Zat al-Dawahi, took the head of the Knight, the leader of the twenty thousand
Infidels, she brought it and threw it down before Zau al-Makan and his brother
Sharrkan and the Wazir Dandan, saying, "When I saw your condition, I waxed
jealous for your honour; so I rushed on the Chief Knight and smote him with the
sword till I severed head from trunk. And none could near me, so I brought his
head to you, that you may be strengthened in Holy War and work out with your
swords the will of the Lord of the Faithful. And now I purpose leaving you to
strive against the Infidels, whilst I go to your army, though they be at the
gates of Constantinople, and return with twenty thousand horse to destroy these
Unfaithfuls." Quoth Sharrkan, "How wilt thou pass to them, O thou holy man,
seeing that the valley is blocked up on all sides by the Miscreants?" Quoth the
accursed hag, "Allah will veil me from their eyes and they shall not sight
me;[FN#432] nor, if any saw me, would he dare to attack me at that time, for I
shall be as one non existing, absorbed in Allah, and He will fend off from me
His foes." "Thou sayest sooth, O holy man," rejoined Sharrkan, "for indeed I
have been witness of that; so, if thou can pass out at the first of the night,
'twill be best for us." Replied she, "I will set out at this very hour and, if
thou desire, thou shalt go with me and none shall see thee. Furthermore if thy
brother also have a mind to go with us we will take him, but none else; for the
shadow of a saint can cover only twain." Sharrkan said, "As for me I will not
leave my comrades; but, if my brother will, there is no harm in his going with
thee and setting us free of this strait; for he is the stronghold of the
Moslems and the sword of the Lord of the three Worlds; and if it be his
pleasure, let him take with him the Wazir Dandan, or whom else he may elect and
send us ten thousand horse to succour us against these caitiffs." So after
debate they agreed on this and the old woman said, "Give me leisure to go
before you and consider the condition of the Infidels, if they be asleep or
awake." Quoth they, "We will not go forth save with thee and trust our affair
to Allah." "If I do your bidding," replied she, "blame me not but blame
yourselves; for it is my rede that you await me till I bring you tidings of the
case." Then said Sharrkan, "Go to them; and delay not from us, for we shall be
awaiting thee." Thereupon she fared forth and Sharrkan turned to his brother
addressing him and said, "Were not this holy man a miracle worker, he had never
slain yonder furious knight. This is proof sufficient of the ascetic's power;
and of a truth the pride of the Infidels is laid low by the slaying of this
cavalier, for he was violent, an evil devil and a stubborn." Now whilst they
were thus devising of the mighty works of the devotee, behold, the accursed Zat
al-Dawahi came upon them; and promised them victory over the Unbelievers;
wherefor they thanked her (not knowing that all this was wile and guile) and
the damned hag asked, "Where be the King of the Age, Zau al-Makan, and the
Minister Dandan?" Answered he, "Here am I!" Take with thee thy Wazir," said
she, "and follow after me, that we may fare forth to Constantinople." Now she
had acquainted the Infidels with the cheat she had put upon the Moslems, and
they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and said, Our hearts will not be
contented till we shall have slain their King in return for the Knight's death;
because we had no stouter rider than he;" and they added (bespeaking the ill
omened hag as she told them her plan of faring to the land of the Moslems),
"When thou bringest him to us, we will bear him to King Afridun." Then she went
out and went out with her Zau al-Makan and the Minister Dandan, and she walked
on before the two saying, "Fare forth with the blessing of Almighty Allah!" So
they did her bidding, for the shaft of Pate and Fortune of man's lot had shot
them, and she ceased not leading them both through the midst of the Grecian
camp, till they came to the defile, the narrow pass aforesaid, whilst the
Infidel enemy watched them, but did them no hindrance; for the infernal old
woman had enjoined this. Now when Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan saw that
the Infidel host offered them no let and stay and yet had them in sight, the
Wazir exclaimed, "By Allah, this is one of the holy man's saintly miracles!
and doubtless he be of the elect." Rejoined Zau al-Makan, "By Allah, I think
the Infidels be naught but blind, for we see them; and they see us not." And
while they were thus praising the holy man and recounting his mighty works and
his piety and his prayers, behold, the Infidels charged down on them from all
sides and surrounded them; and seized them, saying, "Is there anyone else with
you twain, that we may seize upon him too?" And the Wazir Dandan replied, "See
you not yon other man that is before us? ' Replied the Unbelievers, "By the
truth of the Messiah and the Monks, and the Primate and the Metropolitan, we
see none save you two!" Then Zau Al-Makan said, "By Allah, this is a
chastisement decreed to us by Almighty Allah!"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Ninety-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Unfaithful had
seized upon King Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan, they said to the two, "Is
there anyone else with you twain, that we may seize upon him also?" And the
Wazir Dandan replied, "See you not yon other man who be with us?" They
rejoined, "By the truth of the Messiah and the Monks and the Primate and the
Metropolitan, we see none save you two!" Then the Infidels laid shackles on
their feet and set men to guard them during the night, whilst Zat al-Dawahi
fared on and disappeared from their sight. So they fell to lamenting and
saying to each other, "Verily, the opposing of pious men leadeth to greater
distress than this, and we are punished by the strait which hath befallen us."
So far concerning Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan; but as regards King
Sharrkan, he passed that night in the cavern with his comrades, and when dawned
the day and he had prayed the morn prayer, he and his men made ready to do
battle with the Infidel and he heartened them; and promised them all good. Then
they sallied out till they were hard upon the Unbelievers and, when these saw
them from afar, they cried out to them, saying, "O Moslems, we have taken
captives your Sultan and your Wazir who hath the ordering of your affairs; and
except ye leave off fighting us, we will slay you to the last man; but an you
yield yourselves we will take you to our King, who will make peace with you on
condition that you quit our country and return home and harm us in naught, and
we will do you no harm in aught. If ye accept, it will be well for you; but if
ye refuse there remaineth nothing for you but death. So we have told you
sooth, and this is our last word to you." Now when Sharrkan heard this and was
certified of the captivity of his brother and the Wazir Dandan, he was weighed
down with woe and wept; his force failed him and, making sure of death, he said
to himself, "Would I knew the cause of their capture! Did they fail of respect
to the holy man or disobey him, or what was the matter?" Then they sprang up to
battle with the Unbelievers and slew great numbers of them. The brave was known
that day from craven men, and sword and spear were dyed with bloody stain; for
the Infidels flocked up on them, as flies flock to drink, from hill and from
plain; but Sharrkan and his men ceased not to wage the fight of those who fear
not to die, nor let death hinder them from the pursuit of victory, till the
valley ran gore and earth was full of the slain she bore. And when night fell
the armies separated each making for his own place; and the Moslems returned to
the cavern where gain and loss were manifest to them: few remained of them; and
there was no dependence for them but on Allah and the scymitar. Now there had
been slain of them that day five and thirty men of the chiefest Emirs, and they
had killed thousands of the Infidels, footmen and fighters on horse. When
Sharrkan saw this, the case was grievous to him and he asked his comrades "What
shall we do?"; whereto all answered, "That which Almighty Allah willeth shall
befal us." On the morning of the second day, Sharrkan said to the remnant of
his troop, "If ye go forth to fight, not one of you will remain alive and we
have but little left of food and water; so I deem ye would do better to bare
your brands and go forth and stand at the mouth of this cavern, to hinder any
from entering. Haply the holy man may have reached the Moslem host, and may
return with ten thousand horses to succour us in fight with the Infidels, for
belike the Unfaithful may have failed to see him and those with him." They
said, This were the better course to take, and of its expediency no doubt we
make." So the troop went out and held the cavern mouth standing by its walls;
and every one of the Infidels who sought to enter in, they slew. Thus did they
fend off the foe from the gape of the cave and they patiently supported all
such assaults, till day was done and night came on dusky and dun;—And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Ninety-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the army of the Moslems
held the cavern mouth and stood by its walls and they fended off the foe, and
every one of the Infidels attempted to charge them, him they slew; and they
patiently supported all such assaults till day was done and night came on dusky
and dun, by which time King Sharrkan had only five and twenty men and no more
left. Then quoth the Infidels to one another, "When shall these battle days
have an end? We are weary of warring the Moslems." And quoth one of them, "Up
and at them, for there remain of them but five and twenty men! If we cannot
prevail on them to fight, let us light a fire upon them;[FN#433] and if they
submit themselves and yield to us, we will take them prisoners; but if they
refuse we will leave them for fuel to the fire, so shall they become to men of
foreseeing mind a warning dire. May the Messiah on their fathers have no
grace, and may the sojourn of the Nazarenes be for them no abiding place!" So
they carried fuel to the jaws of the cavern and set fire to it. Thereupon
Sharrkan and his companions made sure of perdition and yielded themselves
prisoners. And while they were in this condition, lo! the knight their
captain said to those who counselled their slaughter, "It is not for any save
for King Afridun to kill them, that he may gratify his wrath; therefore it
behoveth us to keep them in durance by us till the morrow, when we will journey
with them to Constantinople and deliver them to our King, who shall deal with
them as he please." Said they, "This is the right course;" and he commanded to
pinion them; and set guards over them. Then, as soon as it was black night, the
Infidels busied themselves with feasting and making festival; and they called
for wine and drank it till all fell upon their backs. Now Sharrkan and his
brother, Zau al-Makan, were in confinement and so also were his companion
knights; whereupon the elder turned to the younger brother and said to him, "O
my brother, how win free?" "By Allah," replied Zau al Makan, "I know not; for
here we be like birds in cage." Then Sharrkan waxed wroth and sighed for excess
of rage and stretched himself, till his pinion bonds brass asunder; whereupon
being free he arose and went up to the Captain of the guard, and taking from
his pocket the keys of the fetters, freed Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan and
the rest of his men. Then he turned to the two and said, "I desire to slay
three of these Infidels and take and don their dress, we three; so that we
shall be guised as Greeks and we will pass through them, with out their knowing
us, and fare forth to our own force." Replied Zau al-Makan, "This is no safe
counsel for if we kill them, I fear some of their comrades may hear their
shrieks and the foe be aroused upon us and kill us. 'Twere the surer way to
pass out of the defile." So they agreed upon this and set out; and, when they
had left the head of the strait a little distance behind, they saw horses
picketed and the riders sleeping: and Sharrkan said to his brother, "Better we
take each one of us a steed." There were five and twenty horsemen, so they took
five and twenty horses, whilst Allah sent sleep upon the Infidels for a purpose
He knew and the Faithful mounted and fared on till they were out of reach.
Meanwhile Sharrkan set to gathering from the Infidels as many weapons, swords,
and spears, as were wanted. And while they took saddle and struck forwards
none of the Infidels supposed that anyone could release Zau al-Makan and his
brother and their men; or that their prisoners had power to escape. Now when
all the captives were safe from the Unfaithful, Sharrkan came up with his
comrades, and found them awaiting his arrival, on coals of flame, expecting him
in anxious grame, so he turned to them; and said, "Feel no fear since Allah
protecteth us. I have that to propose which haply shall effect our purpose."
