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 when Sahlub went up to the Palace, he asked of
Al-Hayfa, and the slave-girls told him that a youth had come thither and
had taken her away and had carried her off to his own country. So he
returned to Al-Mihrjan and informed him thereof, when the King took
horse with all his host and pursued Yusuf with uttermost haste and hurry
until there was between the twain less than a day’s march. But as the
Prince drew near his capital on the tenth day he went in to his sire and
told him whatso had befallen him from incept to conclusion, nor did he
hide from him aught; whereupon King Sahl mustered his many (all who
received from him royal solde and allowances), and bade them take horse
with his son Yusuf. The troops did accordingly and the Prince rode
a-van, and after a little while the two armies met. Now Ibn Ibrahim had
made a compact with five of the nobles who were the chiefest men of King
Al-Mihrjan’s reign and had promised them five hundred thousand dinars.
So when the two hosts were about to engage, an Emir of the Emirs came
forth (and he was one of those whom Ibn Ibrahim had appointed to watch
over Yusuf) and said to the Prince, “O Son of the King, verily Ibn
Ibrahim hath promised five of the nobles as many hundred thousand dinars
of gold the which we may take and receive from thee.” Replied he, “The
like sum shall be thine from me with all thou canst ask of us.”
Presently the Emir returned from him to Al-Mihrjan and said to him,
“Verily I have asked this youth that he make vain and void the battle
between us twain, but he assented not and sware an oath that he would
never return from affray until the enemies should meet and fight it out,
and that he had with him a mighty host and a conquering whose van was
not known from its rear.[269] Now ’tis my rede that thou strive to take
him prisoner[270] and then do whatso he may please, especially he being
son to thee, King of the mighty Kings and with him a thousand thousand
knights all mailed cap-à-pie and clothed in steel not one of whom hath
any fear of fight.” King Al-Mihrjan waxed wroth at the Emir’s speech and
cried, “What words be these? Shall the Kings of the Age remain saying of
me that a man hath debauched the daughter of Al-Mihrjan and hath carried
her away perforce despite the nose of her father? Never shall such thing
be spoken of me; no, never! But do thou know, ho thou the Amir, that an
ye have no taste for fray nor avail for fight and ye have no training
save for bibbing of wine and ease at home, I have sworn and swear by Him
who lighted the lucident fires of the Sun and the Moon, none shall sally
forth to do single combat with this youth save I myself.” But when so
saying he knew not that was hidden from him in the World of Secrets.
Presently he rushed into the field of fight with reins floating upon his
courser’s neck and he renowned it, showing himself between the foremost
files, and he played with the edge of glaive and spit of spear until
men’s wits were bewildered and he improvised the while and cried out the
following couplets:—
“Ibn Sahl, ho scion of tree abhorr’d! ✿ Rise, meet me in mellay and
prove thee lord:
My daughter hast snatched, O thou foul of deed, ✿ And approachest me
fearing the Lion of the horde.
Hadst come in honour and fairly sued ✿ I had made her thine own with the
best accord;
But this rape hath o’erwhelmed in dishonour foul ✿ Her sire, and all
bounds thou hast overscor’d.”
Now when King Al-Mihrjan finished his verse, Yusuf rushed out to him,
and cried at him with a terrible cry and a terrifying, and garred his
own steed bound upon the battle-plain, where he played with brand and
lance until he cast into oblivion every knight, reciting in the meantime
the following verses:—
“I am son to Al-Sahl, O of forbears vile! ✿ Come forth and fight me sans
guile or wile;
Thou hast hurt my heart; O of deed misdone, ✿ So thou com’st to contend
with this rank and file.”[271]
King Al-Mihrjan re-echoed his war-cry, but hardly had he ended when
Yusuf drawing near him answered it with a shout which enquaked his heart
and ravished his reason with sore terror, and repeated in reply these
couplets:—
“I am not to be titled of forbears vile ✿ O whose ape-like face doth the
tribe defile!
Nay, I’m rending lion amid mankind, ✿ A hero in wilds where the murks
beguile.
