mother, I am resolved to go forth a-raiding in quest of booty. I
will waylay caravans and seize horses and flocks and slaves black
and white, and as soon as my store is waxed great and my case is
bettered, I will demand my cousin Kuzia Fekan in marriage of my
uncle." "O my son," replied she, "of a truth the goods of men are
not as a wastril camel, ready to thy hand; but between thee and
them are sword-strokes and lance-thrusts and men that eat wild
beasts and lay waste countries and snare lions and trap lynxes."
Quoth he, "God forbid that I should turn from my purpose, till I
have attained my desire!" Then he despatched the old woman to
Kuzia Fekan, to tell her that he was about to set out in quest of
a dowry befitting her, saying, "Thou must without fail bring me
an answer from her." "I hear and obey," repled the old woman and
going forth, presently returned with Kuzia Fekan's answer, which
was that she would come to him at midnight. So he abode awake
till one half of the night was past, when disquietude got hold on
him, and before he was aware, she came in to him, saying, "My
life be thy ransom from wakefulness!" And he sprang up to receive
her, exclaiming, "O desire of my heart, my life be thy ransom
from all things evil!" Then he acquainted her with his intent,
and she wept; but he said, "Weep not, O my cousin; for I beseech
Him who decreed our separation to vouchsafe us reunion and
felicity." Then Kanmakan went in to his mother and took leave of
her, after which he girt on his sword and donned turban and
chin-band and mounting his horse Catoul, rode through the streets
of Baghdad, till he reached the gate of the city. Here he found
his comrade Subbah ben Remmah going out, who, seeing him, ran to
his stirrup and saluted him. He returned his greeting, and Subbah
said to him, "O my brother, how camest thou by this steed and
sword and clothes, whilst I up to now have gotten nothing but my
sword and target?" Quoth Kanmakan, "The hunter returns not but
with game after the measure of his intent. A little after thy
departure, fortune came to me: so now wilt thou go with me and
work thine intent in my company and journey with me in this
desert?" "By the Lord of the Kaabeh," replied Subbah, "from this
time forth I will call thee nought but 'My lord!'" Then he ran on
before the horse with his sword hanging from his neck and his
budget between his shoulder-blades, and they pushed on into the
desert four days' space, eating of the gazelles they caught and
drinking of the water of the springs. On the fifth day, they came
in sight of a high hill, at whose foot was a Spring encampment
and a running stream. The knolls and hollows were filled with
camels and oxen and sheep and horses, and little children played
about the cattle-folds. When Kanmakan saw this, he was right glad
and his breast was filled with joy; so he addressed himself to
battle, that he might take the camels and the cattle, and said to
Subbah, "Come, let us fall upon this good, whose owners have left
it unguarded, and do battle for it with near and far, so haply it
may fall to our lot and we will share it between us." "O my
lord," replied Subbah, "verily they to whom these herds belong
are much people, and among them are doughty horsemen and footmen.
If we cast ourselves into this great danger, neither of us will
return to his people; but we shall both be cut off utterly and
leave our cousins desolate." When Kanmakan heard this, he laughed
and knew that he was a coward: so he left him and rode down the
hill, intent on rapine, shouting and chanting aloud the following
verses:
O the house of En Numan is mickle of might! We're the champions
with swords on the squadrons that smite!
When the fury of battle flames high in our hearts, We're aye to
be found in the front of the fight.
The poor man amongst us may slumber secure Nor see the foul
favour of want or upright.
I hope for the succour of Him in whose hand Is the Kingdom, the
Maker of body and spright.
Then he rushed upon the cattle, like a camel in heat, and drove
them all, oxen and sheep and horses and camels, before him.
