[Illustration]
[Illustration: لا لابرار كلّ شي تبر]
“TO THE PURE ALL THINGS ARE PURE.”
(Puris omnia pura)
—_Arab Proverb._
“Niuna corrotta mente intese mai sanamente parole.”
—“_Decameron_”—_conclusion_.
“Erubuit, posuitque meum Lucretia librum
Sed coram Bruto. Brute! recede, leget.”
—_Martial._
“Mieulx est de ris que de larmes escripre,
Pour ce que rire est le propre des hommes.”
—RABELAIS.
“The pleasure we derive from perusing the Thousand-and-One Stories makes
us regret that we possess only a comparatively small part of these truly
enchanting fictions.”
—CRICHTON’S “_History of Arabia_.”
[Illustration]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Supplemental
Nights
_TO THE BOOK OF THE_
Thousand Nights and a Night
_WITH NOTES ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND EXPLANATORY_
VOLUME III.
BY
RICHARD F. BURTON
[Illustration]
PRINTED BY THE BURTON CLUB FOR PRIVATE SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Shammar Edition
Limited to one thousand numbered sets, of which this is
Number ____
PRINTED IN U. S. A.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO
HENRY EDWARD JOHN, LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY,
THIS
THE MOST INNOCENT VOLUME OF THE NIGHTS
IS INSCRIBED BY HIS OLD COMPANION,
THE AUTHOR.
FOREWORD.
The peculiar proceedings of the Curators, Bodleian Library, Oxford, of
which full particulars shall be given in due time, have dislocated the
order of my volumes. The Prospectus had promised that Tome III. should
contain detached extracts from the MS. known as the Wortley-Montague,
and that No. IV. and part of No. V. should comprise a reproduction of
the ten Tales (or eleven, including “The Princess of Daryábár”), which
have so long been generally attributed to Professor Galland.
Circumstances, however, wholly beyond my control have now compelled me
to devote the whole of this volume to the Frenchman’s stories.
It will hardly be doubted that for a complete receuil of The Nights a
retranslation of the Gallandian _histoires_ is necessary. The learned
Professor Gustav Weil introduced them all, Germanised literally from the
French, into the Dritter Band of his well-known version—Tausend und eine
Nacht; and not a few readers of Mr. John Payne’s admirable translation
(the Villon) complained that they had bought it in order to see Ali
Baba, Aladdin, and others translated into classical English and that
they much regretted the absence of their old favourites.
But the modus operandi was my prime difficulty. I disliked the idea of
an unartistic break or change in the style, ever
“Tâchant de rendre mien cet air d’antiquité,”
and I aimed at offering to my readers a homogeneous sequel. My first
thought for securing uniformity of treatment was to render the French
text into Arabic, and then to retranslate it into English. This process,
however, when tried was found wanting; so I made inquiries in all
directions for versions of the Gallandian histories which might have
been published in Persian, Turkish, or Hindustani. Though assisted by
the Prince of London Bibliopoles, Bernard Quaritch, I long failed to
find my want: the vernaculars in Persian and Turkish are translated
direct from the Arabic texts, and all ignore the French stories. At last
a friend, Cameron MacDowell, himself well known to the world of letters,
sent me from Bombay a quaint lithograph with quainter illustrations
which contained all I required. This was a version of Totárám Sháyán
(No. III.), which introduced the whole of the Gallandian Tales: better
still, these were sufficiently orientalised and divested of their
inordinate Gallicism, especially their longsome dialogue, by being
converted into Hindustani, the Urdú Zabán (camp or court language) of
Upper India and the Lingua Franca of the whole Peninsula.
During one of my sundry visits to the British Museum, I was introduced
by Mr. Alexander G. Ellis to Mr. James F. Blumhardt, of Cambridge, who
pointed out to me two other independent versions, one partly rhymed and
partly in prose.
Thus far my work was done for me. Mr. Blumhardt, a practical orientalist
and teacher of the modern Prakrit tongues, kindly undertook, at my
request to english the Hindustani, collating, at the same time, the
rival versions; and thus, at a moment when my health was at its worst,
he saved me all trouble and labour except that of impressing the manner
with my own sign manual, and of illustrating the text, where required,
with notes anthropological and other.
Meanwhile, part of my plan was modified by a visit to Paris in early
1887. At the Bibliothèque Nationale I had the pleasure of meeting M.
Hermann Zotenberg, keeper of Eastern manuscripts, an Orientalist of high
and varied talents, and especially famous for his admirable _Chronique
de Tabari_. Happily for me, he had lately purchased for the National
Library, from a vendor who was utterly ignorant of its history, a MS.
copy of The Nights, containing the Arabic originals of Zayn al-Asnam and
Alaeddin. The two volumes folio are numbered and docketed “Supplément
Arabe, Nos. 2522–23;” they measure 31 cent. by 20; Vol. i. contains 411
folios (822 pages) and Vol. ii. 402 (pp. 804); each page numbers fifteen
lines, and each _folio_ has its catchword. The paper is French, English
and Dutch, with four to five different marks, such as G. Gautier; D. and
C. Blaew; Pro Patriâ and others. The highly characteristic writing,
which is the same throughout the two folios, is easily recognised as
that of Michel (Mikhaíl) Sabbágh, the Syrian, author of the _Colombe
Messagère_, published in Paris A.D. 1805, and accompanied by a
translation by the celebrated Silvestre de Sacy (Chrestomathie iii.
