delighted when she heard these words and said to him, "Do as thou
wilt;" for she thereby understood that she should not enter the city
but with due honour and worship, as became her rank. Then the Prince
left her and betook himself to the palace of the King his father, who
rejoiced in his return and met him and welcomed him; and the Prince
said to him, "Know that I have brought with me the King's daughter of
whom I told thee; and have left her without the city in such a garden
and come to tell thee, that thou mayst make ready the procession of
estate and go forth to meet her and show her thy royal dignity and
troops and guards." Answered the King, "With joy and gladness"; and
straightaway bade decorate the town with the goodliest adornment. Then
he took horse and rode out in all magnificence and majesty, he and his
host, high officers and household, with drums and kettle-drums, fifes
and clarions and all manner instruments; whilst the Prince drew forth
of his treasuries jewellery and apparel and what else of the things
which Kings hoards and made a rare display of wealth and splendour:
moreover he got ready for the Princess a canopied litter of brocades,
green, red and yellow, wherein he set Indian and Greek and Abyssinian
slave- girls. Then he left the litter and those who were therein and
preceded them to the pavilion where he had set her down; and searched
but found naught, neither Princess nor horse. When he saw this, he beat
his face, and rent his raiment and began to wander round about the
garden, as he had lost his wits; after which he came to his senses and
said to himself, "How could she have come at the secret of this horse,
seeing I told her nothing of it? Maybe the Persian sage who made the
horse hath chanced upon her and stolen her away, in revenge for my
father's treatment of him." Then he sought the guardians of the garden
and asked them if they had seen any pass the precincts; and said, "Hath
any one come in here? Tell me the truth and the whole truth or I will
at once strike off your heads." They were terrified by his threats; but
they answered with one voice, "We have seen no man enter save the
Persian sage, who came to gather healing herbs." So the Prince was
certified that it was indeed he that had taken away the maiden,—And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Prince
heard their answer, he was certified that the Sage had taken away the
maiden and abode confounded and perplexed concerning his case. And he
was abashed before the folk and, turning to his sire, told him what had
happened and said to him, "Take the troops and march them back to the
city. As for me, I will never return till I have cleared up this
affair." When the King heard this, he wept and beat his breast and said
to him, "O my son, calm thy choler and master thy chagrin and come home
with us and look what King's daughter thou wouldst fain have, that I
may marry thee to her." But the Prince paid no heed to his words and
farewelling him departed, whilst the King returned to the city and
their joy was changed into sore annoy. Now, as Destiny issued her
decree, when the Prince left the Princess in the garden-house and
betook himself to his father's palace, for the ordering of his affair,
the Persian entered the garden to pluck certain simples and, scenting
the sweet savour of musk and perfumes that exhaled from the Princess
and impregnated the whole place, followed it till he came to the
pavilion and saw standing at the door the horse which he had made with
his own hands. His heart was filled with joy and gladness, for he had
bemourned its loss much since it had gone out of his hand: so he went
up to it and, examining its every part, found it whole and sound;
whereupon he was about to mount and ride away, when he bethought
himself and said, "Needs must I first look what the Prince hath brought
and left here with the horse." So he entered the pavilion and, seeing
the Princess sitting there, as she were the sun shining sheen in the
sky serene, knew her at the first glance to be some high-born lady and
doubted not but the Prince had brought her thither on the horse and
left her in the pavilion, whilst he went to the city, to make ready for
her entry in state procession with all splendor. Then he went up to her
and kissed the earth between her hands, whereupon she raised her eyes
to him and, finding him exceedingly foul of face and favour, asked,
"Who art thou?"; and he answered, "O my lady, I am a messenger sent by
the Prince who hath bidden me bring thee to another pleasance nearer
the city; for that my lady the Queen cannot walk so far and is
unwilling, of her joy in thee, that another should forestall her with
