and Naynawah[10] there was a Sage, Haykár hight, Grand Wazir of that
Sovran and his chief secretary, and he was a grandee of abundant
opulence and ampliest livelihood: ware was he and wise, a philosopher,
and endowed with lore and rede and experience. Now he had interwedded
with threescore wives, for each and every of which he had builded in his
palace her own bower; natheless he had not a boy to tend, and was he
sore of sorrow therefor. So one day he gathered together the experts,
astrologers and wizards, and related to them his case and complained of
the condition caused by his barrenness. They made answer to him, “Get
thee within and do sacrifice to the Godheads and enquire of them and
implore their favour when haply shall they vouchsafe unto thee boon of
babe.” He did whatso they bade and set corbans and victims before the
images and craved their assistance, humbling himself with prayer and
petition; withal they vouchsafed to him never a word of reply. So he
fared forth in distress and disappointment and went his ways all
disheartened. Then he returned in his humiliation to Almighty Allah[11]
and confided his secret unto Him and called for succour in the burning
of his heart, and cried with a loud voice saying “O God of Heaven and
Earth, O Creator of all creatures, I beg Thee to vouchsafe unto me a son
wherewith I may console my old age and who may become my heir, after
being present at my death and closing my eyes and burying my body.”
Hereat came a Voice from Heaven which said, “Inasmuch as at first thou
trustedst in graven images and offeredst to them victims, so shalt thou
remain childless, lacking sons and daughters. However, get thee up and
take to thee Nádán, thy sister’s child; and, after taking this nephew to
son, do thou inform him with thy learning and thy good breeding and thy
sagesse, and demise to him that he inherit of thee after thy decease.”
Hereupon the Sage adopted his nephew Nadan, who was then young in years
and a suckling, that he might teach him and train him; so he entrusted
him to eight wet-nurses and dry-nurses for feeding and rearing, and they
brought him up on diet the choicest with delicatest nurture and clothed
him with sendal and escarlate[12] and dresses dyed with Alkermes,[13]
and his sitting was upon shag-piled rugs of silk. But when Nadan grew
great and walked and shot up even as the lofty Cedar[14] of Lebanon, his
uncle taught him deportment and writing and reading[15] and philosophy
and the _omne scibile_. Now after a few days Sankharib the King looked
upon Haykar and saw how that he had waxed an old old man, so quoth he to
him, “Ho thou excellent companion,[16] the generous, the ingenious, the
judicious, the sagacious, the Sage, my Secretary and my Minister and the
Concealer of my secrets and the Councillor of my kingdom, seeing how so
it be that thou art aged and well shotten in years and nigh unto thy
death and decease, so tell me[17] who shall stand in my service after
thy demise?” Made answer Haykar, “O my lord the King, may thy head live
for ever and aye! that same shall be this Nadan, son to my sister, whom
I have taken to myself as mine own child and have reared him and have
taught him my learning and my experience, all thereof.” “Bring him to
the presence,” quoth the King, “and set him between my hands, that I
look upon him; and, if I find him fitting, I will stablish him in thy
stead. Then do thou wend thy ways and off-go from office that thou take
thy rest and tend thine old age, living the lave of thy life in the
fairest of honour.” Hereupon Haykar hied him home and carried his nephew
Nadan before the King, who considered him and was pleased with the
highmost of pleasure and, rejoicing in him, presently asked the uncle,
“Be this thine adopted son, O Haykar? I pray Allah preserve him; and,
even as thou servedst my sire Sarhádún[18] before me, even so shall this
thy son do me suite and service and fulfil my affairs and my needs and
my works, to the end that I may honour him and advance him for the sake
of thee.” Thereat Haykar prostrated himself before the presence and
said, “May thy head live, O my lord, for evermore! I desire of thee to
extend the wings of thy spirit over him for that he is my son, and do
thou be clement to his errings, so that he may serve thee as besitteth.”
