THE TALE OF THE KAZI AND THE
BHANG-EATER.[FN#224]
There was a certain eater of Bhang--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 King suffer me to survive?" Now when
it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Ninety-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 there was
a certain eater of Bhang whose wont it was every day to buy three
Faddahs' worth of hemp and he would eat one third thereof in the
morning and a second at noon and the rest about sundown. He was
by calling a fisherman; and regularly as dawn appeared he would
take hook and line and go down to the river a-fishing; then he
would sell of his catch a portion, expending half a Faddah on
bread and eat this with the remaining part of the fish broiled.
He would also provide himself day by day with a waxen taper and
light it in his cell and sit before it, taking his pleasure and
talking to himself after his large dose of Bhang. In such
condition he abode a while of time until one fine spring-night,
about the middle of the month when the moon was shining
sheeniest, he sat down to bespeak himself and said, "Ho,
Such-an-one! hie thee forth and solace thy soul with looking at
the world, for this be a time when none will espy thee and the
winds are still." Herewith he went forth intending for the river;
but as soon as he issued from his cell-door and trod upon the
square, he beheld the moonbeams bestrown upon the surface and,
for the excess of his Bhang, his Fancy said to him, "By Allah,
soothly the stream floweth strong and therein needs must be much
store of fish. Return, Such-an-one, to thy cell, bring hook and
line and cast them into these waters; haply Allah our Lord shall
vouchsafe thee somewhat of fish, for men say that by night the
fisherwight on mighty fine work shall alight." He presently
brought out his gear and, having baited the hook, made a cast
into the moonlit square, taking station in the shadow of the
walls where he believed the river bank to be. Then he
bobbed[FN#225] with his hook and line and kept gazing at the
waters, when behold! a big dog sniffed the bait and coming up to
it swallowed the hook till it stuck in his gullet.[FN#226] The
beast feeling it prick his throttle yelped with pain and made
more noise every minute, rushing about to the right and the left:
so the line was shaken in the man's hand and he drew it in, but
by so doing the hook pierced deeper and the brute howled all the
louder; and it was pull Bhang-eater and pull cur. But the man
dared not draw near the moonlight, holding it to be the river, so
he tucked up his gown to his hip-bones, and as the dog pulled
more lustily he said in his mind, "By Allah this must be a mighty
big fish and I believe it to be a ravenous."[FN#227] Then he
gripped the line firmly and haled it in but the dog had the
better of him and dragged him to the very marge of the moonlight;
so the fisherman waxed afraid and began to cry, "Alack! Alack!
Alack![FN#228] To my rescue ye braves![FN#229] Help me for a
monster of the deep would drown me! Yallah, hurry ye, my fine
fellows, hasten to my aid!" Now at that hour people were enjoying
the sweets of sleep and when they heard these unseasonable
outcries they flocked about him from every side and accosting him
asked, "What is it? What maketh thee cry aloud at such an hour?
What hath befallen thee?" He answered, "Save me, otherwise a
river-monster will cause me fall into the stream and be drowned."
Then, finding him tucked up to the hips, the folk approached him
and enquired, "Where is the stream of which thou speakest?" and
he replied, "Yonder's the river; be ye all blind?" Thereat they
understood that he spoke of the moonbeams, whose sheen was
dispread upon earth, deeming it a river-surface, and they told
him this; but he would not credit them and cried, "So ye also
desire to drown me; be off from me! our Lord will send me other
than you to lend me good aid at this hour of need." They replied,
"O well-born one, this be moonshine;" but he rejoined, "Away from
me, ye low fellows,[FN#230] ye dogs!" Then derided him and the
angrier he grew the more they laughed, till at last they said one
to other, "Let us leave him and wend our ways," and they quitted
him in such condition--And Shahrazad was surprised by 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 Ninety-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 folk
who flocked to the assistance of the Bhang-eater left him in such
condition, he crying aloud in affright, the dog being now before
him in a phrenzy of pain for the hook sticking in his gullet and
being unable to rid himself of it, while the man dreaded to draw
near the moonshine, still deeming (albeit he stood upon terra
firma) that he was about to step into the stream. So he hugged
the wall shadow which to him represented the river-bank. In this
case he continued until day brake and light shone and the to-ing
and fro-ing of the folk increased; withal he remained as he was,
crying out for affright lest he be drowned. Suddenly a Kazi rode
by him and seeing him with gown kilted up and the hound hanging
on to the hook, asked, "What may be the matter with thee, O man?"
He answered saying, "O my lord, I dread lest I be drowned in this
stream, whither a monster of the deep is a-dragging me." The
judge looked at him and knew him for a Bhang-eater, so he
dismounted from his monture and cried to one of his attendants,
"Catch hold of yon dog and unhook him!" Now this Kazi was also
one who was wont to use Hashish; so quoth he to himself, "By
Allah, take this fellow with thee and feed him in thy house and
make a mocking-stock of him; and, as each night cometh on do thou
and he eat together a portion of the drug and enjoy each other's
company." Accordingly he took him and carrying him to his
quarters seated him in a private stead until nightfall when the
twain met and supped together; then they swallowed a large dose
of Bhang and they lit candles and sat in their light to enjoy
themselves.[FN#231] Presently from excess of the drug they became
as men Jinn-mad, uttering words which befit not to intend or to
indite,[FN#232] amongst which were a saying of the Bhang-eater to
the Kazi, "By Allah, at this season I'm as great as the King;"
and the Judge's reply, "And I also at such time am as great as
the Basha, the Governor." Thereupon quoth to him the Bhang-eater,
"I'm high above thee and if the King would cut off the Governor's
head what would happen to hinder him?" And quoth the Kazi, "Yea,
verily; naught would hinder him; but 'tis the customs of Kings to
appoint unto Governors a place wherein they may deal
commandment." Then they fell to debating the affairs of the
Government and the Sultanate, when by decree of the Decreer the
Sultan of the city went forth his palace that very night,
accompanied by the Wazir (and the twain in disguise); and they
ceased not traversing the town till they reached the house
wherein sat the Bhang-eater and the Kazi. So they stood at the
door and hear their talk from first to last, when the King turned
to the Minister and asked, "What shall we do with these two
fellows?" "Be patient, O King of the Age," answered the Wazir,
"until they make an end of their talk, after which whatso thou
wilt do with them that will they deserve." "True indeed,"[FN#233]
quoth the ruler, "nevertheless, instead of standing here let us
go in to them." Now that night the boon-companions had left the
door open forgetting to padlock it; so the visitors entered and
salam'd to them and they returned the greeting and rose to them
and bade them be seated. Accordingly they sat down and the Sultan
said to the Bhang-eater, "O man, fearest thou not aught from the
Sovran, thou and thy friend; and are ye sitting up until this
hour?" He replied, "The Sultan himself often fareth forth at such
untimely time, and as he is a King even so am I, and yonder man
is my Basha: moreover, if the ruler think to make japery of us,
we are his equals and more." Thereupon the Sultan turned to his
Wazir and said by signals, "I purpose to strike off the heads of
these fellows;" and said the Minister in the same way, "O King,
needs must they have a story, for no man with his wits in his
head would have uttered such utterance. But patience were our
bestest plan." Then cried the Bhang-eater to the Sultan, "O man,
whenever we say a syllable, thou signallest to thine associate.
What is it thou wouldst notify to him and we not understanding
it? By Allah, unless thou sit respectfully in our presence we
will bid our Basha strike off thy pate!"--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 Ninety-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 deed fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the
Sultan heard the Bhang-eater's words he waxed the more furious
and would have arisen and struck off his head; but the Wazir
winked at him and whispered, "O King of the Age, I and thou are
in disguise and these men imagine that we are of the commons: so
be thou pitiful even as Almighty Allah is pitiful and willeth not
the punishment of the sinner. Furthermore, I conceive that the
twain are eaters of Hashish, which drug when swallowed by man,
garreth him prattle of whatso he pleaseth and chooseth, making
him now a Sultan then a Wazir and then a merchant, the while it
seemeth to him that the world is in the hollow of his hand."
Quoth the Sultan, "And what may be thy description of Hashísh?"
and quoth the Wazir, "'Tis composed of hemp leaflets, whereto
they add aromatic roots and somewhat of sugar: then they cook it
and prepare a kind of confection which they eat;[FN#234] but
whoso eateth it (especially an he eat more than enough), talketh
of matters which reason may on no wise represent. If thou wouldst
know its secret properties, on the coming night (Inshallah!) we
will bring some with us and administer it to these two men; and
when they eat it the dose will be in addition to their ordinary."
After this the Sultan left them and went forth, when the
Bhang-eater said to the Kazi, "By Allah, this night we have
enjoyed ourselves and next night (if Allah please!) we will enjoy
ourselves yet more." The other replied, "Yes, but I fear from the
Sultan, lest he learn our practice and cut off our heads." "Who
shall bring the Sovran to us?" asked the other: "he is in his
palace and we are in our own place; and, granting he come, I will
divert him by recounting an adventure which befel me." The Kazi
answered, "Have no dread of the Sultan; for he may not fare forth
a-nights single-handed; nay, what while he issueth forth he must
be escorted by his high officials." Now when the next night fell,
the Kazi brought the Hashish which he divided into two halves,
eating one himself and giving the other to his companion; and
both swallowed their portions after supper and then lit the waxen
tapers and sat down to take their pleasure.[FN#235] Suddenly the
Sultan and his Wazir came in upon them during the height of their
enjoyment, and the visitors were habited in dress other than
before, and they brought with them a quantity of Bhang-confection
and also some conserve of roses: so they handed a portion of the
first to the revellers, which these accepted and ate, while they
themselves swallowed the conserve, the others supposing it to be
Hashish like what they had eaten. Now when they had taken an
overdose, they got into a hurly-burly of words and fell to saying
things which can neither be intended nor indited, and amongst
these they exclaimed, "By Allah, the Sultan is desposed and we
will rule in his stead and deal commandment to his reign." The
other enquired, "And if the Sultan summon us what wilt thou say
to him?" "By Allah, I will tell him a tale which befel myself and
crave of him ten Faddahs wherewithal to buy Bhang!" "And hast
thou any skill in tale-telling?" "In good sooth I have!" "But how
wilt thou despose the Sultan and reign in his stead?" "I will say
to him 'Be off!' and he will go." "He will strike thy neck."
