the Green City, in which dwelt a king named Suleiman Shah, a man
of virtue and beneficence, just, generous and loyal, to whom
travellers resorted from all parts, for his renown was noised
abroad in all cities and countries; and he reigned over the
country for many years, in all honour and prosperity, save that
he had neither wife nor child. Now he had a vizier who was akin
to him in goodness and generosity, and one day, he sent for him
and said to him, 'O my Vizier, my heart is heavy and my patience
at end and my strength fails me, for that I have neither wife nor
child. This is not of the fashion of kings that rule over all,
princes and beggars; for they rejoice in leaving behind them
children, who shall succeed them and by whom both their number
and strength are multiplied. Quoth the Prophet (whom God bless
and preserve), "Marry and engender and multiply, that I may boast
myself of you over the peoples on the Day of Resurrection." So
what is thy counsel, O Vizier? Advise me what is fitting to
be done.' When the Vizier heard this, the tears streamed from
his eyes and he replied, 'God forbid, O king of the age, that
I should speak on that which is of the pertinence of the
Compassionate One! Wilt thou have me cast into the fire by the
wrath of the All-powerful King? Buy a concubine.' 'Know, O
Vizier,' rejoined the King, 'that when a prince buys a female
slave, he knows neither her condition nor her lineage and thus
cannot tell if she be of mean extraction, that he may abstain
from her, or of gentle blood, that he may be intimate with her.
So if he have commerce with her, belike she will conceive by him
and her son be a hypocrite, a tyrant and a shedder of blood.
Indeed such a woman may be likened to a salt soil, which, if one
till it, yields only worthless crops; for it may be the son in
question will be obnoxious to the wrath of his Lord, doing not
that which He commandeth him neither abstaining from that which
He forbiddeth him. Wherefore I will never risk being the cause of
this, through the purchase of a concubine; and it is my will,
therefore, that thou demand for me in marriage the daughter of
some one of the kings, whose lineage is known and whose beauty is
renowned. If thou canst direct me to some king's daughter of the
Muslims, who is a woman of good birth and piety, I will seek her
hand and marry her before witnesses, that the favour of the Lord
of all creatures may accrue to me thereby.' 'O King,' said the
Vizier, 'God hath fulfilled thy need and hath brought thee to thy
desire; for it hath come to my knowledge that King Zehr Shah,
Lord of the White Country, hath a daughter of surpassing beauty,
whom report fails to describe; she hath not her equal in this
age, being perfect in beauty and symmetry, with melting black
eyes and long hair, slender-waisted and heavy-hipped. When she
draws nigh, she seduces, and when she turns her back, she slays,
ravishing heart and sight, even as says of her the poet:
A slender one, her shape confounds the branch of the cassia tree;
Nor sun nor moon can with her face for brightness evened be.
Meseems, the water of her mouth is honey blent with wine; Ay, and
her teeth are finer pearls than any in the sea.
The purest white and deepest black meet in her glittering glance
And shapelier than the black-eyed maids of Paradise is she.
How many a man her eyes have slain, who perished in despair; The
love of her's a way wherein are fear and misery.
If I would live, behold, she's death! I may not think of her,
Lest I should die; for, lacking her, life's nothing worth to
me.
So it is my counsel, O King, that thou despatch to her father a
sagacious and experienced ambassador, versed in the conduct of
affairs, who shall with courteous and persuasive speech demand
her in marriage for thee; for she hath not her equal in the
world, far or near. So shalt thou enjoy her beauty in the way of
right and the Lord of Glory be content with thee; for it is
reported of the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve) that he
said, "There is no monkery in Islam." At this the King was
transported to the perfection of delight; his heart was lightened
and his breast dilated and care and anxiety ceased from him; and
he said to the Vizier, 'None shall go about this business but
thou, by reason of thy consummate wit and good breeding;
wherefore do thou make ready by the morrow and depart and demand
me this girl in marriage, with whom thou hast made my heart to be
engrossed; nor do thou return to me but with her.' 'I hear and
obey,' replied the Vizier, and withdrawing to his own house, made
ready a present such as befits kings, of jewels and other
precious things, light of carriage but heavy of worth, besides
Arabian horses and coats of mail, fine-wrought as those which
David made,[FN#119] and chests of treasure, such as speech &fails
to describe. These all he loaded upon camels and mules and set
out, with flags and banners flying before him and attended by a
hundred white slaves and the like number of black and a hundred
slave-girls. The King charged him to return to him speedily; so
he set out, leaving Suleiman Shah on coals of fire, engrossed
night and day with desire for the princess, and fared on, without
ceasing, night and day, across plains and deserts, till there
remained but a day's journey between him and the city to which he
was bound. Here he halted on the banks of a river, and calling
one of his chief officers, bade him hasten forward to King Zehr
Shah and announce his approach. Accordingly, the messenger rode
on in haste to the city and was about to enter it, when the King,
who chanced to be seated in one of his pleasaunces before the
gate, espied him and knowing him for a stranger, bade bring him
before him. So when the messenger came into his presence, he
informed him of the approach of the Vizier of the mighty King
Suleiman Shah, Lord of the Green Country and of the mountains of
Ispahan; whereat King Zehr Shah rejoiced and bade him welcome.
