single-handed claim:
An seek thou watering-spot,[41] my streaming eyes ✿ Pour floods that
thirst would quench howe'er it flame:
Or wouldest view what ruin Love has wrought ✿ With ruthless hands, then
see this wasted frame.
And his eyes ran over with tears and he repeated these couplets also:-
Who loves not swan-neck and gazelle-like eyes, ✿ Yet claims to know
Life's joys, I say he lies:
In Love is mystery, none avail to learn ✿ Save he who loveth in pure
loving wise.
Allah my heart ne'er lighten of this love, ✿ Nor rob the wakefulness
these eyelids prize.
Then he changed the mode of song and sang these couplets:—
Ibn Síná[42] in his Canon doth opine ✿ Lovers' best cure is found in
merry song:
In meeting lover of a like degree, ✿ Dessert in garden, wine-draughts
long and strong:
I chose another who of thee might cure ✿ While Force and Fortune aided
well and long;
But ah! I learnt Love's mortal ill, wherein ✿ Ibn Sina's recipe is fond
and wrong.
After hearing them to the end, Taj al-Muluk was pleased with his verses
and wondered at his eloquence and the excellence of his recitation,
saying, "Indeed, thou hast done away with somewhat of my sorrow." Then
quoth the Wazir, "Of a truth, there occurred to those of old what
astoundeth those who hear it told." Quoth the Prince, "If thou canst
recall aught of this kind, prithee let us hear thy subtle lines and keep
up the talk." So the Minister chanted in modulated song these couplets:—
Indeed I deemed thy favours might be bought ✿ By gifts of gold and
things that joy the sprite;
And ignorantly thought thee light-o'-love, ✿ When can thy love lay low
the highmost might;
Until I saw thee choosing one, that one ✿ Loved with all favour, crowned
with all delight:
Then wot I thou by sleight canst ne'er be won ✿ And under wing my head I
hid from sight;
And in this nest of passion made my wone, ✿ Wherein I nestle morning,
noon and night.
So far concerning them; but as regards the old woman she remained shut
up from the world in her house, till it befel that the King's daughter
was taken with a desire to divert herself in the garden. Now she had
never been wont so to do save in company with her nurse; accordingly she
sent for her and made friends with her and soothed her sorrow, saying,
"I wish to go forth to the garden, that I may divert myself with the
sight of its trees and fruits, and broaden my breast with the scent of
its flowers." Replied the old woman, "I hear and obey; but first I would
go to my house, and soon I will be with thee." The Princess rejoined,
"Go home, but be not long absent from me." So the old woman left her
and, repairing to Taj al-Muluk, said to him, "Get thee ready and don thy
richest dress and go to the garden and find out the Gardener and salute
him and then hide thyself therein." "To hear is to obey" answered he;
and she agreed with him upon a signal, after which she returned to the
Lady Dunya. As soon as she was gone, the Wazir and Aziz rose and robed
Taj al-Muluk in a splendid suit of royal raiment worth five thousand
dinars, and girt his middle with a girdle of gold set with gems and
precious metals. Then they repaired to the garden and found seated at
the gate the Keeper who, as soon as he saw the Prince, sprang to his
feet and received him with all respect and reverence, and opening the
gate, said, "Enter and take thy pleasure in looking at the garden." Now
the Gardener knew not that the King's daughter was to visit the place
that day; but when Taj al-Muluk had been a little while there, he heard
a hubbub and ere he could think, out issued the eunuchs and damsels by
the private wicket. The Gardener seeing this came up to the Prince,
informed him of her approach and said to him, "O my lord, what is to be
done? The Princess Dunya, the King's daughter, is here." Replied the
Prince, "Fear not, no harm shall befal thee; for I will hide me
somewhere about the garden." So the Keeper exhorted him to the utmost
prudence and went away. Presently the Princess entered the garden with
her damsels and with the old woman, who said to herself, "If these
eunuchs stay with us, we shall not attain our end." So quoth she to the
King's daughter, "O my lady, I have somewhat to tell thee which shall
ease thy heart." Quoth the Princess, "Say what thou hast to say." "O my
lady," rejoined the old woman, "thou hast no need of these eunuchs at a
time like the present; nor wilt thou be able to divert thyself at thine
ease, whilst they are with us; so send them away;" and the Lady Dunya
replied, "Thou speakest sooth." Accordingly she dismissed them and
presently began to walk about, whilst Taj al-Muluk looked upon her and
fed his eyes on her beauty and loveliness (but she knew it not); and
every time he gazed at her he fainted by reason of her passing
