King Mura’ash rode forth the palace of Japhet, with men and Jinns
attending them on foot, they passed through the streets and
thoroughfares of the town, by palaces and deserted mansions and gilded
doorways, till they issued from the gates and entered gardens full of
trees fruit-bearing and waters welling and birds speaking and
celebrating the praises of Him to whom belong Majesty and Eternity; nor
did they cease to solace themselves in the land till nightfall, when
they returned to the palace of Japhet son of Noah and they brought them
the table of food. So they ate and Gharib turned to the King of the Jann
and said to him, “O King, I would fain return to my folk and my force;
for I know not their plight after me.” Replied Mura’ash, “By Allah, O my
brother, I will not part with thee for a full month, till I have had my
fill of thy sight.” Now Gharib could not say nay, so he abode with him
in the city of Japhet, eating and drinking and making merry, till the
month ended, when Mura’ash gave him great store of gems and precious
ores, emeralds and balass-rubies, diamonds and other jewels, ingots of
gold and silver and likewise ambergris and musk and brocaded silks and
else of rarities and things of price. Moreover he clad him and Sahim in
silken robes of honour gold-inwoven and set on Gharib’s head a crown
jewelled with pearls and diamonds of inestimable value. All these
treasures he made up into even loads for him and, calling five hundred
Marids, said to them, “Get ye ready to travel on the morrow, that we may
bring King Gharib and Sahim back to their own country.” And they
answered, “We hear and we obey.” So they passed the night in the city,
purposing to depart on the morrow, but, next morning, as they were about
to set forth behold, they espied a great host advancing upon the city,
with horses neighing and kettle-drums beating and trumpets braying and
riders filling the earth for they numbered threescore and ten thousand
Marids, flying and diving, under a King called Barkán. Now this Barkan
was lord of the City of Carnelian and the Castle of Gold and under his
rule were five hill-strongholds, in each five hundred thousand Marids;
and he and his tribe worshipped the Fire, not the Omnipotent Sire. He
was a cousin of Mura’ash, the son of his father’s brother, and the cause
of his coming was that there had been among the subjects of King
Mura’ash a misbelieving Marid, who professed Al-Islam hypocritically,
and he stole away from his people and made for the Valley of Carnelian,
where he went in to King Barkan and, kissing the earth before him,
wished him abiding glory and prosperity. Then he told him of Mura’ash
being converted to Al-Islam, and Barkan said, “How came he to tear
himself away from his faith[34]?” So the rebel told him what had passed
and, when Barkan heard it, he snorted and snarked and railed at Sun and
Moon and sparkling Fire, saying, “By the virtue of my faith, I will
surely slay mine uncle’s son and his people and this mortal, nor will I
leave one of them alive!” Then he cried out to the legions of the Jinn
and choosing of them seventy thousand Marids, set out and fared on till
he came to Jabarsá[35] the city of Japhet and encamped before its gates.
