Wazir Shimas asked the King's son, saying, "Which is the most
excellent of the treasures of earth?" he answered, "The practice
of kindness." So the Minister pursued, "Tell me of three several
and different things, knowledge and judgment and wit, and of that
which uniteth them."--"Knowledge cometh of learning, judgment of
experience and wit of reflection, and they are all stablished and
united in reason. Whoso combineth these three qualities attaineth
perfection, and he who addeth thereto the piety and fear of the
Lord is in the right course." Q "Take the case of a man of
learning and wisdom, endowed with right judgment, luminous
intelligence and a keen wit and excelling, and tell me can desire
and lust change these his qualities?"--"Yes; for these two
passions, when they enter into a man, alter his wisdom and
understanding and judgment and wit, and he is like the
Ossifrage[FN#106] which, for precaution against the hunters,
abode in the upper air, of the excess of his subtlety; but, as he
was thus, he saw a fowler set up his nets and when the toils were
firmly staked down bait them with a bit of meat; which when he
beheld, desire and lust thereof overcame him and he forgot that
which he had seen of springes and of the sorry plight of all
birds that fell into them. So he swooped down from the welkin and
pouncing upon the piece of meat, was meshed in the same snare and
could not win free. When the fowler came up and saw the Ossifrage
taken in his toils he marvelled with exceeding marvel and said,
'I set up my nets, thinking to take therein pigeons and the like
of small fowl; how came this Ossifrage to fall into it?' It is
said that when desire and lust incite a man of understanding to
aught, he considereth the end thereof and refraineth from that
which they make fair and represseth with his reason his lust and
his concupiscence; for, when these passions urge him to aught, it
behoveth him to make his reason like unto a horseman skilled in
horsemanship who mounting a skittish horse, curbeth him with a
sharp bit,[FN#107] so that he go aright with him and bear him
whither he will. As for the ignorant man, who hath neither
knowledge nor judgment, while all things are obscure to him and
desire and lust lord it over him, verily he doeth according to
his desire and his lust and is of the number of those that
perish; nor is there among men one in worse case than he." Q
"When is knowledge profitable and when availeth reason to ward
off the ill effects of desire and lust?"--"When their possessor
useth them in quest of the goods of the next world, for reason
and knowledge are altogether profitable; but it befitteth not
their owner to expend them in the quest of the goods of this
world, save in such measure as may be needful for gaining his
livelihood and defending himself from its mischief; but to lay
them out with a view to futurity." Q "What is most worthy that a
man should apply himself thereto and occupy his heart withal?"--
"Good works and pious." Q "If a man do this it diverteth him from
gaining his living; how then shall he do for his daily bread
wherewith he may not dispense?"--"A man's day is four-and-twenty
hours, and it behoveth him to employ one third thereof in seeking
his living, another in prayer and repose and the other in the
pursuits of knowledge;[FN#108] for a reasonable man without
knowledge is a barren land, which hath no place for tillage,
tree-planting or grass-growing. Except it be prepared for tilth
and plantation no fruit will profit therein; but, if it be
tilled and planted, it bringeth forth goodly fruits. So with the
man lacking education; there is no profit in him till knowledge
be planted in him; then doth he bear fruit." Q "What sayst thou
of knowledge without understanding?"--"It is as the knowledge of
a brute[FN#109] beast, which hath learnt the hours of its
foddering and waking, but hath no reason." Q "Thou hast been
brief in thine answer here anent; but I accept thy reply. Tell
me, how shall I guard myself against the Sultan?"--"By giving him
no way to thee." Q "And how can I but give him way to me, seeing
that he is set in dominion over me and that the reins of my
affair be in his hand?"--"His dominion over thee lieth in the
duties thou owest him; wherefore, an thou give him his due, he
hath no farther dominion over thee." Q "What are a Wazir's duties
to his King?"--"Good counsel and zealous service both in public
and private, right judgment, the keeping of his secrets and that
he conceal from his lord naught of that whereof he hath a right
to be informed, lack of neglect of aught of his need with the
gratifying of which he chargeth him, the seeking his approval in
every guise, and the avoidance of his anger." Q "How should the
Wazir do with the King?"--"An thou be Wazir to the King and
wouldst fain become safe from him, let thy hearing and thy
speaking to him surpass his expectation of thee, and be thy
seeking of thy want from him after the measure of thy rank in his
esteem, and beware lest thou advance thyself to a dignity whereof
he deemeth thee unworthy, for this would be like presuming against
him. So, if thou take advantage of his mildness and raise thee to
a rank beyond that which he deemeth thy due, thou wilt be like
the hunter, whose wont it was to trap wild beasts for their pelts
and cast away the flesh. Now a lion used to come to that place
and eat of the carrion; and in course of time, he made friendship
with the hunter, who would throw meat to him and wipe his hands on
his back, whilst the lion wagged his tail.[FN#110] But when the
hunter saw his tameness and gentleness and submissiveness to him,
he said to himself, 'Verily this lion humbleth himself to me and
I am master of him, and I see not why I should not mount him and
strip off his hide, as with the other wild beasts.' So he took
courage and sprang on the lion's back, presuming on his mildness
and deeming himself sure of him; which when the lion saw, he
raged with exceeding rage and raising his fore paw, smote the
hunter, that he drove his claws into his vitals; after which he
cast him under foot and tare him in pieces and devoured him. By
this we may know that it behoveth the Wazir to bear himself
towards the King according to that which he seeth of his
condition and not presume upon the superiority of his own
judgment, lest the King become jealous of him."--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Twelfth Night,
She continued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
youth, the son of King Jali'ad, said to Shimas the Wazir, "It
behoveth the Minister to bear himself towards the Monarch
according to that which he seeth of his condition, and not to
presume upon the superiority of his own judgment lest the King
wax jealous of him." Quoth Shimas, "How shall the Wazir grace
himself in the King's sight."--"By the performance of the trust
committed to him and of loyal counsel and sound judgment and the
execution of his commands." Q "As for what thou sayest of the
Wazir's duty to avoid the King's anger and perform his wishes and
apply himself diligently to the doing of that wherewith he
chargeth him, such duty is always incumbent on him; but how, an
the King's whole pleasure be tyranny and the practice of
oppression and exorbitant extortion; and what shall the Wazir do,
if he be afflicted by intercourse with this unjust lord? An he
strive to turn him from his lust and his desire, he cannot do
this, and if he follow him in his lusts and flatter him with
false counsel, he assumeth the weight of responsibility herein
and becometh an enemy to the people. What sayst thou of this?"--
"What thou speakest, O Wazir, of his responsibility and
sinfulness ariseth only in the case of his abetting the King in
his wrong-doing; but it behoveth the Wazir, when the King taketh
counsel with him of the like of this, to show forth to him the
way of justice and equity and warn him against tyranny and
oppression and expound to him the principles of righteously
governing the lieges; alluring him with the future reward that
pertaineth to this and restraining him with warning of the
punishment he otherwise will incur. If the King incline to him
and hearken unto his words, his end is gained, and if not, there
is nothing for it but that he depart from him after courteous
fashion, because in parting for each of them is ease." Q "What
are the duties of the King to his subjects and what are the
obligations of the lieges to their lord?"--"They shall do whatso
he ordereth them with pure intent and obey him in that which
pleaseth him and pleaseth Allah and the Apostle of Allah. And the
lieges can claim of the lord that he protect their possessions
and guard their women,[FN#111] even as it is their duty to
hearken unto him and obey him and expend their lives freely in
his defence and give him his lawful due and praise him fairly for
that which he bestoweth upon them of his justice and bounty." Q
"Have his subjects any claim upon the King other than that which
thou hast said?"--"Yes: the rights of the subjects from their
Sovran are more binding than the liege lord's claim upon his
lieges; for that the breach of his duty towards them is more
harmful than that of their duty towards him; because the ruin of
the King and the loss of his kingdom and fortune befal not save
by the breach of his devoir to his subjects; wherefore it
behoveth him who is invested with the kingship to be assiduous in
furthering three things, to wit, the fostering of the faith, the
fostering of his subjects and the fostering of government; for by
the ensuing of these three things, his kingdom shall endure." Q
"How doth it behove him to do for his subjects' weal?"--"By
giving them their due and maintaining their laws and