thee." Quoth she, "Where is the Prince?"; and quoth the Persian, "He is
in the city, with his sire and forthwith he shall come for thee in
great state." Said she, "O thou! say me, could he find none handsomer
to send to me?"; whereat loud laughed the Sage and said, "Yea verily,
he hath not a Mameluke as ugly as I am; but, O my lady, let not the
ill-favour of my face and the foulness of my form deceive thee. Hadst
thou profited of me as hath the Prince, verily thou wouldst praise my
affair. Indeed, he chose me as his messenger to thee, because of my
uncomeliness and loathsomeness in his jealous love of thee; else hath
he Mamelukes and negro slaves, pages, eunuchs and attendants out of
number, each goodlier than other." Whenas she heard this, it commended
itself to her reason and she believed him; so she rose forthright;—And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted
say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Persian
sage acquainted the Princess with the case of the King's son, she
believed him; so she rose forthright; and, putting her hand in his,
said, "O my father, what hast thou brought me to ride?" He replied, "O
my lady, thou shalt ride the horse thou camest on;" and she, "I cannot
ride it by myself." Whereupon he smiled and knew that he was her master
and said, "I will ride with thee myself." So he mounted and, taking her
up behind him bound her to himself with firm bonds, while she knew not
what he would with her. Then he turned the ascent-pin, whereupon the
belly of the horse became full of wind and it swayed to and fro like a
wave of the sea, and rose with them high in air nor slackened in its
flight, till it was out of sight of the city. Now when Shams al-Nahir
saw this, she asked him, "Ho thou! what is become of that thou toldest
me of my Prince, making me believe that he sent thee to me?" Answered
the Persian, "Allah damn the Prince! he is a mean and skin-flint
knave." She cried, "Woe to thee! How darest thou disobey thy lord's
commandment?" Whereto the Persian replied, "He is no lord of mine:
knowest thou who I am?" Rejoined the Princess, "I know nothing of thee
save what thou toldest me;" and retorted he, "What I told thee was a
trick of mine against thee and the King's son: I have long lamented the
loss of this horse which is under us; for I constructed it and made
myself master of it. But now I have gotten firm hold of it and of thee
too, and I will burn his heart even as he hath burnt mine; nor shall he
ever have the horse again; no, never! So be of good cheer and keep
thine eyes cool and clear; for I can be of more use to thee than he;
and I am generous as I am wealthy; my servants and slaves shall obey
thee as their mistress; I will robe thee in finest raiment and thine
every wish shall be at thy will." When she heard this, she buffeted her
face and cried out, saying, "Ah, well-away! I have not won my beloved
and I have lost my father and mother!" And she wept bitter tears over
what had befallen her, whilst the Sage fared on with her, without
ceasing, till he came to the land of the Greeks[FN#24] and alighted in
a verdant mead, abounding in streams and trees. Now this meadow lay
near a city wherein was a King of high puissance, and it chanced that
he went forth that day to hunt and divert himself. As he passed by the
meadow, he saw the Persian standing there, with the damsel and the
horse by his side; and, before the Sage was ware, the King's slaves
fell upon him and carried him and the lady and the horse to their
master who, noting the foulness of the man's favour and his
loathsomeness and the beauty of the girl and her loveliness, said, "O
my lady, what kin is this oldster to thee?" The Persian made haste to
reply, saying, "She is my wife and the daughter of my father's
brother." But the lady at once gave him the lie and said, "O King, by
Allah, I know him not, nor is he my husband; nay, he is a wicked
magician who hath stolen me away by force and fraud." Thereupon the
King bade bastinado the Persian and they beat him till he was well-nigh
dead; after which the King commanded to carry him to the city and cast
him into jail; and, taking from him the damsel and the ebony horse
(though he knew not its properties nor the secret of its motion), set
the girl in his serraglio and the horse amongst his hoards. Such was
the case with the Sage and the lady; but as regards Prince Kamar
al-Akmar, he garbed himself in travelling gear and taking what he
needed of money, set out tracking their trail in very sorry plight; and
journeyed from country to country and city to city seeking the Princess
and enquiring after the ebony horse, whilst all who heard him marvelled
