There was once a King who said to his vazír, "Let us take a walk through the
town during the night." In walking about they came to a house where they heard
people talking, and stopping before it they heard a girl say, "If the King
would marry me, I would make him a tart (or pie) so large that it would serve
for him and his army." And another said, "If the King would marry me, I would
make him a tent that would shelter him and his whole army." Then a third said,
"If the King would marry me, I would present him with a daughter and a son,
with golden hair, and hair of hyacinth colour alternately; if they should
weep, it would thunder, and if they should laugh, the sun and moon would
appear." The King on hearing these words went away, and on the following day
he sent for the three girls and made the contract of marriage with them. He
passed the first night with the one who had spoken first, and said to her,
"Where is the tart that would be sufficient for me and my army?" She answered
him, "The words of the night are greased with butter: when day appears they
melt away." The next night he slept with the second, saying to her, "Where is
the tent which would be large enough for me and my army?" She answered him,
"It was an idea that came into my mind." So the King ordered them to go down
into the kitchen among the slaves. He passed the third night with the tattle
one, saying, "Where are the boy and girl whose hair is to be like gold and
hyacinth?" She replied, "Tarry with me nine months and nine minutes." In due
time she became pregnant, and on the night of her confinement the midwife was
sent for. Then the other wife of the King went and met her in the street and
said to her, "When she has been delivered, how much will the King give you ?"
She answered, "He will issue orders to give me fifteen mahbúbs.[FN#428] The
other said, "Behold, here are forty mahhúbs from me. Take these two little
blind puppies, and when she has given birth to a son and a daughter, take them
and place them in a box and put these two puppies in their stead, and remove
the children." The midwife took the money and the little dogs and went away.
When the King's new wife was safely delivered, the midwife did according to
her agreement with the other wife of the King, and then went before him and
said, "I fear to speak." He answered, "Speak; I grant you pardon." Then said
she, "Your wife has been delivered of two dogs." Then the King gave orders,
saying, "Take and cover her with tar, and bind her to the staircase, and let
any who may go up or down spit upon her," which was done accordingly. And the
midwife carried away the children and threw them into the river.
Now there was a fisherman who lived on an island with his wife, and they had
no children. On the morrow he went to the water-side to fish and found a box
driven on to the shore He carried it home to his wife, and placing it between
them, he said, "Listen, my dear, I am going to make a bargain with you: if
this contains money, it will be for me, if it contains children, they will be
for you." She replied, "Very well, I am quite content." They then opened the
box and found in it a baby boy and girl. The baby boy had his finger in the
baby girl's mouth and the latter had her finger in his mouth, and they were
sucking one another's fingers. The woman took them out of the box and prayed
to Heaven, "Make milk come into my breasts, for the sake of these little
ones." And by the Almighty power the milk came into her breasts, and she
continued to bring them up until they had reached the age of twelve years.
One day the fisherman caught two large white fish, and the youth said to him,
"These two white fish are pretty, my father; I will take and sell them, or
carry them as a present to the King." So the boy took them and went away. He
sat down with them in the Fish Market: people gathered about him, and those
who did not look at the fish looked at the boy. The King also came past, and
seeing the two white fish and the boy he called to him saying, "What is the
price, my lad?" The boy answered, "They are a present for you, my prince."
Thereupon the King took him to the palace and said to him, "What is your
name?" and he replied, "My name is Muhammed, and my father is the fisherman
who lives on the island." Then the King gave him thirty mahbúbs, saying, "Go
away, discreet one, and every day return here to my house." So the lad
returned home and gave the money to his father. The next morning two more
white fish were caught and Muhammed carried them to the King, who took him
into his garden and made him sit down opposite him. The King remained there
drinking his wine and looking on the beauty of the youth: love for the lad
entered his heart and he remained with him two hours.[FN#429] Then he gave
orders to provide the youth with a horse for his use in coming to and
returning from his house, and Muhammed mounted the horse and rode home.