"Nay, the Sultan is pitiful and will not punish me for my words."
So saying the Bhang-eater arose and loosed the inkle of his
bag-trowsers, then approaching the Sultan he drew forth his
prickle and proceeded to bepiss him:[FN#236] but the King took
flight as the other faced him, and fled before him, he
pursuing.--And Shahrazad was surprised by 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 Ninety-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
Bhang-eater holding up his bag-trowsers ran after the Sultan
purposing to bepiss him and caught up the fugitive at the doorway
when he fell over the threshold and began a-piddling upon his own
clothes. In like manner the Kazi attempted to bepiss the Wazir
and ran after him to the entrance, where he also fell upon the
Bhang-eater and took to making water over him. So the Bhang-eater
and the Kazi lay each bewraying other, and the Sultan and the
Wazir stood laughing at then and saying, "By Allah, too much
Hashish injureth man's wits;" and presently they left and went
their ways returning to their palaces. But the two drunkards
ceased not lying in their own water till day broke; and when the
fumes of the drug had left heir brains, they arose and found
themselves dripping and befouled with their own filth. Thereupon
each said to other, "What be this cross hath betided us?"
Presently they arose and washed themselves and their clothes;
then sitting down together they said, "None did this deed by us
save and except the two fellows who were with us; and who knoweth
what they were, or citizens of this city or strangers; for 'twas
they brought the intoxicant which we ate and it bred a madness in
our brains. Verily 'twas they did the mischief; but, an they come
to us a third time, needs must we be instant with them and learn
from them and they be foreigners or folk of this city: we will
force them to confess, but if they hide them from us we will turn
them out." On the next night they met again and the two sat down
and ate a quantity of Hashish after they had supped: and they lit
the waxen tapers and each of them drank a cup of coffee.[FN#237]
Presently their heads whirled round under the drug and they sat
down to talk and enjoy themselves when their drunkenness said to
them, "Up with you and dance." Accordingly they arose and danced,
when behold, the Sultan and his Wazir suddenly came in upon them
and salam'd to them: so they returned the salutation but
continued the salutation. The new comers considered them in this
condition and forthwith the King turned to the Minister and said,
"What shall we do with them?" Said the other, "Patience until
their case come to end in somewhat whereof we can lay hold." Then
they chose seats for themselves and solaced them with the
spectacle, and the dancers kept on dancing until they were tired
and were compelled to sit down and take their rest. Presently the
Bhang-eater looked at the Sultan and exclaimed, "You, whence are
you?" and he replied, "We be foreigner folk and never visited
this city before that night when we met you; and as we heard you
making merry we entered to partake of your merriment." On this
wise the device recoiled upon the Bhang-eater and presently the
King asked them, saying, "Fear ye not lest the Sultan hear of
you, and ye in this condition which would cause your disgrace at
his hands?" The Bhang-eater answered, "The Sultan! What tidings
of us can he have? He is in the royal Palaze and we in our place
of Bhang-eating." The Sovran rejoined, "Why not go to him! Belike
he will gift you and largesse you;" but the Bhang-eater retorted,
"We fear his people lest they drive us away." Whereto quoth the
King, "They will not do on such wise and if thou require it we
will write thee a not to his address, for we know him of old
inasmuch as both of us learned to read in the same school."
"Write thy writ," quoth the other to the Sultan who after
inditing it and sealing it placed it in their hands and presently
the two visitors departed. Then the Bhang-eater and the Kazi sat
together through the night until daylight did appear when the
fumes of the Hashish had fled their brains and the weather waxed
fine and clear. So they said, each to other, "Let us go to the
Sultan," and the twin set out together and walked till they
reached the square facing the Palace. Here, finding a crowd of
folk, they went up to the door and the Bhang-eater drew forth his
letter and handed it to one of the Sultan's suite, who on reading
it fell to the ground and presently rising placed it upon his
head.--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 Ninety-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
officer who took the letter caused the Bhang-eater and his
comrade enter the presence, and the Sultan catching sight of them
commanded them to be seated in a private stead where none other
man was. His bidding was obeyed; and at noon-tide he sent them a
tray of food for dinner and also coffee; and the same was done at
sundown. But as soon as supper-tide came the Sultan prayed and
recited sections of Holy Writ, as was his wont, until two hours
had passed when he ordered the twain be summoned; and when they
stood in the presence and salam'd to him and blessed him the King
returned their salute and directed them to be seated. Accordingly
they sat down and quoth the Sultan to the Bhang-eater, "Where be
the man who gave you the writ?" Quoth the other, "O King of the
Age, there were two men who came to use and said, 'Why go ye not
to the King? Belike he will gift you and largesse you.' Our reply
was, 'We know him not and we fear lest his folk drive us away.'
So one of them said to us, 'I will write thee a note to his
address for we know him of old, inasmuch as both of us learned to
read in the same school.' Accordingly he indited it and sealed it
and gave it to us; and coming hither we found his words true and
now we are between his hands." The Sultan enquired, "Was there
any lack of civility to the strangers on your part?" and they
replied, "None, save our questioning them and saying, 'Whence
come ye?' whereto they rejoined, 'We be strangers.' Beyond this
there was nothing unpleasant; nothing at all." "Whither went
they?" asked the King and the other answered, "I wot not." The
Sultan continued, "Needs must thou bring them to me for 'tis long
since I saw them;" and the other remarked, "O King of the Age, if
again they come to our place we will seize them and carry them
before thee even perforce, but in case they come not, we have no
means to hand." Quoth the King, "An thou know them well, when
thou catchest sight of them they cannot escape thee," and quoth
the other, "Yea, verily." Then the Sultan pursued, "What did ye
with the twain who came before them and ye wanted to bepiss
them?" Now when the Bhang-eater heard these words his colour
paled and his case changed, his limbs trembled and he suspected
that the person which he had insulted was the Sultan; whereupon
the King turned towards him and seeing in him signs of
discomfiture asked, "What is in thy mind, O Bhang-eater? What
hath befallen thee?" The other arose forthright and kissing
ground cried, "Pardon, O King of the Age, before whom I have
sinned." The Sovran asked, "How didst thou know this?" and he
answered, "Because none other was with us and news of us goeth
not out of doors; so needs must thou have been one of the twain
and he who wrote the writ was thyself; for well we know that the
kings read not in schools. Thou and thy friend did come in
disguise to make merry at our expense; therefore pardon us, O
King of the Age, for mercy is a quality of the noble, and
Almighty Allah said, 'Whoso pardoneth and benefitteth his reward
is with Allah,' and eke He said, 'And the stiflers of wrath and
the pardoners of mankind and Allah loveth the doers of
good'."[FN#238] Herewith the Sultan smiled and said, "No harm
shall befal thee, O Bhang-eater! Thine excuse is accepted and thy
default pardoned, but, O thou clever fellow, hast thou no tale to
tell us?" He replied, "O King of the Age, I have a story touching
myself and my wife which, were it graven with needle-gravers upon
the eye-corners were a warning to whoso would be warned. But I
strave against her on my own behalf, withal she overcame me and
tyrannised over me by her contrivance." "What is it?" asked the
King; so the man began to relate the
History of the Bhang-Eater and his Wife.
In the beginning of my career I owned only a single bull and
poverty confused my wits.--And Shahrazad was surprised by 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 Ninety-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
Bhang-eater said to the Sultan:--I had no property save a single
bull and poverty confused my wits. So I resolved to sell
Roger[FN#239] and going to the Bazar stood therein expecting
someone to buy it, but none came to me until the last of the day.
