youth, King Jali’ad’s son had questioned Shimas concerning these
subtleties and had been duly answered, he pursued, “That which thou hast
expounded to me concerning Allah and His creatures I understand; but
tell me of one matter, concerning which my mind is perplexed with
extreme wonderment, and that is that I marvel at the sons of Adam, how
careless they are of the life to come and at their lack of taking
thought thereof and their love to this world, albeit they know that they
must needs leave it and depart from it, whilst they are yet young in
years.”—“Yes, verily; and that which thou seest of its changefulness and
traitorousness with its children is a sign that Fortune to the fortunate
will not endure nor to the afflicted affliction; for none of its people
is secure from its changefulness and even if one have power over it and
be content therewith, yet there is no help but that his estate change
and removal hasten unto him. Wherefore man can put no trust therein nor
profit by that which he enjoyeth of its gilding and glitter[136]; and we
knowing this will know that the sorriest of men in condition are those
who are deluded by this world and are unmindful of the other world; for
that whatso of present ease they enjoy will not even the fear and misery
and horrors which will befal them after their removal therefrom. Thus
are we certified that, if the creature knew that which will betide him
with the coming of death[137] and his severance from that which he
enjoyeth of pleasure and delight, he would cast away the world and that
which is therein; for we are certified that the next life is better for
us and more profitable.” Said the Prince, “O sage, thou hast dispelled
the darkness that was upon my heart by the light of thy shining lamp and
hast directed me into the right road I must tread on the track of Truth
and hast given me a lantern whereby I may see.” Then rose one of the
learned men who were in the presence and said, “When cometh the season
of Prime, needs must the hare seek the pasture as well as the elephant;
and indeed I have heard from you twain such questions and solutions as I
never before heard; but now leave that and let me ask you of somewhat.
Tell me, what is the best of the goods of the world?” Replied the
Prince, “Health of body, lawful livelihood and a virtuous son.” (¿)
“What is the greater and what is the less?”—“The greater is that to
which a lesser than itself submitteth and the less that which submitteth
to a greater than itself.” (¿) “What are the four things wherein concur
all creatures?”—“Men concur in meat and drink, the sweet of sleep, the
lust of women and the agonies of death.” (¿) “What are the three things
whose foulness none can do away?”—“Folly, meanness of nature, and
lying.” (¿) “What is the best kind of lie,[138] though all kinds are
foul?”—“That which averteth harm from its utterer and bringeth gain.”
(¿) “What kind of truthfulness is foul, though all kinds are
fair?”—“That of a man glorying in that which he hath and vaunting
himself thereof.” (¿) “What is the foulest of foulnesses?”—“When a man
boasteth himself of that which he hath not.” (¿) “Who is the most
foolish of men?”—“He who hath no thought but of what he shall put in his
belly.” Then said Shimas, “O King, verily thou art our King, but we
desire that thou assign the kingdom to thy son after thee, and we will
be thy servants and lieges.” So the King exhorted the Olema and others
who were in the presence to remember that which they had heard and do
according thereto and enjoined them to obey his son’s commandment, for
that he made him his heir-apparent,[139] so he should be the successor
of the King his sire; and he took an oath of all the people of his
empire, literates and braves and old men and boys, to mention none
other, that they would not oppose him in the succession nor transgress
against his commandment. Now when the Prince was seventeen years old,
the King sickened of a sore sickness and came nigh to die; so, being
certified that his decease was at hand, he said to the people of his
household, “This is disease of Death which is upon me; wherefore do ye
summon my son and kith and kin and gather together the Grandees and
Notables of my empire, so not one of them may remain except he be
present.” Accordingly they fared forth and made proclamation to those
who were near and published the summons to those who were afar off, and
they all assembled and went in to the King. Then said they to him, “How
is it with thee, O King, and how deemest thou for thyself of these thy
dolours?” Quoth Jali’ad, “Verily, this my malady is mortal and the shaft
of death hath executed that which Allah Almighty decreed against me:
this is the last of my days in the world here and the first of my days
in the world hereafter.” Then said he to his son, “Draw near unto me.”
