I had a familiar in the Northern region who was called 'Abd
al-Jaw�d and he was one of the greatest of merchants there and
made of money; also he loved voyage and travel, and at whatever
time I visited him and we forgathered, I and he, we exchanged
citations of poetry. Now one day my heart yearned to visit him,
so I repaired to his place and found him there; and as we came
together we both sat down in friendly converse, I and he; and he
said to me "O my brother, do thou hear what happened and was
accomplished for me in these times. I travelled to the land of
Al-Yaman and therein met a familiar who, when we sat down to
talk, I and he, said, 'O my brother, verily there befel me and
betided me in the land of Al-Hind a case that was strange and an
adventure that was admirable and it ran as follows. There was
erewhile a King of the kings of India and one of her greatest,
who was abundant in money and troops and guards and he was called
Al-Mihrj�n.[FN#178] This same was a lord of high degree and a
majestic and he had lived for a long while of his age without
having issue male or female. Wherefor he was full of cark and
care wanting one who after him would preserve his memory, so he
said in his mind one night of the nights, 'Whenas I die cut off
shall be my name, and effaced shall be my fame nor shall anyone
remember me.' So saying he raised both hands to Heaven and
humbled himself before Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) to
vouchsafe him a child who should outlive him with the view that
man might not lose the memory of him. Now one night as he was
sleeping a-bed dreaming and drowned in slumber behold, he heard a
Voice (without seeing any form) which said to him, 'O Mihrjan the
Sage, and O King of the Age, arouse thee this moment and go to
thy wife and lie with her and know her carnally, for she shall
indeed conceive of thee at this very hour and bear thee a child
which, an it be a boy shall become thine aider in all thine
affairs but will, an it prove a girl, cause thy ruin and thy
destruction and the uprooting of thy traces.' When Al-Mihrjan
heard from the Speaker these words and such sayings, he left his
couch without stay or delay in great joy and gladness and he went
to his wife and slept with her and swived her and as soon as he
arose from off her she said, 'O King of the Age, verily I feel
that I have become pregnant; and (Inshallah--if Almighty Allah
please!) this shall prove the case.'[FN#179] When Al-Mihrjan
heard the words of his wife he was glad and rejoiced at good news
and he caused that night be documented in the archives of his
kingdom. Then, when it was morning he took seat upon the throne
of his kingship and summoned the Astrologers and the Scribes of
characts and Students of the skies and told them what had been
accomplished to him in his night and what words he had heard from
the Voice; whereupon the Sages one and all struck tables of sand
and considered the ascendant. But each and every of them
concealed his thought and hid all he had seen nor would any
return a reply or aught of address would supply; and said they,
'O King of the Age, verily appearances in dreams hit the mark at
times and at times fly wide; for when a man is of a melancholic
humour he seeth in his sleep things which be terrible and
horrible and he waxeth startled thereat: haply this vision thou
hast beheld may be of the imbroglios of dreams so do thou commit
the reins to Him who all overreigns and the best Worker is He of
all that wisheth and willeth He.' Now when Al-Mihrjan heard these
words of the Sages and the Star-gazers he gifted and largessed
them and he freed the captives in prison mewed and he clothed the
widows and the poor and nude. But his heart remained in sore
doubt concerning what he had heard from the Voice and he was
thoughtful over that matter and bewildered and he knew not what
to do; and on such wise sped those days. Now, however, returneth
the tale to the Queen his Consort who, when her months had gone
by, proved truly to be pregnant and her condition showed itself,
so she sent to inform her husband thereof. He was gladdened and
rejoiced in the good news and when the months of gestation were
completed the labour-pains set in and she was delivered of a
girl-child (praise be to Him who had created and had perfected
what He had produced in this creation!), which was winsome of
face and lovesome of form and fair fashioned of limbs, with
cheeks rosaceous and eyne gracious and eyebrows continuous and
perfect in symmetrical proportion. Now after the midwives
delivered her from the womb and cut her navel-string and kohl'd
her eyes, they sent for King Al-Mihrjan and informed him that his
Queen had borne a maid- babe, but when the Eunuchs gave this
message, his breast was narrowed and he was bewildered in his
wits, and rising without stay or delay he went to his wife. Here
they brought to him the new-born when he uncovered her face and,
noting her piquancy and elegancy and beauty and brilliancy and
size and symmetry, his vitals fluttered and he was seized with
yearning sorrow for her fate; and he named her Al-Hayf�[FN#180]
