speaker was a lover like unto himself, debarred the company of
her whom he loved; and he said to himself; "It were fitting that
this man should lay his head to mine and become my comrade in
this my strangerhood." Then he hailed the speaker and cried out
to him, saying "O thou that goest in the sombre night, draw near
to me and tell me thy history. Haply thou shalt find in me one
who will succour thee in shine affliction." "O thou that
answerest my complaint and wouldst know my history," rejoined the
other, "who art thou amongst the cavaliers? Art thou a man or a
genie? Answer me speedily ere thy death draw near, for these
twenty days have I wandered in this desert and have seen no one
nor heard any voice but thine." When Kanmakan heard this, he said
to himself, "His case is like unto mine, for I also have wandered
twenty days in the desert and have seen none nor heard any voice:
but I will make him no answer till the day." So he was silent and
the other called out to him, saying, "O thou that callest, if
thou be of the Jinn, go in peace, and if thou be a man, stay
awhile, till the day break and the night flee with the dark." So
they abode each in his own place, reciting verses and weeping
with abundant tears, till the light of day appeared and the night
departed with the darkness. Then Kanmakan looked at the other and
found him a youth of the Bedouin Arabs, clad in worn clothes and
girt-with a rusty sword, and the signs of passion were apparent
on him. So he went up to him and accosting him, saluted him. The
Bedouin returned the salute and greeted him courteously, but made
little account of him, for what he saw of his tender years and
his condition, which was that of a poor man. So he said to him,
"O youth, of what tribe art thou and to whom art thou kin among
the Arabs? What is thy history and wherefore goest thou by night,
after the fashion of champions? Indeed, thou spokest to me in the
night words such as are spoken of none but magnanimous cavaliers
and lionhearted warriors; and now thy life is in my hand. But I
have compassion on thee by reason of thy tender age; so I will
make thee my companion, and thou shalt go with me, to do me
service." When Kanmakan heard him speak thus unseemly, after what
he had shown him of skill in verse, he knew that he despised him
and thought to presume with him; so he answered him with soft and
dulcet speech, saying, "O chief of the Arabs, leave my tenderness
of age and tell me thy story and why thou wanderest by night in
the desert, reciting verses. Thou talkest of my serving thee; who
then art thou and what moved thee to speak thus?" "Harkye, boy!"
answered the Bedouin, "I am Subbah, son of Remmah ben Hummam. My
people are of the Arabs of Syria, and I have a cousin called
Nejmeh, who brings delight to all that look on her. My father
died, and I was brought up in the house of my uncle, the father
of Nejmeh; but when I grew up and my cousin became a woman, they
excluded her from me and me from her, seeing that I was poor and
of little estate. However, the chiefs of the Arabs and the heads
of the tribes went in to her father and rebuked him, and he was
abashed before them and consented to give me his daughter, but
upon condition that I should bring him as her dower fifty head of
horses and fifty dromedaries and fifty camels laden with wheat
and a like number laden with barley, together with ten male and
ten female slaves. The dowry he imposed upon me was beyond my
competence; for he exacted more than the due marriage portion. So
now I am travelling from Syria to Irak, having passed twenty days
without seeing other than thyself, and I mean to go to Baghdad,
that I may note what rich and considerable merchants start
thence. Then I will go out in their track and seize their goods,
for I will kill their men and drive off their camels with their
loads. But what manner of man art thou?" "Thy case is like unto
mine," replied Kanmakan; "save that my complaint is more grievous
than thine; for my cousin is a king's daughter, and the dowry of
which thou hast spoken would not content her family, nor would
they be satisfied with the like of that from me." "Surely," said
Subbah, "thou art mad or light-headed for excess of passion! How
can thy cousin be a king's daughter? Thou hast no sign of
princely rank on thee, for thou art but a mendicant." "O chief of
the Arabs," rejoined Kanmakan, "marvel not at my case, for it is
due to the shifts of fortune; and if thou desire proof of me,
behold, I am Kanmakan, son of King Zoulmekan, son of King Omar
ben Ennuman, lord of Baghdad and Khorassan, and fortune hath
played the tyrant with me; for my father died and (my uncle) King
Sasan took the Sultanate. So I fled forth from Baghdad, secretly,
lest any should see me, and have wandered twenty days, without
seeing any but thyself. So now I have discovered to thee my case,
and my history is as thy history and my need as thy need." When
Subbah heard this, he cried out and said, "O joy! I have attained
my desire! I will have no booty this day but thyself; for, since
thou art of the lineage of kings and hast come out in the habit
of a beggar, it cannot be but thy people will seek thee, and if
they find thee in any one's hand, they will ransom thee with much
treasure. So put thy hands behind thee, O my lad, and walk before
me." "Softly, O brother of the Arabs," answered Kanmakan; "my
people will not ransom me with silver nor with gold, no, not with
a brass dirhem; and I am a poor man, having with me neither much
nor little: so leave this behaviour with me and take me to
comrade. Let us go forth of the land of Irak and wander over the
world, so haply we may win dower and marriage-portion and enjoy
our cousins' embraces." When Subbah heard this, he was angry; his
arrogance and heat redoubled and he said, "Out on thee, O vilest
of dogs! Dost thou bandy words with me? Turn thy back, or I will
chastise thee." At this Kanmakan smiled and answered, "Why should
I turn my back for thee? Is there no equity in thee? Dost thou
not fear to bring reproach upon the Arabs by driving a man like
myself captive, in dishonour and humiliation, before thou hast
proved him in the field, to know if he be a warrior or a coward?"
