a King of the Kings of the Persians, by name Mohammed bin Sabáik, who
ruled over Khorásán-land and used every year to go on razzia into the
countries of the Miscreants in Hind and Sind and China and the lands of
Máwarannahr beyond the Oxus and other regions of the barbarians and what
not else. He was a just King, a valiant and a generous, and loved
table-talk[349] and tales and verses and anecdotes and histories and
entertaining stories and legends of the ancients. Whoso knew a rare
recital and related it to him in such fashion as to please him he would
bestow on him a sumptuous robe of honour and clothe him from head to
foot and give him a thousand dinars, and mount him on a horse saddled
and bridled besides other great gifts; and the man would take all this
and wend his way. Now it chanced that one day there came an old man
before him and related to him a rare story, which pleased the King and
made him marvel, so he ordered him a magnificent present, amongst other
things a thousand dinars of Khorasan and a horse with its housings and
trappings. After this, the bruit of the King’s munificence was blazed
abroad in all countries and there heard of him a man, Hasan the Merchant
hight, who was generous, open-handed and learned, a scholar and an
accomplished poet. Now that King had an envious Wazir, a multum-in-parvo
of ill, loving no man, rich nor poor, and whoso came before the King and
he gave him aught he envied him and said, “Verily, this fashion
annihilateth wealth and ruineth the land; and such is the custom of the
King.” But this was naught save envy and despite in that Minister.
Presently the King heard talk of Hasan the Merchant and sending for him,
said to him as soon as he came into the presence, “O Merchant Hasan,
this Wazir of mine vexeth and thwarteth me concerning the money I give
to poets and boon-companions and story-tellers and glee-men, and I would
have thee tell me a goodly history and a rare story, such as I have
never before heard. An it please me, I will give thee lands galore, with
their forts, in free tenure, in addition to thy fiefs and untaxed lands;
besides which I will put my whole kingdom in thy hands and make thee my
Chief Wazir; so shalt thou sit on my right hand and rule my subjects.
But, an thou bring me not that which I bid thee, I will take all that is
in thy hand and banish thee my realm.” Replied Hasan, “Hearkening and
obedience to our lord the King! But thy slave beseecheth thee to have
patience with him a year; than will he tell thee a tale, such as thou
hast never in thy life heard, neither hath other than thou heard its
like, not to say a better than it.” Quoth the King, “I grant thee a
whole year’s delay.” And he called for a costly robe of honour wherein
he robed Hasan, saying, “Keep thy house and mount not horse, neither go
nor come for a year’s time, till thou bring me that I seek of thee. An
thou bring it, especial favour awaiteth thee and thou mayst count upon
that which I have promised thee; but, an thou bring it not, thou art not
of us nor are we of thee.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Mohammed
son of Sabaik said to Hasan the Merchant, “An thou bring me that I seek
of thee, especial favour awaiteth thee and thou mayest now rejoice in
that which I have promised thee; but, an thou bring it not, thou art not
of us nor are we of thee.” Hasan kissed ground before the King and went
out from the presence. Then he chose five of the best of his Mamelukes,
who could all write and read and were learned, intelligent,
accomplished; and he gave each of them five thousand dinars, saying, “I
reared you not save for the like of this day; so do ye help me to
further the King’s desire and deliver me from his hand.” Quoth they,
“What wilt thou have us do? Our lives be thy ransom!” Quoth he, “I wish
you to go each to a different country and seek out diligently the
learned and erudite and literate and the tellers of wondrous stories and
marvellous histories and do your endeavour to procure me the story of
Sayf al-Mulúk. If ye find it with any one, pay him what price soever he
asketh for it although he demand a thousand dinars; give him what ye may
and promise him the rest and bring me the story; for whoso happeneth on
it and bringeth it to me, I will bestow on him a costly robe of honour
and largesse galore, and there shall be to me none more worshipped than
he.” Then said he to one of them, “Hie thou to Al-Hind and Al-Sind and
all their provinces and dependencies.” To another, “Hie thou to the home
of the Persians and to China and her climates.” To the third, “Hie thou
to the land of Khorasan with its districts.” To the fourth, “Hie thou to
Mauritania and all its regions, districts, provinces and quarters.” And
to the fifth, “Hie thou to Syria and Egypt and their outliers.”
