half-witted fanatic who would be made furious by seeing gold and silks
in the reverend presence so coyly curtained.
Footnote 197:
In English, “God damn everything an inch high!”
Footnote 198:
Burckhardt notes that the Wali, or chief police officer at Cairo, was
exclusively termed Al-Agha and quotes the proverb (No. 156) “One night
the whore repented and cried:—What! no Wali (Al-Aghá) to lay whores by
the heels?” Some of these Egyptian by-words are most amusing and
characteristic; but they require literal translation, not the timid
touch of the last generation. I am preparing, for the use of my
friend, Bernard Quaritch, a bonâ fide version which awaits only the
promised volume of Herr Landberg.
Footnote 199:
Lit. for “we leave them for the present”; the formula is much used in
this tale, showing another hand, author or copyist.
Footnote 200:
Arab. “Uzrah.”
Footnote 201:
_i.e._ “Thou art unjust and violent enough to wrong even the Caliph!”
Footnote 202:
I may note that a “donkey-boy” like our “post-boy” can be of any age
in Egypt.
Footnote 203:
They could legally demand to be recouped but the chief would have
found some pretext to put off payment. Such at least is the legal
process of these days.
Footnote 204:
_i.e._ drunk with the excess of his beauty.
Footnote 205:
A delicate way of offering a fee. When officers commanding regiments
in India contracted for clothing the men, they found these douceurs
under their dinner-napkins. All that is now changed; but I doubt the
change being an improvement: the public is plundered by a “Board”
instead of an individual.
Footnote 206:
This may mean, I should know her even were my eyes blue (or blind)
with cataract and the Bresl. Edit. ix., 231, reads “Ayní” = my eye; or
it may be, I should know her by her staring, glittering, hungry eyes,
as opposed to the “Hawar” soft-black and languishing (Arab. Prov. i.
115, and ii. 848). The Prophet said “blue-eyed (women) are of good
omen.” And when one man reproached another saying “Thou art Azrak”
(blue-eyed!) he retorted, “So is the falcon!” “Zurk-an” in Kor. xx.
102, is translated by Mr. Rod well “leaden eyes.” It ought to be
blue-eyed, dim-sighted, purblind.
Footnote 207:
Arab. “Zalábiyah bi-’Asal.”
Footnote 208:
Arab. “Ká’ah,” their mess-room, barracks.
Footnote 209:
_i.e._ Camel shoulder-blade.
Footnote 210:
So in the Brazil you are invited to drink a _copa d’agua_ and find a
splendid banquet. There is a smack of Chinese ceremony in this
practice which lingers throughout southern Europe; but the less
advanced society is, the more it is fettered by ceremony and
“etiquette.”
Footnote 211:
The Bresl. Edit. (ix. 239) prefers these lines:—
Some of us be hawks and some sparrow-hawks, ✿ And vultures some which
at carrion pike;
And maidens deem all alike we be ✿ But, save in our turbands, we’re
not alike.
Footnote 212:
Arab. Shar’a = holy law; here it especially applies to Al-Kisás = _lex
talionis_, which would order her eye-tooth to be torn out.
Footnote 213:
_i.e._, of the Afghans. Sulaymáni is the Egypt and Hijazi term for an
Afghan and the proverb says “Sulaymáni harámi”—the Afghan is a
villainous man. See Pilgrimage i. 59, which gives them a better
character. The Bresl. Edit. simply says, “King Sulaymán.”
THE ADVENTURES OF MERCURY ALI OF CAIRO.[214]
Now as regards the works of Mercury ’Alí; there lived once at
Cairo,[215] in the days of Saláh the Egyptian, who was Chief of the
Cairo Police and had forty men under him, a sharper named Ali, for whom
the Master of Police used to set snares and think that he had fallen
therein; but, when they sought for him, they found that he had fled like
zaybak, or quicksilver, wherefore they dubbed him Ali Zaybak or Mercury
Ali of Cairo. Now one day, as he sat with his men in his hall, his heart
became heavy within him and his breast was straitened. The hall-keeper
saw him sitting with frowning face and said to him, “What aileth thee, O
my Chief? If thy breast be straitened take a turn in the streets of
Cairo, for assuredly walking in her markets will do away with thy irk.”
