There was once in days of yore and in ages and times long gone
before a man and a merchant Masrúr hight, who was of the
comeliest of the folk of his tide, a wight of wealth galore and
in easiest case; but he loved to take his pleasure in vergiers
and flower-gardens and to divert himself with the love of the
fair. Now it fortuned one night, as he lay asleep, he dreamt that
he was in a garth of the loveliest, wherein were four birds, and
amongst them a dove, white as polished silver. That dove pleased
him and for her grew up in his heart an exceeding love.
Presently, he beheld a great bird swoop down on him and snatch
the dove from his hand, and this was grievous to him. After which
he awoke and not finding the bird strave with his yearnings till
morning, when he said in himself, "There is no help but that I go
to-day to some one who will expound to me this vision."--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the merchant awoke, he strave with his yearnings till morning
when he said to himself, "There is no help but that I go this day
to some one who will expound to me this vision." So he went forth
and walked right and left, till he was far from his
dwelling-place, but found none to interpret the dream to him.
Then he would have returned, but on his way behold, the fancy
took him to turn aside to the house of a certain trader, a man of
the wealthiest, and when he drew near to it, suddenly he heard
from within a plaintive voice from a sorrowful heart reciting
these couplets,
"The breeze o' Morn blows uswards from her trace * Fragrant, and
heals the love-sick lover's case.
I stand like captive on the mounds and ask * While tears make
answer for the ruined place:
Quoth I, 'By Allah, Breeze o' Morning, say * Shall Time and
Fortune aye this stead regrace?
Shall I enjoy a fawn whose form bewitched * And langourous
eyelids wasted frame and face?'"
When Masrur heard this, he looked in through the doorway and saw
a garden of the goodliest of gardens, and at its farther end a
curtain of red brocade, purfled with pearls and gems, behind
which sat four damsels, and amongst them a young lady over four
feet and under five in height, as she were the rondure of the
lune and the full moon shining boon: she had eyes Kohl'd with
nature's dye and joined eyebrows, a mouth as it were Solomon's
seal and lips and teeth bright with pearls and coral's light; and
indeed she ravished all wits with her beauty and loveliness and
symmetry and perfect grace. When Masrur espied her, he entered
the porch and went on entering till he came to the curtain:
whereupon she raised her head and glanced at him. So he saluted
her and she returned his salam with sweetest speech; and, when he
considered her more straitly, his reason was dazed and his heart
amazed. Then he looked at the garden and saw that it was full of
jessamine and gilly flowers and violets and roses and orange
blossoms and all manner sweet-scented blooms and herbs. Every
tree was girt about with fruits and there coursed down water from
four daïses, which faced one another and occupied the four
corners of the garden. He looked at the first Líwán and found
written around it with vermilion these two couplets,
"Ho thou the House! Grief never home in thee; * Nor Time work
treason on thine owner's head:
All good betide the House which every guest * Harbours, when sore
distrest for way and stead!"
Then he looked at the second daïs and found written thereon in
red gold these couplets,
"Robe thee, O House, in richest raiment Time, * Long as the
birdies on the branchlets chime!
And sweetest perfumes breathe within thy walls * And lover meet
beloved in bliss sublime.
And dwell thy dwellers all in joy and pride * Long as the
wandering stars Heaven-hill shall climb."
Then he looked at the third, whereon he found written in
ultramarine these two couplets,
"Ever thy pomp and pride, O House! display * While starkeneth
Night and shineth sheeny Day!
Boon Fortune bless all entering thy walls, * And whomso dwell in
thee, for ever and aye!"
Then he looked at the fourth and saw painted in yellow characters
this couplet,
"This garden and this lake in truth * Are fair sitting-steads, by
the Lord of Ruth!"
Moreover, in that garden were birds of all breeds, ring-dove and
cushat and nightingale and culver, each singing his several song,
and amongst them the lady, swaying gracefully to and fro in her
beauty and grace and symmetry and loveliness and ravishing all
who saw her. Presently quoth she to Masrur, "Hola man! what
bringeth thee into a house other than thy house and wherefore
comest thou in unto women other than thy women, without leave of
their owner?" Quoth he, "O my lady, I saw this garden, and the
goodliness of its greenery pleased me and the fragrance of its
flowers and the carolling of its birds; so I entered, thinking to
gaze on it awhile and wend my way." Said she, "With love and
gladness!"; and Masrur was amazed at the sweetness of her speech
and the coquetry of her glances and the straightness of her
shape, and transported by her beauty and seemlihead and the
pleasantness of the garden and the birds. So in the disorder of
his spirits he recited these couplets,
"As a crescent-moon in the garth her form * 'Mid Basil and
jasmine and Rose I scan;
And Violet faced by the Myrtle-spray * And Nu'umán's bloom and
Myrobalan:
By her perfume the Zephyrs perfumèd breathe * And with scented
sighings the branches fan.
O Garden, thou perfect of beauty art * All charms comprising in
perfect plan;
And melodious birdies sing madrigals * And the Full Moon[FN#309]
shineth in branchshade wan;
Its ring-dove, its culver, its mocking-bird * And its Philomel
sing my soul t' unman;
And the longing of love all my wits confuseth * For her charms,
as the man whom his wine bemuseth."
Now when Zayn al-Mawásif heard his verse, she glanced at him with
eyes which bequeathed a thousand sighs and utterly ravished his
wisdom and wits and replied to him in these lines,
"Hope not of our favours to make thy prey * And of what thou
wishest thy greed allay:
And cease thy longing; thou canst not win * The love of the Fair
thou'rt fain t' essay,
My glances to lovers are baleful and naught * I reek of thy
speech: I have said my say!"
"Ho, thou! Begone about thy business, for we are none of the
woman-tribe who are neither thine nor another's.[FN#310]" And he
answered, "O my lady, I said nothing ill." Quoth she, "Thou
soughtest to divert thyself[FN#311] and thou hast had thy
diversion; so wend thy ways." Quoth he, "O my lady, belike thou
wilt give me a draught of water, for I am athirst." Whereupon she
cried, "How canst thou drink of a Jew's water, and thou a
Nazarene?" But he replied, "O my lady, your water is not
forbidden to us nor ours unlawful to you, for we are all as one
creation." So she said to her slave-girl, "Give him to drink;"
and she did as she was bidden. Then she called for the table of
food, and there came four damsels, high-bosomed maids, bearing
four trays of meats and four gilt flagons full of strong
old-wine, as it were the tears of a slave of love for clearness,
and a table around whose edge were graven these couplets,
"For eaters a table they brought and set * In the banquet-hall
and 'twas dight with gold:
Like th' Eternal Garden that gathers all * Man wants of meat and
wines manifold."
And when the high-breasted maids had set all this before him,
quoth she, "Thou soughtest to drink of our drink; so up and at
our meat and drink!" He could hardly credit what his ears had
heard and sat down at the table forthright; whereupon she bade
her nurse[FN#312] give him a cup, that he might drink. Now her
slave-girls were called, one Hubúb, another Khutúb and the third
Sukúb,[FN#313] and she who gave him the cup was Hubub. So he took
the cup and looking at the outside there saw written these
couplets,
"Drain not the bowl but with lovely wight * Who loves thee and
wine makes brighter bright.
And 'ware her Scorpions[FN#314] that o'er thee creep * And guard
thy tongue lest thou vex her sprite."
Then the cup went round and when he emptied it he looked inside
and saw written,
"And 'ware her Scorpions when pressing them, * And hide her
secrets from foes' despight."
Whereupon Masrur laughed her-wards and she asked him, "What
causeth thee to laugh?" "For the fulness of my joy," quoth he.
Presently, the breeze blew on her and the scarf[FN#315] fell from
her head and discovered a fillet[FN#316] of glittering gold, set
with pearls and gems and jacinths; and on her breast was a
necklace of all manner ring-jewels and precious stones, to the
centre of which hung a sparrow of red gold, with feet of red
coral and bill of white silver and body full of Nadd-powder and
pure ambergris and odoriferous musk. And upon its back was
engraved,
"The Nadd is my wine-scented powder, my bread; * And the bosom's
my bed and the breasts my stead:
And my neck-nape complains of the weight of love, * Of my pain,
of my pine, of my drearihead."
Then Masrur looked at the breast of her shift and behold, thereon
lay wroughten in red gold this verse,
"The fragrance of musk from the breasts of the fair * Zephyr
borrows, to sweeten the morning air."
Masrur marvelled at this with exceeding wonder and was dazed by
her charms and amazement gat hold upon him. Then said Zayn
al-Mawásif to him, "Begone from us and go about thy business,
lest the neighbours hear of us and even us with the lewd." He
replied, "By Allah, O my lady, suffer my sight to enjoy the view
of thy beauty and loveliness." With this she was wroth with him
and leaving him, walked in the garden, and he looked at her
shift-sleeve and saw upon it embroidered these lines,
"The weaver-wight wrote with gold-ore bright * And her wrists on
brocade rained a brighter light:
Her palms are adorned with a silvern sheen; * And favour her
fingers the ivory's white:
For their tips are rounded like priceless pearl; * And her charms
would enlighten the nightiest night."
And, as she paced the garth, Masrur gazed at her slippers and saw
written upon them these pleasant lines,
"The slippers that carry these fair young feet * Cause her form
to bend in its gracious bloom:
When she paces and waves in the breeze she owns, * She shines
fullest moon in the murkiest gloom."
She was followed by her women leaving Hubub with Masrur by the
curtain, upon whose edge were embroidered these couplets,
"Behind the veil a damsel sits with gracious beauty dight, *
Praise to the Lord who decked her with these inner gifts of
sprite!
Guards her the garden and the bird fain bears her company; *
Gladden her wine-draughts and the bowl but makes her
brighter-bright.
Apple and Cassia-blossom show their envy of her cheeks; * And
borrows Pearl resplendency from her resplendent light;
As though the sperm that gendered her were drop of
marguerite[FN#317] * Happy who kisses her and spends in her
embrace the night."
So Masrur entered into a long discourse with Hubub and presently
said to her, "O Hubub, hath thy mistress a husband or not?" She
replied, "My lady hath a husband; but he is actually abroad on a
journey with merchandise of his." Now whenas he heard that her
husband was abroad on a journey, his heart lusted after her and
he said, "O Hubub, glorified be He who created this damsel and
fashioned her! How sweet is her beauty and her loveliness and her
symmetry and perfect grace! Verily, into my heart is fallen sore
travail for her. O Hubub, so do that I come to enjoy her, and
thou shalt have of me what thou wilt of wealth and what not
else." Replied Hubub, "O Nazarene, if she heard thee speak thus,
she would slay thee, or else she would kill herself, for she is
the daughter of a Zealot[FN#318] of the Jews nor is there her
like amongst them: she hath no need of money and she keepeth
herself ever cloistered, discovering not her case to any." Quoth
Masrur, "O Hubub, an thou wilt but bring me to enjoy her, I will
be to thee slave and foot page and will serve thee all my life
and give thee whatsoever thou seekest of me." But quoth she, "O
Masrur, in very sooth this woman hath no lust for money nor yet
for men, because my lady Zayn al-Mawasif is of the cloistered,
going not forth her house-door in fear lest folk see her; and but
that she bore with thee by reason of thy strangerhood, she had
not permitted thee to pass her threshold; no, not though thou
wert her brother." He replied, "O Hubub, be thou our go-between
and thou shalt have of me an hundred gold dinars and a dress
worth as much more, for that the love of her hath gotten hold of
my heart." Hearing this she said, "O man, let me go about with
her in talk and I will return thee and answer and acquaint thee
with what she saith. Indeed, she loveth those who berhyme her and
she affecteth those who set forth her charms and beauty and
loveliness in verse, and we may not prevail over her save by
wiles and soft speech and beguilement." Thereupon Hubub rose and
going up to her mistress, accosted her with privy talk of this
and that and presently said to her, "O my lady, look at yonder
young man, the Nazarene; how sweet is his speech and how shapely
his shape!" When Zayn al-Mawasif heard this, she turned to her
and said, "An thou like his comeliness love him thyself. Art thou
not ashamed to address the like of me with these words? Go, bid
him begone about his business; or I will make it the worse for
him." So Hubub returned to Masrur, but acquainted him not with
that which her mistress had said. Then the lady bade her hie to
the door and look if she saw any of the folk, lest foul befal
them. So she went and returning, said, "O my lady, without are
folk in plenty and we cannot let him go forth this night." Quoth
Zayn al-Mawasif, "I am in dole because of a dream I have seen and
am fearful therefrom." And Masrur said, "What sawest thou? Allah
never trouble thy heart!" She replied, "I was asleep in the
middle of the night, when suddenly an eagle swooped down upon me
from the highest of the clouds and would have carried me off from
behind the curtain, wherefore I was affrighted at him. Then I
awoke from sleep and bade my women bring me meat and drink, so
haply, when I had drunken, the dolour of the dream would cease
from me." Hearing this, Masrur smiled and told her his dream from
first to last and how he had caught the dove, whereat she
marvelled with exceeding marvel. Then he went on to talk with her
at great length and said, "I am now certified of the truth of my
dream, for thou art the dove and I the eagle, and there is no
hope but that this must be, for, the moment I set eyes on thee,
thou tookest possession of my vitals and settest my heart a-fire
for love of thee!" Thereupon Zayn al-Mawasif became wroth with
exceeding wrath and said to him, "I take refuge with Allah from
this! Allah upon thee, begone about thy business ere the
neighbours espy thee and there betide us sore reproach," adding,
"Harkye, man! Let not thy soul covet that it shall not obtain.