charms.[43] The old woman drew her on by converse till they reached the
pavilion which the Wazir had bidden be decorated, when the Princess
entered and cast a glance round and perceived the picture of the birds,
the fowler and the pigeon; whereupon she cried, "Exalted be Allah! This
is the very counterfeit presentment of what I saw in my dream." She
continued to gaze at the figures of the birds and the fowler with his
net, admiring the work, and presently she said, "O my nurse, I have been
wont to blame and hate men, but look now at the fowler how he hath
slaughtered the she-bird and set free her mate; who was minded to return
to her and aid her to escape when the bird of prey met him and tore him
to pieces." Now the old woman feigned ignorance to her and ceased not to
occupy her in converse, till they drew near the place where Taj al-Muluk
lay hidden. Thereupon she signed to him to come out and walk under the
windows of the pavilion; and, as the Lady Dunya stood looking from the
casement, behold, her glance fell that way and she saw him and noting
his beauty of face and form, said to the old woman, "O my nurse, whence
cometh yonder handsome youth?" Replied the old woman, "I know nothing of
him save that I think he must be some great King's son, for he attaineth
comeliness in excess and extreme loveliness." And the Lady Dunya fell in
love with him to distraction; the spells which bound her were loosed and
her reason was overcome by his beauty and grace; and his fine stature
and proportions strongly excited her desires sexual. So she said, "O my
nurse! this is indeed a handsome youth;" and the old woman replied,
"Thou sayest sooth, O my lady," and signed to Taj al-Muluk to go home.
And though desire and longing flamed in him and he was distraught for
love, yet he went away and took leave of the Gardener and returned to
his place, obeying the old woman and not daring to cross her. When he
told the Wazir and Aziz that she had signed him to depart, they exhorted
him to patience, saying, "Did not the ancient dame know that there was
an object to be gained by thy departure, she had not signalled thee to
return home." Such was the case with Taj al-Muluk, the Wazir and Aziz;
but as regards the King's daughter, the Lady Dunya, desire and passion
redoubled upon her; she was overcome with love and longing and she said
to her nurse, "I know not how I shall manage a meeting with this youth,
but through thee." Exclaimed the old woman, "I take refuge with Allah
from Satan the stoned! Thou who art averse from men! How cometh it then
that thou art thus afflicted with hope and fear of this young man? Yet,
by Allah, none is worthy of thy youth but he." Quoth the Lady Dunya, "O
my nurse, further my cause and help me to foregather with him, and thou
shalt have of me a thousand dinars and a dress of honour worth as much
more: but if thou aid me not to come at him, I am a dead woman in very
sooth." Replied the ancient dame, "Go to thy palace and leave me to
devise means for bringing you twain together. I will throw away my life
to content you both!" So the Lady Dunya returned to her palace, and the
old woman betook herself to Taj al-Muluk who, when he saw her, rose to
receive her and entreated her with respect and reverence making her sit
by his side. Then she said, "The trick hath succeeded," and told him all
that had passed between herself and the Princess. He asked her, "When is
our meeting to be?"; and she answered, "To-morrow." So he gave her a
thousand dinars and a dress of like value, and she took them and stinted
not walking till she returned to her mistress, who said to her, "O my
nurse! what news of the beloved?" Replied she, "I have learnt where he
liveth and will bring him to thee to-morrow." At this the Princess was
glad and gave her a thousand dinars and a dress worth as much more, and
she took them and returned to her own place, where she passed the night
till morning. Then she went to Taj al-Muluk and dressing him in woman's
clothes, said to him, "Follow me and sway from side to side[44] as thou
steppest, and hasten not thy pace nor take heed of any who speaketh to
thee." And after thus charging him she went out, and the Prince followed
her in woman's attire and she continued to charge and encourage him by
the way, that he might not be afraid; nor ceased they walking till they
came to the Palace-gate. She entered and the Prince after her, and she
led him on, passing through doors and vestibules, till they had passed
seven doors.[45] As they approached the seventh, she said to him,
"Hearten thy heart and when I call out to thee and say:—O damsel pass
on! do not slacken thy pace, but advance as if about to run. When thou
art in the vestibule, look to thy left and thou wilt see a saloon with
doors: count five doors and enter the sixth, for therein is thy desire."
