Ali asked the cause of the decorations, they told him the truth of the
case; so he blessed Merchant Ma’aruf and cried, “May Allah Almighty veil
his fame and not bring him to public shame!” And all the merchants
rejoiced and were glad for that they would get their monies. Then the
King assembled his troops and rode forth, whilst Abu al-Sa’adat returned
to Ma’aruf and acquainted him with the delivering of the letter. Quoth
Ma’aruf, “Bind on the loads;” and when they had done so, he donned the
treasure-suit and mounting the litter became a thousand times greater
and more majestic than the King. Then he set forward; but, when he had
gone half-way, behold, the King met him with the troops, and seeing him
riding in the Takhtrawan and clad in the dress aforesaid, threw himself
upon him and saluted him, and giving him joy of his safety, greeted him
with the greeting of peace. Then all the Lords of the land saluted him
and it was made manifest that he had spoken the truth and that in him
there was no lie. Presently he entered the city in such state procession
as would have caused the gall-bladder of the lion to burst[72] for envy
and the traders pressed up to him and kissed his hands, whilst Merchant
Ali said to him, “Thou hast played off this trick and it hath prospered
to thy hand, O Shaykh of Impostors! But thou deservest it and may Allah
the Most High increase thee of His bounty!”; whereupon Ma’aruf laughed.
Then he entered the palace and sitting down on the throne said, “Carry
the loads of gold into the treasury of my uncle the King and bring me
the bales of cloth.” So they brought them to him and opened them before
him, bale after bale, till they had unpacked the seven hundred loads,
whereof he chose out the best and said, “Bear these to Princess Dunya
that she may distribute them among her slave-girls; and carry her also
this coffer of jewels, that she may divide them among her handmaids and
eunuchs.” Then he proceeded to make over to the merchants in whose debt
he was stuffs by way of payment for their arrears, giving him whose due
was a thousand, stuffs worth two thousand or more; after which he fell
to distributing to the poor and needy, whilst the King looked on with
greedy eyes and could not hinder him; nor did he cease largesse till he
had made an end of the seven hundred loads, when he turned to the troops
and proceeded to apportion amongst them emeralds and rubies and pearls
and coral and other jewels by handsful, without count, till the King
said to him, “Enough of this giving, O my son! There is but little left
of the baggage.” But he said, “I have plenty.” Then indeed, his good
faith was become manifest and none could give him the lie; and he had
come to reck not of giving, for that the Slave of the Seal-ring brought
him whatsoever he sought. Presently, the treasurer came in to the King
and said, “O King of the age, the treasury is full indeed and will not
hold the rest of the loads. Where shall we lay that which is left of the
gold and jewels?” And he assigned to him another place. As for the
Princess Dunya when she saw this, her joy redoubled and she marvelled
and said in herself, “Would I wot how came he by all this wealth!” In
like manner the traders rejoiced in that which he had given them and
blessed him; whilst Merchant Ali marvelled and said to himself, “I
wonder how he hath lied and swindled, that he hath gotten him all these
treasures[73]? Had they come from the King’s daughter, he had not wasted
them on this wise! But how excellent is his saying who said:—
When the Kings’ King giveth, in reverence pause ✿ And venture not to
enquire the cause:
Allah gives His gifts unto whom He will, ✿ So respect and abide by His
Holy Laws!
So far concerning him; but as regards the King, he also marvelled with
passing marvel at that which he saw of Ma’aruf’s generosity and
openhandedness in the largesse of wealth. Then the Merchant went in to
his wife, who met him, smiling and laughing-lipped and kissed his hand,
saying, “Didst thou mock me or hadst thou a mind to prove me with thy
saying:—I am a poor man and a fugitive from my wife? Praised be Allah
for that I failed not of my duty to thee! For thou art my beloved and
there is none dearer to me than thou, whether thou be rich or poor. But
I would have thee tell me what didst thou design by these words.” Said
Ma’aruf, “I wished to prove thee and see whether thy love were sincere
or for the sake of wealth and the greed of worldly good. But now ’tis
become manifest to me that thine affection is sincere and as thou art a
true woman, so welcome to thee! I know thy worth.” Then he went apart
into a place by himself and rubbed the seal-ring, whereupon Abu
al-Sa’adat presented himself and said to him, “Adsum, at thy service!