Al-Hayfá befitteth me, only me; ✿ Ho thou whom men for an ape[272]
revile.”
When Yusuf had ended these words, Al-Mihrjan rushed forth and charged
down upon him, and the two drawing nigh each of the foemen set on the
other with a mighty onset and a prodigious. They fought in duello and
lanced out with lance and smote with sword, and dashed together as they
were two ships or two mountains clashing; and they approached and
retired, and the dust-cloud arose over them and they disappeared from
men’s sight. But hardly had an hour passed by when Yusuf made a final
attack upon his enemy and narrowed his course and barred his way and
pressed him hard; and, hanging upon his flank, smote him with the
scymitar upon the nape of the neck[273] and caused his head to fall
between his feet, when he slipt from his steed upon the ground, and he
lay stone dead and in his gore drowned. Now as soon as the folk looked
upon Yusuf and what he had dealt to their King and how he had made his
head fly his body and had done him dead, they turned to take flight.
Thereupon Yusuf recognised Sahlub the cousin of Al-Hayfa, he who had
been the cause of their separation and had roused her wrath against him;
so he drew near to him and smote him with the bright shining blade on
the right flank, and it came forth gleaming between his left ribs; so he
fell to the ground drenched with blood, and he was left prostrate in the
dust. And when Yusuf had slain King Al-Mihrjan and Sahlub, his nephew,
the Grandees of the realm came around him and greeted him with the
salam.——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 Seven Hundredth 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 when the Grandees of King Al-Mihrjan’s reign
saw their Sovran slain, they flocked to Prince Yusuf and greeted him,
marvelling at his beauty and valour and excellence: then they all agreed
to salute him as their Sultan and they raised him to the rank of King
and sole ruler over them. Presently they led him with them, and fared
seeking the city of Al-Mihrjan until they reached it, when they adorned
the streets on the occasion of his coming. And King Yusuf having entered
his capital took seat on the throne of his kingship and bade and forbade
and deposed and appointed; and lastly freed Mohammed ibn Ibrahim from
gaol, and established him his Wazir. Hereupon the new Minister displayed
to him the four wives and the hundred concubines of King Al-Mihrjan,
also his negro slaves, male and female, whom he found to number two
hundred and four hundred. Moreover, he showed his riches and rarities
and treasuries wherein were found an hundred boxes full of silk and fine
linen, and parcels of pearls and rubies and jacinths and jewels and
precious minerals and other wealth in abundance. So he distributed the
whole amongst his nobles, and largessed them with excessive largesses;
and his partisans of his subjects and his guards flocked to him with
presents and offerings; and all the city-folk gave him joy and rejoiced
in him. Then he commissioned Ibn Ibrahim to Al-Hayfa, daughter of King
Al-Mihrjan, saying, “Do thou bring her hither to me, her and her
handmaids and all that be in her palace.” Accordingly he went forth to
Al-Hayfa’s Castle, and ceased not wending till he came to its entrance
where he discovered that King Yusuf had appointed a craft for the river
transport. And when he arrived there and found the vessel afloat he went
in to Al-Hayfa and he greeted her. Then he related to her what had
betided her sire from Yusuf and how the Prince had slain him after the
fashion of what befel; so she cried, “There is no Majesty and no Might
save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great; and this was writ in the Book of
Life!” Then she asked Ibn Ibrahim touching her mother, and he answered
that she was sound and safe in her own home which she had never left nor
did any one go in to her; and, (added he) “she expecteth thy coming to
her.” Then he bade carry down her impediments and her bondmaids and all
the good that was in her Castle until nothing remained, and embarked
them upon the craft; and presently, mounting her in a litter of
sandal-wood plated with ruddy gold, he set her women in Howdahs;[274]
and, taking horse himself, he rode until they drew near the city. And
when they arrived there he went up to King Yusuf whom he informed of
their coming and was told, “Suffer them to be till night shall set in.”
