When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Khalifah

the Fisherman, having set his hundred dinars in the collar-pocket

took basket, staff and net and went down to the Tigris, where he

made a cast but brought up naught. So he removed from that place

to another and threw again, but once more the net came up empty;

and he went on removing from place to place till he had gone half

a day's journey from the city, ever casting the net which kept

bringing up naught. So he said to himself, "By Allah, I will

throw my net a-stream but his once more, whether ill come of it

or weal!" [FN#212] Then he hurled the net with all his force, of

the excess of his wrath and the purse with the hundred dinars

flew out of his collar-pocket and, lighting in mid-stream, was

carried away by the strong current; whereupon he threw down the

net and plunged into the water after the purse. He dived for it

nigh a hundred times, till his strength was exhausted and he came

up for sheer fatigue without chancing on it. When he despaired

of finding the purse, he returned to the shore, where he saw

nothing but staff, net and basket and sought for his clothes, but

could light on no trace of them: so he said in himself, "O vilest

of those wherefor was made the byword, 'The pilgrimage is not

perfected save by copulation with the camel!" [FN#213] Then he

wrapped the net about him and taking staff in one hand and basket

in other, went trotting about like a camel in rut, running right

and left and backwards and forwards, dishevelled and dusty, as he

were a rebel Marid let loose from Solomon's prison. [FN#214] So

far for what concerns the Fisherman Khalifah; but as regards the

Caliph Harun al-Rashid, he had a friend, a jeweller called Ibn

al-Kirnás, [FN#215] and all the traders, brokers and middle-men

knew him for the Caliph's merchant; wherefore there was naught

sold in Baghdad, by way of rarities and things of price or

Mamelukes or handmaidens, but was first shown to him. As he sat

one day in his shop, behold, there came up to him the Shaykh of

the brokers, with a slave-girl, whose like seers never saw, for

she was of passing beauty and loveliness, symmetry and perfect

grace, and among her gifts was that she knew all arts and

sciences and could make verses and play upon all manner musical

instruments. So Ibn al-Kirnas bought her for five thousand

golden dinars and clothed her with other thousand; after which he

carried her to the Prince of True Believers, with whom she lay

the night and who made trial of her in every kind of knowledge

and accomplishment and found her versed in all sorts of arts and

sciences, having no equal in her time. Her name was Kút al-Kulúb

[FN#216] and she was even as saith the poet,

"I fix my glance on her, whene'er she wends; * And non-acceptance

of my glance breeds pain:

She favours graceful-necked gazelle at gaze; * And 'Graceful as

gazelle' to say we're fain."

And where is this [FN#217] beside the saying of another?

"Give me brunettes; the Syrian spears, so limber and so straight,

Tell of the slender dusky maids, so lithe and proud of gait.

Languid of eyelids, with a down like silk upon her cheek, Within

her wasting lover's heart she queens it still in state."

On the morrow the Caliph sent for Ibn al-Kirnas the Jeweller, and

bade him receive ten thousand dinars as to her price. And his

heart was taken up with the slave-girl Kut al-Kulub and he

forsook the Lady Zubaydah bint al-Kasim, for all she was the

daughter of his father's brother [FN#218] and he abandoned all

his favorite concubines and abode a whole month without stirring

from Kut al-Kulub's side save to go to the Friday prayers and

return to her in all haste. This was grievous to the Lords of

the Realm and they complained thereof to the Wazir Ja'afar the

Barmecide, who bore with the Commander of the Faithful and waited

till the next Friday, when he entered the cathedral-mosque and,

foregathering with the Caliph, related to him all that occurred

to him of extra-ordinary stories anent seld-seen love and lovers

with intent to draw out what was in his mind. Quoth the Caliph,

"By Allah, O Ja'afar, this is not of my choice; but my heart is

caught in the snare of love and wot I not what is to be done!"

The Wazir Ja'afar replied, "O Commander of the Faithful, thou

knowest how this girl Kut al-Kulub is become at thy disposal and

of the number of thy servants, and that which hand possesseth

soul coveteth not. Moreover, I will tell thee another thing

which is that the highest boast of Kings and Princes is in

hunting and the pursuit of sport and victory; and if thou apply

thyself to this, perchance it will divert thee from her, and it

may be thou wilt forget her." Rejoined the Caliph, "Thou sayest

well, O Ja'afar; come let us go a-hunting forthright, without

stay or delay." So soon as Friday prayers were prayed, they left

the mosque and at once mounting their she-mules rode forth to the

chase. --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased

saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when

the Caliph Harun al-Rashid and the Wazir Ja'afar would go forth

a-hunting and a-chasing, they mounted two she-mules and fared on

into the open country, occupied with talk, and their attendants

outwent them. Presently the heat became overhot and Al-Rashid

said to his Wazir, "O Ja'afar, I am sore athirst." Then he

looked around and espying a figure in the distance on a high

mound, asked Ja'afar, "Seest thou what I see?" Answered the

Wazir, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful; I see a dim figure on a

high mound; belike he is the keeper of a garden or of a cucumber-

plot, and in whatso wise water will not be lacking in his

neighborhood;" presently adding, "I will go to him and fetch thee

some." But Al-Rashid said, "My mule is swifter than thy mule; so

do thou abide here, on account of the troops, whilst I go myself

to him and get of this person [FN#219] drink and return." So

saying, he urged his she-mule, which started off like racing wind

or railing-water and, in the twinkling of an eye, made the mound,

where he found the figure he had seen to be none other than

Khalifah the Fisherman, naked and wrapped in the net; and indeed

he was horrible to behold, as to and fro he rolled with eyes for

very redness like cresset-gleam and dusty hair in dishevelled

trim, as he were an Ifrit or a lion grim. Al-Rashid saluted him

and he returned his salutation; but he was wroth and fires might

have been lit at his breath. Quoth the Caliph, "O man, hast thou

any water?"; and quoth Khalifah, "Ho thou, art thou blind, or

Jinn-mad? Get thee to the river Tigris, for 'tis behind this

mound." So Al-Rashid went around the mound and going down to the

river, drank and watered his mule: then without a moment's delay

he returned to Khalifah and said to him, "What aileth thee, O

man, to stand here, and what is thy calling?" The Fisherman

cried, "This is a stranger and sillier question than that about

the water! Seest thou not the gear of my craft on my shoulder?"

Said the Caliph, "Belike thou art a fisherman?"; and he replied,

"Yes." Asked Al-Rashid, "Where is thy gaberdine, [FN#220] and

where are thy waistcloth and girdle and where be the rest of thy

raiment?" Now these were the very things which had been taken

from Khalifah, like for like; so, when he heard the Caliph name

them, he got into his head that it was he who had stolen his

clothes from the river-bank and coming down from the top of the

mound, swiftlier than the blinding leven, laid hold of the mule's

bridle, saying, "Harkye, man, bring me back my things and leave

jesting and joking." Al-Rashid replied, "By Allah, I have not

seen thy clothes nor know aught of them!" Now the Caliph had

large cheeks and a small mouth; [FN#221] so Khalifah said to him,

"Belike, thou art by trade a singer or a piper on pipes? But

bring me back my clothes fairly and without more ado, or I will

bash thee with this my staff till thou bepiss thyself and befoul

they clothes." When Al-Rashid saw the staff in the Fisherman's

hand and that he had the vantage of him, he said to himself, "By

Allah, I cannot brook from this mad beggar half a blow of that

staff!" Now he had on a satin gown; so he pulled it off and gave

it to Khalifah, saying, "O man, take this in place of thy

clothes." The Fisherman took it and turned it about and said, "My

clothes are worth ten of this painted 'Abá-cloak;" and rejoined

the Caliph, "Put it on till I bring thee thy gear." So Khalifah

donned the gown, but finding it too long for him, took a knife he

had with him, tied to the handle of his basket, [FN#222] and cut

off nigh a third of the skirt, so that it fell only beneath his

knees. Then he turned to Al-Rashid and said to him, "Allah upon

thee, O piper, tell me what wage thou gettest every month from

thy master, for thy craft of piping." Replied the Caliph, "My

wage is ten dinars a month," and Khalifah continued, "By Allah,

my poor fellow, thou makest me sorry for thee! Why, I make thy

ten dinars every day! Hast thou a mind to take service with me

and I will teach thee the art of fishing and share my gain with

thee? So shalt thou make five dinars a day and be my slavey and

I will protect thee against thy master with this staff." Quoth

Al-Rashid, "I will well"; and quoth Khalifah, "Then get off thy

she-ass and tie her up, so she may serve us to carry the fish

hereafter, and come hither, that I may teach thee to fish

forthright." So Al-Rashid alighted and hobbling his mule, tucked

his skirts into his girdle, and Khalifah said to him, "O piper,

lay hold of the net thus and put it over thy forearm thus and

cast it into the Tigris thus." Accordingly, the Caliph took

heart of grace and, doing as the fisherman showed him, threw the

net and pulled at it, but could not draw it up. So Khalifah came

to his aid and tugged at it with him; but the two together could

not hale it up: whereupon said the fisherman, "O piper of ill-

omen, for the first time I took thy gown in place of my clothes;

but this second time I will have thine ass and will beat thee to

boot, till thou bepiss and beskite thyself! An I find my net

torn." Quoth Al-Rashid, "Let the twain of us pull at once." So

they both pulled together and succeeded with difficulty in

hauling that net ashore, when they found it full of fish of all

kinds and colours;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when

Khalifah the Fisherman and the Caliph hauled that net ashore,

they found it full of fish of all kinds; and Khalifah said to Al-

Rashid, "By Allah, O piper, thou art foul of favor but, an thou

apply thyself to fishing, thou wilt make a mighty fine fisherman.

But now 'twere best thou bestraddle thine ass and make for the

market and fetch me a pair of frails, [FN#223] and I will look

after the fish till thou return, when I and thou will load it on

thine ass's back. I have scales and weights and all we want, so

we can take them with us and thou wilt have nothing to do but to

hold the scales and pouch the price; for here we have fish worth

twenty dinars. So be fast with the frails and loiter not."

Answered the Caliph, "I hear and obey" and mounting, left him

with his fish, and spurred his mule, in high good humour, and

ceased not laughing over his adventures with the Fisherman, till

he came up to Ja'afar, who said to him, "O Commander of the

Faithful, belike, when thou wentest down to drink, thou foundest a

pleasant flower-garden and enteredst and tookest thy pleasure

therein alone?" At this Al-Rashid fell a laughing again and all

the Barmecides rose and kissed the ground before him, saying, "O

Commander of the Faithful, Allah make joy to endure for thee and

do away annoy from thee! What was the cause of thy delaying when

thou faredst to drink and what hath befallen thee?" Quoth the

Caliph, "Verily, a right wondrous tale and a joyous adventure

and a wondrous hath befallen me." And he repeated to them what

had passed between himself and the Fisherman and his words, "Thou

stolest my clothes!" and how he had given him his gown and how he

had cut off a part of it, finding it too long for him. Said

Ja'afar, "By Allah, O Commander of the Faithful, I had it in mind

to beg the gown of thee; but now I will go straight to the

Fisherman and buy it of him." The Caliph replied, "By Allah, he

hath cut off a third part of the skirt and spoilt it! But, O

Ja'afar, I am tired with fishing in the river, for I have caught

great store of fish which I left on the bank with my master

Khalifah, and he is watching them and waiting for me to return to

him with a couple of frails and a matchet. [FN#224] Then we are

to go, I and he, to the market and sell the fish and share the

price." Ja'afar rejoined, "O Commander of the Faithful, I will

bring you a purchaser for your fish." And Al-Rashid retorted, "O

Ja'afar, by the virtue of my holy forefathers, whoso bringeth me

one of the fish that are before Khalifah, who taught me angling,

I will give him for it a gold dinar." So the crier proclaimed

among the troops that they should go forth and buy fish for the

Caliph, and they all arose and made for the river-side. Now,

while Khalifah was expecting the Caliph's return with the two

frails, behold, the Mamelukes swooped down upon him like vultures

and took the fish and wrapped them in gold-embroidered kerchiefs,

beating one another in their eagerness to get at the Fisherman.

