TALE OF MOHSIN AND MUSA.[FN#434]
It fortuned once upon a time that two men went forth from the
same place, one foregoing the other, and they forgathered by the
way. Now each had a bag full of flour and a flask[FN#435]
containing somewhat of water; and when they made acquaintance on
the road the first of them said to his companion, "O my brother,
what may be thy name?" and said the Second, "I am hight Mohsin,
the Beneficent,[FN#436] and thou, what art thou called?" Quoth
the other, "Músà the Malignant."[FN#437] So the two fared on in
converse and whenever mealtime came round, each would bring out a
portion of meal and knead it and make of it a scone,[FN#438] and
light a fire and bake it thereon: after which they would satisfy
their hunger. But Mohsin knew not that had been doomed for him by
his companion Musa the Misdoer, so the twain would fare together
and feed together. On the following day quoth Musa to Mohsin, "O
my brother, I have with me a bag of flour and a flask of water
and thou hast the same, and whenever eating-time cometh round
each one bringeth out somewhat of his vivers. Now this is not
right; 'twere the better way that we first eat that is with thee
and when 'tis ended we use my provaunt." "'Tis well, O my
brother," quoth Mohsin. They agreed upon this condition and
whenever moved by appetite they ate of Mohsin's viaticum until
his bag of flour and his flask of water were clean emptied. But
when the meal-hour came, Musa arose and made for him a single
scone and no more, and baked it and ate it by himself, while
Mohsin sat by looking on. This befel time after time for the
first day and the second day until Mohsin waxed anhungered and
famine wrung his vitals, so quoth he to Musa, "O my brother, give
me somewhat of thy food that I may nourish myself therewith, for
indeed I am empty exceedingly." But Musa made reply, "By Allah, I
will not give it to thee; no, not a single mouthful." Rejoined
Mohsin, "O my brother, we two made covenant that we should become
brethren, and first eat of my provaunt and then of thine; now,
however, thou art not pleased to grant me or bite or sup. This is
not the act of an honest man." He answered, "Be brief! an thou be
hungry I will give thee half of my scone on condition that I
pluck out thine eye." "How so, O my brother?" rejoined Mohsin,
"Wilt thou blind me of one eye for the sake of half a scone?
better leave me to die with my sight as it is." Said Musa, "At
thy pleasure!"[FN#439] But on the third day Mohsin was like to
sink for extreme hunger, and he cried, "There is no Majesty and
there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great. Do
thou, O Musa, give the half-scone and pluck out one of mine
eyes." Musa did as he was bidden, and thrusting forth his finger
gouged[FN#440] out the right eye, whereby Mohsin remained
purblind, withal was he not filled by the half-scone. Now on the
fourth day Mohsin waxed yet more ravenous and famine was right
sore upon him, and he cried, "There is no Majesty! by Allah, O
Musa, my brother, I am afamished, so pity me and the Lord shall
pity thee." Replied the other, "I will give thee nothing until I
shall have gouged out thine other eye." Quoth Mohsin, "Verily we
are Allah's and unto him we shall return! but, by the Almighty,
famishing is bitter; so do thou with me, O Musa, what the
Omniscient hath predestined as to the plucking out of my two
eyes." Accordingly the man gave him the half scone and plucked
out his other eye; and on such wise made him stone blind.