365). This scribe also copied, about 1810, for the same Orientalist, the
Ikhwán al-Safá.
I need say nothing more concerning this MS., which M. Zotenberg purposes
to describe bibliographically in volume xxviii. of _Notices et extraits
des Manuscrits de la Bibliothèque nationale publiés par l’Académie des
inscriptions et belles lettres_. And there will be a tirage à part of
200–300 copies entitled _Histoire d’ ‘Alá al-Dîn ou La Lampe
Merveilleuse, Texte Arabe, publié par H. Zotenberg; Paris, Imprimerie
Nationale, 1888_; including a most important contribution:—_Sur quelques
Manuscrits des Mille et une Nuits et la traduction de Galland_.[1]
The learned and genial author has favoured me with proof sheets of his
labours: it would be unfair to disclose the discoveries, such as the
Manuscript Journals in the Bibliothèque Nationale (Nos. 15277 to 15280),
which the illustrious Galland kept regularly till the end of his life,
and his conversations with “M. Hanna, Maronite d’Halep,” alias Jean Dipi
(Dippy, a corruption of Diab): suffice it to say that they cast a clear
and wholly original light upon the provenance of eight of the Gallandian
histories. I can, however, promise to all “Aladdinists” a rich harvest
of facts which wholly displace those hitherto assumed to be factual. But
for the satisfaction of my readers I am compelled to quote the colophon
of M. Zotenberg’s great “find” (vol. ii.), as it bears upon a highly
important question.
“And the finishing thereof was during the first decade of Jamádi the
Second, of the one thousand and one hundred and fifteenth year of
the Hegirah (= A.D. 1703) by the transcription of the neediest of
His slaves unto Almighty Allah, Ahmad bin Mohammed al-Tarádí, in
Baghdad City: he was a Sháfi’í of school, and a Mosuli by birth, and
a Baghdadi by residence, and he wrote it for his own use, and upon
it he imprinted his signet. So Allah save our lord Mohammed and his
Kin and Companions and assain them! Kabíkaj.”[2]
Now as this date corresponds with A.D. 1703, whereas Galland did not
begin publishing until 1704–1705, the original MS. of Ahmad al-Tarádí
could not have been translated or adapted from the French; and although
the transcription by Mikhail Sabbagh, writing in 1805–10, may have
introduced modifications borrowed from Galland, yet the scrupulous
fidelity of his copy, shown by sundry marginal and other notes, lays the
suspicion that changes of importance have been introduced by him.
Remains now only to find the original codex of Al-Tarádí.
I have noticed in my translation sundry passages which appear to betray
the Christian hand; but these are mostly of scanty consequence in no
wise affecting the genuineness of the text.
The history of Zayn al-Asnam was copied from the Sabbágh MS. and sent to
me by M. Houdas, _Professeur d’Arabe vulgaire a l’École des langues
orientales vivantes_; an Arabist, whose name is favourably quoted in the
French Colonies of Northern Africa. M. Zotenberg kindly lent me his own
transcription of Alaeddin before sending it to print; and I can only
regret that the dilatory proceedings of the Imprimerie Nationale, an
establishment supported by the State, and therefore ignoring the
trammels of private industry, have prevented my revising the version now
submitted to the public. This volume then begins with the two Gallandian
Tales, “Zeyn Alasnam” and “Aladdin,” whose Arabic original was
discovered by M. Zotenberg during the last year: although separated in
the French version, I have brought them together for the sake of
uniformity. The other eight (or nine, including the Princess of
Daryabar), entitled
History of Khudadad and his Brothers, and the Princess of Daryabar;
History of the Blind Man, Baba Abdullah;
History of Sidi Nu’uman;
History of Khwajah Hasan al-Habbal;
History of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves;
History of Ali Khwajah and the Merchant of Baghdad;
History of Prince Ahmad and the Fairy Peri-banu;
History of the two Sisters who envied their Cadette;
are borrowed mainly from the Indian version of Totárám Sháyán.
And here I must quote the bibliographical notices concerning the sundry
versions into Urdu or Hindustani which have been drawn up with great
diligence by Mr. Blumhardt.
“The earliest attempt to translate the Arabian Nights was made by
Munshi Shams al-Dín Ahmad Shirwáni. A prose version of the first two
hundred Nights made by him ‘for the use of the College at Fort St.
George’ was lithographed at Madras in the year A.H. 1252 (A.D. 1836)
and published in 8vo volumes (pp. 517, 426) under the title ‘Hikayat
ool jaleelah’[3] (Hikáyát al-Jalílah). The translation was made from
an Arabic original but it does not appear what edition was made use
of. The translator had intended to bring out a version of the entire
work, but states in his preface that, being unable to procure the
Arabic of the other Nights, he could not proceed with the
translation, and had to be content to publish only two hundred
nights. This version does not appear to have become popular, for no
other edition seems to have been published. And the author must not
be confounded with Shaykh Ahmad Shirwáni, who, in A.D. 1814, printed
an Arabic edition of the Arabian Nights Entertainments (Calcutta,
Pereira) which also stopped at No. CC.”
