exclaimed, 'O Ibn Mansur, the night and the day shift not upon anything
but they bring to it change!' Then she raised her glance to heaven and
said, 'O my God and my Leader and my Lord, like as Thou hast afflicted
me with love of Jubayr bin Umayr, even so do Thou afflict him with love
of me, and transfer the passion from my heart to his heart!'[FN#340]
Then she gave me an hundred sequins for my trouble in going and coming
and I took it and returned to the palace, where I found the Sultan come
home from the chase; so I got my pension of him and fared back to
Baghdad. And when next year came, I repaired to Bassorah, as usual, to
seek my pension, and the Sultan paid it to me; but, as I was about to
return to Baghdad, I bethought me of the Lady Budur and said to myself,
'By Allah, I must needs go to her and see what hath befallen between
her and her lover!' So I went to her house and finding the street
before her door swept and sprinkled and eunuchs and servants and pages
standing before the entrance, said to myself, 'Most like grief hath
broken the lady's heart and she is dead, and some Emir or other hath
taken up his abode in her house.' So I left it and went on to the house
of Jubayr, son of Umayr the Shaybani, where I found the benches of the
porch broken down and ne'er a page at the door, as of wont and said to
myself, 'Haply he too is dead.' Then I stood still before the door of
his house and with my eyes running over with tears, bemoaned it in
these couplets,
'O Lords of me, who fared but whom my heart e'er followeth, *
Return and so my festal-days with you shall be renewed!
I stand before the home of you, bewailing your abode; * Quiver
mine eyelids and my eyes with tears are ever dewed:
I ask the house and its remains that seem to weep and wail, *
'Where is the man who whilom wont to lavish goods and
good?''
It saith, 'Go, wend thy way; those friends like travellers have
fared * From Springtide-camp, and buried lie of earth and
worms the food!'
Allah ne'er desolate us so we lose their virtues' light * In
length and breadth, but ever be the light in spirit viewed!'
As I, O Prince of True Believers, was thus keening over the folk of the
house,[FN#341] behold, out came a black slave therefrom and said to me,
'Hold thy peace, O Shaykh! May thy mother be reft of thee! Why do I see
thee bemoaning the house in this wise?' Quoth I, 'I frequented it of
yore, when it belonged to a good friend of mine.' Asked the slave,
'What was his name?'; and I answered, 'Jubayr bin Umayr the Shaybani.'
Rejoined he, And what hath befallen him? Praised be Allah, he is yet
here with us in the enjoyment of property and rank and prosperity,
except that Allah hath stricken him with love of a damsel called the
Lady Budur;, and he is so whelmed by his love of her and his longing
for her, that he is like a great rock cumbering the ground. If he
hunger, he saith not, 'Give me meat;' nor, if he thirst, doth he say,
'Give me drink.' Quoth I, 'Ask leave for me to go in to him.' Said the
slave, 'O my lord, wilt thou go in to one who understandeth or to one
who understandeth not?'; and I said 'There is no help for it but I see
him whatever be the case.' Accordingly he went in to ask and presently
returned with permission for me to enter, whereupon I went in to Jubayr
and found him like a rock that cumbereth the ground, understanding
neither sign nor speech; and when I spoke to him he answered me not.
Then said one of his servants, 'O my lord, if thou remember aught of
verse, repeat it and raise thy voice; and he will be aroused by this
and speak with thee.' So I versified in these two couplets,
'Hast quit the love of Moons[FN#342] or dost persist? * Dost wake
o' nights or close in sleep thine eyes?
