continued to Zau al-Makan:—Now one day as Taj al-Muluk sat in his shop,
behold, there appeared an ancient woman, who came up to him followed by
two slave girls. She ceased not advancing till she stood before the shop
of Taj al-Muluk and, observing his symmetry and beauty and loveliness,
marvelled at his charms and sweated in her petticoat trousers,
exclaiming, "Glory to Him who created thee out of vile water, and made
thee a temptation to all beholders!" And she fixed her eyes on him and
said, "This is not a mortal, he is none other than an angel deserving
the highest respect."[28] Then she drew near and saluted him, whereupon
he returned her salute and rose to his feet to receive her and smiled in
her face (all this by a hint from Aziz); after which he made her sit
down by his side and fanned her with a fan, till she was rested and
refreshed. Then she turned to Taj al-Muluk and said, "O my son! O thou
who art perfect in bodily gifts and spiritual graces; say me, art thou
of this country?" He replied, in voice the sweetest and in tone the
pleasantest, "By Allah, O my mistress, I was never in this land during
my life till this time, nor do I abide here save by way of diversion."
Rejoined she, "May the Granter grant thee all honour and prosperity! And
what stuffs hast thou brought with thee? Show me something passing fine;
for the beauteous should bring nothing but what is beautiful." When he
heard her words, his heart fluttered and he knew not their inner
meaning; but Aziz made a sign to him and he replied, "I have everything
thou canst desire and especially I have goods that besit none but Kings
and King's daughters; so tell me what stuff thou wantest and for whom,
that I may show thee what will be fitting for him." This he said, that
he might learn the meaning of her words; and she rejoined, "I want a
stuff fit for the Princess Dunya, daughter of King Shahriman." Now when
the Prince heard the name of his beloved, he joyed with great joy and
said to Aziz, "Give me such a parcel." So Aziz brought it and opened it
before Taj al-Muluk who said to the old woman, "Select what will suit
her; for these goods are to be found only with me." She chose stuffs
worth a thousand dinars and asked, "How much is this?"; and she ceased
not the while to talk with him and rub what was inside her thighs with
the palm of her hand. Answered Taj al-Muluk, "Shall I haggle with the
like of thee about this paltry price? Praised be Allah who hath
acquainted me with thee!" The old woman rejoined, "Allah's name be upon
thee! I commend thy beautiful face to the protection of the Lord of the
Daybreak.[29] Beautiful face and eloquent speech! Happy she who lieth in
thy bosom and claspeth thy waist in her arms and enjoyeth thy youth,
especially if she be beautiful and lovely like thyself!" At this, Taj
al-Muluk laughed till he fell on his back and said to himself, "O Thou
who fulfillest desires human by means of pimping old women! They are the
true fulfillers of desires!" Then she asked, "O my son, what is thy
name?" and he answered, "My name is Taj al-Muluk, the Crown of Kings."
Quoth she, "This is indeed a name of Kings and King's sons and thou art
clad in merchant's clothes." Quoth Aziz, "For the love his parents and
family bore him and for the value they set on him, they named him thus."
Replied the old woman, "Thou sayest sooth, Allah guard you both from the
evil eye and the envious, though hearts be broken by your charms!" Then
she took the stuffs and went her way; but she was amazed at his beauty
and stature and symmetry, and she ceased not going till she found the
Lady Dunya and said to her, "O my mistress! I have brought thee some
handsome stuffs." Quoth the Princess, "Show me that same"; and the old
woman, "O apple of my eye, here it is, turn it over and examine it." Now
when the Princess looked at it she was amazed and said, "O my nurse,
this is indeed handsome stuff: I have never seen its like in our city."
