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 lessoning Zayn al-Asnam how he should salute
the King of the Jinns, and pursued, “Likewise, O my lord, if he hail us
with gladsome face of welcome he will doubtless say thee:—Ask whatso
thou wantest of me! and the moment he giveth thee his word do thou at
once prefer thy petition saying, O my lord, I require of thy Highness
the Ninth Statue than which is naught more precious in the world, and
thou didst promise my father to vouchsafe me that same.” And after this
Mubarak instructed his master how to address the King and crave of him
the boon and how to bespeak him with pleasant speech. Then he began his
conjurations and fumigations and adjurations and recitations of words
not understanded of any, and but little time elapsed before cold rain
down railed and lightning dashed and thunder roared and thick darkness
veiled earth’s face. Presently came forth a mighty rushing wind and a
voice like an earthquake, the quake of earth on Judgment Day.[40] The
Prince, seeing these horrors and sighting that which he had never before
seen or heard, trembled for terror in every limb; but Mubarak fell to
laughing at him and saying, “Fear not, O my lord: that which thou
dreadest is what we seek, for to us it is an earnest of glad tidings and
success; so be thou satisfied and hold thyself safe.”[41] After this the
skies waxed clear and serene exceedingly while perfumed winds and the
purest scents breathed upon them; nor did a long time elapse ere the
King of the Jann presented himself under the semblance of a beautiful
man who had no peer in comeliness save and excepting Him who lacketh
likeness and to Whom be honour and glory! He gazed at Zayn al-Asnam with
a gladsome aspect and a riant, whereat the Prince arose forthright and
recited the string of benedictions taught to him by his companion and
the King said to him with a smiling favour, “O Zayn al-Asnam, verily I
was wont to love thy sire, the Sultan of Bassorah and, when he visited
me ever, I used to give him an image of those thou sawest, each cut of a
single gem; and thou also shalt presently become to me honoured as thy
father and yet more. Ere he died I charged him to write upon the silken
curtain the writ thou readest and eke I gave promise and made covenant
with him to take thee like thy parent under my safeguard and to gift
thee as I gifted him with an image, to wit, the ninth, which is of
greater worth than all those viewed by thee. So now, ’tis my desire to
stand by my word and to afford thee my promised aid.”——And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fifth 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 Lord of the Jann said to the Prince, I will take thee
under my safeguard and the Shaykh thou sawest in thy swevens was myself
and I also ’twas who bade thee dig under thy palace down to the
souterrain wherein thou sawest the crocks of gold and the figures of
fine gems. I also well know wherefore thou art come hither and I am he
who caused thee come and I will give thee what thou seekest, for all
that I would not give it to thy sire. But ’tis on condition that thou
return unto me bringing a damsel whose age is fifteen, a maiden without
rival or likeness in loveliness; furthermore she must be a pure virgin
and a clean maid who hath never lusted for male nor hath ever been
solicited of man;[42] and lastly, thou must keep faith with me in
safeguarding the girl whenas thou returnest hither and beware lest thou
play the traitor with her whilst thou bringest her to me.” To this
purport the Prince sware a mighty strong oath adding, “O my lord, thou
hast indeed honoured me by requiring of me such service, but truly
’twill be right hard for me to find a fair one like unto this; and,
grant that I find one perfectly beautiful and young in years after the
requirement of thy Highness, how shall I weet if she ever longed for
mating with man or that male never lusted for her?” Replied the King,
“Right thou art, O Zayn al-Asnam, and verily this be a knowledge
whereunto the sons of men may on no wise attain. However, I will give
thee a mirror[43] of my own whose virtue is this. When thou shalt sight
a young lady whose beauty and loveliness please thee, do thou open the
glass[44], and, if thou see therein her image clear and undimmed, do
thou learn forthright that she is a clean maid without aught of defect
or default and endowed with every praiseworthy quality. But if,
contrariwise, the figure be found darkened or clothed in uncleanness, do
thou straightway know that the damsel is sullied by soil of sex.
