I and my sisters and my mother are not natives of this city but
of a capital in the land Al-Irák where my father was Sovran
having troops and guards, Wazirs and Eunuch-chamberlains; and my
mother was the fairest woman of her time insomuch that her beauty
was a proverb throughout each and every region. Now it chanced
that when I and my sisters were but infants, our father would set
out to hunt and course and slay beasts of raven and take his
pleasure in the gardens without the city. So he sent for his
Wazir and appointed and constituted him Viceregent in his stead
with full authority to command and be gracious to his lieges:
then he got him ready and marched forth and the Viceroy entered
upon his office. But it happened that it was the hot season and
my mother betook herself to the terrace-roof of the palace in
order to smell the air and sniff up the breeze. At that very
hour, by the decree of the Decreer, the Wazir was sitting in the
Kiosk or roofed balcony hanging to his upper mansion and holding
in hand a mirror; and, as he looked therein, he saw the
reflection of my mother, a glance of eyes which bequeathed him a
thousand sighs. He was forthright distracted by her beauty and
loveliness and fell sick and took to his pillow. Presently a
confidential nurse came in and feeling his pulse, which showed no
malady, said to him, "No harm for thee! thou shalt soon be well
nor ever suffer from aught of sorrow." Quoth he, "O my nurse,
canst thou keep a secret?" and quoth she, "I can." Then he told
her all the love he had conceived for my mother and she replied,
"This be a light affair nor hath it aught of hindrance: I will
manage for thee such matter and I will soon unite thee with her."
Thereupon he packed up for her some of the most sumptuous dresses
in his treasury and said, "Hie thee to her and say, 'The Wazir
hath sent these to thee by way of love-token and his desire is
either that thou come to him and converse, he and thou, for a
couple of hours,[FN#152] or that he be allowed to visit thee.'"
The nurse replied with "Hearkening and obedience," and fared
forth and found my mother (and we little ones were before her)
all unknowing aught of that business. So the old woman saluted
her and brought forwards the dresses, and my mother arose and
opening the bundle beheld sumptuous raiment and, amongst other
valuables, a necklace of precious stones. So she said to the
nurse, "This is indeed ornamental gear, especially the collar;"
and said the nurse, "O my lady, these are from thy slave the
Wazir by way of love-token, for he doteth on thee with extreme
desire and his only wish is to forgather with thee and converse,
he and thou, for a couple of hours, either in his own place or in
thine whither he will come." Now when my mother heard these words
from the nurse she arose and drew a scymitar which lay hard by
and of her angry hastiness made the old woman's head fall from
her body and bade her slave-girls pick up the pieces and cast
them into the common privy of the palace. So they did her bidding
and wiped away the blood. Now the Wazir abode expecting his nurse
to return to him but she returned not; so next day he despatched
another handmaid who went to my mother and said to her, "O my
lady, our lord the Wazir sent thee a present of dress by his
nurse; but she hath not come back to him." Hereupon my mother
bade her Eunuchs take the slave and strangle her, then cast the
corpse into the same house of easement where they had thrown the
nurse. They did her bidding; but she said in her mind, "Haply the
Wazir will return from the road of unright:" and she kept his
conduct a secret. He however fell every day to sending
slave-girls with the same message and my mother to slaying each
and every, nor deigned show him any signs of yielding. But she, O
our lord the Sultan, still kept her secret and did not acquaint
our father therewith, always saying to herself, "Haply the Wazir
will return to the road of right." And behold my father presently
came back from hunting and sporting and pleasuring, when the
Lords of the land met him and salam'd to him, and amongst them
appeared the Minister whose case was changed. Now some years
after this, O King of the Age, our sire resolved upon a
Pilgrimage to the Holy House of Meccah?And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is
thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable." Quoth
she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
on the coming night an the sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when
it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,
Dunyazad said to her "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night." She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
youngest sister continued to the Sultan:?So our sire, O King of
the Age, resolved upon a Pilgrimage to the Holy House of Meccah
and stablished the same Wazir Viceregent in his stead to deal
commandment and break off and carry out. So he said in his heart,
"Now have I won my will of the Sultan's Harem." So the King gat
him ready and fared forth to Allah's Holy House after committing
us to the charge of his Minister. But when he had been gone ten
days, and the Wazir knew that he must be far from the city where
he had left behind him me and my sisters and my mother, behold,
an Eunuch of the Minister's came in to us and kissed ground
before the Queen and said to her "Allah upon thee, O my lady,
pity my lord the Wazir, for his heart is melted by thy love and
his wits wander and his right mind; and he is now become as one
annihilated. So do thou have ruth upon him and revive his heart
and restore his health." Now when my mother heard these words,
she bade her Eunuchs seize that Castrato and carry him from the
room to the middle of the Divan-court and there slay him; but she
did so without divulging her reasons. They obeyed her bidding;
and when the Lords of the land and others saw the body of a man
slain by the eunuchry of the palace, they informed the Wazir,
saying, "What hateful business is this which hath befallen after
the Sultan's departure?" He asked, "What is to do?" and they told
him that his Castrato had been slain by a party of the palace
eunuchry. Thereupon he said to them, "In your hand abideth
testimony of this whenas the Sultan shall return and ye shall
bear witness to it." But, O King, the Wazir's passion for our
mother waxed cool after the deaths of the nurse and the
slave-girls and the eunuch; and she also held her peace and spake
not a word there anent. On this wise time passed and he sat in
the stead of my sire till the Sultan's return drew near when the
Minister dreaded lest our father, learning his ill deeds, should
do him die. So he devised a device and wrote a letter to the King
saying, "After salutation be it known to thee that thy Harem hath
sent to me, not only once but five several times during thine
absence, soliciting of me a foul action, to which I refused
consent and replied, By Allah, however much she may wish to
betray my Sovran, I by the Almighty will not turn traitor; for
that I was left by thee guardian of the realm after thy
departure." He added words upon words; then he sealed the scroll
and gave it to a running courier with orders to hurry along the
road. The messenger took it and fared with it to the Sultan's
camp when distant eight days' journey from the capital; and,
finding him seated in his pavilion,[FN#153] delivered the writ.
He took it and opened it and read it and when he understood its
secret significance, his face changed, his eyes turned backwards
and he bade his tents be struck for departure. So they fared by
forced marches till between him and his capital remained only two
stations. He then summoned two Chamberlains with orders to forego
him to the city and take my mother and us three girls a day's
distance from it and there put us to death. Accordingly, they led
us four to the open country purposing to kill us, and my mother
knew not what intent was in their minds until they reached the
appointed spot. Now the Queen had in times past heaped alms-deeds
and largesse upon the two Chamberlains, so they held the case to
be a grievous and said each to other, "By Allah we cannot
slaughter them; no, never!" Then they told my mother of the
letter which the Wazir had written to our father saying
such-and-such, upon which she exclaimed, "He hath lied, by Allah,
the arch-traitor; and naught happened save so-and-so." Then she
related to them all she had done with the exactest truth. The men
said, "Sooth thou hast spoken;" then arising without stay or
delay they snared a gazelle and slaughtered it and filled with
its blood four flasks; after which they broiled some of the flesh
over the embers and gave it to my mother that we might satisfy
our hunger. Presently they farewelled us saying, "We give you in
charge of Him who never disappointed those committed to His
care;" and, lastly, they went their ways leaving us alone in the
wild and the wold. So we fell to eating the desert-grasses and
drinking of the remnants of the rain, and we walked awhile and
rested awhile without finding any city or inhabited region; and
we waxed tired, O King of the Age, when suddenly we came upon a
spot on a hill-flank abounding in vari-coloured herbs and fair
fountains. Here we abode ten days and behold, a caravan drew near
us and encamped hard by us, but they did not sight us for that we
hid ourselves from their view until night fell. Then I went to
them and asked of sundry eunuchs and ascertained that there was a
city at the distance of two days' march from us; so I returned
and informed my mother who rejoiced at the good tidings. As soon
as it was morn the caravan marched off, so we four arose and
walked all that day through at a leisurely pace, and a second day
and so forth; until, on the afternoon of the fifth, a city rose
before our sight fulfilling all our desires[FN#154] and we
exclaimed, "Alhamdolillah, laud be to the Lord who hath empowered
us to reach it." We ceased not faring till sunset when we entered
it and we found it a potent capital. Such was our case and that
of our mother;[FN#155] but as regards our sire the Sultan, as he
drew near his home after the return-journey from the Hajj, the
Lords of the land and the Chiefs of the city flocked out to meet
him, and the town-folk followed one another like men riding on
pillions[FN#156] to salute him, and the poor and the mesquin
congratulated him on his safety and at last the Wazir made his
appearance. The Sultan desired to be private with the
Minister?And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell
silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Three Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the King
desired to be private with the Minister and when they were left
alone he said, "O Wazir, how was it between thee and that Harim
of mine?" Said the other, "O King of the Age, she sent to me not
only once but five several times and I refrained from her and
whatsoever eunuch she despatched I slew, saying, Haply she may
cease so doing and abandon her evil intent. But she did not
repent, so I feared for thine honour and sent to acquaint thee
with the matter." The Sultan bowed his head groundwards for a
while, then raising it he bade summon the two Chamberlains whom
he had sent to slay his wife and three children. On their
appearing he asked them, "What have you done in fulfilling my
commandment?" They answered, "We did that which thou badest be
done," and showed him the four flasks they had filled with the
blood and said, "This be their blood, a flask-full from each."
