Warlock, that Destiny drave him from town to town until at last he
entered Baghdad-city and dismounted at a Khán of the Khans where he
spent the night of arrival. Then, rising betimes next morning, he walked
about the highways and wandered around the lanes and he stinted not
passing from market-street to market-street, solacing himself with a
sight of many places, till he reached the Long Bazar, whence he could
descry the whole site of the city. Now he narrowly considered the land,
and, lo and behold! it was a capital sans peer amongst the cities,
wherethrough coursed the Dajlah River blended with the River Furát[235]
and over the united stream were thrown seven bridges of boats; all these
were bound one to other for the folk to pass over on their several
pursuits, especially for the pleasure-seekers who fared forth to the
palm-orchards and the vergiers abounding in fruits while the birds were
hymning Allah, the Sole, the All-conquering. Now one day as this Warlock
was amusing himself amongst the markets he passed by the shop of a Cook
before whom were set for sale dressed meats of all kinds and
colours;[236] and, looking at the youth, he saw that he was rising
fourteen and beautiful as the moon on the fourteenth night; and he was
elegant and habited in a habit as it had just come from the tailor’s
hand for its purity and excellent fit, and one had said that he (the
artisan) had laboured hard thereat, for the sheen of it shimmered like
unto silver.[237] Then the Warlock considering the face of this Cook saw
his colour wan as the hue of metal leaves[238] and he was lean of
limb;[239] so he took station facing him and said to him, “The Peace be
upon thee, O my brother,” and said the other in reply, “And upon thee be
The Peace and the ruth of Allah and His blessings: so well come to thee
and welcome and fair welcome. Honour me, O my lord, by suffering me to
serve thee with the noonday meal.” Hereat the Wizard entered the shop
and the Kitchener took up two or three platters white as the whitest
silver; and, turning over into each one a different kind of meat set
them between the hands of the stranger who said to him, “Seat thee, O my
son.” And when his bidding was obeyed he added, “I see thee ailing and
thy complexion is yellow exceedingly: what be this hath affected thee
and what is thy disorder and what limb of thy limbs paineth thee and is
it long since thou art in such case?” Now when the Cook heard this say
he drew a sigh of regret from the depths of his heart and the soles of
his feet and quoth he weeping, “Allah upon thee, O my lord, remind me
not of that hath betided me!” But quoth the other “Tell me what may be
thy disease and whereof dost thou complain; nor conceal from me thy
pain; for that I am a physician and by aidance of Allah an experienced;
and I have a medicine for thy malady.” Hereat the youth fell to moaning
and groaning and presently replied, “In very sooth, O my lord, I have
nor pain nor complaint, save that I am a lover.” The Warlock asked, “Art
thou indeed a lover?” whereto the Cook make answer, “And not only a
lover but a lover parted from his beloved.” “On whom hangeth thy heart,
say me?” continued the Mediciner and the youth replied, “Leave me for
the nonce till such time as I am quit of my business, and return to me
about mid-afternoon, that I may inform thee of mine affair and acquaint
thee with the case I am in.” The Warlock rejoined, “Arise now to thy
work lest it be miswrought by loitering;” and so saying he ate whatso of
meats had been served up to him and fared forth to thread the Bazars of
Baghdad and solace himself by seeing the city. But when it was the hour
of Al-’Asr—the mid-afternoon prayer—he went back to the Cook and found
that by this time he had wrought all his work, and as soon as the youth
sighted him he rejoiced in him and his spirits were cheered and he said
in his mind, “Haply joy shall come to me from the healing hand of this
Mediciner;” so he shut his shop and taking with him his customer hied
him to his own home. Now this young Kitchener was of amplest means which
he had inherited from either parent; so as soon as they entered his
quarters he served up food and the two ate and drank and were gladdened
and comforted. After this quoth the guest to his host, “Now relate to me
the manner of thy story and what is the cause of thy disorder?” “O my
lord,” quoth the youth, “I must inform thee that the Caliph Al-Mu’tazid
bi’llah,[240] the Commander of the Faithful, hath a daughter fair of