Ask what thou wilt.” Quoth Ma’aruf, “I want a treasure-suit and
treasure-trinkets for my wife, including a necklace of forty unique
jewels.” Quoth the Jinni, “To hear is to obey,” and brought him what he
sought, whereupon Ma’aruf dismissed him and carrying the dress and
ornaments in to his wife, laid them before her and said, “Take these and
put them on and welcome!” When she saw this, her wits fled for joy, and
she found among the ornaments a pair of anklets of gold set with jewels
of the handiwork of the magicians, and bracelets and earrings and a
belt[74] such as no money could buy. So she donned the dress and
ornaments and said to Ma’aruf, “O my lord, I will treasure these up for
holidays and festivals.” But he answered, “Wear them always, for I have
others in plenty.” And when she put them on and her women beheld her,
they rejoiced and bussed his hands. Then he left them and going apart by
himself, rubbed the seal-ring whereupon its slave appeared and he said
to him, “Bring me an hundred suits of apparel, with their ornaments of
gold.” “Hearing and obeying,” answered Abu al Sa’adat and brought him
the hundred suits, each with its ornaments wrapped up within it. Ma’aruf
took them and called aloud to the slave-girls, who came to him and he
gave them each a suit: so they donned them and became like the
black-eyed girls of Paradise, whilst the Princess Dunya shone amongst
them as the moon among the stars. One of the handmaids told the King of
this and he came in to his daughter and saw her and her women dazzling
all who beheld them; whereat he wondered with passing wonderment. Then
he went out and calling his Wazir, said to him, “O Wazir, such and such
things have happened; what sayst thou now of this affair?” Said he, “O
King of the age, this be no merchant’s fashion; for a merchant keepeth a
piece of linen by him for years and selleth it not but at a profit. How
should a merchant have generosity such as this generosity, and whence
should he get the like of these monies and jewels, of which but a slight
matter is found with the Kings? So how should loads thereof be found
with merchants? Needs must there be a cause for this; but, an thou wilt
hearken to me, I will make the truth of the case manifest to thee.”
Answered the King, “O Wazir, I will do thy bidding.” Rejoined the
Minister, “Do thou foregather with thy son-in-law and make a show of
affect to him and talk with him and say:—O my son-in-law, I have a mind
to go, I and thou and the Wazir but no more, to a flower-garden that we
may take our pleasure there. When we come to the garden, we will set on
the table wine, and I will ply him therewith and compel him to drink;
for, when he shall have drunken, he will lose his reason and his
judgment will forsake him. Then we will question him of the truth of his
case and he will discover to us his secrets, for wine is a traitor and
Allah-gifted is he who said:—
When we drank the wine, and it crept its way ✿ To the place of Secrets,
I cried, “O stay!”
In my fear lest its influence stint my wits ✿ And my friends spy matters
that hidden lay.