When he visited the King the following day he was again led into the garden,
and the other wife of the King, looking from her window saw the lad and
recognised him. She at once sent for the old midwife, and said to her, "I bade
you kill the children, yet they are still living upon the earth." Replied the
old woman, "Have patience with me, O Queen for three days, and I will kill
him." Then she went away, and having procured a pitcher tied it to her girdle,
bewitched it, mounted on it, and struck it with a whip, and forthwith the
pitcher flew away with her and descended upon the island near the fisherman's
cottage.[FN#430] She found the young girl, Muhammed's sister, sitting alone,
and thus addressed her: "My dear, why are you thus alone and sad? Tell your
brother to fetch you the rose of Arab Zandyk, that it may sing to you and
amuse you, instead of your being thus lonely and low-spirited." When her
brother came home, he found her displeased and asked her, "Why are you vexed,
my sister?" She replied, "I should like the rose of Arab Zandyk, that it may
sing to me and amuse me." "At your command," said he; "I am going to bring it
to you."
He mounted his horse and travelled into the midst of the desert, where he
perceived an ogress seated and pounding wheat with a millstone on her arm.
Alighting, he came up to her and saluted her saying, "Peace be with you,
mother ogress." She replied, "If your safety did not prevail over your words,
I would eat the flesh from off your bones." Then she asked, "Where are you
going, Muhammed the Discreet?" He answered, "I am in quest of the singing rose
of Arab Zandyk." She showed him the way, saying, "You will find before the
palace a kid and a dog fastened, and before the kid a piece of meat and before
the dog a bunch of clover: lift the meat and throw it to the dog, and give the
clover to the kid.[FN#431] Then the door will open for you: enter and pluck
the rose; return immediately without looking behind you, because, if you do
so, you will be bewitched and changed into stone, like the enchanted ones who
are there." Muhammed the Discreet carefully followed the instructions of the
ogress: plucked the rose, went out by the door, put back the meat before the
kid and the clover before the dog, and carried the rose home to his sister.
Then he again went to the house of the King, who saluted him and said, "Where
hast thou been, discreet one? Why hast thou absented thyself so long from my
house?" And he answered, "I was sick, O King." Then the King took him by the
hand and entered the garden, and both sat down. The wife of the King saw them
seated together, and sending for the midwife she angrily asked, "Why do you
befool me, old woman?" She replied "Have patience with me for three days more,
O Queen." Then she mounted her pitcher and arriving at the house of the young
girl, she said, "Has thy brother fetched thee the rose?" "Yes," answered the
girl, "but it does not sing." Quoth the old woman, "It only sings with its
looking-glass," and then went away. When the youth returned he found his
sister vexed, and he asked, "Why are you so sad, my sister?" She replied, "I
should like the looking-glass of the rose, by means of which it sings." Quoth
he, "I obey your orders, and will bring it to you."
Muhammed the Discreet rode on till he came to the ogress, who asked him what
he wanted. "I wish," said he, "the looking-glass of the rose." "Well, go and
do with the dog and kid as you did before. When you have entered the garden
you will find some stairs go up them, and in the first room you come to you
will find the mirror suspended. Take it, and set out directly, without looking
behind you. If the earth shake with you, keep a brave heart, otherwise you
will have gone on a fruitless errand." He went and did according to the
instructions of the ogress. In taking away the mirror the earth shook under
him, but he made his heart as hard as an anvil and cared nothing for the
shaking. But when he brought the mirror to his sister and she had placed it
before the rose of Arab Zandyk, still the rose sang not.
When he visited the King, he excused his absence, saying, "I was led on a
journey with my father, but here am I, returned once more." The King led him
by the hand into the garden, and the wife of the King again perceiving him she
sent for the midwife and demanded of her, "Why do you mock me again, old
woman?" Quoth she, "Have patience with me for three days, O Queen; this time
will be the beginning and the end." Then she rode on her pitcher to the
island, and asked the young girl, "Has thy brother brought thee the mirror?"
