and carrying him forth of the house under cover of the night, at once
packed him off to Suez, where they shackled him and set him to work as a
galley-slave; and he ceased not to serve thus in silence a whole
year.[290] So far concerning Judar; but as for his brothers, they went
in next morning to his mother and said to her, “O our mother, our
brother Judar is not awake.” Said she, “Do ye wake him.” Asked they,
“Where lieth he?” and she answered, “With the guests.” They rejoined,
“Haply he went away with them whilst we slept, O mother. It would seem
that he had tasted of strangerhood and yearned to get at hidden hoards;
for we heard him at talk with the Moors, and they said to him, We will
take thee with us and open the treasure to thee.” She enquired, “Hath he
then been in company with Moors?;” and they replied, saying, “Were they
not our guests yesternight?” And she, “Most like he hath gone with them,
but Allah will direct him on the right way; for there is a blessing upon
him and he will surely come back with great good.” But she wept, for it
was grievous to her to be parted from her son. Then said they to her, “O
accursed woman, dost thou love Judar with all this love, whilst as for
us, whether we be absent or present, thou neither joyest in us nor
sorrowest for us? Are we not thy sons, even as Judar is thy son?” She
said, “Ye are indeed my sons: but ye are reprobates who deserve no
favour of me, for since your father’s death I have never seen any good
in you; whilst as for Judar, I have had abundant good of him and he hath
heartened my heart and entreated me with honour; wherefore it behoveth
me to weep for him, because of his kindness to me and to you.” When they
heard this, they abused her and beat her; after which they sought for
the saddle-bags, till they found the two pairs and took the enchanted
one and all the gold from one pouch and jewels from the other of the
unenchanted, saying, “This was our father’s good.” Said their mother,
“Not so, by Allah!; it belongeth to your brother Judar, who brought it
from the land of the Magharibah.” Said they, “Thou liest, it was our
father’s property; and we will dispose of it, as we please.” Then they
divided the gold and jewels between them; but a brabble arose between
them concerning the enchanted saddle-bags, Sálim saying, “I will have
them;” and Salím, saying, “I will take them;” and they came to high
words. Then said she, “O my sons, ye have divided the gold and the
jewels, but this may not be divided, nor can its value be made up in
money; and if it be cut in twain, its spell will be voided; so leave it
with me and I will give you to eat from it at all times and be content
to take a morsel with you. If ye allow me aught to clothe me, ‘twill be
of your bounty, and each of you shall traffic with the folk for himself.
Ye are my sons and I am your mother; wherefore let us abide as we are,
lest your brother come back and we be disgraced.” But they accepted not
her words and passed the night, wrangling with each other. Now it
chanced that a Janissary[291] of the King’s guards was a guest in the
house adjoining Judar’s and heard them through the open window. So he
looked out and listening, heard all the angry words that passed between
them and saw the division of the spoil. Next morning he presented
himself before the King of Egypt, whose name was Shams al-Daulah,[292]
and told him all he had heard, whereupon he sent for Judar’s brothers
and put them to the question, till they confessed; and he took the two
pairs of saddle-bags from them and clapped them in prison, appointing a
sufficient daily allowance to their mother. Now as regards Judar, he
abode a whole year in service at Suez, till one day, being in a ship
bound on a voyage over the sea, a wind arose against them and cast the
vessel upon a rock projecting from a mountain, where she broke up and
all on board were drowned and none gat ashore save Judar. As soon as he
landed he fared on inland, till he reached an encampment of Badawi, who
questioned him of his case, and he told them he had been a sailor.[293]
Now there was in camp a merchant, a native of Jiddah, who took pity on
him and said to him, “Wilt thou take service with me, O Egyptian, and I
will clothe thee and carry thee with me to Jiddah?” So Judar took
service with him and companied him to Jiddah, where he showed him much
favour. After awhile, his master the merchant set out on a pilgrimage to
Meccah, taking Judar with him, and when they reached the city, the
Cairene repaired to the Haram temple, to circumambulate the Ka’abah. As
he was making the prescribed circuits,[294] he suddenly saw his friend
Abd al-Samad the Moor doing the like;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Eighteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Judar, as he was
making the circuits, suddenly saw his friend Abd al-Samad also
circumambulating; and when the Maghribi caught sight of him, he saluted
him and asked him of his state; whereupon Judar wept and told him all
that had befallen him. So the Moor carried him to his lodging and
entreated him with honour, clothing him in a dress of which the like was
not, and saying to him, “Thou hast seen the end of thine ills, O Judar.”