Moreover, he chose them out an auspicious day and said to them, “Fare ye
forth this day and be diligent in the accomplishment of my need and be
not slothful, though the case cost you your lives.” So they farewelled
him and departed, each taking the direction prescribed to him. Now, four
of them were absent four months, and searched but found nothing; so they
returned and told their master, whose breast was straitened, that they
had ransacked towns and cities and countries for the thing he sought,
but had happened upon naught thereof. Meanwhile, the fifth servant
journeyed till he came to the land of Syria and entered Damascus, which
he found a pleasant city and a secure, abounding in trees and rills,
leas and fruiteries and birds chanting the praises of Allah the One, the
All-powerful of sway, Creator of Night and Day. Here he tarried some
time, asking for his master’s desire, but none answered him wherefore he
was on the point of departing thence to another place, when he met a
young man running and stumbling over his skirts. So he asked to him,
“Wherefore runnest thou in such eagerness and whither dost thou press?”
And he answered, “There is an elder here, a man of learning, who every
day at this time taketh his seat on a stool[350] and relateth tales and
stories and delectable anecdotes, whereof never heard any the like; and
I am running to get me a place near him and fear I shall find no room,
because of the much folk.” Quoth the Mameluke, “Take me with thee;” and
quoth the youth, “Make haste in thy walking.” So he shut his door and
hastened with him to the place of recitation, where he saw an old man of
bright favour seated on a stool holding forth to the folk. He sat down
near him and addressed himself to hear his story, till the going down of
the sun, when the old man made an end of his tale and the people, having
heard it all, dispersed from about him; whereupon the Mameluke accosted
him and saluted him, and he returned his salam and greeted him with the
utmost worship and courtesy. Then said the messenger to him, “O my lord
Shaykh, thou art a comely and reverend man, and thy discourse is goodly;
but I would fain ask thee of somewhat.” Replied the old man, “Ask of
what thou wilt!” Then said the Mameluke, “Hast thou the story of Sayf
al-Muluk and Badí’a al-Jamál?” Rejoined the elder, “And who told thee of
this story and informed thee thereof?” Answered the messenger, “None
told me of it, but I am come from a far country, in quest of this tale,
and I will pay thee whatever thou askest for its price if thou have it
and wilt, of thy bounty and charity, impart it to me and make it an alms
to me, of the generosity of thy nature for, had I my life in my hand and
lavished it upon thee for this thing, yet were it pleasing to my heart.”
Replied the old man, “Be of good cheer and keep thine eye cool and
clear: thou shalt have it; but this is no story that one telleth in the
beaten highway, nor do I give it to every one.” Cried the other, “By
Allah, O my lord, do not grudge it me, but ask of me what price thou
wilt.” And the old man, “If thou wish for the history give me an hundred
dinars and thou shalt have it; but upon five conditions.” Now when the
Mameluke knew that the old man had the story and was willing to sell it
to him, he joyed with exceeding joy and said, “I will give thee the
hundred dinars by way of price and ten to boot as a gratuity and take it
on the conditions of which thou speakest.” Said the old man, “Then go
and fetch the gold pieces, and take that thou seekest.” So the messenger
kissed his hands and joyful and happy returned to his lodging, where he
laid an hundred and ten dinars[351] in a purse he had by him. As soon as
morning morrowed, he donned his clothes and taking the dinars, repaired
to the story-teller, whom he found seated at the door of his house. So
he saluted him and the other returned his salam. Then he gave him the
gold and the old man took it and carrying the messenger into his house
made him sit down in a convenient place, when he set before him inkcase
and reed-pen and paper and giving him a book, said to him, “Write out
what thou seekest of the night-story[352] of Sayf al-Muluk from this
book.” Accordingly the Mameluke fell to work and wrote till he had made
an end of his copy, when he read it to the old man, and he corrected it
and presently said to him, “Know, O my son, that my five conditions are
as follows; firstly, that thou tell not this story in the beaten high
road nor before women and slave-girls nor to black slaves nor
feather-heads; nor again to boys; but read it only before Kings and
Emirs and Wazirs and men of learning, such as expounders of the Koran
and others.” Thereupon the messenger accepted the conditions and kissing
the old man’s hand, took leave of him, and fared forth.——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Mameluke of Hasan the Merchant had copied the tale out of the book
belonging to the old man of Damascus, and had accepted his conditions
and farewelled him, he fared forth on the same day, glad and joyful, and
journeyed on diligently, of the excess of his contentment, for that he
had gotten the story of Sayf al-Muluk, till he came to his own country,