"What is it?" asked they and he answered, "I desire that ye all climb to the
mountain top and cry out with one voice, 'Allaho Akbar!' and ye add, 'The army
of Al Islam is upon you! Allaho Akbar!' This wise their company will surely be
dissolved nor will they find out the trick for they are drunk, but they will
think that the Moslem troops have encompassed them about on all sides and have
mingled with them; so they will fall on one another brand in hand during the
confusion of drunkenness and sleep, and we will cleave them asunder with their
own swords and the scymitar will go round amongst them till dawn." Replied Zau
al-Makan, "This plan is not good; we should do better to make our way to our
army and speak not a word; for if we cry out 'Allaho Akbar,' they will wake and
fall on us and not one of us will escape." Rejoined Sharrkan, "By Allah, though
they should awake tis no matter, and I long that ye fall in with my plan, for
naught save good can come of it!" So they agreed thereon and clomb the mountain
and shouted, "Allaho Akbar!" And hills and trees and rocks reworded their
Allaho Akbar for fear of the Almighty. But when the Kafirs heard this slogan
they cried out to one another,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundredth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sharrkan spake thus, "I
long that ye fall in with this my plan, for naught save good can come of it."
So they agreed thereon and clomb the mountain head and shouted, "Allaho
Akbar!"; and hills and trees and rocks re worded their Allaho Akbar for fear of
the Almighty. The Infidels heard it and cried out one to other and donned their
armour and said, "The foe is upon us, by the truth of the Messiah!" Then they
fell on one another and slew of their own men more than any knoweth save
Almighty Allah. As soon as it was dawn, they sought for the captives, but
found no trace of them, and their captains said, "They who did this were the
prisoners in our possession; up, then, and after them in all haste till ye
overtake them, when we will make them quaff the cup of requital; and let not
fright nor the panic of sudden awaking possess you." So they took horse and
rode after the fugitives and it wanted but an eye twinkling before they
overtook them; and surrounded them. Now when Zau al-Makan saw this, he was
seized with increase of terror and said to his brother, "What I feared would
come, is come upon us, and now it remaineth only for us to fight for the
Faith." But Sharrkan preferred to hold his peace. Then Zau al- Makan and his
companions rushed down from the hill crest, shouting, "Allaho Akbar!" and his
men repeated the war cry and addressed themselves to fight and to sell their
lives in the service of the Lord of Faithful Men; and while they were in this
case, behold, they heard many voices voicing, "There is no god but the God!
God is most great! Salutation and salvation upon the Apostle, the Bringer of
glad Tidings, the Bearer of bad Tidings!''[FN#434] So they turned towards the
direction of the sound and saw a company of Moslems who believed in one God,
pushing towards them, whereat their hearts were heartened and Sharrkan charged
upon the Infidels crying out, "There is no god but the God! God is most great!
he and those with him, so that earth quaked as with an earthquake and the
Unbeliever host brake asunder and fled into the mountains and the Moslems
followed them with lunge and blow; and Zau al-Makan and his comrades of the
Moslems ceased not to smite the hosts of the Infidel foe, and parted heads from
bodies till day darkened and night coming on starkened sight. Thereupon the
Moslems drew together and passed the night in congratulations, and, when
morning dawned and daybreak shone with its shine and sheen, they saw Bahram,
the captain of the Daylamites, and Rustam, the captain of the Turks, advancing
to join them, with twenty thousand cavaliers like lions grim. As soon as they
saw Zau al-Makan, the riders dismounted and saluted him, and kissed ground
between his hands when he said to them, "Rejoice ye in the glad tidings of the
victory of the Moslem and the discomfiture of the tribe of Unbelievers!" Then
they gave one another joy of their deliverance and of the greatness of their
reward after Resurrection Day. Now the cause of the coming of the succours to
that place was this. When the Emir Bahram and the Emir Rustam and the Chief
Chamberlain, with the Moslem host and flags flaunting high ahead, came in sight
of Constantinople they saw that the Nazarenes had mounted the walls and manned
the towers and the forts, and had set all their defenders in order of defence,
as soon as they learned of the approach of the host of Al-Islam and the banners
Mohammedan, and they heard the clash of arms and the noise of war voices and
tramp of horse hoofs and from their look outs they beheld the Moslems, with
their standards and ensigns of the Faith of Unity under the dust clouds and lo!
they were like a flight of locusts or rain clouds raining rain, and the voices
of the Moslems chanting the Koran and glorifying the Compassionate One, struck
their ears. Now the Infidels knew of the approach of this host through Zat
al-Dawahi with her craft and whoredom,[FN#435] calumny and contrivance. And
the armies of Al-Islam drew near, as it were the swollen sea, for the multitude
of footmen and horsemen and women and children. Then quoth the General of the
Turks to the General of the Daylamites, "O Emir, of a truth, we are in jeopardy
from the multitude of the foe who is on the walls. Look at yonder bulwarks and
at this world of folk like the seas that clash with dashing billows. Indeed
yon Infidel outnumbereth us an hundredfold and we cannot be safe from spies who
may inform them that we are without a Sultan. In very sooth, we run danger
from these enemies, whose numbers may not be told and whose resources none can
withhold, especially in the absence of King Zau al-Makan and his brother
Sharrkan and the illustrious Wazir Dandan. If they know of this, they will be
emboldened to attack us in their absence and with the sword they will
annihilate us to the last man; not one of us safety shall see. So it is my
counsel that thou take ten thousand riders of the allies and the Turks, and
march them to the hermitage of Matruhina and the meadow of Malúkhiná in quest
of our brothers and comrades. If thou act by my advice, it may be we shall
approve ourselves the cause of their deliverance, in case they be hard pressed
by the Infidels; and if thou act not, blame will not attach to me. But, an ye
go, it behoveth that ye return quickly, for ill suspicion is part of prudence."
The Emir aforesaid fell in with his counsel; so they chose twenty thousand
horse and they set out covering the roads and making for the monastery above
mentioned. So much for the cause of their coming; but as regards the ancient
dame, Zat al-Dawahi, as soon as she had delivered Sultan Zau al-Makan and his
brother Sharrkan and the Wazir Dandan into the hands of the Infidels, the foul
whore mounted a swift steed, saying to the Faithless, "I design to rejoin the
Moslem army which is at Constantinople and contrive for their destruction; for
I will inform them that their chiefs are dead, and when they hear that from me,
their joining will be disjointed and the cord of their confederation cut and
their host scattered. Then will I go to King Afridun, Lord of Constantinople,
and to my son Hardub, King of Roum, and relate to them their tidings and they
will sally forth on the Moslems with their troops and will destroy them; and
will not leave one of them alive." So she mounted and struck across country on
her good steed all the livelong night; and, when day-dawned, appeared the
armies of Bahram and Rustam advancing towards her. So she turned into a
wayside brake and hid her horse among the trees and she walked a while saying
to herself, "Haply the Moslem hosts be returning, routed, from the assault of
Constantinople." However, as she drew near them she looked narrowly and made
sure that their standards were not reversed,[FN#436] and she knew that they
were coming not as conquered men, but fearing for their King and comrades.
When she was assured of this, she hastened towards them, running at speed, like
a devil of ill rede, till reaching them she cried out, "Haste ye! haste ye! O
soldiers of the Compassionate One, hasten to the Holy War against the hosts of
Satan!" When Bahram saw her he dismounted and kissed the ground before her and
asked her, "O friend of Allah what is behind thee?" Answered she, "Question not
of sad case and sore condition; for when our comrades had taken the treasure
from the hermitage of Matruhina, and designed to win their way Constantinople
wards, thereupon came out on them a driving host and a dreadful of the
Infidels." And the damned witch repeated to them the story to fill them with
trouble and terror, adding, "The most of them are dead, and there are but five
and twenty men left." Said Bahram, "O holy man! when didst thou leave them?"
"But this night,"[FN#437] replied she. He cried, "Glory be to Allah! to Him
who hath rolled up the far distance for thee like a rug, so that thou hast sped
thus walking upon thy feet and props upon a mid-rib of palm-tree! But thou art
one of the saints which fly like birds when inspired and possessed by His
directions."[FN#438] Then he mounted his horse, and he was perplexed and
confounded by what he had heard from the beldam so strong in lies and ill
calumnies, and he said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in
Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Verily our labour is lost and our hearts are
heavy within us, for our Sultan is a prisoner and those who are with him." Then
they cut across the country, wide and side, night and day, and when morning
dawned they reached the head of the defile and saw Zau al-Makan and Sharrkan
shouting. "There is no god but the God! Allaho Akbar! and Salutation and
Salvation upon the Congratulator, the Comminator."[FN#439] Whereupon he and
his drove at the Unbelievers and whelmed them, as the rain torrent whelms the
waste; and cried out their war cries, till fear get hold of the prowess Knights
and the mountains were cloven in affright. And when shone the day and showed
its shine and sheen, the breeze of morning blew upon them sweet and fragrant,
and each recognised other as hath been said before. Then they kissed the
ground before the King and before his brother Sharrkan, who told them all that
had befallen the party in the cave. Now thereat they marvelled and said to one
another, "Hasten we back to Constantinople, for we left our companions there,
and our hearts are with them." So they hurried departure, commending themselves
to the Subtle, the All-wise, and Zau al-Makan exhorted the Moslems to
steadfast- ness and versified in the following couplets,[FN#440]
"Be praises mine to all praiseworthy Thee, * O Lord, who stinted not mine aid to be!
Though was I lost abroad, Thou west to me * Strongest support which vouchsafed victory:
Thou gav'st me wealth and reign and goodly gifts, * And slungest con quering sword of valiancy:
Thou mad'st me blest beneath Thy kingly shade, * Engraced with generous boons dealt fain and free:
Thou savedst *from every fear I feared, by aid * Of my Wazir, the Age's noblest he!
Garred us Thy grace in fight to throw the Greek, * Who yet came back dight in War's cramoisie:
Then made I feint to fly from out the fight; * But like grim lion turning made them flee,
And left on valley sole my foemen, drunk * Not with old wine[FN#441] but Death-cup's revelry:
Then came the Saintly Hermit, and he showed * His marvels wrought for town and wold to see;
When slew they hero-wights who woke to dwell * In Eden bowers wherein sweet rill-lets well."
But, when Zau al-Makan had made an end of versifying, his brother Sharrkan
congratulated him on his safety and thanked him for the deeds he had done;
after which both set out forcing their marches to rejoin their army.—And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and First Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sharrkan congratulated
his brother, Zau al-Makan, on his safety and thanked him for the deeds he had
done; after which both set out forcing their marches to rejoin their army.
Such was their case; but as regards the old woman, Zat al-Dawahi, after she had
foregathered with the hosts of Rustam and Bahram, she returned to the coppice,
where she took her steed and mounted and sped on at speed, till she drew near
the Moslem army that beleaguered Constantinople, when she lighted down from her
destrier and led it to the pavilion tent of the Chief Chamberlain. And when he
saw her, he stood up to her in honour and signed to her with his right hand and
said, "Welcome O pious recluse!" Then he questioned her of what had befallen,
and she repeated to him her disquieting lies and deluding calumnies, saying,
"In sooth I fear for the Emir Rustam, and the Emir Bahram, for that I met them
and theirs on the way and sent them; and their following to relieve the King and
his companions. Now there are but twenty thousand horse and the Unbelievers
outnumber them; so I would have thee at this moment send off the rest of thy
troops at full speed to their suc cour, lest they be slain to the last man."
