change, she returned with all expedition to the Palace of Tears, that
she might receive her reward. "My dear lord," cried she, as she entered,
"I have done all that you required of me, then pray rise and give me
your hand." "Come near," said the sultan, still counterfeiting the
pronunciation of the black. She did so. "You are not near enough," he
continued; "approach nearer." She obeyed. He then rose up, and seizing
her by the arm so suddenly that she had not time to discover him, he
with a blow of his cimeter cut her in two, so that one half fell one way
and the other another. This done, he left the body on the spot, and
going out of the Palace of Tears, went to seek the young king of the
Black Isles, who waited for him with great impatience. When he found
him, "Prince," said he, embracing him, "rejoice; you have now nothing to
fear; your cruel enemy is dead."
The young prince returned thanks to the sultan in a manner that
sufficiently evinced his gratitude, and in return wished him long life
and happiness. "You may henceforward," said the sultan, "dwell peaceably
in your capital, unless you will accompany me to mine, which is near:
you shall there be welcome, and have as much honour shown you as if you
were in your own kingdom." "Potent monarch, to whom I am so much
indebted," replied the king, "you think, then, that you are near your
capital." "Yes," said the sultan, "I know it is not above four or five
hours' journey." "It will take you a whole year to return," said the
prince. "I do indeed believe that you came hither from your capital in
the time you mention, because mine was enchanted; but since the
enchantment is taken off, things are changed: however, this shall not
prevent my following you, were it to the utmost corners of the earth.
You are my deliverer, and that I may give you proofs of my
acknowledgment of this during my whole life, I am willing to accompany
you, and to leave my kingdom without regret."
The sultan was extremely surprised to understand that he was so far from
his dominions, and could not imagine how it could be, but the young king
of the Black Islands convinced him beyond a possibility of doubt. Then
the sultan replied: "It is no matter; the trouble of returning to my own
country is sufficiently recompensed by the satisfaction of having
obliged you, and by acquiring you for a son; for since you will do me
the honour to accompany me, as I have no child, I look upon you as such,
and from this moment appoint you my heir and successor."
The young prince then employed himself in making preparations for his
journey, which were finished in three weeks, to the great regret of his
court and subjects, who agreed to receive at his hands one of his
nearest kindred for their monarch.
At length the sultan and the young prince began their journey, with a
hundred camels laden with inestimable riches from the treasury, followed
by fifty handsome gentlemen on horseback, perfectly well mounted and
dressed. They had a pleasant journey; and when the sultan, who had sent
couriers to give advice of his delay, and of the adventure which had
occasioned it, approached his capital, the principal officers came to
receive him, and to assure him that his long absence had occasioned no
alteration in his empire. The inhabitants also came out in great crowds,
received him with acclamations, and made public rejoicings for several
days.
The day after his arrival the sultan acquainted his courtiers with his
adoption of the king of the Four Black Islands, who was willing to leave
a great kingdom to accompany and live with him; and in reward for their
loyalty, he made each of them presents according to their rank.
As for the fisherman, as he was the first cause of the deliverance of
the young prince, the sultan gave him a plentiful fortune, which made
him and his family happy the rest of his days.
THE STORY OF GULNARE OF THE SEA
There was, in olden time, and in an ancient age and period, in the land
of the Persians, a king named Shahzeman, and the place of his residence
was Khorassan. He had not been blest, during his whole life, with a male
child nor a female; and he reflected upon this, one day, and lamented
that the greater portion of his life had passed, and he had no heir to
take the kingdom after him as he had inherited it from his fathers and
forefathers. So the utmost grief befell him on this account.
