some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and
good will.”——It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that when the King
saw the gems he was seized by surprise and cried, “Never at all until
this day saw I anything like these jewels for size and beauty and
excellence: nor deem I that there be found in my treasury a single one
like them.” Then he turned to his Minister and asked, “What sayest thou,
O Wazir? Tell me, hast thou seen in thy time such mighty fine jewels as
these?” The other answered, “Never saw I such, O our lord the Sultan,
nor do I think that there be in the treasures of my lord the Sultan the
fellow of the least thereof.” The King resumed, “Now indeed whoso hath
presented to me such jewels meriteth to become bridegroom to my
daughter, Badr al-Budur; because, as far as I see, none is more
deserving of her than he.” When the Wazir heard the Sultan’s words he
was tongue-tied with concern and he grieved with sore grief, for the
King had promised to give the Princess in marriage to his son; so after
a little while he said, “O King of the Age, thy Highness deigned promise
me that the Lady Badr al-Budur should be spouse to my son; so ’tis but
right that thine exalted Highness vouchsafe us a delay of three months,
during which time, Inshallah! my child may obtain and present an
offering yet costlier than this.” Accordingly the King, albeit he knew
that such a thing could not be done, or by the Wazir or by the greatest
of his Grandees, yet of his grace and kindness granted him the required
delay. Then he turned to the old woman, Alaeddin’s mother, and said, “Go
to thy son and tell him I have pledged my word that my daughter shall be
in his name;[141] only ’tis needful that I make the requisite
preparations of nuptial furniture for her use; and ’tis only meet that
he take patience for the next three months.” Receiving this reply,
Alaeddin’s mother thanked the Sultan and blessed him; then, going forth
in hottest haste, as one flying for joy, she went home; and when her son
saw her entering with a smiling face, he was gladdened at the sign of
good news, especially because she had returned without delay as on the
past days, and had not brought back the bowl. Presently he asked her
saying, “Inshallah, thou bearest me, O my mother, glad tidings; and
peradventure the jewels and their value have wrought their work and
belike thou hast been kindly received by the King and he hath shown thee
grace and hath given ear to thy request?” So she told him the whole
tale, how the Sultan had entreated her well and had marvelled at the
extraordinary size of the gems and their surpassing water as did also
the Wazir, adding, “And he promised that his daughter should be thine.
Only, O my child, the Wazir spake of a secret contract made with him by
the Sultan before he pledged himself to me and, after speaking privily,
the King put me off to the end of three months: therefore I have become
fearful lest the Wazir be evilly disposed to thee and perchance he may
attempt to change the Sultan’s mind.”——And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Forty-ninth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us
some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and
good will.”——It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that when Alaeddin
heard his mother’s words and how the Sultan had promised him his
daughter, deferring, however, the wedding until after the third month,
his mind was gladdened and he rejoiced exceedingly and said, “Inasmuch
as the King hath given his word after three months (well, it _is_ a long
time!), at all events my gladness is mighty great.” Then he thanked his
parent, showing her how her good work had exceeded her toil and travail;
and said to her, “By Allah, O my mother, hitherto I was as ’twere in my
grave and therefrom thou hast withdrawn me; and I praise Allah Almighty
because I am at this moment certified that no man in the world is
happier than I or more fortunate.” Then he took patience until two of
the three months had gone by. Now one day of the days his mother fared
forth about sundown to the Bazar that she might buy somewhat of oil; and
she found all the market shops fast shut and the whole city decorated,
and the folk placing waxen tapers and flowers at their casements; and
she beheld the soldiers and household troops and Aghás[142] riding in
procession and flambeaux and lustres flaming and flaring, and she
wondered at the marvellous sight and the glamour of the scene. So she
went in to an oilman’s store which stood open still and bought her need
of him and said, “By thy life, O uncle, tell me what be the tidings in
town this day, that people have made all these decorations and every
house and market-street are adorned and the troops all stand on guard?”