The Bedouin laughed and replied, "By Allah, I wonder at thee!
Thou art a boy in years, but old in talk. These words should come
from none but a doughty champion: what wantest thou of equity?
"If thou wilt have me be thy captive, to serve thee," said
Kanmakan, "throw down thine arms and put off thine upper clothes
and wrestle with me; and whichever of us throws the other shall
have his will of him and make him his servant." The other laughed
and said, "I think thy much talk denotes the nearness of thy
death." Then he threw down his sword and tucking up his skirt,
drew near unto Kanmakan, and they gripped each other. But the
Bedouin found that Kanmakan had the better of him and outweighed
him, as the quintal outweighs the dinar; and he looked at his
legs and saw that they were as firmly planted as two well-builded
minarets or two tent-poles driven into the ground or two
immovable mountains. So he knew that he himself was not able to
cope with him and repented of having come to wrestle with him,
saying in himself, "Would I had fallen on him with my weapons!"
Then Kanmakan took hold of him and mastering him shook him, till
he thought his guts would burst in his belly and roared out,
"Hold thy hand, O boy!" He heeded him not, but shook him again,
and lifting him from the ground, made with him towards the
stream, that he might throw him therein: whereupon the Bedouin
cried out, saying, "O valiant man, what wilt thou do with me?"
Quoth Kanmakan, "I mean to throw thee into this stream: it will
carry thee to the Tigris. The Tigris will bring thee to the river
Isa and the Isa to the Euphrates, and the Euphrates will bear
thee to thine own country; so thy people will see thee and know
thy manlihead and the sincerity of thy passion." When Subbah
heard this, he cried out and said, "O champion of the desert, do
not with me the deed of the wicked, but let me go, by the life of
thy cousin, the jewel of the fair!" With this, Kanmakan set him
down; and when he found himself at liberty, he ran to his sword
and buckler and taking them up, stood plotting in himself
treachery and a sudden attack on Kanmakan. The latter read his
intent in his eye and said to him, "I know what is in thy mind,
now thou hast hold of thy sword and buckler. Thou hast neither
strength nor skill for wrestling, but thou thinkest that, wert
thou on horseback and couldst wheel about and ply me with thy
sword, I had been slain long ago. But I will give thee thy will,
so there may be no despite left in thy heart. Give me the buckler
and fall on me with thy sword; either I shall kill thee or thou
me." "Here it is," answered Subbah and throwing him the shield,
drew his sword and rushed at him. Kanmakan took the buckler in
his right hand and began to fend himself with it, whilst Subbah
struck at him with the sword, saying at each stroke, "This is
the finishing one!" But Kanmakan received all his blows on his
buckler and they fell harmless, though he did not strike back
again, having no weapon of offence; and Subbah ceased not to
smite at him, till his arm was weary. When the prince saw this,
he rushed at him and seizing him in his arms, shook him and threw
him to the ground. Then he turned him over on his face and
binding his arms behind him with the hangers of his sword, began
to drag him by the feet towards the river: whereupon cried
Subbah, "What wilt thou do with me, O youth and cavalier of the
age and hero of the field?" "Did I not tell thee," answered
Kanmakan, "that it was my intent to send thee by the river to thy
people and thy tribe, lest their hearts be troubled for thee and
thou miss thy cousin's bride-feast?" At this, Subbah shrieked
aloud and wept and said, "Do not thus, O champion of the time!
Let me go and make me one of thy servants." And he wept and
wailed and recited the following verses:
An outcast from my folk (how long my exile lasts!) am I. Would
God I knew if I in this my strangerhood shall die!
