Abu Sir and thrust him forth he said to those present, “He is a thief
who stealeth the stuffs of folk; he hath robbed me of cloth, how many a
time! and I still said in myself:—Allah forgive him! He is a poor man;
and I cared not to deal roughly with him; so I used to give my customers
the worth of their goods and forbid him gently; but he would not be
forbidden: and if he come again, I will send him to the King, who will
put him to death and rid the people of his mischief.” And the bystanders
fell to abusing the barber after his back was turned. Such was the
behaviour of Abu Kir; but as regards Abu Sir, he returned to the Khan,
where he sat pondering that which the dyer had done by him and he
remained seated till the burning of the beating subsided, when he went
out and walked about the markets of the city. Presently, he bethought
him to go to the Hammam-bath; so he said to one of the townsfolk, “O my
brother, which is the way to the Baths?” Quoth the man, “And what manner
of thing may the Baths be?” and quoth Abu Sir, “’Tis a place where
people wash themselves and do away their dirt and defilements, and it is
of the best of the good things of the world.” Replied the townsman, “Get
thee to the sea,” but the barber rejoined, “I want the Hammam-baths.”
Cried the other, “We know not what manner of thing is the Hammam, for we
all resort to the sea; even the King, when he would wash, betaketh
himself to the sea.” When Abu Sir was assured that there was no bath in
the city and that the folk knew not the Baths nor the fashion thereof,
he betook himself to the King’s Divan and kissing ground between his
hands called down blessings on him and said, “I am a stranger and a
Bath-man by trade, and I entered thy city and thought to go to the
Hammam; but found not one therein. How cometh a city of this comely
quality to lack a Hammam, seeing that the bath is of the highest of the
delights of this world?” Quoth the King, “What manner of thing is the
Hammam?” So Abu Sir proceeded to set forth to him the quality of the
bath, saying, “Thy capital will not be a perfect city till there be a
Hammam therein.” “Welcome to thee!” said the King and clad him in a
dress that had not its like and gave him a horse and two blackamoor
slaves, presently adding four handmaids and as many white Mamelukes: he
also appointed him a furnished house and honoured him yet more
abundantly than he had honoured the dyer. After this he sent builders
with him saying to them, “Build him a Hammam in what place soever shall
please him.” So he took them and went with them through the midst of the
city, till he saw a stead that suited him. He pointed it out to the
builders and they set to work, whilst he directed them, and they wrought
till they builded him a Hammam that had not its like. Then he bade them
paint it, and they painted it rarely, so that it was a delight to the
beholders; after which Abu Sir went up to the King and told him that
they had made an end of building and decorating the Hammam, adding,
“There lacketh naught save the furniture.” The King gave him ten
thousand dinars wherewith he furnished the Bath and ranged the napkins
on the ropes; and all who passed by the door stared at it and their mind
was confounded at its decorations. So the people crowded to this
spectacle, whose like they had never in their lives seen, and solaced
themselves by staring at it and saying, “What is this thing?” To which
Abu Sir replied, “This is a Hammam;” and they marvelled thereat. Then he
heated water and set the bath a-working,[208] and he made a jetting
fountain in the great basin, which ravished the wit of all who saw it of
the people of the city. Furthermore, he sought of the King ten Mamelukes
not yet come to manhood, and he gave him ten boys like moons; whereupon
Abu Sir proceeded to shampoo them, saying, “Do in this wise with the
bathers.” Then he burnt perfumes and sent out a crier to cry aloud in
the city, saying, “O creatures of Allah, get ye to the Baths which be
called the Sultan’s Hammam!” So the lieges came thither and Abu Sir bade
the slave-boys wash their bodies. The folk went down into the tank and
coming forth, seated themselves on the raised pavement, whilst the boys
shampooed them, even as Abu Sir had taught them; and they continued to
enter the Hammam and do their need therein gratis and go out, without