The oilman asked her, “O woman, I suppose thou art a stranger and not
one of this city?” and she answered, “Nay, I am thy townswoman.” He
rejoined, “Thou a townswoman, and yet wottest not that this very night
the son of the Grand Wazir goeth in to the Lady Badr al-Budur, daughter
of the Sultan! He is now in the Hammam and all this power of soldiery is
on guard and standing under arms to await his coming forth, when they
will bear him in bridal procession to the palace where the Princess
expecteth him.” As the mother of Alaeddin heard these words, she grieved
and was distraught in thought and perplexed how to inform her son of
this sorrowful event, well knowing that the poor youth was looking, hour
by hour, to the end of the three months. But she returned straightway
home to him and when she entered she said, “O my son, I would give thee
certain tidings, yet hard to me will be the sorrow they shall occasion
thee.” He cried, “Let me know what be thy news;” and she replied,
“Verily the Sultan hath broken his promise to thee in the matter of the
Lady Badr al-Budur, and this very night the Grand Wazir’s son goeth in
to her. And for some time, O my son, I have suspected that the Minister
would change the King’s mind, even as I told thee how he had spoken
privily to him before me.” Alaeddin[143] asked, “How learnedst thou that
the Wazir’s son is this night to pay his first visit to the Princess?”
So she told him the whole tale, how when going to buy oil she had found
the city decorated and the eunuch-officials and Lords of the land with
the troops under arms awaiting the bridegroom from the Baths; and that
the first visit was appointed for that very night. Hearing this Alaeddin
was seized with a fever of jealousy brought on by his grief: however,
after a short while he remembered the Lamp and, recovering his spirits
said, “By thy life, O my mother, do thou believe that the Wazir’s son
will not enjoy her as thou thinkest. But now leave we this discourse and
arise thou and serve up supper[144] and after eating let me retire to my
own chamber and all will be well and happy.”——And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fiftieth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us
some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and
good will.”——It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that Alaeddin after
he had supped retired to his chamber and, locking the door, brought out
the Lamp and rubbed it, whenas forthright appeared to him its Familiar
who said, “Ask whatso thou wantest, for I am thy Slave and Slave to him
who holdeth the Lamp in hand; I and all the Slaves of the Lamp.” He
replied, “Hear me! I prayed the Sultan for his daughter to wife and he
plighted her to me after three months; but he hath not kept his word;
nay, he hath given her to the son of the Wazir and this very night the
bridegroom will go in to her. Therefore I command thee (an thou be a
trusty Servitor to the Lamp) when thou shalt see bride and bridegroom
bedded together this night,[145] at once take them up and bear them
hither abed; and this be what I want of thee.” The Marid replied,
“Hearing and obeying; and if thou have other service but this, do thou
demand of me all thou desirest.” Alaeddin rejoined, “At the present time
I require naught save that I bade thee do.” Hereupon the Slave
disappeared and Alaeddin returned to pass the rest of the evening with
his mother. But at the hour when he knew that the Servitor would be
coming, he arose and retired to his chamber and after a little while,
behold, the Marid came bringing to him the newly-wedded couple upon
their bridal-bed. Alaeddin rejoiced to see them with exceeding joy; then
he cried to the Slave, “Carry yonder gallows-bird hence and lay him at
full length in the privy.”[146] His bidding was done straightway; but,
before leaving him, the Slave blew upon the bridegroom a blast so cold
that it shrivelled him and the plight of the Wazir’s son became piteous.