And she cried to them, "Haste! Haste!" When the Chamberlain and the Moslems
heard these words, their spirits fell and they wept; but Zat al-Dawahi said to
them, "Ask aidance of Allah and bear patiently this triburation; for ye have
the example of those who have been before you of the people of Mohammed; and
Paradise with its palaces is laid out by Allah for those who die martyrs; and
needs must all die, but most praiseworthy is dying while fighting for the
Faith." The Chamberlain, hearing this speech of the accursed old woman, called
for the Emir Bahram's brother, a knight by name Tarkash; and, choosing out for
him ten thousand horse, riders famed for force, bade him set out at once. So
he fared forth and marched all that day and the whole of the next night, till
he neared the Moslems. When daylight dawned, Sharrkan saw the dust cloud about
them; and feared for the men of Al-Islam and said, "If these troops which are
coming upon us be Moslem men our victory is assured by them; but, if these be
Nazarenes, there is no gainsaying Destiny's decrees." Then he turned to his
brother, Zau al- Makan, and said, Never fear, for with my life I will ransom
thee from death. If these be Mohammedan troops, then were it an increase of
heavenly favours; but, if they be our foes, there is no help save that we fight
them. Yet do I long to meet the Holy Man ere I die, so I may beg him to pray
that I die not save by death of martyrdom." Whilst the twain were thus
speaking, behold, there appeared the banners inscribed with the words, "There
is no god but the God and Mohammed is the Apostle of God;" and Sharrkan cried
out, "How is it with the Moslems?" "All are sound and safe," replied they, "and
we came not but out of concern for you." Then the Chief of the army dismounted
and, kissing ground before Sharrkan, asked, "O my lord, how be the Sultan and
the Wazir Dandan and Rustam and my brother Bahram; are they all in safety?" He
answered, "All well; but who brought thee tidings of us?" Quoth Tarkash; "It
was the Holy Man who told us that he had met my brother Bahram and Rustam and
had sent them both to you and he also assured us that the Infidels had
encompassed you and out numbered you; but I see not the case save the contrary
thereof and that you are victorious." They questioned him, "And how did the
Holy Man reach you?"; and he replied, "Walking on his feet and he had compassed
in a day and a night, ten days' journey for a well girt horseman." "There is no
doubt but that he is a Saint of Allah," said Sharrkan, "but where is he now?"
They rejoined, "We left him with our troops, the folk of the Faith, moving them
to do battle with the rebels and the Faithless." Thereat Sharrkan rejoiced and
all thanked Allah for their own deliverance and the safety of the Holy Man; and
commended the dead to His mercy saying, "This was writ in the Book." Then they
set out making for Constantinople by forced marches, and whilst they were on
this enterprise, behold, a dust cloud arose to such height that it walled the
two horizons, the eastern and the western, from man's sight and the day was
darkened by it to night. But Sharrkan looked at it and said, "Verily, I fear
lest this be the Infidels who have routed the army of Al-Islam for that this
dust walleth the world, east and west, and hideth the two horizons, north and
south." Presently appeared under the dust a pillar of darkness, blacker than
the blackness of dismal days; nor ceased to come upon them that column more
dreadful than the dread of the Day of Doom. Horse and foot hastened up to look
at it and know the terrors of the case, when behold, they saw it to be the
recluse aforesaid; so they thronged round him to kiss his hands and he cried
out, "O people of the Best of Mankind,[FN#442] the lamp which shineth in
darkness blind, verily the Infidels have outwitted the Moslems by guile, for
they fell upon the host of the One God whilst they deemed themselves safe from
the Faithless, and attacked them in their tents and made a sore slaughter of
them what while they looked for no wile; so hasten to the aid of the Believers
in the unity of God, and deliver them from those who deny Him!" Now when
Sharrkan heard these words, his heart flew from his breast with sore trouble;
and, alighting from his steed in amazement, he kissed the Recluse's hands and
feet. On like wise did his brother, Zau al-Makan, and the rest of the foot and
horse troops; except the Wazir Dandan, who dismounted not but said, "By Allah,
my heart flieth from this devotee, for I never knew show of devotion to
religion that bred not bane. So leave him and rejoin your comrades the
Moslems, for this man is of the outcasts from the gate of the mercy of the Lord
of the Three Worlds! How often have I here made razzias with King Omar bin
al-Nu'uman and trodden the earth of these lands!" Said Sharrkan, "Put away from
thee such evil thought, hast thou not seen this Holy Man exciting the Faithful
to fight, and holding spears and swords light? So slander him not, for
backbiting is blameable and poisoned is the flesh of the pious.[FN#443] Look
how he inciteth us to fight the foe; and, did not Almighty Allah love him, He
had cast him aforetime into fearful torment." Then Sharrkan bade bring a Nubian
mule for the ascetic to ride and said, "Mount, O pious man, devout and
virtuous!" But the devotee refused to ride and feigned self denial, that he
might attain his end; and they knew not that this holy personage was like him
of whom the poet saith,
"He prayeth and he fasteth for an end he doth espy; * When once his end is
safely won then fast and prayer good bye."[FN#444]
So the devotee ceased not to walk among the horsemen and the footmen, like a
wily fox meditating guile, and began to uplift her voice, chanting the Koran
and praising the Compassionate One. And they continued pressing forward till
they approached the camp of Al-Islam, where Sharrkan found the Moslem in
conquered plight and the Chamberlain upon the brink of falling back in flight,
whilst the sword of Greece havoc dight among the Faithful, the righteous and
those who work upright,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Sharrkan saw the
Moslems in conquered plight and the Chamberlain upon the brink of retreat and
flight and the sword havoc dight among the righteous and the workers of
upright, the cause of this weakness among the Moslems was that the accursed old
woman, Zat al- Dawahi, the foe of the Faith, after seeing that Bahram and
Rustam had set forward with their troops to join Sharrkan and his brother Zau
al-Makan, repaired to the camp of the Mahometans before Constantinople and
caused the mission of the Emir Tarkash, as hath been before said. In this her
purpose was to divide the Moslem forces the better to weaken them. Then she
left them; and entered Constantinople, and called with a loud voice on the
knights of the Greeks, saying, "Let me down a cord that I may tie thereto this
letter, and do ye bear it to your King Afridun, that he may read it and to my
son King Hardub that they both do what is written therein of bidding and
forbidding." So they let down for her a string and she tied thereto a letter
whose purport was the following: "From the terriblest of tribulations[FN#445]
and the chiefest of all calamities, Zat al-Dawahi, to King Afridun greeting.
But afterwards, of a truth I have contrived a device for destroying the
Moslems; so bide ye quiet and content. I have cozened and captured their
Sultan and the Wazir Dandan; and then I returned to their camp and acquainted
them therewith, whereby their pride had a fall and their withers were wrung.
And I have so wrought upon the host 'leaguering Constantinople that they have
sent ten thousand men under the Emir Tarkash to succour the capitves, of whom
there be now left but few; it is therefore my object that ye sally forth
against them with all your power while this day endureth; and that ye fall on
them in their tents and that ye leave them not till ye shall have slain them to
the last man; for, verily the Messiah looketh down upon you and the Blessed
Virgin favoureth you; and I hope of the Messiah that he forget not what deed I
have done." When her letter came to King Afridun, he rejoiced with great
joyance; and, sending at once for King Hardub of Greece, son of Zat al-Dawahi,
read the letter to him as soon as he came,whereathe was exceeding glad and
said, "See my mother's craft; verily it dispenseth with swords, and her aspect
standeth in stead of the terrors of the Day of Dread." Rejoined Afridun, "May
the Messiah not bereave us of thy venerable parent nor deprive her of her wile
and guile!" Then he bade the Knights give orders for sallying outside the city,
and the news was noised abroad in Constantinople. So the Nazarenes and the
cohorts of the Cross burst forth and unsheathed their keen sabres in their
numbers, shouting out their professions of impiety and heresies, and
blaspheming the Lord of all Creatures. When the Chamberlain saw the sally, he
said, "Behold, the Greek is upon us and they surely have learned that our
Sultan is far away; and haply they have attacked us, for that the most part of
our troops have marched to the succour of King Zau al-Makan!" Therewith he
waxed wroth and cried out, "Ho, soldiers of Al-Islam and favourers of the True
Faith, an you flee you are lost, but if ye stand fast, ye win! Know ye that
valiancy lieth in endurance of outrance and that no case is so strait but that
the Almighty is able to make it straight; Allah assain you and look upon you
with eyes of compassion fain!" Thereupon the Moslems cried out, "Allaho Akbar!"
and the believer in the One God shouted his slogan, and whirled the mill wheels
of fight with cutting and thrusting in main and might; scymitars and spears
played sore and the plains and valleys were swamped with gore. The priests and
monks priested it, tight girding their girdles and uplifting the Crucifixes,
while the Moslem shouted out the professions of the Requiting King and verses
of the Koran began to sing. The hosts of the Compassion are One fought against
the legions of Satan; and head flew from body of man, while the good Angels
hovered above the people of the Chosen Prophet, nor did the sword cease to
smite till the day darkened and night came on and starkened. Now the miscreants
had encompassed the Moslems and made sure of escaping the pains that awaited
them; and the Faithless greeded for victory over the Faithful until day-dawned
and dazzled. Thereupon the Chamberlain mounted, he and his men, trusting thee
Allah would help them to victory; and host was mingled with host and battle
rose a foot and took post. And heads flew from trunks whilst the brave stood
fast in stead; the craven turned tail and fled; and the Judge of death judged
and sentence sped, so that the champions fell from their saddles slain and
corpses cumbered meadow and plain. Then the Moslem began to give ground and
rearwards bent; and the Greek took possession of some of their tents; whereupon
the Moslems were about to break and retreat and take flight, when meanwhile
behold, up came Sharrkan with the rest of the host of Al-Islam and the
standards of the Believers in Unity. And having come up with them, he charged
the Infidels; and followed him Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan and the Emirs
Bahram and Rustam with his brother Tarkash. When the foe saw this, they lost
head and their reason fled, and the dust clouds towered till they covered the
country whilst the righteous Believers joined their pious comrades. Then
Sharrkan accosted the Chamberlain and praised him for his steadfastness; and he
in turn gave the Prince joy of his timely succour and his gaining the day.
Thereat the Moslems were glad and their hearts were heartened; so they rushed
upon their enemies and devoted themselves to Allah in their Fight for the
Faith. But when the Idolaters beheld the standards Mohammedan and there on the
profession of Faith Islamitan, proclaiming the Unity, they shrieked "Woe!" and
"Ruin!" and besought succour of the Patriarchs of the Monasteries. Then fell
they to calling upon John and Mary and the Cross abhorrent and stayed their
hands from slaughter, whilst King Afridun went up to consult King Hardub of
Greece, for the two Kings stood one at the head of each wing, right and left.
