THE STORY OF THE THREE SHARPERS.[17]

Saying, Verily their adventure is wondrous and their actions delightsome

and marvellous; presently adding——There were in time of yore three

Sharpers who were wont every day in early morning to prowl forth and to

prey, rummaging[18] among the mounds which outlay the city. Therein each

would find a silver bit of five parahs or its equivalent, after which

the trio would forgather and buy whatso sufficed them for supper: they

would also expend two Nusfs[19] upon Bast,[20] which is Bhang, and

purchase a waxen taper with the other silver bit. They had hired a cell

in the flank of a Wakálah, a caravanserai without the walls, where they

could sit at ease to solace themselves and eat their Hashísh after

lighting the candle and enjoy their intoxication and consequent

merriment till the noon o’ night. Then they would sleep, again awaking

at day-dawn when they would arise and seek for spoil, according to their

custom, and ransack the heaps where at times they would hit upon a

silverling of five dirhams and at other times a piece of four; and at

eventide they would meet to spend together the dark hours, and they

would expend everything they came by every day. For a length of time

they pursued this path until, one day of the days, they made for the

mounds as was their wont and went round searching the heaps from morning

to evening without finding even a half-parah; wherefore they were

troubled and they went away and nighted in their cell without meat or

drink. When the next day broke they arose and repaired for booty,

changing the places wherein they were wont to forage; but none of them

found aught; and their breasts were straitened for lack of a find of

dirhams wherewith to buy them supper. This lasted for three full-told

and following days until hunger waxed hard upon them and vexation; so

they said one to other, “Go we to the Sultan and let us serve him with a

sleight, and each of us three shall claim to be a past master of some

craft: haply Allah Almighty may incline his heart uswards and he may

largesse us with something to expend upon our necessities.” Accordingly

all three agreed to do on this wise and they sought the Sultan whom they

found in the palace-garden. They asked leave to go in to him, but the

Chamberlains refused admission: so they stood afar off unable to

approach the presence. Then quoth they one to other, “’Twere better we

fall to and each smite his comrade and cry aloud and make a clamour,[21]

and as soon as he shall hear us he will send to summon us.” Accordingly

they jostled one another and each took to frapping his fellow, making

the while loud outcries. The Sultan hearing this turmoil said, “Bring me

yonder wights;” and the Chamberlains and Eunuchs ran out to them and

seized them and set them between the hands of the Sovran. As soon as

they stood in the presence he asked them, “What be the cause of your

wrath one against other?” They answered, “O King of the Age, we are past

masters of crafts, each of us weeting an especial art.” Quoth the

Sultan, “What be your crafts?” and quoth one of the trio, “O our lord,

as for my art I am a jeweller by trade.” The King exclaimed, “Passing

strange! a sharper and a jeweller:[22] this is a wondrous matter.” And

he questioned the second——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister

Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and

enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with

that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me

to survive?” Now when it was the next night which was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Sultan asked the second Sharper saying,

“And thou, the other, what may be thy craft?” He answered, “I am a

genealogist[23] of the horse-kind.” So the King glanced at him in

surprise and said to himself, “A sharper yet he claimeth an astounding

knowledge!” Then he left him and put the same question to the third who

said to him, “O King of the Age, verily my art is more wondrous and

marvellous than aught thou hast heard from these twain: their craft is

easy but mine is such that none save I can discover the right direction

thereto or know the first of it from the last of it.” The Sultan

enquired of him, “And what be thy craft?” Whereto he replied, “My craft

is the genealogy of the sons of Adam.” Hearing these words the Sovran

wondered with extreme wonderment and said in himself, “Verily He

informeth with His secrets the humblest of His creatures! Assuredly

these men, an they speak truth in all they say and it prove soothfast,

are fit for naught except kingship. But I will keep them by me until the

occurrence of some nice contingency wherein I may test them; then, if

they approve themselves good men and trustworthy of word, I will leave

them on life; but if their speech be lying I will do them die.” Upon

this he set apart for them apartments and rationed them with three cakes

of bread and a dish of roast meat[24] and set over them his sentinels

dreading lest they fly. This case continued for a while till behold,

there came to the Sultan from the land of ’Ajam a present of rarities,

amongst which were two gems whereof one was clear of water and the other

was clouded of colour.[25] The Sultan hent them in hand for a time and

fell to considering them straitly for the space of an hour; after which

he called to mind the first of the three Sharpers, the self-styled

jeweller, and cried, “Bring me the jeweller-man.” Accordingly they went

and brought him and set him before the Sovran who asked him, “O man, art

thou a lapidary?” And when the Sharper answered “Yes” he gave him the

clear-watered stone, saying, “What may be the price of this gem?”——And

Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to

say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy

story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And

where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming

night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive.” Now when it was the next

night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our later night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It hath

reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of

the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy

celebrating, that the Sharper took the jewel in hand and turned it

rightwards and leftwards and considered the outside and pried into the

inside; after which he said to the Sultan, “O my lord, verily this gem

containeth a worm[26] bred within the heart thereof.” Now when the King

heard these words he waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and commanded the

man’s head to be stricken off, saying, “This jewel is clear of colour

and free of flaw or other default; yet thou chargest it falsely with

containing a worm!” Then he summoned the Linkman[27] who laid hands on

the Sharper and pinioned his elbows and trussed up his legs[28] like a

camel’s and was about to smite his neck when behold, the Wazir entered

the presence and, seeing the Sovran in high dudgeon and the Sharper

under the scymitar, asked what was to do. The Sultan related to him what

had happened when he drew near to him and said, “O my lord, act not

after this fashion! An thou determine upon the killing of yonder man,

first break the gem and, if thou find therein a worm, thou wilt know the

wight’s word to have been veridical; but an thou find it sound then

strike off his head.” “Right is thy rede,” quoth the King: then he took

in hand the gem and smote it with his mace[29] and when it brake behold,

he found therein the worm amiddlemost thereof. So he marvelled at the

sight and asked the man, “What proved to thee that it harboured a worm?”

“The sharpness of my sight,” answered the Sharper. Then the Sultan

pardoned him and, admiring his power of vision, addressed his attendants

saying, “Bear him back to his comrades and ration him with a dish of

roast meat and two cakes of bread.” And they did as he bade them. After

some time, on a day of the days, there came to the King the tribute of

’Ajam-land accompanied with presents amongst which was a colt whose robe

black as night[30] showed one shade in the sun and another in the

shadow. When the animal was displayed to the Sultan he fell in love with

it and set apart for it a stall and solaced himself at all times by

gazing at it and was wholly occupied with it and sang its praises till

they filled the whole country side. Presently he remembered the Sharper

who claimed to be a genealogist of the horse-kind and bade him be

summoned. So they fared forth and brought him and set him between the

hands of the Sovran who said to him, “Art thou he who knoweth the breed

and descent of horses?” “Yea verily,” said the man. Then cried the King,

“By the truth of Him who set me upon the necks of His servants and who

sayeth to a thing ‘Be’ and it becometh, an I find aught of error or

confusion in thy words, I will strike off thy head.” “Hearkening and

obedience,” quoth the Sharper. Then they led him to the colt that he

might consider its genealogy. He called aloud to the groom[31]——And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying

her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and

tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!”

Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you

on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was

the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Sharper called aloud to the stirrup-holder

and when they brought him he bade the man back the colt for his

inspection. So he mounted the animal and made it pace to the right and

to the left causing it now to prance and curvet and then to step

leisurely, while the connoisseur looked on and after a time quoth he to

the groom, “’Tis enough!” Then he went in to the presence and stood

between the hands of the King who enquired, “What hast thou seen in the

colt, O Kashmar?”[32] Replied the Sharper, “By Allah, O King of the Age,

this colt is of pure and noble blood on the side of the sire: its action

is excellent and all its qualities are praiseworthy save one; and but

for this one it had been perfect in blood and breed nor had there been

on earth’s face its fellow in horseflesh. But its blemish remaineth a

secret.” The Sultan asked, “And what is the quality which thou blamest?”

and the Sharper answered, “Its sire was noble, but its dam was of other

strain: she it was that brought the blemish and if thou, O my lord,

allow me I will notify it to thee.” “’Tis well, and needs must thou

declare it,” quoth the Sultan. Then said the Sharper, “Its dam is a

buffalo-cow.”[33] When the King heard these words he was wroth with

wrath exceeding and he bade the Linkman take the Sharper and behead him,

crying, “O dog! O accursed! How can a buffalo-cow bear a horse?” The

Sharper replied, “O my lord, the Linkman is in the presence; but send

and fetch him who brought thee the colt and of him make enquiry. If my

words prove true and rightly placed, my skill shall be stablished; but

an they be lies let my head pay forfeit for my tongue. Here standeth the

Linkman and I am between thy hands: thou hast but to bid him strike off

my head!” Thereupon the King sent for the owner and breeder of the colt

and they brought him to the presence.——And Shahrazad was surprised by

the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.

Then quoth the sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine,

and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this

compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the

Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that

was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Sultan sent for the owner and breeder of

the colt and asked him saying, “Tell me the truth anent the blood of

this colt. Didst thou buy it or breed it so that it was a rearling of

thy homestead?” Said he, “By Allah, O King of the Age, I will speak

naught which is not sooth, for indeed there hangeth by this colt the

strangest story: were it graven with graver-needles upon the eye-corners

it had been a warning to whoso would be warned. And this it is. I had a

stallion of purest strain whose sire was of the steeds of the sea;[34]

and he was stabled in a stall apart for fear of the evil eye, his

service being entrusted to trusty servants. But one day in springtide

the Syce took the horse into the open and there picquetted him when

behold, a buffalo-cow walked into the enclosed pasture where the

stallion was tethered, and seeing her he brake his heel-ropes and rushed

at her and covered her. She conceived by him and when her days were

completed and her throwing-time came she suffered sore pains and bare

yonder colt. And all who have seen it or have heard of it were

astounded,” said he, presently adding, “by Allah, O King of the Age, had

its dam been of the mare-kind the colt would have had no equal on

earth’s surface or aught approaching it.” Hereat the Sultan took thought

and marvelled; then, summoning the Sharper he said to him when present,

“O man, thy speech is true and thou art indeed a genealogist in

horseflesh and thou wottest it well. But I would know what proved to

thee that the dam of this colt was a buffalo-cow?” Said he, “O King, my

proof thereof was palpable nor can it be concealed from any wight of

right wits and intelligence and special knowledge; for the horse’s hoof

is round whilst the hooves of buffaloes are elongated and

duck-shaped,[35] and hereby I kenned that this colt was a jumart, the

issue of a cow-buffalo.” The Sultan was pleased with his words and said,

“Ration him with a plate of roast meat and two cakes of bread;” and they

did as they were bidden. Now for a length of time the third Sharper was

forgotten till one day the Sultan bethought him of the man who could

explain the genealogy of Adam’s sons. So he bade fetch him and when they

brought him into the presence he said, “Thou art he that knowest the

caste and descent of men and women?” and the other said, “Yes.” Then he

commanded the Eunuchs take him to his wife[36] and place him before her

and cause him declare her genealogy. So they led him in and set him

standing in her presence and the Sharper considered her for a while

looking from right to left; then he fared forth to the Sultan who asked

him, “What hast thou seen in the Queen?” Answered he, “O my lord, I saw

a somewhat adorned with loveliness and beauty and perfect grace, with

fair stature of symmetrical trace and with modesty and fine manners and

skilful case; and she is one in whom all good qualities appear on every

side, nor is aught of accomplishments or knowledge concealed from her

and haply in her centre all desirable attributes. Natheless, O King of

the Age, there is a curious point that dishonoureth her from the which

were she free none would outshine her of all the women of her

generation.” Now when the Sultan heard the words of the Sharper, he

sprang hastily to his feet and clapping hand upon hilt bared his brand

and fell upon the man purposing to slay him;——And Shahrazad perceived

the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.

Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O

sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is

this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the

Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that

was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Sultan fell upon the Sharper with his sword

purposing to slay him; but the Chamberlains and the Eunuchs prevented

him saying, “O our lord, kill him not until his falsehood or his fact

shall have been made manifest to thee.” The Sultan said to him, “What

then appeared to thee in my Queen?” “He[37] is ferly fair,” said the

man, “but his mother is a dancing-girl, a gypsey.”[38] The fury of the

King increased hereat and he sent to summon the inmates of his Harem and

cried to his father-in-law, “Unless thou speak me sooth concerning thy

daughter and her descent and her mother I”——[39] He replied, “By Allah,

O King of the Age, naught saveth a man save soothfastness! Her mother

indeed was a Gháziyah: in past time a party of the tribe was passing by

my abode when a young maid strayed from her fellows and was lost. They

asked no questions concerning her; so I lodged her and bred her in my

homestead till she grew up to be a great girl and the fairest of her

time. My heart would not brook her wiving with any other; so I wedded

her and she bare me this daughter whom thou, O King, hast espoused.”

When the Sultan heard these words the flame in his heart was

quenched[40] and he wondered at the subtlety of the Sharper man; so he

summoned him and asked him saying, “O wily one, tell me what certified

to thee that my Queen had a dancing girl, a gypsey, to mother?” He

answered, “O King of the Age, verily the Ghaziyah race hath eye-balls

intensely black and bushy brows whereas other women than the Ghaziyah

have the reverse of this.” On such wise the King was convinced of the

man’s skill and he cried, “Ration him with a dish of roast meat and two

scones.” They did as he bade and the three Sharpers tarried with the

Sultan a long time till one day when the King said to himself, “Verily

these three men have by their skill solved every question of genealogy

which I proposed to them: first the jeweller proved his perfect

knowledge of gems; secondly the genealogist of the horse-kind showed

himself as skilful, and the same was the case with the genealogist of

mankind, for he discovered the origin of my Queen and the truth of his

words appeared from all quarters. Now ’tis my desire that he do the same

with me that I also may know my provenance.” Accordingly they set the

man between his hands and he said to him, “O fellow, hast thou the power

to tell me mine origin?” Said the Sharper, “Yes, O my lord, I can trace

thy descent, but I will so do only upon a condition; to wit, that thou

promise me safety[41] after what I shall have told thee; for the saw

saith, ‘Whilst Sultan sitteth on throne’ ware his despite, inasmuch as

none may be contumacious when he saith ‘Smite.’” Thereupon the Sultan

told him, “thou hast a promise of immunity, a promise which shall never

be falsed.”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell

silent, and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister

Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and

delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would

relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?”

Now when it was the next night, and that was

The Three Hundred and Fortieth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Sultan pledged his word for the safety of

the Sharper with the customary kerchief[42] and the man said, “O King of

the Age, whenas I acquaint thee with thy root and branch, let it be

between us twain lest these present hear us.” “Wherefore O man?” asked

the Sultan, and the Sharper answered, “O my lord, Allah of All-might

hath among His names ‘The Veiler’”;[43] wherefore the King bade his

Chamberlains and Eunuchs retire so that none remained in the place save

those two. Then the Sharper came forward and said, “O my lord, thou art

a son of shame and an issue of adultery.” As soon as the King heard

these words his case changed and his colour waxed wan and his limbs fell

loose:[44] he foamed at the mouth;[45] he lost hearing and sight; he

became as one drunken without wine and he fell fainting to the ground.

