one, he knew that the speaker was a lover like unto himself, debarred
from union with her who loved him; and he said to himself, "'Twere
fitting that this man should lay his head to my head and become my
comrade in this my strangerhood."[79] Then he hailed the speaker and
cried out to him, saying, "O thou who farest in sombrest night, draw
near to me and tell me thy tale; haply thou shalt find me one who will
succour thee in thy sufferings." And when the owner of the voice heard
these words, he cried out, "O thou that respondest to my complaint and
wouldest hear my history, who art thou amongst the knights? Art thou
human or Jinni? Answer me speedily ere thy death draw near, for I have
wandered in this desert some twenty days and have seen no one nor heard
any voice but thy voice." At these words Kanmakan said to himself, "This
one's case is like my case, for I, even I, have wandered twenty days,
nor during my wayfare have I seen man or heard voice:" and he added, "I
will make him no answer till day arise." So he was silent, and the voice
again called out to him, saying, "O thou that callest, if thou be of the
Jinn fare in peace and, if thou be man, stay awhile till the day break
stark and the night flee with the dark." The speaker abode in his place
and Kanmakan did likewise and the twain in reciting verses never failed,
and wept tears that railed till the light of day began loom and the
night departed with its gloom. Then Kanmakan looked at the other and
found him to be of the Badawi Arabs, a youth in the flower of his age;
clad in worn clothes and bearing in baldrick a rusty sword which he kept
sheathed, and the signs of love-longing were apparent on him. He went up
to him and accosted him and saluted him, and the Badawi returned the
salute and greeted him with courteous wishes for his long life, but
somewhat despised him, seeing his tender years and his condition, which
was that of a pauper. So he said to him, "O youth, of what tribe art
thou and to whom art thou kin among the Arabs; and what is thy history
that thou goest by night, after the fashion of knights? Indeed thou
spakest to me in the dark words such as are spoken of none but doughty
cavaliers and lion-like warriors; and now I hold thy life in hand. But I
have compassion on thee by reason of thy green years; so I will make
thee my companion and thou shalt go with me, to do me service." When
Kanmakan heard him speak these unseemly words, after showing him such
skill in verse, he knew that he despised him and would presume with him;
therefore he answered him with soft and well-chosen speech, saying, "O
Chief of the Arabs, leave my tenderness of age and tell me why thou
wanderest by night in the desert reciting verses. Thou talkest, I see,
of my serving thee; who then art thou and what moved thee to talk this
wise?" Answered he, "Hark ye, boy! I am Sabbáh, son of Rammáh bin
Humám.[80] My people are of the Arabs of Syria and I have a cousin,
Najmah hight, who to all that look on her brings delight. And when my
father died I was brought up in the house of his brother, the father of
Najmah; but as soon I grew up and my uncle's daughter became a woman,
they secluded her from me and me from her, seeing that I was poor and
without money in pouch. Then the Chiefs of the Arabs and the heads of
the tribes rebuked her sire, and he was abashed before them and
consented to give me my cousin, but upon condition that I should bring
him as her dower fifty head of horses and fifty dromedaries which travel
ten days[81] without a halt and fifty camels laden with wheat and a like
number laden with barley, together with ten black slaves and ten
handmaids. Thus the weight he set upon me was beyond my power to bear;
for he exacted more than the marriage-settlement as by law established.
So here am I, travelling from Syria to Irak, and I have passed twenty
days without seeing other than thyself; yet I mean to go to Baghdad that
I may ascertain what merchant men of wealth and importance start thence.
Then will I fare forth in their track and loot their goods, and I will
slay their escort and drive off their camels with their loads. But what
manner of man art thou?" Replied Kanmakan, "Thy case is like unto my
case, save that my evil is more grievous than thine ill; for my cousin
is a King's daughter and the dowry of which thou hast spoken would not
content her people, nor would they be satisfied with the like of that
from me." Quoth Sabbah, "Surely thou art a fool or thy wits for excess
of passion are gathering wool! How can thy cousin be a King's daughter?
Thou hast no sign of royal rank on thee, for thou art but a mendicant."
