Dear sister, said Dinarzade, about break of day, if you be not
asleep, pray tell us the story of Zobeide, for, doubtless, that lady
told it to the caliph. She certainly did, said Scheherazade, after
that prince by his discourse had encouraged her to it. And it was in
this manner that she satisfied his curiosity:--
The story of Zobeide.
Commander of the faithful, said she, the relation which I am about
to give your majesty is one of the strangest that ever was heard.
The two black bitches and myself are sisters by the same father and
mother; and I shall acquaint you by what strange accident they came
to be metamorphosed. The two ladies who live with me, and are now
here, are also my sisters by the father’s side, but by another
mother; she that has the scars upon her breast is named Amine, the
other’s name is Safie, and mine Zobeide.
After our father’s death, the estate that he left us was equally
divided among us; and as soon as these two sisters received their
portions, they went from me to live with their mother. My other two
sisters and myself staid with our mother, who was then alive, and
when she died, left each of us a thousand sequins. As soon as we
received our portions, the two elder, (for I am the youngest,) being
married, followed their husbands, and left me alone. Some time
after, my eldest sister’s husband sold all that he had, and with
that money and my sister’s portion, they went both into Africa,
where her husband, by riotous living and debauchery, spent all; and,
finding himself reduced to poverty, he found a pretext for divorcing
my sister, and put her away.
She returned to this city; and, having suffered incredible hardships
by the way, came to me in so lamentable a condition, that it would
have moved the hardest heart to compassion. I received her with all
the tenderness she could expect; and, inquiring into the cause of
her sad condition, she told me with tears how inhumanly her husband
had dealt by her. I was so much concerned at her misfortune that it
drew tears from my eyes. I put her into a bath, and clothed her with
my own apparel, and spoke to her thus: Sister, you are the elder,
and I esteem you as my mother; during your absence, God has blest
the portion that fell to my share, and the employment I follow to
feed and bring up silk-worms. Assure yourself there is nothing I
have but is at your service, and as much at your disposal as my own.
We lived very comfortably together for some months; and as we were
often discoursing together about our third sister, and wondering we
heard no news of her, she came in as bad a condition as the elder;
her husband had treated her after the same manner, and I received
her likewise with the same affection as I had done the former.
Some time after, my two sisters, on pretence that they would not be
chargeable to me, told me they had thoughts to marry again. I
answered them, that if their putting me to charge was all the
reason, they might lay those thoughts aside, and be very welcome to
stay with me; for what I had would be sufficient to maintain us all
three in a manner answerable to our condition. --But, said I, I
rather believe you have a mind to marry again; which if you have, I
am sure it will very much surprise me; after the experience you have
had of the small satisfaction there is in wedlock, is it possible
you dare venture a second time? You know how rare it is to meet with
a husband that is a real honest man. Believe what I say, and let us
live together as comfortable as we can. All my persuasion was in
vain; they were resolved to marry, and so they did. But after some
months were past, they came back again, and begged my pardon a
thousand times for not following my advice. You are our youngest
sister, said they, and abundantly more wise than we; but if you will
vouchsafe to receive us once more into your house, and account us
your slaves, we shall never commit such a fault again. My answer
was, Dear sisters, I have not altered my mind in respect to you
since we last parted from one another; come again, and take part of
what I have. Upon this I embraced them again, and we lived together
as we did formerly.
We continued thus a whole year in perfect love and tranquillity;
and, seeing that God had increased my small stock, I projected a
voyage by sea, to hazard somewhat in trade. To this end I went with
my two sisters to Balsora, where I bought a ship ready fitted for
sea, and laded her with such merchandise as I brought from Bagdad.
We set sail with a fair wind, and soon cleared the Persian gulf; and
when we got into the ocean, we steered our course to the Indies, and
the twentieth day saw land. --It was a very high mountain, at the
bottom of which we saw a great town; and, having a fresh gale, we
soon reached the harbour, where we cast anchor.
I had not patience to stay till my sisters were dressed to go along
with me, but went ashore in the boat by myself; and making directly
to the gate of the town, I saw there a great number of men upon
guard, some sitting, and others standing with batons in their hands;
and they had all such dreadful countenances that it frightened me;
but perceiving they had no motion, not so much as with their eyes, I
took courage, and went nearer, and then found they were all turned
into stones. I entered the town, and passed through the several
streets, wherein stood every where men in various attitudes, but all
motionless and petrified. On that side where the merchants lived I
found most of the shops shut, and in such as were open I likewise
found the people petrified. I looked up to the chimnies, but saw no
smoke, which made me conjecture that the inhabitants, both within
and without, were all turned into stone.
Being come into a vast square, in the heart of the city, I perceived
a great gate, covered with plates of gold, the two leaves of which
stood open, and a curtain of silk stuff seemed to be drawn before
it; I also saw a lamp hanging over the gate. After I had well
considered the fabric, I made no doubt but it was the palace of the
prince who reigned over that country; and being very much astonished
that I had not met with one living creature, I went thither in hopes
to find some. I entered the gate, and was still more surprised when
I saw none but the guards in the porches, all petrified, some
standing, some sitting, and some lying.
I crossed over a large court, where I saw a stately building just
before me, the windows of which were inclosed with gates of massy
gold. I supposed it to be the queen’s apartment, and went into a
large hall, where there stood several black eunuchs turned into
stone. I went from thence into a room richly hung and furnished,
where I perceived a lady in the same situation. I knew it to be the
queen by the crown of gold that hung over her head, and a necklace
of pearl about her neck, each of them as big as a nut: I went up
close to her to view it, and never beheld a finer sight.
I stood some time, and admired the riches and magnificence of the
room; but, above all, the foot-cloth, the cushions, and the sofas,
which were all lined with Indian stuff of gold, with pictures of men
and beasts, in silver, admirably executed.
Scheherazade would have continued longer, but day-light put a stop
to her discourse. The sultan was highly pleased with the story: I
must, said he, as he was getting out of bed, know what all this
wonderful petrifaction of men will come to.