After a while he recovered and said to the Sharper, “Now by the truth of

Him who hath set me upon the necks of His servants, an thy words be

veridical and I ascertain their sooth by proof positive, I will

assuredly abdicate my Kingdom and resign my realm to thee, because none

deserveth it save thou and it becometh us least of all and every. But an

I find thy speech lying I will slay thee.” He replied, “Hearing and

obeying;” and the Sovran, rising up without stay or delay, went inside

to his mother with grip on glaive, and said to her, “By the truth of Him

who uplifted the lift above the earth, an thou answer me not with the

whole truth in whatso I ask thee, I will cut thee to little bits with

this blade.” She enquired, “What dost thou want with me?” and he

replied, “Whose son am I, and what may be my descent?” She rejoined,

“Although falsehood be an excuse, fact and truth are superior and more

saving. Thou art indeed the very son of a cook. The Sultan that was

before thee took me to wife and I cohabited with him a while of time

without my becoming pregnant by him or having issue; and he would mourn

and groan from the core of his heart for that he had no seed, nor girl

nor boy; neither could he enjoy aught of sweet food or sleep. Now we had

about the Palace many caged birds; and at last, one day of the days, the

King longed to eat somewhat of poultry, so he went into the court and

sent for the Kitchener to slaughter[46] one of the fowls; and the man

applied himself to catching it. At that time I had taken my first bath

after the monthly ailment and quoth I to myself:—If this case continue

with the King he will perish and the Kingdom pass from us. And the

Shaytan tempted me to that which displeased Allah”——And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her

permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful

is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she,

“And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the

coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the

next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-first Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Queen continued:——And Satan tempted me and

made the sin fair in my sight. So I went up to the Kitchener, attired

and adorned as I was in my finest apparel and I fell a-jesting with him

and provoking him and disporting with him till his passions were excited

by me: so he tumbled me at that very hour, after which he arose and

slaughtered one of the birds and went his ways. Then I bade the

handmaids sprinkle water on the fowl and clean it and cook it; and they

did my bidding. After a while symptoms of pregnancy declared themselves

in me and became evident; and when the King heard that his Queen was

with child, he waxed gladsome and joyful and gave alms and scattered

gifts and bestowed robes upon his Officers of Estate and others till the

day of my delivery and I bare a babe—which is thyself. Now at that time

the Sultan was hunting and birding and enjoying himself about the

gardens all of his pleasure at the prospect of becoming a father; and

when the bearer of good news went to him and announced the birth of a

man-child he hurried back to me and forthright bade them decorate the

capital and he found the report true; so the city adorned itself for

forty days in honour of its King. Such is my case and my tale.[47]

Thereupon the King went forth from her to the Sharper and bade him doff

his dress and when this had been done he doffed his own raiment and

habited the man in royal gear and hooded him with the Taylasán[48] and

asked him saying, “What proof hast thou of my being a son of adultery?”

The Sharper answered, “O my lord, my proof was thy bidding our being

rationed, after showing the perfection of our skill, with a dish of

roast meat and two scones of bread; whereby I knew thee to be of cook’s

breed, for the Kings be wont in such case to make presents of money and

valuables, not of meat and bread as thou didst, and this evidenced thee

to be a bastard King.” He replied, “Sooth thou sayest,” and then robed

him with the rest of his robes including the Kalansuwah or royal

head-dress under the hood[49] and seated him upon the throne of his

estate.——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent

and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,

“How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and

delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would

relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?”

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-second Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It hath

reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of

the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy

celebrating, that the Sultan enthroned the Sharper upon the throne of

estate and went forth from him after abandoning all his women to him and

assumed the garb of a Darwaysh who wandereth about the world and

formally abdicated his dominion to his successor. But when the

Sharper-king saw himself in this condition, he reflected and said to

himself, “Summon thy whilome comrades and see whether they recognize

thee or not.” So he caused them be set before him and conversed with

them; then, perceiving that none knew him he gifted them and sent them

to gang their gait. And he ruled his realm and bade and forbade and gave

and took away and was gracious and generous to each and every of his

lieges; so that the people of that region who were his subjects blessed

him and prayed for him. Such was the case with the Sharper; but as for

_THE SULTAN WHO FARED FORTH IN THE HABIT OF A DARWAYSH._[50]

He ceased not wayfaring, as become a wanderer, till he came to Cairo[51]

city whose circuit was a march of two and a half days and which then was

ruled by her own King Mohammed hight. He found the folk in safety and

prosperity and good ordinance; and he solaced himself by strolling about

the streets to the right and left and he diverted his mind by

considering the crowds and the world of men contained in the capital,

until he drew near the palace when suddenly he sighted the Sultan

returning from the chase and from taking his pleasure. Seeing this the

Darwaysh retired to the wayside, and the King happening to glance in

that direction, saw him standing and discerned in him the signs of

former prosperity. So he said to one of his suite, “Take yon man with

thee and entertain him till I send for him.” His bidding being obeyed he

entered the Palace and, when he had rested from the fatigues of the way,

he summoned the Fakír to the presence and questioned him of his

condition, saying, “Thou, from what land art thou?” He responded, “O my

lord, I am a beggar man;” and the other rejoined, “There is no help but

that thou tell me what brought thee hither.” The Darwaysh retorted, “O

my lord, this may not be save in privacy,” and the other exclaimed, “Be

it so for thee.” The twain then arose and repaired to a retired room in

the Palace and the Fakir recounted to the Sultan all that had befallen

him since the loss of his kingship and also how he, a Sultan, had given

up the throne of his realm and had made himself a Darwaysh. The Sovran

marvelled at his self-denial in yielding up the royal estate and cried,

“Laud be to Him who degradeth and upraiseth, who honoureth and humbleth

by the wise ordinance of His All-might,” presently adding, “O Darwaysh,

I have passed through an adventure which is marvellous; indeed ’tis one

of the Wonders of the World[52] which I needs must relate to thee nor

from thee withhold aught thereof.” And he fell to telling——. And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying

her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and

tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!”

Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you

on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was

the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the King fell to telling the beggar man

_THE HISTORY OF MOHAMMED, SULTAN OF CAIRO._

I began my career in the world as a Darwaysh, an asker, owning naught of

the comforts and conveniences of life, till at length, one day of the

days, I became possessor of just ten silverlings[53] (and no more) which

I resolved to expend upon myself. Accordingly I walked into the Bazar

purposing to purchase somewhat of provaunt. While I was looking around,

I espied a man passing by and leading in an iron chain a dog-faced

baboon and crying “Haráj![54] this ape is for sale at the price of ten

faddahs.” The folk jibed at the man and jeered at his ape; but quoth I

to myself, “Buy this beast and expend upon it the ten silverlings.”

