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 the Prince went forth from his father with a
train of five attendants and made for the wilderness, and he conjoined
the journeys of night and day; withal he knew not whither he was going,
and he chanced travel over the same wilds and wolds and dales and stony
leas. But as regards the Merchant and his daughter, he went in to her
one day of the days and found her weeping and wailing, so he said to
her, “What causeth thee to shed tears, O my child?” and said she, “How
shall I not weep? indeed I must wail over my lot, and over the promise
wherewith Allah promised me.” Hereupon he exclaimed, “O my daughter, be
silent and Inshallah—God willing—I will equip me for travel and will
fare to the son of the King; and look to it, for haply Allah Almighty
our Lord may direct me to a somewhat shall conduct me to the Prince’s
city.” So saying he bade his handmaidens and eunuchs make ready
forthright a viaticum sufficing for a full-told year himself and his
following of pages and eunuchs, and they did his bidding. After a few
days they prepared all he had required and he purposed to set out; then,
he loaded his loads and, farewelling his wife and daughter, went forth
seeking the city of the King’s son. He ceased not travelling for a space
of three months, when he found a meadow wide of sides on the margin of a
sweet-water lake, so he said to his slaves, “Alight we here in this very
place that we may take our rest.” Accordingly, they dismounted and
pitched a tent and furnisht it for him, and he passed that night by the
water-side, and all enjoyed their repose. But as soon as morn ’gan show
and shone with sheeny glow, and the sun arose o’er the lands lying low,
the Khwajah designed to order a march for his slaves when suddenly
espying a dust-cloud towering in rear of them, they waited to see what
it might be, and after some two hours of the day it cleared off and
disclosed beneath it six riders and with them a bât-beast carrying a
load of provisions. These drew near the meadow where the Khwajah sat
looking at them, and fear hereat entered into his heart, and trembling
fell upon his limbs[552] until he was assured that they were but six
men. So his mind was calmed. But when the party drew near him he fixed
his glance and made certain that the men were headed by the King’s son
whom he had met on his first journey, and he marvelled indeed at the
youth making for the same place, and he strove to guess the cause of his
coming with only five followers and no more. Then he arose and accosted
him and salam’d and sat down in converse with him, being assured the
while that it was the same who had had doings with his daughter, and
that the child which she had borne in the tent and which they abandoned
was the son of this Prince, while the youth knew not that the Khwajah
was father to the damsel with whom he had tarried in the cavern. So they
fell to communing together for a while until the Prince asked the
Trader, “What is the cause of thy coming hither?” and answered the
other, “I have come seeking thee and thy country, for I have a want
which thou must fulfil me;” presently adding, “And thou, whither art
thou intending?” Quoth the King’s son, “I am making for the cavern
wherein the handmaidens showed me much honour, for indeed I gave my word
that I would return to them after I had revisited my country and had met
my folk and my friends; and here I am coming back to keep what plight
and promise were between us.” Hereupon the Merchant arose, and taking
the Prince, retired with him to a place of privacy where none could wot
of them twain save Allah Almighty. “Would Heaven I knew what may be in
the thoughts of this Khwájah!” said the Prince in his mind; but when
both had seated themselves at ease, the Merchant addressed the King’s
son in these words, “O my son, all things are foredoomed in the World of
Secrets, and from fated lot is no flight. Now the end and aim whereto
thou designest in the cavern, verily they[553] left it for their own
land.” When the King’s son heard these words informing him that his
beloved had quitted her abode, he cried out with a loud outcry for
stress of what had betided him, and fell a-swoon by cause that love of
the damsel had mastered his heart and his vitals hung to her. After a
while he recovered and asked the Khwajah, “Say me, be these words of
thine soothfast or false?” “Soothfast indeed,” answered the father,
“but, O my child, be of good cheer and eyes clear, for that thy wish is
won”——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 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 Eight Hundred and Twelfth 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 quoth the Khwajah to the King’s son after he had
revived, “O my child, be of good cheer and eyes clear for that thy want
is won and for thee the way hath been short done and if thy heart be
firm-fixed upon thy beloved the heart of her is still firmer than thine
and I am a messenger from her who seek thee that I may unite you twain
Inshallah—an Allah please.” Asked the Prince, “And who mayest thou be to
her, O my lord?” and answered the other “I am her father and she is my
daughter and hers is a marvel-tale, I swear by the All-might of Him who
made the Heavens and the Earth.” Then he fell to recounting anent the
Voice which came to him on the night of her being conceived in her
mother’s womb and all that had since befallen her, keeping
concealed[554] only the matter of the babe which she had borne in the
tent. But when the Prince knew that the wayfarer was her sire who was
travelling to seek him, he rejoiced in the glad tidings of forgathering
with the damsel and on the morning of the second day all marched off
together and made for the Merchant’s city. And they stinted not
wayfaring and forcing their marches until they drew near it, and as soon
as they entered it, the Merchant, before going to his home, led the
Prince with him and sought the Kazi by whose aid the marriage-tie, after
due settlement of the dowry, might be tied between him and the damsel.