at him and deemed his talk extravagant. Thus he continued doing a long
while; but, for all his enquiry and quest, he could hit on no new news
of her. At last he came to her father's city of Sana'a and there asked
for her, but could get no tidings of her and found her father mourning
her loss. So he turned back and made for the land of the Greeks,
continuing to enquire concerning the twain as he went,— And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King's son
made for the land of the Greeks, continuing to enquire concerning the
two as he went along, till, as chance would have it, he alighted at a
certain Khan and saw a company of merchants sitting at talk. So he sat
down near them and heard one say, "O my friends, I lately witnessed a
wonder of wonders." They asked, "What was that?" and he answered, "I
was visiting such a district in such a city (naming the city wherein
was the Princess), and I heard its people chatting of a strange thing
which had lately befallen. It was that their King went out one day
hunting and coursing with a company of his courtiers and the lords of
his realm; and, issuing from the city, they came to a green meadow
where they espied an old man standing, with a woman sitting hard by a
horse of ebony. The man was foulest-foul of face and loathly of form,
but the woman was a marvel of beauty and loveliness and elegance and
perfect grace; and as for the wooden horse, it was a miracle, never saw
eyes aught goodlier than it nor more gracious than its make." Asked the
others, "And what did the King with them?"; and the merchant answered,
"As for the man the King seized him and questioned him of the damsel
and he pretended that she was his wife and the daughter of his paternal
uncle; but she gave him the lie forthright and declared that he was a
sorcerer and a villain. So the King took her from the old man and bade
beat him and cast him into the trunk-house. As for the ebony horse, I
know not what became of it." When the Prince heard these words, he drew
near to the merchant and began questioning him discreetly and
courteously touching the name of the city and of its King; which when
he knew, he passed the night full of joy. And as soon as dawned the day
he set out and travelled sans surcease till he reached that city; but,
when he would have entered, the gate-keepers laid hands on him, that
they might bring him before the King to question him of his condition
and the craft in which he was skilled and the cause of his coming
thither-such being the usage and custom of their ruler. Now it was
supper-time when he entered the city, and it was then impossible to go
in to the King or take counsel with him respecting the stranger. So the
guards carried him to the jail, thinking to lay him by the heels there
for the night; but, when the warders saw his beauty and loveliness,
they could not find it in their hearts to imprison him: they made him
sit with them without the walls; and, when food came to them, he ate
with them what sufficed him. As soon as they had made an end of eating,
they turned to the Prince and said, "What countryman art thou?" "I come
from Fars," answered he, "the land of the Chosroλs." When they heard
this they laughed and one of them said, "O Chosroan,[FN#25] I have
heard the talk of men and their histories and I have looked into their
conditions; but never saw I or heard I a bigger liar than the Chosroan
which is with us in the jail." Quoth another, "And never did I see
aught fouler than his favour or more hideous than his visnomy." Asked
the Prince. "What have ye seen of his lying?"; and they answered, "He
pretendeth that he is one of the wise! Now the King came upon him, as
he went a- hunting, and found with him a most beautiful woman and a
horse of the blackest ebony, never saw I a handsomer. As for the
damsel, she is with the King, who is enamoured of her and would fain
marry her; but she is mad, and were this man a leach as he claimeth to
be, he would have healed her, for the King doth his utmost to discover
a cure for her case and a remedy for her disease, and this whole year
past hath he spent treasure upon physicians and astrologers, on her
account; but none can avail to cure her. As for the horse, it is in the
royal hoard-house, and the ugly man is here with us in prison; and as
soon as night falleth, he weepeth and bemoaneth himself and will not
let us sleep."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the warders
had recounted the case of the Persian egromancer they held in prison
and his weeping and wailing, the Prince at once devised a device
whereby he might compass his desire; and presently the guards of the
gate, being minded to sleep, led him into the jail and locked the door.
