And eke these words:—

"I feed eyes on their stead by the valley's side, *

And I'm slain and my slaver[FN#256] aside hath tried:

Grief-wine have I drunken, and down my cheeks *

Dance tears to the song of the camel-guide:

For union-blessing I strive though sure, *

In Budur and Su'ad all my bliss shall bide:[FN#257]

Wot I not which of three gave me most to 'plain, *

So hear them numbered ere thou decide:

Those Sworders her eyne, that Lancer her fig- *

-ure, or ring-mail'd Locks which her forehead hide.

Quoth she (and I ask of her what so wights *

Or abide in towns or in desert ride[FN#258] )

To me, 'In thy heart I dwell, look there!' *

Quoth I, 'Where's my heart ah where? ah where?'"

When Maymunah heard these lines from the Ifrit, she said, "Thou hast

done well, O Dahnash! But say thou which of the two is the handsomer?"

And he answered, "My mistress Budur is handsomer than thy beloved!"

Cried Maymunah, "Thou liest, O accursed. Nay, my beloved is more

beautiful than shine!" But Dahnash persisted, "Mine is the fairer." And

they ceased not to wrangle and challenge each other's words till

Maymunah cried out at Dahnash and would have laid violent hands on him,

but he humbled himself to her and, softening his speech, said, "Let not

the truth be a grief to thee, and cease we this talk, for all we say is

to testify in favour of our lovers; rather let each of us withdraw the

claim and seek we one who shall judge fairly between us which of the

two be fairer; and by his sentence we will abide." "I agree to this,"

answered she and smote the earth with her foot, whereupon there came

out of it an Ifrit blind of an eye, humpbacked and scurvy-skinned, with

eye-orbits slit up and down his face.[FN#259] On his head were seven

horns and four locks of hair fell to his heels; his hands were

pitchfork-like and his legs mast-like and he had nails as the claws of

a lion, and feet as the hoofs of the wild ass.[FN#260] When that If

rit rose out of the earth and sighted Maymunah, he kissed the ground

before her and, standing with his hands clasped behind him, said, "What

is thy will, O my mistress, O daughter of my King?"[FN#261] She

replied, "O Kashkash, I would have thee judge between me and this

accursed Dahnash." And she made known to him the matter, from first to

last, whereupon the Ifrit Kashkash looked at the face of the youth and

then at the face of the girl; and saw them lying asleep, embraced, each

with an arm under the other's neck, alike in beauty and loveliness and

equal in grace and goodliness. The Marid gazed long upon them,

marvelling at their seemlihead; and, after carefully observing the

twain, he turned to Maymunah and Dahnash, and reseated these couplets.

"Go, visit her thou lovest, and regard not

The words detractors utter, envious churls

Can never favour love. Oh! sure the Merciful

Ne'er made a thing more fair to look upon,

Than two fond lovers in each others' arms,

Speaking their passion in a mute embrace.

When heart has turned to heart, the fools would part them

Strike idly on cold steel. So when thou'st found

One purely, wholly shine, accept her true heart,

And live for her alone. Oh! thou that blamest

The love-struck for their love, give o'er thy talk,

How canst thou minister to a mind diseased?"[FN#262]

Then he turned again to Maymunah and Dahnash and said to them, "By

Allah, if you will have the truth, I tell you fairly the twain be equal

in beauty, and loveliness and perfect grace and goodliness, nor can I

make any difference between them on account of their being man and

woman. But I have another thought which is that we wake each of them in

turn, without the knowledge of the other, and whichever is the more

enamoured shall be held inferior in seemlihead and comeliness." Quoth

Maymunah, "Right is this recking," and quoth Dahnash, "I consent to

this." Then Dahnash changed himself to the form of a flea and bit Kamar

al-Zaman, whereupon he started from sleep in a fright.—And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Dahnash changed

himself to the form of a flea and bit Kamar al-Zaman who started from

sleep in a fright and rubbed the bitten part, his neck, and scratched

it hard because of the smart. Then turning sideways, he found lying by

him something whose breath was sweeter than musk and whose skin was

softer than cream. Hereat marvelled he with great marvel and he sat up

and looked at what lay beside him; when he saw it to be a young lady

like an union pearl, or a shining sun, or a dome seen from afar on a

well built wall; for she was five feet tall, with a shape like the

letter Alif[FN#263], bosomed high and rosy checked; even as saith of

her the poet,

"Four things which ne'er conjoin, unless it be *

To storm my vitals and to shed my blood:

Brow white as day and tresses black as night *

Cheeks rosy red and lips which smiles o'erflood."

And also quoth another,

"A Moon she rises, Willow wand she waves, *

Breathes Ambergris, and gazes, a Gazelle:

Meseems that sorrow woes my heart and wins *

And, when she wendeth hastes therein to dwell!"

And when Kamar al-Zaman saw the Lady Budur, daughter of King Ghayur,

and her beauty and comeliness, she was sleeping clad in a shift of

Venetian silk, without her petticoat-trousers, and wore on her head a

kerchief embroidered with gold and set with stones of price: her ears

were hung with twin earrings which shone like constellations and round

her neck was a collar of union pearls, of size unique, past the

competence of any King. When he saw this, his reason was confounded and

natural heat began to stir in him; Allah awoke in him the desire of

coition and he said to himself, "Whatso Allah willeth, that shall be,

and what He willeth not shall never be!" So saying, he put out his hand

and, turning her over, loosed the collar of her chemise; then arose

before his sight her bosom, with its breasts like double globes of

ivory; whereat his inclination for her redoubled and he desired her

with exceeding hot desire, He would have awakened her but she would not

awake, for Dahnash had made her sleep heavy; so he shook her and moved

her, saying, "O my beloved, awake and look on me; I am Kamar al-Zaman."

But she awoke not, neither moved her head; where-upon he considered her

case for a long hour and said to himself, "If I guess aright, this is

the damsel to whom my father would have married me and these three

years past I have refused her; but Inshallah!—God willing—as soon as it

is dawn, I will say to him, 'Marry me to her, that I may enjoy

her.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her

permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman

said to himself, "By Allah, when I see dawn I will say to my sire,

'Marry me to her that I may enjoy her'; nor will I let half the day

pass ere I possess her and take my fill of her beauty and loveliness."

Then he bent over Budur to buss her, whereat the Jinniyah Maymunah

trembled and was abashed and Dahnash, the Ifrit, was like to fly for

joy. But, as Kamar al- Zaman was about to kiss her upon the mouth, he

was ashamed before Allah and turned away his head and averted his face,

saying to his heart, "Have patience." Then he took thought awhile and

said, "I will be patient; haply my father when he was wroth with me and

sent me to this jail, may have brought my young lady and made her lie

by my side to try me with her, and may have charged her not to be

readily awakened when I would arouse her, and may have said to her,

'Whatever thing Kamar al-Zaman do to thee, make me ware thereof'; or

belike my sire standeth hidden in some stead whence (being himself

unseen) he can see all I do with this young lady; and to morrow he will

scold me and cry, 'How cometh it that thou sayest, I have no mind to

marry; and yet thou didst kiss and embrace yonder damsel?' So I will

withhold myself lest I be ashamed before my sire; and the right and

proper thing to do is not to touch her at this present, nor even to

look upon her, except to take from her somewhat which shall serve as a

token to me and a memorial of her; that some sign endure between me and

her." Then Kamar al-Zaman raised the young lady's hand and took from

her little finger a seal-ring worth an immense amount of money, for

that its bezel was a precious jewel and around it were graven these

couplets,

"Count not that I your promises forgot, *

Despite the length of your delinquencies

Be generous, O my lord, to me inclining; *

Haply your mouth and cheeks these lips may kiss:

By Allah, ne'er will I relinquish you *

Albe you will transgress love's boundaries."

Then Kamar al-Zaman took the seal-ring from the little finger of Queen

Budur and set it on his own; then, turning his back to her, went to

sleep.[FN#264] When Maymunah the Jinniyah saw this, she was glad and

said to Dahnash and Kashkash, "Saw ye how my beloved Kamar al-Zaman

bore himself chastely towards this young lady? Verily, this was of the

perfection of his good gifts; for observe you twain how he looked on

her and noted her beauty and loveliness, and yet embraced her not

neither kissed her nor put his hand to her, but turned his back and

slept." Answered they, "Even so!" Thereupon Maymunah changed herself

into a flea and entering into the raiment of Budur, the loved of

Dahnash, crept up her calf and came upon her thigh and, reaching a

place some four carats[FN#265] below her navel, there bit her.

Thereupon she opened her eyes and sitting up in bed, saw a youth lying

beside her and breathing heavily in his sleep, the loveliest of

Almighty Allah's creatures, with eyes that put to shame the fairest

Houris of Heaven; and a mouth like Solomon's seal, whose water was

sweeter to the taste and more efficacious than a theriack, and lips the

colour of coral-stone, and cheeks like the blood red anemone, even as

saith one, describing him in these couplets,

"My mind's withdrawn from Zaynab and Nawár[FN#266] *

By rosy cheeks that growth of myrtle bear;

I love a fawn, a tunic-vested boy, *

And leave the love of bracelet-wearing Fair:

My mate in hall and closet is unlike *

Her that I play with, as at home we pair.

Oh thou, who blam'st my flight from Hind and Zaynab, *

The cause is clear as dawn uplighting air!

Would'st have me fare[FN#267] a slave, the thrall of thrall, *

Cribbed, pent, confined behind the bar and wall?"

Now when Princess Budur saw him, she was seized by a transport of

passion and yearning and love-longing,—And Shahrazad per ceived the

dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Princess

Budur saw Kamar al-Zaman she was forthwith seized with a transport of

passion and yearning and love longing, and she said to herself, "Alas,

my shame! This is a strange youth and I know him not. How cometh he to

be lying by my side on one bed?" Then she looked at him a second time

and, noting his beauty and loveliness, said, "By Allah, he is indeed a

comely youth and my heart[FN#268] is well-nigh torn in sunder with

longing for him! But alas, how am I shamed by him! By the Almighty, had

I known it was this youth who sought me in marriage of my father, I had

not rejected him, but had wived with him and enjoyed his loveliness!"

Then she gazed in his face and said, "O my lord and light of mine eyes,

awake from sleep and take thy pleasure in my beauty and grace." And she

moved him with her hand; but Maymunah the Jinniyah let down sleep upon

him as it were a curtain, and pressed heavily on his head with her

wings so that Kamar al-Zaman awoke not. Then Princess Budur shook him

with her hands and said, "My life on thee, hearken to me; awake and up

from thy sleep and look on the narcissus and the tender down thereon,

and enjoy the sight of naked waist and navel; and touzle me and tumble

me from this moment till break of day! Allah upon thee, O my lord, sit

up and prop thee against the pillow and slumber not!" Still Kamar

al-Zaman made her no reply but breathed hard in his sleep. Continued

she, "Alas! Alas! thou art insolent in thy beauty and comeliness and

grace and loving looks! But if thou art handsome, so am I handsome;

what then is this thou dost? Have they taught thee to flout me or hath

my father, the wretched old fellow,[FN#269] made thee swear not to

speak to me to-night?" But Kamar al-Zaman opened not his mouth neither

awoke, whereat her passion for him redoubled and Allah inflamed her

heart with love of him. She stole one glance of eyes that cost her a

thousand sighs: her heart fluttered, and her vitals throbbed and her

hands and feet quivered; and she said to Kamar al-Zaman "Talk to me, O

my lord! Speak to me, O my friend! Answer me, O my beloved, and tell me

thy name, for indeed thou hast ravished my wit!" And during all this

time he abode drowned in sleep and answered her not a word, and

Princess Budur sighed and said, "Alas! Alas! why art thou so proud and

self satisfied?" Then she shook him and turning his hand over, saw her

seal-ring on his little finger, whereat she cried a loud cry, and

followed it with a sigh of passion and said, "Alack! Alack! By Allah,

thou art my beloved and thou lovest me! Yet thou seemest to turn thee

away from me out of coquetry, for all, O my darling, thou camest to me,

whilst I was asleep and knew not what thou didst with me, and tookest

my seal-ring; and yet I will not pull it off thy finger." So saying,

she opened the bosom of his shirt and bent over him and kissed him and

put forth her hand to him, seeking somewhat that she might take as a

token, but found nothing. Then she thrust her hand into his breast and,

because of the smoothness of his body, it slipped down to his waist and

thence to his navel and thence to his yard, whereupon her heart ached

and her vitals quivered and lust was sore upon her, for that the desire

of women is fiercer than the desire of men,[FN#270] and she was ashamed

of her own shamelessness. Then she plucked his seal-ring from his

finger, and put it on her own instead of the ring he had taken, and

bussed his inner lips and hands, nor did she leave any part of him

unkissed; after which she took him to her breast and embraced him and,

laying one of her hands under his neck and the other under his arm-pit,

nestled close to him and fell asleep by his side.—And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the One hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Princess