Hereupon he took patience, and when came the appointed term Al-Hayfa
went up to the Palace. Now as Allah caused the morn to morrow and to
light the world with its shine and sheen, King Yusuf sent to summon the
Kazi and witnesses and bade them write his writ of marriage with
Al-Hayfa and was wedded to her by Book and traditional Usage.[275] After
this Al-Hayfa sent to fetch her mother and bore her to her home and
their joy and enjoyment were great and lasting. Now by the decree of the
Decreer anon it befel that the Caliph Al-Maamun waxed strait of breast
one night of the nights: so he summoned a certain of his courtiers whose
name was Ibrahim the Cup-companion;[276] but, as they found him not, he
bade bring a man hight Al-Khadí’a, and when he came between his hands
quoth he to him “’Tis a while since I have seen thee here.” Quoth the
other, “O Commander of the Faithful, I have been wayfaring about the
land of Syria.” Continued the Prince of True Believers, “Do thou this
very night broaden the Caliph’s heart with a delectable tale;” and the
other rejoined, “O Viceregent of Allah upon Earth, know thou an
adventure befel me with a youth named the Veiled Yusuf of Beauty, son to
King Sahl, the friendly ruler of Al-Sind, and with Al-Hayfa the daughter
of King Al-Mihrjan, and ’tis a tale whose like hath never been heard;
no, never.” Hereupon he related to Al-Maamun the history of the two,
first and last, adding, “Furthermore, O Commander of the Faithful, I
have learnt that Al-Hayfa owneth ten handmaidens whose peers are not to
be found in thy Palace, and they are mistresses of all manner
instruments of mirth and merriment and other matters; and amongst things
said of them by their lady when they marvelled at her good fortune,”
“Verily this day I have acquired half a score of slave-girls the like of
which Al-Maamun hath never collected.” But when the Prince of True
Believers heard this he gave ear to the tale anent them during the
livelong night till Allah caused the morn to morrow. Then he sent for
Ibrahim the Cup-companion, and to him coming into the presence the
Viceregent of Allah exclaimed, “Mount without stay and delay taking with
thee one thousand Mamelukes and make thy way to this youth who is King
of Al-Sind[277] and named ’The Veiled Yusuf of Beauty,’ and bring me his
ten handmaidens. After which do thou ask concerning his case and anent
his subjects, whether he be just or unjust to the lieges, and if he be
righteous I will robe him in honourable robes and if otherwise do thou
bring him to my presence.” Hereupon Ibrahim took leave of the Caliph and
went forth at that very time and tide intending for Al-Sind, and he
ceased not wending till he arrived there and found Yusuf setting out for
the chase. But when the youth saw the host approaching him——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 Seven Hundred and Second 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, when Yusuf beheld Ibrahim the Cup-companion,
and those in his company, he returned to the city and took them with
him; yet he knew not Ibrahim nor did Ibrahim know him. But on entering
the capital he was met by his guards and his soldiers who blessed him
and prayed for him length of days and permanence of rule wherefor the
courtier knew him to be a just King. Yusuf led them to and lodged them
in the House of Hospitality; after which returning to his own Palace he
sent for Ibrahim and assembled for him a session and received him with
the highmost honour that could be, and rose to him and greeted him and
embraced him and accompanied him to the sitting-saloon where the twain
took their places. Then Yusuf bade summon the ten handmaidens with as
many instruments of music; and, sitting down begirt by them, he ordered
wine be brought. So they set before him flagons and beakers of chrystal
and jewelled cups; and presently pointing to the first of the
slave-girls whose name is not recorded, bade her recite somewhat of her
pleasantest poetry. So she hent the lute in hand and set it upon her lap
and swept it with a light touch and caressed it with her finger-tips and
smote it after eleven modes; then she returned to the first[278] and
recited these couplets:—
“My heart for parting ever burns with lowe; ✿ My lids fiery with
tear-floods ever flow:
Ho thou in lover’s loving ferly fair, ✿ Cut is the road for those Love
gars to glow.
How many a youth has felt his vitals torn ✿ By slender forms and glances
forceful prow?
Alas for lover slain by might of Love; ✿ Nor friend avails nor brother
true, I trow!”
