To return to the princess Budour. When she awoke, she sought her

husband and found him not: then she saw the ribbon of her

trousers undone and the talisman missing and said to herself, 'By

Allah, this is strange! Where is my husband? It would seem as

if he had taken the talisman and gone away, knowing not the

secret that is in it. Whither can he have gone? It must have

been some extraordinary matter that drew him away, for he cannot

brook to leave me an hour. May God curse the talisman and its

hour!' Then she considered awhile and said in herself, 'If I go

out and tell the servants that my husband is lost, they will

covet me: I must use stratagem.' So she rose and donned some of

her husband's clothes and boots and spurs and a turban like his,

drawing the loose end across her face for a chin-band. Then

setting a slave-girl in her litter, she went forth the tent and

called to the servants, who brought her Kemerezzeman's horse; and

she mounted and bade load the beasts and set forward. So they

bound on the burdens and departed, none doubting but she was

Kemerezzeman, for she resembled him in face and form; nor did

they leave journeying, days and nights, till they came in sight

of a city overlooking the sea, when they halted to rest and

pitched their tents without the walls. The princess asked the

name of the place and was told, 'It is called the City of Ebony:

its king is named Armanous, and he hath a daughter called Heyat

en Nufous.' Presently, the King sent to learn who it was that

had encamped without his city; so the messenger, coming to the

tents, enquired of Budour's servants and was told that she was a

king's son, bound for the Khalidan Islands, who had strayed

from his road; whereupon he returned and told the King, who

straightway took horse and rode out, with his nobles, to meet the

strange prince. As he drew near the tents, the princess came to

meet him on foot, whereupon the King alighted and they saluted

each other. Then he carried her into the city and bringing her

to the palace, let spread a banquet and bade transport her

company and baggage to the guest-house, where they abode three

days; at the end of which time the King came in to Budour (Now

she had that day gone to the bath and her face shone as the moon

at its full, enchanting all beholders, and she was clad in robes

of silk, embroidered with gold and jewels) and said to her,

'Know, O my son, that I am a very old man and am grown unable for

the conduct of the state. Now God has blessed me with no child

save one daughter, who resembles thee in beauty and grace; so, O

my son, if this my country please thee and thou be willing to

make thine abode here, I will marry thee to my daughter and give

thee my kingdom and so be at rest.' When Budour heard this, she

bowed her head and her forehead sweated for shame, and she said

to herself, 'How shall I do, and I a woman? If I refuse and

depart, I cannot be safe but that he may send after me troops to

kill me; and if I consent, belike I shall be put to shame. I

have lost my beloved Kemerezzeman and know not what is come of

him; wherefore I see nothing for it but to hold my peace and

consent and abide here, till God accomplish what is to be.'

So she raised her head and made submission to King Armanous,

saying, 'I hear and obey,' whereat he rejoiced and bade make

proclamation, throughout the Ebony Islands, to hold high festival

and decorate the houses. Then he assembled his chamberlains and

Amirs and Viziers and other officers of state and the Cadis of

the city, and putting off the kingship, invested Budour therewith

and clad her in the royal robes. Moreover, the Amirs and

grandees went in to her and did her homage, nothing doubting but

that she was a young man, and all who looked on her berayed their

hose for the excess of her beauty and grace; then, after the lady

Budour had been made Sultan and the drums had been beaten, in

announcement of the joyful event, Armanous proceeded to equip his

daughter for marriage, and in a few days, they brought Budour in

to her, when they seemed as it were two moons risen at one time

or two suns foregathering. So they entered the bridal-chamber

and the doors were shut and the curtains let down upon them,

after the attendants had lighted the candles and spread the bed

for them. When Budour found herself alone with the princess

Heyat en Nufous, she called to mind her beloved Kemerezzeman and

grief was sore upon her. So she wept for his loss and absence

and repeated the following verses:

O ye who went and left my heart to pine alone fore'er, No spark

of life remains in me, since ye away did fare!

I have an eye that doth complain of sleeplessness alway; Tears

have consumed it; would to God that sleeplessness would

spare!

When ye departed, after you the lover did abide; But question of

him what of pain in absence he doth bear.

But for the ceaseless flood of tears my eyes pour forth, the

world Would at my burning all catch fire, yea, seas and

lands and air.

To God Most High I make my moan of dear ones loved and lost, That

on my passion have no ruth nor pity my despair.

I never did them wrong, except my love for them were such; But

into blest and curst in love men aye divided were.

When she had finished, she sat down beside the princess Heyat en

Nufous and kissed her on the mouth. Then, rising abruptly, she

made the ablution and betook herself to her devotions, nor did

she leave praying till Heyat en Nufous was asleep, when she slipt

into bed and lay with her back to her till morning; then rose and

went out. Presently, the old king and queen came in to their

daughter and asked her how she did, whereupon she told them what

had passed and repeated to them the verses she had heard.

Meanwhile, Budour seated herself upon the throne and all the

Amirs and captains and officers of state came in to her and

wished her joy of the kingship, kissing the earth before her and

calling down blessings upon her. She smiled on them and clad

them in robes of honour, augmenting the fiefs of the Amirs and

giving largesse to the troops; wherefore all the people loved her

and offered up prayers for the continuance of her reign, doubting

not but that she was a man. She sat all day in the hall of

audience, ordering and forbidding and dispensing justice,

releasing those who were in prison and remitting the customs

dues, till nightfall, when she withdrew to the apartment prepared

for her. Here she found Heyat en Nufous seated; so she sat down

by her and clapping her on the back, caressed her and kissed her

between the eyes, repeating the following verses:

The secret that I cherished my tears have public made; The

wasting of my body my passion hath bewrayed.

I hid my love and longing; but on the parting-day My plight,

alas! revealed it to spies; 'twas open laid.

O ye who have departed the camp, ye've left behind My body worn

with languor and spirit all decayed.

Within my heart's recesses ye have your dwelling-place; My tears

are ever running and lids with blood berayed.

For ever will I ransom the absent with my soul; Indeed, for them

my yearnings are patent and displayed.

I have an eye, whose pupil, for love of them, rejects Sleep and

whose tears flow ever, unceasing and unstayed.

My foes would have me patient for him; but God forbid That ever

of my hearing should heed to them be paid!

I baulked their expectation. Of Kemerezzeman Sometime I did

accomplish the joys for which I prayed.

He doth, as none before him, perfections all unite; No king of

bygone ages was in the like arrayed.

His clemency and bounty Ben Zaïdeh's[FN#45] largesse And

Muawiyeh's[FN#46] mildness have cast into the shade.

But that it would be tedious and verse sufficeth not To picture

forth his beauties, I'd leave no rhyme unmade.

Then she wiped away her tears and making the ablution, stood up

to pray; nor did she give over praying, till drowsiness overcame

Heyat en Nufous and she slept, whereupon Budour came and lay

beside her till the morning. At daybreak, she arose and prayed

the morning-prayer; then, going forth, seated herself on the

throne and passed the day in ordering and forbidding and

administering justice. Meanwhile, King Armanous went in to his

daughter and asked her how she did; so she told him all that had

passed and repeated to him the verses that Budour had recited,

adding, 'O my father, never saw I one more abounding in sense and

modesty than my husband, save that he doth nothing but weep and

sigh.' 'O my daughter,' answered her father, 'have patience with

him yet this third night, and if he go not in to thee and do away

thy maidenhead, we will take order with him and oust him from

the throne and banish him the country.' When the night came, the

princess Budour rose from the throne and betaking herself to the

bride-chamber, found the candles lighted and the princess Heyat

en Nufous sitting awaiting her; whereupon she bethought her of

her husband and recalling the early severance of their loves,

wept and sighed and groaned groan upon groan, repeating the

following verses:

I swear the tidings of my woes fills all the country-side, Like

the sun shining on the hills of Nejed far and wide.

His gesture speaks, but hard to tell the meaning of it is, And

thus my yearning without end is ever magnified.

I hate fair patience since the hour I fell in love with thee.

Hast seen a lover hating love at any time or tide?

One, in whose glances sickness lies, hath smitten me to death,

For looks are deadliest of the things, wherein doth sickness

bide.

He shook his clustered ringlets down and laid his chin-band by,

And beauty thus in him, at once both black and white, I

spied.

Sickness and cure are in his hands; for, to the sick of love, By

him alone who caused their dole can healing be applied.

The softness of his waist hath made his girdle mad for love And

of his hips, for jealousy, to rise he is denied.

His forehead, covered with his curls, is as a mirky night;

Unveiled, 'tis as a shining moon that thrusts the dark

aside.

When she had finished, she would have risen to pray, but Heyat en

Nufous caught her by the skirt, saying, 'O my lord, art thou not

ashamed to neglect me thus, after all the favour my father hath

done thee?' When Budour heard this, she sat down again and said,

'O my beloved, what is this thou sayest?' 'What I say,' answered

Heyat en Nufous, 'is that I never saw any so self-satisfied as

thou. Is every fair one so disdainful? I say not this to

incline thee to me, but only of my fear for thee from King

Armanous; for he purposes, an thou go not in to me to-night and

do away my maidenhead, to strip thee of the kingship on the

morrow and banish thee the realm; and belike his much anger may

lead him to kill thee. But I, O my lord, have compassion on thee

and give thee fair warning; and it is thine to decide.' At this,

Budour bowed her head in perplexity and said in herself, 'If I

refuse, I am lost, and if I obey, I am shamed. I am now queen of

all the Ebony Islands and they are under my rule and I shall

never again foregather with Kemerezzeman except it be in this

place; for there is no way for him to his native land but through

the Ebony Islands. Verily, I know not what to do, for I am no

man that I should arise and open this virgin girl; but I commit

my case to God, who orders all for the best.' Then she said to

Heyat en Nufous, 'O my beloved, it is in my own despite that I

have neglected thee and abstained from thee.' And she discovered

herself to her and told her her whole story, saying, 'I conjure

thee by Allah to keep my counsel, till God reunite me with my

beloved Kemerezzeman, and then let what will happen.' Her story

moved Heyat en Nufous to wonder and pity, and she prayed God to

reunite her with her beloved, saying, 'Fear nothing, O my sister,

but have patience till God accomplish that which is to be.' And

she repeated the following verses:

None keepeth counsel saving those who're trusty and discreet. A

secret's ever safely placed with honest folk and leal;

And secrets trusted unto me are in a locked-up house, Whose keys

are lost and on whose door is set the Cadi's seal.

'O my sister,' continued she, 'the breasts of the noble are the

graves of secrets, and I will not discover thine.' Then they

toyed and embraced and kissed and slept till near the call to

morning-prayer, when Heyat en Nufous arose and slaughtering a

young pigeon, besmeared herself and besprinkled her shift with

its blood. Then she put off her trousers and cried out,

whereupon her waiting-women hastened to her and raised cries of

joy. Presently, her mother came in to her aad asked her how she

did and tended her and abode with her till evening; whilst the

lady Budour repaired to the bath and after washing herself,

proceeded to the hall of audience, where she sat down on her

throne and dispensed justice among the folk. When King Armanous

heard the cries, he asked what was the matter and was informed of

the consummation of his daughter's marriage; whereat he rejoiced

and his breast dilated and he made a great banquet.

To return to King Shehriman. When Kemerezzeman and Merzewan

returned not at the appointed time, he passed the night without

sleep, restless and consumed with anxiety. The night was long

upon him and he thought the day would never dawn. He passed the

forenoon of the ensuing day in expectation of his son's coming,

but he came not; whereat his heart forebode separation and he was

distraught with fears for Kemerezzeman. He wept till his clothes

were drenched, crying out, 'Alas, my son!' and repeating the

following verses from an aching heart:

Unto the votaries of love I still was contrary, Till of its

bitter and its sweet myself perforce must taste.

I quaffed its cup of rigours out, yea, even to the dregs, And to

its freemen and its slaves myself therein abased.

Fortune aforetime made a vow to separate our loves; Now hath she

kept her vow, alack! and made my life a waste.

Then he wiped away his tears and bade his troops make ready for a

long journey. So they all mounted and set forth, headed by the

Sultan, whose heart burnt with grief and anxiety for his son. He

divided the troops into six bodies, whom he despatched in as many

directions, giving them rendezvous for the morrow at the

cross-roads. Accordingly they scoured the country diligently all

that day and night, till at noon of the ensuing day they joined

company at the cross-roads. Here four roads met and they knew

not which the prince had followed, till they came to the torn

clothes and found shreds of flesh and blood scattered by the way

on all sides. When the King saw this, he cried out from his

inmost heart, saying, 'Alas, my son!' and buffeted his face and

tore his beard and rent his clothes, doubting not but his son was

dead. Then he gave himself up to weeping and wailing, and the

troops also wept for his weeping, being assured that the prince

had perished. They wept and lamented and threw dust on their

heads till they were nigh upon death, and the night surprised

them whilst they were thus engaged. Then the King repeated the

following verses, with a heart on fire for the torment of his

despair:

Blame not the mourner for the grief to which he is a prey, For

yearning sure sufficeth him, with all its drear dismay.