So the youth drew near, weeping with weeping so sore, that he well nigh
drenched the bed, whilst the King’s eyes welled tears and all who were
present wept. Quoth Jali’ad, “Weep not, O my son; I am not the first
whom this Inevitable betideth; nay, it is common to all that Allah hath
created. But fear thou the Almighty and do good deeds which shall
precede thee to the place whither all creatures tend and wend. Obey not
thy lusts, but occupy thy soul with lauding the Lord in thy standing up
and thy sitting down, in thy waking and in thy sleeping. Make the Truth
the aim of thine eyes; this is the last of my speech with thee and—The
Peace.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Seventeenth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King
Jali’ad charged his son with such injunctions and made him his heir to
succeed him in his reign, the Prince said, “O dear father mine,[140]
thou knowest that I have ever been to thee obedient and thy commandment
carrying out, mindful of thine injunctions and thine approof seeking;
for thou hast been to me the best of fathers; how, then, after thy
death, shall I depart from that which contenteth thee? And now, having
fairly ordered my nurture thou art about to depart from me and I have no
power to bring thee back to me; but, an I be mindful of thy charge, I
shall be blessed therein and great good fortune shall betide me.” Quoth
the King, and indeed he was in the last agony of departing life, “Dear
my son, cleave fast unto ten precepts, which if thou hold, Allah shall
profit thee herewith in this world and the next world, and they are as
follows. Whenas thou art wroth, curb thy wrath; when thou art afflicted,
be patient; when thou speakest be soothfast; when thou promisest,
perform; when thou judgest, do justice; when thou hast power, be
merciful; deal generously by thy governors and lieutenants; forgive thy
foes; be lavish of good offices to thine adversary, and stay thy
mischief from him. Observe also other ten precepts,[141] wherewith Allah
shall profit thee among the people of thy realm, to wit, when thou
dividest, be just; when thou punishest, oppress not; when thou engagest
thyself, fulfil thine engagement; hearken to those that give thee loyal
counsel; when offence is offered to thee, neglect it; abstain from
contention; enjoin thy subjects to the observance of the divine laws and
of praiseworthy practices; abate ignorance with a sharp sword; withhold
thy regard from treachery and its untruth; and, lastly, do equal justice
between the folk, so they may love thee, great and small, and the wicked
and corrupt of them may fear thee.” Then he addressed himself to the
Emirs and Olema which were present when he appointed his son to be his
successor, saying, “Beware ye of transgressing the commandment of your
King and neglecting to hearken to your chief, for therein lieth ruin for
your realm and sundering for your society and bane for your bodies and
perdition for your possessions; and your foe would exult over you. Well
ye wot the covenant ye made with me, and even thus shall be your
covenant with this youth and the troth which plighted between you and me
shall be also between you and him; wherefore it behoveth you to give ear
unto and obey his commandment, for that in this is the well-being of
your conditions. So be ye constant with him anent that wherein ye were
with me and your estate shall prosper and your affairs be fair; for
behold, he hath the Kingship over you and is the lord of your fortune,
and—The Peace?” Then the death-agony[142] seized him and his tongue was
bridled: so he pressed his son to him and kissed him and gave thanks
unto Allah; after which his hour came and his soul fared forth. All his
subjects and the people of his court mourned and keened over him and
they shrouded him and buried him with pomp and honour and reverence;
after which they returned with the Prince and clad him in the royal
robes and crowned him with his father’s crown and put the seal-ring on
his finger, after seating him on the Throne of Sovranship. The young
King ordered himself towards them, after his father’s fashion of
mildness and justice and benevolence, for a little while till the world
waylaid him and entangled him in its lusts, whereupon, its pleasures
made him their prey and he turned to its gilding and gewgaws, forsaking
the engagements which his father had imposed upon him and casting off
his obedience to him, neglecting the affairs of his reign and treading a
road wherein was his own destruction. The love of women waxed stark in
him and came to such a pass that, whenever he heard tell of a beauty, he
would send for her and take her to wife; and after this wise, he
collected women more in number than ever had Solomon, David-son, King of
the children of Israel. Also he would shut himself up with a company of
them for a month at a time, during which he went not forth neither
enquired of his realm or its rule nor looked into the grievances of such
of his subjects as complained to him; and if they wrote to him, he
returned them no reply. Now when they saw this and witnessed his neglect
of their affairs and lack of care for their interests and those of the
state, they were assured that ere long some calamity would betide them
and this was grievous to them. So they met privily one with other and
took counsel together blaming their King, and one of them said to the