for her seemlihead. Then he gifted the midwife'"--And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day 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 Six Hundred and Sixty-third 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 King
Al-Mihrjan largessed a robe of honour to the midwife and gifted
her with a thousand gold pieces and went forth from beside his
daughter. Then they committed her to wetnurses and drynurses and
governesses who reared her with the fairest rearing, and after
she had reached the age of four they brought to her divines who
lessoned her in the art of writing and of making
selections[FN#181] and presently she approved herself sharp of
wits, clever, loquent of tongue, eloquent of speech, sweet spoken
of phrase; and every day she increased in beauty and loveliness
and stature and perfect grace. And when she reached the age of
fourteen she was well read in science and she had perused the
annals of the past and she had mastered astrology and geomancy
and she wrote with caligraphic pen all the seven handwritings and
she was mistress of metres and modes of poetry and still she grew
in grace of speech. Now as her age reached her fourteenth year
her sire the Sultan chose for her a palace and settled her
therein and placed about her slave-girls, high-bosomed virgins
numbering an hundred, and each and every famous for beauty and
loveliness; and presently she selected of them a score who were
all maidenhoods, illustrious for comeliness and seemliness. These
she taught in verse and poetry and in the strangenesses of
history and in striking instruments of mirth and merriment until
they surpassed all the folk of their day; and she assiduously
enjoined upon them the drinking of wine pure and new and
boon-companionship with choice histories and strange tales and
the rare events of the time. Such was the case with Al-Hayfa; but
as regards her father, King Al-Mihrjan, as one night he was lying
abed pondering what he had heard from the Voice, suddenly there
addressed him a sound without a form and said, "O King of the
Age," whereat he was fully aroused by sore terror and his vitals
fluttered and his wits were bewildered and he was perplexed as to
his affair. So he took refuge with Allah from Satan the Stoned
and repeated somewhat of the Koran and fenced himself about with
certain of the holy names of Allah the Munificent; then he would
have returned to his couch but was unable, even to place cheek on
pillow. Presently sounded the Voice a second time, saying, "O
King of the Age, O Mihrjan, verily shalt thou die by reason of
her;" and forthwith improvised the following couplets,
"Ho thou! Hear, O Mihrjan, what to thee shall be said * Learn the
drift of my words in these lines convey'd:
Thy daughter, Al-Hayfa (the girded round * With good, and with
highest of grade array'd)
Shall bring with right hand to thee ruin-bowl * And reave thee of
realm with the sharp-biting blade."[FN#182]
Now when Al-Mihrjan had heard what the Voice had spoken of verse
and had produced for him of prose, he was wholly aroused from his
sleep and became like one drunken with wine who knew not what he
did and his vitals fluttered and increased his cark and care and
anxious thought. So he removed from that site into another stead
and was stirred up and went awandering about. Then he set his
head upon the pillow but was unable to close his eyelids and the
Voice drew nearer and cried upon him in frightful accents and
said, "O Mihrjan, dost thou not hearken to my words and
understand my verse; to wit, that thy daughter Al-Hayfa shall
bequeath to thee shame and thou shalt perish by cause of her?"
Then the Unseen One recited these couplets,[FN#183]
"I see thee, O Mihrjan, careless-vain * who from hearing the
words of the wise dost abstain:
I see Al-Hayfa, by potent lord * Upraised in her charms and
speech sweet of strain,
Who shall home thee in grave sans a doubt and she * Shall seize
thy king-ship and reave thy reign."
But when Al-Mihrjan had heard the words of the Voice and what it
had urged upon him of poetry and of prose-addresses, he arose
from his rest in haste and anxiety until Allah caused the morn to
morrow and break in its sheen and it shone, whereupon the King
summoned the Mathematicians and the Interpreters of dreams and
the Commentators on the Koran; and, when they came between his
hands, he related to them his vision, fully and formally, and
they practised their several arts, making all apparent to them;
but they concealed the truth and would not reveal it, saying to
him, "Indeed the consequence of thy vision is auspicious."-- 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 Six Hundred and Sixty-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
Astrologers said to King Al-Mihrjan, "Verily the consequence of
thy vision is auspicious;" and on the second night Iblis the
Accursed appeared to him under the bodily form of a handsome man
and said, "Ho thou the King, I am he who terrified thee
yesternight in thy dream, for the reason that thou hast ruined
the Monastery of the Archers[FN#184] wherein I lay homed. However
an thou wilt edify it again I will favour thee with my counsel,
ho thou the King!" Al-Mihrjan replied, "Upon me be its rebuilding
an thou wilt honour me with thy advice, ho thou the Voice!"