Whereupon quoth Khalifah, "Doubtless these are of the fish of

Paradise!" [FN#225] and hending two fish in right hand and left,

plunged into the water up to his neck and fell a-saying, "O

Allah, by the virtue of these fish, let Thy servant the piper, my

partner, come to me at this very moment." And suddenly up to him

came a black slave which was the chief of the Caliph's negro

eunuchs. He had tarried behind the rest, by reason of his horse

having stopped to make water by the way, and finding that naught

remained of the fish, little or much, looked right and left, till

he espied Khalifah standing in the stream, with a fish in either

hand, and said to him, "Come hither, O Fisherman!" But Khalifah

replied, "Begone and none of your impudence!" [FN#226] So the

eunuch went up to him and said, "Give me the fish and I will pay

thee their price." Replied the Fisherman, "Art thou little of

wit? I will not sell them." Therewith the eunuch drew his mace

upon him, and Khalifah cried out, saying, "Strike not, O loon!

Better largesse than the mace." [FN#227] So saying, he threw the

two fishes to the eunuch, who took them and laid them in his

kerchief. Then he put hand in pouch, but found not a single

dirham and said to Khalifah, "O Fisherman, verily thou art out of

luck for, by Allah, I have not a silver about me! But come to-

morrow to the Palace of the Caliphate and ask for the eunuch

Sandal; whereupon the castratos will direct thee to me and by

coming thither thou shalt get what falleth to thy lot and

therewith wend thy ways." Quoth Khalifah, "Indeed, this is a

blessed day and its blessedness was manifest from the first of

it!"[FN#228] Then he shouldered his net and returned to Baghdad;

and as he passed through the streets, the folk saw the Caliph's

gown on him and stared at him till he came to the gate of his

quarter, by which was the shop of the Caliph's tailor. When the

man saw him wearing a dress of the apparel of the Caliph, worth a

thousand dinars, he said to him, "O Khalifah, whence hadst thou

that gown?" Replied the Fisherman, "What aileth thee to be

impudent? I had it of one whom I taught to fish and who is

become my apprentice. I forgave him the cutting off of his hand

[FN#229] for that he stole my clothes and gave me this cape in

their place." So the tailor knew that the Caliph had come upon

him as he was fishing and jested with him and given him the

gown;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying

her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,

She resume, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the

Caliph came upon Khalifah the Fisherman and gave him his own gown

in jest wherewith the man fared home. Such was his case; but as

regards Harun al-Rashid, he had gone out a-hunting and a-fishing

only to divert his thoughts from the damsel, Kut al-Kulub. But

when Zubaydah heard of her and of the Caliph's devotion to her,

the Lady was fired with the jealousy which the more especially

fireth women, so that she refused meat and drink and rejected the

delights of sleep and awaited the Caliph's going forth on a

journey or what not, that she might set a snare for the damsel.

So when she learnt that he was gone hunting and fishing, she bade

her women furnish the Palace fairly and decorate it splendidly

and serve up viands and confections; and amongst the rest she

made a China dish of the daintiest sweetmeats that can be made

wherein she had put Bhang. Then she ordered one of her eunuchs

go to the damsel Kut al-Kulub and bid her to the banquet, saying,

"The Lady Zubaydah bint Al-Kasim, the wife of the Commander of

the Faithful, hath drunken medicine to-day and, having heard tell

of the sweetness of thy singing, longeth to divert herself

somewhat of thine art." Kut al-Kulub replied, "Hearing and

obedience are due to Allah and the Lady Zubaydah," and rose

without stay or delay, unknowing what was hidden for her in the

Secret Purpose. Then she took with her what instruments she

needed and, accompanying the eunuch, ceased not fairing till she

stood in the presence of the Princess. When she entered she

kissed ground before her again and again, then rising to her

feet, said, "Peace be on the Lady of the exalted seat and the presence whereto none may avail, daughter of the

house Abbásí and

scion of the Prophet's family! May Allah fulfil thee of peace

and prosperity in the days and the years!" [FN#230] Then she

stood with the rest of the women and eunuchs, and presently the

Lady Zubaydah raised her eyes and considered her beauty and

loveliness. She saw a damsel with cheeks smooth as rose and

breasts like granado, a face moon-bright, a brow flower-white and

great eyes black as night; her eyelids were langour-dight and her

face beamed with light, as if the sun from her forehead arose and

the murks of the night from the locks of her brow; and the

fragrance of musk from her breath strayed and flowers bloomed in

her lovely face inlaid; the moon beamed from her forehead and in

her slender shape the branches swayed. She was like the full

moon shining in the nightly shade; her eyes wantoned, her

eyebrows were like a bow arched and her lips of coral moulded.

Her beauty amazed all who espied her and her glances amated all

who eyed her. Glory be to Him who formed her and fashioned her

and perfected her! Brief, she was even as saith the poet of one

who favoured her,

"When she's incensed thou seest folk like slain, * And when she's

pleased, their souls are quick again:

Her eyne are armed with glances magical * Wherewith she kills and

quickens as she's fain.

The Worlds she leadeth captive with her eyes * As tho' the Worlds

were all her slavish train."

Quoth the Lady Zubaydah, "Well come, and welcome and fair cheer

to thee, O Kut al-Kulub! Sit and divert us with thine art and

the goodliness of thine accomplishments." Quoth the damsel, "I

hear and I obey"; and, putting out her hand, took the tambourine,

whereof one of its praisers speaketh in the following verses,

"Ho thou o' the tabret, my heart takes flight * And love-smit

cries while thy fingers smite!

Thou takest naught but a wounded heart, * The while for

acceptance longs the wight:

So say thou word or heavy or light; * Play whate'er thou please

it will charm the sprite.

Sois bonne, unveil thy cheek, ma belle * Rise, deftly dance and

all hearts delight."

Then she smote the tambourine briskly and so sang thereto, that

she stopped the birds in the sky and the place danced with them

blithely; after which she laid down the tambourine and took the

pipe [FN#231] whereof it is said,

"She hath eyes whose babes wi' their fingers sign * To sweet

tunes without a discordant line."

And as the poet also said in this couplet,

"And, when she announceth the will to sing, * For Union-joy 'tis

a time divine!"

Then she laid down the pipe, after she had charmed therewith all

who were present, and took up the lute, whereof saith the poet,

"How many a blooming bough in glee-girl's hand is fain * as

lute to 'witch great souls by charm of cunning strain!

She sweeps tormenting lute strings by her artful touch * Wi'

finger-tips that surely chain with endless chain."

Then she tightened its pegs and tuned its strings and laying it

in her lap, bended over it as mother bendeth over child; and it

seemed as it were of her and her lute that the poet spoke in

these couplets,

"Sweetly discourses she on Persian string * And Unintelligence

makes understand.

And teaches she that Love's a murtherer, * Who oft the reasoning

Moslem hath unmann'd.

A maid, by Allah, in whose palm a thing * Of painted wood like

mouth can speech command.

With lute she stauncheth flow of Love; and so * Stops flow of

blood the cunning leach's hand."

Then she preluded in fourteen different modes and sang to the

lute an entire piece, so as to confound the gazers and delight

her hearers. After which she recited these two couplets,

"The coming unto thee is blest: * Therein new joys for aye

attend:

Its blisses are continuous * Its blessings never end."

--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her

permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Fortieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the maiden,

Kut al-Kulub, after singing these songs and sweeping the strings

in presence of the Lady Zubaydah, rose and exhibited tricks of

sleight of hand and legerdemain and all manner pleasing arts,

till the Princess came near to fall in love with her and said to

herself, "Verily, my cousin Al-Rashid is not to blame for loving

her!" Then the damsel kissed ground before Zubaydah and sat

down, whereupon they set food before her. Presently they brought

her the drugged dish of sweetmeats and she ate thereof; and

hardly had it settled in her stomach when her head fell backward

and she sank on the ground sleeping. With this, the Lady said to

her women, "Carry her up to one of the chambers, till I summon

her"; and they replied, "We hear and we obey." Then said she to

one of her eunuchs, "Fashion me a chest and bring it hitherto to

me!", and shortly afterwards she bade make the semblance of a

tomb and spread the report that Kut al-Kulub had choked and died,

threatening her familiars that she would smite the neck of

whoever should say, "She is alive." Now, behold, the Caliph

suddenly returned from the chase, and the first enquiry he made

was for the damsel. So there came to him one of his eunuchs,

whom the Lady Zubaydah had charged to declare she was dead, if

the Caliph should ask for her and, kissing ground before him,

said, "May thy head live, O my lord! Be certified that Kut al-

Kulub choked in eating and is dead." Whereupon cried Al-Rashid,

"God never gladden thee with good news, O thou bad slave!" and

entered the Palace, where he heard of her death from every one

and asked, "Where is her tomb?" So they brought him to the

sepulchre and showed him the pretended tomb, saying, "This is her

burial-place." When he saw it, he cried out and wept and

embraced it, quoting these two couplets, [FN#232]

"By Allah, O tomb, have her beauties ceased and disappeared from

sight * And is the countenance changed and wan, that shone

so wonder-bright?

O tomb, O tomb, thou art neither heaven nor garden, verily: * How

comes it then that swaying branch and moon in thee unite?

The Caliph, weeping sore for her, abode by the tomb a full hour,

after which he arose and went away, in the utmost distress and

the deepest melancholy. So the Lady Zubaydah saw that her plot

had succeeded and forthright sent for the eunuch and said,

"Hither with the chest!" He set it before her, when she bade

bring the damsel and locking her up therein, said to the Eunuch,

"Take all pains to sell this chest and make it a condition with

the purchaser that he buy it locked; then give alms with its

price." [FN#233] So he took it and went forth, to do her

bidding. Thus fared it with these; but as for Khalifah the

Fisherman, when morning morrowed and shone with its light and

sheen, he said to himself, "I cannot do aught better to-day than

visit the Eunuch who bought the fish of me, for he appointed me

to come to him in the Palace of the Caliphate." So he went forth

of his lodging, intending for the palace, and when he came

thither, he found Mamelukes, negro-slaves and eunuchs standing

and sitting; and looking at them, behold, seated amongst them was

the Eunuch who had taken the fish of him, with the white slaves

waiting on him. Presently, one of the Mameluke-lads called out

to him; whereupon the Eunuch turned to see who he was an lo! it

was the Fisherman. Now when Khalifah was ware that he saw him

and recognized him, he said to him, "I have not failed thee, O my

little Tulip! [FN#234] On this wise are men of their word."

Hearing his address, Sandal the Eunuch [FN#235] laughed and

replied, "By Allah, thou art right, O Fisherman," and put his

hand to his pouch, to give him somewhat; but at that moment there

arose a great clamour. So he raised his head to see what was to

do and finding that it was the Wazir Ja'afar the Barmecide coming

forth from the Caliph's presence, he rose to him and forewent

him, and they walked about, conversing for a longsome time.

Khalifah the Fisherman waited awhile; then, growing weary of

standing and finding that the Eunuch took no heed of him, he set

himself in his way and beckoned to him from afar, saying, "O my

lord Tulip, give me my due and let me go!" The Eunuch heard him,

but was ashamed to answer him because of the minister's presence;

so he went on talking with Ja'afar and took no notice whatever of

the Fisherman. Whereupon quoth Khalifah, "O Slow o' Pay!