Therewith the slaves ran at him with their bright swords and
their long lances; and at their head was a Turkish horseman, a
stout champion, doughty in battle and onset and skilled to wield
the tawny spear and the white sabre. He drove at Kanmakan,
saying, "Out on thee! Knewest thou to whom these cattle belong,
thou hadst not done this thing! Know that they are the good of
the Greek band, the champions of the sea and the Circassian
troop, and they are a hundred cavaliers, all stern warriors, who
have forsworn the commandment of all kings. There has been stolen
from them a steed of great price, and they have vowed not to
return hence, but with it." When Kanmakan heard these words, he
cried out, saying, "O losers, this that I bestride is the steed
itself, after which ye seek and for whose sake ye would do battle
with me! So come out against me, all of you at once, and do your
dourest!" So saying, he cried out between Catoul's ears and he
ran at them, as he were a ghoul. Then Kanmakan drove at the Turk
and smote him and overthrew him and let out his life; after which
he turned upon a second and a third and a fourth and bereft them
also of life. When the slaves saw this, they were afraid of him,
and he cried out and said to them, "Ho, sons of whores, drive out
the cattle and the horses, or I will dye my spear in your blood!"
So they untethered the cattle and began to drive them out, and
Subbah came down to Kanmakan, crying out with a loud voice and
rejoicing greatly; when, behold, there arose a cloud of dust and
grew till it covered the prospect, and there appeared under it a
hundred cavaliers, like fierce lions. With this Subbah fled up on
to the hill, that he might gaze upon the fight in safety, saying,
"I am no warrior but in sport and jest." Then the hundred
cavaliers made towards Kanmakan from all sides, and one of them
accosted him, saying, "Whither goest thou with this good?" "I
have made prize of them," replied he, "and am carrying them away;
and I forbid you from them, for know that he who is before you is
a terrible lion and an illustrious champion and a sword that cuts
wherever it turns!" When the horseman heard this, he looked at
Kanmakan and saw that he was a cavalier as he were a strong lion,
whilst his face was as the full moon rising on its fourteenth
night, and valour shone from between his eyes. Now this horseman
was the chief of the hundred horse, and his name was Kehrdash;
and what he saw in Kanmakan of the perfection of martial grace,
together with surpassing beauty and comeliness, reminded him of a
mistress of his, by name Fatin. Now this Fatin was one of the
fairest of women in face, for God had given her beauty and grace
and charms and noble qualities of all kinds, such as the tongue
fails to describe. Moreover, the cavaliers of the tribe feared
her prowess and the champions of the land stood in awe of her,
and she had sworn that she would not marry nor give any
possession of her, except he should conquer her, saying to her
father, "None shall approach me, except he master me in the field
and the stead of war." Kehrdash was one of her suitors, and when
the news reached him of the vow she had taken, he thought scorn
to fight with a girl, fearing reproach; and one of his friends
said to him, "Thou art accomplished in beauty and manly
qualities; so if thou contend with her, even though she be
stronger than thou, thou must needs overcome her, for when she
sees thy beauty and grace, she will be discomfited before thee,
seeing that women by nature incline unto men, as is not unknown
to thee." Nevertheless he refused and would not contend with her,
albeit indeed she loved him, for what she had heard of his beauty
and velour: and he ceased not to abstain from her thus, till he
met with Kanmakan, as hath been set down. Now he took the prince
for his beloved Fatin and was afraid; so he went up to him and
said, "Out on thee, O Fatin! Thou comest to show me thy prowess;
but now alight from thy steed, that I may talk with thee, for I
have driven off these cattle and waylaid horsemen and champions,
all for the sake of thy beauty and grace, which are without peer.
So now thou shalt marry me, that kings' daughters may wait on
thee, and thou shalt become queen of these countries." When
Kanmakan heard this, the fires of wrath flamed up in him and he
cried out, saying, "Out on thee, O dog of the barbarians! Leave
thy raving of Fatin and come to cutting and thrusting, for
eftsoon thou shalt lie in the dust." So saying, he began to wheel
about him and offer battle. Then Kehrdash observed him more
closely and saw that he was indeed a doughty knight and a
stalwart champion; and the error of his thought was manifest to
him, whenas he saw the tender down that adorned his cheeks, as it
were myrtles springing from the heart of a red rose. And he
feared his onslaught and said to those that were with him, "Out
on you! Let one of you attack him and show him the keen sword and
the quivering spear; for know that for a company to do battle
with one man is foul shame, even though he be a doughty man of
war and an invincible champion." With this, there ran at Kanmakan
a lion-like horseman, mounted on a black horse with white feet
and a star on his forehead, the bigness of a dirhem, astounding
sight and wit, as he were Abjer, that was Antar's steed: even as
saith of him the poet:
See, where the stallion yonder comes, that with a fierce delight
Drives to the battle, mingling earth with heaven in his
might.