Thou weariest thyself in vain; for I am a merchant's wife and a
merchant's daughter and thou art a druggist; and when sawest thou
a druggist and a merchant's daughter conjoined by such
sentiment?" He replied, "O my lady, never lacked love-liesse
between folk[FN#319]; so cut thou not off from me hope of this
and whatsoever thou seekest of me of money and raiment and
ornaments and what not else, I will give thee." Then he abode
with her in discourse and mutual blaming whilst she still
redoubled in anger, till it was black night, when he said to her,
"O my lady, take this gold piece and fetch me a little wine, for
I am athirst and heavy hearted." So she said to the slave-girl
Hubub, "Fetch him wine and take naught from him, for we have no
need of his dinar." So she went whilst Masrur held his peace and
bespake not the lady, who suddenly improvised these lines,
"Leave this thy design and depart, O man! * Nor tread paths where
lewdness and crime trepan!
Love is a net shall enmesh thy sprite, * Make thee rise a-morning
sad, weary and wan:
For our spy thou shalt eke be the cause of talk; * And for thee
shall blame me my tribe and clan:
Yet scant I marvel thou lovest a Fair:-- * Gazelles hunting lions
we aye shall scan!"
And he answered her with these,
"Joy of boughs, bright branch of Myrobalan! * Have ruth on the
heart all thy charms unman:
Death-cup to the dregs thou garrest me drain * And don weed of
Love with its bane and ban:
How can soothe I a heart which for stress of pine * Burns with
living coals which my longings fan?"
Hearing these lines she exclaimed, "Away from me! Quoth the saw
'Whoso looseth his sight wearieth his sprite.' By Allah, I am
tired of discourse with thee and chiding, and indeed thy soul
coveteth that shall never become thine; nay, though thou gave me
my weight in gold, thou shouldst not get thy wicked will of me;
for, I know naught of the things of the world, save pleasant
life, by the boon of Allah Almighty!" He answered, "O my lady
Zayn al-Mawasif, ask of me what thou wilt of the goods of the
world." Quoth she, "What shall I ask of thee? For sure thou wilt
fare forth and prate of me in the highway and I shall become a
laughing-stock among the folk and they will make a byword of me
in verse, me who am the daughter of the chief of the merchants
and whose father is known of the notables of the tribe. I have no
need of money or raiment and such love will not be hidden from
the people and I shall be brought to shame, I and my kith and
kin." With this Masrur was confounded and could make her no
answer; but presently she said, "Indeed, the master-thief, if he
steal, stealeth not but what is worth his neck, and every woman
who doth lewdness with other than her husband is styled a thief;
so, if it must be thus and no help[FN#320], thou shalt give me
whatsoever my heart desireth of money and raiment and ornaments
and what not." Quoth he, "An thou sought of me the world and all
its regions contain from its East to its West, 'twere but a
little thing, compared with thy favour;" and quoth she, "I will
have of thee three suits, each worth a thousand Egyptian dinars,
and adorned with gold and fairly purfled with pearls and jewels
and jacinths, the best of their kind. Furthermore I require that
thou swear to me thou wilt keep my secret nor discover it to any
and that thou wilt company with none but me; and I in turn will
swear to thee a true oath that I will never false thee in love."
So he sware to her the oath she required and she sware to him,
and they agreed upon this; after which she said to her nurse
Hubub, "To-morrow go thou with Masrur to his lodging and seek
somewhat of musk and ambergris and Nadd and rose-water and see
what he hath. If he be a man of condition, we will take him into
favour; but an he be otherwise we will leave him." Then said she
to him, "O Masrur, I desire somewhat of musk and ambergris and
aloes-wood and Nadd; so do thou send it me by Hubub;" and he
answered, "With love and gladness; my shop is at thy disposal!"
Then the wine went round between them and their séance was sweet:
but Masrur's heart was troubled for the passion and pining which
possessed him; and when Zayn al-Mawasif saw him in this plight,
she said to her slave-girl Sukub, "Arouse Masrur from his stupor;
mayhap he will recover." Answered Sukub, "Hearkening and
obedience," and sang these couplets,
"Bring gold and gear an a lover thou, * And hymn thy love so
success shalt row;
Joy the smiling fawn with the black-edged eyne * And the bending
lines of the Cassia-bough:
On her look, and a marvel therein shalt sight, * And pour out thy
life ere thy life-term show:
Love's affect be this, an thou weet the same; * But, an gold
deceive thee, leave gold and go!"
Hereupon Masrur understood her and said, "I hear and apprehend.
Never was grief but after came relief, and after affliction
dealing He will order the healing." Then Zayn al-Mawasif recited
these couplets,
"From Love-stupor awake, O Masrur, 'twere best; * For this day I
dread my love rend thy breast;
And to-morrow I fear me folks' marvel-tale * Shall make us a
byword from East to West:
Leave love of my like or thou'lt gain thee blame; * Why turn thee
us-wards? Such love's unblest!
For one strange of lineage whose kin repel * Thou shalt wake
ill-famed, of friends dispossest:
I'm a Zealot's child and affright the folk: * Would my life were
ended and I at rest!"
Then Masrur answered her improvisation and began to say these
lines,
"To grief leave a heart that to love ne'er ceased; * Nor blame,
for your blame ever love increased:
You misrule my vitals in tyrant-guise; * Morn and Eve I wend not
or West or East;
Love's law forbids me to do me die; * They say Love's victim is
ne'er released:
Well-away! Could I find in Love's Court a judge * I'd 'plain and
win to my rights at least."
They ceased not from mutual chiding till morning morrowed, when
Zayn al-Mawasif said, "O Masrur 'tis time for thee to depart,
lest one of the folk see thee and foul befal us twain." So he
arose and accompanied by nurse Hubub fared on, till they came to
his lodging, where he talked with her and said to her, "All thou
seekest of me is ready for thee, so but thou wilt bring me to
enjoy her." Hubub replied, "Hearten thy heart;" whereupon he rose
and gave her an hundred dinars, saying "O Hubub, I have by me a
dress worth an hundred gold pieces." Answered she, "O Masrur,
make haste with the trinkets and other things promised her, ere
she change her mind, for we may not take her, save with wile and
guile, and she loveth the saying of verse." Quoth he, "Hearing
and obeying," and bringing her the musk and ambergris and
lign-aloes and rose-water, returned with her to Zayn al-Mawasif
and saluted her. She returned his salam with the sweetest speech,
and he was dazed by her beauty and improvised these lines,
"O thou sheeniest Sun who in night dost shine! * O who stole my
soul with those large black eyne!
O slim-shaped fair with the graceful neck! * O who shamest Rose
wi' those cheeks o' thine!
Blind not our sight wi' thy fell disdain, * Disdain, that shall
load us with pain and pine;
Passion homes in our inmost, nor will be quenched * The fire of
yearning in vitals li'en:
Your love has housèd in heart of me * And of issue but you see I
ne'er a sign:
Then haply you'll pity this hapless wight * Thy sad lover and
then--O the Morn divine!"
When Zayn al-Mawasif heard his verses, she cast at him a glance
of eyes, that bequeathed him a thousand regrets and sighs and his
wits and soul were ravished in such wise, and answered him with
these couplets[FN#321],
"Think not from her, of whom thou art enamoured aye * To win
delight; so put desire from thee away.
Leave that thou hop'st, for 'gainst her rigours whom thou lov'st
* Among the fair, in vain is all thou canst essay.
My looks to lovers bring discomfiture and woe: Indeed, * I make
no count of that which thou dost say."
When Masrur heard this, he hardened his heart and took patience
concealing his case and saying in himself, "There is nothing for
it against calamity save long-suffering;" and after this fashion
they abode till nightfall when Zayn al-Mawasif called for food
and they set before her a tray wherein were all manner of dishes,
quails and pigeons and mutton and so forth, whereof they ate
their sufficiency. Then she bade take away the tables and they
did so and fetched the lavatory gear; and they washed their
hands, after which she ordered her women to bring the
candlesticks, and they set on candelabra and candles therein of
camphorated wax. Thereupon quoth Zayn al-Mawasif, "By Allah, my
breast is straitened this night and I am afevered;" and quoth
Masrur, "Allah broaden thy breast and banish thy bane!" Then she
said, "O Masrur, I am used to play at chess: say me, knowest
aught of the game?" He replied, "Yes; I am skilled therein;"
whereupon she commanded her handmaid Hubub fetch her the
chessboard. So she went away and presently returning with the
board, set it before her, and behold, it was of ivory-marquetried
ebony with squares marked in glittering gold, and its pieces of
pearl and ruby.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn
al-Mawasif bade the chessboard be brought, they set it between
her hands; and Masrur was amazed at this, when she turned to him
and said, "Wilt have red or white?" He replied, "O Princess of
the fair and adornment of morning air, do thou take the red for
they formous are and fitter for the like of thee to bear and
leave the white to my care." Answered she, "So be it;" and,
taking the red pieces, ranged them opposite the white, then put
out her hand to a piece purposing the first pass into the
battle-plain. Masrur considered her fingers, which were white as
paste, and was confounded at their beauty and shapely shape;
whereupon she turned to him and said, "O Masrur, be not bedazed,
but take patience and calm thyself." He rejoined, "O thou whose
beauty shameth the moon, how shall a lover look on thee and have
patience-boon?" And while this was doing she cried,
"Checkmate[FN#322]!" and beat him; wherefore she knew that he was
Jinn-mad for love of her and said to him, "O Masrur, I will not
play with thee save for a set stake." He replied, "I hear and
obey," and she rejoined, "Swear to me and I will swear to thee
that neither of us will cheat[FN#323] the adversary." So both
sware this and she said, "O Masrur, an I beat thee, I will have
ten dinars of thee, but an thou beat me, I will give thee a mere
nothing." He expected to win, so he said, "O my lady, be not
false to thine oath, for I see thou art an overmatch for me at
this game!" "Agreed," said she and they ranged their men and fell
again to playing and pushing on their pawns and catching them up
with the queens and aligning and matching them with the castles
and solacing them with the onslaught of the knights. Now the
"Adornment of Qualities" wore on head a kerchief of blue brocade
so she loosed it off and tucking up her sleeve, showed a wrist
like a shaft of light and passed her palm over the red pieces,
saying to him, "Look to thyself." But he was dazzled at her
beauty, and the sight of her graces bereft him of reason, so that
he became dazed and amazed and put out his hand to the white men,
but it alit upon the red. Said she, "O Masrur, where be thy wits?
The red are mine and the white thine;" and he replied, "Whoso
looketh at thee perforce loseth all his senses." Then, seeing how
it was with him, she took the white from him and gave him the
red, and they played and she beat him. He ceased not to play with
her and she to beat him, whilst he paid her each time ten dinars,
till, knowing him to be distraught for love of her, she said, "O
Masrur, thou wilt never win to thy wish, except thou beat me, for
such was our understanding; and henceforth, I will not play with
thee save for a stake of an hundred dinars a game." "With love
and gladness," answered he and she went on playing and ever
beating him and he paid her an hundred dinars each time; and on
this wise they abode till the morning, without his having won a
single game, when he suddenly sprang to his feet. Quoth she,
"What wilt thou do, O Masrur?"; and quoth he, "I mean to go to my
lodging and fetch somewhat of money: it may be I shall come to my
desire." "Do whatso seemeth good to thee," said she; so he went
home and taking all the money he had, returned to her improvising
these two couplets,
"In dream I saw a bird o'er speed (meseem'd), * Love's garden
decked with blooms that smiled and gleamed:
But I shall ken, when won my wish and will * Of thee, the
truthful sense of what I dreamed."
