careless sleep he ne'er would wone:
First Death, then cometh Wake and dreadful Day of Doom ✿ Reproof with
threats, sore terror, frightful malison.
Bid we or else forbid we, all of us are like ✿ The Cave-companions[148]
when at length their sleep was done.
Then he again wept for that he had driven the birds and beasts from the
spring by sitting down under the tree, and he fared on till he came to
the shepherd's dwelling and going in, saluted him. The shepherd returned
his salutation and embraced him, weeping and saying, "What hath brought
thee to this place where no man hath ever yet come to me." Quoth the
other devotee, "I saw in my sleep one who described to me this thy stead
and bade me repair to thee and salute thee: so I came, in obedience to
the commandment." The shepherd welcomed him, rejoicing in his company
and the twain abode upon that mountain, worshipping Allah with the best
of worship; and they ceased not serving their Lord in the cavern and
living upon the flesh and milk of their sheep, having clean put away
from them riches and children and what not, till the Certain, the
Inevitable became their lot. And this is the end of their story. Then
said King Shahyrar, "O Shahrazad, thou wouldst cause me to renounce my
kingdom and thou makest me repent of having slain so many women and
maidens. Hast thou any bird-stories?" "Yes," replied she, and began to
tell the
-----
Footnote 145:
The pigeon is usually made to say, "Wahhidú Rabba-kumu 'llazi
khalaka-kum, yaghfiru lakum zamba-kum" = "Unify (Assert the
Unity of) your Lord who created you; so shall He forgive your
sin!" As might be expected this "language" is differently
interpreted. Pigeon-superstitions are found in all religions and
I have noted (Pilgrimage iii. 218) how the Hindu deity of
Destruction-reproduction, the third Person of their Triad, Shiva
and his Spouse (or active Energy), are supposed to have dwelt at
Meccah under the titles of Kapoteshwara (Pigeon-god) and
Kapoteshí (Pigeon-goddess).
Footnote 146:
I have seen this absolute horror of women amongst the Monks of the
Coptic Convents.
Footnote 147:
After the Day of Doom, when men's actions are registered, that of
mutual retaliation will follow and all creatures (brutes included)
will take vengeance on one another.
Footnote 148:
The Comrades of the Cave, famous in the Middle Ages of Christianity
(Gibbon chapt. xxxiii.), is an article of faith with Moslems, being
part subject of chapter xviii., the Koranic Surah termed the Cave.
These Ripp Van Winkle-tales begin with Endymion so famous amongst the
Classics and Epimenides of Crete who slept fifty-seven years; and they
extend to modern days as La Belle au Bois dormant. The Seven Sleepers
are as many youths of Ephesus (six royal councillors and a shepherd,
whose names are given on the authority of Ali); and, accompanied by
their dog, they fled the persecutions of Dakianús (the Emperor Decius)
to a cave near Tarsús in Natolia where they slept for centuries. The
Caliph Mu'awiyah when passing the cave sent into it some explorers who
were all killed by a burning wind. The number of the sleepers remains
uncertain, according to the Koran (ibid. v. 21) three, five or seven;
and their sleep lasted either three hundred or three hundred and nine
years. The dog (ibid. v. 17) slept at the cave-entrance with paws
outstretched and, according to the general, was called "Katmir" or
"Kitmir;" but Al-Rakím (v. 8) is also applied to it by some. Others
hold this to be the name of the valley or mountain and others of a
stone or leaden tablet on which their names were engraved by their
countrymen who built a chapel on the spot (v. 20). Others again make
the Men of Al-Rakím distinct from the Cave-men, and believe (with
Bayzáwi) that they were three youths who were shut up in a grotto by a
rock-slip. Each prayed for help through the merits of some good deed:
when the first had adjured Allah the mountain cracked till light
appeared; at the second petition it split so that they saw one another
and after the third it opened. However that may be, Kitmir is one of
the seven favoured animals; the others being the Hudhud (hoopoe) of
Solomon (Koran xxii. 20); the she-camel of Sálih (chapt. lxxxvii.);
the cow of Moses which named the Second Surah; the fish of Jonah; the
serpent of Eve; and the peacock of Paradise. For Koranic revelations
of the Cave see the late Thomas Chenery (p. 414 The Assemblies of
Al-Hariri: Williams and Norgate, 1870) who borrows from the historian
Tabari.
TALE OF THE WATER-FOWL AND THE TORTOISE.
