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 quoth the man to the youth,[613] “Trust in
Allah, for verily joy shall assuredly come to thee from the Almighty.”
“What joy?” quoth the Khwajah’s son, “and indeed this city is a ruinous
heap nor is there indweller or habitant or any to attest God’s Unity.”
But the man ceased not going about the highways of the deserted town
with his companion till such time as he reached the Palace of the
Sultanate, and the twain entering therein found it with its vases and
its tapestry like a bride tricked out.[614] But the Spider had tented
therein, so both the wights fell to shaking and sweeping for a three
days’ space till they had cleaned away all the webbing and the dust of
years; after which the elder man took the younger and entered a closet.
Herein he came upon a trap-door which the two uplifted, when behold,
they found a staircase leading below; so they descended and walked till
they ended at a place with four open halls, one and all fulfilled with
gold, and amiddlemost thereof rose a jetting fount twenty ells long by
fifteen broad, and the whole basin was heaped up with glittering gems
and precious ores. When the merchant’s son saw this sight, he was
wildered in his wits and perplext in his thoughts, but the man said to
him, “O my son, all this hath become thine own good.” After this the two
replaced the trap-door as it was and quitted that place; then the man
took him and led him to another stead concealed from the ken of man
wherein he found arms and armour and costly raiment; and the two stinted
not wandering about that palace until they reached the royal
Throne-room. Now when the Khwajah’s son looked upon it he waxed
distraught and fell a-fainting to the floor for awhile[615] and
presently when he revived he asked his companion, “O my lord, what be
this?” Answered he, “This be the throne of the Sultanate wherewith the
Almighty hath gifted thee;” and quoth the other, “By Allah, O my lord, I
believe that there is not in me or strength or long-suffering to take
seat upon yonder throne.” All this the King (who erst was a merchant’s
son) recounted to the Judge and presently resumed[616]:—Then the man, O
my lord, said to me, “O my son, to all who shall come hither and seek
thee be sure thou distribute gifts and do alms-deeds; so the folk,
hearing of thy largesse, shall flock to thee and gather about thee, and
as often as one shall visit thee, exceed in honour and presents from the
treasure-store thou hast sighted and whose site thou weetest.” And so
speaking, O our lord the Kazi, he vanished from my view and I wist not
an he had upflown to the firmament or had dived into the depths of the
earth, but one thing I knew; to wit, that I was alone.——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 Nine 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 merchant’s son resumed to the Kazi:—Then
the man vanisht from my view and I wist no more thereof. So I seated me
(and I all alone) in that city for the first day and the second, but on
the third behold, I saw a crowd making for me from the city-suburbs and
they were seeking a site wherefrom they had somewhat to require. So I
met them and welcomed them and seated them, and soon I arose and cooking
for them food ate in their company and we nighted together; and when it
was morning I presented each and every of them with an hundred dinars.
These they accepted and fared forth from me and on reaching their homes
they recounted the adventure to other folk who also flocked to me and
received presents like those who preceded them. Anon appeared to me a
multitude with their children and wives who said, “Billáhi,[617] O my
lord, accept of us that we may settle beside thee and be under thy
protecting glance;” whereupon I ordered houses be given to them.