[FN#236] May Allah put to shame all churls and all who take

folks's goods and are niggardly with them! I put myself under

thy protection, O my lord Bran-belly, [FN#237] to give me my due

and let me go!" The Eunuch heard him, but was ashamed to answer

him before Ja'afar; and the Minister saw the Fisherman beckoning

and talking to him, though he knew not what he was saying; so he

said to Sandal, misliking his behaviour, "O Eunuch, what would

yonder beggar with thee?" Sandal replied, "Dost thou not know

him, O my lord the Wazir?"; and Ja'afar answered, "By Allah, I

know him not! How should I know a man I have never seen but at

this moment?" Rejoined the Eunuch, "O my lord, this is the

Fisherman whose fish we seized on the banks of the Tigris. I

came too late to get any and was ashamed to return to the Prince

of True Believers, empty-handed, when all the Mamelukes had some.

Presently I espied the Fisherman standing in mid-stream, calling

on Allah, with four fishes in his hands, and said to him, 'Give

me what thou hast there and take their worth.' He handed me the

fish and I put my hand into my pocket, purposing to gift him with

somewhat, but found naught therein and said, 'Come to me in the

Palace, and I will give thee wherewithal to aid thee in thy

poverty. So he came to me to-day and I was putting hand to

pouch, that I might give him somewhat, when thou camest forth and

I rose to wait on thee and was diverted with thee from him, till

he grew tired of waiting; and this is the whole story, how he

cometh to be standing here." --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn

of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-first Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when

Sandal the Eunuch related to Ja'afar the Barmecide the tale of

Khalifah the Fisherman, ending with, "This is the whole story and

how he cometh to be standing here!" the Wazir, hearing this

account, smiled and said, "O Eunuch, how is it that this

Fisherman cometh in his hour of need and thou satisfiest him not?

Dost thou not know him, O Chief of the Eunuchs?" "No," answered

Sandal and Ja'afar said, "This is the Master of the Commander of

the Faithful, and his partner and our lord the Caliph has arisen

this morning, strait of breast, heavy of heart and troubled of

thought, nor is there aught will broaden his breast save this

fisherman. So let him not go, till I crave the Caliph's pleasure

concerning him and bring him before him; perchance Allah will

relieve him of his oppression and console him for the loss of Kut

al-Kulub, by means of the Fisherman's presence, and he will give

him wherewithal to better himself; and thou wilt be the cause of

this." Replied Sandal, "O my lord, do as thou wilt and may Allah

Almighty long continue thee a pillar of the dynasty of the

Commander of the Faithful, whose shadow Allah perpetuate [FN#238]

and prosper it, root and branch!" Then the Wazir Ja'afar rose up

and went in to the Caliph, and Sandal ordered the Mamelukes not

to leave the Fisherman; whereupon Khalifah cried, "How goodly is

thy bounty, O Tulip! The seeker is become the sought. I come to

seek my due, and they imprison me for debts in arrears!" [FN#239]

When Ja'afar came in to the presence of the Caliph, he found him

sitting with his head bowed earthwards, breast straitened and

mind melancholy, humming the verses of the poet,

"My blamers instant bid that I for her become consoled; * But I,

what can I do, whose heart declines to be controlled?

And how can I in patience bear the loss of lovely maid, * When

fails me patience for a love that holds with firmest hold!

Ne'er I'll forget her nor the bowl that 'twixt us both went round

* And wine of glances maddened me with drunkenness

ensoul'd."

Whenas Ja'afar stood in the presence, he said, "Peace be upon

thee, O Commander of the Faithful, Defender of the honour of the

Faith and descendant of the uncle of the Prince of the Apostles,

Allah assain him and save him and his family one and all!" The

Caliph raised his head and answered, "And on thee be peace and

the mercy of Allah and His blessings!" Quoth Ja'afar; "With

leave of the Prince of True Believers, his servant would speak

without restraint." Asked the Caliph, "And when was restraint

put upon thee in speech and thou the Prince of Wazirs? Say what

thou wilt." Answered Ja'afar, "When I went out, O my lord, from

before thee, intending for my house, I saw standing at the door

thy master and teacher and partner, Khalifah the Fisherman, who

was aggrieved at thee and complained of thee saying, 'Glory be to

God! I taught him to fish and he went away to fetch me a pair of

frails, but never came back: and this is not the way of a good

partner or of a good apprentice.' So, if thou hast a mind to

partnership, well and good; and if not, tell him, that he may

take to partner another." Now when the Caliph heard these words

he smiled and his straitness of breast was done away with and he

said, "My life on thee, is this the truth thou sayest, that the

Fisherman standeth at the door?" and Ja'afar replied, "By thy

life, O Commander of the Faithful, he standeth at the door."

Quoth the Caliph, "O Ja'afar, by Allah, I will assuredly do my

best to give him his due! If Allah at my hands send him misery,

he shall have it; and if prosperity he shall have it." Then he

took a piece of paper and cutting it in pieces, said to the

Wazir, "O Ja'afar, write down with thine own hand twenty sums of

money, from one dinar to a thousand, and the names of all kinds

of offices and dignities from the least appointment to the

Caliphate; also twenty kinds of punishment from the lightest

beating to death." [FN#240] "I hear and obey, O Commander of the

Faithful," answered Ja'afar, and did as he was bidden. Then said

the Caliph, "O Ja'afar, I swear by my holy forefathers and by my

kinship to Hamzah [FN#241] and Akil, [FN#242] that I mean to

summon the fisherman and bid him take one of these papers, whose

contents none knowesth save thou and I; and whatsoever is written

in the paper which he shall choose, I will give it to him; though

it be the Caliphate I will divest myself thereof and invest him

therewith and grudge it not to him; and, on the other hand, if

there be written therein hanging or mutilation or death, I will

execute it upon him. Now go and fetch him to me." When Ja'afar

heard this, he said to himself, "There is no Majesty and there is

no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! It may be

somewhat will fall to this poor wretch's lot that will bring

about his destruction, and I shall be the cause. But the Caliph

hath sworn; so nothing remains now but to bring him in, and

naught will happen save whatso Allah willeth." Accordingly he

went out to Khalifah the Fisherman and laid hold of his hand to

carry him in to the Caliph, whereupon his reason fled and he said

in himself, "What a stupid I was to come after yonder ill-omened

slave, Tulip, whereby he hath brought me in company with Bran-

belly!" Ja'afar fared on with him, with Mamelukes before and

behind, whilst he said, "Doth not arrest suffice, but these must

go behind and before me, to hinder my making off?" till they had

traversed seven vestibules, when the Wazir said to him, "Mark my

words, O Fisherman! Thou standest before the Commander of the

Faithful and Defender of the Faith!" Then he raised the great

curtain and Khalifah's eyes fell on the Caliph, who was seated on

his couch, with the Lords of the realm standing in attendance

upon him. As soon as he knew him, he went up to him and said,

"Well come, and welcome to thee, O piper! 'Twas not right of thee

to make thyself a Fisherman and go away, leaving me sitting to

guard the fish, and never to return! For, before I was aware,

there came up Mamelukes on beasts of all manner colours, and

snatched away the fish from me, I standing alone, and this was

all of thy fault; for, hadst thou returned with the frails

forthright, we had sold an hundred dinars' worth of fish. And

now I come to seek my due, and they have arrested me. But thou,

who hath imprisoned thee also in this place?" The Caliph smiled

and raising a corner of the curtain, put forth his head and said

to the Fisherman, "Come hither and take thee one of these

papers." Quoth Khalifah the Fisherman, "Yesterday thou wast a

fisherman, and to-day thou hast become an astrologer; but the

more trades a man hath, the poorer he waxeth." Thereupon

Ja'afar said, "Take the paper at once, and do as the Commander

of the Faithful biddeth thee without prating." So he came

forward and put forth his hand saying, "Far be it from me that

this piper should ever again be my knave and fish with me!" Then

taking the paper he handed it to the Caliph, saying, "O piper,

what hath come out for me therein? Hide naught thereof."--And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her

permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-second Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when

Khalifah the Fisherman took up one of the papers and handed it to

the Caliph he said, "O piper, what have come out to me therein?

Hide naught thereof." So Al-Rashid received it and passed it on

to Ja'afar and said to him, "Read what is therein." He looked at

it and said, "There is no Majesty there is no Might save in

Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" Said the Caliph, "Good news,

[FN#243] O Ja'afar? What seest thou therein?" Answered the

Wazir, "O Commander of the Faithful, there came up from the

paper, 'Let the Fisherman receive an hundred blows with a

stick.'" So the Caliph commanded to beat the Fisherman and they

gave him an hundred sticks: after which he rose, saying, "Allah

damn this, O Bran-belly! Are jail and sticks part of the game?"

Then said Ja'afar, "O Commander of the Faithful, this poor devil

is come to the river, and how shall he go away thirsting? We

hope that among the alms-deeds of the Commander of the Faithful,

he may have leave to take another paper, so haply somewhat may

come out wherewithal he may succor his poverty." Said the Caliph,

"By Allah, O Ja'afar, if he take another paper and death be

written therein, I will assuredly kill him, and thou wilt be the

cause." Answered Ja'afar, "If he die he will be at rest." But

Khalifah the Fisherman said to him, "Allah ne'er gladden thee

with good news! Have I made Baghdad strait upon you, that ye

seek to slay me?" Quoth Ja'afar, "Take thee a paper and crave

the blessing of Allah Almighty!" So he put out his hand and

taking a paper, gave it to Ja'afar, who read it and was silent.

The Caliph asked, "Why art thou silent, O son of Yahya?"; and he

answered, "O Commander of the Faithful, there hath come out on

this paper, 'Naught shall be given to the Fisherman.'" Then said

the Caliph, "His daily bread will not come from us: bid him fare

forth from before our face." Quoth Ja'afar, "By the claims of

thy pious forefathers, let him take a third paper, it may be it

will bring him alimony;" and quoth the Caliph, "Let him take one

and no more." So he put out his hand and took a third paper, and

behold, therein was written, "Let the Fisherman be given one

dinar." Ja'afar cried to him, "I sought good fortune for thee,

but Allah willed not to thee aught save this dinar." And

Khalifah answered, "Verily, a dinar for every hundred sticks were

rare good luck, may Allah not send thy body health!" The Caliph

laughed at him and Ja'afar took him by the hand and led him out.

When he reached the door, Sandal the eunuch saw him and said to

him, "Hither, O Fisherman! Give us portion of that which the

Commander of the Faithful hath bestowed on thee, whilst jesting

with thee." Replied Khalifah, "By Allah, O Tulip, thou art

right! Wilt thou share with me, O nigger? Indeed, I have eaten stick

to the tune of an hundred blows and have earned one dinar, and

thou art but too welcome to it." So saying, he threw him the

dinar and went out, with the tears flowing down the plain of his

cheeks. When the Eunuch saw him in this plight, he knew that he

had spoken sooth and called to the lads to fetch him back: so

they brought him back and Sandal, putting his hand to his pouch,

pulled out a red purse, whence he emptied an hundred golden

dinars into the Fisherman's hand, saying, "Take this gold in

payment of thy fish and wend thy ways." So Khalifah, in high

good humor, took the hundred ducats and the Caliph's one dinar

and went his way, and forgot the beating. Now, as Allah willed

it for the furthering of that which He had decreed, he passed by

the mart of the hand-maidens and seeing there a mighty ring where

many folks were foregathering, said to himself, "What is this

crowd?" So he brake through the merchants and others, who said,

"Make wide the way for Skipper Rapscallion, [FN#244] and let him

pass." Then he looked and behold, he saw a chest, with an eunuch

seated thereon and an old man standing by it, and the Shaykh was

crying, "O merchants, O men of money, who will hasten and hazard

his coin for this chest of unknown contents from the Palace of

the Lady Zubaydah bint al-Kasim, wife of the Commander of the

Faithful? How much shall I say for you, Allah bless you all!"

