with extreme restlessness, so he summoned his Wazir Ja'afar the
Barmecide, and said to him, "My breast is straitened and I have a
desire to divert myself to-night by walking about the streets of
Baghdad and looking into folks' affairs; but with this precaution that
we disguise ourselves in merchants' gear, so none shall know us." He
answered, "Hearkening and obedience." They rose at once and doffing the
rich raiment they wore, donned merchants' habits and sallied forth
three in number, the Caliph, Ja'afar and Masrur the sworder. Then they
walked from place to place, till they came to the Tigris and saw an old
man sitting in a boat; so they went up to him and saluting him, said,
"O Shaykh, we desire thee of thy kindness and favour to carry us a-
pleasuring down the river, in this thy boat, and take this dinar to thy
hire."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when they said to
the old man, "We desire thee to carry us a-pleasuring in this thy boat
and take this dinar;" he answered, "Who may go a- pleasuring on the
Tigris? The Caliph Harun al-Rashid every night cometh down Tigris
stream in his state-barge[FN#186] and with him one crying aloud: 'Ho,
ye people all, great and small, gentle and simple, men and boys, whoso
is found in a boat on the Tigris by night, I will strike off his head
or hang him to the mast of his craft!' And ye had well nigh met him;
for here cometh his carrack." But the Caliph and Ja'afar said, "O
Shaykh, take these two dinars, and run us under one of yonder arches,
that we may hide there till the Caliph's barge have passed." The old
man replied, "Hand over your gold and rely we on Allah, the Almighty!"
So he took the two dinars and embarked them in the boat; and he put off
and rowed about with them awhile, when behold, the barge came down the
river in mid-stream, with lighted flambeaux and cressets flaming
therein. Quoth the old man, "Did not I tell you that the Caliph passed
along the river every night?"; and ceased not muttering, "O Protector,
remove not the veils of Thy protection!" Then he ran the boat under an
arch and threw a piece of black cloth over the Caliph and his
companions, who looked out from under the covering and saw, in the bows
of the barge, a man holding in hand a cresset of red gold which he fed
with Sumatran lign-aloes and the figure was clad in a robe of red
satin, with a narrow turband of Mosul shape round on his head, and over
one of his shoulders hung a sleeved cloak[FN#187] of cramoisy satin,
and on the other was a green silk bag full of the aloes-wood, with
which he fed the cresset by way of firewood. And they sighted in the
stern another man, clad like the first and bearing a like cresset, and
in the barge were two hundred white slaves, standing ranged to the
right and left; and in the middle a throne of red gold, whereon sat a
handsome young man, like the moon, clad in a dress of black,
embroidered with yellow gold. Before him they beheld a man, as he were
the Wazir Ja'afar, and at his head stood an eunuch, as he were Masrur,
with a drawn sword in his hand; besides a score of cup-companions. Now
when the Caliph saw this, he turned and said, "O Ja'afar," and the
Minister replied, "At thy service, O Prince of True Believers." Then
quoth the Caliph, "Belike this is one of my sons, Al Amin or
Al-Maamun." Then he examined the young man who sat on the throne and
finding him perfect in beauty and loveliness and stature and symmetric
grace, said to Ja'afar, "Verily, this young man abateth nor jot nor
tittle of the state of the Caliphate! See, there standeth before him
one as he were thyself, O Ja'afar; yonder eunuch who standeth at his
head is as he were Masrur and those courtiers as they were my own. By
Allah, O Ja'afar, my reason is confounded and I am filled with
amazement this matter!"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Caliph
saw this spectacle his reason was confounded and he cried, "By Allah, I
am filled with amazement at this matter!" and Ja'afar replied, "And I
also, by Allah, O Commander of the Faithful." Then the barge passed on
and disappeared from sight whereupon the boatman pushed out again into
the stream, saying, "Praised be Allah for safety, since none hath
fallen in with us!" Quoth the Caliph, "O old man, doth the Caliph come
down the Tigris-river every night?" The boatman answered, "Yes, O my
lord; and on such wise hath he done every night this year past." "O
Shaykh," rejoined Al-Rashid, "we wish thee of thy favour to await us
here to-morrow night and we will give thee five golden dinars, for we
are stranger folk, lodging in the quarter Al-Khandak, and we have a
mind to divert ourselves." Said the oldster, "With joy and good will!"
