had put to flight the host of Khirad Shah, he bade Kaylajan and Kurajan
take the spoil to their own possession nor share it with any; so they
gathered the booty and abode in their own homes. Meanwhile the remains
of the beaten force ceased not flying till they reached the city of
Shiras and there lifted up the voice of weeping and began the ceremonial
lamentations for those of them that had been slain. Now King Khirad Shah
had a brother Sírán the Sorcerer hight, than whom there was no greater
wizard in his day, and he lived apart from his brother in a certain
stronghold, called the Fortalice of Fruits,[68] in a place abounding in
trees and streams and birds and blooms, half a day’s journey from
Shiras. So the fugitives betook them thither and went in to Siran the
Sorcerer, weeping and wailing aloud. Quoth he, “O folk, what garreth you
weep?” and they told him all that had happened, especially how the two
Marids had carried off his brother Khirad Shah; whereupon the light of
his eyes became night and he said, “By the virtue of my faith, I will
certainly slay Gharib and all his men and leave not one alive to tell
the tale!” Then he pronounced certain magical words and summoned the Red
King, who appeared and Siran said to him, “Fare for Isbanir and fall on
Gharib, as he sitteth upon his throne.” Replied he, “Hearkening and
obedience!” and, gathering his troops, repaired to Isbanir and assailed
Gharib, who seeing him, drew his sword Al-Mahik and he and Kaylajan and
Kurajan fell upon the army of the Red King and slew of them five hundred
and thirty and wounded the King himself with a grievous wound; whereupon
he and his people fled and stayed not in their flight, till they reached
the Fortalice of Fruits and went into Siran, crying out and exclaiming,
“Woe!” and “Ruin!” And the Red King said to Siran, “O sage, Gharib hath
with him the enchanted sword of Japhet son of Noah, and whomsoever he
smiteth therewith he severeth him in sunder, and with him also are two
Marids from Mount Caucasus, given to him by King Mura’ash. He it is who
slew the blue King and Barkan Lord of the Carnelian City, and did to
death much people of the Jinn.” When the Enchanter heard this, he said
to the Red King, “Go,” and he went his ways; whereupon he resumed his
conjurations, and calling up a Marid, by name Zu’ázi’a gave him a drachm
of levigated Bhang and said to him, “Go thou at Isbanir, and enter King
Gharib’s palace and assume the form of a sparrow. Wait till he fall and
there be none with him; then put the Bhang up his nostrils and bring him
to me.” “To hear is to obey,” replied the Marid and flew to Isbanir,
where, changing himself into a sparrow, he perched on the window of the
palace and waited till all Gharib’s attendants retired to their rooms
and the King himself slept. Then he flew down and going up to Gharib,
blew the powdered Bhang into his nostrils, till he lost his senses,
whereupon he wrapped him in the bed-coverlet and flew off with him, like
the storm-wind, to the Fortalice of Fruits; where he arrived at midnight
and laid his prize before Siran. The Sorcerer thanked him and would have
put Gharib to death, as he lay senseless under Bhang; but a man of his
people withheld him saying, “O Sage, an thou slay him, his friend King
Mura’ash will fall on us with all his Ifrits and lay waste our realm.”
“How then shall we do with him?” asked Siran, and the other answered,
“Cast him into the Jayhun while he is still in Bhang and he shall be
drowned and none will know who threw him in.” And Siran bade the Marid
take Gharib and cast him into Jayhun river.——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-second Night,
[Illustration]
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Marid took
Gharib and carried him to the Jayhun purposing to cast him therein, but
it was grievous to him to drown him, wherefore he made a raft of wood
and binding it with cords, pushed it out (and Gharib thereon) into the
current, which carried it away. Thus fared it with Gharib; but as
regards his people, when they awoke in the morning and went in to do
their service to their King, they found him not and seeing his rosary on
the throne, awaited him awhile, but he came not. So they sought out the
head Chamberlain and said to him, “Go into the Harim and look for the
King: for it is not his habit to tarry till this time.” Accordingly, the
Chamberlain entered the Serraglio and enquired for the King, but the
women said, “Since yesterday we have not seen him.” Thereupon he
returned and told the Officers, who were confounded and said, “Let us
see if he have gone to take his pleasure in the gardens.” Then they went
out and questioned the gardeners if they had seen the King, and they
answered, “No;” whereat they were sore concerned and searched all the
garths till the end of the day, when they returned in tears. Moreover,
the two Marids sought for him all round the city, but came back after
three days, without having happened on any tidings of him. So the people
donned black and made their complaint to the Lord of all worshipping men
who doth as he is fain. Meanwhile, the current bore the raft along for
five days till it brought it to the salt sea, where the waves disported
with Gharib and his stomach, being troubled, threw up the Bhang. Then he
opened his eyes and finding himself in the midst of the main, a
plaything of the billows, said, “There is no Majesty and there is no
Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Would to Heaven I wot who
hath done this deed by me!” Presently as he lay, perplexed concerning
his case, lo! he caught sight of a ship sailing by and signalled with
his sleeve to the sailors, who came to him and took him up, saying, “Who
art thou and whence comest thou?” He replied, “Do ye feed me and give me
to drink, till I recover myself, and after I will tell you who I am.” So
they brought him water and victual, and he ate and drank and Allah
restored to him his reason. Then he asked them, “O folk, what countrymen
are ye and what is your Faith?;” and they answered, “We are from
Karaj[69] and we worship an idol called Minkásh.” Cried Gharib,
“Perdition to you and your idol! O dogs, none is worthy of worship save
Allah who created all things, who saith to a thing Be! and it becometh.”
