returned to heaven but a short time, and the victorious armies of the
believers in the true faith had converted the unbelievers of Arabia,
and of Syria, and of Mesopotamia, that there was a warrior of Persia,
a champion among the champions, whose name was Assad, and who had been
among the first to welcome the true faith in that country. He was a
man of so great might, that even the hosts of the Arabs would have
been worsted and overcome had he been against them. Now Assad, of his
greatness of heart and ambition, could not fold the hand of complacency
upon the belly of satiety, or remain at rest upon the carpet of luxury,
wherefore, when Persia was conquered, and the worshippers of fire
overthrown, and the people were converted, and peace was proclaimed,
seeing that there were no more enemies of the sons of Adam in whose
blood he might bathe his sword, he set forth single-handed against
the king of the Divs or Demons, in order that he might compel him
also to embrace the true faith of our Lord Mahommed. Now this king
was called the Red King, and he was Sultan over a thousand tribes
of the Jinn, each of which was a hundred thousand in number, and
every one of whom ruled over a thousand Marids, who each ruled over
a thousand Afrits, who each ruled over a thousand Shitans, and every
Shitan ruled over a thousand warlocks. No human foot had ever trodden
the soil of his country, because of the perils and frightful sights
and sounds by which it was encompassed, and which no human being had
hitherto had the courage to brave or the strength to encounter. But
Assad in his pride recked nought of these things, and donning his suit
of mail, and girding on his scimitar, he mounted his horse, a noble
beast of the Keheyleh tribe, and so set forth into the desert. Here he
journeyed on for many days, until hunger and thirst overtook him, and
his soul nearly departed from his body, when at length he came upon
a great sea of fresh water, whereupon he returned thanks to God for
his preservation, and drank his fill. Then he tethered his horse, and
sat down by the shore, because it was not possible for him to cross
or to go farther. After he had sat there for some time, putting his
trust in Allah the Compassionate, the Merciful, he heard a voice from
a neighbouring grove chanting the blessed Koran, and drawing near,
little by little, that he might see from whence the voice proceeded,
he perceived an ancient Sheikh, who had taken up his abode there in
an empty tomb. This Sheikh was clad in a garment of camel’s hair, his
locks were long and matted, and his beard descended to his knees. After
salutations, the Sheikh questioned him of his coming, whereupon Assad
related to him the cause, and of his desire to win to the kingdom of
the Divs, in order that he might propound to them the true faith, and
save their souls from the fire. The Sheikh when he heard these words
shook all over with delight, and said: ‘Oh! my son, know that I am of
the children of the Divs, and being converted to the true faith, I
sought to bring my father, the Red King, together with his subjects, to
profess that there was but one God, and that Mahommed was his Prophet;
but they would not listen to me, and scorned my words, and drove me
forth from among them. Whereupon I wept, and humbled myself to Allah,
and I besought Him that He would aid me to convert the blood of my
blood, and not visit them with His judgment. And He sent an angel to me
who swore that my prayer had been heard, and that in His good time He
would send a champion who would convert them, but that I must surrender
my immortality, and become one of the sons of Adam. This I accepted,
and immediately I became as thou seest me; for though I am the youngest
of the sons of the Red King, yet have I seen 1,040 years. Now, however,
thou wilt release me from this life, and I shall attain Paradise.’ Upon
this, he threw certain magic herbs upon a brazier of living coal, and
repeated some incantations, when immediately a ship appeared sailing
without wind, until it stopped at the shore where they were. Then the
Sheikh bade him depart in it, for it would carry him to the country of
the Divs; and scarcely had he ceased speaking, when he became a heap of
dust. Assad thereupon dug a grave, and deposited his remains therein,
and having read some verses of the Koran over him, went on board the
vessel. As soon as he had set foot upon it, it left the shore, and
without wind or sails departed swifter than the flight of the eagle
for the opposite shore, where he disembarked, and, mounting his horse,
fared on.