favour, and gracious of gesture; beautiful, delightsome and dainty of
waist and flank, a maiden in whom all the signs and signals of
loveliness are present, and the _tout ensemble_ is independent of
description: seer never saw her like and relator never related of aught
that eveneth her in stature and seemlihead and graceful bearing of
head.” Now albeit a store of suitors galore, the grandees and the Kings,
asked her from the Caliph, her sire refused to part with her, nor gave
her neither would he give her to any one thereof. And every Friday when
fare the folk to the Mosques that they pray the prayers of meeting-day,
all the merchants and men who buy and sell and the very artisans and
what not, leave their shops and warehouses[241] and taverns[242]
unbolted and wide open and flock to congregational devotions. And at
such time this rare maiden cometh down from her palace and solaceth
herself with beholding the Bazars and anon she entereth the Hammam and
batheth therein and straightway goeth forth and fareth homewards. But
one Friday said I to myself, “I will not go to the Mosque, for I would
fain look upon her with a single look;” and when prayer-time came and
the folk flocked to the fane for divine service, I hid myself within my
shop. Presently that august damsel appeared with a comitive of forty
handmaidens all as full moons newly risen and each fairer than her
fellows, while she amiddlemost rained light upon them as she were the
irradiating sun; and the bondswomen would have kept her from sight by
thronging around her and they carried her skirts by means of bent
rods[243] golden and silvern. I looked at her but one look when
straightway my heart fell in love to her burning as a live coal and from
mine eyes tears railed and until now I am still in that same yearning,
and what yearning!” And so saying the youth cried out with an outcry
whereby his soul was like to leave his body. “Is this case still thy
case?” asked the Warlock, and the youth answered, “Yes, O my lord;” when
the other enquired, “An I bring thee and her together what wilt thou
give me?” and the young Cook replied, “My money and my life which shall
be between thy hands!” Hereupon quoth the Mediciner, “Up with thee and
bring me a phial of metal and seven needles and a piece of fresh
Lign-aloes;[244] also a bit of cooked meat,[245] and somewhat of
sealing-clay and the shoulder-blade of a sheep together with felt and
sendal of seven kinds.” The youth fared forth and did his bidding, when
the Sage took the shoulder-blades and wrote upon them Koranic versets
and adjurations which would please the Lord of the Heavens and, wrapping
them in felt, swathed them with silken stuff of seven-fold sorts. Then,
taking the phial he thrust the seven needles into the green Lign-aloes
and set it in the cooked meat which he made fast with the sealing-clay.
Lastly he conjured over these objects with a Conjuration[246] which was,
“I have knocked, I have knocked at the hall doors of Earth to summon the
Jánn, and the Jánn have knocked for the Jánn against the Shaytán.”
Hereat appeared to me the son of Al bin Imrán[247] with a snake and
baldrick’d with a basilisk and cried:—Who be this trader and son of a
slave-girl who hath knocked at the ground for us this evening? Then do
thou, O youth, reply:—I am a lover and of age youthful and my love is to
a young lady; and unto your gramarye I have had recourse, O folk of
manliness and generosity and masterful deeds: so work ye with me and
confirm mine affair and aid me in this matter. See ye not how
Such-an-one, daughter of Such-an-one, oppression and wrong to me hath
done, nor is she with me in affection as she was anon? They shall answer
thee:—Let it be, as is said, in the tail;[248] then do thou set the
objects upon a fire exceeding fierce and recite then over them:—This be
the business; and were Such-an-one, daughter of Such-an-one, within the
well of Káshán[249] or in the city Ispahan or in the towns of men who
with cloaks buttoned tight and ever ready good-fame to blight,[250] let
her come forth and seek union with the beloved. Whereto she will
reply:—“Thou art the lord and I am the bondswoman.” Now the youth abode
marvelling at such marvel-forms and the Warlock having repeated to him
these words three times, turned to him and said, “Arise to thy feet and
perfume and fumigate thy person and don thy choicest dress and dispread
thy bed, for at this very hour thou shalt see thy mistress by thy side.”