Now when Masrur returned to her with all his monies they fell
a-playing again; but she still beat him and he could not beat her
once; and in such case they abode three days, till she had gotten
of him the whole of his coin; whereupon said she, "O Masrur, what
wilt thou do now?"; and he replied, "I will stake thee a
druggist's shop." "What is its worth?" asked she; and he
answered, "Five hundred dinars." So they played five bouts and
she won the shop of him. Then he betted his slave-girls, lands,
houses, gardens, and she won the whole of them, till she had
gotten of him all he had; whereupon she turned to him and said,
"Hast thou aught left to lay down?" Cried he, "By Him who made me
fall into the snare of thy love, I have neither money to touch
nor aught else left, little or much!" She rejoined, "O Masrur,
the end of whatso began in content shall not drive man to repent;
wherefore, an thou regret aught, take back thy good and begone
from us about thy business and I will hold thee quit towards me."
Masrur rejoined, "By Him who decreed these things to us, though
thou sought to take my life 'twere a wee thing to stake for thine
approof, because I love none but thee!" Then said she, "O Masrur,
fare forthright and fetch the Kazi and the witnesses and make
over to me by deed all thy lands and possessions." "Willingly,"
replied he and, going forth without stay or delay, brought the
Kazi and the witnesses and set them before her. When the judge
saw her, his wits fled and his mind was amazed and his reason was
dazed for the beauty of her fingers, and he said to her, "O my
lady, I will not write out the writ of conveyance, save upon
condition that thou buy the lands and mansions and slave-girls
and that they all pass under thy control and into thy
possession." She rejoined, "We're agreed upon that. Write me a
deed, whereby all Masrur's houses and lands and slave-girls and
whatso his right hand possesseth shall pass to Zayn al-Mawasif
and become her property at such a price." So the Kazi wrote out
the writ and the witnesses set hands thereto; whereupon she took
it.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Zayn al-Mawasif took from the Kazi the deed which made over her
lover's property to her, she said to him, "O Masrur, now gang thy
gait." But her slave-girl Hubub turned to him and said, "Recite
us some verses." So he improvised upon that game of chess these
couplets,
"Of Time and what befel me I complain, * Mourning my loss by
chess and eyes of bane.
For love of gentlest, softest-sided fair * Whose like is not of
maids or mortal strain:
The shafts of glances from those eyne who shot * And led her
conquering host to battle-plain
Red men and white men and the clashing Knights * And, crying
'Look to thee!' came forth amain:
And, when down charging, finger-tips she showed * That gloomed
like blackest night for sable stain,
The Whites I could not rescue, could not save * While ecstasy
made tear-floods rail and rain:
The Pawns and Castles with their Queens fell low * And fled the
Whites nor could the brunt sustain:
Yea, with her shaft of glance at me she shot * And soon that
shaft had pierced my heart and brain:
She gave me choice between her hosts, and I * The Whites like
moonlight first to choose was fain,
Saying, 'This argent folk best fitteth me * I love them, but the
Red by thee be ta'en!'
She playèd me for free accepted stake * Yet amorous mercy I could
ne'er obtain:
O fire of heart, O pine and woe of me, * Wooing a fair like moon
mid starry train:
Burns not my heart O no! nor aught regrets * Of good or land, but
ah! her eyes' disdain!
Amazed I'm grown and dazed for drearihead * And blame I Time who
brought such pine and pain.
Quoth she, 'Why art thou so bedazed!' quoth I * 'Wine-drunken
wight shall more of wine assain?'
That mortal stole my sense by silk-soft shape, * Which doth for
heart-core hardest rock contain.
I nervèd self and cried, 'This day she's mine' * By bet, nor fear
I prove she unhumàne:
My heart ne'er ceased to seek possession, till * Beggared I found
me for conditions twain:
Will youth you loveth shun the Love-dealt blow, * Tho' were he
whelmed in Love's high-surging main?
So woke the slave sans e'en a coin to turn, * Thralled to repine
for what he ne'er shall gain!"
Zayn al-Mawasif hearing these words marvelled at the eloquence of
his tongue and said to him, "O Masrur, leave this madness and
return to thy right reason and wend thy ways; for thou hast
wasted all thy moveables and immoveables at the chess-game, yet
hast not won thy wish, nor hast thou any resource or device
whereby thou mayst attain to it." But he turned to her and said,
"O my lady, ask of me whatso thou wilt and thou shalt have it;
for I will bring it to thee and lay it at thy feet." Answered
she, "O Masrur, thou hast no money left." "O goal of all hopes,
if I have no money, the folk will help me." "Shall the giver turn
asker?" "I have friends and kinsfolk, and whatsoever I seek of
them, they will give me." "O Masrur, I will have of thee four
pods of musk and four vases of civet[FN#324] and four pounds of
ambergris and four thousand dinars and four hundred pieces of
royal brocade, purfled with gold. An thou bring me these things,
O Masrur, I will grant thee my favours." "This is a light matter
to me, O thou that puttest the moons to shame," replied he and
went forth to fetch her what she sought. She sent her maid Hubub
after him, to see what worth he had with the folk of whom he had
spoken to her; but, as he walked along the highways he turned and
seeing her afar off, waited till she came up to him and said to
her, "Whither away, O Hubub?" So she said to him, "My mistress
sent me to follow for this and that," and he replied, "By Allah,
O Hubub, I have nothing to hand!" She asked, "Then why didst thou
promise her?"; and he answered, "How many a promise made is
unkept of its maker! Fine words in love-matters needs must be."
When she heard this from him, she said, "O Masrur, be of good
cheer and eyes clear for, by Allah, most assuredly I will be the
means of thy coming to enjoy her!" Then she left him nor ceased
walking till she stood before her mistress weeping with sore
weeping, and said, "O my lady, indeed he is a man of great
consideration, and good repute among the folk." Quoth Zayn
al-Mawasif, "There is no device against the destiny of Almighty
Allah! Verily, this man found not in me a pitiful heart, for that
I despoiled him of his substance and he got of me neither
affection nor complaisance in granting him amorous joy; but, if I
incline to his inclination, I fear lest the thing be bruited
abroad." Quoth Hubub, "O my lady, verily, grievous upon us is his
present plight and the loss of his good and thou hast with thee
none save thyself and thy slave-girl Sukub; so which of us two
would dare prate of thee, and we thy handmaids?" With this, she
bowed her head for a while ground-wards and the damsels said to
her, "O my lady, it is our rede that thou send after him and show
him grace and suffer him not ask of the sordid; for how bitter is
such begging!" So she accepted their counsel and calling for
inkcase and paper, wrote him these couplets,
"Joy is nigh, O Masrúr, so rejoice in true rede; * Whenas night
shall fall thou shalt do kind-deed:
Crave not of the sordid a loan, fair youth, * Wine stole my wits
but they now take heed:
All thy good I reft shall return to thee, * O Masrúr, and I'll
add to them amorous meed;
For indeed th' art patient, and sweet of soul * When wronged by
thy lover's tyrannic greed.
So haste to enjoy us and luck to thee! * Lest my folk come
between us speed, love, all speed!
Hurry uswards thou, nor delay, and while * My mate is far, on
Love's fruit come feed."
Then she folded the paper and gave it to Hubub the handmaid, who
carried it to Masrur and found him weeping and reciting in a
transport of passion and love-longing these lines,
"A breeze of love on my soul did blow * That consumed my liver
for stress of lowe;
When my sweetheart went all my longings grew; * And with tears in
torrent mine eyelids flow:
Such my doubt and fears, did I tell their tale * To deaf rocks
and pebbles they'd melt for woe.
Would Heaven I wot shall I sight delight, * And shall win my wish
and my friend shall know!
Shall be folded up nights that doomed us part * And I be healed
of what harms my heart?"
--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-ninth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that while
Masrur, transported by passion and love-longing, was repeating
his couplets in sing-song tone Hubub knocked at his door; so he
rose and opened to her, and she entered and gave him the letter.
He read it and said to her, "O Hubub, what is behind thee of thy
lady's news[FN#325]?" She answered, "O my lord, verily, in this
letter is that dispenseth me from reply, for thou art of those
who readily descry!" Thereat he rejoiced with joy exceeding and
repeated these two couplets,
"Came the writ whose contents a new joy revealed, * Which in
vitals mine I would keep ensealed:
And my longings grew when I kissed that writ, * As were pearl of
passion therein concealed."
Then he wrote a letter answering hers and gave it to Hubub, who
took it and returned with it to her mistress and forthright fell
to extolling his charms to her and expiating on his good gifts
and generosity; for she was become a helper to him, to bring
about his union with her lady. Quoth Zayn al-Mawasif, "O Hubub,
indeed he tarrieth to come to us;" and quoth Hubub, "He will
certainly come soon." Hardly had she made an end of speaking when
behold, he knocked at the door, and she opened to him and brought
him in to her mistress, who saluted him with the salam[FN#326]
and welcomed him and seated him by her side. Then she said to
Hubub, "Bring me a suit of brocade;" so she brought a robe
broidered with gold and Zayn al-Mawasif threw it over him, whilst
she herself donned one of the richest dresses and crowned her
head with a net of pearls of the freshest water. About this she
bound a fillet of brocade, purfled with pearls, jacinths and
other jewels, from beneath which she let down two tresses[FN#327]
each looped with a pendant of ruby, charactered with glittering
gold, and she loosed her hair, as it were the sombrest night; and
lastly she incensed herself with aloes-wood and scented herself
with musk and ambergris, and Hubub said to her, "Allah save thee
from the evil eye!" Then she began to walk, swaying from side to
side with gracefullest gait, whilst Hubub who excelled in
verse-making, recited in her honour these couplets,
"Shamed is the bough of Bán by pace of her; * And harmed are
lovers by the gaze of her.
A moon she rose from murks, the hair of her, * A sun from locks
the brow encase of her:
Blest he she nights with by the grace of her, * Who dies in her
with oath by days of her!"
So Zayn al-Mawasif thanked her and went up to Masrur, as she were
full moon displayed. But when he saw her, he rose to his feet and
exclaimed, "An my thought deceive me not, she is no human, but
one of the brides of Heaven!" Then she called for food and they
brought a table, about whose marge were written these
couplets,[FN#328]
"Dip thou with spoons in saucers four and gladden heart and eye *
With many a various kind of stew and fricassee and fry.
Thereon fat quails (ne'er shall I cease to love and tender them)
* And rails and fowls and dainty birds of all the kinds that
fly.
Glory to God for the Kabobs, for redness all aglow, * And
potherbs, steeped in vinegar, in porringers thereby!
Fair fall the rice with sweet milk dressed, wherein the hands did
plunge * And eke the forearms of the fair were buried,
bracelet-high!
How my heart yearneth with regret over two plates of fish * That
by two manchet-cakes of bread of Tewarij[FN#329] did lie!"
Then they ate and drank and made mirth and merriment, after which
the servants removed the table of food and set on the wine
service; so cup and tasse[FN#330] passed round between them and
they were gladdened in soul. Then Masrur filled the cup and
saying, "O whose thrall am I and who is my mistress!"[FN#331]
chanted these improvised couplets,
"Mine eyes I admire that can feed their fill * On charms of a
girl rising worlds to light:
In her time she hath none to compare for gifts * Of spirit and
body a mere delight.
Her shape breeds envy in Cassia-tree * When fares she forth in
her symmetry dight:
With luminous brow shaming moon of dark * And crown-like crescent
the brightest bright.
When treads she earth's surface her fragrance scents * The Zephyr
that breathes over plain and height."