This done, he conducted him to a place of concealment and presently went
in to his daughter and her mother who saluted him and asked him the
news. Hereupon he gave them to know that he had brought the King’s son
and had made ready to knot the knot of wedlock between him and her. As
soon as the damsel heard these tidings she fainted for excess of her
happiness, and when she revived her mother arose and prepared her person
and adorned her and made her don her most sumptuous of dresses. And when
night fell they led the bridegroom in procession to her and the couple
embraced and each threw arms round the neck of other for exceeding
desire and their embraces lasted till dawn-tide.[555] After that the
times waxed clear to them and the days were serene until one chance
night of the nights when the Prince was sitting beside his bride and
conversing with her concerning various matters when suddenly she fell to
weeping and wailing. He was consterned thereat and cried, “What causeth
thee cry, O dearling of my heart and light of mine eyes?” and she, “How
shall I not cry when they have parted me from my boy, the life-blood of
my liver!” “And thou, hast thou a babe?” asked he and she answered, “Yes
indeed, my child and thy child, whom I conceived by thee while we abode
in the cavern. But when my father[556] took me therefrom and was leading
me home we encountered about midway a burning heat, so we halted and
pitched two tents for myself and my sire; then, as I sat within mine the
labour-pangs came upon me and I bare a babe as the moon. But my parent
feared to carry it with us lest our honour be smirched by tittle-tattle,
so we left the little one in the tent with two hundred gold pieces under
its head, that whoso might come upon it and take it and tend it might
therewith be repaid.” In fine, she told her spouse the whole tale
concerning her infant and declared that she had no longer patience to be
parted from it. Her bridegroom consoled her and promised her with the
fairest promises that he would certainly set out and travel and make
search for the lost one amongst the lands, even though his absence might
endure through a whole year in the wilderness. And lastly he said to
her, “We will ask news and seek tidings of him from all the wayfarers
who wend by that same valley, and certify ourselves of the information,
nor will we return to thee save with assured knowledge; for this child
is the fruit of my loins and I will never neglect him; no, never. Needs
must I set forth and fare to those parts and search for my son.” Such
was their case; but as regards the babe which had been abandoned (as we
have noticed), he lay alone for the first day and yet another when a
caravan appeared passing along that same road; and, as soon as they
sighted the pavilion yet they saw none within, they drew near to it and
behold, they found a babe lying prostrate with his fingers in his mouth
and sucking thereat[557] and he was even as a slice of the moon. So they
approached him and took him up and found under his head the purse,
whereupon they carried him, not forgetting the gold, and showed him to
the Shaykh of the Cafilah[558] who cried, “Walláhi, our way is a blessed
for that we have discovered this child; and, inasmuch as I have no
offspring, I will take him and tend him and adopt him to son.” Now this
caravan was from the land of Al-Yaman and they had halted on that spot
for a night’s rest, so when it was morning they loaded and left it and
fared forwards and they ceased not wayfaring until they reached their
homes safe and sound. After returning all the Cafilah folk dispersed,
each to his own stead, but the Shaykh, who was employed by government
under the King of Al-Yaman, repaired to his own house accompanied by the
child which he had carefully tended and salam’d to his wife. As soon as
she saw the babe she marvelled at his fashion and, sending for a
wet-nurse, committed him for suckling to her and set apart for her a
place; and the woman fell to tending him and cleaning him, and the house
prospered for the master and dame had charge of it[559] during the days
of suckling. And when the boy was weaned they fed him fairly[560] and
took sedulous charge of him, so he became accustomed to bespeak the man
with, “O my papa,” and the woman with, “O my mamma,” believing the twain
