talk, needs must I kill thee." Upon this the Fisherman said to himself,
"This is a Jinni; and I am a man to whom Allah hath given a passably
cunning wit, so I will now cast about to compass his destruction by my
contrivance and by mine intelligence; even as he took counsel only of
his malice and his frowardness."[74] He began by asking the Ifrit,
"Hast thou indeed resolved to kill me?" and, receiving for all answer,
"Even so," he cried, "Now in the Most Great Name, graven on the
seal-ring of Sulayman the Son of David (peace be with the holy twain!),
an I question thee on a certain matter wilt thou give me a true
answer?" The Ifrit replied "Yea;" but, hearing mention of the Most
Great Name, his wits were troubled and he said with trembling, "Ask and
be brief." Quoth the Fisherman, "How didst thou fit into this bottle
which would not hold thy hand; no, nor even thy foot, and how came it
to be large enough to contain the whole of thee?" Replied the Ifrit,
"What! dost not believe that I was all there?" and the Fisherman
rejoined, "Nay! I will never believe it until I see thee inside with my
own eyes."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Fourth Night,
Her sister said to her, "Please finish us this tale, an thou be not
sleepy!" so she resumed:—It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
when the Fisherman said to the Ifrit, "I will never and nowise believe
thee until I see thee inside it with mine own eyes;" the Evil Spirit on
the instant shook[75] and became a vapour, which condensed, and entered
the jar little and little, till all was well inside when lo! the
Fisherman in hot haste took the leaden cap with the seal and stoppered
therewith the mouth of the jar and called out to the Ifrit, saying,
"Ask me by way of boon what death thou wilt die! By Allah, I will throw
thee into the sea[76] before us and here will I build me a lodge; and
whoso cometh hither I will warn him against fishing and will say:—In
these waters abideth an Ifrit who giveth as a last favour a choice of
deaths and fashion of slaughter to the man who saveth him!" Now when
the Ifrit heard this from the Fisherman and saw himself in limbo, he
was minded to escape, but this was prevented by Solomon's seal; so he
knew that the Fisherman had cozened and outwitted him, and he waxed
lowly and submissive and began humbly to say, "I did but jest with
thee." But the other answered, "Thou liest, O vilest of the Ifrits, and
meanest and filthiest!" and he set off with the bottle for the sea
side; the Ifrit calling out "Nay! Nay!" and he calling out "Aye! Aye!"
Thereupon the Evil Spirit softened his voice and smoothed his speech
and abased himself, saying, "What wouldest thou do with me, O
Fisherman?" "I will throw thee back into the sea," he answered; "where
thou hast been housed and homed for a thousand and eight hundred years;
and now I will leave thee therein till Judgment-day: did I not say to
thee:—Spare me and Allah shall spare thee; and slay me not lest Allah
slay thee? yet thou spurnedst my supplication and hadst no intention
save to deal ungraciously by me, and Allah hath now thrown thee into my
hands and I am cunninger than thou." Quoth the Ifrit, "Open for me that
I may bring thee weal." Quoth the Fisherman, "Thou liest, thou
accursed! my case with thee is that of the Wazir of King Yúnán with the
sage Dúbán."[77] "And who was the Wazir of King Yunan and who was the
sage Duban; and what was the story about them?" quoth the Ifrit,
whereupon the Fisherman began to tell
_THE TALE OF THE WAZIR AND THE SAGE DUBAN._
"Know, O thou Ifrit, that in days of yore and in ages long gone before,
a King called Yunan reigned over the city of Fars of the land of the
Roum."[78] He was a powerful ruler and a wealthy, who had armies and
guards and allies of all nations of men; but his body was afflicted
with a leprosy which leaches and men of science failed to heal. He
drank potions and he swallowed powders and he used unguents, but naught
did him good and none among the host of physicians availed to procure
him a cure. At last there came to his city a mighty healer of men and
one well stricken in years, the sage Duban hight. This man was a reader
of books, Greek, Persian, Roman, Arabian, and Syrian; and he was
skilled in astronomy and in leechcraft, the theorick as well as the
practick; he was experienced in all that healeth and that hurteth the
body; conversant with the virtues of every plant, grass and herb, and
their benefit and bane; and he understood philosophy and had compassed