“The next translation was made by Munshi ’Abd al-Karím, likewise in
prose. From the preface and colophon to this work it appears that
’Abd al-Karím obtained a copy of Edward Foster’s English version of
the Arabian Nights, and after two years’ labour completed a
translation of the whole work in A.H. 1258 (A.D. 1842). It was
lithographed at the Mustafai Press at Kánpúi (Cawnpore) in the year
A.H. 1263 (A.D. 1847) and published in four vols., in two royal
8vos, lithographed; each containing two Jilds (or parts, pp. 276,
274; 214 and 195).”
“A second edition appeared from the same press in A.H. 1270 (A.D.
1853) also in two vols. 8vo of two Jilds each (pp. 249, 245; 192,
176). Since then several other editions have been published at
Cawnpore, at Lakhnau[4] and also at Bombay. This translation is
written in an easy fluent style, omitting all coarseness of
expression or objectionable passages, in language easily understood,
and at the same time in good and elegant Hindustani. It is therefore
extremely popular, and selections from the 4th Jild have been taken
as text books for the Indian Civil Service examinations. A Romanized
Urdu version of the first two Jilds according to Duncan Forbes’
system of transliteration, was made ‘under the superintendence of T.
W. H. Tolbort,’ and published under the editorship of F. Pincott in
London, by W. H. Allen and Co. in 1882.[5] There has been no attempt
to divide this translation into Nights: there are headings to the
several tales and nothing more. To supply this want, and also to
furnish the public with a translation closer to the original, and
one more intelligible to Eastern readers, and in accordance with
oriental thought and feeling, a third translation was taken in hand
by Totárám Sháyán, at the instance of Nawal Kishore, the well-known
bookseller and publisher of Lucknow. The first edition of this
translation was lithographed at Lucknow in the year A.H. 1284 (A.D.
1868) and published in a 4to vol. of 1,080 pages under the title of
Hazár Dastán.[6] Totárám Sháyán has followed ’Abd al-Karim’s
arrangement of the whole work into four Jilds, each of which has a
separate pagination (pp. 304, 320, 232, and 224). The third Jild has
251 Nights: the other three 250 each. The translation is virtually
in prose, but it abounds in snatches of poetry, songs and couplets
taken from the writings of Persian poets, and here and there a
verse-rendering of bits of the story. This translation, though
substantially agreeing in the main with that of ’Abd al-Karim, yet
differs widely from it in the treatment. It is full of flowery
metaphors and is written in a rich ornate style, full of Persian and
Arabic words and idioms, which renders it far less easy to
understand than the simple language of ’Abd al-Karim. Some passages
have been considerably enlarged and sometimes contain quite
different reading from that of ’Abd al-Karim, with occasional
additional matter. In other places descriptions have been much
curtailed so that although the thread of the story may be the same
in both translations it is hard to believe that the two translators
worked from the same version. Unfortunately Totárám Sháyán makes no
mention at all of the source whence he made his translation whether
English or Arabic. This translation reached its fourth edition in
1883, and has been published with the addition of several badly
executed full-page illustrations evidently taken from English
prints.”
“Yet another translation of The Nights has been made into
Hindustani, and this a versified paraphrase, the work of three
authors whose takhallus or noms de plume, were as follows, “Nasím”
(Muhammad Asghar Ali Khán), translator of the first Jild, “Sháyán”
(Totárám Sháyán), who undertook the second and third Jilds, and
“Chaman” (Shádí Lál) by whom the fourth and last Jild was
translated. The work is complete in 1,244 pages 4to, and was
lithographed at Lucknow; Jilds i.-iii. in A.H. 1278 (A.D. 1862) and
Jild iv. in 1285 (A.D. 1869). This translation is also divided into
Nights, differing slightly from the prose translation of Totárám
Sháyán, as the first Jild has 251 Nights and the others 250 each.”
And now I have only to end this necessarily diffuse Foreword with my
sincerest thanks to Mr. E. J. W. Gibb who permitted me to print his
version of the Turkish Zayn al-Asnam; to Mr. Clouston, the Storiologist,
who has brought his wide experience of Folk-lore to bear upon the tales
included in my Third Supplemental Volume; and to Dr. Steingass, who
during my absence from England kindly passed my proofs through the
press.
RICHARD F. BURTON.
SAUERBRUNN-ROHITSCH, STYRIA.
_Sept. 15, ’87._
CONTENTS OF THE THIRD VOLUME.
PAGE
1. THE TALE OF ZAYN AL-ASNAM 1
_a._ THE TURKISH VERSION BY E. J. W. GIBB 39
2. ALAEDDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP 49
_a._ THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF GALLAND 193
3. ADVENTURES OF KHUDADAD AND HIS BROTHERS 267
_a._ HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS OF DARYABAR 281
4. HISTORY OF THE CALIPH’S NIGHT ADVENTURE 307
_a._ STORY OF THE BLIND MAN, BABA ABDULLAH 311
_b._ HISTORY OF SIDI NU’UMAN 325
_c._ HISTORY OF KHWAJAH HASAN AL-HABBAL 341
5. STORY OF ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 369
6. STORY OF ALI KHWAJAH AND THE MERCHANT OF BAGHDAD 405
7. ADVENTURES OF PRINCE AHMAD AND THE FAIRY PERIBANU 419
8. TALE OF THE TWO SISTERS WHO ENVIED THEIR CADETTE 491
APPENDIX: VARIANTS AND ANALOGUES
OF THE TALES IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL NIGHTS, VOL. III.
