“You have killed the holy woman.” “No, my princess,” answered Aladdin
without emotion, “I have not killed Fatima, but a wicked wretch that
would have assassinated me, if I had not prevented him. This wicked
man,” added he, uncovering his face, “has strangled Fatima, whom you
accused me of killing, and disguised himself in her clothes, to come and
murder me: but that you may know him better, he is brother to the
African magician.” Then Aladdin told her how he came to know those
particulars, and afterwards ordered the dead body to be taken away.
Thus was Aladdin delivered from the persecution of two brothers who were
magicians. Within a few years afterwards the sultan died in a good old
age, and as he left no male children, the princess Badr-oul-boudour, as
lawful heir of the crown, succeeded him, and communicating the power to
Aladdin, they reigned together many years, and left a numerous and
illustrious posterity behind them.
“Sir,” said the sultaness Scheherazade, after she had finished the story
of the Wonderful Lamp, “your majesty without doubt has observed in the
person of the African magician a man abandoned to the unbounded passion
for possessing immense treasures by the most unworthy means. On the
contrary, your majesty sees in Aladdin a person of mean birth raised to
the regal dignity by making use of the same treasures, which came to him
without his seeking, but just as he had an occasion for them to compass
the end proposed; and in the sultan you will have learnt what dangers a
just and equitable monarch runs, even to the risk of being dethroned,
when, by crying injustice, and against all the rules of equity, he dares
by an unreasonable precipitation, condemn an innocent person to death,
without giving him leave to justify himself. In short, you must abhor
those two wicked magicians, one of whom sacrificed his life to attain
great riches, the other his life and religion to revenge him, and both
received the chastisements they deserved.”[233]
KHUDADAD AND HIS BROTHERS.
Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, how rare is thy tale and delectable!”
and quoth Shahrazad, “And what is this compared with that I could relate
to you after the coming night, an this my lord the King deign leave me
on life?” So Shahryar said to himself, “Indeed I will not slay her until
she tell me the whole tale.”
And when it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-second Night,[234]
Shahrazad began to relate the adventures of
_KHUDADAD[235] AND HIS BROTHERS._
Said she, O auspicious King, this my tale relateth to the Kingdom of
Diyár Bakr[236] in whose capital-city of Harrán[237] dwelt a Sultan of
illustrious lineage, a protector of the people, a lover of his lieges, a
friend of mankind and renowned for being gifted with every good quality.
Now Allah Almighty had bestowed upon him all that his heart could
desire, save boon of child, for though he had lovely wives within his
Harem-door and fair concubines galore, he had not been blessed with a
son; wherefor he offered up incessant worship to the Creator. One night
there appeared to him in a dream a man of comely visage and holy of
semblance like unto a prophet, who addressed him, saying, “O puissant
King, thy vows are at length heard. Arise to-morrow at day-dawn, pray a
two-bow prayer and offer up thy petitions; then haste thee to the Chief
Gardener of thy palace and require of him a pomegranate whereof do thou
eat as many seeds as seemeth best to thee; after which perform another
two-bow prayer, and Allah will shower favours and graces upon thy head.”
The King, awaking at peep of day, called to mind the vision of the
night, and returning thanks to the Almighty, made his orisons and
kneeling invoked a benedicite. Then he rose and repaired to the garth,
and receiving a pomegranate from the Head-Gardener, counted out and ate
fifty grains thereof; to wit, one for each of his wives. After this he
lay the night in turn with them all and by the omnipotence of the
Creator all gave in due time signs of pregnancy, save one Firúzah[238]
hight. So the King conceived a grudge against her, saying in his soul,
“Allah holdeth this woman vile and accursed and He willeth not that she
become the mother of a Prince, and on this wise hath the curse of
barrenness become her lot.” He would have had her done to death but the
Grand Wazir made intercession for her and suggested to the Sultan that
perchance Firuzah might prove with child and withal not show outward
signal thereof, as is the manner of certain women; wherefore to slay her
might be to destroy a Prince with the mother. Quoth the King, “So be it!
slay her not, but take heed that she abide no longer or at court or in
the city, for I cannot support the sight of her.” Replied the Minister,
“It shall be done even as thy Highness biddeth: let her be conveyed to
the care of thy brother’s son, Prince Samír.” The King did according to
the counsel of his Wazir and despatched his loathed Queen to
Samaria[239] accompanied by a writ with the following purport, to his
nephew, “We forward this lady to thy care: entreat her honourably and,
shouldest thou remark tokens of pregnancy in her, see that thou acquaint
us therewith without stay or delay.” So Firuzah journeyed to Samaria,
and when her time was fulfilled she gave birth to a boy babe, and became
the mother of a Prince who in favour was resplendent as the sheeny day.