When he hath told us the truth we shall ken his case and may deal with
him as we will; because I fear for thee the consequences of this his
present fashion: haply he will covet the kingship and win over the
troops by generosity and lavishing money and so depose thee and take the
kingdom from thee.” “True,” answered the King.——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir
devised this device the King said to him, “Thou hast spoken sooth!”; and
they passed the night on this agreement. And when morning morrowed the
King went forth and sat in the guest-chamber, when lo, and behold! the
grooms and serving-men came in to him in dismay. Quoth he, “What hath
befallen you?”; and quoth they, “O King of the age, the Syces curried
the horses and foddered them and the he-mules which brought the baggage;
but, when we arose in the morning, we found that thy son-in-law’s
Mamelukes had stolen the horses and mules. We searched the stables, but
found neither horse nor mule; so we entered the lodging of the Mamelukes
and found none there, nor know we how they fled.” The King marvelled at
this, unknowing that the horses and Mamelukes were all Ifrits, the
subjects of the Slave of the Spell, and asked the grooms, “O accursed
how could a thousand beasts and five hundred slaves and servants flee
without your knowledge?” Answered they, “We know not how it happened,”
and he cried, “Go, and when your lord cometh forth of the Harim, tell
him the case.” So they went out from before the King and sat down
bewildered, till Ma’aruf came out and, seeing them chagrined enquired of
them, “What may be the matter?” They told him all that had happened and
he said, “What is their worth that ye should be concerned for them? Wend
your ways.” And he sat laughing and was neither angry nor grieved
concerning the case; whereupon the King looked in the Wazir’s face and
said to him, “What manner of man is this, with whom wealth is of no
worth? Needs must there be a reason for this?” Then they talked with him
awhile and the King said to him, “O my son-in-law, I have a mind to go,
I, thou and the Wazir, to a garden, where we may divert ourselves.” “No
harm in that,” said Ma’aruf. So they went forth to a flower-garden,
wherein every sort of fruit was of kinds twain and its waters were
flowing and its trees towering and its birds carolling. There they
entered a pavilion, whose sight did away sorrow from the soul, and sat
talking, whilst the Minister entertained them with rare tales and quoted
merry quips and mirth-provoking sayings and Ma’aruf attentively
listened, till the time of dinner came, when they set on a tray of meats
and a flagon of wine. When they had eaten and washed hands, the Wazir
filled the cup and gave it to the King, who drank it off; then he filled
a second and handed it to Ma’aruf, saying, “Take the cup of the drink to
which Reason boweth neck in reverence.” Quoth Ma’aruf, “What is this, O
Wazir?”; and quoth he, “This is the grizzled[75] virgin and the old maid
long kept at home,[76] the giver of joy to hearts, whereof saith the
poet:—
The feet of sturdy Miscreants[77] went trampling heavy tread, ✿ And she
hath ta’en a vengeance dire on every Arab’s head.
A Káfir youth like fullest moon in darkness hands her round ✿ Whose eyne
are strongest cause of sin by him inspiritèd.
And Allah-gifted is he who said:-
’Tis as if wine and he who bears the bowl, ✿ Rising to show her charms
for man to see,[78]
Were dancing undurn-Sun whose face the moon ✿ Of night adorned with
stars of Gemini.
So subtle is her essence it would seem ✿ Through every limb like course
of soul runs she.
And how excellent is the saying of the poet:—
Slept in mine arms full Moon of brightest blee ✿ Nor did that sun
eclipse in goblet see:
I nighted spying fire whereto bow down ✿ Magians, which bowed from
ewer’s lip to me.
And that of another:—
It runs through every joint of them as runs ✿ The surge of health
returning to the sick.
And yet another:—
I marvel at its pressers, how they died ✿ And left us _aqua vitæ_—lymph
of life!
And yet goodlier is the saying of Abu Nowas:—
Cease then to blame me, for thy blame doth anger bring ✿ And with the
draught that madded me come med’cining:
A yellow girl[79] whose court cures every carking care; ✿ Did a stone
touch it would with joy and glee upspring:
She riseth in her ewer during darkest night ✿ The house with brightest,
sheeniest light illumining:
And going round of youths to whom the world inclines[80] ✿ Ne’er, save
in whatso way they please, their hearts shall wring.
From hand of coynted[81] lass begarbed like yarded lad,[82] ✿ Wencher
and Tribe of Lot alike enamouring,
She comes: and say to him who dares claim lore of love ✿ Something hast
learnt but still there’s many another thing.
But best of all is the saying of Ibn al-Mu’tazz[83]:—
On the shaded woody island[84] His showers Allah deign ✿ Shed on Convent
hight Abdún[85] drop and drip of railing rain:
Oft the breezes of the morning have awakened me therein ✿ When the Dawn
shows her blaze,[86] ere the bird of flight was fain;
And the voices of the monks that with chants awoke the walls ✿
Black-frocked shavelings ever wont the cup amorn to drain.[87]
’Mid the throng how many fair with languour-kohl’d eyes[88] ✿ And lids
enfolding lovely orbs where black on white was lain,
In secret came to see me by shirt of night disguised ✿ In terror and in
caution a-hurrying amain!