At that time I drove it forth and dragged it off till we reached
half-way to my home, where I came upon a tree and sat down to
rest in the cool shade. Now I had somewhat of Bhang with me, also
a trifle of bread which I brought out and ate, and after I drank
a draught of water from the spring. Presently the Bhang began to
wobble in my brains and behold a bird in the tree-top which men
call a Magpie[FN#240] fell a-cawing, so I said to her, "Thou, O
Mother of Solomon, hast thou a mind to buy the bull?" and she
cawed again. I continued, "Whatso price ever thou settest upon
the bull, at that will I cede it to thee." Again a croak and I,
"Haply thou hast brought no money?" Another croak and cried I,
"Say the word and I will leave the bull with thee till next
Friday when thou wilt come and pay me its price." But she still
cawed and I, whenever she opened beak, O King of the Age, fancied
that she bespake me and wanted the bull. But all this was of the
excess of my Bhang which kept working in my brains and I mistook
the croaking for her conversing. Accordingly I left with her the
bull bound to the tree and turned towards my village; and, when I
went in to my wife, she asked me anent the bull and I told her of
my selling it to the Mother of Solomon. "Who may she be?" asked
my rib, and I replied, "She dwelleth in yonder tree;" whereat my
spouse rejoined "Allah compensate thee with welfare." So I
awaited patiently the appointed term; then, after swallowing
somewhat of Bhang, I repaired to the tree and sat beneath it
when, lo and behold! the pie cawed and I cried to her, "Hast thou
brought the coin?" A second caw! Then said I, "Come hither and
bring me the money." A third caw! Hereat I waxed wroth and arose
and taking up a bittock of brick I threw it at her as she sat
perched upon the tree, whereupon she flew off and alit upon an
'old man'[FN#241] of clay hard by. So it occurred to my mind, "By
Allah, the Mother of Solomon biddeth me follow her and recover
the value of the bull from yonder 'old man.'" Presently I went up
to it and digging therein suddenly came upon a crock[FN#242] full
of gold wherefrom I took ten ashrafis, the value of the bull, and
returned it to its place, saying, "Allah ensure thy weal, O
Mother of Solomon." Then I walked back to my village and went in
to my wife and said, "By Allah, verily the Mother of Solomon is
of the righteous! Lookye, she gave me these ten golden ducats to
the price of our Roger." Said my wife, "And who may be the Mother
of Solomon?" and I told her all that had befallen me especially
in the matter of the crock of gold buried in the 'old man.' But
after she heard my words she tarried until sundown; then, going
to the land-mark she dug into it and carrying off the crock
brought it home privily. But I suspected her of so doing and said
to her, "O woman, hast thou taken the good of the Mother of
Solomon (and she of the righteous) after we have received from
her the price of our Roger out of her own moneys? And hast thou
gone and appropriated her property? By Allah, an thou restore it
not to its stead even as it was, I will report to the Wali that
my wife hath happened upon treasure-trove." And so saying I went
forth from her. Then she arose and got ready somewhat of dough
for cooking with flesh-meat and, sending for a fisherman, bade
him bring her a few fishes fresh-caught and all alive, and taking
these inside the house she drew sweet water and sprinkled them
therewith, and lastly she placed the dough and meat outside the
house ready for nightfall. Presently I returned and we supped, I
and she; but 'twas my firm resolve to report my wife's find to
the Chief of Police. We slept together till midnight when she
awoke me saying, "O man, I have dreamed a dream, and this it is,
that the sky hath rained down drink and meat and that the fishes
have entered our house." I replied to her of my folly and the
overmuch Bhang which disported in my head, "Let us get up and
look." So we searched the inside of the house and we found the
fishes, and the outside where we came upon the doughboy and
flesh-meat; so we fell to picking it up, I and she, and broiling
it and eating thereof till morning. Then said I, "Do thou go and
return the moneys of Solomon's Mother to their own place." But
she would not and flatly refused.--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 Ninety-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
Bhang-eater continued:--I said to my wife, "Do thou go and return
the moneys of Solomon's Mother to their own place;" but she would
not and flatly refused. Then I repeated[FN#243] my words but
without avail, so I flew into a fury and leaving her ceased not
trudging till I found the Wali and said to him, "O my lord, my
wife Such-an-one hath hit upon a hoard and 'tis now with
her."[FN#244] The Chief of Police asked, "O man, hast thou seen
it?" and I answered, "Yes." SO he sent a body of his followers to
bring her before him and when she came said to her, "O wo-man,
where is the treasure trove?" Said she, "O my lord, this report
is a baseless;" whereupon the Chief of Police bade her be led to
jail. They did his bidding and she abode in the prison a whole
day, after which the Wali summoned her and repeated his words to
her adding, "An thou bring not the hoard I will slay thee and
cast thy corpse into the bogshop[FN#245] of the Hammam." The
woman (my wife) rejoined, "O my lord, I never found aught;" and
when he persisted threatening her with death she cried, "O my
lord, wherefore oppress me on this wise and charge such load of
sin upon thine own neck? I never came upon treasure at all, at
all!" The Chief of Police retorted, "My first word and my last
are these:--Except thou bring the treasure trove I will slay thee
and cast thee into the jakes." Herewith quoth she, "O my lord,
ask my husband where it was I hit upon the hoard and at what
time, by day or by night," and the Wali's men cried, "By Allah,
these her words are just and right, nor is therein aught of
harm." So he sent to summon me and asked me, "O man, when did thy
wife hit upon the hoard?" I answered, "O my lord, she found it on
the night when the skies rained drink and food and fishes." Now
when the Wali heard my words he said to me, "O man, the skies are
not wont to shed aught save rainwater; and a man in his right
wits speaketh not such speech as this." Said I, "By the life of
thy head, O my lord, they did rain all three of them;" but the
officers cried, "O my lord, verily this man be Jinn-mad and his
wife who telleth plain truth is wronged by him: the fellow
deserveth confining in the Máristán."[FN#246] Accordingly the
Chief of Police bade the men set the woman free and let her wend
her ways and seize me and throw me into the madhouse. They did
his bidding and I remained there the first day and the second
till the third when my wife said to herself, "There is no Majesty
and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! By
the Lord, needs must I go and relieve my husband from Bedlam and
charge him never again to speak of that treasure trove." So she
came to the Maristan and entering said to me, "Ho, Such-an-one,
if any ask of thee saying, 'What do the skies rain?'[FN#247] do
thou make answer, 'They rain water!' Furthermore if they inquire
of thee, 'Do they ever rain drink and food and fishes?' reply
thou, 'This is clean impossible, nor can such thing ever take
place!' Then haply they will say to thee, 'How many days are in
the week?' and do thou say, 'Seven days and this day be such a
day!' Lastly have a guard on thyself when speaking." I rejoined,
"'Tis well, and now hie thee forth and buy me half a faddah's
worth of Bhang, for during these days I have not eaten aught
thereof." So she went and bought me somewhat and of Hashish.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by 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 Four Hundredth 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
Bhang-eater's wife fared forth and brought back somewhat of food
and of Hashish: then returning to the Maristan (he continued) she
gave both to me and I ate of them, after which I said to her,
"Let us up and be off!" whereto she, "And when we go to the Wali
what wilt thou say?" Then the Bhang wrought in the brains and I
cried, "O bawd,[FN#248] O my nice young lady, well thou wottest
that the skies did rain flesh and drink and fishes! Why then
didst thou not tell the truth before the Chief of Police?"
Thereupon the Manager of the Madhouse cried to me, "O fellow,
this is the babble of madmen!" and I, "By Allah, I ate of them
boiled; and doubtless the same kind of rain fell in your house."
The other exclaimed, "There be nor doubt nor hesitation anent the
insanity of one who sayeth such say!" Now all this was related by
the Bhang-eater to the Sultan who marvelled and asked him, "What
could have made thee go to the Manager and recount to him such
absurdities?" But the Bhang-eater resumed, saying, "I dwelt in
the Maristan twenty days until at last having no Bhang to eat I
came to my senses and confessed that the skies shed only
rain-water, that the week containeth seven days and that this day
be such-and-such; in fact I discoursed like a man in his right
mind. So they discharged me and I went my ways." But when the
Kazi heard this tale he cried out to the Sultan, "O King of the
Age, my story is still more wondrous than this, which is only a
prank played by a wife. My name was originally Abú Kásim
al-Tambúri[FN#249] and I was appointed Kazi after a neat thing I
did, and if thou, O our lord the Sultan, desire to be told of the
adventures which befel me and of the clever trick wherefor they
made me a judge, deign give thy commandment and I will commence
it." Quoth the Sultan, "Recount to us why and where they entitled
thee Kazi," and the judge began to relate
How Drummer Abu Kasim Became a Kazi.
There was once, O King of the Age, a merchant and a man of
Bassorah who went about trading with eunuchs and slave-boys and
who bore his goods in bales[FN#250] from Bassorah to Ajam-land
there to sell them and to buy him other merchandise for vending
in Syria. On this wise he tarried a long while until one year of
the years he packed up his property, as was his wont, and fared
forth with it to Persia. But at that time there fortuned to be a
famine and when he arrived at one of the cities of the Ajam-land,
where formerly the traders bought his goods, on this occasion
none of them would come near him. In such case he continued a
long while till at last a Khwájah appeared before him, a man who
owned abundant riches in Persia, but his home was distant three
days from the place. The visitor asked saying, "O Bassorite, wilt
thou sell me thy stock-in-trade?" whereto the other answered,
"And how? Of course I'll sell it!" So the buyer opened the gate
of bidding and offered such-and-such; but the Bassorah man cried,
"Allah openeth." Then the purchaser added somewhat and the seller
rejoined, "Give me yet more?" At last the buyer exclaimed, "I
will give nothing more than 'Anaught';"[FN#251] and the seller
accepted the offer saying, "May Allah grant us gain!" Thereupon
the Persian Khwajah took over all the goods from the vendor and
next day the twain met to settle money-matters. Now I, O King of
the Age, happened to be abiding in that city. The seller received
from the buyer payment in full nor did anything remain; but
after, the Bassorah man said to his customer, "Thou still owest
me the 'Anaught,' which thou must hand over to me." The other
replied jeeringly, "And the 'Anaught' is a naught; to wit, no
thing;" but the Bassorite rejoined, "Here with that 'Anaught'!"
Upon this a violent ruffle befel between them, the cause was
carried before the King and payment was required in the Divan,
for the Bassorite still demanded from the purchaser his
"Anaught." The Sultan asked, "And what be this 'Anaught'?" and
the Bassorah man answered, "I wot not, O King of the Age;" and
the Bassorah man answered, "I wot not, O King of the Age;"
whereat the Sultan marvelled.--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, and the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was
The Four Hundred and 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 deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
marvelled at the action of this Bassorite and his saying, "Give
me my 'Anaught!'" Presently the tidings of that cause reached me,
O King; so I went to the Divan which was thronged with folk and
all present kept saying, "How would it be if this 'Anaught' were
a fraud or a resiliation of the contract?" Thereupon the Sultan
exclaimed, "Whoso shall settle this case, to him verily will I be
bountiful." So I came forward, O King of the Age, thinking of a
conceit and kissed ground and said to him, "I will conclude this
cause," and he rejoined, "An thou determine it and dispose of it
I will give thee largesse; but if not, I will strike off thy
head." I rejoined, "To hear is to obey." Then I bade them bring a
large basin which could hold a skinful of water and ordered them
fill it; after which I called out to the Bassorite, "Draw near,"
and he drew near. Then I cried to the claimant, "Close thy fist!"
and he did accordingly, and again I commanded him to close it and
to keep it tight closed. He obeyed my bidding and I continued
"Dip thy neave into the basin," and he dipped it. Presently I
asked, "Is thy hand in the water and thy fist closed?" and he
replied, "It is." Then said I, "Withdraw it," and he withdrew it,
and I cried, "Open thy neave," and he opened it. Then I asked,
"What thing hast thou found therein?" and he answered, "Anaught;"
whereupon I cried to him, "Take thine 'Anaught' and wend thy
ways." Hereupon the Sultan said to the Bassorite, "Hast thou
taken thine 'Anaught,' O man?" and said he "Yes." Accordingly the
King bade him gang his gait. Then the Sultan gifted me with
costly gifts and named me Kazi; and hence, O King of the Age, is
the cause of the title in the case of one who erst was Abu Kasim
the Drummer. Hereat quoth the Sultan, "Relate to us what rare
accident befel thee in thy proper person." SO the judge began to
recount
The Story of the Kazi and his Slipper.