Budur fell asleep by the side of Kamar al-Zaman, after doing that which

she did, quoth Maymunah to Dahnash, Night thou, O accursed, how proudly

and coquettishly my beloved bore himself, and how hotly and

passionately thy mistress showed herself to my dearling? There can be

no doubt that my beloved is handsomer than shine; nevertheless I pardon

thee." Then she wrote him a document of manumission and turned to

Kashkash and said, "Go, help Dahnash to take up his mistress and aid

him to carry her back to her own place, for the night waneth apace and

there is but little left of it." "I hear and I obey;" answered

Kashkash. So the two Ifrits went forward to Princess Budur and

upraising her flew away with her; then, bearing her back to her own

place, they laid her on her bed, whilst Maymunah abode alone with Kamar

al-Zaman, gazing upon him as he slept, till the night was all but

spent, when she went her way. As soon as morning morrowed, the Prince

awoke from sleep and turned right and left, but found not the maiden by

him and said in his mind, "What is this business? It is as if my father

would incline me to marriage with the damsel who was with me and have

now taken her away by stealth, to the intent that my desire for wedlock

may redouble." Then he called out to the eunuch who slept at the door,

saying, "Woe to thee, O damned one, arise at once!" So the eunuch rose,

bemused with sleep, and brought him basin and ewer, whereupon Kamar

al-Zaman entered the water closet and did his need;[FN#271] then,

coming out made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer, after

which he sat telling on his beads the ninety-and-nine names of Almighty

Allah. Then he looked up and, seeing the eunuch standing in service

upon him, said, "Out on thee, O Sawáb! Who was it came hither and took

away the young lady from my side and I still sleeping?" Asked the

eunuch, 'O my lord, what manner of young lady?" "The young lady who lay

with me last night," replied Kamar al-Zaman. The eunuch was startled at

his words and said to him, "By Allah, there hath been with thee neither

young lady nor other! How should young lady have come in to thee, when

I was sleeping in the doorway and the door was locked? By Allah, O my

lord, neither male nor female hath come in to thee!" Exclaimed the

Prince, "Thou liest, O pestilent slave!: is it of thy competence also

to hoodwink me and refuse to tell me what is become of the young lady

who lay with me last night and decline to inform me who took her away?"

Replied the eunuch (and he was affrighted at him), "By Allah, O my

lord, I have seen neither young lady nor young lord!" His words only

angered Kamar al-Zaman the more and he said to him, "O accursed one, my

father hath indeed taught thee deceit! Come hither." So the eunuch came

up to him, and the Prince took him by the collar and dashed him to the

ground; whereupon he let fly a loud fart[FN#272] and Kamar al-Zaman,

kneeling upon him, kicked him and throttled him till he fainted away.

Then he dragged him forth and tied him to the well-rope, and let him

down like a bucket into the well and plunged him into the water, then

drew him up and lowered him down again. Now it was hard winter weather,

and Kamar al-Zaman ceased not to plunge the eunuch into the water and

pull him up again and douse him and haul him whilst he screamed and

called for help; and the Prince kept on saying "By Allah, O damned one,

I will not draw thee up out of this well till thou tell me and fully

acquaint me with the story of the young lady and who it was took her

away, whilst I slept."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the One and Eighty-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman

said to the eunuch, "By Allah! I will not draw thee up out of this well

until thou tell me the story of the young lady and who it was took her

away whilst I slept." Answered the eunuch, after he had seen death

staring him in the face; "O my lord, let me go and I will relate to

thee the truth and the whole tale." So Kamar al-Zaman pulled him up out

of the well, all but dead for suffering, what with cold and the pain of

dipping and dousing, drubbing and dread of drowning. He shook like cane

in hurricane, his teeth were clenched as by cramp and his clothes were

drenched and his body befouled and torn by the rough sides of the well:

briefly he was in a sad pickle. Now when Kamar al-Zaman saw him in this

sorry plight, he was concerned for him; but, as soon as the eunuch

found himself on the floor, he said to him, "O my lord, let me go and

doff my clothes and wring them out and spread them in the sun to dry,

and don others; after which I will return to thee forthwith and tell

thee the truth of the matter." Answered the Prince, "O rascal slave!

hadst thou not seen death face to face, never hadst thou confessed to

fact nor told me a word; but go now and do thy will, and then come back

to me at once and tell me the truth." Thereupon the eunuch went out,

hardly crediting his escape, and ceased not running, stumbling and

rising in his haste, till he came in to King Shahriman, whom he found

sitting at talk with his Wazir of Kamar al-Zaman's case. The King was

saying to the Minister, "I slept not last night, for anxiety concerning

my son, Kamar al-Zaman and indeed I fear lest some harm befal him in

that old tower. What good was there in imprisoning him?" Answered the

Wazir, "Have no care for him. By Allah, no harm will befal him! None at

all! Leave him in prison for a month till his temper yield and his

spirit be broken and he return to his senses." As the two spoke behold,

up rushed the eunuch, in the aforesaid plight, making to the King who

was troubled at sight of him; and he cried "O our lord the Sultan!

Verily, thy son's wits are fled and he hath gone mad, he hath dealt

with me thus and thus, so that I am become as thou seest me, and he

kept saying, 'A young lady lay with me this night and stole away

secretly whilst I slept. Where is she?' And he insisteth on my letting

him know where she is and on my telling him who took her away. But I

have seen neither girl nor boy: the door was locked all through the

night, for I slept before it with the key under my head, and I opened

to him in the morning with my own hand. When King Shahriman heard this,

he cried out, saying, "Alas, my son!;" and he was enraged with sore

rage against the Wazir, who had been the cause of all this case and

said to him, "Go up, bring me news of my son and see what hath befallen

his mind." So the Wazir rose and, stumbling over his long skirts, in

his fear of the King's wrath, hastened with the slave to the tower. Now

the sun had risen and when the Minister came in to Kamar al-Zaman, he

found him sitting on the couch reciting the Koran; so he saluted him

and seated himself by his side, and said to him, "O my lord, this

wretched eunuch brought us tidings which troubled and alarmed us and

which incensed the King." Asked Kamar al-Zaman, "And what hath he told

you of me to trouble my father? In good sooth he hath troubled none but

me." Answered the Wazir, "He came to us in fulsome state and told us of

thee a thing which Heaven forfend; and the slave added a lie which it

befitteth not to repeat, Allah preserve thy youth and sound sense and

tongue of eloquence, and forbid to come from thee aught of offense!"

Quoth the Prince, "O Wazir, and what thing did this pestilent slave say

of me?" The Minister replied, "He told us that thy wits had taken leave

of thee and thou wouldst have it that a young lady lay with thee last

night, and thou west instant with him to tell thee whither she went and

thou diddest torture him to that end." But when Kamar al-Zaman heard

these words, he was enraged with sore rage and he said to the Wazir,

"'Tis manifest to me in very deed that you people taught the eunuch to

do as he did."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to

say her per misted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar

al-Zaman heard the words of the Wazir he was enraged with sore rage and

said to him, "'Tis manifest to me in very deed that you people taught

the eunuch to do as he did and forbade him to tell me what became of

the young lady who lay with me last night. But thou, O Wazir, art

cleverer than the eunuch, so do thou tell me without stay or delay,

whither went the young lady who slept on my bosom last night; for it

was you who sent her and bade her steep in my embrace and we lay

together till dawn; but, when I awoke, I found her not. So where is she

now?" Said the Wazir, "O my lord Kamar al-Zaman, Allah's name encompass

thee about! By the Almighty, we sent none to thee last night, but thou

layest alone, with the door locked on thee and the eunuch sleeping

behind it, nor did there come to thee young lady or any other. Regain

thy reason, O my lord, and stablish thy senses and occupy not thy mind

with vanities." Rejoined Kamar al-Zaman who was incensed at his words,

"O Wazir, the young lady in question is my beloved, the fair one with

the black eyes and rosy cheeks, whom I held in my arms all last night."

So the Minister wondered at his words and asked him, "Didst thou see

this damsel last night with shine own eyes on wake or in sleep?"

Answered Kamar al-Zaman, "O ill- omened old man, dost thou fancy I saw

her with my ears? Indeed, I saw her with my very eyes and awake, and I

touched her with my hand, and I watched by her full half the night,

feeding my vision on her beauty and loveliness and grace and tempting

looks. But you had schooled her and charged her to speak no word to me;

so she feigned sleep and I lay by her side till dawn, when I awoke and

found her gone." Rejoined the Wazir, "O my lord Kamar al- Zaman, haply

thou sawest this in thy sleep; it must have been a delusion of dreams

or a deception caused by eating various kinds of food, or a suggestion

of the accursed devils." Cried the Prince, "O pestilent old man! wilt

thou too make a mock of me and tell me this was haply a delusion of

dreams, when that eunuch confessed to the young lady, saying, 'At once

I will return to thee and tell thee all about her?'" With these words,

he sprang up and rushed at the Wazir and gripped hold of his beard

(which was long[FN#273]) and, after gripping it, he twisted his hand in

it and haling him off the couch, threw him on the floor. It seemed to

the Minister as though his soul departed his body for the violent

plucking at his beard; and Kamar al-Zaman ceased not kicking the Wazir

and basting his breast and ribs and cuffing him with open hand on the

nape of his neck till he had well-nigh beaten him to death. Then said

the old man in his mind, "Just as the eunuch-slave saved his life from

this lunatic youth by telling him a lie, thus it is even fitter that I

do likewise; else he will destroy me. So now for my lie to save myself,

he being mad beyond a doubt." Then he turned to Kamar al-Zaman and

said, "O my lord, pardon me; for indeed thy father charged me to

conceal from thee this affair of the young lady; but now I am weak and

weary and wounded with funding; for I am an old man and lack strength

and bottom to endure blows. Have, therefore, a little patience with me

and I will tell thee all and acquaint thee with the story of the young

woman." When the Prince heard this, he left off drubbing him and said,

"Wherefore couldst thou not tell me the tale until after shame and

blows? Rise now, unlucky old man that thou art, and tell me her story."

