castle after donning her richest clothes and trinkets and throwing a
necklace of jewels around her neck. Then binding together some dresses
of Ba’albak[67] stuff by way of rope, she tied them to the crenelles and
let herself down thereby to the ground. And she fared on over wastes and
waterless wilds, till she came to the shore, where she saw a fisherman
plying here and there over the sea, for the wind had driven him on to
the island. When he saw her, he was affrighted[68] and pushed off again,
flying from her; but she cried out and made pressing signs to him to
return, versifying with these couplets:—
O fisherman no care hast thou to fear, ✿ I’m but an earth-born maid in
mortal sphere;
I pray thee linger and my prayer grant ✿ And to my true unhappy tale
give ear:
Pity (so Allah spare thee!) warmest love; ✿ Say, hast thou seen him—my
beloved fere?
I love a lovely youth whose face excels ✿ Sunlight, and passes moon when
clearest clear:
The fawn, that sees his glance, is fain to cry ✿ “I am his thrall” and
own himself no peer:
Beauty hath written, on his winsome cheek, ✿ Rare lines of pregnant
sense for every seer;
Who sights the light of love his soul is saved; ✿ Who strays is Infidel
to Hell anear:
An thou in mercy show his sight, O rare![69] ✿ Thou shalt have every
wish, the dearest dear,
Of rubies and what likest are to them ✿ Fresh pearls and unions new, the
sea-shell’s tear:
My friend, thou wilt forsure grant my desire ✿ Whose heart is melted in
love’s hottest fire.
When the fisherman heard her words, he wept and made moan and lamented;
then, recalling what had betided himself in the days of his youth, when
love had the mastery over him and longing and desire and distraction
were sore upon him and the fires of passion consumed him, replied with
these couplets:—
What fair excuse is this my pining plight, ✿ With wasted limbs and
tears’ unceasing blight;
And eyelids open in the nightly murk, ✿ And heart like fire-stick[70]
ready fire to smite;
Indeed love burdened us in early youth, ✿ And true from false coin soon
we learned aright:
Then did we sell our soul on way of love, ✿ And drunk of many a well[71]
to win her sight;
Venturing very life to gain her grace, ✿ And make high profit perilling
a mite.
‘Tis Love’s religion whoso buys with life ✿ His lover’s grace, with
highest gain is dight.
And when he ended his verse, he moored his boat to the beach and said to
her, “Embark, so may I carry thee whither thou wilt.” Thereupon she
embarked and he put off with her; but they had not gone far from land,
before there came out a stern-wind upon the boat and drove it swiftly
out of sight of shore. Now the fisherman knew not whither he went, and
the strong wind blew without ceasing three days, when it fell by leave
of Allah Almighty, and they sailed on and ceased not sailing till they
came in sight of a city sitting upon the sea-shore,——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Three Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
fisherman’s craft, carrying Rose-in-Hood, made the city sitting upon the
sea shore, the man set about making fast to the land. Now the King of
the city was a Prince of pith and puissance named Dirbás, the Lion; and
he chanced at that moment to be seated, with his son, at a window in the
royal palace giving upon the sea; and happening to look out seawards,
they saw the fishing-boat make the land. They observed it narrowly and
espied therein a young lady, as she were the full moon overhanging the
horizon-edge, with pendants in her ears of costly balass-rubies and a
collar of precious stones about her throat. Hereby the King knew that
this must indeed be the daughter of some King or great noble and, going
forth of the sea-gate of the palace, went down to the boat, where he
found the lady asleep and the fisherman busied in making fast to shore.
So he went up to her and aroused her, whereupon she awoke, weeping; and
he asked her, “Whence comest thou and whose daughter art thou and what
be the cause of thy coming hither?”; and she answered, “I am the
daughter of Ibrahim, Wazir to King Shámikh; and the manner of my coming
hither is wondrous and the cause thereof marvellous.” And she told him
her whole story first and last, hiding naught from him; then she groaned
aloud and recited these couplets:—
Tear-drops have chafed mine eyelids and rail down in wondrous wise, ✿
For parting pain that fills my sprite and turns to springs mine eyes,
For sake of friend who ever dwells within my vitals homed, ✿ And I may
never win my wish of him in any guise.
