let down the litter at the capital of King Teghmus who had been routed
and had fled from his foes into the city, where he was in sore straits,
King Kafid having laid close siege to him. He sought to save himself by
making peace with the King of Hind, but his enemy would give him no
quarter; so seeing himself without resource or means of relief, he
determined to strangle himself and to die and be at rest from this
trouble and misery. Accordingly he bade his Wazirs and Emirs farewell
and entered his house to take leave of his Harim; and the whole realm
was full of weeping and wailing and lamentation and woe. And whilst
this rout and hurly-burly was enacting, behold, the Marids descended
with the litter upon the palace that was in the citadel, and Janshah
bade them set it down in the midst of the Divan. They did his bidding
and he alighted with his company of handmaids and Mamelukes; and,
seeing all the folk of the city in straits and desolation and sore
distress, said to the Princess, 'O love of my heart and coolth of mine
eyes, look in what a piteous plight is my sire!' There upon she bade
the Marid guard fall upon the beleaguering host and slay them, saying,
'Kill ye all, even to the last man;' and Janshah commanded one of them,
by name Karαtash,[FN#565] who was exceeding strong and valiant, to
bring King Kafid to him in chains. So they set down the litter and
covered it with the canopy; then, having waited till midnight, they
attacked the enemy's camp one of them being a match for ten; or at
least for eight. And while these smote the foes with iron maces, those
mounted their magical elephants and soared high in the lift, and then
swooping down and snatching up their opponents, tare them to pieces in
mid air. But Karatash made straight for Kafid's tent where he found him
lying in a couch; so he took him up, shrieking for fear, and flew with
him to Janshah, who bade the four Marids bind him on the litter and
hang him high in the air over his camp, that he might witness the
slaughter of his men. They did as the Prince commanded them and left
Kafid, who had swooned for fear, hanging between earth and air and
buffeting his face for grief. As for King Teghmus, when he saw his son,
he well-nigh died for excess of joy and, crying with a loud cry, fell
down in a swoon. They sprinkled rose-water on his face, till he came to
himself, when he and his son embraced and wept with sore weeping; for
he knew not that the Jinn guard were battling with King Kafid's men.
Then Princess Shamsah accosted the King and kissing his hand, said to
him, 'Sire, be pleased to go up with me to the palace-roof and witness
the slaughter of thy foes by my father's Marids.' So he went up to the
terrace-roof and sitting down there with his daughter-in-law, enjoyed
watching the Marids do havoc among the besiegers and break a way
through the length and breadth of them. For one of them smote with his
iron mace upon the elephants and their riders and pounded them till man
was not to be distinguished from beast; whilst another shouted in the
faces of those who fled, so that they fell down dead; and the third
caught up a score of horsemen, beasts and all; and, towering with them
high in air, cast them down on earth, so that they were torn in pieces.
And this was high enjoyment for Janshah and his father and the lady
Shamsah."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "King Teghmus and
his son and daughter-in-law went up to the terrace roof and enjoyed a
prospect of the Jinn-guards battling with the beleaguering host. And
King Kafid (still hanging between heaven and earth) also saw the
slaughter of his troops and wept sore and buffeted his face; nor did
the carnage cease among the army of Hind for two whole days, till they
were cut off even to the last man. Then Janshah commanded a Marid, by
name Shimwαl, chain up King Kafid with manacles and fetters, and
imprison him in a tower called the Black Bulwark. And when his bidding
was done, King Teghmus bade beat the drums and despatched messengers to
announce the glad news to Janshah's mother, informing her of his
approach; whereupon she mounted in great joy and she no sooner espied
her son than she clasped him in her arms and swooned away for stress of
gladness. They sprinkled rose-water on her face, till she came to
herself, when she embraced him again and again wept for excess of joy.
And when the lady Shamsah knew of her coming, she came to her and
saluted her; and they embraced each other and after remaining embraced
for an hour sat down to converse. Then King Teghmus threw open the city
gates and despatched couriers to all parts of the kingdom, to spread
the tidings of his happy deliverance; whereupon all his princely
Vassals and Emirs and the Grandees of the realm flocked to salute him
and give him joy of his victory and of the safe return of his son; and
they brought him great store of rich offerings and curious presents.
