Jali’ad heard the words of his Wazir Shimas, he commanded the
attendance of the keenest-witted[98] of the Olema and most
accomplished of the learned and sages of his dominions, and they all
presented themselves on the morrow at the door of the palace,
whereupon the King bade admit them. Then entered Shimas and kissed the
hands of the Prince, who rose and prostrated himself to the Minister:
but Shimas said, “It behoveth not the lion-whelp to prostrate himself
to any of the wild beasts, nor besitteth it that Light prostrate
itself to shade.” Quoth the Prince, “Whenas the lion-whelp seeth the
leopard,[99] he riseth up to him and prostrateth himself before him,
because of his wisdom, and Light prostrateth itself to shade for the
purpose of disclosing that which is therewithin.” Quoth Shimas, “True,
O my lord; but I would have thee answer me anent whatso I shall ask
thee, by leave of His Highness and his lieges.” And the youth said,
“And I, with permission of my sire, will answer thee.” So Shimas began
and said, “Tell me what is the Eternal, the Absolute, and what are the
two manifestations[100] thereof and whether of the two is the abiding
one?” Answered the Prince, “Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!)
is the Eternal, the Absolute; for that He is Alpha, without beginning,
and Omega without end. Now his two manifestations are this world and
the next; and the abiding one of the two is the world to come.” (¿)
“Thou sayst truly and I approve thy reply: but I would have thee tell
me, how knowest thou that one of Allah’s manifestations is this world
and the other the world to come?”—“I know this because this world was
created from nothingness and had not its being from any existing
thing; wherefore its affair is referable to the first essence.
Moreover, it is a commodity swift of ceasing, the works whereof call
for requital of action and this postulateth the reproduction[101] of
whatso passeth away: so the next world is the second manifestation.”
(¿) “Now inform me how knowest thou that the world to come is the
abiding one of the two existences?”—“Because it is the house of
requital for deeds done in this world prepared by the Eternal sans
surcease.” (¿) “Who are the people of this world most to be praised
for their practice?”—“Those who prefer their weal in the world to come
before their weal in this world.” (¿) “And who is he that preferreth
his future to his present welfare?”—“He who knoweth that he dwelleth
in a perishing house, that he was created but to vade away and that,
after vading away, he will be called to account; and indeed, were
there in this world one living and abiding for ever, he would not
prefer it to the next world.” (¿) “Can the future life subsist
permanently without the present?”—“He who hath no present life hath no
future life: and indeed I liken this world and its folk and the goal
to which they fare with certain workmen, for whom an Emir buildeth a
narrow house and lodgeth them therein, commanding each of them to do a
certain task and assigning to him a set term and appointing one to act
as steward over them. Whoso doeth the work appointed unto him, the
steward bringeth him forth of that straitness; but whoso doeth it not
within the stablished term is punished. After awhile, behold, they
find honey exuding from the chinks of the house,[102] and when they
have eaten thereof and tasted its sweetness of savour, they slacken in
their ordered task and cast it behind their backs. So they patiently
suffer the straitness and distress wherein they are, with what they
know of the future punishment whereto they are fast wending, and are
content with this worthless and easily won sweetness: and the Steward
leaveth not to fetch every one of them forth of the house, for ill or
good, when his appointed period shall have come. Now we know the world
to be a dwelling wherein all eyes are dazed, and that each of its folk
hath his set term; and he who findeth the little sweetness that is in
the world and busieth himself therewith is of the number of the lost,
since he preferreth the things of this world to the things of the next
world: but whoso payeth no heed to this poor sweetness and preferreth
the things of the coming world to those of this world, is of those who
are saved.” (¿) “I have heard what thou sayest of this world and the
next and I accept thine answer; but I see they are as two placed in
authority over man; needs must he content them both, and they are
contrary one to other. So, if the creature set himself to seek his
livelihood, it is harmful to his soul in the future: and if he devote
himself to the next world, it is hurtful to his body; and there is no
way for him of pleasing these two contraries at once.”—“Indeed, the
quest of one’s worldly livelihood with pious intent and on lawful wise
is a viaticum for the quest of the goods of the world to come, if a
man spend a part of his days in seeking his livelihood in this world,
for the sustenance of his body, and devote the rest of his day to
seeking the goods of the next world, for the repose of his soul and
the warding off of hurt therefrom; and indeed I see this world and the
other world as they were two Kings, a just and an unjust.” Asked
Shimas, “How so?” and the youth began the tale of
_THE TWO KINGS_.
