with his chief officers and fared on till they reached the mansion of
Hamíd al-Tawíl of Tús; and, unexpectedly entering, they found him seated
on a mat and before him singers and players, with lutes and flageolets
and other instruments of music in their hands. So Al-Maamun sat with him
awhile and presently he set before him dishes of nothing but fleshmeat,
with no birds among them. The Caliph would not taste thereof and Abu Isa
said to him, “O Commander of the Faithful, we have taken the owner of
this place unawares, and he knew not of thy coming; but now let us go to
another place which is prepared for thee and fitted for thee.” Thereupon
the Caliph arose and betook himself with his brother Abu Isa and his
suite, to the abode of Ali son of Hishám who, on hearing of their
approach, came out and received them with the goodliest of reception,
and kissed the earth before the King. Then he brought them into his
mansion and opened to them a saloon than which seer never saw a
goodlier. Its floors, pillars and walls were of many-coloured marbles,
adorned with Greek paintings: and it was spread with matting of
Sind[214] whereon were carpets and tapestry of Bassorah make, fitted to
the length and breadth of the room. So the Caliph sat awhile, examining
the house and its ceilings and walls, then said, “Give us somewhat to
eat.” So they brought him forthwith nearly an hundred dishes of poultry
besides other birds and brewises, fritters and cooling marinades. When
he had eaten, he said, “Give us something to drink, O Ali;” and the host
set before him, in vessels of gold and silver and crystal, raisin-wine
boiled down to one third with fruits and spices; and the cupbearers were
pages like moons, clad in garments of Alexandrian stuff interwoven with
gold and bearing on their breasts beakers of crystal, full of rose-water
mingled with musk. So Al-Maamun marvelled with exceeding marvel at all
he saw and said, “Ho thou, Abu al-Hasan!” Whereupon Ali sprang to the
Caliph’s carpet and kissing it, said, “At thy service, O Commander of
the Faithful!” and stood before him. Quoth Al-Maamun, “Let us hear some
pleasant and merry song.” Replied Ali, “I hear and obey, O Commander of
the Faithful,” and said to one of his eunuchs, “Fetch the
singing-women.” So the slave went out and presently returned, followed
by ten castratos, bearing ten stools of gold, which they set down in due
order; and after these came ten damsels, concubines of the master, as
they were shining full moons or gardens full of bloom, clad in black
brocade, with crowns of gold on their heads; and they passed along the
room till they sat down on the stools, when sang they sundry songs.
Al-Maamun looked at one of them; and, being captivated by her elegance
and fair favour, asked her, “What is thy name, O damsel?”; and she
answered, “My name is Sajáhí,[215] O Commander of the Faithful,” and he
said, “Sing to us, O Sajahi!” So she played a lively measure and sang
these couplets:—
I walk, for fear of interview, the weakling’s walk ✿ Who sees two
lion-whelps the fount draw nigh:
My cloak acts sword, my heart’s perplext with fright, ✿ Lest jealous
hostile eyes th’ approach descry:
Till sudden hapt I on a delicate maid ✿ Like desert-doe that fails her
fawns to espy.
Quoth the Caliph, “Thou hast done well, O damsel! whose are these
lines?” She answered, “Written by Amru bin Ma’di Karib al-Zubaydi,[216]
and the air is Ma’abid’s.”[217] Then the Caliph and Abu Isa and Ali
drank and the damsels went away and were succeeded by other ten, all
clad in flowered silk of Al-Yaman, brocaded with gold, who sat down on
the chairs and sang various songs. The Caliph looked at one of the
concubines, who was like a wild heifer of the waste, and said to her,
“What is thy name, O damsel?” She replied, “My name is Zabiyah,[218] O
Commander of the Faithful;” and he, “Sing to us, Zabiyah;” so she
warbled like a bird with many a trill and sang these two couplets:—
Houris, and high-born Dames who feel no fear of men; ✿ Like Meccan game
forbidden man to slam:[219]
Their soft sweet voices make you deem them whores, ✿ But bars them from
all whoring Al-Islam.
When she had finished, Al-Maamun cried, “Favoured of Allah art
thou!”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
slave-girl finished her song, Al-Maamun cried, “Favoured of Allah art
thou! Whose is this verse?” and she answered, “Jarír’s[220] and the air
is by Ibn Surayj.” Then the Caliph and his company drank, whilst the
girls went away and there came forth yet other ten, as they were rubies,
robed in red brocade inwoven with gold and purfled with pearls and
jewels whilst all their heads were bare. They sat down on the stools and
sang various airs; so the Caliph looked at one of them, who was like the
sun of the day, and asked her, “What is thy name, O damsel?”; and she
answered, “O Commander of the Faithful, my name is Fátin.” “Sing to us,
O Fatin,” quoth he; whereat she played a lively measure and sang these
couplets:—
Deign grant thy favours; since ‘tis time I were engraced; ✿ Enough of
severance hath it been my lot to taste.
