Shaykh of the ten said to the youth, “Beware how thou open yonder door
or thou shalt repent what time repentance will avail thee not.” Then his
sickness grew on him and he accomplished his term and departed life to
the presence of his Lord; and the young man washed him with his own
hands and shrouded him and buried him by the side of his comrades; after
which he abode alone in the place and took possession of whatsoever was
therein. Withal he was uneasy and troubled concerning the case of the
old men, till, one day, as he sat pondering the words of his dead master
and his injunction not to open the door, he suddenly bethought himself
to go and look for it. So he rose up and repaired to the part whither
the dead man had pointed and sought till, in a dark unfrequented corner,
he found a little door, over which the spider had spun her webs and
which was fastened with four padlocks of steel. Seeing this he recalled
the old man’s warning and restrained himself and went away; and he held
aloof from it seven days, whilst all the time his heart prompted him to
open it. On the eighth day his curiosity got the better of him and he
said, “Come what will, needs must I open the door and see what will
happen to me therefrom. Nothing can avert what is fated and
fore-ordained of Allah the Most High; nor doth aught befal but by His
will.” So saying, he rose and broke the padlocks and opening the door
saw a narrow passage, which he followed for some three hours when lo! he
came out on the shore of a vast ocean[196] and fared on along the beach,
marvelling at this main, whereof he had no knowledge and turning right
and left. Presently, a great eagle swooped down upon him from the lift
and seizing him in its talons, flew away with him betwixt heaven and
earth, till it came to an island in the midst of the sea, where it cast
him down and flew away. The youth was dazed and knew not whither he
should wend, but after a few days as he sat pondering his case, he
caught sight of the sails of a ship in the middlemost of the main, as it
were a star in the sky; and his heart clave to it, so haply his
deliverance might be therein. He continued gazing at the ship, until it
drew nigh, when he saw that it was a foyst builded all of ivory and
ebony, inlaid with glistening gold made fast by nails of steel, with
oars of sandal and lign-aloes. In it were ten damsels, high-bosomed
maids, as they were moons; and when they saw him, they came ashore to
him and kissed his hands, saying, “Thou art the King, the Bridegroom!”
Then there accosted him a young lady, as she were the sun shining in sky
serene bearing in hand a silken napkin, wherein were a royal robe and a
crown of gold set with all manner rubies and pearls. She threw the robe
over him and set the crown upon his head, after which the damsels bore
him on their arms to the foyst, where he found all kinds of silken
carpets and hangings of various colours. Then they spread the sails and
stretched out into mid-ocean. Quoth the young man:—Indeed, when they put
to sea with me, meseemed it was a dream and I knew not whither they were
wending with me. Presently, we drew near to land, and I saw the shore
full of troops none knoweth their number save Allah (extolled and
exalted be He!) and all were magnificently arrayed and clad in complete
steel. As soon as the vessel had made fast to the land, they brought me
five marked[197] horses of noble breeds, housed and saddled with gold,
inlaid with all manner pearls and high-priced bezel stones. I chose out
one of them and mounted it, whilst they led the four others before me.
