Madam, to obey your commands, and to show you by what strange accident
I became blind of the right eye, I must give you the account of my
life. I was yet a youth when the sultan, my father (for you must know
I am a prince by birth), perceived that I was endowed with good
natural ability, and spared nothing proper for improving it. No sooner
was I able to read and write than I learned the Koran from beginning
to end by heart, all the traditions collected from the mouth of our
prophet, and the works of poets. I applied myself to geography,
chronology, and to speak the Arabian language in its purity; not
forgetting in the meantime all such exercises as were proper for a
prince to understand. But one thing which I was fond of, and succeeded
in, was penmanship. In this I surpassed all the celebrated scribes of
our kingdom.
The fame of my learning reached the Emperor of Hindustan, who sent an
embassy with rich presents to my father and invited me to his court. I
returned with the ambassador.
We had been about a month on our journey when we saw in the distance
an immense cloud of dust, and soon after we discovered fifty fierce
horsemen, sons of the desert, well armed.
Not being able to repel force by force, we told them we were the
ambassadors of the sultan of India; but the sons of the desert
insolently answered, "Why do you wish us to respect the sultan, your
master? We are not his subjects, nor even within his realm." They
attacked us on all sides.
I defended myself as long as I could, but finding that I was wounded,
and that the ambassador and all our attendants were overthrown, I took
advantage of the remaining strength of my horse, and escaped. My horse
was wounded and suddenly fell dead under me. Alone, wounded, and a
stranger, I bound up my own wound and walked on the rest of the day,
and arrived at the foot of a mountain, where I perceived, as the sun
set, a cave; I went in, and stayed there that night, after I had
eaten some fruits that I gathered by the way. I continued my journey
for several successive days without finding any place of abode; but
after a month's time I came to a large town, well inhabited. It was
surrounded by several streams, so that it seemed to enjoy perpetual
spring.
My face, hands, and feet were black and sunburnt; and by my long
journey, my boots were quite worn out, so that I was forced to walk
barefooted; and my clothes were all in rags. I entered the town to
inform myself where I was, and addressed myself to a tailor that was
at work in his shop. He made me sit down by him, and asked me who I
was, from whence I came, and what had brought me thither. I did not
conceal anything that had befallen me, nor made I any scruple to
reveal to him my rank. The tailor listened to me with attention; then
he brought me something to eat, and offered me an apartment at his
house, which I accepted.
Some days after my arrival the tailor asked me if I knew anything by
which I could acquire a livelihood. I told him that I was well versed
in the science of laws, both human and divine; that I was a
grammarian, a poet, and, above all, that I wrote remarkably well.
"None of these things will avail you here. If you will follow my
advice," he added, "you will procure a short jacket, and as you are
strong and in good health, you may go into the neighboring forest and
cut wood for fuel. You may then go and expose it for sale in the
market. By these means you will be enabled to wait till the cloud
which hangs over you, and obliges you to conceal your birth, shall
have blown over. I will furnish you with a cord and hatchet."
The next day the tailor brought me a rope, a hatchet, and a short
jacket, and recommended me to some poor people who gained their bread
after the same manner, that they might take me into their company.
They conducted me to the wood, and the first day I brought in as much
upon my head as procured me half a piece of gold of the money of that
country; for though the wood was not far distant from the town, yet it
was very scarce, by reason that few would be at the trouble of
fetching it for themselves. I gained a good sum of money in a short
time, and repaid my tailor what he had loaned me.
I continued this way of living for a whole year. One day, having by
chance penetrated farther into the wood than usual, I happened to
light on a pleasant spot, where I began to cut. In pulling up the root
of a tree I espied an iron ring, fastened to a trap door of the same
metal. I took away the earth that covered it, and having lifted it up,
discovered a flight of stairs, which I descended with my ax in my
hand.
When I had reached the bottom I found myself in a palace, which was as
well lighted as if it had been above ground in the open air. I was
going forward along a gallery supported by pillars of jasper, the base
and capitals being of massy gold, when I saw a lady of a noble and
graceful air, and extremely beautiful, coming toward me.
I hastened to meet her; and as I was making a low obeisance she asked
me, "Are you a man, or a genie?"
"A man, madam," said I.
"By what adventure," said she, fetching a deep sigh, "are you come
hither? I have lived here for twenty-five years, and you are the
first man I have beheld in that time."
Her great beauty, and the sweetness and civility wherewith she
received me, emboldened me to say, "Madam, before I satisfy your
curiosity, give me leave to say that I am infinitely gratified with
this unexpected meeting, which offers me an occasion of consolation in
the midst of my affliction; and perhaps it may give me an opportunity
of making you also more happy than you are."