If aye thy tears in torrents flow, then learn * Eternal-thou
shalt dwell in Paradise.'[FN#343]
When he heard these verses he opened his eyes and said; 'Welcome, O son
of Mansur! Verily, the jest is become earnest.' Quoth I, 'O my lord, is
there aught thou wouldst have me do for thee?' Answered he, 'Yes, I
would fain write her a letter and send it to her by thee. If thou bring
me back her answer, thou shalt have of me a thousand dinars; and if
not, two hundred for thy pains.' So I said, 'Do what seemeth good to
thee;'—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ibn Mansur
continued: "So I said, 'Do what seemeth good to thee;' whereupon he
called to one of his slave-girls, 'Bring me ink case and paper;' and
wrote these couplets,
'I pray in Allah's name, O Princess mine, be light * On me, for
Love hath robbed me of my reason's sight'
'Slaved me this longing and enthralled me love of you; * And clad
in sickness garb, a poor and abject wight.
I wont ere this to think small things of Love and hold, * O
Princess mine, 'twas silly thing and over-slight.
But when it showed me swelling surges of its sea, * To Allah's
hest I bowed and pitied lover's plight.
An will you, pity show and deign a meeting grant, * An will you
kill me still forget not good requite.'[FN#344]
Then he sealed the letter and gave it to me. So I took it and,
repairing to Budur's house, raised the door-curtain little by little,
as before, and looking in behold, I saw ten damsels, high-bosomed
virgins, like moons, and the Lady Budur as she were the full moon among
the stars, sitting in their midst, or the sun, when it is clear of
clouds and mist; nor was there on her any trace of pain or care. And as
I looked and marvelled at her case, she turned her glance upon me and,
seeing me standing at the door, said to me, 'Well come, and welcome and
all hail to thee, O Ibn Mansur! Come in.' So I entered and saluting her
gave her the letter; and she read it and when she understood it, she
said laughingly to me, 'O Ibn Mansur, the poet lied not when he sang,
'Indeed I'll bear my love for thee with firmest soul, * Until from thee
to me shall come a messenger.
'Look'ye, O Ibn Mansur, I will write thee an answer, that he may give
thee what he promised thee.' And I answered, 'Allah requite thee with
good!' So she called out to a handmaid, 'Bring inkcase and paper,' and
wrote these couplets,
'How comes it I fulfilled my vow the while that vow broke you? *
And, seen me lean to equity, iniquity wrought you?
'Twas you initiated wrongous dealing and despite: * You were the
treachetour and treason came from only you!
I never ceased to cherish mid the sons of men my troth, * And
keep your honour brightest bright and swear by name of you
Until I saw with eyes of me what evil you had done; * Until I
heard with ears of me what foul report spread you.
Shall I bring low my proper worth while raising yours so high? *
By Allah had you me eke I had honoured you!
But now uprooting severance I will fain console my heart, * And
wring my fingers clean of you for evermore to part!'
Quoth I, 'By Allah, O my lady, between him and death there is but the
reading of this letter!' So I tore it in pieces and said to her, 'Write
him other than these lines.' 'I hear and obey answered she and wrote
the following couplets,
'Indeed I am consolиd now and sleep without a tear, * And all
that happened slandering tongues have whispered in mine ear:
My heart obeyed my hest and soon forgot thy memory, * And learnt
mine eyelids 'twas the best to live in severance sheer:
He lied who said that severance is a bitterer thing than gall: *
It never disappointed me, like wine I find it cheer:
I learnt to hate all news of thee, e'en mention of thy name, *
And turn away and look thereon with loathing pure and mere:
Lookye! I cast thee out of heart and far from vitals mine; * Then
let the slanderer wot this truth and see I am sincere.'
Quoth I, 'By Allah, O my lady, when he shall read these verses, his
soul will depart his body!' Quoth she, 'O Ibn Mansur, is passion indeed
come to such a pass with him that thou sayest this saying?' Quoth I,
'Had I said more than this verily it were but the truth: but mercy is
of the nature of the noble.' Now when she heard this her eyes brimmed
over with tears and she wrote him a note, I swear by Allah, O Commander
of the Faithful, there is none in thy Chancery could write the like of
it; and therein were these couplets,
'How long shall I thy coyness and thy great aversion see? * Thou
hast satisfied my censurers and pleased their enmity:
I did amiss and wot it not; so deign to tell me now * Whatso they
told thee, haply 'twas the merest calumny.