paying, for the space of three days. On the fourth day the barber
invited the King, who took horse with his Grandees and rode to the
Baths, where he put off his clothes and entered; then Abu Sir came in to
him and rubbed his body with the bag-gloves, peeling from his skin
dirt-rolls like lamp-wicks and showing them to the King, who rejoiced
therein, and clapping his hand upon his limbs heard them ring again for
very smoothness and cleanliness[209]; after which thorough washing Abu
Sir mingled rose-water with the water of the tank and the King went down
therein. When he came forth, his body was refreshed and he felt a
lightness and liveliness such as he had never known in his life. Then
the barber made him sit on the daïs and the boys proceeded to shampoo
him, whilst the censers fumed with the finest lign-aloes.[210] Then said
the King, “O master is this the Hammam?”; and Abu Sir said, “Yes.” Quoth
the King, “As my head liveth, my city is not become a city indeed but by
this Bath,” presently adding, “But what pay takest thou for each
person?” Quoth Abu Sir, “That which thou biddest will I take;” whereupon
the King cried, “Take a thousand gold pieces for every one who washeth
in thy Hammam.” Abu Sir, however, said, “Pardon, O King of the age! All
men are not alike, but there are amongst them rich and poor, and if I
take of each a thousand dinars, the Hammam will stand empty, for the
poor man cannot pay this price.” Asked the King, “How then wilt thou do
for the price!”; and the barber answered, “I will leave it to their
generosity.[211] Each who can afford aught shall pay that which his soul
grudgeth not to give, and we will take from every man after the measure
of his means. On this wise will the folk come to us and he who is
wealthy shall give according to his station and he who is wealth-less
shall give what he can afford. Under such condition the Hammam will
still be at work and prosper exceedingly; but a thousand dinars is a
Monarch’s gift, and not every man can avail to this.” The Lords of the
Realm confirmed Abu Sir’s words, saying, “This is the truth, O King of
the age! Thinkest thou that all folk are like unto thee, O glorious
King[212]?” The King replied, “Ye say sooth; but this man is a stranger
and poor and ’tis incumbent on us to deal generously with him, for that
he hath made in our city this Hammam whose like we have never in our
lives seen and without which our city were not adorned nor hath gotten
importance; wherefore, an we favour him with increase of fee ’twill not
be much.” But the Grandees said, “An thou wilt guerdon him be generous
with thine own monies, and let the King’s bounty be extended to the poor
by means of the low price of the Hammam, so the lieges may bless thee;
but, as for the thousand dinars, we are the Lords of thy Land, yet do
our souls grudge to pay it; and how then should the poor be pleased to
afford it?” Quoth the King, “O my Grandees, for this time let each of
you give him an hundred dinars and a Mameluke, a slave girl and a
blackamoor;” and quoth they, “’Tis well; we will give it; but after
to-day whoso entereth shall give him only what he can afford, without
grudging.” “No harm in that,” said the King; and they gave him the
thousand gold pieces and three chattels. Now the number of the Nobles
who were washed with the King that day was four hundred souls;——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the number of
the Nobles who were washed with the King that day were four hundred
souls; so that the total of that which they gave him was forty thousand
dinars, besides four hundred Mamelukes and a like number of negroes and
slave-girls.[213] Moreover the King gave him ten thousand dinars,
besides ten white slaves and ten handmaidens and a like number of
blackamoors; whereupon coming forward Abu Sir kissed the ground before
him and said, “O auspicious Sovereign, lord of justice, what place will
contain me all these women and slaves?” Quoth the King, “O weak o’ wit,
I bade not my nobles deal thus with thee but that we might gather
together unto thee wealth galore; for may be thou wilt bethink thee of
thy country and family and repine for them and be minded to return to
thy mother-land; so shalt thou take from our country muchel of money to
maintain thyself withal, what while thou livest in thine own country.”
