made merry. Then he brought them somewhat of fruit, and they ate and
drank and slept with him till the morning, when they donned their
feather-suits, and resuming dove shape flew off and went their way. But
as he saw them disappearing from sight, his reason well nigh fled with
them, and he gave a great cry and fell down in a fainting fit and lay
a-swooning all that day. While he was in this case Shaykh Nasr returned
from the Parliament of the Fowls and sought for Janshah, that he might
send him with them to his native land, but found him not and knew that
he had entered the forbidden room. Now he had already said to the
birds, 'With me is a young man, a mere youth, whom destiny brought
hither from a distant land; and I desire of you that ye take him up and
carry him to his own country.' And all answered, 'We hear and we obey.'
So he ceased not searching for Janshah till he came to the forbidden
door and seeing it open he entered and found the Prince lying a-swoon
under a tree. He fetched scented waters and sprinkled them on his face,
whereupon he revived and turned."— And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Tenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "when Shaykh Nasr
saw Janshah lying a-swoon under the tree he fetched him somewhat of
scented waters and sprinkled them on his face. Thereupon he revived and
turned right and left, but seeing none by him save the Shaykh, sighed
heavily and repeated these couplets,
'Like fullest moon she shines on happiest night, * Soft sided
fair, with slender shape bedight.
Her eye-babes charm the world with gramarye; * Her lips remind of
rose and ruby light.
Her jetty locks make night upon her hips; * Ware, lovers, ware ye
of that curl's despight!
Yea, soft her sides are, but in love her heart * Outhardens
flint, surpasses syenite:
And bows of eyebrows shower glancey shafts * Despite the distance
never fail to smite.
Then, ah, her beauty! all the fair it passes; * Nor any rival her
who see the light.'
When Shaykh Nasr heard these verses, he said, 'O my son, did I not warn
thee not to open that door and enter that room? But now, O my son, tell
me what thou sawest therein and acquaint me with all that betided
thee.' So Janshah related to him all that had passed between him and
the three maidens, and Shaykh Nasr, who sat listening in silence said,
'Know, O my son, that these three maidens are of the daughters of the
Jann and come hither every year for a day, to divert themselves and
make merry until mid afternoon, when they return to their own country.'
Janshah asked, 'And where is their country?'; and the old man answered,
'By Allah, O my son, I wot not:' presently adding, 'but now take heart
and put away this love from thee and come with me, that I may send thee
to thine own land with the birds.' When Janshah heard this, he gave a
great cry and fell down in a trance; and presently he came to himself,
and said, 'O my father indeed I care not to return to my native land:
all I want is to foregather with these maidens and know, O my father,
that I will never again name my people, though I die before thee.' Then
he wept and cried, 'Enough for me that I look upon the face of her I
love, although it be only once in the year!' And he sighed deeply and
repeated these couplets,
'Would Heaven the Phantom[FN#548] spared the friend at night *
And would this love for man were ever dight!
Were not my heart afire for love of you, * Tears ne'er had
stained my cheeks nor dimmed my sight.
By night and day, I bid my heart to bear * Its griefs, while
fires of love my body blight.'
Then he fell at Shaykh Nasr's feet and kissed them and wept sore,
crying, 'Have pity on me, so Allah take pity on thee and aid me in my
strait so Allah aid thee!' Replied the old man, 'By Allah O my son, I
know nothing of these maidens nor where may be their country; but, O my
son, if thy heart be indeed set on one of them, tarry with me till this
time next year for they will assuredly reappear; and, when the day of
their coming draweth near, hide thyself under a tree in the garden. As
soon as they have alighted and doffed their feather-robes and plunged
into the lake and are swimming about at a distance from their clothes,
seize the vest of her whom thy soul desireth. When they see thee, they
will come a bank and she, whose coat thou hast taken, will accost thee
and say to thee with the sweetest of speech and the most witching of
smiles, 'Give me my dress, O my brother, that I may don it and veil my
nakedness withal.' But if thou yield to her prayer and give her back
the vest thou wilt never win thy wish: nay, she will don it and fly
away to her folk and thou wilt nevermore see her again Now when thou
hast gained the vest, clap it under thine armpit and hold it fast, till
I return from the Parliament of the Fowls, when I will make accord
between thee and her and send thee back to thy native land, and the
maiden with thee. And this, O my son, is all I can do for thee, nothing
more.' "—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eleventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "quoth Shaykh
Nasr to Janshah, 'Hold fast the feather-robe of her thy soul desireth
and give it not back to her till I return from the Parliament of the
Fowls. And this, O my son, is all I can do for thee, nothing more.'