And so saying the Sage cast out of hand the shoulder-blades and set the
phial upon the fire. Thereupon the youth arose without stay or delay and
bringing a bundle of raiment the rarest, he spread it and habited
himself, doing whatso the Wizard had bidden him; withal could he not
believe that his mistress would appear. However ere a scanty space of
time had elapsed, lo and behold! the young lady bearing her bedding[251]
and still sleeping passed through the house-door and she was bright and
beautiful as the easting sun. But when the youth the Cook sighted her,
he was perplext and his wits took flight with his sense and he cried
aloud saying, “This be naught save a wondrous matter!” “And the same,”
quoth the Sage, “is that requiredst thou.” Quoth the Cook, “And thou, O
my lord, art of the Hallows of Allah,” and kissed his hand and thanked
him for his kindly deed. “Up with thee and take thy pleasure,” cried the
Warlock; so the lover crept under the coverlet into the bed and he threw
his arms round the fair one and kissed her between the eyes; after which
he bussed her on the mouth. She sensed a sensation in herself and
straightway awaking opened her eyes and beheld a youth embracing her, so
she asked him, “Ho thou, who art thou?” Answered he, “One by thine eyes
a captive ta’en and of thy love the slain and of none save thyself the
fain.” Hereat she looked at him with a look which her heart for
love-longing struck and again asked him, “O my beloved; say me then, who
art thou, a being of mankind or of Jánn-kind?” whereto he answered, “I
am human and of the most honourable.” She resumed, “Then who was it
brought me hither to thee?” and he responded, “The Angels and the
Spirits, the Jinns and the Jánn.” “Then I swear thee, O my dearling,”
quoth she, “that thou bid them bear me hither to thine arms every
night,” and quoth he, “Hearkening and obeying, O my lady, and for me
also this be the bourne of all wishes.” Then, each having kissed other,
they slept in mutual embrace until dawn. But when the morning morrowed
and showed its sheen and shone, behold, the Warlock appeared and,
calling the youth who came to him with a smiling face, said to him, “How
was it with thy soul this night?”[252] and both lovers cried, “We were
in the Garden of Paradise together with the Húr and Ghilmán:[253] Allah
requite thee for us with all weal.” Then they passed into the Hammam and
when they had bathed, the youth said, “O my lord, what shall we do with
the young lady and how shall she hie to her household and what shall be
the case of me without her?” “Feel no grief,” said the other, “and quit
all care of anything: e’en as she came so shall she go; nor shall any of
Almighty Allah’s creatures know aught of her.” Hereat the Sage dismissed
her by the means which conveyed her, nor did she cease to bear her
bedding with her every night and to visit the youth with all joyance and
delight. Now after a few weeks had gone by, this young lady happening to
be upon the terrace-roof of her palace in company with her mother,
turned her back to the sun, and when the heat struck her between the
shoulders her belly swelled; so her parent asked her, “O my daughter,
what hast thou that thou juttest out after this wise?” “I wot naught
thereof,” answered she; so the mother put forth her hand to the belly of
her child and found her pregnant; whereupon she screamed and buffeted
her face and asked, “Whence did this befal thee?” The women-attendants
all heard her cries and running up to her enquired, “What hath caused
thee, O our lady, such case as this?” whereto she replied, “I would
bespeak the Caliph.” So the women sought him and said, “O our lord, thou
art wanted by our lady;” and he did their bidding and went to his wife,
but at first sight he noted the condition of his daughter and asked her,
“What is to do with thee and what hath brought on thee such calamity?”
Hereupon the Princess told him how it was with her and he exclaimed as
he heard it, “O my daughter, I am the Caliph and Commander of the
Faithful, and thou hast been sought to wife of me by the Kings of the
earth one and all, but thou didst not accept them as connections and now
thou doest such deed as this! I swear the most binding of oaths and I
vow by the tombs of my sires and my grandsires, an thou say me sooth
thou shalt be saved; but unless thou tell me truth concerning whatso
befel thee and from whom came this affair and the quality of the man’s
intention theewards, I will slaughter thee and under earth I will
sepulchre thee.” Now when the Princess heard from her father’s mouth
these words and had pondered this swear he had sworn she replied, “O my
sire, albeit lying may save yet is truth-telling the more saving side.