Hereupon Musa left his companion darkly tramping[FN#441] about
the roads. Now in the neighbourhood of that place was a well full
of water;[FN#442] so when Mohsin drew near knowing nothing
thereof, Musa came up and pushed him thereinto; and while falling
into the pit Mohsin said to himself, "O Lord, thou hast doomed me
to blinding and at last Thou hast condemned me to drowning."--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 Seven Hundred and Sixty-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 when Musa
had thrust Mohsin into the well with intent to drown him, the
blinded man cried, "O Lord thou hast doomed me to blinding, and
at last Thou hast condemned me to drowning." Then he struck out
with hands and feet till he felt the walls of the well wherein he
found two niches; so he set toes into one of them and there stood
awaiting the salvation of Allah which was nearhand; and his heart
was satisfied and he drank of the water. When the first night
fell behold, two of the Jinns came to the pit and sat down in
converse each with other, when quoth the first to the second,
"Walláhi! O certain person, there is now to be found nor sage nor
leach, and all of them are preposterous pretenders and barkers of
man's intent." Quoth the other, "What may be these words?" and
the former resumed, "By Allah, I have possessed the daughter of
the Sultan and she is the dearling of my heart whom I love with
dearest love; yet can none avail to unsorcel her of me." Quoth
his companion, "And what would expel thee?" And quoth he, "Naught
will oust me save a black cock or a sable chicken; and whenas one
shall bring such and cut his throat under her feet of a
Saturday,[FN#443] I shall not have power to approach the city
wherein she dwelleth." "By Allah, O my brother," said the other,
"thou hast spoken sooth: there is in this land nor wizard nor
mediciner who knoweth aught and all of them are liars and
contradictors who lay claim to science without aught of
intelligence; indeed there is not one of them who knoweth of this
tree (which adjoineth our well) that whoso shall take the leaves
thereof and plaster them upon his eyes, even though he be born
blind he will be gifted with sight and wax sound after two or
three days by the kind permission of Allah Almighty. Yet are the
folk all heedless of such virtue in the tree." Now Mohsin
remained listening to these words and pondering them as he stood
supported by the side-wall of the well, and when it was the last
third of the night, the Jinns which were conversing at the mouth
took leave each of other. And as soon as the day brake and the
time waxed bright behold there came a Kafilah which passed by the
pit seeking drink for themselves and water for their cattle.
Presently they let down a bucket by a cord and when Mohsin felt
the rope he caught hold thereof, whereat the caravan people
cried, "We take refuge with Allah from Satan the Stoned," and
said one to other, "Verily in this well is a Satan!" Mohsin heard
their words and answered them and said, "Yá'llah[FN#444] Ho you,
draw me out hence, for verily I am of mankind and not of
Jinn-kind and being blind I fell yesterday into this hole." Cried
they, "Catch tight hold of the cord," and when he did so they
drew him out and finding him weak from famine they gave him a
somewhat of food and he ate and drank. The caravan-folk on like
guise drank from the well and watered their beasts; after which
they would have led Mohsin away with them but he said, "O my
brethren (whose weal Allah increase[FN#445] and whose grace may
He reward!), I have a single want wherewith I fain ye would
favour me!" Asked they, "And what may that be?" and he answered,
"That ye direct me to the tree which adjoineth this well and lead
me close thereto and God shall gar your good to grow!" Hereupon
one hent him by the hand and after doing as he desired and
setting him beside the tree returned to his own folk and the
caravan loaded and left the place. Presently Mohsin swarmed up
the trunk; and, taking seat upon a branch of its branches, fell
to cropping the leaves and patching them upon either eye as he
had heard the Jinni prescribe; and hardly had two days gone by
when he felt healed of his hurt and opened his eyelids and saw
what was around him. Then, after taking somewhat of its foliage,
he came down from the tree and went on his wayfare until he
entered a city and found him a lodging. When this was done he
fell to threading the streets and ways crying aloud the while, "I
am the Leach, the Healer![FN#446] I am the Mediciner who can cure
the blind!" whereat all the one-eyed and the sightless would
summon him with outcries and he would apply to them somewhat of
his leaves; and after two or three days (he superintending the
while) they would open their eyes and see. On this wise went by a
term of time until at last the King of that city heard rumour of
a new leach; so he sent to him and summoned him and said to him,
"Art thou a clever Medicine-man even as they have informed me
concerning thee? I have a daughter ridden[FN#447] by a Jinni of
the Jann and we desire of thee that thou unsorcel her." "And if I