There were once two Kings, a just and an unjust; and this one had a land
abounding in trees and fruits and herbs; but he let no merchant pass
without robbing him of his monies and his merchandise, and the traders
endured this with patience, by reason of their profit from the fatness
of the earth in the means of life and its pleasantness, more by token
that it was renowned for its richness in precious stones and gems. Now
the just King, who loved jewels, heard of this land and sent one of his
subjects thither, giving him much specie and bidding him pass with it
into the other’s realm and buy jewels therefrom. So he went thither;
and, it being told to the unjust King that a merchant was come to his
kingdom with much money to buy jewels withal, he sent for him to the
presence and said to him, “Who art thou and whence comest thou and who
brought thee thither and what is thy errand?” Quoth the merchant, “I am
of such and such a region, and the King of that land gave me money and
bade me buy therewith jewels from this country; so I obeyed his bidding
and came.” Cried the unjust King, “Out on thee! Knowest thou not my
fashion of dealing with the people of my realm and how each day I take
their monies? How then comest thou to my country? And behold, thou hast
been a sojourner here since such a time!” Answered the trader, “The
money is not mine, not a mite of it; nay, ’tis a trust in my hands, till
I bring its equivalent to its owner.” But the King said, “I will not let
thee take thy livelihood of my land or go out therefrom, except thou
ransom thyself with this money all of it.”——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Tenth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the unjust
Ruler said to the trader who came to buy jewels from his country, “’Tis
not possible for thee to take thy livelihood of my land except thou
ransom thy life with this money, all of it; else shalt thou die.” So the
man said in himself, “I am fallen between two Kings, and I know that the
oppression of this ruler embraceth all who abide in his dominions: and
if I satisfy him not, I shall lose both life and money (whereof is no
doubt) and shall fail of my errand; whilst, on the other hand, if I give
him all the gold, it will most assuredly prove my ruin with its owner,
the other King: wherefore no device will serve me but that I give this
one a trifling part thereof and content him therewith and avert from
myself and from the money perdition. Thus shall I get my livelihood of
the fatness of this land, till I buy that which I desire of jewels; and,
after satisfying the tyrant with gifts, I will take my portion of the
profit and return to the owner of the money with his need, trusting in
his justice and indulgence, and unfearing that he will punish me for
that which this unjust King taketh of the treasure, especially if it be
but a little.” Then the trader called down blessings on the tyrant and
said to him, “O King, I will ransom myself and this specie with a small
portion thereof, from the time of my entering thy country to that of my
going forth therefrom.” The King agreed to this and left him at peace
for a year, till he bought all manner jewels with the rest of the money
and returned therewith to his master, to whom he made his excuses,
confessing to having saved himself from the unjust King as before
related. The just King accepted his excuse and praised him for his wise
device and set him on his right hand in his divan and appointed him in
his kingdom an abiding inheritance and a happy life-tide.[103] Now the
just King is the similitude of the future world and the unjust King that
of the present world; the jewels that be in the tyrant’s dominions are
good deeds and pious works. The merchant is man and the money he hath
with him is the provision appointed him of Allah. When I consider this,
I know that it behoveth him who seeketh his livelihood in this world to
leave not a day without seeking the goods of the world to come, so shall
he content this world with that which he gaineth of the fatness of the
earth and satisfy the other world with that which he spendeth of his
life in seeking after it.” (¿) “Are the spirit[104] and the body alike
in reward and retribution, or is the body, as the luster of lusts and
doer of sinful deeds, and especially affected with punishment?” “The
inclination to lusts and sins may be the cause of earning reward by the
withholding of the soul therefrom and the repenting thereof; but the
command[105] is in the hand of Him who doth what He will, and things by
their contraries are distinguished. Thus subsistence is necessary to the
body, but there is no body without soul; and the purification of the
spirit is in making clean the intention in this world and taking thought
to that which shall profit in the world to come. Indeed, soul and body
are like two horses racing for a wager or two foster-brothers or two
partners in business. By the intent are good deeds distinguished and
thus the body and soul are partners in actions and in reward and
retribution, and in this they are like the Blind man and the Cripple
with the Overseer of the garden.” Asked Shimas, “How so?”; and the
Prince said, “Hear, O Wazir, the tale of
_THE BLIND MAN AND THE CRIPPLE_.”