Then he drew out for him a geomantic figure, which showed what had
befallen Sálim and Salím and said to Judar, “Such and such things have
befallen thy brothers and they are now in the King of Egypt’s prison;
but thou art right welcome to abide with me and accomplish thine
ordinances of pilgrimage and all shall be well.” Replied Judar, “O my
lord, let me go and take leave of the merchant with whom I am and after
I will come back to thee.” “Dost thou owe money?” asked the Moor, and he
answered, “No.” Said Abd al-Samad, “Go thou and take leave of him and
come back forthright, for bread hath claims of its own from the
ingenuous.” So Judar returned to the merchant and farewelled him,
saying, “I have fallen in with my brother.”[295] “Go bring him here,”
said the merchant, “and we will make him an entertainment.” But Judar
answered, saying, “He hath no need of that; for he is a man of wealth
and hath many servants.” Then the merchant gave Judar twenty dinars,
saying, “Acquit me of responsibility”;[296] and he bade him adieu and
went forth from him. Presently, he saw a poor man, so he gave him the
twenty ducats and returned to the Moor, with whom he abode till they had
accomplished the pilgrimage-rites when Abd al-Samad gave him the
seal-ring, that he had taken from the treasure of Al-Shamardal, saying,
“This ring will win thee thy wish, for it enchanteth and hath a servant,
by name Al-Ra’ad al-Kásif; so whatever thou hast a mind to of the wants
of this world; rub this ring and its servant will appear and do all thou
biddest him.” Then he rubbed the ring before him, whereupon the Jinni
appeared, saying, “Adsum, O my lord! Ask what thou wilt and it shall be
given thee. Hast thou a mind to people a ruined city or ruin a populous
one? to slay a king or to rout a host?” “O Ra’ad,” said Abd al-Samad,
“this is become thy lord; do thou serve him faithfully.” Then he
dismissed him and said to Judar, “Rub the ring and the servant will
appear; and do thou command him to do whatever thou desirest, for he
will not gainsay thee. Now go to thine own country and take care of the
ring, for by means of it thou wilt baffle thine enemies; and be not
ignorant of its puissance.” “O my lord,” quoth Judar, “with thy leave, I
will set out homewards.” Quoth the Maghribi, “Summon the Jinni and mount
upon his back; and if thou say to him:—Bring me to my native city this
very day, he will not disobey thy commandment.” So he took leave of Moor
Abd al-Samad and rubbed the ring, whereupon Al-Ra’ad presented himself,
saying, “Adsum; ask and it shall be given to thee.” Said Judar, “Carry
me to Cairo this day;” and he replied, “Thy will be done;” and, taking
him on his back, flew with him from noon till midnight, when he set him
down in the courtyard of his mother’s house and disappeared. Judar went
in to his mother, who rose weeping, and greeted him fondly, and told him
how the King had beaten his brothers and cast them into gaol and taken
the two pairs of saddle-bags; which when he heard, it was no light
matter to him and he said to her, “Grieve not for the past; I will show
thee what I can do and bring my brothers hither forthright.” So he
rubbed the ring, whereupon its servant appeared, saying, “Here am I! Ask
and thou shalt have.” Quoth Judar, “I bid thee bring me my two brothers
from the prison of the King.” So the Jinni sank into the earth and came
not up but in the midst of the gaol where Sálim and Salím lay in piteous
plight and sore sorrow for the plagues of prison,[297] so that they
wished for death, and one of them said to the other, “By Allah, O my
brother, affliction is longsome upon us! How long shall we abide in this
prison? Death would be relief.” As he spoke, behold, the earth clove in
sunder and out came Al-Ra’ad, who took both up and plunged with them
into the earth. They swooned away for excess of fear, and when they
recovered, they found themselves in their mother’s house and saw Judar
seated by her side. Quoth he, “I salute you, O my brothers! you have
cheered me by your presence.” And they bowed their heads and burst into
tears. Then said he, “Weep not, for it was Satan and covetise that led
you to do thus. How could you sell me? But I comfort myself with the
thought of Joseph, whose brothers did with him even more than ye did
with me, because they cast him into the pit.”——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Nineteenth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Judar said to
his brothers, “How could you do with me thus?” But repent unto Allah and
crave pardon of Him, and He will forgive you both, for He is the Most
Forgiving, the Merciful. As for me, I pardon you and welcome you: no
harm shall befal you. Then he comforted them and set their hearts at
ease and related to them all he had suffered, till he fell in with
Shaykh Abd al-Samad, and told them also of the seal-ring. They replied,
“O our brother, forgive us this time; and, if we return to our old ways,