When Mura’ash saw this, he despatched a Marid, saying, “Go to this host
and learn all that it wanteth and return hither in haste.” So the
messenger rushed away to Barkan’s camp, where the Marids flocked to meet
him and said to him, “Who art thou?” Replied he, “An envoy from King
Mura’ash;” whereupon they carried him in to Barkan, before whom he
prostrated himself, saying, “O my lord, my master hath sent me to thee,
to learn tidings of thee.” Quoth Barkan, “Return to thy lord and say to
him:—This is thy cousin Barkan, who is come to salute thee.”——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Marid-envoy of Mura’ash was borne before Barkan and said to him, “O my
lord, my master hath sent me to thee to learn tidings of thee,” Barkan
replied, “Return to thy lord and say to him:—This is thy cousin Barkan
who is come to salute thee!” So the messenger went back and told
Mura’ash, who said to Gharib, “Sit thou on thy throne whilst I go and
salute my cousin and return to thee.” Then he mounted and rode to the
camp of his uncle’s son. Now this was a trick[36] of Barkan, to bring
Mura’ash out and seize upon him, and he said to his Marids, whom he had
stationed about him, “When ye see me embrace him,[37] lay hold of him
and pinion him.” And they replied, “To hear is to obey.” So, when King
Mura’ash came up and entered Barkan’s pavilion, the owner rose to him
and threw his arms round his neck; whereat the Jann fell upon Mura’ash
and pinioned him and chained him. Mura’ash looked at Barkan and said,
“What manner of thing is this?” Quoth Barkan, “O dog of the Jann, wilt
thou leave the faith of thy fathers and grandfathers and enter a faith
thou knowest not?” Rejoined Mura’ash, “O son of my uncle, indeed I have
found the faith of Abraham the Friend to be the True Faith and all other
than it vain.” Asked Barkan, “And who told thee of this?”; and Mura’ash
answered, “Gharib, King of Irak, whom I hold in the highest honour.” “By
the right of the Fire and the Light and the Shade and the Heat,” cried
Barkan, “I will assuredly slay both thee and him!” And he cast him into
gaol. Now when Mura’ash’s henchman saw what had befallen his lord, he
fled back to the city and told the King’s legionaries who cried out and
mounted. Quoth Gharib, “What is the matter?” And they told him all that
had passed, whereupon he cried out to Sahim, “Saddle me one of the
chargers that King Mura’ash gave me.” Said Sahim, “O my brother, wilt
thou do battle with the Jinn?” Gharib replied, “Yes, I will fight them
with the sword of Japhet son of Noah, seeking help of the Lord of
Abraham the Friend (on whom be the Peace!); for He is the Lord of all
things and sole Creator!” So Sahim saddled him a sorrel horse of the
horses of the Jinn, as he were a castle strong among castles, and he
armed and mounting, rode out with the legions of the Jinn, hauberk’d
cap-à-pie. Then Barkan and his host mounted also and the two hosts drew
out in lines facing each other. The first to open the gate of war was
Gharib, who drave his steed into the mid-field and bared the enchanted
blade, whence issued a glittering light that dazzled the eyes of all the
Jinn and struck terror to their hearts. Then he played[38] with the
sword till their wits were wildered, and cried out, saying, “Allaho
Akbar! I am Gharib, King of Irak. There is no Faith save the Faith of
Abraham the Friend!” Now when Barkan heard Gharib’s words, he said,
“This is he who seduced my cousin from his religion; so, by the virtue
of my faith, I will not sit down on my throne till I have decapitated
this Gharib and suppressed his breath of life and forced my cousin and
his people back to their belief: and whoso baulketh me, him will I
destroy.” Then he mounted an elephant paper-white as he were a tower
plastered with gypsum, and goaded him with a spike of steel which ran
deep into his flesh, whereupon the elephant trumpeted and made for the
battle-plain where cut and thrust obtain; and, when he drew near Gharib,
he cried out to him, saying, “O dog of mankind, what made thee come into
our land, to debauch my cousin and his folk and pervert them from one
faith to other faith. Know that this day is the last of thy worldly
days.” Gharib replied, “Avaunt,[39] O vilest of the Jann!” Therewith
Barkan drew a javelin and making it quiver[40] in his hand, cast it at
Gharib; but it missed him. So he hurled a second javelin at him; but
Gharib caught it in mid-air and after poising it launched it at the
elephant. It smote him on the flank and came out on the other side,
whereupon the beast fell to the earth dead and Barkan was thrown to the
ground, like a great palm-tree. Before he could stir, Gharib smote him
with the flat of Japhet’s blade on the nape of the neck, and he fell
upon the earth in a fainting-fit; whereupon the Marids swooped down on
him and surrounding him pinioned his elbows. When Barkan’s people saw
their king a prisoner, they drove at the others, seeking to rescue him,
but Gharib and the Islamised Jinn fell upon them and gloriously done for