Thou’rt he whose face doth every gift and charm unite; ✿ Yet is my
patience spent for that ‘twas sore misplaced:
I’ve wasted life in loving thee; and would high Heaven ✿ Grant me one
meeting hour for all this wilful waste.
“Well sung, O Fatin!” exclaimed the Caliph; “whose verse is this?” And
she answered, “Adi bin Zayd’s, and the air is antique.” Then all three
drank, whilst the damsels retired and were succeeded by other ten
maidens, as they were sparkling stars, clad in flowered silk embroidered
with red gold and girt with jewelled zones. They sat down and sang
various motives; and the Caliph asked one of them, who was like a wand
of willow, “What is thy name, O damsel?”; and she answered, “My name is
Rashaa[221], O Commander of the Faithful.” “Sing to us, O Rashaa,” quoth
he; so she played a lively measure and sang these couplets:—
And wand-like Houri, who can passion heal ✿ Like young gazelle that
paceth o’er the plain:
I drain this wine-cup on the toast, her cheek; ✿ Each cup disputing till
she bends in twain,
Then sleeps the night with me, the while I cry ✿ “This is the only gain
my Soul would gain!”
Said the Caliph, “Well done, O damsel! Sing us something more.” So she
rose and kissing the ground before him, sang the following distich:—
She came out to gaze on the bridal at ease ✿ In a shift that reekèd of
ambergris.
The Caliph was highly pleased with this couplet and, when the slave-girl
saw how much it delighted him, she repeated it several times. Then said
Al-Maamun, “Bring up ‘the Flyer,’” being minded to embark and depart:
but Ali bin Hisham said to him, “O Commander of the Faithful, I have a
slave-girl, whom I bought for ten thousand dinars; she hath taken my
heart in whole and part, and I would fain display her to the Commander
of the Faithful. If she please him and he will accept of her, she is
his: and if not, let him hear something from her.” Said the Caliph,
“Bring her to me;” and forth came a damsel, as she were a branchlet of
willow, with seducing eyes and eyebrows set like twin bows; and on her
head she wore a crown of red gold crusted with pearls and jewelled,
under which was a fillet bearing this couplet wrought in letters of
chrysolite:—
A Jinniyah this, with her Jinn, to show ✿ How to pierce man’s heart with
a stringless bow!
The handmaiden walked, with the gait of a gazelle in flight and fit to
damn a devotee, till she came to a chair, whereon she seated
herself.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventeenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the handmaiden
walked with the gait of a gazelle in flight, fit to damn a devotee, till
she came to a chair whereon she seated herself. And Al-Maamun marvelled
at her beauty and loveliness; but, when Abu Isa saw her, his heart
throbbed with pain, his colour changed to pale and wan and he was in
evil case. Asked the Caliph, “O Abu Isa, what aileth thee to change
thus?;” and he answered, “O Commander of the Faithful, it is because of
a twitch that seizeth me bytimes.” Quoth the Caliph, “Hast thou known
yonder damsel before to-day?” Quoth he, “Yes, O Commander of the
Faithful, can the moon be concealed?” Then said Al-Maamun to her, “What
is thy name, O damsel?”; and she replied, “My name is Kurrat al-Ayn, O
Commander of the Faithful,” and he rejoined, “Sing to us, O Kurrat
al-Ayn.” So she sang these two couplets:—
The loved ones left thee in middle night, ✿ And fared with the pilgrims
when dawn shone bright:
The tents of pride round the domes they pitched, ✿ And with broidered
curtains were veiled fro’ sight.
Quoth the Caliph, “Favoured of Heaven art thou, O Kurrat al-Ayn! Whose
song is that?”; whereto she answered “The words are by Di’ibil
al-Khuza’i, and the air by Zurzúr al-Saghír.” Abu Isa looked at her and
his tears choked him; so that the company marvelled at him. Then she
turned to Al-Maamun and said to him, “O Commander of the Faithful, wilt
thou give me leave to change the words?” Said he, “Sing what thou wilt;”
so she played a merry measure and carolled these couplets:—
If thou should please a friend who pleaseth thee ✿ Frankly, in public
practise secrecy.
And spurn the slanderer’s tale, who seldom[222] seeks ✿ Except the
severance of true love to see.