the whole range of medical science and other branches of the
knowledge-tree. Now this physician passed but few days in the city, ere
he heard of the King's malady and all his bodily sufferings through the
leprosy with which Allah had smitten him; and how all the doctors and
wise men had failed to heal him. Upon this he sat up through the night
in deep thought and, when broke the dawn and appeared the morn and
light was again born, and the Sun greeted the Good whose beauties the
world adorn,[79] he donned his handsomest dress and going in to King
Yunan, he kissed the ground before him: then he prayed for the
endurance of his honour and prosperity in fairest language and made
himself known saying, "O King, tidings have reached me of what befel
thee through that which is in thy person; and how the host of
physicians have proved themselves unavailing to abate it; and lo! I can
cure thee, O King; and yet will I not make thee drink of draught or
anoint thee with ointment." Now when King Yunan heard his words he said
in huge surprise, "How wilt thou do this? By Allah, if thou make me
whole I will enrich thee even to thy son's son and I will give thee
sumptuous gifts; and whatso thou wishest shall be thine and thou shalt
be to me a cup-companion[80] and a friend." The King then robed him
with a dress of honour and entreated him graciously and asked him,
"Canst thou indeed cure me of this complaint without drug and unguent?"
and he answered, "Yes! I will heal thee without the pains and penalties
of medicine." The King marvelled with exceeding marvel and said, "O
physician, when shall be this whereof thou speakest, and in how many
days shall it take place? Haste thee, O my son!" He replied, "I hear
and I obey; the cure shall begin to-morrow." So saying he went forth
from the presence, and hired himself a house in the city for the better
storage of his books and scrolls, his medicines and his aromatic roots.
Then he set to work at choosing the fittest drugs and simples and he
fashioned a bat hollow within, and furnished with a handle without, for
which he made a ball; the two being prepared with consummate art. On
the next day when both were ready for use and wanted nothing more, he
went up to the King; and, kissing the ground between his hands bade him
ride forth on the parade ground[81] there to play at pall and mall. He
was accompanied by his suite, Emirs and Chamberlains, Wazirs and Lords
of the realm and, ere he was seated, the sage Duban came up to him, and
handing him the bat said, "Take this mall and grip it as I do; so! and
now push for the plain and leaning well over thy horse drive the ball
with all thy might until thy palm be moist and thy body perspire: then
the medicine will penetrate through thy palm and will permeate thy
person. When thou hast done with playing and thou feelest the effects
of the medicine, return to thy palace, and make the Ghusl-ablution[82]
in the Hammam-bath, and lay thee down to sleep; so shalt thou become
whole; and now peace be with thee!" Thereupon King Yunan took the bat
from the Sage and grasped it firmly; then, mounting steed, he drove the
ball before him and gallopped after it till he reached it, when he
struck it with all his might, his palm gripping the bat handle the
while; and he ceased not malling the ball till his hand waxed moist and
his skin, perspiring, imbibed the medicine from the wood. Then the sage
Duban knew that the drugs had penetrated his person and bade him return
to the palace and enter the Hammam without stay or delay; so King Yunan
forthright returned and ordered them to clear for him the bath. They
did so, the carpet spreaders making all haste, and the slaves all hurry
and got ready a change of raiment for the King. He entered the bath and
made the total ablution long and thoroughly; then donned his clothes
within the Hammam and rode therefrom to his palace where he lay him
down and slept. Such was the case with King Yunan, but as regards the
sage Duban, he returned home and slept as usual and when morning dawned
he repaired to the palace and craved audience. The King ordered him to
be admitted; then, having kissed the ground between his hands, in
allusion to the King he recited these couplets with solemn intonation:—
Happy is Eloquence when thou art named her sire ✿ But mourns she whenas
other man the title claimed.
O Lord of fairest presence, whose illuming rays ✿ Clear off the fogs of
doubt aye veiling deeds high famed,
Ne'er cease thy face to shine like Dawn and rise of Morn ✿ And never
show Time's face with heat of ire inflamed!