Then they raised the banners and the standards over my head, whilst the
troops ranged themselves right and left, and we set out, with drums
beating and cymbals clashing, and rode on; whilst I debated in myself
whether I were in sleep or on wake; and we never ceased faring, I
believing not in that my estate, but taking all this for the imbroglio
of a dream, till we drew near to the green mead, full of palaces and
gardens and trees and streams and blooms and birds chanting the praises
of Allah the One, the Victorious. Hereupon, behold, an army sallied out
from amid the palaces and gardens, as it were the torrent when it
poureth down,[198] and the host overflowed the mead. These troops halted
at a little distance from me and presently there rode forth from amongst
them a King, preceded by some of his chief officers on foot. When he
came up to the young man (saith the tale-teller) he dismounted also, and
the two saluted each other after the goodliest fashion. Then said the
King, “Come with us, for thou art my guest.” So they took horse again
and rode on stirrup touching stirrup in great and stately procession,
conversing as they went, till they came to the royal palace, where they
alighted together.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the two rode
together in stately procession till they entered the palace, when the
King taking the young man by the hand, led him into a domed room
followed by his suite, and making him sit down on a throne of gold,
seated himself beside him. Then he unbound the swathe from his lower
face; and behold, the King was a young lady, like the splendid sun
shining in the sheeny sky, perfect in beauty and loveliness, brilliancy
and grace, arrogance[199] and all perfection. The youth looked upon this
singular blessing and embodied boon and was lost in wonder at her charms
and comeliness and seemlihead and at the splendour and affluence he saw
about him, when she said “Know, O King, that I am the Queen of this land
and that all the troops thou hast seen, whether horse or foot, are
women, there is no man amongst them; for in this our state the men delve
and sow and ear and occupy themselves with the tillage of the earth and
the building of towns and other mechanical crafts and useful arts,
whilst the women govern and fill the great offices of state and bear
arms.” At this the youth marvelled with exceeding marvel and, as they
were in discourse, behold, in came the Wazir who was a tall gray-haired
old woman of venerable semblance and majestic aspect, and it was told
him that this was the Minister. Quoth the Queen to her, “Bring us the
Kazi and witnesses.” So she went out to do this, and the Queen, turning
to him, conversed with him in friendly fashion, and enforced herself to
reassure his awe of her and do away his shame with speech blander than
the zephyr, saying, “Art thou content to be to me baron and I to thee
feme?” Thereupon he arose and would have kissed ground between her
hands, but she forbade him and he replied, saying, “O my lady, I am the
least of thy slaves who serve thee.” “Seest thou all these servants and
soldiers and riches and hoards and treasures?” asked she, and he
answered, “Yes!” Quoth she, “All these are at thy commandment to dispose
of them and give and bestow as seemeth good to thee.” Then she pointed
to a closed door and said, “All these things are at thy disposal, save
yonder door; that shalt thou not open, and if thou open it thou shalt
repent when repentance will avail thee naught. So beware! and again I
say, beware!” Hardly had she made an end of speaking when the Waziress
entered followed by the Kazi and witnesses, all old women, with their
hair streaming over their shoulders and of reverend and majestic
presence; and the Queen bade them draw up the contract of marriage
between herself and the young man. Accordingly, they performed the
marriage-ceremony and the Queen made a great bride-feast, to which she
bade all the troops; and after they had eaten and drunken, he went in
unto his bride and found her a maid virginal. So he did away her hymen,
and abode with her seven years in all joyance and solace and delight of
life, till, one day of the days, he bethought himself of the forbidden
door and said in himself, “Except there were therein treasures greater
and grander than any I have seen, she had not forbidden me therefrom.”
So he rose and opened the door, when, lo! behind it was the very bird
which had brought him from the sea-shore to the island, and it said to
him, “No welcome to a face that shall never prosper!” When he saw it and
heard what it said, he fled from it; but it followed him and seizing him
in its talons, flew with him an hour’s journey betwixt heaven and earth,
till it set him down in the place whence it had first carried him off
and flew away. When he came to his senses, he remembered his late
estate, great, grand and glorious, and the troops which rode before him
and his lordly rule and all the honour and fair fortune he had lost and
fell to weeping and wailing.[200] He abode two months on the sea-shore,
where the bird had set him down, hoping yet to return to his wife, till,
as he sat one night wakeful, mourning and musing, behold, he heard one
speaking, albeit he saw no one, and saying, “How great were the
delights! Alas, far from thee is the return of that which is past!” When
he heard this, he redoubled in his regrets and despaired of recovering
his wife and his fair estate that was; so he returned, weary and
broken-hearted, to the house where he had dwelt with the old men and
knew that they had fared even as he and that this was the cause of their
shedding tears and lamenting their lot; wherefore he ever after held
them excused. Then, being overcome with chagrin and concern, he took to
his chamber and gave himself up to mourning and lamentation; and he
ceased not crying and complaining and left eating and drinking and
pleasant scents and merriment; nor did he laugh once till the day of his
death, when they buried him beside the Shaykhs. “See, then, O King,”
continued the Wazir “what cometh of precipitance; verily, it is
unpraiseworthy and bequeatheth repentance; and in this I give thee true
advice and loyal counsel.” When the King heard this story, he turned
from slaying his son;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King
heard this story he turned from slaying his son; but, on the sixth day,
the favourite came in to him hending a naked knife in hand, and said to
him, “Know, O my lord, that except thou hearken to my complaint and
protect thy right and thine honour against these thy Ministers, who are
banded together against me, to do me wrong, I will kill myself with this
knife, and my blood will testify against thee on the Day of Doom.