They say, when lover’s near, he tires of love, ✿ And absence is for love
best remedy:
Both cures we tried and yet we are not cured, ✿ Withal we judge that
nearness easier be:
Yet nearness is of no avail when he ✿ Thou lovest lends thee love
unwillingly.
But when she had finished, Abu Isa said, “O Commander of the
Faithful,”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kurrat al-Ayn
had finished her verse, Abu Isa said, “O Commander of the Faithful,
though we endure disgrace, we shall be at ease.[223] Dost thou give me
leave to reply to her?” Quoth the Caliph, “Yes, say what thou wilt to
her.” So he swallowed his tears and sang these two distichs:—
Silent I woned and never owned my love; ✿ But from my heart I hid love’s
blissful boon;
Yet, if my eyes should manifest my love, ✿ ‘Tis for my nearness to the
shining moon.
Then Kurrat al-Ayn took the lute and played a lively tune and rejoined
with these couplets:—
An what thou claimest were the real truth, ✿ With only Hope content thou
hadst not been;
Nor couldest patient live without the girl ✿ So rare of inner grace and
outward mien.
But there is nothing in the claim of thee ✿ At all, save tongue and talk
that little mean.
When Abu Isa heard this he fell to weeping and wailing and evidencing
his trouble and anguish. Then he raised his eyes to her and sighing,
repeated these couplets:—
Under my raiment a waste body lies, ✿ And in my spirit all-comprising
prize.
I have a heart, whose pain shall aye endure, ✿ And tears like torrents
pour these woeful eyes.
Whene’er a wise man spies me, straight he chides ✿ Love, that misleads
me thus in ways unwise:
O Lord, I lack the power this dole to bear: ✿ Come sudden Death or joy
in bestest guise!
When he had ended, Ali bin Hisham sprang up and kissing his feet, said,
“O my lord, Allah hearing thy secret hath answered thy prayer and
consenteth to thy taking her with all she hath of things rare and fair,
so the Commander of the Faithful have no mind to her.” Quoth Al-Maamun,
“Had we a mind to her, we would prefer Abu Isa before ourselves and help
him to his desire.” So saying, he rose and embarking, went away, whilst
Abu Isa tarried for Kurrat al-Ayn, whom he took and carried to his own
house, his breast swelling with joy. See then the generosity of Ali son
of Hisham! And they tell a tale of
-----
Footnote 212:
One of the Wazirs of Al-Maamun; Kurrat al-Ayn = “coolness (_i.e._
delight) of the eyes.” Ali bin Hishám surnamed Abu ‘l-Hasan, was
prefect of Baghdad under the same reign.
Footnote 213:
The Mac. Edit. (ii. 448) reads for Kawáid (plur. of Káid = Governors,
Span. Alcayde) “Fawáid”; hence Lane (ii. 606) translates “try thy
heart.”
Footnote 214:
The mats of Sind were famous even in my day, but under English rule
native industries are killed out by Manchester and Birmingham.
Footnote 215:
Sajáh was the name of a famous female impostor, a contemporary of
“Musaylimah the Liar.”
Footnote 216:
A poet of Mohammed’s day.
Footnote 217:
A singer and composer of the first century (A.H.)
Footnote 218:
Arab. = a roe, a doe; also the Yoni (of women, mares and bitches). It
is the Heb. Tabitha and the Greek Dorcas.
Footnote 219:
Within the Hudúd al-Haram (bounds of the Holy Places), at Al-Medinah
as well as Meccah, all “Muharramát” (forbidden sins) are doubly
unlawful, such as drinking spirits, immoral life, etc. The Imam Malik
forbids slaying animals without, however, specifying any penalty. The
felling of trees is a disputed point; and no man can be put to death
except invaders, infidels and desecraters (Pilgrimage ii. 167).
Footnote 220:
A poet of the first century (A.H.)
Footnote 221:
In Arab. = a fawn beginning to walk; also the 28th lunar mansion or
station, usually known as Batn al-Hut or Whale’s belly. These mansions
or houses, the constellations through which the moon passes in her
course along her orbit, are much used in Moslem astrology and
meteorology.
Footnote 222:
Arab. Kalla-má = it is seldom (rare) that etc. used in books.
Footnote 223:
Dishonoured by his love being made public. So Hafiz, Petrarch and
Camoens.
AL AMIN SON OF AL-RASHID AND HIS UNCLE IBRAHIM BIN AL-MAHDI.
Al-Amin[224], brother of Al-Maamun, once entered the house of his uncle
Ibrahim bin Al-Mahdi, where he saw a slave-girl playing upon the lute;
and, she being one of the fairest of women, his heart inclined to her.
