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THE BOOK OF THE
THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT
A Plain and Literal Translation
of the Arabian Nights Entertainments
Translated and Annotated by
Richard F. Burton
VOLUME NINE
Privately Printed By The Burton Club
To Alexander Baird of Urie.
My Dear Baird,
I avail my self of a privilege of authorship, not yet
utterly obsolete, to place your name at the head of this volume.
Your long residence in Egypt and your extensive acquaintance with
its "politic," private and public, make you a thouroughly
competent judge of the merits and demerits of this volume; and
encourage me to hope that in reading it you will take something
of the pleasure I have had in writing it..
Ever yours sincerely,
Richard F. Burton.
Tangier, December 31, 1885.
Contents of the Ninth Volume
Ali Nur Al-Din and Miriam the Girdle-Girl (continued)
159. The Man of Upper Egypt and His Frankish Wife
160. The Ruined Man of Baghdad and his Slave-Girl
161. King Jali'ad of Hind and His Wazir Shimas: Followed by the
History of King Wird Khan, son of King Jali'ad with His Women
and Wazirs
a. The Mouse and the Cat
b. The Fakir and His Jar of Butter
c. The Fishes and the Crab
d. The Crow and the Serpent
e. The Wild Ass and the Jackal
f. The Unjust King and the Pilgrim Prince
g. The Crows and the Hawk
h. The Serpent-Charmer and His Wife
i. The Spider and the Wind
j. The Two Kings
k. The Blind Man and the Cripple
l. The Foolish Fisherman
m. The Boy and the Thieves
n. The Man and his Wife
o. The Merchant and the Robbers
p. The Jackals and the Wolf
q. The Shepherd and the Rogue
r. The Francolin and the Tortoises
162. Abu Kir the Dyer and Abu Sir the Barber
163. Abdullah the Fisherman and Abdullah the Merman
164. Harun Al-Rashid and Abu Hasan, The Merchant of Oman
165. Ibrahim and Jamilah
166. Abu Al-Hasan of Khorasan
167. Kamar Al-Zaman and the Jeweller's Wife
168. Abdullah Bin Fazil and His Brothers
The Book Of The
THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT
When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nur
al-Din heard the voice singing these verses he said in himself,
"Verily this be the Lady Miriam chanting without hesitation or
doubt or suspicion of one from without.[FN#1] Would Heaven I knew
an my thought be true and if it be indeed she herself or other
self!" And regrets redoubled upon him and he bemoaned himself and
recited these couplets,
"When my blamer saw me beside my love * Whom I met in a site that
lay open wide,
I spake not at meeting a word of reproach * Though oft it comfort
sad heart to chide;
Quoth the blamer, 'What means this silence that bars * Thy making
answer that hits his pride?'
And quoth I, 'O thou who as fool dost wake, * To misdoubt of
lovers and Love deride;
The sign of lover whose love is true * When he meets his belovèd
is mum to bide.'"
When he had made an end of these verses, the Lady Miriam fetched
inkcase and paper and wrote therein: "After honour due to the
Basmalah,[FN#2] may the peace of Allah be upon thee and His mercy
and blessings be! I would have thee know that thy slavegirl
Miriam saluteth thee, who longeth sore for thee; and this is her
message to thee. As soon as this letter shall fall into thy
hands, do thou arise without stay and delay and apply thyself to
that we would have of thee with all diligence and beware with all
wariness of transgressing her commandment and of sleeping. When
the first third of the night is past, (for that hour is of the
most favourable of times) apply thee only to saddling the two
stallions and fare forth with them both to the Sultan's
Gate.[FN#3] If any ask thee whither thou wend, answer, 'I am
going to exercise the steeds,' and none will hinder thee; for the
folk of this city trust to the locking of the gates." Then she
folded the letter in a silken kerchief and threw it out of the
latticed window to Nur al-Din, who took it and reading it, knew
it for the handwriting of the Lady Miriam and comprehended all
its contents. So he kissed the letter and laid it between his
eyes; then, calling to mind that which had betided him with her
of the sweets of love-liesse, he poured forth his tears whilst he
recited these couplets,
"Came your writ to me in the dead of the night * And desire for
you stirrèd heart and sprite;
And, remembered joys we in union joyed, * Praised the Lord who
placed us in parting plight."
As soon as it was dark Nur al-Din busied himself with making
ready the stallions and patiented till the first watch of the
night was past; when, without a moment delay, Nur al-Din the
lover full of teen, saddled them with saddles of the goodliest,
and leading them forth of the stable, locked the door after him
and repaired with them to the city-gate, where he sat down to
await the coming of the Princess. Meanwhile, Miriam returned
forthright to her private apartment, where she found the one-eyed
Wazir seated, elbow-propt upon a cushion stuffed with
ostrich-down; but he was ashamed to put forth his hand to her or
to bespeak her. When she saw him, she appealed to her Lord in
heart, saying, "Allahumma-O my God-bring him not to his will of
me nor to me defilement decree after purity!" Then she went up to
him and made a show of fondness for him and sat down by his side
and coaxed him, saying, "O my lord, what is this aversion thou
displayest to me? Is it pride or coquetry on thy part? But the
current byword saith, 'An the salam-salutation be little in
demand, the sitters salute those who stand."[FN#4] So if, O my
lord, thou come not to me neither accost me, I will go to thee
and accost thee." Said he, "To thee belong favour and kindness, O
Queen of the earth in its length and breadth; and what am I but
one of thy slaves and the least of thy servants. Indeed, I was
ashamed to intrude upon thine illustrious presence, O unique
pearl, and my face is on the earth at thy feet." She rejoined,
"Leave this talk and bring us to eat and drink." Accordingly he
shouted to his eunuchs and women an order to serve food, and they
set before them a tray containing birds of every king that walk
and fly and in nests increase and multiply, such as sand-grouse
and quails and pigeon-poults and lambs and fatted geese and fried
poultry and other dishes of all sorts and colours. The Princess
put out her hand to the tray and began to eat and feed the Wazir
with her fair finger-tips and kiss him on the mouth. They ate
till they had enough and washed their hands, after which the
handmaidens removed the table of food and set on the service of
wine. So Princess Miriam filled the cup and drank and gave the
Wazir to drink and served him with assiduous service, so that he
was like to fly for joy and his breast broadened and he was of
the gladdest. When she saw that the wine had gotten the better of
his senses, she thrust her hand into her bosom and brought out a
pastile of virgin Cretan-Bhang, which she had provided against
such an hour, whereof if an elephant smelt a dirham's weight, he
would sleep from year to year. She distracted his attention and
crumbled the drug into the cup: then, filling it up, handed it to
the Wazir, who could hardly credit his senses for delight. So he
took it and kissing her hand, drank it off, but hardly had it
settled in his stomach when he fell head foremost to the ground.
