consulted his daughter and her mother and his kinsfolk and they said,
“Do what seemeth good to thee.” So he returned straightway to the
Minister Ayn Zar and notified to him that his desire had been fulfilled;
and the Wazir abode with him two months, at the end of which time he
said to him, “We beseech thee to bestow upon us that wherefore we came,
so we may depart to our own land.” “I hear and obey,” answered the King.
Then he prepared all the gear wanted for the wedding; and when this was
done he assembled his Wazirs and all his Emirs and the Grandees of his
realm and the monks and priests who tied the knot of marriage between
his daughter and King Teghmus by proxy. And King Bahrwan bade decorate
the city after the goodliest fashion and spread the streets with
carpets. Then he equipped his daughter for the journey and gave her all
manner of presents and rarities and precious metals, such as none may
describe; and Ayn Zar departed with the Princess to his own country.
When the news of their approach reached King Teghmus, he bade celebrate
the wedding festivities and adorn the city; after which he went in unto
the Princess and abated her maidenhead; nor was it long before she
conceived by him and, accomplishing her months, bare a man-child like
the moon on the night of its full. When King Teghmus knew that his wife
had given birth to a goodly son, he rejoiced with exceeding joy and,
summoning the sages and astrologers and mathematicians, said to them, “I
would that ye draw the horoscope of the new-born child with his
ascendant and its aspects and acquaint me what shall befal him in his
lifetime.” So they made their calculations and found them favourable;
but, that he would, in his fifteenth year, be exposed to perils and
hardships, and that if he survived, he would be happy and fortunate and
become a greater king than his father and a more powerful. The King
rejoiced greatly in this prediction and named the boy Janshah. Then he
delivered him to the nurses, wet and dry, who reared him excellently
well till he reached his fifth year, when his father taught him to read
the Evangel and instructed him in the art of arms and lunge of lance and
sway of sword, so that in less than seven years he was wont to ride
a-hunting, and a-chasing; he became a doughty champion, perfect in all
the science of the cavalarice and his father was delighted to hear of
his knightly prowess. It chanced one day that King Teghmus and his son
accompanied by the troops rode out for sport into the wolds and wilds
and hunted till mid-afternoon of the third day, when the Prince started
a gazelle of a rare colour, which fled before him. So he gave chase to
it, followed by seven of King Teghmus’s white slaves all mounted on
swift steeds, and rode at speed after the gazelle, which fled before
them till she brought them to the sea-shore. They all ran at her to take
her as their quarry, but she escaped from them and, throwing herself
into the waves,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and First Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Janshah and
the Mamelukes ran at the gazelle, to take her as their quarry, she
escaped from them and, throwing herself into the waves, swam out to a
fishing bark, that was moored near the shore, and sprang on board.
Janshah and his followers dismounted and, boarding the boat, made prize
of the gazelle and were minded to return to shore with her, when the
Prince espied a great island in the offing and said to his merry men, “I
have a longing to visit yonder island.” They answered, “We hear and
obey,” and sailed on till they came to the island, where they landed and
amused themselves with exploring the place. Then they again embarked and
taking with them the gazelle, set out to return homeward, but the murk
of evening overtook them and they missed their way on the main. Moreover
a strong wind arose and drave the boat into mid-ocean, so that when they
awoke in the morning, they found themselves lost at sea. Such was their
case; but as regards King Teghmus, when he missed his son, he commanded
his troops to make search for him in separate bodies; so they dispersed
on all sides and a company of them, coming to the sea-shore, found there
the Prince’s white slave whom he had left in charge of the horses. They
asked him what was come of his master and the other six, and he told
them what had passed; whereupon they took him with them and returned to
the King and acquainted him with what they had learnt. When Teghmus
heard their report, he wept with sore weeping and cast the crown from
his head, biting his hands for vexation. Then he rose forthright and
wrote letters and despatched them to all the islands of the sea.
Moreover he got together an hundred ships and filling them with troops,
sent them to sail about in quest of Janshah, while he himself withdrew
with his troops to his capital, where he abode in sore concern. As for
Janshah’s mother, when she heard of his loss she buffeted her face and
began the mourning ceremonies for her son making sure that he was dead.