A Blind man and a Cripple were travelling-companions and used to beg
alms in company. One day they sought admission into the garden of some
one of the benevolent, and a kind-hearted wight, hearing their talk,
took compassion on them and carried them into his garden, where he left
them after plucking for them some of its produce and went away, bidding
them do no waste nor damage therein. When the fruits became ripe, the
Cripple said to the Blind man, “Harkye, I see ripe fruits and long for
them; but I cannot rise to eat thereof; so go thou arise, for thou art
sound of either leg, and fetch us somewhat that we may eat.” Replied the
Blind, “Fie upon thee! I had no thought of them, but now that thou
callest them to my mind, I long to eat of them and I am impotent unto
this, being unable to see them; so how shall we do to get at them?” At
this moment, behold, up came the Overseer of the garden, who was a man
of understanding, and the Cripple said to him, “Harkye, O Overseer! I
long for somewhat of those fruits; but we are as thou seest; I am a
cripple and my mate here is stone-blind: so what shall we do?” Replied
the Overseer, “Woe to you! Have ye forgotten that the master of the
garden stipulated with you that ye should do nothing whereby waste or
damage befal it: so take warning and abstain from this.” But they
answered, “Needs must we get our portion of these fruits that we may eat
thereof: so tell us some device whereby we shall contrive this.” When
the Overseer saw that they were not to be turned from their purpose, he
said, “This, then, is my device, O Cripple, let the Blind bear thee on
his back and take thee under the tree whose fruit pleaseth thee, so thou
mayst pluck what thou canst reach thereof.” Accordingly the Blind man
took on his back the Cripple who guided him, till he brought him under a
tree, and he fell to plucking from it what he would and tearing at its
boughs till he had despoiled it: after which they went roundabout and
throughout the garden and wasted it with their hands and feet, nor did
they cease from this fashion, till they had stripped all the trees of
the garth. Then they returned to their place and presently up came the
master of the garden, who, seeing it in this plight, was wroth with sore
wrath and coming up to them said, “Woe to you! What fashion is this? Did
I not stipulate with you that ye should do no damage in the garden?”
Quoth they, “Thou knowest that we are powerless to come at any of the
fruit, for that one of us is a cripple and cannot rise and the other is
blind and cannot see that which is before him: so what is our offence?”
But the master answered, “Think ye I know not how ye wrought and how ye
have gone about to do waste in my garden? I know, as if I had been with
thee, O Blind, that thou tookest the Cripple pick-a-back and he showed
thee the way till thou borest him to the trees.” Then he punished them
with grievous punishment and thrust them out of the garden. Now the
Blind is the similitude of the body which seeth not save by the spirit,
and the Cripple that of the soul, for that it hath no power of motion
but by the body; the garden is the works, for which the creature is
rewarded or punished, and the Overseer is the reason which biddeth to
good and forbiddeth from evil. Thus the body and the soul are partners
in reward and retribution.” (¿) “Which of the learned men is most worthy
of praise, according to thee?”—“He who is learned in the knowledge of
Allah and whose knowledge profiteth him.” (¿) “And who is this?”—“Whoso
is intent upon seeking to please his Lord and avoid His wrath.” (¿) “And
which of them is the most excellent?”—“He who is most learned in the
knowledge of Allah.” (¿) “And which is the most experienced of
them?”—“Whoso in doing according to his knowledge is most constant.” (¿)
“And which is the purest-hearted of them?”—“He who is most assiduous in
preparing for death and praising the Lord and least of them in hope, and
indeed he who penetrateth his soul with the awful ways of death is as
one who looketh into a clear mirror, for that he knoweth the truth, and
the mirror still increaseth in clearness and brilliance.” (¿) “What are
the goodliest of treasures?”—“The treasures of heaven.” (¿) “Which is
the goodliest of the treasures of Heaven?”—“The praise of Allah and His
magnification.” (¿) “Which is the most excellent of the treasures of
earth?”—“The practice of kindness.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Eleventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir
Shimas asked the King’s son, saying, “Which is the most excellent of the
treasures of earth?” he answered, “The practice of kindness.” So the
Minister pursued, “Tell me of three several and different things,
knowledge and judgment and wit, and of that which uniteth
them.”—“Knowledge cometh of learning, judgment of experience and wit of
reflection, and they are all stablished and united in reason. Whoso
combineth these three qualities attaineth perfection and he who addeth
thereto the piety and fear of the Lord is in the right course.” (¿)
“Take the case of a man of learning and wisdom, endowed with right
judgment, luminous intelligence and a keen wit and excelling, and tell
me can desire and lust change these his qualities?”—“Yes; for these two
passions, when they enter into a man, alter his wisdom and understanding
and judgment and wit, and he is like the Ossifrage[106] which, for
precaution against the hunters, abode in the upper air, of the excess of
his subtlety; but, as he was thus, he saw a fowler set up his nets and
when the toils were firmly staked down bait them with a bit of meat;
which when he beheld, desire and lust thereof overcame him and he forgot
that which he had seen of springes and of the sorry plight of all birds
that fell into them. So he swooped down from the welkin and pouncing
upon the piece of meat, was meshed in the same snare and could not win
free. When the fowler came up and saw the Ossifrage taken in his toils
he marvelled with exceeding marvel and said, “I set up my nets, thinking
to take therein pigeons and the like of small fowl; how came this
Ossifrage to fall into it?” It is said that when desire and lust incite
a man of understanding to aught, he considereth the end thereof and
refraineth from that which they make fair and represseth with his reason
his lust and his concupiscence; for, when these passions urge him to
aught, it behoveth him to make his reason like unto a horseman skilled
in horsemanship who mounting a skittish horse, curbeth him with a sharp
bit,[107] so that he go aright with him and bear him whither he will. As
for the ignorant man, who hath neither knowledge nor judgment, while all
things are obscure to him and desire and lust lord it over him, verily
he doeth according to his desire and his lust and is of the number of
those that perish; nor is there among men one in worse case than he.”