customs[FN#112] and employing Olema and learned men to teach them
and justifying them, one of other, and sparing their blood and
defending their goods and lightening their loads and
strengthening their hosts." Q "What is the Minister's claim upon
the Monarch?"--"None hath a more imperative claim on the King
than hath the Wazir, for three reasons: firstly, because of that
which shall befal him from his liege lord in case of error in
judgment, and because of the general advantage to King and
commons in case of sound judgment; secondly, that folk may know
the goodliness of the degree which the Wazir holdeth in the
King's esteem and therefore look on him with eyes of veneration
and respect and submission[FN#113]; and thirdly, that the Wazir,
seeing this from King and subjects, may ward off from them that
which they hate and fulfil to them that which they love." Q "I
have heard all thou hast said of the attributes of King and Wazir
and liege and approve thereof: but now tell me what is incumbent
in keeping the tongue from lying and folly and slandering good
names and excess in speech."--"It behoveth a man to speak naught
but good and kindness and to talk not of that which toucheth him
not; to leave detraction nor carry tale he hath heard from one
man to his enemy, neither seek to harm his friend nor his foe
with his Sultan and reck not of any (neither of him from whom he
hopeth for good nor of him whom he feareth for mischief) save of
Allah Almighty; for He indeed is the only one who harmeth or
profiteth. Let him not impute default unto any nor talk
ignorantly, lest he incur the weight and the sin thereof before
Allah and earn hate among men; for know thou that speech is like
an arrow which once shot none can avail to recall. Let him also
beware of disclosing his secret to one who shall discover it,
lest he fall into mischief by reason of its disclosure, after
confidence on its concealment; and let him be more careful to
keep his secret from his friend than from his foe; for the
keeping a secret with all folk is of the performance of faithful
trust." Q "Tell me how a man should bear himself with his family
and friends."--"There is no rest for a son of Adam save in
righteous conduct: he should render to his family that which they
deserve and to his brethren whatso is their due." Q "What should
one render to one's kinsfolk?"--"To parents, submission and soft
speech and affability and honour and reverence. To brethren good
counsel and readiness to expend money for them and assistance in
their undertakings and joyance in their joy and grieving for
their grief and closing of the eyes toward the errors that they
may commit; for, when they experience this from a man, they
requite him with the best of counsel they can command and expend
their lives in his defence; wherefore, an thou know thy brother
to be trusty, lavish upon him thy love and help him in all his
affairs."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Thirteenth Night,
She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
youth, the son and heir of King Jali'ad, when questioned by the
Wazir upon the subjects aforesaid, returned him satisfactory
replies; when Shimas resumed, "I see that brethren are of two
kinds, brethren of trust and brethren of society.[FN#114] As for
the first who be friends, there is due to them that which thou
hast set forth; but now tell me of the others who be
acquaintances."--As for brethren of society, thou gettest of them
pleasance and goodly usance and fair speech and enjoyable
company; so be thou not sparing to them of thy delights, but be
lavish to them thereof, like as they are lavish to thee, and
render to them that which they render to thee of affable
countenance and an open favour and sweet speech, so shall thy
life be pleasant and thy words be accepted of them." Q "Tell me
now of the provision decreed by the Creator to all creatures.
Hath He alloted to men and beasts each his several provision to
the completion of his appointed life-term; and if this allotment
be thus, what maketh him who seeketh his livelihood to incur
hardships and travail in the quest of that which he knoweth must
come to him, if it be decreed to him, albeit he incur not the
misery of endeavour; and which, if it be not decreed to him, he
shall not win, though he strive after it with his uttermost
striving? Shall he therefore stint endeavour and in his Lord put
trust and to his body and his soul give rest?"-- "Indeed, we see
clearly that to each and every there is a provision distributed
and a term prescribed; but to all livelihood are a way and means,
and he who seeketh would get ease of his seeking by ceasing to
seek; withal there is no help but that he seek his fortune. The
seeker is, however, in two cases: either he gaineth his fortune
or he faileth thereof. In the first case, his pleasure consisteth
in two conditions: first, in the having gained his fortune, and
secondly, in the laudable[FN#115] issue of his quest; and in the
other case, his pleasure consisteth, first, in his readiness to
seek his daily bread; secondly, in his abstaining from being a
burthen to the folk, and thirdly, in his freedom from liability
to blame." Q "What sayst thou of the means of seeking one's
fortune?"--"A man shall hold lawful that which Allah (to whom
belong Might and Majesty!) alloweth, and unlawful whatso He
forbiddeth." Reaching this pass the discourse between them came
to an end, and Shimas and all the Olema present rose and
prostrating themselves before the young Prince, magnified and
extolled him, whilst his father pressed him to his bosom and
seating him on the throne of kingship, said, "Praised be Allah
who hath blessed me with a son to be the coolth of mine eyes in
my lifetime!" Then said the King's son to Shimas in presence of
all the Olema, "O sage that art versed in spiritual questions,
albeit Allah have vouchsafed to me but scanty knowledge, yet do I
comprehend thine intent in accepting from me what I proffered in
answer concerning that whereof thou hast asked me, whether I hit
or missed the mark therein, and belike thou forgavest my errors;
but now I am minded to question thee anent a thing, whereof my
judgment faileth and whereto my capacity is insufficient and
which my tongue availeth not to set forth, for that it is obscure
to me, with the obscurity of clear water in a black vessel.
Wherefore I would have thee expound it to me so no iota thereof may
remain doubtful to the like of me, to whom its obscurity may
present itself in the future, even as it hath presented itself to
me in the past; since Allah, even as He hath made life to be in
lymph[FN#116] and strength in food and the cure of the sick in
the skill of the leach, so hath He appointed the healing of the
fool to be in the learning of the wise. Give ear, therefore, to
my speech." Replied the Wazir, "O luminous of intelligence and
master of casuistical questions, thou whose excellence all the
Olema attest, by reason of the goodliness of thy discretion of
things and thy distribution[FN#117] thereof and the justness of
thine answers to the questions I have asked thee, thou knowest
that thou canst enquire of me naught but thou art better able
than I to form a just judgment thereon and expound it truly, for
that Allah hath vouchsafed unto thee such wisdom as He hath
bestowed on none other of men. But inform me of what thou wouldst
question me." Quoth the Prince, "Tell me from what did the
Creator (magnified be His all-might!) create the world, albeit
there was before it naught and there is naught seen in this world
but it is created from something; and the Divine Creator
(extolled and exalted be He!) is able to create things from
nothing,[FN#118] yet hath His will decreed, for all the
perfection of His power and grandeur, that He shall create naught
but from something." The Wazir replied, "As for those, who
fashion vessels of potter's clay,[FN#119] and other
handicraftsmen, who cannot originate one thing save from another
thing, they are themselves only created entities; but, as for the
Creator, who hath wrought the world after this wondrous fashion,
an thou wouldst know His power (extolled and exalted be He!) of
calling things into existence, extend thy thought and consider
the various kinds of created things, and thou wilt find signs and
instances, proving the perfection of His puissance and that He is
able to create the ens from the non-ens; nay, He called things
into being, after absolute non-existence, for the elements which
be the matter of created things were sheer nothingness. I will
expound this to thee, so thou mayst be in no scepticism thereof,
and the marvel-signs of the alternation of Night and Day shall
make this clear to thee. When the light goeth and the night
cometh, the day is hidden from us and we know not the place where
it abideth; and when the night passeth away with its darkness and
its terror, the day cometh and we know not the abiding-place of
the night.[FN#120] In like manner, when the sun riseth upon us,
we know not where it hath laid up its light, and when it setteth,
we ignore the abiding-place of its setting; and the examples of
this among the works of the Creator (magnified be His name and
glorified be His might!) abound in what confoundeth the thought
of the keenest-witted of human beings." Rejoined the Prince, "O
sage, thou hast set before me of the power of the Creator what is
incapable of denial; but tell me how He called His creatures into
existence." Answered Shimas, "He created them by the sole power
of His one Word,[FN#121] which existed before time, and wherewith
he created all things." Quoth the Prince, "Then Allah (be His
name magnified and His might glorified!) only willed the
existence of created things, before they came into being?"
