and in India mostly a magic square. The subject is complicated and
occupies in Herklots some sixty pages, 222–284.
Footnote 292:
The Bul. and Mac. Edits. give the Princess’s malady, in error, as Dáa
al-Sudá’ (megrims), instead of Dáa al-Sar’ (epilepsy), as in the
Bresl. Edit. The latter would mean that she is possessed by a demon,
again the old Scriptural fancy (see vol. v. 28). The subject is highly
fitted for romance but not for a “serious” book which ought to know
better.
Footnote 293:
Arab Al-’Áriz = the demon who possessed her.
Footnote 294:
_i.e._ He hath renounced his infamous traffic.
Footnote 295:
Alluding to the favourite Eastern saying, “The poor man hath no life.”
Footnote 296:
In this and the following lines some change is necessary for the
Bresl. and Mac. texts are very defective. The Arabic word here
translated “recess” is “Aywán,” prop. a hall, an open saloon.
Footnote 297:
_i.e._ by selling it for thirty thousand gold pieces, when he might
have got a million for it.
IBRAHIM AND JAMILAH.[298]
Al-Khasíb,[299] Wazir of Egypt, had a son named Ibrahím, than whom there
was none goodlier, and of his fear for him, he suffered him not to go
forth, save to the Friday prayers. One day, as the youth was returning
from the mosque, he came upon an old man, with whom were many books; so
he lighted down from his horse and seating himself beside him, began to
turn over the tomes and examine them. In one of them he espied the
semblance of a woman which all but spoke, never was seen on the earth’s
face one more beautiful; and as this captivated his reason and
confounded his wit, he said to the old man, “O Shaykh, sell me this
picture.” The bookseller kissed ground between his hands and said, “O my
lord, ’tis thine without price.[300]” Ibrahim gave him an hundred dinars
and taking the book in which was the picture, fell to gazing upon it and
weeping night and day, abstaining from meat and drink and sleep. Then
said he in his mind, “An I ask the bookseller of the painter of this
picture, haply he will tell me; and if the original be living, I will
seek access to her; but, if it be only a picture, I will leave doting
upon it and plague myself no more for a thing which hath no real
existence.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Fifty-third Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the youth
Ibrahim said in his mind, “An I ask the bookseller of the painter of
this picture, haply he will tell me; and, if it be only a picture, I
will leave doting upon it and plague myself no more for a thing which
hath no real existence.” So on the next Friday he betook himself to the
bookseller, who sprang up to receive him, and said to him, “Oh uncle,
tell me who painted this picture.” He replied, “O my lord, a man of the
people of Baghdad painted it, by name Abu al-Kásim al-Sandaláni who
dwelleth in a quarter called Al-Karkh; but I know not of whom it is the
portraiture.” So Ibrahim left him without acquainting any of his
household with his case, and returned to the palace, after praying the
Friday prayers. Then he took a bag and filling it with gold and gems to
the value of thirty thousand dinars, waited till the morning, when he
went out, without telling any, and presently overtook a caravan. Here he
saw a Badawi and asked him, “O uncle, what distance is between me and
Baghdad?”; and the other answered, “O my son, where art thou, and where
is Baghdad[301]? Verily, between thee and it is two months’ journey.”