Quoth one of the merchants, "By Allah, this is a risk! But I

will say one word and no blame to me. Be it mine for twenty

dinars." Quoth another, "Fifty," and they went on bidding, one

against other, till the price reached an hundred ducats. Then

said the crier, "Will any of you bid more, O merchants?" And

Khalifah the Fisherman said, "Be it mine for an hundred dinars

and one dinar." The merchants, hearing these words, thought he

was jesting and laughed at him, saying, "O eunuch sell it to

Khalifah for an hundred dinars and one dinar!" Quoth the eunuch,

"By Allah, I will sell it to none but him! Take it, O Fisherman,

the Lord bless thee in it, and here with thy gold." So Khalifah

pulled out the ducats and gave them to the eunuch, who, the

bargain being duly made, delivered to him the chest and bestowed

the price in alms on the spot; after which he returned to the

Palace and acquainted the Lady Zubaydah with what he had done,

whereat she rejoiced. Meanwhile the Fisherman hove the chest on

shoulder, but could not carry it on this wise for the excess of

its weight; so he lifted it on to his head and thus bore it to

the quarter where he lived. Here he set it down and being weary,

sat awhile, bemusing what had befallen him and saying in himself,

"Would Heaven I knew what is in this chest!" Then he opened the

door of his lodging and haled the chest until he got it into his

closet; after which he strove to open it, but failed. Quoth he,

"What folly possessed me to buy this chest? There is no help for

it but to break it open and see what is herein." So he applied

himself to the lock, but could not open it, and said to himself,

"I will leave it till to-morrow." Then he would have stretched

him out to sleep, but could find no room; for the chest filled

the whole closet. So he got upon it and lay him down; but, when

he had lain awhile, behold, he felt something stir under him

whereat sleep forsook him and his reason fled.--And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-third Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when

Khalifah the Fisherman lay down upon the chest and thus tarried

awhile, behold, something stirred beneath him; whereat he was

affrighted and his reason fled. So he arose and cried, "Meseems

there be Jinns in the chest. Praise to Allah who suffered me not

to open it! For, had I done so, they had risen against me in the

dark and slain me, and from them would have befallen me naught of

good." Then he lay down again when, lo! the chest moved a second

time, more than before; whereupon he sprang to his feet and said,

"There it goes again: but this is terrible!" And he hastened to

look for the lamp, but could not find it and had not the

wherewithal to buy another. So he went forth and cried out, "Ho,

people of the quarter!" Now the most part of the folk were

asleep; but they awoke at his crying and asked, "What aileth

thee, O Khalifah?" He answered, "Bring me a lamp, for the Jinn

are upon me." They laughed at him and gave him a lamp, wherewith

he returned to his closet. Then he smote the lock of the chest

with a stone and broke it and opening it, saw a damsel like a

Houri lying asleep within. Now she had been drugged with Bhang,

but at that moment she threw up the stuff and awoke; then she

opened her eyes and feeling herself confined and cramped, moved.

At this sight quoth Khalifah, "By Allah, O my lady, whence art

thou?"; and quoth she, "Bring me Jessamine, and Narcissus."

[FN#245] and Khalifah answered, "There is naught here but Henna-

flowers." [FN#246] thereupon she came to herself and considering

Khalifah, said to him, "What art thou?" presently adding, "And

where am I?" He said, "Thou art in my lodging." Asked she, "Am

I not in the Palace of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid?" And quoth

he, "What manner of thing is Al-Rashid? [FN#247] O madwoman,

Thou art naught but my slave-girl: I bought thee this very day

for an hundred dinars and one dinar, and brought thee home, and

thou wast asleep in this here chest." When she had heard these

words she said to him, "What is thy name?" Said he, "My name is

Khalifah. How comes my star to have grown propitious, when I

know my ascendant to have been otherwise?" She laughed and

cried, "Spare me this talk! Hast thou anything to eat?" Replied

he, "No, by Allah, nor yet to drink! I have not eaten these two

days and am now in want of a morsel." She asked, "Hast thou no

money?"; and he said, "Allah keep this chest which hath beggared

me: I gave all I had for it and am become bankrupt." The damsel

laughed at him and said, "Up with thee and seek of thy neighbours

somewhat for me to eat, for I am hungry." So he went forth and

cried out, "Ho, people of the quarter!" Now the folk were

asleep; but they awoke and asked, "What aileth thee, O Khalifah?"

Answered he, "O my neighbours, I am hungry and have nothing to

eat." So one came down to him with a bannock and another with

broken meats and a third with a bittock of cheese and a fourth with

a cucumber; and so on till he lap was full and he returned to his

closet and laid the whole between her hands, saying, "Eat." But

she laughed at him, saying, "How can I eat of this, when I have

not a mug of water whereof to drink? I fear to choke with a

mouthful and die." Quoth he, "I will fill thee this

pitcher."[FN#248] So he took the pitcher and going forth, stood

in the midst of the street and cried out, saying, "Ho, people of

the quarter!" Quoth they, "What calamity is upon thee to-night,

[FN#249] O Khalifah!" And he said, "Ye gave me food and I ate;

but now I am a-thirst; so give me to drink." Thereupon one came

down to him with a mug and another with an ewer and a third with

a gugglet; and he filled his pitcher and, bearing it back, said

to the damsel, "O my lady, thou lackest nothing now." Answered

she, "True, I want nothing more at this present." Quoth he,

"Speak to me and say me thy story." And quoth she, "Fie upon

thee! An thou knowest me not, I will tell thee who I am. I am

Kut al-Kulub, the Caliph's handmaiden, and the Lady Zubaydah was

jealous of me; so she drugged me with Bhang and set me in this

chest," presently adding, "Alhamdolillah--praised be God--for

that the matter hath come to easy issue and no worse! But this

befel me not save for thy good luck, for thou wilt certainly get

of the Caliph Al-Rashid money galore, that will be the means of

thine enrichment." Quoth Khalifah, "Is not Al-Rashid he in whose

Palace I was imprisoned?" "Yes," answered she; and he said, "By

Allah, never saw I more niggardly wight than he, that piper

little of good and wit! He gave me an hundred blows with a stick

yesterday and but one dinar, for all I taught him to fish and

made him my partner; but he played me false." Replied she,

"Leave this unseemly talk, and open thine eyes and look thou bear

thyself respectfully, whenas thou seest him after this, and thou

shalt win thy wish." When he heard her words, it was if he had

been asleep and awoke; and Allah removed the veil from his

judgment, because of his good luck, [FN#250] and he answered, "On

my head and eyes!" Then said he to her, "Sleep, in the name of

Allah." [FN#251] So she lay down and fell asleep (and he afar

from her) till the morning, when she sought of him inkcase

[FN#252] and paper and, when they were brought wrote to Ibn al-

Kirnas, the Caliph's friend, acquainting him with her case and

how at the end of all that had befallen her she was with Khalifah

the Fisherman, who had bought her. Then she gave him the scroll,

saying, "Take this and hie thee to the jewel-market and ask for

the shop of Ibn al-Kirnas the Jeweller and give him this paper

and speak not." "I hear and I obey," answered Khalifah and going

with the scroll to the market, enquired for the shop of Ibn al-

Kirnas. They directed him to thither and on entering it he

saluted the merchant, who returned his salam with contempt and

said to him, "What dost thou want?" Thereupon he gave him the

letter and he took it, but read it not, thinking the Fisherman a

beggar, who sought an alms of him, and said to one of his lads,

"Give him half a dirham." Quoth Khalifah, "I want no alms; read

the paper." So Ibn al-Kirnas took the letter and read it; and no

sooner knew its import than he kissed it and laying it on his

head--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say

her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ibn

al-Kirnas read the letter and knew its import, he kissed it and

laid it on his head; then he arose and said to Khalifah, "O my

brother, where is thy house?" Asked Khalifah, "What wantest thou

with my house? Wilt thou go thither and steal my slave-girl?"

Then Ibn al-Kirnas answered, "No so: on the contrary, I will buy

thee somewhat whereof you may eat, thou and she." So he said,

"My house is in such a quarter;" and the merchant rejoined, "Thou

hast done well. May Allah not give thee health, O unlucky one!"

[FN#253] Then he called out to two of his slaves and said to

them, "Carry this man to the shop of Mohsin the Shroff and say to

him, 'O Mohsin, give this man a thousand dinars of gold;' then

bring him back to me in haste." So they carried him to the

money-changer, who paid him the money, and returned with him to

their master, whom they found mounted on a dapple she-mule worth

a thousand dinars, with Mamelukes and pages about him, and by his

side another mule like his own, saddled and bridled. Quoth the

jeweller to Khalifah, "Bismillah, mount this mule." Replied he,

"I won't; for by Allah, I fear she throw me;" and quoth Ibn al-

Kirnas, "By God, needs must thou mount." So he came up and

mounting her, face to crupper, caught hold of her tail and cried

out; whereupon she threw him on the ground and they laughed at

him; but he rose and said, "Did I not tell thee I would not mount

this great jenny-ass?" Thereupon Ibn al-Kirnas left him in the

market and repairing to the Caliph, told him of the damsel; after

which he returned and removed her to his own house. Meanwhile,

Khalifah went home to look after the handmaid and found the

people of the quarter foregathering and saying, "Verily, Khalifah

is to-day in a terrible pickle! [FN#254] Would we knew whence he

can have gotten this damsel?" Quoth one of them, "He is a mad

pimp; haply he found her lying on the road drunken, and carried

her to his own house, and his absence showeth that he knoweth his offence." As

they were talking, behold, up came Khalifah, and they said to

him, "What a plight is thine, O unhappy! Knowest thou not what is

come to thee?" He replied, "No, by Allah!" and they said, "But

just now there came Mamelukes and took away thy slave-girl whom

thou stolest, and sought for thee, but found thee not." Asked

Khalifah, "And how came they to take my slave-girl?"; and quoth

one, "Had he falled in their way, they had slain him." But he,

so far from heeding them, returned running to the shop of Ibn

al-Kirnas, whom he met riding, and said to him, "By Allah, 'twas

not right of thee to wheedle me and meanwhile send thy Mamelukes

to take my slave-girl!" Replied the jeweller, "O idiot, come

with me and hold thy tongue." So he took him and carried him

into a house handsomely builded, where he found the damsel seated

on a couch of gold, with ten slave-girls like moons round her.

Sighting her Ibn al-Kirnas kissed ground before her and she said,

"What hast thou done with my new master, who bought me with all

he owned?" He replied, "O my lady, I gave him a thousand golden

dinars;" and related to her Khalifah's history from first to

last, whereat she laughed and said, "Blame him not; for he is but

a common wight. These other thousand dinars are a gift from me

to him and Almighty Allah willing, he shall win of the Caliph

what shall enrich him." As they were talking, there came an

eunuch from the Commander of the Faithful, in quest of Kut al-

Kulub, for, when he knew that she was in the house of Ibn al-

Kirnas, he could not endure the severance, but bade bring her

forthwith. So she repaired to the Palace, taking Khalifah with

her, and going into the presence, kissed ground before the

Caliph, who rose to her, saluting and welcoming her, and asked

her how she had fared with him who had bought her. She replied,

"He is a man, Khalifah the Fisherman hight, and there he standeth

at the door. He telleth me that he hath an account to settle

with the Commander of the Faithful, by reason of a partnership

between him and the Caliph in fishing." Asked Al-Rashid, "Is he

at the door?" and she answered, "Yes." So the Caliph sent for

him and he kissed ground before him and wished him endurance of

glory and prosperity. The Caliph marvelled at him and laughed at

him and said to him, "O Fisherman, wast thou in very deed my

partner [FN#255] yesterday?" Khalifah took his meaning and

heartening his heart and summoning spirit replied, "By Him who

bestowed upon thee the succession to thy cousin, [FN#256] I know

her not in anywise and have had no commerce with her save by way

of sight and speech!" Then he repeated to him all that had

befallen him, since he last saw him, [FN#257] whereat the Caliph

laughed and his breast broadened and he said to Khalifah, "Ask of

us what thou wilt, O thou who bringest to owners their own!" But

he was silent; so the Caliph ordered him fifty thousand dinars of

gold and a costly dress of honour such as great Sovrans don, and

a she-mule, and gave him black slaves of the Súdán to serve him,

so that he became as he were one of the Kings of that time. The

Caliph was rejoiced at the recovery of his favourite and knew

that all this was the doing of his cousin-wife, the Lady

Zubaydah,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased

saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Caliph

rejoiced at the recovery of Kut al-Kulub and knew that all this

was the doing of the Lady Zubaydah, his cousin-wife; wherefore he

was sore enraged against her and held aloof from her a great

while, visiting her not neither inclining to pardon her. When

she was certified of this, she was sore concerned for his wrath

and her face, that was wont to be rosy, waxed pale and wan till,

when her patience was exhausted, she sent a letter to her cousin,

the Commander of the Faithful making her excuses to him and

confessing her offences, and ending with these verses

"I long once more the love that was between us to regain, * That

I may quench the fire of grief and bate the force of bane.