Hereat the lord of Samaria sent message by letter to the Sultan of
Harran saying, “A Prince hath been borne by the womb of Firuzah: Allah
Almighty give thee permanence of prosperity!” By these tidings the King
was filled with joy; and presently he replied to his cousin, Prince
Samir, “Each one of my forty-and-nine spouses hath been blessed with
issue and it delighteth me beyond bounds that Firuzah hath also given me
a son. Let him be named Khudadad—God’s gift—do thou have due care of him
and whatsoever thou mayest need for his birth-ceremonies shall be
counted out to thee without regard to cost.” Accordingly Prince Samir
took in hand with all pleasure and delight the charge of Prince
Khudadad; and, as soon as the child reached the age for receiving
instruction, he caused him to be taught cavalarice and archery and all
such arts and sciences which it behoveth the sons of the Kings to learn,
so that he became perfect in all manner knowledge. At eighteen years of
age he waxed seemly of semblance and such were his strength and valiance
that none in the whole world could compare with him. Presently, feeling
himself gifted with unusual vigour and virile character he addressed one
day of the days Firuzah his parent, saying, “O mother mine, grant me thy
leave to quit Samaria and fare in quest of fortune, especially of some
battle-field where I may prove the force and prowess of me. My sire, the
Sultan of Harran, hath many foes, some of whom are lusting to wage war
with him; and I marvel that at such time he doth not summon me and make
me his aid in this mightiest of matters. But seeing that I possess such
courage and Allah-given strength it behoveth me not to remain thus idly
at home. My father knoweth naught of my lustihood, nor forsooth doth he
think of me at all; nevertheless ’tis suitable that at such a time I
present myself before him, and tender my services until my brothers be
fit to fight and to front his foes.” Hereto his mother made answer, “O
my dear son, thine absence pleaseth me not, but in truth it becometh
thee to help thy father against the enemies who are attacking him on all
sides, provided that he send for thine aidance.”——And as the morn began
to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-third Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that Khudadad replied
to his mother Firuzah, “Indeed I am unable to brook delay; moreover such
longing have I in heart to look upon the Sultan, my sire, that an I go
not and visit him and kiss his feet I shall assuredly die. I will enter
his employ as a stranger and all unknown to him, nor will I inform him
that I am his son; but I shall be to him as a foreigner or as one of his
hired knaves, and with such devotion will I do him suit and service
that, when he learneth that I am indeed his child, he may grant me his
favour and affection.” Prince Samir also would not suffer him to depart
and forbade him therefrom; but one day of the days the Prince suddenly
set out from Samaria under pretext that he was about to hunt and chase.