The visits and oblations continued for some time, after which the King
made a second and a more splendid bride-feast for the Princess Shamsah
and bade decorate the city and held high festival. Lastly they unveiled
and paraded the bride before Janshah, with apparel and ornaments of the
utmost magnificence, and when her bridegroom went in to her he
presented her with an hundred beautiful slave-girls to wait upon her.
Some days after this, the Princess repaired to the King and interceded
with him for Kafid, saying, 'Suffer him return to his own land, and if
henceforward he be minded to do thee a hurt, I will bid one of the
Jinn-guard snatch him up and bring him to thee.' Replied Teghmus, 'I
hear and I obey,' and bade Shimwal bring him the prisoner, who came
manacled and fettered and kissed earth between his hands. Then he
commanded to strike off his chains and, mounting him on a lame mare,
said to him, 'Verily Princess Shamsah hath interceded for thee: so
begone to thy kingdom, but if thou fall again to thine old tricks, she
will send one of the Marids to seize thee and bring thee hither.'
Thereupon King Kafid set off home wards, in the sorriest of
plights,"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Thirtieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "King Kafid set
off homewards in the sorriest of plights, whilst Janshah and his wife
abode in all solace and delight of life, making the most of its joyance
and happiness. All this recounted the youth sitting between the tombs
unto Bulukiya, ending with, 'And behold, I am Janshah who witnessed all
these things, O my brother, O Bulukiya!' Then Bulukiya who was
wandering the world in his love for Mohammed (whom Allah bless and
keep!) asked Janshah, 'O my brother, what be these two sepulchres and
why sittest thou between them and what causeth thy weeping?' He
answered, 'Know, O Bulukiya, that we abode in all solace and delight of
life, passing one year at home and the next at Takni, the Castle of
Jewels, whither we betook not ourselves but in the litter borne by the
Marids and flying between heaven and earth.' Quoth Bulukiya, 'O my
brother, O Janshah, what was the distance between the Castle and thy
home?' Quoth he, 'Every day we accomplished a journey of thirty months
and the time we took was ten days. We abode on this wise a many of
years till, one year we set out for the Castle of Jewels, as was our
wont, and on the way thither alighted from the litter in this island to
rest and take our pleasure therein. We sat down on the riverbank and
ate and drank; after which the Lady Shamsah, having a mind to bathe,
put off her clothes and plunged into the water. Her women did likewise
and they swam about awhile, whilst I walked on along the bank of the
stream leaving them to swim about and play with one another. And
behold, a huge shark of the monsters of the deep seized the Princess by
the leg, without touching any of the girls; and she cried out and died
forthright, whilst the damsels fled out of the river to the pavilion,
to escape from the shark. But after awhile they returned and taking up
her corpse carried her to the litter. Now when I saw her dead, I fell
down fainting and they sprinkled water on my face, till I recovered and
wept over her. Then I despatched the Jinn-guards to her parents and
family, announcing what had befallen her; and in the shortest time they
came to the spot and washed her and shrouded her, after which they
buried her by the river-side and made mourning for her. They would have
carried me with them to their own country; but I said to King Shahlan,
'I beseech thee to dig me a grave beside her tomb, that, when I die, I
may be buried by her side in that grave.' Accordingly, the King
commanded one of his Marids to do as I wished, after which they
departed and left me here to weep and mourn for her till I die. And
this is my story and the cause of my sojourn between these two tombs.'
And he repeated these two couplets,[FN#566]
'The house, sweet heart, is now no home to me * Since thou art
gone, nor neighbour neighbourly,
The friend whilom I took to heart, no more * Is friend, and
brightest lights lose brilliancy.'