O lords of me, have ruth upon the stress my passion deals *

Enough to me is what you doled of sorrow and of pain.

'Tis life to me an deign you keep the troth you deigned to plight

* 'Tis death to me an troth you break and fondest vows

profane:

Given I've sinned a sorry sin, ye grant me ruth, for naught * By

Allah, sweeter is than friend who is of pardon fain."

When the Lady Zubaydah's letter reached the Caliph, and reading

it he saw that she confessed her offence and sent her excuses to

him therefor, he said to himself, "Verily, all sins doth Allah

forgive; aye, Gracious, Merciful is He!" [FN#258] And he

returned her an answer, expressing satisfaction and pardon and

forgiveness for what was past, whereat she rejoiced greatly. As

for Khalifah, the Fisherman, the Caliph assigned him a monthly

solde of fifty dinars and took him into especial favour, which

would lead to rank and dignity, honour and worship. Then he

kissed ground before the Commander of the Faithful and went forth

with stately gait. When he came to the door, the Eunuch Sandal,

who had given him the hundred dinars, saw him and knowing him,

said to him, "O Fisherman, whence all this?" So he told him all

that had befallen him, first and last, whereat Sandal rejoiced,

because he had been the cause of his enrichment, and said to him,

"Wilt thou not give me largesse of this wealth which is now become

thine?" So Khalifah put hand to pouch and taking out a purse

containing a thousand dinars, gave it to the Eunuch, who said,

"Keep thy coins and Allah bless thee therein!" and marvelled at

his manliness and at the liberality of his soul, for all his late

poverty. [FN#259] Then leaving the eunuch, Khalifah mounted his

she-mule and rode, with the slaves' hands on her crupper, till he

came to his lodging at the Khan, whilst the folk stared at him in

surprise for that which had betided him of advancement. When he

alighted from his beast they accosted him and enquired the cause

of his change from poverty to prosperity, and he told them all

that had happened to him from incept to conclusion. Then he

bought a fine mansion and laid out thereon much money, till it

was perfect in all points. And he took up his abode therein and

was wont to recite thereon these two couplets,

"Behold a house that's like the Dwelling of Delight; [FN#260] *

Its aspect heals the sick and banishes despite.

Its sojourn for the great and wise appointed it, * And Fortune

fair therein abideth day and night."

Then, as soon as he was settled in his house, he sought him in

marriage the daughter of one of the chief men of the city, a

handsome girl, and went in unto her and led a life of solace and

satisfaction, joyaunce and enjoyment; and he rose to passing

affluence and exceeding prosperity. So, when he found himself in

this fortunate condition, he offered up thanks to Allah (extolled

and excelled be He!) for what He had bestowed on him of wealth

exceeding and of favours ever succeeding, praising his Lord with

the praise of the grateful and chanting the words of the poet,

"To Thee be praise, O Thou who showest unremitting grace; * O

Thou whose universal bounties high and low embrace!

To Thee be praise from me! Then deign accept my praise for I *

Accept Thy boons and gifts with grateful soul in every case.

Thou hast with favours overwhelmed me, benefits and largesse *

And gracious doles my memory ne'er ceaseth to retrace.

All men from mighty main, Thy grace and goodness, drain and

drink; * And in their need Thou, only Thou, to them art

refuge-place!

So for the sake of him who came to teach mankind in ruth *

Prophet, pure, truthful-worded scion of the noblest race;

Ever be Allah's blessing and His peace on him and all * His aids

[FN#261] and kin while pilgrims fare his noble tomb to face!

And on his helpmeets [FN#262] one and all, Companions great and

good, * Through time Eternal while the bird shall sing in

shady wood!"

And thereafter Khalifah continued to pay frequent visits to the

Caliph Harun al-Rashid, with whom he found acceptance and who

ceased not to overwhelm him with boons and bounty: and he abode

in the enjoyment of the utmost honour and happiness and joy and

gladness and in riches more than sufficing and in rank ever

rising; brief, a sweet life and a savoury, pure as pleasurable,

till there came to him the Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer

of societies; and extolled be the perfection of Him to whom

belong glory and permanence and He is the Living, the Eternal,

who shall never die!

NOTE. I have followed the example of Mr. Payne and have

translated in its entirety the Tale of Khalifah the Fisherman

from the Breslau Edit. (Vol. iv. pp. 315-365, Night cccxxi-

cccxxxii.) in preference to the unsatisfactory process of

amalgamating it with that of the Mac. Edit. given above.

Khalif the Fisherman of Baghdad.

There was once, in days of yore and in ages and times long gone

before, in the city of Baghdad, a fisherman, by name Khalíf, a

man of muckle talk and little luck. One day, as he sat in his

cell,[FN#263] he bethought himself and said, "There is no Majesty

and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!

Would Heaven I knew what is my offence in the sight of my Lord

and what caused the blackness of my fortune and my littleness of

luck among the fishermen, albeit (and I say it who should not) in

the city of Baghdad there is never a fisherman like myself." Now

he lodged in a ruined place called a Khan, to wit, an

inn,[FN#264] without a door, and when he went forth to fish, he

would shoulder the net, without basket or fish-slicers,[FN#265]

and when the folk would stare at him and say to him, "O Khalif,

why not take with thee a basket, to hold the fish thou

catchest?"; he would reply, "Even as I carry it forth empty, so

would it come back, for I never manage to catch aught." One night

he arose, in the darkness before dawn, and taking his net on his

shoulder, raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Allah mine, O Thou

who subjectedst the sea to Moses son of Imrán, give me this day

my daily bread, for Thou art the best of bread-givers!" Then he

went down to the Tigris and spreading his net, cast it into the

river and waited till it had settled down, when he haled it in

and drew it ashore, but behold, it held naught save a dead dog.

So he cast away the carcase, saying, "O morning of ill doom! What

a handsel is this dead hound, after I had rejoiced in its

weight[FN#266]!" Then he mended the rents in the net, saying,

"Needs must there after this carrion be fish in plenty, attracted

by the smell," and made a second cast. After awhile, he drew up

and found in the net the hough[FN#267] of a camel, that had

caught in the meshes and rent them right and left. When Khalif

saw his net in this state, he wept and said, "There is no Majesty

and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I

wonder what is my offence and the cause of the blackness of my

fortune and the littleness of my luck, of all folk, so that I

catch neither cat-fish nor sprat,[FN#268] that I may broil on the

embers and eat, for all I dare say there is not in the city of

Baghdad a fisherman like me." Then with a Bismillah he cast his

net a third time, and presently drawing it ashore found therein

an ape scurvy and one-eyed, mangy, and limping hending an ivory

rod in forehand. When Khalif saw this, he said, "This is indeed a

blessed opening! What art thou, O ape?" "Dost thou not know me?"

"No, by Allah, I have no knowledge of thee!" "I am thine ape!"

"What use is there in thee, O my ape?" "Every day I give thee

good-morrow, so Allah may not open to thee the door of daily

bread." "Thou failest not of this, O one-eye[FN#269] of ill-omen!

May Allah never bless thee! Needs must I pluck out thy sound eye

and cut off thy whole leg, so thou mayst become a blind cripple

and I be quit of thee. But what is the use of that rod thou

hendest in hand?" "O Khalif, I scare the fish therewith, so they

may not enter thy net." "Is it so?: then this very day will I

punish thee with a grievous punishment and devise thee all manner

torments and strip thy flesh from thy bones and be at rest from

thee, sorry bit of goods that thou art!" So saying, Khalif the

Fisherman unwound from his middle a strand of rope and binding

him to a tree by his side, said, "Lookee, O dog of an ape! I mean

to cast the net again and if aught come up therein, well and

good; but, if it come up empty, I will verily and assuredly make

an end of thee, with the cruellest tortures and be quit of thee,

thou stinking lot." So he cast the net and drawing it ashore,

found in it another ape and said, "Glory be to God the Great! I

was wont to pull naught but fish out of this Tigris, but now it

yieldeth nothing but apes." Then he looked at the second ape and

saw him fair of form and round of face with pendants of gold in

his ears and a blue waistcloth about his middle, and he was like

unto a lighted taper. So he asked him, "What art thou, thou also,

O ape?"; and he answered, saying, "O Khalif, I am the ape of Abú

al-Sa'ádát the Jew, the Caliph's Shroff. Every day, I give him

good-morrow, and he maketh a profit of ten gold pieces." Cried

the Fisherman, "By Allah, thou art a fine ape, not like this

ill-omened monkey o' mine!" So saying, he took a stick[FN#270]

and came down upon the sides of the ape, till he broke his ribs

and he jumped up and down. And the other ape, the handsome one,

answered him, saying, "O Khalif, what will it profit thee to beat

him, though thou belabour him till he die?" Khalif replied, "How

shall I do? Shall I let him wend his ways that he may scare me

the fish with his hang-dog face and give me good-even and

good-morrow every day, so Allah may not open to me the door of

daily bread? Nay, I will kill him and be quit of him and I will

take thee in his stead; so shalt thou give me good-morrow and I

shall gain ten golden dinars a day." Thereupon the comely ape

made answer, "I will tell thee a better way than that, and if

thou hearken to me, thou shalt be at rest and I will become thine

ape in lieu of him." Asked the Fisherman, "And what dost thou

counsel me?"; and the ape answered, saying, "Cast thy net and

thou shalt bring up a noble fish, never saw any its like, and I

will tell thee how thou shalt do with it." Replied Khalif,

"Lookee, thou too! An I throw my net and there come up therein a

third ape, be assured that I will cut the three of you into six

bits." And the second ape rejoined, "So be it, O Khalif. I agree

to this thy condition." Then Khalif spread the net and cast it

and drew it up, when behold, in it was a fine young

barbel[FN#271] with a round head, as it were a milking-pail,

which when he saw, his wits fled for joy and he said, "Glory be

to God! What is this noble creature? Were yonder apes in the

river, I had not brought up this fish." Quoth the seemly ape, "O

Khalif, an thou give ear to my rede, 'twill bring thee good

fortune"; and quoth the Fisherman, "May God damn him who would

gainsay thee henceforth!" Thereupon the ape said, "O Khalif, take

some grass and lay the fish thereon in the basket[FN#272] and

cover it with more grass and take also somewhat of basil[FN#273]

from the greengrocer's and set it in the fish's mouth. Cover it

with a kerchief and push thee through the bazar of Baghdad.