Now there was with them also a famous cavalier, Láwiyá hight, who commanded the
centre; and they drew out in battle-array, but indeed they were full of alarm
and affray. Meanwhile, the Moslems aligned their forces and thereupon Sharrkan
came to his brother, Zau al-Makan, and said, "O King of the Age, doubtless they
mean to champion it, and that is also the object of our desire; but it is my
wish to push forward the stoutest hearted of our fighters, for by forethought
is one half of life wrought." Replied the Sultan, "As thou wilt, O companion of
good counsel!" "It is my wish," added Sharrkan, "to stand in mid line opposite
the Infidel, with the Wazir Dandan on my left and thee on my right, whilst the
Emir Bahram leads the dexter wing and the Emir Rustam leads the wing sinistral;
and thou, O mighty King, shalt be under the standards and the ensigns, for that
thou art the pillar of our defence; upon thee, after Allah, is our dependence
and we will all be thy ransom from aught that can harm thee." Zau al-Makan
thanked him therefor, and the slogan arose and the sabre was drawn; but, as
things stood thus, behold, there came forth a cavalier from the ranks of Roum;
and, as he drew near, they saw that he was mounted on a slow paced she-mule,
fleeing with her master from the shock of swords. Her housings were of white
silk covered by a prayer-carpet of Cash mere stuff, and on her back sat a
Shaykh, an old man of comely presence and reverend aspect, garbed in a gown of
white wool. He stinted not pushing her and hurrying her on till he came near
the Moslem and said, "I am an ambassador to you all, and an ambassador hath
naught to do save to deliver; so give me safe conduct and permit of speech,
that I communicate to you my message." Replied Sharrkan, "Thou art in safety:
fear neither sway of sword nor lunge of lance." Thereupon the old man
dismounted and, taking the Cross from his neck, placed it before the Sultan and
humbled himself with much humility. Then quoth to him the Moslems, "What is
with thee of news?"; and quoth he, "I am an ambassador from King Afridun, for I
counselled him to avert the destruction of all these frames of men and temples
of the Compassionate One; and to him it seemed righteous to stay the shedding
of blood and limit it to the encounter of two knights in shock of fight
singular; so he agreed to that and he saith to you, 'Verily, I will ransom my
army with my life; so let the Moslem King do as I do and with his life ransom
his host. And if he kill me, there will be no stay left in the army of Roum,
and if I kill him, there will be no stability with the Moslems." When Sharrkan
heard this he said, "O monk, I agree to that, for it is just nor may it be
gainsaid; and behold, I will meet him in duello and do with him derring-do, for
I am Champion of the Faithful even as he is Champion of the Faithless; and if
he slay me, he will have won the day and naught will remain for the Moslems
forces save flight. So return to him, O thou monk, and say that the single
combat shall take place to morrow, for this day we have come off our journey
and are aweary; but after rest neither reproach nor blame fear ye." So the monk
returned (and he rejoicing) to King Afridun and King Hardub, and told them both
what Sharrkan had said, whereat King Afridun was glad with exceeding gladness
and fell from him anxiety and sadness, and he said to himself, "No doubt but
this Sharrkan is their doughtiest swayer of the sword and the dourest at lunge
of lance; and when I shall have slain him, their hearts will be disheartened
and their strength will be shattered." Now Zat al-Dawahi had written to King
Afridun of that and had told him how Sharrkan was a Knight of the Braves and
the bravest of knights and had warned him against him; but Afridun was a
stalwart cavalier who fought in many a fashion; he could hurl rocks and throw
spears and smite with the iron mace and he feared not the prowess of the prow.
So when he heard the report of the monk that Sharrkan agreed to the duello, he
was like to fly for exceeding joy because he had self confidence and he knew
that none could with stand him. The Infidels passed that night in joy and
jubilee and wine bibbing; and, as soon as it was dawn, the two armies drew out
with the swart of spear and the blanch of blade. And behold a cavalier rode
single-handed into the plain, mounted on a steed of purest strain, and for
foray and fray full ready and fain. And that Knight had limbs of might and he
was clad in an iron cuirass made for stress of fight. On his breast he wore a
jewelled mirror and in his hand he bore a keen scymitar and his lance of
Khalanj wood,[FN#446] the curious work of the Frank, weighing a quintal. Then
the rider uncovered his face and cried out, saying, "Whoso knoweth me verily
hath enough of me, and whoso knoweth me not right soon[FN#447] shall ken who I
be. I am Afridun the overwhelmed by the well omened Shawáhi,[FN#448] Zat
al-Dawahi." But he had not ended speaking ere Sharrkan, the Champion of the
Moslems, fared forth to meet him, mounted on a sorrel horse worth a thousand
pieces of red gold with accoutrements purfled in pearls and precious stone; and
he bore in baldrick a blade of watered Indian steel that through necks shore
and made easy the hard and sore. He drave his charger between the two hosts in
line whilst the horsemen all fixed on him their eyne, and he cried out to
Afridun, "Woe to thee, O accursed! dost thou deem me one of the horsemen thou
hast overta'en who cannot stand against thee on battle-plain?" Then each rushed
upon other and they bashed together like two mountains crashing or two billows
dash ing and clashing: they advanced and retreated; and drew together and
withdrew; and stinted not of fray and fight and weapon play, and strife and
stay, with stroke of sword and lunge of lance. Of the two armies looking on,
some said, "Sharrkan is victor!" and others, "Afridun will conquer!"; and the
two riders stayed not their hands from the hustle until ceased the clamour and
the bustle; and the dust columns rose and the day waned and the sun waxed
yellow and wan. Then cried out King Afridun to Sharrkan, saying, "By the truth
of the Messiah and the Faith which is no liar, thou art nought save a doughty
rider and a stalwart fighter; but thou art fraudful and thy nature is not that
of the noble. I ken thy work is other than praiseworthy nor is thy prowess
that of a Prince; for thy people behave to thee as though thou wert a
slave;[FN#449] and see! they bring thee out a charger which is not thine, that
thou mayst mount and return to the fight. But by the truth of my Faith, thy
fighting irketh and fatigueth me and I am weary of cutting and thrusting with
thee; and if thou purpose to lay on load with me to night, thou wouldst not
change aught of thy harness nor thy horse, till thou approve to the cavaliers,
thy generous blood and skill in brunt." When Sharrkan heard him say these words
concerning his own folk behaving to him though he were a slave, he waxt wroth
and turned towards his men, meaning to sign to them; and bid them not prepare
him change of harness or horse, when lo! Afridun shook his throw spear high in
air and cast it at Sharrkan. Now when the Moslem turned his back, he found
none of the men near him, and he knew this to be a trick of the accursed
Infidel; so he wheeled round in haste and behold, the javelin came at him, so
he swerved from it, till his head was bent low as his saddle bow. The weapon
grazed his breast, and pierced the skin of his chest, for Sharrkan was
high-bosomed: whereupon he gave one cry and swooned away. Thereat the accursed
Afridun was joyful, thinking he had slain him; and shouted to the Infidels
bidding them rejoice, whereat the Faithless were encouraged and the Faithful
wept. When Zau al-Makan saw his brother reeling in selle so that he well-nigh
fell, he despatched cavaliers towards him and the braves hurried to his aid and
came up with him. Thereupon the Infidels drove at the Moslems; the two hosts
joined battle and the two lines were mingled, whilst the keen scymitar of
Al-Yaman did good work. Now the first to reach Sharrkan was the Wazir
Dandan,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the One Hundred and Third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Zau al-Makan
saw that the accursed Infidel had struck with javelin his brother Sharrkan, he
deemed him dead, and despatched cavaliers towards him; and the first to reach
him were the Wazir Dandan and the Emir of the Turks, Bahram, and the Emir of
the Daylamites, Rustam. They found him falling from his horse; so they stayed
him in his saddle and returned with him to his brother, Zau al-Makan; then they
gave him in charge to his pages, and went again to do the work of cut and
thrust. So the strife redoubled and the weapons together clashed and ceased
not bate and debate and naught was to be seen but blood flowing and necks
bowing; nor did the swords cease on the napes of men to make play nor the
strife to rage with more and more affray, till the most part of the night was
past away and the two hosts were aweary of the mellay. So they called a truce
and each army returned to its tents, whilst all the Infidels repaired to King
Afridun and kissed the ground before him, and the priests and monks wished him
joy of his victory over Sharrkan. Then the King fared for Constantinople and
sat upon the throne of his realm, when King Hardub came to him and said, "May
the Messiah strengthen thy fore arm and never cease to be thy helper and
hearken to what prayers my pious mother, Zat al-Dawahi, shall pray for thee!
Know that the Moslems can make no stay without Sharrkan." Replied Afridun, "To
morrow shall end the affair when to fight I fare: I will seek Zau al-Makan and
slay him, and their army shall turn tail and of flight shall avail." Such was
the case with the Kafirs; but as regards the host of Al-Islam, when Zau
al-Makan returned to his tent, he thought of naught but his brother and, going
into the pavilion, found him in evil case and sore condition; whereupon he
summoned for counsel the Wazir Dandan and Rustam and Bahram. When they entered,
they opined to assemble the physicians that they might medicine Sharrkan, and
they wept and said, "The world will not readily afford his like!" and they
watched by him all that night, and about the later hours came to them the
Recluse in tears. When Zau al-Makan saw him, he rose in honour; and the
Religious stroked Sharrkan's wound with his hand, chanting somewhat of the
Koran and repeating by way of talisman some of the verses of the Compassionate
One. And the pretender ceased not to watch over him till dawn, when he came to
himself and, opening his eyes, moved his tongue in his mouth and spake. At
this Zau al-Makan rejoiced, saying, "Of a truth the blessing of the Holy Man
hath taken effect on him!" And Sharrkan said, "Praised be Allah for recovery;
indeed, I am well at this hour. That accursed one played me false; and, but
that I swerved aside lighter than lightening, the throw spear had pierced
through my breast. So praised be Allah for saving me! And how is it with the
Moslems?" Answered Zau al-Makan, "All are weeping for thee." Quoth Sharrkan, "I
am well and in good case; but where is the Holy Man?" Now he was sitting by him
and said, "At thy head." So the Prince turned to him and kissed his hand when
he said, "O my son! Be of good patience and Allah shall increase thy reward;
for the wage is measured by the work." Sharrkan rejoined, "Pray for me," and he
prayed for him. As soon as morning dawned and day brake in shine and sheen,
the Moslems sallied out to the plain and the Kafirs made ready to thrust and
cut. Then the Islamite host advanced and offered fight with weapons ready
dight, and King Zau al-Makan and Afridun made to charge one at other. But when
Zau al-Makan fared forth into the field, there came with him the Wazir Dandan
and the Chamberlain and Bahram, saying, "We will be thy sacrifice." He replied,
"By the Holy House and Zemzem and the Place![FN#450] I will not be stayed from
going forth against these wild asses." And when he rode out into the field he
played with sword and spear till riders marvelled and both armies wondered;
then he rushed upon the foe's right wing and of it slew two knights and in like
manner he dealt with the left wing. Presently he stayed his steed in the midst
of the field and cried out, "Where is Afridun, that I may make him taste the
cup of disgrace?" But when King Hardub saw the case he conjured Afridun not to
attack him, saying, "O King, yesterday it was thy turn to fight: it is mine to
day. I care naught for his prowess." So he rushed out towards Zau al-Makan
brand in hand and under him a stallion like Abjar, which was Antar's charger
and its coat was jet black even as saith the poet,
"On the glancing racer outracing glance * He speeds, as though he would collar Doom:
His steed's black coat is of darkest jet, * And likest Night in her nightliest gloom:
Whose neigh sounds glad to the hearer's ears * Like thunders rolling in thun d'rous boom:
If he race the wind he will lead the way, * And the lightning flash will behind him loom.''[FN#451]
Then each rushed upon the opponent, parrying blows and proving the marvellous
qualities were stored in him; and they fell to drawing on and withdrawing till