Indeed, they pretend that women are full of tricks and malice and
perfidy; and they design thereby to defeat me of my due and hinder the
King from doing me justice; but, behold, I will prove to thee that men
are more perfidious than women by the story of a King among the Kings
and how he gained access to the wife of a certain merchant.” “And what
passed between them?” asked the King, and she answered:—I have heard
tell, O august King, a tale of
_THE KING’S SON AND THE MERCHANT’S WIFE_.
A certain merchant, who was addicted to jealousy, had a wife that was a
model of beauty and loveliness; and of the excess of his fear and
jealousy of her, he would not abide with her in any town, but built her
a pavilion without the city, apart from all other buildings. And he
raised its height and strengthened its doors and provided them with
curious locks; and when he had occasion to go into the city, he locked
the doors and hung the keys about his neck.[201] One day, when the
merchant was abroad, the King’s son of that city came forth, to take his
pleasure and solace in the open country without the walls, and seeing
the solitary pavilion, stood still to examine it for a long while. At
last he caught sight of a charming lady looking and leaning out of one
of the windows,[202] and being smitten with amazement at her grace and
charms, cast about for a means of getting to her, but could find none.
So he called up one of his pages, who brought him ink-case[203] and
paper and wrote her a letter, setting forth his condition for love of
her. Then he set it on the pile-point of an arrow and shot it at the
pavilion, and it fell in the garden, where the lady was then walking
with her maidens. She said to one of the girls, “Hasten and bring me yon
letter,” for she could read writing;[204] and, when she had read it and
understood what he said in it of his love and passion, yearning and
longing, she wrote him a merciful reply, to the effect that she was
smitten with a yet fiercer desire for him; and then threw the letter
down to him from one of the windows of the pavilion. When he saw her, he
picked up the reply and after reading it, came under the window and said
to her, “Let me down a thread, that I may send thee this key; which do
thou take and keep by thee.” So she let down a thread and he tied the
key to it.[205] Then he went away and repairing to one of his father’s
Wazirs, complained to him of his passion for the lady and that he could
not live without her; and the Minister said, “And how dost thou bid me
contrive?” Quoth the Prince, “I would have thee set me in a chest[206]
and commit it to the merchant, feigning to him that it is thine and
desiring him to keep it for thee in his country-house some days, that I
may have my will of her; then do thou demand it back from him.” The
Wazir answered, “With love and gladness.” So the Prince returned to his
palace and fixing the padlock, the key whereof he had given the lady, on
a chest he had by him, entered therein. Then the Wazir locked it upon
him and setting it on a mule, carried it to the pavilion of the
merchant, who, seeing the Minister, came forth to him and kissed his
hands, saying, “Belike our lord the Wazir hath some need or business
which we may have the pleasure and honour of accomplishing for him?”
Quoth the Minister, “I would have thee set this chest in the safest and
best place within thy house and keep it till I seek it of thee.” So the
merchant made the porters carry it inside and set it down in one of his
store-closets, after which he went out on business. As soon as he was
gone, his wife arose and went up to the chest and unlocked it with the
key the King’s son had given her, whereupon there came forth a youth
like the moon. When she saw him, she donned her richest raiment and
carried him to her sitting-saloon, where they abode seven days, eating
and drinking and making merry: and as often as her husband came home,
she put the Prince back into the chest and locked it upon him. One day
the King asked for his son and the Wazir hurried off to the merchant’s
place of business and sought of him the chest.——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir
reached the merchant’s counting-house he asked for the box. The man
accordingly repaired in haste to his pavilion, contrary to his custom
and knocked at the door. When his wife was ware of him, she hurried the
Prince back into the chest, but, in her confusion, forgot to lock it.