Then she rose and filling two great pairs of saddle-bags with
what was light of weight and weighty of worth of jewels and
jacinths and precious stones, together with somewhat of meat and
drink, donned harness of war and armed herself for fight. She
also took with her for Nur al-Din what should rejoice him of rich
and royal apparel and splendid arms and armour, and shouldering
the bags (for indeed her strength equalled her valiancy),
hastened forth from the new palace to join her lover. On this
wise fared it with the Lady Miriam; but as regards Nur
al-Din,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Lady Miriam left the new palace, she went straightways to meet
her lover for indeed she was as valiant as she was strong; but
Nur al-Din the distracted, the full of teen, sat at the city-gate
hending the horses' halters in hand, till Allah (to whom belong
Majesty and Might) sent a sleep upon him and he slept-glory be to
Him who sleepeth not! Now at that time the Kings of the Islands
had spent much treasure in bribing folk to steal the two steeds
or one of them; and in those days there was a black slave, who
had been reared in the islands skilled in horse-lifting;
wherefore the Kings of the Franks seduced him with wealth galore
to steal one of the stallions and promised him, if he could
avail to lift the two, that they would give him a whole island
and endue him with a splendid robe of honour. He had long gone
about the city of France in disguise, but succeeded not in taking
the horses, whilst they were with the King; but, when he gave
them in free gift to the Wazir and the monocular one carried them
to his own stable, the blackamoor thief rejoiced with joy
exceeding and made sure of success, saying in himself, "By the
virtue of the Messiah and the Faith which is no liar, I will
certainly steal the twain of them!" Now he had gone out that very
night, intending for the stable, to lift them; but, as he walked
along, behold, he caught sight of Nur al-Din lying asleep, with
the halters in his hands. So he went up to the horses and loosing
the halters from their heads, was about to mount one of them and
drive the other before him, when suddenly up came the Princess
Miriam, carrying on her shoulders the couple of saddle-bags. She
mistook the black for Nur al-Din and handed him one pair of bags,
which he laid on one of the stallions: after which she gave him
the other and he set it on the second steed, without word said to
discover that it was not her lover. Then they mounted and rode
out of the gate[FN#5] in silence till presently she asked, "O my
lord Nur al-Din, what aileth thee to be silent?" Whereupon the
black turned to her and cried angrily, "What sayst thou, O
damsel?" When she heard the slave's barbarous accents, she knew
that the speech was not of Nur al-Din; so raising her eyes she
looked at him and saw that he was a black chattel, snub-nosed and
wide-mouthed, with nostrils like ewers; whereupon the light in
her eyes became night and she asked him, "Who art thou, O Shaykh
of the sons of Ham and what among men is thy name?" He answered,
"O daughter of the base, my name is Mas'úd, the lifter of horses,
when folk slumber and sleep." She made him no reply, but
straightway baring her blade, smote him on the nape and the blade
came out gleaming from his throat-tendons, whereupon he fell
earthwards, weltering in his blood, and Allah hurried his soul to
the Fire and abiding-place dire. Then she took the other horse by
the bridle and retraced her steps in search of Nur al-Din, whom
she found lying, asleep and snoring, in the place where she had
appointed him to meet her, hending the halters in hand, yet
knowing not his fingers from his feet. So she dismounted and gave
him a cuff,[FN#6] whereupon he awoke in affright and said to her,
"O m lady, praised be Allah for thy safe coming!" Said she "Rise
and back this steed and hold thy tongue!" So he rose and mounted
one of the stallions, whilst she bestrode the other, and they
went forth the city and rode on awhile in silence. Then said she
to him, "Did I not bid thee beware of sleeping? Verily, he
prospereth not who sleepeth." He rejoined, "O my lady, I slept
not but because of the cooling of my heart by reason of thy
promise. But what hath happened, O my lady?" So she told him her
adventure with the black, first and last, and he said, "Praised
be Allah for safety!" Then they fared on at full speed,
committing their affair to the Subtle, the All-wise and
conversing as they went, till they came to the place where the
black lay prostrate in the dust, as he were an Ifrit, and Miriam
said to Nur al-Din, "Dismount; strip him of his clothes and take
his arms." He answered, "By Allah, O my lady, I dare not dismount
nor approach him." And indeed he marvelled at the blackamoor's
stature and praised the Princess for her deed, wondering the
while at her valour and stout-heartedness. They fared on lustily
and ceased not so doing all that night and halted not till the
day broke with its shine and sheen and the sun shone bright upon
plain and height when they came to a wide riverino lea wherein
the gazelles were frisking gracefully. Its surface was clothed
with green and on all sides fruit trees of every kind were seen:
its slopes for flowers like serpents' bellies showed, and birds
sang on boughs aloud and its rills in manifold runnels flowed.
