O lord of beneficence! obedient to thy royal behest, I will now inform
thy Highness of the means and the measures whereby Destiny dowered me
with such wealth; but first I would thou hear somewhat of two amongst my
friends who abode in the House of Peace, Baghdad. They twain are yet
alive and both well know the history which thy slave shall now relate.
One of them, men call Sa’d, the other Sa’dí.[22] Now Sa’di opined that
without riches no one in this world could be happy and independent;
moreover that without hard toil and trouble and wariness and wisdom
withal it were impossible to become wealthy. But Sa’d differing
therefrom would affirm that affluence cometh not to any save by decree
of Destiny and fiat of Fate and Fortune. Sa’d was a poor man while Sa’di
had great store of good; yet there sprang up a firm friendship between
them and fond affection each for other; nor were they ever wont to
differ upon any matter save only upon this; to wit, that Sa’di relied
solely upon deliberation and forethought and Sa’d upon doom and man’s
lot. It chanced one day that, as they sat talking together on this
matter, quoth Sa’di, “A poor man is he who either is born a pauper and
passeth all his days in want and penury, or he who having been born to
wealth and comfort, doth in the time of manhood squander all he hath and
falleth into grievous need; then lacketh he the power to regain his
riches and to live at ease by wit and industry.” Sa’d made answer,
saying, “Nor wit nor industry availeth aught to any one, but Fate alone
enableth him to acquire and to preserve riches. Misery and want are but
accidents and deliberation is naught. Full many a poor man hath waxed
affluent by favour of Fate and richards manifold have, despite their
skill and store, been reduced to misery and beggary.” Quoth Sa’di, “Thou
speakest foolishly. Howbeit put we the matter to fair test and find out
for ourselves some handicraftsman scanty of means and living upon his
daily wage; him let us provide with money, then will he without a doubt
increase his stock and abide in ease and comfort, and so shalt thou be
persuaded that my words be true.” Now as they twain were walking on,
they passed through the lane wherein stood my lodging and saw me
a-twisting ropes, which craft my father and grandfather and many
generations before me had followed. By the condition of my home and
dress they judged that I was a needy man; whereupon Sa’d pointing me out
to Sa’di said, “An thou wouldst make trial of this our matter of
dispute, see yonder wight. He hath dwelt here for many years and by this
trade of rope-making doth gain a bare subsistence for himself and his. I
know his case right well of old; he is a worthy subject for the trial;
so do thou give him some gold pieces and test the matter.” “Right
willingly,” replied Sa’di, “but first let us take full cognizance of
him.” So the two friends came up to me, whereat I left my work and
saluted them. They returned my salam after which quoth Sa’di, “Prithee
what be thy name?” Quoth I, “My name is Hasan, but by reason of my trade
of rope-making all men call me Hasan al-Habbál.”——And as the morn began
to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Sixteenth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that Hasan al-Habbal
(the Ropemaker) continued his story, saying:—Thereupon Sa’di asked me,
“How farest thou by this industry? Methinks thou art blithe and quite
content therewith. Thou hast worked long and well and doubtless thou
hast laid by large store of hemp and other stock. Thy forbears carried
on this craft for many years and must have left thee much of capital and
property which thou hast turned to good account and on this wise thou
hast largely increased thy wealth.” Quoth I, “O my lord, no money have I
in pouch whereby I may live happy or even buy me enough to eat. This is
my case that every day, from dawn till eve, I spend in making ropes, nor
have I one single moment wherein to take rest; and still I am sore
straitened to provide even dry bread for myself and family. A wife have
I and five small children, who are yet too young to help me ply this
business: and ’tis no easy matter to supply their daily wants; how then
canst thou suppose that I am enabled to put by large store of hemp and
stock? What ropes I twist each day I sell straightway, and of the money
earned thereby I spend part upon our needs and with the rest I buy hemp
wherewith I twist ropes on the next day. However, praise be to Almighty
Allah that, despite this my state of penury, He provideth us with bread
sufficing our necessity.” When I had made known all my condition Sa’di
replied, “O Hasan, now I am certified of thy case and indeed ’tis other
than I had supposed; and, given that I give thee a purse of two hundred
Ashrafis, assuredly thou shalt therewith greatly add to thy gains and be
enabled to live in ease and affluence: what sayest thou thereto?” Said
I, “An thou favour me with such bounty I should hope to grow richer than
all and every of my fellow-craftsmen, albeit Baghdad-town is prosperous
as it is populous.” Then Sa’di, deeming me true and trustworthy, pulled
out of his pocket a purse of two hundred gold pieces and handing them to
me said, “Take these coins and trade therewith. May Allah advance thee,
but see to it that thou use this money with all heed, and waste it not
in folly and ungraciousness. I and my friend Sa’d will rejoice with all
joy to hear of thy well-being; and, if hereafter we come again and find
thee in flourishing condition, ’twill be matter of much satisfaction to
us both.” Accordingly, O Commander of the Faithful, I took the purse of
gold with much gladness and a grateful heart and, placing it in my
pocket, thanked Sa’di kissing his garment-hem, whereupon the two friends
fared forth. And I, O Prince of True Believers, seeing the twain depart,
went on working, but was sore puzzled and perplexed as to where I might
bestow the purse; for my house contained neither cupboard nor locker.