Quoth the Wazir, "Say, dost thou ask of the young lady with the fair

face and perfect form?" Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, "Even so! Tell me, O

Wazir, who it was that led her to me and laid her by my side, and who

was it that took her away from me by night; and let me know forthright

whither she is gone, that I myself may go to her at once. If my father

did this deed to me that he might try me by means of that beautiful

girl, with a view to our marriage, I consent to wed her and free myself

of this trouble; for he did all these dealings with me only because I

refused wedlock. But now I consent and I say again, I consent to

matrimony: so tell this to my father, O Wazir, and advise him to marry

me to that young lady; for I will have none other and my heart loveth

none save her alone. Now rise up at once and haste thee to my father

and counsel him to hurry on our wedding and bring me his answer within

this very hour." Rejoined the Wazir, "'Tis well!" and went forth from

him, hardly believing himself out of his hands. Then he set off from

the tower, walking and tripping up as he went, for excess of fright and

agitation, and he ceased not hurrying till he came in to King

Shahriman.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying

her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-nineth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir, fared

forth from the tower, and ceased not running till he came in to King

Shahriman, who said to him as he sighted him, "O thou Wazir, what man

hath brought thee to grief and whose mischief hath treated thee in way

unlief; how happeneth it that I see thee dumb foundered and coming to

me thus astounded?" Replied the Wazir, "O King! I bring thee good

news." "And what is it?" quoth Shahriman, and quoth the Wazir, "Know

that thy son Kamar al- Zaman's wits are clean gone and that he hath

become stark mad." Now when the King heard these words of the Minister,

light became darkness in his sight and he said, "O Wazir, make clear to

me the nature of his madness." Answered the Wazir, "O my lord, I hear

and I obey." Then he told him that such and such had passed and

acquainted him with all that his son had done; whereupon the King said

to him, "Hear, O Wazir, the good tidings which I give thee in return

for this thy fair news of my son's insanity; and it shall be the

cutting off of thy head and the forfeiture of my favour, O most

ill-omened of Wazirs and foulest of Emirs! for I feel that thou hast

caused my son's disorder by the wicked advice and the sinister counsel

thou hast given me first and last. By Allah, if aught of mischief or

madness have befallen my son I will most assuredly nail thee upon the

palace dome and make thee drain the bitterest draught of death!'' Then

he sprang up and, taking the Wazir, with him, fared straight for the

tower and entered it. And when Kamar al-Zaman saw the two, he rose to

his father in haste from the couch whereon he sat and kissing his hands

drew back and hung down his head and stood before him with his arms

behind him, and thus remained for a full hour. Then he raised his head

towards his sire; the tears gushed from his eyes and streamed down his

cheeks and he began repeating,

"Forgive the sin 'neath which my limbs are trembling,

For the slave seeks for mercy from his master;

I've done a fault, which calls for free confession,

Where shall it call for mercy, and forgiveness?''[FN#274]

When the King heard this, he arose and embraced his son, and kissing

him between the eyes, made him sit by his side on the couch; then he

turned to the Wazir, and, looking on him with eyes of wrath, said, "O

dog of Wazirs, how didst thou say of my son such and such things and

make my heart quake for him?" Then he turned to the Prince and said, "O

my son, what is to-day called?" He answered, "O my father, this day is

the Sabbath, and to morrow is First day: then come Second day, Third,

Fourth, Fifth day and lastly Friday."[FN#275] Exclaimed the King, "O my

son, O Kamar al-Zaman, praised be Allah for the preservation of thy

reason! What is the present month called in our Arabic?" "Zú'l

Ka'adah," answered Kamar al-Zaman, "and it is followed by Zú'l hijjah;

then cometh Muharram, then Safar, then Rabí'a the First and Rabí'a the

Second, the two Jamádás, Rajab, Sha'aban, Ramazán and Shawwál." At this

the King rejoiced exceedingly and spat in the Wazir's face, saying, "O

wicked old man, how canst thou say that my son is mad? And now none is

mad but thou." Hereupon the Minister shook his head and would have

spoken, but bethought himself to wait awhile and see what might next

befal. Then the King said to his child, "O my son, what words be these

thou saddest to the eunuch and the Wazir, declaring, 'I was sleeping

with a fair damsel this night?'[FN#276] What damsel is this of whom

thou speakest?" Then Kamar al-Zaman laughed at his father's words and

replied, "O my father, know that I can bear no more jesting; so add me

not another mock or even a single word on the matter, for my temper

hath waxed short by that you have done with me. And know, O my father,

with assured knowledge, that I consent to marry, but on condition that

thou give me to wife her who lay by my side this night; for I am

certain it was thou sentest her to me and madest me in love with her

and then despatchedst a message to her before the dawn and tookest her

away from beside me." Rejoined the King, "The name of Allah encompass

thee about, O my son, and be thy wit preserved from witlessness!"—And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted

say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninetieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth King

Shahriman to his son Kamar al-Zaman, "The name of Allah encompass thee

about, O my son, and be thy wit preserved from witlessness! What thing

be this young lady whom thou fanciest I sent to thee last night and

then again that I sent to withdraw her from thee before dawn? By the

Lord, O my son, I know nothing of this affair, and Allah upon thee,

tell me if it be a delusion of dreaming or a deception caused by

indisposition. For verily thou layest down to sleep last night with thy

mind occupied anent marriage and troubled with the talk of it (Allah

damn marriage and the hour when I spake of it and curse him who

counselled it!); and without doubt or diffidence I can say that being

moved in mind by the mention of wedlock thou dreamedst that a handsome

young lady embraced thee and didst fancy thou sawest her when awake.

But all this, O my son, is but an imbroglio of dreams." Replied Kamar

al-Zaman, "Leave this talk and swear to me by Allah, the All creator,

the Omniscient; the Humbler of the tyrant Caesars and the Destroyer of

the Chosroes, that thou knowest naught of the young lady nor of her

woning-place." Quoth the King, "By the Might of Allah Almighty, the God

of Moses and Abraham, I know naught of all this and never even heard of

it; it is assuredly a delusion of dreams thou hast seen in sleep.' Then

the Prince replied to his sire, "I will give thee a self evident proof

that it happened to me when on wake."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn

of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al Zamar

said to his sire, "I will give thee a self-evident proof that this

happened to me when on wake. Now let me ask thee, did it ever befal any

man to dream that he was battling a sore battle and after to awake from

sleep and find in his hand a sword-blade besmeared with blood? Answered

the King, "No, by Allah, O my son, this hath never been." Rejoined

Kamar al-Zaman, "I will tell thee what happened to me and it was this.

Meseemed I awoke from sleep in the middle of the past night and found a

girl lying by my side, whose form was like mine and whose favour was as

mine. I embraced her and turned her about with my hand and took her

seal- ring, which I put on my finger, and she pulled off my ring and

put it on hers. Then I went to sleep by her side, but refrained from

her for shame of thee, deeming that thou hadst sent her to me,

intending to tempt me with her and incline me to marriage, and

suspecting thee to be hidden somewhere whence thou couldst see what I

did with her. And I was ashamed even to kiss her on the mouth for thy

account, thinking over this temptation to wedlock; and, when I awoke at

point of day, I found no trace of her, nor could I come at any news of

her, and there befel me what thou knowest of with the eunuch and with

the Wazir. How then can this case have been a dream and a delusion,

when the ring is a reality? Save for her ring on my finger I should

indeed have deemed it a dream; but here is the ring on my little

finger: look at it, O King, and see what is its worth." So saying he

handed the ring to his father, who examined it and turned it over, then

looked to his son and said, "Verily, there is in this ring some mighty

mystery and some strange secret. What befel thee last night with the

girl is indeed a hard nut to crack, and I know not how intruded upon us

this intruder. None is the cause of all this posher save the Wazir;

but, Allah upon thee, O my son, take patience, so haply the Lord may

turn to gladness this thy grief and to thy sadness bring complete

relief: as quoth one of the poets,

'Haply shall Fortune draw her rein, and bring *

Fair chance, for she is changeful, jealous, vain:

Still I may woo my want and wishes win, *

And see on heels of care unfair, the fain.'

And now, O my son, I am certified at this hour that thou art not mad;

but thy case is a strange one which none can clear up for thee save the

Almighty." Cried the Prince, "By Allah, O my father, deal kindly with

me and seek out this young lady and hasten her coming to me; else I

shall die of woe and of my death shall no one know." Then he betrayed

the ardour of his passion; and turned towards his father and repeated

these two couplets,

"If your promise of personal call prove untrue, *

Deign in vision to grant me an interview:

Quoth they, 'How can phantom[FN#277] appear to the sight *

Of a youth, whose sight is fordone, perdue?'"

Then, after ending his poetry, Kamar al-Zaman again turned to his

father, with submission and despondency, and shedding tears in flood,

began repeating these lines.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day

and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar

al-Zaman had repeated to his father these verses, he wept and

complained and groaned from a wounded heart; and added these lines,

"Beware that eye glance which hath magic might; *

Wherever turn those orbs it bars our flight:

Nor be deceived by low sweet voice, that breeds *

A fever festering in the heart and sprite:

So soft that silky skin, were rose to touch it *

She'd cry and tear-drops rain for pain and fright:

Did Zephyr e'en in sleep pass o'er her land, *

Scented he'd choose to dwell in scented site:

Her necklets vie with tinkling of her belt; *

Her wrists strike either wristlet dumb with spite:

When would her bangles buss those rings in ear, *

Upon the lover's eyne high mysteries 'light:

I'm blamed for love of her, nor pardon claim; *

Eyes are not profiting which lack foresight:

Heaven strip thee, blamer mine! unjust art thou; *

Before this fawn must every eye low bow."[FN#278]

After which he said, "By Allah, O my father, I cannot endure to be

parted from her even for an hour." The King smote hand upon hand and

exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,

the Glorious, the Great! No cunning contrivance can profit us in this

affair." Then he took his son by the hand and carried him to the

palace, where Kamar al-Zaman lay down on the bed of languor and the

King sat at his head, weeping and mourning over him and leaving him

not, night or day, till at last the Wazir came in to him and said, "O

King of the age and the time, how long wilt thou remain shut up with

thy son and hide thyself from thy troops. Haply, the order of thy realm

may be deranged, by reason of shine absence from thy Grandees and

Officers of State. It behoveth the man of understanding, if he have

various wounds in his body, to apply him first to medicine the most

dangerous; so it is my counsel to thee that thou remove thy son from

this place to the pavilion which is in the palace overlooking the sea;

and shut thyself up with him there, setting apart in every week two

days, Thursday and Monday, for state receptions and progresses and

reviews. On these days let shine Emirs and Wazirs and Chamberlains and

Viceroys and high Officials and Grandees of the realm and the rest of

the levies and the lieges have access to thee and submit their affairs

to thee; and do thou their needs and judge among them and give and take

with them and bid and forbid. And the rest of the week thou shalt pass

with thy son, Kamar al-Zaman, and cease not thus doing till Allah shall

vouchsafe relief to you twain. Think not, O King, that thou art safe

from the shifts of Time and the strokes of Change which come like a

traveller in the night; for the wise man is ever on his guard and how

well saith the poet,

'Thou deemedst well of Time when days went well, *

And fearedst not what ills might bring thee Fate:

The Nights so fair and restful cozened thee, *

For peaceful Nights bring woes of heavy weight.

Oh children of mankind whom Time befriends, *

Beware of Time's deceits or soon or late!'''[FN#279]

When the Sultan heard his Wazir's words he saw that they were right and

deemed his counsel wise, and it had effect upon him for he feared lest

the order of the state be deranged; so he rose at once and bade

transport his son from his sick room to the pavilion in the palace

overlooking the sea. Now this palace was girt round by the waters and

was approached by a causeway twenty cubits wide. It had windows on all

sides commanding an ocean- view; its floor was paved with

parti-coloured marbles and its ceiling was painted in the richest

pigments and figured with gold and lapis-lazuli. They furnished it for

Kamar al-Zaman with splendid upholstery, embroidered rugs and carpets

of the richest silk; and they clothed the walls with choice brocades

and hung curtains bespangled with gems of price. In the midst they set

him a couch of juniper[FN#280]-wood inlaid with pearls and jewels, and

Kamar al-Zaman sat down thereon, but the excess of his concern and

passion for the young lady had wasted his charms and emaciated his

body; he could neither eat nor drink nor sleep; and he was like a man

who had been sick twenty years of sore sickness. His father seated

himself at his head, grieving for him with the deepest grief, and every

Monday and Thursday he gave his Wazirs and Emirs and Chamberlains and

Viceroys and Lords of the realm and levies and the rest of his lieges

leave to come up to him in that pavilion. So they entered and did their

several service and duties and abode with him till the end of the day,

when they went their ways and the King returned to his son in the

pavilion whom he left not night nor day; and he ceased not doing on

this wise for many days and nights. Such was the case with Kamar

al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman; but as regards Princess Budur,

daughter of King Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seven Palaces, when

the two Jinns bore her up and laid her on her bed, she slept till

daybreak, when she awoke and sitting upright looked right and left, but

saw not the youth who had lain in her bosom. At this her vitals

fluttered, her reason fled and she shrieked a loud shriek which awoke

all her slave girls and nurses and duennas. They flocked in to her; and

the chief of them came forward and asked, "What aileth thee, O my

lady?" Answered the Princess, "O wretched old woman, where is my

beloved, the handsome youth who lay last night in my bosom? Tell me

whither he is gone." Now when the duenna heard this, the light

starkened in her sight and she feared from her mischief with sore

affright, and said to her, "O my Lady Budur, what unseemly words are

these?" Cried the Princess, "Woe to thee pestilent crone that thou art!

I ask thee again where is my beloved, the goodly youth with the shining

face and the slender form, the jetty eyes and the joined eyebrows, who

lay with me last night from supper-tide until near daybreak?" She

rejoined "By Allah, O my lady, I have seen no young man nor any other.