It is related by truthful men, O King, that a certain bird flew high up
firmament-wards and presently lit on a rock in the midst of water which
was running. And as he sat there, behold, the current carried to him the
carcass of a man, and lodged it against the rock, for being swollen it
floated. The bird, which was a water-fowl, drew near and examining it,
found that it was the dead body of a son of Adam and saw in it sign of
spear and stroke of sword. So he said to himself, "I presume that this
man who hath been slain was some evil-doer, and that a company banded
themselves together against him and put him to death and were at peace
from him and his evil-doing." And as he continued marvelling at this,
suddenly the vultures and kites came down upon the carcass from all
sides and gat round it; which when the water-fowl saw, he feared with
sore affright and said, "I cannot abide here any longer." So he flew
away in quest of a place where he might wone, till that carcass should
come to an end and the birds of prey leave it; and he stayed not in his
flight, till he found a river with a tree in its midst. So he alighted
on the tree, troubled and distraught and sore grieved for departing from
his birth-place, and said to himself, "Verily sorrows cease not to
follow me: I was at my ease when I saw that carcass, and rejoiced
therein with much joy, saying, "This is a gift of daily bread which
Allah hath dealt to me: but my joy became annoy and my gladness turned
to sadness, for the ravenous birds, which are like lions, seized upon it
and tare it to pieces and came between me and my prize. So how can I
hope to be secure from misfortune in this world; or put any trust
therein? Indeed, the proverb saith:—The world is the dwelling of him who
hath no dwelling: he who hath no wits is cozened by it and entrusteth it
with his wealth and his child and his family and his folk; and whoso is
cozened ceaseth not to rely upon it, pacing proudly upon earth until he
is laid under earth and the dust is cast over his corpse by him who of
all men was dearest to him and nearest. But naught is better for
generous youth than patience under its cares and miseries. I have left
my native place and it is abhorrent to me to quit my brethren and
friends and loved ones." Now whilst he was thus musing lo! a
male-tortoise descended into the river and, approaching the water-fowl,
saluted him, saying, "O my lord, what hath exiled thee and driven thee
so far from thy place?" Replied the water-fowl, "The descent of enemies
thereon; for the wise brooketh not the neighbourhood of his foe; and how
well saith the poet:—
Whenas on any land the oppressor doth alight, ✿ There's nothing left for
those, that dwell therein, but flight.[149]
Quoth the tortoise, "If the matter be as thou sayest and the case as
thou describest, I will not leave thee nor cease to stand before thee,
that I may do thy need and fulfil thy service; for it is said that there
is no sorer desolation than that of him who is an exile, cut off from
friends and home; and it is also said that no calamity equalleth that of
severance from the good; but the best solace for men of understanding is
to seek companionship in strangerhood and be patient under sorrows and
adversity. Wherefore I hope that thou wilt approve of my company, for I
will be to thee a servant and a helper." Now when the water-fowl heard
the tortoise's words he answered, "Verily, thou art right in what thou
sayest for, by my life, I have found grief and pain in separation, what
while I have been parted from my place and sundered from my brethren and
friends; seeing that in severance is an admonition to him who will be
admonished and matter of thought for him who will take thought. If the
generous youth find not a companion to console him, weal is for ever cut
off from him and ill is eternally established with him; and there is
nothing for the sage but to solace himself in every event with brethren
and be constant in patience and endurance: indeed these two are
praiseworthy qualities, and both uphold one under calamities and
vicissitudes of the world and ward off startling sorrows and harrowing
cares, come what will." Rejoined the tortoise, "Beware of sorrow, for it
will spoil thy life and waste thy manliness." And the two gave not over
conversing till the bird said, "Never shall I cease fearing the shifts
of time and vicissitudes of events." When the tortoise heard this, he
came up to him and, kissing him between the eyes, said to him, "Never
may the company of the birds cease to be blest in thee and through thee,
and find wisdom in thy good counsel! How shalt thou be burdened with
care and harm?" And he went on to comfort the water-fowl and soothe his
terrors till he became re-assured. Then he flew to the place where the
carcass was and found on arriving there the birds of prey gone, and they
had left nothing of the body but bones; whereupon he returned to the
tortoise and acquainted him with the fact that the foe had disappeared
from his place, saying, "Know that of a truth I long for return
homewards to enjoy the society of my friends; for the sage cannot endure
separation from his native place." So they both went thither and found
naught to affright them; whereupon the water-fowl began repeating:—
And haply whenas strait descends on lot of generous youth ✿ Right sore,
with Allah only lies his issue from annoy:
He's straitened, but full oft when rings and meshes straitest clip, ✿ He
'scapes his strait and joyance finds, albe I see no joy.