Whoever bespeaketh thee of selling it, sell it not but fare on,

till thou come to the market street of the jewellers and

money-changers. Then count five shops on the right-hand side and

the sixth shop is that of Abu al-Sa'adat the Jew, the Caliph's

Shroff. When thou standest before him, he will say to thee, 'What

seekest thou?'; and do thou make answer, 'I am a fisherwight, I

threw my net in thy name and took this noble barbel, which I have

brought thee as a present.' If he give thee aught of silver, take

it not, be it little or mickle, for it will spoil that which thou

wouldst do, but say to him, 'I want of thee naught save one word,

that thou say to me, 'I sell thee my ape for thine ape and my

luck for thy luck.' An the Jew say this, give him the fish and I

shall become thine ape and this crippled, mangy and one-eyed ape

will be his ape." Khalif replied, "Well said, O ape," nor did he

cease faring Baghdad-wards and observing that which the ape had

said to him, till he came to the Jew's shop and saw the Shroff

seated, with eunuchs and pages about him, bidding and forbidding

and giving and taking. So he set down his basket, saying, "O

Sultan of the Jews, I am a fisher-wight and went forth to-day to

the Tigris and casting my net in thy name, cried, 'This is for

the luck of Abu al-Sa'adat;' and there came up to me this Banni

which I have brought thee by way of present." Then he lifted the

grass and discovered the fish to the Jew, who marvelled at its

make and said, "Extolled be the perfection of the Most Excellent

Creator!" Then he gave the fisherman a dinar, but he refused it

and he gave him two. This also he refused and the Jew stayed not

adding to his offer, till he made it ten dinars; but he still

refused and Abu al-Sa'adat said to him, "By Allah, thou art a

greedy one. Tell me what thou wouldst have, O Moslem!" Quoth

Khalif, "I would have of thee but a single word. [FN#274]" When

the Jew heard this, he changed colour and said, "Wouldst thou

oust me from my faith? Wend thy ways;" and Khalif said to him,

"By Allah, O Jew, naught mattereth an thou become a Moslem or a

Nazarene!" Asked the Jew, "Then what wouldst thou have me say?";

and the fisherman answered, "Say, I sell thee my ape for thy ape

and my luck for thy luck." The Jew laughed, deeming him little of

wit, and said by way of jest, "I sell thee my ape for thy ape and

my luck for thy luck. Bear witness against him, O merchants! By

Allah, O unhappy, thou art debarred from further claim on me!" So

Khalif turned back, blaming himself and saying, "There is no

Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the

Great! Alas that I did not take the gold!" and fared on blaming

himself in the matter of the money till he came to the Tigris,

but found not the two apes, whereupon he wept and slapped his

face and strewed dust on his head, saying, "But that the second

ape wheedled me and put a cheat on me, the one-eyed ape had not

escaped." And he gave not over wailing and weeping, till heat and

hunger grew sore on him: so he took the net, saying, "Come, let

us make a cast, trusting in Allah's blessing; belike I may catch

a cat-fish or a barbel which I may boil and eat." So he threw the

net and waiting till it had settled, drew it ashore and found it

full of fish, whereat he was consoled and rejoiced and busied

himself with unmeshing the fish and casting them on the earth.

Presently, up came a woman seeking fish and crying out, "Fish is

not to be found in the town." She caught sight of Khalif, and

said to him, "Wilt thou sell this fish, O Master?" Answered

Khalif, "I am going to turn it into clothes, 'tis all for sale,

even to my beard.[FN#275] Take what thou wilt." So she gave him a

dinar and he filled her basket. Then she went away and behold, up

came another servant, seeking a dinar's worth of fish; nor did

the folk cease till it was the hour of mid-afternoon prayer and

Khalif had sold ten golden dinars' worth of fish. Then, being

faint and famisht, he folded and shouldered his net and,

repairing to the market, bought himself a woollen gown, a calotte

with a plaited border and a honey-coloured turband for a dinar

receiving two dirhams by way of change, wherewith he purchased

fried cheese and a fat sheep's tail and honey and setting them in

the oilman's platter, ate till he was full and his ribs felt

cold[FN#276] from the mighty stuffing. Then he marched off to his

lodgings in the magazine, clad in the gown and the honey-coloured

turband and with the nine golden dinars in his mouth, rejoicing

in what he had never in his life seen. He entered and lay down,

but could not sleep for anxious thoughts and abode playing with

the money half the night. Then said he in himself, "Haply the

Caliph may hear that I have gold and say to Ja'afar, 'Go to

Khalif the Fisherman and borrow us some money of him.' If I give

it him, it will be no light matter to me, and if I give it not,

he will torment me; but torture is easier to me than the giving

up of the cash.[FN#277] However, I will arise and make trial of

myself if I have a skin proof against stick or not." So he put

off his clothes and taking a sailor's plaited whip, of an hundred

and sixty strands, ceased not beating himself, till his sides and

body were all bloody, crying out at every stroke he dealt himself

and saying "O Moslems! I am a poor man! O Moslems, I am a poor

man! O Moslems, whence should I have gold, whence should I have

coin?" till the neighbours, who dwelt with him in that place,

hearing him crying and saying, "Go to men of wealth and take of

them," thought that thieves were torturing him, to get money from

him, and that he was praying for aidance. Accordingly they

flocked to him each armed with some weapon and finding the door

of his lodging locked and hearing him roaring out for help,

deemed that the thieves had come down upon him from the

terrace-roof; so they fell upon the door and burst it open. Then

they entered and found him mother-naked and bareheaded with body

dripping blood, and altogether in a sad pickle; so they asked

him, "What is this case in which we find thee? Hast thou lost thy

wits and hath Jinn-madness betided thee this night?" And he

answered them, "Nay; but I have gold with me and I feared lest

the Caliph send to borrow of me and it were no light matter to

give him aught; yet, an I gave not to him 'tis only too sure that

he would put me to the torture; wherefore I arose to see if my

skin were stick-proof or not." When they heard these words they

said to him, "May Allah not assain thy body, unlucky madman that

thou art! Of a surety thou art fallen mad to-night! Lie down to

sleep, may Allah never bless thee! How many thousand dinars hast

thou, that the Caliph should come and borrow of thee?" He

replied, "By Allah, I have naught but nine dinars." And they all

said, "By Allah, he is not otherwise than passing rich!" Then

they left him wondering at his want of wit, and Khalif took his

cash and wrapped it in a rag, saying to himself, "Where shall I

hide all this gold? An I bury it, they will take it, and if I put

it out on deposit, they will deny that I did so, and if I carry

it on my head,[FN#278] they will snatch it, and if I tie it to my

sleeve, they will cut it away." Presently, he espied a little

breast-pocket in the gown and said, "By Allah, this is fine! 'Tis

under my throat and hard by my mouth: if any put out his hand to

hend it, I can come down on it with my mouth and hide it in my

throttle." So he set the rag containing the gold in the pocket

and lay down, but slept not that night for suspicion and trouble

and anxious thought. On the morrow, he fared forth of his lodging

on fishing intent and, betaking himself to the river, went down

into the water, up to his knees. Then he threw the net and shook

it with might and main; whereupon the purse fell down into the

stream. So he tore off gown and turband and plunged in after it,

saying, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,

the Glorious, the Great!" Nor did he give over diving and

searching the stream-bed, till the day was half spent, but found

not the purse. Now one saw him from afar diving and plunging and

his gown and turband lying in the sun at a distance from him,

with no one by them; so he watched him, till he dived again when

he dashed at the clothes and made off with them. Presently,

Khalif came ashore and, missing his gown and turband, was

chagrined for their loss with passing cark and care and ascended

a mound, to look for some passer-by, of whom he might enquire

concerning them, but found none. Now the Caliph Harun al-Rashid

had gone a-hunting and chasing that day; and, returning at the

time of the noon heat, was oppressed thereby and thirsted; so he

looked for water from afar and seeing a naked man standing on the

mound said to Ja'afar, "Seest thou what I see?" Replied the

Wazir, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful; I see a man standing on

a hillock." Al-Rashid asked, "What is he?"; and Ja'afar answered,

"Haply he is the guardian of a cucumber-plot." Quoth the Caliph,

"Perhaps he is a pious man[FN#279]; I would fain go to him,

alone, and desire of him his prayers; and abide ye where you

are." So he went up to Khalif and saluting him with the salam

said to him, "What art thou, O man?" Replied the fisherman, "Dost

thou not know me? I am Khalif the Fisherman;" and the Caliph

rejoined, "What? The Fisherman with the woollen gown and the

honey-coloured turband[FN#280]?" When Khalif heard him name the

clothes he had lost, he said in himself, "This is he who took my

duds: belike he did but jest with me." So he came down from the

knoll and said, "Can I not take a noontide nap[FN#281] but thou

must trick me this trick? I saw thee take my gear and knew that

thou wast joking with me." At this, laughter got the better of

the Caliph and he said; "What clothes hast thou lost? I know

nothing of that whereof thou speakest, O Khalif." Cried the

Fisherman, "By God the Great, except thou bring me back the gear,

I will smash thy ribs with this staff!" (For he always carried a

quarterstaff.) Quoth the Caliph, "By Allah, I have not seen the

things whereof thou speakest!"; and quoth Khalif "I will go with

thee and take note of thy dwelling-place and complain of thee to

the Chief of Police, so thou mayst not trick me this trick again.

By Allah, none took my gown and turband but thou, and except thou

give them back to me at once, I will throw thee off the back of

that she-ass thou ridest and come down on thy pate with this

quarterstaff, till thou canst not stir!" Thereupon he tugged at

the bridle of the mule so that she reared up on her hind legs and

the Caliph said to himself, "What calamity is this I have fallen

into with this madman?" Then he pulled off a gown he had on,

worth an hundred dinars, and said to Khalif, "Take this gown in

lieu of thine own." He took it and donning it saw it was too

long; so he cut it short at the knees and turbanded his head with

the cut-off piece; then said to the Caliph, "What art thou and

what is thy craft? But why ask? Thou art none other than a

trumpeter." Al-Rashid asked, "What showed thee that I was a

trumpeter by trade?"; and Khalif answered, "Thy big nostrils and

little mouth." Cried the Caliph, "Well guessed! Yes, I am of that

craft." Then said Khalif, "An thou wilt hearken to me, I will

teach thee the art of fishing: 'twill be better for thee than

trumpeting and thou wilt eat lawfully[FN#282]." Replied the

Caliph, "Teach it me so that I may see whether I am capable of

learning it." And Khalif said, "Come with me, O trumpeter." So

the Caliph followed him down to the river and took the net from

him, whilst he taught him how to throw it. Then he cast it and

drew it up, when, behold, it was heavy, and the fisherman said,

"O trumpeter, an the net be caught on one of the rocks, drag it

not too hard, or 'twill break and by Allah, I will take thy

she-ass in payment thereof!" The Caliph laughed at his words and

drew up the net, little by little, till he brought it ashore and

found it full of fish; which when Khalif saw, his reason fled for

joy and presently he cried, "By Allah, O trumpeter, thy luck is

good in fishing! Never in my life will I part with thee! But now

I mean to send thee to the fish-bazar, where do thou enquire for

the shop of Humayd the fisherman and say to him, 'My master

Khalif saluteth thee and biddeth thee send him a pair of frails

and a knife, so he may bring thee more fish than yesterday.' Run

and return to me forthright!" The Caliph replied (and indeed he

was laughing), "On my head, O master!" and, mounting his mule,

rode back to Ja'afar, who said to him, "Tell me what hath

betided thee." So the Caliph told him all that had passed between

Khalif the Fisherman and himself, from first to last, adding, "I

left him awaiting my return to him with the baskets and I am

resolved that he shall teach me how to scale fish and clean

them." Quoth Ja'afar, "And I will go with thee to sweep up the

scales and clean out the shop." And the affair abode thus, till

presently the Caliph cried, "O Ja'afar, I desire of thee that

thou despatch the young Mamelukes, saying to them, 'Whoso

bringeth me a fish from before yonder fisherman, I will give him

a dinar;' for I love to eat of my own fishing." Accordingly

Ja'afar repeated to the young white slaves what the Caliph had

said and directed them where to find the man. They came down upon

Khalif and snatched the fish from him; and when he saw them and

noted their goodliness, he doubted not but that they were of the

black-eyed Houris of Paradise: so he caught up a couple of fish

and ran into the river, saying, "O Allah mine, by the secret

virtue of these fish, forgive me!" Suddenly, up came the chief

eunuch, questing fish, but he found none; so seeing Khalif

ducking and rising in the water, with the two fish in his hands,

called out to him, saying, "O Khalif, what hast thou there?"