I wish to welcome thee, dear love, even as welcome I * Sleep to
these eyes and eyelids in the place of sleep to be.
And since 'tis thou hast made me drain th' unmixиd cup of love, *
If me thou see with wine bemused heap not thy blame on me!'
And when she had written the missive,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Budur had
written the missive, she sealed it and gave it to me; and I said, 'O my
lady, in good sooth this thy letter will make the sick man whole and
ease the thirsting soul.' Then I took it and went from her, when she
called me back and said to me, 'O son of Mansur, say to him: 'She will
be thy guest this night.' At this I joyed with exceeding great joy and
carried the letter to Jubayr, whom I found with his eyes fixed intently
on the door, expecting the reply and as soon as I gave him the letter
and he opened and read it and understood it, he uttered a great cry and
fell down in a fainting fit. When he came to himself, he said to me, 'O
Ibn Mansur, did she indeed write this note with her hand and feel it
with her fingers?' Answered I, 'O my lord, do folk write with their
feet?' And by Allah, O Commander of the Faithful, I had not done
speaking these words, when we heard the tinkle-tinkle of her anklets in
the vestibule and she entered. And seeing her he sprang to his feet as
though nothing pained or ailed him and embraced her like the letter L
embraceth the letter A;[FN#345] and the infirmity, that erst would not
depart at once left him.[FN#346] Then he sat down, but she abode
standing and I said to her, 'O my lady, why dost thou not sit?' Said
she, 'O Ibn Mansur, save on a condition that is between us, I will not
sit.' I asked, 'And what is that?'; and she answered, 'None may know
lovers' secrets,' and putting her mouth to Jubayr's ear whispered to
him; where upon he replied, 'I hear and I obey.' Then he rose and said
somewhat in a whisper to one of his slaves, who went out and returned
in a little while with a Kazi and two witnesses. Thereupon Jubayr stood
up and taking a bag containing an hundred thousand dinars, said, O
Kazi, marry me to this young lady and write this sum to her
marriage-settlement.' Quoth the Kazi to her, 'Say thou, I consent to
this.' 'I consent to this,' quoth she, whereupon he drew up the
contract of marriage and she opened the bag; and, taking out a handful
of gold, gave it to the Kazi and the witnesses and handed the rest to
Jubayr. Thereupon the Kazi and the witnesses withdrew, and I sat with
them, in mirth and merriment, till the most part of the night was past,
when I said in my mind, 'These are lovers and they have been this long
while separated. I will now arise and go sleep in some place afar from
them and leave them to their privacy, one with other.' So I rose, but
she caught hold of my skirts, saying, 'What thinkest thou to do?'
'Nothing but so and so,' answered I; upon which she rejoined, 'Sit thee
down; and when we would be rid of thee, we will send thee away.' So I
sat down with them till near daybreak, when she said to me, 'O Ibn
Mansur, go to yonder chamber; for we have furnished it for thee and it
is thy sleeping-place.' Thereupon I arose and went thither and slept
till morning, when a page brought me basin and ewer, and I made the
ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer. Then I sat down and presently,
behold, Jubayr and his beloved came out of the bath in the house, and I
saw them both wringing their locks.[FN#347] So I wished them good
morning and gave them joy of their safety and reunion, saying to
Jubayr, 'That which began with constraint and conditions hath ended in
cordial-contentment.' He answered, 'Thou sayest well, and indeed thou
deservest thy honorarium;' and he called his treasurer, and said,
'Bring hither three thousand dinars.' So he brought a purse containing
the gold pieces and Jubayr gave it to me, saying, 'Favour us by
accepting this.' But I replied, 'I will not accept it till thou tell me
the manner of the transfer of love from her to thee, after so huge an
aversion.' Quoth he, 'Hearkening and obedience! Know that we have a
festival-called New Year's day,[FN#348] when all the people fare forth
and take boat and go a-pleasuring on the river. So I went out with my
comrades, and saw a skiff, wherein were ten damsels like moons and
amongst them, the Lady Budur lute in hand. She preluded in eleven
modes, then, returning to the first, sang these two couplets,
'Fire is cooler than fires in my breast, * Rock is softer than
heart of my lord
Marvel I that he's formиd to hold * In water soft frame heart
rock-hard!'
