dinars, and he fared forth and ceased not faring till he had reached the
palace of the Princess. Presently he went in and handed to her the writ,
and as soon as she had read it, the contents seemed to her sore and she
wept until her vitals were torn with sobs. After this she raised her
hand[250] heavenwards and invoked Allah and humbled herself before him
and said, “My God, O my Lord, do Thou soften the heart of Yusuf ibn Sahl
and turn him mewards and afflict him with love of me even as thou hast
afflicted me with his love; for Thou to whatso Thou wishest canst avail,
O bestest of Rulers and O forcefullest of Aiders.” Anon she fell to
writing and indited these verses:—
“Love rules my bosom and a-morn doth moan ✿ The Voice, ah Love, who
shows strength weakness grown!
His lashes’ rapier-blade hath rent my heart; ✿ That keen curved brand my
me hath overthrown:
That freshest cheek-rose fills me with desire; ✿ Fair fall who plucketh
yonder bloom new-blown!
Since love befel me for that youth did I ✿ Begin for charms of him my
pride to own:
O thou my hope, I swear by Him did share ✿ Love and decreed thou
shouldst in longing wone,
In so exceeding grief why sight I thee ✿ Jacob made Joseph by the loss
of me?”
She then handed the letter to Ibn Ibrahim, after giving him an hundred
dinars; and he returned forthright to the city of Sind and, repairing to
Yusuf, gave him the writ which he took and read. Hereupon the Prince
waxed sore sorrowful and said to himself, “By Allah, indeed Al-Hayfa
cleaveth to love.”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would
relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?” Now
when it was the next night and that was
The Six Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other
than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching
of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It
hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,
lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and
worthy celebrating, that Prince Yusuf said, “By Allah, had Al-Hayfa any
save myself she had not sent me these letters; but the outgoings of the
heart conciliate lovers and correspond each with other.” Then he took
writing materials and after thinking awhile he improvised these
couplets:—
“O thou of stature fair with waist full slight[251] ✿ Surpassing
sandhill-branch and reedlet light;
I deal in words and gems of speech that melt, ✿ By none ’mid all of
mortal kind indite;
From my tribe’s lord, a lion rending foes ✿ Moon of Perfections and ’The
Yusuf’ hight:
Homed in thy home I joyed my joys with maids ✿ High-breasted,[252]
virgins weakening forceful sprite;
Your songs and touch of lute ’mid trembling wine ✿ Consoled all sorrows,
made all hearts delight,
Till you to other deignèd union grant ✿ And I your nature learnt and
learnt aright,
Whereat my vitals failed, sore bane befel, ✿ Pine, disappointment, and
injurious blight.
No virtue dwelleth in the fairest forms ✿ But forms the fairest are by
goodness dight.
How many a maiden deckt with crescent brow ✿ Hath nature dealing injury
and despite?
Man hath no merit save in kindly mind ✿ And loquent tongue with light of
wits unite.”[253]
And when Yusuf had ended his poetry he presented an hundred dinars to
Ibn Ibrahim, who took the letter and fell to cutting through the wilds
and the wolds, after which he went in to the presence of Al-Hayfa and
gave her the missive. She wept and wailed and cried, “O Ibn Ibrahim,
this letter is indeed softer than all forewent it; and as thou hast
brought it to me, O Ibn Ibrahim, I will largesse thee with two
honourable robes of golden brocade and a thousand dinars.” So saying,
she called for pen-case and paper whereupon she indited these couplets:—
“O my lord, these words do my vitals destroy, ✿ O thou gem of the earth
and full moon a-sky!
How long this recourse to denial and hate ✿ With heart whose hardness no
rocks outvie?
Thou hast left my spirit in parting-pangs ✿ And in fires of farness that
flame on high:
How long shall I ’plain of its inner pains? ✿ Haps thy grace shall grant
me reunion-joy:
Then pity my vitals and whatso homed ✿ Thy form within me before I die.”
