Dinarzade, who also took a great deal of pleasure to hear the
sultaness’s stories, said to her, about the close of the following
night, Dear sister, if you be not asleep, I conjure you to go on
with the agreeable story of the three calenders.
Scheherazade asked leave of the sultan, and having obtained it, Sir,
said she, the three calenders, the caliph, the grand vizier Giafar,
the eunuch Mesrour, and the porter, were all in the middle of the
hall, seated upon a foot-carpet, in the presence of the three
ladies, who sat upon a sofa, and the slaves stood ready to do
whatever their mistresses should command.
The porter, understanding that he might extricate himself from
danger by telling his history, spoke first, and said, Madam, you
know my history already, and the occasion of my coming hither; so
that what I have to say will be very short. My lady, your sister
there, called me this morning at the place where I plied as porter
to see if any body would employ me, that I might get my bread. I
followed her to a vintner’s, then to an herb-shop, then to one
that sold oranges, lemons, and citrons, then to a grocer’s, next
to a confectioner’s, and a druggist’s, with my basket upon my
head as full as I was able to carry it: then I came hither, where
you had the goodness to suffer me to continue till now, a favour
that I shall never forget. This, madam, is my history.
When the porter had done, Zobeide said to him, Go, march, let us see
you no more here. Madam, replied the porter, I beg you to let me
stay: it would not be just, after the rest have had the pleasure to
hear my history, that I should not also have the satisfaction to
hear their’s. And, having spoken thus, sat down at the end of the
sofa, glad at heart to have escaped the danger that had frightened
him so much. After him, one of the three calenders, directing his
speech to Zobeide, as the principal of the three ladies, and the
person that commanded him to speak, began his story thus:--
The History of the First Calender, a King’s Son.
Madam, in order to inform you how I lost my right eye, and why I was
obliged to put myself into a calender’s habit, I must tell you,
that I am a king’s son born: the king my father had a brother that
reigned, as he did, over a neighbouring kingdom; and the prince his
son and I were nearly of the same age.
After I had learned my exercises, and the king my father granted me
such liberty as suited my dignity, I went regularly every year to
see my uncle, at whose court I amused myself for a month or two, and
then returned again to my father’s. These several journies
cemented a firm and intimate friendship between the prince my cousin
and myself. The last time I saw him he received me with greater
demonstrations of tenderness than he had done at any time before;
and, resolving one day to give me a treat, he made great
preparations for that purpose. We continued a long time at table;
and after we had both supped, Cousin, said he, you will hardly be
able to guess how I have been employed since your last departure
from hence, now about a year past. I have had a great many men at
work to perfect a design I have in my mind: I have caused an edifice
to be built, which is now finished so as to be habitable; you will
not be displeased if I show it you. But first you are to promise me,
upon oath, that you will keep my secret, according to the confidence
I repose in you.
The affection and familiarity that subsisted between us would not
allow me to refuse him any thing. I very readily took the oath
required of me: upon which he said to me, Stay here till I return
--I will be with you in a moment; and accordingly he came with a
lady in his hand, of singular beauty, and magnificently apparelled.
He did not intimate who she was, neither did I think it was polite
in me to inquire. We sat down again with this lady at table, where
we continued some time, conversing upon indifferent subjects, and
now and then filling a glass to each other’s health. After which
the prince said, Cousin, we must lose no time; therefore pray oblige
me by taking this lady along with you, and conducting her to such a
place, where you will see a tomb newly built in form or a dome. You
will easily know it, the gate is open; go in there together, and
tarry till I come, which will be very speedily.
Being true to my oath, I made no farther inquiry, but took the lady
by the hand, and, by the directions which the prince my cousin had
given me, I brought her to the place, by the light of the moon,
without missing one step of the way. We were scarcely got thither,
when we saw the prince following after, carrying a little pitcher
with water, a hatchet, and a little bag with plaster.
The hatchet served him to break down the empty sepulchre in the
middle of the tomb; he took away the stones one after another, and
laid them in a corner. When all this was taken away, he digged up
the ground, where I saw a trap-door under the sepulchre, which he
lifted up, and underneath perceived the head of a staircase leading
into a vault. Then my cousin, speaking to the lady, said, Madam, it
is by this way that we are to go to the place I told you of. Upon
which the lady drew nigh, and went down, and the prince began to
follow; but first, turning to me, said, My dear cousin, I am
infinitely obliged to you for the trouble you have taken; I thank
you. Adieu. I cried, Dear cousin, what is the meaning of this? Be
content, replied he; you may return back the same way you came.
Scheherazade having proceeded thus far, saw day appear, which
prevented her proceeding any farther. The sultan got up, but longed
very much to know the design of the prince and his lady, who seemed
as if they had a mind to bury themselves alive; and impatiently
waited for next night, that he might be thoroughly informed of it.