Moreover there was amongst them a comely youth who showed signs of
prosperity and him I made my assessor; so we two, I and he, would
converse together. The crowd thickened, little by little, until the
whilome ruined city became fulfilled of habitants, when I commanded
sundry of them that they go forth and lay out gardens and orchards and
plant tree-growths; and a full-told year had not elapsed ere the city
returned to its older estate and waxed great as erst it was and I became
therein Sovran and Sultan. Such was the case of this King;[618] but as
regards the matter of his wife and his two sons, whenas he fared forth
from them he left them naught to eat and presently their case was
straitened and the twain set out, each in his own direction, and
overwandered the world and endured the buffets of life until their
semblance was changed for stress of toil and travail and transit from
region to region for a while of time. At last, by decree of the Decreer,
the elder was thrown by Eternal Fate into the very town wherein was his
sire and said to himself, “I will fare to the King of this city and take
from him somewhat.”——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 King suffer me to
survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was
The Nine Hundred and Fifteenth 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 young man went in to the Sultan and kissed
ground before him and the King regarding him felt his heart yearn
himwards and said, “What wantest thou, O youth?” “My design is service
with thee,” said the other; and the King rejoined, “Then welcome to
thee!” So he abode in his employ for a term of four months until he
became like unto a Mameluke[619] and his first case was changed: the
Sultan also drew him near and fell to consulting him in sundry matters
the which proved propitious, so quoth the King, “By Allah, this young
man meriteth naught less than to become my Wazir,” and accordingly made
him his Minister of the Right. In his new degree he became as another
liege lord[620] and his word was heard, so the land was opened up by his
hand and year by year he derived from it corvées and taxes, nor did he
cease to be Chief Councillor under the right hand of the King. Meanwhile
his brother who was the younger stinted not faring from land to land
until he was met by a party of wayfarers that said to him, “O youth,
verily the Sultan who ruleth in such a capital is a liberal lord, loving
the poor and paupers; so do thou seek him and haply shall he show
himself bounteous to thee.” Quoth he, “I know not the city,” and quoth
they, “We will lead thee thereto for we purpose to go by his town.” So
they took him and he accompanied them until they reached the city when
he farewelled them and entered the gates. After solacing himself with
the sights he passed that night in the Wakálah and as soon as it was
morning he fared forth to serve for somewhat wherewith he might nourish
himself,[621] and it was his lot and the doom of the Decreer that the
Sultan, who had ridden forth to seek his pleasure in the gardens, met
him upon the highway. The King’s glance fell upon the youth and he was
certified of his being a stranger and a wanderer for that his clothes
were old and worn, so he thrust hand into pouch and passed to him a few
gold pieces which the other accepted right thankfully and blessed the
giver and enlarged his benediction with eloquent tongue and the sweetest
speech. The Sultan hearing this bade them bring to him the stranger, and
whenas they did his bidding he questioned him of his case and was
informed that he was a foreigner who had no friends in that stead;
whereupon the Sovran took him in and clothed him and entreated him with
kindness and liberality.[622] And after a time the Wazir of the Right
became kindly hearted unto him and took him into his household where he
fell to teaching him until the youth waxed experienced in expression and
right ready of reply and acquired full knowledge of kingcraft. Presently
quoth the Minister to the Sultan, “O King of the Age, indeed this youth
befitteth naught save councillorship, so do thou make him Wazir of the
Left.” The King said, “With love,” and followed his advice; nor was it
long before his heart inclined to the hearts of his two Ministers and
the time waxed clear to him and the coming of these two youths brought
him serenity for a length of days and they also were in the most joyous
of life. But as regards their mother; when her sons went forth from her,
she abode alone——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 Sovran suffer me to survive?”
Now when it was the next night and that was
The Nine Hundred and Sixteenth 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 woman who abode alone having been abandoned
by her husband and her children, cried, “I am here sitting sans my mate
and sans my sons; whatso shall I ever do?” and anon the case became
grievous to her and she set out to bewander the regions saying, “Haply
shall Allah reunite me with my children and my husband!” And she stinted
not passing from place to place and shifting from site to site until she
reached a town upon the margin of the main and found a vessel in cargo
and about to sail.[623] Now by the decree of the Decreer the
ship-captain having heard tell of the Sultan’s generosity and open
handedness had made ready for him a present and was about to voyage
therewith to his capital. Learning this the woman said to him, “Allah
upon thee, O Captain, take me with thee;” and he did accordingly,
setting sail with a fair wind. He sped over the billows of that sea for
a space of forty days and throughout this time he kept all the precepts
and commandments of religion, as regards the woman,[624] supplying her
