonderment and the tidings soon
reached the Queen who sent an Eunuch to fetch him and introduce
him into the Serraglio. The women all admired the prodigy and the
Princess looked at him and he looked at her; so his fascination
increased upon him and he said in his secret soul, "An I wed her
not I will slay myself!" After this the youth was dismissed by
the Sultan's Harim and he, whose heart burned with love for the
King's daughter, returned home. The Shaykh asked him, "Hast thou,
O my son, seen the Princess?" and he answered, "I have, O my
master; but this one look sufficeth me not, nor can I rest until
I sit by her side and fill myself with gazing upon her." Quoth
he, "O my child, we be an ascetic folk that shun the world nor
have we aught to do with enmeshing ourselves in the affairs of
the Sultan, and we fear for thee, O my son." But the youth
replied, "O my lord, except I sit by her side and stroke her neck
and shoulders with these my hands, I will slay myself." Hereupon
the Sage said in his mind, "I will do whatso I can for this good
youth and perchance Allah may enable him to win his wish." He
then arose and brought out the Kohl-pot and applied the powder to
his scholar's either eye; and, when it had settled therein, it
made him invisible to the ken of man. Then he said, "Go forth, O
my son, and indulge thy desire; but return again soon and be not
absent too long." Accordingly the youth hastened to the Palace
and entering it looked right and left, none seeing him the while,
and proceeded to the Harem where he seated himself beside the
daughter of the Sultan. Still none perceived him until, after a
time, he put forth his hand and softly stroked her neck. But as
soon as the Princess felt the youth's touch, she shrieked a loud
shriek heard by all ears in the Palace and cried "I seek refuge
with Allah from Satan, the stoned!" At this proceeding on the
girl's part all asked her saying, "What is to do with thee?"
Whereto she answered, "Verily some Satan hath this instant
touched me on the neck." Upon this her mother was alarmed for her
and sent for her nurse[FN#119] and when informed of what had
befallen the girl the old woman said, "If there be aught of
Satans here naught is so sovereign a specific to drive them away
and keep them off as the smoke of camel's dung."[FN#120] Then she
arose and brought thereof a quantity which was thrown into the
fire and presently it scented and pervaded the whole apartment.
All this and the Youth still sat there without being seen. But
when the dung-smoke thickened, his eyes brimmed and he could not
but shed tears, and the more smoke there was the more his eyes
watered and big drops flowed till at last all the Kohl was washed
off and trickled down with the tears. So he became visible
a-middlemost the royal Harem; and, when the dames descried him,
all shrieked one shriek, each at other, upon which the Eunuchry
rushed in; then, finding the young man still seated there, they
laid hands upon him and haled him before the Sultan to whom they
reported his crime and how he had been caught lurking in the
King's Serraglio a-sitting beside the Princess. Hearing this, the
Sovran bade summon the Headsman and committed to him the criminal
bidding him take the youth and robe him in a black habit
bepatched with flamecolour;[FN#121] then, to set him upon a camel
and, after parading him through Cairo city and all the streets,
to put him to death. Accordingly the executioner took the
Youth.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Three Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Linkman took the youth and fared forth with him from the palace:
then he looked at him and found him fair of form and favour, a
sans peer in loveliness, and he observed that he showed no fear
nor shrinking from death. So he had pity upon him and his heart
yearned to him and he said in his mind, "By Allah, attached to
this young man is a rare history." Then he brought a leathern
gown which he put upon him, and the flamey black habit which he
passed over his arms: and setting him upon a camel as the Sultan
had commanded, at last carried him in procession crying out the
while, "This is the award and the least award of him who
violateth the Harem of the King;" and he threaded the streets
till they came to the square before the great Mosque wherein was
the Shaykh. Now as all the folk were enjoying the spectacle, the
Sage looked out from the window of his cell and beheld the
condition of his scholar. He was moved to ruth and reciting a
spell he summoned the Jann and bade them snatch the young man off
the camel's back with all care and kindness and bring him to his
cell; and he also commanded an 'Aun of the 'Auns[FN#122] to seize
some oldster and set him upon the beast in lieu of the Youth.
They did as he bid them for that he had taken fealty of the Jann
and because of his profound studies in the Notaricon[FN#123] and
every branch of the art magical. And when all the crowd saw the
youth suddenly transformed into a grey-beard they were
awe-stricken and cried, "Alhamdolillah--laud to the Lord--the
young man hath become an old man!" They then looked again and
behold, they saw a person well-known amongst the lieges, one who
had long been wont to sell greens and colocasia at the hostelry
gate near the Cathedral-mosque. Now the headsman noting this case
was confounded with sore affright; so he returned to the palace
with the oldster seated on the camel and went in to the Sultan
followed by all the city-folk who were gazing at the spectacle.