When he ended his extempore song she said, "O Masrur, whoso
religiously keepeth his faith and hath eaten our bread and salt,
it behoveth us to give him his due; so put away from thee all
thought of what hath been and I will restore thee thy lands and
houses and all we have taken from thee." He replied, "O my lady,
I acquit thee of that whereof thou speakest, though thou hadst
been false to the oath and covenant between us; for I will go and
become a Moslem." Zayn al-Mawasif protested that she would follow
suit[FN#332] when Hubub cried to her, "O my lady, thou art young
of years and knowest many things, and I claim the intercession of
Almighty Allah with thee for, except thou do my bidding and heal
my heart, I will not lie the night with thee in the house." And
she replied, "O Hubub, it shall be as thou wilt. Rise and make us
ready another sitting-room." So she sprang to her feet and gat
ready a room and adorned and perfumed it after fairest fashion
even as her lady loved and preferred; after which she again set
on food and wine, and the cup went round between them and their
hearts were glad.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fiftieth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Zayn al-Mawasif bade her maid Hubub make ready a private
sitting-room she arose and did her bidding, after which she again
set food and wine before them and cup and tasse went round
gladdening their hearts. Presently quoth Zayn al-Mawasif, "O
Masrur, come is the time of Union and favour; so, as thou
studiest my love to savour recite us some verses surpassing of
flavour. " Upon this he recited the following ode[FN#333],
"I am taken: my heart bums with living flame
For Union shorn whenas Severance came,
In the love of a damsel who forced my soul
And with delicate cheeklet my reason stole.
She hath eyebrows united and eyes black-white
And her teeth are leven that smiles in light:
The tale of her years is but ten plus four;
Tears like Dragon's blood[FN#334] for her love I pour.
First I saw that face 'mid parterre and rill,
Outshining full Lune on horizon-hill;
And stood like a captive for awe, and cried,
'Allah's Peace, O who in demesne[FN#335] doth hide!'
She returned my salam, gaily answering
With the sweetest speech likest pearls a-string.
But when heard my words, she right soon had known
My want and her heart waxed hard as stone,
And quoth she, 'Be not this a word silly-bold?'
But quoth I, 'Refrain thee nor flyte and scold!
An to-day thou consent such affair were light;
They like is the loved, mine the lover-wight!'
When she knew my mind she but smiled in mirth
And cried, 'Now, by the Maker of Heaven and Earth!
I'm a Jewess of Jewry's driest e'er seen
And thou art naught save a Nazarene.
Why seek my favours? Thine's other caste;
An this deed thou do thou'lt repent the past.
Say, does Love allow with two Faiths to play?
Men shall blame thee like me, at each break of day!
Wilt thou laugh at beliefs and deride their rite,
And in thine and mine prove thee sinful sprite?
An thou lovedest me thou hadst turnèd Jew,
Losing worlds for love and my favours due;
And by the Evangel strong oath hadst sworn
To keep our secret intact from scorn!'
So I took the Torah and sware strong oath
I would hold to the covenant made by both.
Then by law, religion and creed I sware,
And bound her by oaths that most binding were;
And asked her, 'Thy name, O my dear delight?'
And she, 'Zayn al-Mawásif at home I'm hight!'
'O Zayn al-Mawasif!' (cried I) 'Hear my call:
Thy love hath made me thy veriest thrall!'
Then I peeped 'neath her chin-veil and 'spied such charms
That the longing of love filled my heart with qualms.
'Neath the curtain I ceased not to humble me,
And complain of my heart-felt misery;
But when she saw me by Love beguiled
She raised her face-veil and sweetly smiled:
And when breeze of Union our faces kiss'd
With musk-pod she scented fair neck and wrist;
And the house with her essences seemed to drip,
And I kissed pure wine from each smiling lip:
Then like branch of Bán 'neath her robe she swayed
And joys erst unlawful[FN#336] she lawful made:
And joined, conjoined through our night we lay
With clip, kiss of inner lip, langue fourrée.
The world hath no grace but the one loved fere
In thine arms to clasp with possession sheer!
With the morn she rose and she bade Good-bye
While her brow shone brighter than moon a-sky;
Reciting at parting (while tear-drops hung
On her cheeks, these scattered and other strung),[FN#337]
'Allah's pact in mind all my life I'll bear
And the lovely nights and strong oath I sware.'"
Zayn al-Mawasif was delighted and said to him, "O Masrur, how
goodly are thy inner gifts! May he live not who would harm thy
heart!" Then she entered her boudoir and called him: so he went
in to her and taking her in his arms, embraced her and hugged her
and kissed her and got of her that which he had deemed impossible
and rejoiced in winning the sweet of amorous will. Then said she,
"O Masrur, thy good is unlawful to me and is lawfully thine again
now that we are become lovers." So she returned to him all she
had taken of him and asked him, "O Masrur, hast thou a
flower-garden whither we may wend and take our pleasure?";
whereto he answered, "Yes, O my lady, I have a garden that hath
not its like." Then he returned to his lodgings and bade his
slave-girls make ready a splendid banquet in a handsome room;
after which he summoned Zayn al-Mawasif who came surrounded by
her damsels, and they ate and drank and made mirth and merriment,
whilst the cup passed round between them and their spirits rose
high. Then lover withdrew with beloved and Zayn al-Mawasif said
to Masrur, "I have bethought me of some dainty verses, which I
would fain sing to the lute." He replied, "Do sing them"; so she
took the lute and tuning it, sang to a pleasant air these
couplets,
"Joy from stroke of string doth to me incline, * And sweet is
a-morning our early wine;
Whenas Love unveileth the amourist's heart, * And by rending the
veil he displays his sign,
With a draught so pure, so dear, so bright, * As in hand of
Moons[FN#338] the Sun's sheeny shine
O' nights it cometh with joy to 'rase * The hoar of sorrow by
boon divine."
Then ending her verse, she said to him, "O Masrur, recite us
somewhat of thy poetry and favour us with the fruit of thy
thought." So he recited these two couplets,
"We joy in full Moon who the wine bears round, * And in concert
of lutes that from gardens sound;
Where the dove moans at dawn and where bends the bough * To Morn,
and all pathways of pleasure are found."
When he had finished his recitation she said to him, "Make us
some verses on that which hath passed between us an thou be
occupied with love of me."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-first Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Zayn al-Mawasif said to Masrur, "An thou be occupied with love of
me, make us some verses on that hath passed between us," "With
love and gladness," he replied and improvised the following
Kasídah[FN#339],
"Stand thou and hear what fell to me * For love of you gazelle to
dree!
Shot me a white doe with her shaft * O' glances wounding
woundily.
Love was my ruin, for was I * Straitened by longing ecstasy:
I loved and woo'd a young coquette * Girded by strong artillery,
Whom in a garth I first beheld * A form whose sight was symmetry.
I greeted her and when she deigned * Greeting return, 'Salám,'
quoth she
'What be thy name?' said I, she said, * 'My name declares my
quality![FN#340]'
'Zayn al-Mawásif I am hight.' * Cried I, 'Oh deign I mercy see,'
'Such is the longing in my heart * No lover claimeth rivalry!'
Quoth she, 'With me an thou 'rt in love * And to enjoy me
pleadest plea,
I want of thee oh! muchel wealth; * Beyond all compt my wants o'
thee!
I want o' thee full many a robe * Of sendal, silk and damaskry;
A quarter quintal eke of musk: * These of one night shall pay the
fee.
Pearls, unions and carnelian[FN#341]-stones * The bestest best of
jewelry!'
Of fairest patience showed I show * In contrariety albe:
At last she favoured me one night * When rose the moon a crescent
wee;
An stranger blame me for her sake * I say, 'O blamers listen ye!
She showeth locks of goodly length * And black as blackest night
its blee;
While on her cheeks the roses glow * Like Lazá-flame incendiary:
In every eyelash is a sword * And every glance hath archery:
Her liplets twain old wine contain, * And dews of fount-like
purity:
Her teeth resemble strings o' pearls, * Arrayed in line and fresh
from sea:
Her neck is like the neck of doe, * Pretty and carven perfectly:
Her bosom is a marble slab * Whence rise two breasts like towers
on lea:
And on her stomach shows a crease * Perfumed with rich perfumery;
Beneath which same there lurks a Thing * Limit of mine
expectancy.
A something rounded, cushioned-high * And plump, my lords, to
high degree:
To me 'tis likest royal throne * Whither my longings wander free;
There 'twixt two pillars man shall find * Benches of high-built
tracery.
It hath specific qualities * Drive sanest men t' insanity;
Full mouth it hath like mouth of neck * Or well begirt by stony
key;
Firm lips with camelry's compare * And shows it eye of cramoisie.
An draw thou nigh with doughty will * To do thy doing lustily,
Thou'll find it fain to face thy bout * And strong and fierce in
valiancy.
It bendeth backwards every brave * Shorn of his battle-bravery.
At times imberbe, but full of spunk * To battle with the
Paynimry.
'T will show thee liveliness galore * And perfect in its
raillery:
Zayn al-Mawasif it is like * Complete in charms and courtesy.
To her dear arms one night I came * And won meed given lawfully:
I passed with her that self-same night * (Best of my nights!) in
gladdest glee;
And when the morning rose, she rose * And crescent like her
visnomy:
Then swayed her supple form as sway * The lances lopt from limber
tree;
And when farewelling me she cried, * 'When shall such nights
return to me?'
Then I replied, 'O eyen-light, * When He vouchsafeth His
decree!'"[FN#342]
Zayn al-Mawasif was delighted with this Ode and the utmost
gladness gat hold of her. Then said she, "O Masrur day-dawn
draweth nigh and there is naught for it save to fly for fear of
scandal and spy!" He replied, "I hear and obey," and rising led
her to her lodging, after which he returned to his
quarters[FN#343] and passed the rest of the night pondering on
her charms. When the morning morrowed with its sheen and shone,
he made ready a splendid present and carried it to her and sat by
her side. And thus they abode awhile, in all solace of life and
its delight, till one day there came to Zayn al-Mawasif a letter
from her husband reporting to her his speedy return. Thereupon
she said in herself, "May Allah not keep him nor quicken him! If
he come hither, our life will be troubled: would Heaven I might
despair of him!" Presently entered Masrur and sat with her at
chat, as was his wont, whereupon she said to him, "O Masrur, I
have received a missive from my mate, announcing his speedy
return from his wayfaring. What is to be done, since neither of
us without other can live?" He replied, "I know not; but thou art
better able to judge, being acquainted with the ways of thy man,
more by token that thou art one of the sharpest-witted of women
and past mistress of devices such as devise that whereof fail the
wise." Quoth she, "He is a hard man and jealous of his household:
but, when he shall come home and thou hearest of his coming, do
thou repair to him and salute him and sit down by his side,
saying, 'O my brother, I am a druggist.' Then buy of him somewhat
of drugs and spices of sorts and call upon him frequently and
prolong thy talks with him and gainsay him not in whatsoever he
shall bid thee; so haply that I would contrive may betide, as it
were by chance." "I hear and I obey," quoth Masrur and fared
forth from her, with heart a-fire for love. When her husband came
home, she rejoiced in meeting him and after saluting him bade him
welcome; but he looked in her face and seeing it pale and sallow
(for she had washed it with saffron, using one of women's arts),
asked her of her case. She answered that she had been sick, she
and her women, from the time of his wayfaring, adding, "Verily,
our hearts have been engrossed with thoughts of thee because of
the length of thine absence." And she went on to complain to him
of the misery of separation and to pour forth copious tears,
saying, "Hadst thou but a companion with thee, my heart had not
borne all this cark and care for thee. So, Allah upon thee, O my
lord, travel not again without a comrade and cut me not off from
news of thee, that my heart and mind may be at rest concerning
thee!"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn
al-Mawasif said to her mate, "Travel not without comrade and cut
me not off from news of thee, that my heart and mind may be at
rest concerning thee," he replied, "With love and gladness! By
Allah thy bede is good indeed and right is thy rede! By thy life,
it shall be as thou dost heed." Then he unpacked some of his
stock-in-trade and carrying the goods to his shop, opened it and
sat down to sell in the Soko.[FN#344] No sooner had he taken his
place than lo and behold! up came Masrur and saluting him, sat
down by his side and began talking and talked with him awhile.
Then he pulled out a purse and taking forth gold, handed it to
Zayn al-Mawasif's man and said, "Give me the worth of these
dinars in drugs and spices of sorts, that I may sell them in my
shop." The Jew replied, "I hear and I obey," and gave him what he
sought. And Masrur continued to pay him frequent visits till, one
day, the merchant said to him, "I have a mind to take me a man to
partner in trade." Quoth Masrur, "And I also, desire to take a
partner; for my father was a merchant in the land of Al-Yaman and
left me great store of money and I fear lest it fare from me."