When Janshah heard this, his heart was solaced and he abode with Shaykh
Nasr yet another year, counting the days as they passed until the day
of the coming of the birds. And when at last the appointed time arrived
the old man said to him, 'Do as I enjoined thee and charged thee with
the maidens in the matter of the feather-dress, for I go to meet the
birds;' and Janshah replied, 'I hear and I obey, O my father.' Then the
Shaykh departed whilst the Prince walked into the garden and hid
himself under a tree, where none could see him. Here he abode a first
day and a second and a third, but the maidens came not; whereat he was
sore troubled and wept and sighed from a heart hard tried; and he
ceased not weeping and wailing till he fainted away. When he came to
himself, he fell to looking now at the basin and now at the welkin, and
anon at the earth and anon at the open country, whilst his heart
grieved for stress of love-longing. As he was in this case, behold, the
three doves appeared in the firmament, eagle-sized as before, and flew
till they reached the garden and lighted down beside the basin. They
turned right and left; but saw no one, man or Jann; so they doffed
their feather-suits and became three maidens. Then they plunged into
the basin and swam about, laughing and frolicking; and all were
mother-naked and fair as bars of virgin silver. Quoth the eldest, 'O my
sister, I fear lest there be some one lying ambushed for us in the
pavilion. Answered the second, 'O sister, since the days of King
Solomon none hath entered the pavilion, be he man or Jann;' and the
youngest added, laughing, 'By Allah, O my sisters, if there be any
hidden there, he will assuredly take none but me.' Then they continued
sporting and laughing and Janshah's heart kept fluttering for stress of
passion: but he hid behind the tree so that he saw without being seen.
Presently they swam out to the middle of the basin leaving their
clothes on the bank. Hereupon he sprang to his feet, and running like
the darting levee to the basin's brink, snatched up the feather-vest of
the youngest damsel, her on whom his heart was set and whose name was
Shamsah the Sun-maiden. At this the girls turned and seeing him, were
affrighted and veiled their shame from him in the water. Then they swam
near the shore and looking on his favour saw that he was bright faced
as the moon on the night of fullness and asked him, 'Who art thou and
how camest thou hither and why hast thou taken the clothes of the lady
Shamsah?'; and he answered, 'Come hither to me and I will tell you my
tale.' Quoth Shamsah, 'What deed is this, and why hast thou taken my
clothes, rather than those of my sisters?' Quoth he, 'O light of mine
eyes, come forth of the water, and I will recount thee my case and
acquaint thee why I chose thee out.' Quoth she, 'O my lord and coolth
of my eyes and fruit of my heart, give me my clothes, that I may put
them on and cover my nakedness withal; then will I come forth to thee.'
But he replied, 'O Princess of beautiful ones, how can I give thee back
thy clothes and slay myself for love longing? Verily, I will not give
them to thee, till Shaykh Nasr, the king of the birds, shall return.'