"O my lady," replied the old nurse, "he who sold it me is handsomer
still. It would seem as if Rizwan had left the gates of Paradise open in
his carelessness, and as if the youth who sold me this stuff had come
bodily out of Heaven. I would he might sleep this night with thee and
might lie between thy breasts.[30] He hath come to thy city with these
precious stuffs for amusement's sake, and he is a temptation to all who
set eyes on him." The Princess laughed at her words and said, "Allah
afflict thee, O pernicious old hag! Thou dotest and there is no sense
left in thee." Presently, she resumed, "Give me the stuff that I may
look at it anew." So she gave it her and she took it again and saw that
its size was small and its value great. It pleased her, for she had
never in her life seen its like, and she exclaimed, "By Allah, this is a
handsome stuff!" Answered the old woman, "O my lady, by Allah! if thou
sawest its owner thou wouldst know him for the handsomest man on the
face of the earth." Quoth the Lady Dunya, "Didst thou ask him if he had
any need, that he might tell us and we might satisfy it?" But the nurse
shook her head and said, "The Lord keep thy sagacity! By Allah, he hath
a want, may thy skill not fail thee. What! is any man free from wants?"
Rejoined the Princess, "Go back to him and salute him and say to
him:—Our land and town are honoured by thy visit and, if thou have any
need, we will fulfil it to thee, on our head and eyes." So the old woman
at once returned to Taj al-Muluk, and when he saw her his heart jumped
for joy and gladness and he rose to his feet before her and, taking her
hand, seated her by his side. As soon as she was rested, she told him
what Princess Dunya had said; and he on hearing it joyed with exceeding
joy; his breast dilated to the full; gladness entered his heart and he
said to himself, "Verily, I have my need." Then he asked the old woman,
"Haply thou wilt take her a message from me and bring me her answer?";
and she answered, "I hear and I obey." So he said to Aziz, "Bring me
ink-case and paper and a brazen pen." And when Aziz brought him what he
sought, he hent the pen in hand and wrote these lines of poetry:—
I write to thee, O fondest hope! a writ ✿ Of grief that severance on my
soul doth lay:
Saith its first line, "Within my heart is lowe!" ✿ Its second, "Love and
longing on me prey!"
Its third, "My patience waste is, fades my life!" ✿ Its fourth, "Naught
shall my pain and pine allay!"
Its fifth, "When shall mine eyes enjoy thy sight?" ✿ Its sixth, "Say,
when shall dawn our meeting-day?"
And, lastly, by way of subscription he wrote these words. "This letter
is from the captive of captivation ✿ prisoned in the hold of longing
expectation ✿ wherefrom is no emancipation ✿ but in anticipation and
intercourse and in unification ✿ after absence and separation. ✿ For
from the severance of friends he loveth so fain ✿ he suffereth
love-pangs and pining pain. ✿" Then his tears rushed out, and he indited
these two couplets:—
I write thee, love, the while my tears pour down; ✿ Nor cease they ever
pouring thick and fleet:
Yet I despair not of my God, whose grace ✿ Haply some day will grant us
twain to meet.
Then he folded the letter[31] and sealed it with his signet-ring and
gave it to the old woman, saying, "Carry it to the Lady Dunya." Quoth
she, "To hear is to obey;" whereupon he gave her a thousand dinars and
said to her, "O my mother! accept this gift from me as a token of my
affection." She took both from him and blessed him and went her way and
never stinted walking till she went in to the Lady Dunya. Now when the
Princess saw her she said to her, "O my nurse, what is it he asketh of
need that we may fulfil his wish to him?" Replied the old woman, "O my
lady, he sendeth thee this letter by me, and I know not what is in it;"
and handed it to her. Then the Princess took the letter and read it; and
when she understood it, she exclaimed, "Whence cometh and whither goeth
this merchant man that he durst address such a letter to me?" And she
slapt her face saying, "Whence are we that we should come to
shopkeeping? Awah! Awah! By the lord, but that I fear Almighty Allah I
had slain him;" and she added, "Yea, I had crucified[32] him over his
shop-door!" Asked the old woman, "What is in this letter to vex thy
heart and move thy wrath on this wise? Doth it contain a complaint of
oppression or demand for the price of the stuff?" Answered the Princess,
"Woe to thee! There is none of this in it, naught but words of love and
endearment. This is all through thee: otherwise whence should this
Satan[33] know me?" Rejoined the old woman, "O my lady, thou sittest in
thy high palace and none may have access to thee; no, not even the birds
of the air. Allah keep thee, and keep thy youth from blame and reproach!