Quoth Ibrahim, “O nuncle, an thou wilt guide me to Baghdad, I will give
thee an hundred dinars and this mare under me that is worth other
thousand gold pieces;” and quoth the Badawi, “Allah be witness of what
we say! Thou shalt not lodge this night but with me.” So Ibrahim agreed
to this and passed the night with him. At break of dawn, the Badawi took
him and fared on with him in haste by a near road, in his greed for the
mare and the promised good; nor did they leave wayfaring till they came
to the walls of Baghdad, when said the wildling, “Praised be Allah for
safety! O my lord, this is Baghdad.” Whereat Ibrahim rejoiced with
exceeding joy and alighting from the mare, gave her to the Desert-man,
together with the hundred dinars. Then he took the bag and entering the
city walked on, enquiring for the quarter Al-Karkh and the station of
the merchants, till Destiny drave him to a by-way, wherein were ten
houses, five fronting five, and at the farther end was a two-leaved door
with a silver ring. By the gate stood two benches of marble, spread with
the finest carpets, and on one of them sat a man of handsome aspect and
reverend, clad in sumptuous clothing and attended by five Mamelukes like
moons. When the youth Ibrahim saw the street, he knew it by the
description the bookseller had given him; so he salamed to the man, who
returned his salutation and bidding him welcome, made him sit down and
asked him of his case. Quoth Ibrahim, “I am a stranger man and desire of
thy favour that thou look me out a house in this street where I may take
up my abode.” With this the other cried out, saying, “Ho,
Ghazálah[302]!”; and there came forth to him a slave-girl, who said, “At
thy service, O my lord!” Said her master, “Take some servants and fare
ye all and every to such a house and clean it and furnish it with whatso
is needful for this handsome youth.” So she went forth and did his
bidding; whilst the old man took the youth and showed him the house; and
he said, “O my lord, how much may be the rent of this house?” The other
answered, “O bright of face, I will take no rent of thee whilst thou
abidest therein.” Ibrahim thanked him for this and the old man called
another slave-girl, whereupon there came forth to him a damsel like the
sun, to whom said he, “Bring chess.” So she brought it and one of the
servants set the cloth;[303] whereupon said the Shaykh to Ibrahim, “Wilt
thou play with me?”; and he answered, “Yes.” So they played several
games and Ibrahim beat him, when his adversary exclaimed, “Well done, O
youth! Thou art indeed perfect in qualities. By Allah, there is not one
in Baghdad can beat me, and yet thou hast beaten me!” Now when they had
made ready the house and furnished it with all that was needful, the old
man delivered the keys to Ibrahim and said to him, “O my lord, wilt thou
not enter my place and eat of my bread?” He assented and walking in with
him, found it a handsome house and a goodly, decorated with gold and
full of all manner pictures and furniture galore and other things, such
as tongue faileth to set out. The old man welcomed him and called for
food, whereupon they brought a table of the make of Sana’a of Al-Yaman
and spread it with all manner rare viands, than which there was naught
costlier nor more delicious. So Ibrahim ate his sufficiency, after which
he washed his hands and proceeded to inspect the house and furniture.
Presently, he turned to look for the leather bag, but found it not and
said in himself, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in
Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I have eaten a morsel worth a dirham or
two and have lost a bag wherein is thirty thousand dinars’ worth: but I
seek aid of Allah!” And he was silent and could not speak——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the youth
Ibrahim saw that his bag was lost, he was silent and could not speak for
the greatness of his trouble. Presently his host brought the chess and
said to him, “Wilt thou play with me?”; and he said, “Yes.” So they
played and the old man beat him. Ibrahim cried, “Well done!” and left
playing and rose: upon which his host asked him, “What aileth thee, O
youth?” whereto he answered, “I want the bag.” Thereupon the Shaykh rose
and brought it out to him, saying, “Here it is, O my lord. Wilt thou now
return to playing with me?” “Yes,” replied Ibrahim. Accordingly they
played and the young man beat him. Quoth the Shaykh, “When thy thought
was occupied with the bag, I beat thee: but, now I have brought it back
to thee, thou beatest me. But, tell me, O my son, what countryman art
thou:” Quoth Ibrahim, “I am from Egypt,” and quoth the oldster, “And
what is the cause of thy coming to Baghdad?”; whereupon Ibrahim brought
out the portrait and said to him, “Know, O uncle, that I am the son of
Al-Khasib, Wazir of Egypt, and I saw with a bookseller this picture,
which bewildered my wit. I asked him who painted it and he said, “He who