Then I rose and spread my cheek like a carpet on his path ✿ In homage,
and with skirts wiped his trail from off the plain.
But threatening disgrace rose the Crescent in the sky ✿ Like the paring
of a nail yet the light would never wane:
Then happened whatso happened: I disdain to kiss and tell ✿ So deem of
us thy best and with queries never mell.
And gifted of God is he who saith:—
In the morn I am richest of men ✿ And in joy at good news I start up
For I look on the liquid gold[89] ✿ And I measure it out by the cup.
And how goodly is the saying of the poet:—
By Allah, this is th’ only alchemy ✿ All said of other science false we
see!
Carat of wine on hundredweight of woe ✿ Transmuteth gloomiest grief to
joy and glee.
And that of another:—
The glasses are heavy when empty brought ✿ Till we charge them all with
unmixèd wine.
Then so light are they that to fly they’re fain ✿ As bodies lightened by
soul divine.
And yet another:—
Wine-cup and ruby-wine high worship claim; ✿ Dishonour ’twere to see
their honour waste:
Bury me, when I’m dead, by side of vine ✿ Whose veins shall moisten
bones in clay misplaced;
Nor bury me in wold and wild, for I ✿ Dread only after death no wine to
taste.”[90]
And he ceased not to egg him on to the drink, naming to him such of the
virtues of wine as he thought well and reciting to him what occurred to
him of poetry and pleasantries on the subject, till Ma’aruf addressed
himself to sucking the cup-lips and cared no longer for aught else. The
Wazir ceased not to fill for him and he to drink and enjoy himself and
make merry, till his wits wandered and he could not distinguish right
from wrong. When the Minister saw that drunkenness had attained in him
to utterest and the bounds transgressed, he said to him, “By Allah, O
Merchant Ma’aruf, I admire whence thou gottest these jewels whose like
the Kings of the Chosroës possess not! In all our lives never saw we a
merchant that had heaped up riches like unto thine or more generous than
thou, for thy doings are the doings of Kings and not merchants’ doings.
Wherefore, Allah upon thee, do thou acquaint me with this, that I may
know thy rank and condition.” And he went on to test him with questions
and cajole him, till Ma’aruf, being reft of reason, said to him, “I’m
neither merchant nor King,” and told him his whole story from first to
last. Then said the Wazir, “I conjure thee by Allah, O my lord Ma’aruf,
show us the ring, that we may see its make.” So, in his drunkenness, he
pulled off the ring and said, “Take it and look upon it.” The Minister
took it and turning it over, said, “If I rub it, will its slave appear?”
Replied Ma’aruf, “Yes. Rub it and he will appear to thee, and do thou
divert thyself with the sight of him.” Thereupon the Wazir rubbed the
ring and behold forthright appeared the Jinni and said, “Adsum, at thy
service, O my lord! Ask and it shall be given to thee. Wilt thou ruin a
city or raise a capital or kill a king? Whatso thou seekest, I will do
for thee, sans fail.” The Wazir pointed to Ma’aruf and said, “Take up
yonder wretch and cast him down in the most desolate of desert lands,
where he shall find nothing to eat nor drink, so he may die of hunger
and perish miserably, and none know of him.” Accordingly, the Jinni
snatched him up and flew with him betwixt heaven and earth, which when
Ma’aruf saw, he made sure of destruction and wept and said, “O Abu
al-Sa’adat, whither goest thou with me?” Replied the Jinni, “I go to
cast thee down in the Desert Quarter,[91] O ill-bred wight of gross
wits. Shall one have the like of this talisman and give it to the folk
to gaze at? Verily, thou deservest that which hath befallen thee; and
but that I fear Allah, I would let thee fall from a[91] eight of a
thousand fathoms, nor shouldst thou reach the earth, till the winds had
torn thee to shreds.” Ma’aruf was silent[92] and did not again bespeak
him till he reached the Desert Quarter and casting him down there, went
away and left him in that horrible place.——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Slave of the
Seal-ring took up Ma’aruf and cast him down in the Desert Quarter where
he left him and went his ways. So much concerning him; but returning to
the Wazir who was now in possession of the talisman, he said to the