She then handed the paper to Ibn Ibrahim who again set out and sought
the Prince and kissed his hand and gave him the letter; whereupon said
he, “O Ibn Ibrahim, come not thou again bringing me aught of
missive—ever or any more after this one.” Quoth Ibn Ibrahim, “Wherefore,
O my lord, shall I not do on such wise?” and quoth Yusuf, “Suffer her to
learn the fates of menkind.” Said the other, “I conjure thee, by Allah
Almighty, ho thou the King, inasmuch as thou art of the seed of mighty
monarchs, disappoint her not of her question; and Allah upon thee,
unless thou show pity to her heart it haply will melt away with
melancholy and love and madness for thy sake; and all of this is for the
truth of her affection.” Hereupon Yusuf smiled and taking up his pen
wrote these couplets:—
“Stay thy tears; for hindrance and parting hie, ✿ And the endless of
Empire aye glorify:
From my core of heart fly all cark and care ✿ After parting that seemèd
all Time defy.
A Lion am I for the love of him ✿ Whom the slanderer’s part ne’er can
satisfy:
My mind and soul be this day with you ✿ But my heart and thought are at
enmity:
Thought and mind delight in Love’s cruelty ✿ While heart and soul for
reunion cry:
And if mind and thought e’er can overcome ✿ Soul and heart, Re-union
thou ne’er shalt ’spy.”
And when Yusuf had finished his writing, he gifted Ibrahim with an
hundred dinars and sent him again to Al-Hayfa with the letter, and she
on receiving it shed tears and said, “O Ibn Ibrahim, seeing that his
soul and heart be with us, Allah Almighty availeth to turn his thoughts
and his fancy and the mind of him.” Hereupon she took writing materials
and wrote:—
“Calm, O my lord, thy vitals’ painful plight, ✿ O thou whose semblance
lighteth sooty night:
O gladding heart, O sweet of union, Oh ✿ Whose charms the tribe in
festal hours delight:
O high in honour passing height of Kings, ✿ O thou with purest blood
’mid Kings bedight,
Fear’st not the Throne[254] of God (O hope of me!) ✿ When harming heart
whereon all pains alight?
Then deign thou grant me union, for such wise ✿ Shall rest my
heartstrings and dark care wax bright:
From none, except that Lion o’ men Ali[255] ✿ Comes pardon proving to
mankind his might.”
Then she passed her missive to Ibn Ibrahim giving him an hundred gold
pieces and he pushed his pace till he reached the city of Sind, where he
went in to Yusuf and kissed his hands and feet. The Prince taking the
letter smiled and laughed and said, “O Ibn Ibrahim, when Allah (be He
extolled and exalted!) shall decree my faring I will fare to them[256]
within a short while; but do thou return and let know that I intend
forgathering with them.” Quoth the other, “Ah! O my lord, do thou indite
her a reply, otherwise she will have no trust in me;” so the Prince fell
to penning these lines:—
“My vitals restless bide for very jealousy ✿ The while my heart must
ever show unfriendly gree:
Yet I obeyed my heart and tore it out for him ✿ Albe man ever holds his
heart in amity;
And I have heard my lover drives me forth from him ✿ But Allah grant my
prayer of benedicite.
In anxious care I came and sought your side this day ✿ Naught shall the
youth exalt save generosity.”
Then Prince Yusuf passed the letter to Ibn Ibrahim who, after receiving
his hundred dinars, repaired to Al-Hayfa and greeted her[257] informing
her the while that her lover was about to make act of presence.——And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and
tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!”
Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was
the next night and that was
The Six Hundred and Ninety-third Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other
than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching
of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It
hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,
lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and
worthy celebrating, that Ibn Ibrahim said to Al-Hayfa, “Verily Yusuf
purposeth to visit thee after a little while.” But when the Princess
heard his words she would not believe him albeit her heart palpitated
with pleasure; whereupon Ibn Ibrahim improvised to her as follows:—
“O thou world-seducer and full moon bright, ✿ Stay thy speech and with
boon of good news requite.
Love pledged me his word he would see thee and said, ✿ Hie thee home and
order the house aright.
I awoke this morning in cark and care, ✿ In tears distraught and in dire
despite;
For the wrongs and farness thou doom’st me dree ✿ Have forced my forces
to fright-full flight.”