The merchant bade the porters take it up and carry it to his house in
the town. So they took up the box by the lid, whereupon it flew open and
lo! the Prince was lying within. When the merchant saw him and knew him
for the King’s son, he went out to the Wazir and said to him, “Go in,
thou, and take the King’s son; for none of us may lay hands on him.” So
the Minister went in and taking the Prince, went away with him. As soon
as they were gone, the merchant put away his wife and swore that he
would never marry again. And, continued the damsel, I have heard tell,
also, O King, a tale of
_THE PAGE WHO FEIGNED TO KNOW THE SPEECH OF BIRDS_.[207]
A certain man of rank once entered the slave-market and saw a page being
cried for sale; so he bought him and carrying him home, said to his
wife, “Take good care of him.” The lad abode there for a while till, one
day, the man said to his wife, “Go forth to-morrow to the garden and
take thy solace therein and amuse thyself and enjoy thyself.” And she
replied, “With love and gladness!” Now when the page heard this, he made
ready in secret meat and drink and fruits and dessert, and sallied forth
with them privily that night to the garden, where he laid the meat under
one tree, the wine under another and the fruit and conserves under a
third, in the way his mistress must pass. When morning morrowed the
husband bade him accompany the lady to that garden carrying with him all
the provisions required for the day; so she took horse and riding
thither with him, dismounted and entered. Presently, as they were
walking about, a crow croaked,[208] and the page said, “Thou sayst
sooth;” whereupon his mistress asked him, “Dost thou know what the crow
said?” and he answered, “Yes, O my lady, he said, Under yonder tree is
meat; go and eat it.” So she said, “I see thou really dost understand
them;” then she went up to the tree and, finding a dish of meat ready
dressed, was assured that the youth told the truth and marvelled with
exceeding marvel. They ate of the meat and walked about awhile, taking
their pleasure in the garden, till the crow croaked a second time, and
the page again replied, “Thou sayst sooth.” “What said he?” quoth the
lady, and quoth the page, “O my lady, he saith that under such a tree
are a gugglet of water flavoured with musk and a pitcher of old wine.”
So she went up with him to the tree and, finding the wine and water
there, redoubled in wonderment and the page was magnified in her eyes.
They sat down and drank, then arose and walked in another part of the
garden. Presently the crow croaked again and the page said, “Thou sayst
sooth.” Said the lady, “What saith he now?” and the page replied, “He
saith that under yonder tree are fruits, fresh and dried.” So they went
thither and found all as he said and sat down and ate. Then they walked
about again till the crow croaked a fourth time, whereupon the page took
up a stone and threw it at him. Quoth she, “What said he, that thou
shouldst stone him?” “O my lady,” answered he, “he said what I cannot
tell thee.” “Say on,” rejoined she, “and be not abashed in my presence,
for there is naught between me and thee.” But he ceased not to say,
“No,” and she to press him to speak, till at last she conjured him to
tell her, and he answered, “The crow said to me:—Do with thy lady even
as doth her husband.” When she heard his words she laughed till she fell
backward and said, “This is a light matter, and I may not gainsay thee
therein.” So saying, she went up to a tree and, spreading the carpet
under it, lay down, and called to him to come and do her need, when, lo!
her husband, who had followed them unawares and saw this, called out to
the page, saying, “Harkye, boy! What ails thy mistress to lie there,
weeping?” Answered the page, “O my lord, she fell off the tree and was
killed;[209] and none but Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) restored
her to thee. Wherefore she lay down awhile to recover herself by rest.”
When the lady saw her husband standing by her head, she rose and made a
show of weakness and pain, saying, “O my back! O my sides! Come to my
help, O my friends! I shall never survive this.” So her husband was
deceived and said to the page, “Fetch thy mistress’s horse and set her
thereon.” Then he carried her home, the boy holding one stirrup and the
man the other and saying, “Allah vouchsafe thee ease and recovery!”
“These then, O King,” (said the damsel) “are some instances of the craft
of men and their perfidy; wherefore let not thy Wazirs turn thee from
succouring me and doing me justice.” Then she wept, and when the King
saw her weeping (for she was the dearest to him of all his slave-girls)
he once more commanded to put his son to death; but the sixth Minister
entered and kissing ground before him, said, “May the Almighty advance
the King! Verily I am a loyal counsellor to thee, in that I counsel thee
to deal deliberately in the matter of thy son;”——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the sixth Wazir
said, “O King, deal deliberately in the matter of thy son; for falsehood
is as smoke and fact is built on base which shall not be broken; yea,
and the light of sooth dispelleth the night of untruth. Know that the
perfidy of women is great, even as saith Allah the Most High in His Holy
Book, “Verily, the malice of you is great.”[210] And indeed a tale hath
reached me that a certain woman befooled the Chiefs of the State on such
wise as never did any before her.” Asked the King, “And how was that?”