Rejoined Kanmakan, "O Chief of the Arabs, let not this my case seem
strange to thee; for what happened, happened;[82] and if thou desire
proof of me, I am Kanmakan, son of King Zau al-Makan, son of King Omar
bin al-Nu'uman Lord of Baghdad and the realm Khorasan; and Fortune
banned me with her tyrant ban, for my father died and my Sultanate was
taken by King Sasan. So I fled forth from Baghdad secretly, lest I be
seen of any man, and have wandered twenty days without any but thyself
to scan. So now I have discovered to thee my case, and my story is as
thy story and my need as thy need." When Sabbah heard this, he cried
out, "O my joy, I have attained my desire! I will have no loot this day
but thyself; for since thou art of the seed of Kings and hast come out
in beggar's garb, there is no help but thy people will seek thee; and,
if they find thee in any one's power, they will ransom thee with monies
galore. So show me thy back, O my lad, and walk before me." Answered
Kanmakan, "O brother of the Arabs, act not on this wise, for my people
will not buy me with silver nor with gold, not even with a copper
dirham; and I am a poor man, having with me neither much nor little; so
cease then to be upon this track and take me to thy comrade. Fare we
forth for the land of Irak and wander over the world, so haply we may
win dower and marriage-portion, and we may seek and enjoy our cousins'
kisses and embraces when we come back." Hearing this, Sabbah waxed
angry; his arrogance and fury redoubled and he said, "Woe to thee! Dost
thou bandy words with me, O vilest of dogs that be? Turn thee thy back,
or I will come down on thee with clack!" Kanmakan smiled and answered,
"Why should I turn my back for thee? Is there no justice in thee? Dost
thou not fear to bring blame upon the Arab men by driving a man like
myself captive, in shame and disdain, before thou hast proved him on the
plain, to know if he be a warrior or of cowardly strain?" Upon this
Sabbah laughed and replied, "By Allah, a wonder! Thou art a boy in years
told, but in talk thou art old. These words should come from none but a
champion doughty and bold: what wantest thou of justice?" Quoth
Kanmakan, "If thou wilt have me thy captive, to wend with thee and serve
thee, throw down thine arms and put off thine outer gear and come on and
wrestle with me; and whichever of us throw his opponent shall have his
will of him and make him his boy." Then Sabbah laughed and said, "I
think this waste of breath denoteth the nearness of thy death." Then he
arose and threw down his weapon and, tucking up his skirt, drew near
unto Kanmakan who also drew near and they gripped each other. But the
Badawi found that the other had the better of him and weighed him down,
as the quintal downweighs the dinar; and he looked at his legs firmly
planted on the ground, and saw that they were as two minarets[83]
strongly based, or two tent-poles in earth encased, or two mountains
which may not be displaced. So he acknowledged himself to be a failure
and repented of having come to wrestle with him, saying in himself,
"Would I had slain him with my weapon!" Then Kanmakan took hold of him
and mastering him, shook him till the Badawi thought his bowels would
burst in his belly, and he broke out, "Hold thy hand, O boy!" He heeded
not his words, but shook him again and, lifting him from the ground,
made with him towards the stream, that he might throw him therein:
whereupon the Badawi roared out, saying, "O thou valiant man, what wilt
thou do with me?"[84] Quoth he, "I mean to throw thee into this stream:
it will bear to the Tigris. The Tigris will bring thee to the river Isa
and the Isa will carry thee to the Euphrates, and the Euphrates will
land thee in thine own country; so thy tribe shall see thee and know thy
manly cheer and how thy passion be sincere." Then Sabbah cried aloud and
said, "O Champion of the desert-lair, do not with me what deed the
wicked dare but let me go, by the life of thy cousin, the jewel of the
fair!" Hearing this, Kanmakan set him on the ground; but when he found
himself at liberty, he ran to his sword and targe and taking them up,
stood plotting in himself treachery and sudden assault on his
adversary.[85] The Prince kenned his intent in his eye and said to him,
"I con what is in thy heart, now thou hast hold of thy sword and thy
targe. Thou hast neither length of hand nor trick of wrestling, but thou
thinkest that, wert thou on thy mare and couldst wheel about the plain,
and ply me with thy skene, I had long ago been slain. But I will give
thee thy requite, so there may be left in thy heart no despite; now give
me the targe and fall on me with thy whinger; either thou shalt kill me
or I shall kill thee." "Here it is," answered Sabbah and, throwing him
the targe, bared his brand and rushed at him sword in hand; Kanmakan
hent the buckler in his right and began to fend himself with it, whilst
Sabbah struck at him, saying at each stroke, "This is the finishing
blow!" But it fell harmless enow, for Kanmakan took all on his buckler
and it was waste work, though he did not reply lacking the wherewithal
to strike and Sabbah ceased not to smite at him with his sabre, till his
arm was weary. When his opponent saw this, he rushed upon him and,
hugging him in his arms, shook him and threw him to the ground. Then he
turned him over on his face and pinioned his elbows behind him with the
baldrick of his sword, and began to drag him by the feet and to make for
the river. Thereupon cried Sabbah, "What wilt thou do with me, O youth,
and cavalier of the age and brave of the plain where battles rage?"
