and said, "You are welcome, Mujahid; my master, Abounadar, has been
long expecting you;" and so saying, he conducted him into a
magnificent garden, where the dervise was seated. Mujahid, struck with
the riches which he saw every where around him, would have thrown
himself at his feet, but Abounadar would not permit him, and
interrupted him when he was about to make a merit of bringing back the
chandelier which he presented to him, by saying, "You are an
ungrateful wretch. Do you think to impose upon me? I know all your
thoughts; and if you had known the worth of this chandelier, you would
never have brought it to me. I shall now make you acquainted with its
true use." In each of the branches of the chandelier he now placed a
light; and when the dervises had turned round, Abounadar gave each of
them a blow with a stick, and immediately they were converted into
twelve heaps of sequins, diamonds, and other precious stones. "Look,"
he said, "at the use to be made of this wonderful chandelier. My only
reason, however, for wishing to place it in my cabinet, was on account
of its being a talisman composed by a sage whom I revered; and I shall
be always happy to show it to persons who visit me. To prove to you,"
he continued, "that curiosity is the only reason which induced me to
procure the lamp, take the keys of my cellars, open them, and judge
for yourself of the extent of my opulence, and say if I should not be
the most insatiably avaricious of all men, not to be contented with
what I have." Mujahid took the keys, and made a survey of twelve
magazines so filled with every description of precious stones, that he
was unable to tell which of them most deserved his admiration. Regret
at having restored the chandelier, and at not having discovered its
uses, now wrung his heart intensely. Abounadar seemed not to perceive
this, but on the contrary loaded Mujahid with caresses, kept him for
some days in his palace, and desired his servants to treat him as they
would himself. On the evening before the day fixed for his departure,
Abounadar said to him, "Mujahid, my son, I think, from what has
occurred, that you are now cured of the frightful sin of ingratitude;
however, I owe you something for having undertaken so long a journey
for the purpose of bringing to me an article which I wished to
possess. You may now depart; I will detain you no longer. To-morrow
you will find at the gate of my palace one of my horses to carry you
home. I will make you a present of it, together with a slave who will
bring you two camels loaded with gold and precious stones, which you
can select for yourself from among my treasures."
During the night Mujahid was restless and uneasy, and unable to think
of any thing except the chandelier and its wonderful qualities. For a
long time he said to himself, "It was in my power; Abounadar would
never have obtained it but for me. What risks did I not encounter in
the subterranean cave in order to secure it! Why is it that he is now
the fortunate owner of this treasure of treasures? Is it not owing to
my fidelity, or rather folly, in bringing it to him, that he now
profits by the trouble and danger I underwent in the long journey I
had to make? And what does he give me in return? only two miserable
camels loaded with gold and precious stones, when in a moment the
chandelier could supply me with ten times as much! It is Abounadar who
is ungrateful, and not I who am so. What injury shall I do him by
taking the chandelier? Not any; for he is rich, and wants nothing
more."
These ideas determined him, at last, to do all in his power to get
possession of the chandelier; and it was not difficult to do so. He
knew where to find it, and having taken it, he placed it at the
bottom of one of his sacks which he had filled with the treasure given
to him, and put the sack, along with the others, on the back of one of
the camels. His only desire now was to get away, and after having
hurriedly bid farewell to the generous Abounadar, he took his
departure, with his slave and camels.
When now at some considerable distance from Balsora, he sold his
slave, not wishing to retain him as a witness of his former poverty,
or of the source of his wealth. He purchased another, and went
straight to his mother's house, whom he scarcely noticed, so absorbed
was he with his treasures. His first care was to place the camels'
luggage in a secure place; and, in his impatience to feast his eyes
with solid riches, he placed lights in the chandelier without delay.
The twelve dervises made their appearance, and he bestowed on each of
them a blow with all his might, being afraid of not complying
sufficiently with the laws of the talisman; but he had not noticed
that Abounadar, when striking them, held his stick in his left hand.
Mujahid naturally held his in his right hand, and the dervises,
instead of being changed into heaps of treasure, drew from beneath
their robes formidable bludgeons, with which they all belaboured him
so long and so severely, that they left him nearly dead, after which
they disappeared, carrying with them the camels and all their burdens,
the horse, the slave, and the chandelier.
