take thee an ewer of water and make the Wuzú and pray.” However, as he
purposed that evening to go in unto the wife of Attaf, controversy
forewent compliments[365] and the tent-pitchers, who were sent on to the
next station set up the pavilion of the bride and the other tents.
Ja’afar took patience until every eye however wakeful waxed sleep-full,
at which time he rose up and went in to Attaf’s wife who, the moment she
saw him enter, covered her face with her hands as from a stranger. “The
Peace be upon thee!” said he and said she, “With thee also be The Peace
and the ruth of Allah and His blessings.” Then he continued, “O daughter
of my father’s brother[366] why hast thou placed thy hand upon thy face?
In the lawful there be naught of shameful.” “True, O my lord,” she
replied, “but Modesty is a part of Religion. If to one the like of thee
it be a light matter that the man who guested thee and served thee with
his coin and his case be treated on this wise and thou have the heart to
take his mate from him, then am I but a slave between thy hands.” “Art
thou the divorced wife of Attaf?” asked Ja’afar, and she answered, “I
am.” Quoth he, “And why did thy husband on such wise?” and quoth she,
“The while I stood watering plants at the window, thy Highness deigned
look upon me and thou toldest thy love to Attaf, who forthright put me
away and made me wife to thy Worship. And this is wherefore I conceal
from thee my face.” Ja’afar cried, “Thou art now unlawful to him and
licit to me; but presently thou shalt become illicit to me and
legitimate to thy husband: so from this time forth thou art dearer and
more honourable to me than my eyes and my mother and my sister. But for
the moment thy return to Damascus is not possible for fear of foolish
tongues lest they prattle and say:—Attaf went forth to farewell Ja’afar,
and his wife lay the night with the former, and thus have the back-bones
had a single lappet.[367] However I will bear thee to Baghdad where I
will stablish thee in a spacious and well furnished lodging with ten
slave girls and eunuchs to serve thee; and, as long as thou abide with
me, I will give thee[368] every day five golden ducats and every month a
suit of sumptuous clothes. Moreover everything in thy lodging shall be
thine; and whatever gifts and offerings be made to thee they shall be
thy property, for the folk will fancy thee to be my bride and will
entertain thee and escort thee to the Hammams and present thee with
sumptuous dresses. After this fashion thou shalt pass thy days in
joyance and thou shalt abide with me in highmost honour and esteem and
worship till what time we see that can be done. So from this moment
forth[369] throw away all fear and hereafter be happy in heart and high
in spirits, for that now thou standest me in stead of mother and sister
and here naught shall befal thee save weal. And now my first desire to
thee which burned in my soul hath been quenched and exchanged for
brotherly love yet stronger than what forewent it.” So Attaf’s wife
rejoiced with exceeding joy; and, as they pursued their journey, Ja’afar
ceased not to clothe her in the finest of clothes, so that men might
honour her as the Wazir’s Consort; and ever to entreat her with yet
increasing deference. This endured until they entered Baghdad-city where
the attendants bore her Takhtrawán into the Minister’s Harem and an
apartment was set apart for her even as he had promised, and she was
provided with a monthly allowance of a thousand dinars and all the
comforts and conveniences and pleasures whereof he had bespoken her; nor
did he ever allow his olden flame for her to flare up again, and he
never went near her; but sent messengers to promise her a speedy reunion
with her mate. Such was the case of Ja’afar and Attaf’s wife; and now
give ear to what befel and betided the Minister during his first
reception by his liege lord who had sorely regretted his departure and
was desolated by the loss of him. As soon as he presented himself before
the Caliph, who rejoiced with exceeding joy and returned his salute and
his deprecation of evil,[370] the Commander of the Faithful asked him,
“Where was the bourne of this thy wayfare?” and he answered, “Damascus.”