Asked Taj al-Muluk, "And whither wilt thou go?"; and she answered,
"Nowhere shall I go except that perhaps I may drop behind thee, and the
Chief Eunuch may detain me to chat with him." She walked on (and he
behind her) till she reached the door where the Chief Eunuch was
stationed and he, seeing Taj al-Muluk with her dressed as a slave-girl,
said to the old woman, "What business hath this girl with thee?" Replied
she, "This is a slave-girl of whom the Lady Dunya hath heard that she is
skilled in different kinds of work and she hath a mind to buy her."
Rejoined the Eunuch, "I know neither slave-girls nor anyone else; and
none shall enter here without my searching according to the King's
commands."——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Chamberlain
Eunuch cried to the old woman, "I know neither slave-girl nor anyone
else; and none shall enter here without my searching him according to
the King's commands." Then quoth she, feigning to be angry, "I thought
thee a man of sense and good breeding; but, if thou be changed, I will
let the Princess know of it and tell her how thou hinderest her
slave-girl;" and she cried out to Taj al-Muluk, saying, "Pass on, O
damsel!" So he passed on into the vestibule as she bade him, whilst the
Eunuch was silent and said no more. The Prince counted five doors and
entered the sixth where he found the Princess Dunya standing and
awaiting him. As soon as she saw him, she knew him and clasped him to
her breast, and he clasped her to his bosom. Presently the old woman
came in to them, having made a pretext to dismiss the Princess's
slave-girls for fear of disgrace; and the Lady Dunya said to her, "Be
thou our door-keeper!" So she and Taj al-Muluk abode alone together and
ceased not kissing and embracing and twining leg with leg till dawn.[46]
When day drew near, she left him and, shutting the door upon him, passed
into another chamber, where she sat down as was her wont, whilst her
slave-women came in to her, and she attended to their affairs and
conversed with them. Then she said to them, "Go forth from me now, for I
wish to amuse myself in privacy." So they withdrew and she betook
herself to Taj al-Muluk, and the old woman brought them food, of which
they ate and returned to amorous dalliance till dawn. Then the door was
locked upon him as on the day before; and they ceased not to do thus for
a whole month. This is how it fared with Taj al-Muluk and the Lady
Dunya; but as regards the Wazir and Aziz when they found that the Prince
had gone to the Palace of the King's daughter and there delayed all the
while, they concluded that he would never return from it and that he was
lost for ever; and Aziz said to the Wazir, "O my father, what shall we
do?" He replied, "O my son, this is a difficult matter, and except we
return to his sire and tell him, he will blame us therefor." So they
made ready at once and forthright set out for the Green Land and the
Country of the Two Columns, and sought Sulayman Shah's capital. And they
traversed the valleys night and day till they went in to the King, and
acquainted him with what had befallen his son and how from the time he
entered the Princess's Palace they had heard no news of him. At this the
King was as though the Day of Doom had dawned for him and regret was
sore upon him, and he proclaimed a Holy War[47] throughout his realm.