do with us as thou wilt.” Quoth he, “No harm shall befal you; but tell
me what the King did with you.” Quoth they, “He beat us and threatened
us with death and took the two pairs of saddle-bags from us.” “Will he
not care?”[298] said Judar, and rubbed the ring, whereupon Al-Ra’ad
appeared. When his brothers saw him, they were affrighted and thought
Judar would bid him slay them; so they fled to their mother, crying, “O
our mother, we throw ourselves on thy generosity; do thou intercede for
us, O our mother!” And she said to them, “O my sons, fear nothing!” Then
said Judar to the servant, “I command thee to bring me all that is in
the King’s treasury of goods and such; let nothing remain and fetch the
two pairs of saddle-bags he took from my brothers.” “I hear and I obey,”
replied Al-Ra’ad; and, disappearing straightway gathered together all he
found in the treasury and returned with the two pairs of saddle-bags and
the deposits therein and laid them before Judar, saying, “O my lord, I
have left nothing in the treasury.” Judar gave the treasure to his
mother bidding her keep it and laying the enchanted saddle-bags before
him, said to the Jinni, “I command thee to build me this night a lofty
palace and overlay it with liquid gold and furnish it with magnificent
furniture: and let not the day dawn, ere thou be quit of the whole
work.” Replied he, “Thy bidding shall be obeyed;” and sank into the
earth. Then Judar brought forth food and they ate and took their ease
and lay down to sleep. Meanwhile, Al-Ra’ad summoned his attendant Jinn
and bade them build the palace. So some of them fell to hewing stones
and some to building, whilst others plastered and painted and furnished;
nor did the day dawn ere the ordinance of the palace was complete;
whereupon Al-Ra’ad came to Judar and said to him, “O my lord, the palace
is finished and in best order, an it please thee to come and look on
it.” So Judar went forth with his mother and brothers and saw a palace,
whose like there was not in the whole world; and it confounded all minds
with the goodliness of its ordinance. Judar was delighted with it while
he was passing along the highway and withal it had cost him nothing.
Then he asked his mother, “Say me, wilt thou take up thine abode in this
palace?” and she answered, “I will, O my son,” and called down blessings
upon him. Then he rubbed the ring and bade the Jinni fetch him forty
handsome white handmaids and forty black damsels and as many Mamelukes
and negro slaves. “Thy will be done,” answered Al-Ra’ad and betaking
himself, with forty of his attendant Genii to Hind and Sind and Persia,
snatched up every beautiful girl and boy they saw, till they had made up
the required number. Moreover, he sent other fourscore, who fetched
comely black girls, and forty others brought male chattels and carried
them all to Judar’s house, which they filled. Then he showed them to
Judar, who was pleased with them and said, “Bring for each a dress of
the finest.” “Ready!” replied the servant. Then quoth he, “Bring a dress
for my mother and another for myself, and also for my brothers.” So the
Jinni fetched all that was needed and clad the female slaves, saying to
them, “This is your mistress: kiss her hands and cross her not, but
serve her, white and black.” The Mamelukes also dressed themselves and
kissed Judar’s hands; and he and his brothers arrayed themselves in the
robes the Jinni had brought them and Judar became like unto a King and
his brothers as Wazirs. Now his house was spacious; so he lodged Sálim
and his slave-girls in one part thereof and Salím and his slave-girls in
another, whilst he and his mother took up their abode in the new palace;
and each in his own place was like a Sultan. So far concerning them; but
as regards the King’s Treasurer, thinking to take something from the
treasury, he went in and found it altogether empty, even as saith the
poet:—
‘Twas as a hive of bees that greatly thrived; ✿ But, when the bee-swarm
fled, ‘twas clean unhived.[299]
So he gave a great cry and fell down in a fit. When he came to himself,
he left the door open and going in to King Shams al-Daulah, said to him,
“O Commander of the Faithful,[300] I have to inform thee that the
treasury hath become empty during the night.” Quoth the King, “What hast
thou done with my monies which were therein?” Quoth he, “By Allah, I
have not done aught with them nor know I what is come of them! I visited
the place yesterday and saw it full; but to-day when I went in, I found
it clean empty, albeit the doors were locked, the walls were
unpierced[301] and the bolts[302] are unbroken; nor hath a thief entered
it.” Asked the King, “Are the two pairs of saddle-bags gone?” “Yes,”
replied the Treasurer; whereupon the King’s reason flew from his
head——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Twentieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Treasurer
informed the King that all in the treasury had been plundered, including
