of slaves with him.
Nothing remarkable befell him by the way, but arriving at Cairo he
inquired for Mobarec. The people told him he was one of the wealthiest
inhabitants of the city; that he lived like a great lord, and that his
house was open, especially for strangers. Zeyn was conducted thither,
knocked at the gate, which a slave opened and demanded, “What is it you
want, and who are you?”
“I am a stranger,” answered the prince, “and having heard much of the
lord Mobarec’s generosity, am come to take up my lodging with him.”
The slave desired Zeyn to wait while he went to acquaint his master, who
ordered him to request the stranger to walk in. The slave returned to
the gate and told the prince he was welcome.
Zeyn went in, crossed a large court, and entered a hall magnificently
furnished, where Mobarec received him very courteously, returning thanks
for the honor he did him in accepting a lodging in his house. The
prince, having answered his compliment, said to Mobarec, “I am the son
of the late Sultan of Bussorah, and my name is Zeyn Alasnam.”
“That sovereign,” said Mobarec, “was formerly my master; but I never
knew he had any children. What is your age?”
“I am twenty years old,” answered the sultan. “How long is it since you
left my father’s court?”
“Almost two-and-twenty years,” replied Mobarec. “But how can you
convince me that you are his son?”
“My father,” rejoined Zeyn, “had a subterraneous place under his private
room in which I have found forty porphyry urns full of gold.”
“And what more is there?” said Mobarec.
“Nine pedestals of massive gold,” answered the prince, “on eight whereof
are as many diamond statues, and on the ninth a piece of white satin, on
which my father has written what I am to do to procure another statue,
more valuable than all those together. You know where that statue is,
for it is mentioned on the satin that you will conduct me to it.”
As soon as he had spoken these words, Mobarec fell down at his feet, and
kissing one of his hands several times, said: “I bless God for having
brought you hither. I know you to be the Sultan of Bussorah’s son. If
you will go to the place where the wonderful statue is, I will conduct
you; but you must first rest here for a short time. This day I entertain
the great men of the city. Will you vouchsafe to come and be merry with
us?”
“I shall be very glad,” replied Zeyn, “to be admitted to your feast.”
Mobarec immediately led him under a dome where the company was, seated
him at the table, and served him. The merchants of Cairo were surprised
and whispered to one another. “Who is this stranger to whom Mobarec pays
so much respect?”
When they had dined, Mobarec, directing his discourse to the company,
said: “Know, my friends, that this young stranger is the son of the
Sultan of Bussorah, my late master. His father purchased me and died
without making me free; so that I am still a slave, and consequently all
I have of right belongs to this young prince, his sole heir.”
Here Zeyn interrupted him. “Mobarec,” said he, “I declare, before all
these guests, that I make you free from this moment, and that I renounce
all right to your person and all you possess. Consider what you would
have me do more for you.”
Mobarec kissed the ground and returned the prince most hearty thanks.
The next day Zeyn said to Mobarec: “I have taken rest enough. I came not
to Cairo for pleasure. My design is to obtain the ninth statue. It is
time for us to set out in search of it.”
“Sir,” said Mobarec, “I am ready to comply with your desires; but you
know not what dangers you must encounter to make this precious
acquisition.”
“Whatsoever the danger may be,” answered the prince, “I have resolved to
make the attempt. I will either perish or succeed. Do you but bear me
company and let your resolution be equal to mine.”
Mobarec, finding him determined to go, called his servants and ordered
them to make ready his equipage. The prince and he then set out. They
travelled many days. At length, being come to a delightful spot, they
alighted from their horses. Mobarec then said to the servants that
attended them, “Do you remain here till we return.”
Then he said to Zeyn: “Now, sir, let us advance by ourselves. You will
stand in need of all your courage.”
They soon came to a vast lake. Mobarec sat down on the brink of it,
saying to the prince, “We must cross this water.”
“How can we,” asked Zeyn, “when we have no boat?”
“You will see one appear in a moment,” replied Mobarec. “The enchanted
boat of the Sultan of the Genii will come for us. But you must observe a
profound silence. Do not speak to the boatman, and whatever
extraordinary circumstance you observe, say nothing; for I tell you
beforehand that if you utter one word when we are embarked, the boat
will sink.”