Replied the fisherman, "Two fish," and the eunuch said, "Give

them to me and take an hundred dinars for them." Now when Khalif

heard speak of an hundred dinars, he came up out of the water and

cried, "Hand over the hundred dinars." Said the eunuch, "Follow

me to the house of Al-Rashid and receive thy gold, O Khalif;" and,

taking the fish, made off to the Palace of the Caliphate.

Meanwhile Khalif betook himself to Baghdad, clad as he was in the

Caliph's gown, which reached only to above his knees,[FN#283]

turbanded with the piece he had cut off therefrom and girt about

his middle with a rope, and he pushed through the centre of the

city. The folk fell a-laughing and marvelling at him and saying,

"Whence hadst thou that robe of honour?" But he went on, asking,

"Where is the house of Al-Rashád[FN#284]?;" and they answered,

"Say, 'The house of Al-Rashíd';" and he rejoined, "'Tis all the

same," and fared on, till he came to the Palace of the Caliphate.

Now he was seen by the tailor, who had made the gown and who was

standing at the door, and when he noticed it upon the Fisherman,

he said to him, "For how many years hast thou had admission to

the palace?" Khalif replied, "Ever since I was a little one;" and

the tailor asked, "Whence hadest thou that gown thou hast spoilt

on this wise?" Khalif answered, "I had it of my apprentice the

trumpeter." Then he went up to the door, where he found the Chief

Eunuch sitting with the two fishes by his side: and seeing him

sable-black of hue, said to him, "Wilt thou not bring the hundred

dinars, O uncle Tulip?" Quoth he, "On my head, O Khalif," when,

behold, out came Ja'afar from the presence of the Caliph and

seeing the fisherman talking with the Eunuch and saying to him,

"This is the reward of goodness, O nuncle Tulip," went in to

Al-Rashid and said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, thy

master the Fisherman is with the Chief Eunuch, dunning him for an

hundred dinars." Cried the Caliph, "Bring him to me, O Ja'afar;"

and the Minister answered, "Hearing and obeying." So he went out

to the Fisherman and said to him, "O Khalif, thine apprentice the

trumpeter biddeth thee to him;" then he walked on, followed by

the other till they reached the presence-chamber, where he saw

the Caliph seated, with a canopy over his head. When he entered,

Al-Rashid wrote three scrolls and set them before him, and the

Fisherman said to him, "So thou hast given up trumpeting and

turned astrologer!" Quoth the Caliph to him, "Take thee a

scroll." Now in the first he had written, "Let him be given a

gold piece," in the second, "An hundred dinars," and in the

third, "Let him be given an hundred blows with a whip." So Khalif

put out his hand and by the decree of the Predestinator, it

lighted on the scroll wherein was written, "Let him receive an

hundred lashes," and Kings, whenas they ordain aught, go not back

therefrom. So they threw him prone on the ground and beat him an

hundred blows, whilst he wept and roared for succour, but none

succoured him, and said, "By Allah, this is a good joke O

trumpeter! I teach thee fishing and thou turnest astrologer and

drawest me an unlucky lot. Fie upon thee,[FN#285] in thee is

naught of good!" When the Caliph heard his speech, he fell

fainting in a fit of laughter and said, "O Khalif, no harm shall

betide thee: fear not. Give him an hundred gold pieces." So they

gave him an hundred dinars, and he went out, and ceased not

faring forth till he came to the trunk-market, where he found the

folk assembled in a ring about a broker, who was crying out and

saying, "At an hundred dinars, less one dinar! A locked chest!"

So he pressed on and pushed through the crowd and said to the

broker, "Mine for an hundred dinars!" The broker closed with him

and took his money, whereupon there was left him nor little nor

much. The porters disputed awhile about who should carry the

chest and presently all said, "By Allah, none shall carry this

chest but Zurayk!"[FN#286] And the folk said, "Blue-eyes hath the

best right to it." So Zurayk shouldered the chest, after the

goodliest fashion, and walked a-rear of Khalif. As they went

along, the Fisherman said in himself, "I have nothing left to

give the porter; how shall I rid myself of him? Now I will

traverse the main streets with him and lead him about, till he be

weary and set it down and leave it, when I will take it up and

carry it to my lodging." Accordingly, he went round about the

city with the porter from noontide to sundown, till the man began

to grumble and said, "O my lord, where is thy house?" Quoth

Khalif, "Yesterday I knew it, but to-day I have forgotten it."

And the porter said, "Give me my hire and take thy chest." But

Khalif said, "Go on at thy leisure, till I bethink me where my

house is," presently adding, "O Zurayk, I have no money with me.

'Tis all in my house and I have forgotten where it is." As they

were talking, there passed by them one who knew the Fisherman and

said to him, "O Khalif, what bringeth thee hither?" Quoth the

porter, "O uncle, where is Khalif's house?" and quoth he, "'Tis

in the ruined Khan in the Rawásín Quarter."[FN#287] Then said

Zurayk to Khalif, "Go to; would Heaven thou hadst never lived nor

been!" And the Fisherman trudged on, followed by the porter, till

they came to the place when the Hammal said, "O thou whose daily

bread Allah cut off in this world, have we not passed this place

a score of times? Hadst thou said to me, 'Tis in such a stead,

thou hadst spared me this great toil; but now give me my wage and

let me wend my way." Khalif replied "Thou shalt have silver, if

not gold. Stay here, till I bring thee the same." So he entered

his lodging and taking a mallet he had there, studded with forty

nails (wherewith an he smote a camel, he had made an end of it),

rushed upon the porter and raised his forearm to strike him

therewith; but Zurayk cried out at him, saying, "Hold thy hand! I

have no claim on thee," and fled. Now having got rid of the

Hammal, Khalif carried the chest into the Khan, whereupon the

neighbours came down and flocked about him, saying, "O Khalif,

whence hadst thou this robe and this chest?" Quoth he, "From my

apprentice Al-Rashid who gave them to me," and they said, "The

pimp is mad! Al-Rashid will assuredly hear of his talk and hang

him over the door of his lodging and hang all in the Khan on

account of the droll. This is a fine farce!" Then they helped him

to carry the chest into his lodging and it filled the whole

closet.[FN#288] Thus far concerning Khalif; but as for the

history of the chest, it was as follows: The Caliph had a Turkish

slave-girl, by name Kut al-Kulúb, whom he loved with love

exceeding and the Lady Zubaydah came to know of this from himself

and was passing jealous of her and secretly plotted mischief

against her. So, whilst the Commander of the Faithful was absent

a-sporting and a-hunting, she sent for Kut al-Kulub and, inviting

her to a banquet, set before her meat and wine, and she ate and

drank. Now the wine was drugged with Bhang; so she slept and

Zubaydah sent for her Chief Eunuch and putting her in a great

chest, locked it and gave it to him, saying, "Take this chest and

cast it into the river." Thereupon he took it up before him on a

he-mule and set out with it for the sea, but found it unfit to

carry; so, as he passed by the trunk-market, he saw the Shaykh of

the brokers and salesmen and said to him, "Wilt thou sell me this

chest, O uncle?" The broker replied, "Yes, we will do this much."

"But," said the Eunuch, "look thou sell it not except locked;"

and the other, "'Tis well; we will do that also."[FN#289] So he

set down the chest, and they cried it for sale, saying, "Who will

buy this chest for an hundred dinars?"; and behold, up came

Khalif the Fisherman and bought the chest after turning it over

right and left; and there passed between him and the porter that

which hath been before set out. Now as regards Khalif the

Fisherman; he lay down on the chest to sleep, and presently Kut

al-Kulub awoke from her Bhang and finding herself in the chest,

cried out and said, "Alas!" Whereupon Khalif sprang off the

chest-lid and cried out and said, "Ho, Moslems! Come to my help!

There are Ifrits in the chest." So the neighbours awoke from

sleep and said to him, "What mattereth thee, O madman?" Quoth he,

"The chest is full of Ifrits;" and quoth they, "Go to sleep; thou

hast troubled our rest this night may Allah not bless thee! Go in

and sleep, without madness." He ejaculated, "I cannot sleep;" but

they abused him and he went in and lay down once more. And

behold, Kut al-Kulub spoke and said, "Where am I?" Upon which

Khalif fled forth the closet and said, "O neighbours of the

hostelry, come to my aid!" Quoth they, "What hath befallen thee?

Thou troublest the neighbours' rest." "O folk, there be Ifrits in

the chest, moving and speaking." "Thou liest: what do they say?"

"They say, 'Where am I?'" "Would Heaven thou wert in Hell! Thou

disturbest the neighbours and hinderest them of sleep. Go to

sleep, would thou hadst never lived nor been!" So Khalif went in

fearful because he had no place wherein to sleep save upon the

chest-lid when lo! as he stood, with ears listening for speech,

Kut al-Kulub spake again and said, "I'm hungry." So in sore

affright he fled forth and cried out, "Ho neighbours! ho dwellers

in the Khan, come aid me!" Said they, "What is thy calamity

now?"[FN#290] And he answered, "The Ifrits in the chest say, 'We

are hungry.'" Quoth the neighbours one to other, "'Twould seem

Khalif is hungry; let us feed him and give him the supper-orts;

else he will not let us sleep to-night." So they brought him

bread and meat and broken victuals and radishes and gave him a

basket full of all kinds of things, saying, "Eat till thou be

full and go to sleep and talk not, else will we break thy ribs

and beat thee to death this very night." So he took the basket

with the provaunt and entered his lodging. Now it was a moonlight

night and the moon shone in full sheen upon the chest and lit up

the closet with its light, seeing this he sat down on his

purchase and fell to eating of the food with both hands.

Presently Kut al-Kulub spake again and said, "Open to me and have

mercy upon me, O Moslems!" So Khalif arose and taking a stone he

had by him, broke the chest open and behold, therein lay a young

lady as she were the sun's shining light with brow flower-white,

face moonbright, cheeks of rose-hue exquisite and speech sweeter

than sugar-bite, and in dress worth a thousand dinars and more

bedight. Seeing this his wits flew from his head for joy and he

said, "By Allah, thou art of the fair!" She asked him, "What art

thou, O fellow?" and he answered, "O my lady, I am Khalif the

Fisherman." Quoth she, "Who brought me hither?"; and quoth he, "I

bought thee, and thou art my slave-girl." Thereupon said she, "I

see on thee a robe of the raiment of the Caliph." So he told her

all that had betided him, from first to last, and how he had

bought the chest; wherefore she knew that the Lady Zubaydah had

played her false; and she ceased not talking with him till the

morning, when she said to him, "O Khalif, seek me from some one

inkcase and reed-pen and paper and bring them to me." So he found

with one of the neighbours what she sought and brought it to her,

whereupon she wrote a letter and folded it and gave it to him,

saying, "O Khalif, take this paper and carry it to the

jewel-market, where do thou enquire for the shop of Abu al-Hasan

the jeweller and give it to him." Answered the Fisherman, "O my

lady, this name is difficult to me; I cannot remember it." And

she rejoined, "Then ask for the shop of Ibn al-'Ukáb."[FN#291]