He hath a favour fair and bright, and brilliant is his face, ✿ Which
every Turk and Arab wight in loveliness outvies:
The Sun and fullest Moon lout low whenas his charms they sight, ✿ And
lover-like they bend to him whene’er he deigneth rise.
A wondrous spell of gramarye like Kohl bedecks his eyne, ✿ And shows
thee bow with shaft on string made ready ere it flies:
O thou, to whom I told my case expecting all excuse, ✿ Pity a
lover-wight for whom Love-shafts such fate devise!
Verily, Love hath cast me on your coast despite of me ✿ Of will now
weak, and fain I trust mine honour thou wilt prize:
For noble men, whenas perchance alight upon their bounds, ✿ Grace-worthy
guests, confess their worth and raise to dignities.
Then, O thou hope of me, to lovers’ folly veil afford ✿ And be to them
reunion cause, thou only liefest lord!
And when she had ended her verses, she again told the King her sad tale
and shed plenteous tears and recited these couplets bearing on her
case:—
We lived till saw we all the marvels Love can bear; ✿ Each month to thee
we hope shall fair as Rajab[72] fare:
Is it not wondrous, when I saw them march amorn ✿ That I with water o’
eyes in heart lit flames that flare?
That these mine eyelids rain fast dropping gouts of blood? ✿ That now my
cheek grows gold where rose and lily were?
As though the safflower hue, that overspread my cheeks, ✿ Were Joseph’s
coat made stain of lying blood to wear.
Now when the King heard her words he was certified of her love and
longing and was moved to ruth for her; so he said to her, “Fear nothing
and be not troubled; thou hast come to the term of thy wishes; for there
is no help but that I win for thee thy will and bring thee to thy
desire.” And he improvised these couplets:—
Daughter of nobles, who thine aim shalt gain; ✿ Hear gladdest news nor
fear aught hurt or bane!
This day I’ll pack up wealth, and send it on ✿ To Shámikh, guarded by a
champion-train;
Fresh pods of musk I’ll send him and brocades, ✿ And silver white and
gold of yellow vein:
Yes, and a letter shall inform him eke ✿ That I of kinship with that
King am fain:
And I this day will lend thee bestest aid, ✿ That all thou covetest thy
soul assain.
I, too, have tasted love and know its taste ✿ And can excuse whoso the
same cup drain.[73]
Then, ending his verse, he went forth to his troops and summoned his
Wazir; and, causing him to pack up countless treasure, commanded him
carry it to King Shamikh and say to him, “Needs must thou send me a
person named Uns al-Wujud;” and say moreover “The King is minded to ally
himself with thee by marrying his daughter to Uns al-Wujud, thine
officer. So there is no help but thou despatch him to me, that the
marriage may be solemnized in her father’s kingdom.” And he wrote a
letter to King Shamikh to this effect, and gave it to the Minister,
charging him strictly to bring back Uns al-Wujud and warning him, “An
thou fail thou shalt be deposed and degraded.” Answered the Wazir, “I
hear and obey;” and, setting out forthright with the treasures, in due
course arrived at the court of King Shamikh whom he saluted in the name
of King Dirbas and delivered the letter and the presents. Now when King
Shamikh read the letter and saw the name of Uns al-Wujud, he burst into
tears and said to the Wazir “And where, oh where, is Uns al-Wujud?; he
went from us and we know not his place of abiding; only bring him to me,
and I will give thee double the presents thou hast brought me.” And he
wept and groaned and lamented, saying these couplets:—
To me restore my dear; ✿ I want not wealth untold:
Nor crave I gifts of pearls ✿ Or gems or store of gold:
He was to us a moon ✿ In beauty’s heavenly fold.