When the first handmaiden had finished, Yusuf rejoiced (as did Ibrahim
the Cup-companion) with excessive joy and the King bade robe her in a
sumptuous robe. Hereupon she drained her cup and passed it to her
compeer whose name was Takná, and this second handmaiden taking beaker
in hand placed it afore her and hending the lute smote on it with many a
mode; then, returning to the first[279] while the wits of all were
bewildered, she improvised the following verses:—
“Look on the lute that ’minds of Mangonel; ✿ Whose strings are ropes
that make each shot to tell:
And note the pipes that sound with shriek and cry, ✿ The pipes that cast
a fearful joyful spell;
Espy the flagons ranged in serried rank ✿ And crops becrowned with wine
that longs to well.”
But when Takná had finished her poetry Yusuf and Ibrahim were gladdened
and the King bade largesse her with a sumptuous robe and a thousand
dinars and she tossed off her cup and passed it to her successor the
third handmaiden Mubdi’[280] hight. She accepted it and setting it
before her took the lute and smote it after manifold fashions and
presently she spake these couplets:—
“Love with his painful pine doth rack this frame of me; ✿ Melts heart
and maims my vitals cruel agony;
And rail my tears like cloud that rains the largest drops; ✿ And fails
my hand to find what seek I fain to see:
Thee I conjure, O Yúsuf, by Him made thee King ✿ O Sahl-son, Oh our
dearest prop, our dignity,
This man methinks hath come to part us lovers twain ✿ For in his eyes I
see the flame of jealousy.”
And when Mubdi’ had sung her song, Ibrahim the Cup-companion and King
Yusuf smiled and rejoiced and anon there befel them what there befel and
the two slipt down aswoon;——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 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 Sovran suffer me
to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was
The Seven Hundred and 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 King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup-companion
hearing the song sung by Mubdi’, the third handmaiden, both fell to the
floor aswoon; and when they revived after an hour or so, Ibrahim
largessed to her one thousand dinars and a robe purfled with glistening
gold. Then she drained her cup and crowning it again passed it to her
compeer whose name was Nasím[281] and who took it and set it in front of
her. Then hending in hand the lute she played upon it with manifold
modes and lastly spake these couplets:—
“O Blamer, blaming me for draining lonely wine, ✿ Stint carping, I this
day to Holy War incline:
Oh fair reflection she within her wine-cup shows ✿ Her sight makes
spirit dullest earthly flesh refine:
How mention her? By Allah ’tis forbid in writ ✿ To note the meaner
charms in Eden-garth divine.”
When the fourth handmaiden had ended her verse, Ibrahim gifted her with
one thousand dinars and presented a sumptuous robe to her owner, then
she drank off her cup and passed it to her compeer hight Al-Badr[282]
and she sang the following lines:—
“One robbed of heart amid song and wine ✿ And Love that smiteth with
babe of eyne:
His voice to the lute shall make vitals pain ✿ And the wine shall heal
all his pangs and pine:
Hast e’er seen the vile drawing near such draught ✿ Or miser
close-fisted thereto incline?
The wine is set free in the two-handed jar[283] ✿ Like sun of summer in
Aries’ sign.”
When she had finished Ibrahim bade reward her like the rest with gold
and gear and she passed her cup to her compeer whose name was
Radáh.[284] The sixth handmaiden drained it and performed in
four-and-twenty modes after which she sang these couplets:—
“O thou wine-comrade languor cease to show; ✿ Hand me the morning
draught and ne’er foreslow;
And prize fair poesy and sweet musick hear ✿ And shun the ’say’ and
naught of ’said’ beknow:
The wine of day-dawn drunk with joyous throng ✿ From house of Reason
garreth Grief to go:
The man of Kays aye loved his wine right well ✿ And from his lips made
honey’d verse to flow;
And in like guise[285] came Isà singing sweet ✿ For such was custom of
the long-ago.”