with meat and drink; nay more, he was wont to address her, “O my
mother.” And no sooner had they made the city than he landed and
disembarked the present and loading it upon porters’ backs took his way
therewith to the Sovran and continued faring until he entered the
presence. The Sultan accepted the gift and largessed him in return, and
at even-tide the skipper craved leave of return to his ship fearing lest
any harm befal vessel or passengers. So he said, “O King of the Age, on
board with me is a woman, but she is of goodly folk and godly and I am
apprehensive concerning her.” “Do thou night here with us,” quoth the
Sovran, “and I will despatch my two Wazirs to keep guard over her until
dawn shall break.” Quoth the Captain, “Hearing and obeying,” and he sat
with the Sultan, who at night-fall commissioned his two Ministers and
placed the vessel under their charge and said, “Look ye well to your
lives, for an aught be lost from the ship I will cut off your heads.” So
they went down to her and took their seats the one on poop and the other
on prow until near midnight when both were seized by drowsiness; and
said each to other, “Sleep is upon us, let us sit together[625] and
talk.” Hereupon he who was afore returned to him who was abaft the
ship[626] and they sat side by side in converse, while the woman in the
cabin sat listening to them.——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 Nine Hundred and Seventeenth 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 two sons forgathered in converse while the
mother was listening and anon quoth the elder to the younger, “Allah
upon thee, O Wazir of the Left, do thou relate to me whatso befel and
betided thee in thy time and what was the true cause of thy coming to
this city; nor conceal from me aught.” “By Allah, O Wazir of the Right,”
quoth the other, “my tale is wondrous and mine adventure marvellous and
were it paged upon paper the folk would talk thereanent race after
race.”[627] “And what may that be?” asked he, and the other answered,
“’Tis this. My sire was son to a mighty merchant who had of moneys and
goods and estates and such like what pens may not compute and which
intelligence may not comprehend. Now this my grandsire was a man whose
word was law and every day he held a Divan wherein the traders craved
his counsel about taking and giving and selling and buying; and this
endured until what while a sickness attacked him and he sensed his end
drawing near. So he summoned his son and charged him and insisted
thereon as his last will and testament that he never and by no means
make oath in the name of Allah or truly or falsely.” Now the younger
brother had not ended his adventure before the elder Wazir threw himself
upon him and flinging his arms around his neck cried, “Walláhi, thou art
my brother by father and mother!” and when the woman heard these words
of the twain her wits wandered for joy, but she kept the matter hidden
until morning. The two Wazirs rejoiced in having found each of them a
long-lost brother and slumber fled their eyes till dawned the day when
the woman sent for the Captain and as soon as he appeared said to him,
“Thou broughtest two men to protect me but they caused me only trouble
and travail.” The man hearing these words repaired forthright and
reported them to the Sovran who waxed madly wroth and bade summon his
two Ministers and when they stood between his hands asked them, “What
was’t ye did in the ship?” They answered, “By Allah, O King, there befel
us naught but every weal;” and each said, “I recognised this my brother
for indeed he is the son of the same parents,” whereat the Sovran
wondered and quoth he, “Laud to the Lord, indeed these two Wazirs must
have a strange story.” So he made them repeat whatso they had said in
the ship and they related to him their adventure from beginning to end.
Hereupon the King cried, “By Allah, ye be certainly my sons,” when lo
and behold! the woman came forwards and repeated to him all that the
Wazirs had related whereby it was certified that she was the King’s lost
wife and their lost mother.[628] Hereupon they conducted her to the
Harem and all sat down to banquet and they led ever after the most
joyous of lives. All this the King related to the Judge and finally
said, “O our lord the Kazi, such-and-such and so-and-so befel until
Allah deigned reunite me with my children and my wife.”
END OF VOLUME V.
INDEX.
A’atú Al-Wírah = gave in their submission, 405.
—— corresponds with Turk. “Wírah wírmek” = to capitulate (ST.), 405.
Ablution of whole body necessary after car. cop., 93.
Absurdities to a European reader, are but perfectly natural to an
Eastern coffee-house audience, 477.
Abtar = tailless (as applied to class of tales such as “Loves of
Al-Hayfa and Yusuf”), 210.
Abú Hamámah = “Father of a Pigeon” (_i.e._, surpassing in swiftness the
carrier-pigeon), 380.
Abúyah (a Fellah, vulg. for “Abí”), 418.
Adí in Egypt. (not Arabic) is = that man, the (man) here, 118.
Adi (_Arab._) = So it is, 448.
Adíní = Here am I, 118.
’Adím al-Zauk (_Arab._), _tr._ “Lack-tacts” = to our deficiency in
taste, manners, etc. (Here denoting “practical joking”), 455.
Áfák Al- (_pl._ of Ufk) “elegant” for the universe (_tr._ “all the
horizons”), 66.
Afrákh al-Jinn _lit._ = Chicks of the Jinns (_tr._ “Babes of the
Jinns”), 202.
Ahmar = red, ruddy-brown, dark brown, 347.
Ahú ’inda-k, _tr._ “Whatso thou broughtest here it be” (Pure Fellah
speech), 366.
Ahú ma’í = “Here it is with me” (Pure Fellah speech), 265.
Ahyaf (alluding to Al-Hayfá) = (with waist full-) slight, 175.
“Air hath struck me and cut my joints,” _i.e._, “I suffer from an
attack of rheumatism” (common complaint in even the hottest
climates), 160.
’Ajam = Barbarian-land, 213.