BY W. A. CLOUSTON.
PAGE
THE TALE OF ZAYN AL-ASNAM 553
ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP 564
KHUDADAD AND HIS BROTHERS 576
THE STORY OF THE BLIND MAN, BABA ABDULLAH 582
HISTORY OF SIDI NU’UMAN 585
HISTORY OF KHWAJAH HASAN AL-HABBAL 587
ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 590
ALI KHWAJAH AND THE MERCHANT OF BAGHDAD 596
PRINCE ADMAD AND THE PERI BANU 600
THE TWO SISTERS WHO ENVIED THEIR CADETTE 617
ADDITIONAL NOTES:—
THE TALE OF ZAYN AL-ASNAM 649
ALADDIN; OR THE WONDERFUL LAMP 650
ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 650
THE TALE OF PRINCE AHMAD 652
THE TALE OF ZAYN AL-ASNAM.
(_ARABIC._)
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night,[7]
Quoth Dunyázád, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, tell us
one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the waking hours of
this our night;” and quoth the King, “Let it be
_THE TALE OF ZAYN AL-ASNAM._”[8]
Shahrázád replied:——With love and good will! It hath reached me, O King
of the Age, that in Bassorah-city[9] reigned a puissant Sultan, who was
opulent exceedingly and who owned all the goods of life; but he lacked a
child which might inherit his wealth and dominion. So, being sorely
sorrowful on this account, he arose and fell to doing abundant
alms-deeds to Fakírs and the common poor, to the Hallows and other holy
men and prayed their recourse to Allah Almighty, in order that the Lord
(to whom belong Might and Majesty!) might of His grace bless him with
issue. And the Compassionate accepted his prayer for his alms to the
Religious and deigned grant his petition; and one night of the nights
after he lay with the Queen she went away from him with child. Now as
soon as the Sultan heard of the conception he rejoiced with exceeding
great joyance, and when the days of delivery near drew he gathered
together all the astrologers and sages who strike the sand-board,[10]
and said to them, “’Tis our desire that ye disclose and acquaint us
anent the birth which is to be born during the present month whether it
shall be male or female, and what shall befal it from the shifts of
Time, and what shall proceed from it.” Thereupon the geomantists struck
their sand-boards and the astrophils ascertained their ascendants and
they drew the horoscope of the babe unborn, and said to the sovran, “O
King of the Age and Lord of the Time and the Tide, verily the child to
which the Queen shall presently give birth will be a boy and ’twill be
right for thee to name him Zayn al-Asnám—Zayn of the Images.” Then spake
the geomantists, saying, “Know then, Ho thou the King, that this little
one shall approve him when grown to man’s estate valiant and
intelligent; but his days shall happen upon sundry troubles and
travails, and yet if he doughtily fight against all occurrence he shall
become the most opulent of the Kings of the World.” Exclaimed the
Sultan, “An the child approve himself valorous, as ye have announced,
then the toil and moil which shall be his lot may be held for naught,
inasmuch as calamities but train and strengthen the sons of the
Kings.”[11] Shortly after this the Queen gave birth to a man-child, and
Glory be to Him who fashioned the babe with such peerless beauty and
loveliness! The King named his son Zayn al-Asnam, and presently he
became even as the poets sang of one of his fellows in semblance:—
He showed; and they cried, “Be Allah blest!” ✿ And who made him and
formed him His might attest!
This be surely the lord of all loveliness; ✿ And all others his lieges
and thralls be confest.