Replied Shimas, "And of His will, He created them with His one
Word and but for His speech and that one Word, the creation had
not come into existence."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Fourteenth Night,
She resumed: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after
the King's son had asked his sire's Wazir the casuistical
questions aforesaid, and had received a sufficient answer, Shimas
said to him, "O dear my son,[FN#122] there is no man can tell
thee other but this I have said, except he twist the words
handed down to us of the Holy Law and turn the truths thereof
from their evident meaning. And such a perversion is their saying
that the Word hath inherent and positive power and I take refuge
with Allah from such a mis-belief! Nay, the meaning of our saying
that Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) created the world
with His Word is that He (exalted be His name!) is One in His
essence and His attributes and not that His Word hath independent
power. On the contrary, power is one of the attributes of Allah,
even as speech and other attributes of perfection are attributes
of Allah (exalted be His dignity and extolled be His empery!);
wherefore He may not be conceived without His Word, nor may His
Word be conceived without Him; for, with His Word, Allah
(extolled be His praise!) created all His creatures, and without
His Word, the Lord created naught. Indeed, He created all things
but by His Word of Truth, and by Truth are we created." Quoth the
Prince, "I comprehend that which thou hast said on the subject of
the Creator and from thee I accept this with understanding; but I
hear thee say that He created the world by His Word of Truth. Now
Truth is the opposite of Falsehood; whence then arose Falsehood
with its opposition unto Truth, and how cometh it to be possible
that it should be confounded therewith and become doubtful to
human beings, so that they need to distinguish between the twain?
And doth the Creator (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) love
Falsehood or hate it? An thou say He loveth Truth and by it
created all things and abhorreth Falsehood, how came the False,
which the Creator hateth, to invade the True which He loveth?"
Quoth Shimas, "Verily Allah the Most High created man all
Truth[FN#123], loving His name and obeying His word, and on this
wise man had no need of repentance till Falsehood invaded the
Truth whereby he was created by means of the capability[FN#124]
which Allah had placed in him, being the will and the inclination
called lust of lucre.[FN#125] When the False invaded the True on
this wise, right became confounded with wrong, by reason of the
will of man and his capability and greed of gain, which is the
voluntary side of him together with the weakness of human nature:
wherefore Allah created penitence for man, to turn away from him
Untruth and stablish him in Truth, and He created for him also
punishment, if he should abide in the obscurity of Falsehood."
Quoth the Prince, "Tell me how came Untruth to invade Truth, so
as to be confounded therewith and how became man liable to
punishment and so stood in need of repentance." Replied Shimas,
"When Allah created man with Truth, He made him loving to Himself
and there was for him neither repentance nor punishment; but he
abode thus till Allah put in him the soul, which is of the
perfection of humanity, albeit naturally inclined to lust which
is inherent therein. From this sprang the growth of Untruth and
its confusion with Truth, wherewith man was created and with the
love whereof his nature had been made; and when man came to this
pass, he declined from the Truth with disobedience and whoso
declineth from the Truth falleth into Falsehood." Said the
Prince, "Then Falsehood invaded Truth only by reason of
disobedience and transgression?" Shimas replied, "Yes: and it is
thus because Allah loveth mankind, and of the abundance of His
love to man He created him having need of Himself, that is to
say, of the very Truth. But oftentimes man lapseth from this by
cause of the inclination of the soul to lusts and turneth to
frowardness, wherefore he falleth into Falsehood by the act of
disobeying his Lord and thus deserveth punishment; and by
putting away from himself Falsehood with repentance and by the
returning to the love of the Truth, he meriteth future reward."
Quoth the Prince, "Tell me the origin of sin, whilst all mankind
trace their being to Adam, and how cometh it that he, being
created of Allah with truth, drew disobedience on himself; then
was his disobedience coupled with repentance, after the soul had
been set in him, that his issue might be reward or retribution?
Indeed, we see some men constant in sinfulness, inclining to that
which He loveth not and transgressing in this the original intent
and purpose of their creation, which is the love of the Truth,
and drawing on themselves the wrath of their Lord, whilst we see
others constant in seeking the satisfaction of their Creator and
obeying Him and meriting mercy and future recompense. What
causeth this difference prevailing between them?" Replied Shimas,
"The origin of disobedience descending upon mankind is
attributable to Iblis, who was the noblest of all that Allah
(magnified be His name!) created of angels[FN#126] and men and
Jinn, and the love of the Truth was inherent in him, for he knew
naught but this; but whenas he saw himself unique in such
dignity, there entered into him pride and conceit, vainglory and
arrogance which revolted from loyalty and obedience to the
commandment of His Creator; wherefore Allah made him inferior to
all creatures and cast him out from love, making his abiding-
place to be in disobedience. So when he knew that Allah
(glorified be His name!) loved not disobedience and saw Adam and
the case wherein he was of truth and love and obedience to his
Creator, envy entered into him and he devised some device to
pervert Adam from the truth, that he might be a partaker with
himself in Falsehood; and by this, Adam incurred chastisement for
his inclining to disobedience, which his foe made fair to him,
and his subjection to his lusts, whenas he transgressed the
charge of his Lord, by reason of the appearance of Falsehood.
When the Creator (magnified be the praises of Him and hallowed be
the names of Him!) saw the weakness of man and the swiftness of
his inclining to his enemy and leaving the truth, He appointed to
him, of His mercy, repentance, that therewith he might arise from
the slough[FN#127] of inclination to disobedience and taking the
arms and armour of repentance, overcome therewith his foe Iblis
and his hosts and return to the Truth, wherein he was created.
When Iblis saw that Allah (magnified be His praise!) had
appointed him a protracted term,[FN#128] he hastened to wage war
upon man and to beset him with wiles, to the intent that he might
oust him from the favour of his Lord and make him a partaker with
himself in the wrath which he and his hosts had incurred;
wherefore Allah (extolled be His praises!) appointed unto man the
capability of penitence and commanded him to apply himself to the
Truth and persevere therein; and forbade him from disobedience
and frowardness and revealed to him that he had on the earth an
enemy warring against him and relaxing not from him night nor
day. Thus hath man a right to future reward, if he adhere to the
Truth, in the love of which his nature was created; but he
becometh liable to punishment, if the flesh master him and
incline him to lusts."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Fifteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
young Prince had questioned Shimas touching disputed points of
olden time and had been duly answered, he presently said, "Now
tell me by what power is the creature able to transgress against
his Creator, seeing that His omnipotence is without bounds, even
as thou hast set forth, and that naught can overcome Him or
depart from His will? Deemest thou not that He is able to turn
His creatures from this disobedience and compel them eternally to
hold the Truth?" Answered Shimas, "In very sooth Almighty Allah
(honoured be His name!) is just and equitable and loving-kind to
the people of His affection.[FN#129] He created His creatures
with justice and equity and of the inspiration of His justice and
the overflowing of His mercy, He gave them kingship over
themselves, that they should do whatever they might design. He
showeth them the way of righteousness and bestoweth on them the
power and ability of doing what they will of good: and if they do
the opposite thereof, they fall into destruction and
disobedience." Q "If the Creator, as thou sayest, have granted
to mankind power and ability[FN#130] and they by reason thereof
are empowered to do whatso they will, why then doth He not come
between them and that which they desire of wrong and turn them to
the right?"--"This is of the greatness of His mercy and the
goodliness of His wisdom; for, even as aforetime he showed wrath
to Iblis and had no mercy on him, even so he showed Adam mercy,
by means[FN#131] of repentance, and accepted of him, after He had
been wroth with him." Q "He is indeed mere Truth, for He it is
who requiteth every one according to his works, and there is no
Creator save Allah who hath power over all things. But tell me,
hath He created that which He loveth and that which He loveth not
or only that which He loveth?"--"He created all things, but
favoureth only that which he loveth." Q "What reckest thou of two
things, one whereof is pleasing to God and earneth future reward
for him who practiseth it and the other offendeth Allah and
entaileth lawful punishment upon the doer?"--"Expound to me these
two things and make me to apprehend them, that I may speak
concerning them." Q "They are good and evil, the two things
inherent in the body and in the soul."--"O wise youth, I see that
thou knowest good and evil to be of the works which the soul and
the body combine to do. Good is named good, because it is in
favour with God, and evil is termed ill, for that in it is His
ill-will. Indeed, it behoveth thee to know Allah and to please
Him by the practice of good, for that He hath bidden us to this
and forbidden us to do evil." Q "I see these two things, to wit,
good and evil, to be wrought only by the five senses familiarly
known in the body of man, which be the sensorium[FN#132] whence
proceed speech, hearing, sight, smell and touch. Now I would
have thee tell me whether these five senses were created
altogether for good or for evil."--"Apprehend, O man, the
exposition of that whereof thou askest and it is a manifest
proof; so lay it up in thine innermost thought and take it to thy
heart. And this it is that the Creator (extolled and exalted be
He!) created man with Truth and impressed him with the love
thereof and there proceedeth from it no created thing save by the
puissance of the Most High, whose trace is in every phenomenon.