So the twain abode in that island; and while the water-fowl was enjoying
a life of peace and gladness, suddenly Fate led thither a hungry falcon,
which drove its talons into the bird's belly and killed him, nor did
caution avail him when his term of life was ended. Now the cause of his
death was that he neglected to use the formula of praise, and it is said
that his form of adoration was as follows, "Praised be our Lord in that
He ordereth and ordaineth; and praised be our Lord in that He enricheth
and impoverisheth!" Such was the water-fowl's end and the tale of the
ravenous birds. And when it was finished quoth the Sultan, "O Shahrazad,
verily thou overwhelmest me with admonitions and salutary instances.
Hast thou any stories of beasts?" "Yes," answered she; and began to tell
the
-----
Footnote 149:
These lines have occurred in Night cxlvi.: I quote Mr. Payne by way of
variety.
TALE OF THE WOLF AND THE FOX.[150]
Know, O King, that a fox and a wolf once cohabited in the same den,
harbouring therein together by day and resorting thither by night; but
the wolf was cruel and oppressive to the fox. They abode thus awhile,
till it so befel that the fox exhorted the wolf to use gentle dealing
and leave off his ill deeds, saying, "If thou persist in thine
arrogance, belike Allah will give the Son of Adam power over thee, for
he is past master in guile and wile; and by his artifice he bringeth
down the birds from the firmament and he haleth the mighty fish forth of
the flood-waters: and he cutteth the mountain and transporteth it from
place to place. All this is of his craft and wiliness: wherefore do thou
betake thyself to equity and fair dealing and leave frowardness and
tyranny; and thou shalt fare all the better for it." But the wolf would
not accept his counsel and answered him roughly, saying, "What right
hast thou to speak of matters of weight and importance?" And he dealt
the fox a cuff that laid him senseless; but, when he revived, he smiled
in the wolf's face and, excusing himself for his unseemly speech,
repeated these two couplets:—
If any sin I sinned, or did I aught ✿ In love of you, which hateful
mischief wrought;
My sin I sore repent and pardon sue; ✿ So give the sinner gift of pardon
sought.
The wolf accepted his excuse and held his hand from further
ill-treatment, saying, "Speak not of whatso concerneth thee not, lest
thou hear what will please thee not." Answered the fox, "To hear is to
obey!"——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred and Forty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the wolf to
the fox, "Speak not of whatso concerneth thee not, lest thou hear what
will please thee not!" Answered the fox, "To hear is to obey! I will
abstain henceforth from what pleaseth thee not; for the sage saith:—Have
a care that thou speak not of that whereof thou art not asked; leave
that which concerneth thee not for that which concerneth thee, and by no
means lavish good counsel on the wrongous, for they will repay it to
thee with wrong." And reflecting on the words of the wolf he smiled in
his face, but in his heart he meditated treachery against him and
privily said, "There is no help but that I compass the destruction of
this wolf." So he bore with his injurious usage, saying to himself,
"Verily insolence and evil-speaking are causes of perdition and cast
into confusion, and it is said:—The insolent is shent and the ignorant
doth repent; and whoso feareth, to him safety is sent: moderation
marketh the noble and gentle manners are of gains the grandest. It
behoveth me to dissemble with this tyrant and needs must he be cast
down." Then quoth he to the wolf, "Verily, the Lord pardoneth his erring
servant and relenteth towards him, if he confess his offences; and I am
a weak slave and have offended in presuming to counsel thee. If thou
knewest the pain that befel me by thy buffet, thou wouldst ken that even
the elephant could not stand against it nor endure it: but I complain
not of this blow's hurt, because of the joy and gladness that hath
betided me through it; for though it was to me exceeding sore yet was
its issue of the happiest. And with sooth saith the sage:—The blow of
the teacher is at first right hurtful, but the end of it is sweeter than
strained honey." Quoth the wolf, "I pardon thine offence and I cancel
thy fault; but beware of my force and avow thyself my thrall; for thou
hast learned my severity unto him who showeth his hostility!" Thereupon
the fox prostrated himself before the wolf, saying, "Allah lengthen thy
life and mayst thou never cease to overthrow thy foes!" And he stinted
not to fear the wolf and to wheedle him and dissemble with him. Now it
came to pass that one day, the fox went to a vineyard and saw a breach
in its walls; but he mistrusted it and said to himself, "Verily, for
this breach there must be some cause and the old saw saith:—Whoso seeth
a cleft in the earth and shunneth it not and is not wary in approaching
it, the same is self-deluded and exposeth himself to danger and
destruction. Indeed, it is well known that some folk make the figure of
a fox in their vineyards; nay, they even set before the semblance grapes
in plates, that foxes may see it and come to it and fall into perdition.