Howbeit I took it home and kept the matter hidden from my wife and
children and when alone and unobserved I drew out ten gold coins by way
of spending-money; then, binding the purse-mouth with a bit of string I
tied it tightly in the folds of my turband and wound the cloth around my
head. Presently, I went off to the market-street and bought me a stock
of hemp and coming homewards I laid in some meat for supper, it being
now a long while since we had tasted flesh. But as I trudged along the
road, meat in hand, a kite[23] came suddenly swooping down, and would
have snatched the morsel from out my hand had I not driven off the bird
with the other hand. Then it had fain pounced upon the flesh on the left
side but again I scared it away and thus, whilst exerting myself with
frantic efforts to ward off the bird, by ill luck my turband fell to the
ground. At once that accursed kite swooped down and flew off with it in
its talons; and I ran pursuing it and shouted aloud. Hearing my cries
the Bazar-folk, men and women and a rout of children, did what they
could to scare it away and make the beastly bird drop its prey, but they
shouted and cast stones in vain: the kite would not let drop the turband
and presently flew clean out of sight. I was sore distressed and
heavy-hearted to lose the Ashrafis as I hied me home bearing the hemp
and what of food I had bought, but chiefly was I vexed and grieved in
mind, and ready to die of shame at the thought of what Sa’di would say;
especially when I reflected how he would misdoubt my words, nor deem the
tale true when I should tell him that a kite had carried off my turband
with the gold pieces, but rather would he think that I had practised
some deceit and had devised some amusing fable by way of excuse. Howbeit
I hugely enjoyed what had remained of the ten Ashrafis and with my wife
and children fared sumptuously for some days. Presently, when all the
gold was spent and naught remained thereof, I became as poor and needy
as before; withal I was content and thankful to Almighty Allah nor
blamed my lot. He had sent in his mercy this purse of gold to me
unawares and now He had taken it away, wherefore I was grateful and
satisfied, for what He doeth is ever well done.——And as the morn began
to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Seventeenth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that Master Hasan the
Ropemaker continued his story in these words:—My wife, who knew not of
the matter of the Ashrafis, presently perceived that I was ill at ease
and I was compelled for a quiet life to let her know my secret; moreover
the neighbours came round to ask me of my case: but I was right loath to
tell them all that had betided; they could not bring back what was gone
and they would assuredly rejoice at my calamity. However, when they
pressed me close I told them every whit; and some thought that I had
spoken falsely and derided me and others that I was daft and
hare-brained and my words were the wild pratings of an idiot or the
drivel of dreams. The youngsters made abundant fun of me and laughed to
think that I, who never in my born days had sighted a golden coin,
should tell how I had gotten so many Ashrafis, and how a kite had flown
away with them. My wife, however, gave full credence to my tale and wept
and beat her breast for sorrow. Thus six months passed over us, when it
chanced one day that the two friends, to wit, Sa’di and Sa’d, came to my
quarter of the town, when quoth Sa’d to Sa’di, “Lo, yonder is the street
where dwelleth Hasan al-Habbal. Come let us go and see how he hath added
to his stock and how far he hath prospered by means of the two hundred
Ashrafis thou gavest him.” Sa’di rejoined, “’Tis well said; indeed, we
have not seen him for many days: I would fain visit him and I should
rejoice to hear that he hath prospered.” So the twain walked along
towards my house, Sa’d saying to Sa’di, “Forsooth I perceive that he
appeareth the same in semblance, poor and ill-conditioned as before; he
weareth old and tattered garments, save that his turband seemeth
somewhat newer and cleaner. Look well and judge thyself and ’tis even as
I said.” Thereupon Sa’di came up closer to me and he also understood
that my condition was unaltered; and presently the two friends addressed
me. After the usual salutation Sa’d asked, “O Hasan, how fareth it with
thee, and how goeth it with thy business and have the two hundred
Ashrafis stood thee in good stead and amended thy trade?” To this
answered I, “O my lords, how can I tell you of the sad mishap that hath
befallen me? I dare not speak for very shame, yet cannot I keep the
adventure concealed. Verily a marvellous matter and a wondrous hath
happened to me, the tale whereof will fill you with wonderment and
suspicion, for I wot full well that ye will not believe it, and that I
shall be to you as one that dealeth in lies; withal needs must I tell
you the whole however unwillingly.” Hereat I recounted to them every
whit that had betided me first and last, especially that which had
befallen me from the kite; but Sa’di misdoubted me and mistrusted me and
cried, “O Hasan, thou speakest but in jest and dost dissemble with us.