Now the Sheikh had informed him that he would first have to pass a
stony desert in which he would be assailed by soulless bodies of
hideous form, but that he must not heed them or turn his head, for
if he did they would instantly slay him, nor would his valour avail
him; and he had not proceeded a parasang into the desert when he was
surrounded with threatening forms such as the imagination can scarcely
conceive; nor would it have been possible for anyone endowed with less
valour and stoutness of heart and belief in his own strength than
Assad to have escaped death. For they tempted him in every way to turn
his head, they filled the air around him, they clasped him round the
waist, they sat on the crupper of his horse, but all this he heeded
not and fared on until he had left the desert behind him and had come
to an oasis, as the old man had informed him that he would, where he
found dates for himself, grass for his horse, and water for both; and
after he had said the evening prayers and had eaten, he passed the
night there. In the morning he arose refreshed, and prepared to go
through his second adventure, which was to pass through a plain filled
with wild beasts that seemed to bar his way, lions and winged serpents
and basilisks and unicorns, but he recked not of them, and passed on
unscathed, for as he had no fear they did him no harm. Then he saw
before him a mighty wall of fierce flame, and the blast from it was as
the blast from a furnace, or as the wind of the desert, and it roared
like a troop of baboons in a resounding cavern. He would have feared
to enter it, deeming that no man could enter it and live, had not the
old man forewarned him of it and assured him that it would not harm
him; and when he passed through it he felt nothing, no more than had
he been riding on the meidan. When he had passed through this, he saw
the whole army of the Red King drawn up before him in battle array,
arranged rank after rank, and more numerous than the blades of waving
corn. The air above them was thick with Afrits, whose forms were
hideous enough to instil fear even into the stoutest heart. As soon as
they perceived him, they gave a great cry and beat their spears upon
their shields so that the sky seemed as if it were about to fall, and a
hundred of their chiefest champions galloped forward to take him and
present him to their king, but though they wheeled round him and cut
and thrust, yet they could not overcome him; and he slew them one by
one until he had slain fifty of them, when fear of him overcame them,
their livers became water, and they fled before him, and the whole army
fled with them. Assad pursued them and seized the Red King as he too
was preparing to fly, and having bound him, drew his sword and made him
kneel down, and then propounded Islam to him, saying: ‘Either accept
the true belief in one God brought to us by our Lord Mahommed, on whom
be peace, or thy head shall roll from between thy shoulders.’ Whereupon
the Red King was convinced of the truth of Islam, and pronounced the
requisite formula: ‘Allah il Allah, Mahommed Rasoul Allah;’ so Assad
raised him from the ground, and unbound him and treated him with
honour, and after they had sat for a while conversing, the Red King
said: ‘Oh, my lord, since you have come among us, and we have become
brothers, it is incumbent upon us to show you somewhat of hospitality;
therefore accompany us to our city in order that we may do what is
necessary.’ To this Assad replied, ‘No harm’; and accordingly they set
forth mounted on horses richly caparisoned, the drums beating before
them, banners flying, and surrounded by the troops, until they arrived
at the city of the Red King. The inhabitants thereof decorated the
town and came forth to meet them and do them honour, and so conducted
them to the palace. Then the Red King took his seat on the musnud with
Assad on his right hand and the wuzeers and emirs and the captains
and chief men around him, and he cried out to them with a loud voice,
‘Oh, Jinn, this champion of the sons of Adam has come among us and has
vanquished the most accomplished of our cavaliers and most valiant of
our captains; and we threw out spells against him, but neither our
valour nor our spells availed us aught; wherefore it is obvious that
his religion is the true religion and it is incumbent upon us that
we embrace Islam.’ Then all present cried: ‘Long live our king!’ and
they one and all made the profession of the faith. After this, Assad
having accomplished his purpose, demanded permission of the king to
depart to his own country; but he replied to him, ‘What is this? You
would depart and have not yet partaken of our hospitality!’ So Assad
remained, and there were festivities for three days, every man eating
and drinking at the royal expense. On the third night, when Assad was
reposing in his chamber, he suddenly perceived that he was no longer
alone, but that a lovely girl stood by his couch, accompanied only
by one attendant slave girl. Did I attempt to describe her beauty to
you, no words would avail me, and I will only say, therefore, that it
was such that no human pen could write or human mind conceive it. She
smiled upon the bewildered Assad and then spoke in words sweeter than
distilled honey, saying: ‘My name is Tamineh, and I am the daughter
of the Red King. Hearing the praise of thy doughty deeds and of thy
prowess, whereby thou didst overcome all the champions of my father,
I became enamoured of thee, and swore that I would espouse no other
man. Therefore demand my hand of my father, and he will not deny me to
thee.’ So saying she retired, and Assad the next morning demanded her
hand, which being accorded to him, the nuptials were celebrated the
same day.