In very sooth I regard this breach as a snare and the proverb
saith:—Caution is one half of cleverness. Now prudence requireth that I
examine this breach and see if there be aught therein which may lead to
perdition; and coveting shall not make me cast myself into destruction."
So he went up to the hole and walked round it right warily, and lo! it
was a deep pit, which the owner of the vineyard had dug to trap therein
the wild beasts which laid waste his vines. Then he said to himself,
"Thou hast gained, for that thou hast refrained!"; and he looked and saw
that the hole was lightly covered with dust and matting. So he drew back
from it saying, "Praised be Allah that I was wary of it! I hope that my
enemy, the wolf, who maketh my life miserable, will fall into it; so
will the vineyard be left to me and I shall enjoy it alone and dwell
therein at peace." Saying thus, he shook his head and laughed a loud
laugh and began versifying:—
Would Heaven I saw at this hour ✿ The Wolf fallen down in this well,
He who anguisht my heart for so long, ✿ And garred me drain eisel and
fell!
Heaven grant after this I may live ✿ Free of Wolf for long fortunate
spell,
When I've rid grapes and vineyard of him, ✿ And in bunch-spoiling
happily dwell.
His verse being finished he returned in haste to the wolf and said to
him, "Allah hath made plain for thee the way into the vineyard without
toil and moil. This is of thine auspicious fortune; so good luck to thee
and mayest thou enjoy the plentiful plunder and the profuse provaunt
which Allah hath opened up to thee without trouble!" Asked the wolf,
"What proof hast thou of what thou assertest?": and the fox answered, "I
went up to the vineyard and found that the owner was dead, having been
torn to pieces by wolves: so I entered the orchard and saw the fruit
shining upon the trees." The wolf doubted not the fox's report and his
gluttony gat hold of him; so he arose and repaired to the cleft, for
that greed blinded him; whilst the fox falling behind him lay as one
dead, quoting to the case the following couplet:—
For Layla's[151] favour dost thou greed? But, bear in mind ✿ Greed is a
yoke of harmful weight on neck of man.
And when the wolf had reached the breach the fox said, "Enter the
vineyard: thou art spared the trouble of climbing a ladder, for the
garden-wall is broken down, and with Allah it resteth to fulfil the
benefit." So the wolf went on walking and thought to enter the vineyard;
but when he came to the middle of the pit-covering he fell through;
whereupon the fox shook for joy and gladness; his care and concern left
him and he sang out for delight and improvised these couplets:—
Fortune had mercy on the soul of me, ✿ And for my torments now shows
clemency,
Granting whatever gift my heart desired, ✿ And far removing what I
feared to see:
I will, good sooth, excuse her all her sins ✿ She sinned in days gone by
and much sinned she:
Yea, her injustice she hath shown in this, ✿ She whitened locks that
were so black of blee:
But now for this same wolf escape there's none, ✿ Of death and doom he
hath full certainty.
Then all the vineyard comes beneath my rule, ✿ I'll brook no partner
who's so fond a fool.
Then the fox looked into the cleft and, seeing the wolf weeping in
repentance and sorrow for himself, wept with him; whereupon the wolf
raised his head to him and asked, "Is it of pity for me thou weepest, O
Father of the Fortlet[152]?" Answered the fox, "No, by Him who cast thee
into this pit! I weep for the length of thy past life and for regret
that thou didst not fall into the pit before this day; for hadst thou
done so before I foregathered with thee, I had rested and enjoyed
repose: but thou wast spared till the fulfilment of thine allotted term
and thy destined time." Then the wolf said to him as one jesting, "O
evil-doer, go to my mother and tell her what hath befallen me; haply she
may devise some device for my release." Replied the fox, "Of a truth
thou hast been brought to destruction by the excess of thy greed and
thine exceeding gluttony, since thou art fallen into a pit whence thou
wilt never escape. Knowest thou not the common proverb, O thou witless
wolf:—Whoso taketh no thought as to how things end, him shall Fate never
befriend nor shall be safe from perils wend." "O Reynard," quoth the
wolf, "thou wast wont to show me fondness and covet my friendliness and
fear the greatness of my strength. Hate me not rancorously because of
that I did with thee; for he who hath power and forgiveth, his reward
Allah giveth; even as saith the poet:—
Sow kindness-seed in the unfittest stead; ✿ 'Twill not be wasted whereso
thou shalt sow:
For kindness albe buried long, yet none ✿ Shall reap the crop save sower
who garred it grow."