Then the Servitor returning to Alaeddin said to him, “An thou require
aught else, inform me thereof;” and said the other, “Return a-morn that
thou mayest restore them to their stead;” whereto, “I hear and obey,”
quoth the Marid and evanished. Presently Alaeddin arose, hardly
believing that the affair had been such a success for him; but whenas he
looked upon the Lady Badr al-Budur lying under his own roof, albeit he
had long burned with her love yet he preserved respect for her and said,
“O Princess of fair ones, think not that I brought thee hither to minish
thy honour. Heaven forfend! Nay ’twas only to prevent the wrong man
enjoying thee, for that thy sire the Sultan promised thee to me. So do
thou rest in peace.”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fifty-first Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us
some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and
good will.”——It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that when the Lady
Badr al-Budur, daughter of the Sultan, saw herself in that mean and
darksome lodging, and heard Alaeddin’s words, she was seized with fear
and trembling and waxed clean distraught; nor could she return aught of
reply. Presently the youth arose and stripping off his outer dress
placed a scymitar between them and lay upon the bed beside the
Princess;[147] and he did no villain deed, for it sufficed him to
prevent the consummation of her nuptials with the Wazir’s son. On the
other hand the Lady Badr al-Budur passed a night the evillest of all
nights; nor in her born days had she seen a worse; and the same was the
case with the Minister’s son who lay in the chapel of ease and who dared
not stir for the fear of the Jinni which overwhelmed him. As soon as it
was morning the Slave appeared before Alaeddin, without the Lamp being
rubbed, and said to him, “O my lord, an thou require aught, command me
therefor, that I may do it upon my head and mine eyes.” Said the other,
“Go, take up and carry the bride and bridegroom to their own apartment;”
so the Servitor did his bidding in an eye-glance and bore away the pair,
and placed them in the palace as whilome they were and without their
seeing any one; but both died of affright when they found themselves
being transported from stead to stead.[148] And the Marid had barely
time to set them down and wend his ways ere the Sultan came on a visit
of congratulation to his daughter; and, when the Wazir’s son heard the
doors thrown open, he sprang straightway from his couch and donned his
dress[149] for he knew that none save the King could enter at that hour.
Yet it was exceedingly hard for him to leave his bed wherein he wished
to warm himself a trifle after his cold night in the water-closet which
he had lately left.——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fifty-second Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us
some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and
good will.”——It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that the Sultan went
in to his daughter Badr al-Budur and kissing her between the eyes gave
her good morning and asked her of her bridegroom and whether she was
pleased and satisfied with him. But she returned no reply whatever and
looked at him with the eye of anger and, although he repeated his words
again and again, she held her peace nor bespake him with a single
syllable. So the King quitted her and, going to the Queen, informed her
of what had taken place between him and his daughter; and the mother,
unwilling to leave the Sultan angered with their child, said to him, “O
King of the Age, this be the custom of most newly-married couples at
least during their first days of marriage, for that they are bashful and
somewhat coy. So deign thou excuse her and after a little while she will
again become herself and speak with the folk as before, whereas now her
shame, O King of the Age, keepeth her silent. However ’tis my wish to
fare forth and see her.” Thereupon the Queen arose and donned her dress;
then, going to her daughter, wished her good morning and kissed her
between the eyes. Yet would the Princess make no answer at all, whereat
quoth the Queen to herself, “Doubtless some strange matter hath occurred
to trouble her with such trouble as this.” So she asked her saying, “O
my daughter, what hath caused this thy case? Let me know what hath
betided thee that, when I come and give thee good morning, thou hast not
a word to say to me?” Thereat the Lady Badr al-Budur raised her head and
said, “Pardon me, O my mother, ’twas my duty to meet thee with all
respect and worship, seeing that thou hast honoured me by this visit.
However, I pray thee to hear the cause of this my condition and see how
the night I have just spent hath been to me the evillest of the nights.