And when Ibn Ibrahim had ended his verse, Al-Hayfa joyed with increased
and exceeding joy, and in her delight she answered him according to the
rhyme and rhythm of his verse:—
“O who spreadest clouds,[258] Son of Ibrahim hight; ✿ By the Lord who
ruleth in ’Arshhis height,
By Mohammed the bestest of men and by ✿ Th’ adorers of yore and the
Tá-Há’s[259] might,
By Zemzem, Safá and wall Hatím[260] ✿ And Ka’abah and glories of
Ka’abah’s site,
An this speech be sooth and my dearling come ✿ One thousand, two
thousand dinars are thy right;
And I’ll give thee a courser, O Ibrahim’s son, ✿ Selle, stirrups and
bridle with gold bedight;
Six turbands and robes that shall honour show ✿ With that courser the
colour of blackest night.
So hold me not like the most of mankind, ✿ Who joy the fair ones to twit
and flyte.”
And when Al-Hayfa had finished her verses, Ibn Ibrahim brought out to
her the letter of the Prince, and as soon as she read it her heart was
comforted and she waxed glad with exceeding gladness and she bade them
present him with largesse of value great and a thousand dinars upon a
china plate. After this she took him by the hand and led him into a
closet and said, “O Ibn Ibrahim, all that be in this cabinet is a free
gift to thee when thou shalt have brought to me that lover of mine.”
Such was the case with them; but as regards Prince Yusuf, when Ibn
Ibrahim left him, he felt love-lowe aflaming in his heart, and he
summoned his Mameluke Hilal and said to him, “Go saddle for us the steed
known by the name of The Bull-aye-ready-and-for-Battle-day-steady.”
Hereupon the slave arose and enselled the courser and Yusuf mounted;
and, taking his Mameluke on the crupper, pushed his pace (and he madly
in love with Al-Hayfa), and he ceased not faring till he reached her
Palace. He then swam the stream with his Mameluke hanging on, as before,
to the tail, and knocked at the door which was opened by a damsel hight
Nuzhat al-Zaman[261] and she on recognising him kissed his hands and
hurrying to her lady informed her of his coming. Al-Hayfa hearing of the
arrival fell fainting to the ground and when she recovered she found
Yusuf standing beside her head; so she arose and embraced him for a long
while, after which she improvised and said:—
“O thou Pilgrim of Love, after parting far ✿ From us driven by malice of
jealous foe!
My life for the friend in affection comes; ✿ Naught dearer to me than
such boon can show;
Full many a writ have I written thee ✿ Nor union nor grace of return I
know.
In this world I see him with single heart ✿ O my wish! and Allah ne’er
part us two.”
And when she had ended her verses she bade the slave-girls convey Ibn
Ibrahim and Hilal to the gardens, after which she led Yusuf to the
saloon of session and the twain passed the night together he and she, in
joyance and enjoyment, for that night was indeed a night of delight. But
when Allah bade the morn to morrow, Al-Hayfa arose and cried, “How short
it is for a night: Ah that it had been longer for us! but ’tis for me to
say even as said Imr al-Kays[262] in sundry of his verses upon a similar
theme:—
“On me Night waxeth long nor would I shorten Night; ✿ Yet hasteth Morn
when I for longer Nights would sue:
It brings me union till ’My lover’s mine’ I cry ✿ Yet when with him
unite disunion comes to view.”
Now when it was the second day, Al-Hayfa took seat in the assembly of
converse.——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell
silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would
relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?” Now
when it was the next night and that was
The Six Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other
than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching
of this our latter night.” She replied:——With love and good will! It
hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,
lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and
worthy celebrating, that Al-Hayfa repaired to the saloon of séance, she
and Yusuf, and summoned Ibn Ibrahim and bade the handmaids bring
everything that was in the closet. They obeyed her bidding and fetched
her all the contents, amongst which were ten robes of honour and three
coffers of silk and fine linen and a packet of musk and a parcel of
rubies and pearls and jacinths and corals and similar objects of high
price. And she conferred the whole of this upon Mohammed ibn Ibrahim,
the while improvising these verses:—
“We are noblest of lords amongst men of might; ✿ What we give and
largesse bring the most delight:
And when we strive with our hearts and souls ✿ We strive in public nor
rue our plight.
With me the pact no regret shall breed ✿ Save in head of suspecting
envying wight.
I am none who riseth sans bounteous deed; ✿ I am none who giveth with
felon sprite.”