And indeed it was as saith the poet and saith well and
accomplisheth the hearer's desire,
"Rosy red Wady hot with summer-glow, * Where twofold tale of
common growth was piled.
In copse we halted wherein bent to us * Branches, as bendeth
nurse o'er weanling-child.
And pure cold water quenching thirst we sipped: * To cup-mate
sweeter than old wine and mild:
From every side it shut out sheen of sun * Screen-like, but wooed
the breeze to cool the wild:
And pebbles, sweet as maidens deckt and dight * And soft as
threaded pearls, the touch beguiled."
And as saith another,
"And when birdies o'er warble its lakelet, it gars *
Longing[FN#7] lover to seek it where morning glows;
For likest to Paradise lie its banks * With shade and fruitage
and fount that flows."
Presently Princess Miriam and Nur al-Din alighted to rest in this
Wady,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
She said, It hat reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Princess Miriam and Nur al-Din alighted in that valley, they ate
of its fruits and drank of its streams, after turning the
stallions loose to pasture: then they sat talking and recalling
their past and all that had befallen them and complaining one to
other of the pangs of parting and of the hardships suffered for
estrangement and love-longing. As they were thus engaged, behold,
there arose in the distance a dust-cloud which spread till it
walled the world, and they heard the neighing of horses and clank
of arms and armour. Now the reason of this was, that after the
Princess had been bestowed in wedlock upon the Wazir who had gone
in to her that night, the King went forth at daybreak, to give
the couple good morrow, taking with him, after the custom of
Kings with their daughters, a gift of silken stuffs and
scattering gold and silver among the eunuchs and tire-women, that
they might snatch at and scramble for it. And he fared on
escorted by one of his pages; but when he came to the new palace,
he found the Wazir prostrate on the carpet, knowing not his head
from his heels; so he searched the place right and left for his
daughter, but found her not; whereat he was troubled sore with
concern galore and his wits forlore. Then he bade bring hot water
and virgin vinegar and frankincense[FN#8] and mingling them
together, blew the mixture into the Wazir's nostrils and shook
him, whereupon he cast the Bhang forth of his stomach, as it were
a bit of cheese. He repeated the process, whereupon the Minister
came to himself and the King questioned him of his case and that
of his daughter. He replied, "O mighty King, I have no knowledge
of her save that she poured me out a cup of wine with her own
hand; and from that tide to this I have no recollection of aught
nor know I what is come of her." When the King heard this, the
light in his eyes became night, and he drew his scymitar and
smote the Wazir on the head, then the steel came out gleaming
from between his grinder teeth. Then, without an instant delay,
he called the groom sand syces and demanded of them the two
stallions: but they said, "O King, the two steeds were lost in
the night and together with them our chief, the Master of Horse;
for, when we awoke in the morning, we found all the doors wide
open." Cried the King, "By the faith of me and by all wherein my
belief is stablished on certainty, none but my daughter hath
taken the steeds, she and the Moslem captive which used to tend
the Church and which took her aforetime! Indeed I knew him right
well and none delivered him from my hand save this one-eyed
Wazir; but now he is requited his deed." Then the King called his
three sons, who were three doughty champions, each of whom could
withstand a thousand horse in the field of strife and the stead
where cut and thrust are rife; and bade them mount. So they took
horse forthwith and the King and the flower of his knights and
nobles and officers mounted with them and followed on the trail
of the fugitives till Miriam saw them, when she mounted her
charger and baldrick'd her blade and took her arms. Then she said
to Nur al-Din, "How is it with thee and how is thy heart for
fight and strife and fray?" Said he, "Verily, my steadfastness in
battle-van is as the steadfastness of the stake in bran."[FN#9]
And he improvised and said,
"O Miriam thy chiding I pray, forego; * Nor drive me to death or
injurious blow:
How e'er can I hope to bear fray and fight * Who quake at the
croak of the corby-crow?
I who shiver for fear when I see the mouse * And for very funk I
bepiss my clo'!
I loveno foin but the poke in bed, * When coynte well knoweth my
prickle's prow;
This is rightful rede, and none other shows * Righteous as this
in my sight, I trow."
Now when Miriam heard his speech and the verse he made, she
laughed and smilingly said, "O my lord Nur al-Din, abide in thy
place and I will keep thee from their ill grace, though they be
as the sea-sands in number. But mount and ride in rear of me, and
if we be defeated and put to flight, beware of falling, for none
can overtake thy steed." So saying, she turned her lance-head
towards foe in plain and gave her horse the rein, whereupon he
darted off under her, like the stormy gale or like waters that
from straitness of pipes outrail. Now Miriam was the doughtiest
of the folk of her time and the unique pearl of her age and tide;
for her father had taught her, whilst she was yet little, on
steeds to ride and dive deep during the darkness of the night in
the battle tide. When the King saw her charging down upon them,
he knew her but too well and turning to his eldest son, said, "O
Bartaut,[FN#10] thou who art surnamed Ras al-Killaut[FN#11] this
is assuredly thy sister Miriam who chargeth upon us, and she
seeketh to wage war and fight fray with us. So go thou out to
give her battle: and I enjoin thee by the Messiah and the Faith
which is no liar, an thou get the better of her, kill her not
till thou have propounded to her the Nazarene faith. An she
return to her old creed, bring her to me prisoner; but an she
refuse, do her die by the foulest death and make of her the
vilest of examples, as well as the accursed which is with her."