Passing in form and soul; ✿ With roe compare withhold!
His form a willow-wand, ✿ His fruit, lures manifold;
But willow lacketh power ✿ Men’s hearts to have and hold.
I reared him from a babe ✿ On cot of coaxing roll’d;
And now I mourn for him ✿ With woe in soul ensoul’d.
Then, turning to the Wazir who had brought the presents and the missive,
he said, “Go back to thy liege and acquaint him that Uns al-Wujud hath
been missing this year past, and his lord knoweth not whither he is gone
nor hath any tidings of him.” Answered the Minister of King Dirbas, “O
my lord, my master said to me:—An thou fail to bring him back, thou
shalt be degraded from the Wazirate and shalt not enter my city. How
then can I return without him?” So King Shamikh said to his Wazir
Ibrahim, “Take a company and go with him and make ye search for Uns
al-Wujud everywhere.” He replied, “Hearkening and obedience;” and,
taking a body of his own retainers, set out accompanied by the Wazir of
King Dirbas seeking Uns al-Wujud.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Three Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ibrahim, Wazir to
King Shamikh, took him a body of his retainers and, accompanied by the
Minister of King Dirbas, set out seeking Uns al-Wujud. And as often as
they fell in with wild Arabs or others they asked of the youth, saying,
“Tell us have ye seen a man whose name is so and so and his semblance
thus and thus?” But they all answered, “We know him not.” Still they
continued their quest enquiring in city and hamlet and seeking in
fertile plain and stony hall and in the wild and in the wold, till they
made the Mountain of the Bereaved Mother; and the Wazir of King Dirbas
said to Ibrahim, “Why is this mountain thus called?” He answered, “Once
of old time, here sojourned a Jinniyah, of the Jinn of China, who loved
a mortal with passionate love; and, being in fear of her life from her
own people, searched all the earth over for a place, where she might
hide him from them, till she happened on this mountain and, finding it
cut off from both men and Jinn, there being no access to it, carried off
her beloved and lodged him therein. There, when she could escape notice
of her kith and kin, she used privily to visit him, and continued so
doing till she had borne him a number of children; and the merchants,
sailing by the mountain, in their voyages over the main, heard the
weeping of the children, as it were the wailing of a woman bereft of her
babes, and said:—Is there here a mother bereaved of her children? For
which reason the place was named the Mountain of the Bereaved Mother.”
And the Wazir of King Dirbas marvelled at his words. Then they landed
and, making for the castle, knocked at the gate which was opened to them
by an eunuch, who knew the Wazir Ibrahim and kissed his hands. The
Minister entered and found in the courtyard, among the serving-men, a
Fakir, which was Uns al-Wujud, but he knew him not and said, “Whence
cometh yonder wight?” Quoth they, “He is a merchant, who hath lost his
goods, but saved himself; and he is an ecstatic.”[74] So the Wazir left
him and went on into the castle, where he found no trace of his daughter
and questioned her women, who answered, “We wot not how or whither she
went; this place misliked her and she tarried in it but a short time.”
Whereupon he wept sore and repeated these couplets:—
Ho thou, the house, whose birds were singing gay, ✿ Whose sills their
wealth and pride were wont display!
Till came the lover wailing for his love, ✿ And found thy doors wide
open to the way;
Would Heaven I knew where is my soul that erst ✿ Was homed in house,
whose owners fared away!
‘Twas stored with all things bright and beautiful, ✿ And showed its
porters ranged in fair array:
They clothed it with brocades a bride become;[75] ✿ Would I knew whither
went its lords, ah, say!
After ending his verses he again shed tears, and groaned and bemoaned
himself, exclaiming, “There is no deliverance from the destiny decreed
by Allah; nor is there any escape from that which He hath predestined!”