when he despatched his servant to bear the good news to his master and
say to him, “Thy Mameluke is come back in safety and hath won his will
and his aim.” (Now of the term appointed between Hasan and the King
there wanted but ten days.) Then, after taking rest in his own quarters
he himself went in to the Merchant and told him all that had befallen
him and gave him the book containing the story of Sayf al-Muluk and
Badi’a al-Jamal, when Hasan joyed with exceeding joy at the sight and
bestowed on him all the clothes he had on and gave him ten thoroughbred
horses and the like number of camels and mules and three negro chattels
and two white slaves. Then Hasan took the book and copied out the story
plainly in his own hand; after which he presented himself before the
King and said to him, “O thou auspicious King, I have brought thee a
night-story and a rarely pleasant relation, whose like none ever heard
at all.” When these words reached the King’s ear, he sent forthright for
all the Emirs, who were men of understanding, and all the learned
doctors and folk of erudition and culture and poets and wits; and Hasan
sat down and read the history before the King, who marvelled thereat and
approved it, as did all who were present, and they showered gold and
silver and jewels upon the Merchant. Moreover, the King bestowed on him
a costly robe of honour of the richest of his raiment and gave him a
great city with its castles and outliers; and he appointed him one of
his Chief Wazirs and seated him on his right hand. Then he caused the
scribes write the story in letters of gold and lay it up in his privy
treasures; and whenever his breast was straitened, he would summon Hasan
and he would read him the story,[353] which was as follows:—
_STORY OF PRINCE SAYF AL-MULUK AND THE PRINCESS BADI’A AL-JAMAL._
There was once, in days of old and in ages and times long told, a King
in Egypt called Asim bin Safwán,[354] who was a liberal and beneficent
sovran, venerable and majestic. He owned many cities and sconces and
fortresses and troops and warriors and had a Wazir named Fáris bin
Sálih,[355] and he and all his subjects worshipped the sun and the fire,
instead of the All-powerful Sire, the Glorious, the Victorious. Now this
King was become a very old man, weakened and wasted with age and
sickness and decrepitude; for he had lived an hundred and fourscore
years and had no child, male or female, by reason whereof he was ever in
cark and care from morning to night and from night to morn. It so
happened that one day of the days, he was sitting on the throne of his
Kingship, with his Emirs and Wazirs and Captains and Grandees in
attendance on him, according to their custom, in their several stations,
and whenever there came in an Emir, who had with him a son or two sons,
or haply three who stood at the sides of their sires the King envied him
and said in himself, “Every one of these is happy and rejoiceth in his
children, whilst I, I have no child, and to-morrow I die and leave my
reign and throne and lands and hoards, and strangers will take them and
none will bear me in memory nor will there remain any mention of me in
the world.” Then he became drowned in the sea of thought and for the
much thronging of griefs and anxieties upon his heart, like travellers
faring for the well, he shed tears and descending from his throne, sat
down upon the floor,[356] weeping and humbling himself before the Lord.
Now when the Wazir and notables of the realm and others who were present
in the assembly saw him do thus with his royal person, they feared for
their lives and let the poursuivants cry aloud to the lieges, saying,
“Hie ye to your homes and rest till the King recover from what aileth
him.” So they went away, leaving none in the presence save the Minister
who, as soon as the King came to himself, kissed ground between his
hands and said, “O King of the Age and the time, wherefore this weeping
and wailing? Tell me who hath transgressed against thee of the Kings or
Castellans or Emirs or Grandees, and inform me who hath thwarted thee, O
my liege lord, that we may all fall on him and tear his soul from his
two sides.” But he spake not neither raised his head; whereupon the
Minister kissed ground before him a second time and said to him, “O
Master,[357] I am even as thy son and thy slave, nay, I have reared
thee; yet know I not the cause of thy cark and chagrin and of this thy
case; and who should know but I who should stand in my stead between thy
hands? Tell me therefore why this weeping and wherefore thine
affliction.” Nevertheless, the King neither opened his mouth nor raised
his head, but ceased not to weep and cry with a loud crying and lament
with exceeding lamentation and ejaculate, “Alas!” The Wazir took
patience with him awhile, after which he said to him, “Except thou tell
me the cause of this thine affliction, I will set this sword to my heart
and will slay myself before thine eyes, rather than see thee thus
distressed.” Then King Asim raised his head and, wiping away his tears,
said, “O Minister of good counsel and experience, leave me to my care
and my chagrin, for that which is in my heart of sorrow sufficeth me.”