to be truly his parents. This endured for some seven years when they
brought him a Divine to teach him at home, fearing lest he should fare
forth the house; nor would they at any time send him to school. So the
tutor[561] took him in hand and taught him polite letters and he became
a reader and a writer and well versed in all knowledge before he reached
his tenth year. Then his adopted father appointed for him a horse that
he might learn cavalarice and the shooting of shafts and firing of
bullets at the butt,[562] and then brought for him a complete rider that
he might teach him all his art and when he came to the age of fourteen
he became a doughty knight and a prow. Now one chance day of the days
the youth purposed going to the wild that he might hunt,——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 Eight Hundred and Fourteenth 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 the youth proposed going forth to the wild that
he might hunt, but his guardians feared for him so that he availed not
to fare forth. Grievous to him was it that he could not obtain his
liberty to set out a-chasing, and there befel him much concern[563] and
a burning thirst; so he lay him down sore sick and troubled. Hereupon
his father and mother went in to him and, finding that he had taken to
his pillow, they mourned over him, and fearing lest he be afflicted by
some disease they asked him, “What is to do with thee and what calamity
hath befallen thee?” Answered he, “There is no help but that I go forth
a-hunting in the wilderness.” Quoth they, “O our son, we fear for thee,”
and quoth he, “Fear not, for that all things be foredoomed from Eternity
and, if aught be written for me, ’twill come to pass even although I
were beside you; and the bye-word saith:—Profiteth not Prudence against
Predestination.” Hereat they gave him permission, and upon the second
day he rode forth to the chase, but the wold and the wilds swallowed him
up, and when he would have returned he knew not the road, so he said to
himself, “Folk declare that affects are affected and footsteps are sped
to a life that is vile and divided daily bread.[564] If aught be written
to me fain must I fulfil it.” And whenever he hunted down a gazelle, he
cut its throat and broiled the meat over a fire and nourished himself
for a while of days and nights; but he was lost in those wastes until he
drew in sight of a city. This he entered, but he had no money for food
or for foraging his horse, so he sold it willy nilly and, hiring a room
in a Wakálah, lived by expending its price till the money was spent.
Then he cried, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,
the Glorious, the Great! The wise man doth even as the fool, but
All-might is to Allah.” So he went forth to solace himself in the
highways of the city, looking rightwards and leftwards, until he came to
the gateway of the King’s Palace, and when he glanced around he saw
written over it, “Dive not into the depths unless thou greed for thyself
and thy wants.”[565] So he said in his mind, “What is the meaning of
these words I see here inscribed?” Presently he repaired for aid to a
man in a shop and salam’d to him, and when his salutation was returned
enquired of him, “O my lord, what is the meaning of this writ which is
written over the Sultan’s gateway?” The other replied, “O my son,
whereof dost thou ask? Verily the Sultan and all the Lords of his land
are in sore cark and care for the affair of his daughter the Princess.”
The youth rejoined, “What is the matter with her and what hath befallen
her?” and the man retorted, “O my son, verily the Sultan hath a daughter
so fair that she seemeth cast in the very mould of beauty and none in
her day can excel her, but whoso is betrothed to her and marrieth her
and goeth in unto her the dawn never cometh without his becoming a heap
of poison, and no one wotteth the business what it may be.” Hearing
these words the youth said to himself, “By Allah, the death of me were
better than this the life of me, but I have no dower to offer her.” Then
he asked the man, “O my uncle, whoso lacketh money and wisheth to marry
her, how shall he act?” “O my son,” answered the other, “verily the
Sultan demandeth nothing; nay, he expendeth of his own wealth upon her.”