He weeps for dreariment and grief and stress of longing pain, And

eke his transport doth the fires, that rage in him, bewray.

Alas, his fortune who's Love's slave, whom languishment hath

bound Never to let his eyelids stint from weeping night and

day!

He mourns the loss of one was like a bright and brilliant moon,

That shone out over all his peers in glorious array.

But Death did proffer to his lips a brimming cup to drink, What

time he left his native land, and now he's far away.

He left his home and went from us unto calamity; Nor to his

brethren was it given to him farewell to say.

Indeed, his loss hath stricken me with anguish and with woe; Yea,

for estrangement from his sight my wits are gone astray.

Whenas the Lord of all vouchsafed to him His Paradise, Upon his

journey forth he fared and passed from us for aye.

Then he returned with the troops to his capital, giving up his

son for lost and deeming that wild beasts or highwaymen had set

on him and torn him in pieces, and made proclamation that all in

the Khalidan Islands should don black in mourning for him.

Moreover, he built a pavilion in his memory, naming it House of

Lamentations, and here he was wont to spend his days, (with the

exception of Mondays and Thursdays, which he devoted to the

business of the state), mourning for his son and bewailing him

with verses, of which the following are some:

My day of bliss is that whereon thou drawest near to me, And

that, whereon thou turn'st away, my day of death and fear.

What though I tremble all the night and go in dread of death, Yet

thine embraces are to me than safety far more dear.

And again:

My soul redeem the absent, whose going cast a blight On hearts

and did afflict them with anguish and affright!

Let gladness then accomplish its purification-time,[FN#47] For,

by a triple divorcement,[FN#48] I've put away delight.

Meanwhile, the princess Budour abode in the Ebony Islands, whilst

the folk would point to her and say, 'Yonder is King Armanous's

son-in-law;' and every night she lay with Heyat en Nufous, to

whom she made moan of her longing for her husband Kemerezzeman,

weeping and describing to her his beauty and grace and yearning

to enjoy him, though but in a dream. And bytimes she would

repeat these verses:

God knows that, since my severance from thee, full sore I've

wept, So sore that needs my eyes must run for very tears in

debt.

"Have patience," quoth my censurer, "and thou shalt win them

yet," And I, "O thou that blamest me, whence should I

patience get?"

All this time, Kemerezzeman abode with the gardener, weeping and

repeating verses night and day, bewailing the seasons of

enjoyment and the nights of delight, whilst the gardener

comforted him with the assurance that the ship would set sail for

the land of the Muslims at the end of the year. One day, he saw

the folk crowding together and wondered at this; but the gardener

came in to him and said, 'O my son, give over work for to-day

neither water the trees; for it is a festival day, on which the

folk visit one another. So rest and only keep thine eye on the

garden, whilst I go look after the ship for thee; for yet but a

little while and I send thee to the land of the Muslims.' So

saying, he went out, leaving Kemerezzeman alone in the garden,

who fell to musing upon his condition, till his courage gave way

and the tears streamed from his eyes. He wept till he swooned

away, and when he recovered, he rose and walked about the garden

pondering what fate had done with him and bewailing his long

estrangement from those he loved. As he went thus, absorbed in

melancholy thought, his foot stumbled and he fell on his face,

striking his forehead against the stump of a tree. The blow cut

it open and his blood ran down and blent with his tears. He rose

and wiping away the blood, dried his tears and bound his forehead

with a piece of rag; then continued his melancholy walk about the

garden. Presently, he saw two birds quarrelling on a tree, and

one of them smote the other on the neck with its beak and cut off

its head, with which it flew away, whilst the slain bird's body

fell to the ground before Kemerezzeman. As it lay, two great

birds flew down and alighting, one at the head and the other at

the tail of the dead bird, drooped their wings over it and bowing

their heads towards it, wept; and when Kemerezzeman saw them thus

bewail their mate, he called to mind his wife and father and

wept also. Then he saw them dig a grave and bury the dead bird;

after which they flew away, but presently returned with the

murderer and alighting on the grave, stamped on him till they

killed him. Then they rent his belly and tearing out his

entrails, poured the blood on the grave. Moreover, they stripped

off his skin and tearing his flesh in pieces, scattered it hither

and thither. All this while Kemerezzeman was watching them and

wondering; but presently, chancing to look at the dead bird's

crop, he saw therein something gleaming. So he opened it and

found the talisman that had been the cause of his separation from

his wife. At this sight, he fell down in a swoon for joy; and

when he revived, he said, 'Praised be God! This is a good omen

and a presage of reunion with my beloved.' Then he examined the

jewel and passed it over his eyes; after which he bound it to his

arm, rejoicing in coming good, and walked about, awaiting the

gardener's return, till nightfall; when, as he came not, he lay

down and slept in his wonted place. At daybreak he rose and

girding himself with a cord of palm-fibre, took hoe and basket

and went out to his work in the garden. Presently, he came to a

carob-tree and struck the hoe into its roots. The blow resounded

[as if it had fallen on metal]; so he cleared away the earth and

discovered a trap-door of brass. He raised the trap and found a

winding stair, which he descended and came to an ancient vault of

the time of Aad and Themoud,[FN#49] hewn out of the rock. Round

the vault stood many brazen vessels of the bigness of a great

oil-jar, into one of which he put his hand and found it full of

red and shining gold; whereupon he said to himself, 'Verily, the

days of weariness are past and joy and solace are come!' Then he

returned to the garden and replacing the trap-door, busied

himself in tending the trees till nightfall, when the gardener

came back and said to him, 'O my son, rejoice in a speedy return

to thy native land, for the merchants are ready for the voyage

and in three days' time the ship will set sail for the City of

Ebony, which is the first of the cities of the Muslims; and

thence thou must travel by land six months' journey till thou

come to the Islands of Khalidan, the dominions of King Shehriman.'

At this Kemerezzeman rejoiced and repeated the following verses:

Forsake not a lover unused aversion from thee, Nor punish the

guiltless with rigour and cruelty.

Another, when absence was long, had forgotten thee And changed

from his faith and his case; not so with me.

Then he kissed the gardener's hand, saying, 'O my father, even as

thou hast brought me glad tidings, so I also have great good news

for thee,' and told him of his discovery in the garden; whereat

the gardener rejoiced and said, 'O my son, fourscore years have I

dwelt in this garden and have never chanced on aught; whilst

thou, who hast not sojourned with me a year, hast discovered

this thing; wherefore it is God's gift to thee, for the cesser

of thine ill fortune, and will aid thee to rejoin thy folk

and foregather with her thou lovest.' 'Not so,' answered

Kemerezzeman, 'it must be shared between us.' Then he carried

him to the underground chamber and showed him the gold, which was

in twenty jars. So he took ten and the gardener ten, and the

latter said to him, 'O my son, fill thyself jars with the olives

that grow in the garden, for they are not found but in our land

and are sought after; the merchants carry them to all parts and

they are called Asafiri[FN#50] olives. Lay the gold in the jars

and cover it with olives: then stop them and cover them and take

them with thee in the ship.' So Kemerezzeman took fifty jars and

laying in each somewhat of the gold, filled it up with olives.

At the bottom of one of the jars he laid the talisman, then

stopped and covered the jars and sat down to talk with the

gardener, making sure of speedy reunion with his own people and

saying in himself, 'When I come to the Ebony Islands, I will

journey thence to my father's country and enquire for my beloved

Budour. I wonder whether she turned back to her own land or

journeyed on to my father's country or whether there befell her

any accident by the way.' And he repeated the following verses:

Love in my breast they lit and passed away forthright: Far

distant is the land that holds my soul's delight.

Far, far from me the camp and those that dwell therein; No

visitation-place again shall us unite.

Patience and reason fled from me, when they fared forth; Sleep

failed me and despair o'ercame me, like a blight.

They left me, and with them departed all my joy; Tranquillity and

peace with them have taken flight.

They made mine eyes run down with tears of love laid waste; My

lids for lack of them brim over day and night.

Whenas my sad soul longs to see them once again And waiting and

desire are heavy on my spright,

Midmost my heart of hearts their images I trace, Love and

desireful pain and yearning for their sight.

Then he told the gardener what he had seen pass between the

birds, whereat he wondered; and they both lay down and slept till

the morning. The gardener awoke sick and abode thus two days;

but on the third day, his sickness increased on him, till they

despaired of his life and Kemerezzeman grieved sore for him.

Meanwhile, the captain and sailors came and enquired for the

gardener. Kemerezzeman told them that he was sick, and they

said, 'Where is the young man that is minded to go with us to the

Ebony Islands?' 'He is your servant,' answered the prince and

bade them carry the jars of olives to the ship. So they

transported them to the ship, saying, 'Make haste, for the wind

is fair;' and he answered, 'I hear and obey.' Then he carried

his victual on board and returning, to bid the gardener farewell,

found him in the agonies of death. So he sat down at his head

and closed his eyes, and his soul departed his body; whereupon he

laid him out and committed him to the earth to the mercy of God

the Most High. Then he went down to the port, to embark, but

found that the ship had already weighed anchor and set sail; nor

did she cease to cleave the waters, till she disappeared from

his sight. So he returned to the garden, sorrowful and

heavy-hearted, and sitting down, threw dust on his head and

buffeted his face. Then he rented the garden of its owner and

hired a man to help him tend the trees. Moreover, he went down

to the underground chamber and bringing up the rest of the gold,

stowed it in other fifty jars, which he filled up with olives.

Then he enquired of the ship and was told that it sailed but once

a year; at which his affliction redoubled and he mourned sore for

that which had befallen him, above all for the loss of the

princess Budour's talisman, and spent his nights and days weeping

and repeating verses.

Meanwhile, the ship sailed with a favouring wind, till it reached

the Ebony Islands. As fate would have it, the princess Budour

was sitting at a window overlooking the sea and saw the ship cast

anchor in the port. At this sight, her heart throbbed and she

mounted and riding down to the port, with her officers, halted by

the ship, whilst the sailors broke out the cargo and transported

the goods to the storehouses; after which she called the captain

and asked what he had with him. 'O King,' answered he, 'I have

with me drugs and cosmetics and powders and ointments and

plasters and rich stuffs and Yemen rugs and other costly

merchandise, not to be borne of mule or camel, and all manner

essences and spices and perfumes, civet and ambergris and camphor

and Sumatra aloes-wood, and tamarinds and Asafiri olives to boot,

such as are rare to find in this country.' When she heard talk

of Asafiri olives, her heart yearned for them and she said to the

captain, 'How much olives hast thou?' 'Fifty jars full,'

answered he. 'Their owner is not with us, but the King shall

take what he will of them.' Quoth she, 'Bring them ashore, that

I may see them.' So he called to the sailors, who brought her

the fifty jars; and she opened one and looking at the olives,

said to the captain, 'I will take the whole fifty and pay you

their value, whatever it may be.' 'By Allah, O my lord,'

answered he, 'they have no value in our country and the fifty

jars may be worth some hundred dirhems; but their owner tarried

behind us, and he is a poor man.' 'And what are they worth

here?' asked she. 'A thousand dirhems,' replied he. 'I will

take them at that price,' quoth she and bade carry the fifty jars

to the palace. When it was night, she called for a jar of olives

and opened it, there being none present but herself and the

princess Heyat en Nufous. Then, taking a dish, she turned into

it the contents of the jar, when behold there fell out into the

dish with the olives a heap of red gold and she said to Heyat en

Nufous, 'This is nought but gold!' So she sent for the rest of

the jars and found each one full of gold and scarce enough olives

in the whole fifty to fill one jar. Moreover, she sought among

the gold and found the talisman, which she took and examined and

knew for that which Kemerezzeman had taken from off the riband of

her trousers; whereupon she cried out for joy and fell down in a

swoon. When she revived, she said in herself, 'Verily, this

talisman was the cause of my separation from my beloved

Kemerezzeman; but now it is an omen of good.' Then she showed it

to Heyat en Nufous and said to her, 'This was the cause of

separation and now, please God, it shall be the cause of

reunion.' As soon as it was day, she seated herself on her

throne and sent for the captain, who came and kissed the ground

before her. Quoth she, 'Where didst thou leave the owner of

these olives?' 'O King of the age,' answered he, 'we left him in

the land of the Magians and he is a gardener there.' 'Except

thou bring him to me,' said she, 'thou knowest not the harm that

awaits thee and thy ship.' Then she bade seal up the merchants'

storehouses and said to them, 'The owner of these olives is my

debtor; and an ye bring him not to me, I will without fail put

you all to death and confiscate your goods.' So they all went to

the captain and promised him the hire of the ship, if he would go

and return a second time, saying, 'Deliver us from this masterful

tyrant.' Accordingly, the captain set sail and God decreed him a

prosperous voyage, till he came to the city of the Magians, and

landing by night, went up to the garden. Now the night was long

upon Kemerezzeman, and he sat, bethinking him of his beloved and

weeping over what had befallen him and repeating the following

verses:

Full many a night I've passed, whose stars their course did stay,

A night that seemed of those that will not pass away,

That was, as 'twere, for length the Resurrection-morn, To him

that watched therein and waited for the day!