’Tis hard to believe the tale thou tellest. Kites are not wont to fly
off with turbands, but only with such things as they can eat. Thou
wouldst but outwit us and thou art of those who, when some good fortune
cometh to them unforeseen, do straightways abandon their work or their
business and, wasting all in pleasuring, become once more poor and
thereafter must nilly-willy eke out a living as best they may. This
methinks be especially the case with thee; thou hast squandered our gift
with all speed and now art needy as before.” “O good my lord, not so,”
cried I; “this blame and these hard words ill befit my deserts, for I am
wholly innocent of all thou imputest to me. The strange mishap whereof I
told thee is the truest of truths; and to prove that it is no lie all
the townsfolk have knowledge thereof and in good sooth I do not play
thee false. ’Tis certain that kites do not fly away with turbands; but
such mishaps, wondrous and marvellous, may betide mankind especially the
miserable of lot.” Sa’d also espoused my cause and said, “O Sa’di,
ofttimes have we seen and heard how kites carry off many things besides
comestibles; and his tale may not be wholly contrary to reason.” Then
Sa’di pulled out from his pocket a purseful of gold pieces and counted
out and gave me another two hundred, saying, “O Hasan, take these
Ashrafis, but see that thou keep them with all heed and diligence and
beware, and again I say beware, lest thou lose them like the others.
Expend them in such fashion that thou mayst reap full benefit therefrom
and prosper even as thou seest thy neighbours prosper.” I took the money
from him and poured out thanks and blessings upon his head, and when
they went their ways I returned to my rope-walk and thence in due time
straight home. My wife and children were abroad, so again I took ten
gold coins of the two hundred and securely tied up the remainder in a
piece of cloth; then I looked around to find a spot wherein to hide my
hoard so that my wife and youngsters might not come to know of it and
lay hands thereon. Presently, I espied a large earthen jar full of bran
standing in a corner of the room, so herein I hid the rag with the gold
coins and I misdeemed that it was safely concealed from wife and
wees.——And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Eighteenth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that Hasan al-Habbal
thus continued his story:—When I had put the Ashrafis a-bottom the jar
of bran, my wife came in and I said naught to her of the two friends or
of aught had happened, but I set out for the Bazar to buy hemp. Now as
soon as I had left the house there came, by evil fate impelled, a man
who sold Tafl, or fuller’s earth,[24] wherewith the poorer sort of women
are wont to wash their hair. My wife would fain have bought some but not
a single Kauri[25] or almond had she. Then she took thought and said to
herself, “This jar of bran is here to no purpose, I will exchange it for
the clay,” and he also, the Tafl-seller, agreed to this proposal and
went off taking the jar of bran as the price of the washing-earth. Anon
I came back with a load of hemp upon my head and other five on the heads
of as many porters who accompanied me; and I helped them off with their
burthens and, after storing the stuff in a room, I paid and dismissed
them. Then I stretched me out upon the floor to take rest awhile and
looking towards the corner where once stood the jar of bran I found it
gone. Words fail me, O Prince of True Believers, to describe the tumult
of feelings which filled my heart at the sight. I sprang up with all
speed and calling to my wife enquired of her whither the jar had been
carried; and she replied that she had exchanged its contents for a
trifle of washing clay. Then cried I aloud, “O wretched, O miserable,
what hast thou done? thou hast ruined me and thy children; thou hast
given away great wealth to that clay-selling fellow!” Then I told her
all that had betided me, of the coming of the two friends and how I had
hidden the hundred and ninety Ashrafis within the bran-jar; and she, on
hearing this wept sore and beat her breast and tore her hair crying,
“Where now shall I find that clay-seller? The wight is a stranger, never
before did I see him about this quarter or this street.” Then turning to
me she continued, “Herein thou hast dealt right foolishly, for that thou
didst not tell me of the matter, nor didst place any trust in me;
otherwise this mishap would never have happened to us; no, never.” And
she lamented with loud lamentation and bitter whereat I said, “Make not
such hubbub nor display such trouble, lest our neighbours overhear thee,
and learning of our mishap peradventure laugh at us and call us fools.
It behoveth us to rest content with the will of Almighty Allah.” However
the ten Ashrafis which I had taken from the two hundred sufficed me to
carry on my trade and to live with more of ease for some short while;
but I ever grieved and I marvelled much anent what could be said to
Sa’di when he should come again; for inasmuch as he believed me not the
first time I was assured in my mind that now he would denounce me aloud
as a cheat and a liar. One day of the days the twain, to wit, Sa’d and
Sa’di, came strolling towards my house conversing and, as usual, arguing
about me and my case; and I seeing them from afar left off working that
I might hide myself, as I could not for very shame come forth and accost
them. Seeing this and not guessing the reason they entered my dwelling
and, saluting me with the salam, asked me how I had fared. I durst not
raise my eyes so abashed and mortified was I, and with bended brow
returned the greeting; when they, noting my sorry plight, marvelled
saying, “Is all well with thee? Why art thou in this state? Hast thou
not made good use of the gold or hast thou wasted thy wealth in lewd