rest, “Come, let us go to Shimas, Chief of the Wazirs, and set forth to
him our case and acquaint him with that wherein we are by reason of this
King, so he may admonish him; else, in a little, calamity will dawn upon
us, for the world hath dazzled the Sovran with its delights and seduced
him with its snares.” Accordingly, they repaired to Shimas and said to
him, “O wise man and prudent, the world hath dazed the King with its
delights and taken him in its toils, so that he turneth unto vanity and
worketh for the undoing of the state. Now with the disordering of the
state the commons will be corrupted and our affairs will run to ruin. We
see him not for days and months nor cometh there forth from him any
commandment to us or to the Wazir or any else. We cannot refer aught of
our need to him and he looketh not to the administration of justice nor
taketh thought to the condition of any of his subjects, in his disregard
of them.[143] And behold we are come to acquaint thee with the truth of
things, for that thou art the chiefest and most accomplished of us and
it behoveth not that calamity befal a land wherein thou dwellest, seeing
that thou art most able of any to amend this King. Wherefore go thou and
speak with him: haply he will hearken to thy word and return unto the
way of Allah.”[144] So Shimas arose forthright and repairing to the
palace, foregathered with the first page he could find and said to him,
“Fair my son, I beseech thee ask leave for me to go in to the King, for
I have an affair, concerning which I would fain see his face and
acquaint him therewith and hear what he shall answer me thereanent.”
Answered the page, “O my lord, by Allah, this month past hath he given
none leave to come in to him, nor have I all this time looked upon his
face; but I will direct thee to one who shall crave admission for thee.
Do thou lay hold of such a blackamoor slave who standeth at his head and
bringeth him food from the kitchen. When he cometh forth to go to the
kitchen, ask him what seemeth good to thee; for he will do for thee that
which thou desirest.” So the Wazir repaired to the door of the kitchen
and sat there a little while, till up came the black and would have
entered the kitchen; but Shimas caught hold of him and said to him,
“Dear my son, I would fain stand in presence of the King and speak with
him of somewhat especially concerneth him; so prithee, of thy kindness,
when he hath ended his undurn-meal and his temper is at its best, speak
for me and get me leave to approach him, so I may bespeak him of that
which shall suit him.” “I hear and obey,” answered the black and taking
the food carried it to the King, who ate thereof and his temper was
soothed thereby. Then said the black to him, “Shimas standeth at the
door and craveth admission, so he may acquaint thee with matters that
specially concern thee.” At this the King was alarmed and disquieted and
commanded to admit the Minister.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Eighteenth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King
bade the blackamoor admit Shimas, the slave went forth to him and bade
him enter; whereupon he went in and falling prone before Allah, kissed
the King’s hands and blessed him. Then said the King, “What hath betided
thee, O Shimas, that thou seekest admission unto me?” He answered, “This
long while have I not looked upon the face of my lord the King and
indeed I longed sore for thee; and now, behold, I have seen thy
countenance and come to thee with a word which I would lief say to thee,
O King stablished in all prosperity!” Quoth the King, “Say what seemeth
good to thee;” and quoth Shimas, “I would have thee bear in mind O King,
that Allah Almighty hath endowed thee with learning and wisdom, for all
the tenderness of thy years, such as He never vouchsafed unto any of the
Kings before thee, and hath fulfilled the measure of his bounties to
thee with the Kingship; and He loveth not that thou depart from that
wherewith He hath endowed thee unto other than it, by means of thy
disobedience to Him; wherefore it behoveth thee not to levy war
against[145] Him with thy hoards but of His injunctions to be mindful
and unto His commandments obedient. Indeed, I have seen thee, this while
past, forget thy sire and his charges and reject his covenant and
neglect his counsel and words of wisdom and renounce his justice and
good governance, remembering not the bounty of Allah to thee neither
requiting it with gratitude and thanks to Him.” The King asked, “How so?
And what is the manner of this?;” and Shimas answered, “The manner of it
is that thou neglectest to administer the affairs of the state and that
which Allah hath committed unto thee of the interests of thy lieges and
surrenderest thyself to thy lower nature in that which it maketh fair to
thee of the slight lusts of the world. Verily it is said that the
welfare of the state and of the Faith and of the folk is of the things
which it behoveth the King to watch; wherefore it is my rede, O King,
that thou look fairly to the issue of thine affair, for thus wilt thou
find the manifest road wherein is salvation, and not accept a trifling
pleasure and a transient which leadeth to the abyss of destruction, lest
there befal thee that which befel the Fisherman.” The King asked, “What
was that?”; and Shimas answered, “There hath reached me this tale of
_THE FOOLISH FISHERMAN_.”
