THE HISTORY OF THE KING'S SON OF SIND AND THE
LADY FATIMAH.[FN#3]
It is related that whilome there was a King of the many Kings of
Sind who had a son by other than his wife. Now the youth,
whenever he entered the palace, would revile[FN#4] and abuse and
curse and use harsh words to his step-mother, his father's Queen,
who was beautiful exceedingly; and presently her charms were
changed and her face waxed wan and for the excess of what she
heard from him she hated life and fell to longing for death.
Withal she could not say a word concerning the Prince to his
parent. One day of the days, behold an aged woman (which had been
her nurse) came in to her and saw her in excessive sorrow and
perplext as to her affair for that she knew not what she could do
with her step-son. So the ancient dame said to her, "O my lady, no harm shall befal thee; yet is thy case changed into other case
and thy colour hath turned to yellow." Hereupon the Queen told
her all that had befallen her from her step-son of harsh language
and revilement and abuse, and the other rejoined, "O my lady, let
not thy breast be straitened, and when the youth shall come to
thee and revile thee and abuse thee, do thou say him, 'Pull thy
wits somewhat together till such time as thou shalt have brought
back the Lady Fatimah, daughter of '�mir ibn al-Nu'um�n.'" The
old woman taught her these words by heart, and anon went forth
from her, when the Prince entered by the door and spoke harsh
words and abused and reviled her; so his father's wife said to
him, "Lower thy tone and pull thy wits somewhat together, for
thou be a small matter until thou shalt bring back the daughter
of the Sultan, hight Fatimah, the child of 'Amir ibn al-Nu'uman."
Now when he heard these words he cried, "By Allah, 'tis not
possible but that I go and return with the said Lady Fatimah;"
after which he repaired to his sire and said, "'Tis my desire to
travel; so do thou prepare for me provision of all manner
wherewith I may wend my way to a far land, nor will I return
until I win to my wish." Hereupon his father fell to transporting
whatso he required of victuals various and manifold, until all
was provided, and he got ready for him whatso befitted of bales
and camels and pages and slaves and eunuchs and negro chattels.
Presently they loaded up and the youth, having farewelled his
father and his friends and his familiars, set forth seeking the
country of Fatimah bint Amir, and he travelled for the first day
and the second day until he found himself in the middle of the
wilds and the Wadys, and the mountains and the stony wastes. This
lasted for two months till such time as he reached a region
wherein were Gh�ls and ferals, and to one and all who met him and
opposed him he would give something of provaunt and gentle them
and persuade them to guide him upon his way. After a time he met
a Shaykh well stricken in years; so he salamed to him and the
other, after returning his greeting, asked him saying, "What was
it brought thee to this land and region wherein are naught but
wild beasts and Ghuls?" whereto he answered, "O Shaykh, I came
hither for the sake of the Lady Fatimah, daughter of 'Amir ibn
al-Nu'uman." Hereat exclaimed the greybeard, "Deceive not
thyself, for assuredly thou shalt be lost together with what are
with thee of men and moneys, and the maiden in question hath been
the cause of destruction to many Kings and Sultans. Her father
hath three tasks which he proposeth to every suitor, nor owneth
any the power to accomplish a single one, and he conditioneth
that if any fail to fulfil them and avail not so to do, he shall
be slain. But I, O my son, will inform thee of the three which be
these: First the King will bring together an ardabb of sesame
grain and an ardabb of clover-seed and an ardabb of lentils; and
he will mingle them one with other, and he will say:--Whoso
seeketh my daughter to wife, let him set apart each sort, and
whoso hath no power thereto I will smite his neck. And as all
have failed in the attempt their heads were struck off next
morning and were hung up over the Palace gateway. Now the second
task is this: the King hath a cistern[FN#5] full of water, and he
conditioneth that the suitor shall drink it up to the last drop,
under pain of losing his life; and the third is as follows: he
owneth a house without doors and windows, and it hath[FN#6] three
hundred entrances and a thousand skylights and two thousand
closets: so he covenanteth with the suitor that he make for that
place whatever befitteth of doors and lattices and cabinets, and
the whole in a single night. Now here is sufficient to engross
thine intellect, O my son, but take thou no heed and I will do
thy task for thee." Quoth the other, "O my uncle, puissance and
omnipotence are to Allah!" and quoth the Shaykh, "Go, O my son,
and may the Almighty forward the works of thee." So the Prince
farewelled him and travelled for the space of two days, when
suddenly the ferals and the Ghuls opposed his passage and he gave
them somewhat of provaunt which they ate, and after they pointed
out to him the right path. Then he entered upon a Wady wherein
flights of locusts barred the passage, so he scattered for them
somewhat of fine flour which they picked up till they had eaten