And when Al-Hayfa had ended her poetry, Prince Yusuf largessed[263] Ibn
Ibrahim and said to him, “Thou shalt have on my part one thousand dinars
and twenty robes of brocade and an hundred she-camels and eighty horses
(whereof the meanest is worth five hundred gold pieces and each is
saddled with a golden selle), and lastly forty handmaids.” After which
he began to improvise these couplets:—
“Good signeth man to sight and all men see ✿ Sahl’s son is lord of
liberality:
Time and the world and mortals one and all ✿ Witness my goodness and for
aye agree:
Who comes for purpose him I gratify ✿ With boons, though ’twere with
eyenlight of me:
I back my neighbour whenas harmèd by ✿ Dolour of debt and foeman’s
tyranny:
Whoso hath moneys lacking liberal mind ✿ Though he snatch Fortune ’mid
the vile is he.”
And when Yusuf had finished his verse, Ibn Ibrahim arose and bussed his
hands and feet and cried, “Allah dole to thee all thou desirest.” The
other replied, “When thou shalt return to our city, do thou go to my
quarters and therefrom take thee whatso I have promised.” Then the
Prince and Princess waxed assiduous in the eating of meat and the
drinking of wine; and this continued for many successive months[264]
until Ibn Ibrahim craved leave to visit his folk; and, when he received
permission, he took with him that was light in weight and weighty of
worth. And as he set forth, Al-Hayfa said to him, “When thou shalt
return to thy people in safety, do thou salute for me my sire and name
to him a certain stallion which same he shall largesse to thee and
likewise its saddle and bridle.” Hereupon he farewelled them and went
forth and stemmed the stream and withdrawing his she-dromedary from the
cave harnessed her and mounted her and set forth upon his desert way,
and as soon as he reached the capital of Sind he went to his folk who
greeted him kindly. Now when King Al-Mihrjan heard of Mohammed ibn
Ibrahim’s coming he sent to summon him and as soon as he appeared
between his hands he asked concerning his absence. “O King of the Time
and the Tide,” quoth he, “I have been in Yathrib[265] city;” and indeed
he was one of the cup-companions of Al-Hayfa’s father and by the decree
of Destiny he had been ever in high favour with the King. So the twain
sat down to drink wine and as Fortune willed it Ibn Ibrahim bore about
him a letter containing poetry, part of the correspondence between the
Prince and Princess, wherein were written the names of all three. Now
when he was at the height of his joy he wagged his head and shook off
his turband and the paper fell therefrom into Al-Mihrjan’s lap.[266] The
King took it and read it and understood its contents but he kept the
case secret for a while; presently, however, he dismissed his Courtiers
and Equerries who were around him and forthright bade smite Mohammed ibn
Ibrahim with stripes until his sides were torn. Then quoth he, “Acquaint
me concerning this youth who correspondeth with my daughter, making thee
the goer between them twain, otherwise I will cut off thy head.” Quoth
Ibn Ibrahim, “Ho thou the King; verily this be only poetry which I found
in one of the histories of old.”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the
Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Six Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other
than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching
of this our latter night!” She replied:——“With love and good will!” It
hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,
lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and
worthy celebrating, that Ibn Ibrahim said to Al-Mihrjan, “Verily I found
this poetry in a tale of the olden time.” So the King issued orders to
smite his neck, when intercession was made for him by a Courtier hight
Tá’il al-Wasf,[267] whereupon the King commanded him to jail, whither he
was taken forthright. But as Ibn Ibrahim was being locked up, he said to
the gaoler, “Say me, canst thou bring for me a pen-case and paper and
pen?” and the other assented, fetching for him whatso he wanted. So he
wrote to Prince Yusuf the following couplets:—
“O Yúsuf, master mine, for safety fly; ✿ In sorest danger Ibrahim’s son
doth lie:
When from thy side for house and home he sped ✿ Forthright bade
Al-Mihrjan to bring him nigh,
And ’mid th’ Assembly highest stead assigned ✿ A seat in public with a
sleight full sly.
A writ thou wrotest bore he on his head ✿ Which fell and picked it up
the King to ’spy:
’Tis thus discovered he thy state and raged ✿ With wrath and fain all
guidance would defy.
Then bade he Ibrahim’s son on face be thrown ✿ And painful beating to
the bare apply;
With stripes he welted and he tare his sides ✿ Till force waxed feeble,
strength debility.