And quoth Abu Sir, “O King of the age, (Allah advance thee!) these white
slaves and women and negroes befit only Kings and hadst thou ordered me
ready money, it were more profitable to me than this army; for they must
eat and drink and dress, and whatever betideth me of wealth, it will not
suffice for their support.” The King laughed and said, “By Allah thou
speakest sooth! They are indeed a mighty host, and thou hast not the
wherewithal to maintain them; but wilt thou sell them to me for an
hundred dinars a head?” Said Abu Sir, “I sell them to thee at that
price.” So the King sent to his treasurer for the coin and he brought it
and gave Abu Sir the whole of the price without abatement[214] and in
full tale; after which the King restored the slaves to their owners,
saying, “Let each of you who knoweth his slaves take them; for they are
a gift from me to you.” So they obeyed his bidding and took each what
belonged to him; whilst Abu Sir said to the King, “Allah ease thee, O
King of the age, even as thou hast eased me of these Ghuls, whose
bellies none may fill save Allah[215]!” The King laughed, and said he
spake sooth; then, taking the Grandees of his Realm from the Hammam
returned to his palace; but the barber passed the night in counting out
his gold and laying it up in bags and sealing them; and he had with him
twenty black slaves and a like number of Mamelukes and four slave girls
to serve him. Now when morning morrowed, he opened the Hammam and sent
out a crier to cry, saying, “Whoso entereth the Baths and washeth shall
give that which he can afford and which his generosity requireth him to
give.” Then he seated himself by the pay-chest[216] and customers
flocked in upon him, each putting down that which was easy to him, nor
had eventide evened ere the chest was full of the good gifts of Allah
the Most High. Presently the Queen desired to go to the Hammam, and when
this came to Abu Sir’s knowledge, he divided the day on her account into
two parts, appointing that between dawn and noon to men and that between
midday and sundown to women.[217] As soon as the Queen came, he
stationed a handmaid behind the pay-chest; for he had taught four
slave-girls the service of the Hammam, so that they were become expert
bath-women and tire-women. When the Queen entered, this pleased her and
her breast waxed broad and she laid down a thousand dinars. Thus his
report was noised abroad in the city, and all who entered the bath he
entreated with honour, were they rich or poor; good came in upon him at
every door and he made acquaintance with the royal guards and got him
friends and intimates. The King himself used to come to him one day in
every week, leaving with him a thousand dinars and the other days were
for rich and poor alike; and he was wont to deal courteously with the
folk and use them with the utmost respect. It chanced that the King’s
sea-captain came in to him one day in the bath; so Abu Sir did off his
dress and going in with him, proceeded to shampoo him and entreated him
with exceeding courtesy. When he came forth, he made him sherbet and
coffee; and when he would have given him somewhat, he swore that he
would not accept from him aught. So the captain was under obligation to
him, by reason of his exceeding kindness and courtesy and was perplexed
how to requite the bath-man his generous dealing. Thus fared it with Abu
Sir: but as regards Abu Kir, hearing all the people recounting wonders
of the Baths and saying, “Verily, this Hammam is the Paradise of this
world! Inshallah, O such an one, thou shalt go with us to-morrow to this
delightful bath,” he said to himself, “Needs must I fare like the rest
of the world, and see this bath that hath taken folk’s wits.” So he
donned his richest dress and mounting a she-mule and bidding the
attendance of four white slaves and four blacks, walking before and
behind him, he rode to the Hammam. When he alighted at the door, he
smelt the scent of burning aloes-wood and found people going in and out
and the benches full of great and small. So he entered the vestibule and
saw Abu Sir, who rose to him and rejoiced in him: but the dyer said to
him, “Is this the way of well-born men? I have opened me a dyery and am
become master-dyer of the city and acquainted with the King and have
risen to prosperity and authority: yet camest thou not to me nor askest
of me nor saidst, Where’s my comrade? For my part I sought thee in vain
and sent my slaves and servants to make search for thee in all the Khans
and other places; but they knew not whither thou hadst gone, nor could
any one give me tidings of thee.” Said Abu Sir, “Did I not come to thee
and didst thou not make me out a thief and bastinado me and dishonour me
before the world?” At this Abu Kir made a show of concern and asked,
“What manner of talk is this? Was it thou whom I beat?”: and Abu Sir
answered, “Yes, ’twas I.” Whereupon Abu Kir swore to him a thousand