Then Zayn al-Asnam grew up and increased until his age attained its
fifteenth year, when his sire the Sultan appointed for him an
experienced governor, one versed in all the sciences and
philosophies;[12] who fell to instructing him till such times as he
waxed familiar with every branch of knowledge, and in due season he
became an adult. Thereupon the Sultan bade summon his son and heir to
the presence together with the Lords of his land and the Notables of his
lieges and addressed him before them with excellent counsel saying, “O
my son, O Zayn al-Asnam, seeing that I be shotten in years and at the
present time sick of a sickness which haply shall end my days in this
world and which anon shall seat thee in my stead, therefore, I bequeath
unto thee the following charge. Beware, O my son, lest thou wrong any
man, and incline not to cause the poor complain; but do justice to the
injured after the measure of thy might. Furthermore, have a care lest
thou trust to every word spoken to thee by the Great; but rather lend
thou ever an ear unto the voice of the general; for that thy Grandees
will betray thee as they seek only whatso suiteth them, not that which
suiteth thy subjects.” A few days after this time the old Sultan’s
distemper increased and his life-term was fulfilled and he died;
whereupon his son, Zayn al-Asnam, arose and donned mourning-dress for
his father during six days; and on the seventh he went forth to the
Divan and took seat upon the throne of his Sultanate. He also held a
levée wherein were assembled all the defenders of the realm, and the
Ministers and the Lords of the land came forward and condoled with him
for the loss of his parent and wished him all good fortune and gave him
joy of his kingship and dominion and prayed for his endurance in honour
and his permanence in prosperity.——And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, tell us
one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the waking hours of
this our night;” and quoth Shahrazad:——It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Zayn al-Asnam seeing himself in this high honour and
opulence[13] and he young in years and void of experience, straightway
inclined unto lavish expenditure and commerce with the younglings, who
were like him and fell to wasting immense wealth upon his pleasures; and
neglected his government, nor paid aught of regard to his subjects.[14]
Thereupon the Queen-mother began to counsel him, and forbid him from
such ill courses, advising him to abandon his perverse inclinations and
apply his mind to rule and commandment, and to further the policy of his
kingdom, lest the lieges repudiate him and rise up against him and
depose him. But he would on no wise hearken to a single of her words and
persisted in his ignorant folly; whereat the folk murmured, inasmuch as
the Lords of the land had put forth their hands to tyranny and
oppression when they saw the King lacking in regard for his Ryots. And
presently the commons rose up against Zayn al-Asnam and would have dealt
harshly with him had not his mother been a woman of wits and wisdom and
contrivance, dearly loved of the general. So she directed the
malcontents aright and promised them every good: then she summoned her
son Zayn al-Asnam and said to him, “Behold, O my child, that which I
foretold for thee, to wit that thou wastest thy realm and lavishest thy
life to boot by persevering in what ignorance thou art; for that thou
hast placed the governance of thy Kingdom in the hands of inexperienced
youth and hast neglected the elders and hast dissipated thy moneys and
the moneys of the monarchy, and thou hast lavished all thy treasure upon
wilfulness and carnal pleasuring.” Zayn al-Asnam, awaking from the
slumber of negligence, forthright accepted his mother’s counsel and,
faring forth at once to the Díwán,[15] he entrusted the management of
the monarchy to certain old officers, men of intelligence and
experience. But he acted on this wise only after Bassorah-town was
ruined, inasmuch as he had not turned away from his ignorant folly
before he had wasted and spoiled all the wealth of the Sultanate, and he
had become utterly impoverished. Thereupon the Prince fell to repenting
and regretting that which had been done by him, until the repose of
sleep was destroyed for him and he shunned meat and drink; nor did this
cease until one night of the nights which had sped in such grief and
thoughtfulness and vain regret until dawn drew nigh and his eyelids
closed for a little while. Then an old and venerable Shaykh appeared to
him in vision[16] and said to him, “O Zayn al-Asnam, sorrow not; for
after sorrow however sore cometh naught but joyance; and, would’st thou
win free of this woe, up and hie thee to Egypt where thou shalt find
hoards of wealth which shall replace whatso thou hast wasted and will
double it more than twofold.” Now when the Prince was aroused from his
sleep he recounted to his mother all he had seen in his dream; but his
parent began to laugh at him, and he said to her, “Mock me not: there is
no help but that I wend Egypt-wards.” Rejoined she, “O my son, believe
not in swevens which be mere imbroglios of sleep and lying phantasies;”
and he retorted saying, “In very sooth my vision is true and the man
whom I saw therein is of the Saints of Allah and his words are
veridical.” Then on a night of the nights mounting horse alone and
privily, he abandoned his Kingdom and took the highway to Egypt; and he
rode day and night until he reached Cairo-city. He entered it and saw it
to be a mighty fine capital; then, tethering his steed he found shelter
in one of its Cathedral-mosques, and he worn out by weariness; however,
when he had rested a little he fared forth and bought himself somewhat
of food. After eating, his excessive fatigue caused him fall asleep in
the mosque; nor had he slept long ere the Shaykh[17] appeared to him a
second time in vision and said to him, “O Zayn al-Asnam,”——And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, tell us
one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the waking hours of
this our night,” and quoth Shahrazad:——It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Shaykh again appeared to the Prince in a vision and said
to him, “O Zayn al-Asnam, thou hast obeyed me in whatso I bade thee and
I only made trial of thee to test an thou be valiant or a craven. But
now I wot thy worth, inasmuch as thou hast accepted my words and thou
hast acted upon my advice: so do thou return straightway to thy capital
and I will make thee a wealthy ruler, such an one that neither before
thee was any king like unto thee nor shall any like unto thee come after
thee.” Hereat Zayn al-Asnam awoke and cried, “Bismillah,—in the name of
Allah, the Compassionating, the Compassionate—what be this Shaykh who
verily persecuted me until I travelled to Cairo; and I having faith in
him and holding that he was either the Apostle (whom Allah save and
assain!) or one of the righteous Hallows of God; and there is no Majesty
and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! By the
Lord, but I did right well in not relating my dream to any save to my
mother and in warning none of my departure. I had full faith in this
oldster; but now, meseemeth, the man is not of those who know the Truth
(be He extolled and exalted!); so by Allah I will cast off all
confidence in this Shaykh and his doings.” With this resolve the Prince
slept that night in the Mosque and on the morrow took horse and after a
few days of strenuous travel arrived at his capital Bassorah. Herein he
entered by night, and forthright went in to his mother who asked him,
“Say me, hast thou won aught of whatso the Shaykh promised thee?” and he
answered her by acquainting her with all his adventure. Then she applied
her to consoling and comforting him, saying, “Grieve not, O my son; if
Almighty Allah have apportioned unto thee aught thou shalt obtain it
without toil and travail.[18] But I would see thee wax sensible and
wise, abandoning all these courses which have landed thee in poverty, O
my son; and shunning songstresses and commune with the inexperienced and
the society of loose livers, male and female. All such pleasures as
these are for the sons of the ne’er-do-well, not for the scions of the
Kings thy peers.” Herewith Zayn al-Asnam sware an oath to bear in mind
all she might say to him, never to gainsay her commandments, nor deviate
from them a single hair’s breadth; to abandon all she should forbid him,
and to fix his thoughts upon rule and governance. Then he addrest
himself to sleep, and as he slumbered, the Shaykh appeared to him a
third time in vision, and said, “O Zayn al-Asnam, O thou valorous
Prince; this very day, as soon as thou shalt have shaken off thy
drowsiness, I will fulfil my covenant with thee. So take with thee a
pickaxe, and hie to such a palace of thy sire, and turn up the ground,
searching it well in such a place where thou wilt find that which shall
enrich thee.” As soon as the Prince awoke, he hastened to his mother in
huge joy and told her his tale; but she fell again to laughing at him,
and saying, “O my child, indeed this old man maketh mock of thee and
naught else; so get thyself clear of him.” But Zayn al-Asnam replied, “O
mother mine, verily this Shaykh is soothfast and no liar: for the first
time he but tried me and now he proposeth to perform his promise.”