The Sultan hent them in hand and mused over what had taken place
between him and his wife of love and affection and union; so he
wept with bitter weeping and fell down in a fainting fit. After
an hour or so he recovered and turning to the Wazir said, "Tell
me, hast thou spoken sooth?" and the other replied, "Yes, I
have." Then the Sultan addressed the two Chamberlains and asked
them, "Have ye put to death my daughters with their mother?" But
they remained silent nor made aught of answer or address. So he
exclaimed, "What is on your minds that ye speak not?" They
rejoined, "By Allah, O King of the Age, the honest man cannot
tell an untruth for that lying and leasing are the
characteristics of hypocrites and traitors." When the Wazir heard
the Chamberlains' speech his colour yellowed, his frame was
disordered and a trembling seized his limbs, and the King turned
to him and noted that these symptoms had been caused by the words
of the two officials. So he continued to them, "What mean ye, O
Chamberlains, by your saying that lies and leasing are the
characteristics of hypocrites and traitors? Can it be that ye
have not put them to death? And as ye claim to be true men either
ye have killed them and ye speak thus or you are liars. Now by
Him who hath set me upon the necks of His lieges, if ye declare
not to me the truth I will do you both die by the foulest of
deaths." They rejoined, "By Allah, O King of the Age, whenas thou
badest us take them and slay them, we obeyed thy bidding and they
knew not nor could they divine what was to be until we arrived
with them at the middlemost and broadest of the desert; and when
we informed them of what had been done by the Wazir, thy Harem
exclaimed, 'There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in
Allah, the Glorious, the Great. Verily we are Allah's and unto
Him are we returning. But an ye kill us you will kill us
wrongfully and ye wot not wherefor. By the Lord, this Wazir hath
foully lied and hath accused us falsely before the Almighty.' So
we said to her, O King of the Age, 'Inform us of what really took
place,' and said the mother of the Princesses, 'Thus and thus it
happened.' Then she fell to telling us the whole tale from first
to last of the nurse who was sent to her and the handmaids and
the Eunuch."[FN#157] Hereupon the Sultan cried, "And ye, have ye
slain them or not?" and the Chamberlains replied, "By Allah, O
King of the Age, whenas the loyalty of thy Harem was made
manifest to us we snared a gazelle and cut its throat and filled
these four flasks with its blood; after which we broiled some of
the flesh upon the embers and offered it to thy Harem and her
children saying to them, 'We give thee in charge to Him who never
disappointeth those committed to His care,' and we added, 'Your
truth shall save you.' Lastly we left them in the midmost of the
waste and we returned hither." When the Sultan heard these words
he turned to the Wazir and exclaimed, "Thou hast estranged from
me my wife and my children;" but the Minister uttered not a word
nor made any address and trembled in every limb like one
afflicted with an ague. And when the King saw the truth of the
Chamberlains and the treachery of the Minister he bade fuel be
collected and set on fire and they did his bidding. Then he
commanded them to truss up the Wazir, hand tied to foot, and bind
him perforce upon a catapult[FN#158] and cast him into the middle
of the fiery pyre which made his bones melt before his flesh.
Lastly he ordered his palace to be pillaged, his good to be
spoiled and the women of his Harem to be sold for slaves. After
this he said to the Chamberlains, "You must know the spot wherein
you left the Queen and Princesses;" and said they, "O King of the
Age, we know it well; but when we abandoned them and returned
home they were in the midst of the wolds and the wilds nor can we
say what befel them or whether they be now alive or dead." On
this wise fared it with them; but as regards us three maidens and
our mother, when we entered the city?And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy
tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable?" Quoth she,
"And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it
was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
youngest sister continued her tale:?So when we three maidens and
our mother entered the city about sunset I the youngest said to
them, "We be three Princesses and a Queen-mother: so we cannot
show ourselves in this our condition and needs must we lodge us
in a Khan: also 'tis my rede that we should do best by donning
boys' dress." All agreeing hereto we did accordingly and,
entering a Caravanserai, hired us a retired chamber in one of the
wings. Now every day we three fared forth to service and at
eventide we forgathered and took what sufficed us of sustenance;
but our semblance had changed with the travails of travel and all
who looked at us would say, These be lads. In this plight we
passed the space of a year full-told till, one day of the days,
we three fared forth to our chares, as was our wont, and behold,
a young man met us upon the way and turning to me asked, "O lad,
wilt thou serve in my house?" Quoth I, "O my uncle,[FN#159] I
must ask advice," and quoth he, "O my lad, crave counsel of thy
mother and come and serve in our home." He then looked at my
sisters and enquired, "Be these thy comrades, O lad?" and I
replied "No, they are my brothers." So we three went to our
mother in the Khan and said to her, "This young man wisheth to
hire the youngest of us for service," and said she, "No harm in
that." Thereupon the youth arose and taking me by the hand guided
me to his home and led me in to his mother and his wife, and when
the ancient dame saw me, her heart was opened to me. Presently
quoth the young man to his parent, "I have brought the lad to
serve in our house and he hath two brothers and his mother
dwelling with them." Quoth she, "May it be fortunate to thee, O
my son."[FN#160] So I tarried there serving them till sunset and
when the evening-meal was eaten, they gave me a dish of meat and
three large bannocks of clean bread. These I took and carried to
my mother whom I found sitting with my sisters and I set before
them the meat and bread; but when my parent saw this she wept
with sore weeping and cried, "Time hath overlooked us; erst we
gave food to the folk and now the folk send us food." And cried
I, "Marvel not at the works of the Creator; for verily Allah hath
ordered for us this and for others that and the world endureth
not for any one;" and I ceased not soothing my mother's heart
till it waxed clear of trouble and we ate and praised Almighty
Allah. Now every day I went forth to serve at the young man's
house and at eventide bore to my mother and sisters their
sufficiency of food for supper,[FN#161] breakfast and dinner; and
when the youth brought eatables of any kind for me I would
distribute it to the family. And he looked well after our wants
and at times he would supply clothing for me and for the youths,
my sisters, and for my parent; so that all hearts in our lodgings
were full of affection for him. At last his mother said, "What
need is there for the lad to go forth from us every eventide and
pass the night with his people? Let him lie in our home and every
day about afternoon-time carry the evening meal to his mother and
brothers and then return to us and keep me company." I replied,
"O my lady, let me consult my mother, to whom I will fare
forthright and acquaint her herewith." But my parent objected
saying, "O my daughter, we fear lest thou be discovered, and they
find thee out to be a girl." I replied, "Our Lord will veil our
secret;" and she rejoined, "Then do thou obey them." So I lay
with the young man's mother nor did any divine that I was a maid,
albeit from the time when I entered into that youth's service my
strength and comeliness had increased. At last, one night of the
nights, I went after supper to sleep at my employer's and the
young man's mother chanced to glance in my direction when she saw
my loosed hair which gleamed and glistened many-coloured as a
peacock's robe. Next morning I arose and gathering up my locks
donned the Tákiyah[FN#162] and proceeded, as usual, to do service
about the house never suspecting that the mother had taken notice
of my hair. Presently she said to her son, "'Tis my wish that
thou buy me a few rose-blossoms which be fresh." He asked, "To
make conserve?" and she answered, "No." Then he enquired;
"Wherefore wantest thou roses?" and she replied, "By Allah, O my
son, I wish therewith to try this our servant whom I suspect to
be a girl and no boy; and under him in bed I would strew
rose-leaves, for an they be found wilted in the morning he is a
lad, and if they remain as they were he is a lass."[FN#163] So he
fared forth and presently returned to his mother with the
rose-blossoms; and, when the sleeping-hour came, she went and
placed them in my bed. I slept well and in the morning when I
arose she came to me and found that the petals had not changed
for the worse; nay, they had gained lustre. So she made sure that
I was a girl.?And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Three Hundred and Seventieth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the damsel
continued:?So the young man's mother made certain that her
servant lad was a virgin lass. But she concealed her secret from
her son and was kind to me and showed me respect and, of the
goodness of her heart, sent me back early to my mother and
sisters. Now one day of the days the youth came home about noon
as was his wont; and he found me with sleeves tucked up to the
elbows engaged in washing a bundle of shirts and turbands; and I
was careless of myself so he drew near me and noted my cheeks
that flushed rosy red and eyes which were as those of the thirsty
gazelle and my scorpion locks hanging adown my side face. This
took place in summertide; and when he saw me thus his wits were
distraught and his sound senses were as naught and his judgment
was in default: so he went in to his parent and said to her, "O
my mother, indeed this servant is no boy, but a maiden girl and
my wish is that thou discover for me her case and make manifest
to me her condition and marry me to her, for that my heart is
fulfilled of her love." Now by the decree of the Decreer I was
privily listening to all they said of me; so presently I arose,
after washing the clothes and what else they had given me; but my
state was changed by their talk and I knew and felt certified
that the youth and his mother had recognised me for a girl. I
continued on this wise till eventide when I took the food and
returned to my family and they all ate till they had eaten
enough, when I told them my adventure and my conviction. So my
mother said to me, "What remaineth for us now to do?" and said I,
"O my mother, let us arise, we three, before night shall set in
and go forth ere they lock the Khan upon us;[FN#164] and if the
door-keeper ask us aught let us answer, 'We are faring to spend
the night in the house of the youth where our son is serving.'"