living?” Quoth I, “O my lords, the story of the Ashrafis is none other
than this. When ye departed from me I went home with the purse of money
and, finding no one was in the house for all had gone out somewhere, I
took out therefrom ten gold pieces. Then I put the rest together with
the purse within a large earthen jar filled full of bran which had long
stood in one corner of the room, so might the matter be kept privy from
my wife and children. But whilst I was in the market buying me some
hemp, my wife returned home; and at that moment there came in to her a
man which sold fuller’s earth for washing hair. She had need thereof
withal naught to pay with; so she went out to him and said, “I am clean
without coin, but I have a quantity of bran; say me, wilt thou have that
in change for thy clay?” The man agreed and accordingly my wife took the
earth of him, and gave him in exchange the jarful of bran which he
carried away with him and ganged his gait. An ye ask:—“Wherefore didst
thou not confide the matter to thy spouse and tell her that thou hadst
put the money in the jar?” I on my side answer, that ye gave me strict
injunctions to keep the money this time with the utmost heed and
caution. Methought that stead was the safest wherein to store the gold
and I was loath to trust my wife lest haply she take some coin therefrom
and expend it upon her household. O my lords, I am certified of your
goodness and graciousness, but poverty and penury are writ in my Book of
Fate; how then can I aspire to possessions and prosperity? Withal, never
while I breathe the breath of life, shall I be forgetful of this your
generous favour.” Quoth Sa’di, “Meseemeth I have disbursed four hundred
Ashrafis to no purpose in giving them to thee; yet the intent wherewith
they were given was that thou shouldst benefit thereby, not that I claim
thy praise and thanksgiving.” So they twain compassionated and condoled
with me in my misfortune; and presently Sa’d, an upright man and one who
had acquaintance with me since many a year, produced a leaden coin[26]
which he had picked up from the path and was still carrying in his
pocket; and, after shewing it to Sa’di, said to me, “Seest thou this bit
of lead? Take it and by favour of Fate thou shalt find out what
blessings it will bring to thee.” Sa’di on espying it laughed aloud and
made jest of the matter and flouting said, “What advantage will there be
to Hasan from this mite of lead and in what way shall he use it?” Sa’d
handing me the leaden coin retorted in reply, “Give no heed to whatso
Sa’di may say, but keep this by thee. Let him laugh an he please. One
day haply shall come to pass, Inshallah—an it be the will of Almighty
Allah—that thou shalt by means thereof become a wealthy man and a
magnifico.” I took the bit of lead and put it in my pocket, and the
twain bade me farewell and went their way.——And as the morn began to
dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Nineteenth Night.
Then said she——I have heard, O auspicious King, that Hasan al-Habbal
thus continued his story:—As soon as Sa’d and Sa’di had departed, I went
on rope-twisting until night came and when doffing my dress to go to bed
the bit of lead which Sa’d had given me fell out of my pocket; so I
picked it up and set it carelessly in a small niche in the wall.[27] Now
that very night so it happened that a fisherman, one of my neighbours,
stood in need of a small coin[28] wherewith to buy some twine for
mending his drag-net, as he was wont to do during the dark hours, in
order that he might catch the fish ere dawn of day and selling his
quarry, buy victuals for himself and his household. So, as he was
accustomed to rise while yet somewhat of night remained, he bade his
wife go round about to all the neighbours and borrow a copper that he
might buy the twine required; and the woman went everywhere, from house
to house, but nowhere could she get loan of a farthing, and at last she
came home weary and disappointed. Quoth the fisherman to her, “Hast thou
been to Hasan al-Habbal?” and quoth she, “Nay, I have not tried at his
place. It is the furthest of all the neighbours’ houses and fanciest
thou, even had I gone there, I could thence have brought back aught?”
“Off with thee, O laziest of hussies and good-for-nothing of baggages,”
cried the fisherman, “away with thee this instant; perchance he hath a
copper to lend us.” Accordingly the woman, grumbling and muttering,
fared forth and coming to my dwelling knocked at the door, saying, “O
Hasan al-Habbal, my husband is in sore need of a pice wherewith to buy
some twine for mending his nets.” Minding me of the coin which Sa’d had
given me and where it had been put away, I shouted out to her, “Have
patience, my spouse will go forth to thee and give thee what thou
needest.” My wife, hearing all this hubbub, woke from sleep, and I told
her where to find the bit of money, whereupon she fetched it and gave it
to the woman, who joyed with exceeding joy, and said, “Thou and thy
husband have shown great kindness to my man, wherefore I promise thee
that whatsoever fish he may chance to catch at the first throw of the
net shall be thine; and I am assured that my goodman, when he shall hear
of this my promise, will consent thereto.” Accordingly when the woman
took the money to her husband and told him of what pledge she had given,
he was right willing, and said to her, “Thou hast done well and wisely
in that thou madest this covenant.” Then having bought some twine and
mended all the nets he rose before dawn and hastened riverwards to catch
fish according to his custom. But when he cast the net into the stream
for the first throw and haled it in, he found that it contained but one
fish and that a full span[29] or so in thickness, which he placed apart
as my portion. Then he threw the net again and again and at each cast he