He[FN#133] (extol we Him and exalt we Him!) is not apt but to the
ordering of justice and equity and beneficence, and He created
man for the love of Him and set in him a soul, wherein the
inclination to lusts was innate and assigned him capability and
ableness and appointed the Five Senses aforesaid to be to him a
means of winning Heaven or Hell." Q "How so?"--"In that He
created the Tongue for speech, the Hands for action, the Feet for
walking and the Eyes for seeing and the Ears for hearing, and
upon each bestowed especial power and incited them to exercise
and motion, bidding each of them do naught save that which
pleaseth Him. Now what pleaseth Him in Speech is truthfulness and
abstaining from its opposite, which is falsehood; and what
pleaseth Him in Sight is turning it unto that which He loveth and
leaving the contrary, which is turning it unto that which He
hateth, such as looking unto lusts; and what pleaseth Him in
Hearing is hearkening to naught but the True, such as admonition
and that which is in Allah's writ and leaving the contrary, which
is listening to that which incurreth the anger of Allah; and what
pleaseth Him in the Hands is not hoarding up that which He
entrusteth to them, but expending it in such way as shall please
Him and leaving the contrary, which is avarice or spending in
sinfulness that which He hath committed to them; and what
pleaseth Him in the Feet is that they be constant in the pursuit
of good, such as the quest of instruction, and leave its
contrary, which is the walking in other than the way of Allah.
Now respecting the rest of the lusts which man practiseth, they
proceed from the body by command of the soul. But the lusts which
proceed from the body are of two kinds, the lust of reproduction
and the lust of the belly. As for the former, that which pleaseth
Allah thereof is that it be not other than lawful[FN#134] and He
is displeased with it if contrary to His law. As for the lust of
the belly, eating and drinking, what pleaseth Allah thereof is
that each take naught save that which the Almighty hath appointed
him be it little or mickle, and praise the Lord and thank Him;
and what angereth Him thereof is that a man take that which is
not his by right. All precepts other than these are false, and
thou knowest that Allah created every thing and delighteth only in
Good and commandeth each member of the body to do that which He
hath made on it incumbent, for that He is the All-wise, the All-
knowing." Q "Was it foreknown unto Allah Almighty (exalted be His
power!) that Adam, by eating of the tree from which He forbade
him and whence befel what befel, would leave obedience for
disobedience?"--"Yes, O sage youth. This was foreknown unto Allah
Almighty ere He created Adam, and the proof and manifestation
attached thereto is the warning He gave him against eating of the
tree and His informing him that, if he ate of the fruit he would
be disobedient. And this was in the way of justice and equity,
lest Adam should have an argument wherewith he might excuse
himself against his Lord. When therefore, he fell into error and
calamity and when disgrace waxed sore upon him and reproach, this
passed to his posterity after him; wherefore Allah sent Prophets
and Apostles and gave to them Books and they taught us the divine
commandments and expounded to us what was therein of admonitions
and precepts and made clear to us and manifest the way of
righteousness and explained to us what it behoved us to do and
what to leave undone. Now we are endowed with Freewill and he who
acteth within these lawful limits winneth his wish and
prospereth, while whoso transgresseth these legal bounds and
doeth other than that which these precepts enjoin, resisteth the
Lord and is ruined in both Abodes. This then is the road of Good
and Evil. Thou knowest that Allah over all things is Omnipotent
and created not lusts for us but of His pleasure and volunty, and
He bade us use them in the way of lawfulness, so they might be to
us a good; but, when we use them in the way of sinfulness they
are to us an evil. Therefore what of righteous we compass is from
Allah Almighty, and what of wrongous from ourselves[FN#135] His
creatures, not from the Creator, exalted be He herefor with
highmost exaltation!"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Sixteenth Night,
She continued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the youth, King Jali'ad's son had questioned Shimas concerning
these subtleties and had been duly answered, he pursued, "That
which thou hast expounded to me concerning Allah and His
creatures I understand; but tell me of one matter, concerning
which my mind is perplexed with extreme wonderment, and that is
that I marvel at the sons of Adam, how careless they are of the
life to come and at their lack of taking thought thereof and
their love to this world, albeit they know that they must needs
leave it and depart from it, whilst they are yet young in
years."--"Yes, verily; and that which thou seest of its
changefulness and traitorousness with its children is a sign that
Fortune to the fortunate will not endure nor to the afflicted
affliction; for none of its people is secure from its
changefulness and even if one have power over it and be content
therewith, yet there is no help but that his estate change and
removal hasten unto him. Wherefore man can put no trust therein
nor profit by that which he enjoyeth of its gilding and
glitter[FN#136]; and we knowing this will know that the sorriest
of men in condition are those who are deluded by this world and
are unmindful of the other world; for that whatso of present ease
they enjoy will not even the fear and misery and horrors which
will befal them after their removal therefrom. Thus are we
certified that, if the creature knew that which will betide him
with the coming of death[FN#137] and his severance from that
which he enjoyeth of pleasure and delight, he would cast away the
world and that which is therein; for we are certified that the
next life is better for us and more profitable." Said the Prince,
"O sage, thou hast dispelled the darkness that was upon my heart
by the light of thy shining lamp and hast directed me into the
right road I must tread on the track of Truth and hast given me a
lantern whereby I may see." Then rose one of the learned men who
were in the presence and said, "When cometh the season of Prime,
needs must the hare seek the pasture as well as the elephant; and
indeed I have heard from you twain such questions and solutions
as I never before heard; but now leave that and let me ask you of
somewhat. Tell me, what is the best of the goods of the world?"
Replied the Prince, "Health of body, lawful livelihood and a
virtuous son." Q "What is the greater and what is the less?"--
"The greater is that to which a lesser than itself submitteth and
the less that which submitteth to a greater than itself." Q "What
are the four things wherein concur all creatures?"--"Men concur
in meat and drink, the sweet of sleep, the lust of women and the
agonies of death." Q "What are the three things whose foulness
none can do away?"--"Folly, meanness of nature, and lying." Q
"What is the best kind of lie,[FN#138] though all kinds are
foul?"--"That which averteth harm from its utterer and bringeth
gain." Q "What kind of truthfulness is foul, though all kinds are
fair?"--"That of a man glorying in that which he hath and
vaunting himself thereof." Q "What is the foulest of
foulnesses?"--"When a man boasteth himself of that which he hath
not." Q "Who is the most foolish of men?"--"He who hath no
thought but of what he shall put in his belly." Then said Shimas,
"O King, verily thou art our King, but we desire that thou assign
the kingdom to thy son after thee, and we will be thy servants
and lieges." So the King exhorted the Olema and others who were
in the presence to remember that which they had heard and do
according thereto and enjoined them to obey his son's
commandment, for that he made him his heir-apparent,[FN#139] so
he should be the successor of the King his sire; and he took an
oath of all the people of his empire, literates and braves and
old men and boys, to mention none other, that they would not
oppose him in the succession nor transgress against his
commandment. Now when the Prince was seventeen years old, the
King sickened of a sore sickness and came nigh to die; so, being
certified that his decease was at hand, he said to the people of
his household, "This is disease of Death which is upon me;
wherefore do ye summon my son and kith and kin and gather
together the Grandees and Notables of my empire, so not one of
them may remain except he be present." Accordingly they fared
forth and made proclamation to those who were near and published
the summons to those who were afar off, and they all assembled
and went in to the King. Then said they to him, "How is it with
thee, O King, and how deemest thou for thyself of these thy
dolours?" Quoth Jali'ad, "Verily, this my malady is mortal and
the shaft of death hath executed that which Allah Almighty
decreed against me: this is the last of my days in the world here
and the first of my days in the world hereafter." Then said he to
his son, "Draw near unto me." So the youth drew near, weeping
with weeping so sore, that he well nigh drenched the bed, whilst
the King's eyes welled tears and all who were present wept. Quoth
Jali'ad, "Weep not, O my son; I am not the first whom this
Inevitable betideth; nay, it is common to all that Allah hath
created. But fear thou the Almighty and do good deeds which shall
precede thee to the place whither all creatures tend and wend.