After which he sent forth his host without the town and pitched tents
for them and took up his abode in his pavilion, whilst the levies came
from all parts of the kingdom; for his subjects loved him by reason of
his great justice and beneficence. Then he marched with an army walling
the horizon, and departed in quest of his son. Thus far concerning them;
but as regards Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya the two remained as they
were half a year's time, whilst every day they redoubled in mutual
affection; and love and longing and passion and desire so pressed upon
Taj al-Muluk, that at last he opened his mind and said to her, "Know, O
beloved of my heart and vitals, that the longer I abide with thee, the
more love and longing and passion and desire increase on me, for that I
have not yet fulfilled the whole of my wish." Asked she, "What then
wouldst thou have, O light of my eyes and fruit of my vitals? If thou
desire aught beside kissing and embracing and entwining of legs with
legs, do what pleaseth thee; for, by Allah, no partner hath any part in
us."[48] But he answered: "It is not that I wish: I would fain acquaint
thee with my true story. Know, then, that I am no merchant, nay, I am a
King, the son of a King, and my father's name is the supreme King
Sulayman Shah, who sent his Wazir ambassador to thy father, to demand
thee in marriage for me, but when the news came to thee thou wouldst not
consent." Then he told her his past from first to last, nor is there any
avail in a twice-told tale, and he added, "And now I wish to return to
my father, that he may send an ambassador to thy sire, to demand thee in
wedlock for me, so we may be at ease." When she heard these words, she
joyed with great joy because it suited with her own wishes, and they
passed the night on this understanding. But it so befel by the decree of
Destiny that sleep overcame them that night above all nights and they
remained till the sun had risen. Now at this hour, King Shahriman was
sitting on his cushion of estate, with his Emirs and Grandees before
him, when the Syndic of the goldsmiths presented himself between his
hands, carrying a large box. And he advanced and opening it in presence
of the King, brought out therefrom a casket of fine work worth an
hundred thousand dinars, for that which was therein of precious stones,
rubies and emeralds beyond the competence of any sovereign on earth to
procure. When the King saw this, he marvelled at its beauty; and,
turning to the Chief Eunuch (him with whom the old woman had had to do),
said to him, "O Kafur,[49] take this casket and wend with it to the
Princess Dunya." The Castrato took the casket and repairing to the
apartment of the King's daughter found the door shut and the old woman
lying asleep on the threshold; whereupon said he, "What! sleeping at
this hour?" When the old woman heard the Eunuch's voice she started from
sleep and was terrified and said to him, "Wait till I fetch the key."
Then she went forth and fled for her life. Such was her case; but as
regards the Epicene he, seeing her alarm, lifted the door off its
hinge-pins,[50] and entering found the Lady Dunya with her arms round
the neck of Taj al-Muluk and both fast asleep. At this sight he was
confounded and was preparing to return to the King, when the Princess
awoke, and seeing him, was terrified and changed colour and waxed pale,
and said to him, "O Kafur, veil thou what Allah hath veiled!"[51] But he
replied, "I cannot conceal aught from the King"; and, locking the door
on them, returned to Shahriman, who asked him, "Hast thou given the
casket to the Princess?" Answered the Eunuch, "Take the casket, here it
is for I cannot conceal aught from thee. Know that I found a handsome
young man by the side of the Princess and they two asleep in one bed and
in mutual embrace." The King commanded them to be brought into the
presence and said to them, "What manner of thing is this?" and, being
violently enraged, seized a dagger and was about to strike Taj al-Muluk
with it, when the Lady Dunya threw herself upon him and said to her
father, "Slay me before thou slayest him." The King reviled her and
commanded her to be taken back to her chamber: then he turned to Taj
al-Muluk and said to him, "Woe to thee! Whence art thou? Who is thy
father and what hath emboldened thee to debauch my daughter?" Replied
the Prince, "Know, O King, that if thou put me to death, thou art a lost
man, and thou and all in thy dominions will repent the deed." Quoth the
King, "How so?"; and quoth Taj al-Muluk, "Know that I am the son of King
Sulayman Shah, and ere thou knowest it, he will be upon thee with his
horse and foot." When King Shahriman heard these words he would have
deferred killing Taj al-Muluk and would rather have put him in prison,
till he should look into the truth of his words; but his Wazir said to
him, "O King of the Age, it is my opinion that thou make haste to slay
this gallows-bird who dares debauch the daughters of Kings." So the King
cried to the headsman, "Strike off his head; for he is a traitor."
Accordingly, the headsman took him and bound him fast and raised his
hand to the Emirs, signing to consult them, a first and a second signal,
thinking thereby to gain time in this matter;[52] but the King cried in
anger to him, "How long wilt thou consult others? If thou consult them
again I will strike off thine own head." So the headsman raised his hand
till the hair of his armpit showed, and was about to smite his neck——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
[Illustration]
Now when it was the Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,