Quoth Bartaut, "Hearkening and obedience"; and, rushing out
forthright to meet his sister, said to her, "O Miriam, doth not
what hath already befallen us on thine account suffice thee, but
thou must leave the faith of thy fathers and forefathers and
follow after the faith of the Vagrants in the lands, that is to
say, the faith of Al-Islam? By the virtue of the Messiah and the
Faith which is no liar, except thou return to the creed of the
Kings thy Forebears and walk therein after the goodliest fashion,
I will put thee to an ill death and make of thee the most
shameful of ensamples!" But Miriam laughed at his speech and
replied, "Well-away! Far be it that the past should present stay
or that he who is dead should again see day! I will make thee
drink the sourest of regrets! By Allah, I will not turn back upon
the faith of Mohammed son of Abdullah, who made salvation
general; for his is the True Faith; nor will I leave the right
road though I drain the cup of ruin!"--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninety-second Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Miriam
exclaimed to her brother, "Well-away! Heaven forfend that I turn
back from the faith of Mohammed Abdullah-son who made salvation
general; for his is the Right Road nor will I leave it although I
drain the cup of ruin." When the accursed Bartaut heard this, the
light in his eyes became night, the matter was great and grievous
to him and between them there befel a sore fight. The twain
swayed to and fro battling throughout the length and breadth of
the valley and manfully enduring the stress of combat singular,
whilst all eyes upon them were fixed in admiring surprise: after
which they wheeled about and foined and feinted for a long bout
and as often as Bartaut opened on his sister Miriam a gate of
war,[FN#12] she closed it to and put it to naught, of the
goodliness of her skill and her art in the use of arms and her
cunning of cavalarice. Nor ceased they so doing till the dust
overhung their heads vault-wise and they were hidden from men's
eyes; and she ceased not to baffle Bartaut and stop the way upon
him, till he was weary and his courage wavered and his resolution
was worsted and his strength weakened; whereupon she smote him on
the nape, that the sword came out gleaming from his throat
tendons and Allah hurried his soul to the Fire and the
abiding-place which is dire. Then Miriam wheeled about in the
battleplain and the stead where cut and thrust are fain; and
championed it and offered battle, crying out and saying, "Who is
for fighting? Who is for jousting? Let come forth to me to-day no
weakling or niderling; ay, let none come forth to me but the
champions who the enemies of The Faith represent, that I may give
them to drink the cup of ignominious punishment. O worshippers of
idols, O miscreants, O rebellious folk, this day verily shall the
faces of the people of the True Faith be whitened and theirs who
deny the Compassionate be blackened!" Now when the King saw his
eldest son slain, he smote his face and rent his dress and cried
out to his second son, saying, "O Batrús, thou who art surnamed
Khara al-Sús,[FN#13] go forth, O my son, in haste and do battle
with thy sister Miriam; avenge me the death of thy brother
Bartaut and bring her to me a prisoner, abject and humiliated!"
He answered, "Hearkening and obedience, O my sire, and charging
down drave at his sister, who met him in mid-career, and they
fought, he and she, a sore fight, yet sorer than the first.
Bartus right soon found himself unable to cope with her might and
would have sought safety in flight, but of the greatness of her
prowess could not avail unto this sleight; for, as often as he
turned to flee, she drave after him and still clave to him and
pressed him hard, till presently she smote him with the sword in
his throat, that it issued gleaming from his nape, and sent him
after his brother. Then she wheeled about in the mid-field and
plain where cut and thrust are dealed, crying out and saying,
"Where be the Knights? Where be the Braves? Where is the one-eyed
Wazir, the lameter, of the crooked faith[FN#14] the worthy
believer?" Thereupon the King her father cried out with heart in
bleeding guise and tear-ulcerated eyes, saying, "She hath slain
my second son, by the virtue of the Messiah and the Faith which
is no liar!" And he called aloud to his youngest son, saying, "O
Fasyán, surnamed Salh al-Subyán,[FN#15] go forth, O my son, to do
battle with thy sister and take of her the blood-wreak for thy
brothers and fall on her, come what may; and whether thou gain or
thou lose the day;[FN#16] and if thou conquer her, slay her with
foulest slaughter!" So he drave out to Miriam, who ran at him
with the best of her skill and charged him with the goodliness of
her cleverness and her courage and her cunning in fence and
cavalarice, crying to him, "O accursed, O enemy of Allah and the
Moslems, I will assuredly send thee after thy brothers and woeful
is the abiding-place of the Miscreants!" So saying, she
unsheathed her sword and smote him and cut off his head and arms
and sent him after his brothers and Allah hurried his soul to the
Fire and the abiding-place dire. Now when the Knights and riders
who rode with her sire saw his three sons slain, who were the
doughtiest of the folk of their day, there fell on their hearts
terror of the Princess Miriam, awe of her overpowered them; they
bowed their heads earthwards and they made sure of ruin and
confusion, disgrace and destruction. So with the flames of hate
blazing in heart they turned their backs forthright and addressed
themselves to flight. When the King saw his sons slain and on his
flying troops cast sight, there fell on him bewilderment and
affright, whilst his heart also was a-fire for despight. Then
quoth he to himself, "In very sooth Princess Miriam hath
belittled us; and if I venture myself and go out against her