Obey not thy lusts, but occupy thy soul with lauding the Lord in
thy standing up and thy sitting down, in thy waking and in thy
sleeping. Make the Truth the aim of thine eyes; this is the last
of my speech with thee and--The Peace."--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Seventeenth Night,
She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
King Jali'ad charged his son with such injunctions and made him
his heir to succeed him in his reign, the Prince said, "O dear
father mine,[FN#140] thou knowest that I have ever been to thee
obedient and thy commandment carrying out, mindful of thine
injunctions and thine approof seeking, for thou hast been to me
the best of fathers; how, then, after thy death, shall I depart
from that which contenteth thee? And now, having fairly ordered
my nurture thou art about to depart from me and I have no power
to bring thee back to me; but, an I be mindful of thy charge, I
shall be blessed therein and great good fortune shall betide me."
Quoth the King, and indeed he was in the last agony of departing
life, "Dear my son, cleave fast unto ten precepts, which if thou
hold, Allah shall profit thee herewith in this world and the next
world, and they are as follows. Whenas thou art wroth, curb thy
wrath; when thou art afflicted, be patient; when thou speakest be
soothfast; when thou promisest, perform; when thou judgest, do
justice; when thou hast power, be merciful; deal generously by
thy governors and lieutenants; forgive thy foes; be lavish of
good offices to thine adversary, and stay thy mischief from him.
Observe also other ten precepts,[FN#141] wherewith Allah shall
profit thee among the people of thy realm, to wit, when thou
dividest, be just; when thou punishest, oppress not; when thou
engagest thyself, fulfil thine engagement; hearken to those that
give thee loyal counsel; when offence is offered to thee, neglect
it; abstain from contention; enjoin thy subjects to the
observance of the divine laws and of praiseworthy practices;
abate ignorance with a sharp sword; withhold thy regard from
treachery and its untruth; and, lastly, do equal justice between
the folk, so they may love thee, great and small, and the wicked
and corrupt of them may fear thee." Then he addressed himself to
the Emirs and Olema which were present when he appointed his son
to be his successor, saying, "Beware ye of transgressing the
commandment of your King and neglecting to hearken to your chief,
for therein lieth ruin for your realm and sundering for your
society and bane for your bodies and perdition for your
possessions; and your foe would exult over you. Well ye wot the
covenant ye made with me, and even thus shall be your covenant
with this youth and the troth which plighted between you and me
shall be also between you and him; wherefore it behoveth you to
give ear unto and obey his commandment, for that in this is the
well-being of your conditions. So be ye constant with him anent
that wherein ye were with me and your estate shall prosper and
your affairs be fair; for behold, he hath the Kingship over you
and is the lord of your fortune, and--The Peace." Then the death-
agony[FN#142] seized him and his tongue was bridled; so he
pressed his son to him and kissed him and gave thanks unto Allah;
after which his hour came and his soul fared forth. All his
subjects and the people of his court mourned and keened over him
and they shrouded him and buried him with pomp and honour and
reverence; after which they returned with the Prince and clad him
in the royal robes and crowned him with his father's crown and
put the seal-ring on his finger, after seating him on the Throne
of Sovranship. The young King ordered himself towards them, after
his father's fashion of mildness and justice and benevolence, for
a little while till the world waylaid him and entangled him in
its lusts, whereupon, its pleasures made him their prey and he
turned to its gilding and gewgaws, forsaking the engagements
which his father had imposed upon him and casting off his
obedience to him, neglecting the affairs of his reign and
treading a road wherein was his own destruction. The love of
women waxed stark in him and came to such a pass that, whenever
he heard tell of a beauty, he would send for her and take her to
wife; and after this wise, he collected women more in number than
ever had Solomon, David-son, King of the children of Israel. Also
he would shut himself up with a company of them for a month at a
time, during which he went not forth neither enquired of his
realm or its rule nor looked into the grievances of such of his
subjects as complained to him; and if they wrote to him, he
returned them no reply. Now when they saw this and witnessed his
neglect of their affairs and lack of care for their interests and
those of the state, they were assured that ere long some calamity
would betide them and this was grievous to them. So they met
privily one with other and took counsel together blaming their
King, and one of them said to the rest, "Come, let us go to
Shimas, Chief of the Wazirs, and set forth to him our case and
acquaint him with that wherein we are by reason of this King, so
he may admonish him; else, in a little, calamity will dawn upon
us, for the world hath dazzled the Sovran with its delights and
seduced him with its snares." Accordingly, they repaired to
Shimas and said to him, "O wise man and prudent, the world hath
dazed the King with its delights and taken him in its toils, so
that he turneth unto vanity and worketh for the undoing of the
state. Now with the disordering of the state the commons will be
corrupted and our affairs will run to ruin. We see him not for
days and months nor cometh there forth from him any commandment
to us or to the Wazir or any else. We cannot refer aught of our
need to him and he looketh not to the administration of justice
nor taketh thought to the condition of any of his subjects, in
his disregard of them.[FN#143] And behold we are come to acquaint
thee with the truth of things, for that thou art the chiefest and
most accomplished of us and it behoveth not that calamity befal a
land wherein thou dwellest, seeing that thou art most able of any
to amend this King. Wherefore go thou and speak with him: haply
he will hearken to thy word and return unto the way of
Allah."[FN#144] So Shimas arose forthright and repairing to the
palace, foregathered with the first page he could find and said
to him, "Fair my son, I beseech thee ask leave for me to go in to
the King, for I have an affair, concerning which I would fain see
his face and acquaint him therewith and hear what he shall answer
me there anent." Answered the page, "O my lord, by Allah, this
month past hath he given none leave to come in to him, nor have I
all this time looked upon his face; but I will direct thee to one
who shall crave admission for thee. Do thou lay hold of such a
blackamoor slave who standeth at his head and bringeth him food
from the kitchen. When he cometh forth to go to the kitchen, ask
him what seemeth good to thee; for he will do for thee that which
thou desirest." So the Wazir repaired to the door of the kitchen
and sat there a little while, till up came the black and would
have entered the kitchen; but Shimas caught hold of him and said
to him, "Dear my son, I would fain stand in presence of the King
and speak with him of somewhat especially concerneth him; so
prithee, of thy kindness, when he hath ended his undurn-meal and
his temper is at its best, speak for me and get me leave to
approach him, so I may bespeak him of that which shall suit him."