“And where didst alight?” “In the house of one Attaf hight,” rejoined
Ja’afar, who recounted all that his host had done with him from the
beginning to the end. The Prince of True Believers took patience, until
he had told his story and then cried to his Treasurer saying, “Hie thee
hence and open the Treasury and bring me forth a certain book.” And when
this was done he continued, “Hand that volume to Ja’afar.” Now when the
Minister took it and read it he found written therein all that had
occurred between Attaf and himself and he left not reading till he came
to the time when the twain, host and guest, had parted and each had
farewelled other and Attaf had fared homewards. Hereupon the Caliph
cried to him, “Close the book at what place it completeth the recital of
thy bidding adieu to Attaf and of his returning to his own place, so
shalt thou understand how it was I said to thee:—Near me not until thou
bring that which is contained in this volume.” Then the Commander of the
Faithful restored the book to the Treasurer saying, “Take this and set
it in the bibliotheca;” then, turning to Ja’afar he observed, “Verily
Almighty Allah (be He glorified and magnified!) hath deigned show thee
whatso I read therein until I fell a-weeping and a-laughing at one and
the same time. So now do thou retire and hie thee home.” Ja’afar did his
bidding and reassumed the office of Wazir after fairer fashion than he
was before. And now return we to the purport of our story as regardeth
the designs of Attaf and what befel him when they took him out of gaol.
They at once led him to the Kazi who began by questioning him, saying,
“Woe to thee, didst thou murther this Háshimí?”[371] Replied he, “Yes, I
did!” “And why killedst thou him?” “I found him in yonder ruin and, I
struck him advisedly and slew him!” “Art thou in thy right senses?”
“Yea, verily.” “What may be thy name?” “I am hight Attaf.” Now when the
Judge heard this confession, which was thrice repeated, he wrote a writ
to the Mufti and acquainted him with the contention: and the divine
after delivering his decision produced a book and therein indited the
_procès-verbal_. Then he sent notice thereof to Ja’afar the Wazir for
official order to carry out the sentence and the Minister took the
document and affixing his seal and signature thereto gave order for the
execution. So they bore Attaf away and led him to the gallows-foot
whither he was followed by a world of folk in number as the dust; and,
as they set him under the tree Ja’afar the Wazir, who was riding by with
his suite at the time, suddenly espied a crowd going forth the city.
Thereupon he summoned the Sobáshí[372] who came up to him and kissed his
knee. “What is the object of this gathering of folk who be manifold as
the dust and what do they want?” quoth the Wazir; and quoth the officer,
“We are wending to hang[373] a Syrian who hath murthered a youth of
Sharif family.” “And who may be this Syrian?” asked the Wazir, and the
other answered, “One hight Attaf.” But when Ja’afar heard the word Attaf
he cried out with a mighty loud outcry and said, “Hither with him.” So
after loosing the noose from his neck they set him before the Wazir who
regarding him at once recognised his whilome host albeit he was in the
meanest of conditions, so he sprang up and threw himself upon him and he
in turn threw himself upon his sometime guest.[374] “What condition be
this?” quoth Ja’afar as soon as he could speak, and quoth Attaf, “This
cometh of my acquaintance with thee which hath brought me to such pass.”
Hereupon the twain swooned clean away and fell down fainting on the
floor, and when they came to themselves and could rise to their feet
Ja’afar the Wazir sent his friend Attaf to the Hammam with a sumptuous
suit of clothes which he donned as he came out. Then the attendants led
him to the Wazirial mansion where both took seat and they drank wine and
ate the early meal[375] and after their coffee they sat together in
converse. And when they had rested and were cheered, Ja’afar said, “Do
thou acquaint me with all that betided thee from the time we took leave
each of other until this day and date.” So Attaf fell to telling him how
he had been entreated by Abd al-Malik bin Marwan, Governor of Syria; how
he had been thrown into prison and how his enemy came thither by night
with intent to strangle him; also how the gaoler devised a device to
save him from slaughter and how he had fled nor ceased flight till he
drew near Baghdad when robbers had stripped him; how he had lost an
opportunity of seeing the Wazir because the city had been decorated;
and, lastly, what had happened to him through being driven from the
Cathedral-mosque; brief, he recounted all from commencement to
conclusion. Hereupon the Minister loaded him with benefits and presently
gave orders to renew the marriage-ceremony between man and wife; and she
seeing her husband led in to pay her the first visit lost her senses,
and her wits flew from her head and she cried aloud, “Would Heaven I wot
if this be on wake or the imbroglio of dreams!” So she started like one
frightened and a moment after she threw herself upon her husband and
cried, “Say me, do I view thee in vision or really in the flesh?”