Then the Caliph and Ja'afar and Masrur left the boatman and returned to
the palace; where they doffed their merchants' habits and, donning
their apparel of state, sat down each in his several-stead; and came
the Emirs and Wazirs and Chamberlains and Officers, and the Divan
assembled and was crowded as of custom. But when day ended and all the
folk had dispersed and wended each his own way, the Caliph said to his
Wazir, "Rise, O Ja'afar, let us go and amuse ourselves by looking on
the second Caliph." At this, Ja'afar and Masrur laughed, and the three,
donning merchants' habits, went forth by a secret pastern and made
their way through the city, in great glee, till they came to the
Tigris, where they found the graybeard sitting and awaiting them. They
embarked with him in the boat and hardly had they sat down before up
came the mock Caliph's barge; and, when they looked at it attentively,
they saw therein two hundred Mamelukes other than those of the previous
night, while the link- bearers cried aloud as of wont. Quoth the
Caliph, "O Wazir, had I heard tell of this, I had not believed it; but
I have seen it with my own sight." Then said he to the boatman, "Take,
O Shaykh' these ten dinars and row us along abreast of them, for they
are in the light and we in the shade, and we can see them and amuse
ourselves by looking on them, but they cannot see us." So the man took
the money and pushing off ran abreast of them in the shadow of the
barge,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Caliph Harun
al-Rashid said to the old man, "Take these ten dinars and row us
abreast of them;" to which he replied, "I hear and I obey." And he
fared with them and ceased not going in the blackness of the barge,
till they came amongst the gardens that lay alongside of them and
sighted a large walled enclosure; and presently, the barge cast anchor
before a postern door, where they saw servants standing with a she mule
saddled and bridled. Here the mock Caliph landed and, mounting the
mule, rode away with his courtiers and his cup-companions preceded by
the cresset-bearers crying aloud, and followed by his household which
busied itself in his service. Then Harun al-Rashid, Ja'afar and Masrur
landed also and, making their way through the press of servants, walked
on before them. Presently, the cresset-bearers espied them and seeing
three persons in merchants' habits, and strangers to the country, took
offense at them; so they pointed them out and brought them before the
other Caliph, who looked at them and asked, "How came ye to this place
and who brought you at this tide?" They answered, "O our lord, we are
foreign merchants and far from our homes, who arrived here this day and
were out a- walking to-night, and behold, ye came up and these men laid
hands on us and brought us to thy presence; and this is all our story."
Quoth the mock Caliph, "Since ye be stranger folk no harm shall befall
you; but had ye been of Baghdad, I had struck off your heads." Then he
turned to his Wazir and said to him, "Take these men with thee; for
they are our guests to-night." "To hear is to obey, O our lord,"
answered he; and they companied him till they came to a lofty and
splendid palace set upon the firmest base; no Sultan possesseth such a
place; rising from the dusty mould and upon the merges of the clouds
laying hold. Its door was of Indian teak-wood inlaid with gold that
glowed; and through it one passed into a royal-hall in whose midst was
a jetting fount girt by a raised estrade. It was provided with carpets
and cushions of brocade and small pillows and long settees and hanging
curtains; it was furnished with a splendour that dazed the mind and
dumbed the tongue, and upon the door were written these two couplets,
"A Palace whereon be blessings and praise! * Which with all their
beauty have robed the Days:
Where marvels and miracle-sights abound, * And to write its
honours the pen affrays."
The false Caliph entered with his company, and sat down on a throne of
gold set with jewels and covered with a prayer carpet of yellow silk;
whilst the boon-companions took their seats and the sword bearer of
high works stood before him. Then the tables were laid and they ate;
after which the dishes were removed and they washed their hands and the
wine-service was set on with flagons and bowls in due order. The cup
went round till it came to the Caliph, Harun al-Rashid, who refused the
draught, and the mock Caliph said to Ja'afar, "What mattereth thy
friend that he drinketh not?" He replied, "O my lord, indeed 'tis a
long while he hath drunk naught of this." Quoth the sham Caliph, "I
have drink other than this, a kind of apple-wine,[FN#188] that will
suit thy companion." So he bade them bring the cider which they did
forthright; when the false Caliph, coming up to Harun al-Rashid, said
to him, "As often as it cometh to thy turn drink thou of this." Then
they continued to drink and make merry and pass the cup till the wine
rose to their brains and mastered their wits;—And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the false Caliph
and his co sitters sat at their cups and gave not over drinking till
the wine rose to their brains and mastered their wits; and Harun
al-Rashid said to the Minister, "O Ja'afar, by Allah, we have no such
vessels as these. Would to Heaven I knew what manner of man this youth
is!" But while they were talking privily the young man cast a glance
upon them and seeing the Wazir whisper the Caliph said, "'Tis rude to
whisper." He replied, "No rudeness was meant: this my friend did but
say to me, 'Verily I have travelled in most countries and have caroused
with the greatest of Kings and I have companied with noble captains;
yet never saw I a goodlier ordering than this entertainment nor passed
a more delightful night; save that the people of Baghdad are wont to
say, Wine without music often leaves you sick.'"When the second Caliph
heard this, he smiled pleasantly and struck with a rod he had in his
hand a round gong;[FN#189] and behold, a door opened and out came a
eunuch, bearing a chair of ivory, inlaid with gold glittering fiery red
and followed by a damsel of passing beauty and loveliness, symmetry and
grace. He set down the chair and the damsel seated herself on it, as
she were the sun shining sheen in a sky serene. In her hand she had a
lute of Hindu make, which she laid in her lap and bent down over it as
a mother bendeth over her little one, and sang to it, after a prelude
in four-and-twenty modes, amazing all wits. Then she returned to the
first mode and to a lively measure chanted these couplets,
"Love's tongue within my heart speaks plain to thee, * Telling
thee clearly I am fain of thee
Witness the fevers of a tortured heart, * And ulcered eyelid
tear-flood rains for thee
God's fate o'ertaketh all created things! * I knew not love till
learnt Love's pain of thee."