Shouldst thou find her pure and gifted with all manner good gifts, bring
her to me but beware not to offend with her and do villainy, and if thou
keep not faith and promise with me bear in mind that thou shalt lose thy
life.” Hereupon the Prince made a stable and solemn pact with the King,
a covenant of the sons of the Sultans which may never be violated.——And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Sixth 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 Prince Zayn al-Asnam made a stable and trustworthy compact
to keep faith with the King of the Jann and never to play traitor
thereto, but to bring the maid _en tout bien et tout honneur_ to that
potentate who made over to him the mirror saying, “O my son, take this
looking-glass whereof I bespake thee and depart straightway.” Thereupon
the Prince and Mubarak arose and, after blessing him, fared forth and
journeyed back until they made the lakelet, where they sat but a little
ere appeared the boat which had brought them bearing the Jinni with
elephantine head and leonine body, and he was standing up ready for
paddling.[45] The twain took passage with him (and this by command of
the King of the Jann) until they reached Cairo and returned to their
quarters, where they abode whilst they rested from the travails of
travel. Then the Prince turned to his companion and said, “Arise with us
and wend we to Baghdad[46]-city that we may look for some damsel such as
the King describeth!” and Mubarak replied, “O my lord, we be in Cairo, a
city of the cities, a wonder of the world, and here no doubt there is
but that I shall find such a maiden, nor is there need that we fare
therefor to a far country.” Zayn al-Asnam rejoined, “True for thee, O
Mubarak, but what be the will and the way whereby to hit upon such a
girl, and who shall go about to find her for us?” Quoth the other, “Be
not beaten and broken down, O my lord, by such difficulty: I have by me
here an ancient dame (and cursed be the same!) who maketh marriages, and
she is past mistress in wiles and guiles; nor will she be hindered by
the greatest of obstacles.”[47] So saying, he sent to summon the old
trot, and informed her that he wanted a damsel perfect of beauty and not
past her fifteenth year, whom he would marry to the son of his lord; and
he promised her sumptuous Bakhshish and largesse if she would do her
very best endeavour. Answered she, “O my lord, be at rest: I will
presently contrive to satisfy thy requirement even beyond thy desire;
for under my hand are damsels unsurpassable in beauty and loveliness,
and all be the daughters of honourable men.” But the old woman, O Lord
of the Age, knew naught anent the mirror. So she went forth to wander
about the city and work on her well-known ways.——And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventh 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 old woman went forth to work on her well-known ways, and
she wandered about town to find a maiden for the Prince Zayn al-Asnam.
Whatever notable beauty she saw she would set before Mubarak; but each
semblance as it was considered in the mirror showed exceeding dark and
dull, and the inspector would dismiss the girl. This endured until the
crone had brought to him all the damsels in Cairo, and not one was found
whose reflection in the mirror showed clear-bright and whose honour was
pure and clean, in fact such an one as described by the King of the
Jann. Herewith Mubarak, seeing that he had not found one in Cairo to
please him, or who proved pure and unsullied as the King of the Jann had
required, determined to visit Baghdad: so they rose up and equipped them
and set out and in due time they made the City of Peace where they hired
them a mighty fine mansion amiddlemost the capital. Here they settled
themselves in such comfort and luxury that the Lords of the land would
come daily to eat at their table, even the thirsty and those who went
forth betimes,[48] and what remained of the meat was distributed to the
mesquin and the miserable; also every poor stranger lodging in the
Mosques would come to the house and find a meal. Therefore the bruit of
them for generosity and liberality went abroad throughout the city and
won for them notable name and the fairest of fame; nor did any ever
speak of aught save the beneficence of Zayn al-Asnam and his generosity
and his opulence. Now there chanced to be in one of the
cathedral-mosques an Imám,[49] Abu Bakr hight, a ghostly man passing
jealous and fulsome, who dwelt hard by the mansion wherein the Prince
and Mubarak abode; and he, when he heard of their lavish gifts and alms
deeds, and honourable report, smitten by envy and malice and hatred,
fell to devising how he might draw them into some calamity that might
despoil the goods they enjoyed and destroy their lives, for it is the
wont of envy to fall not save upon the fortunate. So one day of the
days, as he lingered in the Mosque after mid-afternoon prayer, he came
forwards amidst the folk and cried, O ye, my brethren of the Faith which
is true and who bear testimony to the unity of the Deity, I would have
you to weet that housed in this our quarter are two men which be
strangers, and haply ye have heard of them how they lavish and waste
immense sums of money, in fact moneys beyond measure, and for my part I
cannot but suspect that they are cutpurses and brigands who commit
robberies in their own country and who came hither to expend their
spoils.——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and 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 the Imam in his jealousy of Zayn al-Asnam and Mubarak said to
the congregation, “Verily they be brigands and cutpurses;” adding, “O
believers of Mohammed, I counsel you in Allah’s name that ye guard
yourselves against such accurseds; for haply the Caliph shall in coming
times hear of these twain and ye also shall fall with them into
calamity,[50] I have hastened to caution you, and having warned you I
wash my hands of your business, and after this do ye as ye judge fit.”