Then he carried him to his palace and said to him, 'Where didst
thou leave the Vizier?' 'I left him,' replied the messenger, 'at
the first of the day, on the banks of such a river, and he will
be with thee to-morrow, may God continue His favours to thee
and have mercy upon thy parents!' Whereupon the King commanded
one of his Viziers to take the better part of his nobles and
chamberlains and officers and grandees and go out to meet the
ambassador, in honour of King Suleiman Shah, for that his
dominion extended over the country.
Meanwhile, King Suleiman's Vizier abode in his stead, till the
night was half spent, when he set out for the city; but hardly
had the day appeared and the sun risen upon the hills and plains,
when he saw King Zehr Shah's Vizier approaching with his retinue
and the two parties joined company at some parasangs' distance
from the city. At this the Vizier made sure of the success of his
errand and saluted the new-comers, who escorted him to the King's
palace and forewent him to the seventh vestibule, where none
might enter on horseback, for it was near the presence chamber of
the King. So the Vizier alighted and walked on till he came to a
lofty hall, at the upper end whereof stood a couch of alabaster,
set with pearls end jewels and having four elephants' tusks for
feet. It was covered with a mattress of green satin, embroidered
with red gold, and surmounted by a canopy adorned with pearls and
jewels, and on it sat King Zehr Shah, whilst his officers of
state stood in attendance on him. When the Vizier stood before
him, he composed himself and loosing his tongue, displayed such
skill of speech as befits viziers and saluted the King in
eloquent and complimentary language, reciting the following
verses in his honour:
He cometh, bending gracefully in his robes and shedding dew Of
bounty over the thirsting land and the folk to him that sue.
Indeed, he charmeth; nor amulets nor spells nor magic may Avail
to ward off the faithful glance of those his eyes from you.
Say to the censurers, "Blame me not: whilst life abide in me,
I'll never swerve from the love of him nor turn to love
anew."
Lo, slumber surely is tired of me and fallen in love with him,
And even my heart hath played me false and but to him is
true!
O heart, thou art not the only one that loves and tenders him, So
get thee gone and bide with him and leave me here to rue!
Except the praise of the King Zehr Shah it be that folk acclaim,
There's nought rejoices mine ears, in sooth, to hearken
thereunto.
A King, the sight of whose glorious face would well thy pains
repay; Though thou shouldst lavish thy heart's best blood,
so great a grace to woo.
If thou be minded to offer up a pious prayer for him, Thou'lt
find but true believer, and sharers the whole world through.
O folk of this realm, if any forswear his governance And look for
another, I hold him none of the faithful few
When the Vizier had made an end of his speech, the King bade him
draw near and showed him the utmost honour then seating him by
his own side, he smiled in his face and made him a gracious
reply. They conversed till the time of the morning-meal, when the
attendants brought in the tables of food and they all ate till
they were satisfied, after which the tables were removed and all
who were present withdrew, with the exception of the chief
officers; which when the Vizier saw, he rose to his feet, and
after complimenting the King a second time and kissing the earth
before him, spoke as follows: 'O mighty king and august prince, I
have travelled hither and am come to thee upon an errand, wherein
is profit and good and prosperity for thee; and it is that I come
as ambassador to thee, seeking the hand of thy noble and
illustrious daughter, from the most just, loyal and excellent
King Suleiman Shah, Lord of the Green Country and of the
mountains of Ispahan, who sends thee many and rare presents and
gifts of price, ardently desiring thine alliance. Art thou, then,
minded to him as he to thee?' And he was silent, awaiting a
reply. When the King heard his words he sprang to his feet
and kissed the earth respectfully before the Vizier, to the
amazement of the bystanders, whose minds were confounded at his
condescension to the ambassador. Then he praised Him who is the
Lord of glory and honour and replied, still standing, 'O mighty
Vizier and illustrious lord, hear what I say. Verily we are of
the subjects of King Suleiman Shah and are ennobled by his
alliance and aspire ardently thereto. My daughter is one of his
handmaids, and it is my dearest wish that he may become my stay
and my support in time of need.' Then he summoned the Cadis and
the witnesses, who took act that King Suleiman had deputed his
Vizier his proxy to conclude the marriage, and King Zehr Shah
