wherein dwelt a king of exalted degree. But despite his virtue and his
valour he was ever sad and sorrowful having naught of offspring, and he
offered up without surcease prayers on that behalf. After long years and
longsome supplications a half boon was granted to him; to wit, a
daughter (myself) was born. My father who grieved sore at first
presently rejoiced with joy exceeding at the unfortunate ill-fated birth
of me; and, when I came of age to learn, he bade me be taught to read
and write; and caused me to be instructed in court-ceremonial and royal
duties and the chronicles of the past, to the intent that I might
succeed him as heiress to his throne and his kingship. Now it happened
one day that my sire rode out a-hunting and gave chase to a wild
ass[242] with such hot pursuit that he found himself at eventide
separated from his suite; so, wearied with the chase, he dismounted from
his steed and seating himself by the side of a forest-path, he said to
himself, “The onager will doubtless seek cover in this copse.” Suddenly
he espied a light shining bright amidst the trees and, thinking that a
hamlet might be hard by, he was minded to night there and at day-dawn to
determine his further course. Hereupon he arose and walking towards the
light he found that it issued from a lonely hut in the forest; then
peering into the inside he espied an Abyssinian burly of bulk and in
semblance like unto a Satan, seated upon a divan. Before him were ranged
many capacious jars full of wine and over a fire of charcoal he was
roasting a bullock whole and eating the flesh and ever and anon drinking
deep draughts from one of the pitchers. Furthermore the King sighted in
that hut a lady of exquisite beauty and comeliness sitting in a corner
direly distressed: her hands were fast bound with cords, and at her feet
a child of two or three years of age lay beweeping his mother’s sorry
plight.——And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that seeing the doleful
state of these twain, my sire was filled with ruth and longed to fall
upon the ogre sword in hand; however, not being able to cope with him he
restrained his wrath and remained on stealthy watch. The giant having
drained all the pitchers of wine and devoured half of the barbacued
bullock presently addressed himself to the lady and said, “O loveliest
of Princesses how long, wilt thou prove thee coy and keep aloof from me?
Dost thou not see how desirous I am of winning thy heart and how I am
dying for the love of thee? ’Tis therefore only right that thou also
shouldst return my affection and know me as thine own, when I will
become to thee the kindest of mankind.” “O thou Ghul of the waste,”
cried the lady, “what be this whereof thou pratest? Never; no, never
shalt thou win thy wish of me, however much thou mayest lust therefor.
Torment me or, an thou wilt, destroy me downright, but for my part I
will on no wise yield me to thy lusts.” At these words the infuriated
savage roared aloud, “’Tis enough and more than enough: thy hate
breedeth hatred in me and now I desire less to have and hold thee than
to do thee die.” Then he seized her with one hand, and drawing his sabre
with the other, would have struck off her head from her body when my
father shot at him a shaft so deftly that it pierced his heart and came
out gleaming at his back and he fell to the ground and found instant
admission into Jahannam. Hereupon my sire entered the hut and unbinding
the lady’s bonds enquired of her who she was and by what means that ogre
had brought her thither. Answered she, “Not far from this site there
liveth on the sea-shore a race of Saracens, like unto the demons of the
desert. Sorely against my will I was wedded to their Prince and the
fulsome villain thou hast now slain was one of my husband’s chief
officers. He fell madly in love to me and he longed with excessive
longing to get me into his power and to carry me off from my home.
Accordingly, one day of the days when my husband was out of the way and
I was in privacy, he carried me off with this my babe from the palace to
this wild wood wherein is none save He[243] and where well he wot that
all search and labour would be baffled; then, hour after hour he
designed guilty designs against me, but by the mercy of Almighty Allah I
have ever escaped all carnal soil of that foul monster. This evening, in
despair of my safety, I was rejecting his brutal advances when he
attempted to take my life and in the attempt he was slain by thy
valorous hand. This is then my story which I have told thee.” My father
reassured the Princess, saying, “O my lady, let thy heart be at ease; at
daybreak I will take thee away from this wilderness and escort thee to
Daryabar, of which city I am the Sultan; and, shouldst thou become fain
of that place, then dwell therein until thy husband shall come in quest
of thee.” Quoth the lady, “O my lord, this plan doth not displease me.”