alone, haply she will gar me succumb and slay me without ruth,
even as she slew her brothers and make of me the foulest of
examples, for she hath no longer any desire for us nor have we of
her return any hope. Wherefore it were the better rede that I
guard mine honour and return to my capital." So he gave reins to
his charger and rode back to his city. But when he found himself
in his palace, fire was loosed in his heart for rage and chagrin
at the death of his three gallant sons and the defeat of his
troops and the disgrace to his honour; nor did he abide half an
hour ere he summoned his Grandees and Officers of state and
complained to them of that his daughter Miriam had done with him
of the slaughter of her brothers and all he suffered therefrom of
passion and chagrin, and sought advice of them. They all
counselled him to write to the Vicar of Allah in His earth, the
Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, and acquaint him with
his circumstance. So he wrote a letter to the Caliph, containing,
after the usual salutations, the following words. "We have a
daughter, Miriam the Girdle-girl hight, who hath been seduced and
debauched from us by a Moslem captive, named Nur al-Din Ali, son
of the merchant Taj al-Din of Cairo, and he hath taken her by
night and went forth with her to his own country; wherefore I beg
of the favour of our lord the Commander of the Faithful that he
write to all the lands of the Moslems to seize her and send her
back to us by a trusty messenger."--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninety-third Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King
of France wrote to the Caliph and Prince of True Believers, Harun
al-Rashid, a writ humbling himself by asking for his daughter
Miriam and begging of his favour that he write to all the
Moslems, enjoining her seizure and sending back to him by a
trusty messenger of the servants of his Highness the Commander of
the Faithful; adding, "And in requital of your help and aidance
in this matter, we will appoint to you half of the city of Rome
the Great, that thou mayst build therein mosques for the Moslems,
and the tribute thereof shall be forwarded to you." And after
writing this writ, by rede of his Grandees and Lords of the land,
he folded the scroll and calling his Wazir, whom he had appointed
in the stead of the monocular Minister, bade him seal it with the
seal of the kingdom, and the Officers of state also set hands and
seals thereto; after which the King bade the Wazir bear the
letter to Baghdad,[FN#17] the Palace of Peace, and hand it into
the Caliph's own hand, saying, "An thou bring her back, thou
shalt have of me the fiefs of two Emirs and I will bestow on thee
a robe of honour with two-fold fringes of gold." The Wazir set
out with the letter and fared on over hill and dale, till he came
to the city of Baghdad, where he abode three days, till he was
rested from the way, when he sought the Palace of the Commander
of the Faithful and when guided thereto he entered it and craved
audience. The Caliph bade admit him; so he went in and kissing
ground before him, handed to him the letter of the King of
France, together with rich gifts and rare presents beseeming the
Commander of the Faithful. When the Caliph read the writ and
apprehended its significance, he commanded his Wazir to write,
without stay or delay, despatches to all the lands of the
Moslems, setting out the name and favour of Princess Miriam and
of Nur al-Din, stating how they had eloped and bidding all who
found them lay hands on them and send them to the Commander of
the Faithful, and warning them on no wise in that matter to use
delay or indifference. So the Wazir wrote the letters and sealing
them, despatched them by couriers to the different Governors, who
hastened to obey the Caliph's commandment and addressed
themselves to make search in all the lands for persons of such
name and favour. On this wise it fared with the Governors and
their subjects; but as regards Nur al-Din and Miriam the
Girdle-girl, they fared on without delay after defeating the King
of France and his force and the Protector protected them, till
they came to the land of Syria and entered Damascus-city. Now the
couriers of the Caliph had foregone them thither by a day and the
Emir of Damascus knew that he was commanded to arrest the twain
as soon as found, that he might send them to the Caliph.
Accordingly, when they entered the city, the secret police[FN#18]
accosted them and asked them their names. They told them the
truth and acquainted them with their adventure and all that had
betided them; whereupon they knew them for those of whom they
were in search and seizing them, carried them before the Governor
of the city. He despatched them to the city of Baghdad under
escort of his officers who, when they came thither, craved
audience of the Caliph which he graciously granted; so they came
into the presence; and, kissing ground before him, said, "O
Commander of the Faithful, this is Miriam the Girdle-girl,
daughter of the King of France, and this is the captive Nur
al-Din, son of the merchant Taj al-Din of Cairo, who debauched
her from her sire and stealing her from his kingdom and country
fled with her to Damascus, where we found the twain as they
entered the city, and questioned them. They told us the truth of
their case: so we laid hands on them and brought them before
thee." The Caliph looked at Miriam and saw that she was slender
and shapely of form and stature, the handsomest of the folk of
her tide and the unique pearl of her age and her time; sweet of
speech[FN#19] and fluent of tongue, stable of soul and hearty of
heart. Thereupon she kissed the ground between his hands and
wished him permanence of glory and prosperity and surcease of
evil and enmity. He admired the beauty of her figure and the
sweetness of her voice and the readiness of her replies and said