After Assad had remained in the city of the Jinn but a short time, the
longing to return to his own country grew upon him so greatly that
he could no longer withstand it, and going to Tamineh, he informed
her of his longing, and that he was about to depart, but that he
must do so secretly, since so great was the love that the Red King
bore his daughter, that he would not suffer him to go if he became
aware of his intention. At this Tamineh wept, but prepared everything
for his departure the next night; and after a tender leave-taking,
and promising her to return soon, he set forth and came into his own
country. Some months afterwards Tamineh gave birth to a boy, one of
the most beautiful of babes, whom she named Zohrasp. As the youth grew
in strength and loveliness, he became the delight of his mother and of
his grandfather, but still Assad did not return, for indeed the way
was arduous and he had forgotten her. Now, when Zohrasp was ten years
old, he said to his mother: ‘Tell me who my father is, and what is his
name?’ But Tamineh wept, and answered, ‘Oh, my son, thy father’s name
is Assad,’ and she went on to describe to him his valour and renown
and the deeds that he had done, so that Zohrasp was eager to seek him.
But his mother tried to dissuade him, for she feared that some evil
would befall, and she said: ‘Oh, my son, some day the memory of me will
prevail on thy father and he will turn his footsteps this way again;
but now there is no one left to me but thee, and if I lose thee I lose
all that I have!’ Nevertheless he was determined, and when his mother
saw this, she did not oppose him any longer, but gave him the finest
steed from her father’s stables, together with enchanted weapons made
by her people, the Jinn, that must prevail against all that do not
pronounce the name of God. Then Zohrasp went forth, and journeyed on
until he came into the kingdom of Tartary, which was then at war with
the Persians. Zohrasp, who longed to show himself worthy of his father,
thought that this would be a good opportunity of performing some deed
of valour, therefore he joined the army of the Tartars, who were
glad to receive him, for though he was yet young, yet he showed such
promise of prowess in war that they hoped great things of him. They
soon reached the frontier, where they found the Persian army encamped,
and the next morning the Tartars prepared to give battle. But Zohrasp
went before them and stood alone in the plain, and he challenged any
one among the Persians, even the greatest of their champions, to come
forward and engage him in single combat. Seeing that he was but young
still, the Persians mocked at him, until at length one of them came
forward to give him battle, thinking to have an easy victory over
him; but he was so speedily vanquished and slain that terror seized
the hearts of the Persians, and they said among themselves: ‘What is
this? Behold a beardless youth vanquisheth one of our champions!’ And
they all feared him. Then one of their oldest and most experienced
warriors came forward, and the fight was desperate for a time, but in
the end Zohrasp overcame him, and waving his bloody spear aloft he
cried: ‘Ho, Persians, are ye afraid? Which among ye will come forward
and try a bout with me?’ But there was no response, for each one said
within himself: ‘If I encounter him, beardless youth as he is, I shall
be slain.’ Now, as destiny would have it, Assad had joined the hosts
of the Persians; for he was tired of peace and longed for war; and
when he heard the challenge of this youth, and saw that among all the
warriors of the Persians there was not one that dared encounter him, he
was enraged, and ordering his horse to be brought to him, he mounted
it and rode forth to encounter the champion of the Tartars. But when
he saw Zohrasp and his tender years, his heart went out to him, and
he said: ‘Oh, youth, thou art but a child still, while I am an old