I conjure thee, carry not this unseemly jest too far lest we all lose

our lives; for perhaps the joke may come to thy father's ears and who

shall then deliver us from his hand?"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn

of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the duenna

bespake the Lady Budur in these words, "Allah upon thee, O my lady!

carry not this unseemly jest too far; for perhaps it may come to thy

father's ears, and who shall then deliver us from his hand?" The

Princess rejoined, "In very sooth a youth lay with me last night, one

of the fairest-faced of men." Exclaimed the duenna, "Heaven preserve

thy reason! indeed no one lay with thee last night." Thereupon the

Princess looked at her hand and, finding Kamar al-Zaman's seal-ring on

her finger in stead of her own, said to her, "Woe to thee, thou

accursed! thou traitress! wilt thou lie to me and tell me that none lay

with me last night and swear to me a falsehood in the name of the

Lord?" Replied the duenna, "By Allah, I do not lie to thee nor have I

sworn falsely." Then the Princess was incensed by her words and,

drawing a sword she had by her, she smote the old woman with it and

slew her;[FN#281] whereupon the eunuch and the waiting-women and the

concubines cried out at her, and ran to her father and, without stay or

delay, acquainted him with her case. So the King went to her, and asked

her, "O my daughter, what aileth thee?"; and she answered, "O my

father, where is the youth who lay with me last night?" Then her reason

fled from her head and she cast her eyes right and left and rent her

raiment even to the skirt. When her sire saw this, he bade the women

lay hands on her; so they seized her and manacled her, then putting a

chain of iron about her neck, made her fast to one of the

palace-windows and there left her.[FN#282] Thus far concerning Princess

Budur; but as regards her father, King Ghayur, the world was straitened

upon him when he saw what had befallen his daughter, for that he loved

her and her case was not a little grievous to him. So he summoned on it

the doctors and astrologers and men skilled in talisman- writing and

said to them, "Whoso healeth my daughter of what ill she hath, I will

marry him to her and give him half of my kingdom; but whoso cometh to

her and cureth her not, I will strike off his head and hang it over her

palace-gate." Accordingly, all who went in to her, but failed to heal

her, he beheaded and hung their heads over the palace-gates, till he

had beheaded on her account forty doctors and crucified forty

astrologers; wherefor the general held aloof from her, all the

physicians having failed to medicine her malady; and her case was a

puzzle to the men of science and the adepts in cabalistic characters.

And as her longing and passion redoubled and love and distraction were

sore upon her, she poured forth tears and repeated these couplets,

"My fondness, O my moon, for thee my foeman is, *

And to thy comradeship the nights my thought compel:

In gloom I bide with fire that flames below my ribs, *

Whose lowe I make comparison with heat of Hell:

I'm plagued with sorest stress of pine and ecstasy; *

Nor clearest noon tide can that horrid pain dispel."

Then she sighed and repeated these also,

"Salams fro' me to friends in every stead; *

Indeed to all dear friends do I incline:

Salams, but not salams that bid adieu; *

Salams that growth of good for you design:

I love you dear, indeed, nor less your land, *

But bide I far from every need of mine!"

And when the Lady Budur ceased repeating her poetry, she wept till her

eyes waxed sore and her cheeks changed form and hue, and in this

condition she continued three years. Now she had a foster-brother, by

name Marzawán,[FN#283] who was travelling in far lands and absent from

her the whole of this time. He loved her with an exceeding love,

passing the love of brothers; so when he came back he went in to his

mother and asked for his sister, the Princess Budur. She answered him,

"O my son, thy sister hath been smitten with madness and hath passed

these three years with a chain of iron about her neck; and all the

physicians and men of science have failed of healing her." When

Marzawan heard these words he said, "I must needs go in to her;

peradventure I may discover what she hath, and be able to medicine

her;" and his mother replied, "Needs must thou visit her, but wait till

to morrow, that I may contrive some thing to suit thy case." Then she

went a-foot to the palace of the Lady Budur and, accosting the eunuch

in charge of the gates, made him a present and said to him, "I have a

daughter, who was brought up with thy mistress and since then I married

her; and, when that befel the Princess which befel her, she became

troubled and sore concerned, and I desire of thy favour that my

daughter may go in to her for an hour and look on her; and then return

whence she came, so shall none know of it." Quoth the eunuch, "This may

not be except by night, after the King hath visited his child and gone

away; then come thou and thy daughter." So she kissed the eunuch's hand

and, returning home, waited till the morrow at nightfall; and when it

was time she arose and sought her son Marzawan and attired him in

woman's apparel; then, taking his hand in hers, led him towards the

palace, and ceased not walking with him till she came upon the eunuch

after the Sultan had ended his visit to the Princess. Now when the

eunuch saw her, he rose to her, and said, "Enter, but do not prolong

thy stay!" So they went in and when Marzawan beheld the Lady Budur in

the aforesaid plight, he saluted her, after his mother had doffed his

woman's garb: then he took out of their satchel books he had brought

with him; and, lighting a wax- candle, he began to recite certain

conjurations Thereupon the Princess looked at him and recognising him,

said, "O my brother, thou hast been absent on thy travels' and thy news

have been cut off from us." He replied, "True! but Allah hath brought

me back safe and sound, I am now minded to set out again nor hath aught

delayed me but the news I hear of thee; wherefore my heart burned for

thee and I came to thee, so haply I may free thee of thy malady." She

rejoined, O my brother, thinkest thou it is madness aileth me?" "Yes."

answered he, and she said, "Not so, by Allah! 'tis even as saith the

poet,

'Quoth they 'Thou rav'st on him thou lov'st': quoth I, *

'The sweets of love are only for th' insane!'

Love never maketh Time his friend befriend; *

Only the Jinn-struck wight such boon can gain:

Well! yes, I'm mad: bring him who madded me *

And, if he cure m: madness, blame restrain!'"

Then she let Marzawan know that she was love-daft and he said "Tell me

concerning thy tale and what befel thee: haply there may be in my hand

something which shall be a means of deliverance for thee."—And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of da, and ceased saying her permitted

say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Marzawar thus

addressed Princess Budur, "Tell me concerning thy tale and what befel

thee: haply Allah may inspire me with a means of deliverance for thee."

Quoth she, "O my brother, hear my story which is this. One night I

awoke from sleep, in the last third of the night[FN#284] and, sitting

up, saw by my side the handsomest of youths that be, and tongue faileth

to describe him, for he was as a willow-wand or an Indian rattan-cane.

So methought it was my father who had done on this wise in order

thereby to try me, for that he had consulted me concerning wedlock,

when the Kings sought me of him to wife, and I had refused. It was this

though withheld me from arousing him, for I feared that, if I did aught

of embraced him, he would peradventure inform my father of m, doings.

But in the morning, I found on my finger his seal-ring, in place of my

own which he had taken. And, O my brother, m, heart was seized with

love of him at first sight; and, for the violence of my passion and

longing, I have never savoured the taste of sleep and have no

occupation save weeping alway and repeating verses night and day. And

this, O my brother, is my story and the cause of my madness." Then she

poured forth tears and repeated these couplets,

"Now Love hast banished all that bred delight; *

With that heart-nibbling fawn my joys took flight:

Lightest of trifles lover's blood to him *

Who wastes the vitals of the hapless wight!

For him I'm jealous of my sight and thought; *

My heart acts spy upon my thought and sight:

Those long-lashed eyelids rain on me their shafts *

Guileful, destroying hearts where'er they light:

Now, while my portion in the world endures, *

Shall I behold him ere I quit world-site?

What bear I for his sake I'd hide, but tears *

Betray my feelings to the spy's despight.

When near, our union seemeth ever far; *

When far, my thoughts to him aye nearest are."

And presently she continued, "See then, O my brother, how thou mayest

aid me in mine affliction." So Marzawan bowed his head ground-wards

awhile, wondering and not knowing what to do, then he raised it and

said to her, "All thou hast spoken to me I hold to be true, though the

case of the young man pass my understanding: but I will go round about

all lands and will seek for what may heal thee; haply Allah shall

appoint thy healing to be at my hand. Meanwhile, take patience and be

not disquieted." Thereupon Marzawan farewelled her, praying that she

might be constant and left her repeating these couplets,

"Thine image ever companies my sprite, *

For all thou'rt distant from the pilgrim's sight:

But my heart-wishes e'er attract thee near: *

What is the lightning's speed to Thought's swift flight?

Then go not thou, my very light of eyes *

Which, when thou'rt gone, lack all the Kohl of light."

Then Marzawan returned to his mother's house, where he passed the

night. And when the morrow dawned, having equipped himself for his

journey, he fared forth and ceased not faring from city to city and

from island to island for a whole month, till he came to a town named

Al-Tayrab.[FN#285] Here he went about scenting news of the townsfolk,

so haply he might light on a cure for the Princess's malady, for in

every capital he entered or passed by, it was reported that Queen

Budur, daughter of King Ghayur, had lost her wits. But arriving at

Al-Tayrab city, he heard that Kamar al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman,

was fallen sick and afflicted with melancholy madness. So Marzawan

asked the name of the Prince's capital and they said to him, "It is on

the Islands of Khalidan and it lieth distant from our city a whole

month's journey by sea, but by land it is six months' march." So he

went down to the sea in a ship which was bound for the Khalidan Isles,

and she sailed with a favouring breeze for a whole month, till they

came in sight of the capital; and there remained for them but to make

the land when, behold, there came out on them a tempestuous wind which

carried away the masts and rent the canvas, so that the sails fell into

the sea and the ship capsized, with all on board,—And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the ship

capsized with all on board, each sought his own safety; and as for

Marzawan the set of the sea carried him under the King's palace,

wherein was Kamar al-Zaman. And by the decree of destiny it so happened

that this was the day on which King Shahriman gave audience to his

Grandees and high officers, and he was sitting, with his son's head on

his lap, whilst an eunuch fanned away the flies; and the Prince had not

spoken neither had he eaten nor drunk for two days, and he was grown

thinner than a spindle.[FN#286] Now the Wazir was standing respectfully

a-foot near the latticed window giving on the sea and, raising his

eyes, saw Marzawan being beaten by the billows and at his last gasp;

whereupon his heart was moved to pity for him, so he drew near to the

King and moving his head towards him said, "I crave thy leave, O King,

to go down to the court of the pavilion and open the water-gate that I

may rescue a man who is at the point of drowning in the sea and bring

him forth of danger into deliverance; peradventure, on this account

Allah may free thy son from what he hath!" The King replied, "O thou

Wazir, enough is that which hath befallen my son through thee and on

shine account. Haply, if thou rescue this drowning man, he will come to

know our affairs, and look on my son who is in this state and exult

over me; but I swear by Allah, that if this half-drowned wretch come

hither and learn our condition and look upon my son and then fare forth

and speak of our secrets to any, I will assuredly strike off thy head

before his; for thou, O my Minister art the cause of all that hath

betided us, first and last. Now do as thou wilt." Thereupon the Wazir

sprang up and, opening the private pastern which gave upon the sea,

descended to the causeway; then walked on twenty steps and came to the

water where he saw Marzawan nigh unto death. So he put out his hand to

him and, catching him by his hair, drew him ashore in a state of

insensibility, with belly full of water and eyes half out of his head.