to her, "Art thou Miriam the Girdle-girl, daughter of the King of
France?" Answered she, "Yes, O Prince of True Believers and
Priest of those who the Unity of Allah receive and Defender of
the Faith and cousin of the Primate of the Apostles!" Then the
Caliph turned to Nur al-Din Ali and seeing him to be a shapely
youth, as he were the shining full moon on fourteenth night, said
to him, "And thou, art thou Ali Nur al-Din, son of the merchant
Taj al-Din of Cairo?" Said he, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful
and stay of those who for righteousness are care-full!" The
Caliph asked, "How cometh it that thou hast taken this damsel and
fled forth with her of her father's kingdom?" So Nur al-Din
proceeded to relate to the Commander of the Faithful all his
past, first and last; whereat the Caliph was astonied with
extreme astonishment and diverted and exclaimed, "How manifold
are the sufferings that men suffer!"--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Caliph Harun al-Rashid asked Nur al-Din of his adventure and was
told of all that had passed, first and last, he was astonied with
extreme astonishment and exclaimed, "How manifold are the
sufferings that men suffer!" Then he turned to the Princess and
said to her, "Know, O Miriam, that thy father, the King of
France, hath written to me anent thee. What sayst thou?" She
replied, "O Vicar of Allah on His earth and Executor of the
precepts of His prophet and commands to man's unworth,[FN#20] may
He vouchsafe thee eternal prosperity and ward thee from evil and
enmity! Thou art Viceregent of Allah in His earth and I have
entered thy Faith, for that it is the creed which Truth and
Righteousness inspire; and I have left the religion of the
Miscreants who make the Messiah a liar,[FN#21] and I am become a
True Believer in Allah the Bountiful and in the revelation of His
compassionate Apostle. I worship Allah (extolled and exalted be
He!) and acknowledge Him to be the One God and prostrate myself
humbly before Him and glorify Him; and I say before the Caliph,
'Verily , I testify that there is no god but the God and I
testify that Mohammed is the Messenger of God, whom He sent with
the Guidance and the True Faith, that He might make it victorious
over every other religion, albeit they who assign partners to God
be averse from it.'[FN#22] Is it therefore in thy competence, O
Commander of the Faithful, to comply with the letter of the King
of the heretics and send me back to the land of the schismatics
who deny The Faith and give partners to the All-wise King, who
magnify the Cross and bow down before idols and believe in the
divinity of Jesus, for all he was only a creature? An thou deal
with me thus, O Viceregent of Allah, I will lay hold upon thy
skirts on the Day of Muster before the Lord and make my complaint
of thee to thy cousin the Apostle of Allah (whom God assain and
preserve!) on the Day when wealth availeth not neither children
save one come unto Allah wholehearted!"[FN#23] Answered the
Caliph, "O Miriam, Allah forfend that I should do this ever! How
can I send back a Moslemah believer in the one God and in His
Apostle to that which Allah hath forbidden and eke His Messenger
hath forbidden?" Quoth she, "I testify that there is no god but
the God and that Mohammed is the Apostle of God!" Rejoined the
Caliph, "O Miriam, Allah bless and direct thee in the way of
righteousness! Since thou art a Moslemah and a believer in Allah
the One, I owe thee a duty of obligation and it is that I should
never transgress against thee nor forsake thee, though be
lavished unto me on thine account the world full of gold and
gems. So be of good cheer and eyes clear of tear; and be thy
breast broadened and thy case naught save easy. Art thou willing
that this youth Ali of Cairo be to thee man and thou to him
wife?" Replied Miriam, "O Prince of True Believers, how should I
be other than willing to take him to husband, seeing that he
bought me with his money and hath entreated me with the utmost
kindness and, for crown of his good offices, he hath ventured his
life for my sake many times?" So the Caliph summoned the Kazi and
the witneses and married her to him assigning her a dowry and
causing the Grandees of his realm be present and the marriage day
was a notable. Then he turned to the Wazir of the French King,
who was present, and said to him, "Hast thou heard her words? How
can I her send back to her father the Infidel, seeing that she is
a Moslemah and a believer in the Unity? Belike he will evil
entreat her and deal harshly with her, more by token that she
hath slain his sons, and I shall bear blame for her on
Resurrection-day. And indeed quoth the Almighty 'Allah will by no
means make a way for the Infidels over the True
Believers.'[FN#24] So return to thy King and say to him, 'Turn
from this thing and hope not to come at thy desire thereof.'" Now
this Wazir was a Zany: so he said to the Caliph, "O Commander of
the Faithful, by the virtue of the Messiah and the Faith which is
no liar, were Miriam forty times a Moslemah and forty times
thereto, I may not depart from thee without that same Miriam! And
if thou send her not back with me of free will, I will hie me to
her sire and cause him despatch thee an host, wherewith I will
come upon you from the landward and the seaward; and the van
whereof shall be at your capital city whilst the rear is yet on
the Euphrates[FN#25] and they shall lay waste thy realms." When
the Caliph heard these words from the accursed Wazir of the King
of France, the light in his face became night and he was wroth at
his speech with exceeding wrath and said to him, "O damned one, O
dog of the Nazarenes, art thou come to such power that thou durst
assail me with the King of the Franks?" Then quoth he to his
guards, "Take this accursed and do him die"; and he repeated this
couplet,[FN#26]
"This be his recompense who will * Oppose and thwart his betters'
will."