Meanwhile, Janshah and his men ceased not driving before the wind and
those in search of them cruised about for ten days till, finding no
trace they returned and reported failure to the King. But a stiff gale
caught the Prince’s craft which went spooning till they made a second
island, where they landed and walked about. Presently they came upon a
spring of running water in the midst of the island and saw from afar a
man sitting hard by it. So they went up to him and saluted him, and he
returned their salam, speaking in a voice like the whistle[538] of
birds. Whilst Janshah stood marvelling at the man’s speech he looked
right and left and suddenly split himself in twain, and each half went a
different way.[539] Then there came down from the hills a multitude of
men of all kinds, beyond count and reckoning; and they no sooner reached
the spring, than each one divided into two halves and rushed on Janshah
and his Mamelukes to eat them. When the voyagers saw this, they turned
and fled seawards; but the cannibals pursued them and caught and ate
three of the slaves, leaving only three slaves who with Janshah reached
the boat in safety; then launching her made for the water and sailed
nights and days without knowing whither their ship went. They killed the
gazelle and lived on her flesh, till the winds drove them to a third
island which was full of trees and waters and flower-gardens and
orchards laden with all fashion of fruits: and streams strayed under the
tree-shade: brief, the place was a Garden of Eden. The island pleased
the Prince and he said to his companions, “Which of you will land and
explore.” Then said one of the slaves, “That will I do”; but he replied,
“This thing may not be; you must all land and explore the place while I
abide in the boat.” So he set them ashore,——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Prince set
them ashore, and they searched the island, East and West, but found no
one; then they fared on inland to the heart thereof, till they came to a
Castle compassed about with ramparts of white marble, within which was a
palace of the clearest crystal and, set in its centre a garden
containing all manner fruits beyond description, both fresh and dry, and
flowers of grateful odour and trees and birds singing upon the boughs.
Amiddlemost the garden was a vast basin of water, and beside it a great
open hall with a raised dais whereon stood a number of stools
surrounding a throne of red gold, studded with all kinds of jewels and
especially rubies. Seeing the beauty of the Castle and of the Garden
they entered and explored in all directions, but found no one there, so
after rummaging the Castle they returned to Janshah and told him what
they had seen. When he heard their report, he cried, “Needs must I
solace myself with a sight of it;” so he landed and accompanied them to
the palace, which he entered marvelling at the goodliness of the place.
They then visited every part of the gardens and ate of the fruits and
continued walking till it waxed dark, when they returned to the estrade
and sat down, Janshah on the throne in the centre and the three others
on the stools ranged to the right and left. Then the Prince, there
seated, called to mind his separation from his father’s throne-city[540]
and country and friends and kinsfolk; and fell a-weeping and lamenting
over their loss, whilst his men wept around him. And as they were thus
sorrowing behold, they heard a mighty clamour, that came from seaward,
and looking in the direction of the clamour saw a multitude of apes, as
they were swarming locusts. Now the castle and the island belonged to
these apes, who, finding the strangers’ boat moored to the strand, had
scuttled it and after repaired to the palace, where they came upon
Janshah and his men seated. Here the Serpent-queen again broke off her
recital saying, “All this, O Hasib, was told to Bulukiya by the young
man sitting between the two tombs.” Quoth Hasib, “And what did Janshah
with the apes?”; so the Queen resumed her tale:—He and his men were sore
affrighted at the appearance of the apes, but a company of them came up
to the throne whereon he sat and, kissing the earth before him, stood
awhile in his presence with their paws upon their breasts in posture of
respect. Then another troop brought to the castle gazelles which they
slaughtered and skinned; and roasting pieces of the flesh till fit for
food they laid them on platters of gold and silver and spreading the
table, made signs to Janshah and his men to eat. The Prince and his
followers came down from their seats and ate, and the apes ate with
them, till they were satisfied, when the apes took away the meat and set
on fruits of which they partook and praised Allah the most Highest. Then
Janshah asked the apes by signs what they were and to whom the palace
belonged, and they answered him by signals, “Know ye that this island
belonged of yore to our lord Solomon son of David (on both of whom be
peace!), and he used to come hither once every year for his
solace,”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Janshah asked
the apes by signs to whom the palace belonged, they answered him by
signals, “Of a truth this place belonged of yore to our lord Solomon son
of David (on both of whom be peace!), who used to come hither once every
year for his solace, and then wend his ways.” Presently the apes
continued, “And know, O King, that thou art become our Sultan and we are
thy servants; so eat and drink, and whatso thou ever bid us, that will
we do.” So saying, they severally kissed the earth between the hands of
Janshah and all took their departure. The Prince slept that night on the
throne and his men on the stools about him, and on the morrow, at
daybreak, the four Wazirs or Captains of the apes presented themselves
before him, attended by their troops, who ranged themselves about him,
rank after rank, until the place was crowded. Then the Wazirs approached
and exhorted him by signs to do justice amongst them and rule them
righteously; after which the apes cried out to one another and went
away, all save a small party which remained in presence to serve him.