Verily, O my father, ’tis some time before this day that my bed beareth
me up every night and carrieth me to a house of the houses wherein
dwelleth a youth, a model of beauty and loveliness, who causeth every
seer to languish; and he beddeth with me and sleepeth by my side until
dawn, when my couch uplifteth me and returneth with me to the Palace:
nor wot I the manner of my going and the mode of my coming is alike
unknown to me.” The Caliph hearing these her words marvelled at this her
tale with exceeding marvel and fell into the uttermost of wonderment,
but bethinking him of his Wazir, a man of penetrative wit, sagacious,
astute, argute exceedingly, he summoned him to the presence and
acquainted him as soon as he came with this affair and what had befallen
his daughter; to wit, how she was borne away in her bed without knowing
whither or aught else. Quoth the Minister after taking thought for a
full-told hour, “O Caliph of the Time and the Age, I have a device by
whose virtue I do opine we shall arrive at the stead whither wendeth the
Princess;” and quoth the Caliph, “What may be this device of thine?”
“Bid bring me a bag;” rejoined the Wazir, “which I will let fill with
millet;”[254] so they brought him one and he after stuffing the same
with grain set it upon the girl’s bed and close to her where lay her
head, leaving the mouth open to the intent that when during the coming
night her couch might be carried away, the millet in going and returning
might be shed upon the path. “Allah bless thee, Ho thou the Wazir!”
cried the Caliph: “this device of thine is passing good and fair fall it
for a sleight than which naught can be slyer and good luck to it for a
proof than which naught can be better proven.” Now as soon as it was
even-tide, the couch was carried off as had happened every night and the
grain was strown broadcast upon the path, like a stream, from the
gateway of the Palace to the door of the young Cook’s lodging, wherein
the Princess nighted as was her wont until dawn of day. And when morn
appeared the Sage came and carried off with him the youth to the Hammam
where he found privacy and said to him, “O my son, an thou ask me aught
touching thy mistress’s kith and kin, I bid thee know that they have
indeed discovered her condition and against thee they have devised a
device.” Exclaimed the youth, “Verily we are Allah’s and unto Him are we
returning! What may be thy rede in this affair? An they slay me I shall
be a martyr on Allah’s path;[255] but do thou wend thy ways and save
thyself and may the Almighty requite thee with all of welfare; thee,
through whom mine every wish I have won, and the whole of my designs I
have fulfilled; after which let them do with me as they desire.” The
Warlock replied, “O my son, grieve not neither fear, for naught shall
befal thee of harm, and I purpose to show thee marvels and miracles
wroughten upon them.” When the youth heard these words his spirits were
cheered, and joying with joy exceeding he replied, “Almighty Allah
reward thee for me with fullest welfare!” Then the twain went forth the
Hammam and hied them home. But as soon as morning morrowed, the Wazir
repaired to the Caliph; and, both going to the Princess together, found
her in her bower and the bag upon her bed clean empty of millet, at
sight of which the Minister exclaimed, “Now indeed we have caught our
debtor. Up with us and to horse, O Caliph of the Age, and sum and
substance of the Time and the Tide, and follow we the millet and track
its trail.” The Commander of the Faithful forthright gave orders to
mount, and the twain, escorted by their host, rode forth on the traces
of the grain till they drew near the house, when the youth heard the
jingle and jangle[256] of horses’ tramp and the wrangle and cangle of
men’s outcries. Upon this said the Cook to the Warlock, “Here they draw
near to seize me, O my lord, what is there now for me to do?” and said
the other, “Rise and fill me an ewer with water; then mount therewith to
the terrace-roof and pour the contents round and about the house, after
which come down to me.” The youth did his bidding, and meanwhile the