Accordingly I drew near the seller and said to him, “Take these ten

faddahs;” whereupon he took them and gave me the ape which I led to the

cell wherein I dwelt. Then I opened the door and went in with my bargain

but began debating in my mind what to do and said, “How shall I manage a

meal for the baboon and myself?” While I was considering behold, the

beast was suddenly transformed, and became a young man fair of favour

who had no equal in loveliness and stature and symmetric grace, perfect

as the moon at full on the fourteenth night; and he addressed me saying,

“O Shaykh Mohammed, thou hast bought me with ten faddahs, being all thou

hadst and art debating how we shall feed, I and thou.” Quoth I, “What

art thou?” and quoth he, “Query me no questions, concerning whatso thou

shalt see, for good luck hath come to thee.” Then he gave me an

Ashrafi[55] and said, “Take this piece of gold and fare thee forth to

the Bazar and get us somewhat to eat and drink.” I took it from him and

repairing to the market purchased whatso food our case required; then

returning to the cell set the victual before him and seated myself by

his side. So we ate our sufficiency and passed that night, I and he, in

the cell, and, when Allah caused the morn to dawn, he said to me, “O

man, this room is not suitable to us: hie thee and hire a larger

lodging.” I replied, “To hear is to obey;” and, rising without stay or

delay, went and took a room more roomy in the upper part of the

Wakálah.[56] Thither we removed, I and the youth, and presently he gave

me ten dinars more and said, “Go to the Bazar and buy thee furniture as

much as is wanted.” Accordingly, I went forth and bought what he ordered

and on my return I found before him a bundle containing a suit of

clothes suitable for the Kings. These he gave to me desiring that I hie

me to the Hammam and don them after bathing, so I did his bidding and

washed and dressed myself and found in each pocket of the many pockets

an hundred gold pieces; and presently when I had donned the dress I said

to myself, “Am I dreaming or wide awake?”[57] Then I returned to the

youth in the room and when he saw me he rose to his feet and commended

my figure and seated me beside him. Presently he brought up a bigger

bundle and bade me take it and repair to the Sultan of the City and at

the same time ask his daughter in marriage for myself.——And Shahrazad

was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her

permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story,

O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where

is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an

the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and

that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Sultan of Cairo continued:[58]—So I took it

and repaired with it to the King of that city, and a slave whom the

youth had bought bore the bundle. Now when I approached the Palace I

found thereabout the Chamberlains and Eunuchs and Lords of the Land: so

I drew near them and when they saw me in that suit they approved my

appearance and questioned me saying, “What be thy business and what dost

thou require?” I replied, “My wish is to have audience of the King,” and

they rejoined, “Wait a little while till we obtain for thee his

permission.” Then one of the ushers went in and reported the matter to

the Sultan who gave orders to admit me; so the man came out and led me

within and on entering the presence I salamed to the Sovran and wished

him welfare and presently set before him the bundle, saying, “O King of

the Age, this be in the way of a gift which befitteth my station not

thine estate.” The Sultan bade the package be spread out, and he looked

into it and saw a suit of royal apparel whose like he never had owned.

So he was astonished at the sight and said in his mind, “By Allah, I

possess naught like this, nor was I ever master of so magnificent a

garment;” presently adding, “It shall be accepted, O Shaykh, but needs

must thou have some want or requisition from me.” I replied, “O King of

the Age, my wish is to become thy connection through that lady concealed

and pearl unrevealed, thy daughter.” When the Sultan heard these words,

he turned to his Wazir and said, “Counsel me as to what I should do in

the matter of this man?” Said he, “O King of the Age, show him thy most

precious stone and say him:—An thou have a jewel evening this one it

shall be my daughter’s marriage-dowry.” The King did as he was advised,

whereat I was wild with wonderment and asked him, “An I bring thee such

a gem wilt thou give me the Princess?” He answered, “Yea, verily!” and I

took my leave bearing with me the jewel to the young man who was

awaiting me in the room.[59] He enquired of me, “Hast thou proposed for

the Princess?” and I replied, “Yes: I have spoken with the Sultan

concerning her, when he brought out this stone, saying to me:—An thou

have a jewel evening this one, it shall be my daughter’s marriage-dowry;

nor hath the Sultan power to false his word.” The youth rejoined, “This

day I can do naught, but to-morrow (Inshallah!) I will bring thee ten

jewels like it and these thou shalt carry and present to the Sovran.”

Accordingly when the morning dawned he arose and fared forth and after

an hour or so he returned with ten gems which he gave me. I took them

and repaired with them to the Sultan and, entering the presence, I

presented to him all the ten. When he looked upon the precious stones he

wondered at their brilliant water and turning to the Wazir again asked

him how he should act in this matter. Replied the Minister, “O King of

the Age, thou requiredst of him but one jewel and he hath brought thee

ten; ’tis therefore only right and fair to give him thy daughter.”——And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying

her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and

tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!”

Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you

on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was

the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Minister said to the Monarch, “Give him thy

daughter.” Accordingly the Sultan summoned the Kazis and the Efendis[60]

who wrote out the marriage-contract between me and the Princess. Then I

returned to the youth who had remained in the room and told him all that

had occurred when he said, “’Twere best to conclude the wedding-ceremony

and pay the first visit to thy bride at once; but thou shalt on no wise

consummate the nuptials until I bid thee go in unto her, after somewhat

shall have been done by me.” “Hearing and obeying,” replied I; and, when

the night of going in[61] came, I visited the Sultan’s daughter but sat

apart from her by the side of the room during the first night and the

second and the third; nor did I approach her although every day her

mother came and asked her the usual question[62] and she answered, “He

hath never approached me.” So she grieved with sore grief for that ’tis

the wont of womankind, when a maid is married and her groom goeth not in

unto her, to deem that haply folk will attribute it to some matter which

is not wholly right. After the third night the mother reported the case

to her father who cried, “This night except he abate her pucelage I will

slay him!” The tidings reached my bride who told all to me, so I

repaired to the young man and acquainted him therewith. He cried, “When

thou shalt visit her say:—By Allah, I will not enjoy thee unless thou

give me the amulet-bracelet hanging to thy right shoulder.” I replied,

“To hear is to obey;” and, when I went in to her at nightfall, I asked

her, “Dost thou really desire me to futter thee?” She answered, “I do

indeed;” so I rejoined, “Then give me the amulet-bracelet hanging over

thy right shoulder.” She arose forthright and unbound it and gave it to

me, whereupon I bled her of the hymeneal blood[63] and going to the

young man gave him the jewel. Then I returned to my bride and slept by

her side till the morning when I awoke and found myself lying

outstretched in my own caravanserai-cell. I was wonderstruck and asked

myself, “Am I on wake or in a dream?” and I saw my whilome garments, the

patched gabardine[64] and tattered shirt along with my little drum;[65]

but the fine suit given to me by the youth was not on my body nor did I

espy any sign of it anywhere. So with fire burning in my heart after

what had befallen me, I wandered about crowded sites and lone spots and

in my distraction I knew not what to do, whither to go or whence to

come; when lo and behold! I found sitting in an unfrequented part of the

street a Maghrabi,[66] a Barbary man, who had before him some written

leaves and was casting omens for sundry bystanders. Seeing this state of

things, I came forward and drew near him and made him a salam which he

returned; then, after considering my features straitly, he exclaimed, “O

Shaykh, hath that Accursed done it and torn thee from thy bride?” “Yes,”

I replied. Hereupon he said to me, “Wait a little while,” and seated me

beside him; then, as soon as the crowd dispersed he said, “O Shaykh, the

baboon which thou boughtest for ten silver bits and which was presently

transformed into a young man of Adam’s sons, is not a human of the sons

of Adam but a Jinni who is enamoured of the Princess thou didst wed.”