the breasts of the bystanders were straitened and they were weary of waiting
for the event. At last Zau al-Makan cried out his war cry and rushed upon
Hardub, King of Cæsarea,[FN#452] and struck him a stroke that shore head from
trunk and slew him on the spot. When the Infidels saw this, they charged in a
body, compact and united, upon Zau al-Makan, who met them amidfield, and they
engaged in hewing and foining, till blood ran in rills. Then the Moslems cried
out, "Allaho Akbar!" (God is most Great) and "There is no god but the God!",
and invoked salvation for the Prophet, the Bringer of Glad Tidings, the Bearer
of Bad Tidings. And there befel a great fight, but Allah assigned victory to
the Faithful and defeat to the Faithless. The Wazir Dandan shouted, "Take your
blood-revenge for King Omar bin al Nu'uman and his son Sharrkan!"; and bared
his head and cried out to the Turks. Now there were by his side more than
twenty thousand horse, and all charged with him as men, when the Faithless
found naught to save their lives but flight. So they turned tail to fly while
the biting sabre wrought its havoc and the Moslems slew of them that day some
fifty thousand horse and took more than that number: much folk also were slain
while going in at the gates, for the flock was great. Then the Greeks hove to
the doors and swarmed up the walls to await the assault; and in fine the Moslem
hosts returned to their tents aided to glory and victory, and King Zau al-Makan
went in to his brother whom he found in most joyous case. So he made a
prostration of thanks to the Bountiful and the Exalted; and then he came
forward and gave Sharrkan joy of his recovery. Answered he, "Verily we are all
under the benediction of this Religious, holy and righteous, nor would you have
been victorious, but for his accepted orisons; indeed all day he remained at
prayer to invoke victory on the Moslems."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zau al- Makan went
in to his brother Sharrkan, he found him sitting with the Holy Man by his side;
so he rejoiced and drew near him and gave him joy of his recovery. Answered
he, "Verily we are all under the benediction of this Recluse nor would you have
been victorious but for his prayers, indeed he felt no fear this day and he
ceased not supplication for the Moslems. I found strength return to me, when I
heard your 'Allaho Akbar,' for then I knew you to be victorious over your
enemies. But now recount to me, O my brother, what befel thee." So he told him
all that had passed between him and the accursed Hardub and related how he had
slain him and sent him to the malediction of Allah; and Sharrkan praised him
and thanked him for his prowess. When Zat al-Dawahi heard tell of her son's
death (and she still drest as a devotee), her face waxed yellow and her eyes
ran over with railing tears: she kept her counsel, however, and feigned to the
Moslems that she was glad and wept for excess of joy. But she said to herself,
"By the truth of the Messiah, there remaineth no profit of my life, if I burn
not his heart for his brother, Sharrkan, even as he hath burned my heart for
King Hardub, the mainstay of Christendom and the hosts of Crossdom!" Still she
kept her secret. And the Wazir Dandan and King Zau al-Makan and the
Chamberlain remained sitting with Sharrkan till they had dressed and salved his
wound; after which they gave him medicines and he began to recover strength;
whereat they joyed with exceeding joy and told the troops who congratulated
themselves, saying, "To morrow he will ride with us and do manly devoir in the
siege." Then said Sharrkan to them, "Ye have fought through all this day and
are aweary of fight; so it behoveth that you return to your places and sleep
and not sit up." They accepted his counsel and then each went away to his own
pavilion, and none remained with Sharrkan but a few servants and the old woman
Zat al-Dawahi. He talked with her through part of the night, then he stretched
himself to rest: and his servants did likewise and presently sleep overcame
them all and they lay like the dead. Such was the case with Sharrkan and his
men; but as regards the old woman she alone abode awake while they slumbered in
the tent and, looking at Sharrkan she presently saw that he was drowned in
sleep. Thereupon she sprang to her feet, as she were a scald she bear or a
speckled snake, and drew from her waist-cloth a dagger so poisoned that if laid
thereon it would have melted a rock. Then she unsheathed the poniard and went
up to Sharrkan's head and she drew the knife across his throat and severed his
weasand and hewed off his head from his body. And once more she sprang to her
feet; and, going the round of the sleeping servants, she cut off their heads
also, lest they should awake. Then she left the tent and made for the Sultan's
pavilion, but finding the guards on the alert, turned to that of the Wazir
Dandan. Now she found him reading the Koran and when his sight fell upon her
he said, "Welcome to the Holy Man!" Hearing this from the Wazir, her heart
trembled and she said, "The reason of my coming hither at this time is that I
heard the voice of a saint amongst Allah's Saints and am going to him." Then
she turned her back, but the Wazir said to himself, "By Allah, I will follow
our Devotee this night!" So he rose and walked after her; but when the accursed
old woman sensed his footsteps, she knew that he was following her: wherefore
she feared the disgrace of discovery and said in herself, "Unless I serve some
trick upon him he will disgrace me." So she turned and said to him from afar,
"Ho, thou Wazir, I am going in search of this Saint that I may learn who he is;
and, after learning this much, I will ask his leave for thee to visit him.
Then I will come back and tell thee: for I fear thine accompanying me, without
having his permission, lest he take umbrage at me seeing thee in my society."
Now when the Wazir heard these words, he was ashamed to answer her; so he left
her and returned to his tent, and would have slept; but sleep was not
favourable to him and the world seemed heaped upon him. Presently he rose and
went forth from the tent saying in himself, "I will go to Sharrkan and chat
with him till morning." But when he entered into Sharrkan's pavilion, he found
the blood running like an aqueduct and saw the servants lying with their
throats cut like beasts for food. At this he cried a cry which aroused all who
were asleep; the folk hastened to him and, seeing the blood streaming, set up a
clamour of weeping and wailing. Then the noise awoke the Sultan, who enquired
what was the matter, and it was said to him, "Sharrkan thy brother and his
servants are murthered." So he rose in haste and entered the tent, and found
the Wazir Dandan shrieking aloud and he saw his brother's body without a head.
Thereat he swooned away and all the troops crowded around him, weeping and
crying out, and so remained for a while, till he came to himself, when he
looked at Sharrkan and wept with sore weeping, while the Wazir and Rustam and
Bahram did the like. But the Chamberlain cried and lamented more than the rest
and asked leave to absent himself, such was his alarm. Then said Zau al-Makan,
"Know ye who did this deed and how is it I see not the Devotee, him who the
things of this world hath put away?" Quoth the Wazir, "And who should have been
the cause of this affliction, save that Devotee, that Satan? By Allah, my
heart abhorred him from the first, because I know that all who pretend to be
absorbed in practices religious are vile and treacherous!" And he repeated to
the King the tale of how he would have followed the Religious, but he forbade
him, whereupon the folk broke out into a tumult of weeping and lamentation and
humbled themselves before Him who is ever near, Him who ever answereth prayer,
supplicating that He would cause the false Devotee who denied Allah's testimony
to fall into their hands. Then they laid Sharrkan out and buried him in the
mountain aforesaid and mourned over his far-famed virtues.—And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that they laid Sharrkan out
and buried him in the mountain aforesaid and mourned over his far-famed
virtues. Then they looked for the opening of the city-gate; but it opened not
and no sign of men appeared to them on the walls; whereat they wondered with
exceeding wonder. But King Zau al-Makan said, "By Allah, I will not turn back
from them, though I sit here for years and years, till I take blood-revenge for
my brother Sharrkan and waste Constantinople and kill the King of the
Nazarenes, even if death overcome me and I be at rest from this woeful world!"
Then he bade be brought out the treasure taken from the Monastery of Matruhina;
and mustered the troops and divided the monies among them, and he left not one
of them but he gave him gifts which contented him. Moreover, he assembled in
the presence three hundred horse of every division and said to them, "Do ye
send supplies to your households, for I am resolved to abide by this city, year
after year, till I have taken man-bote for my brother Sharrkan, even if I die
in this stead." And when the army heard these words and had received his gifts
of money they replied, "To hear is to obey!" Thereupon he summoned couriers and
gave them letters and charged them to deliver the same, together with the
monies, to the soldiers' families and inform them that all were safe and
satisfied, and acquaint them saying, "We are encamped before Constantinople and
we will either destroy it or die; and, albeit we be obliged to abide here
months and years, we will not depart hence till we take it." Moreover, he bade
the Wazir Dandan write to his sister, Nuzhat al-Zaman, and said to him,
"Acquaint her with what hath befallen us, and what be our situation and commend
my child to her care since that, when I went out to war, my wife was near her
delivery and by this time she must needs have been brought to bed; and if she
hath given birth to a boy, as I have heard say, hasten your return and bring me
the acceptable news." Then he gave them somewhat of money, which they pouched
and set out at once; and all the people flocked forth to take leave of them; and
entrust them with the monies and the messages. After they had departed, Zau
al-Makan turned to the Wazir Dandan and commanded him to advance with the army
against the city walls. So the troops pushed forward, but found none on the
ramparts, whereat they marvelled, while Zau al-Makan was troubled at the case,
for he deeply mourned the severance from his brother Sharrkan and he was sore
perturbed about that traitor the Ascetic. In this condition they abode three
days without seeing anyone. So far concerning the Moslems; but as regards the
Greeks and the cause of their refusing to fight during these three days the
case was this. As soon as Zat al-Dawahi had slain Sharrkan, she hastened her
march and reached the walls of Constantinople, where she called out in the
Greek tongue to the guards to throw her down a rope. Quoth they, "Who art
thou?"; and quoth she, "I am Zat al- Dawahi." They knew her and let down a cord
to which she tied herself and they drew her up; and, when inside the city, she
went in to the King Afridun and said to him, "What is this I hear from the
Moslems? They say that my son King Hardub is slain." He answered, "Yes;" and
she shrieked out and wept right grievously and ceased not weeping thus till she
made Afridun and all who were present weep with her. Then she told the King
how she had slain Sharrkan and thirty of his servants, whereat he rejoiced and
thanked her; and, kissing her hands, exhorted her to resignation for the loss
of her son. Said she, "By the truth of the Messiah, I will not rest content
with killing that dog of the Moslem dogs in blood-revenge for my son, a King of
the Kings of the age! Now there is no help for it but that I work some guile
and I contrive a wile whereby to slay the Sultan Zau al-Makan and the Wazir
Dandan and the Chamberlain and Rustam and Bahram and ten thousand cavaliers of
the army of Al-Islam; for it shall never be said that my son's head be paid
with the bloodwit of Sharrkan's head; no, never!" Then said she to King
Afridun, "Know, O King of the Age, that it is my wish to set forth mourning for
my son and to cut my Girdle and to break the Crosses." Replied Afridun, "Do
what thou desire; I will not gainsay thee in aught. And if thou prolong thy
mourning for many days it were a little thing; for though the Moslems resolve
to beleaguer us years and years, they will never win their will of us nor gain
aught of us save trouble and weariness." Then the Accursed One (when she had
ended with the calamity she had wrought and the ignominies which in herself she
had thought) took ink case and paper and wrote thereon: "From Shawahi, Zat al-
Dawahi, to the host of the Moslems. Know ye that I entered your country and
duped by my cunning your nobles and at first hand I slew your King Omar bin
al-Nu'uman in the midst of his palace. Moreover, I slew, in the affair of the
mountain pass and of the cave, many of your men; and the last I killed were
Sharrkan and his servants. And if fortune do not stay me and Satan obey me, I
needs must slay me your Sultan and the Wazir Dandan, for I am she who came to
you in disguise of a Recluse and who heaped upon you my devices and deceits.