At this moment, the captain knocked at the garden-gate, and

Kemerezzeman opened and went out to him, whereupon the sailors

seized him and carrying him on board the ship, weighed anchor

forthright. They sailed on without ceasing days and nights,

whilst Kemerezzeman knew not why they dealt thus with him; but

when he questioned them, they replied, 'Thou hast offended

against the lord of the Ebony Islands, the son-in-law of King

Armanous, and hast stolen his good, unhappy wretch that thou

art!' 'By Allah,' said he, 'I know not the country nor was I

ever there in all my life!' However, they fared on with him,

till they made the Ebony Islands and landing, carried him up to

the princess Budour, who knew him at sight and said, 'Leave him

with the eunuchs, that they may take him to the bath.' Then she

relieved the merchant of the embargo and gave the captain a dress

of honour and ten thousand dinars; after which, she went in that

night to the princess Heyat en Nufous and told her what had

passed, saying, 'Keep thou my counsel, till I accomplish my

purpose and do a thing that shall be recorded and told to kings

and commoners after us.' Meanwhile, they carried Kemerezzeman to

the bath and clad him in a royal habit, so that, when he came

forth, he resembled a willow-wand or a star whose aspect put to

shame both sun and moon, and his life returned to him. Then he

went in to the princess Budour, who, when she saw him, schooled

her heart to patience, till she should have accomplished her

purpose, and bestowed on him slaves and servants, black and

white, and camels and mules. Moreover, she gave him a treasury

of money and advanced him from dignity to dignity, till she made

him treasurer and committed to his charge all the treasures of

the state; nor did she leave day by day to increase his

allowances and afford him fresh marks of her favour. As for

Kemerezzeman, he was at a loss for the reason of all the honour

and favour she showed him and gave gifts and largesse out of the

abundance of the wealth he owed to her munificence, devoting

himself in particular to the service of King Armanous, so that he

and all the Amirs and people, great and small, loved him and were

wont to swear by his life. Nevertheless, he ceased not to marvel

at the favour shown him by Budour and said in himself, 'By Allah,

there must be a reason for this affection! Peradventure, this

king favours me thus excessively with some ill purpose and needs

must I therefore crave leave of him to depart his realm.' So he

went in to Budour and said to her, 'O King, thou hast overwhelmed

me with favours, but it will fulfil the measure of thy bounties

if thou wilt take from me all thou hast given and let me depart.'

She smiled and said, 'What makes thee seek to depart and plunge

into new perils, whenas thou art in the enjoyment of the greatest

favour and prosperity?' 'O King,' answered Kemerezzeman, 'this

favour, if there be no reason for it, is indeed a wonder of

wonders, more by token that thou hast advanced me to dignities

such as befit graybeards, albeit I am but a child.' 'The reason

is,' answered she, 'that I love thee for thine exceeding grace

and thy surpassing beauty; and so thou wilt but grant me my

desire of thee, I will advance thee yet further in honour and

favour and largesse and make thee Vizier, for all thy tender age,

even as the folk made me Sultan and I no older than thou; so that

nowadays there is nothing strange in the headship of children,

and gifted of God was he who said:

Our time is, meseems, of the lineage of Lot; It craves the

advancement of younglings, God wot.'

When Kemerezzeman heard this, he was confounded and his cheeks

flushed till they seemed on fire; and he said, 'I reck not of

favours that involve the commission of sin; I will live poor in

wealth but rich in virtue and honour.' Quoth she, 'I am not the

dupe of thy scruples, arising from prudery and coquetry: and God

bless him who says:

I mentioned to him the pact of fruition, and he, "How long with

vexatious discourse wilt thou set upon me?"

I showed him a dinar and straightway he sang out and said, "O

whither shall one from Fate irresistible flee!"

'O King,' replied Kemerezzeman, 'I have not the wont of these

doings, nor have I strength, who am but of tender years, to bear

these heavy burdens, for which elder than I have proved unable.'

She smiled and rejoined, 'Indeed, it is wonderful how error

springs from the disorder of the wit. Since thou art but a boy,

why standest thou in fear of sin or the doing of forbidden

things, seeing that thou art not yet come to years of discretion

and the offences of a child incur neither punishment nor reproof?

Verily, thou committest thyself to an argument advanced but for

the sake of contention, and it behoves thee to bow to the

ordinance of fruition, which has been given against thee.

Wherefore, henceforward, give over denial and coyness, for the

commandment of God is a foreordained decree:[FN#51] indeed, I

have more reason than thou to fear falling into error; and

well-inspired was he who said:

My pintle is big and the little one said unto me, "Tilt boldly

therewith at my inwards and quit thee thy need."

Quoth I, "'Tis unlawful;" but he, "It is lawful with me;" So to

it I fell, supporting myself by his rede.'

When Kemerezzeman heard these words, the light in his eyes became

darkness and he said, 'O King, thou hast in thy palace women and

female slaves, that have not their like in this age: may not

these suffice thee without me? Do thy will with them and leave

me.' 'Thou speakest truth,' answered she; 'but it is not with

them that one who loves thee can heal himself of torment and

fever; for when tastes and inclinations are corrupted, they

hearken to other than good counsel. So leave arguing and hear

what the poet says:

Seest not the fruits of the market, how of two kinds they be?

Some are for figs,[FN#52] but more for the fruit of the

sycamore-tree.[FN#53]

And what another says:

Full many an one, whose ankle-rings are dumb, her girdle sounds;

So this one is content and that a tale of need must tell.

Thou'dst have me, foolwise, in her charms forget thee. God

forfend I, that a true believer am, should turn an infidel!

No, by a whisker that makes mock of all her curls, I swear, Nor

maid nor strumpet from thy side shall me by guile compel!

And a third:

O pearl of loveliness, to love thee is my faith; Yea, and my

choice of all the faiths that have been aye.

Women I have forsworn, indeed, for thy sweet sake, So that the

folk avouch I'm grown a monk to-day

And a fourth:

Compare not a wench with a boy and to the spy, Who says to thee,

"This is wrong," pay thou no heed.

'Twixt a woman whose feet one's lips kiss and a smooth-faced

fawn, Who kisses the earth, the diff'rence is great indeed.

And a fifth:

My soul be thy ransom! Indeed, I've chosen thee out with intent,

Because thou layest no eggs and dost not menstruate.

For, an I inclined to foregather with harlots, upon my faith, The

wide, wide world for the brats I should get would prove too

strait.

And a sixth:

Quoth she to me,--and sore enraged for wounded pride was she, For

she in sooth had bidden me to that which might not be,--

"An if thou swive me not forthright, as one should swive his

wife, If thou be made a cuckold straight, reproach it not to

me.

Meseems thy yard is made of wax, for very flaccidness; For, when

I rub it with my hand, it softens instantly."

And a seventh:

Quoth she (for I to lie with her would not consent), "O fool,

that followest on thy folly to the extent,

If thou reject my kaze for Kibleh[FN#54] to thy yard, We'll show

thee one wherewith thou shalt be sure content."

And an eighth:

She proffered me a tender kaze; But I, "I will not swive,"

replied.

She drew back, saying, "From the truth Needs must he turn who's

turned aside;[FN#55]

And swiving frontwise in our day Is all abandoned and decried;"

Then turned and showed me, as it were A lump of silver, her

backside.

"Well done, O mistress mine! No more Am I in pain for thee," I

cried,

"Whose poke of all God's openings[FN#56] Is sure the amplest and

most wide!"

And a ninth:

Men crave forgiveness with uplifted hands; But women pray with

lifted legs, I trow.[FN#57]

Out on it for a pious piece of work! God shall exalt it to the

deeps below.[FN#58]

When Kemerezzeman heard these verses and was certified that there

was no escaping compliance with her will, he said, 'O King, if

thou must needs have it so, swear to me that thou wilt use me

thus but once, though it avail not to stay thy debauched

appetite; and that thou wilt never again require me of this to

the end of time; so it may be God will purge me of the sin.' 'I

promise thee that,' replied she, 'hoping that God of His favour

will relent towards us and blot out our mortal sins; for the

compass of the Divine forgiveness is not indeed so strait, but it

may altogether embrace us and absolve us of the excess of our

transgressions and bring us to the light of righteousness out of

the darkness of error. As most excellent well saith the poet:

The folk imagine of us twain an evil thing, I ween, And with

their hearts and souls, indeed, they do persist therein.

Come, let us justify their thought and free them thus from guilt,

This once, 'gainst us; and then will we repent us of our

sin.'

Then she swore to him a solemn oath, by Him whose existence is

unconditioned, that this thing should befall betwixt them but

once and never again for all time, and vowed to him that the

desire of him was driving her to death and perdition. So he went

with her, on this condition, to her privy closet, that she might

quench the fire of her passion, saying, 'There is no power and no

virtue save in God the Most High, the Supreme! This is the

ordinance of the All-powerful, the All-wise!' And did off his

trousers, in the utmost confusion, with the tears running from

his eyes for stress of affright; whereat she smiled and carrying

him on to a couch, said to him, 'After this night, thou shalt see

nought that will displease thee.' Then she turned to him,

kissing and clipping him and twining leg with leg, and said to

him, 'Put thy hand, between my thighs, to that thou wottest of,

so haply it may be won to stand up after prostration.' He wept

and said, 'I am not good at aught of this.' But she said, 'As I

live, an thou do as I bid thee, it shall profit thee!' So he put

out his hand, with a heart on fire for confusion, and found her

thighs fresher than cream and softer than silk. The touching of

them pleasured him and he moved his hand hither and thither, till

he came to a dome abounding in benedictions and movements and

said in himself, 'Belike this king is a hermaphrodite, nor male

nor female.' So he said to her, 'O King, I cannot find that thou

hast any manly gear, even as other men; what then moved thee to

do thus?' When the princess heard this, she laughed till she

fell backward, and said, 'O my beloved, how quickly thou hast

forgotten the nights we have lain together!' Then she made

herself known to him and he knew her for his wife, the Lady

Budour, daughter of King Ghaïour. So he embraced her and she

embraced him and they kissed each other; then they lay down on

the bed of delight, repeating the words of the poet:

Whenas the softness of a shape did bid him to my arms, That, as

it were a trailing vine with twinings did him ply

And on the hardness of his heart its very softness shed, He

yielded, though at first he feigned reluctance to comply,

And came, provided with a stock of caution safe and sure, Fearing

lest, when he did appear, the railers should him spy.

His waist of buttocks maketh moan, that lay upon his feet A very

camel's load, what time he would a-walking hie.

Girt with his glances' trenchant swords and cuirassed with the

mail Of his bright locks, as 'twere the dusk new fallen from

the sky,

His fragrance brought me from afar the news of his approach, And

forth, as bird let out from cage, to meet my love fled I.

I laid my cheek within his way, beneath his sandal-soles, And lo,

their dust's collyrium healed the ailment of mine eye!

With an embrace I hoisted up the flag of loves new linked And

loosed the knot of my delight, that made as 'twould deny.

Then let I call high festival, and gladness, all unmixed With any

thought of troublousness, came flocking in reply.

The full moon handselled with the stars the teeth, like grains of

pearl, That on the laughing face of wine now dance, now

stirless lie.

So in the niche of their delight I gave me up to joys, The

veriest sinner would repent if he their like might try.

The morning-glories of his face be pledge I'll ne'er, in him,

Forget the writ that biddeth us One only glorify![FN#59]

Then they told one another all that had befallen them since their

separation, after which he began to upbraid her, saying, 'What

moved thee to deal with me as thou hast done this night?' 'Do

not reproach me,' replied she; 'for I did this but by way of jest

and for increase of pleasure and gladness.' When it was morning

and the day arose with its light and shone, she sent to King

Armanous and acquainted him with the truth of the case and that

she was wife to Kemerezzeman. Moreover, she told him their story

and the manner of their separation and how his daughter Heyat

en Nufous was yet a maid. He marvelled greatly at their story

and bade record it in letters of gold. Then he turned to

Kemerezzeman and said, 'O king's son, art thou minded to marry my

daughter and become my son-in-law?' 'I must consult the princess

Budour,' answered he; 'for I owe her favour without stint.' So

he took counsel with her and she said, 'This is well seen; marry

her and I will be her handmaid, for I am her debtor for kindness

and favour and good offices, more by token that we are here in

her place and that the king her father has loaded us with

benefits.' When he saw that she inclined to this and was not

jealous of Heyat en Nufous, he agreed with her thereupon and told

King Armanous what she had said, whereat he rejoiced greatly.

