The next morning, Dinarzade, being awake before day, called the
sultaness, and said, Sister, if you be not asleep, pray let us hear
the rest of the adventures that befel the ape. I believe my lord the
sultan is no less curious to know it than myself. You shall both be
soon satisfied, answered Scheherazade. The second calender continued
his story thus:--
The sultan took little notice of any of the other writings, but
considered mine, which was so much to his liking, that he said to
the officers, Take the finest horse in my stable, with the richest
harness, and a robe of the most sumptuous brocade, to put upon that
person who wrote the six hands, and bring him hither to me. At this
command the officers could not forbear laughing; the sultan grew
angry at their boldness, and was ready to punish them; till they
told him, Sir, we humbly beg your majesty’s pardon: these hands
were not written by a man, but by an ape. What do you say? said the
sultan: those admirable characters, are they not written by the
hands of a man? No, sir, replied the officers: we do assure your
majesty that it was an ape, who wrote them in our presence. The
sultan was too much surprised at this account not to desire a sight
of me; and therefore said, Do what I command you, and bring me
speedily that wonderful ape.
The officers returned to the vessel, and shewed the captain their
order, who answered, The sultan’s command must be obeyed.
Whereupon they clothed me with that rich brocade robe, and carried
me ashore, where they set me on horseback, whilst the sultan waited
for me at his palace, with a great number of courtiers, whom he
gathered together to do me the more honour.
The cavalcade being begun, the harbour, the streets, the public
places, windows, terraces, palaces, and houses, were filled with an
infinite number of people of all sorts, who flocked from all parts
of the city to see me; for the rumour was spread in a moment, that
the sultan had chosen an ape to be his grand vizier; and after
having served for a spectacle to the people, who could not forbear
to express their surprise by redoubling their shouts and cries, I
arrived at the palace of the sultan.
I found the prince on his throne in the midst of the grandees: I
made my bow three times very low, and at last kneeled and kissed the
ground before him, and afterwards sat down on my seat in the posture
of an ape. The whole assembly admired me, and could not comprehend
how it was possible that an ape should understand so well to pay the
sultan his due respect; and he himself was more astonished than any.
In short, the usual ceremony of the audience would have been
complete, could I have added speech to my behaviour; but apes do
never speak, and the advantage I had of having been a man did not
allow me that privilege.
The sultan dismissed his courtiers, and none remained by him but the
chief of the eunuchs, a little young slave, and myself. He went from
his chamber of audience into his own apartment, where he ordered
dinner to be brought. As he sat at table, he gave me a sign to come
near and eat with them: to show my obedience, I kissed the ground,
stood up, sat down at table, and ate with discretion and moderation.
Before the table was uncovered, I espied a writing-desk, which I
made a sign should be brought me: having got it, I wrote upon a
large peach some verses after my way, which testified my
acknowledgment to the sultan; who having read them after my
presenting him the peach, it increased his astonishment. When the
table was uncovered, they brought him a particular liquor, of which
he caused them to give me a glass. I drank and wrote upon it some
new verses, which explained the state I was reduced to, after many
sufferings. The sultan read them likewise, and said, A man that was
capable of doing so much would be above the greatest of men.
The sultan caused them to bring in a chess-board, and asked me by a
sign, if I understood that game, and would play with him? I kissed
the ground, and laying my hand upon my head, signified that I was
ready to receive that honour. He won the first game, but I won the
second and third; and perceiving he was somewhat displeased at it, I
made a quatrain to pacify him; in which I told him, that two potent
armies had been fighting furiously all day, but that they made up a
piece towards the evening, and passed the remaining part of the
night very peaceably together upon the field of battle.
So many circumstances appearing to the sultan far beyond what ever
any one had either seen or known of the cleverness or sense of apes,
he determined not to be the only witness of those prodigies himself,
but having a daughter, called the Lady of Beauty, on whom the chief
of the eunuchs, then present waited, Go, said the sultan to him, and
bid your lady come hither: I am desirous she should share my
pleasure.
The eunuch went, and immediately brought the princess, who had her
face uncovered; but she was no sooner come into the room, than she
put on her veil, and said to the sultan, Sir, your majesty must
needs have forgotten yourself: I am very much surprised that your
majesty has sent for me to appear among men. How, daughter! said the
sultan, you do not know what you say: here is nobody but the little
slave, the eunuch your governor, and myself, who have the liberty to
see your face; and yet you lower your veil, and blame me for having
sent for you hither. --Sir, said the princess, your majesty shall
soon understand that I am not in the wrong. That ape you see before
you, though he has the shape of an ape, is a young prince, son of a
great king; he has been metamorphosed into an ape by enchantment. A
genie, the son of the daughter of Eblis, has maliciously done him
this wrong, after having cruelly taken away the life of the princess
of the isle of Ebene, daughter to the king Epitimarus.
The sultan, astonished at this discourse, turned towards me, and
spoke no more by signs, but in plain words asked me, if it was true
what his daughter said? Seeing I could not speak, I put my hand to
my head to signify that what the princess spoke was true. Upon this
the sultan said again to his daughter, How do you know that this
prince has been transformed by enchantment into an ape? --Sir,
replied the Lady of Beauty, your majesty may remember that when I
was past my infancy, I had an old lady waited upon me; she was a
most expert magician, and taught me seventy rules of magic, by
virtue of which I can transport your capital city into the midst of
the sea in the twinkling of an eye, or beyond mount Caucasus. By
this science I know all enchanted persons at first sight; I know who
they are, and by whom they have been enchanted; therefore do not be
surprised if I should forthwith relieve this prince, in spite of the
enchantment, from that which hinders him to appear in your sight
what he naturally is. Daughter, said the sultan, I did not believe
you to have understood so much. --Sir, replied the princess, these
things are curious and worth knowing: but I think I ought not to
boast of them. --Since it is so, said the sultan, you can dispel the
prince’s enchantment. --Yes, sir, said the princess, I can restore
him to his first shape again. --Do it then, said the sultan, you
cannot do me a greater pleasure; for I will have him to be my
vizier, and he shall marry you. --Sir, said the princess, I am ready
to obey you in all that you should be pleased to command me.
Scheherazade, as she spoke, espied day, and broke off her story of
the second calender: and Schahriar, judging the sequel would be as
diverting as the former part of it, resolved to hear it next day.