But when Bulukiya heard out Janshah's tale he marvelled,"—And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "when Bulukiya
heard out Janshah's tale he wondered and exclaimed, 'By Allah,
methought I had indeed wandered over the world and compassed it about;
but now I forget all I have seen after listening to these adventures of
thine!' He was silent a while and then resumed, 'I beg thee, of thy
favour and courtesy, to direct me in the way of safety.' So Janshah
directed him into the right road, and Bulukiya farewelled him and went
his ways." All this the Serpent-queen related to Hasib Karim al-Din,
and he asked her, "But how knowest thou of these things?"; and she
answered, "O Hasib, thou must ken that I had occasion, some five-
and-twenty years ago, to send one of my largest serpents to Egypt and
gave her a letter for Bulukiya, saluting him. So she went there
willingly for she had a daughter in the land called Bint
Shumukh[FN#567]; and after asking anent Bulukiya she found him and gave
him my missive. He read it and replied to the messenger snake, 'Thou
comest from the Queen of the Serpents whom I am minded to visit for I
have an occasion to her.' She replied, 'I hear and obey.' Then she bore
him to her daughter of whom she took leave and said to her companion,
'Close thine eyes.' So he closed them and opening them again, behold,
he found himself on the mountain where I now am. Then his guide carried
him to a great serpent, whom he saluted; whereupon quoth she, 'Didst
thou deliver the missive to Bulukiya?'; and she replied, 'Even so; and
he hath accompanied me and here he standeth.' Presently Bulukiya asked
after me, the Serpent-queen, and the great serpent answered, 'She hath
gone to the mountain Kaf with all her host, as is her wont in winter;
but next summer she will come hither again. As often as she goeth
thither, she appointeth me to reign in her room, during her absence;
and if thou have any occasion to her, I will accomplish it for thee.'
Said he, 'I beg thee to bring me the herb, which whoso crusheth and
drinketh the juice thereof, sickeneth not neither groweth grey nor
dieth.' 'I will not bring it,' said the serpent, 'till thou tell me
what befell thee since thou leftest the Queen of the Serpents, to go
with Affan in quest of King Solomon's tomb.' So he related to her all
his travels and adventures, together with the history of Janshah, and
said at last, 'Grant me my request, that I may return to mine own
country.' Replied the serpent, 'By the virtue of the lord Solomon, I
know not where is to be found the herb whereof thou speakest.' Then she
bade the serpent which had brought him thither, carry him back to
Egypt: so the messenger obeyed her and said to him, 'Shut thine eyes!'
He did so and, opening them again, found himself on the mountain
Mukattam.[FN#568] When I returned from the mountain Kaf (added the
Queen) the serpent, my deputy, informed me of Bulukiya's visit and gave
me his salutations and repeated to me his story and his meeting with
Janshah. And this, O Hasib, is how I came to know the adventures of
Bulukiya and the history of Janshah." Thereupon Hasib said to her, "O
Queen, deign recount to me what befell Bulukiya as regards his return
to Egypt." She replied, "Know, O Hasib, that when he parted from
Janshah he fared on nights and days till he came to a great sea; so he
anointed his feet with the juice of the magical herb and, walking over
the face of the waters, sped onwards till he came to an island
abounding in trees and springs and fruits, as it were the Garden of
Eden. He landed and walked about, till he saw an immense tree, with
leaves as big as the sails of a ship. So he went up to the tree and
found under it a table spread with all manner meats, whilst on a branch
of the branches sat a great bird, whose body was of pearls and leek-
green emeralds, its feet of silver, its beak of red carnelian and its
plumery of precious metals; and it was engaged in singing the praises
of Allah the Most High and blessing Mohammed (on whom be benediction
and peace!)"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "when Bulukiya
landed and walked about the island he found therein many marvels,
especially a bird whose body was of pearls and leek green emeralds and
its plumery of precious metals; and it was engaged in singing the
praises of Allah the Most High and blessing Mohammed (upon whom be
benediction and peace!). Seeing this he said, 'Who and what art thou?'