Thou needest not care for the barking of dogs, for thou art a Princess,
the daughter of a King. Be not wroth with me that I brought thee this
letter, knowing not what was in it; but I opine that thou send him an
answer and threaten him with death and forbid him this foolish talk;
surely he will abstain and not do the like again." Quoth the Lady Dunya,
"I fear that, if I write to him, he will desire me the more." The old
woman returned, "When he heareth thy threats and promise of punishment,
he will desist from his persistence." She cried, "Here with the ink-case
and paper and brazen pen;" and when they brought them she wrote these
couplets:—
O thou who for thy wakeful nights wouldst claim my love to boon, ✿ For
what of pining thou must feel and tribulation!
Dost thou, fond fool and proud of sprite, seek meeting with the Moon? ✿
Say, did man ever win his wish to take in arms the Moon?
I counsel thee, from soul cast out the wish that dwells therein, ✿ And
cut that short which threatens thee with sore risk oversoon:
An to such talk thou dare return, I bid thee to expect ✿ Fro' me such
awful penalty as suiteth froward loon:
I swear by Him who moulded man from gout of clotted blood,[34] ✿ Who lit
the Sun to shine by day and lit for night the moon,
An thou return to mention that thou spakest in thy pride, ✿ Upon a cross
of tree for boon I'll have thee crucified!
Then she folded the letter and handing it to the old woman said, "Give
him this and say him:—Cease from this talk!" "Hearkening and obedience"
replied she, and taking the letter with joy, returned to her own house,
where she passed the night; and when morning dawned she betook herself
to the shop of Taj al-Muluk whom she found expecting her. When he saw
her, he was ready to fly[35] for delight, and when she came up to him,
he stood to her on his feet and seated her by his side. Then she brought
out the letter and gave it to him, saying, "Read what is in this;"
adding "When Princess Dunya read thy letter she was angry; but I coaxed
her and jested with her till I made her laugh, and she had pity on thee
and she hath returned thee an answer." He thanked her for her kindness
and bade Aziz give her a thousand gold pieces: then he perused the
letter and understanding it fell to weeping a weeping so sore that the
old woman's heart was moved to ruth for him, and his tears and
complaints were grievous to her. Presently she asked him, "O my son,
what is there in this letter to make thee weep?" Answered he, "She hath
threatened me with death and crucifixion and she forbiddeth me to write
to her, but if I write not my death were better than my life. So take
thou my answer to her letter and let her work her will." Rejoined the
old woman, "By the life of thy youth, needs must I risk my existence for
thee, that I may bring thee to thy desire and help thee to win what thou
hast at heart!" And Taj al-Muluk said, "Whatever thou dost, I will
requite thee for it and do thou weigh it in the scales of thy judgement,
for thou art experienced in managing matters, and skilled in reading the
chapters of the book of intrigue: all hard matters to thee are easy
doings; and Allah can bring about everything." Then he took a sheet of
paper and wrote thereon these improvised couplets:—
Yestre'en my love with slaughter menaced me, ✿ But sweet were slaughter
and Death's foreordainèd:
Yes, Death is sweet for lover doomed to bear ✿ Long life, rejected,
injured and constrainèd:
By Allah! deign to visit friendless friend! ✿ Thy thrall am I and like a
thrall I'm chainèd:
Mercy, O lady mine, for loving thee! ✿ Who loveth noble soul should be
assainèd.
Then he sighed heavy sighs and wept till the old woman wept also; and
presently taking the letter she said to him, "Be of good cheer and cool
eyes and clear; for needs must I bring thee to thy wish."——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Taj al-Muluk
wept the old woman said to him, "Be of good cheer and cool eyes and
clear; for needs must I bring thee to thy wish." Then she rose and left
him on coals of fire; and returned to Princess Dunya, whom she found
still showing on her changed face rage at Taj al-Muluk's letter. So she
gave her his second letter, whereat her wrath redoubled and she said,
"Did I not say he would desire us the more?" Replied the old woman,
"What thing is this dog that he should aspire to thee?" Quoth the
Princess, "Go back to him and tell him that, if he write me after this,
I will cut off his head." Quoth the nurse, "Write these words in a
letter and I will take it to him that his fear may be the greater." So
she took a sheet of paper and wrote thereon these couplets:—
Ho thou, who past and bygone risks regardest with uncare! ✿ Thou who to
win thy meeting-prize dost overslowly fare!