Once upon a time, O King of the Age, I had a slipper which hardly
belonged to its kind nor ever was there seen a bigger. Now one
day of the days I waxed aweary of it and sware to myself that I
would never wear it any more; so in mine anger I flung it away
and it fortuned to fall upon the flat roof of a Khwájah's house
where the stucco was weakest. Thence it dropped through, striking
a shelf that held a number of phials full of the purest
rose-water and the boarding yielded breaking all the bottles and
spilling their contents. The house-folk heard the breakage
ringing and rattling; so they crowded one after other to discover
what had done the damage and at last they found my papoosh
sprawling amiddlemost the room. Then they made sure that the
shelf had not been broken except by the violence of that slipper,
and they examined it when, behold, the house-master cried,
saying, "This be the papoosh of Abu Kasim the Drummer." Hereupon
he took it and carried it to the Governor who summoned me and set
me before him; then he made me responsible for the phials and
whatso was therein and for the repairing of the terrace-roof and
upraising it again. And lastly he handed to me the slipper which
was exceedingly long and broad and heavy and, being cruel old it
showed upwards of an hundred and thirty patches nor was it
unknown to any of the villagers. So I took it and fared forth
and, being anangered with the article, I resolved to throw it
into some dark hole or out-of-the-way place; --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 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 Four Hundred and 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 Abu Kasim
the Drummer continued to the Sultan; I resolved to throw it into
some dark hole or out-of-the-way place; and presently I came to
the watercloset of the Hammam and cast it into the conduit
saying, "Now shall none ever see it again; nor shall I be
troubled with its foul aspect for the rest of my life." Then I
returned home and abode there the first day and the second, but
about noon on the third a party of the Governor's men came and
seized me and bore me before him; and no sooner did he see me
than he cried out, "Throw him!" Accordingly they laid me out at
fullest length and gave me an hundred cuts with a scourge[FN#252]
which I bore stoutly and presently said, "O my Sultan,[FN#253]
what be the cause of this fustigation and wherefor do they
oppress me?" Said he, "O man, the conduit[FN#254] of the jakes
attached to the Mosque was choked by thy slipper and the flow,
unable to pass off, brimmed over, whereby sundry houses belonging
to the folk were wrecked."[FN#255] I replied, "O my lord, can a
slipper estop the flowing of a water that feedeth a Hammam?"
Thereupon the Governor said to me, "Take it away and if any find
it in his place and again bring me a complaint thereanent, I will
cut off thy head." So they haled me away after tossing my slipper
to me, and I repaired to the Efendi[FN#256] of the town and said
to him, "O our lord, I have a complaint against this Papoosh
which is not my property nor am I its owner: prithee do thou
write me a deed to such purport between me and the Slipper and
all who pass down this road." The Efendi replied, "O man, how
shall I write thee a deed between thee and thy Papoosh, which is
a senseless thing? Nay, take it thyself and cut it up and cast it
into some place avoided of the folk." Accordingly I seized it and
hacked it with a hatchet into four pieces which I threw down in
the four corners of the city, saying to myself the while, "By
Allah, I shall nevermore in my life hear any further of its
adventures;" and walked away barefoot. But I had thrown one bit
under a bridge that crossed a certain of the small canals; and
the season was the dries, wherefore it collected a heap of sand
which rose thereupon, and raised the pile higher until the
archway was blocked up by a mound. Now when the Níl[FN#257]
flooded and reached that archway the water was dammed up and
ceased running so the townsfolk said, "What may be the matter?
The Nile-inundation hath reached the bridge but cannot pass under
it. Come let us inspect the archway." They did so and presently
discovered the obstacle; to wit, the mound before the arch which
obstructed the waterway; whereupon a party kilted their clothes
and waded into the channel that they might clear it. But when
they came to the mound-base they found my quarter-slipper, and
they exclaimed with one cry, "This be the Papoosh of Abu Kasim
the Drummer!" But as soon as the tidings reached me, I fared
away, flying from that town, and while so doing was met by a
comrade, yonder Bhang-eater; so we agreed that we would travel
together and he companied me till we came to this city, e'en as
thou seest us, O our lord the Sultan. Thereupon the King said to
them, "Do ye twain abide with me amongst my servants; but I have
a condition with you which is that ye be righteous in your
service and that ye be ready to join my séance every night after
supper-tide." Then he cautioned them against disobedience and
quoth he, "Be ye not deluded by becoming my companions nor say to
yourselves, We be the assessors of the King; for that the byword
declareth: Whenas the King sitteth beware of his severity, and be
not refractory whenever he shall say to thee 'Do.'" They agreed
to this condition and each whispered his mate, "Do thou have a
care to act righteously!" Then they left the King nor did they
see him again till one day of the days when behold, a Khwajah
appeared before the Sultan.--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 Four Hundred and 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 one day of
the days, behold a Khwajah appeared before the Sultan and said,
"'Tis not lawful in Allah's sight, O King of the Age, that a
Bhang-eater should propose to dishonour me in the person of my
daughter and load me with infamy amongst His worshippers saying
the while, "I am of the King's suite.'" Now the cause of the
merchant's complaint was as follows. One day of the days the
Bhang-eater was passing by under the latticed window of the
Khwajah's home when by decree of the Decreer, the daughter of the
house was looking out at the casement and was solacing herself by
observing all who walked the street. Perchance the Bhang-eater's
glance fell upon the maiden and that sight of eyes entailed a
thousand sighs, so he said to himself, "By Allah, if I meet not
this maiden, although it be only once, I shall die of a broken
heart nor shall any one know of my death." He then took to
passing under the window every day and to gazing upwards and to
tarrying there from morning-tide to set of sun; but the more he
looked the less he saw of her because Fortune which was fair to
him the first time had now turned foul. So he continued in this
condition for a while, coming every day to look at the lattice
and seeing naught. Presently his case became strait and ill
health entered his frame for love to the merchant's daughter; and
by reason of its excess he betook himself to his pillow turning
and tossing right and left and crying, "O her eyes! O her
loveliness! O her stature! O her symmetrical grace!" But as he
was repeating these words behold, an old woman came in to him
and, seeing his concern and chagrin, accosted him and said, "No
harm to thee!" Quoth he, "Ah, my reverend mother, unless thou
come to my aid I perish," and quoth she, "What is upon thy mind?
So he disclosed to her all he felt of fondness and affection for
the Khwajah's daughter and she rejoined. "Thou wilt never win to
thy wish in this matter except through me." Then she left him and
repaired to her own place, pondering the wiles of women, till she
entered her house and there she donned a woolen robe and hung
three rosaries around her neck, after which she hent a palm-staff
in hand and set out for the merchant's quarters. She ceased not
walking till she reached the place and entered in her garb of a
religious mendicant[FN#258] crying out, "Allah, there is no god
but the God! extolled be Allah! Allah be with you all!" When the
girl, whose name was Sitt al-Husn--the Lady of Beauty--heard
these words she met her, hoping for a blessing, and saying, "O my
mother, pray for me!" and the old woman responded, "The name of
Allah be upon thee! Allah be thy safeguard!"[FN#259] Then she sat
down and the damsel came and took seat beside her; so likewise
did the girl's mother and both sought a blessing from her and
conversed together till about noon when she arose and made the
Wuzú-ablution and span out her prayers, whilst those present
exclaimed, "By Allah this be a pious woman!" When her orisons
were ended they served up dinner to her; but she said, "I'm
fasting;" whereat they increased in love and belief herwards and
insisted upon her abiding with them until sunset that she might
break her fast within their walls. ON such wise she acted but it
was all a fraud. Then they persisted in keeping her for the
night; so she nighted with them, and when it was morn she arose
and prayed and mumbled words, some intelligible and others not to
be understanded of any, while the household gazed upon her and,
whenever she would move from place to place, supported her with
their hands under her armpits. At last, when it was mid-forenoon
she fared forth from them albeit their intent was not to let her
depart. But early on the next day she came in to them and all met
her with greetings and friendly reception, kissing her hands and
bussing her feet; so she did as she had done on the first day and
in like guise on the third while they showed her increased honour
and worship. On the fourth day she came to them, as was her wont,
and they prayed her be seated; however she refused and said, "I
have a daughter whom I am about to marry and the bridal
festivities will be in my house; but I come to you at this hour
to let you know my desire that Sitt al-Husn may accompany me and
be present at my girl's wedding-feast and thus she will gain a
blessing." Her mother replied, "We dread lest somewhat befal
her," but the ancient woman rejoined, "Fear not for her as the
Hallows[FN#260] are with her!" Thereupon cried the girl, "There
is no help but that I accompany her and be present at her
daughter's wedding ceremony and enjoy the spectacle and take my
pleasure." The mother said, "'Tis well;" and the old trot added,
"I will go and return within this moment." So saying, she went
off as one aweary to the house of the Bhang-eater and told him
what she had done; then she returned to the maiden whom she found
drest and decorated and looking her best. So she took the girl
and fared forth with her.--And Shahrazad was surprised by 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 Four Hundred and 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
ancient woman took the girl and fared forth with her and led her
to the Bhang-eater's house and brought her in to him who, seeing
her in all her beauty and loveliness, arose forthright and his
wits fled him and he drew near to her of his excessive love
herwards. Therewith the "Lady of Beauty" understood that the old
woman was an accursed procuress who had beguiled her in order to
bring her and the man together. So of her cleverness and clear
intelligence she said to her lover, "O my brave, whoso expecteth
a visit of his beloved getteth ready somewhat of meat and
somewhat of fruit and somewhat of wine, that their pleasure may
be perfected; and, if thou purpose love-liesse we will pass the
night in this place." Quoth the Bhang-eater, "By Allah, O my
lady, thou speakest sooth but what shall we do at such hour as
this?" and quoth she, "Hie thee to the market-street and bring
all whereof I spoke." Said he, "Hearkening and obedience," and
said she, "I will sit down, I and this my mother in this place,
the while thou goest and comest." He rejoined, "A sensible
saying!" and forthright he was right gladsome nor knew what was
prepared for him in the hidden future. Now as soon as he went the
damsel arose and without making aught of noise locked the door
closely upon herself and the old trot: then she wandered about
the rooms and presently came upon a butcher's chopper[FN#261]
which she seized. Hereupon tucking up her sleeves above her
elbows, in the firmness of her heart she drew near the old crone
until she was hard by her right and so clove her skull asunder
that she fell weltering in her blood and her ghost fled her
flesh. After this the damsel again went about the house and all
worth the taking she took, leaving whatso was unworthy, till she
had collected a number of fine robes which the man had brought
together after he had become a cup-companion of the Sultan; and,
lastly, she packed the whole in a sheet[FN#262] and went forth
therewith. Now the season was morning but The Veiler veiled her
and none met her on the way until she reached her home and
saying, "By Allah, to-day my girl hath tarried long at the bridal
festivities of the Ascetic's daughter." And behold Sitt al-Husn
came in to her carrying a large sheet stuffed with raiment, and
as her mother saw her agitated and in disorder she questioned her
of her case and of what was packed in the bundle. But the girl,
who returned no reply and could not speak one syllable for the
emotion caused by the slaughter of the ancient woman, fell to the
ground in a fit. Her swoon endured from noon until eventide, her
mother sitting at her head the while and sorrowing for her
condition. But about set of sun behold, in came her father who
found his daughter aswoon; so he questioned his wife who began by
recounting to him what they had noted in the old woman of prayer
and display of devotion and how she had told them, "I have a
daughter whom I am about to marry and the bridal festivities will
be in my house." "And," pursued the mother, "she invited us to
visit her; so at undurntide I sent with her the girl; who at
noontide came back bringing somewhat wrapped up and bundled,
which be this. But when she entered the house she fell to the
floor in a fainting fit and she is even as thou seest; nor do I
know what befel her." Then the father rose up and besprinkled
somewhat of water upon her face which revived her and she said,
"Where am I?" whereto said he, "Thou art with us." And when she
had recovered and returned to her senses, and her condition was
as before the swoon, she told them of the old woman and her ill
designs and of her death and lastly how the clothes had been
brought by herself from the house of the Bhang-eater. As soon as
her sire had heard her words, he set out from his home and sought
the Sultan.--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 Four Hundred and 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 whilst the
Sultan was sitting behold, the Khwajah came in and complained to
him of the Bhang-eater, whereupon he ordered a company to go
fetch the accursed and they went off and found him not. So they
returned and reported accordingly. Such was the cause of the
Khwajah coming to the King and such was the case with them; but
as regards the Bhang-eater, when he went off rejoicing to the
Bazar in order to buy whatso the merchant's daughter had asked
him, he brought many a thing wherewith he returned to his
lodging. However as he returned he beheld the old woman
slaughtered and weltering in her blood and he found nothing at
all of the choice articles wherewith his house was fulfilled; so
he fell to quoting this couplet:[FN#263]--
"'Twas as a hive of bees that greatly thrived; * But, when the
bee-swarm fled, 'twas clean unhived."