Then he went out and seating himself in his chair of estate,

assembled all the Viziers and Amirs and chamberlains and

grandees, to whom he related the whole story and acquainted them

with his desire to marry his daughter to Kemerezzeman and make

him king in the stead of the princess Budour. Whereupon said

they all, 'Since he is the husband of the princess Budour, who

hath been our Sultan till now, whilst we deemed her King

Armanous's son-in-law, we are all content to have him to Sultan

over us and will be his servants, nor will we swerve from his

allegiance.' At this Armanous rejoiced and summoning Cadis and

witnesses and the chief officers of state, let draw up the

contract of marriage between Kemerezzeman and his daughter, the

princess Heyat en Nufous. Then he held high festival, giving

sumptuous banquets and bestowing costly dresses of honour upon

the Amirs and captains; moreover, he gave alms to the poor and

needy and freed the prisoners. All the folk rejoiced in the

coming of Kemerezzeman to the throne, wishing him abiding glory

and prosperity and happiness and renown, and as soon as he became

king, he remitted the customs-dues and released all that

remained in prison. Thus he abode a long while, ordering himself

worthily towards his subjects, and lived with his wives in peace

and happiness and content, lying the night with each of them in

turn. And indeed all his troubles and afflictions were blotted

out from him and he forgot his father King Shehriman and his

former estate of honour and worship with him.

After awhile, God the Most High blessed him with two sons, as

they were two shining moons, the elder, whose name was prince

Amjed, by Queen Budour, and the younger, whose name was prince

Asaad and who was comelier than his brother, by Queen Heyat en

Nufous. They were reared in splendour and delight and were

instructed in penmanship and science and the arts of government

and horsemanship and other polite arts and accomplishments, till

they attained the extreme of perfection and the utmost limit of

beauty and grace, and both men and women were ravished by their

charms. They grew up together, till they reached the age of

seventeen, and loved one another so dear that they were never

apart, eating and drinking together and sleeping in one bed; and

all the people envied them their beauty and concord. When they

came to man's estate and were endowed with every perfection,

their father was wont, as often as he went on a journey, to make

them sit in his stead by turns in the place of judgment, and

each did justice among the folk one day at a time. Now, as

unalterable fate and foreordained destiny would have it, Queen

Budour fell in love with Asaad, son of Queen Heyat en Nufous, and

the latter became enamoured of Amjed; and each of them used to

sport and play with the other's son, kissing him and straining

him to her bosom, whilst each thought that the other's behaviour

arose but from motherly affection. On this wise, passion got the

mastery of the two women's hearts and they became madly enamoured

of the two youths, so that when the other's son came in to either

of them, she would press him to her bosom and long for him never

to be parted from her; till, at last, when waiting grew tedious

to them and they found no way to enjoyment, they refused meat and

drink and forewent the solace of sleep. Presently, the King went

out to hunt, bidding his sons sit to do justice in his stead,

each one day in turn, according to their wont. So prince Amjed

sat on the throne the first day, ordering and forbidding,

appointing and deposing, giving and denying; and Queen Heyat

en Nufous took a scroll and wrote to him the following letter,

suing for his favour and discovering to him her passion, in

fine, altogether putting off the mask and giving him to know

that she desired to enjoy him. 'From the wretched lover, the

sorrowful severed one, whose youth is wasted in the love of

thee and whose torment for thee is prolonged. Were I to

recount to thee the extent of my affliction and what I suffer

for sadness, the passion that is in my breast and all that I

endure for weeping and groaning and the rending of my sorrowful

heart, my unremitting cares and my ceaseless griefs and all my

suffering for severance and sadness and the ardour of desire,

no letter could contain it nor calculation compass it. Indeed,

earth and heaven are straitened upon me, and I have no hope and

no trust but in thee. I am come nigh upon death and suffer the

horrors of dissolution; burning is sore upon me, and the pangs

of separation and estrangement. Were I to set out the yearnings

that possess me, no scrolls would suffice thereto: and of the

excess of my affliction and wasting away, I have made the

following verses:

Were I to set down all I feel of heart-consuming dole And all the

transport and unease that harbour in my soul,

Nor ink nor pen in all the world thereafter would remain, Nor

aught from east to west were left of paper or of scroll.'

Then she folded up the silken tresses of her hair, whose cost

swallowed up treasures, in the letter, and wrapping it in a piece

of rich silk, scented with musk and ambergris, laid it in a

handkerchief; after which she gave it to an eunuch and bade him

carry it to prince Amjed. The eunuch took it, knowing not what

the future hid for him, (for He who knoweth the hidden things

ordereth events according to His will,) and going in to the

prince, kissed the earth before him and gave him the letter. He

opened it and reading it, was ware that his father's wife was in

intent an adulteress and a traitress to her husband; whereat he

was exceeding wroth and railed at women and their works, saying,

'May God curse women, the traitresses, that lack reason and

religion!' Then he drew his sword and said to the eunuch, 'Out

on thee, thou wicked slave! Dost thou carry adulterous messages

for thy lord's wife? By Allah, there is no good in thee, O black

of hue and heart, O foul of face and nature!' So saying, he

smote him on the neck and severed his head from his body; then,

folding the letter in the handkerchief, he thrust it into his

pocket and went in to his own mother and told her what had

passed, reviling and reproaching her and saying, 'Each one of you

is worse than the other; and by God the Great, did I not fear to

transgress against the rights of my father and my brother Asaad,

I would assuredly go in to her and cut off her head, even as I

cut off that of her eunuch!' Then he went out in a great rage;

and when the news reached Queen Heyat en Nufous of what he had

done with her messenger, she reviled him and cursed him and

plotted perfidy against him. He passed the night, sick with

anger and disgust and concern, nor was meat nor drink nor sleep

sweet to him. Next morning, prince Asaad went out in his

turn to rule the folk in his father's stead and sat in the

audience-chamber, judging and administering justice, appointing

and deposing, ordering and forbidding, giving and bestowing, till

near the time of afternoon-prayer, when Queen Budour sent for a

crafty old woman and discovering to her what was in her heart,

wrote a letter to prince Asaad, complaining of the excess of her

love and longing for him, as follows: 'From her who perisheth for

passion and love-longing to the goodliest of mankind in form and

nature, him who is conceited of his own loveliness and glories in

his amorous grace, who turneth away from those that seek to

enjoy him and refuseth to show favour unto the lowly and the

self-abasing, him who is cruel and disdainful; from the

despairing lover to prince Asaad, lord of surpassing beauty and

excelling grace, of the moon-bright face and the flower-white

brow and dazzling splendour. This is my letter to him whose love

consumes my body and rends my skin and my bones. Know that my

patience fails me and I am at a loss what to do: longing and

wakefulness weary me and sleep and patience deny themselves to

me; but mourning and watching stick fast to me and desire and

passion torment me, and the extremes of languor and sickness.

Yet may my life be thy ransom, though it be thy pleasure to slay

her who loveth thee, and may God prolong thy life and preserve

thee from every ill!' After this, she wrote the following

verses:

Fate hath so ordered it that I must needs thy lover be, O thou

whose charms shine as the moon, when at the full is she!

All beauty and all eloquence thou dost in thee contain And over

all the world of men thou'rt bright and brave to see.

That thou my torturer shouldst be, I am indeed content, So but

thou wilt one glance bestow, as almous-deed, on me.

Happy, thrice happy is her lot who dieth for thy love! No good is

there in any one that doth not cherish thee.

And these also:

To thee, O Asaad, of the pangs of passion I complain; Have pity

on a slave of love, that burns for longing pain.

How long, I wonder, shall the hands of passion sport with me And

love and dole and sleeplessness consume me, heart and brain?

Whiles do I plain me of a sea within my heart and whiles Of

flaming; surely, this is strange, O thou my wish and bane!

Give o'er thy railing, censor mine, and set thyself to flee From

love that maketh eyes for aye with burning tears to rain.

How oft, for absence and desire, I cry, "Alas, my grief!" But all

my crying and lament in this my case are vain.

Thou hast with rigours made me sick, that passed my power to

bear: Thou'rt the physician; do thou me with what befits

assain.

O thou my censurer, forbear to chide me for my case, Lest, of

Love's cruel malady, perdition thee attain.

Then she scented the letter with odoriferous musk and winding it

in the tresses of her hair, which were of Irak silk, with tassels

of oblong emeralds, set with pearls and jewels, delivered it to

the old woman, bidding her carry it to prince Asaad. She

undertook the errand, to pleasure her, and going in straightway

to the prince, found him in his closet and delivered him the

letter; after which she stood waiting for the answer. When Asaad

had read the letter and knew its purport, he wrapped it up again

in the tresses and put it in his pocket, cursing false women;

then, for he was beyond measure wroth, he sprang up and drawing

his sword, smote the old woman on the neck and cut off her head.

Then he went in to his mother, Queen Heyat en Nufous, whom he

found lying on her bed, sick for that which had betided her with

prince Amjed, and railed at her and cursed her; after which he

left her and betook himself to his brother, to whom he related

what had befallen him with Queen Budour, adding, 'By Allah, O my

brother, but that I feared to grieve thee, I had gone in to her

forthright and smitten her head off her shoulders!' 'By Allah, O

my brother,' replied Amjed, 'the like of what hath befallen thee

befell me also yesterday with thy mother Queen Heyat en Nufous.'

And he told him what had passed, adding, 'By Allah, O my brother,

nought but respect for thee withheld me from going in to her and

dealing with her even as I dealt with the eunuch!' They passed

the rest of the night in trouble and affliction, conversing and

cursing false women, and agreed to keep the matter secret, lest

their father should hear of it and kill the two women.

On the morrow, the King returned with his suite from hunting and

sat awhile in his chair of estate; after which he dismissed the

Amirs and went up to his harem, where he found his two wives

lying on the bed, exceeding sick. Now they had made a plot

against the two princes and concerted to do away their lives, for

that they had exposed themselves before them and feared to be at

their mercy. When Kemerezzeman saw them on this wise, he said to

them, 'What ails you?' Whereupon they rose and kissing his

hands, answered, perverting the case and saying, 'Know, O King,

that thy sons, who have been reared in thy bounty, have played

thee false and outraged thee in the persons of thy wives.' When

he heard this, the light in his eyes became darkness and his

reason fled for the excess of his rage; then said he to them,

'Expound this thing to me.' 'O King of the age,' answered

Budour, 'know that these many days past thy son Asaad has been

wont to send me letters and messages to solicit me to lewdness,

and I still forbade him from this, but he would not be forbidden.

When thou wentest forth to hunt, he rushed in on me, drunk and

with a drawn sword in his hand, and smiting my eunuch, slew him.

Then he mounted on my breast, still holding the sword, and I

feared lest he should slay me even as he had slain my eunuch, if

I gainsaid him; so he took his will of me by force; and now an

thou do me not justice on him, O King, I will slay myself with my

own hand, for I reck not of life in the world after this foul

deed.' Queen Heyat en Nufous, choking with tears, told him a

like story respecting prince Amjed, after which she fell a-

weeping and wailing and said, 'Except thou avenge me on him, I

will tell my father, King Armanous.' Then they both wept sore

before King Kemerezzeman, who, when he saw their tears and heard

their words, concluded that their story was true and waxing

beyond measure wroth, went out, thinking to fall upon his two

sons and put them to death. On his way he met his father-in-law

King Armanous, who hearing of his return from the chase, had come

to salute him and seeing him with the naked sword in his hand and

the blood dripping from his nostrils, for excess of rage,

enquired what ailed him. Kemerezzeman told him what his sons

Amjed and Asaad had done and added, 'I am now going in to them,

to slay them on the foulest wise and make of them the most

shameful of examples.' 'O my son,' said King Armanous, (and

indeed he too was wroth with them,) 'thou dost well, and may God

not bless them nor any sons that offend thus against their

father's honour! But, O my son, the proverb says, "Whoso looks

not to the issues, Fortune is no friend to him." In any case,

they are thy sons, and it befits not that thou put them to death

with thine own hand, lest thou drink of their agony and after

repent of having slain them, whenas repentance will avail thee

nothing. Rather do thou send one of thine officers with them

into the desert and let him kill them there, out of thy sight,

for, as says the adage, "When the eye sees not, the heart grieves

not."' Kemerezzeman saw his father-in-law's words to be just, so

he sheathed his sword and turning back, sat down upon his throne

and called his treasurer, a very old man, versed in affairs and

in the shifts of fortune, to whom he said, 'Go in to my sons

Amjed and Asaad; bind fast their hands behind them and lay them

in two chests and set them on a mule. Then take horse and carry

them into the mid-desert, where do thou put them to death and

fill two vials with their blood and bring them to me in haste.'