So he overheard the Persian weeping and bemoaning himself, in his own
tongue, and saying, "Alack, and alas for my sin, that I sinned against
myself and against the King's son, in that which I did with the damsel;
for I neither left her nor won my will of her! All this cometh of my
lack of sense, in that I sought for myself that which I deserved not
and which befitted not the like of me; for whoso seeketh what suiteth
him not at all, falleth with the like of my fall." Now when the King's
son heard this, he accosted him in Persian, saying, "How long will this
weeping and wailing last? Say me, thinkest thou that hath befallen thee
that which never befel other than thou?" Now when the Persian heard
this, he made friends with him and began to complain to him of his case
and misfortunes. And as soon as the morning morrowed, the warders took
the Prince and carried him before their King, informing him that he had
entered the city on the previous night, at a time when audience was
impossible. Quoth the King to the Prince, "Whence comest thou and what
is thy name and trade and why hast thou travelled hither?" He replied,
"As to my name I am called in Persian Harjah;[FN#26] as to my country I
come from the land of Fars; and I am of the men of art and especially
of the art of medicine and healing the sick and those whom the Jinns
drive mad. For this I go round about all countries and cities, to
profit by adding knowledge to my knowledge, and whenever I see a
patient I heal him and this is my craft."[FN#27] Now when the King
heard this, he rejoiced with exceeding joy and said, "O excellent Sage,
thou hast indeed come to us at a time when we need thee." Then he
acquainted him with the case of the Princess, adding, "If thou cure her
and recover her from her madness, thou shalt have of me everything thou
seekest." Replied the Prince, "Allah save and favour the King: describe
to me all thou hast seen of her insanity and tell me how long it is
since the access attacked her; also how thou camest by her and the
horse and the Sage." So the King told him the whole story, from first
to last, adding, "The Sage is in goal." Quoth the Prince, "O auspicious
King, and what hast thou done with the horse?" Quoth the King, "O
youth, it is with me yet, laid up in one of my treasure-chambers,"
whereupon said the Prince within himself, "The best thing I can do is
first to see the horse and assure myself of its condition. If it be
whole and sound, all will be well and end well; but, if its motor-works
be destroyed, I must find some other way of delivering my beloved."
Thereupon he turned to the King and said to him, "O King, I must see
the horse in question: haply I may find in it somewhat that will serve
me for the recovery of the damsel." "With all my heart," replied the
King, and taking him by the hand, showed him into the place where the
horse was. The Prince went round about it, examining its condition, and
found it whole and sound, whereat he rejoiced greatly and said to the
King, "Allah save and exalt the King! I would fain go in to the damsel,
that I may see how it is with her; for I hope in Allah to heal her by
my healing hand through means of the horse." Then he bade them take
care of the horse and the King carried him to the Princess's apartment
where her lover found her wringing her hands and writhing and beating
herself against the ground, and tearing her garments to tatters as was
her wont; but there was no madness of Jinn in her, and she did this but
that none might approach her. When the Prince saw her thus, he said to
her, "No harm shall betide thee, O ravishment of the three worlds;" and
went on to soothe her and speak her fair, till he managed to whisper,
"I am Kamar al-Akmar;" whereupon she cried out with a loud cry and fell
down fainting for excess of joy; but the King thought this was
epilepsy[FN#28] brought on by her fear of him, and by her suddenly
being startled. Then the Prince put his mouth to her ear and said to
her, "O Shams al-Nahar, O seduction of the universe, have a care for
thy life and mine and be patient and constant; for this our position
needeth sufferance and skilful contrivance to make shift for our
delivery from the tyrannical King. My first move will be now to go out
to him and tell him that thou art possessed of a Jinn and hence thy
madness; but that I will engage to heal thee and drive away the evil
spirit, if he will at once unbind thy bonds. So when he cometh in to
thee, do thou speak him smooth words, that he may think I have cured
thee, and all will be done for us as we desire." Quoth she, "Hearkening
and obedience;" and he went out to the King in joy and gladness, and
said to him, "O august King, I have, by thy good fortune, discovered
her disease and its remedy, and have cured her for thee. So now do thou
go in to her and speak her softly and treat her kindly, and promise her
what may please her; so shall all thou desirest of her be accomplished
to thee."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Seventieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Prince
feigned himself a leach and went in to the damsel and made himself
known to her and told her how he purposed to deliver her, she cried
"Hearkening and obedience!" He then fared forth from her and sought the
King and said, "Go thou in to her and speak her softly and promise her
what may please her; so shall all thou desirest of her be accomplished
to thee." Thereupon the King went in to her and when she saw him, she
rose and kissing the ground before him, bade him welcome and said, "I
admire how thou hast come to visit thy handmaid this day;" whereat he
was ready to fly for joy and bade the waiting-women and the eunuchs
attend her and carry her to the Hammam and make ready for her dresses
and adornment. So they went in to her and saluted her, and she returned
their salams with the goodliest language and after the pleasantest
fashion; whereupon they clad her in royal apparel and, clasping a
collar of jewels about her neck, carried her to the bath and served her
there. Then they brought her forth, as she were the full moon; and,
when she came into the King's presence, she saluted him and kissed
ground before him; whereupon he joyed in her with joy exceeding and
said to the Prince, "O Sage, O philosopher, all this is of thy
blessing. Allah increase to us the benefit of thy healing
breath!"[FN#29] The Prince replied, "O King, for the completion of her
cure it behoveth that thou go forth, thou and all thy troops and
guards, to the place where thou foundest her, not forgetting the beast
of black wood which was with her; for therein is a devil; and, unless I
exorcise him, he will return to her and afflict her at the head of
every month." "With love and gladness," cried the King, "O thou Prince
of all philosophers and most learned of all who see the light of day."