and experienced warrior, and if we join in combat, thou wilt certainly
die. Go back, therefore, to thy comrades in arms, and perhaps thou
wilt live.’ But Zohrasp thought of his father, and that it behoved
him to make himself worthy of him and of his lineage, and he answered
him: ‘Not so, warrior! but if so be that thou fearest death, behold,
I give thee thy life, for I have pity on thy grey hairs; go back, and
I will not harm thee!’ ‘Then,’ said Assad, ‘thy death be on thy head:
in the name of God fall to.’ Upon which they turned their horses, and
fetching a compass, charged upon each other. In the first shock their
spears were shivered in pieces, whereupon they drew their swords,
which soon became so hacked that they were useless, and so they threw
them away, and continued the fight with clubs until their blood and
sweat poured down upon the ground, and by mutual consent they stopped
to breathe themselves. When Zohrasp removed his helmet Assad looked
upon him, and behold, he was a youth like the full moon, the down just
appearing on his upper lip; and Assad loved him, he knew not why, and
he wished to save him, so he said to him: ‘Oh, youth, thou hast proved
thy valour against the greatest champion in the army of the Persians;
depart therefore in peace while there is yet time, for I am loth to
slay thee.’ But Zohrasp’s heart swelled with pride when he heard this,
and he said within himself: ‘If I vanquish this champion, then indeed
can I appear before my father with honour, and he will take me to his
bosom as his true son.’ He therefore replied to Assad, whose name was
yet unknown to him, ‘Oh, champion of the champions, indeed I will not
depart until my right arm hath given me the victory over thee.’ Then
they renewed the fight, and rained blows upon each other until they
both reeled, and Assad began to fear for himself. So raising his club
with both hands, and saying ‘_Bismillah_,’ in the name of God, he dealt
so mighty a blow upon the helmet of Zohrasp that he felled him to the
ground. Then he threw himself upon him, and would have bound him, but
finding that his strength availed not thereto, drew his dagger and
plunged it into his side. When Zohrasp felt the dagger enter between
his ribs, and knew that the wound was mortal, he gave a great sob, and
cried: ‘Oh my father! I shall never see thee now!’ At this Assad said,
‘And who is thy father, oh valiant youth?’ ‘His name is Assad,’ said
Zohrasp, ‘and my mother is Tamineh, the daughter of the Red King.’ On
hearing these words, Assad threw himself upon him and kissed him and
tried to staunch his wound, crying, ‘My son, my son! And thy father’s
hand was predestined to slay thee!’ The dying Zohrasp begged to look
upon his face, and tried to comfort him, saying, ‘Indeed, thou wouldst
have saved me, but I was obstinate, for I wished to do deeds that would
bring me honour in thy sight; and have I done so, oh my father? Am I
worthy of thee?’ But Assad could not answer him, the tears ran down
his cheeks, and he rolled on the ground and flung dust upon his head.
Presently the soul of Zohrasp departed; and his father took him up
and buried him, and built a magnificent tomb over him, upon which he
inscribed these verses:
I had a jewel deep hidden in the earth,
Which, when I found, I failed to recognise,
But cast it from me as of little worth,
Unknowing that I cast away my prize!
My son, my son, more beautiful than day!
Was my hand, then, more cruel than bitterest foe,
Thy father’s hand, to make thy life-blood flow
And drain the roses from thy cheeks away?
Dim those bright eyes in fatal deadly strife,
Slay him to whom myself had given life?
Ah, could I give him life but once again,
But for a moment, even at the cost
Of my own life, and to my bosom strain
But once again the son that I have lost,
Then gladly would I lay me down and die,
In those dear arms eternally to lie!