Hardly had we lain down, O my mother, than one whose form I wot not
uplifted our bed and transported it to a darksome place, fulsome and
mean.” Then the Princess related to the Queen-mother all that had
befallen her that night; how they had taken away her bridegroom, leaving
her lone and lonesome, and how after a while came another youth who lay
beside her, in lieu of her bridegroom, after placing his scymitar
between her and himself; “and in the morning” (she continued) “he who
carried us off returned and bore us straight back to our own stead. But
at once when he arrived hither he left us and suddenly my sire the
Sultan entered at the hour and moment of our coming and I had nor heart
nor tongue to speak him withal, for the stress of the terror and
trembling which came upon me. Haply such lack of duty may have proved
sore to him, so I hope, O my mother, that thou wilt acquaint him with
the cause of this my condition and that he will pardon me for not
answering him and blame me not, but rather accept my excuses.”——And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fifty-third Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us
some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and
good will.”——It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that when the Queen
heard these words of Princess Badr al-Budur, she said to her, O my
child, compose thy thoughts. An thou tell such tale before any, haply
shall he say:—“Verily, the Sultan’s daughter hath lost her wits. And
thou hast done right well in not choosing to recount thine adventure to
thy father; and beware and again I say beware, O my daughter, lest thou
inform him thereof.” The Princess replied, “O my mother, I have spoken
to thee like one sound in senses nor have I lost my wits: this be what
befel me and, if thou believe it not because coming from me, ask my
bridegroom.” To which the Queen replied, “Rise up straightway, O my
daughter, and banish from thy thoughts such fancies as these; and robe
thyself and come forth to glance at the bridal feasts and festivities
they are making in the city for the sake of thee and thy nuptials; and
listen to the drumming and the singing and look at the decorations all
intended to honour thy marriage, O my daughter.” So saying, the Queen at
once summoned the tirewomen who dressed and prepared the Lady Badr
al-Budur; and presently she went in to the Sultan and assured him that
their daughter had suffered during all her wedding-night from swevens
and nightmare and said to him, “Be not severe with her for not answering
thee.” Then the Queen sent privily for the Wazir’s son and asked of the
matter, saying, “Tell me, are these words of the Lady Badr al-Budur
soothfast or not?” But he, in his fear of losing his bride out of hand,
answered, “O my lady, I have no knowledge of that whereof thou
speakest.” Accordingly the mother made sure that her daughter had seen
visions and dreams. The marriage-feasts lasted throughout that day with
Almahs[150] and singers and the smiting of all manner instruments of
mirth and merriment, while the Queen and the Wazir and his son strave
right strenuously to enhance the festivities that the Princess might
enjoy herself; and that day they left nothing of what exciteth to
pleasure unrepresented in her presence, to the end that she might forget
what was in her thoughts and derive increase of joyance. Yet did naught
of this take any effect upon her; nay, she sat in silence, sad of
thought, sore perplexed at what had befallen her during the last night.
It is true that the Wazir’s son had suffered even more because he had
passed his sleeping hours lying in the water-closet: he, however, had
falsed the story and had cast out remembrance of the night; in the first
place for his fear of losing his bride and with her the honour of a
connection which brought him such excess of consideration and for which
men envied him so much; and, secondly, on account of the wondrous
loveliness of the Lady Badr al-Budur and her marvellous beauty. Alaeddin
also went forth that day and looked at the merry-makings which extended
throughout the city as well as the palace and he fell a-laughing,
especially when he heard the folk prating of the high honour which had
accrued to the son of the Wazir and the prosperity of his fortunes in
having become son-in-law to the Sultan and the high consideration shown
by the wedding fêtes. And he said in his mind, “Indeed ye wot not, O ye
miserables, what befel him last night that ye envy him!” But after
darkness fell and it was time for sleep, Alaeddin arose and, retiring to
his chamber, rubbed the Lamp, whereupon the Slave incontinently
appeared.——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
Now when it was the five Hundred and fifty-fourth night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us
some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and
good will.——It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that when the Slave
appeared in presence of Alaeddin, he was bidden to bring him the
Sultan’s daughter together with her bridegroom as on the past night ere
the Wazir’s son could abate her maidenhead. So the Marid without stay or
delay evanished for a little while until the appointed time, when he
returned carrying the bed whereon lay the Lady Badr al-Budur and the
Wazir’s son; and he did with the bridegroom as he had done before, to
wit, he took him and lay him at full length in the jakes and there left
him dried up for excess of fear and trembling. Then Alaeddin arose, and
placing the scymitar between himself and the Princess, lay down beside
her; and when day broke the Slave restored the pair to their own place,
leaving Alaeddin filled with delight at the state of the Minister’s son.