Then he commanded to cut off the Wazir's head and burn his body;
but Princess Miriam cried, "O Commander of the Faithful, soil not
thy sword with the blood of this accursed." So saying, she bared
her brand and smote him and made his head fly from his corpse,
and he went to the house of ungrace; his abode was Gehenna, and
evil is the abiding-place. The Caliph marvelled at the force of
her fore-arm and the strength of her mind, and they carried the
dead Wazir forth of the pavilion and burnt him. Then the
Commander of the Faithful bestowed upon Nur al-Din a splendid
robe of honour and assigned to him and her a lodging in his
palace. Moreover, he appointed them solde and rations, and
commanded to transport to their quarters all they needed of
raiment and furniture and vessels of price. They sojourned awhile
in Baghdad in all delight of life and solace thereof till Nur
al-Din longed for his mother and father. So he submitted the
matter to the Caliph and sought his leave to revisit his native
land and visit his kinsfolk, and he granted him the permission he
sought and calling Miriam, commended them each to other. He also
loaded them with costly presents and rarities and bade write
letters to the Emirs and Olema and notables of Cairo the
God-guarded, commending Nur al-Din and his wife and parents to
their care and charging them honour them with the highmost
honour. When the news reached Cairo, the merchant Taj al-Din
joyed at the return of his son and Nur al-Din's mother likewise
rejoiced therein with passing joy. The Emirs and the notables of
the city went forth to meet him, in obedience to the Caliph's
injunctions, and indeed it was for them a right note-worthy day,
wherein foregathered the lover and the beloved and the seeker
attained the sought. Moreover, all the Emirs made them
bride-feasts, each on his own day, and joyed in them with joy
exceeding and vied in doing them honour, one the other
succeeding. When Nur al-Din foregathered with his mother and
father, they were gladdened in each other with the utmost
gladness and care and affliction ceased from them, whilst his
parents joyed no less in the Princess Miriam and honoured her
with the highmost honour. Every day, there came to them presents
from all the Emirs and great merchants, and they were in new
delight and gladness exceeding the gladness of festival. Then
they ceased not abiding in solace and pleasance and good cheer
and abounding prosperity, eating and drinking with mirth and
merriment, till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and
Sunderer of societies, Waster of houses and palace-domes and
Peopler of the bellies of the tombs. So they were removed from
worldly stead and became of the number of the dead; and glory be
to the Living One, who dieth not and in whose hand are the keys
of the Seen and the Unseen! And a tale was also told by the Emir
Shujá al-Dín,[FN#27] Prefect of Cairo anent
THE MAN OF UPPER EGYPT AND HIS FRANKISH
WIFE.
We lay one night in the house of a man of the Sa'íd or Upper
Egypt, and he entertained us and entreated us hospitably. Now he
was a very old man swart with exceeding swarthiness, and he had little
children, who were white, of a white dashed with red. So we said
to him, "Harkye, such an one, how cometh it that these thy
children are white, whilst thou thyself art passing swart?" and
he said, "Their mother was a Frankish woman, whom I took prisoner
in the days of Al-Malik al-Násir Saláh al-Dín,[FN#28] after the
battle of Hattín,[FN#29] when I was a young man." We asked, "And
how gottest thou her?" and he answered, "I had a rare adventure
with her." Quoth we, "Favour us with it;" and quoth he, "With all
my heart! You must know that I once sowed a crop of flax in these
parts and pulled it and scutched it and spent on it five hundred
gold pieces; after which I would have sold it, but could get no
more than this therefor, and the folk said to me, 'Carry it to
Acre: for there thou wilt haply make good gain by it.' Now Acre
was then in the hands of the Franks; [FN#30] so I carried my flax
thither and sold part of it at six months' credit. One day, as I
was selling, behold, there came up a Frankish woman (now 'tis the
custom of the women of the Franks to go about the market streets
with unveiled faces), to buy flax of me, and I saw of her beauty
what dazed my wits. So I sold her somewhat of flax and was easy
with her concerning the price; and she took it and went away.
Some days after, she returned and bought somewhat more flax of me
and I was yet easier with her about the price; and she repeated
her visits to me, seeing that I was in love with her. Now she was
used to walk in company of an old woman to whom I said, "I am
sore enamoured of thy mistress. Canst thou contrive for me to
enjoy her?" Quoth she, 'I will contrive this for thee; but the
secret must not go beyond us three, me, thee and her; and there
is no help but that thou be lavish with money, to boot.' And I
answered, saying, 'Though my life were the price of her favours
'twere no great matter.'" -- And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninety-Fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old
woman said to the man, "However the secret must not go beyond us
three, to wit me, thee and her; and there is no help but thou be
lavish of thy money to boot." He replied, "Though my life were
the price of her favours 'twere no great matter." "So it was
agreed" (continued the man of Upper Egypt), "that I should pay
her fifty dinars and that she should come to me; whereupon I
procured the money and gave it to the old woman. She took it and
said, 'Make ready a place for her in thy house, and she will come
to thee this night.' Accordingly I went home and made ready what
I could of meat and drink and wax candles and sweetmeats. Now my
house overlooked the sea and 'twas the season of summer; so I
spread the bed on the terrace roof. Presently, the Frank woman
came and we ate and drank, and the night fell dark. We lay down
under the sky, with the moon shining on us, and fell to watching
the shimmering of the stars in the sea: and I said to myself,
'Art thou not ashamed before Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!)