So he rose up and went out and threaded the streets awhile, but only
increased in cark and care. Presently, he came to a wine-shop and said
to himself, “I will go in and drink myself drunken.” So he entered and
seeing seven rows of people in the shop, said, “Harkye, taverner! I will
not sit except by myself.” Accordingly, the vintner placed him in a
chamber alone and set strong pure wine before him whereof he drank till
he lost his senses. Then he sallied forth again and walked till he came
to the road called Red, whilst the people left the street clear before
him, out of fear of him. Presently, he turned and saw a water-carrier
trudging along, with his skin and gugglet, crying out and saying, “O
exchange! There is no drink but what raisins make, there is no
love-delight but what of the lover we take and none sitteth in the place
of honour save the sensible freke[216]!” So he said to him, “Here, give
me to drink!” The water-carrier looked at him and gave him the gugglet
which he took and gazing into it, shook it up and lastly poured it out
on the ground. Asked the water-carrier, “Why dost thou not drink?”; and
he answered, saying, “Give me to drink.” So the man filled the cup a
second time and he took it and shook it and emptied it on the ground;
and thus he did a third time. Quoth the water-carrier, “An thou wilt not
drink, I will be off.” And Ali said, “Give me to drink.” So he filled
the cup a fourth time and gave it to him; and he drank and gave the man
a dinar. The water-carrier looked at him with disdain and said,
belittling him, “Good luck to thee! Good luck to thee, my lad! Little
folk are one thing and great folk another!”——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
water-carrier receiving the dinar, looked at the giver with disdain and
said, “Good luck to thee! Good luck to thee! Little folk are one thing
and great folk another.” Now when Mercury Ali heard this, he caught hold
of the man’s gaberdine and drawing on him a poignard of price, such an
one as that whereof the poet speaketh in these two couplets:—
Watered steel-blade, the world perfection calls, ✿ Drunk with the viper
poison foes appals,
Cuts lively, burns the blood whene’er it falls; ✿ And picks up gems from
pave of marble halls;[217]
cried to him, “O Shaykh, speak reasonably to me! Thy water-skin is worth
if dear three dirhams, and the gugglets I emptied on the ground held a
pint or so of water.” Replied the water-carrier “’Tis well,” and Ali
rejoined, “I gave thee a golden ducat: why, then dost thou belittle me?
Say me, hast thou ever seen any more valiant than I or more generous
than I?” Answered the water-carrier; “I have indeed, seen one more
valiant than thou and eke more generous than thou; for, never, since
women bare children, was there on earth’s face a brave man who was not
generous.” Quoth Ali, “and who is he thou deemest braver and more
generous than I?” Quoth the other, “Thou must know that I have had a
strange adventure. My father was a Shaykh of the Water-carriers who give
drink in Cairo and, when he died, he left me five male camels, a
he-mule, a shop and a house; but the poor man is never satisfied; or, if
he be satisfied he dieth. So I said to myself:—I will go up to Al-Hijaz;
and, taking a string of camels, bought goods on tick, till I had run in
debt for five hundred ducats, all of which I lost in the pilgrimage.
Then I said in my mind:—If I return to Cairo the folk will clap me in
jail for their goods. So I fared with the pilgrims-caravan of Damascus
to Aleppo and thence I went on to Baghdad, where I sought out the Shaykh
of the Water-carriers of the city and finding his house I went in and
repeated the opening chapter of the Koran to him. He questioned me of my
case and I told him all that had betided me, whereupon he assigned me a
shop and gave me a water-skin and gear. So I sallied forth a-morn
trusting in Allah to provide, and went round about the city. I offered
the gugglet to one, that he might drink; but he cried, I have eaten
naught whereon to drink; for a niggard invited me this day and set two
gugglets before me; so I said to him:—O son of the sordid, hast thou
given me aught to eat that thou offerest me drink after it? Wherefore
wend thy ways, O water-carrier, till I have eaten somewhat: then come
and give me to drink.” Thereupon I accosted another and he said:—Allah
provide thee! And so I went on till noon, without taking hansel, and I
said to myself, Would Heaven I had never come to Baghdad! Presently, I
saw the folk running as fast as they could; so I followed them and
behold, a long file of men riding two and two and clad in steel, with
double neck-rings and felt bonnets and burnouses and swords and
bucklers. I asked one of the folk whose suite this was, and he answered,
That of Captain Ahmad al-Danaf. Quoth I, And what is he? and quoth the
other, He is town-captain of Baghdad and her Divan, and to him is
committed the care of the suburbs. He getteth a thousand dinars a month
from the Caliph and Hasan Shuman hath the like. Moreover, each of his
men draweth an hundred dinars a month; and they are now returning to
their barrack from the Divan. And lo! Calamity Ahmad saw me and cried
out, Come give me drink. So I filled the cup and gave it him, and he
shook it and emptied it out, like unto thee; and thus he did a second
time. Then I filled the cup a third time and he took a draught as thou
diddest; after which he asked me, O water-carrier, whence comest thou?
And I answered, From Cairo, and he, Allah keep Cairo and her citizens!