A Fisherman went forth to a river for fishing therein as was his wont;
and when he came thither and walked upon the bridge, he saw a great fish
and said in himself, “’Twill not serve me to abide here, but I will
follow yonder fish whitherso it goeth, till I catch it, for it will
relieve me from fishing for days and days.” So he did off his clothes
and plunged into the river after the fish. The current bore him along
till he overtook it and laid hold of it, when he turned and found
himself far from the bank. But albeit he saw what the stream had done
with him, he would not loose the fish and return, but ventured life and
gripping it fast with both hands, let his body float with the flow,
which carried him on till it cast him into a whirlpool[146] none might
enter and come out therefrom. With this he fell to crying out and
saying, “Save a drowning man!” And there came to him folk of the keepers
of the river and said to him, “What ailed thee to cast thyself into this
great peril?” Quoth he, “It was I myself who forsook the plain way
wherein was salvation and gave myself over to concupiscence and
perdition.” Quoth they, “O fellow, why didst thou leave the way of
safety and cast thyself into this destruction, knowing from of old that
none may enter herein and be saved? What hindered thee from throwing
away what was in thy hand and saving thyself? So hadst thou escaped with
thy life and not fallen into this perdition, whence there is no
deliverance; and now not one of us can rescue thee from this thy ruin.”
Accordingly the man cut off all his hopes of life and lost that which
was in his hand and for which his flesh had prompted him to venture
himself, and died a miserable death. “And I tell thee not this parable,
O King,” added Shimas, “but that thou mayest leave this contemptible
conduct that diverteth thee from thy duties and look to that which is
committed to thee of the rule of thy folk and the maintenance of the
order of thy realm, so that none may see fault in thee.” The King asked,
“What wouldst thou have me do?” And Shimas answered, “To-morrow, an thou
be well and in good case,[147] give the folk leave to come in to thee
and look into their affairs and excuse thyself to them and promise them
of thine own accord good governance and prosperity.” Quoth the King, “O
Shimas, thou hast spoken sensibly and rightly; and to-morrow, Inshallah,
I will do that which thou counsellest me.” So the Wazir went out from
him and told the lieges all he had said to him; and, when morning
morrowed, the King came forth of his privacy and bade admit the people,
to whom he excused himself, promising them that thenceforward he would
deal with them as they wished, wherewith they were content and departed
each to his own dwelling.[148] Then one of the King’s wives, who was his
best-beloved of them and most in honour with him, visited him and seeing
him changed of colour and thoughtful over his affairs, by reason of that
which he had heard from his chief Wazir, said to him, “O King, how is it
that I see thee troubled in mind? Hast thou aught to complain of?”
Answered he, “No: but my pleasures have distracted me from my duties.
What right have I to be thus negligent of my affairs and those of my
subjects? If I continue on this wise, soon, very soon, the kingdom will
pass out of my hand.” She rejoined, “I see, O King, that thou hast been
duped by the Wazirs and Ministers, who wish but to torment and entrap
thee, so thou mayst have no joyance of this thy kingship neither feel
ease nor taste delight; nay, they would have thee consume thy life in
warding off trouble from them, till thy days be wasted in travail and
weariness and thou be as one who slayeth himself for the benefit of
another or like the Boy and the Thieves.” Asked the King, “How was
that?” and she answered, “They tell the following tale anent
_THE BOY AND THE THIEVES_.”
Seven Thieves once went out to steal, according to their custom, and
fell in with a Boy, poor and orphaned to boot, who besought them for
somewhat to eat. One of them asked him, “Wilt go with us, O Boy, and we
will feed thee and give thee drink, clothe thee and entreat thee
kindly?” And he answered, “Needs must I go with you whitherso ye will
and ye are as my own kith and kin.” So they took him and fared on with
him till they came to a garden, and entering, went round about therein,
till they found a walnut-tree laden with ripe fruit and said to him, “O
Boy, wilt thou enter this garden with us and swarm up this tree and eat
of its walnuts thy sufficiency and throw the rest down to us?” He
consented and entered with them,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Nineteenth Night,
She said. It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Boy
consented and entered with the Thieves, one of them said to other “Look
which is the lightest and smallest of us and make him climb the tree.”