My mother replied, "Right indeed is thy rede." Accordingly, all
four of us went forth at the same time and when the porter asked,
"This is night-tide and whither may ye be wending?" we answered,
"We have been invited by the young man whom our son serveth for
he maketh a Septena-festival[FN#165] and a bridal-feast: so we
purpose to night with him and return a-morn." Quoth he, "There is
no harm in that." So we issued out and turned aside and sought
the waste lands, the Veiler veiling us, and we ceased not walking
till the day brake and we were sore a-wearied. Then we sat for
rest till the rise of sun and when it shone we four sprang up and
strave with our wayfare throughout the first day and the second
and the third until the seventh. (Now all this was related to
Mohammed the Sultan of Cairo and his Wazir by the youngest
Princess and they abode wondering at her words.) On the seventh
day we reached this city and here we housed ourselves; but to
this hour we have no news of our sire after the Minister was
burnt nor do we know an he be whole or dead. Yet we yearn for
him: so do thou, of thine abundant favour, O King of the Age, and
thy perfect beneficence, send a messenger to seek tidings of him
and to acquaint him with our case, when he will send to fetch us." Here she ceased speaking and the Monarch and Minister both
wondered at her words and exclaimed, "Exalted be He who decreeth
to His servants severance and reunion." Then the Sultan of Cairo
arose without stay or delay and wrote letters to the King of
Al-Irák, the father of the damsels, telling him that he had taken
them under his safeguard, them and their mother, and gave the
writ to the Shaykh of the Cossids[FN#166] and appointed for it a
running courier and sent him forth with it to the desert. After
this the King took the three maidens and their mother and carried
them to his Palace where he set apart for them an apartment and
he appointed for them what sufficed of appointments. Now, as for
the Cossid who fared forth with the letter, he stinted not
spanning the waste for the space of two months until he made the
city of the bereaved King of Al-Irák, and when he asked for the
royal whereabouts they pointed out to him a pleasure-garden. So
he repaired thither and went in to him, kissed ground before him,
offered his services, prayed for him and lastly handed to him the
letter. The King took it and brake the seal and opened the
scroll; but when he read it and comprehended its contents, he
rose up and shrieked a loud shriek and fell to the floor in a
fainting fit. So the high officials flocked around him and raised
him from the ground, and when he recovered after an hour or so
they questioned him concerning the cause of this. He then related
to them the adventures of his wife and children; how they were
still in the bonds of life whole and hearty; and forthright he
ordered a ship to be got ready for them and stored therein gifts
and presents for him who had been the guardian of his Queen and
her daughters. But he knew not what lurked for them in the
future. So the ship sailed away, all on board seeking the desired
city, and she reached it without delay, the winds blowing light
and fair. Then she fired the cannon of safe arrival[FN#167] and
the Sultan sent forth to enquire concerning her,?And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and
tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-first Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
made enquiries concerning that ship, when behold! the
Rais[FN#168] came forth from her to the land and accosting the
King handed to him the letter and acquainted him with the arrival
of the gifts and presents. Whereupon he bade all on board her
come ashore and be received in the guest-house for a space of
three days until the traces of travel should disappear from them.
After that time the Sultan gat ready whatso became his high
degree of offerings evening those despatched to him by the father
of the damsels and stowed them in the vessel, where he also
embarked as much of victual and provaunt as might suffice for all
the voyagers. On the fourth day after sunset the damsels and
their mother were borne on board and likewise went the master
after they had taken leave of the King and had salam'd to him and
prayed for his preservation. Now in early morning the breeze blew
free and fair so they loosed sail and made for the back[FN#169]
of the sea and voyaged safely for the first day and the second.
But on the third about mid-afternoon a furious gale came out
against them; whereby the sails were torn to tatters and the
masts fell overboard; so the crew made certain of death, and the
ship ceased not to be tossed upwards and to settle down without
mast or sail till midnight, all the folk lamenting one to other,
as did the maidens and their mother, till the wreck was driven
upon an island and there went to pieces. Then he whose life-term
was short died forthright and he whose life-term was long
survived; and some bestrode planks and others butts and others
again bulks of timber whereby all were separated each from other.
Now the mother and two of the daughters clomb upon planks they
chanced find and sought their safety; but the youngest of the
maidens, who had mounted a keg,[FN#170] and who knew nothing of
her mother and sisters, was carried up and cast down by the waves
for the space of five days till she landed upon an extensive
sea-board where she found a sufficiency to eat and drink. She sat
down upon the shore for an hour of time until she had taken rest
and her heart was calmed and her fear had flown and she had
recovered her spirits: then she rose and paced the sands, all
unknowing whither she should wend, and whenever she came upon
aught of herbs she would eat of them. This lasted through the
first day and the second till the forenoon of the third, when lo
and behold! a Knight advanced towards her, falcon on fist and
followed by a greyhound. For three days he had been wandering
about the waste questing game either of birds or of beasts, but
he happened not upon either when he chanced to meet the maiden,
and seeing her said in his mind, "By Allah, yon damsel is my
quarry this very day." So he drew near her and salam'd to her and
she returned his salute; whereupon he asked her of her condition
and she informed him of what had betided her; and his heart was
softened towards her and taking her up on his horse's crupper he
turned him homewards. Now of this youngest sister (quoth
Shahrazad) there is much to say, and we will say it when the tale
shall require the telling. But as regards the second Princess,
she ceased not floating on the plank for the space of eight days,
until she was borne by the set of the sea close under the walls
of a city; but she was like one drunken with wine when she
crawled up the shore and her raiment was in rags and her colour
had wanned for excess of affright. However, she walked onwards at
a slow pace till she reached the city and came upon a house of
low stone walls. So she went in and there finding an ancient dame
sitting and spinning yarn, she gave her good evening and the
other returned it adding, "Who art thou, O my daughter, and
whence comest thou?" She answered, "O my aunt, I'm fallen from
the skies and have been met by the earth: thou needest not
question me of aught, for my heart is clean molten by the fire of
grief. An thou take me in for love and kindness 'tis well and if
not I will again fare forth on my wanderings." When the old woman
heard these words she compassioned the maiden and her heart felt
tender towards her, and she cried, "Welcome to thee, O my
daughter, sit thee down!" Accordingly she sat her down beside her
hostess and the two fell to spinning yarn whereby to gain their
daily bread: and the old dame rejoiced in her and said, "She
shall take the place of my daughter." Now of this second Princess
(quoth Shahrazad) there is much to say and we will say it when
the tale shall require the telling. But as regards the eldest
sister, she ceased not clinging to the plank and floating over
the sea till the sixth day passed, and on the seventh she was
cast upon a stead where lay gardens distant from the town six
miles. So she walked into them and seeing fruit close-clustering
she took of it and ate and donned the cast-off dress of a man she
found nearhand. Then she kept on faring till she entered the town
and here she fell to wandering about the Bazars till she came to
the shop of a Kunáfah[FN#171]-maker who was cooking his
vermicelli; and he, seeing a fair youth in man's habit, said to
her, "O younker, wilt thou be my servant!" "O my uncle," she
said, "I will well;" so he settled her wage each day a quarter
farthing,[FN#172] not including her diet. Now in that town were
some fifteen shops wherein Kunafah was made. She abode with the
confectioner the first day and the second and the third to the
full number of ten, when the traces of travel left her and fear
departed from her heart, and her favour and complexion were
changed for the better and she became even as the moon, nor could
any guess that the lad was a lass. Now it was the practice of
that man to buy every day half a quartern[FN#173] of flour and
use it for making his vermicelli; but when the so-seeming youth
came to him he would lay in each morning three quarterns; and the
townsfolk heard of this change and fell to saying, "We will never
dine without the Kunafah of the confectioner who hath in his
house the youth." This is what befel the eldest Princess of whom
(quoth Shahrazad) there is much to say and we will say it when
the tale shall require the telling. But as regards the
Queen-mother,?And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-second Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that as regards
the mother of the maidens, when the ship broke up under them and
she bestrode the bulk of timber, she came upon the Rais in his
boat manned by three of the men; so he took her on board and they
ceased not paddling for a space of three days when they sighted a
lofty island which fulfilled their desire, and its summit towered
high in air. So they made for it till they drew near it and
landed on a low side-shore where they abandoned their boat; and
they ceased not walking through the rest of that day and those
that followed till one day of the days behold, a dust-cloud
suddenly appeared to them spireing up to the skies. They fared
for it and after a while it lifted, showing beneath it a host
with swords glancing and lance-heads' gleams lancing and war
steeds dancing and prancing, and these were ridden by men like
unto eagles and the host was under the hands of a Sultan around
whom ensigns and banners were flying. And when this King saw the
Rais and the sailors and the woman following, he wheeled his
charger themwards to learn what tidings they brought and rode up
to the strangers and questioned them; and the castaways informed
them that their ship had broken up under them. Now the cause of
this host's taking the field was that the King of Al-Irak, the
father of the three maidens, after he appointed the ship and saw
her set out, felt uneasy at heart, presaging evil, and feared
with sore fear the shifts of Time. So he went forth, he and his
high Officials and his host, and marched adown the longshore
till, by decree of the Decreer, he suddenly and all unexpectedly
came upon his Queen who was under charge of the ship's captain.