Quoth the Jew, turning towards him, "Wilt thou be my partner, and
I will be thy partner and a true friend and comrade to thee at
home and abroad; and I will teach thee selling and buying, giving
and taking?" And Masrur rejoined, "With all my heart." So the
merchant carried him to his place and seated him in the
vestibule, whilst he went in to his wife and said to her, "I have
provided me with a partner and have bidden him hither as a guest;
so do thou get us ready good guest-cheer." Whenas she heard this,
she rejoiced divining that it was Masrur, and made ready a
magnificent banquet,[FN#345] of her delight in the success of her
device. Then, when the guest drew nigh, her husband said to her,
"Come out with me to him and bid him welcome and say, 'Thou
gladdenest us[FN#346]!'" But Zayn al-Mawasif made a show of
anger, crying, "Wilt thou have me display myself before a strange
man? I take refuge with Allah! Though thou cut me to bits, I will
not appear before him!" Rejoined he, "Why shouldst thou be
abashed at him, seeing that he is a Nazarene and we are Jews and,
to boot, we are become chums, he and I?" Quoth she, "I am not
minded to present myself before a strange man, on whom I have
never once set eyes and whom I know not any wise." Her husband
thought she spoke sooth and ceased not to importune her, till she
rose and veiling herself, took the food and went out to Masrur
and welcomed him; whereupon he bowed his head groundwards, as he
were ashamed, and the Jew, seeing such dejection said in himself,
"Doubtless, this man is a devotee." They ate their fill and the
table being removed, wine was set on. As for Zayn al-Mawasif, she
sat over against Masrur and gazed on him and he gazed on her till
ended day, when he went home, with a heart to fire a prey. But
the Jew abode pondering the grace and the comeliness of him; and,
as soon as it was night, his wife according to custom served him
with supper and they seated themselves before it. Now he had a
mockingbird which was wont, whenever he sat down to meat, to come
and eat with him and hover over his head; but in his absence the
fowl was grown familiar with Masrur and used to flutter about him
as he sat at meals. Now when Masrur disappeared and the master
returned, it knew him not and would not draw near him, and this
made him thoughtful concerning his case and the fowl's
withdrawing from him. As for Zayn al-Mawasif, she could not sleep
with her heart thinking of Masrur, and thus it was with her a
second and even a third night, till the Jew became aware of her
condition and, watching her while she sat distraught, began to
suspect somewhat wrong. On the fourth night, he awoke in the
middle thereof and heard his wife babbling in her sleep and
naming Masrur, what while she lay on her husband's bosom,
wherefore he misdoubted her; but he dissembled his suspicions and
when morning morrowed he repaired to his shop and sat therein.
Presently, up came Masrur and saluted him. He returned his salam
and said to him, "Welcome, O my brother!" adding anon, "I have
wished for thee;" and he sat talking with him for an hour or so,
after which he said to him, "Rise, O my brother, and hie with me
to my house, that we may enter into the pact of
brotherhood."[FN#347] Replied Masrur, "With joy and goodly gree,"
and they repaired to the Jew's house, where the master went in
and told his wife of Masrur's visit, for the purpose of
conditioning their partnership, and said, "Make us ready a goodly
entertainment, and needs must thou be present and witness our
brotherhood." But she replied, "Allah upon thee, cause me not
show myself to this strange man, for I have no mind to company
with him." So he held his peace and forbore to press her and bade
the waiting-women bring food and drink. Then he called the
mocking-bird but it knew not its lord and settled upon Masrur's
lap; and the Jew said to him, "O my master, what is thy name?" He
answered, "My name is Masrur;" whereupon the Jew remembered that
this was the name which his wife had repeated all night long in
her sleep. Presently, he raised his head and saw her making
signs[FN#348] with her forefingers to Masrur and motioning to him
with her eyes, wherefore he knew that he had been completely
cozened and cuckolded and said, "O my lord, excuse me awhile,
till I fetch my kinsmen, so they may be present at our swearing
brotherhood." Quoth Masrur, "Do what seemeth good to thee;"
whereupon the Jew went forth the house and returning privily by a
back way.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-third Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zayn
al-Mawasif's husband said to Masrur, "Excuse me awhile, till I
fetch my cousins to witness the brother-bond between me and
thee." Then he went forth and, privily returning behind the
sitting-room, there took his station hard by a window which gave
upon the saloon and whence he could watch them without their
seeing him. Suddenly quoth Zayn al-Mawasif to her maid Sukub,
"Whither is thy master gone?"; and quoth she, "He is gone without
the house." Cried the mistress, "Lock the door and bar it with
iron and open thou not till he knock, after thou hast told me."
Answered Sukub, "So shall it be done." Then, while her husband
watched them, she rose and filling a cup with wine, flavoured
with powdered musk and rose-water, went close to Masrur, who
sprang up to meet her, saying, "By Allah, the water of thy mouth
is sweeter than this wine!" "Here it is for thee," said she and
filling her mouth with wine, gave him to drink thereof, whilst he
gave her the like to drink; after which she sprinkled him with
rose-water from front to foot, till the perfume scented the whole
place. All this while, the Jew was looking on and marvelling at
the stress of love that was between them, and his heart was filled
with fury for what he saw and he was not only wroth, but jealous
with exceeding jealousy. Then he went out again and coming to the
door found it locked and knocked a loud knock of the excess of
his rage; whereupon quoth Sukub, "O my lady, here is my master;"
and quoth Zayn al-Mawasif, "Open to him; would that Allah had not
brought him back in safety!" So Sukub went and opened the door to
the Jew, who said to her, "What ailed thee to lock the door?"
Quoth she, "It hath never ceased to be locked thus during thine
absence; nor hath it been opened night nor day;" and cried he,
"Thou hast done well; this pleaseth me." Then he went in to
Masrur, laughing and dissembling his chagrin, and said to him, "O
Masrur, let us put off the conclusion of our pact of brotherhood
this day and defer it to another." Replied Masrur, "As thou
wilt," and hied him home, leaving the Jew pondering his case and
knowing not what to do; for his heart was sore troubled and he
said in himself, "Even the mocking-bird disowneth me and the
slave-girls shut the door in my face and favour another." And of
his exceeding chagrin, he fell to reciting these couplets,
"Masrur joys life made fair by all delight of days, * Fulfilled
of boons, while mine the sorest grief displays.
The Days have falsed me in the breast of her I love * And in my
heart are fires which all-consuming blaze:
Yea, Time was clear for thee, but now 'tis past and gone * While
yet her lovely charms thy wit and senses daze:
Espied these eyes of mine her gifts of loveliness: * Oh, hard my
case and sore my woe on spirit weighs!
I saw the maiden of the tribe deal rich old wine * Of lips like
Salsabíl to friend my love betrays:
E'en so, O mocking-bird, thou dost betray my breast * And to a
rival teachest Love and lover-ways:
Strange things indeed and wondrous saw these eyne of me * Which
were they sleep-drowned still from Sleep's abyss would raise:
I see my best belovèd hath forsworn my love * And eke like my
mocking-bird fro' me a-startled strays.
By truth of Allah, Lord of Worlds who, whatso wills * His Fate,
for creatures works and none His hest gainsays,
Forsure I'll deal to that ungodly wight his due * Who but to sate
his wicked will her heart withdrew!"
When Zayn al-Mawasif heard this, her side-muscles trembled and
quoth she to her handmaid, "Heardest thou those lines?";
whereupon quoth the girl, "I never heard him in my born days
recite the like of these verses; but let him say what he will."
Then having assured himself of the truth of his suspicions, the
Jew began to sell all his property, saying to himself, "Unless I
part them by removing her from her mother land the twain will not
turn back from this that they are engaged in, no, never!" So,
when he had converted all his possessions into coin, he forged a
letter and read it to Zayn al-Mawasif, declaring that it had come
from his kinsmen, who invited him to visit them, him and his
wife. She asked, "How long shall we tarry with them?" and he
answered, "Twelve days." Accordingly she consented to this and
said, "Shall I take any of my maids with me?"; whereto he
replied, "Take Hubub and Sukub and leave Khutub here." Then he
made ready a handsome camel-litter[FN#349] for his spouse and her
women and prepared to set out with them; whilst she sent to her
leman, telling him what had betided her and saying, "O Masrur, an
the trysting-time[FN#350] that is between us pass and I come not
back, know that he hath cheated and cozened us and planned a plot
to separate us each from other, so forget thou not the plighted
faith betwixt us, for I fear that he hath found out our love and
I dread his craft and perfidy." Then, whilst her man was busy
about his march she fell a-weeping and lamenting and no peace was
left her, night or day. Her husband saw this, but took no note
thereof; and when she saw there was scant help for it, she
gathered together her clothes and gear and deposited them with
her sister, telling her what had befallen her. Then she
farewelled her and going out from her, drowned in tears, returned
to her own house, where she found her husband had brought the
camels and was busy loading them, having set apart the handsomest
dromedary for her riding, and when she saw this and knew that
needs must she be separated from Masrur, she waxt clean
distraught. Presently it chanced that the Jew went out on some
business of his; so she fared forth to the first or outer door
and wrote thereon these couplets,--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Zayn al-Mawasif saw her spouse summon the camels and knew that
the march needs must be, she waxt clean distraught. Presently it
chanced that the Jew went out on some business so she fared forth
to the first door and wrote thereon these couplets,
"Bear our salams, O Dove, from this our stead * From lover to
beloved far severèd!
Bid him fro' me ne'er cease to yearn and mourn * O'er happy days
and hours for ever fled:
Eke I in grief shall ever mourn and yearn, * Dwelling on days of
love and lustihead;
Long was our joyance, seeming aye to last, * When night and
morning to reunion led;
Till croaked the Raven[FN#351] of the Wold one day * His cursed
croak and did our union dead.
We sped and left the homestead dark and void * Its gates
unpeopled and its dwellers sped."
Then she went to the second door and wrote thereon these
couplets,
"O who passest this doorway, by Allah, see * The charms of my
fere in the glooms and make plea
For me, saying, 'I think of the Past and weep * Yet boot me no
tears flowing full and free.'
Say, 'An fail thee patience for what befel * Scatter earth and
dust on the head of thee!
And o'er travel lands East and West, and deem * God sufficeth thy
case, so bear patiently!'"
Then she went to the third door and wept sore and thereon wrote
these couplets,
"Fare softly, Masrúr! an her sanctuary * Thou seek, and read what
a-door writ she.
Ne'er forget Love-plight, if true man; how oft * Hast savoured
Nights' bitter and sweetest gree!
O Masrúr! forget not her neighbourhood * For wi' thee must her
gladness and joyance flee!
But beweep those dearest united days * When thou camest veilèd in
secresy;
Wend for sake of us over farthest wone; * Span the wold for us,
for us dive in sea;
Allah bless the past days! Ah, how glad they were * When in
Gardens of Fancy the flowers pluckt we!
The nights of Union from us are fled * And parting-glooms dim
their radiancy;
Ah! had this lasted as hopèd we, but * He left only our breasts
and the rosery.
Will revolving days on Re-union dawn? * Then our vow to the Lord
shall accomplisht be.
Learn thou our lots are in hand of Him * Who on lines of
skull[FN#352] writes our destiny!"
Then she wept with sore weeping and returned to the house,
wailing and remembering what had passed and saying, "Glory be to
God who hath decreed to us this!" And her affliction redoubled
for severance from her beloved and her departure from her
mother-land, and she recited these couplets,
"Allah's peace on thee, House of Vacancy! * Ceased in thee all
our joys, all our jubilee.
O thou Dove of the homestead, ne'er cease to bemoan * Whose moons
and full moons[FN#353] sorest severance dree:
Masrúr, fare softly and mourn our loss; * Loving thee our eyes
lose their brilliancy:
Would thy sight had seen, on our marching day, * Tears shed by a
heart in Hell's flagrancy!
Forget not the plight in the garth-shade pledged * When we sat
enveiléd in privacy:"
Then she presented herself before her husband, who lifted her
into the litter he had let make for her; and, when she found
herself on the camel's back, she recited these couplets,
"The Lord, empty House! to thee peace decree * Long we bore
therein growth of misery:
Would my life-thread were shorn in that safe abode * And o' night
I had died in mine ecstasy!
Home-sickness I mourn, and my strangerhood * Irks my soul, nor
the riddle of future I ree.
Would I wot shall I ever that house resee * And find it, as erst,
home of joy and glee!"