He mounted a milk-white steed, whose reins and stirrups were of gold and
the saddle and housings were of azure satin dubbed with jewels and
fringed with pendants of fresh pearls. His scymitar was hilted with a
single diamond, the scabbard of chaunders-wood was crusted with rubies
and emeralds and it depended from a gemmed waist-belt; while his bow and
richly wrought quiver hung by his side. Thus equipped and escorted by
his friends and familiars he presently arrived at Harran-city after the
fairest fashion; and, when occasion offered itself, he made act of
presence before the King and did his obeisance at Darbár. The Sultan,
remarking his beauty and comeliness, or haply by reason of an outburst
of natural affection, was pleased to return his salam; and, graciously
calling him to his side, asked of him his name and pedigree, whereto
Khudadad answered, “O my liege, I am the son of an Emir of Cairo. A
longing for travel hath made me quit my native place and wander from
clime to clime till at length I have come hither; and, hearing that thou
hast matters of importance in hand, I am desirous of approving to thee
my valiancy.” The King joyed with exceeding joy to hear this stout and
doughty speech, and forthwith gave him a post of command in his army;
and Khudadad by careful supervision of the troops soon won the esteem of
his officers by his desire to satisfy them and the hearts of his
soldiers by reason of his strength and courage, his goodly nature and
his kindly disposition. He also brought the host and all its equipments
and munitions of warfare into such excellent order and method that the
King on inspecting them was delighted and created the stranger Chief
Commandant of the forces and made him an especial favourite; while the
Wazirs and Emirs, also the Nabobs and the Notables, perceiving that he
was highly reputed and regarded, showed him abundant good will and
affection. Presently, the other Princes, who became of no account in the
eyes of the King and the lieges, waxed envious of his high degree and
dignity. But Khudadad ceased not to please the Sultan his sire, at all
times when they conversed together, by his prudence and discretion, his
wit and wisdom, and gained his regard ever more and more; and when the
invaders, who had planned a raid on the realm, heard of the discipline
of the army and of Khudadad’s provisions for materials of war, they
abstained from all hostile intent. After a while the King committed to
Khudadad the custody and education of the forty-nine Princes, wholly
relying on his sagesse and skill; and thus, albeit Khudadad was of age
like his brothers, he became their master by reason of his sapience and
good sense. Whereupon they hated him but the more; and, when taking
counsel one day, quoth one to other, “What be this thing our sire hath
done that he should make a stranger-wight his cup-companion and set him
to lord it over us? We can do naught save by leave of this our governor,
and our condition is past bearing; so contrive we to rid ourselves of
this foreigner and at least render him vile and contemptible in the eyes
of our sire the Sultan.” Said one, “Let us gather together and slay him
in some lonely spot;” and said another, “Not so! to kill him would
benefit us naught, for how could we keep the matter hidden from the
King? He would become our enemy and Allah only wotteth what evil might
befal us. Nay, rather let us crave permission of him and fare a-hunting
and then tarry we in some far-off town; and after a while the King will
marvel at our absence, then grief will be sore upon him and at length,
waxing displeased and suspicious, he will have this fellow expelled the
palace or haply done to death. This is the only sure and safe way of
bringing about his destruction.”——And as the morn began to dawn
Shahrazad held her peace till
[Illustration]
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that the forty-and-nine
brothers agreed to hold this plan the wisest and, presently going
together to Khudadad, asked leave of him to ride about the country
awhile or fare to the chase, promising they would return by set of sun.
He fell into the snare and allowed them to go; whereupon they sallied
forth a-hunting but did not come back that day or the next. On the third
morning the King who missed them asked Khudadad wherefore it was that
none of his sons were to be seen; and he answered that three days before
they had gotten leave from him to go a-hunting and had not returned.
Hereat the father was perplexed with sore perplexity; and, when sundry
days more had passed by and still the Princes appeared not, the old
Sultan was much troubled in mind and hardly restraining his rage
summoned Khudadad and in hot wrath exclaimed, “O thou neglectful
stranger, what courage and over-daring is this of thine that thou didst
suffer my sons fare to the chace and didst not ride with them. And now
’tis but right that thou set out and search for them and bring them
back; otherwise thou shalt surely die.” Khudadad, hearing these harsh
words, was startled and alarmed; however he got him ready and mounted
his horse forthwith and left the city in quest of the Princes his
brethren, wandering about from country to country, like unto a herd
seeking a straying flock of goats. Presently, not finding any trace of
them in homestead or on desert-ground, he became sad and sorrowful
exceedingly, saying in his soul, “O my brothers, what hath befallen you
and where can ye be dwelling? Perchance some mighty foeman hath made you
prisoners so that ye cannot escape; and I may never return unto Harran
till I find you; for this will be a matter of bitter regret and repine
to the King.” So he repented more and more having suffered them to go