Then he went up to the roof and found the strips of Ba’albak stuff tied
to the crenelles and hanging down to the ground, and thus it was he knew
that she had descended thence and had fled forth, as one distracted and
demented with desire and passion. Presently, he turned and seeing there
two birds, a gor-crow and an owl he justly deemed this an omen of ill;
so he groaned and recited these couplets:—
I came to my dear friends’ door, of my hopes the goal, ✿ Whose sight
mote assuage my sorrow and woes of soul:
No friends found I there, nor was there another thing ✿ To find, save a
corby-crow and an ill-omened owl.
And the tongue o’ the case to me seemed to say, “Indeed ✿ This parting
two lovers fond was cruel and foul!”
“So taste thou the sorrow thou madest them taste and live ✿ In grief:
wend thy ways and now in thy sorrow prowl!”
Then he descended from the castle-roof, weeping, and bade the servants
fare forth and search the mount for their mistress; so they sought for
her, but found her not. Such was their case; but as regards Uns
al-Wujud, when he was certified that Rose-in-Hood was indeed gone, he
cried with a great cry and fell down in a fainting-fit, nor came to
himself for a long time, whilst the folk deemed that his spirit had been
withdrawn by the Compassionating One; and that he was absorbed in
contemplation of the splendour, majesty and beauty of the Requiting One.
Then, despairing of finding Uns al-Wujud, and seeing that the Wazir
Ibrahim was distracted for the loss of his daughter, the Minister of
King Dirbas addressed himself to return to his own country, albeit he
had not attained the object of his journey, and while bidding his
companion adieu, said to him, “I have a mind to take the Fakir with me;
it may be Allah Almighty will incline the King’s heart to me by his
blessing, for that he is a holy man; and thereafter, I will send him to
Ispahan, which is near our country.” “Do as thou wilt,” answered
Ibrahim. So they took leave of each other and departed, each for his own
mother land, the Wazir of King Dirbas carrying with him Uns
al-Wujud——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Three Hundred and Eightieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir of King
Dirbas carried with him Uns al-Wujud who was still insensible. They bore
him with them on mule-back (he unknowing if he were carried or not) for
three days, when he came to himself and said, “Where am I?” “Thou art in
company with the Minister of King Dirbas,” replied they and went and
gave news of his recovering to the Wazir, who sent him rose-water and
sherbet of sugar, of which they gave him to drink and restored him. Then
they ceased not faring on till they drew near King Dirbas’s capital and
the King, being advised of his Wazir’s coming, wrote to him, saying, “If
Uns al-Wujud be not with thee, come not to me ever.” Now when the Wazir
read the royal mandate, it was grievous to him, for he knew not that
Rose-in-Wood was with the King, nor why he had been sent in quest of Uns
al-Wujud, nor the King’s reason for desiring the alliance; whilst Uns
al-Wujud also knew not whither they were bearing him or that the Wazir
had been sent in quest of him; nor did the Wazir know that the Fakir he
had with him was Uns al-Wujud himself. And when the Minister saw that
the sick man was whole, he said to him, “I was despatched by the King on
an errand, which I have not been able to accomplish. So, when he heard
of my return, he wrote to me, saying:—Except thou have fulfilled my need
enter not my city.” “And what is the King’s need?” asked Uns al-Wujud.