And they said, “None of us is slighter than this Boy.” So they sent him
up into the tree and said to him, “O Boy, touch not aught of the fruit,
lest some one see thee and work thee a mischief.” He asked, “How then
shall I do?”, and they answered, “Sit among the boughs and shake them
one by one with all thy might, so that which is thereon may fall, and we
will pick it up. Then, when thou hast made an end of shaking down the
fruit, come down and take thy share of that which we have gathered.”
Accordingly he began to shake every branch at which he could come, so
that the nuts fell and the thieves picked them up and ate some and hid
other some till all were full, save the Boy who had eaten naught. As
they were thus engaged, behold, up came the owner of the garden who,
standing to witness the spectacle, enquired of them, “What do ye with
this tree?” They replied “We have taken naught thereof; but we were
passing by and seeing yonder Boy on the tree, took him for the owner
thereof and besought him to give us to eat of the fruit. Thereat he fell
to shaking one of the branches, so that the nuts dropped down, and we
are not at fault.” Quoth the master to the Boy, “What sayst thou?”; and
quoth he, “These men lie; but I will tell thee the truth. It is that we
all came hither together and they bade me climb the tree and shake its
boughs that the nuts might fall down to them, and I obeyed their
bidding.” Said the master, “Thou hast cast thyself into sore calamity;
but hast thou profited by eating aught of the fruit?”; and he said, “I
have eaten naught thereof.” Rejoined the owner of the garden, “Now know
I thy folly and thine ignorance in that thou hast wrought to ruin
thyself and profit others.” Then said he to the Thieves, “I have no
resort against you, so wend your ways!” But he laid hands on the Boy and
punished him. “On like wise,” added the favourite, “thy Wazirs and
Officers of state would sacrifice thee to their interests and do with
thee as did the Thieves with the Boy.” Answered the King, “Thou sayst
sooth, and speakest truth: I will not go forth to them nor leave my
pleasures.” Then he passed the night with his wife in all delight till
the morning, when the Grand Wazier arose and, assembling the Officers of
state, together with those of the lieges who were present with them,
repaired with them to the palace-gate, congratulating one another and
rejoicing. But the door opened not nor did the King come forth unto them
nor give them leave to go in to him. So, when they despaired of him,
they said to Shimas, “O excellent Wazir and accomplished sage, seest
thou not the behaviour of this lad, young of years and little of wit,
how he addeth to his offences falsehood? See how he hath broken his
promise to us and hath not performed that for which he engaged unto us,
and this sin it behoveth thee join unto his other sins; but we beseech
thee go in to him yet again and discover what is the cause of his
holding back and refusal to come forth; for we doubt not but that the
like of this action cometh of his corrupt nature, and indeed he is now
hardened to the highest degree.” Accordingly, Shimas went in to the King
and bespake him, saying, “Peace be with thee, O King! How cometh it that
I see thee give thyself up to these slight pleasures and neglect the
great affair whereto it behoveth thee sedulously apply thyself? Thou art
like unto a man who had a milch-camel and, coming one day to milk her,
the goodness of her milk made him neglect to hold fast her halter; which
whenas she felt, she haled herself free and made off into the wold. Thus
the man lost both milk and camel and the loss that betided him surpassed
his gain. Wherefore, O King, do thou look unto that wherein is thy
welfare and the weal of thy subjects; for, even as it behoveth not a man
to sit for ever at the kitchen door, because of his need unto food, so
should he not alway company with women, by reason of his inclination to
them. And as a man should eat but as much food as will guard him from
the pains of hunger and drink but what will ward off the pangs of
thirst, in like manner it behoveth the sensible man to content himself
with passing two of the four-and-twenty hours of his day with women and
expend the rest in ordering his own affairs and those of his people. For
to be longer than this in company with women is hurtful both to mind and
body, seeing that they bid not unto good neither direct thereto:
wherefore it besitteth not a man to accept from them or word or deed,
for indeed it hath reached me that many men have come to ruin through
their women, and amongst others a certain man who perished through
conversation with his wife at her command.” The King asked, “How was
that?” and Shimas answered, saying, “Hear, O King, the tale of
_THE MAN AND HIS WIFE_.”