“I shall take care to be silent,” said the prince. “You need only tell
me what I am to do, and I will strictly comply.”
Whilst they were talking, he spied a boat made of red sandalwood on the
lake. It had a mast of fine amber and a blue satin flag. There was only
one boatman in it, and he had the head of an elephant and the body of a
tiger. When the boat was come to the prince and Mobarec, the monstrous
boatman took them up one after the other with his trunk, put them into
his boat, and carried them over the lake in a moment. He then again took
them up with his trunk, set them ashore, and immediately vanished with
his boat.
“Now we may talk,” said Mobarec. “The island we are in belongs to the
King of the Genii. Look around you, prince. Can there be a more
delightful spot? Behold the fields adorned with all sorts of flowers and
plants. Admire those beautiful trees, whose branches bend down to the
ground. Hear those harmonious songs from a thousand birds of as many
various sorts, unknown in other countries.”
Zeyn could not sufficiently admire the beauties with which he was
surrounded, and still found something new as he advanced farther into
the island.
At length they came before a palace built of emeralds, encompassed by a
wide moat, on the banks whereof, at certain distances, were planted such
tall trees that they shaded the whole palace. The gate was of massy gold
and was approached by a bridge. At the entrance to the bridge stood a
company of very tall genii, who guarded the portals of the castle with
great clubs of steel.
“Let us at present proceed no farther,” said Mobarec, “or these genii
will destroy us; and in order to prevent their coming to us, we must
perform a magic ceremony.”
Then Mobarec laid on the ground two large mats, on the edges whereof he
scattered some precious stones, musk, and amber. Afterwards he sat down
on one of the mats, and Zeyn on the other, and Mobarec said to the
prince: “I shall now conjure the Sultan of the Genii, who lives in the
palace that is before us. If our coming into this island is displeasing
to him, he will appear in the shape of a dreadful monster; but if he
approves of your design, he will show himself in the shape of a handsome
man. As soon as he appears before us, you must rise and salute him,
without going off your mat; for you would certainly perish should you
stir from it. You must say to him, ‘Lord of the Genii, I wish your
majesty may protect me, as you always protected my father; and I most
humbly beg you to give me the ninth statue.’”
Mobarec, having thus instructed Prince Zeyn, began his conjuration.
Immediately their eyes were dazzled by a long flash of lightning, which
was followed by a clap of thunder. The whole island was covered with a
thick darkness, a furious storm of wind blew, a dreadful cry was heard,
the island felt a shock as if of an earthquake, and the Sultan of the
Genii appeared in the shape of a very handsome man, yet there was
something terrific in his air.
As soon as King Zeyn had prostrated himself and spoken as he had been
taught by Mobarec, the Sultan of the Genii, smiling, answered: “My son,
I loved your father, and every time he came to pay me his respects, I
presented him with a statue, which he carried away with him. I have no
less kindness for you. I obliged your father, some days before he died,
to write that which you read on the piece of white satin. I promised him
to receive you under my protection, and to give you the ninth statue,
which in beauty surpasses those you have already. I had begun to perform
my promise to him, for it was I whom you saw in a dream in the shape of
an old man. I caused you to open the underground place where the urns
and the statues are deposited. I know the motive that brought you
hither. You shall obtain what you desire on certain conditions. You must
return with Mobarec, and you must swear to come again to me, and to
bring with you a young maiden who has reached her twentieth year, and
who has never entertained a wish to be married. She must also be
perfectly beautiful; and you so much a master of yourself as not to
determine to keep her for your wife, as you are conducting her hither. I
will give you a looking-glass, which will clearly reflect no other image
than that of the young maiden you are in search of. Now swear to me to
observe these conditions and keep your oath like a man of honor.
Otherwise I will take away your life, notwithstanding the kindness I
have for you.”
Zeyn Alasnam accepted the conditions and swore that he would faithfully
keep his word. The Sultan of the Genii then delivered to him a
looking-glass, saying: “My son, you may return when you please. There is
the glass you are to use.”