caught many fishes both small and great, but none reached in size that
he first had netted. As soon as he returned home the fisherman came at
once to me and brought the fish he had netted in my name, and said, “O
our neighbour, my wife promised over night that thou shouldst have
whatever fishes should come to ground at the first net-throw; and this
fish is the only one I caught. Here it is, prithee take it as a
thanks-offering for the kindness of last night, and as fulfilment of the
promise. If Allah Almighty had vouchsafed to me of fish a seine-full,
all had been thine but ’tis thy fate that only this one was landed at
the first cast.” Said I, “The mite I gave thee yesternight was not of
such value that I should look for somewhat in return;” and refused to
accept it. But after much “say and said” he would not take back the
fish, and he insisted that it was mine: wherefore I agreed to keep it
and gave it to my wife, saying, “O woman, this fish is a return for the
mite I gave last night to the fisherman our neighbour. Sa’d hath
declared that by means of that coin I shall attain to much riches and
abundant opulence.” Then I recounted to my wife how my two friends had
visited me and what they said and did, and all concerning the leaden
coin which Sa’d had given to me. She wondered at seeing but a single
fish and said, “How shall I cook it? Meseemeth ’twere best to cut it up
and broil it for the children, especially as we have naught of spices
and condiments wherewith to dress it otherwise.” Then, as she sliced and
cleansed the fish she found within its belly a large diamond which she
supposed to be a bit of glass or crystal; for she oft had heard tell of
diamonds[30] but never with her own eyes had she beheld one. So she gave
it to the youngest of the children for a plaything and when the others
saw it, by reason of its brightness and brilliancy all desired to have
it and each kept it in turn awhile; moreover when night came and the
lamp was lighted they crowded round the stone and gazed upon its beauty,
and screamed and shouted with delight.[31] When my wife had spread the
table we sat down to supper and the eldest boy set the diamond upon the
tray, and as soon as we all had finished eating, the children fought and
scrambled as before for it. At first I paid no heed to their noise and
hubbub, but when it waxed exceeding loud and irksome I asked my eldest
lad the cause why they quarrelled and made such turmoil. Quoth he, “The
trouble and dispute are about a piece of glass which giveth forth a
light as bright as the lamp.” Whereat I told him to produce it and
marvelled greatly to see its sparkling water, and enquired of my wife
whence she had gotten the piece of crystal. Quoth she, “This I found
within the belly of the fish as I was gutting it.” Still I did not
suppose it to be aught but glass. Presently I bade my wife hide the lamp
behind the hearth.——And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her
peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Twentieth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that Hasan al-Habbal
thus continued his story:—And when my wife had hidden the lamp from
view, such was the brightness of the diamond that we could see right
well without other light; wherefore I placed it upon the hearth[32] that
we might work by it, and said within myself, “The coin that Sa’d left
with me hath produced this benefit that we no longer stand in need of a
lamp: at least it saveth us oil.” When the youngsters saw me put out the
lamp and use the glass in its stead they jumped and danced for joy, and
screamed and shouted with glee so that all the neighbours round about
could hear them when I chid them and sent them to bed; we also went to
rest and right soon fell asleep. Next day I woke betimes and went on
with my work and thought not of the piece of glass. Now there dwelt hard
by us a wealthy Jew, a jeweller who bought and sold all kinds of
precious stones; and, as he and his wife essayed to sleep that night, by
reason of the noise and clamour of the children they were disturbed for
many hours and slumber visited not their eyes. And when morn appeared,
the jeweller’s wife came to our house to make complaint both for herself
and her husband anent the hubbub and shouting. Ere she could say a word
of blame my wife, guessing the intent wherewith she came, addressed her
saying, “O Rahíl,[33] I fear me that my children pestered thee last
night with their laughing and crying. I crave thine indulgence in this
matter; well thou must wot how children now cry now laugh at trifles.
Come in and see the cause of all their excitement wherefor thou wouldst
justly call me to account.” She did accordingly and saw the bit of glass
about which the youngsters had made such din and uproar; and when she,
who had long experience of all manner precious stones, beheld the
diamond she was filled with wonderment. My wife then told her how she
had found it in the fish’s belly, whereupon quoth the Jewess, “This bit
of glass is more excellent than all other sorts of glass. I too have
such an one as this which I am wont to wear sometimes; and wouldst thou
sell it I will buy this thing of thee.” Hearing her words the children
began to cry and said, “O mother dear, an thou wilt not sell it we
promise henceforth to make no noise.” Understanding that they would by
no means part with it, the women held their peace and presently the
Jewess fared forth, but ere she took her leave she whispered my wife,
“See that thou tell the matter to none; and, if thou have a mind to sell
it at once send me word.” Now the Jew was sitting in his shop when his
wife went to him and told him of the bit of glass. Quoth he, “Go
straightway back and offer a price for it, saying that ’tis for me.
Begin with some small bidding, then raise the sum until thou get it.”