Then he brought out the ebony horse to the meadow in question and rode
thither with all his troops and the Princess, little weeting the
purpose of the Prince. Now when they came to the appointed place, the
Prince, still habited as a leach, bade them set the Princess and the
steed as far as eye could reach from the King and his troops, and said
to him, "With thy leave, and at thy word, I will now proceed to the
fumigations and conjurations, and here imprison the adversary of
mankind, that he may never more return to her. After this, I shall
mount this wooden horse which seemeth to be made of ebony, and take the
damsel up behind me; whereupon it will shake and sway to and fro and
fare forwards, till it come to thee, when the affair will be at an end;
and after this thou mayst do with her as thou wilt." When the King
heard his words, he rejoiced with extreme joy; so the Prince mounted
the horse and, taking the damsel up behind him, whilst the King and his
troops watched him, bound her fast to him. Then he turned the
ascending-pin and the horse took flight and soared with them high in
air, till they disappeared from every eye. After this the King abode
half the day, expecting their return; but they returned not. So when he
despaired of them, repenting him greatly of that which he had done and
grieving sore for the loss of the damsel, he went back to the city with
his troops. He then sent for the Persian who was in prison and said to
him, "O thou traitor, O thou villian, why didst thou hide from me the
mystery of the ebony horse? And now a sharper hath come to me and hath
carried it off, together with a slave-girl whose ornaments are worth a
mint of money, and I shall never see anyone or anything of them again!"
So the Persian related to him all his past, first and last, and the
King was seized with a fit of fury which well-nigh ended his life. He
shut himself up in his palace for a while, mourning and afflicted; but
at last his Wazirs came in to him and applied themselves to comfort
him, saying, "Verily, he who took the damsel is an enchanter, and
praised be Allah who hath delivered thee from his craft and sorcery!"
And they ceased not from him, till he was comforted for her loss. Thus
far concerning the King; but as for the Prince, he continued his career
towards his father's capital in joy and cheer, and stayed not till he
alighted on his own palace, where he set the lady in safety; after
which he went in to his father and mother and saluted them and
acquainted them with her coming, whereat they were filled with solace
and gladness. Then he spread great banquets for the towns-folk,—And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted
say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Seventy-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King's son
spread great banquets for the towns-folk and they held high festival a
whole month, at the end of which time he went in to the Princess and
they took their joy of each other with exceeding joy. But his father
brake the ebony horse in pieces and destroyed its mechanism for flight;
moreover the Prince wrote a letter to the Princess's father, advising
him of all that had befallen her and informing him how she was now
married to him and in all health and happiness, and sent it by a
messenger, together with costly presents and curious rarities. And when
the messenger arrived at the city which was Sana'a and delivered the
letter and the presents to the King, he read the missive and rejoiced
greatly thereat and accepted the presents, honouring and rewarding the
bearer handsomely. Moreover, he forwarded rich gifts to his son-in-law
by the same messenger, who returned to his master and acquainted him
with what had passed; whereat he was much cheered. And after this the
Prince wrote a letter every year to his father-in-law and sent him
presents till, in course of time, his sire King Sabur deceased and he
reigned in his stead, ruling justly over his lieges and conducting
himself well and righteously towards them, so that the land submitted
to him and his subjects did him loyal service; and Kamar al-Akmar and
his wife Shams al-Nahar abode in the enjoyment of all satisfaction and
solace of life, till there came to them the Destroyer of deligights and
Sunderer of societies; the Plunderer of palaces, the Caterer for
cemeteries and the Garnerer of graves. And now glory be to the Living
One who dieth not and in whose hand is the dominion of the worlds
visible and invisible! Moreover I have heard tell the tale of
UNS AL-WUJUD AND THE WAZIR'S DAUGHTER AL-WARD FI'L-AKMAM OR
ROSE-IN-HOOD.[FN#30]