their sufficiency. Presently he found his way into another valley
of iron-bound rocks, and in it there were of the J�nn what could
not be numbered or described, and they cut and crossed his way
athwart that iron tract. So he came forward and salam'd to them
and gave them somewhat of bread and meat and water, and they ate
and drank till they were filled, after which they guided him on
his journey and set him in the right direction. Then he fared
forwards till he came to the middle of the mountain, where he was
opposed by none, or mankind or Jinn-kind, and he ceased not
marching until he drew near the city of the Sultan whose daughter
he sought to wife. Here he set up a tent and sat therein seeking
repose for a term of three days; then he arose and walked
forwards until he entered the city, where he fell to looking
about him leftwards and rightwards till he had reached the
palace[FN#7] of the King. He found there over the gateway some
hundred heads which were hanging up, and he cried to himself,
"Veil me, O thou Veiler! All these skulls were suspended for the
sake of the Lady Fatimah, but the bye-word saith, 'Whoso dieth
not by the sword dieth of his life-term,' and manifold are the
causes whereas death be singlefold." Thereupon he went forwards
to the palace gate--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of
day, and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And
where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was
the next night and that was
The Four Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Prince
went forward to the Palace gate and purposed to enter, but they
forbade him nor availed he to go in; so he returned to his tents
and there spent the night till dawn. Then he again turned to the
King's Serai and attempted to make entry, but they stayed him and
he was unable to succeed, nor could he attain to the presence of
the Sovran. So he devised with one who was standing at the door a
device to enter the presence, but again he failed in his object
and whenever he craved admission they rejected him and drave him
away saying, "O youth, tell us what may be thy need?" Said he, "I
have a requirement of the Sultan and my purport is a business I
may transact with him and speech containeth both private and
public matters; nor is it possible that I mention my want to any
save to the Sovran." So a Chamberlain of the chamberlains went in
to the presence and reported the affair to the King, who
permitted them admit the stranger, and when he stood before the
throne he kissed ground and deprecated evil for the ruler and
prayed for his glory and permanency, and the Monarch, who
marvelled at the terseness of his tongue and the sweetness of his
speech, said to him, "O youth, what may be thy requirement?"
Quoth the Prince, "Allah prolong the reign of our lord the
Sultan! I came to thee seeking connexion with thee through thy
daughter the lady concealed and the pearl unrevealed." Quoth the
Sultan, "By Allah, verily this youth would doom himself
hopelessly to die and, Oh the pity of it for the loquence of his
language;" presently adding, "O youth, say me, art thou satisfied
with the conditions wherewith I would oblige thee?" and the
Prince replied, "O my lord, Omnipotence is to Allah; and, if the
Almighty empower me to fulfil thy pact, I shall fulfil it." The
King continued, "I have three tasks to impose upon thee," and the
Prince rejoined, "I am satisfied with all articles thou shalt
appoint." Hereupon the Sovran summoned the writers and witnesses,
and they indited the youth's covenant and gave testimony that he
was content therewith; and when the Prince had signified his
satisfaction and obligation, the King sent for an ardabb of
sesame and an ardabb of clover-seed and an ardabb of lentils and
let mingle all three kinds one with other till they became a
single heap. Then said the King to the Prince, "Do thou separate
each sort by itself during the course of the coming night, and if
dawn shall arise and every seed is not set apart, I will cut off
thy head." Replied the other, "Hearing and obeying." Then the
King bade place all the mixed heap in a stead apart, and
commanded the suitor retire into solitude; accordingly, he passed
alone into that site and looked upon that case and condition, and
he sat beside the heap deep in thought, so he set his hand upon
his cheek and fell to weeping, and was certified of death. Anon
he arose and going forwards attempted of himself to separate the
various sorts of grain, but he failed; and had two hundred
thousand thousands of men been gathered together for the work
they had on nowise availed to it. Hereupon he set his right hand
upon his cheek[FN#8] and he fell to weeping and suffered the
first third of the dark hours to pass, when he said to himself,
"There remaineth naught of thy life save the remnant of this
night!" But the while he was conjecturing and taking thought,
behold, an army of the locusts to whom he had thrown the flour
upon his road came speeding over him like a cloud dispread and
said to him with the tongue of the case,[FN#9] "Fear not neither
grieve, for we have flocked hither to solace thee and ward from
thee the woe wherein thou art: so take thou no further heed."
