acquainted her that he abode in the city. Meanwhile, King Sasan awaited
his faring forth from Baghdad, that he might send after him some who
would slay him; till it befel one morning that Kanmakan went out to
course and chase, accompanied by Sabbah, who would not leave him night
or day. He caught ten gazelles and among them one that had tender black
eyes and turned right and left: so he let her go and Sabbah said to him,
"Why didst thou free this gazelle?" Kanmakan laughed and set the others
free also, saying, "It is only humane to release gazelles that have
young, and this one turned not from side to side, save to look for her
fawns: so I let her go and released the others in her honour." Quoth
Sabbah, "Do thou release me, that I may go to my people." At this
Kanmakan laughed and smote him with the spear-butt on the breast, and he
fell to the ground squirming like a snake. Whilst they were thus doing,
behold, they saw a dust-cloud spireing high and heard the tramp of
horses; and presently there appeared under it a plump of knights and
braves. Now the cause of their coming was this. Some of his followers
had acquainted King Sasan with Kanmakan's going out to the chase; so he
sent for an Emir of the Daylamites, called Jámi' and twenty of his
horsemen; and gave them money and bade them slay Kanmakan. So when they
drew near the Prince, they charged down upon him and he met them in
mid-charge and killed them all, to the last man. And behold, King Sasan
took horse and riding out to meet his people, found them all slain,
whereat he wondered and turned back; when lo! the people of the city
laid hands on him and bound him straitly. As for Kanmakan after that
adventure, he left the place behind him and rode onward with Sabbah the
Badawi. And the while he went, lo! he saw a youth sitting at the door of
a house on his road and saluted him. The youth returned his greeting
and, going into the house, brought out two platters, one full of soured
milk and the other of brewis swimming in clarified butter; and he set
the platter before Kanmakan, saying, "Favour us by eating of our
victual." But he refused and quoth the young man to him, "What aileth
thee, O man, that thou wilt not eat?" Quoth Kanmakan, "I have a vow upon
me." The youth asked, "What is the cause of thy vow?", and Kanmakan
answered, "Know that King Sasan seized upon my kingdom like a tyrant and
an enemy, although it was my father's and my grandfather's before me;
yet he became master of it by force after my father's death and took no
count of me, by reason of my tender years. So I have bound myself by a
vow to eat no man's victual till I have eased my heart of my foe."
Rejoined the youth, "Rejoice, for Allah hath fulfilled thy vow. Know
that he hath been prisoned in a certain place and methinks he will soon
die." Asked Kanmakan, "In what house is he confined?" "Under yon high
dome," answered the other. The Prince looked and saw the folk entering
and buffeting Sasan, who was suffering the agonies of the dying. So he
arose and went up to the pavilion and noted what was therein; after
which he returned to his place and, sitting down to the proferred
victual, ate what sufficed him and put the rest in his wallet. Then he
took seat in his own place and ceased not sitting till it was dark night
and the youth, whose guest he was slept; when he rose and repaired to
the pavilion wherein Sasan was confined. Now about it were dogs guarding
it, and one of them sprang at him; so he took out of his budget a bit of
meat and threw it to him. He ceased not casting flesh to the dogs till
he came to the pavilion and, making his way to where King Sasan was,
laid his hand upon his head; whereupon he said in a loud voice, "Who art
thou?" He replied, "I am Kanmakan whom thou strivest to kill; but Allah
made thee fall into thine evil device. Did it not suffice thee to take
my kingdom and the kingdom of my father, but thou must purpose to slay
me?"[105] And Sasan swore a false oath that he had not plotted his death
and that the bruit was untrue. So Kanmakan forgave him and said to him,
"Follow me." Quoth he, "I cannot walk a single step for weakness." Quoth
Kanmakan, "If the case be thus we will get us two horses and ride forth,
I and thou, and seek the open." So he did as he said, and he took horse
with Sasan and rode till daybreak, when they prayed the dawn-prayer and
fared on, and ceased not faring till they came to a garden, where they
sat down and talked. Then Kanmakan rose to Sasan and said, "Is aught
left to set thy heart against me?" "No, by Allah!" replied Sasan. So
they agreed to return to Baghdad and Sabbah the Badawi said, "I will go
before you, to give folk the fair tidings of your coming." Then he rode
on in advance, acquainting women and men with the good news; so all the
people came out to meet Kanmakan with tabrets and pipes; and Kuzia Fakan
also came out, like the full moon shining in all her splendour of light
through the thick darkness of the night. So Kanmakan met her, and soul
yearned to soul and body longed for body. There was no talk among the
people of the time but of Kanmakan; for the Knights bore witness of him
that he was the most valiant of the folk of the age and said, "It is not
right that other than Kanmakan should be our Sultan; but the throne of