wrought it is a man, Abu al-Kasim al-Sandalani hight, who dwelleth in a
street called the Street of Saffron in the Karkh quarter of Baghdad.” So
I took with me somewhat of money and came hither alone, none knowing of
my case; and I desire of the fulness of thy favour that thou direct me
to Abu al-Kasim, so I may ask him of the cause of his painting this
picture and whose portrait it is. And whatsoever he desireth of me, I
will give him that same.” Said his host, “By Allah, O my son, I am Abu
al-Kasim al-Sandalani, and this is a prodigious thing how Fate hath thus
driven thee to me!” Now when Ibrahim heard these words, he rose to him
and embraced him and kissed his head and hands, saying, “Allah upon
thee, tell me whose portrait it is!” The other replied, “I hear and I
obey,” and rising, opened a closet and brought out a number of books,
wherein he had painted the same picture. Then said he, “Know, O my son,
that the original of this portrait is my cousin, the daughter of my
father’s brother, whose name is Abú al-Lays.[304] She dwelleth in
Bassorah of which city her father is governor, and her name is
Jamílah—the beautiful. There is not on the face of the earth a fairer
than she; but she is averse from men and cannot hear the word ‘man’
pronounced in her presence. Now I once repaired to my uncle, to the
intent that he should marry me to her, and was lavish of wealth to him;
but he would not consent thereto: and when his daughter knew of this she
was indignant and sent to me to say, amongst other things:—An thou have
wit, tarry not in this town; else wilt thou perish and thy sin shall be
on thine own neck.[305] For she is a virago of viragoes. Accordingly I
left Bassorah, broken-hearted, and limned this likeness of her in books
and scattered them abroad in various lands, so haply they might fall
into the hands of a comely youth like thyself and he contrive access to
her and peradventure she might fall in love with him, purposing to take
a promise of him that, when he should have possession of her, he would
show her to me, though I look but for a moment from afar off.” When
Ibrahim son of Al-Khasib heard these words, he bowed his head awhile in
thought and Al-Sandalani said to him, “O my son, I have not seen in
Baghdad a fairer than thou, and meseems that, when she seeth thee, she
will love thee. Art thou willing, therefore, in case thou be united with
her and get possession of her, to show her to me, if I look but for a
moment from afar?” Ibrahim replied, “Yes;” and the painter rejoined,
“This being so, tarry with me till thou set out.” But the youth
retorted, “I cannot tarry longer; for my heart with love of her is all
afire.” “Have patience three days,” said the Shaykh, “till I fit thee
out a ship, wherein thou mayst fare to Bassorah.” Accordingly he waited
whilst the old man equipped him a craft and stored therein all that he
needed of meat and drink and so forth. When the three days were past, he
said to Ibrahim, “Make thee ready for the voyage; for I have prepared
thee a packet-boat furnished with all thou requirest. The craft is my
property and the seamen are of my servants. In the vessel is what will
suffice thee till thy return, and I have charged the crew to serve thee
till thou come back in safety.” Thereupon Ibrahim farewelled his host
and embarking, sailed down the river till he came to Bassorah, where he
pulled out an hundred dinars for the sailors, but they said, “We have
gotten our hire of our lord.” However he replied, “Take this by way of
largesse; and I will not acquaint him therewith.” So they took it and
blessed him. Then the youth landed and entering the town asked, “Where
do the merchants lodge?” and was answered, “In a Khan called the Khan of
Hamadán.”[306] So he walked to the market wherein stood the Khan, and
all eyes were fixed upon him and men’s sight was attracted to him by
reason of his exceeding beauty and loveliness. He entered the
caravanserai, with one of the sailors in his company; and, asking for
the porter, was directed to an aged man of reverend aspect. He saluted
him and the doorkeeper returned his greeting; after which Ibrahim said
to him, “O uncle, hast thou a nice chamber?” He replied, “Yes,” and
taking him and the sailor, opened to them a handsome room decorated with
gold, and said, “O youth, this chamber befitteth thee.” Ibrahim pulled
out two dinars and gave them to him, saying, “Take these to
key-money.”[307] And the porter took them and blessed him. Then the
youth Ibrahim sent the sailor back to the ship and entered the room,
where the doorkeeper abode with him and served him, saying, “O my lord,
thy coming hath brought us joy!” Ibrahim gave him a dinar, and said,
“Buy us herewith bread and meat and sweetmeats and wine.” Accordingly
the doorkeeper went to the market; and, buying ten dirhams’ worth of
victual, brought it back to Ibrahim and gave him the other ten dirhams.