'I hear and obey,' answered the treasurer and went out forthright

to do his bidding. On his way, he met the princes coming out of

the palace-vestibule, for they had donned their richest clothes

and were on their way to salute their father and give him joy of

his safe return from the chase. When he saw them, he laid hands

on them, saying, 'O my sons, know that I am but a slave commanded

and that your father hath laid a commandment on me: will ye obey

his commandment?' 'Yes,' answered they; whereupon he bound their

hands and laying them in the chests, set the latter on the back

of a mule, with which he left the city and rode into the open

country, till near midday, when he halted in a waste and desert

spot and dismounting, set down the two chests. He opened them

and took out Amjed and Asaad; whom when he saw, he wept sore for

their beauty and grace; then drawing his sword, he said to them,

'O my lords, indeed it irks me to deal so foully by you; but I am

to be excused in this, being but a slave commanded, for that your

father King Kemerezzeman hath bidden me strike off your heads.'

'O Amir,' answered they, 'do the King's bidding, for we submit

with patience to that which God (to whom be ascribed might and

majesty) hath decreed to us; and thou art quit of our blood.'

Then they embraced and bade each other farewell, and Asaad said

to the treasurer, 'God on thee, O uncle, spare me the sight of my

brother's agony and make me not drink of his anguish, but kill me

first, that it may be the easier for me.' Amjed said the like

and entreated the treasurer to kill him before Asaad, saying, 'My

brother is younger than I; so make me not taste of his anguish.'

And they both wept sore, whilst the treasurer wept for their

weeping, and they said to each other, 'All this comes of the

malice of those traitresses, our mothers; and this is the reward

of our forbearance towards them. But there is no power and no

virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme! Verily, we are His

and unto Him we return.' And Asaad embraced his brother, sobbing

and repeating the following verses:

O Thou to whom the sad complain, to whom the fearful flee, Thou

that art evermore prepared for all that is to be,

Lord, there is left me no resource but at Thy door to knock; Yea,

at whose portal shall I knock, if Thou be deaf to me?

O Thou, the treasures of whose grace are in the one word "Be," Be

favourable, I beseech, for all good is with Thee!

When Amjed heard his brother's weeping, he wept also and pressed

him to his bosom, repeating the following verses:

O Thou, whose bounties unto me are more than one, I trow, Whose

favours lavished on my head are countless as the sand,

No blow of all the blows of fate has ever fall'n on me, But I

have found Thee ready still to take me by the hand.

Then said he to the treasurer, 'I conjure thee by the One God the

Omnipotent King and Protector, kill me before my brother Asaad

and allay the fire of my heart!' But Asaad wept and exclaimed,

'Not so: I will die first;' whereupon said Amjed, 'It were best

that we embrace each other, so the sword may fall upon us and

kill us both at one stroke.' So they embraced, face to face, and

clipped each other straitly, whilst the treasurer bound them fast

with cords, weeping the while. Then he drew his sword and said

to them, 'By Allah, O my lords, it is indeed hard to me to kill

you! But have ye no last wishes or injunctions that I may fulfil

or message that I may carry?' 'We have no wish,' replied Amjed,

'and my only injunction to thee is that thou set my brother

undermost, that the blow may fall on me first; and when thou hast

slain us and returnest to the King and he asks thee, "What said

they before their death?" do thou answer, "Thy sons salute thee

and say to thee, 'Thou knewest not if we were innocent or guilty,

yet hast thou put us to death and hast not certified thyself of

our guilt nor looked into our case.'" Then do thou repeat to him

these verses:

Women are very devils, made to work us dole and death; Refuge I

seek with God Most High from all their craft and scaith.

Prime source are they of all the ills that fall upon mankind,

Both in the fortunes of this world and matters of the faith.

'We desire of thee nought but this,' continued Amjed, 'except

that thou have patience with us, whilst I repeat other two lines

to my brother.' Then he wept sore and recited the following

verses:

Examples many, thou and I, We have in kings of days gone by,

How many, alack, have trod this road, Of great and small and low

and high!

At this the treasurer wept, till his beard was wet, whilst

Asaad's eyes filled with tears and he in turn repeated these

verses:

Fate, when the thing itself is past, afflicteth with the trace,

And weeping is not, of a truth, for body or form or

face.[FN#60]

What ails the nights?[FN#61] May God blot out our error from the

nights And may the hand of change bewray and bring them to

disgrace!

They wreaked their malice to the full on Ibn ez Zubeir[FN#62]

erst, And on the House and Sacred Stone[FN#63] his safeguard

did embrace.

Would God, since Kharijeh[FN#64] they took for Amrou's sacrifice,

They'd ransomed Ali with whome'er they would of all our

race!

Then, with cheeks stained with thick-coming tears, he recited

these also:

The days and nights are fashioned for treachery and despite; Yea,

they are full of perfidy and knavish craft and sleight.

The mirage is their lustre of teeth, and to their eyes The horror

of all darkness the kohl that keeps them bright.

My crime against them (hateful their nature is!) is but The

sword's crime, when the sworder sets on into the fight.

Then he sobbed and said:

O thou that seeketh the worthless world, give ear to me and know

The very net of ruin it is and quarry of dole and woe;

A stead, whom it maketh laugh to-day, to-morrow it maketh weep:

Out on it then for a dwelling-place, since it is even so!

Its raids and its onsets are never done, nor can its bondsman win

To free himself from its iron clutch by dint of stress and

throe.

How many an one in its vanities hath gloried and taken pride,

Till froward and arrogant thus he grew and did all bounds

o'ergo!

Then did she[FN#65] turn him the buckler's back and give him to

drink therein Full measure and set her to take her wreak of

the favours she did show.

For know that her blows fall sudden and swift and unawares,

though long The time of forbearance be and halt the coming

of fate and slow.

So look to thyself, lest life in the world pass idle and

profitless by, And see that thou fail not of taking thought

to the end of all below.

Cast loose from the chains of the love and the wish of the world

and thou shalt find Guidance and help unto righteousness and

peace of heart, I trow.

When he had made an end of these verses, he clipped his brother

in his arms, till they seemed as it were one body, and the

treasurer, raising his sword, was about to strike them, when,

behold, his horse took fright at the wind of his upraised hand

and breaking its tether, fled into the desert. Now the horse was

worth a thousand dinars and on his back was a splendid saddle,

worth much money: so the treasurer threw down his sword, in

great concern, and ran after him, to catch him. The horse

galloped on, snorting and neighing and pawing the earth in his

fright, till he raised a cloud of dust, and presently coming to a

wood, fled into the midst of it, whither the treasurer followed

him. Now there was in this wood a terrible lion, foul of face,

with eyes that cast forth sparks; his look was grim and his

aspect struck terror into men's souls. He heard the noise made

by the horse and came out to see what was to do. Presently the

treasurer turned and saw the lion making towards him; but found

no way of escape, nor had he his sword with him. So he said in

himself, 'There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most

High, the Supreme! This stress is come upon me because of Amjed

and Asaad; and indeed this journey was unblest from the first!'

Meanwhile Amjed and Asaad were grievously oppressed by the heat

and grew sore athirst, so that their tongues hung out and they

cried for succour; but none came to their relief and they said,

'Would God we were dead and at peace from this torment! But we

know not whither the treasurer's horse hath fled, that he has

gone and left us bound. If he would but come back and kill us,

it were easier to us than to suffer this torture.' 'O my

brother,' said Asaad, 'be patient and the relief of God (blessed

and exalted be He) will surely come to us; for the horse ran not

away save of His favour towards us, and nought irks us but this

thirst.' So saying, he stretched himself and strained right and

left, till he burst his bonds; then he unbound his brother and

taking up the Amir's sword, said, 'By Allah, we will not go

hence, till we know what is come of him!' So they followed the

track, till it led them to the wood and they said to one another,

'Of a surety, the horse and the treasurer have not overgone this

wood.' Quoth Asaad, 'Stay thou here, whilst I enter the wood and

search it.' 'I will not let thee go in alone,' answered Amjed.

'We will both go in; so if we escape, we shall escape together,

and if we perish, we shall perish together.' So they entered

both and found the lion standing over the treasurer, who lay like

a sparrow in his grip, calling upon God for help and lifting his

hands to heaven. When Amjed saw this, he took the sword and

running to the lion, smote him between the eyes and laid him dead

on the ground. The Amir arose, marvelling at this, and seeing

Amjed and Asaad his lord's sons, standing there, cast himself at

their feet and exclaimed, 'By Allah, O my lords, it were foul

wrong in me to put you to death! May the man never be who would

kill you! Indeed, I will ransom you with my life.' Then he rose

and embracing them, enquired how they had loosed their bonds and

come thither, whereupon they told him how the bonds of one of

them had fallen loose and he had unbound the other, that they

might quit their intent, and how they had followed his track till

they came upon him. He thanked them for their deed and went with

them forth of the wood, where they said to him, 'O uncle, do our

father's bidding.' 'God forbid,' answered he, 'that I should

draw near to you with hurt! I mean to take your clothes and

clothe you with mine; then will I fill two vials with the lion's

blood and go back to the King and tell him I have put you to

death. But as for you, fare ye forth into the lands, for God's

earth is wide; and know, O my lords, that it irks me to part from

you.' At this, they all fell a-weeping; then the two youths put

off their clothes and the treasurer covered them with his own.

Moreover, he filled two vials with the lion's blood and making

two parcels of the princes' clothes, set them before him on his

horse's back. Then he took leave of them and making his way back

to the city, went in to King Kemerezzeman and kissed the earth

before him. The King saw him pale and troubled and deeming this

came of the slaughter of the two princes (though in truth it came

of his adventure with the lion) rejoiced and said to him, 'Hast

thou done the business?' 'Yes, O our lord,' answered the

treasurer and gave him the two parcels of clothes and the two

vials of blood. 'How bore they themselves,' asked the King, 'and

did they give thee any charge?' 'I found them patient and

resigned to their fate,' answered the treasurer; 'and they said

to me, "Verily, our father is excusable; bear him our salutation

and say to him, 'Thou art quit of our blood;' and repeat to him

the following verses:

Women are very devils, made to work us dole and death; Refuge I

seek with God Most High from all their craft and scaith.

Prime source are they of all the ills that fall upon mankind,

Both in the fortunes of this world and matters of the

faith."'

When the King heard this, he bowed his head a long while and knew

this to mean that they had wrongfully been put to death. Then he

bethought himself of the perfidy of women and the calamities

brought about by them, and opening the two parcels fell to

turning over his sons' clothes and weeping. Presently, he found

in the pocket of his son Asaad's clothes a letter in Queen

Budour's hand, enclosing the tresses of her hair, and reading it,

knew that the prince had been falsely accused. Then he searched

Amjed's clothes and found in his pocket a letter in the

handwriting of Queen Heyat en Nufous, enclosing the tresses of

her hair; so he opened and read it and knew that Amjed also had

been wronged; whereupon he beat hand upon hand and exclaimed,

'There is no power and no virtue but in God! I have slain my

sons unjustly.' And he buffeted his face, crying out, 'Alas, my

sons! Alas, my long grief!' Then he bade build two tombs in one

house, which he styled 'House of Lamentations,' and let grave

thereon his sons' names; and he threw himself on Amjed's tomb,

weeping and groaning and lamenting, and repeated these verses:

O moon, that hast set beneath the earth for aye, For whose loss

weep the shining stars of the sky,

O wand, after whom no more shall the flexile grace Of the

willow-like bending shape enchant the eye,

My sight I've bereft of thee, of my jealousy, And ne'er shall I

see thee again, till I come to die.

I'm drowned in the sea of my tears, for sheer unrest; Indeed, for

sleepless sorrow in hell am I.

Then he threw himself on Asaad's tomb and recited the following

verses, whilst the tears poured from his eyes:

Fain had I shared with thee, dear heart, in death and ill; But

God, that ordereth all, willed other than my will.

All that I see, my dole makes black, whilst from my eyes All

black I've blotted out with weeping all my fill.[FN#66]

I weep and never stint; mine eyes run never dry; My entrails

ulcered are and blood and tears distil.

Sore, sore it irketh me to see thee in a place[FN#67] Where

slaves and kings alike foregather, will or nill.

Then he forsook his friends and intimates, and denying himself to

his women and his family, shut himself up in the House of

Lamentations, where he passed his time in weeping for his sons.