Wherefore, an you would be in safety after this, fare ye forth at once; and if
you seek your own destruction cease not abiding for the nonce; and though ye
tarry here years and years, ye shall not do your desire on us. And so peace be
yours!" After writing her writ she devoted three days to mourning for King
Hardub; arid, on the fourth, she called a Knight and bade him take the letter
and make it fast to a shaft and shoot it into the Moslem camp. When this was
done, she entered the church and gave herself up to weeping and wailing for the
loss of her son, saying to him who took the kingship after him, "Nothing will
serve me but I must kill Zau al-Makan and all the nobles of Al-Islam." Such was
the case with her; but as regards what occurred to the Moslems, all passed
three days in trouble and anxiety, and on the fourth when gazing at the walls
behold, they saw a knight holding a bow and about to shoot an arrow along whose
side a letter was bound. So they waited till he had shot it among them; and the
Sultan bade the Wazir Dandan take the missive and read it. He perused it
accordingly; and, when Zau al-Makan heard it to end and understood its purport,
his eyes filled with tears and he shrieked for agony at her perfidy; and the
Minister Dandan said, "By Allah, my heart shrank from her!" Quoth the Sultan,
"How could this whore play her tricks upon us twice? But by the Almighty I
will not depart hence till I fill her cleft with molten lead and jail her with
the jailing of a bird encaged, then bind her with her own hair and crucify her
over the gate of Constantinople." And he called to mind his brother and wept
with excessive weeping. But when Zat al-Dawahi arrived amongst the Infidels
and related to them her adventures at length, they rejoiced at her safety and
at the slaying of Sharrkan. Thereupon the Moslems addressed themselves again
to the siege of the city and the Sultan promised his men that, if it should be
taken, he would divide its treasures among them in equal parts. But he dried
not his tears grieving for his brother till his body was wasted and sick,
growing thin as a tooth pick. Presently the Wazir Dandan came in to him and
said, "Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear; in very sooth thy
brother died not but because his hour was come, and there is no profit in this
mourning. How well saith the poet,
"Whatso is not to be no sleight shall bring to pass; * What is to be without a failure shall become;
Soon the becoming fortune shall be found to be, * And Folly's brother[FN#453] shall abide forlorn and glum."
Wherefore do thou leave this weeping and wailing and hearten thy heart to bear
arms." He replied, "O Wazir, my heart is heavy for the death of my father and
my brother and for our absence from hearth and home; and my mind is concerned
for my subjects." Thereupon the Wazir and the bystanders wept; but they ceased
not from pushing forward the siege of Constantinople for a length of days. And
they being thus, behold, news arrived from Baghdad, by one of the Emirs to the
effect that the King's wife had been blessed with a boy, and that his sister,
Nuzhat al-Zaman, had named him Kánmákán.[FN#454] Moreover, that the boy bid
fair to be famous, already showing wondrous signs and marvellous tokens; and
that she had commanded the Olema and the preachers to pray for mother and child
from the pulpits and bless them in all wise; furthermore that the twain were
well, that the land had enjoyed abundant rains, and that his comrade the
Fireman was established in all prosperity, with eunuchs and slaves to wait upon
him; but that he was still ignorant of what had befallen him. And she ended
with the greeting of peace. Then quoth Zau al- Makan to the Wazir Dandan, "Now
is my back strengthened for that I have been blest with a son whose name is
Kanmakan."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when they brought him the
news of his wife having borne him a boy child, Zau al- Makan rejoiced with
great joy and cried, "Now is my back strengthened, for that I have been blessed
with a son[FN#455] whose name is Kanmakan." And he spake to the Wazir Dandan,
saying, "I am minded to leave this mourning and order perlections of the Koran
for my brother and command almsdeeds on his account." Quoth the Wazir, "Thy
design is good." Thereupon he caused tents to be pitched over his brother's
tomb; so they raised them; and gathered together such of the men at arms as
could repeat the Koran; and some began reciting the Holy volume; whilst others
chanted litanies containing the names of Allah, and thus they did till the
morning. Then Zau al-Makan went up to the grave of his brother Sharrkan and
poured forth copious tears, and improvised these couplets,
"They bore him bier'd, and all who followed wept * With Moses' shrieks what day o'erhead shook Tor;[FN#456]
Till reached the grave which Pate had made his home, * Dug in men's souls who one sole God adore:
Ne'er had I thought before to see my joy * Borne on the bier which heads of bearers bore:
Ah no! nor ere they homed thee in the dust * That stars of heaven earth ever covered o'er.
Is the tomb dweller hostage of a stead, * Where light and splendour o'er thy face shall pour?
Praise to restore his life her word hath pledged: * Cribbed and confined he shall dispread the more!"
When Zau al-Makan had made an end of his versifying he wept and wept with him
all the troops; then he came to the grave and threw himself upon it wild with
woe, and the Wazir repeated the words of the poet,
"Pain leaving life that fleets thou hast th' eternal won; * Thou didst as whilom many a doer like thee hath done
Leftest this worldly house without reproach or blame; * Ah, may th' ex change secure thee every benison!
Thou west from hostile onset shield and firm defence, * For us to baffle shafts and whistling spears to shun.
I see this world is only cheat and vanity, * Where man naught else must seek but please the Truthful One:
Th' Empyrean's Lord allow thee bower of heavenly bliss, * And wi' thy faithful friends The Guide show goodly wone:
I bid thee last good e'en with sigh of bitter grief, * Seeing the West in woe for lack of Easting Sun."
When the Wazir Dandan had finished his reciting, he wept with sore weeping and
the tears rained from his eyes like cushioned pearls. Then came forward one
who had been of Sharrkan's boon companions in his cups and he wept till ran in
rills the drops, and he enumerated the dead man's generous qualities, reciting
the following pentastichs,
"Where gone is Bounty since thy hand is turned to clay? * And I in misery lie since thou west ta'en away.
See'st not, O litter guide[FN#457] (Heaven keep thee glad and gay!), * How tears adorn my cheeks, these furrowed wrinkles fray?
A sight to joy shine eyes and fill thee with dismay.[FN#458]
By Allah ne'er this heart within I spoke of thee; * Ah no! nor dared my sight to see thy brilliancy:
Save that my tear drops sorest wound have garred me dree * Yea! and if e'er on other rest these eyne of me,
May yearning draw their reins nor suffer sleep to see."
And when the man stinted reciting, Zau al-Makan and the Minister Dandan wept
and the whole army was moved to tears; after which all retired to their tents,
and the King turning to the Wazir took counsel with him concerning the conduct
of the campaign. On this wise the two passed days and nights, while Zau
al-Makan was weighed down with grief and mourning till at last he said, "I long
to hear stories and adventures of Kings and tales of lover folk enslaved by
love; haply Allah may make this to solace that which is on my heart of heavy
anxiety, and stint and stay my weeping and wailing." Quoth the Wazir, "If
naught can dispel thy trouble but hearing curious tales of Kings and people
long gone before and stories of folk enslaved by love of yore, and so forth,
this thing were easy, for I had no other business, in the lifetime of thy
father (who hath found mercy) than to relate stories and to repeat verses to
him. This very night I will tell thee a tale of a lover and his beloved, so
shall thy breast be broadened." When Zau al-Makan heard these words from the
Minister, his heart was set upon that which had been promised to him and he did
nothing but watch for the coming of the night, that he might hear what the
Wazir Dandan had to tell of the Kings of yore and distracted lovers long gone
before. And hardly would he believe that night had fallen ere he bade light
the wax candles and the lamps and bring all that was needful of meat and drink
and perfume gear, and what not; and when all was in presence, he summoned the
Wazir Dandan, and the Emirs Rustam and Bahram and Tarkash and the Grand
Chamberlain; then waited till the whole party was seated before him; whereupon
he turned to the Minister and said, "Know, O Wazir, that night is come and hath
let down over us its veil of gloom, and we desire that thou tell us those tales
which thou promisedst us." Replied the Wazir, "With joy and good will."—And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Zau Al-Makan
summoned the Wazir and the Chamberlain and Rustam and Bahram, he turned towards
the Minister Dandan and said, "Know, O Wazir, that night is come and hath let
down over us its veil of gloom, and we desire that thou tell us those tales
which thou promisedst us." Replied the Wazir, "With love and gladness! Know, O
auspicious King, that there reached my ears a relation of a lover and a loved
one and of the discourse between them; and what befel them of things rare and
fair, a story such as repelleth care from the heart and dispelleth sorrow like
unto that of the patriarch Jacob[FN#459]; and it is as follows":
Tale of Taj al-Muluk and the Princess Dunya
(The Lover and the Loved).
There stood in times long gone by behind the Mountains of Ispahán, a city hight
the Green City, wherein dwelt a King named Suláyman Sháh. Now he was a man of
liberality and beneficence, of justice and integrity, of generosity and
sincerity, to whom travellers repaired from every country, and his name was
noised abroad in all regions and cities and he reigned many a year in high
worship and prosperity, save that he owned neither wives nor children. He had
a Minister who rivalled him in goodness and generosity and it so happened that
one day, he sent for him and when he came into the presence said to him, "O my
Wazir, my heart is heavy and my patience is past and my force faileth me, for
that I have neither wife nor child. This is not the way of Kings who rule over
all men, princes. and paupers; for they rejoice in leaving behind them
children and successors whereby are doubled their number and their strength.
Quoth the Prophet (whom Allah bless and keep!); 'Marry ye, increase ye, and
multiply ye, that I may boast me of your superiority over the nations on the
Day of Resurrection.' So what is thy rede, O Wazir? Advise me of what course
and contrivance be advisable!" When the Minister heard these words, the tears
sprang from his eyes in streams, and he replied, "Far be it from me, O King of
the Age, that I debate on that which appertaineth to the Compassionate One!
Wilt thou have me cast into the fire by the All powerful King's wrath and ire?