Gharib! indeed that day he pleased the Lord who answereth prayer and
slaked his vengeance with the talisman-sword! Whomsoever he smote, he
clove him in sunder and before his soul could depart he became a heap of
ashes in the fire; whilst the two hosts of the Jinn shot each other with
flamy meteors till the battle-field was wrapped in smoke. And Gharib
tourneyed right and left among the Kafirs who gave way before him, till
he came to King Barkan’s pavilion, with Kaylajan and Kurajan on his
either hand, and cried out to them, “Loose your lord!” So they unbound
Mura’ash and broke his fetters and——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King
Gharib cried out to Kaylajan and Kurajan, saying, “Loose your lord!”,
they unbound Mura’ash and broke his fetters, and he said to them, “Bring
me my arms and my winged horse.” Now he had two flying steeds, one of
which he had given to Gharib and the other he had kept for himself; and
this he mounted after he had donned his battle-harness. Then he and
Gharib fell upon the enemy, flying through the air on their winged
horses, and the true believing Jinn followed them, shouting “Allaho
Akbar—God is Most Great!”—till plains and hills, valleys and mountains
re-worded the cry. The Infidels fled before them and they returned,
after having slain more than thirty thousand Marids and Satans, to the
city of Japhet, where the two Kings sat down on their couches of estate
and sought Barkan, but found him not; for after capturing him they were
diverted from him by stress of battle, where an Ifrit of his servants
made his way to him and loosing him, carried him to his folk, of whom he
found part slain and the rest in full flight. So he flew up with the
King high in air and sat him down in the City of Carnelian and Castle of
Gold, where Barkan seated himself on the throne of his kingship.
Presently, those of his people who had survived the affair came in to
him and gave him joy of his safety; and he said, “O folk, where is
safety? My army is slain and they took me prisoner and have rent in
pieces mine honour among the tribes of the Jann.” Quoth they, “O King,
’tis ever thus that kings still afflict and are afflicted.” Quoth he,
“There is no help but I take my wreak and wipe out my shame, else shall
I be for ever disgraced among the tribes of the Jann.” Then he wrote
letters to the Governors of his fortresses, who came to him right
loyally and, when he reviewed them, he found three hundred and twenty
thousand fierce Marids and Satans; who said to him, “What is thy need?”
And he replied, “Get ye ready to set out in three days’ time;” whereto
they rejoined “Harkening and obedience!” On this wise it befel King
Barkan; but as regards Mura’ash, when he discovered his prisoner’s
escape, it was grievous to him and he said, “Had we set an hundred
Marids to guard him, he had not fled; but whither shall he go from us?”
Then said he to Gharib, “Know, O my brother, that Barkan is perfidious
and will never rest from wreaking blood-revenge on us, but will
assuredly assemble his legions and return to attack us; wherefore I am
minded to forestall him and follow the trail of his defeat, whilst he is
yet weakened thereby.” Replied Gharib, “This is the right rede, and will
best serve our need;” and Mura’ash said, “Oh my brother, let the Marids
bear thee back to thine own country and leave me to fight the battles of
the Faith against the Infidels, that I may be lightened of my sin-load.”
But Gharib rejoined, “By the virtue of the Clement, the Bountiful, the
Veiler, I will not go hence till I do to death all the misbelieving
Jinn; and Allah hasten their souls to the fire and dwelling-place dire;
and none shall be saved but those who worship Allah the One, the
Victorious! But do thou send Sahim back to the city of Oman, so haply he
may be healed of his ailment.” For Sahim was sick. So Mura’ash cried to
the Marids, saying, “Take ye up Sahim and these treasures and bear them
to Oman city.” And after replying, “We hear and we obey,” they took them
and made for the land of men. Then Mura’ash wrote letters to all his
Governors and Captains of fortresses and they came to him with an
hundred and sixty thousand warriors. So they made them ready and
departed for the City of Carnelian and the Castle of Gold, covering in
one day a year’s journey and halted in a valley, where they encamped and
passed the night. Next morning as they were about to set forth, behold,
the vanguard of Barkan’s army appeared, whereupon the Jinn cried out and
the two hosts met and fell each upon other in that valley. Then the
engagement was dight and there befel a sore fight as though an
earthquake shook the site and fair plight waxed foul plight. Earnest
came and jest took flight, and parley ceased ’twixt wight and wight,[41]
whilst long lives were cut short in a trice and the Unbelievers fell
into disgrace and despite; for Gharib charged them, proclaiming the
Unity of the Worshipful, the All-might and shore through necks and left