But he cried to him, “Spend them on thyself;” whereat the porter
rejoiced with passing joy. Then he ate a scone with a little
kitchen[308] and gave the rest to the concierge, adding, “Carry this to
the people of thy household.” The porter carried it to his family and
said to them, “Methinketh there is not on the face of the earth a more
generous than the young man who has come to lodge with us this day, nor
yet a pleasanter than he. An he abide with us, we shall grow rich.” Then
he returned to Ibrahim and found him weeping; so he sat down and began
to rub[309] his feet and kiss them, saying, “O my lord, wherefore
weepest thou? May Allah not make thee weep!” Said Ibrahim, “O uncle, I
have a mind to drink with thee this night;” and the porter replied,
“Hearing and obeying!” So he gave him five dinars and said, “Buy us
fresh fruit and wine;” and presently added other five, saying, “With
these buy also for us dessert[310] and flowers and five fat fowls and
bring me a lute.” The doorkeeper went out and, buying what he had
ordered, said to his wife, “Strain this wine and cook us this food and
look thou dress it daintily, for this young man overwhelmeth us with his
bounties.” She did as he bade her, to the utmost of desire; and he took
the victuals and carried them to Ibrahim son of the Sultan.——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that then they ate and
drank and made merry, and Ibrahim wept and repeated the following
verses:—
O my friend! an I rendered my life, my sprite, ✿ My wealth and whatever
the world can unite;
Nay, th’ Eternal Garden and Paradise[311] ✿ For an hour of Union my
heart would buy’t!
Then he sobbed a great sob and fell down a-swoon. The porter sighed, and
when he came to himself, he said to him, “O my lord, what is it gars
thee weep and who is she to whom thou alludest in these verses? Indeed,
she cannot be but as dust to thy feet.” But Ibrahim arose and for all
reply brought out a parcel of the richest raiment that women wear and
said to him, “Take this to thy Harim.” So he carried it to his wife and
she returned with him to the young man’s lodging and behold, she found
him weeping, quoth the doorkeeper to him, “Verily, thou breakest our
hearts! Tell us what fair one thou desirest, and she shall be naught
save thy handmaid.” Quoth he, “O uncle, know that I am the son of
Al-Khasib, Wazir of Egypt, and I am enamoured of Jamilah, daughter of
Abu al-Lays the Governor.” Exclaimed the porters wife, “Allah! Allah! O
my brother, leave this talk, lest any hear of us and we perish. Verily
there is not on earth’s face a more masterful than she, nor may any name
to her the word ‘man,’ for she is averse from men. Wherefore, O my son,
turn from her to other than her.” Now when Ibrahim heard this, he wept
with sore weeping and the doorkeeper said to him, “I have nothing save
my life; but that I will risk for thy love and find thee a means of
winning thy will.” Then the twain went out from him, and on the morrow
he betook himself to the Hammam and donned a suit of royal raiment,
after which he returned to his lodging, when behold, the porter and his
wife came in to him and said, “Know, O my lord, that there is a
humpbacked tailor here who seweth for the lady Jamilah. Go thou to him
and acquaint him with thy case; haply he will show thee the way of
attaining thine aim.” So the youth Ibrahim arose and betaking himself to
the shop of the humpbacked tailor, went in to him and found with him ten
Mamelukes as they were moons. He saluted them with the salam, and they
returned his greeting and bade him welcome and made him sit down; and
indeed they rejoiced in him and were amazed at his charms and
loveliness, especially the hunchback who was confounded at his beauty of
form and favour. Presently he said to the Gobbo, “I desire that thou sew
me up my pocket;” and the tailor took a needleful of silk and sewed up
his pocket which he had torn purposely; whereupon Ibrahim gave him five
dinars and returned to his lodging. Quoth the tailor, “What thing have I
done for this youth, that he should give me five gold pieces?” And he
passed the night, pondering his beauty and generosity. And when morning
morrowed Ibrahim repaired to the shop and saluted the tailor, who
returned his salam and welcomed him and made much of him. Then he sat
down and said to the hunchback, “O uncle, sew up my pocket, for I have
rent it again.” Replied the tailor, “On my head and eyes, O my son,” and
sewed it up; whereupon Ibrahim gave him ten ducats and he took them,
amazed at his beauty and generosity. Then said he, “By Allah, O youth,
for this conduct of thine needs must be a cause, this is no matter of
sewing up a pocket. But tell me the truth of thy case. An thou be in
love with one of these boys,[312] by Allah, there is not among them a
comelier than thou, for they are each and every as the dust at thy feet;
and behold, they are all thy slaves and at thy command. Or if it be
other than this, tell me.” Replied Ibrahim, “O uncle, this is no place
for talk, for my case is wondrous and my affair marvellous.” Rejoined
the tailor, “An it be so, come with me to a place apart.” So saying, he
rose up in haste and took the youth by the hand and carrying him into a
chamber behind the shop, said, “Now tell me thy tale, O youth!”