The Wazir waited till he came to himself, when he pulled off his wet

clothes and clad him in a fresh suit, covering his head with one of his

servants' turbands; after which he said to him, Know that I have been

the means of saving thee from drowning: do not thou requite me by

causing my death and shine own."ÄAnd Shahrazad perceived the dawn of

day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir

did to Marzawan what he did, he thus addressed him Know that I have

been the cause of saving thee from drowning so requite me not by

causing my death and shine own." Asked Marzawan, And how so?"; and the

Wazir answered, "Thou art at this hour about to go up and pass among

Emirs and Wazirs all of them silent and none speaking, because of Kamar

al-Zaman the son of the Sultan." Now when Marzawan heard the name of

Kamar al-Zaman, he knew that this was he whom he had heard spoken of in

sundry cities and of whom he came in search, but he feigned ignorance

and asked the Wazir, "And who is Kamar al-Zaman? Answered the Minister,

"He is the son of Sultan Shahriman and he is sore sick and lieth strown

on his couch restless alway, eating not nor drinking neither sleeping

night or day; indeed he is nigh upon death and we have lost hope of his

living and are certain that he is dying. Beware lest thou look too long

on him, or thou look on any other than that where thou settest thy

feet: else thou art a lost man, and I also." He replied, "Allah upon

thee, O Wazir, I implore thee, of thy favour, acquaint me touching this

youth thou describest, what is the cause of the condition in which he

is." The Wazir replied, "I know none, save that, three years ago, his

father required him to wed, but he refused; whereat the King was wroth

and imprisoned him. And when he awoke on the morrow, he fancied that

during the night he had been roused from sleep and had seen by his side

a young lady of passing loveliness, whose charms tongue can never

express; and he assured us that he had plucked off her seal-ring from

her finger and had put it on his own and that she had done likewise;

but we know not the secret of all this business. So by Allah, O my son,

when thou comest up with me into the palace, look not on the Prince,

but go thy way; for the Sultan's heart is full of wrath against me." So

said Marzawan to himself, "By Allah; this is the one I sought!" Then he

followed the Wazir up to the palace, where the Minister seated himself

at the Prince's feet; but Marzawan found forsooth nothing to do but go

up to Kamar al-Zaman and stand before him at gaze. Upon this the Wazir,

died of affright in his skin, and kept looking at Marzawan and

signalling him to wend his way; but he feigned not to see him and gave

not over gazing upon Kamar al- Zaman, till he was well assured that it

was indeed he whom he was seeking,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of

day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Marzawan

looked upon Kamar al-Zaman and knew that it was indeed he whom he was

seeking, he cried, "Exalted be Allah, Who hath made his shape even as

her shape and his complexion as her complexion and his cheek as her

cheek!'' Upon this Kamar al-Zaman opened his eyes and gave earnest ear

to his speech; and, when Marzawan saw him inclining to hear, he

repeated these couplets[FN#287],

"I see thee full of song and plaint and love's own ecstasy;

Delighting in describing all the charms of loveliness:

Art smit by stroke of Love or hath shaft-shot wounded thee?

None save the wounded ever show such signals of distress!

Ho thou! crown the wine cup and sing me singular

Praises to Sulaymá, Al-Rabáb, Tan'oum addrest;[FN#288]

Go round the grape-vine sun[FN#289] which for mansion hath a jar;

Whose East the cup boy is, and here my mouth that opes for West.

I'm jealous of the very clothes that dare her sides enroll

When she veils her dainty body of the delicatest grace:

I envy every goblet of her lips that taketh toll

When she sets the kissing cup on that sweetest kissing-place.

But deem not by the keen-edged scymitar I'm slain—

The hurts and harms I dree are from arrows of her eyes.

I found her finger tips, as I met her once again,

Deep-reddened with the juice of the wood that ruddy dyes;[FN#290]

And cried, 'Thy palms thou stainedst when far away was I

And this is how thou payest one distracted by his pine!'

Quoth she (enkindling in my heart a flame that burned high

Speaking as one who cannot hide of longing love the sign),

'By thy life, this is no dye used for dyeing; so forbear

Thy blame, nor in charging me with falsing Love persist!

But when upon our parting-day I saw thee haste to fare,

The while were bared my hand and my elbow and my wrist;

'I shed a flood of blood-red tears and with fingers brushed away; Hence

blood-reddened were the tips and still blood-red they remain.'

Had I wept before she wept, to my longing-love a prey,

Before repentance came, I had quit my soul of pain;

But she wept before I wept and I wept to see her care

And I said, 'All the merit to precedent;'[FN#291]

Blame me not for loving her, now on self of Love I swear

For her sake, for her only, these pains my soul torment.

She hath all the lere of Lukmán[FN#292] and Yúsuf's beauty lief;

Sweet singer David's voice and Maryam's chastity:

While I've all Jacob's mourning and Jonah's prison-grief,

And the sufferings of Job and old Adam's history:

Yet kill her not, albeit of my love for her I die;

But ask her why my blood to her was lawful. ask her why?"

When Marzawan recited this ode, the words fell upon Kamar al- Zaman's

heart as freshness after fever and returning health; and he sighed and,

turning his tongue in his mouth, said to his sire, "O my father, let

this youth come and sit by my side."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn

of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman

said to his sire, "O my father, allow this youth to come and sit by my

side." Now when the King heard these words from his son, he rejoiced

with exceeding joy, though at the first his heart had been set against

Marzawan and he had determined that the stranger's head needs must be

stricken off: but when he heard Kamar al-Zaman speak, his anger left

him and he arose and drawing Marzawan to him, seated him by his son and

turning to him said, "Praised be Allah for thy safety!" He replied,

"Allah preserve thee! and preserve thy son to thee!" and called down

blessings on the King. Then the King asked, "From what country art

thou?"; and he answered, "From the Islands of the Inland Sea, the

kingdom of King Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seas and the Seven

Palaces." Quoth King Shahriman, "Maybe thy coming shall be blessed to

my son and Allah vouchsafe to heal what is in him." Quoth Marzawan,

"Inshallah, naught shall be save what shall be well!" Then turning to

Kamar al-Zaman, he said to him in his ear unheard of the King and his

court, 'O my lord! be of good cheer, and hearten thy heart and let

shine eyes be cool and clear and, with respect to her for whose sake

thou art thus, ask not of her case on shine account. But thou keptest

thy secret and fellest sick, while she told her secret and they said

she had gone mad; so she is now in prison, with an iron chain about her

neck, in most piteous plight; but, Allah willing, the healing of both

of you shall come from my hand." Now when Kamar al-Zaman heard these

words, his life returned to him and he took heart and felt a thrill of

joy and signed to his father to help him sit up; and the King was like

to fly for gladness and rose hastily and lifted him up. Presently, of

his fear for his son, he shook the kerchief of dismissal[FN#293]; and

all the Emirs and Wazirs withdrew; then he set two pillows for his son

to lean upon, after which he bade them perfume the palace with saffron

and decorate the city, saying to Marzawan, "By Allah, O my son, of a

truth shine aspect be a lucky and a blessed!" And he made as much of

him as he might and called for food, and when they brought it, Marzawan

came up to the Prince and said, "Rise, eat with me." So he obeyed him

and ate with him, and all the while the King invoked blessings on

Marzawan and said, "How auspicious is thy coming, O my son!" And when

the father saw his boy eat, his joy and gladness redoubled, and he went

out and told the Prince's mother and all the household. Then he spread

throughout the palace the good news of the Prince's recovery and the

King commanded the decoration of the city and it was a day of high

festival. Marzawan passed that night with Kamar al-Zaman, and the King

also slept with them in joy and delight for his son's recovery.—And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted

say.

When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Shahriman

also passed that night with them in the excess of his joy for his son's

recovery. And when the next morning dawned, and the King had gone away

and the two young men were left alone, Kamar al-Zaman told his story

from beginning to end to Marzawan who said, "In very sooth I know her

with whom thou didst foregather; her name is the Princess Budur and she

is daughter to King Ghayur." Then he related to him all that had passed

with the Princess from first to last and acquainted him with the

excessive love she bore him, saying, "All that befel thee with thy

father hath befallen her with hers, and thou art without doubt her

beloved, even as she is shine; so brace up thy resolution and take

heart, for I will bring thee to her and unite you both anon and deal

with you even as saith the poet,

"Albe to lover adverse be his love, *

And show aversion howso may he care;

Yet will I manage that their persons[FN#294] meet, *

E'en as the pivot of a scissor pair."

And he ceased not to comfort and solace and encourage Kamar al- Zaman

and urged him to eat and drink till he ate food and drank wine, and

life returned to him and he was saved from his ill case; and Marzawan

cheered him and diverted him with talk and songs and stories, and in

good time he became free of his disorder and stood up and sought to go

to the Hammam.[FN#295] So Marzawan took him by the hand and both went

to the bath, where they washed their bodies and made them clean.—And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted

say.

When it was the Two Hundredth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar

al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman, went to the Hammam, his father in his

joy at this event freed the prisoners, and presented splendid dresses

to his grandees and bestowed large alm-gifts upon the poor and bade

decorate the city seven days. Then quoth Marzawan to Kamar al-Zaman,

"Know, O my lord, that I came not from the Lady Budur save for this

purpose, and the object of my journey was to deliver her from her

present case; and it remaineth for us only to devise how we may get to

her, since thy father cannot brook the thought of parting from thee. So

it is my counsel that to-morrow thou ask his leave to go abroad

hunting. Then do thou take with thee a pair of saddle-bags full of

money and mount a swift steed, and lead a spare horse, and I will do

the like, and say to thy sire, 'I have a mind to divert myself with

hunting the desert and to see the open country and there to pass one

night.' Suffer not any servant to follow us, for as soon as we reach

the open country, we will go our ways." Kamar al- Zaman rejoiced in

this plan with great joy and cried, "It is good." Then he stiffened his

back and, going in to his father, sought his leave and spoke as he had

been taught, and the King consented to his going forth a-hunting and

said, "O my son, blessed be the day that restoreth thee to health! I

will not gainsay thee in this; but pass not more than one night in the

desert and return to me on the morrow; for thou knowest that life is

not good to me without thee, and indeed I can hardly believe thee to be

wholly recovered from what thou hadst,[FN#296] because thou art to me

as he of whom quoth the poet,

'Albe by me I had through day and night *

Solomon's carpet and the Chosroes' might,

Both were in value less than wing of gnat, *

Unless these eyne could hold thee aye in sight.'"[FN#297]

Then the King equipped his son Kamar al-Zaman and Marzawan for the

excursion, bidding make ready for them four horses, together with a

dromedary to carry the money and a camel to bear the water and belly

timber; and Kamar al-Zaman forbade any of his attendants to follow him.

His father farewelled him and pressed him to his breast and kissed him,

saying, "I ask thee in the name of Allah, be not absent from me more

than one night, wherein sleep will be unlawful to me, for I am even as

saith the poet,

'Thou present, in the Heaven of heavens I dwell; *

Bearing shine absence is of hells my Hell:

Pledged be for thee my soul! If love for thee *

Be crime, my crime is of the fellest fell.

Does love-lowe burn thy heart as burns it mine, *

Doomed night and day Gehenna-fire to smell?'"

Answered Kamar al-Zaman, "O my father, Inshallah, I will lie abroad but

one night!" Then he took leave of him, and he and Marzawan mounted and

leading the spare horses, the dromedary with the money and the camel

with the water and victual, turned their faces towards the open

country;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawning day and ceased saying her

permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and First Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman

and Marzawan fared forth and turned their faces towards the open

country; and they travelled from the first of the day till nightfall,

when they halted and ate and drank and fed their beasts and rested

awhile; after which they again took horse and ceased not journeying for

three days, and on the fourth they came to a spacious tract wherein was

a thicket. They alighted in it and Marzawan, taking the camel and one

of the horses, slaughtered them and cut off their flesh and stripped

their bones. Then he doffed from Kamar al-Zaman his shirt and trousers

which he smeared with the horse's blood and he took the Prince's coat

which he tore to shreds and befouled with gore; and he cast them down

in the fork of the road. Then they ate and drank and mounting set

forward again; and, when Kamar al- Zaman asked why this was done, and

said, "What is this O my brother, and how shall it profit us?";

Marzawan replied, "Know that thy father, when we have outstayed the

second night after the night for which we had his leave, and yet we

return not, will mount and follow in our track till he come hither;

and, when he happeneth upon this blood which I have spilt and he seeth

thy shirt and trousers rent and gore-fouled, he will fancy that some

accident befel thee from bandits or wild-beasts, so he will give up

hope of thee and return to his city, and by this device we shall win

our wishes." Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, "By Allah, this be indeed a rare

device! Thou hast done right well.''[FN#298] Then the two fared on days

and nights and all that while Kamar al-Zaman did naught but complain

when he found himself alone, and he ceased not weeping till they drew

near their journeys end, when he rejoiced and repeated these verses,

"Wilt tyrant play with truest friend who thinks of thee each

hour, * And after showing love-desire betray indifference?

May I forfeit every favour if in love I falsed thee, *

If thee I left, abandon me by way of recompense:

But I've been guilty of no crime such harshness to deserve, *

And if I aught offended thee I bring my penitence;

Of Fortune's wonders one it is thou hast abandoned me, *

But Fortune never wearieth of showing wonderments."