All those present replied with one voice, “Indeed we will do whatso thou
wishest us to do, O Abu Bakr!” But when the Imam heard this from them he
arose and, bringing forth ink-case and reed-pen and a sheet of paper,
began inditing an address to the Commander of the Faithful, recounting
all that was against the two strangers. However, by decree of Destiny,
Mubarak chanced to be in the Mosque amongst the crowd when he heard the
address of the blameworthy Imam and how he purposed applying by letter
to the Caliph. So he delayed not at all but returned home forthright
and, taking an hundred dinars and packing up a parcel of costly clothes,
silver-wrought all, repaired in haste to the reverend’s quarters and
knocked at the door. The preacher came and opened to him, but sighting
Mubarak he asked him in anger, “What is’t thou wantest and who art
thou?” Whereto the other answered, “I am Mubarak and at thy service, O
my master the Imam Abu Bakr; and I come to thee from my lord the Emir
Zayn al-Asnam who, hearing of and learning thy religious knowledge and
right fair repute in this city, would fain make acquaintance with thy
Worship and do by thee whatso behoveth him. Also he hath sent me to thee
with these garments and this spending-money, hoping excuse of thee for
that this be a minor matter compared with your Honour’s deserts; but,
Inshallah, after this he will not fail in whatever to thee is due.” As
soon as Abu Bakr saw the coin and gold[51] and the bundle of clothes, he
answered Mubarak saying, “I crave pardon, O my lord, of thy master the
Emir for that I have been ashamed of waiting upon him and repentance is
right hard upon me for that I failed to do my devoir by him; wherefore I
hope that thou wilt be my deputy in imploring him to pardon my default
and, the Creator willing, to-morrow I will do what is incumbent upon me
and fare to offer my services and proffer the honour which beseemeth
me.” Rejoined Mubarak, “The end of my master’s wishes is to see thy
worship, O my lord Abu Bakr, and be exalted by thy presence and
therethrough to win a blessing.” So saying he bussed the reverend’s hand
and returned to his own place. On the next day, as Abu Bakr was leading
the dawn-prayer of Friday, he took his station amongst the folk
amiddlemost the Mosque and cried, “O, our brethren the Moslems great and
small and folk of Mohammed one and all, know ye that envy falleth not
save upon the wealthy and praiseworthy and never descendeth upon the
mean and miserable. I would have you wot, as regards the two strangers
whom yesterday I misspoke, that one of them is an Emir high in honour
and son of most reputable parents, in lieu of being (as I was informed
by one of his enviers) a cutpurse and a brigand. Of this matter I have
made certain that ’tis a lying report, so beware lest any of you say
aught against him or speak evil in regard to the Emir even as I heard
yesterday; otherwise you will cast me and cast yourselves into the
sorest of calamities with the Prince of True Believers. For a man like
this of exalted degree may not possibly take up his abode in our city of
Baghdad unbeknown to the Caliph.”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and 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 Abu Bakr the Imam uprooted on such wise from the minds of men
the evil which he had implanted by his own words thrown out against the
Emir Zayn al-Asnam. But when he had ended congregational prayers and
returned to his home, he donned his long gaberdine[52] and made weighty
his skirts and lengthened his sleeves, after which he took the road to
the mansion of the Prince; and, when he went in, he stood up before the
stranger and did him honour with the highmost distinction. Now Zayn
al-Asnam was by nature conscientious albeit young in years; so he
returned the Imam Abu Bakr’s civilities with all courtesy and, seating
him beside himself upon his high-raised divan, bade bring for him
ambergris’d[53] coffee. Then the tables were spread for breakfast and
the twain ate and drank their sufficiency, whereafter they fell to