Meanwhile, Amjed and Asaad fared on into the desert a whole

month's journey, eating of the fruits of the earth and drinking

of the rain-pools, till their travel brought them to a mountain

of black stone, where the road divided in two, one skirting the

foot of the mountain and the other leading to its summit. They

took the former way, for fear of thirst, and followed it five

days, but saw no end to it and were overcome with weariness,

being unused to walking in mountains or elsewhere. At last,

despairing of coming to the end of the road, they retraced their

steps and taking the other, that led over the mountain, followed

it all that day, till nightfall, when Asaad, weary with much

travel, said to Amjed, 'O my brother, I can go no farther, for I

am exceeding weak.' 'Courage,' replied Amjed; 'may be God will

send us relief.' So they walked on part of the night, till the

darkness closed in upon them, when Asaad became beyond measure

weary and saying, 'O my brother, I am worn out and spent with

walking,' threw himself on the ground and wept. Amjed took him

in his arms and fared on with him, halting bytimes to rest, till

break of day, when they came to the mountain-top and found there

a stream of running water and by it a pomegranate-tree and a

prayer-niche. They could hardly believe their eyes, but, sitting

down by the spring, drank of its water and ate of the fruit of

the tree; after which they lay down and slept till sunrise, when

they washed in the spring and eating of the pomegranates, slept

again till the time of afternoon-prayer. Then they thought to

continue their journey, but Asaad could not walk, for his feet

were swollen. So they abode there three days, till they were

rested, after which they set out again and fared on over the

mountain days and nights, well-nigh perished for thirst, till

they came in sight of a city afar off, at which they rejoiced and

made towards it. When they drew near it, they thanked God the

Most High and Amjed said to Asaad, 'O my brother, sit here,

whilst I go to yonder city and see what and whose it is and where

we are in God's wide world, that we may know through what lands

we have passed in crossing this mountain, whose skirts if we had

followed, we had not reached this city in a whole year: so

praised be God for safety!' 'By Allah,' replied Asaad, 'none

shall go but myself, and may I be thy ransom! If thou leave me,

I shall imagine a thousand things and suffer tortures of anxiety

on thine account, for I cannot brook thine absence from me.' 'Go

then,' rejoined Amjed, 'and do not tarry.' So Asaad took money

and leaving his brother awaiting him, descended the mountain and

fared on, till he entered the city. As he passed through the

streets, he met an old man, with a beard that flowed down upon

his breast and was parted in twain; he bore a walking-staff in

his hand and was richly clad, with a great red turban on his

head. When Asaad saw him, he wondered at his mien and habit;

nevertheless, he went up to him and saluting him, enquired the

way to the market. The old man smiled in his face and said, 'O

my son, meseems thou art a stranger?' 'Yes,' answered Asaad; 'I

am a stranger.' 'O my son,' rejoined the other, 'verily, thou

gladdenest our country with thy presence and makest thine own

land desolate by reason of thine absence. What wantest thou of

the market?' 'O uncle,' replied Asaad, 'I have an elder brother,

with whom I have journeyed these three months, for we come from a

far country. When we sighted this city, I left my brother in the

mountain and came hither, purposing to buy food and what else and

return therewith to him, that we might feed thereon.' 'Rejoice

in all good, O my son!' said the old man. 'Know that to-day I

give a marriage-feast, to which I have bidden many guests, and I

have made ready great plenty of the best and most delicious meats

that the heart can desire. So, if thou wilt come home with me, I

will give thee freely all thou lackest, without price. Moreover,

I will teach thee the ways of the city; and praised be God, O my

son, that thou hast fallen in with me and none other!' 'As thou

wilt,' answered Asaad; 'but make haste, for my brother awaits me

and his whole heart is with me.' So the old man took Asaad by

the hand, smiling in his face and saying, 'Glory be to Him who

hath delivered thee from the people of this city!' Then he

carried him to a narrow lane and entering a spacious house,

brought him into a saloon, wherein were forty old men, seated in

a circle about a lighted fire, to which they were doing worship

and prostrating themselves. When Asaad saw this he was

confounded and his flesh quaked, though he knew not what they

were; and the old man said to them, 'O elders of the fire, how

blessed is this day!' Then he cried out, saying, 'Ho, Ghezban!'

Whereupon there came out to him a tall black slave of forbidding

aspect, grim-visaged and flat-nosed. The old man made a sign to

him, and he bound Asaad straitly; after which the old man said

to him, 'Bear him to the dungeon under the earth and bid my

slave-girl Kewam torture him day and night and give him a cake of

bread to eat morning and evening, against the time come of the

voyage to the Blue Sea and the Mountain of Fire, when we will

slaughter him on the mountain as a sacrifice.' So the black

carried him out at another door and raising a flag in the floor,

discovered a flight of twenty steps leading to a chamber under

the earth, into which he descended with him and laying his

feet in irons, committed him to the slave-girl and went away.

Meanwhile, the old men said to one another, 'When the day of

the Festival of the Fire comes, we will sacrifice him on the

mountain, as a propitiatory offering to the Fire.' Presently the

damsel went down to him and beat him grievously, till the blood

streamed from his sides and he fainted away; after which she set

at his head a cake of bread and a cruse of brackish water and

went away and left him. In the middle of the night, he revived

and found himself bound and sore with beating: so he wept

bitterly and recalling his former estate of ease and honour and

lordship and dominion, groaned and lamented and repeated the

following verses:

Halt by the ruins of the house and question of our fate Nor think

we sojourn in the land, as in our first estate.

Fortune, the sunderer, hath wrought the severance of our loves;

Yet doth our enemies' despite against us nought abate.

A filthy cockatrice is set to torture me with whips, Whose breast

against me is fulfilled with rancour and with hate.

But haply God shall yet reknit our severed loves again And turn

our enemies from us with vengeance stern and strait.

Then he put out his hand and finding the bread and water at his

head, ate enough to keep life in him and drank a little water,

but could get no sleep for the swarms of bugs and lice. As soon

as it was day, the slave-girl came down to him and changed his

clothes, which were drenched with blood and stuck to him, so that

his skin came off with the shirt; wherefore he shrieked aloud and

cried, 'Alas!' and said, 'O my God, if this be Thy pleasure,

increase it upon me! O Lord, verily Thou art not unmindful of

him that oppresses me: do Thou then avenge me upon him!' And he

groaned and repeated the following verses:

Lord, I submit myself to that Thou dost decree, Contented to

endure, if but it pleasure Thee;

To suffer at Thy will with patience nor complain, Though I be

cast to burn on coals of tamarisk-tree.[FN#68]

Mine enemies oppress and torture me; but Thou With benefits

belike shall 'quite and comfort me.

Far be 't from Thee to let th' oppressor go unscathed; Thou art

my hope and stay, O Lord of Destiny!

And what another says:

Avert thy face from thought-taking and care And trust to fate to

order thine affair;

For many a weary and a troublous thing Is, in its issue,

solaceful and fair.

That which was strait is oftentimes made wide And straitened

that, which easy was whilere.

God orders all, according to His will; Gainsay Him not in what He

doth prepare,

But trust in happy fortune near at hand, Wherein thou shalt

forget the woes that were.

Then the slave-girl beat him till he fainted away and throwing

him a cake of bread and a cruse of brackish water, went away and

left him sad and lonely, bound in chains of iron, with the blood

streaming from his sides and far from those he loved. So he

called to mind his brother and his former high estate and

repeated the following verses, shedding floods of tears the

while:

How long wilt thou wage war on me, O Fate, and bear away My

brethren from me? Hold thy hand and spare awhile, I pray!

Is it not time, O thou whose heart is as the rock, that thou My

long estrangement and my dole shouldst pity and allay?

Ill hast thou wrought to those I love and made my foes exult With

all that thou hast wreaked on me of ruin and dismay.

Yea, for the pains he sees me brook of exile and desire And

loneliness, my foeman's heart is solaceful and gay.

Thou'rt not content with what is fallen on me of bitter dole, Of

loss of friends and swollen eyes, affliction and affray.

But I must lie and rot, to boot, in prison strait and dour, Where

nought but gnawing of my hands I have for help and stay,

And tears that shower in torrents down, as from the rain-charged

clouds, And fire of yearning, never quenched, that rages

night and day,

And memory and longing pain and melancholy thought And sobs and

sighs and groans and cries of "Woe!" and "Wellaway!"

Passion and soul-destroying grief I suffer, and unto Desire, that

knoweth not relent nor end, am fallen a prey.

No kindly soul is found to have compassion on my case And with

his visits and his grace my misery allay.

Lives there a true and tender friend, who doth compassionate My

sickness and my long unrest, that unto him I may

Make moan of all that I endure for dole and drearihead And of my

sleepless eyes, oppressed of wakefulness alway?

My night in torments is prolonged; I burn, without reprieve, In

flames of heart-consuming care that rage in me for aye.

The bug and flea do drink my blood, even as one drinks of wine,

Poured by the hand of damask-lipped and slender-waisted may.

The body of me, amongst the lice, is as an orphan's good, That in

an unjust Cadi's hands doth dwindle and decay.

My dwelling-place is in a tomb, three scanty cubits wide, Wherein

in shackles and in bonds I languish night and day.

My tears my wine are and my chains my music: my dessert Woeworthy

thought and cares the bed whereon myself I lay.

Meanwhile his brother abode, awaiting him, till mid-day, but he

returned not: whereupon Amjed's heart fluttered and the tears

welled from his eyes. The pangs of severance were sore upon him

and he wept sore, exclaiming, 'Alas, my brother! Alas, my

companion! Alas, my grief! I fear me we are separated!' Then

he descended the mountain, with the tears running down his

cheeks, and entering the city, made for the market. He asked

the folk the name of the city and of its people, and they said,

'This is called the City of the Magians, and its people serve

the Fire, not the Omnipotent King.' Then he enquired of the

City of Ebony and they answered, 'It is a year's journey

thither by land and six months' by sea: it was governed erst by

a King called Armanous, but he took to son-in-law a prince called

Kemerezzeman, distinguished for justice and loyalty, munificence

and benevolence, and made him king in his stead.' When Amjed

heard tell of his father, he groaned and wept and lamented and knew

not whither to go. However, he bought food and carried it with him,

till he came to a retired spot, where he sat down, thinking to

eat: but, recalling his brother, he fell a-weeping and ate but a

morsel to stay his stomach, and that against his will. Then he

rose and walked about the city, seeking news of his brother, till

he saw a Muslim, a tailor, sitting in his shop; so he sat down by

him and told him his story; whereupon quoth the tailor, 'If he

have fallen into the hands of any of the Magians, thou shalt

hardly see him again: yet it may be God will reunite you. But

thou, O my brother,' added he, 'wilt thou lodge with me?' 'Yes,'

answered Amjed, and the tailor rejoiced at this. So Amjed abode

with him many days, what while the tailor comforted him and

exhorted him to patience and taught him his craft, till he became

expert. One day, he went forth to the sea-shore and washed his

clothes; after which he entered the bath and put on clean

raiment. Then he walked about the streets, to divert himself,

and presently fell in with a woman of surpassing beauty and

symmetry, unequalled for grace and loveliness. When she saw him,

she raised her face-veil and winked to him and ogled him,

reciting the following verses:

Afar, I saw thee coming and cast mine eyes down straight, As if,

loveling slender, thou wert the very sun.

Indeed, thou art the fairest of all beholden; yea, Even than

thyself thou'rt fairer, since yesterday was done.

Were beauty but allotted, to every one his due, One-fifth of it

were Joseph's or but a part of one,

And all the rest were surely thine own and only thine; May all

men be thy ransom, yea, every mother's son!

When he heard this, his heart inclined to her and the hands of

love sported with him: so he winked to her in answer and

repeated the following verses:

Over the rose of the cheek, the thorns of the eyelashes rise; So

who shall adventure himself to gather the flowery prize?

Lift not your hands to the rose, for long have the lashes waged

war And poured on us battle, because we lifted to it-ward

our eyes.

Tell her the tyrant who plays and yet is temptation itself,

(Though still more seductive she'd be, if she dealt but in

loyaller wise),

I see that, for beauty like thine, exposure's the surest of

guards, For the veiling thy face but augments its seductions

and adds to our sighs;

Like the sun, on whose visage undimmed the eye still refuses to

look, And yet we may gaze at our ease, when the thinnest of

clouds o'er it lies.

The honey's protected, forsooth, by the sting of the bees of the

hive: So question the guards of the camp why they stay us in

this our emprise.

If my slaughter be what they desire, let them put off their

rancours and stand From between us and leave her to deal

with me and my life at her guise;

For, I wot, not so deadly are they, when they set on a foe with

their swords, As the eyes of the fair with the mole, when

her glances upon us she plies.

At this she sighed deeply and signing to him again, repeated the

following verses:

'Tis thou that hast trodden the road of aversion and coyness; not

I Vouchsafe me the promised delight, for the time of

fulfilment draws nigh.

O thou that mak'st morning to dawn with the lustre and light of

thy brows And eke, with thy brow-locks unloosed, the night

to sink down from the sky,

Thou hast, with an idol's aspéct, seduced me and made me thy

slave And hast stirred me up troubles galore in many a

season past by.

And yet it is just that my heart with the ardour of passion

should burn, For the fire is their due who adore aught other

than God the Most High.

Thou sellest the like of myself for nothing, yea, free, without

price; If needs thou must sell, and no help, take a price,

then, of those that would buy.

When he heard this, he said to her, 'Wilt thou come to my lodging

or shall I go with thee to thine?' At this, she hung her head

bashfully and repeated the words of the Most High, 'Men shall

have precedence over women, for that God hath preferred these

over those.'[FN#69] By this, Amjed understood that she wished to

go with him and felt himself bounden to find a place wherein to

receive her, but was ashamed to carry her to the house of his

host, the tailor. So he walked on and she followed him from

street to street, till she was tired and said to him, 'O my lord,

where is thy house?' 'But a little way before us,' answered he.