Thus, for not being contented with a large fortune honestly acquired,
Mujahid fell into a state of misery from which he never recovered--a
suitable punishment for his ingratitude and avarice.
The old man at last took his leave of us, and returned to Schiraz, his
native place, bearing with him the blessings of all my family.
After Saadi's departure, I unhappily neglected to follow his good
advice. I purchased a new and splendid residence, where I lived in
great splendour and luxury. Instead of being grateful to Heaven for
its bounty, I became proud and insolent. I entertained and feasted all
the gay companions I could meet with, while I refused to give alms,
and drove the needy from my door; in short, I spent my money rapidly,
and made the worst possible use of what I had so mysteriously
acquired. My treasure soon began to run low; still I lived in the same
profuse extravagance, until at last all was spent, and I found that,
for some time, I had been living upon credit. The truth could no
longer be concealed, and, being unable to meet the demands upon me, I
had to sell off the whole of my property. A small sum would have
sufficed to release me, so that I might again return to my trade, and,
for this purpose, I appealed for assistance to my former friends and
companions. Not one of these, however, would come forward in my
behalf. The produce of the sale of my house and effects was
insufficient to pay my debts, and I was consequently thrown into
prison, where I have remained for three years, my family, in the mean
time, living upon the casual alms of the faithful. The aid you have
rendered me will suffice to set me free, and I am now resolved to
labour with diligence, in order to repair, as far as possible, my past
folly.
[Illustration: Shooting at the Enchanted Keys, p. 29]
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH.
In this manner our journey was beguiled, and on the sixth day, in the
morning, we entered on an immense plain, whose glittering soil seemed
composed of silver dust. In the middle of the plain arose a lofty
pillar of granite, surmounted by a statue of copper, representing a
young man, whose right hand was stretched out open, and to each of
whose fingers was suspended a key; the first was of iron, the second
of lead, the third of bronze, the fourth of copper, and the fifth of
gold.
This statue was the workmanship of an enchanter, and each key was a
talisman; whoever was led by accident or his own free will into this
desert, and became possessed of these keys, inherited the destiny
attached to them. The first was the key of calamities, the second of
physical sufferings, the third of death, the fourth of glory, and the
last of knowledge and wealth.
I was ignorant of all these matters; but my master had become
acquainted with them from a learned Indian, who had also informed him
that the keys could only be obtained by shooting them down with
arrows. The Arab planted his foot near to the column, and then fixing
an arrow in his bow, which was of a foreign make, he shot it towards
the statue, but, whether from want of skill or intentionally, the
arrow did not reach halfway. He then said to me, "Hassan, you have
now an opportunity of discharging your debt to me, and of purchasing
your liberty. You are both strong and skilful; take this bow and
arrows, and bring me down those keys." I took the bow, and perceived
that it was of Persian workmanship, and made by a skilful hand. In my
youth, I had accustomed myself to this exercise, and had acquired
great reputation in it. Desirous of displaying my attainments, I bent
the bow with all my strength, and with the first arrow I brought down
the first key. Overjoyed, I took it up, and presented it to my master.
"Keep it," he said; "it is the reward of your skill." With a second
arrow, I brought down the leaden one. The Arab would not touch it, and
I took it, and put it in my belt, along with the other. With two other
arrows, I brought down two more keys--the copper key and the golden
key. My companion took them up, uttering exclamations of delight.
"O Hassan," he said, "God be praised! blessed be he who trained your
arm and practised your eye to such accuracy. I am proceeding happily
towards the accomplishment of my object."
I was about to aim at the last key--that of death, and had raised my
bow for that purpose, but he forbade me, and struck my arm to prevent
my shooting. In doing this, he caused the arrow to fall and pierce my
foot, producing a painful wound. Having dressed it as well as he
could, he assisted me to mount my camel, and we thereupon continued
our journey. After three days and nights of laborious travelling, we
arrived in the neighbourhood of a small wood, where we stopped to
spend the night. I set about looking for water, and some refreshing
fruits, and particularly some with whose good qualities I was
acquainted, but I could find nothing eatable. At last I discovered in
the crevice of a rock a small spring, which invited me, by its clear
and limpid waters, to refresh myself; but stooping down to drink, I
heard the voice of my companion shouting to me not to taste the
water, for that it was poisoned. "What matters it," I said, "whether I
die of thirst or of poison?"