joyfully consented on behalf of his daughter. So the Cadis drew
up the marriage contract and offered up prayers for the happiness
and prosperity of the contracting parties; after which the Vizier
arose and fetching the gifts and rarities and precious things
that he had brought with him, laid them all before the King, who
betook himself to the equipment of his daughter, honourably
entreating the Vizier and feasting great and small; and they held
high festival for two months, omitting nought that could gladden
heart and eye. When all was ready that was needful for the bride,
the King caused the tents to be pitched without the city and they
packed the bride's clothes and jewels in chests and loaded them
on mules and camels. Now he had provided his daughter with Greek
handmaids and Turkish slave-girls and great store of jewels and
precious things, and had let make for her a litter of red gold
inlaid with pearls and jewels, which within was as one of the
chambers of a palace and without as one of the pavilions of
Paradise, whilst its mistress seemed as she were of the lovely
hours. Moreover, he furnished her also with twenty mules for the
journey and brought her three parasangs forward on her road,
after which he bade her and the Vizier farewell and returned to
his own city in peace and gladness. Meanwhile, the Vizier and his
company fared on by forced marches, traversing plains and deserts
and staying not day or night, till they came within three days'
journey of King Suleiman's capital, when the Vizier despatched a
messenger to acquaint the King with their arrival. The messenger
hastened forward till he reached the King's presence and
announced to him the coming of the bride, whereat he rejoiced and
bestowed on him a dress of honour. Then he bade his troops don
their richest apparel and sally forth in grand procession, with
banners flying, to meet the princess and her company and do them
honour, and let cry throughout the city that neither cloistered
damsel nor honoured lady nor infirm old woman should fail to go
forth to meet the bride. So they all went out to meet her and the
chiefest of them vied in doing her service, meaning to bring her
to the King's palace by night. Moreover, the grandees agreed to
decorate the road and stand on either side, whilst the bride
should pass by, clad in the robes her father had given her and
preceded by her eunuchs and serving-women. So at the appointed
time, she made her appearance, surrounded by the troops, these on
her right hand and those on her left, and the litter ceased not
going with her, till they drew near the palace; nor was there any
one but came forth to gaze upon the show. The drums beat and the
lances were brandished, the trumpets blared and the banners
fluttered and the horses pranced, whilst fragrant odours breathed
around, till they reached the gate of the palace and the pages
entered with the litter through the private gate. The place shone
with its splendours and the walls glittered for the lustre of its
ornaments. When the night came, the eunuchs threw open the doors
of the bride-chamber and stood on either hand; whereupon the
bride entered, among her damsels, like the moon among stars or a
pearl of matchless beauty in a string of lesser pearls, and
seated herself upon a couch of alabaster inlaid with pearls and
jewels, that had been set for her there. Then came the King in to
her and God filled his heart with love of her; so he did away her
maidenhead, and his trouble and disquiet ceased from him. She
conceived by him the first night, and he abode with her well-nigh
a month, at the end of which time he went forth and seating
himself on his throne of state, dispensed justice to his
subjects, till the months of her pregnancy were accomplished.
Towards daybreak on the last night of the ninth month, the queen
was seized with the pangs of labour; so she sat down on the stool
of delivery and God made the travail easy to her, so that she
gave birth to a male child, on whom appeared the signs of happy
fortune. When the King heard of this, he rejoiced with an
exceeding joy and rewarded the bearer of the good tidings with
much treasure. Then, of his gladness, he went in to the child and
kissed him between the eyes, wondering at his brilliant beauty;
for in him was the saying of the poet made truth:
God hath a lion given in him unto the forts of fame And in the
heaven of high estate hath set another star.
Lo, at his birth, the spears shake all and all the wild deer
start And all the chieftains of the folk and all the men of
war!
So mount him not upon the breasts, for he shall surely deem That
horses' backs for such as he the softer sitting are;
And wean ye him from sucking milk, for he eftsoon shall find The
blood of foemen in the field the sweeter drink by far.