Hereupon Iblis fell to lying with him and saying, "Verily I am
thine aider in building thee a palace by the river
Al-Kaw�'ib,[FN#185] O thou will of me and desire of me!" (Now the
folk heard these words spoken aloud.) Then Al-Mihrjan arose from
his sleep joyful and cheerful and when morning came he summoned
the Mathematicians and Architects and Masons and bade them
rebuild the Monastery of the Archers; so they obeyed his bidding
until they had completed it in the handsomest fashion and with
the best of workmanship. After that the King ordered they
construct for his daughter Al-Hayfa a palace unsurpassed by any
edifice and perfectly builded and decorated, hard by the river
Al-Kawa'ib; moreover that it should be situate in a wady, a
hill-girt plain through which meandered the stream. So they
obeyed his bidding and laid its foundations and marked with large
stones the lines thereof which measured a parasang of length by a
parasang of breadth. Then they showed their design to the King,
who gathering together his army returned with them to the city.
Presently the Architects and Master-masons fell to building it
square of corners and towering in air over the height of an
hundred ells and an ell; and amiddlemost thereof stood a
quadrangular hall with four-fold saloons, one fronting other,
whilst in each was set apart a cabinet for private converse. At
the head of every saloon a latticed window projected over the
garden whereof the description shall follow in its place; and
they paved the ground with vari-coloured marbles and alabastrine
slabs which were dubbed with bezel stones and onyx[FN#186] of
Al-Yaman. The ceilings were inlaid with choice gems and lapis
lazuli and precious metals: the walls were coated with white
stucco painted over with ceruse[FN#187] and the frieze was
covered with silver and gold and ultramarine and costly minerals.
Then they set up for the latticed windows colonnettes of gold and
silver and noble ores, and the doors of the sitting chamber were
made of chaunders-wood alternating with ebony which they studded
with jewels and arabesque'd with gold and silver. Also they
placed in each sitting-room a pillar of Comorin lign-aloes and
the best of sandal-wood encrusted with gems; and over the
speak-room they threw cupolas supported upon arches and
connecting columns and lighted in the upper part by skylights of
chrystal and carnelian and onyx. And at the head of each saloon
was a couch of juniper-wood whose four legs were of elephants'
ivories studded with rubies and over each was let down a
hanging[FN#188] of golden weft and a network of gems, whilst
higher than the whole was a latticed casement adorned with pearls
which were threaded upon golden wire and curtains bearing scented
satchels of ambergris. The furniture of the divans was of raw
silk stuffed with ostrich- down and the cushions were purfled
with gold. The floors of all the saloons were spread with carpets
and rugs embroidered with sendal, and in the heart of the Great
Hall amiddlemost the four saloons rose a marble jet-d'eau, square
of shape, whose corners were cunningly wrought and whose floor
and marge were set with gems of every hue. They also placed upon
the edges of that fountain figures fashioned of gold and silver
representing all manner birds and beasts, each modelled according
to his several tint and peculiar form; their bellies too were
hollow and from the fountain was conducted a conduit which led
the water into their insides and caused it gush from their mouths
so that they jetted one at other like two hosts about to do
battle. After this the same water returned to the middle of the
fountain and thence flowed into the gardens, of which a
description will follow in its place.[FN#189] Also the walls of
the Great Hall were variegated with wondrous pictures in gold and
lapis lazuli and precious materials of every kind, and over the
doors of the sitting-places they hung candelabra of chrystal with
chains of gold wherein were set jewels and jacinths and the
costliest stones; after which they inscribed upon the entrance of
the speak-rooms couplets to the following purport,
"Clear and clean is our seance from slanderous foe; * And from
envious rival whose aim is blame:
None hither may come save the cup-boy, and eke * Cup-comrades who
never our fame defame."
Upon the chandeliers themselves were inscribed these lines,
"I am raised in reverence high o'er head * For they see that my
gift is the boon of light:
I'm a pleasure to eyesight, so up with you all, * O Seers, and
joy ye the joys of my sight."
And upon the Palace-door was inscribed the following quatrain,
"This Mansion's adorned * As delight to mans eye;
O'er its door writ is 'Welcome,' * So safely draw nigh."