So the Wazir told him the whole tale, and he said, “Fear nothing, but go
boldly to the King and take me with thee; and I will be surety to thee
for the coming of Uns al-Wujud.” At this the Wazir rejoiced and cried,
“Is this true which thou sayest?” “Yes,” replied he; whereupon the Wazir
mounted and carried him to King Dirbas who, after receiving their
salutations said to him, “Where is Uns al-Wujud?” Answered the young
man, “O King, I know where he is.” So the King called him to him and
said, “Where?” Returned Uns al-Wujud, “He is nearhand and very near; but
tell me what thou wouldst with him, and I will fetch him into thy
presence.” The King replied, “With joy and good gree, but the case
calleth for privacy.” So he ordered the folk to withdraw and, carrying
Uns al-Wujud into his cabinet, told him the whole story; whereupon quoth
the youth, “Robe me in rich raiment, and I will forthright bring Uns
al-Wujud to thee.” So they brought him a sumptuous dress, and he donned
it and said, “I am Uns al-Wujud, the World’s Delight, and to the envious
a despite”; and presently he smote with his glances every sprite, and
began these couplets to recite:—
My loved one’s name in cheerless solitude aye cheereth me ✿ And driveth
off my desperance and long despondency:
I have no helper[76] but my tears that ever flow in fount, ✿ And as they
flow, they lighten woe and force my grief to flee.
My longing is so violent naught like it ere was seen; ✿ My love-tale is
a marvel and my love a sight to see:
I spend the night with lids of eye that never close in sleep, ✿ And pass
in passion twixt the Hells and Edens heavenly.
I had of patience fairish store, but now no more have I; ✿ And love’s
sole gift to me hath been aye-growing misery:
My frame is wasted by the pain of parting from my own, ✿ And longing
changed my shape and form and made me other be.
Mine eyelids by my torrent tears are chafed, and ulcerate, ✿ The tears,
whose flow to stay is mere impossibility.
My manly strength is sore impaired for I have lost my heart; ✿ How many
griefs upon my griefs have I been doomed to dree!
My heart and head are like in age with similar hoariness ✿ By loss of
Beauty’s lord,[77] of lords the galaxy:
Despite our wills they parted us and doomed us parted wone, ✿ While they
(our lords) desire no more than love in unity.
Then ah, would Heaven that I wot if stress of parting done, ✿ The world
will grant me sight of them in union fain and free—
Roll up the scroll of severance which others would unroll— ✿ Efface my
trouble by the grace of meeting’s jubilee!
And shall I see them homed with me and in cup-company, ✿ And change my
melancholic mood for joy and jollity?
And when he ended his verses the King cried aloud, “By Allah, ye are
indeed a pair of lovers true and fain and in Beauty’s heaven of shining
stars a twain: your story is wondrous and your case marvellous.” Then he
told him all that had befallen Rose-in-Hood; and Uns al-Wujud said,
“Where is she, O King of the age?” “She is with me now,” answered Dirbas
and, sending for the Kazi and the witnesses, drew up the contract of
marriage between her and him. Then he honoured Uns al-Wujud with favours
and bounties and sent to King Shamikh acquainting him with what had
befallen, whereat this King joyed with exceeding joy and wrote back to
the following purport. “Since the ceremony of contract hath been
performed at thy court, it behoveth that the marriage and its
consummation be at mine.” Then he made ready camels, horses and men and
sent them in quest of the pair; and when the embassy reached King
Dirbas, he gave the lovers much treasure and despatched them to King
Shamikh’s court with a company of his own troops. The day of their
arrival was a notable day, never was seen a grander; for the King
gathered together all the singing-women and players on instruments of
music and made wedding banquets and held high festival seven days; and
on each day he gave largesse to the folk and bestowed on them sumptuous
robes of honour. Then Uns al-Wujud went in to Rose-in-Hood and they
embraced and sat weeping for excess of joy and gladness, whilst she
recited these couplets:—
Joyance is come, dispelling cark and care; ✿ We are united, enviers may
despair.
The breeze of union blows, enquickening ✿ Forms, hearts and vitals,
fresh with fragrant air:
The splendour of delight with scents appears, ✿ And round us[78] flags
and drums show gladness rare.
Deem not we’re weeping for our stress of grief; ✿ It is for joy our
tears as torrents fare:
How many fears we’ve seen that now are past! ✿ And bore we patient what
was sore to bear:
One hour of joyance made us both forget ✿ What from excess of terror
grey’d our hair.