I perish, and my folk know not the place where I am slain; I fall
in exile, far away from her for whom I sigh.
Kanmakan had compassion on him and said to him, "Make a covenant
with me and swear to be a true comrade to me and to bear me
company whithersoever I may go." "It is well," replied Subbah and
took the required oath. So Kanmakan loosed him, and he rose and
would have kissed the prince's hand; but he forbade him. Then the
Bedouin opened his wallet and taking out three barley-cakes, laid
them before Kanmakan, and they both sat down on the bank of the
stream to eat. When they had done eating, they made the ablution
and prayed, after which they sat talking of what had befallen
each of them from his people and the shifts of fortune. Then said
Kanmakan, "Whither dost thou now intend?" "I purpose," replied
Subbah, "to repair to Baghdad, thy native town, and abide there,
till God vouchsafe me the marriage-portion." "Up then," rejoined
the other, "and to the road! I abide here." So the Bedouin took
leave of him and set out for Baghdad, whilst Kanmakan remained
behind, saying to himself, "O my soul, how shall I return poor
and needy? By Allah, I will not go back empty-handed, and if God
please, I will assuredly work my deliverance!" Then he went to
the stream and made his ablutions and prayed to his Lord, laying
his brow in the dust and saying, "O my God, Thou that makest the
dew to fall and feedest the worm in the rock, vouchsafe me, I
beseech Thee, my livelihood, of Thy power and the graciousness of
Thy compassion!" Then he pronounced the salutation that closes
prayer and sat, turning right and left and knowing not which way
to take. Presently, he saw, making towards him, a horseman whose
back was bowed and who let the reins droop. He sat still and
after awhile the horseman came up to him, when, behold, he was at
the last gasp and made sure of death, for he was grievously
wounded. The tears streamed down his cheeks, like water from the
mouths of skins, and he said to Kanmakan, "O chief of the Arabs,
take me to friend, whilst I live, for thou wilt not find my like,
and give me a little water, harmful though the drinking of water
be to a wounded man, especially whilst the blood is flowing and
the life with it. If I live, I will give thee what shall heal thy
distress and thy poverty; and if I die, mayst thou be blessed for
thy good intent!" Now this horseman had under him a stallion of
the most generous breed, with legs like shafts of marble, the
tongue fails to describe it; and when Kanmakan looked at it, he
was seized with longing admiration and said in himself, "Verily,
the like of this stallion is not to be found in our time." Then
he helped the rider to alight and entreated him friendly and gave
him a little water to drink; after which he waited till he was
rested and said to him, "Who has dealt thus with thee?" "I will
tell thee the truth of the case," answered the wounded man. "I am
a horse-thief and all my life I have occupied myself with
stealing and snatching horses, night and day, and my name is
Ghessan, surnamed the plague of all stables and horses. I heard
tell of this stallion, that he was with King Afridoun in the land
of the Greeks, where they had named him El Catoul and surnamed
him El Mejnoun. So I journeyed to Constantinople on his account,
and whilst I was watching my opportunity to get at him, there
came out an old woman, much considered among the Greeks and whose
word is law with them, a past mistress in all manner of trickery,
by name Shewahi Dhat ed Dewahi. She had with her this stallion
and ten slaves, no more, to attend on her and it, and was bound
for Baghdad, there to sue for peace and pardon from King Sasan.