When they heard this, they rose up and fell upon him in great wrath and
would have seized him. Now he was without weapons, but whomsoever he
struck, he smote down and deprived of life, till he had felled forty
men, after which they overcame him by force of numbers and bound him
fast, saying, “We will not slay him save in our own land, that we may
first show him to our King.” Then they sailed on till they came to the
city of Karaj.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-third Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the ship’s
crew seized Gharib and bound him fast they said, “We will not slay him
save in our own land.” Then they sailed on till they came to the city of
Karaj, the builder whereof was an Amalekite, fierce and furious; and he
had set up at each gate of the city a magical figure of copper which,
whenever a stranger entered, blew a blast on a trumpet, that all in the
city heard it and fell upon the stranger and slew him, except they
embraced their creed. When Gharib entered the city, the figure stationed
at the gate blew such a horrible blast that the King was affrighted and
going into his idol, found fire and smoke issuing from its mouth, nose
and eyes. Now a Satan had entered the belly of the idol and speaking as
with its tongue, said, “O King, there is come to thy city one hight
Gharib, King of Al-Irak, who biddeth the folk quit their belief and
worship his Lord; wherefore, when they bring him before thee, look thou
spare him not.” So the King went out and sat down on his throne; and
presently, the sailors brought in Gharib and set him before the
presence, saying, “O King, we found this youth shipwrecked in the midst
of the sea, and he is a Kafir and believeth not in our gods.” Then they
told him all that had passed and the King said, “Carry him to the house
of the Great Idol and cut his throat before him, so haply our god may
look lovingly upon us.” But the Wazir said, “O King, it befitteth not to
slaughter him thus, for he would die in a moment: better we imprison him
and build a pyre of fuel and burn him with fire.” Thereupon the King
commanded to cast Gharib into gaol and caused wood to be brought, and
they made a mighty pyre and set fire to it, and it burnt till the
morning. Then the King and the people of the city came forth and the
Ruler sent to fetch Gharib; but his lieges found him not; so they
returned and told their King who said, “And how made he his escape?”
Quoth they, “We found the chains and shackles cast down and the doors
fast locked.” Whereat the King marvelled and asked, “Hath this fellow to
Heaven up flown or into the earth gone down?;” and they answered, “We
know not.” Then said the King, “I will go and question my God, and he
will inform me whither he is gone.” So he rose and went in, to prostrate
himself to his idol, but found it not and began to rub his eyes and say,
“Am I in sleep or on wake?” Then he turned to his Wazir and said to him,
“Where is my God and where is my prisoner? By my faith, O dog of Wazirs,
haddest thou not counselled me to burn him, I had slaughtered him; for
it is he who hath stolen my god and fled; and there is no help but I
take blood-wreak of him!” Then he drew his sword and struck off the
Wazir’s head. Now there was for Gharib’s escape with the idol a strange
cause and it was on this wise. When they had shut him up in a cell
adjoining the doomed shrine under which stood the idol, he rose to pray,
calling upon the name of Almighty Allah and seeking deliverance of Him,
to whom be honour and glory! The Marid who had charge of the idol and
spoke in its name, heard him and fear got hold upon his heart and he
said, “O shame upon me! Who is this seeth me while I see him not?” So he
went in to Gharib and throwing himself at his feet, said to him, “O my
Lord, what must I say that I may become of thy company and enter thy
religion?” Replied Gharib, “Say:—There is no god but _the_ God and
Abraham is the Friend of God.” So the Marid pronounced the profession of
Faith and was enrolled among the people of felicity. Now his name was
Zalzál, son of Al-Muzalzil,[70] one of the Chiefs of the Kings of the
Jinn. Then he unbound Gharib and taking him and the idol, made for the
higher air.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Marid took up
Gharib and the idol and made for the higher air. Such was his case; but
as regards the King, when his soldiers saw what had befallen and the
slaughter of the Wazir they renounced the worship of the idol and
drawing their swords, slew the King; after which they fell on one
another, and the sword went round amongst them three days, till there
abode alive but two men, one of whom prevailed over the other and killed
him. Then the boys attacked the survivor and slew him and fell to
fighting amongst themselves, till they were all killed; and the women
and girls fled to the hamlets and forted villages; wherefore the city
became desert and none dwelt therein but the owl. Meanwhile, the Marid
Zalzal flew with Gharib towards his own country, the Island of Camphor
and the Castle of Crystal and the Land of the Enchanted Calf, so called
because its King Al-Muzalzil, had a pied calf, which he had clad in
housings brocaded with red gold, and worshipped as a god. One day the
King and his people went in to the calf and found him trembling; so the
King said, “O my God, what hath troubled thee?” whereupon the Satan in
the calf’s belly cried out and said, “O Muzalzil, verily thy son hath
deserted to the Faith of Abraham the Friend, at the hands of Gharib Lord
of Al-Irak;” and went on to tell him all that had passed from first to
last. When the King heard the words of his calf he was confounded and
going forth, sat down upon his throne. Then he summoned his Grandees who
came in a body, and he told them what he had heard from the idol,
whereat they marvelled and said, “What shall we do, O King?” Quoth he,
“When my son cometh and ye see him embrace him, do ye lay hold of him.”