Then they proceeded to separate each kind of grain and set it by
itself, and hardly an hour had passed before the whole sample was
distributed grain by grain into its proper place while he sat
gazing thereon. After this the locusts arose and went their ways,
and when morning dawned the Sultan came forth and took seat in
the Hall of Commandment and said to those who were present,
"Arise ye and bring hither the youth that we may cut off his
head." They did his bidding but, when entering in to the Prince,
they found all the different grains piled separately, sesame by
itself and clover-seed alone and lentils distributed apart,
whereat they marvelled and cried, "This thing is indeed a mighty
great matter from this youth, nor could it befal any save himself
of those who came before him or of those who shall follow after
him." Presently they brought him to the Sultan and said, "O King
of the Age, all the grains are sorted;" whereat the Sovran
wondered and exclaimed, "Bring the whole before me." And when
they brought it he looked upon it with amazement and rejoiced
thereat, but soon recovered himself and cried, "O youth, there
remain to thee two tasks for two nights; and if thou fulfil them,
thou shalt win to thy wish, and if thou fail therein, I will
smite thy neck." Said the Prince, "O King of the Age, the
All-might is to Allah, the One, the Omnipotent!" Now when night
drew nigh the King opened to him a cistern and said, "Drink up
all that is herein and leave not of it a drop, nor spill aught
thereof upon the ground, and if thou drain the whole of it, thou
shalt indeed attain to thine aim, but if thou fail to swallow it,
I will smite thy neck." The Prince answered, "There is no Majesty
and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!"
Then he took his seat at the cistern-mouth and fell to thinking
and saying in his mind, "Wherefore, O certain person, shouldst
thou venture thy life and incur the cruel consequence of this
King on account of thy frowardness to thy father's wife? and by
Allah, this is naught save Jinn-struck madness on thy part!" So
he placed his left hand upon his cheek, and in his right was a
stick wherewith he tapped and drew lines in absent fashion upon
the ground,[FN#10] and he wept and wailed until the third of the
first part of the dark hours had passed, when he said in himself,
"There remaineth naught of thine age, ho, Such-an-one, save the
remainder of this night." And he ceased not to be drowned in
thought when suddenly a host of savage beasts and wild birds came
up to him and said with the tongue of the case, "Fear not neither
grieve, O youth, for none is faithless to the food save the son
of adultery and thou wast the first to work our weal, so we will
veil and protect thee, and let there be no sorrowing with thee on
account of this matter." Hereupon they gathered together in a
body, birds and beasts, and they were like unto a lowering cloud,
no term to them was shown and no end was known as they followed
in close file one upon other--And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day, and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister
mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night
and that was
The Four Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the wild
beasts and the feral birds met one another beside that cistern
and each took his turn thereat and drank without drinking his
full[FN#11] until naught of water remained in the reservoir and
they fell to licking the sides with their tongues so that anyone
seeing it would say that for the last ten years not a drop of
liquid had been stored therein. And after this they all went
their ways. Now as soon as it was morning-tide the King arose and
hied forth the Harem and taking his seat in the Hall of
Commandment said to sundry of his pages and Chamberlains, "Go
bring us tidings of the cistern." Accordingly they went thither
and inspected it but found no trace of water therein; so they
returned straightway to the ruler and reported the matter.
Hereupon the Sultan was amazed and his wits were bewildered and
he was certified that none had power to win his daughter for wife
save that youth. So he cried, "Bring him hither," and they fared
to fetch him and presented him in the presence where he salam'd
to the Sovran and deprecated[FN#12] for him and prayed for him.