Now while he was sitting one day, one of his mamelukes came in to him,
and said to him: "O my lord, at the door is a slave-girl with a
merchant: none more beautiful than she hath been seen." And he replied:
"Bring to me the merchant and the slave-girl." The merchant and the
slave-girl therefore came to him; and when he saw her, he found her to
resemble the lance in straightness and slenderness. She was wrapped in a
garment of silk embroidered with gold, and the merchant uncovered her
face, whereupon the place was illuminated by her beauty, and there hung
down from her forehead seven locks of hair reaching to her anklets. The
King, therefore, wondered at the sight of her, and at her beauty, and
her stature and justness of form; and he said to the merchant: "O
sheikh, for how much is this damsel to be sold?" The merchant answered:
"O my lord, I purchased her for two thousand pieces of gold of the
merchant who owned her before me, and I have been for three years
travelling with her, and she hath cost, to the period of her arrival at
this place, three thousand pieces of gold; and she is a present from me
unto thee." Upon this, the king conferred upon him a magnificent robe of
honour, and gave orders to present him with ten thousand pieces of gold.
So he took them, and kissed the hands of the king, thanking him for his
beneficence, and departed. Then the king committed the damsel to the
tirewomen, saying to them: "Amend the state of this damsel, and deck
her, and furnish for her a private chamber, and take her into it." He
also gave orders to his chamberlains that everything which she required
should be conveyed to her. The seat of government where he resided was
on the shore of the sea, and his city was called the White City. And
they conducted the damsel into a private chamber, which chamber had
windows overlooking the sea; and the king commanded his chamberlains to
close all the doors upon her after taking to her all that she required.
The king then went in to visit the damsel; but she rose not to him, nor
took any notice of him. So the king said: "It seemeth that she hath been
with people who have not taught her good manners." And looking at the
damsel, he saw her to be a person surpassing in loveliness, her face was
like the disk of the moon at the full, or the shining sun in the clear
sky; and he wondered at her beauty, extolling the perfection of God, the
Creator: then the king advanced to the damsel, and seated himself by her
side, pressed her to his bosom, and kissed her lips, which he found to
be sweeter than honey. After this, he gave orders to bring tables of the
richest viands, comprising dishes of every kind; and he ate, and put
morsels into her mouth until she was satisfied; but she spoke not a
single word. The king talked to her, and inquired of her her name; but
she was silent, not uttering a word, nor returning him an answer,
ceasing not to hang down her head toward the ground; and what protected
her from the anger of the king was her beauty, and her tenderness of
manner. So the king said within himself: "Extolled be the perfection of
God, the Creator of this damsel! How elegant is she, saving that she
doth not speak!"--Then the king asked the female slaves whether she had
spoken; and they answered him: "From the time of her arrival to the
present moment she hath not spoken one word, and we have not heard her
talk." The king therefore caused some of them to come, and sing to her,
and make merry with her, thinking that then she might perhaps speak.
Accordingly the female slaves played before her with all kinds of
musical instruments, and enacted sports and other performances, and they
sang so that every one who was present was moved with delight, except
the damsel, who looked at them and was silent, neither laughing nor
speaking. So the heart of the king was contracted. He however inclined
to her entirely, paying no regard to others, but relinquishing all the
rest of his favourites.
He remained with her a whole year, which seemed as one day, and still
she spoke not; and he said to her one day, when his passion was
excessive: "O desire of souls, verily the love that I have for thee is
great, and I have relinquished for thy sake all my worldly portion, and
been patient with thee a whole year. I beg God that He will, in His
grace, soften thy heart toward me, and that thou mayest speak to me. Or,
if thou be dumb, inform me by a sign, that I may give up hope of thy
speaking. I also beg of God that He will bless thee with a son that may
inherit my kingdom after me; for I am solitary, having none to be my
heir, and my age hath become great. I conjure thee, then, by Allah, if
thou love me, that thou return me a reply." And upon this, the damsel
hung her head toward the ground, meditating. Then she raised her head,
and smiled in the face of the king, whereat it appeared to the king that
lightning filled the private chamber; and she said: "O magnanimous King,
God hath answered thy prayer; for I am about to bring thee a child, and
the time is almost come. And were it not that I knew this thing, I had
not spoken to thee one word." And when the king heard what she said, his
face brightened up with happiness, and he kissed her hands by reason of
the violence of his joy, and said: "Praise be to God who hath favoured
me with things that I desired; the first, thy speaking; and the second,
thy information that thou art about to bring me a child." Then the king
arose and went forth from her, and seated himself upon the throne of his
kingdom in a state of exceeding happiness; and he ordered the vizier to
give out to the poor and the needy a hundred thousand pieces of gold as
a thank-offering to God. So the vizier did as the king had commanded
him. And after that, the king went in to the damsel, and embraced her,
saying to her: "O my mistress, wherefore hath been this silence, seeing
that thou hast been with me a whole year, awake and asleep, yet hast not
spoken to me, except on this day?"