And they said, “Hearkening and obedience!” After two days came Zalzal
and Gharib, with the King’s idol of Karaj, but no sooner had they
entered the palace-gate than the Jinn seized on them and carried them
before Al-Muzalzil, who looked at his son with eyes of ire and said to
him, “O dog of the Jann, hast thou left thy Faith and that of thy
fathers and grandfathers?” Quoth Zalzal, “I have embraced the True
Faith, and on like wise do thou (Woe be to thee!) seek salvation and
thou shalt be saved from the wrath of the King Almighty in sway, Creator
of Night and Day.” Therewith his father waxed wroth and said, “O son of
adultery, dost confront me with these words?” Then he bade clap him in
prison and turning to Gharib, said to him, “O wretch of a mortal, how
hast thou abused my son’s wit and seduced him from his Faith?” Quoth
Gharib, “Indeed, I have brought him out of wrongousness into the way of
righteousness, out of Hell into Heaven and out of unfaith to the True
Faith.” Whereupon the King cried out to a Marid called Sayyár, saying,
“Take this dog and cast him into the Wady of Fire, that he may perish.”
Now this valley was in the “Waste Quarter[71]” and was thus named from
the excess of its heat and the flaming of its fire, which was so fierce
that none who went down therein could live an hour, but was destroyed;
and it was compassed about by mountains high and slippery wherein was no
opening. So Sayyar took up Gharib and flew with him towards the Valley
of Fire, till he came within an hour’s journey thereof, when being
weary, he alighted in a valley full of trees and streams and fruits, and
setting down from his back Gharib chained as he was, fell asleep for
fatigue. When Gharib heard him snore, he strove with his bonds till he
burst them; then, taking up a heavy stone, he cast it down on the
Marid’s head and crushed his bones, so that he died on the spot. Then he
fared on into the valley.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Gharib after
killing the Marid fared on into the valley and found himself in a great
island in mid-ocean, full of all fruits that lips and tongue could
desire. So he abode alone on the island, drinking of its waters and
eating of its fruits and of fish that he caught, and days and years
passed over him, till he had sojourned there in his solitude seven
years. One day, as he sat, behold, there came down on him from the air
two Marids, each carrying a man; and seeing him they said, “Who art
thou, O fellow, and of which of the tribes art thou?” Now they took him
for a Jinni, because his hair was grown long; and he replied, saying, “I
am not of the Jann,” whereupon they questioned him, and he told them all
that had befallen him. They grieved for him and one of the Ifrits said,
“Abide thou here till we bear these two lambs to our King, that he may
break his fast on the one and sup on the other, and after we will come
back and carry thee to thine own country.” He thanked them and said,
“Where be the lambs?” Quoth they, “These two mortals are the lambs.” And
Gharib said, “I take refuge with Allah the God of Abraham the Friend,
the Lord of all creatures, who hath power over everything!” Then the
Marids flew away and Gharib abode awaiting them two days, when one of
them returned, bringing with him a suit of clothes wherewith he clad
him. Then he took him up and flew with him sky-high out of sight of
earth, till Gharib heard the angels glorifying God in heaven, and a
flaming shaft issued from amongst them and made for the Marid, who fled
from it towards the earth. The meteor pursued him, till he came within a
spear’s cast of the ground, when Gharib leaped from his shoulders and
the fiery shaft overtook the Marid, who became a heap of ashes. As for
Gharib, he fell into the sea and sank two fathoms deep, after which he
rose to the surface and swam for two days and two nights, till his
strength failed him and he made certain of death. But, on the third day
as he was despairing he caught sight of an island steep and mountainous;
so he swam for it and landing, walked on inland, where he rested a day
and a night, feeding on the growth of the ground. Then he climbed to the
mountain top, and, descending the opposite slope, fared on two days till
he came in sight of a walled and bulwarked city, abounding in trees and
rills. He walked up to it; but, when he reached the gate, the warders
seized on him, and carried him to their Queen, whose name was Ján
Sháh.[72] Now she was five hundred years old, and every man who entered
the city, they brought to her and she made him sleep with her, and when