heads rolling in the dust; nor did night betide before nigh seventy
thousand of the Miscreants were slain, and of the Moslemised over ten
thousand Marids had fallen. Then the kettle-drums beat the retreat, and
the two hosts drew apart,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the two
hosts drew apart, Gharib and Mura’ash returned to their tents, after
wiping their weapons, and supper being set before them, they ate and
gave each other joy of their safety, and the loss of their Marids being
so small. As for Barkan, he returned to his tent, grieving for the
slaughter of his champions, and said to his officers, “O folk, an we
tarry here and do battle with them on this wise in three days’ time we
shall be cut off to the last wight.” Quoth they, “And how shall we do, O
King?” Quoth Barkan, “We will fall upon them under cover of night whilst
they are deep in sleep, and not one of them shall be left to tell the
tale. So take your arms and when I give the word of command, attack and
fall on your enemies as one.” Now there was amongst them a Marid named
Jandal whose heart inclined to Al-Islam; so, when he heard the Kafirs’
plot, he stole away from them and going in to King Mura’ash and King
Gharib, told the twain what Barkan had devised; whereupon Mura’ash
turned to Gharib and said to him, “O my brother, what shall we do?”
Gharib replied, “To-night we will fall upon the Miscreants and chase
them into the wilds and the wolds if it be the will of the Omnipotent
King.” Then he summoned the Captains of the Jann and said to them, “Arm
yourselves, you and yours; and, as soon as ’tis dark, steal out of your
tents on foot, hundreds after hundreds, and lie in ambush among the
mountains; and when ye see the enemy engaged among the tents, do ye fall
upon them from all quarters. Hearten your hearts and rely on your Lord,
and ye shall certainly conquer; and behold, I am with you!” So, as soon
as it was dark night, the Infidels attacked the camp, invoking aid of
the fire and light; but when they came among the tents, the Moslems fell
upon them, calling for help on the Lord of the Worlds and saying, “O
Most Merciful of Mercifuls, O Creator of all createds!” till they left
them like mown grass, cut down and dead. Nor did morning dawn before the
most part of the unbelievers were species without souls and the rest
made for the wastes and marshes, whilst Gharib and Mura’ash returned
triumphant and victorious; and, making prize of the enemy’s baggage,
they rested till the morrow, when they set out for the City of Carnelian
and Castle of Gold. As for Barkan, when the battle had turned against
him and most of his lieges were slain, he fled through the dark with the
remnant of his power to his capital where he entered his palace and
assembling his legionaries said to them, “O folk, whoso hath aught of
price, let him take it and follow me to the Mountain Káf, to the Blue
King, lord of the Pied Palace; for he it is who shall avenge us.” So
they took their women and children and goods and made for the
Caucasus-mountain. Presently Mura’ash and Gharib arrived at the City of
Carnelian and Castle of Gold to find the gates open and none left to
give them news; whereupon they entered and Mura’ash led Gharib that he
might show him the city, whose walls were builded of emeralds and its
gates of red carnelian, with studs of silver, and the terrace-roofs of
its houses and mansions reposed upon beams of lign-aloes and
sandal-wood. So they took their pleasure in its streets and alleys, till
they came to the Palace of Gold and entering passed through seven
vestibules, when they drew near to a building, whose walls were of royal
balass-rubies and its pavement of emerald and jacinth. The two Kings
were astounded at the goodliness of the place and fared on from
vestibule to vestibule, till they had passed through the seventh and
happened upon the inner court of the palace wherein they saw four
daïses, each different from the others, and in the midst a jetting fount
of red gold, compassed about with golden lions,[42] from whose mouths
issued water. These were things to daze man’s wit. The estrade at the
upper end was hung and carpeted with brocaded silks of various colours
and thereon stood two thrones of red gold, inlaid with pearls and
jewels. So Mura’ash and Gharib sat down on Barkan’s thrones and held
high state in the Palace of Gold.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Mura’ash and
Gharib took seat on Barkan’s thrones and held high state. Then said
Gharib to Mura’ash, “What thinkest thou to do?” And Mura’ash replied, “O
King of mankind, I have despatched an hundred horse to learn where
Barkan is, that we may pursue him.” Then they abode three days in the
palace, till the scouting Marids returned with the news that Barkan had
fled to the Mountain Kaf and craved protection of the Blue King who
granted it; whereupon quoth Mura’ash to Gharib, “What sayest thou, O my
brother?” and quoth Gharib, “Except we attack them they will attack us.”