Presently, seeing the cavalcade and its ensigns the Rais went
forward and recognising the King hastened up to him and kissed
his stirrup and his feet. The Sultan turned towards him and knew
him; so he asked him of his state and the Rais answered by
relating all that had befallen him. Thereupon the King commanded
his power to alight in that place and they did so and set up
their tents and pavilions. Then the Sultan took seat in his
Shámiyánah[FN#174] and bade them bring his Queen and they brought
her, and when eye met eye the pair greeted each other fondly and
the father asked concerning her three children. She declared that
she had no tidings of them after the shipwreck and she knew not
whether they were dead or alive. Hereat the King wept with sore
weeping and exclaimed, "Verily we are Allah's and unto Him we are
returning!" after which he gave orders to march from that place
upon his capital. Accordingly they stinted not faring for a space
of four days till they reached the city and he entered his
citadel-palace. But every time and every hour he was engrossed in
pondering the affair of the three Princesses and kept saying,
"Would heaven I wot are they drowned or did they escape the sea;
and, if they were saved, Oh, that I knew whether they were
scattered or abode in company one with other and whatever else
may have betided them!" And he ceased not brooding over the issue
of things and kept addressing himself in speech; and neither meat
was pleasant to him nor drink. Such were his case and adventure;
but as regards the youngest sister whenas she was met by the
Knight and seated upon the crupper of his steed, he ceased not
riding with her till he reached his city and went into his
citadel-palace. Now the Knight was the son of a Sultan who had
lately deceased, but a usurper had seized the reins of rule in
his stead and Time had proved a tyrant to the youth, who had
therefore addicted himself to hunting and sporting. Now by the
decree of the Decreer he had ridden forth to the chase where he
met the Princess and took her up behind him, and at the end of
the ride, when he returned to his mother, he was becharmed by her
charms; so he gave her in charge to his parent and honoured her
with the highmost possible honour and felt for her a growing
fondness even as felt she for him. And when the girl had tarried
with them a month full-told she increased in beauty and
loveliness and symmetrical stature and perfect grace; then, the
heart of the youth was fulfilled with love of her and on like
wise was the soul of the damsel who, in her new affection, forgot
her mother and her sisters. But from the moment that maiden
entered his Palace the fortunes of the young Knight amended and
the world waxed propitious to him nor less did the hearts of the
lieges incline to him; so they held a meeting and said, "There
shall be over us no Sovran and no Sultan save the son of our late
King; and he who at this present ruleth us hath neither great
wealth nor just claim to the sovereignty." Now all this benefit
which accrued to the young King was by the auspicious coming of
the Princess. Presently the case was agreed upon by all the
citizens of the capital that on the morning of the next day they
would make him ruler and depose the usurper.?And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and
tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-third Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
citizens in early morning held a meeting whereat were present the
Lords of the land and the high Officials, and they went in to the
usurping Sultan determined to remove and depose him. But he
refused and forswore consent, saying, "By Allah, such thing may
not be except after battle and slaughter." Accordingly they fared
forth and acquainted the young King who held the matter grievous
and was overridden by cark and care: however he said to them, "If
there must perforce be fighting and killing, I have treasures
sufficient to levy a host." So saying he went away and
disappeared; but presently he brought them the moneys which they
distributed to the troops. Then they repaired to the Maydán, the
field of fight outside the city, and on like guise the usurping
Sultan rode out with all his power. And when the two opposing
hosts were ranged in their forces, each right ready for the fray,
the usurper and his men charged home upon the young King and
either side engaged in fierce combat and sore slaughter befel.
But the usurper had the better of the battle and purposed to
seize the young King amidst his many when, lo and behold!
appeared a Knight backing a coal-black mare; and he was armed
cap-à-pie in a coat of mail, and he carried a spear and a mace.
With these he bore down upon the usurper and shore off his right
forearm so that he fell from his destrier, and the Knight seeing
this struck him a second stroke with the sword and parted head
from body. When his army saw the usurper fall, all sought safety
in flight and sauve qui peut; but the army of the young King came
up with them and caused the scymitar to fall upon them so that
were saved of them only those to whom length of life was
foreordained. Hereupon the victors lost no time in gathering the
spoils and the horses together; but the young King stood gazing
at the Knight and considering his prowess; yet he failed to
recognise him and after an hour or so the stranger disappeared
leaving the conqueror sorely chafed and vexed for that he knew
him not and had failed to forgather with him. After this the
young King returned from the battle-field with his band playing
behind him and he entered the seat of his power, and was raised
by the lieges to the station of his sire. Those who had escaped
the slaughter dispersed in all directions and sought safety in
flight and the partizans who had enthroned the young King
thronged around him and gave him joy as also did the general of
the city, whose rejoicings were increased thereby. Now the coming
of the aforesaid Knight was a wondrous matter. When the rightful
King made ready for battle the Princess feared for his life and,
being skilled in the practice of every weapon, she escaped the
notice of the Queen-dowager and after donning her war-garb and
battle-gear she went forth to the stable and saddled her a mare
and mounted her and pushed in between the two armies. And as soon
as she saw the usurper charge down upon the young King as one
determined to shed his life's blood, she forestalled him and
attacked him and tore out the life from between his ribs. Then
she returned to her apartment nor did any know of the deed she
had done. Presently, when it was eventide the young King entered
the Palace after securing his succession to royalty; but he was
still chafed and vexed for that he knew not the Knight. His
mother met him and gave him joy of his safety and his accession
to the Sultanate, whereto he made reply, "Ah! O my mother, my
length of days was from the hand of a horseman who suddenly
appearing joined us in our hardest stress and aided me in my
straitest need and saved me from Death." Quoth she, "O my son,
hast thou recognised him?" and quoth he, "'Twas my best desire to
discover him and to stablish him as my Wazir, but this I failed
to do." Now when the Princess heard these words she laughed and
rejoiced and still laughing said, "To whoso will make thee
acquainted with him what wilt thou give?" and said he, "Dost thou
know him?" So she replied, "I wot him not" and he rejoined, "Then
what is the meaning of these thy words?" when she answered him in
these prosaic rhymes:[FN#175]?
"O my lord, may I prove thy sacrifice * Nor exult at thy sorrows
thine enemies!
Could unease and disease by others be borne * The slave should
bear load on his lord that lies:
I'll carry whatever makes thee complain * And be my body the
first that dies."
When he heard these words he again asked, "Dost thou know him?"
and she answered, "He? Verily we wot him not;"[FN#176] and
repeated the saying to him a second time: withal he by no means
understood her. So quoth she, "How canst thou administer the
Sultanate and yet fail to comprehend my simple words? For indeed
I have made the case clear to thee." Hereupon he fathomed the
secret of the saying and flew to her in his joy and clasped her
to his bosom and kissed her upon the cheeks. But his mother
turned to him and said, "O my son, do not on this wise, for
everything hath its time and season;"?And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Sultan's mother said, "O my son, everything hath its time and
season; and whoso hurrieth a matter before opportunity befit
shall be punished with the loss of it." But he replied, "By
Allah, O my mother, thy suspicion be misplaced: I acted thus only
on my gratitude to her, for assuredly she is the Knight who came
to my aidance and who saved me from death." And his mother
excused him. They passed that night in converse and next day at
noontide the King sought the Divan in order to issue his
commandments; but when the assembly filled the room and became as
a garden of bloom the Lords of the land said to him, "O King of
the Age, 'twere not suitable that thou become Sultan except thou
take to thee a wife; and Alhamdolillah?laud to the Lord who hath
set thee on the necks of His servants and who hath restored the
realm to thee as successor of thy sire. There is no help but that
thou marry." Quoth he, "To hear is to consent;" then he arose
without stay or delay and went in to his mother and related to
her what had happened. Quoth she, "O my son, do what becometh
thee and Allah prosper thy affairs!" He said to her, "O my
mother, retire thou with the maiden and persuade her to marriage
for I want none other and I love not aught save herself," and
said she, "With joy and gladness." So he went from her and she
arose and was private with the damsel when she addressed her, "O
my lady, the King desireth to wed thee and he wanteth none other
and he seeketh not aught save thee." But the Princess hearing
this exclaimed, "How shall I marry, I who have lost my kith and
kin and my dear ones and am driven from my country and my
birth-place? This were a proceeding opposed to propriety! But if
it need must be and I have the fortune to forgather with my
mother and sisters and father, then and then only it shall take
place." The mother replied, "Why this delay, O my daughter? The
Lords of the land have stood up against the King in the matter of
marriage, and in the absence of espousals we fear for his
deposition. Now maidens be many and their relations long to see
each damsel wedded to my son and become a Queen in virtue of her
husband's degree: but he wanteth none other and loveth naught
save thyself. Accordingly, an thou wouldst take compassion on him
and protect him by thy consent from the insistence of the
Grandees, deign accept him to mate." Nor did the Sultan's mother
cease to speak soothing words to the maiden and to gentle her
with soft language until her mind was made up and she gave
consent.[FN#177] Upon this they began to prepare for the ceremony