And when they had finished this inscription over the doorway,
they went forth from the entrance which stood at the head of the
Great Hall and proceeded to a square of large space abounding in
trees and enjoyable for rills; and they surrounded it with a
fencing-wall built of rough stone which they stuccoed over and
figured with various paintings. Then they planted this garden
with all manner fruit-bearing trees and fragrant herbs and
flowers and firstlings of every kind and hue and they trained the
branches after a wonderful fashion, leading under their shade
leats and runnels of cool water; and the boughs were cunningly
dispread so as to veil the ground which was planted with grains
of divers sorts and greens and all of vegetation that serveth for
the food of man. Also they provided it with a watering wheel
whose well was revetted with alabaster[FN#190]--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 Six Hundred and Sixty-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
Architects set up in that palace-garden a water-wheel whose well
was revetted with alabaster and whose wood-work and wheel were of
chaunders-wood, whilst its pitchers were of fine porcelain and
its cordage[FN#191] was of raw silk. And when they were free of
this work they edified amongst the scented shrubs and blossoms a
towering dome based upon four-square walls of variegated marbles
and alabasters studded with carbuncles[FN#192] and its ceiling
was supported upon columns of the finest stone with joinery of
lign-aloes and sandal, and they dubbed its cupola with jewels and
precious stones and arabesque'd[FN#193] it with gold and silver.
Then they made therein four saloons more, each fronting other,
and at the head of one and all was a latticed window impending
over the bloomy shrubs and fragrant herbs; the colonnettes of
those casements were silvern whilst the shutters were of
sandal-wood plated and studded with precious metals; and over the
lintels thereof was an ornamental frieze of gold inscribed with
lines of verse which shall be described in its due place. And
they inlaid that frieze with rubies and jacinths until it made
the cupola resemble the domes of Paradise. Moreover they trained
the flowering shrubs and the perfumed herbs to overrun with their
tendrils the casements in the drum of the dome, and when they had
completed the work and had embellished it with all adornments
they pierced for it an entrance and ranged around it three
ramparts which, built up with large stones, were in breadth seven
cubits. Then they edified for the Palace an impregnable gateway
of Chinese steel whereunto led flights of alabastrine steps which
were continued to the highmost parts, and lastly they derived the
river Al-Kawa'ib till it surrounded the edifice on every side and
encircled it as signet-ring girdeth finger or wristlet wrist. Now
when the Architects and Master-masons had made an end of building
the Palace and its domes and had finished laying out and planting
the parterres, they went in to King Al-Mihrjan and kissing ground
between his hands informed him thereof; and he, receiving this
report, at once took his daughter, Al-Hayfa, and mounting horse,
he and the Lords of his land rode forth till they reached the
river Al-Kawa'ib which ran at three days' distance from his
capital. When he arrived there and looked upon the Palace and its
elevation in fortalice-form he was pleased therewith and so were
all of his suite and retinue; whereupon he went up to it and
beholding the ordinance and the ornamentation and the cupolas and
the gardens and the edification and embellishment of the whole,
he sent for the Architects and Master-masons and the artificers
whom he thanked for their work, and he bestowed upon them robes
of honour and gifted and largessed them and assigned to them
rations and pay and allowances. So they kissed ground before him
and went their ways. Then King Al-Mihrjan and his host withdrew
within the Palace, and he bade serve up the trays of viands and
sumptuous food for a banquet, after which he and his abode three
days in eating and drinking and diversion and disport; and he
gave robes of honour to his Wazirs and Emirs and the Grandees of
his kingdom, and in fine issued orders for their departure. When
they went forth from him, he commanded to summon Al-Hayfa and her
women with all their belongings; and she, having made act of
presence and having ascended to the Palace and considered it with
its beauty and artifice and ornamentation, was pleased and
rejoiced therein. The father abode with her three days, and then
farewelling her returned to his capital; and she on his departure
bade her slave-girls distribute the couches about the saloons
placing in each one a seat of ebony plated with glittering gold,
whose legs were of elephant's ivory, and over one and all they
reared canopies of silk and brocade adorned with jewels and
precious metals and bespread them with mattresses and cushions
and pillows, and over the floor of the palaces they laid down
carpets whereupon was orfrayed this couplet,
"O Friend hereon seated be blythe and gay * Unless hereto bound
and debarred of way."[FN#194]
Then they set upon them settees for seats whereupon were
inscribed these couplets,
"O Seat, be thy beauty increased evermore; * Fair fall thee with
happiness choice and meet;
An I fail in life through my slip and sin, * To-morrow in Heav'n
I'll give thee seat."