However, he could not approach her by reason of the charmed bracelet

hanging from her right shoulder, wherefore he served thee this sleight

and won it and now he still weareth it. But I will soon work his

destruction to the end that Jinn-kind and mankind may be at rest from

his mischief; for he is one of the rebellious and misbegotten imps who

break the law of our lord Solomon (upon whom be the Peace!). Presently

the Maghrabi took a leaf and wrote upon it as it were a book.——And

Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to

say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy

story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And

where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming

night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next

night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Maghrabi wrote a writ and signed his name

within and sealed it; after which he handed it to me saying, “O Shaykh,

take this missive and hie thee herewith to a certain spot where thou

must wait and observe those who pass by. Hearten thy heart and when thou

shalt see approaching thee a man attended by a numerous train, present

to him this scroll for ’tis he who will win for thee thy wish.” I took

the note from the Barbary man and fared forth to the place which he had

described and ceased not faring till I reached it after travelling all

that night and half the next day; then I sat down until darkness set in

to await whatso might befal me. When a fourth part of the night had

passed, a dazzling glare of lights suddenly appeared from afar advancing

towards me; and as it shone nearer, I made out men bearing flambeaux[67]

and lanthorns, also a train of attendants befitting the Kings. They

looked on and considered me whilst my heart fluttered with fear, and I

was in sore affright. But the procession defiled and drew off from

before me, marching two after two, and presently appeared the chief

cortège wherein was a Sultan[68] of the Jánn. As he neared me I

heartened my heart and advanced and presented to him the letter which

he, having halted, opened and read aloud; and it was:——“Be it known to

thee, O Sultan of the Jann, that the bearer of this our epistle hath a

need which thou must grant him by destroying his foe; and if opposition

be offered by any we will do the opponent die. An thou fail to relieve

him thou wilt know to seek from me relief for thyself.” When the King of

the Jann had read the writ and had mastered its meaning and its

mysteries, he forthwith called out to one of his serjeants[69] who at

once came forward and bade him bring into his presence without delay

such-and-such a Jinni who by his spells had wrought round the daughter

of the Cairene Sultan. The messenger replied, “Hearing and obeying,” and

departed from him and disappearing was absent an hour or thereabouts;

after which he and others returned with the Jinni and set him standing

before the King who exclaimed, “Wherefore, O Accurst, hast thou wrought

ill to this man and done on this wise and on that wise?” He replied, “O

my lord, all came of my fondness for the Princess who wore a charm in

her armlet which hindered my approaching her and therefore I made use of

this man to effect my purpose. I became master of the talisman and won

my wish but I love the maiden and never will I harm her.” Now when the

Sultan heard these words he said, “Thy case can be after one of two

fashions only. Either return the armlet that the man may be reunited

with his wife and she with her husband as whilome they were; or contrary

me and I will command the headsman strike thy neck.” Now when the Jinni

heard this speech (and ’twas he who had assumed the semblance of a

dog-faced baboon), he refused and was rebellious to the King and cried,

“I will not return the armlet nor will I release the damsel, for none

can possess her save myself.” And having spoken in this way he attempted

to flee.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and

ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How

sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and

delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would

relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?”

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale, that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Márid would fain have fled from before the

King of the Jann, but the Sovran bade other Marids and more forceful

arrest him; so they seized him and pinioned him and bound him in chains

and collar and dragged him behind the King of the Jann till the latter

had reached his place and had summoned him and had taken from him the

armlet. Then the Sultan gave order for him to be slain and they slew

him. When this was done, I prayed for the charm-armlet and I recovered

it after the Marid’s death; they also restored to me my fine suit. So I

proceeded to the city which I entered, and as soon as the guards and

courtiers saw me, they cried out for joy and said, “This is the

son-in-law of the Sultan who was lost! Hereat all the lieges hurried up

to me and received me with high respect and greeted me. But after

entering the Palace I proceeded forthright till I reached the apartment

set apart by them for myself and my spouse whom I found in a deep sleep

and stupefied, as it were; a condition in which she had lain ever since

I took from her the talismanic armlet. So I replaced the jewel upon her

right shoulder and she awoke and arose and ordered herself; whereat her

father and family and the Lords of the Land and all the folk joyed with

exceeding joy. After this we lived together in all happiness till the

death of her sire who, having no son, named me his successor so that I

became what I am.” Now when the Darwaysh-Sultan heard all this he was

astounded at what happeneth in this world of marvels and miracles; upon

which I said to him, “O my brother, wonder not; for whatso is

predetermined shall perforce be carried out. But thou needs must become

my Wazir; because thou art experienced in rule and governance and, since

what time my sire-in-law the Sultan died, I have been perplexed in my

plight being unable to find me a Minister who can administer the

monarchy. So do thou become my Chief Counsellor in the realm.” Thereupon

the Darwaysh replied, “Hearkening and obedience.” The Sultan then robed

him in a sumptuous robe of honour and committed to him his seal-ring and

all other matters pertinent to his office, at the same time setting

apart for him a palace, spacious of corners, which he furnished with

splendid furniture and wadded carpets and _vaisselle_ and other such

matters. So the Wazir took his seat of office and held a Divan or

Council of State forthright and commanded and countermanded, and bade

and forbade according as he saw just and equitable; and his fame for

equity and justice was dispread abroad; insomuch that whoever had a

cause or request or other business he would come to the Wazir for

ordering whatso he deemed advisable. In this condition he continued for

many years till, on a day of the days, the Sultan’s mind was depressed.

Upon this he sent after the Minister who attended at his bidding, when

he said, “O Wazir, my heart is heavy!” “Enter then,” replied the

Minister, “O King, into thy treasury of jewels and rubies and turn them

over in thy hands and thy breast will be broadened.” The Sultan did

accordingly but it took no effect upon his ennui; so he said, “O Wazir,

I cannot win free of this melancholic humour and nothing pleasureth me

in my palace; so let us fare forth, I and thou, in disguise.” “Hearing

is obeying,” quoth the Minister. The twain then retired into a private

chamber to shift their garb and habited themselves as Darwayshes, the

Darwayshes of Ajam-land, and went forth and passed through the city

right and left till they reached a Máristán, a hospital for

lunatics.[70] Here they found two young men, one reading the Koran[71]

and the other hearkening to him, both being in chains like men Jinn-mad;

and the Sultan said in his mind, “By Allah, this is a marvel-case,” and

bespake the men asking, “Are ye really insane?” They answered saying,

“No, by Allah; we are not daft but so admirable are our adventures that

were they graven with needle-gravers upon the eye-corners they had been

warners to whoso would be warned.” “What are they?” quoth the King, and

quoth they, “Each of us, by Allah, hath his own story;” and presently he

who had been reading exclaimed, “O King of the Age, hear my tale.”——And

Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to

say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy

story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And

where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming

night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next

night, and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-eighth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the youth began relating to the Sultan

_THE STORY OF THE FIRST LUNATIC._[72]

I was a merchant and kept a shop wherein were Hindi goods of all kinds

and colours, highmost priced articles; and I sold and bought with much

profit. I continued in this condition a while of time till one day of

the days as I, according to my custom, was sitting in my shop an old

woman came up and gave me the good morning and greeted me with the

salam. I returned her salute when she seated her upon the shopboard and

asked me saying, “O master, hast thou any pieces of choice Indian

stuffs?” I replied, “O my mistress, I have with me whatso thou wantest;”

and she rejoined, “Bring me forth one of them.” Accordingly I arose and

fetched her a Hindi piece of the costliest price and placed it in her

hands. She took it and examining it was greatly pleased by its beauty

and presently said to me, “O my lord, for how much is this?” Said I,

“Five hundred dinars;” whereupon she pulled forth her purse and counted

out to me the five hundred gold pieces. Then she took the stuff and went

her ways; and I, O our lord the Sultan, had sold to her for five hundred

sequins a piece of cloth worth at cost price three hundred and fifty

gold pieces. She came to me again, O my lord, on the next day and asked

me for another piece; so I rose up and brought her the bundle and she

paid me once more five hundred dinars: then she took up her bargain and

ganged her gait. She did the same, O my lord, on the third and the

fourth day and so on to the fifteenth, taking a piece of stuff from me

and paying me regularly five hundred golden pieces for each bargain. On

the sixteenth behold, she entered my shop as was her wont, but she found

not her purse; so she said to me, “O Khwájah,[73] I have left my purse

at home.” Said I, “O my lady, an thou return ’tis well and if not thou

art welcome to it.” She sware she would not take it and I, on the other

hand, sware her to carry it off as a token of love and friendship.[74]