So rise and haste thee to thine own and fetch ✿ Thy power, and instant
for the tribe-lands hie;
Meanwhile I’ll busy to seduce his men ✿ Who hear me, O thou princely
born and high;
For of the painful stress he made me bear ✿ The fire of bane I’ve sworn
him even I.”
Now when Ibn Ibrahim had finished his verse, he said to the gaoler, “Do
thou summon for me the son of my brother hight Manná’[268] and thou
shalt have from me one hundred gold pieces.” The man did his bidding,
and when the youth came the uncle gave him the letter and bespake him as
follows: “O son of my brother, take thou this paper and fare with it to
the Castle of Al-Hayfa and swim the stream, and go up to the building
and enter therein and commit this missive unto a youth whom thou shalt
see sitting beside the Princess. Then do thou greet him with the salam
from me, and inform him of all that I am in and what I have seen and
what thou hast witnessed, and for this service I will give thee an
hundred gold pieces.” The nephew took the uncle’s letter and set forth
from the first of the night until he drew nigh the Castle. Such was the
case with Ibn Ibrahim and his sending his nephew Manna’ on a mission to
the Princess; but as regards King Al-Mihrjan, when the morning morrowed
and showed its sheen and shone and the sun uprose with rays a-lowland
strown, he sent to summon Ibn Ibrahim; and, when they set him between
his hands, he adjured him saying, “O thou! by the rights of the God
unique in his rule for Unity; by Him who set up the skies without prop
and stay and dispread the Earths firmly upon the watery way, unless thou
inform me and apprise me rightly and truly I will order thy head to be
struck off this very moment.” So the cup-companion related to the King
the whole affair of Princess Al-Hayfa and Prince Yusuf, and all that had
passed between the twain; whereupon Al-Mihrjan asked, “And this Yusuf
from what land may he be?” “He is son to the Sovran of Sind, King Sahl,”
quoth the other, and quoth Al-Mihrjan, “And is he still in the Palace,
or hath he gone to his own country?” “He was therein,” replied Ibn
Ibrahim, “but I know not whether he be yet there, or he be gone thence.”
Hereupon Al-Mihrjan commanded his host at once to mount, and all took
horse and rode forth making for the Castle of Al-Hayfa. Now, between
Manna’ and King Al-Mihrjan was a march of only a single night, when the
youth went up to the Palace of the Princess, where he knocked at the
door and they opened and admitted him to the presence of Prince Yusuf.
There he handed to him the letter, which the Prince opened and read;
then he suddenly rose up crying upon Hilal, whom when he was fetched he
bade forthwith bring out his steed. Hereat cried Al-Hayfa, “I ask thee
by Allah, O my lord, what may be the news?” and he answered her, “Verily
when Ibn Ibrahim fared from us to his folk he was summoned on his
arrival by thy sire, and he went to him and informed him of all that
hath befallen us, first and last.” So saying he put the letter into her
hands, and she having read it exclaimed, “O my lord, do thou take me
with thee lest haply he slay me.” Answered the Prince, “O end and aim of
mine every wish, we have naught with us save this one steed who availeth
not to carry three; therefore will thy father overtake us upon the road
and will put us to death one and all. Now the rede that is right be
this, that thou conceal thyself somewhere in the Palace and charge the
slave-girls when thy sire shall come hither, to tell him that I have
carried thee off to mine own country, and for the rest be thou assured
that I will tarry away from thee but a few days.” So saying Yusuf took
his horse with him and Hilal his page a-crupper and swam the river and
made for his own land pushing his pace, and presently he drew within
sight of the capital. Such was the case of Prince Yusuf, son to King
Sahl; but as regards the matter of King Al-Mihrjan and his host, he
ceased not marching them till such time as he came within sight of the
Castle of his daughter Al-Hayfa; and this was soon after the departure
of Yusuf. And when he had led hither his host, which was like unto a
dashing sea, he dismounted upon the river-bank that all might free
themselves of their fatigue, after which he summoned Sahlub and bade him
swim the stream and walk up to the Castle and knock at the door. The
youth did as he was bidden, and the handmaids opened to him and greeted
him as he asked for Al-Hayfa——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of
day, and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with
that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to
survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was
The Six Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,