Quoth the bird, 'I am one of the birds of Eden and followed Adam when
Allah Almighty cast him out thence. And know, O my brother, that Allah
also cast out with him four leaves of the trees of the garden to cover
his nakedness withal, and they fell to the ground after awhile. One of
them was eaten by a worm, and of it came silk: the gazelles ate the
second and thence proceeded musk, the third was eaten by bees and gave
rise to honey, whilst the fourth fell in the land of Hind and from it
sprang all manner of spices. As for me, I wandered over the face of
earth till Allah deigned give me this island for a dwelling-place, and
I took up my abode here. And every Friday from night till morning the
Saints and Princes[FN#569] of the Faith flock to this place and make
pious visitation and eat from this table spread by Allah Almighty; and
after they have eaten, the table is taken up again to Heaven: nor doth
the food ever waste or corrupt.' So Bulukiya ate his fill of the meats
and praised the Great Creator. And presently, behold, there came up
Al-Khizr[FN#570] (with whom be peace!), at sight of whom Bulukiya rose
and saluting him, was about to withdraw, when the bird said to him,
'Sit, O Bulukiya, in the presence of Al-Khizr, on whom be peace!' So he
sat down again, and Al-Khizr said to him, 'Let me know who thou art and
tell me thy tale.' Thereupon Bulukiya related to him all his adventures
from beginning to end and asked, 'O my lord, how far is it hence to
Cairo?' 'Five and ninety years' journey,' replied the Prophet;
whereupon Bulukiya burst into tears; then, falling at Al-Khizr's feet,
kissed them and said to him, 'I beseech thee deliver me from this
strangerhood and thy reward be with Allah, for that I am nigh upon
death and know not what to do.' Quoth Al-Khizr, 'Pray to Allah Almighty
that He permit me to carry thee to Cairo, ere thou perish.' So Bulukiya
wept and humbled himself before Allah who granted his prayer, and by
inspiration bade Al-Khizr bear him to his people. Then said the
Prophet, 'Lift thy head, for Allah hath heard thy prayer and hath
inspired me to do what thou desires; so take fast hold of me with both
thy hands and shut thine eyes.' The Prince did as he was bidden and
Al-Khizr stepped a single step forwards, then said to him, 'Open thine
eyes!' So Bulukiya opened his eyes and found himself at the door of his
palace at Cairo. He turned, to take leave of Al-Khizr, but found no
trace of him."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "when Bulukiya,
standing at the gate of his palace, turned to take leave of Al-Khizr,
he found no trace of him and entered the palace. When his mother saw
him, she cried with a loud cry and swooned away for excess of joy, and
they sprinkled water upon her face. After awhile she came to herself
and embraced her son and wept with sore weeping, whilst Bulukiya wept
and laughed by turns. Then all his friends and kindred came and gave
him joy of his safe return, and the news was noised abroad in the land
and there came to him presents from all parts. Moreover, they beat the
drums and blew the flutes and rejoiced mightily. Then Bulukiya related
to them his adventures ending with recounting how Al-Khizr had set him
down at his palace door, whereat they marvelled exceedingly and wept,
till all were a-weary of weeping." Hasib wondered at the Queen's tale
and shed many tears over it; then he again besought her to let him
return to his family; but she said, "I fear me, O Hasib, that when thou
gettest back to thy country thou wilt fail of thy promise and prove
traitor to thine oath and enter the Hammam." But he swore to her
another solemn oath that he would never again enter the baths as long
as he lived; whereupon she called a serpent and bade her carry him up
to the surface of the earth. So the serpent took him and led him from
place to place, till she brought him out on the platform-edge of an
abandoned cistern and there left him. Upon this he walked to the city
and, coming to his house by the last of the day, at the yellowing of
the sun, knocked at the door. His mother opened it and seeing her son
screamed out and threw herself upon him and wept for excess of joy. His
wife heard her mother-in-law weeping; so she came out to her and seeing
her husband, saluted him and kissed his hands; and each rejoiced in
other with exceeding joy of all three. Then they entered the house and
sat down to converse and presently Hasib asked his mother of the
woodcutters, who had left him to perish in the cistern. Quoth she,
"They came and told me that a wolf had eaten thee in the Wady. As for
them, they are become merchants and own houses and shops, and the world
is grown wide for them. But every day they bring me meat and drink, and
thus have they done until the present time." Quoth Hasib, "To-morrow do
thou go to them and say, "My son Hasib Karim al-Din hath returned from
his travels; so come ye to meet him and salute him." Accordingly, when
morning dawned, she repaired to the woodcutters' houses and delivered
to them her son's message, which when they heard, they changed colour,
and saying, "We hear and obey," gave her each a suit of silk,
embroidered with gold, adding, "Present this to thy good son[FN#571]
and tell him that we will be with him to-morrow." She assented and
returning to Hasib gave him their presents and message. Meanwhile, the
woodcutters called together a number of merchants and, acquainting them
with all that had passed between themselves and Hasib, took counsel
with them what they should do. Quoth the merchants, "It behoveth each
one of you to give him half his monies and Mamelukes." And they all
agreed to do this; so on the next day, each of them took half his
wealth and, going in to Hasib, saluted him and kissed his hands. Then
they laid before him what they had brought, saying, "This is of thy
bounties, and we are in thy hands." He accepted their peace- offering
and said, "What is past is past: that which befell us was decreed of
Allah, and destiny doeth away with dexterity." Quoth they, "Come, let
us walk about and take our solace in the city and visit the Hammam."