Now when the mock Caliph heard these lines sung by the damsel, he cried
with a great cry and rent his raiment to the very skirt, whereupon they
let down a curtain over him and brought him a fresh robe, handsomer
than the first. He put it on and sat as before, till the cup came round
to him, when he struck the gong a second time and lo! a door opened and
out of it came a eunuch with a chair of gold, followed by a damsel
fairer than the first, bearing a lute, such as would strike the envious
mute. She sat down on the chair and sang to her instrument these two
couplets,
"How patient bide, with love in sprite of me, * And tears in
tempest[FN#190] blinding sight of me?
By Allah, life has no delight of me! * How gladden heart whose
core is blight of me?"
No sooner had the youth heard this poetry than he cried out with a loud
cry and rent his raiment to the skirt: whereupon they let down the
curtain over him and brought him another suit of clothes. He put it on
and, sitting up as before, fell again to cheerful talk, till the cup
came round to him, when he smote once more upon the gong and out came a
eunuch with a chair, followed by a damsel fairer than she who forewent
her. So she sat down on the chair, with a lute in her hand, and sang
thereto these couplets,
"Cease ye this farness; 'bate this pride of you, * To whom my
heart clings, by life-tide of you!
Have ruth on hapless, mourning, lover-wretch, * Desire-full,
pining, passion-tried of you:
Sickness hath wasted him, whose ecstasy * Prays Heaven it may be
satisfied of you:
Oh fullest moons[FN#191] that dwell in deepest heart! * How can I
think of aught by side of you?"
Now when the young man heard these couplets, he cried out with a great
cry and rent his raiment, whereupon they let fall the curtain over him
and brought him other robes. Then he returned to his former case with
his boon-companions and the bowl went round as before, till the cup
came to him, when he struck the gong a fourth time and the door
opening, out came a page-boy bearing a chair followed by a damsel. He
set the chair for her and she sat down thereon and taking the lute,
tuned it and sang to it these couplets,
"When shall disunion and estrangement end? * When shall my bygone
joys again be kenned?
Yesterday we were joined in same abode; * Conversing heedless of
each envious friend:[FN#192]
Trickt us that traitor Time, disjoined our lot * And our waste
home to desert fate condemned:
Wouldst have me, Grumbler! from my dearling fly? * I find my
vitals blame will not perpend:
Cease thou to censure; leave me to repine; * My mind e'er findeth
thoughts that pleasure lend.
O Lords[FN#193] of me who brake our troth and plight, * Deem not
to lose your hold of heart and sprite!"
When the false Caliph heard the girl's song, he cried out with a loud
outcry and rent his raiment,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
She said, When the false Caliph heard the girl's song, he cried with a
loud outcry and rent his raiment and fell to the ground fainting;
whereupon they would have let down the curtain over him, as of custom;
but its cords stuck fast and Harun al-Rashid, after considering him
carefully, saw on his body the marks of beating with palm-rods and said
to Ja'afar, "By Allah, he is a handsome youth, but a foul thief!"
"Whence knowest thou that, O Commander of the Faithful?" asked Ja'afar,
and the Caliph answered, "Sawest thou not the whip-scars on his ribs?"