Said her husband, "O Zayn al-Mawasif grieve not for thy departure
from thy dwelling; for thou shalt return to it ere long
Inshallah!" And he went on to comfort her heart and soothe her
sorrow. Then all set out and fared on till they came without the
town and struck into the high road, whereupon she knew that
separation was certain and this was very grievous to her. And
while such things happened Masrur sat in his quarters, pondering
his case and that of his mistress, and his heart forewarned him
of severance. So he rose without stay and delay and repairing to
her house, found the outer door padlocked and read the couplets
she had written thereon; upon which he fell down in a fainting
fit. When he came to himself, he opened the first door and
entering, read what was written upon the second and likewise upon
the third doors; wherefore passion and love-longing and
distraction grew on him. So he went forth and hastened in her
track, till he came up with the light caravan[FN#354] and found
her at the rear, whilst her husband rode in the van, because of
his merchandise. When he saw her, he clung to the litter, weeping
and wailing for the anguish of parting, and recited these
couplets,
"Would I wot for what crime shot and pierced are we * Thro' the
days with Estrangement's archery!
O my heart's desire, to thy door I came * One day, when high waxt
mine expectancy:
But I found the home waste as the wold and void * And I 'plained
my pine and groaned wretchedly:
And I asked the walls of my friends who fared * With my heart in
pawn and in pendency;
And they said, 'All marched from the camp and left *An ambushed
sorrow on hill and lea;'
And a writ on the walls did they write, as write * Folk who keep
their faith while the Worlds are three."
Now when Zayn al-Mawasif heard these lines, she knew that it was
Masrur.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn
al-Mawasif heard these lines she knew that it was Masrur and
wept, she and her handmaids, and said to him, "O Masrur, I
conjure thee by Allah, turn back, lest my husband see us twain
together!" At her words he swooned away; and when he revived,
they took leave each of other and he recited the following
couplets,
"The Caravan-chief calleth loud o' night * Ere the Breeze bear
his cry in the morning-light:
They girded their loads and prepared to fare, * And hurried while
murmured the leader-wight.
They scent the scene on its every side, * As their march through
the valley they expedite.
After winning my heart by their love they went * O' morn when
their track could deceive my sight.
O my neighbour fair, I reckt ne'er to part, * Or the ground
bedewed with my tears to sight!
Woe betide my heart, now hath Severance hand * To heart and
vitals dealt bane and blight."
Then he clung to the litter, weeping and wailing, whilst she
besought him to turn back ere morn for fear of scorn. So he came
up to her Haudaj and farewelling her a second time, fell down in
a swoon. He lay an hour or so without life, and when he revived
he found the caravan had fared forth of sight. So he turned in
the direction of their wayfare and scenting the breeze which blew
from their quarter, chanted these improvised lines,
"No breeze of Union to the lover blows * But moan he maketh burnt
with fiery woes:
The Zephyr fans him at the dawn o' day; * But when he wakes the
horizon lonely shows:
On bed of sickness strewn in pain he lies, * And weeps he bloody
tears in burning throes,
For the fair neighbour with my heart they bore * 'Mid travellers
urging beasts with cries and blows.
By Allah from their stead no Zephyr blew * But sniffed I as the
wight on eyeballs goes;[FN#355]
And snuff the sweetest South as musk it breathes * And on the
longing lover scent bestows."
Then Masrur returned, mad with love-longing, to her house, and
finding it lone from end to end[FN#356] and forlorn of friend,
wept till he wet his clothes; after which he swooned away and his
soul was like to leave his body. When he revived, he recited
these two couplets,
"O Spring-camp have ruth on mine overthrowing * My abjection, my
leanness, my tears aye flowing,
Waft the scented powder[FN#357] of breezes they breathe * In hope
it cure heart of a grief e'er growing."
Then he returned to his own lodging confounded and tearful-eyed,
and abode there for the space of ten days. Such was his case; but
as regards the Jew, he journeyed on with Zayn al-Mawasif half a
score days, at the end of which he halted at a certain city and
she, being by that time assured that her husband had played her
false, wrote to Masrur a letter and gave it to Hubub, saying,
"Send this to Masrur, so he may know how foully and fully we have
been tricked and how the Jew hath cheated us." So Hubub took it
and despatched it to Masrur, and when it reached, its news was
grievous to him and he wept till he watered the ground. Then he
wrote a reply and sent it to his mistress, subscribing it with
these two couplets,
"Where is the way to Consolation's door * How shall console him
flames burn evermore?
How pleasant were the days of yore all gone: * Would we had
somewhat of those days of yore!"
When the missive reached Zayn al-Mawasif, she read it and again
gave it to her handmaid Hubub, saying to her, "Keep it secret!"
However, the husband came to know of their correspondence and
removed with her and her two women to another city, at a distance
of twenty days' march. Thus it befel Zayn al-Mawasif; but as
regards Masrur, sleep was not sweet to him nor was peace peaceful
to him or patience left to him, and he ceased not to be thus
till, one night, his eyes closed for weariness and he dreamt that
he saw Zayn al-Mawasif come to him in the garden and embrace him;
but presently he awoke and found her not: whereupon his reason
fled and his wits wandered and his eyes ran over with tears;
love-longing to the utterest gat hold of his heart and he recited
these couplets,
"Peace be to her, who visits me in sleeping phantasy * Stirring
desire and growing love to uttermost degree:
Verily from that dream I rose with passion maddenèd * For sight
of fairest phantom come in piece to visit me:
Say me, can dreams declare the truth anent the maid I love, * And
quench the fires of thirst and heal my love-sick malady?
Anon to me she is liberal and she strains me to her breast; *
Anon she soothes mine anxious heart with sweetest
pleasantry:
From off her dark-red damask lips the dew I wont to sip * The
fine old wine that seemed to reek of musk's perfumery.
I wondered at the wondrous things between us done in dreams, *
And won my wish and all my will of things I hoped to see;
And from that dreamery I rose, yet ne'er could hope to find *
Trace of my phantom save my pain and fiery misery:
And when I looked on her a-morn, 'twas as a lover mad * And every
eve was drunken yet no wine brought jollity.
O breathings of the northern breeze, by Allah fro' me bear *
Them-wards the greetings of my love and best salams that be:
Say them, 'The wight with whom ye made that plight of fealty *
Time with his changes made him drain Death's cup and slain
is he!'"
Then he went out and ceased not to weep till he came to her house
and looking on it, saw it empty and void. Presently, it seemed to
him he beheld her form before him, whereupon fires flamed in him
and his griefs redoubled and he fell down aswoon;--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Masrur saw the vision of Zayn al-Mawasif and felt her embrace, he
joyed with passing joy. As soon as he awoke he sought her house,
but finding it empty and void he fell down a-swoon; and when he
came to himself, he recited these couplets,
"Fro' them inhale I scent of Ottar and of Bán; * So fare with
heart which ecstasies of love unman:
I'd heal thy longings (love-sick lover!) by return * To site of
beauty void sans friend or mate to scan:
But still it sickeneth me with parting's ban and bane * Minding
mine olden plight with friend and partisan."
When he had made an end of these verses, he heard a raven croak
beside the house and wept, saying, "Glory be to God! The raven
croaketh not save over a ruined homestead." Then he moaned and
groaned and recited these couplets,
"What ails the Raven that he croaks my lover's house hard by, *
And in my vitals lights a fire that flameth fierce and high?
For times now past and gone I spent in joyance of their love *
With love my heart hath gone to waste and I sore pain aby:
I die of longing love and lowe still in my liver raging * And
wrote to her but none there is who with the writ may hie:
Ah well-away for wasted frame! Hath farèd forth my friend * And
if she will o' nights return Oh would that thing wot I!
Then, Ho thou Breeze of East, and thou by morn e'er visit her; *
Greet her from me and stand where doth her tribe encampèd
lie!"
Now Zayn al-Mawasif had a sister, by name Nasím--the Zephyr--who
stood espying him from a high place; and when she saw him in this
plight, she wept and sighed and recited these couplets,
"How oft bewailing the place shall be this coming and going, *
While the House bemoaneth its builder with tear-flood ever
a-flowing?
Here was bestest joy ere fared my friend with the caravan hieing
* And its dwellers and brightest-suns[FN#358] ne'er ceased
in its walls a-glowing:
Where be those fullest moons that here were always arising? *
Bedimmed them the Shafts of Days their charms of spirit
unknowing:
Leave then what is past of the Fair thou wast ever with love
espying * And look; for haply the days may restore them
without foreshowing:
For hadst thou not been, its dwellers had never departed flying *
Nor haddest thou seen the Crow with ill-omened croak
a-crying."
Masrur wept sore hearing these verses and apprehending their
significance. Now Nasim knew that which was between him and her
sister of love and longing, ecstasy and passion; so she said to
him, "Allah upon thee, O Masrur, away from this house, lest any
see thee and deem thou comest on my account! Indeed thou hast
caused my sister quit it and now thou wouldst drive me also away.
Thou knowest that, but for thee, the house would not now be void
of its dwellers: so be consoled for her loss and leave her: what
is past is past." When he heard this, he wept bitterly and said
to her, "O Nasim, if I could, I should fly for longing after her;
so how can I be comforted for her?" Quoth she, "Thou hast no
device save patience;" and quoth he, "I beseech thee, for Allah's
sake, write me a writ to her, as from thyself, and get me an
answer from her, to comfort my heart and quench the fire in my
vitals." She replied, "With love and gladness," and took inkcase
and paper, whilst Masrur began to set out to her the violence of
his longing and what tortures he suffered for the anguish of
severance, saying, "This letter is from the lover despairing and
sorrowful * the bereaved, the woeful * with whom no peace can
stay * nor by night nor by day * but he weepeth copious tears
alway. * Indeed, tears his eyelids have ulcerated and his sorrows
have kindled in his liver a fire unsated. His lamentation is
lengthened and restlessness is strengthened and he is as he were
a bird unmated * While for sudden death he awaiteth * Alas, my
desolation for the loss of thee * and alas, my yearning
affliction for the companionship of thee! * Indeed, emaciation
hath wasted my frame * and my tears a torrent became * mountains
and plains are straitened upon me for grame * and of the excess
of my distress, I go saying,
"Still cleaves to this homestead mine ecstasy, * And redoubled
pine for its dwellers I dree;
And I send to your quarters the tale of my love * And the cup of
your love gave the Cup-boy to me.
And for faring of you and your farness from home * My wounded
lids are from tears ne'er free:
O thou leader of litters, turn back with my love * For my heart
redoubleth its ardency:
Greet my love and say him that naught except * Those brown-red
lips deals me remedy:
They bore him away and our union rent * And my vitals with
Severance-shaft shot he:
My love, my lowe and my longing to him * Convey, for of parting
no cure I see:
I swear an oath by your love that I * Will keep pact and covenant
faithfully,
To none I'll incline or forget your love * How shall love-sick
lover forgetful be?
So with you be the peace and my greeting fair * In letters that
perfume of musk-pod bear."
Her sister Nasim admired his eloquence of tongue and the
goodliness of his speech and the elegance of the verses he sang,
and was moved to ruth for him. So she sealed the letter with
virgin musk and incensed it with Nadd-scent and ambergris, after
which she committed it to a certain of the merchants saying,
"Deliver it not to any save to Zayn al-Mawasif or to her handmaid
Hubub." Now when the letter reached her sister, she knew it for
Masrur's dictation and recognised himself in the grace of its
expression. So she kissed it and laid it on her eyes, whilst the
tears streamed from her lids and she gave not over weeping, till
she fainted. As soon as she came to herself, she called for
pencase and paper and wrote him the following answer; complaining
the while of her desire and love-longing and ecstasy and what was
hers to endure of pining for her lover and yearning to him and
the passion she had conceived for him.--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zayn
al-Mawasif wrote the following reply to Masrur's missive: "This
letter to my lord and master I indite * the king of my heart and
my secret sprite * Indeed, wakefulness agitateth me * and
melancholy increaseth on me * and I have no patience to endure
the absence of thee * O thou who excellest sun and moon in
brilliancy * Desire of repose despoileth me * and passion
destroyeth me * and how should it be otherwise with me, seeing
that I am of the number of the dying? *O glory of the world and
Ornament of life, she whose vital spirits are cut off shall her
cup be sweet to quaff? * For that she is neither with the quick
nor with the dead." And she improvised these couplets and said,
"Thy writ, O Masrúr, stirred my sprite to pine * For by Allah,
all patience and solace I tyne:
When I read thy scripture, my vitals yearned * And watered the
herbs of the wold these eyne.