forthright, and summoned the Kazi and witnesses who duly knotted
the knot of wedlock and by eventide the glad tidings of the
espousals were bruited abroad. The King bade spread bride-feasts
and banqueting tables and invited his high Officials and the
Grandees of the kingdom and he went in to the maiden that very
night and the rejoicings grew in gladness and all sorrows ceased
to deal sadness. Then he proclaimed through the capital and all
the burghs that the lieges should decorate the streets with rare
tapestries and multiform in honour of the Sultanate. Accordingly,
they adorned the thoroughfares in the city and its suburbs for
forty days and the rejoicings increased when the King fed the
widows and the Fakirs and the mesquin and scattered gold and
robed and gifted and largessed till all the days of decoration
were gone by. On this wise the sky of his estate grew clear by
the loyalty of the lieges and he gave orders to deal justice
after the fashion of the older Sultans, to wit, the Chosroës and
the Cæsars; and this condition endured for three years, during
which Almighty Allah blessed him by the Princess with two
men-children as they were moons. Such was the case with the
youngest Princess; but as regards the cadette, the second
sister,?And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that as regards
the case of the cadette, the second damsel, when she was adopted
to daughter by the ancient dame she fell to spinning with her and
living by the work of their hands. Now there chanced to govern
that city a Báshá[FN#178] who had sickened with a sore sickness
till he was near unto death; and the wise men and leaches had
compounded for him of medicines a mighty matter which, however,
availed him naught. At last the tidings came to the ears of the
Princess who lived with the old woman and she said to her, "O my
mother, I desire to prepare a tasse of broth and do thou bear it
to the Basha and let him drink of it; haply will Almighty Allah
vouchsafe him a cure whereby we shall gain some good." Said the
other, "O my daughter, and how shall I obtain admittance and who
shall set the broth before him?" The maiden replied, "O my
mother, at the Gate of Allah Almighty!"[FN#179] and the dame
rejoined, "Do thou whatso thou willest." So the damsel arose and
cooked a tasse of broth and mingled with it sundry hot spices
such as pimento[FN#180] and she had certain leaflets taken from
the so-called Wind-tree,[FN#181] whereof she inserted a small
portion deftly mingling the ingredients. Then the old woman took
it and set forth and walked till she reached the Basha's mansion
where the servants and eunuchs met her and asked her of what was
with her. She answered, "This is a tasse of broth which I have
brought for the Basha that he drink of it as much as he may
fancy: haply Almighty Allah shall vouchsafe healing to him." They
went in and reported that to the Basha who exclaimed, "Bring her
to me hither." Accordingly, they led her within and she offered
to him the tasse of broth, whereupon he rose and sat upright and
removed the cover from the cup which sent forth a pleasant
savour: so he took it and sipped of it a spoonful and a second
and a third, when his heart opened to her and he drank of it till
he could no more. Now this was in the forenoon and after
finishing the soup he gave the old woman a somewhat of dinars
which she took and returned therewith to the damsel rejoicing,
and handed to her the gold pieces. But the Basha immediately
after drinking the broth felt drowsy and he slept a restful sleep
till mid-afternoon and when he awoke health had returned to his
frame beginning from the time he drank. So he asked after the
ancient dame and sent her word to prepare for him another tasse
of broth like the first; but they told him that none knew her
dwelling-place. Now when the old woman returned home the maiden
asked her whether the broth had pleased the Basha or not; and she
said that it was very much to his liking; so the girl got ready a
second portion but without all the stronger ingredients[FN#182]
of the first. Then she gave it to the dame who took it and went
forth with it and whilst the Basha was asking for her behold, up
she came and the servants took her and led her in to the
Governor. On seeing her he rose and sat upright and called for
other food and when it was brought he ate his sufficiency, albeit
for a length of time he could neither rise nor walk. But from the
hour he drank all the broth he sniffed the scent of health and he
could move about as he moved when hale and hearty. So he asked
the old dame saying, "Didst thou cook this broth?" and she
answered, "O my lord, my daughter made it and sent me with it to
thee." He exclaimed, "By Allah this maiden cannot be thy
daughter, O old woman; and she can be naught save the daughter of
Kings. But bid her every day at morning-tide cook me a tasse of
the same broth." The other replied, "To hear is to obey," and
returned home with this message to the damsel who did as the
Basha bade the first day and the second to the seventh day. And
the Basha waxed stronger every day and when the week was ended he
took horse and rode to his pleasure-garden. He increased
continually in force and vigour till, one day of the days, he
sent for the dame and questioned her concerning the damsel who
lived with her; so she acquainted him with her case and what
there was in her of beauty and loveliness and perfect grace.
Thereupon the Basha fell in love with the girl by hearsay and
without eye-seeing[FN#183]:?And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister
mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next
night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Basha
fell in love with the girl by hearsay and without eye-seeing: so
he changed his habit and donning a dress of Darwaysh-cut left his
mansion and threaded the streets passing from house to house
until he reached that of the old woman. He then knocked at the
entrance and she came behind it and asked "Who's at the door?" "A
Darwaysh and a stranger," answered he, "who knoweth no man in
this town and who is sore anhungered." Now the ancient dame was
by nature niggardly and she had lief put him off, but the damsel
said to her, "Turn him not away," and quoting "Honour to the
foreigner is a duty," said, "So do thou let him in." She admitted
him and seated him when the maiden brought him a somewhat of food
and stood before him in his service. He ate one time and ten
times he gazed at the girl until he had eaten his sufficiency
when he washed his hands and rising left the house and went his
ways. But his heart flamed with love of the Princess and he was
deeply enamoured of her and he ceased not walking until he
reached his mansion whence he sent for the old woman. And when
they brought her, he produced a mint of money and a sumptuous
dress in which he requested and prayed her to attire the damsel:
then the old woman took it and returned to her protegée, saying
to herself, "By Allah, if the girl accept the Basha and marry him
she will prove sensible as fortunate; but an she be not content
so to do I will turn her out of my door." When she went in she
gave her the dress and bade her don it, but the damsel refused
till the old woman coaxed her and persuaded her to try it on. Now
when the dame left the Basha, he privily assumed a woman's habit
and followed in her footsteps; and at last he entered the house
close behind her and beheld the Princess in the sumptuous dress.
Then the fire of his desire flamed higher in his heart and he
lacked patience to part from her, so he returned to his mansion
with mind preoccupied and vitals yearning. Thither he summoned
the old woman and asked her to demand the girl in marriage and
was instant with her and cried, "No help but this must be."
Accordingly she returned home and acquainted the girl with what
had taken place adding, "O my daughter, verily the Basha loveth
thee and his wish is to wed thee: he hath been a benefactor to
us, and thou wilt never meet his like; for that he is deeply
enamoured of thee and the byword saith, 'Reward of lover is
return of love.'" And the ancient dame ceased not gentling her
and plying her with friendly words till she was soothed and gave
consent. Then she returned to the Basha and informed him of her
success, so he joyed with exceeding joy, and without stay or
delay bade slaughter beeves and prepare bridal feasts and spread
banquets whereto he invited the notables of his government: after
which he summoned the Kazi who tied the knot and he went in to
her that night. And of the abundance of his love he fared not
forth from her till seven days had sped; and he ceased not to
cohabit with her for a span of five years during which Allah
vouchsafed to him a man-child by her and two daughters. Such was
the case with the cadette Princess; but as regards the eldest
sister, when she entered the city in youth's attire she was
accosted by the Kunáfah-baker and was hired for a daily wage of a
Mídí of silver besides her meat and drink in his house. Now 'twas
the practice of that man every day to buy half a quartern of
flour and thereof make his vermicelli; but when the so-seeming
youth came to him he would buy and work up three quarterns; and
all the folk who bought Kunafah of him would flock to his shop
with the view of gazing upon the beauty and loveliness of the
Youth and said, "Exalted be He who created and perfected what He
wrought in the creation of this young man!" Now by the decree of
the Decreer the baker's shop faced the lattice-windows of the
Sultan's Palace and one day of the days the King's daughter
chanced to look out at the window and she saw the Youth standing
with sleeves tucked up from arms which shone like ingots[FN#184]
of silver. Hereat the Princess fell in love with the Youth,?And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How
sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the
Sultan's daughter looked out at the window she fell in love with
the youth, and she knew not how to act that she might forgather
with him: so desire afflicted her and extreme fondness and
presently she took to her pillow all for her affection to that
young man. Thereupon her nurse went in to her and found her lying
upon the carpet-bed a-moaning and a-groaning "Ah!" So she
exclaimed, "Thy safety from all whereof thou hast to complain!"
Then she took her hand and felt her pulse but could find in it no
symptoms of sickness bodily, whereupon she said, "O my lady, thou
hast no unease save what eyesight hath brought thee." She
replied, "O my mother, do thou keep sacred my secret, and if thy
hand can reach so far as to bring me my desire, prithee do so;"
and the nurse rejoined, "O my lady, like me who can keep a
secret? therefore confide to me thy longing and Allah vouchsafe
thee thy dearest hope." Said the Princess, "O my mother, my heart
is lost to the young man who worketh in the vermicelli-baker's
shop and if I fail to be united with him I shall die of grief."