Then he turned aside into a handsome street, followed by the

young lady, and walked on, till he came to the end, when he found

it had no issue and exclaimed, 'There is no power and no virtue

but in God the Most High, the Supreme!' Then, raising his eyes,

he saw, at the upper end of the street, a great door, with two

stone benches; but it was locked. So he sat down on one of the

benches and the lady on the other; and she said to him, 'O my

lord, wherefore waitest thou?' He bowed his head awhile, then

raised it and answered, 'I am waiting for my servant, who has the

key: for I bade him make me ready meat and drink and flowers for

the wine-service against my return from the bath.' But he said

in himself, 'Belike she will grow tired of waiting and go about

her business, leaving me here, when I will go my own way.'

However, when she was weary of waiting, she said, 'O my lord, thy

servant tarries long; and here are we waiting in the street.'

And she took a stone and went up to the lock. 'Be not in haste,'

said Amjed; 'but have patience till the servant comes.' However,

she hearkened not to him, but smote the lock with the stone and

broke it in half, whereupon the door opened. Quoth he, 'What

possessed thee to do this?' 'Pooh, pooh, my lord!' answered she.

'What matters it? Is not the house thine?' 'Yes,' said he; 'but

there was no need to break the lock.' Then she entered, leaving

Amjed confounded and knowing not what to do for fear of the

people of the house; but she said to him, 'Why dost thou not

enter, O light of mine eyes and darling of my heart?' 'I hear

and obey,' answered he; 'but my servant tarries long upon me and

I know not if he have done aught of what I bade him or not.' So

saying, he entered, sore in fear of the people of the house, and

found himself in a handsome saloon, full of buffets and niches

and settles, furnished with stuffs of silk and brocade. It had

four raised recesses, each facing other, and in the midst was a

fountain of costly fashion, on whose margin stood a covered tray

(of meats), with a leather table-cloth hanging up and dishes set

with jewels, full of fruits and sweet-scented flowers. Hard by

stood drinking vessels and a candlestick with a candle therein.

The place was full of precious stuffs, and therein were chests

and stools set, on each of which latter lay a parcel of clothes

and a purse full of gold and silver. The floor was paved with

marble and the house bore witness in every part to its owner's

fortune. When Amjed saw all this, he was confounded and said in

himself, 'I am a lost man! Verily, we are God's and to God we

return!' As for the lady, she was transported at what she saw

and said to him, 'By Allah, O my lord, thy servant has not failed

of his duty; for see, he has swept the place and cooked the meat

and set on the fruit; and indeed I come at the best of times.'

But he paid no heed to her, his heart being taken up with fear of

the people of the house; and she said, 'Fie, O my lord, O my

heart! What ails thee to stand thus?' Then she sighed and

giving him a kiss, that sounded like the cracking of a walnut,

said, 'O my lord, and thou have bidden other than me, I will gird

my middle and serve her and thee.' Amjed laughed from an

angerful heart and sat down, panting and saying in himself,

'Alack, how I shall smart for it, when the owner of the house

returns!' She seated herself by him and fell to jesting and

laughing, whilst he sat careful and frowning, thinking a thousand

thoughts and saying in himself, 'The master of the house will

surely come and what shall I say to him? He will assuredly kill

me without mercy.' Presently, she rose and tucking up her

sleeves, took a table, on which she laid the cloth and the tray

of food; then set it before Amjed and began to eat, saying, 'Eat,

O my lord.' So he came forward and ate; but the food was not

pleasant to him and he ceased not to look towards the door, till

the lady had eaten her fill, when she took away the meats and

setting on the dessert, fell to eating of the dried fruits. Then

she brought the wine-service and opening the jar, filled a cup

and gave it to Amjed, who took it, saying in himself, 'Alas!

what will become of me, when the master of the house comes and

sees me!' Presently, as he sat, with the cup in his hand and his

eyes fixed on the vestibule, in came the master of the house, who

was one of the chief men of the city, being Master of the Horse

to the King. He had fitted up this house for his privy

pleasures, that he might make merry therein and be private with

whom he would, and had that day bidden one whom he loved and had

made this entertainment for him. When, therefore, this man

(whose name was Behadir and who was a kindly, liberal and open-

handed man) came thither and found the door open and the lock

broken, he entered softly and putting in his head at the door of

the saloon, saw Amjed and the lady sitting, with the dish of

fruit and the wine-jar before them. Amjed at that moment had the

cup in his hand and his face turned to the door; and when his

eyes met Behadir's, he turned pale and trembled in every nerve.

Behadir, seeing his trouble, signed to him, with his finger on

his lips, as who should say, 'Be silent and come hither to me.'

So he set down the cup and rose, whereupon quoth the lady,

'Whither away?' He shook his head and signing to her that he

wished to make water, went out into the corridor, barefoot. When

he saw Behadir, he knew him for the master of the house; so he

hastened to him and kissing his hands, said to him, 'God on thee,

O my lord, before thou do me any hurt, hear what I have to say.'

Then he told him who he was and what caused him leave his native

land and royal state, and how he had not entered his house of his

free will, but that it was the lady who had broken the lock and

done all this. When Behadir heard his story and knew that he was

a king's son, he inclined to him and taking compassion on him,

said to him, 'O Amjed, hearken to me and do what I bid thee, and

I will ensure thee safety from that thou fearest; but, if thou

cross me, I will kill thee.' 'Command me as thou wilt,' answered

Amjed. 'I will not gainsay thee in aught, for I am the freedman

of thy bounty.' 'Then go back forthright into the saloon,'

rejoined Behadir, 'and sit down in thy place and take thine ease.

I will presently come in to thee, and when thou seest me (now my

name is Behadir) do thou revile me and rail at me, saying, "Why

hast thou tarried till now?" And accept no excuse from me, but

rise and beat me; and if thou spare me, I will do away thy life.

Enter now and make merry and whatsoever thou seekest of me, I

will bring thee forthwith. So pass the night as thou wilt and on

the morrow go thy way. This in honour of thy strangerhood, for I

love strangers and hold myself bounden to do them honour.' So

Amjed kissed his hand and returning to the saloon, with his face

clad in its native white and red, said to the lady, 'O my

mistress, the place is gladdened by thy presence, and this is

indeed a blessed night.' 'Verily,' said she, 'this is a

wonderful change in thee, that thou now welcomest me so

cordially!' 'By Allah, O my lady,' answered he, 'methought my

servant Behadir had robbed me of some necklaces of jewels, worth

ten thousand dinars each; however, when I went out but now, in

concern for this, I sought for them and found them in their

place. I know not why the knave tarries thus, and needs must I

punish him for it.' She was satisfied with his answer, and they

drank and sported and made merry, till near upon sundown, when

Behadir came in to them, having changed his clothes and girt his

middle and put on shoes, such as are worn of servants. He

saluted and kissed the earth, then clasped his hands behind him

and stood, with his head hanging down, as one who confesses to a

fault. Amjed looked at him with angry eyes and said, 'Why hast

thou tarried till now, O most pestilent of slaves?' 'O my lord,'

answered Behadir, 'I was busy washing my clothes and knew not of

thy being here; for thou hadst appointed me for nightfall and not

for the daytime.' But Amjed cried out at him, saying, 'Thou

liest, O vilest of slaves! By Allah, I must beat thee!' So he

rose and laying Behadir on the ground, took a stick and beat him

gingerly: but the lady sprang up and snatching the stick from his

hand, laid on to Behadir so lustily, that the tears ran from his

eyes and he ground his teeth together and called out for succour;

whilst Amjed cried out to the lady to hold her hand and she

answered, 'Let me stay my anger on him;' till at last he snatched

the stick from her hand and pushed her away. Behadir arose and

wiping away his tears, waited upon them awhile; after which he

swept the hall and lighted the lamps; but, as often as he went in

and out, the lady railed at him and cursed him, till Amjed was

wroth with her and said, 'For God's sake, leave my servant; he is

not used to this.' Then they sat eating and drinking, whilst

Behadir waited upon them, till midnight, when the latter, weary

with service and beating, fell asleep in the midst of the hall

and snored and snorted; whereupon the lady, who was heated with

wine, said to Amjed, 'Arise, take the sword that hangs yonder and

cut off this slave's head, or I will be the death of thee.'

'What possesses thee to kill my slave?' asked Amjed; and she

answered, 'Our delight will not be fulfilled but by his death.

If thou wilt not kill him, I will do it myself.' 'For God's

sake,' cried Amjed, 'do not this thing!' 'It must be,' replied

she and taking down the sword, drew it and made at Behadir to

kill him; but Amjed said in himself, 'This man hath entreated us

courteously and sheltered us and done us kindness and made

himself my servant: and shall we requite him by killing him?

This shall never be. Then he said to the lady, 'If my slave must

be killed, better I should do it than thou.' So saying, he took

the sword from her and raising his hand, smote her on the neck

and made her head fly from her body. It fell upon Behadir, who

awoke and sitting up, saw Amjed standing by him, with the

bloodstained sword in his hand, and the damsel lying dead. He

enquired what had passed, and Amjed told him what she had said,

adding, 'Nothing would serve her but she must kill thee; and this

is her reward.' Behadir rose and kissing the prince's hand, said

to him, 'Would God thou hadst spared her! But now there is

nothing for it but to rid us of her forthright, before the day

break.' So saying, he wrapped the body in a mantle and laying it

in a basket, said to Amjed, 'Thou art a stranger here and knowest

no one: so sit thou here and await my return. If I come back, I

will assuredly do thee great good service and use my endeavour to

have news of thy brother; but if I return not by sunrise, know

that all is over with me; in which case the house and all it

contains are thine, and peace be on thee.' Then he shouldered

the basket and going forth, made for the sea, thinking to throw

it therein: but as he drew near the shore, he turned and found

himself surrounded by the chief of the police and his officers.

They knew him and wondered and opened the basket, in which they

found the slain woman. So they seized him and laid him in irons

till the morning, when they carried him and the basket to the

King and acquainted the latter with the case. The King was sore

enraged and said to Behadir, 'Out on thee! This is not the first

time thou hast slain folk and cast them into the sea and taken

their goods. How many murders hast thou done ere this?' Behadir

hung his head, and the King cried out at him, saying, 'Woe to

thee! Who killed this young lady?' 'O my lord,' answered

Behadir, 'I killed her, and there is no power and no virtue but

in God the Most High, the Supreme!' At this the King's anger

redoubled and he commanded to hang him. So the hangman and

the chief of the police went down with him, by the King's

commandment, and paraded him through the streets and markets of

the town, whilst a crier forewent them, bidding all the folk to

the execution of Behadir, the King's Master of the Horse.

Meanwhile, Amjed awaited his host's return till the day broke and

the sun rose, and when he saw that he came not, he exclaimed,

'There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the

Supreme! I wonder what is come of him?' As he sat musing, he

heard the crier proclaiming aloud Behadir's sentence and bidding

the people to his hanging at midday; whereat he wept and

exclaimed, 'Verily, we are God's and to Him we return! He means

to sacrifice himself unjustly for my sake, when it was I killed

her. By Allah, this shall never be!' Then he went out and

shutting the door after him, hurried through the streets, till he

overtook Behadir, when he accosted the chief of the police and

said to him, 'O my lord, put not Behadir to death, for he is

innocent. By Allah, none killed her but I.' When the Master of

the Police heard this, he took them both and carrying them before

the King, told him what Amjed had said; whereupon he looked at

the prince and said to him, 'Didst thou kill the young lady?'

'Yes,' answered he, and the King said, 'Tell me why thou killedst

her, and speak the truth.' 'O King,' replied Amjed, 'indeed, it

is a rare event and a strange matter that hath befallen me: were

it graven with needles on the corners of the eye, it would serve

as a lesson to whoso can profit by admonition.' Then he told him

his whole story and all that had befallen him and his brother,

first and last; whereat the King wondered greatly and said to

him, 'O youth, I know thee now to be excusable. Wilt thou be my

Vizier?' 'I hear and obey,' answered Amjed; whereupon the King

bestowed magnificent dresses of honour on him and Behadir and

gave him a handsome house, with servants and officers and all

things needful, appointing him stipends and allowances and

bidding him make search for his brother Asaad. So Amjed sat down

in the seat of office and governed and did justice and invested

and deposed and gave and took. Moreover, he sent out a crier to

cry his brother throughout the city, and he made proclamation in

the streets and markets many days, but heard no news of Asaad nor

happened on any trace of him.