Then[FN#195] the attendants decorated the whole Palace until it
became like unto one of the Mansions of Heaven, and when the
women had done her bidding, Al-Hayfa was much pleased, so she
took one of the slave-girls by the hand and walked with the rest
of them around the Palace considering its artifice and its
embellishment, especially the paintings which covered the walls;
and they rejoiced thereat, marvelling at the cunning decorations
and they were grateful to the Architects who had builded and
presented all these representations. And when Al-Hayfa reached
the terrace- roof of the Palace she descended by its long flight
of steps which led to the river-side, and bidding the door be
thrown open she gazed upon the water which encircled it like ring
around finger or armlet round arm, and admired its breadth and
its swiftness of streaming; and she magnified the work and
admired the gateway of steel for its strength and power of
defence and sued for pardon of Almighty Allah.[FN#196]--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 Six Hundred and Seventieth 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 Al-Hayfa
sued pardon of Allah the Great and took refuge with the Almighty
from Satan the Stoned, after which said she, "There is no
diverter to whatso is doomed by the Lord nor availeth aught of
solicitude against that commanded by the Omnipotent, the All-
puissant; and His power is upon me with His destiny and needs
must it come to pass." Then she called for a pen-case of gold and
she wrote for placing over the gateway of the Palace the
following couplets,[FN#197]
"Behold here's a mansion like 'Home of Delight' * Whose sight
heals the sick and abates all blight:
Here are roe-like maidens with breasts high raised * And with
charms of the straightest stature bedight:
Their eyes prey on the lion, the Desert's lord. * And sicken the
prostrate love- felled plight:
Whomso their glances shall thrust and pierce * Naught e'er
availeth mediciner's might:
Here Al-Hayfa scion of noble sire * E'en craven and sinner doth
fain invite;
And here for the drunken wight there abide * Five pardons[FN#198]
and bittocks of bread to bite.
My desire is the maiden who joys in verse, * All such I welcome
with me to alight,
And drain red wine in the garth a-morn * where beasts and birds
all in pairs unite;
Where rose and lily and eglantine * And myrtle with scent
morning-breeze delight,
Orange bloom, gillyflower and chamomile * With Jasmine and
palm-bud, a joyful site.
Whoso drinketh not may no luck be his * Nor may folk declare him
of reason right!
Wine and song are ever the will of me * But my morning wine lacks
a comrade-wight
O who brightenest the Five[FN#199] do thou rise and fetch * By
night for my use olden wine and bright:
O thou reading this writ, prithee comprehend: * Cross the stream
I swear thee by God's All-might!
This is House of Honour may none gainsay :* Cup-comrade shall be
who shall self invite;
For within these gates only women wone, * So of men-folk here
thou hast naught to affright."
When Al-Hayfa had finished her writing and what she had
improvised of verse and couplets, she bade close the entrance of
the Palace and went up, she and her women, to the higher
apartments; and the while she was drowned in thought and fell to
saying, "Would Heaven I knew an this mighty guard and ward will
defend Al-Mihrjan and would I wot if this fortalice will fend off
Fate and what fain must be." Then she enjoined her women to high
diet and the drinking of wine and listening to intimate converse
and the hearing of songs and musical instruments and gladness and
gaiety for a while of time; and she felt herself safe from the
shifts of chance and change. Such was her case but now we will
recount (Inshallah!) what further befel her.[FN#200] In the land
of Sind was a King hight Sahl[FN#201] and he was of the Monarchs
of might, endowed with puissance and prepotency and exalted
degree, abounding in troops and guards and overruling all that
fair region. Now Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) had
vouchsafed him a son than whom was none in his age fairer of
semblance: beautiful exceedingly was he, with a face brighter far
than the full moon; and he was of tongue eloquent and of pluck
puissant, valorous, formidable. Also he was mighty fond of wine
mere and rare and of drinks in the morning air and of converse
with the fair and he delighted in mirth and merriment and he was
assiduous in his carousing which he would never forego during the
watches of the night or the wards of the day. Now for the