So I went out in their track, thinking to get the horse, and
ceased not to follow them, but was unable to get at the stallion,
by reason of the strict guard kept by the slaves, till they
reached this country and I feared lest they should enter the city
of Baghdad. As I was casting about to steal the horse, behold, a
great cloud of dust arose and covered the prospect. Presently it
opened and disclosed fifty horsemen, banded together to waylay
merchants and led by a captain by name Kehrdash, like a raging
lion, yea, in battle a lion that lays heroes flat even as a
carpet. They bore down on the old woman and her company, shouting
and surrounding them, nor was it long before they bound her and
the ten slaves and made off with their captives and the horse,
rejoicing. When I saw this, I said to myself, 'My toil is wasted
and I have not attained my desire.' However, I waited to see how
the affair would result, and when the old woman found herself a
captive, she wept and said to Kehrdash, 'O doughty champion and
invincible warrior, what wilt thou do with an old woman and
slaves, now thou hast thy will of the horse?' And she beguiled
him with soft words and promises that she would send him horses
and cattle, till he released her and her slaves. Then he went his
way, he and his comrades, and I followed them to this country,
watching my opportunity, till at last I succeeded in stealing the
horse, whereupon I mounted him and drawing a whip from my wallet,
struck him with it. When the robbers heard this, they came out on
me and surrounded me on all sides and shot arrows and cast spears
at me, whilst I stuck fast on the horse's back and he defended me
with his hoofs, till at last he shot out with me from amongst
them, like an arrow from the bow or a shooting star, after I had
gotten a grievous wound in the press of the battle. Since that
time, I have passed three days in the saddle, without tasting
food or sleep, so that my strength is wasted and the world is
become of no account to me. But thou hast dealt kindly with me
and hast had pity on me: and I see thee naked of body and
sorrowful of aspect; yet are the marks of gentle breeding
manifest on thee. So tell me, what and whence art thou and
whither art thou bound?" "My name is Kanmakan," answered the
prince, "son of King Zoulmekan, son of King Omar ben Ennuman. My
father died, and a base man seized the throne after his death and
became king over great and small." Then he told him all his story
from first to last; and the thief said to him, (and indeed he had
compassion on him), "By Allah, thou art a man of great account
and exceeding nobility and thou shalt surely win to high estate
and become the first cavalier of thy time! If thou canst lift me
into the saddle and mount behind me and bring me to my country,
thou shalt have honour in this world and a reward on the Day of
calling of men one to another;[FN#155] for I have no strength
left to hold myself in the saddle; and if I die by the way, the
steed is thine; for thou art worthier of it than any other." "By
Allah," said Kanmakan, "if I could carry thee on my shoulders or
share my life with thee, I would do so, without the horse! For I
am of those that love to do good and succour the afflicted. So
make ready to set out and put thy trust in the Subtle, the
All-Wise." And he would have lifted him on to the horse and set
forward, trusting in God the Succourable. But the robber said,
"Wait for me a little." Then he closed his eyes and opening his
hands, said, "I testify that there is no god but God and that
Mohammed is the Apostle of God! O Glorious One, pardon me my
mortal sin, for none can pardon mortal sins save Thou!" And he
made ready for death and recited the following verses:
I've ranged through all countries, oppressing mankind, And in
drinking of wine I have wasted my days.
I've waded through torrents, the horses to steal And I've used
with my guile the high places to raze.
My case is right grievous and great is my guilt, And Catoul,
alas! is the end of my ways.
I hoped of this horse I should get my desire; But vain was my
journey and vain my essays.
All my life I have stolen the steeds, and my death Was decreed of
the Lord of all power and all praise.
So, in fine, for the good of the stranger, the poor, The orphan,
I've wearied in toils and affrays.
When he had finished, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth;
then giving one sob, he departed this life. Kanmakan rose and dug
a grave and laid him in the earth. Then he went up to the
stallion and kissed it and wiped its face and rejoiced with an
exceeding joy, saying, "None has the like of this horse, no, not
even King Sasan." So much for Kanmakan.
Meanwhile, news came to King Sasan that the Vizier Dendan and
half the army had thrown off their allegiance to him and sworn
that they would have no king but Kanmakan and the Vizier had
bound the troops by a solemn covenant and had gone with them to
the islands of India and Ethiopia, where he had gathered together
a host like the swollen sea, none could tell its van from its
rear. Moreover, he was resolved to make for Baghdad and possess
himself of the kingdom and slay all who should let him, having
sworn not to return the sword of war to its sheath, till he had
set Kanmakan on the throne. When this news came to Sasan, he was
drowned in the sea of melancholy, knowing that the whole state
had furled against him, great and small, and trouble and anxiety
were sore on him. So he opened his treasuries and distributed
that which was therein among his officers and prayed for
Kanmakan's return, that he might draw his heart to him with fair
usage and bounty and make him commander of those troops that
remained faithful to him, hoping thus to prop his [falling]
power. The news of this reached Kanmakan by the merchants; so he
returned in haste to Baghdad, riding on the aforesaid stallion,