In pride of spirit thinkest thou to win the star Soha[36]? ✿ Albe thou
may not reach the Moon which shines through upper air?
How darest thou expect to win my favours, hope to clip ✿ Upon a lover's
burning breast my lance like shape and rare?
Leave this thy purpose lest my wrath come down on thee some day, ✿ A day
of wrath shall hoary turn the partings of thy hair!
Then she folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, who took it and
repaired to Taj al-Muluk. And when he saw her, he rose to his feet and
exclaimed, "May Allah never bereave me of the blessing of thy coming!"
Quoth she, "Take the answer to thy letter." He took it and reading it,
wept with sore weeping and said, "I long for some one to slay me at this
moment and send me to my rest, for indeed death were easier to me than
this my state!" Then he took ink-case and pen and paper and wrote a
letter containing these two couplets:—
O hope of me! pursue me not with rigour and disdain: ✿ Deign thou to
visit lover-wight in love of thee is drowned;
Deem not a life so deeply wronged I longer will endure; ✿ My soul for
severance from my friend divorced this frame unsound.
Lastly he folded the letter and handed it to the old woman, saying, "Be
not angry with me, though I have wearied thee to no purpose." And he
bade Aziz give her other thousand ducats, saying, "O my mother, needs
must this letter result in perfect union or utter severance." Replied
she, "O my son, by Allah, I desire nought but thy weal; and it is my
object that she be thine, for indeed thou art the shining moon, and she
the rising sun.[37] If I do not bring you together, there is no profit
in my existence; and I have lived my life till I have reached the age of
ninety years in the practice of wile and intrigue; so how should I fail
to unite two lovers, though in defiance of right and law?" Then she took
leave of him having comforted his heart, and ceased not walking till she
went in to the Lady Dunya. Now she had hidden the letter in her hair: so
when she sat down by the Princess she rubbed her head and said, "O my
lady, maybe thou wilt untwist my hair-knot, for it is a time since I
went to the Hammam." The King's daughter bared her arms to the elbows
and, letting down the old woman's locks, began to loose the knot of back
hair; when out dropped the letter and the Lady Dunya seeing it, asked,
"What is this paper?" Quoth the nurse, "As I sat in the merchant's shop,
this paper must have stuck to me: give it to me that I may return it to
him; possibly it containeth some account whereof he hath need." But the
Princess opened it and read it and, when she understood it, she cried
out, "This is one of thy manifold tricks, and hadst thou not reared me,
I would lay violent hands on thee this moment! Verily Allah hath
afflicted me with this merchant: but all that hath befallen me with him
is on thy head. I know not from what country this one can have come: no
man but he would venture to affront me thus, and I fear lest this my
case get abroad, more by token as it concerneth one who is neither of my
kin nor of my peers." Rejoined the old woman, "None would dare speak of
this for fear of thy wrath and for awe of thy sire; so there can be no
harm in sending him an answer." Quoth the Princess, "O my nurse, verily
this one is a perfect Satan! How durst he use such language to me and
not dread the Sultan's rage. Indeed, I am perplexed about his case: if I
order him to be put to death, it were unjust; and if I leave him alive
his boldness will increase." Quoth the old woman, "Come, write him a
letter; it may be he will desist in dread." So she called for paper and
ink-case and pen and wrote these couplets:—
Thy folly drives thee on though long I chid, ✿ Writing in verse: how
long shall I forbid?
For all forbiddal thou persistest more, ✿ And my sole grace it is to
keep it hid;
Then hide thy love nor ever dare reveal; ✿ For an thou speak, of thee
I'll soon be rid;
If to thy silly speech thou turn anew, ✿ Ravens shall croak for thee the
wold amid:
And Death shall come and beat thee down ere long, ✿ Put out of sight and
bury 'neath an earthen lid:
Thy folk, fond fool! thou'lt leave for thee to mourn, ✿ And through
their lives to sorrow all forlorn.