The damsel answered: "Hear, O King of the age, and know that I am a poor
person, a stranger, broken-hearted: I have become separated from my
mother, and my family, and my brother." And when the king heard her
words, he knew her desire, and he replied: "As to thy saying that thou
art poor, there is no occasion for such an assertion; for all my kingdom
and possessions are at thy service, and as to thy saying, 'I have become
separated from my mother and my family and my brother'--inform me in
what place they are, and I will send to them, and bring them to thee."
So she said to him: "Know, O King, that my name is Gulnare (_Pomegranate
Flower_) of the Sea. My father was one of the Kings of the Sea, and he
died, and left to us the kingdom; but while we were enjoying it, another
of the kings came upon us, and took the kingdom from our hands. I have
also a brother named Saleh, and my mother is of the women of the sea;
and I quarrelled with my brother, and swore that I would throw myself
into the hands of a man of the inhabitants of the land. Accordingly I
came forth from the sea, and sat upon the shore of an island in the
moonlight, and there passed by a man who took me and sold me to this man
from whom thou tookest me, and he was an excellent, virtuous man, a
person of religion and fidelity and kindness. But had not thy heart
loved me, and hadst thou not preferred me above all thy wives, I had not
remained with thee one hour; for I should have cast myself into the sea
from this window, and gone to my mother and my people. I was ashamed,
however, to go to them; for they would imagine evil of me, and would not
believe me, even though I should swear to them, were I to tell them that
a king had purchased me with his money, and chosen me in preference to
his other wives and all that his right hand possessed. This is my story,
and peace be on thee!" And when he heard her words, he thanked her, and
kissed her between the eyes, and said to her: "By Allah, O my mistress,
and light of my eyes, I cannot endure separation from thee for one hour;
and if thou quit me, I shall die instantly. How then shall the affair
be?" She answered: "O my master, the time of the birth is near, and my
family must come." "And how," said the king, "do they walk in the sea
without being wetted?" She answered: "We walk in the sea as ye walk upon
the land, through the influence of the names engraved upon the seal of
Solomon, the son of David, upon both of whom be peace! But, O King,
when my family and my brethren come, I will inform them that thou
boughtest me with thy money, and hast treated me with beneficence, and
it will be meet that thou confirm my assertion to them. They will also
see thy state with their eyes, and will know that thou art a king, the
son of a king." And thereupon the king said: "O my mistress, do what
seemeth fit to thee, and what thou wishest; for I will comply with thy
desire in all that thou wilt do." And the damsel said: "Know, O King of
the age, that we walk in the sea with our eyes open, and see what is in
it, and we see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the sky as on
the face of the earth, and this hurteth us not. Know also, that in the
sea are many peoples and various forms of all the kinds that are on the
land; and know, moreover, that all that is on the land, in comparison
with what is in the sea, is a very small matter." And the king wondered
at her words.
Then the damsel took a bit of aloes-wood and, having lighted a fire in a
perfuming-vessel, threw into it that bit, and she proceeded to speak
words which no one understood; whereupon a great smoke arose, while the
king looked on. After this, she said to the king: "O my lord, arise and
conceal thyself in a closet, that I may shew thee my brother and my
mother and my family without their seeing thee; for I desire to bring
them, and thou shalt see in this place, at this time, a wonder, and
shalt marvel at the various shapes and strange forms that God hath
created." So the king arose immediately, and entered a closet, and
looked to see what she would do. And she proceeded to burn perfume and
repeat spells until the sea foamed and was agitated, and there came
forth from it a young man of comely form, of beautiful countenance, like
the moon at the full, with shining forehead, and red cheeks, and hair
resembling pearls and jewels; he was, of all the creation, the most
like to his sister, and the tongue of the case itself seemed to recite
in his praise these verses:--
The moon becometh perfect once in each month; but the loveliness of thy
face is perfect every day.