and the news of his coming reached King Sasan, as he sat
perplexed upon his throne; whereupon he despatched all the troops
and head-men of Baghdad to meet him. So all who were in Baghdad
went out to meet the Prince and escorted him to the palace and
kissed the threshold, whilst the damsels and eunuchs went in to
his mother and gave her the good tidings of his return. She came
to him and kissed him between the eyes, but he said to her, "O my
mother, let me go to my uncle King Sasan, who hath overwhelmed us
with favours and benefits." Then he repaired to the palace,
whilst all the people marvelled at the beauty of the stallion and
said, "No king is like unto this man." So he went in to King
Sasan, who rose to receive him; and Kanmakan saluted him and
kissing his hands, offered him the horse as a present. The King
bade him welcome, saying, "Welcome and fair welcome to my son
Kanmakan! By Allah, the world hath been straitened on me by
reason of thine absence, but praised be God for thy safety!" And
Kanmakan called down blessings on him. Then the King looked at
the stallion and knowing it for the very horse, Catoul by name,
that he had seen in such and such a year, whilst at the leaguer
of Constantinople with King Zoulmekan, said to Kanmakan, "I! thy
father could have come by this horse, he would have bought him
with a thousand chargers of price: but now let the honour return
to thee who deservest it. We accept the steed and return it to
thee as a gift, for thou hast more right to it than any man
alive, being the prince of cavaliers." Then he bade bring forth
for him dresses of honour and led horses and appointed him the
chief lodging in the palace, giving him much money and showing
him the utmost honour, for that he feared the issue of the Vizier
Dendan's doings. At this Kanmakan rejoiced and despondency and
humiliation ceased from him. Then he went to his house and said
to his mother, "O my mother, how is it with my cousin?" "By
Allah, O my son," answered she, "my concern for thine absence
hath distracted me from any other, even to thy beloved;
especially as she was the cause of thine exile and separation
from me." Then he complained to her of his sufferings, saying, "O
my mother, go to her and speak with her; haply she will favour me
with a sight of her and dispel my anguish." "O my son," replied
his mother, "idle desires abase the necks of men; so put away
from thee this thought that will but lead to vexation; for I will
not go to her nor carry her such a message." Thereupon he told
her what he had heard from the horse-thief concerning Dhat ed
Dewahi, how she was then in their land, on her way to Baghdad,
and added, "It was she who slew my uncle and grandfather, and
needs must I avenge them and wipe out our reproach." Then he left
her and repaired to an old woman, by name Saadaneh, a cunning,
perfidious and pernicious beldam, past mistress in all kinds of
trickery and deceit To her he complained of what he suffered for
love of his cousin Kuzia Fekan and begged her to go to her and
implore her favour for him. "I hear and obey," answered the old
woman and betaking herself to Kuzia Fekan's palace, interceded
with her in his favour. Then she returned to him and said, "Thy
cousin salutes thee and will visit thee this night at the middle
hour." At this he rejoiced and sat down to await the fulfilment
of his cousin's promise. At the appointed hour she came to him,
wrapped in a veil of black silk, and aroused him from sleep,
saying, "How canst thou pretend to love me, when thou art
sleeping, heart-free, after the goodliest fashion?" So he awoke
and said, "O desire of my heart, by Allah, I slept not but hoping
that thine image might visit me in dreams!" Then she chid him
tenderly and repeated the following verses:
Wert thou indeed a lover true and leal, Thou hadst not suffered
slumber on thee creep.
O thou who feign'st to walk the ways of love, The watch of
passion and desire to keep,
Son of my uncle, sure the eyes of those Who're love-distraught
know not the taste of sleep.
When he heard his cousin's words, he was abashed before her and
rose and excused himself. Then they embraced and complained to
each other of the anguish of separation; and thus they did, till
the dawn broke and the day flowered forth over the lands; when
she rose to depart. At this, Kanmakan wept and sighed and
repeated the following verses:
She came to me, after her pride had driven me to despair, She in
whose lips the teeth as the pearls of her necklace were.
I kissed her a thousand times and clipped her close in my arms
And lay all night with my cheek pressed close to the cheek
of the fair;
Till the day, that must sever our loves, as 'twere the blade of a
sword That flashes forth of its sheath, gleamed out on us
unaware.
Then she took leave of him and returned to her palace. Now she
let certain of her damsels into her secret, and one of them told
the King, who went in to Kuzia Fekan and drawing his sabre upon
her, would have slain her: but her mother Nuzhet ez Zeman entered
and said to him, 'By Allah, do her no hurt, lest it be noised
among the folk and thou become a reproach among the kings of the
age! Thou knowest that Kanmakan is no base-born wretch, but a man
of honour and nobility, who would not do aught that could shame
him, and she was reared with him. So take patience and be not
hasty; for verily the report is spread abroad, among the people
of the palace and all the folk of the city, how the Vizier Dendan
hath levied troops from all countries and is on his way hither to
make Kanmakan king." "By Allah," said the King, "needs must I
cast him into a calamity, such that neither earth shall bear him
nor sky shadow him! I did but speak him fair and entreat him with
favour, because of my subjects and officers, lest they should
turn to him; but thou shalt see what will betide." Then he left
her and went out to order the affairs of the kingdom.