Then he stood before the King and the eunuchry and did homage and
prayed for the Sovran and said, "O our lord the Sultan, verily
the Youth hath vanished, and in lieu of him is this Shaykh well
known to the whole city." Hearing these words the King was
startled; sore fear entered his heart and he said to himself,
"Whoso hath been able to do this deed can do e'en more: he can
depose me from my kingship or he can devise my death." So his
affright increased and he was at a loss how to contrive for such
case. Presently he summoned his Minister and when he came into
the presence said to him, "O Wazir, advise me how to act in the
affair of this Youth and what measures should be taken." The
Minister bowed his brow groundwards in thought for a while, then
raising it he addressed the Sultan and said, "O King of the Age,
this be a thing beyond experience, and the doer must be master of
a might we comprehend not and haply he may work thee in the
future some injury and we fear from him for thy daughter.
Wherefore the right way is that thou issue a royal autograph and
bid the Crier go round about the city and cry saying, 'Let him
who hath wrought this work appear before the King under promise
of safety and again safety--safety on the word of a Sultan which
shall never be falsed.' Should the Youth then surrender himself,
O King of the Age, marry him to thy daughter when perhaps his
mind may be reconciled to thee by love of her. He hath already
cast eyes upon her and he hath seen the inmates of thy Harem
unrobed, so that naught can save their honour but his being
united with the Princess." Hereupon the Sultan indited an
autographic rescript and placed it in the Crier's hands even as
the Wazir had counselled: and the man went about the streets
proclaiming, "By Command of the just King! whoso hath done this
deed let him discover himself and come to the Palace under
promise of safety and again safety, the safety of
sovereigns--safety on the word of a Sultan which shall never be
falsed." And the Crier ceased not crying till in fine he reached
the square fronting the great Mosque. The Youth who was standing
there heard the proclamation and returning to his Shaykh said, "O
my lord, the Crier hath a rescript from the Sultan and he crieth
saying, 'Whoso hath done this deed let him discover himself and
come to the Palace under promise of safety and again
safety--safety on the word of a Sultan which shall never be
falsed.' And, I must go to him perforce." Said the Sage, "O my
son, why shouldst thou do on such wise? Hast thou not already
suffered thy sufficiency?" But the young man exclaimed, "Nothing
shall prevent my going;" and at this the Shaykh replied, "Go
then, O my son, and be thy safeguarding with the Living, the
Eternal." Accordingly, the Youth repaired to the Hammam and
having bathed attired himself in the richest attire he owned,
after which he went forth and discovered himself to the Crier who
led him to the Palace and set him before the Sovran. He salamed
to the Sultan and did him obeisance and prayed for his long life
and prosperity in style the most eloquent, and proffered his
petition in verse the most fluent. The Sultan looked at him (and
he habited in his best and with all of beauty blest), and the
royal mind was pleased and he enquired saying, "Who art thou, O
Youth?" The other replied, "I am the Half-man whom thou sawest
and I did the deed whereof thou wottest." As soon as the King
heard this speech he entreated him with respect and bade him sit
in the most honourable stead, and when he was seated the twain
conversed together. The Sultan was astounded at his speech and
they continued their discourse till they touched upon sundry
disputed questions of learning, when the Youth proved himself as
superior to the Sovran as a dinar is to a dirham: and to whatever
niceties of knowledge the monarch asked, the young man returned
an allsufficient answer, speaking like a book. So the Sultan
abode confounded at the eloquence of his tongue and the purity of
his phrase and the readiness of his replies; and he said in his
mind, "This Youth is as worthy to become my daughter's mate as
she is meet to become his helpmate." Then he addressed him in
these words, "O Youth, my wish is to unite thee with my daughter
and after thou hast looked upon her and her mother none will
marry her save thyself." The other replied, "O King of the Age, I
am ready to obey thee, but first I must take counsel of my
friends." The King rejoined, "No harm in that: hie thee home and
ask their advice." The Youth then craved leave to retire and
repairing to his Shaykh,--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister
mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Sixtieth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Youth
then craved leave to retire and, repairing to his Shaykh,
informed him of what had passed between himself and the Sultan
and said to him, "'Tis also my wish, O my lord, to marry his
daughter." The Sage replied, "There be no fault herein if it be
lawful wedlock: fare thee forth and ask her in marriage." Quoth
the Youth, "But I, O my lord, desire to invite the King to visit
us;" and quoth the Sage, "Go invite him, O my son, and hearten
thy heart." The Youth replied, "O my lord, since I first came to
thee and thou didst honour me by taking me into thy service, I
have known none other home save this narrow cell wherein thou
sittest, never stirring from it by night or by day. How can we
invi