The Sultan greeted him in return and said, "O Youth, there now
remaineth with me but a single task which if thou accomplish
shall save thee and win for thee my daughter; however if thou
fail therein I will smite thy neck." "Power is to Allah!"
exclaimed the Prince whereat the Sultan marvelled and said in his
mind, "Glory be to God: the words and works of this youth be
wonderful. Whatever I bid him do he beginneth with naming the
name of the Lord whereas those who forewent him never suffered me
hear aught of the sort. However, the fortunate are Fortune's
favourites and Misfortune never befalleth them." Now when it was
night-tide the Sultan said, "O youth, in very deed this mansion
which standeth beside the palace is brand-new and therein are
store of wood and timbers of every kind, but it lacketh portals
and lattices and the finishing of the cabinets; so I desire that
thou make for it doors and windows and closets. I have provided
thee with everything thou dost require of carpenter's gear and
turner's lathes; and either thou shalt work all this during the
coming night, or, if thou be wanting in aught and morning shall
morrow without all the needful being finished, I will cut off thy
head. This is the fine of thy three labours which an thou avail
to accomplish thou shalt attain thine aim and if thou fail
thereof I will smite thy neck. Such be then my last word."
Accordingly the Prince arose and faring from before him entered
the unfinished mansion which he found to be a palace greater and
grander than that wherein the King abode. He cried, "O Veiler,
withdraw not Thy veiling!" and he sat therein by himself (and he
drowned in thought) and said, "By Allah, if at this hour I could
find somewhat to swallow I would die thereby and rest from this
toil and trouble have been my lot;[FN#13] and the morning shall
not morrow ere I shall find repose nor shall any one of the town
folk solace himself and say, 'The Sultan is about to cut off the
head of this youth.' Withal the bye-word hath it, 'Joyance which
cometh from Allah is nearer than is the eyebrow to the eye,' and
if Almighty (be He extolled and exalted!) have determined aught
to my destiny, there is no flight therefrom. Moreover one of the
Sages hath said, 'He released me from pillar to post and the
Almighty bringeth happiness nearhand.' From this time until dawn
of day many a matter may proceed from the Lord wherein haply
shall be salvation for me or destruction." Then he fell to
pondering his affair and thinking over his frowardness to the
wife of his father, after which he said, "The slave meditateth
and the Lord determineth, nor doth the meditation of the slave
accord with the determination of the Lord." And while thus
drowned in care he heard the sound of the Darabukkah-drum[FN#14]
and the turmoil of work and the shiftings of voices whilst the
house was full of forms dimly seen and a voice cried out to him,
"O youth, be hearty of heart and sprightly of spirits: verily we
will requite thee the kindness thou wroughtest to us in providing
us with thy provision; and we will come to thine aidance this
very night, for they who are visiting and assisting thee are of
the J�nn from the Valley of Iron." Then they began taking up the
timbers and working them and some turned the wood with lathes,
and other planed the material with planes, whilst others again
fell to painting and dyeing the doors and windows, these green
and those red and those yellow; and presently they set them in
their several steads; nor did that night go by ere the labour was
perfected and there was no royal palace like unto it, either in
ordinance or in emplacement. Now as morning morrowed the Sultan
went forth to his divan, and when he looked abroad he saw a
somewhat of magnificence in the mansion which was not to be found
in his palace, so he said in his surprise, "By Allah, the works
of this youth be wondrous and had the joiners and carpenters
loitered over three years upon this work they never would have
fulfilled such task: moreover we ken not by what manner of means
this young man hath been able to accomplish the labour."
Thereupon he sent for the Prince to the presence and robed him
with a sumptuous robe of honour and assigned to him a mighty
matter of money, saying, "Verily thou deservest, O youth, and
thou art the only one who meriteth that thou become to my
daughter baron and she become to thee femme." Presently Sultan
Amir ibn al-Nu'uman bade tie the marriage-tie and led to her in
procession the bridegroom who found her a treasure wherefrom the
talisman had been loosed;[FN#15] and the bride rejoiced with even
more joyance than he did by cause of her sire, with his three
tasks, having made her believe that she would never be wedded and
bedded but die a maid, and she had long been in sadness for such
reason. Then the married couple abode with the King their father
for the space of a month, and all this time the camp of the young
Prince remained pitched without the town, and every day he would
send to his pages and eunuchs whatso they needed of meat and
drink. But when that term ended he craved from the Sultan leave
of travel to his own land and his father-in-law answered, "O
youth, do whatso thou ever wishest anent returning to thy native
realm;" and forthwith fell to fitting out his daughter till all
her preparations were completed and she was found ready for
wayfare together with her body-women and eunuchs. The Prince
having farewelled his father-in-law caused his loads to be loaded