The King forthwith made oath that he would stablish the youth amongst
the highmost of his friends and the most worshipful of his familiars and
that he should abide with him in all respect and reverence. So Haykar
kissed the royal hands and blessed his lord; then, taking with him Nadan
his nephew, he seated him in privacy and fell to teaching him by night
as well as by day, that he might fill him with wisdom and learning
rather than with meat and drink; and he would address him in these
terms.[19] “O dear my son,[20] if a word come to thine ears, suffer it
to die within thy heart nor ever disclose it unto other, lest haply it
become a live coal[21] to burn up thy tongue and breed pain in thy body
and clothe thee in shame and gar thee despised of God and man. O dear my
son, an thou hear a report reveal it not, and if thou behold a thing
relate it not. O dear my son, make easy thine address unto thine
hearers, and be not hasty in return of reply. O dear my son, desire not
formal beauty which fadeth and vadeth while fair report endureth unto
infinity. O dear my son, be not deceived by a woman immodest of speech
lest her snares waylay thee[22] and in her springes thou become a prey
and thou die by ignominious death. O dear my son, hanker not after a
woman adulterated by art, such as clothes and cosmetics, who is of
nature bold and immodest, and beware lest thou obey her and give her
aught that is not thine and entrust to her even that which is in thy
hand, for she will robe thee in sin and Allah shall become wroth with
thee. O dear my son, be not like unto the almond-tree[23] which leafeth
earlier than every growth and withal is ever of the latest to fruit; but
strive to resemble the mulberry-tree which beareth food the first of all
growths and is the last of any to put forth her foliage.[24] O dear my
son, bow thy head before thine inferior and soften thine utterance and
be courteous and tread in the paths of piety, and shun impudence and
louden not thy voice whenas thou speakest or laughest; for, were a house
to be builded by volume of sound, the ass would edify many a mansion
every day.[25] O dear my son, the transport of stones with a man of
wisdom is better than the drinking of wine with one blamed for folly. O
dear my son, rather pour out thy wine upon the tombs of the pious than
drain it with those who give offence by their insolence. O dear my son,
cleave to the sage that is Allah-fearing and strive to resemble him, and
approach not the fool lest thou become like unto him and learn his
foolish ways. O dear my son, whenas thou affectest a friend or a
familiar, make trial of him and then company with him, and without such
test nor praise him nor divulge thy thoughts unto one who is other than
wise. O dear my son, as long as thy boot is upon thy leg and foot, walk
therewith over the thorns and tread a way for thy sons and thy sons’
sons; and build thee a boat ere the sea break into billows and breakers
and drown thee before thou find an ark of safety. O dear my son, when
the richard eateth a snake, folks shall say that ’tis of his subtilty;
but when a pauper feedeth upon it, the world shall declare ’tis of his
poverty. O dear my son, be content with thy grade and thy good, nor
covet aught of thy fellow. O dear my son, be not neighbourly with the
ignorant nor do thou break with him bread, and joy not in the annoy of
those about thee and when thy foe shall maltreat thee meet him with
beneficence. O dear my son, fear the man who feareth not Allah and hold
him in hate. O dear my son, the fool shall fall when he trippeth; but
the wise man when he stumbleth shall not tumble, and if he come to the
ground he shall rise up quickly, and when he sickeneth he shall readily
heal himself, whereas to the malady of the ignorant and the stupid there
is no remedy. O dear my son, when a man lesser than thyself shall accost
thee, prevent him in standing respectfully before him, and if he suffice
thee not the Lord shall suffice thee in his stead. O dear my son, spare
not blows to thy child,[26] for the beating of the boy is like manuring
to the garden and binding to the purse-mouth and tethering to the cattle
and locking to the door. O dear my son, withhold thy child from
wickedness, and discipline him ere he wax great and become contumacious
to thee, thus belittling thee amongst thine equals and lowering thy head
upon the highways and in the assemblies, and thou be described as an
aider in his wrongous works. O dear my son, let no word escape thy lips
without consulting thy heart; nor stand up between two adversaries, for
out of converse with the wicked cometh enmity, and from enmity is bred
battle, and from battle ariseth slaughter, when thy testimony shall be
required; nay, do thou fly therefrom and be at rest. O dear my son,
stand not up against one stronger than thyself; but possess thy soul in
patience and long-suffering and forbearance and pacing the paths of
piety, for than this naught is more excellent. O dear my son, exult not
over the death of thy enemy by cause that after a little while thou
shalt become his neighbour. O dear my son, turn thou a deaf ear to whoso
jeereth thee, and honour him and forego him with the salam-salutation. O
dear my son, whenas the water shall stand still in stream and the bird
shall fly sky-high and the black raven shall whiten and myrrh shall wax
honey-sweet, then will the ignorant and the fool comprehend and
converse. O dear my son, an thou would be wise restrain thy tongue from
leasing and thy hand from thieving and thine eyes from evil glancing;
and then, and then only, shalt thou be called a sage. O dear my son,
suffer the wise man strike thee with his staff rather than the fool
anoint thee with his sweetest unguent.[27] O dear my son, be thou humble
in thy years of youth, that thou may be honoured in thine old age. O
dear my son, stand not up against a man in office and puissance nor
against a river in its violence, and haste not in matters of marriage;
for, an this bring weal, folk will not appraise thee and if ill they
will abuse thee and curse thee. O dear my son, company with one who hath
his hand fulfilled and well-furnisht and associate not with any whose
hand is fist-like and famisht. O dear my son, there be four things
without stability: a king and no army,[28] a Wazir in difficulty for
lack of rede; amongst the folks villany and over the lieges tyranny.
Four things also may not be hidden; to wit, the sage and the fool, the
richard and the pauper.”[29] Now when Haykar had made an end of these
injunctions and instances addrest to Nadan his nephew, he fondly deemed
in mind that the youth would bear in memory all his charges, and he wist
not that the clean contrary thereof to him would become manifest. After
this the older Minister sat in peace at home and committed to the
younger all his moneys and his negro slaves and his concubines; his
horses and camels, his flocks and herds, and all other such whereof he
was seised. Also bidding and forbiddal were left in the youth’s hand and
he was promoted and preferred by the monarch like his maternal uncle and
even more, whilst the ex-Wazir took his rest in retirement, nor was it
his habit to visit the King save once after a while, when he would fare
forth to salute him with the salam and forthwith return home. But when
Nadan made sure of all commandment being in his own hand, he jeered in
public at his uncle and raised his nose at him and fell to blaming him
whenever he made act of presence and would say, “Verily Haykar is in age
and dotage and no more he wotteth one thing from other thing.”