Caliph and the Wazir and the soldiery had approached the house when, lo
and behold! the site had become an island amiddlemost a main dashing
with clashing billows.[257] But when the Commander of the Faithful
sighted this sea, he was perplexed with mighty great perplexity and
enquired of the Wazir, “At what time did such great water appear in this
place?” The Minister replied, “I never knew that here was any stream,
albe well I wot that the Tigris river floweth amiddlemost the capital;
but this is a magical current.” So saying he bade the soldiery urge
their horses into the water sans fear, and every one drave as he had
directed until all who entered lost their lives and a many of men where
drowned. Hereupon cried the Prince of True Believers, “O Wazir, we are
about to destroy our host and to fare with them!” and cried the other,
“How shall we act, O Caliph of the Age? Haply our first, nay our best
way, is to ask help of those within the house and grant to them
indemnity while they exchange words with us and we see anon what will
come of their affair.” “Do as beseemeth thee,” answered the Prince of
True Believers; whereupon the Minister commanded his men to cry aloud
upon the household and they sued for help during a length of time. But
the Sage, hearing their shouts, said to the youth, “Arise and go up to
the terrace and say to the Caliph of the Age:—Thou art in safety; turn
away thy steps hence and presently we will meet thy Highness in health
and weal; otherwise[258] thy daughter shall be lost and thine army shall
be destroyed, and thou, O Commander of the Faithful, wilt depart and
return as one outdriven. Do thou wend thy ways: this be not the mode of
meeting us and in such manner there is no management.” The Cook did as
he was bidden, and when the twain heard his words, quoth the Wazir to
the Caliph, “Verily these be naught save Magicians, otherwise they must
be of the fulsomest of the Jann, for indeed never heard we nor saw we
aught of this.” Hereupon the Prince of True Believers turned his back
upon the place and he sorrowful and strait of breast and disheartened of
heart; so he went down to his Palace and sat there for a full-told hour
when behold, the Warlock and the Cook appeared before him. But as soon
as they stood in the presence the Caliph cried out, “O Linkman, bring me
the head of yonder youth from between his shoulders!” Hereupon the
Executioner came forward and tearing a strip off the youth’s robe-skirt
bandaged his eyes; then he walked thrice round about him brandishing his
blade over the victim’s head and lastly cried, “O Caliph of the Age,
shall I make away with this youth?” Answered the Caliph, “Yes, after
thou shalt have stricken off his head.” Hearing this the Sworder raised
his hand and smote, when suddenly his grip was turned backwards upon a
familiar of his who stood beside him, and it lighted upon his neck with
such force that his head flew off and fell at the Caliph’s feet. The
King and the Wazir were perplexed at this affair, and the former cried
out, “What be this? Art gone blind, O Bhang-eater, that thy stroke hath
missed the mark and thou hast not known thy familiar from this youth who
kneeleth before thee? Smite him without delay!” Hereupon the Linkman
again raised his hand to obey his lord, but the blow fell upon the neck
of his varlet and the head flew off and rolled at the feet of the Caliph
and his Chief Councillor. At this second mishap the wits of all present
were bewildered and the King cried, “What business is this, O Wazir?”
whereto the other made answer, “O Caliph of the Time and rare gift of
the Age and the Tide, what canst thou do, O my lord, with such as these?
And whoso availeth to take away o’ nights thy daughter upon her bed and
dispread a sea around his house, the same also hath power to tear thy
kingdom from thy grasp; nay more, to practise upon thy life. Now ’tis my
rede that thou rise and kiss the hand of this Sage and sue his
protection,[259] lest he work upon us worse than this. Believe me,
’twere better for thee, O my lord, to do as I bid thee and thus ’twill
be well for us rather than to rise up as adversaries of this man.”