without his escort and guidance. At length whilst searching for them
from plain to plain and forest to forest he chanced come upon a large
and spacious prairie in the middlemost whereof rose a castle of black
marble; so he rode on at a foot pace and when close under the walls he
espied a lady of passing beauty and loveliness who was seated at a
window in melancholy plight and with no other ornament than her own
charms. Her lovely hair hung down in dishevelled locks; her raiment was
tattered and her favour was pale and showed sadness and sorrow. Withal
she was speaking under her breath and Khudadad, giving attentive ear,
heard her say these words, “O youth, fly this fatal site, else thou wilt
fall into the hands of the monster who dwelleth here; a man-devouring
Ethiopian[240] is lord of this palace; and he seizeth all whom Fate
sendeth to this prairie and locketh them up in darksome and narrow cells
that he may preserve them for food.” Khudadad exclaimed, “O my lady,
tell me I pray thee who thou art and whereabouts was thy home;” and she
answered, “I am a daughter of Cairo and of the noblest thereof. But
lately, as I wended my way to Baghdad, I alighted upon this plain and
met that Habashi, who slew all my servants and carrying me off by force
placed me in this palace. I no longer care to live, and a thousand times
better were it for me to die; for that this Abyssinian lusteth to enjoy
me and albeit to the present time I have escaped the caresses of the
impure wretch, to-morrow an I still refuse to gratify his desire he will
surely ravish me and do me dead. So I have given up all hope of safety;
but thou, why hast thou come hither to perish? Escape without stay or
delay, for he hath gone forth in quest of wayfarers and right soon will
he return. Moreover he can see far and wide and can descry all who
traverse this wold.” Now hardly had the lady spoken these words when the
Abyssinian drew in sight; and he was as a Ghúl of the Wild, big of bulk,
and fearsome of favour and figure, and he mounted a sturdy Tartar steed,
brandishing, as he rode, a weighty blade which none save he could wield.
Prince Khudadad seeing this monstrous semblance was sore amazed and
prayed Heaven that he might be victorious over that devil: then
unsheathing his sword he stood awaiting the Abyssinian’s approach with
courage and steadfastness; but the blackamoor when he drew near deemed
the Prince too slight and puny to fight and was minded to seize him
alive. Khudadad, seeing how his foe had no intent to combat, struck him
with his sword on the knee a stroke so dour that the negro foamed with
rage and yelled a yell so loud that the whole prairie resounded with the
plaint. Thereupon the brigand, fiery with fury, rose straight in his
shovel-stirrups and struck fiercely at Khudadad with his huge sword and,
but for the Prince’s cunning of fence and the cleverness of his courser,
he would have been sliced in twain like unto a cucumber. Though the
scymitar whistled through the air, the blow was harmless, and in an
eye-twinkling Khudadad dealt him a second cut and struck off his right
hand which fell to the ground with the sword hilt it gripped, when the
blackamoor losing his balance rolled from the saddle and made earth
resound with the fall. Thereupon the Prince sprang from his steed and
deftly severing the enemy’s head from his body threw it aside. Now the
lady had been looking down at the lattice rigid in prayer for the
gallant youth; and, seeing the Abyssinian slain and the Prince
victorious, she was overcome with exceeding joy and cried but to her
deliverer, “Praise be to Almighty Allah, O my lord, who by thy hand hath
defeated and destroyed this fiend. Come now to me within the castle,
whose keys are with the Abyssinian; so take them and open the door and
deliver me.” Khudadad found a large bunch of keys under the dead man’s
girdle wherewith he opened the portals of the fort and entered a large
saloon in which was the lady; and, no sooner did she behold him than
running to meet him she was about to cast herself at his feet and kiss
them when Khudadad prevented her. She praised him with highest praise
and extolled him for valiancy above all the champions of the world, and
he returned the salam to her who, when seen near hand seemed endued with
more grace and charms than had appeared from afar. So the Prince joyed
with extreme joy and the twain sat down in pleasant converse. Presently,
Khudadad heard shrieks and cries and weeping and wailing with groans and
moans and ever loudening lamentations; so he asked the lady, saying,
“Whence are these clamours and from whom come these pitiful complaints?”
And, she pointing to a wicket in a hidden corner of the court below,
answered, saying, “O my lord, these sounds come therefrom. Many wretches
driven by Destiny have fallen into the clutches of the Abyssinian Ghúl
and are securely locked up in cells, and each day he was wont to roast
and eat one of the captives.” “’Twill please me vastly,” quoth Khudadad,
“to be the means of their deliverance: come, O my lady, and show me
where they are imprisoned.” Thereupon the twain drew near to the place
and the Prince forthright tried a key upon the lock of the dungeon but
it did not fit; then he made essay of another wherewith they opened the
wicket. As they were so doing the report of the captives’ moaning and
groaning increased yet more and more until Khudadad, touched and
troubled at their impatience, asked the cause of it. The lady replied,
“O my lord, hearing our footsteps and the rattling of the key in the
lock they deem that the cannibal, according to his custom, hath come to
supply them with food and to secure one of them for his evening meal.