Then she folded the letter and committed it to the old woman, who took
it and returning to Taj al-Muluk, gave it to him. When he read it, he
knew that the Princess was hard-hearted and that he should not win
access to her; so he complained of his case to the Wazir and besought
his counsel. Quoth the Minister, "Know thou that naught will profit thee
save that thou write to her and invoke the retribution of Heaven upon
her." And quoth the Prince, "O my brother, O Aziz, do thou write to her
as if my tongue spake, according to thy knowledge." So Aziz took a paper
and wrote these couplets:—
By the Five Shayks,[38] O Lord, I pray deliver me; ✿ Let her for whom I
suffer bear like misery:
Thou knowest how I fry in flaming lowe of love, ✿ While she I love hath
naught of ruth or clemency:
How long shall I, despite my pain, her feelings spare? ✿ How long shall
she wreak tyranny o'er weakling me?
In pains of never-ceasing death I ever grieve: ✿ O Lord, deign aid; none
other helping hand I see.
How fain would I forget her and forget her love! ✿ But how forget when
Love garred Patience death to dree?
O thou who hinderest Love to 'joy fair meeting-tide ✿ Say! art thou safe
from Time and Fortune's jealousy?
Art thou not glad and blest with happy life, while I ✿ From folk and
country for thy love am doomèd flee?
Then Aziz folded the letter and gave it to Taj al-Muluk, who read it and
was pleased with it. So he handed it to the old woman, who took it and
went in with it to Princess Dunya. But when she read it and mastered the
meaning thereof, she was enraged with great rage and said, "All that
hath befallen me cometh by means of this ill-omened old woman!" Then she
cried out to the damsels and eunuchs, saying, "Seize this old hag, this
accursed trickstress and beat her with your slippers!" So they came down
upon her till she swooned away; and, when she came to herself, the
Princess said to her, "By the Lord! O wicked old woman, did I not fear
Almighty Allah, I would slay thee." Then quoth she to them, "Beat her
again" and they did so till she fainted a second time, whereupon she
bade them drag her forth and throw her outside the palace-door. So they
dragged her along on her face and threw her down before the gate; but as
soon as she revived she got up from the ground and, walking and sitting
by turns, made her way home. There she passed the night till morning,
when she arose and went to Taj al-Muluk and told them all that had
occurred. He was distressed at this grievous news and said, "O my
mother, hard indeed to us is that which hath befallen thee, but all
things are according to fate and man's lot." Replied she, "Be of good
cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for I will not give over
striving till I have brought thee and her together, and made thee enjoy
this wanton who hath burnt my skin with beating." Asked the Prince,
"Tell me what caused her to hate men;" and the old woman answered, "It
arose from what she saw in a dream." "And what was this dream?" "'Twas
this: one night, as she lay asleep, she saw a fowler spread his net upon
the ground and scatter wheat grain round it. Then he sat down hard by,
and not a bird in the neighbourhood but flocked to his toils. Amongst
the rest she beheld a pair of pigeons, male and female; and, whilst she
was watching the net, behold, the male bird's foot caught in the meshes
and he began to struggle; whereupon all the other birds took fright and
flew away. But presently his mate came back and hovered over him, then
alighted on the toils unobserved by the fowler, and fell to pecking with
her beak and pulling at the mesh in which the male bird's foot was
tangled, till she released the toes and they flew away together. Then
the fowler came up, mended his net and seated himself afar off. After an
hour or so the birds flew back and the female pigeon was caught in the
net; whereupon all the other birds took fright and scurried away; and
the male pigeon fled with the rest and did not return to his mate, but
the fowler came up and took the female pigeon and cut her throat. The
Princess awoke, troubled by her dream, and said:—All males are like this
pigeon, worthless creatures: and men in general lack grace and goodness
to women." When the old woman had ended her story, the Prince said to
her, "O my mother, I desire to have one look at her, though it be my
death; so do thou contrive me some contrivance for seeing her." She
replied, "Know then that she hath under her palace windows a garden
wherein she taketh her pleasure; and thither she resorteth once in every
month by the private door. After ten days, the time of her thus going
forth to divert herself will arrive; so when she is about to visit the
garden, I will come and tell thee, that thou mayst go thither and meet
her. And look thou leave not the garden, for haply, an she see thy
beauty and loveliness, her heart will be taken with love of thee, and
love is the most potent means of union." He said, "I hear and obey;"
whereupon he and Aziz arose and left the shop and, taking the old woman
with them, showed her the place where they lodged. Then said Taj
al-Muluk to Aziz, "O my brother, I have no need of the shop now, having
fulfilled my purpose of it; so I give it to thee with all that is in it;
for that thou hast come abroad with me and hast left thy native land for
my sake." Aziz accepted his gift and then they sat conversing, while the
Prince questioned him of the strange adventures which had befallen him,
and his companion acquainted him with the particulars thereof.