The Jewess thereupon returned to my house and offered twenty Ashrafis,
which my wife deemed a large sum to give for such a trifle; however, she
would not close the bargain. At that moment I happened to leave my work
and, coming home to our noon-meal, saw the two women talking on the
threshold; and my wife stopped me, saying, “This neighbour biddeth
twenty Ashrafis to price for the piece of glass, but I have as yet given
her no reply. What sayest thou?” Then I bethought me of what Sa’d had
told me; to wit, that much wealth would come to me by virtue of his
leaden coin. The Jewess seeing how I hesitated bethought her that I
would not consent to the price; so quoth she, “O neighbour, an thou wilt
not agree to part with the bit of glass for twenty pieces of gold, I
will e’en give thee fifty.” Hereat I reflected that whereas the Jewess
raised her offer so readily from twenty golden pieces to fifty, this
glass must surely be of great value; so I kept silence and answered her
not a word. Then noting that I still held my peace she cried, “Take then
one hundred: this be its full value; nay I know not in very deed if my
husband will consent to so high a price.” Said I in reply, “O my good
woman, why talk so foolishly? I will not sell it for aught less than an
hundred thousand[34] gold coins; and thou mayest take it at that price
but only because thou art neighbour to us.” The Jewess raised her offer
coin by coin to fifty thousand Ashrafis and said, “I pray thee wait till
morning and sell it not till then, so that my man may come round and see
it.” “Right willingly,” quoth I; “by all manner of means let thy husband
drop in and inspect it.”——And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held
her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Twenty-first Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that Hasan al-Habbal
thus continued his story.—Next day the Jew came to my house and I drew
forth and showed to him the diamond which shone and glittered in my palm
with light as bright as any lamp’s. Presently, assured that all which
his wife had told him of its water and lustre was strictly true, he took
it in hand and, examining it and turning it about, marvelled with mighty
marvel at its beauty saying, “My wife made offer of fifty thousand gold
pieces: see now I will give thee yet another twenty thousand.” Said I,
“Thy wife hath surely named to thee what sum I fixed; to wit, one
hundred thousand Ashrafis and naught less: I shall not abate one jot or
tittle of this price.” The Jew did all he could to buy it for a lesser
sum; but I answered only, “It mattereth naught; an thou desire not to
come to my terms I must needs sell it to some other jeweller.” At length
he consented and weighed me out two thousand gold pieces by way of
earnest-money, saying, “To-morrow I will bring the amount of my offer
and carry off my diamond.” To this I gave assent and so, on the day
following, he came to me and weighed out the full sum of one hundred
thousand Ashrafis, which he had raised amongst his friends and partners
in business. Then I gave him the diamond which had brought me such
exceeding wealth, and offered thanks to him and praises unto Almighty
Allah for this great good Fortune gotten unawares, and much I hoped soon
to see my two friends, Sa’d and Sa’di, and to thank them likewise. So
first I set my house in order and gave spending-money to my wife for
home-necessaries and for clothing herself and children; moreover, I also
bought me a fine mansion and furnished it with the best. Then said I to
my wife, who thought of nothing save rich clothes and high diet and a
life of ease and enjoyment, “It behoveth us not to give up this our
craft: we must needs put by some coin and carry on the business.”
Accordingly, I went to all the rope-makers of the city and buying with
much money several manufactories put them to work, and over each
establishment I set an overseer, an intelligent man and a trustworthy,
so that there is not now throughout Baghdad-city a single ward or
quarter that hath not walks and workshops of mine for rope-making. Nay,
further, I have in each town and every district of Al-Irak warehouses,
all under charge of honest supervisors; and thus it is that I have
amassed such a muchel of wealth. Lastly, for my own especial place of
business I bought another house, a ruined place with a sufficiency of
land adjoining; and, pulling down the old shell, I edified in lieu
thereof the new and spacious edifice which thy Highness hath deigned
yesterday to look upon. Here all my workmen are lodged and here also are
kept my office-books and accounts; and besides my warehouse it
containeth apartments fitted with furniture in simple style
all-sufficient for myself and my family. After some time I quitted my
old home, wherein Sa’d and Sa’di had seen me working, and went and lived
in the new mansion and not long after this removal my two friends and
benefactors bethought them that they would come and visit me. They
marvelled much when, entering my old workshop, they found me not, and
they asked the neighbours, “Where dwelleth such and such a ropemaker? Is
he alive or dead?” Quoth the folk “He now is a rich merchant; and men no
longer call him simply ‘Hasan,’ but entitle him ‘Master Hasan the
Ropemaker.’ He hath built him a splendid building and he dwelleth in
such and such a quarter.” Whereupon the two familiars set forth in
search of me; and they rejoiced at the good report; albeit Sa’di would
by no means be convinced that all my wealth had sprung (as Sa’d
contended) from its root, that small leaden coin. Presently, conning the
matter over in his mind he said to his comrade, “It delighteth me much
to hear of all this good fortune which hath betided Hasan, despite that
he twice deceived me and took from me four hundred gold pieces, whereby
he hath gotten to himself these riches; for it is absurd to think that
it hath come from the leaden coin thou gavest him. Withal I do forgive
him and owe him no grudge.” Replied the other, “Thou art mistaken. I
know Hasan of old to be a good man and true: he would not delude thee
and what he told us is simple sooth. I am persuaded in my mind that he
hath won all his wealth and opulence by the leaden coin: however we
shall hear anon what he may have to say.” Conversing thus they came into