Meanwhile, the Magians ceased not to torture Asaad, night and

day, for a whole year's space, till the day of their festival

drew near, when the old man (whose name was Behram) made ready

for the voyage and fitted out a ship for himself. When all was

ready, he laid Asaad in a chest and locking it, transported it to

the ship. As fate would have it, Amjed was at that very time

standing looking upon the sea; and when he saw the men carrying

the chest and other gear on board the ship, his heart throbbed

and he called to his servants to bring him his horse. Then,

mounting with a company of his officers, he rode down to the port

and halted before the Magian's ship, which he commanded his men

to search. So they boarded the vessel and searched it in every

part, but found nothing and returned and told Amjed, who mounted

again and rode back to his palace, with a troubled mind. As he

entered, he cast his eyes on the wall and saw written thereon the

following verses, which when he read, he called to mind his

brother and wept:

Belovéd ones, for all you're absent from my sight, Yet in my

heart and thought you have your sojourn still.

You leave me here to pine and languish for desire; You rob mine

eyes of sleep and sleep yourselves your fill.

Meanwhile, Behram embarked and shouted to his crew to make sail

in all haste. So they loosed the sails and departing, fared on

without ceasing many days and nights; and every other day, Behram

took out Asaad and gave him a little bread and water, till they

drew near the Mountain of Fire, when there came out on them a

contrary wind and the sea rose against them, so that they were

driven out of their course into strange waters and came in sight

of a city builded upon the shore, with a citadel whose windows

overlooked the sea. Now the ruler of this city was a queen

called Merjaneh, and the captain said to Behram, 'O my lord, we

have strayed from our course and come to the island of Queen

Merjaneh, who is a devout Muslim; and if she know that we are

Magians, she will take our ship and slay us to the last man. Yet

needs must we put in here to rest [and refit].' Quoth Behram,

'Let us clothe this Muslim we have with us in a slave's habit and

carry him ashore with us, so that, when the queen sees him, she

will think and say, "This is a slave." As for me, I will tell

her that I am a dealer in white slaves and that I had with me

many, but have sold all but this one, whom I have retained to

keep my accounts, for he can read and write.' And the captain

said, 'This device should serve well.' Presently they reached

the city and slackening sail, cast anchor; when, behold, Queen

Merjaneh came down to them, attended by her guards, and halting

before the ship, called out to the captain, who landed and kissed

the earth before her. Quoth she, 'What is the lading of thy ship

and whom hast thou with thee?' 'O queen of the age,' answered

he, 'I have with me a merchant who deals in slaves.' And she

said, 'Bring him to me;' whereupon Behram came ashore to her,

followed by Asaad in a slave's habit, and kissed the earth before

her. 'What is thy condition?' asked the queen; and Behram

answered, 'I am a slave-dealer.' Then she looked at Asaad and

taking him for a slave, said to him, 'What is thy name?' Quoth

he, 'Dost thou ask my present or my former name?' 'Hast thou

then two names?' asked she, and he answered (and indeed his voice

was choked with tears), 'Yes; my name aforetime was Asaad,[FN#70]

but now it is Muterr.'[FN#71] Her heart inclined to him and she

said, 'Canst thou write?' 'Yes,' answered he; and she gave him

inkhorn and pen and paper and said to him, 'Write somewhat, that

I may see it.' So he wrote the following verses:

Harkye, O thou that judgest, what can a mortal do, When fate, in

all conditions, doth him to death ensue?

It casts him in the ocean, bound hand and foot, and says, "Beware

lest with the water you wet yourself, look you!"

When she read this, she had compassion upon him and said to

Behram, 'Sell me this slave.' 'O my lady,' answered he, 'I

cannot sell him, for he is the only slave I have left.' Quoth

she, 'I must have him of thee, either by purchase or as a gift.'

But Behram said, 'I will neither sell him nor give him.' Whereat

she was wroth and taking Asaad by the hand, carried him up to the

palace and sent to Behram, saying, 'Except thou set sail and

depart our city this very night, I will seize all thy goods and

break up thy ship.' When the message reached the Magian, he was

sore troubled and said, 'Verily, this voyage is every way

unfortunate.' Then he made ready and took all he needed and

awaited the coming of the night, to resume his voyage, saying to

the sailors, 'Provide yourselves and fill the waterskins, that we

may set sail at the last of the night.' So the sailors did their

occasions and awaited the coming of the night.

To return to Queen Merjaneh. When she had brought Asaad into the

palace, she opened the windows overlooking the sea and bade her

handmaids bring food. Accordingly, they set food before Asaad

and herself, and they ate, after which the queen called for wine

and fell to drinking with him. Now God (may He be exalted and

glorified!) filled her heart with love for Asaad and she plied

him with wine, till his reason fled and presently he rose and

left the hall, to do an occasion. Seeing a door open, he went

out and walked on, till he came to a vast garden full of all

manner fruits and flowers and sitting down under a tree, did his

occasion. Then he went up to a fountain in the garden and made

the ablution and washed his hands and face, after which he would

have risen to go away; but the air smote him and he fell back,

with his clothes undone, and slept, and night overcame him thus.

Meanwhile, Behram, the night being come, cried out to the sailors

to spread sail and depart. 'We hear and obey,' answered they;

'but give us time to fill our water-skins.' Then they landed

with their water-skins and coasting the palace, found nothing but

walls: so they climbed over into the garden and followed the

track of feet, that led them to the fountain, where they found

Asaad lying on his back, asleep. They knew him and taking him

up, climbed the wall again with him, after they had filled their

skins, and carried him back in haste to Behram, to whom said

they, 'Beat thy drums and sound thy pipes; for we have found thy

prisoner, whom Queen Merjaneh took from thee by force, and have

brought him back to thee.' And they threw Asaad down before

him. When Behram saw him, his heart leapt for joy and his

breast dilated with gladness. Then he bestowed largesse on

the sailors and bade them weigh anchor in haste. So they set

sail forthright, intending for the Mountain of Fire, and stayed

not their course till the morning.

As for Queen Merjaneh, she abode awhile, awaiting Asaad's return;

and when she saw that he came not, she rose and sought him, but

found no trace of him. Then she bade her women light flambeaux

and search for him, whilst she herself went forth and seeing the

garden-door open, knew that he had gone thither. So she went out

and finding his slippers lying by the fountain, searched the

garden in every part, but found no sign of him. Nevertheless,

she gave not over the search till morning, when she enquired for

the Magian's ship and was told that it had set sail in the first

watch of the night; wherefore she knew that they had taken Asaad

with them and this was grievous to her and she was angry. So she

bade equip ten great ships forthwith and arming herself, embarked

in one of them, with her guards and women and troops, richly

accoutred and armed for war. They spread the sails and she said

to the captain, 'If you overtake the Magian's ship, ye shall have

of me dresses of honour and largesse; but if ye let it escape, I

will kill you all.' Whereat fear and great hope fell upon the

seamen, and they sailed three days and nights, till, on the

fourth day, they sighted Behram's ship. Ere ended day, they came

up with it and surrounded it on all sides, even as Behram had

taken Asaad forth of the chest and was beating and torturing him,

whilst the prince cried out for succour and relief, but found

neither helper nor deliverer; and indeed he was sorely tormented

with much beating. Presently Behram chanced to look up and

seeing himself encompassed by the queen's ships, as the white of

the eye encompasses the black, gave himself up for lost and

groaned and said to Asaad, 'Out on thee, O Asaad! This is all

thy doing; but, by Allah, I will kill thee ere I die myself.'

Then he bade the sailors throw him overboard; so they took him by

the hands and feet and cast him into the sea and he sank. But

God (may He be exalted and glorified!) willed that his life

should be saved and that his last day should be deferred; so He

caused him to rise again and he struck out with his hands and

feet, till the Almighty gave him ease and relief and the waves

bore him far from the Magian's ship and threw him ashore. He

landed, scarce crediting his escape, and putting off his clothes,

wrung them and spread them out to dry, whilst he sat, naked and

weeping over his misfortunes and desolate and forlorn condition

and repeating the following verses:

My fortitude fails me for travail and pain; My patience is spent,

my endeavour in vain;

My sinews are sundered; O Lord of all lords, To whom but his Lord

shall the wretched complain?

Then, rising, he donned his clothes and set out at a venture,

knowing not whither he went. He fared on day and night, eating

of the herbs of the earth and the fruits of the trees and

drinking of the streams, till he came in sight of a city;

whereupon he rejoiced and hurried on; but before he reached it,

the night overtook him and the gates were shut. Now, as chance

would have it, this was the very city in which he had been a

prisoner and to whose king his brother Amjed was vizier. When

he saw the gate was shut, he turned back and made for the

burial-ground, where finding a tomb without a door, he entered

and lay down and fell asleep, with his face in his sleeve.

Meanwhile, Queen Merjaneh, coming up with Behram's ship,

questioned him of Asaad; but he swore to her that he was not with

him and that he knew nothing of him. She searched the ship, but

found no trace of Asaad, so took Behram and carrying him back to

her castle, would have put him to death; but he ransomed himself

from her with all his good and his ship and she released him and

his men. They went forth from her, hardly believing in their

escape, and fared on ten days' journey, till they came to their

own city and found the gate shut, it being eventide. So they

made for the burial-ground, thinking to lie the night there, and

going round about the tombs, as fate would have it, saw that, in

which Asaad lay, open; whereat Behram marvelled and said,' I must

look into this tomb.' Then he entered and found Asaad lying

asleep, with his head on his sleeve; so he raised his head and

looking in his face, knew him for him on whose account he had

lost his goods and his ship, and said, 'Art thou yet alive?'

Then he bound him and gagged him, without further parley, and

carried him to his house, where he clapped heavy shackles on his

feet and lowered him into the underground dungeon aforesaid,

affected to the tormenting of Muslims, bidding a daughter of his,

by name Bustan, torture him night and day, till the next year,

when they would again visit the Mountain of Fire and offer him up

as a sacrifice there. Then he beat him grievously and locking

the dungeon door upon him, gave the keys to his daughter. By and

by, she opened the door and went down to beat him, but finding

him a comely sweet-faced youth, with arched brows and melting

black eyes, fell in love with him and said to him, 'What is thy

name?' 'My name is Assad,'[FN#72] answered he. 'Mayst thou

indeed be happy,' exclaimed she, 'and happy be thy days! Thou

deservest not torture and blows, and I see thou hast been

unjustly entreated.' And she comforted him with kind words and

loosed his bonds. Then she questioned him of the faith of Islam,

and he told her that it was the true and orthodox faith and that

our lord Mohammed had approved himself by surpassing miracles and

manifest signs and that the [worship of] fire was not profitable,

but harmful; and he went on to expound to her the tenets of

Islam, till she was persuaded and the love of the True Faith

entered her heart. Then (for God the Most High had filled her

with love of Asaad), she made profession of the faith and became

of the people of felicity. After this, she brought him meat and

drink and talked with him and they prayed together: moreover, she

made him chicken-broths and fed him therewith, till he regained

strength and his sickness left him and he was restored to health.

One day, as she stood at the door of the house, she heard the

crier proclaiming aloud and saying, 'Whoso hath with him a

handsome young man, whose favour is thus and thus, and bringeth

him forth, shall have all he seeketh of wealth; but if any have

him and discover it not, he shall be hanged over his own door and

his goods shall be confiscated and his blood go for nought.' Now

Asaad had acquainted her with his whole history: so, when she

heard the crier, she knew that it was he who was sought for and

going down to him, told him the news. Then she went forth with

him to the palace of the Vizier, whom when Asaad saw, he

exclaimed, 'By Allah, this is my brother Amjed!' And threw

himself upon him; whereupon Amjed also knew him and they embraced

each other and lay awhile insensible, whilst the Vizier's

officers stood round them. When they came to themselves, Amjed

took his brother and carried him to the Sultan, to whom he

related the whole story, and the Sultan charged him to plunder

Behram's house and take himself. So Amjed despatched thither a

company of men, who sacked the house and took Behram and brought

his daughter to the Vizier, who received her with all honour, for

Asaad had told his brother all the torments he had suffered and

the kindness that she had done him. Moreover, Amjed, in his

turn, related to Asaad all that had passed between the lady and

himself and how he had escaped hanging and become Vizier; and

they made moan, each to the other, of the anguish they had

suffered for separation. Then the Sultan sent for Behram and

bade strike off his head; but he said, 'O most mighty King, art

thou indeed resolved to put me to death?' 'Yes,' replied the

King, 'except thou save thyself by becoming a Muslim.' And

Behram said, 'O King, have patience with me a little.' Then he

bowed his head awhile and presently raising it again, made

profession of the faith and avowed himself a Muslim at the hands

of the Sultan. They all rejoiced at his conversion and Amjed and

Asaad told him all that had befallen them, whereat he wondered

and said, 'O my lords, make ready for the journey and I will

depart with you and carry you back to your father's court in a

ship.' At this they rejoiced and wept sore; but he said, 'O my

lords, weep not for your departure, for ye shall be re-united

[with those you love], even as were Nimeh and Num.' 'And what

befell Nimeh and Num?' asked they. 'It is told,' replied Behram,

'(but God alone is all-knowing), that