Answered he, "Did I not tell thee that it was my intent to send thee by
the river to thy kin and to thy tribe, that thy heart be not troubled
for them nor their hearts be troubled for thee, and lest thou miss thy
cousin's bride-feast!" At this Sabbah shrieked aloud and wept and
screaming said, "Do not thus, O champion of the time's braves! Let me go
and make me one of thy slaves!" And he wept and wailed and began
reciting these verses:—
I'm estranged fro' my folk and estrangement's long: ✿ Shall I die amid
strangers? Ah, would that I kenned!
I die, nor my kinsmen shall know where I'm slain, ✿ Die in exile nor see
the dear face of my friend!
Thereupon Kanmakan had compassion on him and said, "Make with me a
covenant true and swear me an oath to be a comrade as due and to bear me
company wheresoever I may go." "'Tis well," replied Sabbah and swore
accordingly. Then Kanmakan loosed him and he rose and would have kissed
the Prince's hand; but he forbade him that. Then the Badawi opened his
scrip and, taking out three barley scones, laid them before Kanmakan and
they both sat down on the bank of the stream to eat.[86] When they had
done eating together, they made the lesser ablution and prayed; after
which they sat talking of what had befallen each of them from his people
and from the shifts of Time. Presently said Kanmakan, "Whither dost thou
now intend?" Replied Sabbah, "I purpose to repair to Baghdad, thy native
town, and abide there, until Allah vouchsafe me the marriage portion."
Rejoined the other, "Up then and to the road! I tarry here." So the
Badawi farewelled him and took the way for Baghdad, whilst Kanmakan
remained behind, saying to himself, "O my soul, with what face shall I
return pauper-poor? Now by Allah, I will not go back empty-handed and,
if the Almighty please, I will assuredly work my deliverance." Then he
went to the stream and made the Wuzu-washing and when prostrating he
laid his brow in the dust and prayed to the Lord, saying, "O Allah! Thou
who sendest down the dew, and feedest the worm that homes in the stone,
I beseech Thee vouchsafe me my livelihood of Thine Omnipotence and the
Grace of Thy benevolence!" Then he pronounced the salutation which
closes prayer; yet every road appeared closed to him. And while he sat
turning right and left, behold, he espied a horseman making towards him
with bent back and reins slack. He sat upright and after a time reached
the Prince; and the stranger was at the last gasp and made sure of
death, for he was grievously wounded when he came up; 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 thy friendship as long as I
live, for thou wilt not find my like; and give me a little water though
the drinking of water be harmful to one wounded, especially whilst the
blood is flowing and the life with it. And if I live, I will give thee
what shall heal thy penury and thy poverty: and if I die, mayst thou be
blessed for thy good intent." Now under that horseman was a stallion, so
noble a Rabite[87] the tongue fails to describe him; and as Kanmakan
looked at his legs like marble shafts, he was seized with a longing and
said to himself, "Verily the like of this stallion[88] is not to be
found in our time." Then he helped the rider to alight and entreated him
in friendly guise and gave him a little water to swallow; after which he
waited till he had taken rest and addressed him, saying, "Who hath dealt
thus with thee?" Quoth the rider, "I will tell thee the truth of the
case. I am a horse-thief and I have busied myself with lifting and
snatching horses all my life, night and day, and my name is Ghassán, the
plague of every stable and stallion. I heard tell of this horse, that he
was in the land of Roum, with King Afridun, where they had named him
Al-Katúl and surnamed him Al-Majnún.[89] So I journeyed to
Constantinople for his sake and watched my opportunity and whilst I was
thus waiting, there came out an old woman, one highly honoured among the
Greeks, and whose word with them is law, by name Zat al-Dawahi, a past
mistress in all manner of trickery. She had with her this steed and ten
slaves, no more, to attend on her and the horse; and she was bound for
Baghdad and Khorasan, there to seek King Sasan and to sue for peace and
pardon from ban. So I went out in their track, longing to get at the
horse,[90] and ceased not to follow them, but was unable to come by the
stallion, because of the strict guard kept by the slaves, till they
reached this country and I feared lest they enter the city of Baghdad.