Zeyn and Mobarec took leave of the Sultan of the Genii and went towards
the lake. The boatman with the elephant’s head brought the boat and
ferried them over the lake as he had done before. They joined their
servants and returned with them to Cairo.
The young sultan rested a few days at Mobarec’s house and then said to
him, “Let us go to Bagdad, to seek a maiden for the Sovereign of the
Genii.”
“Why, are we not at Grand Cairo?” said Mobarec. “Shall we not there find
beautiful maidens?”
“You are in the right,” answered the prince; “but how shall we learn
where they are?”
“Do not trouble yourself about that,” answered Mobarec. “I know a very
shrewd old woman, whom I will intrust with the affair, and she will
acquit herself well.”
Accordingly, the old woman found means to show King Zeyn a considerable
number of beautiful maidens of twenty years of age; but when he had
viewed them, and came to consult his glass, it always appeared sullied.
All the maidens in the court and city who were in their twentieth year
underwent the trial one after another, but the glass never remained
bright and clear.
When Zeyn and Mobarec saw there were no maidens to be found in Cairo who
did not wish to be married, they went to Bagdad, where they hired a
magnificent palace, and soon made acquaintance with the chief people of
the city.
There lived at Bagdad at this time an imaum[2] of much repute and noted
for his charity. His name was Boubekir Muezin. To him Mobarec went and
offered a purse of five hundred gold pieces, in the name of Prince Zeyn,
to distribute among the poor. On the next day, Boubekir Muezin waited on
Prince Zeyn to return to him his thanks; and on hearing the purpose of
his visit to Bagdad, told him of a young maiden, the daughter of a
former vizier of the Sultan of Bagdad, whom he was assured would fulfil
the terms required by Prince Zeyn, and offered to ask her from her
father as the wife of the prince if he would go with him to her father’s
mansion. The prince accompanied the imaum to the vizier’s; and the
vizier, as soon as he was acquainted with the prince’s birth and design,
called his daughter and made her take off her veil. Never had the young
Sultan of Bussorah beheld such a perfect and striking beauty. He pulled
out his glass, which remained bright and unsullied.
[Footnote 2: Imaum: The officer in Mohammedan mosques who recites the
prayers and leads the devotions.]
When he perceived he had at length found such a person as he desired, he
entreated the vizier to grant her to him. Immediately the cadi was sent
for, the contract signed, and the marriage prayer said. After this
ceremony, Zeyn conducted the vizier to his house, where he treated him
magnificently and gave him considerable presents. Next day he sent a
vast quantity of jewels by Mobarec, who conducted the bride home, where
the wedding was celebrated with all the pomp that became Zeyn’s rank and
dignity. When all the company was dismissed Mobarec said to his master:
“Let us begone, sir, let us not stay any longer at Bagdad, but return to
Cairo. Remember the promise you made the Sultan of the Genii.”
“Let us go,” answered the prince; “I must take care to do exactly as I
agreed; yet I must confess, my dear Mobarec, that, if I obey the Sultan
of the Genii, it is not without reluctance. The damsel I have married is
so charming that I am tempted to carry her to Bussorah and place her on
the throne.”
“Alas! sir,” answered Mobarec, “take heed how you give way to your
inclination. Whatever it costs you, be as good as your word to the
Sultan of the Genii.”
“Well, then, Mobarec,” said the prince, “do you take care to conceal the
lovely maid from me. Let her never appear in my sight—perhaps I have
already seen too much of her.”
Mobarec made all ready for their departure. They returned to Cairo and
thence set out for the island of the Sultan of the Genii. When they
arrived, the maid, who had performed the journey in a litter, and whom
the prince had never seen since his marriage, said to Mobarec: “Where
are we? Shall we soon be in the dominions of the prince my husband?”
“Madam,” answered Mobarec, “it is time to undeceive you. Prince Zeyn
married you only in order to get you from your father. He did not intend
to make you Sovereign of Bussorah, but to deliver you to the Sultan of
the Genii.”
At these words she began to weep bitterly, which moved the prince and
Mobarec. “Take pity on me,” said she. “I am a stranger. You will be
accountable to God for your treachery towards me.”