And when he beheld that condition of things he turned from his
home in haste and without stay or delay left it about the hour of
mid-afternoon and fared forth from the city. There he found a
caravan bound to some bourne or other, so he proceeded therewith
hardly believing in his own safety and he ceased not accompanying
the Cafilah[FN#264] for the space of five days till it made the
city the travellers sought, albeit he was fatigued and footsore
from the stress of hardships and weariness he had endured. So he
entered the place and wandered about until he found a Khan
wherein he hired him a cell by way of nighting-stead and every
day he would go forth to seek service for wages whereby he might
make a livelihood. Now one day of the days a woman met him face
to face on the highway and said to him, "Dost thou do service?"
and said he, "Indeed I do, O my lady." She continued, "There is a
wall about my place which I desire to level and build another in
lieu thereof for that 'tis old and very old." He replied to her,
"'Tis well," and she took him and repaired with him to her house
and showing him the wall in question handed to him a pickaxe and
said, "Break it down as much as thou art able be it for two or
three days, and heap up the stones in one place and the dried mud
in another." He replied, "Hearkening and obedience;" after which
she brought to him somewhat of food and of water and he ate and
drank and praised Almighty Allah. After this he rose and began
breaking down the wall and he ceased not working and piling up
the stones and the dried mud until it was sunset time when the
woman paid him to his wage ten faddahs and added a something of
food which he took and turned towards his own cell. As soon as it
was the second day he repaired to the house of the woman who
again gave him somewhat to break his fast and he fell to felling
the wall even as he had done on the first day and he worked till
noon; but when it was midday and all the household was asleep, lo
and behold! he found in the middle of the foundation a
crock[FN#265] full of gold. So he opened it and considered its
contents whereat he was rejoiced and he went forth without
leisure or loss of time seeking his own cell and when he reached
it he locked himself within for fear lest any look upon him. Then
he opened the crock and counted therein one hundred dinars which
he pouched in his purse and stowed away in his breast-pocket.
Presently he returned, as he was, to break down the rest of the
wall and whilst he was trudging along the highway suddenly he
sighted a box surrounded by a crowd of whom none knew what might
be its contents and its owner was crying out, "For an hundred
gold pieces!" Thereupon the Bhang-eater went forwards saying to
himself, "Buy thee yonder box for the hundred dinars and thy luck
be thy lot, for it there be inside of it aught of wonderful 'tis
well, and if otherwise thou shalt stand by thy bad bargain." So
he drew near the broker[FN#266] and said to him, "This box for
how much?"[FN#267] and the other answered, "For an hundred gold
dinars!" But when he questioned him as to its contents the man
replied, "I know not; whoso taketh it his luck be his lot."
Thereupon he brought out to him the hundred ducats and the broker
made over to him the box which he charged upon his shoulders and
carried off to his cell. There arrived he bolted himself in and
opened the coffer wherein he found a white slave-girl which was a
model of beauty and loveliness and stature and perfect grace: but
she was like one drunken with wine. So he shook her but she was
not aroused when he said to himself, "What may be the story of
this handmaiden?" and he was never tired of looking upon her
while she was in that condition and he kept saying to himself,
"Would Heaven I wot and she be on life or in death; withal I see
her breath coming and going." Now when it was about midnight, the
handmaiden revived and looking around and about her, cried,
"Where am I?" and said the Bhang-eater, "Thou, O my lady, art in
my home;" whereby she understood what had befallen her.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by 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 Four Hundred and 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 deed fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
handmaiden understood what had befallen her at the hands of her
enemies. Now the cause thereof was that the Sultan of that city
had bought him for concubine one Kút al-Kulúb,[FN#268] or
Heart's-food hight, and she became to him the liefest of all the
women he before had, amongst whom his wife, the daughter of his
uncle, had bee preferred; but all fell into the rank of the
common and from the time he bought the new handmaid he was wholly
occupied with her love and he never went near the other inmates
of his Harem, not even his cousin. So they were filled with
exceeding jealousy against Heart's-food the new comer. Now one
day of the days the Sultan went forth to hunt and bird and enjoy
the occasion and solace himself in the gardens together with the
Lords of his land, and they rode on till they found themselves
amiddlemost of the waste pursuing their quarry. But when two days
had passed, his wife together with the women which were
concubines arose and invited all the neighbourhood whereamong was
Kut al-Kulub, and she spread for them a sumptuous banquet and
lavished upon the new comers all manner of attentions and the
wife began to play with her rival and to disport with her until
it was thought that she loved none in the assembly save
Heart's-food; and on such wise she continued to cheer her and
solace her and gambol with her and make her laugh until the trays
were laid and the meats were dispread and all the guests came
forward and fell to eating and drinking. Thereupon the King's
cousin-wife brought a plate seasoned with Bhang and set it before
the concubine who had no sooner eaten it and it had settled in
her stomach than she trembled as with sudden palsy and fell to
the ground without power of motion. Then the Queen bade place her
in a box and having locked her therein sent for one who was
Skaykh of the Brokers and committed to him the coffer saying, "Do
thou sell it for an hundred gold pieces whilst it is locked and
fast locked and suffer not any open it, otherwise we will work
for the cutting off of thy hands." He replied, "To hear is to
obey;" and took up the box and went with it to the market-street
where he said to the brokers, "Cry for sale this coffer at an
hundred dinars and if any attempt to open it, open it not to any
by any manner of means." So they took their station and made
auction of it for an hundred gold pieces, when by the decree of
Destiny the Bhang-eater passed down the street exulting in his
hundred dinars which he had found in the crock while levelling
the wall belonging to the woman. Thereupon he came up and having
paid the price required carried off his coffer saying in his
mind, "My luck is my livelihood." After this he went to his own
cell and opened it and found there the handmaid in condition as
though drunken with wine. Such is the history of that concubine
Kut al-Kulub and she fell not into the hand of the Bhang-eater
save by the wile and guile of the Sultan's cousin-wife. But when
she recovered from her fainting fit and gazed around and
understood what had befallen her she concealed her secret and
said to the man, "Verily this thy cell becometh us not;" and, as
she had somewhat of gold pieces with her and a collar of jewels
around her neck worth a thousand dinars, she brought out for him
some money and sent him forth to hire for them a house in the
middle of the quarter beffiting great folk and when this was done
she had herself transported thither. Then she would give him
every day spending-money to buy whatso she ever required and she
would cook the delicatest dishes fit for the eating of the Kings
wherewith she fed herself and her owner. This continued for
twenty days when suddenly the Sultan returned from his hunting
party and as soon as he entered his palace he asked for Kut
al-Kulub.--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 should 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 Four Hundred and 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 as soon as
the Sultan returned from the chase he asked after Kut al-Kuluh
from his exceeding desire to her, and the daughter of his uncle
told him the tidings saying, "By Allah, O King of the Age, three
days after thou faredst forth there came upon her malaise and
malady wherein she abode six days and then she deceased to the
mercy of Almighty Allah." He exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and
there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Verily
we are the Almighty's and unto Him shall we return." Then befel
him the extreme of grief and straitness of breast and he passed
that night in exceeding cark and care for Kut al-Kulub. And when
it was morning he sent after the Wazir and summoned him between
his hands and bade him go forth to the Tigris-bank and there
approve some place whereon he might build a palace which should
command all roads. The Minister replied, "Hearkening and
obeying;" and hied to do his lord's bidding taking with him
architects[FN#269] and others, and having found a piece of level
ground he ordered them to measure an hundred ells of length for
the building by a breadth of seventy cubits. Presently he sent
for surveyors and master-masons whom he commanded to make ready
every requisite for the work, of ashlar and lime and lead; also
to dig trenches for the base of the walls. Then they fell to
laying the foundations, and the builders and handicraftsmen began
to pile the stones and prepare the loads while the Wazir stood by
them bidding and forbidding. Now when it was the third day, the
Sultan went forth the Palace to look at the masons and artizans
who were working at the foundations of his new edifice. And as
soon as he had inspected it, it pleased him, so he said to the
Wazir, "Walláhi! none would befit this palace save and except Kut
al-Kulub, when 'twould have been full of significance;" and so
saying he wept with sore weeping at the remembrance of her. Quoth
the Wazir to him, "O King of the Age, have patience when calamity
afflicteth thee, even as said one of them with much meaning,
anent long-suffering:--
'Be patient under weight of wrath and blow of sore calamities: *
The Nights compressed by Time's embrace gravidœ miras gerunt
res.'"[FN#270]
Then quoth the Sultan, "'Tis well, O Wazir, I know that patience
is praiseworthy and fretfulness is blameworthy, for indeed quoth
the poet:--
When Time shall turn on thee, have patience for 'tis best of
plight: * Ease shall pursue unease and naught but suffrance
make it light;'
and by Allah, O Wazir, human nature is never free from sad
thought and remembrance. Verily that damsel pleased me and I
delighted in her; nor can I ever think to find one like her in
beauty and loveliness." Thereupon the Wazir fell to guiding the
Sultan with fair words until his breast was broadened and the two
began to solace themselves by inspecting the masons. After this
the Sultan would go forth every morning for solace to Tigris-bank
and tidings reached the ears of Kut al-Kulub that her lord was
engaged on building a riverine palace, whereupon she said to the
Bhang-eater, "Day by day we expend money upon our condition, and
our outgoing is without incoming, so 'twere but right that each
morning thou fare and work with the workmen who are edifying a
mansion for the Sultan, inasmuch as the folk declare that he is
of temper mild and merciful and haply thou shalt gain from him
profit and provision." "O my lady," he replied, "by Allah, I have
no patience to part with thee or to be far from thee;" and he
said so because he loved her and she loved him, for that since
the time he had found her locked in the box and had looked upon
her he had never required of her her person and this was indeed
from his remembrance, for he bore in mind but too well what had
befallen him from the Khwajah's daughter. And she on her side
used to say, "'Tis a wondrous thing that yon Bhang-eater never
asketh me aught nor draweth nigh me seeing that I be a captive of
his right hand." So she said to him, "Assuredly thou dost love
me?" and said he, "How can it be otherwise when thou art the
blood of my life and the light of mine eyes?" "O light of mine
eyes," she replied, "take this necklace and set it in thy
breast-pocket and go work at the Sultan's palace, and as often as