Said I to her, 'Repeat the couplets and the air!' But she would
not:'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "Jubayr
continued, 'So cried I to her, Repeat the couplets and the air!' But
she would not; whereupon I bade the boatmen pelt her with oranges, and
they pelted her till we feared her boat would founder Then she went her
way, and this is how the love was transferred from her heart to mine.'
So I wished them joy of their union and, taking the purse with its
contents, I returned to Baghdad." Now when the Caliph heard Ibn
Mansur's story his heart was lightened and the restlessness and
oppression from which he suffered forsook him. And they also tell the
tale of
THE MAN OF AI-YAMAN AND HIS SIX SlAVE-GIRLS.
The Caliph Al-Maamun was sitting one day in his palace, surrounded by
his Lords of the realm and Officers of state, and there were present
also before him all his poets and cup- companions amongst the rest one
named Mohammed of Bassorah. Presently the Caliph turned and said to
him, "O Mohammed, I wish thee forthwith to tell me something that I
have never before heard." He replied, "O Commander of the Faithful,
dost thou wish me to tell thee a thing I have heard with my ears or a
thing I have seen with my eyes?" Quoth Al-Maamun, "Tell me whichever is
the rarer; so Mohammed al-Basri began: "Know, then, O Commander of the
Faithful that there lived once upon a time wealthy man, who was a
native of Al-Yaman;but he emigrated from his native land and came to
this city of Baghdad, whose sojourn so pleased him that he transported
hither his family and possessions. Now he had six slave-girls, like
moons one and all; the first white, the second brown, the third fat,
the fourth lean, the fifth yellow and the sixth lamp-black; and all six
were comely of countenance and perfect in accomplishments and skilled
in the arts of singing and playing upon musical-instruments. Now it so
chanced that, one day, he sent for the girls and called for meat and
wine; and they ate and drank and were mirthful and made merry Then he
filled the cup and, taking it in his hand, said to the blonde girl, 'O
new moon face, let us hear somewhat of thy pleasant songs.' So she took
the lute and tuning it, made music thereon with such sweet melody that
the place danced with glee; after which she played a lively measure and
sang these couplets,
'I have a friend, whose form is fixed within mine eyes,[FN#349] *
Whose name deep buried in my very vitals lies:
Whenas remembers him my mind all heart am I, * And when on him my
gaze is turned I am all eyes.
My censor saith, 'Forswear, forget, the love of him,' * 'Whatso
is not to be, how shall's be?' My reply is.
Quoth I, 'O Censor mine, go forth from me, avaunt! * And make not
light of that on humans heavy lies.'
Hereat their master rejoiced and, drinking off his cup, gave the
damsels to drink, after which he said to the berry-brown girl, 'O
brasier-light[FN#350] and joy of the sprite, let us hear thy lovely
voice, whereby all that hearken are ravished with delight.' So she took
the lute and thereon made harmony till the place was moved to glee;
then, captivating all hearts with her graceful swaying, she sang these
couplets,
'I swear by that fair face's life, I'll love but thee * Till
death us part, nor other love but thine I'll see:
O full moon, with thy loveliness mantilla'd o'er, * The loveliest
of our earth beneath thy banner be:
Thou, who surpassest all the fair in pleasantness * May Allah,
Lord of worlds, be everywhere with thee!'
The master rejoiced and drank off his cup and gave the girls to drink;
after which he filled again; and, taking the goblet in his hand, signed
to the fat girl and bade her sing and play a different motive. So she
took the lute and striking a grief- dispelling measure, sang these
couplets,
'An thou but deign consent, O wish to heart affied! * I care not
wrath and rage to all mankind betide.