And the Wazir answered:—I have heard tell a tale, O King, as follows
concerning
_THE LADY AND HER FIVE SUITORS_.[211]
A woman of the daughters of the merchants was married to a man who was a
great traveller. It chanced once that he set out for a far country and
was absent so long that his wife, for pure ennui, fell in love with a
handsome young man of the sons of the merchants, and they loved each
other with exceeding love. One day, the youth quarrelled with another
man, who lodged a complaint against him with the Chief of Police, and he
cast him into prison. When the news came to the merchant’s wife his
mistress, she well-nigh lost her wits; then she arose and donning her
richest clothes repaired to the house of the Chief of Police. She
saluted him and presented a written petition to this purport:—“He thou
hast clapped in jail is my brother, such and such, who fell out with
such an one; and those who testified against him bore false witness. He
hath been wrongfully imprisoned, and I have none other to come in to me
nor to provide for my support; therefore I beseech thee of thy grace to
release him.” When the magistrate had read the paper, he cast his eyes
on her and fell in love with her forthright; so he said to her, “Go into
the house, till I bring him before me; then I will send for thee and
thou shalt take him.” “O my lord,” replied she, “I have none to protect
me save Almighty Allah!: I am a stranger and may not enter any man’s
abode.” Quoth the Wali, “I will not let him go, except thou come to my
home and I take my will of thee.” Rejoined she, “If it must be so, thou
must needs come to my lodging and sit and sleep the siesta and rest the
whole day there.” “And where is thy abode?” asked he; and she answered,
“In such a place,” and appointed him for such a time. Then she went out
from him, leaving his heart taken with love of her, and she repaired to
the Kazi of the city, to whom she said, “O our lord the Kazi!” He
exclaimed, “Yes!” and she continued, “Look into my case, and thy reward
be with Allah the Most High!” Quoth he, “Who hath wronged thee?” and
quoth she, “O my lord, I have a brother and I have none but that one,
and it is on his account that I come to thee; because the Wali hath
imprisoned him for a criminal and men have borne false witness against
him that he is a wrong-doer; and I beseech thee to intercede for him
with the Chief of Police.” When the Kazi looked on her, he fell in love
with her forthright and said to her, “Enter the house and rest awhile
with my handmaids whilst I send to the Wali to release thy brother. If I
knew the money-fine which is upon him, I would pay it out of my own
purse, so I may have my desire of thee, for thou pleasest me with thy
sweet speech.” Quoth she, “If thou, O my lord, do thus, we must not
blame others.” Quoth he, “An thou wilt not come in, wend thy ways.” Then
said she, “An thou wilt have it so, O our lord, it will be privier and
better in my place than in thine, for here are slave-girls and eunuchs
and goers-in and comers-out, and indeed I am a woman who wotteth naught
of this fashion; but need compelleth.” Asked the Kazi, “And where is thy
house?”; and she answered, “In such a place,” and appointed him for the
same day and time as the Chief of Police. Then she went out from him to
the Wazir, to whom she preferred her petition for the release from
prison of her brother who was absolutely necessary to her: but he also
required her of herself, saying, “Suffer me to have my will of thee and
I will set thy brother free.” Quoth she, “An thou wilt have it so, be it
in my house, for there it will be privier both for me and for thee. It
is not far distant and thou knowest that which behoveth us women of
cleanliness and adornment.” Asked he, “Where is thy house?” “In such a
place,” answered she and appointed him for the same time as the two
others. Then she went out from him to the King of the city and told him
her story and sought of him her brother’s release. “Who imprisoned him?”
enquired he; and she replied, “‘Twas thy Chief of Police.” When the King
heard her speech, it transpierced his heart with the arrows of love and
he bade her enter the palace with him, that he might send to the Kazi
and release her brother. Quoth she, “O King, this thing is easy to thee,
whether I will or nill; and if the King will indeed have this of me, it
is of my good fortune; but, if he come to my house, he will do me the
more honour by setting step therein, even as saith the poet:—
O my friends, have ye seen or have ye heard ✿ Of his visit whose virtues
I hold so high?”
Quoth the King, “We will not cross thee in this.” So she appointed him
for the same time as the three others, and told him where her house
was.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,