On Night's wings I'd fly an a bird * And sans thee I weet not the
sweets of wine:
Life's unlawful to me since thou faredst far * To bear parting-
lowe is no force of mine."
Then she sprinkled the letter with powder of musk and ambergris
and, having sealed it with her signet, committed it to a
merchant, saying, "Deliver it to none save to my sister." When it
reached Nasim she sent it to Masrur, who kissed it and laid it on
his eyes and wept till he fell into a trance. Such was their
case; but as regards the Jew, he presently heard of their
correspondence and began again to travel from place to place with
Zayn al-Mawasif and her damsels, till she said to him, "Glory to
God! How long wilt thou fare with us and bear us afar from our
homes?" Quoth he, "I will fare on with you a year's journey, so
no more letters may reach you from Masrur. I see how you take all
my monies and give them to him; so all that I miss I shall
recover from you: and I shall see if Masrur will profit you or
have power to deliver you from my hand." Then he repaired to a
blacksmith, after stripping her and her damsels of their silken
apparel and clothing them in raiment of hair-cloth, and bade him
make three pairs of iron shackles. When they were ready, he
brought the smith in to his wife, having said to him, "Put the
shackles on the legs of these three slave-girls." The first that
came forward was Zayn al-Mawasif, and when the blacksmith saw
her, his sense forsook him and he bit his finger tips and his wit
fled forth his head and his transport grew sore upon him. So he
said to the Jew, "What is the crime of these damsels?" Replied
the other, "They are my slave-girls, and have stolen my good and
fled from me." Cried the smith, "Allah disappoint thy jealous
whims! By the Almighty, were this girl before the Kazi of
Kazis,[FN#359] he would not even reprove her, though she
committed a thousand crimes a day. Indeed, she showeth not
thief's favour and she cannot brook the laying of irons on her
legs." And he asked him as a boon not to fetter her, interceding
with him to forbear the shackles. When she saw the blacksmith
taking her part in this wise she said to her husband, "I conjure
thee, by Allah, bring me not forth before yonder strange man!"
Said he, "Why then camest thou forth before Masrur?"; and she
made him no reply. Then he accepted the smith's intercession, so
far as to allow him to put a light pair of irons on her legs, for
that she had a delicate body, which might not brook harsh usage,
whilst he laid her handmaids in heavy bilboes, and they ceased
not, all three, to wear hair-cloth night and day till their
bodies became wasted and their colour changed. As for the
blacksmith, exceeding love had fallen on his heart for Zayn
al-Mawasif; so he returned home in great concern and he fell to
reciting extempore these couplets,
"Wither thy right, O smith, which made her bear * Those iron
chains her hands and feet to wear!
Thou hast ensoiled a lady soft and bright, * Marvel of marvels,
fairest of the fair:
Hadst thou been just, those anklets ne'er had been * Of iron: nay
of purest gold they were:
By Allah! did the Kázis' Kázi sight * Her charms, he'd seat her
in the highest chair."
Now it chanced that the Kazi of Kazis passed by the smith's house
and heard him improvise these lines; so he sent for him and as
soon as he saw him said to him, "O blacksmith, who is she on whom
thou callest so instantly and eloquently and with whose love thy
heart is full filled?" The smith sprang to his feet and kissing
the Judge's hand, answered, "Allah prolong the days of our lord
the Kazi and ample his life!" Then he described to him Zayn
al-Mawasif's beauty and loveliness, brilliancy and perfection,
and symmetry and grace and how she was lovely faced and had a
slender waist and heavily based; and acquainted him with the
sorry plight wherein she was for abasement and durance vile and
lack of victual. When the Kazi heard this, he said, "O
blacksmith, send her to us and show her that we may do her
justice, for thou art become accountable for the damsel and
unless thou guide her to us, Allah will punish thee at the Day of
Doom." "I hear and obey," replied the smith and betook himself
without stay and delay to Zayn al-Mawasif's lodging, but found
the door barred and heard a voice of plaintive tone that came
from heart forlorn and lone; and it was Zayn al-Mawasif reciting
these couplets,
"I and my love in union were unite; * And filled my friend to me
cups clearly bright
Between us reigned high mirth and jollity, * Nor Eve nor Morn
brought 'noyance or affright
Indeed we spent most joyous time, with cup * And lute and
dulcimer to add delight,
Till Time estranged our fair companionship; * My lover went and
blessing turned to blight.
Ah would the Severance-raven's croak were stilled * And
Union-dawn of Love show blessèd light!"
When the blacksmith heard this, he wept like the weeping of the
clouds. Then he knocked at the door and the women said, "Who is
at the door?" Answered he, "'Tis I, the blacksmith," and told
them what the Kazi had said and how he would have them appear
before him and make their complaint to him, that he might do them
justice on their adversary.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say,
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
blacksmith told Zayn al-Mawasif what the Kazi had said, and how
he summoned them that he might apply the Lex Talionis to their
adversary, she rejoined, "How can we go to him, seeing the door
is locked on us and our feet shackled and the Jew hath the keys?"
The smith replied, "I will make the keys for the padlocks and
therewith open door and shackles." Asked she, "But who will show
us the Kazi's house?"; and he answered, "I will describe it to
you." She enquired, "But how can we appear before him, clad as we
are in haircloth reeking with sulphur?" And the smith rejoined,
"The Kazi will not reproach this to you, considering your case."
So saying, he went forthright and made keys for the padlocks,
wherewith he opened the door and the shackles, and loosing the
irons from their legs, carried them forth and guided them to the
Kazi's mansion. Then Hubub did off the hair-cloth garments from
her lady's body and carried her to the Hammam, where she bathed
her and attired her in silken raiment, and her colour returned to
her. Now it happened, by exceeding good fortune, that her husband
was abroad at a bride-feast in the house of one of the merchants;
so Zayn al-Mawasif, the Adornment of Qualities, adorned herself
with the fairest ornaments and repaired to the Kazi, who at once
on espying her rose to receive her. She saluted him with softest
speech and winsomest words, shooting him through the vitals the
while with the shafts of her glances, and said, "May Allah
prolong the life of our lord the Kazi and strengthen him to judge
between man and man!" Then she acquainted him with the affair of
the blacksmith and how he had done nobly by them, whenas the Jew
had inflicted on her and her women heart-confounding torments;
and how his victims deathwards he drave, nor was there any found
to save. "O damsel," quoth the Kazi, "what is thy name?" "My name
is Zayn al Mawasif,--Adomment of Qualities--and this my
handmaid's name is Hubub." "Thy name accordeth with the named and
its sound conformeth with its sense." Whereupon she smiled and
veiled her face, and he said to her, "O Zayn al-Mawasif, hast
thou a husband or not?" "I have no husband"; "And what is thy
Faith?" "That of Al-Islam, and the religion of the Best of Men."
"Swear to me by Holy Law replete with signs and instances that
thou ownest the creed of the Best of Mankind." So she swore to
him and pronounced the profession of the Faith. Then asked the
Kazi, "How cometh it that thou wastest thy youth with this Jew?"
And she answered, "Know, O Kazi (may Allah prolong thy days in
contentment and bring thee to thy will and thine acts with
benefits seal!), that my father left me, after his death, fifteen
thousand dinars, which he placed in the hands of this Jew, that
he might trade therewith and share his gains with me, the head of
the property[FN#360] being secured by legal acknowledgment. When
my father died, the Jew coveted me and sought me in marriage of
my mother, who said, 'How shall I drive her from her Faith and
cause to become a Jewess? By Allah, I will denounce thee to the
rulers!' He was affrighted at her words and taking the money,
fled to the town of Adan.[FN#361] When we heard where he was, we
came to Adan in search of him, and when we foregathered with him
there, he told us that he was trading in stuffs with the monies
and buying goods upon goods. So we believed him and he ceased not
to cozen us till he cast us into jail and fettered us and
tortured us with exceeding sore torments; and we are strangers in
the land and have no helper save Almighty Allah and our lord the
Kazi." When the judge heard this tale he asked Hubub the nurse,
"Is this indeed thy lady and are ye strangers and is she
unmarried?", and she answered, "Yes." Quoth he, "Marry her to me
and on me be incumbent manumission of my slaves and fasting and
pilgrimage and almsgiving of all my good an I do you not justice
on this dog and punish him for that he hath done!" And quoth she,
"I hear and obey." Then said the Kazi, "Go, hearten thy heart and
that of thy lady; and to-morrow, Inshallah, I will send for this
Miscreant and do you justice on him and ye shall see prodigies of
his punishment." So Hubub called down blessings upon him and went
forth from him with her mistress, leaving him with passion and
love-longing fraught and with distress and desire distraught.
Then they enquired for the house of the second Kazi and
presenting themselves before him, told him the same tale. On like
wise did the twain, mistress and maid with the third and the
fourth, till Zayn al-Mawasif had made her complaint to all the
four Kazis, each of whom fell in love with her and besought her
to wed him, to which she consented with a "Yes"; nor wist any one
of the four that which had happened to the others. All this
passed without the knowledge of the Jew, who spent the night in
the house of the bridefeast. And when morning morrowed, Hubub
arose and gat ready her lady's richest raiment; then she clad her
therewith and presented herself with her before the four Kazis in
the court of justice. As soon as she entered, she veiled her face
and saluted the judges, who returned her salam and each and every
of them recognised her. One was writing, and the reed-pen dropped
from his hand, another was talking, and his tongue became tied,
and a third was reckoning and blundered in his reckoning; and
they said to her, "O admirable of attributes and singular among
beauties! be not thy heart other than hearty, for we will
assuredly do thee justice and bring thee to thy desire." So she
called down blessings on them and farewelled them and went her
ways.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Kazis said to Zayn al-Mawasif, "O admirable of attributes and
singular among beauties! Be not thy heart other than hearty for
our doing thy desire and thy winning to thy will." So she called
down blessings on them and farewelled them and went her ways, the
while her husband abode with his friends at the marriage-banquet
and knew naught of her doings. Then she proceeded to beseech the
notaries and scribes and the notables and the Chiefs of Police to
succour her against that unbelieving miscreant and deliver her
from the torment she suffered from him. Then she wept with sore
weeping and improvised these couplets,
"Rain showers of torrent tears, O Eyne and see * An they will
quench the fires that flame in me:
After my robes of gold-embroidered silk * I wake to wear the
frieze of monkery:
And all my raiment reeks of sulphur-fumes * When erst my shift
shed musky fragrancy:
And hadst thou, O Masrúr, my case descried, * Ne'er hadst thou
borne my shame and ignomy.
And eke Hubúb in iron chains is laid * By Miscreant who unknows
God's Unity.
The creed of Jewry I renounce and home, * The Moslem's Faith
accepting faithfully
Eastwards[FN#362] I prostrate self in fairest guise * Holding the
only True Belief that be:
Masrúr! forget not love between us twain * And keep our vows and
troth with goodly gree:
I've changed my faith for sake of thee, and I * For stress of
love will cleave to secrecy:
So haste to us, an us in heart thou bear, * As noble spirit, nor
as laggard fare."