whereto he replied, “In the world of sense and no sweven is this.” Then
he took seat beside her and related to her all that had befallen him of
hardships and horrors till he was taken from under the Hairibee; and she
on her part recounted how she had dwelt under Ja’afar’s roof, eating
well and drinking well and dressing well and in honour and worship the
highmost that might be. And the joy of this couple on reunion was
perfect. But as for Ja’afar when the morning morrowed, he arose and
fared for the Palace; then, entering the presence, he narrated to the
Caliph all that had befallen Attaf, art and part; and the Commander of
the Faithful rejoined, “Indeed this adventure is the most wondrous that
can be, and the most marvellous that ever came to pass.” Presently he
called to the Treasurer and bade him bring the book a second time from
the Treasury, and when it was brought the Prince of True Believers took
it, and handing it to Ja’afar, said to him, “Open and read.” So he
perused the whole tale of Attaf with himself the while his liege lord
again wept and laughed at the same moment and said, “In very deed, all
things strange and rare are written and laid up amongst the treasuries
of the Kings; and therefor I cried at thee in my wrath and forbade thee
my presence until thou couldst answer the question, What is there in
this volume? and thou couldst comprehend the cause of my tears and my
smiles. Then thou wentest from before me and wast driven by doom of
Destiny until befel thee with Attaf that which did befal; and in fine
thou returnedst with the reply I required.” Then the Caliph enrobed
Ja’afar with a sumptuous honour-robe and said to the attendants, “Bring
hither to me Attaf.” So they went out and brought him before the Prince
of True Believers; and the Syrian standing between his hands blessed the
Sovran and prayed for his honour and glory in permanence of prosperity
and felicity. Hereat quoth the Caliph, “O Attaf, ask whatso thou
wishest!” and quoth the generous man, “O King of the Age, I pray only
thy pardon for Abd al-Malik bin Marwan.” “For that he harmed thee?”
asked Harun al-Rashid, and Attaf answered, “O my lord, the transgression
came not from him, but from Him who caused him work my wrong; and I have
freely pardoned him. Also do thou, O my lord, write a Farmán with thine
own hand certifying that I have sold to the gaoler, and have received
from him the price thereof, all my slaves and estates in fullest tale
and most complete. Moreover deign thou appoint him inspector over the
Governor of Syria[376] and forward to him a signet-ring by way of sign
that no petition which doth not bear that seal shall be accepted or even
shall be heard and lastly transmit all this with a Chamberlain unto
Damascus.” Now all the citizens of Syria were expecting some ill-turn
from the part of Attaf, and with this grievous thought they were
engrossed, when suddenly tidings from Baghdad were bruited abroad; to
wit, that a Kapuji was coming on Attaf’s business. Hereat the folk
feared with exceeding great affright and fell to saying, “Gone is the
head of Abd al-Malik bin Marwan, and gone all who could say aught in his
defence.” And when the arrival of the Chamberlain was announced all
fared forth to meet and greet him, and he entered on a day of flocking
and crowding,[377] which might be truly numbered amongst the days and
lives of men. And presently he produced the writ of indemnity, and
pardon may not be procured save by one duly empowered to pardon. Then he
sent for the gaoler and committed to him the goods and chattels of
Attaf, together with the signet and the appointment of supervisor over
the Governor of Syria with an especial Farman that no order be valid
unless sealed with the superior’s seal. Nor was Abd al-Malik bin Marwan
less rejoiced that the adventure had ended so well for him when he saw
the Kapuji returning Baghdad-wards that he might report all concerning
his mission. But as for Attaf, his friend Ja’afar bestowed upon him
seigniories and presented him with property and moneys exceeding tenfold
what he had whilome owned and made him more prosperous than he had ever
been aforetime.
M.
_NOTE ON THE TALE OF ATTAF._
Mr. Alexander J. Cotheal, of New York, a correspondent who already on
sundry occasions has rendered me able aid and advice, was kind enough to
send me his copy of the Tale of Attaf (the “C. MS.” of the foregoing
pages). It is a small 4to of pp. 334, size 5¾ by 8 inches, with many of
the leaves injured and repaired; and written in a variety of
handwritings, here a mere scribble, there regular and legible as printed
Arabic. A fly-leaf inserted into the Arabic binding contains in cursive
hand the title, “A Book embracing many Tales of the Tales of the Kings
and named ‘Stories from the Thousand Nights and a Night.’” And a note at
the end supplies the date; “And the finish thereof was on Fifth Day
(Thursday), 9th from the beginning of the auspicious month Rabí’a 2nd,
in the year 1096 of the Hijrah of the Apostle, upon whom be the choicest
of blessings and the fullest of greetings; and Allah prospereth what he
pleaseth,[378] and praise be to God the One.” Thus (A.H. 1096 = A.D.