Quoth he, "Not so: I have taken an oath never again to enter the baths,
so long as I live." Rejoined they, at least come to our homes that we
may entertain thee." He agreed to this, and went to their houses and
each of them entertained him for a night and a day; nor did they cease
to do thus for a whole sennight, being seven in number. And now Hasib
was master of monies and houses and shops, and the merchants of the
city foregathered with him and he told them all that had befallen him.
He became one of the chiefs of the guild and abode on this wise awhile,
till it happened one day, as he was walking about the streets, that he
passed the door of a Hammam, whose keeper was one of his companions.
When the bathman, who was standing without, caught his eye he ran up to
him and saluted him and embraced him, saying, "Favour me by entering
the bath and there wash and be rubbed that I may show thee
hospitality." Hasib refused, alleging that he had taken a solemn oath
never again to enter the Hammam; but the bathman was instant with him,
saying, "Be my three wives triply divorced, can thou enter not and be
washed!" When Hasib heard him thus conjure him, he was confounded and
replied, "O my brother, hast thou a mind to ruin my house and make my
children orphans and lay a load of sin upon my neck?" But his friend
threw himself at his feet and kissed them, saying, "My happiness
dependeth upon thy entering, and be the sin on the neck of me!" Then
all the servants of the bath set upon Hasib and dragging him in pulled
off his clothes. But hardly had he sat down against the wall and begun
to pour water on his head when a score of men accosted him, saying,
"Rise, O man, and come with us to the Sultan, for thou art his debtor."
Then they despatched one of them as messenger to the Sultan's Minister,
who straightway took horse and rode, attended by threescore Mamelukes,
to the baths, where he alighted and going in to Hasib, saluted him and
said, "Welcome to thee!" Then he gave the bathman an hundred diners
and, mounting Hasib on a horse he had brought with him, returned with
him and all his men to the Sultan's palace. Here he bade them aid Hasib
to dismount and, after seating him comfortably, set food before him;
and when they had eaten and drunken and washed their hands, the Wazir
clad him in two dresses of honour each worth five thousand diners and
said to him, "Know that Allah hath been merciful to us in sending thee;
for the Sultan is nigh upon death by leprosy, and the books tell us
that his life is in thy hands. Then, accompanied by a host of Grandees,
he took him wondering withal and carried him through the seven doorways
of the palace, till they came to the King's chamber. Now the name of
this King was Karazdαn, King of Persia and of the Seven Countries, and
under his sway were an hundred sovereign princes sitting on chairs of
red gold, and ten thousand valiant captains, under each one's hand an
hundred deputies and as many headsmen armed with sword and axe. They
found the King lying on his bed with his face swathed in a napkin, and
groaning for excess of pain. When Hasib saw this ordinance, his wit was
dazed for awe of the King; so he kissed the ground before him, and
prayed a blessing on him. Then the Grand Wazir, whose name was Shamhϊr,
rose and welcoming Hasib, seated him on a high chair at the King's
right hand."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,