Ibrahim, seeing how it was with him, sent the girl to him, with rich
raiment and precious ornaments. When he saw her, he thought that his
uncle had lain with her; so he was loath to have to do with her, because
of that, and accepting what came with her sent her back to Ibrahim. His
uncle learnt the cause of this from one of Al-Amin’s eunuchs; so he took
a shift of watered silk and worked upon its skirt, in letters of gold,
these two couplets:—
No! I declare by Him to whom all bow, ✿ Of nothing ‘neath her petticoat
I trow:
Nor meddle with her mouth; nor aught did I ✿ But see and hear her, and
it was enow!
Then he clad her in the shift and, giving her a lute, sent her back
again to his nephew. When she came into Al-Amin’s presence, she kissed
ground before him and tuning the lute, sang thereto these two couplets:—
Thy breast thou baredst sending back the gift; ✿ Showing unlove for me
withouten shift:
An thou bear spite of Past, the Past forgive, ✿ And for the Caliphate
cast the Past adrift.
When she had made an end of her verse, Al-Amin looked at her and, seeing
what was upon her skirt, could no longer control himself,——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Nineteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Al-Amin
looked at the damsel and saw what was upon her skirt, he could no longer
control himself, but drew near unto her and kissed her and appointed her
a separate lodging in his palace. Moreover, he thanked his uncle for
this and bestowed on him the government of Rayy. And a tale is told of
-----
Footnote 224:
Sixth Abbaside, A.D. 809–813.
AL FATH BIN KHAKAN AND THE CALIPH AL-MUTAWAKKIL.
Al-Mutawakkil[225] was once taking medicine, and folk sent him by way of
solace all sorts of presents and rarities and things costly and
precious. Amongst others, Al-Fath bin Khákán[226] sent him a virgin
slave, high-breasted, of the fairest among women of her time, and with
her a vase of crystal, containing ruddy wine, and a goblet of red gold,
whereon were graven in black these couplets:—
Since our Imam came forth from medicine, ✿ Which made him health and
heartiness rewin,
There is no healing draught more sovereign ✿ Than well-boiled wine this
golden goblet in:
Then let him break the seal for him secured; ✿ ‘Tis best prescription
after medicine.[227]
Now when the damsel entered, the physician Yohanná[228] was with the
Caliph, and as he read the couplets, he smiled and said, “By Allah, O
Commander of the Faithful, Fath is better versed than I in the art of
healing: so let not the Prince of True Believers gainsay his
prescription.” Accordingly, the Caliph followed the recipe contained in
the poetry and was made whole by the blessing of Allah and won his every
wish. And among tales they tell is one of
-----
Footnote 225:
Ala’llah, tenth Abbaside, A. H. 232–47 (847–61), grandson of Al-Rashid
who succeeded Al-Wásik. He was a fanatic Sunni, much opposed to the
Shi’ahs and he ordered the Christians to wear round their necks the
Ghull (collar of wood, iron, or leather), to dress in yellow head-gear
and girdles, use wooden stirrups and place figures of devils in front
of their dwelling-houses. He also gave distinct dresses to their women
and slaves. The Ghull, or collar, was also used for a punishment and
vermin gathered under it when rivetted round the neck: hence Golius
calls it “pediculosum columbar.”
Footnote 226:
Wazir of the above, killed by Al-Muntasir Billah A.H. 247 (= 861).
Footnote 227:
Easterns during purgation are most careful and deride the want of
precaution in Europeans. They do not leave the house till all is
passed off, and avoid baths, wine and women, which they afterwards
resume with double zest. Here “breaking the seal” is taking the girl’s
maidenhead.
Footnote 228:
Johannes, a Greek favoured by Al-Mutawakkil and other Abbaside
Caliphs.
THE MAN’S DISPUTE WITH THE LEARNED WOMAN CONCERNING THE RELATIVE
EXCELLENCE OF MALE AND FEMALE.