When he had made an end of his verses, Marzawan said to him, "Look!

these be King Ghayur's Islands;" whereat Kamar al-Zaman joyed with

exceeding joy and thanked him for what he had done, and kissed him

between the eyes and strained him—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of

day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Marzawan

said "Look! these be the Islands of King Ghayur;" Kamar al-Zaman joyed

with exceeding joy and thanked him for what he had done and kissed him

between the eyes and strained him to his bosom. And after reaching the

Islands and entering the city they took up their lodging in a khan,

where they rested three days from the fatigues of their wayfare; after

which Marzawan carried Kamar al-Zaman to the bath and, clothing him in

merchant's gear, provided him with a geomantic tablet of gold,[FN#299]

with a set of astrological instruments and with an astrolabe of silver,

plated with gold. Then he said to him, "Arise, O my lord, and take thy

stand under the walls of the King's palace and cry out, 'I am the ready

Reckoner; I am the Scrivener; I am he who weeteth the Sought and the

Seeker; I am the finished man of Science; I am the Astrologer

accomplished in experience! Where then is he that seeketh?' As soon as

the King heareth this, he will send after thee and carry thee in to his

daughter the Princess Budur, thy lover; but when about going in to her

do thou say to him, 'Grant me three days' delay, and if she recover,

give her to me to wife; and if not, deal with me as thou dealest with

those who forewent me.' He will assuredly agree to this, so as soon as

thou art alone with her, discover thyself to her; and when she seeth

thee, she will recover strength and her madness will cease from her and

she will be made whole in one night. Then do thou give her to eat and

drink. and her father, rejoicing in her recovery, will marry thee to

her and share his kingdom with thee; for he hath imposed on himself

this condition and so peace be upon thee." Now when Kamar al-Zaman

heard these words he exclaimed, "May I never lack thy benefits!", and,

taking the set of instruments aforesaid, sallied forth from the

caravanserai in the dress of his order. He walked on till he stood

under the walls of King Ghayur's palace, where he began to cry out,

saying, "I am the Scribe, I am the ready Reckoner, I am he who knoweth

the Sought and the Seeker; I am he who openeth the Volume and summeth

up the Sums;[FN#300] who Dreams can expound whereby the sought is

found! Where then is the seeker?" Now when the city people heard this,

they flocked to him, for it was long since they had seen Scribe or

Astrologer, and they stood round him and, looking upon him, they saw

one in the prime of beauty and grace and perfect elegance, and they

marvelled at his loveliness, and his fine stature and symmetry.

Presently one of them accosted him and said, "Allah upon thee, O thou

fair and young, with the eloquent tongue! incur not this affray; nor

throw thy life away in thine ambition to marry the Princess Budur. Only

cast shine eyes upon yonder heads hung up; all their owners have lost

their lives in this same venture." Yet Kamar al-Zaman paid no heed to

them, but cried out at the top of his voice, saying, "I am the Doctor,

the Scrivener! I am the Astrologer, the Calculator!" And all the

townsfolk forbade him from this, but he regarded them not at all,

saying in his mind, "None knoweth desire save whoso suffereth it." Then

he began again to cry his loudest, shouting, "I am the Scrivener, I am

the Astrologer!"—And Shahrazad per ceived the dawn of day and ceased to

say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman

in no wise heeded the words of the citizens, but continued to cry out,

"I am the Calculator! I am the Astrologer!" Thereupon all the townsfolk

were wroth with him and said to him, "Thou art nothing but an imbecile,

silly, self-willed lad! Have pity on shine own youth and tender years

and beauty and loveliness." But he cried all the more, "I am the

Astrologer, I am the Calculator! Is there any one that seeketh?" As he

was thus crying and the people forbidding him, behold, King Ghayur

heard his voice and the clamour of the lieges and said to his Wazir,

"Go down and bring me yon Astrologer." So the Wazir, went down in

haste, and taking Kamar al-Zaman from the midst of the crowd led him up

to the King; and when in the presence he kissed the ground and began

versifying,

"Eight glories meet, all, all conjoined in thee, *

Whereby may Fortune aye thy servant be:

Lere, lordliness, grace, generosity; *

Plain words, deep meaning, honour, victory!"

When the King looked upon him, he seated him by his side and said to

him, "By Allah, O my son, an thou be not an astrologer, venture not thy

life nor comply with my condition; for I have bound myself that whoso

goeth in to my daughter and healeth her not of that which hath befallen

her I will strike off his head; but whoso healeth her him I will marry

to her. So let not thy beauty and loveliness delude thee: for, by

Allah! and again, by Allah! If thou cure her not, I will assuredly cut

off thy head." And Kamar al-Zaman replied, "This is thy right; and I

consent, for I wot of this ere came I hither." Then King Ghayur took

the Kazis to witness against him and delivered him to the eunuch,

saying, "Carry this one to the Lady Budur." So the eunuch took him by

the hand and led him along the passage; but Kamar al-Zaman outstripped

him and pushed on before, whilst the eunuch ran after him, saying, "Woe

to thee! Hasten not to shine own ruin: never yet saw I astrologer so

eager for his proper destruction; but thou weetest not what calamities

are before thee." Thereupon Kamar al-Zaman turned away his face from

the eunuch,—And Shah razed perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying

her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the eunuch

thus addressed Kamar al-Zaman, "Patience, and no indecent hurry!"; the

Prince turned away his face and began repeating these couplets,

"A Sage, I feel a fool before thy charms; *

Distraught, I wot not what the words I say:

If say I 'Sun,' away thou dost not pass *

From eyes of me, while suns go down with day:

Thou hast completed Beauty, in whose praise *

Speech-makers fail, and talkers lose their way."

Then the eunuch stationed Kamar al-Zaman behind the curtain of the

Princess's door and the Prince said to him, "Which of the two ways will

please thee more, treat and cure thy lady from here or go in and heal

her within the curtain?" The eunuch marvelled at his words and

answered, "An thou heal her from here it were better proof of thy

skill." Upon this Kamar al-Zaman sat down behind the curtain and,

taking out ink case, pen and paper, wrote the following: "This is the

writ of one whom passion swayeth,* and whom longing waylayeth * and

wakeful misery slayeth * one who despaireth of living * and looketh for

naught but dying * with whose mourning heart * nor comforter nor helper

taketh part * One whose sleepless eyes * none succoureth from anxieties

* whose day is passed in fire * and his night in torturing desire *

whose body is wasted for much emaciation * and no messenger from his

beloved bringeth him consolation." And after this he indited the

following couplets,

"I write with heart devoted to thy thought, *

And eyelids chafed by tears of blood they bled;

And body clad, by loving pine and pain, *

In shirt of leanness, and worn down to thread,

To thee complain I of Love's tormentry, *

Which ousted hapless Patience from her stead:

A toi! show favour and some mercy deign, *

For Passion's cruel hands my vitals shred."

And beneath his lines he wrote these cadenced sentences, "The heart's

pain is removed * by union with the beloved * and whomso his lover

paineth * only Allah assaineth! * If we or you have wrought deceit *

may the deceiver win defeat! * There is naught goodlier than a lover

who keeps faith * with the beloved who works him scathe." Then, by way

of subscription, he wrote, "From the distracted and despairing man *

whom love and longing trepan * from the lover under passion's ban * the

prisoner of transport and distraction * from this Kamar al-Zaman * son

of Shahriman * to the peerless one * of the fair Houris the pearl-union

* to the Lady Budur * daughter of King Al Ghayur * Know thou that by

night I am sleepless * and by day in distress * consumed with

increasing wasting and pain * and longing and love unfain * abounding

in sighs * with tear flooded eyes * by passion captive ta'en * of

Desire the slain * with heart seared by the parting of us twain * the

debtor of longing bane, of sickness cup-companion * I am the sleepless

one, who never closeth eye * the slave of love, whose tears run never

dry * for the fire of my heart is still burning * and never hidden is

the flame of my yearning." Then on the margin Kamar al-Zaman wrote this

admired verse,

"Salem from graces hoarded by my Lord *

To her, who holds my heart and soul in hoard!"

And also these,

"Pray'ee grant me some words from your lips, belike *

Such mercy may comfort and cool these eyne:

From the stress of my love and my pine for you, *

I make light of what makes me despised, indign:

Allah guard a folk whose abode was far, *

And whose secret I kept in the holiest shrine:

Now Fortune in kindness hath favoured me *

Thrown on threshold dust of this love o' mine:

By me bedded I looked on Budúr, whose sun *

The moon of my fortunes hath made to shine."

Then, having affixed his seal-ring to the missive, he wrote these

couplets in the place of address,

"Ask of my writ what wrote my pen in dole, *

And hear my tale of misery from this scroll;

My hand is writing while my tears down flow, *

And to the paper 'plains my longing soul:

My tears cease not to roll upon this sheet, *

And if they stopped I'd cause blood-gouts to roll."

And at the end he added this other verse,

"I've sent the ring from off thy finger bore *

I when we met, now deign my ring restore!"

Then Kamar al-Zaman set the Lady Budur's ring inside the letter and

sealed it and gave it to the eunuch, who took it and went in with it to

his mistress.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say

her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman,

after setting the seal-ring inside the epistle, gave it to the eunuch

who took it and went in with it to his mistress; and, when the Lady

Budur opened it, she found therein her own very ring. Then she read the

paper and when she understood its purport and knew that it was from her

beloved, and that he in person stood behind the curtain, her reason

began to fly and her breast swelled for joy and rose high; and she

repeated these couplets,

"Long, long have I bewailed the sev'rance of our loves, *

With tears that from my lids streamed down like burning

rain;

And vowed that, if the days deign reunite us two, *

My lips should never speak of severance again:

Joy hath o'erwhelmed me so that, for the very stress *

Of that which gladdens me to weeping I am fain.

Tears are become to you a habit, O my eyes, *

So that ye weep as well for gladness as for pain.''[FN#301]

And having finished her verse, the Lady Budur stood up forthwith and,

firmly setting her feet to the wall, strained with all her might upon

the collar of iron, till she brake it from her neck and snapped the

chains. Then going forth from behind the curtain she threw herself on

Kamar al-Zaman and kissed him on the mouth, like a pigeon feeding its

young.[FN#302] And she embraced him with all the stress of her love and

longing and said to him, "O my lord do I wake or sleep and hath the

Almighty indeed vouchsafe] us reunion after disunion? Laud be to Allah

who hath our loves repaired, even after we despaired!" Now when the

eunuch saw her in this case, he went off running to King Ghayur and,

kissing the ground before him, said, "O my lord, know that this

Astrologer is indeed the Shaykh of all astrologers, who are fools to

him, all of them; for verily he hath cured thy daughter while standing

behind the curtain and without going in to her." Quoth the King, "Look

well to it, is this news true?" Answered the eunuch, "O my lord, rise

and come and see for thyself how she hath found strength to break the

iron chains and is come forth to the Astrologer, kissing and embracing

him." Thereupon the King arose and went in to his daughter who, when

she saw him, stood up in haste and covered her head,[FN#303] and

recited these two couplets,

"The toothstick love I not; for when I say, *

'Siwák,'[FN#304] I miss thee, for it sounds 'Siwá-ka'.

The caper-tree I love; for when I say, *

'Arák'[FN#305] it sounds I look on thee, 'Ará-ka.'"

Thereupon the King was so transported for joy at her recovery that he

felt like to fly and kissed her between the eyes, for he loved her with

dearest love; then, turning to Kamar al-Zaman, he asked him who he was,

and said, "What countryman art thou?" So the Prince told him his name

and rank, and informed him that he was the son of King Shahriman, and

presently related to him the whole story from beginning to end; and

acquainted him with what happened between himself and the Lady Budur;

and how he had taken her seal-ring from her finger and had placed it on

his own; whereat Ghayur marvelled and said, "Verily your story

deserveth in books to be chronicled, and when you are dead and gone age

after age be read." Then he summoned Kazis and witnesses forthright and

married the Lady Budur to Prince Kamar al-Zaman; after which he bade

decorate the city seven days long. So they spread the tables with all

manner of meats, whilst the drums beat and the criers anounced the glad

tidings, and all the troops donned their richest clothes; and they

illuminated the city and held high festival. Then Kamar al-Zaman went

in to the Lady Budur and the King rejoiced in her recovery and in her

marriage; and praised Allah for that He had made her to fall in love

with a goodly youth of the sons of Kings. So they unveiled her and

displayed the bride before the bridegroom; and both were the living

likeness of each other in beauty and comeliness and grace and

love-allurement. Then Kamar al-Zaman lay with her that night and took

his will of her, whilst she in like manner fulfilled her desire of him

and enjoyed his charms and grace; and they slept in each other's arms

till the morning. On the morrow, the King made a wedding-feast to which

he gathered all comers from the Islands of the Inner and Outer Seas,

and he spread the tables with choicest viands nor ceased the

banquetting for a whole month. Now when Kamar al-Zaman had thus

fulfilled his will and attained his inmost desire, and whenas he had

tarried awhile with the Princess Budur, he bethought him of his father,

King Shahriman, and saw him in a dream, saying, "O my son, is it thus

thou dealest with me?" and recited in the vision these two couplets,

"Indeed to watch the darkness-moon he blighted me, *

And to star-gaze through longsome night he plighted me:

Easy, my heart! for haply he'll unite with thee; *

And patience, Sprite! with whatso ills he dight to thee."