chatting like boon companions. Presently the Imam asked the Prince,
saying, “O my lord Zayn al-Asnam, doth thy Highness design residing long
in this our city of Baghdad?” and the other answered, “Yes indeed,[54] O
our lord the Imam; ’tis my intention to tarry here for a while until
such time as my requirement shall be fulfilled.” The Imam enquired, “And
what may be the requirement of my lord the Emir? Haply when I hear it I
may devote my life thereto until I can fulfil it.” Quoth the Prince, “My
object is to marry a maiden who must be comely exceedingly, aged fifteen
years; pure, chaste, virginal, whom man hath never soiled and who during
all her days never lusted for male kind: moreover, she must be unique
for beauty and loveliness.” The Imam rejoined, “O my lord, this be a
thing hard of finding indeed, hard exceedingly; but I know a damsel of
that age who answereth to thy description. Her father, a Wazir who
resigned succession and office of his own freewill, now dwelleth in his
mansion jealously overwatching his daughter and her education; and I
opine that this maiden will suit the fancy of thy Highness, whilst she
will rejoice in an Emir such as thyself and eke her parents will be
equally well pleased.” The Prince replied, “Inshallah, this damsel
whereof thou speakest will suit me and supply my want, and the
furtherance of my desire shall be at thy hands. But, O our lord the
Imam, ’tis my wish first of all things to look upon her and see if she
be pure or otherwise; and, as regarding her singular comeliness, my
conviction is that thy work sufficeth and thine avouchment is veridical.
Of her purity, however, even thou canst not bear sure and certain
testimony in respect to that condition.” Asked the Imam, “How is it
possible for you, O my lord the Emir, to learn from her face aught of
her and her honour; also whether she be pure or not: indeed, if this be
known to your Highness you must be an adept in physiognomy.[55] However,
if your Highness be willing to accompany me, I will bear you to the
mansion of her sire and make you acquainted with him, so shall he set
her before you.”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Tenth 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 Imam Abu Bakr took the Prince and passed with him into the
mansion of the Wazir; and, when they entered, both salam’d to the
house-master and he rose and received them with greetings especially
when he learned that an Emir had visited him and he understood from the
Imam that Zayn al-Asnam inclined to wed his daughter. So he summoned her
to his presence and she came, whereupon he bade her raise her face-veil;
and, when she did his bidding, the Prince considered her and was amazed
and perplexed at her beauty and loveliness, he never having seen aught
that rivalled her in brightness and brilliancy. So quoth he in his mind,
“Would to Heaven I could win a damsel like this, albeit this one be to
me unlawful.” Thinking thus he drew forth the mirror from his pouch and
considered her image carefully when, lo and behold! the crystal was
bright and clean as virgin silver and when he eyed her semblance in the
glass he saw it pure as a white dove’s. Then sent he forthright for the
Kazi and witnesses and they knotted the knot and wrote the writ and the
bride was duly throned. Presently the Prince took the Wazir his
father-in-law into his own mansion, and to the young lady he sent a
present of costly jewels and it was a notable marriage-festival, none
like it was ever seen; no, never. Zayn al-Asnam applied himself to
inviting the folk right royally and did honour due to Abu Bakr the Imam,
giving him abundant gifts, and forwarded to the bride’s father offerings
of notable rarities. As soon as the wedding ended, Mubarak said to the
Prince, “O my lord, let us arise and wend our ways lest we lose our time
in leisure, for that we sought is now found.” Said the Prince, “Right
thou art;” and, arising with his companion, the twain fell to equipping