Furthermore he fell to beating the negro slaves and the handmaidens, and
to vending the steeds and dromedaries and applied him wilfully to waste
all that appertained to his uncle who, when he saw this lack of ruth for
the chattels and the household, incontinently drove him ignominiously
from his place. Moreover he sent to apprize the King thereof; to wit,
that he would assuredly[30] resume all his belongings and provision; and
his liege, summoning Nadan, said to him, “So long as Haykar shall be in
life, let none lord it over his household or meddle with his fortune.”
On this wise the youth’s hand was stayed from his uncle and from all his
good and he ceased to go in to him and come out from him, and even to
accost him with the salam. Presently Haykar repented of the pains and
the trouble he had taken with Nadan and he became perplext exceedingly.
Now the youth had a younger brother, Naudan[31] hight, so Haykar adopted
him in lieu of the other and tendered him and honoured him with highmost
honour and committed to him all his possessions and created him
comptroller of his household and of his affairs. But when the elder
brother beheld what had betided him, he was seized with envy and
jealousy and he fell to complaining before all who questioned him,
deriding his benefactor; and he would say, “Verily my maternal uncle
hath driven me from his doors and hath preferred my brother before me;
but, an Almighty Allah empower me, I will indeed cast him into doom of
death.” Hereat he fell to brooding over the ruin of his relative, and
after a long while he went, one day of the days, and wrote a letter to
Akhyash Abná Sháh,[32] physician to the King of Persia and ’Ajam or
Barbaria-land, and the following were its contents. “All salams that
befit and greetings that are meet from part of Sankharib, King of
Assyria and Niniveh, and from his Wazir and Secretary Haykar unto thee,
O glorious monarch, and salutations be betwixt me and thee. And
forthright, when this missive shall have reached thee, do thou arise in
haste and come to meet me and let our trysting-place be the Buk’at
Nisrín, the lowland of the Eglantine[33] of Assyria and Niniveh, that I
may commit to thee the kingdom sans fight or fray.” Furthermore he wrote
a second letter in Haykar’s name to Pharaoh,[34] lord of Misraim,[35]
with this purport:—[36]“Greetings between me and thee, O mighty
potentate; and do thou straightway, on receipt of this epistle, arise
and march upon the Buk’at Nisrin to the end that I make over to thee the
kingdom without battle or slaughter.” Now Nadan’s handwriting was the
likest to that of his mother’s brother. Then he folded the two missives
and sealed them with Haykar’s signet and cast them into the royal
palace, after which he went and indited a letter in the King’s name to
his uncle, saying:—“All salutations to my Wazir and Secretary and
Concealer of my secret, Haykar; and do thou forthright on receipt of
this present levy thy host and all that be under thee with arms and
armour complete, and march them to meet me on fifth-day[37] at the
Buk’at Nisrin. Moreover, when thou see me approach thee make thy many
prepare for mimic onset as they were my adversaries and offer me sham
fight; for that messengers from Pharaoh, King of Egypt, have been sent
to espy the strength of our armies. Accordingly, let them stand in fear
of us, for that they be our foes and our haters.” Presently, sealing
this epistle, he sent it to Haykar by one of the royal pages and himself
carrying the other letters he had addressed to the Persian and the
Egyptian, he laid them before the King and read them aloud and showed
their seals. But when Sankharib heard their contents he marvelled with
mighty great marvel and raged with exceeding rage and cried out, saying,
“What is it I have done unto Haykar that he should write such a writ to
mine adversaries? Is this my reward for all the benefits I have lavished
upon Haykar?” The other replied, “Be not grieved, O King, and sorrow
not, nor be thou an-angered: rather let us fare on the morrow to the
Buk’at Nisrin and look into the matter, whether it be fact or
falsehood.” So when Thursday came, Nadan arose, and taking the King and
his Wazirs and army-officers marched them over the wastes to the Lowland
of the Eglantine, and arrived there Sankharib, the Sovran, looked upon
Haykar and saw his host aligned in battle against himself. And when the
ex-Minister beheld his King approaching, he bade his host stir for
battle and prepare to smite the opposing ranks; to wit, those of his
liege lord, even as he had been commanded by royal rescript, nor did he
ken what manner of pit had been digged for him by Nadan. But seeing this
sight the monarch was agitated and consterned and raged with mighty
great wrath. Then quoth Nadan, “Seest thou, O King, what this sorry
fellow hath done? But chafe not, neither be thou sorrowful, but rather
do thou retire to thy palace, whither I will presently bring to thee
Haykar pinioned and bearing chains; and I will readily and without
trouble fend off from thee thy foe.” So when Sankharib hied him home in
sore anger with that which his ancient Minister had done, Nadan went to
his uncle and said, “Indeed the King hath rejoiced with exceeding joy,
and thanketh thee for acting as he bade thee, and now he hath despatched
me to order that thy men be bidden to wend their ways, and that thou
present thyself before him pinioned and fettered to the end that thou be
seen in such plight of the envoys sent by Pharaoh concerning whom and
whose master our Monarch standeth in fear.” “To hear is to obey!”