avail not to free her?" asked Mohsin, and the King answered,
"Then will I kill thee even as I have slain a many before thee
who have looked upon the face of the Princess." "And if I prove
able to deliver her and fend her from further offence?" "I will
give thee what thou askest of coin and hoards." "No, O King of
the Age; this condition I will not accept: if I free her I must
take her to wife, for an I fail therein thou wilt slay me; and
unless thou agree with me after I shall have saved her that thou
e'en wed her to me"--[FN#448] "'Tis well, O Shaykh; and for
releasing her I give thee a delay of three months for visiting
and healing 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 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 Seven Hundred and Sixty-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 King
covenanted with the Mediciner that the unsorceling of the
Princess should be within three months; after which he set apart
an apartment for him with all the furniture and appurtenances
thereof and appointed to him rations of meat and drink. So Mohsin
abode with him the appointed time and he in the extreme of
comfort and enjoyment; but when the three months were ended the
Sultan sent for him and summoned him between his hands and said,
"O Shaykh, the term is gone by." Hereupon Shaykh Mohsin went
forth and bought him a black cock and when Sabbath[FN#449] came
round the Sultan presented him to his daughter whom he found in
sore and sorrowful state, unknowing how the mishap had occurred
to her. Now when he went in and looked upon her in such case, he
drew near to her and fell to reciting Koranic versets which avert
evil (the Sultan sitting beside them the while); and at the last
he slaughtered the cock between her feet. Hereat the Princess
recovered her senses and rose up and sat down[FN#450] forthright
and called for meat and drink which were brought to her; then she
ate and drank and besought for herself the guidance of God and
said, "Alhamdolillah"--laud to the Lord--and presently she kissed
the hand of her sire and of Shaykh Mohsin. Quoth the King, "O my
daughter, art thou indeed well?" and quoth she, "At this present
I feel naught of pain in my person nor do I sense anything of
what hath been with me; and all this is by blessing of yonder
Shaykh thou hast brought to me. But say me, O my father, what
hast thou made over to him of money as a reward for unsorcelling
me?" "O my dauvhter," replied he, "I have offered him all he
shall ask." But when the Princess recovered from her malady and
returned to self, she changed from mode to mode and she became as
one cast in the mould of beauty and loveliness and Shaykh Mohsin
looking upon her was dazed and amazed in his wits by cause of her
exceeding comeliness and seemlihead. Presently the Princess
addressed, "O Shaykh Mohsin, what thing dost thou ask of the
King's Majesty?" for indeed her heart was fulfilled of the love
to him which had mastered her. Now the Wazir had a son and it was
his aim that his heir should marry the King's daughter, but this
his wish was in vain; for when she was certified that her
salvation was at the hand of Shaykh Mohsin, she said to her sire,
"Do thou, O my father, largesse what is dearest to thee upon my
healer."[FN#451] Her design in these words was that the Sultan
might bestow her to wife upon her deliverer, and she added,
"Indeed our joyance hath been at his hands and he is deserving of
munificence full and abundant." But again the object of her
speech was that her parent might espouse her to the Shaykh for
the love to Mohsin which had mastered her heart. Quoth her
father, "O my daughter we will give him a sumptuous robe of
honour and ten purses;" but quoth she, "No, O my sire, this be
not gift sufficient for the like of such service." Now she was
the sole prop of her parents who had no child save herself, so
the King replied, "O my daughter, I will give him whatso thou
shalt say." Thereupon she asked him, "How many of the folk came
in to me and uncovered my shame[FN#452] and were slain therefor?"
and he answered, "Some fifty." Then cried she, "Had not Shaykh
Mohsin been able to exorcise me what hadst thou done with him?"
"Indeed I had slain him." "Then Alhamdolillah--Glory be to
God--for that my deliverance was at his hand: so do thou bestow
upon him thy best," and so she spake for that she was ashamed to
say her sire, "Wed me to him." The King not understanding the
hint she had hinted said to her, "All thou wishest I will
largesse to him;" and she, "I have spoken to thee but thou hast
not comprehended my words! All who have looked upon my shame and
proved unable to deliver me thou wast wont to slay and this man
hath been my salvation after seeing me unveiled: how then wilt
thou gift him with money and means or condition with him when
thou art unable to carry out thy compact?" Hereupon the King
became ware of what was in his daughter's mind and forthwith
sending to summon the Kazi and witnesses he bade bind the
marriage-bond between her and Shaykh Mohsin and in due time let
them lead him to her in procession and suffer him go in unto her.