"This water," he said, "comes from the infernal regions, and passes
through the mass of sulphur, bitumen, and metals that feed the fires
in the centre of the earth; and if you drink, you will in all
probability fall a victim to your imprudence."
Although bitter, the water was so clear and fresh, that without
heeding what he said, I drank some of it, and feeling refreshed for
the time, I agreed to proceed on our journey, but I had scarcely gone
on a hundred paces, when I was attacked by the most racking pains, and
with many exclamations and cries to Heaven for help, I endeavoured to
moderate the speed of my camel, who was following his companion at a
brisk pace. My tortures became so great, that I called aloud to the
Arab, and begged him to stop; he consented, when I dismounted and
walked for some time, which partly relieved me. The Arab chid me for
my disobedience to his commands, and taking out a small phial from his
pocket, gave me a few drops of a cordial, which in a short time
completely cured me.
Towards evening we came near a high mountain, where we stopped to take
a little rest. The Arab said, "God be praised, to-day will not be a
fast day with us! by experience I have learned to collect a healthy
and refreshing nourishment from a quarter where you would only find
poison." He then went to a bush with leaves of a very thick and
prickly nature, and having cut off some of them with his sabre, and
stript them, of their skins, he extracted from them a yellow and
sugary substance, similar in taste to figs, and I partook of the food
until I was quite satisfied and refreshed. I was beginning to forget
my sufferings, and hoped to pass the night in peaceful slumber, but
when the moon arose my master said to me, "I expect you to perform a
signal service for me; you have to ascend this mountain, and when at
the summit, you must wait for sunrise; then, standing up and turning
towards the East, you must offer up your devotions and descend; but
take care, and do not allow yourself to be overtaken by sleep, for the
emanations which arise from the ground in this place are extremely
noxious, and you may suffer severely from them."
Although overwhelmed with fatigue and pain, I obeyed the Arab's
orders, remembering that he had given bread to my children; and that,
perhaps, should I refuse, he would abandon me in this savage
wilderness. I ascended the mountain and reached the summit about
midnight. The soil was bare and stony; not a shrub, not a blade of
grass was to be found upon it. The extreme cold, together with
fatigue, threw me into such a state of torpor that I could not resist
lying down on the earth and falling asleep. I awoke at the rising of
the sun to fulfil my instructions. I stood up with difficulty; my
aching limbs refused to support my body; my head hung down as if made
of lead, and I was unable to lift up my paralyzed arms. Making a
painful effort, and holding myself up towards the East, I invoked the
name of God. I then endeavoured to descend the mountain, but it was so
steep, and my weakness was so great, that at the first step my limbs
tottered under me, and I fell, and rolled down the mountain with
frightful rapidity; stones and thorns were the only obstacles to my
descent, and they tore my dress and my skin, causing me to bleed at
every pore. At length I reached the bottom of the hill, near to where
my master was stretched on the ground, tracing lines on it with such
attention, that he did not observe in what a state I was. "God be
thanked and praised," he said, without noticing me; "we were born
under a happy planet; every thing succeeds with us! Thanks to you,
Hassan, I have just discovered what I wanted, by measuring the shadow
projected by your head from the summit of the mountain. Assist me to
dig where I have stuck my lance." He raised his head, and seeing me
extended on the earth, motionless, came up to me, and exclaimed,
"What! in disobedience to my orders you have slept on the mountain,
and imbibed its unwholesome vapours into your blood! Do not despair,
however, I will cure you;" and he took from his pocket a lancet, with
which, before I could offer any resistance, he made small incisions in
different parts of my body, from which I bled profusely. He then
dressed my wounds and bruises carefully, and I felt a little better.
Seeing that I was too weak to assist him, he began to dig in the earth
himself at the place which he had marked. He soon exposed to view a
tomb of white marble, which he opened; it contained some human bones,
and a book written in letters of gold on the skin of the gazelle.
My master began reading it with attention: at length his pale brow
became lit up with pleasure, and his eyes sparkled with delight.
"Hassan Abdallah," he said to me, "this book teaches me the way to the
mysterious city; we shall soon enter into Aram, built on columns,
where no mortal has ever as yet penetrated; it is there that we shall
find the principle of earthly riches, the germ of the metallic mines
which God has placed in the centre of the earth."