Quoth she, 'If thou wilt not give me my clothes withdraw a little apart
from us, that my sisters may land and dress themselves and lend me
somewhat wherewithal to cover my shame.' 'I hear and obey,' answered
he, and walked away from them into the pavilion, whereupon the three
Princesses came out and the two elder, donning their dress, gave
Shamsah somewhat thereof, not enough to fly withal, and she put it on
and came forth of the water, and stood before him, as she were the
rising full moon or a browsing gazelle. Then Shamsah entered the
pavilion, where Janshah was still sitting on the throne; so she saluted
him and taking seat near him, said, 'O fair of face, thou hast undone
thyself and me; but tell us thy adventures that we may ken how it is
with thee.' At these words he wept till he drenched his dress with his
tears; and when she saw that he was distracted for love of her, she
rose and taking him by the hand, made him sit by her side and wiped
away the drops with her sleeve; and said she, 'O fair of face, leave
this weeping and tell us thy tale.' So he related to her all that had
befallen him and described to her all he had seen,"—And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Twelfth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "the lady
Shamsah said to Janshah, 'Tell us thy tale;' so he related to her all
that had befallen him; and, after she had lent attentive ear she sighed
and said, 'O my lord, since thou art so fondly in love with me, give me
my dress, that I may fly to my folk, I and my sisters, and tell them
what affection thou hast conceived for me, and after I will come back
to thee and carry thee to thine own country.' When he heard this, he
wept sore and replied, 'Is it lawful to thee before Allah to slay me
wrongfully?' She asked, 'O my lord, why should I do such wrongous
deed?'; and he answered, 'If I give thee thy gear thou wilt fly away
from me, and I shall die forthright.' Princess Shamsah laughed at this
and so did her sisters; then said she to him, 'Be of good cheer and
keep thine eyes cool and clear, for I must needs marry thee.' So
saying, she bent down to him and embraced him and pressing him to her
breast kissed him between the eyes and on his cheeks. They clipped and
clasped each other awhile, after which they drew apart and sat down on
the throne. Then the eldest Princess went out into the garden and,
plucking somewhat of fruits and flowers, brought them into the
pavilion; and they ate and drank and laughed and sported and made
merry. Now Janshah was singular in beauty and loveliness and slender
shape and symmetry and grace, and the Princess Shamsah said to him, 'O
my beloved, by Allah, I love thee with exceeding love and will never
leave thee!' When he heard her words, his breast broadened and he
laughed for joy till he showed his teeth; and they abode thus awhile in
mirth and gladness and frolic. And when they were at the height of
their pleasure and joyance, behold, Shaykh Nasr returned from the
Parliament of the Fowls and came in to them; whereupon they all rose to
him and saluted him and kissed his hands. He gave them welcome and bade
them be seated. So they sat down and he said to Princess Shamsah,
'Verily this youth loveth thee with exceeding love; Allah upon thee,
deal kindly with him, for he is of the great ones of mankind and of the
sons of the kings, and his father ruleth over the land of Kabul and his
reign compasseth a mighty empire.' Quoth she, 'I hear and I obey thy
behest'; and, kissing the Shaykh's hands stood before him in respect.
Quoth he, 'If thou say sooth, swear to me by Allah that thou wilt never
betray him, what while thou abidest in the bonds of life.' So she swore
a great oath that she would never betray Janshah, but would assuredly
marry him, and added, 'Know, O Shaykh Nasr, that I never will forsake
him.' The Shaykh believed in her oath and said to Janshah, 'Thanks be
to Allah, who hath made you arrive at this understanding!' Hereupon the
Prince rejoiced with exceeding joy, and he and Shamsah abode three
months with Shaykh Nasr, feasting and toying and making merry."— And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted
say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Thirteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that, "Janshah and the
lady Shamsah abode three months with Shaykh Nasr, feasting and toying
and making merry. And at the end of that time she said to Janshah, 'I
wish to go with thee to thy mother land, where thou shalt marry me and
we will abide there.' 'To hear is to obey,' answered he and took
counsel with Shaykh Nasr who said to him, 'Go thou home, I commend her
to thy care.' Then said she, 'O Shaykh Nasr, bid him render me my
feather-suit.' So the Shaykh bade Janshah give it to her, and he went
straightways into the pavilion and brought it out for her. There upon
she donned it and said to him, 'Mount my back and shut thine eyes and
stop thine ears, so thou mayst not hear the roar of the revolving
sphere; and keep fast hold of my feathers, lest thou fall off.' He did
as she bade him and, as she stretched her wings to fly, Shaykh Nasr
said, 'Wait a while till I describe to thee the land Kabul, lest you
twain miss your way.' So she delayed till he had said his say and had
bidden them farewell, commending the Prince to her care. She took leave
of her sisters and bade them return to her folk and tell them what had
befallen her with Janshah; then, rising into the air without stay or
delay she flew off, like the wafts of the wind or the ramping leven.