"I hear and obey," answered the black and taking the food carried
it to the King, who ate thereof and his temper was soothed
thereby. Then said the black to him, "Shimas standeth at the door
and craveth admission, so he may acquaint thee with matters that
specially concern thee." At this the King was alarmed and
disquieted and commanded to admit the Minister.--And Shahrazed
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Eighteenth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
King bade the blackamoor admit Shimas, the slave went forth to
him and bade him enter; whereupon he went in and falling prone
before Allah, kissed the King's hands and blessed him. Then said
the King, "What hath betided thee, O Shimas, that thou seekest
admission unto me?" He answered, "This long while have I not
looked upon the face of my lord the King and indeed I longed sore
for thee; and now, behold, I have seen thy countenance and come
to thee with a word which I would lief say to thee, O King
stablished in all prosperity!" Quoth the King, "Say what seemeth
good to thee;" and quoth Shimas, "I would have thee bear in mind
O King, that Allah Almighty hath endowed thee with learning and
wisdom, for all the tenderness of thy years, such as He never
vouchsafed unto any of the Kings before thee, and hath fulfilled
the measure of his bounties to thee with the Kingship; and He
loveth not that thou depart from that wherewith He hath endowed
thee unto other than it, by means of thy disobedience to Him;
wherefore it behoveth thee not to levy war against[FN#145] Him
with thy hoards but of His injunctions to be mindful and unto His
commandments obedient. Indeed, I have seen thee, this while past,
forget thy sire and his charges and reject his covenant and
neglect his counsel and words of wisdom and renounce his justice
and good governance, remembering not the bounty of Allah to thee
neither requiting it with gratitude and thanks to Him." The King
asked, "How so? And what is the manner of this?"; and Shimas
answered, "The manner of it is that thou neglectest to administer
the affairs of the state and that which Allah hath committed unto
thee of the interests of thy lieges and surrenderest thyself to
thy lower nature in that which it maketh fair to thee of the
slight lusts of the world. Verily it is said that the welfare of
the state and of the Faith and of the folk is of the things which
it behoveth the King to watch; wherefore it is my rede, O King,
that thou look fairly to the issue of thine affair, for thus wilt
thou find the manifest road wherein is salvation, and not accept
a trifling pleasure and a transient which leadeth to the abyss of
destruction, lest there befal thee that which befel the
Fisherman." The King asked, "What was that?"; and Shimas
answered, "There hath reached me this tale of
The Foolish Fisherman.
A fisherman went forth to a river for fishing therein as was his
wont; and when he came thither and walked upon the bridge, he saw
a great fish and said in himself, "'Twill not serve me to abide
here, but I will follow yonder fish whitherso it goeth, till I
catch it, for it will relieve me from fishing for days and days."
So he did off his clothes and plunged into the river after the
fish. The current bore him along till he overtook it and laid
hold of it, when he turned and found himself far from the bank.
But albeit he saw what the stream had done with him, he would not
loose the fish and return, but ventured life and gripping it fast
with both hands, let his body float with the flow, which carried
him on till it cast him into a whirlpool[FN#146] none might enter
and come out therefrom. With this he fell to crying out and
saying, "Save a drowning man!" And there came to him folk of the
keepers of the river and said to him, "What ailed thee to cast
thyself into this great peril?" Quoth he, "It was I myself who
forsook the plain way wherein was salvation and gave myself over
to concupiscence and perdition." Quoth they, "O fellow, why didst
thou leave the way of safety and cast thyself into this
destruction, knowing from of old that none may enter herein and
be saved? What hindered thee from throwing away what was in thy
hand and saving thyself? So hadst thou escaped with thy life and
not fallen into this perdition, whence there is no deliverance;
and now not one of us can rescue thee from this thy ruin."
Accordingly the man cut off all his hopes of life and lost that
which was in his hand and for which his flesh had prompted him to
venture himself, and died a miserable death. "And I tell thee not
this parable, O King," added Shimas, "but that thou mayest leave
this contemptible conduct that diverteth thee from thy duties and
look to that which is committed to thee of the rule of thy folk
and the maintenance of the order of thy realm, so that none may
see fault in thee." The King asked, "What wouldst thou have me
do?" And Shimas answered, "Tomorrow, an thou be well and in good
case,[FN#147] give the folk leave to come in to thee and look
into their affairs and excuse thyself to them and promise them of
thine own accord good governance and prosperity." Quoth the King,
"O Shimas, thou hast spoken sensibly and rightly; and to-morrow,
Inshallah, I will do that which thou counsellest me." So the
Wazir went out from him and told the lieges all he had said to
him; and, when morning morrowed, the King came forth of his
privacy and bade admit the people, to whom he excused himself,
promising them that thenceforward he would deal with them as
they wished, wherewith they were content and departed each to his
own dwelling.[FN#148] Then one of the King's wives, who was his
best-beloved of them and most in honour with him, visited him and
seeing him changed of colour and thoughtful over his affairs, by
reason of that which he had heard from his Chief Wazir, said to
him, "O King, how is it that I see thee troubled in mind? Hast
thou aught to complain of?" Answered he, "No: but my pleasures
have distracted me from my duties. What right have I to be thus
negligent of my affairs and those of my subjects? If I continue
on this wise, soon, very soon, the kingdom will pass out of my
hand." She rejoined, "I see, O King, that thou hast been duped by
the Wazirs and Ministers, who wish but to torment and entrap
thee, so thou mayst have no joyance of this thy kingship neither
feel ease nor taste delight; nay, they would have thee consume
thy life in warding off trouble from them, till thy days be
wasted in travail and weariness and thou be as one who slayeth
himself for the benefit of another or like the Boy and the
Thieves." Asked the King, "How was that?" and she answered, "They
tell the following tale anent
The Boy and the Thieves.
Seven Thieves once went out to steal, according to their custom,
and fell in with a Boy, poor and orphaned to boot, who besought
them for somewhat to eat. One of them asked him, "Wilt go with
us, O Boy, and we will feed thee and give thee drink, clothe thee
and entreat thee kindly?" And he answered, "Needs must I go with
you whitherso ye will and ye are as my own kith and kin." So they
took him and fared on with him till they came to a garden, and
entering, went round about therein till they found a walnut- tree
laden with ripe fruit and said to him, "O Boy, wilt thou enter
this garden with us and swarm up this tree and eat of its walnuts
thy sufficiency and throw the rest down to us?" He consented and
entered with them,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Nineteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Boy consented and entered with the Thieves, one of them said to
other "Look which is the lightest and smallest of us and make
him climb the tree." And they said, "None of us is slighter than
this Boy." So they sent him up into the tree and said to him, "O
Boy, touch not aught of the fruit, lest some one see thee and work
thee a mischief." He asked, "How then shall I do?", and they
answered, "Sit among the boughs and shake them one by one with
all thy might, so that which is thereon may fall, and we will
pick it up. Then, when thou hast made an end of shaking down the
fruit, come down and take thy share of that which we have
gathered." Accordingly he began to shake every branch at which he
could come, so that the nuts fell and the thieves picked them up
and ate some and hid other some till all were full, save the Boy
who had eaten naught. As they were thus engaged, behold, up came
the owner of the garden who, standing to witness the spectacle,
enquired of them, "What do ye with this tree?" They replied "We
have taken naught thereof; but we were passing by and seeing
yonder Boy on the tree, took him for the owner thereof and
besought him to give us to eat of the fruit. thereat he fell to
shaking one of the branches, so that the nuts dropped down, and we
are not at fault." Quoth the master to the Boy, "What sayst
thou?"; and quoth he, "These men lie; but I will tell thee the
truth. It is that we all came hither together and they bade me
climb the tree and shake its boughs that the nuts might fall down
to them, and I obeyed their bidding." Said the master, "Thou hast
cast thyself into sore calamity; but hast thou profited by eating
aught of the fruit?"; and he said, "I have eaten naught thereof."