So with the earliest light next morning my father took mother and child
away from that forest and set forth homewards when suddenly he fell in
with his Sirdars and officers who had been wandering hither and thither
during the livelong night in search of him. They rejoiced with great joy
on seeing the King and marvelled with exceeding marvel at the sight of a
veiled one with him, admiring much that so lovesome a lady should be
found dwelling in a wold so wild. Thereupon the King related to them the
tale of the ogre and of the Princess and how he had slain the
blackamoor. Presently they set forth on their homeward way; one of the
Emirs seating the dame behind him on his horse’s crupper while another
took charge of the child. They reached the royal city, where the King
ordered a large and splendid mansion to be built for his guest, the babe
also received a suitable education; and thus the mother passed her days
in perfect comfort and happiness. After the lapse of some months, when
no tidings, however fondly expected, came of her husband, she resigned
herself to marrying my father whom she had captivated by her beauty and
loveliness and amorous liveliness,[244] whereupon he wedded her, and
when the marriage-contract was drawn up (as was customary in those
days), they sojourned together in one stead. As time went on the lad
grew up to be a lusty youth of handsome mien; moreover he became perfect
in courtly ceremonial and in every art and science that befit Princes.
The King and all the Ministers and Emirs highly approved of him, and
determined that I should be married to him, and that he should succeed
the sovereign as heir to throne and kingship. The youth also was well
pleased with such tokens of favour from my father, but chiefly he
rejoiced with exceeding joy to hear talk of his union with his
protector’s only daughter. One day my sire desired to place my hand in
his to the intent that the marriage ceremony should at once take place,
but first he would impose upon my suitor certain conditions, whereof one
was that he should wed none other but his wife’s daughter, that is,
myself. This pledge displeased the haughty youth, who forthwith refused
his consent thereto, deeming himself by the demand of such condition a
despised and contemptible suitor of villain birth.——And as the morn
began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that, the lady
continued:—On this wise the wedding was deferred, and this delay became
a matter of sore displeasure to the young man, who thought in his heart
that my father was his foe. Therefore he ever strove to lure him into
his power till one day in a frenzy of rage he slew him and proclaimed
himself King of Daryabar. Moreover the murtherer would have entered my
chamber to kill me also had not the Wazir, a true and faithful servant
of the crown, at the tidings of his liege lord’s death speedily taken me
away, and hidden me in the house of a friend where he bade me remain
concealed. Two days afterwards, having fitted out a ship, he embarked me
therein with a Kahramánah—an old duenna—and set sail for a country whose
King was of my father’s friends, to the intent that he might consign me
to his charge, and obtain from him the aid of an army wherewith he might
avenge himself upon the ungrateful and ungracious youth who had proved
himself a traitor to the salt.[245] But a few days after our weighing
anchor a furious storm began to blow making the captain and crew sore
confounded and presently the waves beat upon the vessel with such
exceeding violence that she brake up, and the Wazir and the duenna and
all who were therein (save myself) were drowned in the billows. But I,
albeit well nigh a-swoon, clung to a plank and was shortly after washed
ashore by the send of the sea, for Allah of His mighty power had
preserved me safe and sound from death-doom by the raging of the ocean,
to the end that further troubles might befal me. When I returned to
sense and consciousness, I found myself alive on the strand and offered
up grateful thanks to Almighty Allah; but not seeing the Wazir or any
one of the company I knew that they had perished in the waters.——And as
the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
[Illustration]
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that the Princess of
Daryabar continued:—Presently, calling to remembrance the murther of my
father I cried aloud with an exceeding bitter cry and was sore afraid at
my lonesome plight, insomuch that I would fain have cast myself again
into the sea, when suddenly the voice of man and tramp of horse-hooves
fell upon my ears. Then looking about I descried a band of cavaliers in
the midst of whom was a handsome prince: he was mounted upon a steed of
purest Rabite[246] blood and was habited in a gold-embroidered surcoat;
a girdle studded with diamonds girt his loins and on his head was a
crown of gold; in fine it was evident from his garb as from his aspect
that he was a born ruler of mankind. Thereupon, seeing me all alone on
the sea-shore, the knights marvelled with exceeding marvel; then the