1685) the volume is upwards of 200 years old. It was bought by Mr.
Cotheal many years ago with other matters among the effects of a
deceased American missionary who had brought it from Syria.
The “Tale of Attaf” occupies pp. 10–50, and the end is abrupt. The
treatment of the “Novel” contrasts curiously with that of the Chavis MS.
which forms my text, and whose directness and simplicity give it a
European and even classical character. It is an excellent study of the
liberties allowed to themselves by Eastern editors and scribes. In the
Cotheal MS. the tone is distinctly literary, abounding in verse
(sometimes repeated from other portions of The Nights), and in Saj’a or
Cadence which the copyist sometimes denotes by marks in red ink. The
wife of Attaf is a much sterner and more important personage than in my
text: she throws water upon her admirer as he gazes upon her from the
street, and when compelled to marry him by her father, she “gives him a
bit of her mind” as forcibly and stingingly as if she were of
“Anglo-Saxon” blood; _e.g._ “An thou have in thee aught of manliness and
generosity thou wilt divorce me even as he did.” Sundry episodes like
that of the brutal Eunuch at Ja’afar’s door, and the Vagabond in the
Mosque are also introduced; but upon this point I need say no more, as
Mr. Cotheal shall now speak for himself.
THE TALE OF ATTAF
BY
ALEXANDER J. COTHEAL.
_STORY OF ATTAF THE GENEROUS, AND WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM WITH THE
WAZIR JA’AFAR WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH A YOUNG LADY NOT KNOWING HER
TO BE THE COUSIN-WIFE OF ATTAF WHO, IN HIS GENEROSITY DIVORCED HER
AND MARRIED HER TO HIM. THE NAIB OF DAMASCUS BEING JEALOUS OF
ATTAF’S INTIMACY WITH JA’AFAR IMPRISONS HIM FOR TREASON AND
PILLAGES HIS PROPERTY. ESCAPE OF ATTAF FROM PRISON AND HIS FLIGHT
TO BAGHDAD WHERE HE ARRIVES IN A BEGGARLY CONDITION, AND BEING
ACCUSED OF ASSASSINATION IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH, BUT BEING RELEASED
HE GOES TO JA’AFAR WHO RECOGNISES HIM AND IS REWARDED BY HIM AND
THE CALIPH. HIS WIFE IS RESTORED TO HIM AND AFTER A WHILE THEY ARE
SENT HOME TO DAMASCUS OF WHICH HE IS APPOINTED WALI IN PLACE OF
THE NAIB WHO IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH, BUT IS AFTERWARDS EXILED._
=In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate to whom we cry for
help.=
They say God is omniscient, knowing the past and the future, and we
learn from the histories of the peoples that there was in ancient times
and bygone seasons (and God knows best!) a Caliph of the Caliphs of the
orthodox and he was Harun er-Rashid who one night became very restless
and from the drowsiness that came upon him he sat down upon the bed and
dressed himself in sleeping-clothes; then it was that he called to his
service Mesrúr the sword-bearer of grace who came immediately into his
presence and said to him, O Mesrur, the night is very oppressive and I
wish thee to dispel my uneasiness. Then Mesrur said to him, O Commander
of the Faithful, arise now and go to the terrace-roof of the palace and
look upon the canopy of heaven and upon the twinkling stars and the
brightness of the moon, while listening to the music of the rippling
streams and the creaking norias as they are spoken of by the poet who
said:—
A Noria that discharges by the spouts of her tears resembles the actions
of a distracted lover:
She is the lover of her branches (sweeps or levers) by the magic in her
heart until she laughs:
She complains and the tears run from her eyes, she rises in the morning
to find herself weeping and complaining.
Then he said, O Commander of the Faithful, the _streams_ also are thus
mentioned by one of them:—
My favorite is a damsel dispensing drink, and my recreation is a running
stream;
A damsel whose eyes are a garden of Paradise, and a garden whose springs
make a running brook.