Whereto his mother, “At all events, the work is not wearisome; so do
thou whatso thou willest even as he bade thee. Make the trial and
Inshallah—God willing—return to me rejoicing; yet sore I fear lest thou
come back to me and say:—Sooth thou hast spoken in thy speech, O my
mother!” However Zayn al-Asnam took up a pickaxe and, descending to that
part of the palace where his sire lay entombed, began to dig and to
delve; nor had he worked a long while[19] ere, lo and behold! there
appeared to him a ring bedded in a marble slab. He removed the stone and
saw a ladder-like flight of steps whereby he descended until he found a
huge souterrain all pillar’d and propped with columns of marble and
alabaster. And when he entered the inner recesses he saw within the
cave-like souterrain a pavilion which bewildered his wits, and inside
the same stood eight jars[20] of green jasper. So he said in his mind,
“What may be these jars and what may be stored therein?”——And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the full Five Hundredth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, tell us
one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the waking hours of
this our night,” and quoth Shahrazad:——It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when Zayn al-Asnam saw the jars, he came forwards and
unlidding them found each and every full of antique[21] golden pieces;
so he hent a few in hand and going to his mother gave of them to her
saying, “Hast thou seen, O my mother?” She marvelled at the matter and
made answer, “Beware, O my son, of wasting this wealth as thou
dissipatest other aforetime;” whereupon her son sware to her an oath
saying, “Have no care, O my mother, nor be thy heart other than good
before me; and I desire that thou also find satisfaction in mine
actions.” Presently she arose and went forth with him, and the twain
descended into the cavern-like souterrain and entered the pavilion,
where the Queen saw that which wildereth the wits; and she made sure
with her own eyes that the jars were full of gold. But while they
enjoyed the spectacle of the treasure behold, they caught sight of a
smaller jar wondrously wrought in green jasper; so Zayn al-Asnam opened
it and found therein a golden key; whereupon quoth the Queen-mother, “O
my son, needs must this key have some door which it unlocketh.”
Accordingly they sought all about the souterrain and the pavilion to
find if there be a door or aught like thereto, and presently, seeing a
wooden lock fast barred, they knew wherefor the key was intended.
Presently the Prince applied it and opened the lock, whereupon the door
of a palace gave admittance, and when the twain entered they found it
more spacious than the first pavilion and all illumined with a light
which dazed the sight; yet not a wax-candle lit it up nor indeed was
there a recess for lamps. Hereat they marvelled and meditated and
presently they discovered eight images[22] of precious stones, all
seated upon as many golden thrones, and each and every was cut of one
solid piece; and all the stones were pure and of the finest water and
most precious of price. Zayn al-Asnam was confounded hereat and said to
his mother, “Whence could my sire have obtained all these rare things?”