Presently, they went to the Wazir and, reporting to him Taj al-Muluk's
purpose, asked him, "What is to be done?" "Let us go to the garden,"
answered he. So each and every donned richest clothes and went forth,
followed by three white slaves to the garden, which they found thick
with thickets and railing its rills. When they saw the keeper sitting at
the gate, they saluted him with the Salam and he returned their salute.
Then the Wazir gave him an hundred gold pieces, saying, "Prithee, take
this small sum and fetch us somewhat to eat; for we are strangers and I
have with me these two lads whom I wish to divert."[39] The Gardener
took the sequins and said to them, "Enter and amuse yourselves in the
garden, for it is all yours; and sit down till I bring you what food you
require." So he went to the market while the Wazir and Taj al-Muluk and
Aziz entered the garden. And shortly after leaving for the bazar the
Gardener returned with a roasted lamb and cotton-white bread, which he
placed before them, and they ate and drank; thereupon he served up
sweetmeats, and they ate of them, and washed their hands and sat
talking. Presently the Wazir said to the garth-keeper, "Tell me about
this garden: is it thine or dost thou rent it?" The Shaykh replied, "It
doth not belong to me, but to our King's daughter, the Princess Dunya."
"What be thy monthly wages?" asked the Wazir and he answered, "One dinar
and no more." Then the Minister looked round about the garden and,
seeing in its midst a pavilion tall and grand but old and disused, said
to the keeper, "O elder, I am minded to do here a good work, by which
thou shalt remember me." Replied the other, "O my lord, what is the good
work thou wouldest do?" "Take these three hundred dinars," rejoined the
Wazir. When the Keeper heard speak of the gold, he said, "O my lord,
whatso thou wilt, do!" So the Wazir gave him the monies, saying,
"Inshallah, we will make a good work in this place!" Then they left him
and returned to their lodging, where they passed the night; and when it
was the next day, the Minister sent for a plasterer and a painter and a
skilful goldsmith and, furnishing them with all the tools they wanted,
carried them to the garden, where he bade them whitewash the walls of
the pavilion and decorate it with various kinds of paintings. Moreover
he sent for gold and lapis lazuli[40] and said to the painter, "Figure
me on the wall, at the upper end of this hall, a man-fowler with his
nets spread and birds falling into them and a female pigeon entangled in
the meshes by her bill." And when the painter had finished his picture
on one side, the Wazir said, "Figure me on the other side a similar
figure and represent the she-pigeon alone in the snare and the fowler
seizing her and setting the knife to her neck; and draw on the third
side-wall, a great raptor clutching the male pigeon, her mate, and
digging talons into him." The artist did his bidding, and when he and
the others had finished the designs, they received their hire and went
away. Then the Wazir and his companions took leave of the Gardener and
returned to their place, where they sat down to converse. And Taj
al-Muluk said to Aziz, "O my brother, recite me some verses: perchance
it may broaden my breast and dispel my dolours and quench the fire
flaming in my heart." So Aziz chanted with sweet modulation these
couplets:—