Buy thee a concubine." Rejoined the King, "Know, O Wazir, that when a sovereign
buyeth a female slave, he knoweth neither her rank nor her lineage and thus he
cannot tell if she be of simple origin that he may abstain from her, or of
gentle strain that he may be intimate in her companionship. So, if he have
commerce with her, haply she will conceive by him and her son be a hypocrite, a
man of wrath and a shedder of blood. Indeed the like of such woman may be
instanced by a salt and marshy soil, which if one till for ever it yieldeth
only worthless growth and no endurance show eth; for it may be that her son
will be obnoxious to his Lord's anger, doing not what He biddeth him or
abstaining from what He for biddeth him. Wherefore will I never become the
cause of this through the purchase of a concubine; and it is my desire that
thou demand for me in marriage the daughter of some one of the Kings, whose
lineage is known and whose loveliness hath renown. If thou can direct me to
some maiden of birth and piety of the daughters of Moslem Sovranty, I will ask
her in marriage and wed her in presence of witnesses, so may accrue to me the
favour of the Lord of all Creatures." Said the Wazir, "O King, verily Allah
hath fulfilled thy wish and hath brought thee to thy desire;" presently adding,
"Know, O King, it hath come to my knowledge that King Zahr Shah,[FN#460] Lord
of the White Land, hath a daughter of surpassing loveliness whose charms talk
and tale fail to express: she hath not her equal in this age, for she is
perfect in proportion and symmetry, black eyed as if Kohl dyed and long locked,
wee of waist and heavy of hip. When she draweth nigh she seduceth and when she
turneth her back[FN#461] she slayeth; she ravisheth heart and view and she
looketh even as saith of her the poet,
'A thin waist maid who shames the Willow-wand; * Nor sun nor moon can like her rising shine:
'Tis as her honey-dew of lips were blent * With wine, and pearls of teeth were bathed in wine:
Her form, like heavenly Houri's, graceful slim; * Fair face; and ruin dealt by glancing eyne:
How many a dead done man her eyes have slain * Upon her way of love in ruin li'en:
An live I she's my death! I'll say no more * But dying without her vain were life of mine.' "
Now when the Wazir had made an end of describing that maiden, he said to
Sulayman Shah, "It is my counsel, O King, that thou despatch to her father an
ambassador, sagacious, experienced and trained in the ways of the world, who
shall courteously demand her in marriage for thee of her sire; for in good
sooth she hath not her equal in the far parts of the world nor in the near. So
shalt thou enjoy her lovely face in the way of grace, and the Lord of Glory be
content with thy case; for it is reported of the Prophet (whom Allah bless and
preserve!) that he said, 'There be no monkery in Al-Islam."' At this the King
was transported to perfect joy; his breast was broadened and lightened; care
and cark ceased from him and he turned to the Wazir and said, "Know thou, O
Minister, that none shall fare about this affair save thou, by reason of thy
consummate intelligence and good breeding; wherefore hie thee home and do all
thou hast to do and get thee ready by the morrow and depart and demand me in
marriage this maiden, with whom thou hast occupied my heart and thought; and
return not to me but with her." Replied the Wazir, "I hear and I obey." Then he
tried to his own house and bade make ready presents befitting Kings, of
precious stones and things of price and other matters light of load but weighty
of worth, besides Rabite steeds and coats of mail, such as David made[FN#462]
and chests of treasure for which speech hath no measure. And the Wazir loaded
the whole on camels and mules, and set out attended by an hundred slave-girls
with flags and banners flaunting over his head. The King charged him to return
to him after a few days; and, when he was gone, Sulayman Shah lay on coals of
fire, engrossed night and day with desire; while the envoy fared on without
ceasing through gloom and light, spanning fertile field and desert site, till
but a day's march remained between him and the city whereto he was bound. Here
he sat him down on the banks of a river and, summoning one of his confidants,
bade him wend his way to King Zahr Shah and announce his approach without
delay. Quoth the messenger, "I hear and I obey!" And he rode on in haste to
that city and, as he was about to enter therein, it so chanced that the King,
who was sitting in one of his pleasaunces before the city-gate, espied him as
he was passing the doors, and knowing him for a stranger, bade bring him before
the presence. So the messenger coming forward informed him of the approach of
the Wazir of the mighty King Sulayman Shah, Lord of the Green Land and of the
Mountains of Ispahan: whereat King Zahr Shah rejoiced and welcomed him. Then
he carried him to his palace and asked him, "Where leavedst thou the Wazir?";
and he answered, "I left him in early day on the banks of such a river and
To-morrow he will reach thee, Allah continue his favours to thee and have mercy
upon thy parents!" Thereupon King Zahr Shah commanded one of his Wazirs to take
the better part of his Grandees and Chamberlains and Lieutenants and Lords of
the land, and go out to meet the ambassador in honour of King Sulayman Shah;
for that his dominion extended over the country. Such was the case with Zahr
Shah; but as regards the Wazir he abode in his stead till night was half
spent[FN#463] and then set out for the city; but when morning shone and the sun
rose upon hill and down, of a sudden he saw King Zahr Shah's Wazir approaching
him, with his Chamberlains and high Lords and Chief Officers of the kingdom;
and the two parties joined company at some parasangs' distance from the
city.[FN#464] Thereat the Wazir made sure of the success of his errand and
saluted the escort, which ceased not preceding him till they reached the King's
palace and passed in before him through the gate to the seventh vestibule, a
place where none might enter on horseback, for it was near to where the King
sat. So the Minister alighted and fared on a foot till he came to a lofty
saloon, at whose upper end stood a marble couch, set with pearls and stones of
price, and having for legs four elephant's tusks. Upon it was a coverlet of
green satin purfled with red gold, and above it hung a canopy adorned with
pearls and gems, whereon sat King Zahr Shah, whilst his officers of state stood
in attendance before him. When the Wazir went in to him, he composed his mind
and, unbinding his tongue, displayed the oratory of Wazirs and saluted the King
in the language of eloquence.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say,
When it was the One Hundred and Eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir of King
Sulayman Shah entered the presence of King Zahr Shah he composed his mind and,
unbinding his tongue, displayed the oratory of Wazirs and saluted the King in
the language of eloquence and improvised these couplets,
"He cometh robed and bending gracefully: * O'er crop and cropper dews of grace sheds he:
He charms; nor characts, spells nor gramarye * May fend the glances of those eyne from thee:
Say to the blamer, "Blame me not, for I * From love of him will never turn to flee":
My heart hath played me false while true to him, * And Sleep, in love with him, abhorreth me:
O heart! th'art not the sole who loveth him, * So bide with him while I desertion dree:
There's nought to joy mine ears with joyous sound * Save praise of King Zahr Shah in jubilee:
A King albeit thou leave thy life to win * One look, that look were all sufficiency:
And if a pious prayer thou breathe for him, * Shall join all Faithfuls in such pious gree:
Folk of his realm! If any shirk his right * For other hoping, gross Unfaith I see."
When the Wazir had ended his poetry, King Zahr Shah bade him draw near and
honoured him with the highmost honours; then, seating him by his own side,
smiled in his face and favoured him with a gracious reply. They ceased not on
this wise till the time of the under meal when the attendants brought forward
the tables of food in that saloon and all ate till they were sated; after which
the tables were removed and those who were in the assembly withdrew, leaving
only the chief officers. Now when the Minister saw this, he rose to his feet
and, after complimenting the King a second time and kissing the ground before
him, spake as follows, "O mighty King and dread Lord! I have travelled hither
and have visited thee upon a matter which shall bring thee peace, profit and
prosperity: and it is this, that I come as ambassador to thee, seeking in
marriage thy daughter, the noble and illustrious maid, from Sulayman Shah, a
Prince famed for justice and integrity, sincerity and generosity, Lord of the
Green Land and of the Mountains of Ispahan, who sendeth thee of presents a
store, and gifts of price galore, ardently desiring to become thy son in law.
But art thou inclined to him as he to thee?" He then kept silence, awaiting a
reply. When King Zahr Shah heard these words, he sprang to his feet and kissed
the ground respectfully before the Wazir, while the bystanders were confounded
at his condescension to the ambassador and their minds were amazed. Then he
praised Him who is the Lord of Honour and Glory and replied (and he still
standing), "O mighty Wazir and illustrious Chief; hear thou what I say! Of a
truth we are to King Sulayman Shah of the number of his subjects, and we shall
be ennobled by his alliance and we covet it ardently; for my daughter is a
handmaid of his handmaidens, and it is my dearest desire that he may become my
stay and my reliable support." Then he summoned the Kazis and the witnesses,
who should bear testimony that King Sulayman Shah had despatched his Wazir as
proxy to conclude the marriage, and that King Zahr Shah joyfully acted and
officiated for his daughter. So the Kazis concluded the wedding contract and
offered up prayers for the happiness and prosperity of the wedded feres; after
which the Wazir arose and, fetching the gifts and rarities and precious things,
laid them all before the King. Then Zahr Shah occupied himself anent the
fitting out of his daughter and honourably entertained the Wazir and feasted
his subjects all, great and small; and for two months they held high festival,
omitting naught that could rejoice heart and eye. Now when all things needful
for the bride were ready, the King caused the tents to be carried out and they
pitched the camp within sight of the city, where they packed the bride's stuffs
in chests and get ready the Greek handmaids and Turkish slave-girls, and
provided the Princess with great store of precious treasures and costly jewels.
Then he had made for her a litter of red gold, inlaid with pearls and stones
of price, and set apart two mules to carry it; a litter which was like one of
the chambers of a palace, and within which she seemed as she were of the
loveliest Houris and it became as one of the pavilions of Paradise. And after
they had made bales of the treasures and monies, and had loaded them upon the
mules and camels, King Zahr Shah went forth with her for a distance of three
parasangs; after which he bade farewell to her and the Wazir and those with
him, and returned to his home in gladness and safety. Thereupon the Wazir,
faring with the King's daughter, pushed on and ceased not his stages over
desert ways,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir fared on with
the King's daughter and ceased not forcing his stages over desert ways and
hastened his best through nights and days, till there remained between him and
his city but three marches. Thereupon he sent forward to King Sulayman Shah
one who should announce the coming of the bride. The King rejoiced thereat and
bestowed on the messenger a dress of honour; and bade his troops march forth in
grand procession to meet the Princess and her company for due worship and
honour, and don their richest apparel with banners flying over their heads.
And his orders were obeyed. He also commanded to cry throughout the city that
neither curtained damsel nor honoured lady nor time-ruptured crone should fail
to fare forth and meet the bride. So they all went out to greet her and the
grandest of them vied in doing her service and they agreed to bring her to the
King's palace by night. More over, the chief officers decided to decorate the
road and to stand in espalier of double line, whilst the bride should pass by
preceded by her eunuchs and serving women and clad in the gear her father had
given her. So when she made her appearance, the troops surrounded her, these
of the right wing and those of the left, and the litter ceased not advancing
with her till she approached the palace; nor remained any but came forth to
gaze upon the Princess. Drums were beaten and spears were brandished and horns
blared and flags fluttered and steeds pranced for precedence and scents shed
fragrance till they reached the palace-gate and the pages entered with the
litter through the Harim wicket. The place shone with its splendours and the
walls glittered for the glamour of its gear. Now when night came, the eunuchs
threw open the doors of the bridal chamber and stood surrounding the chief
entrance whereupon the bride came forward and amid her damsels she was like the
moon among stars or an union shining on a string of lesser pearls, and she
passed into the bridal closet where they had set for her a couch of alabaster
inlaid with unions and jewels. As soon as she had taken seat there, the King
came in to her and Allah filled his heart with her love so he abated her
maidenhead and ceased from him his trouble and disquiet. He abode with her
well-nigh a month but she had conceived by him the first night; and, when the
month was ended, he went forth and sat on his sofa of state, and dispensed
justice to his subjects, till the months of her pregnancy were accomplished.
On the last day of the ninth month, towards day break, the Queen was seized
with the pangs of labour; so she sat down on the stool of delivery and Allah
made the travail easy to her and she gave birth to a boy child, on whom
appeared auspicious signs. When the King heard of this, he joyed with
exceeding joy and rewarded the bearer of the good tidings with much treasure;
and of his gladness he went in to the child and kissed him between the eyes and
wondered at his brilliant loveliness; for in him was approved the saying of the
poet,
"In the towering forts Allah throned him King, * A lion, a star in the skies of reign:
At his rising the spear and the throne rejoiced, * The gazelle, the ostrich, The men of main:[FN#465]
Mount him not on the paps, for right soon he'll show * That to throne on the war steed's loins he's fain:
And wean him from sucking of milk, for soon * A sweeter drink, the foe's blood, he'll drain."
Then the midwives took the newborn child and cut the navel cord and darkened
his eyelids with Kohl powder[FN#466] and named him Táj al-Mulúk Khárán.[FN#467]
He was suckled at the breast of fond indulgence and was reared in the lap of
happy fortune; and thus his days ceased not running and the years passing by
till he reached the age of seven. Thereupon Sulayman Shah summoned the doctors
and learned men and bade them teach his son writing and science and
belle-lettres. This they continued to do for some years, till he had learnt
what was needful; and, when the King saw that he was well grounded in whatso he
desired, he took him out of the teachers' and professors' hands and engaged for
him a skilful master, who taught him cavalarice and knightly exercises till the
boy attained the age of fourteen; and when he fared abroad on any occasion, all
who saw him were ravished by his beauty and made him the subject of verse; and
even pious men were seduced by his brilliant loveliness.—And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Tenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, That when Taj al-Muluk Kharan,
son of Sulayman Shah, became perfect in riding craft and excelled all those of
his time, his excessive beauty, when he fared abroad on any occasion, caused
all who saw him to be ravished and to make him the subject of verse; and even
pious men were seduced by his brilliant loveliness. Quoth the poet of him,
"I clipt his form and wax'd drunk with his scent, * Fair branch to whom Zephyr gave nutriment:
Nor drunken as one who drinks wine, but drunk * With night draught his lips of the honey-dew lent:
All beauty is shown in the all of him, * Hence all human hearts he in hand hath hens:
My mind, by Allah! shall ne'er unmind * His love, while I wear life's chains till spent:
If I live, in his love I'll live; if I die * For pine and longing, 'O blest!' I'll cry
When he reached the eighteenth year of his age, tender down[FN#468] sprouted,
on his side face fresh with youth, from a mole upon one rosy cheek and a second
beauty spot, like a grain of ambergris adorned the other; and he won the wits
and eyes of every wight who looked on him, even as saith the poet,
"He is Caliph of Beauty in Yúsufs lieu, * And all lovers fear when they sight his grace:
Pause and gaze with me; on his cheek thou'lt sight * The Caliphate's banner of sable hue."[FN#469]
And as saith another,
"Thy sight hath never seen a fairer sight, * Of all things men can in the world espy,
Than yon brown mole, that studs his bonny cheek * Of rosy-red beneath that jet black eye."