The youth arose from beside the man at that moment and, going in to the
King, found him seated on his throne; so he salam’d to him and prayed
for him and deprecated and kissed ground before him, and when the King
returned his salutation and welcomed him he cried, “O King of the Age,
’tis my intent and design to be connected with thee through the lady
safe-guarded, thy daughter.” “By Allah, O Youth,” said the Sultan, “I
consent not for thine own sake that thou wed her by cause that thou wilt
be going wilfully to thy death;” and hereupon he related to him all that
befel each and every who had married her and had gone in unto her. Quoth
the youth, “O King of the Age, indeed I rely upon the Lord, and if I die
I shall fare to Allah and His ruth and, if I live, ’tis well, for that
all things are from the Almighty.” Quoth the Sultan, “O Youth, counsel
appertaineth to Allah, for thou art her equal in beauty;” and the other
rejoined, “All things are by Fate and man’s lot.” Hereupon the King
summoned the Kazi and bade tie the marriage-tie between the youth and
his daughter; then he went in to his Harem and apprised thereof her
mother that she might prepare the girl’s person for the coming night.
But the youth departed from the Sultan’s presence perplext of heart and
distraught, unknowing what to do; and, as he walked about, suddenly he
met a man in years, clean of raiment and with signs of probity evident;
so he accosted him and said, “O my lord, ask a blessing for me.” Said
the Shaykh, “O my son, may our Lord suffice thee against all would work
thee woe and may He ever forefend thee from thy foe.”[566] And the youth
was gladdened by the good omen of the Shaykh’s words. But when the
Sultan had sought his Harem he said, “By Allah, he who hath wedded the
damsel is a beautiful youth: oh the pity of it that he should die!
Indeed I dissuaded him, saying so-and-so shall befal thee, but I could
not deter him. Now by the rights of Him who raised the firmament without
basement, an our Lord deign preserve this Youth and he see the morn in
safety, I will assuredly gift him and share with him all my good, for
that I have no male issue to succeed me in the sovranty; and this one,
if Allah Almighty vouchsafe prolong his days, shall become my heir
apparent and inherit after me. Indeed I deem him to be a son of the
Kings who disguiseth himself, or some Youth of high degree who is
troubled about worldly goods and who sayeth in himself:—I will take this
damsel to wife that I may not die of want, for verily I am ruined. I
diverted him from wedding her, but it could not be, and the more I
deterred him with words manifold only the more grew his desire and he
cried:—I am content; thus speaking after the fashion of one who longeth
to perish. However, let him meet his lot—either death-doom or
deliverance from evil.” Now when it was eventide the Sultan sent to
summon his son-in-law and, seating him beside the throne, fell to
talking with him and asking after his case; but he concealed his
condition and said, “Thy servant is such whereof ’tis spoken:—I fell
from Heaven and was received by Earth. Ask me not, O King of the Age, or
of the root or of the branch, for one of the wise and ware hath said:—
To tell my root and my name refrain; ✿ The root of the youth is what
good he gain:[567]
A wight without father full oft shall win ✿ And melting shall purify
drossy strain.”
And folk are equal but in different degrees.[568] Now when the Sultan
heard these words, he wondered at his eloquence and sweetness of speech;
withal he marvelled that his son-in-law would not explain to him from
what land or from what folk he came. And the two ceased not their
converse until after the hour of night prayers, when the Lords of the
land had been dismissed; whereupon the Sultan bade an eunuch take the
youth and introduce him to the Princess. So he arose from him and went
with the slave, the King exclaiming the while, “There is no Majesty and
there is no Might, save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great: verily yonder
young man wendeth wilfully to his death.” Now when the bridegroom
reached the apartment of the Sultan’s daughter and entered to her——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 Eight Hundred and Seventeenth Night,
[Illustration]
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 the youth, when entering to the Sultan’s
daughter, exclaimed “Bismillah—in the name of Allah—I place my trust
upon Allah, and I have committed mine affair unto Allah!” Then he went
forwards and found his bride seated upon her bedstead, and she was as a
Hoard newly loosed from its Talisman; while she on her part rose and met
him, and looked upon him and considered him until she was certified of
his being cast in beauty’s mould, nor had she ever seen any like unto
him. So she wept till the tears trickled adown her cheeks and she said
to herself, “Oh the pity of it! Never shall my joy be fulfilled with
this beautiful youth, than whom mine eyes never fell upon one fairer.”