oaths that he knew him not and said, “There was a fellow like thee, who
used to come every day and steal the people’s stuff, and I took thee for
him.” And he went on to pretend penitence, beating hand upon hand and
saying, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the
Glorious, the Great? Indeed we have sinned against thee; but would that
thou hadst discovered thyself to me and said, I am such an one! Indeed
the fault is with thee, for that thou madest not thyself known unto me,
more especially seeing that I was distracted for much business.” Replied
Abu Sir, “Allah pardon thee,[218] O my comrade! This was foreordained in
the Secret Purpose, and reparation is with Allah. Enter and put off thy
clothes and bathe at thine ease.” Said the dyer, “I conjure thee, by
Allah, O my brother, forgive me!”; and said Abu Sir, “Allah acquit thee
of blame and forgive thee! Indeed this thing was decreed to me from all
eternity.” Then asked Abu Kir, “Whence gottest thou this high degree?”;
and answered Abu Sir, “He who prospered thee prospered me; for I went up
to the King and described to him the fashion of the Hammam and he bade
me build one.” And the dyer said, “Even as thou art beknown of the King,
so also am I;”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Abu Kir
and Abu Sir were exchanging reproof and excuse, the dyer said to him,
“Even as thou art beknown of the King, so also am I; and, Inshallah,—God
willing—I will make him love and favour thee more than ever, for my
sake, he knoweth not that thou art my comrade, but I will acquaint him
of this and commend thee to him.” But Abu Sir said, “There needeth no
commendation; for He who moveth man’s heart to love still liveth; and
indeed the King and all his court affect me and have given me this and
that.” And he told him the whole tale and said to him, “Put off thy
clothes behind the chest and enter the Hammam, and I will go in with
thee and rub thee down with the glove.” So he doffed his dress and Abu
Sir, entering the bath with him, soaped him and gloved him and then
dressed him and busied himself with his service till he came forth, when
he brought him dinner and sherbets, whilst all the folk marvelled at the
honour he did him. Then Abu Kir would have given him somewhat; but he
swore that he would not accept aught from him and said to him, “Shame
upon such doings! Thou art my comrade, and there is no difference
between us.” Then Abu Kir observed, “By Allah, O my comrade, this is a
mighty fine Hammam of thine, but there lacketh somewhat in its
ordinance.” Asked Abu Sir, “And what is that?” and Abu Kir answered, “It
is the depilatory,[219] to wit, the paste compounded of yellow arsenic
and quicklime which removeth the hair with comfort. Do thou prepare it
and next time the King cometh, present it to him, teaching him how he
shall cause the hair to fall off by such means, and he will love thee
with exceeding love and honour thee.” Quoth Abu Sir, “Thou speakest
sooth, and Inshallah, I will at once make it.” Then Abu Kir left him and
mounted his mule and going to the King said to him, “I have a warning to
give thee, O King of the age!” “And what is thy warning?” asked the
King; and Abu Kir answered, “I hear that thou hast built a Hammam.”
Quoth the King, “Yes: there came to me a stranger and I builded the
Baths for him, even as I builded the dyery for thee; and indeed ’tis a
mighty fine Hammam and an ornament to my city;” and he went on to
describe to him the virtues of the bath. Quoth the dyer, “Hast thou
entered therein?”; and quoth the King, “Yes.” Thereupon cried Abu Kir,
“Alhamdolillah—praised be God,—who saved thee from the mischief of
yonder villain and foe of the Faith, I mean the bath-keeper!” The King
enquired, “And what of him?”; and Abu Kir replied, “Know, O King of the
age that, an thou enter the Hammam again, after this day, thou wilt
surely perish.” “How so?” said the King; and the dyer said, “This
bath-keeper is thy foe and the foe of the Faith, and he induced thee not
to stablish this Bath but because he designed therein to poison thee. He
hath made for thee somewhat and he will present it to thee when thou
enterest the Hammam, saying:—This is a drug which, if one apply to his
parts below the waist, will remove the hair with comfort. Now it is no
drug, but a drastic dreg and a deadly poison; for the Sultan of the
Christians hath promised this obscene fellow to release to him his wife
and children, an he will kill thee; for they are prisoners in the hands
of that Sultan. I myself was captive with him in their land, but I
opened a dyery and dyed for them various colours, so that they
conciliated the King’s heart to me and he bade me ask a boon of him. I
sought of him freedom and he set me at liberty, whereupon I made my way
to this city and seeing yonder man in the Hammam, said to him, “How
didst thou effect thine escape and win free with thy wife and children?”