Her sisters also took flight and returning home delivered her message
to their people. And she stayed not her course from the forenoon till
the hour of mid- afternoon prayer (Janshah being still on her back),
when she espied afar off a Wady abounding in trees and streams and she
said to Janshah, 'I am thinking to alight in this valley, that we may
solace ourselves amongst its trees and herbage and here rest for the
night.' Quoth he, "Do what seemeth meet to thee!' So she swooped down
from the lift and alighted in the Wady, when Janshah dismounted and
kissing her between the eyes,[FN#549] sat with her awhile on the bank
of a river there; then they rose and wandered about the valley, taking
their pleasure therein and eating of the fruits of the trees, until
nightfall, when they lay down under a tree and slept till the morning
dawned. As soon as it was day, the Princess arose and, bidding Janshah
mount, flew on with him till noon, when she perceived by the appearance
of the buildings which Shaykh Nasr had described to her, that they were
nearing the city Kabul. So she swooped down from the welkin and
alighted in a wide plain, a blooming champaign, wherein were gazelles
straying and springs playing and rivers flowing and ripe fruits
growing. So Janshah dismounted and kissed her between the eyes; and she
asked him, 'O my beloved and coolth of mine eyes, knowest thou how many
days' journey we have come since yesterday?'; and he answered, 'No,'
when she said, 'We have come thirty months' journey.' Quoth he,
'Praised be Allah for safety!' Then they sat down side by side and ate
and drank and toyed and laughed. And whilst they were thus pleasantly
engaged, behold, there came up to them two of the King's Mamelukes of
those who had been of the Prince's company, one of them was he whom he
had left with the horses, when he embarked in the fishing-boat and the
other had been of his escort in the chase. As soon as they saw Janshah,
both knew him and saluted him; then said they, 'With thy leave, we will
go to thy sire and bear him the glad tidings of thy coming.' Replied
the Prince, 'Go ye to my father and acquaint him with my case, and
fetch us tents, for we will tarry here seven days to rest ourselves
till he make ready his retinue to meet us, that we may enter in
stateliest state.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Fourteenth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "Janshah
said to the two Mamelukes, 'Go ye to my sire and acquaint him with my
case and fetch us tents, for we will abide here seven days to rest
ourselves, till he make ready his retinue to meet us that we may enter
in the stateliest state.' So the officers hastened back to King Teghmus
and said to him, 'Good news, O King of the age!' Asked he, 'What good
tidings bring ye: is my son Janshah come back?'; and they answered,
'Yes, thy son Janshah hath returned from his strangerhood and is now
near at hand in the Kirαnν mead.' Now when the King heard this, he
joyed with great joy and fell down in a swoon for excess of gladness;
then, coming to himself, he bade his Wazir give each of the Mamelukes a
splendid suit of honour and a sum of money. The minister replied, 'I
hear and obey,' and forthright did his bidding and said to them, 'Take
this in turn for the good tidings ye bring, whether ye lie or say
sooth.' They replied, 'Indeed we lie not, for but now we sat with him
and saluted him and kissed his hands and he bade us fetch him tents,
for that he would sojourn in the meadow seven days, till such time as
the Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees should come out to meet him.' Quoth
the King, 'How is it with my son?' and quoth they, 'He hath with him a
Houri, as he had brought her out of Paradise.' At this, King Teghmus
bade beat the kettledrums and sound the trumpets for gladness, and
despatched messengers to announce the good news to Janshah's mother and
to the wives of the Emirs and Wazirs and Lords of the realm: so the
criers spread themselves about the city and acquainted the people with
the coming of Prince Janshah. Then the King made ready, and, setting
out for the Kirani meadow with his horsemen and footmen, came upon
Janshah who was sitting at rest with the lady Shamsah beside him and,
behold, all suddenly drew in sight. The Prince rose to his feet and
walked forward to meet them; and the troops knew him and dismounted, to
salute him and kiss his hands: after which he set out preceded by the
men in single file till he came to his sire, who, at sight of his son
threw himself from his horse's back and clasped him to his bosom and
wept flooding tears of joy. Then they took horse again with the retinue
riding to the right and left and fared forward till they came to the