replied Haykar, and forthwith let pinion his arms and fetter his legs;
then, taking with him Nadan, his nephew, he repaired to the presence,
where he found the King perusing the other forged letter also sealed
with the ministerial signet. When he entered the throne-room he
prostrated himself, falling to the ground upon his face, and the Sovran
said to him “O Haykar, my Viceregent and Secretary and Concealer of my
secret and Councillor of my kingdom, say me, what have I wrought thee of
wrong that thou shouldst requite me with such hideous deed?” So saying
he showed him the two papers written in the handwriting and sealed with
the seal of the accused who, when he looked upon them, trembled in every
limb, and his tongue was knotted for a while, nor could he find power to
speak a word, and he was reft of all his reason and of his knowledge.
Wherefor he bowed his brow groundwards and held his peace. But when the
King beheld this his condition, he bade them slay him by smiting his
neck without the city, and Nadan cried aloud, “O Haykar, O blackavice,
what could have profited thee such trick and treason that thou do a deed
like this by thy King?”[38] Now the name of the Sworder was Abú Sumayk
the Pauper,[39] and the monarch bade him strike the neck of Haykar in
front of the Minister’s house-door and place his head at a distance of
an hundred ells from his body.[40] Hearing this Haykar fell prone before
the King and cried, “Live thou, O my lord the King, for ever and aye! An
thou desire my death be it as thou wilt and well I wot that I am not in
default and that the evil-doer exacteth according to his ill-nature.[41]
Yet I hope from my lord the King and from his benevolence that he suffer
the Sworder make over my corpse to my menials for burial, and so shall
thy slave be thy sacrifice.” Hereat the Monarch commanded the Headsman
do as he was desired, and the man, accompanied by the royal pages, took
Haykar, whom they had stripped of his outer raiment, and led him away to
execution. But when he was certified of coming death, he sent tidings
thereof to his wife, Shaghaftíní[42] hight, adding, “Do thou forthright
come forth to meet me escorted by a thousand maiden girls, whom thou
shalt habit in escarlate and sendal, that they may keen over me ere I
perish; moreover dispread for the Headsman and his varlets a table of
food and bring an abundance of good wine that they may drink and make
merry.”[43] Haykar’s wife presently obeyed his orders for she also was
ware and wise, sharp-witted, experienced and a compendium of
accomplishments and knowledge. Now when the guards[44] and the Sworder
and his varlets came to Haykar’s door, they found the tables laid out
with wine and sumptuous viands; so they fell to eating and drinking till
they had their sufficiency and returned thanks to the housemaster.[45]
Thereupon Haykar led the Headsman aside into privacy and said to him, “O
Abu Sumayk,[46] what while Sarhadun the King, sire of Sankharib the
King, determined to slay thee, I took thee and hid thee in a place
unknown to any until the Sovran sent for thee. Moreover I cooled his
temper every day till he was pleased to summon thee, and when at last I
set thee in his presence he rejoiced in thee. Therefore do thou likewise
at this moment bear in mind the benefits I wrought thee, and well I wot
that the King will repent him for my sake and will be wroth with
exceeding wrath for my slaughter, seeing that I be guiltless; so when
thou shalt bring me alive before him thy degree shall become of the
highest. For know thou that Nadan my nephew hath betrayed me and devised
for me this ill device; and I repeat that doubtless my lord will
presently rue my ruin. Learn, too, that beneath the threshold of my
mansion lieth a souterrain whereof no man is ware: so do thou conceal me
therein with the connivance of my spouse Shaghaftini. Also I have in my
prison a slave which meriteth doom of death:[47] so bring him forth and
robe him in my robes; then bid the varlets (they being drunken with
wine) do him die, nor shall they know whom they have slain. And lastly
command them to remove his head an hundred cubits from his body and
commit the corpse unto my chattels that they inter it. So shalt thou
store up with me this rich treasure of goodly deeds.” Hereupon the
Sworder did as he was bidden by his ancient benefactor, and he and his
men repairing to the presence said, “Live thy head, O King, for ever and
aye!”[48] And after this Shaghaftini, the wife of Haykar, brought meat
and drink to her husband down in the Matamor,[49] and every Friday she
would provide him with a sufficiency for the following week without the
weeting of anyone. Presently the report was spread and published and
bruited abroad throughout Assyria and Niniveh how Haykar the Sage had
been done to die and slain by his Sovran; and the lieges of all those
regions, one and all, keened[50] for him aloud and shed tears and said,
“Alas for thee, O Haykar, and alack for the loss of thy lore and thy
knowledge! Woe be to us for thee and for thy experience! Where now
remaineth to find thy like? where now shall one intelligent,
understanding and righteous of rede resemble thee and stand in thy
stead?” Presently the King fell to regretting the fate of Haykar whereof
repentance availed him naught: so he summoned Nadan and said to him,
“Fare forth and take with thee all thy friends to keen and make
ceremonious wailings for thy maternal uncle Haykar and mourn, according
to custom, in honour of him and his memory.” But Nadan, the fool, the
ignorant, the hard of heart, going forth the presence to show sorrow at
his uncle’s house, would neither mourn nor weep nor keen; nay, in lieu
thereof he gathered together lewd fellows and fornicators who fell to
feasting and carousing. After this he took to himself the concubines and
slaves belonging to his uncle, whom he would scourge and bastinado with
painful beating; nor had he any shame before the wife of his adopted
father who had entreated him as her son; but solicited her sinfully to
lie with him. On the other hand Haykar, who lay perdu in his Silo, ever
praised Allah the Compassionate,[51] and returned thanks unto Him for
saving his life and was constant in gratitude and instant in prayer and
in humbling himself before God. At times after due intervals the Sworder
would call upon him to do him honour due and procure him pleasure, after
which he would pray for his release and forthright gang his gait. Now
when the bruit spread abroad over all the lands how that Haykar the Wise
had been done to die, the rulers everywhere rejoiced, exulting in the
distress of King Sankharib who sorely regretted the loss of his Sage.