What may bring thee thither? So I told him my story and gave him to
understand that I was a debtor fleeing from debt and distress. He cried,
Thou art welcome to Baghdad; then he gave me five dinars and said to his
men, For the love of Allah be generous to him. So each of them gave me a
dinar and Ahmad said to me, O Shaykh, what while thou abidest in Baghdad
thou shalt have of us the like every time thou givest us to drink.
Accordingly, I paid them frequent visits and good ceased not to come to
me from the folk till, one day, reckoning up the profit I had made of
them, I found it a thousand dinars and said to myself, The best thing
thou canst do is to return to Egypt. So I went to Ahmad’s house and
kissed his hand, and he said, What seekest thou? Quoth I, I have a mind
to depart; and I repeated these two couplets:—
Sojourn of stranger, in whatever land, ✿ Is like the castle based upon
the wind:
The breaths of breezes level all he raised. ✿ And so on homeward-way’s
the stranger’s mind.
I added, The caravan is about to start for Cairo and I wish to return to
my people. So he gave me a she-mule and an hundred dinars and said to
me, I desire to send somewhat by thee, O Shaykh! Dost thou know the
people of Cairo? Yes, answered I;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Tenth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ahmad
al-Danaf had given the water-carrier a she-mule and an hundred dinars
and said to him, “I desire to send a trust by thee. Dost thou know the
people of Cairo?” I answered (quoth the water-carrier), “Yes; and he
said, Take this letter and carry it to Ali Zaybak of Cairo and say to
him, Thy Captain saluteth thee and he is now with the Caliph. So I took
the letter and journeyed back to Cairo, where I paid my debts and plied
my water-carrying trade; but I have not delivered the letter, because I
know not the abode of Mercury Ali.” Quoth Ali, “O elder, be of good
cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear: I am that Ali, the first of
the lads of Captain Ahmad: here with the letter!” So he gave him the
missive and he opened it and read these two couplets:—
“O adornment of beauties to thee write I ✿ On a paper that flies as the
winds go by:
Could I fly, I had flown to their arms in desire, ✿ But a bird with cut
wings; how shall ever he fly?”
“But after salutation from Captain Ahmad al-Danaf to the eldest of his
sons, Mercury Ali of Cairo. Thou knowest that I tormented Salah al-Din
the Cairene and befooled him till I buried him alive and reduced his
lads to obey me, and amongst them Ali Kitf al-Jamal; and I am now become
town-captain of Baghdad in the Divan of the Caliph who hath made me
overseer of the suburbs. An thou be still mindful of our covenant, come
to me; haply thou shalt play some trick in Baghdad which may promote
thee to the Caliph’s service, so he may appoint thee stipends and
allowances and assign thee a lodging, which is what thou wouldst see and
so peace be on thee.” When Ali read this letter, he kissed it and laying
it on his head, gave the water-carrier ten dinars; after which he
returned to his barracks and told his comrades and said to them, “I
commend you one to other.” Then he changed all his clothes and, donning
a travelling cloak and a tarboosh, took a case, containing a spear of
bamboo-cane, four-and-twenty cubits long, made in several pieces, to fit
into one another. Quoth his lieutenant, “Wilt thou go a journey when the
treasury is empty?”; and quoth Ali, “When I reach Damascus I will send
you what shall suffice you.” Then he set out and fared on, till he
overtook a caravan about to start, whereof were the Shahbandar, or
Provost of the Merchants, and forty other traders. They had all loaded
their beasts, except the Provost, whose loads lay upon the ground, and
Ali heard his caravan-leader, who was a Syrian, say to the muleteers,
“Bear a hand, one of you!” But they reviled him and abused him. Quoth
Ali in himself, “None will suit me so well to travel withal as this
leader.” Now Ali was beardless and well-favoured; so he went up to and
saluted the leader who welcomed him and said, “What seekest thou?”
Replied Ali, “O my uncle, I see thee alone with forty mule-loads of
goods; but why hast thou not brought hands to help thee?” Rejoined the
other, “O my son, I hired two lads and clothed them and put in each
one’s pocket two hundred dinars; and they helped me till we came to the
Dervishes’ Convent,[218] when they ran away.” Quoth Ali, “Whither are
you bound?” and quoth the Syrian, “to Aleppo,” when Ali said, “I will
lend thee a hand.” Accordingly they loaded the beasts and the Provost
mounted his she-mule and they set out he rejoicing in Ali; and presently
he loved him and made much of him and on this wise they fared on till
nightfall, when they dismounted and ate and drank. Then came the time of
sleep and Ali lay down on his side and made as if he slept; whereupon
the Syrian stretched himself near him and Ali rose from his stead and
sat down at the door of the merchant’s pavilion. Presently, the Syrian
turned over and would have taken Ali in his arms, but found him not and
said to himself, “Haply he hath promised another and he hath taken him;
but I have the first right and another night I will keep him.” Now Ali
continued sitting at the door of the tent till nigh upon daybreak, when
he returned and lay down near the Syrian, who found him by his side,
when he awoke, and said to himself, “If I ask him where he hath been, he
will leave me and go away.” So he dissembled with him and they went on
till they came to a forest, in which was a cave, where dwelt a rending
lion. Now whenever a caravan passed, they would draw lots among
themselves and him on whom the lot fell they would throw to the beast.