and set out seeking his native country and kingdom; and he
travelled by day and by night, and he pushed his way through
Wadys and over mountains for a while of time until he drew near
his own land, and between him and his father's city remained only
some two or three marches. Here suddenly men met him upon the
road and as he asked them the tidings they replied that his sire
was besieged within his capital of Sind by a neighbour King who
had attacked him and determined to dethrone him and make himself
Sovereign and Sultan in his stead. Now when he heard this account
he pushed forward with forced marches till he reached his
father's city which he found as had been reported; and the old
King with all his forces was girded around within his own walls
nor could he sally out to offer battle for that the foe was more
forceful than himself. Hereupon the Prince pitched his camp and
prepared himself for fight and fray; and a many of his men rode
with him whilst another many remained on guard at the tents.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was
The Four Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Prince
busked him for fight and fray seeking to assault the army of the
King who had besieged his sire, and the two hosts fought together
a strenuous fight and a stubborn. On this wise fared it with
them; but as regards the bride, she took patience till such time
as her bridegroom had ridden forth, when she donned her weapons
of war and veiled herself with a face-veil and sallying forth in
Mameluke's habit presently came up with her mate the Prince whom
she found straitened by the multitude of his foes. Now this
Princess was mistress of all manner weapons, so she drew her
sword from its sheath and she laid on load rightwards and
leftwards until the wits of all beholders were wildered and her
bridegroom inclined to her and said, "Verily this Mameluke he is
not one of our party." But she continued battling till the sun
rose high in the firmament-vault when she determined to attack
the ensigns and colours which were flying after right royal of
fashion, and in the midst thereof was the hostile Sultan. So she
smote the ancient who bore the banner and cast him to the ground
and then she made for the King and charged down upon him and
struck him with the side of the sword a blow so sore that of his
affright he fell from his steed. But when his host saw him
unhorsed and prostrate upon the plain they sought safety in
flight and escape, deeming him to be dead; whereupon she alighted
and pinioned his elbows behind his back and tied his forearms to
his side, and lashed him on to his charger and bound him in bonds
like a captive vile. Then she committed him to her bridegroom who
still knew her not and she departed the field seeking her camp
until she arrived there and entered her pavilion where she
changed her attire and arrayed herself in women's raiment. After
this she sat down expecting the Prince who, when she had
committed to him the captured King, carried him into the city
where he found the gates thrown open. Hereupon his sire sallied
forth and greeted him albeit he recognised him not but was
saying, "Needs must I find the Knight who came to our
assistance." "O my papa," quoth the Prince, "dost thou not know
me?" and quoth the other, "O young man, I know thee not;" whereat
the other rejoined, "I am thy son Such-an-one." But hardly had
the old King heard these words when behold, he fell upon him and
threw his arms round his neck and was like to lose his sense and
his senses for stress of joyance. After a time he recovered and
looking upon the captive King asked him, "What was it drave thee
to come hither and seek to seize from me my realm?" and the other
answered him with humility and craved his pardon and promised not
again to offend, so he released him and bade him gang his gait.
After this the young Prince went forth and caused his Harim and
his pages and whoso were with him enter the city and when they
were seated in the women's apartment the husband and wife fell to
talking of their journey and what they had borne therein of toil
and travail. At last the Princess said to him, "O my lord, what
became of the King who besieged thy sire in his capital and who
sought to bereave him of his realm?" and said he, "I myself took
him captive and committed him to my father who admitted his
excuses and suffered him depart." Quoth she, "And was it thou who
capturedst him?" and quoth he, "Yea verily, none made him
prisoner save myself." Hereupon said she, "Thee it besitteth not
to become after thy sire Sovran and Sultan!" and said he, "Why
and wherefore?" "For that a lie defameth and dishonoureth the
speaker," cried she, "and thou hast proved thee a liar." "What
made it manifest to thee that I lied?" asked the Prince, and the
Princess answered, "Thou claimest to have captured the King when
it was other than thyself took him prisoner and committed him to
thy hands." He enquired, "And who was he?" and she replied, "I
know not, withal I had him in sight." Hereupon the bridegroom
repeated his query till at last she confessed it was she had done
that deed of derring-do; and the Prince rejoiced much in
her.[FN#16] Then the twain made an entry in triumph and the city
was adorned and the general joy was increased. Now his taking to
wife the Lady Fatimah daughter of the Sultan Amir bin Al-Nu'uman
so reconciled him to his stepmother, the spouse of his father the
Sovran of Sind, that both forgot their differences and they lived
ever afterwards in harmony and happiness.