them for travel and gat ready for the bride a covered litter[56] to be
carried by camels and they set out. Withal Mubarak well knew that the
Prince was deep in love to the young lady. So he took him aside and said
to him, “O my lord Zayn al-Asnam, I would warn thee and enjoin thee to
keep watch and ward upon thy senses and passions and to observe and
preserve the pledge by thee plighted to the King of the Jann.” “O
Mubarak,” replied the Prince, “an thou knew the love-longing and ecstasy
which have befallen me of my love to this young lady, thou wouldst feel
ruth for me! indeed I never think of aught else save of taking her to
Bassorah and of going in unto her.” Mubarak rejoined, “O my lord, keep
thy faith and be not false to thy pact, lest a sore harm betide thee and
the loss of thy life as well as that of the young lady.[57] Remember the
oath thou swarest nor suffer lust[58] to lay thy reason low and despoil
thee of all thy gains and thine honour and thy life.” “Do thou, O
Mubarak,” retorted the Prince, “become warden over her nor allow me ever
to look upon her.”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Eleventh 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, after warning Zayn al-Asnam to protect the
virgin-bride against himself, fell also to defending her as his deputy:
also he prevented the Prince from even looking upon her. They then
travelled along the road unto the Island of the Jann, after[59] they had
passed by the line leading unto Misr.[60] But when the bride saw that
the wayfare had waxed longsome nor had beheld her bridegroom for all
that time since the wedding-night, she turned to Mubarak and said,
“Allah upon thee; inform me, O Mubarak, by the life of thy lord the
Emir, have we fared this far distance by commandment of my bridegroom
Prince Zayn al-Asnam?” Said he, “Ah, O my lady, sore indeed is thy case
to me, yet must I disclose to thee the secret thereof which be this.
Thou imaginest that Zayn al-Asnam, the King of Bassorah, is thy
bridegroom; but, alas! ’tis not so. He is no husband of thine; nay, the
deed he drew up was a mere pretext in the presence of thy parents and
thy people; and now thou art going as a bride to the King of the Jann
who required thee of the Prince.” When the young lady heard these words,
she fell to shedding tears and Zayn al-Asnam wept for her, weeping
bitter tears from the excess of his love and affection. Then quoth the
young lady, “Ye have nor pity in you nor feeling for me; neither fear ye
aught of Allah that, seeing in me a stranger maiden ye cast me into a
calamity like this. What reply shall ye return to the Lord on the Day of
Reckoning for such treason ye work upon me?” However her words and her
weeping availed her naught, for that they stinted not wayfaring with her
until they reached the King of the Jann, to whom they forthright on
arrival made offer of her. When he considered the damsel she pleased
him, so he turned to Zayn al-Asnam and said to him, “Verily the bride
thou broughtest me is exceeding beautiful and passing of loveliness; yet
lovelier and more beautiful to me appear thy true faith and the mastery
of thine own passions, thy marvellous purity and valiance of heart. So
hie thee to thy home and the Ninth Statue, wherefor thou askedst me, by
thee shall be found beside the other images, for I will send it by one
of my slaves of the Jann.” Hereupon Zayn al-Asnam kissed his hand and
marched back with Mubarak to Cairo, where he would not abide long with
his companion but, as soon as he was rested, of his extreme longing and
anxious yearning to see the Ninth Statue, he hastened his travel
homewards. Withal he ceased not to be thoughtful and sorrowful
concerning his maiden-wife and on account of her beauty and loveliness,
and he would fall to groaning and crying, “O for my lost joys whose
cause wast thou, O singular in every charm and attraction, thou whom I
bore away from thy parents and carried to the King of the Jann. Alas,
and woe worth the day!”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twelfth Night,