Presently, awaiting the fittest season, the Monarch of Misraim arose and
wrote a writ to the Sovran of Assyria and Niniveh of the following
tenor:—“After salams that befit and salutations that be meet and
congratulation and veneration complete wherewith I fain distinguish my
beloved brother Sankharib the King, I would have thee know that I am
about to build a bower in the air between firmament and terra firma; and
I desire thee on thy part to send me a man which is wise, a tried and an
experienced, that he may help me to edify the same: also that he make
answer to all the problems and profound questions I shall propose,
otherwise thou shalt deposit with me the taxes in kind[52] of Assyria
and Nineveh and their money-tributes for three years.” Then he made an
end of his writ and, sealing it with his signet-ring, sent it to its
destination. But when the missive reached Sankharib, he took it and read
it, he and his Wazirs and the Lords of his land; and all stood perplext
thereat and sore confounded; whilst the King waxed furious with
excessive fury, and he was distraught as to what he should do and how he
should act. Anon, however, he gathered together all the Shaykhs and
Elders and the Olema and doctors of law and the physicists and
philosophers and the charmers[53] and the astrologers and all such
persons which were in his realm, and he let read the epistle of Pharaoh
in their presence. Then he asked them, saying, “Who amongst you shall
repair to the court of Pharaoh, lord of Misraim, and reply to his
interrogations?” But they cried, “O our lord the King, do thou know
there be no one who can loose the knot of these difficulties save only
thy Wazir Haykar; and now that none shall offer an answer save Nadan,
the son of his sister, whom he hath informed with all his subtilty and
his science. Therefore, do thou summon him and haply he shall unravel
for thee a tangled skein so hard to untwist.” Sankharib did as they
advised, and when Nadan appeared in the presence said to him, “Look thou
upon this writ and comprehend its contents.” But when the youth read it
he said to the Sovran, “O my lord the King, leave alone this folk for
they point to impossibilities: what man can base a bower upon air
between heaven and earth?” As soon as King Sankharib heard these words
of Nadan, he cried out with a mighty outcry and a violent; then,
stepping down from his throne, he sat upon ashes[54] and fell to
beweeping and bewailing the loss of Haykar and crying, “Alas, for me and
woe worth the day for thee, O Caretaker of my capital and Councillor of
my kingdom! Where shall I find one like unto thee, O Haykar? Harrow now
for me, O Haykar, Oh Saviour of my secret and Manifester of my
moot-points, where now shall I fare to find thee? Woe is me for sake of
thee whom I slew and destroyed at the word of a silly boy! To him indeed
who could bring Haykar before me or who could give me the glad tidings
of Haykar being on life, I would give the half of my good; nay, the
moiety of my realm. But whence can this come? Ah me, O Haykar; happy was
he who looked upon thee in life that he might take his sufficiency of
thy semblance and fortify himself[55] therefrom. Oh my sorrow for thee
to all time! Oh my regret and remorse for thee and for slaying thee in
haste and for not delaying thy death till I had considered the
consequence of such misdeed.” And the King persisted in weeping and
wailing night and day on such wise. But when the Sworder[56] beheld the
passion of his lord and his yearning and his calling upon Haykar, he
came to the presence and prostrated himself and said, “O my lord, bid
thy varlets strike off my head!” Quoth the Monarch, “Woe to thee, what
be thy sin?” and quoth the Headsman, “O my lord, what slave ever
contrarieth the command of his master let the same be slain, and I
verily have broken thy behest.” The King continued, “Fie upon thee,[57]
O Abu Sumayk, wherein hast thou gainsaid me?” and the other rejoined, “O
my lord, thou badest me slay the Sage Haykar; but well I wotted that
right soon indeed thou wouldst regret the death of him, and the more so
for that he was a wronged man; accordingly I fared forth from thee and
hid him in a place unbeknown to any and I slew one of his slaves in his
stead. And at this moment Haykar is alive and well; and if thou bid me,
I will bring him before thee when, if thou be so minded, do thou put me
to death, otherwise grant me immunity.” Cried the King, “Fie upon thee,
O Abu Sumayk, how durst thou at such time make mock of me, I being thy
lord?” but the Sworder replied, “By thy life and the life of thy head, O
my lord, I swear that Haykar is alive and in good case!” Now when the
Monarch heard these words from the Sworder and was certified by him of
the matter, he flew for very gladness and he was like to fall a-swoon
for the violence of his joy. So he bade forthright Haykar be brought to
him and exclaimed to the Sworder, “O thou righteous slave an this thy
say be soothfast, I am resolved to enrich thee and raise thy degree
amongst all my companions;” and so saying and rejoicing mightily he
commanded the Sworder set Haykar in the presence. The man fared to the
Minister’s house forthright, and opening the souterrain went downstairs
to the tenant whom he found sitting and praising Allah and rendering to
Him thanksgivings; so he cried out and said, “O Haykar, the blessedest
of bliss hath come to thee, and do thou go forth and gladden thy heart!”