And when the verses were ended, they again embraced and ceased not from
their embrace, till they fell down in a swoon,——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Three Hundred and Eighty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Uns al-Wujud and
Rose-in-Hood embraced when they foregathered and ceased not from their
embrace, till they fell down in a swoon for the delight of reunion; and
when they came to themselves, Uns al-Wujud recited these couplets:—
How joyously sweet are the nights that unite, ✿ When my dearling deigns
keep me the troth she did plight;
When union conjoins us in all that we have, ✿ And parting is severed and
sundered from sight,
To us comes the world with her favour so fair, ✿ After frown and
aversion and mighty despight!
Hath planted her banner Good Fortune for us, ✿ And we drink of her cup
in the purest delight.
We have met and complained of the pitiful Past, ✿ And of nights a full
many that doomed us to blight.
But now, O my lady, the Past is forgot; ✿ The Compassionate pardon the
Past for unright!
How sweet is existence, how glad is to be! ✿ This union my passion doth
only incite.
And when he ended his verses they once more embraced, drowned in the sea
of passion; and lay down together in the private apartment carousing and
conversing and quoting verses and telling pleasant tales and anecdotes.
On this wise seven days passed over them whilst they knew not night from
day and it was to them, for very stress of gaiety and gladness, pleasure
and possession, as if the seven days were but one day with ne’er a
morrow. Nor did they know the seventh day,[79] but by the coming of the
singers and players on instruments of music; whereat Rose-in-Hood beyond
measure wondered and improvised these couplets:—
In spite of enviers’ jealousy, at end ✿ We have won all we hoped of the
friend:
We’ve crowned our meeting with a close embrace ✿ On quilts where new
brocades with sendal blend;
On bed of perfumed leather, which the spoils ✿ Of downy birds
luxuriously distend.
But I abstain me from unneeded wine, ✿ When honey-dews of lips sweet
must can lend:
Now from the sweets of union we unknow ✿ Time near and far, if slow or
fast it wend,
The seventh night hath come and gone, O strange! ✿ How went the nights
we never reckt or kenned;
Till, on the seventh wishing joy they said, ✿ “Allah prolong the meet of
friend with friend!”
When she had finished her song, Uns al-Wujud kissed her, more than an
hundred times, and recited these couplets:—
O day of joys to either lover fain! ✿ The loved one came and freed from
lonely pain:
She blest me with all inner charms she hath; ✿ And companied with inner
grace deep lain:
She made me drain the wine of love till I, ✿ Was faint with joys her
love had made me drain:
We toyed and joyed and on each other lay; ✿ Then fell to wine and soft
melodious strain:
And for excess of joyance never knew, ✿ How went the day and how it came
again.
Fair fall each lover, may he union win ✿ And gain of joy like me the
amplest gain;
Nor weet the taste of severance’ bitter fruit ✿ And joys assain them as
they us assain!
Then they went forth and distributed to the folk alms and presents of
money and raiment and rare gifts and other tokens of generosity; after
which Rose-in-Hood bade clear the bath for her[80] and, turning to Uns
al-Wujud said to him, “O coolth of my eyes, I have a mind to see thee in
the Hammam, and therein we will be alone together.” He joyfully
consented to this, and she let scent the Hammam with all sorts of
perfumed woods and essences, and light the wax-candles. Then of the
excess of her contentment she recited these couplets:—
O who didst win my love in other date ✿ (And Present e’er must speak of
past estate);
And, oh! who art my sole sufficiency, ✿ Nor want I other friends with me
to mate:
Come to the Hammam, O my light of eyes, ✿ And enter Eden through
Gehenna-gate!
We’ll scent with ambergris and aloes-wood ✿ Till float the heavy clouds
with fragrant freight;
And to the World we’ll pardon all her sins ✿ And sue for mercy the
Compassionate;
And I will cry, when I descry thee there, ✿ “Good cheer, sweet love, all
blessings on thee wait!”[81]