the street wherein I now dwell and, seeing a large and magnificent
mansion and a new-made, they guessed it was mine. So they knocked and,
on the porter opening, Sa’di marvelled to see such grandeur and so many
folk sitting within, and feared lest haply they had unwittingly entered
the house of some Emir. Then plucking courage he enquired of the porter,
“Is this the dwelling-place of Khwajah Hasan al-Habbal?”——And as the
morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Twenty-second Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that Hasan al-Habbal
continued thus his story:—The porter made reply, “This is verily the
house of Khwajah Hasan al-Habbal; he is within and he sitteth in his
office. I pray thee enter and one of the slaves will make known thy
coming to him.” Hereupon the two friends walked in, and as soon as I saw
them I recognised them, and rising up to them I ran and kissed the hems
of their garments. They would fain have fallen on my neck and embraced
me, but with meekness of mind I would not suffer them so to do; and
presently I led them into a large and spacious saloon, and bade them sit
upon the highmost seats of honour. They would have constrained me to
take the best place, but I exclaimed, “O my lords, I am on no wise
better than the poor ropemaker Hasan, who not unmindful of your worth
and goodness ever prayeth for your welfare, and who deserveth not to sit
in higher stead than you.” Then they took seat and I opposite them, when
quoth Sa’di, “My heart rejoiceth with exceeding joy to see thee in this
condition, for that Allah hath given thee all even as thou wishest. I
doubt not thou has gotten all this abundance and opulence by means of
the four hundred gold pieces which I gave to thee; but say me truly
wherefore didst thou twice deceive me and bespeak me falsely?” Sa’d
listened to these words with silent indignation, and ere I could make
reply he broke out saying, “O Sa’di, how often have I assured thee that
all which Hasan said aforetime anent the losing of the Ashrafis is very
sooth and no leasing?” Then they began to dispute each with other; when
I, recovering from my surprise, exclaimed, “O my lords, of what avail is
this contention? Be not at variance, I beseech you, on my account. All
that had befallen me I made known to you; and, whether ye believe my
words or ye believe them not, it mattereth but little. Now hearken to
the whole truth of my tale.” Then I made known to them the story of the
piece of lead which I had given to the fisherman and of the diamond
found in the fish’s belly; brief, I told them every whit even as I have
now related to thy Highness. On hearing all my adventure Sa’di said, “O
Khwajah Hasan, it seemeth to me passing strange that so great a diamond
should be found in the belly of a fish; and I deem it a thing impossible
that a kite should fly off with thy turband, or that thy wife should
give away the jar of bran in exchange for fuller’s earth. Thou sayest
the tale is true, still can I not give credit to thy words, for I know
full well that the four hundred gold pieces have gotten thee all this
wealth.” But when they twain rose up to take their leave, I also arose
and said, “O my lords, ye have shown favour to me in that ye have thus
deigned visit me in my poor home. I beseech you now to taste of my food
and to tarry here this night under your servant’s roof; as to-morrow I
would fain take you by the way of the river to a country-house which I
have lately bought.” Hereto they consented with some objections; and I,
after giving orders for the evening meal, showed them about the house
and displayed the furniture and entertained them with pleasing words and
pleasant converse, till a slave came and announced that supper was
served. So I led them to the saloon wherein were ranged the trays loaded
with many kinds of meats; on all sides stood camphorated wax
candles,[35] and before the table were gathered musicians singing and
playing on various instruments of mirth and merriment, whilst in the
upper part of the saloon men and women were dancing and making much
diversion. When we had supped we went to bed, and rising early we prayed
the dawn-prayer, and presently embarked on a large and well-appointed
boat, and the rowers rowing with a flowing tide soon landed us at my
country seat. Then we strolled in a body about the grounds and entered
the house, when I showed them our new buildings and displayed to them
all that appertained thereto; and hereat they marvelled with great
marvel. Thence we repaired to the garden and saw, planted in rows along
the walks, fruit trees of all kinds with ripe fruit bowed down, and
watered with water from the river by means of brick-work channels. All
round were flowering shrubs whose perfume gladdened the Zephyr; here and
there fountains and jets of water shot high in air; and sweet-voiced
birds made melody amid the leafy branches hymning the One, the Eternal;
in short, the sights and scents on every side filled the soul with joy
and gladness. My two friends walked about in joyance and delight, and
thanked me again and again for bringing them to so lovely a site and
said, “Almighty Allah prosper thee in house and garth.” At last I led
them to the foot of a tall tree near to one of the garden walls and
shewed them a little summer-house wherein I was wont to take rest and
refreshment; and the room was furnished with cushions and divans and
pillows purfled with virgin gold.——And as the morn began to dawn
Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Twenty-third Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that Hasan al-Habbal
thus pursued his tale:—Now so it happened that, as we sat at rest within
that summer-house, two sons of mine, whom I had sent together with their
governor to my country-place for change of water and air,[36] were
roaming about the garden seeking birds’ nests. Presently they came
across a big one upon the topmost boughs and tried to swarm up the trunk
and carry it off, but by reason of their lack of strength and little
practice they durst not venture so high; whereupon they bade a slave-boy
who ever attended on them, climb the tree. He did their bidding, but
when looking into the nest he was amazed with exceeding amazement to see
it mainly made of an old turband. So he brought down the stuff and