Haykar replied, “And what is to do?” whereat the man told him the whole
tale, first and last, of what had befallen his lord at the hands of
Pharaoh; then, taking him, led him to the presence. But when Sankharib
considered him, he found him as one clean wasted by want; his hair had
grown long like the pelts of wild beasts and his nails were as vulture’s
claws and his members were meagre for the length of time spent by him in
duresse and darkness, and the dust had settled upon him and changed his
colour which had faded and waxed of ashen hue. So his lord mourned for
his plight and, rising up in honour, kissed him and embraced him and
wept over him saying, “Alhamdolillah—laud to the Lord—who hath restored
thee to me on life after death!” Then he fell to soothing his sorrows
and consoled him, praying pardon of him the while; and after bestowing
robes of honour upon the Sworder and giving him due guerdon and
lavishing upon him abundant good, he busied himself about the recovery
of Haykar, who said, “O my lord the King, may thy head live for ever and
aye! All this wrong which befel me is the work of the adulterines, and I
reared me a palm-tree against which I might prop me, but it bent and
brought me to the ground: now, however, O my lord and master, that thou
hast deigned summon me before thee, may all passion pass away and dolour
depart from thee!” “Blessed and exalted be Allah,” rejoined Sankharib,
“who hath had ruth upon thee, and who, seeing and knowing thee to be a
wronged man, hath saved thee and preserved thee from slaughter.[58] Now,
however, do thou repair to the Hammam and let shave thy head and pare
thy nails and change thy clothes; after which sit at home in ease for
forty days’ space that thy health be restored and thy condition be
righted and the hue of health return to thy face; and then (but not till
then) do thou appear before me.” Hereupon the King invested him with
sumptuous robes, and Haykar, having offered thanks to his liege lord,
fared homewards in joyaunce and gladness frequently ejaculating,
“Subhána ’llahu ta’álà—God Almighty be glorified!” and right happy were
his household and his friends and all who learned that he was still on
life. Then did he as the King had bidden him and enjoyed his rest for
two-score days, after which he donned his finest dress and took horse,
followed and preceded by his slaves, all happy and exulting, and rode to
Court, while Nadan the nephew, seeing what had befallen, was seized with
sore fear and affright and became perplexed and unknowing what to do.
Now, when Haykar went in and salamed to the King, his lord seated him by
his side and said, “O my beloved Haykar, look upon this writ which was
sent to me by the King of Misraim after hearing of thy execution; and in
very deed they; to wit he and his, have conquered and chastised and
routed most of the folk of our realm, compelling them to fly for refuge
Egyptwards in fear of the tax-tribute which they have demanded of us.”
So the Minister took the missive and, after reading and comprehending
the sum of its contents, quoth he to the King, “Be not wroth, O my lord:
I will repair in person to Egypt and will return a full and sufficient
reply to Pharaoh, and I will explain to him his propositions and will
bring thee from him all the tax-tribute he demandeth of thee: moreover,
I will restore all the lieges he hath caused fly this country and I will
humiliate every foe of thee by aidance of Almighty Allah and by the
blessings of thy Majesty.” Now when the Sovran heard this answer, he
rejoiced and his heart was gladdened; whereupon he gifted Haykar with a
generous hand and once more gave immense wealth to the Sworder.
Presently the Minister said, “Grant me a delay of forty days that I
ponder this matter and devise a sufficient device.” As soon as Sankharib
granted him the required permission he returned homewards and, summoning
his huntsmen, bade them catch for him two vigorous young vultures;[59]
and, when these were brought, he sent for those who twist ropes and
commanded them make two cords of cotton each measuring two thousand
ells. He also bade bring him carpenters and ordered them to build for
him two coffers of large size, and as soon as his bidding was done he
chose out two little lads, one hight Binúhál and the other
Tabshálím.[60] Then every day he would let slaughter a pair of lambs and
therewith feed the children and the vultures, and he mounted those upon
the back of these, binding them tight, and also making fast the cords to
the legs of the fowls. He would then allow the birds to rise little by
little, prolonging the flight every day to the extent of ten cubits, the
better to teach and to train them; and they learnt their task so well
that in a short time they would rise to the full length of the tethers
till they soared in the fields of air with the boys on their backs,
after which he would let hale them down. And when he saw them perfect in
this process, he taught the lads to utter loud shouts what while they
reached the full length of the cords and to cry out, “Send us stones and
mud[61] and slaked lime that we may build a bower for King Pharaoh,
inasmuch as we now stand here all the day idle!” And Haykar ceased not
to accustom them and to instruct them until they became dexterous in
such doings as they could be. Then he quitted them and presenting
himself before King Sankharib said, “O my lord, the work is completed
even as thou couldst desire; but do thou arise and come with me that I
may show thee the marvel.” Thereupon the King and his courtiers
accompanied Haykar to a wide open space outside the city whither he sent
for the vultures and the lads; and after binding the cords he loosed
them to soar as high as the lanyards allowed in the firmament-plain,
when they fell to outcrying as he had taught them. And lastly he haled
them in and restored them to their steads. Hereat the King wondered, as
did all his suite, with extreme wonderment, and kissing his Minister
between his eyes, robed him in an honourable robe and said to him, “Go
forth in safety, O my beloved, and boast of my realm, to the land of
Egypt[62] and answer the propositions of Pharaoh and master him by the
power of Almighty Allah;” and with these words farewelled him.
