some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and
good will.”——It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that after the King
had inspected the work of his jewellers and goldsmiths, they informed
him how all the gems stored in the Lesser Treasury had been brought to
them and used by them but that the whole had proved insufficient;
wherefor he bade open the Greater Treasury and gave the workmen all they
wanted of him. Moreover he allowed them, an it sufficed not, to take the
jewels wherewith Alaeddin had gifted him. They carried off the whole and
pushed on their labours but they found the gems fail them, albeit had
they not yet finished half the part wanting to the Kiosque-window.
Herewith the King commanded them to seize all the precious stones owned
by the Wazirs and Grandees of the realm; but, although they did his
bidding, the supply still fell short of their requirements. Next morning
Alaeddin arose to look at the jewellers’ work and remarked that they had
not finished a moiety of what was wanting to the Kiosque-window: so he
at once ordered them to undo all they had done and restore the jewels to
their owners. Accordingly, they pulled out the precious stones and sent
the Sultan’s to the Sultan and the Wazirs’ to the Wazirs. Then the
jewellers went to the King and told him of what Alaeddin had bidden; so
he asked them, “What said he to you, and what was his reason and
wherefore was he not content that the window be finished and why did he
undo the work ye wrought?” They answered, “O our lord, we know not at
all, but he bade us deface whatso we had done.” Hereupon the Sultan at
once called for his horse, and mounting, took the way pavilion-wards,
when Alaeddin, after dismissing the goldsmiths and jewellers had retired
into his closet and had rubbed the Lamp. Hereat straightway its Servitor
appeared to him and said, “Ask whatso thou wantest: thy Slave is between
thy hands;” and said Alaeddin, “’Tis my desire that thou finish the
window which was left unfinished.” The Marid replied, “On my head be it
and also upon mine eyes!” then he vanished and after a little while
returned saying, “O my lord, verily that thou commandedst me do is
completed.” So Alaeddin went upstairs to the Kiosque and found the whole
window in wholly finished state; and, whilst he was still considering
it, behold, a castrato came in to him and said, “O my lord, the Sultan
hath ridden forth to visit thee and is passing through the
pavilion-gate.” So Alaeddin at once went down and received his
father-in-law.——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-second Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an be thou 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, on
sighting his son-in-law, cried to him, “Wherefore, O my child, hast thou
wrought on this wise and sufferest not the jewellers to complete the
Kiosque-window leaving in the pavilion an unfinished place?” Alaeddin
replied, “O King of the Age, I left it not imperfect save for a design
of mine own; nor was I incapable of perfecting it nor could I purpose
that thy Highness should honour me with visiting a pavilion wherein was
aught of deficiency. And, that thou mayest know I am not unable to make
it perfect, let thy Highness deign walk upstairs with me and see if
anything remain to be done therewith or not.” So the Sultan went up with
him and, entering the Kiosque, fell to looking right and left, but he
saw no default at all in any of the windows; nay, he noted that all were
perfect. So he marvelled at the sight and embraced Alaeddin and kissed
him, saying, “O my son, what be this singular feat? Thou canst work in a
single night what in months the jewellers could not do. By Allah, I deem
thou hast nor brother nor rival in this world.” Quoth Alaeddin, “Allah
prolong thy life and preserve thee to perpetuity! thy slave deserveth
not this encomium;” and quoth the King, “By Allah; O my child, thou
meritest all praise for a feat whereof all the artists of the world were
incapable.” Then the Sultan came down and entered the apartments of his
daughter, the Lady Badr al-Budur, to take rest beside her, and he saw
her joyous exceedingly at the glory and grandeur wherein she was; then,
after reposing awhile he returned to his palace. Now Alaeddin was wont
every day to thread the city-streets with his Mamelukes riding a-van and
arear of him showering rightwards and leftwards gold upon the folk; and
all the world, stranger and neighbour, far and near, were fulfilled of
his love for the excess of his liberality and generosity. Moreover he
increased the pensions of the poor Religious and the paupers and he
would distribute alms to them with his own hand; by which good deed, he
won high renown throughout the realm and most of the Lords of the land
and Emirs would eat at his table; and men swore not at all save by his
precious life. Nor did he leave faring to the chase and the Maydan-plain
and the riding of horses and playing at javelin-play[188] in presence of
the Sultan; and, whenever the Lady Badr al-Budur beheld him disporting
himself on the backs of steeds, she loved him much the more, and thought