Prince detached one of his captains to ascertain my history and acquaint
him therewith; but albeit the officer plied me with questions I answered
him not a word and shed a flood of tears in the deepest silence. So
noting the waifage on the sand they thought to themselves, “Perchance
some vessel hath been wrecked upon this shore and its planks and timber
have been cast up on the land, and doubtless this lady was in that ship
and hath been floated ashore on some plank.” Whereupon the cavaliers
crowded around me and implored me to relate unto them what had befallen
me; nevertheless I still answered them not a word. Presently the Prince
himself drew near to me and, much amazed, sent away his suite from about
me and addressed me in these words, “O my lady, fear naught of ill from
me nor distress thyself by needless affright. I would convey thee to my
home and under my mother’s care; wherefore I am curious to know of thee
who thou art. The Queen will assuredly befriend thee and keep thee in
comfort and happiness.” And now understanding that his heart was drawn
towards me, I told him all that had betided me, and he on hearing the
story of my sad destiny became moved with the deepest emotion and his
eyes brimmed with tears. Then he comforted me and carried me with him
and committed me to the Queen his mother, who also lent kindly ear to my
tale of the past, first and last, and hearing it she also was greatly
grieved, and wearied not day or night in tending me and (as far as in
her lay) striving to make me happy. Seeing, moreover, that her son was
deeply enamoured of me and love-distraught she agreed to my becoming his
wife, while I also consented when I looked upon his handsome and noble
face and figure and to his proved affection for me and his goodness of
heart. Accordingly, in due time the marriage was celebrated with royal
pomp and circumstance. But what escape is there from Fate? On that very
night, the night of the wedding, a King of Zanzibar who dwelt hard by
that island, and had erewhile practised against the kingdom, seizing his
opportunity, attacked us with a mighty army, and having put many to
death, bethought him to take me and my husband alive. But we escaped
from his hands and fleeing under the murks of night to the sea-shore
found there a fisherman’s boat, which we entered thanking our stars and
launched it and floated far away on the current, unknowing whither
Destiny was directing us. On the third day we espied a vessel making us,
whereat we rejoiced with joy excessive, deeming her to be some
merchantman coming to our aidance. No sooner had it lain alongside,
however, than up there sprang five or six pirates,[247] each brandishing
a naked brand in hand, and boarding us tied our arms behind us and
carried us to their craft. They then tare the veil from my face and
forthwith desired to possess me, each saying to other, “I will enjoy
this wench.” On this wise wrangling and jangling ensued till right soon
it turned to battle and bloodshed, when moment by moment and one by one
the ravishers fell dead until all were slain save a single pirate, the
bravest of the band. Quoth he to me, “Thou shalt fare with me to Cairo
where dwelleth a friend of mine and to him will I give thee, for
erewhile I promised him that on this voyage I would secure for him a
fair woman for handmaid.” Then seeing my husband, whom the pirates had
left in bonds he exclaimed, “Who may be this hound? Is he to thee a
lover or a friend?” and I made answer “He is my wedded husband.” “’Tis
well,” cried he: “in very sooth it behoveth me to release him from the
bitter pangs of jealousy and the sight of thee enfolded in another’s
fond embrace.” Whereat the ruffian raised aloft the ill-fated Prince,
bound foot and hand, and cast him into the sea, while I shrieked aloud
and implored his mercy, but all in vain. Seeing the Prince struggling
and drowning in the waves I cried out and screamed and buffetted my face
and tare my hair and would fain have cast myself into the waters but I
could not, for he held me fast and lashed me to the mainmast. Then,
pursuing our course with favouring winds we soon arrived at a small
port-village where he bought camels and boy-slaves and journeyed on
towards Cairo; but when several stages of the road were left behind us,
the Abyssinian who dwelt in this castle suddenly overtook us. From afar
we deemed him to be a lofty tower, and when near us could hardly believe
him to be a human being.——And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held
her peace till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that the Princess of
Daryabar continued:—At once unsheathing his huge sword the Habashi made
for the pirate and ordered him to surrender himself prisoner, with me
and all his slaves, and with pinioned elbows to accompany him. Hereat
the robber with hot courage and heading his followers rushed fiercely on
the Abyssinian, and for a long time the fight raged thick and fast, till
he and his lay dead upon the field; whereupon the Abyssinian led off the