And as saith another,
"I marvel seeing yon mole that serves his cheeks' bright flame * Yet burneth not in fire albeit Infidel[FN#470]
I wonder eke to see that apostolic glance, * Miracle working, though it work by magic spell:
How fresh and bright the down that decks his cheek, and yet * Bursten gall bladders feed which e'en as waters well."
And as saith another,
"I marvel hearing people questioning of * The Fount of Life and in what land 'tis found:
I see it sprung from lips of dainty fawn, * Sweet rosy mouth with green mustachio down'd:
And wondrous wonder 'tis when Moses viewed * That Fount, he rested not from weary round."[FN#471]
Now having developed such beauty, when he came to man's estate his loveliness
increased, and it won for him many comrades and intimates; while every one who
drew near to him wished that Taj al-Muluk Kharan might become Sultan after his
father's death, and that he himself might be one of his Emirs. Then took he
passionately to chasing and hunting which he would hardly leave for a single
hour. His father, King Sulayman Shah, would have forbidden him the pursuit
fearing for him the perils of the waste and the wild beasts; but he paid no
heed to his warning voice. And it so chanced that once upon a time he said to
his attendants "Take ye ten days food and forage;" and, when they obeyed his
bidding, he set out with his suite for sport and disport. They rode on into
the desert and ceased not riding four days, till they came to a place where the
ground was green, and they saw in it wild beasts grazing and trees with ripe
fruit growing and springs flowing. Quoth Taj al-Muluk to his followers, "Set
up the nets here and peg them in a wide ring and let our trysting place be at
the mouth of the fence, in such a spot." So they obeyed his words and staked
out a wide circle with toils; and there gathered together a mighty matter of
all kinds of wild beasts and gazelles, which cried out for fear of the men and
threw themselves for fright in the face of the horses. Then they loosed on to
them the hounds and lynxes[FN#472] and hawks;[FN#473] and they shot the quarry
down with shafts which pierced their vitals; and, by the time they came to the
further end of the net ring, they had taken a great number of the wild beasts,
and the rest fled. Then Taj al-Muluk dismounted by the water side and bade the
game be brought before himself, and divided it, after he had set apart the best
of the beasts for his father, King Sulayman Shah, and despatched the game to
him; and some he distributed among the officers of his court. He passed the
night in that place, and when morning dawned there came up a caravan of
merchants conveying negro slaves and white servants, and halted by the water
and the green ground. When Taj al-Muluk saw them, he said to one of his
companions, "Bring me news of yonder men and question them why they have halted
in this place."[FN#474] So the messenger went up to them; and addressed them,
"Tell me who ye be, and answer me an answer without delay." Replied they, "We
are merchants and have halted to rest, for that the next station is distant and
we abide here because we have confidence in King Sulayman Shah and his son, Taj
al-Muluk, and we know that all who alight in his dominions are in peace and
safety; more over we have with us precious stuffs which we have brought for the
Prince." So the messenger returned and told these news to the King's son who,
hearing the state of the case and what the merchants had replied, said, "If
they have brought stuff on my account I will not enter the city nor depart
hence till I see it shown to me." Then he mounted horse and rode to the caravan
and his Mamelukes followed him till he reached it. Thereupon the merchants rose
to receive him and invoked on him Divine aid and favour with continuance of
glory and virtues; after which they pitched him a pavilion of red satin,
embroidered with pearls and jewels, wherein they spread him a kingly divan upon
a silken carpet worked at the upper end with emeralds set in gold. There Taj
al-Muluk seated himself whilst his white servants stood in attendance upon him,
and sent to bid the merchants bring out all that they had with them.
Accordingly, they produced their merchandise, and displayed the whole and he
viewed it and took of it what liked him, paying them the price. Then he looked
about him at the caravan, and remounted and was about to ride onwards, when his
glance fell on a handsome youth in fair attire, and a comely and shapely make,
with flower-white brow and moon like face, save that his beauty was wasted and
that yellow hues had overspread his cheeks by reason of parting from those he
loved;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the One Hundred and Eleventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Taj Al- Muluk, when he
looked about him at the caravan, saw a handsome youth in neat attire and of
shapely make, with flower like forehead and moon like face, save that his
beauty was wasted and yellow hues had overspread his cheeks by reason of
parting from those he loved; and great was his groaning and moaning, and the
tears streamed from his eyelids as he repeated these couplets,
"Longsome is Absence; Care and Fear are sore, * And ceaseless tears, O friend, mine eyes outpour:
Yea, I farewelled my heart on parting day * And heartless, hopeless, now I bide forlore:
Pause, O my friend, with me farewelling one * Whose words my cure can work, my health restore!"
Now when the youth ended his poetry he wept awhile and fell down in a fainting
fit, whilst Taj al-Muluk looked at him and wondered at his case. Then, coming
to himself, he stared with distracted air, and versified in these couplets,
"Beware her glance I rede thee, 'tis like wizard wight, * None can escape unscathed those eye shafts' glancing flight:
In very sooth black eyes, with languorous sleepy look, * Pierce deeper than white swords however these may bite.
Be not thy senses by her sweets of speech beguiled, * Whose brooding fever shall ferment in thought and sprite:
Soft sided Fair[FN#475] did silk but press upon her skin, * 'Twould draw red blood from it, as thou thyself canst sight.
Chary is she of charms twixt neck and anklets dwell, * And ah! what other scent shall cause me such delight?[FN#476]"
Then he sobbed a loud sob and swooned away. But when Taj al- Muluk saw him in
this case, he was perplexed about his state and went up to him; and, as the
youth came to his senses and saw the King's son standing at his head, he sprang
to his feet and kissed the ground between his hands. Taj al-Muluk asked him,
'Why didst thou not show us thy merchandise?" end he answered, O my lord, there
is naught among my stock worthy of thine august highness." Quoth the Prince,
"Needs must thou show me what thou hast and acquaint me with thy circumstance;
for I see thee weeping eyed and heavyhearted. If thou have been oppressed, we
will end thine oppression, and if thou be in debt, we will pay thy debt; for of
a truth my heart burneth to see thee, since I first set eyes on thee."[FN#477]
Then Taj al-Muluk bade the seats be set, and they brought him a chair of ivory
and ebony with a net-work of gold and silk, and spread him a silken rug for his
feet. So he sat down on the chair and bidding the youth seat himself on the
rug said to him, "Show me thy stock in trade!" The young merchant replied, "O
my Lord, do not name this to me, for my goods be unworthy of thee." Rejoined
Taj al-Muluk "It needs must be thus!"; and bade some of the pages fetch the
goods. So they brought them in despite of him; and, when he saw them, the
tears streamed from his eyes and he wept and sighed and lamented: sobs rose in
his throat and he repeated these couplets,
"By what thine eyelids show of Kohl and coquetry! * By what thy shape displays of lissome symmetry!
By what thy liplets store of honey-dew and wine! * By what thy mind adorns of gracious kindly gree!
To me thy sight dream-visioned, O my hope! exceeds * The happiest escape from horriblest injury."
Then the youth opened his bales and displayed his merchandise to Taj Al-Muluk
in detail, piece by piece, and amongst them he brought out a gown of satin
brocaded with gold, worth two thousand dinars. When he opened the gown there
fell a piece of linen from its folds. As soon as the young merchant saw this
he caught up the piece of linen in haste and hid it under his thigh; and his
reason wandered, and he began versifying,
"When shall be healed of thee this heart that ever bides in woe? * Than thee the Pleiad-stars more chance of happy meeting show
Parting and banishment and longing pain and lowe of love, * Procrastinating[FN#478] and delay these ills my life lay low:
Nor union bids me live in joy, nor parting kills by grief, * Nor travel draws me nearer thee nor nearer comest thou:
Of thee no justice may be had, in thee dwells naught of rush, * Nor gain of grace by side of thee, nor flight from thee I know:
For love of thee all goings forth and comings back are strait * On me, and I am puzzled sore to know where I shall go."
Taj al-Muluk wondered with great wonder at his verse, and could not comprehend
the cause. But when the youth snatched up the bit of linen and placed it under
thigh, he asked him, "What is that piece of linen?" "O my Lord," answered the
merchant, "thou hast no concern with this piece." Quoth the King's son, "Show
it me;" and quoth the merchant, "O my lord, I refused to show thee my goods on
account of this piece of linen; for I cannot let thee look upon it."—And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say,
When it was the One Hundred and Twelfth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the young merchant said
to Taj al-Muluk, "I did not refuse to show thee my goods save on this account,
for I cannot let thee look upon it." Whereupon Taj al Muluk retorted, "Perforce
I must and will see it;" and insisted and became angry. So the youth drew it
out from under his thigh, and wept and moaned and redoubled his sighs and
groans, and repeated these verses,
"Now blame him not; for blame brings only irk and pain! * Indeed, I spake him sooth but ne'er his ear could gain:
May Allah guard my moon which riseth in the vale * Beside our camp, from loosed robe like skyey plain:[FN#479]
I left him but had Love vouchsafed to leave for me * Some peace in life such leave of him I ne'er had ta'en:
How long he pleaded for my sake on parting morn, * While down his cheeks and mine tears ran in railing rain:
Allah belie me not: the garb of mine excuse * This parting rent, but I will Mend that garb again!
No couch is easy to my side, nor on such wise * Aught easeth him, when all alone without me lain:
Time with ill-omened hand hath wrought between us two, * And made my waxing joys to wane and his to wane,
And poured mere grief and woe, what time Time fain had crowned * The bowl he made me drink and gave for him to drain."
When he ended his recitation, quoth Taj al-Muluk, "I see thy conduct without
consequence; tell me then why weepest thou at the sight of this rag!" When the
young merchant heard speak of the piece of linen, he sighed and answered, "O my
lord, my story is a strange and my case out of range, with regard to this piece
of linen and to her from whom I brought it and to her who wrought on it these
figures and emblems." Hereupon, he spread out the piece of linen, and behold,
thereon was the figure of a gazelle wrought in silk and worked with red gold,
and facing it was another gazelle traced in silver with a neck ring of red gold
and three bugles[FN#480] of chrysolite upon the ring. When Taj al-Muluk saw
the beauty of these figures, he exclaimed, "Glory be to Allah who teacheth man
that which he knoweth not!"[FN#481] And his heart yearned to hear the youth's
story; so he said to him, "Tell me thy story with her who owned these
gazelles." Replied the young man: "Hear, O my Lord, the