Thereupon debate fell between us, and I, O our lord the Sultan, had made

muchel of money by her and, had she taken two pieces gratis, I would not

have asked questions anent them. At last she cried, “O Khwajah, I have

sworn an oath and thou hast sworn an oath, and we shall never agree

except thou favour me by accompanying me to my house so thou mayest

receive the value of the stuff, when neither of us will have been

forsworn: therefore lock up thy shop lest anything be lost in thine

absence.” Accordingly I bolted my door and went with her, O our lord the

Sultan, and we ceased not walking, conversing the while we walked, I and

she, until we neared her abode when she pulled out a kerchief from her

girdle and said, “’Tis my desire to bind this over thine eyes.” Quoth I,

“For what cause?” and quoth she, “For that on our way be sundry houses

whose doors are open and the women are sitting in the vestibules of

their homes, so that haply thy glance may alight upon some one of them,

married or maid, and thy heart become engaged in a love-affair and thou

abide distraught, because in this quarter of the town be many fair

faces, wives and virgins, who would fascinate even a religious, and

therefore we are alarmed for thy peace of mind.” Upon this I said in

myself, “By Allah, this old woman is able of advice;” and I consented to

her requirement, when she bound the kerchief over my eyes and

blindfolded me. Then we walked on till we came to the house she sought;

and when she rapped with the door-ring a slave-girl came out and opening

the door let us in. The old body then approached me and unbound the

kerchief from over my eyes; whereupon I looked around me, holding myself

to be a captive, and I found me in a mansion having sundry separate

apartments in the wings and ’twas richly decorated resembling the

palaces of the Kings.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell

silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister

Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and

enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with

that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me

to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

[Illustration: _A. Lalauze. Pinx. et Sc._]

The Three Hundred and Forty-ninth Night,

Dunyazad said to her “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the youth pursued:——By Allah, O our lord the

Sultan, of that house I never saw the fellow. She then bade me hide

within a room and I did her bidding in a corner place where beside me I

beheld heaped together and cast down in that private site all the pieces

of stuff which the ancient dame had purchased of me. Seeing this I

marvelled in my mind and lo! appeared two damsels as they were moons and

came down from an upper story till they stood on the ground-floor; after

which they cut a piece of cloth into twain and each maiden took one and

tucked up her sleeves. They then sprinkled the court of that palace with

water of the rose and of the orange-flower,[75] wiping the surface with

the cloth and rubbing it till it became as silver; after which the two

girls retired into an inner room and brought out some fifty chairs[76]

which they set down, and placed over each seat a rug[77] with cushions

of brocade. They then carried in a larger chair of gold and placed upon

it a carpet with cushions of orfrayed work and after a time they

withdrew. Presently, there descended from the staircase, two following

two, a host of maidens in number till they evened the chairs and each

one of them sat down upon her own, and at last suddenly appeared a young

lady in whose service were ten damsels, and she walked up to and they

seated her upon the great chair. When I beheld her, O my lord the

Sultan, my right senses left me and my wits fled me and I was astounded

at her loveliness and her stature and her symmetric grace as she swayed

to and fro in her pride of beauty and gladsome spirits amongst those

damsels and laughed and sported with them. At last she cried aloud, “O

mother mine!” when the ancient dame answered her call and she asked her,

“Hast thou brought the young man?” The old woman replied, “Yes, he is

present between thy hands;” and the fair lady said, “Bring him hither to

me!” But when I heard these words I said to myself, “There is no Majesty

and there is no Might, save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Doubtless

when this damsel shall have discovered my being in such hiding place she

will bid them do me die.” The old woman then came forwards to me and led

me before the young lady seated on the great chair; and, when I stood in

her presence, she smiled in my face and saluted me with the salam and

welcomed me; after which she signed for a seat to be brought and when

her bidding was obeyed set it close beside her own. She then commanded

me to sit and I seated me by her side.——And Shahrazad was surprised by

the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.

Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine,

and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this

compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the

Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that

was

The Three Hundred and Fiftieth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the youth pursued:——She seated me beside her, O

our lord the Sultan, and fell to talking and joking with me for an hour

or so when she said, “O youth, what sayest thou of me and of my beauty

and my loveliness? Would Heaven that I could occupy thy thought and

please thee so that I might become to thee wife and thou be to me man.”

When I heard these her words I replied, “O my lady, how dare I presume

to attain such honour? Indeed I do not deem myself worthy to become a

slave between thy hands.” Hereupon said she, “Nay, O young man, my words

have in them nor evasion nor alteration; so be not disheartened or

fearful of returning me a reply, for that my heart is fulfilled of thy

love.” I now understood, O our lord the Sultan, that the damsel was

desirous of marrying me; but I could not conceive what was the cause

thereof or who could have given her intelligence concerning me. She

continued to enjoy herself in the gladsomest way till at length I was

emboldened to say to her, “O my lady, an thy words to me be after the

fashion of thy will, remember the proverb:—When a kindness is to be

done, this is its time.” “By Allah, O youth, there cannot be a more

fortunate day than this present.” “O my lady, what shall I apportion to

thee for dowry?” “The dowry hath been paid to me in the value of the

stuffs which thou entrustedst to this ancient dame who is my mother!”

“That cannot suffice.” “By Allah, naught shall be added; but, O youth,

’tis my intention forthright to send after the Kazi and his Assessors

and I will choose me a trustee[78] that they may tie together us twain

without delay; and thou shalt come in to me this coming evening. But all

such things be upon one condition.” “And what may be thy condition?”

“This, that thou swear never to address or to draw near any woman save

myself.” And I, O our lord the Sultan, being unmarried and eager to

possess so beautiful a bride, said to her, “This be thine; and I will

never contrary thee by word or by deed.” She then sent to summon the

Kazi and his witnesses and appointed an agent; upon which they knotted

the knot. After the marriage ceremony was ended she ordered coffee[79]

and sherbets and gave somewhat of dirhams to the Kazi and a robe of

honour to her trustee; and this done, all went their several ways. I was

lost in astonishment and said in my mind, “Do I dream or am I on wake?”