Meseems, the morning smote his brow and to avenge himself
Thereon, he plunges straight and deep into its heart of
light.
He rushed upon Kanmakan, who met him in mid-career, and they
wheeled about awhile in the dint of battle, exchanging blows such
as confound the wit and dim the sight, till Kanmakan took the
other at vantage and smote him a swashing blow, that shore
through turban and iron skull-cap and reached his head, and he
fell from his saddle, as a camel falls, when he rolls over. Then
a second came out to him and a third and a fourth and a fifth,
and he did with them all as he had done with the first. Thereupon
the rest rushed upon him, all at once, for indeed they were wild
with rage and concern; but it was not long before he had
transfixed them all with the point of his lance. When Kehrdash
saw his feats of arms, he knew that he was stout of heart and
concluded that he was the phoenix of the champions and heroes of
the age: so he feared death and said to Kanmakan, "I give thee
thy life and pardon thee the blood of my comrades, for I have
compassion on thee by reason of thy fair youth. So take what thou
wilt of the cattle and go thy ways, for life is better for thee
[than death]." "Thou lackest not of the generosity of the
noble,"[FN#156] replied Kanmakan; "but leave this talk and flee
for thy life and reck not of blame nor think to get back the
booty; but take the straight path for thine own safety." When
Kehrdash heard this, he waxed exceeding wroth and his anger moved
him to that which was the cause of his death; so he said to
Kanmakan, "Out on thee! Knewest thou who I am, thou wouldst not
talk thus in the open field. I am the doughty lion known as
Kehrdash, he who despoils great kings and waylays all the
travellers and seizes the merchants' goods. Yonder steed under
thee is what I am seeking and I call upon thee to tell me how
thou camest by it." "Know," replied Kanmakan, "that this steed
was being carried to my uncle King Sasan in the company of a
certain old woman, attended by ten slaves, when thou fellest upon
her and tookest the horse from her; and I have a debt of blood
against this old woman for the sake of my grandfather King Omar
ben Ennuman and my uncle King Sherkan." "Out on thee!" said
Kehrdash. "Who is thy father, O thou that hast no (known)
mother?" "Know," answered the prince, "that I am Kanmakan, son of
Zoulmekan, son of Omar ben Ennuman." Quoth Kehrdash, "Thy
perfection cannot be denied, nor yet the union in thee of martial
virtue and comeliness: but go in peace, for thy father showed us
favour and bounty." "By Allah, O vile wretch," rejoined Kanmakan,
"I will not so far honour thee as to overcome thee in the open
field!" At this the Bedouin was wroth and they drove at one
another, shouting aloud, whilst their horses pricked up their
ears and raised their tails. They clashed together with such a
dint, that it seemed to each as if the heavens were split in
sunder, and strove like two butting rams, smiting one another
with thick-coming spear-strokes. Presently, Kehrdash aimed a blow
at Kanmakan; but he evaded it and turning upon the brigand, smote
him in the breast, that the head of the spear issued from his
back. Then he collected the horses and cattle and cried out to
the slaves, saying, "Up and drive them off briskly!" With this
down came Subbah and accosting Kanmakan, said to him, "Thou hast
quitted thee right well, O hero of the age! I prayed God for thee
and He heard my prayer." Then he cut off Kehrdash's head and
Kanmakan laughed and said, "Out on thee, Subbah! I thought thee a
man of valour." Quoth the Bedouin, "Forget not thy slave in the
division of the spoil, so haply I may win therewith to marry my
cousin Nejmeh." "Thou shalt surely have a share in it," answered
Kanmakan, "but now keep watch over the booty and the slaves."