Rejoined the owner of the garden, "Now know I thy folly and thine
ignorance in that thou hast wrought to ruin thyself and profit
others." Then said he to the Thieves, "I have no resort against
you, so wend your ways!" But he laid hands on the Boy and
punished him. "On like wise," added the favourite, "thy Wazirs and
Officers of state would sacrifice thee to their interests and do
with thee as did the Thieves with the Boy." Answered the King,
"Thou sayst sooth, and speakest truth. I will not go forth to
them nor leave my pleasures." Then he passed the night with his
wife in all delight till the morning, when the Grand Wazir arose
and, assembling the Officers of state, together with those of the
lieges who were present with them, repaired with them to the
palace-gate, congratulating one another and rejoicing. But the
door opened not nor did the King come forth unto them nor give
them leave to go in to him. So, when they despaired of him, they
said to Shimas, "O excellent Wazir and accomplished sage, seest
thou not the behaviour of this lad, young of years and little of
wit, how he addeth to his offences falsehood? See how he hath
broken his promise to us and hath not performed that for which he
engaged unto us, and this sin it behoveth thee join unto his
other sins; but we beseech thee go in to him yet again and
discover what is the cause of his holding back and refusal to
come forth; for we doubt not but that the like of this action
cometh of his corrupt nature, and indeed he is now hardened to
the highest degree." Accordingly, Shimas went in to the King and
bespake him, saying, "Peace be with thee, O King! How cometh it
that I see thee give thyself up to these slight pleasures and
neglect the great affair whereto it behoveth thee sedulously
apply thyself? Thou art like unto a man who had a milch-camel
and, coming one day to milk her, the goodness of her milk made
him neglect to hold fast her halter; which whenas she felt, she
haled herself free and made off into the wold. Thus the man lost
both milk and camel and the loss that betided him surpassed his
gain. Wherefore, O King, do thou look unto that wherein is thy
welfare and the weal of thy subjects; for, even as it behoveth
not a man to sit forever at the kitchen door, because of his need
unto food, so should he not alway company with women, by reason
of his inclination to them. And as a man should eat but as much
food as will guard him from the pains of hunger and drink but
what will ward off the pangs of thirst, in like manner it
behoveth the sensible man to content himself with passing two of
the four-and-twenty hours of his day with women and expend the
rest in ordering his own affairs and those of his people. For to
be longer than this in company with women is hurtful both to mind
and body, seeing that they bid not unto good neither direct
thereto: wherefore it besitteth not a man to accept from them or
word or deed, for indeed it hath reached me that many men have
come to ruin through their women, and amongst others a certain
man who perished through conversation with his wife at her
command." The King asked, "How was that?" and Shimas answered,
saying, "Hear, O King the tale of
The Man and his Wife.
They relate that a certain man had a wife whom he loved and
honoured, giving ear to her speech and doing according to her
rede. Moreover, he had a garden, which he had newly planted with
his own hand, and was wont to go thither every day, to tend it and
water it. One day his wife asked him, "What hast thou planted in
thy garden?", and he answered, "All thou lovest and desirest, and
I am assiduous in tending and watering it." Quoth she, "Wilt thou
not carry me thither and show it to me, so I may look upon it and
offer thee up a pious prayer for its prosperity, seeing that my
orisons are effectual?" Quoth he, "I will well, but have patience
with me till the morrow, when I will come and take thee." So
early on the ensuing day, he carried her to the garden which he
entered with her. Now two young men saw them enter from afar and
said each to other, "Yonder man is an adulterer and yonder woman
an adulteress, and they have not entered this garden but to
commit adultery." Thereupon they followed the couple to see what
they would do, and hid themselves in a corner of the garden. The
man and his wife after entering abode awhile therein, and
presently he said to her, "Pray me the prayer thou didst promise
me;" but she replied, saying, "I will not pray for thee, until
thou do away my desire of that which women seek from men." Cried
he, "Out on thee, O woman! Hast thou not thy fill of me in the
house? Here I fear scandal, especially as thou divertest me from
my affairs. Fearest thou not that someone will see us?" Quoth
she, "We need have no care for that, seeing that we do neither
sin nor lewdness; and, as for the watering of the garden, that
may wait, because thou canst water it when thou wilt." And she
would take neither excuse nor reason from him, but was instant
with him in seeking carnal coition. So he arose and lay with her,
which when the young men aforesaid saw, they ran upon them and
seized them,[FN#149] saying, "We will not let you go, for ye are
adulterers, and except we have carnal knowledge of the woman, we
will report you to the police." Answered the man, "Fie upon you!
This is my wife and I am the master of the garden." They paid no
heed to him, but fell upon the woman, who cried out to him for
succour, saying, "Suffer them not to defile me!" Accordingly he
came up to them, calling out for help; but one of them turned on
him and smote him with his dagger and slew him.--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Twentieth Night,
She continued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after
slaying the husband the two young men returned to the wife and
ravished her. "This I tell thee, O King," continued the Wazir,
"But that thou mayst know that it becometh not men to give ear
unto a woman's talk neither obey her in aught nor accept her
judgment in counsel. Beware, then, lest thou don the dress of
ignorance, after the robe of knowledge and wisdom, and follow
perverse rede, after knowing that which is righteous and
profitable. Wherefore pursue thou not a paltry pleasure, whose
trending is to corruption and whose inclining is unto sore and
uttermost perdition." When the King heard this from Shimas he
said to him, "To-morrow I will come forth to them, an it be the
will of Allah the Most High." So Shimas returned to the Grandees
and Notables who were present and told them what the King had
said. But this came to the ears of the favourite wife; whereupon
she went in to the King and said to him, "The subjects of a King
should be his slaves; but I see, O King, thou art become a slave
to thy subjects, because thou standest in awe of them and fearest
their mischief.[FN#150] They do but desire to make proof of thine
inner man; and if they find thee weak, they will disdain thee;
but, if they find thee stout and brave, they will dread thee. On
this wise do ill Wazirs with their King, for that their wiles are
many; but I will make manifest unto thee the truth of their
malice. An thou comply with the conditions they demand, they will
cause thee cease ruling and do their will; nor will they leave
leading thee on from affair to affair, till they cast thee into
destruction, and thy case will be as that of the Merchant and the
Robbers." Asked the King, "How was that?" and she answered, "I
have heard tell this tale anent
The Merchant and the Robbers.
There was once a wealthy Merchant, who set out for a certain city
purposing to sell merchandise there, and when he came thither, he
hired him a lodging wherein he took up his abode. Now certain
Robbers saw him, men wont to lie in wait for merchants, that they
might rob their goods; so they went to his house and sought some
device whereby to enter in, but could find no way thereto, and
their Captain said, "I'll manage you his matter." Then he went
away and, donning the dress of a leach, threw over his shoulder a
bag containing somewhat of medicines, after which he set out,
crying, 'Who lacks a doctor?' and fared on till he came to the
merchant's lodging and him sitting eating the noon-day dinner. So
he asked him, "Dost thou need thee a physician?"; and the trader
answered, "I need naught of the kind, but sit thee down and eat
with me." The thief sat down facing him and began to eat. Now
this merchant was a belle fourchette, and the Robber seeing this,
said to himself, "I have found my chance." Then he turned to his
host and said to him, "'Tis but right for me to give thee an
admonition, and after thy kindness to me, I cannot hide it from
thee. I see thee to be a great eater and the cause of this is a
disorder in thy stomach; wherefore unless thou take speedy
measures for thy cure, thine affair will end in perdition." Quoth
the merchant, "My body is sound and my stomach speedy of
digestion, and though I be a hearty eater, yet is there no
disease in my body, to Allah be the praise and the thanks!" Quoth
the Robber, "It may appear thus unto thee; but I know thou hast a
disease incubating in thy vitals and if thou hearken to me, thou
wilt medicine thyself." The Merchant asked, "And where shall I
find him who knoweth my remedy?"; and the Robber answered, "Allah
is the Healer; but a physician like myself cureth the sick to the
best of his power." Then the other said, "Show me at once my
remedy and give me thereof." Hereupon he gave him a powder,
wherein was a strong dose of aloes,[FN#151] saying, "Use this to-
night;" and he accepted it gratefully. When the night came, the
Merchant tasted somewhat of the powder and found it nauseous of
gust; nevertheless he misdoubted not of it, but swallowed it all
and therefrom found ease that night. Next night the thief brought
him another powder, wherein was yet more aloes, and he took it: it