She then commanded her damsels to clear the Hammam-bath and cleanse it

and fill it afresh and get ready towels and waist-cloths and silken

napkins[80] and scented woods and essences, as virgin ambergris and

ottars and perfumes of vari-coloured hues and kinds. And when they had

executed her orders, she ordered the Eunuchry standing in her service to

take me and bear me to the Bath, largessing each one with a sumptuous

dress. They led me into a Hammam which had been made private and I saw a

place tongue is powerless to portray. And as we arrived there they

spread vari-coloured carpets upon which I sat me down and doffed what

clothing was upon me: then I entered the hot rooms and smelt delicious

scents diffused from the sides of the hall, sandal-wood, Comorin

lign-aloes and other such fragrant substances. Here they came up to me

and seated me, lathering me with perfumed soaps and shampoo’d me till my

body became silver-bright; when they fetched the metal tasses and I

washed with water luke-warm after which they brought me cold water

mingled with rose water and I sprinkled it over me. After this they

supplied me with silken napkins and drying-towels of palm-fibre[81]

wherewith I rubbed me and then repaired to the cool room outside the

calidarium[82] where I found a royal dress. The Eunuchry arrayed me

therein and after fumigating me with the smoke of lign-aloes served up

somewhat of confections[83] and coffee and sherbets of sundry sorts; so

I drank after eating the Ma’jún. About eventide I left the Baths with

all the Eunuchry in attendance on me and we walked till we entered the

Palace and they led me into a closet spread with kingly carpets and

cushions. And behold, she came up to me attired in a new habit more

sumptuous than that I had seen her wearing erewhile.——And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her

permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful

is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she,

“And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the

coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the

next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-first Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the youth continued:——And I, O our lord the

Sultan, went into the closet and behold, she met me wearing a habit of

the most sumptuous: so when I sighted her she seemed to me from the

richness of her ornaments like an enchanted hoard wherefrom the talisman

had been newly removed. She sat down beside me and bent lovingly over me

and I rose up for I could no longer contain my passion and wrought that

work which was to be worked.[84] Presently she again disappeared but

soon returned in vestments even richer than the last and she did with me

as before and I embraced her once more. In short, O our lord the Sultan,

we ceased not dwelling together, I and she, in joyaunce and enjoyment,

laughter and disport and delicious converse for a space of twenty days.

At the end of this time I called to mind my lady-mother, and said to the

dame I had espoused, “O my lady, ’tis long since I have been absent from

home and ’tis long since my parent hath seen me or wotteth aught

concerning me: needs must she be pining and grieving for my sake. So do

thou give me leave to visit her and look after my mother and also after

my shop.” Quoth she, “No harm in that: thou mayst visit thy mother daily

and busy thyself about thy shop-business; but this ancient dame (my

mother) is she who must lead thee out and bring thee back.” Whereto I

replied, “’Tis well.” Upon this the old woman came in and tied a

kerchief over my eyes according to custom and fared forth with me till

we reached the spot where she had been wont to remove the bandage. Here

she unbound it saying, “We will expect thee to-morrow about noontide and

when thou comest to this place, thou shalt see me awaiting thee.” I left

her and repaired to my mother whom I found grieving and weeping at my

absence; and upon seeing me she rose up and threw her arms round my neck

with tears of joy. I said, “Weep not, O my mother, for the cause of my

absence hath been a certain matter which be thus and thus.” I then

related to her my adventure and she on hearing it was rejoiced thereby

and exclaimed, “O my son, may Allah give thee gladness; but I pray thee

solace me[85] at least every two days with a visit that my longing for

thee may be satisfied.” I replied, “This shall be done;” and

thenceforth, O our lord the Sultan, I went to my shop and busied myself

as was my wont till noontide, when I returned to the place appointed and

found the old woman awaiting me. Nor did I ever fare forth from the

mansion without her binding my eyes with the kerchief which she loosed

only when we reached my own house; and whenever I asked her of this she

would answer, “On our way be sundry houses whose doors are open and the

women sitting in the vestibules of their homes, so that haply thy glance

may alight upon some one of them, matron or maid: all sniff up love like

water,[86] and we fear for thee lest thy heart be netted in the net of

amours.” For thirty days, a whole month, I continued to go and come

after this fashion but, O our lord the Sultan, at all times and tides I

was drowned in thought and wondered in my mind, saying, “What chance

caused me forgather with this damsel? What made me marry her? Whence

this wealth which is under her hand? How came I to win union with her?”

For I knew not the cause of all this. Now, on a day of the days, I found

an opportunity of being private with one of her black slave girls[87]

and questioned her of all these matters that concerned her mistress. She

replied, “O my lord, the history of my lady is marvellous; but I dare

not relate it to thee in fear lest she hear thereof and do me die.” So I

said to her, “By Allah, O handmaid of good, an thou wilt say me sooth I

will veil it darkly for in the keeping of secrets there is none like

myself: nor will I reveal it at any time.” Then I took oath of secrecy

when she said, “O my lord,”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of

day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her

sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how

enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with

that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me

to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-second Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the youth continued:——Then the handmaiden said

to me, “O my lord, my lady went forth one day of the days to the Hammam

with the object of pleasuring and of diverting herself, for which

purpose she made goodly preparation including gifts and presents,[88]

matters worth a mint of money.[89] After leaving the baths she set out

upon an excursion to eat the noon-day meal in a flower garden where she

enjoyed herself with exceeding joy and enjoyment, eating and drinking

till the evening; and when she designed to depart she collected the

fragments of the feast and distributed them amongst the mean and the

mesquin. On her return she passed through the Bazar-street wherein

standeth thy shop, and it was a Friday when thou wast sitting, adorned

with thy finest dress, in converse with the nearest neighbour. And

suddenly as she fared by, she beheld thee in such state and her heart

was stricken with sore stroke of love albeit none of us observed her

condition and what affection she had conceived for thee. However, no

sooner had she reached her palace than her melancholy began to grow upon

her with groans and her cark and care, and her colour left her: she ate

and drank little and less and her sleep forsook her and her frame was

sorely enfeebled till at last she took to her bed. Upon this her mother

went to summon a learned man[90] or a mediciner that he might consider

the condition of her daughter and what sickness had gotten about her:

she was absent for an hour and returned with an ancient dame who took

seat beside her and putting forth her hand felt the patient’s pulse. But

she could perceive in her no bodily ailment or pain, upon which the old

woman understood her case, but she durst not bespeak her of it or

mention to her mother that the girl’s heart was distraught by love. So

she said, There is no harm to thee! and (Inshallah!) to-morrow I will

return hither to thee and bring with me a certain medicine. She then

went forth from us and leading the mother to a place apart, said to her,

O my lady, Allah upon thee, pardon me for whatso I shall mention and be

thou convinced that my words are true and keep them secret nor divulge

them to any. The other replied, Say on and fear not for aught which hath

become manifest to thee of my daughter’s unweal: haply Allah will

vouchsafe welfare. She rejoined, Verily, thy daughter hath no bodily

disorder or malady of the disease kind but she is in love and there can

be no cure for her save union with her beloved. Quoth the mother, And

how about the coming of her sweetheart? This is a matter which may not

be managed except thou show us some contrivance whereby to bring this

youth hither and marry him to her. But contrivance is with Allah. Then

the old lady went her ways forthright and the girl’s mother sought her

daughter and said to her after kindly fashion, O my child, as for thee

thy disorder is a secret and not a bodily disease. Tell me of him thou

requirest and fear naught from me; belike Allah will open to us the gate

of contrivance whereby thou shalt win to thy wish. Now when the maiden

heard these words she was abashed before her parent and kept silence,

being ashamed to speak; nor would she return any reply for the space of

twenty days. But during this term her distraction increased and her

mother ceased not to repeat the same words, time after time, till it

became manifest to the parent that the daughter was madly in love with a

young man; so at last quoth she, Describe him to me. Quoth the other, O

mother mine, indeed he is young of years and fair of favour; also he

woneth in such a Bazar, methinks on its southern side. Therewith the

dame arose without stay or delay and fared forth to find the young man

and ’tis thyself, O youth! And when the mother saw thee she took from

thee a piece of cloth and brought it to her daughter and promised thou

shouldst visit her. Thenceforwards she ceased not repeating her calls to

thee for the period thou wottest well until by her cunning she brought

thee hither; and that happened which happened and thou didst take the

daughter to wife. Such is her tale and beware lest thou reveal my

disclosure.” “No, by Allah,” replied I. Then the lunatic resumed

speaking to the Sultan:——O my lord, I continued to cohabit with her for

the space of one month, going daily to see my mother and to sell in my

shop and I returned to my wife every evening blindfolded and guided as

usual by my mother-in-law. Now one day of the days as I was sitting at

my business, a damsel came into the Bazar-street——And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her

permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful

is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she,

“And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the

coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the

next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the youth continued:——A damsel came into the