When Zehneb had finished her story, I was silent for a time, and then
I said, ‘Truly evil is rewarded by evil; but no man can escape what
is written upon his forehead, even as it happened with Mohammed ben
Khosroes.’ ‘And what is his story?’ she replied. So I related to her
the following.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_THE STORY OF MOHAMMED BEN KHOSROES, OR EVIL IS REWARDED BY EVIL._
Once upon a time there lived a Caliph in the city of Hillah, who,
though he had been married for many years, yet had never been blessed
with a child. At length, however, a son was born to him, at which there
were great rejoicings, and the astrologers were called in after the
usual custom to cast his horoscope, which, after they had considered
for a time, they were silent over, until the Caliph commanded them
to speak. They then said: ‘Oh, Caliph, may you live for ever! Your
son will be happy up to his eighteenth year, after which misfortune
will overtake him, and will pursue him to his dying day.’ At this the
Caliph was greatly grieved, but, hoping to avoid the evil fortune
predicted for his only son, he caused to be gathered from far and
wide the most potent charms and talismans that were to be procured,
until at length the search after them, and their collection, became a
craze with him, and he spent the greater part of his revenues on this
hobby of his; for he would send expeditions to Hind and to China, and
even to the country of the blacks, with instructions to spare naught
in the matter of gold and silver in the procuring of talismans of the
highest repute, and such as would bring their owners happiness, and in
the feeing of astrologers and necromancers; moreover, if anyone should
refuse to part with any charm that he might possess, his envoys were
ordered to go on offering larger and larger sums until the owner was
at length tempted to do so. Now, even the treasury of a king could not
withstand so deep and long continued a drain upon its resources, and
at last it grew so low, that even a greatly increased taxation failed
to satisfy its needs; the people murmured, the troops remained unpaid,
and finally, when Mohammed ben Khosroes, as the unfortunate son was
called, attained his eighteenth year, they broke out into open revolt:
they slew the Caliph, set the Wuzeer on the throne, and would have
slain Mohammed also, and thus have ended his misfortunes at once, had
he not fled to Birumis, where, in the garb of a Darweesh, he concealed
himself in a miserable hovel by the roadside. There, fallen from his
high estate, he dwelt, instead of inhabiting a place in the midst of
gardens; for his former robes of silk he now had but one camel-hair
garment, in place of a thousand dishes his food now consisted of the
crusts doled out by fitful charity; and instead of having a crowd of
obedient slaves awaiting his every command, he was himself now at the
beck and call of every old woman who chose to solicit his prayers.
Yet, in spite of all this, so well balanced was his mind that he was
tolerably happy. From his earliest childhood he had known of the fate
that was in store for him; how long had he not brooded over it, watched
each passing chance, received with resignation the prospect of cruel
fortune, and looked with apprehension for the misfortunes that the
future might bring forth; so that he had almost longed for the period
of suspense to end, and for the misfortune that was bound to come on
him sooner or later to come at once. Hence it was with some sense of
contentment that he now reviewed his miserable plight, and hoped that
fortune had done her worst and would now forget him and leave him in
peace. As he lived in retirement, duly performing his daily ablutions
and prayers, his presence began to create some excitement among such
population as there was in the neighbourhood, especially among the
old women, who brought him from time to time quantities of sour milk,
bread, dates, and even mutton and goatsflesh. But fearing the evils of
fortune he refused everything save what was absolutely necessary to
sustain life, and so, greatly to his disgust, the fame of his sanctity
increased. People came to him from far and near, some for advice as to
the regulation of their conduct, some for augury as to what the future
might have in store for them, and some for charms against evil chance;
to all of which, from the bitterness of his experience, he prophesied
evil by apt quotations from the Koran, such as:--‘Wheresoever ye
be, death will overtake you, although ye be in lofty towers;’ and,
‘Whatever evil befalleth thee, it is from thyself;’ and, ‘If God
should bestow abundance upon His servants, they would certainly
behave insolently upon this earth.’ Moreover, since few people escape
misfortunes in this world, his sayings generally came true, insomuch
that his fame waxed and he had no rest all day and all night for the
crowd of those that sought his services, and thus his last case became
even worse than his first.