King, “How deemest thou now? Did I not tell thee that this fellow was a
liar, an impostor, but thou wouldst not credit me?” Replied the King,
“Thou wast in the right, O my Wazir, Allah grant thee weal! But give me
the ring, that I may solace myself with the sight.” The Minister looked
at him angrily and spat in his face, saying, “O lack-wits, how shall I
give it to thee and abide thy servant, after I am become thy master? But
I will spare thee no more on life.” Then he rubbed the seal-ring and
said to the Slave, “Take up this ill-mannered churl and cast him down by
his son-in-law the swindler-man.” So the Jinni took him up and flew off
with him, whereupon quoth the King to him, “O creature of my Lord, what
is my crime?” Abu al-Sa’adat replied, “That wot I not, but my master
hath commanded me and I cannot cross whoso hath compassed the enchanted
ring.” Then he flew on with him, till he came to the Desert Quarter and,
casting him down where he had cast Ma’aruf left him and returned. The
King hearing Ma’aruf weeping, went up to him and acquainted him with his
case; and they sat weeping over that which had befallen them and found
neither meat nor drink. Meanwhile the Minister, after driving
father-in-law and son-in-law from the country, went forth from the
garden and summoning all the troops held a Divan, and told them what he
had done with the King and Ma’aruf and acquainted them with the affair
of the talisman, adding, “Unless ye make me Sultan over you, I will bid
the Slave of the Seal-ring take you up one and all and cast you down in
the Desert Quarter where you shall die of hunger and thirst.” They
replied, “Do us no damage, for we accept thee as Sultan over us and will
not anywise gainsay thy bidding.” So they agreed, in their own despite,
to his being Sultan over them, and he bestowed on them robes of honour,
seeking all he had a mind to of Abu al-Sa’adat, who brought it to him
forthwith. Then he sat down on the throne and the troops did homage to
him; and he sent to Princess Dunya, the King’s daughter, saying, “Make
thee ready, for I mean to come in unto thee this night, because I long
for thee with love.” When she heard this, she wept, for the case of her
husband and father was grievous to her, and sent to him saying, “Have
patience with me till my period of widowhood[93] be ended: then draw up
thy contract of marriage with me and go in to me according to law.” But
he sent back to say to her, “I know neither period of widowhood nor to
delay have I a mood; and I need not a contract nor know I lawful from
unlawful; but needs must I go in unto thee this night.” She answered him
saying, “So be it, then, and welcome to thee!”; but this was a trick on
her part. When the answer reached the Wazir, he rejoiced and his breast
was broadened, for that he was passionately in love with her. He bade
set food before all the folk, saying, “Eat; this is my bride-feast; for
I purpose to go in to the Princess Dunya this night.” Quoth the Shaykh
al-Islam, “It is not lawful for thee to go in unto her till her days of
widowhood be ended and thou have drawn up thy contract of marriage with
her.” But he answered, “I know neither days of widowhood nor other
period; so multiply not words on me.” The Shaykh Al-Islam was
silent,[94] fearing his mischief, and said to the troops, “Verily, this
man is a Kafir, a Miscreant, and hath neither creed nor religious
conduct.” As soon as it was evenfall, he went in to her and found her
robed in her richest raiment and decked with her goodliest adornments.
When she saw him, she came to meet him, laughing and said, “A blessed
night! But hadst thou slain my father and my husband, it had been more
to my mind.” And he said, “There is no help but I slay them.” Then she
made him sit down and began to jest with him and make show of love
caressing him and smiling in his face so that his reason fled; but she
cajoled him with her coaxing and cunning only that she might get
possession of the ring and change his joy into calamity on the mother of
his forehead:[95] nor did she deal thus with him but after the rede of
him who said[96]:—
I attained by my wits ✿ What no sword had obtained,
And return wi’ the spoils ✿ Whose sweet pluckings I gained.