Thy grace hath favoured us with gifts that worked such wise ✿ As
rain-clouds raining on the hills by wolds enframed:
Freely thou lavishedst thy wealth to rise on high ✿ Till won from Time
the heights whereat thy grandeur aimed.
[Illustration]
Now when the Sage ceased reciting, the King rose quickly to his feet
and fell on his neck; then, seating him by his side he bade dress him
in a sumptuous dress; for it had so happened that when the King left
the Hammam he looked on his body and saw no trace of leprosy: the skin
was all clean as virgin silver. He joyed thereat with exceeding joy,
his breast broadened[83] with delight and he felt thoroughly happy.
Presently, when it was full day he entered his audience-hall and sat
upon the throne of his kingship whereupon his Chamberlains and Grandees
flocked to the presence and with them the sage Duban. Seeing the leach
the King rose to him in honour and seated him by his side; then the
food trays furnished with the daintiest viands were brought and the
physician ate with the King, nor did he cease companying him all that
day. Moreover, at nightfall he gave the physician Duban two thousand
gold pieces, besides the usual dress of honour and other gifts galore,
and sent him home on his own steed. After the Sage had fared forth King
Yunan again expressed his amazement at the leach's art, saying, "This
man medicined my body from without nor anointed me with aught of
ointments: by Allah, surely this is none other than consummate skill! I
am bound to honour such a man with rewards and distinction, and take
him to my companion and my friend during the remainder of my days." So
King Yunan passed the night in joy and gladness for that his body had
been made whole and had thrown off so pernicious a malady. On the
morrow the King went forth from his Serraglio and sat upon his throne,
and the Lords of Estate stood about him, and the Emirs and Wazirs sat
as was their wont on his right hand and on his left. Then he asked for
the Sage Duban, who came in and kissed the ground before him, when the
King rose to greet him and, seating him by his side, ate with him and
wished him long life. Moreover he robed him and gave him gifts, and
ceased not conversing with him until night approached. Then the King
ordered him, by way of salary, five dresses of honour and a thousand
dinars.[84] The physician returned to his own house full of gratitude
to the King. Now when next morning dawned the King repaired to his
audience-hall, and his Lords and nobles surrounded him and his
Chamberlains and his Ministers, as the white encloseth the black of the
eye.[85] Now the King had a Wazir among his Wazirs, unsightly to look
upon, an ill-omened spectacle; sordid, ungenerous, full of envy and
evil will. When this Minister saw the King place the physician near him
and give him all these gifts, he jaloused him and planned to do him a
harm, as in the saying on such subject, "Envy lurks in every body;" and
the saying, "Oppression hideth in every heart: power revealeth it and
weakness concealeth it." Then the Minister came before the King and,
kissing the ground between his hands, said, "O King of the age and of
all time, thou in whose benefits I have grown to manhood, I have
weighty advice to offer thee, and if I withhold it I were a son of
adultery and no true-born man; wherefore an thou order me to disclose
it I will so do forthwith." Quoth the King (and he was troubled at the
words of the Minister), "And what is this counsel of thine?" Quoth he,
"O glorious monarch, the wise of old have said:—Whoso regardeth not the
end, hath not Fortune to friend; and indeed I have lately seen the King
on far other than the right way; for he lavisheth largesse on his
enemy, on one whose object is the decline and fall of his kingship: to
this man he hath shown favour, honouring him with over honour and
making of him an intimate. Wherefore I fear for the King's life." The
King, who was much troubled and changed colour, asked, "Whom dost thou
suspect and anent whom doest thou hint?" and the Minister answered, "O
King, an thou be asleep, wake up! I point to the physician Duban."
Rejoined the King, "Fie upon thee! This is a true friend who is
favoured by me above all men, because he cured me with something which
I held in my hand, and he healed my leprosy which had baffled all
physicians; indeed he is one whose like may not be found in these
days—no, not in the whole world from furthest east to utmost west! And
it is of such a man thou sayest such hard sayings. Now from this day
forward I allot him a settled solde and allowances, every month a
thousand gold pieces; and, were I to share with him my realm 'twere but
a little matter. Perforce I must suspect that thou speakest on this
wise from mere envy and jealousy as they relate of the King
Sindibad."——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day, and ceased saying
her permitted say.