The nurse replied, "By Allah, O my lady, he is the fairest of his
age and indeed I lately passed by him as his sleeves were tucked
up above his forearms and he ravished my wits: I longed to accost
him but shame overcame me in presence of those who were round
him, some buying Kunafah and others gazing on his beauty and
loveliness, his symmetric stature and his perfect grace. But I, O
my lady, will do thee a service and cause thee forgather with him
ere long." Herewith the heart of the Princess was solaced and she
promised the nurse all good. Then the old woman left her and fell
to devising how she should act in order to bring about a meeting
between her and the youth or carry him into the Palace. So she
went to the baker's shop and bringing out an Ashrafi[FN#185] said
to him, "Take, O Master, this gold piece and make me a
platter[FN#186] of vermicelli meet for the best and send it for
me by this Youth who shall bring it to my home that be near hand:
I cannot carry it myself." Quoth the baker in his mind, "By
Allah, good pay is this gold piece and a Kunafah is worth ten
silverlings; so all the rest is pure profit." And he replied, "On
my head and eyes be it, O my lady;" and taking the Ashrafi made
her a plate of vermicelli and bade his servant bear it to her
house. So he took it up and accompanied the nurse till she
reached the Princess's palace when she went in and seated the
Youth in an out-of-the-way closet. Then she repaired to her
nursling and said, "Rise up, O my lady, for I have brought thee
thy desire." The Princess sprang to her feet in hurry and flurry
and fared till she came to the closet; then, going in she found
the Youth who had set down the Kunafah and who was standing in
expectation of the nurse's return that he and she might wend
homewards. And suddenly the Sultan's daughter came in and bade
the Youth be seated beside her, and when he took seat she clasped
him to her bosom of her longing for him and fell to kissing him
on the cheeks and mouth ever believing him to be a male
masculant, till her hot desire for him was quenched.[FN#187] Then
she gave to him two golden dinars and said to him, "O my lord and
coolth of my eyes, do thou come hither every day that we may take
our pleasure, I and thou." He said, "To hear is to obey," and
went forth from her hardly believing in his safety, for he had
learnt that she was the Sultan's daughter, and he walked till he
reached the shop of his employer to whom he gave the twenty
dinars. Now when the baker saw the gold, affright and terror
entered his heart and he asked his servant whence the money came;
and, when told of the adventure, his horror and dismay increased
and he said to himself, "An this case of ours continue, either
the Sultan will hear that this youth practiseth upon his
daughter, or she will prove in the family way and 'twill end in
our deaths and the ruin of our country. The lad must quit this
evil path." Thereupon quoth he to the Youth, "From this time
forwards do thou cease faring forth thereto," whereat quoth the
other, "I may not prevent myself from going and I dread death an
I go not." So the man cried, "Do whatso may seem good to thee."
Accordingly, the Princess in male attire fell to going every
morning and meeting the Sultan's daughter, till one day of the
days she went in and the twain sat down and laughed and enjoyed
themselves, when lo and behold! the King entered. And as soon as
he espied the youth and saw him seated beside his daughter, he
commanded him be arrested and they arrested him;?And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to
say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet
is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the
Sultan entered and saw the youth sitting beside his daughter he
commanded him to be arrested and they arrested him; they also
seized the Princess and bound her forearms to her sides with
straitest bonds. Then the King summoned the Linkman and bade him
smite off both their heads: so he took them and went down with
them to the place of execution. But when the tidings reached the
Kunáfáni he shut up shop without stay and delay and fled.
Presently the Sultan said in his mind, "Fain would I question the
Youth touching his object in entering hither, and ask him who
conducted him to my daughter and how he won access to her."
Accordingly he sent to bring back the twain and imprisoned them
till night-fall: then he went in to his Harem and caused his
daughter's person to be examined, and when they inspected her she
proved to be a pure maid. This made the King marvel, for he
supposed that the Youth must have undone her maidenhead;[FN#188]
so he sent for him to the presence, and when he came he
considered him and found him fairer even than his daughter; nay,
far exceeding her in beauty and loveliness. So he cried, "By
Allah this be a wondrous business! Verily my daughter hath excuse
for loving this Youth nor to my judgment doth she even him in
charms: not the less this affair is a shame to us, and the
foulest of stains and needs must the twain be done to death
to-morrow morning!" Herewith he commanded the jailer to take the
Youth and to keep him beside him and he shut up the girl with her
nurse. The jailer forthwith led his charge to the jail; but it so
happened that its portal was low; and, when the Youth was ordered
to pass through it, he bent his brow downwards for easier
entrance, when his turband struck against the lintel and fell
from his head. The jailer turned to look at him, and behold, his
hair was braided and the plaits being loosed gleamed like an
ingot of gold. He felt assured that the youth was a maiden so he
returned to the King in all haste and hurry and cried, "Pardon, O
our lord the Sultan!" "Allah pardon us and thee;" replied the
King, and the man rejoined, "O King of the Age, yonder Youth is
no boy; nay, he be a virgin girl." Quoth the Sultan, "What sayest
thou?" and quoth the other, "By the truth of Him who made thee
ruler of the necks of His worshippers, O King of the Age, verily
this is a maiden." So he bade the prison-keeper bring her and set
her in his presence and he returned with her right soon, but now
she paced daintily as the gazelle and veiled her face, because
she saw that the jailer had discovered her sex. The King then
commanded them carry her to the Harem whither he followed her and
presently, having summoned his daughter, he questioned her
concerning the cause of her union with the so-seeming Youth.
Herewith she related all that had happened with perfect truth: he
also put questions to the Princess in man's habit, but she stood
abashed before him and was dumb, unable to utter a single word.
As soon as it was morning, the Sultan asked of the place where
the Youth had dwelt and they told him that he lodged with a
Kunáfah-baker, and the King bade fetch the man, when they
reported that he had fled. However, the Sultan was instant in
finding him, so they went forth and sought him for two days when
they secured him and set him between the royal hands. He enquired
into the Youth's case and the other replied, "By Allah, O King of
the Age, between me and him were no questionings and I wot not
whence may be his origin." The Monarch rejoined, "O man, thou
hast my plighted word for safety, so continue thy business as
before and now gang thy gait." Then he turned to the maiden and
repeated his enquiries, when she made answer saying, "O my lord,
my tale is wondrous and my adventures marvellous." "And what may
they be?" he asked her.?And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Princess said to the Sultan, "In very sooth my tale is passing
strange," and he besought her to recount it. So she began to
disclose the whole of her history and the adventures which had
befallen her and her sisters and their mother; especially of the
shipwreck in middle-most ocean and of her coming to land; after
which she told the affair of the Wazir burnt by her sire, that
traitor who had separated children from father and, brief, all
that had betided them from first to last. Hearing her soft speech
and her strange story the Sultan marvelled and his heart inclined
herwards; then he gave her in charge to the Palace women and
conferred upon her favours and benefits. But when he looked upon
her beauty and loveliness, her brilliancy and perfect grace he
fell deeply in love with her, and his daughter hearing the
accidents which had happened to the Princess's father cried, "By
Allah, the story of this damsel should be chronicled in a book,
that it become the talk of posterity and be quoted as an instance
of the omnipotence of Allah Almighty; for He it is who parteth
and scattereth and re-uniteth." So saying she took her and
carried her to her own apartment where she entreated her
honourably; and the maiden, after she had spent a month in the
Palace, showed charms grown two-fold and even more. At last one
day of the days, as she sat beside the King's daughter in her
chamber about eventide, when the sun was hot after a sultry
summer day and her cheeks had flushed rosy red, behold, the
Sultan entered passing through the room on his way to the Harem
and his glance undesignedly[FN#189] fell upon the Princess who
was in home gear, and he looked a look of eyes that cost him a
thousand sighs. So he was astounded and stood motionless knowing
not whether to go or to come; and when his daughter sighted him
in such plight she went up to him and said, "What hath betided
thee and brought thee to this condition?" Quoth he, "By Allah,
this girl hath stolen my senses from my soul: I am fondly
enamoured of her and if thou aid me not by asking her in marriage
and I fail to wed her 'twill make my wits go clean bewildered."
Thereupon the King's daughter returned to the damsel and drawing
near her said, "O my lady and light of my eyes, indeed my father
hath seen thee in thy deshabille and he hath hung[FN#190] all his
hopes upon thee, so do not thou contrary my words nor the counsel
I am about to offer thee." "And what may that be, O my lady?"
asked she, and the other answered, "My wish is to marry thee to
my sire and thou be to him wife and he be to thee man." But when
the maiden heard these words she wept with bitter weeping till
she sobbed aloud and cried, "Time hath mastered us and decreed
separation: I know nothing of my mother and sisters and father,
an they be dead or on life, and whether they were drowned or came
to ground; then how should I enjoy a bridal fête when they may be
in mortal sadness and sorrow?" But the other ceased not to soothe
her and array fair words against her and show her fondly
friendship till her soul consented to wedlock. Presently the
other brought out to her what habit befitted the occasion still
comforting her heart with pleasant converse,[FN#191] after which
she carried the tidings to her sire. So he sent forthright to
summon his Lords of the reign and Grandees of the realm and the
knot was tied between them twain; and, going in unto her that
night, he found her a hoard wherefrom the spell had freshly been
dispelled; and of his longing for her and his desire to her he
abode with her two se'nnights never going forth from her or by
night or by day. Hereat the dignitaries of his empire were sore
vexed for that their Sultan ceased to appear at the Divan and
deal commandment between man and man, and his daughter went in
and acquainted him therewith. He asked her how long he had
absented himself and she answered saying, "Knowest thou how long
thou hast tarried in the Palace?" whereto he replied, "Nay."
"Fourteen whole days," cried she, whereupon he exclaimed, "By
Allah, O my daughter, I thought to myself that I had spent with
her two days and no more." And his daughter wondered to hear his
words. Such was the case of the cadette Princess; but as regards
the King, the father of the damsel, when he forgathered with the
mother of his three daughters and she told him of the shipwreck
and the loss of her children he determined to travel in search of
the three damsels, he and the Wazir habited as Darwayshes.?And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Eightieth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
resolved to travel in search of his children (the three damsels)
he and his Wazir habited as Darwayshes. So leaving the government
in charge of his wife he went forth and the twain in their search
first visited the cities on the seaboard beginning with the
nearest; but they knew not what was concealed from them in the
world of the future. They stinted not travelling for the space of
a month till they came to a city whose Sultan had a place hight
Al-Dijlah[FN#192] whereupon he had built a Palace. The Darwayshes
made for it and found the King sitting in his Kiosque[FN#193]
accompanied by two little lads, the elder eight years old and the
second six. They drew near to him and saluting him offered their
services and blessed him, wishing him length of life as is the
fashion when addressing royalties; and he returned their
greetings and made them draw near and showed them kindness; also,
when it was eventide he bade his men serve them with somewhat of
food. On the next day the King fared forth to Tigris-bank and sat
in his Kiosque together with the two boys. Now the Darwayshes had
hired them a cell in the Khan whence it was their daily wont to
issue forth and wander about the city asking for what they
sought; and this day they again came to the place wherein sat the
Sultan and they marvelled at the fair ordinance of the Palace.