Accordingly Haykar took his troops and guards, together with the lads
and the vultures, and he fared forth intending for Egypt where on
arrival he at once made for the royal Palace. And when the folk of the
capital understood that Sankharib the King had commissioned a man of his
notables to bespeak their Sovran the Pharaoh, they entered and apprized
their liege lord who sent a party of his familiars summoning him to the
presence. Presently Haykar the Sage entered unto Pharaoh; and after
prostration as befitteth before royalty said, “O my lord, Sankharib the
King greeteth thee with many salutations and salams; and hath sent me
single-handed sans other of his slaves, to the end that I answer thy
question and fulfil whatso thou requirest, and I am commanded to supply
everything thou needest; especially inasmuch as thou hast sent to the
Monarch my master for the loan of a man who can build thee a bower
between firmament and terra firma; and I, by the good aidance of Allah
Almighty and of thine august magnanimity, will edify that same for thee
even as thou desirest and requirest. But this shall be upon the
condition stablished concerning the tax-tribute of Misraim for three
years, seeing that the consent of the Kings be their fullest securities.
An thou vanquish me and my hand fall short and I fail to answer thee,
then shall my liege lord send thee the tax-tribute whereof thou
speakest; but if I bring thee all thou needest, then shalt thou forward
to my lord the tax-tribute thou hast mentioned and of him demanded.”
Pharaoh, hearing these words, marvelled and was perplexed at the
eloquence of his tongue and the sweetness of his speech and presently
exclaimed, “O man, what may be thy name?” The other replied, “Thy slave
is hight Abíkám;[63] and I am an emmet of the emmets under Sankharib the
King.” Asked Pharaoh, “Had not thy lord one more dignified of degree
than thou, that he send unto me an ant to answer me and converse with
me?” and Haykar answered, “I humbly hope of the Almighty that I may
satisfy all which is in thy heart, O my lord; for that Allah is with the
weakling the more to astound the strongling.” Hereat Pharaoh gave orders
to set apart for Abikam his guest an apartment, also for the guards and
all that were with him and provide them with rations and fodder of meat
and drink, and whatso was appropriate to their reception as properest
might be. And after the usual three days of guest-rite[64] the King of
Egypt donned his robes of brightest escarlate; and, having taken seat
upon his throne, each and every Grandee and Wazir (who were habited in
the same hue) standing with crossed arms and feet joined,[65] he sent a
summons to produce before him Haykar, now Abikam hight. Accordingly he
entered and prostrated in the King’s presence and stood up to receive
the royal behest, when Pharaoh after a long delay asked him, “O Abikam,
whom do I resemble and what may these my Lords and Ministers represent?”
Hereto the envoy answered saying, “O my lord, thou favourest Bel the
idol[66] and thy chieftains favour the servitors thereof!” Then quoth
the King, “Now do thou depart and I desire thee on the morrow come
again.” Accordingly Abikam, which was Haykar, retired as he was ordered,
and on the next day he presented himself before Pharaoh and after
prostrating stood between his hands. The King was habited in a red coat
of various tincts and his mighty men were garbed in white, and presently
he enquired saying, “O Abikam, whom do I resemble and what may these my
Lords and Ministers represent?” He replied, “O my lord, thou art like
unto the sun and thy nobles are like the rays thereof!” Then quoth the
King, “Do thou retire to thy quarters and to-morrow come hither again.”
So the other fared forth and Pharaoh commanded and charged his head men
to don pure white, himself doing the same; and, having taken seat upon
his throne, he bade Abikam be brought into the presence and when he
appeared asked him, “Whom do I resemble, and what may these my Grandees
represent?” He replied, “O my lord, thou favourest the moon and thy
servitors and guards favour the stars and planets and constellations.”