Now when the Sultan woke up amorn he resolved to visit his daughter and
see if she would treat him as on the past day; so shaking off his sleep
he sprang up and arrayed himself in his raiment and, going to the
apartment of the Princess bade open the door. Thereat the son of the
Wazir arose forthright and came down from his bed and began donning his
dress whilst his ribs were wrung with cold; for when the King entered
the Slave had but just brought him back. The Sultan, raising the
arras,[151] drew near his daughter as she lay abed and gave her good
morning; then kissing her between the eyes, he asked her of her case.
But he saw her looking sour and sad and she answered him not at all,
only glowering at him as one in anger and her plight was pitiable.
Hereat the Sultan waxed wroth with her for that she would not reply and
he suspected that something evil had befallen her,[152] whereupon he
bared his blade and cried to her, brand in hand, saying, “What be this
hath betided thee: Either acquaint me with what happened or this very
moment I will take thy life! Is such conduct the token of honour and
respect I expect of thee, that I address thee and thou answerest me not
a word?” When the Lady Badr al-Budur saw her sire in high dudgeon and
the naked glaive in his grip, she was freed from her fear of the past,
so she raised her head and said to him, “O my beloved father, be not
wroth with me nor be hasty in thy hot passion, for I am excusable in
what thou shalt see of my case. So do thou lend an ear to what occurred
to me and well I wot that after hearing my account of what befel to me
during these two last nights, thou wilt pardon me and thy Highness will
be softened to pitying me even as I claim of thee affection for thy
child.” Then the Princess informed her father of all that had betided
her adding, “O my sire, an thou believe me not, ask my bridegroom and he
will recount to thy Highness the whole adventure; nor did I know either
what they would do with him when they bore him away from my side or
where they would place 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 Fifty-fifth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us
some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and
good will.”——It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that when the Sultan
heard his daughter’s words, he was saddened and his eyes brimmed with
tears; then he sheathed his sabre and kissed her saying, “O my daughter,
wherefore[153] didst thou not tell me what happened on the past night
that I might have guarded thee from this torture and terror which
visited thee a second time? But now ’tis no matter. Rise and cast out
all such care and to-night I will set a watch to ward thee nor shall any
mishap again make thee miserable.” Then the Sultan returned to his
palace and straightway bade summon the Grand Wazir and asked him, as he
stood before him in his service, “O Wazir, how dost thou look upon this
matter? Haply thy son hath informed thee of what occurred to him and to
my daughter.” The Minister replied, “O King of the Age, I have not seen
my son or yesterday or to-day.” Hereat the Sultan told him all that had
afflicted the Princess, adding, “’Tis my desire that thou at once seek
tidings of thy son concerning the facts of the case: peradventure of her
fear my daughter may not be fully aware of what really befel her; withal
I hold all her words to be truthful.” So the Grand Wazir arose and,
going forth, bade summon his son and asked him anent all his lord had
told him whether it be true or untrue. The youth replied, “O my father
the Wazir, Heaven forbid that the Lady Badr al-Budur speak falsely:
indeed all she said was sooth and these two nights proved to us the
evillest of our nights instead of being nights of pleasure and
marriage-joys. But what befel me was the greater evil because, instead
of sleeping abed with my bride, I lay in the wardrobe, a black hole,
frightful, noisome of stench, truly damnable; and my ribs were bursten
with cold.” In fine, the young man told his father the whole tale,
adding as he ended it, “O dear father mine, I implore thee to speak with
the Sultan that he may set me free from this marriage. Yes, indeed ’tis
a high honour for me to be the Sultan’s son-in-law and especially the
love of the Princess hath gotten hold of my vitals; but I have no
strength left to endure a single night like unto these two last.”——And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night,