abundance of his comeliness and the brilliancy of his
countenance, whenever he walked abroad in the capital he would
swathe his face with the Lith�m,[FN#202] lest wax madly enamoured
of him the woman-kind and all creation, wherefore he was named
the Veiled Y�suf of Beauty. It chanced one night as he sat
carousing with his boon companions that the wine prevailed over
him and he became sprightly and frolicsome; so he went forth from
the door of his cabinet in a state of drink, understanding naught
and knowing nothing of that he did. He wandered about the rooms
belonging to his father and there he saw a damsel of the paternal
concubines standing at the door of her bower and his wine so
mastered him that he went up to her and clasped her to his bosom
and threw her backwards upon the floor. She cried aloud to the
royal Eunuchs who stood there looking on at him, not one of them,
however, dared arrest him or even draw near him to free the girl,
so he had his will of her and abated her maidenhead after which
he rose up from off her and left her all bleeding[FN#203] from
his assault. Now this slave-girl had been gifted to his sire and
Yusuf left her to recover her condition when he would have
visited her again, but as soon as he had returned to his
apartment (and he not knowing what he had done) the Eunuchs took
the damsel (she bleeding as before) and carried her to King Sahl
who seeing her in such case exclaimed, "What man hath done this
to her?" Said they, "'Tis thy son Yusuf;" and he, when he heard
the words of his slaves, felt that this matter was hard upon him
and sent to fetch the Prince. They hastened to bring him, but
amongst the Mamelukes was one lovingly inclined to the youth who
told him the whole tale and how his father had bade the
body-guards summon him to the presence. And when Yusuf had heard
the words of the Mameluke he arose in haste and baldrick'd his
blade and hending his spear in hand he went down to the stables
and saddled him a steed of the noblest blood and likeliest
strain; then he mounted and, taking with him a score of Mamelukes
his pages, he sallied forth with them through the city gate and
rode on unknowing what was concealed from him in the Secret
Purpose--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 Six Hundred and Seventy-second 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 Prince
Yusuf, son of King Sahl, went forth the city all unknowing
whither he should wend and to what part he should turn, and he
ceased not faring with his merry men for ten full-told days,
cutting across the wold and wild and the valley and the
stone-clad hill, and he was perplext as to his affair. But whilst
he was still journeying he came upon the river Al-Kawa'ib and he
drew in sight of the castle of Al-Hayfa, which stood amiddlemost
that mighty stream with its height and bulk and defensive
strength. Hereupon quoth Yusuf to himself, "By Allah, none
founded this puissant fortalice in such power and prepotency and
forcefulness save for a mighty matter and a cause of much
consequence. Would Heaven I wot to whom this belongeth and who
dwelleth therein!" Then he applied his mind and had recourse to
the knowledge of his companions the Mamelukes and he commanded
all his white slaves alight upon the marge of the river for the
purpose of rest, and when they had reposed he asked them, "Who
amongst you will go down to this stream and will over-swim it and
will visit the lord of the Castle and bring us news of it and
tidings of its ownership and discover for us the man to whom it
belongeth?" But as no one would return him a reply he repeated
his words without any answer and he, when he saw that, arose
forthright and doffed what he had upon him of dress, all save his
shirt only. Then he took his bow and quiver and placing his
clothes with his weapon and arrow-case upon his head he went down
to the river and swam it until he came forth it on the further
side. Here he walked up to the gateway and found an impregnable
entrance all of steel which none might avail to open, but when he
saw the verses thereon inscribed and understood their
significance he gave himself joy and was certified of entering.
Then he took from his quiver a pen-case and paper whereupon he
inscribed these couplets,
"At your door, O Fountains of weal, I stand * A stranger from
home and a-morning bann'd.
Your grace shall haply forfend my foe * And the hateful band of
unfriends disband:
I have none resort save your gates, the which * With verse like
carcanet see I spann'd:
Ibn Sahl hath 'spied with you safe repair, * So for lonesome
stranger approach command!"