Accordingly Ibrahim related his story first and last to the tailor, who
was amazed at his speech and cried, “O youth, fear Allah for
thyself:[313] indeed she of whom thou speakest is a virago and averse
from men. Wherefore, O my brother, do thou guard thy tongue, else thou
wilt destroy thyself.” When Ibrahim heard the hunchback’s words, he wept
with sore weeping and clinging to the tailor’s skirts said, “Help me, O
my uncle, or I am a dead man; for I have left my kingdom and the kingdom
of my father and grandfather and am become a stranger in the lands and
lonely; nor can I endure without her.” When the tailor saw how it was
with him, he pitied him and said, “O my son, I have but my life and that
I will venture for thy love, for thou makest my heart ache. But by
to-morrow I will contrive thee somewhat whereby thy heart shall be
solaced.” Ibrahim blessed him and returning to the khan, told the
doorkeeper what the hunchback had said, and he answered, “Indeed, he
hath dealt kindly with thee.” Next morning, the youth donned his richest
dress and taking a purse of gold, repaired to the Gobbo and saluted him.
Then he sat down and said, “O uncle, keep thy word with me.” Quoth the
hunchback, “Arise forthright and take thee three fat fowls and three
ounces[314] of sugar-candy and two small jugs which do thou fill with
wine; also a cup. Lay all these in a budget[315] and to-morrow, after
the morning-prayers, take boat with them, saying to the boatman:—I would
have thee row me down the river below Bassorah. An he say to thee, “I
cannot go farther than a parasang” do thou answer:—As thou wilt; but,
when he shall have come so far, lure him on with money to carry thee
farther; and the first flower-garden thou wilt descry after this will be
that of the lady Jamilah. Go up to the gate as soon as thou espiest it
and there thou wilt see two high steps, carpeted with brocade, and
seated thereon a Quasimodo like me. Do thou complain to him of thy case
and crave his favour: belike he will have compassion on thy condition
and bring thee to the sight of her, though but for a moment from afar.
This is all I can do for thee; and unless he be moved to pity for thee,
we be dead men, I and thou. This then is my rede and the matter rests
with the Almighty.” Quoth Ibrahim, “I seek aid of Allah; whatso He
willeth becometh; and there is no Majesty and there is no Might save in
Allah!” Then he left the hunchback tailor and returned to his lodging
where, taking the things his adviser had named, he laid them in a bag.
On the morrow, as soon as it was day, he went down to Tigris bank, where
he found a boatman asleep; so he awoke him and giving him ten sequins,
bade him row him down the river below Bassorah. Quoth the man, “O my
lord, it must be on condition that I go no farther than a parasang; for
if I pass that distance by a span, I am a lost man, and thou too.” And
quoth Ibrahim, “Be it as thou wilt.” Thereupon he took him and dropped
down the river with him till he drew near the flower-garden, when he
said to him, “O my son, I can go no farther; for, if I pass this limit,
we are both dead men.” Hereat Ibrahim pulled out other ten dinars and
gave them to him, saying, “Take this spending-money and better thy case
therewithal.” The boatman was ashamed to refuse him and fared on with
him crying, “I commit the affair to Allah the Almighty!”——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night,