Her tears and complaints were of no effect, for she was presented to the
Sultan of the Genii, who having gazed on her with attention, said to
Zeyn: “Prince, I am satisfied with your behavior. The maiden you have
brought me is beautiful and good, and I am pleased with the restraint
you have put on yourself to fulfill your promise to me. Return to your
dominions, and when you enter the underground room, where the eight
statues are, you shall find the ninth which I promised you. I will make
my genii carry it thither.”
Zeyn thanked the King of the Genii, and returned to Cairo with Mobarec,
but did not stay long in Egypt, for his impatience to see the ninth
statue made him hasten his departure. However, he could not but often
think regretfully of the young girl he had married and blame himself for
having deceived her. “Alas!” said he to himself, “I have taken her from
a tender father to sacrifice her to a genie. Oh, wonderful beauty! You
deserve a better fate.”
Sultan Zeyn, disturbed with these thoughts, at length reached Bussorah,
where his subjects made extraordinary rejoicings for his return. He went
directly to give an account of his journey to his mother, who was in a
rapture to hear that he had obtained the ninth statue. “Let us go, my
son,” said she, “and see it, for it is certainly in the underground
chamber, since the Sultan of the Genii said you should find it there.”
The young sultan and his mother being both impatient to see the
wonderful statue, went down into the room of the statues; but how great
was their surprise, when, instead of a statue of diamonds, they beheld
on the ninth pedestal a most beautiful girl, whom the prince knew to be
the same whom he had conducted to the island of the genii! “Prince,”
said the young maid, “you are surprised to see me here. You expected to
have found something more precious than me, and I question not but that
you now repent having taken so much trouble. You expected a better
reward.”
“Madam,” answered Zeyn, “Heaven is my witness that I more than once had
nearly broken my word with the Sultan of the Genii by keeping you
myself. Whatever be the value of a diamond statue, it is worth the
satisfaction of having you mine? I love you above all the diamonds and
wealth in the world.”
Just as he had done speaking, a clap of thunder was heard, which shook
the subterraneous place. Zeyn’s mother was alarmed, but the Sultan of
the Genii immediately appearing dispelled her fear. “Madam,” said he to
her, “I protect and love your son. I had a mind to try, whether, at his
age, he could subdue himself. This is the ninth statue I designed for
him. It is more rare and precious than the others. Live happy, Zeyn,
with this your wife,” said he, directing his discourse to the young
prince, “and if you would have her true and constant to you, love her
always and love her only.”
Having spoken these words, the Sultan of the Genii vanished, and Zeyn,
enchanted with the young lady, the same day caused her to be proclaimed
Queen of Bussorah, over which they reigned in mutual happiness to an
advanced age.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE DYED JACKAL
Once upon a time a Jackal, who was prowling around the suburbs of a
town, fell into an indigo-tank. He found that he was unable to get out
of this, and so lay down as though he were dead.
In due time the dyer came to the tank, and finding what he supposed to
be a dead Jackal, took him out and threw him into the jungle.
When the dyer was far enough away the Jackal scrambled to his feet, and
looking himself over found his color changed to a beautiful blue.
“Now,” he said to himself, “I am certainly much prettier than I was
before; why should not this accident prove to be a good thing for me.
When the other jackals see my wonderful color, it should be easy for me
to persuade them that I should be their king.”
So he got the jackals of the jungle together, and said to them: “Good
people, the Goddess of the Wood has anointed me king. Behold the hue of
royalty! And after this do no business without my permission.”
The jackals were overcome by the distinguished color, and promised
obedience, and so began the reign of the dyed Jackal. But soon he was
not content just to rule over his own kind, whom he began to despise, so
he declared himself king of the lions and tigers, from among whom he
selected his special attendants, keeping his own kindred at a distance,
as though he were ashamed of them.
Of course, this made the jackals very indignant, and some of them took
counsel together to see what could be done about it.
One of the wise old beasts addressed them, saying: “Leave this impostor
to me. The lions and tigers and the rest think he is a king because he
is colored blue, but we must show them his true colors. Now, do as I
tell you. When night comes, all of you gather around him, and set up a
great yell together. He is sure to join in as he used to do, for——
“‘Hard it is to conquer nature: if a dog were made a king,
Mid the coronation trumpets, he would gnaw his sandal-string.’