Then again said Harun er-Rashid, O Mesrur, such is not my wish, and
Mesrur replied, O Commander of the Faithful, in thy palace are three
hundred and sixty damsels, they are thy concubines and thy slaves, and
they are as if they were rising moons and beautiful gazelles, and in
elegant robes they are dressed like the flowers. Walk around in the
midst of the palaces and from thy hiding-place see each of them enter by
herself in her own apartment admiring her beauty and her magnificent
dresses, all showing their joy and mirth since they will not know of
thee; then listen to their singing and their playing and their joyous
company in their apartments and perhaps you’ll attach yourself to one of
them who’ll play with thee, keep thee awake and be thy cup-companion,
dispelling what may remain of thy restlessness. But he replied, O
Mesrur, bring to me my cousin Ja’afar the Barmeky immediately. So he
answered, Hearing is obedience. Then Mesrur went out to the house of
Ja’afar and said to him, Come to the Commander of the Faithful, and he
answered, To hear is to obey. Then Ja’afar dressed himself and went with
Mesrur to the Caliph and kissing the ground before him he said, May it
be good! O Commander of the Faithful. It is not other than good, he
answered, but I am wearied this night with a great weariness and I sent
for you to divert me so that my unrest may be dissipated. Then Ja’afar
said, Let’s get up, O Commander of the Faithful, and we’ll go out into
the garden of the palace and listen to the warbling of the birds and
smell of the odours of the flowers, and the cool zephyr with its gentle
breath will pass over us, dispelling our uneasiness and gladdening the
heart. The Rawi says that Ja’afar was very familiar with the Caliph by
reason of the endearment between them. Then the Caliph arose and with
Ja’afar and Mesrur went to the garden. The Caliph began to be thoughtful
and asked about the trees and the qualities of the flowers and the
fruits and the nature of their colours, and as the Caliph took pleasure
in that, he walked around for an hour and then passed over to the
palaces and houses, going from place to place, from quarter to quarter,
and from market to market; and, whilst they were going on, they stopped
before a book-shop and the Caliph opened a book-case and began to turn
over the books one by one, and taking one in his hand opened it, began
to read in it, and then suddenly laughed until he fell upon his back. He
read in it again and wept until his beard was wet with the falling
tears, and wrapping up the book he put it in his sleeve when Ja’afar
said, O Commander of the Faithful and Lord of the two worlds, what was
it that made thee laugh and then weep at the same time? When the Caliph
heard that he was angered and cried out at him in the midst of his rage,
O dog of a Barmeky, what an impertinence on thy part about what concerns
thee not, why meddle with what thou hast not lost. You’ve taken upon
yourself to be annoying and conceited, you have passed beyond your place
and it only remained for you to brave the Caliph. By my fathers and
grandfathers, if thou dost not bring me someone who can tell me about
the contents of this book from the first page to the last, I’ll strike
thy neck and show thee what it is that has made me laugh and cry. When
Ja’afar heard these words and saw his passion he said, O Commander of
the Faithful, I have committed a fault: sin is for the like of me and
forgiveness for the like of your Highness; to which the Caliph answered,
I have made oath, thou must bring that person to explain the book or
I’ll strike thy neck this very hour. Then Ja’afar said, O Commander of
the Faithful, God created the heavens and the two worlds in six days and
if it had pleased Him He could have created them in one single hour, but
He did so for an instruction to his worshippers that one should not
fault with another but be patient; then, O Lord, be thou patient with
thy servant if it be for three days only; and the Caliph replied to him,
If thou bringest not to me him whom I have mentioned I will slay thee
with the most horrible of deaths. At this Ja’afar said, I depart on thy
mission; thereupon Ja’afar went home with a sorrowful heart to his
father Yahya and his brother El-Fadl to take leave of them and weep.
Then they said to him, What is thy trouble? so he told them of what had
occurred between him and the Caliph and of the condition laid upon him
of execution if not complied with in three days, for doubtless the
Caliph seeks my death; he who strikes against a point, ’twill pierce his
hand, and he that struggles with a lion will be killed; but as to myself
I can no longer remain with him for that would be the greatest of
dangers for me and for thee, O my father, and for thee, O my brother. I
now set out to travel and I wish to go far away from his eye. The
preservation of life is not esteemed and is of little value: distance is
the best preservative for our necks—as is said by the poet:—
Save your life if menaced by evil (danger), and leave the house to
complain of the builder:
You’ll find a land upon a land, but not another life for your own life.