river banks; when the troops alighted and pitched their tents and
pavilions and standards to the blare of trump and the piping of fife
and the dub-a-dub of drum and tom-tom. Moreover the King bade the tent
pitchers set up a pavilion of red silk for the Princess Shamsah, who
put off her scanty raiment of feathers for fine robes and, entering the
pavilion, there took seat. And as she sat in her beauty, behold, the
King and his son Janshah came in to her, and when she saw Teghmus, she
rose and kissed the ground before him. The King sat down and seating
Janshah on his right hand and Princess Shamsah on his left, bade her
welcome and said to his son, 'Tell me all that hath befallen thee in
this thy long strangerhood.' So Janshah related to him the whole of his
adventures from first to last, whereat he marvelled with exceeding
marvel and turning to the Princess, said, 'Laud to Allah for that He
hath caused thee to reunite me with my son! Verily this is of His
exceeding bounty!'"[FN#550]—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Fifteenth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "King Teghmus
said to the lady Shamsah, 'Laud to Allah for that He hath caused thee
to reunite me with my son! Verily this is of His exceeding bounty.' And
now I would have thee ask of me what thou wilt, that I may do it in
thine honour.' Quoth she, 'I ask of thee that thou build me a palace in
the midst of a flower garden, with water running under it.' And the
King answered, 'I hear and obey.' And behold, up came Janshah's mother,
attended by all the wives of the Wazirs and Emirs and nobles and city
notables. When her son had sight of her, he rose and leaving the tent,
went forth to meet her and they embraced a long while, whilst the Queen
wept for excess of joy and with tears trickling from her eyes repeated
the following verses,
'Joy so o'ercometh me, for stress of joy * In that which
gladdeneth me I fain shed tears:
Tears are become your nature, O my eyes, * Who weep for joyance
as for griefs and fears.'
And they complained to each other of all their hearts had suffered from
the long separation. Then the King departed to his pavilion and Janshah
carried his mother to his own tent, where they sat talking till there
came up some of the lady Shamsah's attendants who said, The Princess is
now walking hither in order to salute thee. When the Queen heard this,
she rose and going to meet Shamsah, saluted her and seated her awhile
by her side. Presently the Queen and her retinue of noble women, the
spouses of the Emirs and Grandees, returned with Princess Shamsah to
the tent occupied by her daughter-in-law and sat there. Meanwhile, King
Teghmus gave great largesse to his levies and liege and rejoiced in his
son with exceeding joy, and they tarried there ten days, feasting and
merry making and living a most joyous life. At the end of this time,
the King commanded a march and they all returned to the capital, so he
took horse surrounded by all the troops with the Wazirs and
Chamberlains to his right and left nor ceased they faring till they
entered the city, which was decorated after the goodliest fashion; for
the folk had adorned the houses with precious stuffs and jewellery and
spread costly bro cedes under the hoofs of the horses. The drums beat
for glad tidings and the Grandees of the kingdom rejoiced and brought
rich gifts and the lookers-on were filled with amazement. Furthermore,
they fed the mendicants and Fakirs and held high festival for the space
of ten days, and the lady Shamsah joyed with exceeding joy whenas she
saw this. Then King Teghmus summoned architects and builders and men of
art and bade them build a palace in that garden. So they straightway
proceeded to do his bidding; and, when Janshah knew of his sire's
command he caused the artificers to fetch a block of white marble and
carve it and hollow it in the semblance of a chest; which being done he
took the feather- vest of Princess Shamsah wherewith she had flown with
him through the air: then, sealing the cover with melted lead, he
ordered them to bury the box in the foundations and build over it the
arches whereon the palace was to rest. They did as he bade them, nor
was it long before the palace was finished: then they furnished it and
it was a magnificent edifice, standing in the midst of the garden, with
streams flowing under its walls.[FN#551] Upon this the King caused
Janshah's wedding to be celebrated with the greatest splendour and they
brought the bride to the castle in state procession and went their
ways. When the lady Shamsah entered, she smelt the scent of her
feather-gear."— And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Sixteenth Night,