And the twain took their pleasure in gazing at them and considering them
and both wondered to see a ninth throne unoccupied, when the Queen
espied a silken hanging whereon was inscribed:—O my son, marvel not at
this mighty wealth which I have acquired by sore stress and striving
travail. But learn also that there existeth a Ninth Statue whose value
is twenty-fold greater than these thou seest and, if thou would win it,
hie thee again to Cairo-city. There thou shalt find a whilome slave of
mine Mubárak[23] hight and he will take thee and guide thee to the
Statue; and ’twill be easy to find him on entering Cairo: the first
person thou shalt accost will point out the house to thee, for that
Mubarak is known throughout the place. When Zayn al-Asnam had read this
writ he cried, “O my mother, ’tis again my desire to wend my way
Cairo-wards and seek out this image; so do thou say how seest thou my
vision, fact or fiction, after thou assurest me saying:—This be an
imbroglio of sleep? However, at all events, O my mother, now there is no
help for it but that I travel once more to Cairo.” Replied she, “O my
child, seeing that thou be under the protection of the Apostle of Allah
(whom may He save and assain!) so do thou fare in safety, while I and
thy Wazir will order thy reign in thine absence till such time as thou
shalt return.” Accordingly the Prince went forth and gat him ready and
rode on till he reached Cairo where he asked for Mubarak’s house. The
folk answered him saying, “O my lord, this be a man than whom none is
wealthier or greater in boon deeds and bounties, and his home is ever
open to the stranger.” Then they showed him the way and he followed it
till he came to Mubarak’s mansion where he knocked at the door and a
slave of the black slaves opened to him.——And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and First Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, tell us
one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the waking hours of
this our night;” and quoth Shahrazad:——It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Zayn al-Asnam knocked at the door when a slave of Mubarak’s
black slaves came out to him and opening asked him, “Who[24] art thou
and what is it thou wantest?” The Prince answered, “I am a foreigner
from a far country, and I have heard of Mubarak thy lord that he is
famed for liberality and generosity; so that I come hither purposing to
become his guest.” Thereupon the chattel went in to his lord and, after
reporting the matter to him, came out and said to Zayn al-Asnam, “O my
lord, a blessing hath descended upon us by thy footsteps. Do thou enter,
for my master Mubarak awaiteth thee.” Therewith the Prince passed into a
court spacious exceedingly and all beautified with trees and waters, and
the slave led him to the pavilion wherein Mubarak was sitting. As the
guest came in the host straightway rose up and met him with cordial
greeting and cried, “A benediction hath alighted upon us and this night
is the most benedight of the nights by reason of thy coming to us! So
who art thou, O youth, and whence is thine arrival and whither is thine
intent?” He replied, “I am Zayn al-Asnam and I seek one Mubarak, a slave
of the Sultan of Bassorah who deceased a year ago, and I am his son.”
Mubarak rejoined, “What sayest thou? Thou the son of the King of
Bassorah?” and the other retorted, “Yea, verily I am his son.”[25] Quoth
Mubarak, “In good sooth my late lord the King of Bassorah left no son
known to me! But what may be thine age, O youth?” “Twenty years or so,”
quoth the Prince, presently adding, “But thou, how long is it since thou
leftest my sire?” “I left him eighteen years ago,” said the other; “but,
O my child Zayn al-Asnam, by what sign canst thou assure me of thy being
the son of my old master, the Sovran of Bassorah?” Said the Prince,
“Thou alone knowest that my father laid out beneath his palace a
souterrain,[26] and in this he placed forty jars of the finest green
jasper, which he filled with pieces of antique gold, also that within a
pavilion he builded a second palace and set therein eight images of
precious stones, each one of a single gem, and all seated upon royal
seats of placer-gold.[27] He also wrote upon a silken hanging a writ
which I read and which bade me repair to thee and thou wouldst inform me
concerning the Ninth Statue whereabouts it may be, assuring me that it
is worth all the eight.” Now when Mubarak heard these words, he fell at
the feet of Zayn al-Asnam and kissed them exclaiming, “Pardon me, O my
lord, in very truth thou art the son of my old master;” adding,
presently, “I have spread, O my lord, a feast[28] for all the Grandees
of Cairo and I would that thy Highness honour it by thy presence.” The
Prince replied, “With love and the best will.” Thereupon Mubarak arose
and forewent Zayn al-Asnam to the saloon which was full of the Lords of
the land there gathered together, and here he seated himself after
stablishing Zayn al-Asnam in the place of honour. Then he bade the
tables be spread and the feast be served and he waited upon the Prince
with arms crossed behind his back[29] and at times falling upon his
knees. So the Grandees of Cairo marvelled to see Mubarak, one of the
great men of the city, serving the youth and wondered with extreme
wonderment, unknowing whence the stranger was.——And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Second Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, tell us
one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the waking hours of
this our night,” and quoth Shahrazad:——It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Mubarak fell to waiting upon Zayn al-Asnam the son of his old
lord, and the Grandees of Cairo there sitting marvelled to see Mubarak,
one of the great men of the city, serving the youth and wondered with
extreme wonderment, unknowing whence the stranger was. After this they
ate and drank and supped well and were cheered till at last Mubarak
turned towards them and said, “O folk, admire not that I wait upon this
young man with all worship and honour, for that he is the son of my old
lord, the Sultan of Bassorah, who bought me with his money and who died
without manumitting me. I am, therefore, bound to do service to his son,
this my young lord, and all that my hand possesseth of money and
munition belongeth to him nor own I aught thereof at all, at all.” When
the Grandees of Cairo heard these words, they stood up before Zayn
al-Asnam and salamed to him with mighty great respect and entreated him
with high regard and blessed him. Then said the Prince, “O assembly, I
am in the presence of your worships, and be ye my witnesses. O Mubarak,