Now after seeing his father in the dream and hearing his re preaches,

Kamar al-Zaman awoke in the morning, afflicted and troubled, whereupon

the Lady Budur questioned him and he told her what he had seen.—And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted

say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar

al-Zaman acquainted the Lady Budur with what he had seen in his dream,

she and he went in to her sire and, telling him what had passed,

besought his leave to travel. He gave the Prince the permission he

sought; but the Princess said, "O my father, I cannot bear to be parted

from him." Quoth Ghayur, her sire, "Then go thou with him," and gave

her leave to be absent a whole twelvemonth and afterwards to visit him

in every year once; so she kissed his hand and Kamar al-Zaman did the

like. Thereupon King Ghayur proceeded to equip his daughter and her

bridegroom for the journey, and furnished them with outfit and

appointments for the march; and brought out of his stables horses

marked with his own brand, blood-dromedaries[FN#306] which can journey

ten days without water, and prepared a litter for his daughter, besides

loading mules and camels with victual; moreover, he gave them slaves

and eunuchs to serve them and all manner of travellinggear; and on the

day of departure, when King Ghayur took leave of Kamar al-Zaman, he

bestowed on him ten splendid suits of cloth of gold embroidered with

stones of price, together with ten riding horses and ten she-camels,

and a treasury of money;[FN#307] and he charged him to love and cherish

his daughter the Lady Budur. Then the King accompanied them to the

farthest limits of his Islands where, going in to his daughter Budur in

the litter, he kissed her and strained her to his bosom, weeping and

repeating,

"O thou who wooest Severance, easy fare! *

For love-embrace belongs to lover-friend:

Fare softly! Fortune's nature falsehood is, *

And parting shall love's every meeting end."

Then leaving his daughter, he went to her husband and bade him farewell

and kissed him; after which he parted from them and, giving the order

for the march he returned to his capital with his troops. The Prince

and Princess and their suite fared on without stopping through the

first day and the second and the third and the fourth, nor did they

cease faring for a whole month till they came to a spacious champaign,

abounding in pasturage, where they pitched their tents; and they ate

and drank and rested, and the Princess Budur lay down to sleep.

Presently, Kamar al-Zaman went in to her and found her lying asleep

clad in a shift of apricot-coloured silk that showed all and

everything; and on her head was a coif of gold-cloth embroidered with

pearls and jewels. The breeze raised her shift which laid bare her

navel and showed her breasts and displayed a stomach whiter than snow,

each one of whose dimples would contain an ounce of benzoin-

ointment.[FN#308] At this sight, his love and longing redoubled, and he

began reating,

"An were it asked me when by hell-fire burnt, *

When flames of heart my vitals hold and hem,

'Which wouldst thou chose, say wouldst thou rather them, *

Or drink sweet cooling draught?' I'd answer, 'Them!' "

Then he put his hand to the band of her petticoat-trousers and drew it

and loosed it, for his soul lusted after her, when he saw a jewel, red

as dye-wood, made fast to the band. He untied it and examined it and,

seeing two lines of writing graven thereon, in a character not to be

read, marvelled and said in his mind, "Were not this bezel something to

her very dear she had not bound it to her trousers-band nor hidden it

in the most privy and precious place about her person, that she might

not be parted from it. Would I knew what she cloth with this and what

is the secret that is in it." So saying, he took it and went outside

the tent to look at it in the light,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn

of day, and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when he took the

bezel to look at it in the light, the while he was holding it behold, a

bird swooped down on him and, snatching the same from his hand, flew

off with it and then lighted on the ground. There-upon Kamar al-Zaman

fearing to lose the jewel, ran after the bird; but it flew on before

him, keeping just out of his reach, and ceased not to draw him on from

dale to dale and from hill to hill, till the night starkened and the

firmament darkened, when it roosted on a high tree. So Kamar al-Zaman

stopped under the tree confounded in thought and faint for famine and

fatigue, and giving himself up for lost, would have turned back, but

knew not the way whereby he came, for that darkness had overtaken him.

Then he exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in

Allah, the Glorious the Great!"; and laying him down under the tree

(whereon was the bird) slept till the morning, when he awoke and saw

the bird also wake up and fly away. He arose and walked after it, and

it flew on little by little before him, after the measure of his

faring; at which he smiled and said, "By Allah, a strange thing!

Yesterday, this bird flew before me as fast as I could run, and to-day,

knowing that I have awoke tired and cannot run, he flieth after the

measure of my faring. By Allah, this is wonderful! But I must needs

follow this bird whether it lead me to death or to life; and I will go

wherever it goeth, for at all events it will not abide save in some

inhabited land.[FN#309] So he continued to follow the bird which

roosted every night upon a tree; and he ceased not pursuing it for a

space of ten days, feeding on the fruits of the earth and drinking of

its waters. At the end of this time, he came in sight of an inhabited

city, whereupon the bird darted off like the glance of the eye and,

entering the town, disappeared from Kamar al-Zaman, who knew not what

it meant or whither it was gone; so he marvelled at this and exclaimed,

"Praise be to Allah who hath brought me in safety to this city!" Then

he sat down by a stream and washed his hands and feet and face and

rested awhile; and, recalling his late easy and pleasant life of union

with his beloved and contrasting it with his present plight of trouble

and fatigue and distress and strangerhood and famine and severance, the

tears streamed from his eyes and he began repeating these cinquains,

"Pain had I hid thy handwork, but it showed, *

Changed sleep for wake, and wake with me abode:

When thou didst spurn my heart I cried aloud *

Pate, hold thy hand and cease to gird and goad:

In dole and danger aye my sprite I spy!

An but the Lord of Love were just to me, *

Sleep fro' my eyelids ne'er were forced to flee.

Pity, my lady, one for love o' thee *

Prom his tribes darling brought to low degree:

Love came and doomed Wealth beggar-death to die.

The railers chide at thee: I ne'er gainsay, *

But stop my ears and dumbly sign them Nay:

'Thou lov'st a slender may,' say they; I say, *

'I've picked her out and cast the rest away:'

Enough; when Fate descends she blinds man's

eye!"[FN#310]

And as soon as he had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he

rose and walked on little by little, till he entered the city.—And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted

say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as Kamar

al-Zaman had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he arose and

entered the city-gate[FN#311] not knowing whither he should wend. He

crossed the city from end to end, entering by the land-gate, and ceased

not faring on till he came out at the sea- gate, for the city stood on

the sea-shore. Yet he met not a single one of its citizens. And after

issuing from the land-gate he fared forwards and ceased not faring till

he found himself among the orchards and gardens of the place; and,

passing among the trees presently came to a garden and stopped before

its door; where-upon the keeper came out to him and saluted him. The

Prince returned his greeting and the gardener bade him welcome, saying,

"Praised be Allah that thou hast come off safe from the dwellers of

this city! Quick, come into the garth, ere any of the townfolk see

thee." Thereupon Kamar al-Zaman entered that garden, wondering in mind,

and asked the keeper, "What may be the history of the people of this

city and who may they be?" The other answered, "Know that the people of

this city are all Magians: but Allah upon thee, tell me how thou camest

to this city and what caused thy coming to our capital." Accordingly

Kamar al-Zaman told the gardener all that had befallen him from

beginning to end, whereat he marvelled with great marvel and said,

"Know, O my son, that the cities of Al-Islam lie far from us; and

between us and them is a four months' voyage by sea and a whole twelve

months' journey by land. We have a ship which saileth every year with

merchandise to the nearest Moslem country and which entereth the seas

of the Ebony Islands and thence maketh the Khalidan Islands, the

dominions of King Shahriman." Thereupon Kamar al- Zaman considered

awhile and concluded that he could not do better than abide in the

garden with the gardener and become his assistant, receiving for pay

one fourth of the produce. So he said to him, "Wilt thou take me into

thy service, to help thee in this garden?" Answered the gardener, "To

hear is to consent;" and began teaching him to lead the water to the

roots of the trees. So Kamar al-Zaman abode with him, watering the

trees and hoeing up the weeds and wearing a short blue frock which

reached to his knees. And he wept floods of tears; for he had no rest

day or night, by reason of his strangerhood and he ceased not to repeat

verses upon his beloved, amongst others the following couplets,

"Ye promised us and will ye not keep plight? *

Ye said a say and shall not deed be dight?

We wake for passion while ye slumber and sleep; *

Watchers and wakers claim not equal right:

We vowed to keep our loves in secrecy, *

But spake the meddler and you spoke forthright:

O friend in pain and pleasure, joy and grief, *

In all case you, you only, claim my sprite!

Mid folk is one who holds my prisoned heart; *

Would he but show some ruth for me to sight.

Not every eye like mine is wounded sore, *

Not every heart like mine love-pipings blight:

Ye wronged me saying, Love is wrongous aye *

Yea! ye were right, events have proved that quite.

Forget they one love-thralled, whose faith the world *

Robs not, though burn the fires in heart alight:

If an my foeman shall become my judge, *

Whom shall I sue to remedy his despight?

Had not I need of love nor love had sought, *

My heart forsure were not thus love-distraught."

Such was the case with Kamar al-Zaman; but as regards his wife, the

Lady Budur, when she awoke she sought her husband and found him not:

then she saw her petticoat-trousers undone, for the band had been

loosed and the bezel lost, whereupon she said to herself, "By Allah,

this is strange! Where is my husband? It would seem as if he had taken

the talisman and gone away, knowing not the secret which is in it.

Would to Heaven I knew whither can he have wended! But it must needs

have been some extraordinary matter that drew him away, for he cannot

brook to leave me a moment. Allah curse the stone and damn its hour!"

Then she considered awhile and said in her mind, "If I go out and tell

the varlets and let them learn that my husband is lost they will lust

after me: there is no help for it but that I use stratagem. So she rose

and donned some of her husband's clothes and riding- boots, and a

turband like his, drawing one corner of it across her face for a

mouth-veil.[FN#312] Then, setting a slave-girl in her litter, she went

forth from the tent and called to the pages who brought her Kamar

al-Zaman's steed; and she mounted and bade them load the beasts and

resume the march. So they bound on the burdens and departed; and she

concealed her trick, none doubting but she was Kamar al-Zaman, for she

favoured him in face and form; nor did she cease journeying, she and

her suite, days and nights, till they came in sight of a city

overlooking the Salt Sea, where they pitched their tents without the

walls and halted to rest. The Princess asked the name of the town and

was told, "It is called the City of Ebony; its King is named Armanús,

and he hath a daughter Hayát al-Nufús[FN#313] hight,"—And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Lady