the two pairs of saddle-bags, the King’s reason flew from his head and
he rose to his feet, saying, “Go thou before me.” Then he followed the
Treasurer to the treasury and he found nothing there, whereat he was
wroth with him; and he said to them, “O soldiers! know that my treasury
hath been plundered during the night, and I know not who did this deed
and dared thus to outrage me, without fear of me.” Said they, “How so?”;
and he replied, “Ask the Treasurer.” So they questioned him, and he
answered, saying, “Yesterday I visited the treasury and it was full, but
this morning when I entered it I found it empty, though the walls were
unpierced and the doors unbroken.” They all marvelled at this and could
make the King no answer, when in came the Janissary, who had denounced
Sálim and Salím, and said to Shams al-Daulah, “O King of the age, all
this night I have not slept for that which I saw.” And the King asked,
“And what didst thou see?” “Know, O King of the age,” answered the
Kawwás, “that all night long I have been amusing myself with watching
builders at work; and, when it was day, I saw a palace ready edified,
whose like is not in the world. So I asked about it and was told that
Judar had come back with great wealth and Mamelukes and slaves and that
he had freed his two brothers from prison, and built this palace,
wherein he is as a Sultan.” Quoth the King, “Go, look in the prison.” So
they went thither and not finding Sálim and Salím, returned and told the
King, who said, “It is plain now who be the thief; he who took Sálim and
Salím out of prison it is who hath stolen my monies.” Quoth the Wazir,
“O my lord, and who is he?”; and quoth the King, “Their brother Judar,
and he hath taken the two pairs of saddle-bags; but, O Wazir, do thou
send him an Emir with fifty men to seal up his goods and lay hands on
him and his brothers and bring them to me, that I may hang them.” And he
was sore enraged and said, “Ho, off with the Emir at once, and fetch
them, that I may put them to death.” But the Wazir said to him, “Be thou
merciful, for Allah is merciful and hasteth not to punish His servants,
whenas they sin against Him. Moreover, he who can build a palace in a
single night, as these say, none in the world can vie with him; and
verily I fear lest the Emir fall into difficulty for Judar. Have
patience, therefore, whilst I devise for thee some device of getting at
the truth of the case, and so shalt thou win thy wish, O King of the
age.” Quoth the King, “Counsel me how I shall do, O Wazir.” And the
Minister said, “Send him an Emir with an invitation; and I will make
much of him for thee and make a show of love for him and ask him of his
estate; after which we will see. If we find him stout of heart, we will
use sleight with him, and if weak of will, then do thou seize him and do
with him thy desire.” The King agreed to this and despatched one of his
Emirs, Othman hight, to go and invite Judar and say to him, “The King
biddeth thee to a banquet;” and the King said to him, “Return not,
except with him.” Now this Othman was a fool, proud and conceited; so he
went forth upon his errand, and when he came to the gate of Judar’s
palace, he saw before the door an eunuch seated upon a chair of gold,
who at his approach rose not, but sat as if none came near, though there
were with the Emir fifty footmen. Now this eunuch was none other than
Al-Ra’ad al-Kasif, the servant of the ring, whom Judar had commanded to
put on the guise of an eunuch and sit at the palace-gate. So the Emir
rode up to him and asked him, “O slave, where is thy lord?”; whereto he
answered, “In the palace;” but he stirred not from his leaning posture;
whereupon the Emir Othman waxed wroth and said to him, “O pestilent
slave, art thou not ashamed, when I speak to thee, to answer me,
sprawling at thy length, like a gallows-bird?” Replied the eunuch, “Off
and multiply not words.” Hardly had Othman heard this, when he was
filled with rage and drawing his mace[303] would have smitten the
eunuch, knowing not that he was a devil; but Al-Ra’ad leapt upon him and
taking the mace from him, dealt him four blows with it. Now when the
fifty men saw their lord beaten, it was grievous to them; so they drew
their swords and ran to slay the slave; but he said, “Do ye draw on us,
O dogs?” and rose at them with the mace, and every one whom he smote, he
broke his bones and drowned him in his blood. So they fell back before
him and fled, whilst he followed them, beating them, till he had driven
them far from the palace-gate; after which he returned and sat down on
his chair at the door, caring for none.——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Twenty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the eunuch having
put to flight the Emir Othman, the King’s Officer, and his men, till
they were driven far from Judar’s gate, returned and sat down on his
chair at the door, caring for none. But as for the Emir and his company,
they returned, discomfited and tunded, to King Shams al-Daulah, and