And if thou show that fairest face which gives me life, * I reck
not an dimimshed heads the Kings go hide.
I seek thy favours only from this 'versal-world: * O thou in whom
all beauty cloth firm-fixt abide!'
The man rejoiced and, emptying his cup, gave the girls to drink. Then
he signed to the thin girl and said to her, 'O Houri of Paradise, feed
thou our ears with sweet words and sounds.' So she took the lute; and,
tuning it, preluded and sang these two couplets,
'Say me, on Allah's path[FN#351] hast death not dealt to me, *
Turning from me while I to thee turn patiently:
Say me, is there no judge of Love to judge us twain, * And do me
justice wronged, mine enemy, by thee?'
Their lord rejoiced and, emptying the cup, gave the girls to drink.
Then filling another he signed to the yellow girl and said to her, O
sun of the day, let us hear some nice verses.' So she took the lute
and, preluding after the goodliest fashion, sang these couplets,
'I have a lover and when drawing him, * He draws on me a sword-
blade glancing grim:
Allah avenge some little of his wrongs, * Who holds my heart yet
wreaks o erbearing whim
Oft though I say, 'Renounce him, heart!' yet heart * Will to none
other turn excepting him.
He is my wish and will of all men, but * Fate's envious hand to
me's aye grudging him.'
The master rejoiced and drank and gave the girls to drink; then he
filled the cup and taking it in hand, signed to the black girl, saying,
'O pupil of the eye, let us have a taste of thy quality, though it be
but two words.' So she took the lute and tuning it and tightening the
strings, preluded in various modes, then returned to the first and sang
to a lively air these couplets,
'Ho ye, mine eyes, let prodigal-tears go free; * This ecstasy
would see my being unbe:[FN#352]
All ecstasies I dreefor sake of friend * I fondle, maugre
enviers' jealousy:
Censors forbid me from his rosy cheek, * Yet e'er inclines my
heart to rosery:
Cups of pure wine, time was, went circuiting * In joy, what time
the lute sang melody,
While kept his troth the friend who madded me, * Yet made me
rising star of bliss to see:
But—with Time, turned he not by sin of mine; * Than such a turn
can aught more bitter be?
Upon his cheek there grows and glows a rose, * Nay two, whereof
grant Allah one to me!
An were prostration[FN#353] by our law allowed * To aught but
Allah, at his feet I had bowed.'
Thereupon rose the six girls and, kissing the ground before their lord,
said to him, 'Do thou justice between us, O our lord!' So he looked at
their beauty and loveliness and the contrast of their colours and
praised Almighty Allah and glorified Him. Then said he, 'There is none
of you but hath learnt the Koran by heart, and mastered the musical-art
and is versed in the chronicles' of yore and the doings of peoples
which have gone before; so it is my desire that each one of you rise
and, pointing finger at her opposite, praise herself and dispraise her
co-concubine; that is to: say, let the blonde point to the brunette,
the plump to the slenderer and the yellow to the black girl; after
which the rivals, each in her turn, shall do the like with the former;
and be this illustrated with citations from Holy Writ and somewhat of
anecdotes and,; verse, so as to show forth your fine breeding and
elegance of your pleading.' And they answered him, 'We hear and we
obey!;"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the handmaids
answered the man of Al-Yaman, "'We hear and we obey!' Accordingly the
blonde rose first and, pointing at the black girl, said to her: 'Out on
thee, blackamoor! It is told by tradition that whiteness saith, 'I am
the shining light, I am the rising moon of the fourteenth night. My hue
is patent and my brow is resplendent and of my beauty quoth the poet,'
'White girl with softly rounded polished cheeks * As if a pearl
concealed by Beauty's boon:
Her stature Alif-like;[FN#354] her smile like Mнm[FN#355] * And
o'er her eyes two brows that bend like Nъn.[FN#356]
'Tis as her glance were arrow, and her brows * Bows ever bent to
shoot Death-dart eftsoon:
If cheek and shape thou view, there shalt thou find * Rose,
myrtle, basil and Narcissus wone.