Then they set out and journeyed night and day till they drew near
Baghdad, and all the troops heard of Kanmakan and saw the booty
and the brigand's head on the point of Subbah's spear. Moreover,
the merchants knew Kehrdash's head and rejoiced, for he was a
noted highwayman, saying, "Allah hath rid mankind of him!" And
they marvelled at his death and called down blessings on his
slayer. Then all the people of Baghdad came to Kanmakan, seeking
to know what had befallen him, and he told them what had passed,
whereupon they were taken with awe of him and all the champions
and men of war feared him. After this, he drove his spoil to the
palace and planting the spear, on which was Kehrdash's head,
before the gate, gave largesse to the people of camels and horses
so that they loved him and all hearts inclined to him. Then he
took Subbah and lodged him in a spacious dwelling, giving him
part of the booty; after which he went in to his mother and told
her all that had befallen him. Meanwhile the news of him reached
the King, who rose and shutting himself up with his chief
officers, said to them, "I wish to reveal to you my secret and
acquaint you with the truth of my case. Know that Kanmakan will
be the cause of our expulsion from the kingdom; for he has slain
Kehrdash, albeit he had with him the tribes of the Turks and the
Kurds, and our affair with him will assuredly result in our
destruction, seeing that the most part of our troops are his
kinsmen and ye know what the Vizier Dendan hath done; how he
refuses to recognize me, after all the favours I have done him,
and is become a traitor to his faith. Indeed, it has come to my
knowledge that he hath levied an army in the provinces and goeth
about to make Kanmakan king, for that the kingdom was his
father's and his grandfather's before him, and he will surely
slay me without mercy." When they heard this, they replied, "O
King, verily he[FN#157] is unequal to this, and did we not know
him to have been reared by thee, not one of us would take thought
to him. We are at thy commandment; if thou wilt have us slay him,
we will do so, and if thou wilt have him kept at a distance, we
will chase him away." When King Sasan heard this, he said,
"Verily, it were wise to slay him: but needs must ye take an oath
of it." So they all pledged themselves to kill him, to the intent
that, when the Vizier Dendan came and heard of his death, his
might should be weakened and fail of that which he designed to
do. When they had made this compact with him, the King bestowed
great gifts upon them and dismissing them, retired to his own
apartments. Now the troops refused their service, awaiting what
should befall, for they saw that the most part of the army was
with the Vizier Dendan. Presently, the news of these things came
to Kuzia Fekan and caused her much concern; so that she sent for
the old woman, who was wont to carry messages between her and her
cousin, and bade her go to him and warn him of the plot against
his life. Accordingly, she repaired to Kanmakan and gave him the
princess's message, to which he replied, "Bear my cousin my
salutation and say to her, 'The earth is God's (to whom belong
might and majesty), and He maketh whom He willeth of His servants
to inherit it. How excellent is the saying of the poet:
The kingship is God's alone, and him who would fain fulfil His
wishes He driveth away and maketh him rue for his ill.
Had I or another than I a handsbreadth of earth to my own, The
Godship were sundered in twain and two were the Power and
the Will.'"
The old woman returned to Kuzia Fekan with Kanmakan's reply and
told her that he abode in the city. Meanwhile, King Sasan awaited
his going forth from Baghdad, that he might send after him and
kill him; till, one day, it befell that Kanmakan went out to
hunt, accompanied by Subbah, who would not leave him day or
night. He caught ten gazelles and among them one that had soft
black eyes and turned right and left; so he let her go, and
Subbah said to him, "Why didst thou let her go?" Kanmakan laughed
and set the others free also, saying, "It behoves us, of
humanity, to release gazelles that have young, and this one only
turned from side to side, to look for her young ones: so I let
her go and released the others in her honour." Quoth Subbah, "Do
thou release me, that I may go to my people." At this Kanmakan
laughed and smote him on the breast with the butt of his spear,
and he fell to the ground, writhing like a serpent. Whilst they
were thus occupied, they saw cloud of dust and heard the tramp of
horse; and presently there appeared a troop of armed cavaliers.
Now King Sasan had heard of Kanmakan's going out and sending for
an Amir of the Medes, called Jami, and twenty men, had given them
money and bidden them slay Kanmakan. So, when they drew near the
prince, they rushed at him and he met them in mid-career and
killed them all, to the last man. Meanwhile the King took horse
and riding out to meet his men, found them all slain, whereat he
wondered and turned back; but the people of the city laid hands
on him and bound him straitly. As for Kanmakan, he left that
place behind him and rode onward with Subbah. As he went, he saw
a youth sitting at the door of a house in his road and saluted
him. The youth returned his greeting and going into the house,
brought out two platters, one full of milk and the other of
brewis swimming in (clarified) butter, which he set before
Kanmakan, saying, "Favour me by eating of my victual." But he
refused and the young man said to him, "What ails thee, O man,
that thou wilt not eat?" "I have a vow upon me," replied the
prince. "What is the cause of thy vow?" asked the youth, and
Kanmakan answered, "Know that King Sasan seized upon my kingdom
wrongfully and oppressively, albeit it was my father's and my
grandfather's before me; yet he laid hands upon the throne by
force, after my father's death, and took no count of me, for that
I was of tender years. So I have bound myself by a vow to eat no
man's victual, till I have eased my heart of my enemy."