Hearing such words from his Minister, the King bade them raise the youth
from the strip of blood-rug and remove the bandage from before his eyes,
after which he rose to his feet, and, kissing the Warlock’s hand, said
to him, “In very sooth we knew thee not nor were we ware of the measure
of thine excellence. But, O teacher of the Time and sum and substance of
revolving Tide, why hast thou wrought to me on this wise in the matter
of my daughter and destroyed my servants and soldiers?” “O Viceregent of
Allah upon His Earth,” replied the Sage, “I am a stranger, and having
eaten bread and salt with this youth, I formed friendship and
familiarity with him: then, seeing his case which was sad and his state
which was marvellous as it had afflicted him with sickness, I took
compassion upon him; moreover I designed to show you all what I am and
what Almighty Allah hath taught me of occult knowledge. Hitherto there
hath been naught save weal, and now I desire of thy favour that thou
marry thy daughter to this youth, my familiar, for that she suiteth none
other save himself.” Quoth the Caliph, “This proceeding I look upon as
the fittest and it besitteth us that we obey thy bidding.” Presently he
robed the youth with a sumptuous robe worth the kingdom of a King, and
commanded him to sit beside the presence and seated the Sage upon a
chair of ebony-wood. Now whilst they were in converse the Warlock turned
round and beheld arear of the Caliph a hanging of sendal whereupon stood
figured lions twain: so he signed with his hand to these forms which
were mighty huge of limb and awesome to look upon, when each put forth
his paw upon his fellow and both roared with roars like unto the bellow
of ear-rending thunder. Hereat all present were perplext in the extreme
and were in admiration at that matter, and especially the Prince of True
Believers who cried, “O Wazir, what seest thou in this business?” The
Wazir replied, “O Caliph of the Age, verily Allah Almighty to thee hath
sent this Sage that He[260] might show thee such marvels as these.” Then
the Warlock signalled with his hand to the lions which shrank till they
became as cats which carried on the combat; and both Caliph and Wazir
wondered thereat with excessive wonderment. Anon quoth the King to the
Minister, “Bid the Sage display to us more of his marvels;” and
accordingly the Wazir obeyed his lord’s behest, and the Warlock replied,
“To hear is to obey.” He then said, “Bring hither to me a chauldron full
of water;” and when it was brought he asked the Courtiers, “Which of you
would divert himself?” “I,” quoth the Wazir; when quoth the Sage, “Do
thou rise to thy feet and doff thy robes and gird thee with a zone:”
whereto said the other, “Bring me a waistcloth;” and when it was brought
he did therewith as he was bidden. Hereat said the Warlock, “Seat thee
in the centre of the chauldron;” so he plunged into the water, but when
he would have seated him amiddlemost thereof as ordered he saw only that
he had entered a sea dashing with surges clashing wherein whoso goeth is
lost to view, and whence whoso cometh is born anew; and he fell to
swimming from side to side intending to issue forth, while the waves
suffered him not to make the shore. And while he was in this case
behold, a billow of the billows vomited[261] him up from the sea to the
strand and he stood on dry land, when he surveyed his person and
suddenly saw that he had become a woman with the breasts of a woman and
the solution of continuity like a woman, and long black hair flowing
down to his heels even as a woman’s. Then said he to himself, “O
ill-omened diversion! What have I done with such unlucky disport that I
have looked upon this marvel and wonder of wonderments, only to become a
woman.[262] Verily we are Allah’s, and unto Him shall we return;” adding
as he took thought of the matter and of what had befallen him, “There is
no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the
Great.” Presently a Fisherman approached him and sighting a fair girl
said, “This be none other than a blessed day which Allah hath opened to
us with a beautiful maiden for quarry; and she is doubtless of the
Daughters of the Deep, whom Allah Almighty hath sent to us that I may
espouse her to my son.” Hearing these words said the transformed to
himself, “Now after being a Wazir I have become a woman and this be for
that as tit for tat,[263] and the wight furthermore desireth to see me
married, and as for the Caliph and the kingdom and the countries, who
shall now be able to offer them counsel?” But the Fisherman who for his
joyance had no stomach to ply his pursuit, as was his custom, forthwith
arose and taking with him the Daughter of the Deep led her to his house,
and on entering the door cried aloud to his wife, “This day hath been a
lucky for my fishing craft: during all these years it never befel me to
happen upon a Mermaid save on this best-omened of all the days,” adding,
“Where is thy son, to whom Allah hath sent this Daughter of the
Daughters of the Main; and hath made her his portion and vouchsafed her
to his service? for ’tis my design to marry them.” Replied the woman,
“He hath taken the beast[264] and hath fared forth to pasture it and
plough therewith; but right soon will he return.” And whilst they were
thus conversing the youth came forward, and the Wazir on sighting him
groaned and cried, “Well-away for me! this very night I shall become a
bride for this blamed lad[265] to sleep withal. And if I say to
them:—What intent have ye? Ye are in meanness and misery[266] while I am
Wazir to the Caliph; they will never believe me for that I have become a
woman, and all thereto appertaining now belongeth to me. Alack and alas