he had done his work, she slew him and so had she slain many men. When
she saw Gharib, he pleased her mightily; so she asked him, “What be thy
name and Faith and whence comest thou?” and he answered, “My name is
Gharib King of Irak, and I am a Moslem.” Said she, “Leave this Creed and
enter mine and I will marry thee and make thee King.” But he looked at
her with eyes of ire and cried, “Perish thou and thy faith!” Cried she,
“Dost thou blaspheme my idol, which is of red carnelian, set with pearls
and gems?” And she called out to her men, saying, “Imprison him in the
house of the idol; haply it will soften his heart.” So they shut him up
in the domed shrine and locking the doors upon him, went their way.——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when they took
Gharib, they jailed him in the idol’s domed shrine; and locking the
doors upon him, went their way. As soon as they were gone, Gharib gazed
at the idol, which was of red carnelian, with collars of pearls and
precious stones about its neck, and presently he went close to it and
lifting it up, dashed it on the ground and brake it in bits; after which
he lay down and slept till daybreak. When morning morrowed, the Queen
took seat on her throne and said, “O men, bring me the prisoner.” So
they opened the temple doors and entering, found the idol broken in
pieces, whereupon they buffeted their faces till the blood ran from the
corners of their eyes. Then they made at Gharib to seize him; but he
smote one of them with his fist and slew him, and so did he with another
and yet another, till he had slain five-and-twenty of them and the rest
fled and went in to Queen Jan Shah, shrieking loudly. Quoth she, “What
is the matter?” and quoth they, “The prisoner hath broken thine idol and
slain thy men,” and told her all that had passed. When she heard this,
she cast her crown to the ground and said, “There is no worth left in
idols!” Then she mounted amid a thousand fighting-men and rode to the
temple, where she found Gharib had gotten him a sword and come forth and
was slaying men and overthrowing warriors. When she saw his prowess, her
heart was drowned in the love of him and she said to herself, “I have no
need of the idol and care for naught save this Gharib, that he may lie
in my bosom the rest of my life.” Then she cried to her men, “Hold aloof
from him and leave him to himself!”; then, going up to him she muttered
certain magical words, whereupon his arm became benumbed, his forearm
relaxed and the sword dropped from his hand. So they seized him and
pinioned him, as he stood confounded, stupefied. Then the Queen returned
to her palace, and seating herself on her seat of estate, bade her
people withdraw and leave Gharib with her. When they were alone, she
said to him, “O dog of the Arabs, wilt thou shiver my idol and slay my
people?” He replied, “O accursed woman, had he been a god he had
defended himself?” Quoth she, “Stroke me and I will forgive thee all
thou hast done.” But he replied, saying, “I will do nought of this.” And
she said, “By the virtue of my faith, I will torture thee with grievous
torture!” So she took water and conjuring over it, sprinkled it upon him
and he became an ape. And she used to feed and water and keep him in a
closet, appointing one to care for him; and in this plight he abode two
years. Then she called him to her one day and said to him, “Wilt thou
hearken to me?” And he signed to her with his head, “Yes.” So she
rejoiced and freed him from the enchantment. Then she brought him food
and he ate and toyed with her and kissed her, so that she trusted in
him. When it was night she lay down and said to him, “Come, do thy
business.” He replied, “’Tis well;” and, mounting on her breast, seized
her by the neck and brake it, nor did he arise from her till life had
left her. Then, seeing an open cabinet, he went in and found there a
sword of damascened[73] steel and a targe of Chinese iron; so he armed
himself cap-à-pie and waited till the day. As soon as it was morning, he
went forth and stood at the gate of the palace. When the Emirs came and
would have gone in to do their service to the Queen, they found Gharib
standing at the gate, clad in complete war-gear; and he said to them, “O
folk, leave the service of idols and worship the All-wise King, Creator
of Night and Day, the Lord of men, the Quickener of dry bones, for He
made all things and hath dominion over all.” When the Kafirs heard this,
they ran at him, but he fell on them like a rending lion and charged
through them again and again, slaying of them much people;——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,
[Illustration]