to herself that Allah had wrought her abundant good by causing to happen
whatso happened with the son of the Wazir and by preserving her
virginity intact for her true bridegroom, Alaeddin.——And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-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 Alaeddin won
for himself day by day a fairer fame and a rarer report, while affection
for him increased in the hearts of all the lieges and he waxed greater
in the eyes of men. Moreover it chanced that in those days certain
enemies took horse and attacked the Sultan, who armed and accoutred an
army to repel them and made Alaeddin commander thereof. So he marched
with his men nor ceased marching until he drew near the foe whose forces
were exceeding many; and, presently, when the action began he bared his
brand and charged home upon the enemy. Then battle and slaughter befel
and violent was the hurly-burly, but at last Alaeddin broke the hostile
host and put all to flight, slaying the best part of them and pillaging
their coin and cattle, property and possessions; and he despoiled them
of spoils that could not be counted nor computed. Then he returned
victorious after a noble victory and entered the capital which had
decorated herself in his honour, of her delight in him; and the Sultan
went forth to meet him and giving him joy embraced him and kissed him;
and throughout the kingdom was held high festival with great joy and
gladness. Presently, the Sovran and his son-in-law repaired to the
pavilion where they were met by the Princess Badr al-Budur who rejoiced
in her husband and, after kissing him between the eyes, led him to her
apartments. After a time the Sultan also came and they sat down while
the slave-girls brought them sherbets and confections which they ate and
drank. Then the Sultan commanded that the whole kingdom be decorated for
the triumph of his son-in-law and his victory over the invader; and the
subjects and soldiery and all the people knew only Allah in heaven and
Alaeddin on earth; for that their love, won by his liberality, was
increased by his noble horsemanship and his successful battling for the
country and putting to flight the foe. Such then was the high fortune of
Alaeddin; but as regards the Maghrabi, the Magician, after returning to
his native country, he passed all this space of time in bewailing what
he had borne of toil and travail to win the Lamp and mostly that his
trouble had gone vain and that the morsel when almost touching his lips
had flown from his grasp. He pondered all this and mourned and reviled
Alaeddin for the excess of his rage against him and at times he would
exclaim, “For this bastard’s death underground I am well satisfied and
hope only that some time or other I may obtain the Lamp, seeing how ’tis
yet safe.” Now one day of the days he struck a table of sand and dotted
down the figures and carefully considered their consequence; then he
transferred them to paper that he might study them and make sure of
Alaeddin’s destruction and the safety of the Lamp preserved beneath the
earth. Presently, he firmly stablished the sequence of the figures,
mothers as well as daughters,[189] but still he saw not the Lamp.
Thereupon rage overrode him and he made another trial to be assured of
Alaeddin’s death; but he saw him not in the Enchanted Treasure. Hereat
his wrath still grew, and it waxed greater when he ascertained that the
youth had issued from underground and was now upon earth’s surface alive
and alert: furthermore, that he had become owner of the Lamp, for which
he had himself endured such toil and travail and troubles as man may not
bear save for so great an object. Accordingly quoth he to himself, “I
have suffered sore pains and penalties which none else could have
endured for the Lamp’s sake in order that other than I may carry it off;
and this Accursed hath taken it without difficulty. And who knoweth an
he wot the virtues of the Lamp, than whose owner none in the world
should be wealthier?”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-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 the Maghrabi,
the Magician, having considered and ascertained that Alaeddin had
escaped from the souterrain and had gotten the boon of the Lamp, said to
himself, “There is no help but that I work for his destruction.” He then
struck another geomantic table and examining the figures saw that the
lad had won for himself unmeasurable riches and had wedded the daughter
of his King; so of his envy and jealousy he was fired with the flame of
wrath; and, rising without let or stay, he equipped himself and set
forth for China-land, where he arrived in due season. Now when he had
reached the King’s capital wherein was Alaeddin, he alighted at one of
the Kháns; and, when he had rested from the weariness of wayfare, he
donned his dress and went down to wander about the streets, where he
never passed a group without hearing them prate about the pavilion and
its grandeur and vaunt the beauty of Alaeddin and his lovesomeness, his
liberality and generosity, his fine manners and his good morals.