Budur halted within sight of the Ebony City to take her rest, King

Armanus sent a messenger, to learn what King it was who had encamped

without his capital; so the messenger, coming to the tents, made

inquiry anent their King, and was told that she was a King's son who

had lost the way being bound for the Khalidan Islands; whereupon he

returned to King Armanus with the tidings; and, when the King heard

them, he straightway rode out with the lords of his land to greet the

stranger on arrival. As he drew near the tents the Lady Budur came to

meet him on foot, whereupon the King alighted and they saluted each

other. Then he took her to the city and, bringing her up to the palace,

bade them spread the tables and trays of food and commanded them to

transport her company and baggage to the guess house. So they abode

there three days; at the end of which time the King came in to the Lady

Budur. Now she had that day gone to the Hammam and her face shone as

the moon at its full, a seduction to the world and a rending of the

veil of shame to mankind; and Armanus found her clad in a -suit of

silk, embroidered with gold and jewels; so he said to her, 'O my son,

know that I am a very old man, decrepit withal, and Allah hath blessed

me with no child save one daughter, who resembleth thee in beauty and

grace; and I am now waxed unfit for the conduct of the state. She is

shine, O my son; and, if this my land please thee and thou be willing

to abide and make thy home here, I will marry thee to her and give thee

my kingdom and so be at rest." When Princess Budur heard this, she

bowed her head and her forehead sweated for shame, and she said to

herself. "How shall I do, and I a woman? If I refuse and depart from

him, I cannot be safe but that haply send after me troops to slay me;

and if I consent, belike I shall be put to shame. I have lost my

beloved Kamar al-Zaman and know not what is become of him; nor can I

escape from this scrape save by holding my peace and consenting and

abiding here, till Allah bring about what is to be." So she raised her

head and made submission to King Armanus, saying, "Hearkening and

obedience!"; whereat he rejoiced and bade the herald make proclamation

throughout the Ebony Islands to hold high festival and decorate the

houses. Then he assembled his Chamberlains and Nabobs, and Emirs and

Wazirs and his officers of state and the Kazis of the city; and,

formally abdicating his Sultanate, endowed Budur therewith and invested

her in all the vestments of royalty. The Emirs and Grandees went in to

her and did her homage, nothing doubting but that she was a young man,

and all who looked on her bepissed their bag-trousers, for the excess

of her beauty and loveliness. Then, after the Lady Budur had been made

Sultan and the drums had been beaten in announcement of the glad event,

and she had been ceremoniously enthroned, King Armanus proceeded to

equip his daughter Hayat al-Nufus for marriage, and in a few days, they

brought the Lady Budur in to her, when they seemed as it were two moons

risen at one time or two suns in conjunction. So they entered the

bridal-chamber and the doors were shut and the curtains let down upon

them, after the attendants had lighted the wax-candles and spread for

them the carpet-bed. When Budur found herself alone with the Princess

Hayat al-Nufus, she called to mind her beloved Kamar al-Zaman and grief

was sore upon her. So she wept for his absence, and estrangement and

she began repeating,

"O ye who fled and left my heart in pain low li'en, *

No breath of life if found within this frame of mine:

I have an eye which e'er complains of wake, but lo! *

Tears occupy it would that wake content these eyne!

After ye marched forth the lover 'bode behind; *

Question of him what pains your absence could design!

But for the foods of tears mine eyelids rail and rain, *

My fires would flame on high and every land calcine.

To Allah make I moan of loved ones lost for aye, *

Who for my pine and pain no more shall pain and pine:

I never wronged them save that over love I nurst: *

But Love departs us lovers into blest and curst."

And when she had finished her repeating, the Lady Budur sat down beside

the Princess Hayat al-Nufus and kissed her on the mouth; after which

rising abruptly, she made the minor ablution and betook herself to her

devotions; nor did she leave praying till Hayat al-Nufus fell asleep,

when she slips into bed and lay with her back to her till morning. And

when day had broke the King and Queen came in to their daughter and

asked her how she did. whereupon she told them what she had seen, and

repeated to them the verses she had heard. Thus far concerning Hayat

al-Nufus and her father; but as regards Queen Budur she went forth and

seated herself upon the royal throne and all the Emirs and Captains and

Officers of state came up to her and wished her joy of the kingship,

kissing the earth before her and calling down blessings upon her. And

she accosted them with smiling face and clad them in robes of honour,

augmenting the fiefs of the high officials and giving largesse to the

levies; wherefore all the people loved her and offered up prayers for

the long endurance of her reign, doubting not but that she was a man.

And she ceased not sitting all day in the hall of audience, bidding and

forbidding; dispensing justice, releasing prisoners and remitting the

customs-dues, till nightfall, when she withdrew to the apartment

prepared for her. Here she found Hayat al-Nufus seated, so she sat down

by her side and, clapping her on the back, coaxed and caressed her and

kissed her between the eyes, and fell to versifying in these couplets,

"What secret kept I these my tears have told, *

And my waste body must my love unfold:

Though hid my pine, my plight on parting day *

To every envious eye my secret sold:

O ye who broke up camp, you've left behind *

My spirit wearied and my heart a-cold:

In my hearts core ye dwell, and now these eyne *

Roll blood-drops with the tears they whilome rolled:

The absent will I ransom with my soul; *

All can my yearning for their sight behold:

I have an eye whose babe,[FN#314] for love of thee, *

Rejected sleep nor hath its tears controlled.

The foeman bids me patient bear his loss, *

Ne'er may mine ears accept the ruth he doled!

I tricks their deme of me, and won my wish *

Of Kamar al-Zaman's joys manifold:

He joins all perfect gifts like none before, *

Boasted such might and main no King of old:

Seeing his gifts, Bin Zá'idah's[FN#315] largesse *

Forget we, and Mu'áwiyah mildest-soul'd:[FN#316]

Were verse not feeble and o'er short the time *

I had in laud of him used all of rhyme."

Then Queen Budur stood up and wiped away her tears and, making the

lesser ablution,[FN#317] applied her to pray: nor did she give over

praying till drowsiness overcame the Lady Hayat al- Nufus and she

slept, whereupon the Lady Budur came and lay by her till the morning.

At daybreak, she arose and prayed the dawn- prayer; and presently

seated herself on the royal throne and passed the day in ordering and

counter ordering and giving laws and administering justice. This is how

it fared with her; but as regards King Armanus he went in to his

daughter and asked her how she did; so she told him all that had

befallen her and repeated to him the verses which Queen Budur had

recited, adding, "O my father, never saw I one more abounding in sound

sense and modesty than my husband, save that he cloth nothing but weep

and sigh." He answered, "O my daughter, have patience with him yet this

third night, and if he go not in unto thee and do away thy maidenhead,

we shall know how to proceed with him and oust him from the throne and

banish him the country." And on this wise he agreed with his daughter

what course he would take.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Tenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Armanus

had agreed with his daughter on this wise and had determined what

course he would take and night came on, Queen Budur arose from the

throne of her kingdom and betaking herself to the palace, entered the

apartment prepared for her. There she found the wax-candles lighted and

the Princess Hayat al-Nufus seated and awaiting her; whereupon she

bethought her of her husband and what had betided them both of sorrow

and severance in so short a space; she wept and sighed and groaned

groan upon groan, and began improvising these couplets,

"News of my love fill all the land, I swear, *

As suns on Ghazá[FN#318]-wold rain heat and glare:

Speaketh his geste but hard its sense to say; *

Thus never cease to grow my cark and care:

I hate fair Patience since I loved thee; *

E'er sawest lover hate for love to bear?

A glance that dealt love-sickness dealt me death, *

Glances are deadliest things with torments rare:

He shook his love locks down and bared his chin, *

Whereby I spied his beauties dark and fair:

My care, my cure are in his hands; and he *

Who caused their dolour can their dole repair:

His belt went daft for softness of his waist; *

His hips, for envy, to uprise forbear:

His brow curl-diademed is murky night; *

Unveil 't and lo! bright Morn shows brightest light."

When she had finished her versifying, she would have risen to pray,

but, lo and behold! Hayat al-Nufus caught her by the skirt and clung to

her saying, "O my lord, art thou not ashamed before my father, after

all his favour, to neglect me at such a time as this?" When Queen Budur

heard her words, she sat down in the same place and said, "O my

beloved, what is this thou sayest?" She replied, "What I say is that I

never saw any so proud of himself as thou. Is every fair one so

disdainful? I say not this to incline thee to me; I say it only of my

fear for thee from King Armanus; because he purposeth, unless thou go

in unto me this very night, and do away my maidenhead, to strip thee of

the kingship on the morrow and banish thee his kingdom; and

peradventure his excessive anger may lead him to slay thee. But I, O my

lord, have ruth on thee and give thee fair warning; and it is thy right

to reck."[FN#319] Now when Queen Budur heard her speak these words, she

bowed her head ground-wards awhile in sore perplexity and said in

herself, "If I refuse I'm lost; and if I obey I'm shamed. But I am now

Queen of all the Ebony Islands and they are under my rule, nor shall I

ever again meet my Kamar al- Zaman save in this place; for there is no

way for him to his native land but through the Ebony Islands. Verily, I

know not what to do in my present case, but I commit my care to Allah

who directeth all for the best, for I am no man that I should arise and

open this virgin girl." Then quoth Queen Budur to Hayat al- Nufus, "O

my beloved, that I have neglected thee and abstained from thee is in my

own despite." And she told her her whole story from beginning to end

and showed her person to her, saying, "I conjure thee by Allah to keep

my counsel, for I have concealed my case only that Allah may reunite me

with my beloved Kamar al- Zaman and then come what may."—And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Eleventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Lady

Budur acquainted Hayat al-Nufus with her history and bade her keep it

secret, the Princess heard her with extreme wonderment and was moved to

pity and prayed Allah to reunite her with her beloved, saying, "Fear

nothing, O my sister; but have patience till Allah bring to pass that

which must come to pass:" and she began repeating,

"None but the men of worth a secret keep;

With worthy men a secret's hidden deep;

As in a room, so secrets lie with me,

Whose door is sealed, lock shot and lost the key."[FN#320]

And when Hayat al-Nufus had ended her verses, she said, "O my sister,

verily the breasts of the noble and brave are of secrets the grave; and

I will not discover shine." Then they toyed and embraced and kissed and

slept till near the Mu'ezzin's call to dawn prayer, when Hayat al-Nufus

arose and took a pigeon-poult,[FN#321] and cut its throat over her

smock and besmeared herself with its blood. Then she pulled off her

petticoat-trousers and cried aloud, where-upon her people hastened to

her and raised the usual lullilooing and outcries of joy and gladness.

Presently her mother came in to her and asked her how she did and

busied herself about her and abode with her till evening; whilst the

Lady Budur arose with the dawn, and repaired to the bath and, after

washing herself pure, proceeded to the hall of audience, where she sat

down on her throne and dispensed justice among the folk. Now when King

Armanus heard the loud cries of joy, he asked what was the matter and

was informed of the consummation of his daughter's marriage; whereat he

rejoiced and his breast swelled with gladness and he made a great

marriage-feast whereof the merry-making lasted a long time. Such was

their case: but as regards King Shahriman it was on this wise. After

his son had fared forth to the chase accompanied by Marzawan, as before

related, he tarried patiently awaiting their return at nightfall; but

when his son did not appear he passed a sleepless night and the dark

hours were longsome upon him; his restlessness was excessive, his

excitement grew upon him and he thought the morning would never dawn.

Anc when day broke he sat expecting his son and waited till noon, but

he came not; whereat his heart forebode separation and was fired with

fears for Kamar al-Zaman; and he cried, "Alas! my son!" and he wept

till his clothes were drenched with tears, and repeated with a beating

heart,

"Love's votaries I ceased not to oppose, *

Till doomed to taste Love's bitter and Love's sweet:

I drained his rigour-cup to very dregs, *

Self humbled at its slaves' and freemen's feet:

Fortune had sworn to part the loves of us; *

She kept her word how truly, well I weet!"

And when he ended his verse, he wiped away his tears and bade his

troops make ready for a march and prepare for a long expedition. So

they all mounted and set forth, headed by the Sultan, whose heart burnt

with grief and was fired with anxiety for his son Kamar al-Zaman; and

they advanced by forced marches. Now the King divided his host into six

divisions, a right wing and a left wing, a vanguard and a rear

guard;[FN#322] and bade them rendezvous for the morrow at the

cross-roads. Accordingly they separated and scoured the country all the

rest of that day till night, and they marched through the night and at

noon of the ensuing day they joined company at the place where four

roads met. But they knew not which the Prince followed, till they saw

the sign of torn clothes and sighted shreds of flesh and beheld blood

still sprinkled by the way and they noted every piece of the clothes

and fragment of mangled flesh scattered on all sides. Now when King

Shahriman saw this, he cried from his heart-core a loud cry, saying,

"Alas, my son!"; and buffeted his face and plucks his beard and rent

his raiment, doubting not but his son was dead. Then he gave himself up

to excessive weeping and wailing, and the troops also wept for his

weeping, all being assured that Prince Kamar al-Zaman had perished.

They threw dust on their heads, and the night surprised them shedding

tears and lamenting till they were like to die. Then the King with a

heart on fire and with burning sighs spake these couplets,