his grandfather shall revert to him as it began." Meanwhile Sasan went
in to his wife, Nuzhat al-Zaman, who said to him, "I hear that the folk
talk of nothing but Kanmakan and attribute to him such qualities as
tongue never can." He replied, "Hearing of a man is not like seeing a
man. I have seen him, but have noted in him none of the attributes of
perfection. Not all that is heard is said; but folk ape one another in
extolling and cherishing him, and Allah maketh his praises to run on the
lips of men, so that there incline to him the hearts of the people of
Baghdad and of the Wazir Dandan, that perfidious and treacherous man;
who hath levied troops from all lands and taketh to himself the right of
naming a King of the country; and who chooseth that it shall be under
the hand of an orphan ruler whose worth is naught." Asked Nuzhat
al-Zaman, "What then is it that thou purposest to do?"; and the King
answered, "I mean to kill him, that the Wazir may be baulked of his
intent and return to his allegiance, seeing nothing for it but my
service." Quoth she, "In good sooth perfidy with strangers is a foul
thing and how much more with kith and kin! The righteous deed to do
would be to marry him to thy daughter Kuzia Fakan and give heed to what
was said of old time:—
An Fate some person 'stablish o'er thy head, ✿ And thou being worthier
her choice upbraid,
Yet do him honour due to his estate; ✿ He'll bring thee weal though far
or near thou vade:
Nor speak thy thought of him, else shalt thou be ✿ Of those who self
degrade from honour's grade:
Many Haríms are lovelier than the Bride; ✿ But Time and Fortune lent the
Bride their aid."
When Sasan heard these her words and comprehended what her verse
intended, he rose from her in anger and said, "Were it not that thy
death would bring on me dishonour and disgrace, I would take off thy
head with my blade and make an end of thy breath." Quoth she, "Why art
thou wroth with me? I did but jest with thee." Then she rose to him and
bussed his head and hands, saying, "Right is thy foresight, and I and
thou will cast about for some means to kill him forthright." When he
heard this, he was glad and said, "Make haste and contrive some deceit
to relieve me of my grieving: for in my sooth the door of device is
straitened upon me!" Replied she, "At once I will devise for thee to do
away his life." "How so?" asked he; and she answered, "By means of our
female slave the so-called Bákún." Now this Bakun was past mistress in
all kinds of knavery and was one of the most pestilent of old women, in
whose religion to abstain from wickedness was not lawful; she had
brought up Kuzia Fakan and Kanmakan who had her in so great affection
that he used to sleep at her feet. So when King Sasan heard his wife
name her, he said, "Right is this recking"; and, sending for the old
woman, told her what had passed and bade her cast about to kill
Kanmakan, promising her all good. Replied she, "Thy bidding shall be
obeyed; but I would have thee, O my lord, give me a dagger[106] which
hath been tempered in water of death, that I may despatch him the
speedilier for thee." Quoth Sasan, "And welcome to thee!"; and gave her
a hanger that would devance man's destiny. Now this slave-woman had
heard stories and verses and had learned by rote great store of strange
sayings and anecdotes: so she took the dagger and went out of the room,
considering how she could compass his doom. Then she repaired to
Kanmakan, who was sitting and awaiting news of tryst with the daughter
of his uncle, Kuzia Fakan; so that night his thought was taken up with
her and the fires of love for her raged in his heart. And while he was
thus, behold, the slave-woman, Bakun, went in to him and said, "Union
time is at hand and the days of disunion are over and gone." Now when he
heard this he asked, "How is it with Kuzia Fakan?"; and Bakun answered,
"Know that her time is wholly taken up with love of thee." At this he
rose and doffing his outer clothes put them on her and promised her all
good. Then said she, "Know that I mean to pass this night with thee,
that I may tell thee what talk I have heard and console thee with
stories of many passion-distraughts whom love hath made sick." "Nay,"
quoth he, "rather tell me a tale that will gladden my heart and gar my
cares depart." "With joy and good will," answered she; then she took
seat by his side (and that poniard under her dress) and began to
say:—Know thou that the pleasantest thing my ears ever heard was
_THE TALE OF THE HASHISH EATER._
A certain man loved fair women, and spent his substance on them, till he
became so poor that nothing remained to him; the world was straitened
upon him and he used to go about the market-streets begging his daily
bread. Once upon a time as he went along, behold, a bit of iron nail
pierced his finger and drew blood; so he sat down and wiping away the
blood, bound up his finger. Then he arose crying out, and fared forwards
till he came to a Hammam and entering took off his clothes, and when he
looked about him he found it clean and empty. So he sat him down by the
fountain-basin, and ceased not pouring water on his head, till he was
tired.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Forty-third Night,