"Yes, but still the rose sings not." "Ah, it only sings with its mistress, who
is called Arab Zandyk," and so saying she departed. Muhammed the Discreet on
his return home again found his sister disconsolate, and in answer to his
inquiries, she said, "I desire Arab Zandyk, mistress of the rose and of the
mirror, that I may amuse myself with her when you are absent."
He at once mounted his horse and rode on till he came to the house of the
ogress. "How fares it with you, mother ogress?" "What do you want now,
Muhammed the Discreet?" "I wish Arab Zandyk, mistress of the rose and of the
mirror." Quoth the ogress, "Many kings and pashas have not been able to bring
her: she hath changed them all into stone; and thou art small and poor--what
will become of thee?" "Only, my dear mother ogress show me the way, and I
shall bring her, with the permission of God." Said the ogress, "Go to the west
side of the palace; there you will find an open window. Bring your horse under
the window and then cry in a loud voice, 'Descend, Arab Zandyk!'" Muhammed the
Wary went accordingly, halted beneath the window, and cried out, "Descend,
Arab Zandyk!" She looked from her window scornfully and said," Go away, young
man." Muhammed the Discreet raised his eyes and found that half of his horse
was changed into stone. A second time cried he in a loud voice, "Descend, Arab
Zandyk!" She insulted him and said, "I tell you, go away, young man.' He
looked again and found his horse entirely enchanted and half of himself as
well. A third time he cried in a loud voice, "I tell you, descend, Arab
Zandyk!" She inclined herself half out of the window, and her hair fell down
to the ground. Muhammed the Discreet seized it, twined it round his hand
pulled her out, and threw her on the earth. Then said she, "Thou art my fate,
Muhammed the Wary; relinquish thy hold of my hair, by the life of thy father
the King." Quoth he "My father is a fisherman." "Nay," she replied, "thy
father is the King, by-and-by I will tell thee his history." Quoth he, "I will
leave hold of your hair when you have set at liberty the enchanted men." She
made a sign with her right arm and they were at once set free. They rushed
headlong towards Muhammed the Prudent to take her from him but some of them
said "Thanks to him who hath delivered us: do you still wish to take her from
him?" So they left him and went their several ways.
Arab Zandyk then took him by the hand and led him into her castle. She gave
her servants orders to build a palace in the midst of the isle of the
fisherman, which being accomplished, she took Muhammed the Discreet and her
soldiers and proceeded thither and then she said to him, "Go to the King, and
when he asks you where you have been reply, 'I have been preparing my nuptials
and invite you, with your army.'" He went to the King and spoke as Arab Zandyk
had instructed him, upon which the King laughed and said to his vazír, "This
young man is the son of a fisherman and comes to invite me with my army!"
Quoth the vazír, "On account of your love for him, command that the soldiers
take with them food for eight days, and we also will take our provender for
eight days." The King having issued orders to that effect, and all being
ready, they all set out and arriving at the house of the fisherman's son, they
found a large number of beautiful tents erected for the soldiers'
accommodation and the King was astonished. Then came the feasting--one dainty
dish being quickly followed by another still more delicious and the soldiers
said among themselves, "We should like to remain here for two years to eat
meat and not be obliged to eat only beans and lentils." They continued there
forty days until the nuptials were completed, well content with their fare.
Then the King departed with his army. The King sent a return invitation, and
Arab Zandyk commanded her soldiers to set out in order to precede her to the
capital. When the soldiers arrived they filled the town so that there was
scarcely sufficient house-room for them. Then Arab Zandyk set out accompanied
by Muhammed and his sister. They entered the royal palace, and as they
ascended the staircase, Arab Zandyk perceived the mother of Muhammed covered
with tar and in chains, so she threw over her a cashmere shawl and covered
her. The servants who were standing about said to Arab Zandyk, "Why do you
cover her with a shawl? Spit upon her when you go up and also when you come
down." She asked, "Why so?" Said they, "Because she gave birth to two dogs."