"My lord," I replied, "I share with you in your joy; but this treasure
is of little or no advantage to me; I would rather, I assure you, be
poor and in good health at Cairo, than rich and in wretchedness here."
"Ungrateful man!" he exclaimed; "I am labouring for your advantage as
well as for my own, intending to share with you the fruit of our
journey, as I have done until now."
"True," I said, "but, alas! all the ill fortunes and calamities fall
to me." However, after some further assurances on the part of the
Arab, I became pacified, and the same day, after having laid in a
stock of fruits, we reascended our camels, and continued our journey
towards the East.
We journeyed thus for three days and nights. The fourth day in the
morning we perceived in the horizon the appearance of a large mirror,
which reflected the sunbeams. On drawing near we saw that it was a
river of quicksilver; it was crossed by a bridge of crystal, without
balustrades, but so narrow and slippery that no man in his senses
would think of attempting to pass it. My master told me to unsaddle
the camels, to let them feed at liberty, and to prepare woollen
slippers with thick and soft soles for both of us; and having ordered
me to walk behind him without looking to the right hand or to the
left, he crossed the bridge with a firm step, and I followed him
trembling.
After we had crossed the river and proceeded for some hours, we found
ourselves at the entrance of a gloomy valley. It was surrounded on all
sides with black rocks, hard as iron, and here and there on the ground
were spread human bones, bleached by time. Through the dark foliage of
the shrubs which grew there might be seen the undulating and scaly
forms of serpents gliding along. I retreated hastily from this den of
horror, but could not discover the spot at which I had entered, the
rocks seeming every where to rise up like the walls of a great cavern.
I began to weep, and said to my companion, "You have led me on to
death by the path of suffering and misery; I shall never see my wife
and children again. Why have you torn me away from my poor but
peaceful home?"
"Hassan," he said to me, "be a man! Have patience; we shall soon get
out of this horrible place. Wait a few moments, and I will show you
how we may escape." So saying, he sat down on the ground, and, opening
the mysterious book, began turning over the pages and reading in it
as calmly as if he had been sitting in his own house. After a short
time he called to me, and said, "My friend, call up your courage, your
task is easy; you are a skilful marksman; take this bow and arrows;
examine the valley until you meet with a huge serpent with a black
head, kill him and bring his head and heart to me."
"Alas!" I said, weeping, "is this indeed a thing so easy for me? Why
will you not do it yourself? We are too fortunate not to be molested
by these monsters; why should we go in search of them?" Upon this he
started up with a fierce aspect, and, drawing his sword, swore that he
would kill me that instant if I did not obey him.
"Do you see all these bones?" he said. "They are the bones of men who
disobeyed me, and who died in consequence by my hand." Trembling, I
took the bow and arrows, and went among the rocks where the serpents
were to be found. Selecting one which appeared to me to answer the
description given me, I took aim at its head, and, invoking the
assistance of Heaven, discharged my arrow. The serpent, mortally
wounded, sprung up, and twisting and contorting itself in a frightful
manner, fell dead on the ground. When I was certain that he was dead,
I took my knife, cut off his head, and took out his heart. With these
bloody trophies I returned to my master, who received me with a
smiling countenance. "Forgive me," he said, "for employing threats
towards you; in reality I was anxious to save you from a miserable
fate. The men to whom these bones belonged died here of hunger by
their own fault; they proved deficient in courage, and I was
compelled, in spite of myself, to abandon them to their fate."
"Now," he continued, "come and assist me to make a fire."