They continued to visit it every day till one day of the days the
two went out, according to their custom, and when entering the
Palace one of the King's children, which was the younger, came up
to them and fell to considering them as if he had forgotten his
own existence. This continued till the Darwayshes retired to
their cell in the caravanserai whither the boy followed them to
carry out the Secret Purpose existing in the All-knowledge of
Allah. And when the two sat down the Sultan's son went in to them
and fell to gazing upon them and solacing himself with the sight,
when the elder Darwaysh clasped him to his bosom and fell to
kissing his cheeks, marvelling at his semblance and at his
beauty; and the boy in his turn forgot his father and his mother
and took to the old man. Now whenas night fell the Sultan retired
homewards fancying that his boy had foregone him to his mother
while the Sultánah fancied that her child was with his father,
and this endured till such time as the King had entered the
Harem. But only the elder child was found there so the Sultan
asked, "Where is the second boy?" and the Queen answered, "Day by
day thou takest them with thee to Tigris-bank and thou bringest
them back; but to-day only the elder hath returned." Thereupon
they sought him but found him not and the mother buffeted her
face in grief for her child and the father lost his right senses.
Then the high Officials fared forth to search for their King's
son and sought him from early night to the dawn of day, but not
finding him they deemed that he had been drowned in Tigris-water.
So they summoned all the fishermen and divers and caused them to
drag the river for a space of four days. All this time and the
boy abode with the Darwayshes, who kept saying to him, "Go to thy
father and thy mother;" but he would not obey them and he would
sit with the Fakirs upon whom all his thoughts were fixed while
theirs were fixed upon him. This lasted till the fifth day when
the door-keeper unsummoned entered the cell and found the
Sultan's son sitting with the old men; so he went out hurriedly
and repairing to the King cried, "O my Sovran, thy boy is with
those Darwayshes who were wont daily to visit thee." Now when the
Sultan heard the porter's words, he called aloud to his Eunuchs
and Chamberlains and gave them his orders; when they ran a race,
as it were, till they entered upon the holy men and carried them
from their cell together with the boy and set all four[FN#194]
before the Sultan. The King exclaimed, "Verily these Darwayshes
must be spies and their object was to carry off my boy;" so he
took up his child and clasped him to his bosom and kissed him
again and again of his yearning fondness to him, and presently he
sent him to his mother who was well-nigh frantic. Then he
committed the two Fakirs (with commands to decapitate them) to
the Linkman who took them and bound their hands and bared their
heads and fell to crying, "This be his reward and the least of
awards who turneth traitor and kidnappeth the sons of the Kings;"
and as he cried all the citizens great and small flocked to the
spectacle. But when the boy heard the proclamation, he went forth
in haste till he stood before the elder Darwaysh who was still
kneeling upon the rug of blood and threw himself upon him at full
length till the Grandees of his father forcibly removed him. Then
the executioner stepped forward purposing to strike the necks of
the two old men and he raised his sword hand till the dark hue of
his arm-pit showed[FN#195] and he would have dealt the blow when
the boy again made for the elder Fakir and threw himself upon him
not only once but twice and thrice, preventing the Sworder's
stroke and abode clinging to the old man. The Sultan cried, "This
Darwaysh is a Sorcerer:" but when the tidings reached the
Sultanah, the boy's mother, she exclaimed, "O King, needs must
this Darwaysh have a strange tale to tell, for the boy is wholly
absorbed in him. So it is not possible to slay him on this wise
till thou summon him to the presence and question him: I also
will listen to him behind the curtain and thus none shall hear
him save our two selves." The King did her bidding and commanded
the old man to be brought: so they took him from under the sword
and set him before the King?And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy
tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she,
"And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it
was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Eighty-first Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that at the
King's bidding they took up the Fakir who was still kneeling
under the glaive and set him before the King who bade him be
seated. And when he sat him down the Sultan commanded all who
were in the presence of Eunuchs and Chamberlains to withdraw, and
they withdrew leaving the Sovran with the old religious. But the
second Darwaysh still knelt in his bonds under the sword of the
Sworder who, standing over against his head, kept looking for the
royal signal to strike. Then cried the King, "O Mendicant, what
drove thee to take my son, the core of my heart?" He replied, "By
Allah, O King, I took him not for mine own pleasure; but he would
not go from me and I threatened him, withal he showed no fear
till this destiny descended upon us." Now when the Sultan heard
these words his heart softened to the old man and he pitied him
while the Sultanah who sat behind the curtain fell to weeping
aloud. Presently the King said, "O Darwaysh, relate to us thy
history, for needs must it be a singular;" but the old man began
to shed tears and said, "O King of the Age, I have a marvellous
adventure which were it graven with needle-gravers upon the
eye-corners were a warning to whoso would be warned." The Sultan
was surprised and replied, "What then may be thy history, O
Mendicant?" and the other rejoined, "O King of the Age, I will
recount it to thee."[FN#196] Accordingly he told him of his
kingship and the Wazir tempting his wife and of her slaying the
nurse, the slave-girls, and the Eunuch; but when he came to this
point the Sultanah ran out in haste and hurry from behind the
curtain and rushing up to the Darwaysh threw herself upon his
bosom. The King seeing this marvelled and in a fury of jealousy
clapped hand to hilt crying to the Fakir, "This be most unseemly
behaviour!" But the Queen replied, "Hold thy hand, by Allah, he
is my father and I am his loving daughter;" and she wept and
laughed alternately[FN#197] all of the excess of her joy. Hereat
the King wondered and bade release the second religious and
exclaimed, "Sooth he spake who said:?
Allah joineth the parted when think the twain * With firmest
thought ne'er to meet again."
Then the Sultanah began recounting to him the history of her sire
and specially what befel him from his Wazir; and he, when he
heard her words, felt assured of their truth. Presently he bade
them change the habits of her father and of his Wazir and dress
them with the dress of Kings; and he set apart for them an
apartment and allotted to them rations of meat and drink; so
extolled be He who disuniteth and reuniteth! Now the Sultanah in
question was the youngest daughter of the old King who had been
met by the Knight when out hunting, the same that owed all his
fair fortunes to her auspicious coming. Accordingly the father
was assured of having found the lost one and was delighted to
note her high degree; but after tarrying with her for a time he
asked permission of his son-in-law to set out in quest of her two
sisters and he supplicated Almighty Allah to reunite him with the
other twain as with this first one. Thereupon quoth the Sultan,
"It may not be save that I accompany thee, for otherwise haply
some mishap of the world may happen to thee." Then the three sat
down in council debating what they should do and in fine they
agreed to travel, taking with them some of the Lords of the land
and Chamberlains and Nabobs. They made ready and after three days
they marched out of the city?And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister
mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next
night and that was
The Three Hundred and Eighty-second Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the old
King marched forth the city accompanied by his son-in-law and his
Wazir after the Sultan had supplied his own place by a
Vice-regent who would carry out his commandments. Then they
turned to travelling in quest of the two lost daughters and
stinted not their wayfare for a space of twenty days, when they
drew near a city lofty of base, and, finding a spacious camping
plain, thereon pitched their tents. The time was set of sun, so
the cooks applied themselves to getting ready the evening meal
and when supper was served up all ate what sufficed them, and it
was but little because of the travails of travel, and they
nighted in that site until morn was high. Now the ruler of that
city was a Sultan mighty of might, potent of power and exceeding
in energy; and he was surprised to hear a Chamberlain report to
him saying, "O King of the Age, after an eventless night early
this morning we found outside thy capital tents and pavilions
with standards and banners planted overagainst them and all this
after the fashion of the Kings." The Sovran replied, "There is no
help but that to these creations of Allah some requirement is
here: however, we will learn their tidings." So he took horse
with his Grandees and made for the ensigns and colours, and
drawing near he noted gravity and majesty in the array and
eunuchs and followers and serving-men standing ready to do duty.
Then he dismounted and walked till he approached the bystanders
whom he greeted with the salam. They salam'd in return and
received him with most honourable reception and highmost respect
till they had introduced him into the royal Shahmiyánah; when the
two Kings rose to him and welcomed him and he wished them long
life in such language as is spoken by Royalties; and all sat down
to converse one with other. Now the Lord of the city had warned
his people before he fared forth that dinner must be prepared; so
when it was mid-forenoon the Farrásh-folk[FN#198] spread the
tables with trays of food and the guests came forward, one and
all, and enjoyed their meal and were gladdened. Then the dishes
were carried away for the servants and talk went round till
sun-set, at which time the King again ordered food to be brought
and all supped till they had their sufficiency. But the Sultan
kept wondering in his mind and saying, "Would Heaven I wot the
cause of these two Kings coming to us!" and when night fell the
strangers prayed him to return home and to revisit them next
morning. So he farewelled them and fared forth. This lasted three
days, during which time he honoured them with all honour, and on
the fourth he got ready for them a banquet and invited them to
his Palace. They mounted and repaired thither when he set before
them food; and as soon as they had fed, the trays were removed
and coffee and confections and sherbets were served up and they
sat talking and enjoying themselves till supper-tide when they
sought permission to hie campwards. But the Sultan of the city
sware them to pass the night with him; so they returned to their
session till the father of the damsels said, "Let each of us tell
a tale that our waking hours may be the more pleasant." "Yes,"
they replied and all agreed in wishing that the Sultan of the
city would begin. Now by the decree of the Decreer the
lattice-window of the Queen opened upon the place of session and
she could see them and hear every word they said. He began, "By
Allah I have to relate an adventure which befel me and 'tis one
of the wonders of our time." Quoth they, "And what may it
be?"?And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell
silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Three Hundred and Eighty-third Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
of the city said:?In such a year I had a malady which none
availed to medicine until at last an old woman came to me bearing
a tasse of broth which when I drank caused health return to me.