Then they went to the King and said, "A lady amongst the strangers has thrown
a cashmere shawl over her who is fastened to the staircase, and has covered
her without spitting upon her." The King went and met Arab Zandyk and asked,
"Why have you covered her?" Said she, "Give orders that she be conducted to
the bath, cleansed, and dressed in a royal robe, after which I will relate her
history." The King gave the required orders, and when she was decked in a
royal robe they conducted her into the divan. Then said the King to Arab
Zandyk, "Tell me now the history." Said she, "Listen, O King, the fisherman
will speak," and then Arab Zandyk said to the fisherman, "Is it true that your
wife gave birth to Muhammed and his sister at one time or at separate times?"
He replied, "My wife has no children." "Where, then did you get them?" Quoth
he, "I went one morning to fish, and found them in a box on the bank of the
river. I took them home, and my wife brought them up." Arab Zandyk then said,
"Hast thou heard, O King?" and turning to his wife, "Are these thy children, O
woman?" Said she, "Tell them to uncover their heads that I may see them." When
they uncovered their heads, they were seen to have alternately hair of gold
and hair of hyacinth. The King then asked her, "Are these thy children?" "Tell
them to weep: if it thunders and rains, they are my children, and if it does
not thunder or rain, they are not mine." The children wept, and it thundered
and rained. Then he asked her again, "Are these thy children?" And she said,
"Tell them to laugh: if the sun and moon appear, they are my children." They
told them to laugh, and the sun and moon appeared. Then he asked her once
more, "Are these thy children?" and she said, "They are my children!" Then the
King appointed the fisherman vazír of his right hand, and commanded that the
city be illuminated for forty whole days; on the last day he caused his other
wife and the old witch (the midwife) to be led out and burnt, and their ashes
to be dispersed to the winds.
The variations between this and Galland's story are very considerable, it must
be allowed, and though the fundamental outline is the same in both, they
should be regarded as distinct versions of the same tale, and both are
represented by Asiatic and European stories. Here the fairy Arab Zandyk plays
the part of the Speaking-Bird, which, however, has its equivalent in the
preceding tale (No. x.) of Spitta Bey's collection:
A man dies, leaving three sons and one daughter. The sons build a palace for
their sister and mother. The girl falls in love with some one who is not
considered as an eligible parti by the brothers. By the advice of an old
woman, the girl asks her brothers to get her the singing nightingale, in hope
that the bird would throw sand on them and thus send them down to the seventh
earth. The eldest before setting out on this quest leaves his chaplet with his
younger brother, saying that if it shrank it would be a token that he was
dead. Journeying through the desert some one tells him that many persons have
been lost in their quest of the singing nightingale: he must hide himself till
he sees the bird go into its cage and fall asleep, then shut the cage and
carry it off. But he does not wait long enough, and tries to shut the cage
while the bird's feet are still outside, so the bird takes up sand with its
feet and throws it on him, and he descends to the seventh earth. The second
brother, finding the chaplet shrunk, goes off in his turn, leaving his ring
with the youngest brother--if it contract on the finger it will betoken his
death. He meets with the same fate as his elder brother, and now the youngest,
finding the ring contract, sets out, leaving with his mother a rose, which
will fade if he dies. He waits till the singing nightingale is asleep, and
then shuts him in the cage. The bird in alarm implores to be set at liberty,
but the youth demands first the restoration of his brothers, and the bird
tells him to scatter on the ground some sand from beneath the cage, which he
does, when only a crowd of negroes and Turks (? Tátárs) appear, and confess
their failure to capture the singing nightingale. Then the bird bids him
scatter white sand, which being done, 500 whites and the two lost brothers
appear and the three return home with the bird, which sings so charmingly in
the palace that all the people come to listen to it outside.--The rest of this
story tells of the amours of the girl and a black, who, at her instigation,
kills her eldest brother, but he is resuscitated by the Water of Life.
Through the Moors, perhaps, the story found its way among the wandering tribes
(the Kabail) of Northern Africa, who have curiously distorted its chief
features, though not beyond recognition, as will be seen from the following
abstract of their version, from M. Riviere's collection of "Comes Populaires
de la Kabylie du Djurdjura" (Paris, 1882):