thou art now freed and all thou hast of goods, gold and gear erst
belonging to us becometh henceforth thine own and thou art endowed with
them for good each and every. Eke do thou ask whatso of importance thou
wouldst have from me, for I will on no wise let or stay thee in thy
requiring it.” With this Mubarak arose and kissed the hand of Zayn
al-Asnam and thanked him for his boons, saying, “O my lord, I wish for
thee naught save thy weal, but the wealth that is with me is altogether
overmuch for my wants.” Then the Prince abode with the Freedman four
days, during which all the Grandees of Cairo made act of presence day by
day to offer their salams as soon as they heard men say, “This is the
master of Mubarak and the monarch of Bassorah.” And whenas the guest had
taken his rest he said to his host, “O Mubarak, my tarrying with thee
hath been long;” whereto said the other, “Thou wottest, O my lord, that
the matter whereinto thou comest to enquire is singular-rare, but that
it also involveth risk of death, and I know not if thy valour can make
the attainment thereto possible to thee.” Rejoined Zayn al-Asnam, “Know,
O Mubarak, that opulence is gained only by blood; nor cometh aught upon
mankind save by determination and predestination of the Creator (be He
glorified and magnified!); so look to thine own stoutness of heart and
take thou no thought of me.” Thereupon Mubarak forthright bade his
slaves get them ready for wayfare; so they obeyed his bidding in all
things and mounted horse and travelled by light and dark over the
wildest of wolds, every day seeing matters and marvels which bewildered
their wits, sights they had never seen in all their years, until they
drew near unto a certain place. There the party dismounted and Mubarak
bade the negro slaves and eunuchs abide on the spot, saying to them, “Do
ye keep watch and ward over the beasts of burthen and the horses until
what time we return to you.” After this the twain set out together afoot
and quoth the Freedman to the Prince, “O my lord, here valiancy
besitteth, for that now thou art in the land of the Image[30] thou
camest to seek.” And they ceased not walking till they reached a lake, a
long water and a wide, where quoth Mubarak to his companion, “Know, O my
lord, that anon will come to us a little craft bearing a banner of azure
tinct and all its planks are of chaunders and lign-aloes of Comorin, the
most precious of woods. And now I would charge thee with a charge the
which must thou most diligently observe.” Asked the other, “And what may
be this charge?” Whereto Mubarak answered, “Thou wilt see in that boat a
boatman[31] whose fashion is the reverse of man’s; but beware, and again
I say beware, lest thou utter a word, otherwise he will at once drown
us.[32] Learn also that this stead belongeth to the King of the Jinns
and that everything thou beholdest is the work of the Jánn.”——And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Third Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, tell us
one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the waking hours of
this our night,” and quoth Shahrazad:——It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Mubarak and Zayn al-Asnam came upon a lake where, behold, they
found a little craft whose planks were of chaunders and lign-aloes of
Comorin and therein stood a ferryman with the head of an elephant while
the rest of his body wore the semblance of a lion.[33] Presently he
approached them and winding his trunk around them[34] lifted them both
into the boat and seated them beside himself: then he fell to paddling
till he passed through the middle of the lake and he ceased not so doing
until he had landed them on the further bank. Here the twain took ground
and began to pace forwards, gazing around them the while and regarding
the trees which bore for burthen ambergris and lign-aloes, sandal,
cloves and gelsemine,[35] all with flowers and fruits bedrest whose
odours broadened the breast and excited the sprite. There also the birds
warbled, with various voices, notes ravishing and rapturing the heart by
the melodies of their musick. So Mubarak turned to the Prince and asked
him saying, “How seest thou this place, O my lord?” and the other
answered, “I deem, O Mubarak, that in very truth this be the Paradise
promised to us by the Prophet (whom Allah save and assain!).” Thence
they fared forwards till they came upon a mighty fine palace all builded
of emeralds and rubies with gates and doors of gold refined: it was
fronted by a bridge one hundred and fifty cubits long to a breadth of
fifty, and the whole was one rib of a fish.[36] At the further end
thereof stood innumerous hosts of the Jann, all frightful of favour and
fear-inspiring of figure and each and every hent in hand javelins of
steel which flashed to the sun like December leven. Thereat quoth the
Prince to his companion, “This be a spectacle which ravisheth the wits;”
and quoth Mubarak, “It now behoveth that we abide in our places nor
advance further lest there happen to us some mishap; and may Allah
vouchsafe to us safety!” Herewith he brought forth his pouch four strips
of a yellow silken stuff and zoning himself with one threw the other
over his shoulders;[37] and he gave the two remaining pieces to the
Prince that he might do with them on like wise. Next he dispread before
either of them a waist shawl[38] of white sendal and then he pulled out
of his poke sundry precious stones and scents and ambergris and
eagle-wood;[39] and, lastly, each took seat upon his sash, and when both
were ready Mubarak repeated the following words to the Prince and taught
him to pronounce them before the King of the Jann:—“O my lord, Sovran of
the Spirits, we stand within thy precincts and we throw ourselves on thy
protection;” whereto Zayn al-Asnam added, “And I adjure him earnestly
that he accept of us.” But Mubarak rejoined, “O my lord, by Allah I am
in sore fear. Hear me! An he determine to accept us without hurt or harm
he will approach us in the semblance of a man rare of beauty and
comeliness but, if not, he will assume a form frightful and terrifying.
Now an thou see him in his favourable shape do thou arise forthright and
salam to him and above all things beware lest thou step beyond this thy
cloth.” The Prince replied, “To hear is to obey,” and the other
continued, “And let thy salam to him be thy saying, O King of the
Sprites and Sovran of the Jann and Lord of Earth, my sire, the whilome
Sultan of Bassorah, whom the Angel of Death hath removed (as is not
hidden from thy Highness) was ever taken under thy protection and I,
like him, come to thee suing the same safeguard.”——And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fourth Night,