Then they let fall the curtain over him and brought him a fresh dress,
which he put on and sat up as before with his courtiers and cup-
companions. Presently he saw the Caliph and Ja'afar whispering together
and said to them, "What is the matter, fair sirs?" Quoth Ja'afar, "O my
lord, all is well,[FN#194] save that this my comrade, who (as is not
unknown to thee) is of the merchant company and hath visited all the
great cities and countries of the world and hath consorted with kings
and men of highest consideration, saith to me: 'Verily, that which our
lord the Caliph hath done this night is beyond measure extravagant,
never saw I any do the like doings in any country; for he hath rent
such and such dresses, each worth a thousand dinars and this is surely
excessive unthriftiness.'" Replied the second Caliph, "Ho thou, the
money is my money and the stuff my stuff, and this is by way of
largesse to my suite and servants; for each suit that is rent belongeth
to one of my cup-companions here present, and I assign to them with
each suit of clothes the sum of five hundred dinars." The Wazir Ja'afar
replied, "Well is whatso thou doest, O our lord," and recited these two
couplets,
"Virtue in hand of thee hath built a house, * And to mankind thou
dost thy wealth expose:
If an the virtues ever close their doors, * That hand would be a
key the lock to unclose."
Now when the young man heard these verses recited by the Minister
Ja'afar, he ordered him to be gifted with a thousand dinars and a dress
of honour. Then the cup went round among them and the wine was sweet to
them; but, after a while quoth the Caliph to Ja'afar, "Ask him of the
marks on his sides, that we may see what he will say by way of reply."
Answered Ja'afar, "Softly, O my lord, be not hasty and soothe thy mind,
for patience is more becoming." Rejoined the Caliph, "By the life of my
head and by the revered tomb of Al Abbas,[FN#195] except thou ask him,
I will assuredly stop thy breath!" With this the young man turned
towards the Minister and said to him, "What aileth thee and thy friend
to be whispering together? Tell me what is the matter with you." "It is
nothing save good," replied Ja'afar; but the mock Caliph rejoined, "I
conjure thee, by Allah, tell me what aileth you and hide from me
nothing of your case." Answered the Wazir "O my lord, verily this one
here saw on thy sides the marks of beating with whips and palm-fronds
and marvelled thereat with exceeding marvel, saying, 'How came the
Caliph to be beaten?'; and he would fain know the cause of this." Now
when the youth heard this, he smiled and said, "Know ye that my story
is wondrous and my case marvellous; were it graven with needles on the
eye corners, it would serve as a warner to whoso would be warned." And
he sighed and repeated these couplets,
"Strange is my story, passing prodigy; * By Love I swear, my ways
wax strait on me!
An ye desire to hear me, listen, and * Let all in this assembly
silent be.
Heed ye my words which are of meaning deep, * Nor lies my speech;
'tis truest verity.
I'm slain[FN#196] by longing and by ardent love; * My slayer's
the pearl of fair virginity.
She hath a jet black eye like Hindi blade, * And bowиd eyebrows
shoot her archery
My heart assures me our Imam is here, * This age's Caliph, old
nobility:
Your second, Ja'afar highs, is his Wazir; * A Sahib,[FN#197]
Sahib-son of high degree:
The third is called Masrur who wields the sword: * Now, if in
words of mine some truth you see
I have won every wish by this event * Which fills my heart with
joy and gladdest greet"
When they heard these words Ja'afar swore to him an ambiguous oath that
they were not those he named, whereupon he laughed and said: "Know, O
my lords, that I am not the Commander of the Faithful and that I do but
style myself thus, to win my will of the sons of the city. My true name
is Mohammed Ali, son of Ali the Jeweller, and my father was one of the
notables of Baghdad, who left me great store of gold and silver and
pearls and coral and rubies and chrysolites and other jewels, besides
messuages and lands, Hammam-baths and brickeries, orchards and flower-
gardens. Now as I sat in my shop one day surrounded by my eunuchs and
dependents, behold, there came up a young lady, mounted on a she-mule
and attended by three damsels like moons. Riding up to my shop she
alighted and seated herself by my side and said 'Art thou Mohammed the
Jeweller?' Replied I, 'Even so! I am he, thy Mameluke, thy chattel.'