When Radah ended her verse and her improvising of mysterious
significance, and secret, King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup-companion tore
their robes from their bodies until naught remained upon them save only
the bag-breeches about their waists. Then the twain shrieked aloud and
at one moment and they fell fainting to the floor, unheeding the world
and their own selves from the excess of that was in their heads of wine
and hearing of poetry spoken by the slave-girl. They remained in such
condition for a while of time, after which they recovered though still
amazed, a-drunken. Then they donned other dresses and sat down to listen
as before, when Radah drained her goblet and filled and passed it to her
compeer whose name was Na’ím;[286] and she taking her lute, improvised
the following verses:—
“My poesy-gem showeth clear of shine, ✿ When appears that pearl with
cheek coralline:
’Tis marvel the cloud cannot quench the blaze ✿ That fire in the heart
and this water of eyne!
Then alas for Love who hath made me woe! ✿ Pine that rends and racks
limbs and vitals o’ mine:
O thou Well of Poetry well forth thy gems ✿ O’er our drink when our cups
overbrim with wine:
And sing in her presence, for Envy hath fled ✿ And flies jealous spite
and all joys combine.
Oh the charms of wine which enthral the mind, ✿ Clear and clearing
sprites by its sprite refined!”
When the seventh handmaiden had ended her verses, King Yusuf and Ibrahim
rejoiced with exceeding joy and each of them bade gift her with a
thousand gold pieces and quoth the courtier, “By Allah Almighty, none of
the Emirs or of the Wazirs or of the Kings or of the Caliphs hath
attained excellence like unto this handmaid. Hereupon Na’im passed her
goblet to her compeer and she, whose name was Surúr,[287] tossed it off
and taking in hand her lute, sang these couplets:—
“How is’t with heart of me all cares waylay ✿ As drowned in surging,
tears of Deluge-day?
I weep for Time endured not to us twain ✿ As though Time’s honour did
not oft betray.
O my lord Yúsuf, O my ending hope, ✿ By Him who made thee lone on
Beauty’s way,
I dread lest glorious days us twain depart ✿ And youth’s bright world be
dimmed to old and grey;
O Lord! be Parting’s palm for us undyed[288] ✿ Ere death, nor carry this
my lord away.”
When the eighth handmaiden had ended her song, the twain marvelled at
her eloquence and were like to rend that was upon them of raiment——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 Seven Hundred and Fifth 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 goodwill! 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 King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup-companion were like to
rend that was upon them of raiment and they joyed with extreme joy after
hearing what Surúr had sang to them. Hereupon she passed her cup to her
fellow, hight Zahrat al-Hayy,[289] who took it and recited as follows:—
“O cup-boy, I crave thee cup-comrade to be ✿ And hearten my heart of its
malady;
Nor pass me the bowls for I sorely dread ✿ When drunken all dolours of
Love-lowe to dree,
To be vilely reviled in the sittings of men, ✿ To be frowardly treated
where zephyrs play free.
God-blest is the Lute for her melodies ✿ Which pain me with painfullest
penalty,
With the jewels of speech whose transcendent charms ✿ Like fires of
Jahím[290] burn the vitals of me.
By Allah, show ruth, be compassionate, ✿ For Allah deals pardon
compassionately.”
Yusuf and Ibrahim, hearing her words, were gladdened with excessive
gladness and cried to the ninth handmaid, “May the lord be copious to
thee like the fruitful years!” Then the Cup-companion bade gift her with
one thousand gold pieces as likewise did her lord. Hereupon she passed
her cup to the tenth handmaiden known as Muhjat al-Kulúb[291] who fell
to improvising these couplets:—
“O Blamer, who canst not my case explain; ✿ Cease, for who blame friends
shall of blame complain;
And whoso unknoweth the workings of Love ✿ Mankind shall reckon him mean
and vain:
Alas for Love, O ye tribe-landers, I ✿ Am weaned that wont nipples of
union to drain.
I have learnt the whole of Love’s governance ✿ Since my baby days amid
cradles lain.
Forbear by Allah to ask of my state ✿ How shall morn one bannèd with
debtor bane?
O thou jewel of speech, O thou Yúsuf, laud ✿ To the Lord who robed thee
with charms amain!
Deign the God of ’Arsh make thy days endure ✿ In wealth and honour sans
pause or wane;
E’en as Ishák’s son[292] every gift conjoined ✿ Amid men, making rulers
to serve him fain.”