thou shalt think of me, do thou take it out and consider it and
smell it and it shall be as if thou wert to see me." Hearing this
he obeyed her and went forth till he reached the palace where he
found the builders at work and the Sultan and the Wazir sitting
in a Kiosk hard by overseeing the masons and the workmen; --And
Shahrazad was surprised by 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 Four Hundred and 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 deed fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the
Bhang-eater joined the masons he saw the Sultan and Wazir
overseeing them; and, as soon as the King sighted him, he opened
his breast to him and said, "O man, wilt thou also do work?" and
said the other, "Yes." So he bade him labour with the builders
and he continued toiling till hard upon noon-tide, at which time
he remembered his slave-girl and forthright he bowed his head
upon his bosom-pocket and he sniffed thereat. The Wazir saw him
so doing and asked him, "What is the meaning of thy sniffing at
what is in thy poke?" and he answered him, "No matter." However
the Minister espied him a second time occupied in like guise and
quoth he to the Sultan, "Look, O King of the Age, at yon labourer
who is hiding something in his pocket and smelling thereat."
"Haply," responded the Sovran, "there is in his pouch something
he would look at." However when the Sultan's glance happened to
fall that way he beheld the Bhang-eater sniffing and smelling at
his poke, so he said to the Wazir, "Walláhi! Verily this
workman's case is a strange." Hereupon both fixed their eyes upon
him and they saw him again hiding somewhat in his pouch and
smelling at it. The Wazir cried, "Verily this fellow is
a-fizzling and he boweth his head toward his breast in order that
he may savour his own farts."[FN#271] The Sultan laughed and
said, "By Allah, if he do on this wise 'tis a somewhat curious
matter, or perhaps, O Wazir, he have some cause to account for
it; at any rate do thou call out to him and ask him." So the
Wazir arose and drawing near to him asked him saying, "Ho, this
one![FN#272] every time thou fizzlest thou smellest and sniffest
at thy fizzlings;" whereto answered the workman, "Wag not thy
tongue with these words seeing thou art in the presence of a King
glorious of degree." Quoth the Minister, "What is the matter with
thee in this case that thou art sniffing at thy pocket?" and
quoth the labourer, "Verily my beloved is in my pouch." The Wazir
wondered hereat and reported the same to the Sultan who cried,
"Return to him and say, 'Is it possible that thou display to us
thy beloved who is in thy breast-pocket?'" So he returned to him
and said, "Show us what there is in thy pouch." Now the origin of
this necklace was that the King had bought it for Kut al-Kulub at
the price of a thousand dinars and the damsel had given it to the
Bhang-eater with the sole object that the Sultan might look upon
it and thereby be directed unto her and might learn the reason of
her disappearance and her severance from him. Hereupon the man
brought out to them the necklace from his breastpocket and the
Sultan on seeing it at once recognised it and wondered how it had
fallen into the hands of that workman; accordingly he asked who
was its owner and the other answered, "It belongeth to the
handmaid whom I bought with an hundred dinars." Quoth the Sultan
to him, "Is it possible[FN#273] thou invite us to thy quarters
that we may look upon this damsel;" and quoth the other, "Would
you look upon my slave-girl and not be ashamed of yourselves?
However I will consult her, and if she be satisfied therewith we
will invite you." They said to him, "This be a rede that is right
and an affair which no blame can excite." When the day had
reached its term the masons and workmen were dismissed after they
had taken their wage; but as for the Bhang-eater the Sultan gave
him two gold pieces and set him free about sunset tide; so he
fared to his handmaid and informed her of what had befallen him
from the King, adding, "He hath indeed looked upon the necklace
and hath asked me to invite him hither as well as the Wazir."
Quoth she, "No harm in that; but to-morrow (Inshallah!) do thou
bring all we require for a state occasion of meats and drinks,
and let me have them here by noon-tide, so they may eat the early
meal. But when he shall ask to buy me of thee compose thy mind
and say thou, 'No,' when he will reply to thee, 'Give me this
damsel in free gift.' Hereat do thou say, 'She is a present from
me to thee'; because indeed I am his slave and bought with his
money for one thousand and five hundred dinars; and thou hadst
never become my lord save through my foes who devised a device
against me and who sold me when thou boughtest me. However the
hour of thy prosperity hath now come." And when morning morrowed
she gave him five gold pieces and said to him, "Bring for me
things that be such and such," and said he, "Hearing and
obedience." So he went to the market-street where he purchased
all the supplies wherewith she had charged him and returned to
her forthright. Hereupon she arose and tucking up her sleeves
prepared meats that befitted the King and likewise she got ready
comfits and the daintiest of dainties and sherbets and she
tempered the pastilles and she besprinkled the room with
rosewater and looked to the furniture of the place. About midday
she sent to the Sultan and the Wazir with notice that she was
ready; so the Bhang-eater repaired to the Palace and having gone
in to the presence said, "Have the kindness!"[FN#274] The twain
arose without more ado and hied with him privily till they
reached his house and entered therein.--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 should 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 Four Hundred and 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
and the Wazir entered the place wherein were the Bhang-eater and
the damsel, and took their seats. Now the meats were ready and
they served up to them the trays and the dishes, when they fell
to and were cheered by the sumptuous viands until they had eaten
after the measure of their sufficiency. And when their hands were
washed, the confections and sherbet and coffee were set before
them, so they ate and were satisfied and gladdened and made
merry. After this quoth the Sultan to the Bhang-eater, "Where is
the damsel?" and quoth the man, "She is here," whereat he was
commanded to bring her. Accordingly he went off and led her in
and as soon as the King sighted her he recognised her and ordered
her owner to make her over to him and said when he did so, "O
man, wilt thou sell to me this damsel?" But the other kissed
ground before him and replied, "O King of the Age, she is from me
a free gift to thee;" and quoth the Sultan, "She is accepted from
thee, O Shaykh, and do thou come and bring her thyself to the
Palace about sundown-time." He replied, "To hear is to obey." And
at the hour named he took the damsel and ceased not faring with
her till he brought her to the Serai,[FN#275] where the Eunuchry
met her and took her and carried her in to the Sultan. But as
soon as she entered she nestled in his bosom and he threw his
arms round her neck and kissed her of his excessive desire to
her. Then he asked her saying, "This man who purchased thee, hath
he any time approached thee?" whereto she answered, "By Allah, O
King, from the time he bought me in the box which he opened and
found me alive therein until this present never hath he looked
upon my face, and as often as I addressed him he would bow his
brow earthwards." Quoth the Sultan, "By Allah, this wight
deserveth an aidance for that he paid down for thee an hundred
dinars and he hath presented thee in free gift to me." Now when
morrowed the morning the King sent after the Bhang-eater and
summoned him between his hands and bestowed upon him one thousand
five hundred dinars with a suit of royal raiment, after which he
presented to him, by way of honourable robe,[FN#276] a white
slave-girl. He also set apart for him an apartment and made him
one of his boon companions. So look thou, O hearer,[FN#277] how
it happened to this Bhang-eater from the Khwajah's daughter and
his love herwards; how he failed to win her and how he gained of
blows whatso he gained; and after what prosperity befel him from
the part of Kut al-Kulub. And ever afterwards when the Sultan
would ride out for disport or for the hunt and chase he would
take the man with him. Presently of the perfection of his
prosperity this Bhang-eater fully mastered the affairs of the
kingdom, both its income and its outgo, and his knowledge
embraced all the regions and cities which were under the rule of
his lord. Furthermore, whenever he would counsel the King, his
advice was found to be in place and he was consulted upon all
State affairs, and whenever he heard of any business he
understood its inner as well as its outer meaning until the
Sultan and the Wazir both sought rede of him, and he would point
out to them the right and unright, and that which entaileth
trouble and no trouble, when they could fend it off and overthrow
it or by word or by deed of hand. Now one day of the many days
the King was in a certain of his gardens a-solacing himself with
the sights when his heart and stomach became full of pain and he
fell ill and his illness grew upon him, nor did he last four days
ere he departed to the mercy of Allah Almighty. As he had no
issue, either son or daughter, the country remained without a
King for three days, when the Lords of the land for-gathered and
agreed upon a decision, all and some, that they would have no
King or Sultan save the Wazir and that the man the Bhang-eater
should be made Chief Councillor. So they agreed upon this matter
and their words went forth to the Minister who at once took
office. After this he gave general satisfaction and lavished alms
on the mean and miserable, also on satisfaction and lavished alms
on the mean and miserable, also on the widows and orphans, when
his fame was bruited abroad and it dispread far and wide till men
entitled him the "Just Wazir" and in such case he governed for a
while of time.--And Shahrazad was surprised by 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 Four Hundred and Tenth 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 Wazir
governed for a while of time with all justice of rule so that the
caravans spread abroad the name and fame of him throughout every
city and all the countries. Presently there befel him an affair
between two women which were sister-wives to one man.[FN#278] Now
these had conceived by him in the same month and when the time of
their pregnancy had passed, the twain were delivered in the same
place at the same hour and the midwife was one and the same. One
brought forth a babe but it was a daughter which incontinently
died and the other a man-child who lived. The women quarrelled
and fought about the boy-babe and both of them said, "This is my
child;" and there befel between them exceeding contention and
excessive hostility. So they carried their cause before the
divines and the Olema and the head men of the place, yet did none
of them know how to decide between the twain and not a few of the
folk said, "Let each woman take the child to her for a month,"
whilst others declared that they might keep it between them at
all times, whilst of the women one said, "'Tis well: this be my
boy!" and the other declared, "'Tis well, this be my son!" nor
could any point out to which of the women the boy belonged. So
the town's people were gathered together and said, "None can
determine this dispute except the Just Wazir;" and they agreed
upon this, so that the husband of the two women and sundry of his
associates arose and took the twain of them and travelled with
them to hear the Minister's judgment. Also the Olema and the
great men of the place declared "By Allah, we also needs must
travel with the party and produce the two women and be present at
the Just Wazir's judgment." So they all assembled and followed
after the two adversaries, nor did they cease travelling until
they entered the city where the Minister abode. There they
delayed for rest during one day and on the second they all joined
one another and went in to the Wazir and recounted to him the
case of the two women. Hearing this he bowed his brow groundwards
and presently raising it he cried, "Bring me two eggs and void
them of their contents and see that the shells be clean empty."