’Ajúz, a woman who ceases to have her monthly period (_tr._ “the old
woman”), 52.
Akhbarú-hu (_Arab._) = have given him (Yahyà) tidings, 156.
Akík = carnelian stone, 130.
—— Al- (_Arab._) = carnelian, 52.
“Akrás al-Jullah,” _tr._ “dung-cakes” (ST.), 292.
’Alà-Aklí, _tr._ “thou deservest naught for this,” 85.
“’Alà ghayri tarík” (_Arab._) = “out of the way” (like _Pers._ “bí
Ráh”) (ST.), 224.
Alà hámati-hi = “upon the poll of his head” (rendered here “upon the
nape of his neck”), 191.
Ali bin Ibrahim, “a faithful Eunuch” (Scott), 184.
“Allah! Allah!” = I conjure thee by God, 302.
—— Almighty hath done this = _here lit._ “hath given it to him,” 27.
—— (do thou be steadfast of purpose and rely upon) = “Let us be off,”
pop. parlance, 66.
“—— kill all womankind,” 304.
—— (O worshipper of) (_i.e._, “O Moslem”), opposed to enemy of Allah =
“a non-Moslem”, 460.
“—— sent down a book confirmed,” a passage not Koranic, 47 (not a
literal
quotation, but alludes to Koran iii., 5) (ST.), 47.
Allah (sued for pardon of Almighty) a pious exclamation (“Astaghfiru
’llah”), 136.
Alláho Akbar = God is most great (war cry), 403.
Anakati-h (_Arab._) _tr._ “neck,” 427.
“Ana ’l-Tabíb, al-Mudáwi” (_Arab._) = I am the leach, the healer, 326.
“Aná min ahli Zálika,” _tr._ “I am of the folk of these things” (vulg.
equiv. would be “Kizí,” for “Kazálika,” “Kazá” = so it is), 50.
’Anfakati-h = the hair between the lower lips and the chin, also chin
itself (ST.), 427.
“Anta jáib(un) bas rájul (an) wáhid (an)” = veritable and
characteristic peasant’s jargon, 359.
Ant’ amilta maskhará (for maskharah) matah (for matà), idiomatical
Fellah-tongue, 269.
Ant’ aysh (for “man”) decidedly not complimentary “What (thing) art
thou?” 298.
Aorist, preceded by preposition “bi,” 432.
“Arabia Deserta” (Mr. Doughty’s) quoted 10, 53, 405.
“Arsh,” = the Ninth Heaven, 178.
“Art thou (Al-Hajjáj) from Cairo,” a neat specimen of the figure
anachronism. (Al-Hajjáj died A.H. 95; Cairo built A.H. 358), 41.
’Arús muhallíyah “a bride tricked out,” 468.
’Ashama _lit._ = he greeded for, 285.
Ashkhákh Al- (_Arab._), _pl._ of Shakhkh = _lit._ the “Stales” (_tr._
“skite and piss”) (Steingass reads “bi ’l-Shakhákh” the usual modern
word for urine), 265.
Ass (loan of) usually granted gratis in Fellah villages and Badawi
camps, 460.
Assemblage of dramatis personæ at end of a scene highly artistic and
equally improbable, 31.
Ass (the “cab” of modern Egypt), 281.
“Astaghfiru ’llah,” a pious exclamation, humbling oneself before the
Creator (_tr._ “sued for pardon of Almighty Allah”), 136.
Audáj (_Arab._) _pl._ of “Wadaj,” applying indiscriminately to the
carotid arteries and jugular veins, 340.
Audán (_pl._ of the pop. “Widn” or “Wudn” for the literary “Uzn” = ear)
ST., 301.
’Aurat = nakedness, _tr._ “shame,” 75.
’Ausaj = bushes, 456.
“Ayoh” (in text), _tr._ “here he is”; a corr. of “Í (or Ayy) hú” = yes
indeed he, 265.
Aywah (different spelling for “aywa” = “yes indeed,”) or contraction
for Ay (Í) wa ’lláhi = “yes, by Allah” (ST.), 265.
Azay má tafút-ní? = how canst thou quit me? 290.
Báb al-Nasr, the grand old Eastern or Desert-gate of Cairo, 457.
Bábúj (from “Bábúg” from the _Pers._ “Pay-púsh” = foot-clothing), _tr._
“papoosh,” 442.
Badawí tent, 116.
Badr Al (_pl._ Budúr) = the “Full Moon,” 198.