Quoth he, “What causeth thee cry, O my lady?” and quoth she, “I cry for
the loss of my joys with thee seeing that thou art to perish this very
night; and I sue of the Almighty and supplicate Him that my life may be
thy ransom, for by Allah ’tis a pity!” When he heard these words he
presently looked around and suddenly he sighted a magical Sword[569]
hanging by the belt against the wall: so he arose and hent it and threw
it across his shoulders; then, returning he took seat upon the couch
beside the Sultan’s daughter, withal his heart and his tongue never
neglected to recite the Names of Allah or to sue aidance from the Prince
of the Hallows[570] who alone can reconcile with the Almighty fiat the
fates and affairs of God’s servants. This lasted for an hour until the
first third of the night, when suddenly were heard the bellowings as of
wind and rumblings of thunder, and the bride, perceiving all the
portents which had occurred to others, increased in weeping and wailing.
Then lo and behold! a wall amiddlemost the chamber clave asunder, and
there issued forth the cleft a Basilisk[571] resembling a log of
palm-tree, and he was blowing like the storm-blast and his eyes were as
cressets and he came on wriggling and waving. But when the youth saw the
monster he sprang up forthright with stout heart that knew naught of
startling or affright, and cried out, “Protect me, O Chief and Lode-star
of the Hallows, for I have thrown myself upon thine honour and am under
thy safe-guard.” So saying and setting hand on brand he advanced and
confronted the portent swiftlier than an eye-glance, raising his elbow
till the blackness of the armpit appeared; and he cried out with a loud
outcry whereto the whole city re-echoed, and which was audible even to
the Sultan. Then he smote the monster upon his neck[572] and caused head
to fly from body for a measure of some two spans. Hereupon the Basilisk
fell dead, but the youth was seized by a fainting-fit for the mighty
stress of his stroke, and the bride arose for the excess of her joy and
threw herself upon him and swooned away for a full-told hour. When the
couple recovered, the Princess fell to kissing his hands and feet and
wiping with her kerchief the sweat from his brow and saying to him, “O
my lord, and light of mine eyes, may none thy hand ever foreslow nor
exult over thee any foe,” till he had recovered his right senses and had
regained his strength. Anon he arose, and taking the Basilisk set it
upon a large tray;[573] then, letting bring a skinful of water he
cleaned away the blood. After this the youth and the King’s daughter sat
down and gave each other joy of their safety and straightway disappeared
from them all traces of distress. Presently the Bridegroom looked at his
Bride and found her like a pearl, so he caused her to laugh and
disported with her and excited her and she did on like wise and at last
he threw her upon her back and did away her maidenhead, whenas their
gladness grew and their pleasures were perfected and their joyance was
enhanced by the monster’s death. They ceased not, the twain of them
toying and enjoying themselves until it was well nigh dawn and sleep
overcame them and they slumbered. But the Sultan during that night could
relish nor lying down nor sitting up, and as soon as he heard the shout
he cried, “The Youth is indeed dead and this world hath fled! There is
no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the
Great.” About morning-tide he prepared for him a shroud and mortuary
perfumes, and all things required, and despatched a party to dig a tomb
for him who had been slain by the side of his daughter, and he let make
an iron bier, after which he sent for the washers of the dead and
summoned them to his presence and lastly he awaited for his wife to seek
her daughter and bring him the tidings——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 Eight Hundred and Nineteenth Night,