So I bade her bring me a cupful every day and I drank it till,
after a time, I chanced to ask her who made that broth and she
answered that it was her daughter. And one day I assumed a
disguise and went to the ancient dame's house and there saw the
girl who was a model of beauty and loveliness, brilliancy,
symmetric stature and perfect grace, and seeing her I lost my
heart to her, and asked her to wife. She answered, "How can I
wed; I separated from my sisters and parents and all unknowing
what hath become of them?" Now when the father of the damsels
heard these words, tears rolled down his cheeks in rills and he
remembered his two lost girls and wept and moaned and complained,
the Sultan looking on in astonishment the while; and when he went
to his Queen he found her lying in a fainting fit. Hereupon he
cried out her name and seated her and she on coming to exclaimed,
"By Allah, he who wept before you is my very father: by Him who
created me I have no doubt thereof!" So the Sultan went down to
his father-in-law and led him up to the Harem, and the daughter
rose and met him and they threw their arms round each other's
necks, and fondly greeted each other. After this the old King
passed the night relating to her what had befallen him while she
recounted to him whatso hath betided her, from first to last,
whereupon their rejoicings increased and the father thanked
Almighty Allah for having found two of his three children. The
old King and his sons-in-law and his Wazir ceased not to enjoy
themselves in the city, eating and drinking[FN#199] and making
merry for a space of two days when the father asked aidance of
his daughters' husbands to seek his third child that the general
joy might be perfected. This request they granted and resolved to
journey with him; so they made their preparations for travel and
issued forth the city together with sundry Lords of the land and
high Dignitaries, all taking with them what was required of
rations. Then travelling together in a body they faced the march.
This was their case; but as regards the third daughter (she who
in man's attire had served the Kunáfah-baker), after being
married to the Sultan his love for her and desire to her only
increased and she cohabited with him for a length of time. But
one day of the days she called to mind her parents and her kith
and kin and her native country, so she wept with sorest weeping
till she swooned away and when she recovered she rose without
stay or delay and taking two suits of Mameluke's habits patiently
awaited the fall of night. Presently she donned one of the
dresses and went down to the stables where, finding all the
grooms asleep, she saddled her a stallion of the noblest strain
and clinging to the near side mounted him. Then, having
supplicated the veiling of the Veiler, she fared under cover of
the glooms for her own land, all unweeting the way, and when
night gave place to day she saw herself amidst mountains and
sands; nor did she know what she should do. However she found on
a hill-flank some remnants of the late rain which she drank;
then, loosing the girths of her horse she gave him also to drink
and she was about to take her rest in that place when, lo and
behold! a lion big of bulk and mighty of might drew near her and
he was lashing his tail[FN#200] and roaring thunderously.?And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the
lion advanced to spring upon the Princess who was habited as a
Mameluke, and rushed to rend her in pieces, she, seeing her
imminent peril, sprang up in haste and bared her blade and met
him brand in hand saying, "Or he will slay me or I slay him." But
as she was hearty of heart she advanced till the two met and fell
to fight and struck each at other, but the lion waxed furious and
gnashed his tusks, now retreating and now circuiting around her
and then returning to front his foe purposing to claw her, when
she heartened her heart and without giving ground she swayed her
sabre with all the force of her forearm and struck the beast
between the eyes and the blade came out gleaming between his
thighs and he sank on earth life-forlore and weltering in his
gore. Presently she wiped her scymitar and returned it to its
sheath; then, drawing a whittle she came up to the carcass
intending to skin it for her own use, when behold, there towered
from afar two dust-clouds, one from the right and the other from
the left, whereat she withdrew from flaying the lion's fell and
applied herself to looking out. Now by the decree of the Decreer
the first dust-cloud approaching her was that raised by the host
of her father and his sons-in-law who, when they drew near all
stood to gaze upon her and consider her, saying in wonderment one
to other, "How can this white slave (and he a mere lad) have
slain this lion single-handed? Walláhi, had that beast charged
down upon us he had scattered us far and wide, and haply he had
torn one of us to pieces. By Allah, this matter is marvellous!"
But the Mameluke looked mainly at the old King whom he knew to be
his sire for his heart went forth to him. Meanwhile the second
dust-cloud approached until those beneath it met the others who
had foregone them, and behold, under it was the husband of the
disguised Princess and his many. Now the cause of this King
marching forth and coming thither was this. When he entered the
Palace intending for the Harem, he found not his Queen, and he
fared forth to seek her and presently by the decree of the
Decreer the two hosts met at the place where the lion had been
killed. The Sultan gazed upon the Mameluke and marveiled at his
slaying the monster and said to himself, "Now were this white
slave mine I would share with him my good and stablish him in my
kingdom." Herewith the Mameluke came forward and flayed the lion
of his fell and gutted him; then, lighting a fire he roasted
somewhat of his flesh until it was sufficiently cooked all gazing
upon him the while and marvelling at the heartiness of his heart.
And when the meat was ready, he carved it and setting it upon a
Sufrah[FN#201] of leather said to all present, "Bismillah, eat,
in the name of Allah, what Fate hath given to you!" Thereupon all
came forward and fell to eating of the lion's flesh except the
Princess's husband who was not pleased to join them and said, "By
Allah, I will not eat of this food until I learn the case of this
youth."[FN#202] Now the Princess had recognised her spouse from
the moment of his coming, but she was concealed from him by her
Mameluke's clothing; and he disappeared time after time then
returned to gaze upon the white slave, eyeing now his eyes now
his sides and now the turn of his neck and saying privily in his
mind, "Laud to the Lord who created and fashioned him! By Allah
this Mameluke is the counterpart of my wife in eyes and nose, and
all his form and features are made likest-like unto hers. So
extolled be He who hath none similar and no equal!" He was
drowned in this thought but all the rest ate till they had eaten
enough; then they sat down to pass the rest of their day and
their night in that stead. When it was dawn each and every craved
leave to depart upon his own business; but the Princess's husband
asked permission to wander in quest of her while the old King,
the father of the damsels, determined to go forth with his two
sons-in-law and find the third and last of his lost daughters.
Then the Mameluke said to them, "O my lords, sit we down, I and
you, for the rest of the day in this place and to-morrow I will
travel with you." Now the Princess for the length of her
wanderings (which began too when she was a little one) had
forgotten the semblance of her sire; but when she looked upon the
old King her heart yearned unto him and she fell to talking with
him, while he on his part whenever he gazed at her felt a like
longing and sought speech of her. So the first who consented to
the Mameluke's proposal was the sire whose desire was naught save
to sit beside her; then the rest also agreed to pass the day
reposing in that place, for that it was a pleasant mead and a
spacious, garnished with green grass and bright with bourgeon and
blossom. So they took seat there till sundown when each brought
out what victual he had and all ate their full and then fell to
conversing; and presently said the Princess, "O my lords, let
each of you tell us a tale which he deemeth strange." Her father
broke in saying, "Verily this rede be right and the first to
recount will be I, for indeed mine is a rare adventure." Then he
began his history telling them that he was born a King and that
such-and-such things had befallen him and so forth until the end
of his tale; and the Princess hearing his words was certified
that he was her sire. So presently she said, "And I too have a
strange history."?And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day
and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Princess in Mameluke's habit said, "And I too have a strange
history." Then she fell to relating all that had betided her from
the very beginning to that which hath before been described; and
when her father heard it he felt assured that she was his
daughter. So he arose and threw himself upon her and embraced her
and after he veiled her face with a kerchief was with him, and
her husband exclaimed, "Would to Heaven that I also could
forgather with my wife." Quoth she, "Inshallah, and that soon,"
and she inclined to him after kindly fashion and said to herself,
"Indeed this be my true husband." Herewith all resolved to march
from that stead and they departed, the Princess's spouse still
unknowing that she was his wife; and they stinted not faring till
they entered the Sultan's city and all made for the Palace. Then
the Princess slipped privily into the Harem without the knowledge
of her mate and changed her semblance, when her father said to
her husband, "Hie thee to the women's apartment: haply Allah may
show to thee thy wife." So he went in and found her sitting in
her own apartment and he marvelled as he espied her and drew near
her and threw his arms round her neck of his fond love to her and
asked her concerning her absence. Thereupon she told him the
truth saying, "I went forth seeking my sire and habited in a
Mameluke's habit and 'twas I slew the lion and roasted his flesh
over the fire, but thou wouldest not eat thereof." At these words
the Sultan rejoiced and his rejoicings increased and all were in
the highmost of joy and jolliment; he and her father with the two
other sons-in-law, and this endured for a long while. But at last
all deemed it suitable to revisit their countries and capitals
and each farewelled his friends and the whole party returned safe
and sound to their own homes.[FN#203] Now when it was the next
night and that was
The Three Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,