Presently he entered an establishment wherein men were drinking a
certain warm beverage;[190] and, going up to one of those who were loud
in their lauds, he said to him, “O fair youth, who may be the man ye
describe and commend?” “Apparently thou art a foreigner, O man,”
answered the other, “and thou comest from a far country; but, even this
granted, how happeneth it thou hast not heard of the Emir Alaeddin whose
renown, I fancy, hath filled the universe and whose pavilion, known by
report to far and near, is one of the Wonders of the World? How, then,
never came to thine ears aught of this or the name of Alaeddin (whose
glory and enjoyment our Lord increase!) and his fame?” The Moorman
replied, “The sum of my wishes is to look upon this pavilion and, if
thou wouldest do me a favour, prithee guide me thereunto, for I am a
foreigner.” The man rejoined, “To hear is to obey;” and, foregoing him,
pointed out Alaeddin’s pavilion whereupon the Maroccan fell to
considering it and at once understood that it was the work of the Lamp.
So he cried, “Ah? Ah! needs must I dig a pit for this Accursed, this son
of a snip, who could not earn for himself even an evening meal: and, if
the Fates abet me, I will assuredly destroy his life and send his mother
back to spinning at her wheel, e’en as she was wont erewhiles to do.” So
saying, he returned to his caravanserai in a sore state of grief and
melancholy and regret bred by his envy and hate of Alaeddin.——And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-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
Maghrabi, the Magician, reached his caravanserai, he took his
astrological gear[191] and geomantic table to discover where might be
the Lamp; and he found that it was in the pavilion and not upon
Alaeddin’s person. So he rejoiced thereat with joy exceeding and
exclaimed, “Now indeed ’twill be an easy task to take the life of this
Accursed and I see my way to getting the Lamp.” Then he went to a
coppersmith and said to him, “Do thou make me a set of lamps and take
from me their full price and more; only I would have thee hasten to
finish them.” Replied the smith, “Hearing and obeying,” and fell
aworking to keep his word; and when they were ready the Moorman paid him
what price he required; then taking them he carried them to the Khan and
set them in a basket. Presently he began wandering about the highways
and market-streets of the capital crying aloud, “Ho! who will exchange
old lamps for new lamps?”[192] But when the folk heard him cry on this
wise, they derided him and said, “Doubtless this man is Jinn-mad, for
that he goeth about offering new for old;” and a world followed him and
the children of the quarter caught him up from place to place, laughing
at him the while, nor did he forbid them or care for their maltreatment.
And he ceased not strolling about the streets till he came under
Alaeddin’s pavilion,[193] where he shouted with his loudest voice and
the boys screamed at him, “A madman! A madman!” Now Destiny had decreed
that the Lady Badr al-Budur be sitting in her Kiosque whence she heard
one crying like a crier, and the children bawling at him; only she
understood not what was going on; so she gave orders to one of her
slave-girls saying,[194] “Go thou and see who ’tis that crieth and what
be his cry?” The girl fared forth and looked on when she beheld a man
crying, “Ho! who will exchange old lamps for new lamps?” and the little
ones pursuing and laughing at him; and as loudly laughed the Princess
when this strange case was told to her. Now Alaeddin had carelessly left
the lamp in his pavilion without hiding it and locking it up in his
strong box;[195] and one of the slave-girls who had seen it said, “O my
lady, I think to have noticed, in the apartment of my lord Alaeddin, an
old lamp: so let us give it in change for a new lamp to this man, and
see if his cry be truth or lie.”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
[Illustration]
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-sixth 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 hereupon the
Princess said to the slave-girl, “Bring the old lamp which thou saidst
to have seen in thy lord’s apartment.” Now the Lady Badr al-Budur knew
naught of the Lamp and of the specialities thereof which had raised
Alaeddin her spouse to such high degree and grandeur; and her only end
and aim was to understand by experiment the mind of a man who would give
in exchange the new for the old. So the handmaid fared forth and went up
to Alaeddin’s apartment and returned with the Lamp to her lady who, like
all the others, knew nothing of the Maghrabi’s cunning tricks and his
crafty device. Then the Princess bade an Ághá of the eunuchry go down
and barter the old Lamp for a new lamp. So he obeyed her bidding and,
after taking a new lamp from the man, he returned and laid it before his