Bazar-street bearing the image of a cock made of precious ore and

crusted with pearls and rubies and other gems; and she offered it to the

goodmen[91] of the market for sale. So they opened the biddings at five

hundred dinars and they ceased not contending[92] thereanent till the

price went up to nine hundred and fifty gold pieces. All this time and I

looked on nor did I interfere by speaking a syllable or by adding to the

biddings a single bit of gold. At last, when none would offer aught

more, the girl came up to me and said, “O my lord, all the gentlemen

have increased their biddings for the cock; but thou hast neither bidden

nor heartened my heart by one kind word.” Quoth I, “I have no need

thereof;” and quoth she, “By Allah, needs must thou bid somewhat more

than the others.” I replied, “Since there is no help for it, I will add

fifty dinars which will fill up the thousand.” She rejoined, “Allah gar

thee gain?”[93] So I fared into my shop to fetch the money, saying in my

mind, “I will present this curiosity to my Harím: haply ’twill pleasure

her.” But when I was about, O my lord the Sultan, to count out the

thousand ducats, the damsel would not accept aught of me but said, “I

have a request to make of thee, O youth! to wit, that I may take one

kiss from thy cheek.” I asked her, “For what purpose?” and she answered,

“I want one kiss of thy cheek which shall be the price of my cock, for I

need of thee naught else.” I thought to myself, “By Allah, a single kiss

of my cheek for the value of a thousand sequins were an easy price;” and

I gave my consent thereto, O my lord. Then she came up to me and leaned

over me and bussed my cheek, but after the kiss she bit me with a bite

which left its mark:[94] then she gave me the cock and went her ways in

haste. Now when it was noon I made for my wife’s house and came upon the

old woman awaiting me at the customed stead and she bound the kerchief

over my eyes and after blindfolding them fared with me till we reached

our home when she unbound it. I found my wife sitting in the saloon

dressed from head to foot in cramoisy[95] and with an ireful face,

whereupon I said to myself, “O Saviour,[96] save me!” I then went up to

her and took out the cock which was covered with pearls and rubies,

thinking that her evil humour would vanish at the sight of it and said,

“O my lady, accept this cock for ’tis curious and admirable to look

upon; and I bought it to pleasure thee.” She put forth her hand and

taking it from me examined it by turning it rightwards and leftwards;

then exclaimed, “Didst thou in very sooth buy this on my account?”

Replied I, “By Allah, O my lady, I bought it for thee at a thousand gold

pieces.” Hereupon she shook her head at me, O my lord the Sultan, and

cried out after a long look at my face, “What meaneth that bite on thy

cheek?” Then with a loud and angry voice she called to her women who

came down the stairs forthright bearing the body of a young girl with

the head cut off and set upon the middle of the corpse;[97] and I looked

and behold, it was the head of the damsel who had sold me the cock for a

kiss and who had bitten my cheek. Now my wife had sent her with the toy

by way of trick, saying to her, “Let us try this youth whom I have

wedded and see if he hold himself bound by his plighted word and pact or

if he be false and foul.” But of all this I knew naught. Then she cried

a second cry and behold, up came three handmaids bearing with them three

cocks like that which I had brought for her and she said, “Thou bringest

me this one cock when I have these three cocks; but inasmuch as, O

youth, thou hast broken the covenant that was between me and thee, I

want thee no more: go forth! wend thy ways forthright!” And she raged at

me and cried to her mother, “Take him away!”[98]——And Shahrazad was

surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her

permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story,

O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where

is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an

the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and

that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other

than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching

of this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It

hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,

lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and

worthy celebrating, that the Youth continued to the King:——Hereupon the

old woman, O my lord, hent me by the hand and bound the kerchief over my

eyes as was her wont and led me to the customed place when she loosed

the bandage saying, “Begone!” and disappeared. But I, O my lord, became

like a madman and ran through the streets as one frantic crying, “Ah her

loveliness! Ah her stature! Ah her perfect grace! Ah her ornaments!”

Hereupon the folk seeing me and hearing me say these words shouted out,

“Yonder is a lunatic;” so they seized me perforce and jailed me in the

madhouse as thou hast seen me, O our lord the Sultan. They say, “This

man is Jinn-mad;” but, by Allah, I am no maniac, O my lord, and such is

my tale. Hereat the King marvelled and bowed his brow groundwards for a

while in deep thought over this affair: then he raised his head and

turning to his Minister said, “O Wazir, by the truth of Him who made me

ruler of this realm, except thou discover the damsel who married this

youth, thy head shall pay forfeit.” The Wazir was consterned to hear the

case of the young man; but he could not disobey the royal commandment so

he said, “Allow me three days of delay, O our lord the Sultan;” and to

this much of grace the King consented. Then the Wazir craved dismissal

and would have taken the Youth with him; when the Sultan cried, “As soon

as thou shalt have hit upon the house, the young man will go into it and

come forth it like other folk.” He replied, “Hearkening and obedience.”

So he took the Youth and went out with aching head and giddy as a

drunken man, perplexed and unknowing whither he should wend; and he

threaded the city streets from right to left and from east to west,

tarrying at times that he might privily question the folk. But naught

discovered itself to him and he made certain of death. In this condition

he continued for two days and the third till noontide, when he devised

him a device and said to the Youth, “Knowest thou the spot where the old

woman was wont to blindfold thine eyes?” He replied, “Yes.” So the

Minister walked on with him till the young man exclaimed, “Here, ’tis

this!”[99] The Wazir then said, “O Youth, knowest thou the door-ring

wherewith she was wont to rap and canst thou distinguish its sound?” He

said “I can.” Accordingly, the Wazir took him and went the round of all

the houses in that quarter and rapped with every door-ring asking him,

“Is’t this?” and he would answer, “No.” And the twain ceased not to do

after such fashion until they came to the door where the appointment had

taken place without risk threatened;[100] and the Wazir knocked hard at

it and the Youth, hearing the knock, exclaimed, “O my lord, verily this

be the ring without question or doubt or uncertainty.” So the Minister

knocked again with the same knocker and the slave-girls threw open the

door and the Wazir, entering with the youth, found that the palace

belonged to the daughter of the Sultan who had been succeeded by his

liege lord.[101] But when the Princess saw the Minister together with

her spouse, she adorned herself and came down from the Harem and salam’d

to him. Thereupon he asked her, “What hath been thy business with this

young man?” So she told him her tale from first to last and he said, “O

my lady, the King commandeth that he enter and quit the premises as

before and that he come hither without his eyes being bandaged with the

kerchief.” She obeyed and said, “The commandments of our lord the Sultan

shall be carried out.” Such was the history of that youth whom the

Sultan heard reading the Koran in the Máristán, the public madhouse: but

as regards the second Lunatic who sat listening, the Sultan asked him,

“And thou, the other, what be thy tale?” So he began to relate the

_STORY OF THE SECOND LUNATIC._[102]

“O my lord,” quoth the young man, “my case is marvellous, and haply thou

wilt desire me to relate it in order continuous;” and quoth the Sultan,

“Let me hear it.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell

silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister

Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and

enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with

that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me

to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,