Then he commanded that each of the women drain somewhat of milk
from her nipple into the egg-shell till she had filled it. They
did accordingly and set before him the egg-shells brimful when he
said, "Bring me a pair of scales."[FN#279] After this he placed
both eggs in the balance-pan and raising it aloft from its
rounded stead perceived that one was weighty and the other was
light. Quoth he, "The milk of the woman in this egg is the
heavier and she is the mother of the boy-babe whereas the other
bare the girl-child and we know not an it be alive or dead."
Hereat the true mother of the boy held her peace but the other
wailed aloud and said, "'Tis well: still this be my babe!"
Thereupon quoth the Wazir, "I am about to take the boy and hew
him in halves whereof I will give one to each of you twain." But
the true mother arose and cried out, "No! O my lord, do not on
this wise: I will forfeit my claim for Allah's sake;" while the
other one exclaimed, "All this is right good!" Now all the folk
of the city who were then standing by heard these words and
looked on; but when this order was pronounced and the woman was
satisfied and declared, "I will take half the boy," the Wazir
gave orders forthright that they seize her and hang her; so they
hanged her and he gave the babe to the right mother. Then said
they to him, "O our lord, how was it proved to thee that the boy
was the child of this one?" and he said, "It became evident to me
from two sides; in the first place because her milk was the
heavier, so that I knew that the boy was her boy, and secondly
when I commanded, 'Let us cut the boy in half,' the real mother
consented not to this and the matter was hard upon her because
the child was a slice of her liver, and she said to herself, 'His
life is better than his death, even though my sister-wife take
him, at any rate I shall be able to look upon him.' But the
second woman designed only to gratify her spite whether the boy
died or not and to harm her sister-wife; so when I saw that she
was contented to have the babe killed, I knew that it was right
to do her die." Then all who were present of the Lords of the
land and the Olema and divines and notables wondered at the
judgment and exclaimed, "By Allah, well done,[FN#280] O Wazir of
the realm." Now this history of the Minister's perspicacity and
penetration was spread abroad and all folk went from his presence
and everyone who had wives that had borne girls took somewhat of
milk from the women and went to each and every of those who had
borne boys and took from them milk in the same quantity as the
Wazir had taken, and weighted it in the scales, when they found
that the mothers of males produced milk that was not equal to,
nay it weighed two-fold that of those who bare girls. Hereupon
they said, "It is not right that we call this Minister only the
Just Wazir;" and all were agreed that he should be titled "The
Wazir-wise-in-Allah-Almighty;"[FN#281] and the reason whereof was
the judgment which he passed in the cause between the two women.
Now after this it befel him to deliver a decision more wondrous
than the former.--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
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I should 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 four hundred and eleventh 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 to the
Wazir-wise-in-Almighty-Allah there befel between his hands a
strange matter which was as follows. As he was sitting one day of
the days there came in to him unexpectedly two men, of whom one
led a cow and a little colt whilst the second had with him a mare
and a little calf. Now the first who came forward was the owner
of the mare and quoth he, "O my lord, I have a claim upon this
man." Quoth the Minister, "What be thy claim?" And the plaintiff
continued, "I was going a-morn to the meadow for pasture and with
me was my mare followed by her young one, her little colt, when
yonder man met me upon the road and the colt began to play and to
throw up gravel with its hoofs as is the wont of horse-flesh and
draw near to the cow. Hereupon this man came up and seized it and
said, 'This colt is the offspring of my cow,' and so saying he
took it away and he gave me his calf, crying, 'Take this which be
the issue of thy mare.'" So the Wazir turning to the master of
the cow asked, "O man, what sayest thou concerning what thy
comrade hath spoken?" and the other answered, "O my lord, in very
deed this colt is the produce of my cow and I brought it up by
hand." Quoth the Wazir, "Is it right that black cattle should
bring forth horses and that horses should bear cows? indeed the
intelligence of an intelligent man may not compass this;" and
quoth the other, "O my lord, Allah createth whatso He willeth and
maketh kine to produce horses and horses to produce kine."
Hereupon the Minister said to him, "O Shaykh, when thou seest a
thing before thee and lookest thereon canst thou speak of it in
the way of truth?" And the other assented. Then the Wazir
continued addressing the two men, "Wend your ways at this time
and on the morrow be present here at early morn and let it be at
a vacant hour." Accordingly they forthright went forth, and the
next day early the two men came to the divan of the Wazir who set
before them a she-mouse he had provided and called for a sack
which he filled with earth. And as the men stood between his
hands he said, "Wait ye patiently without speaking a word;" so
they held their peace and presently he bade them set the sack and
the mouse before him and he ordered the men to load the sack upon
the mouse. Both cried, "O our lord, 'tis impossible that a mouse
can carry a sack full of earth," when he answered, "How then can
a cow bear a colt? and when a mouse shall be able to bear a sack
then shall a cow bear a colt." All this and the Sultan was
looking out at the latticed window listening and gazing. Hereupon
the Wazir gave an order that the master of the mare take her colt
and the master of the cow carry off her calf; after which he bade
them go about their business.--And Shahrazad was surprised by 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 four hundred and twelfth 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, whose Minister was the Wazir-wise-in-Allah-Almighty, on a
certain day summoned his Chief Councillor and when he came said
to him, "Verily my breast is straitened and I am beset by unease,
so I desire to hear something which may broaden my bosom;" and
said the other, "O King of the age, by Allah, I have a friend who
is named Mahmud the 'Ajami and that man is a choice spirit and he
hath all kind of rare tales and strange anecdotes and wondrous
histories and marvellous adventures." Said the Sultan, "There is
no help but that thou summon him to us hither and let us hear
from him somewhat." So the Wazir sent after the Persian and when
the man stood in the presence said to him, "Verily the Sultan
hath summoned thee." He replied, "Hearing and obeying," when he
was taken and set before the Sovran and as he entered he saluted
him with the salams of the Caliphs and blessed him and prayed for
him.[FN#282] The King returned his greeting and after seating him
said to him, "O Mahamud, at this moment my breast is indeed
straitened and I have heard of thee that thou hast a store of
rare stories which I would that thou cause me hear[FN#283] and
let it be somewhat sweet of speech which shall banish my cark and
my care and the straitness of my breast." Hereto the other
replied, "Hearing and obeying;" and began to relate the
Tale of Mahmud the Persian and the Kurd Sharper.[FN#284]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*
The Sultan was delighted with the 'Ajami's relation and largessed
him two thousand pieces of gold; after which he returned to his
palace and took seat upon his Divan when suddenly a poor man
appeared before him carrying a load of fruit and greens and
greeted him and prayed for him and expressed a blessing which the
Sultan returned and bade him fair welcome. After which he asked,
"What hast thou with thee, O Shaykh?" and the other answered, "O
King of the Age, I have an offering to thee of fresh greens and
firstfruits;" and the King rejoined, "It is accepted." Thereupon
the man placed them between his royal hands and stood up, and the
King having removed the cover[FN#285] found under it a portion of
ordinary cucumbers and sundry curling cucumbers and bundles of
rose-mallows[FN#286] which had been placed before him. So he took
thereof some little matter and ate it and was much pleased and
bade the Eunuchry bear the rest into the Harem. They carried out
his commands and the women also were delighted and having eaten
somewhat they distributed the remainder to the slave-girls. Then
said they, "By Allah, this man, the fruitowner, deserveth
Bakhshísh;"[FN#287] so they sent to him by the Eunuch one hundred
gold pieces whereto the Sultan added twain, so the whole of his
gain was three hundred dinars. But the Sultan was much pleased
with the man and a part of the care which he felt was lightened
to him, whereupon asked he, "O Shaykh, knowest thou aught of
boon-companionship with the Kings?" to which the other answered,
"Yes;" for he was trim of tongue and ready of reply and sweet of
speech. Presently the Sultan continued, "O Shaykh, for this
present go back to thy village and give to thy wife and family
that which Allah hath made thy lot." Accordingly the man went
forth and did as the King bade him; after which he returned in a
short time and went into the presence about set of sun when he
found his liege lord at supper. The King bade him sit to the
trays which he did and he ate after the measure of his
sufficiency, and again when the Sultan looked upon him he was
pleased with him. And when the hour of nightprayers came all
prayed together;[FN#288] then the King invited him to sit down as
a cup-companion and commanded him to relate one of his
tales.--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 should 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 Four Hundred and Seventeenth 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 man
took seat as a boon-companion of the King, and began to relate
The Tale of the Sultan and His Sons and the Enchanting Bird.[FN#289]
It is told anent a man, one of the Kings of Orient-land, that he
had three sons, of whom the eldest one day of the days heard the
folk saying, "In such a place there is a bird hight the shrilling
Philomelet,[FN#290] which transmews everyone who comes to it into
a form of stone. Now when the heir apparent heard this report he
went to his father and said, "'Tis my desire to fare forth and to
get that marvellous bird;" and said the father, "O my son, thou
wouldst work only to waste thy life-blood and to deprive us of
thee; for that same bird hath ruined Kings and Sultans, not to
speak of Bashas and Sanjáks,[FN#291] men in whose claws[FN#292]
thou wouldst be as nothing." But the son replied, "Needs must I
go and if thou forbid my going I will kill myself." So quoth his
father, "There is no Majesty and no Might save in Allah, the