And when Yusuf had ended his writing, he folded the paper and
made it fast to a shaft; then he took his bow and arming it drew
the string and aimed the arrow at the upper terrace, where it
dropped within the parapet. Now, by the decree of The Decreer
Al-Hayfa was walking there with her women when the shaft fell
between her feet and the paper became manifest, so she caught
sight of it and took it up and opened it, and having read it
understood its significance. Hereat she rejoiced and
congratulated herself and her cheeks flushed rosy-red, and
presently she went hastily in the direction of the entrance,
whilst her women still looked down from the terrace upon the
doorway and saw Yusuf a-foot before it. They cried out to their
lady, "Verily there standeth below a youth lovely in his
youthfulness, with his face gladdening as the crescent moon of
Sha'ab�n."[FN#204] But when Al-Hayfa heard the words of the women
she was glad and gave herself joy and sensed an oppression of
pleasure, whilst her vitals palpitated and she perspired in her
petticoat-trowsers.[FN#205] Then she went down to the gateway
which she bade be thrown open, and seeing Prince Yusuf she smiled
in his face and welcomed him and greeted him. He returned her
salam with sweetness of phrase and softness of words, when said
she to him, "Well come and welcome and good cheer to thee, O thou
who dost visit us and takest refuge in our demesne[FN#206] and in
our presence, for that here thou hast immunity and impunity and
civility;" presently adding, "Enter into this guarded stead and
feel thou no fear from any foe, for thou hast wrought thy wish
and hast attained thine aim and hast won thy will, O fair of face
and O perfect of form, O thou whose countenance excelleth the new
moon: here thou hast preserved thy life and art saved from
foeman's strife." Thereupon she mounted the staircase and he
behind her, while the slave-girls surrounded the twain, and she
conversed with him and cheered him with fair words and welcomed
him once more till they had entered the Castle saloon, when she
took his hand and seated him at the head of the hall. But as
Yusuf looked upon the fortalice and the beauty of its building
and the excellence of its ordinance and the high degree of its
decorations which made it like unto the Palaces of Paradise, and
as he beheld that furniture and those couches, with what was over
them of hangings, and the gems and jewels and precious metals
which abounded there, he magnified the matter in his mind and
said to himself, "This place belongeth to none save to a mighty
monarch!" Then Al-Hayfa bade her women bring a bundle of
clothing, and when they had set it between her hands, she opened
it and drew forth a suit of Daylakian[FN#207] garments and a
caftan of Coptick stuff (fine linen of Misraim purfled with
gold), and bestowed them upon him, and she bound around his head
an or-fringed Shash[FN#208] with either end gem-adorned. And when
he donned the dress his countenance became brilliant and its
light shone afar, and his cheeks waxed red as rose, and she
seeing this felt her wits bewildered and was like to faint.
However, she soon recovered herself and said, "This is no mortal:
verily he is naught but of the H�rs of Heaven." Then she bade her
women bring food--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 Six Hundred and Seventy-fourth 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 Al-Hayfa
bade her women bring the food trays, and when they obeyed her
bidding and placed them between the hands of Yusuf, he considered
them and saw that one was made of Yam�n� onyx and another of red
carnelian and a third of rock chrystal, and they bore platters of
gold and silver and porcelain and jasper. Upon them were ranged
dishes furnished with the daintiest food which perplexed the
wits, and sweetmeats and sumptuous meats, such as gazelle's
haunch and venison and fatted mutton and flesh of birds, all the
big and the small, such as pigeon and rock-pigeon, and greens
marinated and viands roasted and fried of every kind and colour
and cheeses and sugared dishes. Then she seated Yusuf beside her
and served him with all manner cates and confections and conjured
him to fall-to and morselled him until he had eaten his
sufficiency; after which they twain sat together in laughter and
enjoyment each conjoined to other and both cast in the mould of
beauty and loveliness and brilliancy and stature and symmetric
grace as though in the likeness of a rattan-palm. All this and
Al-Hayfa rejoiced in Yusuf, but ever and anon she took thought
anent her sire King Al-Mihrjan and his works and she kept saying
in her mind, "Would Heaven I wot will he wed me to this youth so
charming of inner grace; and, if my father be not satisfied
therewith, I will marry my lover in despite of him." And the
while Yusuf quoth to himself "Would Heaven I wot how my sire will
act in the business of the concubine whose pucelage I did away,
and would Heaven I knew if he have ridden forth in search of me,
or he have lost sight of me and never asked of me." On this wise
either of the twain spoke to themselves, and neither of them
believed in safety, all unknowing what was predestined to them by
Him who saith to a thing, "Be" and it becometh. So Al-Hayfa and
Yusuf sat drowned in the depths of thought, withal their joyance
and enjoyment made them clean forget that writ for them by Fate;
and the Prince gazing upon the greater tray saw graven upon its
edge these couplets,
"For the gathering of friends and familiars design'd * Between
hands of Kings and Wazirs I'm shrin'd:
Upon me is whatever taste loves and joys * Of flesh and viands
all kinds combin'd:
From me fill thee full of these cates and praise * Thy Lord, the
Maker of all mankind."
Then the attendants placed bread upon the trays, and the Prince
found writ in moulded letters upon the loaves the couplets that
follow,
"And a loaf new-born from the flour of wheat, * White and piping
hot from the oven-heat:
Quoth to me my chider, Be wise and say * Soothe my heart and
blame not, O friend I greet."
Presently the handmaidens piled upon the trays platters of silver
and porcelain (whereof mention hath been made) containing all
that lip and tongue gratify of the meat of muttons in fry and
Kat�-grouse and pigeon-poults and quails and things that fly of
every kind and dye which hungry men can long to espy, and Yusuf
saw inscribed upon the china dishes the following couplets,
"Platters of china fair * That all men's eyne ensnare,
None seeth in this our town * China of mould so rare."