Quoth he, "O my lady, what is an 'Ukab?"; and quoth she, "'Tis a

bird which folk carry on fist with eyes hooded." And he

exclaimed, "O my lady, I know it." Then he went forth from her

and fared on, repeating the name, lest it fade from his memory;

but, by the time he reached the jewel-market, he had forgotten

it. So he accosted one of the merchants and said to him, "Is

there any here named after a bird?" Replied the merchant, "Yes,

thou meanest Ibn al-Ukab." Khalif cried, "That's the man I want,"

and making his way to him, gave him the letter, which when he

read and knew the purport thereof, he fell to kissing it and

laying it on his head; for it is said that Abu al-Hasan was the

agent of the Lady Kut al-Kulub and her intendant over all her

property in lands and houses. Now she had written to him, saying,

"From Her Highness the Lady Kut al-Kulub to Sir Abu al-Hasan the

jeweller. The instant this letter reacheth thee, set apart for us

a saloon completely equipped with furniture and vessels and

negro-slaves and slave-girls and what not else is needful for our

residence and seemly, and take the bearer of the missive and

carry him to the bath. Then clothe him in costly apparel and do

with him thus and thus." So he said "Hearing and obeying," and

locking up his shop, took the Fisherman and bore him to the bath,

where he committed him to one of the bathmen, that he might serve

him, according to custom. Then he went forth to carry out the

Lady Kut al-Kulub's orders. As for Khalif, he concluded, of his

lack of wit and stupidity, that the bath was a prison and said to

the bathman, "What crime have I committed that ye should lay me

in limbo?" They laughed at him and made him sit on the side of

the tank, whilst the bathman took hold of his legs, that he might

shampoo them. Khalif thought he meant to wrestle with him and

said to himself, "This is a wrestling-place[FN#292] and I knew

naught of it." Then he arose and seizing the bathman's legs,

lifted him up and threw him on the ground and broke his ribs. The

man cried out for help, whereupon the other bathmen came in a

crowd and fell upon Khalif and overcoming him by dint of numbers,

delivered their comrade from his clutches and tunded him till he

came to himself. Then they knew that the Fisherman was a

simpleton and served him till Abu al-Hasan came back with a dress

of rich stuff and clad him therein; after which he brought him a

handsome she-mule, ready saddled, and taking him by the hand,

carried him forth of the bath and said to him, "Mount." Quoth he,

"How shall I mount? I fear lest she throw me and break my ribs

into my belly." Nor would he back the mule, save after much

travail and trouble, and they stinted not faring on, till they

came to the place which Abu al-Hasan had set apart for the Lady

Kut al-Kulub. Thereupon Khalif entered and found her sitting,

with slaves and eunuchs about her and the porter at the door,

staff in hand, who when he saw the Fisherman sprang up and

kissing his hand, went before him, till he brought him within the

saloon. Here the Fisherman saw what amazed his wit, and his eye

was dazzled by that which he beheld of riches past count and

slaves and servants, who kissed his hand and said, "May the bath

be a blessing to thee!"[FN#293] When he entered the saloon and

drew near unto Kut al-Kulub, she sprang up to him and taking him

by the hand, seated him on a high-mattrassed divan. Then she

brought him a vase of sherbet of sugar, mingled with rosewater

and willow-water, and he took it and drank it off and left not a

single drop. Moreover, he ran his finger round the inside of the

vessel[FN#294] and would have licked it, but she forbade him,

saying, "That is foul." Quoth he, "Silence; this is naught but

good honey;" and she laughed at him and set before him a tray of

meats, whereof he ate his sufficiency. Then they brought an ewer

and basin of gold, and he washed his right hand and abode in the

gladdest of life and the most honourable. Now hear what befel the

Commander of the Faithful. When he came back from his journey and

found not Kut al-Kulub, he questioned the Lady Zubaydah of her

and she said, "She is verily dead, may thy head live, O Prince of

True Believers!" But she had bidden dig a grave amiddlemost the

Palace and had built over it a mock tomb, for her knowledge of

the love the Caliph bore to Kut al-Kulub: so she said to him, "O

Commander of the Faithful, I made her a tomb amiddlemost the

Palace and buried her there." Then she donned black,[FN#295] a

mere sham and pure pretence; and feigned mourning a great while.

Now Kut al-Kulub knew that the Caliph was come back from his

hunting excursion; so she turned to Khalif and said to him,

"Arise; hie thee to the bath and come back." So he rose and went

to the Hammam-bath, and when he returned, she clad him in a dress

worth a thousand dinars and taught him manners and respectful

bearing to superiors. Then said she to him, "Go hence to the

Caliph and say to him, 'O Commander of the Faithful, 'tis my

desire that this night thou deign be my guest.'" So Khalif arose

and mounting his she-mule, rode, with pages and black slaves

before him, till he came to the Palace of the Caliphate. Quoth

the wise, "Dress up a stick and 'twill look chique."[FN#296] And

indeed his comeliness was manifest and his goodliness and the

folk marvelled at this. Presently, the Chief Eunuch saw him, the

same who had given him the hundred dinars that had been the cause

of his good fortune; so he went in to the Caliph and said to him,

"O Commander of the Faithful, Khalif the Fisherman is become a

King, and on him is a robe of honour worth a thousand dinars."

The Prince of True Believers bade admit him; so he entered and

said, "Peace be with thee, O Commander of the Faithful and

Vice-regent of the Lord of the three Worlds and Defender of the

folk of the Faith! Allah Almighty prolong thy days and honour thy

dominion and exalt thy degree to the highmost height!" The Caliph

looked at him and marvelled at him and how fortune had come to

him at unawares; then he said to him, "O Khalif, whence hadst

thou that robe which is upon thee?" He replied, "O Commander of

the Faithful, it cometh from my house." Quoth the Caliph, "Hast

thou then a house?"; and quoth Khalif, "Yea, verily! and thou, O

Commander of the Faithful, art my guest this day." Al-Rashid

said, "I alone, O Khalif, or I and those who are with me?"; and

he replied, "Thou and whom thou wilt." So Ja'afar turned to him

and said, "We will be thy guests this night;" whereupon he kissed

ground again and withdrawing, mounted his mule and rode off,

attended by his servants and suite of Mamelukes leaving the

Caliph marvelling at this and saying to Ja'afar, "Sawest thou

Khalif, with his mule and dress, his white slaves and his

dignity? But yesterday I knew him for a buffoon and a jester."

And they marvelled at this much. Then they mounted and rode, till

they drew near Khalif's house, when the Fisherman alighted and,

taking a bundle from one of his attendants, opened it and pulled

out therefrom a piece of tabby silk[FN#297] and spread it under

the hoofs of the Caliph's she-mule; then he brought out a piece

of velvet-Kimcob[FN#298] and a third of fine satin and did with

them likewise; and thus he spread well nigh twenty pieces of rich

stuffs, till Al-Rashid and his suite had reached the house; when

he came forward and said, "Bismillah,[FN#299] O Commander of the

Faithful!" Quoth Al-Rashid to Ja'afar, "I wonder to whom this

house may belong," and quoth he, "It belongeth to a man hight Ibn

al-Ukab, Syndic of the jewellers." So the Caliph dismounted and

entering, with his courtiers, saw a high-builded saloon, spacious

and boon, with couches on daïs and carpets and divans strown in

place. So he went up to the couch that was set for himself on

four legs of ivory, plated with glittering gold and covered with

seven carpets. This pleased him and behold, up came Khalif, with

eunuchs and little white slaves, bearing all manner sherbets,

compounded with sugar and lemon and perfumed with rose and

willow-water and the purest musk. The Fisherman advanced and

drank and gave the Caliph to drink, and the cup-bearers came

forward and served the rest of the company with the sherbets.

Then Khalif brought a table spread with meats of various colours

and geese and fowls and other birds, saying, "In the name of

Allah!" So they ate their fill; after which he bade remove the

tables and kissing the ground three times before the Caliph

craved his royal leave to bring wine and music.[FN#300] He

granted him permission for this and turning to Ja'afar, said to

him, "As my head liveth, the house and that which is therein is

Khalif's; for that he is ruler over it and I am in admiration at

him, whence there came to him this passing prosperity and

exceeding felicity! However, this is no great matter to Him who

saith to a thing, 'Be!' and it becometh; what I most wonder at is

his understanding, how it hath increased, and whence he hath

gotten this loftiness and this lordliness; but, when Allah

willeth weal unto a man, He amendeth his intelligence before

bringing him to worldly affluence." As they were talking, behold,

up came Khalif, followed by cup-bearer lads like moons, belted

with zones of gold, who spread a cloth of siglaton[FN#301] and

set thereon flagons of chinaware and tall flasks of glass and

cups of crystal and bottles and hanaps[FN#302] of all colours;

and those flagons they filled with pure clear and old wine, whose

scent was as the fragrance of virgin musk and it was even as

saith the poet,

"Ply me and also my mate be plied * With pure wine prest in the

olden tide.[FN#303]

Daughter of nobles[FN#304] they lead her forth[FN#305] * In

raiment of goblets beautified.

They belt her round with the brightest gems, * And pearls and

unions, the Ocean's pride;

So I by these signs and signets know * Wherefore the Wine is

entitled 'Bride.'[FN#306]"

And round about these vessels were confections and flowers, such

as may not be surpassed. When Al-Rashid saw this from Khalif, he

inclined to him and smiled upon him and invested him with an

office; so Khalif wished him continuance of honour and endurance

of days and said, "Will the Commander of the Faithful deign give

me leave to bring him a singer, a lute-player her like was never

heard among mortals ever?" Quoth the Caliph, "Thou art

permitted!" So he kissed ground before him and going to a secret

closet, called Kut al-Kulub, who came after she had disguised and

falsed and veiled herself, tripping in her robes and trinkets;

and she kissed ground before the Commander of the Faithful. Then

she sat down and tuning the lute, touched its strings and played

upon it, till all present were like to faint for excess of

delight; after which she improvised these verses,

"Would Heaven I wot, will ever Time bring our beloveds back

again? * And, ah! will Union and its bliss to bless two

lovers deign?

Will Time assure to us united days and joinèd joy, * While from

the storms and stowres of life in safety we remain?

Then O Who bade this pleasure be, our parting past and gone, *

And made one house our meeting-stead throughout the Nights

contain;

By him, draw near me, love, and closest cling to side of me *

Else were my wearied wasted life, a vanity, a bane."

When the Caliph heard this, he could not master himself, but rent

his raiment and fell down a-swoon; whereupon all who were present

hastened to doff their dress and throw it over him, whilst Kut

al-Kulub signed to Khalif and said to him, "Hie to yonder chest

and bring us what is therein;" for she had made ready therein a

suit of the Caliph's wear against the like of such hour as this.

So Khalif brought it to her and she threw it over the Commander

of the Faithful, who came to himself and knowing her for Kut al-

Kulub, said, "Is this the Day of Resurrection and hath Allah

quickened those who are in the tombs; or am I asleep and is this

an imbroglio of dreams?" Quoth Kut al-Kulub, "We are on wake, not

on sleep, and I am alive, nor have I drained the cup of death."

Then she told him all that had befallen her, and indeed, since he

lost her, life had not been light to him nor had sleep been

sweet, and he abode now wondering, then weeping and anon afire

for longing. When she had made an end of her story, the Caliph

rose and took her by the hand, intending for her palace, after he

had kissed her inner lips, and had strained her to his bosom;

whereupon Khalif rose and said, "By Allah, O Commander of the

Faithful! Thou hast already wronged me once, and now thou

wrongest me again." Quoth Al-Rashid, "Indeed thou speakest sooth,

O Khalif," and bade the Wazir Ja'afar give him what should

satisfy him. So he straightway gifted him with all for which he

wished and assigned him a village, the yearly revenues whereof

were twenty thousand dinars. Moreover Kut al-Kulub generously

presented him the house and all that was therein of furniture and

hangings and white slaves and slave-girls and eunuchs great and

small. So Khalif became possessed of this passing affluence and

exceeding wealth and took him a wife, and prosperity taught him

gravity and dignity, and good fortune overwhelmed him. The Caliph

enrolled him among his equerries and he abode in all solace of

life and its delights till he deceased and was admitted to the

mercy of Allah. Furthermore they relate a tale anent[FN#307]