Its abode is in the heart of one sign at a time; but thine abode is in
all hearts at once.
[Illustration]
_And she proceeded to burn perfume and repeat spells until the sea
foamed and was agitated._
Afterward, there came forth from the sea a grizzly-haired old woman, and
with her five damsels, resembling moons and bearing a likeness to the
damsel whose name was Gulnare. Then the king saw the young man and the
old woman and the damsels walk upon the surface of the water until they
came to Gulnare; and when they drew near to the window, and she beheld
them, she rose to them and met them with joy. On their seeing her, they
knew her, and they went in to her and embraced her, weeping violently;
and they said to her: "O Gulnare, how is it that thou leavest us for
four years, and we know not the place in which thou art? By Allah, we
had no delight in food nor in drink a single day, weeping night and day
on account of the excess of our longing to see thee." Then the damsel
began to kiss the hand of her brother, and the hand of her mother, and
so also the hands of the daughters of her uncle, and they sat with her
awhile, asking her respecting her state, and the things that had
happened to her, and her present condition.
So she said to them: "Know ye, that when I quitted you, and came forth
from the sea, I sat upon the shore of an island, and a man took me, and
sold me to a merchant, and the merchant brought me to this city, and
sold me to its king for ten thousand pieces of gold. Then he treated me
with attention, and forsook all his favourites for my sake, and was
diverted by his regard for me from everything that he possessed and what
was in his city." And when her brother heard her words, he said:
"Praise be to God who hath reunited us! But it is my desire, O my
sister, that thou wouldst arise and go with us to our country and our
family." So when the king heard the words of her brother, his reason
fled in consequence of his fear lest the damsel should accept the
proposal of her kindred, and he could not prevent her, though he was
inflamed with love of her; wherefore he became perplexed in violent fear
of her separation. But as to the damsel Gulnare, on hearing the words of
her brother she said: "By Allah, O my brother, the man who purchased me
is the king of this city, and he is a great king, and a man of wisdom,
generous, of the utmost liberality. He hath treated me with honour, and
he is a person of kindness, and of great wealth, but hath no male child
nor a female. He hath shewn me favour too, and acted well to me in every
respect; and from the day when I came to him to the present time, I have
not heard from him a word to grieve my heart; but he hath not ceased to
treat me with courtesy, and I am living with him in the most perfect of
enjoyments. Moreover, if I quitted him, he would perish: for he can
never endure my separation even for a single hour. I also, if I quitted
him, should die of my love for him in consequence of his kindness to me
during the period of my residence with him; for if my father were
living, my condition with him would not be like my condition with this
great, glorious king. God (whose name be exalted!) afflicted me not, but
compensated me well; and as the king hath not a male child nor a female,
I beg God to bless me with a son that may inherit of this great king
these palaces and possessions." And when her brother, and the daughters
of her uncle, heard her words, their eyes became cheerful thereat, and
they said to her: "O Gulnare, thou art acquainted with our affection for
thee, and thou art assured that thou art the dearest of all persons to
us, and art certain that we desire for thee comfort, without trouble or
toil. Therefore if thou be not in a state of comfort, arise and
accompany us to our country and our family; but if thou be comfortable
here, in honour and happiness, this is our desire and wish." And Gulnare
replied: "By Allah, I am in a state of the utmost enjoyment, in honour
and desirable happiness." So when the king heard these words from her,
he rejoiced, and he thanked her for them; his love for her penetrated to
his heart's core, and he knew that she loved him as he loved her, and
that she desired to remain with him to see his child which she was to
bring to him.