purged him that night, but he bore patiently with this and
rejected it not. When the Robber saw that he gave ear unto his
word and put trust in him nor would gainsay him in aught, he
brought him a deadly drug[FN#152] and gave it to him. The
Merchant swallowed it and no sooner had he done this than that
which was in his stomach fell down and his bowels were rent in
sunder, and by the morrow he was a dead man; whereupon the
Robbers came and took all the merchandise and monies that
belonged to him. "This I tell thee, O King," added the favourite
"but that thou mayst not accept one word from these deluders;
else will there befal thee that whereby thou wilt destroy
thyself." Cried the King, "Thou sayst sooth; I will not go forth
to them." Now when the morning morrowed, the folk assembled
together and repairing to the King's door, sat there the most
part of the day, till they despaired of his coming forth, when
they returned to Shimas and said to him, "O sage philosopher and
experienced master, seest thou not that this ignorant lad doth
naught but redouble in falsehood to us? Verily 'twere only
reasonable and right to take the Kingdom from him and give it to
another, so our affairs may be ordered and our estates
maintained; but go thou in to him a third time and tell him that
naught hindereth us from rising against him and taking the
Kingship from him but his father's goodness to us and that which
he required from us of oaths and engagements. However, to-morrow,
we will all, to the last of us, assemble here with our arms and
break down the gate of the citadel[FN#153]; and if he come forth
to us and do that which we wish, no harm is yet done[FN#154];
else we will go in to him and slay him and put the Kingdom in the
hand of other than he." So the Wazir Shimas went in to him and
said, "O King, that grovellest in thy gusts and thy lusts, what
is this thou dost with thyself? Would Heaven I wot who seduced
thee thereto! An it be thou who sinnest against thyself, there
hath ceased from thee that which we knew in thee aforetime of
integrity and wisdom and eloquence. Could I but learn who hath
thus changed thee and fumed thee from wisdom to folly and from
fidelity to iniquity and from mildness to harshness and from
acceptation of me to aversion from me! How cometh it that I
admonish thee thrice and thou acceptest not mine admonition and
that I counsel thee rightfully and still thou gainsayest my
counsel? Tell me, what is this child's play and who is it
prompteth thee thereunto? Know that the people of thy Kingdom
have agreed together to come in to thee and slay thee and give
thy Kingdom to another. Art able to cope with them all and save
thyself from their hands or canst quicken thyself after being
killed? If, indeed, thou be potent to do all this, thou art safe
and hast no occasion for my rede; but an thou have any concern
for thy life and thy kingship, return to thy sound sense and hold
fast thy reign and show forth to the folk the power of thy
prowess and persuade the people with thine excuse, for they are
minded to tear away that which is in thy hand and commit it unto
other, being resolved upon revolt and rebellion, led thereto by
that which they know of thy youth and thy self-submission to
love-liesse and lusts; for that stones, albeit they lie long
under water, an thou withdraw them therefrom and smite one upon
other, fire will be struck from them. Now thy lieges are many
folk and they have taken counsel together against thee, with a
design to transfer the Kingship from thee to another and
accomplish upon thee whatso they desire of thy destruction. So
shalt thou fare as did the Jackals with the Wolf."----And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty-first Night,
She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Wazir Shimas concluded with saying, "And they shall accomplish
upon thee whatso they desire of thy destruction; so shalt thou
fare as fared the Jackals with the Wolf." Asked the King, "How
was that?" and the Wazir answered, "They tell the following tale
of
The Jackals and the Wolf.
A pack of Jackals[FN#155] went out one day to seek food, and as
they prowled about in quest of this, behold, they happened upon a
dead camel and said in themselves, "Verily we have found
wherewithal we may live a great while; but we fear lest one of us
oppress the other and the strong bear down the weak with his
strength and so the puny of us perish. Wherefore it behoveth us
seek one who shall judge between us and appoint unto each his
part, so the force-full may not lord it over the feeble." As they
consulted together on such subject, suddenly up came a Wolf, and
one of the Jackals said to the others, "Right is your rede; let
us make this Wolf judge between us, for he is the strongest of
beasts and his father was Sultan over us aforetime; so we hope in
Allah that he will do justice between us." Accordingly they
accosted the Wolf and acquainting him with what they had resolved
concerning him said, "We make thee judge between us, so thou
mayst allot unto each of us his day's meat, after the measure of
his need, lest the strong of us bear down the weak and some of us
destroy other of us." The Wolf accepted the governance of their
affairs and allotted to each of them what sufficed him that day;
but on the morrow he said in his mind, "An I divide this camel
amongst these weaklings, no part thereof will come to me, save
the pittance they will assign to me, and if I eat it alone, they
can do me no harm, seeing that they are a prey to me and to the
people of my house. Who, then, is the one to hinder me from
taking it all for myself? Surely, 'tis Allah who hath bestowed it
on me by way of provision without any obligation to any of them.
It were best that I keep it for myself, and henceforth I will
give them naught." Accordingly, next morning when the Jackals
came to him, as was their wont, and sought of him their food,
saying, "O Abu Sirhán,[FN#156] give us our day's
provender,[FN#157]" he answered saying, "I have nothing left to
give you." Whereupon they went away in the sorriest plight,
saying, "Verily, Allah hath cast us into grievous trouble with
this foul traitor, who regardeth not Allah nor feareth Him; but
we have neither stratagem nor strength on our side." Moreover one
of them said, "Haply 'twas but stress of hunger that moved him to
this; so let him eat his fill to-day, and to-morrow we will go to
him again." Accordingly, on the morrow, they again betook
themselves to the Wolf and said to him, "O Father of Foray, we
gave thee authority over us, that thou mightest apportion unto
each of us his day's meat and do the weak justice against the
strong of us, and that, when this provaunt is finished, thou
shouldst do thine endeavour to get us other and so we be always
under thy watch and ward. Now hunger is hard upon us, for that we
have not eaten these two days; so do thou give us our day's
ration and thou shalt be free to dispose of all that remaineth as
thou wilt." But the Wolf returned them no answer and redoubled in
his hardness of heart and when they strave to turn him from his
purpose he would not be turned. Then said one of the Jackals to
the rest, "Nothing will serve us but that we go to the Lion and
cast ourselves on his protection and assign unto him the camel.
If he vouchsafe us aught thereof, 'twill be of his favour, and if
not, he is worthier of it than this scurvy rascal." So they
betook themselves to the Lion and acquainted him with that which
had betided them from the Wolf, saying, "We are thy slaves and
come to thee imploring thy protection, so thou mayst deliver us
from this Wolf, and we will be thy thralls." When the Lion heard
their story, he was jealous for Almighty Allah[FN#158] and went
with them in quest of the Wolf who, seeing him approach addressed
himself to flight; but the Lion ran after him and seizing him,
rent him in pieces and restored their prey to the Jackals. "This
showeth," added Shimas, "that it fitteth no King to neglect the
affairs of his subjects; wherefore do thou hearken to my rede and
give credit to the words which I say to thee." Quoth the King, "I
will hearken to thee and to-morrow, Inshallah, I will go forth to
them." Accordingly Shimas went from him and returning to the
folk, told them that the King had accepted his advice and
promised to come out unto them on the morrow. But, when the
favourite heard this saying reported of Shimas and was certified
that needs must the King go forth to his subjects, she betook
herself to him in haste and said to him, "How great is my wonder
at thy submissiveness and thine obedience to thy slaves! Knowest
thou not that these Wazirs are thy thralls? Why then dost thou
exalt them to this highmost pitch of importance that they imagine
them it was they gave thee this kingship and advanced thee to
this rank and that it is they who confer favours on thee, albeit
they have no power to do thee the least damage? Indeed, 'tis not
thou who owest submission to them; but on the contrary they owe
it to thee, and it is their duty to carry out thine orders. How
cometh it then, that thou art so mightily affrighted at them? It is
said, 'Unless thy heart be like iron, thou art not fit to be a
Sovran.' But thy mildness hath deluded these men, so that they
presume upon thee and cast off their allegiance, although it
behoveth that they be constrained unto thy obedience and enforced
to thy submission. Therefore an thou hasten to accept their words
and leave them as they now are and vouchsafe to them the least
thing against thy will, they will weigh heavily upon thee and
require other concessions of thee, and this will become their
habit. But, an thou hearken to me, thou wilt not advance any one
of them to power neither wilt thou accept his word nor encourage
him to presume upon thee; else wilt thou fare with them as did
the Shepherd with the Rogue." Asked the King, "How was that?" and
she answered, "They relate this adventure of