Then quoth Dunyazad, "O my sister, how pleasant is thy tale, and how
tasteful, how sweet, and how grateful!" She replied, "And where is this
compared with what I could tell thee on the coming night if the King
deign spare my life?" Then said the King in himself, "By Allah, I will
not slay her until I hear the rest of her tale, for truly it is
wondrous." So they rested that night in mutual embrace until the dawn.
Then the King went forth to his Hall of Rule, and the Wazir and the
troops came in, and the audience-chamber was thronged; and the King
gave orders and judged and appointed and deposed and bade and forbade
during the rest of that day till the Court broke up, and King Shahryar
returned to his palace.
Now when it was the Fifth Night,
Her sister said, "Do finish for us thy story if thou be not sleepy,"
and she resumed:—It hath reached me, O auspicious King and mighty
Monarch, that King Yunan said to his Minister, "O Wazir, thou art one
whom the evil spirit of envy hath possessed because of this physician,
and thou plottest for my putting him to death, after which I should
repent me full sorely, even as repented King Sindibad for killing his
falcon." Quoth the Wazir, "Pardon me, O King of the age, how was that?"
So the King began the story of
_KING SINDIBAD AND HIS FALCON._
It is said (but Allah is All-knowing![86]) that there was a King of the
Kings of Fars, who was fond of pleasuring and diversion, especially
coursing and hunting. He had reared a falcon which he carried all night
on his fist, and whenever he went a-chasing he took with him this bird;
and he bade make for her a golden cup-let hung round her neck to give
her drink therefrom. One day as the King was sitting quietly in his
palace, behold, the high falconer of the household suddenly addressed
him, "O King of the age, this is indeed a day fit for birding." The
King gave orders accordingly and set out taking the hawk on fist; and
they fared merrily forwards till they made a Wady[87] where they
planted a circle of nets for the chase; when lo! a gazelle came within
the toils and the King cried, "Whoso alloweth yon gazelle to spring
over his head and loseth her, that man will I surely slay." They
narrowed the nets about the gazelle when she drew near the King's
station; and, planting herself on her hind quarter, crossed her
forehand over her breast, as if about to kiss the earth before the
King. He bowed his brow low in acknowledgment to the beast; when she
bounded high over his head and took the way of the waste. Thereupon the
King turned towards his troops and, seeing them winking and pointing at
him, he asked, "O Wazir, what are my men saying?" and the Minister
answered, "They say thou didst proclaim that whoso alloweth the gazelle
to spring over his head, that man shall be put to death." Quoth the
King, "Now, by the life of my head! I will follow her up till I bring
her back." So he set off gallopping on the gazelle's trail and gave not
over tracking till he reached the foot-hills of a mountain-chain where
the quarry made for a cave. Then the King cast off at it the falcon
which presently caught it up and, swooping down, drove her talons into
its eyes, bewildering and blinding it;[88] and the King drew his mace
and struck a blow which rolled the game over. He then dismounted; and,
after cutting the antelope's throat and flaying the body, hung it to
the pommel of his saddle. Now the time was that of the siesta[89] and
the wold was parched and dry, nor was any water to be found anywhere;
and the King thirsted and his horse also; so he went about searching
till he saw a tree dropping water, as it were melted butter, from its
boughs. Thereupon the King who wore gauntlets of skin to guard him
against poisons took the cup from the hawk's neck, and filling it with
the water set it before the bird, and lo! the falcon struck it with her
pounces and upset the liquid. The King filled it a second time with the
dripping drops, thinking his hawk was thirsty; but the bird again
struck at the cup with her talons and overturned it. Then the King
waxed wroth with the hawk and filling the cup a third time offered it
to his horse: but the hawk upset it with a flirt of wings. Quoth the
King, "Allah confound thee, thou unluckiest of flying things! thou
keepest me from drinking, and thou deprivest thyself also, and the
horse." So he struck the falcon with his sword and cut off her wing;
but the bird raised her head and said by signs, "Look at that which