“And when he yells, the lions and tigers will know him to be a jackal,
and fall upon him.”
They did just what the wise old beast had suggested, and the thing
befell exactly as he said it would. And so ended the reign of the dyed
jackal.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHY DOGS WAG THEIR TAILS
A rich man in a certain town once owned a dog and a cat, both of which
were very useful to him. The dog had served his master for many years
and had become so old that he had lost his teeth and was unable to fight
any more, but he was a good guide and companion to the cat, who was
strong and cunning.
The master had a daughter who was attending school at a convent some
distance from home, and very often he sent the dog and the cat with
presents to the girl.
One day he called the faithful animals and bade them carry a magic ring
to his daughter.
“You are strong and brave,” he said to the cat. “You may carry the ring,
but you must be careful not to drop it.”
And to the dog he said: “You must accompany the cat to guide her and
keep her from harm.”
They promised to do their best and started out. All went well until they
came to a river. As there was neither bridge nor boat, there was no way
to cross but to swim.
“Let me take the magic ring,” said the dog as they were about to plunge
into the water.
“Oh, no,” replied the cat, “the master gave it to me to carry.”
“But you cannot swim well,” argued the dog. “I am strong and can take
good care of it.”
But the cat refused to give up the ring until finally the dog threatened
to kill her, and then she reluctantly gave it to him.
The river was wide and the water so swift that they grew very tired, and
just before they reached the opposite bank the dog dropped the ring.
They searched carefully, but could not find it anywhere, and after
awhile they turned back to tell their master of the sad loss. Just
before reaching the house, however, the dog was so overcome with fear
that he turned and ran away and never was seen again.
The cat went on alone, and when the master saw her coming he called out
to know why she had returned so soon and what had become of her
companion. The poor cat was frightened, but as well as she could she
explained how the ring had been lost and how the dog had run away.
On hearing her story the master was very angry, and commanded that all
his people should search for the dog, and that it should be punished by
having its tail cut off.
He also ordered that all dogs in the world should join in the search,
and ever since when one dog meets another, he says: “Are you the old dog
that lost the magic ring? If so, your tail must be cut off.” Then
immediately each shows his teeth and wags his tail to prove that he is
not the guilty one.
Since then, too, cats have been afraid of water and will not swim across
a river if they can avoid it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRINCE VARNA
There was once a Rajah whose wife died, leaving to her husband a little
son, who was a great comfort to his grief-stricken father. In due time
the young prince was christened and his godmother was a princess who was
known far and wide for her wisdom and kindness, and everyone called her
“the good queen.” She named the little prince Varna, and loved him as
though he were her own son.
When Varna was three years old the Rajah married a princess of great
beauty, but who was hard-hearted and cruel. In the course of time a
second prince was born, and the queen was filled with jealous rage at
the thought that Varna, and not her own son, was heir to the throne. But
she was very careful not to let the Rajah discover her real feelings.
In the mountain there lived an old witch whom the queen knew well, and
she sent to her a trusty servant, asking that she find some way of
getting rid of her stepson, who stood in the way of her own son. But the
witch replied that she could work no harm against the young prince,
because he was under the protection of his godmother, whose power was
greater than her own.
The “good queen” lived in a country which was far away, but was able to
keep herself well-informed of all that went on, and she knew what the
wicked queen desired. She sent to the young prince a ring of jade with
instructions that he must always wear it, as it would protect him from
all harm while in his father’s country. But as a talisman this ring was
useless elsewhere. This the wicked queen knew, so she made every effort
to entice him away from his father’s dominions.
Her efforts met with no success, but circumstances brought about that
which she herself had been unable to. When the young prince was fifteen
years old his father’s only sister, who had married the king of a
distant country, wrote to her brother begging him to permit his son to
pay her a visit, as she greatly desired to see the nephew of whom she
had received the most excellent reports.
The Rajah at first refused to allow Varna to leave the country, as he
was fearful that harm might come to him, but his sister entreated and
his wife insisted, so he finally gave his consent, although reluctantly.