Each feareth lest his turn for roasting be come, so all are affrighted
with sore affright and redouble their shouts and cries.”——And as the
morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that the sounds from
that secret place seemed to issue from under ground or from the depths
of a draw-well. But when the Prince opened the dungeon door, he espied a
steep staircase and descending thereby found himself in a deep pit,
narrow and darksome, wherein were penned more than an hundred persons
with elbows pinioned and members chained; nor saw he aught of light save
through one bull’s-eye. So he cried to them, “O ye unfortunates, fear ye
no more! I have slain the Abyssinian; and render ye praise to Allah
Almighty who hath rid you of your wrong-doer: also I come to strike off
your fetters and return you to freedom.” Hearing these glad tidings the
prisoners were in raptures of delight and raised a general cry of joy
and jubilee. Hereupon Khudadad and the lady began to loose their hands
and feet; and each, as he was released from his durance, helped to
unchain his fellows: brief, after a moment of time all were delivered
from their bonds and bondage. Then each and every kissed Khudadad’s feet
and gave thanks and prayed for his welfare; and when those whilom
prisoners entered the court-yard whereupon the sun was shining sheen,
Khudadad recognised amongst them his brothers, in quest of whom he had
so long wandered. He was amazed with exceeding amazement and exclaimed,
“Laud be to the Lord, that I have found you one and all safe and sound:
your father is sorely sad and sorrowful at your absence; and Heaven
forfend that this devil hath devoured any from amongst you.” He then
counted their number, forty-and-nine, and set them apart from the rest;
and all in excess of joy fell upon one another’s necks and ceased not to
embrace their saviour. After this the Prince spread a feast for the
captives, each and every, whom he had delivered; and, when they had
eaten and drunken their full, he restored to them the gold and silver,
the Turkey carpets and pieces of Chinese silk and brocade and other
valuables innumerable which the Abyssinian had plundered from the
caravans, as also their own personal goods and chattels, directing each
man to claim his own; and what remained he divided equally amongst them.
“But,” quoth he, “by what means can ye convey these bales to your own
countries, and where can ye find beasts of burden in this wild wold?”
Quoth they, “O our Lord, the Abyssinian robbed us of our camels with
their loads and doubtless they are in the stables of the castle.”
Hereupon Khudadad fared forth with them to the stables and there found
tethered and tied not only the camels but also the forty-nine horses of
his brothers the princes, and accordingly he gave to each one his own
animal. There were moreover in the stables hundreds of Abyssinian
slave-boys who, seeing the prisoners released, were certified that their
lord the cannibal was slain and fled in dismay to the forest and none
thought of giving chase to them. So the merchants loaded their
merchandise upon the camels’ backs and farewelling the Prince set out
for their own countries. Then quoth Khudadad to the lady, “O thou rare
in beauty and chastity, whence earnest thou when the Abyssinian seized
thee and whither now wouldst thou wend? Inform me thereof that I may
restore thee to thy home; haply these Princes, my brethren, sons of the
Sultan of Harran, know thine abode; and doubtless they will escort thee
thither.” The lady turning to Khudadad presently made answer, “I live
far from here and my country, the land of Egypt, is over distant for
travel. But thou, O valorous Prince, hast delivered mine honour and my
life from the hands of the Abyssinian and hast shown me such favour that
’twould ill become me to conceal from thee my history. I am the daughter
of a mighty king; reigning over the Sa’íd or upper Nile-land; and when a
tyrant foeman seized him and, reaving him of life as well as of his
realm, usurped his throne and seized his kingdom, I fled away to
preserve my existence and mine honour.” Thereupon Khudadad and his
brothers prayed the lady to recount all that had befallen her and
reassured her, saying, “Henceforth thou shalt live in solace and luxury:
neither toil nor trouble shall betide thee.” When she saw that there was
no help for her but to tell all her tale, she began in the following
words to recount the
_HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS OF DARYABAR._[241]