After awhile, there came up a company of apes with huge dogs in the
semblance of horses, each wearing about his head a massive chain; and
signed to Janshah and his three followers to mount and go with them. So
they mounted, marvelling at the greatness of the dogs, and rode forth,
attended by the four Wazirs and a host of apes like swarming locusts,
some riding on dogs and others afoot till they came to the sea-shore.
Janshah looked for the boat which brought him and finding it scuttled
turned to the Wazirs and asked how this had happened to it; whereto they
answered, “Know, O King, that, when thou camest to our island, we kenned
that thou wouldst be Sultan over us and we feared lest ye all flee from
us, in our absence; and embark in the boat; so we sank it.” When Janshah
heard this, he turned to his Mamelukes and said to them, “We have no
means of escaping from these apes, and we must patiently await the
ordinance of the Almighty.” Then they fared on inland and ceased not
faring till they came to the banks of a river, on whose other side rose
a high mountain, whereon Janshah saw a multitude of Ghuls. So he turned
to the apes and asked them, “What are these Ghuls?” and they answered,
“Know, O King, that these Ghuls are our mortal foes and we come hither
to do battle with them.” Janshah marvelled to see them riding horses,
and was startled at the vastness of their bulk and the strangeness of
their semblance; for some of them had heads like bulls and others like
camels. As soon as the Ghuls espied the army of the apes, they charged
down to the river·bank and standing there, fell to pelting them with
stones as big as maces; and between them there befel a sore fight.
Presently, Janshah, seeing that the Ghuls were getting the better of the
apes, cried out to his men, saying, “Uncase your bows and arrows and
shoot at them your best shafts and keep them off from us.” They did so
and slew of the Ghuls much people, when there fell upon them sore dismay
and they turned to flee; but the apes, seeing Janshah’s prowess, forded
the river and headed by their Sultan chased the Ghuls, killing many of
them in the pursuit, till they reached the high mountain where they
disappeared. And while exploring the said mountain Janshah found a
tablet of alabaster, whereon was written, “O thou who enterest this
land, know that thou wilt become Sultan over these apes and that from
them there is no escape for thee, except by the passes that run east and
west through the mountains. If thou take the eastern pass, thou wilt
fare through a country swarming with Ghuls and wild beasts, Marids and
Ifrits, and thou wilt come, after three months’ journeying, to the ocean
which encompasseth the earth; but, if thou travel by the western pass,
it will bring thee, after four months’ journeying, to the head of the
Wady of Emmets.[541] When thou hast followed the road, that leads
through this mountain, ten days,”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Janshah read this
much upon the tablet and found, at the end of the inscription, “Then
thou wilt come to a great river, whose current is so swift that it
blindeth the eyes. Now this river drieth up every Sabbath,[542] and on
the opposite bank lies a city wholly inhabited by Jews, who the faith of
Mohammed refuse; there is not a Moslem among the band nor is there other
than this city in the land. Better therefore lord it over the apes, for
so long as thou shalt tarry amongst them they will be victorious over
the Ghuls. And know also that he who wrote this tablet was the lord
Solomon, son of David (on both be peace!).” When Janshah read these
words, he wept sore and repeated them to his men. Then they mounted
again and, surrounded by the army of the apes who were rejoicing in
their victory, returned to the castle. Here Janshah abode, Sultaning
over them, for a year and a half. And at the end of this time, he one
day commanded the ape-army to mount and go forth a-hunting with him, and
they rode out into the wolds and wilds, and fared on from place to
place, till they approached the Wady of Emmets, which Janshah knew by
the description of it upon the alabaster tablet. Here he bade them
dismount and they all abode there, eating and drinking a space of ten
days, after which Janshah took his men apart one night and said, “I
purpose we flee through the Valley of Emmets and make for the town of
the Jews; it may be Allah will deliver us from these apes and we will go
God’s ways.” They replied, “We hear and we obey:” so he waited till some