As I was casting about to steal the stallion lo! a great cloud of dust
arose on them and walled the horizon. Presently it opened and disclosed
fifty horsemen, gathered together to waylay merchants on the highway,
and their captain, by name Kahrdásh, was a lion in daring and dash; a
furious lion who layeth knights flat as carpets in battle-crash."——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Forty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the wounded rider
spake thus to Kanmakan, "Then came out the same Kahrdash, and fell on
the old woman and her men and bore down upon them bashing them, nor was
it long before they bound her and the ten slaves and bore off their
captives and the horse, rejoicing. When I saw this, I said to myself:—My
pains were in vain nor did I attain my gain. However, I waited to see
how the affair would fare, and when the old woman found herself in
bonds, she wept and said to the captain, Kahrdash:—O thou doughty
Champion and furious Knight, what wilt thou do with an old woman and
slaves, now that thou hast thy will of the horse? And she beguiled him
with soft words and she sware 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 till they reached this country; and I
watched them, till at last I found an opportunity of 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 his back and he fended me with hoofs and forehand,[91] till at
last he bolted out with me from amongst them like unerring shaft or
shooting star. But in the stress and stowre I got sundry grievous wounds
and sore; and, since that time, I have passed on his back three days
without tasting food or sleeping aught, so that my strength is down
brought and the world is become to me as naught. But thou hast dealt
kindly with me and hast shown ruth on me; and I see thee naked stark and
sorrow hath set on thee its mark, yet are signs of wealth and gentle
breeding manifest on thee. So tell me, what and whence art thou and
whither art thou bound?" Answered the Prince, "My name is Kanmakan, son
of Zau al-Makan, son of King Omar bin al-Nu'uman. When my father died
and an orphan lot was my fate, a base man seized the throne and became
King over small and great." Then he told him all his past from first to
last; and the horse-thief said to him, for he pitied him, "By Allah,
thou art one of high degree and exceeding nobility, and thou shalt
surely attain estate sublime and become the first cavalier of thy time.
If thou can lift me on horseback and mount thee behind me and bring me
to my own land, thou shalt have honour in this world and a reward on the
day of band calling to band,[92] for I have no strength left to steady
myself; and if this be my last day, the steed is thine alway; for thou
art worthier of him than any other." Quoth Kanmakan, "By Allah, if I
could carry thee on my shoulders or share my days with thee, I would do
this deed without the steed! For I am of a breed that loveth to do good
and to succour those in need; and one kindly action in Almighty Allah's
honour averteth seventy calamities from its doer. 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 fared forward trusting in Allah, Aider of
those who seek aid, but the horse-thief said, "Wait for me awhile." Then
he closed his eyes and opening his hands, said, "I testify that there is
no god but _the_ God, and I testify that Mohammed is the Apostle of
God!" And he added, "O glorious One, pardon me my mortal sin, for none
can pardon mortal sins save the Immortal!" And he made ready for death
and recited these couplets:—
I have wronged mankind, and have ranged like wind ✿ O'er the world, and
in wine-cups my life has past:
I've swum torrent-course to bear off the horse; ✿ And my guiles high
places on plain have cast.
Much I've tried to win and o'er much my sin; ✿ And Katul of my winnings
is most and last:
I had hoped of this steed to gain wish and need, ✿ But vain was the end
of this journey vast.
I have stolen through life, and my death in strife ✿ Was doomed by the
Lord who doth all forecast;
And I've toiled these toils to their fatal end ✿ For an orphan, a pauper
sans kith or friend!
And when he had finished his verses he closed his eyes and opened his
mouth; then with a single death-rattling he left this world. Thereupon
Kanmakan rose and dug a grave and laid him in the dust; after which he
went up to the steed and kissed him and wiped his face and joyed with
exceeding joy, saying, "None hath the fellow of this stallion; no, not
even King Sasan." Such was the case with Kanmakan; but as regards King
Sasan, presently news came to him that the Wazir Dandan had thrown off
his allegiance, and with him half the army who swore that they would
have no King but Kanmakan: and the Minister had bound the troops by a
solemn covenant and had gone with them to the Islands of India and to
Berber-land and to Black-land;[93] where he had levied armies from far
and near, like unto the swollen sea for fear and none could tell the
host's van from its rear. And the Minister was resolved to make for
Baghdad and take the kingdom in ward and slay every soul who dare
retard, having sworn not to return the sword of war to its sheath, till
he had made Kanmakan King. When this news came to Sasan, he was drowned
in the sea of appal, knowing that the whole state had turned against
him, great and small; and his trouble redoubled and his care became
despair. So he opened his treasuries and distributed his monies among
his officers; and he 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 which ceased not being faithful to him, so might he quench
the sparks ere they became a flame. Now when the news of this reached
Kanmakan by the merchants, he returned in haste to Baghdad on the back
of the aforesaid stallion, and as King Sasan sat perplexed upon his
throne he heard of the coming of Kanmakan; whereupon he despatched all
the troops and head-men of the city to meet him. So all who were in
Baghdad fared forth and met the Prince and escorted him to the palace
and kissed the thresholds, whilst the damsels and the eunuchs went in to
his mother and gave her the fair tidings of his return. She came to him
and kissed him between the eyes, but he said to her, "O mother mine, let
me go to my uncle King Sasan who hath overwhelmed me with weal and
boon." And while he so did, all the palace-people and head-men marvelled
at the beauty of the stallion and said, "No King is like unto this man."