and thou a stranger, under the heavens and in presence of the
deep waters, to disobey Him with a Nazarene woman and merit the
torment of Fire?' Then said I, 'O my God, I call Thee to witness
that I abstain from this Christian woman this night, of
shamefastness before Thee and fear of Thy vengeance!' So I slept
till the morning, and she arose at peep of day full of anger and
went away. I walked to my shop and sat there; and behold,
presently she passed, as she were the moon, accompanied by the
old woman who was also angry; whereat my heart sank within me and
I said to myself, 'Who art thou that thou shouldst refrain from
yonder damsel? Art thou Sarí al-Sakatí or Bishr Barefoot or
Junayd of Baghdad or Fuzayl bin 'Iyáz?'[FN#31] Then I ran after
the old woman and coming up with her said to her, 'Bring her to
me again;' and said she, 'By the virtue of the Messiah, she will
not return to thee but for an hundred ducats!' Quoth I, 'I will
give thee a hundred gold pieces.' So I paid her the money and the
damsel came to me a second time; but no sooner was she with me
than I returned to my whilome way of thinking and abstained from
her and forbore her for the sake of Allah Almighty. Presently she
went away and I walked to my shop, and shortly after the old
woman came up, in a rage. Quoth I to her, 'Bring her to me
again;' and quoth she, 'By the virtue of the Messiah, thou shalt
never again enjoy her presence with thee, except for five hundred
ducats, and thou shalt perish in thy pain!' At this I trembled
and resolved to spend the whole price of my flax and therewith
ransom my life. But, before I could think, I heard the crier
proclaiming and saying, 'Ho, all ye Moslems, the truce which was
between us and you is expired, and we give all of you Mahometans
who are here a week from this time to have done with your
business and depart to your own country.' Thus her visits were
cut off from me and I betook myself to getting in the price of
the flax which men had bought upon credit, and to bartering what
remained in my hands for other goods. Then I took with me fair
merchandise and departed Acre with a soul full of affection and
love-longing for the Frankish woman, who had taken my heart and
my coin. So I journeyed till I made Damascus, where I sold the
stock in trade I had brought from Acre, at the highest price,
because of the cutting off of communication by reason of the term
of truce having expired; and Allah (extolled and exalted be He!)
vouchsafed me good gain. Then I fell to trading in captive slave-
girls, thinking thus to ease my heart of its pining for the
Frankish woman, and in this traffic engaged I abode three years,
till there befel between Al-Malik al-Násir and the Franks what
befel of the action of Hattin and other encounters and Allah gave
him the victory over them, so that he took all their Kings
prisoners and he opened [FN#32] the coast [FN#33] cities by His
leave. Now it fortuned one day after this, that a man came to me
and sought of me a slave-girl for Al-Malik al-Nasir. Having a
handsome handmaid I showed her to him and he bought her of me for
an hundred dinars and gave me ninety thereof, leaving ten still
due to me, for that there was no more found in the royal treasury
that day, because he had expended all his monies in waging war
against the Franks. Accordingly they took counsel with him and he
said, 'Carry him to the treasury[FN#34] where are the captives'
lodging and give him his choice among the damsels of the Franks,
so he may take one of them for the ten dinars,'" -- And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that whenas
Al-Malik al-Nasir said, " ' Give him his choice to take one of the
girls for the ten dinars that are due to him;' they brought me to
the captives' lodging and showed me all who were therein, and I
saw amongst them the Frankish damsel with whom I had fallen in
love at Acre and knew her right well. Now she was the wife of one
of the cavaliers of the Franks. So I said, 'Give me this one,'
and carrying her to my tent, asked her, 'Dost thou know me?' She
answered, 'No;' and I rejoined, 'I am thy friend, the sometime
flax-merchant with whom thou hadst to do at Acre and there befel
between us what befel. Thou tookest money of me and saidest,
'Thou shalt never again see me but for five hundred dinars.' And
now thou art become my property for ten ducats.' Quoth she, 'This
is a mystery. Thy faith is the True Faith and I testify that
there is no god but the God and that Mohammed is the Messenger of
God!' And she made perfect profession of Al-Islam. Then said I to
myself, 'By Allah, I will not go in unto her till I have set her
free and acquainted the Kazi.' So I betook myself to Ibn
Shaddád[FN#35] and told him what had passed and he married me to
her. Then I lay with her that night and she conceived; after
which the troops departed and we returned to Damascus. But within
a few days there came an envoy from the King of the Franks, to
seek the captives and the prisoners, according to the treaty
between the Kings. So Al-Malik al-Nasir restored all the men and
women captive, till there remained but the woman who was with me
and the Franks said, 'The wife of such an one the Knight is not
here.' Then they asked after her and making strict search for
her, found that she was with me; whereupon they demanded her of
me and I went in to her sore concerned and with colour changed;
and she said to me, 'What aileth thee and what evil assaileth
thee?' Quoth I, 'A messenger is come from the King to take all
the captives, and they demand thee of me.' Quoth she, 'Have no
fear, bring me to the King and I know what to say before and to
him.' I carried her into the presence of the Sultan Al-Malik al-
Nasir, who was seated, with the envoy of the King of the Franks
on his right hand, and I said to him, 'This is the woman that is
with me.' Then quoth the King and the envoy to her, 'Wilt thou go
to thy country or to[FN#36] thy husband? For Allah hath loosed
thy bonds and those of thy fellow captives.' Quoth she to the
Sultan, 'I am become a Moslemah and am great with child, as by my
middle ye may see, and the Franks shall have no more profit of
me.' The envoy asked, 'Whether is dearer to thee, this Moslem or
thy first husband and knight such an one?;' and she answered him
even as she had answered the Sultan. Then said the envoy to the
Franks with him, 'Heard ye her words?' They replied, 'Yes.' And
he said to me, 'Take thy wife and depart with her.' So I took her
and went away; but the envoy sent after me in haste and cried,
'Her mother gave me a charge for her, saying, 'My daughter is a
captive and naked; and I would have thee carry her this chest.'
Take it thou and deliver it to her.' Accordingly I carried the
chest home and gave it to her. She opened it and found in it all
her raiment as she had left it and therein I saw the two purses
of fifty and an hundred dinars which I had given her, untouched
and tied up with my own tying, wherefore I praised Almighty
Allah. These are my children by her and she is alive to this day
and 'twas she dressed you this food." We marvelled at his story
and at that which had befallen him of good fortune, and Allah is
All-knowing. But men also tell a tale anent the