So he cohabited with the Princess a while of time, after which
the life-term of the Sultan drew near, and he fell sick of a
sickness whereof he died. And when they had committed his remains
to earth the Lords of the land and the Grandees of command
forgathered and agreed in council that none should overrule them
save the Shaykh Mohsin. So they invested him with the signet-ring
of Sovranty and seated him upon the throne of Kingship and he
became Sovereign and Sultan. Moreover Allah Almighty enlightened
his heart in governance with justice and equity; and all the
subjects with the Notables of the realm and the Rulers of high
rank blessed him and prayed for him. Now one day of the days
Sultan Mohsin felt desirous of solacing himself in the gardens;
so he rode forth, he and his suite, when he suddenly sighted his
whilome comrade, the same who had plucked out one eye for half a
scone and had gouged out the other eye for the other half. He
bade them bring the man to the presence and when they set him
between his hands he asked him saying, "O Shaykh, what may be thy
name?" and he answered, "I am hight Shaykh Mohammed." So he
carried him with his suite to the gardens where they abode until
day ended, after which the Sultan rode back and entering his
palace, bade bring Shaykh Mohammed whom he despatched to the
House of Hospitality.[FN#453] On the third day he bade summon his
guest after supper-tide and taking him by the hand led him into a
cabinet and said, "O Shaykh Mohammed, do thou tell us a
tale."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell
silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Seven Hundred and Seventy-first Night
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, o my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the
King entered the closet leading Mohammed by the hand he said to
him, "Do thou, O Shaykh, tell us a tale." "By Allah, O our lord,"
quoth the other, "I know naught of stories." Whereupon the Sultan
rejoined, "If so it be, I will relate to thee, O Shaykh Mohammed,
an adventure of my own and 'tis as follows:--Once upon a time a
man went forth his town and he made companionship with another
upon the way, and each one of them bore with him a bag of meal
and a flask of water." On this wise the Sultan continued
recounting to him the real history of Mohsin and Musa the
Malignant, till at the end of the tale he said, "And Musa, after
gouging out both eyes of Mohsin for the sake of a single scone,
thrust him into a well designing to drown him therein, but Allah
Almighty preserved his life and brought him forth the pit and our
Lord favoured him and restored to him his two eyes and empowered
him over the kingdom and thus did he become Sovran and Sultan.
Now the prosperity of that Shaykh Mohsin was from the well
whereinto Musa had thrust him." Presently he added, "An this tale
be soothfast, then am I Mohsin and thou art Musa the Malignant. I
am able at this moment to slay thee but I will spare thee and
moreover counsel thee as follows:--Do thou go to the well and
haply Almighty Allah shall thereby grant to thee some good, for
that the root of my fair fortune was from that same pit." Now
when the first third of the night had sped, Musa arose and
repaired to the pit and descended therein when behold, the same
two Jinnis had forgathered beside the wellmouth at that same hour
and were seated together conversing each with other. Quoth the
first, "What is thy case this day?" and quoth the second, "By
Allah, O my brother, my condition is ill-conditioned ever since a
certain night when we met in this place and talked together. And
so it hath continued until the present time, for that I have been
unable to approach the city wherein dwelleth the Sultan's
daughter: and someone that was in the well must have overheard us
whilst we knew naught of him and he must have acted according to
our words and slaughtered the black cock; after which I have been
unable to near her abode." Quoth the other, "By Allah, O my
brother, thou hast spoken sooth; but our ill-constraint is from
this well." Hereupon the Jinni put forth his hand about the
pit[FN#454] and finding Musa the Misdoer snatched him up and
seizing him between his palms tore his body into four pieces and
cast away the quarters in some desert stead. And this (said
Shahrazad) is the award of whoso betrayeth his fellow man. And
they also relate the adventure of