So they drew lots and the lot fell not save upon the Provost of the
Merchants. And lo! the lion cut off their way awaiting his pray,
wherefore the Provost was sore distressed and said to the leader, “Allah
disappoint the fortunes[219] of the far one and bring his journey to
naught! I charge thee, after my death, give my loads to my children.”
Quoth Ali the Clever One, “What meaneth all this?” So they told him the
case and he said, “Why do ye run from the tom-cat of the desert? I
warrant you I will kill him.” So the Syrian went to the Provost and told
him of this and he said, “If he slay him, I will give him a thousand
dinars,” and said the other merchants, “We will reward him likewise one
and all.” With this Ali put off his mantle and there appeared upon him a
suit of steel; then he took a chopper of steel[220] and opening it
turned the screw; after which he went forth alone and standing in the
road before the lion, cried out to him. The lion ran at him, but Ali of
Cairo smote him between the eyes with his chopper and cut him in sunder,
whilst the caravan-leader and the merchants looked on. Then said he to
the leader, “Have no fear, O nuncle!” and the Syrian answered, saying,
“O my son, I am thy servant for all future time.” Then the Provost
embraced him and kissed him between the eyes and gave him the thousand
dinars, and each of the other merchants gave him twenty dinars. He
deposited all the coin with the Provost and they slept that night till
the morning, when they set out again, intending for Baghdad, and fared
on till they came to the Lion’s Clump and the Wady of Dogs, where lay a
villain Badawi, a brigand and his tribe, who sallied forth on them. The
folk fled from the highwaymen, and the Provost said, “My monies are
lost!”; when, lo! up came Ali in a buff coat hung with bells, and
bringing out his long lance, fitted the pieces together. Then he seized
one of the Arab’s horses and mounting it cried out to the Badawi Chief,
saying, “Come out to fight me with spears!” Moreover he shook his bells
and the Arab’s mare took fright at the noise and Ali struck the chief’s
spear and broke it. Then he smote him on the neck and cut off his
head.[221] When the Badawin saw their chief fall, they ran at Ali, but
he cried out, saying, “Allaho Akbar—God is Most Great!”—and, falling on
them broke them and put them to flight. Then he raised the Chief’s head
on his spear-point and returned to the merchants, who rewarded him
liberally and continued their journey, till they reached Baghdad.
Thereupon Ali took his money from the Provost and committed it to the
Syrian caravan-leader, saying, “When thou returnest to Cairo, ask for my
barracks and give these monies to my deputy.” Then he slept that night
and on the morrow he entered the city and threading the streets enquired
for Calamity Ahmad’s quarters; but none would direct him thereto.[222]
So he walked on, till he came to the square Al-Nafz, where he saw
children at play, and amongst them a lad called Ahmad al-Lakít,[223] and
said to himself, “O my Ali, thou shalt not get news of them but from
their little ones.” Then he turned and seeing a sweetmeat-seller bought
Halwá of him and called to the children; but Ahmad al-Lakit drove the
rest away and coming up to him, said, “What seekest thou?” Quoth Ali, “I
had a son and he died and I saw him in a dream asking for sweetmeats:
wherefore I have bought them and wish to give each child a bit.” So
saying, he gave Ahmad a slice, and he looked at it and seeing a dinar
sticking to it, said, “Begone! I am no catamite: seek another than I.”
Quoth Ali, “O my son, none but a sharp fellow taketh the hire, even as
he is a sharp one who giveth it. I have sought all day for Ahmad
al-Danaf’s barrack, but none would direct me thereto; so this dinar is
thine an thou wilt guide me thither.” Quoth the lad, “I will run before
thee and do thou keep up with me, till I come to the place, when I will
catch up a pebble with my foot[224] and kick it against the door; and so
shalt thou know it.” Accordingly he ran on and Ali after him, till they
came to the place, when the boy caught up a pebble between his toes and
kicked it against the door so as to make the place known.——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eleventh Night,