Rejoined the fox, "O witlessest of beasts of prey and stupidest of the
wild brutes which the wolds over-stray! Hast thou forgotten thine
arrogance and insolence and tyranny, and thy disregarding the due of
good-fellowship and thy refusing to be advised by what the poet saith?—
Wrong not thy neighbour e'en if thou have power; ✿ The wronger alway
vengeance-harvest reaps:
Thine eyes shall sleep, while bides the wronged on wake ✿ A-cursing
thee; and Allah's eye ne'er sleeps."
"O Abu 'l-Hosayn," replied the wolf, "twit me not with my past sins; for
forgiveness is expected of the generous and doing kind deeds is the
truest of treasures. How well saith the poet:—
Haste to do kindness while thou hast much power, ✿ For at all seasons
thou hast not such power."
And he ceased not to humble himself before the fox and say, "Haply, thou
canst do somewhat to deliver me from destruction." Replied the fox, "O
thou wolf, thou witless, deluded, deceitful trickster! hope not for
deliverance, for this is but the just reward of thy foul dealing and its
due retaliation." Then he laughed with chops wide open and repeated
these two couplets:—
No longer beguile me, ✿ Thou'lt fail of thy will!
What can't be thou seekest; ✿ Thou hast sown so reap Ill!
Quoth the wolf, "O gentlest of ravenous beasts, I fain hold thee too
faithful to leave me in this pit." Then he wept and complained and, with
tears streaming from his eyes, recited these two couplets:—
O thou whose favours have been out of compt, ✿ Whose gifts are more than
may be numberèd!
Never mischance befel me yet from time ✿ But that I found thy hand right
fain to aid.
"O thou ninny foe," quoth the fox, "how art thou reduced to humiliation
and prostration and abjection and submission, after insolence and pride
and tyranny and arrogance! Verily, I kept company with thee only for
fear of thy fury and I cajoled thee without one hope of fair treatment
from thee: but now trembling is come upon thee and vengeance hath
overtaken thee." And he repeated these two couplets:—
O thou who seekest innocence to 'guile, ✿ Thou'rt caught in trap of
thine intentions vile:
Now drain the draught of shamefullest mischance, ✿ And be with other
wolves cut off, thou scroyle!
Replied the wolf, "O thou clement one, speak not with the tongue of
enemies nor look with their eyes; but fulfil the covenant of fellowship
with me, ere the time of applying remedy cease to be. Rise and make
ready to get me a rope and tie one end of it to a tree; then let the
other down to me, that I may lay hold of it, so haply I shall from this
my strait win free, and I will give thee all my hand possesseth of
wealth and fee." Quoth the fox, "Thou persistest in conversation
concerning what will not procure thy liberation. Hope not for this, for
thou shalt never, never get of me wherewithal to set thee at liberty;
but call to mind thy past misdeeds and the craft and perfidy thou didst
imagine against me and bethink thee how near thou art to being stoned to
death. For know that thy soul is about the world to quit and cease in it
and depart from it; so shalt thou to destruction hie and ill is the
abiding-place thou shalt aby!"[153] Rejoined the wolf, "O Father of the
Fortlet, hasten to return to amity and persist not in this rancorous
enmity. Know that whoso from ruin saveth a soul, is as if he had
quickened it and made it whole; and whoso saveth a soul alive, is as if
he had saved all mankind.[154] Follow not frowardness, for the wise
forbid it: and it were most manifest frowardness to leave me in this pit
draining the agony of death and dight to look upon mine own doom, whenas
it lieth in thy power to deliver me from my stowre. So do thy best to
release me and deal with me benevolently." Answered the fox, "O thou
base and barbarous wretch, I compare thee, because of the fairness of
thy professions and expressions, and the foulness of thy intentions and
thy inventions to the Falcon and the Partridge." Asked the wolf, "How
so?"; and the fox began to tell the
_TALE OF THE FALCON[155] AND THE PARTRIDGE.[156]_