She asked, 'Hast thou a necklace of jewels fit for me?' and I answered,
'O my lady, I will show thee what I have; and lay all before thee and,
if any please thee, it will be of thy slave's good luck; if they please
thee not, of his ill fortune.' Now I had by me an hundred necklaces and
showed them all to her; but none of them pleased her and she said, 'I
want a better than those I have seen.' I had a small necklace which my
father had bought at an hundred thousand dinars and whose like was not
to be found with any of the great kings; so I said to her, 'O my lady,
I have yet one necklace of fine stones fit for bezels, the like of
which none possesseth, great or small. Said she, Show it to me,' so I
showed it to her, and she said, 'This is what I wanted and what I have
wished for all my life;' adding, 'What is its price?' Quoth I, 'It cost
my father an hundred thousand dinars;' and she said, 'I will give thee
five thousand dinars to thy profit.' I answered, 'O my lady, the
necklace and its owner are at thy service and I cannot gainsay thee.'
But she rejoined, 'Needs must thou have the profit, and I am still most
grateful to thee.' Then she rose without stay or delay; and, mounting
the mule in haste, said to me, 'O my lord, in Allah's name, favour us
with thy company to receive the money; for this thy day with us is
white as milk.'[FN#198] So I shut the shop and accompanied her, in all
security, till we came to a house, on which were manifest the signs of
wealth and rank; for its door was wrought with gold and silver and
ultramarine, and thereon were written these two couplets,
'Hole, thou mansion! woe ne'er enter thee; * Nor be thine owner
e'er misused of Fate
Excellent mansion to all guests art thou, * When other mansions
to the guest are strait.'
The young lady dismounted and entered the house, bidding me sit down on
the bench at the gate, till the money-changer should arrive. So I sat
awhile, when behold, a damsel came out to me and said, 'O my lord,
enter the vestibule; for it is a dishonour that thou shouldst sit at
the gate.' Thereupon I arose and entered the vestibule and sat down on
the settle there, and, as I sat, lo! another damsel came out and said
to me, 'O my lord my mistress biddeth thee enter and sit down at the
door of the saloon, to receive thy money.' I entered and sat down, nor
had I sat a moment when behold, a curtain of silk which concealed a
throne of gold was drawn aside, and I saw seated thereon the lady who
had made the purchase, and round her neck she wore the necklace which
looked pale and wan by the side of a face as it were the rounded moon;
At her sight, my wit was troubled and my mind confounded, by reason of
her exceeding beauty and loveliness, but when she saw me she rose from
her throne and coming close up to me, said, 'O light of mine eyes, is
every handsome one like thee pitiless to his mistress?' I answered, 'O
my lady, beauty, all of it, is in thee and is but one of thy hidden
charms.' And she rejoined, 'O Jeweller, know that I love thee and can
hardly credit that I have brought thee hither.' Then she bent towards
me and I kissed her and she kissed me and, as she caressed me, drew me
towards her and to her breast she pressed me."—And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Jeweller
continued: "Then she bent towards me and kissed and caressed me; and,
as she caressed me, drew me towards her and to her breast she pressed
me. Now she knew by my condition that I had a mind to enjoy her; so she
said to me, 'O my lord, wouldst thou foregather with me unlawfully? By
Allah, may he not live who would do the like of this sin and who takes
pleasure in talk unclean! I am a maid, a virgin whom no man hath
approached, nor am I unknown in the city. Knowest thou who I am?' Quoth
I, 'No, by Allah, O my lady!'; and quoth she, 'I am the Lady Dunyб,
daughter of Yбhyб bin Khбlid the Barmecide and sister of Ja'afar, Wazir
to the Caliph.' Now as I heard this, I drew back from her, saying, 'O
my lady, it is no fault of mine if I have been over- bold with thee; it
was thou didst encourage me to aspire to thy love, by giving me access
to thee.' She answered, 'No harm shall befal-thee, and needs must thou
attain thy desire in the only way pleasing to Allah. I am my own
mistress and the Kazi shall act as my guardian in consenting to the
marriage contract; for it is my will that I be to thee wife and thou be
to me man.' Then she sent for the Kazi and the witnesses and busied
herself with making ready; and, when they came, she said to them,
'Mohammed Ali, bin Ali the Jeweller, seeketh me in wedlock and hath
given me the necklace to my marriage-settlement; and I accept and
consent.' So they wrote out the contract of marriage between us; and
ere I went in to her the servants brought the wine-furniture and the
cups passed round after the fairest fashion and the goodliest ordering;
and, when the wine mounted to our heads, she ordered a damsel, a
lute-player,[FN#199] to sing. So she took the lute and sang to a
pleasing and stirring motive these couplets,
'He comes; and fawn and branch and moon delight these eyne *
Fie[FN#200] on his heart who sleeps o' nights without repine
Pair youth, for whom Heaven willed to quench in cheek one light,