Then he looked upon the silver plate and found it graven with
these lines,
"Plate worked in silver of the brightest white * In height of
beauty, O thou joy to sight,
When fully finisht and when perfect made * Becometh chargers
peerless in delight."
And portrayed upon the porcelain were all that grow and fly of
geese and poultry. Anon a handmaid brought in hand a knife
wherewith to carve the meats, and Yusuf looking at the blade saw
upon it letters gold-inlaid and forming these verses,
"I am blade of finest grain * Wherefrom comes naught of bane:
Fro' my friends all harm I ward * And thy foes by me be slain!"
Hereupon the handmaids ended the ordinance of the table and set
everything in its own stead; after which the Princess took seat
beside the Prince and said to him, "O my lord, hearten our heart
and deign grace to us and honour us by eating with us: this
indeed be a day of joy for my union with thee and for thy
lighting this my lodging with the splendour of thy semblance so
bright and thy beauty so rare and for thine alighting at my home
and thine opportune kindness and thine inner
graciousness,[FN#209] O thou unique one of the Age and the Time,
and O thou who hast no peer in our day and our tide." Now when
Yusuf heard the words of Al-Hayfa he said to her, "Wallahi, O
thou who the moons adornest and who the sun and the daylight
shamest, O lady of brow flower-bright and of stature
elegant-slight, O thou who passest in beauty and comeliness all
mortal beings, O thou with smile like water sweet and mouth-dews
like purest spring and of speech the softest, I wot thou art the
lady of goodness and excellence and generosity and liberality."
Then she again fell to morselling the Prince until they both had
a sufficiency of food, whereupon she bade them fetch water for
washing their hands after meat. And they brought to Yusuf a basin
of glittering gold, when he rejoiced with exceeding exultation
the while he was sunk in meditation, and at times he gazed upon
Al-Hayfa and his wits were bewildered and his senses seduced him
to something he would do with her for the abundance that was in
her of beauty and loveliness. But his reason forbade to him his
passion, and quoth he in his mind, "To everything its own
time,"-- 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 Six Hundred and Seventy-sixth 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 Yusuf
said, "To everything its own time, and soothly sayeth the old
saw, Whoso hurrieth upon a matter ere opportunity consent shall
at last repent. Now when they brought the basin before him and
therein stood an ewer of chrystal garnished with gold, he looked
at it and saw graven thereupon the following couplets,
"I'm a Basin gold beautifies * For the hands of the great and the
wise:
Abased[FN#210] for the cleansing of palms, * Washing hands with
the water of eyes."
Thereat he considered the ewer and saw inscribed upon it these
lines,
"O rare the Ewer's form whereon must dote * Our hearts and pupils
of our eyes fain gloat:
Seems ferly fair to all admiring orbs * You seemly body wi' the
slender throat."
And when he had finished washing his hands and had dried them
with the napkins he pointed at them and spoke these couplets,
"Groweth my love a-heart and how to hide * When o'er the plains
of cheek tear-torrents glide?
I veil what love these sobs and moans betray * With narrowed
heart I spread my patience wide.
O Farer to the fountain,[FN#211] flow these eyes * Nor seek from
other source to be supplied:
Who loveth, veil of Love his force shall reave, * For tears shall
tell his secrets unespied:
I for the love of you ain bye-word grown, * My lords, and driven
to the Desert-side;
While you in heart of me are homed, your home; * And the
heart-dweller kens what there may bide."
When Prince Yusuf had finished his improvisation and the poetry
which he produced, Princess Al-Hayfa bussed him upon the brow,
and he seeing this waxed dazed of his wits and right judgment
fled him and he fell fainting to the floor for a while of time.
And when he came to himself he pondered how she had entreated him
and his Passion would have persuaded him to do with her somewhat
but Reason forbad and with her force he overcame himself. After
his improvising Al-Hayfa again saluted him on the front and
cried, "Indeed thou hast done well in thy words, O thou with
Crescent's brow!" Presently she came for the table of wine and
filling a cup drank it off; then she crowned another goblet and
passed it to Yusuf who took it and kissed it while she improvised
some couplets as follows,
"Thy seduction of lips ne'er can I forbear * Nor deny
love-confession for charms so rare:
O thou aim of my eyes, how my longing stay? * O thou tall of form
and long wavy hair?
Thy rose-hued cheek showeth writ new-writ[FN#212] * Dimming wine
my cups in their rondure bear."