So Kanmakan went in to King Sasan and saluted him as he rose to receive
him; and, kissing his hands and feet, offered him the horse as a
present. The King greeted him, saying, "Well come and welcome to my son
Kanmakan! By Allah, the world hath been straitened on me by reason of
thine absence, but praised be Allah for thy safety!" And Kanmakan called
down blessings on him. Then the King looked at the stallion, Al-Katul
hight, and knew him for the very horse he had seen in such and such a
year whilst beleaguering the Cross-worshippers of Constantinople with
Kanmakan's sire, Zau al-Makan, that time they slew his uncle Sharrkan.
So he said to the Prince, "If thy father could have come by this
courser, he would have bought it with a thousand blood horses: but now
let the honour return to the honourable. We accept the steed and we give
him back to thee as a gift, for to him thou hast more right than any
wight, being knightliest of knights." Then King Sasan bade bring forth
for him dresses of honour and led horses and appointed to him the chief
lodging in the palace, and showed him the utmost affection and honour,
because he feared the issue of the Wazir Dandan's doings. At this
Kanmakan rejoiced and shame and humiliation ceased from him. Then he
went to his house and, going to his mother, asked, "O my mother, how is
it with the daughter of my uncle?" Answered she, "By Allah, O my son, my
concern for thine absence hath distracted me from any other, even from
thy beloved; especially as she was the cause of thy strangerhood and thy
separation from me." Then he complained to her of his case, saying, "O
my mother, go to her and speak with her; haply she will vouchsafe me her
sight to see and dispel from me this despondency." Replied his mother,
"Idle desires abase men's necks; so put away from thee this thought that
can only vex; for I will not wend to her nor go in to her with such
message." Now when he heard his mother's words he told her what said the
horse-thief concerning Zat al-Dawahi, how the old woman was then in
their land purposing to make Baghdad, and added, "It was she who slew my
uncle and my grandfather, and needs must I avenge them with man-bote,
that our reproach be wiped out." Then he left her and repaired to an old
woman, a wicked, whorish, pernicious beldam by name Sa'adánah and
complained to her of his case and of what he suffered for love of his
cousin Kuzia Fakan and begged her to go to her and win her favour for
him. "I hear and I obey," answered the old hag and leaving him betook
herself to Kuzia Fakan's palace, that she might intercede with her in
his behalf. Then she returned to him and said, "Of a truth Kuzia Fakan
saluteth thee and promiseth to visit thee this night about
midnight."——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Forty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old woman
came to Kanmakan and said, "Of a truth the daughter of thine uncle
saluteth thee and she will visit thee this night about midnight;" he
rejoiced and sat down to await the fulfilment of his cousin's promise.
But before the hour of night she came to him, wrapped in a veil of black
silk, and she went in to him and aroused him from sleep, saying, "How
canst thou pretend to love me, when thou art sleeping heart-free and in
complete content?" So he awoke and said, "By Allah, O desire of my
heart, I slept not but in the hope that thine image might visit my
dreams!" Then she chid him with soft words and began versifying in these
couplets:—
Hadst thou been leal in love's loyalty, ✿ Ne'er haddest suffered sleep
to seal those eyne:
O thou who claimest lover-loyalty, ✿ Treading the lover's path of pain
and pine!
By Allah, O my cousin, never yet ✿ Did eyes of lover sleep such sleep
indign.
Now 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 they ceased not thus till dawn broke and
day dispersed itself over the horizon; when she rose preparing to
depart. Upon this Kanmakan wept and sighed and began improvising these
couplets:—
O thou who deignest come at sorest syne, ✿ Whose lips those teeth like
necklaced pearls enshrine!
I kissed him[94] thousand times and clipt his waist, ✿ And spent the
night with cheek to cheek close li'en,
Till to depart us twain came dawning day, ✿ Like sword-edge drawn from
sheath in radiant line.