Quoth a certain man of learning, I never saw amongst woman-kind one
wittier, and wiser, better read and by nature more generously bred; and
in manners and morals more perfected than a preacher of the people of
Baghdad, by name Sitt al-Mashá’ikh.[229] It chanced that she came to
Hamah-city in the year of the Flight five hundred and sixty and
one[230]; and there delivered salutary exhortations to the folk from the
professorial chair. Now there used to visit her house a number of
students of divinity and persons of learning and polite letters, who
would discuss with her questions of theology and dispute with her on
controversial points. I went to her one day, with a friend of mine, a
man of years and education; and when we had taken our seats, she set
before us a dish of fruit and seated herself behind a curtain. Now she
had a brother, a handsome youth, who stood behind us, to serve us. And
when we had eaten we fell to disputing upon points of divinity, and I
propounded to her a theological question bearing upon a difference
between the Imams, the Founders of the Four Schools. She proceeded to
speak in answer, whilst I listened; but all the while my friend fell to
looking upon her brother’s face and admiring his beauties without paying
any heed to what she discoursed. Now as she was watching him from behind
the curtain; when she had made an end of her speech, she turned to him
and said, “Methinks thou be of those who give men the preference over
women!” He replied, “Assuredly,” and she asked, “And why so?”; whereto
he answered, “For that Allah hath made the masculine worthier than the
feminine;”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Twentieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Shaykh
replied, “For that Allah hath made the masculine worthier than the
feminine; and I like the excelling and mislike the excelled.” She
laughed and presently said, “Wilt thou deal fairly with me in debate, if
I battle the matter with thee?” and he rejoined, “Yes.” Then quoth she,
“What is the evidence of the superiority of the male to the female?”
Quoth he, “It is of two kinds, traditional and reasonable. The
authoritative part deriveth from the Koran and the Traditions of the
Apostle. As for the first we have the very words of Almighty Allah, ‘Men
shall have the pre-eminence above women because of those advantages
wherein Allah hath caused the one of them to excel the other;’[231] and
again, ‘If there be not two men, let there be one man and two
women;’[232] and again, when treating of inheritance, ‘If there be
brothers and sisters let a male have as much as the portion of two
females.’[233] Thus Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) hath in these
places preferred the male over the female and teacheth that a woman is
as the half of a man, for that he is worthier than she As for the
Sunnah-traditions, is it not reported of the Prophet (whom Allah save
and assain!) that he appointed the blood-money for a woman to be half
that of a man? And as for the evidence of reason, the male is the agent
and active and the female the patient and passive.”[234] Rejoined she,
“Thou hast said well, O my lord, but, by Allah, thou hast proved my
contention with thine own lips and hast advanced evidence which telleth
against thee, and not for thee. And thus it is: Allah (extolled and
exalted be He!) preferred the male above the female solely because of
the inherent condition and essential quality of masculinity; and in this
there is no dispute between us. Now this quality of male-hood is common
to the child, the boy, the youth, the adult and the old man; nor is
there any distinction between them in this. If, then, the superior
excellence of male masculant belong to him solely by virtue of manhood,
it behoveth that thy heart incline and thy soul delight in the
greybeard, equally with the boy; seeing that there is no distinction
between them, in point of male-hood. But the difference between thee and
me turneth upon the accident of qualities that are sought as
constituting the pleasure of intercourse and its enjoyment; and thou
hast adduced no proof of the superiority of the youth over the young
girl in this matter of non-essentials.” He made answer, “O reverend
lady, knowest thou not that which is peculiar to the youth of limber
shape and rosy cheeks and pleasant smile and sweetness of speech? Youths
are, in these respects superior to women; and the proof of this is what
they traditionally report of the Prophet (whom Allah bless and
preserve!) that he said, ‘Stay not thy gaze upon the beardless, for in
them is a momentary eye-glance at the black-eyed girls of Paradise.’ Nor
indeed is the superiority of the lad over the lass hidden to any of
mankind, and how well saith Abu Nowas:[235]—
The least of him is the being free ✿ From monthly courses and pregnancy.
And the saying of another poet:—
Quoth our Imam, Abu Nowas, who was ✿ For mad debauch and waggishness
renowned:—
‘O tribe that loves the cheeks of boys, take fill ✿ Of joys in Paradise
shall ne’er be found!’
So if any one enlarge in praise of a slave-girl and wish to enhance her
value by the mention of her beauties, he likeneth her to a youth,”——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Four Hundred and Twenty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Shaykh
continued, “So if any one enlarge in praise of a slave-girl and wish to
enhance her value by the mention of her beauties, he likeneth her to a
youth, because of the illustrious qualities that belong to the male,
even as saith the poet:—
Boy-like of backside, in the deed of kind, ✿ She sways, as sways the
wand-like boughs a-wind.
An youths, then, were not better and fairer than girls, why should these
be likened to them? And know also (Almighty Allah preserve thee!) that a
youth is easy to be led, adapting himself to every rede, pleasant of
converse and manners, inclining to assent rather than dissent,
especially when his side-face is newly down’d and his upper lip is first
embrowned, and the purple lights of youth on his cheeks abound, so that
he is like the full moon sound; and how goodly is the saying of Abu
Tammám[236]:—