hangeth on the tree!" The King lifted up his eyes accordingly and
caught sight of a brood of vipers, whose poison-drops he mistook for
water; thereupon he repented him of having struck off his falcon's
wing, and mounting horse, fared on with the dead gazelle, till he
arrived at the camp, his starting place. He threw the quarry to the
cook saying, "Take and broil it," and sat down on his chair, the falcon
being still on his fist when suddenly the bird gasped and died;
whereupon the King cried out in sorrow and remorse for having slain
that falcon which had saved his life. Now this is what occurred in the
case of King Sindibad; and I am assured that were I to do as thou
desirest I should repent even as the man who killed his parrot. Quoth
the Wazir, "And how was that?" And the King began to tell
_THE TALE OF THE HUSBAND AND THE PARROT._[90]
A certain man and a merchant to boot had married a fair wife, a woman
of perfect beauty and grace, symmetry and loveliness, of whom he was
mad-jealous, and who contrived successfully to keep him from travel. At
last an occasion compelling him to leave her, he went to the
bird-market and bought him for one hundred gold pieces a she-parrot
which he set in his house to act as duenna, expecting her to acquaint
him on his return with what had passed during the whole time of his
absence; for the bird was kenning and cunning and never forgot what she
had seen and heard. Now his fair wife had fallen in love with a young
Turk,[91] who used to visit her, and she feasted him by day and lay
with him by night. When the man had made his journey and won his wish
he came home; and, at once causing the Parrot be brought to him,
questioned her concerning the conduct of his consort whilst he was in
foreign parts. Quoth she, "Thy wife hath a man-friend who passed every
night with her during thine absence." Thereupon the husband went to his
wife in a violent rage and bashed her with a bashing severe enough to
satisfy any body. The woman, suspecting that one of the slave-girls had
been tattling to the master, called them together and questioned them
upon their oaths, when all swore that they had kept the secret, but
that the Parrot had not, adding, "And we heard her with our own ears."
Upon this the woman bade one of the girls to set a hand-mill under the
cage and grind therewith and a second to sprinkle water through the
cage-roof and a third to run about, right and left, flashing a mirror
of bright steel through the livelong night. Next morning when the
husband returned home after being entertained by one of his friends, he
bade bring the Parrot before him and asked what had taken place whilst
he was away. "Pardon me, O my master," quoth the bird, "I could neither
hear nor see aught by reason of the exceeding murk and the thunder and
lightning which lasted throughout the night." As it happened to be the
summer-tide the master was astounded and cried, "But we are now in mid
Tammúz,[92] and this is not the time for rains and storms." "Ay, by
Allah," rejoined the bird, "I saw with these eyes what my tongue hath
told thee." Upon this the man, not knowing the case nor smoking the
plot, waxed exceeding wroth; and, holding that his wife had been
wrongously accused, put forth his hand and pulling the Parrot from her
cage dashed her upon the ground with such force that he killed her on
the spot. Some days afterwards one of his slave-girls confessed to him
the whole truth,[93] yet would he not believe it till he saw the young
Turk, his wife's lover, coming out of her chamber, when he bared his
blade[94] and slew him by a blow on the back of the neck; and he did
the same by the adulteress; and thus the twain, laden with mortal sin,
went straightways to Eternal Fire. Then the merchant knew that the
Parrot had told him the truth anent all she had seen and he mourned
grievously for her loss, when mourning availed him not. The Minister,
hearing the words of King Yunan, rejoined, "O Monarch, high in dignity,
and what harm have I done him, or what evil have I seen from him that I
should compass his death? I would not do this thing, save to serve
thee, and soon shalt thou sight that it is right; and if thou accept my
advice thou shalt be saved, otherwise thou shalt be destroyed even as a
certain Wazir who acted treacherously by the young Prince." Asked the
King, "How was that?" and the Minister thus began
_THE TALE OF THE PRINCE AND THE OGRESS._