Quoth he, “We ceased not to be in captivity, I and my wife and children,
till one day the King of the Nazarenes held a court whereat I was
present, amongst a number of others; and as I stood amongst the folk, I
heard them open out on the Kings and name them, one after other, till
they came to the name of the King of this city, whereupon the King of
the Christians cried out Alas! and said, “None vexeth me[220] in the
world, but the King of such a city![221] Whosoever will contrive me his
slaughter I will give him all he shall ask.” So I went up to him and
said, “An I compass for thee his slaughter, wilt thou set me free, me
and my wife and my children?” The King replied “Yes; and I will give
thee to boot whatso thou shalt desire.” So we agreed upon this and he
sent me in a galleon to this city, where I presented myself to the King
and he built me this Hammam. Now, therefore, I have nought to do but to
slay him and return to the King of the Nazarenes, that I may redeem my
children and my wife and ask a boon of him.” Quoth I:—And how wilt thou
go about to kill him?; and quoth he:—By the simplest of all devices; for
I have compounded him somewhat wherein is poison; so, when he cometh to
the bath, I shall say to him:—Take this paste and anoint therewith thy
parts below the waist for it will cause the hair[222] to drop off. So he
will take it and apply it to himself and the poison will work in him a
day and a night, till it reacheth his heart and destroyeth him; and
meanwhile I shall have made off and none will know that it was I slew
him.” “When I heard this,” added Abu Kir, “I feared for thee, my
benefactor, wherefore I have told thee of what is doing.” As soon as the
King heard the dyer’s story, he was wroth with exceeding wrath and said
to him, “Keep this secret.” Then he resolved to visit the Hammam, that
he might dispel doubt by supplying certainty; and when he entered, Abu
Sir doffed his dress and betaking himself as of wont to the service of
the King, proceeded to glove him; after which he said to him, “O King of
the age, I have made a drug which assisteth in plucking out the lower
hair.” Cried the King, “Bring it to me”: so the barber brought it to him
and the King, finding it nauseous of smell, was assured that it was
poison; wherefore he was incensed and called out to his guards, saying,
“Seize him!” Accordingly they seized him and the King donned his dress
and returned to his palace, boiling with fury, whilst none knew the
cause of his indignation; for, of the excess of his wrath he had
acquainted no one therewith and none dared ask him. Then he repaired to
the audience-chamber and causing Abu Sir to be brought before him, with
his elbows pinioned, sent for his Sea-captain and said to him, “Take
this villain and set him in a sack with two quintals of lime unslacked
and tie its mouth over his head. Then lay him in a cock-boat and row out
with him in front of my palace, where thou wilt see me sitting at the
lattice. Do thou say to me:—Shall I cast him in? and if I answer, “Cast
him!” throw the sack into the sea, so the quicklime may be slaked on him
to the intent that he shall die drowned and burnt.”[223] “Hearkening and
obeying;” quoth the Captain and taking Abu Sir from the presence carried
him to an island facing the King’s palace, where he said to him, “Ho
thou, I once visited thy Hammam and thou entreatedst me with honour and
accomplishedst all my needs and I had great pleasure of thee: moreover,
thou swarest that thou wouldst take no pay of me, and I love thee with a
great love. So tell me how the case standeth between thee and the King
and what abominable deed thou hast done with him that he is wroth with
thee and hath commanded me that thou shouldst die this foul death.”
Answered Abu Sir, “I have done nothing, nor weet I of any crime I have
committed against him which meriteth this!”——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,