So they bade the host make ready for departure and after three days,
they were about to set out with their troops, when the Marids, who had
carried Sahim and the presents back to Oman, returned and kissed ground
before Gharib. He questioned them of his people and they replied, “After
the last affair, thy brother Ajib, leaving Ya’arub bin Kahtan, fled to
the King of Hind and, submitting his case, sought his protection. The
King granted his prayer and writing letters to all his governors, levied
an army as it were the surging sea, having neither beginning nor end,
wherewith he purposeth to invade Al-Irak and lay it waste.” When Gharib
heard this, he said, “Perish the Misbelievers! Verily, Allah Almighty
shall give the victory to Al-Islam and I will soon show them hew and
foin.” Said Mura’ash, “O King of humans, by the virtue of the Mighty
Name, I must needs go with thee to thy kingdom and destroy thy foes and
bring thee to thy wish.” Gharib thanked him and they rested on this
resolve till the morrow, when they set out, intending for Mount Caucasus
and marched many days till they reached the City of Alabaster and the
Pied Palace. Now this city was fashioned of alabaster and precious
stones by Bárik bin Fáki’, father of the Jinn, and he also founded the
Pied Palace, which was so named because edified with one brick of gold
alternating with one of silver, nor was there builded aught like it in
all the world. When they came within half a day’s journey of the city,
they halted to take their rest, and Mura’ash sent out to reconnoitre a
scout who returned and said, “O King, within the City of Alabaster are
legions of the Jinn, for number as the leaves of the trees or as the
drops of rain.” So Mura’ash said to Gharib, “How shall we do, O King of
Mankind?” He replied, “O King, divide your men into four bodies and
encompass with them the camp of the Infidels; then, in the middle of the
night, let them cry out, saying;—God is Most Great! and withdraw and
watch what happeneth among the tribes of the Jinn.” So Mura’ash did as
Gharib counselled and the troops waited till midnight, when they
encircled the foe and shouted, “Allaho Akbar! Ho for the Faith of
Abraham the Friend, on whom be the Peace!” The Misbelievers at this cry
awoke in affright and snatching up their arms, fell one upon other till
the morning, when most part of them were dead bodies and but few
remained. Then Gharib cried out to the True Believers, saying, “Up and
at the remnant of the Kafirs! Behold I am with you, and Allah is your
helper!” So the Moslems drave at the enemy and Gharib bared his magical
blade Al-Mahik and fell upon the foe, lopping off noses and making heads
wax hoary and whole ranks turn tail. At last he came up with Barkan and
smote him and bereft him of life and he fell down, drenched in his
blood. On like wise he did with the Blue King, and by undurn-hour not
one of the Kafirs was left alive to tell the tale. Then Gharib and
Mura’ash entered the Pied Palace and found its walls builded of
alternate courses of gold and silver, with door-sills of crystal and
keystones of greenest emerald. In its midst was a fountain adorned with
bells and pendants and figures of birds and beasts spouting forth water,
and thereby a daïs[43] furnished with gold-brocaded silk, bordered or
embroidered with jewels: and they found the treasures of the palace past
count or description. Then they entered the women’s court, where they
came upon a magnificent serraglio and Gharib saw, among the Blue King’s
woman-folk a girl clad in a dress worth a thousand dinars, never had he
beheld a goodlier. About her were an hundred slave-girls, upholding her
train with golden hooks, and she was in their midst as the moon among
stars. When he saw her, his reason was confounded and he said to one of
the waiting-women, “Who may be yonder maid?” Quoth they, “This is the
Blue King’s daughter, Star o’ Morn.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night,