Badrah (_Arab._) = a purse of ten thousand dirhams, 58.
Badrat Zahab = a purse of gold (ST.), 58.
Bahlúl, a famous type of madman, 88.
Bákúr = driving-sticks, 10.
Ballát, limestone slabs cut in the Torah quarries south of Cairo, 80.
Baltah-ji, a pioneer one of the old divisions of the Osmanli troops,
surviving as a family name amongst Levantines, 336.
Baltah, for Turk. “Báltah” = an axe, a hatchet, 336.
Banj al-tayyár, _i.e._, volatile = that which flies fastest to the
brain (_tr._ “flying Bhang”), 26.
Banú Ghálib, 43.
Banú Thakíf, a noble tribe sprung from Iyád, 46.
Barber, being a surgeon ready to bleed a madman, 277.
—— custom of, among Eastern Moslems, 106.
Bashkhánah (corr. of _Pers._ “Peshkhánah” = state-tents sent forward on
march), _tr. here_ “a hanging,” 131.
Bawwábah, Al = a place where door-keepers meet, a police-station (_tr._
“guard-house”), 309.
Bayzah (_Arab._) = an egg, a testicle, 360.
Bed (on roof) made of carpet or thin mattress strewn upon the stucco
flooring of the terrace-roof, 219.
Beef causes dysenteric disease, 51.
“Bi,” the particle proper of swearing, 470.
Biirn-milyánah Moyah (with various forms of “Moyah”), 323.
“Bi-izá-humá” _lit._ vis-à-vis to the twain, 69.
Bi-Khátiri-k = Thy will be done (_tr._ “At thy pleasure”), 322.
“Bi-Má al-fasíkh ’alà Akrás al-Jullah” (_tr._ “Save with foul water
upon the disks of dung”), 292.
Bi-sab’a Sikak = _lit._ “with seven nails” (meaning here posts whereto
chains were attached), 380.
“Bi-Wujúh al Fániját al-Miláh” (reading “al-Ghániját” in app. with
“al-Miláh”), render “the faces of the coquettish, the fair” (ST.),
80.
“Bilám” here = the head-stall of the bridle (ST.), 381.
“Billáhi,” _i.e._, “by Allah,” 470.
Birkah = a fountain-basin, lake, pond, reservoir (_tr._ “hole”), 117.
Bi-yarza’ fí Asábí-hi (only instance in MS. where the aorist is
preceded by preposition “bi”) (ST.), 432.
Blood-red tears, 149.
Bloody sweat, 149.
Brain-pans (good old classical English), 219.
Breslau Ed. quoted, 117, 118, 419.
Bribing the Kazi’s wife, 364.
“Bull-(Taur for Thaur or Saur)—numbered-and-for-battle-day-lengthened”
(_tr._ _The Bull-aye-ready-and-for-Battle-aye-steady_), 160.
Burd (_pl._ of Burdah) = mantle or woollen plaid of striped stuff, 42.
Burka = Nosebag, 91.
Búsah (doubtful meaning), possibly reed used as a case or sheath (ST.),
108.
“By the life of my youth,” a “swear” peculiarly feminine, and never
used by men, 85.
Byron in England, 274.
“Cafilah” (Shaykh of), for Cafila, 419.
Caliphs under the early Ommiades, 39.
“Can play with the egg and the stone,” _i.e._, “can play off equally
well the soft-brained and the hard-brained,” 277.
Cap of the “Sútarí” or jester of the Arnaut (Albanian) regiments, 276.
Cap worn by professional buffoon, 276.
“Chafariz” (fountain) of Portugal (der. from Sakáríj), 5.
Chavis and Cazotte quoted, 27.
Cheek, he set his right hand upon, meaning he rested his cheek upon his
right hand, 9.
Circumcision (Jewish rite) must always be performed by the Mohel, an
official of the Synagogue, 217.
—— three operations of, 217.
Circumstantial (affecting the), a favourite manœuvre with the Ráwí,
233.
Cistern or tank in terrace-roof of Syrian houses, 246.
Cloud (which contains rain) always typical of liberality and generous
dealing, 179.
Coffee and smoking, 236.
Concealments inevitable in ancient tale or novel, 417.
Couplets rhyming in “—ání” and “—álí” not lawful, 128.
Courser, rubbing his cheeks upon his master’s back and shoulders, 405.
Cuddy, _der. from Pers._ “Kadah” = a room, 24.