handed it to the lads. My eldest son took it from his hands and carried
it to the arbour for me to see, and set it at my feet saying in high
glee, “O my father, look here; this nest is made of cloth.” Sa’d and
Sa’di wondered with all wonderment at the sight and the marvel grew the
greater when I, after considering it closely, recognised it for the very
turband whereon the kite had swooped and which had been borne off by the
bird. Then quoth I to my two friends, “Examine well this turband and
certify yourselves that it is the self-same one worn upon my head when
first ye honoured me with your presence.” Quoth Sa’d, “I know it not,”
and quoth Sa’di, “An thou find within it the hundred and ninety gold
pieces, then shalt thou be assured that is thy turband in very sooth.” I
said, “O my lord, this is, well I wot, that very turband.” And as I held
it in my hand, I found it heavy of weight, and opening out the folds
felt somewhat tied up in one of the corners of the cloth;[37] so I
unrolled the swathes when lo and behold! I came upon the purse of gold
pieces. Hereat, shewing it to Sa’di, I cried, “Canst thou not recognise
this purse?” and he replied, “’Tis in truth the very purse of Ashrafis
which I gave thee when first we met.” Then I opened the mouth and,
pouring out the gold in one heap upon the carpet, bade him count his
money; and he turned it over coin by coin and made the sum thereof one
hundred and ninety Ashrafis. Hereat waxing sore ashamed and confounded,
he exclaimed, “Now do I believe thy words: nevertheless must thou admit
that thou hast earned one half of this thy prodigious wealth with the
two hundred gold pieces I gave thee after our second visit, and the
other half by means of the mite thou gottest from Sa’d.” To this I made
no answer, but my friends ceased not to dispute upon the matter. We then
sat down to meat and drink, and when we had eaten our sufficiency, I and
my two friends went to sleep in the cool arbour; after which when the
sun was well-nigh set we mounted and rode off to Baghdad leaving the
servants to follow. However, arrived at the city we found all the shops
shut and nowhere could we get grain and forage for the horses, and I
sent off two slave-boys who had run alongside of us to search for
provender. One of them found a jar of bran in the shop of a corn-dealer
and paying for the provision brought it, together with the jar, under
promise that on the morrow he would carry back the vessel. Then he began
to take out the bran by handfuls in the dark and to set it before the
horses,——And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious king, that Hasan al-Habbal
thus continued his story:—So as the slave-boy took out the bran by
handfuls and set it before the horses, suddenly his hand came upon a
piece of cloth wherein was somewhat heavy. He brought it to me even as
he found it and said, “See, is not this cloth the very one of whose loss
thou hast ofttimes spoken to us?” I took it and wondering with great
wonder knew it was the self-same piece of stuff wherein I had tied up
the hundred and fourscore and ten Ashrafis before hiding them in the jar
of bran. Then said I to my friends, “O my lords, it hath pleased
Almighty Allah, ere we parted, I and you, to bear me witness of my words
and to stablish that I told you naught save whatso was very sooth.” And
I resumed, addressing Sa’di, “See here the other sum of money, that is,
the hundred and ninety Ashrafis which thou gavest me and which I tied up
in this very piece of cloth I now recognise.” Then I sent for the
earthen jar that they might see it, and also bade carry it to my wife
that she also might bear witness, an it be or be not the very bran jar
which she gave in exchange for fuller’s earth. Anon she sent us word and
said, “Yea verily I know it well. ’Tis the same jar which I had filled
with bran.” Accordingly Sa’di owned that he was wrong and said to Sa’d,
“Now I know that thou speakest truth, and am convinced that wealth
cometh not by wealth; but only by the grace of Almighty Allah doth a
poor man become a rich man.” And he begged pardon for his mistrust and
unbelief. We accepted his excuses whereupon we retired to rest and early
on the morrow my two friends bade me adieu and journeyed homewards with
full persuasion that I had done no wrong and had not squandered the
moneys they had given me.—Now when the Caliph Harun al-Rashid had heard
the story of Khwajah Hasan to the end, he said, “I have known thee of
old by fair report of thee from the folk who, one and all, declare that
thou art a good man and true. Moreover the self-same diamond whereby
thou hast attained to so great riches is now in my treasury; so I would
fain send for Sa’di forthright that he may see it with his own eyes, and
weet for certain that not by means of money do men become or rich or
poor.” The Prince of True Believers said moreover to Khwajah Hasan
al-Habbal, “Go now and tell thy tale to my treasurer that he may take it
down in writing for an everlasting memorial, and place the writ in the
treasury together with the diamond.” Then the Caliph with a nod
dismissed Khwajah Hasan; and Sidi Nu’uman and Baba Abdullah also kissed
the foot of the throne and departed. So when Queen Shahrazad had made an
end of relating this history she was about to begin the story of ’Alí
Bábá and the Forty Thieves, but King Shahryar prevented her, saying, “O
Shahrazad, I am well pleased with this thy tale, but now the dawn
appeareth and the chanticleer of morn doth sound his shrill clarion.
This day also I spare thy life, to the intent that I may listen at my
ease to this new history of thine at the end of the coming night.”
Hereupon the three took their rest until the fittest time drew
near.——And as the morning morrowed Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night.
With the dawn Dunyazad awoke Queen Shahrazad from slumber sweet and
said, “Arise, O my sister, but alas! ’tis a bitter thing to stand in awe
of coming doom.” Replied Shahrazad, “O dear my sister, be not thou
downhearted: if life’s span be spent naught can avert the sharp-edged
sword. Yet place thy trust in Allah Almighty and put far from thee all
such anxious thoughts: my tales are tokens of life prolonged.” Whereupon
Queen Shahrazad began to tell in these words the story of