The midwives took the new-born child and cut the cord of his
navel, after which they anointed his eyes with kohl and named him
Taj el Mulouk Kharan. He was suckled at the breast of delight and
reared in the lap of favouring fortune, and the days ran on and
the years passed by, till he reached the age of seven. Then the
King his father summoned the doctors and learned men and bade
them teach his son writing and science and polite letters. This
they did for some years, till he had learnt all that was needful,
when the King took him out of the professors' hands and committed
him to a master, who taught him horsemanship and the use of arms,
till the boy attained the age of fourteen and became proficient
in martial exercises. Moreover, he outshone all the people of his
time for the excess of his beauty; so that, whenever he went
abroad on any occasion, all who saw him were ravished with him
and made verses in his honour, and even the virtuous were seduced
by his brilliant loveliness. Quoth the poet of him:
A tender branch, that from the breeze hath ta'en its nourishment!
I clipped him and straightway became drunk with his sweetest
scent;
Not drunken with the drunkenness of one who drinketh wine, But
with the honey of his mouth fulfilled of languishment.
All loveliness comprised is within his perfect form, So that o'er
all the hearts of men he reigns omnipotent.
By God, forgetfulness of him shall never cross my mind. What
while I wear the chains of life, nor even when they're rent!
Lo, if I live, in love of him I'll live; and, if I die Of
love-longing for him, I'll say, "O rare! O excellent!"
When he reached his eighteenth year, the tender down began to
invade the table of his rosy cheeks, which were adorned by a
black mole like a grain of ambergris, and he captivated the minds
and eyes of all who looked on him, even as says of him the poet
in the following verses:
He is become the Khalif of beauty in Joseph's place; The hearts
of all lovers dread him, whenas they see his grace.
Pause thou with me and fasten thy gaze on him! thou'lt see The
sign of the Khalifate set in sable[FN#120] on his face.
And as says another:
Thine eyes have never looked upon a fairer sight, Of all the
things that are to see beneath the sky,
Than yonder mole of brown, that nestles on his face, Midmost the
rosy cheek, beneath the coal-black eye.
And a third:
I marvel at yon mole that serves the fire eternal, Upon his
cheek, yet is not burned, all Kafir[FN#121] though it be;
And eke I marvel that he's sent or God, with every glance To work
true miracles; and yet a sorcerer is he!
The many gall-bladders that burst for him it is that make The
shining fringes of his cheek so black and bright to see.
And yet a fourth:
I wonder to hear the folk ask of the water of life And question
in which of the lands its magical fountain flows
Whenas I see it well from the damask lips of a fawn, Under his
tender moustache and his cheek's perennial rose.
And eke 'tis a wonder of wonders that Moses,[FN#122] finding it
there Flowing, yet took no patience nor laid him down to
repose.
When he came to man's estate, his beauty increased and he had
many comrades and friends; and every one who drew near to him
hoped that he would become Sultan after his father's death and
that he himself might be one of his officers. He had a passion
for hunting and would hardly leave the chase a single hour. His
father would have restrained him, fearing for him the perils of
the desert: and the wild beasts; but he paid no heed to him. One
day, he bade his attendants take ten days' provender and setting
out for the chase, rode on into the desert four days long, at the
end of which time he came to a verdant champaign, full of wild
beasts pasturing and trees laden with ripe fruit and springs
welling forth. Then he said to his followers, 'Set up the nets in
a wide circle and let our general rendezvous be at the mouth of
the ring, in such a spot.' So they staked out a wide circle with
the nets; and there gathered together a multitude of all kinds of
wild beasts and gazelles, which cried out for fear of them and
threw themselves in terror right in the face of the horses. Then
they loosed the dogs and sakers and hunting lynxes on them and
smote them with arrows in the vitals; so, by the time they came
to the closed end of the ring of nets, they took a great number
of the wild beasts, and the rest fled. Then the prince sat down
by the water-side and letting spread the game before himself,
apportioned it among his men, after he had set apart the choicest
thereof for his father King Suleiman and despatched it to him;
and other part he divided among the officers of his court. He
passed the night in that place, and when it was morning, there
came up a caravan of merchants, with their slaves and servants,
and halted by the water and the verdure. When Taj el Mulouk saw
this, he said to one of his companions, 'Go, bring me news of
yonder folk and ask them why they have halted here.' So the man
went up to them and said, 'Tell me who ye are, and answer
quickly.' 'We are merchants,' replied they, 'and have halted here
to rest, for that the next station is distant and we have
confidence in King Suleiman Shah and his son Taj el Mulouk,
knowing that all who alight in their dominions are in peace and
safety; and we have with us precious stuffs, that we have brought
for the prince.' The messenger returned with this news to the
prince, who said, I will not depart hence till I see what they
have brought for me. Then he mounted and rode to the caravan,
followed by his servants. The merchants rose to receive him and
invoked on him the aid and favour of God, with continuance of
glory and virtues; after which they pitched him a pavilion of red
satin, emblazoned with pearls and jewels, in which they spread
him a royal divan, upon a silken carpet embroidered at the upper
end with emeralds. The prince seated himself on the divan, whilst
his servants stood in attendance upon him, and bade the merchants
bring out all that they had with them. Accordingly, they produced
all their merchandise, and he viewed it and took of it what liked
him, paying them the price. Then he remounted and was about to
ride onward, when his eyes fell on a handsome young man, well
dressed and elegantly made, with flower-white forehead and face
brilliant as the moon, save that his beauty was wasted and that
pallor had invaded his cheeks by reason of separation from those
he loved: sighing and lamentation were grievous upon him and the
tears streamed from his eyelids, as he repeated the following
verses:
Absence is long and care and fear are heavy on my soul, Whilst
from mine eyes the tears, O friend, without cessation roll.