Then quoth the King, “Go thou until the morrow when do thou come hither
again;” after which he commanded his Magnates to don dresses of divers
colours and different tincts whilst he wore a robe of ruddy velvet. Anon
he seated him upon his throne and summoned Abikam, who entered the
presence and prostrated and stood up before him. The King for a fourth
time asked him, “O Abikam, whom do I resemble and what may these my
guards represent?” and he answered, “O my lord, thou art like the
auspicious month Naysán[67], and thy guards and grandees are like the
white chamomile[68] and his bloom.” Hearing these words Pharaoh rejoiced
with extreme joy and said, “O Abikam, thou hast compared me first with
Bel the idol, secondly with the sun and thirdly with the moon and lastly
with the auspicious month Naysan, and my lords with the chamomile and
his flower. But say me now unto what likenest thou Sankharib thy lord,
and what favour his Grandees?” Haykar made answer, “Heaven forfend I
mention my liege lord the while thou sittest on thy throne; but rise to
thy feet, and I will inform thee what my Master representeth and what
his court most resembleth.” Pharaoh, struck with astonishment at such
heat of tongue and valiancy of speech, arose from his seat and stood
facing Haykar and presently said, “Now tell me that I may learn what thy
lord resembleth and what his Grandees represent.” The other made reply,
“My lord resembleth the God of Heaven, and his lords represent the
Lightning and Thunder. An it be his will the winds do blow and the rains
do fall; and, when he deign order, the leven playeth and the thunder
roareth and at his behest the sun would refuse light and the moon and
stars stand still in their several courses. But he may also command the
storm-wind to arise and downpours to deluge when Naysan would be as one
who beateth the bough[69] and who scattereth abroad the blooms of the
chamomile.” Pharaoh hearing these words wondered with extreme
wonderment, then raging with excessive rage he cried, “O man, tell me
the real truth and let me know who thou art in very sooth.” “I am
Haykar,” quoth the other, “Chief Secretary and especial to Sankharib the
King; also his Wazir and Councillor of his kingdom and Keeper of his
secret.” “Thou statest fact, O Sage,” quoth Pharaoh, “and this thy say
is veridical: yet have we heard that Haykar is dead indeed, withal here
art thou alive and alert.” The Minister replied, “Yea, verily that was
the case, but Alhamdolillah—Glory to God, who knoweth all hidden things,
my master had in very deed doomed me die believing the reports of
certain traitors, but my Lord preserved me and well done to him who
relieth upon the Almighty!” Then quoth Pharaoh, “Go forth and on the
morrow do thou return hither and say me somewhat no man hath ever heard,
nor I nor my Grandees nor any of the folk in my kingdom and my capital.”
Accordingly Haykar hied him home and penned a paper wherein he said as
follows: “From Sankharib, King of Assyria and Naynawah, to Pharaoh King
of Misraim:—Peace be upon thee, O my brother! As well thou wottest,
brother needeth brother and the Kings require the aidance of other Kings
and my hope from thee is that thou wilt lend[70] me the loan of nine
hundred-weight[71] of gold which I require to expend on the pay and
allowances due to certain of my soldiery wherewith to provide for them
the necessaries of life.” After this he folded the writ and despatched
it by a messenger on the next day to Pharaoh, who perused it and was
perplext and exclaimed, “Verily and indeed never till now have I heard a
saying like unto this at all, nor hath anyone ever spoken[72] to me
after such fashion!” Haykar replied, “’Tis fact, and ’tis well an thou
own thee debtor of such sum to my lord the King.” Pharaoh accepted this
resolving of his proposition and said, “O Haykar, ’tis the like of thee
who suiteth the service of the Kings, and blessed be Allah who perfected
thee in wisdom and adorned thee with philosophy[73] and knowledge. And
now remaineth to us only one need of thee; to wit, that thou build us a
bower between firmament and terra firma.” Haykar replied, “Hearkening
and obeying! I will edify it for thee e’en as thou wishest and thou
choosest; but do thou get ready for me gypsum lime and ashlar-stone and
brick-clay and handicraftsmen, while I also bring architects and master
masons and they shall erect for thee whatso thou requirest.” So King
Pharaoh gat ready all this and fared forth with his folk to a spacious
plain without the city whither Haykar and his pages had carried the boys
and the vultures; and with the Sovran went all the great men of his
kingdom and his host in full tale that they might look upon the wonder
which the Envoy of Assyria was about to work. But when they reached the
place appointed, Haykar brought out of their boxes the vultures and
making fast the lads to their backs bound the cords to the legs of the
birds and let them loose, when they soared firmament-wards till they
were poised between heaven and earth. Hereat the lads fell to crying
aloud, “Send up to us the stones and the mud and the slaked lime that we
may build a bower for King Pharaoh, forasmuch as here we stand the whole
day idle.” At this were agitated all present, and they marvelled and
became perplext; and not less wondered the King and the Grandees his
lieges, while Haykar and his pages fell to buffeting the handicraftsmen
and to shouting at the royal guards, saying, “Provide the workmen with
that they want, nor hinder them from their work!” Whereupon cried
Pharaoh, “O Haykar, art thou Jinn-mad? Who is ever able to convey aught
of these matters to so far a height?” But he replied to the King, “O my
lord, how shall we build a bower in the lift on other wise? And were the
King my master here he would have edified two such edifices in a single
day.” Hearing this quoth Pharaoh to him, “Hie thee, O Haykar, to thy
quarters, and for the present take thy rest, seeing that we have been
admonished anent the building of the bower; but come thou to me on the
morrow.” Accordingly, Haykar fared to his lodging, and betimes on the
next day presented himself before Pharaoh, who said to him, “O Haykar,