camels and carried me and the pirate’s corpse to this castle, and
devoured the flesh of his foe at his evening meal. Then turning to me as
I wept with bitter weeping he said, “Banish from thy breast this woe and
this angry mood; and abide in this castle at perfect ease and in
comfort, and solace thyself with my embraces. However, since thou
appearest at this present to be in dire distress, I will excuse thee for
to-night, but without fail I shall require thee of thyself on the
morrow.” He then led me into a separate chamber and locking fast the
gates and doors, fell asleep alone in another place. Arising early on
the next morning he searched the castle round about unlocked the wicket
which he closed again and sallied forth, according to his custom, in
quest of wayfarers. But the caravan escaped him and anon he returned
empty-handed when thou didst set upon him and slay him. On this wise the
Princess of Daryabar related her history to Prince Khudadad who was
moved with ruth for her: then comforting her he said, “Henceforth fear
naught nor be on any wise dismayed. These princes are the sons of the
King of Harran; and if it please thee, let them lead thee to his court
and stablish thee in comfort and luxury: the King also will guard thee
from all evil. Or, shouldest thou be loath to fare with them, wilt thou
not consent to take for spouse him who hath rescued thee from so great
calamity?” The Princess of Daryabar consented to wed with him and
forthwith the marriage was celebrated with grand display in the castle
and here they found meats and drinks of sundry sorts, and delicious
fruits and fine wines wherewith the cannibal would regale himself when
a-weary of man’s flesh. So Khudadad made ready dishes of every colour
and feasted his brothers. Next day taking with them such provaunt as was
at hand, all set forth for Harran, and at the close of each stage they
chose a suitable stead for nighting; and, when but one day’s journey lay
before them, the Princes supped that night off what was left to them of
their viaticum and drained all the wine that remained. But when the
drink had mastered their wits, Khudadad thus addressed his brothers,
saying, “Hitherto have I withheld from you the secret of my birth, which
now I must disclose. Know ye then that I am your brother, for I also am
a son of the King of Harran, whom the Lord of Samaria-land brought up
and bade educate; and lastly, my mother is the Princess Firuzah.” Then
to the Princess of Daryabar, “Thou didst not recognise my rank and
pedigree and, had I discovered myself erewhile, haply thou hadst been
spared the mortification of being wooed by a man of vulgar blood. But
now ease thy mind for that thy husband is a Prince.” Quoth she, “Albeit
thou discoveredst to me naught until this time, still my heart felt
assured that thou wast of noble birth and the son of some potent
sovereign.” The Princes one and all appeared outwardly well pleased and
offered each and every warm congratulations whilst the wedding was
celebrating; but inwardly they were filled with envy and sore annoy at
such unwelcome issue of events, so much so that when Khudadad retired
with the Princess of Daryabar to his tent and slept, those ingrates,
forgetful of the service rendered to them by their brother in that he
had rescued them when prisoners in the hands of the man-devouring
Abyssinian, remained deep in thought and seeking a safe place took
counsel one with other to kill him. Quoth the foremost of them, “O my
brethren, our father showed him the liveliest affection when he was to
us naught save a vagrant and unknown, and indeed made him our ruler and
our governor; and now, hearing of his victory won from the ogre and
learning that the stranger is his son, will not our sire forthwith
appoint this bastard his only heir and give him dominion over us so that
we must all be forced to fall at his feet and bear his yoke? My rede is
this that we make an end of him in this very spot.” Accordingly they
stole softly into his tent and dealt him from every side strokes with
their swords, so that they slashed him in every limb and fondly thought
that they had left him dead on the bed without their awaking the
Princess. Next morning they entered the city of Harran and made their
salams to the King, who despaired of sighting them again, so he rejoiced
with exceeding joy on seeing them restored to him safe and sound and
sane, and asked why they had tarried from him so long. In reply they
carefully concealed from him their being thrown into the dungeon by the
Ghul of Abyssinia and how Khudadad had rescued them: on the contrary all
declared that they had been delayed whilst a-hunting and a-visiting the
adjacent cities and countries. So the Sultan gave full credence to their
account and held his peace. Such was their case; but as regards
Khudadad, when the Princess of Daryabar awoke in the morning she found
her bridegroom lying drowned in blood gashed and pierced with a score of
wounds.——And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the full Six Hundredth Night.