Men wont in gardens plant and set the branch, * How many garths
thy stature-branch cloth own!'
'So my colour is like the hale and healthy day and the newly culled
orange spray and the star of sparkling ray;[FN#357] and indeed quoth
Almighty Allah, in His precious Book, to his prophet Moses (on whom be
peace!), Put thy hand into thy bosom; it shall come forth white,
without hurt.'[FN#358] And again He saith, But they whose faces shall
become white, shall be in the mercy of Allah; therein shall they remain
forever.'[FN#359] My colour is a sign, a miracle, and my loveliness
supreme and my beauty a term extreme. It is on the like of me that
raiment showeth fair and fine and to the like of me that hearts
incline. Moreover, in whiteness are many excellences; for instance, the
snow falleth white from heaven, and it is traditional-that the
beautifullest of a colours white. The Moslems also glory in white
turbands, but I should be tedious, were I to tell all that may be told
in praise of white; little and enough is better than too much of
unfilling stuff. So now I will begin with thy dispraise, O black, O
colour of ink and blacksmith's dust, thou whose face is like the raven
which bringeth about the parting of lovers. Verily, the poet saith in
praise of white and blame of black,
'Seest not that pearls are prized for milky hue, * But with a
dirham buy we coals in load?
And while white faces enter Paradise, * Black faces crowd
Gehenna's black abode.'
And indeed it is told in certain histories, related on the authority of
devout men, that Noah (on whom be peace!) was sleeping one day, with
his sons Cham and Shem seated at his head, when a wind sprang up and,
lifting his clothes, uncovered his nakedness; whereat Cham looked and
laughed and did not cover him: but Shem arose and covered him.
Presently, their sire awoke and learning, what had been done by his
sons, blessed Shem and cursed Cham. So Shem's face was whitened and
from him sprang the prophets and the orthodox Caliphs and Kings; whilst
Cham's face was blackened and he fled forth to the land of Abyssinia,
and of his lineage came the blacks.[FN#360] All people are of one mind
in affirming the lack of understanding of the blacks, even as saith the
adage, 'How shall one find a black with a mind?' Quoth her master, 'Sit
thee down, thou hast given us sufficient and even excess.' Thereupon he
signed to the negress, who rose and, pointing her finger at the blonde,
said: Dost thou not know that in the Koran sent down to His prophet and
apostle, is transmitted the saying of God the Most High, 'By the night
when it covereth all things with darkness; by the day when it shineth
forth!'[FN#361] If the night were not the more illustrious, verily
Allah had not sworn by it nor had given it precedence of the day. And
indeed all men of wit and wisdom accept this. Knowest thou not that
black is the ornament of youth and that, when hoariness descendeth upon
the head, delights pass away and the hour of death draweth in sight?
Were not black the most illustrious of things, Allah had not set it in
the core of the heart[FN#362] and the pupil of the eye; and how
excellent is the saying of the poet,
'I love not black girls but because they show * Youth's colour,
tinct of eye and heartcore's hue;
Nor are in error who unlove the white, * And hoary hairs and
winding-sheet eschew.'
And that said of another,
'Black[FN#363] girls, not white, are they * All worthy love I
see:
Black girls wear dark-brown lips;[FN#364] * Whites, blotch of
leprosy.'
And of a third,
'Black girls in acts are white, and 'tis as though * Like eyes,
with purest shine and sheen they show;
If I go daft for her, be not amazed; * Black bile[FN#365] drives
melancholic-mad we know
'Tis as my colour were the noon of night; * For all no moon it
be, its splendours glow.
Moreover, is the foregathering of lovers good but in the night? Let
this quality and profit suffice thee. What protecteth lovers from spies
and censors like the blackness of night's darkness; and what causeth
them to fear discovery like the whiteness of the dawn's brightness? So,
how many claims to honour are there not in blackness and how excellent
is the saying of the poet,