I collected dry leaves and small branches of trees, of which he made a
small heap; then turning an enchanted diamond towards the sun, which
was then in its meridian, a ray of light issued from the precious
stone which set the materials in a blaze. He next drew from under his
robe a small iron vase and three phials; the first, of ruby, contained
the elements of winds; the second, of emerald, contained a ray of
moonlight; and the third, which was of gold, contained the blood of a
phoenix. All these substances he placed in the vase, and added the
heart and brain of the serpent. He then opened the book and put the
vase on the fire, pronouncing at the same time some words which to me
were unintelligible. When he had finished, he uncovered his shoulders,
as the pilgrims do at their departure, and dipping a portion of his
garment in the mixture, handed it to me, desiring me to rub his back
and shoulders with it. As I did so I observed the skin swell out and
wings spring forth, which, visibly increasing in size, soon reached
the ground. The Arab spread them and began to rise in the air. Fear of
remaining in this doleful place lent me courage, and laying hold with
all my might of the end of his girdle, I was borne up along with him,
and in a few moments we bade farewell to the black rocks of this fatal
valley. Presently, as we pursued this aerial tour, we found ourselves
soaring above an immense plain, surrounded by a precipice of crystal,
tinged with azure and purple. The earth seemed formed of golden dust,
and the pebbles upon it looked like precious stones. Before us were
the lofty walls of a city crowded with magnificent palaces and
delicious gardens. Lost in admiration of this glorious scene, the Arab
forgot to keep his wings moving, and we descended rapidly towards the
ground, which I of course reached first, he falling upon me. I then
perceived his wings gradually diminish, and by degrees wholly
disappear. When I noticed this to him, he replied, that,
unfortunately, science was limited in its powers; it enabled him to
construct wings of great power, but could not avail for their
preservation beyond a certain time. "To become the possessor," said
he, "of the ingredients which you saw me employ in forming these
wings, I have spent thirty years of my life, the lives of many men,
and money sufficient for a king's ransom. The wings helped me but for
a few moments, long enough, however, for my purpose; they have borne
me to glory and fortune. Rejoice, Hassan Abdallah; behold Aram, the
city built on columns, the mysterious city!"
[Illustration: The Escape of Hassan Abdallah and the Arab from the
Enchanted Valley, p. 36.]
We then approached the walls; they were built of alternate layers of
bricks of gold and silver. The battlements were of marble, cut and
sculptured by the hands of genii. There were eight gates in the
walls,--the number of the gates of paradise; the first was of silver,
the second of gold, the third of agate, the fourth of coral, the fifth
of pearl, the sixth of topaz, the seventh of emerald, and the eighth
of ruby.
The Arab informed me that this city had been built by the famous
enchanter Tchedad, the son of Aad, who had exhausted upon it all the
treasures of earth, sea, and sky. He wanted in his pride to rival the
glory of the Almighty by this piece of workmanship; but God, to punish
him, struck him and his family with lightning at the very instant he
and they were solemnly taking possession of the palace. An
impenetrable veil hangs over the city ever since, and no one has been
able to discover it.
We went forward, invoking the name of God; the streets were lined with
palaces adorned with columns of marble, agate, and all kinds of costly
materials; streams of odoriferous waters embalmed and refreshed the
atmosphere; trees of a wondrous form furnished a delicious shelter
from the rays of the sun, and in their branches birds of song produced
concerts of ravishing sweetness. The very air that one breathed seemed
to fascinate the mind, and to lift it up to heaven.
The Arab, taking me by the hand, conducted me towards the palace of
Tchedad; its construction, in point of art and splendour of adornment,
was unspeakably magnificent. Terraces, formed of coloured crystal,
were supported on a thousand columns of gold. In the midst of the
palace was an enchanted garden, where the earth, breathing of musk,
bore fruits and flowers of marvellous richness and beauty. Three
rivers surrounded the garden, flowing with wine, rose-water, and
honey. In the centre of the garden there was a pavilion, whose dome,
formed of a single emerald, overshadowed a throne of gold covered with
pearls and rubies. On the throne there was a small chest of gold; the
Arab opened it, and found in it a red powder. "Throw away this dust,"
I said, "and fill the casket with precious stones."
"Poor fool that you are," he replied; "this dust is the source of all
the riches of the world; it is red sulphur. A small portion of it is
sufficient to change into gold the basest metals. With it I can build
palaces, found cities, purchase the life of men and the admiration of
beautiful women. I can even, if I please, cause myself to become
prince and king; but I cannot by it prolong my life a single day, or
efface an hour from my by-past existence. God alone is great! God
alone is eternal!"
Whilst he thus spoke, I employed myself in collecting precious stones
and pearls, filling with them my girdle, pockets, and turban.
"Unhappy man!" he cried, "what are you doing? You will bring down upon
us the vengeance of Heaven. We are only permitted to touch this
casket; and if we should attempt to carry out of the valley a leaf
from one of these trees, or a stone from off the ground, instantaneous
death would be our lot."