But Faris said, “Tell me, O King, the cause of this thy weeping, haply
Allah will appoint thee relief at my hands.”——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir said
to King Asim, “Tell me the cause of this thy weeping: haply Allah shall
appoint thee relief at my hands.” Replied the King, “O Wazir, I weep not
for monies nor horses nor kingdoms nor aught else, but that I am become
an old man, yea, very old nigh upon an hundred and fourscore years of
age, and I have not been blessed with a child, male or female: so, when
I die, they will bury me and my trace will be effaced and my name cut
off; the stranger will take my throne and reign and none will ever make
mention of my being.” Rejoined the Minister Faris, “O King of the Age, I
am older than thou by an hundred years yet have I never been blest with
boon of child and cease not day and night from cark and care and
concern; so how shall we do, I and thou?” Quoth Asim, “O Wazir, hast
thou no device or shift in this matter?” and quoth the Minister, “Know,
O King that I have heard of a Sovran in the land of Sabá[358] by name
Solomon David-son (upon the twain be the Peace!),[359] who pretendeth to
prophetship and avoucheth that he hath a mighty Lord who can do all
things and whose kingdom is in the Heavens and who hath dominion over
all mankind and birds and beasts and over the wind and the Jinn.
Moreover, he kenneth the speech of birds and the language of every other
created thing; and withal, he calleth all creatures to the worship of
his Lord and discourseth to them of their service. So let us send him a
messenger in the King’s name and seek of him our need, beseeching him to
put up prayer to his Lord, that He vouchsafe each of us boon of issue.
If his Faith be soothfast and his Lord Omnipotent, He will assuredly
bless each of us with a child male or female, and if the thing thus fall
out, we will enter his faith and worship his Lord; else will we take
patience and devise us another device.” The King cried, “This is well
seen, and my breast is broadened by this thy speech; but where shall we
find a messenger befitting this grave matter, for that this Solomon is
no Kinglet and the approaching him is no light affair? Indeed, I will
send him none, on the like of this matter, save thyself; for thou art
ancient and versed in all manner affairs and the like of thee is the
like of myself; wherefore I desire that thou weary thyself and journey
to him and occupy thyself sedulously with accomplishing this matter, so
haply solace may be at thy hand.” The Minister said, “I hear and I obey;
but rise thou forthwith and seat thee upon the throne, so the Emirs and
Lords of the realm and officers and the lieges may enter applying
themselves to thy service, according to their custom; for they all went
away from thee, troubled at heart on thine account. Then will I go out
and set forth on the Sovran’s errand.” So the King arose forthright and
sat down on the throne of his kingship, whilst the Wazir went out and
said to the Chamberlain, “Bid the folk proceed to their service, as of
their wont.” Accordingly the troops and Captains and Lords of the land
entered, after they had spread the tables and ate and drank and withdrew
as was their wont, after which the Wazir Faris went forth from King Asim
and, repairing to his own house, equipped himself for travel and
returned to the King, who opened to him the treasuries and provided him
with rarities and things of price and rich stuffs and gear without
compare, such as nor Emir nor Wazir hath power to possess. Moreover,
King Asim charged him to accost Solomon with reverence, foregoing him
with the salam but not exceeding in speech; “and (continued he) then do
thou ask of him thy need, and if he say ’tis granted, return to us in
haste, for I shall be awaiting thee.” Accordingly, the Minister kissed
hands and took the presents and setting out, fared on night and day,
till he came within fifteen days’ journey of Saba. Meanwhile Allah
(extolled and exalted be He!) inspired Solomon the son of David (the
Peace be upon both!) and said to him, “O Solomon, the King of Egypt
sendeth unto thee his Chief Wazir, with a present of rarities and such
and such things of price; so do thou also despatch thy Counsellor Asaf
bin Barkhiyá to meet him with honour and with victual at the
halting-places; and when he cometh to thy presence, say unto
him:—Verily, thy King hath sent thee in quest of this and that and thy
business is thus and thus. Then do thou propound to him The Saving
Faith.”[360] Whereupon Solomon bade his Wazir make ready a company of
his retainers and go forth to meet the Minister of Egypt with honour and