Then the damsel Gulnare of the Sea gave orders to the female slaves to
bring forward viands of all kinds; and Gulnare herself was the person
who superintended the preparation of the viands in the kitchen. So the
female slaves brought to them the viands, and the sweetmeats, and the
fruits; and she ate with her family. But afterward they said to her: "O
Gulnare, thy master is a man who is a stranger to us, and we have
entered his abode without his permission, and thou praisest to us his
excellence, and hast also brought to us his food, and we have eaten, but
have not seen him, nor hath he seen us, nor come into our presence, nor
eaten with us, that the bond of bread and salt might be established
between us." And they all desisted from eating, and were enraged at her,
and fire began to issue from their mouths as from cressets. So when the
king beheld this, his reason fled, in consequence of the violence of his
fear of them. Then Gulnare rose to them, and soothed their hearts; after
which she walked along until she entered the closet in which was the
king her master; and she said to him: "O my master, didst thou see, and
didst thou hear my thanks to thee, and my praise of thee in the presence
of my family; and didst thou hear what they said to me, that they
desired to take me with them to our family and our country?" The king
answered her: "I heard and saw. May God recompense thee! By Allah, I
knew not the extent of the love that thou feelest for me until this
blessed hour." She replied: "O my master, is the recompense of
beneficence aught but beneficence? How then could my heart be happy to
quit thee, and to depart from thee? Now I desire of thy goodness that
thou come and salute my family, that they may see thee, and that
pleasure and mutual friendship may ensue. For know, O King, that my
brother and my mother and the daughters of my uncle have conceived a
great love for thee in consequence of my praising thee to them, and they
have said, 'We will not depart from thee to our country until we have an
interview with the king, and salute him.'" And the king said to her: "I
hear and obey; for this is what I desire." He then rose from his place,
and went to them, and saluted them with the best salutation; and they
hastened to rise to him; they met him in the most polite manner, and he
sat with them in the pavilion, ate with them at the table, and remained
with them for a period of thirty days. Then they desired to return to
their country and abode. So they took leave of the king and Queen
Gulnare of the Sea, and departed from them, after the king had treated
them with the utmost honour.
After this, Gulnare gave birth to a boy, resembling the moon at the
full, whereat the king experienced the utmost happiness, because he had
not before been blessed with a son nor a daughter during his life. They
continued the rejoicings, and the decoration of the city, for a period
of seven days, in the utmost happiness and enjoyment; and on the seventh
day, the mother of Gulnare, and her brother, and the daughters of her
uncle, all came, when they knew that she had given birth to her child.
The king met them, rejoicing at their arrival, and said to them: "I said
that I would not name my son until ye should come, and that ye should
name him according to your knowledge." And they named him Bedr Basim
(_Smiling Full Moon_), all of them agreeing as to this name. They then
presented the boy to his maternal uncle, Saleh, who took him upon his
hands, and, rising with him from among them, walked about the palace to
the right and left; after which he went forth with him from the palace,
descended with him to the sea, and walked on until he became concealed
from the eye of the king. So when the king saw that he had taken his
son, and disappeared from him at the bottom of the sea, he despaired of
him, and began to weep and wail. But Gulnare, seeing him in this state,
said to him, "O King of the age, fear not nor grieve for thy son; for I
love my child more than thou, and my child is with my brother; therefore
fear not his being drowned. If my brother knew that any injury would
betide the little one, he had not done what he hath done; and presently
he will bring thee thy son safe, if it be the will of God, whose name be
exalted!" And but a short time had elapsed when the sea was agitated,
and the uncle of the little one came forth from it, having with him the
king's son safe, and he flew from the sea until he came to them, with
the little one in his arms, silent, and his face resembling the moon in
the night of its fulness. Then the uncle of the little one looked toward
the king, and said to him: "Perhaps thou fearedst some injury to thy son
when I descended into the sea, having him with me." So he replied: "Yes,
O my master, I feared for him, and I did not imagine that he would ever
come forth from it safe." And Saleh said to him: "O King of the Land, we
applied to his eyes a lotion that we know, and repeated over him the
names engraved upon the seal of Solomon, the son of David; for when a
child is born among us, we do to him as I have told thee. Fear not
therefore, on his account, drowning, nor suffocation, nor all the seas
if he descend into them. Like as ye walk upon the land, we walk in the
sea."