"Rejoice," rejoined the youth, "for God hath fulfilled thy vow.
Know that he is in prison and methinks he will soon die." "In
what house is he imprisoned?" asked Kanmakan. "In yonder high
pavilion," answered the other. The prince looked and saw the folk
entering and buffeting Sasan, who was suffering the agonies of
death. So he went up to the pavilion and noted what was therein;
after which he returned to his place and sitting down to meat,
ate what sufficed him and put the rest in his budget. Then he
waited till it was dark night. And the youth, whose guest he was,
slept; when he rose and repaired to the pavilion in which Sasan
was confined. Now about it were dogs, guarding it, and one of
them ran at him; so he took out of his wallet a piece of meat and
threw it to him. He ceased not to do thus, till he came to the
pavilion and making his way to the place where Sasan was, laid
his hand upon his head; whereupon he said in a loud voice, "Who
art thou?" "I am Kanmakan," replied the prince, "whom thou
wentest about to kill; but God made thee fall into the evil
thyself hadst devised. Did it not suffice thee to take my kingdom
and that of my father, but thou must go about to kill me?" And
Sasan swore a vain oath that he had not plotted his death and
that the report was untrue. So Kanmakan forgave him and said to
him, "Follow me." Quoth he, "I cannot walk a single step for
weakness." "If the case be thus," replied Kanmakan, "we will get
us two horses and ride forth and seek the open country." So they
took horse and rode till daybreak, when they prayed the
morning-prayer and fared on till they came to a garden, where
they sat down and talked awhile. Then Kanmakan rose and said to
Sasan, "Is there aught of bitterness left in thy heart against
me?" "No, by Allah!" replied Sasan. So they agreed to return to
Baghdad and Subbah the Bedouin said, "I will go on before you, to
give the folk notice of your coming." Then he rode on in advance,
acquainting men and women with the news; so all the people came
out to meet Kanmakan with tabrets and flutes; and Kuzia Fekan
also came out, like the full moon shining in all her splendour in
the thick darkness of the night. Kanmakan met her, and their
hearts yearned each to each and their bodies longed one for the
other. There was no talk among the people of the time but of
Kanmakan; for the cavaliers bore witness of him that he was the
most valiant of the folk of the age and said, "It is not just
that other than he should be King over us; but the throne of his
grandfather shall revert to him as it was." Meanwhile King Sasan
went in to his wife Nuzhet ez Zeman, who said to him, "I hear
that the folk talk of nothing but Kanmakan and attribute to him
such qualities as beggar description." "Hearing is not like
seeing," replied the King; "I have seen him, but have noted in
him not one of the attributes of perfection. Not all that is
heard is said; but the folk ape one another in extolling and
cherishing him, and God makes his praise to run on the lips of
men, so that there incline to him the hearts of the people of
Baghdad and of the perfidious traitor the Vizier Dendan, who has
levied troops from all countries and arrogates to himself the
right of naming a king of the country and chooses that it shall
be under the hand of a worthless orphan." "What then dost thou
purpose to do?" asked Nuzhet ez Zeman. "I mean to kill him,"
replied the King, "that the Vizier may be baulked of his intent
and return to his allegiance to me, seeing nothing for it but my
service." Quoth she, "Perfidy is a foul thing with strangers, and
how much more with kinsfolk? Thou wouldst do better to marry him
to thy daughter Kuzia Fekan and give heed to what was said of old
time:
If Fate set over thee a man, though thou than he Be worthier and
this be grievous unto thee,
Yield him the honour due to his estate; thou'lt find He will
advantage thee, though near or far thou be.
Speak not thy thought of him; else wilt thou be of those Who of
their own accord the way of weal do flee.
Many in the harem oft are brighter than the bride; But time is on
her side, and opportunity."