After this she wrote a letter to Masrur, describing to him all
that the Jew had done with her from first to last and enclosed
the verses aforesaid. Then she folded the scroll and gave it to
her maid Hubub, saying, "Keep this in thy pocket, till we send it
to Masrur." Upon these doings lo and behold! in came the Jew and
seeing them joyous, said to them, "How cometh it that I find you
merry? Say me, hath a letter reached you from your bosom friend
Masrur?" Replied Zayn al-Mawasif, "We have no helper against thee
save Allah, extolled and exalted be He! He will deliver us from
thy tyranny, and except thou restore us to our birth-place and
homestead, we will complain of thee tomorrow to the Governor of
this town and to the Kazi." Quoth he, "Who struck off the
shackles from your legs? But needs must I let make for each of
you fetters ten pounds in weight and go round about the city with
you." Replied Hubub, "All that thou purposest against us thou
shall fall into thyself, so it please Allah the Most High, by
token that thou hast exiled us from our homes, and to-morrow we
shall stand, we and thou, before the Governor of the city." They
nighted on this wise and next morning the Jew rose up in haste
and went out to order new shackles, whereupon Zayn al-Mawasif
arose and repaired with her women to the court-house, where she
found the four Kazis and saluted them. They all returned her
salutation and the Kazi of Kazis said to those about him, "Verily
this damsel is lovely as the Venus-star[FN#363] and all who see
her love her and bow before her beauty and loveliness." Then he
despatched four sergeants, who were Sharífs,[FN#364] saying,
"Bring ye the criminal after abjectest fashion." So, when the Jew
returned with the shackles and found none in the house, he was
confounded; but, as he abode in perplexity, suddenly up came the
officers and laying hold of him beat him with a sore beating and
dragged him face downwards before the Kazi. When the judge saw
him, he cried out in his face and said to him, "Woe to thee, O
foe of God, is it come to such a pass with thee that thou doest
the deed thou hast done and bringest these women far from their
country and stealest their monies and wouldst make them Jews? How
durst thou seek to make miscreants of Moslems?" Answered the Jew,
"O my lord this woman is my wife." Now when the Kazis heard this,
they all cried out, saying, "Throw this hound on the ground and
come down on his face with your sandals and beat him with sore
blows, for his offence is unpardonable." So they pulled off his
silken gear and clad him in his wife's raiment of hair-cloth,
after which they threw him down and plucked out his beard and
belaboured him about the face with sandals. Then they sat him on
an ass, face to crupper, arsi-versy, and making him take its tail
in his hand, paraded him round about the city, ringing the bell
before him in every street; after which they brought him back to
the judges in sorriest plight; and the four Kazis with one voice
condemned him to have his feet and hands cut off and lastly to be
crucified. When the accursed heard this sentence his sense
forsook him and he was confounded and said, "O my lords the
Kazis, what would ye of me?" They replied, "Say thou, 'This
damsel is not my wife and the monies are her monies, and I have
transgressed against her and brought her far from her country.'"
So he confessed to this and the Kazis recorded his confession in
legal form and taking the money from him, gave it to Zayn
al-Mawasif, together with the document. Then she went away and
all who saw her were confounded at her beauty and loveliness,
whilst each of the Kazis looked for her committing herself to
him. But, when she came to her lodging, she made ready all
matters she needed and waited till night. Then she took what was
light of load and weighty of worth, and setting out with her
maids under cover of the murks three days with their nights fared
on without stopping. Thus it was with her; but as regards the
Kazis they ordered the Jew to prison.--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixtieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Kazis
ordered the Jew to prison and on the morrow they looked for Zayn
al-Mawasif coming to them, they and their assessors; but she
presented herself not to any of them. Then said the Chief Kazi,
"I wish to-day to make an excursion without the town on business
there." So he mounted his she-mule and taking his page with him,
went winding about the streets of the town, searching its length
and width for Zayn al-Mawasif, but never finding her. On this
errand he came upon the other three Kazis, going about on the
same, each deeming himself the only one to whom she had given
tryst. He asked them whither they were riding and why they were
going about the streets; when they told him their business,
whereby he saw that their plight was as his plight and their
quest as his quest. So they all four rode throughout the city,
seeking her, but could hit on no trace of her and returned to
their houses, sick for love, and lay down on the bed of langour.
Presently the Chief Kazi bethought himself of the blacksmith; so
he sent for him and said to him, "O blacksmith, knowest thou
aught of the damsel whom thou didst direct to me? By Allah, an
thou discover her not to me, I will whack thee with whips." Now
when the smith heard this, he recited these couplets[FN#365],
"She who my all of love by love of her hath won * Owns every
Beauty and for others leaves she none:
She gazes, a gazelle; she breathes, fresh ambergris * She waves,
a lake; she sways, a bough; she shines, a Sun."
Then said the blacksmith, "By Allah, O my lord, since she fared
forth from thy worshipful presence,[FN#366] I have not set eyes
on her; no, not once. Indeed she took possession of my heart and
wits and all my talk and thoughts are of her. I went to her
lodging but found her not, nor found I any who could give me news
of her, and it is as if she had dived into the depths of the sea
or had ascended to the sky." Now when the Kazi heard this, he
groaned a groan, that his soul was like to depart therefor, and
he said, "By Allah, well it were had we never seen her!" Then the
smith went away, whilst the Kazi fell down on his bed and became
sick of langour for her sake, and on like wise fared it with the
other three Kazis and assessors. The mediciners paid them
frequent calls, but found in them no ailment requiring a leach:
so the city-notables went in to the Chief Kazi and saluting him,
questioned him of his case; whereupon he sighed and showed them
that was in his heart, reciting these couplets,
"Stint ye this blame; enough I suffer from Love's malady * Nor
chide the Kazi frail who fain must deal to folk decree!
Who doth accuse my love let him for me find some excuse: * Nor
blame; for lovers blameless are in lover-slavery!
I was a Kázi whom my Fate deigned aid with choicest aid * By writ
and reed and raisèd me to wealth and high degree;
Till I was shot by sharpest shaft that knows nor leach nor cure *
By Damsel's glance who came to spill my blood and murther
me.
To me came she, a Moslemah and of her wrongs she 'plained * With
lips that oped on Orient-pearls ranged fair and orderly:
I looked beneath her veil and saw a wending moon at full * Rising
below the wings of Night engloomed with blackest blee:
A brightest favour and a mouth bedight with wondrous smiles; *
Beauty had brought the loveliest garb and robed her
cap-à-pie.
By Allah, ne'er beheld my eyes a face so ferly fair * Amid
mankind whoever are, Arab or Ajamí.
My Fair! What promise didst thou make what time to me thou
said'st * 'Whenas I promise I perform, O Kazi, faithfully.'
Such is my stead and such my case calamitous and dire * And ask
me not, ye men of spunk, what dreadful teen I dree."
When he ended his verse he wept with sore weeping and sobbed one
sob and his spirit departed his body, which seeing they washed
him and shrouded him and prayed over him and buried him graving
on his tomb these couplets,
"Perfect were lover's qualities in him was brought a-morn, *
Slain by his love and his beloved, to this untimely grave:
Kázi was he amid the folk, and aye 'twas his delight * To foster
all the folk and keep a-sheath the Justice-glaive:
Love caused his doom and ne'er we saw among mankind before * The
lord and master louting low before his thrallèd slave."
Then they committed him to the mercy of Allah and went away to
the second Kazi, in company with the physician, but found in him
nor injury nor ailment needing a leach. Accordingly they
questioned him of his case and what preoccupied him; so he told
them what ailed him, whereupon they blamed him and chid him for
his predicament and he answered them with these couplets,
"Blighted by her yet am I not to blame; * Struck by the dart at
me her fair hand threw.
Unto me came a woman called Hubúb * Chiding the world from year
to year anew:
And brought a damsel showing face that shamed * Full moon that
sails through Night-tide's blackest hue,
She showed her beauties and she 'plained her plain * Which tears
in torrents from her eyelids drew:
I to her words gave ear and gazed on her * Whenas with smiling
lips she made me rue.
Then with my heart she fared where'er she fared * And left me
pledged to sorrows soul subdue.
Such is my tale! So pity ye my case * And this my page with
Kazi's gear indue."
Then he sobbed one sob and his soul fled his flesh; whereupon
they gat ready his funeral and buried him commending him to the
mercy of Allah; after which they repaired to the third Kazi and
the fourth, and there befel them the like of what befel their
brethren.[FN#367] Furthermore, they found the Assessors also sick
for love of her, and indeed all who saw her died of her love or,
an they died not, lived on tortured with the lowe of passion.--
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-first Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the city
folk found all the Kazis and the Assessors sick for love of her,
and all who saw her died lovesick or, an they died not, lived on
tortured with the lowe of passion for stress of pining to no
purpose--Allah have mercy on them one and all! Meanwhile Zayn al-
Mawasif and her women drave on with all diligence till they were
far distant from the city and it so fortuned that they came to a
convent by the way, wherein dwelt a Prior called Danis and forty
monks.[FN#368] When the Prior saw her beauty, he went out to her
and invited her to alight, saying, "Rest with us ten days and
after wend your ways." So she and her damsels alighted and
entered the convent; and when Danis saw her beauty and
loveliness, she debauched his belief and he was seduced by her:
wherefore he fell to sending the monks, one after other with
love-messages; but each who saw her fell in love with her and
sought her favours for himself, whilst she excused and denied
herself to them. But Danis ceased not his importunities till he
had dispatched all the forty, each one of whom fell love-sick at
first sight and plied her with blandishments never even naming
Danis; whilst she refused and rebuffed them with harsh replies.
At last when Danis's patience was at an end and his passion was
sore on him, he said in himself, "Verily, the sooth-sayer saith,
'Naught scratcheth my skin but my own nail and naught like my own
feet for mine errand may avail.'" So up he rose and made ready
rich meats, and it was the ninth day of her sojourn in the
convent where she had purposed only to rest. Then he carried them
in to her and set them before her, saying, "Bismillah, favour us
by tasting the best of the food at our command." So she put forth
her hand, saying, "For the name of Allah the Compassionating, the
Compassionate!" and ate, she and her handmaidens. When she had
made an end of eating, he said to her, "O my lady, I wish to
recite to thee some verses." Quoth she, "Say on," and he recited
these couplets,
"Thou hast won my heart by cheek and eye of thee, * I'll praise
for love in prose and poesy.
Wilt fly a lover, love-sick, love-distraught * Who strives in
dreams some cure of love to see?
Leave me not fallen, passion-fooled, since I * For pine have left
uncared the Monast'ry:
O Fairest, 'tis thy right to shed my blood, * So rue my case and
hear the cry of me!"
When Zayn al-Mawasif heard his verses, she answered him with
these two couplets,
"O who suest Union, ne'er hope such delight * Nor solicit my
favours, O hapless wight!
Cease to hanker for what thou canst never have: * Next door are
the greedy to sore despight."
Hearing this he returned to his place, pondering in himself and
knowing not how he should do in her affair, and passed the night
in the sorriest plight. But, as soon as the darkness was darkest
Zayn al-Mawasif arose and said to her handmaids, "Come, let us
away, for we cannot avail against forty men, monks, each of whom
requireth me for himself." Quoth they, "Right willingly!" So they
mounted their beasts and issued forth the convent gate,--
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-second Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zayn
al-Mawasif and her handmaids issued forth the convent gate and,
under favour of the night, rode on till they overtook a caravan,
with which they mingled and found it came from the city of 'Adan
wherein the lady had dwelt. Presently, Zayn al-Mawasif heard the
people of the caravan discoursing of her own case and telling how
the Kazis and Assessors were dead of love for her and how the
townsfolk had appointed in their stead others who released her
husband from prison. Whereupon she turned to her maids and asked
them, "Heard ye that?"; and Hubub answered, "If the monks were
ravished with love of thee, whose belief it is that shunning
women is worship, how should it be with the Kazis, who hold that
there is no monkery in Al-Islam? But let us make our way to our
own country, whilst our affair is yet hidden." So they drave on
with all diligence. Such was their case; but as regards the
monks, on the morrow, as soon as it was day they repaired to Zayn
al-Mawasif's lodging, to salute her, but found the place empty,
and their hearts sickened within them. So the first monk rent his
raiment and improvised these couplets,
"Ho ye, my friends, draw near, for I forthright * From you
depart, since parting is my lot:
My vitals suffer pangs o' fiery love; * Flames of desire in heart
burn high and hot,
For sake of fairest girl who sought our land * Whose charms th'
horizon's full moon evens not.
She fared and left me victimed by her love * And slain by shaft
those lids death-dealing shot."
Then another monk recited the following couplets,
"O ye who with my vitals fled, have ruth * On this unhappy: haste
ye homeward-bound:
They fared, and fared fair Peace on farthest track * Yet lingers
in mine ear that sweetest sound:
Fared far, and far their fane; would Heaven I saw Their shade in
vision float my couch around:
And when they went wi' them they bore my heart * And in my
tear-floods all of me left drowned."
A third monk followed with these extempore lines,
"Throne you on highmost stead, heart, ears and sight * Your
wone's my heart; mine all's your dwelling-site:
Sweeter than honey is your name a-lip, * Running, as 'neath my
ribs runs vital sprite:
For Love hath made me as a tooth-pick[FN#369] lean * And drowned
in tears of sorrow and despight:
Let me but see you in my sleep, belike * Shall clear my cheeks of
tears that lovely sight."
Then a fourth recited the following couplets,
"Dumb is my tongue and scant my speech for thee * And Love the
direst torture gars me dree:
O thou full Moon, whose place is highest Heaven, * For thee but
double pine and pain in me."