little of the night was spent, then, donning his armour and girding his
sword and dagger and such like weapons, and his men doing likewise, they
set out and fared on westwards till morning. When the apes awoke and
missed Janshah and his men, they knew that they had fled. So they
mounted and pursued them, some taking the eastern pass and others that
which led to the Wady of Emmets, nor was it long before the apes came in
sight of the fugitives, as they were about to enter the valley, and
hastened after them. When Janshah and his men saw them, they fled into
the Emmet-valley; but the apes soon overtook them and would have slain
them, when behold, there rose out of the earth a multitude of ants like
swarming locusts, as big as dogs, and charged home upon the apes. They
devoured many of their foes, and these also slew many of the ants; but
help came to the emmets: now an ant would go up to an ape and smite him
and cut him in twain, whilst ten apes could hardly master one ant and
bear him away and tear him in sunder. The sore battle lasted till the
evening but the emmets were victorious. In the gloaming Janshah and his
men took to flight and fled along the sole of the Wady——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that in the gloaming
Janshah and his men took to flight and fled along the sole of the Wady
till the morning. With the break of day, the apes were up and at them,
which when the Prince saw, he shouted to his men, “Smite with your
swords.” So they bared their blades and laid on load right and left,
till there ran at them an ape, with tusks like an elephant, and smote
one of the Mamelukes and cut him in sunder. Then the apes redoubled upon
Janshah and he fled with his followers into the lower levels of the
valley, where he saw a vast river and by its side a mighty many of ants.
When the emmets espied Janshah they pushed on and surrounded him, and
one of the slaves fell to smiting them with his sword and cutting them
in twain; whereupon the whole host set upon him and slew him. At this
pass, behold, up came the apes from over the mountain and fell in
numbers upon Janshah; but he tore off his clothes and, plunging into the
river, with his remaining servant, struck out for the middle of the
stream. Presently, he caught sight of a tree on the other bank; so he
swam up to it and laying hold of one of its branches, hung to it and
swung himself ashore, but as for the last Mameluke the current carried
him away and dashed him to pieces against the mountain. Thereupon
Janshah fell to wringing his clothes and spreading them in the sun to
dry, what while there befel a fierce fight between the apes and the
ants, until the apes gave up the pursuit and returned to their own land.
Meanwhile, Janshah, who abode alone on the river-bank, could do naught
but shed tears till nightfall, when he took refuge in a cavern and there
passed the dark hours, in great fear and feeling desolate for the loss
of his slaves. At daybreak awaking from his sleep he set out again and
fared on nights and days, eating of the herbs of the earth, till he came
to the mountain which burnt like fire, and thence he made the river
which dried up every Sabbath. Now it was a mighty stream and on the
opposite bank stood a great city, which was the capital of the Jews
mentioned in the tablet. Here he abode till the next Sabbath, when the
river dried up and he walked over to the other side and entered the Jew
city, but saw none in the streets. So he wandered about till he came to
the door of a homestead, which he opened and entering, espied within the
people of the house sitting in silence and speaking not a syllable.
Quoth he, “I am a stranger and anhungered;” and they signed to him, as
to say, “Eat and drink, but speak not.”[543] So he ate and drank and
slept that night and, when morning dawned, the master of the house
greeted him and bade him welcome and asked him, “Whence comest thou and
whither art thou bound?” At these words Janshah wept sore and told him
all that had befallen him and how his father was King of Kabul; whereat
the Jew marvelled and said, “Never heard we of that city, but we have
heard from the merchants of the caravans that in that direction lieth a
land called Al-Yaman.” “How far is that land from this place?” asked
Janshah, and the Jew answered, “The Cafilah merchants pretend that it is
a two years and three months’ march from their land hither.” Quoth
Janshah, “And when doth the caravan come?” Quoth the Jew, “Next year
‘twill come.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Five Hundred and Sixth Night,