Alas, I left my heart behind upon the parting day, And now sans
heart, sans hope, abide all lonely in my dole.
Pause with me, O my friend, what while I take my leave of one By
whose sweet speech diseases all and sorrows are made whole.
Having said this, he wept awhile and fell down in a swoon, whilst
Taj el Mulouk looked at him wonderingly then coming to himself,
he stared fixedly before him, with distracted air, and repeated
these other verses:
I rede thee beware of her glance, for, lo, 'tis a wizard, I ween!
None 'scapeth unscathed of the shafts of her eyes, that has
gazed on their sheen.
For, trust me, black eyes, that are armed with the grace of a
languorous look, Are swifter and sharper to wound than
scimitars, tempered and keen.
And let not thy mind be beguiled by the sweet and the soft of her
words; For the fever that springs from her speech
o'ermasters the senses, demesne.
Soft-sided, were silk but to press on her skin, it would cause it
to bleed, So delicate-bodied she is and so nesh, as forsooth
thou hast seen.
Right chary she is of the charms 'twixt her neck and her anklets
that lie, And what is the sweetest of scents to the
fragrance that breathes from my queen!
Then he gave a sob and swooned away a second time. When Taj el
Mulouk saw him thus, he was perplexed about his case and went up
to him. So when he came to himself and saw the prince standing by
him, he sprang to his feet and kissed the earth before him; and
Taj el Mulouk said to him, 'Why didst thou not show us thy
merchandise?' 'O my lord,' answered the young merchant, 'there is
nought among my stock worthy of thine august highness.' 'It
matters not,' said the prince, 'thou must show me what thou hast
and acquaint me with thy case; for I see thee weeping-eyed and
mournful-hearted. If thou hast been wronged, we will do away
thine oppression, and if thou be in debt, we will discharge thy
debt; for my heart aches for thee, since I first set eyes on
thee.' Then he called for seats and they set him a chair of ebony
and ivory, netted with gold and silk, and spread him a silken
carpet. So he sat down on the chair and bidding the young
merchant seat himself on the carpet, again commanded him to show
him his merchandise. 'O my lord,' said he, 'do not name this to
me; for I have nought worthy of thee.' 'I will have it so,'
rejoined Taj el Mulouk and bade some of the servants fetch the
goods. So they brought them in spite of the merchant; and when he
saw this, the tears streamed from his eyes and he wept and sighed
and lamented; sobs rose from his bosom and he repeated the
following verses:
By the witching amorous sweetness and the blackness of thine
eyes, By the tender flexile softness in thy slender waist
that lies,
By the graces and the languor of thy body and thy shape, By the
fount of wine and honey from thy coral lips that rise,
O my hope, to see thine image in my dreams were sweeter far Than
were safety to the fearful, languishing in woful wise!
Then he opened his bales and displayed their contents to Taj el
Mulouk, piece by piece, till he came to a mantle of satin
brocaded with gold, worth two thousand dinars from which, when he
opened it, there fell a piece of linen. As soon as he saw this,
he caught up the piece of linen in haste and hid it under his
thigh; and indeed he seemed as though he had lost his reason, and
he repeated the following verses:
When shall my sad tormented heart be healed, alas, of thee? The
Pleiades were nearer far than is thy grace to me.
Distance estrangement, longing pain and fire of love laid waste,
Procrastination and delay, in these my life doth flee.
For no attainment bids me live nor exile slays me quite, Travel
no nigher doth me bring, nor wilt thou nearer be.
There is no justice to be had of thee nor any ruth In thee; no
winning to thy grace and yet no breaking free.
Alack, for love of thee, the ways are straitened all on me; So
that I know not where I go nor any issue see!