Othman said, “O King of the age, when I came to the palace gate, I
espied an eunuch seated there in a chair of gold and he was passing
proud for, when he saw me approach, he stretched himself at full length
albeit he had been sitting in his chair and entreated me contumeliously,
neither offered to rise to me. So I began to speak to him and he
answered without stirring, whereat wrath gat hold of me and I drew the
mace upon him, thinking to smite him. But he snatched it from me and
beat me and my men therewith and overthrew us. So we fled from before
him and could not prevail against, him.” At this, the King was wroth and
said, “Let an hundred men go down to him.” Accordingly, the hundred men
went down to attack him; but he arose and fell upon them with the mace
and ceased not smiting them till he had put them to the rout; when he
regained his chair; upon which they returned to the King and told him
what had passed, saying, “O King of the age, he beat us and we fled for
fear of him.” Then the King sent two hundred men against him, but these
also he put to the rout, and Shams Al-Daulah said to his Minister, “I
charge thee, O Wazir, take five hundred men and bring this eunuch in
haste, and with him his master Judar and his brothers.” Replied the
Wazir, “O King of the age, I need no soldiers, but will go down to him
alone and unarmed.” “Go,” quoth the King, “and do as thou seest
suitable.” So the Wazir laid down his arms and donning a white
habit,[304] took a rosary in his hand and set out afoot alone and
unattended. When he came to Judar’s gate, he saw the slave sitting
there; So he went up to him and seating himself by his side courteously,
said to him, “Peace be with thee!”; whereto he replied, “And on thee be
peace, O mortal! What wilt thou?” When the Wazir heard him say “O
mortal,” he knew him to be of the Jinn and quaked for fear; then he
asked him, “O my lord, tell me, is thy master Judar here?” Answered the
eunuch, “Yes, he is in the palace.” Quoth the Minister, “O my lord, go
thou to him and say to him:—King Shams Al-Daulah saluteth thee and
biddeth thee honour his dwelling with thy presence and eat of a banquet
he hath made for thee.” Quoth the eunuch, “Tarry thou here, whilst I
consult him.” So the Wazir stood in a respectful attitude, whilst the
Marid went up to the palace and said to Judar, “Know, O my lord, that
the King sent to thee an Emir and fifty men, and I beat them and drove
them away. Then he sent an hundred men and I beat them also; then two
hundred, and these also I put to the rout. And now he hath sent thee his
Wazir unarmed, bidding thee visit him and eat of his banquet. What sayst
thou?” Said Judar, “Go, bring the Wazir hither.” So the Marid went down
and said to him, “O Wazir, come speak with my lord.” “On my head be it,”
replied he and going in to Judar, found him seated, in greater state
than the King, upon a carpet, whose like the King could not spread, and
was dazed and amazed at the goodliness of the palace and its decoration
and appointments, which made him seem as he were a beggar in comparison.
So he kissed the ground before Judar and called down blessings on him;
and Judar said to him, “What is thy business, O Wazir?” Replied he, “O
my lord, thy friend King Shams Al-Daulah saluteth thee with the salam
and longeth to look upon thy face; wherefore he hath made thee an
entertainment. So say, wilt thou heal his heart and eat of his banquet?”
Quoth Judar, “If he be indeed my friend, salute him and bid him come to
me.” “On my head be it,” quoth the Minister. Then Judar bringing out the
ring rubbed it and bade the Jinni fetch him a dress of the best, which
he gave to the Wazir, saying, “Don this dress and go tell the King what
I say.” So the Wazir donned the dress, the like whereof he had never
donned, and returning to the King told him what had passed and praised
the palace and that which was therein, saying, “Judar biddeth thee to
him.” So the King called out, “Up, ye men; mount your horses and bring
me my steed, that we may go to Judar!” Then he and his suite rode off
for the Cairene palace. Meanwhile Judar summoned the Marid and said to
him, “It is my will that thou bring me some of the Ifrits at thy command
in the guise of guards and station them in the open square before the
palace, that the King may see them and be awed by them; so shall his
heart tremble and he shall know that my power and majesty be greater
than his.” Thereupon Al-Ra’ad brought him two hundred Ifrits of great
stature and strength, in the guise of guards, magnificently armed and
equipped, and when the King came and saw these tall burly fellows his
heart feared them. Then he entered the palace, and found Judar sitting
in such state as nor King nor Sultan could even. So he saluted him and
made his obeisance to him; yet Judar rose not to him nor did him honour
nor said “Be seated,” but left him standing,——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.