(¿) “When is knowledge profitable and when availeth reason to ward off
the ill effects of desire and lust?”—“When their possessor useth them in
quest of the goods of the next world, for reason and knowledge are
altogether profitable; but it befitteth not their owner to expend them
in the quest of the goods of this world, save in such measure as may be
needful for gaining his livelihood and defending himself from its
mischief; but to lay them out with a view to futurity.” (¿) “What is
most worthy that a man should apply himself thereto and occupy his heart
withal?”—“Good works and pious.” (¿) “If a man do this it diverteth him
from gaining his living: how then shall he do for his daily bread
wherewith he may not dispense?”—“A man’s day is four-and-twenty hours,
and it behoveth him to employ one-third thereof in seeking his living,
another in prayer and repose and the other in the pursuits of
knowledge;[108] for a reasonable man without knowledge is a barren land,
which hath no place for tillage, tree-planting or grass-growing. Except
it be prepared for tilth and plantation no fruit will profit therein;
but, if it be tilled and planted, it bringeth forth goodly fruits. So
with the man lacking education; there is no profit in him till knowledge
be planted in him: then doth he bear fruit.” (¿) “What sayst thou of
knowledge without understanding?”—“It is as the knowledge of a
brute[109] beast, which hath learnt the hours of its foddering and
waking, but hath no reason.” (¿) “Thou hast been brief in thine answer
here anent; but I accept thy reply. Tell me, how shall I guard myself
against the Sultan?”—“By giving him no way to thee.” (¿) “And how can I
but give him way to me, seeing that he is set in dominion over me and
that the reins of my affair be in his hand?”—“His dominion over thee
lieth in the duties thou owest him; wherefore, an thou give him his due,
he hath no farther dominion over thee.” (¿) “What are a Wazir’s duties
to his King?”—“Good counsel and zealous service both in public and
private, right judgment, the keeping of his secrets and that he conceal
from his lord naught of that whereof he hath a right to be informed,
lack of neglect of aught of his need with the gratifying of which he
chargeth him, the seeking his approval in every guise and the avoidance
of his anger.” (¿) “How should the Wazir do with the King?”—“An thou be
Wazir to the King and wouldst fain become safe from him, let thy hearing
and thy speaking to him surpass his expectation of thee and be thy
seeking of thy want from him after the measure of thy rank in his
esteem, and beware lest thou advance thyself to a dignity whereof he
deemeth thee unworthy, for this would be like presuming against him. So,
if thou take advantage of his mildness and raise thee to a rank beyond
that which he deemeth thy due, thou wilt be like the hunter, whose wont
it was to trap wild beasts for their pelts and cast away the flesh. Now
a lion used to come to that place and eat of the carrion; and in course
of time, he made friendship with the hunter, who would throw meat to him
and wipe his hands on his back, whilst the lion wagged his tail.[110]
But when the hunter saw his tameness and gentleness and submissiveness
to him, he said to himself, “Verily this lion humbleth himself to me and
I am master of him, and I see not why I should not mount him and strip
off his hide, as with the other wild beasts.” So he took courage and
sprang on the lion’s back, presuming on his mildness and deeming himself
sure of him; which when the lion saw, he raged with exceeding rage and
raising his fore paw, smote the hunter, that he drove his claws into his
vitals; after which he cast him under foot and tare him in pieces and
devoured him. By this we may know that it behoveth the Wazir to bear
himself towards the King according to that which he seeth of his
condition and not presume upon the superiority of his own judgment, lest
the King become jealous of him.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Twelfth Night,