Glorious, the Great;" and saith the son, "Affects are affected
and steps are sped towards a world that is vile and distributed
daily bread."[FN#293] Then he said to him, "O my child, set out
upon thy journey and mayest thou win to thy wish." Hereupon they
prepared for him somewhat of victual and he went forth on his
wayfare. But before departing he took off his seal-ring from his
finger and gave it to his second brother saying, "O my brother,
an this signet press hard upon thy little finger do thou know and
make certain that mishap hath happened to me." So the second
Prince took it and put it upon his minim finger, after which the
eldest youth farewelled his father and his mother and his
brothers and the Lords of the land and departed seeking the city
wherein the Bird woned. He ceased not travelling by nights and
days, the whole of them, until he reached the place wherein was
the bird Philomelet whose habit it was to take station upon his
cage between mid-afternoon and sunset, when he would enter it to
pass the night. And if any approached him with intent of
capturing him, he would sit afar from the same and at set of sun
he would take station upon the cage and would cry aloud speaking
in a plaintive voice, "Ho thou who sayest to the mean and
mesquin, 'Lodge!'[FN#294] Ho thou who sayest to the sad and
severed, 'Lodge!' Ho thou who sayest to the woeful and doleful,
'Lodge!'" Then if these words were grievous to the man standing
before him and he make reply "Lodge!" ere the words could leave
his lips the Bird would take a pinch of dust from beside the cage
and hovering over the wight's head would scatter it upon him and
turn him into stone. At length arrived the youth who had resolved
to seize the Bird and sat afar from him till set of sun: then
Philomelet came and stood upon his cage and cried, "Ho thou who
sayest to the mean and mesquin, 'Lodge!' Ho thou who sayest to
the sad and severed, 'Lodge!' Ho thou who sayest to the woeful
and the doleful, 'Lodge!'" Now the cry was hard upon the young
Prince and his heart was softened and he said, "Lodge!" This was
at the time when the sun was disappearing, and as soon as he
spake the word the Bird took a somewhat of dust and scattered it
upon the head of the youth, who forthright became a stone. At
that time his brother was sitting at home in thought concerning
the wanderer, when behold, the signet squeezed his finger and he
cried, "Verily my brother hath been despoiled of life and done to
death!"--And Shahrazad was surprised by 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 Four Hundred and Eighteenth 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
Prince, when the signet squeezed his little finger, cried out
saying, "My brother, by Allah, is ruined and lost; but needs must
I also set forth and look for him and find what hath befallen
him." Accordingly he said to his sire, "O my father, 'tis my
desire to seek my brother;" and the old King answered, "Why, O my
son, shouldst thou become like thy brother, both bereaving us of
your company?" But the other rejoined, "There is no help for that
nor will I sit at rest till I go after my lost one and espy what
hath betided him." Thereupon his sire gave orders for his journey
and got ready what would suffice him of victual, and he departed,
but before he went he said to his youngest brother, "Take thou
this ring and set it upon thy little finger, and if it press hard
thereupon do thou understand and be certified that my life's
blood is shed and that I have perished." After this he farewelled
them and travelled to the place of the Enchanting Bird, and he
ceased not wayfaring for whole days and nights and nights and
days until he arrived at that stead. Then he found the bird
Philomelet and sat afar from him till about sundown when he took
station upon his cage and began to cry, "Ho thou who sayest to
the mean and mesguin, 'Lodge!' Ho thou who sayest to the sad and
severed, 'Lodge!' Ho thou who sayest to the woeful and doleful,
'Lodge!'" Now this cry of the Bird was hard upon the young Prince
and he had no sooner pronounced the word "Lodge!" than the
Philomelet took up somewhat of dust beside his cage and scattered
it upon him, when forthright he became a stone lying beside his
brother. Now the youngest of the three Princes was sitting at
meat with his sire when suddenly the signet shrank till it was
like to cut off his finger; so he rose forthright to his feet and
said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,
the Glorious, the Great." Quoth his father, "What is to do with
thee, O my son?" and quoth he, "By Allah, my brother is ruined
and wasted, so needs must I also fare forth and look after the
twain of them." Exclaimed his sire, "Why, O my son, should you
three be cut off?" but the other answered, "Needs must I do this,
nor can I remain after them without going to see what hath
betided them, and either we three shall return in safety and
security or I also shall become one of them." So the father bade
them prepare for his journey and after they had got ready for him
a sufficiency of provision he farewelled him and the youth set
out. But when he departed from his sire the old man and his wife
filleted their brows with the fillets of sorrow[FN#295] and they
fell to weeping by night and by day. Meanwhile the youth left not
wayfaring till he reached the stead of the Bird and the hour was
mid-afternoon, when he found his brothers ensorcelled to stones,
and about sunset he sat down at the distance from Philomelet who
took station upon his cage and began to cry, "Ho thou who sayest
to the mean and mesquin, 'Lodge!' Ho thou who sayest to the sad
and severed, 'Lodge!'" together with many words and instances of
the same kind. But the Prince hardened his heart nor would speak
the word, and albeit the Bird continued his cry none was found to
answer him. Now when the sun evanished and he had kept up his
appeal in vain he went into the cage, whereupon the youngest of
the Princes arose and running up shut the door upon him. Quoth
the Bird, "Thou hast done the deed, O son of the Sultan," and the
youth replied, "Relate to me whatso thou hast wrought in magic to
these creations of God." Replied Philomelet, "Beside thee lie two
heaps of clay whereof one is white and the other blue: this is
used in sorcery and that to loose the spells."--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 should 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 Four Hundred and Twentieth 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 Bird
said to the youngest son of the Sultan, "By the side of my cage
are two heaps of clay, this blue and that white; and the first is
the material for sorcery whilst the second looseth the spell."
Hereupon the youth approached them and finding the mounds took
somewhat of the white and scattered it upon the stones and cried,
"Be ye returned unto your olden shapes;" and, as he did so, each
and every of the stones became men as they had been. Now amongst
them were sundry sons of the Sultans, also the children of Kings
and Wazirs and Bashas and Lords of the land, and of the number
two were the elder brothers of the young Prince: so they salamed
to him and all congratulated one another to their safety. After
this one came forward to the youth and said to him, "Verily this
place is a city, all and some of whose folk are ensorcelled." So
he took a somewhat of clay from the white and entered the
streets, where, finding the case as described to him, he fell to
sifting the clay upon them and they were transmewed from statutes
of stone into the shapes of Adam's sons. Then, at last, the sons
of that city rose one and all and began offering to the Prince
gifts and rarities until he had of them a mighty matter. But when
his brothers saw that he had become master of the bird Philomelet
and his cage, and all these presents and choice treasures, they
were filled with envy of him[FN#296] and said each to other, "How
shall our brother win him all this and we abide with him in
servile condition, especially when we hie us homewards and return
to our own land? And will not folk say that the salvation of the
two elder brothers was by the hand of the youngest? But we cannot
endure such disgrace as this!" So envy entered them and in their
jealousy they planned and plotted the death of their cadet, who
knew not that was in their minds or whatso was hidden from him in
the Limbo of Secrets. And when they had wrought their work the
youngest Prince arose and bade his pages and eunuchs lade the
loads upon the camels and mules and, when they had done his
bidding, they all set forth on the homewards march. They
travelled for whole days and nights till they drew near their
destination and the youngest Prince bade his attendants seeks an
open place where in they might take repose, and they said,
"Hearkening and obedience." But when they came upon it they found
a well builded of stone, and the brothers said to the cadet,
"This be a place befitting the rest by reason of this well benign
here; for the water thereof is sweet and good for our drink and
therefifth we can supply our folk and our beasts." Replied the
youth, "This is what we desire." So they set up their tents hard
by that well, and when the camp was pitched they let prepare the
evening meal, and as soon as it was sunset-tide they spread the
trays and supped their sufficiency until presently night came
down upon them. Now the youngest Prince had a bezel'd signet-ring
which he had taken from the bird Philomelet, and he was so
careful thereof that he never slept without it. But his brothers
awaited until he was drowned in sleep, when coming softly upon
him they pinioned him and carried him off and cast him into the
well without anyone knowing aught thereof. Then as soon as
morning morrowed the two eldest Princes arose and commanded the
attendants to load, but these said to them, "Where be our lord?"
and said the others, "He is sleeping in the Takhtrawán." So the
camel men arose and loaded the loads and the litter and the two
Princes sent forwards to the King their sire a messenger of glad
tidings who when he found him informed him of the fair news.
Accordingly he and all his Lords took horse and rode forth to
meet his sons upon the road that he might salam to them and give
them joy of their safe return. Now he chanced in their train to
catch sight of the caged bird which is called "the shrilling
Philomelet," and he rejoiced thereat and asked them, "How did ye
become masters of him?" Then he enquired anent their
brother.--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 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 Four Hundred and Twenty-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
enquired of the two elder sons concerning their younger brother
and they said, "We made ourselves masters of the Bird and we have
brought him hither and we know nothing about our cadet." However,
the King who loved his youngest with exceeding love put the
question, "Have ye not looked after him and have ye not been in
his company?" whereto th