sumptuous provision at the halting-places. So Asaf made ready all that
was needed for their entertainment and setting out, fared on till he
fell in with Faris and accosted him with the salam, honouring him and
his company with exceeding honour. Moreover, he brought them provaunt
and provender at the halting-places and said to them, “Well come and
welcome and fair welcome to the coming guests! Rejoice in the certain
winning of your wish! Be your souls of good cheer and your eyes cool and
clear and your breasts be broadened!” Quoth Faris in himself, “Who
acquainted him with this?”; and he said to Asaf,[361] “O my lord, and
who gave thee to know of us and our need?” “It was Solomon son of David
(on whom be the Peace!), told us of this!” “And who told our lord
Solomon?” “The Lord of the heaven and the earth told him, the God of all
creatures!” “This is none other than a mighty God!” “And do ye not
worship him?” “We worship the Sun, and prostrate ourselves thereto.” “O
Wazir Faris, the sun is but a star of the stars created by Allah
(extolled and exalted be He!), and Allah forbid that it should be a
Lord! Because whiles it riseth and whiles it setteth, but our Lord is
ever present and never absent and He over all things is Omnipotent!”
Then they journeyed on a little while till they came to the land Saba
and drew near the throne of Solomon David-son, (upon the twain be
peace!), who commanded his hosts of men and Jinn and others[362] to form
line on their road. So the beasts of the sea and the elephants and
leopards and lynxes and all beasts of the land ranged themselves in
espalier on either side of the way, after their several kinds, and
similarly the Jinn drew out in two ranks, appearing all to mortal eyes
without concealment, in divers forms grisly and gruesome. So they lined
the road on either hand, and the birds bespread their wings over the
host of creatures to shade them, warbling one to other in all manner of
voices and tongues. Now when the people of Egypt came to this terrible
array, they dreaded it and durst not proceed; but Asaf said to them,
“Pass on amidst them and walk forward and fear them not: for they are
slaves of Solomon son of David, and none of them will harm you.” So
saying, he entered between the ranks, followed by all the folk and
amongst them the Wazir of Egypt and his company, fearful: and they
ceased not faring forwards till they reached the city, where they lodged
the embassy in the guest-house and for the space of three days
entertained them sumptuously entreating them with the utmost honour.
Then they carried them before Solomon, prophet of Allah (on whom be the
Peace!), and when entering they would have kissed the earth before him;
but he forbade them, saying, “It besitteth not a man prostrate himself
to earth save before Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!), Creator
of Earth and Heaven and all other things; wherefore, whosoever of you
hath a mind to sit let him be seated in my service, or to stand, let him
stand, but let none stand to do me worship.” So they obeyed him and the
Wazir Faris and some of his intimates sat down, whilst certain of the
lesser sort remained afoot to wait on him. When they had sat awhile, the
servants spread the tables and they all, men and beasts, ate their
sufficiency.[363] Then Solomon bade Faris expound his errand, that it
might be accomplished, saying, “Speak and hide naught of that wherefor
thou art come; for I know why ye come and what is your errand, which is
thus and thus.” The King of Egypt who despatched thee, Asim hight, hath
become a very old man, infirm, decrepit; and Allah (whose name be
exalted!) hath not blessed him with offspring, male or female. So he
abode in cark and care and chagrin from morn to night and from night to
morn. It so happened that one day of the days as he sat upon the throne
of his kingship with his Emirs and Wazirs, and Captains and Grandees in
attendance on him, he saw some of them with two sons, others with one
and others with even three who came with their sire to do him service.
So he said in himself, of the excess of his sorrow, “Who shall get my
kingdom after my death? Will any save a stranger take it? And thus shall
I pass out of being as though I had never been!” On this account he
became drowned in the sea of thought, until his eyes were flooded with
tears and he covered his face with his kerchief and wept with sore
weeping. Then he rose from off his throne and sat down upon the floor
wailing and lamenting and none knew what was in heart as he grovelled in
the ground save Allah Almighty.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Sixtieth Night,