lady who looking at it and seeing that it was brand-new, fell to
laughing at the Moorman’s wits. But the Maroccan, when he held the
article in hand and recognised it for the Lamp of the Enchanted
Treasury,[196] at once placed it in his breast-pocket and left all the
other lamps to the folk who were bartering of him. Then he went forth
running till he was clear of the city, when he walked leisurely over the
level grounds and he took patience until night fell on him in desert
ground where was none other but himself. There he brought out the Lamp
when suddenly appeared to him the Marid who said, “Adsum! thy slave
between thy hands is come: ask of me what so thou wantest.” “’Tis my
desire,” the Moorman replied, “that thou upraise from its present place
Alaeddin’s pavilion with its inmates and all that be therein, not
forgetting myself, and set it down upon my own land, Africa. Thou
knowest my town and I want the building placed in the gardens hard by
it.” The Marid-slave replied, “Hearkening and obedience: close thine
eyes and open thine eyes whenas thou shalt find thyself together with
the pavilion in thine own country.” This was done; and, in an
eye-twinkling, the Maroccan and the pavilion with all therein were
transported to the African land. Such then was the work of the Maghrabi,
the Magician; but now let us return to the Sultan and his son-in-law. It
was the custom of the King, because of his attachment to and his
affection for his daughter, every morning when he had shaken off sleep,
to open the latticed casement and look out therefrom that he might catch
sight of her abode. So that day he arose and did as he was wont.——And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-seventh 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
drew near the latticed casement of his palace and looked out at
Alaeddin’s pavilion he saw naught; nay, the site was smooth as a
well-trodden highway and like unto what it had been aforetime; and he
could find nor edifice nor offices. So astonishment clothed him as with
a garment, and his wits were wildered and he began to rub his eyes, lest
they be dimmed or darkened, and to gaze intently; but at last he was
certified that no trace of the pavilion remained nor sign of its being;
nor wist he the why and the wherefore of its disappearance. So his
surprise increased and he smote hand upon hand and the tears trickled
down his cheeks over his beard, for that he knew not what had become of
his daughter. Then he sent out officials forthright and summoned the
Grand Wazir who at once attended; and, seeing him in this piteous plight
said, “Pardon, O King of the Age, may Allah avert from thee every ill!
Wherefore art thou in such sorrow?” Exclaimed the Sovran, “Methinketh
thou wottest not my case?” and quoth the Minister, “On no wise. O our
lord: by Allah, I know of it nothing at all.” “Then,” resumed the
Sultan, “’tis manifest thou hast not looked this day in the direction of
Alaeddin’s pavilion.” “True, O my lord,” quoth the Wazir, “it must still
be locked and fast shut;” and quoth the King, “Forasmuch as thou hast no
inkling of aught,[197] arise and look out at the window and see
Alaeddin’s pavilion whereof thou sayest ’tis locked and fast shut.” The
Minister obeyed his bidding but could not see anything, or pavilion or
other place; so with mind and thoughts sore perplexed he returned to his
liege lord who asked him, “Hast now learned the reason of my distress
and noted yon locked-up palace and fast shut?” Answered the Wazir, “O
King of the Age, erewhile I represented to thy Highness that this
pavilion and these matters be all magical.” Hereat the Sultan, fired
with wrath, cried, “Where be Alaeddin?” and the Minister replied, “He
hath gone a-hunting,” when the King commanded without stay or delay
sundry of his Aghas and Army-officers to go and bring to him his
son-in-law chained and with pinioned elbows. So they fared forth until
they found Alaeddin when they said to him, “O our lord Alaeddin, excuse
us nor be thou wroth with us; for the King hath commanded that we carry
thee before him pinioned and fettered, and we hope pardon from thee
because we are under the royal orders which we cannot gainsay.”
Alaeddin, hearing these words, was seized with surprise and not knowing
the reason of this remained tongue-tied for a time, after which he
turned to them and asked, “O assembly, have you naught of knowledge
concerning the motive of the royal mandate? Well I wot my soul to be
innocent and that I never sinned against king or against kingdom.” “O
our lord,” answered they, “we have no inkling whatever.” So Alaeddin
alighted from his horse and said to them, “Do ye whatso the Sultan bade
you do, for that the King’s command is upon the head and the
eyes.[198]”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,